DAPHNE, Ala.— Olde Towne Daphne came alive Saturday as SEEDS—Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne Schools—hosted its fourth annual Mamma Mia Cook-off.

The scent of roasted garlic mingled in the air with jazz sounds of the Jubilee Orchestra as couples danced and people, perhaps searching for amoré, strolled the romantic grounds of City Hall.

Seven tents blanketed the parking lot and lawn of City Hall and a block of Main Street. Beneath the canopies, friends shared original dishes, sipped fine wine and relayed news about their families.

“I don’t know what I just ate but it was fantastic,” Rose Dunn, Daphne resident, said after polishing off a seafood dish with shrimp, vegetables and linguine.

The city celebrated its Italian lineage by serving up old-world flavor to guests who dined on meatballs, chicken and seafood delicacies.

“We do this to celebrate our Italian heritage here in Daphne,” state Rep. Randy Davis said. Daphne was founded more than 100 years ago by six Italian families: the Allegris,  Bergas, Bertollas, Bonis, Cortes and Mancis.

See rest of story and three pages of photos in Nov. 12 Daphne Bulletin