DAPHNE, Ala. — Olde Towne Daphne will come alive Saturday when SEEDS — Supporting Educational Enrichment in Daphne’s Schools — hosts its annual Mamma Mia Cook-off, which celebrates the city’s Italian heritage and benefits the five Daphne public schools and Christ the King Catholic School.

The cook-off — set for 7 p.m. on the City Hall grounds — will feature 29 teams representing corporate and nonprofit groups from Baldwin and Mobile counties.

Some of their entries will include: “crespelle alla florentina” — or “Florentine crepes” —  and lasagna with Bescialmella white sauce.

Teams will compete in four categories: “carne” — “meat”; “pollo” — “chicken”; “frutti di mare — “seafood”; and “senza carne” — “meatless.”

Tickets to the cook-off are $25 in advance and $30 on event day. Two glasses of wine and a choice of all entries are included in the ticket price with additional wine and authentic Italian desserts available a la carte.

Dr. Glenn Glass of Baldwin County Orthodontic Specialists is set to host the event while Rep. Randy Davis and the Jubilee Orchestra will provide a soundtrack to the evening.

Football fans can keep up-to-date with both the Alabama-Mississippi State and the Auburn-Georgia games on big screen televisions.

A first-time People’s Choice Award winner will be selected from among local restaurant entries.

“Each year, we’ve gone out and talked to local restaurants and many wanted to take part but were busy because (the event) is on a Saturday,” SEEDS executive director Denise D’Olivera said.

“Many of the restaurants have sent samples of their cuisine. It’s going to help us add to what’s available to our guests,” she said, adding that attendees will be asked to vote on their favorite dishes.

A strolling auction and door prizes will round out the evening.

Proceeds from the Mamma Mia Cook-off benefit SEEDS’ Classroom Enrichment Grant Program, which has provided more than $130,000 to the five Daphne public schools and Christ the King Catholic School since 2005. 

Some 2009 SEEDS grants are helping to restore programs and services eliminated by recent funding cuts.

The Baldwin County Board of Education has faced a $75 million shortfall and has made sweeping budget cuts to address the crisis. This year’s Mamma Mia profits will address continuing classroom needs in 2010.

“As we’ve seen this fall, there was a need to transfer our focus from classroom enrichment to maintaining programs,” D’Oliveira said.

Teachers have had to rely on outside funding to purchase school supplies necessary to execute their daily lesson plans; the state used to provide each teacher $525 for this purpose.

The Mamma Mia event celebrates the city’s Italian heritage; Daphne was founded in the late 1800s by Italian immigrants from northern urban centers who settled in the area.

Advance tickets are available at: Daphne City Hall, Daphne Recreation Department, Will Hughes Catering and Market, the Frame Corner, Baldwin County Orthodontic Specialists, Riviera Utilities, the Neighborhood School and in all Daphne schools. Online tickets may be purchased through Thursday at seedsindaphne.org.

Contact SEEDS at 656-7333 or by e-mail at info@seedsindaphne.org for more information.