Rainbow Island Supper
An alfresco dining tradition rich with a sense of place and flavor.
There’s no better sense-of-place meal than what awaits members and guests at Rainbow Island Supper. A long-running Sea Island tradition, the gathering takes place on a tidal island in the Black Banks River that guests reach via a picturesque stroll along a boardwalk threaded through the marsh.
One of many beloved rituals at Sea Island, Rainbow Island Suppers represent a coming together in the open air to celebrate community and the bounty of the land and sea surrounding the resort. It’s a tradition that dates nearly as far back as the property’s opening days. “From the moment members and guests board the jeep train to the stroll down the boardwalk along the Black Banks River, everything about Rainbow Island Supper from start to finish is a unique experience,” says Mike Huettner, Banquets Team Member.
A HUMBLE HISTORY
Rainbow Island Supper traces its origins to the humble oyster roast, a communal tradition in Georgia’s Low Country that has its roots in Native American traditions and is equally beloved by the Gullah people. In its simplest form, an oyster roast involves cooking oysters on a hot surface, often a sheet of metal placed over a fire, with the bivalves typically covered with burlap sacks to help them steam open.
“The original rustic Sea Island gatherings that have morphed into today’s Rainbow Island Suppers were originally held on property at a wooded area off the beach, just north of 36th Street,” says Mimi Rogers, Resort Archivist. She added that the archives house old documents advertising the events. “References to ‘Oyster Roast and Fish Fry’ dinners on Friday nights appear in calendars of events in The Cloister newsletter, Shore Lines, in the 1940s.” In those early years, the area near what is now Ocean Forest Golf Club was known as 36th Street Camp. While Rogers adds that she’s found a newsletter from 1948 that mentions the cookout, the dinner’s origins appear to date to even earlier. “There wasn’t much structure to the gatherings back then. It was more like everybody getting together for a picnic,” says Rogers.
Rainbow Island
RAINBOW ISLAND SUPPER EVOLVES
By 1994, the suppers moved to Rainbow Island, a location that was described as a “scenic setting near The Cloister across Black Banks River.” In 2004, a spacious rustic screened shelter with a fireplace was added to enhance the scene. While today’s Rainbow Island Suppers have evolved in culinary offerings from the early days, it’s an event that remains true to its roots at its core.
“It’s a tradition focused around fire pits, Southern food, s’mores and the like,” explains Danny Zeal, Culinary Director. “Picture a classic ring-the-dinner bell kind of experience, complete with live music and the smell of great food in the air coming from the rustic cookhouse and open-fire kettles. Picnic tables in the grass and sand set the scene where you’ll dine with 300 new friends.”
Guests arrive on the island to the sound of a bluegrass or folk band strumming and singing familiar tunes. “The fire pits are glowing and twinkling white lights are strung overhead. Kids are running around playing. It’s just such a magical place,” Zeal explains.
Huettner highlights how even the youngest guests quickly immerse themselves in the playfulness and charm of Rainbow Island. “The kids usually peel away to enjoy junior staff activities or pair up with new friends they met during Camp Cloister. Some adventurous children opt to get a plastic cup from team members who know to bring a few extras, so that they can catch fiddler crabs along the brick path,” he says.
Spicy Shrimp in a Skillet
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 5 – 10 mins
Yields: 6-8 servings
2 pounds large Georgia white shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
0.5 cup shallot or sweet onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons Cajun blackening seasoning, or Old Bay seasoning
0.5 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Sambal chili sauce
1 tablespoon hot sauce, or sriracha sauce
1 lemon, juice and zest
4 tablespoons butter, diced
1 teaspoon chopped parsley, or green onion
salt and pepper, to taste
METHOD
In a large cast-iron skillet, heat over medium-high heat. Heat the oil, add shallots or onions and sweat until they are translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until it is aromatic. Add the dry spice, stir then deglaze with white wine and cook until almost dry. Add the shrimp, sambal and hot sauce, and stir continuously from the bottom to cook the shrimp evenly. Once the shrimp are cooked, add lemon juice and slowly melt the butter into the sauce. Adjust with salt and black pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley or green onions.
Dutch Oven Drop Biscuit Cobbler
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yields: 10-15 servings
APPLE FILLING
10 Honeycrisp or Pink Lady apples
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1.5 cups brown sugar
0.5 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 vanilla beans, scraped
0.25 cup apple brandy, or Calvados
2 lemons, juice and zest
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
BISCUITS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1.25 teaspoons salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup buttermilk
0.25 cup of heavy whipping cream
0.25 cup of rock or sanding sugar
METHOD
Peel, core and roughly chop the apples into large pieces. Place the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large Dutch oven over a medium-heat, open fire. Once sugar. dissolves and butter begins to foam, add apples, vanilla, lemon juice and spices. Cook for 10 minutes or until the apples are soft and tender. Stir in all-purpose flour and apple brandy while mixing until the sauce thickens. Lower the heat and make the drop biscuits. In a separate bowl, mix all the biscuit ingredients. Use a pastry cutter to make a crumbly, wet mixture, and sprinkle with additional flour if necessary. Using a large tablespoon, spoon biscuit batter evenly over the apples. Leave about a 0.25-inch between each one. When the tops of the apples are covered, place the lid on the Dutch oven and bake on medium heat for 12-15 minutes. Avoid opening the lid early to retain the heat. After 12-15 minutes, check to see if the biscuits are cooked. If they aren’t, cover and cook for a few more minutes. When the biscuits are baked through and the apple filling is bubbling and caramelized, pour heavy cream directly on top and sprinkle with rock or sanding sugar. Return to the heat for 5 minutes. Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
A FEAST FOR THE SENSES
In addition to the beloved oyster roast, a Rainbow Island Supper staple to this day, classic dishes typically on the menu include summery favorites like crookneck squash casserole and two versions of mac and cheese, including one with pimento cheese.
Brunswick stew, served steaming in mugs, is another favorite that’s naturally infused with the lore of the region. While Virginia also tries to claim the origins of this hearty stew, any Georgian worth their salt will say that Brunswick stew can trace its roots locally to 1828, as memorialized in a 25-gallon iron pot monument in a Brunswick park.
It’s a delight to banter with resort chefs as they sizzle up the renowned sweet Georgia white shrimp — netted in the waters just offshore — in garlic, white wine and a dash of sriracha
and Old Bay seasoning over an open fire. This spicy shrimp in a skillet is part of the traditional fire pit oyster roast that celebrates the bounty of the sea around the Golden Isles. Guests may even hear tales of the Dora F, one of the oldest shrimping boats on the East Coast until her retirement in 2024, adding a touch of local flavor.
“The fact that the meal is so interactive really sets the mood,” says Pete Page, Executive Chef of Events. “We have big butcher block work tables that we work off of and serve the food from, so people can step right up and see what we’re doing. They love to ask questions about where we get our seafood and get some insight into the open-fire cooking before wandering around the island toward the firepit to listen to the band and just enjoy.”
Rainbow Island Supper has the sweetest send off of all in the form of new friends and a soul-warming Southern dessert — like a slice of hummingbird cake or drop biscuit apple cobbler warm from the dutch oven and dished up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
“Being part of the whole experience in every season is always such a delight,” remarks Zeal. This sentiment is shared by team members, members and guests alike. Rainbow Island Suppers are more than just meals. They are an opportunity for connection at a shared table that weaves together history, community and the flavors of the Georgia coast.