We had a GREAT time last night!

Liz O'Leary, Liz Tuckermanty and Monica Mohindra enjoy May Wine

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Second Annual Potluck -- we had a wonderful night and hope you did, too! Special thanks to our celebrity judges, Mayor Mike Callahan, Father Kevin Kennedy, and Andrea Seabrook (and Fifi!) for their tastebuds, to Kat Callahan for her babystting expertise, and to everyone who helped with this event, especially MJ Coolen and liz Tuckermanty.

With so many wonderful dishes, our judges had a very challenging task in picking their favorites, but, after much deliberation, they arrived at consensus. Here, then, are the 2012 Potluck Winners:

Crunchy Kale

Best Food with a Human Name Rosemary Potatoes (Susie Misleh)

Child-Friendly (as voted by Fifi) Chicken Salad (Pat Wickersty) & Snickers Cookies (Ellen & Riley Grimes)

Edith Piaf Award Quinoa & Asparagus Pilaf (Kelly Fisher)

Rainy Day Zoo Award Crying Tiger Salad (Pat O'Leary)

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Most Photogenic Chickpea Salad with Cumin  & Mint (Rachel Mears)

Swimming Against the Current Salmon (Dan Smith)

The Only & Best Libation  May Wine (Dale Manty)

Most Local  Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (MJ Coolen)

Most Original Mint Panna Cotta (Monica Mohindra)

The Buffet Line

Best Pirate Dish...AARRGGHH!  Arugula Salad (Amy & Dino Efantis)

Healthiest Food Made Unhealthy & Best in Show Crunchy Kale (MJ Coolen)

Again, thanks to everyone who came out. We truly do appreciate the community support. We're looking forward to our opening day for the 2012 season in just two weeks, and we can't wait to see you there!

See photos of all the food and fun on our flickr page!

Potluck TONIGHT!

We hope to see you tonight! Still not sure what to bring? Tasteologie has lots of terrific ideas!

In celebration of Cinco de Mayo & Maryland: Mexican Crab Cakes with Jalapeno Aioli

Photo from by Patricia Jinich, Pati's Mexican Table

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I want to try this recipe right this moment. The sous chef at DC's contemporary Latin-influenced Ceiba Restaurant, Alfredo Solis, created this beautiful dish and I read about it on a new favorite food blog: Pati's Mexican Table. You could spend hours poring over the recipes there and it would be time well spent!

The crab cakes are made of lush, fresh lump crab, chopped habanero peppers, cilantro, and a little bread crumbs, egg, and mayo to bind it all together. The aoili is just as simple -- have you noticed how some of the very best recipes are simple? It's because the ingredients are terrific and don't need a lot to make them taste good.

Visit the blog for the full recipe, and make sure to visit Ceiba Restaurant for some delicious food in DC. I've been perusing the menu and I'm ready to make a reservation!

Here's a classic for your Kentucky Derby fete!

image by Gogo

Market Manager Liz O'Leary is a dyed-in-the-wool Kentuckyian, and she knows many of the very best traditional southern recipes. Here she shares that Derby Day classic, the Mint Julep: 

For non-Kentuckians the Mint Julep is usually associated with the Kentucky Derby. While it’s true that we do drink quite a few of these refreshing cocktails during the Oaks and the Derby, the Mint Julep is actual a brilliant solution to a problem that every gardener (southerner or not) can relate to - what to do with all that mint growing in your yard. Once mint takes root in your garden, it is there to stay. Someone, somewhere (and let’s not debate this, Virginians) came up with the brilliant idea to muddle some refreshing mint, crushed ice, and bourbon for the quintessential warm weather drink.

Here is my great-grandmother’s recipe which I serve at all my Derby parties.

Ella’s Mint Julep

8-10 mint leaves plus one for garnish (rinse thoroughly, no one wants a gritty julep)

1 tablespoon or more sugar

1 liberal jigger bourbon of choice (my personal favorite is Pappy Van Winkle but use what you have - as long as it’s bourbon, never use any other whiskey)

Crushed ice (hand crushing is best)

Optional: a little water or soda

Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar in your silver julep cup. If you don’t have a julep cup, you should really get one or twelve.  Add the bourbon and stir. Add ice. Place a sprig of mint on the side (it looks fancy) and enjoy.

Warning, these go down VERY easy. If you aren’t careful you may have a lot of friends or enemies at the end of the evening.

Potluck Sunday Night!

Remember, our second annual Potluck is this weekend. We'd love to see you, your family, friends, and neighbors at Fannon Hall this Sunday evening!

Food for Thought Fridays: Food Deserts

According to the USDA, Cheverly is an island in a desert. A food desert. A food desert is defined as an area in the industrialized world where healthy, affordable food is difficult to obtain. How does this happen in one of the wealthiest areas of the country? If we are challenged to find sustenance this close to our nation's capital, how do other communities cope?

Today, we're thinking about food deserts. How they happen. How they can be remedied. It's Food for Thought.

There's a lot of good information on FoodDesert.net, and interesting articles at TIME, Daily Booth, NPR, and the New York Times.

The Potluck is THIS Sunday!

We hope you're getting excited about spending Sunday night at Fannon Hall with us...we certainly are! Have you found that perfect recipe? We know the judges will be hungry. It's going to be a great celebration and a wonderful way to kick off our sixth season.

Still need the details? Here you go.

Want to volunteer to help with this event? Email us -- we'd love to have more hands on deck!