Enjoy Farm-Fresh Local Turkeys on Thanksgiving This Year Try a Deep-Fried Turkey with Skipjack Oyster Stuffing Paired with a Fine Maryland Wine

This Thanksgiving, Marylanders families are encouraged to purchase farm-fresh local turkeys from any of several Maryland turkey growers across the state. In 2007, 750,000 turkeys totaling more than 26.3 million pounds were raised in Maryland with a total value of $13.7 million. Turkeys sold directly from the farm to the consumer account for a small portion of the total production. A list of some of the Maryland farms offering to sell fresh turkeys directly to consumers can be found on the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s website at http://www.mda.state.md.us.

“Maryland farmers grow some of the freshest and best tasting turkeys in the country,” said Agriculture Secretary Roger Richardson. “Buying locally supports Maryland’s economy and will have your family coming back for more.”

This year try a deep-fried whole turkey, freeing up your oven for a traditional Maryland favorite, oyster stuffing. For an excellent wine pairing, pick up a bottle of pinot noir or dry Riesling from one of Maryland’s wineries. At this year’s Governor’s Cup Competition, hosted by the Maryland Wineries Association, Basignani Winery and Loew Vineyards had Riesling medal winners. Cove Point Winery, Dove Valley Winery, Elk Run Vineyards, and Little Ashby Vineyards all had Pinot Noir medal winners. For more information on Maryland Wines log onto http://www.marylandwine.com.

DEEP-FRIED TURKEY
From Paula Deen, Food Network

1 (10-pound) turkey
2 tablespoons House seasoning (recipe follows)
2 tablespoons of your favorite dry rub
3 to 5 gallons peanut oil

Cooks Note: To measure the amount of oil needed to fry the turkey, place turkey in fryer, add water to top of turkey, remove the turkey and the water line will indicate how much oil will be needed to fry your turkey. Having too much oil can cause a fire. The pot should not be more than 3/4 full or the oil could overflow when the turkey is added.

Wash bird inside and out, and allow to drain. Rub turkey all over with House Seasoning. Coat turkey with dry rub. Allow the bird to sit until it reaches room temperature. Heat peanut oil in a turkey fryer or a very, very large stockpot to 350 degrees F. Lower turkey into hot oil, very carefully, making sure it is fully submerged. Fry turkey for 3 minutes per pound plus 5 minutes per bird. Remove turkey from oil and drain on paper towels.

House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

OYSTER STUFFING
From the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Seafood Marketing Program

1 cup sliced celery
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped red sweet pepper
½ cup butter or margarine
1 pint shucked oysters drained and halved
1 (14 oz.) package seasoned stuffing mix
2 tsp. thyme leaves, crushed
1½ cups chicken or turkey broth water

Begin by cooking the celery, red pepper, and onion in the butter until tender. Stir in the oysters and cook an additional two minutes. Place the stuffing mix into a large bowl and gradually stir in the oyster mixture and thyme. Sprinkle the broth onto the stuffing in order to moisten it and mix together. Place your stuffing in the appropriate sized turkey or casserole dish. Preheat your oven to 325º F. Cover and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through.

QACAC EVENTS

	Members’ Best Receptions are a great way to meet area artists, make new friends and enjoy the generosity of the downtown Centreville business community. Quarterly receptions are held in most locations and are from 5 to 6:30 pm on the following dates: Sep 25, 2008 through Dec 12, 2008

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September – June: Classes in Visual Arts and Fine Crafts, Music and Movement, Writing and Kids Classes.

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Crop Club Parties – Join paper crafter Cathy Downes on the last Sunday of each month here at the Centre for the Arts from 12-5 PM. Please call Cathy at 410-758-1251 if you plan to attend. Donations appreciated.

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October 11 – “Celebrate Fall” 7 – 8 pm Early Bird Salsa Lesson. Hostess Amanda Showell invites you to an evening of Ballroom and Latin Dancing.
8 – 11 pm Dance Party. $10 members / $12 nonmembers

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November 5 – “Inside & Out: Form and Image” exhibit featuring artists Carole Cascio (ceramics) and Skip Faulkner (photography). Through Nov. 29, T-F 9 am to 5 pm, Sat. 10 am to 2 pm, or by appointment. Fine porcelain and sturdy ceramics are suited for indoor and outdoor use and are contrasted beautifully by artist Carole Cascio.

Photographer Skip Faulkner captures the starkness and subtleness of architectural, natural and human landscapes. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Centre’s Building Fund.

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November 7 – Reception – “Inside & Out: Form and Image” 5:30 – 8 pm. Meet the artists, enjoy light refreshments and find an exhibit favorite to call your own. Centre for the Arts.

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November 8 – “Tango Nights” 7 – 8 pm Early Bird Tango Lesson. Hostess Amanda Showell invites you to an evening of Ballroom and Latin Dancing 8 – 11 pm Dance Party. $10 members / $12 nonmembers

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November 15 – “The Shore Men” 7pm Benefit concert features fantastic Bluegrass by Dave and Marc MacGlashan, Chuck Van Meter and Nate Grower.

Ticket price includes an After Party featuring Bay favorites – oysters, crab cakes, Smith Island Cake and more. Proceeds benefit the Building Fund. $25 advance / $30 door. Advance ticket sales end on November 14.

Only 132 seats, reserve early.

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December 6 – “Heck with the Malls!” 9 am to 2 pm. Holiday shopping at its best. Artists and artisans in two locations: the Centre for the Arts and St. Paul’s Church. Find unique gifts for friends and family and bring home something for yourself. In it’s 12th year, this annual event is a must do! Hand-crafted soaps and lotions, jewelry, mosaics, photography, fashion and home accessories, one-of-a-kind purses, ceramics, wood and metal sculpture, holiday ornaments, watercolors, wildlife carvings, Native American clothing, and book signings by area writers Niambi Davis and Marjorie Lorenz. When you finish shopping with area artists, visit downtown Centreville where merchants will have extra discounts and refreshments for holiday shoppers. Free.

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Dec 12 – Reception, “Members Best” – NEW! Now on Fridays, you’re invited to come to downtown Centreville and see artwork, enjoy refreshments and visit local businesses who will stay open a little later than usual and will have special offers for art lovers. Start at the Arts Council’s Centre for the Arts (4 to 6 pm) for refreshments and to pick up a map of participating exhibitors and merchants. Then head over to Cottage Cuts (4 to 5 pm) to Terrar After the Storm on the Choptank.jpgsee the work of Marion LeMoal. From 5 to 6:30 receptions are at the following locations:
An Optical Galleria – David Terrar
Centreville Bank – Carolyn Councell
Delmarva Financial Group – Sally Clark
PNC Bank – Kurt Plinke
Prudential Premier Properties – Susan Schauer

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December 13 – “Holiday Dance & Showcase” 7 pm Celebrate the holiday season with an evening of Ballroom and Latin dances with hostess Amanda Showell. Performances throughout the evening. Light refreshments. $15 advance / $18 door.

Governor O’Malley Declares Sept. 22-26 as Homegrown School Lunch Week

Takoma Park Middle School students were joined by local, state, and federal officials and farmers on Sept. 23,  to launch Maryland’s first-ever Homegrown School Lunch Week with special educational activities and locally-grown fruits and vegetables for lunch. To draw attention to the connection between healthy food and the local farms that grow it, Governor Martin O’Malley officially designated September 22-26, 2008 as Maryland Homegrown School Lunch Week.

“Many students today do not know where their food comes from and many residents aren’t aware how important a part of Maryland’s environment, economy and quality of life that farms are,” said Governor O’Malley. “The Jane Lawton Farm to School program that we established this spring provides a unique and important opportunity to highlight the connections among farms, the nutritional benefits of fresh foods, and the food served in schools. Our goals are to see more local, fresh food in school lunches, to improve childhood health and the opportunity for them to learn as well as to strengthen our family farms.”

Today, students at the Silver Spring school enjoyed local vegetables on their pizza and in vegetable soup, a melon cup, cucumber and tomato salad, green beans and assorted fresh fruits from Maryland farms. Montgomery County’s own Lewis Orchard provided apples for each of over 800 students to take home, compliments of the county’s Agricultural Services Division. The cucumbers are from farms in Clinton and Severn and the green beans are from a farm in Chestertown.

Prior to lunch students from the Food and Consumer Services Program and the school orchestra who played during the kick-off event, explored educational exhibits including the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation’s Showcase vehicle showing the many ways agriculture affects our lives, the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s conservation pizza, the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension nutrition and sanitation exhibits, and Montgomery County Agricultural Services Program farmland display.
“The interest this program has garnered in just a few short months is very exciting and promising for the future,” said Agriculture Deputy Secretary Hance. “It is a remarkably complicated endeavor that was started after crops were planted, school contracts were signed with distributors, and in many cases menus were set. Our goal was to get four counties involved this year and we are astounded that almost every county in Maryland is doing some activity at some level. Food for school lunches are coming from at least 30 different Maryland farms.”

“Teaching our children about the connection between farming and food today will ensure that tomorrow they make decisions that are the most beneficial for the farming community, our environment, the economy and the general health of all Marylanders,” said State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nancy Grasmick. “It is great to see so many schools and school systems participating and hopefully local foods will become the norm in school lunches.”

“Maryland-grown school lunches are nutritious, delicious, environmentally superior, and good for our farmers. I can't even tell you how excited my kids are about this. I'm very proud that we're kicking this great program off in District 20, where people are wildly enthusiastic about it,” said Senator Jamie Raskin.

“The Farm to School program is the right thing to do for our students,” said Dr. Jerry Weast, Montomery County School Superintendent. “I congratulate our county food and nutrition services staff and school leadership, including Takoma Park Middle School Principal Renay C. Johnson who is hosting the kick off event, for their commitment to seeing the effort through and doing everything they can to see it grow in the future.”

So, how can you get children to eat more fruits and vegetables at school? Preliminary findings from a recent study by University of Maryland researchers show that kids will eat fruits and vegetables at school with a little help and that there are actually a number of ways to accomplish that.

The Homegrown School Lunch Week, an element of the Jane Lawton Farm to School Program, was created during the 2008 Session of the Maryland General Assembly when SB 158 Farm-to-School Program - Activities and Promotional Events, sponsored by state Senator Jamie Raskin and state Delegate Sheila Hixson of Montgomery County, was signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley in May.

More information about the Jane Lawton Farm to School program including educational materials, menus, places to find local products and much more for parents, teachers, and food service staff, is available at http://www.marylandfarmtoschool.org. For more information about the University of Maryland study, contact Dr. Bonnie Braun, 301-405-3581 or 301-335-4335; bbraun@umd.edu
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