Serving up tasty treats for Every Woman’s House
The Holmes County Catholic Center was packed Saturday, March 12, for another evening of delicious food, at the biennial fifth Taste Test Extravaganza, providing a taste of Holmes County. The event, sponsored by the Holmes County Friends of Every Woman’s House, is always a big draw, featuring dozens of men serving up helpings of tasty food.
Dr. D.J. McFadden, the Holmes County health commissioner, knows he has to bring his crème brulee for a dessert. “I made three recipes of crème brulee,” McFadden said, in between serving samples of the dish, along with a vegetarian bean dish from Senegal. McFadden said he and his wife, Susan, learned years ago how to make the African dish while visiting Susan’s sister stationed in Senegal with the Peace Corps. As for the dessert, behind the table was a torch for the glazing, and McFadden joked, “I figure if I’m at a taste testing for guys, I have to use fire.” At home, he and his wife, a College of Wooster professor, split cooking duties for their family. “I took four years of food (classes) in high school, so I could be closer to the girls,” he said, laughing.
Next to McFadden, Dave Mast, of Graphic Publications, was filling cups with pumpkin dip, and urging diners to grab a few of the spice cookies next to the dip. Mast’s tiny little cookies looked as though they were professionally made, and he noted that over a 17-hour period, he made around 950 of the tasty little treats. He also had a cranberry salsa to sample. Mast’s good friend and co-worker, Dave Trachsel, brought his famous baklava. Trachsel modestly accepted many accolades for his tasty rendition of the famous Greek pastry.
Carefully putting little lemon muffins into cups, John Hoffman’s iced lemon blossoms also offered those in attendance another palate-pleasing taste. Hoffman, there with his daughter, said as a single parent to three kids, he had to cook. “What I like best is the baking,” he added. “These freeze beautifully,” Hoffman said, noting that he made several batches over time, and that icing the entire mini-muffin is the most difficult and “messy” part of what is an otherwise easy recipe.
Cindy Taylor worked with her husband, Mike, as they handed out samples of their hot dip and cheese ball. “It’s a family favorite,” Cindy Taylor said of the cheese ball. Providing for the 200 or so guests meant making a double batch of the hot dip and three batches of the cheese ball. “They’re relatively easy to make and it’s really good,” said Mike Taylor, with plenty of happy customers.
One of the veterans and favorites of the event is Dr. Yasser Omran. His creation is a bit different each time, and this year he had a beautiful dish with baba ghannouj, an eggplant spread similar to hummus. “It’s an easy dip to make, and it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It has sesame oil, and is low in transfats,” Omran added.
His tablemate was Leo Helal, who had a Mardi Gras-themed gumbo filé. The recipe dates back to college in the late 1950s and was a recipe his wife had, from that time, in 1958. “It takes a long time to make,” Helal said, as he and his granddaughter, Rachel Baird, dished out portions. The stew contained veal, ham, pork, chicken, oysters, shrimp, and various vegetables.
While Helal’s recipe took some time and a lot of effort, as did many others, several commented on how easy their vittles were to fix. “I stole this from Walnut Creek Cheese’s test kitchen,” Bob Porter said, as he rapidly replenished the disappearing cups of his pulled pork with apple butter barbecue sauce. “First of all, it’s a lot of fun, and Every Woman’s House is a great cause,” Porter said, in between dishing up the pulled pork.
Mike Hummel had the remnants of one of his ingredients sitting on the table for patrons to see as they sampled. Hummel used a 23-pound turtle to make his Crock-pot turtle, served over rice. Hummel had another slow cooker filled with a sweetbread recipe. On the table, he and wife, Penny, had the cleaned bones of the turtle on display.
The organizers of Holmes County Friends and Neighbors of Every Woman’s House were pleased with the crowds and foods offered by the chefs. Ronda Steimel said, “this is our way of helping. Everybody has a good time. They go away full tasting things they’ve never tasted before.”
Mindi Campbell, also part of the Holmes County Friends and Neighbors group, said, “anything goes,” as far as the foods, and Amy Patterson, also with the Friends and Neighbors, said that the group also tries to find sponsors to help offset costs for the event.
For those who tasted soups, dips, side and main dishes, a bit of turtle and polished it off with a bit of baklava, lemon blossoms, crème brulee or countless other treats, the night was a most satisfying way to help those in need with Every Woman’s House and victims of domestic violence in the area.
Dr. D.J. McFadden, the Holmes County health commissioner, knows he has to bring his crème brulee for a dessert. “I made three recipes of crème brulee,” McFadden said, in between serving samples of the dish, along with a vegetarian bean dish from Senegal. McFadden said he and his wife, Susan, learned years ago how to make the African dish while visiting Susan’s sister stationed in Senegal with the Peace Corps. As for the dessert, behind the table was a torch for the glazing, and McFadden joked, “I figure if I’m at a taste testing for guys, I have to use fire.” At home, he and his wife, a College of Wooster professor, split cooking duties for their family. “I took four years of food (classes) in high school, so I could be closer to the girls,” he said, laughing.
Next to McFadden, Dave Mast, of Graphic Publications, was filling cups with pumpkin dip, and urging diners to grab a few of the spice cookies next to the dip. Mast’s tiny little cookies looked as though they were professionally made, and he noted that over a 17-hour period, he made around 950 of the tasty little treats. He also had a cranberry salsa to sample. Mast’s good friend and co-worker, Dave Trachsel, brought his famous baklava. Trachsel modestly accepted many accolades for his tasty rendition of the famous Greek pastry.
Carefully putting little lemon muffins into cups, John Hoffman’s iced lemon blossoms also offered those in attendance another palate-pleasing taste. Hoffman, there with his daughter, said as a single parent to three kids, he had to cook. “What I like best is the baking,” he added. “These freeze beautifully,” Hoffman said, noting that he made several batches over time, and that icing the entire mini-muffin is the most difficult and “messy” part of what is an otherwise easy recipe.
Cindy Taylor worked with her husband, Mike, as they handed out samples of their hot dip and cheese ball. “It’s a family favorite,” Cindy Taylor said of the cheese ball. Providing for the 200 or so guests meant making a double batch of the hot dip and three batches of the cheese ball. “They’re relatively easy to make and it’s really good,” said Mike Taylor, with plenty of happy customers.
One of the veterans and favorites of the event is Dr. Yasser Omran. His creation is a bit different each time, and this year he had a beautiful dish with baba ghannouj, an eggplant spread similar to hummus. “It’s an easy dip to make, and it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat. It has sesame oil, and is low in transfats,” Omran added.
His tablemate was Leo Helal, who had a Mardi Gras-themed gumbo filé. The recipe dates back to college in the late 1950s and was a recipe his wife had, from that time, in 1958. “It takes a long time to make,” Helal said, as he and his granddaughter, Rachel Baird, dished out portions. The stew contained veal, ham, pork, chicken, oysters, shrimp, and various vegetables.
While Helal’s recipe took some time and a lot of effort, as did many others, several commented on how easy their vittles were to fix. “I stole this from Walnut Creek Cheese’s test kitchen,” Bob Porter said, as he rapidly replenished the disappearing cups of his pulled pork with apple butter barbecue sauce. “First of all, it’s a lot of fun, and Every Woman’s House is a great cause,” Porter said, in between dishing up the pulled pork.
Mike Hummel had the remnants of one of his ingredients sitting on the table for patrons to see as they sampled. Hummel used a 23-pound turtle to make his Crock-pot turtle, served over rice. Hummel had another slow cooker filled with a sweetbread recipe. On the table, he and wife, Penny, had the cleaned bones of the turtle on display.
The organizers of Holmes County Friends and Neighbors of Every Woman’s House were pleased with the crowds and foods offered by the chefs. Ronda Steimel said, “this is our way of helping. Everybody has a good time. They go away full tasting things they’ve never tasted before.”
Mindi Campbell, also part of the Holmes County Friends and Neighbors group, said, “anything goes,” as far as the foods, and Amy Patterson, also with the Friends and Neighbors, said that the group also tries to find sponsors to help offset costs for the event.
For those who tasted soups, dips, side and main dishes, a bit of turtle and polished it off with a bit of baklava, lemon blossoms, crème brulee or countless other treats, the night was a most satisfying way to help those in need with Every Woman’s House and victims of domestic violence in the area.
Published: March 17, 2011
