Food Tasting Quest for ‘St. Mary Apron’ Produces Three Winners

NORFOLK

Make your reservations now! The Quest for the St. Mary Apron will be bigger and bolder next year! This year the culinary quest for excellence exceeded expectations.

Three chefs emerged as winners at the culinary fund raising event hosted by members of The Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception to promote the publication of the church’s cookbook “Recipes for Comfort and Helping Hands.” The Quest for the St. Mary Apron was held in the parish hall on July 19, 2015.

 Chefs and cooks from the parish competed in three categories: appetizers, a main course and a dessert based  on recipes they selected from the parish cookbook. The cook or chef who prepared the best interpretation of a recipe  they selected from the cookbook received the St. Mary Apron and bragging rights. 

The winners were:

• First Course winner and best in show, Levon Munford for her Black-eyed Pea & Collard Green Soup with Smoked Sausage.

• Main Course winner, LaBarbara Cuffee for her Corned Beef Casserole.

• Dessert Course winner, Sharon Shabazz for her Rum Cake.

Diners and a panel of local celebrity judges helped with the judging.

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The judges were: WVEC’s Sports Scott Cash; Retired Virginian-Pilot Features editor Michelle Chesley; the New Journal and Guide editor and publisher Brenda H. Andrews; New Journal and Guide Society columnist Ola Goss; Mrs. Sandy Fraim and Ed Fraim; Virginian-Pilot Every Day Chef Al Martin and Johnnie Martin; Father Jim Curran; Virginian-Pilot Food and Cooking editor Lorraine Eaton. 

Quest Host and Guide Contributing Writer Glen Mason kept the program flowing as diners sampled ample portions of food served with an assortment of wines.