Description

“Oysters, Oysters Everywhere at the 56^th Annual U.S. Oyster Festival” is the theme of the November 9 episode of "Chesapeake Farm & Bay to Table." This popular virtual cooking series is produced by Harford County Public Library and Chef John Shields' nonprofit Our Common Table and highlights Maryland farms, fisheries and local businesses. The program will be presented via Zoom from 7 to 8 p.m.
 
Whether slurped raw, fried, baked, braised or roasted, the Chesapeake oyster reigns supreme. Join Library CEO Mary Hastler as she cheers on Chef John as he judges the hotly contested U.S. Oyster Festival Cook-Off. With him in the judge’s stand is this episode’s special guest Gwyn Novak, chef, author and owner of No Thyme to Cook, a cooking school in Solomons, Md. After the judging it’s back to the kitchen where they will cook up some delicious recipes and, of course, have lots of fun.  
 
Novak is the chef and founder of No Thyme to Cook, a recreational culinary school in Southern Maryland. She teaches people how to put the fun in cooking by using fresh, local ingredients to create delicious meals. As a native of Southern Maryland, she offers her special skills and passion for good food and sustainability to improve her students’ fluency in the kitchen.

A graduate of the Baltimore International Culinary College and a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals as well as Women Chefs & Entrepreneurs, Novak has been cooking and writing about food for more than 25 years. She has worked in numerous B&Bs, country inns and country clubs on the East Coast. Novak is the author of the Amazon best-selling cookbooks “How to Cook for Beginners” and “One Pot Supreme.”
 
To sign up to view “Oysters, Oysters Everywhere at the 56^th Annual U.S. Oyster Festival,” visit https://hcplonline.org/farmbaytotableregister.php. Advanced registration, including a valid email address, is requested. Once registered, participants will receive a confirmation email from Zoom with a link to the program and a unique password to access the event. Viewers will also receive copies of the recipes (usually provided the night of the event).
 
This episode of "Chesapeake Farm & Bay to Table" is presented in partnership with Harford County Public Library, Our Common Table, Chef John Shields' restaurant Gertrude’s Chesapeake Kitchen, 32^nd Street Farmers Market, 56^th Annual U.S. Oyster Festival and No Thyme to Cook.
 
The Oyster Cook-off is supported by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Natural Resources Seafood Marketing Program, St. Mary’s County Department of Economic and Community Development, and Rotary Club of Lexington Park.