Showcase of restaurants' recipes benefits services for terminally ill

August 05, 1997

How do you define comfort food?

Is it the simple, just-like-Mom-made food that makes you feel cozy and content?

Area restaurants and vendors will give the term new meaning at the 13th annual Taste of the Town, Sunday, Aug. 10, in the grand ballroom of Ramada Inn in Hagerstown. The specialty fare won't be basic or down-home, but it will help to provide comfort.

Proceeds from the event and auction benefit Hospice of Washington County Inc., offsetting medical expenses for care for terminally ill county residents and their families. Doors open at 4:45, and dining begins at 5 p.m.

Hospice is a nonprofit, Medicare-certified organization that provides a coordinated program of health care to terminally ill patients who are being cared for in their own homes by a loved one or in skilled nursing facilities, according to Mary Reid, administrative assistant at Hospice.

Services offered by Hospice include spiritual support, social services support, nursing services and bereavement services. Hospice is staffed both by professionals and trained volunteers.

Taste of the Town is the organization's only annual fund-raiser. Last year the event brought in more than $17,000. This included money from the evening's benefit auction, Reid said.

This year's auction, with auctioneer John Compton, will offer some appealing items and experiences, including a week's stay at a Hilton Head, N.C., condominium, an airplane ride, box seats for an Orioles game at Camden Yards and a baseball autographed by Cal Ripken Jr.

Also on the block is a dinner for 12 prepared by Cumberland Valley Chapter of American Culinary Federation in the home of the highest bidder.

Donated food, time, talent

The 16 participating restaurants and vendors donate their time, talents and food.

Roger Martin, owner of Penn Avenue Meats on Pennsylvania Avenue in Hagerstown, has been involved with Taste of the Town for several years. The event provides his business with a rare opportunity to become a restaurant and showcase the prepared foods he sells, he said.

He also believes it's important to raise awareness about Hospice. He has family members who've had experience with Hospice.

"It's a good organization," he added.

Chef David Hall of Tortuga Restaurant agrees. The restaurant has been part of Taste of the Town for many years. Tortuga's efforts for the cause will include making ice sculptures and serving Shrimp Scampi to order.

Tortuga Shrimp Scampi

2 1/2 ounces angel hair pasta

1/8 cup virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon garlic, minced, divided

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon shallots, minced

6 jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined

1/8 cup red and green bell peppers, diced

1 roma tomato, diced

1 pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

3 tablespoons melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped

1 tablespoon parsley sprigs, snipped

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil and cook the angel hair pasta al dente - firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.

Place the olive oil in a large saute pan and heat. When the oil is hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, thyme, shallots, shrimp, peppers, tomato and red pepper flakes. Stir or gently move the pan with a back and forth motion. Turn shrimp over and continue cooking until the shrimp are pink in color.

Add 3 tablespoons of melted butter to the warm pasta and toss with salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic and fresh basil.

Place the pasta in a serving bowl. Place shrimp on top and drizzle the pasta with the ingredients remaining in the pan.

Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve.

- Recipe by Tortuga sous chef Karl Brown

Tortuga Shrimp Scampi

2 1/2 ounces angel hair pasta

1/8 cup virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon garlic, minced, divided

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon shallots, minced

6 jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined

1/8 cup red and green bell peppers, diced

1 roma tomato, diced

1 pinch red pepper flakes, to taste

3 tablespoons melted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon fresh basil, snipped

1 tablespoon parsley sprigs, snipped

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil and cook the angel hair pasta al dente - firm to the bite. Drain and set aside.

Place the olive oil in a large saute pan and heat. When the oil is hot, add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic, thyme, shallots, shrimp, peppers, tomato and red pepper flakes. Stir or gently move the pan with a back and forth motion. Turn shrimp over and continue cooking until the shrimp are pink in color.

Add 3 tablespoons of melted butter to the warm pasta and toss with salt, pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic and fresh basil.

Place the pasta in a serving bowl. Place shrimp on top and drizzle the pasta with the ingredients remaining in the pan.

Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve.

- Recipe by Tortuga sous chef Karl Brown

Providing this year's cuisine are:

Applebee's

Bombay Bar & Grill

Compton's Ice Cream

Crazy Horse Steakhouse

The Grille at Park Circle

Jeffrey's

Kerch's Southern BBQ

Leiters' Fine Catering

Penn Avenue Meats

Pepsi Cola Co.

Pizza Hut

Red Lobster

Sander's Cookie Jar

Sysco

Tortuga Restaurant

Twilight's Ristorante

For tickets

Tickets for the 13th annual Taste of the Town and benefit auction are $20 per person or $175 for a table reserved for 10.

For tickets or information, call 301-791-6360.

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