Casserole Crazy

Some great shots from the Third Annual Casserole Party last night by Daniel Kreiger:

More pictures here.

My feet are recovering from the Third Annual Casserole Party (I wore heels, totally worth it though) and my belly is finally settling. The entries were (for the most part) amazing and everyone seemed to leave fat and happy.

Congratulations to the winners:

• Grand Prize: Team Cheese Love, Zach Schulman and Graham Kelly (“The broiler” and “lots of cheese” were key to their win, according to these guys.)
• Best Meaty: Team Practically Perfect Pairing, Joanne Phoa and Ben Hagen (I’m not exactly sure what was in it, but there were green things, and it was great)
• Best Vegetarian: Team Combo Platter, Karol Lu (made me like eggplant!)
• Best Crust: Again, Team Cheese Love, Zach Schulman & Graham Kelly
• Best Non-Savory: Kockeputzi (I could not pronounce this for the life of me), Lacey Tauber and Brian Tooze, for a wonderfully sweet kugel.

Extra special thanks to our sponsors Brooklyn Label, The Brooklyn Kitchen, WORD, our judges Ruth Graham, Miriam Garron and Adam Roberts, and our entertainment Andrew Schmidt and Sammo.

More coherent prose and pictures to follow when I’m not so exhausted.

Tonight is The Third Annual Casserole Party! For those of you who have registered or been invited (if you do not fall into one of those two categories you’re going to have a hard time getting past my big, bad doorman), here are the details:

Location: Brooklyn Label, 180 Franklin Street at Java in Greenpoint
Time: Doors at 6:00, Competition/Festivities/Eating at 8:00
Remember: your casserole must arrive with at least one teammate by 8 to be considered for a prize. There will be a cash bar, and please, please take a moment to re-read the Rules & Regulations.

See you tonight!

I’m so pleased to announce that Miriam Garron, the Food Network’s sous chef, will join our impressive panel of judges for The Third Annual Casserole Party.

Just got word from the prize sponsor for the Third Annual Casserole Party, the Brooklyn Kitchen, that the first place prize has arrived: A flame 7.25 Qt LE CREUSET Dutch Oven, a $235 value! So in addition to having your recipe placed on the Brooklyn Label menu for a month, and appearing in my upcoming casserole cookbook, you’ll get this amazing piece of oven wear that I can only dream about and could never afford. Lucky you, future first place winner.

Check out a preview of the Third Annual Casserole Party, from Brooklyn Based:

The third annual Casserole Party is coming to Brooklyn Label Oct. 16, and considering nine teams have already signed on, you may want to get cooking, especially since this year, celebrity judges Adam Roberts of The Amateur Gourmet fame and Domino senior editor Ruth Graham will determine the winning one-pot meal.

It’s a lot of pomp for a humble dish, but organizer and writer Emily Farris, whose favorite rendition is a twist on her cheesy mac and corn casserole called “Seduction,” knows how the low-brow casserole can melt the hearts of uppity foodies.  Read more.

I am so excited about the upcoming Third Annual Casserole Party, I can hardly contain myself. Not only will it be held at Brooklyn Label but check out the line up of judges:

Ted Allen: Author, “The Food You Want to Eat;” Judge, Top Chef

Julie Powell: Author “Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously”

Ruth Graham: Features Editor, The New York Sun Senior Editor, Domino

Seriously, what’s one step above giddy? Whatever it is, that’s what I am.

More details to trickle in…

…that the Third Annual Casserole Party will be held Tuesday, October 16 at Brooklyn Label. This isn’t confirmed, but pencil it in. We will have room for more entries than years past, but it will still be a pretty tight roster. Registration will begin in September. More details to come.

Note about a Tuesday date: Yes, the party usually happens on a Saturday so people can bake during the day and party at night, but the beauty of a casserole is you can make, refrigerate and bake. Sunday morning making and Tuesday evening baking is not at all out of the question. So there.