Celeste's is Best

Sundae Horn

Her traditional chowder was this year's crowd-pleaser!

Mandi Cochran, Tony Brooks, Celeste Brooks, and Jenny Mason with Celeste's Golden Clammy
Mandi Cochran, Tony Brooks, Celeste Brooks, and Jenny Mason with Celeste's Golden Clammy
Celeste Brooks's chowder took 1st place in the Traditional category at this year's Clam Chowder Cook-Off. She gets to take home the Golden Clammy statue created by Ocracoke artist Susan Dodd. The Clam Chowder Cook-Off, now in its 4th year, is a fundraiser for Ocracoke Child Care. Celeste is Ocracoke's postmaster, and when asked if she would display the Golden Clammy at the post office, she answered, "You know I will!" Stop by and let her show it off to you! 

Second place went to Mandi Cochran and Jenny Mason, the only other entrants in the Traditional Category. Mandi and Jenny won at the last Cook-Off in 2017. The rivalry between the ladies was fierce – and friendly. Both Mandi and Celeste serve on the Ocracoke Child Care board and helped to organize the event. They spent most of the day ribbing each other about who's chowder was best and trying to sway voters. 

All rivalry aside, Mandi was excited for Celeste's big win!
All rivalry aside, Mandi was excited for Celeste's big win!

The ingredients for a Traditional chowder are very strict. Chefs were limited to a combination of the following and not one ingredient more: You can use an combination of the following: clams and their juice, water, potatoes, onions, salt pork or bacon, salt and pepper.

Celeste was using her grandmother's recipe, which has a special secret twist. "Not an ingredient," she said. "This only has the traditional ingredients, but it's something secret that I do." Hmmmm, I guess that will remain a delicious mystery. 

$12 bought you a ticket to taste the two Traditional entries and six Non-Tradtional entries. The non-traditional chowders were sponsored by local restaurants and businesses: Old Salt Sandwiches, Oscar's House B & B, Jason's Restaurant, Dajio Restaurant, Ocracoke Bar & Grille, and Helios' Hideaway. Dajio won the Golden Clammy for their clam chowder, which is a regular menu item that's a delicious concoction of Ocracoke clams, leeks, garlic, and wild mushrooms. It's heavier on the mushrooms than the clams, but that didn't stop voters from choosing it as their favorite. Second place went to Ocracoke Bar & Grille, which served up a hearty mix of clams, crabmeat, shrimp, scallops, fresh fish, carrots, onions, potatoes and garlic. 

"You know it!"
"You know it!"

I tasted every chowder and have to say I would've eaten a whole big bowl of any of them. I didn't talk to all 120 people who bought tasting tickets, but the ones I did speak to agreed that all the chowders were really good. Voting was difficult! All the chefs are winners for participating and supporting Ocracoke Child Care. The event raised over $2500 for the non-profit.

The island's only daycare center has been closed for two years and, under the direction of a new board, is trying to re-open in 2019. 

At the March 13th Ocracoke Civic Affairs meeting, OCC board chair Mandi Cochran reported that the board hopes to re-open the center by June 2019. 

Dajio's chowder and Golden Clammy
Dajio's chowder and Golden Clammy

"We might do a half-day program to start," she said. "But we are working toward a full-day program and some weekend programming as well." 

The OCC board is working with a consultant to help them submit permit applications to be a fully-licensed daycare center again, which will put them in a position to use county funds to subsidize daycare costs for low-income families. 

Before they are fully-licensed, they can offer playdates. "It's legal for us to do up to four hours of programming, as long as we maintain the legal adult/child ratios," Mandi explained. That scenario could include more than one 4-hour segment in a day; the teachers can work more than one shift, but they would need to serve different children. Another possibility is that the center would only operate during peak need, that is, June through August. They are also open to the concept of renting the building for other programming when OCC isn't using it.

Jim Ogden makes his way through the tasting line.
Jim Ogden makes his way through the tasting line.

"We're not locked in to a Monday through Friday, 8 til 5 schedule," Mandi said. "Our goal is to serve the community with high-quality childcare that provides the best service to parents."

At this point, the center is trying to find a director and staff. 

Laurie Death served up the O-Bar's 2nd place non-traditional chowder.
Laurie Death served up the O-Bar's 2nd place non-traditional chowder.

"We are bringing back policies to get local people to work with their children at daycare," Mandi said. In the past, parents who worked at OCC got a discount on daycare for their own kids. When that policy was rescinded, it made it difficult for parents to afford to work at OCC and pay full price. The new board wants to encourage parents to come back. 

The Small Business Administration has helped the OCC board develop a 5-year business plan and they've also received support from the Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children. 

With bragging rights and this beauty, what more could a winner want?
With bragging rights and this beauty, what more could a winner want?

"We have enough money to open the doors," Mandi said. 

Volunteers Margo Babb and Ann Borland served chowders; Robin Macek, the new owner of Oscar's House B & B, served her own.
Volunteers Margo Babb and Ann Borland served chowders; Robin Macek, the new owner of Oscar's House B & B, served her own.

 

 

 

 

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