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PLEASE keep those ideas for "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" coming (blog post below)! Meanwhile, I have big food news out of Maryland -- the 30th Annual National Oyster cook-off has ended and several people went home with shiny silver trays and big grins on their faces. I know Maryland is not super local to Southwest Virginia, but the winter holidays are probably one of the biggest oyster-eating seasons in these parts, so maybe you guys will enjoy these recipes.

Jackie Hardin of Galena, MD won Grand Prize with her Oyster Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce. Your first reaction may be similar to mine - oyster tacos? But they actually sound pretty good - fried oysters with a cornmeal coating served in soft taco shells with slaw and the sauce. If you like oysters and you like fish tacos, this might be a neat twist.

Other winners were Jim McDuffie of Durham, NC, with his Outer Banks Poached Oysters on Smoked Pimento Cheese Grits with Fried Green Tomato Croutons, Brendan Cahill of Lusby, MD with Beach House Oysters with Sherry and Loic Jaffres of Leonardtown, MD with Oysters Bourguignon in Puff Pastry.

I'm going to share a couple of these recipes with you now. I'm trying to figure out if the rest are available online somewhere or if you have to write in to the Maryland Department of Agriculture to buy the cookbook. As soon as I hear back from the PR lady, I'll let you all know.

Oyster Tacos with Chipotle Cream Sauce
Jackie Hardin, Galena, MD
Serves 4

1 pint select Maryland oysters
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten with 1 Tbsp. water
Oil for frying

8 flour tortillas
1 (8 oz.) bag coleslaw
1 cup mayonnaise
2-4 minced canned chipotle chilies in adobe sauce
Lime wedges and cilantro for garnish

1. Combine mayonnaise and chipotle peppers and set aside. Wrap tortillas in foil and place in a warm oven.

2. Drain oysters and feel through for any wayward shells. Combine flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip each oyster in beaten egg, then into the flour mixture. Heat 2 to 3 inches or oil in frying pan to 375 degrees. Fry oysters, a few at a time, until golden brown, about two minutes. do not overcook. Drain on a plate covered with paper towels.

3. When all oysters are cooked, remove tortillas from oven. On each tortilla, spoon chipotle cream and coleslaw and top with fried oysters. Garnish with cilantro and lime.

Beach House Oysters with Sherry
Brendan Cahill, Lusby, MD

1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tsp. dry mustard
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 stick butter
3/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup dry sherry
2 egg yolks
2 dozen Maryland oysters in shell

Saute shallots, mushrooms, dry mustard and cayenne in butter. Add flour and cook 3-4 minutes. Add milk and cook 8-10 minutes. Add sherry. Remove from heat and add egg yolks.

Shuck oysters, reserve shells. Place oyster on top of shell, top with sauce and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.