May 13th,

     This was my first Center a la Carte, and I must say that it was magical.  I am totally amazed with all the effort from volunteers to our own Clark Shannon and how beautiful Convention Hall looked upon arriving.  Thank you all for a job well done.

     As the Chef here at The Center, we all know that I am probably going to comment about the food, and you are correct.  What a way to start but with a martini or a beer, which went well with the cold bar or great cheeses from around the world.  From the simplicity of a hot dog to the complexity of lobster bisque, or the kicked-up lobster mac and cheese, followed by an incredible calamari salad or latin infused foods, it was all there and truly showed us that this part of New Jersey is a force to be reckoned with in the culinary field. I am very proud to be involved in this and The Center.    And of course, let's not forget the decadent desserts  and robust coffees that followed an incredible journey through my world of food. Thank you to EVERYONE who helped to make this event a great one.

   With Warmest Regards,

             Karen  

 April 2010

 The Chef's Garden - Watch it Grow!

Hello Everyone, 

     First I need to thank everyone from Brookdale and residents for the great work done in the garden on Friday, what a difference!  

     As the Chef here, I am very fortunate to have a great group of residents to interact with.  We are getting ready to start our second cooking/nutrition class in two weeks.  To start off this year we are going to plant and maintain a vegetable garden in the back yard.  We are in need of seeds and tomato plants.  I am reaching out to everyone to drop off a couple packs of seeds for us.  You'll have a chance to enjoy our crop at our second annual BBQ in the fall.

     We'll keep you informed on our progress; or stop by and enjoy the garden.               

Warmest Regards,

Karen Wagner