I had a chance to share a few recipes and a story or two at the Whalers Church in Sag Harbor tonight. The crowd was alert and interested, what more could a guy ask for?

The Whalers Church is one of my favorite spots on Long Islands East End. It serves the community in more ways than I had imagined. Not only does it serve as a church and gathering point for the local food pantry, “The Whalers” is also a gathering place for all sorts of local groups. It’s an iconic building that has provided safe shelter and inspiration for Sag Harbor residents ever since this Village was more important to New York’s economic success than Manhattan. Hard to believe, and even more surprising to learn that this fabulous building is in need of fundraising support on a monthly basis.

That’s how tonight’s cooking class came to be, another of many positive efforts put on by the Community Fund. We had about 35 people show up, they all paid for my introduction to eating local. The recipes that follow were the focus of this 2 hour conversation.

It was an honor to serve my community tonight. I was happy to see the interest in our guests eyes, to hear their questions and watch them taste the flavors that come from farms and gardens that surround us.