Do you have a fabulous oyster recipe? Do you receive rave reviews whenever you serve it? If so, you may be awarded $1,300 and a silver tray by entering your best original oyster recipe in the 30th Annual National Oyster Cook-off. Be sure to enter your original recipe by Aug. 3, 2009. You may be selected as one of nine contestants to compete at the cook-off on Sat., Oct. 17th in Leonardtown, Md.

Cash prizes of $300, $200 and $150 will by awarded to the top three finalists in each of the categories: Hors d’oeuvres, Soups and Stews, and Main Dish. The Grand Prize Winner will be selected from the first place winners of each category and will receive an additional $1,000 and a silver tray. There will also be awards for Best Presentation of dish and People’s Choice. In addition to cash prizes, contestants receive one night of hotel accommodations, and an invitation to a welcome reception.

Last year’s winners were: Grand Prize and Hors d’oeuvres division – Brendan Cahill, of Lusby, Maryland for his Oysters en Brochette with Rémoulade Sauce; Main Dish division – Michaela Rosenthal, Woodland Hills, Calif. for her Oyster Pita Sandwiches, Soups and Stews division – Michael Strejc, of Milwaukie, Oregon for his Oyster Barley Soup.

The National Oyster Cook-off is held in conjunction with the St. Mary’s County Oyster Festival and the world-famous National Oyster Shucking Contest. The Cook-off is sponsored by the Maryland Department of Agriculture’s Seafood Marketing Program, St. Mary’s County Department of Economic and Community Development and the Rotary Club of St. Mary’s (Lexington Park).

To enter, see the contest rules at www.marylandseafood.org or request a hard copy by calling 410-841-5820. The 29th Annual Cookbook, containing 31 award winning recipes is now available. Send a check for $6, payable to the National Oyster Cook-off Cookbook to: National Oyster Cook-off Cookbook, Department of Economic and Community Development, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, MD 20650.