Last day at West Frederick Farmers Market. We gave her $20 each week to get whatever she wanted. It took us to the last day of farmers market for her to not end up with $20 worth of cookies at Cakes for a Cause.

To all of our dear guests and VOLT staff, I hope you enjoy your day off spent with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving.

Hilda.

In grade school it used to be the gum ball machine at the mall. Those giant dispensers had jaw breakers and they were colorful and they were stale and I loved them endlessly.

These days, its the bartenders at VOLT. Our dispensers of pleasure. They’ll mix you something on the fly or pour you something classic and timeless. So what’s hot these days? Sourcing ingredients from the kitchen. My latest favorite is Benjamin’s Key Lime Martini. Ask him to mix you one next time you’re there.

Or Neil’s Spicy Spark. He uses jalapeno simple syrup to sweeten an apertif made with Cava and tequila.

As for me, I may try something new once in a while, but I always go back to my reliable, stand in vodka gimlet - and i don’t care if the Rose’s Lime is trashy. That’s the way I like it.

Monday morning, our Farm Bureau received an unexpected $26,000 check from MD State Comptroller Peter Franchot. Yes he is the tax collector, but on Monday he made Tom Browning, Farm Bureau Pres, a very happy man.

The money was found in the state’s unclaimed property program last month. Turns out, years ago some of the Bureau Directors made some investments in stocks but forgot to let other folks know about them.

The Comptroller’s office choose VOLT to present their check. We had Mayor Jeff, Mayor-Elect Randy, our State Senator Mooney, along with other state officials at VOLT Monday morning. Thank you for the kind words Comptroller, it was nice to be recognized as such a big supporter of our local farmers.

Note: These men are not giants. It’s official - I’m shrinking in my old age. Speaking of my old age - all you Table 21 fans - get ready to celebrate T-21’s first year anniversary on 12/21. A full year of creative, amazing creations will be something to celebrate.

Not really. But I think I scared a lady a couple weeks ago when I walked into the Kitchen and screamed “Begals!” I saw her jump a little and for that I apologize.

You see, the Begals have sorta kinda adopted us. They bring us trinkets when they are on the road, bags of spices when they go to far away trips, love letters and such when they haven’t seen us for a while. They’ve even started bringing us goodies with our logo imprinted on them. No seriously. If you’ve ever walked away with any VOLT tschotkies, thinking how odd, now why would they have this? Well, they were probably gifts from the Begals.

Fuzzy Dice anyone?

Game of blackjack during dinner?

And my gotta have it - the glow in the dark VOLT shot glass. Because if the lights go out, we can at least find our shot glasses.

Speaking of - my friend Dennis’ adoption group - Adoptive Family and Friends - is going to be passing out balloons and other information regarding real, much needed adoptions during the First Saturday in December. Be on the lookout for him and his group.

Hi Begals! Miss ya! Haven’t seen you in like, what 4 days?

What does one have to do with the other? Nothing.Unless you were at the DC Capital Food Fight this past week.

Chefs and foods from 60 restaurants, 5 battling chefs and a myriad of celebrity chefs all to benefit the DC Central Kitchen. Of course VOLT represented and Chef was center stage battling it out in a food fight against Chef Michael Mina. No food was actually thrown. Not that I saw at least.

And look who else was there? My fan favorite, Chef Isabella along with all of our favorite, friend of the local farmers markets, Shannon, sporting a new do. Oh, is that a wrist band or a tattoo of a wrist band on Isabella? Humm, all these tats are having a strange affect on me.

And here are the evening’s MC’s José Andrés and Anthony Bourdain with Bryan on the big screen behind them.

And this was my highlight for the night - spotting a chunk of the Berlin Wall on display. I’m glad we got the piece with the happy face sunshine on it. Pretty much sums up the evening.

This is a Frederick and Washington County Magazine so not sure if everyone has seen the article. Look, how cool is this? Bryan’s on the cover! Click here to see the full article.

Hey Kate, love the magazine and the cover is the coolest, but putting the words SMART right over the man’s head, you know I’ll never win anymore arguments now right?

Wanted to share these pictures we received from some little fans before we get too far from Halloween.

She even got the Tattoo spot on.

I wonder if the girls screamed at each other all night long and if there was a Hershey’s Candy quick fire challenge when they got home. I did hear from mom that a couple houses asked which brother won the top prize and they both claimed it.

P.S. I just realized most of my posts revolve around children and food pictures. Its what makes me smile that I write about. So here - just to round off the post:

Squash blossoms from the farmers market - goodbye summertime, see you in a few months.

A Fall Dish

My pretend boyfriend (who is all famous now has forgotten to visit)

Did everybody see this article about Wills Eggs in the Post? I mean hello, VOLT was so doing Whitmore Eggs long before this article ever hit the press.

HKS