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CHOMPs members enjoying  a meal at the Corner Store. Photo: Kris Swanson

In June 2002, CHOMPS (Capitol Hill Original Meal Preparation Society) held its first dinner at the Corner Store, at 9th and South Carolina Ave. SE on the Hill. The group of about three dozen friends, all interested in food, have since met every month at potluck, themed dinners, to enjoy good food and each other’s company. CHOMPS the Cookbook presents an eclectic collection of recipes from these dinners, and more than that, it expresses the excitement and synergy that exudes from a shared endeavor come to vibrant life.

Written by CHOMPS member and founder Celeste McCall, the book tells the story of the formation and life of the cooking club and includes 54 recipes contributed by the members. Celeste is food reviewer for the Hill Rag and DC North newspapers, and a freelance food and travel writer who has written for the Washington times, Washington Post, Foodservice monthly and other publications. 

She and her husband Peter had discussed the idea of a cooking club for years, but it was not until the Corner Store opened a few doors down from their home that the idea became reality. The Corner Store is one of the most delightful additions to Hill cultural life in years. The dilapidated former store was purchased and renovated by Kris Swanson and her husband Roy Mustelier in 2001. They turned the first floor front room into an arts space where art exhibits, musical performances of all kinds, plays, and movies are shown several times a month. (For event information see the Hill Rag calendar or go to www.cornerstorearts.org).

This space was the perfect accommodation for the group and so it began. As Celeste notes, we are fortunate to live in a city that boasts a wide range of sources for ingredients from other cuisines – everything from mole to injera can be found without too much trouble. The menus have focused on the cuisines of New England, Cuba, Jamaica, Mexico India, Japan, Scandinavia, France, the Middle East and even Cape Verde, to name only a few.

Sometimes the themes are chosen because of a member’s recent travels, other times a visitor or event guides the choice. One very special dinner was a “pre-emptive Middle Eastern peace dinner, which was held as a fundraiser for families of food service workers who died in the World Trade Center attacks. CHOMPS member David Weiner’s recipe for Lemon Yogurt Leg of Lamb represents that meal. Another special dinner was inspired by the 2008 Smithsonian’s Folk Life Festival which featured Bhutan and by member Tom Grahame’s recent trip to that remote nation. Grahame’s Bhutanese Chick Pea Curry appears in the book.

The recipes are mostly entrees and side dishes for four to six people many illustrated with photos. There are Scallops with Garlic Sauce, Singapore Noodles, Cuban Black Beans and Roasted Salmon with Swedish Mustard-Dill Sauce. Side dishes include Baltic Potato Salad and Spicy Cole Slaw. A well-rounded selection of soups includes Egyptian Lentil Soup, Curried Pumpkin Soup and Patrick McClintock’s delicious recipe for Melon Gazpacho.  Desserts are represented by Aunt Margaret’s Peach Cobbler, Fig’s in Red Wine and Finnish Christmas Tarts among others.