Shelley Heron wholeheartedly believes in providing the freshest local produce and ingredients to her neighbors, clients, friends, and family.
The founder and owner of innovative catering and event planning business, Foodies Farms and Friends, located in the Agricultural Reserve of Montgomery County, MD, is a dream come true for Heron. She moved with her husband and two children from a small town outside Melbourne, Australia,12 years ago to live on 25 acres in the Reserve.
Created in the 1980s, the Agricultural Reserve encompasses around 93,000 acres of land zoned for farming, land conservation, and open space.
There are an estimated 500 farms in the reserve which attract produce enthusiasts to pick their own fruit and shop at local markets for farm-raised meat and fresh vegetables. To show the importance of preserving these resources, Heron points out that historically there were 600 dairy farms in Montgomery County, but now there are just two.
Emerging from COVID-19 restrictions three years ago, she started cooking with local produce and finding ways to educate her friends and neighbors about crafting delicious meals using the produce coming from the reserve.
Today, her thriving business provides full-service catering for a range of events, from small family Thanksgiving dinners to a recent 200 person party honoring women entrepreneurs hosted by Potomac Lifestyle Magazine. Her approach has resulted in dozens of creative farm-fresh recipes.
“What’s unique about Foodies Farms and Friends is our belief in cooking things from scratch and using fresh, seasonal produce and other ingredients. Not taking the easy way out sets us apart from many other caterers,” Heron says. “It truly comes down to listening to what each client wants.”
This means that when watermelons come into season, Heron and Chef Ruben Reyes create appetizers with little circles of the juicy fruit, topped with whipped feta cheese, a balsamic glaze, and a sprig of fresh dill. It’s a true crowd pleaser.
“It’s gourmet, but it also works well because not everything we create has to be super complicated. The fresh ingredients speak for themselves,” she says. “You eat with your eyes, so I want everything to be fresh, top-quality, and look and taste delicious.”
Other favorite items served at her memorable parties include lamb kofta, made from grass-fed ground lamb sourced from Deere Valley Farm Market, cheese empanadas, and mac and cheese made with cheese from the local Brown Cow Creamery and Asian-style sirloin steak, from local meat producer Rocklands Farm, with pickled daikon radish and ginger soy dressing on endive.
Meat aficionados can enjoy a slow-cooked smoked grass-fed brisket cooked with homemade BBQ sauce while veggie lovers can indulge in beautiful multi-colored salads, and tasty sweet potato and black bean burgers. Heron’s desserts include mouth-watering chocolate brownies, strawberry-white chocolate blondies, and fresh local strawberries.
In addition to weddings and parties of all sizes, Foodie Farms and Friends hosts events in Washington D.C., Potomac, Rockville, Bethesda, and the surrounding suburbs for groups including the Bethesda Chamber of Commerce and the Sugarloaf Citizens Association. Guests from all over enjoy Heron’s farm-to-table feasts highlighting produce from the Agricultural Reserve.
Foodies Farms and Friends also offers unique group cooking classes, and cooking demos, to make jellies, preserves, and veggies in its own kitchen in Potomac, on farms, and at people’s homes.
The catering company also accommodates severe food allergies, vegan diets, and other dietary restrictions. At a recent event, Heron personally called each guest who had dietary concerns to discuss provisions and happily prepared several scrumptious items so they could comfortably attend the party.
“We heard from those guests that they never come to group functions because they feel overly hampered by their allergies,” she says. “It’s all about us listening to what our client needs and thinking outside the box. Together we can come up with more innovative ideas and options.”
Heron’s intention in sourcing and preparing food for small parties and large events is crystal clear: “I have always been struck by how food brings people together.”
“What I love about our events is that our well-prepared, high-quality food creates such a positive environment,” she says. “I strongly believe that good food brings out the best in people!”
For more information, visit:
Website: https://www.foodiesfarmsandfriends.com/
Email: shelley@foodiesfarmsandfriends.com
Phone: (240) 480-7383