2:45 p.m., Sept. 16, 2009----Whether you're an aspiring chef in search of new recipes or a seafood lover with a taste for a classic crab cake, Coast Day has something for you.

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Sponsored by the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, Coast Day is a free event that celebrates Delaware's coastal resources and UD's marine research. It will be held Sunday, Oct. 4, rain or shine, at UD's Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The wide range of seafood-themed events at Coast Day includes a series of culinary presentations that demonstrate how to make delicious recipes. Kicking off that series will be Betty Burleigh, chef and owner of Dinner is Served in Bear, Del., who will show how to prepare spicy gumbo-laya at noon. At 1:30 p.m., Lynn Hanna of It's Simply Delicious in Wilmington, Del., will show guests how to make crab imperial. And at 3 p.m. Lisa Brisch of Dinner Thyme in Middletown, Del., will demonstrate how to cook citrus scallops.

“The cooking demonstrations are a great way to learn new approaches to cooking seafood,” said Doris Hicks, seafood specialist with Delaware Sea Grant and organizer of all the seafood-related activities at Coast Day. “And since the recipes are usually easy to make, they're something you can use at home.”

Two of Coast Day's most delicious traditions also are on the schedule: the Crab Cake Cook-Off and the Seafood Chowder Challenge. Beginning at 11 a.m., the 20th annual Crab Cake Cook-Off will get started. Eight finalists will prepare their recipes in their quest to make “Delaware's Best Crab Cakes.” A pre-selected panel of three judges will evaluate entries at noon, and the winners will be announced at 1 p.m.

The Seafood Chowder Challenge begins at noon and features a friendly competition between the First State Chefs Association and the Delmarva Chefs and Cooks Association. Visitors will be invited to sample a two-ounce portion of each association's chowder and then vote for their favorite. The winner will be named at 3 p.m. Clams, donated by Seawatch International Inc., in Milford, Del., will be the featured seafood in this year's chowders.

A large variety of seafood also will be available for purchase, including seafood soups and chowders, and crab-cake and soft-shell crab sandwiches. Non-seafood items also will be available.

For more information about Coast Day, visit the Web site or call (302) 831-8083. Additionally, the full lineup will be available through the event program, which will be posted on the Web site beginning Sept. 18.

Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson