Each Hudson Valley Garlic Festival features renowned chefs from the Hudson Valley and beyond, and 2008 will be no exception.

Click Entertainment and Lecture Schedule to see what you're in store for this year. We're glad to have 2 of our favorite garlic-appreciative chefs returning to our 2008 festival:

• Pat Crocker is a renowned writer and photographer, and has authored four cookbooks as well as the handbook Oregano: 2005 Herb of the Year. Pat is passionate about food and herbs. She loves her work as a culinary herbalist and asks "With what other job could one wander alone in beautiful gardens, eat exquisite food, and then tell others about those pleasures?". Her Juicing Bible won "Best in the World" at the World Cookbook Review in France, 2000. And her newest cookbook: The Smoothies Bible is a top seller. Pat will be doing a cooking demonstration involving "Warm Greens with Chickpeas and Spiced Garlic Paste" at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday and another demo featuring "Lemon Garlic Chicken" on Sunday. Both of these recipes are included in this program, on page 44. When she’s not lecturing, Pat can be found in the Garlic Goddess row of booths.
• Ric Orlando is the chef/owner of New World Home Cooking. Ric is a well-known chef in the Hudson Valley, having appeared several times on NBC's Today Show as well as Northeast Public Radio. Chef Orlando is committed to serving healthful and assertive flavors of the American melting pot with lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and hot chiles. His very popular restaurant and catering business, New World Home Cooking, is located on Route 212, about 6 miles west of Saugerties. His demos will feature fresh regional products and will include the recipe for his highly popular blackened string beans.