Cooking demos, Olive Oil, Wine and Food Tasting are Main Course for the Day. Market Salamander, a working chef's market featuring take-away gourmet fare, formally celebrated its opening in grand style with a full day of events from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. May 15th at The Market on Washington Street.

Special events included cooking demonstrations by Executive Chef Todd Gray and Chef-in-Residence Brendan Cox. They were joined by the other Market Salamander chefs, a seasoned culinary team, to demonstrate pasta making, filleting fish, stuffing game birds, as well as sharing ten simple tips to prepare the perfect meal at home for friends and family.

Guests perused the extraordinary cheese selection, sampled artisan oils, vinegars, olives, spreads and spices, fine wines and gourmet takeout items.

Yves Tapiero, of Cordoba, Spain, uncorked the new olive oils produced exclusively for Market Salamander's exclusive new oils for tasting as he described the careful olive selection and processing that result in the distinctive flavors. Also on hand for the olive oil connoisseur, exclusive imports from Ugo Bing are available and customers can decant their own early pressing "olio nuovo" olive oil.

Other events included drawings for Market Salamander Tailgates-to-Go, baskets filled with specially selected Market products, tickets to Wolf Trap and more Redskins legends Charles Mann and Art Monk greeted visitors from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., signing autographs and drawing a lucky winner for a Tailgate-to-Go.

Throughout the day guests were treated to savory offerings such as Virginia Tidewater jumbo lump crab cakes, slow cooked pork barbecue sandwiches, "New Bay" spice shrimp, buttermilk brined Blue Ridge chicken right off the rotisserie and sides featuring fresh local produce.

Market Salamander is the latest project of Sheila C. Johnson and her business, culinary and design team which include JM Zell Partners, Ltd., Todd Gray and Thomas Pheasant. The Market joins Salamander Touch which includes Johnson's linens and Mistral bath and body products. These companies are part of Salamander Middleburg, the lifestyle company Johnson is creating and will be joined with a variety of home furnishings and accessories that will be designed by Pheasant as well as a 58-room luxury inn and spa to be completed in spring 2006.