I guess it's about time I introduced our new writers to everyone, but first, a little background.

Every year, after the Summer Restaurant Week, I take some time off from writing for D.C. Foodies and I think about where I want to go with this site. This year I started donating all of the ad proceeds from this web site to charity, and so far this year we've been able to generate over $2000 for local charities. The thing is, I think this site can do much better, but I only have so much time, especially recently, to dedicate to it on my own.

Given the amount of time that I have to dedicate to this site, I think the only way to grow D.C. Foodies is to have more writers, and I've extended an invitation to some regular commenters and people that I know to help out.

You've probably read Mike Bober's weekly Friday cheese posts by now and I hope you've enjoyed them as much as I have. Mike is originally from New Jersey and has lived in Washington, DC for a little more than a decade.  A graduate of Georgetown, Mike is a certified barbecue judge on the Kansas City Barbecue Society circuit and has hosted an event on Capitol Hill bringing together smoked pork and brisket from nine of the best barbecue restaurants across the country.  He's also a former demo chef at Trader Joe's, creating a series of "Mike's Minute Meals" recipes that proved quite popular with customers.  Mike is an avid reader of foodie books, loves red wines (especially old vine Zinfandels) and sharp cheese, and is always eager to try a new restaurant.

I hope you've also enjoyed Ramona's recipes using fresh local produce. Ramona has her own blog called The Houndstooth Gourmet, and has generously offered to write here at DCFoodies.com once a week on Tuesday. She lives in VA with her husband, Frank and their three dogs and has always been passionate about food and cooking, beginning when her mother taught her how to make classic Polish dishes during her childhood in Philadelphia. While she still does cook Polish dishes, she finds herself frequenting many of the area farmers markets and delving into cooking food from different countries and cultures. Constantly searching for the best of seasonal and perennial produce, she enjoys building relationships with the market vendors.  She and her husband also enjoy the vibrant ethnic food scene here in DC and Northern Virginia. She hopes to inspire with recipes, stories, and reviews here at D.C. Foodies .

Coming soon, expect to see other writers coming on board to cover other topics like restaurant news, wine, restaurant reviews, book reviews, and even more cooking writers. I'll continue to write for this site, just like I always have, so in a sense, nothing has changed, but you'll just have more to read.

I'll extend an open invitation to anyone reading this. If you have a passion for fine food, dining, wine, or cooking, and you live in D.C., Maryland, Northern Virginia, Baltimore and Annapolis, I want you to write for D.C Foodies. Send me a writing sample. Write a review of your favorite restaurant...or least favorite restaurant. Make an instructional video of how to make your favorite recipe. If you're a member of DonRockwell.com, eGullet, Chowhound, or maybe you have your own blog, it's fine to just send a an example of something you've already written there.