It's a date (a date-filled cheese ball, that is) | The Wichita Eagle

There’s a reason Jo Ann Pottorff is having her House District 83 watch party at her home off Woodlawn, and that reason is her husband.

“I don’t want to brag, but I’d rather eat at home,” Chef Gary Pottorff says.

For the folks invited here tonight — the party starts at 8 — there is a feast awaiting you. Brisket. All kinds of Lebanese cuisine. Cheese balls!

Among the party goers will be, sure enough, Pottorff’s competitor, Democrat Sean Amore. She used my cell phone to call and invite him when she heard he was joking about coming by. I could practically hear his protests by listening to Pottorff’s side of the conversation.

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“Heaven’s no! Everybody’s welcome,” she insisted.

More on their reunion later.

In the meantime, if you’re partying at home, you absolutely must try Jo Ann’s blue cheese date cheese ball.

Just mix cream cheese (it calls for a tablespoon of buttermilk, too, but Pottorff, showing her sensible style, says, “Well, that’s stupid. Why buy buttermilk for that?”), blue cheese, minced dates and minced shallots. Roll it all in a ball and toss with chopped parsley and roasted walnuts.

So what does Pottorff call this scrumptious concoction of a blue cheese date cheese ball?

“Blue cheese date cheese ball.”