Umm, good. Hancock Shaker Village served lunch in the Brick Dwelling on Tuesday.

The media and guests invited to the announcement of Hancock Shaker Village's 50th anniversary programs got a pleasant surprise on Tuesday: Lunch.

"Oooh," I thought discovering the set trestle tables into the sunlit dining room in the historic Brick Dwelling. "Are they going to feed us?"

It could have been for someone else; we could have been hustled off to a room somewheres. But the villagers are a hospitable folk so I didn't think they'd tease us like that.

For most reporters, a chance to sit down for a nice meal in the middle of the day is a luxury. We're usually on our way to event, at an event or coming back from an event. Meal times can be erratic. It was nice to eat a lunch before 4 that's more than a muffin., said a colleague next to me.

The village Harvest Cafe's chef Michael Roller, formerly of Blantyre and operator of Samel's Deli, served up a wonderful tomato soup with onions, chicken pot pie and caramel apple dessert.

The soup was rich, creamy and flavorful. I had to shoo away the poor server twice because he was trying to clear the table while I was taking notes, shooting pictures and eating at the same time. There was no way that cup was going back into the kitchen with a drop of soup still in it.

The pot pie was hearty with a buttery pastry topping; the dessert was to die for. Luckily they didn't offer seconds because I would have shamelessly indulged. An hour tour of the village afterward helped walk off the meal.

I give Hancock Shaker Village five stars for a great lunch and even better conversation, since we happened to sit with the always informative Director of Education Todd Burdick, who filled us in on Shaker eating habits.