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The Sun's Cocktails Desk is working on a piece about Baltimore's best bars, and Erik Maza over at Midnight Sun has asked his folks to chime in with their favorites. The Wordle at left represents the weighted response so far. So if you can't see your favorite bar, you better go over and add your response. Not that it's a poll or anything, but still.
You can post here too of course.
We just posted a photo gallery of my favorite restaurants. These aren't necessarily what I think the "best" restaurants are (although in a few cases, they are).
I took "favorite" literally, and the one thing these places have in common is that I feel right at home in them. Absolutely tell me what your favorite restaurants are, and why.
Pictured here is my favorite outdoor restaurant space, the Red Canoe in Lauraville.
Baltimore Sun/Gene Sweeney, Jr.
The Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern did stop by Kooper's Chowhound Burger Wagon at its Fells Point home.
Zimmern wasn't with a film crew, and Chowhound's Bill Irvin couldn't confirm whether or not the host of "Bizarre Foods" actually consumed a burger, having himself fled the scrum of Zimmern's fans that had converged around the truck.
Irwin thinks Zimmern may be including Icedgems, Chowhound's cucpake-selling partner truck, in an upcoming feature on unusual food trucks.
Tracking down Irwin was a cinch, seeing as how the Chowhound Burger Wagon is parked today a block from the Baltimore Sun. Irwin, the chief operating officer of Fells Point Hospitality Management, told me that new chef Bill Crouse will next week be unveiling a new gastropub menu for Slainte.
Zimmern entering the "one-stop geek shop" Graphic Novelty on Thames Street, snapped and submitted by reader 21224
Gathering background for next week's Taste story following up on last year's pumpkin shortage, The Sun's Susan Reimer contacted chefs and restaurateurs around town who love to work with the big orange gourd. Among them, of course, was Qayum Karzai, the owner of The Helmand.
And to her surprise, Karzai was willing to share the recipe for this beloved, multi-award winning appetizer.
Karzai said it reflects Afghan cooking traditions: A lot of reliance on vegetables, especially squashes, and long, slow cooking because of limited refrigeration.
The sugar and the tiniest hint of cinnamon contrast smartly with the sharp taste of garlic in the yogurt. It's served with a peppery flat bread.
Makes: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
For pumpkin:
1 small pumpkin (baby or spookies work best)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Cinnamon
For Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon fresh-cut diced garlic
Dash salt
Slice pumpkin and remove seeds. Peel outer skin. Slice 2-inch pieces lengthwise. Place oil in skillet pan and heat to medium heat. Add pumpkin. Cook on medium heat covered for approximately 10 minutes, turning once. Remove from pan and place in small roasting or baking pan. Sprinkle the pumpkin with the sugar and cinnamon. Cover tightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minute or until soft. Time may differ according to the hardness of the pumpkin.
For yogurt sauce, stir ingredients together until smooth.
Serve pumpkin warm with yogurt sauce.
Also see: 100 foodie things to do in Baltimore
Here is Rob Kasper's encouraging review of the Mid-town Belvedere tavern Dionysus, which appears in Friday's Live section. Shown in this photograph is chef Shawn Lagergren with plates of lobster ravioli and stuffed eggplant.
Baltimore Sun Staff/Barbara Haddock Taylor
Tweets are coming from Kooper's Chowhound Burger Wagon that the Travel Channel's Andrew Zimmern is headed over to Fells Point for a visit. We'll keep you posted.
As I mentioned in this piece introducing me to you, our family pronounces the name Gorelick with three syllables -- gor REL ick. But some Gorelicks pronounce this name GORE lick.
Of course, our way is the right way, but here is a Gorelick who came up with a unique and effective solution.
Call me Richard G
As I said in my little self-introduction -- isn't the brain interesting? Or else how could anyone deduce from Jean Marbella's story about developments at the Roland Park Shopping Center that Petit Louis will be moving from its current location, where it's been for 10-plus years?
But people have been calling Petit Louis, insisting that the restaurant will be moving.
Petit Louis isn't going anywhere.
Stupid brains!
Baltimore Sun Staff/Karl Merton Ferron
Germano's in Little Italy sent over details of its new Starving Artist Special, a $25 fixed price menu featuring a glass of La Terre wine, a choice of appetizer and entree (the osso buco is an option), and Germano's gelato for dessert.
Who qualifies? Click and see.
That was clever enough to qualify Germano's Starving Artist Special as my first official press release-generated blog post. Bravo, Germano Fabiani!
Baltimore Sun photograph accompanying the 1997 review of Gemano's/Chiaki Kawajiri
The New York Times explains lake trout to its readers today. The article is part of a series by John T. Edge called United Tastes. I think he does a particularly good job of sidestepping the usual nine-paragraph explanation of what lake trout is (and mostly isn't).
The dates for the third winter edition of Baltimore Restaurant Week were posted today. So save them, save up for them, and start working out in anticipation of them. You might even want to pick up the phone and make a reservation for one of the heavily booked suspects.
The 2011 edition will begin on Friday, January 21 and continue through Sunday, January 30.
Participating restaurants will offer a $35.11 fixed-price dinner menu and a $20.11 lunch menu throughout the ten-day event, organized by the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore and Visit Baltimore.
Baltimore Sun Staff/Barbara Haddock Taylor
Inside my very first bubble mailer were two Zagat guides, one for Los Angeles and one for San Francisco. The noteworthy trend is that food trucks and pop-up eateries continue to flourish out there, with a few ranking very well. In San Francisco, a fleet of mobile taco trucks named El Toyanese is the new top-ranked "best buy for the buck."
All of this is just a good excuse for me to re-post a link to the story Jill Rosen did a few weeks back about the nascent Baltimore food truck scene. I am sorry I missed that story but was sorrier to have found it when I thought I had a great idea for my own story. hanks, Jill!
(Lesa Bain, left, owner of the Curbside Cafe food truck, and her sister, Sunny Jenkins, right, serving burritos and drinks to customers at the corner of Wyman Park and Keswick roads in Hampden Barbara Haddock Taylor, Baltimore Sun)
I'm still sulking about how that hiatu's joke laid such a big salmonella-infected egg -- and my first post, too!
It didn't make a very good first impression -- which is funny, because I had been thinking that my first Top Ten list should be about first impressions and how a restaurant can make a good one.
It's easier to come up with negative examples, maybe -- that dead-eyed hostess, those greasy menus -- but there are some signs I always receive as good omens. I would love to hear about a recent restaurant experience of yours that started off on the right foot and kept its stride -- or one that didn't, or one where just the opposite happened.
Top Ten Good First Impressions after the jump
- The web site provides its address, phone number, and hours of operation on the homepage (and on every page).
- The person answering the phone (or promptly confirming your reservation) tells you his or her name.
- A valet greets you politely even when you arrive on foot.
- When you walk in, the place smells good, like fresh bread, rosemary, or money.
- At the entrance, an employee without direct responsibility for waiting customers makes eye contact with you.
- Someone has set the lights below "ice-cream parlor" level.
- The bartender exchanges pleasantries with you before demanding your order. (Depending on the place, this greeting could be "Good Evening, Sir," or "sup.")
- The other diners and the cuisine appear to share the same country of origin.
- You see an employee stop to pick a bit of debris off the floor.
- Relish Tray!
Baltimore Sun Staff/Karl Merton Ferron
Tangier's in Canton is on hiatus. A publicist for the restaurant sent along a statement from the owner, Alain Suissa, pictured here, who says he has "encountered some difficult and challenging family issues unrelated to the restaurant,' and that he expects to have Tangier's open again within the month.
When he reviewed Tangier's back in July, Rob Kasper praised its authentic Moroccan cuisine, declaring the restaurant an "oasis."
If I find out more, I'll let you know.
Sun file photo
Thank you. I promise to take as good care of it as you have and to keep Dining@Large always crusty and warm.
Or should I say baguette?
The new guy is here, and he's ready to go.
So ready that he's already making baton-baguette jokes.
You'll hear from him shortly.
Anyone who enjoyed a nice, warm bowl of chili at the Ravens game Sunday can thank Sean Bell, who went looking for the same thing a few years ago and stumbled instead on a new career..
Bell was a stay-at-home dad and season ticket holder back in 2006 when he tried, and failed, to find chili at the stadium during a cold Ravens game. That gave him an idea: why not sell his own chili, which always went over well at family potlucks?
“We pitched the chili; they liked it,” the 39-year-old Bowie resident told me. The next season, he had a booth in the stadium. He made the chili himself, mixing it up in big crab pots in a rented kitchen.
It would take him six to eight hours to make enough for one game, and he worked the booth himself.
In the years since, the chili has outgrown the stand-alone booth and moved into larger concession stands. As of this season, the chili is available throughout the stadium, expanding into the club level and suites.
Giant supermarket has picked up the soup, too. Bell’s Famous Chili is in the hot bars in 180 stores, from Delaware to Northern Virginia.
Needless to say, Bell is no longer making the soup himself in crab pots. A contract manufacturer mixes it up now in 2,000-pound batches. Which means Bell is back in his seat in the stadium, watching the game and enjoying his chili, which he described as a healthful blend of turkey, black beans, onions, red and green peppers, tomatoes and spices.
“As stadium fare goes it’s pretty healthy,” he said. “It’s a great comfort food.”
John Lindner checked out Joss Cafe, a longtime Annapolis expense-account place that has an offshoot in Baltimore.
The expense account still helps. So does sticking to sushi.
Here's the full Joss review.
Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam
To be overheard, soon, in the buffet line at the new CiCi's Pizza in Essex.
"What are you in for?"
"Life."
The new CiCi's opens at 11 today, and the first person in line receives free meals for life.
The next 99 people in line will get to eat free for a year.
Grand opening buffet price is $4.99.
The restaurant, which among other things, serves a mac-n-cheese pizza, is at 8675 Pulaski Highway.
Get more information about the CiCi's Pizza grand opening event.
Richard Gorelick reviews Sotto Sopra in today's Sun.
With owner Riccardo Bosio in the kitchen these days, Richard finds a lot to praise.
He's mostly in love with the appetizers, including two types of polenta and an agnolotti stuffed with veal and smoked bacon.
He comes away less impressed with the entrees and the service.
Check out the full Sotto Sopra review online.
John-John Williams IV recently reviewed Grano, an offshoot of the smaller Grano Pasta Bar, and came to the conclusion that "sometimes bigger isn't better."
He enjoyed his salad, bread and coconut flan dessert. He was also pleased with his server.
But John-John found fault with the entrees.
"A homemade meatball had a strange, mushy consistency," he wrote. "(The menu said that the restaurant's meat and eggs came from a farm where no hormones, antibiotics or chemicals are used. If this meatball was the result of that, then please find a new farm.)"
Check out the full Grano review online.
Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum
Pickings are getting slimmer at the market, Alan Morstein of Regi's, our intrepid Waverly correspondent, reports this morning. Here's Alan. LV
'Mums the word" today @ Waverly. Mums of all sizes and colors bursting with buds.
Plenty of local produce available, however some growers are winding their inventory down. This makes for more of a grazing experience when seeking out your favorite fruits and vegetables.
Nonetheless, at 7:30 the market was alive with loyal shoppers carrying full bags. Time to stock up on your local favorites for the winter months.
Enjoy the weekend.
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox
And you thought Maryland wasn't hip enough for the bugs-in-fine-dining trend sweeping New York!
"Come explore the world of insects through all five senses. Yes, that’s right, even TASTE! Test your palate with some yummy recipes which make use of a few of the 1,417 species of EDIBLE INSECTS ... if you dare! All ages. Reservations required. $3 members/$5non-members. Willow Grove Nature Education Center."
The event takes place Oct. 30, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
I'd like to thank Spoons for the tip.
"Sounds like something to send an intern to and get a first hand report!" Soons wrote. "Or get John Lindner to do it."
By the way, I have no idea if the stink bug in the photo is edible. But by the sound of Frank Roylance's stink bug story in today's Sun, somebody had better start eating them before they eat all of our crops.
As my time as interim blog hostess grows short, I find myself reflecting on what I could have done differently.
Could I have written apolitical Top Tens? Surely. Foreseen that celiac sufferers wouldn't want to hear what extra gluten does for my pizza dough? Perhaps. Been kinder to a hapless "Top Chef" contestant? Nah.
But the question that really nags: Could I have done more to advance my personal dining agenda, namely: to promote and improve the Catonsville restaurant scene?
Sure, I've blabbed on endlessly about Atwater's. Noted the existence of Catsonville Gourmet, the opening of Regions. I've even posted about Grilled Cheese & Co., though I'm not sure that's taking us in the right direction. But I've neglected to report at least one Catonsville dining development. Until now.
Cafe Kabab opened several months ago at 736 Frederick Road, in a shopping center with a Friendly's restaurant. It offers Pakistani dishes, including kabab platters, biryani, curries and masalas.
A sign out front claims that Cafe Kabab is Catonsville's No. 1 kabab restaurant. Were it not for Kabab Hut up on Route 40, I would ask: Is there a No. 2? Even if it can boast a whopping two kabab joints, and an Indian place on Frederick Road, Catonsville is hardly a hotbed of ethnic dining. Which explains my selfish desire for Cafe Kabab to succeed.
I had lunch there a couple weeks ago with my husband and children, a friend and his little boy. The restaurant, a clean but no-frills place, had been closed for Ramadan. The man behind the counter, whom we took to be the owner, warned us the kitchen would be a little slower than usual as a result.
The wait was very long, but a free round of mango-yogurt drinks helped. And when the food finally arrived, the delay was forgotten. The naan was fresh as could be. It wasn't as rich as the Indian version we love; it was closer to a pizza dough. But it was fluffy and piping hot and served with a mild yogurt sauce. Our chicken and lamb kababs were pleasantly spicy and tender. The veggie platter had a golden potato patty that was quickly devoured.
For all that, we were the only people in the place.
Lunch specials start at $6.99. Nearly all of the platters are $9.99.
if you live in the area, and you'd like to have dining options more interesting than Friendly's, please give Cafe Kabab a try so it doesn't go away.
Cafe Kabab lamb chops. Photo courtesy of Cafe Kabab
I just heard from a guy looking for some good gnocchi.
Anybody know a restaurant in Baltimore that has a way with those little potato dumplings, which done right, are light and springy, but done wrong, are gummy and dense?
I've enjoyed them in a creamy tomato sauce at Amicci's in Little Italy.
Other suggestions?
Chicago Tribune photo
I'm writing a story about area cooking classes, including the ones at Baltimore International College that I blogged about recently.
Anybody know of any good ones, including those taught at restaurants?
If so, please fill me in.
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox
Nobody blinks at a cafe in a bookstore. But in a flower shop?
The Dutch Connection of Harbor East will open what it calls a European-style cafe in its shop Oct. 1. On one side of the walk-in cooler, you'll find the usual flowers; on the other, yogurts, water and juices.
The Black Tulip -- fun name, I think -- will also serve Novo coffee (a Denver brand), teas, chai and pastries from Patisserie Poupon. In a few weeks, they hope to add a light lunch menu.
"It’s a pretty unique concept -- I think a very logic one," owner Paula Dobbe-Maher told me. "In a flower shop, we create such a pleasant environment -- beauty and color -- it’s almost asking for people to sit down and enjoy it."
She plans to have guest lectures and other events at the shop, located in The Bagby Building, 1008 Fleet Street, across the street from Whole Foods.
"We want to bring some life to this little area," Dobbe-Maher said.
She'll have about eight tables inside -- they hadn't arrived yet when I talked to her yesterday afternoon and she wasn't sure of the number -- and perhaps five more in an outdoor seating area.
The Black Tulip will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
The best time to go might be 3 p.m., when they'll be baking cookies (with Patisserie Poupon dough) right in the shop.
You'll have to settle for fine pottery and glassware to go with your flowers at The Dutch Connection's Belevdere Square location, above. Only the Harbor East location will have the cafe. Sun file photo
Dennis Friedman, chef-owner of the French-Asian fusion restaurant Bezu in Potomac, won the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament this week.
Baltimore chefs took on their Washington counterparts in the weekly Iron Chef-style competition, which took place over four months at The Belvedere in Mount Vernon.
In the finals Monday night, Friedman went head-to-head with Kenneth Plante, executive chef of Red Star in Fells Point. Each prepared aq three-course meal. Here are the details from folks who put the competition on:
"Friedman showed off his skills with a crispy dorade with fresh made fettuccini, lemon soy beurre blanc (Italian/Asian fusions), venison, bacon veal jus with a cinnamon essence (Italian/French fusion) and pineapple and ricotta sushi brulee (Hawaiian regional/French fusion)."
"Plante took a different approach with his pan seared dorade with ginger risotto and Thai lemongrass broth (Thai/Italian), rack of venison Robert over whipped potato with Japanese plum sauce and pan pickled baby carrots (English/Japanese/German) and chipotle chocolate brownie, caramel and mojito chantilly (French/Mexican/Cuban)."
I'm told the judges had trouble picking a winner, with Friedman taking the title by just 0.32 points.
Friedman won a prize package that includes a trip to Las Vegas and a trip to Wisconsin o make cheese. Plante and both sous chefs received the cheese-making trip.
Dennis Friedman. Photo by Bezu
Austin Grill, the Tex-Mex chain that had several locations in Maryland, has closed its restaurant in Canton.
I called there just now, and the woman who answered said the restaurant closed Monday. She wasn't saying any more than that.
The chain's locations in Annapolis, Rockville and Silver Spring remain open.
Austin Grill chili. Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum
Richard Gorelick!
Rob Kasper, who's penned a food column in The Sun for nearly 30 years, has a new gig: writing for the editorial page.
Rob announces this change in a farewell column that also includes his views on fall beers.
In the column, Rob opines:
"I don't like pumpkin beers, but the rest of the drinking world seems to crave them. So much for my editorial judgment."
Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.
Shallow Thought guru John Lindner fears deep-fried beer could lead to murder. I think the artery clogger might BE murder. Here's John. LV
My first reaction to the news that a man has invented a way to deep-fry beer was predictable: I clicked on the link out of an urge akin to morbid curiosity.
I like this quote from the inventor, Mark Zable: “Nobody has been able to fry a liquid before.”*
Of course, his boast prompts the question: Had anyone tried?
One wonders how many envious Salieris are right now plotting Zable’s greasy comeuppance.
Someone, somewhere (possibly Texas) is brooding over his deep-fryer, rubbing his hands together like a fly on a corndog, and thinking, “What next? What next? What next?”
* taken from the Telegraph article referenced in the Field and Stream article.
Yes, it looks like ravioli, but it's really deep-fried beer, encased in pretzel dough. Photo usurped from Telegraph.co.uk
The National Aquarium kicks off its latest sustainable seafood dining series next week with an appearance by former "Top Chef" contestant and Prime Steakhouse owner Timothy Dean.
The full menu isn't available yet, but the entree will be mussels.
The event, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, includes a cocktail reception, a cooking demonstration by Dean, a three-course meal prepared by The Classic Catering People and an after-hours stroll through the aquarium.
Cost is $79 for aquarium members, $89 for non-members.
The Fresh Thoughts dining series will feature another "Top Chef" alum, Tamesha Warren of The Oval Room in Washington, in November; and chef Jason Ambrose of Salt in January.
Details for those dinners are available online.
Thai curry mussels at Prime Steakhouse. Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron
No matter what your approach to cooking, this weekend's Baltimore Book Festival has you covered.
To give you an idea of the range of offerings, at noon Sunday, chef Galen Sampson of The Dogwood in Hampden will do a cooking demonstration focused on healthful, seasonal eating.
The night before, cookbook author Ron Douglas talks up a book that helps home cooks make food just like KFC, The Cheesecake Factory and the like.
There are so many cookbook authors appearing at the festival that I'm just going to list them all. Before I get to that, let me just note one funny title that jumped out at me:
"By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat."
Here's the schedule and summaries of each author, provided by the Mount Vernon festival:
Friday, 12 p.m.-2 p.m., Dish Up Maryland at BBF!
Join us for a lunchtime celebration of the best of Maryland’s food traditions and the newly released Dishing Up Maryland. Author Lucie Snodgrass is joined by John Shields and other book contributors.
Lucie Snodgrass, "Dishing Up Maryland"
Lucie L. Snodgrass is an award-winning author whose food writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Vegetarian Times, where she was a regular columnist and contributing editor. "Dishing Up Maryland" contains a delicious assortment of the author’s own recipes, farm family recipes, and contributions from chefs who are committed to supporting local agriculture, cooking and eating sustainably, and procuring local ingredients. Along with 150 recipes, "Dishing Up Maryland" also features 35 short essays on people and restaurants that pay particular attention to local foods and local flavors that contribute to state tourism.
John Shields, "Coastal Cooking with John Shields" and contributor to "Dishing Up Maryland"
Often called "The Culinary Ambassador of the Chesapeake Bay," John Shields is the owner of Gertrude’s Restaurant at The Baltimore Museum of Art. He is the author of several popular cookbooks on Chesapeake and coastal cuisine, including "The Chesapeake Bay Cookbook," "The Chesapeake Bay Crab Cookbook," "Chesapeake Bay Cooking with John Shields" and "Coastal Cooking with John Shields." He is the host of the PBS show “Coastal Cooking with John Shields” and has written for several national publications.
Friday, 5:30 p.m., Happy Hour at the Baltimore Book Festival
Unwind at the Baltimore Book Festival with tips for making perfect cocktails and appetizer samples from the Hilton Baltimore’s Diamond Tavern!
Jason Wilson, "Boozehound: On the Trail of the Rare, the Obscure, and the Overrated in Spirits"
Jason Wilson is a Washington Post spirits columnist who traverses the globe to explore the origins of what we drink and the reasons behind our choices. In "Boozehound," he lets us tag along as he tracks unusual libations, uncovering the secrets of their flavors and sharing their fascinating histories in the process. Part travelogue, part spirits history, and part recipe collection, "Boozehound" is a journalistic excursion into lesser-known, forgotten, and misunderstood spirits for adventurous imbibers of liquors, bitters, and elixirs from around the world.
Valerie Peterson, "Peterson’s Happy Hour: Spirited Cocktails and Helpful Hints to Brighten Daily Life"
When the daily grind begins to grate, lifting your spirits can be as simple as…lifting a glass of spirits! "Peterson’s Happy Hour" prescribes the perfect liquid antidote for your household hindrances, workday worries, playtime problems, or vacation vexations. With simple instructions for making up-to-the-minute cocktail ingredients, an equipment glossary, and a list of resources, this book gives you the know-how and inspiration to concoct your own happy hours—on even the most miserable days. Because sometimes, when the day hands you lemons, a shot of homemade limoncello can do you a world of good.
Ray Foley, "The Ultimate Little Martini Book"
Bartenders don’t rely on just anyone to create the most classic American drink. They turn to Bartender Magazine, published by 30-year industry veteran Ray Foley, trusted by more than 150,000 barkeeps. Now, you can get your martinis straight from the top -- from Bartender and the best mix masters across America. From sophisticated to fun, this is the only martini book you’ll ever need.
Saturday, 12 p.m.
Tracye McQuirter, "By Any Greens Necessary: A Revolutionary Guide for Black Women Who Want to Eat Great, Get Healthy, Lose Weight, and Look Phat"
By Any Greens Necessary is a wake-up call for every black woman who dreams of getting healthy and slim without sacrificing great food and gorgeous curves. With inspiration, attitude, and expertise, Tracye McQuirter, M.P.H., shows you how to be healthy, hippy, and happy by eating plenty of delicious and nutritious plant-based foods.
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Norah O’Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy, "Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler"
From MSNBC’s Norah O’Donnell and Chef Geoff Tracy is the must-have cookbook for the millions of busy parents who have taken on a healthier approach to eating—less processed, more organic—and who want to feed their little ones easy-to-make, cost-effective, completely nutritious and delicious meals. Learn how to make two weeks’ worth of Baby Love meals in less than one hour per week, at a fraction of the cost of jarred baby food. Say good-bye to bland and processed and hello to fresh and scrumptious!
Saturday, 3 p.m.
Lisa Jervis, "Cook Food: A Manualfesto for Easy, Healthy, Local Eating"
More than just a rousing food manifesto and a nifty set of tools, "Cook Food" makes preparing tasty, wholesome meals simple and accessible for those hungry for both change and scrumptious fare. If you want to eat healthier but aren't sure where to start, or if you've been reading about food politics but don't know how to bring sustainable eating practices into your everyday life, Cook Food will give you the scoop on how, while keeping your taste buds satisfied. With a conversational, do-it-yourself vibe, a practical approach to everyday cooking on a budget, and a whole bunch of animal-free recipes, Cook Food will have you cooking up a storm, tasting the difference, thinking globally and eating locally.
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
Matt Lee and Ted Lee, "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern"
Southern cuisine is arriving in a big way. Chefs all over the United States are digging deeper into southern traditions, taking on ingredients and techniques that reach beyond fried chicken and BBQ. At the forefront of the southern food revolution are Matt Lee and Ted Lee and their new book, "The Lee Bros. Simple Fresh Southern." The brothers can speak to the state of southern food today with the perspective of knowing where it’s been, as well as where it’s going. They write recipes that are stylish, contemporary, and accessible, designed for today’s home cooks, and yet inspired by southern traditions and techniques.
Saturday, 6 p.m.
Ron Douglas, "More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes"
In his New York Times bestselling cookbook, "America’s Most Wanted Recipes," Ron Douglas proved that you don’t need to break the bank or even leave your house to enjoy the meals you love most. With his copycat recipes from the most popular chain restaurants across America—including The Cheesecake Factory, KFC, Olive Garden, P.F. Chang’s, Red Lobster, Outback Steakhouse, and many more—families can have these meals “on demand” from the comfort of their very own kitchen. In his latest cookbook, More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes: More Than 200 simple and Delicious Secret Restaurant Recipes--All for $10 or Less!, Ron gives readers even more delicious, time-saving, and easy ways to make restaurant recipes—and he guarantees that they’ll all cost $10 or less. Eating on a budget has never been easier.
Sunday, 12 p.m.
Healthy City Days
Healthy City Days presents tips on how to cook and eat more healthfully using seasonal ingredients – foods at the peak of their goodness. Featuring a cooking demonstration by Galen Sampson, native chef and owner of The Dogwood in Hampden.
Sunday, 1:30 p.m.
Daphne Oz, "The Dorm Room Diet"
Want to avoid the Freshman 15? Daphne Oz, daughter of New York Times bestselling authors Dr. Mehmet Oz and Lisa Oz, shares her 10-step plan for looking good, feeling great, and keeping fit away from home. "The Dorm Room Diet" is a winning combination of personal history and practical strategies that readers can put into practice right away. Daphne’s 10-step program shows college students how to stop eating out of emotional need and put food back in its place as a fuel provider, examining when, where and especially what they should eat to keep their minds in focus and their bodies in shape.
Sunday, 3 p.m.
Aviva Goldfarb, "SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue: Earth-Friendly, Kid-Pleasing Dinners for Busy Families"
Like many busy moms, Aviva Goldfarb struggled to put a nutritious dinner on the table for her family amidst the chaos of daily life. In 2003, Aviva developed a system that helps parents take the “Scramble” out of the dinner hour by giving them an easy, online meal planning and grocery shopping system, along with fail-proof recipes. "SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue" is not just a book addressing how to prepare delicious, quick, healthful family dinners. It uniquely brings the planet earth into the equation with family-focused tips for protecting the environment, supporting food sustainability, addressing “organic,” and avoiding our country’s food waste issue.
Sunday, 4:30 p.m.
Fany Gerson, "My Sweet Mexico"
While there are countless cookbooks about Mexican food, very little has been written about the vast and varied world of Mexican desserts, confections, beverages and breads. In "My Sweet Mexico," Fany Gerson explores the history behind the familiar landmark Mexican staples of her homeland, explains the significance of unfamiliar ingredients, and provides modern twists on old favorites and flavors. Fany Gerson graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and has worked in kitchens worldwide, including Michelin three-star Akelare in Spain, Eleven Madison Park, and Rosa Mexicano in New York, where she developed their acclaimed modern Mexican desserts.
Chopping cabbage for soup at The Dogwood. Sun photo by Algerina Perna
You'd think people who've seen up close what flames can do to human flesh would think twice about cooking in the buff.
But some Washington firefighters are accused of naked firehouse cooking, WBBH-TV reports.
Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta play two firefighters who know how to dress around flames on "Ladder 49." AP photo
I hate it when I confuse my "upscale localvore-focused contemporary American dining experiences" with my "cozy, casual and affordable French Brasseries with an American feel." But I managed to do that recently in a blog post.
The mistake -- I'd mixed up descriptions for two restaurants mentioned in the same press release -- just came to my attention yesterday. And it got me thinking about how restaurants bill themselves these days.
Which brings me to this week's list, which is actually a quiz:
Top Ten confusing restaurant concepts
(See if you can match the description to the restaurants listed below; answers to be posted later today)
1. "Upscale localvore-focused contemporary American dining experience"
2. "Cozy, casual and affordable French Brasserie with an American feel"
3. "[BLEEP] is an upscale-chic dining destination led by the culinary direction of renowned Executive Chef [BLEEP]. The ever-evolving menu utilizes the freshest seasonal and local ingredients combined with savory imported offerings."
4. "Where food meets fashion"
5. "[BLEEP] is an explosive celebration of Asian culture taking three of the most popular styles of cooking from the orient and bringing them together on a stage set with the performance energy of a rock concert."
6. "Improvisational dining is the concept at the heart of the menu format which balances heavy and light preparations and allows each guest to dine according to their own preferences."
7. "Our menu caters to diverse tastes; where else can your party enjoy a breakfast burrito, Thai chicken and mint salad, wild Maine blueberry pancakes, a green chile cheeseburger, and a vegan bbq riblet sandwich simultaneously?"
8. "Executive Chef [BLEEP]'s seasonal entreés showcase classic flavor combinations prepared with fresh, local ingredients."
This one doesn't sound confusing at all. The confusion comes later, when those old-fashioned, heirloom tomatoes grown just down the road at Farmer Brown's arrived on your plate as savory ice cream.
9. "Baltimore's first sous vide restaurant."
Clear enough, unless you're part of the overwhelming majority of the population that's never heard of "sous vide"
10. "[BLEEP] is an eccentric, Technicolor version of a diner serving up savory nosh that is more cultured than your typical grilled cheese."
Restaurants: Milan, Jack's Bistro, 208 Talbot, Golden West Cafe, brique, Brasserie Brightwell, Charleston, Tatu, Paper Moon Diner, Volt
Answers to be posted here at 3 p.m.
UPDATE
Answers: 1. 208 Talbot; 2. Brasserie Brightwell; 3. brique; 4. Milan; 5. Tatu; 6. Charleston; 7. Golden West Cafe; 8. Volt; 9. Jack's Bistro; 10. Paper Moon Diner
Sous vide pork belly at Baltimore's only sous vide restaurant. Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam
Devoted Bon Appetit readers, brace yourselves.
The magazine is not going the way of Gourmet, the sister Conde Nast publication that folded a year ago. But it is going to New York, for reasons that sound a whole lot like continued magazine-industry woes.
Conde Nast announced today that the magazine's editorial headquarters is moving from California to New York as "part of the company's continuing efforts to strategically align our brands for future growth and to enhance efficiencies and coordination by consolidating our assets."
Conde Nast also announced that Barbara Fairchild, who has been with the magazine for 32 years, the last 10 as editor-in-chief, is leaving the magazine "to pursue other opportunities, including future projects for Conde Nast."
The new editor-in-chief will be named after the magazine moves to New York.
"Ace of Cakes" Duff Goldman is recruiting for the CIA.
Not that CIA. The Culinary Institute of America.
The school will have an admissions reception in Baltimore next month. Goldman, who graduated from the CIA in 1998, will be one of a group of successful CIA grads who will share their stories and advice with prospective students.
The reception will be held at Charles Commons on the campus of The Johns Hopkins University, 3301 North Charles St., on Wednesday, October 20 at 6 p.m.
"Aspiring culinarians will have the opportunity to meet CIA representatives and learn about the college’s range of degree programs, educational benefits, and scholarship opportunities," says the promo. "The evening will be hosted by CIA alumnus Michael Gueiss ’96. Chef Gueiss is resident district executive chef at The Johns Hopkins University."
To learn more about the reception or to find out about available entry dates, contact The Culinary Institute of America visit www.ciachef.edu.
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox
John Lindner checks out Clementine on his lunch hour and finds himself swooning over a chicken sandwich.
The blue cheese mayo puts the dish over the top, John reports.
Read the complete Clementine review in today's Sun.
Photo by Monica Lopossay, special to The Sun.
The celebrity guest who will appear at Volt Sept. 28, when Bryan and Michael Voltaggio cook up a charity dinner, has been unveiled. It's Sharon Mangine.
Even hard-core "Top Chef" fans may draw a blank, but they know her all right. She's the woman who gave birth to the Brothers Voltaggio. Mother Voltaggio even appeared on the reality TV show during the finals.
"New Ticket Opportunity!" reads the promotional e-mail. "Dine alongside Bryan and Michael's mother, Sharon Mangine, in the VOLT Conservatory. Gain insight into raising two extraordinary chefs and making that guest appearance on Top Chef knowing only one of her boys could win. Hear about how the boys discovered their interest in the culinary world and which one she struggled to feed as a child. This is sure to be the best seat in the house!"
Sitting with Mother Voltaggio does not come cheap, but it's for charity. (Proceeds will go to Share Our Strength, a nonprofit devoted to wiping out childhood hunger.) It costs $3,000 per couple -- or, presumably, $1,500 a head, but for some reason, the pricing is by couple on this -- to sit with her in Volt's "Chef's Conservatory." There, up to 10 diners will get an 11-course meal with wine pairings. Not to mention insight into how to turn their little ones into celebrity chefs.
There are two, slightly less pricey options that night. But they do not include having the mother of two "Top Chef" contestants at your table.
For $1,250 each, diners will get the same 11 courses and sit at the communal kitchen table used for Volt's Table 21. And for $1,000 per person, they'll get an eight-course meal with wine pairings and sit in the kitchen dining room.
Sun photo by Kim Hairston
Alan Morstein of Regi's sends this report on a perfect fall morning. Here's Alan. LV
A feeling of fall in the air today at Waverly bought out the fall classics.
On display were lima beans from Tom the "Bean Man," turnips, broccoli, white, creamy sweet potatoes, baby pumpkins, apple cider, butternut squash, plums, kohlrabi (organic, green-looking sphere in the cabbage family and is well worth a dollar to two investment), decorative corn, pumpkins and gourds.
Growers advise that local corn is sweetest this time of year. Consider blanching a few dozen ears off, pack in vacuum bags then freeze when cool. Now you are ready to enjoy the taste of Maryland during the winter in such classics as; cream of corn, chowders, pot pies, stuffing, muffins and more.
On a final note, I would like to wish our Jewish friends a Happy & Healthy New Year.
Enjoy the weekend.
Sun file photo
I'd like to draw your attention to a few food and wine events going on this weekend, assuming you haven't already read about them in today's Sun.
The Maryland Wine Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday in Westminster, Jill Rosen reports. The event is "the Super Bowl of wine," according to someone Jill quotes.
The Cape May Food and Wine Festival runs for nine days, Saturday through Sept. 26, Karen Nitkin reports. There is a wide range of events, ranging from a self-guided wine tour to a $125 five-course progressive meal. (A trolley transports diners to a different restaurant for each course.)
Get information on more food and wine events happening this fall.
AP photo
Father Leo Patalinghug, the Emmitsburg priest and cookbook author who bested Bobby Flay in a "Throwdown," has a new version of his cookbook, "Grace Before Meals."
The new book "aims to add a gourmet touch to the family dinner," I'm told.
You can hear all about it Thursday night, when Patalinghug is a featured speaker and guest chef at the National Press Club's Fourth Estate Restaurant in Washington.
Father Leo and Fourth Estate’s Executive Chef, Susan Delbert, will prepare a five-course dinner with paired wines, showcasing recipes from the book.
The menu:
Hors D’ouevres: Monte Crisco Sandwiches, Cola Pork Skewers, Pumpkin & Ricotta Wonton-Olis, Meatballs in Creamy Vodka Sauce.
First Course: Ramen Salad w. Grilled Corn & Scallions
2008 Dr. Wagner Okfener Bocksten Reisling Kabinett
Second Course: Seared Ahi Tuna w. Eggplant
2009 Chateau Trinquevedel Tavel Rose, Rhone France
Third Course: Land, Sea, Air Paella
2007 Bergstrom Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard
Fourth Course: Chicken Adobo
2007 Weingut Prager Gruner Veltliner Smaragd Leibenberg
Dessert: Breakfast Berries over Pound Cake
2006 Campbells Rutherglen Muscat
The event begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday with a cocktail hour. The cost is $70 for National Press Club members and $93 for non-members (excludes tax and tip). Tickets can be reserved by calling 202-662-7638 or by emailing fourthestate@press.org.
One week from today, you can dine out and consider it a good deed.
Next Thursday, Sept. 23, dozens of area restaurants will donate at least 20 percent of their sales to Moveable Feast, a Baltimore nonprofit that delivers meals to home-bound people with HIV/AIDS, breast cancer or other life-threatening conditions.
The fundraiser goes by Dining Out For Life.
The list of participating restaurants is online and includes some of the most popular in Baltimore. Some of them -- The Brewer's Art, Clementine, Gertrude's, Miguel's Cocina y Cantina and Woodberry Kitchen -- have pledged 50 percent of their proceeds.
As the list indicates, the offer applies only to dinner at some places, but breakfast and lunch at others.
Clementine charcuterie. Sun file photo
National Cheeseburger Day? Who knew?
Z-Burger in White Marsh is celebrating by selling $1 burgers Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
My vast research into this obscure commemorative day (thanks, Google!) tells me National Cheeseburger Day is actually Sept. 18, which falls on a Saturday this year. Maybe that's why Z-Burger is celebrating a day early. On a weekend, no telling how many people would be free to take them up on the deal.
If your Friday schedule allows you to get to Z-Burger, there is one catch. You have to say, "Cheeseburger, Freeburger" to the cashier to get the deal.
And only one one-buck burger per person.
There's not much more to it than that, but if you want to see the offer for yourself, you can check it out on Twitter.
PRNewsFoto
It looks like Timothy Dean has pulled a rabbit out of his toque.
Hours before Prime Steakhouse was to go on the auction block, the foreclosure sale has been called off.
A lawyer for the former "Top Chef" contestant told me yesterday afternoon that the auction of Dean's Prime Steakhouse wasn't going to happen. But it was still listed on the auctioneer's website, and no one there was calling back to say some last-minute deal was being worked out.
I checked the Jonathan Melnick Auctioneers site again just now, and it says the foreclosure sale has been canceled.
UPDATE:
I reached Dean at Prime a little while ago. He said he was about to go cook some steaks for dinner tonight -- the restaurant is still open -- and referred all questions to his lawyer.
I'd reached the lawyer, Jimmy A. Bell of Bowie, earlier in the day. His only comment was that I'd devoted too much attention to the former reality TV contestant, who was eliminated from the show in July.
"Leave Timothy Dean alone," Bell told me.
Earlier in the week, I reached someone affiliated with Boulevard at the Capital Centre in Largo, where Dean has talked about opening a second Prime Steakhouse. Joel Cunningham, spokesman for Inland Western Retail Real Estate Trust, which owns the center, told me the deal “is still under negotiation.”
My neighbor was going to the bank and noticed the vanity plate on the car that pulled in front of her in the parking lot: TOPCHEF.
The guy who got out of the car was not the one who won the "Top Chef" season finale last night. (And you won't get the winner's name out of me! I learned my lesson last time. If you want to know -- and only if you want to know -- check out The Sun's Reality Check blog.)
It was Timothy Dean.
Bad enough for Dean that he did not come out on top on the show, which sent him packing early on.
But just hours after someone else was crowned Top Chef late Wednesday, Dean's Prime Steakhouse is scheduled to be sold in a foreclosure auction.
Dean's lawyer is insisting that the auction, scheduled for 4 p.m. Thursday, isn't going to happen.
If you want more details, check out my column in today's Sun.
Bravo photo
Baltimore International College has a bunch of "food enthusiast" classes starting this month through November.
And just to whet your appetite, one of them is free.
"French Cuisine," a three-hour course that usually costs $60, will be offered at no cost at a Sept. 23 open house. Participation is limited and registration is required.
Other classes being offered range from knife skills and basic bread baking to Asian cooking and cheese making.
One course that I thought sounded particularly useful for anyone contemplating one of the more difficult culinary feats out there: "How to Prepare Thanksgiving Dinner."
The courses cost $60 to $80. A complete list of classes is available here.
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox
Tasti D-Lite, whose soft serve-style frozen desserts turned up on "Sex and the City" and in a New York Times expose, is expanding to Maryland.
Franchises are in the works for Bel Air, Severna Park and Chevy Chase or Bethesda, said Ben Pascal, who oversees development for the Franklin, Tenn.-based chain in Maryland, Washington and Delaware. An outlet is also coming to Washington's Dupont Circle.
All well and good, but what about Baltimore? Doesn't one of America's fattest cities (Men's Health puts us at No. 8) need a low-cal frozen dessert option?
"I have one very interested person [in Baltimore], if he can pull the financing together," Pascal told me. (Full disclosure: the expansion was first reported by Bmore media.)
Tasti sells a product that is billed as a low-cal, low-fat alternative to soft-serve ice cream. It is made with all-natural ingredients and is said to contain 70 to 100 calories per four-fluid-ounce serving.
Suspicious of even lower calorie claims, and perhaps inspired by a "Seinfeld" episode that had the characters gaining weight as they ate purportedly non-fat frozen yogurt, The New York Times had the stuff tested at Tasti and a similar chain, CremaLita, back in 2002.
"At two prominent chains, Tasti D-Lite and CremaLita, the soft-serve dessert has far more calories and often a higher fat," the paper found. "At CremaLita's Third Avenue branch, the small vanilla soft serve is advertised as having 60 calories in four fluid ounces. In fact, one small cup contained 153 calories. Tasti D-Lite advertises a 40-calorie, four-fluid-ounce product; testing of the smallest vanilla servings sold at various branches found as many as 224 calories."
Part of the problem was that serving sizes were "invariably" larger than four fluid ounces, the paper found. Wide variations in how much air was beaten into the product also contributed.
Here's what a company spokeswoman had to say about the Times' findings when I called:
"While these incidents occurred under Tasti D-Lite’s prior ownership, the fact is that a settlement was reached in which steps were taken to ensure that the product being served was consistent with any claims being made," she said. "In February 2007, a New York-based private equity firm acquired the company and converted it to a franchised format in early 2008. In converting Tasti D-Lite to a franchise, guidelines and training programs were further enhanced to help franchisees maintain the company’s product and nutritional standards."
Diet in a waffle cone. Photo courtesy of Tasti D-Lite
Free desserts from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. today at Charm City Cupcakes, Godiva Chocolatier, Patisserie Poupon, Puffs and Pastries, and Vaccaro's.
There's some sort of "Top Chef" tie-in, but really, I've told you all you really need to know.
My colleague Liz Kay has the details on where to get the goods on The Sun's "Consuming Interests" blog.
Puffs and Pastries rose water eclairs. Math-hubby photo
Shallow Thought Wednesday cowboy John Lindner moseyed on over to a horsey-themed restaurant in Howard County. His take: to heck with the place and the horse it rode in on. Here's John. LV
“Cordial and friendly staff will treat you with casual respect.”
Whoa. The line in the menu caused me to yank back my brain reins, shift in my metaphysical saddle and squint into the linguistic horizon. Casual respect?
Then our server corralled a chair and hunkered down at our table. Ah, casual respect. I get it.
Opened recently in a nail-salon-anchored stripper done up to look like a hive of insurance offices in historic Highland (or Clarksville) at the corner of 216 and 108 out in Howard County, Twist and Turn tries to evoke Maryland horse country and it does a fair job of looking like it tries to evoke Maryland horse country. You got your horse-related pictures and your Preakness shrimp salad. The plan is simple: Trot out standard tavern fare. Saddle a few items with themey sounding names. (Wrangler Roy’s Ho-hum Grilled Chicken.*) How could that not work?
An interesting question just popped up on the Google group Baltimore Food Makers.
A member of the group needs to bring an Australian beverage to a home-school co-op, and she's at a loss.
So far, no one has come up with anything you can legally serve to minors.
I saw something online about dissolving a teaspoon of Vegemite in a glass of hot water, but that sounds like child abuse.
Anybody have any suggestions?
I'm also wondering if any parents out there have ever found themselves in similarly foreign culinary territory, trying to find food fitting for a something like a social studies banquet. Say, the kids are doing a unit on Chad and you're the room mother who has to come up with a Chadian treat.
Getty Images
A regular Dining@Large reader who goes by Spoons put me onto an interesting event that combines a nature walk with -- wait for it -- soup.
And it's Atwater's soup, so this should be of interest even to those who don't give a hoot about goldenrod.
The event is billed as: “Asters, Goldenrods and soup?”
Here's how it is described:
"Discover the gardens and woodland trails at Cylburn [Arboretum] by joining a Cylburn naturalist for a guided walk, followed by soup and salad prepared by Atwater’s.
"The walks will focus on Cylburn’s native plants and trees, as well as plants found in the beautiful display gardens. The soup and salad will reflect the season and walk. A representative from Atwater’s will discuss the soup making process, the nutritional benefits, and the source of the ingredients."
There will be a series of Soup N Walk events, all of which combine walks in gardens and woods with a bowl of Atwater's vegetarian soup, a side salad, homemade bread and a cookie. They take place Sept. 23, Oct. 23 and Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
The cost is $18 for Arboretum members, $20 for the general public. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 410-367-2217.
Neon colors and novelty shapes are not usually the hallmarks of quality food. So I was surprised last week when a colleague who is a serious foodie brought in a mix of peanuts, plain M&Ms and candy corn.
I understood the M&Ms -- along with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, they're the only things I'm even tempted to steal from my kids' Halloween haul -- but candy corn? Really?
"They just feel autumny," said John-John Williams IV, recalling how the tri-colored candies topped the Halloween cupcakes he had as a kid. "It reminds me of being young."
Years, maybe decades, had passed since I'd had candy corn, so I sampled one of John-John's. They weren't as sickly sweet as I'd expected. (I think they benefited from having been mixed with the salty peanuts.) But I still wouldn't seek them out.
That said, I truly appreciate the candy -- and John-John -- for inspiring this week's list:
Top Ten Polarizing Holiday Candies
1. Candy corn
2. Candy pumpkins
Same thing as candy corn, only shaped like a gourd and bigger. Sometimes less is more.
3. Cadbury creme eggs
The oozing fake-egg center inside the chocolate shell fascinates kids. To the rest of us, it's what tomatoes were to George Carlin: something that looks like it's "still in the larval stage."
4. Candied cherries
I have the same "larval" complaint about these chocolate-covered treats, which tend to show up at Christmas and Valentine's Day
5. Conversation hearts
If you have to say it through Necco wafers, the relationship is doomed.
6. Jelly beans
Dentists love their stick-to-your-teeth quality.
7. Peeps
Untoasted marshmallows are an abomination, no matter how cute they look. Their only redeeming social value is as a crafts project: peeps sushi.
8. Whitman's sampler
Pair it with a carnation-filled bouquet at Valentine's Day and watch your romance die.
9. Ribbon candy
My aunt and uncle always had this at their house on Christmas. We thought it was the height of elegance. I'm sure our sticky hands and faces were anything but.
10. Candy canes
As preschoolers, my kids learned a little ditty about how the canes were shaped like "J" for Jesus, with the white symbolizing his sinless life and the red standing for the blood he shed. Eew. Can't we just let the kids' teeth rot without bringing bodily fluids into it?
AP photo
Remember that "Seinfeld" episode that has George getting invited somewhere with a "smart-casual" dress code?
"What is that?" he asks Jerry.
"I don't know," Jerry answers, "but you don't have it."
Even the hapless Mr. Costanza must have something in his closet fitting for an Art To Dine For soiree.
The events that make up the Creative Alliance's annual party series, set in the "homes, lofts and studios of Baltimore’s most fascinating collectors, artists and performers," vary tremendously in setting and style.
Details for all 33 parties, taking place now through December, are available online, so I won't try to describe them all here. But here's a sampling of the dress codes specified for Art To Dine For events:
Country casual
Casual with deck shoes
Casual flour (for a pie-making event with Rodney Henry of Dangerously Delicious Pies)
Relaxed chic
Contemporary casual
T-shirt casual
Outdoorsy duds
Artsy chic
Harmoniously relaxed
'60s hip
NOLA finery (for a Cajun event)
Fashionista couture
Surprise us
Outrageous jewelry required
Far-East artsy
Kelly Ripa, the cast of "Seinfeld" and Regis Philbin, who didn't get the memo on the no-puffy-shirt dress code. PRNewsFoto
Mary Terzi, salad maker extraordinaire, was laid to rest today.
She was 104.
She came to my attention four years ago, and I wrote a short item about her in my metro column. Here it is:
"If tonight, at the end of a long workweek, you figure you're entitled to take it easy - think of Mary Terzi.
"Every Friday night for the past 20 years, she has made salad for the 150 people who have dinner at Baltimore's Little Italy Lodge. She's 100 years old and not interested in retiring."
"The secret to her longevity is clear as she mixes olive oil, vinegar, garlic and Parmesan with greens.
"'I don't eat a lot of junk,' she says. She also quit smoking - eight years ago. She started when she was 18."
Sun photo by Glenn Fawcett
The Rev. Terry Jones never did burn the Quran, but Riccardo Bosio of Sotto Sopra still made good on his end of the deal.
Offended by the Florida pastor's threatened Sept. 11 book burning, Bosio offered half-price entrees to anyone who came for dinner that night with a holy book.
I wondered if anyone took Bosio up on the deal and inquired via e-mail. Here's Bosio's reply:
"It went great!!," he wrote. "Thirty-five people showed up and loved the idea. We had Mormon books, korans, bibles, and Jewish prayer books. I learned to read from right to left! Holy cow. Smart people, those who can do that.
"Thanks for the help. It was a happy contrast to the sadness!"
Getty Images
John Lindner finds scooping up Ethiopian food with just his hands and the spongy flatbread injera a little tricky.
That's about his only beef with Dukem, which he reviews in today's Sun.
Read John's full review here.
Sun photo by Karl Merton Ferron
Richard Gorelick reviews Louisiana in today's Sun.
He starts out by describing the ornate decor in great detail. Then he writes:
"And, yes, I'm stalling."
Find out why by reading the rest of Richard's review here.
Louisiana's grand dining room. Photo by Doug Kapustin, special to The Sun
A Dining@Large reader who goes by summom graciously agreed to report on Waverly Market this week. Summom is a regular at the farmers' market, and she found fall veggies and flowers today. Here's summom. LV
It’s a great time to go to the Waverly Market and not just because the temperature is below 80 degrees at 8:30 am.
Lovers of summer’s plenty can still find corn, peaches and melons.
A market report in August forecast an early end to tomatoes, but they are still in plentiful supply. Meanwhile, those who claim autumn as the best time of year now have apples, pears, cider and the first signs of fall vegetables. I even saw some small pumpkins!
For visitors with an artistic bent, there is inspiration in the vibrant hues of the masses of peppers which are mirrored in the zinnia, sunflower and celosia bouquets that pop up all over the market. Definitely something for everybody.
Sun photo by Lloyd Fox
Fleming's is having a series of wine tastings on Thursday nights through September.
The idea was to allow guests, over the course of five evenings, to get a taste of the 100 wines that will be available by the glass at the restaurant for the next year.
But I'm afraid I'm getting to this "Fleming's 100" news a little late; two of the tastings have already taken place. Sorry. Your liver will thank me, though. And there are three more tastings -- that's 60 wines -- to go.
Each tasting is $25 per person. Guests receive a $25 dining credit good for the main dining room that evening.
Here's a list of wines to be sampled this Thursday:
Sparkling
• HEIDSIECK, Brut Champagne Blue Top France NV
White Wines of Interest
• BERINGER, White Zinfandel California, 2008/2009*
• VON BUHL, Riesling Pfalz Medium-Dry Jazz Germany, 2008
Chardonnay
• MERRYVALE, Napa Valley Starmont, 2008
• SANFORD, Santa Barbara County, 2007/2008*
Pinot Noir
• MACMURRAY RANCH, Sonoma Coast, 2008
• STICKS, Yarra Valley Australia, 2008
Red Wines of Interest
• MASI, Veneto Campofiorin Italy, 2006/2007*
• PASCUAL TOSO, Malbec Mendoza Argentina, 2008
• VALL LLACH, Priorat Embruix Spain, 2006
Syrah/Shiraz/Petite Sirah/Zinfandel
• VINUM, Petite Sirah Clarksburg PETS Wilson Vineyards, 2007/2008*
• MEYER, Syrah Mendocino County/Yorkville Highlands, 2005/2006*
Merlot
• CLOS DU BOIS, North Coast, 2005/2006
• CHÂTEAU DE BELLEVUE, St.-Émilion France, 2006/2007
• OBERON, Napa Valley, 2006/2007
Cabernet / Cabernet Blend
• RUTHERFORD RANCH, Napa Valley, 2007
• GREG NORMAN, Cabernet-Merlot Limestone Coast Australia, 2007
• CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE, Columbia Valley Indian Wells, 2007/2008*
• CHÂTEAU GREYSAC, Médoc France, 2005/2006*
• DUCKHORN, Napa Valley, 2006
The wine-tastings take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Information about reservations and the wines to be sampled is available online.
My regular Waverly Market reporter, Alan Morstein of Regi's, will be away this weekend.
BaltimoreGal, who once filled in for Alan, is going to HampdenFest.
If there's anybody out there who plans to go to the market this Saturday and would like to let the rest of the Sandbox know what looks good, I'd gladly take a guest post.
Just send me an e-mail at laura.vozzella@baltsun.com if you're game.
Sun photo by Kim Hairston
The Rev. Terry Jones, the pyromaniacal Florida pastor whose on-again, off-again plan to burn the Quran on Sept. 11 has sparked violent protests around the world, has inspired something else right here in Baltimore: a half-price entree deal.
Details are laid out in an e-mail I just received from Sotto Sopra:
"Riccardo Bosio, a spirited and emotional soul, was so outraged by the Florida pastor and his threat to burn a holy book he posted on his Facebook page the following: 'Sotto Sopra Restaurant, in the name of religious reconciliation is offering 50% off entrees for anyone coming to dinner with their own holy book on September 11."
The message continues:
"'This is a direct response to the moronic idea of the pastor who decided to undermine the beauty of religious wisdom and freedom! Faith is sacred, no matter who is preaching it!'
"September 11th is a sad day in this nation’s history, a day when we should reflect and see how we can make the world a better place. We at Sotto Sopra can’t help reacting to the craziness of late; threats of burning the Quran and religious indignation.
"At Sotto Sopra we believe that all people, all religions have a place at our tables and we welcome everyone. The table is a sacred place, where people of diversity can share and discuss beliefs, their daily joys, disappointments and dreams. Sotto Sopra would like to brighten this somber day, Saturday, September 11th - Come to the table, start a discussion, bring family, friends - lets all break bread together and celebrate our freedoms."
The Rev. Terry Jones, the Florida pastor whose threat to burn the Quran has inspired a Sotto Sorpra dining deal. Getty Images
I know true coffee aficionados won't want any part of this, but if can trumpet Baltimore's $13 cup of joe, I guess I should also herald the town's bargain-basement brew.
7-Eleven has a coffee happy hour promotion going all through September. Coffee in all sizes is 99 cents every day from noon until midnight.
(The convenience store's coffee normally starts at $1.19 for 12 ounces and goes up to $1.58 for a 24-ounce cup.)
"Complimentary coffee add-ins consisting of an array of spices, creams and sweeteners are included in the low happy hour price," I'm told.
Sun file photo
Roland Park Bakery and Deli has to find a new location, and Roland Park is not amused.
Jean Marbella has the story about the heave-ho the neighborhood hangout is getting from the Roland Park Shopping Center.
Apparently not everyone appreciates the gravity of the situation. Some wiseacre posted this comment with Jean's story:
"Oh my stars! Where are Muffy and Biff to go for their stale overpriced croissants and brie?"
Sun photo by Jerry Jackson
My non-Dining@Large duties at The Sun had me busy yesterday with non-dining matters -- pediatric colitis, politicians, pediatric politicians -- and I forgot to give the Sandbox a heads-up to Richard Gorelick's Table Talk column. Sorry about that.
For those of you who haven't already seen it, Richard brings news of CR Lounge, which opened Aug. 7 where Ixia used to be in Mount Vernon.
As Richard notes, the sign out front reads "C Restaurant and Lounge," not "CR." But if they're serving rack of lamb that looks this good, why argue?
Here's what Richard writes about chef Sammy Davis, "whose credits include Nobu NY and his own Atlanta restaurant, called Milk and Honey."
"A short bio of Davis from the Milk and Honey website says that Davis has worked with Sean Combs, Terrell Owens and Janet Jackson, none of whom is famous for being easy to please. That's encouraging."
Read Richard's full Table Talk column online.
CR Lounge braised rack of lamb with honey-and-ginger-infused parsnips. Sun photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.
In an era of celebrated heirloom ingredients, those tomato tastings make some sense.
But a Swiss chard tasting?
Surely the venerated veggie trend has gone too far.
At least that was my fear when I drove past The Iron Bridge Wine Company last week and spotted a sign out front: "Chard tasting."
But when I called the place just now, bartender/server Jeanine Pleszkoch set me straight.
It was a Chardonnay tasting.
The restaurant has every-other-Monday wine tastings, usually led by manager Vince Culotta. Guests sample four or five wines and get a snack for $20 a person.
The tastings, billed as Iron Bridge University, take place from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. The next one, Sept. 13, is Sangiovese.
Sun photo by Jed Kirschbaum
A North Carolina restaurant has posted signs reading: "Screaming children will not be tolerated."
So says a WECT-TV report that my colleague Liz Kay sent my way.
"It has been a good thing for us," Brenda Armes, owner of Olde Salty restaurant, told the station. "It has brought us in more customers than it has ever kept away."
A Dining@Large reader is seeking restaurant suggestions for a couple of New Jersey Italian food sophisticates.
If the restaurant could have "Rocco" in the name, all the better.
Here's what he e-mailed me:
"Have you ever dined at Rocco's Capriccio?
"I ask because my father is coming into town and he is celebrating his 60th birthday this month and I want to take he and my Mom to dinner.
"Incidentally, his name is Rocco. So, I thought if the food were worth the visit, it would be cool to take him here."
The e-mail continued:
"They are from NJ, so, I suppose their taste for Italian food may be a little more sophisticated than others, but in all honesty, they're not that picky. Just looking to see if you have any thoughts on this place. Thanks."
I've never dined at Rocco's, which is in Little Italy. Can anybody out there advise him?
Rocco's Capriccio, adorned with a wreath in honor of local artist, Tony DeSales, who died in 2000. (Sorry. It was the only art we had of the place.) Sun file photo
And you thought Shallow Thought Wednesday guru John Lindner was an adventurous eater. His daughter has put him to shame. Just don't tell Sun pets blogger Jill Rosen what the younger Lindner has been up to in China. Here's John. LV
Kudos to Jill Rosen for her moveable feast story and for proving that while great minds may think alike, good minds think faster. I’ve been mulling a lunch truck story for weeks.
Now I’m stuck with cat brains. (Jill, please don’t read further.)
My daughter has been in China for little more than a month and already she’s made my culinary adventures seem like nap time for the Hardy Boys. She downed a starfish, a silk worm, a cricket, a cicada, some other bug and a scorpion in one street-vendor encounter alone. Apparently the cicada was the only really nasty one. And that might have been a psychological reaction. She also disliked the starfish, suggesting that if we wanted to know what it tastes like we should go to the where the ocean meets the sand and start licking.
Her latest, and to my mind (pun anticipated, if not intended) most adventurous, was cat brain. She ordered it not certain what exactly she was getting. Apparently her grasp of Chinese symbols is good enough to get her into trouble. When the dish arrived she told her friend it looked like a brain. Her friend insisted it couldn’t possibly be. In any case, she ate it and liked it. She later checked the characters. Yup. Cat brain. Yum.
OK, I’m going to regret this if someone actually answers in the positive, but here goes: can cat brain be had in Baltimore? If so, where? Or is cuy the cutest available exotic food in these parts? Extra credit if you can tell me where I can get a decent scorpion within driving distance.
Photo by Michaela Kobyakov courtesy Stock Xchng
A regular reader of the blog who goes by FrankieSez e-mailed me to say that he'd had great food and drink recently at Brasserie Beck in Washington, and that he'd heard the restaurant might be opening a Baltimore location. "We haven’t signed a lease and we’re looking at different locations," she e-mailed me. "Feel free to check back in the next few weeks."
The restaurant bills itself as a "contemporary Belgian brasserie with an exhibition kitchen." You can check out the menu online.
Until Brasserie Beck arrives, you can go to Wells Discount Liquors for these Belgian beers. Sun photo by Kim Hairston
Brothers and former "Top Chef" rivals Michael and Bryan Voltaggio team up later this month to serve a $1,000-a-head charity dinner at Bryan's Frederick restaurant, Volt.
That's eight courses, with wine pairings, in the kitchen dining room, for a grand. And yes, it is possible to spend more.
Eight people can sit at a communal table even closer to the kitchen action for $1,250 each, or a total of $10,000. They'll also get three extra courses.
And up to 10 others can fork over $1,500 each, for a total of $15,000, for the three extra courses and the company of an unannounced "celebrity guest," who will join them for their meal in the "Chef's Conservatory."
Proceeds will go to Share Our Strength, a charity devoted to eradicating childhood hunger.
The event is part of a series of fundraising dinners, called "A Tasteful Pursuit," taking place at some of the nation's best-known restaurants. Among the others: Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court Hotel in Palm Beach and Thomas Keller's French Laundry in California's Napa Valley.
It was great having the day off Monday, but did it really have to be Labor Day already?
Did the young woman who minds one of my favorite little farm stands -- a truck, actually, parked outside the Catonsville library -- have to mention, as I picked up peaches and a watermelon Sunday, that it was their last weekend of the season? Where did the summer go?
My kids have been in school for a week now, and they're enjoying it (except for the getting up early part). They're learning, playing soccer, making new friends. And the break from the heat these last few days has been nice. I know it's time to move on to a new season.
But my taste buds still want to hold onto summer.
Which brings me to this week's list:
Top Ten summer foods I'm going to miss
1. Peaches
I want my peaches to be the drippy-mess-halfway-down-my-arm variety. Which means I don't want them picked hard as a rock on the other side of the country. I want them local. Which, of course, doesn't guarantee good. For the first time this season, the ones I bought at the truck were dry and mealy.
2. Tomatoes
I've become hooked on grilled cheese made with Atwater's bread, fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomatoes from my garden. When my vines finally quit, I won't even attempt the sandwich with the supermarket variety.
3. Blueberries
I bought a bunch of local berries from a guy in Baltimore County earlier this summer. I put them in freezer bags and thought I had enough for blueberry pancakes all through winter. I would have, if I hadn't started putting the berries in smoothies. We're already out. Now it's back to inspecting the fine print on the frozen berry bags in the supermarket, trying to make sure they don't hail from a country known for lead-laden toys and toxic drywall.
4. Green beans
We had a great supply in our garden most of the summer, but the plants dried during the recent blast of hot weather. It's so much easier to get the kids to eat their veggies if they're fresh.
5. Corn
My own crop had limited success. (OK, one edible ear.) But the stuff from area farmers' markets has been great. One week I under the JFX, a vendor was letting people sample it raw. I'd never eaten uncooked corn before, but it was wonderfully sweet and crisp. I bought so much, I had to stash some (shorn from the cob) in the freezer. I'll appreciate that frozen stash in soup some cold winter day, but I'm sure it won't match the texture and flavor of that raw ear.
6. Ice cream
Of course we can have ice cream in the cooler months, but I feel a little more guilty about it. This summer we made some interesting sorbets -- peach-tarragon was the stand-out -- but my kids' favorite is plain old vanilla. I was going to make an end-of-summer batch yesterday, until I saw the price of vanilla beans at the supermarket. It was $10 for one bean, $14 for two. And my recipe actually calls for two beans. (Anybody out there got the inside track on bargain vanilla beans?)
7. Salad
I find bagged supermarket lettuce tends to be slimy and rotten, so I like to grow greens myself. The cooler fall weather should give me a chance to get a new crop going, but once it really gets cold, it'll be a salad-free existence around here. Last year I noticed Mill Valley General Store in Remington offered a winter CSA with lettuce grown in Eastern shore hot houses. Maybe worth exploring.
8. Apricots
9. Basil
I love having a fresh supply right in the back yard. I'd better get my pesto made to get me through the winter.10. Chard
Just kidding! Besides, it winters over.
Sun photo by Kim Hairston
John Lindner reviews Max's Empanadas in today's Sun and he makes it sound like it's the best place in Little Italy to get Argentine food.
OK, it's the only place in Little Italy to get Argentine food.
But John is quite pleased with it.
Here's John's Max's Empanadas review.
While John reviewed Max's strictly as a lunch-hour option, Richard Gorelick did a broader review back in January. Here's a link to Richard's review, too.
Owner Max Gonzalez holds a plate of empanadas. Sun photo by Algerina Perna
Richard Gorelick reviews brique in today's Sun.
"It's just across from the pretty county courthouse, the state's oldest in continuous use. Its shady grounds look like the set for the kind of movie where Julia Roberts returns home and discovers what really matters."
Richard goes on to say:
"In that kind of movie, though, there is never a restaurant as sophisticated or as stimulating as Brique, which is capable of producing moments of ravishing pleasure over the course of an evening."
As an aside, I'm wondering if The Sun's copy desk had its way with what Richard wrote, or if the restaurant has come to its grammatical senses; in the review, "brique" is capitalized. Since for better or for worse (mostly worse), I live a copy desk-free existence here on the blog, I'm sticking with lower-case "brique."
As another aside, isn't that purslane in between those scallops?
Check out Richard's brique review here.
Seared diver scallops atop a cauliflower puree, micro greens, grapefruit vinaigrette with a dusting of a homemade curry mix at brique. Sun photos by Kim Hairston
Our intrepid Waverly Market correspondent, Alan Morstein of Regi's, had some kids tagging along with him at the market today. And you know what that means: lots of extra purchases, many of them sweet. There's also good news for lima bean fans. Here's Alan. LV
Today's visit to The Waverly Market was most unique. The reason being that I saw the market through the eyes of a seven- and nine-year-old, my next door neighbors Hailey and Nathan Bragg.
They were impressed by "all that corn," and by the many sizes and shapes and colors of tomatoes.
As we entered the main midway, they were star stuck by the jams and honey, all of which we purchased, as well as the aromas of the fresh herbs, which we also purchased for their mom, who will be frantically trying to figure out today how to utilize these herbs.
Of course we had to stop at the make-your-own-smoothie bike stand for a homemade smoothie and then on to the pastry, grapes, peaches, eggplant and plums.
I left the market with bags of fruits and vegetables feeling that if more kids would attend these markets perhaps we would make a dent in the childhood obesity problem that plagues our country.
By the way, the kids had a wonderful time and want to return for the pumpkin season which starts in three weeks.
If your a lima bean fan today is your BIG day. The bean man rolled out the first limas of the year.
Enjoy the taste of fall.
Wheely Good Smoothies at the farmers' market. Photo courtesy of Michael St.cole
Just how big is that Ravens hot dog contract that Dietz & Watson grabbed away from Esskay?
Nobody involved is divulging dollars and cents, but I got this much out of Joe Arena, who directs concessions for Aramark at M & T Bank Stadium:
"Fans consume on average 25,000 pounds of hot dogs during the course of a NFL season."
I wonder how many gallons of mustard go with that.
Chicago Tribune photo
Wine judges beware: an amateur winemaker competing at the Maryland Wine Festival once entered a vino made with parsnips.
For those who'd rather sip stuff from the professionals, there will be plenty to sample from Western Maryland, Southern Maryland and Eastern Shore wineries.
Festival-goers can take part in light-hearted wine education seminars and, if they're really brave, sign up to judge wine in the homemade wine competition.
Food vendors will range from typical fair fare -- turkey legs and hot dogs -- to Firefly Farms goat cheese on baguettes.
The festival takes place Sept. 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sept. 19, noon to 6 p.m. at the Carroll County Farm Museum in Westminster.
Adult tickets are $22 in advance (available online), $25 at the gate. Designated driver tickets are $20 in advance and at the gate. Tickets are $5 for ages 7 to 20. Kids 6 and under are free.
Chicago Tribune photo
The Kooper's Chowhound Burger Wagon is in the running to be crowned "America's Favorite Food Truck."
In order to win, Kooper's does not actually have to prove that it is the best food truck in America, which it may or may not be.
Kooper's just has to convince enough people to stuff the ballot box.
"We have until September 10th, 2010 to collect a maximum of votes to win a chance to represent Baltimore and Maryland in the Season 2 of the Amazing Food Truck Race!" reads the e-mail sent from Kooper's. "People can vote online (10 times a day) at foodnetwork.com/foodtrucks or they can text FT191 to 66789 (unlimited)."
Kooper's did not cook up this affront to democracy, the Food Network did.
So feel free to heed their plea: "We need your help to win, we need your vote to have the Kooper's Chowhound Burger wagon represent Baltimore in a Food Network TV Show! Thanks for all your support and burger love!"
Sun photo by Amy Davis
The Baltimore Ravens have a new hot dog supplier -- from Philly.
That's right, Esskay is out, Dietz & Watson is in.
Esskay, founded in Baltimore in 1858, has been supplying Ravens concession stands with hot dogs since the stadium opened.
But Dietz & Watson has just landed the three-year contract.
Esskay is an old name in hot dogs in Baltimore, but before local food chauvinists get too worked up, it's worth noting that the company was acquired by Smithfield Foods in 1985. The Esskay dogs long sold at Ravens games -- and still sold at Orioles, Aberdeen IronBirds and Naval Academy games -- were actually made in Virginia.
Esskay still has a plant in Landover and a marketing office in Baltimore, however. And the company still thinks of itself as the hometown favorite.
"It's unfortunate," said Dave McLaughlin, general manager of Esskay's Baltimore sales division. "Hopefully, it's just a short-term deal and we'll have an opportunity to go back in there."
Steve Riley, marketing director for Dietz & Watson, said the team approached his company, which is also hot dog purveyor to the Eagles and other sports teams.
"We're a really top-quality product," he said. "We like affiliating with top-quality franchises."
Even though it's a Philadelphia-based company, Dietz & Watson employs people at the former Parks Sausages Co. plant in Baltimore, Riley noted.
"We have a big plant right there in Baltimore and we do all our poultry there," he said. "We employ probably more than 300 people."
The dogs, however, are made in Philly.
Add your two cents to The Sun's Esskay vs. Dietz & Watson poll.
Dietz & Watson photo
Craving a farm-to-table dinner within sight of Cinderella's coach?
Who isn't?
Art to Dine For, a series of soirees put on by Creative Alliance, comes to Howard County's Clark's Elioak Farm Sept. 11 for wine, cheese, dinner -- and a look at nursery rhyme artifacts from the old Enchanted Forest amusement park. (The farm took in and restored the pieces.)
The produce and grass-fed beef on the menu will come right from the farm, which guests get to tour via hayride.
Tickets are $85 and are available online through Creative Alliance.
Mary, of "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" fame, is installed at Clark's Elioak Farm in 2008. Sun photo by Amy Davis
In this week's Shallow Thought Wednesdays post, John Lindner describes an encounter with Fat Eric's, a fine-dining take-out/delivery operation in the basement of a church on Fort Avenue. The operation strikes me as an interesting way to get in on the food industry without the huge start-up costs and serving staff needed for a sit-down restaurant. In that sense, the place has something in common with all those food trucks out there. But that's where the comparison ends. Fat Eric's menu is beyond anything you can buy on a truck. Here's John. LV
“Never trust your money to a chef,” he said. Because said chef is either “a sociopath, a drug addict, an alcoholic or a womanizer … or all of the above.”*
That, I would say, comprises the highlights of my notes** taken on a chance foodie encounter in Baltimore not too many nights ago.
The sentiment carries a bit of weight considering: A. The man I’m quoting is a chef; B. He has a business manager, thereby practicing what he preaches; C. He acquired his love of cooking from his grandmother who makes the best meatballs he’s ever had. I give points for grandmothers.
He’s Eric Jurewicz and, with business manager Tim Richards, he operates a kitchen in the basement of a long-former church at 301 E. Fort Ave.
We (group of friends) were casually strolling along Fort this night when we espied a sandwich board outside the church. It advertized coq au vin. The name of the restaurant – Fat Eric’s. We had to check it out.
I made coq au vin once, following a Richard Grausman recipe, and loved it. But I always wondered what coq au vin would taste like if it were made by someone who knew what he was doing. Fat Eric might be that guy.***
I don’t know yet because by the time we arrived he’d sold out.
We got to talking. Eric and Tim are from Minnesota (sports alert: I have it on good authority that the Vikings will not be sold to LA but the process will get scarier (for fans) before it gets ultimately happy), both are headhunters during the day (IT and engineering), and Eric trained at Cordon Bleu where he landed following a bout of higher education.
“College wasn’t working for me,” he said. Judging by the mango chicken over rice (a coq au vin consolation offering) that he whipped up while we jawed, Cordon Bleu did work.
Fat Eric’s delivers or you can carry out, but unless you bring your own table and chairs, you’re not dining in. I suppose you could eat standing up.
It follows the menu might be quirky. Each day Eric fashions an entrée that plays off an event in history. Yesterday, for instance, he served Italian beef in honor of Jimmy Hoffa being officially reported missing (Aug. 31, 1975).
Yet another reason to move to Baltimore.
OK, that’s it. My notes became increasingly scribbly as the evening progressed. I see that I paid $15.50 for the chicken, which ended up serving two very satisfactorily.
And Eric’s is closed on Saturday, because, he said, that’s Date Night.
Makes perfect sense to me.
*No wonder so many people want to be a top chef!
** Technically speaking, the notes were taken while I was “off duty” so they may not adhere to my normally strict standards of coherence.
*** Check out the video.
Richard Gorelick looks back at the (mostly) concluded Restaurant Week in Baltimore City and County in today's Sun.
Sales were up in the city over last summer's Restaurant Week. And the county restaurants, which got in on the promotion for the first time this year, were "shocked" by how successful it was, Brian Boston, executive chef of the Milton Inn and organizer of the county Restaurant Week, told Richard. County restaurants are already planning a wintertime version.
There's a bit of government intrigue in Richard's report, which notes that county officials did not help organize or promote the event.
"Boston says he approached the county for support but was turned down," Richard writes.
You can read more about that in Richard's Table Talk column.
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