Kathy Patterson has a new book!

I know I've done a piss poor job of advertising the ventures of my fellow food bloggers.  That said, I do want to give a shout out to Kathy Wielech Patterson (Minx Eats) and husband Neal Patterson.  If you've been paying attention, my fellow Bawlmer blogger and hubby have a book out on the best food finds in the area! The Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore showcases the best in food that Charm City has to offer.  Plus, Kathy has always been fun to read.  You have seen her Top Chef recaps, yes?  And while I don't have one in my grubby little hands yet, I will be getting one soon.  It's not that pricey on Amazon, so really it's a steal.

Check here for a list of launch events, including signings and such.  Congrats, y'all!

Wait - how the hell are there already used copies available???

Food Truck Fight!!!!!

At first I didn't think I would make it to A Taste of Two Cities, the Baltimore-Washington food truck rally at Westport Waterfront.  I was able to get there right at the start of it, and was a little surprised (only a little) to see so many people there already!

With the large circle of trucks from Baltimore and Washington (almost complete list of competitorshere) I had to pace myself accordingly, deciding to hit up an equal number of food trucks from each area.  I started with entrées, then appetizers and finally dessert.

My first choice was DC's El Floridiano (Twitter: @ElFloridianoDC), which proudly announces that it is the only solar powered food truck on the East Coast.  El Floridiano, obviously, is bringing some Miami heat (not that Miami Heat) to the Nation's Capitol.  And on Saturday they brought some to Westport too.  I got the small version of their Pan de Lechón ($4): juicy pork on a roll with a creamy spicy sauce.  El Floridiano also has a little tent covering a table of other hot sauces for all your heat needs.

Next it was food from the hometown.  I followed up my pan de lechón with sushi.  Noodlerolla (Twitter: @noodlerolla) has Japanese and Korean favorites, from bibimbap to miso soup to several types of maki rolls.  I got their simple, fresh and juicy salmon avocado roll for all of five bucks.  The little packet of soy sauce decided to explode all over me, but that's not the food truck's fault.

Quite full already and worrying that I would not get the chance to try anything else. I got something to drink instead.  I chose a Maine Root Soda from the Red Hook Lobster Pound Truck (Twitter: @RedHookLobsterTruckDC).  I've eaten there before, getting the buttery Connecticut version of their wondrous lobster roll ($15 when I got it).  But due to lack of money, time and room in my belly - plus a desire to try as many new things as possible - I held off on the lobster.  They have a self-serve soda dispenser with various Maine Root Soda products.  I got the standard root berr, which is rich and tingly and has none of that weird "fountain drink funk".  One root beer was just $2.

Again it was Baltimore's turn.  I crossed the food truck pavilion and after deliberating over many Charm City food trucks peddling everything from South Carolina barbecue to chicken and waffles to grilled cheese to all of the Gypsy Queen's offerings (the eventual winner of the day's festivities), I finally made it over to Miss Shirley's (Twitter: @MissShirleys) which I have never visited before (honest, just haven't been able).  Among the many offerings on their menu was a seemingly simple dollop of mascarpone grits with bacon and tomato bits.  Probably this was my favorite thing to eat in a day where I enjoyed everything ate or drank.

To finish off, I had dessert.  There were many choices in this category as well, with lots of trucks peddling ice cream, cupcakes, even popcorn.  I decided to go for two cupcakes.  The first came from Curbside Cupcakes (Twitter: @CurbsideCupcake), DC's first mobile cupcake truck.  The variety from this gleaming pink truck included one that sounded particularly interesting: the H Street cupcake, a swirl of marble cake and marble-ized frosting for all of three bucks.  It was a soft cupcake with rich frosting that capped off a good morning of eating.

But this wasn't all: I had to make a stop at Icedgems Baking cupcake truck (Twitter: @IcedGemsBaking), a truck I visit when I can.  This time I chose their Jubilee cupcake, made in honor of Queen Elizabeth's diamond jubilee: a yellow cupcake with raspberry jelly under the top, flecked throughout with bits of orange rind, and topped with a pink rosewater frosting.  I was too full to eat this at Westport, so I just took it with me in the hopes that I would have room for it soon.  I found some.

My final assessment of the Taste of Two Cities: I've only been to Baltimore's first food truck rally, which was, honestly, a mess: food ran out and people (read: me) stood in line for the better part of half an hour just find this out.  I'm sure these events have improved since then.  This food truck event is proof of that, as this was quite an orderly and well-organized event.  Granted, I got there early, but for me at least it went well.  And hopefully for all of our local and visiting food trucks the case was the same.  But I just couldn't tell who had the best food truck.  The only way to actually figure this out: have another one of these events.  In fact, they should probably do this a few times a year, alternating between either ends of the BW Parkway.  I mean, that's the only way we'll truly find out whose food trucks are better.  And if not, at least we get to eat at them more often.

First Friggin' Food Fight!!!

If you are anywhere near the Westport Waterfront on Saturday, 11 to 7, bring some money and a hefty appetite.  The first ever Baltimore-Washington intercity food truck event, A Taste of Two Cities, is happening this weekend.  Here's what you'll find:

* forty food trucks - twenty from each city
* judges! - three from each city
* parking - lots and lots of parking
* people - lots and lots of people, but hell, you can't help that

We have the home field advantage here, but any Washingtonians coming to this thing will be arriving with an appetite so get there early if you can.  There will be food.  Lots of food.  Directions to this event can be found at the Westport Waterfront website, but mind the irritating music that opens up with the page; the directions can be found in the upper left hand corner behind the green arrow.

Thanks to Jessica Lemmo and Richard Gorelick for the info!

NYPL Mega Menu Database

Why am I always the last one to see this stuff?  I was doing research on early Indian restaurants in New York City - yes, this is what I do for fun - and came across a site that led me to this database on the New York Public Library website.  It is an extensive database of restaurant menus dating back to the 19th century!  Individuals can volunteer to transcribe them, or correct things that aren't correct.  And it's not just New York restaurants, either.  One random one that popped up: a 1955 menu from Baltimore's own Chesapeake Restaurant, once open near Penn Station and what is now the Charles Theater.  Loving their entry for "Chicken Chesapeake In Casserole" for only $2.50.  That would easily be ten times the amount today, almost 60 years later.

This is a time waster for a few hours.

(Menu cover from the Chesapeake Restaurant in Baltimore, c. 1955.  Image linked from the New York Public Library Menu Database)

Food Truck Friendly Laws Continue

I saw this on WJZ recently: laws enacted in June to make things easier for food trucks to operate legally and effectively were at first set to expire at the end of the year.  No more!  The city has extended them indefinitely.  WJZ's Monique Griego interviewed Gypsy Queen Café operator Tom Looney about Baltimore's food truck policies.

“There wasn’t really a central database that you look at to say this is what I need to do to operate a food truck,” said Looney.

The new policies also created designated parking areas and did away with a proximity ban that kept trucks from parking near restaurants.

Looney says vendors hope to work with the city on setting permanent policies. [WJZ 2011]

Hopefully the policies will become permanent!  (NB: there is video of the report on the page, but I can't embed it for some reason. Oh, it gives the option.  But Blogger just doesn't understand how to display it.  So watch it on WJZ's page)

Grand Prix... Fixe!?

To celebrate the first ever Bawlmer Grand Prix, several area restaurants are having dinner specials.  They're calling it the "Grand Prix Fixe".  Not much more to report on here - go to the Visit Baltimore site for a full list of participating restaurants and pubs, and to Richard Gorelick's article at the Sun and Dara Bunjon's Examiner page and for more info.

The Great Food Truck Thing

In case you missed it, Dan Rodricks had a whole episode last week on his Midday Show on WYPR on the whole food truck phenomenon. Among others, he talked to Heather Shouse, author of Food Trucks: Dispatches and Recipes from the Best Kitchens on Wheels. Shouse goes all over the country to examine local food trucks and the local adaptations to them. For example, Portland, Oregon, has a whole section of town devoted just to food trucks! Rodricks also interviewed several local food truck entrepreneurs, including the good people who bring us the food trucks from Gypsy Queen Café, Iced Gems Baking, Creperie Breizh, and Kooper's Chowhound, as well as the former owner of Juana Burrito who now runs the food truck consulting business Mobile Food Products. The food truck trend is starting to really rocket here, as it has in DC too - surprisingly since DC has such arcane laws that regulate food trucks in such a way that they may not park unless they have a queue of people waiting for them (I found this out a few weeks ago on the Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU). It's a trend I hope we see continue to flourish in Baltimore in the future.

Have six months gone by that fast?

It's Bawlmer Restaurant Week, er, Fortnight, hons. And it's a little pricier this time around - $35 instead of $30. But lunch is still $20.

Best of 2009 Part II: 10 Places, 10 Recipes, 10 Items, and then some

I know it's taken a while. But as far as we are into the new year (half a month!), I've finally narrowed down my favorite eating experiences of 2009 down to tens: ten restaurants (and then some), ten recipes and ten foods.

Ten (Plus) Restaurants of Note

13.5% Wine Bar (Italian, American, wine - Hampden) - A smallish wine bar, hip but not in an in-your-face sort of way. But it's got so much more than that. It's got beers and cocktails. It's got appetizers, panini, salads, a roving cheese cart, and a massive wine selection. And you can buy whole bottles if you want. Even on Sunday. Plus, their desserts are walked over fresh from the nearby Puffs and Pastries (see below). My favorite dish: the "Mack N. Cheese PhD" which sports mascarpone and several other cheeses ($10 except on Sunday evenings, when it and several other small plates are 1/2 off).

Carlyle Club (Indian, coastal Indian - Roland Park) - The formerly Lebanese restaurant now serves haute coastal Indian food. Specifically try their dosas, though most things are good to eat. And much of it is local.


El Nayar (Mexican, Western Mexico - Catonsville, Elkridge) - It's very difficult to find particularly good Mexican food in the Baltimore area, but it is there. The favorite place I found this year has been sitting in Elkridge for a while now. I had the chance to eat at their new Catonsville location. I was impressed by the quality, variety and reasonable price of their soft tacos, a quality of which I just haven't found in Baltimore yet.

Grano (Italian - Hampden) - Not only has it stuck around (unlike most of the businesses in its same location on the Avenue) but it's expanded to a second location down the street. The mix-and-match pastas with sauces are a revelation to me, and you have to try very hard to spend more than $15 to $20 there. Their coconut flan is also tasty, more coconut milk than coconut flakes.


Joong Kak (Korean - Charles Village / Koreatown) - The filling, tender, flavorful Korean barbeque is just the tip of the iceberg. The soju, the pajeon, the panchan, the homey atmosphere, the pleasant and quick service - well, here's the rest of the delicious iceberg. A fave of my friends.

Kooper's Chowhound Burger Wagon (burgers - various locations, depending on the day) - I love a good burger, but lately they have gotten tiring. Kooper's has helped by delivering deceptively juicy burgers, available in beef, turkey, bison and veggie. I first found them at Tide Point, where I got a juicy, packed beefy hamburger for about $8. And they cook it to your taste. The next time I found them they were at the Rotunda, where I benefitted from their Rotunda lunch special: $5 for the burger of your choice, plus sweet potato fries.

Minato (Japanese - Mount Vernon) - This has become my favorite sushi restaurant, though certainly not my only favorite. It's more than just a flashy interior: their rolls, their selection of martinis, their sake and wine selections, and (especially) their sashimi are all consistently delicious, and their service is regularly friendly. My favorite thing to order: the sashimi, which is juicy and comforting.



Puffs and Pastries (bakery - Hampden) - Yes, there's a lot from Hampden. I am biased by the places I spend the most time, and I pass through often. This itty bitty and inviting bakery has some of the most amazing cookies I have ever eaten. They've had to raise the price of their humongous chocolate chip cookie, about 7" across, to $2. Considering most places would likely charge at least thrice as much for half the quality, I mean it's a steal, people. A delicious, buttery, sinful steal. I just hope they don't read this lest they raise the prices of their wonderful cookies.

Tamber's (diner, Indian - Charles Village) - I went here with a large group after a Christmas concert (I was in the concert). They all raved about this diner that I hadn't heard of before. Tamber's has two diverse sides to its menu: its diner side and its Indian side. the chicken tikka masala was buttery and wonderful, and the naan soft and hot. It's not difficult to please me with Indian, but in a place that makes it just one of its specialities, it was kind of a surprise to me. Plus, the service was pretty quick for a large groups such as ours.

Trinacria (Italian, deli - Downtown) - Why did I never stop in here before? They sell quality groceries from Italy, quality pre-made foods in their refrigerated section, and inexpensive wines, bulk pastas and ready-made sandwiches. Try their tiramisù, in the refrigerated section. It's rich and light at the same time, and I don't know how they manage to do that. Wonderful stuff.

Also deserving of high praise

Dukem (Ethiopian - Mount Vernon) - The service was a wee bit slow the last time, but still friendly. The food was rich and spicy as always.

Mughal Garden (Indian - Mount Vernon) - Now serving dosas! But their northern offerings are still filling and flavorful.

Sotto Sopra (Italian - Downtown) - I haven't eaten there in a while, but I'm really, really looking forward to going back.

Wine Source (wine, beer - Hampden) - It's a market, not an eatery. But their constant tastings, extensive cheese section and always helpful staff have made it my favorite beer-wine-and-liquor store by far.

Woodberry Kitchen (Chesapeake, slow food - North Baltimore) - They really pride themselves on serving up local foods with local ingredients, in unique, somewhat pricey ways. I ordered a helping of their bacon wrapped Chincoteague clams ($9). Small, but every bite was lovely.

And if you're in...

Inland Empire and LA County: In addition to all the praise I must heap on Fresh and Easy (that is, Tesco stateside), I also have great things to say about Pepito's (Mexican - Riverside) who serves a darn fine soft taco, the Ocean Star (dim sum - Monterey Park) with all the dim sum you can eat (I think they undercharged us, too), and the consistently delicious tapas to be found at Café Sevilla (Spanish - Riverside).


New York City: My summer trip to NYC was actually the first trip where I was truly happy with everything I ate. Among the best things I found: the Northeast's answer to In-N-Out: the Shake Shack (burgers, shakes - Manhattan, Upper West Side), who make ALL their burgers from freshly ground meat and ALL their shakes from freshly made ice cream. La Carbonara (Italian - Manhattan, Chelsea) was also a good food find thanks to a lucky recommendation. I haven't been able to replicate those caramelized zucchini slices yet. Plus, for those of us who aren't from New York, we often forget how much great stuff can be found outside Manhattan. The spacious Jackson Diner (Indian - Queens, Jackson Heights) has a buffet that'll knock your socks off, including ready-to-order dosas.


Raleigh: The delicious Asian fusion of Duck & Dumpling (pan-Asian - Inside the Beltline) is a bargain in a beautiful space, just a few blocks away from the city's museums. I am now sold for good on cha chiang noodles. I just hope I can find some in my neck of the woods. I also enjoyed my stop at Flex (Inside the Beltline), one of the friendliest gay bars I've ever had the pleasure to set foot in.

Savannah and the Fort Stewart area: If in Savannah, pass on the Lady and Sons unless you've reserved a few months in advance, and head for the Moon River Brewing Company (Lowcountry, burgers, brewpub - Savannah), whose samplers of microbrew and selection of Lowcountry favorites should have a wait, since it's pretty damn good. And please don't leave Savannah until you stop by the Savannah Candy Kitchen (candy - Savannah and various other locations). Get a warm chocolate praline if you're able. There are also many, many places to find wonderful barbeque in the area, such as the Clubhouse at Rye Patch (Southern, Lowcountry, barbeque - Ludowici). But I am surprised to admit that the ribs and mac & cheese at the Kroger of all places (supermarket - various locations), though not nearly as good as at the Clubhouse or most other restaurants, is better than from any other supermarket.

Washington: ThaiPhoon (Thai - Dupont Circle) gives you some hearty tom kha gai and a hearty and satisfying pad thai. But they give you so much that you might not be able to finish it. Just a warning.

Ten Recipes of Note

Cantonese style stir fried greens and/or seafood - I found myself stir-frying a lot of things this year, Cantonese-style, using Chinese rice wine, sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic, among other things. Sweet potato leaves, beet greens, bok choy, Boston lettuce all work quite well. Swiss chard? Well, okay, I don't like Swiss chard.

Hot Milk Cake - A classic Baltimore sponge cake, if done right it is velvety and moist and will keep for a while. It's also extremely sweet.

Irish Soda Bread - 2009 was a year that I started using the bread machine I bought from my landlady in California for eight bucks. She used it three times. I've already used it about ten times as much. I've made a dizzying variety of breads and rice dishes in this thing. My favorite was an Irish soda bread I found from a recipe on the ChefMom website. It was so much better than the store-bought version that comes out every St. Patrick's Day, with juicier raisins, softer bread and a strong caraway flavor that holds up ridiculously well to the pre-made stuff that I can only describe as "grainy" and "cardboard-flavored".


Mozzarella Cheese - What can I say? I made mozzarella! And it was much creamier than the store-bought kind. Again, it'll be difficult to go back.


Nataing - The first main dish I made in my new Food Ethnography project, this Cambodian meat dish from The Elephant Walk Cookbook is extremely rich with all that pork and coconut milk and fish sauce. I had to make a second for Dara's blogger dinner party.

Neapolitan Tomato Sauce - I haven't used a jarred tomato sauce since I learned how easy it was to make it from scratch, and to freeze it so I can have more later. It freezes very well.

Old Bay Boiled Peanuts - After eating so many boiled peanuts and driving in Georgia this past summer, I had to make my own, with a Chesapeake twist. But you have to add a lot of Old Bay to get the flavor. These also freeze very well.


Old Bay Caramels - I swapped out the sea salt in a Fleur de Sal Caramel recipe for some Old Bay, in a kitchen experiment. While it didn't turn out at first, particularly the ones that I added extra Old Bay to since I couldn't taste it at first, the ones with less Old Bay ended up tasting quite nice after sitting for a week or two - the perfect blend of crumbly, sweet caramel and salty, spicy Old Bay. A strange mix, to be sure, but an interesting one.

Pan-Fried Soft Crabs - Most Baltimore families have a soft crab recipe, I imagine. My mother's mother pan-fried hers with nothing more than some flour and butter. I added cornmeal since I like the taste. Even better in a soft taco with some sliced onions or scallions.

Roasted Vegetables (peppers, chilis, tomatoes, broccoli) - Quite simply, there are fewer things more satisfying than a nice oven-roasted tomato or flame-roasted pepper. Don't even need bread crumbs or anything like that. Just drizzle in olive oil and salt and bake for about an hour at 350°F.

Ten Other Food Items of Note


anything made by Fresh and Easy - Despite their almost-Scientological zeal, the folks at Fresh and Easy (supermarket - various locations throughout Southern California) have every reason to be enthusiastic about their wonderful products, which often end up half-priced in a special, prominent aisle when they are a day or two old. Their lemon bars, brownies, and many of their bottled sauces are sorely missed in my apartment.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale - On tap during the fall months at the Hippo!

Farmers' Market Milk - Like most milks bought at a farmers' market or CSA, South Mountain Creamery's rich homogenized and cream top milks (available year-round at Waverly Farmers' Market on 33rd Street) have spoiled me for supermarket milk in the same way that Fractured Prune donuts have spoiled me for Krispy Kremes. Just tastes like water now.

Fat Tire (and beers like it) - Since we still can't get Fat Tire in Maryland, the best we can do is the Gordon Biersch Märzen out of San Jose. It has a similar fatty and rich feel in the mouth, I have found.

Fresh Berger's Cookies - The fresh ones you buy at the booth in Lexington Market have now spoiled me for the Berger's Cookies you buy at the store. But if I can't make it downtown, the ones at the store'll do, hon.

Mo's Milk and Dark Bacon Bars - The Dark Bacon Bar (available at Ma Petite Shoe and Whole Foods, among other locations) is better, but the Milk Bacon Bar is still pretty good.

Mrs. Holmes Boiled Peanuts - Fresh out of South Carolina, you had best stop in almost any convenience store to buy some to eat along the way to wherever you're going. Plentiful in Georgia.


Palmiers from Sarabeth's Kitchen at Chelsea Market - I know, I'm the last foodie to ever realize that the Chelsea Market is where the Food Network offices are located (and I'm the first one to accidentally stumble upon the place without that knowledge). The wing-shaped (or "elephant ear") palmiers cookie is the only palmiers cookie I have ever eaten that is, well, edible. And its buttery flakiness makes up for all those other nasty, gummy, sticky, cardboard-flavored ones I've eaten in the past.

Southern Tier Choklit Stout - My favorite part of Baltimore Beer Week was a beer from a brewery I already knew quite well. Southern Tier's Choklit Stout is among the best from a brewery that puts out some of the best beers on the East Coast.

Whoopie Pies - My first exposure to whoopie pies, ever, was this year. Before I just thought they were some type of moon pie. Silly me! They really are tasty, with a rich buttercream filling (or marshmallow, or "bettercreme" - yekhkh - depending on where you get yours) sandwiched between two soft and moist devil's food buns. I guess this Yankee-slash-Amish dessert has crossed the Mason-Dixon Line for good! My favorite is the one Trader Joe's puts out in a six pack (regular or pumpkin). Not so good: the one from Giant, but hey, Marylanders are just learning about whoopie pies, okay?

That's it for what I liked the most in food in '09. Coming soon: what I disliked the most.

Baltimore Magazine's Best Restaurant of 2010 Poll

Baltimore Magazine has its poll up for the Best Restaurants for 2010. I'm voting now but y'all have until 11:59PM on January 15 to vote. So vote!

And stay tuned for my annual wrap-up of the year in food and restaurants, from my little neck of the woods.

Foodie Potluck at Dara's House on Friday

Who says Friday the 13th has to be unlucky? It was quite a good night for a food blogger potluck dinner. And I have to thank Dara Fromm-Bunjon from Dining Dish for hosting this event that brought a lot of us together to talk and eat and drink and talk and eat. Sadly, I could not stay the whole time, since I teach on Saturday mornings (I'm underemployed, but at least I'm not unemployed). But I sure as hell got an eyeful of Dara's extensive cookbook collection (I saw only more than half of it), and my fill of conversation and food and food and food.

Did I mention there was food? And this was hardly all of it.
Photo courtesy of Sweet Mary

Since I'm still in a Food Ethnography mood, I made another helping of nataing, this time dispensing with the crispy jasmine rice cakes and just toasting up some French bread.

Everything was good, of course. There was nothing I didn't enjoy. Plus, Dara gave me a head's up about Szechuan peppercorns, which I might not have bothered to buy at yesterday's Waverly Farmers' Market. Seriously, they smell so wonderful it was like I was taking "hits" off of them.

Here is one more account of Friday evening's events from Mary over at the Sweet Mary blog. The photo is also hers. My dish is the Corningware dish in the back on the right, next to the French bread on the green plate. Mary has links to the blogs of everyone who came. I also think she's hosting the next one in January. More cupcakes, yes!!!

Meatless Mondays - one less type of inedible crap in City Schools

Eliza Barclay writes for The Atlantic Magazine website's Food Channel about the recent decision by Baltimore City Public Schools to go meatless on Mondays. That's right - 80,000 schoolchildren in Baltimore City Public Schools will only be eating dried-out hamburgers, little hot dog-shaped pillars of salt or "chicken" "nuggets" Tuesday through Friday. Instead, they get to eat messy meatless pizza, dry and spongy mozzarella dippers and gummy gooey eggplant parmesan. Absolutely yummzh!

It's not the lunch ladies or the principals to blame for all the crap in school cafeterias: if you're given crap, you have to do what you can with it, but it's still crap. I myself don't think it's such a bad idea, though I don't know how effective it'll be. I mean, meat isn't the only problem in the American diet, despite what some will have you believe. But it's not helping, and cutting down a little on something fried or dried isn't going to hurt. For what it's worth, I don't think it's a bad idea.

Believe it or not, the controversy is not so much about "forcing an alternative lifestyle" - vegetarianism - on America's schoolchildren (I'm surprised nobody's complained about that yet). The meat companies that deliver meat products to the school system are the ones complaining. I don't know if they're suffering all that much during this recession, since one of the few things we Americans are loathe to give up is our meat. God knows I love meat! But the meat industry is going about complaining all wrong. They say Baltimore City schools are short-changing students of important nutrients, such as proteins - which, by the way, they get in an inedible format (I've eaten school food recently. Yuck). They still get these proteins in bean and cheese format - again, inedibly. Who says vegetarian food has to be edible?

Instead, they should be upfront about the real reason they're complaining: their bottom line. Who honestly thinks that the "American Meat Institute, ...the Animal Agriculture Alliance, the Missouri Beef Council, and the editors of Pork Magazine" (H/T to Ms. Barclay) are concerned about kids' health? Anyone with at least half a brain cell knows they are concerned about their bottom line. Perhaps that's part of Baltimore City schools' motivation, too: to save a little money on meat?

Also just an observation: why is a Midwestern beef council concerned about what we're feeding kids in the Chesapeake Bay region?

Wait - there's a Pork Magazine?

Maryland Food Bank: September Is Hunger Action Month

I just got this email from the folks at the Maryland Food Bank. They're making September a month of action against hunger. During September and October, there are a lot of things y'all can do around town to make a dent in hunger for the over 450,000 Marylanders who are at or below the poverty level (not to mention all those who are hovering just above it). I've copied and pasted their contact information below (all email addresses transmitted in the email have been deleted to prevent the MFB from receiving spam). Everything that follows is their text.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28, 2009

CONTACT: Audra Harrison

Maryland Food Bank to Recognize September as Hunger Action Month

Events throughout the month will help raise awareness and support for ending hunger

BALTIMORE —September is Hunger Action Month, a month dedicated to raising awareness and support for ending hunger in the U.S. The Maryland Food Bank, along with corporate partners and our national affiliate Feeding America, will be recognizing Hunger Action Month through several events and programs throughout September to urge the public to help us end hunger in Maryland . Marylanders can easily donate to the Maryland Food Bank during Hunger Action Month online at our Virtual Food Drive (www.mdfoodbank.org).

While Maryland is often ranked the wealthiest state in the nation, the number of Marylanders that are hungry is startling. There are 455,000 Marylanders at or below the federal poverty level. This number is likely larger due to the working poor who utilize emergency food services to make ends meet and the effects of the economic recession on middle class families. Of those in need, the Maryland Food Bank and our network partners serve 370,000 individuals annually. To meet our goal of ending hunger in Maryland , the Maryland Food Bank would have to distribute 79 million pounds of food annually. In Fiscal Year 2009, we distributed 16.7 million pounds of food. Our goal for FY 2010 is to distribute 18.3 million pounds.

Food Facts: $1 provides more than three pounds of food, $1 provides more than two meals, and $5 provides two weeks worth of lunch to someone in need.

September Hunger Action Month Events

Macy’s Come Together for Hunger— Macy’s, in partnership with Feeding America, the Maryland Food Bank’s national affiliate, will launch their campaign to “Come Together” to end domestic hunger. Macy’s will also be hosting “The World’s Largest Dinner Party,” at 6pm on September 15, 2009, in Macy’s stores across the country. The in-store event will have customers join in the “first course” of the nationwide party to celebrate the launch of the “Come Together” campaign.

On Saturday, October 17, 2009, the 19 Macy’s stores in Maryland will be holding “Shop for a Cause” by asking customers to purchase special coupons for $5 with proceeds going to the Maryland Food Bank.

Pei Wei Asian Diner Restaurant, with locations in Columbia and Baltimore , MD will offer customers 50% off their new entrees with a donation of Ramen Noodles on September 9, 2009.

Maryland Seafood Festival, held at Sandy Point State Park , will be providing $2 for each ticket purchased online for several charitable organizations, including the Maryland Food Bank from September 11, 2009 – September 13, 2009. Additionally, any canned food donations at the festival will be collected to help “Sink the Ship” at the entrance of the festival.

Community Kitchen Groundbreaking—The Maryland Food Bank’s Community Kitchen groundbreaking will be held on September 15, 2009 at 10:00 AM at our Baltimore distribution center. The Community Kitchen will be an exciting new center that will train low-income men and women in food production skills while transforming donated prepared and perishable food into nutritious meals for hungry individuals and families in their communities.

Cianbro “Drive Out Hunger” Food Drive and Golf Tournament—Cianbro Corporation is doing their part to help end hunger by urging their team members, vendors, and customers to donate to the Maryland Food Bank. Cianbro will be holding its 1^st Annual Golf Tournament to “Drive Out Hunger.” The goal is to raise monetary donations as well as 100+ pounds of food. The golf tournament will be held on September 17, 2009 at Compass Point Golf Course in Anne Arundel County. Each player is asked to donate $50.00 to the Maryland Food Bank. Volunteers and guests not playing golf are asked to donate $20.00.

Progressive Corn for Kids—Progressive, a leading motorcycle insurer, will be giving away roasted corn on the cob during Delmarva Bike Week for a suggested donation of $1 an ear. Delmarva Bike Week runs from September 17, 2009 – September 20, 2009 and proceeds will benefit the Maryland Food Bank.

Hardhat Comedy Tour Sponsored by Volvo Rents—On September 24, 2009, the Hardhat Comedy Tour featuring Matt Kazam will come to Magooby’s Joke House in Carney, MD. Admission is free with a donation of three cans of non-perishable food to the Maryland Food Bank. For more information, visit www.hardhatcomedy.com or www.mattkazam.com.

Maryland Food Bank’s Partner Conference—On September 25, 2009, the Maryland Food Bank will bring together our more than 900 network partners and Maryland Food Bank management for a full day seminar with workshops, information stations, and networking opportunities.

Ellicott City Fall Festival—Historic Ellicott City will be accepting food and monetary donations for admission to activities at the Ellicott City Fall Festival on September 26, 2009 from 12:00 – 5:00 PM. All proceeds will benefit the Maryland Food Bank.

Cheesecake Factory’s “Share the Spirit” Campaign— On September 29, 2009 from 7:00 – 10:00 AM, the first 500 people to donate two cans of soup at the Columbia Mall Cheesecake Factory location will receive a free piece of the new “Stephanie’s Ultimate Red Velvet Cake Cheesecake.” On September 30, 2009, Cheesecake Factory guests that donate 2 cans of food will receive 10% off their check, with the proceeds benefitting the Maryland Food Bank.

Redner’s Markets “Bag Hunger” Campaign—Redner’s Market locations in Maryland will have a Point of Sale drive from August 30, 2009 – October 3, 2009. Customers will be asked to donate $1 at the register to help end hunger with all proceeds going to the Maryland Food Bank.

Weis Markets Hunger Campaign—Weis Markets will ask customers during the month of September to pick up a Fight Hunger donation bag at their stores and fill it with canned goods to donate to the Maryland Food Bank. Fight Hunger Vouchers will also be sold at every checkout with $3, $5, or $10 values, with 100% of the proceeds donated to the Maryland Food Bank.

The mission of the Maryland Food Bank is to lead the movement and nurture the belief that together we can improve the lives of all Marylanders by ending hunger. The Maryland Food Bank has facilities in Baltimore and Salisbury comprising nearly 107,000 square feet of warehouse, refrigerator and freezer space. The Maryland Food Bank, now in its 30^th year of operation, distributes more than 16.7 million pounds of food annually through its statewide network of food distribution agencies. The Maryland Food Bank is a member of Feeding America .

Food finds I haven't gotten around to posting...

Just a few odds and ends - things that have gotten away from me over the last month or so. I meant to write about 'em but I never bothered.

1. Poorman's Mess

You remember that little old lady who kept talking about Depression-Era cooking on YouTube? I made Clara's recipe for Poorman's Meal. It really doesn't taste very good. But hell, are you gonna care about that if you're living through a depression? Considering that, it's damn near haute cuisine!

2. Kroger's Deli
The Cincinnati-based Kroger's food chain spans much of the Midwest and South. The one in Hinesville, GA, has just about the best ready-to-eat food of any spermarket deli counter I have ever ordered from. I got three BBQ ribs (which actually amounted to six), mac & cheese and Western fries. I could only finish half of it.

3. Southern BBQ done right

My sister and her husband introduced me to the delicious BBQ at the Clubhouse in Rye Patch in nearby Ludowici.

The fried pickles were definitely different from those you might find at Sonic: saltier, lighter, picklier, a little less greasy. This is the type of thing that I would eat all day, even though I know it would kill me.

Their sampler plate was very filling, and again I could not finish half of it (I left for home before I could finish it, and James finished the rest for me). The meats really outshone the sides - the cole slaw was tasty and had a flavor I can't quite place, though the mac & cheese was okay. I just can't begin to describe the ribs, sliced butt and chicken. Soooooooo good.

4. Mrs. Holmes' Boiled Peanuts

You can find these at convenience stores all over Georgia and South Carolina, in the same type of hot containers you might find nacho cheese. Margaret Holmes' Boiled Peanuts - I got a small container for about $1.50 in several places. Available in original or Cajun. Oh good Lord, I feel like I'm shilling for peanuts now.

5. In-N-Out

We may not have a Sonic closer than 50 miles to Baltimore, but we could one day. We will never have an In-N-Out anywhere near us. For my last meal before setting foot on the plane to BWI last month I had to stop at the Ontario Mills In-N-Out, the fabled hamburger place that makes everything from scratch and to order, and makes the BBQ ribs I got from Kroger's look like health food. Some of you may know that In-N-Out serves three value meals, and that's it: the hamburger, the cheeseburger and the fabled "Double Double" (two patties). By default, each comes with tomatoes, lettuce, thick onion slices and "special sauce" (it's Thousand Island Dressing). It comes with fries that are cut on site from actual potatoes, and a drink that is either soda or milkshake. Their milkshakes are fabled, too.

What's perhaps as famous is their "Secret menu" that isn't listed on their drive thru menu. Instead, you have to be a local "in the know." Or else find it online, either on In-N-Out's website or listed by others (such as this compilation from Badmouth.net). I didn't get too secret-menu-ish, and merely order the burger "toasted" - that's a regular burger on a toasted bun - with "light" (underfried) fries. I wasn't too crazy about them.

I wanted to order the Animal Burger - a patty with mustard mixed into it, and extra sauce. But I forgot the name so I didn't want to sit there for five minutes trying to remember, holding up the drive thru line and missing on dropping off my rental car and, from there, catching my flight.

I devoured the burger in the airport, plus half of the lackluster fries (I'm not a fry person anyway). And you should've seen me suck down that milkshake, since they wouldn't have let me take it through the security line. Ice-cream-headache-induced painful bliss, that's all I can say.

You should've seen the milkshake-related pun I was going to use to segue into the next bit...

6. Gay Pride Block Partay!!! (and Parade)

Unlike most major cities, Baltimore's Gay Pride Parade is kind of, um, (What's the word I'm looking for?) low-scale. Though I did get pelted by paraders throwing both Mardi Gras beads and Tootsie Rolls in festive rainbow-colored papers. Was I the only one who thought it strange that Chipotle had a float? Ah well, at least we're in the age when corporations are more likely than they used to be to even show their faces in a gay pride parade! And you gotta love that slogan - yes, the guy's T shirt does say "¿Homo estás?"

My friends were right, though - the Block Party is better than the following day's festival, which I didn't even bother with. After flitting back & forth between the Hippo and the Central Station, with some quality time in Minato for supper - I didn't even want to bother.

Mind you, the food was pretty lackluster at the Block Party. I mean, LGBT pride events aren't exactly known as culinary meccas. But this one sign was just too strange to pass by:

What famous Thai Mexican Food do they mean, anyway? Much better was the gelato I got at Marie Louise Bistro (I'm glad I gave them a second try), though their mimosas were pretty watered down for my tastes.

7. Stuff what was shipped to me from California

Because it wouldn't fit into my luggage, I had to mail some food back to Baltimore. Most of it was from the Chinese-American supermarket chain 99 Ranch and the British-based supermarket chain Fresh & Easy.

My last day in SoCal last month, I went crazy with non-perishable groceries in the Fresh & Easy. I haven't had a chance to try any of these goodies yet, but I did score some brownie mix, raspberry-chipotle and peanut sauces, chai and chocolate black teas - all Fresh & Easy brand - and Singapore Noodles from the Sof'ella Food Company, whose products I have never seen this side of the Mississippi River. I look forward to trying them all, especially the brownie mix. I had an actual brownie from Fresh & Easy, and if it's from the same ingredients then the mix should be good.

From 99 Ranch, I picked up some loose tea in a lovely decorative jar (Gil already had some and made some for us at his place). I also picked up two cans of Chaokoh coconut milk, a highly recommended brand, before realizing that you can, in fact, find this brand in Maryland after all. I also got some desserts. One was a confection of taro paste covered in white chocolate. It tastes better than it sounds. Actually, it tastes pretty good.

The other thing I got was a heart-shaped plastic container filled with - you won't believe this - candied olives.

Yes, candied olives.

In a moment that I can only describe as Andrew Zimmern-esque in its bizarreness, I bit into the candied olive, an uncured olive coated in sugar, with the pit still in it of course. I can proudly say that I tried it. I can firmly say that I not only will not be eating this again, but I that I could not even finish the one olive I bit into, and threw it and the rest of the container away - but only after spitting out what little was in my mouth. I mean, yeeeeekhkh.

The Day Winds Down at BWI

And there's Obrycki's shutting down for the night, while travelers bound for destinations all over the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Upper South wait for weather-delayed flights.

***SIGH*** I'm back.

A Valentine's Day Message from Chef Duff

Yes, I hate Valentine's Day. I've never had a reason to celebrate it anyway - I'm never dating anyone on the holiday. It's just an excuse to make money (a bit more important this Valentine's Day than any other).

Does it irritate local boy Duff Goldman? Nooooooooo... Not that he needs my help or anything, but still, ya' gotta look out for the local boys (and gals). So here's a YouTube message from Chef Duff, and the ever-inimitable Mary Alice:



Was that a jellyfish-shaped cake behind them?

Your Nightmare Diet!

This from last night's season premiere of Saturday Night Live. As most Balwamorons who don't live in a cave know, Michael Phelps guest hosted last night. It was funny to see his mom Debbie in the audience, in on the action (Amy Poehler played her, and the two of them interacted on screen). Perhaps the first Baltimore County middle school principal to ever appear on SNL. How was Michael's performance? Well... he may be a swimming superpower, but the guy shouldn't hold his breath for an Emmy any time soon. That said, this was pretty damn funny.



Oh, and the funniest skit I've seen on SNL in years was this much anticipated intro skit. It has nothing to do with food at all. It's just too damn funny. Especially since Tina Fey consented to coming back for one very special guest spot.



I guess I'm the last person to mention, though not notice, that they do bear a striking resemblance, don't they?

Dining Out for Life on September 18

Thursday, September 18 is Baltimore's Dining Out for Life, a national day/night out to benefit HIV/AIDS charities in their respective cities. Different cities have theirs at different times of the year, and the participating restaurants will donate at least 20% (sometimes more) of their nightly profits to the designated AIDS organization in the city. Cities from Albany to Asheville, Riverside to Grand Rapids will have taken part this year - altogether, 64 cities throughout the United States and Canada (a complete list can be found here).

Most cities held their Dining Out festivities on or around April 24 (DC's was even earlier, on March 6). Baltimore, however, beats to its own drum (read: Baltimore procrastinates), so ours is happening almost five months after pretty much everybody else's (Louisville's is the latest, on December 8). Why is that exactly?

Forty-five restaurants are participating, most of which will donate 20% of their proceeds that night (or day if also doing lunch) to Movable Feast, Baltimore's designated AIDS charity. They deliver meals to house-bound AIDS patients. Some, including the Brewer's Art, Gertrude's, RUB and Meli Patisserie, will donate a full 50% of their proceeds. Check the DOFL Baltimore website for a complete list. And get out if you can to eat for a worthy cause!

From the "You Like Me! You Really Like Me!" Files

Fresh from Washingtonian Magazine: this report by Ann Limpert about the James Beard Awards in New York City. Lots of awards recognizing excellence in American food. Some notable prizes:

• Best New Restaurant: DC's Central Michel Richard (beating out a new venture by Mario "I Hate Bloggers Cuz They Whine A Lot" Batali)
  
• Best Mid-Atlantic Restaurant: Alas, Baltimore's Charleston Restaurant was beaten out by the CityZen restaurant in DC. Maybe next year, Chef Wolf?
• Not sure if this is a prize, but Bobby Flay and Kim Cattrall were the presenters.

One more motivation to go to Charleston - and one more reason to stand outside drooling while I look dejectedly at the menu that shows the cost of dinner is about half a month's rent.

Read more about the James Beard Awards in Ms. Limpert's article, posted above.

UPDATE: Again with the political bloggers weighing in on culinary issues. Matthew Yglesias and Ezra Klein were never fans. Now Yglesias officially proclaims it "overrated".

Exit 22: Greenspring Avenue

There doesn't seem to be much off of this exit. If you turn one way, you have deer for two miles. Okay, you could turn that

into something. The other way is Quarry Lake, and the new ritzy housing development and business park. The former probably won't be filled up anytime soon. The latter is already filling up. I mentioned that Fresh Market that I came across not long ago. I figured it was that and a Walgreen's. But right now there is a bit more.

Food-wise there is not a whole lot yet, but the variety is good for what there is. It's a mixture of sit-down and take-out, and it all looks so damn new. In fact, with all the development going on, if you added palm trees I could swear this was Fontana, California (the new nice part, I mean). The weather certainly made me think it was, up at 70 degrees (aah). Funny tangent: I talked to my friend Jim who lives out in Yucaipa (same northwestern part of the same largest county in the lower 48 as Fontana). It was 48 degrees there on Monday night - ha! (Of course, he will be laughing when it gets back up to the 80's over there and we're buried under two feet of ice sometime next month.) The handful of new establishments includes:

• Ciao! Pizza Bistro Italiano, which has no slices but they do have 10" personal pizzas. It's one of the fancier take-outs, which has "20 wines for $20" and lots of antipasti, pastas, fish, veal and so on. It looks like a chain, but all indications from the website is that it's not.I grabbed a menu and left.
• A Boardwalk Fries, the first I have ever seen outside of a mall. I was tempted to go in for one of those frankfurter sandwiches.
• Jasmine Asian Bistro - Unless Sun food critic Elizabeth Large and I are mistaken, it looks like the Towson restaurant I liked so much has now relocated here.
• California Tortilla, a mostly-local Tex-Mex chain with over 30 locations in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia and Florida (most of those are in MD and VA). According to their website, they feature a limited-time Greek burrito. So is this Grex-Mex?
  

I chose this last one for one simple reason: they had a special promotion yesterday, apparently the day after they opened, where they had free lunch from 12 to 2. My father told me long ago: "Don't pass up free food" (he actually said that, I'm not kidding), but I was still a little leery. Especially after the enthusiastic person at the door (who turned out to be just a customer waiting for her co-worker) talked up the deal with an enthusiasm rarely seen outside of a Scientology HQ (**shudder**). But I went in anyway. The folks behind the counter were even more gleeful. I figured since I was here, why pass up the chance to eat free? Unless there's something in the salsa, of course.

I didn't order much - just one steak soft taco (normally $2.50, but that day it was not) and a soft drink (normally another $1.50). While I waited (it didn't take long) I saw a dazzling array of hot sauces from all over the world on their walls - scores and scores from Mexico to Vietnam to Louisiana and back. Some were decorative, others were actually for sale.

I got my taco and headed out to sit on a bench. When I bit into it, it didn't taste like steak. In fact, they gave me their beef one instead (normally $2.30, which is what they rang up and would have charged me - maybe they heard the wrong thing). It was buried under a ton of shredded lettuce, but there was a lot of ground beef underneath it. There could have been a little more cheese and a lot less lettuce. I did, however, pass up the complimentary salsa fresca that comes with a sit-down meal, so that one's on me. And hey, am I going to bitch about free food? No. Still it was adequate - I'd get it again, even though I'd need to pay for it the next time.

I got so little because I wanted to try another place - California Tortilla was the first one I went into. All the others didn't quite have what I wanted, so I went to the Fresh Market, picked up a muffin and went home.

Address:Places I visited:

California Tortilla (Mexican / Southwestern-TexMex) - Quarry Lake at Greenspring, 2588 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, MD 21209; Phone: (410) 484-5229

• Would I eat there again? Yep
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? I might
  

Places to look up later:

Boardwalk Fries (hot dogs / fast food) - Quarry Lake at Greenspring, 2622 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, MD 21209; Phone: (410) 580-1500

Ciao! Pizza Bistro Italiano (Italian) - Quarry Lake at Greenspring, 2620 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, MD 21209; Phone: (410) 486-1840

Jasmine Asian Bistro (pan-Asian - just moved from its Towson location, so maybe it's time for a new review) - Quarry Lake at Greenspring, 2592 Quarry Lake Drive, Baltimore, MD 21209; Phone: (410) 484-5170

Other photos:

Take that Maryland flag away and it's Fontana, Corona or Chino Hills, I swear!

I didn't even know it was Jasmine's until I walked in and saw the menu. Honestly, this place could use a sign or something!

Shelves and shelves of shweat-inducing shauces!

I wonder what this is going to be? Not a restaurant, that's for sure. Probably some sort of department store.

* Exit 22 sign adapted from

http://www.aaroads.com/mid-atlantic/maryland600/i-695_il_exit_022_04.jpg. Thanks and apologies to the original photographer.