Mmmm. Strawberries.

Look what I got today:


All the strawberries I could pick at Brad's Produce in Churchville. I got six pounds for $9 - normally $18 for that much, but since I picked them myself it was half priced. Oh, and an extra dollar for the container. And these strawberries don't need any sugar.

A few random bites: late March edition

In like a lion and out like a cold, wet lamb: that's March for you. Just a few items as we ease slowly into spring.

1) I recently boiled peanuts (you'll read about it in a few weeks). It's hard to find raw peanuts in this area, though you can find them at Giant. I have decided to try growing them myself. I've rented a second garden plot in the city, which I hope to start clearing this weekend. Most of it will be for straightforward vegetable and herb planting, while a section of it will be purely experimental. We are about as far north as one can go and still hope for some success in growing peanuts. Let's see how it goes.

2a) I spent this past weekend in Rehoboth with a large group of friends (Some of you are reading - thank you again for a fun weekend! I'm already looking forward to next year). I ate out at a few places. One place where the cupcake trend hopefully continues is the Cake Break on First Street. For $6 (each for $3) I got two fascinating cupcakes.


My favorite one was their Guinness cupcake: a cupcake with Guinness Stout baked into the batter, and topped with frosting infused with Bailey's Irish Cream. This was evil. Evil, I tell you. And so good. The other cupcake was their Rehoboth Beach cupcake which I must only describe as "adorable" (oh God, I hate myself for saying that). It was made to look like a crab crawling out of the surf onto the sand. The crab tasted good too.

2b) While the best food was that which my friends made (again, kudos on the gumbo, Jim & Ralf), the best restaurant food I had came on my way out of Reho. La Tonalteca (note: their website is less than impressive) is a southern Delaware franchise of Mexican restaurants that had some pretty good Mexican food, some of the best I have had this side of the Mississippi. I got one of many of their lunch specials, an enchiladas poblanas, two enchiladas covered in mole poblano.


Everything about the enchiladas was delicious - these were no warmed over sorry excuses for enchiladas. As for the rice and beans: even in California, it is rare for me to find rice and beans that are worth eating, much less finishing. The rice was fluffy and soft and the beans were smooth, and neither was too salty. This may be a go-to stop on my way out of Rehoboth the next time I head down, especially at $6 for the whole thing.

3) A few weeks ago I saw the cleverly named Naanwich from Sukhi's, at Whole Foods. The one I got was a simple helping of tandoori chicken inside a folded-over piece of naan bread. While I wouldn't buy this all the time, it is convenient and tasty, the chicken soft and flavorful enough to not be a waste of time, and the naan pleasantly soft and chewy.


4) And finally, this from Churchville, Harford County:


And remember: Haste makes Waste Waist... get bigger!

Eating near Churchville

A few tidbits from Harford County:

1. Across the street from Harford Community College are various eating establishments I need to familiarize myself with. I've started with Richard's Fish and Crabs.


I am usually up that way on Tuesdays & Wednesdays when they have their $1-$2 crab deals. Currently, you can get smallish females for $1, small males for $1.50 and larger males for $2. I got three females and two small males (total: $6). Twenty minutes later and they were done! If you're not in a crab mood, they have everything from rockfish to shrimp, frozen and fresh.


2. I stopped in at Broom's Bloom Farm Products yesterday and saw tables of patrons happily sipping freshly-made soup and homemade ice cream. I first went to the fridge and freezer section, with frozen lamb, beef, pork and various sausages (anywhere from $3.50 to $10 per lb), and fresh farm milk, buttermilk, yogurt, butter and eggs. Nestled among them were plates of quiche and other ready-to-eat dishes, all made at Broom's Bloom Farm.


I was drawn to the ice cream, for $7.50 per quart. It seems steep - and, well, it is - but it is such good ice cream. I bought a small cup of vanilla (about $2.50) and figured I would bring it home to eat. Half way between Exit 80 and the Beltway it was already gone. It is not easy to eat a bowl of creamy, almost buttery ice cream while you are driving a stick shift, I'll tell you what! Also had a silky yet still crumbly corn muffin for only 85 cents.

Both businesses are open Tuesday through Sunday. that's not a Harford County thing, is it?