Cooking for Dad

Tonight, Mom takes the night off and goes out to dinner with her "girlfriends." She gave me a recipe to prepare, Provencal Vegetables and Chicken in Packages, for my father and myself from Mark Bittman's cookbook "The Food Matters." In his cookbook, Bittman emphasizes healthier dishes with less meat and more vegetables. As he puts it, "meat and other animal products are included, but they are no longer the centerpiece." Many of the recipes are a bit out-of-the-box, such as Dal, or lentil stew, with what he labels as "lots of vegetables" and also a recipe for spinach and noodle "meatballs." My parents have adopted this veggie-emphasized diet as of lately.

To my surprise, the recipe my mother had chosen to prepare is reminiscent of how I used to cook while I was abroad in Paris. Throwing vegetables (especially mushrooms) in tin foil and cooking them in the oven is a deliciously simple way to prepare them. Bittman's recipe followed the same philosophy. The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow -

Ingredients:
-1 small eggplant, cut into cubes
-An appropriate amount of yukon gold potatoes, sliced
-2 zucchini, sliced
-1 or 2 ripened tomatoes, cored and diced
-salt and pepper
-fresh thyme or something of comparable quality
-chicken breasts
-olive oil

Instructions (my interpretation of the recipe):
-Heat the oven to 375.
-After cutting the vegetables, rub them with a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
-Prepare the chicken in the same manner, with olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
-With an appropriate amount of tin foil, combine the vegetables onto the "package" and seal it gently. Do the same with the chicken on a separate package.
-Cook all the packages in the oven for at least 40 minutes (it took me almost an hour for the potatoes to become tender). Make sure the chicken doesn't overcook.

Although the dish takes a bit longer to prepare than I intend, Dad is quite satisfied with his dinner tonight! So am I.

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Grandma's Excellent Chili

Last Thursday, it snowed in Baltimore. This meant one thing - chili - the ultimate comfort food. I had just finished my last exam, and Paul had one more to go, so I could only think of one thing that we both needed. I had been meaning to make it for a while, so I thought it would be a nice surprise for him. And I had just the recipe. Growing up, I remembered my grandma's cooking strongly. She specialized in everything from banana pudding to green beans and bacon (I also remember she had a funny knack for dipping her potato chips in mayonnaise). However one recipe always stuck out - her chili.

A few years after she died, my mom compiled all of her recipes into a cookbook called "Charlotte's Recipes." She included the chili recipe in it. Luckily, I'd brought a copy of it with me to Baltimore. Here's her recipe, titled "Mom's Excellent Chili:"

-Cover pan bottom with olive oil
-Chop fine 2 large onions, saute in oil
-Add 1 lb. of ground beef, saute until brown

Add to pan (in amounts that are logical):
-red pepper
-cumin
-black pepper
-salt
-chili powder

Then add:
-1 large can + 1 small can of peeled tomatoes (mash them up in the pot)
-1 large can of kidney beans and juice

Cook for a few hours on simmer. Taste - if not spicy enough, add chili powder or Tabasco sauce.

When I prepared it, I added a can of black beans to the kidney beans. This provided some variety. I left out the onions, which was probably a mistake. I also decided to add a few ingredients not on the recipe - oregano, basil, extra chili powder and a copious amount of Tabasco. Also, after cooking it for 45 minutes, I realized that it tasted horrible. My grandma would not be pleased with this. So, I decided to bring out the secret weapon - alcohol. I poured half of a German Marzen Oktoberfest beer into the pot and WHAM! instant fix. The beer gave the formerly bitter chili a sweeter, softer taste that flushed out the oregano and basil flavors. Thank god. However, I later found that I had been a bit too liberal with the hot sauce. The chili, although it tasted wonderful, had an incredible kick. Sweating profusely, I opened every window in my apartment to let the 25 degree air cool me down. Don't ever underestimate the Tabasco. Nevertheless, Paul loved it.

Later, I called my mom to tell her about the chili. Apparently, she planned on preparing the same recipe for me when I came home the next day for Christmas break. No matter, chili never gets old. In my mom's version, she stuck to Grandma's recipe. It was excellent without a doubt. While experimenting can be fun, there are some times when sticking to the book pays off.

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Another special note regarding the loss of Chester Weedgar, Jr.

As the summer ends, I am faced with another death - the death of my goldfish.

Yesterday afternoon, Chester jumped out of his fishbowl onto the rug of Paul's apartment. Without water, Chester couldn't survive for long. When Paul came home from work that night, he found Chester, shriveled into something barely recognizable on the rug.

So what did Paul do? He flushed little Chester down the toilet. And that was that. It's not what I would have done with a dead fish, but then again, what else could he have done? A burial at sea at Druid Park Reservoir?

We miss our little fish. We loved to watch him swim around his glass bowl, always looking so happy. He survived way longer than I anticipated he would, almost two and a half months. I'm going to miss feeding him in the mornings.

But seriously, first my car, now the goldfish? It's been quite a summer.

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Mussels and Crabs for Dinner?

After an excess of meat, meat and more meat, I was ready for something different, something lighter. My first thought was seafood. With a stroke of brilliance, Paul suggested snow crab clusters that were on sale at Giant. $5.99 a pound was absolutely ridiculously cheap for crab. Maybe it was because we were in Baltimore, the crab capital of the world? Who knows, but it was a deal we couldn’t pass up.

And even better, Giant can steam the crabs in-store, seasoned with or without Old Bay. The snow crab claws contain an impressive amount of meat and are easy to break open and eat. They can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Crab legs in hand, something else caught my eye. Mussels were on sale as well, $6 a bag - couldn't pass that up either.

The crabs were ready to eat, but the mussels were still alive. I didn’t realize this, as for some reason I thought that if the shells were open the mussels were dead. As a result, I chucked 10 of them into the trash can. Paul discovered them half an hour later, explaining that if the shells were open, you could tap them on a hard surface. If the mussels were alive, the shells would close.

I decided to make a simple sauce for the mussels, nothing that I had a recipe for, just something I improvised –

-some champagne (just pour it in the pot until it looks like enough)
-a small amount of beer
-a can of tomatoes and one fresh tomato, diced
-a generous amount of garlic powder
-a pinch or two of parley
-ambiguous amounts of salt and pepper

I learned that you don’t need a lot of liquid with which to steam mussels. I combined all of the ingredients in a pot, and waited for it to boil. We steamed the mussels above the mixture in the pot for about five minutes, until the meat inside the shell turned a golden brown color.

In addition to crabs and mussels, I asked Paul to make some of his specialty potatoes. They're in no way healthy, but they really are delicious. He slices russet potatoes into triangle sections, pours olive oil or canola oil into a big saucepan and fries them up until they're golden brown. Afterwards he seasons them with salt and pepper. It's that simple and they made a perfect companion to our seafood dinner.

The meal was a huge success - everything was cooked perfectly. I really liked my mussel sauce too - the champagne cut the acidity of the tomato sauce nicely. And to think - I used to believe you could only get good mussels and crabs in restaurants.

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A trip to the JFX Farmer's Market

Anything before 11 a.m. on a Sunday is horrifically, unacceptably early for me. It is nearly impossible for me to wake up any earlier, especially when I’m going to bed after 3 a.m. on Saturday. It’s been quite the problem for me all summer, because I can never make it to any of the Baltimore area farmer’s markets before they close. Thanks to a recent assignment from my food editor at Baltimore magazine, I was finally able to make it yesterday.

The project was for me to write a short article about a pickle vendor at the Baltimore Farmer’s Market, every Sunday morning from 7 a.m. to noon underneath the JFX. The vendor is called “In a Pickle,” and sells all sorts of innovative variations on the classic pickle. My pre-determined 9 a.m. arrival time for me and my boyfriend Paul (he’s obsessed with pickles) was far too ambitious. We arrived closer to 11, but we still had plenty of time to browse (and there was still plenty of food to be sold!).

We wandered around the crowded, but lively market, in search of the pickle tent. We browsed vendors selling peaches, fresh berries (I bought some blackberries) and other fruits. I bought a chocolate chip cookie from a baker, too. There were also vendors selling fresh live crabs and prepared foods such as crepes, falafel, omelets, Asian food (a bit odd) and a Baltimore favorite, pit beef sandwiches. We were unimpressed with the pit beef, particularly because the vendors stuffed the beef between two slices of what appeared to be soggy Wonderbread.

After a bit, we finally found the pickle vendor, and were quite impressed. After waiting in the long line, we bought a pint of kosher dill pickles, one for Paul and one for my roommate (another pickle fan). Paul also bought a “pickle on a stick,” which is exactly what it says it is. I asked the man helping us where the pickles came from, and he responded, “Our pickles are grass-fed from Arizona.” At first I believed him.

I must confess that I’m not a huge pickle fan myself, but after trying a bite of Paul’s pickle on a stick, I have to say that it wasn’t half bad. The crisp crunchiness has a surprisingly clean flavor and wasn’t nearly as overpoweringly sour as I expected it to be.

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A special post: regarding the potential loss of a great friend

On Tuesday, July 28th, my 2002 Volvo S60 suffered a damaging blow to her front bumper. Her left headlight shattered, glass shards strewn in the intersection of 29th and St. Paul Street. The front plate reading “Dyer and Dyer Cars” that she once wore proudly, now trampled by ongoing traffic. The bumper clung to the car desperately, trying to keep himself together during the moment of peril.

After five happy years with my precious 2002 Volvo S60, her future is at stake.

Exhaustion hit following a long day of sitting on my ass in front of a computer screen at my magazine internship for the summer. I don’t understand how I can be so tired from moving so little. I thought I would take a nap when I arrived at my apartment, and then go for a run later. I thought of my soft bed, laden with pillows and a fluffy comforter. “Empire State of Mind” by Jay-Z played on the radio, at least I think it did. To be honest, all I remember is black, then a flash of yellow. No, not the shining light at the end of the tunnel, but the back of a taxi cab. When I realized what was going on, it was already too late for my Volvo. I remember the crunch, as I came out of my daze, powerless to help her.
I didn’t think the damage could have been much. I don’t remember feeling much when I hit the taxi. It was quite similar to the way it feels when my dad shakes me awake in the morning whenever I’m home. I tried to brake at the light, so I wasn’t completely oblivious. But the last few seconds before I struck were lost.

The repercussions were far worse than I anticipated. The complacent expression that once served as the front of my car was unrecognizably mangled. My only thought – “I’m an idiot.” Dozing off at the wheel? Pathetic. And the taxi? Unharmed, except for a small scrape near the rear tailpipe. Typical. Luckily, the cab driver spoke English and was quite nice about the situation.

My car now sits in a body shop, awaiting its potentially morbid fate. When the inspector mentioned the word, “totaled” my head began to spin as I thought about life without my Volvo. I learned to drive in that car, I survived my melodramatic teenage years in that car. I had driven that car to my new home in Baltimore to spend the summer with me. She had been a reliable companion, taking me where I needed to go, when I wanted. The South Carolina license plate was a minority up here, and made me feel proud to be among the few from the South. The rainbow colored palm tree window sticker, my high school parking sticker from 2006-2007 that I still hadn’t removed – all of these were reflective of me.

I am now driving a rental Hyundai while my car is held captive. Let’s just say it’s no Volvo.

UPDATE: the Volvo is offically dead as of August 3rd, 2010.

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Another rainy day activity: Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Yesterday was truly a disgusting day - deathly hot, and then a waterfall of rain unleashed from the sky, complete with thunder, lightning and all that fun stuff. I could only think of one thing to do and that was to make cupcake infused with alcohol. Where on earth did I get this idea? I read an article last week about a bakery in NYC that sells alcoholic cupcakes, Butch Bakery. Apparently their cupcakes contain enough alcohol to give you a real buzz, which is impressive.

My aspiration? To create a cupcake with the same effect. My roommate found this recipe for Guinness Chocolate cupcakes with an Irish whiskey ganache filling and Bailey's cream frosting:


Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes


For the Guinness Chocolate Cupcakes:
1 cup stout (such as Guinness)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

Ganache Filling (Updated to double it, based on many commenters suggestions — thanks!)
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoons Irish whiskey (optional)

Baileys Frosting (see Recipe Notes)
3 to 4 cups confections sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperatue
3 to 4 tablespoons Baileys (or milk, or heavy cream, or a combination thereof)

Special equipment: 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer and a piping bag (though a plastic bag with the corner snipped off will also work)

Make the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 cupcake cups with liners. Bring 1 cup stout and 1 cup butter to simmer in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 3/4 teaspoon salt in large bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in another large bowl to blend. Add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine. Add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed. Using rubber spatula, fold batter until completely combined. Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely.

Make the filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and whiskey (if you’re using it) and stir until combined.

Fill the cupcakes: Let the ganache cool until thick but still soft enough to be piped (the fridge will speed this along but you must stir it every 10 minutes). Meanwhile, using your 1-inch round cookie cutter or an apple corer, cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes. You want to go most of the way down the cupcake but not cut through the bottom — aim for 2/3 of the way. A slim spoon or grapefruit knife will help you get the center out. Those are your “tasters”. Put the ganache into a piping bag with a wide tip and fill the holes in each cupcake to the top.

Make the frosting: Whip the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, for several minutes. You want to get it very light and fluffy. Slowly add the powdered sugar, a few tablespoons at a time.

http://www.chewonthatblog.com/2009/02/25/irish-car-bomb-cupcakes/


My thoughts:
Good lord. They were perhaps the most involved cupcakes I've ever made, requiring us to poke a hole in the cupcakes after they were baked so we could pour whiskey infused ganache into it. We may have gone a bit overboard with the ganache, as it actually burned my throat when I ate the cupcake. The frosting was the crowning jewel of the cupcake, and came out really well. We used just enough Bailey's to make it just strong enough.

As it rained torrentially outside, my roommate and I enjoyed making these cupcakes as alcoholic as possible without ruining the flavor. It worked out perfectly too, we finally got to use our leftover alcohol from St. Patrick's day!

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My Favorite Finds of the Summer

While I am in no way an expert on food, I think I have some sense for what's good around here! I've spent the entire summer trying places around Baltimore, and I think I've found some good ones. Here is a recap of my finds!

Cool Treats:
-Dominion's Spinach Ice Cream
I love this flavor because of its remarkably smooth, subtly sweet taste. It is one of the most refreshing flavors of ice cream I have tried this summer, not to mention, its apparent health benefits! Dominion is known for its "Eat Your Vegetables" ice cream, and they truly have a unique operation in the Blackstone Apartments (Charles Village) lobby. I'm going to be moving into this building next year and I know where all my money will be going.

-Pitango's Mojito sorbet
The first time I tried this flavor, I was blown away by the fresh blast of lime against the gelato's lightly sugared base. The taste is vivid and as refreshing and the gelato itself is even lighter and sharper in flavor than Dominion's spinach ice cream. Mix it with the mango sorbet for an even more colorful combination of flavors.

Cheap Places:
-Grano Pasta Bar
This tiny Hampden cornerside cafe is better than any of the Italian restaurants I've tried in Little Italy. Their pasta is fresh, their sauces are to die for, and the italian bread is outstanding. Grano makes for a cheap dinner too, with most of the pasta dishes $10 or less. I've tried the bolognese sauce and the carbonara, both of which I loved. The portions are enough to stuff you plenty, too.

-Grilled Cheese and Co.
While a bit off the beaten path, this place is unique in its creative variations on an old favorite. Every sandwich here is good, I don't think you could be disappointed with the combination of melted cheese and bread. The Cordon Bleu grilled cheese is very good, combining chicken, ham, swiss cheese and dijon mustard (the cordon bleu is a traditional French roll-up sandwich). This is the only place where I've seen grilled cheese for dessert too. If you have enough room, at least try "The Sweetest Thing," Brie cheese, raspberry flavored marscapone and chocolate chips in between two pieces of toasty bread.

-Stuggy's and Kooper's Tavern in Fells
These two places are great lunch spots - Kooper's Tavern has more of a restaurant atmosphere, whereas Stuggy's is more or a order and take outside to eat kind of place. I ordered the pulled pork BBQ sandwich with sweet potato fries at Kooper's and was quite impressed. The BBQ claims to combine the flavors of pulled pork from North Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi, whatever this means the synthesis is successfully sweet and tangy. Kooper's also has an impressive beer selection, which I'm sure would pair perfectly with one of their popular burgers. Stuggy's, on the other hand, sells beefy hot dogs loaded with cheese, even more beef, cole slaw, mushrooms, pretty much whatever you're in the mood for. On a nice day, the benches outside Stuggy's make for a picturesque lunch spot.

Dinner
-Tapas Teatro
I love this place on a nice night - it's great to sit outside and enjoy a pitcher of sangria and several tapas plates. I've also been to the more expensive tapas restaurant in Baltimore, Pazo, but I've found that Teatro's selections are more reasonably priced and a better value. I'm a fan of the fried manchego cheese, and especially the Albondigas, or lamb meatballs. I'd love to try to paella someday as well, I'm sure it's delicious. Even better, if you have room for dessert, Sofi's Crepes is a few doors down, or if you want to catch a movie, the charles theater literally connects to the restaurant.

-XS Sushi
It's quite a scene here, with its four levels in this loft-style restaurant. Lowly lit with DJ style music pumping at night, this is a great place for sushi, or just drinks as well. The sushi is good, but the atmosphere is reason most to go - it's young and charged with energy, making it ideal for a dinner spot before a night out.

-Petit Louis Bistro
I love this restaurant because I love all things French. I've found the simple French fare that I loved when I was abroad in Paris here, such as Duck Confit, Streak Frites and Poulet Fermier (chicken). I love the frites, especially after dipping them in the dijon mustard on every table. The extensive wine menu is a bit steeply priced, so order wine by the glass instead. Petit Louis is delightfully simple, yet full of savory, satisfying flavors.

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Mr. Yoagato in Fells

I'm getting the impression that frozen yogurt shops are a growing trend in the restaurant world these days. Apparently the cold treat has become popular due to rising need for indulgences that are healthy - for example, frozen yogurt is now advertised as containing probiotics, which are "live mircroorganisms, which administered at a certain amount contain health benefits" (haha, thanks wikipedia). Sounds a bit gross, in my opinion, ingesting live microorganisms?

Anyway, while enjoying my lunch outside today in Fells, I had the idea to try out Mr. Yogato, the frozen yogurt shop I've been hearing all about lately. After reading about the vibrant interior of the place in multiple reviews, i have to say that he space was a bit large for a yogurt shop. I felt a bit awkward being the only customer inside.

I ordered the "creamy" yogurt, which has a taste resembling vanilla. I chose to top it off with fresh raspberries and blackberries. I was impressed with the lightly sugared taste of the yogurt itself, it was not at all too sweet but just right. However, I was a little irked by the uneveness of it, there seemed to be little ice chunks in it. However the raspberries and blackberries were a delicious, soaking up the creamy base.

Mr. Yoagto has a large menu of frozen yogurt flavor, usually offering about 4 different ones each day (2 of them being the original and the vanilla). There's even a mojito flavor I saw on the website, and I am curious to know how it fares against Pitango's version. You can also add in multiple kinds of toppings, healthy and unhealthy, like oreos, m&ms, granola, and fruit.

I'll probably go back, because unlike most ice cream places, I finished my yogurt not feeling sick or overly full. The fruit was a brilliant addition.

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Baltimore magazine intern on assignment

Last night, I represented Baltimore magazine at a screening of Ryan White’s new documentary, Pelada, at the Charles Theatre near Penn Station. Here’s a short recap: The film follows two former college soccer players, Luke Boughen (Notre Dame) and Gwendolyn Oxenham (Duke) as they travel the world, playing what they call “pick-up soccer” with the locals. Pelada, meaning “naked” in Brazilian, describes this bare bones form of soccer, which can be played anywhere – on rooftops, a prison, a gas station parking lot – and by anyone. Luke and Gwendolyn travel to Argentina, Italy, Germany, Kenya, Ghana, China, Israel and even Iran in search of people who simply love to play. Many of their travels are dangerous, as they must face the cultures and differences of certain countries. By the end of the film, By the end of the film, Gwendolyn comes to a conclusion about soccer all over the world - “The game stretches and changes, but stays the same.”

My job was to attend the screening, producer/director/cinematographer Ryan White’s Q&A afterwards as well as the cocktail reception. I took a few notes, but mostly just watched and enjoyed the film. During the Q&A, White praised his aunt, Kathy McCabe, who planned the screening for Baltimore. White also spent much of his childhood in the city, so I’m sure it was very cool for him to enjoy the film with nearby family and friends. White mentioned the film had already had about 40 screenings across the country, but he also had plans to show it in many of the countries shown in the movie.

After he finished speaking, I looked for Rick, the short but enthusiastic photographer I needed to follow at the reception. I’m glad he knew what he was doing, because I was pretty lost. We had to move fast because it was a bit late, and we weren’t sure how any people would stick around. I stayed with Rick as he bolted back and forth in the lobby, throwing a group of people together for a photo. Thanks to Kathy, we were able to pinpoint a few notable people at the event. My job was to get everyone’s names in the photo, left to right and spelled correctly in the “Parties” section of the magazine. This was not such an easy job, as most groups immediately dispersed as soon as Rick took the photo. And believe me, getting names from little children is no easy task either (me: what's your name? kid: uhhh..um, Michael? me: and how do you spell that? kid: i don't know... me: um, really? kid: i like soccer!!!)

Last night was the film’s only night in Baltimore, but there is an upcoming screening in DC at the Avalon Theatre, 8 PM on July 27th. It's not exactly nearby, but if you're in the area, it's worth checking out.

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Legomania

It's raining in Baltimore.

It's a song by the Counting Crows, but it was also the fate of the day last Saturday. It was gross and humid outside, definitely a day I wanted to spend inside. I tend to go stir crazy if I'm indoors for too long though, so something stimulating was necessary. After brainstorming numerous ideas - watching a movie (boring), watching my boyfriend Paul program a computer for 5 hours (incredibly boring) - I finally struck gold. Remember the tiny multi-colored bricks you played with as a kid? The ones that fit together perfectly? You could build anything, a house, a car, a helicoptor...the only limit was your imagination (that's a cliche if I ever saw one). Yes, it's Legos, the perfect solution to any rainy day.

I used to always ask for Lego sets for Christmas. It was the perfect activity for an only child like me - it would entertain me for hours, days upon end.

We jumped in my car and zipped off to Target, heading straight for the kids section. Two 21 year olds closely inspecting every type of Lego set offered must have been quite a sight. After much debate, we decided on the City themed 963 piece Police Station. Dead God, it was beautiful. It had everything - a watch tower with spotlights, an interrogation room with a lie detector, a K9 mobile with a plastic dog inside and even a jail cells with toilets! The amount of detail was almost unbelievable.

So maybe it wasn't our most practical purchase (these things aren't cheap!), but we bought it. Later that day, we go to work. With the help of two of our friends, we pieced together the set in just a few hours. The set came with instruction manuals, complete with step-by-step directions for how to build each part. We had a great time, hunting for the pieces we needed while enjoying a beer as well (sure didn't do that when we were kids).

You'd think the Police Station would have quenched our Lego thirst. But no - less than a week later, Paul bought a Lego Mindstorms set off of Craigslist for a price too good to pass up. I don't know much about these, but apparently you can build robots with giant claws and make them do things. The box emphasized the robot was for ages 10 and older, but Paul assured me that the majority of users were computer geeks our age or older. Who knew?

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Otterbein's Cookies

My affinity for the cookie is a longterm relationship. I can't remember the last time I ever turned one down. My standards are high, especially for the chocolate chip cookie. I usually like my chocolate chip cookies thick, chewy in the middle but cripsy on the edges, threaded with chunks of high quality chocolate chips. I'm always looking for the best, and when I read about Otterbein's repuation for having the tastiest cookies in Baltimore, I had to try them. The Baltimore based bakery, in business since the late 1800s, was originally known for its homemade, thin but flavorful sugar cookies. The original owner, Adam Otterbein, came to Baltimore from Germany, and the business has remained in his family since.

At first, I was skeptical of the thin, almost frail looking cookies. I don't usually like cookies that are too hard or crunchy. So I took my first bite with little expectations. How I was wrong though - instantly the flavor permeated my mouth, the richness of the chocolate chips mixing with the subtley sweet flavor of the crunchy cookie. I had to say I almost prefered them to the gigantic fat cookies I had always flocked to. These were so light, and didn't leave me feeling ill afterwards. Can't wait to buy more, and what's better than supporting your local Baltimorean bakery? You can find Otterbein's cookies at most grocery stores such as Eddie's or Superfresh.

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Return of the Lake Trout

I decided to give lake trout a second chance, believe it or not. If you're gonna live in a city like Baltimore, you gotta appreciate the local cuisine. With that said, I knew there had to be somewhere better out there than Sea Blue on Greenmount. That was some truly terrible lake trout, soggy and mushy and tasteless. I had heard about another place in Baltimore, actually I had seen it mentioned on Anthony Bourdain's series No Reservations a few months ago - The Roost on Reisterstown Road has the reputation as being Baltimore's best lake trout.

Honestly, I can't stand Anthony Bourdain, but he does know his food, even his lake trout apparently. The Roost's lake trout is a clear winner.

I've never seen anything like this place in my entire life. After driving through an interesting part of town (by Pimlico race track), we approached the tiny roadside establishment. We walk inside, there's no where to sit, just a counter from where you order. The menu consists of "soul food" options ranging from fried chicken, collard greens, fried catfish, mac n' cheese and of course, lake trout. As we waited for our food, we browsed through a man's collection of pirated DVD's and CD's he was selling inside.

Our order arrived, we grabbed the plastic bag filled with lake trout and got in the car and ate it back home (if you care to stay, there are a few picnic tables outside). Instantly the aroma of freshly fried crispy lake trout filled the car.

This was serious lake trout - everything about it was world's better than my past experience. The fried part was crisp and crunchy and flavorful, unlike Sea Blue's soggy mess. With some catsup on the side, the flavors of my lake trout came alive. I ordered mine with fries, which I found underneath the lake trout. They were soggy, unremarkable. Next time I would order the lake trout dinner, and choose from The Roost's side options (not to mention you also get cornbread!).

This place is an institution among Baltimoreans. No, it's not something I'd eat everyday, but I admire the pride The Roost puts into not only their lake trout, but the rest of their food as well. The name of their website, thebestlaketrout.com says it all (but I couldn't get the link to work for some reason..oh well).

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Grilled Cheese and Co. is sheer brilliance

When I first read about this place I nearly jumped out of my pants. My affinity for the grilled cheese sandwich is endless. I grew up living off of my mom's grilled cheeses, literally. I'm pretty sure most everyone did as well, which is why this place is so incredibly brilliant. To evoke fond memories of home while enjoying a cheesy and savory treat is pure marketing brilliance.

If you can avoid getting lost in sketchy areas of Baltimore, Grilled Cheese and Co. in Catonsville is more than worth a visit. The interior of the restaurant is warm and inviting, but also pretty loud especially during peak lunchtime hours. The menu is pretty straightforward - various types of gourmet grilled cheeses. Immediately the "Crabby Melt" caught my eye, which piles Monterey Jack cheese on top of more cheese and blue crab. My roommate ordered this one and loved it. I was concerned about the sandwich being too rich, but the crab and cheese blend was not overpowering in the least. The subtle flavor of the creamy crab in between 2 thick slices of toasty golden bread was outstanding.
I went for the "Cordon Bleu," Swiss cheese, smoked ham and grilled chicken with Dijon mustard, a classic French treat. The combination of chicken and ham on the sandwich was an unlikely one, but it worked quite well. The swiss cheese was a winner as well, however I was disappointed that I couldn't taste the Dijon better. Perhaps it was too many flavors, the Dijon was neglected a bit. Overall, this sandwich is kickass.

Add regular or sweet potato fries to your meal plus a drink for only $2 more, not a bad deal! The portion of fries was more than I could eat in one sitting, but they were crispy and flavorful, definitely freshly made.

And to finish off the meal, my roommate ordered the "Sweetest Thing" (pictured below), Brie cheese, raspberry flavored Marscapone and chocolate chips smooshed between two slices of bread. The entire thing is an oeey, drippy mess, and is truly one of a kind. How creative to include a dessert grilled cheese...it reminded me of chocolate chip pancakes, interestingly enough.

Grilled Cheese and Co. calls their product "one of life's great pleasures" on their website. I have to agree, I honestly can't wait to go back. If you go, don't rely on your GPS to get you there though...mine sure crapped out on me.

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Unleash your inner francophile

My mother, my father and myself included are a family of Francophiles. We love anything French, whether it's food, art or wine. And ever since I spent my semester abroad in Paris last year, I've been spoiled in the most French way possible. I am especially picky when it comes to French food in the US - my standards are perhaps a little too high, but what can I say? Here's one place that passes the test - Petit Louis in Roland Park is a French-inspired bistro that doesn't disappoint.

The food is very French indeed - the menu options reminded me of typical items I saw in Paris, such as Salade Nicoise (with grilled tuna), Steak Frites (steak with "pommes frites," refer to my earlier blog post: http://elizabethlaseter.blogspot.com/2010/06/french-inspired-lunch.html), Croque Monsieur (a grilled ham and gruyere cheese sandwich essentially) and more. Reading the menu is a lesson in French cuisine - thankfully, English descriptions accompany the french names of the dishes.

I decided on the Confit de Canard, a leg of duck cooked in salt and its own fat. Perhaps that sounds a little unappetizing but if you have ever tried anything cooked in duck fat, you will understand the savory, rich and buttery flavor that results. The duck confit comes with a mushroom reduction sauce and spaetzle, or crispy thick pasta noodles, that soaks up the sauce and duck flavor perfectly. Duck is likely one of my favorite meats to order at restaurants, and Petit Louis' dish was outstanding.

My mother loved her steak frites, especially the accompanying pommes frites. We all loved the dijon mustard on the table, dipping the whole wheat sourdough loaf or frites into it. I usually hate mustard, and I loved this stuff.

With our meal, we enjoyed a bottle of French red wine from the Languedoc region. It was one of less expensive bottles on the menu, being $44 if you can believe it. My parents liked it, but I found the flavor a bit diluted and weak. I recommend buying the wine by the glass, and choosing a nice Bordeaux or Cotes de Rhone. Savor it slowly!

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Grab some Lunch in Fells

My mom visited Baltimore last Friday, I thought where to take her? Immediately I thought of a new hot-dog joint on Broadway called Stuggy's. This place had won acclaim for its all-beef, savory gourmet dogs and I was dying to try it.

Fells, with its colonel style row houses and harbor backdrop make for a picturesque setting for an al-fresco lunch. If you want to impress a visitor in town, I recommend taking them to Fells for lunch, especially on a nice day.

Stuggy's seating is extrmely limited, with about 4 tiny bar stools, that you're better off finding somewhere outside to eat. Even on a hot day, there's usually enough benches in the shade. Stuggy's offers an impressive menu, featuring traditional all-beef dogs, bison sausage dogs and turkey sliders as well.

Go for one of the specialty dogs or sausages - such as the Carolina Slaw Dog, which piles Stuggy's chili and cole slaw inside a dog that's been split open. The chili is excellent, complete with generous portions of beans and meat, and the cole slaw, well, I'm not sure why they choose to call it "Carolina slaw" but that's beside the point. Disregard the bizarre purplish appearance of the cole slaw and just eat it, it's actually pretty tasty. Also try the "Motor City Coney" dog (pictured left), with chili, melted cheddar cheese and diced raw onions (which I could do without but that's no problem). Nothing is better than melted cheese on meat, nothing.

After lunch, you can enjoy ice cream at Maggie Moo's, gelato at Pitango or frozen yogurt at Mr. Yogato - take your pick. I haven't tried Mr. Yogato yet, but the place is popular for its apparently healthy, pro-biotic enriched frozen yogurt. You can also add various toppings to it, such as fresh fruit, granola and other less healthy options, such as peanut butter cups, brownies and even Baltimore's own Berger cookie crumbs!

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Classy in College? No way...

13.5% Wine Bar in Hampden makes for a sophisticated, classy evening (which is often hard to come by in college at least). I went with my roommate and a few girls from my sorority last night. Located on the upper end of W. 36th Street along the “Avenue,” the wine bar’s modern, low-lit interior set the mood for the evening. Developing an affinity for wine while abroad in France last semester, I insisted on ordering the wine. The menu features wines by the glass and bottle, organized by price and type. Wine can also be ordered in flights, which allows you to sample three (3 oz. each) different wines of a similar breed (such as French wines). We decided on 2 bottles to start, a white and a red. I ordered the red for the table, impressing the waiter with questions like, “describe the aroma of this wine,” “does it have a strong aftertaste?” “which one is the most fruity?” He gave me a funny look, and recommended an Italian wine over the French wine I had picked out. I decided to go with his advice, and I’m glad I did.

The red, a Codici Montepulcianao from Italy (means nothing to me) was light and refreshing, with an aftertaste of fruitiness, very nice for the summer. It’s not horribly expensive either - $22. We ordered a Pinot Grigio for our white, but honestly I was so focused on the red, I didn’t have a chance to have more than half a glass of this one. Everyone who drank it seemed to enjoy it, though.

We also ordered a plate of 5 different cheeses, wine’s essential companion. Our waiter brought us selections such as goat cheese, cheddar, brie and others (I can’t remember their names), as well as a plate of toast to eat them on. If you’re going to order wine, you have to order cheese – the cheese was outstanding, all of it. Paired with the wine, it was divine.

13.5% was my first wine bar experience in Baltimore, and I loved it. All of the wines on the menu are available for purchase, minus the $8 corkage fee too. I couldn’t leave without buying a bottle of the red, either.

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It's a pickle

I excitedly opened the carry-out box containing my turkey avocado bacon cheese tomato and lettuce sandwich from Harbor East Deli and instantly frowned. There was nothing wrong with the sandwich; it looked incredible, stacked high with meat. No, it was the skinny green particle lurking under my sandwich – the pickle. I feared for my sandwich, terrified that pickle juice had leaked into the bread. No one wants a soggy pickle flavored sandwich. I lunged for the pickle and threw it across the stone wall I was sitting on. There was now a safe distance between me and the smelly pickle.

I can’t explain my aversion to pickles, it’s just one of those foods I’ve always hated. The pickle is actually just a pickled cucumber, meaning it’s been soaked and fermented in brine or vinegar. The taste of the pickle depends on what you soak it in – in addition to brine and vinegar it can be soaked in garlic or lime.

I also discovered that Americans consume an unbelievable 9 pounds of pickles per person each year(http://www.virtuowl.com/beauty/vinegar-beauty.htm).

I have to blame my aversion on some unrecalled traumatic childhood experience with the pickle. I can remember a place in Charlotte, NC my parents would always take me to, Phils Deli. With every sandwich came a pickle. Even my favorite, the grilled cheese. I was always so upset when my grilled cheese tasted like anything but cheese, in this case, pickle. Could this be the reason?

Pickle fans: If you're in the mood for the fattest pickle I've ever seen, check out Attman's on Lombard Street.

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Duckpin Bowling, anyone?

I can’t think of anything stranger than this place. Along Eastern Ave, a short walk from Fell’s is Patterson Bowling Center. No more than a two-story brick building with an undistinguished blue and red awning, it looks nothing like a bowling alley. Make that a BYOB bowling alley. It’s the kind of place that you probably only hear about by word-of-mouth.

Interestingly enough, duckpin bowling is believed to have originated in Baltimore (according to hookedonbowling.com and several other sites). Duckpin bowling differs from regular bowling in that the balls are much smaller and do not have finger holes. In addition, the pins are shorter and lighter, making it more difficult to strike them all down. Instead of of 2 balls per turn, you get 3 balls. Duckpin bowling is popular in the mid-Atlantic part of the country - I grew up in Charlotte, NC, which explains why I've probably never heard of it before now.

The best part about Patterson Bowling were the shoes - neon yellow and bright red velcro bowling shoes. Even better, they were comfortable, like slippers almost! My bowling companions and me made sure we all got the same color. We played 2 embarrassingly low scoring games, enjoying the Bud Light Limes we brought with us. The atmosphere of the place was laid back and a lot of fun as well. For something a little different, I definitely recommend Patterson Bowling. And for afterwards, the bars at Fell's are just a short walk away.

I gotta say though, I was quite sad to return my stylish bowling shoes at the end of the game.

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In Defense of Ruby Tuesday's BBQ Ribs

This is big - normally I would never rave over any kind of American chain restaurant. Never. However, I've finally found an exception: Ruby Tuesday has an incredibly tasty savory rack of ribs. Smothered in BBQ sauce, which happens to be one of my favorite flavors, and probably most favorite dipping sauce, they're insanely addicting. Don't get me wrong - I'm sure there are other, fancier places that claim their ribs consist of "organic grass fed beef" or whatever other sustainable, organic, all-natural marketing terms some restaurants are slapping onto their menus these days, but I'm perfectly happy with Ruby Tuesday's offering. Instead of focusing on the farm-to-table trend, Ruby Tuesday focuses on the sheer deliciousness of their ribs, and I have to say I'm perfectly okay with that.

On the menu, the ribs are described as "Fork tender ribs...slow-cooked for hours...to fall off the bone tender..." Who knows for sure how long the ribs are cooked (does it really take hours?) but the description is true - the meat really does fall right off the bone, you don't need a knife to eat these. And better yet, the ribs are served with a baked potato, emphasizing the savory combination of meat and potatoes. The ribs also come with a side of brocolli, but it's usually overcooked, spongey and limp. But no worry, failed broccoli is a small price to pay for deliciously tender meat.

I like to combine the flavor of the tangy, slightly spicy BBQ sauce with everything on my plate. For those who claim that BBQ sauce drowns out the flavor of the food it covers, I say who cares? In my opinion, it's the BBQ sauce that makes the meal.

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Pitango's Mojito Sorbet

Fell's has a find for gelato and sorbet fans - Pitango Gelato on S. Broadway. This place features gelatos and sorbets made with fresh, often organic ingredients. For a sweltering hot day, no questions asked, order the mojito sorbet. It is one of the most refreshing sensations I have ever experienced. And how creative it is too - you'll notice the minty green specks spread throughout the lighly sugared base. The sorbet's cool, minty flavor was so memorable, I had to come back for more.

Afterwards, I took my sorbet out to the pier towards the water and enjoyed a view of the Dominoe Sugar factory and the Baltimore harbor. The breeze from the water and the mojito flavors made me wish I was on a tropical Carribean beach.

For those who want more than sorbet, Pitango's features an impressive gelato menu as well, inlcuding Gianduja (chocolate hazelnut), Crema (Italian custard) and Spicy Chocolate (made with hot peppers). Check it out!

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What to do with a carnival goldfish?

As a kid, I always wanted to win a fish at those silly carnival ring toss booths, At Hampden's Hon Fest last weekend, my aspirations were finally met. I won a small goldfish in a game called "fish toss." It was pretty straightforward, you just tossed the ping pong ball into an array of jars on a table, hopefully landing it inside one of them. Surprisingly this is a challenging task. The fish was awarded to me in a small plastic bag filled with water. Honestly, the goldfish looked pretty miserable (how would you feel inside a plastic bag?). Who knows if fish are even capable of sadness, but it certainly didn't look happy.

I toted the fish around the festival for a few hours, trying to keep it out of the sun. The tiny goldfish made for an excellent conversation point between strangers. Quite a few random people approached me, asking where on earth I got the poor thing from. My next question of course, was where on earth do these things even come from? Is there some huge goldfish manufacturing plant in China that raises the fish and packages them in these cheap plastic prisons?


Interestingly enough, my hypothesis was not too far from the truth. I discovered a point of controversy that dates back to the Beijing Olympics. Apparently keychains with a live goldfish in a plastic bag (see photo on right) were sold as "unofficial" souvenirs to tourists. Apparently most of the goldfish packaged in these bags would live no more than a few hours. You can imagine how animal welfare groups reacted to that one. The name and whereabouts of the manufacturer of these keychains is unknown. A few major newspapers even covered the story, check out this British paper, The Sun: Cruel Trader Sells Live Goldfish as Souvenir

Fascinating. The next day, the fish was still alive and kicking. My roommate, an experience fish owner came with me to Petsmart, where we bought the proper fish materials. First of all, the fish bowl. Secondly, rocks for the bottom of the bowl. Thirdly, fish food. Lastly and most importantly, water de-chlorinator. Apparently, tap water will slowly kill a fish, due to its chlorine and chemical contents (read more: http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-tapwater.html). Good to know, so why don't more people know it?

Currently, the fish is doing quite well and swims energetically around his bowl. He's almost made it to the 1 week point. God be with him.

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Pomme Frites

I've been craving fries lately, no not those previously frozen, Americanized Mcdonalized things (see below photo on right)...I mean the "pomme frite" (left photo). Freshly cut potatoes sauteed in duck fat or truffle oil, crisp golden brown and delicious. I've heard they make these at a couple of places around Baltimore, namely Petit Louis Bistro in Roland Park. I've yet to try it. In French cuisine, the pomme frite is commonly served with everything from steak to mussels as the perfect savory side dish. Instead of ketchup (which the French might find rather disgraceful), dijon mustard is a common companion for frites. The Parisian restuarant Le Relais de l'Entrecote is famous for its "steak frites" dish, which is exactly what it says it is, steak and fries. Simplistic but incredible.




My first attempt at making french pomme frites wasn't half bad, considering I don't own duck fat, truffle oil, or anything else too fancy. I used what I had - olive oil (a good quality bottle of olive oil has infinite uses, just ask the Italians). I chose Yukon golds because I've found them to be the most flavorful of the white potatoes. I cut mine into thin frite-esque strips. After pouring a sufficient amount of olive oil into a hot pan, waiting until it crackled, I added the cut potatoes. I added my potatoes before the oil was hot enough, making them a bit limp in the end, so a little patience goes a long way. Make sure to toss the potatoes in the pan, to keep them from burning. You can add some salt and pepper for seasoning too. After 5-7 minutes, my potatoes had turned an appealingly deep golden brown. I removed them from the pan and let them dry on a sheet of paper towels. They weren't as crispy as I had hoped, but still enjoyable. The perfect frite is hard and crisp on the outside, yet fluffy and potatoey on the inside. Kind of like a "pomme souffle."


To accompany my attempted "frites," I prepared a "jambon" (that's ham) sandwich on a French baguette, with a side of Dijon. Ham is the staple lunch meat in France, to see turkey in the grocery stores is quite rare (the Turkey is an American bird). The baguette I bought from a French bakery in Fell's called Bonaparte Breads. Despite how expensive it was ($3 for the baguette!), I was quite impressed with its authenticity. The bakery offers other French breads and pastries and is well worth a visit for a Francophile.

Check out this professional cook's blog for a better way to make pomme frites than mine, which was completely and randomly improvised and made up on the spot: Cook's Journal: Pomme Frites. Apparently you have to cook the frites twice to get that extra crispness.

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The 12 inch Monster Meatball Marinara of Subway

1 AM last night I hit a wall. I couldn’t think straight, I was irritable, I was hungry. Incredibly hungry. Hungry enough to devour something blatantly unhealthy.
The Subway on the corner of 33rd street and St. Paul is perhaps the most brilliant operation I have ever seen. Open 24 hours, 7 days a week, this place never sleeps. I’m almost certain its main draw are party-going college kids. As a result, most of their sales take place between the hours of 12 and 4 am. It’s quite a brilliant marketing technique.
It’s by no means a great place to eat, not even a good place, but it gets the job done.

I’ve been going since my freshman year, and have gotten to know the guys who work behind the sandwich counter. One of the guys likes to fake charge me for tap water and usually I fall for it every time. Based on the many times I’ve been to subway, there is one kind of sandwich that I’ve never tried – the footlong. My sandwiches are consistently 6 inch subs. I was always horrified by the amount of food a footlong sub represents, no wonder we’re all so fat, right?

But considering my hunger last tonight, I did something drastic. I ordered the footlong. And that’s not all. Not only was it a footlong, but it was also a meatball sub with bacon and chipotle ranch sauce. Disgusting. Atrocious, even. I’m pretty sure there were at least 10 or 12 meatballs in this god-awful thing. Meatballs slapped on with globs of tomato marinara sauce, provolone cheese, parmesan cheese, chipotle sauce, 4 strips of bacon on 12 inches of special garlic bread. Oh yeah – and TOASTED (the magic word of Subway). This sandwich was nasty, real nasty.

The first bite of bread, meatball marinara, bacon, chipotle and cheese was savory and satisfying. Meat and cheese, the classically divine combination of awesomeness. After the first 6 inches I was full enough. But no, I bought a footlong for a reason and that was to finish it. So I chomped away, tearing through my 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th meatballs until I was sick. By the end, my sub was hardly enjoyable but it was done, I had conquered the sandwich. But not without some intense nausea to go along with it.

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Crabs at L.P. Steamers

Baltimore is famous for its crabhouses, including Obrycki’s in Fells Point, L.P. Steamers in Locust Point, Bo Brooks in Canton and more. It's another delicacy I'm ashamed to say I've never tried. Of course, this had to be fixed.

The Baltimore variety is actually the Chesapeake Bay blue crab, which has made its stake as the city’s unofficial mascot. You can find blue crab paraphernalia all over Baltimore and in other parts of Maryland as well. I have a t-shirt somewhere in my dresser that I bought from Baltimore 15 years ago that says, “I’m just a little crabby in Baltimore.”

So I did my research, deciding on L.P. Steamers. It appeared less commercial than some of the other crabhouses in the city (stay away from Phillips in the Inner Harbor, then again just stay away from any restaurant in the Inner Harbor. L.P. Steamers is unpretentiously appealing, with its simple red sign with white letters. The interior is friendly and relaxed, with just a few booths and tables, perfect for a place where you’re going to be messy anyway.

Luckily my dining companion was an experienced crab eater, so he knew exactly what to order. L.P. Steamers offers crabs in different sizes, including small, large and jumbo. I’ve heard the larger crabs are easier to extract meat from than the smaller ones.

Our waitress soon arrived wiht a tray of one dozen jumbo crabs. She dumped them right onto our table, slapping a roll of paper towels down as well. I noticed that my only utensils were a knife and a wooden mallet. When asking the waitress if I needed a fork, she laughed. I was supposed to eat this with my hands?

I also noticed – my crab was not blue, but red. Here’s why:
When alive, the shell of the blue crab has a bluish tint. However, after steaming and cooking, the crab takes on a reddish tone, a similar effect you might have seen with shrimp and lobster. The cause is pretty technical, involving a chemical called astaxanthin, from which I will kindly spare you the details.
(Thanks to http://www.bluecrab.info/cooking_faq.htm for this explanation)

I quickly learned that eating whole crabs is quite the art:
First you must remove the two front claws, and save them to eat later. Next, you use your knife to cut out the apron, which is the “T” shaped part on the crab’s underbelly. Now you can pry the hard top shell off of the crab and open it up. Here’s where it gets a little gross – it’s a whole crab, so everything’s still there, including the intestines, liver and a disturbing mustard colored substance. Don’t eat any of it, just scrap it out quickly. Make sure to remove the lungs too, they actually look just like crab meat. And try not to confuse the lungs with crabmeat, like I did. Gross.

Now just break the crab in half to expose the meat. There’s also meat in the smaller legs attached; they can be cracked opened easily. For the two large claws, it’s helpful to use the mallet to crack them open. Surprisingly, you don’t need to use very much force with the mallet. The first time I was a bit overambitious, splattering both crab shell and crab juice all over my face.

Crab meat is juicy, sweet and delicious. I also enjoyed the seasoning, which tasted a bit like Old Bay, another Baltimore staple, on top of the crabs. I found that dipping the meat in melted butter and then its seasoning was especially tasty.

Six crabs later, I was more than stuffed. My fingers, smelling intensely of crab, were covered in orange colored seasoning. The orangey powder had also somehow splattered all over my white skirt. Rule of thumb: don’t wear white when you eat crabs. Wadded up paper towels, crab uts,legs and shells covered the table. It was a mess, but one that was well worth it.

No crabhouse is “cheap,” but L.P. Steamers is a bit more reasonably priced than Obrycki’s, one of the more talked about crabhouses in Baltimore. If you’re looking for good crabs in an authentic, unpretentious setting, I’d definitely recommend L.P. Steamers.

My first Baltimore crab experience – a success!

Check out lpsteamers.com for more information

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Champagne mangoes

I bought a Champagne mango the other day from Whole Foods, thinking it was just a baby mango. However, upon closer inspection, I discovered that it was something completely different – the Ataulfo, or Champagne mango, is a pint-sized version of the Mexican treat (thanks to http://www.champagnemango.com/ for explaining this to me). Its shape is oval, with a slight upwards curve. While most mangoes I’ve seen have a mostly yellow skin with splashes of green and red, the Champagne mango is a deep golden yellow all over. I had no idea these existed!

Because of its smaller size, I found the Champagne mango a bit more difficult to cut and dice. Treating the mango like its larger counterpart, I sliced around its core and cut each piece into small sections. One of these mangoes doesn't go very far, so I'd recommend buying at least two or three. Upon taking my first bite, I was surprised by its rich, bright flavors. Just like a conventional mango, but its flavor concentrated into a burst of intense juicy sweetness.

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Lake Trout

After living in Baltimore for 3 years, I finally tasted its ubiquitous fast food – the Lake Trout. Lake Trout is typically breaded, deep-fried white fish served either alone or between two slices of white bread, often with fries on the side. Sounds a little like fish and chips, right? Not at all. In fact, Lake Trout doesn’t come from a lake, nor is it even trout. Lake Trout is actually Atlantic Whiting, a white fish caught in the Atlantic. Whiting is plentiful and less expensive than lake trout, which are actually quite rare. The most convincing reason for the misnomer was that restaurants featuring the fish decided that the name “Lake Trout” was more appealing than “Atlantic Whiting,” was to customers.


There are numerous restaurants and joints that feature Lake Trout on their menu in Baltimore, the closest to me being Sea Blue on Greenmount Avenue. This carry-out only place is a tiny blue wooden building on a street corner. There is no indoor seating, and only a window from which to order your food. Along with Lake Trout, Sea Blue offers other fried specialties such as wings and chicken tenders. This was my one and only chance to order Lake Trout, so I went for it. My order arrived unpretentiously in a box – two pieces of Lake Trout served on top on shoestring fries. The Lake Trout was seasoned with spices, giving the otherwise tasteless fish a bit of flavor. However, because I had no expectations as to how good Lake Trout should taste, it was impossible to be truly disappointed.

Perhaps I should have tried King's Fried Chicken, another Greenmount area restaurant that also serves lake trout. I have heard of other places in town that can serve up a really good Lake Trout, including The Roost on Reisterstown Road. Reviews say that The Roost’s Lake Trout is thick, lightly breaded and surprisingly not greasy.

Lake Trout is not something I can eat everyday, but when I do eat it, it gives me a sense of the place and character that is Baltimore.

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