Ok, THIS piece of news made me happy. Of course it's food related, so of course it made me happy.
Baltimore's food trucks will be converging on a lot in Harbor East (421 Central Ave) this evening. They'll be selling from five to ten o'clock.
Depending on how late I leave work, and how crowded it is, this might be a dinner stop on the way home!
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food. Show all posts
7/8/11
7/1/11
Technicolor Bagels
Don't ask about FvF... but I am prepared to talk about ONE food thing this week. (hocofood@@@)The Bagel Bin in River Hill has started offering Cheddar Cheese bagels. I noticed them right away a few weeks ago. They're hard to miss.
OK, to be honest, the color was actually a little alarming (compare to the mild yellow of the egg bagel beside them). I snapped a picture and received some funny looks from other people in line.
My typical MO is to order a pizza bagel on a toasted supreme bagel. This is an awesome breakfast after a quick run (comfort food after being dusted), and has carbs, salt, and fat, which I crave after a long workout. (alright, to be honest, I could eat that after a mile run. Oh well.)
Out of curiosity, I changed it up. I give you, pizza en cheddar bagel.
 |
| Pizza bagel on a toasted cheddar cheese bagel at the Clarksville Bagel Bin. Yeah... I eat the pickle, too, even though it's breakfast. Yum! |
The verdict? This was pretty good. Like having pizza on a cheese-it, if cheese-its contained the perfect mixture of crunch and chew.
Of course, this change might not be for everyone. Based on my recommendation, a friend changed his AM order. The result of his Pizza Bagel Experiment:
Mo, I tried the cheddar bagel as you instructed. It didnt work out. The supreme [my last bagel recommendation] is definitely your finer hour.
Whoops.
Have you tried the technicolor cheddar? Tell me in the comments below!
5/3/11
FOUND!
Well, hello there blog-fans.
I've been gone, I know. I'm sorry. SEE, what had HAPPENED was....
I got crazy busy.
So here's what you (I? We?) missed:
1) A to Z blogging challenge. Sadly, as you can probably see, I didn't make it past "O" - for a couple of reasons, and not for failing to have anything to say about P-Z. I think this challenge would have worked better if I'd taken March to write the posts, take pictures, and do them the way I wanted to. I didn't, and I'm not as organized as the awesome people who do manage to post every day. The result? Throwing together a half-way attempt that really...
well... wasn't fun.
And if it's not fun, what's the point?
I do, however, still have notes for P-Z. They'll show up. Probably when you LEAST suspect it.
2) Food versus Food. Tune in Friday. This should be a good one.
3) 2012 or Bust. School's gotten busy. I'm hoping to defend my thesis in the winter. I'll see what my committee says about that in a few weeks. Hopefully not laughter. Stay tuned. I predict that this will probably turn me into a hot mess over the next 9 months, but don't worry. If you happen to notice a twitch, try not to stare. Just buy me a cold one and remind me it will all be over soon.
4) BLOGS - I missed you! I now have some blog-reading time set aside and I'm slowly catching up (well... trying...)
5) Philadelphia - I'm going. In 2.5 weeks. Staying on Broad Street. What should I do? (I might,... have already scoped out restaurants... #priorities)
6) Rock fish season has opened. Matt went out fishing with our friend Bill and they snagged two gorgeous fish. The result? Pan-roasted rockfish.
That's right.
YUM.
Pan Roasted Maryland Rock Fish
Method (hocofood@@@):
Turn oven to 400dF.
Clean fish, cut filets (we went about 6-8oz pieces), pat dry. Remove pin bones. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a few glugs of vegetable oil in a skillet that can go into the oven (medium to medium high heat). When the oil starts to shimmer, lay the filets in (splatter screens are good here). Take this opportunity to check if you seasoned both sides of the fish. No? Make it so.
Now, here's the important part. DO. NOT. TOUCH. Let the fish cook for 4-6 minutes. Don't be afraid of the heat. Don't scoot the fish around.
Flip. Your fish has achieved golden crunchy awesomeness. Put the whole pan into the oven.
Roast at 400 degrees until done (this will depend on the thickness of your filets and your degree of desired doneness).
I served our fish (caught a mere 12 hours before) with basmati rice, green beans with salt, pepper, and butter, and a puree made from leftover sweet potatoes (seasoned with nutmeg, salt, smoked paprika, then blended with hot water, sour cream, and a little butter).
Ta-DAH!
I've been gone, I know. I'm sorry. SEE, what had HAPPENED was....
I got crazy busy.
So here's what you (I? We?) missed:
1) A to Z blogging challenge. Sadly, as you can probably see, I didn't make it past "O" - for a couple of reasons, and not for failing to have anything to say about P-Z. I think this challenge would have worked better if I'd taken March to write the posts, take pictures, and do them the way I wanted to. I didn't, and I'm not as organized as the awesome people who do manage to post every day. The result? Throwing together a half-way attempt that really...
well... wasn't fun.
And if it's not fun, what's the point?
I do, however, still have notes for P-Z. They'll show up. Probably when you LEAST suspect it.
2) Food versus Food. Tune in Friday. This should be a good one.
3) 2012 or Bust. School's gotten busy. I'm hoping to defend my thesis in the winter. I'll see what my committee says about that in a few weeks. Hopefully not laughter. Stay tuned. I predict that this will probably turn me into a hot mess over the next 9 months, but don't worry. If you happen to notice a twitch, try not to stare. Just buy me a cold one and remind me it will all be over soon.
4) BLOGS - I missed you! I now have some blog-reading time set aside and I'm slowly catching up (well... trying...)
5) Philadelphia - I'm going. In 2.5 weeks. Staying on Broad Street. What should I do? (I might,... have already scoped out restaurants... #priorities)
6) Rock fish season has opened. Matt went out fishing with our friend Bill and they snagged two gorgeous fish. The result? Pan-roasted rockfish.
That's right.
YUM.
Pan Roasted Maryland Rock Fish
Method (hocofood@@@):
Turn oven to 400dF.
Clean fish, cut filets (we went about 6-8oz pieces), pat dry. Remove pin bones. Season with salt and pepper.
Heat a few glugs of vegetable oil in a skillet that can go into the oven (medium to medium high heat). When the oil starts to shimmer, lay the filets in (splatter screens are good here). Take this opportunity to check if you seasoned both sides of the fish. No? Make it so.
Now, here's the important part. DO. NOT. TOUCH. Let the fish cook for 4-6 minutes. Don't be afraid of the heat. Don't scoot the fish around.
 |
| Sorry, it was so good I didn't take the photo until after I'd already dug in. SO tasty. |
Flip. Your fish has achieved golden crunchy awesomeness. Put the whole pan into the oven.
Roast at 400 degrees until done (this will depend on the thickness of your filets and your degree of desired doneness).
I served our fish (caught a mere 12 hours before) with basmati rice, green beans with salt, pepper, and butter, and a puree made from leftover sweet potatoes (seasoned with nutmeg, salt, smoked paprika, then blended with hot water, sour cream, and a little butter).
Ta-DAH!
4/16/11
N: Neighborhood, The
N is for Neighborhood (the).
Hey.. articles just get in the way, right?
I already discussed the things I remember about being a kid in the HoCo. Today, I figure I'll talk about where I grew up: Long Reach.
I'll post script some pictures when it's a nicer day for taking them (tomorrow).
- Dorsey's Search - Dorsey Hall, Fairway Hills
- Harpers Choice - Swansfield, Hobbit's Glen, Longfellow
- Hickory Ridge - Clemens Crossing, Hawthorne, Clary's Forest
- King's Contrivance - Macgill's Common, Dickinson, Huntington
- Long Reach - Locust Park, Kendall Ridge, Phelps Luck, Jeffer's Hill
- Oakland Mills - Steven's Forest, Talbott Springs, Thunder Hill
- Owen Brown - Dasher Green, Hopewell, Elkhorn
- River Hill - Pheasant Ridge, Pointer's Run
- Town Center - Vantage Point, Banneker, Amesbury, Creighton's Run, Warfield Triangle
- Wilde Lake - Running Brook, Bryant Woods, Faulkner Ridge, The Birches
Incidentally, the bolded entries represent pools (with Dorsey Hall and River HIll serving as the only pool for their respective village).
Each village is organized around a village center. Common to most of those are (or were) a grocery store, a handful of places to eat (pizza, takeout, and at least one restaurant), often a community center of sorts, a liquor store, and a dry cleaner. These village centers are... well... tucked in at the center (or near) of their villages. Which I suspect is one thing that trips people up when they're trying to get from point A to point B.
The village centers are also connected by Columbia's extensive bike path system - more than 80 miles according to Wikipedia, although I haven't used all of them. I'm not sure about River Hill... anyone?
But I digress. I was talking about Long Reach.
Long Reach is an older neighborhood. And, compared to shiny new ones like River HIll, it's showing it's age. (this is something that has been noted elsewhere and by other bloggers/commenters). Still, it's one of my favorites. I love the old neighborhoods in Columbia. They have huge, tall trees that remind me that Columbia has history. They have houses that aren't cookie-cutter repeats (even with CA covenant restrictions).
Summarized from the village's website... Long Reach was originally hundreds of acres of tobacco plantation, eventually patented by Edward Dorsey in 1695. In the early 1700s, with Edward's death, the land was divided between his three sons and passed through the hands of other families afterwards. In 1969, the area had become part of Jim Rouse's plans and the framework for Long Reach was in the works.
"In June 1971, Howard Research & Development (HRD) announced that Long Reach would be "the first comprehensively planned village in Columbia." Other villages had been planned neighborhood by neighborhood, but the total concept of integrating open space and dwelling space was considered in planning Long Reach. Although the neighborhoods would be planned prior to construction, resident input was still a vital part of the planning process. Cluster housing was used to preserve as much open space as possible and unique measures were taken to protect the Little Patuxent River from collecting sedimentation during the construction phase. Construction of Long Reach began in Spring 1971, with the first residents moving in the Fall of 1971. "
---The Long Reach Village site, "History"
One more interesting bit of trivia (from the same site): many of Long Reach's street names come from the work of Robinson Jeffers. I had a drivers' ed instructor who stretched a conversation about Long Reach's streets into a twenty minute ramble. If only I'd known...
Stone-cutters fighting time with marble, you fore-defeated
Challengers of oblivion
Eat cynical earnings, knowing rock splits, records fall down,
The square-limbed Roman letters
Scale in the thaws, wear in the rain. The poet as well
Builds his monument mockingly:
For man will be blotted out, the blithe earth dies, the brave sun
Die blind, his heart blackening:
Yet stones have stood for a thousand years, and pained thoughts found
The honey peace in old poems.
Stone-cutters fighting time with marble, you fore-defeated
Challengers of oblivion
Eat cynical earnings, knowing rock splits, records fall down,
The square-limbed Roman letters
Scale in the thaws, wear in the rain. The poet as well
Builds his monument mockingly:
For man will be blotted out, the blithe earth dies, the brave sun
Die blind, his heart blackening:
Yet stones have stood for a thousand years, and pained thoughts found
The honey peace in old poems.
- --Robinson Jeffers, "To the Stone Cutters", Tamar and Other Poems (1924)
So what does Long Reach have going for it, besides history and poetry? Well, it's also got hidden gems. You know... the favorite haunts, the places people from elsewhere might miss, the details one figures out from running around the area for a while, etc.
The hidden gems of Long Reach include...
- Chick 'n Friends - best takeout chicken I've had in a really long time. Seriously. Drop everything and go there now.
- Locust Park Pool - a nice renovated bath house, a snackbar, and lap space... and it's not often mobbed. Masters has swum here in the summer as well, and there's an amazing view of the sunrise during practice. Also excellent shade when the sun hits the right points later in the day.
- Jackson Pond - a really beautiful spot accessible by path at many points. We used to catch fish here when I was a kid.
- Richburn Liquors - they expanded the store space and have a really nice selection of beer and wine at good prices. Also convenient hours on the holidays, which has saved me more than once when I needed to pick up a hostess gift.
- High Tor Hill/Eagle Beak Row/Phelps Luck Drive - There is some FANTASTIC hill-training on these roads, for you runner-ly types. I believe the Metric Marathon route runs through here.
- Stone House - I used to take dance classes in this community space. It's a nice building.
 |
| Pop Quiz: Name that Pool! |
N is for Neighborhood, the place where I rode my bike, splashed in the pool, and ran around at dusk on summer days, playing street hockey or firing nerf guns or dodging water pistols.
------
This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. (hocoblogs@@@) Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!
4/9/11
H: HowChow
H is for HowChow.
This might come as a shock, but I love food.
Fortunately, the HoCo has a growing food blogger scene. And there's a comprehensive resource for quality, unique eats in Howard County - not just places to go, but also unique markets or unusual (to me) grocery items. That's HowChow.
The content is interesting and informative. It pushes me out of my comfort zone. On top of that, HowChow hosts guest posts, interviews, and links often to community food bloggers, making the whole scene that much richer.
Recently, I started planning a monthly "Restaurant Stop" for a HoCo Social group, many of whom are transplants to the area - and who wanted to learn about HoCo through its HoCo-specific restaurants, not monthly dinners at places like Friday's or Carraba's. Some of the places I've chosen were based on HowChow's posts, and when I linked back to them, people noticed the "food tours" and got excited. There's now talk of wandering some of these routes when the weather turns nice for good.
But it's not only restaurant reviews. When a food establishment shuts down or is promised, it's mentioned. The bigger picture of food as it relates to our community is not neglected.
And in the end, all of these things make HowChow a great resource.
Food is elemental to community and identity - whether it's comfort food, or food that helps expand one's horizons. I truly believe that food can create connections between people with different backgrounds and life experiences, better than most other conventions.
Howard County is diverse community, and though it can be hard to see past the big chain restaurants, that diversity is reflected in its food. HoCo residents should be proud of that. When guests come from out of town, I want to pick places that show how unique (and delicious) Howard County can be. Blogs like HowChow help me do that.
To get a taste of HoCoFood (haha, see what I did there?) check out some of these recent posts:
H is for HowChow, a blog that points people toward tasty treats in the HoCo.
This might come as a shock, but I love food.
Fortunately, the HoCo has a growing food blogger scene. And there's a comprehensive resource for quality, unique eats in Howard County - not just places to go, but also unique markets or unusual (to me) grocery items. That's HowChow.
The content is interesting and informative. It pushes me out of my comfort zone. On top of that, HowChow hosts guest posts, interviews, and links often to community food bloggers, making the whole scene that much richer.
Recently, I started planning a monthly "Restaurant Stop" for a HoCo Social group, many of whom are transplants to the area - and who wanted to learn about HoCo through its HoCo-specific restaurants, not monthly dinners at places like Friday's or Carraba's. Some of the places I've chosen were based on HowChow's posts, and when I linked back to them, people noticed the "food tours" and got excited. There's now talk of wandering some of these routes when the weather turns nice for good.
But it's not only restaurant reviews. When a food establishment shuts down or is promised, it's mentioned. The bigger picture of food as it relates to our community is not neglected.
And in the end, all of these things make HowChow a great resource.
Food is elemental to community and identity - whether it's comfort food, or food that helps expand one's horizons. I truly believe that food can create connections between people with different backgrounds and life experiences, better than most other conventions.
Howard County is diverse community, and though it can be hard to see past the big chain restaurants, that diversity is reflected in its food. HoCo residents should be proud of that. When guests come from out of town, I want to pick places that show how unique (and delicious) Howard County can be. Blogs like HowChow help me do that.
To get a taste of HoCoFood (haha, see what I did there?) check out some of these recent posts:
- "Go explore new food"
- "Huarache at R&R Taqueria"
- "Hanjoonkwan in Ellicott City"
- "Watermelon Radishes at My Organic Market"
H is for HowChow, a blog that points people toward tasty treats in the HoCo.
------
This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. (hocofood@@@) Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!
4/8/11
Food versus Food: Plain Cheese
You know the days: long, frustrating, and exhausting. And then you get home and realize that you can A) break your unproductive streak and make dinner or B) order in.
That's why we have Pizza. (hocofood@@@)
Not long ago, HowChow's food musings prompted some great suggestions for food fights. So I give you the first of what will probably be several faceoffs.... a pizza challenge!
To keep things simple, I focused on cheese pies for this round.
Which brings us to our contenders....
Contender #1: Large Cheese Pizza from Pudgie's Pizza in Clarksville.
A relative newcomer to the Howard County area, Pudgie's is a chain with a handful of locations in New York and one in Pennsylvania. I'm not the first blogger to go on a quest for the orange box - HoCoRising has already ventured out to Pudgie's location, which is located at 12447 Clarksville Pike.
Pudgie's has tables and delivers (they take orders by phone or online), but I opted to pick up. I got myself (ok, well, not just myself) a large (17") pizza for $12.99.
My first impression when I opened the box was that I wished I had ordered extra cheese - but at $3.49/per on the large pie, toppings seemed really pricey. I liked that the pizza was cut into 12 smaller slices, and that the cheese that was there was browned and crisp in places. I'm also a fan of crust bubbles (see picture above, hopefully you know what I mean).
The crust - probably the most important part of the pizza for me - was browned and had a bit of a crispiness. It was coated with a light slick of grease that made the pizza taste awesome - kind of like a pan pizza from the Hut but with the lightness of a hand-tossed crust. The crust had a really pleasant flavor, too, like toasty bread.
There was a good amount of sauce on this pie, and that's generally my least favorite part, especially as Pudgie's tends toward the sweet side. But there was a nice sprinkling of seasoning (basil?) that gave the sauce a pop of flavor, especially when the pizza started to cool.
Pudgie's pizza (cheese) ended up being a tasty dinner for two (and subsequent lunch for one), which made me feel a little better about the price.
Fortunately, I can always eat pizza and I don't have to fit into a wedding dress for a while, which meant I still had appetite for...
Contender #2: Cheese pizza from Gateway Pizza & Subs in Elkridge.
Gateway Pizza and Subs serves up Pizza and Subs, but also Indian fare - and they deliver for orders over $9, perfect for a night when I was at home with the boys, was too tired to cook, and couldn't pick up. They're located at 6520 Waterloo Road.
My order arrived early - less than 30 minutes, instead of the 45 I was quoted (I wasn't timing... I just knew how long I had left in an episode of Doctor Who). One medium cheese pizza (12") set me back $7.99 (but to compare price points, an extra large (16") is $10.99. Toppings are $1.20 and $1.70, respectively).
I was really happy with the amount of cheese on this pizza - melty with little furrows where the sauce peeked through. I wished for a little more browning to give it more flavor, but there were some spots that got toasted enough so that was ok.
The sauce was on the lighter side in terms of amount, as I normally like it, and it was... well... tomatoey. Very tomatoey. I didn't pick up on additional seasoning or herbs, just good honest tomato flavor (which.. I guess makes the pie true to name).
I loved the texture of the crust on the Gateway pizza. A commenter on HowChow described it as pillowy, and I can't think of a better word. The crust was light and doughy at the same time, with the air bubbles and fabulous texture of really good bread. In terms of flavor, it tasted rather doughy too - I think it could have used some additional flavoring like garlic or rosemary or basil. I ended up dipping it into some sauces (tamarind and chutney) that came with another item I'd ordered to punch up the flavor.
Gateway put up a solid pizza, with the perfect amount of cheese and a light, pleasant crust.
The Decision: Full disclosure - when it comes to Pizza, I am a Trattoria fangirl. So I went in search of places I haven't been, and tried to approach the challenge with an open mind. Both Gateway and Pudgie's really delivered (ha..ha... yeah, sorry about that).
I liked the crispiness and toastiness and even the grease on Pudgie's, along with the sprinkling of herbs in the sauce (which was great at offsetting the sweetness that can sometimes put me off). On the other hand, I loved the amount of cheese on Gateway's pizza, and the way they achieved an interesting crust-texture without grease. And while my initial reaction was that Pudgie's seemed expensive, when I looked at size/price comparison, the prices were similar.
After thinking about the two (and not thinking about how much pizza I've eaten in the last few days) I declare.... Pudgie's is the Winner!
Of course, Trattoria is still my pizza of choice.
Where do you call for your pizza fix? Where should I go for the sequel pizza challenge? Tell me in the comments below!
That's why we have Pizza. (hocofood@@@)
Not long ago, HowChow's food musings prompted some great suggestions for food fights. So I give you the first of what will probably be several faceoffs.... a pizza challenge!
To keep things simple, I focused on cheese pies for this round.
Which brings us to our contenders....
Contender #1: Large Cheese Pizza from Pudgie's Pizza in Clarksville.
A relative newcomer to the Howard County area, Pudgie's is a chain with a handful of locations in New York and one in Pennsylvania. I'm not the first blogger to go on a quest for the orange box - HoCoRising has already ventured out to Pudgie's location, which is located at 12447 Clarksville Pike.
Pudgie's has tables and delivers (they take orders by phone or online), but I opted to pick up. I got myself (ok, well, not just myself) a large (17") pizza for $12.99.
 |
| Large cheese pizza from Pudgie's in Clarksville. |
My first impression when I opened the box was that I wished I had ordered extra cheese - but at $3.49/per on the large pie, toppings seemed really pricey. I liked that the pizza was cut into 12 smaller slices, and that the cheese that was there was browned and crisp in places. I'm also a fan of crust bubbles (see picture above, hopefully you know what I mean).
The crust - probably the most important part of the pizza for me - was browned and had a bit of a crispiness. It was coated with a light slick of grease that made the pizza taste awesome - kind of like a pan pizza from the Hut but with the lightness of a hand-tossed crust. The crust had a really pleasant flavor, too, like toasty bread.
There was a good amount of sauce on this pie, and that's generally my least favorite part, especially as Pudgie's tends toward the sweet side. But there was a nice sprinkling of seasoning (basil?) that gave the sauce a pop of flavor, especially when the pizza started to cool.
Pudgie's pizza (cheese) ended up being a tasty dinner for two (and subsequent lunch for one), which made me feel a little better about the price.
Fortunately, I can always eat pizza and I don't have to fit into a wedding dress for a while, which meant I still had appetite for...
Contender #2: Cheese pizza from Gateway Pizza & Subs in Elkridge.
Gateway Pizza and Subs serves up Pizza and Subs, but also Indian fare - and they deliver for orders over $9, perfect for a night when I was at home with the boys, was too tired to cook, and couldn't pick up. They're located at 6520 Waterloo Road.
My order arrived early - less than 30 minutes, instead of the 45 I was quoted (I wasn't timing... I just knew how long I had left in an episode of Doctor Who). One medium cheese pizza (12") set me back $7.99 (but to compare price points, an extra large (16") is $10.99. Toppings are $1.20 and $1.70, respectively).
 |
| Tomato and Cheese pizza from Gateway in Elkridge. Pictured is a medium - I downsized, since the dogs would not be sharing (they were disappointed). |
I was really happy with the amount of cheese on this pizza - melty with little furrows where the sauce peeked through. I wished for a little more browning to give it more flavor, but there were some spots that got toasted enough so that was ok.
The sauce was on the lighter side in terms of amount, as I normally like it, and it was... well... tomatoey. Very tomatoey. I didn't pick up on additional seasoning or herbs, just good honest tomato flavor (which.. I guess makes the pie true to name).
I loved the texture of the crust on the Gateway pizza. A commenter on HowChow described it as pillowy, and I can't think of a better word. The crust was light and doughy at the same time, with the air bubbles and fabulous texture of really good bread. In terms of flavor, it tasted rather doughy too - I think it could have used some additional flavoring like garlic or rosemary or basil. I ended up dipping it into some sauces (tamarind and chutney) that came with another item I'd ordered to punch up the flavor.
Gateway put up a solid pizza, with the perfect amount of cheese and a light, pleasant crust.
The Decision: Full disclosure - when it comes to Pizza, I am a Trattoria fangirl. So I went in search of places I haven't been, and tried to approach the challenge with an open mind. Both Gateway and Pudgie's really delivered (ha..ha... yeah, sorry about that).
I liked the crispiness and toastiness and even the grease on Pudgie's, along with the sprinkling of herbs in the sauce (which was great at offsetting the sweetness that can sometimes put me off). On the other hand, I loved the amount of cheese on Gateway's pizza, and the way they achieved an interesting crust-texture without grease. And while my initial reaction was that Pudgie's seemed expensive, when I looked at size/price comparison, the prices were similar.
After thinking about the two (and not thinking about how much pizza I've eaten in the last few days) I declare.... Pudgie's is the Winner!
Of course, Trattoria is still my pizza of choice.
Where do you call for your pizza fix? Where should I go for the sequel pizza challenge? Tell me in the comments below!
4/7/11
Farmers & Markets Addendum
This is not at all a HoCo post, but it is sort of related to markets and farmers. And it was too interesting not to share.
I still hear a lot about Japan on the radio and in the papers, including personal accounts. There's a great post over on Just Hungry that describes one retailer's approach to dealing with the food/vegetable crisis.
Just Hungry is a fabulous food blog maintained by a Japanese expat who (last I checked) was living in Europe. Her writing style is clear, entertaining, and informative. She also runs a site called Just Bento and has a related cookbook.
A number of food products from contaminated areas have been identified in recent weeks, although some reports say the risk from consuming "hot" vegetables is low. Bans on imports have been instituted by other nations as well, including the US. The UN reports that produce grown in other countries is not at risk.
I still hear a lot about Japan on the radio and in the papers, including personal accounts. There's a great post over on Just Hungry that describes one retailer's approach to dealing with the food/vegetable crisis.
Just Hungry is a fabulous food blog maintained by a Japanese expat who (last I checked) was living in Europe. Her writing style is clear, entertaining, and informative. She also runs a site called Just Bento and has a related cookbook.
A number of food products from contaminated areas have been identified in recent weeks, although some reports say the risk from consuming "hot" vegetables is low. Bans on imports have been instituted by other nations as well, including the US. The UN reports that produce grown in other countries is not at risk.
F: Farmers' Markets
F is for......
wait for it....
Farmers' Markets!
It's almost time. Howard County Farmer's Markets open the first week in May! Last year, there were five sites across the county.
I like going to the farmers' markets, even though it requires some planning - weekends are often too busy, and weekdays the hours are short. But I like talking to the vendors at the market - they always have ideas for what I can do with the produce, they're happy to give me samples, etc.
I also like the opportunity of knowing where my food comes from. And eating seasonally, the food tends to taste better.
Especially the big baskets of fruit.
In addition to the places listed in the link above, check out two other locations for farm-fresh produce: Gorman Farm in Laurel, which has a farm stand open 5 days a week starting in May, and Neu-Valley in Elkridge, which should begin advertising produce in the spring (most, but not all, of their produce is from Maryland - if in doubt, ask).
And of course, you can always check to see if there's space left in one of the area's CSAs.
F is for Farmers' Markets, and Farm Fresh Food in the HoCo.
wait for it....
Farmers' Markets!
 |
| Farmers' Market in Rockville, MD By Tammy Farrugia (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
It's almost time. Howard County Farmer's Markets open the first week in May! Last year, there were five sites across the county.
I like going to the farmers' markets, even though it requires some planning - weekends are often too busy, and weekdays the hours are short. But I like talking to the vendors at the market - they always have ideas for what I can do with the produce, they're happy to give me samples, etc.
I also like the opportunity of knowing where my food comes from. And eating seasonally, the food tends to taste better.
Especially the big baskets of fruit.
In addition to the places listed in the link above, check out two other locations for farm-fresh produce: Gorman Farm in Laurel, which has a farm stand open 5 days a week starting in May, and Neu-Valley in Elkridge, which should begin advertising produce in the spring (most, but not all, of their produce is from Maryland - if in doubt, ask).
And of course, you can always check to see if there's space left in one of the area's CSAs.
F is for Farmers' Markets, and Farm Fresh Food in the HoCo.
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This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. (hocofood@@@) Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!
4/4/11
C: Chopstixx
C is for Chopstixx.
Double X intentional - you see, it's the name of one of our favorite takeout restaurants, located off of US-1 in Elkridge (at the shopping center at US-1 andMeadowridgeMontgomery Road).
I play favorites when it comes to takeout. I have my go-to pizza joints, my go-to for wings, etc. Chopstixx churns out consistently good food, be it the better-than-"usual" suspects or their slightly more enticing street meals menu. The food is an excellent value, too - big portion sizes and fresh ingredients. I don't ever get the sense that I'm nom'ing chopped by-product when I go to this place.
They also serve bubble tea. And the staff is super friendly. And the service is very efficient.
Other than that, I'll let the food speak for itself...
Double X intentional - you see, it's the name of one of our favorite takeout restaurants, located off of US-1 in Elkridge (at the shopping center at US-1 and
I play favorites when it comes to takeout. I have my go-to pizza joints, my go-to for wings, etc. Chopstixx churns out consistently good food, be it the better-than-"usual" suspects or their slightly more enticing street meals menu. The food is an excellent value, too - big portion sizes and fresh ingredients. I don't ever get the sense that I'm nom'ing chopped by-product when I go to this place.
They also serve bubble tea. And the staff is super friendly. And the service is very efficient.
Other than that, I'll let the food speak for itself...
 |
| Malaysian Kway Teow Rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, scallions... this was spicy and tasty. |
 |
| Thai Fried Rice. Jalapeños give it a spicy kick. |
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| General Tso's Chicken. Classic. Not too greasy. Tasty. |
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| Miso Soup and Steamed Shumai Perfect with an ice cold beverage. |
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| Meat Stew Rice w. a Simmered Egg (link courtesy of Min) (pork and five spice, daikon radish pickle, interesting egg... this is AWESOME and a great value) |
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| House Seafood Soup with crispy wantons (I put it in a glass to make it pretty) |
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This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. (hocofood@@@) Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!
3/30/11
Details...
Don't forget about the A to Z blogging challenge coming up in April - you can click on the icon in the sidebar to sign up! I'll be doing my HoCo-centric posts at 9pm every evening. Bonus points to anyone who can guess what topic I'll be covering each day!
With the exception of food v. food (which will resume Apr 8), A to Z will take up much of my normal blogging schedule. This is kind of a deviation from the original plan, but unfortunately I'm finding myself with less time to tap away on blogger these days.
Speaking of food... I'll be in DC shortly for a conference at the Washington Convention Center. Any suggestions for tasty affordable eats?
Did you attend the Aquatics Master Plan Meetings last night and tonight? I missed both, would love to hear thoughts (blogs, etc).
Halfway through the week! Good bye, Wednesday!
With the exception of food v. food (which will resume Apr 8), A to Z will take up much of my normal blogging schedule. This is kind of a deviation from the original plan, but unfortunately I'm finding myself with less time to tap away on blogger these days.
Speaking of food... I'll be in DC shortly for a conference at the Washington Convention Center. Any suggestions for tasty affordable eats?
Did you attend the Aquatics Master Plan Meetings last night and tonight? I missed both, would love to hear thoughts (blogs, etc).
Halfway through the week! Good bye, Wednesday!
3/27/11
Dining at the Kings
I am about to commit a great sin in food blogging; I am going to discuss a meal at a restaurant without pictures. :( The food was very pretty, but I get strange looks from time to time when I whip out my cell phone and start snapping away at restaurants - and that's when I'm out with Matt. Tonight, I was out with my book club, and although they're very nice women, I don't know most of them that well. So I decided to keep the strange-factor to a minimum.
But I do want to blog about the meal, because we were at the King's Contrivance. I've never been there, and it's higher up on the scale of restaurants than I normally visit. So here we go! (hocofood@@@)
The King's Contrivance is high-end "New American" dining. The restaurant is in a converted house off of Shaker Drive, atop a hill with a pretty circular driveway. Once you pass through the front door, a brilliant shade of red, you can see that the dining "room" is actually "rooms" - which makes the setup seem more intimate. The Maitre d' guided me upstairs to the party I was meeting, a group of about sixteen which took up the whole of the one large table in the room. This would be a great space for a dinner meeting or family celebration.
The restaurant offers a prix-fixed menu for 29.00, as well as their full menu. They offered a surprising number of options for the prix-fixed menu, though, so while I was tempted by some of the other offerings (escargot, panko-crusted brie, and the roquefort-crusted filet, to be precise) I went for the three-course meal.
I started with a bowl of seafood bisque, which was creamy and loaded with a few shrimp, big chunks of fresh crabmeat, and a few spoonfuls of rice (which was interesting, I've never had rice in bisque before). The soup was incredibly rich and had just a touch of sherry. I was really impressed with how perfectly the shrimp were cooked... I was less impressed with the fact that the cook did not remove the tail vein (which made one piece actually gritty). I know it's a pain to remove; I do it when I cook shrimp at home (and I don't need a gadget). Maybe I'm being picky, but seeing shrimp that's not properly cleaned, particularly at a nice restaurant, seems like carelessness or laziness to me.
The main coarse was pan-roasted Norwegian salmon, a thick slab of fish that came propped up on a thin corncake about the width of a waterglass. The salmon was very pretty, golden-crisp around the edges. It came drizzled with a wasabi vinaigrette that wasn't at all spicy, but lent a tangy salty flavor (like miso and rice wine vinegar) to the fish. Microgreens and a few fried wontons gave texture and crunch. The fish melted away in my mouth, perfectly cooked all the way through. Fantastic. Room-falls-silent-as-everyone-digs-in good.
Alongside the fish were small, equally-sized mounds of seaweed salad and pickled ginger. I usually think of pickled ginger as a condiment or palate cleanser, so it was a little confusing to see so much of it... but I love it, so that totally worked for me. The corncake was nice with a fancy scalloped edge, mild in flavor, studded with whole kernels. This main dish was awesome. I could eat it every day.
For the last course, I chose the dessert of the day - strawberry shortcake made with strawberry gelato. Given the chill of the weekend, this was like a taste of spring. The biscuit was light and sweet and tender, a nice contrast to the cold, dense gelato. A dollop of heavy whipped cream decorated the plate and punched up the richness factor, but the intense strawberry flavor of the sauce (with some chopped fresh strawberries) kept the richness from becoming overwhelming. The portion size was perfect after the first two courses.
The service was polite and efficient.
As someone who doesn't go out to high-end restaurants often, I'm pretty satisfied with my meal. Everything I tasted was delicious, and other peoples' food looked awesome. I'd like to go back some time, maybe for a very special occasion, and try some other items on the menu. I'm also curious to see if the experience is different for a party of two or four (versus a group of 16; I always wonder if I'm seeing the best side of a place when I go there for the first time with a large group).
Have you been to The King's Contrivance? Where are your favorite splurge-dining-spots? Tell me in the comments below!
But I do want to blog about the meal, because we were at the King's Contrivance. I've never been there, and it's higher up on the scale of restaurants than I normally visit. So here we go! (hocofood@@@)
The King's Contrivance is high-end "New American" dining. The restaurant is in a converted house off of Shaker Drive, atop a hill with a pretty circular driveway. Once you pass through the front door, a brilliant shade of red, you can see that the dining "room" is actually "rooms" - which makes the setup seem more intimate. The Maitre d' guided me upstairs to the party I was meeting, a group of about sixteen which took up the whole of the one large table in the room. This would be a great space for a dinner meeting or family celebration.
The restaurant offers a prix-fixed menu for 29.00, as well as their full menu. They offered a surprising number of options for the prix-fixed menu, though, so while I was tempted by some of the other offerings (escargot, panko-crusted brie, and the roquefort-crusted filet, to be precise) I went for the three-course meal.
I started with a bowl of seafood bisque, which was creamy and loaded with a few shrimp, big chunks of fresh crabmeat, and a few spoonfuls of rice (which was interesting, I've never had rice in bisque before). The soup was incredibly rich and had just a touch of sherry. I was really impressed with how perfectly the shrimp were cooked... I was less impressed with the fact that the cook did not remove the tail vein (which made one piece actually gritty). I know it's a pain to remove; I do it when I cook shrimp at home (and I don't need a gadget). Maybe I'm being picky, but seeing shrimp that's not properly cleaned, particularly at a nice restaurant, seems like carelessness or laziness to me.
The main coarse was pan-roasted Norwegian salmon, a thick slab of fish that came propped up on a thin corncake about the width of a waterglass. The salmon was very pretty, golden-crisp around the edges. It came drizzled with a wasabi vinaigrette that wasn't at all spicy, but lent a tangy salty flavor (like miso and rice wine vinegar) to the fish. Microgreens and a few fried wontons gave texture and crunch. The fish melted away in my mouth, perfectly cooked all the way through. Fantastic. Room-falls-silent-as-everyone-digs-in good.
Alongside the fish were small, equally-sized mounds of seaweed salad and pickled ginger. I usually think of pickled ginger as a condiment or palate cleanser, so it was a little confusing to see so much of it... but I love it, so that totally worked for me. The corncake was nice with a fancy scalloped edge, mild in flavor, studded with whole kernels. This main dish was awesome. I could eat it every day.
For the last course, I chose the dessert of the day - strawberry shortcake made with strawberry gelato. Given the chill of the weekend, this was like a taste of spring. The biscuit was light and sweet and tender, a nice contrast to the cold, dense gelato. A dollop of heavy whipped cream decorated the plate and punched up the richness factor, but the intense strawberry flavor of the sauce (with some chopped fresh strawberries) kept the richness from becoming overwhelming. The portion size was perfect after the first two courses.
The service was polite and efficient.
As someone who doesn't go out to high-end restaurants often, I'm pretty satisfied with my meal. Everything I tasted was delicious, and other peoples' food looked awesome. I'd like to go back some time, maybe for a very special occasion, and try some other items on the menu. I'm also curious to see if the experience is different for a party of two or four (versus a group of 16; I always wonder if I'm seeing the best side of a place when I go there for the first time with a large group).
Have you been to The King's Contrivance? Where are your favorite splurge-dining-spots? Tell me in the comments below!
3/25/11
Food versus Food: Morning Sunshine
It might not seem so, but I've become a morning person from habit, not nature. I've already mentioned the powerful draw of breakfast food in the Flapjack Fight... but that's not the end of breakfast.
Before I work out in the morning, I usually have something light to eat - a piece of toast, a handful of almonds, a cereal bar. And when I'm done? I'm hungry. What I appreciate most about my quick week-day "second breakfast" (besides the company) is its completeness: carbs and protein (and, let's face it, fat and salt) to keep me going through the rest of the day. Few things beat a good second breakfast.
So I give you... today's contenders! (hocofood@@@)
Contender #1: Sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich at Lakeside Deli and Cafe.
Lakeside is a small cafe on the ground level of 10227 Wincopin Circle in Columbia. Large glass windows do double-duty, spilling bright morning sunshine into the space while providing a nice view of the lakefront downtown. Patrons have their choice of seating, from cushy, comfortable chairs to small tables. The service is friendly and punctual.
It was easy to pick my sandwich: sausage, egg, and cheese. I had my choice of bagel, toast, or croissant... and decided to change things up and go with the latter.
My sandwich came out quickly - barely a minute after I'd fixed up my coffee and sat down - piping hot and tucked in a thin deli-paper wrapping. My first thought was that I'd forgotten to ask them to toast the croissant a bit, but when I unwrapped the sandwich, I realized they'd at least touched it to the grill - the croissant was warm, just shy of crisp. It was also buttery and flaky, exactly what I wanted.
The sausage patty was pretty much what I expected in terms of flavor, and I appreciated how the croissant picked up some of that flavor as I was eating. The eggs tasted fresh and were perfectly cooked - no bits that were too-brown or burnt, not too dry. The only thing I wanted was more cheese, or a more assertive cheese. A sharp white cheddar would have been really nice instead of the standard American.
All in all, my breakfast - a large coffee included - came to $5.82, and was delivered quickly. I was sorry to leave the pretty scene, but timing also plays a role in second breakfast.
Which brings us to....
Contender #2: Sausage, egg, and cheese eggel at the Bagel Bin.
I've already reviewed the merits of the Bin for its bagels, but I do spend a lot of time there so I wanted to match the Bagel Bin's signature breakfast sandwich - the Eggel - against my Lakeside find. Given that I spend an inordinate amount of time at Bagel Bin, I focused this FvF, like before, on this single visit.
I went to the Wilde Lake Bagel Bin, which is located at 10451 Twin Rivers Road. The people behind the counter were friendly and my order was ready within a few minutes.
Bagel Bin offers choices when it comes to Eggels - bagels, of course, but also cheese (provolone, munster, american, cheddar, or swiss). I went with American, and asked for a toasted supreme bagel. My total, with a refill coffee in my travel mug, came to roughly $6.30.
I really liked the amount of toast that was on the bagel: just enough to punch up the flavor and make it crunchy, but not so much that all of the spices on the outside were burnt. I thought the sausage patty tasted almost identical to Lakeside's.
The eggs were different, however. It seemed like the egg layer was a thin sheet of egg that had been folded together around some American cheese - without the cheese, it seemed a bit dry. There was a good amount of cheese on the sandwich, though, and with a few exceptions where the cheese failed to collect, it made the egg layers seem more moist.
With the bagel, this sandwich was extremely filling and definitely held me over to the afternoon.
The Decision: I liked both of these breakfast sandwiches. I thought Lakeside was a slightly better value - even with the discount for bringing my travel mug, Bagel Bin was more expensive. I also liked the interior space of Lakeside (it made me wish I had a mobile workplace), and appreciated the rapidity of service. On the other hand, Bagel Bin's friendly staff makes it a great place to start my day. The Eggel was filling and tasty.
On the basis of flavor, as well as the other factors listed above, I declare the winner to be.... Lakeside Deli!
Where do you go for Second Breakfast? Tell me in the comments below!
Before I work out in the morning, I usually have something light to eat - a piece of toast, a handful of almonds, a cereal bar. And when I'm done? I'm hungry. What I appreciate most about my quick week-day "second breakfast" (besides the company) is its completeness: carbs and protein (and, let's face it, fat and salt) to keep me going through the rest of the day. Few things beat a good second breakfast.
So I give you... today's contenders! (hocofood@@@)
Contender #1: Sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich at Lakeside Deli and Cafe.
Lakeside is a small cafe on the ground level of 10227 Wincopin Circle in Columbia. Large glass windows do double-duty, spilling bright morning sunshine into the space while providing a nice view of the lakefront downtown. Patrons have their choice of seating, from cushy, comfortable chairs to small tables. The service is friendly and punctual.
It was easy to pick my sandwich: sausage, egg, and cheese. I had my choice of bagel, toast, or croissant... and decided to change things up and go with the latter.
 |
| Sausage Egg and Cheese Croissant and coffee at Lakeside Deli. |
My sandwich came out quickly - barely a minute after I'd fixed up my coffee and sat down - piping hot and tucked in a thin deli-paper wrapping. My first thought was that I'd forgotten to ask them to toast the croissant a bit, but when I unwrapped the sandwich, I realized they'd at least touched it to the grill - the croissant was warm, just shy of crisp. It was also buttery and flaky, exactly what I wanted.
The sausage patty was pretty much what I expected in terms of flavor, and I appreciated how the croissant picked up some of that flavor as I was eating. The eggs tasted fresh and were perfectly cooked - no bits that were too-brown or burnt, not too dry. The only thing I wanted was more cheese, or a more assertive cheese. A sharp white cheddar would have been really nice instead of the standard American.
 |
| The interior of Lakeside Deli. |
All in all, my breakfast - a large coffee included - came to $5.82, and was delivered quickly. I was sorry to leave the pretty scene, but timing also plays a role in second breakfast.
Which brings us to....
Contender #2: Sausage, egg, and cheese eggel at the Bagel Bin.
I've already reviewed the merits of the Bin for its bagels, but I do spend a lot of time there so I wanted to match the Bagel Bin's signature breakfast sandwich - the Eggel - against my Lakeside find. Given that I spend an inordinate amount of time at Bagel Bin, I focused this FvF, like before, on this single visit.
I went to the Wilde Lake Bagel Bin, which is located at 10451 Twin Rivers Road. The people behind the counter were friendly and my order was ready within a few minutes.
Bagel Bin offers choices when it comes to Eggels - bagels, of course, but also cheese (provolone, munster, american, cheddar, or swiss). I went with American, and asked for a toasted supreme bagel. My total, with a refill coffee in my travel mug, came to roughly $6.30.
I really liked the amount of toast that was on the bagel: just enough to punch up the flavor and make it crunchy, but not so much that all of the spices on the outside were burnt. I thought the sausage patty tasted almost identical to Lakeside's.
The eggs were different, however. It seemed like the egg layer was a thin sheet of egg that had been folded together around some American cheese - without the cheese, it seemed a bit dry. There was a good amount of cheese on the sandwich, though, and with a few exceptions where the cheese failed to collect, it made the egg layers seem more moist.
With the bagel, this sandwich was extremely filling and definitely held me over to the afternoon.
The Decision: I liked both of these breakfast sandwiches. I thought Lakeside was a slightly better value - even with the discount for bringing my travel mug, Bagel Bin was more expensive. I also liked the interior space of Lakeside (it made me wish I had a mobile workplace), and appreciated the rapidity of service. On the other hand, Bagel Bin's friendly staff makes it a great place to start my day. The Eggel was filling and tasty.
On the basis of flavor, as well as the other factors listed above, I declare the winner to be.... Lakeside Deli!
Where do you go for Second Breakfast? Tell me in the comments below!
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