You're no fool - Meet Giada on April 1st when she comes to town

The Food Network Star, Giada De Laurentiis comes to the Baltimore area on Sunday, April 1st for a book signing.  The granddaughter of film producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome into their large Italian family and eventually attended Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.  An Emmy winner, Giada has grown her brand over the past 10 years with cooking and travel shows.

Get full details HERE

This Weekend: Cafe Hon, Spaghetti Disco and Small Food

What’s on your food agenda for this weekend?  Does Friday night constitute the weekend?  Too me it does, so here is tonight’s pick, the airing of the  Cafe Hon's Kitchen Nighmare's episode on channel 45 at 8 p.m. Sneak peeks at the episode have been aired, check out the video below.  Some say this was a brave thing for Whiting to do, some say otherwise – either way, tune in.

Saturday night there are two choices as diverse as they can be and if you time it correctly you can do both.

Continue reading and watch the video on Examiner.com This Weekend: Cafe Hon, Spaghetti Disco, and Small Foods

Two farmers market vendors celebrate opening their own restaurants

If you have been to any of the farmers markets in the Baltimore area you have met Eula McDowell and hopefully tasted any one of her Savory Bean Soups and Nikki Lewis with her trip down sweet street Mallow Crunchies (formerly Mallow Munchies).  A dream, a vision, a belief and a strong following has led both these culinary nomads to their own permanent homes opening this week.

Continue reading Two farmers market vendors celebrate the opening of their own restaurants

Walk the red carpet at Pazo on Oscar night

Our pick for the gala of the week is AIRS 11th annual Oscar Night Baltimore Gala at Pazo Restaurant on Sunday February 26th. Dress to dazzle, walk the red carpet, dine and dance all to benefit CitySteps, a supportive housing program for homeless and unstably housed youth ages 14-24.

Have fun, hire a limo and bring your posse all decked out and ready to party!!!!

Continue reading  Walk the red carpet at Pazo on Oscar night

Gourmet dining bargain of the week – Tuesday, February 21

i’m always on the hunt for a great meal for a cost effective price.  Not the chain 2 full dinners for $20, a good meal, a quality meal.  Well here is one for you.  Chef Anisha Jagtap, Baltimore Burger Bar in Hampden is showing her creativity, skill and love for food with her chef’s tasting menu this Tuesday, February 21st – five courses and an amuse bouche for $25. It is BYOB and of course there will be tax and gratuity.

Check out the menu and remaining details HERE

Kosher/ Soul: African American-Jewish cooking demonstration today

Michael W. Twitty, Culinary Historian - courtesy of  the Jewish Museum of Maryland

Wondering what to do on this Sunday afternoon? Do I have a suggestion for you. Pull the computer chair closer to the screen bubbala while I fill you in. You like to cook and you like to eat – you can’t go wrong.
Learn a bisel, nosh a bisel – what fun you can have today!

Continue reading  Kosher/ Soul: African American-Jewish cooking demonstration today

Valentine's Day equals chocolate

Out of the 365 days a year, the one day I expect chocolate is Valentine’s Day.  In fact, I tweeted to my husband “ @daracooks says @thomasbunjon Valentine’s Day = Chocolate.”  A number of my tweet buddies asked about lobster, they know about my love of lobster. Lobster is for the other 364 days a year.

In actuality, the husband took me to Salt Tavern on Friday night for an early Valentine’s Day dinner to avoid the crush of the holiday.

Continue reading  Valentine’s Day equals Chocolate

Chef of the Year, Favorite Restaurant, Favorite Bar - your votes decide.

The Restaurant Association of Maryland has tallied all your suggestions for the 2012 Annual Awards Gala that is being held Monday, April 16th at Martin’s West.  They have narrowed each category down to five nominees and you get to vote for your favorites. New categories this year that takes a look at favorite food truck and craft brew programs.

Nominated for "Best New Restaurant"

Continue reading on Examiner.com Chef of the Year, Favorite Restaurant, and Favorite Bar – your votes decide#ixzz1mIRw0lAH

When Cafe Hon's Kitchen Nightmares episode will air

Probably one of the most controversial Baltimore restaurateurs, Denise Whiting of Cafe Hon put herself and restaurant up for national scrutiny when in November; Chef Gordon Ramsay  came into Hampden to film Kitchen Nightmares. This episode might be a bit different than most Kitchen Nightmare episodes because there were fences to be mended, public relations fences.

Hot off Denise Whiting’s Facebook page and onto your TV schedule, the Cafe Hon episode will air Friday, February 24th at 8 p.m.    

Esquire Magazine's John Mariani talks Baltimore and dining in Little Italy

I have been subscribing to John Mariani's dining reviews for a number of years and even have his The Dictionary of Italian Food and Drink as one of my desktop references. There is no doubt that Mariani is considered an expert on Italian dining and Italian wines, good enough to write for Esquire Magazine.
 
Hot off the Web

Mariani's  review City on the Harbor: Baltimore takes a broad stroke look at Baltimore's history, our symphony, our film makers Waters and Levinson, a look back at restaurants that have come and gone, the chain restaurants of Harbor Place and more specifically at dining in Little Italy.

Read the full story HERE

My first underground dinner created by Beej Flamholtz

I guess the first thing to define is an underground dinner, usually in someone’s home, under the radar of zoning and health codes, it’s like a private supper club but you pay. Caterer and personal chef Beej Flamholtz is above board with his licensed catering business. He kicked off his underground dinners this past week by creating a five course tasting menu for those in the know.  Read the full story and check out the slideshow HERE.

Cookbook Corner: Off The Menu by Marissa Guggiana

Intrigued by the cookbook title, Off The Menu – staff meals from America’s top restaurants, I requested a review copy. If you have ever worked in a restaurant, and that is a great number of you, do you remember your staff meals?  For me, my favorite staff meal was at Hoang’s Seafood Grille with a bowl of fish head soup.  Possibly that might not be your favorite but it was mine.

Read the full review HERE.