It's National International Waffle Day

NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL WAFFLE DAY 

Food memory:  This tasty tidbit is the Not Your Mama's Shortcake Belgium Waffle at the Iron Rooster in Hunt Valley. I was awarded yet another gold star in the clean plate club.  Ice cream, waffle, strawberries and whipped cream - you would clean the plate as well.  So if you are brunchng this Sunday, feel free to indulge!

Coming soon to store shelves near you - Thomas' salted caramel English muffins and bagels

From the company that made the phrase, “nooks and crannies” iconic, Thomas’ English Muffins, comes a limited time offering of salted caramel English Muffins and bagels. These sweet, salty combo flavored muffins and bagels will arrive on your local store shelves starting June 27^th through mid-October.

My food curiosity had to taste and upon request, samples arrived the next day.  A taste of the Salted Caramel  English muffin and the bagel proved that it is good for those with a sweet tooth whether for a breakfast item, on the go or just a plain sweet treat as a dessert or nosh.  The aroma of caramel is undeniable with both the bagel and the muffin.  My dilemma, what to put on the English muffin and the bagel, so I went traditional, butter on the English muffin and cream cheese on the bagel. My aha moment was thinking that a chocolate spread would be a good topping– chocolate, caramel and salt, unfortunately there was none in the house. Come the fall months, I would think sliced apple might be a nice topper.

Look for the Thomas’ Salted Caramel English Muffins and Bagels on your local store shelves in the next couple weeks.

Thomas’ Salted Caramel English Muffins - Available sizes: 6-pack -150 calories - 0g trans fat - 1 grams of fat - SRP $4.49 /  Thomas’ Salted Caramel Bagels - Available sizes: 6-pack-260 calories- 0g trans fat - 1.5 grams of fat - SRP $4.79

https://www.thomasbreads.com/products    Facebook   Instagram: @thomasbreakfast

New restaurants for Owings Mills: Eggspectation, Bon Fresco and IHOP

This past week Eggspectation opened in Metro Centre off Painters Mill Road, 10209 Grand Central Ave, located next to the subway station.  This Eggspectation is different from the others in the area, this is owned by the parent company based in Montreal – it is the first one they own in the US.  In fact, this Eggspectation, is and will be a template for future Eggspectations; modern, full bar, plenty of flat screen televisions serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.  The price point is more to the medium side than the cost effective side.  A slice of cheesecake was $10.

Open at 7 a.m until 10 p.m daily, Eggspectation offers a food and drink during happy hour. WEBSITE

The leases have just been signed for two restaurants in the Boulevard College Center on Owings Mills Boulevard. Both restaurants intend to open in mid-summer of this year and join additional dining options at the shopping center that includes Bonefish Grill, Edo Sushi, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Pie Five Pizza Co., Outback Steakhouse, Stone’s Cove Kitbar and Subway.   The shopping center is adjacent to Stevenson University not far from Reisterstown Road and Interstate 795.

The press release reads, “The Owings Mills location represents the fourth for Bon Fresco, which also operates restaurants throughout Anne Arundel, Howard and Prince George’s Counties. The concepts offers a variety of deli-style sandwiches such as corned beef, roasted turkey breast, tuna salad and grilled vegetable, together with freshly-made soups and salads. The International House of Pancakes owns and operates nearly 1700 locations throughout the United States and Canada and is recognized for its diverse breakfast menu including egg varieties and omelets, French toast and waffles. IHOP also offers a complete luncheon and dinner menu.    

New food hall R. House announces the first of 10 concepts: Ground & Griddled

Chef Dave Sherman, owner of Hampden’s Café Cito is the first confirmed concept for R. House and it’s called Ground & Griddled.  “Ground & Griddled will be a destination where both the food novice and super foodie can come and enjoy unpretentious breakfast and brunch cuisine with ridiculously warm hospitality,” Sherman said. “My mission is to make people feel completely comfortable asking questions about different coffees, techniques, and menu ingredients so that they can really enjoy their experience. I just want to share my love for coffee and eggs with everyone in Charm City.”

Read the full story and watch the video - Examiner.com/Baltimore Dining

Beignets for Christmas breakfast

How about something a little festive for Christmas breakfast, it only comes once a year? Who doesn’t love a warm beignet with their morning coffee?  The dough can be made a day or two ahead and held in the refrigerator ready to cook off Christmas morning.  Forget the bagels, donuts or cinnamon rolls; this will be a real treat.

Executive Pastry Chef Dyan Ng of Baltimore’s Four Seasons Hotel is sharing her beignet recipe she has been making for 10 years.  Her recipe has a honey butter glaze instead of the traditional powdered sugar – you can opt for the traditional or go with Chef Ng’s honey butter glaze.

Read the complete story and get the recipe at Examiner.com / Food

Blue Moon Too is officially open

Sarah Simington, chef and owner of the infamous breakfast spot Blue Moon in Fells Point has officially opened the doors to her second location, Blue Moon Too this morning in Federal Hill. The location is 1024 Light Street on the corner of Poultney Street, a former dry cleaner and also a 5 and 10 cent store. A lot of time and energy has gone into the renovations, breaking through walls to add windows, back to the exposed brick and the multiple chandeliers.

 

 Much larger than the Fells Point location, the location will be multipurpose along with her famous Captain Crunch French Toasts - art gallery (check out the picture of Beetlejuice), retail food production and most recently cooking classes by Chef Egg.

Chef Sarah Simington is rocking it: Food Fighters, radio and her Blue Moon Cafes

ONE: Tonight, Thursday, July 23^rd if you tune into NBC’s Food Fighters at 8 p.m. you will find Blue Moon Café’s Chef Simington in a head-to-head competition with a home cook contestant who is battling professional chefs for a grand prize of $100,000.  This will make Simington’s 2^nd appearance on the show, once last year and this episode – though she will be returning in another episode in a couple weeks to do battle once again.  If you are in the neighborhood of Dog Watch Tavern at 8 p.m. they are having a viewing party. 

The full story, slideshow and podcast are assessable through Dining Examiner. com  

Miss Shirley’s Café Spring menu has arrived just in time for Easter

Spring itself hasn’t arrived weather wise here in Baltimore. The below normal temperatures and Passover snow has us yearning for the glories of spring. But it seems that spring has arrived on the plates at all three Miss Shirley’s Café locations.

If you are trying to decided what to do for Easter then you might want to consider Miss Shirley’s which is open their normal hours 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. I was told that some of the chefs like to feature peeps with the pancake or French toast offerings.

Watch the slideshow and read the full story HERE