The Creative Tourism Network wants to bring creative tourism to Baltimore

The Creative Tourism Network,based in Barcelona, Spain wants to bring creative tourism to Baltimore.

“Creative tourism is travel directed toward an engaged and authentic experience, with participative learning in the arts, heritage, or special character of a place, and it provides a connection with those who reside in this place and create this living culture” - UNESCO, Creative Cities Network.

Caroline Couret, co-creator and manager of the Creative Tourism Network, an international organization created with the aim of developing creative tourism, currently operating in over 30 countries, states:

‘I’m very excited about the possibility of this project and to find the points in Baltimore that can be fostered to this kind of tourism and to build bridges between our two cities!

The last couple of years it grew very, very quickly to a much more generalized audience. Conventional tourists are including these participative activities in their program in order to have another approach to the destination. In Barcelona, for instance, in 5 days, the length of our traditional stay in the city, more and more people are devoting 1 day or half a day to an activity which could be a cooking lesson or a dancing lesson, things very different for them and above all, they will certainly bring the best report back, the best souvenir of their stay!”

‘Blowing glass in Biot (French Riviera), dancing Rumba in Barcelona, baking croissants in Paris, performing a concert in a church in Rome, participating in a cooking class in Bangkok, weaving according to Mayan tradition in Guatemala or even producing chill out music in Ibiza…are some of the many experiences the creative tourists are eager to live, when they travel.’

Ms. Couret talks about her organization in an interview on Baltimore Internet Radio, an internet only radio station that networks Baltimore Md. with people worldwide. The station has listeners in 40 countries and throughout the USA. 

http://www.baltimoreinternetradio.com/tourism.html#creativetourismnetwork 

For more information contact:

David Custy                                       

President,                                           

Baltimore Internet Radio LLC      

1810 Bank St                             

Baltimore, Md. 21231

www.baltimoreinternetradio.com

dcusty@baltimoreinternetradio.com

Ph. 410-675-0682

Cell 443-813-8214

Twitter @BaltIntRad    https://twitter.com/BaltIntRad

B and O American Brasserie new menu items for spring

B and O American Brasserie is an interesting multi-level dining room in the historic Baltimore & Ohio Railroad headquarters that now is home to The Monaco Hotel. The look is reminiscent of a private, luxury rail car – the deep tones of wood and leather permeate both floors with a big picture window to the street, a backdrop to their bar.  Brendan Dorr, mixologist extraordinaire, award winning will shake you up a mean cocktail.  

Invited back by B and O American Brasserie to taste and write about Chef Ransom’s new seasonal additions to their menu. Having enjoyed and relished chef’s culinary offerings when he first made his appearance in the fall of 2014, I couldn’t refuse. 

Check out slideshow and complete story HERE.

Preserve Restaurant - American regional cuisine on Main Street Annapolis.

A short walk up from the marina on Annapolis’s Main Street is Preserve restaurant, a recent addition to state capital’s lunch, dinner and brunch dining establishments. Preserve is a salute on the plate and in a glass to what is fresh and local now and the art of preserving via canning, pickling and fermenting what vegetables and fruits were in their prime seasons before.   

On a pleasantly warm evening in May when I dined at Preserve the garage-styled, rolling front wall was up and pleasant breezes from the bay wafted through the small, but smartly designed restaurant. 

Watch the slideshow and read the full review HERE.

Southern roadhouse vibe: Canton's Jokers 'n Thieves

Jokers  ‘n Thieves’s menu couldn’t be more low country; twelve-hour smoked brisket, shrimp and grits, fresh pork cracklins’, pimento cheese, greens, cheesy Carolina Gold rice, and numerous bourbons that would  delight any Southern gentleman or lady.  The revamped food and drink emporium on the corner of Canton Square is painted a vivid blue on the exterior and optional seasonal al fresco dining tables. Inside is another view; exposed rafters, what appears to be reclaimed wood and tiles on the wall, rough-hewed wood tables, two bars with flat screen televisions,  fresh cut flowers on the tables, exposed bulb lighting and very old fashioned looking bar stools. Jokers ’n Thieves has that casual Southern roadhouse vibe, but in an urban setting. Live music on Friday and Saturday night adds to the roadhouse charm.

A visit, hosted by Jokers’n Thieves, afforded me an opportunity to taste test Executive Chef Jesse Sandlin’s culinary explorations into low country cuisine. Chef Sandlin, recognized as one of Baltimore’s top chefs, having in recent years headed the line at Vino Rosina and Oliver Speck’s Eats and Drinks. 

Read the full story and watch the slideshow HERE.

Local businesses partner and create Fried Green Tomato Ice Cream

Miss Shirley’s Cafés, known for southern inspired, breakfast, brunch and lunch and the Charmery, Baltimore’s own premium ice cream maker,  have entered a dreamy, ice creamery partnership with the creation of unique ice cream waffle sandwiches.

June kicks off with a unique and delicious Fried Green Tomato Ice Cream sandwiched between a Cajun spice mini waffle  served with a real southern fried green tomato and chow  chow.  This is the first of many partnerships of hand crafted  ice creams from the Charmery and can be found at all the Miss Shirley’s Café locations; Roland Park, Inner Harbor and Annapolis.  Fried Green Tomato Ice Cream will also be available at The Charmery in Hampden mid-June.

• July: Bloody Mary Ice Cream sandwiched between Old Bay mini waffles with jalapeno-smoked bacon, garnished with green olive and celery stalk
• August: Sweet Tea Lemon Mint Ice Cream sandwiched between lemon scented mini waffles, garnished with mint and lemon wedge.
• September: Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Ice Cream sandwiched between cinnamon Danish mini waffles, garnished with raisins and cream cheese icing
• October; Apple Cider Doughnut  Ice Cream sandwiched between Granny Smith apple mini waffles, garnished with maple glace and house-mad whipped cream.

The Charmery www.thecharmery.com/  @TheCharmery  - Miss Shirley’s Café www.missshirleys.com/
@MissShirleys

French chef takes over the French Kitchen

 

It was a little over a year and half ago that the French Kitchen in the historical refurbished Lord Baltimore Hotel opened and in that time have had a handful of chefs running their culinary endeavors; the restaurant, banquets, room service, the LB Tavern and the LB Bakery. For whatever reasons, they didn’t work out, but if you are going to have a restaurant called the French Kitchen, bringing in a French chef, Chef Frank Ziegler, who grew up in Alsace, makes great marketing and hospitality sense.

Chef Ziegler comes to the table, excuse my pun, having worked at Le Caveau d’Eguisheim alongside Michelin Star Chef Schubnel and formative cooking training at the three Michelin Star L’Auberge de I’lll  and Pavillon LeDoyen.  His CV reports his United States experience at five star hotels and resorts at the Delano Hotel Miami with Chef Claude Troisgros and with Chef Curtis Duffy from The Peninsula Chicago.  His wanderlust took him worldwide as assistant culinary director and executive chef in Bangkok, New Delhi and Jakarta.

Check out the slideshow and complete story HERE.

Mason Dixon Master Chef competition is back for its 5th season

Ignore the cooking competitions on television when you can see chefs up close and personal, put to the test with ingredients and time restraints at the 5^th annual Mason Dixon Master Chef tournament being hosted at the Inn at the Colonnade Baltimore.  Sixteen regional chefs cook, similar to March Madness bracketed competitions, starting Monday, June 15^th and ending Sunday, August 16^th with the last two chefs standing doing head-on culinary battle for the 2015 title.

A full schedule as well as chef bios are available at http://www.masondixonmasterchef.com/schedule-results/bracket.php.

2015 Mason Dixon Chef Competitors

Kiet Philavanh, Basta Pasta

Jonathan Hicks, Birroteca

Wilbur Cox, Jr., Bistro Rx

Cole Whaley, Café Rue

Alfio Celia, Carluccio’s

Andrew Maggitti, Chartwell Country Club

Lanydrek Christ Pandzou, Colony South Hotel

Dana Herbert, Desserts by Dana

Rick Koplau, Duke’s Grocery

Jirat Suphrom-In, My Thai

Melissa Fordham, Personal Chef Services

Jeff Keeney, The Point in Fells

Sean Praglowski, Power Plant Live!

Bill Kelley, Renditions Golf

Niko Negas, Roasthouse Pub

Greg Mason, The White Oak Tavern

Guests are invited to be part of the excitement; tickets for all 15 dates of this summer-long single-elimination chef competition are available for purchase at: http://www.masondixonmasterchef.com. Tickets for most matches are $25 for general admission and $45 for judging experience (including all taxes). In addition, the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament donates 10% of the net proceeds of each ticket sold directly to their charity partner Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (http://www.mealsonwheelsmd.org).

Competition Dates (5:30pm – 9:00pm):

June 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30

July 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28

August 10, 11, 16

Event Timeline:

5:30 p.m. – Happy Hour with Complementary Hors d’oeuvres and Wine Tasting by Boordy Vineyards, plus Drink Specials

6:30 p.m. – Cold Prep Begins for the Competition

7:00 p.m. – Chef Competition

8:00 p.m. – Judging Begins, Complementary Dessert and Coffee Served

This multi-week event is a single-elimination tournament designed to showcase some of the area's finest executive chefs and restaurants. Guests attending this exciting event will be more than just spectators, as they enjoy the unique experience of witnessing two spectacular area chefs battle it out in the prep kitchen right on the main floor. Each evening, two chef teams go head-to-head to prepare an appetizer, entrée and dessert for each of three expert judges, as well as amuse bouche portions of their entrees for up to 30 audience member judges. Their creations are scored on creativity, presentation and taste, and only one chef advances to the next round. At the end of this tournament only one of the 16 competing chefs will emerge as THE Mason Dixon Master Chef! 10% of the net proceeds of each ticket sold directly to Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. More information available at www.MasonDixonMasterChef.com, on Twitter @MDMasterChef, and Facebook at Mason Dixon Master Chef.

Pane e Vino opens in Baltimore's Little Italy

As I am reviewing my snapshots and photos shared by fellow bloggers, Kathy and Neal Patterson of MinxEats.com at a media gathering at Little Italy’s latest addition Pane e Vino --- I am salivating with sense memories of the appetizer sized and shareable dishes we tasted.  The giant buffalo/ricotta meatball with rustic garlic toast is possibly “the best” meatball I have ever tasted; tender, moist – the perfect balance of meat and filling.  Let me sing the praises of the sous vide calamari, broccoli rapini and tomatoes, sopping up the juices with the crusty bread. It was tough sharing it when I could easily have consumed the whole dish.   These were two amazing dishes out of numerous shareable and small plate offerings we enjoyed that evening.  The Piadina – grilled steak, stracchino, arugula, housemade harissa, pickled onions and the flatbread , more foccacia-like, porcini, prosciutto and Gorgonzola are shareable portions. No buffalo chicken wings at Pane e Vino, they offered chicken drumsticks instead with their harissa --- clever using the chicken legs --- everyone always goes for the drumettes on the wings. 

Watch the slideshow, read the full story HERE