What is your favorite Halloween candy?

As a child candy corn was a favorite. Like Baltimore’s famous rainbow cake it would be eaten in layers, the triangular white top, then the yellow and finally the broad base of orange. The thought of eating candy corn today sends a ‘too sugary’ blast to my molars.

Read the full story - click the hyperlink: What is your favorite Halloween candy?

Putting the twinkle back into Little Italy

You could light up the universe and have a star named after you or you could help light up Baltimore’s Little Italy.

Many of you have crossed under the Little Italy banner sign on Eastern Avenue that says Little Italy in teeny lights. Well the sign needs community support--read all the details:

Putting the twinkle back into Little Italy

The haunting at Montford and Boston – is there a new incarnation?

Just in time for Halloween is the haunting of the restaurant building on the corner of Boston Street and Montford. Is this location cursed? How many re-incarnations will this dining spot go through before there is success?

Let me see if I can remember the many lives of restaurants that were housed in the unusally shaped building.

Get the scoop:  The haunting at Montford and Boston – is there a new incarnation?

Holiday Entertaining Uncorked – a FREE one hour webinar for the wine challenged

Entertaining or being entertained over the holidays can be stressful. Wouldn’t it be nice to get some free advice on food and wine pairings for parties/dinners, how much wine to buy for your gathering, wine and cheese combinations and what wines to buy for gifts, .... read the full story and how you can sign up for the FREE webinar Holiday Entertaining Uncorked:

Holiday Entertaining Uncorked – a FREE one hour webinar for the wine challenged

Lobster alert - $6.99 a pound

On my Facebook Page where you put your descriptor, that little box under your photo, are the following words, "Mention foie gras and lobster and I will follow you anywhere!" This tells you I'm pretty passionate about lobster and vigilant about watching fresh lobster prices. The real treat is bringing a lobster home, cooking it and munching on it in the den while watching a movie. Like steamed crabs, I pick every little morsel out of the bright red crustacean and the husband has NO PATIENCE whatsoever

Read the full story and see who has lobsters on sale:

Lobster alert - $6.99 a pound

Doing Halloween Russian Style – Europa’s Halloween Ball

Have you picked out your costume for Halloween yet? Do I have a place where you can show it off and possibly win big prizes for the scariest or funniest? Europa, under other guises is a banquet hall but on weekend nights when the 200 plus seat facility isn’t filled with weddings or mitzvahs they have cabaret nights.

Europa is going all out for their Halloween Ball which is Saturday night, October 30th starting at 9 p.m. Check out the details, snaps and video:

Doing Halloween Russian Style – Europa’s Halloween Ball

Chef Arturo Paz of Phillips Seafood’s Freshest Catch cooking class - Nov 6th

This writer is a cooking class queen. I’ve been to more cooking classes than most people I know, especially in restaurants – in fact, for twelve years I organized them. There have been good ones, demonstration one, bad ones, great ones, partial hands-on and full tilt get-down and get dirty classes so I feel I’m a good judge.

A number of people come to the cooking class who will never ever fix the recipe but love the behind the scenes look....read the full story and check out the slide show:   
 
Chef Arturo Paz of Phillips Seafood’s Freshest Catch

The holidays are coming Baltimore - does that mean extra pounds?

The “holidays” have always related to “calories” and “bad food”…you know the bad food, we all do. Halloween just this week there will be unnecessary candy around.

Whatever the reason, many of us have to watch what we are eating from the athlete who needs carbs to the diabetic who doesn’t. Read the full story:

The holidays are coming Baltimore - does that mean extra pounds?

It is official - there will be a third Mari Luna restaurant in Baltimore

From my lips to God’s ear and from Chef Jaime Luna’s lips to my ears there will be a third Mari Luna Restaurant. The paperwork is signed and the new Luna creation, Mari Luna Mexican Bistro, will be coming to you sometime in late winter 2011.
Chef Luna grabbed rave reviews on his first location, Mari Luna Mexican at Seven Mile Lane and Reisterstown Road and the remodeled Carvel location packs them in every night.

Get scoop, check out video and snaps:

It is official - there will be a third Mari Luna restaurant in Baltimore


photography courtesy of Michael Birchenall - Food Service Monthly

Pies top 2011 restaurant trend list – Check out Southern Pies

It isn’t too early to look at restaurant trends for 2011, didn’t they start pitching gifts on lay-away for Xmas in September.

From the restaurant and marketing company Andrew Freeman & Company of San Francisco comes their forecasting for the hottest trend for restaurants for 2011 and the word is pies: sweet and savory. You don’t have to wait to go to your favorite restaurant to get pie – no, you don’t, you can actually bake a pie, a Southern pie.
Check out Southern Pies and the almond custard pie recipe:

Pies top 2011 restaurant trend list – Check out Southern Pies

My foodie pick for the weekend – Saturday, October 23

Gosh, don’t you just LOVE this time of year? The trees are vibrant with color; people are busy, busy, busy with all the activities and events. Candy corn is starting to permeate air – adults and children alike are gearing up for Halloween. The air is crisp and fresh and a fabulous time to be outdoors which brings me to Let’s Eat - Charles Street

Let’s Eat - Charles Street - Get all the details and check out the participating restaurants:

My foodie pick for the weekend – October 23

What is Chef Annmarie Langton’s sign?

A little 70’s I know but Chef Langton’s sign is not astrological it is the sign for her new culinary endeavor, Gypsy Queen Café. You know Chef Langton from Helen’s Garden Cafe in Canton which was recently closed by its owners Tom Looney and Ed Scherer.

Get the full story: What is Chef Annmarie Langton’s sign?

Dine with Tom Colicchio, José Andrés as Eric Ripert prepares dinner

For my food loving friends here in Baltimore this culinary event is being held so close, Washington DC, that I had to let you know. This is an amazing opportunity for someone with dollars to spend, even a consortium of friends, to have Eric Ripert fix a four course dinner for you. Also joining you will be Chef Tom Colicchio and Chef José Andrés. This dinner auction package benefits D. C. Central Kitchen.

Get ALL the details: Dine with Tom Colicchio, José Andrés as Eric Ripert prepares dinner

Learn how to make ravioli for free

St Leo’s Church is looking for volunteers to help make ravioli for their big Ravioli Dinner that will be held Sunday, November 7th. It is that simple. It should be fun, like the villages in Italy where everyone comes together to make a big meal.

Getting your hands on some dough - get the full story :

Learn how to make ravioli for free

Carb lunching with Monyka in Hampden – where did you have lunch today?

It was on the calendar to do lunch today with Monyka Berrocosa, a friend and former colleague from our days at Vanns Spices. We had one very strong commonality; food - the preparation and the consumption. Though a number of years have passed from the days of Vanns we still make time to luncheon together at her home, my home or out.   The decision was to meet at Monyka’s and walk over to the Avenue - read more about the lunch time escapades:

Carb lunching with Monyka in Hampden – where did you have lunch today?

Gluten free and dairy free easy recipes – Cooking for Isaiah

When the publisher offered me a review copy of Cooking for Isaiah, a mother’s journey to create easy and delicious meals for her son who is wheat and dairy intolerant this writer really wanted to see these recipes.

Not gluten intolerant and not dairy intolerant - why the interest?

Have you noticed the increasing rise in food allergies in family and friends? More and more are suffering from food allergies. It is supported by The University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research recently released (Sept 27) - Read MORE: Gluten free and dairy free easy recipes – Cooking for Isaiah

Are you curious about the menu for the James Beard’s Celebrity Chefs dinner?

Not your typical food and wine dinner, the James Beard Celebrity Chefs dinner comes the Watertable Restaurant at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel this coming Thursday, October 21st at 7 p.m. with a cadre of award-winning chefs. To the best of my recollections it is the first time that there has been a James Beard Dinner held in Baltimore, so this should prove to be an exceptional dining experience.

The party begins ....

Get all the details, menu and chef biographies:Are you curious about the menu for the James Beard’s Celebrity Chefs dinner?

Who will win the Taste of Guinness? Your taste buds count!

Eight Baltimore Irish dining and drinking establishments are going for the glory in the annual Taste of Guinness Cook-Off this Thursday, October 21st at the FOP Lodge #3 – Baltimore City. The popular Irish dry stout will be a required ingredient in this cook-off to raise money for the Irish Charities of Maryland.

There are two awards The People’s Choice - read more and join the fun: Who will win the Taste of Guinness? Your tastebuds count!