Let the Mushroom Recipe Challenge Begin

A few weeks ago I was going through some food-related posts from Twitter and saw an interesting mention from the fine folks at Marx Foods plugging their upcoming Blogger Mushroom Recipe Challenge. Though THG isn't a big "recipe blog" I thought it might be fun to throw my hat in the ring and see if they'd pick me to take part in the challenge.

Lo and behold, they did! And yesterday afternoon I walked from the mailbox with a box of dried mushrooms hand-foraged from the forests of the Pacific Northwest for me to experiment with.

Upon opening the box I found five small bags, each filled with such varieties as morels, lobster, porcini, matsutake and black trumpet. Unique and striking in their own way the mushrooms also smell incredible! Earthy, fragrant and meaty aromas jumped from the open box, filling my head with ideas.

I spent last night looking through cookbooks and surfing the web for inspiration, hoping to come up with a few different ideas I could make my own and successfully show off these fine ingredients. After a few hours my mind was spinning with ideas for soups, snacks, main dishes, toppings and more.

Of course, it'll be tough. My wife is my biggest help and best critic when it comes to experimenting with new dishes but she hates, Hates, HATES mushrooms with a passion so I fear she'll spend most of Mushroompalooza making gagging sounds and scrunching up her nose like she smells week-old trash.

Stay tuned as I channel my inner chef and come up with what I can only hope will be an entry that at least doesn't embarrass me!

The five sample bags of dried mushrooms I received from Marx Foods for taking part in the challenge.

Free French Cuisine Demo in Baltimore on September 23

Are you a Baltimore-area food enthusiast looking for continuing education in things like knife skills, cake decorating or fish prep?

Baltimore International College is now offering new Food Enthusiast Classes taught in the evenings by experienced BIC chef instructors at the Culinary Arts Center, located in Little Italy. A variety of different types of classes are available, such as cooking demonstrations and hands-on learning. You can learn the basics of knife skills to the proper technique for fresh fish fabrication to specialized cake decorating. Classes are offered as one session and everyone over 18 years old is welcome to attend (over 21 years old for wine tastings).

If you want to sample a class, the college is offering a free French cuisine demonstration on Thursday, September 23rd from 6:30-9:30 PM. Sample wine while watching the Chef instructor prepare classical French entrees which you'll get to try at the end of the demo.

The demonstration class is free but registration is required and is on a first come, first serve basis.

All classes are located at Culinary Arts Center, 210 S. Central Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202.

Next Food Network Star Casting Comes to Charm City

Okay Baltimore cooks, chefs, foodies, bloggers, line cooks, fry jockeys, waiters and hash slingers.

Casting for THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR will take place in Baltimore on September 26, 2010. This is your chance to get your face in front of casting agents for the show. According to the casting call info they're looking for strong culinary skills, passion for cooking, personality that pops, food knowledge and lots of energy & enthusiasm.

Do not let us down like most of the area contestants on TOP CHEF.

Details
Sunday, September 26, 2010 from 10 AM - 3 PM
Pier 5 Hotel, 711 Eastern Ave., 21202
Bring two recent photos, a copy of your resume and a completed application (found here).

For more information visit the casting agency website.