Food Trucking in Baltimore County!

The Classic NE Lobster Roll and decadent Lobster Mac.

Though I love the relative quiet of living out in the 'burbs, I have to admit that on occasion I find myself missing the fun and variety that comes with living in a city like Baltimore, Philly or Pittsburgh.

Walking to a movie, meeting a friend for lunch at a local watering hole, swinging by the ballpark to catch a game on a sunny afternoon. All things that seemingly require much planning, coordination, schedule checking and, naturally, driving from THG HQ.

But where I might harbor the most simmering envy for city lifers is with the explosion of cool food trucks in and around Charm City. Who wouldn't love the chance to walk to a gourmet hot dog stand or taco truck for lunch? Or, grab something from Miss Shirley's without the wait I usually associate with my visits to their brick-and-mortar locations.

Even pit beef, pulled pork and a burger just sound better when you're standing outside a food truck, chatting up other customers and getting the straight dope on life behind a food truck order window from the folks working the register.

In other words, the stuff that never happens to me when I'm grabbing some fast food via the faceless drive-thru box or having a slice warmed up at a local pizza joint.

But fear not fellow suburbanites! Though I don't think they'll ever schedule a Gathering in our neck of the woods you can visit one of the area's best food trucks – The Silver Platter – during their fall residence at the intersection of York and Padonia Rds. (they've set up shop in the Gulf gas station parking lot, easily accessible from the Mars/Padonia Station parking lot).

I made my first trip out on Monday and had to try two of the truck's signature dishes – a New England Lobster Roll ($15) and a side of Lobster Mac & Cheese ($10). Made with orecchiette instead of the more common elbows, the Lobster Mac feels more like a pasta dish than a side. Still, I liked the creaminess and it featured a generous amount of lobster, but I think I'd still vote for the massive portion we got as a side from Daddy-O on Long Beach Island.

The Lobster Roll, however, was superb. The classic New England-style bun had been toasted on the grill which gave it a nice outdoor barbecue-type flavor and the accompanying lobster salad was packed full of lobster hunks and wasn't swimming in mayo. Fresh tarragon added a nice earthy taste and left me wanting more.

The Pit Turkey Sandwich before I carried out a meatectomy
and removed half the sliced turkey for today's lunch!

Not sure how long the truck would be sticking around I headed back on Thursday, figuring I'd try one of the specials that the truck offers each day in addition to their regular menu. I've never been overwhelmed by the Baltimore area's obsession with pit beef but I wanted to try the truck's taste on the area bbq speciality, so I zeroed in on the Pit Turkey Sandwich ($6) and a side order of Truffle Fries ($4).

I love smoke, I love barbecue and I seriously love turkey, so I was totally in love with Silver Platter's take on the ubiquitous holiday offering. The meat was thinly sliced and piled high on a soft, but not doughy, roll. I passed on the offering of lettuce and tomato and opted to make a quick sandwich spread out of mayo and barebcue sauce.

Before I did that, though, I literally had to remove half of the meat that was piled on the sandwich! Had I eaten the super-generous portion I'd still be sleeping off the oppressive food coma.

The Truffle Fries were also excellent – thick cut and generously seasoned, and also way more than I could eat at one sitting.

I spoke with one of the truck's operators and he mentioned that they'd probably be hanging out in the Baltimore County area for a bit. Maybe if this temporary relocation is successful word will spread to the other food trucks and we'll get some more visits!

Be sure to check out The Silver Platter on Facebook to see if they're set up in a neighborhood near you!

A Cheesesteak is Not a Philly and a Philly is Not a Cheesesteak

Herr's should know better.

Regular readers of this blog know that I'm an admitted, card-carrying Cheesesteak Snob. My general rule of thumb is that if you're a cheesesteak that wasn't made within 30 miles of Billy Penn's hat atop City Hall, well, then I'm not eating you.

Naturally, that rule applies double if you're some sort of chain. Like Arby's. (And even Wawa. Sorry Wawa.)

You've probably seen the commercial for the new Arby's "Philly". The one where the guy takes a bite of his roast beef sandwich and says, "I know a good Philly, and that's a good Philly".

My wife and I recoiled in horror the first time we saw that spot. We grew up in South Jersey, spent many a night in South Philly and went to college in Delaware and Philly (respectively). But our post-college lives took us to Pittsburgh, Arizona and finally back to the east coast, but to Baltimore (where they think they know how to make a cheesesteak, but they would be wrong... and their bread sucks). So, we've seen our share of misguided attempts at making the real deal.

Our reaction to the commercial? Pretty much, "WTF's a Philly?!".

Luckily, this story is gaining some media attention, though it's hard to get past those Occupy glory hogs and attention-whores in the Republican party.

The Philadelphia Daily News (which I'm shocked is still in business) took on the battle cry yesterday with their article, 'Philly's a city, not a sandwich' and I was happy to learn there's a website chronicling the misguided attempts at cheesesteaks from around the country.

McRib Returns for Those of Us Who Don't Live in Germany

The McRib is back!

In related news, did you know that in Germany it is on the menu all year?!

So, will you be altering your dining plans to fit in a McRib (or seven) before they – like the elusive sasquatch – disappear out of sight?

Something's Fishy. DNA Tests Show Cheaper Fish Being "Mislabeled".

I've often wondered about this when I go out to a restaurant.

A lot of fish look and, frankly, taste the same once they've been filleted, seasoned and cooked.

So, how do I know the flounder I'm paying top dollar for is really flounder ($23/lb.) and not, oh I don't know, swai ($4/lb.)?

Apparently, I'm not the only one to have these sinister thoughts. A Boston Globe investigation gathered fish from 134 restaurants, supermarkets and fish-mongers and gave them to an independent testing lab.

The results? DNA testing showed that 87 of the 183 fish tested were "mislabeled". That's a staggering 48%.

Keep that in mind next time you're eying up some pricey cod!

What Restaurant Dishes Are Ripping You Off?

What goes through your mind when you're looking over a restaurant menu?

One of the first things I think when I see a dish that catches my eye is, "couldn't I just make that at home?".

For instance, I love chicken but I can make chicken. Plus, chicken's cheap. So why would I pay, say, $22 for some chicken entree that I know I can make at home cheaper and maybe even fresher and better? (Fried chicken is probably my one exception to this rule. I LOVE good fried chicken but it's a major pain to make and also sorta tricky. If I know a place has a reputation for good fried chicken that might make me go for the bird.)

Same goes for burgers. I love that we're going through a burger renaissance and that there are alternatives to Burger King and McDonald's popping up all over, but nine times out of ten I've discovered that I could make a better burger at home than anything I'm getting out. (Which explains why I have yet to try a Five Guys.)

All of this came to mind after reading this ABC News article about how certain restaurant foods may feel like a bargain but they're really not. Not exactly groundbreaking stuff – don't we all know pasta dishes cost about $5 to prepare? – but I did find it interesting that over the last 15 years appetizer costs have risen disproportionately to the increase in food costs.

What about you? Do you let your home cooking skills factor into your menu choices when dining out? Please comment below...

Wine Pairings for Halloween Treats

If there's one thing I've really enjoyed about recent food and wine writing on the web has been the de-snobbing of wine.

Oh sure, there are still plenty of wine snobs out there who wouldn't use the table plonk I quaff to rinse their glasses, but some wine sites have even shown a sense of humor (gasp!) by breaking down and pairing wines with, say, fast food.

So I had to smile when I was reading Bottlenotes and stumbled upon this article about the right wines to pair with your Halloween treats.

Guess What Parents? Now You Need to Add Creative Notes to Lunches. Good Luck with That.

It didn't take long for retailers like Pottery Barn
to get in on the Lunch Box Note Craze!

When I was a kid nothing made me happier than the day my Mom broke down and bought lunch bags adorned with the faces of my favorite Phillies. The white, crinkly bags featured charcoal sketches of Tug McGraw, Bob Boone, and, of course, the great Larry Bowa.

This was far better than the usual brown paper bag, and in a house where frugality ruled this gesture spoke volumes about Mom's love.

In other words, I never needed a note that read "I love you!" or "You are so creative!".

But now, in addition to the pressure to pick the right school, sign up for the right sports, throw good parties, arrange fun play dates and pack a worthwhile lunch, parents are now in the business of writing creative lunch box notes.

Win a Copy of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook from Bon Appetit

Admittedly, I lasted about 15 minutes into the premiere episode of The Beekman Boys before I switched the dial to something else.

But what do I know? The show – based around two NY city dwellers who ditched the hustle and bustle in favor of a 60-acre goat farm in upstate New York – has spawned a fast-growing lifestyle brand, best-selling book and an award-nominated website.

Naturally, the duo has put together a cookbook and I'm more than willing to choke down my aversion to their show for a chance to win a copy of The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook. The photos look great and I love any cookbook whose recipe pages have ample space for notes, substitutions, etc.

If you want to enter, simply go to Bon Appetit's Win a Cookbook page and post a comment. You'll need to be registered with the site to do so but they have good newsletters and regular giveaways so it's probably worth your while.

And if you don't win one you can always buy a copy at Amazon.

We receive a small commission for purchases made at Amazon through this blog. Thanks for your support!

Sizzler to Hit Streets with Food Truck

This is at least the second instance of a chain restaurant hopping on the food truck trend and announcing their attention to bring their menu to the people. I guess if the people won't come to you...

Sorry, let me put the snark away and just report the facts (courtesy of Fast Food Maven).

Sizzler is launching a food truck later this fall – currently tabbed ZZ Truck, but I'm guessing that will change once Billy Gibbons gets wind of it.

As if they're already anticipating a cease & desist letter, the company will hold a "Name That Food Truck" contest through October. Voters will get to choose between five beef-centric names (including KOW and Re, White & Moo) with voters being entered into a drawing for an iPod Touch.

Check out Sizzler's Twitter feed and Facebook page for more info. (Now there's a sentence I never imagined I'd be typing!)

Maryland Science Center Presents Another Installment of Science on Tap

Sorry for the short notice on this one but if you're free tomorrow night, the Maryland Science Center is presenting another installment of its popular Science on Tap series.

Join DuClaw brewmaster Jim wagner an explore various ingredients and the different roles ingredients play in the brewing process.  Learn about beer styles exploring both traditional and emerging examples. The general topic of beer will also be covered, as we delve into the truth, lies, and everything in between. Interactive components of the event include beer sampling and a chance to work with raw ingredients.

Science On Tap is designed to be a fun, informative and social evening that is as appealing to novice beer aficionados as it is for experienced connoisseurs. The evening includes sampling of various DuClaw specialties including Venom Pale Ale and Black Lightning, an informal classroom-style presentation, food, drinks, and a chance to mingle with the presenter.  

Tickets are $45 per person ($40 members) and are all-inclusive, beer, food, and Beer-ology presentation. Doors open at 7:00pm, the presentation will run from 7:30 to approximately 8:30pm, leaving time to mingle before and after the main portion.

For more information check out the Maryland Science Center events page.

Food Network Looking for Food Entrepreneurs for New Show

A new Food Network series is looking for FOOD ENTREPRENEURS preferably in, but not limited to, the greater NYC area (NY, NJ, CT).  Specifically, people who have left their previous career and have no professional food experience, but are taking a risk to launch their own food business.  You must be planning to open a brick-and-mortar space (restaurant or singular food ideas welcome) before the end of 2011.  Those chosen will receive culinary & business coaching from a major celebrity chef and restaurateur, as well as invaluable national publicity. E-mail foodtvshow@gmail.com for more info.