The Hungover Gourmet

FOOD COURT Roundup!

2012-01-27T07:43:00.002-05:00

There's a lot of food-related crime going on boys and girls. Keep your eyes and ears open and, hey, let's be careful out there.

Couple's Fast Food Order Mistakenly Includes Armed Gunman
I've heard of order mix-ups before, but this is ridiculous!

Fast Food Robbers Continue to Elude Police, Have Awful Taste in Food
The suspects are described as "lean" individuals. Apparently they're just robbing the local KFC, Golden Arches and Bojangles, not eating at them. I bet if they started robbing donut shops the cops wouldn't be so "baffled".

Cops Shoot Man Smashing Windows at Fast Food Joint
Today's lesson? Never bring a 3' metal bar to a gunfight.

Toddler Division! 5-Year-Old Stabs Three in Juice Box "Incident"
See? This is why I never run out of juice boxes. Kids are crazy for those things!

Neighboring Fast Food Joints Robbed Within Minutes of Each Other
5'10" man robs McDonald's. 6' man robs Wendy's on same block minutes later. Police say it's too early in investigation to determine if the robberies are related.

DRAFT PICKS: Captain Larry's, Here I Come!

2012-01-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's another in our series of rediscovered 'Draft Picks' ripped screaming from the files of The Hungover Gourmet. I immediately knew what this one was... a brief diss of the quality of The Baltimore Sun followed by some kudos for their food and dining section. The review that promoted this reflection was this one for Captain Larry's, a neighborhood bar in Federal Hill/Locust Point that apparently serves up a mean fish taco for lunch.

Despite a long-standing love of the newspaper medium I don't read the Baltimore Sun on a daily basis. Frankly, I think it's a pretty bad paper. I got spoiled as a kid with the Philadelphia Inquirer and think that even on its worst day the Inky is better than 99% of the newspapers being produced in big cities.

So when I get the Sun and the Sports section consists of about three pages of "news" that's mostly wire service copy I get kinda depressed.

But one thing I do like about the Sun is their coverage of the area food scene. I honestly look forward to the food and dining news that gets its own section each Wednesday and I've definitely become a fan of Monday's lunch review that not only comments on the food but also provides a look at how long it took for the meal to come out.

DRAFT PICKS: Josh Ozersky Disses Thanksgiving Culinary Tradition

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-05:00

While preparing some recent posts I noticed that I had 17 drafts (?!) sitting in THG's blog dashboard. After scanning the titles I had vague recollections what some of these were and no idea about others. This one dates from more than two years ago and must have been intended as a discussion of turkey preparation methods. Over the coming days I'll be serving up some more of these unedited 'Draft Picks'... who knows, maybe one of them will spark me to finish the actual article!

I really enjoyed Josh Ozersky's book about hamburgers and I'm glad I stumbled onto his Ozersky.TV site but I have to say that I don't agree with his recent article in Time about how Thanksgiving culinary tradition is all about "dry, bland" turkey and "stultifying side dishes" like "dusty cans of cranberry slime mold".

Don't get me wrong, I ate my share of dry turkey through the years and I don't think our Thanksgiving table evolved at all over the years. There was a rigid menu in place (probably before I was even born) and it never deviated from turkey, jellied cranberry, traditional stuffing, corn and mashed potatoes. I made an attempt to push the envelope one year by bringing a Crab and Beer Dip for pre-dinner football but it didn't meet with the open arms I was expecting.

That said, a dry, bland turkey is almost inexcusable these days. Whether you brine, grill, salt rub, deep fry or roast, it's not that hard to end up with tasty, moist turkey that you won't mind eating for days. I know I don't.

Best Burgers in Baltimore?

2012-01-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

Burger with Swiss, Bacon, Caramelized Onions,
Mushrooms and Garlic Mayo

The holidays have kept me away from the blogging game for awhile but that doesn't mean we've been resting on our laurels. The Hungover Gourmet is still out there pounding the pavement, trying new things and attempting to track down some good eats.

One of our favorite finds this last month was Baltimore Burger Bar down in the Hampden neighborhood. I took a flier on a local coupon for the joint earlier in the year and realized a few days before Christmas that it was about to expire.

Knowing that Ryan probably wouldn't go for the esoteric burger toppings – the BBB PB&J features "grass-fed beef, fresh peanut butter, berry elderflower marmalade, herbed banana and brussel sprouts, bacon, gouda" – we got a sitter for the afternoon and headed down to give it a try.

Frankly, most of the burgers I've had in Baltimore haven't been much to write home about. Either the restaurant is unwilling or incapable of cooking the burger the way I want (rare to medium rare), or the place serves up a decent burger that's no better than anything I can make at home. (Which is one of the reasons I have yet to try the much lauded Five Guys. I feel like I'm bound for disappointment.)

Up to this point, my favorite Baltimore burgers came via the Chowhound food truck that was hired to cater the fundraiser at my daughter's pre-school. And even though I was unimpressed by the rest of the meal, the Kobe and Foie Gras sliders at Salt are still memorable several years later.

Until further notice the Baltimore Burger Bar serves up my favorite burger in the area. Though a bit pricey (two burgers, two sides of fries and a couple canned sodas came in around $30), the grass-fed beef burgers are a hefty handful that were actually prepared the way both my wife and I like them cooked. The row house location is definitely casual and you can sit outside if the weather's nice or head up to a table in one of the rooms that overlook the Avenue. Makes for great people watching while you fight to keep the burger juices from escaping past your wrist and down your sleeve.

Topping options are plentiful and range from traditional to more outré. Side orders of fries were nothing remarkable but came well-seasoned with salt and black pepper. On my return visit I'll probably skip the fries and hope that one of their soups is in stock.

I plan to give Five Guys and the resurrected Gino's a try in the coming months, as well as a return trip to Towson's own Burger Brothers. Any other Baltimore area burgers I should definitely try? Or definitely avoid?

New Dutch Oven in the House!

2011-11-24T15:12:00.001-05:00

I loved our old Dutch Oven and used it for everything from cooking mirepoix to making spicy shrimp & grits. Unfortunately, it had an enameled interior and once it started to flake and chip we knew that was the end. (I looked around for some re-enameling kits but it didn't look like any of them were "food safe".)

Knowing that a full day of Thanksgiving cooking was on the way I opted for this 7 qt. Lodge Cast Iron pot. We have a Lodge Pizza Pan that we got for our wedding and we love so I felt confident plopping down the cash for this hefty pot.

Luckily, reviews and raves of Lodge pots and pans have been pouring in from friends on Facebook and Twitter so I feel like I did the right thing.

Anybody else have a Lodge pot/pan that they love? Or hate?

McDonald's Chicken McBites Spotted!

2011-11-24T15:08:00.001-05:00

The Great McDonald's Attempt at Chicken Domination Continues! This is the first I've seen these "upscale" chicken nuggets on the menu.

Didn't feel like trying them since we were rushed for time after doing some Thanksgiving menu shopping (coupled with the fact that I typically hate the Golden Arches' attempts at doing chicken right) but at $2 I'll probably sample the "Snack Size" at some point during the next couple weeks.

Who Else Does Gizzards?

2011-11-24T15:07:00.001-05:00

Am I alone in this? I love gizzards and will nosh on turkey organ meats all weekend.

Food Trucking in Baltimore County!

2011-10-28T11:06:00.001-04:00

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

2011-10-28T07:06:00.000-04:00

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

2011-10-26T10:55:00.001-04:00

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".

2011-10-26T10:42:00.002-04:00

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?

2011-10-25T08:15:00.000-04:00

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

2011-10-25T07:50:00.002-04:00

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.

2011-10-08T09:22:00.000-04:00

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

2011-10-08T08:55:00.002-04:00

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

2011-10-05T12:15:00.001-04:00

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

2011-10-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

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

2011-10-03T19:02:00.000-04:00

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.

Top That! Come Up with Our Fave Burger Topping and Win a $25 Gift Card

2011-09-29T14:25:00.000-04:00

Obscene, tasty and obscenely tasty burger toppings are nothing new.

But it feels like the ante has been upped now that Denny's is topping their patty melts with mac & cheese, a dish you'd normally find languishing on the side of your plate, looking on with jealousy as your mouth and eyes devour that burger patty.

Recent years have brought us such out there burger toppings as mashed potatoes, a cheesesteak and mozzarella sticks. But is that the best we can do? After all, this is the country that put a man on the moon! We're not better than the concoctions you'd see created at a 3rd grade cafeteria table?

So, show us what you've got. Visit us on Facebook and answer our post about how you'd top a burger. If you have our favorite topping you win a $25 Cheeseburger in Paradise gift card and we'll even prepare your burger for a future blog post.

Hurry, contest ends Friday, September 30, 2011!

Doin' it for the Ta-Ta's – RA Sushi Offers a Wine and Sushi Special to Benefit National Breast Cancer Foundation

2011-09-29T11:24:00.000-04:00

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, RA Sushi Bar Restaurant in Harbor East will be offering a wine and sushi special to benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation® (NBCF). From Saturday, Oct. 1 to Monday, Oct. 31, RA Sushi will donate 100 percent of the profits from the sale of the ONEHOPE Wine and Pink Roll combination to the Foundation.

The combo includes a glass of ONEHOPE California Chardonnay and the Pink Roll, which features shrimp, kani kama crab mix and sriracha combined with lettuce, avocado and cucumber wrapped in pink soy paper and served with a pink ribbon of strawberry sauce. The ONEHOPE Wine and Pink Roll special will be offered for $15 at RA Sushi in Harbor East as well as RA’s 24 other locations nationwide.

“When we first launched the ONEHOPE combo, Baltimore fell in love with the Pink Roll and the cause,” said RA Sushi General Manager Scott Bernas. “We’re happy to bring it back for another season and I know our customers are eager to support it again.”

In addition this season, guests who order the ONEHOPE special and check in to RA Sushi Baltimore on Foursquare will receive a pink Breast Cancer bracelet.

RA Sushi is located at 1390 Lancaster Street in Harbor East's The Eden. Visit RA Sushi online at www.RASushi.com or call 410-522-3200. You can also find RA Sushi on Facebook and Twitter.

First Taste of THE CHEW

2011-09-28T14:15:00.002-04:00

I haven't been able to bring myself to watch the premiere episode of THE CHEW (ABC's new daytime food/entertaining/whatever show that debuted on Monday). Initial reports from close confidants and people whose opinions I trust were not good.

But with time running out to head downtown and grab a lobster roll (or slider, or lobster slider) at The Silver Platter I decided to raid the kitchen, make a quesadilla and watch the live broadcast of the show that initial reviews referred to as "patronizing", "mundane" and "over-stuffed".

Sounds great!

First impressions:

Michael Symon is an annoying over laugher and all kidding aside it sounds like the giggle of an 80s action villain.
No surprise here, but Mario Batali is over-bearing and condescending – even to other chefs! Hey ABC, if a guy is largely thought of as smug and superior, having him host a segment where he imparts his "Kitchen Kommandments" might not be your best move. (Note: One of Batali's "kommandments" was that you only needed three knives. Somehow I'm thinking a Tomato-Baguette Knife isn't one of them.)
Poor Clinton Kelly has to keep the whole thing moving somehow and is easily the most likable part of the show (though he seemed so taken back by the uncomfy silence at the end of today's episode that he had a hard time spitting out the lame tagline).
I felt bad for Top Chefer Carla Hall when she brought up "Chow-Chow" and the rest of the cast pretended like they didn't know what it was. ("Ketchup? Hmm, interesting. Never heard of it.") I'm a movie nerd from New Jersey and I've heard of Chow-Chow!
As for the odd-looking blonde (Somebody Oz?), well, she's a real downer. Place the salad and healthy food in the middle of my fridge so it's the first thing I see when I open it? Thanks Dr. Buzzkill.

I'm sure I'll get around to watching the premiere one of these days, but I have to admit that this little drop-in did nothing to encourage me.

You'll Have to Pry My Cold Dead Hands from the Self Checkout Lane

2011-09-26T15:32:00.000-04:00

I do not ask a lot of my grocery stores: have some reasonably nice produce; a deli kiosk is always a plus; don't gouge me on the organic milk; a decent coffee selection would be good; and, for the love of god, throw me a self-checkout line or two.

And I don't mean the restrictive self-checkouts like they installed when ShopRite took over the nearby SuperFresh and pushed it way down on my preferred stores list. (Never has a store plummeted so far, so fast in my soon-to-be-published THG's Grocery Power Rankings.)

Give me a self-checkout. With a conveyor belt. I promise I'll be fast and efficient. Probably more so than 90% of your employees. No offense folks.

So what does my wife send me? An article about how self checkout usage is down and that some stores are phasing them out for lack of use.

Hey, stores that plan on getting rid of self checkout? Let me know where you are... so I never shop there!

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival Brings Gourmet Goodies to MD Fairgrounds

2011-09-26T10:36:00.000-04:00

Whether we want to accept it or not, the holidays are right around the corner and that means everything from office parties and entertaining as well as needing presents for friends, family and the hosts of those last minute holiday shindigs.

If you want to get some of your holiday shopping wrapped up early – and pick up some gourmet treats to keep on hand for impromptu gatherings or just snacking during the next football game – make plans to hit this weekend's Sugarloaf Crafts Festival at the State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

Frankly, I always had the crafts festival pegged as a place where I could get quilts, household decor and furniture, not gourmet food. So I was pleased to find out that this year's installment of the popular event will feature more than 20 food exhibitors selling everything from specialty drink mixes and gourmet snacks to cakes, cookies and more.

Here's just a sampling of the exhibitors who will be selling their goods – and hopefully handing out samples – when the show arrives this weekend:

Rowena's Italian Specialties – desserts, jams, curds and sauces
Rising Sun Farms – 100% gluten free and all natural tortas, spreads, marinades and more
Bittersweet Herb Farm – sauces, jams, oils and seasonings
Ron and Frank's Gourmet Beverages – hot chocolate, chai tea and their new coffee blend
Olevano Olive Oil – a wide range of olive oil-based products
Berkshire Sweet Gold – single crop, single batch maple syrup from Massachusetts
Pretzelphoria Gourmet Pretzels – choose from sweet and salty, hot and spicy or just plain indulgent
Lakes Almonds – gourmet roasted nuts
Wissie Cakes – breads, cookies, pound cakes and more
Leonard Mountain – stews, soups, dips and chili

Thanks to the fine folks at the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival we have a handful of free tickets to the festival good for admission Friday, September 30, Saturday, October 1 or Sunday, October 2. To get a pair of free tickets e-mail editor@hungovergourmet.com with your name and mailing address before Wednesday, September 28 at noon EST. While supplies last!

When a Man Loves Two Sunday Coupon Ads

2011-09-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

Oh how I love looking through the Sunday newspaper coupon inserts. Besides getting a glimpse of just what America is actually buying at the store (mini hot dogs wrapped in pretzels? french toast and sausage breakfast sandwiches?) there's usually at least one ad that makes me fall off the kitchen stool in a mix of astonishment, laughter and pure joy. Today, there were two.

And I've been serving mac and cheese on the side all these years!

I would have paid $50. But I'll probably just wait till they start showing up at garage sales in a few years.

Aldo's and Chazz Help Fight Childhood Hunger

2011-09-21T16:43:00.000-04:00

From September 19-24, restaurants across the country will be participating in Share Our Strength's Dine Out for No Kid Hungry. A national campaign focused on ending childhood hunger in America by 2015, the campaign raised more than $1.5 million last year and they hope to smash that record this year.

You can support both No Kid Hungry and Baltimore's restaurant scene by dining at Aldo's Ristorante Italiano or the buzzed about new kid on the block Chazz: A Bronx Original during the week. Both eateries – the only independent restaurants in the area taking part in the program – are donating 5% of sales to help end childhood hunger in America, which affects more than 17 million children.

“Childhood hunger is a growing problem in our country and is an issue that needs to be addressed,” said Sergio Vitale, Chef/Co-Owner of Chazz: A Bronx Original and Co-Owner of Aldo’s. “We are proud to participate in No Kid Hungry™ and hope that everyone will come out to Chazz and Aldo’s this week to not only get a great meal but to also help those in need.”

“We are asking everyone—private citizens, businesses, policymakers and other nonprofits—to help us end childhood hunger in this country,” said Bill Shore, Founder of Share Our Strength.

“I encourage everyone to dine out often at participating Dine Out For No Kid Hungry restaurants in September, then visit our web site, Strength.org, to learn what more they can do to make sure every child in America has access to the nutritious food they need.”

Share Our Strength’s Dine Out For No Kid Hungry is sponsored by Sysco, American Express, Ecolab, Open Table, Food Network, USA Today and the National Restaurant Association.

Blogus Interruptus

2011-09-03T09:18:00.001-04:00

One of the many branches and limbs
deposited in our yard by Irene.

Hoping all of our readers made it through Hurricane Irene ok. I was feeling pretty bold on Saturday night. After six-plus hours worth of rain and tropical storm winds that were shaking the 60-year-old trees around our house like maracas I finally went to sleep with power, cable TV, Internet, etc.

When my 4-year-old woke me out of a deep sleep on Sunday morning with a series of taps on the shoulder I discovered that sometime during the night we'd lost our cable and cable-powered Internet connection. We still had power – and only lost it for a brief moment on Sunday afternoon – but cable and Internet never returned.

In a house with a 4-year-old, one spouse who works in news and another who runs two companies from a home office, the lack of cable and Internet can make things a little tense. Thank god for local fast food joints, coffee shops and office supply stores who willingly supplied free Internet access (big shout outs to Office Depot, Starbucks and Caribou Coffee).

That was almost a week ago and as we left yesterday for an end-of-season weekend at the beach, power was finally being restored to the unfortunate souls in our area who had gone without since the storm peaked on Saturday night.

But we still didn't have cable/Internet, despite Comcast's optimistic message – displayed since Sunday – that the "temporary disruption" in our service would be fixed "momentarily".

Apparently, Comcast and I have different views of what "momentarily" means.

Now, I know that when your neighbors are sans power and the UPS guy is confessing that he bought 60 lbs. of beef on Saturday only to watch his power go out that night it's hard to bitch that your kid can't watch Max & Ruby and you're unable to send e-mails to customers or thank PR people for the latest care packages of DVDs and BBQ Sauce.

But now that power has been restored to our 'hood is it ok for me to bitch? Just a little?

For now, though, I'll enjoy the sun, sand and surf, hoping that when I return home I'll find a working cable connection.

FOOD COURT: Yogurt Shop Attack!

2011-08-27T07:52:00.001-04:00

Note to self: If the owner of a yogurt shop tries to lure me to a storage room check his hands for duct tape and adult diapers.

FOOD COURT: Even Green Tea Stands Aren't Safe!

2011-08-27T07:16:00.002-04:00

Here's a report from Massachusetts about what appears to be a green tea stand being shut down by beach police because they didn't have a permit.

Are Gourmet Hot Dogs the Next Big Thing?

2011-08-25T11:02:00.003-04:00

I love a good hot dog. And recent trends in fast-casual dining may spell good news for my taste buds (and bad news for my waistline!).

With better burger concepts like Five Guys grabbing all the attention and current economic woes forcing consumers to look more closely at their dining budget, are savvy restaurant minds turning their attention to the revitalization of the humble dog?

It looks that way, according to an article in QSR Magazine. Research shows that there has been a 5% increase in hot dogs on fast-casual menus in 2011 and we're not just talking about their ubiquitous presence on Kids Menus under names like The Popeye or The Porky Pig.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this trend will bring the recognition my beloved Dip Dogs so richly deserve!

Double Shot of FOOD COURT: Drunk Passengers and Burger Suits

2011-08-24T07:35:00.003-04:00

A businessman traveling from Phoenix, Arizona to the UK became enraged after flight attendants refused to serve him more alcohol. At one point, the US citizen allegedly sat in his seat with a broken bottle, claiming that he would "stab the pilots if they want".

Cult burger chain In-N-Out is suing an Aberdeen, MD burger joint, alleging that the logo and menu are too similar. The Associated Press reports that In-N-Out is suing Grab-N-Go Burger and "filed an infringement lawsuit this week in U.S. District Court in Baltimore... and is seeking a permanent injunction and unspecified damages." Guess I better get over there soon!

Countdown to MasterChef Finale

2011-08-16T17:34:00.002-04:00

Yep. This is my laptop wallpaper in honor of tonight's two-hour season finale.

Yep. I'm a grown man who will be 45 in November.

Yep. I'm gonna miss my weekly dose of Joe Bastianich.

MasterChef Finale and Season 3 Casting

2011-08-16T13:04:00.004-04:00

It has been a busy couple days in the world of reality cooking shows.

First we had Jeff The Sandwich King (not to be confused with Chuck The Evil Sandwich-Making Guy from Word Girl) being named the winner of Food Network Star. I'm not so sure that The Sandwich King has more legs and potential as a marketing vehicle than runner-up Susie's Spice it Up! (or whatever it was called), but Bobby Flay appeared to be the only one on the judge's panel not swooning under Jeff's spell.

I'm not sure it matters, though, as I don't think I've seen more than a handful of promos for Aarti Party or Ten Dollar Dinners over the last couple years. I love a good sandwich but not sure how many times I'll be switching off NFL pre-game coverage in order to watch TSK at 11:30 on a Sunday morning. (Especially if he's going to continue to refer to them as "sammys".)

I still haven't watched the premiere episode of The Great Food Truck Race but I have it on the DVR. Ooops. Guess I shouldn't have pulled up the show's page to get the link.

Last, but certainly not least (at least for me), comes the two-night, three-hour finale of FOX's MasterChef. I'm not 100% positive I'd tune in this show each week if it wasn't for Joe Bastianich and his captivating presence at the judge's table (witness last night's chiding of a quiver-lipped Christian and Suzie). Forget the fact that, as one wag pointed out, Joey Polka Dots looks like a villain for a B-grade 80s action flick, he makes the normally outrageous Gordon Ramsey look like a pussycat.

Who knows who will win tonight's two-hour culinary showdown? Will it be Christian (obnoxiously arrogant stay-at-home dad with a drug addict past who says the show taught him to "be myself" ... yikes!), Jennifer (toothy former beauty queen -- from Delaware -- who talks in visible exclamation points!) or Adrien (a surprisingly strong competitor who might win it all with his ability to deliver powerful flavors)?

Oh, who cares?! With two hours of Joe B on tap we're all winners!

Think you've got the stuff to make a dish that Joe won't throw in the trash? Casting is underway for Season 3!

Taco Bell Opens Entries for 2011 Feed the Beat Program

2011-08-16T11:32:00.002-04:00

Got a band? Want some free Taco Bell grub? How about a chance to be featured in a Taco Bell commercial?

Then head on over to the Feed the Beat website before September 9, 2011 and enter for your chance at one of the 100 Taco Bell $500 gift cards being offered to up-and-coming bands.

According to an article in QSR Magazine:

Taco Bell has fed 365 artists with $500 in Taco Bell gift cards, the equivalent of over 180,000 Taco Bell Bean Burritos (2007-2011)
Chiddy Bang became the first Feed the Beat artist to be featured in a national Taco Bell commercial (2011)
The Taco Bell Truck (@TacoBellTruck) starred in Feed the Beat artist New Found Glory’s music video, “Truck Stop Blues” (2010)
Taco Bell and Feed the Beat booked showcases at Austin’s biggest music festival, featuring multiple program artists at a “Feed the Beat” showcase and giving out free food to festival attendees (2010, 2011)
Taco Bell produced singles for “Best of the Beat” winners Hit the Lights, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Fireflight, giving them valuable exposure to even more audiences (2009)

THG's Six Pack – Premiere Edition

2011-08-06T09:24:00.009-04:00

Entertainment Weekly has their Must List. Golf Magazine wants to hip you to items on The Front 9. Even sister publication Exploitation Retrospect has their own junk culture and fringe media cheat sheet known as The Dirty Dozen.

So what's a poor food, drink, travel and fun blog/zine/website to do?

Why, start our own checklist of the things we love, of course!

Welcome to the first installment of THG's Six Pack, a weekly roundup of a half-dozen things we love from the worlds of food, drink, travel and fun. Reality cooking shows, snacks, recipes, new items, restaurants and more are all fair game. Who knows? We might even throw in – as we did below – a Dishonorable Mention or two. Got something you want us to check out? E-mail me or see the sidebar for our PO Box address.

Let's get started...

The Dapper Don of Reality Cooking Shows – I may have started watching FOX's Master Chef (a home cook version of Top Chef) because of Gordon Ramsey... but after a season and a half I'll gladly admit that it's restaurateur/judge Joe Bastianich (aka Joey Polka Dots) who brings me back week after week. Whether he's arriving at a challenge on a European scooter, questioning a contestant's ingredient choices or fixing a cook with his steely, withering glare, Bastianich has emerged as a household fave who – like Ramsey – should have three or four shows on the network. All Joe! All the time!

Boxed Wine is OK! – I was drinking boxed wine back in the 80s, though more out of convenience than any desire to blaze trails. Frankly, it cut down on trips to the liquor store and meant that a White Trash Cooler (half Mountain Dew, half boxed white wine) was just a refrigerator away. But now it appears that oenophiles are learning what I already knew – it's okay to drink boxed wine! Sure, you might have to put a paper bag over your head or pay some college kid to grab a box of some table plonk you don't want your wine snob friends seeing you hoist into the car, but isn't fresh wine without the hassle of a corkscrew totally worth it? And if you don't have a corkscrew you don't have to worry about this happening.

Halloween Candy Makes an Early Appearance – It won't be long before Facebook and Twitter will be filled with people complaining about cold weather and the fact that Christmas decorations are in stores. Sensing this ever-shorter window of opportunity, Halloween candy makers have already started stocking convenience stores and supermarkets I frequent. Though I doubt anything will beat last year's "Candy Blood Bag" I did get a kick out of the Gummy Werewolves being sold at Wawa. As old pal and fellow Joey Polka Dots fan Joe McNulty quipped, "Full supply of daily vitamins and gypsy curse".

Fast Food Wine Pairings – I'm not sure what I enjoy most about Snooth's series of articles in which they pair wine with takeout from the likes of McDonald's and Burger King. Maybe it's the tongue-in-cheek, yet serious, approach they take to the subject. Maybe it's the useful information I can use during my next Filet-O-Fish craving. Or maybe I just like the horrified comments from humorless wine snobs. Eh, it's probably a little bit of each. Keep it up Snooth, but please tell me what I should serve with the hammy, cheesy, burger-tastic Double R Bar Burger!

Tostitos Hint of Pepper Jack Tortilla Chips – I'm usually pretty change averse, so when I find something I like I tend to beat it into the ground. Like tortilla chips. Lately (and when I say "lately" I mean since they were introduced) I've been buying the Tostitos Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips, which have a slightly over-the-top blend of lime and salt that goes great with sitting on the patio drinking beer and shooting the breeze with friends. But when I discovered that our latest bag had gone stale I found myself digging in to a bag of Hint of Pepper Jack flavored chips that my wife bought while I was out of town. Oh, Pepper Jack Tortilla Chips... where have you been all my life?! These are a crunchy, creamy, cheesy, spicy taste sensation.

Five Ingredient Fish Tacos – Fish tacos have been a somewhat recent addition to my culinary maturation. I was introduced to them when my wife and I were first dating and I accompanied her on a trip to Cabo for a friend's wedding. That trip was one great food find after another, but I really fell in love with fish tacos. And why not? I love fish, I love tacos. Marrying the two – whether the fish is grilled, seared or battered, the toppings spicy or cool and creamy – has been an ongoing adventure. Our newest fave is – like many of our go-to recipes – torn screaming from the pages of Cooking Light. Though I felt they could have used something cool and creamy like a little sour cream or guacamole on top, this was an easy weeknight dinner that gave us a chance to use some fresh jalapenos from our summer garden.

Dishonorable Mentions: I love the bright, cheery and tasty (usually) sodas from Jarritos, but their "Jamaica" variety was a complete bust. The hibiscus flavoring made it taste like red prune juice and gave the drink an aroma that can only be described as "musty" or maybe "old person's garage" ... Our local SuperFresh recently closed its doors and re-opened as a ShopRite. Let's just say that my first trip was not overly positive. The layout is familiar but the store seems claustrophobic and exceedingly bright, checkout clerks were overly aggressive in trying to rush me out the door, and the produce section was both poorly stocked (no strawberries on a Friday afternoon in August?!) and off-putting (I picked up at least three containers of "fresh" fruit that were significantly moldy). I'll have more about the area Supermarket Wars in the weeks to come.

Where Ya Gonna Go for Crab Soup?

2011-08-04T07:32:00.003-04:00

Though I've been living here in the Baltimore area for about ten years now, Maryland Crab Soup is one area delicacy I haven't fully embraced. I've always been more of a cream soup/chowder kinda guy so I've been slow to get on board with the Maryland version's tomatoey broth, veggie chunks and hunks of crab.

But if I do have a hankering for it I know where to go, thanks to a recent guide to the MD/DC area's best bowls. Even better, two of my favorite area restaurants – Gertude's at the BMA (where my lovely wife and I got hitched) and Mama's on the Half Shell in Canton (my go-to spot for out of town guests, birthday/Father's Day lunches) were selected as being among the top spots.

Towson Cuban Joint Lands in Best of Baltimore

2011-08-04T07:10:00.003-04:00

Though I miss living in a city and being able to walk to restaurants and shops, I've always thought that nearby Towson afforded me a lot of the benefits of Baltimore while still being able to enjoy the comforts of the 'burbs.

Though the downtown area could use a little redevelopment after the long slow death of Towson Commons, the area still boasts a handful of great sushi places, indie burger and hot dog joints, a rock venue and cool shops.

One place I've been anxious to try is Havana Road Cuban Cafe which sits a door or two away from my favorite sushi joint (San Sushi Too/Thai One On). Reviews have all been glowing and I'm happy to see the place succeeding in a spot where others had failed.

And here's more good news... Baltimore Magazine's annual "Best Of" issue recently singled out a number of Towson establishments, including the Cubano ("Chunks of slow-roasted pork, ham, Swiss, mustard, and pickles ... on crunchy bread") at Havana Road.

University of Washington Study Discovers What We Already Know

2011-08-04T06:51:00.003-04:00

Eating healthy is expensive.

It doesn't take a genius to realize that fresh costs more than frozen (or canned), organic adds dollars to your food bill and homemade costs more than processed. Just walk the aisles of your local grocery store or look at the next sale flier that lands in your mailbox.

Or you could read the reports of the latest study from the University of Washington.

Surprise! Eating healthy is more expensive than eating junk food and the people who spend the least on their groceries are furthest from meeting or even just coming close to the nutritional guidelines.

Hey, University of Washington. Next time you've got some research money to throw away on the painfully obvious just give me a shout. I have ideas for studies like Drinking Coffee at 5 PM Might Keep You Up Later Than Usual.

101 Urban BBQ Joints

2011-08-02T16:45:00.004-04:00

There are two topics that I simply won't discuss with most people, let alone argue about: religion and politics.

Barbecue/BBQ might soon join the list.

Seems like anybody who goes out on a limb to suggest that they like BBQ Joint A more than BBQ Joint B opens themselves up to a lot of potential insults, suggestions about their manhood, and maybe even questions about their lineage.

Frankly, I even find myself doing like, like when NY Magazine's Grub Street sent me a link to their new list of 101 Urban BBQ Joints. Compiled with input from chefs, food writers and other journalists the list features a wide-ranging selection of urban 'cue joints as well as some tried-and-true classics.

Of course, the first thing I did was scroll through the slideshow (hey guys, how about an easier to navigate list?) to find Baltimore's representatives, sure that I'd find my beloved Andy Nelson's in there.

Nope, the list features Big Bad Wolf (which seems to be the yin to Andy Nelson's yang) and ... Chaps? Granted, I'm not from Baltimore so I don't get the whole "pit beef" thing. Sure, it's okay and I enjoyed my one visit to Chap's back in 2005, but I'd venture that The Canopy is better and if you're going to talk urban 'cue in Baltimore I just don't know how you leave Andy Nelson's off that list.

See, there I go. I better stop before I insult somebody!

Beers and BBQ

2011-06-27T07:18:00.016-04:00

Had a great day this past Saturday hanging with friends and eating massive amounts of homemade pulled pork and our favorite Slow Oven Cooked Ribs. And even though the Beer Snob wasn't in attendance, I made sure the beer selection ran the gamut from the light and refreshing (Yuengling Lager and Natty Boh) to heavier, more complex brews.

Frankly, I had ulterior motives. Ever since my local liquor store stopped carrying six packs of Lancaster Valley Milk Stout I've been on a hunt for another dark, delicious beer that goes well with anything from BBQ and steaks to dessert or just sitting around the fire pit.

One beer that I can definitely say will not be taking its place is the Retro 60s Formula of Schlitz or as it's also known, Schlitz Gusto. Good pal David Zuzelo grabbed some as a lark, thinking that we could compare its taste to 7-11's Game Day which we tried last year. Well, somebody call the good folks at 7-11 because the 60s Schlitz makes Game Day taste like Pilsner Urquell!

There were a couple coffee stouts in contention because, well, it's coffee and it's beer. What's not to like? I didn't get a chance to try the Long Trail Coffee Stout but the comments I heard and reviews I've read suggest that this one might be a little too strong on the coffee taste and aroma for me. I probably don't want that so I'm not sorry I missed out.

The Lagunitas Cappucino Stout, on the other hand, was not just a subtle, creamy and slightly sweet brew, but at only about $5 for a large bottle – about half of the cost of Long Trail or most other high end brews – it's also a lot easier on the wallet. I dug this one and it was definitely true to the name. The beer was a little sweet and a little creamy, perfect for drinking after dinner with a piece of chocolate cake or maybe some fudge brownies.

I'd had Great Divide Yeti Oak Aged Imperial Stout before... back in the fall, I believe. The high alcohol content gave it a little bit of a metallic aftertaste at that time, sort of like sucking the blood out of a pricked finger. I don't know if it was because I'd been eating and drinking various things all afternoon or because I was sampling a much smaller amount – no surprise that everybody wants to try a beer with a yeti on the label – but this time the beer was just perfect for a relaxing after dinner chat about trashy movies while sitting around a nice fire. It's potent and packs a wallop, but worth splurging on.

I didn't have enough of the Samuel Adams Longshot Blackened Hops to really judge. The three Longshot winners come packed two per six-pack, which is nice but I really didn't want to try the beer that was brewed with lavender petals. Wish I could have gotten a full six-pack of this, though, as I thoroughly liked what I tried. The beer is dark with just enough carbonation that, unlike a lot of the other beers I sampled, you could sit down with this one for a session. The American style ale is much lighter than a stout and similar to a porter, making this one a brew I'd search out again.

The night's big winner, at least from a beer standpoint, was probably Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout. I bought this one purely on the strength of its slightly sinister label and was richly rewarded with an oak-aged stout that delivers a velvety smooth brew with just the right amount of coffee flavor to go along with a hint of vanilla thanks to being fermented with vanilla bean. Not overpowering but also not the kind of beer you'll want to drink more than two or three of at a time. The perfect accompaniment to barbecued goodness and a new fave of The Hungover Gourmet! Plus, it's brewed in nearby Dover, DE so I'm hoping that it will be easy to pick up near home or at the brewery.

FOOD COURT: Cow Attacks Woman... THG Scratches Steak Off Shopping List

2011-06-20T09:51:00.003-04:00

An Iowa woman died from injuries suffered after she was attacked by a cow. Family members say the cow became aggressive and attacked the 60-year-old woman who was protecting her 1-year-old grandson. A professor of veterinary medicine at a local university said that the cow may have become aggressive due to the presence of newborn calves in the pasture.

Food Truck Wine Pairings: Gimme a Pop O' Dat!

2011-06-18T10:06:00.002-04:00

I never knew realized what trend-setters the gang at WKDU (my college radio station) was. Oh sure, we were into cutting-edge record labels, hob-nobbed with up and coming artists, swilled beer and saw groups in basements, lodges, bars and churches.

But who knew back in the latter half of the 1980s that when we were scraping together enough change to grab a cheesesteak, breakfast sandwich or greasy Chinese dinner from the trucks that lined our campus we were actually glimpsing a culinary trend in the making?

Yes, I'm talking about food trucks, a foodie (ugh) trend that has swept the nation to the point that you'd think nobody had ever bought a dirty water dog before the Kogi truck started tweeting its location to trendy Left Coasters.

While we were more likely to pair our meals with Old German, Meister Brau or Stroh's, it turns out that – according to our friends at Snooth – wine might be the best bet for a nice schnitzel or Korean BBQ. And I don't think they mean Thunderbird or berry coolers.

Win Tickets to Safeway BBQ Battle in DC!

2011-06-18T09:15:00.004-04:00

Want to attend next weekend's 19th Annual Safeway BBQ Battle in our nation's capital?

Thanks to our friends at Perdue, The Hungover Gourmet is giving away a pair of general admission tickets good for either Saturday, June 25 or Sunday, June 26.

The Barbecue Battle is one of the country's premier barbecue competitions with cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, 30 bands, free food samples and the National Pork Barbecue Championship Contest with teams from around the country vying for more than $40,000 in cash and prizes... not to mention the coveted bragging rights!

On Saturday, Perdue's executive chef Chris Moyer will be hosting a chicken cooking demonstration and the company will be holding their Sizzlin' Chicken BBQ Contest! Come on out, check out the demo and sample some free Perdue chicken while you're at it.

Courtesy of Perdue we have a pair of general admission tickets good for Saturday, June 25 (11 AM - 9 PM) or Sunday, June 26 (11 AM - 7:30 PM). Good one day only, event held rain or shine, no cash value.

To enter simply e-mail your name and address to editor@hungovergourmet.com. We will hold a random drawing on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 and tickets will be mailed via USPS Priority Mail on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.

Can Flip Co-Creator Succeed with Fast Casual Grilled Cheese?

2011-06-17T09:11:00.002-04:00

The revolutionary Flip camera and fast casual grilled cheese seem like strange bedfellows. But not to Jonathan Kaplan, the businessman who helped create the Flip video camera. The entrepreneur told the crowd at D9, a digital conference, that he planned on opening five The Melt locations in San Fran this fall with plans on growing to 500 locations in the next five years.

As commentors on the QSR Magazine article were quick to point out, the concept isn't exactly new. The similarly-named Melt Bar & Grilled has two locations in Ohio with a third on the way and has been featured on shows like Man v. Food and the Food Network, so it's not exactly low-profile. Not to mention Boston-based Cheeseboy, which opens its fourth location this summer.

One wonders how long the "upscale grilled cheese" concept can survive.

Don't Put Lettuce on My Filet-O-Fish, Don't Put Arugula on my Cheesesteak

2011-06-14T07:43:00.002-04:00

I'm an admitted Cheesesteak Snob and normally will not order one outside of a 30-mile radius from Billy Penn's hat atop City Hall. (Some special circumstances do apply, especially if you bring in Amoroso's rolls and/or the proprietors are Philly ex-pats.)

In other words, it's highly unlikely that I would order a steak sandwich even from Wolfgang Puck's Cut steakhouse in LA but I'm even less likely when the restaurant's executive chef offers up something with arugula... and garlic mayo... and cheddar?

It reminds me of what Michael Moore once said when McDonald's tried to fancy up the Filet-O-Fish: "They put lettuce on my Filet-O-Fish... fuckers".

Get Bit by the Home Brew Bug

2011-06-09T09:22:00.004-04:00

I still have a notebook somewhere with recipes for all the batches of homebrew that I made back in the 90s. It was good stuff but required room and time, things that seem in short supply these days.

Frankly, I'm thinking about just grabbing one of those Mr. Home Brew kits like the old Great American Beer Machine or whatever the hell it was the Landers sisters used to do an infomercial for. (Frankly, all that infomercial made me want to do was go drink a gallon of milk and watch a BJ AND THE BEAR marathon.)

But I think it's safe to say that craft beer is becoming more and more popular. Hell, my local liquor store recently started carrying Dale's Pale Ale and Resurrection Ale in cans, and their idea of "craft beer" used to be bringing in some Leinenkugel's.

If you're itching to get started with home brew, check out today's latest Groupon deal. It features half off from Midwest Homebrewing and Winemaking Supplies and you can get your starter kit with everything you need except bottles and a brew kettle plus $25 towards your second batch of supplies.

Now, where's that notebook?

Would You Go to Quiznos for Your Pulled Pork?

2011-06-09T09:03:00.005-04:00

Admittedly, Quiznos has always been more like QuizNO to me.

I grew up in South Jersey and do not understand the concept of a toasted sub. I don't like hot bread messing with the nice cold meats, cheeses, condiments and toppings. Might be for some people but hey, it's not for me.

But even if I was "a big toasted sub guy" (as my daughter might say) I still think I'd be steering clear of the new Quiznos Southern BBQ Pulled Pork and the Pork Cuban. (Okay, maybe I'd try the Pork Cuban, but that's supposed to be hot and toasty.)

When I think pulled pork I think of a long, slow cooking process at a low temperature till the meat just falls apart as you shred it... the smoky aroma dancing around the edges of the meat... a tangy, not too sweet barbecue sauce meshing with some cool, creamy cole slaw... all nestled atop a spongy roll that just soaks up all the goodness.

Somehow I don't think that's what I'm going to find at Quiznos. Maybe they could prove me wrong but these days I wouldn't even know where to go. Our local Quiznos couldn't even stay in business and has been turned into the equally-appalling Subway.

Snooth Pairs Wine with Fast Food

2011-06-09T08:26:00.003-04:00

Never sure what wine goes best with a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish? Only have a bottle of 2008 Red Rock Merlot Reserve and can't decide between the iconic Big Mac or the Angus Beef Deluxe?

Well , the folks at Snooth have finally written an article I can really relate to. They threw off the shackles of snobbery and pretension that seem to drown most of the wine press and decided to figure out just what wines go best with popular McDonald's menu items.

Let's face it... somebody is eating this stuff so why not embrace its popularity? And while I generally pair my Filet-O-Fish, McRib or burger choice with a crisp, light bottle of water it's good to know how to make that fish sing with the right wine choice.

Be sure to read some of the comments that accompany the article. It will come as no surprise that some members of Snoothnation are appalled that people would actually have fun writing about something.

Personally, I'd love to see Snooth take this a step further and pair wines and other alcoholic beverages with the less-popular fast food joints of our great nation... boxed wine and Burger King? MD 20/20 and Jack in the Box? Cisco and Taco Bell? The mind reels – and the liver rebels.

MasterChef Season 2 Premieres Tonight!

2011-06-06T18:48:00.003-04:00

Want to know how old I am? I still remember the days when the summer television season was a dreadful roundup of reruns, primetime baseball and the occasional variety "special".

These days, though, the summer season is looked upon with some anticipation in THG's household. My better half enjoys much of the USA primetime lineup (and I grudgingly enjoy Royal Pains, largely due to SPLINTER's Paulo Costanzo) while I'm looking forward to MTV's Teen Wolf and tonight's premiere of MasterChef Season 2.

For me, MasterChef takes all the best elements from Gordo's other FOX reality shows (the relentless competition of Hell's Kitchen and the kinder, gentler mentor side of Kitchen Nightmares) and adds in the withering glare of Joey Polka Dots, one of Ramsey's two sidekicks/judges on the show. (The other judge is an overweight chef who wears "flamboyant" clothing and pastel eyeglass frames. In other words, the Dom DeLuise to Gordo's Burt Reynolds.)

Let's put it this way... I don't even know Joe's last name. All I know is that he looks sorta like an unfriendly version of The Beer Snob, wears a lot of polka dot hankies, and can obliterate someone's passion for cooking with one soul-sucking, pinpoint laser of a stare that says, "How dare you serve me this".

Frankly, I can't wait. Plus, a fellow food blogger made it to the audition stage so I'm looking forward to seeing if he makes the cut (no pun intended).

Snack & Munch Online Vending Machine

2011-04-06T05:48:00.003-04:00

Remember the good old days of the internet when we didn't have to interact with our aunt in Colorado and we could just check out sites that would let us watch or even control a vending machine? Ahh, the world was so full of promise then and we assumed that having our own on-line vending machine was just a few years away.

Until then, I suppose Snack & Munch will have to do.

This site touts itself as being a time-saving convenience because you simply go on their site and select 24 snacks for $24. Unfortunately, while this may be more convenient than standing in line at a grocery or convenience store it also makes you wait 3-5 days for your snacks to arrive via the US Postal Service.

Sure, once the delivery arrives you've got a bevy of snacktasticness to choose from but what happens when all the chips and candy are gone and all that's left is that $1 roll of Lifesavers?

I don't know about you, but when I want to inhale 2.5 servings of Herr's Buffalo Blue Cheese Flavored Cheese Curls I wanna do it now. Not Saturday, not Monday. NOW.

The site features a pretty typical selection of breakfast bars, candy, nuts, gum and mints as well as some international treats like Yan Yan Kids and Oh Yes Sweet Potato Cream Cake. (What? No Two Cops Instant Snack?!)

Annual Winter Vanishing Act Complete... THG is Back!

2011-04-04T11:12:00.004-04:00

Regular readers of this blog know that I have a real job that tends to eat up almost all of my free time from January through March. Well, this year was no different and when I woke up this morning I realized that I didn't post one single entry during the month of March.

Nothing. Not a recipe link, fast food review, photo or snarky Top Chef observation. And for that, I apologize. But I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of my work tunnel so I figured I'd pop in and let you know that I'm back.

(Of course, if you really miss me you can always keep track of THG's comings and goings via our Facebook page and Twitter feed.)

In the meantime, be sure to get over to the Hyatt Summerfield Suites site and check out the details of their Caribbean Cuisine Challenge. You still have a week and change to enter your recipe in the contest. The winner gets some cool prize but, best of all if you ask me, the winning dish will be featured on the Hyatt Summerfield Suites Summer Grilling Social menu.

That's all for now but I'll be back with pix and updates from our upcoming road trip to NC, reviews, photos and a call for submissions for our 2011 print edition!

In Their Defense Homer Simpson is VP of In-Flight Meals

2011-02-27T08:58:00.003-05:00

A budget UK airline (try telling me those aren't three words aren't terrifying!) apologized to Jewish passengers after loading a flight bound for Tel Aviv with ham and bacon baguettes instead of the standard kosher food.

I couldn't help but be reminded of this classic exchange from The Simpsons...

LISA: “I’m going to become a vegetarian”
HOMER: “Does that mean you’re not going to eat any pork?”
LISA: “Yes”
HOMER: “Bacon?”
LISA: “Yes Dad”
HOMER: "Ham?”
LISA: “Dad all those meats come from the same animal”
HOMER: “Right Lisa, some wonderful, magical animal!”

Maybe Homer got a job working for Easy Jet.

Ride for the Feast Chili Cookoff this Sunday

2011-02-21T08:52:00.003-05:00

Been buried under a mountain of real work so I haven't had much time to focus on snarky food posts and combing the police blotter for info on who killed who over an under-baked sweet potato.

But I did want to pop in for a quick post about this weekend's upcoming Chili Cookoff here in Baltimore.

On Sunday, February 27th, east Baltimore will be host to an exciting chili showdown – the 2011 Ride For The Feast Chili Cook-Off! The Cook-Off is organized by the Ride For The Feast, a 2-day, 140-mile bike ride that supports Moveable Feast, a nonprofit dedicated to feeding homebound Marylanders with life-threatening conditions.

Join a chili-loving crowd as they congregate at the Moveable Feast kitchens, located at 901 N. Milton Ave, Baltimore MD 21205. Ride for the Feast riders and volunteers will team up and compete to have the best chili at the competition! Winners will be decided by both popular opinion as well as a judging panel. The event will also feature a raffle of a fabulous (secret) prize!

Last year, charisma & culinary creativity were key factors in winning the crowd's approval. Hundreds of dollars were raised to benefit the Ride for the Feast. It is a great opportunity to enjoy some homemade, unique chili recipes, meet new people, and support a good cause.

The Chili Cook-Off will be held on Feb. 27th from 1:00PM to 3:30PM at 901 N. Milton Ave. This event is open to the public. Tickets will be $15 at the door and include chili samples, snacks, and beverages. Raffle tickets will be sold at the door for $5 or inside for $7. Kids twelve and under are free.

So come on out and support this great cause and have and sample some warm, comforting chili as we ring out February and get ready for warmer days ahead!

Jake Plummer Likes... Bud Light Chelada?

2011-02-10T17:49:00.003-05:00

There's a big article in the new issue of Sports Illustrated on former NFL QB Jake Plummer who walked away from the game to play handball and hang with his family and dogs. The title of the pieces screams 'What Was He Thinking?'.

I'm more perplexed by the fact that The Snake is hanging out on some rocks drinking - erp - a Bud Light and Clamato!

Click on the pic for the full size image.

Worst. Drink. Ever.

Taco Bell Offering Free Tacos to Facebook Fans

2011-02-09T18:37:00.002-05:00

In response to the recent "where's the beef?" lawsuit, Taco Bell is offering free Crunchy Seasoned Beef Tacos to those who "like" the company's Facebook page.

Article Roundup: I Hate Winter Edition

2011-01-27T08:55:00.004-05:00

About a week ago my wife and I started talking about the potential storm that was due to pass over our area on the coming Tuesday and Wednesday. In other words, yesterday.

Despite an ever-wavering forecast that seemed to call for a little snow, rain, freezing rain, sleet, chubby rain, a lotta snow and – in some forecasts – nothing, we were both pretty convinced the Baltimore area wouldn't be lucky enough to get another free pass from Mother Nature.

So it came as little surprise that yesterday morning's slushy inch had turned into a thoroughly inconvenient three inches and that the evening's forecast was shaping up to be a doozy. With my better half stranded at work, the sitter unable to get here and a three-year-old who decided that hanging on the arm of Daddy's chair was the best place to be... all day... what should have been a busy work day turned into a day of reading articles and posting snarky links on our Twitter feed and Facebook page.

In case you missed them (and, shame on you if you did), here's a roundup:

Next time you're in the mood for seven hamburgers from the Golden Arches just go for the Cheesecake Factory's Grilled Shrimp and Bacon Club instead. Ladies and gentlemen, we bring you The Worst Sandwiches in America.
Everybody thinks "cheesesteak" when anyone mentions Philadelphia's culinary contributions, but any good DelVal resident knows that the really best sandwich in the City of Brotherly Lunch is the roast pork. Reliable sources tell me DiNic's in Reading Terminal Market is the way to go and Serious Eats' A Sandwich a Day seems to back up that claim.
Every fast food joint has some kind of "dollar" or "value" menu featuring cheap eats. What I didn't realize was that so many people had strong opinions about what were the best things on those menus.
If the term "food porn" gets tossed around long enough somebody is going to make, well, a food porn. This flick has been the subject of some controversy after the owner of the food truck used as a set claimed ignorance that a porn was being shot in his kitchen and food prep area. Needless to say the controversy has only brought more attention to the flick and you can get in on the fun with an essay contest.
Slow food movement? Childhood obesity in the news? Bad weather? Apparently none of these things can slow down McDonald's, which posted 5% worldwide growth in the fourth quarter.
I'm all for Wal-Mart introducing healthier foods, selling fresh produce, etc. But when I go to Wal-Mart and shop, that's not what I see in people's grocery carts. I see crap and I fear this quote can be applied to the vast majority of Wal-Mart grocery shoppers: "Honestly, I don't know what a trans fat is, but everybody says that's why I'm so fat... Why do they sell it to me if it's bad for me? Aren't foods supposed to be checked or something?"
The recent controversy over the ingredients in Taco Bell food has stirred up an interesting debate. Namely, what are we expecting from food that costs 89 cents? ABC News poses the question, "Do We Ask Too Much from Fast Food?" ... and gets some interesting answers.
We all know about the "secret" lingo used to order the variety of offerings at In-N-Out. But did you know you can walk into some McDonald's outlets and order a McGangbang or Sex in a Sandwich? The Guelph Mercury looks at how social media is helping create extreme menu item crazes.
What's worse than being attacked by a gang of adolescents? When the little bastards pour your bottle of vodka over your head.
A thief at a Philadelphia-area Whole Foods must have thought the gentle hippies who work there wouldn't notice him pocketing $200 worth of meat. Doesn't he know they probably all ran cross country in high school?

Got a tip for The Hungover Gourmet? Drop us a line via editor@hungovergourmet.com or contact us via our Twitter feed or Facebook page. Till next time, stay warm and cheers!

Guy Fieri as Wolverine?!

2011-01-26T18:30:00.003-05:00

You know what would be off-the-hook, out of bounds, bananas and money?

If Chef Guy Fieri – or, just "Guy!" as he signs his recipes in the Guy's Game Day Playbook recipe pamphlet available at your local grocery store – was to suit up and play Wolverine in an upcoming X-Men flick.

Hell, Hugh Jackman has to get bored with the role eventually and maybe Guy! was thinking the same thing when he posed for this photo from the aforementioned cookbook.

SNACKT!

Worst/Best Sandwiches in America

2011-01-26T13:03:00.004-05:00

Who doesn't love a good list? Oh sure, I was ticked that THG was left off last week's list of the 50 Most Influential People in the Food World but I feel like they were pulling a Tom Jackson on me and left me off the list just to motivate me.

But what I really love are these lists of best (and worst) fill-in-the-blank. And it has been a banner week for that kind of news.

First up was the list of the Best New Sandwiches in America. What I like about this list is that it focuses on "New" Sandwiches. Hey, don't get me wrong... I'm a Philly-area guy through and through and I'll go to the mat with anybody over the merits of the venerable hoagie, esteemed cheesesteak and the underappreciated roast pork, but we know how good those are. What we need is the 411 on what's new and exciting in sandwichland. (Do people still say "we need the 411"? If I have to ask, probably not.)

For my money, the Cheesy Mac & Rib, Pibil Torta and Brussels Sprouts Sandwich all look to be – in the words of my nemesis Guy Fieri – "out of bounds" and most definitely "bananas".

But if you're going to have a list of Best Sandwiches there's gotta be some Worst Sandwiches lingering somewhere. It's the gut-wrenching yang to the previous list's delicious yin. Which I think is what's on the Brussels Sprouts Sandwich.

And I think we know where the aforementioned somewhere is – chains. Men's Health weighed in (no pun intended) with their bevy of annual bests and worsts, and Cheesecake Factory (no surprise) takes the "prize" for the Grilled Shrimp and Bacon Club. Check out this tale of the tape:

Cheesecake Factory Grilled Shrimp & Bacon Club
1,890 calories
24 g saturated fat
2,964 mg sodium
125 g carbohydrates

In the old days this sandwich would have been a challenge to THG. Now, cooler heads prevail. Though I am still interested in that damn Stuffed Steakhouse Burger from Burger King... even if it does look like a slab of hot fruitcake.

Boh Back on Tap in B'more!

2011-01-25T16:53:00.003-05:00

One of the things that has always perplexed me since I moved to the Baltimore area has been the inability to get Natty Boh on tap. Though life may be "too short for cheap beer" (as the saying goes), there are times when an ice cold cheap beer really hits the spot.

In fact, when a special occasion rolls around and my gals want to treat me to lunch my first choice is usually Mama's on the Half Shell for some Steamed Shrimp, Clams Casino, an Oyster Po' Boy and some icy pints of PBR draft. But, I always wonder, what if they had Natty Boh on tap?

Well wonder no more THG! Baltimore Magazine reports that for the first time in 15 years the iconic Baltimore beer (though no longer brewed here) will be offered on draft thanks to demand from bar owners and beer lovers.

No word on what bars will be partaking of this opportunity but a six-pack (or so) of area watering holes will be having National Bohemian Tapping of The Keg parties over the course of the next few weeks.

Bring Back Mayor McCheese!

2011-01-23T09:22:00.006-05:00

Have you lost faith in today's political parties? Turned off by the antagonistic discourse in politics, the media and with your fellow countrymen? Want to return to a kinder, gentler time?

You're not alone! Despite no political scandal or turmoil, Mayor McCheese was unceremoniously impeached in the 1980s and, except for a few video appearances, disappeared from advertising for the Golden Arches.

What would you rather see in your ubiquitous fast food advertising – table-smacking slackers or the Mayor and the rest of the McDonaldland gang?

Luckily, a grassroots campaign is underway to let McDonald's know how important the Mayor and other McDonaldland characters were.

Check out the Bring Back Mayor McCheese website and sign the petition. Then drop on over to the Facebook page and join fellow McDonaldland lovers in some tasty discourse.

Get Awful Ballpark Beer Faster!

2011-01-20T16:22:00.004-05:00

How many times have you stood in an endless concession line at a ballpark or stadium wondering how you could get that awful, watered-down, over-priced beer into your stomach faster?

Wonder no more my friend! Check out this new, magnet-based (f**king magnets – how do they work?!), bottoms-up beer concession system...

With a name like "Bottoms Up" they should really look into having Tinto Brass direct their commercials.

Update (1/25/11): The Wells Fargo Center (formerly the more appropriately named FU Center) in Philly becomes the first Delaware Valley arena to try out the Bottoms Up system when it debuts before tonight's Flyers/Habs game. (Thanks to Cheesewit for the tip!)

Whiskey. In. A. Can.

2011-01-20T10:18:00.002-05:00

Yep, you read that right. Panama-based Scottish Spirits is marketing a 12-oz can of Scotch containing eight shots. 44-year-old me is very glad this didn't exist 20 years ago. If it did 44-year-old me might not exist.

Extreme Ritz! Guy Fieri Style!

2011-01-19T14:53:00.004-05:00

While walking through the grocery store today I found myself being verbally accosted by none other than Guy Fieri.

I couldn't understand exactly what he was saying but it was impossible to mistake that voice and the way every sentence is punctuated by an exclamation point or the way words like "bananas" and "money" drip from his goateed lips like he's on the set of a low-budget, foodie-centric porno.

"Oh crap," I thought. "This is it. All my bad-mouthing has come back to haunt me and now I'm going to have to fight Guy Fieri in the snack aisle of the grocery store. In front of my daughter. Oh well, I hope he didn't bring Bobby Flay with him."

As I turned, eyeing my basket for the best weapon – Rapunzel snacks? broccolini? – I was relieved (sorta) to discover that there wasn't going to be a supermarket rumble. It was just an extreme to the max Guy Fieri motion-activated shelf display exhorting me to grab some Kraft snack crackers and get extreme this post-season. To the max.

Naturally, the snack booklet accompanying the shelf display features a Guy-inspired take on Cheese Steaks and Sliders called, what else?, Ritz Cheese Steak Sliders. See scans below and click for larger, extreme details...

FOOD COURT: French Fry Argument Leads to Shooting

2011-01-18T16:06:00.003-05:00

Haven't had one of these in awhile... welcome back insane foodies!

According to police reports in Philadelphia, two men were sitting in a car early Monday morning, eating fast food when an argument erupted over french fries. The argument became heated, as most arguments about french fries do, and resulted in one of the debaters pulling a gun and shooting the other.

The victim was taken to a local hospital while the shooter, who I think we can all agree won the argument, drove off.

I'm assuming to satisfy his craving for more, saltier or better fries.

You Shouldn't Have. No, Really, You Shouldn't Have...

2011-01-18T12:15:00.002-05:00

White Castle taking reservations for Valentine's Day.

Daily Show on San Fran Happy Meal Ban

2011-01-08T18:29:00.002-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

San Francisco's Happy Meal Ban

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Wild Card Weekend!

2011-01-08T11:49:00.003-05:00

You can have Super Bowl Sunday. Wild Card Weekend might be my favorite sports weekend of the year... four NFL playoff games (including both my Eagles and Ravens), random college hoops and NHL matchups, plus a bonus college football "national championship" game on Monday night. Doesn't get much better than that!

After getting in a quick run I'll be heading to the kitchen to whip up some brats, ribs and chicken for the festivities.

What's on your weekend menu?

Top Chef All-Stars: Down to the Dirty Dozen

2011-01-07T08:12:00.006-05:00

I have to admit.

After Jen got the boot I was beginning to wonder if my handicapping skills were not as sharp as I thought. I firmly believed that the seemingly-talented, Eric Ripert-mentored chef from my homeland would be around at least until the last-third of the competition and, maybe, just maybe would make it to the Top Chef All-Stars finale.

But after that rocky patch it looks like the stars have realigned and all is right with the reality cooking show universe. Elia, Stephen and Dale L (all "Longshots" according to Danny the Polack) have been sent packing and even Spike and Casey (both of whom I thought could compete for the title or mail in a horrific culinary monstrosity) got the boot for committing a couple cardinal Top Chef sins: letting Angelo fiddle with a dish; and, working the front of the house while somebody else preps your chicken feet, respectively.

Seriously, I am notorious in my household for pretty much eating any and every part of the chicken. (Don't get me started. It's definitely a holdover from my childhood when my Dad would be given the luxury of picking over the chicken carcass after Mom had gotten all she could out of it.) And, well, I wouldn't have eaten those chicken feet. Even on a dare.

Okay, maybe on a dare, but that's the only way!

And so we head into the middle rounds with most of my favorites left, though if I was re-seeding at this point I might knock Fabio down into the middle of the pack (the turtle walking kinda weirded me out) and bump up either Tre or Dale L. I still feel like the former is too flippant while the latter is too pig-headed, but hey, I've been accused of being both myself.

So, who do you like on Top Chef All-Stars now that the first third of the cheftestants have been weeded out?

Hot 'N Juicy Opens in DC

2011-01-07T08:07:00.002-05:00

Vegas crawfish joint Hot 'N Juicy recently opened its doors in Washington, DC. I won't hold it against them that they were on that unwatchable Man v. Food show.

She Gets My Vote!

2011-01-06T19:40:00.002-05:00

And you thought there wasn't a highlight! Great moment during the recent RNC Chairman Debate when Ann Wagner was asked what her favorite book was and well... just watch and see...

She definitely gets my vote. My Kitchen Table is my favorite bar, too.

Ole! Wawa's Newest World Brew is Mexican Blend

2010-12-14T08:10:00.002-05:00

It's the little things that make me happy over the holidays. The look on my daughter's face when I turn on the Christmas tree lights. The smell of pine needles and those little incense cones. Remembering my holiday decorating jobs as a kid.

And the ability to get up on Christmas morning and walk to the Wawa up the street for a cup of coffee.

This year I'll be able to indulge my South of the Border side a bit with the new Wawa World Brew – Mexican Blend. According to the website the brew features Rainforest Alliance Certified beans and a medium body with a sweet, aromatic fragrance reminiscent of roasted nuts and milk chocolate with a sweet, clean finish. But hurry, World Brew blends are available for a limited time only and this one will be gone by the time March Madness rolls around!

How much do I love getting Wawa on Christmas morning? I actually recorded me doing it two years ago.

Jen Talks About Being Asked to Pack Her Knives and Go

2010-12-10T17:40:00.002-05:00

I'm still a little shocked by Wednesday's Top Chef All-Stars result. I really thought Jen would be a contender right up until the end and was looking forward to rooting a Philly gal on. What I found more surprising was the snarky and flippant attitude she displayed at Judges' Table. I understand fighting for your dish – and I'm sure she was frustrated by Jamie leaving to get TWO stitches – but I have to admit to being more than a little turned off by what I saw.

Jen dished to TV Guide about getting booted as well as the reaction to her aggressive display.

Storied B'More Crab House to Close for Good

2010-12-08T07:30:00.003-05:00

Though I've never made it there for crabs, I've been asked several times – usually by out-of-towners – about Obrycki's. If I want to get to the storied Baltimore crab house I better start making plans.

The restaurant, which opens in March and closes when the crab season ends in November, announced that when the crab season ends next fall the doors will not re-open. A favorite of tourists, celebrities and food writers, the restaurant is closing for "quality of life" reasons after being run by the Cernak family since 1976.

The restaurant will maintain its satellite eateries at the BWI and Cleveland airports as well as their mail-order business and plans are in place for a smaller crab house near the new slots casino at Arundel Mills.

Nothing Beats Homemade, But...

2010-12-07T16:16:00.002-05:00

We all know that nothing beats real homemade mac & cheese. But what if you're in a pinch or – like me – just have a craving for some comforting, belly-filling, artery-clogging cheesy pasta goodness?

Check out the results of Bon Appetit's recent supermarket mac & cheese showdown – but before you do, tell us what's your mac & cheese of choice when you're in a pinch?

University of MD Students Launch Competitive Eating Club

2010-12-03T07:49:00.002-05:00

I did a lot of dumb stuff when I was in college. But I never went so far as having the university officially recognize it.

What Will Be the Next Foodie Hit at Camden Yards?

2010-12-02T19:01:00.002-05:00

For all the fanfare about the stadium – and it is a great place to see a game – I've never been blown away by the food at Camden Yards, home of the Orioles. In fact, I've really only found it to be, well, adequate. Adequately stadium-like.

Yes, the idea of an open barbecue stand like Boog's BBQ is a nice touch and the aromas that waft across the air as you duck the home run balls offered up by the O's pitching staff are enticing, but I live down the road from Andy Nelson's so I don't need to go to the stadium for good BBQ.

What the stadium really needs is a signature dish, something that's uniquely Baltimore and only available at the stadium. New stadium concessionaire Delaware North Cos. Sportservice seems to realize this as well and execs from the company took a culinary tour of the area this week hoping for the inspiration for that dish.

What would you suggest as a signature "Baltimore" dish for Camden Yards in 2011?

Ranking the All-Stars... Top Chef All-Stars, That Is

2010-12-01T16:23:00.008-05:00

Top Chef is back and taking a page out of the Survivor playbook!

Tom, Padma, Gail and Tony are bringing back some of the best non-winners from previous seasons to compete for the season 8 crown. I would have liked it better if they'd called it 'Heroes & Villains' but 'All-Stars' is fine, too.

18 chef-testants will battle it out for the title as well as (I'm assuming) the Food & Wine feature and the cash from Glad or Dove or Aamco or whatever sponsor is ponying up the cash money this time around.

With tonight's premiere featuring the chefs having to recreate the dish that got them eliminated it sounds like we hit the ground running and we won't have to mess around with any oyster shucking or celery chopping lightning eliminations. And since there aren't any Clays or always-disappointing Baltimore chefs in the bunch, there won't be a whole lot of room for error either.

In order to bring my wretched odds-making skills from the NFL ranks into the reality TV arena (really, I took the Cardinals +1.5 on Monday? really?!) I've split the 18 returning chefs into three groups of six... Favorites, Competitors and Long Shots, names listed alphabetically and personal prejudices definitely taken into account.

Favorites
Richard Blais
~~Jennifer Carroll~~
~~Antonia Lofaso~~
~~Angelo Sosa~~
~~Marcel Vigneron~~
~~Fabio Viviani~~

Competitors
~~Tiffany Derry~~
~~Tiffani Faison~~
~~Jamie Lauren~~
~~Spike Mendelsohn~~
~~Casey Thompson~~
~~Tre Wilcox~~

Longshots
~~Elia Aboumrad~~
~~Stephen Asprinio~~
~~Carla Hall~~
~~Michael Isabella~~
~~Dale Levitski~~
~~Dale Talde~~

Duff Clears the Air on the End of ACE

2010-11-28T09:07:00.006-05:00

Despite its local pedigree I've never been what I would call a devoted – or even casual – Ace of Cakes viewer. Nothing against Duff Goldman and Co. but I'm not much of a "cake guy". I don't bake 'em and unless it's my wife's amazing chocolate cake or carrot cake I can pretty much walk by without so much as a sniff. So a show devoted to making monstrously clever cakes wasn't really in my wheelhouse.

But I have to admit that I felt bad for Goldman last week when news of Ace's "cancellation" by The Food Network trickled out via sites like TMZ. (I bet Duff never expected he'd be making news on the infamous gossip site when the show started back in 2006.)

My impression had always been that the show was among the network's more popular offerings and it seemed they never spared any expense to promote the show or opportunity to showcase Goldman and his infectious personality on other network properties (Next Food Network Star, The Best Thing I Ever Ate).

To me, the news seemed more like a new beginning for Goldman than the end of anything and an article in today's Baltimore Sun confirmed my suspicions.

In an interview with Sun tv writer David Zurawik, Goldman confirms that he has three shows in development with Food Network, including one about the opening of a West Coast version of Charm City Cakes in 2011. Hopefully, at least one of the other two concepts has Goldman sharing more of his obvious enthusiasm and passion for food, not just cake.

No fan of shows like TLC's knock-off Cake Boss, Duff says that he's happy that Ace – whose final season will start airing in January – gets to go out while people still view them as the best of a "catty" field.

"I think it's really cool that we're going out on a high note while we still have some respectability in a genre that is saturated with stupid people yelling at each other."

What Are Your Most Used Cookbooks?

2010-11-27T09:20:00.002-05:00

What are the most used cookbooks in your kitchen? Not your favorites, not the ones you think are "best" or look good on the shelf when your foodie friends come over, but the ones that you go back to over and over again.

I'll have to give this some thought and update the post later with my list. It's tough, though, because the majority of our cooking tomes are still packed in boxes five years after our last move and I find myself using the internet more than ever when it comes to menu planning and recipe hunting.

In the meantime, check out the web article that started me down this path in the first place... What's Cookin writer Gregory Dal Piaz on his 7 Most-Used Cookbooks.

FOOD COURT: Suit Gives New Meaning to Arti-CHOKE

2010-11-19T06:33:00.002-05:00

A Miami doctor is suing a restaurant for failing to explain to him the proper way to eat an artichoke. A native Cuban, doctor Arturo Carvajal ordered a grilled artichoke special and proceeded to eat the whole leaf, including the tough, brittle and sharp outer leaves. This led to abdominal discomfort and, according to the suit, "loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life".

South Park Skewers Foodies, The Food Network, Food Porn and More

2010-11-19T06:28:00.002-05:00

Did you watch SOUTH PARK's skewering of foodies, The Food Network, celeb chefs and food porn the other night? I thought it had its moments but wish they'd gone further with their parody of the network and its stars. Great Gordo impression by Cartman, though.

If you missed it – or just wanted to see Randy getting intimate with his cooking again – you can watch the full episode at South Park Studios.

More Drink Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Table

2010-11-18T08:31:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I posted a link to some high-powered thinking liquor drinks to get you through the passive-aggressive dysfunction better known as Thanksgiving. If liquor and you don't mix or the idea of some relative doing the technicolor yawn in your bedroom after a few too many Old Fashioned's isn't your idea of a good time, maybe it'd be best to stick with beer and wine for the feast.

Personally, THG's childhood Turkey Day meals evoke memories of my Dad saying the prayer and toasting the family with tiny glasses of tomato juice. Our crammed dining room table – used once or twice a year – apparently never had the room for actual drink glasses and it became an annual tradition to see who would eventually crack under the pressure of all that turkey, stuffing and other starchy foods and pry themselves from their chair in order to get a glass of water.

Good times, good times.

Anyway, here are suggestions about some pinot noirs and other wines to pair with your bird as well as a beers that will go with every course of the holiday meal.

Colbert Talks Four Loco and Cheese

2010-11-17T19:53:00.001-05:00

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Thought for Food - C-Zurrrre, Medal of Hunger Winner & Cheesercize

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

2010 Election

March to Keep Fear Alive

FOOD COURT: Have it Your F*%king Way!

2010-11-17T19:09:00.004-05:00

I don't usually read the messages on my receipts after I go to the store or fast food joint. And when I do it's always some lame survey or coupon.

But after reading this story about Burger King employees being fired for printing "Fuck You!" not once but twice on a receipt, I think I'll pay closer attention.

The ballsiest part? It was an order to be eaten in!

FOOD COURT: Councilman Calls Cops on Cupcake Sale

2010-11-17T06:54:00.001-05:00

I know this guy thinks he was just following the letter of the law and making America safe for everyone, but what a way to crush a kid's entrepreneurial spirit.

The McRushmore: The Turducken of Fast Food

2010-11-17T06:29:00.003-05:00

Any regular reader of THG knows that when it comes to using meat as a condiment, I'm usually on board in a big way.

Hamburger with cheesesteak? Hot dog with pulled pork? Cheeseburger topped with pork roll?

Yes, yes and absolutely.

But even I'm not sure about The McRushmore, a towering concoction of McDonald's "delights" created by some dude named Ernest Wilkins. A Frankenstein-esque melding of a McDonald's chicken sandwich, Filet-O-Fish, Angus Burger and (limited time only offering) McRib, the tower of barnyard proportions clocks in somewhere around 1800 calories or, in other words, what I try and limit my calorie intake to per day.

Why do I expect Louis Fowler to try this any day?

FOOD COURT: Sebastian Bach Bites Hand That Gets Him Liquored Up

2010-11-17T06:25:00.002-05:00

I've always been sorta bemused by Sebastian Bach. Though I never really listened to Skid Row – they always seemed like a teen-metal act to me – he was always great on talk shows and his guest appearances on The Gilmore Girls tickled me to no end. But he always struck me as the kinda guy who was always on the verge of doing something crazy... like biting the hand of a wine bar owner.

Thanksgiving Drinks

2010-11-17T06:24:00.001-05:00

The Thanksgiving holiday is a little more than a week away. Have you started planning your menu yet? If not, perhaps some high-powered Thanksgiving thinking liquor is in order...

Mmmmm, Church Beer

2010-11-13T08:58:00.002-05:00

While this isn't quite as awesome as Church Brew Works – the former Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh that was sold and turned into a brew pub – but I like the idea of tapping into the dual concepts of drinking and charity.

Martha Stewart on Colbert

2010-11-11T20:05:00.002-05:00

What happens when Martha Stewart (1 of 6 children) and Stephen Colbert (1 of 11!) compare notes on braunschweiger, Wonder Bread and mayo-based cheap eats? Watch and learn...

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Martha Stewart

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

2010 Election

March to Keep Fear Alive

Decomposing Hamburgergate Update

2010-11-06T10:00:00.002-04:00

There's been a lot of chatter on the interwebs lately about the alleged McDonald's burger that refuses to decompose. I suppose this experiment is to show us that fast food isn't good for us (um, duh!) but it also brings up questions as to whether the same thing would happen to a burger you made at home.

Serious Eats (by way of Boing Boing) tackles this hot topic.

McRib Roundup

2010-11-05T08:00:00.005-04:00

When I pulled into the McDonald's parking lot for an after-school lunch with my daughter last week I was pleasantly surprised to see signs touting the McRib Sandwich hanging in the window.

Not because I'm some huge fan of the sandwich who feels the need to use the McRib Locator (an actual site whose map currently looks like one of those Zombie Outbreak graphics from a horror flick), but simply due to the fact that even THG needs a break from the monotonous fast food cycle of burger-chicken-fish.

Frankly, I can't even remember the last time I had a McRib, with its boneless, pressed pork patty, tangy bbq sauce and interesting mix of raw onion and pickle. And while it certainly won't rival the Burger King Ribs for most surprisingly tasty fast food item I've had this year, it's also not some sort of culinary monstrosity heralding the end of civilization as we know it.

Since the McRib – referred to by one site as the elusive Bigfoot of McDonald's sandwiches – is back for a limited time, here's a brief roundup of articles, posts, videos and more that I'm sure we'll be adding to as the limited-time offering runs its course...

Luke Thompson captures his first McRib experience on video (GeekWeek)
Scientist responsible for process that made McRib possible inducted into Meat Industry Hall of Fame (Journal Star)
McRib Twitter search results range from snarky to cult-like (Twitter)
What odd American food product launch would be complete without Stephen Colbert weighing in on the topic? (Food Beast)
Did you know the McRib was relaunched in 1994 as a tie-in with the movie THE FLINTSTONES? (You Tube)

Have a link you'd like us to add? Post a comment below or e-mail us.

Costco Cheese Blamed for E Coli Outbreak

2010-11-05T07:58:00.001-04:00

If you're a reader in the western United States you might want to pay attention to this one. Turns out a raw milk gouda sold at Costco has been blamed for an outbreak of E. coli in California, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

Starbucks Courts Evening Biz with Booze, Local Food

2010-10-19T07:22:00.001-04:00

Starbucks wants to sell you coffee to wake you up and booze to settle you down. Will the new neighborhood store concept work?

Vote for THG in the Mushroom Recipe Challenge

2010-10-18T10:47:00.002-04:00

I hope you enjoyed our recent series of posts on the recipes that I created for the Marx Foods Mushroom Recipe Challenge. Now that the entries are all in please take a moment to check out all the recipes and – hopefully – show THG a little love and vote for our Mini Morel Meatloafs. Plus, after you vote you can enter a random drawing to win some fresh truffles. Thanks for your support!

Mushroom Recipe Challenge: Bison Sliders with Mushroom & Onion Crumble

2010-10-10T18:55:00.005-04:00

And so it comes to this. Unless, of course, I decide to crank out another recipe given the extended deadline.

I love burgers and I love mushrooms (obviously) but something inside told me that it would be a good idea to whip up an appetizer/tailgate recipe for the competition. Frankly, after finishing cooking and trying the end result I wish I had a bison burger contest to enter... these things ROCK!

To be perfectly honest I think the recipe for the mushroom and onion sauce would have been better if I'd remembered to add a little tomato paste. My original concept was to have the topping be a combination of onions, mushrooms, red wine and tomato paste that would result in a ketchup of sorts. Unfortunately, I forgot the tomato paste and had to settle on the resulting saute which I dubbed a "crumble" for lack of a better term.

But it was still pretty darn good. I picked Dried Porcini for this recipe thanks to their earthy, nutty flavor and their ability stand up to long cooking.

Ingredients
1 lb. ground bison
1 egg
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup porcini mushrooms, rough chopped
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup mushroom stock
16 mini buns
Condiments (optional)
Bread & Butter Pickle Chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Reconstitute mushrooms in boiling water to cover for 20 minutes and reserve stock.

Combine ground bison, egg, cheddar, garlic powder, rosemary, 1/4 tsp salt in a bowl. Mix with clean hands and shape into 16 patties about 2-1/4" in diameter on baking sheet. Place in oven and cook for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through cooking time.

While burgers cook melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Cook about 3 minutes and add mushrooms. Cook until dark, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, add 1/4 cup wine, 1/4 cup stock and deglaze pan. Cook until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat, let cool.

Serve on mini buns and top with condiments and pickles (optional) and approximately 1 tbsp of mushroom & onion mixture.

Mushroom Recipe Challenge: Shrimp & Lobster Mushroom Bisque

2010-10-10T17:49:00.004-04:00

With one of my all-time favorite foods – meatloaf – given the mushroom treatment earlier, I thought it would be appropriate to use another variety of dried mushroom to tackle another love of mine. Actually, two loves – seafood bisque and mushroom soup.

Granted, I'm not sure that I've ever had anything other than Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup more than a half-dozen times in my life so I wasn't really sure what I was getting myself into. I ended up choosing Lobster Mushrooms thanks to their sweet, delicate flavor but in retrospect perhaps I should have gone with the Black Trumpet variety.

Ingredients
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, cleaned, peeled, deveined
1/2 cup lobster mushrooms, chopped
2-1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp shallot, minced
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp Bacon Salt (Original)*
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup mushroom stock, divided
1/6 cup all purpose flour

Reconstitute mushrooms in boiling water to cover for about 20 minutes and reserve broth. Place shrimp and 1/3 cup stock in blender or mini chopper and process until finely minced.

Heat large saucepan or other heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high. Melt butter and saute mushrooms and shallots until liquid evaporates. Remove from heat and stir in flour to coat, then add wine and stir.

Add 1/3 cup stock, seasonings and shrimp mixture. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add cream and heat through. Do not boil.

Using immersion blender puree until desired consistency. Can also be pureed in blender in batches.

*If Bacon Salt is not available use commercial Creole or Seafood blend.

Mushroom Recipe Challenge: Mini Morel Meatloaf

2010-10-10T17:31:00.004-04:00

For this recipe I chose morels because of their deep, earthy flavor and the fact that they work well in dishes like stuffing. As a meatloaf lover I'm fond of ordering the dish whenever I go to a new diner – frankly, if you can't do this down-home dish right I probably can't trust you with any of your more exotic endeavors. The following recipe makes wonderful mini meatloafs that would be great as appetizers. Makes 9 servings.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped morels (approx 1/2 oz dried)
1 lb. ground beef or meatloaf mixture
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup mushroom stock
1/2 cup Havarti, shredded

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Reconstitute morels in boiling water to cover for about 20 minutes and reserve broth. Chop mushrooms. Heat saute pan over medium high heat, add olive oil and saute mushrooms and onions until onions are soft but now browned. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Use clean hands to mix ground beef, egg, parsley, bread crumbs, mushroom stock and mushroom/onion mixture in bowl. Coat muffin pan with cooking spray and place meatloaf mixture into muffin tin.

Bake approximately 40-50 minutes or until done. Remove from oven and top each loaf with shredded cheese. Return to oven 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mushroom Recipe Challenge: Introduction

2010-10-10T16:57:00.010-04:00

I have to admit that I'm very intimidated by cooking contests and recipe competitions.

I'm much more of a food fan than I am a gourmet and I consider myself a better cook than chef. In fact, I probably would have been a great line cook in somebody's kitchen had I not become a freelance marketing consultant and web entrepreneur. If I've learned anything about myself over the years it's that there are some situations where I'm good at flexing my creativity and there are some at which I'm not (or don't feel very comfortable).

For me, the kitchen is a place where I don't feel at home freelancing. I tend to follow recipes if not to the letter at the very least close to the spirit in which they were intended. Chris is much more of an experimenter when it comes to recipes and her adventurousness has paid off with handfuls of ribbons in the baking competition at the Maryland State Fair.

But I was admittedly intrigued when I read about the Marx Foods Blogger Mushroom Recipe Challenge. The concept was pretty simple. The fine foods purveyor would provide participants with samples of various dried mushrooms hand-foraged from the woods of the Pacific Northwest. All they asked was that each participant prepare at least one recipe and post it on their blog. The winner would receive shipments of the dried mushrooms of their choosing throughout the season.

A wrinkle that made this challenge a little tough is my wife's aversion to the main ingredient. In the decade we've been together I've always counted on her as an excellent culinary sounding board, taster and critic. Considering the "something in here smells bad" face she makes if I even mention the word "mushrooms" I knew I was sorta on my own as far as recipe development and cooking was concerned.

I ended up developing three recipes for the challenge and I just read that the company has extended the deadline from October 11 to October 14. Hmmmm, maybe I'll develop another recipe or two with what I have left.

In the meantime I hope you're intrigued with what I put together so far...

When is a Pumpkin Stout Not a Pumpkin Stout?

2010-10-01T18:33:00.001-04:00

Kicking off the Halloween season with a Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout. I don't like my beer to be overly spiced so I picked this one out because it suggested the flavoring was "subtle".

Actually, it's pretty much so subtle I can't taste anything past the stout. I suppose this is a good thing but I wouldn't mind a "little" pumpkin flavor.

Can anybody recommend a nice seasonal brew that's not too heavy on the spices like clove and nutmeg?

Let the Mushroom Recipe Challenge Begin

2010-09-30T07:55:00.005-04:00

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.