bmorecupcake's Profile
To anchovy or NOT to
I like them both ways. Sometimes I like them obliterated, sometimes not. Anyone else with me?
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
What toppings have you seen at Sweet Frog that you haven't seen elsewhere? I'm asking because I walked in and the place looked like another frozen yogurt clone to me, but if you found something interesting I'd want to go back and try it. I have seen the taro flavor elsewhere, I'd call and check with Tutti Frutti in Ellicott City.
Have motorcycle. Will travel for good food. (DC, MD, VA and WVA)
Love your plans, reminds me of the recently aired Hairy Bikers' Bakeation series where they rode all over Europe.
I would recommend Sue Island Crab House at the edge of Essex, MD but only for the crabs (not crabcakes or anything else.) They go pretty heavy on the seasoning in my opinion, I ask for very light seasoning. Good view, plenty of outdoor seating, great atmosphere.
crabcakes
Back Porch Cafe: http://www.kenscreativekitchen.com/experience_back_lunch.html
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
In my neighborhood, Catonsville, there is Pioneer Pit Beef which often gets very positive reviews. However, I have never eaten there myself because of religious restrictions.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
Mr Yogato has now merged with a coffee shop or some such thing like that. Can't remember the exact details. Gone is the love it or hate it decor with retro videogames (can't remember if the board games are gone, too.) Also, I'm unsure how directly affiliated they are now with the DC location. I'd be interested if anyone knows more.
Market Price of a Bushell of Crabs
Ordered a dozen #2 males this past weekend for $20.
Old fashioned chewy dense bagels in Baltimore?
I so much wanted to like Roland Park Bagel. I went there around closing so maybe their bagels are significantly better in the morning.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
I remember reading somewhere (maybe on Chowhound) about a place that takes 40 minutes or so to make a crabcake. I assume the wait was because it was freshly mixed and formed, but can't remember the details. Anyone have an idea which place I might be thinking about?
Cooked Collard Greens Baltimore
Call around to one of the lake trout places, they should have it. I'm fairly certain Kimmy's Soul Food on Edmonson Ave will have greens. Kimmy's sells lake trout and they are in the same plaza as another lake trout place called "The Lake Trout", so don't get confused.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
She's Got Crabs will have mostly non-local crabs right now. Around when are you coming?
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
You don't need sugar, you just need train you palate. Sorry, couldn't resist.
I'd also advise against getting too creative at Spro. They will give you just enough rope to hang yourself. Sometimes I've matched brewing methods with the wrong beans and ended up with burnt, Starbucks-esqe results. Considering their prices, these are very expensive mistakes to make.
Boxed Pasta vs. Homemade
I also reuse ziplocs, but do you ever feel like the water you use to wash the ziploc bags is more wasteful than reusing the bag?
Simply Prepared Local Soft Shell Crabs in Baltimore
Lately I've been trying to fry up soft shells at home. It's getting expensive, cutting off the face still makes me queasy, and my results haven't been so good. I usually get my soft shell fix at Catonsville Gourmet, but I started this adventure after a couple mediocre experiences there (uneven cooking, taste of old oil.) I want to take a break and get a decent soft shell crab sandwich, or any other simply prepared Maryland soft shell crab. Anyone have recommendations for Maryland soft shells around Baltimore? It can be carryout or a sit down restaurant, doesn't matter.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
I can't really help you, but your post was hilarious! How dare you condemn our beloved softshells?! It's like if I went to the Seattle board and said "Folgers is as good as any coffee in Seattle".
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
Have you tried Goldberg's or even Sam's bagels? Those are pretty good, although Sam's does use the pre-made dough.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
I used to love Greg's, until I was properly introduced to good bagels in New York. (Even there, good bagels aren't that easy to find.) Now when I go to Greg's, I don't think of them as bagels, but rather as a round breakfast bread. In my experience, Greg's "bagels" pretty much have to be eaten with an hour after they come out. After that, they get very stiff.
Help with a Baltimore favorite - the shrimp cheesesteak
Have you had lake trout at The Roost lately? I feel they are well past their prime. I wouldn't make a trip for it. Their fish doesn't taste fresh to me anymore and I always feel like they need to change their oil.
Ariana Kabob Grill -- a lunch truck in Catonsville
I left Shaheen out on purpose, as well as Spicy Garden, and the new Indian snack shop next to Spicy Garden (which is owned by Spicy Garden's owners). Shaheen was okay (hit or miss) back a few years ago, but now it's just miss in my opinion. The only Pakistani place I recommend is Thousand Kabobs.
Foods you dread making because they’re time-consuming
I agree with Hyderabadi Biryani. It is a labor of love. I know aunties who've been making it their whole life and till this day it still takes them three hours.
Best Indian Chinese Cookbook
A few years back I looked and looked and couldn't find anything. Online recipes and youtube videos produce very disappointing results for me. I've been able to duplicate a few dishes with success, but after a lot of trial and error. As you know, average and bad Indian Chinese is very easy to find and everyone's mother/aunt/uncle knows how to make these "chinese" dishes. In Pakistani households, we make something called Chicken Manchurian which is often swimming in ketchup and I can't stand it. I've had an excellent version at a restaurant in Lahore, and tried many times with no luck to recreate that experience, especially with this recipe: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/12/dining/the-minimalist-a-condiment-gets-to-shine.html
Unfortunately, for most Indian Chinese dishes I have tried to make, some ingredients or techniques are missing from recipes online to produce great results.
Boxed Pasta vs. Homemade
Unfortunately, all the homemade potato gnocchi I've had at restaurants have been dense, not light and fluffy as I have often heard potato gnocchi described. I was starting to believe that's just how potato gnocchi was supposed to be, but this discussion has given me hope.
Ariana Kabob Grill -- a lunch truck in Catonsville
First, stick with the platters. The cheeseburger sub is terrible, tasted like it was made with some frozen beef-ish pattie thing. The cheesesteak is edible, has room for improvement, but considering the other offerings, not worth it at all. Unfortunately, both fish items on the menu (seasoned fish with rice and fish gyro) are made with tilapia, otherwise I would've tried those.
The lamb and beef kabob platters (numbers 2 and 3) were indeed well seasoned, as was the rice/carrots/raisins. However, the meat was overcooked by a minute or so. Right when I got my order the lamb and beef were fine, but even 5 minutes later I had to chew a bit. Nothing too serious, but I'd recommend ordering medium rare. The side salad was acceptable, there is some raw red onion in there. The white sauce had plenty of dill and the green sauce had good tang. My only other gripe is that the carrots and raisins weren't incorporated into the rice but rather placed on top. Many of their customers don't want the carrots and raisins and a lot of restaurants do it this way now. There are some other interesting items on the menu like butter chicken.
Overall, this is a great, great addition to the street food scene, and especially to Catonsville food scene in general. At that Rt 40 and Rolling Rd intersection you now have a pho place, Hunan Taste, two Korean cafeteria-style places, a Korean-Chinese place, a Korean dessert place (MangoBerry has patbingsu and red-bean filled waffle-like things), and now Afghan food.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
I know the crepe truck went out of business recently in case you come across recommendations for it and wonder what happened. Late last year we went to one of the food truck "gatherings" at the inner harbor and were categorically underwhelmed. We spent far too much at truck after truck, although it's probably our fault for expecting some sort of revelation after reading about Food Network's The Great Food Truck Race. We had just come back from New Hampshire and Boston, so when the Silver Platter truck owner told us Bostonians say his lobster rolls are better than the ones they have in Boston, we foolishly couldn't resist. He'd be run out of town if he sold those lobster rolls up there.
I would try the chicken and rice platter from the gyro guy next to 1st Mariner Arena if you haven't already. Full disclosure: I personally know the chicken and rice guy, but that doesn't affect my opinion. I will admit the cart has consistency issues and the overall quality of preparation has suffered slightly since demand has increased.
Food Lover's Guide to Baltimore
They are still in Belvedere Square, but they have moved most of the production to their other locations. The Ploughboy location makes the soups and the Catonsville location does most of the baking. As far as I understand, individual locations still do have some items specific to those locations.
need resataurant near BWI/I-95
I feel Grace Garden isn't too far from BWI, maybe 20 minutes max. There is also a Maiwand Kabob close by.
Help with a Baltimore favorite - the shrimp cheesesteak
There are shrimp parm subs with melted mozzarella found in many "Italian" sub/pizza shops around the Baltimore area. Not saying these are necessarily worthwhile, but every now and then I have a craving (that always ends in regret.)
Help with a Baltimore favorite - the shrimp cheesesteak
From what I've seen, it's just the average "Baltimore-style" cheesesteak with shrimp thrown in. It is found in many sub/pizza shops in Baltimore, but neither the cheesesteak nor the shrimp cheesesteak are worth it.
JFX 2012
Calvert Farms had them again today, but they were all sold out by the time we arrived at 11. This was the last week they would have them. As an aside, I can't believe that not only is the mushroom lady allowed to monopolize the mushroom market, but also she can force bundling of ramps with mushrooms. Reminds me of litigation against Microsoft back 10 years ago. ;)
I really hope commercial foraging doesn't hurt the ramp tradition.
JFX 2012
The crab vendor next to Salt River was selling live soft shell crabs from St. Mary's County. Could anyone who purchased these comment on quality? The crabs didn't seem very lively to me, but I don't know that much about soft shells. And in general, I am very inexperienced when it comes to cooking crabs at home. I love to eat fried soft shell sandwiches, though.
Would anyone with experience care to guide me? With fresh, live soft shell crabs like these, how should I prepare the crabs before cooking? From reading online, many guides instruct cutting the crab's face and cleaning the gills while the crabs are alive? Is this really the best way? (Yes, I'm a bit queasy about the idea, but willing to suck it up.) What's the best cooking method for our local soft shells: pan frying, deep frying, something other than frying? I've read many recipes for dusting with flour and pan frying, but I don't understand how all the flour will cook properly when the shape of the crab will prevent full contact with the pan.
