My wife's uncle Isaac was a cress harvester in Frederick County years ago. He used to supply many Chinese restaurants in Washington. I googled watercress maryland and discovered a 1941 account of the cress business here http://frederickcountymd.gov/index.as... Perhaps Isaac learned the business from this fellow. Cress is plentiful in streams in Frederick and Washington Counties.

A few years ago I was given a bushel or so leftover from someone who brought it in to a market where I sell antiques. The cress grows in streams and should be available May through Sept. I am surprised with the popularity of ramps that more people are not cashing in on cress.

I am sensitive to TCA which I generally think of as a musty taste or smell and discover that I sense it sooner than others. By the way is the musty taste I sense in every miniature carrot I have tasted similar or unrelated to TCA?

My idea of the piazza would be something like our local coffee shop "Common Ground" in Hampden. A number of people pass through or congregate and exchange ideas and news. There are quite a few regulars and diversity of opinion abounds. Through these exchanges relationships form. I related my theory to our waiter and he said the piazza is where your real friends are- not casual friends but the real ones.

I enjoyed both responses (Belvedere Square and Broadway) and recall an experience many years ago on the Fells Point piazza.

It was an early summer Sunday morning and my wife "R" and I arranged to meet another friend at the foot of Broadway. We arrived and R settled down at an outdoor table near the south market shed with her Sunday paper and coffee to await the arrival of our friend. He drove up and we walked over to speak to him in his van leaving her paper and coffee at the table.

Meanwhile a young lady who appeared to have been winding up her Saturday night in Fells Point early on Sunday morning sat down at our table and proceeded to spill R's coffee on her Sunday paper. When we returned to the table R said to her "you have spilled my coffee on my paper" She protested so loudly that R turned to our friend who had come to join us and said "let's go Arthur, I don't want to deal with the low end". Upon hearing this the young lady's protestations grew louder and more animated.

She said "Low end? Low end? I ain't no #$@@ low end." Whereupon R turned to her friend Arthur and said "I guess she proved her point!" ;)

Sorry for the detour. Any other ideas where Baltimore's piazza is?

A few weeks ago I encountered a waiter in an Italian restaurant here in Baltimore. Curiously he was not only a waiter but a physician on leave from Naples for a six month stint helping a friend in her local restaurant. He pointed to a photo of a strand of beach near Naples and related meeting friends each morning at six AM for a croissant and espresso. He asked "where is the piazza in Baltimore"?

I have traveled a little in Italy and thought of the town and village centers where people gather for food and conversation. It is defined by some as the center of public life.

In Baltimore is it an area, a place, a particular restaurant, or a place with a unique or unusual ambiance.

If you have a suggestion let me know and I will tell you what his thoughts were tonight when I answered his question.

My routine order at Samos is Greek village salad, lamb souvlaki (cubes of lamb on a skewer) and Shrimp haloumi which is served with a roasted red pepper sauce. Thanks for the crabcake heads up, I will try it one day. I also enjoy the taramosalata (sp?) but only if I am with a group otherwise too much for us to eat.

It is interesting that both you and Ellen recently mentioned a crabcake being creamy. (Ellen's was about the crabcake at Lakis on Eastern Avenue.) I wonder if their crabcake is similar to Samos'?

How would you compare Samos grilled calamari to Zorba's? I love it at Zorba's but never have ordered it at Samos.

What a serendipitous day.

Settled on a house in Woodberry. It is not unusual for new houses to establish new routes and changes in my routine. No keys at settlement. When I called the owner provided me with the name of his former mother in law so that I could pick up the key locally rather than have it mailed. I instantly thought "uh oh what family dynamics am I getting myself into?"

Only to discover when I picked up the keys I was dealing with the matriarch and master gardener of the neighborhood. Her son had recently renovated her house and she proudly showed me the perfect things to do to the identical house I had just purchased.

I went into the basement of the house and upon reclimbing the basement stairs bumped my head at the low bridge coming up from the basement. I was careful to alert my taller electrician to note the low bridge and later descended to the basement once more myself.

Well then I forgot my own advice and upon reascending cracked my head with copious results on the beam I had warned my electrician about. I staggered from the house with blood flowing and of course nothing to stop it, although, since it was on top of my head I could not see it.

Another neighbor came to my rescue and invited me in for clean up and repairs. He said he knew exactly where I cracked my head since he lived in the same house thirty years ago and had the same experience many times over. I decided i did not require stitches and my wife and I applied a band aid and we proceeded to head downtown.

I carefully searched my iphone to discover if I should head for the ER or dinner. According to the sources I brought up it was a toss up. I knew that my RN friend Fran would tell me "Doc in the Box" but I decided to chance it and figure that if this is my last meal what will it be?

We prepared enough in advance to bring a bottle of wine in case we decided to go to Samos where I had recently heard (Chowhound) there was a presentable crabcake (uh oh- not homemade- how can that be?). Who knew? If we could not get into Samos we could always go to our favorite, Zorbas, for grilled fish.

As we proceeded along Aliceanna Street I mentioned that I had heard Fork and Wrench was good but that it was newly popular but I doubted we could get in. (Tuesday 7 PM)

Since Boston Street was on our route we pulled up in front of Fork and Wrench and went in to check the menu. It looked good with a moderately priced wine and cocktail list and they had a two top available.

Fickle us we abandoned our journey to Greektown and settled in at F&W. I noticed that the decor hit many hot buttons including industrial chic with a hint of steam punk and the creation of a look in two years that has taken 30 years for my wife and I to produce in our house ;) Oh and they also included Pikesville rye in one of the cocktails with ginger syrup--excellent.

The waiter described an appetizer special of melon with breseola (beef prosciutto) mint and feta. We ordered it. It was about 8 or 9 large dice of cantelope with the breseola slivers and mint slivers sprinkled over the melon along with half pea size bits of feta. It was delicious with the mint providing a counterpoint to the sweet melon and the salty feta.

We shared the seared magret duck breast with mushroom faro "risotto", brown butter carrots, pea tendrils and duck jus. The pea tendrils were missing but the dish was quite flavorful.

We also shared the "scallops with chilled pea panna cotta, watermelon radish chip, and meyer lemon". Fresh fragrant dill garnished the dish. I must admit I admire those of you who can recall the menu description while enjoying a dish. I suspect that the watermelon radish chip may have been the silver dollar sized pancakes under the delicious perfectly cooked scallops but will welcome anyone who corrects me on this.

The two entrees we enjoyed were $19 and $17, the app was $7! Perhaps introductory prices? Many wines were in the $25 to $32 range . Last meal? Great food great value.

Good point about portion control.

Since sampling those chocolates we have an instant solution when it comes to hostess gifts when we travel out of town (especially for chocolate lovers.) Recently I have enjoyed the chocolate covered hazelnuts and cherries--- and I have heard a rumor that there will be ice cream in the future.

I really should also mention on the sweets subject (Of which I partake sparingly) that IMHO some of the best cookies in town are at the Roland Park Deli on Chestnut. Great chocolate macaroon a few days ago and Greek wedding cookies dusted with powdered sugar.

My favorite quote about the market was one I overheard on the light rail form two junkies conversing, one mentions to the other "all the junkies get off at the market".

On a lighter note even though this is not near the yogurt / gelato discussion--- I am a fan of Pitango and heard an amusing story from another fan who owns a quite successful chocolate shop. He happens to be German and took an out of town guest to Pitango to show off the local product. She was from Germany. When she saw the prices she refused to try the gelato even though my friend was paying. I suppose the reaction was over the price versus the small size issue compared to prices in Europe.

But, hey, I am not in Europe right now. I still love it even though I did take a picture on my cell phone last time with the first digit of my index finger totally concealed by the false bottom of the small size cup ;>)

Sorry I do not know how to transmit my photo to my documents so that I could post a photo. I guess that is what Pitango is relying on--- unsophisticated customers!

you mean there is a place to read those comments 8)

I suspect Attman's still has coddies. (I searched and found a 2010 article that referenced them.) I love their corned beef sandwiches but have never been a big fan of coddies. It's not too far from Little Italy on Lombard Street and I think 99.9% of us are foolish enough to make it to Lombard Street. I go anywhere I please (with some exceptions) and like to think I am cautious.

Always grateful for the butcher who grabbed me in a bear hug in the Lexington Market to keep me from being dragged outside by two guys who had taken money from an old man many years ago. I'll try not to get into a situation like that again.

well said kukubura

How about oyster happy hour at Ryleigh's. Usually a few for a dollar each and a respectable selection from around the country for a $2 each. 3 to 7 PM near the Cross Street market.

The light rail may be a fun way to travel to Woodberry Kitchen. Catch it at the convention Center and get off at Woodberry. Better have reservations. I think it is a little over hyped. Do you really care that the ketchup is homemade?

I agree with Mr Bills for crabs. I think he has told me twice so far that they just ran out of crabs when I have gone in to give him my name;)

While you have ethnic covered I cannot help but mention Zorba's (cab ride to Greektown). Great Grilled fish - eat downstairs. Call for a reservation although when you get there you could be the only one in the dining room. You never know. (others will chime in with their preference for Black Olive- good as well in Fells Point.)

I like bustle and atmosphere and I think Ryleigh's (I only eat oysters there someone else may know about other menu items) and Zorba's can each give you a dose
of Baltimore flavor.

B & O American Brasserie has received favorable mention. I have yet to try it. Short walk from the Conv Ctr.

Capt Neill's crab meat was packed in a plastic 16 ounce container as you would expect from North Carolina. (Not in a can)

Well maybe I spoke too soon. According to Charley in Tara Foreman's office at Capt Neill's the crab was "caught right here in North Carolina". I notice the container has a sell by date of 2/13/12 and also says "perishable" .

I must say that it is the most unusual east coast jumbo lump I have ever encountered. Big hard lumps top to bottom of the container. Has anyone else tried this crab?

My apologies to Capt Neill and AmyInNC.

I realize this is a waste of your time and mine. The battle is long over and we have won an abundant supply of an inferior product thanks to Phillips entrepreneurship in Asia. An interesting history of this can be found at http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/co...

I am sure Tara will readily admit the crab is Asian and after all it is $19.95 not $26 to $29 as I am happy to pay for east coast of the US jumbo lump.

I encourage all to experience the difference for themselves.

I was busy today so did not get a chance to question "Capt Neill" or Costco. (I am not a member) Did you get a response? If they are processing Asian crab it appears to be a deliberate effort on the part of Costco or Capt Neill to deceive customers. But probably not illegal.

Well let me tell you something those backfin lumps were the largest lumps I've ever seen in a plastic east coast looking 1 pound tub of crabmeat. It does not say product of anywhere on the container.

I agree with monovano. It made the strangest crab cakes from the recipe we usually use and made me understand why crab cakes made with Asian crab are made the way they are made in restaurants nowadays. There was no hope of pan frying them.

I also stick to crab which I expect to be at least blue crab. I will buy Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana... when Chesapeake crab is not available.

I would love to hear other comments from purchasers of this product. I met a fellow who supplies crab meat to local Whole Paycheck stores. It would be interesting to hear his take on this package and its contents.

Arundel Mills MD Costco

My brother just bought "Capt Neill's Seafood Inc" jumbo lump crab meat "wild caught" "processed in USA". My wife insists on buying Blue Crab. This crab looks Asian to me. She is making crab cakes. It will be interesting to see how they taste. I notice the lumps seem much larger than blue crab.

Capt Neill's is listed on the plastic container as Columbia N. C. 27925. Anyone see anything misleading about the packaging if it is in fact Asian crab?

I am sorry to say I will miss that event. I will have to remember him while at M&T Bank Stadium. I am sure the stories will be priceless ;)

My cousin always asks if the fried oysters have been frozen after they were padded. I notice some restaurants have taken to lightly dusting the oysters with cornmeal so that they can be fried immediately without freezing. It is quite common for padded oysters to be frozen nowadays in order to have a supply on hand.

I should have asked at the Peppermill the other night but did not. The oysters there seemed a little watery and I suspected they had been frozen after paddinf.

Number 3 and 4 are my primary complaints about restaurant crab cakes. It will be interesting to see if a restaurateur manages to address these problems. Meanwhile many people are perfectly happy to have any type of crabcake as long as it is big with big lumps of crab.

The Diz has a decent one. An owner mentioned to me that they use a "mini sizzler" pan that gives the crabcake a pan fried homestyle finish. Also if seats are available on the first floor the fireplace is a nice feature.

Would it be helpful if there is agreement that the advice that must be given to the poster relates to who has the best "restaurant pile of east coast jumbo lump placed in a broiler and seldom cooked through" rather than referring to this creation as a crabcake. I agree "huge" makes me suspicious.

Unfortunately I have a difficult time recommending a restaurant crabcake and maintain that what the poster should do is beg anyone on the street to take them home and prepare a pan fried crabcake using as close to local fresh jumbo lump as possible using the recipe on the "Old Bay" can or any of the numerous variations we have all concocted with substitutions... of binders, spices, etc.

Why can't this be done in a restaurant?

I cannot say I was a regular at Martick's. Maybe I've eaten there a half dozen or ten times in 30 years. Actually in recent years I ate there more frequently since each mention of Martick in a local publication included the warning that you better go cause he can't last forever. The warning was given so frequently that Martick would joke about it in passing during his visits with customers.

I loved the snake skinned wall paper and the stainless steel. It was sometimes cold and the tile floor created echoes in the mostly empty dining room. I was fascinated when the lights flickered. Was the place about to catch fire? It reminded me of the billboard on Route 50 that you used to see heading for the Bay Bridge advertising "The Poseidon Reataurant-- Where dining is always an Adventure".

When out of town guests come I love to take them to places that evoke what Baltimore is and was. Our friends in New York enjoy doing the same when we visit. So we have been to Peter's Pub, Zorba's, the Wine Market, Tio Pepe's, Ryleigh's, Night of 100 Elvis' and once a few years ago to Martick's.

I recall being unsuccessful contacting Martick by phone for reservations so I went to Mulberry street one afternoon and rang the bell. Martick opened the second floor window and leaned out. He was in his underwear which from many stories I've read was a common state. In fact he was known for cooking in his second floor kitchen in less. I made the reservation and we enjoyed a successful dinner including bouillabase, pate, and a visit from Martick at our table. He regaled us with memories of his days as an antique dealer and with mutual friends from the antique district on Howard Street.

This was among the most successful evenings entertaining our New York City dwelling friends who got a dose of multiple Baltimore flavors in a single evening.

A few days ago I went to Mekong Delta with my wife. I took along a City Paper with Martick's obituary to read. We refer to Mekong Delta as one of our "rut" places since it has the ultimate combination of freshness and value for the dollar combined with a pleasnt host Leo so we go there frequently. After dinner I asked Leo if he knew Morris Martick. He said "that guy?" pointing to Martick's photo on the cover of the paper. "Oh yeah, I knew him. He would come in frequently and sit at that table in the back by himself. He always looked like he was checking things out and gave me advice about how I should run my restaurant."

It's good to know he never retired. Thank you Morris for the flavor you added to the city.

You mention that your crabcake was a little undercooked in the center. Yes that is possible and almost the norm for the crab mound that has become the restaurant standard in the Balt wash area.

Thanks for the tip re Schultz's. I had crabs there years ago and enjoyed the place but do not think of going for other items. I look forward to trying Thames Street also.

No I haven't been but could not get over the review in the local paper. This sounds like the place that I have always wondered why it does not exist in Baltimore. Here we are euphoric over local produce and foodways and some restaurant actually thinks to serve a crabcake in the cast iron pan it was cooked in? A cast iron pan? How did that get into a restaurant? I don't think think I've heard of one of those in a restaurant since the departed fried chicken joint "The Spot" closed in Smoketown years ago. How great is that! Serving cucumber salad as a side? I thought only Jimmy's in Bridgeville Delaware had figured out that that was something special around here.

If only it's as good as homecooking can be.

I can only wish it is the rightfull heir to Richard Caton Woodville's "Politics in an Oyster House", Thompson's Seagirt House when it was a trolley park destination, maybe Hasslinger's, Connolly's, or Gabler's, or the long gone oyster place on Howard Street that I wonder if it was the inspiration for Mama's on the Half Shell.

I admit that I have only been to The Spot, Connolly's, Gabler's, and Mama's but I am looking forward to trying Thames Street and hope the execution of the idea equals the idea.

Has anyone been? What did you find?

PJ's pub has nightly specials and Monday is wing night. While not the best wings my wife and I went for their fresh cut fries. I prefer them to be dry and not too greasy. On good days Five Guys and Kislings have fries to rival PJ's. At Five Guys I always empty them from the container into the brown paper bag to allow the brown paper to soak up some of the oil. As far as I'm conmcerned these places rival the chips at some of the renowned fish and chips places in Britain and Scotland.
In any case a few wings and an order of french fries can be a meal at PJ's for a few dollars on a Monday night.

A good local cole slaw recipe similar to my mother's and grandmother's slaw has been intrpreted by my sister to be dressed in a ratioo of "1", "1", "1". That is one porion of Mayonaise, one portion of sugar, and one portion of cider vinegar. The dressing can be adjusted to taste but is similar to many good slaw dressings you will encounter and beats any supermarket dressing for slaws at the deli counter by miles.

It is interesting to note that you recall being near Johns Hopkins Hospital when you encountered your favorite slaw. While I am unfamiliar with current booths at the Northeast Market which is near the hospital, one of the tenants at the market is one of the largest greens sellers on the east coast. Richardson Farms has farms near Glen Arm and has their own market on Ebeneezer Road www.richardsonfarms.net/ .

Their farm market could be a worthy chow destination for anyone interested in local produce.

You are absolutely correct. My mother who was quite a creative cook of many wonderfull creations was a mediocre sauerkraut preparer. The emphasis was on the adjective sour. My mother in law who is german knew how to prepare suerkraut well.

I am afraid that many turkey dinners here in Baltimore are prepared with a perfunctory nod to the tradition.

That is interesting that the custom is localized to the Baltimore area and did not make it to Frederick.