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What's Seasonal Right Now?? End of August

Maryland: Late August

  • Apples
  • Beets
  • Black-eyed Peas
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Cantaloupes
  • Carrots
  • Cider
  • Cucumbers
  • Eggplant
  • Grapes
  • Honey
  • Lima Beans
  • Nectarines
  • Okra
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Peppers
  • Plums
  • Pole Beans
  • Potatoes
  • Snap Beans
  • Summer squash
  • Sweet Corn
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips
  • Watermelon
  • Winter Squash

Other produce available in bordering states:


Beet It! Getting over my fear of the red purple food group.

Luckily, I have recently had a beet revelation. All hail The City Café in Baltimore. I love it. I read someplace that you can be have a meal there and see the Governor’s wife sitting at the table to your right and a drag queen at the table to your left. That is my type of restaurant! My hubby (Vud) and I went there before seeing Brian Regan a few months ago. And it was spectacular!! I couldn’t stop posting pictures of the food and I was in love with the dishes. I ordered the steak frites with a delish three-onion butter and fries. Did I mention the fries were covered in truffle oil and parmesan??? Excuse me for a second. I’m getting flushed. The dessert – well, that is something we will discuss in a later post because it deserves a post of its own. To the point of this post, Vud had the sesame-encrusted tuna…sitting on a bed of truffle mashed potatoes….with edamame and roasted beets sprinkled around its base. Le sigh.<< MORE >>

Top Chef & Frederick

http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/bio/bryan-voltaggio

So excited. Can't type! STOP IT! JUST STOP!!! SOOOOOO GREAT! LOVE BRYAN! LOVE VOLT Restaurant!!!

I'll drop something a little more witty after I calm down!

And do I misunderstand....or is his brother on the show too????


What's Seasonal Right Now??

Provided by The Natural Resources Defense Council

Maryland: Early July

  • Beets
  • Black Raspberries
  • Blackberries
  • Blueberries
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Cucumbers (pickles)
  • Honey
  • Lima Beans
  • Peaches
  • Pole Beans
  • Potatoes
  • Raspberries
  • Snap Beans
  • Sour Cherries
  • Summer squash
  • Sweet Cherries
  • Sweet Corn
  • Tomatoes

Other produce available in bordering states:

Zucchini-Sausage Saute

DON’T OVER THINK THE SALAD! Salads don’t have to be fancy and involved. Sometimes a simple lettuce salad can do just fine – think of the infamous wedge. That’s the far end of simple – you can do a simple salad with a little more finesse. If you have a few different lettuce types, toss them together in a pretty bowl. The different greens and reds look beautiful in a white bowl. We keep a variety of salad dressings on hand to“accessorize” our greens and use it as an easy side dish. I’m not kidding when I say variety – jalapeno ranch, champagne vinaigrette, Italian, 3 cheese Italian, balsamic vinaigrette, blue cheese, ranch, red wine vinaigrette, zesty Italian…..it’s true we don’t mess around when it comes to dressing. So, this being said – what's being said, you ask? Well let me repeat again: DON’T OVER THINK THE SALAD - I know I’ve got a perfect side dish. << MORE >>

About Me...About the Blog

Who am I to start a blog on local foods? I could go on about my years of experience in the kitchen, my degree from a culinary institute and hours upon hours of cooking under top chefs. I have none of those. We're off to a poor start already. I am no sort of expert except as being a corporate tool…which has absolutely nothing to do with cooking. Or produce. Or having a blog. But I can order out a mean Pad Khing with a Guam Cam appetizer. ..which is pretty difficult when you live in Boonsboro, MD. Yeah, you got it, I have no qualms about importing take-out from Northern Virginia. And don't start with me about there are perfectly decent Thai restaurants locally. You're wrong. And on this, I will not relent. Anyway, back to the subject. Frankly, I'm more qualified to hunt out a good deal at Nordstrom Rack than I am as chef….or even a cook.

 

But that brings me to my reason why. After years of sales and marketing - spinning the words of executives into something charming to the public and less like the nonsense that comes out of their mouths, I am on a quest to save my soul. Yeah, you heard me. Save my soul - not unlike Jake and Elwood, I am on a quest.

 

I have been in the corporate world for over 13 years. I shed my country flannels (not grunge, they were quilted) and ripped jeans and disowned the values of my hippie parents. Face it, being raised by poor hippies is no picnic. It's like being raised by feral cats. I'd rejected the nonsense of all the tree-hugging, incense burning, Beatles singing, healthy living, feel good, love every one wah wah wah wah. Don't get me wrong, I still believe in the greater good. I just don't go for the one with nature and love everyone nonsense. In fact, I've actively rejected it much to my mother's dismay. I've embraced my consumerism. There's nothing better than slipping on a pair of snakeskin stilettos, grabbing your Kate Spade handbag, and sipping your venti caramel macchiato. Yeah, some people have therapy to get over their childhood, I have BCBG.

 

But, I think I've lost my balance a little. There has to be someplace between glass buildings with cubicles and hippie communes! So - how do I save my soul? Well, like any good project manager, I have a plan. I haven't put it in Microsoft Project yet…but I will. I'm starting with rediscovering my community. Hence, my interest in wanting to "eat local." I like to eat good, fresh foods. And eating local is good. It supports local farmers and helps preserve farms. And it's healthy. And promoting farmers and healthy food is something wonderful. That's the saving my soul part. Doing good for the community…

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