Piedmont Wine Trail Goes Local, This Weekend!

This weekend from 1-4PM each day, the following wineries on the Piedmont Wine Trail will feature local products –from jewelry to vegetables and more!

Basignani Winery:
Beef and Bison with Basignani: Featuring Roseda Beef and Gunpowder Bison

Boordy Vineyards:
Paola’s Pesto – Paula Kunkel will be sampling Arugula, Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Pestos paired with wines.

DeJon Vineyards:
Helen Heckwolf will offer her handmade Native American jewelry and pottery.

Fiore Winery & Distillery:
Hawks Hill Creamery will offer samples of their cheeses with wines

Harford Vineyard & Winery:
Will provide samples of gourmet baked goods created by Kathy Fiedler, the owner of Kathy's Sugar & Spice. If you mention the Piedmont Wine Trail you will be able to taste their first estate Merlot wine, soon to be bottled.

Mount Felix Estate Vineyard & Winery: 
Unknown.  Give them a call 410-939-0913 for details about their local products.

Woodhall Wine Cellars:
Will feature Simmer Rock CSA who will offer sample comparisons of freshly harvested vegetables with the same vegetable from the supermarket. Patricia Della Casual Fine Dining will also be serving samples using Springfield Farm products.   Mention the Piedmont Wine Trail and receive a free sample of their Vintner’s Prestige!

Friday Morning Haiku

Make custard and cool

Churn and freeze. So much waiting!!

Worth it in the end

Pandora's box has been opened.
I can't wait to make some more ice cream!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's next?  Mexican Chocolate?  Earl Grey Tea?  Fig Ice Cream?

Dark Chocolate Ice Cream with Fig and Cardamom??????????????

Too many choices.  Too many calories.

Today's Deals!

Two food deals today, and both for places I've never been to!  I actually haven't heard of The Hill, which is a new restaurant in Federal Hill.  I feel out of the loop :(

Has anyone ever been to either of these places?  Let me know what you think of them in the comments.

LIVING SOCIAL: $20 for $40 worth of food at The Hill

The Hill

website
1019 S. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
443-710-8553

This menu is much more intriguing to me.  I would want to order a ton of appetizers and then maybe a salad for my main course.  Maybe something along these lines:

• Crystal Palace Sliders ($13): Mini burgers grilled and topped with crabmeat, avocado and chipotle mayo
• Quinn’s Fish & Chips ($12): Bite sized, beer-battered cod, served with tarter sauce
• Jenn Oliver’s Salad ($16): Mixed greens tossed with mango, avocado, diced bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, green onions, and goat cheese, and topped with jumbo crabmeat, blackened shrimp, and scallops

Seriously.  That salad sounds awesome!!!!!  And bite sized fish and chips just sounds adorable to me.  Also, is it just me, or are sliders really "in" right now?

Limit 1 per person. Limit 1 per table. Dine-in only (not valid during happy hour). Expires in a year.

GROUPON: $15 for $30 worth of food at Luckie's Tavern

Luckie's Fabulous Tavern

website

10 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

410-223-1105

Expires in 1 year. Limit 1 per table. Dinner only. Tax & gratuity not included.

Recipe: Lychee Ice Cream!!!

 

I made ice cream!  Lychee ice cream!  Talk about an exotic first foray into the world of home made ice cream :)  There weren't that many recipes on lychee ice cream, so I decided to take one recipe and tweak it a little, which is actually a bit risky since I just mentioned, I've never made ice cream before hahaha.  But it turned out great! I have included the recipe and my changes in red.  

Lychee Ice Cream 

Adapted from here

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups canned seedless lychees, drained & diced I actually only had a 20oz can of lychees, so I used that instead, and I thought it was PLENTY.  It came out to about 3/4 cup 
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk I used skim milk, which worked out fine
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 egg yolks, beaten 
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice I really wanted more lychee flavor, so I nixed the lemon entirely and went with the juice of half a lime plus enough lychee syrup to equal 1/4 cup of liquid.  

  Directions:

1. Combine the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan or double boiler; heat until warm and the sugar is completely dissolved. Add 1 cup of the cream mixture to the yolks while whisking lightly. Gradually pour the egg mixture back into the cream mixture while continuing to whisk lightly.
2. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the back of your spoon is thinly coated, about 8 minutes. Do not allow to boil or the ice cream custard mixture will curdle.
3. Add the lychee and lemon juice and let it cool in the refrigetator overnight. I added the lime juice/lychee syrup and then put the custard in the fridge for only a couple of hours (I was too excited!).  I added the lychees near the end of the mixing process. 
4. Freeze in an electric or manual ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can put the ice cream custard in a bowl and put it in your freezer until frozen.

So there you have it.  I am not going to sit here and tell you to make all my changes, although I really do think the 20oz can of lychees are enough.  I added the raspberries for a pretty photo - but they turned out to be a really nice foil to the sweetness of the ice cream.  

Would I make this again?  Definitely! Just a word for the wise - the lychees are best when they are not entirely frozen, so wait about five minutes until the lychees are tender and chewy!

Enjoy!  I know I did :)

Stone Mill Bakery, Lutherville

One morning, my mum and I were going to meet for breakfast.  We wanted a nice place, but nothing too fancy, so I decided on Stone Mill Bakery in Greenspring Station.  I have already forayed into their world of Hot Chocolate, and was transported to heaven, so needless to say I had high hopes for breakfast. 

 

For some reason I decided to order their house made artisan bread with butter and red raspberry jam ($3.59).  I still do not understand why I ordered this since I literally have this for breakfast EVERYDAY at my own house.  But I have it everyday because I love it so......right.  The bread was great, quite soft and chock full of grains.  I thought this was great, even if I do have it all the time at my own house :) I also ordered an iced coffee and a blueberry muffin to go (for Dan!  I like to buy him delicious surprises!)  They don't carry simple syrup (which surprised me) so I asked to have the iced coffee plain, and was happy to find out that it had such a great flavor that I really didn't need to mask it with sugar or cream. The blueberry muffin was huge and yum, with a lovely crumb topping. 

 

My mum ordered the fruit tart and a freshly squeezed orange juice (which was a VERY good size). My mum really enjoyed the fruit tart (which is much bigger than the picture makes it seem).  I tried it and loved it, as I usually do these sorts of things.

Now here is where I have my gripes.  This entire order cost $20, including tax. I have no idea what anything cost, except my $3.59 toast.  Why isn't the iced coffee or orange juice price listed on their menu?  I realize that the fruit tart probably isn't always a menu item, but at least there could have been a sign on the case.  I didn't mind paying for it , but when places don't list the price of things, it really bothers me.

Anyway, that being said, this bakery is a really sweet place to go if you just want to pop out for a nice and quick breakfast.  The employees were incredibly friendly, especially the man who took my order.  He seemed so genuinely excited about all the menu items, that it was hard not to feed off his energy.  I would definitely come back, and hopefully order something different!  But I'll get the iced coffee again, for sure. 

Friday Morning Haiku

Drink wine, then water

Rehydrate in this weather

so no dizziness :)

I don't really need to tell you that the Great Grapes Festival is going on in Annapolis this weekend, but just a reminder, I'll be at  the blogger panel at 1pm on Sunday.
If you're going to the festival or going to be outside at all this weekend - be careful!  The thought of a ton of people drinking wine in the really hot sun makes me nervous.  Please keep hydrated!!!!

In other news OMG my french press coffee this morning is fantastic.  I put in a liiiiiitle less coffee grinds than I normally do because I ran out - and it made the perfect cup.
I AM OBSESSED WITH THIS DEVICE

The horrible thing is I was SO close to just giving it away to someone last week because I hardly used it and thought it was stupid.  Oh how naive I was.

New "About Me" Page

Hello!
I FINALLY added an "About Me" page  for the stalker in all of us!!!*****
I'm not sure what sort of stuff people want to know, but I thought I would start it and add to it sporadically.

Any questions you would like me to answer on the page!?!  












****just kidding, please don't stalk me, I am a very boring person

Reader Question: Help Me Find a New French Press!

UPDATE - I am absolutely ridiculous and didn't realize that the plunger is supposed to be unscrewed in order for it to be cleaned.  I am not gross, this was only the 4th time I've used my French Press and I did manage to get a decent clean before this travesty.  That being said, I still feel ABSOLUTELY STUPID. I love my French Press.  We are back to being buddies, although I am sure it is disappointed in me. Thank you to Matthew, for pointing this out to me :)

This weekend I re-discovered the joy of French Press coffee at my friend's house.  As soon as I got home, I immediately pulled out my Bodum French Press and brought it to work with me.  I found that it made incredibly rich and STRONG coffee that helped me beat the mid-morning slump.

And just as me and my buddy Bodum started to become more than acquaintances, it BROKE.  My plunger just fell apart.  Sure, this could probably be an easy fix, but the more I did research on a replacement, the more I found that people had other issues with this kind, more specifically the glass canister.

So I am asking you now - do you enjoy the delights of a French Press, and if so - can you give me any good recommendations on a French Press?  Ideally I would like a small one because I usually only make myself one cup (trust me, that is ALL I need!)

Thanks for your help!

Yay coffee!

Let's try this again.....

OK, unfortunately Sarah S. never contacted me for the Great Grapes tickets, so the next winner is:

KEEKAT!!!

KeeKat said... I am definitely a white wine drinker all the way but trying to expand my tastes into red. Currently my fav wine is a German Reisling, but also in love with the Crystal Lake Plum Wine. Would love an opportunity to go to Great Grapes, do tastings and explore the Red family. :-) 

Well, KeeKat - make sure you email me so that we can have you explore all the Reds Maryland has to offer :)

Congrats, and sorry Sarah S.! 

Link Love - Baltimore Food News

Here is some stuff my fellow bloggers are keeping me in the "know" about:

- Employees of Domino Sugar are holding a bake off.  I have VERY high expectations for these baked goods :)

- Baltimore Pho is closing.  I've never been there, but I always thought this place was a Baltimore Institution.  Very surprising!

- A new food market is coming to Mt. Vernon - Milk & Honey.  The name already has my attention!

- Phillips is having a $1000 recipe contest with crabs!

Blah, I hate to do this...but I must!

Unfortunately, I still have not heard from my Great Grapes contest winner, Sarah S!

If you are Sarah S, please email me immediately at tasteofbaltimore at gmail dot com

If I don't hear from you by 5pm today, I'll have to pick another winner :(

Duff Goldman's Cake Baking Supplies

 Check out The Kitchn for their post of Duff Goldman's new baking supply line.

They seem pretty interesting, and fun to look at the next time I go to Michael's Craft Store, but I'm not sure I would ever buy any of these.  I'm not really a tattoo-cake kind of person :)

What do you think about the products?  Do you watch Charm City Cakes?  I actually don't have cable, so it's not something that I watch, though I am still excited a Baltimorean has become such a celebrity!

Great Grapes Festival Ticket Winner!!!!!

I have a winner for my Great Grapes Tickets!

CONGRATULATIONS Sarah S!!!!  PLEASE EMAIL ME SINCE I DO NOT HAVE A CONTACT EMAIL FOR YOU!

Sarah said: "Love me a big, rich, bold Cabernet Sauvignon. I grew up drinking it every night with my family, regardless of the meal. I associate it with all things good in life."

ahhhhh I just love Cabs as well!  I hope you drink a lot at the festival and have a ton of fun :)

Maryland's Buy Local Challenge Week, July 17-25th

Guess what’s coming up starting TOMORROW!?!?!  It’s Maryland’s Buy Local Challenge Week, which is taking place July 17-25. If you want, you can sign up online and pledge to eat at least one item from a local farm every day during the week!  I don’t know about you, but given the amount of fruit that I eat, that would be SIMPLE.  Load me up on some delicious peaches and nectarines, please!  And perhaps throw in a couple of eggplants in there too :)

Talking about local…..remember the Maryland Wine Festival is local :)  Don’t forget to enter my giveaway to get free tickets!


OK – so back to the Buy Local Challenge Week – what do you think?  Are you going to do it?  Would it be easy for you?  Are you like me and survive on nectarines and peaches alone during the Summer? 

Friday Morning Haiku

I love salty chips

Give me some guacamole

Or even salsa

I've been thinking recently that I eat Chipotle way too much.  I know this is something I should not admit on a blog where I talk about a variety of restaurants and stuff....but I can't help loving the sweet sweet taste of Chipotle.  I think I need to expand my horizons.  Please give me suggestions for AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurants, please!


So far I've been to:
 - Tropical Grill in Cockeysville, which also has Salvadorian food on their menu, and has amazing pupusas
- Mari Luna Mexican Grill in Pikesville, which I LOVED and I am not sure why I keep forgetting about that place
- El Guapito's in Mt. Vernon, which is too far from work now to go for lunch :( :(  I need to go back for dinner.  I loved this place as well!!!

Help me expand my list!!!!!

Image by Kashfia Rahman

Great Grapes in Annapolis, July 24-25th and Ticket GIVEAWAY!

I have the opportunity to be part of a Blogger Panel at Great Grapes in Annapolis on July 25th and I am super excited about this!  If you have any interest in coming to see the awesome panel dish about Maryland food, we will be speaking at 1pm.  Here is some info.

Or perhaps you really just want to taste all the amazing wines Maryland has to offer - that's good too!  I have always loved going to the Great Grapes Festival, so if you've never been, this is a real treat!

Here is some information about the Festival, and then scroll below for my Giveaway!

Where: 
The Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds
1450 Generals Highway (Route 178)
PO Box 372
Crownsville, MD 21032

When:
July 24th and 25th, 12-6PM

How Much:
- Adult Admission & Tasting Glass: $20 advance online or $25 on-site includes a souvenir wine glass, unlimited samples, all performances and cooking demonstrations.
- Designated Driver Ticket: $15 advance online or on-site and includes admission into the event ONLY.
- 2 Day VIP Adult Admission & Tasting Glass - ONLY 200 Available: $35 for a 2 Day Admission Pass & Tasting Glass To The Festival, and Event T-Shirt.
- Kids - 12 and under are FREE!

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

I have two tickets to give away for one day of Admission.  Here are the details:  
- Just leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite type of wine. 
- One comment per person and PLEASE leave a contact email! 
- This giveaway will end on Sunday the 18th at 11:59PM.
- I will choose the winner by random selection on July 19th. 
- I will give the two tickets to only ONE winner.
- If you do win, you will need to specify your date of attendance


Good Luck!!!

Settling....

 Honey, thanks for being my best friend these days

I'm back from another vacation to the beach (Sea Isle City, New Jersey) and I'm settling back down into blog writing.  Sorry I didn't have anything posted while I was gone...I'm still not feeling 100% and that means lots of laziness and lots of tea with honey (blueberry honey from Maine!!!) and lots of tv watching mixed with a ton of coughing and throat lozenges:(

Anyway, on to some updates!!!

Today is Bastille day!!!!!  Petit Louis is having a fete of course - $41pp (or $60 with accompanying wines) for the Prix-Fixe menu with delicious items such as scallops and warm tarts and ratatouilles!

Groupon is having a great deal towards Langermann's: $15 for $30 for dinner and drinks, valid for a year.  Wow.  I just scanned this menu and it sounds amazing.  I usually write an ideal meal, but seriously, all of the entrees sound incredible and I can't choose!  Yes please to the short ribs (of course), the sea bass, the scallops, the halibut.  Yum.  Seriously.  Yes to all of them.

All month long, B&O American Brasserie was celebrating National Ice Cream Month by offering some signature housemade creations: Bing Cherry-Corn Cake with Sweet Corn Ice Cream ($7) and The Banana “Split-wich”: Caramelized Banana with Peanut Butter Wafers, Compressed Strawberries, Chocolate & Strawberry Ice Cream ($8).  A portion of each sale went to benefit Dress for Success, an organization which helps women reenter the workforce.  Tomorrow, July 15th, Hotel Monaco is hosting an Ice Cream Social from 5-7PM with ALL proceeds going towards Dress for Success.  Scoops of housemade ice cream will be available for purchase for $3-5 in the lobby. 



Image by Zsuzsanna Kilian

Free 7-11 Slurpee on 7/11

On Sunday, July 11 (TOMORROW!), participating 7-Eleven stores will offer a free 7.11-oz. Slurpee as part of its 83rd birthday celebration.

Groupon: $20 for $40 at Mt. Rain's Fun House

Today's Groupon is $20 for $40 at Mr. Rain's Fun House at the American Visionary Art Museum.  I have never been to either place, so I bet this would be a fun Baltimore day!

Here is what I would get:

DRINKS -OMG THEIR SANGRIAS!  So tempting! All of them! How would I ever choose! ($11)

• ROJO - Juan Gil Red Wine {Spain}, Bombay Dry Gin, Orange Liqueur, Orange Juice
• BLANCO - Protocolo White Wine {Spain}, Crop Organic Cucumber Vodka, Mint
• ROSADO - Lucky 7 Rose Wine {Argentina}, Flor de Cana Rum, Licor 43, Pomegranate

APPETIZERS

• PEI Mussels ($10) - Sambal & sparkling wine  
• Prince Edward Island isn't just famous for the precocious redheaded girl - their mussels are fantastic too
• Lumpia ($8) - chicken & shrimp spring rolls  
• Why not?  I love crispy fried things.

MEDIUM PLATES - I wanna know how medium is medium, cause those prices aren't so medium.....

• Korean Braised Short Ribs ($24) - Potatoes, mushrooms   
• I love short ribs.  Full stop.
• Salmon ($20) - Black rice, English peas, radish cream  
• The first time I was served a different colored rice (I think it was purple), I was very annoyed I was not warned.  Too bad I later realized I was served "forbidden rice"
• Seared Scallops ($24) - Roasted tomatoes, fennel  
• I'm a sucker for fennel anything.

DESSERT
Why don't people ever have desserts listed on their menu?  Do they not understand this is one of the most important choices of a person's day!?!?!?!?!?!


Have you been here?  Heard of anyone that has tried the $300 Suckling Pig Platter (!!)???

Friday Morning Haiku

My flowers are dead

A desert replaced my lawn

I should water twice?

This week's weather was pretty unbearable.  I don't like walking outside and sweating in two minutes.  GROSS. 

One good thing that has come out of this is that I have discovered my love for Snoballs.  Now I understand why there are 5 million* snoball stands in a 2 mile proximity from where I live - they are CRUCIAL in hot weather.  I'm not saying I've just tried one for the first time, but for some reason I just never thought about getting a snoball as a cool treat.  What a mistake!  

I have found out that Egg Custard is a Baltimore flavor - so I've been ordering that, and I like it!  I don't really understand what it should taste like, but I don't mind. So far I've been to Snoasis on Padonia Road in Cockeysville (they have shaved iced) and Snobros on York Road in Timonium (who have crushed ice).  I am guessing that despite their choice in Ice Consistency, most snoball stands are pretty similar?

Any other flavors that you love and you recommend me to try?  

*I also love to exaggerate

A New Maryland Wine Trail!

There’s a new Maryland Wine Trail in Carroll County – The Carroll Wine Trail, featuring 3 wineries:

• Galloping Goose Vineyards in Hampstead
• Cygnus Wine Cellars in Manchester
• Serpent Ridge Vineyard in Westminster

Sounds like a fun day! I had a little passport card for the Mason Dixon Wine Trail, but I never completed it since I didn’t make it up to the Pennsylvania wineries.  One day I will! Oh I just love wineries, but unfortunately I haven’t been going to them as much as I want to.  I think I need to set a date! Me + An assortment of Maryland wineries + Dan, my designated driver + Picnic of bread, BRIE and grapes = ONE AWESOME DAY FOR ME!     What's your favorite Maryland winery? Have you ever followed a Wine Trail before?

Szechuan House, Lutherville

I don't eat a lot of Chinese food. This bothers me because I love it.  I think I am always really nervous about the calories, so I opt for a Chipotle burrito or a burger and fries instead :)

Clockwise: General Tso's Chicken, Lo Mein, Chicken with Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, Rice :)

Yesterday, however, we got some Chinese food from Szechuan House and it was great!  Lucky for us, it's super close to our house and they deliver (I refuse to do carry out because it's literally RIGHT next to my gym and I don't feel like being overwrought with guilt before dinner).

We got Chicken with Eggplant and Garlic Sauce, General Tso's Chicken and Mixed Meat Lo Mein.  We also got Sweet and Sour Soup and Wonton Soup (both $1.25 for a pint!!!!!!!!!!!!)  I am not a fan of these soups in general, so I don't need to comment on them.  If you like them - I heard they were delicious :)

My absolute favorite item was the Chicken with Egglant and Garlic Sauce (Large: $7.50 and it was seriously huge).  The eggplant was almost caramelized and I loved the flavor of the sweet garlic sauce. I would definitely order this again.  In fact, this is probably going to be my go-to dish.

The General Tso's (Large: $8.50) was good - but I couldn't eatmore than three pieces since the sauce was so sweet, however, I did like that there was a good ratio between the breading and chicken.  Dan thought it was excellent and he finished it off happily.

The Lo Mein with mixed meat (beef, chicken and shrimp) (Small: $4.50) was also good, and surprisingly not at all oily.  I usually like more vegetables in my Lo Mein, but since Dan ordered this one - he was thrilled to see so much meat.

The selection at this restaurant is fabulous and so are the prices.  We ordered all this food for 4 people, and there was so much leftover!  If you're in the area - definitely check out the Szechuan House!

Groupon: $10 for $20 at The Falls in Mt. Washington and more!

Yay!  I scooped up this Groupon with a fury - $10 for $20 at The Falls in Mt. Washington.  Check it out!

You might remember that I love this place and can't wait to go back to try their dinner menu, notably their bison burger.

Here are the details:

• It expires in a year
• It's ONLY valid for dinner and weekend brunch
• Limit 3 per person and 1 per table and 1 per visit
• Valid for FOOD only

Did you buy one?  Have you been there?

The Falls at Mt. Washington

1604 Kelly Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21209

410-367-7840

ALSO

You might have noticed that their is a side deal for $20 for a 2 day pass to the Great Grapes in Annapolis on July 24th and 25th.  I am actually going to be part of a blogger panel (see here!) on the 25th from 1-2pm.  I'll let you know more details and have a ticket giveaway, so stay tuned!!!!!!

Tangier's Bistro Bar and Martini Lounge, Canton

UPDATE - THIS RESTAURANT IS NO LONGER OPEN

 

I was invited to a tasting at the new Tangier’s Bistro Bar and Martini Lounge in Canton, where Red Fish used to be.  I loved the red façade and wonderfully large wooden bar.  I wasn’t really transported to Morocco, as it said on the website, but it is a nice looking place. Perhaps the Martini Lounge upstairs is where the Moroccan style shows through?

Dan and I got there around 7:30 and started to peruse the menu.  The menu itself is deceptively small.  It looks large, and then you realize most of the page is taken up with explanations of the dishes.  I actually appreciated the explanations – it definitely is better to know exactly what you are ordering rather than guessing.  All of the items on the menus are “mezze” or basically appetizer portions – so you are greeted with very nice prices!

 

 White Sangria - YUM

The drink list is large, even more so than the food menu!  As I mentioned, Tangier does have a Martini Lounge, so if you love Martinis you will not be disappointed with the selection.  I, however, really LOVED the White Sangria ($7) and would probably order that again and again.  It was incredibly fruity and tasted like sweet sweet juice.  The Mojito ($10) was WAY too strong and warm(?), but the French75 ($9) with gin, lime, sugar and a touch of champagne was nice, though I did not taste any champagne.  Wouldn’t that mean there would be bubbles?  I am not sure, but I didn't see any nor taste anything other than gin.

 Parmentiers (in the background) and Briouates (in the foreground) - p.s. there were 4, but I ate one :)

Though the menu isn’t split into appetizers and entrees, Dan and I still wanted to order that way – mostly because our table was small and we didn’t have too much room to try multiple things at a time.  We first started with the Briouates Cigars ($9) and the Beef Parmentiers ($9). 

The Briouates were crispy and were filled with finely ground meat with spicy flavorings.  I enjoyed these a lot, though they reminded me of tiny spring rolls, so I was constantly looking around to dip them into something.  

The Parmentiers were also tasty – a Moroccan version of a shepherd’s pie in fact.  It comes with some tchouktchouka (stewed tomatoes, peppers and garlic - you can get this as an individual Mezze for $8) on the side, which I thought went PERFECTLY. 

 Background-Foreground: Chicken Bastilla, Chicken Shish Kebab, Chicken Tagine. 

We then ordered plates of the Chicken Bastilla ($10), Merguez Shish Kebabs ($11), and Chicken Tagine ($10).  We received some Chicken Shish Kebabs ($10) by mistake, so we ate those too – no need to send that back!  

The Chicken Bastilla reminded me A LOT of the Briouates, though sweeter since they’re sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.  I liked these a lot as well, but I would suggest either getting this or the Briouates because otherwise they are much too similar. 

The Chicken Kebabs were good, though a little plain.  This would be the perfect dish for someone who is a little wary of International Cuisine – a good starter into the world of Moroccan food.  

The Chicken Tagine was wonderful, the chicken meat itself was extremely flavorful and moist.  It did sit on the most olives I’ve ever seen in my life though– WOH! 

Merguez Shish Kebab

The Merguez Shish Kebabs were wonderfully little cigar shaped kebabs.  I loved the color and the flavor of the meat.  I’ve never tried anything like that.

 The conical tagine with Vegetarian Couscous

We were given an actual tagine (a conical pot) of Vegetarian Couscous ($14) which comes with dried fruit, sweet potatoes, butternut squash(?) and chickpeas. I loooooooooved this couscous.  In fact, I took some for work the next day because there was so much since it’s the only item offered as a full entree.  This was curious to me – nothing else but vegetarian couscous?  That seems random.  I was happy because I thought it was a perfect complement to the Chicken Tagine.  I asked the owner if someone could order a small side of couscous instead to go with the tagine – and he said yes.  I would highly suggest people to do that, especially if it would save you the higher price tag.  If you are vegetarian however, this is a great item to order since most of the menu items are meat-filled.  

Assorted Moroccan Pastries Plate

Probably one of my very favorite items on the menu was the Assorted Moroccan Pastries Plate ($3pp) which are all different and handmade by the owner's lovely Aunt, who I had the pleasure of speaking with.  They are each very different - some with lots of honey, others with coconut, another with dates and another with almond paste.  This was just a huge treat.  And with a pot of mint tea ($2pp)....ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I could have sit here for hours and been content. 


Now, I have to be honest here, the service was a bit shaky.  We didn't receive our first drink until half an hour after we arrived and then our first plate of food until an HOUR after we arrived.  We also had a couple of wrong orders of things as well.  I will chalk it up to them still being new and starting out, although the owner, Alan Suissa insisted it was because he was not in the kitchen ahahahaha.  Either way, I hope that everything gets sorted out and running a little faster!

If I were to go again, I would get some White Sangria, the Chicken Tagine (with a side of couscous), the Merguez Shish Kebab and the Assorted Dessert Plate. Those were definitely my favorites.  


DISCLAIMER: Though this was a free tasting, I was not asked to write a positive review and felt no inclination to write anything which did not reflect my true opinion of Tangier's. 
 

Friday Morning Haiku

Happy 4th to you!

Fireworks and BBQ!!!! :)

Have a great weekend!

Ah America, I do love you so. 

So what are your plans this weekend?  I think my parents and I are going to Oregon Ridge for the BSO and fireworks!  I am very excited about that, especially with the prospect of picnic food (FRENCH BREAD AND BRIE??  BUTTER???).  I'm also excited to go over to my in-laws house for a wonderful BBQ.  Basically, this weekend is all about family!

Also, there are lots of events going on in the harbor, including Phillips (and the Harborplace) 30th anniversary.  Check this link out for all the activities going on, including Crabology 101 which is TODAY at Noon in the Amphitheater. 

Today I Opened Pandora’s Box...

.....And tried a Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks.  For the first time.

CRAP.  I should have stayed away.  It’s pretty much a combination of my 2 favorite drinks:  Smoothies + Iced Mocha.  So good!  So icily crunchy!  So sweet and satisfying!

I am in trouble.

I am also convinced that I should be the spokesperson for the Dairy Farmer’s of America.  First I talk about my love for a sorbet/ice cream combo, then butter and now frappuccinos?  This is just getting ridiculous.

Talking about coffee, did you see today’s Groupon for $15 for $30 at Baltimore Coffee and Tea?  It’s only for drinks, not their teabags or beans.  You can use it for multiple visits though until Jan 2nd 2011.  Do they have frappuccinos……?  Hahahaha just kidding, you know I love them.

Current Food Obsessions

JULIE'S SORBET AND CREAM
I found this at Wegmans and now I want to buy stock in this stuff.  The Mandarin sorbet is the perfect combination of sweet and tangy, and then mix that with the swirls of wonderfully luxurious vanilla ice cream?  OMGGGGGGGGGGGG.  Seriously, I am so in love with this I can't wait to try all the other flavors.  I LOVE mixing sorbets and ice creams, in fact I do that when I go to Pitango Gelato and when I go to Rita's I always like to get an Italian Ice with Custard.  So basically, this is a match made in my personal heaven.

BUTTER

Ever since I got my bread maker, I've been loving breakfasts of toast, butter and jam.  However, I decided recently that the sticks of butter I buy for baking just wasn't cutting it for my morning toast with tea.  It was time for the real deal.  I bought a tub of Mendon Creamery Butter (slightly salted) from Wegmans and it's yummy.  It's perfect for my toast, since I want the butter to be subtle and not overpower my delicious jam, and I prefer to use salted butter to balance out its sweetness.  I have also taken to use butter on my sandwiches instead of mayo or mustard.  I love butter SO MUCH.  Why did I forget about this?  In England we used to have bread and butter sandwiches and they were delightful!

Basically, ask me in about a month if my pants still fit.