Hash revival

What is hash? Well, in the ’60s or later the hash I knew was not edible, but it could surely give you the munchies. Hash, in the edible world, has been around eons, usually chopped or cubed leftover meat, potatoes, and seasonings seared up in a sauté pan and topped with an egg. My Aunt Hannah was a master of making a mean hash, insanely tasty with leftovers from her fridge. Hash is not just for breakfast, it is any time of day you want a nosh or a hearty meal. Read the full story at Baltimore Post Examiner Dara Cooks

Maryland's only pop up Christmas cocktail Bar: Miracle on Magothy Beach

What started approximately 4 years ago, a Christmas themed pop up bar with all the holiday decorations and clever designed cocktails, has grown into an international phenomenon. This year almost 100 Miracle™ Christmas Pop Up Bars are participating.  Christmas lights, tinsel, and holiday décor set the tone while cocktails like Christmaspolitans, Jingle Bell Nogs, Naughty or Nice Shots take holiday ‘spirits’ to the next level. 

Read more at Dara Cooks - Baltimore Post Examiner 

McKeldin Square pop-up food marketplace adds music

PRESS RELEASE: Harbor Market, a pop-up food marketplace at McKeldin Square featuring the best eats from around Baltimore, will now feature live music on select dates throughout the summer.  Local musicians will be providing live tunes as Harbor Market visitors enjoy a variety of menu offerings from food trucks and local vendors, making Wednesday and Friday lunch breaks just that much more fun.

The musician line-up is below:

7/21: Rachel Hall

7/28: Silent Tale

8/18: Sloe Jim

8/25: Mike Manos

9/1: Devin Breithaupt

9/8: Jordan Gillis

9/15: Electric Molly

9/22: Total Distraction

9/29: Drew Stevyns

The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore hosts the Harbor Market at McKeldin Square every Wednesday and Friday from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. throughout the summer.

Rotating food vendors include:

·      Doobys

·      Smoking Swine

·      Green Bowl

·      Mex on the Run

·      Sobo Café

·      Dizzy Cow

·      Gypsy Queen

·      Ekiben

·      Bon Fresco

For more information, go to http://baltimorewaterfront.com/events/harbor-market-3/.

If you missed the first one - Underground Kitchen is back!

The popular supper club that originated in Richmond, Va. and later expanded into the Mid-Atlantic will make its return to Maryland. On May 22, Underground Kitchen, the ultra-luxe, super-secret, pop-up dining society featuring buzzed about chefs, unconventional locations, and tickets that routinely sell out within minutes, comes to Baltimore/Stevenson.

Read the full story and watch the slideshow at my Dara Cooks blog at Baltimore Post Examiner.

Harbor Market returns to McKeldin Square

Waterfornt Partnership’s pop-up food marketplace, Harbor Market, returns for another summer season of lunch time culinary adventures.  Starting May 5, Harbor Market will be at McKeldin Square every Wednesday and Friday from 11 am to 2pm. Locals and visitors alike can partake of a good cross section of culinary choices:

·         Dobby’s

·         Smoking Swine

·         Green Bowl

·         Mex on the run

·         Sobo Café

·         Dizzy Cow

·         Greek on the Street

·         Gypsy Queen

·         Ekiben

·         Bon Fresco

Forget that tired old yoghurt or tuna sandwich, live large and eat well!

For more information, go to http://baltimorewaterfront.com/events/harbor-market-3/.

Sellout Fork & Cork dinner series is back: Four top chefs and four top sommeliers

Such a success last year,  Fork & Cork dinner series, now called Fork & Cork 2.0 brings together a selection of Baltimore’s top chefs who for one night a month fashion a pop up dinner at each other’s restaurants as they cook together.  Now their sommeliers are challenged to find the best pairings with the chefs inspired culinary renderings.  Last year was a sell out with three nights, three chefs and three sommeliers.  This year there are now four chefs and four sommeliers, adding Chef Ben Lefenfeld of La Cuchara and their sommelier, Greg Schwab.

Each pop up dinner, the chef host and sommelier set the tone with their choices for the main course and dessert, the other three visiting chefs and sommeliers put their best visions on their plate and in the wine glass to cover the three remaining courses.  Each month, on a Tuesday evening at 6: 30 pm, all four chefs and all four sommeliers put together your food and wine dining experience.

1.       August 16^th – Aggio Restaurant – Chef Bryan Volaggio and Advanced Sommelier Chris Coker

2.       September 13^th – La Cuchara – Chef Ben Lefenfeld and Advanced Sommelier Greg Schwab

3.       October 18^th – Fleet Street Kitchen – Chef Chris Becker and Sommelier Tim Riley

4.       November 15^th – Wit & Wisdom – Chef Zack Mills and Advanced Sommelier Julie Dalton

You can attend one, two or three of these dinners BUT if you purchase all four dinners, there is an added bonus, you will receive a $20 gift card to each of these four restaurants and you will be entered in to "WIN dinner for Two" at all of them.

The five course dinner and wine pairing is $115 per person (excludes tax and service charge) Purchase tickets at EventBrite

6 course French Asian pop up dinner by Chef Cyrus Keefer

Baltimore’s highly acclaimed Chef Cyrus Keefer is back, cooking up his unique French Asian fusion cuisine under the name of Défie Moi, his former late night dining hot spot in 13.5% Wine Bar & Food basement.  Chef Keefer’s first pop up dinner on Wednesday June 15th will be six courses and adult libations in the Private Kitchen at the Food Market. Keefer has cooked three times at the James Beard House in New York and recognized for his culinary creativity at www.StarChefs.com

There are only 12 seats and at last conversation 8 tickets were already sold, so you are still in play to grab  these limited seat tickets to what will be a fun, tantalizing, tasty evening of communal dining and lively conversation.

Keefer will be doing other pop-ups in the near future but they will be ala carte dishes-first come first served -  July 1^st at Union Craft Brewing Co and July 17^th at Ekiben. 

The Menu for June 15^th seated multi course dinner:

Burrata Croustade -sunflower shoots, Iberico ham and red miso

Escargot Gyoza-gruyere, baby leek, black garlic, nori & pistou

Duck Dog-merquez chili, lentil, marmalade, and black truffle butter

Stir Fried Calamari-broccoli rabe, pine nuts, Calabrian chili, and thai basil

Oil Poached Shrimp-shishito pepper, romesco, nduja and barley congee

French Dip Roll-steak tartare, brioche, horseradish, furikake, and dashi crema

What:  Défie Moi Multi Course Dinner by Chef Cyrus Keefer

When: Wednesday, June 15^th – 7 p.m.

Where: The Food Market – Private Kitchen/Basement

                1017 W. 36^th Street – Baltimore, MD  21211

Seat Tickets:  $100 per guest includes six courses – adult libations

Ticket Sales:  410-908-1978

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/DefieMoiBaltimore

                  

Greek and Korean food mashup - 1 day only - Brusco and Dooby's

Are you one of the great food explorers, stopping at no end to taste what is new and unique then you don’t want to miss this melding of ethnic flavors from Brusco and Dooby’s.

One day only, this Friday, May 6^th from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. come to Cava’s luncheonette Brusco at  1302 Fleet Street in Harbor East for a mashup of Mediterranean and Korean flavors.  Get your falafels with kimchi-cucumber, and soy ginger, or lamb dumplings and other great casual bites that blends Dooby’s, Korean inspired café’s cuisine and Brusco’s modern day flavors from Greece:

● Falafels // kimchi-cucumbers, soy-ginger ($6)

● Lamb Dumplings // spicydill vinaigrette ($7)

● Gyro Buns // tomato, feta, harissa, tzatziki, spicy hummus ($7)

● Korean BBQ Gyro // wasabi crema, tomato, pickled onions ($9)

● Korean Fried Chicken Sandwich // tzatziki slaw, spicy pickles ($9)

● Greek Salad // choice of Korean BBQ gyro or Falafel ($10)

● GREEKOREAN fries // spicy-G sauce, creamy feta, oregano ($3.5)

● Kimchi Potato Salad ($3)

● Fruity Pebble Rice Krisipies ($3)

● HoneyGreek Yogurt & Black Sesame Gelato custom made by Dolcezza Gelato ($5)

 “We’re fortunate to have an amazingly collaborative community of chefs and restaurants to

give rise to mashups like these. I’m particularly excited about this popup, as the flavors go

so well together. It’s really a dream come true to merge both Greek and Korean casual fare.”

Phil Han, Dooby’s

No reservations necessary, it is simple counter service – you can order online through www.orderup.com

Where: Brusco’s in Cava – Harbor East – 1302 Fleet Street – Baltmore, MD  11 am to 8 pm.

www.doobys.com  Instagram: @doobysbmore  Facebook: DoobysBmore

www.eatbrusco.com Instagram:  @eatbrusco  Facebook: EatBrusco 

Get your tickets for Emporiyum before they are all gone

The very unique, pop-up market Emporiyum is back for a 3^rd year here in Baltimore.  Emporiyum gathers specialty food vendors, restaurants and manufactures, bringing their victuals and libations under one roof, for two days only for you to sample, and perchance to purchase. These are not your atypical vendors; they are curated each year featuring unique small, independent retailers and restaurants.

Each year the location changes, in the past year it was held at the Thames Street Wharf building and last year the former H & S Bakery distribution center at 601 S. Eden Street – this year, Emporiyum will be held  in the former Best Buy location at 600 E. Pratt Street – 3^rd floor. 

Get all the details at Examiner.com / Dining 

Center Cut Doughnuts and Sugarvale's cocktail and doughnut one night only event

For a culinary adventure, the new taste junkie should consider making it to Sugarvale’s on Wednesday, November 4^th when they host Center Cut Doughnuts for an off-menu cocktail and doughnut mash-up. Surgarvale’s owner Phil Han describes the event, “We are teaming up with Josh Kowitz from Hampden Farmers’ Market celeb Center Cut Doughnuts to serve up cocktails that pair with his sell-out doughnuts. We’ll also be working together to come up with a collaborative items where charcuterie meets baked goods, like a Hog Syrup-Glaze wth cinnamon pork rinds and a Smoked Chicken doughnut sandwich with raspberry-scorpion chili jam.”

The event starts at 7 p.m. and runs through to 11 p.m. but ‘dollars to doughnuts’ they will run out of the doughnuts before 11 p.m. – “fair warning Will Robinson!!!”

Sugarvale, a micro wine, cocktail and charcuterie bar is located in Mt. Vernon at 4 W. Madison. They are open Tuesdays through Saturdays opening at 5 p.m. till 1 a.m. and Friday and Saturdays until 2 a.m.  www.sugarvalebmore.com 410-609-3162. Twitter and Instagram: @SugarvaleBmore  Facebook

Chef Cyrus Keefer’s Pop-Up sneak peek dinner at Sotto Sopra

Chef Cyrus Keefer, who has cooked twice at the James Beard House in New York City and featured by StarChefs.com for his culinary prowess, has a large following in Baltimore and beyond. Formerly the chef at Fork & Wrench, Birroteca and other regional restaurants, Keefer wants a place that is truly his own  – hence the pop-up dinner for Keefer’s Pique Restaurant will be hosted at Sotto Sopra Restaurant at 405 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD.  This is a one evening event with limited seating on Thursday, January 22 with the reception and silent auction starting at 6:30 p.m. with passed hors d’oeuvres and adult libations.  At 7 p.m. the five course tasting styled seated dinner will follow; a sampling of what restaurant goers can expect at Pique when it is opened. Guests will receive packets on the new concept restaurant and ask to donate to their Kickstarter campaign.     

Chef Cyrus Keefer is looking to open his own restaurant in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood at 846 W. 36^th Street and he is looking for funding through Kickstarter to raise the dollars necessary.  The restaurant is called Pique, a restaurant committed to seasonal ingredients with an eye to Asian and French cuisine. It will be a 25 seat micro restaurant with dining at the tables as well as the exhibition kitchen counter. Initially Pique will start with dinner service Tuesday through Sunday. They will be BYOB and looking to expand to licensing for beer and wine and numerous special events.

The name of the restaurant Pique (pronounced PEE cue), is actually named after an onion pique, a method of cooking where one pins bay leaves with whole cloves to onions although the other definition of pique, to excite, is as relevant never knowing what else is up Chef Keefer’s culinary sleeves. 

What:  Chef Cyrus Keefer’s Pique Restaurant Pop-Up & silent auction at Sotto Sopra Restaurant

Reception of passed hors d’oeuvres /wine and silent auction plus a seated 5-course Pique tasting menu – Cash Bar

When:  Thursday, January 22, 2015

                6:30 p.m. Reception & Silent Auction

                7:00 p.m. Seated Dinner

Where:   Sotto Sopra Restaurant (Host restaurant)

                405 N. Charles Street

                Baltimore, MD  21201 – valet parking available

Menu:   Reception / Silent Auction

Passed hors d’oeuvres and adult libations

Seated Dinner

·         pork belly dumplings+ whiskey vinegar/ dashi crema

·         insalada bianca + cippolini onion, pickled mushrooms, cauliflower, tart Apple

·         tender octopus+ tomatillos+ green curry+ coconut poached potato

·         egg custard+ marinated tomato & olives, smoked olive oil

·         duck pot au feu + roast turnips, black garlic, ginger, Thai basil

Cash bar

Tickets:  $75 per person includes reception, seated dinner, tax and gratuity - does not include beverages  during the dinner / cash bar. Guests must be 21 or older to attend. Valet parking will be available

Pop Up Dinner Tickets: MissionTix  http://www.missiontix.com/events/product/28970/pique-pop-up

Kickstarter:  Readers can donate at Pique’s Kickstarter Page

Pique Social Media:  Facebook  Twitter @PIQUEBaltimore

Successful pop-up dining club debuts in Baltimore

Dinner Lab, a two and a half year old supper club, has been offering dining events in multiple cities from San Francisco to New York, New Orleans to Chicago showcasing up-and-coming culinary talent in unique venues. Dinner Lab announced today they are opening up membership for their eleventh city, Baltimore. The chefs who create these multiple course pop-up dinners might just be the sous chef from a favorite local restaurant or it could be a commis from any one of New York City’s finest restaurants. Members are asked to critique their meals and those chefs receiving high scores end up taking their food on the road, a passport to a culinary tour de force in multiple Dinner Lab cities.

Learn more and watch the slideshow HERE.

Shoo-Fly Diner and the Charmery: Together for one night only

Who da thunk it?  There are wine and food pairings, beer and food pairings, cocktails and food pairing and now we have ice cream and food pairings.  For one night only, the ever so creative hand-crafted ice cream emporium The Charmery  is creating five unique ice creams to be paired with Chef Opie Crook’s cuisine at Shoo-Fly Diner.  It is one night only, Monday March 10 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Don’t hesitate to bring the kids, there is a 3 course menu designed just for them that include and ice cream sundae bar. 

Read the full story and get all the details HERE.