The heat of summer has me longing for the shade of my front porch, where I can leisurely sit in the evenings with a good book or just watch the world go by. There’s also nothing better than sipping on a summer cocktail whilst I enjoy a good parch sit, but what to drink? I’ve seen plenty of videos and tik-toks on summer drink hacks that look fun, refreshing, and tasty. Here’s a sample of a few that you might…
For someone who has lived in Western Maryland for most of his life, I had never been to the Deep Creek Lake area of Western Maryland – an oversight I happily corrected over the recent Easter weekend. Located in western-most Garrett County, it is Maryland’s largest fresh-water lake (fun fact – all the lakes in Maryland are man-made), covering over 3900 acres and consisting of over 65 miles of shoreline. As one can imagine, it has year-round outdoor opportunities –…
Have you bought a dozen eggs recently? Sheeesh. Talk about sticker shock. A dozen “Grade A Jumbo” white eggs was running at @ $4.96 at my local supermarket this week. $5 for eggs? What is happening? Well, it’s really quite simple. The law of supply and demand. According to a recent article on CNBC[1], the avian flu has been devastating the egg-laying supply chain. It’s been described as the deadliest outbreak in U.S history. Normally seen in the early spring…
As an adult, I’m a big kitchen person. I love to cook. I find it relaxing. I like trying new recipes, tweaking ingredients, and all of the prep that goes with cooking (I also clean as I go, which my wife is a big fan of). If there would be a camera on me while I work in the kitchen, you’d see that it’s almost like watching a TV show on the Food Network. I carefully prep all of my…
Ever since German immigrant Gustav Brunn created the Old Bay Seasoning blend back in 1939[1], it has become synonymous with the identity and culture of my home state of Maryland. The familiar yellow and red can is found in almost every Maryland kitchen, and for those of you who haven’t tried it, you really should. Not only is it great on seafood (its original purpose), but its versatility adds a “Maryland flavor” to chicken, beef, or even scrambled eggs. Some…
Ahhhhhhh, beer. The working man’s blue-collar drink. Since the dawn of civilization, skilled craftsmen have performed their magical alchemy and carefully brewed hops and barley, producing a golden elixir that has been celebrated and enjoyed for centuries. Throughout history, any town worth its salt has had a brewery. It was as common as a church, town hall, or marketplace. With the industrial age came homogenization and standardization. Local brewers were bought out or run out of business by large national…
Summer is almost upon us, and if you’re out and about at a concert, festival, picnic, or looking for food options to take with you out into the wild, wild, wilderness, a great and trending option is a charcuterie board. Excuse me, a what? Charcuterie, a French tradition (of course), is the “art” of preparing and displaying cured meats and cheeses. In other words, its a fancy meat and cheese tray. Those crazy French. But it’s so much more. A…
Spring is making its presence known here locally more and more each week, as my flowering cherry trees are in full bloom, the forsythia bushes are beaming bright yellow, and the red-bud trees and magnolias are coming into flower. Part of the seasonal cycle in my neck of the woods is the opportunity to go foraging for wild plants to add to the dinner table. Now, before you go saying “what in the world is he doing out there in…
Yes, this Tuesday is the arrival of Fat Tuesday. You may know it by its more famous French name – Mardi Gras. It’s the last day of fun and frivolity prior to the arrival of Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, when the more pious among us will forgo their wicked, hedonistic ways and settle in for forty days of self-reflection and prayer in preparation for the coming Easter holiday. Since Fat Tuesday is the “last gasp” for all…
One of the drawbacks of all this readily available connectivity, communication, and technology in our modern era is the loss of regional food and cuisine. Go anywhere in America these days and if you’re in a decent sized-town or city, you’ll find a ‘Starbucks’, ‘Chick-fil-A’, or ‘Olive Garden’ – all serving their dishes to exacting standards, so that your dining experience is the same no matter where you visit in the United States (or in some cases, the world). What…