Spring is in the air. The March winds will soon give way to April showers. The nights will grow warmer, the birds will fill the trees with their morning songs, and the local area will once again come alive with the colors of the season. That means that it is also the time of year to start thinking about planting a garden. It doesn’t have to be much. A few windowsill containers can qualify, just the same as a half-acre…
I talk often in this blog about the difficulties that local restaurants have in staying open in the four-state area. Truth be told, the restaurant business is one of the toughest out there – no matter what the address, and most people just don’t realize what it takes to not only make a great restaurant, but what it requires day in and day out for it to remain successful. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve heard people…
As I have spoken about in previous posts, Hagerstown is a tough restaurant market. Restauranteurs and corporations look at the I-70/I-81 interchange, run the numbers, and seem to come away with the impression that their concept just “can’t miss” in this area. If it were only that simple. Here in the dining trenches; however, it’s a different story. If you are from anywhere in the four-state area, then you probably already know that locals want food they are familiar with,…
Chicken wings. These days almost as American as apple pie, the humble chicken wing has come a long way in the past thirty years. Believe it or not, there was a time when butcher shops couldn’t give these things away, but those days are long gone. Today, the price of wings is more expensive per pound than boneless, skinless chicken thighs – and about three times the price of bone-in, chicken leg quarters. Amazing. Every restaurant I visit seems to…
I’ve spoken in this blog before about the Kitchen Shoppe, Inc. – a kitchen gadget and equipment store located in Carlisle, PA that also offers great cooking classes and hands-on events for all of us “would-be” chefs and kitchen enthusiasts. I just received their 2017/2018 cooking class schedule. There are some really great ones listed, and many are reasonably priced. They offer everything from “hands-on” demonstrations to multi-course, sit-down dinners where the chefs take you through the steps of successfully…
The summer months are upon us. Now is the time to get out on that grill! If you’re like me, you use the grill all year round, but the summer months are a special time for cooking outside. How can you beat a juicy steak, burger, chicken thigh, or sausage – flame-kissed and beautifully browned with those distinguishing grill marks? Grilling is also a fast and easy way to make a delicious lunch or dinner, and also helps to cut…
If you’ve read any of my posts, I think you know how I feel about dining in Hagerstown (here’s a link to a previous article to get you started). It consistently amazes me that locals complain about “better dining” choices in and around the county seat, yet then fail to support them once they arrive. Still, eateries keep trying. It’s as if the only research that’s been done at Corporate Headquarters is that someone in Marketing has grabbed a map,…
As the weather begins to turn warmer, I am again dreaming of a beautiful summer garden. In my mind, there are several raised beds, neatly arranged with lettuces, spinach, spring onions, and radishes. Trellises support the young, sweet peas, cucumbers, and beans. Ordered hoops support the peppers and tomatoes. There’s a small section of herbs, so I can dash out and snip fresh sprigs of thyme, basil, or chives. All that glorious bounty will be at my fingertips, just waiting…
My wife recently bumped into a loyal “That Food and Travel Guy” reader, and after complimenting the articles, the person then added “I know he doesn’t like to eat at local places,” coming to that conclusion based on the fact that I’m generally making fun of local establishments (both chain franchises and family owned restaurants) in my posts. Let me take a moment to clarify. I’m a big fan of local cuisine, no matter what the price point. Make no…
In an effort to capture that all-mighty dollar and to pander to America’s ever changing appetite for food that wouldn’t be served to death-row inmates, the fast food titans have come out of their focus groups, test kitchens, and boardrooms with the latest and greatest to tease our taste-buds and empty our wallets. I don’t know who is eating all of this garbage, but evidently someone is. McDonald’s McDonald’s has recently introduced three sizes of Big Mac. They now offer…