Hit Up Larriland Farm And The New Town Grill -- BBQ And Smoked Meats Come To Ellicott City

Sliced smoked lamb with chips and coleslaw at the new Town Grill in Ellicott City

Some things keep getting better -- and one of those is a trip to pick-your-own fruit and then to feast on barbecue and smoked meats.

Larriland Farm in Woodbine is one of my favorite places in Howard County.  I've been going for more than a decade, and it truly gets better each time.  They've got delicious fruit -- and vegetables and flowers.  Plus credit card machines in the fields.  What else do you want?

Lil' Chow and I drove out I-70 Saturday, and we hit the blueberry fields at the end of the opening rush.  Honestly, we only hit about 10 bushes.  The plants were covered in ripe blueberries.  We worked mostly standing still, and we got three pounds of berries by just reaching out.

I was pleased to see that Lil' Chow could mostly identify the ripe fruit.  Our cardboard box had a few purple berries, but this seemed like an idea field for kids because even a four-year-old could reach the bushes, see the ripe blue ones, and avoid crushing them like we did with strawberries a few year ago.

Apple Picking And Pulled Pork -- It Would Be Tradition If It Weren't All New This Time

Apple picking at Larriland Farm

I have been to Larriland Farm in many roles, and you should really check it out this week as some gorgeous weather offers you apples, pumpkins and carnival fun.

Larriland -- in Woodbine -- a true Howard County gem.  Pick-your-own fruits and vegetables all summer, then a fall festival with apple fritters, hay rides, barbecue and more through this season.

Hayrides

We picked apples Saturday with a family who first met me at Larriland.  That was years ago when I went as "guy who Ms. HowChow is dating."  I have gone as a couple.  I have gone in groups.  I have gone as "guy who has bought a diamond ring."   I went Saturday as Dad.

Every trip was wonderful, and I can't suggest it enough. Sun-warmed peaches are so delicious that you should put them now on your calendar for next summer. But the pumpkin-apple season takes a splendid second place, and Larriland augments with all kinds of kid-friendly activities like animals to check out and a hay bale maze to run through. On weekends, they have hay rides and food like apple fritters and hamburgers.

Lil' Chow just wanted an apple. I have been serving him diced apple since he came home. A few times, I went wild by making two-bite apple sticks.  So this rookie Dad had to laugh when Lil' Chow took a small apple from a tree and proceeded to chomp off bites. Apparently not the choking hazard that I had expected -- although he did feed me the skin.  I think it is too tough for his teeth.

Sweet potato fries and pork at Town Grill

One lesson for 2014:  Larriland's pumpkins are growing on another farm that they manage.  It's on the right side of the road before the main Larriland complex.  So drive a little slow and turn right into that farm when you see a field of pumpkins.

After our apple picking, we squeezed into a table at Town Grill in Lisbon for a lunch.  The pulled pork sandwich continues to be one of my favorites, and Mrs. HowChow pulled off a new hit by ordering sweet potato fries.

Town Grill is just off the traffic circle between I-70 and Larriland.  It's a barbecue joint inside a gas station, and it's really worth checking out -- as I have written many times in the past.

One more lesson from our folly:  You don't need to squeeze into an indoor table like we did.  Town Grille has enclosed their patio with screens and a plastic that should keep it comfortable even with a slight chill in the air.  They have several tables out there, and we could have spread out.

Barbecue Sundae: Pork, Slaw, And Corn Bread, But It's The Fried Pickle That Makes The Sundae

Town Grill's Barbecue Sundae

I love pulled pork, but I find that I like it even more outside the sandwich.

Kloby's sparked my desire to "lose the bun" with it's jarbecue -- pulled pork, cole slaw and baked beans served in a Mason jar.  Last month, we discovered Town Grill's barbecue sundae, and it's the fried pickle that takes that to the next level.

We ate Town Grill at Larriland Farm right before Halloween.  We picked pumpkins and apples, then sat at picnic table with our niece, her fiance, and paper bowls layered with corn bread, pulled pork, cole slaw and a fried pickle.

The barbecue sundae shows off Town Grill's real aspiration.  The Lisbon restaurant is in a gas station, but the kitchen wants to compete with any casual restaurant around.  Rotating specials.  House-smoked salmon and trout.  Blackberry-chipotle wings that caused the Ravens' Super Bowl win.  But barbecue is the heart of the place -- with both smokers and a pit turning out chicken, pork, beef brisket, ribs, and more.

The barbecue sundae shows off the aspiration by layering four really good items.  Meaty, rich shredded pork.  A light coleslaw that gives crunch and a bit of bite.  Corn bread on the bottom that soaked up sauce, and the fried pickle on top that shocked me.

I would never have even wanted a batter-fried pickle.  I would have expected a greasy mess.

But Town Grill -- even operating from a tent and portable frying station -- served up crunchy pickles that turned the sundae into a star.  Crisp batter on the outside that avoided the grease.  Then salty pickle on the inside.  Great flavor.  Great fun.  A terrific contrast to the rest of the "sundae" and way more fun than a bun.

Town Grill makes a perfect warm weather trip when you pick-your-own at Larriland, then stop in Lisbon for a meal on the way home.  But it's worth the drive year-round even if you can't get into the fields.  Check all the posts.  I still need to go for the smoked salmon BLT.  They do a big breakfast, and they have Thursday specials where you take-home dinner like a fried chicken, pot pies, or grilled trout.

Mark Your Calendar Now For Town Grill's Barbecue And Pick-Your-Own Fun At Larriland

Brisket and BBQ chicken sandwiches at Town Grill

This week is a gift.  Don't waste it.

Instead of sweating through late summer, you can enjoy some 80s over the next few days to pick-your-own peaches and enjoy your barbecue sandwiches.

Larriland peaches

Larriland Farm in Woodbine goes into overdrive between mid-July and Halloween.  You'll be able to fill your trunk any day.  Right now, there are peaches, blackberries, and beets along with the last blueberries and the first tomatoes.  Soon, apples and other vegetables will start up and run into the season when you can make a day of pumpkins, hay rides and fried apple fritters.

But for now, you should pair your farm visit with barbecue from Town Grill in Lisbon.  We broke new territory and ordered chicken and brisket on our last visit.  We each got a great sandwich.  Tender, moist meat.  Fresh basic rolls.  A good pickle.

My brisket was perfect.  Tender without being soft, the slices of meat were delicious, especially dipped in a little container of extra sauce.  Mrs. HowChow relished her chicken.  It looked like white meat cooked in Town Grill's barbecue sauce.  We gave up our usual pulled pork to try the new sandwiches, and we were pleased to see that everything lives up that high standard.

Town Grill is a really special spot.  It's literally in a Citgo station, and its kitchen takes part in Restaurant Weeks.  No joking around.  They smoke their own trout and salmon, both of which are worth taking home.  They have also run Thursday night specials for Restaurant Weeks -- topped off on August 1 with local lamb kabobs served with seasonal vegetables and rice pilaf for $11.13.

Throughout the year, Town Grill offers a deep menu of breakfast specials, sandwiches and platters.  On summer Saturdays, they make ribs.  They suggest calling ahead to reserve a rack.  I don't know if that's necessary, but I know the ribs are worth a phone call.

Not ripe!  Even the black ones!

Truly, you should mark your calendar for a day spent out in the western county.  Larriland is beautiful.  You can pick your own, then shop in the large barn full of produce, drinks, candies and canning supplies.  Larriland  can host anything from a romantic date to a child's adventure to an extravaganza of fruit and vegetable canning.

Today we got peaches and about a pound of blackberries.  The blackberries are delicious, but it's always tough to find the truly ripe ones.  Black isn't ripe.  The ripe ones almost fall off in your fingers.  We watched people fill containers with black berries they were wrestling off the vines, and we worry those weren't sweet.  Check out all the Larriland posts.

Seriously consider Town Grill's smoked salmon if you can talk yourself out of a barbecue sandwich.  They were making "BLTs" with salmon and bacon.  If you go, notice that there is lots of parking around the gas station.  There is a lot across the street and another just east of the station.

This Is How You Can Help The Ravens Win: Blackberry-Chipotle Wings At Town Grill

Blackberry-chipotle wings -- Guaranteed lucky for the Ravens

Put aside your crazy superstitions and put your belly forward to help the Ravens beat the Broncos next weekend.

Fill your belly with purple chicken wings.

That's the new blackberry-chipotle wings at the Town Grill in Lisbon.  I haven't had them, but I have guaranteed scientifically with Howard from the Town Grill that each order of these purple wings increases the chance of a Ravens win.  They're making the sauce in-house.  Howard says it's fruity and spicy, but not that hot.

The Town Grill is a great casual barbecue spot.  Check out all the prior posts about Town Grill.  Pile into the car for dinner this week.  I always recommend picking up some smoked fish to bring home and break into pasta sauce and other recipes.

(Update:  THIS WORKED in Denver!  Howard and I guarantee victory over the Patriots if you eat enough of these wings.)

(Update II: This really worked.  Can the Super Bowl win be credited to anything other than the Town Grill's wings?)

Does anyone else have specials or deals to celebrate the Ravens this week?  More purple food?

Smoked Trout From Town Grill In Lisbon, Plus Cherry Tomatoes Three Ways For Now And Later

One of the best cooking lessons is to let other people do the hard stuff -- even when you're the chef.

Great food takes time.  People already put time into items like sausage, pickles and smoked fish.  With a few minutes, you can throw those items into your own recipes.  Make a start at Town Grill in Lisbon where they smoke their own salmon and trout.

Smoked trout was new to us.  We got four ounces, plus four more of the salmon.  They're fillets with a dry crust from the heat, but a moist, firm flesh that soaked up the smoke.  I broke the fillets with my fingers, and the smoke was strong enough that my hands smelled like barbecue.

We picked 20 pounds of cherry tomatoes at Larriland Farm in Woodbine, just down the road from Town Grill.  I sauteed a pint or so with some chopped onions and herbs.  They broke down into a rough sauce of soft tomatoes and a thin liquid to coat the pasta.  I cooked spaghetti, then broke up the fish with my fingers and threw them into the hot pasta and sauce.

Pick Your Own Tomatoes At Larriland, But You Don't Have To Pick Between The Barbecue

You need to mark your calendar now for a trip or two to Larriland Farm because the pick-your-own fields are hitting their peak.

Peaches, blackberries, raspberries and tomatoes are available now, and the next few weeks start the rush towards apples and pumpkins.  Go fill your bags, and keep room for lunch out in Woodbine.  In July, I recommended a fried chicken picnic with the main dish from Harvest Fried Chicken. Yesterday, we stayed out of the heat by eating a late barbecue lunch at the Town Grill in the Citgo station.

After so much time picking produce, I didn't want to just pick one of Town Grill's barbecue options of pork, chicken, brisket, pitbeef, etc.  So I ordered sliders -- three small, soft buns that came with a half-cup dollop of meat.

Yesterday, we went for peaches and tomatoes with a plan to lay them away for winter.  I even bought some Balls quart canning jars as part of my bumbling effort to learn to pickle and can.
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Smoked Salmon At The Town Grill In Lisbon

HowChow: The official blog of gas stations where you should eat fish. 

Visit the Town Grill in Lisbon for barbecue, but get a piece of smoked salmon to go.  The restaurant in the Citgo station smokes salmon fillets and sells the meat for $1 per ounce.  You pick the amount that you want.

I thought the smoked salmon was delicious.  Smoky with a firm crust coating tender meat.  Like prosciutto, good smoked salmon has a big flavor that gives you a full meal for a small amount of meat.  I cut the Town Grill's salmon into a pasta dish with onions, garlic, lemon and a little half-and-half. Four dollars of salmon made a special dinner.  You can put it in wontons.  Make salmon and cucumber rolls.  Put mustard and salmon on toasted baguettes.  And that's just a single Chowhound post.  This isn't the type of salty smoked salmon to put on bagels, but it's a great treat.

And if smoked salmon isn't your cup of fish, try the ceviche special in the R&R Tacqueria inside the Shell station on Rte 175 at U.S. 1.


Smoked Salmon Pasta
(serves two)

4-6 ounces of spaghetti or a similar pasta
2 TBL olive oil
1/3 c. chopped onions -- one small onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 c. water

salt

2 TBL lemon juice -- about one lemon
zest of one lemon (divided use)

1/4 c. cream or half-and-half

4 ounces of smoked salmon, broken into small pieces
ground pepper

1) Heat a pot of boiling water for the pasta.  Add the pasta and cook to al dente.

2) While the pasta cooks, heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the olive oil.  Add the onions and garlic, saute for two minutes.  Then add the water, a pinch of salt, lemon juice and the zest from half of the lemon.  Increase the heat and let the sauce boil down by half.

3) Take the sauce off the heat.  Add the cream.

4) Before you drain the pasta, save about a cup of the cooking liquid.  Then drain the liquid.  Add the hot pasta to the skillet.  Add the smoked salmon and the zest from the second half of the lemon.  Season with the pepper.  Add a little of the pasta liquid if the sauce seems dry.

Town Grill in Lisbon: BBQ At The Citgo

The Town Grill in Lisbon is the place to go when you want counter service for barbecue and self-serve for gasoline.

One of Howard County's best spots for grilled and smoked meats is inside the Citgo station on Rte 144 just off I-70.  It's a classic joint, but don't let the basic spot fool you about the food.  The Town Grill serves food with real flavor and skill.  This isn't retro spot to go just because it's a quaint or unique.

Instead, this is a place where the BBQ starts strong and the side dishes deliver country flavor with modern freshness and ensure that you have a terrific meal.

On Saturday, we enjoyed the inspiring pairing of Town Grill with pick-your-own fruit at Larriland Farm.  We parked a car packed with peaches and ate a late lunch of ribs and pulled pork.  The pork was juicy with a good flavor.  I ordered horseradish, which Mrs. HowChow liked, although next time she'll order extra barbecue sauce on the side.

The ribs come on the firm side, which meant they were perfect for me because we have a Jack Spratt thing going between firm, smoked meat and the fall-off-the-bone variety that Mrs. HowChow loves.  The half rack was huge.  The exterior was crisp, and the meat inside was moist and tasty.  Lots of meat on each bone.

With the ribs came sides that absolutely made the meal.  Coleslaw that was fresh and light.  Cornbread that came out hot, light and tasting of a home kitchen.  (Or maybe better than home.  A young guy sitting behind us called out, "This cornbread is better than my grandmother's.")  And the best was a huge dish of baked beans -- thick and flavored with meat and something that gave it a spicy kick.  None of the sugar rush that makes me skip most beans.  The side dishes paired beautifully with the meat, and they're way better than I'd expect at even a good BBQ place.  We sat outside, and the grill guys plied us with extras -- a little starter of grilled corn, potatoes and squash, then a taste of fresh pickles.

This is a "hole in the wall" kind of place.  It is literally in the Citgo, so you might have friends who don't want to eat in a gas station.  But they're missing out.

Town Grill does a year-round business with barbecue along with a full grill menu from breakfast to burgers, fried chicken to onion rings.  They also cater.  On summer weekends, they pull out grills for the ribs and other treats like turkey legs that some little girls were gnawing when we arrived.  They also smoke salmon and sell it by the ounce to take home.  At $16/pound, the salmon isn't cheap, but it's spectacular.

How does Town Grill compare with Kloby's, the Johns Hopkins Road spot that sets the BBQ standard around here?  Mrs. HowChow actually preferred Town Grill's pork.  I'd need to taste test a little more to pick a winner on the meat, but Town Grill wins hands down on the side dishes.  Better and probably twice as big.  Normally, I just buy pork at Kloby's and get my own bread and sides.  At Town Grill, I'd buy the full platter every time.

Town Grille (in the Lisbon Citgo)
15943 Frederick Road (Rte 144)
Lisbon, MD 21797
410-489-5016

NEAR: Town Grille is in "downtown" Lisbon.  We kid.  There is no downtown, but it's literally minutes off I-70 so it's super easy to reach.  Take the exit for Rte 94 south, the same one you'd take for Larriland Farm in Woodbine.  Then go east on Rte 144 at the traffic circle.  (You go three-quarters of the way around the traffic circle.)  Look for the Citgo station about a block down on the right.  You can park at the station or across Rte 144 in a small lot.