New Main Street Book Store Doing A Food-Based Book Club, Partnering With Rumor Mill

There is a new book store on Main Street called Greenrow Books that specializes in children's books and cookbooks.

Amanda Yeager has a short profile in the Sun, and she notes that Greenrow will run a food-based book club, partnering with the Rumor Mill.  The club will meet at the restaurant where chef Matt Milani will riff off the book for appetizers and drinks.  That's definitely something to check out -- both cookbooks and the book club.

If you want to shop locally, check out last year's series about local shopping -- both food and non-food gift ideas.  The Boulder mens store closed, but I think the other options are still good.

Oysters And The Tool That You Need To Buy, Then Bring To Frank's Seafood In Jessup

Oysters and Seafood Hardware's cast iron oyster knife

On a visit to a friend in Nashville, I discovered a cool new tool perfect for the oyster-lover in your life.

Oysters on the half shell are a huge treat, and I love Frank's Seafood at this time of year for their selection of top-notch oysters.  The Jessup market is inside the wholesale seafood market off Rte 175, but you can shop there for fish, crabs and shellfish.

Last week, they had five local varieties, ranging from a salty, salty Sewansescott variety to several Maryland sweets.  They pick you good oysters.  You can buy a handful or dozens by the bag.  The selection lets you make a plate -- even for one person -- that contrasts the different flavors from the sea.

Oysters at Frank's

And now all that can be so much easier to open.

Frank's taught me to shuck oysters, and they sold me a small knife that remains the best way to worm into an oyster shell if it's really tight.  But a Georgia company sells a cast iron oyster knife that makes all the difference.  Its tip forces between oyster shells -- with a slight start by my shucking knife in the crazy few where the shell has grown around the hinge.  Then, the Georgia knife pops open an oyster easier than a key in a lock.

Cast iron makes all the difference.  That knife will never snap, and you will never cut yourself.  It's forged so that you push with your palm and thumb.  I can press hard to get into the oyster, then separate the shells with a twist.  Once open, I slice the meat from the shell with the shucking knife.  In Nashville, I did a dozen oysters like clockwork.

The one problem is that we need a Chesapeake version.  You can buy the original oyster knife ($29 with shipping) with a plain metal bar connecting the two sides.  But the Georgia company Seafood Hardware makes personalized versions cut with the outlines of Georgia, Texas and other southern states.  At a minimum, we need a DelMarVa version with the outline of the bay.

Seriously, I recommend the Seafood Hardware knife.  They hand-forge them in Georgia.  They're a cool gift, and they made me much more confident that I could open any oyster.

This is a job for Steve Vilnit!!  A Chesapeake or a Maryland version of the oyster knife could be a fun partnership with some of our local oyster companies.  That's fishery marketing!

Local Shopping #3: More Places To Check Off Your Holiday Gift List In Howard County

Used records -- the right gift for the right person

I'm not a huge shopper, so I'm going to need help with local suggestions.

This week, I'm writing a "Gift Week" series of posts aimed at inspiring folks to shop at local spots. I know the food spots, but you could find all kinds of good gifts shopping at local stores.

Where do you go for the unique or the personal?  I suggested kitchen and cookbook options yesterday, but I had some other ideas for you to fill up the rest of your house:

Accessories at the Pet Barn

• Second Edition Books in Columbia.  Check out the used records.  You can buy a turntable for under $100, and you can have some retro fun with LPs.  We have bought Beatles, Jackson 5, Paul Simon and more.  (It's fun for used books as well, although somehow used books seem harder to give as gifts.)
• Boulder For Men in Clarksville.  Cool clothes for the young man in your life.  Or maybe for the middle-aged man in your life who would enjoy a little sprucing up.  Jeans, sweatshirts, shoes, sunglasses.  I bought a fun watch there made of wood. Boulder is by the folks who own Roots, and the Nest across the parking lot has clothing, candles and hand-sewn stuffed animals along with the cookbooks that I wrote about yesterday.
• Family Game Store in Savage Mill.  Two stores in one.  In the front, you can buy puzzles and games for the whole family.  Games that you won't see at Target, and stuff that you can enjoy together over the holidays.  In the back, they have role-playing and hobby games -- heavy on the military and science fiction options.  Perfect if you have a connoisseur on your list.
• Pearl Spa in Fulton.  You can't go wrong giving a massage or a pedicure.  But the Pearl Spa also has a full display of soaps and teas that you add to the Howard County food in a basket.  Mrs. HowChow likes the Tea Forte brand.
• Pet Barn in Fulton.  Around the corner from the Pearl in Maple Lawn, you can buy gifts for the cat or dog in your life.  They often sell funny dog treats that look like human food.  They also do all kinds of beds, collars, bowls and more.

Where else do you like shopping around Howard County?  You can certainly buy unique stuff on-line -- like maybe the Little Flower Candy Co. caramels or the gorgeous Hawaiian flowers from Anuhea Flowers.  But you can find so much around here.  There are clothing stores in Maple Lawn, antiques and arts along Main Streeet in Ellicott City, and a few hours of nosing around the shops at Savage Mill, especially if you like antiques, painted furniture, or another used book store.  

What would you recommend?

Shopping For The Kitchen: Local Spots To Find Cookbooks, Kitchen Items, And Specialty Foods

Cookbooks at Nest in Clarksville

Cookbooks have now become specialty shopping.

I'm almost surprised when I see cookbooks in person, when I can page through them and see if I get inspired to buy.  Now, they're curated in small collections at stores across Howard County.  They're the kinds of places where you could shop for kitchen gifts.

Plates at Sweet Elizabeth

This week, I'm writing a "Gift Week" series of posts aimed at inspiring folks to shop at local spots.  Williams Sonoma in the Columbia Mall sells terrific stuff.  But interested shoppers could check out a few other shops.  We may not have Harbor East, but we have enough shopping to make a meal.

The appetizer is Nest in Clarksville on Rte 108.  Maybe the largest cookbook selection other than Barnes and Nobles, which is impressive since I think it's all vegetarian books.  Any eater would benefit from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop. Then an entire shop of organic items -- a lot of clothing, jewelry and stuffed animals.  The kitchen stuff runs to wooden bowls and serving pieces or pottery platters.

The main course is an afternoon walking down Main Street in Ellicott City.  

• Su Casa near the top of the hill and the big parking lot.  This is the modern outpost on Main Street.  They have a design company in the back that will sell you furniture, but we enjoy the "icing on the cake" stuff like retro bottle openers and fun placemats.  It's thoughtful, cool chat
• Randy and Steve's.  Imagine a Main Street version of Williams Sonoma's jars and mixes.  This new store on Main Street started selling all kinds of gourmet ingredients -- salts, oils, jellies, sauces, etc.  Right now, they have a wall of Stonewall Kitchen items, and they carry clothes and other items.
• Sweet Elizabeth Jane.  This is a happy store with winding paths through an eclectic warehouse of displays.  Some clothes.  Some jewelry. A bunch of kitchen items like spatulas, plates, mugs, cheese trays, and butter crocks.  It's smart stuff.  Mrs. HowChow can browse here for longer than most stores, and she will often walk out with something that she didn't plan like a cookbook or Hammond's candies at the checkout.
• The Breadery in Oella.  It's a pretty walk up the hill from Main Street Ellicott City, and the bakery will feed you while you peruse their shopping.  Again, they have carried the national brand Stonewall Kitchen, but they have also sold Baltimore stuff like Zeke's coffee and inFUSED spreads.  (You can always drive up to the Breadery as well.)

A Danish bowl set (sold off HA site)

Dessert is Home Anthology.  This is the Catonsville vintage store where people find reasonably-priced (and moderately used) tables, chairs, cabinets and other furniture.  But they also stock vintage kitchenware if you need a gift for someone who loves a 1950s to 1970s vibe.

Colorful Danish bowls.  Fondue sets.  Vintage shot glasses.  You never know what you will find, but Home Anthology has real pieces of the mid-century in cups, pots, and teak salad bowls.  You need the right friend, but a walk through Home Anthology is always fun -- especially if you get snacks a few blocks away at Atwater's.  They're open Saturdays and Sundays, and you can also check inventory on their Web site.

What am I missing?  What other local stores stock cool kitchen items or cookbooks?  I thought about the Asian pottery and kitchen items at the Hanoori Home Plaza in the same shopping center as H Mart -- both in Catonsville.  Bento boxes or whimsical chopsticks might be stocking stuffers, but most of the items tend more useful than gift-like.  What do you recommend?

Howard County Gift Basket: Local Treats You Can Buy Alone Or Assemble A Local Gift

Sugar cookies from Touche Touchet

Let's say that you need a gift basket -- as a hostess gift, as a friendly nod to a customer, or just as a gesture to cheer up a friend.

This week, I'm writing a "Gift Week" series of posts aimed at inspiring folks to shop at local spots.

Think local (and buy your own basket), and you can deliver something unique and delicious.  It's even better if you're someone like a real estate agent or someone else trying to promote Howard County.  You can find great food produced by local folks.

Every item below would make a fine gift on its own, but you could customize baskets that will really catch people's attention with some of my suggestions:

Southern Skies coffee

• Sugar cookies from Touche Touchet in Columbia.  For $4.50 and up, they sell hand-decorated cookies that will last weeks sealed in their packages.  Winter scenes.  Christmas scenes.  Hanukkah, hospital scrubs, or just "Thank You" cookies.  They're pricey, but they're gorgeous and delicious.  They're the touch that you put on top of the basket for pizzazz.
• Coffee from Southern Skies in Finksburg.  Just over the county line, Jeff Givens roasts small batches with aim to deliver fresh, seasonal beans.  It's so good that Red Envelope is offering a gift set with Southern Skies coffees, mug and a wooden box.  Or order from their Web site.  (If you want true Howard County, you can buy from local roasters like Mad City Coffee in Columbia as well.)
• Caramel and other popcorns from Crunch Daddy Popcorn.  As I said yesterday, the popcorn is spectacular.  Not just sweet.  Crunch Daddy does wonderful flavors that are actually unique. Again, made by hand in the county.  They have retail locations from Columbia to Catonsville (and beyond), plus you can check out their Web site.
• Cotton candy from the Sweet Treats stand at the Columbia Mall.  This is your secret weapon.  You need to buy it fresh, but it adds striking, colorful fun to any basket.  Plus, it's just $3 a bag, and they're spinning several flavors every day.  It's worth figuring out how to slip it in your basket.
• Jams from Rare Opportunity Farms in Westminster.  I sampled these at the Second Sunday market this month off Main Street, and they had all kinds of fall flavors in jelly jars (plus cookies, a chocolate chip cookie worth driving to Carroll County).  They are scheduled to come back for the final Second Sunday market in December, plus their Web site says they sell at the Little French Market in Ellicott City and Mad City Coffee in Columbia.
• Barbecue sauce from Kloby's Smokehouse on Johns Hopkins Road.  The pit boss in your life will love a savory contrast to the holiday sweets.  Kloby's sells five different bottles, including some seriously spicy "Honey Hab" and some local flavor in the "Chesapeake.
• Olives and chutney from Scratch, a little company run by Stephen Etzine.  Stephen's effort is new enough that the company has no Web site, but we had his chutneys and his own olives at the Second Sunday market.  They're terrific, and he does some beautiful, minimal packaging so the jars would be great in a basket.  You can reach Stephen by emailing the company at scratchfood@gmail.com.

Really, all these items are great for stand-alone gifts or "stocking stuffers."  Southern Skies even sells a "Java Passport" where they ship you coffee every month.  No minimum length.  That's fun for a coffee lover.

What else would you put in a Howard County gift basket?  I know there must be other people making great products in -- or near -- the county.  Tell folks what you would recommend.  Feel free to include Web site links.

Macsmom turned me on yesterday to a bakery called From Momma's Kitchen, and other bakeries may do some item that would last in a basket.  You could also pick up a good bottle of wine or beer at one of our local shops or more coffee from the Little French Market in Ellicott City  I wish Larriland Farm were open because they sold bottles of local honey in their barn store.  Is that Larriland honey sold retail anywhere else?

Kloby's BBQ sauces

Gift Buying Week: Local Flavors To Share With Friends And Family Over The Holidays

Crunch Daddy popcorn

At the moment, my brain is completely obsessed by CrunchDaddy Popcorn.

My family gave me a birthday gift certificate, and CrunchDaddy hooked me up with an extra bag of one of his special holiday flavors.  That's a [secret flavor -- one of three to be announced soon] that really had great crunch and creaminess.  But I'm actually obsessed by the "peanut better & jelly" where they mix in real peanut better and minced grape jelly beans.  I keep sneaking back to the half-gallon bucket for one handful more.

The beauty of CrunchDaddy's popcorn is that it isn't just sugary.  They're real flavors -- leaning sweet with caramel variations, but giving a nod to savory with "Maryland crab seasoning" and getting brilliant with flavors like a sesame-ginger.  You should buy some to eat.  You should think about people who might want sweets as a holiday gift.

The other beauty of CrunchDaddy's popcorn is that it's local.  It's a Howard County guy cooking in a Howard County kitchen.  If you're thinking about holiday gifts, you can shop local and find terrific items for the food lovers in your life.  We're not a shopping destination like DC or Bethesda, but I thought that a week of posts might inspire you to look around.  You could have fun.  You could support local businesses.  And you don't need to compromise.

Food Lover's Guide To Baltimore

You'll need to decide what you care about when it comes to local.  Etsy has the hardcore option -- on-line shops for artists who work in Howard County like Kiki(Verde)'s jewelry from Laurel.  In contrast, the Maryland Shop in Westminster goes with the statewide theme -- mixing some locally-produced items like honey from the Hillside Apiary with other cool items that may be more "Maryland-theme" than "Maryland-made."

The Food Lover's Guide To Baltimore has the similar issue.  Authors are local.  Published presumably in China.  Sold on Amazon unless you can find it at the Barnes and Noble in Columbia.  But it's a terrific handbook for anyone who wants to explore Baltimore eating.  It's local in my book.

I buy things from all over.  I just think that -- as you think about buying gifts -- you should consider the value of finding good stuff that you can buy from local folks.  CrunchDaddy is now available at David's Natural Market in Columbia, the Breadery in Oella, and liquor stores like Jason's on Rte 40, the Wine Bin on Main Street, and Decanter Fine Wine in the Hickory Ridge village center.  (All retail locations are on this Web page.)  You support a local manufacturer and a local store that you're probably happy to have around for other shopping.  And the friend on your gift list will be happy as well.

Coming this week:

• Tuesday: "Make A Howard County Gift Bag,"
• Wednesday: "Food And Kitchen Shopping In Howard County,"
• Thursday: "Other Cool Shopping in Howard County"

Click below for another voice about local shopping.  Nikki tells the story that you can't get from a big company.

Home Anthology -- Get A Cool Kitchen Gift (Or Buy Chairs Like We've Done Long Past Reason)

Do you need a gift for a modern cook? (Or a molded plywood chair?)

Home Anthology in Catonsville is one of the coolest places that you'll ever find -- if you're into used stuff with a sense of style.

Just off the main drag in Catonsville, Home Anthology is a spot to buy furniture that runs from mid-century modern through 1970s Scandinavian.  Owned by a couple.  Open only Saturdays and Sundays.  This is a place to look around for iconic chairs, vintage sofas, and sleek-lined tables or storage pieces.

Over the past year or so, Rob and Nini have expanded into housewares -- cups, pots, fondue sets, tea kettles and other items that will be charming if you're into modern design and nostalgic if you grew up in a 1970s kitchen.  They're great for your kitchen or as a unique gift for someone else.

Like all of Home Anthology's stock, the housewares are used but good condition.  Rob and Nini will tell you what they know about the items.  They'll point out the history and any wear, and they'll show you how to care for it.  They charge fair prices aimed at folks who want to use this stuff -- not ridiculous price aimed at collectors.

Housewares give me a HowChow angle, but I actually recommend Home Anthology as a weekend adventure for anyone who likes modern furniture.  Beds.  Desks.  Dining room pieces right out of Scan circa 1972.  And, of course, chairs.  Chairs made of plywood, molded plastic, cantilevered metal, or the imagination of Charles and Ray Eames.  Just click on their "sold" section to sample cool stuff that got away -- and that might come back another weekend.

As I write this, I'm sitting in a desk chair at we bought there.  There is a green leather rocker behind me that we rushed up to get one Saturday.  Over years, Mrs. HowChow and I have slowly outfitted our house with chairs -- a few slightly chipped, one almost pristine, and mostly just chairs that look like they've been used for years.  (It's more chairs that you'd ever think reasonable.)

Checking Home Anthology's Web page for new arrivals has become late-week fun for us.  Sometimes we stop in Catonsville to nose around.  Sometimes, we're standing outside before the doors open because we've decided to splurge on something beautiful.  Talk to Rob and Nini.  They're friendly, knowledgable, and approachable.  You can truly find something unique, and you'll have fun while you're there.

Home Anthology
91 Mellor Avenue
Catonsville, MD 21228
410-744-0042
Open 12-5 on Saturdays and Sundays

NEAR:  Home Anthology is in a commercial building a few blocks south of Frederick Road.  There are three ways to get to Catonsville.  Use a map to find your best way -- and pick something cool to eat along the way.  First, you can take I-95 to I-695 and then go west on Frederick Road into Catonsville.   Second, you can go through Main Street in Ellicott City and then up Frederick Road.  Third, you can go east on Rte 40 and use Rolling Road to connect to Frederick Road.

Go To Daedalus To Check Out Cookbooks

If you have a little patience and a taste for cookbooks, make a short trip to Daedalus Books in Columbia.

Last weekend, I wandered the stacks for more than an hour with my brother-in-law, a book lover who is always an inspiration to stop at the bookstore that I drive past every week.

Daedalus sells remainders and other odd-lot books and music.  That means you can't guarantee what you'll find, but you might always discover something interesting.  Daedalus isn't selling dollar books.  It fills a spot where the books are cheaper than retail, but still good enough to worth your time and your money.

Last weekend, they had a pile of the Food Matters Cookbook that I recommend. Priced about the same as Amazon, but you can cook from it tonight if you stop at Daedalus today.  Plus, you can check out hundreds of other books, including some that I recognized like One Big Table by Molly O'Neill and Local Breads by Daniel Leader.