Deep Frozen Cocktail Samosas At Indian Markets

Your real fear at an Indian restaurant is that they'll think you don't like spicy food and just omit the spices that bring all the flavor.

Take samosas, for example.  Bad fillings make samosas as useless as a cheap egg roll.  But aimed at an authentic market, Indian food brings spice in a complex way -- more than the simple heat of a hot pepper, it's a spice mix that may warm your mouth but zings instead of just stinging.

The Deep brand samosas bring that authentic favor right to your freezer. These are convenience food.  Three bucks for 50 bite-sized samosas that give you the healthy taste of lentils and the healthy spice aimed at people who know Indian food.  They're really delicious, and they hold their own with most frozen food -- although they're not going to beat takeout from House of India.  I ate them as weeknight dinners.  You could easily serve them up as party appetizers.

Don't deep fry them.  You can put a film of oil in a frying pan and saute the frozen samosas until they're crisp on the outside and heated all the way through.

I bought the Deep samosas at Columbia Halal Meat, a nice Pakistani market on Rte 108 near the Costco in Elkridge.  I think that I have seen the brand -- and assume they have the samosas -- at other Indian markets, including Eastern Bazar or Apna Bazar in Laurel or Food Cravings or Desi Bazaar in Columbia.

They're Giving Away Crabs At Frank's Seafood

Think about Frank's Seafood on Sunday because they were giving away crabs on Saturday.

Not free crabs.  But the cold crabs -- steamed this morning and completely delicious -- were on special.  They were $1 each or buy-a-dozen-get-a-dozen-free depending on the size.  Those are some nice deals.  I got a half dozen of the $1 crabs and filled a bowl with picked meat.

Frank's in Jessup says its Sunday hours are 12-5.  They have crab meat and crab cakes to go with the hardshells.  They also have a wide variety of fish and seafood.  I considered a dozen oysters.  They were offering samples.  But fish and crab were more than enough for us tonight.

Off-Topic: Cool Mini-Hotel Opens in Ellicott City

A new four-room hotel with a Beatles theme has opened on Main Street in Ellicott City, reports Wordbones on the Tales of Two Cities blog.  The last thing that I need is a hotel room in Howard County, but the Obladi hotel seems interesting.

Will Elkridge Get A Sonic Burger Spot?

Has anyone heard about a Sonic opening at the site of a McDonalds that had a fire last December in Elkridge?  Vicki posted a comment saying that neighborhood rumor says Sonic might open at the Washington Boulevard site.  Heard anything?

(Update: Trevor-Peter writes below that a Sonic doesn't seem likely.  He says Courtney Watson posted a month ago that McDonald's says the store will continue to be a McDonald's.)

The "Woodberry Kitchen Problem," Or How Do Our Best Restaurants Compete Across Two Cities?

This is what I will call "The Woodberry Kitchen" problem.

People think that I eat out way more than I actually do.  The key to a hobby like writing daily about food is to write short and to make sure that you see posts in the basic food that you enjoy.

The truth is that Mrs. HowChow and I eat from restaurants a few times a month around Howard County.  Often, it is a weeknight.  Or it's a point when we just want to relax.  We eat broadly, but we tend to eat in the middle ground -- casual places that serve dinner for two for $20-40.  We grab burgers at Victoria.  We go for Korean barbecue.  We get sushi at either The Sono or The King.

But there is an upper limit.  We'll spend $50 for our favorites -- or to get some extras at House of India that will become two lunches.  But we often leave Howard County for special meals.  There are nights when we're going to spend more money or when I'm making reservations for someone's birthday, and the truth is that I keep going back to Woodberry Kitchen.

Now, I'm the perfect customer for Woodberry Kitchen in Baltimore.  I love the fresh ingredients, minimal cooking, and small plates.  In July, we had a meal where we didn't pick a dish that had been cooked.  Pickled eggs, a raw peach dessert.  Three of the courses were just perfect produce, sliced and served with spices or vinegar.  We spent less than a night at Sushi Sono and left as happy as I have ever been in a restaurant.

But it makes me wonder how high-end restaurants compete in Howard County?  

I can list restaurants in Howard County with high expectations: Portalli's, Bistro Blanc, Venegas Prime Filet, Aida Bistro, Cafe de Paris, Tersiguels. . . .  But as I consider my "best restaurants" list for 2010, I have only eaten at half of these places.  

Obviously, some  people expect to spend $50-75 for two on a weeknight, but that seems more common in Bethesda than in Kings Contrivance.  When people like me schedule a special night, we're fine with driving into the city -- in fact into either city -- so Howard County high-end is competing with local, cheaper options and with the high-end places as far as 45 minutes away.

What Howard County restaurants are worth the extra money?  What do you order for your special nights?  Or, if you run one of these restaurants, what do you think people should know about your place?  The risk of high prices is that people have high expectations.  So how do you entice people to try you out and leave satisfied?

   

Link: Twist & Turn On Dining At Large

Twist and Turn in Highland got reviewed by John Lindner on the Sun's Dining at Large blog.  He did not enjoy his lunch.

Pakistani Hot Pepper Gummis at Columbia Halal

Hot pepper gummy bears could be an absolute joke, but the Chili Mili candies are actually more delicious than I expected.

I bought two bags -- 25 cents each -- at Columbia Halal Meat on Rte 108 figuring that they'd be humorous.  But I have bought a dozen since then because they're pretty good.  They're spicy.  Spicy enough that the heat builds over even a little bag.

These are along the line of the super mango lollipop from El Patio Market or the candies at Mexican places like Lily's Mexican Market that mix salty, spicy and sweet.  If anything, the Chili Mili gummies are more mainstream than, say, tamarind maracas.  These are candies, nothing artisenal.  Gummies on the stiff side, and the sweet, hot flavor building as you eat each one.  Maybe not kid-friendly, but great fun for anyone who likes sugar and spice and everything nice.

Link: Gunpowder Bison Burgers On Sarah Says

The new deck at Sarah's house was christened with bison burgers from Mom's Organic Market in Jessup, which she wrote up on the Sarah Says blog.

Sarah bought the Gunpowder Bison burgers in Mom's small meat section and grilled them with potatoes and the last summer peaches.  If you check out her review, poke around her weekly reviews of her CSA among her posts about food.

First Takes On Red Pearl's Dim Sum

Red Pearl opened this summer with regular Chinese food and a separate Sichuan menu on the lakefront in Columbia.  In August, they brought back dim sum, which echoes the past when Jesse Wong's Hong Kong served the Chinese brunch dishes in the same space.

I plan on trying it out, but Kyle provided an early report about the dim sum offerings.  He says it joins his rotation with Hollywood East in Wheaton and Asian Court in Ellicott City.

When the family does dim sum, we used to always go to Wheaton, usually Hollywood East. After reading Howchow and trying Asian Court, we put it in the rotation. We had tried Jesse Wong's Hong Kong for dim sum way back when but found it to be overpriced and mediocre at best. It never made the rotation and disappeared before I gave it another chance.

After quality and service, I tend to rate dim sum places by how crowded they get and the percentage of Asian faces. I figure the more of these two, the more authentic the place. Finally I consider the space. Most dim sum places have too many tables and tend to be dark and closed in. But half the fun is watching the carts maneuver and people navigating the maze to try to get somewhere.

Having held out for a couple of weeks, I tried Red Pearl on Sunday. I had been by there the week they premiered dim sum. I noticed the metal dim sum steaming dishes on the tables but ended up next door at Sushi Sono.

Red Pearl dim sum worked on all levels. The definitely Hong-Kong-style dim sum was above average in quality and fairly priced.

We were early but the place got very crowded by noon. Our table was one of the very few that had all non-Asian faces. The place was bustling, and the cart/people entanglements were fun to watch.  Where we were seated, the tables were so close you're practically eating at the same table.  The cart coverage was good and asking for things not on a cart was easy. Though the place was dark, the high ceilings and modern decor gave it a pleasant airy feel.

The quality of the steamed dumplings, baked pastries, and fried items was above average. The dumplings noodles were thin with good texture,  the pastries nicely flaky, the fried items not greasy and the fillings were descent. Not feeling adventurous, we passed on the chicken feet, tripe and everything on the jellied savory cakes cart (haven't seen one of those before on it own cart), soft sweet tofu (don't have a clue what this is but it was pasted in English on the pot) cart, and the porridge congee cart.  We didn't try any but there were lots of extra larger dishes like the head-on shrimp, clams, and noodles. The only disappointment was the eggy and tasteless custard pastry filling. The pineapple bun was excellent.

The cart service was excellent especially since most of the operators spoke English. The wait staff was spread way to thin.  Our water glasses were empty most of the time, and checkout was a wait. For a place that just started serving dim sum, I was impressed. Red Pearl is in the dim sum rotation now and the closest one too.

Anyone else have a report?  Any special items?  Anything that you particularly recommend? 

Grilled Cheese & Co. in Catonsville

The secret to most great sandwiches is fresh, interesting ingredients.  The secret to great grilled cheese is butter.

I'm still trying to put those ideas together just like the folks at the Grilled Cheese & Co.  The new Catonsville restaurant offers high-end grilled cheese -- unusual ingredients like roasted peppers, steak, or barbecue sauce.

I want to love it, and I think some of the sandwiches would be delicious.  But everything isn't better with butter.  Great grilled cheese sandwiches depend on fried, crispy bread, and I don't know that every great sandwich ingredient wants to be surrounded by buttery crispness.

Cheddar, bacon and tomatoes sounds right.  But I tried their new "santorini" variation with gyro meat, feta and tzatziki sauce.  Gyros are a great sandwich, but I didn't feel like they got any better when they were buttered and grilled.  Actually, the gyro meat wasn't that great.  But, even more, I wondered why I'd want butter on a Greek sandwich.  Mrs. HowChow said the same thing about her sandwich of mozzarella and peppers.

The irony is that butter changed my cooking when a roommate opened my eyes beyond the Low Fat Era style in fashion when I first cracked a cookbook.  (His advice is expensive now so it's good I listened.)  I want the grilling and the cheesing to improve sandwiches, but it's not like you're substituting margarine out of the gyro or the Italian sausage sub.

Like Coal Fire Pizza, this looks like an idea designed to franchise or expand.  I'm not arguing with the basic idea or with the quality of ingredients -- except the gyro meat -- that were worth $7-8 per sandwich.  I'd jusy go for the basic sandwiches next time, something that wants a crispy, buttery outside.  You can make a great sandwich with tomatoes and the right cheddar.  Of course, Grilled Cheese & Co. needs a full menu, so they offer salads and side orders of chips or fries, regular or sweet potato.


Grilled Cheese & Co.
500 Edmondson Ave
Catonsville, MD 21228
(410) 747-2610


NEAR: Grilled Cheese & Co is on Edmondson just inside I-695.  It's just north of Rte 144, one of the main drags through Catonsville and a straight shot from downtown Ellicott City.

Cookiepalooza at Touche Touchet - October 8-9

Cookiepalooza comes to Touche Touchet on October 8 and 9 with cookie sampling, voting and $1 cookies at the Columbia bakery.


This is the second year that they've sampled new recipes and celebrated the cookie.  Check out their Facebook page for more details.

Feel Better Takeout From Red Pearl

Sometimes, you just need food.  I have spent the last week with a cold and spent yesterday collapsed on the couch.

Wednesday night, I had RDADoc's delicious brisket, but then I relapsed over night.  We cancelled services with my family yesterday, so I missed out on the lox and whitefish that had been our centerpoint.

I barely ate until 8 pm when Mrs. HowChow arrived home with takeout from Red Pearl in Columbia.  I wasn't hungry when she woke me to ask about dinner.  I wasn't hungry when she ordered.  I wasn't hungry when the came back.

Then I ate soup and two plates of Chinese food as soon as she served.

Hot and sour soup, kung pao chicken, beef szechuan, and crispy walnut shrimp.  She stayed away from the authentic Szechuan menu because she didn't want anything profoundly spicy for her patient, but the food and the heat were exactly what I needed.

Until that point, my day had tasted like fever and hand sanitizer.  The soup broke that up, and the beef and chicken both had good flavors, light heat and none of the cloying sauces that turns me off most Chinese food.  Even Red Pearl's American-style dishes are drier than most Chinese restaurants.  The sauces coat the meat, but they don't soak into the rice.

Pho from An Loi had been our go-to takeout when we need to feel better.  But Red Pearl hit the spot.

Red Pearl started dim sum last month, and I'll post the first report next week.  Stay tuned and cover your mouth when you cough.  Cough in your elbow like Elmo.

Soretti's Ethiopian Cuisine in Burtonsville

Our outlet for Ethiopian food continues to expand and improve as Soretti's Ethiopian Cuisine converts to a casual restaurant.

Soretti's Ethiopian is the name of the family-run restaurant on Rte 198 in Burtonsville. It opened as Coffee Oromia and sold a few Ethiopian items under a coffee shop menu. Now, the rechristened spot serves a broader menu of beef, chicken, lamb and vegetable stews.


I don't claim Soretti's competes with the Ethiopian hotspots in DC.  But it's a great casual option for injera and the vegetable, beef and chicken stews that make Ethiopian unique, tasty and really healthy as well.  The injera bread isn't Mrs. HowChow's favorite, so I have stopped at Soretti's most often for lunch.  The vegetable combination has become my go-to dish because you get a half-dozen flavors that make for a memorable meal.  Lentils, beans, carrots, greens, cabbage -- they're all recognizable and accessible, but cooked with flavors make them new.


I'm also a sucker for Ethiopian meat stews.  The meat often seems lean and can be tough, but the right stews are spicy and delicious.  Beef or chicken tibbs are easy entries into the cuisine.  If you go with two people, I'd recommend ordering two combinations -- one vegetarian and one meat.  You'll get to try most of the menu, and you'll be bound to find something that you like.  And you need to eat the entire injera that comes under your stews.  The sauces soak into the bread, and those soaked pieces can be the best part of the meal.


Soretti's is a comfort food like of place.  You sit at a casual table, and the owner comes around from the counter to take your order.  If you're new to Ethiopian, just know that you eat with your hands.  You'll get injera under the stews, plus more pieces on the side.  You rip bite-sized pieces of bread, then use them to scoop up the stews.  If you can eat guacamole with a Frito, then you can eat Ethiopian.  It's easy and fun.


(Update: Soretti's has just gotten nicer in 2011.  They spruced up the art and the curtains at the front.  In early spring, they were running an $8.50 special at lunch.  Still a huge plate of food, but a special price.  The vegetarian combination had five items, including greens, lentils, and a spicy tomato salad.  Check out the injera made from authentic teff -- an Ethiopian grain that makes a drier, less sour bread.)


Burtonsville is super-convenient off Rte 29, and it is just one exit south of Howard County.  If you're go down there, check out the the homemade ice cream at Seibel's or consider dinner at Cuba de Ayer or Maiwand Kabob.


Soretti's Ethiopian Cuisine

15510 Old Columbia Pike (Rte 198)

Burtonsville, MD 20866

240-390-0044

NEAR: This is on Rte 198 just west of Rte 29. From Howard County, you take the first exit on Rte 29 south of the river. That exit puts you on an old piece of Rte 29 that passes an Indian temple and a garden center. Turn right on Rte 198 at the traffic light. Soretti's is a block up on the right next to a Maiwand Kabob outlet.

Reviews Of Local CSAs For Howard County

What do you think of your CSA?

I had thought that I would be a natural at "community supported agriculture."  I thought that I would post every week about my first year of CSA deliveries and what I had whipped up with the vegetables.

As summer closes, I haven't been inspired to post much.  The drought made it had a hard year to farm, and I knew that I was buying into the risk/reward of a real share.

But I haven't done much more than cut up vegetables this summer.  We eat tomatoes with salt, maybe some cubed cucumber and mint.  We cherished baby lettuces at the start and the melon this week, and I was completely amused by the eggs that I got through a fluke.  But I have been a bit puzzled about what to do with four carrots or two beets or a dozen green beans.  I'm not planning right.  Or I'm not prepared with recipes.  So I'm puzzled and wondering if a CSA delivery is smart for me if I have to go shopping after work to create a meal.

What has your CSA delivered this year?  Would you do it again?  How are you using the vegetables?  Do you keep basics on hand so that you have what you need?  How do you use small amounts?

I'm still figuring out my thoughts for 2011.  Howard County has a bunch of CSA options.  I started small this year, encouraged by a place where I could pick up in the evening.  But I may need to go big and get deliveries like Sarah Says posts about.  I would have to figure out a way to pick up at one of the established places like Gorman Produce Farm or Shaw Farm, the Columbia farm whose manager has posted comments on HowChow.

(Update: For 2011, check out my February 2011 post about CSAs.  Please add your reviews there.  I'd love to know what you recommend.)

Trolling: The Next Generation To HowChow Readers Starts With Adult Food Friendly To Kids

Rachel takes us trolling with the next generation of HowChow readers.  Her family loves grownup food, but they go with 3 1/2-year-old twins and a one-year-old.  So Rachel says that they have found a few non-chain restaurants that we have come to rely on for our family meals away from home.

Everyone in our house loves Frisco Grill in Columbia (soon to move and become the Frisco Tap House). Yes, it is mostly a bar but the atmosphere is calm and inviting. The children's menu satisfies with cheese quesadillas and burritos. The grownups fight over who is eating the chorizo nachos too fast and there is always a beer or two that keeps us happy.

We have also had good luck with Bangkok Delight in Columbia. The umbrellas on the ceiling, two interesting water fountains, and a children's menu that has "chicken on a stick" (chicken satay) keep our children entertained. The staff is super friendly and very welcoming to the children.  I stick with the pad thai (discovered at Noodles Corner ages ago) and finish off the kid's satays.  My husband is working his way through the various curries and hasn't developed a favorite yet. 

The Kings Contrivance Village Center is our spot for pizza and a quick dessert, especially in warm weather. Trattoria de Enrico has reliable quality and our twins are fans of the pizza and the baked ziti. After dinner we can't resist a walk across the courtyard to Rita's for a nice dessert which we enjoy by the fountain.

Trolling on Tuesday is my attempt at a series where readers would share three things with other HowChow readers -- favorite restaurant dishes, food to buy, food experiences, etc.  Click here for all the Trolling posts.  Click here for the explanation and the rules.  Anyone can submit.

Emergency: Where Can John Buy Crabs?

Emergency!  Where can John find crabs -- other than Franks Seafood in Jessup, which is apparently sold out for Sunday?

John left a comment on this week's Franks post, and he needs a place to buy a half bushel of hardshells for Sunday.

Columbia Wegmans To Open Summer 2012 Now That Site Plan Was Approved, Says Wordbones

The Columbia Wegmans is on track for a Summer 2012 opening, according to Wordbones on the Tales of Two Cities Web site.

Wordbones reported that Wegmans received final approval of its site plan last week.  That means the company can apply for their building permit and start building the store.  One change: There will be an entrance directly from Snowden River Parkway, not just from McGaw Road.

I have heard several reports of heavy equipment working hard on the site.  Obviously, I need to recast my campaign to open the store by Valentine's Day 2011.

(Update: The original post -- and the original tweet-- said Summer 2010 instead of Summer 2012.  That was just an error, probably caused by my sorrow and memory of the days when I said, "I can't believe Wegmans won't open until 2009.  That seems so far from now.  Thanks to @dawnpopp for pointing out the error.)

Lemonade With Orange Blossom Water Inspired By The Lebanese Taverna That Howard County Needs

Howard County needs Lebanese Taverna.  The takeout version from Rockville.  The fancy one from Harbor East.  I'll take any piece of the local chain, and I'll start with lemonade.

Mrs. HowChow had lunch last month at the Tysons Taverna, and she brought home the idea of lemonade with orange blossom water.  It's a Lebanese idea, apparently.  The Cortas brand is distilled in Lebanon for sure.

I took the idea into the kitchen and played a bit.  Sugar, water and lemon juice with a touch of the orange blossom water.  The Taverna waitress said they use two cups in a huge container, so I put a teaspoon in each small glass.  The lemonade came out beautifully -- a touch exotic little the bitter orange note.  Play with the proportions by adding the final water gradually, and you can make it your own.

You can get orange blossom for $3-4 at most Middle Eatern markets -- certainly at Ceazar International Market in Elkridge.  I think you'd get it at Pars Market or Nazar Market in Columbia.

Lemonade w/Orange Blossom Water
Makes two small glasses

1 c. sugar
1c. water, plus more cool water
3-4 lemons
bottle of orange blossom water
2 small glasses

1) Put the sugar in 1 c. water and microwave on high for a minute or two until the sugar has dissolved.  Let the simple syrup cool.  (You could dissolve the sugar into less water.)  You'll end up with extra syrup.

2) Juice the lemons.  You'll get pulp and some seeds.  Strain out the seeds.  A little pulp was nice.  Three lemons got me a little more juice than the half-cup that I needed for two.

3) In each glass, pour in 1/4 c. simple syrup, 1/4 c. lemon juice and 1 tsp of orange blossom water.  Taste the lemonade.  It was way too strong for me.  You can follow my lead and just add 1/4 c. of cool water and a few ice cubes. Or you can slowly add cool water and ice until you reach a flavor that you prefer.

Zoku Popsicles: The Best Toy For Your Freezer

I'm trying to clear my kitchen of one-trick ponies -- the bread machines, the donut machines, the countertop gadgets that don't work as well as a good solid pan.

But I have to admit that I have fallen in love with a $50 popsicle maker.

Williams Sonoma's Zoku popsicle maker is a loaf-sized gadget that you store in your freezer.  There is some liquid sealed inside.  You pour juice or some other liquid into the three holes on top, and, in less than 10 minutes, you have popsicles.

You can have popsicles of almost anything.  We started with a peach puree.  We used lemonade.  My nephew made a batch of lemon-lime.  A touch of sugar, but they were far more sour than I had ever expected an eight-year-old to enjoy.

The Zoku's beauty is that you can freeze almost anything.  (Except diet soda.)  Simple juices.  Adult recipes like cilantro and lime.  Creams.  Crazy mixes like layers of red watermelon topped with a layer made from melon rind and lime.  Even people who don't love to cook can play with popsicles without a fuss.

And let's be honest:  It's instant gratification.  You can buy popsicle molds for way less.  You can even buy popsicle cookbooks.  But the Zoku freezes three popsicles in less than 10 minutes.  Then freezes three more.  (Up to nine, says the box.)  A kid's snack or an adult dessert.  You can have what you want in minutes, and it's a blast.  We have bought two as gifts so far this year.

DeDe Basil Seed Soda: The Absolute Craziest Soft Drink That You'll Actually Think Is Delicious

Would you drink a soda that tastes like banana but looks like it's home to a herd of paramecium?

No, laughs Mrs. HowChow.  But she's missing out.

The grocers at Columbia Halal Meat sell a Thai soft drink made with basil seeds and honey.  The seeds float in a cloud -- each about half-inch apart.

The drink, made by DeDe, tastes fruity and sweet.  Certainly honey.  Maybe banana.  The seeds don't really taste like anything.  They have the texture of tapioca in bubble tea or maybe a softer feel of pomegranite seeds.  Overall, it's refreshing and fun, certainly unique.

Apparently, the basil seeds are natural and a traditional Thai ingredient.  They swell in the soda.  Safe, fun and definitely not a protozoa in the bottle.

(Update:  Look for DeDe soda in the Asian groceries like Family Market in Columbia, Lotte in Ellicott City or H Mart in Catonsville.  I don't recommend the similar soda that comes in a can.  Not that I have any expertise in basil seed soda, but I didn't like the taste as much.)

One warning.  You may need a bottle opener to pop the DeDe cap.  There is a metal ring that should open the top, but I am only one for three.  Twice, the metal tore off, and I used a bottle opener instead.