No, not the beverage.
When I was out here in the days (late nineties) of the Super Hornet EMD flight test program, with MFO still in STL, I often rewarded myself with a Saturday night dinner over on the Solomons, at the Dry Dock Restaurant, one of the few places for fine dining at that time. It was back in the time when it was located in that little block house over the marina’s potties. Seated maybe 25 people at the most, had a compact bar and a kitchen so small that the chef didn’t have to move around to do anything. The place was nicely decorated, they turned out very nice food, they were all friendly, and of course the view was great.
As we are surely finding out today, nothing is forever, and they moved to the “new” larger space next door with more tables, but still had a lovely bar and pretty much the same waitstaff. When MFO and I lived on “that” side of the Patuxent we were pretty much fixtures. But, nothing is forever. As life moves on, there were changes in staff and managers, a rotation of chefs set in, and we sort of fell off the “regular” list. The low point for me was when they instituted “nights” where you could get a steak dinner for $19.95 kind of thing. Not quite blue plate specials, but not what I consider a fine dining restaurant should offer.
So, I was pleased to hear that one of the former chefs which we were familiar with, Ben, had returned. Chefs are a funny lot. They always seem to be looking over the next hill or seeking new challenges, and he left the DD to help his brother (as I recall) in another venture. So after a long day following my Monday nights adventure in DC with the Lee Brothers, we decided to re-visit the Dry Dock for dinner and say hello and welcome to Ben.
They are still pretty much the best combination (IMHO) of waterfront and fine dining options in the area, with easterly facing views (very important around sun set) of the marina and many seldom used sailboats bobbing. We climbed the stairs and immediately saw a couple of “regulars” from the old days (they stayed the same) but were pleasantly surprised to see one of the servers from our hay day also returned as a customer. She said it was the first time she’d been in the place in two years. Outside dining wasn’t yet open, and (good for them) they had reserves for all the tables, so we took our familiar seats at the bar. Gone were the little bins of “orange” food, at least last night. The bartender asked if we were drinking or eating, and we replied “both” and were given menus, and we both ordered our standard drinks. Without hesitation he reached for the green vermouth bottle and delivered a correctly made dry manhatten, on the rocks with a twist and the Bombay sapphire gimlet. I think it was the same barkeep that I remembered from last time, efficient and correct, but not very chatty.
After savoring the drinks for a bit, we turned to the menu, which has remained pretty much standard over the years. Soup du Jour, a couple of salads, many appetizers with heavy emphasis on the seafood: (Grilled Scallops: Spinach Risotto, Bacon, Pistachio); all with a little creative twist: Butternut Squash Ravioli: Mascarpone, Sage Brown Butter, Grated Amaretti. Main plates followed the traditional offering fish, a duck breast, steak and crab cakes. Prices ranged in the low teens for appetizers and low to mid twenties for the mains. I do not recall any vegetarian or gluten free offerings.
We also took a look at the wine list, which contained a few oddities that I didn’t know whether were typos or just beyond my experience. There was one called “Red Zin”; a French “Chateau Preuillac: which I thought was a typo, but research shows it’s exactly that and beyond my experience. However, I suspect the George Duboeus should have ended with an “f”. MFO selected a Yalumba Viognier, but I stuck with the cocktails. We both tasted the Viognier, and both thought it had sort of a "burnt/toasty" tinge.
Ben did come out, he looked pretty much the same, just older like the rest of us and it was fun to chat a bit before he returned to his work station. Our food was quite good, we split the mini crab cake apps, I had a pan roasted rockfish, and MFO went with a salmon. I am not sure whether Ben has had time to work the menu to “his” yet, but what we had last night was quite good. The only lapse I found (hey, I have to find at least ONE) was that nobody seemed to be in charge of who walked through the door, and often a group just sort of hovered for a bit before being attended to.
Restaurants come and go, it’s nice to see the DD is still there, and maybe with Ben’s return and the elimination of “nights”, they can regain (IMHO) their former place in the fine dining options around here. They’re local, not a chain and we should support them in the face of the burgeoning “box store” trend. I would go check it out.
Speaking of the fine dining scene, I think the folks from Saphron are applying for their liquor license, so looks like that’s going to happen. The bottom feeder would suggest they don’t mess with the bar. Corbels had that right (although they will need a new mirror!). Even there you should be
DFD
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Gree-its N' Collards....
Back to familiar foodie stuff now that the basketballs have been stored....
One of the nice opportunities we deserve for living close to the Nation’s Capitol (other than the beltway) is to take advantage of the Resident Associate programs of the Smithsonian Institution (open to public, but breaks for members). Every month there are numerous lectures, classes, workshops, and maybe tours on a multitude of subjects from photography to art appreciation, sketching, history, visiting civil war sites, etc. And, happily, there are usually several events centering on the Culinary Arts. Celeb chef talks, wine appreciation, beer tastings, etc. Almost something for everyone.
Last night a friend and I attended the first of two events that I signed up for in April. It was entitled “Southern Food” and featured the Lee Brothers. Although they were not born there, they mainly grew up Charleston, S.C. a dandy spot for foodies, but they are pretty much concerned with the broad spectrum of “southern cooking”. They got their start by starting a “boiled peanut” catalog for New Yorkers (and others) who had never heard of this southern staple. (It’s an acquired taste). Besides being food journalists they have written a couple of cookbooks on southern food. Their first (Southern Cookbook) won several awards, including a James Beard Award (I have pretty much found that James Beard books are worthwhile) for cookbook of the year. It’s full of recipes but also the culture of the region, somewhat like the classic John Egerton’s “Southern Food”. Both are valuable additions to your collection.
My expectations (there’s that nasty word again) and hopes were that I would learn about the evolution and diversity of what has been lumped together as “southern food”, with maybe some insights on how the diverse cultural makeup of slaves, Cajun/Creole (not the same), and various immigrant populations affected the various cuisines we associate with “the South”.
Well, almost. It turned out to be a loosely structured “interview” (for want of a better word) moderated by Linda Wertheimer (whom some might know of NPR fame) leading the discussions with Matt and Ted responding. At times, Linda seemed to be confused as to who the main attraction was, occasionally intent on relating her own points over the Lees. They started out decrying the notion that there is such a thing as “Southern Cooking”, instead there is much regional variation and a wide range of recipes for the same dish. Also, there are “micro regions” within the larger regions, with much different preparations for the same dish maybe 10 miles apart. “Oh “they” don’t make gumbo right down there, because they don’t use….. like we do”. I am always interested in this regional stuff, so I liked that part. I also learned about such condiments as “tin roof shrimp”; many variations on “chowchow”; a long discussion of Okra and how to “cook out the rope” meaning the sticky stuff. Do you know there is a famous “Dukes” mayonnaise? The different kinds of BBQ sauces were touched on, vinegar, mustard based, of course ketchup, with the remark that sauces tended to get sweeter as you moved west. Grits, pimiento cheese, and other classics were also touched on.
Another point they made (when Linda would let them) was that there are continual “tweaks” on classic southern recipes. Chefs are now building on the foundation of traditional food using new ingredients (such as smoked paprika) and coming up with new creations rooted in the southern (regional) heritage. Like say, poaching eggs in collard green liquor (which is supposed to be a “morning after” remedy, by the way).
All in all, despite the hoped for lack of anthropological background, it was an entertaining and informative evening. They are a lot of fun to listen to. I think they know their stuff, as they mentioned Leah Chase, not exactly a household word outside the south/New Orleans, and also the famous Charleston Receipts spiral cookbook. During the “Q&A” portion, my attempt at asking one was ignored by MS. Wertheimer, but during the “book signing” for their old and newer (Simple Fresh Southern) one I was able to ask it. I said that I currently reside in Southern Maryland's St. Mary's County which is known for Stuffed Ham, and had they ever heard of it. They thought they had, but were not “oh, of course!” which surprised me. Maybe I’ll have to send them a recipe.
I’m going up to another lecture next Monday, but I’ll keep you in suspense for the time being. We’re also planning on a “pre” meal at one of the restaurants I’ve had on the list for a long time. So besides the program, we’ll be
DFD
One of the nice opportunities we deserve for living close to the Nation’s Capitol (other than the beltway) is to take advantage of the Resident Associate programs of the Smithsonian Institution (open to public, but breaks for members). Every month there are numerous lectures, classes, workshops, and maybe tours on a multitude of subjects from photography to art appreciation, sketching, history, visiting civil war sites, etc. And, happily, there are usually several events centering on the Culinary Arts. Celeb chef talks, wine appreciation, beer tastings, etc. Almost something for everyone.
Last night a friend and I attended the first of two events that I signed up for in April. It was entitled “Southern Food” and featured the Lee Brothers. Although they were not born there, they mainly grew up Charleston, S.C. a dandy spot for foodies, but they are pretty much concerned with the broad spectrum of “southern cooking”. They got their start by starting a “boiled peanut” catalog for New Yorkers (and others) who had never heard of this southern staple. (It’s an acquired taste). Besides being food journalists they have written a couple of cookbooks on southern food. Their first (Southern Cookbook) won several awards, including a James Beard Award (I have pretty much found that James Beard books are worthwhile) for cookbook of the year. It’s full of recipes but also the culture of the region, somewhat like the classic John Egerton’s “Southern Food”. Both are valuable additions to your collection.
My expectations (there’s that nasty word again) and hopes were that I would learn about the evolution and diversity of what has been lumped together as “southern food”, with maybe some insights on how the diverse cultural makeup of slaves, Cajun/Creole (not the same), and various immigrant populations affected the various cuisines we associate with “the South”.
Well, almost. It turned out to be a loosely structured “interview” (for want of a better word) moderated by Linda Wertheimer (whom some might know of NPR fame) leading the discussions with Matt and Ted responding. At times, Linda seemed to be confused as to who the main attraction was, occasionally intent on relating her own points over the Lees. They started out decrying the notion that there is such a thing as “Southern Cooking”, instead there is much regional variation and a wide range of recipes for the same dish. Also, there are “micro regions” within the larger regions, with much different preparations for the same dish maybe 10 miles apart. “Oh “they” don’t make gumbo right down there, because they don’t use….. like we do”. I am always interested in this regional stuff, so I liked that part. I also learned about such condiments as “tin roof shrimp”; many variations on “chowchow”; a long discussion of Okra and how to “cook out the rope” meaning the sticky stuff. Do you know there is a famous “Dukes” mayonnaise? The different kinds of BBQ sauces were touched on, vinegar, mustard based, of course ketchup, with the remark that sauces tended to get sweeter as you moved west. Grits, pimiento cheese, and other classics were also touched on.
Another point they made (when Linda would let them) was that there are continual “tweaks” on classic southern recipes. Chefs are now building on the foundation of traditional food using new ingredients (such as smoked paprika) and coming up with new creations rooted in the southern (regional) heritage. Like say, poaching eggs in collard green liquor (which is supposed to be a “morning after” remedy, by the way).
All in all, despite the hoped for lack of anthropological background, it was an entertaining and informative evening. They are a lot of fun to listen to. I think they know their stuff, as they mentioned Leah Chase, not exactly a household word outside the south/New Orleans, and also the famous Charleston Receipts spiral cookbook. During the “Q&A” portion, my attempt at asking one was ignored by MS. Wertheimer, but during the “book signing” for their old and newer (Simple Fresh Southern) one I was able to ask it. I said that I currently reside in Southern Maryland's St. Mary's County which is known for Stuffed Ham, and had they ever heard of it. They thought they had, but were not “oh, of course!” which surprised me. Maybe I’ll have to send them a recipe.
I’m going up to another lecture next Monday, but I’ll keep you in suspense for the time being. We’re also planning on a “pre” meal at one of the restaurants I’ve had on the list for a long time. So besides the program, we’ll be
DFD
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sports Time....
Okay, foodies, take a seat.
Most of the available eating/dining time over the weekend was taken up with watching bouncing orange balls (the threeeeeeeeee balllllllllll). The only homage to food was First Friday in Leonardtown (a growing “must” on your monthly calendar) with gallery browsing, wine sipping, live music listening, and whatever level of dining suits your fancy. MFO and I wound up with a couple of offerings from the “hot dog guy”.
Anyway, after that, our Saturday morning was spent in the garden beds by the gray lagoon, terminating the lives of some very vigorous weeds, and generally sprucing things up. Kind of rewarding work. Then in the pm, I went down and “chapel sat” at historic St. Mary’s City. I enjoy that a lot. You never know who’s going to come through the doors, what their interest is, and how much they want to hear. Once again, I reiterate that if you have not seen the reconstructed Brick Chapel of 1667, you should. Besides, the City relies in good part on admissions. There’s a lot of other stuff to see as well.
So after being a decent docent, I zipped home and settled down to watch the first of the two men’s basketball semi finals, probably the about my third favorite sporting event to watch. What followed was a couple of hours of agony as I watched my Spartans turn the ball over 16 times (resulting in 20 points), and lose (by two) to a team that shot 30% and couldn’t score a field goal for 10 minutes of the second half. I will freely admit that the Spartans probably shouldn’t have been there, but they sure went out on a low note. Now the media darlings, the Butler Bulldogs find themselves in a game for the national championship. Oh, in case you haven’t heard it a million times already they are only 6 miles from their campus!! Zowie. How cute! The second game which should have been the marquee game turned into a blowout as the Dukies sent the mountaineers home with their tail between their legs. As I write this before tonight’s game, I can see the headlines either way: “Butler completes a story book season undefeated and wins the National Title!”. (and what exactly is a mid major anyway?) Or, “After a drought of (N) years, Coach K returns Duke to glory!”. Pick your poison.
Yesterday saw the same evolution on the distaff side with Stanford overcoming a plucky Oklahoma team, and Connecticut marching inevitably on to their National Championship (most likely). That Brittney Griner is certainly worth watching, but one can’t beat five. One report I saw included "The Huskies get a real scare!" Five points up with a long time to play? I don't think so. Anyway, I’ve sort of come to grips with an issue I’ve had for a long time with women’s “basketball”. I am not trying to get into trouble with this, but the ice may be getting thinner. There is such a disparity between the level of play of the men’s and women’s game that maybe I have to stop “comparing” them and judge each on their own merits. A player missing an uncontested layup, or shooting an airball from 6 feet, or can’t make a third attempt at tipping in a rebound is just part of that game. So what? Final scores of 90’s to 30’s? Part of the game. And I certainly can’t deny that there are opportunities for a college education that might otherwise not exist.
And why the networks arrange to have tonight’s game TIP at 9:20 is obvious, but geez, I guess I’ll have to record it...gimme a break. Oh, and I won't get into those inane "on court" interviews.. "what did you tell your team...." gag.
Then on top of that, this morning we get the news that the Eagles are casting off their quarterback of many years and he’s heading here. The Redskin circus continues – get your super bowl tickets now! Again. I really feel sorry for Jason Campbell who’s had to play behind an offensive line that is as porous as a sieve, suffered a different coach almost every year, and pretty much acted civilly will most likely be sent packing. Good luck Donovan, keep those feet moving kid, they’ll be chasing you all over the field.
And lastly I watched the “Tiger” news conference today. I am not sure what to think. He certainly answered (for the most part) every question, seemed very sincere, and appears to be relieved to get back to playing golf. I suppose there are those that will believe this is just another sham, he’s playing a role, but I would hope not. I have in the past joined the Tiger Bashers for all his fist pumping, and stoney faced play, but he did make a remark about no more outbursts for bad play (although watching a lip read F bomb was sort of pleasing) and toned down exuberance. We’ll see. Does he deserve a “second chance”? Maybe. Will there always be the unspoken asterisk on his records? Maybe. I’m rooting for Lefty (ha ha) or Freddie this weekend.
Okay enough blabbing, will get back to food next..at least so I can us my favorite tag line
DFD
Most of the available eating/dining time over the weekend was taken up with watching bouncing orange balls (the threeeeeeeeee balllllllllll). The only homage to food was First Friday in Leonardtown (a growing “must” on your monthly calendar) with gallery browsing, wine sipping, live music listening, and whatever level of dining suits your fancy. MFO and I wound up with a couple of offerings from the “hot dog guy”.
Anyway, after that, our Saturday morning was spent in the garden beds by the gray lagoon, terminating the lives of some very vigorous weeds, and generally sprucing things up. Kind of rewarding work. Then in the pm, I went down and “chapel sat” at historic St. Mary’s City. I enjoy that a lot. You never know who’s going to come through the doors, what their interest is, and how much they want to hear. Once again, I reiterate that if you have not seen the reconstructed Brick Chapel of 1667, you should. Besides, the City relies in good part on admissions. There’s a lot of other stuff to see as well.
So after being a decent docent, I zipped home and settled down to watch the first of the two men’s basketball semi finals, probably the about my third favorite sporting event to watch. What followed was a couple of hours of agony as I watched my Spartans turn the ball over 16 times (resulting in 20 points), and lose (by two) to a team that shot 30% and couldn’t score a field goal for 10 minutes of the second half. I will freely admit that the Spartans probably shouldn’t have been there, but they sure went out on a low note. Now the media darlings, the Butler Bulldogs find themselves in a game for the national championship. Oh, in case you haven’t heard it a million times already they are only 6 miles from their campus!! Zowie. How cute! The second game which should have been the marquee game turned into a blowout as the Dukies sent the mountaineers home with their tail between their legs. As I write this before tonight’s game, I can see the headlines either way: “Butler completes a story book season undefeated and wins the National Title!”. (and what exactly is a mid major anyway?) Or, “After a drought of (N) years, Coach K returns Duke to glory!”. Pick your poison.
Yesterday saw the same evolution on the distaff side with Stanford overcoming a plucky Oklahoma team, and Connecticut marching inevitably on to their National Championship (most likely). That Brittney Griner is certainly worth watching, but one can’t beat five. One report I saw included "The Huskies get a real scare!" Five points up with a long time to play? I don't think so. Anyway, I’ve sort of come to grips with an issue I’ve had for a long time with women’s “basketball”. I am not trying to get into trouble with this, but the ice may be getting thinner. There is such a disparity between the level of play of the men’s and women’s game that maybe I have to stop “comparing” them and judge each on their own merits. A player missing an uncontested layup, or shooting an airball from 6 feet, or can’t make a third attempt at tipping in a rebound is just part of that game. So what? Final scores of 90’s to 30’s? Part of the game. And I certainly can’t deny that there are opportunities for a college education that might otherwise not exist.
And why the networks arrange to have tonight’s game TIP at 9:20 is obvious, but geez, I guess I’ll have to record it...gimme a break. Oh, and I won't get into those inane "on court" interviews.. "what did you tell your team...." gag.
Then on top of that, this morning we get the news that the Eagles are casting off their quarterback of many years and he’s heading here. The Redskin circus continues – get your super bowl tickets now! Again. I really feel sorry for Jason Campbell who’s had to play behind an offensive line that is as porous as a sieve, suffered a different coach almost every year, and pretty much acted civilly will most likely be sent packing. Good luck Donovan, keep those feet moving kid, they’ll be chasing you all over the field.
And lastly I watched the “Tiger” news conference today. I am not sure what to think. He certainly answered (for the most part) every question, seemed very sincere, and appears to be relieved to get back to playing golf. I suppose there are those that will believe this is just another sham, he’s playing a role, but I would hope not. I have in the past joined the Tiger Bashers for all his fist pumping, and stoney faced play, but he did make a remark about no more outbursts for bad play (although watching a lip read F bomb was sort of pleasing) and toned down exuberance. We’ll see. Does he deserve a “second chance”? Maybe. Will there always be the unspoken asterisk on his records? Maybe. I’m rooting for Lefty (ha ha) or Freddie this weekend.
Okay enough blabbing, will get back to food next..at least so I can us my favorite tag line
DFD
Friday, April 2, 2010
Beauty.....eh?
well, no, this isn’t going to be about hockey, or even Canada. It’s about “Beauty”. Originally, I was just going to comment on how gorgeous the trees are this year; just about every flowering variety seems to be more luxurious than I can remember for a long time. Maybe that brutal winter was good for something. I think maybe as one gains some age, one begins to appreciate the beauty that nature brings. So I was pondering that thought of beauty as I drove down to St. Mary’s College yesterday (past what’s left of the cherry trees in the old “flattop” area) to hear the piano talk by Brian Ganz.
A somewhat curious observation, it seems that the majority of the audience sits on the left side of the auditorium, which is the keyboard side of the piano, and relatively few choose (as I do) to sit on the right hand side. I would say that approximately 80% of those in attendance were on that side. The only thing I can think of is that it does afford a view of the pianist’s hands, but I’m not sure that adds anything (remember I’m a neophyte). In fact, I might offer the thought that you could get caught up in watching the technique to the detriment of enjoying the music. That used to happen to me when I watched finger picking guitarists.
Anyway, Mr. Ganz came out on stage, and the first thing he did was move the piano closer to the audience. To my surprise, after saying that this was the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth (there is some confusion as to the exact date), he recounted a story from his youth, about age 11. He said he was listening to a Chopin piece, and he literally doubled over in pain trying to figure out why it was so “beautiful”. That term again, which led him to wonder “what is beauty”. He said he had arrived at eight words that to him embodied (I think musical) beauty. They were: Mystery, Soulful, Counterpoint, Cantabile, Creativity, Sophistication, Brilliance, and Strangeness.
He then proceeded to demonstrate each of these in a few pieces by Chopin, two Mazurkas, and one Etude. We learned about “resolving”, counter point (and how Chopin differed from Bach) Cadences, which were demonstrated before playing the complete piece. “Listen for this”; “remember this phrase”; “here is a 2-1, a 5-1, and even a 4-1 cadence”. Unfortunately with the Feeder’s untrained ear, it was hard for me to pick out those when the complete pieces were played.
What I do know was that all three of the pieces (Op 17 #4 (the “mourner’s face”; 24#4; 25 #7 (the “Aeolian Harp” etude), were in fact, beautiful. So what makes it beautiful? Who knows. Maybe you can’t describe it, and it may be in that eye of the beholder, but you know it when you hear/see (and okay, taste) it. Keep those eyes and senses open, it’s all about us.
And, lastly with Easter approaching don’t forget to
DFD
Even if it’s for that slice of ham, canned yams with marshmallows, pineapple rings and cherries. It’s about the family and friends.
A somewhat curious observation, it seems that the majority of the audience sits on the left side of the auditorium, which is the keyboard side of the piano, and relatively few choose (as I do) to sit on the right hand side. I would say that approximately 80% of those in attendance were on that side. The only thing I can think of is that it does afford a view of the pianist’s hands, but I’m not sure that adds anything (remember I’m a neophyte). In fact, I might offer the thought that you could get caught up in watching the technique to the detriment of enjoying the music. That used to happen to me when I watched finger picking guitarists.
Anyway, Mr. Ganz came out on stage, and the first thing he did was move the piano closer to the audience. To my surprise, after saying that this was the 200th anniversary of Chopin’s birth (there is some confusion as to the exact date), he recounted a story from his youth, about age 11. He said he was listening to a Chopin piece, and he literally doubled over in pain trying to figure out why it was so “beautiful”. That term again, which led him to wonder “what is beauty”. He said he had arrived at eight words that to him embodied (I think musical) beauty. They were: Mystery, Soulful, Counterpoint, Cantabile, Creativity, Sophistication, Brilliance, and Strangeness.
He then proceeded to demonstrate each of these in a few pieces by Chopin, two Mazurkas, and one Etude. We learned about “resolving”, counter point (and how Chopin differed from Bach) Cadences, which were demonstrated before playing the complete piece. “Listen for this”; “remember this phrase”; “here is a 2-1, a 5-1, and even a 4-1 cadence”. Unfortunately with the Feeder’s untrained ear, it was hard for me to pick out those when the complete pieces were played.
What I do know was that all three of the pieces (Op 17 #4 (the “mourner’s face”; 24#4; 25 #7 (the “Aeolian Harp” etude), were in fact, beautiful. So what makes it beautiful? Who knows. Maybe you can’t describe it, and it may be in that eye of the beholder, but you know it when you hear/see (and okay, taste) it. Keep those eyes and senses open, it’s all about us.
And, lastly with Easter approaching don’t forget to
DFD
Even if it’s for that slice of ham, canned yams with marshmallows, pineapple rings and cherries. It’s about the family and friends.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Smoke 'em if you Half 'em....
In the Flutter's never ending quest to seek out the exotic foods from all corners of the….well, in all honesty we face the daily “what shall we eat tonight?” decision, often resorting to the European model of “buy it on the way home”. So yesterday MFO shows up with the following package:
Of course we knew there was such a thing, because carts (like the Leonardtown “hot dog guy") feature them, and you hear about them but we never knew you could just go out and buy them. And why should they have an image of the capitol on them?
Well, a cursory investigation turned up the following facts about “half smokes”:
They are allegedly “native” to the DC region
They date from as early as 1930 accredited to a Raymond Briggs
There are varying theories as to the genesis of the name “half smoke”
1)it was originally made of half beef and half pork and the preparation
involved smoking
2)the smoking was only done “halfway” (whatever that means)
3)many places prepare them by splitting and grilling them
After Briggs sold the meat packing business the quality declined
Ben’s Chili Bowl has become linked (pun intended) with a Half Smoke, normally served smothered in chili.
I noted that the package we had was from Virginia, but okay, let’s give them a try. First, take them out of the package
Then, start the miserable excuse for a grill and get it hot (which in this case means “as warm as possible”.
Lift the lid occasionally and see how they’re doing, remembering they are loaded with fat
when charred to your liking, bring them in the house
Our “serving suggestion” turned out to be a top sliced bun with standard “hot dog” presentation, i.e., mustard, onion, and ketchup. They were actually pretty good, fairly spicy, very dense. I think given a choice unless I could find Mr. Briggs, I would rather go to the (Johnsonville) Brat (prepared a la Bill).
Back to the Shore for a minute:
Funny how these things work. After the trip to the ES we got our latest issue of “Washingtonian” delivered and guess what? There is an article called “Bargains by the Bay”, which highlights dining in Talbot County, covering Oxford, St. Michaels, and Easton, and if you bring the article (during April) you can get a special deal. The restaurants in Artful(sic) Easton are: Bartlett Pear Inn, Scossa, Mason’s and Hunter’s Tavern in the Tidewater Inn.. We’re not so dumb..I feel another trip coming on…where we of course would be
DFD
Stuff -
The Doo Dah Deli space in Leonardtown will apparently be a steak/seafood affair
Check out "Google" today. click on the logo. they had me going until i remembered the date today. Speaking of which, since today is the day it is, the year is a quarter over... good heavens!!
At noon today is another Piano talk by Brian Ganz in the usual place (St. Mary's Hall). Has to do with Chopin's Birthday
Of course we knew there was such a thing, because carts (like the Leonardtown “hot dog guy") feature them, and you hear about them but we never knew you could just go out and buy them. And why should they have an image of the capitol on them?
Well, a cursory investigation turned up the following facts about “half smokes”:
They are allegedly “native” to the DC region
They date from as early as 1930 accredited to a Raymond Briggs
There are varying theories as to the genesis of the name “half smoke”
1)it was originally made of half beef and half pork and the preparation
involved smoking
2)the smoking was only done “halfway” (whatever that means)
3)many places prepare them by splitting and grilling them
After Briggs sold the meat packing business the quality declined
Ben’s Chili Bowl has become linked (pun intended) with a Half Smoke, normally served smothered in chili.
I noted that the package we had was from Virginia, but okay, let’s give them a try. First, take them out of the package
Then, start the miserable excuse for a grill and get it hot (which in this case means “as warm as possible”.
Lift the lid occasionally and see how they’re doing, remembering they are loaded with fat
when charred to your liking, bring them in the house
Our “serving suggestion” turned out to be a top sliced bun with standard “hot dog” presentation, i.e., mustard, onion, and ketchup. They were actually pretty good, fairly spicy, very dense. I think given a choice unless I could find Mr. Briggs, I would rather go to the (Johnsonville) Brat (prepared a la Bill).
Back to the Shore for a minute:
Funny how these things work. After the trip to the ES we got our latest issue of “Washingtonian” delivered and guess what? There is an article called “Bargains by the Bay”, which highlights dining in Talbot County, covering Oxford, St. Michaels, and Easton, and if you bring the article (during April) you can get a special deal. The restaurants in Artful(sic) Easton are: Bartlett Pear Inn, Scossa, Mason’s and Hunter’s Tavern in the Tidewater Inn.. We’re not so dumb..I feel another trip coming on…where we of course would be
DFD
Stuff -
The Doo Dah Deli space in Leonardtown will apparently be a steak/seafood affair
Check out "Google" today. click on the logo. they had me going until i remembered the date today. Speaking of which, since today is the day it is, the year is a quarter over... good heavens!!
At noon today is another Piano talk by Brian Ganz in the usual place (St. Mary's Hall). Has to do with Chopin's Birthday
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
