I did have a shopping list in hand, knowing they have over 300 cheeses I knew I would get the Buffalo mozzarella for the special recipe for the evenings gathering. Off course, on that day they only had 299 cheeses...no Buffalo mozzarella so we did an artisan mozzarella. Went to pick up unsalted butter, Wegman's brand to save $$$ and guess what, like the Buffalo mozzarella it was extinct.
We decided to have lunch there and I got in line at the chicken and pizza line. I saw they had seafood pizza down the end of the line and ordered a slice of that with 3 chicken wings and a drink. When I picked it up the seafood was the processed Asian fish crab legs. The pizza was sweet from this concoction and I tossed the slice and ate my three little wing drummettes. I got flowers for $3.00, free potatoes and dozen extra large eggs - not a bad deal. It will be 3 or 4 weeks before I consider going back.
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The Baltimore Women's Culinary Sorority met at my casa! As the hostess I got to choose the theme which was recipes from any Marcella Hazan cookbooks. Some had a book or two and some hit the library.I really didn't monitor the dishes, what shows up is what we eat and it always seems to work out. I was especially pleased with a shrimp, artichoke and mozzarella dish - I would have never thought of this combination but it is a "company" do again dish. I also did a pasta with pancetta, chili flakes and plum tomatoes with bucatini which I made again for Thursday's night dinner. I did a salad of cabbage and avocado with a little red wine vinegar and olive oil.
The ladies did a lamb, stringbean and vinegar dish, a pasta with raisins, veal tonnato, baked fennel, and an apple custard cake...oooh ooh, a pate as well. I was so busy organizing the food from oven to table I can't tell you what was in the pate but I believe some olives.
Our next gathering will be at Maria's house for our holiday gathering. We do a $5.00 gift and a cookie exchange. I really hate baking cookies....baah humbug on me.
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Thursday started very very very early. I was up at 3 a.m. to be out the door at 3:30 a.m. to pick up Steven A. Shaw, author of Turning the Tables and founder of eGullet.org in Washington D. C at 4:45 a.m. I had water and a buttered bagel waiting for him as he tried to function. He got in around 1 a.m. from a party thrown in his honor.
At that time I left there was little or no traffic and we were headed for Baltimore for an early morning TV appearance on WJZ TV. We had time to spare so I gave him the downtown tour which went fast and easy. To the studio where we had about 30 minutes to wait until he was on air. The segment done we were back in the car heading to DC. Not so lucky this time, accidents on wet roads caused the hour drive to be 2 hours and 15 minutes. I guess we got to know each other better than we thought. It was an entertaining ride, learned more about his efforts at eGullet.org. With him safely back at his hotel I turned around and drove back to Baltimore - it took about an hour.
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Friday had me going to Columbia, Maryland for a luncheon meeting. My name was brought up to be on the board for the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation with Marshall Weston, Executive Vice President and Henry Pertman at Aida Bistro. We talked about what the Education foundation does in education from food safety to scholarships. I agreed to be on the board which is a three year term. The board meets 4 times a year. They seemed to be thrilled to have me bring a fresh out look to the board.
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And a week ago Saturday I did a cooking demo at the Waverly Market in the pouring rain. I was under a tent and 8 people did come by. I did a steamed leak with fresh herb dressing that is a "do again" recipe. I have been invited back to do other demonstrations.
Okay that's a wrap......
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