Easter brunch and spring plates at The Capital Grille

The Capital Grill has extended their hours by offering brunch on Easter, Sunday April 8th. Starting at 11 a.m. through to 3 p.m. brunch will include a breakfast station, carving station, raw seafood bar and salad bar offering items, including:

Shrimp & Piquillo Peppers - New spring plates luncheon menu - The Capital Grille

·         Scrambled eggs
·         French toast with fresh berries
·         Roasted Kona Tenderloin
·         Citrus Glazed Salmon
·         Smoked Turkey
·         Fresh Oysters on the Half Shell
·         Smoked Salmon Marinated Artichoke Salad
·         Panzanella Salad.

Continue reading and check out the slideshow on Examiner.com Easter brunch and spring plates at The Capital Grille.

Cuba, the Pope and ropa vieja - the recipe

With travel now open from the United States to Cuba, there is a growing interest in their cuisine. The upcoming visit to Cuba of Pope Benedict XVI has the world’s eyes focused on this island in the Caribbean and even a keener interest in all that is Cuban.

Havana Rod Ropa Vieja - photo by Arthur Hawkins

 When planning your spring holiday table should it be traditional or something new? In Cuba, ropa vieja is a traditional dish but there is nothing to say that this couldn’t be prepared for a new twist for your Passover or Easter table. Cuban born Chef Marta Ines Quintana, owner of Havana Road Artisanal Foods and Havana Road Cuban Café shares the family recipe for ropa vieja, a staple at their Easter table.

Get the recipe, watch the slideshow and finish reading the story on Examiner.com Cuba, the Pope and ropa vieja – the recipe

Brio Tuscan Grille opens their doors to Baltimore

t was a balmy night mid March, seriously, warm but not too hot when I joined a couple of my media peeps at the inner harbor at the new Brio Tuscan Grille.  So lovely was the evening the bar doors were open wide and people were enjoying their drinks and food on the terrace. The place was rocking; it seems almost all the 180 seats in the dining room were taken. There was plenty activity at the bar.

The high vaulted ceilings gave a great spaciousness to the restaurant. Hardwood Cypress flooring, mosaics, helped complete the Tuscan design.  We were seated at the window so we could watch all the people at the harbor enjoying the unusually warm weather.

Continue reading and enjoy the slide show at Examiner.com Brio Tuscan Grille opens their doors to Baltimore

Cookbook Corner: Kosher Revolution-it doesn't have to be Bubbe's table anymore

When someone says kosher food one can’t help but think of old world foods, very staid, lacking innovation but that is the past. Enter the greater number of ethnic foods carrying the kosher symbol, more items for the lactose intolerant creating a broader choice of dairy substitutes and the very talented kosher chef, Geila Hocherman.  Bind those together with new substitutions and great recipes for unlimited kosher cooking and you have the Kosher Revolution cookbook by Geila Hocherman and Arthur Boehm

Continue reading on Examiner.com Cookbook Corner: Kosher Revolution–it doesn’t have to be Bubbe’s table anymore

Gala of the Month - Tip Your Hat to Learning Cabaret

A big night out might be dinner, a nice bottle of wine and dancing and for the price of that evening you get all that plus. For $100 per person you are helping out the South Baltimore Learning Center which provides functional literacy and life skills training in addition to career Preparation services to educationally disadvantaged adults.

The Black Tie Optional 2012 Gala: Tip Your Hat to Learning Cabaret will be held March 31 from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. at Montgomery Park Business Center at 1800 Washington Boulevard.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Gala of the month: Cabaret – Tip Your Hat to Learning

Cookbook Corner: Weeknights with Giada - Interview with Giada De Laurentiis

Weeknights with Giada – quick and simple recipes to revamp dinner is Giada De Laurentiis’s latest cookbook. It is a go to cookbook when searching for delicious meals to get on the table quickly after a long day at work. Guess what?  It isn’t all Italian recipes, Ms. De Laurentiis leans a great deal towards Italian but Hispanic, Asian and good old American cuisine are featured.

Even during her busy book promotion touring schedule, Giada took the time to answer a number of my questions.

Continue reading for Giada's interview Cookbook Corner: Weeknights with Giada - Interview with Giada De Laurentiis

Gourmet Popsations - classic caramel, chocolate drizzles and classic Cheddar

I haven’t met a caramel corn that I didn’t like but there are few that I loved now enter Popsations. Local entrepreneur Robin Garrision had a vision and made it a reality with her Timonium based Popsations gourmet popcorn manufacturing plant.  She sent me samples of her classic buttery crunchy caramel and her new chocolate drizzle caramel corn: dark rich chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate.  She shared, off the record, the chocolate manufacturer that she uses, and trust me when I say it is one of the leading artisan chocolate manufacturers in the world.

Continue reading on Examiner.com Gourmet Popsations – classic caramel, chocolate drizzles and classic Cheddar

Chow chow with the bow wows

Get out your social calendar, pen, no pencil - you want this to be permanent so you don’t miss this event. Ready?  Mark your calendar for Friday, March 23rd when the Baltimore Food Truck rally returns starting at 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Maryland SPCA.....

Sidney Norman Rom - he's the hot one in the Rom household

Continue reading on Examiner.com Chow chow with the bow wows

In Conversation with Exceptional Women

A mélange of women in the food industry, writing and publishing told their success stories to the very talented food writer and cookbook author Monica Bhide. Monica, a inspiration in her own right, gathered and edited these conversations, some earlier on her website A Life of Spice, and now available as a download for Kindle or purchase as a PDF.

Continue reading on Examiner.com In Conversation with Exceptional Women – on line inspiration