Culinary Mecca in White Marsh: Richardson Farms

Many of you reading this column already know of Richardson Farms, a one-stop-shop for not only produce, dairy, poultry, furniture, house baked goods, but finger licking ready-to-eat, home-styled comfort food like your granny would make.  Located on Ebenezer Road less than a mile off Route 40 Richardson Farms is Disneyland for food-centric enthusiasts with hand rolled butter, extra virgin olive oil refill station, greens so beautiful that you will want to eat kale, and so much more.  

The ready-to-eat food selection is a culinary mecca: rotisserie chicken, house cured deli meats (no nitrates), chopped salads, apple cakes to their big seller, individual chicken pot pies.  They have just introduced their Spring sandwich selection and let me tell you they were all unique, well-sized and priced reasonably.  Read the full story and view the snapshots at Dara Cook at Baltimore Post Examiner.

Something new: Cheese Wraps in Cheddar, Jarlsberg and Parmesan

My food curiosity was piqued when I heard about Folios: malleable, low-carb, lactose and gluten-free, 100% cheese wraps.   Eventually I received one 4-pack of each cheese: Cheddar, Jarlsberg and Parmesan. With them in hand I was all set to play, taste and now share my findings.   

What makes them great is that they are slightly baked 100% cheese discs that one can form into a tortilla- stuffing it with whatever your imagination can come up with.  If not in a roll, how about making it a frico; lightly melted in the microwave and shaped.  The creativity is endless.  I played with all three flavors and my preference was the Jarlsberg, which lends itself to working with fruit flavors as well as savory and the Parmesan.  For some reason the Cheddar, the natural sodium level registered heavy with me. Read the full story at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner.

French Laundry chefs create gluten-free baking mixes

Great strives have been made over the years to create real options for those with gluten intolerances.  This is not an affliction I have although I have numerous friends who for various medical reasons cannot tolerate gluten.  With that in mind, I like to taste gluten-free edibles at various food shows to see if there is an outstanding product for my friends. One of my favorites is Cup4Cup Pie Crust Mix that produces light and flaky pie dough.  After I tasted the pie crust I was told it was gluten-free, I was truly surprised. 

The Cup4Cup Pie Crust Mix is one of numerous gluten-free mixes developed by the chefs from the James Beard and Michelin award winning restaurant, the French Laundry; multi-purpose flour, multigrain bread, fried chicken mix, muffin mix, cake mixes, cornbread, pizza crust, chocolate brownie and pancake. Read more at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner

Alma Cocina Latina: Put them on your bucket list

Celebrating their four-year anniversary this April, Alma Cocina Latina ranks as one of Baltimore’s finest restaurants and the premier Venezuelan restaurant in the United States.

Visually light and airy in décor with tropical plants adorning the surroundings, slat back chairs are a perfect match for the walnut and teak wood tables, turquoise is the accent color of choice and the open kitchen mesmerizes one with its activity.

Read the full review and enjoy the snapshots at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner.