Baltimore Eats Magazine_First Edition

Baltimore Eats 

M A G A Z I N E 

#1 / September 2017 

Tailgating Tips, 

Tricks and Recipes for 

SUCCESSFUL 

SEASON 

HANDLE 

A KNIFE 

LIKE A 

CHEF! 

BBQ 

SAUCES 

FROM AROUND 

THE US 

September 2017 Baltimore Eats Magazine 1

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2 Baltimore Eats Magazine September 2017 


50 

Editor’s 

Letter 

H 

ello, Baltimore, Land S Publishing is proud 

to introduce the latest in the Eats family 

of magazines. Baltimore Eats, we hope to 

grow on the success that we have had in 

Philadelphia and New Jersey. Our Philly 

Eats Magazine is already the largest read food-based magazine 

in the area, and we fully expect Baltimore Eats Magazine 

to do the same. 

Every issue will offer a mix of restaurant reviews, kitchen 

tips, BBQ handy work, and other general foodie quality 

sections to make your time enjoyable with a copy of our 

magazine. 

In our development of a magazine, we find it necessary 

to be both informative and entertaining we hope you find 

Baltimore Eats to be that for you. 



Chef Melissa 

Wieczorek 

Chef 

Bianca 

Issue #1 — September 2017 

Publisher 

Bob LePage 

L and S Publishing 

Contributors 

Chef Emily 

Scott 

Chef Chris 

Welsh 

Chef Diane 

Floyd 

Chef David 

Silverman 

CONTENTS 

6 

How Good Does 

Your Fresh Food Look? 

9 

Hoehn’s Bakery 

10 

Tailgate Recipes 

16 

Sediment in Your Wine? 

Have No Fear! 

18 

A Simple Al Fresco Menu 

to Beat the Heat 

19 

Bauger’s Family Restaurant 

21 

Victoria Gastro Pub 

22 

Amicci’s 

23 

Spice Pice Baby 

Veggie Style 

24 

Vodka, The Straight Story 

Or You Can Mix It 

28 

A Primer on Grilling 

& Barbecue 

30 

BBQ Sauces 

From Around the US 

44 

32 

Moscow Mule 

34 

Chef Bianca Story 

36 

How do I Know 

the Meat is Done 

37 

Making Mason 

Jar Ice Cream 

38 

Non Dairy Milks 

and How to Use them 

41 

Kitchen Gadgets 

that Actually Work 

42 

A Knife Like A Chef 

44 

Tailgate Needs and Wants 

48 

Seafood Paella 

50 

Easy Burger Receipes 

52 

Recipe For A Satisfying 

Spring Cleanse 

We want our magazine to be a living experience of life in 

the Baltimore area so please feel free to go to our website 

and leave us comments on what you would like to see covered 

in your magazine. 

Thank you, everyone, for your time and please enjoy the 

first issue of Baltimore Eats Magazine. 

Chef Marilyn 

Moser-Waxman 

Gabriella 

Mayer 

Bob LePage 

Publisher 

Graphic Designer 

Rusdi Saleh 

No content, for example, articles, graphics, 

designs, and information in this publication can 

be reproduced in any manner without written 

permission from the publisher. 

Bob LePage 

Publisher and Restaurant Reviewer 

bobl@LandSpublishing.com 

For all Advertising Inquiries Contact: 

bobl@landspublishing.com 

All Rights Reserved 

© 2017 Philly Eats Magazine 

4 

Baltimore Eats Magazine September 2017

TIPS 

HOW GOOD DOES 

YOUR FRESH FOOD LOOK? 

We seem to be brainwashed 

into the whole 

good looking appearance 

thing. Our cars 

have to look good, 

our significant other, clothes, hair, 

face, furniture everything has to look 

“good” for us. We spend millions of 

dollars on advertising and consuming 

products that are made to look good. 

But, is the best looking anything really 

the best? 

Take fruits and vegetables. They 

are grown naturally, in soil along with 

rocks, bugs, and other animals, with 

sunlight, wind, rain or not! They are 

not grown in a perfect environment, 

nor should they. Just a good one. 

Companies have spent millions of 

dollars and hours to help make our 

food look good for us to buy. From 

the perfect shape, to color, we 

even go as far to put wax 

on our food to make 

them shiny so we buy 

them! And then say 

not to eat the skin. 

Which by the way has 

most of the nutrition 

in them. Then we even 

publicize the “The 

Ugly Tomato” 

[ By Chef David Silverman ] 

But why do we have to buy raw 

products without blemishes? Let’s 

take vegetables, for example. We buy 

them and we cut them into pieces, 

cook them, then we eat them. So do 

they really need to look that good 

when we first purchase them if we 

are going to change them into something 

else anyway? What about fruit 

you might say? We eat a piece of fruit 

raw. Yes we do. But do they have to 

look perfect in order to enjoy that delicious 

apple, pear, plum, peach or any 

other. What about oranges or melons 

where we cut the skin off? Does the 

skin have to be perfect in order to enjoy 

the fruit on the inside? 

Why do our fruits and vegetables 

have blemishes on 

them on the first place? Is 

it how or where it was grown? As our 

food grows it may run into obstacles 

that may cause imperfections to them. 

Or maybe it is getting old and starting 

to get rotten? There are many reasons 

why a fruit or vegetable may have a 

non perfect skin or outer layer. Does 

this make it not tasty? After all we 

do eat to enjoy the taste, don’t we? 

If we compare to humans, babies are 

born with soft smooth as silk skin. As 

they grow they may get cuts, scrapes 

or bruises that leave a scar. Does this 

make us not good because we have a 

scar on our skin? The older we get, the 

wiser we get. Which is better, isn’t 

it? Same goes for food 

we eat. People do 

not like fruit that 

is not ripe. It 

may be hard 

and not taste 

very good. In fact we go to great length to purposely ripen 

your bananas, tomatoes and others before we eat them. So a 

piece of fruit with a small blemish might just be ripening. Which 

means it may taste better as it is producing the sugars in them 

that make them sweet. 

So, keep in mind when picking fruits and vegetables like 

anything else, the best looking are not always the best. As is 

the bigger is not always best either. Large fruits or vegetables 

sometimes have stayed on the plant too long and can be 

tough, stringy or too starchy. Don’t be afraid to pick something 

that does not look “perfect” because it usually is not! Looks are 

deceiving. We need to look at the whole picture before we 

make the decision to purchase. How much do we need, what 

are we using it for, and when do we plan on using it. 

Next time I will give some tips on how to pick some fruits and 

vegetables. Till then, enjoy all the fresh foods available to us 

this season. 

David Silverman, the Executive Chef/Owner of David’s Culinary 

Delights, Personal Chef/Catering Services. Food is my life, 

I love cooking. From a young age I experimented with cooking. 

Whether it was for my siblings and friends or myself. I hold 

an Associate’s Degree from The Culinary Institute of America 

and a Bachelor’s Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University, in 

Hospitality Management. In addition to having over 35 years 

of professional hospitality experience. 

For more information on David’s Culinary Delights contact us 

by email david@davidsculinarydelights.com or call 609-251- 

4137. 

Grilled Tomato 

Mozzarella Salad 

Ingredients 

2ea Large Jersey Tomato 

1ea Red Onion 

1lb Fresh Mozzarella Cheese 

TT Salt 

TT Pepper 

2T Basil 

2oz Olive Oil 

2T Wine Vinegar 

1T Shallots, minced 

1/2t Garlic, minced 

1/4t Bl. Pepper 

3T Basil 

1/2t Salt 

1/2c. Olive Oil 

1T Cilantro 

1T Parsley 

3T Pine Nuts,Toasted 

1ea Basil leaves 

1c. White Balsamic Vinager 

1t. Sugar 

Procedure: 

1. In a small saucepan place the sugar and 

vinegar. Reduce in half o until syrup consistency. 

Remove from heat and let cool. 

2. Heat grill make sure grids are clean. Cut 

Tomatoes, Onions, and Cheese into ¼ in. 

slices. Marinate with oil, basil, s&p. Place 

on hot grill and mark on both sides. 

3. In a mixing bowl combine rest of ingredients 

except pine nuts. Adjust if necessary. 

4. On a salad plate, start with a tomato, 

cheese, onion, tomato, repeat and top 

with tomato. Place basil leave on top of 

tomato. Sprinkle dressing over the tower. 

Drizzle vinegar over all and plate. Place 

pine nuts on the plate. 

6 

Baltimore Eats Magazine September 2017 


BAKERY OF THE MONTH 

HOEHN’S BAKERY 

Highlandtown 

Section 

Does Your Business Need 

to Spice Up its Marketing? 

LET MY TOWN ADVERTISING HELP 

For years, My Town Advertising has helped small businesses with their advertising 

campaigns and sales strategies. We can help you with the following: 

Develop an 

annual strategy. 

Handle all the outsourcing and 

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sales departments. 

WWW.MYTOWNADVERTISING.COM 

Help nonprofit groups develop 

a fundraising package with no 

out of pocket expense. 

When you open a business, 

you hope that 

people enjoy what 

you are doing enough 

to make it work for your family. Well, 

the Hoehn Family has done just that, 

the original bakery opened in 1927 

and had been pumping out delicious 

treats ever since. 

This German-based bakery uses 

nothing but the finest ingredients and 

never uses a preservative. Enjoying 

fresh baked goods the way they were 

originally meant to be eaten is a key 

to the success of this Highlandtown 

bakery. Sharon Hoehn- Hooper and 

her cousin Larry Sahlender do the 

majority of the baking in the shop, so 

it stays a family bakery. 

Our crew visited and utterly destroyed 

a dozen donuts and washed 

it down with a few cupcakes and a 

German Chocolate cake. Everything 

was delicious and fresh as expected 

and well worth the visit. 

We highly recommend that you 

take the visit to this month’s Bakery 

of the Month for Baltimore Eats Magazine!!! 


RECIPES 

Tailgate 

Recipes 

We all have had the call either the night before or a few hours for 

the game,”Just bring whatever you want” they say. Sure it would 

be easy to pick up the phone and order something, but you feel 

like being “That Person,” you know the one that everyone can’t 

believe actually can cook. The following recipes are easy and fun 

as well as the recipes that will make you “That Person”! 

Italian Roast Beef Sliders 

with Pepperoncini Slaw 

Makes: 12 servings 

Yield: 12 sandwiches 

Start to Finish: 20 mins 

Talk about easy! Thanks to convenience foods, 

these sliders come together in minutes. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 1/6 - ounce package refrigerated cooked beef 

roast au jus 

2 cups frozen peppers (yellow, green, and red) 

and onion stir-fry vegetables 

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed 

1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 

2 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage with 

carrot) 

1/2 cup pepperoncini salad peppers, stemmed 

and chopped, plus 2 tablespoons drained liquid 

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed 

12 2-3 - inches rolls, split 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Place beef and juices in a medium saucepan; 

break up any large pieces. Add stir-fry vegetables, 

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning and the 

crushed red pepper. Heat through just to boiling. 

2. Meanwhile, for slaw, in a medium bowl, combine 

coleslaw mix, pepperoncini peppers and liquid, 

and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. 

3. To serve, spoon meat mixture on roll bottoms. 

Top with coleslaw mixture; add roll tops. 

Ripe Olive Cheese Ball 


Yield: 2 balls (3 1/2 cups) 

Prep: 15 mins 

Chill: 4 hrs 

Stand: 45 mins 

Total Time: 5 hrs 

Make these cheese balls up to three months ahead 

of time then freeze. Thaw frozen cheese balls overnight 

in fridge before serving. 

INGREDIENTS 

2 8- ounce package cream cheese 

1/2 cup butter 

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 ounces) 

1 4 1/4 - ounce can sliced pitted ripe olives, 

drained 

2 tablespoons chopped green onion or snipped 

fresh chives 

2/3 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted 

Assorted crackers and/or apple or pear slices 

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a large bowl, place cream cheese, butter and 

blue cheese; let stand 30 minutes to reach 

room temperature. With an electric mixer, beat 

mixture on low speed until smooth. Stir in olives 

and green onion. Cover and chill for at least 4 

hours or up to 24 hours. 

2. Shape mixture into 2 balls; cover and chill until 

serving time. (Or, place in a freezer container 

and freeze up to 3 months. Let thaw in refrigerator 

overnight before serving.) To serve, roll 

in nuts. Let stand for 15 minutes. Serve with 

assorted crackers or apple or pear slices. 



RECIPES 

Southern Cornbread Salad 

Tex-Mex Cheesy 

Chicken Chowder 

Sunny Broccoli Salad 

Makes: 12 to 16 servings 

Prep: 20 mins 

Chill: 2 hrs 

This nutrient-packed salad is a classic for 

good reason. The combination of sweet 

raisins, nutty sunflower seeds, smoky bacon 

and crisp broccoli is irresistible. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup mayonnaise or reduced-fat mayonnaise 

dressing or salad dressing 

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 

1/2 cup raisins 

3 - 5 tablespoons sugar 

2 tablespoons vinegar 

7 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets 

1/2 cup sunflower seeds 

8 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and 

crumbled 

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, 

onion, raisins, sugar and vinegar. 

Add chopped broccoli and stir to coat. 

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours or up 

to 24 hours. 

2. Just before serving, stir in sunflower 

seeds and bacon. 

Makes: 18 to 20 servings 

Prep: 30 mins 

Bake per package directions 

Chill: 4 hrs to 24 hrs 

INGREDIENTS 

1 8 1/2 - ounce package 

corn muffin mix 

1 cup mayonnaise 

1 8 - ounce carton sour 

cream 

1 1 - ounce envelope 

ranch dry salad dressing 

mix 

2 cups shredded cheddar 

cheese (8 ounces) 

2 15 1/2 - ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained 

2 15 1/4 - ounce can whole kernel corn, drained 

10 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled 

3 cups coarsely chopped tomatoes (6 medium) 

1 cup chopped green and/or red sweet pepper 

(1 large) 

1/2 cup sliced green onions (4) 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Prepare corn muffin mix according to package directions 

for corn bread. Cool and crumble (should have 

about 5 cups).* Set aside. 

2. For dressing, in a small bowl combine mayonnaise, 

sour cream, and salad dressing mix. 

3. In a 3- to 4-quart glass salad bowl or 3-quart rectangular 

baking dish layer crumbled corn bread and 

1 cup of the cheese. Spread with half of the dressing. 

Layer in the following order: beans, corn, the 

remaining 1 cup cheese, bacon, tomatoes, sweet 

pepper, and the remaining dressing. Cover tightly 

and chill for 4 to 24 hours. 

TIP: If you like, toast the crumbled cornbread. Preheat 

oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the cornbread in a 

15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake about 10 minutes or 

until crisp; cool. 


Prep: 20 mins 

Cook: 20 mins to 22 mins 

Nina Swan-Kohler of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, loves easy-tomake 

dishes that travel well to football games or other 

events. Tex-Mex Cheesy Chicken Chowder is one of her 

favorite recipes. “It uses a variety of convenience foods 

that are stirred together in one big pot, and 

brings out the great flavor of all the 

ingredients,” Nina says. 

INGREDIENTS 

1 large onion, chopped 

(1 cup) 

1 cup thinly sliced celery 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 tablespoon cooking oil 

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless 

chicken breast halves, cut 

into bite-size pieces 

2 14 - ounce can chicken broth 

1 32 - ounce package frozen diced hashbrown 

potatoes 

1 2.64 - ounce package country gravy mix 

2 cups milk 

1 8 - ounce package process cheese spread, cut into 

chunks 

1 16 - ounce jar chunky salsa 

1 4 - ounce can diced green chili peppers 

Corn chips 

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a 6-quart Dutch oven, cook and stir onion, celery, 

and garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or 

until onion is tender. Add chicken, broth, and potatoes. 

Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 

to 18 minutes or until chicken is done and potatoes 

are tender, stirring occasionally. 

2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, dissolve gravy mix in 

milk. Stir milk mixture into soup mixture. Stir in cheese, 

salsa and green chilies; reduce heat to low. Cook and 

stir until cheese is melted. Serve with corn chips. 

Makes 16 servings. 

Chicken Cuban 

Sandwiches 


Start to Finish: 15 mins 

We traded the traditional roast pork for 

rotisserie chicken, but kept the signature 

Cuban flavors--mustard, onion and 

pickles. 

INGREDIENTS 

4 hoagie rolls, halved 

1/4 cup yellow mustard 

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion 

2 ounces reduced-sodium deli ham, 

thinly sliced 

8 bread and butter lengthwise sandwich 

pickle slices (such as Vlasic Stackers) 

2 cups purchased deli-roasted chicken, 

shredded 

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Spread the sides of the cut rolls with 

mustard. Layer roll bottoms with 

onion, ham, pickle slices, chicken and 

cheese. Replace roll tops. 

2. Grill sandwiches in a panini press or 

indoor covered grill until bread is golden 

brown. 



RECIPES 

Spicy Cajun Snack Mix 


Prep: 10 mins 

Bake: 30 mins 

Cajun seasoning is a 

blend of black and 

cayenne pepper 

with onion, garlic, 

and other herbs. 

Because many 

brands are high 

in salt, look for a 

salt-free version. 

INGREDIENTS 

4 cups popped popcorn 

2 cups pretzel sticks 

2 cups bite-size square rice cereal 

2 cups dry roasted peanuts 

1/2 cup butter, melted 

1 tablespoon salt-free Cajun seasoning 

1 cup snipped dried fruit 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In a large 

roasting pan, combine popcorn, pretzels, 

cereal, and peanuts; set aside. 

2. In a small bowl, combine melted butter 

and Cajun seasoning. Drizzle butter mixture 

over popcorn mixture; toss gently to 

coat. 

3. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once. Spread 

mix on a large piece of foil to cool. Stir in 

dried fruit. Makes about 20 servings. 

MAKE AHEAD TIP 

Prepare the snack mix as directed; cool. Store 

in an airtight container at room temperature 

for up to 3 days. 

Loaded Buffalo Nachos 


Hands On 20 mins 

Total Time 25 mins 

When it comes to 

game-day snacking, we 

leave the messy task of 

deep-frying hot wings to 

the pros. But buffalo-flavor 

nachos? Game on. (Be sure to 

use kettle-cooked chips; they’re 

crunchy enough to support all the toppings.) 

INGREDIENTS 

6 cups kettle-cooked wavy potato chips 

2 cups shredded cooked chicken* 

1/3 cup cayenne pepper sauce (Frank’s RedHot) 

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 ounces) 

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or shredded cheddar 

cheese (2 ounces) 

Very thinly sliced celery and chopped celery leaves 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat broiler. Spread potato chips evenly on a 

baking sheet or in a shallow oven-going skillet. (If 

you like, line the pan with foil for easy cleanup.) 

2. In a small bowl, combine chicken and 1/3 cup 

pepper sauce. Top chips with chicken, then 

sprinkle evenly with the Monterey Jack and blue 

cheese. 

3. Broil 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 2 to 3 

minutes or until cheese is melted and chips start 

to brown. Garnish with celery and celery leaves. 

Serve immediately. 

TIP: Since purchased deli-style rotisserie chicken 

is very salty (and you’ll get plenty of that from the 

chips), we recommend cooking plain chicken for this 

recipe. Place a large (12 ounces) boneless skinless 

chicken breast in unsalted or very lightly salted water; 

bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or 

until cooked through (165 degrees or no longer pink 

inside). 

Buffalo Sweet 

Pepper Poppers 


Yield: 16 stuffed peppers 

Hands On: 25 mins 

Total Time: 37 mins 

These easy appetizers combine two 

party favorites — jalapeno poppers and 

buffalo chicken wings. 

INGREDIENTS 

3 ounces cream cheese, softened 

3 - 4 tablespoons bottled cayenne 

pepper sauce (Frank’s Red Hot®) 

1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken 

1/4 cup finely chopped carrot 

1/4 cup finely chopped celery 

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese or 

shredded cheddar cheese 

16 miniature sweet peppers, slit 

down the side, seeded and deveined 

(about 10 ounces) 

DIRECTIONS 

In a small bowl combine cream cheese 

and pepper sauce. Stir in chicken, carrot, 

celery, and cheese. Fill each sweet 

pepper with a rounded tablespoon of 

the filling. Place on a foil-lined baking 

sheet. Bake in a 425 degrees F oven 

for 12 to 15 minutes or until 

Buffalo Corn-Potato Chowder 


Hands On: 25 mins 

Total Time: 35 mins 

Inspired by Buffalo chicken wings, 

this zesty twist on classic cheesy 

potato soup is perfect for dishing 

up on game day. The recipe 

doesn’t call for chicken, but 

you can add it if you like. 

INGREDIENTS 

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1/2 cup chopped red sweet 

pepper 

2 garlic cloves, minced 

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 

1 16 - ounce package frozen whole kernel corn 

1 14 1/2 - ounce can chicken broth or vegetable broth 

1 cup cubed, peeled potato (1 medium) 

1 1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese 

3 -4 tablespoons bottled cayenne pepper sauce (Frank’s 

Red Hot) 

Chopped celery and/or crumbled blue cheese (optional) 

DIRECTIONS 

1. In a large saucepan, cook onion, sweet pepper and garlic 

in hot oil until onion is tender but not brown. Stir in corn, 

broth and potato. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, 

covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until vegetables are 

tender, stirring occasionally. 

2. Stir together half-and-half and flour until combined. Add 

to corn mixture. Cook and stir until slightly thickened and 

bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Stir in 1/2 cup 

blue cheese and Swiss cheese and heat until melted and 

smooth. Stir in bottled pepper sauce. If desired, top with 

chopped celery and additional crumbled blue cheese. 

TIP: Buffalo Chicken Corn-Potato Chowder If desired, stir 

in 2 cups chopped cooked chicken with the pepper sauce. 

Cook and stir until heated through. 



WINE 

Sediment in 

Your Wine? 

Have No Fear! 

[ By Aaron Wolf ] 

The joy of wine drinking is 

full of surprises. If you’ve 

ever poured a bottle of 

wine and found some unexpected 

gritty material in 

your glass, it’s natural to suspect that 

something’s amiss. However, there’s 

no need to spill the rest of your wine 

down the drain. What you’ve encountered 

is merely sediment, and though 

it may look out of place, we promise 

there’s nothing wrong with your wine! 

This article will explain everything you 

need to know about sediment. 

What is Sediment? 

While relatively rare, some bottles of 

wine contain sediment - a deposit of 

solid material derived from dead yeast 

cells (lees), remaining grape matter 

like pulp, skins (tannin), and seeds, as 

well as compounds, including those 

which form from tartaric acid. Wines 

cellared over long periods of time will 

also develop innocuous tartrate crystals 

that look clear or purple, depending 

on the color of the wine. Consuming 

sediment will not hurt you, but 

some people feel that removing it will 

enhance the experience of a wine. 

What are Filtered Wines? 

Thanks to the innovations of modern 

winemaking, most bottles produced 

today go through a filtering process 

to remove all non-liquid matter. There 

are two main ways to filter wine, 

depending on the objectives of the 

winemaker. The first allows the wine 

to permeate through a selected material 

in order to collect larger elements. 

The second involves straining 

the wine through a finer sieve in order 

to catch any smaller particles not 

desired in the finished wine. Some 

producers may decide not to filter because 

they feel this will detract from 

the authenticity of their wines. 

Which Wines are Most Likely 

to Contain Sediment? 

Bottles of wine produced for shortterm 

drinking usually don’t contain 

deposits of sediment because they 

are thoroughly filtered, but those 

built for long-term cellaring may not 

be filtered or may develop sediment 

over time. When dealing with older 

bottles, especially premium reds and 

fortified wines like Port, it’s probably 

safe to assume that they will include 

at least a small amount of sediment. 

How Can I Avoid Getting 

Sediment in my Glass? 

When you suspect that a bottle of 

wine may have some sediment in it, 

there are a few steps you can take 

to avoid drinking it. If you have time 

before serving, stand any bottle that 

has been kept on its side upright as 

long as possible in order to let the 

sediment slowly sink to the bottom, 

or punt, of the bottle. Once this has 

occurred, your best option is to decant, 

which will help you separate the 

sediment from the rest of the wine. 

In order to do this, keep the bottle 

between yourself and a light source, 

such as a candle or cell phone light, 

so you can clearly see the sediment 

inside. Next, carefully pour the contents 

of the bottle into a receptacle, 

commonly referred to as a “decanter.” 

The sediment should remain inside 

the bottle, but the wine is now in 

the decanter - ready to enjoy! If you 

prefer, feel free to rinse the sediment 

out of the bottle, then use a funnel to 

slowly pour the wine back in. 

Aaron Wolf has worked in the New 

Jersey wine industry since 2011, but 

his passion for food and wine began 

many years before with a rare bottle 

of 2004 Château Rayas Châteauneufdu-Pape 

Réservé Blanc. Aaron joined 

the WTSO Product Development Team 

as a Wine Researcher in November of 

2014. He recently obtained the Wine & 

Spirits Education Trust Advanced Level 

3 Award, and looks forward to further 

pursuing his wine studies. 



RECIPE 

RESTAURANT 

A Simple Al Fresco Menu 

toBeat the Heat 

Tuscan White 

Bean and 

Arugula Salad 

with Sausage 

Serves 4 

July 4 th — the official kick-off 

to summer. Though the temperatures 

are rising cooking is a 

breeze when you keep it cool, keep it 

simple and take it outside. Take advantage 

of the abundant local, seasonal 

ingredients. Indulge in show-stopping 

entrée salads and cook on the grill as 

much as possible. 

Mediterranean-style cuisine is a 

light and satisfying way to beat the 

heat. So, grab a bottle of rose, fire up 

the grill and enjoy this cool and delicious 

Mediterranean-inspired salad 

tonight. It’s easy enough to throw together 

for a weeknight dinner but elegant 

enough for entertaining. Complete 

the menu with a chilledstarter 

like a tomato-caprese skewer drizzled 

with balsamic reduction or melon, 

prosciutto and mozzarella kebabs 

drizzled with fresh basil pesto. Finish 

the meal with grilled fruit like mixed 

berry foil packets served topped with 

artisan vanilla ice cream. 

I like to make this with high 

quality hot Italian sausage. 

Not a sausage fan? Serve the 

beans and greens mixture as a 

side with grilled lamb chops. 

30 oz cooked white beans 

Small roasted or grilled red 

pepper, finely chopped 

1/3 cup red onion, finely 

chopped 

1/3 cup red wine vinegar 

1 TBSP olive oil 

1 clove garlic, minced 

3 TBSP fresh parsley, 

chopped 

1 1/2 tsp oregano, 

chopped 

Salt & Pepper to taste 

10 oz baby arugula or 

fresh baby spinach 

1 lb grilled 

sausage 

Combine beans, roasted pepper, and 

onion in a large bowl. Whisk together 

vinegar, olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs 

in a small bowl. Toss with beans. Season 

to taste with salt and pepper. Chill 

for at least 2 hours and up to two days. 

When ready to serve toss bean mixture 

with arugula or spinach. Top with grilled 

sausage. 

Best enjoyed al fresco, of course! 

Chef Melissa Wieczorek is the Owner and Executive Chef of Zest Culinary Services in Bucks 

County, PA offering customized prepared meal delivery, dinner parties and boutique catering 

service to help customers “eat well, live fit and have fun” through food. Melissa is a published 

author and has been featured in several media outlets including Moxie Woman Magazine, 

Home + Table Magazine and on the NBC 10! Show. She has an MBA in Marketing from 

Temple University and has been a culinary entrepreneur for over 12 years. 

Bauger’s Family Restaurant 

Westminster, MD 

Get in your car and drive 

back about 30 years and 

then you hit Baugher’s 

Restaurant in Westminster. 

This farm-based country-style restaurant 

is a gem of yesteryear and economic 

value for today. Situated right 

off of the campus of McDaniel College 

the restaurant has been serving 

homemade food and ice cream since 

1948. 

The restaurant is associated with a 

farm that is little ways up the road and 

does supply the restaurant with fresh 

food and vegetables when in season. 

Additionally next to the restaurant is 

a stand that you can purchase their 

homemade items and produce. 

A great deal has changed around 

Westminster, but not much has 

changed with the menu of Baugher’s 

Restaurant. Whether you come 

for breakfast, lunch, dinner or desert 

the homemade plates a Baugher’s will 

satisfy for sure. 

We happened to visit on a Sunday, 

and they had their fresh turkey dinner 

with all of the trimmings. A couple of 

others in the party had different classic 

items like meatloaf and burgers. All 

of the food came out hot and fresh, 

the hand cut fries and homemade applesauce 

were fantastic. 

The cap to any meal at Baugher’s 

is without a doubt the fresh ice cream 

and pies. The different options on the 

menu take you right to a baker’s oven 

with a sweeter treat on top of it. 

Baugher’s is not the trendy place, 

but it is a classic that should be admired 

and appreciated. Baltimore 

Eats Magazine is proud to introduce 

Baugher’s as a great restaurant you 

might not have heard of before. 



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Victoria Gastro Pub 

Columbia MD 

The term gastropub has 

gained steam in the last 

few years. It started off 

with bars having a few 

taps of craft beer that 

wanted to serve a better quality of 

food. Currently, it is actually developing 

to fine dining menus with a casual 

pub feel. 

Victoria Gastro Pub is definitely 

the latter, the seasonal menus that 

crop through are complex and exciting. 

To do yourself and the menu justice 

you should read it with an open 

mind as well as a pallet that is ready to 

explore these fantastic combinations. 

Chef Chad Wells develops the 

offerings in conjunction with the seasons 

both calendar and growing. The 

owners of Victoria Gastro Pub also 

own a 50-acre farm in Ellicott City 

that supplies a significant number of 

items to the menu based on seasonality. 

Our lunch visit was a bit of a twist, 

and the server probably thought we 

were crazy with the way we ordered. 

We started off with a variation of 

the French Canadian dish Poutine, 

instead of cheese curd they use a 

mix of cheeses to go with the duck 

fat fries. Additionally, we sampled 

the lobster deviled eggs and roasted 

Brussel sprouts with Virginia ham. All 

had great flavor and presentation. 

For our entrees, we decided 

to take the sandwich 

route, and there 

are some interesting 

choices. 

A wild boar sloppy joe was a big 

favorite, to go with the “Cloak and 

Dagger” a pastrami sandwich with a 

pickled slaw served on pumpernickel 

bread. For the less adventurous the 

burger that was ordered at the table 

was a great piece of work as well. 

We were there for lunch, so the 

beer list wasn’t in play for us, but it 

was impressive to have as many craft 

beers on tap as they did. 

Baltimore Eats Magazine is proud 

to present Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia 

as a great restaurant in the 

Baltimore area that you might not 

have heard of before. 



RESTAURANT 

RECIPE 

AMICCI’S 

Little Italy 

In Little Italy, there is a very family 

friendly casual Italian restaurant 

that was developed to be just that. 

A family friendly reasonably priced 

place that you can enjoy great food 

and fantastic company. 

Amicci’s is located just walking distance 

from the inner harbor. Since its 

opening in 1991, this family owned 

business has had the same recipe 

for success, offer great food at a fair 

price, and people will come back. Apparently, 

their system works. 

Enjoying a dinner in Little Italy on a 

beautiful night is always an enjoyable 

experience. When our group visited 

Amicci’s, we decided that we would 

plate hop to try everything. If you are 

out with an open-minded group, it 

works well, and you get a little flavor 

of everything. 

The six of us mixed it up pretty 

good with a touch of everything. We 

had the house gnocchi in an alfredo 

sauce, Veal parm that was fried perfectly 

before it was baked. We had a 

great dish they called Isabella which 

was made up of shrimp, ham, and 

zucchini in a tomato marsala wine 

sauce. Lasagna dish that was incredible, 

a BAKED ORECCHIETTE which 

is with sausage, mushrooms and a 

provolone cheese. 

The dishes and the open atmosphere 

made for an enjoyable night. 

Amicci’s is not a stuffy place where 

you are afraid to have a conversation 

and when you add great food that is 

what you are looking for with your 

friends. 

Baltimore Eats Magazine is proud to 

include Amicci’s restaurant in Little Italy 

to the great restaurants you might 

not have heard of before. 

Spice Pice Baby 

Veggie Style 

Color Me Around 

the Rainbow!!!! 

INGREDIENTS 

3 tablespoons salt 

3 tablespoons packed golden 

brown sugar 

2 tablespoons paprika 

1 ½ tablespoons chili powder 

1 tablespoon of dill 

1 tablespoon ground black 

pepper 

2 ¼ teaspoons garlic powder 

1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper 

1 ½ teaspoons dried basil 

Assorted vegetables (such 

as zucchini, bell peppers, red 

onions, carrots, eggplant and 

large mushrooms) 

Olive oil 

Then Roast it Up 

Cauliflower Fiesta 

in Your Mouth!!!! 

This little mix will spice up your 

mouth with a wonderful party 

flavor but without all of the guilt 

that comes with a fatty meat 

dish. You can even serve this on 

a tortilla like a taco and get all of 

the great flavors. 

INGREDIENTS 

3 tablespoons salt 

3 tablespoons coriander 

2 tablespoons cumin 

2 tablespoons chili powder 

2 tablespoons oregano 

2 teaspoons garlic powder 

Olive Oil Drip for the roast. 

We have definitely done our fair share of meat stories and we wanted to 

do a little work on the greener side. We do love vegetables at the EATS. So 

here are some wonderful spice concoctions to mix up and try if you would 

like to spice some things up. 



VODKA 

VODKA 

The Straight Story 

Or You Can Mix It 

Vodka is without a doubt the largest produced distilled spirit used in 

mixed drinks. Vodka’s popularity in a bartender’s mixology comes from 

the simple being that it has no noticeable smell or flavor of its own and it 

is pretty much a clear liquor. Vodka then allows the other ingredients of 

a drink to become the focal points of the recipes. 

Today’s vodka market is 

expanding rapidly, from 

large distilleries to neighborhood 

one’s vodka is 

sections in liquor stores 

are becoming the most major parts of 

the store. With the infusion of small 

boutique distilleries, we see flavors 

and ingredients in vodka that haven’t 

been seen before. 

There is a certainty; all vodka is 

not on the same playing field. You will 

find outstanding bottles and brands 

as well as the ones that should be 

used as paint thinner. What is interesting 

about vodka is it is such a huge 

category of spirit, but there aren’t any 

regulations on its quality. 

Vodka is called a ‘neutral spirit’ 

since the standard method of making 

it is by fermenting and distilling grain. 

Vodka can be rye, wheat, corn, or any 

other grain that the distiller chooses 

to use for their batch. I am sure many 

of us have had our share of potato 

vodka from Poland too. 

Ok here are some tricks that will 

tell the differences between your vodkas. 

Vodka is a rectified spirit, which 

means simply that the more it goes 

through the still, the more impurities 

will be removed and the smoother it 

will become. 

After distillation, vodka requires 

zero aging and could be consumed 

immediately, but in most cases, it is 

filtered through charcoal to remove 

the impurities. Despite the facts of 

filtering and the ability to drink the alcohol 

content would be so high that 

it needs to be cut with water. So that 

is where the different spring waters 

and flavor-infused water come in to 

reduce the vodka in most cases to 80 

proof. 

Since vodka has no distinct taste 

on its own without the factors above, 

a fundamental difference in the 

brands is the taste texture on the 

consumer’s tongue. This composition 

is called a liquor’s mouthfeel. 

It should also be pointed out that 

vodka is not necessarily tasteless or 

odorless and there are distinct differences 

between vodkas. The flavor of 

vodka is subtle and often like a clear 

grain. If you taste enough vodka of a 

great variety, you will begin to pick up 

the differences. 

You can liken it to the difference in 

taste between tap water and bottled 

water. If you pay attention to it, you 

can easily tell when you drink unfiltered 

water. 

A great way to tell how filtered a 

vodka is coming out of the bottle is 

how it burns on your throat. The less 

filtered, the more the burn. Better 

vodkas will advertise their burn rate 

to explain how soft and smooth they 

are versus should they be used as an 

alternative fuel. 

Flavored Vodkas 

The flavored vodka scene has exploded 

in recent years, and if you can 

think of a flavor, it is probably available 

somewhere. This includes favorites 

like citrus and berry along with 

chocolate and pomegranate. 

A new category simulates the 

taste of a variety of desserts and candies. 

There are even more obscure 

flavors like salmon, bacon, hemp, and 

even tobacco, though these tend to 

not last long on the market. 

Some flavored vodkas are produced 

using the traditional infusion 

method of steeping ingredients like 

fresh fruits and herbs in a finished 

vodka. Many vodkas, however, simply 

add ingredients like natural or artificial 

flavor extracts to the vodka. 

Another option for flavored vodkas 

is to do your own infusion. Beginning 

with a clear vodka and using 

fresh fruits, herbs, and spices, you 

can easily create your own flavor 

combinations that are fun to use in a 

variety of cocktails. 

24 

Baltimore Eats Magazine October September 2017 

2017 


VODKA 

GADGET 

7 Tips for Choosing 

and Buying Vodka 

There are many vodka brands available. 

While the list is seemingly endless 

and ever-changing, there are a 

few generalizations that can be made 

when choosing a vodka. 

Cheap vodka will taste cheap. 

Vodka is one of the liquors where 

price usually reflects quality. In general, 

the cheaper the vodka is, the 

harsher it will be. 

If you’re mixing drinks with a lot of 

fruit and other dark flavors, most of 

the impurities of a cheap vodka will 

probably be masked. However, if you 

go up one price increment, you are 

likely to find the quality improves significantly. 

As is often the case, some 

decent vodka brands are surprisingly 

affordable. 

It is standard practice that the 

cheaper vodkas are on the bottom 

shelves (often those $5 liters of 

gut-wrenching liquor) and the more 

expensive vodkas (the ‘top-shelf’) are 

higher up. If you’re looking for a good, 

mid-range vodka that is great in a variety 

of cocktails and may be good 

straight and chilled, scan the shelves 

at eye level. 

5x Distilled. If a vodka has made 

multiple trips through the still, the 

Have a variety 

in stock. If you 

enjoy vodka, you 

may want to have 

a few of your 

favorite bottles 

in stock at 

all times. 

brand will likely tell you very clearly 

on the label. This can be used as a 

measure of quality and purity. 

It is true that the more times vodka 

is distilled, the smoother it can be, but 

that is not always the case. All of the 

other factors - grain, water, filtering, 

etc. - will also play a factor in quality 

and sometimes the ‘5x Distilled’ label 

is simply a marketing ploy. 

The origin of your vodka. Russia 

has long been known for its great 

vodkas, as has Poland and both 

countries continue to produce some 

impressive vodkas. Though they did 

once dominate the market, there are 

now great vodkas being produced all 

over the world. The American craft 

distillery scene is producing some of 

the best vodkas available today. 

While mouthfeel know where 

your vodka came from, it is no longer 

as big of a factor in quality as it once 

was. 

Look for the unknown brands. 

There will always be the big brand 

names in vodka, but you will find 

hidden gems if you explore some 

of the lesser-known labels. Many of 

the smoothest vodkas are distilled 

by some of the smallest distillers 

who take great pride in their craft 

and these boutique vodkas can really 

change your view of this liquor category. 

That said, it is a rough business 

and, unfortunately, many of these 

brands do not stay around for long. If 

you find a great boutique vodka you 

enjoy, support them and tell them (almost 

every brand can be found online 

and via social media). 

Have a variety in stock. If you enjoy 

vodka, you may want to have a 

few of your favorite bottles in stock 

at all times. 

Find your favorite budget-friendly 

brands to mix into a Bloody Mary, 

Sex on the Beach, and other heavily 

flavored cocktails. Then, choose your 

favorite top-shelf vodka to keep on 

hand for Vodka Martinis, other light 

drinks, and for sipping straight (chilled 

or on the rocks is best for vodka). 

It’s also a good idea to have a few 

flavor options in your bar. Citrus is 

the most common, though you can 

use something like a melon or berry 

vodka in many drinks that call for unflavored 

vodka. 

Taste in vodka is subjective. As 

with all liquor, everyone is not going 

to like the same brands, and this is 

very true for vodka. You can read all 

of the reviews you like, ask everyone 

you know, and you will end up with 

too many different opinions to distinguish 

which is the best. 

Use these opinions as a guide, but 

I encourage everyone to experiment 

on their own. Everyone’s tastes are 

different and what I may find pleasing, 

you may not. After all, you’re the 

one drinking it, right? 

A KITCHEN GADGET 

THAT ACTUALLY WORKS 

Every Sunday I cook breakfast for my wife 

and 4 children. Preparing breakfast for a 

family of 6 takes a bit more time than a lot 

of families have. A Sunday morning staple 

is home fries with onions. I have my father’s favorite 

recipe and my family loves them. Unfortunately 

a family of six can eat a lot of potatoes, 

so it does take some time to peel 15+ potatoes. 

I typically use a potato peeler but somehow I always 

end up with a few nicks on my hands. After 

searching the web, I found an interesting kitchen 

gadget that I thought would make my Sunday’s 

more enjoyable – an electric peeler. 

Although they have been out for many years, 

I never actually bought or used one. After talking 

to my mother, I decided to invest in Starfrit 

93209 electric peeler. I purchased mine from 

Amazon and I paid just under $20 and could not 

be happier. 

The Starfrit peels potatoes, fruits and vegetables 

with a simply bush of a button. The peeler 

has top and bottom prongs that secure the food. 

The robotized adjustable arm has a cutting edge 

on it that glides along the surface and removes 

the entire peel in 1 piece. As long as you take 

the time to properly secure the food, the Starfrit 

works as advertised. 

The Starfrit also includes a non slip base, 

thumb knife, 4 peeling blades and operates using 

the 6v adapter (included) or 4 AA batteries. 

26 



BBQ STORY 

A PRIMER 

ON GRILLING 

& BARBECUE 

Gas vs Charcoal 

A get deal has been written over the 

great debate; Charcoal vs gas. I prefer 

charcoal – citing a superior flavor, 

messiness and unpredictability. 

However, I also own a gas grill for 

because of its ease and simplicity. 

The fact remains that over 80% of 

the household in America own a grill 

and 70% of those grills are gas fired. 

The convenience of a push button 

ignition and consistent heat make it 

the choice for most homeowners. 

However, they do not produce wood 

smoke – which can be a drawback for 

the purist. 

I do have many types of grills in 

my backyard – however if I had to 

choose just one it would be a charcoal 

kettle grill. I prefer charcoal because 

it burns at a higher temperature that 

gas so it sears better than gas. I also 

believe that charcoal adds a bolder 

more meatier flavor than gas. And I 

find it easier to smoke on a charcoal 

grill. And of course, charcoal gives me 

the thrill of playing with fire!! 

Which is better for you … charcoal 

or gas? The answer boils down 

to your temperament and technique. 

If you prefer building a fire, waiting for 

it to reach the right temperature enjoy 

the art of working different temperature 

zones, then charcoal is your 

choice. If you are less concerned with 

the sport of grilling and enjoy the 

ease of one button ignition consistent 

temperatures and easy clean up, 

then gas may be your preferred heat 

source. Either way – food seems to 

always taste better when it is cooked 

outdoors and enjoyed with friends. 

Now that you have selected your 

grill, you need to light it, If you have 

a gas grill then simply purchase a propane 

tank, attach it to the grill and 

push a button and you will be cooking 

in minutes! However if you have a 

charcoal grill, a simple game plan will 

be needed. When Weber popularized 

the charcoal grill in the 50’s and 60’s 

– the pit master dumped briquettes 

in the kettle grill, doused them with 

lighter fluid and tossed in a match. 30 

minutes later the briquettes turn grey, 

the lighter fluid has burned off and a 

picture perfect fire is born. 

Now-a-days the purists scorn 

lighter fluid saying it imparts a distinct 

gassy flavor. If done correctly 

– waiting for the coals to burn down 

to glowing embers – the lighter fluid 

burns off and no petroleum will flavor 

your favorite meat. However, you get 

a bit impatient and put your food on 

the charcoal grill a bit too soon, then 

the gases produced from the lighter 

fluid will indeed alter the flavor. The 

chimney starter fixes all these issues. 

The chimney starter needs no lighter 

fluid, ignites the briquettes evenly 

and does so in a matter of 10 minutes. 

Simply place the briquettes in 

the starter and use newspaper or a 

paraffin starter - which looks like a 

small white ice cube. And best of all, 

the chimney starter can be purchased 

for less than $20 at most hardware 

stores. 

Grilling Over Wood 

A wood fire give you a taste that is 

distinct and I think superior to a fire 

build using charcoal. Depending on 

the wood being used, the flavor can 

be a delicate smoke flavor or a pronounced 

heavier smoke that is often 

associated with the south. Large professional 

smokers typically use wood 

logs because the amount needed for 

a long cook. However, today’s backyard 

smokers can use wood chunks. 

Simply start your fire with charcoal 

and place a few of your favorite wood 

chunks on top. 

Below a few of the more popular 

woods and the different flavor each 

provides 

Apple: provides a slightly sweeter 

more fruity flavor. Goes well with 

poultry and pork 

Hickory: a more stronger smoke flavor 

with a bacon flavor. Used mostly 

on beef and poultry 

Maple: mild smokey flavor used on 

cheeses, turkey and ham 

Mesquite: strong earthy flavor. One 

of the most popular woods for smoking 

used mostly on beef 

Oak: most versatile of all the woods 

however burns at a slightly higher 

temperature. Provides a mild smoke 

flavor but produces a beautiful smoke 

ring, 

Peach: slightly sweet woodsy flavor, 

popular in the south used on vegetables 

and fish 

Smoking 

Smoking, what many people typically 

think of as true barbecuing, is 

a particular form of indirect grilling 

done slowly over a low heat using 

a lot of wood smoke using a smoker. 

Traditional smokers are the long 

black tanks seen on most corners in 

the south. There is on offset firebox 

where the fire is built and next to that 

large cooking grated where the meat 

is placed. 

Smoking typically takes a long time 

since cooking temperatures can be as 

low as 200 degree. Depending on the 

size and cuts of the meat, pitmasters 

will take as long as 20 hours to cook a 

pork shoulder or beef brisket. 

As smoking has gained in popularity, 

companies are beginning to make 

backyard smokers for the casual user. 

Although not as large, many of the 

smaller smokers impart a great smoke 

flavor, just as good if not better than 

the commercial smokers. The only 

real difference is the amount of mean 

that can be cooking at one time. 

Seasoning Meat 

You have chosen your grill, now it is 

time to prepare your favorite cuts of 

meat prior to cooking. It all starts with 

seasoning. Although different grilling 

methods impart different flavors, 

seasoning is the best way to add your 

favorite flavors. Below is a primer on 

different pre-cook seasoning that can 

be applied to most backyard foods. 

Rubs: Typically a dry mixture of 

herbs and spices that is sprinkled on 

meat prior to cooking. And of course 

the basis for all rubs include salt and 

pepper. Simple in nature but often 

overlooked, salt and pepper should 

be the starting point for all rubs. A 

equal part salt to pepper is the perfect 

compliment to beef brisket. Go 

down to Texas and this is what you 

will taste at most BBQ Joints. 

Want to add a bit a bit more flavor, 

try adding paprika and brown sugar. 

Paprika will add that reddish hue 

that is so eye appealing to pork while 

brown sugar add the sweetness associated 

with a lot of red BBQ sauces. 

Marinades: Although I am not a 

huge marinade fan, I would be remiss 

if I did not include them is a Primer 

to Grilling”. Marinades are wet seasoning 

and goes well with poultry and 

fish. Most marinades contain some 

sort of fat, acid and aromatic flavors. 

Because of the acidity, be careful how 

long you marinade your meats because 

the acidity will begin the cooking 

process. Typical marinade seasoning 

includes onions, ginger, peppers 

and garlic. In fact any fresh herbs you 

enjoy will make a good marinade. 

Bastes and Mops: These are 

applied during the cooking process 

and has a 2 fold benefit. The first 

and most obvious is that basting and 

mopping add flavors. However they 

also add a moisture component to 

cooking that is important to longer 

cooking processes such as smoking. 

Most mop sauces are thin and are 

vinegar based. Try to avoid too much 

sugars since the sugar will burn after 

15-20 minutes. 

Barbeque Sauces: Probably the 

most obvious complement to grilling. 

Books have been written just on 

this subject alone!! Sauces can contain 

a pluthera of ingredients, however 

the most popular and the ones 

on most grocery shelves are vinegar 

and ketchup based. Because of this, 

any of these type of sauces should 

be applied to the last 10-15 minutes 

of cooking. To see the most popular 

sauces throughout the US, see the 

editorial written by XXX (whatever 

her name is). XXX does a superb job 

of taking you on a tour of popular 

sauces in the U.S. 

Next months publication will feature 

a Texas Beef Brisket, including 

the rub, smoking process and post 

cook methods to enhance the flavor. 

As always … HAPPY BBQ’ing!!! 



BBQ STORY 

BBQ Sauces 

FROM AROUND 

THE US 

[ By Gabriella Mayer ] 

Did you know that 

American barbecue sauces 

originated around the 17th century 

when the Spanish landed in the Caribbean 

and used the term barbacoa 

to refer to the Arawak tribe’s method of 

dressing and slow-cooking meat? Dressing grilled meats with 

a delicious, hearty sauce over it is a sure-fire way to get your 

family and friends wanting more.With this I ask: what kind 

of barbecue sauce do you use when you are tired of using the 

same recipe over and over? Ingredients such as vinegar, tomatoes, 

and mustard are just the beginning of what you can do 

to create new, delicious flavors for your smoked meats. When 

you’re tired of using the same recipe, consider using these different 

kinds of barbecue sauces from around the country. 

East Carolina Sauce 

Considered to be the barbecue 

sauce to which any 

barbecue sauce variant 

in the US can trace its 

roots, this sauce was 

originally intended as 

a “mopping” sauce to 

baste the meat and then 

used as a dipping sauce 

by African slaves. This was 

to cut through the meat 

and impart flavor into 

pork. Instead of being 

tomato-based 

like other sauces, 

it is typically made with vinegar, 

ground black pepper, hot chili pepper 

flakes, cayenne, and occasionally 

water. The good news is there is very 

little to no sugar in this sauce, so feel 

free to use this sauce if you are on a 

diet. 

South Carolina Mustard Sauce 

Both sides of the Carolinas typically 

share the same traditions in their cuisines 

— with this unique exception. 

The origins for this mustard sauce 

comes from Germans who immigrated 

to South Carolina and brought 

mustard from their homeland. You 

can make this barbecue sauce using 

yellow mustard, vinegar, sugar, and 

various spices for a zesty flavor and 

use the sauce to dress pulled pork 

and other pork cuts. 

Florida-Style Sauce 

While not as common, Floridian barbecuing 

is in itself a mix of American 

South and Caribbean cooking. This 

allows the sauce to incorporate ingredients 

from the Kansas City style 

while also adding a little more vinegar 

and taking inspiration from the 

Sunshine State. When you want to 

add a tropical flavor to your barbecue 

sauce, take some guidance from Florida’s 

agriculture and use citruses such 

as oranges, guava, mango, and pineapple 

as well as peppers that’ll add 

some heat like chipotle and habanero 

to pork, seafood, beef, and chicken. 

Kansas City-Style Sauce 

This sauce is well-known among barbecue 

aficionados and is considered 

the most popular sauce in the US, 

with copycats used by chain restaurants 

such as McDonalds. It is also 

widely distributed in supermarkets 

in case you don’t want to make your 

own at home. This sauce is made using 

ketchup and molasses, which adds 

to the sweeter and heavy consistency, 

and other ingredients like Worcestershire, 

brown sugar, vinegar, and 

any other spice you desire. 

Alabama White Sauce 

Famous for being featured in comedian 

Aziz Ansari’s Master of None, this 

sauce is a distinctive part of the cuisine 

of North Alabama because its base is 

made of mayonnaise. While it may 

sound strange, apple cider vinegar, 

sugar, salt, and black pepper is added 

to create a creamy and thick sauce 

best applied to chicken and pork. 

Lexington Dip 

(aka Piedmont Dip) 

The ancestor of the Kansas-Style 

sauce, this sauce originated in the 

town of Lexington, NC where it is 

most frequently used. Like the name 

suggests, the Lexington Dip is typically 

used as a dip or topping for pork, 

but it can also be incorporated into 

a slaw. The ingredients are similar to 

the East Carolina Sauce (see above), 

but here you can add tomato paste, 

tomato sauce, or ketchup to add 

sweetness and color to the vinegary 

sauce. 

Texas-Style Sauce 

When in Texas, the bigger and bolder 

something is, the better it gets. 

The Texas-Style sauce acts here as 

a medium thick glaze moistening the 

meat and adding flavor to the basted 

or mopped meat. To add a rich beefy 

taste to the sauce, add ingredients like 

beef stock, vinegar, Worcestershire, 

chili powder, bell peppers,and other 

spices such ascumin, salt, pepper, hot 

sauce, and garlic. Here’s some more 

good diet-friendly news: like the East 

Carolina Sauce, there is little to no 

sugar in this sauce either. 

Now that you know about these 

different types of barbecue sauce 

from around the country, experiment 

with these flavors at your next barbecue 

and taste the flavors added 

to your chicken, pork, and any other 

meat you desire. 



DRINK OF THE MONTH 



Moscow 

Mule 

The story of the Moscow Mule is a pretty 

interesting one and if you ever are waiting 

for a significant other, do a search. It was 

marketing at its best about 75 years ago. 

In short it is a story about a Russian 

immigrant and a lot of copper mugs with 

an idea on how to get rid of them. 

But none the less it is a tasty drink that 

has a kick that will make it’s name proud. 

ORIGINAL RECIPE 

INGREDIENTS 

a 2 ounces vodka of choice 

a 6 ounces ginger beer can be 

found in the soda isle 

a¼ ounce fresh squeezed lime 

juice (don’t use a bottle) 

a Lime garnish 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Place ice into Copper mug or 

highball glass and pour in vodka. 

2. Squeeze in lime juice and top 

with ginger beer. 

3. Garnish with lime wedge and 

enjoy. Cheers. 

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CHEF OF THE MONTH 

Chef Bianca Story 

My story with food begins with my family. I grew up in New 

Jersey and watched my mom bread piles of chicken cutlets while 

dancing to salsa music, as the familiar scent of garlic filled the 

kitchen. Every night we ate dinner at the table and talked about 

our day. It was our safe place and our sacred time. 

Beyond the Shot: 

Secrets to Cooking 

with Tequila 

While obtaining my BA 

from The University 

of Delaware, I began 

to recreate those special 

moments. I would 

make food for my roommates and 

co-workers, and loved every minute 

of it. But what I enjoyed most was 

bringing people around the table. 

After I graduated from the Art Institute 

of Philadelphia with a Culinary 

Arts degree, I realized that I wanted 

to serve families. Taking a cue from 

my entrepreneurial father, I turned a 

passion for what I love into a career. 

He helped me to set up my business 

and in 2013 “Bianca’s Personal Chef 

Service” was born. 

My father passed away a year 

later and I strive every day to make 

him proud. Because of his love and 

support, I’m able to help families 

(like yours) create lifelong memories 

around your very own table. Please 

have a seat, and let me serve you. 

I hold a Food Safety Management 

certification and have been a member 

of the United States Personal Chef 

Association since 2013. 

Who needs 

a Personal Chef? 

Busy families on the go with no 

time or desire to cook. 

Those who are on a health conscious 

diet regimen. 

New parents who may not have 

the time to cook after their new 

arrival. 

Patients recovering from surgery 

who need to be off their feet. 

People who want a great meal that 

is healthier than takeout and faster 

than delivery. 

We can customize any meal plan 

to fit your family’s needs. 

How does a Personal 

Chef Service Work? 

Makes 6 servings 

We begin with an initial consultation; 

this will be at your home. We 

will discuss your likes & dislikes 

and any specific dietary needs and 

allergies. Together we will complete 

a questionnaire which will 

help me to plan your menus. 

I will produce a draft lunch and 

dinner menus, complete with pricing, 

which I will send to you for 

your comments. 

We will then agree a final menu 

plan. 

On the agreed date I will cook your 

food at your home. All the food 

will be clearly labeled and stored 

in your refrigerator or freezer. 

All food will be supplied with heating 

instructions. 

Grilled Tequilla Lime Chicken 

Prepare this Tequila Lime Chicken the 

night before you want to grill it so 

the flavors absorb into the chicken. 

You can also use a pork loin for this 

marinade but your 

cooking times 

will be different. 

Ingredients 

1 cup fresh 

lime juice 

1/2 cup tequila 

1/2 cup orange juice 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

2 tablespoons minced seeded 

jalapeño chilies 

1 tablespoon of onion powder 

1 tablespoon of coarse salt 

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder 

1 teaspoon cumin 

3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 

6 boneless chicken breast 

1. Mix first 10 ingredients in bowl. 

2. Add chicken 

3. Turn to coat chicken in marinade. 

4. Cover; Keep refrigerated overnight. 

5. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). 

6. Brush grill rack with oil. 

7. Grill chicken until cooked through, 

turning occasionally, about roughly 

18 minutes. 

[ By Chef Bianca ] 

Did you know tequila pairs 

well with other garnishes 

besides lime and salt—and 

in configurations other than 

shot glasses? While margaritas are a 

must for every Cinco de Mayo party, 

the dinner and dessert menu can include 

pops of tequila, too. 

Tequila: A Cooking Alcohol? 

Cooking with tequila is totally possible, 

much to the surprise of many 

home cooks. This alcohol is distilled 

from the blue agave plant and is native 

to the Jalisco region of Mexico. It 

typically has a distinct smokiness that 

can add sophistication to your meals. 

In cooking, tequila binds food compounds 

and evaporates rapidly. This 

wafts those compounds into your nose 

and makes the food smell even better. 

Since cooking and eating are about using 

your senses, the increase in aroma 

elevates the flavor of the dish. 

Tequila in not only for Cinco de Mayo 

Cinco de Mayo just came and I am 

sure a good number of you indulged 

on some your share of tequila, so I 

recommend cooking with tequila in 

honor of the holiday! Since it’s pretty 

diverse, you can try it in salad dressings, 

marinades, sauces or desserts. 

Add it to a citrus-based vinaigrette, or 

use it to enhance the acidity in tomatoes. 

Tequila complements rich chocolate 

and helps transfer flavor compounds 

from marinades into meat 

bound for the grill. 

Think: Tequila-Marinated Grilled 

Chicken, Mahi Mahi Tacos with Tequi- 

la-Lime Crema and Vanilla Ice Cream 

with Tequila-Spiked Hot Fudge. 

Our Favorite Pairings 

Here are a few of tequila’s flavor affinities 

from Karen Page and Andrew 

Dornenburg’s The Flavor Bible. Mix 

and match items from the list below 

to create your own tequila-inspired 

dishes. Or, use these ingredients to 

prepare the perfect margarita! 

Chile peppers 

Cilantro 

Cointreau 

Ginger 

Grenadine 

Lemon, lime or orange juice 

Pomegranate juice 

Sage 

Vermouth 

We particularly like the combination 

of tequila, Cointreau, lime juice 

and sage. Experiment and see what 

combinations unfold for you. 

Chef Bianca Russano is an award 

winning personal chef and published 

author based in Northern Delaware. 

She is a graduate from the University 

of Delaware and The Art Institute of 

Philadelphia. She has been operating 

her personal chef business, About The 

Table, since 2013 where she offers 

chef-prepared meals, cooking classes 

and boutique catering services. She 

hopes to continue helping families 

get “about the table” and enjoy food 

while creating lasting memories. 

wwwaboutthetable.com 



COOKING 

KID’S CORNER 

MAKING MASON 

JAR ICE CREAM 

[ By Gabriella Mayer ] 

How do I Know 

THE MEAT 

IS DONE 

MEAT TEMPERATURES CHART 

Beef and Lamb Rare: 130ºF 

Medium-Rare: 130º to 140ºF 

Medium: 140º to 155ºF 

Medium-Well: 155º to 165ºF 

Well: 170ºF and up 

Veal Medium: 145º to 155ºF 

Pork (like grilled pork chops) Medium: 140º to 155ºF 

Medium-well: 155º to 165ºF 

Well-Done: 175º to 185ºF 

Grilled Chicken and Turkey Dark meat (thigh, leg): 170º to 175ºF 

White meat (breast, wing): 160º to 165ºF 

Fish Medium-rare: 120ºF 

Medium: 135ºF 

Over the years everyone has just looked 

at their meat and said………..Looks Good!!! 

Well let us do a better job of serving 

fully cooked to taste meat. Invest in a grill digital 

thermometer and use this guide to help you out. 

NEVER CUT INTO YOUR MEAT TO SEE IF IT IS DONE. It will detract from the presentation as well as make it 

cook uneven for the rest of the time it is on the grill. 

T 

here is no other cold treat that both kids 

and adults love more than a delicious 

bowl of ice cream with all of the sprinkles, 

gummy bears, or chocolate chips 

they want. This summer is the perfect time 

to indulge on your favorite ice cream flavors 

by making it at home with your kids! 

If you do not own an ice cream maker 

or do not have a lot of time to make the 

ice cream, fear not. This kind of ice cream 

can be made using a mason jar and your 

arms. It is just that easy! Mason jars, or 

Ball jars as they’re also called, are easy to 

find online or at any home décor store 

and are typically popular to use as storage, 

candleholders, and even for an onthe-go 

salad. Now you can use these jars 

to make a quick dessert! 

This easy and fun recipe is a fun activity 

to do with your kids where you can make 

any flavor you want, whether it’s vanilla, 

chocolate, or mint chocolate chip! One fun 

tip is that when you are done mixing your 

ice cream, use any piece of chalk and write 

on the metal lids to write your names or draw 

a cute design!Get shaking and have fun! 

Easy Chocolate Mason Jar Ice Cream 

Ingredients 

1 cup. heavy cream 

1 ½ tbsp. sugar 

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract 

Pinch of salt 

Mason jar with lid 

(Optional) Canned whipped cream 

(Optional) Chocolate Chips 

Steps 

1. Fill half of the mason jar with the heavy cream 

2. Add the vanilla extract 

3. Add the sugar and cocoa powder 

4. Seal the mason jar using the lid and shake for 

5 minutes until the liquid doubles in volume 

5. Close mason jar and freeze for 3 hours 

6. Place whipped cream andchocolate chips and enjoy! 



MILK STORY 

NON DAIRY MILKS 

and How to Use them 

[ By Chef Emily Scott — thewildflowerchef.com ] 

There are many great reasons 

why you might find yourself 

avoiding dairy products: 

allergies, health concerns, 

or ethical reasons, to name 

a few. Luckily, there are 

plenty of excellent and delicious 

Plant-Based “milks” 

available at your grocery store. 

W 

e prepare food for 

many individuals with 

dietary restrictions, 

and this experience 

has taught us that 

certain varieties are better for certain 

applications. So, if you have ever 

found yourself staring at the many 

options lining the shelves of your supermarket 

and are confused about 

where to start, look no further! 

In this article, I’ll review some general 

facts and tips to consider when 

purchasing non-dairy milks. I’ll also 

share detailed insight on the most 

common types you can buy at the 

store and how we like to use them 

in cooking, smoothies, and everyday 

applications - plus, we’ll provide you 

with a recipe to make your own almond 

or cashew milk at home. 

Tips when considering non-dairy 

milks: 

● Refrigerated or Shelf-Stable Plant 

Milks? When you start shopping 

for non-dairy milk, you will notice 

that you generally have two options: 

larger half-gallon containers 

sold in the refrigerated section 

near the dairy milk, or smaller 

quart-sized cartons, most often 

available in the organic or “natural 

foods” section. To me, both are 

good for various reasons. I have 

found that the refrigerated milks 

can be less expensive by volume, 

plus there is something just oddly 

comforting and familiar about 

pouring milk out of a carton that 

feels like the dairy milk that you’re 

used to. The shelf-stable milk is 

nice because you can stock up on 

it and keep it in your pantry for 

months, ready for when you need 

it. It’s also great for traveling, since 

you can’t always count on your 

hostess or hotel having a nondairy 

option for you. Some brands 

are only available in refrigerated 

form, others are only available in 

the cartons - that’s just the way 

it is, so I find myself buying both, 

regularly. 

● Sugar Content: Regardless of 

which department you buy your 

milk from, you’ll want to watch out 

for brands that add lots of sugar. 

Some milks are naturally high in 

sugar (rice, oat) and they have their 

place, but other varieties can be 

very low in sugar, unless the manufacturer 

chooses to add it for flavor. 

I tend to go for the unsweetened 

varieties, only, because then I 

can control the sugar by adding my 

own sweetener, if I want it. Most 

brands will offer an “original”, “vanilla”, 

and “unsweetened”. Just read 

labels. 

● Gums and Stabilizers: I’ll admit, 

I used to be wary of the number 

of ingredients on the labels 

of plant milks. Cow’s milk just 

says “milk” so that’s better for 

you, right? Not necessarily. 

First, understand that small 

amounts of stabilizers are used 

to give the milk a pleasant and 

smooth consistency. (If you 

make nut milks at home, you’ll 

understand that completely 

raw, natural almond milk, for 

example, will separate into solids 

and liquid as it sits, unlike 

the brands you’ll find at the store.) 

We are by no means advocating 

that plant milks become a large 

part of your diet - they are simply 

a supplement to avoid dairy-milk, 

as needed. So, in my opinion (and 

after personal review of scientific 

research on the topic of stabilizing 

gums in the human body), I have 

found no evidence to suggest that 

I need to avoid them completely. 

The other ingredients that you’ll 

see listed on the side of those cartons 

are generally added vitamins 

and minerals, since most plant 

milks are fortified. I consider this a 

bonus, so it does not bother me. 

If you decide that you really want 

to avoid any stabilizers, there are 

brands available to purchase online 

for home delivery that are purely, 

freshly processed plant-milks with 

no added ingredients - of course, 

these come with the matching 

price tag for the level of perishability 

and quality, so that is a personal 

decision that you can make. 

● Ingredients: As mentioned above, 

I don’t like added sugars in my 

plant milk. I also avoid stevia, 

monk fruit, and other “natural” 

sweeteners, because I’d prefer the 

unsweetened variety, always. You 

can decide what works best for 

your tastes and your family. Lastly, 

I will always opt for 

the organic brand 

if given the choice 

between two similar 

options. 

Without further ado, here are some 

of our favorite non-dairy milks and 

how we like to use them: 

● Almond Milk: Subtle, nutty, and 

usually thicker in texture. This is 

one of the most popular types, and 

so there are many varieties and 

blends available - think almond-cashew, 

almond-coconut, and chocolate-almond. 

These varieties are 

enjoyable straight out of a glass. 

We find that almond milk is very 

versatile for use in baked goods, 

pancakes, smoothies, and even in 

savory applications (unsweetened, 

of course). Most surprising use? Almond 

milk as the base for a creamy 

mushroom soup. 

● Cashew Milk: Subtle, nutty, and 

rich. Cashews are amazing when 

used in place of dairy in savory 

applications. (We’ll share our cashew-ricotta 

recipe on the blog 

later this season!) Cashew milk 

is delicious when used in Vegan 

Macaroni and Cheese - I love using 

the recipe by Minimalist Baker. 

Cashew milk is also smooth and 

easy to enjoy in cold cereal and 

smoothies, and functions well as 

a substitute for dairy milk in baked 

goods. 

● Macadamia Milk: Delicious, mild 

nutty flavor. I have only seen macadamia 

milk available in shelf-stable 

form, so far, however I think 

it makes an excellent milk substitute 

when refrigerated and used 

in breakfast cereal or with granola. 

I also love it used in a rich, dark 

hot chocolate. Since it is not very 

sweet (assuming you buy unsweetened!) 

it can also be used in savory 

applications, such as in a “creamy” 

soup or sauce. I love the slogan on 

my favorite brand: “Moo is moot!” 

● Coconut Milk: Rich and decadent, 

with a fragrant coconutty flavor. 

Coconut milk is available in refrigerated 

cartons, in shelf-stable 

cartons, or in cans. We use the 

canned variety in savory curries 

and in desserts, because it is super 

rich and naturally contains a lot of 

(delicious) fats which work well in 

those types of foods. The kind sold 

in cartons tends to be much lighter 



MILK STORY 

GADGETS 

in flavor, and lower in fat, and is 

fortified with vitamins and minerals 

- so it is best as a stand-in for 

dairy milk in cereals, smoothies, or 

baked goods. 

● Flax Milk: Slightly earthy, sweet. 

Flax milk is a great alternative to 

nut-milks for those with nut allergies. 

I have found a brand in the 

refrigerated section at Wegmans 

that is unsweetened and contains 

added pea protein, which I like using 

in my smoothies. 

● Hemp or Quinoa Milk: Earthy. 

These tend to be stronger in flavor, 

and thinner in texture. I would use 

these in smoothies or baked goods, 

where they are not the prominent 

flavor. Just like flax milk, these are 

an awesome alternative for folks 

who are avoiding both dairy and 

tree nuts. (And by all means, if 

you enjoy their flavor, there’s certainly 

no reason not to drink them 

straight-up, too!) 

● Soy Milk: Mild and light in flavor. 

Soy milk has long been used as a 

stand-in for dairy milk in coffee 

drinks (think lattes), cereal, and 

even a nice cold glass of chocolate 

“milk”. We don’t use a lot of soy in 

our kitchen because of allergies, 

but if you enjoy soy, then it is a 

great, mild option for your plantbased 

needs. 

● Oat and Rice Milk: Mild and slightly 

sweet. Since these milks are produced 

from starches/grains rather 

than seeds/nuts, they are naturally 

much sweeter and thinner. Use 

these in sweet applications like 

baked goods. We don’t recommend 

using these in large quantities 

regularly, since they do tend to 

contain a lot of sugar. 

Want to make your own? 

Here’s how! 

ALMOND MILK 

Use this method to prepare Cashew 

or Macadamia Milk, also. Seed 

milks can be made using the same 

basic process, but typically do not 

require the pre-soaking. The optional 

ingredients listed may be added if 

you’ll be drinking it straight or using 

it in breakfast cereals and smoothies - 

they add amazing flavor. I would leave 

out these flavorings if you plan to use 

the milk in more savory dishes. 

● Nut milk bag or cheesecloth 

● 1 cup raw almonds, soaked (see 

directions, below) 

● 3.5 cups filtered water 

● 2 to 4 pitted Medjool dates, to 

taste (optional) 

● 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional) 

● 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 

● Small pinch fine sea salt (optional) 

Steps 

● Place the almonds in a bowl, cover 

with filtered water, and refrigerate 

for 8-10 hours. 

● Drain and rinse soaking water. 

● Place drained almonds into a 

high-powered blender along with 

the 3.5 cups filtered water and optional 

ingredients, if using. 

● Blend on the highest speed for 1 

minute. 

● Place a nut milk bag (or cheesecloth) 

over a large bowl and slowly 

pour the mixture into the bag. (It 

may take a while for the milk to 

filter through the cloth, so take 

your time rather than pouring it all 

at once.) When most of the liquid 

has filtered through, squeeze the 

bottom of the bag to release the 

remaining milk. Transfer milk to a 

storage container, such as a glass 

jar, and keep in the refrigerator for 

up to 4 days. Shake well before 

using, as contents will settle. 

What to do with the leftover 

almond pulp? You can find endless 

ways to use the leftover pulp online, 

from baking it into muffins, to drying 

it and grinding it into almond meal, 

to stirring it into your breakfast cereal. 

Get creative! If you want to hold 

onto it but don’t have the time to get 

creative, just seal it in a freezer bag, 

label it, and pop it in your freezer so 

that you can decide how to use it 

later without it going bad. 

KITCHEN GADGETS 

THAT ACTUALLY WORK 

This month we focus on the RoboTwist – a robotic 

jar opener that easily twists off the toughest 

lids. I know what you are thinking … who needs 

this product when I can open most lids myself 

and if I cant, I give them to my spouse or better yet simply 

beat the side of the jar with a knife. And “yes” those options 

do work – but not for everyone. This is the perfect 

gift for seniors, children and those with arthritic hands. 

I purchased one for my mother who has arthritic hands 

and she uses it on a regular basis. 

How does it work .., well its quite simple. Simply set 

RoboTwist on the jar, press the button and watch it work. 

And it really is that simple. And best of all, it works on 

most any size jar and it 

It is compact in size weighing in at .80 LBS and is just 

over 7 inches long. And it uses very little energy, needing 

just 2 aa batteries. 

Costing just under $20 (excluding S&H) the RoboTwist 

makes a perfect gift for almost anyone. 

To learn more about their product or to place an order, 

simply visit their website www.buyrobotwist.com. 

40 



TIPS 

So You Want to Use 

A Knife Like A Chef 

ROCK CHOP 

Similar to the cross chop, hold the 

handle of the blade and keep the 

tip of the knife down on the board. 

But with the rock chop, you use your 

other hand to move the ingredient. 

As you chop, you will be keeping the 

blade still whilst you push the vegetable 

forward. 

Remember to curl your fingers to 

keep them safe from the blade. 

BRUNOISE DICE 

The Brunoise technique is an 

additional step after you have 

completed Julienning your ingredients. 

Once your ingredients 

have been julienned, you 

then dice again to create small 

cubes. 

Ideally the cube size should 

be ¼ in x ¼ in x ¼ in. The 

Brunoise Dice is the smallest 

dicing cut and is popularly 

used for soups. If you have 

mastered the Julienne, you can 

master the Brunoise! 

Learning the ways of a 

chef’s knife is truly one of 

the finest arts every chef 

has to master. Your knife 

skills can make your dish 

stand out to your guests 

and family. The way you 

chop, slice and cut around 

the kitchen can really impress 

on and off the plate. 

Believe it or not, the way 

you cut a piece of your 

recipe could have a direct 

effect on how it cooks and 

presented. 

Along with knowing the 

recipes and cooking techniques 

every chef is expected 

to learn and master 

the many different cutting techniques. 

From the Julienne to the Batonnet, 

there is a lot of pressure for chefs to 

learn the cuts, chops, slices and dices. 

We’ve collected the most important 

techniques chefs need to learn with 

practice maybe you can master them 

too. 

Do you want to show off your 

skills? Here are the cutting techniques 

every chef should know: 

CROSS CHOP 

The Cross Chop is regularly used if 

you need to quickly chop, without 

having to worry about presentation. 

Small vegetables or herbs are the best 

ingredients to use when cross chopping. 

Holding the handle of the knife 

with one hand, put the palm of your 

hand on top of the blade (this helps 

you guide and control the chopping 

pace). Keep the tip of the blade down 

whilst you lift the handle of the blade 

to chop. As your hands are out of the 

way, they’re safe. 

JULIENNE CUT 

The Julienne Cut is a very fine cut 

where the thickness of each slice is 

roughly a ¼ inch thick. Very fine indeed! 

After cutting the vegetables 

into thin rectangular cuts, the fine 

slice technique is used again to create 

thin match stick shapes. 

THE BATONNET 

The clue is in the name. The Batonnet 

technique is used to cut 

baton shape vegetables (for example, 

like chips). Think of the 

Batonnet as a chucky chip type 

of cut. 

The dimensions you should 

be heading for is 6mm x 6mm x 

6mm. It’s important to stick to 

this size and then your cuts will 

have continuity and look professional. 

Also known as Julienning, this cut 

is regularly used for carrots, celery or 

you can create Julienne Fries from 

potatoes. After mastering Julienning 

you can prepare your ingredients 

finely and neatly. 

The Julienne is one of the most 

important cutting techniques every 

chef should know as it’s popularly 

used and it’s the initial step for other 

types of cuts. 

SMALL DICE 

The name of this cut is slightly deceiving 

as it’s a slighter larger cut than 

the Brunoise Dice. At 1/3 in x 1/3 in 

x 1/3 in, the Small Dice technique 

begins by Julienning the ingredients 

and then dicing into slightly bigger 

cubes than the Brunoise. Although 

there is only a minor difference between 

the Small and the Brunoise, 

it’s important to get them right. Just 

always remember the Brunoise is the 

‘smaller’ cut. 

THE BATON 

Just because they like to be confusing. 

Whilst Batonnets create cuboid 

shape ingredients, the Baton is used 

to create large dices. Cut at 12mm x 

12mm x 6cm, the Baton is not regularly 

used but it’s a good technique to 

have up your sleeve. 

PONT-NEUF 

The Pont-Neuf is only related to 

cutting potatoes. After the potatoes 

have been skinned and washed, cut 

your potatoes to 2cm x 7cm to create 

chunky chip shapes. 



GADGET 

Tailgate 

Needs and Wants 

Are You Ready for some football? We are here to 

start football season off right, with the best toys 

for your tailgate. It’s so much fun to grab the grill, 

cooler, and snacks, then head out to a game. 

We want to help you find what accessories you’ll 

need this season to have a successful tailgate party. 

For all of your great cooking ideas 

at your tailgate, we feel the 

Coleman Road Trip Propane Portable 

Grill is still the best option. It features 

an easy matchless start ignition 

with just a push of a button. Plus, 

you can cook for more than an hour 

with its one small propane cylinder. 

When you’re finished cooking, it’s 

easy to clean, and the stand will fold 

for easy storage. 

Game time, sure everyone knows washers and corn 

hole, but we are leaning towards a fun and different 

product. The Pocket Passer Football Throwing Game, 

it’s a great combination of cornhole, football, and beer 

pong that will provide hours of tailgate fun for you and 

your guests. It does fold in half for easy storage and 

transport, all you have to do is remove it from the package 

and play. It even features built-in beverage holders, 

scoreboards, and nets to catch the footballs. 

The Hammaka Trailer Hitch Stand and Cradle 

Chair Combo comes ready to mount on your 

truck or RV so you can relax before the game 

starts. This package includes two chairs and slips 

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Our experienced attorneys focus specifically on our members and provide 24/7 access for emergencies. 

For more information, visit: 

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* Trial defense hours are provided at a reduced 

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Your Your LegalShield provider provider law law firm law firm will will be will be there be there to offer to to offer advice advice or or or 

assistance assistance on on a on variety a variety of issues. of of issues. Below Below is a is brief is a a brief sampling sampling of the of of the the 

areas areas that that the the LegalShield the Standard Standard Legal Legal Plan Plan offers. offers. 

Family Family Matters 

Matters Financial 

• Adoption • • Adoption 

• Alimony • • Alimony 

• Child • Child • Custody 

Custody 

• Child • Child • Support Support 

• Child • Child • Visitation Visitation Rights Rights 

• Conservatorship 

• • • Divorce • Divorce • • Domestic • • Domestic Violence 

Violence 

Protection 

Protection 

• Guardianship 

• • • Insanity/Infirmity 

• • • Juvenile • Juvenile • Court Court Proceedings 

Proceedings 

• Name • Name • Change Change 

• Parental • • Parental Responsibilities 

• Prenuptial • • Prenuptial Agreements 

Agreements 

• School • School • Administrative Hearing Hearing 

Auto Auto 

• Drivers • Drivers • License License Restoration 

Restoration 

• Drivers • Drivers • License License Revocation 

Revocation 

• Drivers • Drivers • License License Suspension 

Suspension 

• Minor • Minor • Traffic Traffic Ticket Ticket 

• Motor • Motor • Vehicular Vehicular Homicide 

Homicide 

Defense Defense 

Estate Estate Issues 

Issues 

• Codicils • Codicils • • Health • Health • Care Care Power Power of Attorney of of Attorney 

• Irrevocable • • Irrevocable Trust Trust 

• Living • Living • Will Will Will 

• Revocable • • Revocable Trust Trust 

• Standard/Complex • • Wills Wills 

• Affidavits • • Affidavits 

• Bankruptcy • • Bankruptcy 

• Civil • Civil • Damage Civil Damage Claims Claims Defense Defense 

• Consumer • • Consumer Credit Credit 

• Consumer • • Consumer Protection 

Protection 

• Contracts/Financial • • Disputes 

Disputes 

• Debt • Debt • Collection 

Collection 

• Durable/Financial • • Power Power of of of 

Attorney 

Attorney 

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• Inheritance • • Inheritance Rights Rights Protection 

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• Installment • • Installment Sale Sale Contracts Sale Contracts 

• IRS • IRS • Audit IRS Audit Protection 

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• Lease • Lease • Contracts 

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Disputes 

• Promissory • • Promissory Notes Notes 

• Social • Social • Security Security Disputes 

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• Veterans • • Veterans Benefits Benefits Disputes 

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Home 

Home 

• Building • Building • Code Code Disputes 

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• Deeds • Deeds • and and Mortgage and Mortgage 

• Evictions • • Evictions 

• Foreclosure • • Foreclosure 

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• Primary • Primary • Residence Residence Refinancing 

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• Real • Real • Estate Real Estate Contracts/Financial 

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• Secondary • • Secondary Residence Residence Coverage 

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• Smalls • Smalls • Claims Claims Assistance 

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• Zoning • Zoning • Variances 

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For For detailed For detailed information information about about the the areas the areas in which in in which we provide we we provide advice advice or assistance, or or assistance, 

go to go go www.helpmewithlegal.com 

to to 

Your Your Plan Plan Covers: 

Covers: 

• The • The • member The member 

• The • The • member’s The member’s spouse spouse 

• Never-married • • dependent 

dependent 

children children under under age age 21 age living 21 21 living 

at home at at home 

• Dependent • • Dependent children children under under 

age age 18 age for 18 18 for whom for whom the the the 

member member is legal is is legal guardian 

guardian 

• Full-time • • Full-time college college students 

students 

up up to up age to to age 23; age 23; never 23; never married, 

married, 

dependent dependent children 

children 

• Physically • • Physically or mentally or or mentally 

challenged challenged children children living living 

at home at at home 

Legal Legal services services may may vary may vary by vary state. by by state. 

25% 25% off 25% additional off off additional legal legal services legal services 

If you If you If are you in are are need in in need of need additional of of additional legal legal legal 

services, services, you you may you may continue may continue to use to to use use 

your your provider your provider law law firm law firm for firm legal for for legal legal 

situations situations that that extend that extend beyond beyond plan plan plan 

coverage. coverage. The The additional The additional services services 

are 25% are are 25% off 25% the off off law the the law firm’s law firm’s standard standard 

hourly hourly rates. rates. Your Your provider Your provider law law firm law firm firm 

will will let will you let let you know you know when when the 25% the the 25% 25% 

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these these fees fees with fees with you. with you. you. 

Please Please note: note: Class note: Class actions, 

actions, 

interventions, interventions, or amicus or or amicus curiae curiae 

filings filings in which in in which you you are you a are party are a party a or or or 

potential potential party party are not are are not covered not covered by by by 

the LegalShield the the LegalShield membership. 

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©2012 ©2012 LegalShield LegalShield SM , Ada, SM , SM Ada, , OK Ada, OK OK

RECIPIE AROUND THE WORLD 

SEAFOOD PAELLA 

PAELLA A LA MARINERA 

Paella is just one of those 

perfect dishes you make for 

a family style dinner - the 

big colorful dish on the table, 

to the beautifully seasoned, 

addictively flavorful rice. A 

paella includes rice and any 

available ingredients, most 

often seafood or chorizo 

(a pork sausage that dates 

back to Roman time). 

According to numerous 

sources, the dish originated 

in Valencia of 

Eastern Spain, which is 

a large rice-producing 

region, when the farmers out in the 

fields would cook rice over an open 

fire, adding available meats such as 

poultry and rabbit to the mix. It is 

believed that the dish takes its name 

from the two handled frying pan on 

which it is cooked - paella (from Latin 

“patella” meaning pan). 

Ingredients: 

About 5 cups shrimp shell stock 

or 3 cups clam juice diluted with 

1 cups water (more if using 

bomba rice) 

1 large pinch of saffron, 

pulverized in a mortar 

6 tablespoons extra-virgin 

olive oil 

1 pound boneless Chicken 

thighs diced (We like to 

dice so they get all of the flavor) 

- 1 lb of Chorizo sausage 

- 12 oz package of frozen peas 

Coarse salt (kosher or sea) 

10 medium-size garlic cloves; 

8 crushed with a garlic press, 2 

minced 

2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut in half 

and grated on a box grater, skins 

discarded 

1 teaspoons sweet (not smoked) 

paprika 

1 cups short- to medium-grain rice 

Cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley 

12 small littleneck clams, scrubbed 

12 jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined 

2 lemons, cut into wedges, for 

serving 

Allioli, for serving 

Directions: 

1Place the shrimp stock in a medium-size 

saucepan and bring 

to a simmer over medium heat. 

Add the saffron and keep the stock at 

a simmer until ready to use. 

2Place 3 tablespoons of the olive 

oil in a 15- or 16-inch paella 

pan set over a single burner 

and heat on medium until it starts 

to smoke. Add the chicken thighs, 

Chorizo and cook until seared, about 

3 minutes flipping once, seasoning 

it lightly with salt. Using a slotted 

spoon, transfer the chicken and chorizo 

to a bowl. 

3Add 1 tablespoon of the olive 

oil to the center of the pan. Add 

the crushed garlic and cook until 

fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 

the tomatoes and peas to the center 

of the pan, reduce the heat to low, 

and cook, stirring the tomatoes several 

times until they are 

thickened and 

reduced, 5 to 

7 minutes. Using 

two wooden 

spoons, add the chicken 

and chorizo toward the 

center of the pan and mix 

it up with the tomatoes. Add 

the paprika and stir for a few seconds. 

4Preheat the oven 

to 425 F. 

5Add the rice to the paella pan 

and stir it gently to coat with 

the pan mixture. Pour in 3 cups 

of the simmering stock (5 cups if you 

are using bomba rice), keeping the remaining 

stock simmering in case it is 

needed later. Set the paella pan over 

two burners, stir in the parsley and 

shake the pan gently 

to distribute the rice 

evenly. Cook over 

medium heat for 5 

minutes. Periodically 

move and rotate the pan so 

that the liquid boils evenly. 

6Press the clams and the chicken 

into the top of the rice and 

cook until the cooking liquid is 

almost level with the rice but the rice 

is still rather soupy, another 2 to 3 

minutes. If the liquid is absorbed too 

fast and the rice still seems too raw, 

sprinkle on some more stock. 

7 

Transfer the paella pan to the 

oven and bake until the clams 

open and the rice is tender but 

still a little al dente, about 15 minutes. 

Check the paella a few times 

and sprinkle more stock over the rice 

if it seems too al dente. Remove the 

paella from the oven and discard any 

clams that have not opened. Cover 

the pan with aluminum foil and let 

stand for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan 

and let stand for another 5 minutes 

(the rice gets better as it stands). 

8While the rice is standing, heat 

the remaining 1 tablespoon olive 

oil in a large skillet or wok 

over high heat. Stir-fry the shrimp, 

a few at a time, adding some of the 

minced garlic to each batch, until 

the shrimp are bright pink and just 

cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per 

batch. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl 

and keep warm. 

9To serve, arrange the lemon 

wedges around the edge of 

the paella and decorate the 

top with the shrimp. Serve the paella 

straight from the pan, along with the 

allioli, for stirring into the rice. Serves 

6 as a first course, 4 as a main course. 

Send in your recipe from around the 

world to recipe@phillyeatsmagazine. 

com and just maybe we will publish it 

in an upcoming issue. 

48 



BURGER 

Easy 

Burger 

Receipes 

Meat, Grill, Flip that is 

a pretty basic way of 

cooking your summertime 

burgers. Here are 

a few recipes that can spruce up 

those little pieces of meat. 

We recommend making all of 

your patties about a ¼ lb and use 

80-85% lean. This allows equal 

cooking temps as well as some 

portion control, also you need 

some fat in the buger so they stay 

together. Use a small kitchen scale 

and patty press they are both 

cheap enough and trust us the 

consistency will always have your 

family and guests raving about the 

king/queen of the grill. 

Keep your meat really cold before 

placing them on the grill, yes 

it makes a difference. 

Ingrédients: 

JUICY LUCY 

Use this mix for 1 lb of meat. 

1 tablespoon of Worchester Sauce 

1 tablespoon of salt 

1 tablespoon of pepper 

YOUR cheese of choice 

Steps: 

1. Place the ground beef in a large 

bowl and season with the Worcestershire 

sauce, salt and pepper. 

Mix until well combined. 

2. Divide the meat into ¼ lb equal 

portions and form each into a ball, 

cut balls in half. 

3. Using your press, flatten them into 

thin patties, about ¼ inch thick. 

4. Divide the cheese place cheese on 

one of the smaller patties and then 

cover with the other patty. 

5. With your hands, smooth out the 

edges and press on the top to flatten 

slightly into a thick single patty. 

6. Grill it slow and low 

7. Remove to a plate or cutting board 

and let the burgers rest for at least 

3 minutes. 

8. Enjoy the heck out of this inside 

out cheeseburger. 

TRUE WHISKEY 

BURGER 

¼ c. whiskey 

3 garlic cloves, chopped 

Bacon for each burger 

Cheese of Choice 

2 large vidalia onions, peeled, cut 

in half and thinly sliced (serve them 

Raw or saute them) 

1 t. Salt 

1 tablespoon of pepper 

1 teaspoon of thyme 

This one is unique but if you like 

something different this is a great one 

that is easy to make. 

BEEF SATAY 

BURGER WITH 

PEANUT SAUCE 

Ground Beef 

2 tablespoons of olive oil 

2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce 

2 tablespoons of lime juice 

2 tablespoons of brown sugar 

1 tablespoon of garlic powder 

1 tablespoon of ginger 

Mix this all in and let sit overnight. 

PEANUT BUN 

SAUCE 

½ cup finely chopped onion 

2 teaspoons peanut oil or canola 

oil 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

1 teaspoon ginger 

1/4 cup “lite” coconut milk 

¼ cup peanut butter 

2 tablespoon ketchup 

1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste 

1 teaspoon brown sugar, or to 

taste 

1 teaspoon Asian chile sauce, such 

as Sriracha, or other hot sauce, or 

to taste 

This burger will completely knock 

your socks off. 

50 



RECIPE 

Cleanses are popular this time 

of year, but extreme measures 

like the Master Cleanse 

or juice fasting are usually 

unnecessary. If you don’t want to survive 

on vegetable juice for a week (or 

more), there are simpler and gentler 

ways to reset your system. 

The principles of a successful 

cleanse are quite simple: take it slow, 

enjoy real food and prepare meals in 

advance. If you’re armed with delicious 

and nourishing recipes, you’ll 

actually look forward to your cleanse 

as opposed to counting down the 

days until it’s over. This is more about 

Snap Pea and Asparagus Salad 

Recipe For A Satisfying 

Spring Cleanse 

Spring is a time for renewal. After a winter of hibernation (and Netflix) it’s 

time to ditch the heavy comfort foods in favor of lighter, more refreshing 

fare. With produce like strawberries, spinach and lettuce in season, there’s 

plenty to eat without missing the mac ‘n cheese too much. 

a lifestyle change than a quick fix, so 

there’s no need to go to overboard. 

My Daily Detox Plan 

Increasing your vegetable intake is 

the name of the game. Whether you 

eat them raw or steamed, consume a 

variety of colorful veggies (especially 

the green, leafy ones). Visit your local 

farmers market or join a CSA (community 

supported agriculture) to see 

what’s popping up in the fields lately. 

Try a new vegetable like dandelion 

greens or daikon radish if you’re feeling 

adventurous. 

Making some easy changes to 

your diet will leave you feeling happier, 

stronger and more energetic as 

the weather warms up. There’s so 

much to do during these long days— 

it’s important to eat foods that will 

support your activities! 

Here’s a snapshot of my daily 

spring cleanse: 

Start your day with lemon water, 

followed by fruit and nuts, or a 

smoothie with protein powder. 

Don’t forget to add spinach or 

kale to the smoothie for an extra 

vitamin and mineral boost. 

Sip green tea mid-morning or 

in the afternoon, and switch to 

chamomile tea in the evening to 

relax. Green tea is a natural detoxifier 

and won’t drain your adrenals 

like coffee can. 

Eat a hearty salad with steamed 

veggies for lunch. Mix it up with 

arugula or mustard greens for a 

spicy kick. 

Serve protein and veggies for dinner, 

such as chicken breast with 

our Snap Pea and Asparagus Salad. 

Drink plenty of water all day long 

to flush the toxins out of your 

body. If you start feeling thirsty, 

you’re already dehydrated. Sip water 

throughout the day instead of 

chugging your daily intake in one 

shot. 

Mindful eating habits are also important. 

Remember to chew slowly 

and without distraction. This way, 

you’ll be able to recognize signs of 

fullness sooner. If you end up eating a 

donut at your morning meeting, don’t 

panic and give up. Try again at your 

next meal. Getting used to a new routine 

can take time. 

Stick with it, and you’ll notice a 

change in your overall disposition. 

You may experience clearer skin, 

more energy and increased immunity. 

Often, a gentle detox can also ease 

symptoms like digestive discomfort, 

belly bloat and intense cravings. 

Get started: 

1. Create a weeklong menu. 

2. Look for new recipes to sprinkle 

into your meal plan. 

3. Prepare a grocery list and stock up 

on everything you need. 

4. Discard or set aside “unsavory” 

items you wish to avoid, such as 

processed foods, sugar and coffee. 

5. Cook a few meals on a free day, so 

you’re not scrambling last minute. 

Enjoy eating in a way your body will 

love! 

Author Bio 

Serves: 4 

Ingredients 

4 cups chopped lettuce 

1 bunch asparagus, steamed, 

grilled or roasted 

2 cups sugar snap peas 

1 plum tomato, diced 

⅓ cup sherry vinegar 

¼ cup olive oil 

1 garlic clove, minced 

¼ cup chopped fresh basil 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions 

1. In a large bowl, combine the 

lettuce, asparagus, snap peas 

and tomato. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk the 

vinegar, oil, garlic and basil. 

Snap Pea and 

Asparagus Salad 

Personal Chef Chris Welsh is the 

Executive Chef and Owner of Secret 

Ingredient. She believes that the secret 

to living a healthy and balanced 

life starts with wholesome food. 

For over 15 years, she has helped 

dozens of busy families, professionals, 

those with dietary needs, and 

people recovering from illness, save 

time and eat healthier. 

Chef Chris serves Main Line Philadelphia, 

PA towns and surrounding 

communities. For more tips and recipes, 

or to learn about her personal 

chef services, visit: Secret-Ingredient. 

com. 

3. Pour dressing over the salad 

and toss well. Season with 

salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve immediately. 

Chef’s Note: Replace the 

vinaigrette with your favorite 

dressing, if desired. 

Disclaimer: This information is 

not intended, and should not be 

taken, as medical advice. Nor 

is it intended to treat, diagnose, 

make claims or suggest 

a change to your diet. I’m not 

a doctor or nutritionist. I’m a 

healthy foods chef. If you have 

a medical concern or question, 

speak with your healthcare 

provider.

Baltimore Eats Magazine_First Edition

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