My wildest suburban dreams have been realized. We have a Wegmans.

I know, what a bourgeois thing to get excited about – a grocery mega-mart.

You guys, it’s a dang good grocery mega-mart.

I went on a recon mission at the brand new Wegmans in my town so I could highlight some of the awesome and exotic things they carry and that I feel super spoiled to have ready access to. This took a lot of balls for a shy person like me. I had to stalk around the aisles looking like a creep taking photos of groceries. There were many witnesses to my discomfort, so let me rub it in your face for just a minute.

Ok, now tell me friends, do you have access to fermented chili paste and bonito flakes within a 10 minute drive from your house? I didn’t think so.

Shut up city snobs, we know you already have everything.

That’s the jealousy talking.

Anyway…

What about giant BAGS of red and white miso? (Miso in a bag!? Must be authentic, right?) Or a friendly fishmonger who will tell you to get the mussels instead of the clams, because they were caught today, while he blithely filets a massive swordfish?

Do they have black garlic at your grocery store? Do you even know what that is? Me either. But now I have it. (Jk, I do know, it’s fermented garlic, I just didn’t want to sound so patronizing. Did it work?)

I can also get fresh truffles whenever I want instead of schlepping to a specialty store many miles away.

I’ve never even seen this many types of mushrooms in one place. Last week they had lobster mushrooms too (which have red skin and white insides, so they look like chunks of cooked lobster meat). All the produce is amazing and the selection is extensive. Those little gnocchi-sized potatoes were so cute! And delicious.

I’m mad that I didn’t get any shots of the cheese section or the deli, but at the time whipping out my phone for a picture in the face of  the four Wegmans employees in the cheese department felt like a bridge too far. I started to get paranoid that they thought I was working for their enemy or something, trying to steal their ideas. Right now that sounds like the stupidest thing to worry about, but at the time…well…you know. To sum up, the cheese section is beautimous and I have been eating triple cream brie and buffalo milk blue cheese like it’s my job since Wegmans opened.

Wegmans doesn’t need any help marketing, they are a big business, they are doing just fine. I just want to tell my interweb friends I’m happy they’re here. Come visit me and I’ll cook you something tasty. With ingredients from Wegmans, obviously.

These sycophantic words of endorsement have been brought to you by Courtney. Not Wegmans.

all the shoes above are from nine west. i am in love with the boots. look at the gold!

True to form, I’ve over-thought my shoe collection to the point of paralysis.

Lemme ‘splain.

I’m tall – 5’8 ¾” to be exact. For most of my life I tried to downplay my height for the benefit of potential suitors by wearing flats and slouching (pathetic, I know). Shoes became a sad afterthought – a foot covering to facilitate travel.

Then I married Cody. He’s 6’3”. A whole fabulous world of sky-high, sexy shoes has been opened up to me and I’m intoxicated by the possibilities, but I’m also way behind the curve. My shoe collection is pathetic (less than 20 pairs including athletic shoes…what kind of girl am I?) and my stiletto skills (i.e. pain tolerance) are underdeveloped to say the least.

What I need are heels that will be easy for me to walk in while I learn the ropes, but that don’t sacrifice ferocity. What should I go for? Stacked heels? Kitten heels? Boots? What shoes can I wear that will inject my state of mind with a little “rawr” without looking like I’m trying really hard? Ladies of the world: what is your most comfortable pair of heels?

I get into browsing Piperlime and start wondering, “is it goofy for me to even care?” I work at a community college and I live in the suburbs, so its not like I have anywhere chic to be. Glamour, however, seems like the kind of thing a woman ought to have a right to.

Do you wear heels in the suburbs? To Target? Or Starbucks??

Sometimes I feel like I need to live somewhere chic before I can truly feel chic, but glamour is a state of mind, isn’t it?

Or, is it legitimately ridiculous to wear Louboutins to the grocery store?

I love potatoes. We’ve been over this. When my aunt told me about a restaurant in Annapolis whose menu was mostly comprised of loaded baked potato combinations, I knew I had to go. But I put it off because Annapolis is crowded and far away and there’s no parking. Luckily, a few weeks ago, my darling friend Caitlin had to go to our nation’s original capital anyway to pick up some papers for some running event she signed up for (weirdo) so we made a date of papers and potatoes.

It’s the concept of the Potato Valley Cafe that drew me in like a moth to the flame. Who makes a restaurant about potatoes? Geniuses! Before we got there I told Caitlin, “There is a strong possibility that these potatoes have no chance of meeting my expectations. I’m unduly excited about them”.

Long story short, the potato exceeded expectations. It was perfectly baked with crispy skin and fluffy insides. I chose the broccoli, blue cheese and cheddar potato. It came topped with broccoli, blue cheese sauce, cheddar cheese, a salad-bar’s worth of vegetables, and DANISH ROASTED ONIONS (which are kind of like the onions you put on top of green bean casserole but a million times better). I bought a bag of those onions to take home. More on those on another day. Next time I’m going to try the spinach, feta, and roasted garlic potato because it, too, sounds mighty fine.

Caitlin got the prettiest veggie sandwich in the world. Look at the colors! In retrospect, she should have added avocado to it, but by the time we realized it was an option, it had been half eaten.  That picture on the right is what was left of my potato after my hunger had been sated. It didn’t stand a chance.

If you like potatoes, cheese, crispy onions, food, joy, or America, you need to go to Annapolis and eat a potato at Potato Valley Cafe.

Potato Valley Cafe

47 State Circle. #1
Annapolis, MD 21401

A few months ago my dad and I went to Richardson Farms Market in White Marsh for some lunch. Richardson Farms is a family operated farm that is reportedly famous for growing kale, collard greens, and sweet corn. They have branched out and done some networking to fill the shelves at the market, but most everything they sell is locally made. Before we placed our orders at the deli, we poked around the market and found some massive rolls of fresh butter, quarts of local ice cream, homemade chicken stock, Richardson Farms’ own honey, and bags of fresh green beans. I bought a quart of Kilby ice cream and ate most of it myself. One of my proud moments.

Looking around at all the farm-fresh produce reminded us why we really came to the market – lunch, and Richardson Farms makes a mean one. Diners can choose from fresh roasted chicken quarters, massive sandwiches, homemade soups, salads, loaded potatoes, and a selection of delicious sides. The dish that inspired our trip was a horseradish macaroni and cheese that my dad had tried on a previous visit. We were a little disappointed that it wasn’t there when we came back, but I appreciate a rotating menu, so I forgave them and ordered a loaded potato with an Italian salad and fresh squeezed lemonade. The potato was delicious, but the salad was my favorite, made with fresh veggies, crunchy romaine, heaps of cheese and salami in a garlicky dressing. If I’d slapped it on some bread it could have been a sandwich.

As much as I loved my lunch, my dad’s picks stole the show. He chose a turkey and avocado club sandwich with a side of chipotle cheddar grits. The sandwich was made with fresh, high quality ingredients, and the grits were positively decadent. I had lunch envy.

The shelves and fridges at Richardson Farms Market offer customers a great selection of the best food our area has to offer, and the kitchen and deli cook up well-made, proper comfort food that is hard to beat. In the words of fellow food enthusiast, Liz Lemon, you “want to go to there”.

Richardson Farms Market

5900 Ebenezer Road

White Marsh, MD 21162

*Forgive the rather pathetic quality of these pictures. Cody, the talented one, was unable to accompany me on this little excursion and I was left to fend for myself with naught but an iphone to capture this lovely place.

I used to work at an adorable café in Salt Lake City that made these great grilled sandwiches with roasted pear chutney and thick slices of brie. I had a craving for one the other day and tried my best to re-create one from memory. I don’t have access to Crumb Brother’s ciabatta bread here in Maryland, so I made do with a crusty French loaf from the supermarket. The end result is more savory than sweet, since the pears are roasted with balsamic vinegar and salted, and the creamy richness of the brie is tempered with the sinus-clearing heat of the mustard. All in all it’s a fantastic sandwich, and it’s quite easy to make. This sandwich would be on the regular dinner rotation in my house if I didn’t live with such picky eaters. Make one and eat it for me. Please.

Grilled Pear and Brie Sandwich

Makes 8 sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 slightly unripe pears, any variety you like (super-ripe pears will fall apart with roasting)

1 granny smith apple

1 medium red onion

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp. melted butter

16 slices of crusty bread – French, ciabatta, etc.

1 small wheel of brie

softened butter – enough to lightly cover 16 slices of bread

Mustard – Dijon, whole grain, or German

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Dice the pears, apple, and onion, toss with melted butter and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until everything is soft and caramelized.

2. Assemble sandwiches by layering 3 Tbsp. of the pear and onion mixture, 2 tsp. mustard (less if your mustard is very strong), and 3-4 thick slices of brie between slices of buttered bread. Make sure the buttered side is facing out.

3. Grill the sandwiches in a pan or on a griddle over medium-low heat until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown. Work in batches if necessary and store the sandwiches in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Recently (sort of…March), Cody and I went to DC. His aunt was going to be in town from California and we decided to drive in and meet her. The weekend we went happened to be in the middle of the cherry blossom festival, so I planned and fretted over the CROWDS and the TRAFFIC, and made sure we left the house by seven a.m. and when we got there the whole city was a ghost town. I felt a little silly.

With plenty of time to kill before dinner with the auntie, we decided to hoof it over to eastern market. Eastern market is some kind of required pilgrimage for the food-obsessed visiting the capitol. It was pretty cool with a small, but well-edited selection of fresh produce, meat, cheese, baked goodies, and nick-knacks. I had fun ogling all the varieties of bacon. There was also an entire stand dedicated to pickles and one dedicated to crepes.

Despite the fact that I had just had breakfast at starbucks, (a bacon and egg sandwich) I indulged my inner hobbit and made a “second breakfast” of a crepe with ham, apples, maple syrup, and muenster cheese. I do not regret it.

After making a pig of myself, we hit the museums. I saw an original Gutenberg bible at the Library of Congress and we visited the iconic elephant at the natural history museum.

Then we ate lunch at the air and space museum. It was hellish. We chose that location out of desperation. The crowd was massive, mostly comprised of adolescents, and cranky. There was nowhere to sit (we stood), and I saw three separate people spill soda on the carpeted floors. Carpeted floors in a food court is a horrible idea. When you go to DC, avoid the air and space museum at lunch time. It’s a great place, but not for food.

We had the most fun at the American History museum, due to the fact that there are many mannequins. That’s me being creepy with a mannequin on the right. There was also lots of movie memorabilia. I was disappointed to find out that the belly of C3PO’s suit was just a thermal shirt.

We also stopped to admire a Michelangelo. It was radical.

This weekend I decided to try my hand at butter making. The whole experience was pretty educational. I’d recommend giving it a try if you have a stand mixer and are looking for an easy recipe that will make you feel like you know something. Or you can just look at these pictures and pretend.

Start by pouring a pint or two (I used two) of cream into the bowl of your stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, start whipping the cream on a low-ish setting. Once the cream gets frothy enough to stop splashing, bump the speed up to high. If you wanted to make whipped cream, you’d stop the mixer when the cream’s consistency was somewhere between the picture on the left and the picture on the right – fluffy but not stiff.

But we aren’t making whipped cream, we’re making butter. So keep mixing.

After a few minutes of sustained, high-speed mixing the buttermilk will start to separate from the butter. Turn the mixer back to low to keep the buttermilk from splashing out of the bowl. When the butter and buttermilk look like the pictures below, pour everything into a colander and let the milk drain away. Run the butter curds (or whatever they’re called) under cold water until the water runs clear – this will help your butter last longer. At this point, I packed the butter into a ball and wrapped it in paper towels to allow it to drain further. I don’t like water in my butter.

Now’s the time to contemplate flavorings. I had my heart set on making truffle butter, so I grated a truffle. You could add salt, garlic, fresh herbs, pepper, or spices to your butter. You could even add sugar if you want. It’s butter, so whatever you add is going to taste good. Go nuts.

Hindsight being 20/20 I should have used two truffles in my truffle butter. At eight bucks a pop, I couldn’t even fathom using more than one, but the truffles were too mild to adequately flavor the amount of butter I made. Lesson learned. Next time I will look for truffle oil or fresh truffles to add to the mix as well.

All that’s left to do at this point is put some of your fancy homemade butter on some fancy homemade bread and eat it.

OR you could do this:

homemade truffle butter + Parmesan cheese + homemade bread + broiler = good food.

Put that homemade butter in a cute little jar and stash it in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. Then pat yourself on the back fancypants, you just made butter from scratch.

It’s spring here in Maryland. My Utah friends should be jealous (I hear it snowed there last weekend, suckers). We’ve fired up the barbecue several times already this season and spent more than one balmy night around the fire pit making s’mores. I’m usually a pretty adamant indoor girl, but something about spring on the east coast makes me want to reconnect with nature. One of my favorite ways to do this is by driving a few miles into the country to eat the local and homemade ice cream, soup, and sandwiches at Broom’s Bloom Dairy.

Broom’s Bloom ice cream is made from cream that comes from cows that you can see grazing from the little restaurant’s patio. All the flavors are made on the farm from fresh ingredients and are sold by the cone, cup, or take-home pint. One of the house favorites is “dirt” which is a mixture of crushed oreos, chocolate chips, and rich chocolate ice cream – it’s intense enough to give you the sweet sweats if you eat it too fast (you know, kind of like the meat sweats, but usually concentrated around the under-eye or upper-lip area, brought on by eating particularly rich and delicious desserts…I know I’m not the only one). They have all the standard flavors as well; like vanilla, strawberry, chocolate and a rotating list of specialty flavors like coconut almond and cake batter; all of which are excellent. On my most recent visit I had a honey, vanilla, and cinnamon flavor, which is officially my new favorite.

If you have time for more than a quick stop, I’d recommend settling in and ordering a sandwich and soup combination meal (aptly named “the cowman’s repast”) that includes your choice of soup, a half sandwich, and a little scoop of ice cream for dessert. The soups and some of the sandwiches are part of a rotating menu that changes every day, so every time you go you have something new to try. Last time I went, the featured soup flavor was a creamy red pepper that managed to be rich and comforting without being too heavy. My sandwich was a substantial half meatball sub that was the real deal: bright, flavorful sauce that didn’t lean too heavily (as many inferior sauces do) on sugar, tomato paste, or herbs and well seasoned meatballs that tasted homemade, topped with a bit of parmesan cheese. My dad went for the “dairymaid’s delight” that included a cup of soup, a biscuit, local cheese and fruit with a small ice cream.

On our last trip, we arrived right around dusk and it was too dark and chilly to take advantage of the large outdoor patio. When the days get a little longer and the nights a little warmer, the patio will be packed with people hanging out under the string lights, probably listening to a local band while they eat and visit. And I will be back to join them.

Before you leave, be sure to check out the fridges – they are filled with locally raised meats, homemade sausage, locally made cheese, eggs from local free-range chickens, and organic local milk. Do you see how many times I just said LOCAL? I also happen to know from personal experience that the Creswell garlic and chive cheddar makes a bangin’ grilled cheese.

Marylanders, forget hiking, biking, and kayaking. This spring, get back to nature by eating. Preferably at Broom’s Bloom Dairy.

Broom’s Bloom Dairy
1700 S. Fountain Green Road (MD 543)
Bel Air, MD 21015
410-399-COWS

I have a dog. He looks like this.

His name is Murdock.

Sometimes I like to remember what he looked like when we first brought him home.

Then I remember how sharp his teeth were, how he didn’t know what he was allowed to bite, how he didn’t know where he was allowed to poop, and how he didn’t know how to sleep through the night.

I guess it’s a fair trade.

Anyone that knows me is aware of the fact that I like food and cooking a lot. I have the tendency to get lost in the international aisles of the grocery store and I’ve been known to make my own tomato soup and granola from scratch.  I take pictures of food. I think about it, I research it, I write about it, I make it, and I eat it. It’s hard to be as food-obsessed as me and not develop a few high-brow food preferences. That being said, there are some cravings that can be only satisfied by the lowest common denominators of our culinary traditions.

I’m not just talking about junk food. Junk food can be high brow – french fries blanched in duck fat before a double fry, wood fired pizza with truffles and arugula – these things do not count. I’m talking about the foods that make you ask for “paper” at the grocery store check out, the kind of foods that make you feel kind of dirty for loving them. Everyone has a few regrettable food loves that they are powerless to resist. These are mine.

Ramen Noodles are a college staple, but eating ramen after college is not socially acceptable. Ramen has almost no nutritional value, but the noodles are hot and slurpy and endlessly versatile. I used to eat them chicken flavored with worcestershire sauce and  lot of black pepper. Now I’m all about the sriracha hot sauce. I’m not a role model.

I can’t be trusted around fried potatoes of any kind, but Lay’s Sour Cream and Onion Potato Chips are my kryptonite. These are probably the only chips I literally can’t stop eating. Even after I start to feel sick from them. I think it’s a little bit about the texture. They’re so thin! I especially love the really big chips that get folded over on themselves. Double crunch. I’m such a freak.

So being caught by your foodie friends at Outback Steakhouse isn’t as embarrassing as being caught at, like, TGI Fridays, but it’s still pretty bad. For me, the Bloomin’ Onion makes it worth the risk. It’s a fried onion shaped like a flower and seasoned to the point of rendering ones taste buds ineffective for the rest of the week. THEN it’s served with a vat of horseradish sauce, I assume to clear the sinuses. My love for it is masochistic.

I bought Totinos Pizza Rolls last month with like, a bottle of soda and hung my head in shame in the checkout line. I’m kind of a sucker for any cheapo crappy frozen pizza pocket, but due to their mini size, Totinos are especially fun. I have no excuse.

Ranch Doritos, especially when eaten with the more densely seasoned side facing down for maximum impact.

I’m not a big pastry person. I’d rather have eggs for breakfast than a danish or a muffin. I’m also not much of a sweet tooth, but Krispy Kreme donuts – in all their deep fried glory – are obscenely delicious. Plain glazed only – anything else is way too sweet. I’m thinking about making bread pudding out of some. Would that be weird?

I have driven over thirty miles for a really good fry, but on a day to day basis I’m basically a slut for any kind of french fried potato. McDonalds’ are totally decent, as are Arby’s curly abominations. I want them all.

My soul is bared. What are your nasty guilty food pleasures??