QUINTESSENTIAL CUISINE© & my abstract painting

A FEW NEW WORKS

2011-10-21T10:52:00.004-05:00

... a few new things added & Lamb BaBa grilled

Kazimir's Red Square ... my Red Peasant 2011

details

below: detail

Wilbur's 'BLACK SQUARE' 2011

Envelope Filter No.1, 2011,

Collaboration by Wilbur M. Reeling & Don Griffin

pigmented ink and Kremer watercolor, W&N acrylics, juxtaposed text & glued altered merging words

on Fabriano rp 300 gsm paper 30 x 55 inches

Series Title: "American Painter's Collaboration Series"

My photograph of: L.A. Old Man, 1969 -

Rollei SL66 with 150mm Zeiss lens

Envelope Filter No.2, Wild Purple Pedal Pig, 2011,

Collaboration by Don Griffin & Wilbur M. Reeling

Pigmented Ink and Kremer Watercolor, W&N Acrylics, Caran d’Ache Neocolor II Watersoluble Crayon, Juxtaposed Text & Altered glued merging words on Fabriano rp 300 gsm paper 50 x 55 inches

Series Title: "American Painter's Collaboration Series"

Preview some of the 2010 ..."'NEW WORKS"... by Wilbur M. Reeling

2009-08-09T09:11:00.106-05:00

CLICK THEM for more detail

.. then the back arrow to return

Morgan 2nd, 2010

watercolor, ink, Saunders Waterford paper 300 gsm, 22 x 30 inches

Morgan 1st, 2010
watercolor, ink, Saunders Waterford paper 300 gsm, 22 x 30 inches

like Jackson?, 2010
watercolor, ink, Saunders Waterford paper 300 gsm, 22 x 60 inches
INDIGO SERIES w/indigo & yellow, 2010
watercolor, ink, Fabriano paper 160 gsm, 30 x 44 inches

not titled, 2010
canvas & ink

INDIGO SERIES w/indigo & red line, 2010
B&W oil stick, watercolor, ink Fabriano Indigo paper 160 gsm, 30 x 44 inches
Red & Black Morgan , 2010
watercolor, ink Saunders Waterford paper 300 gsm, 22 x 30 inches
INDIGO SERIES w/indigo & black, 2010
White oil stick, watercolor, ink Fabriano Indigo paper 160 gsm, 44 x 30 inches
INDIGO SERIES w/indigo & yellow, 2010
White & Black oil stick, watercolor, ink, yellow pastel Fabriano Indigo paper 160 gsm,
30 x 22 inches

INDIGO SERIES w/indigo, red & yellow, 2010
Black & White oil stick, watercolor, ink Fabriano Indigo paper 160 gsm, 44 x 30 inches
--------------------------------------------------------------------

... more of the new series of INDIGO & Ronds via Mr. WOLS
CLICK IT!

a "Wols" Rose Band , 2010,

watercolor, ink on Saunders Waterford rp paper 300 gsm, 30 x 44 ½ inches

“WOLS-RONDS NOIRS” , 2010

watercolor, ink on Saunders Waterford rp paper 300 gsm, 44 ½ x 60 inches

“... the Wols' May-Green egg or the Wols' Ronds”, 2010

ink & watercolor on Lanaquarelle cp paper 640gsm., 40 x 60 inches

“WOLS-RONDS”, 2010

ink & watercolor on Lanaquarelle paper 640gsm., cp 40 x 60 inches
“white circles around non-objective RED & GREEN color!”, 2010

Sepiida Cuttlefish Ink, watercolor and India Ink on

Saunders Waterford Paper rp 300 gsm, 30 x 67 inches

BAKER ARTIST AWARDS: ** Click on Wilbur's LINK to the Baker Artist Awards

"Many artists try to paint abstract and very few do it successfully - Wilbur M. Reeling has got it and it doesn't matter if he paints with beer or water.(2009 Works on Paper) The visual result is wonderful and vibrant". -- John Bodkin, Director American Contemporary Gallery

"A very impressive body of work, and masterful technique"! -- Don Griffin, Artist

"Breathtaking and powerful. This artist definitely captures the subtle nuance between suggestion, form, and true abstraction. I am taken aback". -- Scott Frias, Poet

... "Very exciting work! My favorites are the 2009 New Works on Paper using beer as a medium ... Each of these series has a bold and dramatic use of color that I am particularly drawn to. -- Carol McGraw, Artist

CLICK ON THEM FOR MORE DETAIL "Niçoise B&W WOLS-RONDS", 2010
watercolor, ink on Saunders Waterford rp 300 gsm, 44 ½ x 60 inches

“FooFoo et FeFe”, 2010

watercolor, ink on Somerset cp 300 gsm. 47 x 35 inches
“Evolution of Red”, 2010

oil paint, pigmented ink and watercolor on canvas, 78 x 50 inches

"DISSIMULATION", 2010

watercolor, ink on Somerset cp 300 gsm. 47 x 35 inches
“Pyrrole is almost Antiquarian”, 2010

watercolor, ink on Somerset cp 300 gsm. 35 x 47 inches
“Der Neue Blaue Rieter 2010”, 2010

pigmented ink and watercolor on canvas, 38 x 59 inches
(inspiration from Kandinsky’s 1903 "rejected" painting Blue Rider)“Noir et blanc diptych” 2010

watercolor, ink on Saunders Waterford rp 300 gsm, 44 x 30 inches

“Madder & Roses”, 2010 pure-madder, ink and watercolor on Saunders Waterford rp 300 gsm, 22 x 30 inches

----------------------------

some 2009 works below

"Red, de-constructed 3 ways" 2009, 40 x 51"Black, de-constructed 3 ways" 2009, 40 x 51Wet Hole at (is) 69"x47" (diptych) 2009

[the work above (wet hole) is the most difficult painting I've ever done - it is also my favorite painting of all the hundreds that I have done]

"Emotional Confetti" 2009 "FooFoo m'amours" 2009, 40 x 51
"Kremer's Cuttlefishes" 2009, 20 x 51
VIEW ADDITIONAL WORKS BY WILBUR M. REELING AT

http://www.wilburmreeling.com/
CONTACT THE ARTIST BY eMAIL AT HIS STUDIO

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITIONS

please use

WReeling21@aol.com

info@WilburMReeling.com

CAFÉ TROIA Towson, Maryland

2009-01-24T19:21:00.042-05:00

The NEW & EXPANDED

CAFÉ TROIA

31 W.

Allegheny Avenue, Towson MD 21204 410.337.0133

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY WILBUR M. REELING

Click on Image for a Larger Version

life is short so eat dessert first ...

... AFTER YOU'VE EATEN TROIA'S LEMON NAPOLEON

YOU'LL WONDER HOW THIS CAN BE SO GOOD?

~ Joe & Lisa ~

http://www.cafetroia.com

Carpaccio di Manzo
Puttanesca
Impepata di Cozze
Ravioli alla Penna e Filetto di Salmone
Linguine con Calamari Vesuvio
Ossobuco alla Milanese
Troia's Original Cowboy Steak
Costoletta di Agnello

a properly dressed table by the court yard window

Gamberi in guazzetto & linguine

CAFÉ TROIA'S SPECIAL RAVIOLI

Troia's Chef Gaetano Lossi

in the new kitchen

Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith, Carol Troia and Lisa Troia

at the Ribbon Cutting Grand Opening Celebration Party

Lisa, Carol, Rafael and Judge Joe Murphy

Risoto con Gamberyi allo Zafferano

ZAGAT REVIEW 23 - 18 - 21 - $42

... $13.50 prix fixe lunch "BARGAIN" ...

ZAGAT LOVES US!

CAFÉ TROIA

410-337-0133

GRANDMA'S FAVORITE CHICKEN FORK

2008-01-29T09:48:00.000-05:00

Parkville High Graduation 1964

(Grandma's on the left) lol

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

CLICK PHOTO FOR FULL VIEW

Grandma would not eat any part of a chicken. That's because she and Grandpa owned a chicken farm in Baltimore County where they sold eggs and chickens until the end of W.W.II.

For Thanksgiving Grandmom would eat turkey. Every time my Mom or an Auntie would make chicken they'd just tell Grandmom ... "it's okay Nanny, that's turkey" ... and then she'd eat it and love it. --LOL--
Recently I roasted a whole chicken and stuffed, under the skin, with black French truffles and V.B. & C. 86% European Style butter. Salted it with Tartuflanghe Italian white truffle sea salt and Penja Pearl of Cameroon Peppercorns and it was not as good as Grandma's chicken.

Searching in an old junk box recently I found Grandma's original 7 1/2 inch chicken fork and after close scrutiny I noticed her initial carved into the wooden handle. Guess she thought somebody was gonna steal her fork. I'll bet this fork is 90 years old or more and even has the 3 prongs worn out unevenly.

I don't think anyone uses a cooking fork like this anymore. We have become a bunch of cooks that only use high tech stuff like Japanese ceramic Kyocera Kyotop knives and forged alloy tongs and have no respect for a fork-wielding old Granny anymore.

Nanny passed away over 30 years ago and almost got to be 90. Out of respect for her I bought a special fancy box to keep her old chicken fork in forever. It is the only thing I have from old Grandma, that and lots & lots of delicious 'Nanny-Chicken' --
(turkey) hehehe ... memories.

I'm showing Nanny a little chicken fork love!

MODERATED COMMENT:

I too have my mom’s chicken fork, just like the one in your mention...never knew that ‘s what they were called...but it’s a handy tool in the kitchen
Todd Holden
-silverbird-

BALTIMORE'S RYLEIGH'S OYSTER MAKES THEIR BETS ON THE ..."SENSUAL OYSTER TRIFECTA"...

2008-01-11T20:20:00.000-05:00

WHEN YOU TALK THE TALK

YOU HAD BETTER WALK THE WALK,
AT RYLEIGH'S OYSTER

CHEF PATRICK MORROW DOES BOTH!
...is he Baltimore's New "IRON CHEF"?

CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL VIEW

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

Most BLOGERS have a moderator who edits what people say on their blog but Ms. Elizabeth Large (Food Critic for the Baltimore Sun) seems to allow about anything. That's good. It should be open to any comments -- even stupid ones and people that don't agree or don't even know ... what we call "CLUELESS."

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2008/01/oysters_the_trendy_food.html#comments

On her recent trends blog she spoke of oysters in Baltimore. She said that restaurants were offering more varieties lately. I agree, but strangely enough there are few or none from the Chop Tank, Kent Island or Lynn Haven areas here on the Chesapeake Bay. If you want them, drive to the Chop Tank and see Kool Ice Seafood or Soft & Salty at Ragged Point on the Chop Tank -- they are rare! http://www.freshmarylandseafood.com/ KOOL ICE LINK

At one point Maryland exported tens of millions of bushels annually to the world, but in the last several years production dropped off to around 30,000. or less total bushels annually. Dermo and DSX disease ripped us a new one and we are not catching back up yet. Maryland oysters are around -- but very scarce.

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/recreational/articles/oyster_history.html

The pint jars most of us see at the local seafood market or grocery store say "product of USA" and packaged in Virginia. I always thought that means Chesapeake Oysters from Virginia. It's not. They are brought here from Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana to be packaged in a jar that looks like a local product.

The oyster laws state that all oysters have a packaging label on the BAG or BOX they came in with the location where the oyster was harvested -- ALWAYS ASK TO SEE IT -- know what you are eating.

They will try and trick you in some places. In Fells Point at Sal's I always ask where they came from -- and they always say "Chincoteague" ... period! They don't know any other word.

Then, when the sack of oysters comes out, the label says "Mississippi"
... OOPS!

Ms. large made a list of trends for 2008 and these were un-moderated comments ... SGI says: McCormick and Schmick but I say no-no, I had tired and dried out old oysters.

David said: I like the BPs ... me too, but Blue Point from where? That's like saying somewhere on the N.E. part of America. BP from what State or area Davis?

Fairfax says: her best oysters are Lewes Delaware, fresh-caught. Enormous, salty and delicious ... (Lewes oysters are hurting too and have the Dermo and DSX disease and are usually pretty small guys so I wonder if Fairfax took a gander at that LABEL? --I wonder if it could have said Missippi?)

Jane Martin agrees with me: ... Ryleigh's Oyster is by far the new place SERIOUS about oysters.

Oyster writer Jairemarie Pomo lists 48 North American versions of oysters in her book http://www.hogislandoysters.com/ . I have four other oyster books but hers is the best recent one. She does a poor job with her knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay Oystermen and their product. But, she is selling Hog Island and a book and not our Chesapeake Bay.

I tried lots of other oyster places and to many to mention. Gibby's, Whistling Oyster, Koopers Tavern and a host of other "not worth mentioning" joints. The only one serving FRESH & ICE COLD oysters in abundance is Ryleigh's Oyster.

There is no place else in town, or probably the state, that is doing it this good with oysters!

So ... is Chef Patrick Marrow Baltimore's Iron Chef? I think he may be. Look what else he's serving at Ryleigh's that isn't an oyster.

What I like is the bar at Ryleigh's Oyster seats about 20 and I never saw more than two ugly guys seated there, including me. I saw stunning beautiful oyster eating women.

If I was a guy in my 30's, for sure Hon, I'd park my new Porsche 960 Turbo out front and be sniffing the "Opium" perfume from the nape of the neck of these girls. After a cold glass of Dom Pérignon and a dozen slurpers I'll be offering them a drive around the block in my 960 Turbo to my "High Rise" but we're not talking condo!

See and be seen! That's the game and I'm not going anywhere else for my EYE CANDY & APHRODISIAC-OYSTERS.

Hon says: oysters they're ..."aphrodisiac"!! ... and she gets the BLUE RIBBON. These salty, cold, slimmy-slurppy morsels are just that. A little French Dom Pérignon Champagne or frozen Premium Imported Chopin Vodka with that ice cold oyster starts it off with near perfection. Maybe add some Beluga Caviar and Cazart! ... you are gonna get lucky Bunky.

The Sunday afternoon that we were there, Ryleigh's Chef Morrow brought out, and we tasted Discover Bay -- Beau Soleil -- Wellfleet -- Foggy Cove -- Alpine -- Nantucket Bay -- Chincoteague -- and Snowhill Oysters. All fantastic!! Some raw on the half and some sauced and others baked. RYLEIGH'S OYSTER

... it's the real place for a Baltimore Oyster

MODERATED COMMENT:

shizuokagourmet has left a comment on your post

"BALTIMORE'S RYLEIGH'S OYSTER MAKES THEIR BETS ON T..."

Dear Wilbur:

Do not worry about the "only 2 ugly guys and 1 was me".

It bleeding happens to me all the time on this side of the Pacific!

Oysters! I'm a lucky bastard here in Japan, as I can and do regularly buy them fresh at the market in Shizuoka Station when they don't come directly from nearby Hamana Lake!

Tend not only to eat them fresh (although I think Tabasco is a bit of an insult to such delicate morsels! Oh, well... Fleetwood Mac, 1967) but also cook them in all manners. Last Sunday I concocted a Gratin with some of them for my worse half. Also made a mean souffle with them!

Great article and great pics! (But who am I to judge? LOL)

Cheers,

Robert-Gilles

... Beluga Bomb's Baltimore! ...

2008-01-09T15:56:00.000-05:00

HEAD LINES - HEAD LINES

READ ALL ABOUT IT!!

Iranian Beluga Bombs in Baltimore

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

CLICK IMAGE FOR FULL VIEW

Beluga Caviar & White Godiva is a Beluga-Bomb

Ms. Elizabeth Large, Baltimore Sun Food Critic, made a list of trends for 2008.

By chance, I had just written about Baltimore's Hot Oyster Scene and Ryleigh's Oyster in Federal Hill, which she published with my permission. It was one of her trends.

My next "tale" was to be about "Molecular Gastronomy" but I'm doing this "Umami" thing instead because she also mentioned Umami in her trends. Her list also includes some of what I feel is bad info on UMAMI.

She speaks of MSG with Umami Bombs but I think a more accurate story is this ...Check out her earlier post.

UMAMI in very simple terms means a "5th quintessential flavor of deliciousness after sweet, bitter, sour and salt that triggers a sensation of craving" ... maybe your Mamma's fried chicken or Poppy's Christmas Cookie with those tiny little chocolate chips he always brought back memories of the Old Country.

So, is Umami the FAT and SUGAR ingredient, we crave it, it makes you salivate ... remember?

There's a good book I've had for several years, written by Anna Kasabian and David Kasabian on UMAMI [ümami is pronounced, oo-ma-me] and here's a link http://www.umamicafe.com/

I think David and Anna would both rather eat Plutonium from a rusty glowing tin can in Chernobyl, Russia than eat a Umami Bomb in NYC. --LOL--

What is happening, in my opinion, with this Umami Bomb is more "Molecular Gastronomy" than Umami.

Dr. Hervé This and Dr. Kurti get all the credit for "Molecular Gastronomy". They're the fathers. http://khymos.org/pairings.php

Think more about that great Sunday Mom's fried chicken you miss (fat) than the $185. cup of Truffles and Parma cheese custard from NYC that you don't miss and never will.

All these new Umami chefs are doing is what was done ages ago by Chefs preceding them. Think Tailevent -- La Varenne -- Careme -- Escoffier or even Bocuse, who eliminated lots of fat in Nouvelle French Cuisine.

Almost anything tastes better with a little Guerande 'Fleur De Sel and freshly cracked Sarawak Lampong-Sumatran black pepper corn, so that must make salt and pepper Umami?

Gary Danko's Tomato Soup, shown on the Sun link, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119706514515417586.html isn't so different than most great chef's soups but he adds Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, so does Umami take place?

If Baltimore's most-extraordinary-chef, Cindy Wolf, http://www.charlestonrestaurant.com/ made a Umami-roasted-tomato-soup and put it through a French Chinois she would probably call it a bisque and substitute a better Parmigiano-Reggiano Vacche Rosse (from the original red-cows that are now very rare) add a dab of the best French butter, Jean-Yves Bordier French La Beurre and then shave some fresh French Perigord Black Winter Truffles on it and according to Danko it's now become Umami.

--NOT!-- and Chef Wolf's will taste better than Chef Danko's too ... and only cost us $109.00 with 6 courses from the tasting menu.

Another Bomb that I've made recently is a Beluga-Bomb. Dr. This combines flavors that ordinarily you would not combine to made a dish -- IE: fish eggs and chocolate.

It is a recipe paring from Dr. Hervé This, but I never got much 'Bang for my Buck'!

You can try this at home with high end white chocolate (I made it with Godiva) and Iranian Black Beluga ooo Caviar, I did it in my home so it was a bit cheaper but still pretty dear.

Trust me it's FAD not Umami either. It's "Molecular Gastronomy"
You won't go home saying to your self ... mmmmm, if I'd only stopped off for a box of $185. Parmigiano-Reggiano Rosse cheese custard with white truffles at Jean-Georges'.

You can try this "Molecular Gastronomy" cuisine locally in Washington D.C. at Jose Andrés Restaurant. Seems I paid $800.00 for elBulli Chef Ferran Adriá, trained in "Molecular Gastronomy" but I only got Amuse-Bouche -- SO NOT WORTH IT--

QUINTESSENTIAL C U I S I N E©: ~~Jose Andrés MiniBar in Washington D.C.~~

"elBulli" in Roses, Spain is the current World's Best Michelin 3 star Restaurant. According to Michelin 3 star chef Chef Ferran Adriá, he's making "Molecular Gastronomy" ... not Umami.

http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2006/06/22/el-bulli-roses-spain-the-mad-scientist/

We all have opinions -- this one is mine.

I left a message for David Kasabian to comment and his partner Craig Purdy of Umami Cafe just did.

HERE IT IS:

He also said Umami Cafe owner's Anna Kasabian and David Kasabian will do an interview on NBC's Today Show tomorrow morning, Thursday January 10th, to talk the talk about Umami.

Dear Wilbur,

According to Dr. Peter Cooper, Professor of organic chemistry at Cornell University's Medical School; Glutamic Acid, the organic basis of the “umami” taste, whether it comes from duck, foie gras, truffles, potato chips or caviar, is chemically identical to the crap they make by the shipload at Ajinimoto in Japan. Technically both are Monosodiumglutamate. It is unfortunate that the chemical name confuses both natural and fabricated flavorings. The difference is, that, at Umami Café, as well, I am certain, at Jean Georges, etc. we simply select natural food products known to have high levels of glutamic acid (umami) and use these foods to their best advantage. Neither Umami Café nor Jean Georges use food additives to create the umami flavor. Also, tomorrow, Thursday, January 10th, David and Linda Kasabian will both be appearing on the Today Show, NBC, to broadly discuss the topic. Although you could feed a party of 6 for less than $ 185 at Umami Café, I have no judgement about the ability, nor wisdom of Mr Vongerichten’s “umami bomb” at that price. Umami is “real”. It’s been a trade secret for years, that certain foods make you crave. We select those foods and try to incorporate at least 2 ingredients with high levels of “umami” to create that “gotta have some more” flavor experience.

Hope that’s helpful.

Sincerely,
Craig Purdy Partner -

Umami Cafe

I AM SUCH A PIG ABOUT CAVIAR

MODERATED COMMENT:

shizuokagourmet has left a comment on your post:
"... Beluga Bomb's Baltimore! ..."
Sweet and salted ... Why not?
I do love my caviar, too! I have this Russian music Professor friend, Alexander in Shizuoka City, who once brought back a present of 200 grm. just for me! My worse half hating it, I just gorged myself on it!
Have you heard or tasted French caviar from sturgeons raised in the Gironde Estuary?
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles

Hi Robert-Gilles in Japan:

I was shocked whilst doing the research for the Beluga Bombs caviar post that only 100 Beluga Sturgeons are allowed to be caught (now) each year for the whole wide world, yummmmmmm, it seems we ate them all! There are still lots of others like the smaller fish, Osetra & Sevruga, that are not "ENDANGERED" SO, LET'S EAT THEM FROM NOW ON ... or that other Petrossian tasty treat, 'French Gironde Estuary'. fish-egg-stuff **lol**

Wilbur in Maryland, USA

A MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE RED SNAPPER & OYSTER STEW IS A WAY TO BITE THE DOG THAT BIT YOU!

2008-01-02T12:38:00.000-05:00

~ OMG! IT'S 01/01/2008 ALREADY~

GET THAT FUR OUTTA YOUR MOUTH BOYS!

... IT'S A BRAND NEW YEAR !

IT'S TIME FOR VODKA & MARYLAND OYSTER STEW

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

My Maryland family has some EASTERN SHORE traditions that I really like.

Maryland Oyster Stew on New Year's Day is one. A Red Snapper is another.

When the New Year's Eve Celebration hangover-dog bites you on the ass, here is exactly what to do.

We drink a straight-up (sans ice) frozen Polish, triple distilled, 80 proof, Potato Vodka called "LUKSUSOWA" ... add some chilled Sacramento T. J., splash over a bit of Original Louisiana® Hot Sauce, a dash of Lea & Perrin's, (did you know (L&P) it's made from fermented anchovies?) spoon in a bit of fresh horseradish, then crush a touch of black pepper and a tiny bit of fleur de sel.

[BUT NO BEATING IT UP OR SHAKING IT, STIRRING IT OR IN ANY WAY BLENDING THE SEPARATE FLAVORS SO A SEPARATE TASTE OF EACH INGREDIENT WILL COME THROUGH AFTER YOU'VE GULPED. THAT'S IMPORTANT!]

After you'd made it and you are ready to drink, just down the whole 6 oz. thing in one gulp. If you make a 12 oz. cocktail then it becomes a nurse's drink, a lil girls sipper and what you need is a hammering gulper to snap you back to reality.

Hence the name Red Snapper. We call this a Ms. Mary's Quintessential Red Snapper.

The original Bloody Mary has some garden stuff that we don't like. Say no to lime salted rims, slices or wedges of lemon or lime, no ice cubes (dilutes the flavors) and no celery salt? Well, it's just that ... celery salt.
Originally in Europe the drink was called a "Red Rooster" and it was made with GIN, not VODKA, then a "Ruddy Mary" and then a "Red Eye" and finally a "Red Snapper" before Hemingway's famous consumption of these, with a raw egg thrown in, took place in 1921 at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. Made with Gin.

The real reason for the success of the Bloody Mary is when Bartender Peter Petiot, Harry's NY Bar's original famous bartender, took his recipe with him and left to work at a New York City hotel.

Vodka was so cheap that the Russians couldn't give it away and Heinz 57 had just introduced T. J. in a can for the very first time. Mr. Petiot no longer had to run the fresh tomatoes through a hand mill to jus them. He'd pop open a can of Heinz 57 T. J. and pour the dirt cheap Russian Vodka over his other secret ingredients brought from Paris.

BINGO! -- It's all about making money. He used 2¢ worth of products and had the $$ signs in his eyes, so he charged "top-shelf" liquor prices to the rich and famous of the Big Apple and the Vodka Bloody Mary was born.

... the rest is now a New Year's Day dog biting history lesson. Within a matter of minutes the dog bite will disappear and you can make Maryland Oyster Stew.

I make this Maryland Oyster Stew with a dozen "large select oysters" per serving.

My Maryland Oyster Stew Recipe:

1 T. small shallot finely minced

1 T. broad leaf Italian parsley, also minced

1 t. (level) celery seed (not salt)

2 - 3 T. European butter [high end 82% fat]

-- start with med. heat and wilt the shallots

and above items in the butter

*** add the 12 oysters 1/2 Pt. jar of large select)

*** but drain the water off from the Pt. jar

-- the oyster will release it's own oyster jus

when it begins to cook

-- add 1/4 C. heavy cream

*** add when the oyster just starts to curl it's edges

Continue to cook for a few more minutes and

watch the boil does not over cook the oysters.

Total cooking time is only 4 to 5 minutes

from the start of the entire process.

Pour into a warm bowl and crack some black pepper

and French sea salt over the top.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS ...

Chesapeake Bay Oysters in Baltimore

2007-12-26T17:53:00.000-05:00

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

plush and luxurious in Baltimore's Federal Hill

RYLEIGH'S OYSTER 410-539-2093

http://www.ryleighs.com/

Brian M. McComas with Chef Patrick A. Morrow

Ryleigh's Oyster offers almost a dozen oyster varieties daily

... these are Baltimore's best by far!

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

Ryleigh's Oyster is named after Brian's daughter.

Sal's (above) in the Fell's Point Market in Baltimore has

Mexican shuckers but rarely any customers

... at Nick's you load up with clams and steamed Baltimore Spiced shrimp and a cheap cold draft beer to go with your ice cold oysters ...

B4 & AFTER HOT SAUCE'D OYSTERS AND A DRAFT

Nick's Raw Bar is so popular it's SRO during happy hour at the Cross Street Market, Baltimore

Nick's at noon on a Wednesday is almost full
Lou Fleming's a "SHUCKER" and he will be shuckin' & jivin' for you

at Faidley's in Lexington Market

EAT OYSTERS, LIVE LONGER

says Lou & he'll shuck for your next event

443-851-6556

orders@lousoysterandclam.com

... over 60 years in the Baltimore area and for the first time I saw raw oyster eaters putting sliced hard boiled egg on a raw oyster!
~ 'LIVE & LEARN' ~

HOT SAUCE - HOT SAUCE - HOT SAUCE

AND MORE HOT SAUCE

HOT SAUCE & HORSERADISH COCKTAIL SAUCE ... AND ADD A SLICE OF EGG.

~TO EACH HIS OWN~

... I just like a little squeezed lemon.

Lou is a shucking happy guy ... and fast too.

I keep a BIG COLD box of iced Chincoteaques on my deck

... for when I need my Baltimore oyster fix.

SLURP 'EM!!!

IF I WAS FROM TEXAS? but I'm not!

2007-11-01T12:57:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling

WELL ... I’M FROM MARYLAND!

CLICK FOR FULL VIEW

and we aint eatin' no rattle snakes here Bubba ...

we're eatin' JUMBOS! A.K. Hon?

MY MARYLAND CRABBER CALLED
AND SAID HE HAD THE
LAST OF THE 8½ INCH MONSTER
"JUMBO-JIMMY’S" FOR THE
NEXT 8 MONTHS -- HON.

I said ..."but it's November 1st?"...

then he said,

"YOU WANT'em or NOT"?

… maybe I’d have a taste for the live beating heart of a RATTLE SNAKE, like Bourdain eats in Vietnam! Or, if I was a Cincinnati-kinda-banker-guy, I’d learn to love a bowl of 4-way SKYLINE CHILI. A cousin use to swear that Armadillo in Oklahoma was the best thing he’d ever eaten. In North Carolina it’s PULLED-PIG in hot pepper flake & vinegar and KC loves the RIBS … all burnt up, dry and over cooked. In Philly they line up in the snow for a Pat’s Philly Cheese Steak Wit. My fat, ugly niece was so stupid the called Florida alligators … snallygasters whilst she belched and pulled at the three inch growth of hair under her arm pits. My friends in Maine eat slimy, slithery ells instead of lobster and my buddy Chuck, in S.F California, http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2007/10/16/rias-de-galicia-barcelona-spain-reference-seafood/#more-182 has probably eaten more foaming truffles on raw fish than any other human on the planet ... and I have to eat these hot steamed MONSTER JUMBO things!

The crabber guy said he caught some foot long CRAYFISH two weeks ago -- so we’ll see how they might taste with some Old Bay Seasoning.

Maybe I'll eat one of them and send one to Chuck-Eats to see if they were any good.

--LOL--

CYA SOON ABOUT

ICE COLD OYSTERS

MARYLAND'S FALL MONSTER JUMBOS

2007-09-17T09:39:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

... at the end of September & start of

October come the biggest,

heaviest and fattest

JUMBOS CRABS of the year !!

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

8 INCHES-10 INCHES, nuttin' 2-it!

1 JUMBO PER POT THEY ARE SO BIG
no beer for a while says the Doctor
..."MONSTERS"...
the sweetest corn

my creation of a "free stone" PEACH PIE

seedless, honey sweet, Maryland water melon

... THAT'S ALL FOR THE MOMENT

END OF THE SEASON & OUR MARYLAND SUMMERTIME WAY OF LIFE

2007-08-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

... IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE ...

and here are some pix of some of the things that we love!

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

EVERYONE HAS A FAVORITE and the FooFoo

IS EVERY ONE'S FAVORITE

... the Budz

Maryland Jumbo Jimmies

Honor's close "Budz" -- l. to r.

Diane, Honor holding FooFoo, Brittany & Bobbie

Honor says ..."Dad it's like a Ratatouille, only baked and better!"...
HONOR (with FooFoo & Chewie Puppies looking on from the deck) in my tomato garden gettin' Jiggie Wit-it ~~LOL~~

local corn and my organic tomato

Maryland sweet "Silver King" at the end of August

believe it or not this is a half bushel of RED & YELLOW peppers after roasting

roasted summer red & yellow peppers

roasted hen in olive oil & organic rosemary

...NEXT IS THE END OF THE SEASON BLUES

& NO MORE CORN - TOMATOES & JUMBO JIMMY WIT DA BUDz.

you only get this in MARYLAND, the QUINTESSENTIAL CHEESE BURGER

2007-07-28T13:04:00.000-05:00

USDA Prime Burger photograph by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400
... also eaten by Wilbur M. Reeling

KEEP IT SIMPLE

... but thick! ~lol~

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

HOW TO BEST USE A "MARYLAND"

CENTER CUT SLICE of RIPE TOMATO

TOMATO RECIPE

step #1: USDA Prime ALLEN BROTHERS' freshly ground "Steakhouse Steak Burger" http://www.allenbrothers.com/findProducts.do?categoryId=80 about 6ish oz. and hand-form it into a 4 1/2 inch diameter patty about 3/4 to 1 inch thick.

step #2: 1 fresh garden, sun-ripened, 4 1/2 inch diameter Maryland tomato ... from which you take a 3/4 inch thick slice. [only the the very center now! ... toss the rest out]

step #3: 1 slice of 1/8" medium-thick Amish Farmhouse Sharp Cheddar. [melted]

step #4: a lightly toasted bun with a touch of Hellman's Mayo, French Guerande 'Fleur De Sel' Sea Salt & freshly cracked Sarawak Lampong-Sumatra black Pepper. [add S&P just before grilling]

step #5: COOK IT & EAT IT. [Prime #1 beef is best medium rare-ish, about 125 degrees]

YOU GOTTA SEE MY B.L.T. ~LOL~

. . . and admit it now, a tomato is funny!

Corn and JUMBOS coming soon ...

Some of my "SUMMER FLOWERS" & the AMISH at the local GROCERY STORE

2007-07-01T09:17:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

MY FLOWERS ARE NOW IN BLOOM.

THIS IS WHEN LOCAL CRABS, CORN & TOMATOES

START THEIR SEASON

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

a country store near the bay

above: just outside my door is the Chesapeake Bay

Amish transportation to the local market

below: my view from the Perry Point, just off the Bay

below: just yards from my home is the Birthplace & home of the

1st Commodore of the Navy, John Rodgers, and founder of the American Navy.

... ALL FOR NOW

HERE'S SOME GOOD OLE BOY MARYLAND "C R A B - S H A C K S"

2007-06-20T09:37:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

"OLD STYLE MARYLAND'S EASTERN 'SHOW"

Hay! Hon ...

We aint got no JUMBO JIMMIES today ...

but mmmm, what zat you're eatin' anyways?

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

below: This is "Jumbo Jimmy's Crab Shack". They serve classic Eastern Shore CUISINE (so they say on the sign -- but I've never ever seen a Jumbo Jimmy Steamed Crab there!) Take a close look at their menu also, as the name JUMBO must refer to the size of the owner (his name is Doug) maybe and JIMMY, just happens to be the first name of his 2Nd cousin or 3Rd, twice removed --- GOT NUTTIN' 2-DO WIT DA CRABS! ... HON --- but, there must be some delish' food comin' out dat kitchen! ... EVEN IF'n DARE AINT NO JUMBO JIMMY'S AROUND -- CRAB NOR HUMAN.

Don't you think it has some fantastic Classic Eastern Shore Cuisine?

SOME PRETTY FUNNY CRAB JOINTS?

above: this one has my favorite look

Mr. Art got sweet summer corn

Honor got da Jimmy
Mark Horner with a JUMBO
Honor with Cristol, her half Sister

GOOD OLE BOY STUFF THAT THE CRABS GETz CAUGHT IN

a.k. Hon ... 'TIL NEXT TIME

BALTIMORE'S GREAT ETHNIC SAUSAGE

2007-06-09T08:13:00.001-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

Hay! Hon ...

zat a JADSCHNITTEN you're eatin'?

Who's left in the city for the "OLD WORLD" European treats?

... only KRAKUS DELI in Fells Point

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

below: have a smoked sausage treat from BALTIMORE'S VERY BEST "KRAKUS DELI" and take it to the BEST BEER HOUSE (Max's on Broadway) ... they don't mind!

Here's BILL CRABILL at MAX'S Best Beer (in the top 20 in the World!) having more than one ...

He is now a -- "PROFESSIONAL

German Beer un der wurst on

Schinkenbrot consultant" -- he drives up to Baltimore from Vienna, Virginia

for both a consultation on a hot one and a few cold ones too.

Krakus Deli below

KRAKUS DELI, the very BEST IN BALTIMORE,

FELLS POINT ... call the owner to reserve fresh sausage just made
Walter Flis owner
(410) 732-7533

below: BINKERT'S GERMAN MEATS

above: owners, Sonya (daughter of founder Egon Binkert) & her husband Lothar Weber

BinkertsMeat@comcast.net

BINKERT'S GERMAN MEATS

(410) 687-5959

GERMAN SAUSAGES JUST

LIKE YOU ATE IN GERMANY!

BRATWURST - NUERNBERGER - WEISSWURST - FRANKFURTER

BAUERWURST - WIENERS - DEBRIZINER

TIROLER - ZUNGENWURST - SOUSE

LIBERKAESE - LANDJAEGER - HOLSTEINER

KASSELER - WESTPHALIAN - SPECK

... just to name a few.

SPRINGTIME ORGANIC AMISH PEAS - ASPARAGUS & STRAWBERRIES

2007-06-02T20:33:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR

IS RIGHT NOW!

THIS IS WHEN EVERYTHING IS IN BLOOM

AND THE VEGGIES SO FRESH, SWEET AND TENDER.

IT IS SAID THAT THIS IS THE "BEST" FARMLAND

EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER --

What do you think?

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

... NEXT IS CORN - TOMATOES & JUMBO JIMMY.

~IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND THEY ASK ... 'whatcha doin' -- HON, eatin'?~

2007-05-27T09:42:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400
...WUZ-ZUP-WIT-CHEW?...
DIS-UP-WIT-ME
If you talk the talk -- you'd better walk the walk!

This is some Maryland Eastern 'Show ... walkin'

I owe this one to Chez Pim, she gets credit for this idea http://chezpim.typepad.com/blogs/

I just thought it was a good one

IF YOU GREW UP IN THE 60'S, LIKE ME, YOU ONLY KEPT YOUR ..."MARY JANE"... FROZEN -- THEN YOUR COFFEE BEANS - BEN and JERRY'S and now "FOIE GRAS" -LOL- HERE'S MY STOCKED FULL FRIG & FREEZER, EXACTLY AS IT WAS AFTER THIS MORNING'S REPAST -- NO EDITING -- JUST THE "RAW PIX!"

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

below: the r.front: DUCK BREAST & r.rear: w/GOLD LABEL FOIE GRAS

below: wine & champagne rack
below: the daily drinkers
below: breakfast of soft boiled Amish free-range eggs, Cave aged Farmer's Double Gloucester, French preserves & bread with Jana Valley+82 butter, Guerande 'Fleur De Sel' Sea Salt & Sarawak Lampong-Sumatra black pepper ... and a whole lotta of UMAMI !!
below: part of my 1000 COOK BOOK COLLECTION
below: walk to the front door and enter

below: my Spring Gardens

below: ... just a pix of our puppy and friend's "SOYKHER" Racing Porsche that he let's me use to shop for Foie Gras on Saturday morning (so it won't take me to long!) -- LOL -- the car was rolled last season and waits for the new stickers & decals
left: Igor Soykher -- middle: FoFoPuppy -- right: Ole' Uncle Ernie

below: my drive way, a Maryland Winter ... impossible to walk & tuff to drive that Porsche

Honor's Jag "S" Type -- my Turbo Saab
SNACKS

left: nuts - cheese - salmon / right: German sausage

the snack table, returning from the walk in Baltimore to find it

above: ... some bottom walkers that didn't walk fast enough -lol-

some top-shelf talkers that also walk the walkabove: Honor & some soft, fluffy 7 pounders or ... "FoFo & Chewy"

"things on the sofa that never walk"

("FOX TROT" 2006, Collection Mr. and Mrs. Robert Simko)

... the things on my last canvas that took a WALK

above: things recently added to my studio storeroom worth walking for

"BIG-BOYS-WALKING"

SOME OF MY COLLECTION -- FAVORITE BELGIAN SIPPERS

I love the Belgian XXX-Trips the best -- I like sippppppping 'em

... then you can't walk [OR DRIVE]

... so, they say on TV -- What's in your wallet ? and I say, what's in your frig ?

DATz ALL FOR THIS TIME -- CYA

HONG KONG SUSHI...Maryland Style

2007-05-24T11:44:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

& this one is for Chuckeats Sushi and Truffles and Porsches

..."is putting parsley trees in Wasabi Dragons an ART FORM?"...

When you live in the middle of nowhere and you are surrounded by people who know nothing, this is what you get.

Several years ago after an interview with a chef from China that did not speak English, I asked to see his credentials from the Cooking Institute where he said he had graduated. They gave me a photo copy of a document in Chinese characters that I could not read.

WHEN I HAD IT TRANSLATED IT WAS HIS PUBLIC LIBRARY CERTIFICATE

-- you gotta be careful

above: need I say more?
above: mmm, mmm good stuff when you can make wasabi shaped like a fish too

above: a la Maryland Eastern Show!!... half tomato garnish with wonderful lemon

above: some ..."delish"... curley leaf parsley and carrot Mangeoire de Garde a la Hong Kong

above: just Chuckle ... by yourself ... please
above: Honor's pretty RED NAILS hold and show a proper chop stick technique for the Eastern 'Show, Hon --lol-- but ready for another heaping helping of wasabi a la mountain lemon with parsley volcano eruption
below: NO - NO - NO ... this is Hong Kong Tempora, no matter what you say!
below: WE ARE OFTEN ABLE TO ESCAPE ... QUICKLEY IF NEED BE!

180MPH on the straight and ... almost ready for the season

dasz how we do on da Eastern 'Show -- Hon!

--LOL --

~dats the end of that one folks!~

PS - follow-up ... Tuesday May 25th
-- OMG! --

Sometimes my sense of humor is just "cursed" ...

Already, dozens and dozens of you have eMAILED me how wonderful the HONG KONG food must have been when all along I was making fun of "HOW HORRIBLE THE FOOD WAS" ... the Real Stuff is here --

http://chuckeats.com/blog3/2007/05/16/kuruma-zushi-ny-the-wrong-quadrant/#more-146

That terrible Sushi with the Hong Kong "SPIN" and Dragon Wasabi has about as much to do with the quality of a 3 star Michelin Restaurant like American famed Chef Thomas Keller's French Laundry in Yountsville, serving "PAVE" OF JAPANESE MEDAI "AMANDINE" with Melted Fennel Bulb, Black Winter Truffles "Pignons de Pins" & Grains of Paradise as compared to the RT. 66 Holiday Inn in Barstow at the Chinese Laundry ... "asking you, light or heavy starch!!"

SHAPE UP FOLKS... please

Jose Andrés MiniBar in Washington D.C.

2007-05-05T10:30:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400

..."stop putting FOAM on my food!"...

Jose Andrés MiniBar is not a

"BIG BOY ON THE CULINARY PLAYGROUND"

... more like a BULLi !

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

below: PASSION FRUIT "TEQUILA SUNRISE"

below: Ernie Nagy, Chef & owner of the waterfront

"Tidewater Restaurant" in Havre de Grace, Maryland

with my daughter Honor at the MiniBar

"molecular gastronomy"

FANTASTIC FOOD & CERTAINLY A "bib gourmand"

. . . BUT A MICHELIN 3 STAR PRICE?
-- for 3 of us $697 on Visa, plus $9o for cash gratuities --

MiniBar tasting menu

My favorite TV food line is from Desperate Housewives when BRIE'S SON asked her when she was going to stop serving CUISINE and start serving some FOOD? -lol-

... with MiniBar TV STAR Executive Chef Katsuya Fukushima.

Chef Katsuya's parents have retired to Havre de Grace, MarylandIt is certainly a MAJOR stretch to pay $697 & a separate cash $90 tip for 3 people to eat a "molecular gastronomy" dinner in a place that resembled a twenty year old tacky threadbare Chi-Chi’s Mexican Restaurant. We had a never ending stream of Hors d' oeuvres ~ Mezze ~ Tapas or what seemed like a never ending ‘Amuse-Bouché ’... but we did it at what was thought to be the first class José Andrés MiniBar. WHAT A SHOCK!

below: chefs of Café Atlántico in the open kitchen

below: "molecular gastronomy" Chef Michael Turner & CURRIED CHICKEN WINGS

below: OLIVE OIL BON BON

above: "molecular gastronomy" Chef Michael Turner was playing the MiniBar part all evening of "hated Chef Marcel" from Bravo TV's big hit show Top Chef, but ... "BEST F@*&# ing Manly Man, live-beating Cobra heart eating, CHEF IN THE WORLD & Real TV Star & Real Chef Anthony "Tony" Bourdain" said of Marcel in Bravo’s Top Chef TV --"Marcel Vigneron’s self-love is as garish and repellent as his winged hairdo"

below: "molecular gastronomy" Chef Ryan Moore was our winner "Ilan" and FAV of the MiniBar 3-ring event, ... says NY Times of Bravo’s Top Chef TV SHOW WINNER, "Ilan", Only in contrast to Marcel does Ilan Hall seem humble and winsome. Don’t be duped. In this season’s first episode he flatly declared, ..."I want to be famous"...below: BAGELS & LOX ..."stop putting FOAM on my food!"...

Chef Katsuya Fukushima & Chef Ernie's tee-shirt poke fun at .."FOAM"..

below: (front) TUMBLEWEED OF BEET & APPLE CRISPS
APPLE CRISPS

below: MARACUYA - MARSHMALLOW - PIÑA COLADA

In 2003 MiniBar was given a 3 star review from the Washington Post’s Dining Guide but downgraded in 2006 and is now down to 2 and a fraction stars out of a possible 4.
In a 3 STAR MICHELIN you need literal perfection every time, not some times. A restaurant is rated for food, wine, service and ambience. But, expect to pay at least $200 per person, usually a lot more for a complete 3 STAR MICHELIN dinner.

below: MATCHBALL

below: THAI DESSERT
below: "SUN DRIED" TOMATO SALAD
below: ZUCCHINI IN TEXTURES
below: DECONSTRUCTED GLASS OF WHITE WINE (partially eaten)
DECONSTRUCTED GLASS OF WHITE WINE (11 flavors on gilee)
below: SALMON-PINEAPPLE "RAVIOLI" WITH CRISPY QUINOA
below: COTTON CANDY FOIE GRAS
below: "CORNBREAD"
below: SMOKED OYSTER AND APPLES
below: CORN ON THE COB
below: EGG 63* WITH CAVIAR

below: PISTACHIO-BEETS AND MIXED BERRIES

below: "PHILLY CHEESESTEAK"

below: NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER

below: CAESAR SALAD

below: JAPANESE BABY PEACHES WITH YOGURT

below: BREADED CIGALA WITH SEA ASPARAGUS

PERHAPS MiniBar is trying to attain a level below 1 STAR MICHELIN ("bib gourmand") but I still think it’s a major stretch to rate it as a MICHELIN bib gourmand. To get that you need 40 percent of the overall score to food, 30 percent to wine and 15 & 15 percent each to service and ambiance.

~40% FOOD: -- no way José -- Both MiniBar owner and Chef José Andrés and Executive Chef Katsuya Fukushima, were trained at the 3 STAR MICHELIN Restaurant "elBulli" in Roses Spain under it’s owner & 3 star Chef Ferran Adriá. The thesis of elBulli Cuisine #2 is ..."The use of top quality products and technical knowledge to prepare them properly"... BUT WE WERE SERVED truffles from Oregon not Perigord or even Piedmond d' Alba, Osetra Caviar from Uruguay (I think Costco sells it), WAGYU beef, well done Sirloin.
~30% WINE: -- no way José -- 2 of the whites were served warm and I thought a red that I had to drink was bad. I would have trashed it ... but no one ever asked!
~15% SERVICE: -- no way José -- our wait-person, Pablo, left empty wine and water glasses and never even one time asked if everything was okay. He must have slipped home for a while when I wanted a cold replacement for my warm white wine or the bad red. A bigger bother to me was that he did not replace the soiled and used utensils even after being asked over&over after the 4th & 5th course.
~15% AMBIANCE: -- no way José -- the place looked worn, dismal and tired over-all, sort of threadbare like a 20 year old Chi-Chi’s that has never been re-decorated. The wrapped copper bar (was a leftover 6 seat Sushi Bar) looked as though it had not been cleaned or polished for weeks & weeks. It was covered with lots of dark stains. Lots of wine glass and watermark stains, big and little stains and it was scratched and dented. When I asked why it was not cleaned and polished I was told Chef Andrés liked the "RUSTIC LOOK". I thought it just looked dirty. Also, a lot of the service items and in particular the wine glasses and utensils looked very tired and very cheap. I was told they were purchased at Wallymart – no shit, no lie, Wal-Mart (and I think that’s where the pretend Riedel wine glasses came from by the looks of ‘em).

Compared to what? After thinking about my credentials to write these ‘NOT SO GOOD’ things, I have to say that I have eaten in more than twenty different 3 STAR MICHELIN Restaurants and many like Taillevent, Le Bernarin (while Gilbert Le Coze was Chef), Jöel Robuchon, La Tour d’Argent and Plaza Athenee in Paris, dozens of times. There’s also Monte Carlo’s 3 star Louis XV, and the Negresso in Nice during the film festival in France plus many others. I just cannot imagine the 3 STAR MICHELIN Chef Thomas Keller allowing this in one of his restaurants.

This entire meal had no UMAMI, (deliciousness, triggering a sensation of craving) as if it was missing the thread to hold it all together. When I left, far from quenched or satiated, I cannot think of a single "molecular gastronomy" food that I’m yearning to return to eat again, even had the surroundings been like a 3 star Louis XV .

All this "fuzz, foams, bubbles, smoke & mirrors" will end for us when "Sam & Sue’s Sip and Bite Restaurant" find a way to serve you foam on your scrambled eggs and bacon.

Thinking about the UMAMI factor while writing this -- I actually drove to South Philly and had the best one. A Pat's "KING OF STEAK" wit Cheez Whiz, load 'a Rib Eye, lil fried onion on a FRESHLY BAKED ITALIAN LOAF for just $7.00 (plus about $30 in gas)

The funny thing is for all you non-gourmet types is the BEST PHILLY SUB is not Geno's or Pat's wit Whiz ... it's a TONY LUKE'S ROAST PORK wit BROCCOLI ROBE.

--LOL --

PS --Tuesday May 8th, 9:30PM
....mmmmmm..... Boy! I have had more phone calls, letters and eMAILS saying they were so sorry that things were such a let down at MiniBar that I feel a need to respond.

It wasn't a let down at all -- it was really fun and great learning something new from Chef Ryan Moore and speaking with Chef Katsuya Fukushima and poking fun at ..."foam"... and "molecular gastronomy" in general. We even asked Chef Katsuya Fukushima to be our guest for dinner at my home or Chef Ernie’s restaurant when he next visits his parents in Havre de Grace.

We had a great time (fantastic even) and the food & preparation was 99 on a scale of 100. We are all happy to have gone. I picked up the tab and didn't blink a thimble of "molecular tear juice." –lol-- It was my pleasure. It just was not 1st class.

MARYLAND JUMBO STEAMED CRABS

2007-04-09T09:17:00.000-05:00

NIKON 5400 photography Wilbur M. Reeling

~~JUMBO JIMMY CRAB LOVERS~~

IT'S FINALLY HERE ... IF YOU CAN FIND A FEW MINUTES,

AND YOU ARE READY FOR STEAMED CRABS

A LA "MY" MARYLAND STYLE!

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

above: my extra happy buddy Mr. Art & a 10"er . . .

JUMBO JIMMY! Hard to find & equally as expensive

. . . more Jimmy's at near 10" point to point

above: a dozen dead soldiers - dipped in melted crab butter or dipped in vinegar with dill pickles but usually with summer ripe tomatoes rubbed across the top of the spicy shell served with hot steamed corn on the cob

above: at my house, a cold IMPORTED HEINE

(no wine with steamed crabs)

hot melted crab dip`n butter, sweet Maryland corn & ripe tomatoes

just off the vine. Some like slaw & hot fresh bread & butter

and after, some soft 'half melted' Ben & Jerry's

above: CRABS & BEST FRIENDS

... on the Eastern`Show of Maryland and a few

"JUMBO JIMMY'S!" -- wa can I getcha Hon! ...
& ... more Jumbo Jimmy's

as always ... Old Mr. Art being a fool

... the mess you have after

~ 8" ... your knife is your ruler!

... a typical Eastern 'Show' CRAB SHACK on the water

... another ice cold bucket of brews

I love Maryland and most of the people that live here too. . . but there are a few things.

In particular, I love JUMBO MARYLAND CRABS (males are called Jimmy) during the summer and soft shells in the Spring, followed up next with tender sweet summer corn and dark red & yellow ripe tomatoes still warm and just off the vine.

If you get a red ripe tomato in Maryland by the 4th of July you are considered a local tomato wizard.

Baltimore also has a good reputation for some of the best micro brews & imported beer bars around (Max's Beer Bar in Fells Point, Baltimore has over 200 fresh drafts and imported bottles) and there’s where the 'crab & beer' problem starts.

You see with crabs you just swill any old beer as long as it's ice cold and in a pitcher.
GOOD BEER JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO GO WITH STEAMED CRABS. -- just cold beer.

The problem with living in the ..."sticks"... on Maryland's Eastern Shore is fitting in -- Hon!

Especially, if you are from the/any Big City, because most around here, deservedly, have and an inferiority complex.

If you want something different you'd better not say a word. Just go with what 'they' are having and shut-up.

Locals drink their 'lite' beer directly from the can or bottle (NO GLASSES HERE) and I actually was asked to leave a dive bar for asking for a glass to drink my beer from -- it's just not permitted. The owner said ..."I'll pay your tab, just don't ever come back here again!"... and he was serious.

The other problem is that the red-neck crabbers that won't sell you the biggest crabs if they find out you've been buying from their competition down the road a piece.

There's not much you can do but bite your own lip ‘til it bleeds and not say a word if you want their JUMBOS to keep on coming all season.

The best way to fit in is that you need to begin with a really dirty baseball cap & a new, all chrome plated, Harley-Hog. Then you need a $50,000.00, 8-MPG, 4X4 'FULL SIZE EXTRA CAB American made pick'em-up truck to drive ... whilst he’s drinking a luke warm can of American brewed lite beer and chain smoking an American Marlboro or a Fat Doobee-Ziggy-zAGGY-Butt on the way to get more of that "delicious" (snick) tasteless lite warm beer.

If you got all that happening all you need now is a stinking big 'ole wet-dog off the crab boat and your "Easy Rider Gun Rack" in the back window --- so, here we go again folks

. . . ANOTHER SUMMER SEASON FOR MY SEARCHING OUT THE BEST OF MARYLAND'S JUMBO JIMMY STEAMED CRABS.

BYE! 4-NOW

AN EVENING of MARYLAND FOOD & LIBATION

2007-04-06T10:53:00.001-05:00

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

MENU
~~ Mes Bons Amis ~~

food and libation

GLACÉ BLUEPOINT OYSTERS NIPPONESE

GHEE SAUTEED FOIE GRAS ~ SIX BAKED sauce Verte BLUEPOINT OYSTERS

BIBB Du Puis SocietÁ Roqufort SALAD ~ RÉMY COGNAC CLASSIC CRAB SOUFFLE

SORBET PÊCHE ~ PRIME BEEF Chantilly créme fraîche horseradish

PAPILLON CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER CUSTARD RUM CAKE

MENU

the Reeling family of Perryville, Maryland

request your presence for an evening of food and libation

KATSKOVA MOSCOW ~ åRussian VODKA CONGELÉ MARTINI
Anchovy stuffed Manzanilla olives
IMPORTED FRENCH Le Chateaulain CAMEMBERT
& RARE NOIR OLIVE TAPENADE
on Ned's Ciabatta

GLACÉ BLUEPOINT OYSTERS NIPPONESE
Chateau de Chasseloir Muscadet sevre et SUR LIE
Szechuan lemon grass & Tres Citrus - Thai Tahini CoConut

Imperial Papaya and Black Bean
Ginger Sesame Tarator - 5 Spice Hoisin & Radish - Watercress & Herb
Tomatillo & Tamari - Tomato Wasabi Horseradish

~Warm Poached Kaffir Lime Creme with Crisp Oyster Cracker ~

GHEE SAUTEED FOIE GRAS

Sauterne Fruit Chutney
Chateau d' Aydie PACHERENC DU VIC BILH

SIX BAKED BLUEPOINT OYSTERS
sauce Verte de amor a la Honor

BIBB SALAD
Walnut, Pear & Du Puis SocietÁ Roqufort

RÉMY COGNAC CLASSIC CRAB SOUFFLE
sans caper per "orders" Honor

SORBET PÊCHE

PRIME BEEF PAPILLON
Chantilly créme fraîche horseradish
Cháteauneuf-du-Pape
DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR
Marrakesh Turnips - Portabella Mushroom - White Asparagus

Black Afghan Carrot with dill - Belgian Endive - Parsnip - Jerusalem Artichoke

Pesto & Parma Stuffed Tomato - Stuffed Këssler Nippon Eggplant

Baby Creamer Potato

Leeks a la créme - Anise Stars & Fennel

CHOCOLATE GRAND MARNIER CUSTARD RUM CAKE
Alexandre Cognac Le Grande Õu

Espresso ˜ Cappuccino

~~ Mes Bons Amis ~~

~ALSO A MOLECULAR GASTRONOMIC TREAT~

2007-03-23T12:53:00.001-05:00

all photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

MARYLAND SUBMARINES
... also a Nautical Vessel !

OK, we're out on the boat bobbing like a cork on a fishing line and we are all greased up so now we decide that we're hungry.

Mmmmm -- What to do? There are two definite schools of thought here to quench that ravenous hunger.

One camp wants to have the food on board. And that's me. Give me a great ice cold, mouthwatering, freshly sliced cool and sweet fruit salad with lots of pineapple, summer peaches, delicious pears, apples, plenty of different sweet delicate berries and Maryland's Eastern Shore melons.

OH BOY-YEAH!! ... But NO!! they say to cold fruit & melons ... and no even to a Delmonte can-‘o-fruit!

OK, or ... maybe a big heaping 'massive pile of pasta salad' with some crisp veggies & dip or nice plump 10 count steamed jumbo shrimp with the Original Maryland Old Bay spices.

NOPE AGAIN ... now the war starts here because we all have our opinions.

When I surveyed some boaters recently, they actually agreed on something. It was the notion of there being two camps for food on a boat. Either eat in a restaurant or eat on board?

I was very surprised to find how many boaters like to have their salami and cheese already in a wrapper called a Sub Roll. About 80% of the boaters I talked to said they wanted to take cold cut Italian Subs on board with them for when the "munchies" arrive. The other guys don't want any food on their boat. ("It makes a mess and you get food crumbs" - GOD forbid!)

For the rest of us there is the fact that we may be a "sub-culture."

The rest of the country may clamor for po' boys and hoagies, grinders, heroes or torpedoes, but I know what really constitutes an awesome gigantic Maryland "Sub" sandwich, and what raises the Sub above those pretenders and what makes it of semi gastronomic nobility.

The original Italian specialty Sub combination features Genoa salami, soppressata, capicolla, prosciutto from Italy, pistachio-studded mortadella, fresh mozzarella or sharp provolone cheese, hot or sweet peppers in an olive tapenade, some olive oil vinaigrette and herbs like basil, parsley and oregano.

The sub is a sandwich of strong tasting cured Italian meats. These are layered into a forearm's length of fresh crusty bread, often with a few slices of Italian cheese and a condiment or two atop them. It is made by Italians, most often, in a family run store and is usually served wrapped-up in paper to eat outside somewhere, preferably on your boat.

It is a meal in a tubular Submarine form and has working class origins. It is said that the Italian sandwich, was first made in New York in the late 19th century, at the Petrucci's Restaurant at 488 Ninth Avenue. The Italian sandwich was mainly served to southern Italian manual laborers who wanted a taste of home — a big one.

~INGREDIENTS IN A MARYLAND SUB~

Panini --bread - Everything begins with the bread. It should be crisp and crusty, not soft and doughy, with a pronounced yeasty flavor. The best bread to use is a good crusty Italian baguette cut in half. If the place has good bread, it's time to look closely at the cold-cut case.

Affettato -- sliced cured meats - Look for high-quality, Genoa salami, capicolla or soppressata, prosciutto di Parma, imported mortadella studded with pistachio nuts too. -- what you want in an Italian Submarine is the taste of home-cured meats.

Formaggio -- cheese - When it comes to mozzarella in subs, you should get it only as a wonderful creamy mozzarella. When it is cut into to make a sub, it's so fresh it spurts some milk. The aged Italian provolone called piccante is a fabulous cheese, but it is so sharp it should be used sparingly.

Dressings & condiments -- can make a huge difference on a sub, but they cannot redeem a bad one. Sliced summer perfectly vine-ripened tomatoes. Fresh basil, can make a sandwich into a work of art. Roasted peppers and olive tapenade can also make a fine addition and just a drizzle of olive oil vinaigrette.

"molecular gastronomy"

2007-03-21T16:32:00.001-05:00

the 130 degree steak!

Dr. Herve This says "good"

... but I'm not so sure.

photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

Although it doesn't look it (in the pix) the center was a perfect-pink-130 degree m.r. pinkish perfection ... served with new Russian fingerings w/Kerry Irish Butter & Spring time creme'd spinach and French bread for lunch today.

I did some of my best work on this molecular gastronomy Wing-Tip from Brooks Bros., but I couldn't save it from itself.

The best we got was a Birkenstock from the "Scratch & Dent"!

.... there is just no way to make a $3 a lb. Round Steak become a $25 a lb. Filet, no matter what Dr. Herve This says. You need to start out with a FILET.

No matter what you do to it, shoe leather is shoe leather -- sows ear v. silk purse, you get the picture.

I did the prep and cooking exactly as Dr. Herve prescribed to save this patient but it was all in vein.

Proper mix & marinate time and temperature, exactly 130 degrees (+or-) 2 degrees the whole time it soaked and .59.999 seconds of extra high heat on each side to finish up.

Still thought it was a wing-tip in disguise.

So much for that idea. ---

~ CHESAPEAKE BAY SOFT SHELL CRABS ~

2007-03-14T09:15:00.001-05:00

CHESAPEAKE BAY SOFT SHELL CRABS ARE HERE!

all photography by Wilbur M. Reeling

CLICK PHOTOS FOR FULL VIEW

bove: A BOX OF "HOTEL" SOFT SHELLS READY TO SHIP
above: THE EMPTY CRAB SHELLS AFTER THEY'VE SLOUGHED

below: THE DARKER LARGER CRAB IS IN 5" of WATER COMING OUT OF THE SHELL OF THE LIGHTER COLORED SMALLER CRAB

above: A BOX OF BAY "WHALES"
In just a few days (April 1st) it will be soft shell crab season on the Chesapeake Bay. It's that time of year everyone waits for with bated breath. When it gets a little warmer in the Spring the local crabbers start their SOFT SHELL CRAB SEASON when the crabs shed their shell, become soft and get bigger. They actually come out of their old shell nearly 40% larger as a new soft crab and as tender & soft as a new born baby's butt.

Eastern Shore soft crabber, Andrea Jacquette, starts her season as soon as possible after the April 1st season's beginning. At first there are few molting crabs but as the weather warms up the number multiplies and stays pretty constant until the early fall when it closes for the season. Once the season is in full swing, Ms. Jacquette gets little sleep as she needs to remove the soft crab every 2 hours or the crab will harden or be eaten by the hard crab. That's 6 whole months worth of getting out of a warm bed and a sound sleep every 2 hours to check the soft crabs.

SOFT SHELL SIZES -- MEASURED FROM THE SHELL'S POINT TO POINT

3 ½" hotel size, is the smallest and in it's first year of life

4 ½" prime size

5 ½" jumbo size

6 ½" whale size

7 ½" slab size and anything larger also. These can be 2 or 3 or more years old.

Last year a very rare occurrence happened when some soft shells were monsters. They were just over 10 incher's, slab size, and were sloughed out in the molt stage and became the biggest of the season.

Stages for hard shells to become soft shells are called by the crabbing professionals as GREEN PEELERS or ready to peel. A pro can look at the under side of the crab and on a finn and see a fuzz-furry area that is changing color. They start out as a green peeler, then the color changes to a black peeler, white, pink and finally red peeler before it becomes a "dead-ripe."

Their next stage is called a buster (as it's busting out of the shell) and within an hour or two it is a new SOFT SHELL CRAB. When it comes out of it's old shell it is about 40% bigger than it was previously in the old shell. At this stage of just coming out it is as soft as room temperature butter. If it's not taken out of the water it will become a paper shell (a very undesirable chewy and leathery-tuffish-membrane forms as the shell starts turning hard again) and the final soft crab term is when it's a SNOT! -- mmmmmmmmm a SNOT! -- Yup.

That means that it'snot soft anymore and s'not hard yet either -- LOL --

a ‘lil real Eastern Show' of Maryland Crabber's lingo~

. . . a.k. Hon!

~MARYLAND de HEN~

2007-03-04T11:21:00.000-05:00

all photographs by Wilbur M. Reeling & Nikon 5400
~MARYLAND de HEN~

ORGANIC, GRASS FED FREE RANGE de HEN @ $1.65lb

... but not "molecular gastronomy"Recently my friend Chuck, at http://chuckeats.com/, blogged a $40.00 S.F. chicken tale.

I think the Farmer's Market chicken fellows are charging you for killing the famous S.F. “Screaming Eagle” at the price you are paying. At that $40.00 price tag they should throw in eating it at the French Laundry and have Keller himself hand-feed it to you. Now come on, mmmmm, it's still just a chicken!!

They're selling a bill-a-goods to you poor San Fran Rubes.

You 'Boys' out there in the West must be nuts to pay that! I think you guys in S.F. are getting the old Navy pick-up-the-soap in the shower deal with those Chicken Farmer's prices!! Only a rube fresh off the boat would be shelling out that kind of money for any kind of hen. IT'S JUST A CHICKEN- come on now ... it didn't come STUFFED with PERIGORD TRUFFLES did it?

above: This is a pix of a hen that I recently prepared for the famous gourmet, Mr. Art Bocutti, in Ragged Point, Maryland just a few minutes drive from Camebridge.

We have a couple of beautiful bucolic farms in the area here in Maryland but my favorite for free-range chicken has become this little ORGANICLY GROWN & GRASS FED "de HEN" from a local Mennonite farmer.

BELIEVE IT WHEN I SAY …"$1.65 per pound and killed & dressed out the day you order it"… and as to the stuffing in Maryland, we like a type called 'select' plump, Chesapeake Bay Blue Point Oyster Stuffing, with a bread dressing , some pine nuts, white wine, Fleur De Sel , fresh cracked Penja Pearl of Cameroon Peppercorns and a touch of fresh herbs. I add the Chop Tank River Oysters from my friend's company, "SOFT & SALTY CRABS 'n OYSTERS" outside of Camebridge, Maryland. I use the very best of everything including the stuffing bread from Ned's Breads in Baltimore and I prefer the Ned's 'Ciabatta' because it's as good as the best of your S.F. sourdough types. (w/out the sour part) Serve 'er up with a bottle of cheap $8.00 Chateau de Chasseloir Muscadet sevre et SUR LIE -- it's like being in Mennonite Maryland Heaven and I'm a Daoist-Chicken-Quintessencetist!

- LOL -

VODKA FIN ~ CONCLUSION ~ EXTR`EMIT`E ~ END`e!

2007-02-26T14:38:00.000-05:00

... The World's Best Premium Vodka tasting got out of hand ...

"so many vodkas ... so little time" -- and then there were all those damned OPINIONS to deal with and the threats of physical violence if their cheesy vodka hadn't made the BIG-BOY-LIST, my knee caps and what was going to happen to them. Not to mention the many ... can't you just tell me who the top ones are, I won't say a word to anyone... Anyway there are thousands of opinions and 29 that were repeatedly offered up and worthy enough to make 'a' list, (no flavors allowed) tossed, were the $4.00 bottles of local Jet Fuel used in the last NASCAR race that da' good-OLE-boys thought should `a been `n clewed`ed.

The count drop off from the 4th to the 5th was great, so the top five5 actually became the four4 that are listed but not in the actual order.

Four out of thirty v. thousands of votes is good enough and it's all just "opinions" anyway. Surprise to me was the originator in the Vodka Pepsi challenge "Stoli 80 proof" was only brought up one time by a guy still stuck living in the early eighty's but big Stoli's like 100 - elite - Gold all came up over `n over but never past the midle of the pack.

Me, you say? Well, I enjoy my vodka made from Polish potatoes -- I keep it in the freezer and drink her up neat with a manzillian olive stuffed with anchovy (Goya pasteurized olives with anchovy mousse are preferred over non-pasteurized) because of the strong salty fish and brine taste seems to overwhelm the potato finish. The one I enjoy is cheap, relative to the $50 and $100 ones out there and it sounds like the University name where my daughter attends college in Kutztown, Pa., so you figure it out.

Now lost on many was the original question -- "WHAT'S the BEST" and not the one you drink or that you may like a lot so my vote for best taste goes to Chopin, but I can buy 4 bottles of my stuff for the same price. I do KEEP BOTH at home.

Does that do it for you?

THAT'S MY OPINION!!

~Chopin $40ish - 80 proof, (birthplace of vodka) Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & 1 of the best)

~Belvedere $35 Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye

~Jewel of Russia, Classic $40 - Russian; Birthplace of the last Szar - distilled from hard Russian winter wheat and rye (smooth and delicious)

~ULTIMAT $58 - (birthplace of vodka) Poland; Three Polish vodkas go into Ultimate: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor **** the bottle is worth $20 bucks alone, LOL$$$ is aprox.

"The World's Best Premium Vodka"

2007-02-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

Recently a bunch of us "foodies" were about to take a snow-day off and get together. The decision was to become "Tini'z" (get it foodies v. tini) and sit at the warm bar all day watching it snow, sipping the World's Best Premium Vodka Martini (with anchovy stuffed Manzillian Spanish Olives).

Problem is, we didn't have VODKA consensus and we still don't -- It seems it's like asking 5 Doctors (all proctologists) their opinion on "what's aching your ass" and after they get their finger in it ... all have a different opinion!

SO, VODKA OPINIONS ARE LIKE ASS-HOLES … EVERYBODY HAS ONE!HERE' THE LIST ~ PUT A FINGER IN & HOW 'BOUT UR 2¢ WORTH?

Chopin $40 -x / / / / 80 proof, Polish; distilled from potatoes (smoothest vodka & the best ) Level $25 -x / / / / Sweden - wheat "a grappa`ish, trying to pass itself off as a vodka."
Imperia-Russian Ultra $28 - x / / ?maybe Russian, wheat
Iceberg $20 , Canada, sweet corn. 12,000 year old artic icebergs- smooth, fruity, lots of flavor
Jean-Marc XO $60 750 mL - France, wheat, round mouth feel
Jewel of Russia Classic $40 - x / / / / Russian; distilled from wheat and rye (smooth&delicious)
Ciroc $38 - x / / / / French; 5x distilled from grapes (eau de vie`ish, pass'n itself off as a vodka)Precis $38 - x / / 80 proof - Swedish Lake Boren water
KAUFFMAN LUXURY VINTAGE VODKA $100 - Russia Awesome *not avail yet
ULTIMAT $58 - Three Polish vodkas go into it: potato for richness and body; wheat for light smoothness and rye for flavor
Roberto Cavalli Vodka $50 750mL - x / / Italy, ?grain, filtered through crushed Italian marble Zyr $30 750mL - x / Russian; distilled from wheat and rye (assertive)
Hangar One $33 - x / U.S.A. wheat & grapes
Ketel One $31 - x / Holland; distilled from wheat
SKYY 90 $35 - U.S.A. 1st 200 proof then Sierra Mountain h2o added to = 90 proof
Belvedere $35 750 mL x / Poland (birthplace of vodka)- 100% Da^kowskie Gold Rye
Stoly 100 - Russian winter wheat, glacier water
Luksusowa $18 750 ml 80 proof, Poland Potato
STOLICHNAYA Elit $60 750 ml - Ordinary/Russian wheat
VOX $34 - Holland, 5x distilled
Absolut $27 - Swedish; wheat for mixing ~ piercing, antiseptic quality, dry taste, unremarkable Grey Goose $44 1 L -(crappie); 80 proof, French; distilled from wheat, rye, and barley (lacking the character of "ultra-premium")
Belvedere $35 - 80 proof, Polish; distilled from rye ("harsh & bitter")
Tino's Vodka $17 750 mL, Handmade U.S.A. corn, vanilla and French oak flavor, gritty & rough
Monopolowa $9.99 1 liter, cheapest 93 points - Austria, potato, bright and snappy

QUINTESSENTIAL CUISINE© & my abstract painting

A FEW NEW WORKS

~~ Preview some of the 2010 ..."'NEW WORKS"... by Wilbur M. Reeling ~~

~~ CAFÉ TROIA ~~ Towson, Maryland

~~ GRANDMA'S FAVORITE CHICKEN FORK ~~

BALTIMORE'S RYLEIGH'S OYSTER MAKES THEIR BETS ON THE ..."SENSUAL OYSTER TRIFECTA"...

... Beluga Bomb's Baltimore! ...

~~ A MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE RED SNAPPER & OYSTER STEW IS A WAY TO BITE THE DOG THAT BIT YOU! ~~

~~Chesapeake Bay Oysters in Baltimore ~~

~~ IF I WAS FROM TEXAS?~~ but I'm not!

~~MARYLAND'S FALL MONSTER JUMBOS~~

~~ END OF THE SEASON & OUR MARYLAND SUMMERTIME WAY OF LIFE ~~

~~ you only get this in MARYLAND, the QUINTESSENTIAL CHEESE BURGER~~

~~Some of my "SUMMER FLOWERS" & the AMISH at the local GROCERY STORE~~

~~ HERE'S SOME GOOD OLE BOY MARYLAND "C R A B - S H A C K S"~~

~~BALTIMORE'S GREAT ETHNIC SAUSAGE~~

~~SPRINGTIME ORGANIC AMISH PEAS - ASPARAGUS & STRAWBERRIES~~

~IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND THEY ASK ... 'whatcha doin' -- HON, eatin'?~

~~ HONG KONG SUSHI...Maryland Style ~~

~~Jose Andrés MiniBar in Washington D.C.~~

~~ MARYLAND JUMBO STEAMED CRABS ~~

~~ AN EVENING of MARYLAND FOOD & LIBATION ~~

~ALSO A MOLECULAR GASTRONOMIC TREAT~

~~"molecular gastronomy"~~

~ CHESAPEAKE BAY SOFT SHELL CRABS ~

~MARYLAND de HEN~

VODKA FIN ~ CONCLUSION ~ EXTR`EMIT`E ~ END`e!

"The World's Best Premium Vodka"

Preview some of the 2010 ..."'NEW WORKS"... by Wilbur M. Reeling

CAFÉ TROIA Towson, Maryland

GRANDMA'S FAVORITE CHICKEN FORK

A MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE RED SNAPPER & OYSTER STEW IS A WAY TO BITE THE DOG THAT BIT YOU!

Chesapeake Bay Oysters in Baltimore

IF I WAS FROM TEXAS? but I'm not!

MARYLAND'S FALL MONSTER JUMBOS

END OF THE SEASON & OUR MARYLAND SUMMERTIME WAY OF LIFE

you only get this in MARYLAND, the QUINTESSENTIAL CHEESE BURGER

Some of my "SUMMER FLOWERS" & the AMISH at the local GROCERY STORE

HERE'S SOME GOOD OLE BOY MARYLAND "C R A B - S H A C K S"

BALTIMORE'S GREAT ETHNIC SAUSAGE

SPRINGTIME ORGANIC AMISH PEAS - ASPARAGUS & STRAWBERRIES

HONG KONG SUSHI...Maryland Style

Jose Andrés MiniBar in Washington D.C.

MARYLAND JUMBO STEAMED CRABS

AN EVENING of MARYLAND FOOD & LIBATION

"molecular gastronomy"