You would eat that? A fan’s guide to Top Chef Season Five Elimination Challenge dishes - Episode One
Leading up to last night’s season five premiere of Top Chef, I couldn’t decide how I wanted to cover my favorite reality show on The Chew Blog for The Dagger. I thought about live blogging each show, but decided against that for many reasons*.
So I decided to highlight the top and bottom three dishes from the elimination challenges based one one simple criteria. What would I chose to eat? I am, by no means, a food critic, and have probably not even tasted half the stuff on the contestants plate. Still, I love food.
So here are last nights top and bottom three elimination plates, in no particular order, chosen by me and not the judges, with pics:
Bottom 3
Radhika: Jerk rubbed halibut with ginger beer cocktail - Looks like an overseasoned piece of fish on top of a bocaburger.
Jamie: Pan roasted sea bass and eggplant puree with wile arugula salad - The salad looks ok, but the fish looks bland and is on top of what must be baby food.
Carla: Smoked trout and salmon cakes with sour cream and caviar over potato latkes - How Carla knew that the movie Wall-E would be coming out this week when this episode was taped, I’ll never know. Stare at this dish for a while and you will swear the cavier blinks at you.
Top 3:
Jeff: Cuban coffee seared tenderloin, smoked plantain with black beans and rice - Yeah it was incomplete and doesn’t look very good on the plate, but I can dig the flavors he was going for.
Jill: Jerk seasoned scallops with plantain fritters and three sauces - Have to go with the local girl, right? This looks and sounds like something I would order off a menu. I understand it.
Eugene: Dry rub lamb with basmati sweet rice, tzatziki with tandoori glaze - I usually like my meats a touch more done that this, but this looks like it would have awesome flavors throughout the meat and rice.
* If you want to read live blogged posts, be sure to check out NYMag’s Grub Street blog, and more locally, Baltimore Snacker’s Top Chef coverage.
October 29, 2008 at 8:25 amAmerica’s top 10 Healthiest Grocery Stores
According to Health.com America’s top 10 Healthiest Grocery Stores are…
1. Whole Foods – 279 stores in 38 states and Washington, D.C.
2. Safeway – 1,700-plus stores nationwide
3. Harris Teeter – 176 stores in the Southeast
4. Trader Joe’s – 300-plus stores in 23 states and Washington, D.C.
5. Hannaford – 165-plus stores in the Northeast
6. Albertsons – 529 stores in the West
7. Food Lion – 1,300 stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic
8. Publix Super Markets – 952 stores in the Southeast
9. Pathmark – 141 stores in the Mid-Atlantic
10. SuperTarget – 239 stores in 21 states, primarily Texas and Florida
I would have definitely picked Whole Foods to be in the top 5 but the more traditional, affordable grocers that are so close to our neighborhoods surprised me. The six prominent health experts picked the winners out of the nations largest chains based on the freshest and healthiest foods, and which ones offer the best tools to help shoppers make smart at are leading the way to healthier food shopping choices.
I am very shocked that Ralph’s Grocers is not on there. They are in the West and remind me of Wegman’s.
October 21, 2008 at 4:20 pmBill Bateman’s In Havre de Grace: Pricey, Skimpy, Good Decor…Once Is Enough
By Jimmy and Guy Stillwell…Raconteurs and Big Eaters
BILL BATEMAN’S
2021 Pulaski Highway
Havre de Grace 410-939-7667
We started out with Jimmy’s favorite everywhere we visit, that offers them…the famed ‘crab pretzel’…well, they must have used an atomizer to spray the crab on this pretzel…at $9.99 skimpy describes it.
Jimmy tackled a dozen b-b-qued wings…mild…and they were great at $8.49…thus if we’d skipped the ‘vaguely crab pretzel’ and got two orders of wings we would have been ahead. He made the wings his ‘main course’ and said they were up to his usually high standards.
I ordered grilled chicken breast platter with lemon pepper, and raspberry tea. Usually I discard the roll, just eat the breast, since I’m trying to lose 50 pounds, and every little ‘bite’ helps. Thank God I like chicken and prefer it cooked well, but not too dry…and this was cooked properly.
Bateman’s is a sportsy bar, nicely decorated and not too noisy. For a Friday at 3 p.m. the place was not that busy, which usually means faster service but that was not the case. Mike, the manager, pointed out that ‘juicy, signature Bateman’s wings are a top seller.” Jimmy concurred…’the wings are on the money.’
A couple middle-aged ladies rolled in and sat at the bar with us…regulars they each ordered up drinks and the laughter began…the barkeep, Tracey, knew exactly what they wanted and dispatched the booze swiftly and chatted up a bit with them.
Chef Specials included Chicken salad…Steak and Cake…and Steak Sliders. Some other ‘starters’ included nachos and spinach dip, peel and eat shrimp and other crab dips. Kids’ meals are also offered.
The place is clean, neat, new and spacious, with plenty of parking which is a blessing if you’ve ever been to Looney’s
This particular Friday, a couple of Raven personnel were coming for “Happy Hour” but we didn’t stick around.
Our meal total before tip was $34.13. Food-$$$ Value-$$
If you want to take the kids out for a bite, and live in the area, you might enjoy Bill Bateman’s of Havre de Grace.
October 8, 2008 at 12:47 pmAberdeen’s Keyes Creamery: Pumping Out Parties For Your Taste Buds
Goose Feathers never tasted so good. How about dipping into some Cow’s Feet? Please don’t sic PETA on me or David and Kelly Keyes.
These clever names appeared on a luscious pint of Keyes Creamery Ice Cream and are some of the sumptuous offerings you might want to consider checking out. Or if you are a classic, the vanilla and chocolate flavors certainly can’t be beat.
Continue reading Aberdeen’s Keyes Creamery: Pumping Out Parties For Your Taste Buds
The Chew Review: Red Robin in Bel Air
From those two hungry dudes….Jimmy and Guy Stillwell
Today’s visit…Red Robin
Billed as “America’s Gourmet Burgers and Fries” Red Robin is open 7 days a week…11-10 Sunday-Thursday, 11-11 Friday,Saturday.
Rumors of a Checkers coming across Baltimore Pike, from Harford Mall may be cooling down, since Five Guys and Fries, Zack’s and now Red Robin are cornering the hot-dog-hamburger market. Of course Mickey Dee’s across Route 24 will no doubt be unperturbed by the burger explosion.
Continue reading The Chew Review: Red Robin in Bel Air
Top Chef Season 5 Contestants Revealed
First thought: Is this Top Chef or a Tom Colicchio look-alike contest?
Second Thought: Let’s go Jill! Jill Snyder resides in Baltimore and is the executive chef at Red Maple in Mount Vernon.
September 24, 2008 at 8:37 amHarford’s Food Facility Inspection Violations for August 2008
Each month the Harford County Health Department conducts routine inspections of 1,893 food service facilities. Some pass, some fail. These are their stories…
Below are all the critical health inspection violations for Harford County in August, 2008. We are focusing on the restaurants and eating establishments, so we are conveniently leaving the convenience and grocery stores off of our list.
Continue reading Harford’s Food Facility Inspection Violations for August 2008
Wine Review: Educated Guess, The Answer For Any Cab Lover
What could be better than a nice hearty cabernet sauvignon with dinner? Pretty much nothing. That’s why Educated Guess by Roots Run Deep Winery has moved into my cab-loving heart. After one night of sipping it with a vegetarian red sauce pasta dish, I could feel my yearning for a juicy cab slowly becoming satisfied.
The wine starts with a blackberry and boysenberry flavoring and finishes with a french vanilla tinge. Not usually a fan of creamy flavors derived from oak barrel aging, I was surprised with my level of satisfaction with the finish. I guess there will always be exceptions to the rule, and this bottle of wine surely is it.
Besides a big beautiful cab flavor, Educated Guess has something else going for it: all the grapes used were organically grown. This is a big plus for someone like myself, someone who is trying to become increasingly more aware of what you put in your body. From Napa Valley, there is no guess about whether or not this represents California cabs in a good light. I would say it’s one of the best.
If you’re a cab lover like me, head over to Wine World in Abingdon and pick up a bottle. The owner, Elizabeth, swears this wine goes great with steak and I could see where it would. Can’t wait to get my second bottle, so hurry up and get your first.
September 11, 2008 at 1:56 pmThe Lost McDonald’s Menu Items
Ever wonder what happened to the McDLT? How about the McLean Deluxe? Anyone you remember the McJordan? You know, the quarter pounder with bacon and bbq sauce? Let’s take a look at these and others…
McLean Deluxe - The McLean Deluxe was marketed as a healthy alternative to McDonald’s regular menu. It was released in the United States in 1991. It had a reduced fat content compared to other McDonald’s hamburgers. This was achieved through use of 97% lean beef and the addition of carrageenan to the meat. The McLean Deluxe was originally designed as a replacement of the McDLT. Like the McDLT, and despite performing well in taste-tests, it did not sell well and was dropped from the menu in 1994. (from Wikipedia)
McDLT - The McDLT (McDonald’s Lettuce and Tomato) was sold in a novel form of packaging. The meat and bottom half of the bun was prepared separately from the lettuce, tomato, American cheese, pickles, sauces, and top half of the bun. Both were then packaged into a specially designed two-sided container. The consumer was then expected to finalize preparation of the sandwich by combining the hot and cool sides just prior to eating. The company discontinued the sandwich in 1990 due to the move away from the environmentally unsound styrofoam packaging which was integral to the McDLT “experience”. The McDLT is perhaps best remembered for its marketing, which focused on variations of the theme “Keep the hot side hot, and the cool side cool.” (from Wikipedia)
Grilled Chicken Flatbread Sandwich - These actually weren’t that bad, the first time you tried one. After that, something just seemed off about them. The consisted of grilled chicken strips, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, pepper jack cheese, and a creamy herb sauce served wrapped in a heated flatbread.
Pizza - Yep, McDonalds had pizza. I remember seeing it a few places, but don’t remember if it was around here or not. Here is an article from the NY Times back in 1989 talking about the bold, yet unsuccessful, idea.
McDonalds Crabcake - As far as I know, this was only in Maryland and maybe southern Delaware down by the beaches. Was anyone brave enough to try one? Was it real crab? Seems like this person said it didn’t taste too bad, but not very good coming back up.
Any others that you can remember? I left the McRib off the list, because it still comes back from time to time, and it’s flat-out awesome.
September 11, 2008 at 7:55 amSuccess In The Rain: DuClaw Real Ale Fest A Great Time During The Storm
As the spin-off from Hanna came through Maryland, many had their outdoor plans ruined. But at DuClaw Brewing Co. in Bel Air, the good times rolled on regardless. Originally scheduled to be outdoors, the Real Ale Fest, put on by DuClaw and 11 other breweries, merely moved inside as not a single person seemed to mind the rain. Surely all the beer helped.
Each of the 11 visiting breweries brought two casks of beer, while DuClaw provided six casks of their own specially conditioned ales. All attendees flowed through the building from table to table enjoying the brews and were provided with an extensive spread of beer-friendly food, provided by DuClaw’s kitchen staff. As with most beer festivals there were some highlights and some lowlights.
At the lower end of the satisfaction spectrum, Pub Dog provided a pale ale I could only describe as disgusting. I immediately dumped it out. Not far behind that was Brewer’s Art’s pale ale, which tasted severely funky, although I could choke it down. But enough about the poorly crafted beers, because there were many outstanding brews on tap. DuClaw led the charge with a double dry hopped Hellrazer (American pale ale) that was to die for, an Alchemy (oatmeal stout) infused with molasses and a satisfyingly fruity Misfit Red (amber ale) with raspberry.
Flying Dog also brought some good flavor with its 2008 Beer World Cup gold medal winning Gonzo Porter. This beer was so rich and smooth that it was easy to see why it got the gold. Franklins raised some eyebrows with its imperial stout that was like a meal in a glass and Clipper City rounded out the impressive handful with its Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale which assaulted you, in a good way, with hops galore. The citrusy kick and floral aromas made an experience of the sample.
Even though the event only lasted four hours and cost $45 for admission, the all you can eat buffet and all you can drink beer made it worth it. Not to mention the fact that a portion of the proceeds went to the Fallston Animal Rescue Movement (FARM), which showed up to the event with some dogs in need of good homes.
