Food Reviews
We all love good food...but experiencing something truly excellent in the culinary field can be both rewarding and memorable. Whether you enjoy great Mexican food from the Southwest, crab cakes from Maryland, tangy barbecue from Kansas City.... traditional delis from New York or wonderful San Francisco sourdough bread- we want you to experience them all with a walk through the Food Reviews. Different areas are highlighted with links to recommended sites and restaurants that specialize in the food.
BALTIMORE/CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION
Crab cakes and fresh steamed crabs-If you love seafood, chances are you enjoy crab cakes. Author James Michener- when researching and writing his famous novel "Chesapeake"- spent a lot of time along the shores of Chesapeake Bay, specifically in a town called Oxford, home to the Robert Morris Inn (Robert Morris was a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Michener pronounced that the Robert Morris Inn had the "best crab cakes" in the region. What is a crab cake? Although many restaurants use fillers such as flour, corn meal and other substances- the best crab cakes are nearly 100% lump crab meat with only a slight amount of flour and eggs to hold it together. Served fried, baked or broiled, crab cakes are delicious and when accompanied by a remoulade sauce, they are exquisite. Lovers of steamed crabs claim you can enjoy them almost anywhere along the coast- but Baltimore and the restaurants along the Chesapeake Bay pride themselves on having the freshest Maryland Blue Crabs which are the tastiest and most sought after. Places like Woody's in North East, Maryland and establishments along the Inner Harbor waterfront in downtown Baltimore offer delicious fresh crabs which any seafood lover will enjoy.
NEW YORK
DELIS- Many cities have delicatessens- but few can equal New York for its variety, genuine freshness and quality of fare. We love good delis- and those in New York are the best. What is a delicatessen? A place which offers a variety of fresh cut lunchmeats, as well as specialty items such as gourmet cheeses, pate, pickles, sauerkraut, blintzes, fresh rolls, breads- and, of course, cheesecake. Perhaps the most cherished fare at most delis is the corned beef on rye or Reuben sandwich.....Our all-time favorite deli is The Stage Deli in New York- right up the street from The Carnegie Deli- (which claims to have "premier" status due to its proximity to Carnegie Hall), but the food at The Stage Deli is better and they have a great little bar where you can sit and watch the ballgame or news while you enjoy their "best in class" corned beef on rye with Russian dressing and a pickle!! Delis are good...and great delis are a gift to mankind!! Enjoy!!
PHILADELPHIA
Cheesesteaks- Perhaps the best known simple culinary delight associated with Philadelphia is the Philly cheesesteak. Often imitated, never equaled- the Philly cheesesteak is something to indulge in, to enjoy after months of watching your diet and counting calories. The "original" cheesesteak began its life with Pat's Steaks in South Philadelphia- yet many cheesesteak lovers still think of Geno's- literally across the street- as the home of the cheesesteak. What is a cheesesteak? Picture a hoagie (another South Philadelphia tradition) made of grilled, tender chunks of steak along with grilled onions, mushrooms and peppers- covered with freshly melted Provolone cheese. Cheesesteak aficionados will tell you that Geno's- which uses Cheeze Whiz- is a "traitor" to the true cheesesteak tradition. We make no claims about any entity having the "true" cheesesteak- but we must admit that those firms which continue the tradition of Pat's (including other South Philadelphia eateries like Jim's Steaks) are our favorites...and ohhhhhhh.....what a delicious thing to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon watching a football game with an ice cold beer......the one and only Philly cheesesteak.
SAN FRANCISCO
Sourdough bread-The smell of fresh baked bread is among the most wonderful that any food lover can enjoy. The most famous export of San Francisco is sourdough bread- the famously tart, yet delicious bread served all along the waterfront in San Francisco with fresh caught seafood. Sourdough bread is wonderfully elegant- a stronger taste than most breads and fresh baked, hot out of the oven- is superb. Although 1-2 days delay can detract from sourdough bread- and yes, some people actually have it flown overnight to their doorsteps- it is nonetheless delightful and tasty. We vote for sourdough bread with any meal- especially seafood!!
FLORIDA
Oranges and grapefruits-Nothing refreshes better than a cold juicy orange. Along with being delicious, oranges and grapefruits are very healthy providing vitamin C and numerous anti-oxidants and minerals. There are many types of oranges including naval, honeybells, temple and tangerine. Some like the temple and tangerine have easy to peal skins, while others are better used for squeezing orange juice. Instead of buying oranges in the food store, try ordering a crate directly from a Florida producer. These are fresher and shipped while the orange is in season. Here are a few websites where you can place your order: Floridaorange.com, Poinsettia Grove, New River Groves, The Orange Shop and Sun Groves.
Page 1