FOODSERVICE MONTHLY'S Sauce on the Side

Baltimore Montessori Holds 'Kitchen' Benefit

 

Last week I attended a benefit for Baltimore Montessori ... a Baltimore city charter school that is raising money to build a children's teaching kitchen for educating kids about food. Juliet Bodinetz-Rich owns and operates Bilingual Hospitality Training Solutions which teaches ServSafe classes throughout the region -- in English and Spanish. Her child attends Baltimore Montessori and she contacted me about attending the event that will help fund the monies needed for the school that includes children ages 3 - 10. The kitchen will be one where the children learn about food by growing, harvesting, buying and handling it in a kitchen built to their needs and size (see the drawing).

On hand for the fundraiser was principal/founder Allison Shecter who introduced the speaker Tony Geraci who heads up food and nutrition for the Baltimore City Schools. He just issued a RFP calling for locally produced foods to be purchased as a priority for the school system. I first heard Geraci speak at the Baltimore Buyer/Grower meeting in February. He is a passionate believer in making the school system work for the stakeholders ... the parents and children. He was no less emphatic on this evening as he spoke about the power of change and commitment to feeding children with food that is good for you and grown close to our neighborhoods as well.

Baltimore Montessori is a charter school in the Baltimore City School System.

Here are some FAQs about the school and what a Montessori school encompasses.

What is a Charter School?
• A public school of choice – no entrance exam, no fees, admission is done through a lottery
• Has a certain degree of autonomy to use innovative methods of education while being accountable for high student achievement and effective school management
• It is governed by a non-profit board of trustees
• Parents are required to provide own transportation

Some of the Montessori philosophy:
• We believe that every child can benefit from a Montessori environment
• Children must be treated with respect
• Children are born curious and creative
• Children learn in different ways and at different paces
• Children learn best through hands-on experiences, real-world application & problem-solving
• It is critically important to allow children to develop a high degree of independence & self-discipline
• Movement is essential to learning
• The child benefits most when teachers and families work together
• Children develop a strong relationship with their teacher and peers by staying in the same class for 3 years
• School must be a joyful and inspiring experience to develop self-confidence and a lifelong love of learning
• Children are the hope for mankind.

Currently, Baltimore Montessori Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax- exempt organization. If you would like to give a donation, contact Allison Shecter at 410-528-5393 or baltimoremontessoricharter@gmail.com for details.

This sounds like a plan that can work.

Taste of the Nation 2009 Raises Money To Fight Child Hunger

The SOLD OUT Taste of the Nation Washington DC treated the supporters for stamping out child hunger to an evening of culinary delights, beverages and celebrity hob-nobbing at the packed Mellon Auditorium.

First of all you have to guess the names of the "foodie" celebrity emcees who kept the festivities within some kind of structured chaos as the evening progressed. I'm sure you can tell from this on-stage glimpse that they were sending the Taste style meter into some serious warp mode. 
For newbies, let's set the scene: 40 of the city’s finest restaurants and chefs, including chef chair RJ Cooper (Vidalia), participated in this gastronomic event. Complementing the food, guests visited the new Wine Bar feature as well as specialty cocktails from the city’s top mixologists and Tony Abou-Ganim from Las Vegas. We also want to give a thanks to DJ Erin Myers who is the wife of CityZen sommelier Andy Myers for keeping the mood alive with her tunes. WIth all that was going on, everyone kept the mission at hand in the forefront: We have to help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry!

In all the madness, I found two noteworthy "new" stories to report ... new to me at least.

David Guas was serving his decadent banana dessert but even better is that I found out that his new book Dam Good Sweet is ready for "pre-ordering" on Amazon.com. David is a New Orleans native and his first book is a kind of roots/memoir story that happens to include 50 amazing desserts, from traditional beignets, red velvet cake, and pralines to the lesser-known Roman chewing candy and calas fried rice cakes. Pastry chef Guas (you know him from his chef days at Passion Food Hospitality) and food writer Raquel Pelzel will transport cooks from their home kitchens into the giant dessert gumbo that is New Orleans.

Mitch Berliner and Jamie Stachowski have joined together to form a new company Meat Crafters which has just launced its Web site. You know Jamie from his training with Jean-Louis Palladin and most recently for me with Restaurant Kolumbia. Everyone knows MItch for his ice cream novelties and his support of the restaurant industry ... whether at a benefit like Taste of the Nation or his work on the board for the Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation. Now they have joined to form Meat Crafters --- with world-class fresh, cured and smoked meats for charcuterie lovers.

I'm sure that you've already guessed the names of the guest emcees ... from left to right we have Amanda McClements (known to many as the voice of Metrocurean) and the always delightful Nycci Nellis, the creator of TheListAreYouOnIt.com. Instead of pleas for quiet from the 800 or so in attendance, Amanda appears to be giving them the "I can't hear hear you gesture."

A wonderful time was had by all for Share Our Strength.

FOOD WINE DRINK 33

Eat Local ... Listen Local: Ellen Cherry Opens FWD 33

Ellen Cherry (check out her Web site: EllenCherry.com) is a Baltimore-based singer I saw perform this week at a benefit for Baltimore Montessori ... a Baltimore city charter school that is raising money to build a children's kitchen for educating kids about food. I'll talk more about that in a post on Sunday.

Ellen appeared with another talented Baltimore artist ... Victoria Vox ... who also has her own Web site: VictoriaVox.com.

Seeing these talented women sing for their supper restoked (is this a word?) my appreciation of the independent, local artist/musician ... the songs in this iMix open with Ellen Cherry's "Pastry Organ" that does have a connection to those Dangerously Delicious Pies that are the rage in Bawlmer ... you'll have to ask her for the full story.

The songs here are about restaurants, bars, music all mixed together with love, stories and ... well, you can figure it all out without me. 

The FOTOS here of Ellen Cherry are ones I took at the Baltimore Montessori fundraiser at the Frederick Douglass Isaac Myers Maritime Park.

You can see Ellen Cherry Sunday night, March 29:
Kevin's Concert Vol.2: A Concert to Benefit the National Kidney Foundation
6 p.m. - 11 p.m. @ Sonar, 407 E. Saratoga St, Baltimore, MD 21202
Patrick Kisicki is not only a kick ass guitar player, but he's bionic--he's got 3 kidneys ... one of which used to belong to his brother, Kevin. All proceeds from this concert (the cover charge is $20) will go directly to the National Kidney Foundation: a place EC is really glad exists because it kept Patrick around! EC will most likely hit the stage around the 9 p.m. hour. Auctions (including a singing telegram from Ellen Cherry!) abound and all monies raised goes to the National Kidney Foundation.

CELEBRATE! Restaurants With 2009 RAMMY Nominations

Hey, tis the season for "nomination" announcements ... Maryland actually gave out their awards last night and the James Beard Foundation award nominees were set free yesterday morning. So, let’s get right to the RAMMY finalists ... the best of the best from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington …

Neighborhood Gathering Place
Belga Café, Washington DC; Cork, Washington DC; EatBar, Arlington VA; The Liberty Tavern, Arlington VA; Marvin Washington DC

Upscale Casual
Bastille, Alexandria VA; Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Oyamel, Washington DC; Rasika, Washington DC; Zaytinya, Washington DC

Fine Dining
2941, Falls Church VA; Blue Duck Tavern, Washington DC; Michel Richard Citronelle, Washington DC; Restaurant Eve, Alexandria VA; Vermilion, Alexandria VA

New Restaurant
Adour, Washington DC; Art and Soul, Washington DC; CommonWealth, Washington DC; Cork, Washington DC; PassionFish, Reston VA

Rising Culinary Star
Cedric Maupillier – Central Michel Richard, Washington DC; Daniel Giusti – 1789, Washington, DC; Mike Isabella – Zaytinya, Washington DC; Shannon Overmiller – Majestic Café, Alexandria VA; Tony Chittum – Vermilion, Alexandria VA

Pastry Chef
Josh Short – Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Kate Jansen – Willow, Arlington VA; Melanie Parker – Equinox, Washington DC; Michelle Garbee-Poteaux – Bastille, Alexandria VA; Travis Olson – 1789, Washington DC

Wine and Beverage Program
CityZen, Washington DC; Neighborhood Restaurant Group; Oya, Washington DC; The Willard Room, Washington DC; Zola, Washington DC

Chef
Jamie Leeds – Hank’s/CommonWealth, Washington DC; Todd Gray – Equinox, Washington DC; Massimo Fabri – Posto/Ristorante Tosca, Washington DC; Vikram Sunderam – Rasika, Washington, DC; Robert Wiedmaier – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC

Restaurant Employee
Jennifer Roe –DC Coast, Washington DC; Juan Francisco Lopez – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC; Marco Guzman – Café Atlantico, Washington DC; Yves Chassagneux – Willow, Arlington VA; Jose Bermudez – Evening Star, Alexandria VA

Restaurant Manager
Tom Burke – Marcel’s/Brasserie Beck, Washington DC; Diego Zeballos – Jaleo; Ryland Johnson – Zola, Washington DC; Scott Weinstein – BlackSalt, Washington DC; Brian Zipin – Central Michel Richard, Washington DC

Power Spot
BLT Steak, Washington DC; Central Michel Richard, Washington DC; Charlie Palmer Steak, Washington DC; The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington DC; Teatro Goldoni, Washington DC

Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene
CoCo. Sala, Washington DC; Marvin, Washington DC; Proof, Washington DC; The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Washington DC; Willow Creek Farm, Broadlands VA

Associate Member
B B & T; Belair Produce Inc./Watermark Foods; EagleBank; The Legacy Group; ProChile

FOTO: 2009 Pastry Chef Finalists

*BREAKING NEWS* Restaurant Association of Maryland Honors Its 2009 ‘Stars of the Industry’

The Restaurant Association of Maryland (RAM) announced its annual award winners at the 55th Annual McCormick & Company Stars of the Industry Awards Gala ... just moments ago. The Gala is a celebratory event of industry recognition that brings together over 800 of hospitality’s best and brightest to spotlight the industry’s influence as a part of the nation’s foundation of opportunity. I am here at the Gala so without further ado let me give you the Maryland winners

• Restaurateur of the Year- Leighton Moore, Seacrets Bar and Grill (Ocean City)

• 2009 Chef of the Year- Chef Michael Gettier, Antrim 1844 (Taneytown)

• 2009 Favorite Bar and Tavern- Fager’s Island (Ocean City)

• 2009 Pastry Chef of the Year- Chef Arismendy Infantale (Baltimore)

• 2009 Favorite Caterer- Putting on the Ritz (Laurel)

• 2009 Wine and Beverage Program of the Year- Liquid Assets Wine & Martini Bar (Ocean City)

• Maryland’s Favorite New Restaurant 2008- Mitchum’s Steakhouse (Trappe)

• Maryland’s Favorite Restaurant 2009- Marlin Moon Grill (Ocean City)

• Allied Member of the Year- Lankford Sysco Food Services represented by Fred Lankford

• The Brice & Shirley Phillips Lifetime Industry Achievement Award- Nicholas Mangione (Turf Valley Resort)

• The Schellhase Award- Steve F. de Castro of Big Steaks Management

• The McCormick Cornerstone Award-Bill Bateman’s (Havre de Grace); Glory Days Grill (Gaithersburg); The Greene Turtle Sports Bar and Grille (Edgewater); SODEXO (Gaithersburg)

Maryland Hall of Honor inductees included Fager’s Island (Ocean City); Jimmy’s Cantler’s Riverside Inn (Annapolis); McGarvey’s Saloon and Oyster Bar, (Annapolis); Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant (Ellicott City); Three Brothers Italian Restaurant (Greenbelt); Turf Valley Resort (Ellicott City)

Marshall Weston, executive vice president of the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation, introduced RAMEF ProStart Teacher of the Year Bette Mullins (Carver Center for Arts and Technology). The RAMEF ProStart Student of the Year is Francisco Flores (High Point High School). The Marcia Harris Scholarship winners are Sarah Baker (Howard High School) and Monica Preibisch (Howard Community College).

The foto is of Leighton Moore accepting the Restaurateur of the Year Award.

Stephanie ... Spherification ... Style

When Stephanie Ridgway invites you to have a cocktail at Adour ... it's worth rearranging your afternoon schedule to open up a couple of hours. We were invited to check out the Cointreau Pearls that St. Regis/Adour bartenders Alvin and Mia are mixing these days with a simple sparkly from Francois Montand.

As you can see the cocktail masters recently got a new chemistry set to make the gold flecked pearls of gel-encased Cointreau to bounce among the bubbles of the Champagne. It's been a year since introduced into NYC and Paris, but DC's Adour has managed to get a key to the cocktail toy box.

You might think El Bulli's Ferran Adria had taken his "molecular gastronomy" into the cocktail lounge when Mia and Alvin took out the assortment of sodium alginate, calcium chloride (you know the ice melt we used last week to de-ice our sidewalks), 24-K gold flakes, a magnetic agitator, syringes large enough for a farm veterinarian beakers, a scale to measure the grams of white crystal alginate (we hear this isn't the easiest case to pass through airport security systems) ... and yes, the Cointreau.

You can see here fotos of the process ... and the yeoman patience of the bartenders has to be noted as they maticulously took me through the process stopping along the way for one more foto (if you click on the foto, you can see greater detail). I placed a couple here including the rinsing of the pearls with Fiji water to rid the finished orbs of any calcium that might affect the palate.

The pearls with the gold flecks have the texture of tapioca with the classy orange liqueur ready to burst on the palate to flushed down the throat with the Champagne. If this had been a science fair ... Mia and Alvin would have received the blue ribbon from this judge.

While there, Restaurant Director Marianna Alfa and wine director Ramon Narvaez showed off their dining room and lounge ... with great affection and gracious hospitality.

Like I said, when Stephanie Ridgway invites you for an afternoon cocktail, be prepared for a special, delicious time. The Remy/Cointreau/Mt. Gay gig has come to an end for Stephanie ... but we all know she will be calling us again soon ... and whatever the occasion ... I already know it will be worth it for me to clear my schedule for another extraordinary experience.

That will be a day when a lovely toast will be in order.

And the Show Goes On ... OCHMRA Expo Closes at 3pm

The Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association Spring Expo ends today at 3 p.m. The 2010 show dates are March 7 & 8.

The Ocean City Spring Expo Is Open for Business

All footprints led to the Ocean City Convention Center today for the opening this morning at 11 a.m. of the 35th Annual Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association Spring Expo ... on time, even with an hour less sleep after the change to Daylight Savings time.

On hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony were John Lewis, Talbot Inn/MR Ducks; Shawn Harman, FIshtales/Bahia Marina; OC Mayor Rick Meehan and Jon Tremellen, Princess Royale. The show runs until 5 p.m. today and opens again tomorrow at 10 a.m. before closing on Monday at 3 p.m.

The show is produced by Susan Jones, the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association and Amy TIngle, Events Manager for OCHMRA

Surf's UP in Ocean City

March is a wonderful time to visit Ocean City as the hospitality town begins to gear up for the upcoming season.

This year, the weekend coincides with a welcome sign of springtime ... warmer weather and surfers testing the waves.

And yes, I did see some flowers peeking through the ground cover.

There's still time to take advantage of a tax write off for a weekend trip to OC. The Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association expo is one the first shows of season and the "friendliest." Part that comfortable feeling is the consistency over the years of the enthusiastic efforts of the executive director of the Ocean City Hotel Motel Restaurant Association Susan Jones.

The show opens tomorrow at 11 a.m. and runs through Monday afternoon. Don't forget to spring ahead tonight with your clocks ... or you're going to be an hour late in the a.m.

Howard County ARL and Carver Center for the Arts and Technology Win MPSI 2009

We like to talk about sustainable food ... well, I just spent most of the day at a "sustainable" chefs' event ... nourishing the future of foodserivce with a supply of fine chefs and managers who competed today in a high school ProStart Student Invitational in Maryland. Marshall Weston, executive vice president of the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation, and LaDeana Litchfield, director of workforce development, produced the 5th MPSI that was held today at the Martin's Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Md. The students were competing for a pool of over $600,000 in scholarships to the top three teams.
 
The winning schools ... Howard County ARL for culinary and Carver Center for management will represent Maryland in the National ProStart Invitational to be held in San Diego April 24 - 26.

The management team members for Carver were Brina Furman, Rachel Sherman, Brenna Hoffman, Tara Lewis and Tom Burch with instructor Bette Mullins.

The culinary team members for Howard ARL were Kara Lovalo, Tyler Weedon, Alex Morris, Eric Olean, and Rcihard Blackmon with Elaine Heilman as the instructor.

FOTO 1: ALBERT EINSTEIN culinary team.

FOTO 2: HOWARD ARL menu

FOTO 3: HOWARD ARL culinary team.

FOTO 4: CARVER management team.