Power Plant Live and pickle party promoters The Big Dill have teamed up to bring a massive festival celebrating the beloved brined snack to Charm City.

Whether you already relish pickles, or are just pickle curious, the inaugural event is sure to satisfy all odd cravings. Attendees will enjoy pickle vendors, bars offering requisite pickleback shots, and 40 food trucks peddling their pickle-inspired creations. The festivities will take over Power Plant Live on September 22 from 1-6 p.m. (VIP guests will be granted early entry at noon.)

There are three levels of pickle passes—some of which range all the way up to VIP (very important pickle)—which grant admission to attractions like a pickle-eating contest, live country music, carnival games, and even a class on the art of pickling.

Inspired by the growing pickling trend, the event is bringing together an array of local vendors offering everything from themed barbecue to desserts. (If you are feeling bold, Dessert Fantasies will be celebrating with pickle cupcakes.) Josh White, head chef at Wayward Smokehouse, says he’s looking forward to getting in on the fun.

“Pickling has absolutely become more popular in recent years,” White says. “There are some great Southern chefs [such as] Sean Brock and Edward Lee who have really pushed the envelope on pickling and infusing different flavors and ingredients into pickling. They appear on white tablecloth menus and old school barbecue joints alike.”

Specifically for the festival, White is planning to put an entirely new spin on the classic chicken wings that he serves at Wayward.

“We were asked to participate and make wings, which just so happens to be one of my specialities,” he says. “I’ve done pickle-brined fried chicken in the past and it was always a hit, so I figured, why not? I may or may not be working on a pickle barbecue sauce to pair with them, as well.”

There will also be plenty of pickle-infused drinks to wash down all of the eats. Whiteford-based Slate Farm Brewery has partnered with the event to provide pickle, cucumber, and strawberry-flavored beer. If you’d rather down a shot, the creators behind The Original Pickle Shot—bottled in Ocean City—will be mixing a variety of pickle brines with small-batch vodka to create an excellent hangover cure.

What some might not know is that Baltimore has a hidden history with pickles. It dates back to 1881 when pickle and kraut manufacturing company C.C. Lang & Son was founded at 725 North Haven Street, according to the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Though it’s now closed, it once rivaled Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Company in size.

Originally using cucumbers grown on the Lang family farm in Glen Arm, Maryland, the company eventually expanded to open factories in Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, New York, and Michigan. Lang’s also held a patent on a machine that could slice cucumbers longitudinally for more efficient packing.

Organizers and vendors are looking forward to celebrating the local roots of the acidic snack at the first-of-its-kind festival next month.

“I’ve cooked for a lot of different events, but never a pickle festival,” White says. “I always get excited for people to try our food, but I’m really excited to try what everyone else is making. I’m a huge pickle fan.”

“How do I love thee?” Let us count the ways—a dozen doughnuts, a
handful of chocolates, two almond croissants, and three scoops of ice
cream. 

Okay, maybe that’s not exactly what Elizabeth Barrett Browning
had in mind. But sonnets aside, sweets and love are a natural pair any
time of year, especially in February when a gift of candy means more
than calories on Valentine’s Day. In fact, it’s the fourth biggest
holiday for confectionery purchases (after Halloween, Easter, and
Christmas), according to candyusa.com. With that in mind, we went in search of the best sweets that Baltimore has to offer.

A heart-shaped box might be nice, but there are lots of other ways to
woo your lover’s sweet tooth. Here are 50 of our favorite treats.

Icedgems

213 Main St., Reisterstown, 443-690-7056.

This
boutique bakery features 140 fanciful flavors dreamed up by owner
Christine Richardson and her staff. Offerings include Banoffee Toffee
(banana cake with caramelized banana buttercream) and Illegally
Delicious (raspberry and chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream and
pistachios). Richardson’s signature pink-and-white polka-dotted vans can
also be found around town.

Editor’s pick: Blueberry-pancake cupcake topped with maple buttercream and candied bacon.

Charm City Cupcakes

Several locations including 1340 Smith Ave., 410-244-8790.

Eight
years ago, owner Sandra Long opened this petite bakery in the former
guard house of the historic Mt. Washington Mill. Her formula for making
cupcakes that taste as good as they look is a winning one. With a
rotation of more than 65 flavors to choose from, even the quickest
decision makers may struggle here.

Editor’s pick: Vanilla praline—a crown of caramel and pecans perched on top of vanilla cake.

Fresh Bakery

10351 Reisterstown Rd., Owings Mills, 410-530-0098.

The
bakery sets itself apart from all the other cupcake places by making it
hip to be square—literally. Letta Simon and her husband, Michael,
figured out not only a cute concept, but also how to make divine
cupcakes. Named after dream destinations—Palm Beach Coconut, Aspen Mint
Chocolate Chip, and Charleston Chocolate—you haven’t done due dessert
diligence until you’ve squared off with one of these.

Editor’s pick: The Monday special: Cape Cod carrot cupcake.

La Cakerie

Two locations including 11 W. Allegheny Ave., Towson, 443-275-4050.

Thanks to his star turns on the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and Sweet Genius,
La Cakerie owner/chef Jason Hisley has become our town’s king of
cupcakes. His Towson shop focuses on special-occasion cakes, cookies,
and even savory snacks, but the cupcakes take the cake here.

Editor’s pick: The harvest-apple cupcake with spiced buttercream and compote.

Midnite Confections Cupcakery

1051 S. Charles St., 410-727-1010.

The
focus here is on quality, not quantity, with seven daily flavors
utilizing interesting ingredients like Madagascar vanilla, white rum,
and organic carrots, plus a rotating schedule of three daily specials.
We’re sweet on the policy of icing all cupcakes after they’re ordered
and allowing customers to mix and match icings.

Editor’s pick: The Sublime-inal cupcake—lemon cake with lime buttercream frosting.