Roasted Cauliflower Panisse Cake from Preserve

“The original play was on a French panisse cake,” says Preserve chef Brian Cieslak of this recipe. “It shows that vegetables don’t have to be one-dimensional.” To pretty up the plate (pictured above), Cieslak suggests dotting the plate with miso paste, a shower of parsley and scallions, plus pickled cauliflower stems.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound cauliflower
1⁄2 cup white onion, diced
2 cups chickpea flour
5 cups water
5 garlic cloves
11⁄2 tablespoons salt
1⁄4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon EVOO
11⁄2 tablespoons lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS
1. Roast cauliflower in oven set at 350 Fahrenheit. Roast until golden.
2. Set aside onion, and in a blender (in batches if necessary) blend all remaining ingredients. Reserve.
3. Spray a 9.5” x 13” pan with oil.
4. In a pot that preferably has a wider bottom that can hold at least 4 quarts, sweat onion with 1 tbsp. oil.
5. Add chickpea our/water mixture.
6. While keeping on medium/ medium-high heat, continue to whisk and boil until mixture becomes extremely thick (up to 10 minutes).
7. Once firm, fold in cauliflower.
8. Pour in greased pan. Allow to completely cool in fridge.
9. When cool, griddle in a pan on low heat until golden.
Serves 4. 

For the garlic confit sauce: In a small sauce pot add 1⁄2 cup garlic cloves and 1⁄2 cup neutral oil. Place on low flame. Heat slowly for two hours and cook garlic until golden. Cool. For sauce, blanch 2 cups cauliflower florets in salted water. Cook until very tender, then toss in ice bath. Place cauliflower in a blender, blend until nearly puréed. Emulsify in garlic confit cloves and oil. Season to taste.

 

Beet Terrine from The Corner Pantry

If you’re still scarred by those childhood beets that came from a can, this stunner from chef Neill Howell at The Corner Pantry is a surefire way to reimagine the root vegetable. “I wanted to create a fun, vegetable-centric dish that isn’t a salad,” says Howell. “Don’t rush the chilling process,” he adds. “It needs time to chill and firm up.”

For an entire week after George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minnesota police, Amanda Mack didn’t bake a thing.

The Crust by Mack owner, a lifelong baker who considers being in the kitchen part of her self-care routine, couldn’t bring herself to turn on the oven. And the grand opening of her stall inside the newly refurbished Whitehall Market in Hampden—a dream she’s had since launching the business in 2017—seemed insignificant given the weight of her grief and what was happening in the world around her.

“It’s been a very heavy time,” says the black business owner and mother of three. “Promoting stuff for people to buy was just hard for me to come up with the words to start talking about. But I had a conversation with my husband that really brought me back to life.”

Mack’s husband, Jarrod, was able to convince her that—even as protests continue and dining establishments remain closed for indoor service—she has much to be proud of.

“He just said, ‘You deserve this,’” she recalls. “I realized I should be celebrating the journey it took to get here. I should be celebrating women in business and minority-owned businesses. Even though times are hard, we still have something to celebrate.”

On the heels of that conversation, Mack took to social media to announce that she would be offering $25 “Celebration” pastry boxes filled with four full-sized treats as a way to toast the opening while giving back to the black community. She’s donating 10 percent of all proceeds from the packages, which sold out in two days, to Invisible Majority—a local incubator that provides resources for the black creative community. Mack raised more than $400 for the organization, and she’s donating 40 of the boxes to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence or police brutality.

“At the end of the day I think it’s a call on my people to show up for me,” she says. “Right now, the country is looking to support black-owned businesses and to amplify our voices. Let this be an invitation to them.”

Amanda Mack and her signature hand pies at Crust by Mack.

Meanwhile, all of the merchants in the renovated, 18th-century flour mill agreed that now is a time for the community to reflect on the current climate—which is why the market, a project more than five years in the making, opened quietly last week with little fanfare.

Currently, Crust by Mack, boutique catering and prepared foods eatery Gundalow Gourmet, local teahouse Wight Tea Co., and Western Maryland-based Firefly Farms Market are open for curbside pickup and takeout Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Satellite locations of Cocina Luchadoras and Ceremony Coffee, as well as sustainably sourced gift shop Homebody General Store and chef Rey Eugenio’s Filipino restaurant, Heritage, are expected to debut in the market in the coming weeks.

“[Because of the pandemic], we’re stretched as thin as we’ve been in a long time,” says Michael Koch, who co-founded Firefly Farms with his husband, Pablo Solanet, in 2002. “But we’re all so proud of what we’ve built together. As exhausted as we might be, the space is gorgeous.”

Inside the 18,000-square-foot property developed by Terra Nova Ventures’ David Tufaro and Jennifer Nolley, each stall reflects the spirit of the individual makers. Heritage highlights a 10-seat steel bar beneath golden light fixtures, Gundalow boasts shelves stocked with cookbooks and pantry goods, and Firefly features a walk-in cheese cave that will be used to educate visitors about the art of cheesemaking.

“There’s a real geekiness at the heart of Firefly,” Koch says. “People can engage with us and ask about what makes one cheese different from the other.”

Brittany Wight of Wight Tea Co.,which is donating 10 percent of proceeds from its first week to Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp.

Pablo Solanet of Firefly Farms.

Mack collaborated with designers, and fellow black business owners, Tiffanni Reidy of Reidy Creative and Phylea Carter of Design My Investment ATL to create her inviting stall that features blush tones, comfy high-top window seats, plush chairs, and lots of interior greenery.

“It was really important to create a structure that allows me to invite people to sit down so I can ask, ‘How’s your day? How’s your heart?’” Mack says. “You’d be surprised how much you can find out about a stranger over a cup of coffee and a pie.”

Creating unity with neighbors is one thing that vendors hope can be a silver lining of the market’s opening during a global pandemic and a national outcry. As Baltimore continues to place an emphasis on supporting small businesses, especially those that are black-owned, Koch hopes that Whitehall can be part of the recovery.

“Now the return to hyper-local and the need to connect with one’s community is so underscored,” he says, “not just from a food system perspective, but from a true diverse community perspective. It’s just never been more important.”

Though diners aren’t going to be able to fully experience the bakery until restaurants reopen entirely, Mack knows this period is not forever. She’s looking forward to the day when she can host her first of many social justice-focused panel discussions and events in the space. “We’re going to get through this,” she adds. “It’s hard right now, but it’s going to get better. The city is coming together.”

As for Mack getting back into the kitchen: “Once I start, I probably won’t stop,” she says. “I’m pouring everything I have into these boxes. When we talk about the whole idea of soul food, it’s more than a cultural thing. Our ancestors literally put their blood, sweat, and tears into their food. That’s why you can taste the difference. They were planting those seeds. They were harvesting the grains. It was different because their experiences were different. That’s where that flavor came from, so I’m definitely going to be putting a lot of soul into these boxes.”

Dana Sicko is no stranger to the concept of a communal market. As the CEO of Gundalow Juice, she sold her black-labeled bottles at local events and farmers’ markets for nearly five years. But after deciding to stop production to focus on her catering service, Gundalow Gourmet, last year, she says she’s missed the feeling of being surrounded by other small businesses.

“I love to be a part of a team,” she says. “I always prefer to be around people who I can learn from and bounce ideas off of.”

Naturally, Sicko jumped at the chance to set up shop alongside seven other local vendors at Whitehall Food Market in Hampden. Though the communal spot on the Jones Falls—part of the mixed-use redevelopment of the historic mill that also houses True Chesapeake Oyster Co.—isn’t slated to officially debut until after the New Year, its vendors are coming together to host four consecutive weekend pop-ups, where visitors can shop for food and gifts throughout the holidays.

Beginning Saturday, November 30 and continuing weekends until Sunday, December 22, the event, dubbed “Holiday by the Falls,” will take over the former Charm Kitty Cafe space in the green building adjacent to the actual market. Organizers are working with local designer Nicole Figliola to transform the space into a full-blown winter wonderland decorated with festive greenery, bows, and paper Christmas trees.

“The holidays are often so crazy and get so far from what they should be,” Sicko says. “Our whole mission is about simplifying life in a delicious way. So we’re really excited to be able to say, ‘You don’t have to worry about making your dip, because we have it all ready for you.’ We just want to give people that time back to do whatever they want with their holidays.”

Aside from Gundalow’s famous bourbon caramelized onion dip and Croque Monsieur breakfast casserole, the one-stop shop will feature artisanal cheeses, raw honeys, and domestic cured meats from Firefly Farms; hand pies, Old Bay chocolate chip cookies, and other sweet treats from Crust by Mack; and an array of teas from Wight Tea Co. On select weekends, there will also be Filipino fare from chef Rey Eugenio of Heritage and winter warmers from Ceremony Coffee.

All of the holiday items are meant to serve as a sneak peek of what the vendors will offer once they begin selling at Whitehall full time.

“Every single thing we will be selling at the holiday market is something that we are passionate about,” says Jesse Galdston, general manager and director of retail operations for Firefly Farms, which is based in Garrett County. “And there is an energy and excitement that you get when you see other people who are just as passionate about food as you are.”

While the food-focused spots will be offering standout dishes to bring to a potluck or highlight on a holiday table, ceramicist Annie Parker will feature a selection of local gifts at her stall, Homebody General Store. Alongside some of her own pieces, Parker will sell graphic tees, throw blankets, skincare products, jewelry, smaller stocking stuffers such as playing cards and face masks, and vases by local artist Tim McFadden of McFadden Art Glass on Eastern Avenue.

“Shopping small, especially for gift items around the holidays, is always more special,” Parker says. “Just the fact that someone was at this cool little shop that they found themselves and saw this item and thought of you. It’s just more special than going to a mall and getting a gift card or something like that.”

A lineup of activities planned throughout the pop-up includes a citrus-garland making class with Parker and Figliola—who both hail from Anthropologie—on November 30, a coffee tasting with Ceremony on December 7, and a cheese tutorial with the team from Firefly on December 14.

Collectively, the vendors are looking forward to introducing themselves to visitors, who they hope to see at the market on a regular basis once it opens. They’re also excited to work alongside one another for the first time and have the opportunity to refer shoppers to each other’s businesses.

After all, it’s certainly no coincidence that the inaugural Holiday by the Falls pop-up is scheduled for Small Business Saturday.

“We might not be the cheapest, but you’re getting our passion,” Sicko says of Baltimore’s small-business community. “You are getting the hardest working hours of our life, because this is what we’ve decided to pursue. We’re always stronger together.”

COMING SOON

Whitehall Food Market: It’s been several years since we first heard murmurs of a food hall taking shape inside Whitehall Mill—the historic property located along the Jones Falls in Hampden. Now, the lineup of Maryland producers moving in to the revamped space has officially been finalized. In addition to True Chesapeake Oyster House—an anchor restaurant from the brains behind The Local Oyster and True Chesapeake Oyster Co.—the culinary offerings will include java from Ceremony Coffee, cheese and charcuterie from Deep Creek Lake’s FireFly Farms, small-batch blends from Wight Tea Company, prepared meals from Gundalow Gourmet, and European pastries from Roggenart. In addition, look for authentic eats from Heritage, a new concept from former Ouzo Bay chef Rey Eugenio—who also operates the popular Masarap Filipino pop-up. Developers with Terra Nova Ventures are preparing for a late-fall grand opening.

Miss Shirley’s: Get ready to see some familiar food-and-drink logos while strolling through BWI this summer vacation season. Frederick’s Flying Dog Taphouse has become a favorite since it opened inside the airport two years ago, and recently, Nalley Fresh joined the pack with a salad stall inside the food court on Concourse A. The local restaurant presence will continue to expand in 2020, when Baltimore breakfast behemoth Miss Shirley’s is expected to open a 100-seat restaurant inside the global gateway. To accommodate travelers at any hour, the spot will offer dinner and late-night options, as well as its signature pancakes and Southern-style breakfast dishes.

OPEN

Dee at Thai: Mt. Vernon locals were at a loss when Stang of Siam closed abruptly last December. A sign posted to the door informed regulars that a changeover was imminent, and now, a new Thai restaurant is back in its place on North Calvert Street. Dee at Thai opened earlier this month, offering a wholesome array of soups, curries, vegetarian options, and traditional pad Thai dishes. In keeping with the holistic mission, the menu also breaks down the health benefits of cooking with Thai herbs such as lemongrass and sweet basil, which have both been known to help strengthen the immune system.

NEWS

Heavy Seas Releases “Bmore Snoball Ale”: On the list of things synonymous with Charm City, egg custard snowballs rank pretty high. So it’s no wonder Halthorpe-based Heavy Seas’ Beer decided to create a new brew inspired by the iconic summer treat. At a 5.5 percent ABV, the Egg Custard Blonde Ale uses a malt base, Strisselspalt hops, and lots of vanilla to replicate the classic snowball flavor. It will be available in cans and on draft exclusively in the brewery’s taproom starting next Friday, July 26.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

7/20: SauceScape at North Avenue Market
Throughout Artscape weekend, there will be plenty of opportunities for diners to get a sneak peek of the proposed plans for North Avenue Market. The former home of Red Emma’s in Station North is expected to house multiple food concepts in the coming months. Among them will be Secret Sauce Co., the craft ketchup brand that served its burgers and fries at an extended pop-up inside Lost City Diner a few months back. This Saturday night, Secret Sauce Co. is taking over the space to launch its new hot sauce collaboration with Jones Falls Sauce Company. Stop by to sample the concoction, enjoy tacos from Cocina Luchadoras, play some classic arcade games, dance to live funk music, and—perhaps most importantly—take advantage of the free air conditioning.

7/20: Inaugural Highlandtown Crab Feast

The recent influx of Chesapeake Bay blue crabs calls for a new Charm City crab feast. Enjoy the summer tradition at this inaugural event benefiting the Highlandtown Community Association. Captain Frank’s Seafood will provide the crabs and savory sides, such as steamed corn, tomato and cucumber salad, and hush puppies. And Highlandtown’s own Monument City Brewing will be handing out cold cans to wash down all of the eats. Following dinner, partake in dessert, games, a 50/50 raffle, and a block party from 7-9 p.m.

SHUT

Atwater’s Falls Road: Early risers on the hunt for avocado toast on Falls Road will now have to venture to one of Atwater’s other nearby locations. After seven years, the cafe recently came to the end of its lease, and management decided not to renew. The neighborhood go-to became known for its piping-hot soups, irresistible baked goods, and hearty sandwiches. Luckily, Atwater’s locations in Belvedere Square, Canton, Catonsville, Towson, and Upper Fells Point are all still going strong.

Bar Liquorice: Riverside locals enjoyed the last of the Red Vines and Good & Plenty’s at this kitschy corner bar last week. After five years of slinging cocktails and refilling the popcorn bowls at Bar Liquorice, owner Jeff Cahill has decided to move on. “Owning a bar is a 24-7 labor of love that can really kick your ass,” he wrote in a message announcing the closure. “Although I have loved my 30-plus years in Baltimore, I have decided to join my family in a new venture that will free me up to actually enjoy my life.” There’s no word yet what will become of the Fort Avenue property.

For nearly five years, locals have come to recognize the boxy, black-labeled bottles of Gundalow Juice as one of the city’s greatest homegrown products. But, what most might not know, is that the cold-pressed juice project started out as a spinoff of a personal chef business that CEO Dana Sicko founded in 2011.

“Personal cheffing is a little more of an expensive service,” says Sicko. “But our goal has always been to make nutrition simpler for people, and the juices really exemplified that. At the time, I thought I could probably reach more people through the juice than I was able to with the personal chef business.”

While continuing to operate her catering arm, Gundalow Gourmet, Sicko began to build up Gundalow Juice—which quickly caught on with the community and became the first licenced wholesaling cold-pressed juice company in the state.

But now, after years of selling the nautical-inspired flavors (including the tangerine “Sailor’s Delight” and pineapple “Dockside Sunrise”) at local bodegas and farmers’ markets, Sicko has decided to stop production in order to focus on growing Gundalow Gourmet. She says that, as the market for healthful drinks continues to grow in the city, production costs were making it tough to keep up with the competition.

“It’s very difficult to be in the juice industry and be a bootstrapping entrepreneur,” she says. “When there are only so many hours in the day and there’s money on the table, you have to evaluate where you’re putting your resources. Gundalow Gourmet has always been there, patiently waiting. And it’s really hitting this beautiful stride.”

Though she describes the transition as bittersweet, Sicko feels proud to have paved the way for other local companies that have continued the culinary wellness trend.

“It’s a beautiful thing that there are so many options for juice now in Baltimore,” she says. “It’s such an amazing way for people to be healthy on the go, and to see that fruits and vegetables do actually taste good.”

Looking back at the past few years, Sicko says some of her favorite memories are the dance parties that occurred in Gundalow’s first production space—a tiny room in a West Baltimore warehouse.

“We played a lot of Taylor Swift,” she says with a laugh. “You have to make it fun when you’re in a 10-by-10 windowless room and doing the same thing over and over again. The team was just so amazing and so full of energy.”

The next chapter focusing on Gundalow Gourmet will allow Sicko and her team of seven personal chefs—who now work out of B-More Kitchen in Govans—to provide more office catering in Baltimore and widen the company’s footprint. Aside from expanding in Washington, D.C., Sicko is planning to split her time between Baltimore and New England to make an impact up north.

Sicko, who studied nutrition at the University of New Hampshire, is looking forward to introducing Gundalow to the New England market, while also working with her former professors to mentor budding female entrepreneurs—something she has become particularly passionate about through the years.

“I really felt called back to the area,” she explains. “My education there framed my thinking of food and inspired a lot behind Gundalow Gourmet.”

In fact, the business itself is named after a ship that was once common to the waterways of New Hampshire and Maine. Sicko credits the spirit of the company to her staff, including her mom Lisa, who will be present at Gundalow’s final farmers’ market in Fells Point this Saturday, September 22.

“Cold pressed juice is not a cheap thing,” Sicko says. “So I’ve always felt that the very least we could do was make sure that ours was the best tasting juice that you can buy for your $5. When I think about all of the incredible people I’ve met, the fans, and the team, those are the people I always wanted to make proud.”