Summery Salad w/ Champagne Vinaigrette

Jerry Trice, Gunther & Co.

Who doesn’t love a great salad, especially when the temperatures soar? This salad features a veritable garden of seasonal vegetables and pairs perfectly with grilled shrimp or Maryland lump crabmeat. Think of it as an effortless main course.

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces green beans
2 ears of corn
8 slices of bacon, roughly chopped
1⁄2 cucumber, English or Kirby
1⁄8 red onion, small
1-2 heirloom tomatoes
2 heads Bibb lettuce
1⁄4 ounce fresh chives
4 ounces chèvre, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

1. Blanch green beans in heavily salted boiling water for 4-5 minutes. Shock in ice water bath.

2. Repeat with corn on the cob. Once chilled remove from water.

3. Dry corn and cut from cob.

4. Towel dry green beans and cut to 1-inch lengths. Render chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy and drain on paper towels. Halve cucumber, remove seeds and cut into 1⁄4-inch half moons. Slice onion. Quarter tomatoes into wedges, season with salt and pepper. Cut chives into 1⁄4-inch lengths.

FOR CHAMPAGNE VINAIGRETTE

Add 1 diced shallot and 1⁄2 cup Champagne vinegar to bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Allow to macerate for 30 minutes. Strain vinegar from shallots into blender. Reserve shallots. Add 11⁄2 tbsp. Dijon to vinegar and blend. Slowly add 11⁄2 cups canola oil to emulsify. Set aside. Add reserved shallots and salt and pepper, as needed.

Serves four.

Pea Soup w/Crème Fraîche

Ashish Alfred, Duck Duck Goose

Nothing says summer like this gorgeous green soup. “I love this recipe for a few reasons, but mainly because its a dead simple stunner—the little black dress of soups in my opinion,” says Alfred. “It’s important to take your time so you get that beautiful bright green color and taste, taste, taste.”

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped white parts of a large leek, sliced thinly
2 medium Idaho potatoes peeled and diced small (hold these in a bowl of water until you’re ready to use them
or they’ll turn brown)
4 1⁄2 cups vegetable stock (low-sodium or unsalted)
1 pound frozen peas
Kosher salt and white pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Blanch peas in rapidy boiling water just until the turn bright green and then immediately strain them and put them into a bowl of ice water. It’s important to have your strainer and the ice water ready before hand.
2. Add the oil, butter, shallots and garlic to a large saucepan and sauté over low heat for 6-7 minutes until the shallots and garlic are soft.
3. Add the leek, cook for an additional
3 minutes before adding diced potatoes and sautéing for 7-8 minutes.
4. Add stock and increase heat to medium, cook until potatoes are tender.
5. Add blanched peas, simmer for
2 minutes, turn off heat and season with salt and white pepper.
6. Blend everything in pot until its smooth (add a few ice cubes as you’re blending, it will help hold the color) and then pass it through a fine mesh sieve.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and spoon over whipped crème fraîche. Serves eight.

Zero-Proof Watermelon Crush

Ashish Alfred, Duck Duck Goose

As a sober chef, Ashish Alred is always looking for ways to create alcohol-free drinks that are as enticing as any boozy cocktail. This watermelon crush is juicy, thirst-quenching, and oh-so-easy on the eyes. Be sure to buy a seedless watermelon to make your job easier. Cheers!

INGREDIENTS
5 one-inch “chunks” of watermelon
4 ounces Seedlip citrus
1 ounce simple syrup
7-8 mint leaves
1 ounce lemon juice
Ginger beer
1 sprig of mint for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut watermelon into chunks.
2. Muddle watermelon and mint in shaker.
3. Add everything but the ginger beer.
4. Stir well.
5. Pour the mixture so its just a little over halfway up your glass.
6. Top with ice and a little ginger beer.
7. Garnish with the mint sprig.
8. Enjoy!

Cuban Flan with Blueberry Reduction

Jerry Pellegrino, Schola

Chef Jerry Pellegrino says he’s obsessed with making—and eating—this Cuban flan. “It differs from the Spanish version by adding cream cheese to the custard,” he says. “This makes it a little bit more dense but also much more forgiving in the oven. Garnish with some fruit and a dollop of whipped cream and it’s a lovely summertime dessert.”

INGREDIENTS
3⁄4 cup sugar

1 8-ounce cream cheese bar

6 eggs

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dash of cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan, set over medium heat, caramelize sugar until golden brown and quickly pour into a 9-inch cake pan, making sure it covers the bottom. Let cool.
2. In a large bowl, soften cream cheese with the back of a large slotted spoon until creamy and smooth.
3. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Wait until well combined before adding an additional egg. When mixture thins, you can switch over to a whisk. Whisk in remaining ingredients and pour into cake pan.
4. Set the an in a water bath and bake in a 350 Farenheit oven until set in the center but still jiggly, about 40 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and remove from water bath. Cool to room temperature.
6. Run a knife around the edge of the an. Place a large plate over the an and carefully invert the cake pan allowing the an to drop onto the plate.
7. Garnish with your favorite fruits, a mint sprig, or whipped cream.

FOR TOPPING
Bring one cup of frozen blueberries, 1-2 tbsp. sugar, and 1⁄4 cup of water to boil. As soon as it boils, turn to low heat and simmer. Reduce until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Drizzle across flan. Serves eight.

Jerry Pellegrino splits his time between Strickland Hollow Farm & Distillery in Upstate’s Merridale, NY—where he ferments hard cider and makes apple brandy and grappa—and his home in Baltimore where he co-owns the cooking school Schola. We caught up with the former Corks owner to talk about cooking, the Baltimore food scene, and molecular biology.

Why did you decide to move Schola to a new space?
When we started three years ago, it was unclear that Schola would make it through its first year—no one ever done it in Baltimore before. There was no space dedicated seven days a week to doing cooking classes—Chef Shop opened six months after us. Initially, we decided to go into a smaller space with lower overhead so that if it didn’t work out, it wouldn’t be such a tragedy.

If we added a class like one on Chinese cooking, we’d literally be buying a wok on Amazon two days before the class until we knew the class was sold out. By year two, we realized that people were very supportive and that we’d probably get a bigger space. We haven’t upped the number of people coming to classes, but people are more comfortable. Now there’s a prep area and a separate dining area.

Why was the time ripe for a cooking school in Baltimore?
Of course, everyone is into cooking channels, but we are not teaching anyone to cook—I call it a drinking school with some cooking. We are providing an experience. People bring wine and we throw an apron on them. It might be the only time of year they cut an onion. It’s a different version of dinner theater.

What have you learned from running a cooking school?
I underestimated the community and social aspect. At Schola, 24 people who don’t know each other cook together and eat together and by the end of the night, they are high-fiving and hugging. It has created incredible social interaction where people come together and changed the way people think about cooking together. It’s powerful. We need to think of some new classes because we have regulars who’ve taken every one of our classes.

So what new class concepts have you come up with?
We’re going to do a class on cast-iron cooking. Everyone is afraid of cast iron. People want to know what to cook in them and how to scrub them. We’ve partnered with Lodge Cast Iron so every participant will get a brand new 10 ¼-inch skillet. We’re also going to be doing classes on Hawaiian cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine.

What’s your process of preparing for a class?
For Hawaiian cuisine, for example, we go on Amazon and buy every cookbook we can find, read through them, study them, and get a feel for the culture then pick some recipes and make them. We have two things that limit us: We only a few hours to get things done, so we can’t be too elaborate. Also, we have to be able to source the ingredients.

Is running a cooking school harder or easier than running a restaurant?
There are two challenges. One is getting the employees, the other is managing food costs—we have the luxury of knowing how many people are coming each night. The last year I owned the restaurant I prayed every day, ‘Dear God, let it be the day that everyone shows up on time and let no one ask me for money and for one year.’ My prayers were never answered.

You were pursuing a PhD at Johns Hopkins in molecular biology. How did you get to cooking from there?
For six years, I cloned a bunch of genes and worked on fetal alcohol syndrome. I found being in the hospital a very depressing place all around—I didn’t enjoy walking the halls of the hospital. I found my way into the lab. When I was growing up, we had dinner together every night. My mom was a stay-at-home mom and my parents would have a glass of Gallo burgundy jug every night.

When I was getting my master’s thesis, my adviser was a wine aficionado who turned me on to nice wines. At Hopkins, I ended up being the kid driving to Broadway Liquors to pick up wine for wine tastings we would have like cabernets around the world. We’d talk science and drink wine. I got into cooking when I decided that science wasn’t my gig, so wine and food was the logical progression. Modernist cuisine is really all about science—it’s colloidal chemistry when you’re making vinaigrette, for example. I think I had an advantage over the people who went to culinary school, where they teach you the how, not the why.

What do you think of the food scene these days as someone who has been around Baltimore forever?
The food scene is off the hook, but the dilemma is that there’s no one to enjoy it. We need people to move into town. The population declines every year and as I watch new restaurants open every year that slice gets smaller and smaller.

Any spots you think are doing a particularly good job?
Mark Levy at Magdalena is doing a killer job. Tony Foreman is the best restaurateur in the city. Mad props to Chris Amenolda at Foraged and Alex Smith’s Atlas restaurants are really good. You can’t talk about food in Baltimore without saying Chad Gauss’s name or Sergio Vitale [of Aldos], where you can’t find a higher quality Italian dinner. These places are institutions. The Prime Rib and Tio Pepe don’t have the exclusive on being institutions anymore.

BABY BEATS
6/6. Center Plaza, 100 N. Charles St. 10:30 a.m. Free. Parents and kids can learn a new skill at this fast-paced beat-boxing workshop.

FISHING FUN DAY
6/10. Lake Roland, 1000 Lakeside Dr. 9:30 a.m. $5.
Learn how to bait a hook and catch a fish outside at Lake Roland. 

CELEBRATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN DADS

6/10. Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. 12 p.m. Free-$8. This fete for African-American dads features live drumming, poetry readings, and collage crafts. 

DAD’S DAY 5K
6/11. Rash Field, 201 Key Hwy. 8 a.m. $5. Grab your father, family, and friends for this festive 5K to benefit local parks.

CREATURE FEATURES

6/17. The Walters Art Museum, 600 N. Charles St. 11 a.m. Free. Fathers, sons, and families can come together for a hands-on tour with activities at the museum. 

SATURDAY
MORNING TUNES
6/17. WTMD Studios, 1 Olympic Pl., Towson. 9 a.m. Free-$40. Bring the kids for weekend morning music by Barry Louis Polisar.

FATHER’S DAY COOKOUT
6/18. Cromwell Valley Park, 2002 Cromwell Bridge Road, Parkville. 1-3 p.m. $3-5. Enjoy hot dogs and cornhole with dad.

ORIOLES VS.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
6/16-18. Oriole Park at Camden Yards, 333 W. Camden St. Times & prices vary. Spend Father’s Day weekend with hot dogs, cold beers, and the O’s at Camden Yards.

SCHOLA FATHER’S
DAY DINNER
6/18. Schola, 1005 N. Charles St. 5 p.m. $69. Treat dad to dinner with this hands-on cooking class full of confit duck, juicy filet, and s’mores bread pudding.

CHEF

6/18. Enoch Pratt Free Library, 6310 Reisterstown Road. 5:30 p.m. Free. Catch this funny film about an out-of-work chef who opens a food truck and reconnects with his son.

MOUNT CLARE
FATHER’S DAY
6/18. Mount Clare Museum House, 1500 Washington Blvd. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free- $8. Bring your father figure for special admission, war reenactors, and lessons on 18th-century weaponry.

THE CRAWDADDIES
6/18. Ladew Topiary Gardens, 3535 Jarrettsville Pike, Monkton. 6 p.m. Free-$15. Celebrate Father’s Day with live music that combines zydeco, blues, and ska influences. 

Whether you’re spending it with a favorite friend, first date, old flame, or your own fabulous self, show a little love this Valentine’s Day with our roundup of weekend rendezvous.

Art for the Heart

2/11: PAPER-CUTTING AND PRESSED FLOWER ARRANGING WORKSHOP
B. Willow and Annie Howe Papercuts are teaming up to host this artsy workshop where students will learn how to create their own paper-cut design and adorn it with pressed flowers. The price of admission to the pop-up includes cocktails, snacks, and a 15 percent-off discount on all Trohv merchandise before the class begins. Trohv, 921 W. 36th St., 6 p.m., $120, 410-366-3456.

2/12: VALENTINE’S DAY OPEN STUDIO SESSION
Mix and match flowers, clippers, and vases to create a one-of-a-kind arrangement for your valentine at this self-directed event. No need to worry if you aren’t a botanical buff— experts will be on-hand to give advice throughout the session. Local Color Flowers, 3100 Brentwood Ave., 6:30 p.m., $30-75,410-262-1494

2/13: BLOCK PRINTING
This year, make your loved one a handmade Valentine’s gift at this DIY workshop, using one of the oldest forms of printmaking. Maryland Science Center, 601 Light St. 10:30 a.m. $15.410-545-5980

Boozy Bashes

2/10: 30th & WELDON GALENTINE’S DAY PARTY
The trio behind local lifestyle blog 30th & Weldon is throwing this love-themed networking event to celebrate Charm City women who are doing big things. Guests are invited to sip cocktails, nosh on smoky snacks from Blue Pit BBQ, and mingle with other local movers and shakers. A portion of the night’s cocktail proceeds will be donated to the House of Ruth.
Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar, 1601 Union Ave., 6 p.m., Free admission,
443-948-5590

2/12: THE BITTER HEART CLUB: AN ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY TAKEOVER: Ware House 518 is teaming up with Drinkable Genius to host this party for all of the V-Day cynics who would much rather sip cocktails than snack on heart-shaped chocolates. Throw back cleverly named drink specials like “The Alanis Punch,” “The Black Heart Old Fashioned,” and “The Tinder Special” while rocking out to angsty music all night long. Ware House 518, 518 N. Charles St., 9 p.m.,443-869-3382

2/13: FEDERAL HILL V-DAY BAR CRAWL
In true Federal Hill fashion, neighborhood favorites like Noble’s, Stalking Horse, Mad River, and Mother’s are hosting this cupid-inspired crawl. Highlights will include $2 Miller Lite cans, $3 glasses of wine, costume contests, and live DJs at each bar. Multiple locations including 1113 S. Charles St., 5 p.m., $20-30

2/13: ANTI-VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY AT 14FORTY
If you’ll be flying solo this V-Day, grab your best buds and head to this multi-level lounge inside Horseshoe Casino. Singles are invited to sip specialty cocktails, sock the casino’s signature ‘I Hate Valentine’s Day’ punch board, and enter to win cash prizes by sharing their “Best Worst-Ex” stories. Horseshoe Casino, 1525 Russell St., 8 p.m., Free admission, 844-777-7463

2/14: VALENTINE’S DAY PAJAMA BRUNCH
Mother’s is spreading the love by throwing one of its signature boozy brunches on Valentine’s Day. Enjoy plenty of bacon, Bloodies, and benedicts, and receive half-off of your entire check if you show up in your pajamas. Mother’s Grille., 1113 S. Charles St., 9 a.m., 410-244-8686

Dashing Dance Parties

2/13: LOVE SONGS OF THE PRESIDENTS
Sway to the sounds of romantic POTUSes like Washington, Adams, and Jefferson in this original, comedic concert. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. 3 p.m. $5-8. 410-276-1651

2/13: CHERUB
Grab a date and get your groove on as this electro-indie duo performs its disco dance party hits, like “Doses & Mimosas” and “Disco Shit.” Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Pl. 9 p.m. $22-25. 410-244-0057

2/13: VALENTINE’S DAY DANCE PARTY
In the spirit of love, the Ottobar is donating all of the proceeds from this all-night dance-fest to Moveable Feast—an organization that puts healthy food on the table for locals in need.Grab your friends and get down to DJ sets from Dan Deacon, James Nasty, Chiffon, Young Coconut, and Dianamatic. Ottobar, 2549 N. Howard St., 9 p.m, $7-10 donation, 410-662-0069

2/13: FAMILY VALENTINE’S DANCE PARTY
Dress up the little ones and head to this evening event where families can explore the museum, create light-up valentine cards, decorate cookies, chow down on pizza, and dance to kid-friendly tunes spun by DJ Holly. Port Discovery, 35 Market Pl., 6 p.m., $15-18, 410-727-8120

2/14: ENCHANTMENT UNDER THE SEA DANCE
Baltimore Soundstage is recreating Back to the Future’s iconic high school dance theme this V-Day, complete with dating games, door prizes, Hawaiian fusion fare, and live covers by local alternative band Sucker Punch. Baltimore Soundstage, 124 Market Pl., 7:30 p.m., $20-30, 410-244-0057

Out of the Ordinary

2/13: CUPID’S UNDIE RUN
For one wintry Saturday, strip down to your skivvies for this 1.5-mile run around Baltimore to benefit The Children’s Tumor Foundation. Luckie’s Tavern, 10 Market Pl. 12-4 p.m. $45-55

2/13: TASSELS & CHAMPAGNE
Gilded Lily Burlesque presents a special Valentine’s Day show set to the sexy sounds of 1940s Chicago rhythm and blues. Creative Alliance, 3134 Eastern Ave. 7 & 10 p.m. 410-276-1651

2/13: SEX AT THE ZOO
Learn about love in the animal kingdom with a lecture on mating habits, an open bar, and plenty of food. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, 1876 Mansion House Dr. 6-9 p.m. $80. 410-396-7102

2/14: KATT WILLIAMS
Love doesn’t have to be so serious, so spend one knee-slapping night with this outrageous, velvet-loving comedian. Royal Farms Arena, 201 W. Baltimore St. 8 p.m. $52-175. 410-347-2020

Sweet Soirees

2/11: CHEZ CHARMERIE
The Charmery is being transformed from a laid-back hangout into a swanky sit-down spot. To gear up for the romantic holiday weekend, scoopers will be serving up a fancy three-course ice cream dinner highlighting dishes like chilled ice cream soup with pecans and caramel jello, chocolate chip cheesecake ice cream sandwiches, and chocolate-covered strawberry milkshakes. The Charmery, 801 W. 36th St., 6 p.m., $20, Reservations required, 410-814-0493

2/13: MAYAN CHOCOLATE MAKING
On Valentine’s Eve, learn the ancient Mayan art of chocolate making. Willow Grove Nature Center, 2175 Cromwell Bridge Rd., Parkville. 1-3 p.m. $10-12. 410-887-3014

2/13: CANDY AND CHOCOLATE MAKING CLASS
Throw on an apron and join the experts at Schola for an afternoon of sweet treats. Students enrolled in this confectionery class will learn how to create their own truffles, rum balls, chocolate bark, fudge, and pecan pralines. Schola, 1005 N. Charles St., 12 p.m., $52, 443-714-7516