Sweet 27 – Baltimore Magazine

Remington Restaurants Gear Up for Remfest This Weekend

Lauren Cohen — Thu, 09 May 2019 11:16:00 +0000

Baltimore neighborhoods are constantly evolving and it’s safe to say that Remington has officially experienced a renaissance.

“I was born and raised in this neighborhood, so I’ve seen it go through quite a few changes,” says The Dizz general manager Elaine Stevens, who has worked at the restaurant for 27 years. “But I wouldn’t live anywhere else. I love the people here. It’s just a great place.”

To commemorate Remington’s history and bright future ahead, locals came together last spring to host the first-annual Remfest—a street festival that coincided with the centennial of some of the area’s most celebrated properties.

“We think we have something pretty special here,” says Dan Scott, a partner at Charmington’s on Howard street. “We really wanted to show that off to people, and the festival totally exceeded our expectations.”

This Saturday, May 11, food vendors, musicians, makers, and neighbors will pack the streets once again for the second-annual gathering along Remington Avenue from 12-9 p.m. Aside from an impressive vendor lineup, family-friendly programming, and live music by Baltimore favorites (think Brooks Long, Bobbi Rush, Soul Cannon, Super City, and Outcalls), there will be plenty of local eats and drinks to choose from.

“To me, it’s fantastic that we are doing something to bring more foot traffic and give Remington the recognition that it needed a long time ago,” says Sweet 27 owner Suraj Bhatt, who is one of the returning food vendors this year.

Stevens, too, is looking forward to returning to the event with The Dizz, especially on the heels of such a pivotal year for the neighborhood fixture. The owners put their corner hangout on the market last fall, but ultimately decided against selling after seeing the outpouring of support from the community.

“This place has been here forever,” she says. “I think [the owners] were ready to just get out of the business, but then they saw how much it means to everybody and that made them say, ‘You know what, we’re not giving up. We’re going to hang in there.’”

Stevens says that the street fair is a great way to strengthen the community bond that she sees firsthand every day at the beloved burger bar.

“That’s one good thing about The Dizz being here, we get to meet everybody who moves into the neighborhood,” she says. “It’s kind of like a little meet-and-greet all the time. And it’s the same at Remfest—it’s just a chance for everybody to come together.”

The Remington eateries, along with a few visiting vendors, will serve everything from burgers and steamed buns to cookies and crab cakes this Saturday. Here’s a preview of what’s on the menu:

Shrimp salad and Old Bay sausages from The Dizz: Visit Stevens and her team to chow down on portable festival fare including curly fries, bleu cheese sliders, fried pickles with ranch, chicken tenders, and grilled Polish hot dogs. The Dizz will also be welcoming Charm City cookout weather with summer staples like shrimp salad and plump Old Bay sausages.

Ginger Immunitea and cookies from Charmington’s: In anticipation of the warm temperatures, Scott and his staff at Charmington’s are preparing batches of their iced Ginger Immunitea—a refreshing sip is steeped with raw ginger, lemon, and honey. The shop will also be pouring iced coffees and selling its fresh-baked cookies in flavors ranging from vegan banana-walnut to classic chocolate chip.

Bombay chicken and chana masala from Sweet 27: Best known for its multicultural cuisine and gluten-free sweets, this Remington mainstay will offer a sampling of dishes off of its regular menu. Look out for bombay, penang, and Jamaican jerk chicken served with a choice of one side. Vegan options include veggie fritters, garlic kale, chana masala, basmati rice, and garlic mashed potatoes.

Smoked salmon tacos from Neopol Smokery: Follow your nose to this popular smoked meat stall from Belvedere Square. Owner Dorian Brown will be preparing smoked salmon tacos with pico de gallo and chipotle cream, applewood-smoked pulled pork sandwiches, smoked mussels on the half shell, and portobello wraps with feta and field greens.

Crab cake sandwiches and ice-cold oysters from The Local Oyster: Head to the red-and-white pop-up tent to slurp oysters and indulge in colossal crab cake sandwiches served alongside Utz chips. Another highlight will be the team’s signature shrimp grilled with butter and Old Bay.

Steamed buns from Ekiben: Get your hands on a pillowy steamed bun from this Fells Point favorite known for its innovative Asian-fusion dishes. Look out for signature buns and bowls like the “Neighborhood Bird” (Taiwanese curry fried chicken topped with coleslaw and fresh herbs) and the vegan “Tofu Brah” topped with spicy peanut sauce.

Source

Thanksgiving Pie Recipes and Tips

Lydia Woolever — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:07:00 +0000

This might sound sacrilegious but every Thanksgiving, the turkey’s in the oven, the sausages are on the grill, the potatoes are mashed, and I could care less. All I can think about is the pie.

Okay, maybe that’s a stretch: I'll definitely swing by the stuffing, but the pie.

That perfect, sweet slice of America. That simple, comforting taste of home. That warm, buttery, flakey crust, with a dollop of fresh, whipped cream.

It’s the coveted course in my house. It’s the daintily divvied, carefully allotted leftover for the rest of the long weekend. I love the way we all only take a sliver, even though we really want a cut as thick as cash. I love the way we suspiciously eye each other’s slices, either as a green light for seconds or to keep tabs on our late-night snack. It doesn’t matter if we’re full to the brim—we find room. And why not? Life’s too short. The only thing sacrilegious about dessert is skipping it.

Here, we’ve rounded up some holiday pie recipes (if you’re cooking at home), plus a list of where to buy them (if you’re not), and best of all, two easy, classic cocktails for you to sip on the side.

eat in

Courtesy of Ashley Roop, pastry chef for Foreman Wolf restaurant group.

Foreman Wolf’s Bourbon Pecan Pie

Crust: (makes one pie shell)

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

4 oz. butter, cold, diced in ½-inch cubes

3-4 Tbsp. ice water

In a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt? Pulse until evenly combined

Add butter and pulse until mixture forms pebble-size pieces.

Add cold water 1 Tbsp. at a time while pulsing.

Pulse until dough comes into a rough mass.

On a floured surface, shape dough into a disc, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1-24 hours.
*If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter or your hands.

Filling:

1/3 c. dark brown sugar

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1/3 c. buckwheat honey*

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 lrg. eggs

1 lrg. egg yolk

3 Tbsp. bourbon

2 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. pecan halves

1/2 orange, zested

*Can substitute other dark honey, corn syrup, or maple syrup.

Roll dough out on a large, flat, lightly floured surface.

Fit dough into 9-inch pie pan, crimp edges, and chill till ready.

In a bowl, whisk together sugars, flour, and salt.

Mix in honey eggs, egg yolk, bourbon, vanilla extract, melted butter, and zest, then store in refrigerator until ready.

Arrange pecans in an even layer in the unbaked pie shell. Pour cooled mix over pecans.

Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.

Turn oven down to 350°F and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until puffed in the middle.

Let cool at room temperature for several hours before cutting.

Courtesy of Rodney Henry, founder of Dangerously Delicious Pies

Dangerously Delicious Pies’ Sweet Potato Pie

Crust: (makes two pie shells)

2 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 c. vegetable shortening

1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 c. water

Mix dry ingredients together.

Add shortening and water, then knead until it forms a soft dough.

Roll out dough and add to a 10” pie pan. Crimp edges.

Filling:

1 lb. sweet potatoes

1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

2 lrg. eggs

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. vanilla

Dash of salt

Bake whole sweet potatoes on cookie sheet at 350°F for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender.
Let cool for about 30 minutes, and then remove the skins.

Mash potatoes until smooth.

Whisk in remainder of ingredients and pour into pie shell.

Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Courtesy of Angie Law, pastry chef at Cunningham's Café

Cunningham Café’s Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Crust: (makes one pie shell)

8 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature

4 oz. granulated white sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lrg. egg

12 oz. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

Using a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together.

Mix in the vanilla, then the egg, then the flour and salt, until dough comes together.

Gently knead dough onto a lightly floured surface. Form into a round patty, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 4 hours.

Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness.

Lightly grease the tart pan with pan spray.

Transfer the dough to pan then gently press it to the edges of the pan..

Run a knife along the pan’s edge to trim off excess dough.

Place the tart shell in the freezer.

Bake the tart shell at 375°F for 15 minutes and allow to cool completely.

Filling:

2 Tbsp. rum

2 Tbsp. water

2 tsp. powdered gelatin

15 oz. pumpkin puree

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lrg. orange, zested
1 1/2 c. heavy cream

Combine water and rum in a microwave safe bowl, then sprinkle in gelatin and allow to hydrate.

In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and zest.

Microwave gelatin mix in 30-second bursts, stirring frequently until its melted and clear.

Immediately whisk the hot gelatin into the pumpkin mixture.

Using an electric mixer, whisk the heavy cream to soft peaks.

Fold heavy cream into pumpkin mixture.

Immediately pour into baked tart shell.

Chill for 6-8 hours before serving.

drink up

Courtesy of Aaron Joseph, lead bartender at Wit & Wisdom

Stinger

Ingredients:

1 1/2 oz. aged rum

1/2 oz. crème de menthe

1/4 oz. orgeat syrup

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a cocktail mixing glass.
Add ice and stir for 20 seconds.

Strain and pour into a double old fashion glass filled with crushed ice.

Garnish with mint and orange peel.

Hot Toddy

Ingredients:

1 oz. Spice Tree Scotch

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1 oz. Earl Grey honey syrup (1/2 oz. Twinings Earl Grey loose leaf tea + 1/2 oz. honey)
4 oz. hot water

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a cocktail mixing glass and stir.

Garnish with lemon peel.

carry out

Atwater’s
Multiple locations and phone numbers. atwaters.biz.
Order by 11/23. $24-28.

Seven pies including classics, plus apple cranberry, apple ginger, and pumpkin cheesecake.

Bel Air Bakery
140 N. Band St., Bel Air. 410-838-6455. belairbakery.com.
Order by 11/26. $14-17.

32 pies including classics plus mince meat, peanut butter, and caramel apple walnut.

Cunningham’s Café
1 Olympic Pl., Towson. 410-339-7730. cunninghamtowson.com.
Order by 11/23. In-store first come, first serve. $28-32.

Cranberry lemon meringue, pumpkin chiffon, and chocolate bourbon pecan.

Dangerously Delicious Pies
2839 O’Donnell St. 410-522-7437. dangerouspiesbalt.com.
Order by 11/20. $28-35.

26 pies including classics, sweet, and savory plus marrionberry, banana cream, Mobtown Brown (pecan with Swiss chocolate and caramel sauce), and Baltimore Bomb (vanilla chess with Berger cookies).

Dooby’s
802 N. Charles St. 410-702-5144. doobyscoffee.com.
Order by 11/21. In-store first come, first serve. $21-25.

“Damn Good Pie,” pumpkin, and apple-rosemary galette with bourbon-soaked raisins.

Johnny's
4800 Roland Ave. 410-773-0777. johnnysdownstairs.com.
Order by 11/21. $28.

Market spiced apple pie with oat streusel; pecan, bourbon, and local buckwheat honey pie; local fairytale pumpkin pie.

KoDee Cakes
822 W. 36 th St. 410-243-0167. kodeecakes.com.
Order by 11/24. $15-25.

Pumpkin latte, ginger sweet potato, orange cocoa, eggnog cream, and salted caramel, etc.

La Cakerie
49 W. Chesapeake Ave., Towson. 443-504-7925. lacakerie.com.
Order by 11/24. $11-22.

Classics including pumpkin, bourbon pecan, apple, and blueberry.

Petit Louis Bistro
10215 Wincopin Circle, Columbia. 410-964-9999. petitlouis.com.
Order by 11/21. $28.

Market spiced apple pie with oat streusel; pecan, bourbon, and local buckwheat honey pie; local fairytale pumpkin pie.

Sweet 27
123 W. 27th St. 410-464-7211. sweet27.com.
Order by 11/23. $18-21.

Pecan, vegan apple streusel, and pumpkin.

Sweet Heart Patisserie
1410 Forest Dr., Annapolis. 410-263-6513. sweetheartpatisserie.com.
Order by 11/22. $28-34.

Maple walnut pumpkin, bourbon pecan tart, and baked apple tart.

Source

Chefs and Writers Pick Their Favorite Cheap Eats

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 08:30:00 +0000

“I love Artifact Coffee’s ‘Bowl & a Beer‘ special on Wednesday nights. To have Spike Gjerde cooking you a meal for $8 (including local craft beer) is kind of crazy.” —Amy Langrehr, Charm City Cook

“Twice a week, I go to Nick’s Chicken in Pigtown for rotisserie chicken and collards.” —Timothy Dyson, executive chef, Dooby’s

“I love Sweet 27 because it features great multicultural menu items packed with flavor and prepared skillfully with attention to detail. There’s nothing on the menu over $19. I also like El Sabor del Parque: authentic tacos on house-made tortillas and higher quality proteins than most other mom-and-pop Latin spots. Tacos de lengua and de chorizo are the best I’ve had in the city—$2.50 per taco and it only takes two to fill you up.” —Evan Tanner, owner of Tanner’s Comestibles

“Haute Dog on Falls Road. Simply put, their traditional hot dog is killer. The bun is oblong and heated from the inside out. And for $5—this is a no-brainer.” —Marty Bass, WJZ-TV weatherman

“Nam Kang. They have great late-night Korean BBQ, but I rally for the whipped chilled potato salad that they give with all of the condiments. Love it! —Cyrus Keefer, formerly of Fork & Wrench

“We get Korean food a lot at Jong Kak on Charles Street. It’s cheap, delicious, and open late.” —Sarah Acconcia, executive chef, Le Garage

“Shrimp salad at Mr. Bill’s Terrace Inn is a pound of shrimp steamed just for you, picked and dressed with mayo while still warm. Szechuan House gets a daily delivery of fresh snow peapods and string beans. Their menu is fairly low-priced to begin with, but the very fresh greenery makes for a good taste/dollar investment. At Jennings Cafe, Miss Wanda’s handmade side dishes like cucumber and onion salad and potato salad, dress up burgers and fried oysters with nostalgically delicious taste and make the standard pub fare a standout bargain.” —Marty Katz, Baltimore food writer and photojournalist

To read our entire “Cheap Eats” cover story, pick up a copy of our October issue on newsstands now.

Source

Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free goodies are available at local bakeries

Jess Mayhugh — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 11:00:00 +0000

These days, there are sweet options for most people dealing with dietary and medical restrictions. “I’ve seen people literally dance when they learn they can have a vegan cupcake,” says Mark Zlatich, manager of Sweet 27. The Remington cafe and bakery is happy to fill a need by specializing in gluten-free goodies and vegan treats.

The bakery/restaurant comes by its mission honestly. Renee D’Souza, who co-owns Sweet 27 with her husband Richard, discovered she had celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, not long after she got a pastry degree from culinary school. “It was a shock,” she says.

“I realized that even working around flour, breathing it in, was damaging to the system.”

She and her husband, also a chef, then began experimenting with gluten-free baked goods at home, developing combinations of potato, almond, and coconut flours mixed with tapioca and Xanthan gum. The couple decided to open the bakery in 2005, followed by the restaurant in 2010.

While an estimated one in 100 people have celiac disease worldwide, many people are turning to gluten-free diets for myriad reasons, including gastrointestinal issues, allergies, and a desire to avoid genetically modified foods. “People are constantly learning about what foods are best for them,” says Katie Smallwood, a manager at Great Sage, which went vegan in 2010 when the owners embraced a diet free of animal products. The Clarksville restaurant also has a range of gluten-free options and dabbles in raw foods.

Even mainstream restaurants cater to those who eschew wheat flour. B&O American Brasserie has a gluten-free bête noir, for instance, while the Rusty Scupper offers a gluten-free molten “chocolate indulgence” cake on its menu.

But, as Allison Parker-Abromitis, a spokeswoman for the Foreman Wolf restaurant group, points out, “There’s always sorbet.”

Source