From fattoush to falafel the Middle East has given us many culinary delights. The newest fare to come from the region is Dubai chocolate, a stuffed chocolate bar comprised of pistachio cream, tahini, and delicate shredded phyllo (also called knafeh), encased in a crispy chocolate shell.

In Baltimore, there are many riffs on the over-the-top confection, whether melted onto waffles at Little Italy’s Crave or tucked into crepes at Greektown’s Ruya.

“Within the span of a few years, we’ve seen it pop up everywhere from Starbucks to Baskin-Robbins and Harris Teeter,” says Markie Britton, co-founder of Federal Hill’s Ammoora. “It seems like it’s everywhere.”

And that includes Ammoora, where the Dubai Chocolate Crunch Bar has become a best-seller.

When Ammoora was looking to add to its sweets lineup, the pastry team was inspired by the Dubai dessert first created by Sarah Hamouda.

“Of course, Dubai does everything bigger and better,” says Britton. “Like many people, we loved her take on it.”

Hamouda herself was inspired by a childhood memory of knafeh soaked in syrup and topped with sweet cheese. She called her confection “Can’t Get Knafeh of It” and started selling her luxury candy through her online store, FIX Dessert in Dubai. The bar went viral in 2023 with a TikTok video that’s been viewed more than 140 million times.

Ammoora’s Crunch Bar (toasted knafeh, pistachio-tahini butter, white chocolate ganache-like crémeux, caramel espresso, chocolate ganache, crushed pistachios) is in keeping with the restaurant’s Syrian fare.

“All the things used in the bar, including pistachios, tahini, and knafeh, are staples in a Syrian or Arabic kitchen,” says Britton.

Of all the ingredients, the knafeh is of particular note. “Knafeh is traditional in Syrian desserts,” says Britton. “Guests are always asking if we serve it, but the nostalgia of it is something that you wouldn’t compete with—everyone has their own favorite homemade version, but you just can’t win against somebody’s grandmother. When we learned about the Dubai chocolate trend, we jumped on that and came up with our own take instead.”

From The Coral Wig’s Painkiller to The Duchess’s Pirate Princess, tiki-inspired cocktails—bold, boozy, juicy, and often over-the-top—are enjoying a renaissance.

“There are a few factors as to why tiki or tropical cocktails are trending,” surmises mixologist Brendan Dorr, who owns the gin bar Dutch Courage and the James Beard nominated Pink Flamingo. “The whiskey bubble has popped, and people are moving on to other spirits. Also, guests are becoming more educated with their spirit knowledge, especially when it comes to rum.”

Dorr does make a distinction between tropical and tiki drinks, however.

“Tiki cocktails are more theatrical, whereas tropical cocktails is a general term for cocktails using tropical fruit, spices, and citrus—the styling is simpler,” he says. “Also, with tropical cocktails we aim to avoid the cultural appropriation that can go along with tiki.”

That’s exactly why bartender Pat Turner of True Chesapeake Oyster Co. is careful to honor the history of the kitschy cocktails with the Hampden spot’s “Tiki Tuesdays.”

“Tiki recipes are classics,” he says. “The people who came before us aced these drinks, so for our recipes, we’ve turned to places like Smuggler’s Cove [in San Francisco] and Don the Beachcomber [in Hollywood]. Most workers who made tiki drinks were Filipino—these cocktails are an ode to them.”

The revival of the tiki tradition is an antidote to current craft cocktails.

“Cocktail culture has been trending more and more minimalist,” says Turner. “The nicer cocktail spots have the daintiest glasses with the most minimalist garnish—maybe just a simple trimmed peel or a spot of oil. Along with that, there’s a desire for a goofy mug, extravagant garnishes, and setting things on fire—sometimes you need a little maximalism.”

While the manufacturing of new pennies will cease sometime next year, the production of penny candy—those nostalgic treats from yesteryear—is far from disappearing.

It all started in 1879, when Frank Woolworth of F.W. Woolworth’s figured out how to sweeten a visit to his Utica, New York, store. As patrons browsed for everything from household goods to children’s toys, they passed by a colorful candy display offering one-cent treats.

Before Woolworth’s, the penny confections were sold at apothecaries and general stores, but the five-and-dime’s grand display made a visit to the store special, as customers flocked for Necco Wafers, Lemon Drops, and Rock Candy.

Today, penny candy can be hard to come by, but Pat’s Porch in Catonsville has a rich assortment of retro treats. Owner Beth Reymann opened her shop in 2016, taking over a century-old house that had been home to a candy store. While the previous owner passed away, she continued selling penny candy and also expanded her inventory to include Maryland-themed gifts.

If a penny candy exists, you’ll find it here—including candy cigarettes (called candy “sticks”), candy necklaces, Atomic fireballs, Dad’s root beer barrels, wax bottles, Zotz, Pixie Stix, and locally made Goetze caramel creams.

For her adult customers, says Reymann, who sources from a third-generation manufacturer in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, “It’s a trip down memory lane. I have kids who come multiple times a week. People keep buying the candy because it’s a good memory.”

In other words, the candy is only part of the appeal. For many, it stirs memories of a simpler time when a solo walk (or bike ride) to the corner store, plus a pocketful of change, offered a taste of freedom—and what’s sweeter than that?

Pickled vegetables are having a moment—and local restaurants are paying attention to the culinary possibilities.

“They’re versatile,” says chef Robbie Tutlewski, owner of Little Donna’s in Upper Fells Point. “They make a showcase.”

The house pickle plate on Tutlewski’s menu is a prime example. Heaped with pickled baby carrots, watermelon rind, baby cucumbers, beets, and whatever else strikes the chef’s fancy, the dish is a satisfying palate pleaser, complete with creamy deviled eggs.

“Pickles are super [food],” says Tutlewski. “They’re good for you. I’ve been eating them from the time I was a kid.”

He’s not the only restaurateur who’s been devouring pickles since childhood.

“When I was a kid, I loved pickled beets,” says chef Jesse Sandlin. “My mom would send me to school with a jar of beets in my lunchbox.”

That food fondness stuck with the Baltimore-bred chef, who now features pickled vegetables on her menus, including “lunch-box beets” at Sally O’s in Highlandtown. At Bunny’s Buckets & Bubbles in Fells Point, she fashions a container of mixed tart veggies with bell peppers, carrots, and radishes.

“It’s a nice little appetizer because it doesn’t fill you up,” Sandlin explains. “It adds acid and gets your appetite going a bit.”

Chef Jeremy Hoffman, who operates Preserve in Annapolis, taps his childhood.

“One of my earliest memories is going to the grocery store to the deli section when they used to have big barrels of dill pickles,” he says. “I remember opening the lid and loving the scent. Everything is made better with pickles.”

Hoffman carried over that idea to Preserve, where “pickling, preserving, and fermenting is a passion.” His icebox pickles showcase cucumbers, carrots, red peppers, and onions. His house giardiniera is a jumble of cauliflower, olives, pickles, and peppers in an olive brine.

“Vinegar-based pickles lend themselves to be an accent to other dishes,” Hoffman says. “People’s flavor profiles and what they’re willing to eat has really expanded.”