Jay's Guest Appearance on the Baltimorons Podcast

I met a lot of great people while participating in the MLB FanCave experience.  One of those folks was Baltimore Orioles fan Sam Dingman.  He and his buddy Alan host the "Baltimorons" podcast and they recently invited me to join in to talk about food and baseball.  I've been to Baltimore several times, and I've enjoyed a couple games at Camden Yards, which is truly one of the best stadiums in baseball.  You can check out a couple posts from Joe Squared and Chicken Rico in Baltimore, if you'd like.  That being said, Sam and Alan are actually in New York and record the podcast from there!

For the show, they asked me to prepare a dinner menu themed around the American League West, the new division of the Houston Astros.  You can listen to the show and hear the description of all the dishes, and below I've typed up my menu.  I seriously might have to make this one day!



American League West Dinner

Amuse Bouche: Houston Astros
Jose Altuve Mole Braised Pork Cheeks drizzled with a Minute Maid OJ Reduction on a Blue Corn Tortilla

Soup: Seattle Mariners
King Felix Crab and Justin Smoak'd Brie Soup

Seafood: Los Angeles Angels
Pan Seared Mike Trout over a Lemon and Herb Risotto accompanied by a Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Beignet dusted with Josh Hamilton Powdered Sugar

Meat: Texas Rangers
Asian Spiced Yu Darvish "Kobe" Bone-In Ribeye served along side Sesame Sauteed Baby Spinach and Pickled Vegetables

Dessert: Oakland A's
Yoenis Cespedes Cuban Spiced Panna Cotta topped with Coco Crispies and a Josh Reddick Molasses Sauce

Joe Squared Gives Pizza a Name in Baltimore

David and I

Not too long ago I ventured through Baltimore, MD after getting picked up by my good friend Caroline at the BWI airport.  We were on our way to Williamsport, PA for a week of catching up, eating out, and an adventure to the Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York.  Before getting out of the city, Caroline and I made a stop at Joe Squared, a pizza joint where David Mathie Bersch, a friend that I had met while filming Season 2 of Masterchef in Los Angeles, works and plays.

I'm usually in awe of David's facebook postings, finding ways to create flavor combinations with miraculous beauty and composition on a plate.  I'm well aware that I lack his finesse when it comes to cooking, but I still get inspired by it.  Joe Squared isn't really where David does his artistic cooking though. It is more of a working-class pizza joint with beer and wine, and one Hell of a selection of rum.  I liked it because of its uniqueness.  Who has a rum collection like that?  And who drinks all those rums?  Well, I for one, wanted to try some just because I could, and my not ever get the chance to again!

Joe Squared

The inside flap of Joe Squared's menu had an insert for weekly specials.  I knew I liked the place just from reading some of it.  First, just the attention to detail to constantly challenge one's self in the kitchen and to continue to create great specials on a weekly basis instead of simply relying on the standbys is great.  Secondly, a special of the day just doesn't cut it anymore.  I'm not looking for one special dish.  I'm looking for a whole menu.  For some actually thought, creativity, and pairings.  Some of the items on Joe Squared's weekly menu were a Spinach and Lamb Soup, Gorgonzola Dulce and Toasted Pistachio Risotto, draft beer and wine specials, and Raspberry Mole Chicken Wings.  I got the chicken wings.  I rarely pass up a mole.  And I'm glad I didn't.  The wings were fried to a nice crispiness on the outside and tossed in a spicy and earthy chocolate mole sauce sweetened with the fruity notes of the raspberry.  They were messy, but I ate the heck out of them!

Raspberry Mole Chicken Wings at Joe Squared in Baltimore

Since Joe Squared had a risotto menu in addition to a pizza menu, I couldn't help but get one for Caroline and I to try.  I wanted something different, and they had about 20 options to choose from on the menu.  I kinda wanted to go with the weekly special but if memory serves me correctly Caroline picked out the sausage and carrot risotto with Gouda and roasted fennel seed.  Either way, I applauded the decision as the risotto delivered a creamy texture full of flavor.

Sausage and Carrot Risotto

For the pizza we went a little outside the box compared to normal toppings as well.  We ordered a large pizza, which of course is square shaped.  On one half we got the Chicken, Corn, and Apple and on the other I demanded the Cumin Braised Lamb pizza with roasted eggplant, mozzarella, Romano, parsley, and mint.  Both sides were certainly worth eating.  If I had to knock anything, it would be the corn.  The whole kernels tasted like they were just straight out a can or the freezer.  And the apple flavor didn't really come through.  I liked the creativity of it as a whole though.  The lamb pizza, on the other hand, had every element working from crispy crust to succulent lamb.  The mint even added the right touch of uniqueness without being overpowering.

Square Pizza

After the meal and a few rum drinks and brews (for me, Caroline was driving!), we bid David adieu and took off for Pennsylvania.  I definitely enjoyed meeting up with a fellow Masterchef contestant once again though.  And I'd gladly go see him again at Joe Squared!

Bite and Booze Investigates: The McRib

While I'm certainly no advocate of National chain fast food dining, there is something to say about their marketing and ability to set trends which create frenzies. There is perhaps no better example than the McRib at McDonald's. The processed pork patty slathered in sauce makes its appearances for limited times only, seeming sporadic at best. Still, each time it comes back, the crowd of hungry Americans goes wild. So what is it about the McRib? I had to find out!

Alright, I've actually had a McRib before. Several in fact. And I'm not afraid to admit it. I don't get worked up about it, and I'm not proud of it, but I'm no stranger. However, I can't recall having one in the past four or five years, so when I landed at the BWI airport and had two (that turned into nine because of storms) hour layover before my next flight to the Big Apple, I thought it couldn't hurt to revisit the pinnacle of limited-time-only foods.

McRibs are to the Nation what King Cakes and Crawfish are to South Louisiana. The "seasonality" of them only increases the demand. When they are barren from the golden arches menu board people go hungry. When they appear again, people rejoice. I ordered mine, as you could probably guess, without pickles. Unfortunately due to the high traffic at the airport I had to wait 10 extra minutes for fries, during which time my McRib must have sat lifelessly under a heat lamp. The normally moist and tender pork patty was shriveled and dry. The only saving grace was the tangy barbeque sauce that covered the form-molded rib-shaped puck.

Perhaps I'll eat a McRib again in four or five years. Until then, I think I can avoid McDonald's altogether. Still, at times, research is necessary!

Peru in Baltimore: Chicken Rico

A recent trip to visit Caroline in Pennsylvania had me routed through the Baltimore airport thanks to a Southwest Airlines buddy pass from the one and only Amanda Ball.  Since I had a couple hours to kill in Baltimore before Caroline could come pick me up, I gave drinking and sailing pal Doug Avnet a call to see if he could join me for lunch.  Fortunately for me, he could; and he knew exactly where to take me.  I met Doug around Camden Yards on a snowy Baltimore afternoon.  We hopped in his cab and took off towards Chicken Rico, a Peruvian chicken joint on Eastern Avenue.  Baltimore is a city known for being rather multicultural, and one tour down Eastern showed why.  I'm used to "Latin" restaurants meaning Mexican, Tex-Mex, or possibly a little Mexican-Cajun fusion, but is rare to see authentic Cuban, Peruvian, Honduran, and more.  I knew I was in for a treat!

Clearly, charbroiled chicken highlighted the menu.  Whole  roasted chickens revolved continuously over red-hot charcoal on a rotisserie spit.  As the birds slow-cooked to hot, juicy goodness, customers could see exactly where their food was coming from.  The chickens were rubbed with Peruvian spices to give them proper flavor.  When ordered, the staff takes a plump chicken and chops it up with a cleaver right in front of you.  Doug and I ordered a "family special" that came with a whole chicken, two sides, and a few beverages.  Within about ten seconds the chicken had be deconstructed into eighths and piled onto a platter.  For side items we opted for thick-cut fries as well as fried plantains.

A whole charbroiled bird, fries, and fried plantains from Chicken Rico

I tried Inca Kola for a change of taste

The chicken exploded with juices on first bite.  The tender and moist meat had a great flavor with more herbs and spices under the skin.  Each bite pulled off the bones of the bird and made my stomach extremely happy.  The fries and plantains were just okay though.  I would try something else if I went back to see if any of the other side items were any better.  In the end , after I ate half a chicken, it's not like I really needed any sides!  I also tried Inca Kola, a carbonated beverage that Chicken Rico had in their cooler.  I figured I might as well drink something that I've never had before.  I don't know that I'd choose Inca Kola again, but they at least wet my whistle while I enjoyed the chicken!