Where to Buy the Best Sandwich in Laurel?

A good sandwich is hard to find.  A great sandwich is the world's best comfort food.  It cures what ails you.  A sandwich can take you back to your youth.  Or remind you of sharing a special sandwich on your first date.  Your circumstances may be different but all of us have strong food memories.

This brings us to today's Laurel Connection's poll.

Where do you buy your absolute favorite sandwich in Laurel?

Here are the sandwich shootout guidelines:

1. Tell us where to buy it - Unless you want a bunch of hungry people camped outside your grandmother's house demanding a grilled cheese with tomato and bacon...your favorite sandwich must be available from a commercial food establishment near Laurel.
2. Tell us how to buy it - Be specific.  Tell us about your sandwich in loving detail.  Help us to really taste it.  Write it like you would see it on the menu or as described in a food column. Help us to order it and fix it just like you eat it.  For example, "A steak sub on a lightly toasted Italian hoagie roll with grilled onions and two slices of smokey provolone cheese, gobs of real mayo, lots of dill pickles, shredded crisp romaine and  a generous helping of hot pepper relish."
3. The source of your sandwich should be in general vicinity of Laurel.  We can be a bit flexible, but make sure it's within 10 miles or so.  Nobody wants to drive too far for comfort food.
4. Last but not least, tell us why the sandwich is so special you?  When did you have it the first time?  First date?  First time driving the family car alone after you got your driver's license? After a big game or a big promotion?  A sandwich you ate late at night after the birth of your first child?

That's it. You can share your favorite sandwich in the comments section below or simply click here.  Or send it to me via email (g dot rick dot wilson at gmail dot com).  And I'll add it to the Laurel Sandwich Shootout Menu for you.

Thanks for sharing,   rick

Saturday Night Supper

"My Goodness, we’ve become locavores!  She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed wants me to live just long enough for her to collect my pension."

Joanne's supper tonight was fantastic. Warm Butternut squash soup, accompanied with a spicy swiss chard, a nice dry Chardonnay and crusty Pasta Plus bread . 

This year we became localvores.  We joined the Gorman Farm Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) group.  We have been getting fresh, organically grown vegetables every Thursday from Dave and Lydia Liker, the farm's proprietors. 

We split a full share with our neighbors Juanita and Michael Malone.  A split share works out nicely.  There is plenty to feed two families.  Splitting a full share also gives you a chance to trade those fruits and vegetables to satisfy family tastes.

Joanne's voice almost beams every Thursday when she calls me at work to describe the week's produce.  We have loved everything but the beets.  I'm happy to give away beets, call me. 

I'm far from a tree hugger.  My kids have even accused me of wanting to "Pave The Bay".  So I did not think that 18 weeks worth of fresh vegetables that are grown a couple of miles from my home would be either worth it or fun.  But I gotta admit it has been.  It is fun to see what Dave has grown for us.  Each week has become an adventure in eating and community building.

The Liker's CSA shares sell out quickly.  Contact the Liker's to get on the CSA list for next year.

A full week's CSA share from Dave Liker's farm in August 2009.

Fresh basil pesto with tomato and mozzarella crostini.  Prosciutto wrapped around fresh melon slices.  Box-o-Chianti to make it all worthwhile.

Rick's Basil Pesto
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1T of balsamic vinegar

Let Them Eat Cake ... & Danish & Flan & Bread

"The fine arts are five in number, namely: painting, sculpture, poetry, music, and architecture, the principal branch of the latter being pastry." Marie-Antoine Carême (1783-1833)

Me, on the phone: "What kind of bakery are you?"

Baker: "Today we have baguettes, yesterday we had olive bread, what kind of bread would you like tomorrow?"
Me: "I'll be right there, don't move."

There is nothing I crave more than fresh bread. One of my favorite sayings is that, "life is too short to eat stale bread." This past week a new bakery has risen in Laurel and no one needs to eat stale bread ever again.

Csilla Baez-Tanczos and her partner Eligia Vallecillo have opened the Ideal Bakery across the street from the Laurel Library at 603 7th Street, Unit 104.

Csilla is a white-coated pixie of a woman with an engaging smile and determined eyes. Csilla and Eligia met at L’Academie de Cuisine, a Maryland based culinary school. They went on to work together in the the food service industry until deciding last year to open their first business together here in Laurel.

Csilla (photo) is from Romania and Eligia is from Columbia and they have created a full service bakery focused on pastries and some breads.

All of their pastries are prepared on the premises and they range from well executed danishes and crescent rolls to the more unusual Latin pastries like flan and tres leches, a sponge cake with cream. This morning their display case showed off brownies, chocolate & raspberry croissants, cheesecakes, carrot cakes and shiny fruit tarts, to mention a few treats.

They offer coffee and soft drinks and few tables to sit and watch the action. They also have deli sandwiches made with fresh bread and salads for lunch and dinner. A hot food table and a catering menu are in the works.

Csilla is serious about her question concerning the kind of bread you want? She wants to hear from the neighborhood. I vote for San Francisco sour dough bread bowls filled with fresh clam chowder.

Mornings just got sweeter in Oldtown Laurel.

The Ideal Bakery is open weekdays from 6-8, Saturdays from 8-8 and Sundays from 8-4. Phone 301.497.1393. Tell Csilla you heard about her from the crazy Laurel blogger guy.

Main Street 2008

I've got a secret that I know I share with many of my neighbors in Oldtown. Please don't tell the Laurel Board of Trade organizers because they work so hard to put on a good festival. But I like it when it rains on the morning of the Main Street festival.

Over the 27 years I've attended the Main Street Festival I've learned that a soaking morning rain knocks down the crowds just enough. The festival is better when the crowds thin out. You can walk down the street and see the booths. You run into more of your neighbors and can have a chat without getting pushed downstream with the unceasing flow.

This morning's festival started in a heavy rain. The organizers, police, public works team, and the ever faithful Laurel Police Auxiliary were already working at o'dark thirty in a cold downpour.

I wish I had taken a photo of Auxiliary Police Officer Wayne Dzwonchyk this moning about 8am. He looked like a mud soaked dough boy in the trenches of France in WWI. The rain was running off of his hat and down his face as he sleepily flagged away yet another vendor's box truck.

The parade was soggy but everyone still had a good time. I especially liked the lawn mower racing team. All of our local elected folks made it out for the Parade. The ever dutiful 21st delegation from Annapolis braved the rain along with our County Councilman, the County Sheriff, our Mayor and all of the Laurel City Council members and marched down the street. Kudos too to the LHS marching band and the West Laurel Ragtaggers, they were all wet but still sounded great.

The skies cleared by 11 and the crowds were good but not unbearable. She-who-must-be-obeyed forced me to walk back up to Main Street at 3pm to eat a sausage sandwich and have a lemonade. Chalk up another Main Street Festival and Happy Mother's Day to all.

A few more quick pictures: http://flickr.com/photos/laurelnow/sets/72157604988638451/

The Tunu Made Me Do It

Have you ever had one of these magical evenings at a new restaurant?

It's a chilly, rainy evening. You're weary of the familiar neighborhood spots. So you decide to try a totally new place that's still close to home. When you arrive you're treated like a favorite regular, shown to a warm table and then served one of the best meals of your life. After finishing off the last of the wine, you sit back totally satisfied and wonder why it took you so long to try this place.

Last night Joanne and I had this kind of magical experience at the Trapeze restaurant in Fulton, Maryland. Although we've been talking about the Trapeze since it opened, we had not yet made the 5 mile trek out rt 216 to the Maple Lawn area. We also had the chance to catch up with a old Laurel friend. But first to the food.

We started with jumbo shrimp, served unusually in a bread cup and drizzled with a lightly spiced, garlic butter sauce. Joanne's main event was the fried monkfish with a balsamic reduction. I had the pepper crusted Ahi Tuna, seared perfectly to medium rare. The sushi grade tuna was paired exquisitely with a delicate wasabi sauce that did not overpower the tuna. A fruity Pinot Grigio was the perfect accompaniment to the shrimp, our fish and our mood.

We also had the chance to catch up with Mark Steckbeck, Trapeze's Director of Operations. Mark, originally from Laurel, is an old friend who we had not seen in years. Mark has been a leader in the fine dining industry for a long time and is associated with the Trapeze and its sister restaurants, Nottinghams in Columbia and the Bluestone in Timonium. We enjoyed reconnecting with Mark and learning about the Trapeze.

Tired of the same old, same old? Looking for reasonably priced but fine food in a casual setting not far from home? Please do yourself a favor and try the Trapeze. Please say hello to Mark, and be prepared for a warm, filling and memorable evening out.

N.B. Be sure to check out the Trapeze website. They have a clever video called "Fish Tales."

Bella Rosa Cafe Opens

Coffee is a necessity. It's simply not optional. It's as important as food or air. Coffee is one of those self-evident truths that made America a great nation. Coffee is vital for public safety, that's why you see so many policemen hanging around donut shops.

I'm happy to announce the grand opening of the Bella Rosa Cafe at 504 Main Street. Meriem and Kass Atouani opened their cafe in the building that previously housed the Something Special Coffee Shop. The Bella Rosa Cafe offers plenty of hot gourmet coffee, fresh pastries and whole beans for your grinding delight.

Members of the Laurel Yacht Club participated in this morning's grand opening festivities. The Laurel Yacht Club, founded in 1995, is an informal collection of Main Street oddballs, malcontents, neo-luddites and occasionally, a few truly decent human beings. Not having any real boats, they hang around coffee shops and speak in nautical terms.

Their literature says that they, "... are a club without pier, concerned with plain folks, interesting people, strange places, insignificant facts, a story well told, fat-free muffins, politics, politicians and other scary things that go bump in the night. But mostly, they savor a good time, a great cup of coffee, and the warm company of friends and trusted shipmates."

Laurel is fast becoming the breakfast capital of the Mid Atlantic. I highly recommend that you check out the Bella Rosa for a cup of coffee with a splash of Oldtown community flavor. Stop in, introduce yourself to Meriem, wave hello to the Laurel Yacht Club and remember that ... Coffee is a civic duty.

The Best Donuts in Laurel

I've never been in law enforcement but I do like a donut now and then. The Little Tavern Donut shop at 115 Washington Blvd has the best donuts I've ever eaten.

The owners don't just truck in bakery donuts from some faraway sugar factory. These donuts are made fresh everyday by hand.

My sins are the glazed donuts. They are soft as a cloud with a just the right amount of glaze.

The whole town is talking about these donuts. The coffee is good too. I'm happy to see the Little Tavern back in operation.

Giant Food Abandons Commitment to Quality & Service?

Wow. The disappointment with Giant Food is not just a local Laurel problem. There are strong concerns expressed about Giant Food's service and quality in the comments section. Thanks to everyone for sharing their opinions on Giant Food Store 340.

Giant Disappointment

A neighborhood grocery store isn't just a place to buy yogurt. Most of us have long term relationships with our local store. I've been shopping at the Laurel Center Giant since 1980. It was the first store I dated when I moved to Laurel 27 years ago.

Over the years Giant 340 has deteriorated but I stuck with her. We all age and good friends are supposed to look the other way. Besides, I knew the people. I knew where to find the kidney beans. I was too comfortable with my Giant to see the growing problems.

I stuck with it during her big face lift a few years ago. I kept thinking that Giant's corporate leadership would reinvigorate store 340 after the renovation. But there has been no real improvement.

My last three visits were particularly worrisome. The parking lot and store entrance were in bad shape. Debris and dirt everywhere. Carts were all over the lot. Bags and papers blowing around the front of the store like tumbleweed. I tried to grab a hand basket at the front door but each was filled with the detritus of previous customers.

I wanted to buy a beefsteak but the selection in the meat counter looked, not just bad, but possibly dangerous. Long lines greeted me at the checkout. I like to use the self-serve check outs but only two worked. The other self serve machines have been broken for months. I don't think Giant loves me anymore.

The obvious problems are getting worse. There is no use trying to work it out this time. My 27 year relationship is over. Today was my last visit to Giant Foods store 340.

I'm back on the grocery dating circuit after 27 years. Do you have a store for me? It must be close to Oldtown and have a good selection of kidney beans. Please leave your suggestions in the comments section.

Chili Con Comfort

There is nothing in the world better than a cold beer and a bowl of warm chili con queso. This isn't plain old nachos. It's the ultimate comfort food. Thick, rich, and spicy. Tippy's Taco on Gorman Ave. has the best Chili con queso on earth.

I have obtained their secret recipe for you. I can't say how I got it ... but I will testify that it was without the use of any enhanced interrogation techniques.

Make a double batch, buy plenty of Rolling Rock 7 ounce beers. Invite some friends over and enjoy.

Tippy's Chili con Comfort

1 t salt
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
1 t red cayenne pepper
1/2 t black pepper
1 lb American cheese
2 T finely chopped onion
2-3 T strained canned tomatoes
3/4 C water1 can chopped green chiles

In a double boiler combine cheese, water, onion, chiles and tomatoes. Cook until cheese melts. Add 2 t of spice mixture at a time until you reach desired level. Cook until it gets to the correct dipping consistency.

Where Laurel Eats

Fifty Laurelites voted for their favorite area restaurants in our recent survey.

Winners
Silver Diner and Something Special Coffee Shop are the hot spots in the morning. Don Pablos is our favorite place for Tex-Mex. Almost 3 out of 5 people list Pasta Plus as the winner for red sauce and wine. Bay & Surf lands the fish prize and Outback lassos the red meat ribbon.

Mandarin House is by far the best place for Asian food with 70% of the votes. And we voted Oliver's Main Street Saloon as our favorite watering hole for drinks after work. (see below for other suggestions).

Click here for the detailed survey results.

Below are write-in results for your favorite after work spots and top overall restaurant recomendations.

It's been a tough day at work. You decide to meet your friends for a couple of drinks and appetizers. Your favorite after work place in Laurel is:
1. Rams Head
2. Wild Buffalo
3. We avoid drinks and appetizers.
4. I haven't done that in 20 years!
5. Tampico's
6. Red Hot & Blue should be on this list!
7. Under Rt. 1 bridge
8. Red Hot & Blue
9. Nuzbacks

Everyone has a favorite place and a favorite meal.
When a friend or neighbor asks you for suggestions, where do you send them?
What is your all time best meal at a restaurant in Laurel.
1. Red Sky
2. c j ferrari's
3. Pasta Plus
4. Oliver's
5. Pasta Plus
6. Without any question, Pasta Plus has been the scene for our favorite meals in Laurel.
7. Tag's. It's no longer there. Had a geat chicken livers and pasta.
8. Red, Hot and Blue
9. I really enjoy Pasta Nostra - very family-friendly, as well as Shish Kabob. 5 guys in a nice addition - they've had a cult-like following in Northern Virginia. Trapeze, in Fulton near 216 and 29 is like a downtown restaurant right next door!
10. Oliver's and Red Hot Blue
11. Pasta Plus, always a good meal from a Chicken Dish to a Meatball Sub or White Pizza.
12. Pollo al Pesto, Pastra Nostra (you gotta love pesto, though!)
13. Wild Buffalo grill on wendsday nights. Chiken wings for $.20 each. They have hot, barbecue, honey barbecue, old bay, fried, very hot, etc...
14. We are still looking and longing for nourishing, heart-healthy, appetizing meals in Laurel. We prefer two Ethiopian places in Silver Spring: Addis Ababba and Langanos. We've had a few decent meals at India Gate. We like some of the fish specials and the seafood salad at Pasta Plus. We would love to get more green and other vegetables (unsauced/unbuttered) anywhere.
15. Our family is always looking for healthy, cheap food. I think that the best restaurants in Laurel are Pasta Plus, Mango's Grill and Chung King (love that Mongolian Buffet!) but we don't go there often because they are on the expensive side. For good cheap food we usually end up at Chipotle or at Ruby Tuesday for the soup and salad combo.
16. Pasta Plus! Is there any other place for a high quality meal with good service on a consistent basis for a reasonable price?
17. Longhorn peppered steak salad Bay N Surf - cream of crab soup with any entree
18. Mandarin House - special request entree - Roast pork Fried Rice, extra dark, no peas and carrots, extra bean sprouts. This is in the old-fashioned,"Boston-style" Cantonese manner - not usually available south of Boston, MA - but Mandarin House will do anything to please their customers. Anything on the menu is above average.
19. I love fajita night at Don Pablos.
20. We LOVE pasta plus!
21. Anything from Famous Dave's that has Devil's Spit on it! YeeHaah!
22. The Mango Grill for their grilled salmon with mango sauce
23. 3 brothers, I love veg.boat with a salad
24. Red Hot & Blue. If it's a light day: chicken Caesar salad and bread. If it feels like a good afternoon for angina: memphis drummies, fries, and a coke with a cherry. Ask for the magician.
25. pasta plus
26. Rams Head Fish & Chips
27. Red, Hot and Blue
28. 5 Guys burgers & fries
29. Stuffed flounder at Bay & Surf
30. We've had several memorable meals at India Gate and it's always high on my recommended list. Recently, we've had neighbors, who are Indian, tell us that Sapphire, on Route 197, is even better. We haven't checked it out yet, but its definitely on the list!
31. I always send them to Mango. They have great seafood, steaks and pupusas. My favorite meal is the Carne Asada with extra grilled onions and a side of guacamole.
32. Oliver's Coconut shrimp
33. Famous Dave's ribs (and a side sausage link). I still haven't forgiven them for taking that sausage off the menu as a main dish.
34. I send others to Pasta Plus. But my favorite is a cheesseburger, fries and chocolate shake at Big T on Route one.
35. Creamed chip beef on a biscuit, with home fries, large orange juice, and hot coffee at Silver Diner. Jane has left Silver Diner now, but she was the best waitress in Maryland. Many great mornings with Jane, hot breakfast and a newspaper at the diner.

Dining in Laurel

Laurelites like to eat out. Over 70 people read the previous blog article and 32 people voted in the Laurel area restaurant survey . I've included the results so far below. The survey is still open for your voting. I'll post all the final results in the comments section of this post at the end of the week .

Silver Diner is the hand's down winner for breakfast with 10 votes. Tastee Diner and Ihop follow with 5 and 4 votes respectively. Something Special wins as the favorite coffee shop with 12 votes with Starbucks coming in second with 9 votes.

Based on 19 votes, the Mandarin House is the the top choice for Asian food. No place else got more than 2 votes.

Pasta Plus is the top vote getter in the Italian food category with 14 votes. Pasta Nostro came in a distant second with 6 votes.

Laurelites like Don Pablos for Tex Mex with 9 votes. Toucan Taco (Tippy's), Tampico and Mangos closing in with 6, 5, and 4 votes respectively.

Bay and Surf and Timbuktu are almost tied in the seafood category with 8 and 7 votes respectively.

The red meat category is a mixed grill with no clear favorite. Lone Star and Outback are tied at six votes each. Newcomers Red Sky and Long Horn show a growing interest.

For an after work gathering, Laurel's favorite by far is Oliver's with 11 votes.

We Gotta Eat, Right?

Joanne and I have a thoroughly modern American marriage. This means that we share all of the tedious household duties. For example, we take turns cooking. When it's Joanne's turn to cook, she prepares nutritional, tasty and multi-course dinners.

Of course, when it's my turn to cook, I turn to one of the dozens of fine dining establishments in the Laurel area.

It's not like I'm picky about eating, as anyone who has met me knows immediately. I love to eat. I'll eat almost anything, (except possibly scrapple). I'm happy going to Tippy's for chili con queso, Red, Hot and Blue for a pulled pig sandwich or Tastee Freez for a Country Burger with fries and a shake. You can find me and my neighbor Eric at the Tastee Diner eating breakfast on most Saturday mornings.

We have so many choices in Laurel, it's hard to pick a restaurant. I thought it would be useful to offer a quick survey for you to vote for yours.

Help a guy out, It's my turn to cook on Monday and I'm looking for a new menu.

Please take a minute and let us know where to find you when it's your turn to "cook." I'll post the results to the blog.

To take the Laurel Connections restaurant survey, visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=224662977872 . SURVEY CLOSED 12/8/2006

Table cloths or paper plates, please visit the comments section to post a review of your favorite spot in Laurel.

Scrapple Insult Raises Intercity Tensions

WE have a heap of trouble cooking on Laurel Ave. You see, food and culture are important to us Laurelites. We don't want anyone insulting our culture by way of insulting our favorite foods.

As much as it embarrasses me to admit it, my wife Joanne eats scrapple. She loves the stuff. She even passed on this genetic flaw to our children. It turns out that my neighbor Eric is also a connoisseur of this rendered hog offal and cornmeal, aka scrapple.

I guess it makes sense that they both would be familiar with this midatlantic pork mush. Joanne was raised by native Washingtonians. Eric grew up in the shadow of the Delaware Bay Bridge in Wilmington. I've read that scrapple is only consumed in eastern PA, MD, and DE.

I'm from northeastern Ohio and I never heard of scrapple before moving to Laurel. Honestly, the thought of eating scrapple makes me want to do something painful. Like maybe live through the 21st district election all over again wearing a campaign sign.

But can anyone seriously enjoy ground up pig parts? I mean think about it, scrapple is made from the parts of the pig that the sausage guy didn't dare use. No thanks, I'm happy with just good old fashioned bacon.

Eric and Joanne are incensed over a scrapple cooking insult that Eric experienced this past weekend during a motorcycle trip to Westminster, MD. It turns out that the Plum Crazy Diner prepares scrapple by deep frying it. Can you imagine? And to add indignity to this porcine insult, they also suggested that he drizzle on a bit of maple syrup!

Eric and Joanne are now preparing to lay siege to the Plum Crazy Diner and possibly to the entire City of Westminster for this gross breach of scrapple etiquette.

Thank goodness that Laurel's Tastee Diner knows how to properly prepare scrapple...smashed and burned. And Tastee's super waitress Patty, would never even joke about putting maple syrup on scrapple.

Remember the Rapa Brand!

Westminster, you have been warned. Don't mess with Laurel.

Feel free to share your scrapple tributes in the comments section.