Oysters, chili, beer and booze – this week has a lot to offer for Baltimore food lovers. Here’s a look at what’s happening:
Openings & announcements
Baja Tap opens Friday, Nov. 3 in the former Bond Street Social space in Fells Point. This is the second location for the taco spot – the first is in Adams Morgan in Washington, D.C.
Baltimore food lovers weathered some tough news this week as Bertha’s closed its doors for good. The iconic Fells Point spot served its last beer and mussel on Monday night. But hopefully we’ll never stop seeing those green bumper stickers around town and around the world.
Old Line Spirits honoring vets
November is National Veterans and Military Families Month and Veterans’ Day is coming up next week. In honor of the occasion, Baltimore-based Old Line Spirits – a veteran-owned company – is donating a portion of the proceeds from select bottles of their products to K9s for Warriors, an organization that matches trained service dogs for veterans with PTSD.
From now through the end of the year, the company will donate $5 for each bottle of Flagship American Single Malt Whiskey and Navy Strength American Single Malt Whiskey to K9s for Warriors. Participating retailers carrying the bottles are located throughout Maryland, Delaware, New York, New Jersey and in Washington, D.C. (including many Baltimore locations).
Forager
Chris Amendola, the genius behind Foraged Eatery, has spent much of the year partnering with local filmmaker Renee Fischer on a documentary. The filming is complete and Fischer, with the backing of Spring and Fall Productions, is in production mode – and now the pair is working to get the film into festivals. They have a fundraiser to help with those efforts, which includes perks for those who contribute.
Baltimore Craft Beer Festival
On Saturday, Nov. 4, the Baltimore Craft Beer Festival takes over the Canton Waterfront Park for a day full of beer, pretzels and fun. The event features a ton of local breweries, cideries and meaderies plus a best beer contest judged – live and for all to watch – by a panel of experts.
Stars, Stripes & Chow
Also on Saturday, Baltimore Station’s popular annual fundraiser, Stars, Stripes & Chow: Chili Edition, takes over Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Throughout the afternoon event, attendees will have the opportunity to taste tons of chili options from home chefs competing for top prizes, enjoy activities for kids, and enjoy live music.
OyFest #10
Also on Saturday, Union Craft Brewing hosts the 10th annual OyFest, benefiting the Oyster Recovery Partnership. The afternoon event, which is organized in conjunction with The Local Oyster and True Chesapeake Oyster Co., features oysters from True Chesapeake, Annapolis Oyster Co., Fallen Pine Oyster Co. and Johnson Bay Oyster Co.
The day includes an oyster speed-eating contest, live music, prizes and more.
Ggoma Supper Club at JBGB’s
Chef Tae Strain’s monthly supper club, which roves around the country, returns to Baltimore this week with a pop-up event on Monday at JBGB’s in Remington. The chef and his team have partnered with local natural wine, cider and sake distributor Genin Selections and will be serving a meaty menu ideal for the cooler weather.
Learn to shuck
On Wednesday, head to The Local Oyster’s Locust Point location to learn how to shuck for yourself. The class will include instruction in shucking as well as lessons about oyster farming, recycling and more.
Ancient Peaks wines
On Thursday, Chef’s Expressions hosts a wine supper featuring selections from Ancient Peaks wines. The dinner, which takes place at Gramercy Mansion, promises “smoky and earthy” fall flavors.
Rye Revival
Rye Revival, a weekend-long celebration of all things rye, kicks off in Baltimore on Friday, Nov. 10 with a symposium at the Maryland Center for History and Culture, hosted by the Maryland Distillers Guild and Grow & Fortify.
That evening, Topside in the Hotel Revival will host Friday Night Rye, a whiskey tasting featuring products from over a dozen distilleries.
Thanksgiving plans
With Halloween behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to turkeys. Several local restaurants are offering Thanksgiving take-home options, ranging from raw but brined turkeys and prepared sides to fully cooked meals with all the fixings.
A couple great menus to check include Sally O’s, which has a variety of pies and southern-style sides available, and John Brown Butchery, which is offering fresh turkeys from Green Circle Farm in Lancaster.
The Silver Queen Café menu is also live and looking good and includes treats like rosemary bourbon pate with brown crackers and Maryland crab dip, which is always a pre-dinner crowd pleaser.
And Kneads in Harbor East is offering a variety of options, including a full Thanksgiving Feast for 8 to 10 guests.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, if you need to get into the spirit, The Food Market has you covered with a Thanksgiving Cupcake that combines stuffing, potatoes, gravy and cranberry all in one gorgeous bite.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
Nov. 11-12: The Big Dill Pickle Party
Nov. 18: Whiskey, Wine & Fire
Nov. 18: Baltimore Christmas Village Opens
