IF YOU ARE HERE

Hi- If you see this do not be alarmed.  Fred Foodie is still going strong, you just need to update your bookmarks.  I moved the blog to a new site.  The URL is the same: www.fredfoodie.com  For some reason you must have the fredfood.wordpress.com as your book mark.

Cheers!

Flying Dog Ad

You’ve got to love this Flying Dog ad.  “Crack One Open DC” with a picture of Marion Berry.

I have not seen any Under Dog Atlantic Lager in stores around here yet, but I will be on the lookout for it.

Champagne Claude Baron

Sometimes you get the urge to splurge and for several reasons I found myself looking for such a bubbly.   I selected the Champagne Claude Baron Cuvee Topaze 2006.  Vintage Champagnes are a small subset of Champagne.  The theory is that the wineries make these wines only in their best years when the grapes are of such quality that the usual blending is not needed.  Vintage champagnes account for about 4% of champagne sales in the United States.  This wine happened to be a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  I was not blown away by it.  The bubbles were very fine and disappeared quickly in the glass.  I was looking for some of the characteristics of vintage champagne: nuttiness, dried fruits, toasted bread.  I found none of this.  Rather a delicate and fresh wine of lemons and nice acidity.  Six years should have been enough time to impart some of these flavors.  Bottom line:   decent but not worth the price paid.  You can get comparable champagnes for $20 less.  Oh well the hunt and exploration of new bottles is a large part of what makes wine so exciting for me.  Cheers!

Purchased at the Frederick Wine House for $49.99

Maryland Craft Beer Festival

The Maryland Craft Beer Festival is tomorrow at the Frederick Fairgrounds.  Weather forecast looks beautiful.  Some of those VIP beers look fascinating; Green peppercorn trippel or wild sour cherry porter?  Here is a guide to the festival from the Gazette.   You can still buy the discounted tickets at their site as of this morning.  I wonder if I qualify for a press pass?

Odds and Ends & Validation!

Grocery stores seeking way around alcohol sales ban.  I have mixed feelings about this.  Comments anyone?  I do admit that I stop at the Leesburg Costco from time to time to get wine.

Good op-ed piece in the Sun on this issue by Adam Borden president of MBBWL.

And finally on Monday I posted about the best rose I have had in ages.  Well it seems that I am not the only one who feels this way.  In today’s wine column in the Washington Post Dave McIntyre gives the Alexander Valley Vineyards Dry Rose of Sangiovese the highest rating out of all the rose he reviewed.  Refined palate or just plebeian tastes?  I know which theory I’m going with.

Cupcake Wars Frederick Style- Sweet Angela’s Cupcakery

For years Frederick managed to survive without a single cupcake store, but now we find ourselves in the enviable position of having two within 400 yards of each other.  I reviewed the original cupcake bakery, Angelcakes, here about ten months ago.  Since that time a newcomer opened up:  Sweet Angela’s Cupcakery.  Of course this begs the question;  which is better?   To answer that pressing question I first had to try the wares at Sweet Angelas.  Whereas Angelcakes is chrome , white and Tiffany blue the minute you walk in to Sweet Angela’s you are greeted by a sea of pink. It reminded me of a nursery of a couple who are expecting their first daughter: pink on the walls and bright pink boxes.

Pink is the theme at Sweet Angela’s

I picked up a four pack of their chocolate-chocolate, chocolate peanut butter, Southern Belle (red velvet) and yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  Cost $10.  On their menu they have five daily flavors and had a dozen specialty flavors but on the day I visited the only specialty flavor available was the chocolate peanut butter.  Drooling I headed for the office where we conducted a taste test.

I wasn’t quick enough with the camera to get all four on film.

I found the cupcakes to be incredibly moist. The icing was very sweet  but there was slightly less on the the cupcakes than Angelcakes which I liked (see my review of Angelcakes for my feelings on icing).  Two of the cupcakes, southern belle and chocolate peanut butter had  cream cheese based frosting as opposed to the standard buttercream. So who’s best?  Here is my take you decide what’s important to you:

Color:                                                     AC (What can I say?  I’m a guy I prefer blue)

Cupcake                                                  SA (Much moister than AC)

Icing                                                         SA

Price                                                         Tie ($2.50 each at both places)

Selection                                                 AC (seven standard varieties and specific rotating daily specials)

Alexander Valley Vineyards- Dry Rose of Sangiovese 2011

I’m secure enough in my manhood to proclaim my love of a good  rose.  Of course not the blush, white zin type of crap.  And boy did I love the rose I just had.  Alexander Valley Vineyards “Dry Rose of Sangiovese” 2011. This was a bright scarlet wine, with tons of flavors of strawberry, watermelon and a touch of tropical fruit.  Medium acidity with the barest hint of sweetness at the end.  The best rose I have had in a long, long time especially at this price.  I’m violating my rule of making sure I buy more before I post here, but I got it at the Frederick Wine House for around $12 if I recall.  I’m going to get a bunch for the summer. 100% Sangiovese, fermented in stainless steel.  13.2% ABV

Family Meal

The Frederick News Post reports that Bryan Voltaggio’s (and Hilda Staples’- don’t forget the other half of the team.  The media, including this article, always seems to forget her) new restaurant will be named Family Meal.  A first or second week of June opening is slated.

Odds and Ends

Channel 9 video on Adam Frey’s new Frederick county farm brewery.  I’d card the reporter though.

Brewer’s Alley released a special wedding beer, Wedding Alt, with customizable labels.  How about a divorce one?  Should it be something dark and heavy or light and celebratory?

The Grateful Gourmet tries a Frederick County wine and finds he likes it.

Six Rules For Dining Out

I came across a great article in the May 2012 Atlantic Magazine by Tyler Cowen.  Its called Six Rules for Dining Out and I found it fascinating.  Amongst the rules are: in the fanciest restaurants, order what sounds least appetizing.  Sound nonsensical?  Read the article and see his logical explanation.  I also loved his take on Thai food.  It reinforces my concerns about Thai food that I’ve expressed here previously- do I really know what authentic Thai food tastes like?  Give it a read.  I also saw at the end of the article that this was adapted from his forthcoming book.  FCPL has it on order and I’m third in the holds line, so number one and two read quickly!