We are in the top 25 “salad market” cities, according to Dole Fresh Vegetables. The company did an internal study and found that Baltimoreans and local residents of the rated cities eat more salad per person than their counterparts in other U.S. cities. Well, good for us!

Nearby leafy-eating cities include Philadelphia, Harrisburg, PA, and Washington, D.C. Los Angeles was named on the West Coast. But, surprisingly, no San Francisco, where the slow food movement is said to have begun, courtesy of Alice Waters. The cities were listed in alphabetical order with no numeric ranking.

Dole also developed a recipe, just for Baltimore, created by DOLE Salads and the Dole Nutrition Institute.

Baltimore Crab and Fruit Salad

1 package (6 ounces) DOLE Sweet Baby Lettuces or Spring Mix Salad Blend
2 cans (6 ounces each) lump crabmeat, drained, or 8 ounces fresh or frozen, thawed crabmeat
1 mango, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
1 kiwi, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1/3 cup raspberry vinaigrette salad dressing
1 firm, ripe avocado, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

Toss together salad blend, crabmeat, mango, and kiwi. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss gently to combine.

Divide salad among serving plates. Arrange slices of avocado over each serving.

Serves 3-4

Per serving: 311 calories, 16 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 87 milligrams cholesterol, 507 milligrams sodium.

Campbell Soup Co. is recalling 15 million pounds of SpaghettiOs with meatballs, according to anAP report. I can’t even imagine what 15 million pounds of the Os would look like. It's a scary thought.

It seems that a cooker malfunctioned at one of Campbell’s plants and left the meat undercooked. The USDA said there are no reports of illnesses associated with the product, and a Campbell spokesman said the company has received no customer complaints to date, AP said.

Consumers with questions about the recall can call Campbell's Hotline at 866-495-3774.

Top Chef or Throwdown? Both shows, with Baltimore pegs, air at 9 p.m. tonight. Talk about competition.

On Bravo TV, local chef Timothy Dean goes against 16 other chefs in the premiere episode ofTop Chef’s seventh season.

On Food Network, the Throwdown quiche episode pits Bobby Flay against our guy Rodney Henry of Dangerously Delicious Pies. Chef Cindy Wolf of Charleston was one of the chief judges.

I guess I’ll be switching back and forth.

Let’s hope there’s no conflict on Aug. 20. That’s when Chefs vs City will air the Baltimore episode that features chefs Annmarie Langton and Thomas Looney, both of Helen’s Garden, trying to best Food Network chefs Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino as they raced around the city, tackling food challenges.

When the show filmed here on May 26, I caught the action at Cinghiale, but that was just one of their many stops that day. It’ll be fun to see the whole episode.

We’re getting a lot of recognition these days. A new Food Network show, to be called Food Feuds, is also considering focusing on Maryland. The premise is comparing well-known foods against each other, like crab cakes.

Interesting, that’s just what I’m doing for our August Best of Baltimore issue!

Photo: Bravo TV

Help! I’m working on our steakhouse issue for October. Sure, I'll be checking out all the fancy places, but I’d also like to include restaurants that have good, inexpensive steak on their menus.

Let me know if you have any suggestions. You can post here or e-mail me your ideas. Thanks.

Photo by Maggie Smith/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

And you’re invited. This Sunday, June 13, an impressive cast of local chefs, mixologists, and wine experts are gathering at the American Visionary Art Museum from 3-6 p.m. to stir up fun, food, and drink—all to benefit the National Kidney Foundation of Maryland. I’m interested in this benefit for many reasons. First and foremost, kidney disease has touched my life. A family member was on dialysis for a long time before finally finding a kidney match and getting a transplant on a snowy weekend in February. And a good friend generously donated a kidney to her ailing sister, saving her life. All are fine now. But, in addition to supporting the kidney foundation, the event is a terrific opportunity to sample some great food. Participating restaurants include B&O American Brasserie, Blue Hill Tavern, Clementine, Crush, Corks, Linwoods, Milan, RA Sushi, The Wine Market, and many more. A complete list and ticket info are available online. There also will be culinary demos by Joy Ludwig, pictured, pastry chef at Charleston; Sandy Lawler, chef-owner, Feast@4 East; and Jesse Sandlin, executive chef at Vino Rosina. Other presentations include mixing cocktails by Brendan Dorr, food and wine pairings by Jerry Edwards, and wine-tasting advice from Laurie Foster, "The Wine Coach." The event, dubbed "an epicurean adventure," also features a VIP reception at 2 p.m. for an additional cost. It includes special tastings not available during the main party. Tickets are $100 a person for the premium tasting, $75 for regular admission in advance, $85 at the door, and $40 for designated drivers (no alcohol). If you go, let me know what it was like.

It’s called Mexitalian. That’s right. The Italian restaurant in Little Italy has introduced a new happy-hour menu that puts a twist on Italian and Mexican dishes.

The pub grub includes combos like flatbread Mexicano with cheddar, mozzarella, and sliced jalapeno peppers with a side of salsa, and quesadilla Italiana, a grilled tortilla stuffed with Gorgonzola and prosciutto.

La Scala’s chef/owner Nino Germano decided to merge heritages with his sous chefs Ray and Mauro to create the new cuisine, which is available in the bar from 4:30-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 3-8 p.m. Sun., according to a press release.

Traditional menu favorites are still available, like bruschetta, fried calamari, and antipasto. There’s also a new bar table and stools to add to your comfort while sampling the new menu. I'll have to stop by soon.

The Point in Fells Point opened yesterday to family and friends. Today, the former Miss Irene’s welcomes everyone.

I stopped by the restaurant today, and owner Erica Russo was nice enough to give me a tour and share the menu. "We’re very health conscious here," said the former accountant, who also managed several area bars. "Everything’s fresh every day."

The chef is Jacob Raitt, who was a sous chef at the acclaimed Bistro Blanc in Howard County, which specializes in small-plate American cuisine. Jacob has translated his experience there into an innovative menu at the new restaurant.

His signature dish is "The Point" steak and eggs with a grilled filet, fried quail egg, Yukon potato hash, and green and white asparagus ($22). That’s one of the "larger plates."

The "small plates" range from $10-14 and feature dishes like braised pork belly, black tiger shrimp, and tuna ceviche. "We’re trying to step out of the box," Jacob said.

There’s also a "pub grub" menu with offerings like flatbread pizza; wings with Buffalo, tequila lime, or Asian sesame sauce; and beef sliders.

The upstairs dining room has one of the best water views in the area. The tables are covered in white cloths. The beautiful, old wood floors remain. Downstairs, the tables around the polished wood bar are bare. "It’s casual, upscale dining," described Erica. "We’re a restaurant with a bar."

When I wrote about the new owners—Erica’s parents Edie and Jimmy Chin of Edie’s Deli & Grill on West Pratt Street are also involved—in early April, the name was going to be Cobblestone Corner. "The Point flowed better," said Erica, explaining the name change. "We’re at the point."

She’s referring to the intersection where Thames, Ann, and other streets converge. The restaurant at 1738 Thames St. will be open for dinner daily and for lunch Fri-Sun. Lunch hours may expand in the future. A website is in the works.