By Angela Kim Editor's Note: While Suzanne is recuperating from knee surgery, several In Good Taste readers have agreed to share their food thoughts and experiences.A couple of Tuesdays ago during the spell of fake summer we had, some friends and I found relief from the sudden heat on Broadway in Fells Point, where two wonderful kinds of frozen treats can be found.The first is the California-style (or Korean-style, depending on who you ask) frozen yogurt at the newly-opened Mr. Yogato. The frozen yogurt craze started in the U.S. with the Pinkberry chain, which unfortunately only has locations in California and New York. More tart than traditional American frozen yogurt (light ice cream), Mr. Yogato offers two original flavors: tangy and creamy; and two flavors of the month: currently strawberrio and chocolato. The creamy flavor is more like the TCBY that everyone is used to, but try the tangy!! It's a wonderful base for the wealth of fun and unusual topping options that range from nostalgic cereals to balsamic vinegar to even chopped Berger cookies!My favorite combinations are Cap 'n' Crunch cereal and sliced strawberries (with the tangy yogurt, it makes for kind of a frozen milk and cereal with fruit), or fresh, plump raspberries with oreo crumbs. The Broadway location is technically the second, after the first store opened near Dupont Circle in Washington, D.C. But don't use the dreaded "C" word to describe the stores. It's not a chain, said Fell Point owner Jessica Jensen. Jensen and D.C. store owner Steve Davis are both rocket scientists at a company called SpaceX. Davis is helping close family and friends open their own locations of Mr. Yogato, Jensen said. The rocket scientists "with a craving," as they refer to themselves, inject a sense of "fun and goofiness" to the store, and visitors will get a kick out of the many different wacky ways to get a discount.The other, less goofy but equally delicious, option across the street from Mr. Yogato is the amazing european-style gelato at Pitango Gelato, made on the premises with organic ingredients from a Pennsylvania farm. The flavors change with the seasons and availabilty of ingredients. The classic nut, coffee and chocolate flavors are fabulous (try the spicy chocolate, which has an interesting and very pleasant kick for the back of your throat). But the fruit flavors are in some ways even more remarkable to me, as a really satisfying but somehow still good-for-you dessert. Something about the gelato-making process produces clean but rich flavors that really capture the essence of the highlight ingredient, whether it's strawberry or granny smith apple or Sicilian almond. In addition to the gelato, Pitango offers Zeke's local coffee and espresso. One of these days I'm going to splurge on the affogato, espresso poured over gelato, to enjoy the best of both worlds.While Mr. Yogato is expanding north from Washington, Pitango Gelato is expanding their success south, with plans to open locations on P St., near the original Mr. Yogato location in D.C., and also at the Reston Town Center in Virginia.The additional good news about frozen yogurt and gelato? Both are lower in fat and calories than ice cream and the stores are open late every day so you can get your cool fix of almost guilt-free treats on long summer nights.Mr. Yogato, 723-A S. Broadway. Store hours: Sunday - Thursday: 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.; Friday - Saturday: 11:30 a.m. - MidnightPitango Gelato, 802 South Broadway. Store hours: Noon to 11 p.m. on week days; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.

Angela Kim is senior web producer at Congressional Quarterly. She lives in South Baltimore with her husband Mike and new puppy, Lemony Snicket.

By Bettina Isabella

Editor's Note: While Suzanne is recuperating from knee surgery, several In Good Taste readers have agreed to share their food thoughts and experiences.

There is a moment in one's life when the understanding of food is born…

As a little girl, I vividly remember watching Daddy
in the morning as he stood at the old stove in our second generation
Baltimore born Italian delicatessen,
Palmisanos, fondly referred to as "the shop."
I looked on with fascination
as he passionately prepared that enormous 10–gallon pot of tomato sauce.
He carefully poured in the olive oil from a beautiful square tin
and he made this sauce every morning of his life
with such grace, love and ceremony.
Carefully adding the aromatic ingredients of chopped onions…
the garlic,
those colorful little red and orange dried pepper flakes,
the basil, the oregano
and so on.
It only took a few minutes for the air to joyfully exclaim,
"It's Italian!"

From that moment, my food journey began … known today as b e t t i n a i s a b e l l a

Thank you Papa!

Bettina Isabella grew up in Baltimore and spent most of her childhood years in her family-owned Italian Delicatessen. With no formal training she took up her passion for cooking at local cafes, restaurants and catering companies throughout Baltimore adopting techniques and wisdom from chefs and mentors whom she considered expert. With an appended background in both commercial and fine arts, Bettina united her artistic talents with her love of cooking and currently is a private chef catering to a cosmopolitan circle of clients in Ruxton, Greenspring Valley and surrounding areas in Maryland.

By Charlie Thorne

Editor's Note: While Suzanne is recuperating from knee surgery, several In Good Taste readers have agreed to share their food thoughts and experiences.

I love having an epiphany. I had my most recent one when I was staying at the Palmer House in Chicago last week, thinking about what the theme of my blog would be. I'm not a road warrior when it comes to work travel but I'm in other cities at least 8 nights a month and I don't want to eat in a chain restaurant. I'm a wanna be Anthony Bourdain and my goal when visiting a different city is to find out what restaurants are regional and unique so that when the client I'm with asks "so whaddya like?", I don't get pigeon holed into a generic answer of Italian, Indian or whatever comes to mind. So this is where the epiphany takes shape. I want to encourage people that no matter how small the town is that you're visiting or where you're eating, write about it somewhere like chow.com or any blog where another foodie can find it. Face it, we never know where we may go a month from now but for me the first thing I'm going to do is go online and find out, "Where can I eat, what can I eat and how many different restaurants can I visit?" Ready?

I go to Livonia, MI every two weeks which is about 20 miles or so north west of Detroit. If you want lunch or dinner go to Green Cedar, a fantastic Middle Eastern spot (19217 Newburgh Rd, Livonia, MI - (734) 237-1 887), get the chicken tawook sandwich with extra pickles and garlic sauce, the Lebanese salad and the hummus. I haven't been to Chicago in at least 5 years but I was there last week and it's a city where after you've been there for a day you say to yourself, "I could live here!" The Palmer House (17 East Monroe Street Chicago, IL (312) 726-7500) is a hotel that is old school in atmosphere but looks but very modern and feels intimate in every other way. For me, the beds were the best I've ever slept on in a hotel, I mean superb to the point where you wake up and you're smiling like the butcher's dog. If you have an oyster fetish then you have to go to Hugo's Frog Bar (1024 N Rush St Chicago, IL (312) 640-0999) where the night I was there, they had 5 different types of oysters from Prince Edward Island. At Hugo's you can have fish or steak or both and the place has a distinct Chicago presence versus a chain steak house. If you don't want to hang out with the cake eaters then you can go to Hot Doug's (3324 N California Ave Chicago, IL (773) 279-9550) and have the most incredible Chicago style hot dogs. Seriously, go to the website hotdougs.com and look at the menu and see what you think.

Back to Baltimore. I've been on a curry tear for the last 3 months and I've found two places that I'd invite you to try. Kathmandu Kitchen in Towson (22 W Allegheny Avenue (410) 847-9595) prepared an incredible lamb vindaloo and samosa chat as an appetizer. The other restaurant I'd recommend is the Kabob Stop (5719 Falls Rd, Baltimore(410) 323-6060). This is one of the few places where, when you ask them to make it spicy, they oblige you and aren' t afraid to make it the way you want it. Service is fantastic and the menu has so many choices you'll have to follow my strategy and just keep coming back so you can bat around the horn.
Now go out there and eat and write like it's your job! There'll be many of us who will thank you for it!

Charlie Thorne, salesman, soccer aficionado and devoted foodie…

By Meghan Norville

Editor's Note: While Suzanne is recuperating from knee surgery, several In Good Taste readers have agreed to share their food thoughts and experiences.

I went to Tabrizi’s the other night when it was unseasonably warm in search of outdoor seating and great water views. I wasn’t disappointed.

You have to know that Tabrizi’s exists behind the Pier Homes community off of Key Highway. I prefer to get there by strolling the new promenade that wraps around the Rusty Scupper and hugs the Ritz Carlton residences on the Inner Harbor side. It’s a beautiful, well-lit walk with incredible ambience leading up to a restaurant that promises more of the same.

On this particular night, a trio of musicians was performing – vocals, acoustic guitar and piano – and I was swept away. I learned that this trio is there every Thursday, and they love requests! I threw out some Eva Cassidy songs and my boyfriend even challenged them with Jodeci. They knew them all and rocked each one. We were having our own sing-along from our corner table with a view!

Speaking of view, floor to ceiling windows line the back walls that face the Inner Harbor, so you’re looking directly out at a marina. Beautiful boats are my kind of eye candy. The walls are a cool gold and pale blue to make the space feel bright and airy. A long island with stools is set up near the open kitchen for people who don’t want to sit at a formal table but also don’t want to eat at the bar. The group of diners at that island looked like they were visiting someone’s kitchen. It was like watching a dinner party in your neighbor’s kitchen – albeit your neighbor’s very nice kitchen!

Our server for the night was extremely personable and funny and nailed the balance between catering to our every whim without being overbearing. They want you to have a great time in a beautiful setting. No need to act stuffy.

They had a great selection of small plates, so we ordered the Mozzarella Caprice Napolean, Baba Ghanoush and Stuffed Wine Leaves, which I paired with a light Rose. All were delicious.

The live music and social atmosphere kept us there for three hours. We literally were the last people to leave. It struck me as I looked around at my fellow diners that they all seemed to recognize one another. Apparently people return frequently.

I can see why.

I am a Baltimore downtowner with a curiosity for the latest arts and entertainment. I am obsessed with farmer’s markets. I take advantage of the precious few evening hours to soak up all the town has to offer and chronicle it all in my own blog – the7oclockhour.blogspot.com. After five years here, I still catch myself smiling at the little idiosyncrasies that make Baltimore the lovable town she is.

By Brian Eden

Editor's Note: While Suzanne is recuperating from knee surgery, several In Good Taste readers have agreed to share their food thoughts and experiences.

When it comes to making improvements to rowhouse roofs, most of us grudgingly call a contractor. At Jack’s Bistro in Canton, they decided to dial a farmer instead.

Chef Ted Stelzenmuller’s year-old rooftop herb garden takes the Eat Local movement a notch higher. It’s better than farm-to-table. It’s rooftop-to-roasting pan.

Soon, milk crates filled with soil will overflow with chives, scallions, basil, cilantro, oregano, rue and three varieties of thyme. Micro celery and micro amaranth get ready to star in a simply dressed "house salad," while sprigs of rosemary are destined for glory in sous vide steak frites. (Which, unfortunately, does not come from rooftop cattle.)

This isn’t your garden-variety nursery either.

These plants might just be Baltimore’s most pampered perennials. From their perch atop Jack’s roof, they enjoy a waterfront panorama with a view of Fort McHenry. A front row seat for the Fourth of July fireworks. And even a custom-built cabana for some afternoon shade. They’re like Kobe beef without the afternoon massage.

It’s no wonder they taste so good. Fresh flavor comes from happy herbs.

So, while you’re hard at work, toiling in your cubicle, think of the oasis of herbs growing on top of Jack’s Bistro. Living a life of luxury. Lazing about on the rooftop, soaking in the sun and watching the tugboats swim laps across the Patapsco.

Don’t be jealous. Just clock out, head to Jack’s and order the Mango Mojito with freshly muddled rooftop mint. Then sit back and enjoy a taste of relaxation.

Brian Eden is Associate Creative Director at Carton Donofrio Partners and author of the humor, travel and food blog, walkamileinmyunderpants.com. In 2006, he realized his lifelong dream of becoming the #1 ranked Brian Eden on Google.

Let’s toast Mother’s Day. In this month’s Southern Living, there’s a story on Triple Crown drinks with a recipe for a Black-eyed Susan cocktail honoring the flower blanket placed over the winning horse at the Preakness.

But I was thinking it also would be a perfect drink to celebrate the warm weather and Mom’s special day. The orange and pineapple juices mixed with vodka, light rum, and orange liqueur over crushed ice sound refreshing.

I always have to laugh when I see black-eyed Susans at the race. Unless things have changed, the yellow flowers on display are not the real deal. I found this out when I was a reporter for the Sun in the ’90s. My assignment: Write about the imposters.

As it turns out, the Preakness is held too early to get bunches of black-eyed Susans, which bloom from June till October. Hence, the masquerade.

That year, the floral workers at Giant headquarters in Landover were responsible for transforming hundreds of yellow daisies with white centers into our "state flower." They took cotton swabs and dipped them into black shoe polish to doctor the centers of the blooms. I helped, too. It’s not as simple as it might sound.

It’s probably easier, and more enjoyable, to make the Black-eyed Susan drink. Cheers and Happy Mother’s Day!

I discovered a soon-to-open restaurant in Federal Hill last night after eating at the new Taverna Corvino. Taverna’s executive chef Chris Patternote (formerly of VIN in Towson) is turning out small plates and family-style portions in a creative menu that features dishes like veal cheeks with basil polenta and rockfish in a tomato-saffron sauce. My review will be in our July issue. (Darn my early publication deadlines.)

But after dinner, my friends and I were walking along South Charles Street and found The Hill (1015 S. Charles St.), which is nearing completion. It used to be the Indian restaurant Banjara.

Today, I talked to one of the owners, Clark Hudak, who said, "There’s a mad rush to get it open." He’s hoping to have the restaurant, whose name is short for Federal Hill, up and running in about two weeks. It has a great horseshoe-shaped bar and dining for about 75.

His chef and co-owner is Tony Petteway, who produced some fine fare at The Metropolitan Coffeehouse & Wine Bar down the street. The menu will be international and affordable, Clark said, with the most expensive items being crab cakes and steaks in the low $20 range. Look for an extensive dessert menu, too.

Clark hopes to set the mood with blues and jazz music (not live because of zoning restrictions). "It won’t be loud," he said. "It’s a quaint dinner place with a bar." There’s exposed brick, wood, and tin ceilings.

"I want to make it neighborhood friendly," he said.