The Wine Market has come up with an inspired way to enjoy wine, thanks to its new wine director, Lucien Walsh. He is presenting an evening of wine and song—but not the way you think—at the Locust Point restaurant.
Here’s how it will work. From 6:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 26, guests will enjoy wines poured by [...]

That’s what you’ll win if your crab recipe places first in the Ultimate Crab Challenge contest, sponsored by Giant Food and Phillips Seafood. To enter, submit your original recipe by 11:59 p.m. Aug. 15.
The entries will be judged on taste, ease of preparation, creativity, and clarity of cooking instructions. The three finalists will be notified [...]

Visit seven wineries this weekend and get a taste of wine and other local products. There’s no charge to visit the wineries, though they may charge for tastings.
The event is from 1-4 p.m. July 31 and Aug. 1 and is being sponsored by the Piedmont Wine Trail and Maryland Wineries Association. Also, check out the [...]

To celebrate, Denny’s is offering three types of floats and a sundae for just $2 each on Sunday, July 18, at its area restaurants.
Choose a Cherry Coke float, root-beer float, red-white-and-blueberry float, or a sundae featuring three cinnamon-sugar “Pancake Puppies” with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and whipped cream.
We evidently have President Reagan to thank [...]

Phillips Seafood is hosting two crab-themed events this weekend to celebrate Harborplace’s 30th anniversary: Crabology 101 on Friday and a crab-cake-eating contest on Saturday. Magazine intern Elizabeth Laseter tells us more:
Both events will be held at the Harborplace Amphitheater in the Inner Harbor and are open to the public free of charge.
“Crabologist” Donald Manning, [...]

Michael’s Cafe in Timonium is having its first-ever Crab Ball on July 17 to benefit the League of Dreams, a group that hosts baseball and softball clinics and tournaments for disadvantaged individuals. Summer intern Elizabeth Laseter tells us more about it.
The outdoor event—which features food and drinks for purchase as well as live music—also challenges [...]

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 [...]

Buy a beverage and get a free order of Mini Street Tacos on Wednesday (June 2) from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Qdoba Mexican Grill in Ellicott City (9050 Baltimore National Pike, Suite 101).
The restaurant’s newest menu item is a spin on traditional Mexican street fare. Each taco features a soft corn tortilla filled with slow-roasted pulled [...]

The blue-and-white Food Network flags on Lancaster Street this afternoon were a giveaway. What’s going on? I asked a guy with a camera crew hanging around Cinghiale. He turned out to be the producer of Chefs vs City.
The show pits Food Network chefs Aarón Sánchez and Chris Cosentino against two local foodies—in this case, chefs [...]

Baltimore’s Timothy Dean—one of the newest batch of Top Chef contestants—has had a lot on his plate these days besides standing up to Padma, Tom Colicchio, and new judge Eric Ripert. The chef, still grieving for his wife who died of breast cancer three years ago, is trying to sort out bankruptcy, liquor board hearings, [...]