PITTSBURGH — Summer is a time when many of us eat at least some of our meals outdoors, which means looking for bright and delicious dishes that hold up to the rigors of car travel.

Those trips can come in the form of rolling out to a cookout or neighborhood get-together, but warm and sunny weather and kids being home from school also inspires impromptu picnics and trips to the pool, too — or maybe the beach or mountains, if you’re lucky.

No one can blame you for if you’d rather silence a growling stomach with something quick from Sheetz’s MTO menu while — say — passing through Breezewood on your way to Washington, D.C. It’s easy-in, and easy-out and still relatively affordable.

But here’s a pitch from someone who spends hours (and hours) on the road each month making weekend trips to Northern Virginia: homemade eats are almost always cheaper and healthier than ones you get from a fast food or fast-casual restaurant.

Packing a picnic basket or cooler with scratch salads, sandwiches and desserts that you can reach for whenever you get the munchies on route is also quicker for those of us who like to get where they’re going in the shortest amount of time possible.

I used to shake my head at my mother whenever she would limit my dad to just an ice cream cone for lunch or dinner when they traveled. But now that I’m a weekend road warrior myself, I think she might have been on to something.

Then again, I love to eat (a lot) as much as I like to save time and money. So planning a simple menu that can go with me wherever I decide to journey this summer might be a better idea.

The five recipes that follow make good on that plan in that all are easy to make in a short amount of time, with even limited culinary skills. And, importantly, they travel well.

Each is easy to pack and portion, relatively mess-free to eat with your hands or a plastic fork and can withstand a few hours tucked into a cooler, refrigerated bag or wicker picnic basket.

For sandwich lovers, we’ve got a meat- and veggie-packed Italian pressed sandwich that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. After assembling them, you wrap the sandwiches in plastic, place something heavy on top to flatten the bread (I used foil-wrapped bricks, but a cast-iron skillet also works) and then place them in the fridge so the flavors can melt into one another.

The result is a sandwich that’s not only more compact and portable, but one you can make well ahead and then just grab on the go.

Because people are eating more plant-based foods, we also have three vegetarian recipes that can easily be scooped while on a beach towel or in back seat of the family car. There’s a crunchy broccoli salad that’s tossed in a tangy vinaigrette instead of a more traditional mayo-based dressing; a cheesy and vegetable-forward pasta salad; and a creamy, five-ingredient hummus that brings it home with citrus.

And because no one ever said no to a homemade cookie, we also are including a recipe for cinnamon-and-sugar dusted snickerdoodles.

The chewy cookies might not scream “summer” in the same way as the chocolate soft serve on a cake cone my dad had to make do with on car trips, especially when it’s so hot outside. But they’re just as sweet, a lot less messy, and if you pace yourself to just one at a time, will last a little longer.

Some tips for flawless food transportation:

—If you’re transporting food that needs to stay cold, consider pre-chilling your cooler by filling it with an ice bath (and then draining it) before packing.

—Because coolers work best when they’re full, choose one that’s just large enough to hold your food, plus a little ice on top.

—Avoid leaks! Use sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids.

—Square and rectangle containers take up less space in a cooler or picnic basket.

—To minimize opening the cooler (and keeping food cold), pack your food in the order you will be eating it — sandwiches on the bottom, snacks on top.

—Divide food into individual portions before packing to make snacking and eating easier on the go.

—Don’t forget napkins, plastic tableware, serving spoons, a bag for trash and hand sanitizer.

Pressed Italian Sandwiches

PG tested

Who doesn’t love a big ol’ sandwich?

These filling sammies are layered with a hearty mix of Italian meats, roasted red peppers, pesto, arugula and fresh mozzarella and then pressed under a weight (I used foil-wrapped bricks) until they are flat. A homemade olive tapenade adds a fresh, briny flavor.

Easily doubled to feed a crowd, these sandwiches are best made with a loaf or mini ciabatta, but any long and wide, crusty white bread will work, too. I used salami, prosciutto and soppressata, but you can easily individualize them with mortadella, ham, coppa or any other favorite meat.

1 loaf ciabatta or other long/wide crusty white bread, cut in half lengthwise with a serrated knife

4 tablespoons pesto, homemade or jarred

4 tablespoons olive tapenade, homemade or jarred

4 ounces salami, thinly sliced

4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

4 ounces spicy soppressata

8 ounces mozzarella, sliced

1/2 cup roasted red peppers from a jar, drained well and chopped

1/2 cup pepperoncini rings, drained well

2 large handfuls arugula

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Spread one side with the split ciabatta with pesto and the other with the olive tapenade.

Layer the three meats down the length of one half of ciabatta. Top the meats evenly with the roasted red peppers and pepperoncini.

Add mozzarella cheese in an even layer and season lightly with salt. Place arugula in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic, and season with a pinch more salt.

Place dressed arugula on top of cheese, and place the other half of ciabatta on top and press down firmly.

Wrap the loaf tightly in plastic and place on a sheet pan. Put another sheet pan upside down on top and weight it with something heavy, like a cast-iron skillet. (I used bricks wrapped in aluminum foil.)

Let the sandwich sit to press and chill overnight in the fridge. Slice crosswise into 6 even pieces and serve. To take on a picnic, wrap each sandwich in parchment, and tie with a pie of twine.

Serves 6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Easy Pasta Salad

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Nothing is easier to throw together quickly (and cheaply) than a big bowl of pasta salad. Since it’s summer, this iteration is dressed up with fresh veggies that are easy to find at any market in July — cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, greens and Italian garden herbs. The fact that even picky kids will eat pasta salad — especially when it includes mozzarella — makes it even more of a winner.

If you want to pack the dish with a little extra protein, stir in a can of chickpeas (rinsed).

For pasta

3 cups uncooked tubed or curly pasta

Extra virgin olive oil

2 large handfuls of cherry tomatoes

2 Persian cucumbers

2 cups arugula or baby spinach

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, optional

For dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 small clove garlic, minced

Pinch of dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. When al dente, drain and toss with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick together. Set aside to cool while you prepare vegetables.

Slice cherry tomatoes in half and cucumbers into half moons. Add to bowl with arugula or spinach, basil, parsley and mint.

Whisk together dressing ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add pasta to the bowl with the veggies, add mozzarella balls and Parmigiano-Reggiano, drizzle on the dressing and toss well to combine.

Serves 6.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Lemon Hummus with Homemade Pita

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I never ate hummus growing up — tahini was still considered kind of exotic in the 1970s and early ’80s — but boy, do my grandkids love the thick, chickpea-based Mediterranean dip. Even 18-month-old Theo gobbles it with gusto, sometimes just with a spoon.

Hummus can be flavored with a lot of spices and add-ins, including garlic, olives and red pepper, but the spread really sings when it is brightened with citrus.

For a car trip or picnic, serve with crackers, pretzels, pita chips or apple slices. If you’re really ambitious, pair the dip with wedges of homemade pita bread.

For hummus

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/3 cup smooth tahini

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

5 tablespoons water, or as needed to blend

Paprika, red pepper flakes, and/or fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

For pita

3/4 cup warm water

1 package active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

3 3/4 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl

3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt

Prepare hummus: In a high-speed blender, place chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt.

Use the blender baton to blend until very smooth, adding water as needed to reach your desired consistency.

Refrigerate until ready to serve,

Make pita: In a medium bowl, combine water, yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit until it’s foamy on top, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine flour, salt and remaining tablespoon of sugar.

Add the yeast mixture, oil and yogurt, and mix to combine. Knead the dough, either in the stand mixer on medium speed or by hand on a clean work surface, adding more flour if needed, until it’s soft and slightly sticky, 7-10 minutes.

Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap, and let rise until it’s doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and divide it into 12 equal balls. Cover and let rise an additional 20 minutes.

Roll the balls out into circles that are 1/4 – to 1/2 -inch thick. Place onto the baking sheets an inch apart, then bake, one sheet at a time, until they’re puffy and lightly browned on top.

Bake about 8 minutes, rotating the pan after the 5-minute mark if one side of the sheet is puffing up more than the other. Transfer pitas to a wire rack to cool.

— loveandlemons.com

Broccoli, Cheese and Apple Salad

PG tested

Broccoli salad is crisp, refreshing and full of flavor. This no-cook, crunchy version is gluten- and nut-free, and if you’re avoiding dairy, the cheese is optional.

Tossed in a tangy vinaigrette instead of a calorie-laden mayonnaise-based dressing, this is a salad you won’t feel guilty eating. Chopped apple and dried cherries add a touch of sweetness.

For salad

1 pound broccoli florets (from 1 1/2 pounds broccoli stalks), thinly sliced and then roughly chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese, optional

1/3 cup dried cranberries or dried tart cherries, chopped

1 tart apple, peeled, seeded and chopped

For dressing

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 medium clove garlic, pressed or minced

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

To a large bowl, add chopped broccoli, onion, cheese, cranberries and apples. Set aside.

In a 1-cup liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the dressing ingredients (olive oil, vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic and salt). Whisk until the mixture is well blended.

Pour the dressing over the salad and stir until all of the broccoli is lightly coated. I highly recommend letting the salad marinate for at least 20 minutes, or even overnight in the refrigerator.

Divide the salad into individual bowls and serve. Leftovers will keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge, covered.

Serves 8.

— adapted from cookiesandkate.com

Brown Sugar Snickerdoodles

PG tested

A cookie that travels well is one that won’t melt, stacks up neatly in a container and won’t make a mess when you’re eating it. For me, that’s a snickerdoodle with its signature crystalline coat of cinnamon-sugar.

This easy recipe is made with a mix of brown and white sugar, and is heavy on the cinnamon in the topping.

The cookies will spread as they bake, so be sure to place the dough balls 3 inches apart on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet. I refrigerated the dough for about an hour before baking (it’s soft) and used a cookie scoop for even portioning. I also doubled the recipe because, why not?

If you like a crisper cookie (snickerdoodles are typically chewy in the middle, with crisp edges) let them linger a few minutes longer in the oven.

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup white granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

For the cinnamon-sugar mixture

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s soft, smooth and light.

Scrape down the bowl, add the sugars to the beaten butter, and mix until they are fully incorporated and lighter in color.

Beat in salt followed by the egg. Mix until the batter looks uniform.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cornstarch and baking soda. In three additions, beat this slowly into the butter-egg mixture until you see a few dry streaks remaining. Switch to a stiff spatula and gently mix the cookie dough until no more dry flour remains.

Thoroughly whisk together the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Form balls of dough with a medium-sized cookie scoop or a tablespoon measure and plop them in cinnamon-sugar, swirling to coat.

On a parchment-lined cookie sheet, place the dough balls 3 inches apart. Flatten the dough slightly (to about 1/2 – to 3/4 -inch thick) using the bottom of a glass, and sprinkle a little more cinnamon sugar over the flattened surface.

Put into the preheated oven. Bake for 7 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 5-7 minutes (12-14 minutes total), until the edges of the cookies look golden and the tops are crackled but still pale.

Cool on the baking sheet and eat as soon as possible. Snickerdoodles will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature for 3 days.

Makes 12 cookies.

— simplyrecipes.com

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Paris Baguette — best-known for its assortment of sweet and savory buns, mochi donuts and flaky croissants, as well as intricately frosted cakes — has installed signage at its upcoming 520 Snowshill St. location, “confirming that the new café is getting closer to opening,” wrote the Frederick City Media Facebook account in a Thursday post. The bakery chain boasts locations across Baltimore County and beyond, including in Owings Mills, Towson, Germantown and Rockville.

According to the post, Paris Baguette aims to reach 1,000 locations by 2030, with more than 180 locations up and running as of this year. The bakery also has a notable international presence, with locations across Asia and Europe.

“Exact opening date for the Frederick location is still unknown at this time,” Frederick City Media wrote on Facebook. “We’ll continue to share updates as they’re announced.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

The fine dining, southern eatery won in the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program category, and Wolf took to the stage with the restaurant’s wine director, Lindsay Willey, where the chef expressed gratitude for the recognition, Willey and the rest of her staff.

Wolf talked with The Baltimore Sun on Friday about her journey to the win, as well as the impact on Charleston in the weeks following.

Editor’s note: Questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

What about Lowcountry food first hooked you?

Growing up in North Carolina when I was little — and my parents are both from York, Pennsylvania — my mother was still doing Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. The lady across the street was from an old North Carolina family, and when we were over at their place, Mrs. Thrower would make pound cake. I just remember the first time I ate Carolina pound cake, and, wow, it was just the best dessert I’d ever had in my life.

I think my exposure to southern cooking started when I was little, but as I ended up moving to our new home in Charleston, that was when I really started to learn about Lowcountry cooking — working in restaurants and also working with local people and eating at their house and having their mom’s cooking.

Truly, southern food is food of the home. At that time, no one was doing fancy with fine dining and southern cooking. If they were, it was really much more French than anything — but they weren’t doing down-home southern cooking.

What made you want to bring that style of cooking to Baltimore?

I started it at Georgia Brown’s [restaurant] as the executive chef in Washington, D.C. The people that owned that, I had been working for their company at one of their Italian concepts. I had actually quit because I wanted to go back into fine dining, but then the VP of the company said that they were going to open a fine dining southern restaurant. I thought, “Well, this was meant to be.”

I obviously stayed with the company, and I opened the restaurant for them. Tony Foreman was the opening general manager, and that’s where I met him. A year and a half later, we were married. Tony grew up in Baltimore, and I was familiar with the city. I didn’t know I was making a lifetime decision when I said, “Sure, let’s move to Baltimore and try and open a restaurant,” And 30 years later, here I am.

I was very interested in continuing that food because it is very old, and there’s so many different cultures that affect it, from Native American and West African, particularly the people from Sierra Leone, to Western European, particularly the French, Huguenots and the English. Those influences are so important, and it’s a lot of cultures to begin to understand, so that was one of the reasons why I love Lowcountry food.

How do you inject all that history and culture into the food at Charleston?

I try to walk in the pathways of all of those southern cooks. I really try to do things as authentically as possible. One of the things that helps with doing that is that when I first started working in Charleston [South Carolina] at 19, the general manager was Glenn Roberts, who was part of bringing back Carolina Gold rice and the old heirloom variety corn that was produced in the Charleston area.

We don’t have a lot of history from the time the country became the United States of America, but we have tremendous Native American history and Indigenous peoples’ history. Grits were not a part of that, but it’s that use of corn that is so indicative of the Indigenous peoples’ culture and cooking.

I do a lot of research — I have the Carolina housewife cookbook, I have the old housewife cookbooks that are from the 1800s, I have the first African American woman’s cookbook, and I have many other Geechee and Gullah cookbooks. I found every book and public document I could possibly read about it.

Why is that research important to you?

I think it’s one of the most important cuisines in our country. I believe that the African influence is extremely important to preserve, as well as the Native American influence. Anything I could do as a chef to be a part of that, that’s super important to me. It comes back to the fact that there are French influences because I just love French cooking, you know, I was taught the basics at the Culinary Institute of America. I just love the food, and it’s not really that dissimilar to what I was raised on.

What is it like to work with Willey?

She’s just really good at what she does. I love working with her. She’s also funny. She’s a very smart person, and I love, appreciate and respect her work ethic. She’s just a really good taster, and that’s not something that comes naturally for people.

I was lucky that I grew up eating in great restaurants from the time I was a child and that family was in the food business. I’m meant to do what I do, and I believe that while [Willey] was pursuing a marketing degree and all these things that she was pursuing, and then ended up working for us as a waiter, and then ended up becoming this wine person, that was what she was meant to do. She has a natural instinct, along with the fact that she’s worked hard.

How has it felt to receive all the James Beard nominations and now to finally be recognized with the award?

Honestly, the first time I was nominated, we didn’t even know because it was so long ago, and it came into some obscure email address. The first time I was a finalist, the awards ceremony was at the Essex Hotel ballroom, and that’s how far it’s come. We were just at the Lyric Opera House [for the most recent awards], and it’s a black-tie event, but we used to sit in rowed banquet chairs.

Honestly, after being so excited about it so many times and then not winning, I go there with a pit in my stomach, certain that I’m not going to win. I support the industry wholeheartedly, but I’ll just be honest — I’ve been so disappointed every time. I mean, you hope you’ll win, and then you hear someone else’s name.

But I looked at Lindsay three minutes before they were going to announce it, and I said, “We should just have a plan.”

[For the speech,] three things that were most important to me, and one of them I didn’t do, which was to thank the James Beard Foundation. But I also wanted to thank the people who work for me and thank the immigrants in our country because we would be nothing in the restaurant business without immigration and immigrants. What’s going on in our country is so unbelievably upsetting to me, and I wanted to use my voice. It was a very heartfelt moment for me, and it meant a lot. It meant everything to me to be up there and to be chosen by my peers.

Now that you’re back in Baltimore, what has the atmosphere at Charleston been like?

We’ve been very, very busy. I’m very, very thankful for the energy that’s extremely high in the dining room. Baltimore folks are so supportive and so happy, and it’s overwhelming. They feel good, I feel good, and it’s just a happy thing.

Will there be any changes to the wine program?

We have a huge cellar, and we will continue to improve it. Lindsay will probably make me buy even more top-tier wines. One of the hardest things for a restaurant is the depth of age, and that’s another goal of mine and a bit more of a challenge.

Have you noticed your customer base change at all?

I feel like it has. We’re getting a lot of wine people in; we’re getting more chefs in. I felt like there’s been a change, frankly, immediately. At tables, I’m talking a lot about wine, and I’m talking a lot about high-end food. There is very vibrant conversation about both at the table right now, which is very cool for me because there’s not much more I’d like to talk about.

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

A group of more than 20 Harford County fairgoers, organized by age and gender, spent the afternoon in the fairgrounds pavilion at Bel Air’s 608 N. Tollgate Road devouring miniature fruit pies and juicy local watermelon. The prizes? “Bragging rights, a ribbon and free food,” said Amy O’Neil, co-chair of the Harford County Farm Fair Board of Directors, in between emceeing the events.

“Watermelon-eating contests and pie-eating contests are part of American culture,” said O’Neil, who, inspired by her July 4th childhood memories, brought the watermelon-eating contest to the fair more than 20 years ago. “We have adults competing now that I’ve watched compete since elementary school.”

Rebecca Borkowski, clad in a watermelon-eating contest T-shirt that she designed herself, has entered the competition every year for more than 20 years — and, now, her two daughters, clad in matching shirts, join her.

“Way back when, we were at the fair and I ran out of water. I thought it would be a good idea to enter the contest and share the watermelon with my [then] two-year-old daughter,” Borkowski said about the genesis point of her family’s annual showing. “After that, it just turned into every year.”

Reigning champions returned this year, including 31-year-old pie-eating contest alum Kyle Kurceba, who crushed last year’s miniature apple pie in 48 seconds. This year, at the end of the minute, his pie tin was the only one left completely empty.

“I feel full, both in my heart and in my stomach,” Kurceba said after his victory. “It was good pie, and a good contest.”

Kurceba’s win, however, didn’t go uncontested. The champion went for an unconventional strategy, first flipping over the pie to shake it loose from the metal tin before going to town. Forest Hill fairgoer Taj Weir, who won third place in the competition, had some objections.

“I’ve got to say, it seemed like he had a little more left. I think they need to get some scales involved here,” Weir said after the contest. “That was some newfangled technology, the flipping. That’s no fun. That should be illegal.”

Other eaters, like 17-year-old C. Milton Wright High School student Koryne Leilich, who competed in the pie-eating contest’s adult division and took home fourth place, were happy to participate for the first time — and to reap the benefits of competitive eating.

“I can kill a pie,” she said. “I like food, and free food is fantastic…. Free pie? I’ll take it.”

Other competitors, like watermelon-eating contest entrant and previous champion Jason Guarino, came to the fair with a more aggressive strategy — especially after not winning last year.

“This year, I’ve been practicing,” he said, with “ice cold watermelon.” He later added, “I cut my water off at 11 o’clock. I haven’t eaten or drank anything since [then], so I’m extremely thirsty.”

Not only did Guarino secure the first-place win in the men’s division, but he was shortly after awarded the championship ribbon after his speedy performance in the final, all-divisions competition.

“We went with big bites … and at the end, I just wanted to get down to that rind,” he said in a post-contest interview, as ruby-colored juice trickled down from the competition table. “That was a good quench.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

We are officially in the thick of summer. If we’re lucky, we might get a break from the routine and head for the beach, the mountains or maybe discover a new city.

For many, that means renting a vacation home — with an unfamiliar kitchen.

At home, you probably have a variety of cooking utensils, a meaningful collection of herbs and spices, and the ability to select just the right pan for your dish. But as you step into your Airbnb or Vrbo, you’re suddenly left wondering where to even put your groceries.

There’s a weird pleasure (at least for nerds like me) in pulling together a meal in a sparse, funky rental-house kitchen. It’s like a reality cooking show challenge. Can you make an omelet in a saucepan? Perhaps you don’t have fresh oregano … maybe those parsley stems will work? Can you stretch that small bottle of olive oil through the last two days of your trip? I’ll call that conundrum, and I’ll raise you a half a jar of gherkins.

During rental home vacations, it’s kind of fun to be untethered from the normal cooking routine. Believe you me, I’m racing out for fried clams at the local seafood joint as many nights as my budget and waistband allow. But for the meals I’m cooking, I’m relinquishing notions of perfection in favor of scrappiness.

Picked up a whole lot of cherry tomatoes at a farmstand? You’re making cherry tomato antipasti salad with some canned artichoke hearts, olives, onions and a quick vinaigrette. Maybe throw in some cubed provolone or diced salami. Peaches getting a bit too soft? Time for a smoothie.

There’s something liberating — and a little bit ridiculous — about cooking in a vacation rental kitchen.

Bring some essentials of your own

Before you go, consider packing a minimalist “kitchen survival kit.” It doesn’t have to be much: A sharp knife, a cutting board, salt and pepper, and whatever pantry staples you know you’ll need to get started.

For me, I might pack olive oil, vinegar, lemons, Dijon mustard and a couple of my favorite herbs and spices. I also always bring zipper-top bags and some small containers for leftovers or taking food on the go.

Use the rental’s features (and lack thereof) to your advantage

Think about dishes that can stretch ingredients, and about welcome substitutions. A big grain salad — made with rice, quinoa or couscous — is endlessly customizable and can be served cold or at room temperature (think lakeside lunch or a backyard meal).

I would also start with things that don’t require an oven — you never know if it heats unevenly, or at all (it might be a glorified bread box). A stovetop pasta tossed with sauteed garlic and olive oil is always a win. Add red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan if you have it.

Grills are often available and can be a vacation cook’s best friend — as long as you’ve got an ample supply of the right fuel for it. Grill up simply seasoned chicken breasts or New York Strip steaks for dinner and very intentionally make extra — those leftovers will be perfect sliced and used for sandwiches, quesadillas, salads or wraps. Extra grilled corn might become a corn soup or chowder, a corn salad or something to add to a stir-fry.

Think about brushing some slices of country bread with olive oil, sprinkling with flaky salt and toasting them lightly on the grill. Top with fresh sliced or chopped tomatoes with some basil, or turn them into whatever type of bruschetta you can whip up from your farmstand haul. Think caponata, sauteed chard or maybe a heap of sliced grilled peppers with some fresh goat cheese.

Salads are always on the docket. Again, easy to improvise with farmers market ingredients. But this is your vacation, and you should feel free to play. Try a melon and cucumber salad with a bit of feta and a squeeze of lime juice, or a chopped vegetable salad bolstered with protein-packed chickpeas.

Think creatively and accept imperfection

As you come to the end of your trip and you need to use things up, get creative. That half jar of pickles will add a briny punch to a potato salad. That nub of leftover cheese and that last bunch of spinach will be great chopped up and added to scrambled eggs or a frittata.

Cook what feels manageable, what makes use of local ingredients and what gives you more time outside with your people. Yes, you might be chopping vegetables with a serrated steak knife. Yes, there might be a little sand in the pasta salad as you serve it up on the beach. That’s OK.

Some of the best vacation meals come from embracing the fact that you’re cooking without your usual tools and supplies. That’s half the fun. I once made a great dinner from fresh scallops, a box of pasta, olive oil and a jug of margarita mix. That was 20 years ago, and we all still remember it.

Peach and plum yogurt smoothie

For their versatility and simplicity, smoothies can make for a vacation staple.

This is your smoothie template. Swap around fruits, yogurt flavors, sweeteners and see if you can find a NutriBullet in the back of the cabinet. Also, if you plan ahead, you might freeze your fruit for a thicker smoothie, or just add some ice. If you’ve got some fresh mint, toss that in, too.

Ingredients:

1 cup (8 ounces) vanilla Greek yogurt

1 cup (8 ounces) peach yogurt

1 tablespoon honey or agave, or to taste

2 cups cubed peeled peaches

2 cups cubed peeled plums

Instructions:

1. Place the vanilla yogurt, peach yogurt, honey, peaches and plums in a blender. Blend well.

2. Pour into glasses and serve.

Summer heat often makes baking less than desirable, so if you’re going to heat up the kitchen to make dessert, you gotta make it worth every bead of sweat that collects on your forehead.

These berry crumb bars are worth it and then some.

Built on a forgiving shortbread-like crust (it’s supposed to be crumbly) and topped with gooey seasonal fruit, they offer all the great taste of a summer pie but are so much easier to make since you don’t have to bother with mixing and rolling out dough.

How easy is this recipe? While a food processor or KitchenAid mixer will certainly speed things along, all you really need to cut in the butter that helps create the crumbly bottom layer is a fork or pastry cutter and some good old-fashioned elbow grease.

I used a mix of blueberries and strawberries because the two fruits have such complementary flavors and are always easy to find, often on sale. Also, two contrasting colors are always more visually appealing in a dessert than one.

If you’re worried about the butter and sugar content, at least know this: Both fruits are fairly low-cal and packed with vitamin C and other nutrients. Also, blueberries are famous for their high antioxidant content.

Be sure to allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into squares or they will crumble. The original recipe finished the bars with a simple lemon glaze, but I served them without.

Lemon Strawberry Crumb Bars

Serves 16; PG tested

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups chopped strawberries

2 cups blueberries

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon lemon zest

For optional glaze

1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. (This makes cutting easier!) Set aside.
2. Make the crumble mixture for the crust and topping: Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl.
3. Add cubed butter and using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut in the butter until all the flour is coated and resembles pea-sized crumbles. (I whisked the ingredients together in a food processor.)
4. Whisk egg, egg yolk, brown sugar and vanilla together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour/butter mixture and gently mix together until the mixture resembles moist, crumbly sand.
5. Use your hands if needed — the mixture comes together easier with your hands than a spoon.
6. You will have about 6 cups of the crust/crumble mixture. Set 2 cups aside.
7. Pour the remaining crumble mixture into the prepared pan and flatten down with your hands or a flat spatula to form an even crust. It will be a little crumbly — that’s OK. Set aside.
8. Make filling: In large bowl, mix strawberries, blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch and lemon zest together. Spoon evenly over crust.
9. Crumble the remaining butter/flour mixture on top and gently press down so it’s snug on the strawberry layer.
10. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the strawberry filling is bubbling on the sides. (My bars took about 55 minutes.)
11. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
12. If adding a glaze, whisk the glaze ingredients together and drizzle on top of the bars (or you can drizzle on individual squares).
13. Lift the cooled bars out using the overhang on the sides. Cut into squares.
14. Cover and store leftover bars (with or without icing) at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and in freezer for up to 3 months (arrange in even layers between sheets of parchment). To serve frozen bars, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before serving.

Adapted from sallysbakingaddiction.com

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

According to multiple news releases from the development this summer, at its completion, Baltimore Peninsula will span 2.5 miles of restored waterfront; 40 acres of parks and green space; and 14 million square feet of mixed-use property — including restaurant spaces.

Preexisting national restaurant franchises, such as Jersey Mike’s and Ben & Jerry’s, as well as local chains like Daily Grind and the coming-soon brunch spot Eggspectation, have already found homes in the development, along with new eateries, including Baltimore native Pinky Cole‘s popular plant-based burger shop Slutty Vegan, Cole’s tapas sister location Bar Vegan, and seafood-focused restaurants Rye Street Tavern and Nick’s Fish House.

The next, most recently confirmed crop of restaurants moving to the development will also be new to Baltimore — and, in some cases, new in general. Here’s what each of them will offer — and when to expect them.

Blü Cā

A Jamaican restaurant from the group behind Baltimore County’s KŌNŌKŌ and Harford County’s Island Spice is projected to open at 2450 Rye St. in early 2026.

Spearheaded by 10-year-old One Love Restaurant Group and located on the ground floor of residential building Rye House, the restaurant will offer guests “culture, escape, a vibe and da spice,” according to a January news release. Expect a colorful blue motif interior motif, as well as classic Jamaican bites, like oxtail stew, jerk chicken and pasta dishes, mixed with international influences — One Love’s co-owners call it “Reggae Fusion.”

“We had a vision for what would ultimately become Blü Cā for quite some time now, but when we found the perfect space at Baltimore Peninsula, that’s really when it came together,” One Love Restaurant Group co-owner Sandy Tucker said in the release. “The restaurant’s waterfront setting will perfectly align with the island vibe and mouthwatering dishes we’ll be serving.”

“We can’t wait to welcome residents of Baltimore and visitors from all over to celebrate our Jamaican-rich culinary heritage and the entire One Love experience,” added co-owner Jazz Tucker.

LIVE-K Karaoke

After finding success in Washington‘s own mixed-use waterfront development The Wharf, LIVE-K Karaoke will open its first Baltimore location at 301 Mission Blvd. in late 2025.

According to a May news release, LIVE-K’s 7,500-square-foot space will feature 15 private karaoke rooms in “futuristic” digs, with hopes to differentiate itself from other karaoke spots with one public bar. Small bites at LIVE-K, like gyoza, takoyaki and Mongolian beef skewers, take center stage.

“After the success of our DC location, we can’t wait to bring LIVE-K to the heart of Baltimore Peninsula,” LIVE-K representative Chris Zhujan said in the release. “Our one-of-a-kind entertainment experience makes for the perfect date night, birthday party, corporate event and more.”

Shinkansen Sushi

Inspired by the ultra-fast “bullet trains” in Japan, Shinkansen Sushi will specialize in sushi delivered via conveyor belt. The spot will open at 2450 Rye St. in early 2026.

Based in Rye House, Shinkansen comes from restaurateur David Chen, who also owns Baltimore locations of Akira Ramen & Izakaya, IZAKAYA 68 and Volcano. Miniature bullet trains and robot servers will deliver food, like karaage and specialty maki, and beverages, like Japanese beers and sake, directly to tables. Murals featuring Japanese “natural scenery” and “décor and furniture inspired by Japanese culture” will span the 3,138-square-foot space.

“My family has been a part of the Baltimore community for decades, so we’re thrilled to bring our newest concept to Baltimore Peninsula,” Liang Weng, owner of Shinkansen Sushi, said in a February news release. “We’ve seen firsthand the incredible loyalty of Baltimore customers, and we’re excited to offer them a fresh and innovative sushi experience unlike anything else in the area.”

Slurp Noodle Bar

A neighbor to Shinkansen Sushi and Blü Cā, Slurp Noodle Bar will begin serving hand-pulled noodles at 2450 Rye St. late this year, after revising its opening date from the second quarter of 2025.

Slurp will feature iconic regional dishes — like sour-and-spicy noodles, Lanzhou lamian, and rice noodles in 12-hour bone broth — in the 1,375-square-foot space’s open kitchen. The concept comes from Washington’s Jerry Chan, whose family has been in the restaurant business for three generations.

“I’m incredibly excited to be opening a traditional, family-owned establishment,” Chan said in a news release last summer. “I have been looking to bring our business to Baltimore for some time, and Baltimore Peninsula is the perfect location to do so as it becomes the city’s newest dining destination.”

Urbano Tex-Mex

With locations in Annapolis and Bethesda, as well as two more in Virginia, Urbano Tex Mex is slated to open its new, 4,500-square-foot, 2425 Rye St. storefront in late 2025.

The restaurant chain’s culinary mission, according to its website, is to “blend the bold flavors of Mexico with the vibrant energy of modern American cuisine.” This mission takes the form of menu items like grilled oysters with chorizo butter, shredded beef enchiladas in red guajillo chile sauce and six flavors of margaritas.

“It’s special to place our footprint in Baltimore and offer our innovative concept in a place that is close to our roots,” said Chad Sparrow, managing partner and executive chef of Urbano’s owning group Common Plate Hospitality, in the May release. “The development and vision of Baltimore Peninsula perfectly align with our concept, passion and growth plan.”

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

Like a good summer movie, a great sandwich should be full of delightful familiar ingredients sparked with a few good surprises. And like a good plot, the sandwich should be built on a sturdy foundation.

But first, let’s agree on the definition of a sandwich as opposed to a hamburger, hot dog, taco, wrap, empanada or burrito. To quote the Merriam-Webster dictionary, “a sandwich consists of two or more slices of bread or split roll having a filling in between.” (Open-faced sandwiches are a whole different category, and they deserve a story of their own.)

There are few rules to govern sandwich fillings, but it’s clear that the foundation must be very good bread. Thanks to our local artisan bakeries, there are now plenty of great options. As with all local foods, the best tasting bread is created with local flour milled fresh. Here are a few classic combos built on our bakeries’ best.

The bread

Rye bread: The dark, dense malty Hundred Rye Bread from Baker’s Field Flour & Bread is the perfect platform for my hometown hero: the New Jersey Joe. The triple-decker beauty layers turkey, Swiss cheese, roast beef and coleslaw, slathered with Russian dressing on three layers of thinly sliced rye. It’s the sandwich of birthday parties and reunions, a specialty of the Millburn Deli, and the first thing I eat when back home. Rye bread is a great match for smoked meats.

Multigrain bread: Toasty, nutty, whole-grain slices match the flavorful plant-based filling of a classic California Avocado and begs the question: How can something that tastes so good be good for you? Fat wedges of avocado, fistfuls of sprouts and thick slices of tomato are all married with rough, garlicky lemon hummus. Hearty and healthy, this is the bread for veggie-based creations.

Baguette: Filling the traditionally light, crusty French baguette with bold Vietnamese flavors is an elegant and innovative pairing. While the version in today’s recipe doesn’t pretend to be an authentic bánh mì — pickled vegetables, daikon-carrot slaw, cucumbers and seasoned meat (i.e. rotisserie chicken), hot peppers and fish sauce — it is a mouth-tingling and faster version of the classic with ingredients that are easy to find. Baguette and crusty rolls work beautifully with drippy, bountiful fillings.

White bread: Soft, slightly sweet white bread griddled to golden perfection is the key to a great Cubano. The iconic sandwich of Florida is a hefty variation of the ham and grilled cheese with a layer of pulled pork and lots of personality. Pickles add a punchy counterpoint to the melty Swiss cheese and mustardy-mayo. Of course the definition of a Cubano lies in the hands of its maker — some add salami to the equation, too.

Key ingredients

Often the best sandwiches are last-minute inventions sparked by hunger and whatever is at hand — crisp chips, tangy-salty kimchi, hot sauce, a lick of bright berry jam. But with a little planning, you can have the key ingredients on hand to create the iconic sandwiches: Coleslaw and Russian dressing for New Jersey Joes, Garlicky-Lemon Hummus for California Avocado sandwiches, Quick Daikon-Carrot Pickle for bánh mì and Tangy Mustardy Mayo for the Cubano.

None of these examples is meant to dissuade you from creating the sandwich of your summer dreams. Be bold and savor the flavor and the joy of eating a meal with your hands.

Coleslaw

Serves about 4.

Make this just a few hours ahead of time so that the flavors marry. Don’t hesitate to toss in your favorite chopped herbs — basil, parsley, thyme, etc. From Beth Dooley.

• ½ c. mayonnaise
• 2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• Pinch sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 small head green cabbage (about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ lb.), cored and shredded
• 1 carrot, shredded

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cabbage and carrot and toss until the ingredients are well coated (use your hands for best results).

Russian Dressing

Makes about ¾ cup.

Though similar to Thousand Island dressing, this is spicier and not as sweet. From Beth Dooley.

• 3 tbsp. ketchup or chili sauce
• 1 tbsp. chopped shallot
• 1 tsp. prepared horseradish, to taste
• ½ c. mayonnaise
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Put all of the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Make it a New Jersey Joe: The order of the popular triple-decker sandwich is: bottom slice of thinly sliced rye, turkey or roast beef, coleslaw, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese, middle slice of rye, turkey or roast beef, coleslaw, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and top slice of rye.

Garlicky-Lemon Hummus

Makes 2 cups.

You’ll end up with more than you’ll need for a sandwich, so save the extra for dipping chips and veggies. This speedy version comes together in minutes. From Beth Dooley.

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 to 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1 c. tahini
• Generous pinch coarse salt
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• ½ c. ice water, plus more as needed
• 1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Directions

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse together the garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, tahini, salt, cumin and water. Add the chickpeas and process until the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings and add more water if needed to reach desired consistency.

Make it a California Avocado: Between thick slices of multigrain bread, layer wedges of avocado, sprouts and the garlicky-lemon hummus.

Quick Daikon-Carrot Pickle

Makes about 3 cups.

A quick, simple pickle brightens a range of sandwiches from bánh mì to the all-American BLT. It will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.

• 1 large carrot, cut into matchstick-size pieces
• 1 lb. daikon radish, cut into matchstick-size pieces
• ¼ c. sugar
• ½ c. water
• 1 c. rice wine vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Put the carrot and daikon slices into a glass container. In a small saucepan, stir together the sugar, water, vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper and set over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool slightly and pour over the vegetables. Allow the vegetables to marinate at least 1 hour before using or refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Drain the vegetables from the pickling juices before using in a bánh mì or other sandwich.

Make it a bánh mì: While not authentic by any means, get the idea of the traditional sandwich by filling a crusty baguette with pickled daikon-carrot slaw, cucumbers, rotisserie chicken, hot peppers with a drizzle of fish sauce.

Tangy Mustardy Mayo

Makes about ⅔ cup.

Sandwich pairing: The Cubano, that delicious, drippy variation on a grilled ham and cheese with a bump of pulled pork, relies on a tangy mustardy-mayo sauce to pull together the honey-kissed ham, mild creamy Swiss cheese and punchy pickles. You may end up with more sauce than needed, but it keeps in a covered container in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

• ½ c. good mayonnaise, such as Duke’s or Hellman’s
• 2 tbsp. yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp. dill pickle juice
• 1 tsp. honey, optional

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together.

Make it a Cubano: Slather the tangy mustardy mayo on the inside of sliced white bread before adding ham, Swiss cheese, pulled pork and pickles.

©2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit at startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Self-described on its website as a fusion eatery, Papi has specialized since 2014 in untraditional dishes like honey-jerk lamb chops, slow-cooked kale and the internet-popular crabcake egg rolls — feed-friendly food that has garnered more than 140,000 Instagram followers. The restaurant began as a catering and pop-up operation before moving into a brick-and-mortar at 1928 Fleet St. in Fells Point.

Now, after operating out a larger property at 2 E. Wells St. in South Baltimore for the past four years, the Papi team announced on its website that it has moved to downtown‘s 206 E. Redwood St.

“We look forward to expanding Papi Cuisine and being able to serve more guests, across the country and one day globally,” Papi’s website reads.

Last year, the restaurant received a liquor license renewal after committing to working with neighbors to address double-parked cars, noise, trash and other complaints outside. The following month, the city’s Arson Task Force investigated a dumpster fire that Papi’s ownership believed to be linked to the angry neighbors; Baltimore Police made an arrest.

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

Peaches with Amaretto Cream

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup Amaretto (almond flavored liqueur), divided use

6 large ripe fresh peaches

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Optional: 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Garnish: Sprigs of fresh mint

DIRECTIONS

1. Place Amaretto in heavy-bottomed saucepan. On medium-high heat, reduce the mixture by about half in volume; when cooled it will get syrupy. Set aside.

2. Bring a pan of water to a boil on high heat. Make a shallow x on the bottom of each peach and submerge in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds (the riper the peaches, the shorter the time). Remove and place in cold water. Cut peaches in half through the seam; twist halves in opposite directions to halve each peach; remove pits. Slip off skin. Cut into thick wedges.

3. Whip the cream and 1 tablespoon reduced Amaretto together until just starting to get stiff. If whipping in advance, include the powdered sugar in the mixture to stabilize it.

4. Divide peaches between 6 small bowls or ramekins. Drizzle with remaining reduced Amaretto and top with whipped cream mixture. Garnish each with a sprig of fresh mint and serve.

Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.