Eric Freeland's Farm is located in Beech Bottom and grows a number of delicious fruits and vegetables, like: Red Berries
Black Berries
Golden Berries
Strawberries
Everbearing Strawberries
Yukon Gold Potatoes
Kennebeck Potatoes
Cantaloupe
Beets
Cucumbers He has made a name for himself being one of - if not the only - strawberry farmers in the Northern Panhandle. His products can also be found at The Public Market in Wheeling, which is a great option for those who can't make it out to the farm. The farm offers pick-your-own sunflowers and zinnias when they are in season – and even a sunflower festival. He even offers products from other local producers, like honey from Windswept Farm. I endeavored to get a little bit of a sampling from everything that was available on my recent visit. That included some strawberry jam, some of the aforementioned, honey, some black raspberries and some strawberries. Those berries were some of the tastiest I've had in recent memory. The strawberries were so tiny, but packed with sweet flavor. The black raspberries were gone within minutes. What started as a quick nibble turned into me popping them into my mouth relentlessly. If you are so inclined, stop and check them out – every little bit helps as the drought takes its toll on our local farmers. Have you been yet?

Lightburns Family Diner is a homestyle restaurant in Jane Lew known for their weekend breakfast buffet and country classics.



I ordered French toast with a side of hashbrowns with onion and cheese. It's exactly what I would be served if I was sitting down for breakfast at my parents' house. No frills, no extraneous ingredients, but straightforward, simple grub. The only thing better at home is the French toast is directly from the pan, so that part of butter melts instantly. I had a bit more trouble melting the butter here at the restaurant, but it made no matter once covered in syrup. The potatoes got a bit soft with the toppings I added, but that's to be expected. All in all, a tasty homestyle meal.



Grade: B

Farmer Boys is a fast-casual chain operating more than 100 restaurants in California, Nevada and Arizona. The chain serves burgers, breakfast, sandwiches, salads, wraps and shakes. Unlike most other burger joints, Farmer Boys does offer fresh fruit as a side, avocado as a topping and a "Natural® Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger" made from "beef raised without antibiotics and no added hormones ever." It's the California take on a burger joint.

I tried that natural burger with American cheese, diced onion, 1000 island dressing, and dill pickles on a brioche bun. The burger patty was pretty tasty - closer to a backyard burger than a fast food patty. and I like that the toppings weren't overwhelming ... like this version at another fast food chain. It did taste a bit fresher, but that could totally also be all in my head. What's not in my head was how delicious that strawberry shake was. *chef's kiss*



Grade: B

My last stop in Baltimore is at Jimmy's Famous Seafood, a local restaurant known for its colossal crabcakes and other seafood specialties.



"Since 1974, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood has proudly served the community with iconic culinary creations, unmatched philanthropy, and legendary hospitality. Founded by the late Dimitrios “Jimmy” Minadakis, “The Famous” quickly became a Maryland landmark as a direct result of his unrivaled work ethic. Today, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood carries on his vision through his sons, who display the same passion and diligence that he was beloved for," read the website.



I was on my way out of town, so I placed a pick-up order. I, of course, ordered one of those crabcakes, as well as their famous crab macaroni and cheese.



I think I was made for Maryland-style food. I love the crab. I love the creative takes on it. And, if there's one way to improve mac & cheese, it is adding crab to it. The crabcake was full of lump crab meat with little filler. The mac & cheese was cheesy layered fusilli noodles topped with cheesy crab that was rich and perfectly seasoned.



Grade: A

Miss Shirley's Cafe is a Baltimore institution serving up "bold original recipes and seasonal menus that reflect both a southern flare, as well as our team's love of Maryland ingredients. The menu offers specialties including: Chicken ‘N Waffles, Shrimp & Grits, Crab Hash & Fried Green Tomato Eggs Benedict & Coconut Cream Stuffed French Toast," according to the website.



Th menu focuses primarily on breakfast and lunch options, like griddle cakes, omelettes, sandwiches and salads. Plus plenty of coffees, cocktails, and delicious side options. A few items have even been featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives - like the one I ordered below.



I ordered the "CHICKEN ‘N CHEDDAR GREEN ONION WAFFLES" - Fried Buttermilk Boneless Chicken Breast Pieces with Honey Mustard Aioli drizzle & White Cheddar Green Onion Waffles with Peppadew Jalapeño Butter, dusted with Cajun Spice. I love how they added a kick of flavor in every step – from the aioli and green onion waffles to the peppadew butter. It keeps every bite interesting and adds all different flavor profiles throughout.



Grade: A

Connie's Corner is a Chester staple, serving homestyle food in humble digs for years. Homemade soups and hand-peeled potatoes are some of the restaurant's hallmarks.



The menu has everything from fried appetizers and fresh salads to hot sandwiches and home-cooked dinners. Plus in between, there is pasta, fish and shrimp baskets, breakfast and dessert. I chose from two sections of the menu: appetizers and homecooked dinners.



I started with the hot pepper cheeseballs as an appetizer, which were a bit overdone because some of them popped open and the cheese had already oozed out. Otherwise, I enjoyed the bit of heat, bit of crunch combo.

My entrée was turkey and dressing with a side of mashed potatoes. I drizzled gravy over the whole thing because it was a bit dry, but that was just what was needed. It was like a little Thanksgiving Dinner treat in the middle of summer.



Grade: B

DMV Empanadas made its mark on Baltimore area farmers' markets before opening a brick-and-mortar location at Cross Street Market in Federal Hill.



"Bolivia natives Marco and Nacho Amaraz started DMV Empanadas [eight] years ago. Marco Amaraz had a house cleaning service and said he was tired of being around all the chemicals, so he decided to use his mother’s chicken empanada recipe and set up at local farmers’ markets around the Washington, D.C. area.," according to SouthBmore.com.



DMV Empanadas offers more than 20 different empanadas that are a mix of Bolivian, American, and Maryland flavors. Fillings include chicken, beef, BBQ pork, spicy pork, spinach and cheese, Old Bay shrimp, cheeseburger, and more.



I ordered a couple different kinds, and it was pretty clever that the type is crimped on the edge for easy identification. Because from the outside, they are all (very) dark golden brown half-moon shapes.





I tried the cheeseburger, which had a cheesy ground beef filling. The exteriror was a bit too hard to bite into, but the interior was delish. I also did the "Masaco Empanada," which has pork, plantains and cheese. Very soft filling. Finally, the shrimp and Old Bay with mozzarella cheese, bell pepper, onion and celery. When in Baltimore, have the Old Bay, right? I enjoyed the creativity of this one, but I decidedly prefer my shrimp cool, not warm.



Grade: B

Zeke’s Coffee is a local, Baltimore-based, small batch, family-owned coffee roastery that is a favorite around the city.



"At Zeke’s, we use a fluid bed coffee roaster. Invented by Mike Sivetz, a physicist from Oregon in the 1970’s, fluid bed coffee roasters use hot air to create a fountain of coffee beans. This technique roasts more quickly and uniformly than a conventional drum roaster. We roast to temperature, giving us a more consistent product. Chaff escapes the roast chamber easily, leading to cleaner tasting coffee with more distinct regional flavors. We roast in small batches. It guarantees freshness. It keeps us honest. Our roaster holds 30 pounds of coffee, compared to the 150 pounds that a standard roaster holds. Because of this, we put more time, more labor, and a little more of ourselves into each bean. You can taste the difference."



At the Pigtown Cafe, I enjoyed an iced caramel macchiato, which contains espresso, steamed milk, vanilla syrup and caramel sauce.



This drink was wonderful. I didn't get those bitter notes that are sometimes super prevalent in coffee. It was sweet without being overly sweet - all with a roasty punch.



A poppyseed pastry accompanied my drink. A bit dry, but I appreciate the nutty flavor.



And the great thing about Zeke's is that many places in the city serve it - not just at the cafe itself.



Grade: A

Crepe Crazy is a Deaf-owned crepe restaurant in Baltimore, as well as a couple locations in Texas. After emmigrating from Russia and the Ukraine, owners Vladimir and Inna Giterman moved to Austin, Texas, so that their two children could attend one of the best schools for the Deaf. They started as a food truck before expanding to the brick-and-mortar restaurants that employ Deaf staff.



When I walked up to Crepe Crazy, I started jabbering away my order. After a few moments, the kind woman behind the counter pointed to the sign telling me to instead point to the menu items I wanted because she was Deaf. It was then that I apologized profusely and redirected my ordering by pointing to the menu in front of me.



I opted for the Florentine, which comes with garlicky sauteed mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, feta and parmesan. A light spring mix salad with a lemon-garlic vinaigrette accompanied it.



The crepe was pretty good - nice and full of ingredients, which of course sogs out the crepe a bit. But bold garlic and herb flavors throughout, which I appreciate.



Grade: B

Thyme After Time is a restaurant and caterer in the Charleston area that has been around in a few different forms on the East End.



First, I visited them when they were located on Ruffner Street. I ordered carryout from the menu - a bbq pulled pork sandwich with truffle fries - and mac & cheese.



This was very tasty comfort food. Just simple food done well and full of flavor. Familiar flavors but very good.



They moved to Washington Street and toward a buffet format. It was much of the same type of food, but in a ready-to-go format, rather than made-to-order.



Quality can suffer a bit with buffets, but you do get the variety, which is nice.



While the restaurant is currently closed, I believe they are still catering and we'll have to stay tuned for their next chapter.



Grade: B