December 20th, 2013
The dark chocolate is a favorite, but the milk chocolate…you have to try it. So smooth. Then, the combination with nuts and sea salt renders a toffee that is totally addictive.
Taylor’s Toffee is made at 38288 London Avenue, Unit #8 in Selbyville, Delaware, 19975. It is west of Fenwick Island, Delaware by a few miles. It is a family operated business. Tel. 302-436-7539
Taylor’s Toffee is also sold in area stores. You may call them and they will direct you where to go. But, today, Friday, December 2oth they will be at the Berlin Farmers’ Market on Harrison Avenue behind the Berlin Fire Company. I believe they attend the market frequently. The Berlin Farmers’ Market opens 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. year-round.
The chocolates come in gift boxes of 2 ounces, 6 ounces or 12 ounces. They also offer gift bags of 4 ounces, 8 ounces, or 16 ounces. They ship, as well.
The email info. is as follows:
Marilyn Taylor ttoffeetalk@comcast.net
Lynn Taylor Martin lynniemtaylor@comcast.net
Laura Taylor laura-j-taylor@comcast.net
Love to give it and love to receive it!! Talk to you later.
December 13th, 2013
 
TaDa will open today, Friday, December 13th at 10 a.m. and will stay open until 8 p.m. It is the 2nd Friday Art Stroll in Downtown, Historic Berlin, Maryland. TaDa is located at 18 N. Main Street. Tel. 410-641-4430. Website? http://www.berlintada.com.
Historic Berlin, Maryland is part of the Maryland Main Street Community…they support traditional main streets and neighborhoods throughout Maryland. Getting the residents and visitors to stroll, shop and live Main Street. So, tonight Main Street Historic Berlin will not be this quiet. On the contrary….this town is a destination for shopping, antiquing, dining, and entertainment.
Blair Parsons is the shopkeeper of this gift shop where personal attention is of most importance. Friendly and knowing her merchandise well, Blair’s customers have become friends. TaDa looks beautiful and fully prepared to help you shop for everyone on your list. Gift giving is part of the Holiday Season….TaDa’s painted glassware and art by Patty Falck is collected by many.
Shop, stroll, meet with friends…..TaDa is a must!!
December 9th, 2013
It was quiet as I passed the other night St. Martin’s Church….not so much so on Friday, November 1st when the celebration of The Fall Feast of St. Martin took place. St. Martin’s Church is located at 11413 Old Worcester Highway, Showell, MD 21811.
I was looking forward to mingling with friends and stepping into the past.
The mood inside the tent was festive.
The food was delicious, combining the cuisine of the region, from farm to table and from the sea to the raw bar.
 
And plenty to choose for dessert.
Historic St. Martin’s Church is one of the oldest structures in Worcester County. It was built in 1756, 20 years prior to the signing of The Declaration of Independence.
This is the key that opens the doors to this historic church, built brick by brick. The importance of historic preservation…”St. Martin’s Church is considered by many historians to be the finest preserved, most significant piece of American history on the Lower Eastern Shore.”
The President of the Board of Directors is Mrs. Sherrie T. Beckstead. With her there are many that make possible the fundraising to keep the preservation on-going.
St. Martin’s Church is a museum. It is open to the public on a regular basis. Please visit http://www.historicstmartinschurch.org. Summer and fall bring open houses that are scheduled and staffed by volunteers. It is also available for private tours. It is a venue for historic weddings. Educational events like the Shakespeare performance of Romeo & Juliet are free to the public.
Take a look inside St. Martin’s. The pews have a history, as well….many of them were owned by area families.
A beautiful performance inside St. Martin’s by Vocalist Rachel Allman….the evening ended with the announcement of the raffle…a replica of the Key to St. Martin!!
Have a great day!!
December 9th, 2013
For me, shopping small and local has always been something that I have enjoyed. I have plenty of friends that love going “mall” shopping….not for me. I like that up close and personal kind of service. Which brings me to NEST, located at 11 South Main Street in Historic Berlin, Maryland. Tel. 410-629-1030.
Driving to Berlin from Rehoboth Beach, takes about half hour. No big deal, it is the Second Season so there is no traffic. Strolling a historic town, checking what’s new during the holidays is pretty nice, so Jody and I did just that.
I think Petey is really the Mayor of Historic Berlin. He is such a hard working little dog. I have featured him before and once again here he is…..greeting the customers and making sure that Dee gets up and gives us that personal attention we were looking for. Now, you tell me…where would you find something like this in a “mall”? You gotta love it!!
Dee has been quilting. Her remnants have become quilts. The reverse of the quilts is soft and warm.
Dee calls her handmade handbags Boppyowl. She offers 2 sizes and they are made with beautiful rich fabrics, lined with contrasting colors.
 
NEST is an eclectic and funky shop. Every time you shop, there are surprises; local artwork, jewelry, home accessories. At this time of the year the shop is fully stock. Berlin’s 2nd Friday Art Stroll will be on Friday, 12/14, so make sure you make NEST one of your stops.
NEST carries unwined candles from Unwined Candle Co., located in Sykesville, Maryland….from recycled wine bottles.
NEST opens year-round. Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Sunday from 12 until 4 p.m. You can find NEST on Facebook, as well.
Merry Christmas!!
 Bird Houses
December 9th, 2013
Wishing luck to Berlin, Maryland…apparently the preliminary voting is over but Berlin is on the top spots for Budget Travel’s “Americas Coolest Small Town 2014”. We will have to wait to see if Berlin becomes a finalist in January.
Historic Berlin is a great town to visit…at this time of the year it is very festive and you will find that there is plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment, as well.
Baked Dessert Cafe is located at 4C Bay Street, just off of Main Street. Tel. 410-641-1800 Website? http://www.bakeddessertcafe.com They open Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Closed on Sunday. Find Baked Dessert Cafe on Facebook.
At Baked Dessert Cafe you may sit down and enjoy some of their specialties and then some of their baked goods….the Cupcake Bombs come to mind. So delicious and tiny, so you will not have any guilt…
Please note that Baked Dessert Cafe offers gluten free baked goods!! For more information, please call them at 410-641-1800.
Baked Dessert is also an Art & Wine Gallery, featuring local artists and interesting wines.
Holiday Open House will be Saturday, 12/14 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Let them to the Holiday Baking…on that day you can sample desserts, breads and various holiday menu items. Place your order on Saturday the 14th and receive 10% off.
Merry Christmas!!
July 9th, 2013
“You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces; just good food from fresh ingredients.” julia child
Word of mouth was that the place to be on Monday, July 8th, was going to be at the Waystead Inn, located at 15 Harrison Avenue, Berlin, MD 21811. Tel. 443-856-4755. Berlin’s own Burley Oak Brewery, located at 10016 Old Ocean City Blvd., partnered with Chef Eric from Waystead Inn, and Chef Toby Gilbert from the Grove Market. It was going to be a casual evening, where friends would get together to catch up and some new friends would be made, as well.
Waystead Inn is a Bed & Breakfast that offers 5 guest rooms with private bathrooms. All modern facilities…restored with 21st century amenities, and a wrap-around porch. Their Wednesday Dinners prepared by Chef and Innkeeper, Eric, are selling out quickly. Please visit their website, http://www.waysteadinn.com, to find out what other events are on the schedule, including future dinners.
I have to tell you that one of the reasons that I was looking forward to this dinner was because I had heard that Chef Toby was creating some unique dishes. He, apparently, is also fearless in his kitchen. Picking up my friend, Debbie, was a no brainer, she was game.
Waystead Inn is very pretty in its simplicity…a quiet and peaceful retreat after the hectic 4th of July.
A round of beers from Burley Oak Brewery…Made in Maryland. Website? http://www.burleyoak.com.
Chef Eric welcomed us all and explained that some dishes were going to be served family style. Toby and him would be sharing the kitchen.
As dishes arrived at the table…everyone waited for the person taking the photos…me. So, let me tell you about the menu.
Charcuterie Board by Chef Toby – Soft Stout Ricotta, Harder Wheat Beer Ricotta, IPA Spicy Pickles, Honey Wheat Sweet Pickles, Hop Cured Duck Prosciutto, and local pig and rude boy headcheese. I love this presentation with a favorite of the Hop Cured Duck Prosciutto and the rude boy headcheese. Toby stopped by the table to describe his creation.
Ruder Shrimp Pizza by Chef Eric – Just the Tip in the dough and Rude Boy beer cooked Shrimp with Roasted Peppers, Caramelized Onions and Dry-Aged Wisconsin Cheddar.
We had a chatty group at our table. We all put our 2 cents in. And, some of us got into staging our meals.
Bryan, from Burley Oak was making the rounds…and a stop at a our table to see how we were doing. Exciting things happening at Burley Oak Brewery. They offer Brewery tours on Saturday, and Sunday at 3 p.m. Please visit the website above mentioned to check them out.
I really liked the Fish and Chips by Chef Toby – The Truffle Chips were so good and….at this point my low fat diet was slowly in decline after this dish. The fish was beer battered cod, with a vinegar gel sheet.
By the time the Beef Sausage, by Chef Eric, came along we were completely satisfied, but we managed a few bites. It was a homemade beef sausage with garlic and apples. Served with a Pale Ryder Stone Ground Mustard.
We were really looking forward to dessert. A Sweet Corn Ice Cream by Chef Toby – Local sweet corn and beer soft-serve, chocolate ganache, beer caramel, honeydew and cantaloupe spheres, lemon zest!! Awesome combination!
And, more spheres for our table!!! The End; until next time. Thanks Toby.
Notes: Waystead Inn – No Children under 12, and no pets. No smoking inside. Two guests per room. Find them on Facebook.
Burley Oak Brewery can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
June 1st, 2013
 Florida Mangoes Hot weather, blue skies….the beach. This one is for the diet concious!
In Rehoboth Beach, Giant is my source for mangoes, 4 for $5…in Florida, they are plentiful, and most of the time free for me. And, when I was growing up in Puerto Rico, practically every house had mango tree and I would, literally, sit with a bag of mangoes in front of me and start eating them. No knife needed, either.
 Giant in Rehoboth Beach Mangoes Mangoes are native of India. They are the most cultivated fruit of the tropical world.
Local Delaware strawberries are small, sweet and delicious…..so why not a little Mango Mania and Strawberries?
MANGO MANIA SMOOTHIE
1 cup fresh mango chunks, chilled
3 tsps. lime juice, unstrained and chilled
1 1/2 cups strawberries, fresh sliced and chilled
12 oz. diet gingerale, chilled
Put mango, lime juice, and strawberries in the blender and whirl until smooth.
Tilt the blender and gradually pour gingerale downside to avoid too much fizz.
Pour into a neat, tropical looking glass and serve.
 Hand painted glass from TaDa in Historic Berlin, Maryland
May 9th, 2013
Only a few miles from Ocean City, Maryland, Berlin is a town full of history, with eateries that are making it a dining destination. So, are all the quaint shops that surround Historic Berlin. Free parking!!
On Friday, May 10th, Berlin celebrates its 2nd Friday Art Stroll….every month this is a day when stores stay open late; music, food and fun!! Stroll the art galeries, the artists have their own receptions. You can shop early, then stay for dinner.
NEST is a must stop shop, located at 11 South Main St. Tel. 410-629-1030. You can find NEST of Facebook, as well.
The shopkeeper is Dee and with her is assistant shopkeeper, Mr. Petey. Mr. Petey is always at your service from the moment customers enter NEST. He does not miss a thing. He is a fixture in Historic Berlin. A good worker, he puts full hours. But, don’t get me wrong….he can chill too!!
I have known Dee for a long time. So has Cindi, who was my partner in crime during that day when we ate at The Globe and then walked over to say hi to Dee. There is always something new; something for everyone. And every piece has a story. It is great to see how she has taken the time to get merchandise that has a meaning.
Dee is also an artist herself. There is nothing she can’t do. She is an accomplished seamstress; her aprons are gorgeous and her Boppyowl handmade bags are full of color and interesting contrasting materials.
Her merchandise changes frequently…Take a peek at her store!!
You do remember that Sunday is Mother’s Day!! I thought so.
 
This pillow caught my attention. Take a closer look….real feathers!!
Mr. Petey got comfortable again….”Thank God they are finally gone”. Talk to you later.
 
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