This weekend my sister-in-law and her husband came out from San Diego and stayed with us, so we got to take them to some of our favorite local spots.  They were curious about the Amish, especially because we praise their baking and cooking skills so much so our first stop was the Pennsylvania Dutch Market in Hunt Valley.

After gorging ourselves on everything from whoopie pies to cream of crab soup, we tried to walk off some of our sluggishness at TowsonTown Center and then stopped by to pick up some beer on the way home.

Sunday we visited Friendly Farm Restaurant in Upperco and had a truly awesome lunch.  The food was excellent, the weather although snowy was beautiful and the service as always was warm and welcoming.

I recently tried the cream of crab soup from the Cheapeake Crab & Seafood stall at the Pennsylvania Dutch Market, and it may be my favorite version of it so far.  So while this blog is not intended to “review” restaurants or foods per se, I have decided to start keeping a running list of Baltimore Food Chronicle Recommendations, a compilation of my personal favorites.

I have also decided that this year I will focus on “iconic” Baltimore food institutions.  While the obvious contenders would be restaurants such as The Prime Rib or Tio Pepe’s, it has always been my focus to showcase everyday treasures that Baltimore does best.  This year I already have places like Herman’s Bakery and Edmart Deli on my list, small and regionally known gems that don’t always get the same shine and attention from the glossy magazines and travel recommendations.  With that said, please feel free to email me any and all recommendations!