Talbot County, Maryland Celebrates Restaurant Week March 20-27, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 16, 2011 – Easton’s Bartlett Pear Inn, ranked by Zagat’s as the No. 2 restaurant in the entire D.C./Baltimore area
Easton, MD – On the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, close to several major cities yet a world apart, Talbot County, Maryland is many things: historic, friendly, charming, sophisticated, oh-so-beautiful, and … delicious?
Yes – delicious! Talbot County has long been known for its splendid recreational opportunities, rich history, and lovely small towns, but recently it has upped the ante: for those in the know, the county is now a destination for serious “foodies.” (Indeed, no fewer than twelve Talbot County dining spots are listed in the 2011 edition of the famed Zagat guide to Washington, DC and Baltimore restaurants, dominating the Eastern Shore category.)
Showcasing these fine dining opportunities just in time for spring is Talbot County Restaurant Week, scheduled for March 20 through 27. A few highlights:
On March 20, The Oaks Waterfront Inn will host “Celebrate Talbot! Sample, Sip & Savor” from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. This fabulous tasting event will feature offerings of selected signature foods from the kitchens of more than 20 Talbot County restaurants. Positioned throughout the Inn’s ballroom, the restaurateurs will be on their toes as they compete to impress their discerning guests. The price is $35 per person, including two servings of wine or beer. Advanced ticket purchases are recommended!
From March 21-26, participating restaurants will offer two-course lunches for $20.11 and three-course dinners for $30.11. (Prices do not include tax, tip, or beverages.)
On March 27, the county will be screening “Julie & Julia,” the blockbuster 2009 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Nora Ephron. The screenplay is adapted from a book and a blog, both written during the period 2004-2006: My Life in France, Julia Child’s autobiography (written with Alex Prud’homme), and a blog-memoir by Julie Powell documenting her daily experiences cooking each of the 524 recipes in Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The film is the first major motion picture based on a blog.
Special guests include Julie Powell herself and Amanda Hesser, the former New York Times food writer who had a cameo in the movie. Julie Powell not only blogged about her experience of cooking her way through Child’s masterwork; she transformed it into a critically acclaimed 2005 New York Times bestselling memoir, Julie & Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously (subsequently adapted for the big screen). Julie has made appearances on a number of national television shows, and her writing has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers. She is a two-time James Beard Award winner in Journalism, was awarded an honorary degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and was the first-ever winner of the Overall Lulu Blooker Prize for Books. Her highly anticipated second book, Cleaving, published in December, 2009.
Amanda Hesser began her career as a kitchen runner and bread truck driver in college, then picked grapes in France, made pretzels in Germany, and cleaned rabbits in Italy. As a longtime staffer at the New York Times, Hesser has written more than 750 stories, created the columns Food Diary and Recipe Redux, and was the food editor at the Times Magazine, where she launched T Living. She has written the award-winning books Cooking for Mr. Latte and The Cook and Gardener, and edited the essay collection, Eat, Memory. Her latest book is The Essential New York Times Cookbook. She is also the cofounder of food52.com.
The evening will also feature dinner and book signings, with proceeds going to three organizations that feed the hungry in Talbot County: the Society of St. Vincent DePaul; St. Michaels Food Bank; and the Neighborhood Service Center.
Restaurants participating in Talbot County Restaurant Week include many of the county’s finest, including the following:
• Mason’s Gourmet Restaurant
• Peacock Restaurant at the Inn at 202 Dover
• Bartlett Pear Inn
• Scossa Restaurant & Lounge
• Out of the Fire
• Hunter’s Tavern at the Tidewater Inn
• Pope’s Tavern
• Latitude 38 & Spirits
• Robert Morris Inn
• 208 Talbot
• Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar
• Harbour Lights at St Michaels Harbour Inn & Marina
• Key Lime Café
• Gourmet by the Bay
• Sherwood’s Landing
• General Tanuki’s
• Bella Luna
• The Masthead at Pier Street Marina
• Marco’s Restaurant
• Mitchum’s Steak House
• Tilghman Island Inn
• Martinis Restaurant
For additional information on this celebration of all things food (and wine), please contact the Talbot County Office of Tourism (see below).
Bountiful Talbot County: from high-brow to country-style, the dining is divine
About Talbot County, Maryland:
Talbot County, Maryland invites visitors to experience the perfect balance of rural simplicity and urban refinement. With the timeless beauty of the Chesapeake Bay as their backdrop, the county’s sophisticated small towns, charming country byways, and wide array of activities offer something for everyone who appreciates the opportunity to relax, reflect, and renew. The Talbot County Office of Tourism offers comprehensive information and trip planning services at its Easton, Maryland office (1- 410-770-8000) and on its website (
http://www.tourtalbot.org/).
PRESS INFORMATION
Carlyle Fairfax Smith
Carlyle International
Ph: 703.898.1333
Carlyle@CarlyleInternational.us
Carlyle International is a boutique strategic communications agency that focuses on supporting the marketing and sales strategies of luxury hotels and spas, destinations and premier special events.
