Serious “foodies” Making Talbot County A Must-taste Destination

July 16, 2011 - PRLog -- In case you haven’t heard, the secret is out, and people are flocking to Talbot County, Maryland…for its food!

Talbot County is quickly emerging as one of the world’s newest and most talked-about “foodie” destinations due to the preponderance of talented chefs who display the exciting culinary prowess generally found only in major metropolitan areas.

Serious foodies are “eating up” traditional Maryland favorites such as blue crab, oysters, and rockfish, and savoring each chef’s seasonal specials made with the freshest ingredients from local fields, farms and the Chesapeake Bay. The abundance of natural foods fills the county.

Long known as a charming and sophisticated retreat along the Chesapeake Bay’s Eastern Shore, and only one and a half hours from Washington, DC, Talbot County offers a delectable selection of dining options to please any palate: from exquisite classic French and upscale American cuisine to down-home barbeque and freshly-caught seafood, bakeries, farms, farmers’ markets and food festivals.

There are so many ways to enjoy the taste of Talbot County. Here are just a few…

12 Zagat-Rated Restaurants
No fewer than twelve restaurants appear in the 2011 Zagat guide to the Washington, DC and Baltimore restaurants, including the newly-added Bartlett Pear Inn that received the second highest rating in all categories for all restaurants in the guide, and Scossa Restaurant and Lounge, that took honors for “Top Food” and “Top Décor” for the Eastern Shore.

Talbot County restaurants include 208 Talbot (American), Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar (wood-fired pizza and more), Bartlett Pear Inn (upscale American), BBQ Joint (true slow-cooked BBQ), Bistro St. Michaels (American), Crab Claw Restaurant (award-winning crab house), Mason’s (classic American with French influences), Mitchum’s Steakhouse (steak & local produce), Out of the Fire (elegant American), Pope’s Tavern (American), Robert Morris Inn (American/seafood), and Scossa Restaurant and Lounge (classic Northern Italian).

Unique Settings
Since there are over 602 miles of shoreline in Talbot County, it is only natural that many resorts and restaurants offer water views, among them Sherwood’s Landing at The Inn at Perry Cabin (four-star eclectic cuisine and Pub) and the Tilghman Island Inn (fresh seafood & award-winning wine collection).

Farmers’ Markets
For a change from the traditional restaurant, visitors can enjoy the colorful atmosphere and delightful smells of local farmers’ markets as they enjoy a meal there, or take their finds home to enjoy later.  Fresh options include the Easton Market Square farmer’s market, the Amish Market, St. Michaels’ Freshfarm Market, and the Oxford Farmers’ Market. (All have varied days and hours of operation.)

Seafood Harvesting Heritage
Visitors can make a day of learning about the Bay’s maritime heritage at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. Throughout the 18-acre campus, programs, exhibitions, and hands-on displays help visitors understand the nature of seafood harvesting and waterfront culture. That should put them in the mood to taste some local seafood on their own. Luckily, within a stroll’s distance, they’ll find two outstanding crab houses: St. Michaels’ Crab & Steak House and the Crab Claw Restaurant.

Local Farms
In addition to sampling farm-to-table cuisine in area restaurants, visitors can drop in on several suppliers who make the fresh food possible, like the Choptank Oyster Farm of Cambridge to see the resurgence of oyster farming, Chapel’s Country Creamery for tours of cheese and yogurt making, or Dogwood Farm on Tilghman Island, winner of the 2003 U.S. Department of Agriculture Award for best small farm in the country.

Wineries and Breweries
When the spirit moves them, visitors can enjoy a taste of the vine at St. Michaels Winery and Little Ashby Vineyards, and a sampling of local brews at the Eastern Shore Brewing Company. Tours are available as well.

Food Festivals
Visitors and locals alike enjoy Talbot County’s annual food festivals. They include Restaurant Week in March, the Watermen’s Appreciation Day & Crab Feast in August, the Tilghman Island Seafood Festival in June, Holy Smoke BBQ Competition in July, and OysterFest in November.

New Talbot County Recipe Series
In addition to dining at the area’s finest food establishments, visitors can now access a taste of Talbot County from home. We are pleased to introduce a new recipe series featuring favorite Eastern Shore recipes from many of the region’s top chefs, including corn chowder, crab spring rolls, tomato ricotta salad, crab cakes, and rockfish, among others. The series begins in June 2011.

Talbot County - where sophistication and quiet relaxation come together. Add to that the dazzling variety of culinary delights from five-star creations to freshly-caught crabs, and there’s only one thing to say. “Mmmmm.”

For good taste, there’s no place like Talbot County.



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’s Eastern Shore as its 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 web site (www.tourtalbot.org).


PRESS INFORMATION
Carlyle Fairfax Smith
Carlyle International
Ph: 703.898.1333
Carlyle@CarlyleInternational.us

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