Out & About Magazine - The Breakfast Issue

VOL. 24 NO. 1

MARCH 2011

OutAndAboutNow.Com

COMPLIMENTARY

Inside

The Queen & World Cafe Live pg 13

The Breakfast

ISSUE PLUS: >>> The coffeehouse explosion

>>> New paths for Diego Paulo

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caper cap er & ccrea ream m chee cheese se fro from m tthe he Gre Green en Roo Room m at at Hote Hotel t l du du Pont Pont

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>>> America's Next Great Baker speaks

D Ce OG s W Q& a r HIS A , Mi PE pg l l a R 10 n E R

>>> Craft beer finds success on the shelf

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4 . Inside

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INSIDE

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

O&ACONTENTS March 2011 | Vol. 24, No. 1 | www.outandaboutnow.com

FEATURES Publisher Gerald DuPhily Editor-in-Chief Michael Pollock

13 THE QUEEN: WORLD CAFE LIVE STEPS IN How a meeting between Hal Real, Buccini/Pollin, and the City of Wilmington shaped the downtown performing-arts scene—possibly forever.

14 UP CLOSE: THE BREAKFAST ISSUE Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller Director of Sales Marie Graham Creative/Production Manager Matthew Loeb

Our tribute to the morning meal (and its close cousin, brunch) features a roundup of notable dishes, staff picks, Bloody Marys, and plenty of coffee.

30 FOOD & DRINK: BOTTLE ROCKETS Craft beer finds success on the shelf. By Michael Pollock

46 MUSIC: VISIONS OF DIEGO A promising band calls it quits, but finds inspiration in two new projects.

By Michael Pollock

Art Director Joy Smoker Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath Contributing Editor Bob Yearick

DEPARTMENTS 7

Out Front

29 Food & Drink Contributing Writers Mark Fields, Richard L. Gaw, Pam George Carol Kipp, Robert Lhulier J. Burke Morrison, Larry Nagengast Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Dennis Dischler Tim Hawk, Les Kipp, Matt Urban

42 Health 43 Movies 46 Music 53 Nightlife 59 Flip Page

For editorial and advertising information: (302) 655-6483 • Fax (302) 654-0569 Website: www.outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com

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DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles is now issuing more secure, federally compliant driver licenses and identification cards.

In order to obtain your new driver license or ID card, you will need to collect and bring a few important source documents to provide proof of: s Identity (Name and Date of Birth) s U.S. citizenship/Legal presence s Social Security Number s 2 proofs of Delaware residency s Name change documents (if applicable) You can find everything you need to know at

SecureID.dmv.de.gov or call toll free

877-477-7117

Editor’s Note

L

ike so many other working parents, I drop off my daughter before heading into the office. Along the way, we stop for coffee (mine), which I’ll pair with a muffin, oatmeal, or bagel sandwich. It’s enough to keep me going until lunch, but it’s not what I would call a satisfying breakfast.

That’s why I made the decision one morning last month to actually stop and eat breakfast. I’m a sucker for classic diners, and the Post House on Market Street in Wilmington more than satisfied. Full disclosure: The owner is a family friend, and I worked there for a summer in college. Thankfully, not a thing has changed.

I’m willing to bet that many of you have also learned to substitute coffee for breakfast, which is why we’re taking this month to celebrate that most important meal of the day. See our picks for local treasures (pg. 22) and learn more about the coffeehouse explosion (pg. 16). And because brunch is often the preferred weekend breakfast, we’re getting our fill of Bloody Marys (pg. 21), too.

Talking to Columbus Inn barista Kyle Tush (pg. 19), I learned that coffee doesn’t need to be an on-the-go experience at a drive-thru. We can find time to sit and savor a cup with friends just like we do (read: should) our meals.

Enjoy the issue. And stop skipping breakfast.

Michael Pollock Editor-in-Chief 6 . Out Front

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OUTFRONT

The War

ON WORDS

By Bob Yearick

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to correct some of the most common errors in English usage

WORD OF THE MONTH

hirsute

Pronounced HER-sute, it means hairy, or covered with coarse, thick hair.

Often used to describe Troy Polamalu, safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Media Watch

Dept. of Redundancies Dept.

Spark has been missing from this column the last few issues, but recently the Wilmington weekly that covers the young-adult entertainment scene committed a trifecta of grammatical miscues:

Have you heard the radio commercial that claims gold “is at an all-time historical high”?

Then there is the ubiquitous “added bonus.”

We saw it most recently in a promotional brochure for Delaware Park, but the phrase is common in the advertising business. A bonus, as you know, is “something that is given or paid in addition to what is usual or expected.” Extra bonus is a variation.

And in the Dialogue Delaware column in the Sunday News Journal we found this: “a new precedent”—referring to the proposal to make Christina Taylor Green, the 9-year-old girl killed in the Tucson shootings, an honorary member of the state senate. New precedent—much like an old tradition?

• From a review of the movie No Strings Attached: “Let me address the principle players directly.” Unfortunately, the writer used a noun where an adjective was needed. A principle is a value or belief. What was meant is principal, which, as an adjective, means main, or primary. It can also be a noun, meaning leader or chief, as in “the principal of the school.”

• In the same issue, a columnist wrote: “That’s right people, I like formulaic romance novels.” Words used in direct address are set off by commas, so a comma is needed after “right.” As written, the sentence—technically— refers to “right people.” (Ironically, the columnist went on to note that she has “an unusual affinity for commas, throwing them in places where they don’t always need to be.”) This failure to use a comma after a direct address is rampant.

An ad in Spark and other publications in the Wilmington area reads: “Bring it on Mother Nature!” Without a comma after “on,” the ad seems to ask us to strike out at Mother Nature.

• And finally, from another movie review: “…couldn’t wait to see what kind of hijinx that zany Lisbeth would get into next.” Spellcheck flags hijinx, correcting it to hijinks.

www.out-and-about.com

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Makes a difference A reader asks, “Is it different than or different from?” The answer: different from, in most instances. Different is meant to draw a distinction, not a comparison, so use from, as you would if you said “separate from, distinct from, apart from,” etc.

There are rare cases when different than is the logical choice, such as this quote from the late Bergen Evans, a lexicographer and intellectual who wrote many books about English usage: “How different things appear in Washington than in London.”

But we suspect “different than” will continue its popularity, much as “try and” seems to be the (mistaken) choice over “try to.”

BONUS

WORD OF THE MONTH captious Pronounced KAP-shuhs, it means having an inclination to find faults, especially of a trivial nature. Yes, we know: a perfect description of “War.”

Next month: “War’s” tally of verbal atrocities committed by Super Bowl talking heads. Over-under is 10. If you’d like to contribute, send your good (bad) ones to

ryearick@ comcast.net.

Formal announcement?

Dan Knox, of New Castle, points out that an ad in the January O&A for Café Reve included this line: “Formally Over Coffee Café.” The word is formerly. (O&A staff takes responsibility.)

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OUTFRONT mountain out of a molehill when you find yourself on the receiving end of these offenses. Nobody likes a party pooper.

Behavior #4: Relieving oneself anywhere but the restroom. Need I say more? Evidently, yes! Here’s the deal: There will be lines for the bathroom, so don’t wait until it’s an emergency. “I couldn’t hold it” isn’t going to get you out of trouble with bouncers or police officers. And in the age of the camera/ video phone, don’t be shocked if this documented offense haunts you via social networking the next day.

Behavior #5: Driving after Looping.

This is never OK.

That Is Not OK!

The bottom line is that the Loop can be a great time as long as we compensate, urinate, and drive responsibly. Throw a “please” and “thank you” in there and round two is sure to arrive more quickly than the first.

Feedback

By Marie Graham Marie Graham is the sales director at Out & About. An otherwise happy-go-lucky new mom, she uses this space to vent her frustrations with the world around her. If you’ve got an etiquette violation she should know about, let her know at mgraham@ tsnpub.com.

T

he Shamrock Shuttle (a.k.a. the St. Paddy’s Loop) is one of the biggest nightlife events of the year, and I’m proud to be part of the organization that’s been sponsoring the fun for almost 25 years. When so many people are drinking in the same area, things are bound to get rowdy sometimes. But make no mistake: Alcohol and crowds don’t make rudeness acceptable.

Here are some of the most common behaviors we observe each time around.

Behavior #1: Failure to tip. As a former bartender, I have experienced this first-hand. The place is so packed that some patrons think the bartender won’t notice. But the ladies and gentlemen behind the bar are slinging drinks to pay their bills.

They aren’t volunteers. The same goes for the people who drive the shuttles around town so that you can travel safely from one watering hole to the next.

Behavior #2: Inappropriate attire. I won’t go too far into detail here, since this can and may one day be a column of its own. It’s OK to have fun, but let’s leave some things to the imagination. If your “dress” more closely resembles a shirt, put on some pants.

It’s still winter, after all.

Behavior #3: Failure to apologize (and failure to forgive). When you’re in a crowded bar, there’s a good chance you’ll accidentally bump into someone, get a little careless with your elbows, or spill someone’s drink. It happens and should be expected, but you should still apologize. On the other hand, let’s not make a

8 . Out Front

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Feedback is always OK. Write me at: mgraham@tsnpub.com “I noticed you referenced ‘handicapped people’ [January 2011] in your text, and want to bring to your attention what someone in the disability field taught me years ago: people-first language. Example: ‘handicapped person’ vs. ‘person with a disability.’ A description should not be more important than a personality.

I hope I don’t sound preachy here, but I felt that since your subject was etiquette, this is a good lesson to share.”

— Laura “In your February column, you indicated that a yield sign means keep moving. So many people think this, but they’re wrong and can cause lots of accidents. If you have a yield sign, you must make sure that there is no oncoming traffic.”

— Kathleen Bracken

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BREAKFAST, by the Numbers •Eating breakfast has been linked to lower rates of Type 2 diabetes and longer life spans. (Georgia Centenarian Study via mrbreakfast.com) •Conversely, skipping breakfast has been linked to higher cholesterol, elevated insulin levels, and larger waist sizes. (mrbreakfast.com)

•An ABC poll in 2005 found that four out of 10 American adults skip breakfast.

•According to the same poll, 31 percent of those who eat breakfast prefer cold cereal as their top choice.

•General Mills’ products—Golden Grahams, Cookie Crisp, Cocoa Puffs et al—sell more than any other cereal brand in the country.

locations than Starbucks, actually beats the Seattle caffeine giant when it comes to cups of coffee sold. DD sells about 1 billion cups of coffee worldwide each year.

•You can find an IHOP anywhere in the country. Really: As of 2010, the International House of Pancakes had 1,483 locations across all 50 states and in D.C., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

•More densely populated is the Southern rite of passage that is Waffle House, which has 1,600 locations in 25 states.

•An International Journal of Obesity study found that eating eggs—two of them, to be exact—for breakfast, while also consuming fewer calories, can lead to weight loss and higher energy levels.

•About half the country’s population drinks some form of coffee, and about 65 percent of all coffee is consumed during breakfast. (e-importz.com) More coffee: According to Yahoo, Dunkin’ Donuts, despite having fewer

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— Michael Pollock

Book Briefs

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n ideal stocking stuffer released shortly before the holidays, Threshold Editions’ Sh*t My Vice President Says is a great gift any time of the year. Relive Joe’s funniest/ worst gaffes, like this one, from September 2008: “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me.” The man’s modesty is second only to his sense of humor.

Speaking of slip-ups, there’s now a whole book dedicated to the ways we butcher the English language: I Judge You When You Use Poor Grammar.

If you’ve ever gotten a kick out of misspelled or wrongly worded bumper stickers, billboards, and other signage, this is the book for you. Fans of our own Bob Yearick’s “War on Words” column, take note.

— Michael Pollock

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OUTFRONT

Do you consider yourself a trainer?

A rehabilitator? Something else?

I’m just happy to have a platform. I have a show, books, magazines, all of that. So whatever works, you know? [laughs] I learned on a farm naturally. I don’t have a degree, but a degree in the animal world is meaningless.

You don’t need a degree to have common sense.

Did you ever consider going to vet school?

Absolutely. That’s the beauty of America—the ability to give poor people opportunity. We don’t have that in Mexico.

Of course I wanted to be a vet; of course I wanted to be a doctor. It was just too expensive. When you grow up poor, the opportunity isn’t as wonderful as it is in North America.

So you work with what you have and make the best of it.

Everybody has their journey. Now I teach veterinarians.

If you weren’t working with dogs, is there something else you could see yourself doing?

I think I would be a park ranger or something with nature. I’m addicted to that tranquility that animals and nature give you. It’s an amazing energy.

What’s your take on dog shows and dogs trained for competition?

Q&A: Cesar Millan The Dog Whisperer on aggression, common sense, and being a park ranger Do you believe certain breeds, say, pit bulls or Rottweilers, are inherently more aggressive?

They’re born with a certain power. Human beings are the rational, intelligent species. It’s our responsibility to harness that power, to decide how we want that power to evolve. Do you want the power to evolve as aggression, or do you want to evolve as peace? That’s why I bring a pit bull with me [to appearances], because that’s the popular breed people are afraid of right now. In the ’70s, it was the Doberman everyone was afraid of. In the ’60s, it was the German shepherd. That fear and ignorance has been with us for a long time. We’re blaming the dog, but the human isn’t taking responsibility.

Do you think we’ll get past that stigma of pit bulls being vicious?

Education and information at an early age is the perfect time to teach our next generation what’s right and what’s humane.

Older people already have their minds set to believe that pit bulls are bad, but the more I go around and explain, the more they see. Their minds don’t change, but they have a different way of thinking. They might think pit bulls are still aggressive naturally, but they see the human behind the pit bull, too. It slows down the obsession they have about pit bulls being aggressive by nature.

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You can usually see the dog having a good time. He’s just performing for the handler. The dog is not upset, or sad, or insecure. The only thing I don’t agree with is the dog being put up in a kennel for too long. But you see people treating the dogs more normally now, and not just as a dog-show commodity. The dog can go to the dog park and meet other dogs. He can have a dog life.

What cases stand out as being your toughest?

The most difficult ones aren’t the aggressive cases. It’s the insecure cases, because you have to build self-esteem first, before you even work on fear. Dogs who are afraid of sounds or microwaves or things, those take a little longer.

When you’re working with an aggressive case, the dog’s mind is moving forward. When you’re working with a fearful case, the mind wants to disappear. So you have to slowly build that trust and loyalty back.

We always ask about the editing that goes into reality TV. Are you ever surprised by what doesn’t make it onto the air?

You know, what’s surprising is the amount of time people spend talking about their past, their story. You can’t put five hours of that conversation on TV; people would tune away. But what allows me to gain people’s trust is that I listen to them. The husband, the wife, the relatives—no one has ever listened to them this way. They’re allowed to vent.

That’s the part we edit. The dogs are honest. They’re going to do what they want whether you’re watching or not.

Cesar Millan will be appearing at the DuPont Theatre for two shows (2 p.m., 8 p.m.) on Saturday, March 26. Get tickets at duponttheatre.com.

— Michael Pollock

March  | O&A

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ELIZABETH SAYS: “Bring your man… we can feed him!”

Now serving steaks and other freshly created dishes your guy will love!

FEBRUARY 12, 2011 – MAY 1, 2011 For more than 50 years, Wilmington photographer and Pulitzer finalist Fred Comegys has captured international celebrities and local kids for the pages of The News Journal.

Experience Comegys’ distinctive vision and diverse subjects in this retrospective exhibition.

Fred Comegys Photographs is sponsored by Signature Brandywine magazine. This exhibition is made possible, in part, by grants from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency dedicated to nurturing and supporting the arts in Delaware, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. | Image: “Hairy Ride,” John Kmetz, Newark Resident, Enjoys the James E. Strates Show, Prices Corner, 1987. Fred Comegys (born 1941). Digital print on paper. On loan from the artist, © Fred Comegys.

2301 Kentmere Pkwy Wilmington, DE 19806 302.571.9590 www.delart.org

12 . Out Front

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THE QUEEN

The Queen: World Café Live steps in

M

uch has been made of the rehabilitation efforts taking place in, out, and around the old Queen Theatre at Fifth and Market streets in downtown Wilmington. But it all might look like yet another downtown construction project were it not for the “World Café Live at the Queen” sign fixed to the side of the building.

That announcement has lent an air of credibility, as well as lots of excitement, to the Queen project.

Opened in 2004 on Walnut Street in Philly, right next to the UPenn campus, the original World Café Live was former real estate attorney Hal Real’s vision for a premiere live-music experience, where guests had clear views of the stage and could eat a sit-down dinner before a show. “I’m not interested in creating a McDonald’s or Hard Rock Café,” Real told O&A in a profile from August 2006, when asked about franchising.

“Community plays a huge role in our success.” A couple of years later, Real would set in motion the next chapter of World Café Live: a second location, to be housed in the historic Queen.

“We were involved from the beginning,” Real told us last month.

In 2008, he began meeting with the Buccini/Pollin Group to discuss a potential partnership. BPG had already started buying up deserted buildings around town as part of a revitalization renaissance. “When I heard what they were trying to do in terms of saving and bringing back these old buildings on Market Street, I thought, ‘That’s sort of our philosophy,’” Real says. “And once I understood how they needed an anchor on the catalyst, it became very similar to what we did in West Philly.”

The addition of World Café Live to the table eased the burden on everyone. The Queen got a tenant with a successful track record; WCL got affordable rent. The traditional idea of creating a new performing-arts venue paid for by tax dollars—the old model, www.out-and-about.com

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Real says—“bleeds like a stuck pig,” because it relies primarily on public support. The WCL model flips the numbers, so that private dollars are covering about 80 percent of the costs.

“One of the things we learned in Philly is you can’t generate a traditional return on a commercial real estate investment doing what we do,” Real says. “Especially when you have a project like the Queen, where it’s $12 million just to start with, because of the nature of the building. It’s been dark since 1959. Nothing meets building codes. It all has to be gutted. That’s

huge. We could never have considered that on our own. But the city and BPG said, ‘We’ll figure that out. Don’t let that stop you from coming in.’”

It’s a complicated business deal, Real says, but it speaks to the power of community spirit—many hands making light work. “It’s a once-in-alifetime opportunity,” Real says, “for us, for the city, for that building.”

— Michael Pollock

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14 . UpClose

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UPCLOSE

WORTH TRYING Kennett Square shiitake, portobello mushroom, and cheese omelet from Hankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place. A Gourmet Magazine favorite.

Our tribute to the morning meal, featuring dishes to try, Bloody Marys, and coffee. Lots of coffee.

www.out-and-about.com

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UPCLOSE

A

By Pam George

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Gourmet coffee finds its sweet spot

n espresso coffee cup is practically a wardrobe staple for Mickey Donatello, co-owner of Lucky’s Coffee Shop and Corner Bistro, both in Talleyville in North Wilmington. He’s seldom seen without one in his hand.

“I’m a coffee snob,” he says. “I drink it every day, all year long.” So when Lucky’s took over space formerly occupied by the Ranch House, the old restaurant’s cuppa joe had to go. “I called it ‘warm brown water,’” he says.

“I’m not going to tolerate bad coffee.”

Longtime Ranch House customers, however, were less than thrilled with the new European dark roast, also served at Corner Bistro. After testing brews sold by a Tampa, Fla. distributor, Donatello settled on a dark roast that was mellower than the Corner Bistro’s version. “It’s not ridiculously overbearing; it’s nice.”

It’s not, however, the rich, incredibly dark roast he drinks at home.

Some like it dark. Some like it sweet, and some like it frothy. But however you pour it, the gourmet coffee craze is still going strong. Brew Ha Ha! in January opened its ninth Delaware location. Mark Harper last October opened the Java House Café on Main Street in Middletown. Even McDonald’s is getting into the act with its heavily promoted McCafe line, which includes cappuccino, mocha frappe, and iced latte, among other flavors.

While some things have stayed the same since Brew Ha Ha! brewed up its first location in 1993, some things have changed.

The 16-oz. caffé latte—espresso and textured milk—remains Brew Ha Ha!’s top seller. “If anything has changed, maybe more people want soy milk,” says owner Alisa Morkides. “But it’s our core popular drink, along with the house blend.”

Drip coffee and lattes are also mainstays at the four-year-old Eeffoc’s Café, which has locations in Trolley Square and in the Riverfront Market.

But drip coffee hardly means boring.

Eeffoc’s offers customers eight different types of drip coffee at any given time.

The majority of Toscana to Go’s coffee sales also come from drip coffee.

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Royal Sumatra is the house blend.

Some folks rev things up with a shot of espresso poured right into the coďŹ&#x20AC;ee. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We call it the Red Eye,â&#x20AC;? says manager Dolly Reid.

At Java House CafĂŠ, Harper purposefully kept his coďŹ&#x20AC;ee menu low-key. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to overwhelm people,â&#x20AC;? he explains. While he highlights roast coďŹ&#x20AC;ee and the usual cappuccino and lattes, customers can get ďŹ&#x201A;avorings such as caramel and mocha.

Customers at Presto! on Washington Street in downtown Wilmington initially went for the drip coffee, but many have since developed a sweet tooth. The most popular drink is the English Gentleman, a latte with toffee and hazelnut. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always been extreme and on the cutting edge,â&#x20AC;? says Brian Paugh, manager of Presto! â&#x20AC;&#x153;For us, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back to basics.â&#x20AC;?

Admittedly, the confections add a shot of fun to the mix. Just ask Deborah Amy, who in October purchased Over Coffee CafĂŠ in Lantana Square. She renamed it CafĂŠ Reve, but she kept many of the whimsical coffee drinks.

Her favorite is the Affogato, a double shot of espresso with Woodside Dairy vanilla ice cream and white chocolate.

The top seller is the CafĂŠ Caramello, a blend of caramel sauce, espresso, and steamed milk. One regular drinks a black raspberry milkshake with two shots of espresso nearly every day.

However, the drinks are also ideal as an afternoon break, Amy says.

Flavors arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limited to frothy coďŹ&#x20AC;ee. Toscana to Go oďŹ&#x20AC;ers about two ďŹ&#x201A;avored coďŹ&#x20AC;ees a day. Recent selections included pumpkin spice and Swiss chocolate almond. The sweet factor isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limited to syrups and mixes.

Reid continually has to refill the Splenda container.

No matter whether the coďŹ&#x20AC;ee is served black or capped with whipped cream, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not hard to ďŹ nd. This area has become a haven for latte lovers. Harper chose Middletown in part because it was not yet steeped in coďŹ&#x20AC;ee spots.

For independent owners, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a challenge to stand apart from such pervasive chains as Starbucks. Presto! and CafĂŠ Reve serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Presto! specializes in continued on next page

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BREAKFAST SERVED ALL DAY

906 NORTH UNION STREET | WILMINGTON, DE | 302.658.0812 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

Saturday, March 26, 2011 Join The University and Whist Club as we welcome the

Pennsylvania Symphonic Wind Band Come enjoy this 47-piece band as they perform an eclectic blend of music ranging from stage and screen to the classics and contemporary!

5:30pm Three-Course Dinner | 7:30pm Wind Band | For details and reservations please call 302.658.5125 17

2/22/2011 10:19:48 AM

Cafe Connoisseurs continued from previous page

$

20 (kids under 10 $5)

every sunday 10 to 2

gourmet-to-go, and its pastries are baked on site. Some customers come to Brew Ha Ha! for sandwiches and not coffee, Morkides says. Brew Ha Ha! roasts its own coffee, which sets it apart from many cafes, she adds.

She’s focused on quality. “We spend a lot of time training for speedy service.” Yet she’s not about to sacrifice technique. There are no automated

delicious buffet selections & kitchen menu cooked to order

machines that whip up a latte at Brew Ha Ha! Drinks are made by hand.

Quality and service are also important to Harper, who adds milk and sugar

to the coffee for the customer—a departure from most coffee shops, where you wait in line, then have to head to another counter to have it your way. “It’s a service I enjoy doing, and one that customers seem to appreciate,” he says.

Atmosphere also separates him from the pack. Once a week, he hosts Coffee Cup Fridays for folks who want to meet and greet before heading home.

“It’s a networking party without being a networking party, and it has a bar feeling without liquor,” he says.

Indeed, coffee shops have long filled that need for a neighborhood hangout sans alcohol. “People want that personal touch,” Morkides says. “They want to feel they’re part of a family. There’s a connection you find with coffee.”

Most owners noticed a dip in sales when the recession hit. Things have recently rebounded. “They’re spending more freely now and going for the more expensive drinks,” says Jonas Miller, coowner of Eeffoc’s.

Expensive, however, is a relative term.

“Our check is a $4 average,” Morkides says. “That’s a small luxury.”

302.654.8001 1412 n. dupont st., wilmington piccolinatoscana.com

Now open for brunch $

20 (kids under 10 $10)

sundays 4 to 8 a la carte menu available

Join us every Sunday from 11am-2pm for a delicious Italian brunch: Frittate | Focaccia Wraps | Crepes | Cornetti

Mon–Thurs 11:00am-10:00pm Fri & Sat 11:00am-11:00pm Sunday 11:00am-9:00pm

1130 Kirkwood Highway | Newark, DE | (302)455-1101 18 . UP CLOSE

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March  | O&A

2/21/2011 4:28:35 PM

UPCLOSE

5 Questions for a Coffee Expert

With Kyle Tush, Columbus Inn barista

What are some things people would be surprised to know about coffee?

Coffee is actually a fruit. It’s not a bean at all. What you see is just the dry, roasted seed of a berry.

There’s also been a wave in the way coffee is viewed in America, where it’s becoming more of an artisanal product, like craft beer.

Most people associate coffee with caffeine, with that kick, the way beer drinkers do with alcohol.

But for people who want to get something more out of their food and drink, there’s a whole world of coffee that’s starting to come along.

Another thing I’ve gotten is people asking, “Gimme your strongest coffee.” And that question’s kind of loaded, because strong coffee, for most people, means bitter and dark. But the darker a coffee is, the less caffeine it has. The caffeine is burned off in the roasting process.

Are we getting to the point where coffee can be paired with food, like beer dinners?

I think so. I came here for a tasting menu our chef did one www.out-and-about.com

3_UpClose.indd 5

night, and one of the dishes was a coffee-crusted lamb, which I’d never heard of before. And I was reading on Grub Street [New York magazine’s food blog] about a chef in New York who’s doing a full coffee-dinner menu, where it’s five or six courses, and every course has coffee incorporated into it.

Number one, you need freshly roasted whole beans, preferably not more than two or three weeks old. Pre-ground coffee is generally stale by the time you get it, because it’s lost all its flavor. And a nice grinder—you want a uniform grind, so you can extract the coffee from those grinds evenly.

What’s the best cup of coffee you’ve ever had, and where do you get it?

I spend a lot of time in New York. There are so many amazing shops up there. One is Stumptown [Coffee Roasters], which is in the lobby of the Ace Hotel. The shop just has a scene, y’know, like a feel to it. The baristas are very knowledgeable.

In Philadelphia, there’s Spruce Street Espresso. It’s almost a destination for people who know coffee and come to Philadelphia.

It’s funny, too, because it’s such a well-known spot, and you go in and it’s like the size of a corner. It’s tiny.

Finally, coffee: better at breakfast or dinner?

Ooh. See, I think coffee anytime can be great. Again, most people are tuned into the caffeine thing, so obviously they’re morning drinkers.

I keep late hours with this job, so by the time I get up and get going, it’s lunchtime. I try to stop drinking coffee by 7 or 8 o’clock. Although caffeine doesn’t quite affect me like it used to. I just need enough to calm the shakes. [laughs] A whole other side of this conversation is decaf. We serve dinner late here, so we sell a lot of it. People who drink decaf—they’re really committed to their coffee.

What are the key ingredients necessary for a good cup of coffee?

— Michael Pollock

19

2/21/2011 4:24:46 PM

Barrels on the Brandywine Every weekend in March

Join us as our seven local wineries feature tastings of the new 2010 vintage developing in barrels, buckets, bottles and more!

Black Walnut Winery • Chaddsford Winery • Kreutz Creek Vineyards • Paradocx Vineyard Patone Cellars • Penns Woods Winery • Twin Brook Winery

Barrels on the Brandywine passports are only $30 and allow for tastings at all participating wineries during weekends in March and the entire month of April (subject to individual winery regular business hours).

Available online and on site at wineries

Ca l Wi Upc l Ab ne om ou Di ing t nn er s!

For a full list of events, visit: bvwinetrail.com/trail_events.cfm

C A F É R ÊV E

B

610.444.3842

LACKSTONES

Formerly Over Coffee Café

BISTRO STYLE DINING Now Serving B R E A K FA S T

LUNCH

DINNER

S A M P LE N E W C R E AT I V E ADDITIONS TO OUR MENU! HOURS: Mon 6am-5pm; Tues-Sat 6am-9pm; Sun 7am-3pm 114 Lantana Drive, Lantana Shopping Center, Hockessin p 302 239 5353 | CafeReveDE.com 20 . UP CLOSE

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March  | O&A

2/22/2011 10:21:44 AM

UPCLOSE

A Barfly Brunch What’s a morning meal without a Bloody Mary?

By Robert Lhulier

G

reat drinks and cocktails are made the way great food is: with careful thought to ingredients, balance and method, and with a great respect for, or at least understanding of, tradition. In other words, understand what makes it classic before you go tearing up the rule book.

The first Bloody Mary was said to have been the creation of Ferdinand “Pete” Petiot at Harry’s American Bar in Paris. Right after World War I, tins of tomato juice had just begun exporting from the United States. The New York Astors were customers of Petiot’s, where he worked from around 1919 to 1936.

Eventually, they convinced him to head the bar staff at the St. Regis hotel back home in New York City. In those days, the Bloody Mary was made with gin, as vodka hadn’t made its way to the States yet. The gin version was named the Red Snapper by the Astors. And so, tony New Yorkers crammed the King Cole Bar for the cocktail named after one of Petiot’s barflies (yes, Mary) or, depending whom you ask, the imprisoned Mary Queen of Scots. And so in the 1960s, when Smirnoff became the most available vodka stateside, the Bloody Mary began to be made almost exclusively with vodka, as in the original days in Paris.

My number-one rule for making a great Bloody Mary: don’t skimp on the quality of vodka. Somehow the combination of esoteric ingredients and lame vodka is the precise recipe for a colossal migraine. Go Goose.

Or go home.

Duly, I want to taste the eclectic ingredients, so I avoid getting heavy with Tabasco or Worcestershire. Comparisons of barbecue come to mind, where everyone has

3_UpClose.indd 7

proprietary and regional pride in their own recipe. Bartenders of every ilk are notoriously competitive in their charge to lay claim to the best Bloody Mary. Thusly, you’ll see variations that include horseradish, olive juice, Old Bay, celery salt, V8, anchovy, Clamato juice, and flavored vodkas, like lemon or pepper.

Garnishes should be functional and not an afterthought. Two, three ingredients for garnish, tops. It’s a cocktail, not a picnic.

The viscosity of a commercial tomato juice can sometimes be a turnoff. This is easily rectified by gently shaking the drink with all the ingredients and returning it to the glass.

I tend to favor a cleaner, brighter Bloody. For this, use both fresh lemon and lime, and if made in large batches, thin out the mix with some water, something that usually happens over time as the ice in your glass melts. Also, I don’t like “chunks” in my cocktail—it’s still morning, after all—so I avoid horseradish.

The Bloody Mary has its place in pop culture as well. Who can forget Demi Moore piling her Brat Pack pals into a Jeep and rasping, “Who wants to go suck back Bloodies at St. Elmo’s?” (Or did you purposely block that out?) In the 1990s, every burger house in America seemed to have a Bloody Mary bar for brunch. I never actually did the Bloody Mary bar. I mean, if you consider when (and why) it’s typically drunk, I am not trying to make my own. Just bring it. Quickly.

Because of the versatility of the spicy tomato base, it’s been the muse of several chefs recently who love to “de” and “re-construct” the ingredients, slipping in a raw oyster, clam, or some other Fear Factor ingredient. Foreign versions include the Danish Mary, made with Akvavit, the Bloody Maria, which substitutes Sangrita for the tomato juice and tequila for vodka, and the Macho Gazpacho, which is more like a pureed soup spiked with vodka and garnished with…wait for it…garlic bread. See rules above about chunks. *Burp*

BASIC Bloody Mary Recipe INGREDIENTS

6 oz. tomato juice 2 oz. vodka 1 oz. fresh lime juice 1/2 tsp. freshly grated horseradish, or to taste 1 tsp. green hot-pepper sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste Ice 1 celery stalk

To make the Bloody Mary: Combine all ingredients and stir to mix well.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Fill glass halfway with ice. Pour the tomato mixture over the ice, garnish the glass with celery, and serve.

2/21/2011 4:30:10 PM

UPCLOSE

STAFF BREAKFAST PICKS “As I said in my Editor’s Note this month, I can’t resist the loosely defined ‘breakfast special’: a combination of eggs, toast, home fries, and bacon or scrapple, with coffee and orange juice. You can find it at most diners—the Post House, Lucky’s, and Hollywood Grill among them.”

WORTH TRYING Jess’ Delight: cooked millet and quinoa with fresh berries, walnuts, and Pennsylvania maple syrup, from Fresh Thymes.

— Michael Pollock, editor-in-chief

WORTH TRYING Grand Marnier French toast stuffed with cream cheese and orange marmalade with orange syrup from the Green Room at Hotel du Pont.

“Just the thought of this makes me long for a Sunday-morning breakfast on the deck on a brisk spring morning. I typically go for the Blue Parrot Breakfast (at Blue Parrot, of course). Nothing fancy, just two fried eggs, sausage (jalapeño), home fries, and toast.

It really hits the spot with a tall Bloody. If I’m feeling really saucy, I’ll order the Boyou Omelet, but you must prepare yourself mentally for this one.”

— Matthew Loeb, creative/production manager “When I have the time to go out to breakfast, it’s well worth the trip from Wilmington to Hockessin for an omelet at the Perfect Cup. My favorite is the Hockessin Omelet, which is filled with bacon, onions, cheddar cheese, and most importantly, local Hockessin mushrooms. Their coffee selection and cozy café complete the breakfast experience.”

— Marie Graham, sales director “You can find the best breakfast on the planet at Sinclair’s on Main Street in Newark. I always get ‘Lisa’s Eggs’ (pictured on right): two poached eggs with spinach, hollandaise sauce and the best home fries this side of the Mason Dixon.”

— Joy Smoker, art director

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2/21/2011 4:33:07 PM

Breakfast, Internationally How does the rest of the world take its morning meal?

England: Coffee or tea (natch), eggs and sausage, baked beans on toast.

China: Congee (rice porridge).

UPCLOSE

WORTH TRYING Lisa’s Eggs, two poached eggs with spinach and hollandaise with home fries from Sinclair’s.

Japan: Green tea, soybeans, rice and seafood variations.

Spain: Churros (Spanish donuts) and hot chocolate.

Italy: Latte (coffee with steamed milk) with bread and jam or biscotti.

Germany: Breads with jam, cold cuts and cheeses.

Mexico: Huevos rancheros (eggs on top of tortillas with a chili sauce).

Southern U.S.: Grits.

Southern Delaware: Scrapple.

Your Picks (courtesy of our Facebook friends) Patrick ‘Pdub’ Warner ”Eggs Chesapeake at Deer Park Tavern.”

Jeanne Amato Gavin ”Pumpernickel bagel w/lite cream cheese on the side, and a soy caffe latte at Brewhaha—very simple, and very delicious :)”

WORTH TRYING Monte Cristo: shaved ham and turkey with swiss on French toast, from Lucky’s Coffee Shop. and The Perfect Cup’s breakfast burrito

Megan Manlove McGlinchey ”Veggie omelet with hash browns from Meghan’s on 202 in Chadds Ford.”

Stephanie Male ”Delicious coffee from Brew HaHa! and yogurt.“

Tara Schmidt Brohawn ”Scrapple Benedict on biscuits with poblano cheese sauce from Chelsea Tavern! Delish...”

Josie Albert ”Fresh Thymes’ mystery omlette + they have the best coffee.”

Pamela Zwaskis ”Chelsea Tavern’s brioche French toast! It comes with a lump of butter and sugared pecans.”

3_UpClose.indd 9

2/21/2011 4:33:39 PM

The Cindy Foundation for

Ovarian Cancer Research

1st Annual

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5:30pm - 9:00 Come Out and TIP your Favorite Legislators the

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24 . UP CLOSE

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March ď&#x2122;&#x2026;ď&#x2122;&#x192;ď&#x2122;&#x201E;ď&#x2122;&#x201E; | O&A

2/22/2011 2:38:24 PM

At the Rail 10am-2pm, Sundays White Clay Creek Country Club 777 Delaware Park Blvd.

Christiana whiteclaycreekcountryclub.com; 994-6700 Blackstoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11am-2pm, Sundays 401 Louviers Drive, Newark blackstonespub.com 266-0880 Deer Park Tavern 9am-2pm, Sundays 108 W. Main St., Newark deerparktavern.com 369-9414 Home Grown CafĂŠ 10am-2pm, Sat. & Sun. 126 E. Main St., Newark homegrowncafe.com 266-6993 Sinclairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cafe 177 E. Main St., Newark 368-7755

SoďŹ&#x20AC;ritto Italian Grill 11am-2pm, Sundays 1130 Kirkwood Hwy. Newark soďŹ&#x20AC;rittogrill.com; 455-1101 Stone Balloon Wine House Noon-4pm, Sundays 115 E. Main St., Newark stoneballoonwh.com 266-8111 The Grille at the D 10am-2pm, Sundays DeerďŹ eld Golf & Tennis Club 507 Thompson Station Rd. Newark deerďŹ eldgolfclub.com 368-6640

WILMINGTON Bellefonte Cafe Noon-3pm, Sundays 804 Brandywine Blvd.

Bellefonte; 761-9175 Blue Parrot 10am-2pm, Sundays 1943 W. Sixth St., Wilm.

302.652.7737

/ 6 / * 0 / 4 5 t 8 * - . * / ( 5 0 /

Fresh Thymes 1836 Lovering Ave. Wilmington; 656-2026

blueparrotgrille.com 655-8990 Chelsea Tavern 10am-2pm, Sundays 821 N. Market St., Wilm. chelseatavern.com Corner Bistro 11am-3pm, Sundays 3604 Silverside Rd. Wilm. mybistro.com; 477-1778 Dead Presidents 11am-2pm, Sundays 618 N. Union St., Wilm. deadpresidentspub.com 652-7737 The Green Room at Hotel du Pont 10:30am-2pm, Sundays 11th & Market sts., Wilm. hoteldupont.com; 594-3100 FireStone Jazz brunch starting March 20 11am-3pm, Sundays 110 S. West St., Wilm. ďŹ restoneriverfront.com 658-6626

Kid Shelleenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11am-4pm, Sat. 10am-2pm, Sun. 1801 W. 14th St., Wilm.

Kozy Korner 6am-3pm Mon. - Fri. 6:30am-1:30pm Sat. & Sun. 658-0812 Luckyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CoďŹ&#x20AC;ee Shop 4003 Concord Pike Wilmington; 477-0240 Piccolina Toscana 10am-2pm, Sundays 1412 N. Dupont St., Wilm. piccolinatoscana.com 654-8001 Scratch Magooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11am-3pm, Sat. & Sun. 1709 Delaware Ave., Wilm.

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 9TH: Dropkick Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concert bus trip.

ALL NEW BRUNCH MENU! SSUNDAYS~10am UNDAYS 10

SATURDAY, MARCH 12TH: POST-PARADE PARTY! Live Irish music and dancers!

SHAMROCK SHUTTLE STARTS @ 8!

SUNDAY, MARCH 13TH: Traditional Irish dinner with live music from 7-9.

Reservations suggested

THURSDAY, MARCH 17TH: ST. PATRICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAY! THE HIGH HOLY DAY ITSELF! Food & Drink Specials All Day! NCAA tourney...fill out your brackets!

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25

3_UpClose.indd 11

2/21/2011 4:39:54 PM

UPCLOSE Washington Street Ale House 10am-2pm, Sundays 1206 Washington St., Wilm. wsalehouse.com; 658-2537

Buckley’s Tavern 10am-2:30pm, Sundays 5812 Kennett Pike, Centreville buckleystavern.org; 656-9776

GREENVILLE & HOC KESSIN

Café Rêve 7am-3pm, Sundays 144 Lantana Drive, Hockessin caferevede.com; 239-5353

The Back Burner 10am-2pm, Sundays 425 Hockessin Corner, Hockessin backburner.com; 239-2314

Krazy Kat’s 8am-2pm, Sundays Route 100 & Kirk Road, Montchanin

The Perfect Cup 7460 Lancaster Pike Hockessin; 239-9118 Pizza by Elizabeths Jazz brunches: 12-2pm, Sundays 3801 Kennett Pike, Greenville pizzabyelizabeths.com; 654-4478 Six Paupers Sundays: breakfast, 11am-2pm lunch, 11am-5pm 7465 Lancaster Pike, Hockessin sixpaupers.com; 489-7287

BR AN DYWIN E VALLEY Brandywine Prime 10am-2pm, Sundays 1617 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford brandywineprime.com; 610/388-8088 Hank’s Place 1410 Baltimore Pike Chadds Ford hanks-place.net; 610/388-7061 Hartefeld (discounted price for children 4-10) 10am-2pm, Sundays Hartefeld National Golf Club 1 Hartefeld Drive, Avondale hartefeld.com; 610/268-8800 Longwood Gardens (includes cost of ticket to gardens) 11:30am-3:30pm, Sundays 1001 Longwood Rd., Kennett Square longwoodgardens.org; 610/388-5290 McKenzie Brew House 10:30am-2pm, Sundays 451 Wilm-W. Chester Pike, Glen Mills mckenziebrewhouse.com; 610/361-9800 Mendenhall Inn 10am-2pm, Sundays 323 Kennett Pike, Mendenhall mendenhallinn.com; 610/388-1181 Terrain at Styer’s 10am-3pm, Sat. & Sun. 914 Baltimore Pike, Glen Mills shopterrain.com; 610/459-2400

26 . UP CLOSE

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March  | O&A

2/21/2011 4:43:02 PM

www.out-and-about.com

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27

2/22/2011 12:01:30 PM

BachettiBros.

Gourmet Meats, Market & Catering

MARCH

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Enjoy the games at home with your friendsâ&#x20AC;Ś SCORE BIG with our Party Trays, Dips, Wings and Appetizers!

THE REAL

Call us for St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Parties! www.Bachettis.com | www.ChocolateWaterfall.com 302.994.4467 | 4723 Kirkwood Hwy. Midway Plaza

Join us for the SHAMROCK SHUTTLE! 4BU .BSDI 44BU .

Chelsea Tavern welcomes Quintuplets!

Jazz Brunch Buffet with Live Jazz Band BN QN

Featuring our $5 Bloody Mary & Fresh Fruit Crush Bar Featur

5 New Taps Bringing Our Family of Craft Brews to a Healthy Total of 27!

Our newest additions Sam Adams Noble Pils, Stoudts Scarlet Lady, Stone Ruination IPA, Mc Sorleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Irish Black Lager & Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron are all doing well and being served daily!

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4 XXX ĂśSFTUPOFSJWFSGSPOU DPN 28 . Food & Drink

3_UpClose.indd 14

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Tasting Tuesdays (check website for details) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; / .BSLFU 4U 8JMNJOHUPO t t DIFMTFBUBWFSO DPN March ď&#x2122;&#x2026;ď&#x2122;&#x192;ď&#x2122;&#x201E;ď&#x2122;&#x201E; | O&A

2/22/2011 10:17:09 AM

Q&A: Dana Herbert TV’s Next Great Baker on fame, the future, and working for a Cake Boss

By Michael Pollock

FOOD&DRINK

You’ve known about winning the show since October. How hard was it to keep a secret?

It was tough going that long. People would look at me and say, ‘You know if you won or not.’ [laughs]

You seemed confident from the start that you could win.

I think on a show like that, you have to be that way, or else you won’t make it. There are a million things that could chip away at your confidence while you’re doing the show. If you make a mistake, you own up to it, and you don’t repeat it.

We’ve all seen how passionate and intense Buddy can be.

What’s it been like working one-on-one with him?

The Buddy you see on TV is the real Buddy. What you can expect from him is that if you’re doing something that’s not good, he’s going to tell you about it.

And if you’re doing something that he likes, he’s going to tell you that, too.

What are some of the lessons you learned by being on the show?

What’s it been like since winning the show?

It’s been a little nuts. I mean that in a good way. [laughs] People kind of go crazy when I get to Carlo’s Bakery, yelling and wanting pictures. It’ll take me 15 or 20 minutes to get into the store and into the work area.

What’s the next step now that you’re working with Buddy [Valastro, owner of Carlo’s Bakery, star of Cake Boss, and host of Next Great Baker]?

We haven’t discussed any type of time frame in terms of how long I’ll be there.

I’m working there on a part-time basis right now. My wife and I are expecting a baby soon, so I’ll be up there from time to time, helping with bigger projects. www.out-and-about.com

3_FoodDrink.indd 1

Give it your all—100 percent every time; don’t hold back. When you’re on a team, allow people’s strengths to shine, because it helps everyone overall. And if you don’t know something, ask.

When we interviewed the cast of Deadliest Catch last year, I asked them about the editing that happens with the show, and how much we don’t get to see. What’s your take on that?

That’s tough, because there are so many things happening simultaneously, and so many cameras buzzing around.

It’s hard to say, ‘I wish this one part had made it.’ There was little stuff—like the Monopoly cake. They showed the sugar faucet, but they didn’t show all of it. But overall, I’m very happy with the finished product.

Do you find cake to be enjoyable anymore?

I do. It’s part of the business, that you have to taste what you make. [laughs] I love red velvet. The Southern Lemon Cake we make is outstanding.

Even cheesecake—I love the Sweet Potato Cheesecake we do. I never really get tired of it, although I may eat smaller portions of it now. [laughs]

You’re the chef at the Delaware River and Bay Authority. Is there any truth to the rumors of you opening your own bakery?

I probably see that in the very near future. Right now, I have a gallery in Old New Castle, where you can kind of peruse the different wedding cakes we do. [Editor’s note: In addition to working at the DRBA, Herbert runs his own business, Desserts by Dana.]

But I’ll probably do some kind of retail operation. Not that I’m leaving the DRBA, because I like it there. They’ve treated me very well, and I have a very good staff. So I should be able to continue as I’ve been doing.

This is our Breakfast Issue. So we have to ask: What’s your favorite breakfast dish, and where do you get it?

Gosh, that’s a tough one. The Chick-fil-A breakfast sandwich— chicken and egg on a multigrain bagel.

That’s pretty good. And it might sound crazy, but I like IHOP, their western omelet. Yeah, I know, I go to IHOP and get an omelet. [laughs] Chef Dana Herbert recently beat out nine other bakers on TLC’s Next Great Baker to win a $50,000 cash prize and an apprenticeship at Carlo’s Bake Shop.

29

2/21/2011 3:04:32 PM

FOOD&DRINK

Bottle Rockets Craft beer explodes on the shelf

By Michael Pollock

30 . Food & Drink

3_FoodDrink.indd 2

T

he back room of the Wine & Spirit Co. in Greenville was little more than extra space before last April. That’s when manager James Bifferato, recently hired at the time, decided it should be devoted to an exciting trend: big, 750-ml bottles of craft beer.

“It was just a dead end back here,” Bifferato says of that section in the store.

“There was a beer cooler and some wine.”

Now, the room sports an arch, titled Beer Garden, and features dozens of craft brews, the labels and names of which spark curiosity long before the ingredients and descriptions whet appetites.

Southern Tier’s Unearthly IPA, Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Breakfast, Wells’ Banana Bread—these aren’t the beers featured in Super Bowl ads or flooding ballparks. The craft-brewing industry soaks up just a tiny share of the overall beer market. In 2009, for example, its sales share was 4.3 percent by volume

and 6.9 percent by dollars. But where overall beer sales in the United States were down by 2.2 percent that year, the retail-dollar value for craft brews was nearly $7 billion, up from $6.3 billion in 2008. More good news came in 2010, as the first half of the year saw 9 percent growth by volume and 12 percent by dollars.

The number of craft breweries opening and operating also continues to increase. There were nearly 1,600 in business as of last July, up from 1,500 in 2008.

The Brewers Association, which provides the above figures on its website, defines a craft brewery as one with an annual production of 6 million barrels of beer or less. The association adds: “The hallmark of craft beer and craft brewers is innovation. Craft brewers interpret historic styles with unique twists and develop new styles that have no precedent…sometimes non-traditional ingredients are added for distinctiveness.”

Locally, the craft-brew tide has been rising for years. No discussion about craft beer around these parts is complete without a glowing mention of Sam Calagione, he of Dogfish Head fame. “If Time printed a craft beer issue, Calagione would be on the cover as the person of the year,” writes beernews. org, a site that reports on the craftbrewing industry. Calagione and his Dogfish family were recently the stars of their very own reality TV show, Brew Masters, on the Discovery Channel. The show boosted Calagione’s already huge profile—he was profiled in The New Yorker in 2008—and has made finding Dogfish styles such as Bitches Brew, a 750-ml bottle prepared in honor of the epic Miles Davis album, a bit of a scavenger hunt.

“Anything from Dogfish,” Bifferato says, “we put on the shelf and it disappears.”

One day last month at Kreston’s Wilmington store, beer salesman James Clayton was lamenting much of the same. He had recently ordered 40 cases of Dogfish beer; only five came in. This day proved luckier: An order of 50 cases was met with a delivery of 25. ontinued on page 33

March  | O&A

2/21/2011 3:05:03 PM

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FOOD&DRINK

Divine Intervention Do we have the Pope to thank for bier?

By J. Burke Morrison

I

t’s March. Finally! Time for a real, solid, old-world bier month. While it’s true that, officially, the season doesn’t begin until March 20, everyone knows that St Patrick’s Day is the unofficial start of the big thaw we call spring.

However, what many people don’t realize is that St Patrick’s Day falls during a very solemn, and once sober, time: Lent.

That’s right, I said once sober. You see, for more than a millennia and a half, the Lenten period, so designated to honor the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, was marked by personal sacrifice. In particular, the dietary tradition of the time was limited to the consumption of bread and water only. Then, in the middle of the 17th century, a young monk got to thinking. Every year, he and his fellow brothers had to abstain from indulging in the consumption of bier, their favorite of all earthly delight. This industrious and innovative monk, Brother Barnabus, friar and brewmaster in the Order of St. Francis of Paola, located in Munich, conferred with the Order’s baker. He concluded that the basic ingredients in bier were essentially the same as those in bread, and, therefore, they should be allowed to drink bier during Lent.

If you think about it, Herr Barnabus had a good point. Flour and water, in 32 . Food & Drink

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the right combination and under the right temperature conditions (baked in an oven), with the addition of yeast, make bread. Malted barley (which is where flour comes from) and water, in the right combination and under the right temperature conditions (boiled in a kettle), with the addition of yeast, make bier. And so was born liquid bread. But, alas, the story doesn’t end there.

Let’s put things in an historical perspective. From at least the Middle Ages, monasteries performed some very important roles in both the spiritual and secular worlds. Art, literature, and many connections to pre-Christian Europe were preserved within these hallowed corridors. Monks, cloistered inside the thick monastery walls and segregated from the population at large, spent countless hours, days, weeks, months, years, even decades meticulously reading and writing, studying, and praying. They also brewed lots of bier. So like any good college student, when the learning was done, it was time for some fun, drunk-monk style. Out of a pious sense of honor, every year, the brewmaster would create a special brew they called Doppel-Bock, so named because it was significantly stronger in alcohol than the traditional Bock. After brewing, they would lager (or store) the brew for several months to let it mature. When

the Lenten fast finally came around, they would tap that special bier and get the party started. They repeated this practice for several years, perfecting their recipe (the brothers, no doubt, performed lots of experimental brews, and, no doubt, went through a rigorous approval process). But all good things must eventually end. In this case, the party ended when the Pope got wind of the unorthodox practice the Pauline Monks were engaging in.

In a word, the Pope was pissed. He felt the monks were taking great liberties with their sacred Lenten traditions and summoned them to Rome to account for their actions.

Said the Pope of the monks’ bier: “If they can drink that during Lent, it’s penance enough.”

So, there they are, tails between their cassocks, headed to Rome from Munich on their little horse-drawn carriages, March  | O&A

2/21/2011 3:06:10 PM

carting a keg of this wonderful, divinely inspired brew to present to the Pope, just before he condemns them to eternal damnation. As if their situation wasn’t dire enough, the long trip from Munich to Rome goes through many climate changes along the way—cold in the Alps and steadily warmer along the Mediterranean. During the 17th century, there was no such thing as pasteurization or “cold-filtering.” Fact is, the shelf life of bier at this period in time was quite short once was it was brought out of the climate-controlled caves in which it was lagered.

Upon arrival to the Vatican, they were immediately called before the pontiff himself. I wasn’t there, of course, but I’m pretty sure this is how it went: Brother Barnabus and co. pled their case. The Pope scoffed and called them heretics, or some equally uncomplimentary moniker. Then, just when the monks thought their plight couldn’t get any more dire, the Pope did the unthinkable: He asked the brothers to serve him a sample. Surely the brothers’ protests only fed the Pope’s resolve. He commanded them to pour him a glass of their (skunked, soured, wretched) liquid bread.

What happened next is one of the most fortuitous accidents in history, or, perhaps, simply proof that miracles do happen. Aghast, the Pauline monks stood by, helpless, as the pontiff took a bold, full sip and almost instantly, and very unceremoniously, spat it out.

Horror overcame the crowd. Terror overcame the monks. Bewilderment overcame the Pope. His silence was deafening. And then he spoke.

“By God, if the brothers can drink that during Lent, it’s penance enough!”

And with that, Papal authority sanctioned liquid bread as a legitimate source of sustenance during Lent.

Upon their return to Munich, the brothers of the Order of St. Francis of Paola renamed their special brew Salvator, Latin for “our saviour.”

To this day, most producers of the Doppel-Bock style give their brew a name ending in -ator as an homage to the first bier permitted to be consumed during Lent.

Danke schoen, Brother Barnabus!

Prost!

J. Burke Morrison, a.k.a. the Delaware Bier Guy, is a 20-year-plus veteran of the Delaware alcoholic-beverage industry and a certified cicerone (beer sommelier). www.out-and-about.com

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Bottle Rockets

continued from page 30

“Craft beers tear up the shelf,” says Clayton, whose boisterous presence in the store—he calls every male customer a “young man,” regardless of age—is a sort of calling card. Without prompt, he quickly prepared a concoction he calls “Black Elf.” It’s Troegs’ Mad Elf Ale mixed with a pour of Brooklyn Brewery’s Black Chocolate Stout, and it was delicious, if unsellable. “If I recommend something,” Clayton yelled to me as I was leaving, “my customers aren’t afraid to try it.”

With the economy turning bargain shopping into a sport, the appeal of craft brew is timely. “Big beer has picked up immensely,” Bifferato says. “For one thing, it’s more bang for the buck, because there’s a higher alcohol content.” (Southern Tier’s Unearthly IPA, a top seller at Wine & Spirit, contains 11 percent alcohol.)

“But it’s also piquing people’s interest because it’s more mysterious. The people who come in looking for them are more like wine drinkers—they want to try something new.”

Amish Patel, who owns Toll Gate Liquors in Wilmington, agrees, and has noticed the trend for about a year.

“They go fast,” he says of the big craftbrew bottles, adding, “You can drink one and feel satisfied.” Dogfish’s Sah’tea and St. Peter’s English Ale are among his best sellers. He even sells Stella in a 750, shaped like a wine bottle. “You could say craft brew is the new wine. It’s becoming a big part of the business now.”

There’s also a better profit margin, Patel says, because craft beers aren’t typically subject to fixed pricing.

At Wine & Spirit, IPAs and Belgian beers like Chimay and Troubadour are most popular. “They’re staples,” Bifferato says. “Our customers really like hoppy beers. Someone will come in and grab one of those, put it aside to buy, and get something else.”

Bifferato and his sales associate, Jared Card, have started hosting tastings once a month in the store. Like Clayton, they don’t just buy and sell beer; they’re advisors.

Card takes special pride in his role as hunter-gatherer for those with refined taste; Bifferato can speak at length about the start and finish of Banana Bread Beer.

Are liquor-store employees the new videostore clerks, or record-store geeks? “A little bit, yeah,” Bifferato laughs, pondering the analogy. “It’s the economical side meeting the connoisseur side.”

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FOOD&DRINK

Whisky in the Jar Or, why Irish eyes are smiling

By Chip Owens

A

lthough the Scots seem to have a lock on the whiskey (or, more properly, “whisky”) market these days, it was actually their Gaelic kinsmen who may have started it all. According to legend, the first whiskey makers were missionary monks who arrived in Ireland in the 7th century and began distilling medical “elixirs.” (The word ”whiskey” is actually an Anglicization of the Old Gaelic term uisce beatha, which means “water of life.”) Those original monastic spirits were probably a grape- or fruit-based brandy, but grainbased liquor—likely barley-based—began to appear in the record books around the mid-16th century, when the Tudor kings took control of the island nation.

Despite a shared ancestral heritage, there are some noticeable differences between Scotch and Irish whiskey—aside from the spelling: Like the Americans, the Irish retain the finial e. Perhaps the most obvious contrast is that Irish whiskey makers rarely use peat in the malting, or grain-roasting, process. Instead, they rely on kilns to dry-roast their grains. This means that the smoky, earthy overtones that characterize single-

Tullamore Dew ($19.99 750ml).

A light, clean blended whiskey with medium amber color, floral honey aromas, and a pleasing, lively sweetness on the finish. Its name, by the way, is not a nod to the weather in town but derives from the initials of an early manager of the operation, Mr. Daniel E. Williams, or “D.E.W.”

Clontarf Classic ($22.99 750ml).

Extraordinarily rich for its price, this golden amber-blended whiskey brims with flavor—toffee, honey, and subtle oak, among them—and offers a mediumto-full body with a lingering spicy caramel finish.

Bushmills ($22.99 750ml). Whiskey bottled under the Bushmills brand dates back to the 1600s, which makes it as close as one gets to the most “typical” (and www.out-and-about.com

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malt Scotch aren’t generally present in Irish whiskeys, which offer more pronounced grainy aromas and flavors. Also, while Scotch is generally double-distilled, Irish whiskeys are usually triple-distilled, which imparts a marked lightness.

Irish whiskey comes in several forms. Single-malt whiskey is made from 100 percent malted barley and distilled in a pot still, and grain whiskey is concocted from grains distilled in a column still. Grain whiskey is much lighter in color and more neutral in flavor than single-malt, and is most commonly mixed with single-malt to produce a lighterblended whiskey. One varietal unique to Ireland—and one of my favorites—is a pure pot-still whiskey, which consists of all barley (usually a mix of malted and unmalted), distilled in a pot still. It’s the unmalted, or “green,” barley that lends this traditional style of whiskey its uniquely spicy quality.

Lastly, although there are nearly 100 distilleries operating in Scotland these days, only four work the Irish countryside.

Luckily, each produces a number of different whiskeys from which to choose. Here are some of my favorites. I hope they set your eyes smiling and steal your heart away, too:

oldest) of Irish whiskeys. Full-bodied with a deep golden color, roasted nut, and grain aromas, and a sweet flavor with hints of vanilla, this makes for an ideal after-dinner drink.

shortbread), subtle honey, and citrusy flavors, and just the slightest hint of smoke. It’s one of the best single malts—made on any of the British Isles—on the market.

Jameson ($22.99 750ml). Perhaps the most recognizable name when it comes to Irish blends, the whiskey produced by John Jameson & Son in County Cork is full-flavored and smooth. Triple distilled in copper-pot stills and aged in sherry and bourbon barrels, Jameson offers a gentle sweetness that may be appealing to those who normally shy away from sipping whiskey neat or on the rocks.

Redbreast ($43.99 750ml). One of the only single-malt pure-pot-still whiskeys in wide production, and named the “2010 Irish Whiskey of the Year” (Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible), Redbreast is mediumbodied and richly flavored. Aged for 12 years in oak casks, it offers hints of caramel and vanilla, and is deceivingly and exceedingly mellow, with a lovely, long sherry-accented finish.

Michael Collins Single Malt ($39.99 750ml). A product of the Cooley Distillery, the only independent, Irishowned operation, this whiskey displays sweet aromas (milk chocolate, vanilla,

Chip Owens is the general manager of Premier Wine & Spirits and has more than 30 years of retail experience. Learn more at premierwinespirits.com.

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2/21/2011 3:07:47 PM

SAVE THE DATE The 29th Annual

Emmanuel Dining Room Auction Fri, April 8, 2011 6:30pm Barclays on the Riverfront, 125 S. West St, Wilmington, DE

Featuring Live & Silent Auction, dinner and entertainment

Event & raffle tickets on sale now at

MinistryofCaring.org Call 302.652.3228 for more info All proceeds benefit the Emmanuel Dining Room’s three locations.

BITES City Restaurant Week returns to Wilmo If there’s a downtown Wilmington eatery you’ve had your eye on, March 28 to April 2 is the week to indulge. Fourteen restaurants will be participating in this year’s City Restaurant Week, featuring two-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $35. The restaurants are: Big Fish, Café Mezzanotte, Chelsea, Deep Blue, Domaine Hudson, FireStone, the Green Room, Harry’s Seafood, Public House, Mikimotos, Orillas, Presto, Washington Street Ale House, and Vinoteca 902. Visit cityrestaurantweek. com for more details.

McGlynns holds first-ever beer dinner McGlynns’ Peoples Plaza pub will hold its very first beer dinner on Wednesday, March 2 from 6:30 to 9 p.m., featuring seven beers—Twin Lakes’ Taylor’s Grog and Greenville Pale Ale, Dogfish’s Aprihop and 90-Minute IPA, Victory’s V-12, Stone’s Smoked Porter Ale, and Troegs’ Troegenator Double Bock—paired with six courses. Tickets are $40/person.

Call 834-6661 for reservations.

University & Whist Club hosts wind ensemble It’s dinner and a show on Saturday, March 26, when the University & Whist Club () hosts the Pennsylvania Symphonic Winds, a wind ensemble made up of local-area musicians.

A package deal is available for $55/ person, with dinner starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the 7:30 performance are $20. For more info, go to pennsylvaniasymphonicwinds.org.

getting

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Dogfish Head dogfish.com March 3: Aprihop Launch Party & Beer Dinner at Stone Balloon Winehouse in Newark. Featuring Midas Touch, Raison D’Etre, Red & White, and Palo Santo Marron.

March 20: Beer & Cheese Experience Dinner. $57/person.

Iron Hill ironhillbrewery.com March 2: Wilmington Mug Club Appreciation Night. Theme: Irish invasion.

March 16: Wilmington Mug Club Appreciation Night. Guest brewer: Chris Lapierre from Iron Hill Maple Shade.

James Street Tavern jstavern.com March 2: Tasting series (first event). The wines of Folie a Deux paired with a fivecourse meal. 6-9pm. $55/person.

McGlynns Pub (Peoples Plaza) mcglynnspub.com March 2: McGlynns’ first-ever beer dinner.

Seven beers from five breweries, paired with six courses. Beers include: Taylor’s Grog and Greenville Pale Ale (Twin Lakes), Aprihop and 90-Minute IPA (Dogfish), Victory V-12, Stone Smoked Porter Ale, Troegs’ Troegenator Double Bock. 6:309pm. $40/person.

36 . Food & Drink

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2/22/2011 12:51:58 PM

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Play at these participating locations:

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Penn Ave • Main St • Seaford

Friend BudGirlsofDelaware on Facebook for updated dates and times

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2/21/2011 4:50:07 PM

DELAWARESPORTSLEAGUE.COM D E L AWA R E S P O R T S L E AG U E . C O M

We miss you, Roxie! (Aug. 2005 — Dec. 2008)

age s s e M om fr ...

D y Bobb t is starting to warm up, the snow is melted and we are thinking about getting outside. We started preparing for the Spring in early February and we are proud to announce FOUR count them FOUR new sports!!! We will be offering Flag Football for the first time this spring along with Field Hockey, Outdoor Volleyball, and MINI GOLF!!! Yes I said it MINI GOLF! Of course we have our staples such as kickball and the Bocce Tournament at The St. Anthony’s Italian Festival. Also we are happy to announce FOUR Phillies Bus Trips this year! Tickets go on sale March 1st for our bus trips and anyone that has done a DSL bus trip knows we go all out! We have worked our tails off this winter and this Spring and Summer is going to be one to remember!

Happy Warmer Weather Everyone!

Monthly Highlights...

WILMINGTON DODGEBALL: When Ernie Blackwell of Snowballs went down in Week 5, DSL Members of 16 Ton Gunz led by Jeanna Labick came to his side and helped take care of him while DSL Umpires/Members Taylor Haverkamp and Jim O’Hara took care of getting the EMT’s there. The games stopped to take care of our friend. That is what DSL is all about! Thank you everyone! Ernie is doing well and will be there cheering on his team! THAT folks is what kind of people we have in this league and we are so proud of it!

BEACH DODGEBALL: Congratulations to Mildirt...Returning Champions for Fall Dodgeball!

DSL MONDAY BOWLING: Currently we have Will Bowl For Cash in first place! Christine Valente, Katie Hamilton, Kristi Siner and Myron Horsey are poised for a title run...not something unfamiliar for this team at all!

MOT DODGEBALL: We are back! There has only been one week, but it was a great one! Taylor Oakley, captain of Balls to the Walls. As Amy says Taylor, your attitude is why we love you!

DSL CO-ED FLAG FOOTBALL: It has been a Winter to remember! You should have seen everyone playing in the snow! It was crazy!

Ahead of this die hard pack of flag footballers is Devine intervention led by Meghan Racis and Unpossible to Stop, led by Matthew Hinker.

XX . MUSIC

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Spring Sports Registering Now! Wilmington Spring WIFFLE® Ball Wilmington Spring Co-ed Flag Football Wilmington Spring Kickball Wilmington Spring Volleyball Wilmington Spring Field Hockey Mini Golf

Register Today:

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It is the policy of Delaware Sports League that all members and/or those participating in Delaware Sports League games, events and/or outings must be 21 years of age or older. Neither athletic ability nor the consumption of alcohol is a requirement to participate in Delaware Sports League games, events, or outings. This is about the people, not the party. The only MAY 2008 | O&A XX requirement is that you are open to all people, treat them well, be safe with yourself and others, and have fun!

2/21/2011 4:15:39 PM

What a difference a weekend can make 9 th annual

Evening With The Masters FRIDAY APRIL 15

tickets $75 per person CHASE CENTER ON THE RIVERFRONT

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Cellar Masters’ Wine Auction at Evening With The Masters tickets $100 per person (includes entry into Evening With the Masters) CHASE CENTER ON THE RIVERFRONT

7:30 PM TO 9:30 PM

FRIDAY APRIL 15 14 th annual

Celebrity Chefs’ Brunch SUNDAY APRIL 17

tickets $175 per person BANK OF AMERICA BRACEBRIDGE 111

10 AM TO 1:30 PM

Benefits Meals On Wheels Delaware To purchase tickets visit www.mealsonwheelsde.org

3_Music.indd 1

2/21/2011 4:56:59 PM

HEALTH

Ready with Relief The Red Cross’ local role gets lost—but it shouldn’t

W

hen disaster strikes, the Red Cross is one of the first organizations that springs to mind. But the Red Cross isn’t just there in times of national and international crisis. Fires, floods, first aid—the agency’s humanitarian work has a real effect on our local neighborhoods and communities.

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Brad Wenger knows this firsthand.

The general manager of the Christiana Hilton had to put his CPR training to use when his daughter, Sophia, choked at dinner when she was 2 years old. “I saved her life by performing the Heimlich,” Wenger says. “As a father, I’m thankful and appreciative that the American Red Cross trains people to respond to emergencies.”

Wenger is one of the 19,000 people the American Red Cross of Delmarva Peninsula trains in first aid, CPR, and other life-saving skills every year. In addition, the organization provided training in community-

disaster education to 8,500 citizens in 2010 and delivered more than 500 emergency-communications messages to active duty, Reservist, and National Guard personnel.

Still, the Red Cross’ local role can be overlooked. Help change that at this year’s Vine, Dine & Deal fundraiser at the Christiana Hilton on Friday, April 1, where you can learn about the Red Cross while tasting more than 40 wines paired with cuisine from around the globe. Monte Carlo-style games and a silent auction will also be held. See the ad on this page for more details.

March  | O&A

2/21/2011 3:12:20 PM

THE

Two new thrillers explore fate, identity

By Mark Fields he febrile imagination of Philip K. Dick has spawned several major motion pictures: Blade Runner, Total Recall, Minority Report. Now comes The Adjustment Bureau. Although all of them are easily lumped into a sciencefiction genre, those that hew closest to Dick’s original novels and stories have an undeniable metaphysical component: philosophy dressed in the clothing of dystopian futurism.

The Adjustment Bureau, starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Anthony Mackie, imagines our modern world under the influence of supernatural handlers. Angels some might call them; they think of themselves as case managers, subtly or not-so manipulating events to keep specific individuals to the “plan” of the bureau’s chairman. When a brash senatorial candidate (Damon) and a talented ballet dancer (Blunt) serendipitously meet and their chemistry flares, the members of the bureau (all clad in dapper business suits with snappy hats) interfere to nudge them back on plan. Damon’s headstrong politician resents the intrusion into his personal destiny and defies the bureau’s machinations.

Matt Damon adds another deft performance to his resume as the smitten, earnest David Norris. Emily Blunt, who has been brittle in some of her prior roles, creates a warm and compelling counterpart for him. Anthony Mackie, as well

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as John Slattery (Mad Men) and the terrific Terence Stamp are amusingly inscrutable as prominent members of the Adjustment Bureau. Screenwriter George Nolfi, who knows how to script action from his work on The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean’s Twelve, makes his directorial debut with this film and keeps the action humming without sacrificing the substantial romantic aspect of the story.

Although the story arc has the trappings of a sci-fi thriller (with nifty magical doors that can convey the bureau agents instantly from point to point throughout Manhattan), The Adjustment Bureau is, at its heart, a meditation on the eternal tension between destiny and free will, and the attendant costs of each on personal happiness. If you can’t buy into this subtext of the film, the dialogue and overall tone comes across as pretentious. But with a more expansive mindset, The Adjustment Bureau can satisfy both the head and the heart.

Liam Neeson remade his film image as an action star with the energetic and hyper-violent Taken in 2008. Unknown is clearly intended to capitalize on that new image with a story of mistaken identity and international espionage. Neeson’s rugged, almost shambling persona makes for an empathetic protagonist in Dr. Martin Harris, a biotech researcher stranded without his papers after a car accident in Berlin.

But the improbabilities in the plot pile up even faster than the body count, and Unknown quickly collapses under the weight of implausible coincidences and inexplicable events.

Where did a meek academic learn to drive a German taxi like a fiend? How does an American without ID survive for days in a foreign city…and where did his money come from? A third act twist tries to explain away the inconvenient facts, but by then, all hope for coherence has been abandoned. There are a few exciting, albeit derivative, set pieces, but ultimately the rationale for this promising but aggravating actioner is, well, unknown.

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2/21/2011 3:16:35 PM

MOVIES

The Town

Loved It, Hated It Staff movie picks Loved It: The Town (2010) Loved It & Hated It: Paradise Lost

21ST

CENTURY

Creating a brighter tomorrow for Delaware’s Children

3

Ways to Help Delaware’s Children

1. Attend our Annual Fundraiser on Thurs, Mar 10 at the University & Whist Club 2. Purchase a raffle ticket to win “The GUV’NOR”, a special-edition bicycle! ($1,800 value, donated courtesy of Gov. Jack Markell & The Bike Boutique) 3. Make a tax-deductable donation (you can simply check the box on your State of Delaware tax return).

Details at: 21ChildrensFund.org 44 . Movies

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(1996) and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations (2000). (Loved these documentaries because they highlight such a tragic court case; hated them because they’re frustrating to watch.)

— Michael Pollock, editor-in-chief

Hated It: The Town. (Seriously, Mike?

That was one of the worst movies I have ever seen.)

Loved It: Shallow Hal (2001) — Marie Graham, director of sales March  | O&A

2/22/2011 11:06:03 AM

MOVIES

Pleasantville

Five Films Over Easy The most important meal of the day, as seen in the movies

By Mark Fields

The Big Chill (1983). A group of college friends reunites after 15 years for the funeral of one of its own, spending the weekend in heady discussions about the course of their lives. A stellar ensemble (Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, and Jeff Goldblum, to name a few) is accompanied by a wonderful soundtrack of Motown hits. Several key scenes revolve around meals, including a culminating breakfast after a night of surprise liaisons.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968).

Based on a book by Ian Fleming (yes, the creator of James Bond), this charming, albeit lesser British movie musical stars Dick Van Dyke as an eccentric inventor and devoted single father. His crackpot breakfast-making machine foreshadows a grand tradition of such Goldberg-like devices on film, including ones in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Back to the Future, and even Wallace and Gromit’s The Wrong Trousers.

Citizen Kane (1941). Orson Welles’

that deftly captures the collapse of a marriage. In a brief progression of six breakfast conversations, husband and wife grow ever more distant, both physically and emotionally. That twominute scene epitomizes the technical bravado and the narrative economy of Welles’ dazzling cinematic skill.

Pleasantville (1998). Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon play two modern teens who find themselves mysteriously stuck in their favorite black-and-white 1950s sitcom.

One morning, the two awake to an impossibly high-calorie, high cholesterol breakfast prepared by their TV mom.

Feel your arteries harden as you watch.

The Breakfast Club (1985). No actual breakfast is served in this film, the only one described here with the morning meal in the title. Instead, this John Hughes classic features a lunch scene with another unforgettable dish: Ally Sheedy’s sandwich of Cap’n Crunch and Pixy Stix on white bread. Yum-yum, and pass the sugar rush.

bold film about a prominent man’s rise and fall features a powerful montage www.out-and-about.com

3_Movies.indd 3

45

2/21/2011 3:17:49 PM

MUSIC

Mean Lady photo illustration

by Molly Mooney & Corwin Wickersham

Visions of Diego From the ashes of two bands come two more

By Michael Pollock

D

iego Paulo had a great year in 2010, bringing its tropical-jam sound up and down the state and releasing a great debut album, Café con Leche, that was Rainbow Music & Books’ top-selling CD (beating out the Black Keys’ Grammy-winning Brothers, no less).

But like many local bands, Diego Paulo was more a creative outlet than a career. Perhaps that’s why its time here was temporary. Officially on hiatus as of January, Diego Paulo has split into two new projects that further draw out the band’s experimental leanings.

Four of Diego Paulo’s five members—Zachary Humenik (guitar, bass), Sam Nobles (bass), Tyler Doherty (guitar), and Tyler Holloway (percussion)—are now Smoke Signals, with Zach Thomas (former vocalist and guitarist in American Buffalo) singing.

(Andrew Price and Pete Daly, two of Thomas’ former Buffalo bandmates, are now in the hard-rocking Stallions.)

What was supposed to be an American Buffalo reunion show at Mojo Main in January led Thomas to perform a song with “Diego and a few friends,” he says.

Thomas previously contributed vocals to a couple of tracks on Café con Leche, and Humenik describes Smoke Signals as “similar to Diego Paulo’s world-style 46 . Music

3_Music.indd 2

music, but with a soulful, folky additive coming from Zach.” That much is evident in “Mexico,” a beautiful song the band recently cut, where the mystery and wonder of nature play out in both the lyrics and the music—not much more than a gently strummed guitar.

“We’re aiming for a generally quieter, more organic sound, which is something we always wanted with Diego but never really achieved,” Humenik says. “We’re allowing for more contribution and creativity than what was happening before. We’re all taking turns writing and singing.” An album is in the works, and the band is gigging monthly—the last Saturday of each month—at Home Grown in Newark.

Sam Nobles, who Thomas calls a “genius,” spends time in both Smoke Signals and Mean Lady, a psychedelic hip-hop duo he formed with Diego Paulo’s former lead singer, Katie Dill.

In their former band, “Katie and I developed a strong connection, both as friends and musicians,” Nobles says. “We would often find ourselves writing and sharing song ideas after practices or as we were hanging out, and we seemed to share a great understanding and appreciation of the other’s musical ideas.”

Mean Lady came about when Nobles and Dill decided “to play around in the world of hip-hop,” Nobles says. “We wanted to find a way to create hip-hopesque beats that dropped heavy, but also hit you in the heart the way a movie soundtrack might.” They got it right.

Nobles and Dill conjure a sky of sound by themselves, incorporating samples, upright pianos, glockenspiels, ukuleles, electronic drums, and vocals. A great five-song EP, Kid Friendly, was released for free on Mean Lady’s MySpace page in September. The material has translated well live, too. “We’re able to adopt these beats to live settings, playing late-night basement parties for our friends,” Nobles says. “Mean Lady is kind of the name for any sort of music Katie and I make together.”

The future of Diego Paulo might be categorized as uncertain but hopeful, or the other way around. “You can never say that something is over forever,” Humenik says,” but it’s tough to say how everybody feels about the group.” Nobles counters: “Diego Paulo is its own thing that hasn’t necessarily come to an end. I think everyone in the band was in need of a new and different avenue for creativity. Diego is still its own thing, and something that’s really dear to all of us.”

March  | O&A

2/21/2011 3:19:47 PM

GA L L E RY

1901 Artist Thomas Del Porte invites you to visit his gallery, an artistic destination in Trolley Square.

ART LOOP Friday Night, March 4 starting at 5:30pm for

WILMINGTON LANDSCAPES Featuring Oil Paintings of Lovely Locations in and around the City

MAKE US PART OF YOUR ART LOOP EXPERIENCE THIS MONTH!

302 743 5577 Shows will change every two weeks. call for schedule of events and appearances.

1901 Delaware Avenue Trolley Square, Wilmington

www.out-and-about.com

3_Music.indd 3

47

2/21/2011 3:21:43 PM

Support your local music scene (and beyond)

GIGS

The Bullbuckers (ska/funk) March 17: Mojo Main myspace.com/bullbuckers The Bullets (rockabilly) Thursdays @ Blue Parrot myspace.com/theoriginalbullets

MARCH

& MORE

The Cocks (bar rock) March 31: M Room (Philly) thecocksonline.com

The Sky Drops (shoegaze/reverb rock) March 10: Kelly’s Logan House (w/the Collingwood) theskydrops.com

The Hold-Up (roots rock) Tuesdays @ Blue Parrot myspace.com/thebigholdup Kennett Flash (select shows) March 6, 13, 20, 27: Open-mic nights w/Butch Zito March 7, 14, 21, 28: Blue Monday blues jam March 4: Iva (operatic pop) March 11: Jamie McLean (rock) March 19: Melton Brothers (roots) March 25: Red Molly (folk) kennettflash.org

VILLAINS LIKE YOU

Salem March 21: Johnny Brenda’s The bass-crushing band with a hypnotic debut album (last year’s King Night), a love for Southern hip-hop, and a polarizing live show plays Philly as part of its first proper tour.

Mojo 13 (select events) March 19: Tric Town (indie-music showcase) Tuesdays @ 9pm: Karaoke Champs Hosted by Gentle Jones & featuring a trophy prize (also hosted at Mojo Main in Newark on Thursdays starting at 9pm) myspace.com/mojothirteen

Kurt Vile March 23: World Café Live The Philly-based freak folkie plays a hometown show in support of his latest, Smoke Ring for My Halo, out March 8. Guitar hero and songwriter J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr., Witch) headlines; his new album, Several Shades of Why, features Vile as well as Kevin Drew and Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell.

Villains Like You (blues/garage rock) March 15: Grape Room (Philly) March 19: Home Grown Café (Release party for Black Jackets) March 24: Kelly’s Logan House villainslikeyou.com

The Deer Park Tavern A PARTY! PAJAM March 24th featuring

THURSDAYS

Mar 3: Ballyhoo!

Mar 10: Lifespeed Mar 17: Chorduroy Mar 24: Drop Dead Sexy Mar 31: Element K

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48 . Music

3_Music.indd 4

2/21/2011 4:39:48 PM

Swartzwelder’s approach is breezy and mellow, and while he certainly doesn’t trump the old man’s versions, he brings a sense of overwhelming calm not often found in Young’s work. “I went into this just thinking of having a bit of fun with the guys in my band,” Swartzwelder says. “To be honest, it came out a little more electric than I thought it would. These are definitely a few of my favorite tunes. But I could easily do another EP of his songs.”

Get the EP at kyleswartzwelder.com.

— Michael Pollock

Kyle Swartzwelder’s Heart of Gold A local songwriter pays homage to Neil Young

T

echnology, trends, and record-label fallouts be damned: Neil Young keeps on rolling. He still won’t sit long enough to be pigeonholed; since 2000, he’s released nine albums of new studio material, bringing his tally to 33 (this doesn’t include live recordings or his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash).

For many, though, Neil Young is best remembered for his adventurous run in the ’70s, a tangle of output that continues to unfold and influence today. Wilmington folkie Kyle Swartzwelder takes his appreciation a step further with a new EP, The Songs of Neil Young, featuring his take on four songs spanning a decade: “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere” (from the 1969 album of the same name); “Out on the Weekend” (from 1972’s classic Harvest); cult favorite “Powderfinger” (from 1979’s Rust Never Sleeps); and the oft-covered “Cortez the Killer” (Zuma, 1975).

STAFF PLAYLIST OFWGKTA Dirty Money Last Train to Paris Kurt Vile Childish Prodigy Mean Lady Kid Friendly EP — Michael Pollock, editor-in-chief Penguin Café Orchestra, “Music for a Found Harmonium” A. Armada Anam Cara — Matthew Loeb, creative/productive manager Braids Native Speaker Radiohead The King of Limbs — Joy Smoker, art director

49

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2/21/2011 5:32:59 PM

CELEBRATE

7 DAYS OF ST PATRICKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S DAY S

FUN! Staarting wi Starting with the Shamrock Shuttle Loop on Saturday rday th thee 12th and ending with our Hair of the Dog Brunch att 10AM on Friday Fri the 18th. Stop in each dayy for great foo od and drink specials s ays off fun! f food along with 7 days

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for more info visit:

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52 . Nightlife

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March  | O&A

2/21/2011 5:16:08 PM

NIGHTLIFE

Jillian Guilotto and Kyle Hen, Photo by Tim Fitzgerald

Seeing Green The St. Paddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Loop returns

H

ard to believe, but this month marks the start of spring. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be plenty aware of this should you attend this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family-friendly St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Parade (Saturday, March 12) in downtown Wilmington, which starts at noon on King Street and winds down near St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church shortly after. Typically welcomed by warmer weather, the parade is the unoďŹ&#x192;cial good-bye

to winter. After the parade, Trolley Squareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pubs ďŹ ll up quickly, a prelude to that nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Shamrock Shuttle. Join the fun at 20 nightspots throughout the city. For more info and a Loop F.A.Q., go to outandaboutnow.com. For a list of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s participating bars, see the ad on pg. 55 .

Thurs.

March 17

St Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day at McGlynns Happy Hour

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Featuring Dogfish Head, Victory, Troegs, Twin Lakes, and Stone Breweries.

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53

2/21/2011 3:32:34 PM

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56 . Nightlife

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Personal Training Sports Performance Nutrition

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Digital Brainstorm

NIGHTLIFE

TribeSound opens the doors to musical collaboration with a showcase at the Note

I

t’s a musical version of “think global, act local” when CollabaJam.com hosts its launch party at the Note in West Chester on Sunday, March 13.

CollabaJam is a social-networking site for musicians that was started by Chris Cotter and the folks at TribeSound, a record label and recording facility in West Chester. Spurred by the idea of keeping in touch with band members that had moved away, Cotter set up CollabaJam as a way for other bands to upload

music and search for like-minded collaborators. The site’s launch party at the Note will showcase many of the artists that have recorded at TribeSound, including Dead Beatz Inc., Jay Scroll, DJ Xzotic, the Sermon, the John Grecia Band, Swarm, and others. Tickets to the show, which starts at 4 p.m., are $7 at the door or $4 with a canned good. Donations benefit the Chester County Food Cupboard and Safe Harbor Shelter.

In Honor of Cindy Friends get behind the bar for ovarian-cancer fundraising

N

ever underestimate a group of committed friends.

Especially when they’re rallying for an important cause.

On Friday, March 25, Catherine Rooney’s will play host to a guest-bartender fundraiser benefitting the Cindy Foundation. What’s the Cindy Foundation, you ask?

“It’s a nonprofit I started with some friends in honor of our friend, Cindy DiPinto,” says Karen Nestor Marshall,

C.P. March Ma

WINS

NEW

MENU!

Bar B ar and d Grill Griill

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$2

Bud Light

who’s organizing the event. “She passed away in 2009 from ovarian cancer. The foundation is an all-volunteer group dedicated to raising awareness about ovarian cancer. We donate all proceeds to Christiana Care’s Special Needs Fund, Sloan Kettering, and UPenn’s earlydetection program.”

For more info, call 984-2423.

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3_NightLife.indd 7

57

2/21/2011 3:38:46 PM

OPENING DAY: APRIL 15TH!

Does your web site look like it was designed by a barrel of colorblind monkeys?

15.........................................................................Opening Night/Fireworks 16....................................................................................T-Shirts 19.............................................................Chimes Night, Going Green Night 20.............................................................................School Kids Special #1 29...............................................................................................Fireworks 30...................Dancing with the Stars, with appearance by Edyta Sliwinska, Long Sleeve T-Shirts

.com

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58 . Nightlife

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302-655-9949 March ď&#x2122;&#x2026;ď&#x2122;&#x192;ď&#x2122;&#x201E;ď&#x2122;&#x201E; | O&A

2/22/2011 2:35:08 PM

27

Pinkalicious @

3_FlipPageCalendar.indd 1

20

13

Zakir Hussain & Niladri Kumar @

Daylight Savings.

SPRING AHEAD!

Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre @

6

March

SUNDAY

Monday

28

21

14

7

1

William Shatner’s Birthday

Fat Tuesday @ Blue Parrot Bar & Grille

Mardis Gras

29

22

15

8

WINTERTHUR REOPENS!

Tuesday 2

Sierra Hull & Highway 111 @

16

30

23

Ash Wednesday

9

at Wilmington University (wilmu.edu/openhouse)

OPEN HOUSE

@ DTC, 3/2-20

Wednesday

Thursday

17

10

3

Naturally 7 @

31

24

St. Patrick’s Day Hit an Irish pub near you!

James Doohan’s Birthday

42nd Dollars for Scholars used-book (& other stuff) sale @ Concord Mall, 3/3-6

18

11

4

62nd Chadds 25 Ford Art Sale & Show, 3/25-26

Win Sixers Tickets! (see p. 51)

The Madness of March in Newark.

De Danann @

Marvin Sapp @

Friday

5

2/22/2011 2:32:55 PM

Leonard Nimoy’s Birthday

▲

@ DuPont Theatr Theatre

Cesar Millan

26

19

St. Patrick’s Pat Day Parade Para & Shamrock Shuttle!

12

@ Catherine Rooney’s

Democrats vs.

Republicans

Night:

Bartender

Guest

Saturday

Our event picks of the month

magazine March 2011 | Vol. 2 | Issue 10

GREENER

DAYS ARE HERE Irish festivities ring in spring

in

E THIS ISSU

3_Wilmington_Cover.indd 1

Meet the chefs behind City Restaurant Week Facade makeovers in store for downtown buildings British humor, ghosts at Delaware Theatre Company

2/21/2011 3:45:52 PM

g tin r a t ts S 600 n e R at $

ONLY A FEW UNITS AVAILABLE! APPLY TODAY ONLINE AT INGERMAN.COM

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3_Wilmington_Inside.indd 1

2/21/2011 3:18:09 PM

2011

2 . Inside magazine

3_Wilmington_Inside.indd 2

2/21/2011 3:19:05 PM

Produced by magazine

all rights reserved

TSN Publishing, Inc. President Gerald DuPhily

Editor-in-Chief Michael Pollock

March 2011 volume 2, issue 10

6 Cover Story

Greener Days Are Here With St. Patrick’s Day and spring just around the corner, we all feel a bit green this time of year. But Irish culture has long held a presence in the city. Here, a closer look.

By Josephine Eccel

Art Director Joy Smoker Production Manager Matt Loeb Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath

Advertising Sales Jim Hunter Miller Marie Graham

8 Dining City Restaurant Week

A preview of the biggest, tastiest culinary showcase of the year.

11 In This Together Wilmington, at Face Value Downtown Visions and Main Street join forces for a better-looking city.

Project Manager Christine Serio

Contributing Writers Josephine Eccel, Carol Kipp Larry Nagengast, Bob Yearick

Contributing Photographers

4

“in” Calendar

12

This Month on the Riverfront

16

City Notes

Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk Les Kipp, Matt Urban

For editorial and advertising information: p (302) 655-6483 f (302) 654-0569

TSN Media, Inc. 307 A Street Wilmington, DE 19801

ABOUT THE “IN” CAMPAIGN Wilmington is truly in the middle of it all, and the “in” campaign is a celebration of the accomplishments we continue to achieve as a community to make our city stronger and more attractive. From neighborhood and business development to our arts and cultural scene, the people of Wilmington are working together to support our city’s ongoing growth and prosperity.

ABOUT WILMINGTON MAGAZINE The mission of Wilmington Magazine is to capture, through stories and images, the ongoing energy present in the city. We aim to inform readers, both inside and outside Wilmington, of the city’s residential, financial, and cultural progress while remaining entertaining and vibrant.

MARCH 2011 | 3

3_Wilmington_Inside.indd 3

2/21/2011 4:50:49 PM

In Calendar

MARVIN SAPP at the Grand Opera House Friday, March 11

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS 3/4

all month long

3/26

@ Various downtown venues

@ DCCA

@ DuPont Theatre

wilmingtonde.gov/artloop

thedcca.org

duponttheatre.com

Art Loop & re:Fresh After Party

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Art Exhibit: We Are Our Stuff

Cesar Millan

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March 1 & beyond • ‘Fred Comegys Photographs’ Tuesday, March 1 - Sunday, May 1 Delaware Art Museum 571-9590; delart.org Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts • ‘We Are Our Stuff’ Thru Sunday, May 22 • ‘Brain Fruit II: An Excited State’ Thru Sunday, April 17 • ‘Perforations’ Thru Sunday, May 15 • ‘The Book: A Contemporary View’ Thru Sunday, April 17 • ‘Philadelphia’ Thru Sunday, May 8 656-6466; thedcca.org • ‘Young Frankenstein’ Thru Sunday, March 6 DuPont Theatre 656-4401; duponttheatre.com

• Delaware Spring Home Show Saturday, March 5 & Sunday, March 6 Chase Center on the Riverfront Dozens of home-improvement vendors will be on hand to address questions and offer information about services and products delawarehomeshow.com

• ‘Blithe Spirit’ Thru Sunday, March 20 Delaware Theatre Company 594-1100; delawaretheatre.org

Thursday, March 3 • Art Salad Series Select dates thru Thursday, April 28 Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 656-6466; thedcca.org

Friday, March 4 • ‘B-Sides, Rarities & Unreleased Tracks’ Friday, March 4 & Saturday, March 5 City Theater Company Community series with comedic short plays city-theater.org • Art Opening: Gallery 919 Friday, March 4 - Thursday, March 24 Gallery 919 919 N. Market Street

• Carnival of the Animals & Instrument Petting Zoo The Music School of Delaware 762-1132; musicschoolofdelaware.org • ‘The Harmony Game’ Theatre N A documentary about the making of Simon & Garfunkel’s legendary Bridge Over Troubled Water, the duo’s last studio album 576-2137; theatren.org

• ‘Bhutto’ Theatre N Saturday March 19 & Sunday, March 20 A documentary about Benazir Bhutto, the slain prime minister of Pakistan 576-2137; theatren.org

Sunday, March 20

Friday, March 11

• ‘You and the Purple Crayon’ Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 200 S. Madison Street; 656-6466 thedcca.org

• Marvin Sapp Grand Opera House The powerhouse singer is gospel music’s highest-charting artist 652-5577; thegrandwilmington.org

• ‘Hard at Work’ Book Series Sunday, March 20 - Sunday, April 10 Delaware Humanities Forum 100 W. 10th Street; 752-2060

Thursday, March 24 Saturday, March 12 • Shamrock Shuttle The St. Paddy’s Day Loop, featuring 20 bars and restaurants outandaboutnow.com The Music School of Delaware • ‘Beethoven in Blue Jeans’ • Wilmington Community Orchestra • ‘Dreams or Nightmares?’

762-1132; musicschoolofdelaware.org

• Art Loop & re:Fresh After Party The city’s monthly art loop, held at various downtown locations and featuring a DJ wilmingtonde.gov/artloop

Saturday, March 5

Sunday, March 13

• ‘Tom Sawyer’ Saturday, March 5 - Sunday, March 13 Delaware Children's Theatre 655-1014; dechildrenstheatre.org

• ‘Storytelling with Photography’ Saturday, March 19 - Sunday, March 27 • ‘African-American Fashion Designers in History’ Delaware Art Museum 571-9590; delart.org

• 21st Century Fund for Delaware Children Fundraiser University & Whist Club 21childrensfund.org

• Louie Anderson Grand Opera House An evening with the Emmy-winning comedian and actor 652-5577; thegrandwilmington.org

Delaware Art Museum • Gallery Chat with Fred Comegys Saturday, March 5 - Saturday, April 2 • ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Saturday, March 5 - Sunday, May 22 The works of unidentified female and male artists are paired together. Visitors vote on the gender behind the art.

571-9590; delart.org

• Delaware State University Concert Choir Bethel A.M.E. Church 602 N. Walnut Street bethelwilmington.org

Saturday, March 19 Sunday, March 6

Thursday, March 10 Wednesday, March 2

Friday, March 18

• 12th annual Kelly’s Logan House 5K for Parkinson’s Starts at Kelly’s Logan House: Dupont Street & Delaware Avenue races2run.com

Monday, March 14 • ‘Dine in for Charity’ Union City Grille, 4:30-10pm Participating nonprofits receive 12 percent of the evening’s profits 805 N. Union Street unioncitygrille.com

• Delaware Art Museum Book Club Thursday, March 24 - Thursday, April 28 571-9590; delart.org

Friday, March 25 • ‘The Art of the Book in the 21st Century’ Part of the Gretchen Hupfel Symposium Friday, March 25 & Saturday, March 26 Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts 656-6466; thedcca.org • ‘Barney’s Version’ Theatre N Friday, March 25 - Sunday, March 27 Paul Giamatti’s Golden Globe-winning performance highlights this adaptation of Mordechai Richler’s novel. Also starring Dustin Hoffman and Minnie Driver.

576-2137; theatren.org

Saturday, March 26 • ‘The Reggy Show’ Delaware Children's Theatre 655-1014; dechildrenstheatre.org • Cesar Millan, Dog Whisperer DuPont Theatre 2pm, 8pm The author and animal-behavior specialist does two Q&A sessions with his trusted pit bull, Junior, by his side duponttheatre.com

MARCH 2011 | 5 magazine

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2/22/2011 10:30:37 AM

Irish Culture

Greener Days Are Here

With St. Patrick’s Day and spring just around the corner, we all feel a bit green this time of year.

But Irish culture has long held a presence in the city. Here’s a closer look.

By Josephine Eccel

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hen revelers gather in the parking lot of St. Patrick’s Church to lift their mugs following the city’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, they will be standing close to where the first Mass was celebrated for the parish nearly 130 years ago in a wooden shed.

One of the last churches to be built for the Irish community by the Catholic diocese of Wilmington, St. Patrick’s is appropriately named. And, its dedication was appropriately timed—two days after the property was transferred by the diocese to the church trustees on St. Patrick’s Day, 1882.

The church dates from a long period during which Irish immigration peaked in Wilmington, a demographic pattern that was repeated in cities all along the East Coast, especially after the potato famine of 1845, which sent millions from the Emerald Isle flooding to the shores of America in search of factory jobs. During the 19th century, the Irish accounted for the greatest number of Wilmington’s foreign-born residents and today are still one of the leading ancestry groups in the state.

But even in Colonial times, the Irish represented an important segment of the population, and not all were Catholic.

Some were Presbyterian or Quakers.

Included in the list of marriages of Dutch and Swedish couples at Old Swede’s Church from 1719 through 1797 are hundreds of names: Quinn, Doyle, Flannegan, Dougherty, and McLaughlin among them. Israel Acrelius, in his History of New Sweden, published in 1759, notes the early presence of Irish schoolmasters in the community. And military records from the 18th century show that in several Delaware companies

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prior to the Revolutionary War, nearly half or more of the enlistees were born in Ireland.

The Irish who arrived in the 1800s worked mostly as laborers. When Eluthere Irenee du Pont established his black-powder operations north of Wilmington early in the 19th century, he imported workers from Ireland at company expense and provided them with housing and a school. As their numbers grew, the succeeding generation of du Ponts helped establish a parish church for them, St. Joseph’s on the Brandywine.

Families moved up the economic ladder. Some bought houses in an area today called Forty Acres, which borders on the now-popular Trolley Square section of West Wilmington.

Others were able to buy farms.

Many Irish were employed in the paper, grain, and textile mills clustered along the Brandywine River.

Wilmington was also a center for carriage-building and leather-finishing.

Irish workers filled jobs in these industries, too.

Civil War historians today recognize the name of Wilmington carriage maker Thomas Smyth, born in County Cork, Ireland, and who distinguished himself in battle. He led the famous Irish Brigade for several months, was promoted to brigadier general in 1864 and wounded in April 1865, just before Gen. Lee’s surrender.

He was the last Union army general to die during the war.

By the close of the Civil War, Wilmington had two Catholic churches serving the Irish community; by 1890, there were five. In 1868, the Catholic diocese of Wilmington was established, with the Most Rev. Thomas Becker serving as the first bishop (1868-1886). The two-ton bell in St. Patrick’s Church, which was built during his tenure, was christened “St. Thomas” in his honor.

One of the first of many local Irish priests over the years was the short, robust Dublin native, Fr. Patrick Kenny, who arrived in Delaware in 1804. From 1814 to 1827, he served

six mission parishes in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware from a farmstead on Coffee Run in presentday Hockessin and left a diary chronicling his daily rounds that is as entertaining as it is enlightening.

Fr. Kenny was a frequently familiar sight on the road, driving his Dearborn carriage from one outpost to the other, often saying Mass or performing baptisms and marriages in private homes.

Popular with his flock, Fr. Kenny ran afoul of the church trustees of St. Peter’s in Wilmington, where he celebrated Mass twice a month, and with St. Mary’s, his rural Coffee Run church. Both churches wanted him to conduct their services every Sunday. Impossible, said the itinerant minister, given such a wide-flung flock and no assistant. When the trustees of St. Peter’s cut Kenny’s salary, he denounced them in his sermons, then refused to perform his priestly duties.

A civil suit was promptly filed against him.Warned by trustee William Larkin, a Wilmington shopkeeper (and probably a Kenny supporter), not to appear in church until the court had deliberated, the spunky pastor drove to Larkin’s store, a favorite gathering place for the local Irish community, and announced that he would be celebrating Mass at St. Peter’s the following Sunday. Furthermore, he would welcome meeting with any parishioner. If Kenny’s audacity didn’t convince the trustees that their case against him was futile, the endless line of parishioners who streamed into Larkin’s store, where the priest held court for the next two days, certainly did. Negotiations between trustees and pastor were resumed, and eventually Fr. Kenny was assigned a permanent assistant from the Philadelphia diocese, which oversaw Delaware’s parishes at the time.

More recently, the beloved Father J. Francis Tucker, the first pastor of the Italian parish of St. Anthony of Padua, was of Irish descent, as were several of the city’s bishops.

Politicians and patriots alike throughout the area’s history can also lay claim to Irish ancestry. They include: Dr. James McKinley, 18thcentury president of Delaware (he would be called a governor today); George Read, signer of the Declaration of Independence; and Commodore Thomas Macdonough, hero of the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812.

In the 20th century, descendants many generations removed from Eire have served in Wilmington’s City Council chambers, courts and City Hall.

Yet, until 1976, there was no St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Sheriff John Kelly helped organize and led the first parade, which consisted of a small group of local Irish Americans and one band that marched from City Hall to the Sherriff Kelly’s Logan House pub in Trolley Square. Since then, the job has been taken over by the Irish Culture Club of Delaware, and the event has become a popular family attraction for the whole community.

(See the sidebar on next page.)

As one of the world’s most popular saints and a symbol of Irish culture, St. Patrick deserves a hearty toast by a city that has benefitted from so many whose roots can be traced back to Ireland. in

During the 19th century, the Irish accounted for the greatest number of Wilmington’s foreign-born residents.

MARCH 2011 | 7 magazine

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It’s Your Lucky Day

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or St. Patrick’s Day, everyone can be Irish. And what better time to be wearing the green and celebrating than during Wilmington’s 36th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, starting at noon on Saturday, March 12. It’s a fun family event, filled with string bands, pipe bands, and high school marching bands, performers from three local Irish dance schools, clowns, leprechauns, and floats. It’s led by St. Patrick himself (actually Patrick Kelly, who’s been donning the saint’s garb for the past 34 seasons).

The parade travels up King Street from Fourth to 15th streets, ending at St. Patrick’s Church. It follows the green stripe painted down the center of King Street, which is initiated Friday by the mayor in a traditional mid-day ceremony on Rodney Square and completed with a little follow-up help from the public-works department.

Yes, it can sometimes be a bit chilly, admits Eileen Sweeney of the Irish Culture Club of Delaware, the group that sponsors the parade, but by mid-March people are anxious to get out of the house.

It’s encouraging to know that the parade has been cancelled only four times due to weather. (There is no rain date.)

The ICCD welcomes membership by anyone interested in Irish culture.

Besides sponsoring the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, the group offers discussions about Irish history, Irish-language classes, and other activities throughout the year. Learn more at irishde.org.

And the day wouldn’t be complete without revelers hopping aboard the Shamrock Shuttle, an adults-only loop featuring 20 city restaurants and bars, that officially begins at 8 p.m. (Although you’ll find Trolley Square’s pubs filled up long before then.) For more info, go to outandaboutnow.com/do.

2011

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unch, dinner, or both—City Restaurant Week is Wilmington’s biggest, tastiest culinary showcase.

This year, 14 restaurants will be serving up the goods

from March 28 to April 2, featuring two-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $35. (Get full details at cityrestaurantweek.com.) To get ready, we surveyed the 12 chefs participating in this year’s event so that you, the reader/patron, can get to know them better.

Kate Applebaum Chef de Cuisine Harry’s Seafood Grill Years in hospitality industry: 22 Chef you look up to? “My mentor, Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona in New Orleans.”

Favorite dish to make? “I’m a mother of two and have my own business with my husband, so when I do cook, I love to make a simple pot of tomato sauce with good Italian sausage and raviolis.”

Favorite dish to eat? “My husband’s crawfish.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? “It’s a toss-up between Amada and Tinto.”

Quick dining tip: “Be open-minded and adventurous, and ask the server’s opinion.”

Aaron Bukowski Executive Chef Public House Wilmington Years in hospitality industry: 13 Chef you look up to? Al Paris (Public House Investments)

Favorite dish to make? Short ribs Favorite dish to eat? High-quality porterhouse steak Favorite restaurant that’s not your own?

Varga Quick dining tip: “Always try a dish once. And taste your food before you add salt and pepper.”

Dan Butler Chef/Owner Deep Blue Bar & Grill Years in hospitality industry: “Many. I started in high school as a dishwasher at the Hotel du Pont.”

Chefs you look up to? Tom Douglas, Michael White Favorite dish to make? “Anything braised.”

Favorite dish to eat? “The pig, in all its iterations.”

Favorite culinary show? “I can’t remember the name of it. It’s the BBC one with Gordon Ramsey. His solutions are plausible and simple. I really like the follow-up as

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well, because as often as not, participants have reverted back to the same problems that landed them in trouble in the first place---and that totally happens.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own: Domaine Hudson Quick dining tip: “Get the special! It’s a dish the chef is always proudest of.”

Al Chu Executive Sushi Chef Mikimotos Asian Grill & Sushi Bar Years in hospitality industry: 15-plus Chef you look up to? Gordon Ramsey Favorite dish to make? Steamed chicken with special oyster sauce Favorite dish to eat? Linguini with red clam sauce Favorite culinary show? “Hell’s Kitchen. Gordon knows how to yell at people!”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? Joe Shan Hai in New York City Quick dining tip: “Always choose the crowed restaurant over a non-crowded restaurant.

Crowds mean the food is always fresh.”

John Jones Executive Chef Fire Stone Craft Pizzas & Roasting House Chef you look up to? Jeff Henderson Favorite dish to make? “All manners of sushi.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? “I don’t get out enough to eat out!”

Quick dining tip: “Order your meal from the chef ’s feature sheet. We, as chefs, put an enormous amount of thought and creativity into our menus, which we hope you, as our patrons, will enjoy.”

Julio Lazzarini Executive Chef/Owner Orillas Tapas Bar, Vinoteca 902 Years in hospitality industry: 16 Chef you look up to? Thomas Keller Favorite dish to make? Ceviche Favorite dish to eat? “A nice grilled Cuban sandwich with lots of spicy mustard.”

Favorite culinary show? “Anthony Bourdain’s. His honesty of culinary ethics is unrivaled.”

Favorite restaurants that aren’t your own? Pikayo in San Juan, Puerto Rico Quick dining tip: “Never forget that food sharing is the ultimate social interaction. Eat tapas and mezze. It feeds minds, hearts, and souls.”

Drew Lopuski Executive Chef Washington Street Ale House, Presto Years in hospitality industry: 7-plus Chef you look up to? Ming Tsai Favorite dish to make? Osso buco Favorite dish to eat? Fish tacos

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Favorite restaurant that’s not your own?

Sushi Samba Quick dining tip: “Never underestimate a restaurant’s daily specials.”

Patrick McMahon Chef Domaine Hudson Years in hospitality industry: 35 Chef you look up to? Jean Luis Palladin Favorite dish to make? Cassoulet Favorite dish to eat? “My wife’s spaghetti and meatballs.”

Favorite culinary show? “Food Crafters. The small, artisanal, entrepreneur business model is so important to our culture, our culinary heritage, and our economic recovery.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? Balthazaar Quick dining tip: “If a restaurant takes reservations, make them. And if you’re going to be late or can’t make it, call.”

Sean McNeice Chef/Partner Chelsea Tavern Years in hospitality industry: 20 “or so.”

Chef you look up to? Michael Symon Favorite dish to make? “Anything braised over risotto.”

Favorite dish to eat? Steamed blue claw crabs and beer Favorite culinary show? “Top Chef is the only food show I watch. I love the competition and drama, but what’s more, it is very food-forward. The food that comes out of some of these folks is fantastic. It’s even more fun to watch them screw ew up. When they louse up, they really louse up.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? “The Inn nn at Little Washington for a once- (or hopefully y twice) –in-a-lifetime experience and Amis Trattoria in Philly for much more often.”

Quick dining tip: “Market Street at night is as safe as the suburbs.”

Michael McNutt Executive Chef Big Fish Grill

Keith Miller Executive Chef The Green Room at Hotel du Pont Years in hospitality industry: 22 Chefs you look up to? Susur Lee and Thomas Keller Favorite dish to make? Short ribs with truffle demi Favorite dish to eat? “Anything with foie gras.”

Favorite culinary show? “Iron Chef America. I really like seeing how inventive the chefs can become under a one-hour deadline.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? Kelly Liken in Vail, Colo.

Quick dining tip: “I really like ordering a group of small plates to share with everyone at the table.

It promotes conversation and fun.”

Sergio Pellegrino Chef/Owner Café Mezzanotte Chef you look up to? “Mario Batali, because of his strong authentic mix of true regional Italian cuisine.”

Favorite dish to make? “Cioppino, for the great seafood I am accustomed to by my mother, Maria Pellegrino.”

Favorite dish to eat? “Whole branzino. This is a delicacy from the beautiful Mediterranean Sea.” Favorite culinary show? “Iron Chef! You get to see the professionalism and organization of these talented wizards, as you would if you were in their restaurants on a busy night.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own? “Japanese is a favorite for sure, so I’d have to say Masamoto in Chadds Ford.”

Chef Al Chu from Mikimotos

Years in hospitality industry: 26 Chef you look up to? Gordon Ramsey Favorite dish to make? Roast tenderloin with Duxelle topped with a wild-mushroom demi-glaze Favorite dish to eat? Maryland blue crab Favorite culinary show? “Iron Chef, because of the diverse recipes prepared with one main ingredient and the time constraint.”

Favorite restaurant that’s not your own?

Hemingway’s in Providence, R.I. Quick dining tip: “Always ask to make sure the protein you order is fresh, not frozen.”

2/21/2011 3:05:07 PM

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magazine

Wilmington, at Face Value Downtown Visions and Main Street join forces for a better-looking city

By John Rago & Lani Schweiger

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ilmington’s downtown district is getting better all the time. New stores and restaurants have opened, and more and more people are living downtown.

In addition, the city’s wildly popular arts and cultural scene is about to get a big boost in April when the former Queen Theatre becomes a music and restaurant venue under the banner of World Café Live at the Queen.

With all this excitement, it’s important that the appearance and visual appeal of downtown Wilmington match its progress in terms of being a great place to live, work, and have fun. To that end, have you noticed that some of downtown’s best architecture is hidden by facades that cover the original building designs?

To uncover some of that original beauty and create a more visually appealing city, the Market Street Façade Improvement Program is underway and is intended as a pilot initiative for a larger-scale, city-wide façade-improvement program. The program, managed by Downtown Visions (DTV)/Main Street Wilmington (MSW), is targeting 50 properties along Market Street, from Second Street to Ninth Street, that could benefit from varying degrees of façade improvement. The types of work that DTV and MSW are recommending to participating property owners range from new signage or awnings to complete façade rehabilitation, including new windows, carpentry work, and masonry repair. The program offers matching grants to businesses along the Market Street corridor, on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Downtown Visions and Main Street Wilmington believe that it’s important to offer matching grants to move the program forward, because many smaller Market Street businesses could not otherwise afford to take on such an expense.

To date, 10 businesses, including the new Nomad Bar and Jazz Club on Orange Street (featured on this page),

have already applied or expressed interest in the program, with an estimated $152,000 in improvements needed. When these 10 properties are coupled with others reviewed in the downtown target area by DTV and MSW, it is estimated that more than $750,000 in façade and signage improvements are needed.

DTV and MSW are contacting local companies to raise the money to fund the façade matching grants. So far, Bank of America has contributed $50,000 to the program, and ING Direct has just allocated $10,000 in support.

If businesses would like to help spur a better-looking downtown area, either through a contribution to the program or by becoming a participating business and changing the look of their building’s exterior, contact Will Minster at wminster@downtownvisions.org or Lani Schweiger at lschweiger@ downtownvisions.org, or call them at 425-5373. A more attractive Wilmington will help promote the other positive developments that are evident when people choose to live in or visit the new Wilmington that is emerging from the old. in MARCH 2011 | 11

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Riverfront

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A taste of British humor at Delaware Theatre

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he witty work of Noel Coward comes to the Riverfront this month as the Delaware Theatre Company presents Blithe Spirit. The play follows a novelist who, wishing to contact the dead for research on a book he’s writing, ends up summoning his ex-wife. The show has been a record-setting hit in both London and on Broadway. Runs March 2-20. (delawaretheatre.org)

VACATIONS & DESTINATIONS Vacations, staycations, and destinations at Chase Center expo

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epresentatives from airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, and more will be on hand on Saturday, March 5 for the Vacations & Destinations Expo at the Chase Center.

Learn about home-sitting services, travel insurance, adventure gear and rentals—whether you’re heading far away from home or embarking on a staycation just within a day’s drive. (mountainexpos.com/vacations_expo.html)

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magazine

SPRING HOME SHOW Spring house-cleaning at the Delaware Home Show

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rom awnings to windows and dozens of areas in between, this year’s Spring Delaware Home Show, sponsored by the Home Builders Association of Delaware, has your needs covered. The popular two-day event, held the weekend of March 5-6 at the Chase Center, draws exhibitors from every major category of home décor and repair. (delawarehomeshow.com)

ARTIST-MADE BOOKS The role of books explored in art at DCCA

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his year’s Gretchen Hupfel Symposium, held at the DCCA on Friday, March 25 and Saturday, March 26, explores the book medium, in the symposium’s own words, “as object, subject, and concept” through artist-made books, deconstructed books, and book installations by more than 40 contemporary artists. (thedcca.org)

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Amtrak Station Tubman-Garre Riverfront Park Residences at Christina Landing Harry’s Seafood Grill Riverfront Market Delaware Theatre Company FireStone Roasting House Justison Landing Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts Joe’s Crab Shack Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Frawley Stadium & Delaware Sports Hall of Fame Chase Center on the Riverfront Dravo Plaza & Dock Shipyard Shops Timothy’s Restaurant Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Wilmington Rowing Center Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/DuPont Environmental Education Center Wilmington Youth Rowing Assoc.

Cosi @ the Barclays Crescent Building ThoroBreads at Christina Landing Opera Delaware Studios/City Theater Co. Hare Pavilion/Riverwalk Public Docks AAA Mid-Atlantic Kooma Big Fish Grill Delaware Children’s Museum

MARCH 9

‘BLITHE SPIRIT’ @ D E L A W A R E T H E AT R E C O M PA N Y

MOM’S NIGHT OUT SPEAKER SERIES @ DEL AWARE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Noel Coward’s British farce 200 Water St. Select dates & times

UD prof Dr. Roberta Golinkoff discusses the importance of play for child development 550 Justison St. 6-8pm

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MARCH 24 K A L M A R N YC K E L L E C T U R E S E R I E S Guest speaker and maritime expert Frederick Hocker discusses technology used to research ship wrecks Chase Center 6pm

F O R M O R E O N T H E R I V E R F R O N T, V I S I T:

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A TASTE OF LITTLE ITALY MORE THAN JUST PASTA May 17th, 18th, & 19th A community wide culinary event held simultaneously at Li le Italy eateries.

ATasteOfLi leItaly.com WestEndNh.org

Proceeds to benefit the West End Neighborhood House

MARCH 2011 | 15 magazine

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2/22/2011 12:28:16 PM

Brew Ha Ha! opens ninth location

City Notes

Wilmington nonprofit receives Patriot Award The Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence was recently honored by the National Guard and Reserve with the Patriot Award.

The Coalition received the award for their leadership and personnel policies that support employee participation in the Guard and Reserve.

“Part of the Coalition’s philosophy is to empower individuals to make the best decisions for themselves and their families,” says Carol Post, executive director of the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

“This unique experience of having a reservist on staff has brought a whole new dimension to our work.”

For more, visit dcadv.org.

The ‘Spotlight’ is back on The Grand Opera House returns with In the Spotlight, its fresh-talent competition where the winner gets his or her very own performance at the Grand.

In the Spotlight began last month with the Singing category.

It continues this month with the Bands, Instrumentalists, Singer/ Songwriters category. There are five spots up for grabs in this portion.

Downtown Wilmington has another spot to grab coffee, breakfast, or lunch with the arrival of the newest Brew Ha Ha! location at 222 Delaware Ave. Situated between Tatnall and Orange streets, the newest branch of the locally owned coffee franchise is the business’ third location in the city of Wilmington and the ninth in Delaware.

Store hours are Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In addition to coffee beverages, Brew Ha Ha! offers a food menu with sandwiches, salads, soups, morning pastries, and desserts.

The new location also has an enclosed meeting space available for small meetings throughout the day.

For more information and location addresses, visit brewhaha.com.

April brings the Dance category, again with five spots available. All solo performers as well as small and large groups performing any style of dance are eligible. Deadline for applications is April 1 and the competition will be April 17.

The last category is the appropriately named Last Chance: Anything Goes!

All talented folks are welcome to compete for the final spots on May 1. The finale will be May 15.

For more information or applications, visit thegrandwilmington.org/IN. DART announces poster contest Children in grades 6 through 12 are welcome to flex their creative skills as part of DART First State’s 11th annual transit-poster contest.

This year’s theme is “Bike to the Bus.” With communities moving toward a bicycle-friendly environment, students are asked to create an 8 ½” x 11” poster illustrating the benefits of linking public transit and bicycling. Connecting these two modes of transportation increases the options for commuters using Delaware’s public-transit system.

All entries should be submitted by March 18 to DART First State Poster Contest; Marketing Dept.; 119 Lower

Beech St.; Wilmington, DE 19805. On the reverse side of the poster, students should include their name, address, age, grade level, school or organization name and address, and teacher/advisor name and phone number. Prizes and certificates will be provided by DART First State and its business partners, and winning artwork will be displayed in various DART advertisements and promotions.

For details and contest instructions, call 576-6016 or visit dartfirststate.com.

Nineteen artists—9 from Wilmington—receive state grants Artists throughout the state were recently recognized for their works and contribution to the state’s arts and culture community.

The Delaware Division of the Arts announced the FY 2011 winners of the Individual Artist Fellowship grants. Nineteen individual Delaware artists, including nine from Wilmington, are being recognized for their work in the visual arts, literature, music, and folk arts.

The artists receive a financial award—$3,000 for the Emerging category, $6,000 for the Established category, and $10,000 for the Masters level. This year’s winner of the Masters Fellowship is sculptor Rick Rothrock, of Wilmington.

Other Wilmington 2011 Individual Artist Fellows include: Established Professional ($6,000 award) Colette C. Gaiter, Visual Arts: Work on Paper Judith E. Goldsmith, Visual Arts: Painting Rachel Simon, Literature: Fiction Raye Jones-Avery, Jazz: Performance Emerging Professional ($3,000 award) April (A.D.) Loveday, Visual Arts: Work on Paper Delainey Barclay, Visual Arts: Painting Ellen L. Durkan, Visual Arts: Sculpture Joy S. Robinson, Folk Art: Craft

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