A SHMORGASBOARD OF WONDERFUL

                A few weeks ago I celebrated the completion of my dietetic internship by hitting up Philadelphia and DC with my aunt, uncle, and parents.   For one week we checked out the sites, wore holes in our shoes, and ate at some unforgettable restaurants. 

                I graduated at around 4pm the day after my family arrived, and to kill time we took a mini trip to Berlin, MD.  This is the town where The Runaway Bride was filmed, and I now understand why they chose this location for the movie.  Quaint, elegant, and pleasant are just a few words that come to mind in describing this place.  Winding brick walkways amidst small family stores and restaurants, you can’t not have a good time.  They also have 2 phenomenal restaurants in this tiny city- The Atlantic General Hotel and The Globe.  We ate at The Globe that afternoon, which use to be an old theater.  Pictures of famous actors and actresses lined the walls, and they had snippets of old black and white films playing from a projector.  We all ordered great dishes, but my aunt had never tried fried green tomatoes and wanted to give them a whirl.  She chose well, let me tell you  (She let me taste a bite)!  These tomatoes were thick, but not too juicy and lightly fried to perfection.  Sometimes you order fried food and the breading is too soggy or overpowering, masking the taste of whatever it coats.  The Globe chefs must have the perfect touch, because those tomatoes were the crispiest I’d ever had.  The best part, however, were the toppings that were paired with this entrée.  Bleu cheese and bacon crumbles were sprinkled all over the tomatoes, and the plate was garnished with a thin line of barbeque sauce.  Sounds like a weird pairing, but it was such an amazing combination of flavor!  The crispy coating of flour, succulent tomato, slightly salty blue cheese, and bacon with the tanginess of the BBQ.  All of these flavors hit your tongue, making your mouth go wild.  Unlike anything I’ve ever had before, but I would recommend it for anyone visiting The Globe in Berlin. 

                We made our way to the beautiful city of Philadelphia and spent a few days exploring the city before heading down to Washington DC.  Our usual dining habits were thrown out the window, as much of our early and late afternoon was spent sightseeing.   Most days we would eat a big breakfast and then have an early dinner, with snacks in the late evening if hunger struck.   One such evening we decided to pick up a few appetizers at RT’s Restaurant, a fantastic eatery in Alexandria, VA  (the city we stayed in, just outside of DC).   We ordered the “She Crab” Soup and the Shrimp and Crab Beignets, two dishes this restaurant is known for.  They were some of the best appetizers I have tasted in a long time.  The She Crab Soup was creamy, but full of fresh crab flavor.  It had a slight bite to it, but wasn’t overly spicy by any means.  This soup hit the spot because of its slight spiciness, sweet crab, and minced vegetables.  The shrimp beignets (typically served as a sweet pastry fritter) were a savory treat.  The fresh shrimp and crab were covered in a thin batter and fried to perfection, then served with a spicy mayo sauce.  They basically melted in our mouths!  At the size of a small apple, one was the perfect amount to rid our hunger pangs after a long day of walking.  Both of these appetizers were instant hits around our table that night.  

 

                Vacations are always fun, as you get to go out and see/ try new things.  While much of the food we tried during our trip was rich and heavy, eating those kinds of food every once in a blue moon is alright.  You may be at risk for health complications if fried and other rich foods are a part of your regular diet, so just watch how often you are eating them.  I feel if you eat a diet that consists of 80% healthy foods (fresh fruits and vegetables, low fat dairy, lean meats, and whole grains), then small treats and rich foods can be incorporated every once in a while.  Enjoying these, especially in the company of good family and friends, makes life worth living for :-)