Flavor

Nothing says old fashioned and simple quite like the Hot Toddy. Whether you're using it to treat your flu or cold symptoms (not doctor recommended, but probably by your grandmother) or preparing to hit the hay, it's the perfect evening drink. Thames Street Oyster House makes theirs with a light flavor and a local twist. Manager Candace Beattie explains: "We try to keep all of our drinks light and locally sourced whenever possible, even our happy hour is local. " To wit, the Thames Street Toddy is composed of Maryland's crown jewel of rye whiskey Pikesville Rye, mint, lemon and sweet orange tea - and it's the pinnacle of relaxing.

Halloween night, most caldrons will be filled with candy. But the ones on the stove might be filled with bones (cue creepy music). The holiday aside, in this era of nose-to-tail dining, adding "bones" to the shopping list doesn't seem unusual — nor should it. Dogs know what humans should: Bones are nutritious and delicious. Cooking with bones is as old as cooking itself. In the "appetizers and snacks" section of "Le Guide Culinaire," published in 1903, the famed French chef Auguste Escoffier included a simple recipe for grilled sirloin bones: "Sprinkle them with cayenne," he advised.

As fall approaches, the cuisines in area restaurants begin to change to suit the warm colors, temperatures and flavors of the season. Perhaps it's the cooling breezes or the leaves falling, but there is something about the weather that entices diners to seek out comfort food. Chef/owner Jon Kohler of Pairings Bistro in Bel Air has created a classic favorite, Beef Bourguignon. “Nothing is more comfort food when the weather starts to turn cooler than Beef Bourguignon. It's rich and tasty and pairs well with a wide variety of red wines from Bordeaux to Rhone to Rioja Spain to California Pinot Noir,” says Kohler, 40. Pairings Bistro is Kohler's first restaurant, which he opened in March 2009.

What does the sailing community in Eastport love? It loves the Boatyard Bar and Grill. Dick Frayno opened the Boatyard Bar and Grill in the Eastport district of Annapolis in 2001. Cozy and charming, with plenty of dining and shopping options, Eastport has grown in popularity since then, and the Boatyard has established itself as a community hub for residents and tourists, and an unofficial headquarters for the city's sailing community. I think it must be outsiders who come to Annapolis looking for Chesapeake-focused cuisine.

In the garden with Mr. Bee, Lou Boulmetis: Storing the harvest Much of our surplus garden produce is given away to family and friends. But plenty is also stored for meals that will be prepared during the upcoming winter — because I really don't want to wait until next summer to savor the flavor of my favorite varieties. Fortunately, many fruits and vegetables can be kept reasonably fresh for months, without going to the trouble of canning or drying. At our place, for instance, onions and garlic have been in storage for two months, and they will still be edible nine months from now. Other types of produce can easily be stored, too, providing that certain guidelines are adhered to. What follows should help.

One bite of a cool, crisp and bittersweet apple, and it's apparent why it is so intertwined with autumn. No fruit has had a more schizophrenic symbolic history - from the tantalizing tempter of Eve to the sign of appreciation for favorite teachers (and many meanings in between). At area farmers' markets, you will find the forbidden fruit in more varieties than you could have ever hoped to find at a supermarket. With some orchards selling dozens of varieties, it can get daunting trying to choose.

Editor's note: Each week, InsideMdSports.com provides this blog with a Maryland recruiting feature that previously appeared as premium content on its site. One of the Washington area's most highly touted junior football prospects, St. John's (D.C.) quarterback Will Ulmer , was in attendance at Byrd Stadium on Saturday. And while the Terps didn't pull out the win against UConn, Ulmer continues to gain interest in the hometown school. “It was very good," Ulmer said.

It's been years since Maggie Lebherz lived in sunny Spain as a college exchange student. Yet just one taste of fresh olive oil takes her back in spirit. "In 2007, I lived with a family in Salamanca, and my host mother cooked everything in olive oil, in a big cast-iron skillet," recalls Lebherz. "She rarely changed the oil, and it became spiced. Whether she was frying potatoes in olive oil or making paella, every meal was so delicious. " After Lebherz returned to the States and graduated from college, her cravings for the quality olive oil she'd enjoyed abroad turned her into an entrepreneur.

McCormick World of Flavors, the only retail venture by the Hunt Valley-based spice company, is now open in Harborplace's Light Street Pavilion, offering shoppers grilling, baking and cooking products alongside interactive displays such as "Guess That Spice. " Shoppers will find tins of Old Bay placed amid platters, bowls and crab mallets stamped with the Old Bay brand name, tables of Grill Mates marinades and rubs and shelves full of Thai Kitchen rice noodles, fish sauce and sweet red chili sauce.