Flavor

Chicken McBites are back for a limited time only in Greater Baltimore area restaurants - but this time, they have a bold new flavor. New Spicy Chicken McBites are crispy, poppable pieces of juicy white chicken breast that are seasoned with a variety of spices to create the perfect balance of heat and flavor that builds with every bite. The delicious and bold new offering is available for a limited time now through July 29, in a convenient package in three sizes - Snack (3 ounce)

From Baron Ambrosia dueling with John Waters on the Cooking Channel on Friday, to Adam Richman featuring Faidley's crab cake sandwich this week on the Travel Channel, Baltimore has been getting its share of foodie TV lately. But it looks to be mere prelude to what Baltimore's most irrepressible TV chef, Duff Goldman, is planning for Hungry, an entire YouTube channel devoted to food, which he is helping create, produce and will appear on starting July 2. Described as a cutting-edge example of cable TV for the Internet, Hungry will have a definite Baltimore flavor, the former "Ace of Cakes" star vows.

From: Tuscany, Italy Price: $14 Serve with: Clams, oysters This complex but moderately priced Italian white wine shows the distinctly nutty character of vernaccia, with a strong underlying flavor of minerals. Fruit flavors don't predominate in this severely dry but satisfying wine, but they are present: citrus, pear and a hint of coconut. This is another fine selection from Angelini Wines — an importer to watch.

A local charity will benefit from the beer-making skills of Vincent and Suzanne Powers, winners of the second annual H.E.R.O Homebrew contest run by the DuClaw Brewing Company. The Nottingham residents won the contest with their Chocolate Chipotle Stout, beating 54 other home-brewed offerings. The beer will be made by DuClaw and sold in the chain's brewpubs and at retail locations. Proceeds will go to a charity that will be chosen at the end of June or the beginning of July. "We're open to suggestions," said Dave Benfield, CEO of the Maryland craft brewing company, founded in 1996.

Before walking into BangBang Mongolian Grill, take a deep breath. It might be your last chance to relax until dinner is over. The new addition to the Can Company in Canton, which opened in February, promotes its healthy, do-it-yourself meals with exclamations like "An Explosion of Flavors Await!" and, splashed across a bright red wall, "BRING IT!" Fans of Tony Horton's P90X videos will chuckle - the energetic fitness guru uses "Bring it!" as his catch phrase. That's appropriate because BangBang's shares the same manic energy that Horton exudes in front of the camera.

Long before the throngs of audience members generate "oohs" and "ahhs," the staff of the UniverSoul Circus begins to craft its unusual performances, spending months combing the globe for fresh acts. The result includes performers such as the Shaolin Kung Fu acrobats from China and hip-hop contortionists from Guinea. With this array of international talent, it's fitting that this year's tour has been entitled "US. " "In our mind, when you come to UniverSoul, you see a culture that really mirrors society," said Paula Murphy, executive vice president of the traveling circus, which performs at Security Square Mall through Sunday.

Look, I'm not above sneaking a few extra vegetables and fruits into my kid's diet. I'm lucky that he's not a very picky eater and loves broccoli, so I don't have to do that much sneaking. But sure, a little spinach in a smoothie, some pasta with veggies in it? I'm there. But have we really gotten to the point where we have to trick kids into eating apples ? And do they really need a marketing ploy? They're already sweet! They're nature's candy! They keep you away from the doctor's office when eaten daily!

Starbucks is offering half-off any flavor and size of its blended beverages starting Friday and running through May 13, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. The blends, mixes of syrup, coffee, milk and ice, include flavors such as Mocha Cookie Crumble, Chocolate Cookie Crumble Crème and Mocha Coconut. And if you're tweeting, tag your Twitter photos with #FrappuccinoHappyHour to win prizes. The top 10 best beverage-inspired photos will go into a daily photo album at facebook.com/Frappuccino.

To make a cocktail, a bartender performs a complicated ballet involving spirits, mixers and garnishes, somehow juggling them all and finally bringing them in for a graceful, neat landing in your glass. At Heavy Seas Alehouse, bartender Will Helfrich has a simpler approach. He grabs a tall glass, sets it underneath the beer tap and pours eight ounces of sudsy, golden beer, Heavy Seas Classic Lager. And then tops it off with homemade pomegranate lemonade. Add a sprig of fresh rosemary and you have the Little Italy bar and restaurant's Sea Shandy.

Chef Shawn Lagergren, who co-owns Hamilton's new Cajun spot, Tooloulou, has cooking in his blood. He grew up in Louisiana, learning to cook while perched on a stool in his grandmother's kitchen. Lagergren may have made his chops in Baltimore restaurants like Luca's and Village Square Cafe. But his love for cooking and his understanding of Cajun flavors? That's all from his Maw Maw. And Maw Maw taught him well. The tiny Tooloulou, which borrows its musical name from the Cajun word for "crab," does a brisk business, serving traditional Louisiana fare and creatively topped artisan pizzas to an enthusiastic crowd of local regulars.