Food

Former Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold is doing his court-ordered community service hours at Anne Arundel County Food & Resource Bank in Crownsville, following his release from jail on convictions for misconduct in office. "He works in the front office for us," food bank Executive Director Bruce Michalec confirmed. He said he did not want to discuss specifics, but that Leopold completed a week of community service and is expected to be there 40 hours a week for his 400 hours of community service.

"Come casual … dine fine. " That's the motto sprinkled across Christopher Daniel's menu and signage. The concept - good food served in a low-key setting - is a worthy one. But while the service is top-notch, the food portion of "fine" dining needs a boost. The restaurant has been popular since its opening in 2005, though during our visit on a Wednesday evening the Timonium space was only about half full. Even with a big table of chatty women, the atmosphere was hushed, making the conservatively decorated space feel more formal than "come casual" suggests.

You don't need to be a scratch golfer to enjoy Mountain Branch Grille & Pub. Though the restaurant is located on the grounds of Mountain Branch Golf Club in Joppa, it is open to golfers and non-golfers alike (the course is open to the public, too, and golf memberships are also available). It's no surprise that Mountain Branch is a popular spot for weddings: The space - with exposed rafters, stone accents and enormous windows overlooking the course - is jaw-dropping. Fortunately, the food and service are just as impressive.

The United Way of Central Maryland's Access to Healthy Food Initiative distributed more than 2.8 million pounds of groceries - enough to fill 56 tractor trailers - to low-income individuals and families, the organization announced Tuesday. Businesses, organizations and individuals, including 89 healthy food drives across the region hosted by Constellation Energy, Johns Hopkins institutions, LifeBridge Health and others, made contributions. The amount of food is nearly double the initiative's first-year goal set when it kicked off in 2011.

Last year Baltimore City paid vendors more than $800 million, much of it for construction projects, gas and electricity, trash and recycling services, transportation and the like, according to monthly figures posted on a city website. But some purchases look odder than others, at least at first blush: Frozen mice. A mink coat. Paintball. About $27,000 worth of food from S'ghetti Eddie's for the Fire Department. Those spending details and many others emerged during a Baltimore Sun review of the city's 2012 figures.

A group representing Baltimore-area food trucks have signed a letter of support for the Food Truck Association of Metropolitan Washington, which is fighting a set of new regulations it fears will hamper and even cripple its business. Addressed to the Council of the District of Columbia, the letter was signed by eight regional food truck associations, including the Maryland Mobile Food Truck Association, whose members operate in the Baltimore area.  The letter says proposed regulations from Mayor Vincent C. Gray "represent some of the worst food truck laws in the country.

Talk about leading by example -- the Maryland Department of the Environment announced Monday that it would begin collecting food scraps at its Baltimore headquarters for composting. The Earth Day announcement comes on the heels of Howard County launching its own food-scrap processing facility, which I covered here for The Baltimore Sun. MDE will give its 900-plus employees the option to compost their uneaten food at the agency's main offices in Montgomery Park. Officials there say they hope in the effort's inaugural year to divert more than 6 tons of waste that might otherwise have gone to an incinerator or landfill.

Howard Hord considers himself a chef of sorts, but the food he works with is a little past its prime. Using moldy melon rinds, orange peels and other castoff fruit and vegetables from some Howard County kitchens, Hord is "cooking" the first batches of plant fertilizer to be produced by the new composting facility at the county's Alpha Ridge landfill in Marriottsville, set to mark its official opening on Monday, Earth Day. Hord, the landfill's operations...

The following is compiled from police reports.  Ellicott City Town and Country Boulevard, 8700 block, 11 p.m. April 9. While making delivery, pizza delivery person was approached by two men. One blocked pathway driver was walking on that led to building. Men stole portion of food order and walked away. Elkridge/Jessup Washington Boulevard, 6300 block, 4:21 a.m. April 14. Rock used to smash front glass door of Nail Salon. Cash from desk drawer and nail polish bottles, which were mounted on the wall, were stolen.

The Food Network said today that  Dangerously Delicious Pies founder Rodney Henry of Baltimore will be a finalist on the ninth season of "Food Network Star. " The judges will be Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay in the competition to name the best and brightest new faces in food television. The season premiere will be at 9 p.m. Sunday, June 2. The network says that each episode before the Aug. 11 finale will feature a first-round Mentor Challenge, second-round Star Challenge and an elimination determined by the selection committee, including returning judges Food Network executives Susie Fogelson and Bob Tuschman.