Great Chefs

Gourmands gathered at Linwoods/Due restaurants in Owings Mills as the Family Tree held its eighth annual Great Chefs' Dinner. This year, the $200-a-plate meal was masterminded by renowned chef Alessandro Stratta, former executive chef of the four-star Mary Elaine's restaurant at the Phoenician hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz.During the cocktail hour, dinner co-chairs Georgia Stamas and Ziba Franks welcomed eager epicures, including the Family Tree's deputy executive director, Stephanie Davis, and director of development, Judy Hyman; Joanne and Abraham Rosenthal, CEO of Prime Retail Inc.; Dort and Richard Mollett, owners of Antrim 1844 Country Inn; Caprece Jackson Garrett, special-events coordinator for Port Discovery, and Dennis Garrett, president of Arcadia Transportation; and Joan and Tom Smyth, VP of the Albert S. Smyth Co.After cocktails came the serious supping: a five-course meal that began with sea scallops and asparagus with black truffle hollandaise, and ended with chocolate mousse.

We weren't surprised to find out Joe Fava is an interior designer and owner of the Fava Design Group in Florida. The 40-year-old attendee of the Family Tree's 19th annual Great Chefs' Dinner was as put-together as the table he designed for the event — a purple Pucci-themed creation. "Trendy with an edge" is how the Baltimore native describes his style. The look : Aubergine cotton button-down Nara Camicie shirt. Black velvet Dolce & Gabbana blazer. Gray and black striped Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo pants.

RHEIMS, France -- What to put on the stove if a great chef is coming to dinner? And if that's daunting, what about 120 chefs anointed with one, two or three stars by the Michelin guide, the arbiter of European restaurant quality?That's who came to dinner Sunday evening, and on into the wee hours, in the old cooperage house at the Mumm Champagne works in Rheims, 80 miles east of Paris.At the top of the list were almost a dozen venerable superstars, including Michel Roux of the Waterside Inn in Bray, outside London, and Jean-Pierre Haeberlin of Auberge de l'Ill in Alsace, which got the first of its three stars in 1952.

S elwyn Ray, executive director of The Maryland Mentoring Partnership, scanned the crowd in the Marriott Waterfront with pride. "This is our sixth annual MentorZing, and each year, it gets better and better and better," Ray said. "People are coming here because they care about young people, and they care about mentoring in Maryland." Many of those in the crowd were young participants in mentoring programs from around the state. Amber Wilson, a ninth-grader at Digital Harbor High School, delivered the dinner's opening prayer with her pastor, Dr. Bryan Claxton, of New Creation Christian Church.

The wisteria was in bloom recently at the Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley. And we're talking inside the place! A large wisteria "tree" -- actually, a close facsimile thereof created by P.W. Feats -- served as the centerpiece for one of the decorated tables at the 14th Annual Great Chefs' Dinner. The Family Tree event not only brings in a top chef to whip up a grand five-course meal for the sellout crowd, but local designers pitch in, too. Each decorates a table seating 10, so the evening offers a feast for the eyes, as well.

Sweet and spicy foods will be public television's focus next month as it airs two one-hour programs in which famous chefs share their recipes for mouth-watering chocolate desserts and South-of-the-border entrees.Chocolate lovers will enjoy watching "Chocolate Passion: A Great Chefs Special" at 2 p.m. March 12. The acclaimed chefs will show viewers how to work with chocolate, creating desserts fit to satisfy any sweet tooth, says Colleen H. Wright of Maryland Public Television.Chefs to be featured on the first episode include Robert Linxe, internationally famous for La Maison du Chocolat in New York, and Jacques Torres, the pastry chef at New York's Le Cirque.

Food-steaming for the cluelessAre you a lucky person who got one of those trendy food steamers for Christmas and haven't a clue what to do with it? "The Essence of Herbs," a free booklet from Black & Decker, which makes the FlavorScenter steamer, offers recipes based on herbs and spices such as cilantro, dill weed and tarragon. Call (800) 231-9786, and choose option 2.Great chefs and youThe guest chef at the Sixth Annual Great Chefs Dinner is Roberto Donna, chef-owner of the noted Galileo restaurant in Washington.

S elwyn Ray, executive director of The Maryland Mentoring Partnership, scanned the crowd in the Marriott Waterfront with pride. "This is our sixth annual MentorZing, and each year, it gets better and better and better," Ray said. "People are coming here because they care about young people, and they care about mentoring in Maryland." Many of those in the crowd were young participants in mentoring programs from around the state. Amber Wilson, a ninth-grader at Digital Harbor High School, delivered the dinner's opening prayer with her pastor, Dr. Bryan Claxton, of New Creation Christian Church.

Here's to honey When you pick that perfect apple from a tree or your supermarket produce section, pause for a moment to remember the honeybee that made it possible. Bees pollinate apples and most of our other crops and give us more than 300 kinds of honey, according to the National Honey Board. Here's a Honey Spiced Cider that brings out the best of fall flavors: Combine 5 cups of apple cider and 3/4 cup honey in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the honey dissolves. Slice two small navel oranges into quarters and push three whole cloves into the rind of each slice.

Now that Bill Aydlett, formerly chef and part-owner of Sisson's (36 E. Cross St.), has left, the kitchen has been taken over by Bill Rothwell. Rothwell has worked as a sous chef at Pierpoint, Sisson's and most recently at the Oregon Grille. He plans to broaden the brew pub's Cajun-Creole menu to include vegetarian and non-spicy offerings, more salads, more sandwiches and some crab dishes."There are things I'd like to have done before," he says, "but it was someone else's kitchen." He plans, for instance, to use larger shrimp in the shrimp Creole and "refine" the sauce.

YOU'D THINK THAT THE HIGH POINT OF something called "Great Chef's Dinner" would be the meal. And this year, visiting chef Jim Gerhardt of Limestone Restaurant in Louisville, Ky., was part of the draw. But at this, the 17th annual such fundraiser for the Family Tree, the oohs and aahs began way before the first course was served. They started as soon as the doors to the dining rooms in the Grand Lodge at Hunt Valley opened, and guests to the sold-out event got their first look at the 35 tables inside.

The wisteria was in bloom recently at the Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley. And we're talking inside the place! A large wisteria "tree" -- actually, a close facsimile thereof created by P.W. Feats -- served as the centerpiece for one of the decorated tables at the 14th Annual Great Chefs' Dinner. The Family Tree event not only brings in a top chef to whip up a grand five-course meal for the sellout crowd, but local designers pitch in, too. Each decorates a table seating 10, so the evening offers a feast for the eyes, as well.

Here's to honey When you pick that perfect apple from a tree or your supermarket produce section, pause for a moment to remember the honeybee that made it possible. Bees pollinate apples and most of our other crops and give us more than 300 kinds of honey, according to the National Honey Board. Here's a Honey Spiced Cider that brings out the best of fall flavors: Combine 5 cups of apple cider and 3/4 cup honey in a saucepan and stir over medium heat until the honey dissolves. Slice two small navel oranges into quarters and push three whole cloves into the rind of each slice.

Gourmands gathered at Linwoods/Due restaurants in Owings Mills as the Family Tree held its eighth annual Great Chefs' Dinner. This year, the $200-a-plate meal was masterminded by renowned chef Alessandro Stratta, former executive chef of the four-star Mary Elaine's restaurant at the Phoenician hotel in Scottsdale, Ariz.During the cocktail hour, dinner co-chairs Georgia Stamas and Ziba Franks welcomed eager epicures, including the Family Tree's deputy executive director, Stephanie Davis, and director of development, Judy Hyman; Joanne and Abraham Rosenthal, CEO of Prime Retail Inc.; Dort and Richard Mollett, owners of Antrim 1844 Country Inn; Caprece Jackson Garrett, special-events coordinator for Port Discovery, and Dennis Garrett, president of Arcadia Transportation; and Joan and Tom Smyth, VP of the Albert S. Smyth Co.After cocktails came the serious supping: a five-course meal that began with sea scallops and asparagus with black truffle hollandaise, and ended with chocolate mousse.

Now that Bill Aydlett, formerly chef and part-owner of Sisson's (36 E. Cross St.), has left, the kitchen has been taken over by Bill Rothwell. Rothwell has worked as a sous chef at Pierpoint, Sisson's and most recently at the Oregon Grille. He plans to broaden the brew pub's Cajun-Creole menu to include vegetarian and non-spicy offerings, more salads, more sandwiches and some crab dishes."There are things I'd like to have done before," he says, "but it was someone else's kitchen." He plans, for instance, to use larger shrimp in the shrimp Creole and "refine" the sauce.

Food-steaming for the cluelessAre you a lucky person who got one of those trendy food steamers for Christmas and haven't a clue what to do with it? "The Essence of Herbs," a free booklet from Black & Decker, which makes the FlavorScenter steamer, offers recipes based on herbs and spices such as cilantro, dill weed and tarragon. Call (800) 231-9786, and choose option 2.Great chefs and youThe guest chef at the Sixth Annual Great Chefs Dinner is Roberto Donna, chef-owner of the noted Galileo restaurant in Washington.

Sterling additionShoppers who frequent trendy Towson Town Center shopping mall can take a break for nostalgia at the new Silver Diner on the first level next to Nordstrom.Starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, diners can sample meatloaf and milkshakes, club sandwiches and Caesar salad, pancakes and eggs, biscuits and sausage gravy, not to mention the daily blue plate specials. It's nostalgia with an update, however. Also on the menu are health shakes of yogurt, fruit, honey and wheat germ and heart-healthy specials, marked with a little heart on the menu, that are lower in salt, cholesterol or fat than traditional diner fare.