Last Friday, while wiping away tears from dropping daughter off at college, I decided to console myself with a visit to my buddies at Hair o' the Dog in Easton to stock up on wine. Perfectly understandable. Those wonderful wine'n'beer folks (yeah, okay, Joe — spirits, too) were having a tasting of fine Italian wines from Vinifera Imports, including a yummy white Vernaccia (Mormoraia, 2006)..and a very rich Nero D'Avola (Firriato, 2005). Plus, I stocked up on Grüner Veltliner, more on that later...

Anyway, at this very nice tasting, they also served appetizers including an amazingly thin-sliced egglant parmesan and a small crescent pastry stuffed with meat and veggies. They'd come from Osteria Alfredo, which had opened in June across the street in the strip mall, unassumingly next to Acme.

After carefully  tossing my case of wine in the back of the car, we drove the 50 yards across Marlboro Ave, and went for  a "snack."  This is the real deal. We had straciatella, a spinach and egg soup, a Caesar salad with perfect dressing, and Spaghetti Bolognese with a beef/veal/pork mixture the chef had chopped himself, the pasta an authentic al dente. I saw a million other dishes I wanted to try. Go there! Well, first go to Hair o' the Dog, and then go there. Especially before they realize how ridiculously low their prices are. Two of us ate for $35.  Hair o' the Dog and Osteria Alfredo (Alfredo's the chef/owner). What a perfect way to recuperate.

Osteria Alfredo, 210 Marlboro Ave., Easton, 410-822-9088.
 

Want to not be hungry? Drop your only daughter off at college. Too bad this does not work for alcohol.  

Is that too arcane a pun? Well, here's what I mean. Last week, opened the new Cook's Illustrated, to an article about "The Best Way to Cook Vegetables." Not a bad article, but the bit about asparagus had fightin' words in it.  First, they said to snap off the bottom end. (versus peeling the end? Julia would freak and so would many others, at the waste.) And then it says thick spears are woody. Hm. Not if you've been waiting for that peak part of the season when the spears are both thick and tender. I had one grower tell me that "we send them thin little tough woody ones up to New York City."

Point being, that even the sources we turn to for hard and fast rules to live by, are really in the end, only pundits with opinions. I guess in food, as much as anything. It all comes down, literally, to "on the ground" experience from the people who do the work. 

I don't often pick up a copy of Wine Spectator. (I like their bargains issue, however, and I look for their name when I'm shopping for a bottle.) 

But this issue caught my eye — "Best Restaurants for Wine" is the cover story. I decided to see how the Chesapeake region's faring, and the news is good. Three restaurants on the Eastern Shore were listed. Two in St. Michaels: Sherwood's Landing at the Inn at Perry Cabin and 208 Talbot. A number in Annapolis, including the Wild Orchid Café (see our archives). And for the umpteenth straight year — The Tilghman Island Inn — our "Where to Dine" story this month.  I think this calls for a celebration! Cheers!