Foodie Friday: Sugar Water
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. – For this edition of Foodie Friday, we’re visiting Sugar Water restaurant in Princess Anne. You’re sure to find something sweet, whether food or connections to local folks and food.
For Executive Chef Seth Zucker, it’s all about keeping things fresh, local, and family-oriented.
Chowing Down on Cioppino
Chef Zucker’s cioppino is exactly that. It comes complete with shrimp, sea scallops, local clams, and a homemade fish stock jazzed up with local produce. The star of this dish is fresh cobia.
“It’s a dense fish, and it’s great to filet and cook. It’s very good eating, and it’s very meaty,” Chef Zucker explained. “The local fish is exquisite. It’s caught in the morning and brought here in the afternoon. It’s that fresh.”
Once all the ingredients get a chance to mingle in the pan, the dish is finished with toasted sourdough bread.
“It’s a big punch of seafood flavor, along with fresh, herbaceous tomato-y notes,” said Foodie Friday host Hannah Cechini. “The fish is, I would say, very similar to a swordfish. It’s a muscular fish, so it’s got those nice, thick flakes that you want, but it’s still tender.”
Ode to Oysters
Staying with the fresh catch, the Foodie team also got to sample Chincoteague oysters.
“The thing I love about Chincoteague oysters is that I think they’re a good oyster for beginners if you’ve never tried raw oysters before. When you first slurp them down, the first thing you notice is the salinity,” Hannah said. “If you chew into them, that’s where the sweetness comes out.”
If you ask Foodie Photog Mike, he’ll tell you to be sure to try them with Sugar Water’s mignonette. “Vinegar has this magical thing it does when you add it to salinity where it almost opens up other flavors.”
And if raw isn’t your style, try ’em roasted.
“The first thing I notice is the cheese,” Hannah said, “and then you notice the oyster. There are these really lovely aromatic little notes from the white wine that’s been involved in there, as well.”
Beautiful Bowl
Another awesome dish here is the falafel bowl. The golden brown bites are dressed up with tabbouleh, tzatziki, and pita, over a bowl of fresh greens.
“The crust and the crunch on that falafel is fantastic,” said Mike. “[The falafel] is almost meaty, the way the herb blend is. The chickpea is coming through prominently here… [The tzatziki] definitely captures the magic of the promise that tzatziki makes. It’s creamy but it’s also got that bright note, as well.”
Going Dutch
To end this meal, we’re going Dutch. And, we’re not talking about the check. “A Dutch Baby is a German-style pancake that is made in a cast iron pan in the oven,” Chef Zucker explained.
Chef Zucker tosses a pat of butter into a screaming hot cast iron skillet. Then, comes the batter. The whole affair is back out of the oven before you’ve even noticed that it’s been thrust inside. It all gets topped off with macerated berries and powdered sugar.
“It’s nice and fluffy, and it is kind of like a very airy sponge cake,” said Mike. “The strawberries and blueberries are nice and fresh.”
Sugar Water
Sugar Water is located at 11784 Somerset Avenue Princess Anne, Md. You can call them at 410-430-5251. If you go to check it out, tell the team that you saw them on Foodie Friday.
