SMF Training & Consulting - Food Safety Consulting

04/22/2026

🏪✨ PSA for Essex Business Owners: Is Your Signage Up to Code?

Proper signage does more than promote your business - it helps keep our community safe, organized, and visually welcoming!

In Baltimore County, business signage must follow specific guidelines, including:
✔️ Proper permits before installation
✔️ Size, height, and placement regulations
✔️ Restrictions on temporary and oversized signs
✔️ Safety standards to avoid hazards or obstructions

🚫 Signs that are too large, improperly placed, or installed without approval may result in warnings, fines, or removal.

💡 Staying compliant not only protects your business, it helps maintain a professional and vibrant look throughout our commercial areas.

🔍 Learn more about signage rules and Baltimore County Code:
https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/law/county-code

Let’s work together to keep our business community looking its best! 💼

04/22/2026

Have you heard about House will 1048? It proposes new menu labeling disclosing high levels of added sugar and salt for certain MD restaurants. read more here

Maryland is taking another step toward increased menu transparency—and while it may not impact every operator yet, it’s worth paying attention now.

04/08/2026

OOOPS this was to be posted on my Sassory Page...But here you go anyway... Every Sunday at Eastpoint Mall in Dundalk.

This Sunday is the first Farmers Market for Sassory - And I am so excited to bring everything Sassory.

If you’re new here—Sassory is simple:

I make food the way I think it should be made.
Quality Ingredients - Intentionally Made - No shortcuts.

No bleached or bromated flour.
No food dyes.
Sweetened with things you recognize—cane sugar, honey, maple, molasses.

Even the things you wouldn’t expect? I make those too.
(Graham crackers for the s’mores… yeah.)

And every product on my website tells you the ingredients, all of it.

Because you should know what you’re eating.

If you’ve been following along - thank you!
If you haven’t, this is the place to start. Hit the follow and stop at the market to say hello!

04/07/2026

You love Taco Love, Birra by Taco Love is awesome...but have you heard of Tito's fried chicken by Taco Love? Tucked in the strip across from Bowleys Quarters Walmart, it is easy to drive by. BUT DO NOT miss this gem.

I love fried chicken. And this meal did not disappoint. Lots of sides to choose from but I selected the Pinto Beans and Latin rice. The young lady at the counter suggested to Tito sauce. The only complaint I have is the sauce container is not big enough for me to bathe in. Seriously this was really good stuff.

This is not the same Ole fried chicken place. The flavors are spot on. The cook was perfect. The biscuit had a crunch on the outside but was tender on the inside just how I like it.

No wonder they won Best Comfort Food of 2026! Next I need to try the burrito or the tacos or the....

03/22/2026

Cocktails to go works. It provides an additional revenue stream to restaurants already working on tight margins.
How do you feel about this bill?

Cocktails To-Go” is moving through the legislature.

A common-sense bill to let you pick up a fresh crush, margarita, or sangria from your favorite local restaurant on a Friday night—along with your takeout.

Sounds simple, right? It is.

We already proved it worked during COVID. Restaurants benefited. Customers loved it.

03/19/2026

Tonight I’m spending my evening with current and aspiring cottage food entrepreneurs at the Essex Community Development Corporation, and I’m genuinely excited for it. Cottage food is such a great way to start small—whether it’s a side hustle or the first step toward something bigger—but it also comes with very specific rules about what can (and can’t) be made and sold.

After going through the process myself with Sassory, and with my background in food safety, I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is for new producers to get tripped up by the regulations.

Looking forward to a fun night helping others be food safe.

03/06/2026

Enroll today - Print your Certification Tuesday! www.marylandfoodhandler.com/pg

03/04/2026

From a young age I have spent countless hours on the Chesapeake Bay. Fishing, Crabbing, Swimming, and Boating. To see the sewage being dumped into Maryland's greatest asset, is heartbreaking. what is a happening is terrible. 2026 has not gotten off to a good start.

Sewage puts Maryland Waterways in DangerBy Sue Farace / March 4, 2026 Potomac Sewage Spill and Back River Plant Issues: Environmental Risks and Food Safety Concerns Recent wastewater incidents in Maryland and the surrounding region have raised new concerns about water quality and the potential impac...

03/04/2026

For my followers that are not quite licensed but out there selling. Check out this Free opportunity to learn about the cottage industry.
I will be addressing commonly asked questions and sharing how to do things the right way. You can view online or attend in person.

🥐We have made the Cottage Industry Session a ONE night event only! The Training Session will take place Thursday, March 19, 2026 from 5-6:30pm.

🧁Training Session will include:
Understanding Cottage Law, Labeling, Testing for products not listed in guidance, Understanding food safety risks, Good practices and Discussion on outgrowing your home business.

🍪Sue Farace, CP-FS has over 30 years in Restaurant Consulting and will lead the discussion. RSVP by March 9, 2026 by calling 443-579-7974.

02/27/2026

Taking temperatures is a critical role in serving safe food. Having a thermometer that is accurate is essential. But how do you make sure it is accurate? Read here
https://marylandfoodhandler.com/food-safety/calibrating-your-stem-thermometers/

Calibrating your Stem ThermometersBy Sue Farace / February 25, 2026 If you’re responsible for food safety in a restaurant, food truck, or catering operation, a properly calibrated thermometer is one of your most important tools. In this video, I walk through how to check and calibrate three common...

02/24/2026

Looking for training & ServSafe Exam in Prince Georges County? Look no further! Join our session on March 10th at Prince Georges Stadium (Home of the Baysox). Learn more here: https://marylandfoodhandler.com/pg

Join our 1-Day In-Person Food Safety Manager Training with Computer ServSafe Exam on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Bowie, MD.

02/20/2026

Enroll today in our 1 day food protection training with ServSafe exam. Free Parking. Computer Exam. $145 per student. Enroll Now https://marylandfoodhandler.com/pg