Cook and Book

igourmet.com

2009-03-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

There were many highlights at last month’s Washington DC Wine and Food Festival (like pretty much all of the wine and all of the food) but I wanted to mention a real stand-out: igourmet.com

The igourmet table was featured in the grand cru wine lounge, so if you had general admission tickets you may have missed it. The good news is that you’re just a few clicks away from their web site. It's is a great source of gourmet gifts, specialty foods and my favorite, cheeses.

My favorite item on the site? Boschetto al Tartufo Bianchetto- a mild cheese, featuring a blend of sheep’s milk, cow’s milk and shavings of white truffle. In my humble opinion, this is the way truffles were meant to be showcased- delicately. I’ve got a hunk of this beautiful cheese in my fridge and I’m waiting for the chance to share it with friends. I think it will make a great addition to my standard cheese plate.

My next purchase from igourmet.com? Fennel pollen. I’m dying to make Earthbound Farm’s Red Wine Risotto with Fennel and Sausage.

In Defense of Restaurant Week

2009-02-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I was at a work event with an actuary who will remain nameless. Although I was engaged (and wearing a big shiny rock thank you very much) it was clear that this man was trying to hit on me – by impressing me with his culinary knowledge and ability to wine and dine ladies at super expensive restaurants (little did he know that I had managed to land a fiancé who was much less pretentious yet still willing to wine and dine me at equally expensive restaurants, and sometimes cheaper ones that were just as good).

Point of the story: we struck up a conversation about Restaurant Week. I exclaimed that I always enjoyed Restaurant Week, thought it was a positive thing for the restaurants that participated and that I always went and usually had a pretty great experience.

He told me that restaurant week was for people who couldn’t afford to dine at nice places the other 50 weeks out of the year, and that one should not expect to be served the best during those promotions, because the chefs had zero motivation to make nice meals- they were just shuffling people in and out to make as many 30 dollar meals as they could.

I could not disagree more. With the exception of ONE restaurant experience (which will remain nameless, but I find it no great irony that this restaurant is now out of business) Restaurant Week has given me a GREAT excuse to dine with friends, coworkers and my now-husband at places I may normally not visit. In some cases, I’ve been blown away- my experience a few years ago at newcomer PS7 was a wonderful introduction to their cuisine that keeps me recommending them to others. I second that notion with my experience at IndeBleu (the mushroom crepes stood out and I wish they were still on the menu). For these two restaurants, RW was a chance to show me, a new patron, that their newbie status in town did not reflect their dedication to good food, great ambiance and friendly service.

There are old favorites like DC Coast, who manages to serve up great food no matter the event, and my most recent RW dinner last week at Tuscana West. The mushroom ravioli was the next best thing to my grandmother’s home made pasta, and the dessert course reminded me of my favorite lavender cookie recipe prepared by a new friend – an authentic experience of food from the heart in an ambiance fit for DC’s power brokers and lowly Directors of Marketing (ahem).

So Restaurant Week has come and gone this winter, but if I’ve persuaded you to give it a chance, you’re in luck- many participants are extending their RW menus into March. Check out this post at DC Foodies to see some of the places that are participating.

And if you’re looking for a recommendation, here are a few places where I’ve had great experiences during Restaurant Week:

Georgia Browns
Acadiana
Toscana West
DC Coast
IndeBleu
Nage
Ceiba
PS7
TenPenh
Sam & Harry’s

Soup's On!

2009-02-19T08:03:00.000-08:00

Who doesn’t crave a great bowl of soup in the winter? My recent post at DC Foodies shares one of my favorite soups- a simple, easy to make variation of a classic Italian soup. It’ll taste like it’s been cooking all day!

And here is another one of my all-time favorites. I started making this recipe when my husband decided to remove dairy from his diet- a move that I found challenging, but also a lot of fun in the kitchen! This soup is so rich, so velvety that you will SWEAR there’s cream in it.

I originally found the recipe at The Kitchn, but made a few of my own changes. I hope you enjoy this healthy, robust soup!

Zucchini Puree
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
9 cloves of garlic, chopped
4 medium zucchini, sliced
4 cups of chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon
powdered ginger
salt and pepper

Melt the olive oil in a heavy 4-quart pot over medium heat. As it heats, add the garlic and onions and cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft and translucent. Keep the heat low enough that the garlic doesn't brown; you want it to sweat.

When the onions are soft and translucent, add the zucchini and cook until it's very soft and mushy. Try not to let the zucchini brown. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer at a low heat for about 45 minutes.

Let it cool slightly, then blend it with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer to a standing blender to puree. If you’re using a blender, transfer the soup to it in small batches. Return it all to its original pot and stir it together.

Season with ginger, salt and pepper to taste. This soup is GREAT on the second day, if there’s any left…

Teatro Goldoni

2009-02-17T09:44:00.000-08:00

My sweetie pie planned a Friday night date to Teatro Goldoni – where has this place been all my life? (Well, that’s a silly question, because it’s been on K Street for years. I just didn’t have enough sense to hustle my buns up there.)

There is a reason Teatro Goldoni was rated DC's best Italian restaurant by Esquire Magazine and ranked as DC’s highest rated Italian restaurant in the Washingtonian. It’s really that good.

If you’ve read about Goldoni lately, you’ve probably read about their carpaccio of branzino presented in a wooden cigar box. Tom Sietsema reviewed it, and it’s reportedly one of their most popular dishes. We decided to skip it, and opted instead for the Cornetti di pesce marinato assortiti- or seafood cones, which included tuna (with green olives capers spring onions), salmon (with crispy fennel, spring onions sour cream caviar dill), scallops (with red and yellow peppers, chives and roasted garlic slices), and morelles (with porcini mushrooms, blood oranges and spring onions). All of this presented in sweet, flaky miniature ice cream cones, and I knew we were off to a great start. Each cone had a unique taste; a balance of salty and sweet. We also tried the roasted sweet onion salad, which did not disappoint, but was totally overshadowed by the seafood cones.

For main courses we choose the lobster risotto and salt cured Moularde duck breast. The duck was served with spinach-whipped potatoes and a perfect black olive sauce. And let’s not forget the artichoke hearts, which I think were roasted – and I know were delicious.

So I think I’ve conveyed here that the meal was pretty perfect – the atmosphere included. The glow of the light and the use of warm colors throughout gave a nice ambiance of romance and “I’m here for a special occasion”, but I was comfortable enough being there in a work-dress. We had great service. There was a great jazz band playing, and as we finished dinner and dessert (crème brulee and house-made ice cream) I really, really wanted to stick around. We didn’t – we had plans to meet up with out-of-towners, but doesn’t that just sound like the perfect excuse to go back?

I'm stopping the popping.

2009-02-09T13:02:00.001-08:00

Did you know that Pringles are only 42% potato? Read more about your ex-favorite potato "crisps", which are mostly made from dough...

Restaurant Week- it's back!

2009-01-26T14:03:00.001-08:00

I made my res. for Tuscana West. Anyone been?

You can make your reservations here. I wonder what effect the economy will have on the week? Will more people show, because they want the chance at a reasonably priced meal, or will less people go, because they're trying to eat out less?

really easy...really good

2008-12-30T10:54:00.001-08:00

Wanna know a simple, delicious recipe for tomoato sauce? Read about my answer to that question at dc foodies. Marcella Hazan, you're my hero.

Buddha Bar

2008-12-19T06:33:00.000-08:00

The scoop:

Vegas' Hottest Sushi Bar & Lounge is Coming to DC! Buddha Bar has just signed a lease at 455_Massachusetts Avenue, NW. The building is owned and managed by ASB Real Estate Investments. This 9,348 SF restaurant and bar will be the place to be seen in DC and is famous for its sushi, Pacific Rim cuisine and traditional Chinese dishes featuring a French influence.

I'm a baking fool.

2008-12-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

It's the time of year that I spend all day thinking about what I'll be baking when I get home (my boss isn't reading this, right?) I've spent hours watching Love Actually and listening to Harry Connick Jr.'s Christmas album. There is a serious amount of holiday cheer.

Here's what I've made:

-gingerbread with an egg nog glaze. topped with sweetened coconut (recipe to come)

-chocolate florentine cookies

-peanut butter cookies

-Martha Stewart's winter bark

-rum flavored marshmallows

On the horizon- chocolate chips cookies and, my favorite, saltine toffee cookies. These are easy to make and satisfy that salty-sweet tooth that rears it's festive head this time of year. I hope you're having as much fun as I am! If not, don't fret! Homemade cookies are coming your way!

cook books= the best gift in the world (trust me)

2008-12-15T13:37:00.000-08:00

I went to Border's last week to pick up a few holiday gifts for loved ones. Like a tractor beam, the cook book section drew me in. If you ever see me in a book store, you'll recognize me by my dumb grin and growling stomach as I pick up, flip through and reluctantly put down a variety of cook books.

While I cannot yet reveal the cook books I've purchased for loved ones (because they may actually be reading, which would explain the 10 hits and 2 followers my blog has today) I'd like to share this article I read about this season's top books/gifts...any of which I would be thrilled to recieve (hint, hint).

All I want for Christmas

2008-12-10T10:10:00.000-08:00

It seems like foodies everywhere are putting together (and putting out there for the public) their Christmas wish lists. The Washingtonian’s got this list, Chow is suggesting you pick up these kitschy mugs, and Better Homes suggests an all-in-one coffeemaker for serious cooks.

In order to stay hip (always a top concern of mine) and keep up with my fellow writers, here are a few items I’m hankering for this holiday season:

The Professional Chef- for the dreamer in me. I’ll probably never be a pro, but that doesn’t stop my yearning for knowledge, my appetite for cooking or my passion for feeing the people I love. This is a serious reference for a serious reader with a serious passion. (Me, me me!)

Immersion Blender- I cranked out some serious soups this year and don’t plan on stopping! However, an immersion blender would make the process a lot smoother. And I mean that quite literally – taking out that extra step of transferring small amounts of my chunky soup to a food processor, then to a bowl, then back into the pot when it’s all done would be a real time saver. Not to mention the texture of soup greatly improves with this gadget.

Mini Burger Tools- while making sliders the other night, I thought to myself- wouldn’t these be even more adorable if they were perfectly uniform? Sur La Table to the rescue. Check out this great set of tools to create your own sliders. And yes, I like my sliders extra adorable. Sue me.

Make your own Animal Crackers- If you read my column at DCFoodies.com, then you know I’m obsessed with making things that you’d normally buy at the grocery store. These little cookie cutters would be a perfect way to recreate one of my favorite childhood snacks.

Cookbook Holder- This is one practical, essential item I’ve yet to purchase. Yet every time I cook, I wish I had one. Self deprivation is one of my lamest habits.

Handmade Platter- My garlic stuffed olives, cheese with tomato tapenade and salami are just DYING to be served on this thing. Won’t you help them?

White Potato Pie

2008-12-04T14:23:00.001-08:00

Relive a childhood memory (and office pot luck nightmare) with me here.

Holiday stress? No way, Jose!

2008-11-21T06:31:00.000-08:00

Check out this article about ways to cut down on holiday stress, costs, and cooking. Yours truly contributed a few thoughts.

leftovers to hold you over

2008-11-20T14:17:00.000-08:00

I’m always up for a culinary challenge. I mean, who am I kidding? I’m not Top Chef material, here. If you gave me wagyu beef, skittles and canned pinto beans you’re not getting a masterpiece from me.

But I do like to think that I’m rather sharp at taking regular refrigerator items and random leftovers and turning them into something fun and tasty.

So I started thinking about all the things you can make out of….just about anything. Steak becomes stir fry, chicken becomes cobb salad, risotto becomes risotto balls. Here’s what I’ve got. Please feel free to add your own:

Fried Rice- if you’ve got celery, carrots, onion, rice and an egg (and you know, oil and soy sauce), you’ve got fried rice. You can add any meat or other veggie, too.

Omelets- eggs taste great with just about anything. When I met my husband, he scored big (ahem) with a ranch dressing, maple syrup and cheese omelet that he claims was his bachelor stand by. I know, it sounds gross. But it worked. (and look at us now)

Wraps- toss lettuce with cheese, veggies, leftover chicken, rice or anything else and smother it into a tortilla. Or if you want to fool yourself into thinking your being “healthy”, take the same ingredients and put them over the lettuce…you’re eating a salad…oh, and cut those tortillas into triangles, brush them with oil and salt and broil them for a few minutes. They’re perfect with the salad.

Pureed soup- any veggie can be cut up, mixed with chicken stock, cooked like hell, and then pureed into a gorgeous soup with a food processor. I’ve tried zucchini, peas, butternut squash, white beans, lettuce…

Much love for Food Buzz

2008-11-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

If you haven’t checked out foodbuzz.com please do. You will not regret it. This site is packed full of passionate foodies, educated chefs and just plain good people. Last night I met a group of them at Central, Michel Richard’s more casual take on French food. What could be better than tender lamb shank, red wine and hours of conversation with like-minded food obsessors?

Nada.

Cheers to my new friends!

Marvin

2008-10-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

If there’s anything that makes up for a rainy, chilly night, it’s Marvin. A blend of Belgian comfort food and good beer set to the rhythm of toasty funk provided serious remedy for Saturday night’s storm. Lucky for me it’s just a short walk away from my apartment.

I’d heard the place could get a little crowded (and experienced it first hand at a recent happy hour), so I tried for a last minute reservation. They couldn’t accommodate us at 6:30, so we hustled out the door to make a 5:30 reservation, the only thing they had available.

We started out with Hoegaarden, but our waiter was quick to recommend De Konink…and after a few sips, we were quick to order a round of that. And another.

Our waiter went two for two when he recommended the halibut, which my husband devoured. And the house bread was a perfect sponge for the onion puree that accompanied it.

I couldn’t get enough of the mussels served in shallots, fennel, and white wine. But then I remembered the other half of moules frites- the frites.

Now I may not be an authority on french fries but I do have my favorites around the city. Bistrot du Coin, Lavandou, and Five Guys top my list. Marvin’s now has a place on that list. A good cut, a salty finish and a fried texture without too much oil stuck to my fingers afterwards, served with two types of mayo and your basic tomato ketchup.

We also tried the duck confit, which left me dreaming about those pickled beets and looking for a recipe. I mean the duck was fantastic, but nothing beats beets and chevre, right?

Right.

Marvin
2007 14th Street, NW
202-797-7171

Butternut Squash Soup

2008-10-22T11:34:00.001-07:00

I’m wearing a sweater. My new Uggs are getting major mileage already. And last night, I think I slept in a sweatshirt (well, I feel asleep with it on. Who knows what time I peeled it off).

With cold weather dangling its cute little self right over our heads, I’d say it’s high time to make some soup. This week I ventured into butternut squash. Here’s a simple puree that will leave you feeling toasty and satisfied.

6 tablespoons chopped onion
4 tablespoons margarine
6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
3 cups water
4 cubes vegetable bouillon (low salt)
1 (8 ounce) package low fat cream cheese
Salt to taste
Powdered ginger to taste

In a saucepan, sauté onions in margarine until they’re tender and turning golden. (Don’t let them get brown). Add the squash, water and bouillon. Bring to boil; cook about 20 minutes or until the squash is tender.
Puree the squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Add salt and ginger to taste. Do not allow to boil.

Burgers- Ole!

2008-10-10T12:11:00.000-07:00

I made a great burger last night, so I thought I’d share. I served my burgers with fresh corn, sautéed till toasty brown with a little butter and salt…these awesome pyramid shaped salt crystals I got last week at Williams Sonoma (and I really have been meaning to blog about that trip, because I learned a few handy knife tricks in a complimentary knife skills class…this Sunday’s class is cookie making). But enough about that! The burger recipe is an adaptation on one that I found on the Food Network site. I made some changes, including no jalepeno chiles (hubby don’t like peppers. Bad fraternity incident). And toasted a ciabatta loaf (in the pan that I made the burgers in) for make shift buns. Yum.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
1 (2-ounce) piece Monterey Jack, cut into 10 pieces
salt & pepper
For the guacamole:
1 large avocado
¼ cup sour cream
salt

Directions
Divide it into five pieces, shaping each into a ball, and with your thumb make a depression in the center. Fill each depression with 2 pieces of the cheese and form the meat around the cheese mixture into a patty. Season the hamburgers with salt and black pepper and grill them on oiled hot grill pan for 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. If you don’t have a grill pan, a sauté pan will do just fine.
Make the guacamole while the hamburgers are grilling: Halve, pit, and peel the avocado. Put pieces in a food processor, and add sour cream and salt.
Transfer the hamburgers to the buns and top them with the guacamole.

Columbia Heights Day

2008-10-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

If you’re in my 'hood this Saturday, you’ll be happy to know that area restaurants are helping to celebrate Columbia Heights day. Here’s a list of the specials:

Wonderland Ballroom: Happy Hour all day
Red Rocks Pizzeria: Happy Hour all day
The Heights: Special Menu
Commonwealth Gastropub: Columbia Heights Cocktail
Tonic: $4 Yeungling and 50 cent chicken wings (minimum 6)
Pete's Apizza: $5 Pint and Slice

Here’s my perfect excuse to check out Commonwealth! Check out this review on DC Foodies. A schedule of events is available on this web site. See you there!

Carba-licious

2008-09-30T13:17:00.000-07:00

I'm like Fergie- they be lining down the block just to watch what I got (in the oven).
Dunno what it is, but I've been in a doughy sorta mood lately. Check out my recent posts on DC Foodies for gnocchi and soft pretzels...mmmmmm.....flour.

Thirsty for politics?

2008-09-10T06:24:00.000-07:00

Look no further. Check out this article I wrote for the Staten Island Advance about DC's affinity for the red, white and blue...cocktails, that is.

Do You Like Your Politics Straight Up, or With a Twist?

Free classes at Williams-Sonoma

2008-09-09T13:43:00.000-07:00

Getting mail (as in, real, paper, snail mail) is one of life’s little pleasures. This week has been full of those- Food and Wine and the new Williams-Sonoma catalogue hit my mailbox and have my taste buds watering.

Did you know Williams-Sonoma holds free cooking classes? Our friends at the Mazza Gallerie store have a variety of classes this fall, including Knife Skills (October 5 at noon) and Cookies and More (October 12 at noon). I’ll be at both. I wonder if the other participants will find me dorky if I bring the new apron my mom just made me. It's covered in cherries and have a ruffly bottom. And pockets. Seriously, I'm very cute in this thing.

If you’d like to sign up for these classes or inquire about the other free classes available (which include Comfort Foods, Cocktail Mixology and Make-Ahead Meals), you can reach the helpful people at the Mazza store at 202-237-1602. Other stores are participating, as well. This month’s catalogue has a complete listing of classes.

Hope to see you there!

R is for Oysters

2008-09-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

“Obviously, if you don’t love life you can’t enjoy an oyster.”
-Eleanor Clark, The Oysters of Locmariaquer

I saw this quote in an ad a few weeks ago, and it prompted me to learn about Clark's book, which is now on my "to do" list. It also made me hungry for oysters (and yes, I do love life) but I found myself looking for an “r” in August, to no avail.

You’ve heard that old saying, right? Don’t eat oysters in a month that doesn’t have an “r” in it. I’m not saying it’s true, but I am saying that in general, when it comes to advice, folklore and general wisdom about seafood, I take heed. One bad experience with mussels in Belgium (and the week following that ordeal) where enough to teach me a lesson.

In case you’re wondering, I found this article, from the Seattle Post, which explains that in May, June, July and August, Oysters are spawning, which takes a lot of energy. “During reproduction, an oyster consumes the energy stored in its plump little body to aid in its heroic and taxing effort. The result is a tired, flaccid, mushy oyster with a milky appearance.”

The author writes that it’s really okay to eat oysters in the summer, and you’re not going to die from eating one. “It's that they're, er, busy and, as such, not at their prime for eating.”

Well, September is here, and friends, I found my “r”. So oysters it is. As if those slippery little suckers weren’t well enough alone, or with a little Tabasco (or vodka! Yum!) here’s a recipe I found on epicurious.com for Oysters Rockefeller, a dish so rich that it was named after one of the wealthiest men in the US, John D. Rockefeller.

Ingredients
3/4 cup firmly packed watercress sprigs (2 oz before discarding coarse stems), finely chopped
1 1/3 cups firmly packed baby spinach (1 1/3 oz), finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped scallion greens
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons minced celery
3 tablespoons coarse fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a day-old baguette)
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon Pernod or other anise-flavored liquor
Pinch of cayenne
3 bacon slices
About 10 cups kosher salt for baking and serving (3 lb)
20 small oysters on the half shell, oysters picked over for shell fragments and shells scrubbed well

Directions
Toss together watercress, spinach, scallion greens, parsley, celery, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bread crumbs in a bowl. Melt butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, then add watercress mixture and cook, stirring, until spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in Pernod, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste, then transfer mixture to a bowl and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

While watercress mixture chills, cook bacon in cleaned skillet over moderate heat, turning, until crisp, then drain on paper towels and finely crumble.

Spread 5 cups kosher salt in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and nestle oysters (in shells) in it. Spoon watercress mixture evenly over oysters, then top with bacon and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons bread crumbs. Bake oysters until edges of oysters begin to curl and bread crumbs are golden, about 10 minutes.

Serve warm oysters in shells, nestled in kosher salt (about 5 cups), on a platter.

Fried Ravioli

2008-09-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since I’ve written…that doesn’t mean it’s been a while since I’ve cooked! It just means I’ve been cooking up a storm without stopping to jot anything down.

First there was a baby shower, then a visit from the in-laws, and a few restaurants in between. There was zucchini bread, brownies, mini muffins and heart shaped butter. There was fried ravioli. There was 100 fried ravioli, grouped in twos, placed carefully in little takeout boxes.

And that’s where I’m going with this entry…fried ravioli. Usually when I make these, I use mini ravioli, but my mom did the shopping (and purchasing) this time, so no complaints from me. We’ve made these many times for guests, and there are never leftovers, but always compliments. Granted, I should make my own ravioli (and I promise, I’ll do that soon. Seriously. I swear.) But the store bought frozen variety just work so well.

The recipe comes from Giada DiLaurentis’ Everyday Pasta – a book that’s become a staple in my kitchen. It’s no Molto Mario, or Joy of Cooking, but it’s a reliable place to turn when company or winter weather are coming around the corner.

Ingredients
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs

1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli-small and large work well, but the large ones take a bit longer to cook. But then you probably knew that already.)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan marinara sauce, heated, for dipping (optional)

Directions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli. I recommend getting all the ravioli coated before you start cooking them.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain…I find it easiest to do this with tongs.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan (before they’ve cooled completely) and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

MFK Fisher

2008-08-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

“Central heating, French rubber goods and cookbooks are three amazing proofs of man's ingenuity in transforming necessity into art, and, of these, cookbooks are perhaps most lastingly delightful.”

-M.F.K. Fisher

Fisher, who passed away in 1992, wrote more than 20 books and published two volumes of journals. Her books dealt with the prepartion, history and philosophy of food. Here's one of the recipes from her book, How to Cook a Wolf:

FRITTATA OF ZUCCHINI

In her words: “This frittata is a good dish. It can be made with almost anything: string beans, peas, spinach, artichokes. Cheese can be sprinkled over it. [As an older and easily wiser frittata cook I almost always, these richer days, add a scant cup of good dry Parmesan cheese to the eggs when I mix them. Often I add rich cream, too. How easy it is to stray from austerity!] Different kinds of herbs like sweet basil, summer savory, on and on, can change its whole character. And with a glass of wine and honest-to-God bread it is a meal. At the end of it you know that Fate cannot harm you, for you have dined.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion or 3 green onions

1 clove garlic

5 small zucchini

1 large fresh tomato (or 1 cup solid-packed canned tomatoes)

1 tsp herbs, including parsley, sweet marjoram, or thyme

9 eggs

Salt and pepper

Directions

Heat oil in skillet and cook minced onion and garlic slowly in it 10 minutes. Add zucchini cut into thin slices. Add peeled and cut-up tomato, seasoning, and herbs. Cover, and cook until vegetable is tender. Take from stove and cool.

Beat eggs lightly, season, and mix with cooled vegetables. Pour back into skillet, cover tightly and cook over a slow fire until the edges of the frittata pull away from the pan. If the middle puffs up, prick it with a long sharp knife […or better yet, pull away from sides once or twice with large spoon, to let the soft middle flow outward].

When it is solid, brown lightly under a slow broiler flame in a preheated oven, cut in slices like a pie, and serve at once.”

How 'bout them 'maters?

2008-08-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

This weekend I made salsa featured in a recent Bon Appetit. You may not need a magazine to tell you how to make salsa (Tomatoes! Onions! Duh!), but if you’re looking for a new mix of veggies and spices to pile on tortillas, look no further. This recipe has it all- the fresh bite of summer produce, the spicy zip of smoked paprika and the sweet tang of red wine vinegar. Although, I did cut out the olives (because we have an olive hater in the house).

There was a little bit left over from a night with friends, and as I made salmon (with olive oil, garlic and capers) the next day, I thought, wouldn’t this salsa taste great if I pureed it and used it to top the salmon?

Sometimes I’m full of great ideas.

It seems the Washington Post thinks so, too! Check out this week’s food section, which is full of recipes for “tomato mousse” and the many ways to use it. Tomato mousse…who knew? I thought I was just getting crafty with leftover salsa.

And I totally agree with Andreas Viestad:
“The better the tomato, the less it should be subjected to cooking.”

Orange Flower Wha?

2008-08-12T13:33:00.000-07:00

While recently browsing one of my favorite sites, chefshop.com, I came across Clotilde Dusoulier’s (of Chocolate and Zucchini fame) “pantry”, or list of items she loves and recommends on the site (and yes, I can only hope that one day chefshop.com asks me to create my own pantry. But isn’t that every girl’s dream?)

Clotidle picked some real winners – dried coconut tops my list – and a few items I may disagree with (but hey, it’s her pantry! And she’s the one with a cookbook!) but I was most intrigued by her choice of orange flower water. A few months ago I purchased a bottle for a ricotta pie recipe that turned out not-so-hot for other reasons I addressed here. And so, with a failed (or at least not-so-hot) pie attempt and little interest in other uses for orange flower water, the tiny blue bottle was pushed to the back of the cabinet.

It surfaced against this weekend as I searched for ingredients to add to my granola bar recipe (and no, I didn’t put any in the granola.)So I find it fortunate that I noticed her pick today. Clotidle writes that a few drops of orange-flower water go a long way. It can be used to enhance fruit (like apricots, figs, strawberries, pears, or bananas. She recommends adding a few drops to fruit salads, fruit pastries or crêpes. My favorite suggestion (and the one I’ll try out tonight) is adding half a teaspoon of orange-blossom water to salad dressings. I’m always looking for something to spice up my favorite green salad.

Here’s a few other uses I found online:
To make a Victorian martini, add several drops of orange flower water to gin and vermouth.
Add it to your iced tea
Try using it in a Greek recipe, such as Kritika Patouthia.
Add a tablespoon into a rice pudding recipe

I'm so granola

2008-08-11T10:43:00.001-07:00

Really I'm not. I mean I recycle and I walk to work, (and I'm even polite to the Greenpeace people that smile too much and bother people on corners all over the city) but I also shower way too much, blow out my hair way too much, use way too much nail polish and have WAY too many shoes. But sometimes it's fun to pretend!

What I am is in love with this granola recipe...check it out on DCFoodies.com.

(I bet these cuties looove granola)

Zucchini Blossoms

2008-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:00

I’ve got this great dad, see, and every once and a while my mom drags him down to DC for a visit. It’s not like he doesn’t like me, it’s more like he abhors the traffic.

And I get that – he was born and raised in Delaware (like me) and has chosen to stay there his whole life (unlike me) and rather enjoys his short commute and plethora or parking options whenever he goes (really, really unlike me).

So when he comes to town (and you, too, mom) I want it to be extra-special. Brunch at Crème, mussels at Bistro du Coin, wine on our roof deck. Chewy chocolate chip cookies that stay uncovered on the counter, eaten between every meal. And special items picked with care from our farmer’s market.

I grew up with a garden, (courtesy of my dad’s sweat and hard labor) that stretched along the side of our acre-long backyard. So unlike now, as I have to pay premium prices and wake early to get the best of the produce at the market, as I child I merely walked outback with a bucket and started picking. I hope one day I can share the passion of gardening with my own children, the feeling of accomplishment as the first cabbage heads pop up, the carrots start to sprout, the beans are strung neatly on vines, placed in pods like pearls. The satisfaction of biting into a juicy red tomato or a fried green one. But for now I’ll rely on my market for fresh vegetables. And I’ll plot and plan. (Or, plan my plots!)

This weekend’s family visit (and simultaneous visit to the farmer’s market) called for zucchini blossoms. Beautiful, yellow leaves surrounded by pale green pricklies. Now I know that last month’s issue of Bon Apetit taught us that stuffing these lovelies with cheese was a bit passé, but it’s also incredibly delicious. And I’m pretty sure my dad’s not that concerned with being cool, anyway.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms with Ricotta Cheese
(Inspiration borrowed from Mario Batali’s Fiori di Zucca Fritti, naturally)

Ingredients
12 zucchini flowers
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese (I prefer to make my own, or use Keswick Creamery’s)
1 egg
1 small or medium onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground sea salt
Dash of ground black pepper
1 large golden tomato
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Basil leaves (fresh if you have them, but dried works fine)

Directions
Open the zucchini flowers and remove the stamens. Be careful not to rip the flowers. I found fishing it out with one or two fingers worked best. The stamens snap pretty easily.

In a bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, onion, nutmeg, and salt and pepper. Using a small spoon or scraper, stuff each blossom with the filling. Try to ensure that the filling is far enough into the flower that it won’t spill out too much into the pan when cooking. You may want to arrange the tips of the petals over the filling on the top, creating a cap. This will help with spillage, too. Set aside.

Chop up the tomato into cubes. Combine the tomatoes, ½ cup of the olive oil, vinegar and basil leaves in a blender and blend until smooth (the mixture will appear creamy). Pour the mixture through a strainer set over a bowl and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Place 3 or 4 flowers into the pan and cook (spread them out and only cook a few at a time…they’re delicate when flipping and need the room), turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining batches.

Arrange 3 or 4 blossoms in a shallow serving bowl, and drizzle with the tomato dressing to serve.

I served these with a baguette, which was perfect for soaking up extra tomato sauce.

Peachy Caramel Coffee Cake

2008-08-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Is it ever really too hot to turn on the oven? It’s an issue surrounded by much controversy, really. You’ll read articles that tell you to take it easy in the summer, grill out, eat raw fruits and vegetables and keep your oven cooking to a minimum.

I’ve never been one to follow the rules.

My oven is always on…and I’m not even that crazy about my particular oven. In fact, I’ll venture to say that when I get a new oven, I’ll be lethal. No beef will go unbraised. No cookie will go unbaked (you hear that, New York Times cookie recipe? I’m talking to YOU).

If you’re tough…like me…and don’t use the 90 degree heat as an excuse to stay out of the oven, (or if you live in a small condo with no yard, thus no grill…and yes, this blog entry is really about the fact that I’m extremely bitter that I do not have a grill) this one’s for you.

Peachy Caramel Coffee Cake...because even tough guys like me love peaches.
(modified from Upside Down Coffee Cake, from Allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar
3 1/2 cups fresh peaches, pitted and sliced thin
2/3 cup margarine
1 1/3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups milk
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Extra Topping (optional)
1/2 cup butter
2 cups light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside. You’ll need a deep sided 10 inch pan, like this one for this cake, because it rises a lot…If your pan has a removable top like mine, you should place it on a cookie sheet to bake.

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Bring to a boil, then pour into the deep sided pan. Place sliced peaches on top of the brown sugar and butter topping.
In a large bowl, cream together 2/3 cup margarine and the white sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Pour batter over caramel and fruit in pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto serving platter and carefully remove pan. Don’t be afraid if some of the caramel and fruit juices leak out of the pan…that’s why you used that cookie sheet!

You may want to consider making a little extra caramel topping to drizzle over the cake when it’s done baking. I would make this while the cake is cooking…you don’t want to make it too early on in the process, because the caramel can get hard pretty quick. This is a dense, sweet summer cake, and if you want to take advantage of the beautiful peaches, ripening as we speak, try this recipe.

Glorious Corn

2008-07-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

By some strange coincidence, I found out I was not allergic to corn and started reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma around the same time. The significance of this is that I have been allergic to corn for most of my life, always wearing a frown around corn on the cob season, missing out on mouthfuls of buttery popcorn at the movies, and suffering from asthma attacks when I just couldn't take it anymore, and ate a whole bag of Doritos (okay, so this may have happened a few times).

So I went to the allergist, got 60 shots (yes, that is 6-0 as in SIXTY and yes, it hurt), and found out I’m allergic to about 25 new things, but I’m no longer allergic to corn!!!

Enter The Omnivore’s Dilemma- a book about the American food chain, all of which can be inevitably linked back to corn. Now, there are some pretty disturbing facts about corn in this book; how it’s been chemically manipulated, how it’s fed to the cattle (which are not naturally corn eaters) to fatten them up for slaughter, and why corn is actually making farmers poor.

So yeah, not necessarily a happy story about corn, but in conjunction with my major life discovery, I've been thinking about corn a lot... and now all I want to do is eat corn!

In the past month since the tests and since I began the book, I’ve had corn on the cob five times, popcorn, nachos, canned corn, corn salad, corn cakes, polenta, Texas caviar, and I think there was some corn in the quesadillas prepared for me last weekend.

If you are what you eat, then for the first time in 20 years, I have become corn.

So in honor of this momentous occasion, I’d like to share one of my favorite corn recipes, found in Bon Appetit’s February issue: Corn and Bacon Pie (because if you’re going to eat corn, you might as well eat bacon and Gruyere cheese, too).

Crust:1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 cup fine-grind whole grain cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons chilled solid vegetable shortening (preferably with no trans fats), diced
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Nonstick vegetable oil spray

Filling:1/2 pound bacon, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped sweet onion (such as Vidalia or Maui)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper1
12-ounce package frozen corn kernels (2 1/2 cups), thawed, patted dry
1 1/2 cups half and half
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 1/2 cups (packed) coarsely grated Gruyère cheese (about 6 ounces)

Preparation
For crust:Whisk first 3 ingredients in large bowl. Using back of fork, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water. Toss until dough comes together in moist clumps, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Shape dough into disk. Wrap; chill at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish with nonstick spray. Place large piece of parchment paper on work surface. Place dough in center; cover with second sheet of parchment. Roll out dough to 12-inch round. Peel off top parchment. Using bottom parchment as aid, turn dough over into prepared pie dish. Carefully peel off remaining parchment. Fit crust into dish, sealing any tears. Fold excess dough under and crimp edges, forming highstanding rim.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.For filling:Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 1/2 tablespoons drippings. Add onion and pepper to skillet. Sauté until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Add corn; sauté until very tender, about 3 minutes longer.Whisk next 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Mix in green onions, then corn mixture. Sprinkle bacon, then cheese over bottom of crust. Pour in egg mixture.Bake pie until filling is golden and just set in center, about 55 minutes. Let pie cool at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Serve slightly warm.

Baltimore Chefs and Wine Experience

2008-07-17T06:26:00.000-07:00

Like Salmon? You should have been at Baltimore’s Chefs and Wine Experience last weekend. Area chefs, local foodies and national celebrities gathered to eat, drink and talk about gastronomy. And salmon.

The pink, omega-3 rich fish took center stage on Benjamin Erjavec’s (Oceanaire) demonstration table, as he filleted it and prepared it three ways for an eager audience. Ted Allen served salmon (and hilarious banter) to his audience after a cooking demonstration that also included roasted chicken and a cauliflower puree debacle, spurred by a broken food processor. His wit and of course, the taste of his dishes made up for any misfortune on stage.

And the salmon de resistance – The Grand Tasting, reserved for event VIPs included whole tables and platters full of delicious smoked salmon, garnished with cipolini onions, olives, roasted tomatoes and toasted bagel chips.

A few gems of wisdom from the event (that may or may not include salmon):

-Ricotta cheese isn’t just for pasta. Nick from Piacci recommends piling into mushroom caps and topping it with roasted peppers, or blending it with spinach and parmesan cheese to add to an omelet. Piacci’s was on hand to promote their new mozzarella, provolone and parmesan cheeses. So far, the cheeses are only available in a select number of grocery stores (like Roots Market in Olney) and the company’s web site isn’t up, but when people find out how buttery Piacci’s parmesan cheese is it’ll really be in demand.

- Pesky fish bones can make or break a dish. If you’re having trouble removing them from raw filets, Chef Benjamin Erjavec recommends keeping a small pair of needle nose pliers in the kitchen. Bend the filet in half and pull the bone from the bottom with the pliers.

-Nonstick pans are great for….nonsticking, but do you miss those juicy brown bits? Ted Allen explained that nonstick pan users often miss out on those brown bits left to linger in more traditional cookware after foods are browned. The benefit of the bits? They make a delicious sauce. Next time you find yourself with bits (or glaze) at the bottom when you’re done with your pan, add a little wine or stock (and maybe some butter) stir it around and viola- a perfect topping for your meal.

Like Buttah

2008-07-09T03:53:00.000-07:00

I love butter.
Ok, I love just about anything you can eat, but there's nothing like fresh baked goods smothered in butter. Or lobster poached in butter. Or butter on a baked potato. (Sheesh, I'm starting to sound like Bubba again.)
Point of this post- butter is really easy to make! Check out my column on dcfoodies.com for a simple, quick way to make your own butter.

fish tacos

2008-07-09T03:49:00.000-07:00

I returned from a week in the Outer Banks with a great tan, good memories and about two pounds of fresh mahi mahi. It seems a lonely fisherman got his 4 wheel drive stuck in the sand, and when my sister and her boyfriend helped pull him out, they were rewarded with an abundance of fish. I was lucky enough inherit some of it. Isn’t that what family is for?
This was a beautiful filet- thick and red, bones mostly removed. It was screaming to be grilled, maybe with a ginger glaze, maybe served with chutney. And there’s always sesame seeds… But I couldn’t get my mind off fish tacos.
My obsession with fish tacos started on my honeymoon in Maui, at a place called Hula Grill. Three nights in a row, my husband and I bellied up to a table, half drunk on newlywed bliss and coconut rum, and enjoyed these fresh bites of warm tortilla wrapped around fresh fish, cabbage and some sort of tropical sauce. Add an acoustic guitar player by candlelight and we had heaven.
As you can imagine, this is the sort of scenario one wants to recreate whenever possible. So to me, that filet was screaming to be wrapped up in a warm tortilla, smothered with a creamy lime sauce, topped with sweet corn and ripe tomatoes. Shared with my husband as we reminisce about beautiful Maui beaches.
So that’s what I did. And here’s how you do it:

-cook the fish in olive oil in a pan on your stove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and lime juice.
-while the fish is cooking, mix together half a cup of sour cream with a two tablespoons of lime juice. Add ginger, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste.
-when the fish is done, serve it in warm flour tortillas. Top with the sour cream mixture and shredded cabbage.
-If you’re feeling ambitious, mix up some homemade salsa. I created mine with corn, tomatoes, onion, black beans and avocado. I also added salt and pepper, a little garlic powder and some balsamic vinegar. This is a great way to top your tacos, or eat as a side.

You’re practically in Maui.

Truffle Oil...again

2008-06-26T06:46:00.000-07:00

On a trip to see my best bud several months ago, I picked up a variety of foodstuffs. (Just typing that word makes me giggle. Who came up with that, anyway?) There was salami from Salumi, salmon from the Pike Place Fish Market and white truffle oil.

The salami and salmon went quick, but the truffle oil has lingered all these months. I tried my hand at G. Garvin’s recipe for macaroni and cheese with proscuitto and truffle oil, I dabbled in cauliflower soups and added the oil to other dishes, here and there.

A few days ago when I opened my cupboard to dig around for some agave nectar (for Elana’s fabulous simple bread) I saw that truffle oil, staring me down.

So I’m making an effort to use the stuff. Not like its some great burden- truffle oil gives an earthy aroma and decadent taste to just about anything. Let’s call it’s presence a privilege, even.

This is when some of you will roll your eyes and say, listen, sister. Truffle oil is so 2006. Been there, done that, moving on to wagyu beef.

To you I say, it’s cool. I’ve never been hip. And if it’s really good stuff it transcends time, kinda like legwarmers and stirrup pants. Ok, maybe not stirrup pants.

So, for all you non-hipsters, content in finding happiness in yesterday’s oil (and legwarmers), here’s what I’ve been doing with my white truffle oil lately:

-Popcorn can be covered in just about anything, but may I recommend salt and truffle oil? Make your popcorn, then sprinkle with salt and drizzle with oil. Shake the bag, pour into a bowl and enjoy this indulgent version of an every day snack.

-Pour a tablespoon of olive oil and half a teaspoon or so of truffle oil into a pan. Sauté some onions and, while they’re sweating, finely slice some yellow squash. When the onions are nice and soft, throw in the squash, some salt and some pepper and let it cook till the vegetables are mostly transparent, maybe even a little brown. Serve this up with some roasted chicken (or just eat them ravenously out of your pan. It’s whatever).

-How about adding a little truffle oil to your favorite risotto recipe? Here’s a link to a recent risotto I made. Add asparagus and shallots and you have a rich side dish.

In Case You Were Curious

2008-06-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

I saw this, here, and wanted to play along. I also guessed on the plant picture, but am afraid I may be wrong...

What was I doing ten years ago?
Graduating from high school, getting ready to take on the world (or at least, North Carolina).

What are five (non-work) things on my to-do list for today?
1. Make a list of clothes to bring to the beach (vacation next week in the Outer Banks!)
2. Make a list of ingredients to bring to the beach (Old Bay, lemons, parsley, capers and anything else I can rub all over the daily catch).
3. Read, The Omnivore’s Dilemma
4. Call Valerie
5. Make a wicked taco salad for dinner

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Hummus and olives
2. Popcorn with Old Bay
3. Pickles Vegetables
4. Cheetos
5. Peanut Butter. On anything.

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

1. Buy as many cookbooks, major kitchen appliances, fresh ingredients and wine as I could, make good use of them and invite my friends and family over for Thanksgiving dinner. Every Year.
2. Buy season tickets for the Mets (for my husband)
3. Buy my parents their own beach house in Cape Hatteras…and if they were really nice, a new boat.
4. Travel Europe, Africa and South America with my husband…and when we were done, stop by Hawaii to relive our honeymoon.
5. Go to culinary school

Places I've lived:
1. Wilmington, DE
2. Newark, DE
3. Elon, NC
4. Falls Church, VA
5. Washington, DC

Jobs I've had:
1. Stock girl at a bird food store
2. Salesperson at Victoria’s Secret (this lasted approximately one week)
3. Waitress at an Irish Pub
4. Director of Marketing at a Commercial Real Estate Firm
5. Devoted Wife

anyone else want to play?

Good Read

2008-06-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

“In Europe, we thought of wine as something as healthy and normal as food and also a great giver of happiness and well being and delight. Drinking wine was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating and to me as necessary.”

-Ernest Hemingway

potato chips

2008-06-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

I think about potatoes much in the same way that Bubba thinks about shrimp…there’s baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, new potatoes, au gratin, hash browns, home fries and my favorite- potato chips.

If you ever had homemade potato chips, loved them like I did and have been craving them ever since, you’re in luck. Check out my post on DC Foodies and make your own potato chips.

And make sure you invite me over to try a few. My first batch is already long gone (I’m looking at you, husband…)

Pea Soup

2008-06-12T06:56:00.001-07:00

On Saturday I had my heart set on visiting the Dupont Circle Market. So in the early morning, 90 degree heat, I dragged Gregg down to the circle.
We walked around the area where the market should be, but found no market. Instead, we found a lot of sweat pigeons. We took our first (in five years!) picture of the Dupont Circle Fountain.

In confusion and inner heat, we started the walk home, whereupon we ran into a couple with a small shopping cart. “Are you going to the Dupont Market?” we asked. “You mean the Dupont Market that’s only open on Sundays?” our tactless sidewalk friend snorted.

Yes, that was the one.

This was one long, hot walk to get that basic information that the Dupont market is indeed, open on Sundays. Note to self.

After this groundbreaking news, there was nowhere else to turn but our usual market at 14th and U (definitely open on Saturdays).

I was in search of beautiful spring peas, and I found them. I should mention that this month’s issue of Food and Wine is stellar, and my first dive into their latest recipes was Chilled Spring Pea Soup, a variation of David Boulud’s famous recipe, which appears in his Café Boulud Cookbook.

I love the idea that famous chefs don’t mind “dumbing down” their recipes for us common folk. Am I too crass to assume that I could create a pea soup as silky and tasteful as Bouluds original? No. Am I good enough to imitate his easier version? Yes.

I’ve been obsessed with soups lately. Odd, considering we’re in the middle of a heat wave. I think I was first intrigued after I found this recipe for zucchini soup, which looked extremely creamy sans any and all dairy. And then I dabbled in a variation of one of Mark Bittman’s soups that I altered with swiss chard, bacon and white beans. I think it’s the idea that I can chop up so many beautiful fresh ingredients, put them in a pot and let them simmer and sweat, creating beautiful smells in my kitchen. And I can bring them to work all week as lunch, their smells and tastes reminding me of the happy hours spent on weekends walking through markets (when they’re open) and chopping vegetables over front of my condo-sized cutting board. Alas.

The pea soup was as perfect as an amateur pea soup could be. And as I’ve spent several days at work without air conditioning (yes, the system broke during the heat wave) I’ve enjoyed eating this soup cold. Here’s the link to the recipe, and below is how I made it with a few of my own alterations (most notably, I wanted a lower-fat version, so I switched out the cream for fat-free half and half. Oh, and I’m sorta anti-rosemary right now.)

Ingredients:
8 slices of bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
5 cups vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
1/2 pound spring peas
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup nonfat half and half
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions
In a medium soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Pour off the fat in the pot.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the celery and onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add the veggie stock, 4 slices of the cooked bacon and a pinch each of salt and white pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bacon. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the sugar snaps and spring peas and cook for 5 or 6 minutes (until the peas are soft). Add the parsley and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute; drain. Add the sugar snaps, spring peas and parsley to the blender and puree until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of the broth to loosen the mixture. Transfer the soup and the remaining broth to a large bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water to cool.

In a small saucepan, bring the half and half garlic to a boil. Simmer over low heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Strain the garlic cream into a bowl and let cool.

Ladle the chilled pea soup into bowls and drizzle with the garlic cream. Crumble the remaining 4 slices of bacon into each bowl and serve.

Wednesdays are Yummy

2008-06-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to top Friday, but I’d argue that Wednesday is one of the best days of the week! Forget the hump day nonsense, I’m talking about food news. Granted, every weekday seems like a perfect day to get up, make coffee and dig into a stack of good reading, but if I had my choice, I’d make every Wednesday a sick day (cough).

I’d start with yoga, take a quick shower and then pour myself a hot cup of Cuban coffee, fresh out of my Bialetti. My husband would then serve me a fresh croissant from Breadline, possibly accompanied by apricot jam and interpretive dance. Then I’d dig in:

-The Washington Post food section. I’m excited to read about TangySweet’s Dupont Circle opening!

-The Washington Post chats; one with Tom Sietsema and the other with the food section staff. I linger around these chats and (occasionally) ask questions about restaurant rumors or local ingredients, but have the most fun reading about the extreme disgust of people whose restaurant experiences are too noisy, waiters who are too rude, and whose local Whole Foods have run out of leeks. Seriously, chill out, folks.

-The New York Times food section. I’ll be reading this Mark Bittmen gem on my lunch break.

-The Los Angeles Times’ food section. I read an article in this month’s Food and Wine about Grant Achatz’s battle with cancer and its interesting effects on his career at Alinea, so I’m excited to read that he was awarded outstanding chef for 2007 at the James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony in New York.

-I’d end the day with Top Chef. I’m really pulling for Stephanie in tonight’s finale, but would enjoy seeing Richard win as well…I'm just not crazy about little miss crossed-arms. Attitude much?

Green Garlic

2008-06-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I came across green garlic at the U Street Market. As I was about to ask, “what’s the difference?” to a fellow shopper, I heard the salesman explaining that it’s a milder garlic found only in the spring, and that “Some old Italian guy came in and snatched up a ton of it last week.”

Being a young Italian girl, I figured it was worth a try. So I bought a bunch (about 6 pieces) and simmered it down, along with shallots, in an asparagus soup. While the texture of the soup was a little off (it needed to be strained) the flavor was smooth and buttery. It had a garlicky flavor without the bite that can be a bit much sometimes, when more mature garlic is used. In case you’re wondering, one stalk of green garlic is equivalent to one or two cloves of mature garlic.

So I became a fan, and put it on my list of things to pick up on a future trip to the market (I’m crossing my fingers for this Saturday…)

It was then that I noticed green garlic popping up everywhere. No, not in gardens (as I don’t tend to pass too many of those living in the city) but on web pages, like here, here and here.
Am I missing something? Did everyone know about green garlic, except me?

It looks like I have of work to do. As if I didn’t cook, read and eat enough. It’s kind of like when I FINALLY tried cooking with fish sauce, or I FINALLY got reusable grocery bags.

Unlike green garlic, I’m clearly a late bloomer.

In honor of this seasonal treat, I bring you the green garlic recipe I plan on trying this weekend:

Shrimp stir-fry with green garlic, from www.chezpim.com

10 oz. shrimp, shell on (but head off)
1/2 onion, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup julienne green garlic (cut into about 2" very thin sticks)
1 heaping teaspoon of curry powder
4 tbsp cooking oil (use high smoke point oil)
1 tbsp fish sauce2 tbsp water1.

With a very sharp knife, cut each shrimp in half lengthwise with the shell on. Clean out the veins from the shrimp halves and set the shrimps aside.
Heat a fry pan or a wok until hot, add oil and then about a quarter of the julienne green garlic. (This will be used as garnish at the end so you won't need much.) Cook until the sticks just begin to change color. Take them out of the oil immediately. Set aside to rest on a paper towel.
Turn the heat to medium then add shrimp to the pan, laying each one the shell side down. Let shrimp cook, shell side down only, for 2 minutes or until the shells begin to caramelize. Take the shrimp out of the pan and set aside.
Add onion into the pan, cook until translucent, then add the curry powder, the rest of the green garlic, and give everything a quick stir to mix well.
Add shrimp back to the pan, then the fish sauce and the water. Stir vigorously until the shrimp is cooked to the desired doneness. Check the seasoning, add more fish sauce if needed.
Transfer into a large plate, garnished with the fried green garlic, and serve with freshly cooked jasmine rice.

back to the books

2008-05-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

I recently read an entry from a fellow blogger who was shocked to find she had 30 cookbooks. It got me thinking about how many cook books I had. It couldn’t be that many!

So this weekend, after a trip to the U and 14th Market, I was looking online for a recipe that included swiss chard (I got beautiful bunches of it at the market, along with bacon, strawberries) and it occurred to me that there was probably a great recipe in one of my books. I started thumbing through a few and suddenly stopped. I counted – one, two, three, fifteen, twenty seven…I stood in awe. I have exactly 30 cook books!

Is this excessive? It’s a question worth considering. Collecting cookbooks isn’t necessarily an expensive hobby, but in the 600 square feet of our DC condo, it’s sometime’s an untidy one. I started this blog as a way to journal my experiences with recipes cooked from the books I own and love. It’s morphed into many things for me, but this fact resounds- I love to read and I love to feed. So on Saturday, my hunt for online recipes was over - it was a day to pull those dusty books off the top of my cabinets and get cooking.

I started off with a simple pecan pie, created from the pages of Better Homes and Gardens. This is an easy recipe for a personal favorite, reminiscent of my college days on North Carolina. And what better accompaniment to one southern classic than another? Fried chicken was calling my name.

A bridesmaid’s dress was calling simultaneously. So in an attempt to squeeze into it this weekend, I opted for a healthier version- BHG’s oven fried chicken. It came out just as juicy and flavorful as its deep-fried counterpart.

After a visit with BHG, I noticed The Joy of Cooking was looking a little lonely. Its pages are worn and its novelty is well past, but its relevancy and beauty will never dull in my mind.

Originally published in 1931, The Joy of Cooking stands out on my shelf as one of the most complete, thorough, lovely cook books of our time. Any question I’ve ever had about ingredients, procedures or substitutions has been answered by a flip of its pages. It didn’t take long for me to settle on their classic risotto recipe, to which I added spinach and some of that fresh bacon I purchased from the market. Gregg said it was just as good as the risotto at Floriana, which we recently devoured and adored. He’s a good husband.

All of this reading and cooking done, and there was still swiss chard. I found a lot of options, but had my heart set on a simple soup, so I created a variation of a soup found in The Minimalist Cooks Dinner, by Mark Bittman. Using the swiss chard (finally) the leftover bacon, some white beans and shallots, I created a simple soup with a sweet and savory broth. It was tinted pink, to boot.

So here’s my challenge to you- dust off your cookbooks. Open them up. Create. It’s easy to rely on sites like allrecipes, epicurious, and chow, but it’s uniquely satisfying to turn to an old favorite for a new recipe. You’ll be surprised just how many you haven’t tried.

Risotto, adapted from The Joy of Cooking

Heat 3 tablespoons of clarified butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 shallots, minced; cook until soft and clear. You could also add some minced garlic and/or onion.

In a separate pot, simmer 8 to 10 cups of chicken stock over medium heat. (I ended up using only 8 cups of the stock, but it’s better to have extra prepared.)

In the pot with the butter and shallots, stir in 2 cups of Arborio rice. Stir until the rice is coated completely in the butter.

Add the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, and simmer and stir continuously until absorbed. The rice should become creamy and not stiff.

Stir in 1 cup of parmesan cheese, several cups of raw spinach and chopped, cooked bacon…or any other add-ins you’d like.

Thank you, neighbor

2008-05-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

We have this great neighbor. He’s the guy we call when we’re going out of town and need our car to be moved from the “Monday” side of the street to the “Tuesday” side (even though I’m convinced the streets never get cleaned, I don’t like to risk a ticket.) He’s the guy who feeds our fish and takes in our mail. When he goes away, we do the same. His name is Peter and he is a lawyer. I don’t know too much about him.

Last night I found out he is one hell of a cook.

“Ah, two of my favorite people,” he said, as we entered the building last night. It was a nice way to come home. It was even nicer when he offered up red beans and rice, a “Monday night tradition in New Orleans,” he said. Yes, his home was swept away in the massive tragedy several years ago, “but I’m so past that,” he recently told Gregg.

He delivered red beans cooked with sausage, turkey necks and sauce “that isn’t as hot as I normally make it.” He brought two containers of warm rice.

I took the lid off the beans and breathed in that firey mix. The smell said, “I’ve been cooking for a long time, simmering in turkey juices, heating up under hot sauce. Go ahead and pour me over that rice so it can soak up my goodness.”

All day I’ve been thinking about those beans. About what a nice, simple gesture it is to share a home made dish with neighbors. About how good it tasted and how nice it was to just come home and heat up a meal someone else had prepared for us.

About whether this Monday tradition is one that Peter practices every week…and if so, how I can finagle more beans next Monday…

a lil' self promotion

2008-05-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of food writing and live in the DC area, you've probably heard of DCfoodies.com.

Today I'm very excited to have a piece on the site!

Do you ever question the ingredients you buy at the grocery store or market? Do you wonder if you could make things like cheese, butter, bread and pasta by yourself? So do I.

My column will be part science experiment, part money-saving scheme, part recipe, and will feature my attempt to create items I'd normally buy. This week, read about my attempt at making my own ricotta cheese.

Is there something you've thought about creating instead of buying?

New York

2008-05-14T16:42:00.000-07:00

Pardon the absence, but we’ve been in a New York state of mind – and belly – over the past several days. I can still smell the nuts on the street (not the homeless variety), the hot dogs at Shea stadium and the best freakin’ steak my husband has ever tasted (his edited words) at Perilla. Ah, New York City.

The trip to the Big Apple was of course, about food. Okay, it was also about a romantic get away to Gregg’s favorite town, a trip to Shea before they tear it down and a quick catch-up with old friends…but the food was the centerpiece; what we did between (and during) visits and photographs. The thing that will stay in my memory (but I’m just obsessed like that.)

John’s Pizzeria was crowded, noisy, delicious. Flat pizza, covered in cheese the way it’s meant to be. Crunchy, buttery crust, still coated in light flour, fresh from the oven. My sister-in-law recommended the place, I read mixed reviews, but I loved every minute. The waiters’ shirts read, “No Slices” and I was glad that rule forced us to order a whole pie…if fresh-from-the-oven
pizza wasn’t good enough, the cold leftovers at 3 a.m. were a bonus.

Les Halles was everything a French bistro is supposed to be on a Saturday night – boisterous, delicious, and seemingly okay with their slow service. It took us a while to get a waiter, a glass of wine, a dessert menu, and a check, but fortunately the food was worth the wait. I paired the coq au vin with the cote de rhone…and French fries! Because in my world, there is no such thing as a trip to a bistro without French fries. I got one tasty rooster, covered in wine and sweet, tender pearl onions. For dessert we split the chocolate soufflé, which I really enjoyed. It could have been overwhelmingly sweet, but instead was subtly bitter. The waiter was the same…

‘Wich Craft was a great choice for Tuesday afternoon, after the rain had stopped, the clouds had parted and our train was about ready to leave…A stop in Bryant Park for a beautiful outdoor lunch was the perfect way to end our trip. Ironically, I was served the wrong sandwich, but decided I was too hungry to care. I’m glad I stuck with the surprise! Marinated eggplant, chickpea puree, roasted peppers and watercress smothered on a ciabatta roll turned out to be just what I wanted!

Perilla was the place we (read: I) chose for Monday night’s meal- our last night in the city to be shared with one of Gregg’s oldest and dearest friends. I was intrigued by the menu, but let’s be honest about something here- I mainly chose it because I knew there was a chance that I’d get to steal a glimpse of Harold Dieterle, winner of Top Chef Season 1.

Is this a (slightly) lame reason to pick a restaurant? Maybe. Am I the first person to do this? Probably not. So I held my head high upon entering, tried not to act too geeked up when Harold came out of the kitchen for the first time, and giggled only slightly with glee when someone else at my table actually ordered the spicy duck meatballs as our appetizer without me even mentioning, “You know, Harold was best known for his spicy duck meatballs on the show…”

Ahem. The food was delicious. The spicy duck meatballs were served with tiny gnocchi cooked a little more than al dente, but nowhere close to mushy. I had duck for my main course, as well, served with mustard greens, barley, pistachios and white mulberry-ginger sauce. The sauce was sweet and crunchy, and perfect for the duck. Duck has never been so happy to be covered in sauce. We ordered risotto for the table, a small bit of which I had to snag before the boys ate every last drop. And, as stated above, my husband really enjoyed the steak. Really.

As a general rule, I stay away from donuts. In fact, over the past 15 years, I’ve had approximately two. My aversion began shortly after my mom told me they were bad for my ovaries due to the high content of saturated fat.

However, on Monday night, I exposed my ovaries to the best damn donuts I’ve ever had (and it’s been a while, so I haven’t had that many…but even if I had, I’m pretty sure these were the best.) I neglected the chocolate ganache they were served with, favoring the rich, Meyer lemon curd instead.

The server was friendly, the wine recommendations were a perfect pairing and we left feeling every bit satisfied.

For the record, I saw Harold three times.

Hummus

2008-05-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

I’ve made a discovery and there’s no turning back. So ok, maybe it’s not an original discovery, since I’ve been reading about variations here and here, but it was the first time I personally tried roasting my garlic before blending it into my hummus, and boy am I glad I did!
Roasted garlic carries that buttery smell, taste and consistency, so it only makes sense that it would only add to the creaminess of hummus. I love good, stinky garlic as much as the next girl, but I’ve always been a fan of a blander hummus…and know I know how to make it!

2 cups chick-peas, drained and rinsed
1 head of garlic, roasted in olive oil
1/3 cup tahini
juice squeezed from half a lemon
¾ cup veggie stock
1/2 tsp salt1 head of roasted garlic

Puree all ingredients together in a food processor. Serve with olive oil, pine nuts or paprika.

1789

2008-05-05T13:02:00.000-07:00

1789 is not the kind of place you just stop by after a long day of shopping in Georgetown. It is the kind of place, however, that courtesy calls you to advise men wear sports coats, and, oh yeah, no one is permitted in jeans or sneakers.

I giggled during said phone call, but agreed to their terms.

So what I got on Saturday night was hearty but refined food with a gorgeous man in a suit. And really, what else is there?

I ordered a not-so-cohesive but delicious selection – three courses from varying regions. I started with Hamachi- that glorious filet of fish that was served with a smooth avocado paste and crunchy sea salt. Probably worth mentioning that my husband ordered the salt cod fritters, which were definitely worth stealing off his plate, which was then worthy of having bread slathered against it to pick up rogue sauce. Yum. I followed that up with a cavatelli (I told you I hopped all over that menu) served with mushrooms and asparagus. The pasta tasted homemade, doughy, fresh. The mushrooms and asparagus added an earthy flavor. My main course was a filet of local rockfish, accompanied by leeks, (more) mushrooms and escargot. Being leek season and all, I thought this was an appropriate choice.

I love it when I’m right.

I don’t know a lot about rockfish, but I do know that the slight fattiness of the fish, combined with the creamy mushrooms and leeks created a nice consistency, almost like a thick stew over the fish. And if that wasn’t good enough, sporadic bites of escargot made it seem luxurious and special.

And just when we thought we were full, the desert menu came. We split a praline-filled, chocolate mousse cake of sorts…and it sort of made me wish I had ordered my own.

We’ll be back, 1789. We may have to save our pennies for a few months, but we’ll be back.

Fish Sauce...who knew?

2008-05-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

I haven’t written lately…it doesn’t mean I haven’t been reading or cooking, it just means I haven’t taken the time to write about what I’m reading or cooking. It also means that when I’m cooking, I’m not taking pictures of what I’m cooking.

I’m bad.

But I’d like to re-enter the blog-o-sphere with an entry about Martha Stewart’s Lemon Grass Beef Skewers. I was a little intimidated because this was my first venture into cooking with fish sauce. The smell is a bit off-putting. Not to mention its pungent taste when sampled on it’s own. But the combination of fish sauce with brown sugar, lemon grass and garlic creates that familiar Thai seasoning that blends perfectly with peanuts, crisp lettuce and juicy beef.

I’ve made the beef three times now, and served it along side Martha’s rice noodles with scallions and herbs. For lack of a grill pan, I’ve cooked the beef on my Foreman Grill (with detachable plates, mind you!) and been extremely happy with the texture.

You remember Aladdin? The part where Jasmine is flying through the air on a magic carpet, singing “A Whole New World?” Well this dish opened a whole new world for me. I’m happy to report that fish sauce is now my friend!

Lemongrass Beef Skewers, from Martha Stewart Living:

Serves 4
3 lemongrass stalks, bottom 4 inches only, minced
3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed light-brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound boneless sirloin, trimmed of excess fat
1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts (about 1 ounce), crushed
1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced on the diagonal (optional)
Fresh mint and basil sprigs, for serving
Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves, for serving
Lime wedges, for squeezing
Directions
Soak 8 bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
Whisk together lemongrass, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and oil. Slice beef very thinly against the grain. Add to marinade, and toss. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Thread beef onto skewers. Grill until browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with the remaining ingredients on the side, bundling the meat, cucumber, and herbs inside the lettuce leaves if desired.

Good News for the Neighborhood:

2008-04-06T08:04:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends:
I am pleased to announce that the owner of Bus Boys and Poets will open a second restaurant at the Flats of Union Row. The new restaurant is across the street from the first, Bus Boys and Poets, at 14th and V St, NW.
The new restaurant will be called Eatonville. It is named in tribute of one of the first all-black towns to be formed after the Emancipation Proclamation. The restaurant will occupy 6,000 sq. ft. with seating for about 250 guests. There will be an outdoor patio.I am pleased to welcome Eatonville to the historic U Street Corridor. Bus Boys and Poets has been a great success. Eatonville will provide another great dining experience for the residents of Ward One.
Bests, Councilmember Jim Graham

Last night at Ulah

2008-04-02T11:57:00.000-07:00

How I would rank (in order of awesome-ness) the details of my evening:
1. The company
2. The service
3. The food

So let’s start from the top:

1. Jackie. My former coworker, the mastermind behind my women’s writing group, the hysterical blogger, and oh yeah, my friend. While we don’t get together often (outside of our monthly writing group meetings) it’s always a pleasure.

Jackie feels my pain. She knows what it’s like to feel stuck in a world where your dreams are big, your plans are uncertain and your direction is…unclear? You know how us creative types are. We want the world on a hot pink platter, laid out in front of us with clarity, creativity and speaking for myself, cook books! It’s nice to know that in this muddled mix of real life and big dreams there are kindred spirits. And it’s nice to know that they come with big smiles and yoga mats!

2. The waiter at Ulah. Why didn’t I catch his name? Maybe I was busy with my whine and my wine…a Sauvignon Blanc, to be exact. Crisp with strong pear undertones. A perfect glass for last night’s heat.

But where was I? Ah, yes- our waiter. This is the kind of waiter you want on a girl’s night out. No, not some twenty-something stud to fix up with Jackie. A nice, middle-aged man with a big smile, an attentive eye and the ability to make helpful recommendations. Sure, my date and I had plenty to talk about, but it’s nice to have that casual conversation from friendly wait staff every once in a while. It’s also nice to have your food delivered promptly, your glass filled, your evening made a little more pleasant with an invitation to return, a good recommendation.

It looks like most the people who visit Ulah have positive things to say about the staff, and you’ll get no arguments from me. And truth be told, if a place has decent food and superior service, I’ll be back a second time. I can’t stress this point enough.

3. Ulah Pizza and Mojito Chicken. The pizza was a pleasant surprise and came recommended by our waiter. Thin, crispy crust topped with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, basil, parmesan and crabmeat. I thought the pizza could have benefited from a little more basil, but the tasty, lumpy crab meat won me over. How nice it is to bite into a crab pizza and actually taste…crab!

The chicken was ok…the menu detailed what I would have thought to be stronger flavors (glazed in rum, roasted in spices.) What we got were mild flavors. The risotto was tasty – a little dry, but since the perfect risotto is still beyond this novice chef’s reach, I won’t begrudge Ulah’s chef.

And there it is. A decent place, a fun waiter, a perfect dinner date. Good enough!

A Tale of Two Brunches

2008-03-31T13:02:00.000-07:00

(Or, Many Bloody Mary’s)

One of my favorite people graced me with her presence this weekend, and this called for celebration. The word means many things to many people, but to me (and fortunately enough, to one of my favorite people) celebration means eating, drinking and being merry, set to the music of endless girl talk and retail therapy. Amen, sister.

So brunch – it’s that time of day when last night’s partying and this morning’s hangover turns into a blur of hash browns, smoked salmon, pancakes and mimosas…hair of the dog, no? You leave brunch feeling full, slightly buzzed and ready to take on the afternoon (or the evening, whereupon you relive the last 24 hours over again.) Ahem.

But when one of your favorite people is your mama, and you didn’t spend the previous evening raging, brunch is more about catching up, sharing laughs and getting a good “base” for the shopping and walking that will ensue.

That said, we arrived at Crème around 11:25, about 25 minutes after they opened. Crème was already full- every seat in the house was taken by hungry patrons, mouths watering at passing pancakes. We waited 15 minutes, which was not a problem, as the host paid us lovely compliments and made sure we had a place to sit while we waited (yes gentlemen, flattery will get you everywhere in life.)

We got a table near the large, sunny window towards the front of the restaurant. Crème’s menu, (if you missed my last post) focuses on country cooking with a modern, slightly upscale twist. It was hard to choose just two entrees, but we settled on eggs Chesapeake, and waffles with fried chicken. Oh yes, and the bottomless bloody mary’s. When our entrees arrived we split them up and went to work.

Aside from my mom’s special Easter and Christmas fare, I don’t think I could have enjoyed brunch more.

The crab cakes were lumpy with backfin meat and the poached eggs plopped lazily on top were perfectly runny. The crunchy-on-the-outside-waffle held on top of it the sweetest, crispiest fried chicken outside of a grandmother’s kitchen.

We felt a little odd eating fried chicken for brunch, but a few of Crème’s bloody mary’s helped us feel a little less funny and a little more fuzzy. And warm. And, (as alcohol tends to do to me in general) more hungry. And these entrees didn’t disappoint there – what we ordered for 2 could have fed more like 4. (It’s probably worth mentioning that if you like your bloody mary’s spicy, as in very peppery and with a large serving of horse radish, these are for you. You’ll get your glass filled generously and often with the fiery drink by friendly wait staff that carry around pitchers of the things. If you’re not into pepper, I’d recommend you try something else, like the bottomless mimosas.)

We spent the lazy hours of brunch at Crème, soaking up sun, easy conversation and runny egg yolk on a buttery English muffin.

I’ll spare the details of the rest of the day, which include a lot of shopping and further tomato juice and vodka consumption (at Jack’s on 17th Street and J. Paul’s of Georgetown…both of which were tasty and not nearly as peppery as their Crème counterparts). And skip to the next day…Sunday…whereupon we indulged in a second brunch at Station 9.

While Crème and Station 9 share the culinary influence of Chef Terrell Danley, their brunches offer different settings and selections. While you’ll find a fried chicken variation on the Station 9 brunch menu (the batter was saltier and less sweet than at Creme) you’ll find that chicken on a buffet table.

But this is not your average buffet. My mom and I counted 4 stations in Station 9’s brunch setup, and this was before mimosa’s had us seeing double. This generous display of food included fried chicken, cheesy grits, a hot, salty seafood salad, French toast, smoked salmon, a variety of baked goods (including biscuits and carrot cake, accompanied by a huge bowl of thick, whipped cream) several kinds of sausage, pancakes and an omelet station. And I know I’m missing a few things. Phew, my pants are tightening just thinking about the selection.

My favorite parts of the meal were the grits and sausage. I’ve had Station 9 grits before (for dinner, accompanied by scallops) and remain a fan. It’s not every day that a girl from the North would choose grits over a bagel with smoked salmon, but this girl did.

The dining room wasn’t nearly as packed as Crème, but Station 9 offers patrons a much larger food selection and seating area. And the smaller crowd didn’t bother me – less people to maneuver around when I went in for a second helping of grits.

Mom and I agreed- overall, we enjoyed brunch at Crème a little more. We preferred picking out just a few of our favorite things and being served. But we’d gladly visit both Station 9 and Crème again for brunch. And next time we’ll wear sweatpants.

Top Chef Tacos- No Bueno

2008-03-27T14:07:00.001-07:00

After last night's Top Chef taco debauchery, I thought this link to 50 fabulous taco recipes would be muy importante.

Ole!

Click here for tacos galore...

Free cook books! All is right with the world...

2008-03-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

Because one can never have enough cook books on her shelf (or enough books in general!) I present a few links to you, my readers (if there any out there…sigh…)
I signed up for a free newsletter through justfreestuff.com, and lo and behold, free cookbooks! Below are links to a few cookbooks that look interesting. And even if they end up to be a bust, at least they were free!

Cooking Light
California Olives
Kidney Friendly Cook book (in case you're like me, and have a grandfather with Diabetes!)

James Beard Nominees

2008-03-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

Hooray for our local chefs, nominated by the James Beard Foundation:

José Andrés of Minibar for Outstanding Chef of the Year
Johnny Monis of Komi for Rising Star Chef of the Year
Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve in Alexandria
Eric Ziebold of CityZen for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic
Terry Theise of Terry Theise Estate Selections in Silver Spring for Outstanding Wine & Spirits Professional
Michel Richard's Central is also nominated in the Best New Restaurant category (Michel won Outstanding Chef last year)

Winners will be announced June 8. Now, if we could just get a few of them to duke it out with Bobby Flay or star as guest chefs on Top Chef...

Here's a link to the entire nominee list.

National Cherry Blossom Festival

2008-03-26T06:19:00.000-07:00

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is about to begin in Washington, DC. Never been? The festival, held from March 29 to April 13, offers a glimpse of Japanese tradition, culture and a hundred-year-old event that sparked a friendship between two countries. And let’s not forget the cuisine: fresh fish, ancient spices and indeed, cherries.

If you weren’t able to score tickets to the Grand Sushi and Sake Tasting (which has been sold out for weeks) or the National Conference of State Societies Grand Ball and Sushi Reception (tickets go for $150 per person) don’t fret – there are many ways for families to enjoy the sights, smells and tastes of the Cherry Blossom Festival, the event that celebrates the gift of 3,000 cherry trees from Mayor Yukio Ozaki of Tokyo in 1912.

The event web site details the following events:
Annual Gala Dinner Cruise
Japanese Street Festival (featuring more than a dozen Asian food vendors) here's a link to the list of vendors

A variety of cherry blossom-inspired menu items from area restaurants. A few of my favorites:
Bangkok Joe’s Salmon Firecrackers with pickled garlic-sour cherry compote.
Beacon Bar and Grill’s Cherry Glazed Peppered Salmon, served with saffron risotto, rhubarb port sauce and spring asparagus.
Café Mozu’s Cherry Blossom Crème Brûlée with cocoa caramel, morello cherry espuma and iced prosecco twig.
Wash it all down at Hank’s Oyster Bar with a Cherry Stone Blossom – a cocktail combining vodka, sake and Hank's house-made lemonade and house-mixed cherry juice.

If you’re looking for an even pinker experience, (i.e. a tasting menu covered in cherries) try Perry’s (offering a six course meal paired with sake) or Ten Penh (offering a four course meal, paired with wine, and a cooking class on the first day of the festival.)

Creme

2008-03-18T07:01:00.000-07:00

I’m a big fan of hot dogs- I want to put that out there. Likewise, that lovable mixture of hotdogs and baked beans has always been an easy to make favorite, rearing it’s pretty head around football season in our home.
And then we went to Crème, our often forgotten neighborhood restaurant. And pork and beans never tasted so good.
I say “often forgotten” because it’s not my first thought for a meal around the corner. My love for Busboys and Poets is documented, and I don’t think I’ve written too much about Station 9 (though I’ve had several great meals there) so when dinner out presents itself, I opt for one of my favorites (and did I mention Sushi Tono?)
But those pork and beans have changed my tune. A generous serving of tender pork shank atop a perfect mix of shallots and tri-colored lima beans hit the spot. I’ve had their shrimp and grits, I’ve had their roasted chicken, and I’ve enjoyed them thoroughly…but I think I found my favorite.
This is sophisticated pork and beans, my friends. I may never look at hot dogs the same way again.

Sushi

2008-03-10T07:58:00.000-07:00

My husband asked me on Saturday whether I thought sushi was on a roll…well, I explained, it’s a roll, it’s a piece, it’s a cone, it’s a-

No…he meant, is it more popular now than ever? Is it a trend? A fad? Were more people willing to try it now than 10 years ago?

We pondered these questions over spicy tuna, yellow tail and unagi. We can never get enough sushi. As often as we eat it, as much as we savor and stuff it in our eager little mouths, we never feel like we’ve had too much, never feel like we don’t want to go back for more, and we never feel disgusted at ourselves for consuming mass amounts. It’s healthy, right?

My favorite sushi spots in DC may not be the most expensive in the city, but they are places full of memories for me. After all, food is an experience.

Bambu. It was the first place my husband ever had sushi. His obsession started on a date; I ordered salmon and California rolls, he had beef and broccoli over rice. He was staring at my selection, so in the spirit of romance I offered him a bite. He was skeptic, but in the spirit of wanting to seem adventurous (we hadn’t been dating long, after all) he accepted. It was love at first bite. We had sushi two more times that week, at other restaurants, but we returned to Bambu on a weekly basis until I moved out of the area. Those were the days of rushing home from work to make it in time for half-price rolls from 4 to 6 pm (now that’s a seriously happy hour) Bambu has great atmosphere and fresh sushi. They also have a wide variety of Asian dishes if raw fish isn’t your cup of (green) tea.

Tono Sushi. Our favorite place for real, humble rolls. No pretension, no fancy accoutrements, just great service and great sushi. We first went to Tono on a double date with my best friend, and dinner was followed by karaoke, Japanese-style at a dive in Wheaton (it was a long, drunk metro ride, but totally worth it.) To get our courage up, we downed Sapporo and spent time getting to know my friends new squeeze. We frequent Tono because of its great location (an easy walk for us through Adams Morgan and over the Ellington Bridge and reasonable prices for good quality fish. We love their vegetable tempura; I obsess over the sweet potatoes. Why not Sake club, a close-by neighbor? Because when I want sushi, I don’t always want to pay for shi-shi atmosphere. I usually just want to eat great rolls and watch my husband smile over avocado and salmon.

Sushi Taro. When we’ve worked late, worked hard, or sometimes not worked at all (but managed to look really busy all day) we stop at Sushi Taro, as it’s along the trek from the office to the condo. I love their greetings, I love their miso soup, I love that if we get there around 5:45, we never have to wait to be seated and never need a reservation. And by the time we leave, there’s usually a line out the door. Taro has become the place that bears our work gossip, angst and frustration. We arrive in a huff and leave happy, smiling, full of spicy crunchy tuna and spider rolls. Taro is our weeknight sanctuary.

SmartKafe

2008-03-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

I’ll admit, going down the escalator and into the metro tunnel without actually going IN to the metro is a little…odd.

No, I wasn’t setting up my garbage can drums to play mad beats and collect money- I did it to check out the SmartKafe, a little diddy I read about in the Post. This (very) small café is connected to the new Results Gym at the Farragut North Metro stop, and is part of a larger effort to bring fresh, organic and environmentally responsible snacks and meals to DC. Their menu boasts a nice variety of local favorites. According to the web site, 3 SmartKafes are in the works for our area.

The cafe Farragut North is the first. I stopped by for a salmon nicoise salad and to get away from the office for a while. SmartKafe offers a small seating area, where I chose to read and eat. But had I been in the mood for some mind-numbing, I could have joined the gentleman behind the counter for a little Project Runway marathon on the large flat-screen TV.

The salad was decent. The salmon was a little hard (as in, not flaky and soft, but just sorta-flaky). The olives, green beans and potatoes were striking. And I thought their choice of dressing (a vinaigrette) paired nicely.

I washed it down with a MetroMint (no kidding, the water was actually called that) which was a mint flavored water in a much-too-small bottle. It was good and I wanted more.

For the sake of straying from the norm, a commitment to giving things at least a second shot, and for our dear environment, I’m going to give SmartKafe another shot. A place with such good intentions is worth my time. I think I’ll go for one of Jordan Lichman’s soft flour tacos that the Post suggested (Lichman is a former Inn at Little Washington sous chef and SmartKafe's current executive chef).

And I’m definitely up for tracking down one of their battery-powered SmartKarts.

Gorgeously Green

2008-03-04T07:29:00.000-08:00

My husband, the conservationist, lets nary a day go by without removing the dishes I’ve put in the dish washer to hand wash them himself (it saves water), reminding me to unplug my hair straightener after using it (it saves electricity), or commenting on the amount of waste we produce (our landfills are too full as it is and our trash always manages to find it’s way into our oceans).

Some people may see this gentle prodding as annoying, I see it as consciousness. And after reading Gorgeously Green, I’m ready to embrace his suggestions, and many more, whole heartedly.

When this book is officially released, I recommend picking up a copy, diving in, and learning the easy (and some not-so-easy) ways you can improve your life and help our Earth. The author, Sophie Uliano, guides readers down a beautiful path of improved health, conscious consumption and eco-friendly practices.

It sounds costly and time consuming, right? It can be. But it can also be a matter of good common sense, simple changes and better awareness. For example, Sophie shares with readers ways to reduce your junk mail, how to get a free reusable grocery bag, and a Web site with a comprehensive database of beauty products. Ever want to know what’s really in your moisturizer? You might change your mind after this.

As a foodie with an unquenchable thirst for recipes and food tips, the book left nothing to be desired. Sophie presents yummy recipes including veggie couscous, cucumber soup and coconut macaroons.

Her endless supply of kitchen knowledge includes:
-how to conserve energy in the kitchen (try a slow cooker, it uses less electricity)
-where to find organic, local foods in any community (even companies that deliver)
-how to create a compost pile (this city dweller will have to wait on that one)
-why a wooden cutting board is best (they don’t cause pollution during the manufacturing process and have natural antibacterial qualities)

She also includes a helpful guide to oils, veggies and seafood to try and what to avoid at all costs.

You know how sometimes you see an alarming TV program about Global Warming or read an article about pollution, and you walk away from it feeling helpless? Gorgeously Green made me feel hopeful- that if I made small changes in my lifestyle, our Earth may just make it a little longer.

ACKC

2008-02-29T12:16:00.001-08:00

I’d never turn down a good cup of coffee for hot chocolate…until now. As I stood at the café bar at ACKC, I was faced with a serious decision – beans? Or beans????
I went with chocolate. The “Lucy”, to be exact. This gorgeous cup of silky chocolate came with a spicy chipotle pepper burn that lingered on my tongue and made me smile – really – after my first sip. This stuff is good.
ACKC was the perfect place to sit and read, and drink chocolate perfection. I brought a bag of their own chocolate covered potato chips home for my husband and they’re already gone.

Elephant Toes

2008-02-29T08:02:00.000-08:00

The name is wonderful, and every time I think about these oversized, pungent bulbs of garlic, I crave their spreadable-when-cooked consistency on French baguette.

I picked up a particularly large bunch when I was in Seattle (though they were native to Honey Grove Farm in Oregon)and roasted them in one of these with a little bit of basil infused extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and pepper. The smell of these lovely morsels as they slowly soften and roast is heavenly. I can hardly wait for them to be done so I can rip into a baguette and spread them on top.

As if the experience couldn’t be any more delightful, the bulbs come in a package with a label that offers up “Further Explorations of Elephant Toes” for the curious cook. It reads:

Mince toes and add to scrambled eggs, barbeque sauce, mushrooms, salads, pastas and strews. Be generous – you won’t be overwhelmed, only complimented.
Thinly slice toes, sauté very quickly and serve in stir fries as a vegetable.
For a very special treat, mash baked toes into your baked potatoes.
Intrigue the gourmet at your barbeque by adding half-steamed toes in the shells to the BBQ 20 minutes before serving. Fragrantly enticing!
Jazz up ho-hum roast or chicken by adding peeled toes to the roasting dish 45 minutes before serving. A four star touch
(Here’s my favorite part!) Risk & Daring- invigorate life and meals- Add finely grated minced toes to chocolate – especially truffles. Amaze your guests, astound your friends, build a reputation for courage and taste.

Personally, I’d love a reputation for courage and taste. And if garlic can do that for me, so be it!

The "Robert Irvine Affair"

2008-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you who read this post about Robert Irvine's cook book or are fans of him in general, you may be interested in this story about his resume...or lack thereof...

I found out about this story on superchef.com. Yikes.

Make it Super Simple with G. Garvin

2008-02-26T06:51:00.000-08:00

You may have seen one of his guest appearances on late night TV, or caught his show, Turn Up the Heat, on TVOne. He also owns his own restaurant, touts a line of spices and has authored two books. My sweetie pie bought Make it Super Simple with G. Garvin for my Valentine’s Day gift, because “it looked good, and the recipes sounded like the kind of stuff I like you to cook for me.”

I can appreciate ulterior motives, so this weekend I dove into Make it Super Simple with a vengeance.

The first recipe I tried was the easy seafood jambalaya. I had a lot of fun picking out the freshest seafood I could find this time of year and took great pleasure smelling the beautiful seafood notes steaming out of a pot on Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, I was a bit disappointed with the taste of the dish. From a guy with his own spice line, you’d expect a more kicked-up flavor. This dish didn’t deliver. It was beautiful, it smelled great, but it was lacking some essential ingredient to really bring out the flavor of the clams, mussels, salmon, scallops and sea bass. I added red pepper and some salt, and the leftovers were eaten, but I’ll keep my eyes out for a better seafood gumbo.

The next recipe I tried made up for the seafood debacle two-fold. Garvin’s raisin and pecan bread pudding put a smile on everyone’s face that ate it…and there were many of us. This simple, gorgeous bread pudding was perfect, with several small alterations. The pictures do it no justice.

I have wonderful memories of my mom’s bread pudding, dunked in milk, and will no doubt prepare this for her during her next visit. Warm, dense pudding with the crunch of pecans and sweetness of raisins was perfect on our Sunday brunch menu. I took his suggestion of adding a caramel sauce glaze, but opted out of the fruit compote topping. The flavors were satisfying without it.

And yet, there was a third. You could say we saved the best for last. You know how Sunday nights can be bittersweet? The promise of the work week looms over your head? Our weekly let down was diminished with macaroni and cheese with truffle oil and prosciutto. I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to use the truffle oil I purchased last week at the Pike Place Market in Seattle – this weekend I found it. With the subtle earthiness of the truffle oil, the prosciutto provided a perfect saltiness, which in turn complements the creamy mixture of cheese, cream and onions. This dish could stand on its own, but I served it with Garvin’s lamb chop recipe, a perfect, mild tasting chop that lent a nice mild base to the rich macaroni dish.

And no, I did not include a green vegetable. It’s Sunday night! I’m trying to put us in a good mood for the week, remember? I’ll save green veggies for a Friday.

The lesson I learned- don’t let one bad apple spoil the bunch. I’m glad the seafood gumbo recipe didn’t deter me from digging into Garvin’s other masterpieces; we would have missed out on some big flavors this weekend.

Pecan and Raisin Bread Pudding, adapted from Make it Super Simple with G. Garvin:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 package of mini potato rolls (package of 24)
1 cup raisins, soaked in water for approx. 20 minutes and drained
1 cup pecans
8 eggs
2 cups milk
1 can, 14 oz. condensed sweetened milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
Pinch ground nutmeg
Caramel sauce (I purchase a bottle)

Preheat oven to 350. Butter 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
Cut rolls in half, set bottoms of rolls in pan. Sprinkle bottoms with half of the raisins and pecans
Beat eggs well. Stir in milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream, vanilla, mix well.
Stir in sugar and nutmeg until sugar is dissolved. Pour half of this mixture over the contents in the baking pan.
Put tops of rolls in pan (on top of the roll bottoms, raisins, pecans and liquid. Put remaining raisins, pecans and liquid over top.
Bake approx. 30 minutes or until pudding springs back when touched.
Drizzle the pudding with caramel sauce.

Baseball Fare

2008-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

While this girl loves a gourmet meal, nothing can beat a juicy hotdog, cold beer and a ballgame on hot summer night.

If you're excited about the Nats new stadium, you may be excited to know about the new food selections, too. The Washington Business Journal is reporting possible deals for chili from Hard Times cafe, Five Guys burgers and fries, and a few classics from Ben's Chili Bowl. Read more...

Bottoms Up

2008-02-25T12:51:00.001-08:00

It's only Monday (and also far too early for a drink, right?) but I'm already thinking about the weekend!

If you love wine, you may want to check out the Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival. Food, wine, seminars, famous chefs, what more can you ask for?

And hopefully you've already purchased your tickets for Francophonie, because they're already sold out of tickets.

Party Basics for New Nesters

2008-02-23T19:42:00.000-08:00

While I may not technically be considered a “new nester” anymore (I’ve been married for about a year and a half) I found there was still much to learn as I flipped through the yet-to-be-released Party Basics for New Nesters (thanks to my new friend, Julia.) A scrapbook of sorts, filled with practical tips and sparkly ones too, Maria McBride details the perfect plans for just about any event.
Anyone can throw a party (or entice a loved one with breakfast in bed, have a close couple over for dinner, etc.) but simple, thoughtful details can make memorable moments, and this book is full of these sorts of memory makers. While the book is structured for a year full of holidays, McBride’s tips are versatile- I can see her Cinco de Mayo drinks and décor working perfectly for a bachelorette party, and her “spring fling” flower cubes and mini cupcakes would be beautiful at an upcoming bridal shower.
What’s most charming about the book isn’t the gorgeous pictures or fresh ideas- it’s the love story that lies beneath. McBride, whose been married to her college sweetheart for many years, recalls her own stories from early in her marriage, weaving them flawlessly into the grander scheme of the book- making events memorable.
What might be missing are more recipes (but maybe that’s because I feel that food is an integral part of any gathering.) Although her butternut squash soup and stuffed shrimp are seemingly perfect selections for the book. And I applaud the final pages, where McBride lists resources for all of the items used in her book. How many times have you flipped through a magazine and thought, I could make that, if only I knew where to pick up red gingham ribbon and Joss paper? McBride leaves no mystery to her readers- if you see it here, and you’re inspired to make it, you can find the supplies.
If you’re in need of a winter pick me up, something to help you spice up your next dinner party, or a gift for a bride to be, I recommend this book.

Kitchen Confidential

2008-02-23T14:34:00.001-08:00

So, I’m a little intimidated by Anthony Bourdain, and maybe he likes it that way. Or maybe in all the arrogance, wittiness and debauchery unleashed in Kitchen Confidential, he’s really just making fun of himself. You be the judge.
I will tell you that the book captivated me from the minute I picked it up last week. Bourdain shares horrific and hilarious stories from the kitchen that makes would be chefs (ahem…me) ask, could I hack it? Does a life in the culinary arts sound better, or worse after this?
As the proclaimed lover of chaos, conspiracy and the dark side of human nature, Bourdain satisfies his readers with these fantastic stories, advice, and tips of the trade. For example, I now know where to get a good hot dog in New York, the importance of a good food runner, and how to react if I were to ever walk into a kitchen full of automatic weapons (read the book.)
But there’s a shade of doubt for me that lies in his description of the vulgarity that he claims adheres to kitchens, that makes up the majority of restaurant talk. As I spent some time as a hostess, waitress and food runner in a gritty Irish pub, I’ve heard my fair share of the stuff he’s talking about, but I gotta tell you, I don’t find it any worse than the talk I hear working at a boutique commercial real estate firm in Washington, DC. I’d venture to say that most industries have their own foul-mouth secret language; that it flourishes whether working amongst mostly men (which I do) or in your upscale kitchen supply shop with a bunch of middle aged women (which I have.)
Maybe he’s just proud to be the king of the new foodie cult. And that’s fine. I’ll keep reading his books, watching his travel show and planning a trip up to NY to sample the cuisine at Les Halles. And now I know not to order fish on Mondays.

Coffee

2008-02-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

Most people don’t believe me when I say that I started drinking coffee at the tender age of five.

It’s completely true, though. In typical oldest child, “I want to be an adult before I even wear real underwear” fashion, I made it known to my grandparents that I’d be happier if they basically let me do everything they were doing. And in typical grandparent fashion, they let me. This included not going to school, watching the news, and drinking coffee.

My first memory of drinking coffee took place in Sea Isle City, NJ, in a trailer at a beach campground. I remember drinking out of a plastic mug, crossing my legs much like my grandmother and staring out the window, trying ever so quietly to catch a glimpse of the hummingbirds my grandfather was trying to attract in some sort of homemade feeder.

While I saw only a few hummingbirds, I was a very happy camper. Starting my day with two people I adored, drinking a sweet, hot beverage, feeling like I was one of the big kids. To me, it was the perfect summer vacation. And I did it with two long braids falling down my back, underneath my Good N’ Plenty conductor’s hat.

When I visit my parents, I wake to the smell of coffee brewing. I leave my husband asleep in bed and mosey downstairs to the family room, or if the weather’s nice, to the pond in the backyard, and we sit and drink coffee, talk about life, work and (gulp) grandchildren.

I have my coffee of choice. Steaming hot, strong Cuban coffee from my Bialetti is so classic, so intense. And as I type, my mind is drifting back to the first latte I had in Paris in a café with my husband – the taste of which made up for the horrible service and overpriced croissant.

Gourmet as I am (or at least, claim to be) nothing beats a hot cup of coffee from my mother or grandmother’s coffee pot, preferably served in a familiar mug with a large side of conversation.

Coffee is a tie that binds my family.

To Do

2008-02-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

It’s Thursday and I’ll be spending this weekend here in DC- so it’s about time I start making my list of things to cook, things to read, things to eat (and serve)

Finish Kitchen Confidential. This is one quick, witty, true-to-kitchen-life read. I picked it up on Sunday and gave myself a headache on the plane, because I read it for five hours, straight. I’ve been swallowing bits of it since then, but hope to indulge myself one more time in an hour or two of purely cynical fun.

Take a walk to ACKC. I’ve walked by a few times, read several reviews, and visited their web site. Each of these things leaves me yearning for a rich, potent cup of hot cocoa.

Cook up a meal from Make it Super Simple with G. Garvin. You know you’ve got it good when your sweetie pie gets you the perfect gift without even asking what you want- in my case, a cookbook. This was my Valentine’s Day gift, and I think it’s about time I sent a thank you note in the form of a fabulous meal.

To Market, to Market

2008-02-19T18:12:00.001-08:00

I finished My Life in France, by Julia Child, on the plane ride to Seattle. I could say so many positive things about the book, but what I’d like to think is most evident throughout is Julia’s ability to love tirelessly, and with great excitement, the things that mattered most in her life- one of which was her husband, Paul. From beginning to end, Julia gives a sense of their devout friendship, wonderful partnership, and commitment to one another’s dreams. If not her biggest fan, Paul was her biggest help in becoming the Julia Child we all watched on TV and still call on for inspiration in making French food. Theirs truly was a love story.

It’s also no secret Julia loved French cuisine, culture and markets (she refers to “marketing” throughout the book, and I chuckle at the term, which, these days, means something completely different. As a Director of Marketing during the day, I certainly wish I made a living doing the type of marketing she wrote about.)

This was the perfect book to read on my way to Seattle, as Emily and I spent a fair amount of time navigating Seattle’s own markets. What vacation would be complete without a visit to the Pike Place Market? It seemed the theme is oversized everything- the fish, the peroshkies (Russian for stuffed pastry), the vegetables- everything was giant-sized. And I bought my fair share of these large, local specialties.

The only small item I saw (and bought) all day was a bottle of white truffle oil, which I can’t wait to dribble over mashed potatoes, leek soup and maybe even some macaroni and cheese.

And yes, I posed with a fish guy.

On Sunday we stumbled over to the Fremont Market. I use the word stumble because I was mostly stuffed from the previous night’s generous seafood and wine consumption at Ray’s Café (or maybe it was the jet lag? Nevermind.) I’m glad we made it- two elderly gentlemen charmed us at their booth with generous samples of fresh bread, pomegranate vinaigrette and basil-infused olive oil. Gary and his sweet old friend, of Olympic Olive Oil Company displayed a variety of homemade oils and vinegars that they hope will one day become their full time job. Judging from their charisma and the taste of that basil-infused olive oil, they have a good shot at it. I sure bought some.

Seattle's Salumi

2008-02-19T17:36:00.000-08:00

I unpacked my suitcase and the smells of Seattle come rushing towards me. No, not the salty sea and fresh mountain air – more like salami, fish, garlic and oil. That’s right, I went all the way to Seattle and all I got was some stinkin’ food stuffs.
Actually, I got a lot more than just stinkin’ food stuffs. I got 3 days with my best friend in the world; 3 days full of girl talk, good food, lattes on lawn chairs and beautiful mountain views.
But since this is a food blog, I’ll stick to the food. Emily and I started our adventures at Salumi, a neighborhood deli with big tastes and an even bigger reputation. Started by Armandino Batali (Mario Batali’s father) Salumi claims they draw inspiration from the traditional Italian Salumeria. After standing in line, waiting out Seattle’s blustery winter weather for half an hour, we huddled inside the door and waited another 15 minutes with half of Seattle’s local and tourist populations. Why the wait?
Slow, personal service may be the reason- and I’m not complaining. As the line nears the deli counter, patrons are offered free samples from friendly staff with helpful suggestions. I bonded with my server over rosemary salami (which she recommended, and I brought a stick home) and her upcoming visit to DC. I gave her a few restaurant recommendations (naturally.)
We settled on the cold meat platter with cheese, olives and bread and help-yourself-red wine. No sooner had we found a seat next to two gentlemen (they looked like father and son) at a communal table, when two men carrying photography equipment entered the room. It seems our well known hole-in-the-wall was being recognized as one of America’s best sandwich makers by Esquire Magazine. So, we freshened up our lip gloss, put on our best sandwich eating faces, and tried to get in the pictures. We haven’t made the cut on the web site yet, but here’s hoping for the magazine.
For the record, if the sandwiches are anything like the meat platter, the service or the authenticity of the mozzarella, then they are worthy of being recognized as the best sandwiches in America. And they're definitely worthy of our humble trip- my first meal in Seattle.

Rocco's Real Life Recipes-Preview

2008-02-13T13:38:00.001-08:00

In anticipation of this season's Top Chef, I was messing around on the Bravo Web site and discovered this. Click here to check out a preview of Rocco's Real Life Recipes. The 27 page preview includes pictures, tips, stories and....RECIPES!

"The easiest way to get someone to fall in love with you is to feed them."
-Rocco DiSpirito

What a Foodie Wants

2008-02-13T11:08:00.000-08:00

It’s the day before Valentine’s Day- you may be scrambling to remember your significant other’s signature perfume or ring size, favorite rock band or restaurant they said they’ve always wanted to try.
I’m keeping it real.
We’re staying in – we both have big trips to take on Friday. My husband is heading to New Jersey (with a tray of frozen ziti, baked and frozen by you-know-who) to help his dad recover from surgery. I am heading to Seattle to spend a few days with my best friend. So we’ll both be far away from each other, but with people we love.
So what do I want for Valentine’s Day? I’d take one of these, but I already have the most important thing – a caring, loving husband, who encourages me to keep writing, keep cooking, keep dreaming, and will eat whatever I put in front of him with a smile on his face.
As for tomorrow, I’ve got the perfect card picked out, and am almost certain of tomorrow night’s menu (to include medium rare steak in a red wine reduction, asparagus, potatoes of some sort and chocolate mousse…I think.)
If you’re thinking about laying low this year, here’s a list of a few great menus from some of my favorite people:

Martha Stewart

Mario Batali

Jamie Oliver

It's worth posting again- Eric Ripert

Free Access to Robert Irvine's Cookbook

2008-02-11T14:16:00.001-08:00

I just read that starting Monday, Harper Collins will be releasing several online editions of books for free, including Robert Irvine's "Mission: Cook! My Life, My Recipes and Making the Impossible Easy”. The book will be available for a month. Here's an article in the Times about this cool new venture.

Short Ribs by Mario, or (insert your Italian grandmother's name here)

2008-02-11T12:29:00.000-08:00

This weekend I ventured into the masterpiece that is Molto Italiano. These are quite literally the recipes I wish my great grandmother would have written down. There’s still hope for my grandmother!
Let me preface by saying this is one of those cookbooks that usually come off my shelf at about 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday or Sunday morning, when I can’t sleep and all I can think about is, what am I going to cook on Sunday?
This has become a bit of a winter tradition for me – this notion of waking up early to meticulous planning, and spending the whole day grocery shopping, prep, slow cooking and simmering, set to the tempo of Love, Actually, The Godfather or Top Chef marathons (you can tell I don’t have kids, right?)
I dabble in Batali on weeknights, but I feel better about it when I get to really concentrate on doing it right – and that happens on weekends.
So I picked Balsamic Onions and Short Ribs in Barolo. I also planned on making his Eggplant Caponata, but really just ran out of time. I pictured slurping up the leftovers of each dish on a crusty chunk of bread, but I’ll save the eggplant for another time.
So the onions cooked quite beautifully in the combination of balsamic vinegar and sugar. And the smell was even more beautiful. Pair that with the scent of short ribs slow cooking in a combination of tomato sauce, red wine, pancetta and vegetables, and you get a classic whiff of my grandmother’s house on Sunday…without the raucous conversation, that is.
I wanted to stick my finger in the sauce at every step of the game – the flavor was smooth when fully cooked and together but each ingredient brought its own tasty essence to the mix. I used a Pinot Noir instead of the Barolo (I opened a bottle the night before and wasn’t too happy with it, so I took a gamble and used it for the sauce – it paid off.)
There are nights when, I’ll admit, I open a jar and throw it’s contents on top of sausage, pasta, maybe some bell pepper and onion, and I feel okay about it. But nothing can compare to the taste of slow cooked, well loved Italian food.
When we sat down to eat I was proud to serve that same hearty, Sunday meal that my family has served for generations, but I was preoccupied with just one thing- would there be enough sauce left over for the next night? I certainly wanted to stretch this meal out, use that sauce and and tender meat in yet another meal.

Lucky for me, there was.

Short Ribs in Barolo, from Molto Italiano
6 tablespoons extra-virgin OLIVE OIL
2 pounds boneless BEEF SHORT RIBS, cut into 3-inch cubes
SALT and freshly ground BLACK PEPPER
2 large Spanish ONIONS, cut into 1/2-inch dice1 medium
CARROT, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
2 ribs CELERY, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 ounces PANCETTA, cut into 1/4-inch dice (I've tried it with bacon and it works)
2 cups Barolo or other HEARTY RED WINE (I used Pinot Noir)
2 cups Basic Tomato Sauce (try his recipe)

In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over high heat until smoking. Season the meat liberally with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, brown the meat all over, turning frequently, until dark golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
Pour the excess oil out of the pot. Add the onions, carrot, celery, and pancetta and cook until the vegetables are light brown and starting to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.
Add the meat and bring back to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the meat is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Transfer the meat to a festive platter.
Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce to 2 1/2 cups. Season with salt and pepper, pour over the meat, and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Fun with Silicone-my muffins like it!

2008-02-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

I’ve collected a variety of Wilton silicone baking tools, such as muffin pans, cake pans, a vegetable steamer and a pot holder over the past year but I must admit, I’ve been hesitant to use them.

While silicone is incredible at withstanding high heat, it’s also very pliable. And while that bendiness may come in handy in some cases, it can also be a curse. I was nervous about the cake pan, for example. You pour in the batter, and then you have to somehow keep the bottom flat while you get the pan into the oven- I could see an accident waiting to happen. So I’ve stayed away from the lot of them.

But this was a weekend that called for muffins. Warm, fluffy muffins on Sunday morning. I decided to skip my usual muffin pan and opt for the silicone one, calling out to me from the depths of a cabinet. Why not? I opted for a simple corn muffin recipe. If there were leftovers, they’d go well with the dinner I was planning.

Ladies and gents, I think I’m a convert. While it was a little more difficult to get the muffin pan into the oven, even someone with questionable coordination and a regular case of clumsiness (i.e., me) could maneuver it. I didn’t have to grease the pan before I cooked the muffins, and the ease at which the muffins came out of the pan after they were cooked was a huge selling point. They baked beautifully, tasted great, and were easy to make. The pan was also extremely easy to clean, which is a nice change from the scrubbing that ensues from the occasional crusty muffin leftovers that stick to a metal pan.

Get ready, cake pan- you’re next!

Busboys and Poets

2008-02-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

Since I’ve tried approximately half of their menu, (met half their wait staff, enjoyed a number of cocktails) I’d say it’s high time I wrote about Busboys and Poets.
When you walk in the door, you know you’re entering a real neighborhood hang out with a serious local appeal. Posters, postcards and papers line the entrance way, advertising community events, speakers, political movements. A few steps farther and you’re in a reader and eaters paradise. To the left- large tables to accommodate group meetings. To the right- a well-stocked bar ( I recommend a Bloody Mary), couches and chairs for regulars to peruse the net and enjoy a coffee, and casual seating for unfussy meals over conversation.
And straight ahead- books.
Because of their growing popularity, you’ll probably have a small wait before you’re seated, but it’s more of a blessing than a curse. On their web site, they claim they stock “progressive books to activate your mind and community.” I think their selection is so much more, and every time I look around I’m impressed with the collection of popular titles, unknown authors and historic pieces that really do the history of U Street (and other areas of DC) justice. Yesterday I flipped through a book concerning Blackwater, a magazine on organic food and a how-to about creating your own social change organization.
So when you’ve made your way around the bookstore and find yourself seated at either a couch, an old chair that will remind you of your mother’s living room or a more traditional table, you’ll enjoy simple food with smart ingredients. My favorite sandwich is the grilled brie panini, which combines the smooth cheese with caramelized onion and baby spinach. If you’re really in the mood for fries, go for it, but I’ve always thought the side salad is a better bet- it’s always a fresh combination of seasonal greens (and reds!) with a light, tangy dressing.
Other favorites include the bagel with lox, frittata with veggies, wild mushroom and gorgonzola burger, and the nachos (but you’re going to need a friend to help you with those.)
Maybe it would be difficult, by my nature, to dislike any place that combines food and books, but I’d rather just celebrate the fact that my community has a place where friends can share food, great ideas and comfortable surroundings. On occasion, poetry readings, local musicians, nationally recognized speakers and films, as well.
Here’s hoping your neighborhood has a place like Busboys and Poets!

The Rainy City?

2008-02-08T12:38:00.001-08:00

It has many names, I'm sure. I'm most excited about visiting it's many restaraunts, coffee houses, fish markets and lunch spots (including Salumi)with my best friend, Emily next week.

That's right- it's ladies weekend in Seattle!

I'm so thrilled to explore the city (and new home to my bestest friend) next weekend. If you've been (or are there, now!) and have recomendations, I'd love to hear them!

All kindsa Eric Ripert

2008-02-08T08:29:00.001-08:00

I was thinking about what to make for dinner on Valentine's Day and came across these suggestions by one of my favorite chefs (and Top Chef guest judges) Eric Ripert. I'm eager to check out his DC restaraunt, Westend Bistro. I've read in several reviews (here's one from the Washington Post) that the bistro hamburger is excellent, but I think if I make it over the Westend, I'll save that for my husband. I'm more interested in the blue bay mussels and skate with brown sugar and endive. Yum.

"A cook and a chef are different entities. 'Chef' is a title. But when you are a cook, that is who you are. It's your spine and your soul."

-Eric Ripert

Lunch in Downtown DC

2008-02-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

While I’ll admit that I’ve dreamt many times about staying at home all day, cooking, reading, reading about cooking, cooking what I’m reading about (you can see where this is going) I must admit that working downtown does have its advantages. Namely- I get to have lunch at some pretty fantastic spots.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what tasty (and not-so-hot) haunts exist in the CBD (central business district,) and if I didn’t work near them I might miss them (as I don’t venture down here on the weekends too often.) Here are a few of my favorite lunch spots in the Dupont-Farragut area:

Couscous Café (1195 19th St. NW) I’ve written about this spot before, but it’s always worth mentioning again. Nothing’s more comforting on a cold, winter day than a bright restaurant, with lovely music, lovely service and beautiful Mediterranean food. You get more than your money’s worth of couscous, roasted chicken, vegetables, hummus and tabouleh. This is a perfect place for takeout but an even better place to sit, take in the relaxing vibe and enjoy a warm meal. And whoever the sweet old lady is that pours free tea, she’s welcome to come stay with me. Love her.

Naan and Beyond (1710 L St. NW) While some may argue their food is fairly mundane Indian cuisine, I’d argue that their choices are perfect and their flavors are strong. My friend Angela and I meet here every so often to talk about life. I usually stick with the tikka family – chicken and lamb are my picks – but their rice is not to be missed. And make sure to get both the mango and mint sauces to top your selection.

California Grill (1720 M St. NW) I’m not saying I like everything they have to offer, but I AM saying they have the best turkey melt around. Not to mention that one of the men behind the counter calls me “Love” and told me that if there is ever anything he can get for me, to just ask. Well, let me say all I will ever ask of him is that he keeps making that fabulous turkey melt, piled high with thick cut meat and oozing cheese on toasted wheat bread. Now that’s love.

Mackey’s (1823 L St. NW) I usually get a salad when I go to Mackey’s (Salmon, if they have it) but ever since I had their fish and chips I’ve wanted more. While I can’t proclaim it’s the best fish and chips I’ve ever had, I can say that I’ve never had a problem finding a table at lunch. And there’s a lot to be said for that around here. When it’s nice out, there’s outdoor seating as well. And as long as there’ not a union protest going on across the street, that’s pretty pleasant.

Vapiano (1800 M St. NW) Vapiano is becoming one of my favorite places to eat lunch in solitude, with a good book (about food) or a good (food) magazine. I try to get there right at noon and have never had a problem getting fast food and a seat. However, I’ve walked by around 12:30 or 1 and noticed that the place is packed. If you’re going to try Vapiano’s (and if you’re going to park it at one of their high tables) get there early. My favorite lunch- insalada mista with shrimp, sautéed with garlic and chili. I’ve tried the pasta and pizza, and while they’re tasty and fresh, they’re a little heavy for lunch.

What's Cooking?

2008-02-05T08:16:00.001-08:00

-What's better than attending a culinary festival in Scottsdale? Attending a culinary festival in Scottsdale for FREE. Enter here to win a trip to the festival , held April 8-13. You better believe I'm entering!

-You may have already heard, but it's worth repeating- Whole Foods will eliminate using new, plastic bags at their stores. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags or purchase 80% recycled bags at the store. As if I needed another reason to love Whole Foods...read more here.

-Cork is open! Add Cork to the list of new, hip wine bars in DC. Looks like the had a great turnout for their opening weekend. Here's a link to the Washingtonian's review. I plan on visiting soon!

Sour Cream-Banana Bread

2008-02-03T05:15:00.000-08:00

I got the cooking bug yesterday when I was watching the Top Chef marathon (go figure) and started tooling around on one of my favorite food recipe and chat sites, Chow.com (also Chowhound.com)
A featured recipe was Sour Cream-Banana Bread, and with 4 over-ripe bananas sitting on my kitchen counter, I knew this was the recipe for me.
Bananas remind me of my brother...yes, he's bananas (like, crazy) but he was also dressed as Curious George one Halloween. I have this great picture in my mind of him in the monkey suit, carrying a banana, one his favorite snacks as a kid. (by the way, I was Rainbow Bright that year.)
Let me say that I think it's hard to find a bad banana bread recipe. I've even bought banana bread mix from time to time (gasp!) and I think that a banana's natural flavors, oil and consistency lend themselves so well to any baked treat.
That said, this is one, dense, rich, beautiful bread. It took about 30 minutes longer to cook than the recipe claimed, but this may be because I substituted butter for the oil (forgive me, won't you? I was out of oil.) The top of the bread had a beautiful cracked, glazed finish, sort of like a sour cream donut. I think the sour cream really enhanced the bread's sweetness with balance.
When I make this again I'll add walnuts and serve it with a fig jam. And I will definetely make this bread again.

Sour-Cream Banana Bread, as found on Chow.com:

2 cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup sour cream

Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange the rack in the middle. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and dust it with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl to aerate and break up any lumps.
Combine sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Add bananas and sour cream, and mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add flour mixture, and mix until just combined.
Turn batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, the top is golden brown, and the bread is pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 1 hour.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Slide a knife around the perimeter of the pan, invert to release the bread, and cool completely on the wire rack before serving.

The Gods Are Smiling Down On Me...

2008-02-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

TOP CHEF MARATHON!!! (looks like it's on until 2 pm today.) Bravo's making me a happy lady! If you're awake and drinking your first cup (like me) turn it on, sit back and enjoy!

And get ready for Chicago!! Starts soon!!

(wow, I just used WAY too many exclamation points. Sheesh.)

Rainy days

2008-02-01T10:35:00.000-08:00

Just a rainy Friday afternoon, and I’m sure many of us are wishing for the same thing- sweatpants, hot tea, our own couch and Love Actually (or Bridget Jones, or Steel Magnolias, or Rocky, or Devil Wears Prada, or- you get the picture.)
So the perfect rainy day meal…for me, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Follow it up with a cat nap on the couch and I’m in pure heaven. Heck, I’d go for a cold cheese sandwich right now if it meant I could eat it at home.
I have Jarlsberg and mild cheddar cheese at home. I think either tastes fantastic between two hot, buttery pieces of toasted bread. But then I saw this. And THEN I saw this. And then, I figured his highness, Mario Batali just had to have a grilled cheese recipe, so I googled it, and found THIS.
My question- when did grilled cheese go gourmet? Do you think it’s better that way? Is it more about the nostalgia of childhood grilled cheese that makes it comfortable and delicious, or does fancy grilled cheese really got something going?

The Minimalist Cooks Some Fantastic Chicken

2008-01-31T09:04:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, my husband picked up a copy of Mark Bittman’s “The Minimalist Cooks Dinner,” a collection of recipes taken from Bittman’s column in the New York Times. I’m a fan of his columns- especially the collections of recipes he does, like his 101 appetizers. So I figured the book was a sure bet. I was right.

While the book is around 7 years old, its relevancy, ease and flavorful suggestions are timeless.

The first recipe I tried from the book was Bittman’s chickpea soup, which I opted to make without meat. I added a variety of vegetables, (including carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms). What I enjoyed most about this recipe was the consistency of the broth- Bittman suggests cooking the vegetables and removing about half (once softened) and pureeing in a food processor, then adding them back in. It made the soup thick and creamy without adding any sort of dairy. This soup provided me a week of healthy, hearty lunches and I’ll definitely make it again.

Last night I made the Chicken-Mushroom “Cutlets” with Parmesan. I substituted spinach for mushrooms (per Bittman’s suggestion, plus my husband hates mushrooms.) I also added a little more garlic than suggested; I thought a little more kick might be nice with the Parmesan and spinach.

The recipe made around 9 cutlets (or burgers, actually), and it was tough to not eat all nine! The flavors worked well together and the consistency was surprisingly juicy…I got nervous that, considering the fact that chicken needs to be cooked well, the burgers would become pucks, but they didn’t. We had nice, juicy bites of chicken, cheese and spinach. I ate mine with a little fresh salsa, but my husband didn’t top his with anything. I served them with steamed asparagus.

So that’s two recipes down, plenty to go from this book…and I’ll certainly be cooking more. Both recipes were easy to create and easy to adapt, but also tasty and interesting enough to serve to guests (if I had guests…anyone want to be a guest?)

Getting a buzz

2008-01-30T08:15:00.000-08:00

So if you haven't checked out Foodbuzz, you should. I just got done rating my favorite DC restaurants. It made me realize I've had some pretty fantastic meals, but I'm nowhere near done working my way through the best (and the worst) that our city has to offer.

My highest ranked restaurant? TenPenh. Maybe it's the nostalgia it has to offer (it's where my husband took me after he proposed) or maybe it's the atmosphere or friendly staff, or maybe it's just the fantastic food. I think it all works together to create one fantastic pan-Asian feast.

My favorite TenPenh dish? Chinese Style Smoked Lobster. I can't get enough of this beautiful, crispy dish that combines flavorful lobster, fried spinach and a sauce that lets the lobsters natural flavor shine. I've often opted for the Pan Seared Scallops (and have never been disappointed) but the Lobster can't be beat. Mmmmm, someone's getting hungry...

Fingers crossed

2008-01-30T07:36:00.001-08:00

Have you heard of the Foodie Blogroll? I've just signed up. Here's hoping I hear from the leftover queen herself! Check out her site. I think I'm loving it! I'm obsessed with leftovers myself...especially taking leftovers and transforming them into completely new dishes. But there's some leftovers you just shouldn't mess with...cold pizza? Yes, please. Sesame chicken? Bring it.

Roasted chicken and leftover asparagus? Now that, my friends, is just asking to be put in a casserole. Or a pasta. Or chopped up and added to an omelet. (You see where I'm going with this?)

Super bowl, super plates, super forks...

2008-01-29T12:55:00.000-08:00

Football fans of the world, exhale: Super Bowl Sunday day is almost here. Even if my team had made it to the big game (go Eagles!!) my mind would still be on my menu.
It looks like we’ll be spending Sunday at home this year, cursing the Pats and paying special attention to commercials with my sister and her boyfriend, so I’m only cooking for four.
My sister and I have spent many Superbowl Sundays together at my parents house (eating wings, white chicken chili, nachos) so I have a variety of childhood favorites to choose from, but I’m always up for an adventure.

That said, I compiled a list of a few of my favorite sites and their recommendations for Sunday’s feast…so feast your eyes on these:

-The Minimalist's recs from the New York Times
-The Food Network's Ultimate Super Bowl Menu
-Tasty ideas from Epicurious
-When in doubt, ask Martha
-Keep it healthy with Cooking Light

I hope you find some inspiration from this list!

speaking of cookbooks

2008-01-29T11:02:00.000-08:00

someone over on thenest.com (Hi, DC Nesties!) just recommended this site. Holy cow! Talk about cookbooks...I might put Borders on hold...

Coupons- best friends, or worst enemies?

2008-01-29T07:02:00.000-08:00

Just got my daily email from Borders and lo and behold, there's a 40% off coupon for anything in the store over 20 bucks! How can I resist? (I cannot.) There are so many great cookbooks out right now, and they're mine for the (discounted) taking!!! Here's a list of a few I've been eyeing up:

-Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bordain
-Cook with Jamie, by Jamie Oliver
-Everyday Food: Great Food Fast, by the staff at Martha Stewart Living

by the way, if you aren't already a Borders member, here's a link to a 20% off coupon. Happy reading (and cooking)!

Rocco Rocks

2008-01-28T03:52:00.000-08:00

I have a crush...it's ok, my husband knows. In fact, I don't think he minds...it only makes me a better cook and him a happier eater.

I have a crush on Rocco DiSpirito. I know, I know, he sold out, he needs to get back in the kitchen, yeah, yeah. I know it all. And yet, I crush.

I hadn't thought about him in a while, and then Saturday, while walking through the (gasp!) frozen foods aisle, I spotted a bag of Bertoli pre-made pasta meal in a bag. Something about chicken and penne. (Don’t worry, I didn’t actually buy it.) It all came rushing back to me. Memories of last season’s Top Chef. Bourdain’s blogged insults about Rocco. The aftermath.
Why must we pick on Rocco? What did he ever do, besides have great curly hair, an entrepreneurial mom, a few restaurants and some guest appearances?
Please, Rocco haters, explain it to me. Explain to me why he’s become a whipping post.
Thinking about Rocco makes me think about Top Chef…oh, cooking Gods, please give Rocco another guest appearance this season…I’ll pass the time until the season starts (what’s the countdown?) by purchasing a few of Rocco’s books.

Sweet Sunday

2008-01-28T03:25:00.000-08:00

I’d say brunch went well. Mini quiche and fruit kabobs with brown sugar dip aside, I got to share a few of my favorite books with the group (Straight Up and Dirty by Stephanie Klein, Heat by Bill Buford and My Life in France by her royal highness, Julia Child) talk about girl stuff for a few hours (you know…food!) and meet a new friend, Julia. Talk about inspiring! Check out her blog. Reading it’s got me running to my closest Nordstroms, for sure!
In case you’re wondering how I made the mini quiche, I’ll indulge you.
Broken down into 2 parts, you’ll need this basic shell recipe and my souped-up recipe for the eggs.
I made around 30 quiches…the shell recipe says it makes 24, but not quite. I thought it sounded small, so I doubled the recipe. Good thing I did! I used every bit of the dough. After you assemble the shells, roll the dough into a ball and stick it in the fridge for an hour or so.

To make the eggs, you’ll need:
4 eggs
2 cups half and half (never fear, fat free half and half works beautifully)
½ cup shredded mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste

Wisk these ingredients together…do you have a bowl with a spout? I’d recommend using it. I found this really helpful when pouring the eggs into the tiny shells…speaking of, after the dough has chilled, take it out, roll it into tiny balls and press them into a mini muffin pan (I used one with 1.5 inch holes) I found the easiest way to get the cup shape I was looking for was by using my thumb the press the dough around the edges of the cup. Sprinkle a little bit of shredded mozzarella in the bottom of each cup, and then pour the egg mixture over top, almost filling up the cups.

So here’s the fun part…what do you like in your quiche? I was banking on my quests digging mushrooms and bacon, so I sautéed up some each ahead of time. I took small pinches of the mushroom and sprinkled them over top half of the quiches. I sprinkled bacon on top of the other half. Putting these on top served two purposes: 1) yumminess, 2) I wanted my guests to be able to tell what they were eating (you non meat eaters know who you are.)

When you’re done assembly, bake the quiche at 350 degrees. A tray of 18 baked for around 30 minutes in my oven (the temperamental old lady that she is.) Cook until golden and puffy on the tops. Just touch lightly with your finger and if they spring back, you’re all set. Here’s hoping your quiches are lovely!

Excuses, excuses

2008-01-25T10:42:00.000-08:00

I look for reasons to cook. It’s not that I don’t genuinely love my friends and family and want to see them often, but I must confess that my desire to host a party (or small get together, considering the size of el condo) stems from a need to cook, cook, COOK! Oh, and plan. I like to plan, plan, PLAN.
It’s not just groups, either. It’s every-days. 8 a.m. and we’re walking to work in 25 degree chilliness, and I immediately start thinking about what I want to make for dinner. It seems like it’s going to be a steak and sweet potatoes sort of night. I usually bake them, but tonight might be the night to try these. (It’s like desert with your main course!) And probably some red wine to go with.
But see what I mean? I haven’t even had morning coffee and I’m already thinking about my evening appetite.
I’m excited for Sunday. I’m part of a women’s writing group, courtesy of the fabulous Jackie, and I’ll be co-hosting this week’s event with Amanda. I left the content of the meeting to her genius, as my immediate questions were instantly about the menu. It seems like a brunch sort of meal to me, so I’m planning mini quiches, fruit kabobs, muffins (courtesy of Amanda) and the group’s signature drink, mimosas.
I’m still newly-married-enough to really look forward to using my wedding gifts (those that manage to fit in the condo…many are at my parents house, in my brother’s closet, just waiting to be used by his grubby hands…HANDS OFF JOE!!!) I’m thinking about silver platters for quiches and kabobs, crystal pitchers for orange juice and a glass tea kettle for straining green tea.
If you’re looking for a free meal, look no further. Come on down.

Holy Yellowfin Tuna, Batman!

2008-01-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

According to this web site, Wasabi is opening a new place on 14th and U Street.

JACKPOT!!!

I've been waiting for sushi near the U Street metro for years now. My husband and I even joked about opening our own place (we, of course, know nothing about sushi except that we love eating it and enjoy watching people use chopsticks for the first time...te he he...)

A place opened next to (and is a part of) Sala Thai on U, but we've only visited once due to the fact that:

a) it was extremely hot in there!

b) it smelled fishy

c) we felt we paid more than the quality was really worth

So let's hope Wasabi is better! I'm heading to one of their other places tomorrow night, hopefully it sets the stage for many great dinners to come at Wasabi on U Street!

If at first you don't succeed...

2008-01-07T08:19:00.000-08:00

...fry, fry again.This is my motto after this weekend’s potato chip letdown.
I followed this recipe quite literally, and the first batch came out reasonably crispy, but every subsequent batch was soggy and never got crunchy, even after time spent lying on wax paper….a lot of time.
I knew this recipe looked too easy.
It’s not that I don’t trust my microwave. It’s given me a tremendous amount of weeknight help, defrosting meat and fish at rapid speed after a day of work spent wishing I had remembered to take the damn thing out of the freezer the night before. I’m also a huge fan of cooking sweet potatoes in the microwave- wash, puncture the skin in a few places with a fork and cook for 7 minutes. All I do is add a little butter and brown sugar and viola- “baked” sweet potatoes.
I’ll also admit I’m a sucker for microwaving vegetables. The ease at which they cook (and likewise do NOT dirty a pan from the added EVOO used to sauté them…also adding calories) is great, and even a person like me who LOVES to cook (and enjoys the painstaking efforts to which I must often go) appreciates an easy veggie every once in a while.
I just have a feeling that oven-baked potato chips are the way to go. So I vow to dig my Kitchenaid shredder out from the depths of my under-the-sink cabinet once again to finely slice potatoes and cook them….all for the love of potato chips and this blog.
Speaking of the Kitchenaid, my love for it grows and grows. The slicer was easy to use and created the most perfect potato chips you’ve ever seen. It comes with two slicing attachments to make thick and thin slices, along with various shredders…I feel zucchini bread happening very soon.

Mmm...Bell pepper...

2008-01-07T08:01:00.000-08:00

Your love of Top Chef may dictate your feelings about Anthony Bourdain, but I beg you – if you think he’s a jerk, check out his show, No Reservations. It completely changed my opinion. Last night I watched last season’s episode about China, and it’s got me very psyched for the series premiere tonight!
And if you can’t get enough cooking shows (and you’re awaiting Top Chef’s spring arrival as much as I am) I suggest also watching Ramsey’s Kitchen Nightmares. Gordon Ramsay is a well-known Scottish born, English bred chef who travels Europe infiltrating kitchens, embarrassing chefs and getting restaurants back on track with basic menus, toned down décor and better waitstaff. He does it all in his hour-long show with much humor and great British curse words that only BBC would allow.
You’ll probably recognize Ramsay from Hell’s Kitchen…I’m telling you, this show is better.
If I had my own cooking show, who would I be? Probably Giada, with Ramsay’s wit, Mario’s love of wine and some of the guest appearances from Top Chef. Set to the tone of Iron Chef…the original Iron Chef, that is.

2008-01-03T13:16:00.001-08:00

Is it weird that I've been dreaming about homemade potato chips all day? I'm at work, I'm busy, I've got deadlines and I'm getting a lot done, but I got chips on the brain.
My fabulous brother got me this for Christmas, and all I've been able to think about is how fabulous it would be to have homemade chips. Sure, I could do cole slaw too, or zucchini bread, but who can think about green vegetables at a time like this?
I can't decide if I want to use sweet potatoes or white potatoes; if I want to try an easy recipe like this one or something a little more creative and pretty like this. Although I'm not sure I'll be purchasing caviar for a laid-back weekend with my husband, the creme fraiche is a pretty fantastic idea.
What if I made my own homemade Old Bay chips? What if I did salt and vinegar? And you can't have chips without dip..homemade onion dip? Clam dip? The possibilities are endless.
So the real question here isn't about what kind of potato chips I should make, it's what would I be doing if I could spend all day doing something I love?

You smell that?

2008-01-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

I’ve realized something about myself- I love scents of food (like vanilla, pie crust, bread baking in a hot oven, apples, really ripe peaches) but I don’t want to smell like food.
Whenever I’m in a cosmetic or bath/body shop, I hover around the perfume, lotions and potions that smell like food. I love them. I buy them and I take them home. I shower in them, cover myself in them afterwards, spray myself down with them. I dab them behind my ears
Then what?
Then I realize I smell like pie. Or like cookies. Or like cake. This is nice because I happen to love pie, cookies and cake.
This is BAD because smelling like food does 2 things for me:
1) It makes me REALLY hungry…usually for whatever food I happen to smell like
2) It makes me feel sticky. Aren’t sweets usually sticky? Maybe that’s just my perception of sweets
3) I think people think I spend all day in a bakery. And that’s not natural (unless you are a baker. I happen to be in marketing)
4) I feel like I’ve actually consumed a great number of sweets. I usually end up feeling really full.
I realize these feelings are probably not normal, but this is my blog so I’m sharing. People should not smell like food. They should smell like Chanel or Dior or Vera Wang. I don’t want to smell like food. That is, unless I spend all day in a kitchen, slaving over beautiful, sweet, warm food.

Absolute and Resolute

2008-01-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

I’m making only one- one that makes sense because it makes me happy, is healthy, is attainable, is good for my future and head, maybe profession? All of it.
I usually spend my lunch break eating whatever leftovers I brought from home (or occasionally trying a new spot), wishing I had remembered to bring whatever book I’m reading (or actually reading the book I remembered to bring…although it’s rare) or picking up prescriptions from CVS (apparently I take a lot of medicine)
BUT…what I should be doing is writing…writing here, or in my hand-written journal. So, my resolution is to write more.
How did I come to this resolution?
I just spent the last hour and a half catching up with Stephanie Klein’s blog. When I discovered her blog about 3 years ago it consumed me for a whole day (yes, I was at work. Sue me.) It’s been some time since I’ve read it, but it always inspires me to be me…and to do more things that make me happy and make me, me. So that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to make it a priority to try to write every day.
I’d also like to lose ten pounds. Ha!

Channeling Julia

2007-12-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

I’ve just started reading My Life in France, by Julia Child. It’s my lunch time book – I have found that my most favorite lunches are those spent in small spaces, huddled over a bowl of soup with a book in my hand. I enjoy meeting up with friends and shopping, don’t get me wrong, but you can’t beat an hour of good food, good reading, peace and quiet.
Today’s small space was the Couscous Café, a Mediterranean café on M Street downtown. I’ve been to the Café before for takeout, but after five minutes walking in the wind and extreme cold, I figured I’d sit down, warm up and stay a while.
The menu offers many enticing items, but I settled on the chicken with couscous and vegetables. This was the most tender dish of food. Everything appears to have been cooking in a pot for the whole day- that’s the only way I can imagine food to be so flavorful, soft and perfect. Midway through my meal a sweet grandmother of a woman (was it the owner’s mother, Hadda?) offered up a warm cup of tea, complete with mint leaves. The cup was filled several times during my meal, almost like she knew it was the perfect accompaniment to my meal and to the experience. I happened to be reading a passage in My Life in France about Julia’s first French meal and how perfect the flavors were. She described the experience as eye opening and wonderful. To read about her innocence and the magic of that experience and how it shaped her life and career was a nice moment in the middle of a busy work day. I’m going to make an effort to take more lunch breaks, read more Julia Child, and eat more at the Couscous Café.