igourmet.com

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

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!

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

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.

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!

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

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

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.

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)

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

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

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

Holiday stress? No way, Jose!

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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.