All Articles
You may prefer to view articles alphabetically.
Chew On This: Not sleeping makes you fat - 10 Mar 2010
If you're under 21, your brain is still developing. Only 5 percent of high school seniors are getting eight hours' sleep a night. Less than that, grades suffer. Not enough sleep is one of the causes of young driver car crashes. That fact might not convince teenagers who believe in their own invincibility to get to bed in good time.
So tell them, sleep loss also means weight gain. read more...
Cakes - to order or make beautiful - 10 Mar 2010
Easter's coming. Spring weddings are swishing into view. Baking cake for a celebration, cupcakes for school or work? Or need someone else to do it for you? Here's all you need to keep you in cake. read more...
Apple Tarte Tatin - 10 Mar 2010
This French classic gets a contemporary make-over from Michelle Poteaux, co-owner and co-chef at Bastille. Easy to do - though perhaps not quite as beautifully as professional pastry chef Michelle has done - it's a star at any party year round. read more...
My favorite markets - Yasaman Persian Bakery - 10 Mar 2010
Depending on who's behind the counter, it can be a little daunting shopping at Yasaman. Most of the women who serve are distant and seldom smile. Get over it. You're there for the best walnut macaroons you've ever eaten. read more...
It may look like a Big Mac but it isn't. - 10 Mar 2010
You think you know junk food when you see it? Betcha you're wrong... read more...
Cerkez Salad - 2 Mar 2010
This chicken and walnut salad, from Mike Isabella, chef of Zaytinya, is not unlike Chicken Satsivi, a dish of cold chicken with walnut sauce from the Republic of Georgia. But then, take a look at the map and see how close Turkey lies to Georgia. read more...
Shiraz Grocery - 2 Mar 2010
The owner of this modest market in Rockville City Center presents himself as Marlboro Man of the Middle East. He's behind the till in a stetson, with flourishing face hair. He's got the sullen attitude of Clint Eastwood in 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' days down pat. Barely engaging in dialogue, he wants to know if you appreciate that the can of Sahadi Coffee you want to buy is of the powdered kind to brew in a tiny brass pot, not to be dumped in a cafetiere. If you're feeling at one with the cosmos, you might opt to construe this as considerate, not obstructive. read more...
Make your own tahini - 2 Mar 2010
This is a 15-minute exercise. All it takes is a blender, oil - vegetable or olive oil - and more sesame seeds than you'll find in a supermarket spice jar. Head to a Middle East market where they're sold in plastic bags. read more...
Olives - 2 Mar 2010
All olives begin life green. After that, it gets complicated. With so many varieties available, here's a breakdown of the most common to help you avoid the pits... read more...
Mike Isabella - Chef of Zaytinya - 2 Mar 2010
In March 2007, Mike Isabella started at Zaytinya. Just a few months later, the hip downtown mezzethes restaurant won a RAMMY award. read more...
Chew On This: Omega-3s. Are they really that magical? - 2 Mar 2010
I noticed in my supermarket freezer a box of frozen fish fingers labelled 'Rich in Omega-3s'. Which made me wonder about whether this fishy oil hasn't become another fad nutrient promising more than it can deliver. read more...
Chew on This: No link between red meat and cancer? - 17 Feb 2010
You know that assertion that too much red meat comsumption can give you bowel cancer? It's come under attack from scientists. An Oxford based study that followed 65,000 people throughout the 1990s found that vegetarians, far from being protected from bowel cancer as you might expect from non meat eaters, actually displayed a slightly higher incidence of the disease. read more...
Plaza Market - 16 Feb 2010
This Latin American market has been in Wheaton for years. Its shelves are stuffed with ingredients that, if they're not familiar, the owners are happy to explain to you and how they should be used. Some of them, like the choclo from Peru (pictured), sold dried, might inspire some different cooking adventures. read more...
Veal Cheeks - 16 Feb 2010
At Bistro Lepic, chef Simon Njiki-Nya cooks veal cheeks, a classic French slow braise he likes to pair with fresh pasta and basil. read more...
Sam Dunn of Saltwater's winning, de-chilling, chili - 16 Feb 2010
This is an 'award-winning' chili recipe says Shoestring magazine, from the Martha's Vineyard's cook-off in the 2010 Big Chili Contests. It comes from Sam Dunn, owner-chef of the island's Saltwater restaurant and native Washingtonian. The secret, he says, is to slow cook it in a crockpot.
I leave you to do the math to make it in smaller quantities. But why would you? It's perishing outside. You have enough friends...A winter wedding, perhaps...A winter banquet, maybe. And if not, arrange one and if necessary, rent the people. The recipe's worth it, and despite the lengthy list of ingredients, not lengthy in execution. read more...
Simon Njiki-Nya - chef of Bistro Lepic - 16 Feb 2010
Bistro Lepic is the kind of neighborhood restaurant Parisians are used to on every street corner. The waiter recognizes you if you come more than once. The food is honest and well-priced. And you're not pushed to gobble and go. While many Washingtonians rush to the new crop of French brasseries downtown, Bistro Lepic has been a quiet magnet on Wisconsin Avenue for the past 15 years, drawing those who know that there's more to a French menu than steak frites and mussels done six ways. read more...
Chilies - the hot stuff - 16 Feb 2010
Chilies are addictive. Hillary Clinton apparently had hot sauce added to her food at the White House, while NPR political analyst Cokie Roberts is said to travel with a bottle in her purse. read more...
Chicken Shish Taouk - 3 Feb 2010
Abdel Hash Housh, chef of Neyla's recipe for Neyla’s chicken kabobs tastes particularly good coming from the wood smoke of a barbecue but is just as delicious cooked under a really hot broiler. The marinades adapts to other meats and fish. read more...
Teff - a gluten-free grain - 3 Feb 2010
If you are gluten intolerant, one bread you can eat is injera, the Ethiopian flatbread made with flour ground from teff. This ancient and tiny grain grown in the Ethiopian highlands is gluten free. read more...
Chew On This: Cushioned running shoes - or Manolos? - 3 Feb 2010
Are you a runner with a pair of those pricey shoes that look like you're wearing an IHOP stack of pancakes? So wrong. You should be wearing your highest Manolos. read more...
Injera - what is it and how to make it? - 3 Feb 2010
Injera, like Indian parathas and naan, is not just bread. It's cutlery. It's a pan liner. It's a plate. Tear off a strip, sweep it through the stew in the common bowl and bring the food to your mouth. At least, that's what you do if you're a skilled Ethiopian. If you're me, you're one fragile step away from a dry cleaner's bill... read more...
Bread Corner - 3 Feb 2010
Danny Song is the owner of this seductive Chinese bakery in the Rockville Shopping Center. Go in at your peril. Everything, as they boast on their receipts, is baked fresh daily.
'Everything' means Portuguese egg custard tarts, plump and flaky croissants, red bean mochi, apple crisps, apple and other fruit tarts, coconut custard buns, stuffed Chinese breads and buns, and more. read more...
Abdel Hash Housh - Chef of Neyla - 3 Feb 2010
Twice a week, before coming into his restaurant, Neyla chef Abdel Hash Housh would squeeze in time for classes in English at the Washington Literary Council. read more...
Chew On This: Are we really being served? - 27 Jan 2010
Wesley Morton, this week's chef profile, was impressed by the service in London restaurants. It's an issue that Washington's European chefs jump on: the difficulty of training wait staff to the level that's the norm on continental Europe. Waiters are instructed in the US to act as the friends-for-the-evening of strangers who are paying for their services. In Europe, waiters are trained to melt into the background. Here are my personal beefs. read more...
How to truss a chicken - 27 Jan 2010
Tying up a chicken ready for roasting can turn into a game of cat's cradle with a tangle of string. But this video takes the knitting out of the process. read more...
Cork Market & Tasting Room - 27 Jan 2010
This is obviously not a picture of a DC market. But Cork Market & Tasting Room is selling one of the best Cheddars I've tasted in a long while - from Tobermory, the only town on a small island off the West Coast of Scotland. A bit of a stretch for sourcing stuff, you might think.
But this offshoot of the 14th St NW bar opened by Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts in 2008 is filled with unexpected goodies. read more...
Shepherd's pie - 27 Jan 2010
Wesley Morton's Shepherd's Pie - one of gastropub AGAINN's most popular dishes - is a good comfort food dish any time of year. read more...
Wesley Morton - chef of AGAINN - 27 Jan 2010
It's a little disconcerting for a Brit to be sitting at the bar of a bistro brasserie in Washington listening to its American chef enthuse about bangers-and-mash, cock-a-leekie, and the best kind of potato topping for a shepherd's pie. But a conversation with Wesley Morton, chef of the New York Ave NW gastropub AGAINN heads down those avenues with side trips into discussions of his favorite watering holes in London.
When he was hired to head the kitchen he and owner Mark Weiss agreed it was vital to spend time in the British capital to see what was happening in contemporary English kitchens for themselves. read more...
Potatoes - earthy delights - 27 Jan 2010
Potatoes get such a bad rap. But they're one of the world's most versatile and nutritious ingredients. Here are some spud, tatty and tater facts. read more...
Caviar - heavenly pearls - 17 Jan 2010
Poaching at extreme levels along with the effects of pollution have forced a moratorium on the import of caviar from the Caspian Sea. But U.S. caviar makes a good alternative. read more...
Russian dumplings & more - 17 Jan 2010
The 'babushkas' (grandmothers) of Europe's far northern climes have long been famous for their home-cooking of sustaining, comforting dumplings, and more. read more...
Russian dairy products - 17 Jan 2010
Tvorog is a Russian cream cheese that makes a sweet alternative to mascarpone, but thicker. And to expand your dairy knowledge, look for ryazhanka and prostokvasha. read more...
Creamed Maitake Mushrooms with Edamame, Toasted Pistachios and Tarragon - 17 Jan 2010
Maitake, also known as Hen of the Woods, are one of Nature's most beautiful edible fungii. Haidar Karoum, co-owner and chef of Proof, uses them in this recipe which he serves as an appetizer. But increase the amounts and you have an elegant main course recipe for vegetarians that carnivores will envy. read more...
Russian Gourmet - 14 Jan 2010
Four years ago, Russian Gourmet set up just off the Rockville Pike on Nicholson Lane, behind the Exxon station and in front of Barry's Magic. Perhaps Barry waved a wand in the little market's direction. Because now there are five of them. read more...
Nosh Notes: Domku Bar and Cafe - 8 Jan 2010
Fed up with diners serving burgers and steaks and hot dawgs? Looking for a change? (This recommendation is not strictly a market - though if you got your food to go it would qualify - but a suggestion for winter warming food.) Visit Kera Carpenter and she'll introduce you to a neighborhood not known for restaurants as well as an unfamiliar cuisine: Eastern European food, in...Petworth! She's the owner chef of Domku Bar and Cafe. read more...
Fil mjolk - what is it? - 7 Jan 2010
Swedish fil mjolk is a yogurt drink not unlike Russian kefir that's very good for you and not difficult to make yourself. read more...
Daruma - one of my favorite markets - 30 Dec 2009
If recent feasting and bikini season round the corner makes you think you need to diet, don't let your spirits slump. Think Japanese. You'll eat heathily and deliciously. And here's one of my favorite markets, at any time of year to shop - and eat. read more...
Dumpling sauce - 30 Dec 2009
Hisao Abe, owner-chef of Kotobuki's recipe is for a dipping sauce that goes well with dumplings. read more...
Hisao Abe - Owner-chef of Kotobuki - 30 Dec 2009
Chef Hisao Abe, who owns Kotobuki on MacArthur Boulevard, learned the art of sushi-making after years of watching, sniffing, tasting. read more...
Ikura - 30 Dec 2009
The glowing bright orange 'caviar' beads used in sushi called ikura is the roe of the orange shum salmon. read more...
Soy sauces explained - 30 Dec 2009
Soy sauce, made from fermented and distilled soybeans, wheat and water, comes in more variations than contained in that squat bottle on the restaurant table next to the paper napkins. What's the difference between them? read more...
Sushi and sashimi explained - 30 Dec 2009
Confused about the difference between sushi and sashimi and the pricing of tuna? Here's an explanation. read more...
Chew on This: Food resolutions for 2010 and beyond - 30 Dec 2009
We make far too much fuss about food. If only we could approach eating like our grandparents did - as an opportunity to sit together around a table and catch up on events over home-made, fresh-cooked seasonal food, life would be a lot healthier and more pleasurable. And less expensive. read more...
Sushi do's and don'ts - 30 Dec 2009
It's not just this get-in-shape time of year that has inspired this Japanese-themed edition of eatWashington. It's also because eatWashingtonian Jerry Felp put me onto this excellent web site on how to tackle sushi without making a complete fool of yourself. read more...
Hangovers - how to eat your way out of them - 21 Dec 2009
Wow! Was that a fabulous party! Whatsisname was there – you hadn’t seen him for years. And Thingything was looking better than ever. There may have been a moment (and this makes you cringe) when you folded Whatcha-call-her, whom you really can’t stand, into a warm embrace. At least you didn’t start quoting reams of Kerouac or go through your Bette Midler impressions. You think.
Great night. But now it’s head-swelling morning, full of bongo drums and referee whistles. What can you do to ease the pain, short of burying your head back under the sheets? Hair-of-the-dog or greasy fry-up?
As Robert Benchley observed, ‘There is no cure for a hangover, save death.’ read more...
Chew On This: The French solution to obesity is - eat! - 21 Dec 2009
Trust les Froggies to come up with a sensible and appealing way to tackle obesity. Teach people to cook, the head of nutrition at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris, Dr Arnaud Basdevant, says. "Enjoying food, variety in food, the culture of food are the best defences against obesity." His is a wonderful visually suggestive name for the project: it means, more or less, Below In Front. read more...
Chestnuts and chestnut stuffing - 21 Dec 2009
Whether you roast them at an open fire (remembering to stab them with the point of a knife so they don't burst) or include them in a turkey stuffing, chestnuts are a key winter solstice ingredient. read more...
New Year celebrations - something different & where to buy it - 21 Dec 2009
Want to spice up your New Year festivities? Try one of the traditions from another part of the world. read more...
West Indian Black Cake - 9 Dec 2009
At Christmas time in Jamaica, a traditional black cake is baked in which the dried fruits and peel have been soaking in alcohol since the previous Christmas. It's a far more intense cake than traditional fruit cake, and covered in a dark, dark frosting. read more...
Truth in a Christmas pudding - 9 Dec 2009
The Christmas pudding the Queen eats is made by Matthew Walker. The company began making them in 1899 and now sells them to 80 percent of the UK, making around 7,500 tons of pudding mix to turn into 24 million a Christmas season.
And there's more to know about this British tradition. read more...
Roasted Pennsylvania Pheasant Breast, Braised Red Cabbage, Maple Syrup Sweet Potato Mousse and Huckleberry Sauce - 9 Dec 2009
Peter Schaffrath, chef of the Hay Adams' Lafayette Room's recipe is a soothing but elegant cold weather dish. Though there are four separate elements, each is simple to cook. And what could be better for the festive season? read more...
Christmas - dreaming of a different one & where to buy the ingredients - 9 Dec 2009
"Christmas comes but once a year and when it comes it brings..." Uncle George (who'll take over the single malt whiskey if no-one stops him), Aunt Mavis (who's just decided to turn vegetarian), and all their dreadful children. It's enough to drive you crackers.
Give Christmas a new sparkle and celebrate someone else's - with Britain's Christmas crackers, Italy's Omino di Neve, Switzerland's Zimststerne, Jamaica's West Indian Black Cake and more... read more...
Chew On This: Foie gras for PETA people - 9 Dec 2009
Are you one of those people who protest the cruelty of foie gras production? Here's your chance to indulge without hurting birds and win some money. PETA is holding a competition to produce a wholely vegetarian foie gras. The winners gets $10,000. Glad to know they value foie gras that highly. read more...
York Castle, Rockville - 3 Dec 2009
Imagine my surprise driving down the Rockville Pike to discover another York Castle, the tropical ice cream parlor, almost opposite Maxim's. And sitting behind the counter was Calver Headley, the man from whom Caroline Tay bought her Silver Spring store. read more...
Todd Wiss - owner chef of Radius - 3 Dec 2009
If you call your rescue Pit Bull terriers Barley and Hops, you're probably people with a respect for good beer. But for Todd Wiss, owner-chef with his wife Nicole of Radius in Mount Pleasant, the naming of their beloved dogs is only a small indication of their commitment to the good things in life. read more...
Mushroom and porcini paradise! - 3 Dec 2009
Eat your heart out, mushroom fanatics. These two ceps (French for porcini) were among those foraged by my friend Hannes this weekend in the woods around his house in the Dordogne. They weighed over a kilo and were worm-free even if they don't look a picture of smooth skin. Buy them from Oregon where they grow well in the States, and they'll cost at least $25 a pound. These were free. read more...
Chew On This: US food waste boosting global warming - 3 Dec 2009
Do you realize that by chucking that half finished burger into the trash you're contributing to global warming? Americans waste around 1,400 calories worth of food per person each day. That's 40 percent of the total food supply.
What's that got to do with the environment? Well, food waste accounts for 25 percent of fresh water use in the US and 300 million barrels of oil. That's around 4 percent of the country's total oil consumption. read more...
Shitake and Oyster Mushroom Ravioli - 3 Dec 2009
Todd Wiss of Radius Restaurant makes ravioli simple with this recipe for his popular pasta dish. read more...
Nosh Notes - Present Restaurant - 3 Dec 2009
The differences between eating in a restaurant serving a Western cuisine and one representing the cooking of an Asian region begin with the length of the menu. Once I've turned a couple of the - usually - laminated pages, I'm in a dither of indecision and a quiver of vacillation.
This is not a problem you'll have at Present, a Vietnamese restaurant. read more...
Chew On This - A pain-killing tea - 25 Nov 2009
If you're one of those who sniffs at the efficiency of natural painkillers, listen up. Scientists have now found that everything the Brazilians have believed for centuries about the analgesic properties of a mint tea they brew to relieve pain is entirely justified. read more...
Recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers - 25 Nov 2009
Read my contribution to the Washingtonian magazine's round-up of recipes for Thanksgiving left-overs. read more...
Starters: Zuppa di Scarola e Senape - 25 Nov 2009
This recipe for a rustic soup of bitter greens and potatoes from Dean Gold, owner-chef of Dino, is a wonderfully comforting rib-sticker for this colder time of year. read more...
How to cook prime rib - 24 Nov 2009
Jason Murphy, executive chef of BlackFinn, cooks his prime rib this salt-packed way to make it what he says is the best in town. His recipe is adapted from an Old Steamship Cookbook and works with a 3-pound or a 15-pound cut, to produce a roast that's delicious hot from the oven or sliced cold for sandwiches. read more...
Nosh Notes - Mandalay - 24 Nov 2009
You certainly don't go to Mandalay for the interior design and the intimate atmosphere. It's the kind of restaurant you might stumble into after hours of desperate driving across the mid-west, only to find yourself in a beige meeting-hall kind of space, surrounded by wrinkles and disapproval.
You go to Mandalay for the food. It's good, interesting and reasonably priced. read more...
Dean Gold - owner chef of Dino - 24 Nov 2009
Don’t expect to find food cooked 'sous vide' or any molecular gastronomy at Dino. It’s not the way Dean Gold, owner-chef of this Cleveland Park Italian restaurant, likes to eat. He prefers the honest food he eats now that the friends he's made on visits to Italy no longer try to impress him with meals at fancy restaurants.
And don't expect in Gold a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Gold came to his restaurant via a massive heart attack. read more...
York Castle Tropical Ice Cream: one of my favorites - 23 Nov 2009
This is one of my favorite spots not just for its exotic ice cream flavors. Owner Caroline Tay is also one of my favorite market people. Like me, she thinks Washingtonians should venture beyond the diamond for their culinary adventures. After all, her ice cream parlor is just at the top of 16th Street where it meets Georgia Avenue - a straight shot from the 7th Street NW Convention Center.
If you don't manage to get there in time for Thanksgiving, look for her ice cream cake with a pumpkin-flavored turkey shape running through it for a fall treat any time. And the Eggnog flavor ice cream is perfect for any holiday party. read more...
Starters: Chestnut Soup - 18 Nov 2009
Rodney Scruggs, executive chef of The Occidental's recipe for Chestnut Soup produces an unctuous, elegant fall and winter soup that's little trouble to conjure up. What it does make is a stunning impression. read more...
Rodney Scruggs - Chef of The Occidental - 18 Nov 2009
Rodney Scruggs started as a line cook at the Occidental in 1980, when he was 17. He moved on to work with some of the area's top chefs. But after two decades away, he returned a while back to the venerable restaurant as executive chef. read more...
Kubo - 18 Nov 2009
Kubo has been at the top of Knowles Avenue in Kensington for some four years. But a year ago, Brenda and her husband Froy took over this small but friendly Filipino market. read more...
Viagra for women! Chew on That! - 18 Nov 2009
A poor sex life can make you fat, right? Those consoling Krispy Kremes? That vat of Jamoca Almond Fudge? So some of you might be thrilled to learn that an antidepressant that failed tests is being touted as "Viagra for women" after unexpected side effects. read more...
A happy Thanksgiving & Christmas turkey - 18 Nov 2009
If you haven't already bought your Thanksgiving turkey, you're probably in a panic. If you plan to rush out and grab something out of the meat cabinet at your local supermarket, for your Christmas feast consider this alternative: order (today) a turkey from a farmer whose fowl run free. The turkey will have had a good life, and the farmer who has made the effort to give it one deserves support. Besides, they taste better.
If you don't want to know how a mass-produced turkey spends its short imprisoned life, don't read on. read more...
Greek & Middle East markets - 12 Nov 2009
There are probably more specifically Greece-focused markets in Baltimore than in Washington. But Middle East groceries generally stock a wide range of Greek products. read more...
Rob Klink - Chef of Oceanaire - 11 Nov 2009
Rob Klink, executive chef and operating partner of The Oceanaire Seafood Room, would rather be fishing - but with an eye to conservation. read more...
Would you like to receive weekly notification of new articles? - 11 Nov 2009
Keep up with the latest features on eatWashington. read more...
Walnut oil - 11 Nov 2009
Take a tip from the cooks of France's Perigord region: invest in a bottle of walnut oil. A small one - it doesn't keep long, and store it in the dark. But you'll be glad you did. A vinaigrette made with it will lift a salad into another stratosphere. read more...
Chew on This: It's that ol' High Fructose Corn Syrup again - 11 Nov 2009
What rats do for our health! In a new study, their 'moderate' consumption over 10 weeks of fructose-containing sweeteners may have produced 'modest but significant changes' which could contribute to the development of Metabolic Syndrome.
It's that High Fructose Corn Syrup again - you know, the stuff the HFCS people have been campaigning to promote as your friendly sweetener unfairly accused of being responsible for causing obesity and ill health. read more...
Fish: Wild Chesapeake Rockfish with Lemongrass Broth and Shiitake Mushrooms - 11 Nov 2009
You don't need to be a master chef to make this elegant dish from Rob Klink, chef of Oceanaire Seafood Room. The broth can be finished ahead of time, and with a final 10 minutes to saute the fish and mushrooms, it can star at any dinner party without driving the cook into a frenzy. read more...
Fish: Sautéed Shrimp with Cannellini Beans - 4 Nov 2009
Shrimp and cannellini beans make a surprising and successful combination in this quickly cooked recipe from Savino Recine, owner-chef of Primi Piatti, a man who believes in providing richness in taste without resorting to unhealthy dairy products. read more...
Pistachios - 4 Nov 2009
Yes, you can buy pistachios at the Giant and Safeway loose or in cellophane sacks. But if you head for a Middle Eastern market's supply, you'll be introduced to a whole new dimension in these exceptional nuts - piastachios flavored with lemon, roasted with sea salt, or spiced up with chili. read more...
Savino Recine - Owner-chef of Primi Piatti - 4 Nov 2009
Savino Recine, owner chef of Primi Piatti, doesn't just have a magical touch with Italian food. He can also magically open a bottle of wine and bend your cutlery without touching either. read more...
Filipino Home Baking & Grocery - 4 Nov 2009
Triangle Lane in Wheaton is an international food court in itself. One of the little markets tucked away is Filipino Home Baking & Grocery. It's a modest place with a very small selection of fresh produce. But it's filled with groceries essential to Filipino cooking. read more...
Quince - 4 Nov 2009
Quince season is short, so run out to a Middle Eastern market like Yekta or an Asian market like H Mart or Le Market, and pick out some of these yellow, pear-like and scented fruits to chop into a rough-on-the-tongue stewed puree or to make membrillo, the Spanish paste to eat with Manchego or Cheddar cheese, or for an exquisite translucent coral pink jelly to go with cold meats. read more...
Chew On This: Processed foods cause depression - 4 Nov 2009
If you needed any more reasons to keep off processed foods (fat content, high fructose corn syrup content, salt content, the fact they're not fresh, price...), a new study shows they may contribute to depression. read more...
Starters: Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fonduta - 21 Oct 2009
When Stephen Scott was chef at Zola, he served this Fonduta as an appetizer. But it makes a great Sunday supper for two served with a crisp green salad in front of a favorite TV movie. And if you can't get hold of every type, use what's available. read more...
Chew On This: Breast cancer from Western diet - 21 Oct 2009
You may have thought you've heard this before. But apparently it hadn't been proved: the Western diet may cause breast cancer.
It's the French who think they've come up with new evidence that what they call "Western-type" foods may be to blame. What we should stick to is a Mediterranean diet. read more...
Mushrooms - fall favorites - 21 Oct 2009
As fall arrives in Russia, Poland, Germany, Italy and France, the woods rustle with mushroom hunters. Within days of a rainfall, the undergrowth will be popping with delicious free food. Take care, though, that you know what you're picking. I read a Russian news agency report when I was a Moscow correspondent that a particular mushroom was now officially edible, so long as you boiled it once, tossed away the water, boiled it again in a fresh supply, jettisoned that, then fried it in butter. Which by my reckoning made at least three very sick testers before they found the safe formula. read more...
Chinese mushrooms identified - 21 Oct 2009
Several varieties of Chinese mushrooms are sold dried in Chinese script packages. But which should you use for what? And how can you buy the ones you want if you don't speak Chinese? Here's help. read more...
Bernard Grenier - Owner-chef of Bistro D'oc - 21 Oct 2009
Bernard Grenier opened Bistro D’Oc after leaving La Miche in Bethesda. Eating there is an extension of any summer holiday in France and a comfort when the cold weather sets in. read more...
Bestway - 21 Oct 2009
Bestway is a real local success story. It began in the 1970s in Washington DC to supply the growing Hispanic community with fresh produce and dried goods to keep cooks in the kind of ingredients they needed to create the dishes of back home. These days, the company has become a large independent ethnic grocery chain with several stores in the capital, in Maryland and Virginia. And it doesn't just sell traditionally Hispanic groceries. Its range of standard general foods is broad. read more...
Food & Friends' pie pieces for free! - 15 Oct 2009
Help raise money on Tuesday October 20th by eating free samples of pie! Food & Friends will be able to provide 3500 Thanksgiving meals to children and adults with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other ghastly life-changing illnesses if you're so seduced by the samples you're given by ABC7's Cynee Simpson and Caroline Lyders that you order a whole pie or cheesecake. Oh, and you can meet members of the DC City Council! Wow! What's not to like? read more...
Joe Raffa - Chef of Oyamel - 14 Oct 2009
Joe Raffa left the U.S. Government Accountability Office to become a chef. He now heads Oyamel, where he serves up to 40 grasshopper tacos a day. read more...
Fish: Quesadilla de Camaron (Shrimp Quesadillas) - 14 Oct 2009
You could make the different elements of Joe Raffa, chef of Oyamel's easily-prepared recipe ahead of time and only toast the tortillas at the last minute. It would turn it into a dish you could serve at a large party. read more...
Fish - fresh or not so fresh? - 14 Oct 2009
Once upon a time, fishmongers would cut fish to order from whole fish, so the customer could be sure, by the clarity of its eyes, the firmness of flesh and the color of its gills, of the freshness of the fish. Not any longer. Now that it's generally sold ready-filletted, you've only your nose to rely on. Use it. read more...
Mochi - a Japanese dessert - 14 Oct 2009
Mochi, a Japanese ice cream covered in dough, has developed a broad fan base. It makes for a very different dessert... read more...
Hana Japanese Market - 14 Oct 2009
While DC is lifting with sushi places, it's hard to find a grocery inside the District stocking Japanese ingredients. Hana Japanese Market is a tiny spot on the corner of 17th and U Streets under a green and white striped awning that probably constitutes the most central location in the capital for ingredients for a Japanese feast. read more...
Chew on This: Taxes on sodas tax our personal freedom? - 14 Oct 2009
I'm always astonished at the misinformation - if not downright 'pork pies' (this is Cockney rhyming slang. Clue: focus on rhyming the second word) I hear either from the Senate, from Congress or on NPR about the cost and poor quality of Britain's free National
Health Service. Opponents of the President's health care reforms might consider this: the US spends 16.2 percent of GDP annually on healthcare, around twice as much as what the NHS costs. Yet the life expectancy of the average American is lower than the average Brit. According to a UN list of length of life expectancy, the UK is ranked 21st and the US at number 38.
Opponents of the President's proposed health care reforms who cite the cost of overhauling the hugely expensive US system could easily reap a cent or two and help reduce the obesity problem that costs the system so much with one tiny move: Put that tax on sodas. read more...
Chew On This: Is High Fructose Corn Syrup really no longer a threat? - 7 Oct 2009
When I was writing a food column three times a week for United Press International, the one subject that would stir readers to block my email inbox was when I wrote about High Fructose Corn Syrup. USDA figures show the average daily consumption of calories from HFCS in the American diet has risen from 2 calories in 1970 to 205 calories in 2003. Yet the Center for Consumer Freedom has launched an ad campaign to try and turn around what it describes as "an urban myth" that HFCS is a more highly processed, less healthy ingredient than sugar. read more...
Manila Oriental - 7 Oct 2009
Close to Bailey's Crossroads is this popular Filipino market. While it's small, you'll probably find everything you need to cook up a Filipino feast, with quarts of ice cream made from purple yam, maize, baby bananas, coconut, jackfruit and more or some coconut desserts to follow.
But you can stay in for your feast. The secret treasure of the market is right at the back, a carry-out counter with a few tables read more...
Starters: Kabocha Soboroni - 6 Oct 2009
Kaz Okochi, owner-chef of Kaz Sushi Bistro, turns familiar squash into an unfamiliar Japanese food delight that makes an interesting appetizer or a side for more familiar American fish dishes or grills. read more...
Cancha - 6 Oct 2009
When you're settled down indoors, in front of the rented movies, the TV soaps, try some cancha instead of your regular bowl of popcorn. read more...
Barbecuing - do you smoke? - 26 Sep 2009
Barbecue is not just a grilling technique, it's a whole philosophy. (And, some women might say, an excuse for men to get out of cooking at any other time of year.) read more...
Endless Simmer picks up an eatWashington recipe! - 23 Sep 2009
Endless Simmer, a DC-based food blog, has picked up a recipe (and some info) from eatWashington! read more...
Janis McLean - Chef of The Morrison-Clark Inn - 23 Sep 2009
Janis McLean, the Morrison-Clark Inn’s executive chef, ran away from a good, steady corporate job that she’d held for seven years to cook, even though years before she had discovered that “cooking for others isn’t as easy as it looks.” read more...
Starters: Flambéed Figs with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto - 23 Sep 2009
Janis McLean, chef of The Morrison-Clark Inn, turns fresh or dried figs into an appetizer or something to pass around with cocktails that's a little out of the ordinary. read more...
Fresh figs - a great way to tackle Salman Rushdie - 23 Sep 2009
Fall is fresh fig season - one of the best fruit finales you can imagine before you're forced by lack of other choice to settle for this kind or that kind of apple (how many pomegranates can you eat in a week) until tiny clementines come in after Christmas. (Ignore any mandarines that rattled around emptily in their sock of a skin - they're flavorless) .
Figs are around 30 calories for those 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 1.4 ounces in weight. If you eat, as I have done, 15 of them in one go, I don't imagine many of those calories have time to hang about. After around 3 hours' digestion, they rush straight through you. Which makes for a series of 2 a.m. return visits to the loo. Painless, though. And a good time to tackle Salman Rushdie. read more...
Habesha Ethiopian Market - 23 Sep 2009
Habesha Ethiopian Market is one of those groceries where you can eat once you've shopped. In the heart of Little Ethiopia, it's bang opposite Etete, the popular Ethiopian restaurant. But you can eat here, in their cafe section. read more...
Chew On This: Weeds in your drink? - 23 Sep 2009
Have you noticed the high apple juice content of not inexpensive drinks like cranberry cocktails, punches and more? Well, a fruit I always thought was relatively cheap is obviously too expensive an additive for food and drink manufacturers. Sometime in the future, your fruit juice drink may no longer be flavored with apples. This wonderful fruit may be replaced for flavor by a - want to guess?
A weed. read more...
Chew on This: Wine and beer victims of global warming - 16 Sep 2009
Climate change may affect the quality of your booze. Grapes and hops are suffering from too much heat. read more...
Calamari with Spiced Mediterranean Sauce - 16 Sep 2009
This recipe from Chef Bo Palker of Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro makes a starter or main course that's easy to execute and popular year round. You'll always find squid in Oriental markets that sell fish. read more...
Bo Palker - Chef of Vinifera - 16 Sep 2009
It wasn't enough for Bo Palker, as a teenager growing up in Vermont, to work in one kitchen. The executive chef of Vinifera Wine Bar & Bistro, studying culinary arts at a vocational school, took a job in two Burlington eateries. read more...
Melons - the new stress beaters! - 16 Sep 2009
Want to sleep better, control irritability and weariness? Eat a melon. French scientists have apparently isolated an enzyme in the fruit called superoxide dismutase stuffed with antioxidants. These are what fight damaging free radicals which as a result of a chemical process known as oxidative stress get into the body's tissues.
I've an even better stress reliever related to melons. It's called meloncello. And here's a recipe. read more...
Watch those Grande calories - 16 Sep 2009
I once calculated how much money I was spending each week popping into a Starbucks for a coffee to take to work. When I realised it was adding up to around $20 a week, I began making my own at home to bring in.
More impressive figures emerge - if you're a fan of those coffees that would not be recognizable to an Ethiopian or Nicaraguan grower of coffee beans - counting the calories in those drinks in which coffee plays a minor role. They can clock in at around 470 a Grande cup. read more...
Barbara Kafka's Crème Anglaise in 6 minutes - 9 Sep 2009
Crème Anglaise is such a seductive, soothing vanilla sauce wonderful with fall fruit tarts and cobblers, it's tempting to ignore the dessert it coats and just eat this perfect custard. Cookbook writer and regular New York Times food pages contributor Barbara Kafka has a brilliant short cut to perfect Crème Anglaise that you don't need to stand over fearfully to prevent it from curdling. It's one of two good reasons to invest in a microwave. (The other is heating milk to froth for coffee...) read more...
Apsara Gourmet Oriental Food Market - 9 Sep 2009
There's no shortage of Asia food markets round the greater Washington area. While some are distinguished by their extensive supplies, others, like Apsara, are worth tracking down if you're an Asian food novice and need advice on how to cook whatever that weird stuff over there is. read more...
Lemons - some sharp advice - 9 Sep 2009
Across the Mediterranean and Middle East at the end of summer, lemons scent the warm fall air. So if you've got lemons, what do you do: make lemonade. (You knew that...)
Whether they come from Israel or California, buy them at their best in the early fall and freeze them for winter use in vinaigrettes, tagines, roasted chickens, lemonade and more. read more...
Chew on This: Taxes on sodas don't deter kids - 9 Sep 2009
Guess what: taxes on sodas haven't had any impact on the high levels of obesity among young people. A study from the University of Chicago says so.
Probably any parent might have predicted that unless taxes on sodas went the way of taxes on cigarettes, nothing would happen to change drinking levels of adolescents. We're only talking a matter of 3 cents or so per 12-ounce can here. read more...
Bicarbonate of soda - magic in a teaspoon - 9 Sep 2009
There's more to bicarbonate of soda than meets the stomach. This antacid solution to gluttony, fizzer of sodas and raiser of flour to baking heights with a slightly salty taste has other tricks it can perform. read more...
Pumpkin patches - 7 Sep 2009
Pumpkins are a focus of Hallowe'en front porches. But they're also good to eat, the pulp stewed in butter with onions and a grating of fresh ginger, or nutmeg, stock added and the whole cooked then whizzed into puree for soup. read more...
Kaz Okoshi - Owner-chef of Kaz Sushi Bistro - 6 Sep 2009
Once Kaz Okochi completed the fine arts course in Oklahoma he had come from Japan to the U.S. to take up, he headed home to enroll in the prestigious Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka. When he told its career counselor he'd like to cook in America, the counselor suggested he focus on becoming a sushi chef. read more...
Desserts: Blue Duck Tavern Apple Pie - 3 Sep 2009
You can't have enough apple pie recipes. Here's a very different one with phenomenal, though very challenging, pastry from Laurent Merdy, pastry chef of The Blue Duck Tavern. It was selected by USA Today as one of the Top 25 Best Dishes of 2006. read more...
Verjus - make your own - 2 Sep 2009
I get emailed surprisingly often about where to find Verjus, an acid French liquid used in deglazing pans that makes a great sauce to go with chicken and game. I've seen it in Wegmans, Dean & DeLuca as well as the Georgetown Whole Foods. But not regularly. Since all the word means is 'green juice', you can make a passable substitute with other ingredients than early picked green grapes. read more...
Apples - a Magnolia a day... - 2 Sep 2009
While some supermarkets are becoming a little more adventurous in their selection of apples, there are many more interesting varieties to be had than the Goldens and Granny Smiths out there. Thomas Jefferson could have told you that...
Here are some, with how they taste, and where to pick them. read more...
Chew On This: GM monoculture or biodiversity? - 2 Sep 2009
This year around 76.024 million acres of US farm land were planted with soy to produce a projected fall harvest of 3 billion bushels worth more than $27.4 billion. Corn estimates are for 12 billion bushels.
Small farmers who show up at farmers markets are simply trying to feed the neighborhood. Industrial agriculture is all about feeding the world with a range of genetically modified soy, corn and rice strains. This, we're told, is the only way to cope with the famine victims of Africa and malnourished children in parts of Asia.
Golden rice is genetically modified to contain beta-carotene in the kernel. Not enough causes half a million African children to go blind each year. Biotechnologists consider donating donate golden rice seeds to Third World farmers. What's not to like? read more...
Korean markets & bakeries - 2 Sep 2009
Korean markets provide some of the best and widest range of fresh fruit and vegetables in the greater Washington area. My favorite is the Super H-Mart in Fairfax. But there are plenty of others, large and small, where - because the Koreans who shop in them tend to have been raised to be proud and serious cooks - the quality of fruits is higher than, dare I say it, Whole Foods whose fruits are sometimes better suited to a sports goods store.
Korean bakeries offer some interesting adventures in soft loaves and unusual cakes and buns. read more...
Desserts: Eton Mess - 26 Aug 2009
This aptly named Mess is an easy English recipe to make the most of strawberries. You get the stages ready ahead, to put together at the last minute. It's named after the posh private school of Princes and sons of parents with deep wallets near Windsor Castle - so convenient when Queen Granny wanted to visit William and Harry.
On the 'Fourth of June', a holiday with The Procession of Boats - the top crews row past in vintage wooden rowing boats (Brits find this kind of thing normal) - scholars and parents gather to celebrate the birthday of Eton's patron, King George III (the mad one - that's normal, too). Eton Mess is the pudding de rigueur. ('Pudding' is the posh English word for 'desserts' - a word that would never cross the lips of an old Etonian.) read more...
Daily Spices - one of my favorite markets - 26 Aug 2009
What a lovely crew runs Daily Spices! It's a bright little store a little further out beyond Merrifield's H Mart, filled with sunlight and Indian groceries. Go there often enough and it's worth joining their loyalty scheme. read more...
Chew On This: Hah! A new - and worse - cholesterol! - 26 Aug 2009
Just when you thought it was safe to check your cholesterol levels, along comes a new - and worse - cholesterol threat! Meet - oxycholesterol! read more...
Strawberries - seasonal stars, or imposter radishes? - 26 Aug 2009
More than any other supermarket produce item, the strawberry represents, for me, why it is we should eat seasonally and locally. When you buy a strawberry at any other time of the year than summer, you'll be eating a fruit that's been shipped hundreds of miles. So to survive its journey, it will have been picked before it has ripened. Very likely, it will have been greenhouse grown without the direct rays of the sun to bring a warm bloom to its cheeks. What you will pop into your mouth is a thing with the texture of a radish and the taste of a...
Nothing.
And for this pleasure, it will have used a good deal of fossil fuel, both in production and in delivery to your expectant mouth. Americans each consume, per year, per citizen, 400 gallons just through agriculture, a close second to the fuel we use in our cars. read more...
Fish:Sea Urchin Linguine - 19 Aug 2009
This recipe from Enzo Febbraro at D'Acqua Restaurant takes a certain amount of dedication: first find your sea urchin. Don't worry, though - you can order it on line. read more...
Chew On This: Which nutrition facts to believe? - 19 Aug 2009
Women can take comfort this week that fat from meat, eggs and dairy produce won't increase their risk of breast cancer. So, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, says a European study of 319,826 women. Small exceptions came from increased risk links in post -menopausal women with high intakes of processed meat and in pre-menopausal women with high butter intakes. Still, it doesn't cover other forms of cancer like lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancer.
Which leads me to Reynold Spector of the Skeptical Inquirer. Human nutrition research and practice, according to him, is plagued by pseudoscience and unsupported opinions. read more...
French paradox - or American one? - 19 Aug 2009
I confess I'm not in Washington this summer. I'm in La France Profonde, in deepest Dordogne. The tomatoes are as large as grapefruit and as juicy as a sodden sponge, the basil plants can be smelled from across the courtyard. Each day a different farmers market supplies the evening meal ingredients of duck that has spent its life scratching about its seller's yard and comes complete with everything but its feathers, and bunches of root vegetables still covered in dirt, four different kinds of strawberries, and cheeses that stink like a boy's backpack. So it was with a certain dismay I read in Details magazine the following introduction to its top 25 items for The Best Fast Food in America: "Consider this your Michelin Guide to the food you can eat while changing lanes." read more...
Tapioca unscrambled (aren't you glad?) - 18 Aug 2009
Generations of British children grew up on the school dinner concoction Frog's Spawn, a milky dessert, damp and squidgy. It was their revolted name for Tapioca. One of those foods, like Sago Pudding and Rice Pudding, you either love or hate, those children almost without exception hated it. Such a shame. read more...
DC's wholesale/retail market - 18 Aug 2009
Shop fresh global and local produce, meat, groceries and flowers at retail prices where many of DC's grocery store and restaurant owners go to buy wholesale. read more...
World Market - 8 Aug 2009
World Market is an oddity. On the same level in the Chevy Chase Pavilion as Starbucks and the escalator to the Red Line Metro, its most public face, through large glass display windows, is not much different from Pottery Barn in the same location.
But penetrate the space, push past the hyacinth-reed woven chairs, the pillar candles and Asian pottery and in the back you'll find a bizarre food market. read more...
Christopher Willis - chef of POSH - 5 Aug 2009
The sign outside POSH, the self-styled Restaurant and Supper Club, gives a list of clothing unacceptable inside. It includes, "Athletic wear; Sweat or sports jerseys; MC colors; Excessively baggy clothing (tucks-ins not permitted); Plain white t-shirts (short or long sleeve); Sleeveless t-shirts; Construction boots; White sneakers; Headgear; Chains; Ripped or soled clothing."
Executive chef Christopher Willis says it's in appreciation of his diners who tend to get dressed up to come in. When you're looking good, it's a shame if someone else isn't bothering. read more...
Mains: Carribean Roasted Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Corn - 5 Aug 2009
Christopher Willis of POSH's recipe puts together familiar ingredients to come up with a spicy and unusual dish. read more...
Chew On This: Organic food a waste of money? - 5 Aug 2009
If you're paying more for organic fruit, veg, meats and milk, maybe you aren't getting the health benefits you think you are. So reports the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, citing the conclusions of Britain's independent Food Standards Agency which conducted the biggest study in 50 years on the health benefits of eating organic food.
Want to eat healthy? Just stick to a healthy balanced diet, the study concluded. read more...
Nosh Notes: Turkish restaurants - 5 Aug 2009
This web site doesn't cover many restaurants. But the following come highly recommended by a number of Turkish eatWashingtonians. They should know. And summertime is the perfect season for this kind of food. read more...
Nosh Notes: Crabs & clams - 5 Aug 2009
Crabs and clams are a local treat worthy of serious foodie consideration. Where to observe - and experience the treat. read more...
Something Sweet - 5 Aug 2009
This is not strictly speaking a favorite market of mine because I haven't visited it yet. So here's a review by Katie Kunin of the just-opened Something Sweet in Cleveland Park which she posted on the Cleveland Park list serve.
I'm a fan of David Scribner, who I think is the man behind this bakery selling all you need to satisfy that particular tooth, from cupcakes to milkshakes and frozen yogurt. He was the chef and owner of Dahlia, the Spring Valley restaurant that closed some time ago. So it's good to have him back in business. read more...
Ryan Morgan - Chef of Art & Soul - 3 Aug 2009
(Travis Timberlake is now Excutive Chef at Art & Soul, where he has been, since its opening, Chef de Cuisine.)
When Ryan Morgan sits down for interview at a table in Art & Soul of which he is Executive Chef, he picks up the small rectangle of tile under the knife and brandishes it with a certain satisfaction. "We don't have cloths. So the silverware was spinning around. I went to Home Depot, got some tiles, had them sliced up. Now there's no problem. And it looks pretty cool." Yup. It does. Trick worth borrowing. read more...
Delhi Bazaar - 22 Jul 2009
This grocery isn't shy. It describes itself as 'The Ultimate Grocery Store', which is a challenge, given it's bang next door to Grand Mart. read more...
Aviva Goldfarb - solving your daily dinner dilemmas - 22 Jul 2009
When Aviva Goldfarb's children were still quite small, she had a lightbulb moment. She realized that if she compiled a weekly menu and a complete shopping list to go with it, she would be buying herself a more stress-free life that would give her extra free time with her son and daughter. "It didn't feel natural to me. But I decided I would start planning ahead before I went to the grocery store. I couldn't believe how much easier it made everything!"
She told her friends, sharing her planning details with them. Then one day in 2003 Goldbarb thought, Hey, wait a minute. I'm a self-published author. The internet is taking off. Maybe I can turn this into a business. And The Six O'Clock Scramble was born. read more...
Fish: Tortuguero Tilapia With Cilantro-Lime Sauce - 22 Jul 2009
This recipe from Aviva Goldfarb comes from one of the weekly menu plans you can subscribe to on The Six O'Clock Scramble - or find in her eponymous cookbook. As it says, it takes 15 minutes to prepare and cook. read more...
Ibérico Pork comes to town - 22 Jul 2009
At last it's happened! The capital can experience some of the world's best pork. Ibérico de Bellota pork is available at Wagshal's and Jaleo. This is pork meat that comes from the same acorn-fed pigs that produce that heavenly Ibérico ham I can't get (or afford) enough of. Jose Andres has arranged its exclusive import through Fermin. read more...
Chew On This: Paul McCartney's meatless Mondays - 22 Jul 2009
Paul McCartney, along with Stella the designer daughter and his photographer daughter Mary, have launched Meat Free Mondays. You don't have to be vegetarian like Macca to see, once you've examined his thinking, that this must do good to the planet, as well as our constitutions. read more...
Saint Michel Bakery - one of my favorites - 8 Jul 2009
I've been mourning the deterioration in quality of Bonaparte Bakery's baguettes. They've lost that balance between crustiness and crumbiness and Wagshal's, where I go to buy them, no longer stocks their ficelles which I preferred to the baguettes. I don't know if that means that Bonaparte's doesn't bake them any more. But at any rate, I don't mind too much. I've discovered a proper French bakery - Saint Michel Bakery, owned by a proper French baker, Bertrand Houlier. read more...
Frozen custard queen - one of my favorites - 8 Jul 2009
President Obama may have taken his family for a scoop of frozen custard at The Dairy Godmother because he read my post on eatWashington. (I can dream, can't I?) At any rate, if you haven't followed in his footsteps yet, you should. This is the time of year when frozen custard beats regular ice cream hands down. Like it does at every other time of year... read more...
Marilena Leavitt - from economist to cooking teacher - 8 Jul 2009
Marilena Leavitt is a Greek who trained as an economist. But when she married an American working at the US embassy in Athens, life took them en poste to England and to Italy where she took cooking classes. Now she passes on her knowledge of the dishes of Northern and Southern Italy and Greece to small groups in her Virginia home. read more...
Shrimp baked with tomatoes & feta (Garides youvetsi) - 8 Jul 2009
At Marilena Leavitt's Greek and Italian cooking classes, she teaches traditional dishes that are easily accomplished, such as this main course that works year round and uses easily sourced ingredients. read more...
Natural fat burners - 8 Jul 2009
The bikini beckons. Your bottom bulges. What to do? Maybe these natural fat burners can help. read more...
Chew On This: Forget the Acai diet, try vinegar! - 8 Jul 2009
You've read the models' tip that a gulp of vinegar before a meal keeps the weight off? Well, according to Japanese research, it's true. read more...
South Mountain Creamery - one of my favorites - 2 Jul 2009
Not strictly speaking a market, because you don't go to it, it comes to you. But South Mountain Creamery is worth knowing about. The Sowers and Brusco families behind it deliver farm-fresh ice cold milk in the old fashioned glass bottles direct to the cooler on your doorstep - if you're not in to take collection personally.
You put your order in on-line. And it's not just for milk. read more...
Tzadziki - 1 Jul 2009
In Greece, luscious thick yogurt is drained, flavored with garlic and sometimes mint, and turned into tzadziki to be served on fingers of toasted pita or cubes of bread, along with glasses of ouzo. Loosened a little with its own whey, tzadziki makes a wonderful dip for fresh vegetables or crackers and a great sauce for grilled meats. read more...
Desssert: Pain du Mom with Crème Anglaise - 1 Jul 2009
"My mom came up with this recipe," says John MacPherson, owner-chef of the Foster Harris House (so, Francophones, don't get picky about the grammar), "and has served it for some 20 years. Of course the serving size at my mom's is five times as big as we serve at the Foster Harris House, but a little goes a long way with this decadent breakfast dessert." read more...
Alternatives to pita bread - 1 Jul 2009
Looking for an alternative to pita? There are plenty. read more...
John MacPherson - owner-chef of Foster Harris House - 1 Jul 2009
One Sunday evening in 2004, industrial designer John MacPherson revealed to his wife over dinner that he was was not looking forward to going to work the following morning at the hearth-and-fireplace studio he owned. Off the top of his head, he said, "Why don't we open a B & B?" read more...
Nosh notes: The Fearless Critic - 1 Jul 2009
I don't feel particularly well served by restaurant reviewers who believe they shouldn't put pen to paper until they've given a place a go three times. If I eat a poor meal the first time round, why, as a general punter with plenty of dining choices, would I give them a second chance? But I can't write a Nosh Note this week because I spent my noshing money on a new swimsuit. So you might consider giving this new DC restaurant reviews book, a look over. Its reviewers have to have some educated connection with food, either in training or career. (Here I go, doing myself out of a job...) read more...
Chew On This: You don't know what wine you're drinking - 1 Jul 2009
Not long ago, a diner at a London restaurant sent back a magnum of 1961 Château Pétrus costing £18,000 ($29,661). It was fake, he said. That's the kind of person I want to eat with - one who can afford that much for a bottle! Then know it was counterfeit. But apparently, those who buy prestige bottles at well below that staggering price may also be duped. They're in danger of being sold modest wine poured from high-end label bottles that have been bought second-hand off eBay. read more...
Polish Delis in NJ - 1 Jul 2009
The Kielbasa Factory in Rockville MD is the area's only serious market (correct me if I'm wrong) for Polish specialties. But there's a huge Polish community in New Jersey. So, since this is a time of year when we pile into our cars for beaches north and south, here are some sources you might be driving by with your lilos and towels. Or you could order by phone... read more...
British markets - 24 Jun 2009
When cable TV broadcasts Wimbledon hosting the tennis championships, it's time for a British court-side tea of cucumber sandwiches, strawberries and cream. Which bring on British nostalgia. Missing Marmite? Pork pies? Or Bird's Custard? Need to lift the spirits with a nip of ginger wine? A little Land of Hope and Glory is just behind the doors of these markets. read more...
Bart Vandaele - owner-chef of Belga Café - 24 Jun 2009
With his family background, it's hard to imagine Bart Vandaele in any business other than food. Born in Flanders in the west of Belgium, his grandfather was a butcher. His father's family had a grocery store that sold fresh vegetables. His parents ran a café with a dining hall behind for big events and Vandaele, owner and chef of Belga Café, the Belgian bistro and fine dining restaurant on Captol Hill, says he spent so much time there he was raised by the café's maitre d' and cleaning lady. read more...
Chew On This: Don't they want our food made safe? - 24 Jun 2009
With food-borne illnesses and subsequent recalls now becoming more frequent, you'd think Congress would be anxious to pass legislation to safeguard us from unhealthy food. Over 300,000 people went to hospital last year with food poisoning. We all, including our new President, blamed the previous President for having weakened the powers of the FDA, and he promised to give it more teeth.
But the Food Safety Enhancement Act just developed by a House subcommittee doesn't seem to have pushed for much change. read more...
Mains: Flemish Beef Stew with Belgian Beer - 24 Jun 2009
Bart Vandaele, owner-chef of Belga Café, says, “Beef stew with beer is a traditional Belgian dish. I love it and it still is one of the most popular dishes in Belgium. You can find it in Belgium in different varieties, because it is typically a dish that every mother cooks her own way." read more...
Nosh Notes - M Café & Bar - 24 Jun 2009
Ladies who like to lunch in style like to lunch at M Café & Bar in Chevy Chase where one side of Wisconsin Avenue is still rooted in medical centers, gloomy estate jewelers and the Gap while the other glistens with outposts of Jimmy Choo, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Bulgari, Dior, Ralph Lauren and other brave adventurers from New York.
M Café & Bar is a rare, in Washington, taste of Manhattan glamour. Somehow you imagine the conversation is more likely to cover the kind of behavior that Mother wouldn't approve of than the lastest news from the PTA. read more...
Belgian beer explained - 24 Jun 2009
There are around 125 beweries in Belgium, producing over 500 different beers. Among them are European pils, lambic, white, dubbel, tripel, blonde, brune, amber and Flemish red. And each is allocated its own special glass... read more...
Feta cheese - 24 Jun 2009
In summer, with real tomatoes arriving in stores, Greek salad comes into its own. Horiatiki salata, country salad, is a compilation of quarters of tomato, thick slices of peeled cucumber and thinner slices of red onion, a handful of black olives and chunks of feta, drizzled with a good green olive oil. (Strictly speaking, the tomatoes provide the acid replacement for vinegar.)
Feta is often overlooked as a cheese. But with its relatively low fat content and range of flavor from mild to forceful, it's worth paying it some attention. True feta cheese, low-fat and healthy, is a far cry from sour, salty and week-old-socks stinking (some would say vomit stenching) plastic-packaged cheese from supermarket dairy aisles. read more...
Ice creams & gelati - 17 Jun 2009
In Russia, even in the depths of winter, queues of people form around the ice-cream carts stationed on street corners and down the iced-over paths of Moscow's Gorki Park. The world over, it's a seductive cold comfort. read more...
Marchone's - 17 Jun 2009
The thing about Marchone's is it isn't a destination Italian delicatessen. It's not so different from many others of its kind. But what marks it out is its line of 'Anna' pasta. This manufacturer of dried pasta makes unusual shapes, like gemelli which look like roll ups loosely formed by wet fingers that might have come out of a kindergarten art class, and huge tubes they call, surprisingly, fettucini (sic). But it also does a line in wholewheat pasta, with penne, spaghetti and gnocchi in a mushroom shade of brown. This stuff is a rarity on Washington deli shelves. read more...
Chesapeake crabs - a shell shucked summer - 17 Jun 2009
The 2,300 square miles of the Chesapeake Bay make an exceptional breeding ground for fish and crabs. read more...
Chew On This: Don't chop those carrots! - 17 Jun 2009
Just in time for summer laziness, here's a healthtip that will give you an extra few minutes on the sun lunger: don't chop those carrots. If you don't, they'll contain 25 percent more of an anti-cancer agent when cooked than if you'd turned them into bite-sized pieces. read more...
Eggs: Tortilla Española - 17 Jun 2009
From the Taberna del Alabardero, Chef Dani Arana's recipe for Tortilla Española makes a classic Spanish tapas dish, perfect for summer, that feeds 15 with very little trouble. read more...
Nosh Notes: Everlasting Life/Eternity Juice Bar - 10 Jun 2009
When I drove past the Everlasting Life/Eternity Juice Bar on Georgia Avenue, I had to stop. Can there be a better name for a place to revive? I felt better, more vital, taller of limb, tighter of skin, just reading the name. It is surely what the origin of the word 'restaurant' was all about. read more...
Fish: Jonah Crab and Asparagus Salad - 10 Jun 2009
This salad from Vatche Benguian, chef of The Roof Terrace Restaurant, is an elegant appetizer or summer salad main course that's put together in minutes. Just be sure to use good quality vinegar. read more...
Vatche Benguian - chef of the Roof Terrace Restaurant - 10 Jun 2009
To diners who've been eating around town for the past three decades, Vatche Benguian's name might be familiar. Remember La Bagatelle? Benguian was in the kitchen. La Colline? Benguian was chef and partner. You ate at Gerard's Place? Benguian was in the kitchen with Gerard Pangaud. You've dined at Le Mistral, Le Tire Bouchon, the Historic Georgetown Club and Melrose? Benguian has cooked for you. You relished the pates, rillettes, and charcuterie at The Blue Duck Tavern? Benguian was the chef charcutier, teaching the kitchen how to make them.
Back in high school, it's not at all what he intended. read more...
José Andrés cooks paella on a barbecue - 10 Jun 2009
It's always fun having a front seat at the effervescent show that is José Andrés. Especially when the 6-restaurant owning Spanish chef demonstrates making paella at his Bethesda house. On a barbecue grill. His goal? To make Americans break out into more than hamburgers and hot dogs with their charcoal. Here's how he does it. read more...
Nosh Notes: Cuban sandwiches - 10 Jun 2009
Until we're allowed to fly into Havana, we're being deprived of a true Cuban sandwich. There are sandwich bars that trumpet their Cuban sandwiches. But it's hard to find one made with the right bread. But even the not-quite-real-McKoy is a great summer chew for picnics in the park. Here's where to find the close-to-genuine article. read more...
The Little Bitts Shop - 10 Jun 2009
This is the kind of shop that your grandmother would have been familiar with. It's a crowded throwback to the time when refrigerators were acqua blue or avodado green, when you bellied up to a soda fountain counter, not your favorite bar. Which i not to say it isn't stocked with the latest in what you need if you're a keen baker. But it's a reassuring kind of place, manned by gentle women of the sort you might call ladies without it being pejorative. read more...
Chew on This: Dog food tastes like paté, alcohol is bad, wine is good. Confused? - 10 Jun 2009
With only three out of 18 volunteers able to tell the difference between dog food and paté in a blind tasting by the American Association of Wine Economists, it's no surprise we're just as confused about whether or not wine is good for us. read more...
Fish: Four-minutes Smoked Branzino Carpaccio - 5 Jun 2009
This recipe from owner-chef Enzo Fargione of Teatro Goldoni is a challenge to serious cooks - not in technique but in finding the equipment! But once you've assemble the parts, it only takes 4 minutes to make. You may have to substitute another receptacle for a Cigar Box! But you have the ingenuity... read more...
Clotted cream - home-made - 3 Jun 2009
Real clotted cream is good to dollop on summer's fresh berries. It's a far cry from the ultra heat-treated stiff paste you get in those glass jars in the supermarket. So have a go at making it yourself. read more...
Berries - ripe for picking - 3 Jun 2009
Berry picking is one of the highlights of summer, with different fruits following each other through the season, even the rare blackcurrants and gooseberries. read more...
Chew on This: Vampire blood a hot dish in Chad - 1 Jun 2009
Squeamish about offal? Morcilla and boudin gross you out? Then avoid a dish that's come back from the dead in Chad - fried blood. read more...
Nosh Notes: New Heights - 28 May 2009
I'm fond of New Heights. It was one of the few upscale yet relaxed restaurants I could afford when I arrived in Washington from Moscow decades ago. Those were the years when, if you didn't have a bank account to buy your meal for you, the best places to eat were in the 'burbs. They knew what they were doing better than some of the in-town chefs of the early 90s with all-too-brief kitchen resumes. read more...
Yas Café & Market - 28 May 2009
To say Ghodrat Azizi is an enthusiast is an understatement. Catch him on a subject like his love of London and he bubbles over. Which makes a visit to his newly opened market a conversational treat, with a welcome akin to anything you would have been afforded back in Iran where he comes from. read more...
Bubble tea - 27 May 2009
Bubble tea is one of South east Asia's most popular drinks. It's less like tea than a liquid tapioca pudding. read more...
Phuoc Loc Tho - 27 May 2009
This a tiny market. But there are plenty of South East Asian women shopping at this Vietnamese store behind Sterling Plaza. They raid the various chill cabinets for the stock of unusual fresh herbs, like several kinds of mint, several kinds of basil, including the peppery Holy Thai variety, and Vietnamese cilantro. read more...
From France to Penn Quarter... - 27 May 2009
If you've read my article in the May issue of Gourmet, you'll know that farmers markets in France's Dordogne area open at night to sell their food cooked. Well, Terri Cutrino is kinda doing the same at Café Atlántico. read more...
Dennis Marron - chef of Jackson20 - 27 May 2009
The closest of Dennis Marron's four sisters is seven years older than him. Which made for some fine times in the kitchen of his New Jersey shore home, says the executive chef of The Grille at Morrison House and Jackson20 next door. They'd cook together to lots of rockin' music. read more...
Chew On This: The best diet - ever! And it's not Acai. - 27 May 2009
Dieting's best kept secret? (Will you pay me to reveal it, all you Acai enthusiasts who have regrettably been scammed?) Here it is, for free: soup. read more...
Fresh organic herbs, European style - 27 May 2009
Fresh herbs sold like they are in Europe with their roots on have come to Washington area supermarkets. read more...
Fish: Shrimp Fritters with Comeback Sauce - 27 May 2009
The Comeback Sauce that goes with the Shrimp Fritters in this recipe from Dennis Marron of Jackson20 is so good, he says, that people always come back for more. read more...
Raspberry Mint Sapphire Collins your new cocktail? - 26 May 2009
Looking for a refreshing new cocktail for summer? When the weather's grim, the color of this shot of spirits will lift yours. Spirits, that is. read more...
Gin - which Mother's Ruin is it to be? - 20 May 2009
Gin, known by many English-speakers as 'Mother's Ruin' (with a certain amount of historical accuracy, history taking us right up to last night), was invented some time in the 1600s by the Dutch who called it, more comfortably 'Genever', after the juniper berries that flavor it, as a cure for various ailments. The tonic was contrived by the British Raj in India and the tropics to mix with gin and this way, they insisted, combat malaria. One of the major accomplishments - and best recipes - of the British Empire... read more...
Chew On This: Paralyzed by too much cola - 20 May 2009
A man returning home from an evening's kangaroo shooting (no, not in a forest near you), collapsed with lung paralysis. He was rushed to the emergency room where he had to be intubated and mechanically ventilated in hospital. The cause? Not chasing after furry hoppers but three years of sluicing back 4 to 10 liters of cola a day. read more...
The Griffin Market - one my favorites - 20 May 2009
The Griffin Market on P St NW is the kind of neighborhood store we all need. It's owned and run by Italian Riccardo Bonino and his American wife, Laura, as an outpost of the kind of good grocery and wine store you'd find in Italy.
But the exceptional feature is that Laura cooks restaurant-standard meals to order to take out. read more...
Nosh Notes - My backyard pig roast - 20 May 2009
Thank you for a wonderful feast, Harvey the Pig. Harvey is how Pam Ginsberg, the super-enthusiastic butcher at Wagshals introduced my roast to me when she hauled his carcass out from the back. Getting to know your food takes on a whole new meaning. read more...
Pasta: Paccheri with Maine Lobster - 20 May 2009
This recipe from Enzo Febbraro of D'Acqua Ristorante elevates pasta to a heavenly level with a luxurious prime ingredient - the other ingredients are cheap - but simple technique. read more...
Dani Arana - chef of Taberna del Alabardero - 17 May 2009
There's something beguiling about what an accent and minor grammatical and phrasing slips can do to English. Dani Arana, chef of Taberna del Alabardero, explains why his mother sent him off to culinary school. "I didn't like so much" - there's a pause here while he searches for the word - "study." He grins. "She tell me, you need something to do in this world to make money and live. You are not so bad in the kitchen. You can learn more, make it your profession." read more...
Maryland farmers markets - 6 May 2009
The 2009 Maryland Farmers’ Market Directory listing locations and hours of each of the state’s markets is now available through the Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) website at www.mda.state.md.us. read more...
Anchovies - 6 May 2009
One of the most unpopular fishes, anchovies are the culinary equivalent of the Wonderbra. They add body to any dish and most opponents don't even know they're there if they can't see them. read more...
Nosh Notes - Bob's Noodle House - 6 May 2009
One of the most delicious dishes at Bob's Noodle House looks like an early generation breast implant. It's an upturned teacup of gray-toned rice surrounding a stuffing of chopped meats.
You'll find it in the appetizer section of this Taiwanese restaurant whose clientele is almost entirely Asian. read more...
Starters: Stuffed grape leaves and artichoke hearts - 6 May 2009
When the weather warms and it's open season on open parties, look to the Middle East for dishes that can be prepared in advance and eaten with fingers. Here are two stuffed appetizers from Turkish Armenia. read more...
Chew on This: Allowable cockroaches in your coffee - 6 May 2009
When Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air interviewed Douglas Emlen this week on his studies of dung beetles, he mentioned a colleague who in pre-Starbucks days would sometimes drive 45 minutes off a route to get coffee made from fresh-ground beans.
Having worked previously with cockroaches, he'd developed an allergy to them that could be triggered by drinking coffee made from pre-ground beans. Because the mounds waiting in factories to be ground apparently heave with the little critters. read more...
Rob Wilder - the man behind and with José Andrés - 5 May 2009
Listen to Rob Wilder talk about his career to date, from ownership of the first Austin Grill to running ThinkfoodGroup, and he sounds like the food version of Apple Corps, the company that once upon a time managed and molded the Beatles. ThinkfoodGroup is the company created, as he describes it, "to manage all things José Andrés." read more...
Hill's Kitchen - one of my favorites - 5 May 2009
Leah Daniels bubbles like something simmering in one of the many makes of cooking pans she sells at her kitchen store. This is not a place where you walk in asking for a frying pan and expect to get out without an interrogation. "What will you be using it for?" Daniels asks. "What kind of food? How many eaters?" read more...
Enzo Fargione - chef of Teatro Goldoni - 5 May 2009
"The only interest my family had in food," jokes Enzo Fargione, executive chef of Teatro Goldoni, "was by eating it." It's not the whole picture, though, because then he goes on to say that his mother is an "excellent, excellent cook." When most young boys preferred to stay in bed on Sunday mornings, Fargione confesses he liked to get up to see what she was cooking. read more...
Fish: Pomegranate Shrimp - 29 Apr 2009
Monica Bhide's dish cooks in just 15 minutes. Don’t overcook the shrimp, she cautions, or they will become rubbery. But that's the only thing you need to watch to succeed with this easy entree. read more...
Monica Bhide - not just an Indian cookbook writer - 29 Apr 2009
If you've ever signed up for an online cooking course with Egullet, if you have cooked an Indian recipe from Spice of Life, if you have taken a cooking class in Indian cookery at a private house in an area served by the Dunloring metro station, you will probably have come under the influence of Monica Bhide. read more...
Nosh notes - Central - 29 Apr 2009
Japanese chefs in Washington, like Kaz Okoshi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Hisao Abe of Kotobuki will tell you that when they first arrived in the capital in the 1980s there were no decent places to eat sushi. Now sushi outlets proliferate almost as widely as do Starbucks outlets. How did we ever manage without them?
These days you might begin to ask the same of brasseries. read more...
Indian & Sri Lankan markets - 29 Apr 2009
The cooking of the Indian sub-continent can seem complex. Lists of ingredients are often lengthy. But once you have them in stock, recipes are as simple as any other national cuisine. Find them at these markets, take any questions with you and ask for advice. You'll find store owners enthusiastic about helping. read more...
Chew On This: What is swine flu? - 29 Apr 2009
Ignorance over swine flu can cause unnecessary panic. Eating pork won't give it to you. A group of us are having a pig roast in a couple of weeks and we're not canceling. If you need clarification of what swine flu is, you can do little better than read the BBC's full explanation. read more...
Belotta pork coming to Wagshal's! - 22 Apr 2009
Pam Ginsberg, the butcher, with Aaron Fuchs, at Wagshal's, tells me that they are discussing importing exclusively Spain's famous belotta pork at the end of May. read more...
Mains: Braised Pork Shank with baby bok choy, Sweet Potatoes and Ginger-Chili Sauce - 22 Apr 2009
Chris Watson, chef de cuisine of Brabo, makes this popular dish one of the most succulent and comforting in town. read more...
Nosh notes - Brasserie Beck - 22 Apr 2009
The joy of being able to eat a Belgian meal without having to be in Belgium is hard to describe. No, it's not. I spent two years in Brussels and it was one of the most beastly periods of my life. And I speak as someone who was in Moscow for four years as a foreign correspondent during Soviet days. That was a piece of cake by comparison.
So a meal at Brasserie Beck is a real treat. read more...
See Poste's garden grow! - 22 Apr 2009
Robert Weland, executive chef of Poste, is so focused on using local ingredients, he's growing many of his herbs, vegetables and soft fruits right on the patio of the 8th Street NW restaurant. read more...
Chew On This: What the British Monarchy eats to live - 22 Apr 2009
The Queen has just given her Royal Warrant to McIlhenny's Tabasco Sauce. If you study the foods that the Queen Mother, who lived to 101, gave similar royal approval to (chocolates and gin), is it a lesson in what can keep a body going? I hope so. read more...
Enzo Febbraro - chef of D'Acqua - 20 Apr 2009
Enzo Febbraro, chef and co-owner with Francesco Ricchi of D'Acqua Restaurant, sits at a table in the dining room facing Pennsylvania Avenue, in a black shirt and black apron, a heavy gold medallion nestling against his chest.
He has wonderful tales to tell of 20 years traveling, working his way through top restaurants in Paris, Germany and Spain. And plenty to say about food in Washington. read more...
Nosh notes - The Tasting Room - 17 Apr 2009
I'll be upfront about this: I love Robert Weidmaier's Tasting Room. It's the kind of place that litters the streets of European capitals - a relaxed environment with style where you can eat simple but well-sourced ingredients cooked without complication. While Ladies Who Lunch in America toy with a Caesar Salad ("Dressing on the side and hold the croutons"), this is where you'd find the French. It's the kind of place women will dress up for, pretending they haven't, yet men can feel comfortable in. read more...
Is this why we're fat? - 15 Apr 2009
This deep fried chicken and maple syrup waffle is probably the least unappetizing picture on the thisiswhyyourefat.com website. But if austerity-busting cheap meals like this are what's tempting us to thicken our waistlines at the lower end of the foodie market, at the upper end, top French chefs like Paul Bocuse are turning to budget-aware though calorific sandwich-making. read more...
Chew On This: What's bad for the heart may not be bad for the heart... - 15 Apr 2009
After all the studies, apparently we still don't really know what affect meat and dairy products have on our hearts. read more...
'Violettes' Artichokes - 15 Apr 2009
Artichokes 'Violettes' show up in markets in early spring, along with the fresh fava beans they go with so well. read more...
Mains: BLT Prime New York Strip Steak Encebollado (a caballo) - 14 Apr 2009
Victor Albisu, chef de cuisine of BLT Steak, gives an American steakhouse classic a Cuban twist with black beans. Adding an optional fried egg makes the dish 'a caballo' - on horseback. read more...
Plaza Latina - one of my favorite markets - 13 Apr 2009
The mother of BLT Steak chef, Victor Albisu, owns this Latino market that used to be in Alexandria, on Pickett Street. Now you'll find it in the Idylwood Plaza, behind Whole Foods on Leesburg Pike. A Peruvian, she makes her own sausages and chorizos, from Guatemalan, Argentinian picante, Mexican and Salvadorean recipes, along with morcilla. And there's a range of meats at remarkable prices from the cheerful butchers behind the counter. read more...
The Butcher's Block by Robert Weidmaier - one of my favorite markets - 13 Apr 2009
Robert Weidmaier's favorite pantry supplies are all on sale at his newly opened Butcher's Block in Alexandria. Even better, Weidmaier, owner and chef of Marcel's, Brasserie Beck and now Brabo and The Tasting Room next door to Butcher's Block, A Market, has filled his meat counter with a splendid selection, from an exceptional pork belly to veal cheeks and the more familiar cuts of beef. read more...
Asian Imports - 13 Apr 2009
This must be the most unpreposessing entrance of any market in the area, though the street-side frontage is more attractive. And it's dark inside. Still, you'll find everything you need for Asian feasts, particularly those of Indonesia and Malaysia, whose ingredients are not so easy to find around the capital. The owner will help you with cooking queries. She keeps temptations by the till, like lacey krupuk-style chips with peanuts embedded in them made by a local that took me right back to Bali. read more...
Victor Albisu - Chef de cuisine of BLT Steak - 10 Apr 2009
The tale of the rise and rise of Victor Albisu is a local success story. The chef de cuisine of BLT Steak, the Washington restaurant of Laurent Tourendel's empire of steakhouses where contemporary American meets French bistro, was born into Washington's wide food scene. read more...
Jerky - making your own - 8 Apr 2009
Jerky and biltong are the classic snacks of the cowboy of the American, South African and Australian outback. They the name for beef, trimmed of all fat, that's been cut into strips and slowly dried in the sun.
These days, it may have been marinated before being oven-dried in low heat over a long period. And it's no longer limited to beef. You can get chicken jerky, too, and jerky made from everything from ostrich to elk, alligator and pork for a different take on bacon. There's even fruit jerky. read more...
Chew On This: Women detect B.O. better than men - 8 Apr 2009
The mating season is here. If you're planning to take part in it, you should know this: Fragrance doesn't disguise body odor when a woman's doing the sniffing. read more...
The Italian Store - one of my favorite markets - - 8 Apr 2009
The Italian Store buzzes at the weekend like a delicatessen in an Italian market town. There are lines at the counter selling sandwiches and what it calls 'Philadelphia Style' subs - sandwiches like The Roma, made with prosciutto, mortadella, Genoa salami and provolone. Sit at the window counter, or out on the sidewalk on a warm day, to eat them. read more...
Daniel Bortnick - chef of Firefly - 8 Apr 2009
When spring arrives, it's a rush to plant the vegetable garden. Daniel Bortnick knows this well. He and his wife have one at their home in Bethesda and last year fell behind schedule. "I waited too long to plant," says the executive chef of Firefly. It won't happen this year. read more...
Five-minute chocolate cake and other fun foods - 8 Apr 2009
Who doesn't want a home-made chocolate cake baked in 5 minutes? And how about Pineapple Jerky? What's not to like about some zany food ideas... read more...
Starters: Chopped Organic Chicken Livers - 8 Apr 2009
Daniel Bortnick, chef of Firefly, gives this Jewish classic a contemporary twist with apple, to make a quick and easy appetizer that benefits ever more from being made a day or two ahead. read more...
Chris Watson - chef de cuisine of Brabo - 7 Apr 2009
Some developing chefs get directed to stages in restaurants abroad by the people they cook with. Working in LA, Chris Watson, chef de cuisine of Robert Weidmaier's newly-opened Brabo, made his connection with a restaurant in Italy through the men he bought his truffles from. read more...
How to make crème fraiche - 7 Apr 2009
Crème fraiche bought in France is much more unctuous than the product you find in general US supermarkets. If you can't get hold of the richer stuff found in Washington area farmers' markets, make your own. It's not difficult. read more...
Pasta: Giada de Laurentiis' pasta - Yummiest creation ever? - 25 Mar 2009
An eatWashingtonian emails she loves Giada de Laurentiis' recipe for Spaghetti with Asparagus, Smoked Mozzarella and Prosciutto from the Food Network. read more...
Chew on This: Beef causes more unnecessary diseases - 25 Mar 2009
South East Asians, generally thin and healthy people who use no more than an ounce of meat per person in most dishes just as a flavoring, would not be surprised to learn than diets high in red and processed meats shorten a Westerner's life span, not just from cancer and heart disease but, a new study discovers, from Alzheimer's, stomach ulcers and many other conditions. read more...
Acai berry and other diet-promises concern - 25 Mar 2009
The number of people caught by the Acai Berry Diet Scam is horrendous. Lisa, the helpful eatWashingtonian who alerted me to it now points me to this newsletter which landed in her email Inbox. Make of it what you will. But if it tumbles into your Inbox, it may be wise to err on the side of caution and do some solid investigation before making any commitment. There's no such thing as a free lunch. And there are no shortcuts to losing weight safely. read more...
Sides: Panzanella - 25 Mar 2009
For this simply prepared Italian salad from Ruth Gresser, owner-chef of Pizza Paradiso, it's worth waiting for the tomatoes of high summer and using a good loaf of bread. But sometimes you need a reminder of summer in the dead of winter, and this recipe will deliver it. read more...
Ruth Gresser - Owner-chef of Pizza Paradiso - 25 Mar 2009
Pizzeria Paradiso’s Ruth Gresser helped popularize Italy's favorite pie using a wood-burning stove to cook pizza in D.C. read more...
Super H - one of my favorite markets - 25 Mar 2009
At Super H Mart, there's a sign on top of the sacks of rice by the entrance that reads "Please do not climb on top of rice." It's definitely a family friendly supermarket, so much so, you should plan not to go on a Saturday morning. You won't be able to move for the families shopping. I'm afraid I've transferred my passion for H Mart to this, it's far far bigger sibling. read more...
Chew On This: Over 22? Your brain has peaked. - 18 Mar 2009
You think the state of the economy is depressing? Try this piece of news for size: a US study has pegged the start of middle age at 27. That's when the power of the brain begins to decline. Apparently it's at its peak at 22. read more...
Greek specialties - 18 Mar 2009
It's not hard to find Greek specialties locally. They're stocked by most Middle East markets. The closest large Greek community is in Baltimore, with its markets and restaurants. But if you want to shop as though you were in Greece, head for International Market & Bakery on a Saturday. read more...
Fish: Roasted Rockfish with Spring Garlic and Clams - 18 Mar 2009
Nicholas Stefanelli, chef of Mio's recipe is elegant but extremely simple to execute. Made with spring garlic, it's a bright break from winter stews. But made with scallions, it's a fine one-course meal at any time of the year. read more...
A & H Gourmet and Seafood Market - one of my favorite markets - 11 Mar 2009
There was a time when A & H Gourmet and Seafood Market was just plain A & H Seafood Market. And plain it was. While it had fresh fish flown in from Portugal once a week, it was a little dark and dingy. You wouldn't recognize what ex-Taberna del Alabardero executive chef, Santi Zabaleta, has done to the place. read more...
Iberico ham - 11 Mar 2009
Iberico ham, dare I say it, leaves Parma ham standing in the shade of the oak tree. While both come from pigs that relish their acorns, the Spanish pig is fed on them exclusively so its cured pork is richer, fattier, silkier, with an unctuous mouth feel its Italian cousin lacks. read more...
Chew On This: People not percentages - 11 Mar 2009
The BBC's Health Writer is attacking the habit of creating scare headlines out of percentage figures, as in, "Cancer up X percent if you drink or eat Y." Take a look at his debunking the fear just by turning percentages into real people. read more...
Lunchbags get a lift - 11 Mar 2009
I'm always happy to pass on news about women who have the drive to do their own thing. So here is Wendy Brady. Don't know her from Adam. But she's a mom fashionable enough to hate the lunchbags she dragged to her office. So she and her friend Kara Andrew started Haute Lunch, sassy looking insulated lunch bags that could get away with being your regular fashion purse. read more...
The Organic Butcher - one of my favorite markets - 11 Mar 2009
Don Roden and his brother-in-law down in Charlottesville are the owners behind a real, proper high street butcher in McLean, selling certified-organic and naturally-raised meats and poultry, butchered in the shop. read more...
Mains: Boneless Slow-Braised Short Ribs - 10 Mar 2009
Known as Tablones de Res, this recipe from Rosa Mexicano's executive chef James Muir, served with Roasted Tomatillo-Chipotle Sauce - or Salsa de tomatillo y Chipotle - makes a deeply comforting meat dish. read more...
H Mart - one of my favorite markets - 4 Mar 2009
I love H Mart. I love the shoppers at the Merrifield store who closely examine the produce and sometimes drop it under the counter in contempt. Imagine that happening at Whole Foods! But it means the quality of the fresh fruit and vegetables tends to be higher. That's to say, ripe. Wait until fresh fig season, if you don't believe me. At H Mart they're sold loose, not in those plastic-wrapped punnets that when you open them at home reveal that the fruit underneath is already rotting. read more...
Marmite madness - 4 Mar 2009
Marmite is a shiny tar-like spread made out of the residues that come from brewing beer. Brits love it. read more...
Two blogs worth checking out - 4 Mar 2009
Skiz Fernando writes about Antony Bourdain's visit with him in Sri Lanka. http://www.riceandcurry.wordpress.com
Local chef Danielle Turner is full of tips, like how to sharpen a knife correctly.
http://www.howtoboilanegg.wordpress.com read more...
Borlotti beans, fresh - 4 Mar 2009
Borlotti beans found fresh should be snapped up. Inside those pretty pink and white husks are similarly zebra-stripped pink and ivory beans. They appear in Super H Mart and H Mart in March. read more...
Chew On This: Rotten egg gas turns men on - 4 Mar 2009
The smell of rotten eggs could be the clue to an alternative Viagra. Apparently the hydrogen sulphide in the gas helps relax nerve cells in the penis, stimulates the blood flow and creates an erection. read more...
Nicholas Stefanelli - Chef of Mio - 3 Mar 2009
Nicholas Stefanelli's resume reveals a determined man. From an Italian Greek family, Stefanelli, raised in Maryland, toyed with becoming a fashion designer before he settled on his other passion - food. (The culinary school gave him a place before the fashion institute.) Now executive chef at Mio, he's been in the kitchens of Roberto Donna, Fabio Trabocchi, Thomas Keller, to name the most well-known. And his plating shows his interest in design. read more...
James Muir - Chef of Rosa Mexicano - 3 Mar 2009
James Muir, from Buenos Aires, is the Executive Chef at Rosa Mexicano. But growing up, that’s not what he had in mind at all. “I never thought I would end up doing this: I dreamed of becoming a doctor.” read more...
Pasta: Chipotle Shrimp and Jumbo Lump Crab Pasta - 3 Mar 2009
Maurisee Upshur's background is Caribbean. As chef of Mrs K's Tollhouse, she's introduced a little spice to a modern American menu. This pasta dish uses Chipotle peppers for an unusual punch. read more...
Maurisee Upshur - Chef of Mrs K's Tollhouse - 2 Mar 2009
It's a while since I've been to Mrs K's Tollhouse. It was a place I'd take my maiden aunt and she's now nibbling sugarcakes in the teahouse in the sky. So who knew that last January Mrs K's had a total makeover that would have made dear auntie quite the flirt.
Chef Marisee Upshur chuckles with pleasure. read more...
Massimo de Francesca - chef of Domaso - 25 Feb 2009
In his last job, Massimo de Francesca could look out on the turquoise blue waters of Grand Cayman island. Now the view across his latest dining room gives onto the glass windows and concrete walls of Rosslyn's office blocks. Did he take leave of his senses? read more...
Mediterranean Bakery - one of my favorite markets - 25 Feb 2009
A veritable food holiday through the countries that border the Mediterranean (and some that don't), in a grocery where you can also eat lunch! read more...
Fried chicken a US invention? Not. - 25 Feb 2009
Fried chicken may be considered the ultimate Southern staple. But it was probably brought to the US by the Scots. Before you have apoplexy, that's the nation that invented the deep-fried Mars Bar. Case closed. read more...
Pasta: Spaghetti Carbonara - 25 Feb 2009
Spaghetti Carbonara is an Italian classic. Rich and unctuous, it's always a treat to eat and simple to make. Here's the recipe of Massimo de Francesca, chef at Domaso Trattoria. read more...
Chew On This: How fast foods look in reality - 25 Feb 2009
If you're a fast food fan, perhaps these photos will wean you off. read more...
Kangaroo meat - 25 Feb 2009
Let's Meat on the Avenue is selling ground kangaroo from Australia. Are you hopping away from this announcement in horror? Don't. read more...
Chew On This: Sex to be trumped by burgers as cheapest fun? - 18 Feb 2009
A YouGov survey of 20,144 British adults in November 2008 found sex was the most popular low-cost activity.
But with dairy cows being slaughtered in their hundreds of thousands because milk prices have dropped so low, maybe the hamburger is about to become the best bang for your buck, if you'll forgive me... read more...
Who brought pasta to Europe? - 18 Feb 2009
The question generally solicits the answer: Marco Polo. He'd spent seventeen years in China before returning to Venice in 1299. But did the Italian adventurer actually ever go to China? read more...
Extras: Make your own mustard - 18 Feb 2009
If you've bought a bratwurst or other sausage from The German Gourmet, my favorite market this week, try making this grain mustard to go with it. I don't know about you, but I had sacks of kalonji black mustard seed festering in my store cupboard. Now I don't - I have jars of home-made mustard instead. read more...
Fish: Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops with golden raisin and caper relish, crisp prosciutto and micro greens - 18 Feb 2009
Seth Eldridge of Vinifera Bistro & Wine Bar gives this seared scallops starter a Sicilian agro-dolce twist with flavors and ingredients influenced by its early Arab invaders. read more...
German Gourmet - 18 Feb 2009
Paying a visit to The German Gourmet is almost like going to the doctor. The assistants behind the counter wear crisp white jackets, they serve you with efficient civility, and move you through as fast as they can. read more...
Seth Eldridge - Chef of Vinifera - 18 Feb 2009
Seth Eldridge is a rarity among chefs. He didn't come into the business because working his way through high school he'd discovered the joys of the kitchen. And he didn't have a grandmother who was a culinary inspiration. Nor a mother who was an especially exemplary cook.
So what drew him into the culinary profession? read more...
Morcilla - you'd really eat that? - 11 Feb 2009
Blood pudding - France's boudin, Britain's black pudding and the morcilla of Latin America - is becoming a favorite among area chefs. Let's hope it can outlive this unexpected status as a fashionable ingredient. read more...
Falafel - DC's best - 11 Feb 2009
Ground and fried chickpeas molded with spices into a mini Zeppelin and fried may not sound like much to celebrate. But pushed into a warmed pitta along with shredded lettuce, fine slices of tomato, onion and maybe some turnip pickle then drizzled with tahini or a garlic-yogurt sauce, it becomes heaven. DC boasts a number of good places to find it. read more...
Starters: Foie Gras Creme Caramel - 11 Feb 2009
This is one of those glamorous recipes you pay a fortune for in high end restaurants that, according to Christophe and Michelle Poteaux, owners and chefs of Bastille, who make it, turns out not to be too difficult to do. (And no objections to the foie gras, if you please, until you address how battery chickens that are eaten far more frequently are raised.) read more...
Dan Mesches - king of concept restaurants - 9 Feb 2009
Dan Mesches has something he would rather not say to his kids: he never finished the final draft of his Masters thesis, "Soviet Constraints on Finnish Defense and Economic Systems." The man who is the CEO of Star Restaurant Group, owner and operator of Zola and the Spy Cafe at the Spy Museum and its recent younger sibling Zola Wine & Kitchen, realized in the re-writing process that he was pursuing entirely the wrong career. read more...
Fresh World - one of my favorite markets - 8 Feb 2009
Double-bannered with El Grande Supermarket, Fresh World in Reston is a bright and squeaky-clean Asian and Hispanic market well worth the trip. read more...
Chew On This: The 20 worst foods in America - 4 Feb 2009
Do you know which brands of America's favorite fast foods are the least healthy? Not to say actively terrifying calorifically.
Top of a list of 20, weighing in at a whopping 2,600 calories - an average man's daily intake - is the Baskin Robbins Large Chocolate Oreo Shake. Its calories are the equivalent of 49 Oreo cookies. with more sugar, at 263 grams, than 20 bowls of Froot Loops. So when I tell you that it also contains enough saturated fat for three days, you won't be surprised. read more...
Wagshal's Deli - 4 Feb 2009
Wagshal's Deli, a few doors down from its sister meat, fish and fresh produce store that I've already flagged, was apparently a favorite source for sandwiches for the first President Bush. It's where you'll get the best baguettes in town and oddities like Celery Soda. But for a sudden, unplanned urge to throw an impromptu spirit-lifting party, here's where to come for a range of impressive appetizers made by the catering department and ready to cook. read more...
Desserts: Pumpernickel ice cream - 3 Feb 2009
This rich ice cream from RJ Cooper III, chef de cuisine of Vidalia, couldn't be easier or faster to make. Or more sophisticated to eat. read more...
RJ Cooper III - Chef de Cuisine of Vidalia - 3 Feb 2009
RJ Cooper III , chef de cuisine at Vidalia, knew early on knew he didn’t want to be part of the bureaucratic culture, didn’t want a job where he’d have to wear a suit and tie. He would have been a rock star – if only he could sing. Or play an instrument. Cooking, with its whites, was the obvious alternative. read more...
Hamburger origins - grounds for contention - 28 Jan 2009
A discussion of the origins of the hamburger can get as contentious as the one over which nation invented pasta. It's a great comfort food any time of year. But where does it come from? One thing seems clear: it doesn't come from Hamburg in Germany. read more...
Bye bye and thank you, Mr Doner - 28 Jan 2009
Mahmut Aygűn died in January 2009. Who he? The savior of Saturday night drinkers across the Western world. This snack-food visionary invented the Doner Kebab. And you thought it was a traditional Middle Eastern staple. read more...
Chew On This: Women think about sex 10 times daily, in Weight Watchers' UK survey - 28 Jan 2009
Weight Watchers UK reports that 58 percent of British women think about sex 10 times a day.
70 percent have far more regular fantasies about food. Being British myself, I'm not surprised about that. I'm surprised the sex figure is so high.
I only mention these statistics because the Super Bowl approaches - the biggest snacking weekend in the US. What would a Weight Watchers US report discover if it asked American women the same questions this Sunday as they tuck into their chicken wings while ogling those men in tights. read more...
Gō Công Supermarket - 28 Jan 2009
For all the grandeur of its name, Gō Công Supermarket is a small affair. But it sells some interesting treasures. In the chill cabinet are pyramids of lontong pressed rice. There are spring rolls wrapped in banana leaves that need removing before frying. read more...
Christophe and Michelle Poteaux - owner-chefs of Bastille - 28 Jan 2009
If it weren't for Cathal Armstrong, owner and chef of Alexandria's Restaurant Eve, Christophe and Michelle Poteaux might not have opened their own restaurant, Bastille, in the same neighborhood. read more...
Durian - ecstasy or seriously disgusting? - 28 Jan 2009
You can find Durian pretty readily these days in Asian markets, though they'll have been frozen. Native to Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei, Thailand has become the major exporter of the two- to seven-pound cultivated fruits. South East Asians go delirious about them, battling for the best once it appears in early summer. For the rest of us the experience is either an acquired taste or one seriously to be avoided. read more...
Natalie and Rod - owners and chef of Asia Nine - 21 Jan 2009
Nuthinepan Tantivejakul, co-owner with her husband of Asia Nine, says it's so much easier just to call her Natalie. The simplest way to address her husband Boonrod Yotmanee, is to call him 'Chef'. Which is what he is. Or 'Chef Rod'. read more...
Mains: Thai Basil Chicken - 21 Jan 2009
Thai Basil Chicken is one of the most popular dishes on any Thai menu. Including at Asia Nine, where this multi-flavor layered recipe comes from. read more...
What do you know? A food trivia quiz for 2009 - 14 Jan 2009
What's the word for the dusty crumbs at the bottom of cereal boxes? (Yes, there is one.)
What is generally the most unsanitary part of the kitchen?
What do you call the stringy bits that cling to the surface of a banana? (Yes, they have an official name.)
What two ingredients will make an edible lava lamp? read more...
Vegan bakeries - 14 Jan 2009
Hard to believe you can make a seductive cake without eggs or cream or butter. But there are a number of bakeries around town doing just that. And there's nothing homespun in how they look either, for those of you who think 'vegan' means food that looks and tastes like a hand-knitted sock. But look at Cake Love's bundt cake, right. read more...
Breakfasts - a good start - 8 Jan 2009
Mom always said you should start the day with a good breakfast. You know she's right. But if you can't face a bowl of cardboard-tasting, horsestall-looking granola, the nations of the world offer other options. read more...
Sides: Hoecakes - 8 Jan 2009
Hoe Cakes, the recipe of Ryan Morgan, executive chef at Art & Soul, are, according to its menu, cornmeal 'pizzas' traditionally cooked after a hard day's work on the farm. Let your imagination fly! read more...
Starters: Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds and Tart Apple - 31 Dec 2008
Ethan McKee, new chef at Notti Bianchi and Circle One Bistro, made this recipe when at Rock Creek at Mazza. It's a rich and rounded soup, low in calories, that loses nothing of its nutrition values. It all goes to show you don't need creams and butters to add body and depth to a recipe. read more...
Rules for drinking (and sex) to keep you out of trouble in 2009 - 31 Dec 2008
Could you - Buy a moose a beer in Alaska? Get a spicy Bloody Mary in Britain? Drink as a student abroad? Read on... read more...
Ethan McKee - new Chef of Notti Bianchi and Circle One Bistro - 31 Dec 2008
Ethan McKee is taking over from Brendan Cox as Executive Chef at Notte Bianchi and Circle One Bistro. He's coming from Rock Creek Mazza, where this profile of the local Washingtonian took place. read more...
Scallops - 24 Dec 2008
It's a shame Americans haven't developed an appetite yet for a scallop's coral - that beautiful roe you see in the photo that's prized by French cooks... read more...
Broad Branch Market - one of my favorite markets - 24 Dec 2008
Tracy Stannard used to work for chef Carole Greenwood at Buck's Fishing & Camping. Now she owns and runs the Broad Branch Market which is what a neighborhood market ought to be. I remember it in previous hands as a run-down dump that sold good sausages. Sausages are still for sale. But picture a complete physical make-over. A bright and airy modest Dean & DeLuca crossed with the serve-yourself section like Whole Foods used to have for dried pulses, rice, nuts and such, plus an old-time ice cream parlor and wild, wild candy store to the side. read more...
The Fishery - one of my favorite markets - 24 Dec 2008
It's hard to find a fishmonger in Washington DC where you can see the fish whole before it's filleted. It's a common practice in Europe where housewives gauge freshness by demanding to press the flesh, check the gills and look at the eyes of their approaching dinner before they decide to buy. So your best bet for assuring freshness is to buy fish from a source where the eating of fish is key to the culture. This is why I like The Fishery, a Korean-owned market. read more...
Chew On This: Hangover cures that work? Debunking the food myths... - 23 Dec 2008
It's official. A fry-up and an aspirin won't cure a hangover. New Year's Eve revelers, you have been warned. On the plus side, eating late at night doesn't make you fat. Debunking the myths... read more...
Fish: Seared Scallops with Nicoise Salad & Gribiche - 17 Dec 2008
Joe Palma of WestEnd Bistro's elegant take on a Salade Nicoise works as well for sweetbreads as it does for the scallops he calls for in this recipe. A shame we haven't developed an appetite yet for a scallop's coral - that beautiful roe you see in the photo that's prized by French cooks... read more...
Joe Palma - Chef de Cuisine of The Westend Bistro - 17 Dec 2008
Joe Palma’s recipe for getting a good culinary training is simple. “Find the best possible people you can work for and shut up.”
This became the Chef de Cuisine of the Westend Bistro’s game-plan once he’d discovered a passion for food. He earned money as a line cook while studying for degrees in Economics and Philosophy at the College of Charleston. read more...
Nems - 17 Dec 2008
I always thought Nems were Vietnamese spring rolls - ground meat or a shrimp or some crab rolled inside a thin sheet of pastry with some crispy vegetables and fried till gold. These banana leaf-wrapped packages call themselves Nem. But opened up reveal a spicy sausage-meat that needs to be deep fried. read more...
Persimmon - 10 Dec 2008
Persimmons (not to be confused with the crunchier Fuju...) are now in season. Buy them when they feel like a soft boiled egg cracked into your palm - soft and saggy. Cut them open and scoop out the running flesh with a teaspoon. Or use them as a sauce over Greek yogurt or another fruit, like a baked apple. It's hard to say whether they have much flavor. But their color is heart lifting these gray days. The best sources for them - perhaps because the clientele understands the condition they should be sold in - are Middle Eastern and Asian markets. read more...
Chew On This: The most unhealthy $1 burgers? - 10 Dec 2008
If you believe that a $1 burger being pushed at you from junk food purveyors taking advantage of money fears induced by the economic slump is a good deal, at least pick the one that's least harmful to your health. Washington's non-profit Cancer Project has assessed their nutritional value and come up with a handy top 5 of the most bad for you. Or rather, bottom 5. read more...
Fish: Provençal Fish Stew - 10 Dec 2008
This hearty fish stew from Jeff and Barbara Black - of BlackSalt and more - is a year-round meal in a bowl that's quick and easy to assemble. It's the backbone of regular orders to a Mediterranean fishmonger like the one in my photograph. read more...
Jeff & Barbara Black - From Addie's to an empire - 10 Dec 2008
The morning I went to interview Jeff and Barbara Black, owners of BlackSalt, BlackSalt Market and Addie’s, 6000 bottles of cabernets had cascaded from a falling wine rack to the floor at BlackSalt. The Blacks were in mourning. “It’s like leaving art work in the rain,” said Barbara. “This is what I’d call alcohol abuse.” read more...
Sides: The perfect Yorkshire pudding - 2 Dec 2008
A proper Yorkshire pudding must be 4 inches tall. It's official. The Royal Society of Chemists says so. The second key qualification is the cook must have Yorkshire blood. "It's the instinct of people born and raised in Yorkshire. You can tell if the cook has the right touch," scientist John Emsley told the BBC. Perhaps that's why my Yorkshire mother makes puddings like shoe leather - she was born in Kuala Lumpur. read more...
Chew On This: Alzheimer's and junk food link - 2 Dec 2008
Junk food linked to Alzheimer's? Fuggeddaboutit, do I hear you jest? Well, feed a mouse on a diet rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol for nine months and you'll have a mouse with chemical changes in its brain that mimic Alzheimer's. read more...
Breads Unlimited - one of my favorites - 2 Dec 2008
No bakery does brown bread like Breads Unlimited. Whole Foods' brown loaves taste packed with unnecessary sugar. Firehook's are extremely dense. Heidelberg Bakery's brown bread is excellent - if you want a German or Northern European loaf. If you just want a gooey, chewy bread that makes about the best toast in town, head to Breads Unlimited.
It's in the Bradley Shopping Center on Arlington Road in Bethesda. The strip may look unprepossessing, but it's home to two of the Washington area's best treasures: Bruce Variety and Strosneider's. read more...
Lynne Breaux - Restaurant Royalty - 2 Dec 2008
Lynne Breaux’s office feels like a happy place to work. With funny food-reference stickers and ornaments, its waiting area gives the impression of the welcome lobby of a slightly dilapidated bed-and-breakfast establishment run by a warm-hearted and enthusiastic owner. As she sails through it to her office at the end, she introduces the visitor to the tiny, and smiling, staff of RAMW. That’s the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington that represents over 500 restaurants and bars in Washington, DC, the City of Alexandria, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County and Prince William County. From 1992 she’s been on its board, and its president since 2001. read more...
Masa - the Mexican tamales dough - 25 Nov 2008
Masa means 'dough' in Mexican. It's the dense dough made from grinding fresh field corn. Its dense yellow hue comes from the addition of calcium oxide to the water in which it's boiled. The mineral softens the outer casing of the kernels, rendering the interior more nutritious. read more...
Sides: Frijoles refritos Zora's way - 25 Nov 2008
Zora Margolis's method for frijoles refritos - refried beans - is healthy. It doesn't involve frying the beans after they're cooked. read more...
Chew On This: Making sure 'organic' means organic - 25 Nov 2008
For anyone feeling at sea about how to make themselves heard on food concerns, now's your chance. The USDA has just released an agenda describing what they call 'significant and not significant regulations' being developed in its agencies. Two are of serious interest to anyone worried about the dependability of the National Organic Program (NOP)'s meat and dairy product certification.
Your paying over the odds for organic produce and products is no guarantee that they are in fact organic. read more...
Longans - 25 Nov 2008
Longans are an Asian fruit clustered on a branch and looking like smoother lychees. Inside their flesh is translucent white around a dark stone, accounting for its name 'dragon eyes' for the way the pit shows through the fruit. read more...
Zora Margolis - making her own masa - 25 Nov 2008
When Zora Margolis cooks Mexican tamales, she makes the masa herself. That’s the spongy corn dough containing the stuffing. It may sound like no big deal. (She makes her own tortillas, too. And verduras escabeche - pickled vegetables. Everything at her Mexican feasts, in fact.) But you can’t get hold of the kind of fresh corn you need to make the masa anywhere in the greater Washington area. Huitzilopochtli knows, she tried. read more...
Halalco - 25 Nov 2008
While some of us may back off from offal (though both Joe Palma at Westend Bistro and Amy Brandwein at fyve report their sweetbreads are moving off the menu), those who like a good steak and kidney pie can find the necessary lambs' kidneys at Halalco. If that sounds like a forkful too far, choose the Halal duck. This Halal supermarket is like a holiday to somewhere south of the Bosphorus. read more...
Kosher rennet - 20 Nov 2008
Kosher rennet, sold in Halal markets as shangesh, is key to the making of a Kosher cheese. read more...
Lontong rice - 19 Nov 2008
Lontong is the name given to rice that has been wrapped in banana leaves for a long slow steaming that produces a sticky wad of rice for cutting into cubes and serving with Indonesian dishes like satay. read more...
Le Market/El Mercado - one of my favorite markets - 19 Nov 2008
I may just be about to betray my favorite market - H Mart in Merrifield. Just up from it where Gallows Road meets Route 50 is Le Market/El Mercado, a clean and shiny recent arrival stocked with treasures from South East Asia and Latin America. read more...
Chew On This: Will Obama eat right? - 19 Nov 2008
The two-year election campaign is usually a struggle for the contenders and their staff to keep their weight down to a minimum while sharing congenial meals with voters in every community they land in. But we read in Newsweek's behind-the-scenes report on the running of the campaign that while Hillary's willingness to accept the food she was offered exacerbated the willingness of her waistline to spread, the President-Elect actually lost weight. read more...
Andrew F. Smith - long-time food historian - 19 Nov 2008
If you’re ever stuck for a gift for a foodie friend who seems to own everything in the battery – de cuisine or pantry, here’s the perfect solution: Andrew F. Smith’s The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. A compilation of information from the brains and expertise of over 200 food specialists, you can dip in anywhere for nuggets that will keep you in cocktail party anecdotes, and serious information to drop with specialists from now until the cowpeas (see page 171) come home. read more...
Manna - Jonathan Seningren uses Heaven's prime ingredient - 19 Nov 2008
Manna from heaven may, according to Bible history, have come down from God to save his chosen people at their darkest hours of wandering the barren desert. But head down to Hook and anyone can sample it. Chef Jonathan Seningen is chopping it finely and sprinkling it over his dish of Wahoo with Juniper, Cilantro Oil and Grapefruit. read more...
Starters: Pork or Duck Rillettes - 19 Nov 2008
Rillettes are a South-West-France spread of meats simmered slowly in herbs and wine then shredded and packed into preserving jars to make a rough country paté to eat with good strong bread and a munch of cornichons - those tiny French cucumber pickles that aren't suffocatingly sweet like Bread & Butter pickles. They can be made with pork, rabbit, goose or duck - or a mix of all four. read more...
Don't know how to carve a turkey? Watch this. - 19 Nov 2008
Don't know how to carve a turkey? Watch this video demonstration. read more...
Acai diet scam alert! - 13 Nov 2008
Be very careful in subscribing to some sites offering Acai as a weight loss product. Read the comments that have come in to eatWashington and a shocking number of people have been subjected what looks like a scam. read more...
Chew On This: Oatmeal for breakfast keeps weight off - 12 Nov 2008
No excuse now to avoid oatmeal in favor of Lucky Charms. Lower energy dense breakfasts (that's stodge to you and me), high in nutrients, not only help maintain a healthy weight but help with better food choices during the rest of the day. So says the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. read more...
Grappa - grappling with this Italian drink - 12 Nov 2008
This description of the potent Italian drink comes from Domenica Marchetti's cookbook, Big Night In, where it is part of her recipe for Bittersweet Mocha Grappa Torte with Walnuts. read more...
Domenica Marchetti - Italian home-cooking food writer - 12 Nov 2008
Domenica Marchetti would never recognize herself from this description: a woman who seems to have the secret of how to juggle the precarious work/homelife balance. An Alexandria resident, she has a 12 year-old son and a 10 year-old daughter yet she's also published two cookbooks. The latest is 'Big Night In' just released and nominated by Publisher's Weekly recently as one of only three top new cookbook picks - alongside Rachel Ray's latest tome. For the rest of us, she's someone to admire. But like so many working moms trying to be all things to all people, she says, "I feel the pressure when one [kid] forgets to study for a test, or they miss a math assignment. I feel I've let them down." read more...
Desserts: Bittersweet Mocha Grappa Torte with Walnuts - 12 Nov 2008
Domenica Marchetti, author of Big Night In, from which this recipe is taken, says: "I can't even count the number of times that chocolate tortes have been a source of disappointment to this chocolate lover...either too liquored up, too jammy, too nutty, too dry, or too dense (giant chocolate truffle, anyone?). That's why I am so in love with this recipe; it delivers everything it promises."
So I tried it. And she's right. But the photo is of my version not her elegant one. Tidying up its overspill was a treat - I just ate the bits I sliced off for beautification... read more...
Desserts: Affogato al caffe - 5 Nov 2008
Aside from serving a bowl of M & Ms at the end of a dinner, this is the easiest stand in for dessert you could find. And one of the most delicious. read more...
Chew On This: We just love our tartrazine - 5 Nov 2008
Of all the food dyes stuffed into what we eat, the shade of yellow created by tartrazine seems to cause the most allergic reaction. If you suffer from asthma or aspirin intolerance, or are feeding children, you - and the rest of us - had better be aware of what it's in. Which is a startlingly long list. Oh, and by the way, the UK's the Foods Standards Agency has called for its voluntary removal by 2009. FDA, are you listening? read more...
The dish - weekly goings on around the capital - 5 Nov 2008
The pick of what's on this week in food around the capital. read more...
Jodi Lehr - Queen of coffee - 4 Nov 2008
Once upon a time, Jodi Lehr might have been described as Roberto Donna’s Mary Poppins. Not that a woman as stylish as she could be pictured in clumpy shoes, squashed hat and dowdy brown coat, clutching a stout umbrella. (Check the Len Depas photo.) But the chef who some (me) might say was the father of Washington dining out as we now know it, would probably agree that without the careful ministrations of Jodi Lehr, he might have gone to pieces. read more...
Eastern Market - 4 Nov 2008
Eastern Market has recovered after the fire that devastated it in spring 2007. But while finishing touches are put to the original brick building, you'll find it in an extensive marquee opposite.
It's like a street farmers' market, but established long before anyone had head the word farmers' market in the U.S. and open every day of the week and under cover - though it also has a variety of farmers' market stalls outside. Come here for a proper butcher, fish and cheesemonger. read more...
Let's Meat on the Avenue - one of my favorite markets - 29 Oct 2008
Anyone from Colchester, the oldest recorded Roman town in England, would know butcher Steve Gatward comes from there. He wears the butcher's apron traditional only to Colchester, in red and white stripes. read more...
Starters: Leek and Potato Soup - 27 Oct 2008
Made with simple ingredients, Potage Bonne Femme is one of the great classics of French country cooking. This comforting autumnal soup is the version of David Ashwell, chef of Brasserie Beck. read more...
Filipino alternatives to chips - 27 Oct 2008
If you're not familiar with Filipino food, start with the snacks...There are bags of interesting things to crunch along with a cold beer and a good game on the TV that make a change from popcorn and chips. read more...
Founding Farmers - a restaurant goes green - 27 Oct 2008
Graham Duncan worked as a chef in Atlanta for 12 years before coming to D.C. to work at Founding Farmers, a restaurant owned by 40,000 farmers that has been designed and built to meet LEED certification standards. (That’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design to you and me.) read more...
Pork roasts - 27 Oct 2008
Pigs have been intensively farmed to produce a lean white meat. But in an effort to reduce its fat, pork has been turned into a meat that's tasteless and dry. Seek out a cut from a heritage breed, however, and you will have a different experience - pork as it should be. And it's a better life for the pig. read more...
Chew On This: Are your/her breasts shrinking? - 22 Oct 2008
Are your breasts shrinking? Then you're drinking too much coffee. read more...
Art Smith - owner-chef Art & Soul - 22 Oct 2008
It's rare that I leave a cooking demonstration itching to go home and cook the dish I’ve just seen and eaten. Mostly I think I might cook it - someday. Art Smith’s buttermilk biscuits are the exception. Those biscuits aren't on the menu at his just-opened Capitol Hill restaurant Art & Soul so the recipe, from Back to the Table, is offered this week. But if its Macaroni Casserole is anything like the Macaroni Cheese he made for us, then you'll want to bring your comforter and pillow with you to curl up under while you eat it. read more...
Sides: Boarding House Biscuits - 21 Oct 2008
Art Smith's biscuits are so simple to make, quick and easy and so delicious to eat you have no excuse not to try. read more...
Paak Bangla Bazaar - 21 Oct 2008
Par-boiled basmati rice was only one of the intriguing ingredients on sale at the small Pakistani-Bangladeshi bazaar in Falls Church. read more...
Kosher markets, bakeries & restaurants - 16 Oct 2008
There are a wide number of Kosher markets and bakeries, as well as eateries offering most options from a casual pita to a Chinese meal, around the greater Washington area. read more...
Hot sauce - 15 Oct 2008
Even some gourmet diners are prepared to wreck their taste buds with lashings of hot sauce. It's addictive. read more...
Grains & pulses - 15 Oct 2008
We're at the point, as Michael Pollan keeps reminding us, where raising meat is becoming unsustainable and depriving the rest of the world of food. Asian cuisine tends to use meat only in small amounts, as a flavoring. It uses grains and pulses for its protein supply. We should learn from this - they're delicious, and cheap. read more...
Filipino feasting - a menu unscrambled - 15 Oct 2008
If you find yourself at sea over a Filipino restaurant menu, here is an explanation of some of the most popular dishes. read more...
Chew on This: Alinea - Cirque du Soleil on a plate? - 14 Oct 2008
In Chicago this week, I've eaten a 'beef', a 'brat', several 'sammitches', a 'dawg' or three, and plan on a deep dish pizza before I leave. I've also eaten at award-heaped Alinea and Charlie Trotter's. And I confess I'm a tad stumped. read more...
Starters: Green Asparagus and Morels Fricassee with Organic Poached Egg - 14 Oct 2008
This recipe of Nicolas Legret, chef at The Willard Room, can be adapted to use cheaper mushrooms than morels. read more...
Nicolas Legret - chef of The Willard Room - 14 Oct 2008
It may be surprising to learn that it’s possible for a chef to get Michelin-star burn out. “You get tired,” says Nicolas Legret, executive chef at The Willard Room. He knows. He’s worked at several of France’s top Michelin-blessed two and three star restaurants, in Paris, in rural France and in Cannes. read more...
Thai produce to order from Thailand - 10 Oct 2008
You want to order fresh produce direct from Thailand? Apparently you can, at the Foodway in New Carrollton. read more...
Cuban sandwiches - where to find them - 8 Oct 2008
Genuine Cuban sandwich is sliced across the vertical with a filling of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, dill pickles, mustard and majo, a garlicky vinegar sauce. You don't have to travel to Miami to find the nearest. read more...
Banana flowers - display or food? - 8 Oct 2008
Sometimes called banana heart for their shape and color, banana flowers are vegetables, used from India right across South East Asia.
Remove all the outer leaves and curious white bracts till you reach the paler inside. If you need to steam them, you can microwave them wrapped in clingwrap. read more...
Wagshal's - one of my favorite markets - 8 Oct 2008
One of the downsides of supermarkets like Whole Foods and the Giant is that they cause the disappearance of the local purveyor. How many main street butchers are still in business around the country? Wagshal's, in Spring Valley, is one of the last. read more...
Amy Brandwein - chef of fyve - 8 Oct 2008
In 2007, Amy Brandwein, new chef de cuisine at fyve was nominated Rising Culinary Star for a RAMMY, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington awards. Not bad for someone who only started cooking professionally aged 30. read more...
Chew On This: Pringles tweaks our charitable side - 8 Oct 2008
Here's a master stroke of marketing: just in case you're giving up Pringles in favor of no or healthier snacks, Pringles have come up with a reason this approaching holiday season to carry on munching: if we don't, we'll deprive a charity caring for children in hospitals across America. read more...
Chinese noodles & curd identified - 8 Oct 2008
While the argument rages over whether the noodle came from China or Italy (with the balance weighing for Marco Polo bringing it back from his travels), food historians actually contend it was introduced into Europe by the Arabs of Sicily and Spain. Whatever the truth, it's worth getting to know the different Oriental noodles, their properties and best uses. read more...
Chew On This: A call for food rationing in the developed world - 1 Oct 2008
If we don't limit ourselves to four modest portions of meat and one liter of milk a week, says a report by the Food Climate Network considered the most thorough yet, there's no way we'll avoid run-away climate change. read more...
Korean Korner - 1 Oct 2008
Though its produce section is lush with bunches of salad greens, mustard greens, bok chois and herbs, it's Korean Korner's meat counter that offers some interesting cuts. There's a short rib that's so thick it makes a foolproof braise. Spare ribs come in regular lengths as well as finger-food size. read more...
Yogurt - the good stuff - 1 Oct 2008
I'm in despair over American yogurt. It seems that any old fat-free white dairy solution can be called yogurt. Do its eaters know what they're missing? read more...
Michael Santoro - chef de cuisine at Blue Duck Tavern - 1 Oct 2008
The resume of Michael Santoro, new chef de cuisine at The Blue Duck Tavern, reads like a guide to good restaurants around the world. In England he’s worked at Heston Blumental's The Fat Duck and with bad-boy-but brilliant Tom Aiken, as well as Fergus Henderson. He’s been through the kitchens of the one-star Mugaritz Restaurant near San Sebastian, Spain. He’s worked at Mill’s Tavern in Providence, RI. He’s served as sous chef at the Michelin one-star Restaurant Gilt in New York. And before joining The Blue Duck Tavern he was chef de cuisine at Boqueria, a popular Spanish restaurant in Manhattan. read more...
Fish: Whiskey Cured Salmon Gravlox - 1 Oct 2008
This recipe from Michael Santoro, chef de cuisine at The Blue Duck Tavern, is really simple to accomplish and impressive to serve. Be sure to go over the flesh of the salmon with your fingers and a pair of tweezers to winkle out any tiny bones. By the way, the difference between "Whisky" and "Whiskey"? The former is the Scottish spelling, the latter the Irish. read more...
Yogurt, home-made - 1 Oct 2008
It's not hard to make your own yogurt. And it tastes a good deal better than some of the big name brand stuff that passes itself off as plain yogurt in the supermarket. read more...
Dominican food unscrambled - 25 Sep 2008
Stuck puzzling over a menu of Dominican food? It's a cuisine well worth investigation. Here's what you will find behind the unfamiliar names. read more...
Shri Krishna Grocery - 24 Sep 2008
Seductive, calming Indian music plays inside this modest market. So when you stop in front of a display of karhai bowls - wok-like pans that some say gave 'curry' its name - you sense that with a simple purchase of just one small one you'll turn out perfect Indian meals. read more...
Eggs better for you and the hen - 24 Sep 2008
Think hard about buying Cage-Free Hen eggs instead of regular eggs. There's not a massive amount of price difference. But there is a massive difference for the hens. read more...
Chew On This: 75 million more go hungry and we scoff fortified foods - 24 Sep 2008
920 million people are undernourished, and with the current financial crisis that figure will rise. Meanwhile our hunger in the U.S. for "functional foods" with their added nutritional values will push sales to $60 billion next year. Something wrong with this picture? read more...
French v. DC markets - 17 Sep 2008
This is a picture of Monsieur Arvouet who makes the best duck salami in the Dordogne. I miss it. It's always hard to adjust to shopping at home after a long, long holiday. This summer in France has wrecked my buying skills. Stocking up an empty fridge, I spent an hour in Whole Foods - and came out with a pint of milk. read more...
Chew On This: Bread from June is fresh? - 17 Sep 2008
This week Wegmans had to widen its recall of store-made bagels and bialys announced originally on September 10, because of the possible presence of bits of metal in them. Now the recall includes challah bread, bialys, rolls and bagels baked in store. More striking than the fragments of metal in the dough and how they got there is the information that the period the recall covers is from June 19 to September 11. Is bread from June 19 still hanging around the place? Yours or theirs? read more...
Roots - 17 Sep 2008
Roots is an organic supermarket with three branches locally that claims it is small enough to beat Whole Foods on price. read more...
Sides: Rapini - 17 Sep 2008
Rapini are an under-rated green. Peter Pastan, owner-chef of Obelisk and 2Amys' recipe gives these leafy stalks a chance to star - on their own or as a mildly bitter side vegetable that would go well with grilled meat. read more...
Peter Pastan - Owner-chef of Obelisk and 2Amys - 17 Sep 2008
Peter Pastan fell in love with Italy traveling across the country by train. It shows in the two different styles of his two very different Italian restaurants. read more...
Chew On This: Organics threatened by rising feed costs - 10 Sep 2008
One impact of the rising cost of food has been on organic meat and dairy farmers - who are leaving the market because they can't afford organic animal feed. Consumer demand for organic meat and dairy continues to grow. But supply is becoming limited as dairy, beef and pig farmers leave organic farming - some of them even leaving farming altogether. read more...
Rodmans - one of my favorite markets - 10 Sep 2008
Rodman's is a treasure trove of a store - a market filled with groceries, wines and beers at heavily discounted prices. Missing McVitie's Digestive Biscuits, PG Tips, South African chutneys, Indian ready-meals, Middle East jams? Ex-pats from and travelers to everywhere crowd the aisles in search of nostalgia-inducing products they desire the most. read more...
Brendan Cox - chef of DC Coast - 10 Sep 2008
Brendan Cox, late of CircleOne Bistro and Notti Bianchi, has just been appointed as chef of DC Coast. He started cooking seriously while part of a college co-op. The school ran a Health Food Cooperative where, instead of living off the meal plan, students could make their own food. “I cooked for myself a lot and got that bug.” read more...
Mains: Roasted Peking Duck, Kohlrabi, Apples, and Chard - 9 Sep 2008
This is a dish to take you into fall and winter from Brendan Cox, late of Circle Bistro and Notti Bianche, now of DC Coast. While the duck is roasting in the oven, you have plenty of time to tackle the vegetables and the rich sauce. read more...
Butter - a good fat if it's good butter - 9 Sep 2008
Read what Brendan Cox has to say about butter in his profile. We make such a fuss about fat. Like everything else, don't have too much of it and aim for the best. Good butter is sometimes worth paying more money for. And look out for "Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient, with Recipes", by Jennifer McLagan, Ten Speed Press. read more...
Chew On This: USDA says 'No' to BSE testing - 4 Sep 2008
Hot on the heels of Chew On This of August 20’s report on new tests to detect BSE in cattle comes news that the government can prevent meat packers from testing their animals for mad cow disease. read more...
Mozzarella with the mostest - 3 Sep 2008
There's mozzarella and mozzarella. (And then there's bufala mozzarella, made in the authentic fashion of Southern Italy from buffalo milk.) read more...
Fish: Fricassée Catalane - 3 Sep 2008
Looking for a main course dish for friends that's a little different? Here's one you can put together at the very last minute if you've prepared the ingredients ahead of time. It comes from French chef Bernard Grenier, owner-chef of Bistro D'Oc. read more...
Bubble Tea Cafe - one of my favorites - 3 Sep 2008
Bubble tea may be an acquired taste for anyone not from South East Asia. But give yourself a treat: acquire it. On the lower level of the Wheaton Mall, not far from the entrance to Target, is a dynamic young Asian couple who whiz around like dervishes making all manner of cold or frozen drinks, from fruit smoothies to milk shakes. But their Bubble Teas are where the fun is. read more...
eatDordogne: Week 7, the end of summer - 3 Sep 2008
Final tally of duck consumption: 7 duck confits; 5 helpings of duck foie gras poelle, flash fried and served with a swirl of honey and balsamic vinegar; 1 duck roasted in red wine; 2 pots of duck rillettes; 1 helping duck cassoulet; 4 home-made terrines of foie gras; 1 large Quiche au Confit de Canard; 3 servings of foie gras brulée from Le Vieux Logis; 4 plates of duck gésiers (confited gizzards - no, they're very nice indeed); copious slices duck salami; copious spoonfuls of duck fat in the Pommes Sarladaises.
Feet definitely growing webs: it's time to come home. read more...
Starters: Curried Cauliflower and Fuji Apple Soup - 26 Aug 2008
You may think cauliflower doesn't have enough flavor to work with Madras curry powder. Just try this velvety, subtly spiced recipe from Barry Koslow, when he was chef of The Mendocino Bar & Grille before leaving for Tallulah, for a very elegant soup. read more...
Chew On This: CSPI wants dyes out of foods - 26 Aug 2008
In the 1990s I had an English friend whose small child suffered from petit mal - minor epileptic fits. Her doctor advised her to lay off any foods with colorings declared on the labels. The fits disappeared - until the family was posted to the U.S. when they returned with a vengeance, since many labels don't fully declare food content. Her pediatrician dismissed her questions about food colorings. read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer, week 6 - 26 Aug 2008
Stéphane Pécal is an award-winning baker. He shows up at the farmers' night markets where local producers cook for you whatever they've grown or slaughtered, hours before the picnickers to fire up the stove for his bread baking. Pastries from the patissier at his Castelnau bakery are also on sale. Some of them are the result of failure, he says. He likes a good mistake. read more...
Foie gras and confits - 26 Aug 2008
Foie gras - food for the rich created out of torture? Why aren't we more worried about the state of battery hen farming? read more...
Napolean Bakery - 26 Aug 2008
It's always a pleasure to see people at work when you're not. At the Korean Napoleon Bakery if you look over the counter crammed with cakes colorfully decorated in butter creams with greetings, wedding figures, sugar babies to celebrate every occasion imaginable, you can see the bakers in the back making the goodies. read more...
Barry Koslow - Chef of Mendocino Bar & Grille - 26 Aug 2008
Before he took up cooking, Mendocino Grille chef Barry Koslow toured — casually — with a rock band. Now he's moving on to Tallulah and EatBar. read more...
Chew On This: Test to detect BSE? - 20 Aug 2008
There may at last be a test to monitor at the point of slaughter the presence of BSE in a cow's brain or spinal cord. BSE - Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy - leads to Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in humans. First discovered in 1996 in the UK, up to now suspected and proven cases of the disease have been diagnosed in 166 people in Britain. read more...
Healthway - 19 Aug 2008
Long before Whole Foods, Healthway was in the area selling organic produce and natural foods. The branch in Annandale, pictured here, opened over 20 years ago. read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer, week 5 - 19 Aug 2008
It's the week of the Tennis Club 'Mechoui'. This is an excuse for the eaters and drinkers of the area to hunker down in the newly refurbished (courtesy of EU donations) metal hut that constitutes the Tennis Club and tuck into a roast wild boar with copious amounts of Percharmant wine. It's all cooked by the village men of the club who only sometimes wield a tennis racket but can always raise a glass of whisky. Which they do at around 6 a.m. ceremoniously to toast the boar as they set fire to the pyre of logs beneath it. read more...
Spices in bulk - 19 Aug 2008
Christine, a recent Washington arrival from San Francisco, wanted to know where to find spices and herbs in bulk cheaply. Not at Whole Foods, for a start. Healthway, featured at the top of the page, has a wide range. But she did her own researches and came up with these answers, which she generously passes on. read more...
Chew On This: Dirty dining in our restaurants - 13 Aug 2008
Washington's Center for Science in the Public Interest has come up with an intriguing proposal: public access to a restaurant's health-code grades. The recommendation comes in a report titled "Dirty Dining: Have Reservations? You Will Now", just published. read more...
Fish: Seared Salmon and Romaine Heart Salad - 12 Aug 2008
If you're looking for a change from the ubiquitous Chicken Caesar Salad, this salmon dish from Peggy Thompson, when she was chef of DISH, makes an elegant and satisfying lunch at any time of the year aor a refreshing main course for a summer dinner. read more...
Spice Lanka - one of my favorite markets - 12 Aug 2008
There is a huge difference, says Chandra Malalasekara, between Indian food and the food of Sri Lanka. It's mainly in the spices. "Totally different," he says. He's the Sri Lankan owner of Spice Lanka, so he should know. read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer, week 4 - 12 Aug 2008
We're overrun with snails. Fat, juicy slithering lumps of elastic, they ooze through the undergrowth. They munch their way through the cabbages, the melons, the zucchini in our potager, leaving the vegetables looking like someone has been at them with an acid drip. In revenge, and because nothing should go to waste, I took a leaf from their book and decided to eat them. read more...
Peggy Thompson - Chef of DISH - 12 Aug 2008
Peggy Thompson, chef at DISH, worked as a meeting planner before going to culinary school. Boredom inspired her to start a new career, and through it she found more than just good food. read more...
Chew On This: French women DO get fat - 6 Aug 2008
Whatever elegant Mireille Guiliano, who wrote "French Women Don't Get Fat" believes, they do. Half of all women in France between 35 and 74 and two thirds of French men are thought to be overweight, according to a study released in June. One fifth of all French adults are obese. read more...
New brunch blog - check it out - 6 Aug 2008
I like the brass of someonewho can sub-head his new blog, Yes, you can occasionally get a good brunch in DC. Log on to his blog at brunch dc and see where he's picked, and add your own suggestions. read more...
Peter Smith - Owner-chef of PS7s - 5 Aug 2008
In the family of executive chef and owner of PS7s, passion for food was passed down through the males. read more...
Fish: Scallop Boudin with Citrus Compote and Fennel Purée - 5 Aug 2008
This is a dish from Peter Smith, owner-chef of PS7's, designed to impress. But if you take it slowly and carefully it isn't as hard to produce as it may at first appear. The purée and the compote can be finished ahead of time and the boudin taken right up to the moment of poaching. read more...
Niralla Sweets - one of my favorite markets - 5 Aug 2008
When no-one's looking, specially not your mother, you can huddle low in your car outside Niralla Sweets munching on a hot samosa fresh from the bag and very slightly greasy, and dip it into one or the other of two sauces - a hot chili and a cool coriander yogurt. read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer, week 3 - 5 Aug 2008
The wages clerk at the Town Hall has run away with a long-distance truck driver. She took the camper van she had won in a national lottery not some weeks before and headed south. The town is agog, not least because only she knew who on the public payroll is to be paid what. read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer, week 2 - 30 Jul 2008
The local village came to dinner. The chief of police stood up and sang "Do you do you do you Saint Tropez" - one of those songs the French think are the coolest thing and leave foreigners baffled. read more...
Chew on This: Food marketing makes kids fat - 30 Jul 2008
Guess how much money the largest food and beverage companies in the U.S. are spending in marketing their products to children between 2 and 17? $1.6 billion. And you thought the food industry was doing its best to lower childhood obesity rates? read more...
Wegmans - one of my favorite markets - 29 Jul 2008
What a shame for central city dwellers that Wegmans is such a long drive away. It gives Whole Foods such a good run for our money. But then if it weren't and had to pay the high District rents, it probably wouldn't be able to maintain its good prices. Its organic section is competitive, too, and in its own zone which makes for easier shopping. read more...
Frozen custard v. ice cream - 29 Jul 2008
What's the difference between frozen custard, soft serve and ice cream? It boils down to - though not literally for each of these frozen desserts - a question of eggs and creamy milk. read more...
Summer cooking tips for guys - 23 Jul 2008
Mike Licht usually blogs on Washington culture and news events on NotionsCapital.com. But this week he offers some handy tips on summer cooking for guys who don't want to end up in the emergency room and whose partners don't want them to either. read more...
A slam poem on the side... - 21 Jul 2008
Poetry doesn't usually appear on food blogs. But this one - about the capital - is called White Chocolate - which is a food - by Sophia, a young formerly DC-based slam poet. Worth a listen... read more...
eatDordogne: The diary of a summer - 21 Jul 2008
This summer's first visitor has just left. And packed his sheets to take with him. He said he was a poet. He seems to have been a thief. He came shrouded in one of those family names from the lesser known Stans where groups of consonants are joined by a single 'y'. The prime attraction of the wife stowed at home may have been her own nation's lenient immigration policy. The village is now speculating what would have been behind this wanton act. Perhaps he's assessing the thread count by candlelight in the town on the freer side of the mountains backing up to his Stan to gauge how many nimble fingers can be put to the copying. At least they weren't a pair of the antique monogrammed linens. Before the advent of cheap air fares out of the UK and the Netherlands, you used to be able to pick these up at flea markets for less than the cost of a polyester set. Should I send him a bill? Perhaps they'll come back through the mail, laundered, packed into soft tissue and tied in raffia.
His visit meant the first of the summer's duck feasts. If you stay long enough in the Dordogne, you will leave with webbed feet. read more...
Chew on This: A fish industry collapses as American obesity rises - 20 Jul 2008
Unless we've had our head in the sand of our summer beach, the impact of the soaring cost of corn on the price of beef, pork and chicken won't have passed us by. But with corn and soybeans three times the price of two years ago, catfish farmers have begun draining their ponds, unable to keep up with the expense of feeding their stocks. This as Americans confess they're more obese than last year - and should be eating more healthily. read more...
Starters: Jewell Yam and Leek Soup with Chopped Chives - 19 Jul 2008
The honest orange tuber is turned into a colorful, silky soup under the magic wand of Nora Pouillon, owner-chef of Restaurant Nora. read more...
Nora Pouillon - Owner-chef of Restaurant Nora - 19 Jul 2008
Chef Nora Pouillon has been a force in the sustainable-sourcing, organic and slow food movements. At Restaurant Nora, she keeps pushing for change. read more...
Stella's Bakery - one of my favorites - 19 Jul 2008
Stella's Bakery is a bakery of European pastries, cakes and breads that's one of the best in the area. read more...
Chew On This: Drink even more red wine! - 8 Jul 2008
Wine drinkers looking for an excuse for another glass know that resveratrol in red wine is a good source of antioxidants. Now a group of Hebrew University researchers in Jerusalem have discovered that when you pair it with certain foods, beneficial polyphenols can avert the harmful effect of certain molecules that emerge during the digestive process. Chug down a glass of Pinot Noir or other red wine with your juicy steak and the mix of the two in the stomach will prevent the formation of harmful oxidizing toxins released from red meat and other high-fat foods while they're being digested. read more...
South African groceries - 7 Jul 2008
South African ex-pats or enthusiasts miss their Rooibos tea, their All Gold cans of Seville oranges and figs, their special chutneys. read more...
Starters: Ribollita - wondersoup or wodge? - 3 Jul 2008
He Who Must Sometimes Be Obeyed has strong views about stodge and wodge. So to eat the wonderful Italian Ribollita, a soup that is stuffed with soggy bread I have to hive off to Florence on my own. It's tragic what must be done in pursuit of favorite foods. read more...
Chew on This: Whose food healthier? Nature's or the food biz? - 3 Jul 2008
It used to be we asked no more of food than to make us feel full or cosseted or impressed by its skilful execution. Now we expect food to do more than just fill our stomachs. It’s got to have added value as a health remedy. We demand additives in the most unlikely of products, to cure us of existing frailties or protect us against the offset of new ones. It’s not enough to eat salmon or mackerel at least once a week to get our omega-3 fatty acids. We want them delivered by other means than a fish. read more...
Arrowine - one of my favorites - 2 Jul 2008
"I'm getting blackberries, I'm getting pepper, I'm getting tarmac, I'm getting $100,000 a year to talk about wine like this"...Some eonophiles can drive you bonkers. But if you want the right wine without a pretentious sales pitch, to go with an unusual lump of artisan cheese, head to Arrowine and get them both there. read more...
Graham Bartlett - Chef of Zengo - 2 Jul 2008
Graham Bartlett is executive chef of Zengo, where you can find almost everything from ceviche to sushi. He caught the “food bug” while traveling with his parents in Mexico. But Paris, not the States nor Latin America was where he went to learn the culinary arts. read more...
Chew on This: Peking Duck heart disease cure? - 17 Jun 2008
Your starter for 10: The latest magical ingredient to cut the risk of heart disease is --- what? That food coloring that turns Peking Duck its glowing chestnut red.
Didn't get the answer? Back to the bottom of the quiz. read more...
Chew on this: Sickening tomatoes - 16 Jun 2008
The tomato, that friendly fruit romantically called (by pedants, mostly) the love apple, has been almost as poisonous to 228 people in 23 states as the apple her stepmother proferred to Snow White. read more...
Alison Swope - Chef of Restaurant K by Alison Swope - 16 Jun 2008
When Andale, the Penn Quarter restaurant focusing on the foods of Mexico's Oaxaca state, closed at the end of summer 2006, it was more than usually distressing for Alison Swope, the executive chef and co-owner behind Andale. "Most of that staff had been together for 10 years," she says. Loyal followers of Swope's cooking were equally dismayed. There are few enough women chefs in Washington that it can afford to lose one, especially one of her caliber.
(This interview took place before Restaurant K closed.) read more...
Extras: Herbs for cooking - 15 Jun 2008
Unless you're cooking pesto sauce, Middle Eastern or Indian dishes on a regular basis, the bunches of herbs sold by supermarkets are usually so large the leaves spoil before you can use all of them. Here are some saving solutions. read more...
Pam Ginsberg - knife skills at the bone - 15 Jun 2008
Pam Ginsberg knows cows.
Or beef, to be more precise. And ham, and chickens. And sausagemeat, even. Pam Ginsberg is the butcher once drawing carnivores to her counter at Brookville supermarket on Connecticut Ave NW and now to be found at Waghal's Market in Spring Valley. read more...
Artfully Chocolate/Kingsbury Confections - one of my favorites - 15 Jun 2008
This is a rare photograph, according to Rob Kingsbury and Eric Nelson, owners of Artfully Chocolate/Kingsbury Confections. They're rarely found together, one of them holding the fort at the Alexandria store, the other manning the 14th St NW location, probably behind the bar area creating chocolate-based cocktails and drinks. read more...
Trent Conry - Chef of Ardeo - 15 Jun 2008
Texas-born Trent Conry of Ardeo/Bardeo likes spicy foods, big talk and an ever-changing menu. This summer, Ardeo's roof top tables are where to eat on a holiday that doesn't take you out of town... read more...
Extras: How to make fluffs & foams - 6 Jun 2008
Ever since Ferran Adria of El Bulli took his batterie de cuisine into the laboratory, we've been seeing as much smoke and foam as Hollywood's adventure and horror movies offer. And we've been just as pinned to our seats and bar stools by the experience, only without the screaming. The secret to the smoke is liquid nitrogen. But how about the foam? read more...
On The Road: 4 days in Portugal - 5 Jun 2008
Traveling north from Porto the mountains in spring are so thickly blanketed in egg-yolk-colored broom and purple heather there's no room for goats and sheep to graze. The wine is wonderful - spritzy enough to convince you you're just sipping a summer lemonade and light enough not to do too much damage. The food is less so. If you're catching fish this fresh, why not leave it to show off. read more...
Aulie Bunyarataphan - Owner-chef of Bangkok Joe's - 5 Jun 2008
We have her father to thank that Aulie Bunyarataphan is cooking, not designing clothes. (Though judging by what she has done with her restaurant, those clothes would look terrific.)
The owner and chef of Bangkok Joe’s, Bunyarataphan had ambitions growing up in Thailand of going to Paris to study fashion. But Papa didn’t approve. After she graduated high school, he sent her to live with a cousin in Reston, Va., to continue her education. read more...
Chew On This: Jamie Oliver pirated on the internet? - 4 Jun 2008
A 100-plus page file is dropping into e-mail boxes claiming to be a Jamie Oliver cookbook. It's not the first time it has circulated. It made its first appearance on the web in summer 2003. Now it's back. read more...
What is a mangosteen? - 4 Jun 2008
When Queen Victoria heard of the delicate scent-tasting splendor of the mangosteen of South East Asia, she promised to shower anyone who could bring a perfect example back to her plate with riches and titles. Arise, Sir, the owner of Don Nam #1 Supermarket!
Mangosteen are not unlike a lychee, a juicy translucent fruit trapped in separate segments inside a small globe of thick purple skin. read more...
Phyllis Richman - Queen of Washington restaurant reviews - 3 Jun 2008
Phyllis Richman pads barefoot across her front porch and curls up on the porch swing, tucking her red-painted toes beneath her. She smiles and rocks there like a very gentle version of the Cheshire Cat. She has good reason to smile. Retired now from years as The Washington Post’s restaurant reviewer and food writer, she’s been honored with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award. read more...
Chew On This: Cow patting relieves stress - 2 Jun 2008
Feeling stressed? Go ride a tractor. Your anger and hostility levels, if you're harboring any, could diminish by 70 percent, not to mention those feelings of confusion and depression. These may slump by as much as 80 percent. read more...
Desserts: Greenage tart - 2 Jun 2008
Greengages are little green plums. I found them recently at the Afghan Mini Market on Backlick Rd, Springfield and at Iransara, in the Peking Gourmet shopping strip, at 6039 Leesburg Pike. Buy ones that are soft only. But you can make this tart with any kind of plum - or with apricots or apples. It's quick, it's easy, it's mouthwatering. read more...
Loomi - what is it? - 30 May 2008
A loomi is a key ingredient in Persian and Middle East cooking. Some soups or stews - particularly Lebanese and Egyptian lentil soup - would be diminished without it. It's the loomi that gives them their sour flavor. read more...
Salinas Oriental Store - 29 May 2008
You'll find a small selection of home-made Filipino snacks at this unassuming little market. But what's also interesting are the packaged snacks and what these say about different a culture's tastes. read more...
Fish: Grilled Mediterranean Sardines with Lemon and Olive Persillade - 27 May 2008
Now we're moving into grilling season, try this recipe of Danny Wells, chef at BlackSalt. Serve them with crusty fresh bread warm from the oven. The persillade is delicious over broiled chicken or lamb, too. read more...
Chew On This: Too little salt bad for the heart? - 27 May 2008
Remember the ‘Butter bad, margarine good – oops, wrong: margarine bad, butter good’ debate? Now salt is the victim of contradictory research. Studies have shown reducing salt intake could cut the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 35 percent. Last week, the Journal of General Internal Medicine reversed that conclusion, saying too little salt could increase the risk of CVD. read more...
The sweet corn van - 26 May 2008
You can find yourself in Mexico in the heart of Annandale, in the Columbia Pike car park of El Gran Palenque restaurant. It's there that the Elotes Asados Minutas van is parked, cooking and selling sweetcorn smothered in mayo, chili sauce and that grated Mexican cheese that can make your nostrils flare and your lips curl. read more...
Finocchiona salami - 26 May 2008
Finocchiona is one of those wonderful charcuterie meats you had to cross the globe to taste. A Tuscan salami from Florence and nearby, it's secret lies in the fennel seeds that flavors it. Now, if you go to the right source, you can find it around Washington. read more...
Belgian brasseries - 26 May 2008
You don't have to fly out to the tiny cobbled streets behind Brussels' Grand Place to find Belgian brasserie food. There are a number of restaurants that have opened just to serve moules frites, Trappist beers, and other Belgian specialties. read more...
Artisan Confections - one of my favorites - 25 May 2008
Chocolate as art - art as chocolate? Visit Artisan Confections, eat and decide. Native of Arlington Jason Andelman was the pastry chef at TenPenh for five years. A Fine Arts major from the College of William & Mary and an alum of the Culinary Institute of America, he left to pursue an even more artistic adventure - opening his own chocolate shop, Artisan Confections. Now he's making chocolates that look like jewelry. read more...
Mains: Pennsylvania Chicken Pot Pie - 21 May 2008
Kevin Villalovos, chef de cuisine of Cure Bar & Bistro's recipe, is comfort food that's elegant enough to serve at a dinner party. Plus it can be assembled in advance and cooked when the door bell rings. The picture is of some of the American salts he uses in his brines and cures. read more...
Cure Bar & Bistro - 21 May 2008
Kevin Ray Villalovos, Chef de Cuisine of the newly opened Cure Bar & Bistro, works wonders with salt. He's using it to cure salmon, to salt meats and to season his home-made garlic sausage. read more...
Cream unscrambled - 20 May 2008
The friendly cow all brown and white
I love with all my heart:
She gives me cream with all her might
To eat with apple tart.
Not great poetry (would you believe it's by Robert Louis Stevenson?) but a great sentiment. And there are so many different kinds, with different uses. read more...
New Zealand eatery - 20 May 2008
EatWashington doesn't cover many restaurants. (I haven't got the money to review them properly...) And I haven't actually eaten at this one. But there are few enough sources for anything New Zealand in the capital I couldn't ignore Cassatt's. You'll have to review it for me. It calls itself a Kiwi Cafe - and a Gourmet Bistro and its card reads "Where restaurant meets coffee shop". read more...
Chew On This: USDA against private BSE testing - 20 May 2008
Sometimes you have to wonder whose interests the United States Department of Agriculture represents. The USDA currently tests around one percent of slaughtered beef cattle for BSE. Creekstone Farms Premium Beef doesn't believe that is anywhere near enough. It tests every single one of its Black Angus cattle for BSE - bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which the Brits, its first known victims, call Mad Cow Disease. Creekstone pays for the testing itself. You'd think the USDA would applaud its public spirit and safety drive. No. It took Creekstone, a Kansas meat packer, to court to prohibit the company from running private tests. And won the case. read more...
Starters: Nummy nummy mushrooms - 20 May 2008
This recipe of Jamie Oliver's comes from food blogger Orangette. The photo, with Kim O'Donnel, the Washington Post's food blogger buying, is of the mushroom lady who sells at Penn Quarter farmer's market on Thursdays after 3 p.m. and at Dupont Circle on Sundays, though she doesn't man it herself. You'll find her, too, at the Arlington market. Her morels were $20 for one of those green boxes. But Morel Season is so short...Other mushrooms are less expensive. Stompy Boots' recipe uses cheap ones. The title is her own. Jamie calls it Sliced Mushrooms with Fresh Mozzarella and Thyme read more...
Brian McBride - Chef of The Blue Duck Tavern - 19 May 2008
Changes at The Blue Duck Tavern. Michael Santoro is joining Executive Chef Brian McBride (pictured) as Chef de Cuisine. He used to be at Manhattan's Boqueria. He's worked in top experimental kitchens, like Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck in Bray, England, and at Basque restaurant Mugaritz near San Sebastian. For the BDT's summer menu he's created crispy frog legs and sweetbreads with rhubarb and glazed white asparagus; rack of lamb and confit of breast with chickpea puree and rosemary jus; braised rabbit and homemade pasta with prunes and black olives; smoked and pastrami spiced duck breast with confit of leg as well as homemade gnocchi with marinated porcini and poached egg. read more...
Chew On This: Obese blamed for food and climate crisis! - 16 May 2008
Breaking news 5.16.08: The World Health Organization predicts the global obese population will double to 700 million by 2015. The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has calculated the obese consume 18 percent more calories than average. Therefore they're driving up food and fuel prices. How? They provoke an increased consumption of oil by the agriculture and transport industries harnessed to supply their demand for food! Wow. That's quite a twist on the discussion. But it's reported by prestigious journal The Lancet. read more...
Ramadan pastries explained - 13 May 2008
During Ramadan especially rich pastries and desserts are made. Considered restorative and nourishing, you can find them until the end of Id al-Fitr, which is the name of the three days of feasting that follow the end of the fasting period. read more...
Broa de Milho - 13 May 2008
Broa de Milho is a corn bread much loved by the northern Portuguese. The harshness of the soil made wheat growing hard, so bakers made a loaf that is four parts corn to one part stone milled buckwheat. read more...
Thai Market - one of my favorite markets - 12 May 2008
Peter Gosak used to be a banker, until one of his clients told him he was going out of business. So Gosak bought him up - and he and Silver Spring's Thai Market have never looked back. read more...
Korean hot pots - 12 May 2008
Cooks in search of low calorie meals that are stimulating to eat could turn to the Korean hot pot. read more...
What is gluten? - 12 May 2008
Gluten is the natural protein surrounding kernels of wheat, barley, rye and oats. It's what makes a dough stretch. read more...
Desserts: Sticky Pecan Buns - 12 May 2008
He Who Must Not Necessarily Be Obeyed bought me a KitchenAid. So he is being obeyed for a wee while, which means I downloaded the Food Network's recipe for Joanne Chang's Sticky Buns. After all, they won against Bobby Flay's in a throwdown. And as a first-time bun baker, I thought I'd have a go at perhaps the trickiest dough there is. Paradise reached in one! The photo is of that key moment before they went into the oven, demonstrating that despite all the goo they were sitting in and my lack of faith, they did rise again. (Besides, when I took the photo of when they came out, it was as dark as the buns. Want do you want? I have to learn to conquer a KitchenAid, a brioche recipe and camera all at once?) read more...
Farmers' markets - food for health and flavor - 11 May 2008
Spring is here and farmers' markets are about to blossom on the streets of the capital. We need to support local farmers. They're doing a tough job to bring us food that's healthy and full of flavor. If we want to see that kind of respect from regular supermarkets when they decide what to stock, they need to notice the sales they're missing when we shop for local produce. Then they might be more encouraged to shop locally, too... read more...
Share Our Strength chefs' cook out! - 9 May 2008
When you next feel hungry, consider some of America's kids. Share Our Strength does. It's a nationwide community of chefs, activists, food programs and people in the wide culinary field working to try and ensure no child in America grows up hungry. On Thursday 15 May, Chef Charlie Palmer is hosting Share Our Strength’s A Tasteful Pursuit presented by Lexus at his restaurant Charlie Palmer Steak at 101 Constitution Avenue, NW, in downtown D.C. Six other prime chefs will be cooking alongside him. read more...
Asparagus - just so much grass... - 9 May 2008
Asparagus, like tomatoes, are a vegetable that really should be eaten only in season and from a pick-your-own supplier. But outside France and England, there aren't too many of them. Still, when spring, it's proper season comes, make the most of it. For starters (forgive the pun), try Todd Gray's recipe for asparagus soup. read more...
Chinese restaurants: Kosher, vegan, organic - 8 May 2008
There aren't many to choose from - just one in each category so far. But that's better than none. read more...
Nosh Notes - Gastropubs: eating cheap in Britain - 8 May 2008
Britain's pubs are famous. But they haven't always been particularly pleasant places to have a bite to eat. Nor did they offer good beer to drink, until the Campaign for Real Ale in the early 1970s fought to oust big brewery manufactured beers and bring back real ales. Now Britain's chefs are returning well-cooked, seasonal traditional British food to the menus of what have consequently become named Gastropubs. If you're traveling to London and want to stretch that food dollar, here's a list of some to eat at. read more...
Phyllis Richman - 8 May 2008
Phyllis Richman spent 23 years as the restaurant critic of the Washington Post, eating out on our behalf. Think how much money she saved us by guiding us away from restaurants or chefs that weren't meeting the mark, and how many good meals she encouraged us to seek out and enjoy.
So it's only right and proper that the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington is honoring her at the 26th Annual RAMMY Restaurant Awards Gala with the Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award. read more...
Chew on This: Chicken abuse - 8 May 2008
You need a strong stomach to watch this undercover video of the mistreatment of chickens released this week by Mercy for Animals, a Chicago-based animal rights group. It was taken with a camera hidden by one of the non-profit's investigators who worked at a major California egg-factory farm for two months. read more...
Sides: Quinoa - an alternative to risotto - 8 May 2008
If you feel cooking risotto successfully is a daunting process, try quinoa instead. Not only is it one of the most nutritious grains around, it's also a breeze to turn into a dish to eat with meat or fish or cook up with vegetables for a vegetarian meal. read more...
Quinoa - 8 May 2008
Quinoa is a grain so ancient it's sometimes called the 'mother' of all grains. read more...
Balsamic vinegar - a sour note - 7 May 2008
If ever there was a food fad that didn't do the original product any good, it's balsamic vinegar. read more...
Starters: Lobster Ceviche - 7 May 2008
Graham Bartlett, chef of Zengo's recipe will stretch an expensive ingredient a long way, making a glamorous appetizer that's enough for 10 and doesn't involve any tricky cooking techniques. read more...
Cesare Lanfranconi - Chef of Ristorante Spezie - 5 May 2008
Cesare Lanfranconi, executive chef of Ristorante Spezie, was born near the mountains in Northern Italy, where his passion was skiing. He decided to cook instead of becoming a ski instructor like his mother as a means of seeing the world. read more...
Chew on This: We drank more bottled water than beer last year - 29 Apr 2008
As environmentalists plea for a reduction in bottled water consumption, Beverage Digest recently announced that last year we drank more bottled water in the US than beer. At 8.82 billion gallons -- that's 22.5 gallons each -- it's worth $11.7 billion to the bottled water industry. It didn't quite beat out soft drinks, consumption leaders at 49.3 gallons a head. But it came in 0.3 percent higher than beer, an increase of 7.1 percent on 2006. Beer only went up by 1.4. percent. Coffee, in sixth place below milk, went down by 1.2 percent, at 16 gallons a head, with milk at 20.1 gallons. Milk's lead probably means a lot of those coffees are lattes and cappuccinos, not that we're chasing after an easy source of calcium. read more...
Americas and Caribbean food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Northern Europe food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Mediterranean food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Greek and Middle Eastern food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
French food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Far North food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Far East & Africa food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Britain & Ireland food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Asia to Australia food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
Co Co. Sala - Three-course chocolate - 29 Apr 2008
Washington is getting its own chocolate lounge. Personally, I've had my very own chocolate lounge for years. It's the sofa in front of the TV. But it'll be good to dress up to go out specifically for chocolate. Co Co. Sala opened May in Penn Quarter. read more...
Starters: Lobster bisque - 21 Apr 2008
Jamie Leeds' recipe for Lobster bisque is worth breaking the bank for. A celebration deserves a fine dish. You can easily feed eight and if you follow with a good salad and well-chosen cheese, it's all you'll need for a feast. read more...
Jamies Leeds - Owner-chef of Hank's Oyster Bar - 16 Apr 2008
Jamie Leeds is rare among chefs. First, she owns two Hank’s Oyster Bars, one in Dupont Circle and the other in Old Town, Alexandria, with CommonWealth, a gastropub set to open in summer 2008. Plus, she’s a woman. And then there’s the fact that she has no formal culinary training. read more...
Starters: Pork Potstickers in Black Vinegar Sauce - 14 Apr 2008
Scott Drewno, chef of The Source by Wolfgang Puck's recipe may look complicated. But it's just a long ingredients list. Once you have them assembled, the cooking is quick and the folding of the wrappers easy. Just turn on some music and invite the friends who'll be eating them to give you a hand. read more...
Scott Drewno - Chef of The Source by Wolfgang Puck - 14 Apr 2008
At the recent media reception to announce chef and restaurant finalists in this year's Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington awards, journalists and members of the hospitality business were treated to little tastes of the finalists' cuisines. There was a scrum around the table of one of them, Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck. read more...
Shemali's - one of my favorite markets - 14 Apr 2008
Shemali's is a Lebanese delicatessen that has suffered, along with the Cleveland Park neighborhood around Wisconsin Ave, from the ditherings and delays in redevelopment of the Giant. It used to have a store in the parking lot of the supermarket, large enough to run a lunch counter that served the best bargain in sharwama and the best lentil soup in the District. But when Giant - around 5 years ago - closed down all the premises it leased out to increase its size, Shemali's disappeared to the medical building at 3301 New Mexico Ave NW. It's there you'll find all the Middle East goodies of its previous location. But no lunch counter. Don't despair, though. Gretta and Joseph Chemali (no, that's not a spelling mistake) can sell you a whole stuffed lamb... read more...
Pooja Spices, Pizza Plus & Hot Stuff Foods - 6 Apr 2008
Ranjan and Gita Chhibber are such an accommodating pair of shopkeepers that they keep adding services to support their customers. Hot Stuff Foods is the newest extra they're offering, hot foods to go or eat in. But they started Pooja's Spices, named for their daughter and for the Indian word for 'to pray', 21 years ago, to sell hard-to-find ingredients to the Washington area's growing Indian community. Ranjan had been working in New York selling Indian appliances. His travels brought him to the Washington area, "And I thought, I like this area better." read more...
Fish: Fish Mappas - 4 Apr 2008
The flavor of this Indian fish recipe from Nilesh Singhvi, chef of The Bombay Club, is layered with different spices but its heat level is mellowed by coconut milk. Reduce it even further, if you wish, by cutting back on the chilis. read more...
Nilesh Singhvi - Chef of The Bombay Club - 31 Mar 2008
Bombay Club executive chef Nilesh Singhvi has cooked for Margaret Thatcher, George H.W. Bush and Bill Gates. But with its pale, saffron-colored walls, dark wood, palm fronds and Indian-style chandelier suspended from an ornate recessed ceiling, the Bombay Club it probably wouldn't come as much of a shock to spot the ghost of Rudyard Kipling or Graham Greene tucking into a curry in the corner. read more...
Maxim's Supermarket - one of my favorite markets - 31 Mar 2008
There's no shortage of Oriental and Asian markets in the area. But some of them offer a little extra. At Maxim's, it's the take-out food counter. It's packed with dishes some of which you need to be a little adventurous to try, like tripe, and various parts of the inner pig that look like Captain Davy Jones' face in 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. But there's also a wonderful stewed pork picnic cut that's been marinated and slow-cooked until it's almost purple which wouldn't upset the most conservative eater. And there are noodles and vegetable dishes, along with fried fish and chicken dishes that would frighten no-one. $4.25 buys you your choice of three dishes for a take-out meal in a box. read more...
The Kielbasa Factory - one of my favorite markets - 27 Mar 2008
The Kielbasa Factory is a fine replacement for the much missed Polonetz Gourmet. And despite its name it sells good Polish doughnuts, a denser version of the ones we're familiar with. Krystyna Ahrens opened the deli just after Thanksgiving in 2007. Now the place is packed. read more...
Eden Center unscrambled - one of my favorite markets - 22 Mar 2008
If you want a trip to Vietnam without leaving the area, head out to the Eden Center on Wilson Boulevard at Seven Corners, just before Route 50 and Route 7 intersect. You won't hear English spoken. The music blaring from the outdoor speakers comes from a local Vietnamese radio station. It's packed with Vietnamese tailors, jewelers, video stores, Chinese medicine practitioners and more. This is the list of food-related outlets, to eat at or to buy ingredients for your home-cooked Vietnamese feast. read more...
Starters: Lentil Soup with Loomi - 21 Mar 2008
Loomis are boiled and dried limes that are a key ingredient in many Middle East dishes. Find them at Middle East and Persian markets and use them in this deeply flavored slow-cooked soup. It should tide you over until Shemali's deli and lunch counter, famous for its lentil soup, gets back into the Giant complex on Wisconsin Ave - if they ever develop the site... read more...
Persian markets - 21 Mar 2008
There are a surprising number of Persian supermarkets in the area, selling Persian and other Middle Eastern foods. read more...
Amphora Bakery - one of my favorites - 21 Mar 2008
Amphora Bakery is the place to head for whimsically decorated cakes, cupcakes and cookies. And for delicious European patisseries, baked goods and breads of all sorts.
For 25 years the Bilidas and Cholakis families ran the Amphora Bakery next to their restaurant in Vienna. But in 2003, they realized the demand for their cakes, cookies and buns was so great, they needed to find a second location. It's in Herndon. Visit it for your patisserie and you can also spend time with a coffee and a Danish watching the bakers decorate the cakes through the massive windows at the back of a congenial space that feels like some grand artist's sitting room. read more...
European Delight - one of my favorite markets - 21 Mar 2008
There's been a name change, along with a change in management, at European Bazaar, the source for Russian produce on the Rockville Pike. It's now called European Delight. Nothing else has changed - if anything, there's more. The choice of charcuterie in the meat counter is remarkable, from head cheese to a huge range of salamis, keilbasa, moskovskaya and other sausages. And the selection of smoked and dried fish is also good, with different smoked salmons, sturgeon, smelts, selyodka and whitefish prominent. read more...
Yekta - one of my favorite markets - 21 Mar 2008
When Yekta, a Persian market, began 28 years ago, "It was more of a beer and wine deli type," says Cathy Dadras, the daughter of the family that owns and runs it. "But it evolved." She can be found next door in the kitchen of Kabobi, the restaurant that serves delectable grilled meats over Persian fragrant rice. read more...
Fish: Smoked Haddock - 21 Mar 2008
British breakfasters miss their kedgeree, a staple of the groaning British Raj breakfast sideboard that these days makes a great lunch dish and their Omelette Arnold Bennett. But where to get the key ingredient, smoked haddock? Don't despair, there's a good internet source. read more...
Jumbo Jumbo Bubble Express - one of my favorites - 21 Mar 2008
Irene Yen cooks her tapioca bubbles for bubble tea fresh every day. They need a gentle simmer for an hour and a half. "They can't be overcooked or they will lose their chewiness," she says. Any that aren't used during that day's service she throws out. "They don't keep overnight." Her bubble tea in Rockville is so popular, she rarely needs to waste any of the tapioca beads that need a tube as wide as a plumber might use to suck them up. Who, you wonder, ever came up with such a weird and wonderful drink? read more...
Afghan eateries - 17 Mar 2008
There aren't too many places in the area to find an Afghan menu. But it's not as hard as you might imagine. read more...
Aji Ichiban - one of my favorites - 13 Mar 2008
Aji Ichiban calls itself 'Munchies Paradise'. It's one of over 200 of a Hong Kong based snack food franchise. Craving the weird and wonderful nibbles of Asia, Ping Sun opened this one in Rockville in 2003. read more...
Nosh notes: Korean restaurants - 13 Mar 2008
For a good many ethnic cuisine foodies, eating Asian means eating Thai or Vietnamese food. But the greater Washington area is home to a huge Korean community, with its accompanying markets and bakeries. In Virginia, there are enough Korean food options from the Landmark Mall in Alexandria to Annandale, that the area is known as Koreatown. A drive through will take you past endless restaurants to satisfy your appetite for this spicy cuisine. read more...
Cornucopia - one of my favorite markets - 5 Mar 2008
Sicilian Ibraim ("Ibo") Selmy trained as a geologist. Luckily for us, his interest was more in people and food than in rocks. So in 2003, after 15 years in Washington, the Palermo-born Italian opened Cornucopia in Bethesda, a food store and cafe to sell the specialties of his native land. "It's about people, sharing time with them." read more...
Starters: Pasta e Fagioli - 5 Mar 2008
Cesare Lanfranconi, chef of Ristorante Spezie's recipe is one of Italy's classics. You can make it as a soup starter for a meal with other dishes or serve it with some warm crusty bread and a salad to produce a substantial meal on its own with a glass or two of wine and a rented old Sophia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida movie on TV. read more...
Fish: Lobster Fritters with a Spicy Lemon Mascarpone - 1 Mar 2008
This batter for Chef Pelt's Lobster Fritters works equally well with chunks of a firm white fish, which are given a zesty uplift with the unusual dip. read more...
Paul Pelt - Chef of the Tabard Inn - 1 Mar 2008
Paul Pelt got his start in the business at a local pizza joint. He began cooking there when the chef failed to show one day, and he joined the Tabard Inn as a line cook in 1992. Today he is executive chef. read more...
Stephen Scott - Chef of Zola - 26 Feb 2008
Stephen Scott is back in town as executive chef at Zola, the restaurant connected with the International Spy Museum. read more...
Fish: Roasted Cod with Sauteed and Braised Sunchokes - 13 Feb 2008
Christophe Marque, chef of Cafe du Parc's recipe doesn't have to be limited to the winter season when sunchokes are in the markets. Substitute young potatoes for these gnarled roots and the recipe extends through the year. read more...
Christophe Marque - Chef of Cafe du Parc - 13 Feb 2008
If the cost of the Euro is preventing you from traveling to France, get your food fix at Café du Parc. When Christophe Marque came from Paris in March 2007 to head the Cafe du Parc, the first thing he had to do, between the lunch and dinner service, was learn English. Now he's fluent and concentrating on bringing France to Washington. read more...
Chew on This: Buttering up your tastebuds - 30 Jan 2008
It’s a tough time of year for cooks. Seasonal produce isn’t especially interesting. Once you’ve done everything possible to Chioggia beets, everything else is restricted in color to what Fifth Avenue calls “griege”. At least it means our food budgets will be lower without the cost of seasonal asparagus, strawberries and baby pattipans. So it’s a good opportunity to spend a little more, without too much pain. Buy some really decent butter. read more...
Chew on This: A dish on style and content - 25 Jan 2008
Does the shape of a dish deliberately distract from its contents? Are hot new restaurants so over-designed we no longer focus on what we're eating? In some spots, the whole dining experience can often seem to be more about style than taste. You need the will to survive the elegance of the chill woman in the severe Mao suit who leads you to your table, the demanding attention of a room designed to within an inch of its minimalist feng shui'd life, and cutlery sometimes so cutting edge in shape it's uncomfortable to hold and hard to balance on the side of the plate. read more...
Danny Wells & Scott Weinstein of BlackSalt - 23 Jan 2008
At BlackSalt, Chef Danny Wells and fishmonger Scott Weinstein work as a pair - one finds the fish and the other prepares it. read more...
Chew on This: Kids' cooking classes compulsory - 23 Jan 2008
Childhood obesity isn't just a real concern in the U.S. In China 10 percent of children are obese, a figure that's predicted to increase by 8 percent a year. In the UK, one in four 11 to 15 year-olds are overweight. But the Brits are doing something about that. The government has just announced that cookery lessons will be compulsory in Middle Schools. 11 to 14 year-olds will have to take one hour a week for one term and learn to cook and what's good in food and bad. Will the U.S. follow the Brits' lead? read more...
Caribbean markets - 20 Jan 2008
Caribbean markets seem to be concentrated mostly in the Maryland suburbs of the capital. But Filipino markets carry some Caribbean specialties. read more...
Chew on This: Eco farm 15 miles from DC - 16 Jan 2008
Eight miles as the crow flies from the Washington Monument, hidden behind the houses of a residential subdivision, lies the farm of Mike Pappas. Only 2 1/2 acres of Eco Farms' 16 acres are cultivated, but they are a potent spread of organic, bio-intensive produce. read more...
Desserts: Chocolate tart - 14 Jan 2008
This Chocolate Tart, the recipe of Tom Power, owner-chef of Corduroy, is an elegant and deeply chocolate dessert that will pass you off as a master patissier. It's not hard to make, despite its apparent length. But Chef Power says it's important to read the recipe right through before you begin. read more...
Chew on This: 1. Too fancy to eat; 2. Too cheap to miss - 14 Jan 2008
Some restaurant food is getting silly. There's something wrong with a menu when waiters need to memorize a script each night. But Restaurant Week is far from silly: it's a great opportunity to eat really good food cheaply - $20.08 at lunch, $30.08 at dinner. Here's my meal, at Ristorante Spezie, on Monday, January 14... read more...
Tom Power - Owner-chef of Corduroy - 14 Jan 2008
Tom Power's restaurant Corduroy opens in a row house on 9th Street NW at the end of March. This interview took place while it was still located on 12th & K Streets NW in the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. The address changes, but his food philosophy remains the same. read more...
Chew on This: Hens relaxed, cans canned, ice cream for the radiator - 10 Jan 2008
Two new supermarket initiatives in Europe might spark discussion in the U.S.: comfort for egg-laying hens and eco-friendly food packaging. And so might ice cream containing anti-freeze... read more...
'Organic' abuse? - 7 Jan 2008
Perhaps Organic Batter Blaster is actually organic. But how horrendous. The idea that you can point a can of it at your griddle and cook up a pancake seems a long way from the principles of organic eating. Besides, how time consuming and difficult it is to make pancake batter from scratch? And what do we do to remain in 'organic' mode to dispose of the beastly container when it's empty? read more...
Extras: Tandoori Marinade - 7 Jan 2008
When Ricky Moore was the chef at IndeBleu, this was his recipe for Tandoori Marinade. It's a healthy way to add zip to fish, chicken, steak or chops without too many extra calories. read more...
Haidar Karoum - Co-owner-chef of Proof - 4 Jan 2008
When Nora Pouillon, owner/chef of Restaurant Nora, sold the building that housed sister restaurant Asia Nora in late November, fans went into their second bout of mourning. The first came when Asia Nora’s chef, Haidar Karoum, left after seven years at the helm. Now they can celebrate finding him at Penn Quarter's Proof. read more...
Bad news for chocolate lovers - 3 Jan 2008
Bad news for people like me who used medical findings as an excuse to up their chocolate consumption. Remember last year how we were told its flavanols could protect our hearts?
An editorial this week in top medical journal The Lancet reveals that because of the bitter taste these plant chemicals can impart to chocolate, many manufacturers remove them. read more...
Desserts: Baked Chocolate Sabayon - 3 Jan 2008
Tom Power has moved his restaurant Corduroy to 1122 9th Street NW. If you wonder why that's of interest, Corduroy is one of those restaurants chefs say they love to eat at. So if you can't get there, here's his recipe for Baked Chocolate Sabayon to cheer you up. read more...
U.S. no longer world's top fast food addict - 2 Jan 2008
A survey out January 2 finds the US overtaken by Britain as top of the world's list of "fast food addicts". It also reports that the people interviewed were "torn" between "food as fuel versus food as pleasure", and that people act in a conflicting manner when it comes to managing their weight. Wow! Who knew? Still, maybe this revelation might spur some of us on with sticking to any New Year's resolution to eat more wisely. read more...
Mains: Adobo-Spiced Duck Breast - 28 Dec 2007
Howsoon Cham's chile spice rub is packed with a Mexican-Mayan punch. Here the owner-chef of Red Ginger and Café Tropé uses it on festive duck breast but you can try it just as successfully with chicken, meat or fish and left-overs will keep in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. read more...
A Christmas carp about salmon - 22 Dec 2007
When you're loading your festive brunch bagel with smoked salmon, consider this. Fish farming accounts for almost half the seafood consumed globally. But consumers increasingly concerned about the impact of conventional fish farming on the environment are putting pressure on supplies of fish farmed organically.
The difference between the two methods, though, seems tenuous. read more...
Peter Schaffrath - Chef of the Hay-Adams Lafayette Room - 16 Dec 2007
Peter Schaffrath celebrates on Christmas Eve so he can cook for guests at the Hay-Adams on Dec. 25. He hasn't spent Christmas Day at home with his family for half a decade. read more...
Mains: Gorgonzola Soufflé - 15 Dec 2007
Drew Trautmann, Chef of Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar's recipe - just what you need when you've had too much festive fare. read more...
Yannick Cam - Owner-Chef of Le Paradou - 12 Dec 2007
After 43 years in restaurants, Yannick Cam, owner and chef of Washington’s award-winning Le Paradou, hasn’t seen anyone come out of culinary school ready to function in the business. read more...
Bob Kiebler - Chef of Morton's - 28 Nov 2007
Bob Kiebler, chef at the downtown branch of the venerable Morton's of Chicago chain, learned his steak skills at the Morton's University - a fresh twist on the role of academe. read more...
Ginger - fresh - 28 Nov 2007
Don't worry if you've bought too large a piece of ginger root. Fresh ginger stores well. read more...
Greengages - 28 Nov 2007
Greengages are a gloriously-scented golden plum, better to eat than candy. read more...
Guinness on tap - 28 Nov 2007
Ten years ago, you'd have been hard pressed to find Guinness on tap. Now you can get it at pretty much any downtown brewhouse. read more...
Jamaican burnt sugar - 28 Nov 2007
Jamaican burnt sugar adds a strong depth of flavor when added to sweeten desserts like a creme caramel instead of ordinary sugar. read more...
Japanese candies & snacks - 27 Nov 2007
Japanese candies are amazing - tiny, accurate renditions of a hot dog or a hamburger, in sweetened gelatin. They make the perfect treat to slip inside a party bag or Christmas stocking. read more...
Lychees - 27 Nov 2007
As with the mangosteen, eating a lychee is like eating a sweet scent. It's close to paradise in fruit terms. read more...
Mangoes - 27 Nov 2007
Some mangoes are more heavenly than others. The big fat ones, green and blushing red, tend to leave fibers in the teeth. read more...
Middle East cooking classes & eateries - 27 Nov 2007
Learn to cook - or eat - the way of the Middle East. read more...
Oriental cooking lessons - 27 Nov 2007
If you'd like to learn how to cook Oriental food, there are a number of options. read more...
Pears - eating & cooking - 27 Nov 2007
Pears aren't limited to the Conference and the Bosc. read more...
Pizza - 27 Nov 2007
It hardly seems necessary, with all the home-delivery possibilities available, to make suggestions for pizza sources, but if you want to ignore those stuffed-crust, soft dough or crunchy crust confections with exotic topping combinations and tuck into the simple open sandwich style of the original Napolitan snack, there are some good home-made versions around. read more...
Pomegranate & other scented juices - 27 Nov 2007
Pomegranates are such a beautiful fruit to look at, but difficult to eat. The juice is high in antioxidants but it is also good to deglaze a roasting pan and give a certain sharpness to a rich sauce or jus. read more...
Portuguese delicatessens - 27 Nov 2007
There are a number of markets that are favorites with people shopping for Portuguese ingredients. But they sell a wider range of European products, too. read more...
Saffron - 27 Nov 2007
Though saffron is a quintessentially Spanish flavoring, it also shows up in the tajines and stews of parts of the African continent. It's one of the world's most expensive spices. This is because each stigma of Crocus sativa, the saffron crocus, has to be removed by the agile fingers of women and children, who can separate the three stigmas from each flower without bruising them. read more...
Saltenas, empanadas & South American eateries - 27 Nov 2007
It seems every country in the world has its portable, pastry-wrapped snack, from England's Cornish Pasty to Jamaica's patties, with tiropitakia from Greece, Indian samosas, Russian pierogi, and pork shui mai buns from China in between. read more...
Samosas, sambusas - 27 Nov 2007
Some of the best foods come in small packages, from the Cornish pasty and Russian pierogi, to the sambusas of Ethiopia and samosas of India. read more...
Scandinavian specialties - 27 Nov 2007
Here are a few suggestions of where to find some Scandinavian treats aside from fish. read more...
Sushi ingredients - 27 Nov 2007
It's hard to avoid boxes of sushi at every supermarket. But some is better than others and some boxes don't have quite the assortment you want. read more...
Vegan bakery - 27 Nov 2007
Sticky Fingers is an all vegan bakery downstairs off the street at 1904 18th St NW. Hard to imagine egg and dairy-free pastries being achievable, but the goodies are goody. read more...
Lobsters live from Maine - 26 Nov 2007
Lobsters arrive fresh from Maine weekly in the Washington area. read more...
Oriental & South East Asian markets - 26 Nov 2007
There is no shortage of Oriental and South East Asian supermarkets in the area. But some offer a little extra. read more...
Lebanese specials - 26 Nov 2007
Where to find some Lebanese specialties. read more...
Latino markets - 26 Nov 2007
Sources for Latin American and Mexican produce and products are plentiful in both Maryland and Virginia. Here are some of them. read more...
Italian delicatessens - 26 Nov 2007
The area is not short on good Italian delicatessens. read more...
Foods of All Nations market - 26 Nov 2007
Pretty much anything I'm told, can be bought at Foods of All Nations, if you're prepared to drive down to 2121 Ivy Rd, Charlottesville, 434 296-6131. read more...
Extras: Scones - 26 Nov 2007
Eat these scones warm from the oven. You won't recognize them: they've barely any relationship with those marginally edible rocks better suited to breaking windows sold in bakeries. read more...
Far North ingredients on line - 26 Nov 2007
Far North region ingredients to buy on-line. read more...
Coconuts, coconut milk & cream - 25 Nov 2007
While you'll find coconut milk in most regular supermarkets, there are a range of other coconut products at most Oriental supermarkets. read more...
Eggplant - 25 Nov 2007
There are so many different varieties of this beautiful vegetable. Which kind to use in which recipe? read more...
Afghan markets - 25 Nov 2007
There aren't many specifically Afghan markets in the area. But a lot of products common to Indian cuisine can be found in Indian markets. read more...
Chocolate suppliers - 24 Nov 2007
If you're making a chocolate recipe, you cannot cook with Hersheys. read more...
Kosher Chinese food - 24 Nov 2007
A small suggestion... read more...
Vegan eateries - 24 Nov 2007
Here are two suggestions for vegan food. read more...
Chinese sausages - 24 Nov 2007
Lap cheung - Chinese sausages - are worth having a packet of in the refrigerator. They are cured, not unlike a salami. So they will keep. read more...
Sides: Swiss Chard & Tomato - 24 Nov 2007
Bernard Marchive, ex-chef of Pesce, serves this recipe for Swiss Chard and Tomato with his Cod with Coconut Milk. But it goes just as well with a lamb or pork chop, or a roast. read more...
Talking turkey - its happiness and yours - 24 Nov 2007
For our guzzling pleasure, a mass-produced turkey has spent its condensed life immobilized by a breast Mae West would have envied, so top heavy it can barely walk. Killed by a cut to the throat, soaked in scaling water to make it easier for a machine to rip out their feathers, they're gutted while still hot then blast-chilled to cool them down.
Gravy with that, anyone? read more...
Rijstafel - 24 Nov 2007
Rijstafel is an Indonesian feast of different dishes to eat with rice popularized by Dutch colonials in Indonesia. read more...
Vietnamese coffee - 23 Nov 2007
Vietnamese iced coffee is more a dessert than a drink. What's the coffee they use? read more...
Tea explained - 23 Nov 2007
Tea is made by steeping processed leaves, buds, or twigs of the tea bush, Camellia sinensis, in hot water for a few minutes. read more...
Indian cooking utensils - 23 Nov 2007
For some Indian recipes, you need a strong wrist, a pestle and mortar, and patience. Or more modern cooking equipment. read more...
Butchers - Halah - 23 Nov 2007
You won't have to travel too far to find a good Halal butcher in the area. Some chefs reckon that a Halal chicken will produce a much more tender roast than a regular chicken. read more...
Goat's meat - 23 Nov 2007
According to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organisation in Rome, goat's meat is the world's most widely consumed red meat. read more...
West Indian, African, Jamaican, Caribbean markets - 23 Nov 2007
These are worth seeking out for their particular food treasures. read more...
Kwansaa cakes to order - 23 Nov 2007
Kwansaa cakes, made and decorated to order. read more...
Kola nuts - they're the real thing - 23 Nov 2007
Kola nuts are 'the real thing.' read more...
Afghan melons - 23 Nov 2007
The kharbuzeh is a large Afghan melon, not unlike a honeydew in flavor and texture, that can grow as heavy as 25 lbs. read more...
Russian markets - 23 Nov 2007
Russian and East European markets around Washington abound. read more...
Red wine & chocolate - the new medicines - 23 Nov 2007
Red wine & chocolate - the new medicines! read more...
Olive oil - 23 Nov 2007
Olive oil is expensive enough that it should be chosen with care and properly looked after. read more...
Tuna ventresca - 23 Nov 2007
Tuna ventresca is the Ferrari of canned tuna to the jalopy of regular canned tuna. read more...
Risotto - the grains of truth - 23 Nov 2007
You can't make risotto from any old rice. Certainly not from a Carolina short grain. That'll just make a rice pudding. If you buy the right rice, turning out a perfect risotto is not hard. read more...
Prosciutto & other cured hams - 22 Nov 2007
Prosciutto di Parma from Italy and Jamon de Serrano from Spain are among the most seductive of cured meats. read more...
Fish - smoked, cured & pickled - 22 Nov 2007
Washington isn't short on sources for the cured, smoked and pickled fish popular in Europe's colder countries. read more...
Shrimp - 22 Nov 2007
Shrimp are ubiquitous, in every stage and form from fresh to cooked, whole and beheaded. read more...
Ricotta - 21 Nov 2007
Not so long ago in Italy, ricotta was delivered twice a day along with the milk. read more...
Extras: Ginger Beer - 20 Nov 2007
Ginger beer is a refreshing, spicy soda that originated in the Caribbean, easily made at home. You just need to keep feeding its 'mother'... read more...
Sausages, plain and fancy - 20 Nov 2007
The humble sausage can now be bought in all international variations, filled with flavors representing every part of the globe. read more...
Pepper - 20 Nov 2007
Pepper, piper nigrum, comes from the tropical piperaceae family of climbing plants or shrubs. read more...
Chili - cook-offs and more. - 20 Nov 2007
Chili is an American dish that pits serious enthusiasts against each other, everyone swearing by their own secret recipe. read more...
Jeff Tunks - Owner-chef of Acadania - 19 Nov 2007
Jeff Tunks and his partners own and run Acadiana, Ceiba, DC Coast and TenPenh. He is executive chef at Acadiana, the most recent addition to his restaurant portfolio. read more...
Vikram Sunderam - Chef of Rasika - 19 Nov 2007
Award-winning chef of London's Bombay Brasserie Vikram Sunderam left it behind for the challenge of launching an Indian restaurant from scratch in the heart of the American capital. read more...
Fish: New Orleans-style Barbecue Shrimp - 19 Nov 2007
This is a dish to impress from Jeff Tunks, owner-chef of Acadiana that's not hard to prepare, and a good deal can be done ahead of time. read more...
Mains: Lamb Roganjosh - 19 Nov 2007
Don't be deterred by the number of spices in Vikram Sunderam's recipe. Once you've assembled them, the chef of Rasika's version of the classic Indian lamb stew takes no more time to make than an ordinary stewed meat dish. But it's so much more mouth-watering. read more...
Laurent Merdy - Pastry chef of The Blue Duck Tavern - 19 Nov 2007
Blue Duck Tavern pastry chef Laurent Merdy comes from a restaurant family in northern France. He’s long had an affinity for pastries, but when it comes to other things, “I’m very picky on food,” he says. read more...
Filipino markets & finds - 18 Nov 2007
There are wonderful, unfamiliar to many, goodies to discover at Filipino markets. read more...
Swedish fil mjolk - 18 Nov 2007
Swedish fil mjolk is a healthy yogurt drink not unlike Russian kefir that's not difficult to make yourself. read more...
Duck & goose - 18 Nov 2007
Duck and goose, full of dark flavor, make a sumptuous change from chicken and turkey and their carcasses provide a rich soup stock. read more...
Dried fruits & nuts - 18 Nov 2007
The packages of dried fruits and nuts in general supermarkets are perfectly serviceable. But if you want to offer them as sweetmeats or elevate your fruit cakes to a higher level, buy them loose at a Middle East grocery. read more...
Derma, or 'Kischkes' - 18 Nov 2007
Derma, or in Yiddish "kischkes", is a traditional dish often served at bar mitzvahs and weddings. read more...
Bubble tea & shaved ice desserts - 18 Nov 2007
Bubble tea and shaved ice desserts - a change from regular milk shakes and ice creams. read more...
Herbs to grow - 18 Nov 2007
When it comes to herbs, you can grow many of them yourself. Or buy them from someone who does. read more...
Brioches - 18 Nov 2007
Brioches are a chef's toque-shaped French bun made from a sweet yeast dough made rich, yellow and fluffy with large amounts of eggs and butter. Make a breakfast change from croissants, try a brioche with good sweet butter and a fruity jam. read more...
Stocks & jus - 18 Nov 2007
Good chefs know that the basis of a rounded sauce, jus or soup is a rich stock or glâce. read more...
Chickens - free range - 18 Nov 2007
Looking for a real chicken? Free range chickens, which have a more developed flavor than battery-farmed because they've scratched about in the earth as they are supposed to, are becoming increasingly available in supermarkets. read more...
Coffee - home-brewed - 18 Nov 2007
Coffee starts the day and rounds up a great dinner. So it better be good. We should choose it as carefully as we choose our wine. read more...
Vegetables to grow - unusual ones - 18 Nov 2007
If you have even the smallest plot, think about growing vegetables. There are some interesting possibilities around. read more...
Croissants - 18 Nov 2007
The French probably have the most seductive notion of breakfast - a good cup of coffee and a croissant. read more...
Frogs' legs - 18 Nov 2007
A kind of comic French joke among the faint hearted, frogs' legs do taste a bit like chicken and certainly look like chicken wings. read more...
Offal - the funky bits - 18 Nov 2007
Country cooks across Europe and Asia respect and use every part of the animal. With meat costs soaring, it's time to learn to love offal. Great dishes have come from elements that can fill more delicate constitutions with horror. read more...
Home brews - it's in the bag! - 18 Nov 2007
The British like their tea milky orange in color and very strong in taste. Where to find the prime ingredient for the classic cuppa, the best tea, in bags or loose. And the bickies on the side... read more...
Afternoon tea in town - 18 Nov 2007
You can get afternoon tea all over the place in Washington, for grown-ups, for children, hungry people and for serious tea drinkers. read more...
Fish: Stir-fried Scallops and Shiitake Mushrooms with Gingered Grits and Smoked Bacon Vinaigrette - 17 Nov 2007
When John Wabeck was chef of Firefly before moving on to New Heights, this was one of his most popular main courses. The Smoked Bacon Vinaigrette, which can be used as a dressing for other things, like a young-spinach salad, may be made ahead. Once you have the ingredients assembled, it's a smooth process to produce the dish. read more...
John Wabeck - when Chef of Firefly - 17 Nov 2007
John Wabeck, now sommelier at Inox after a stint at New Heights, was interviewed when he was the chef at Firefly. He came to cooking by way of Ocean City. read more...
Extras: Basil oil - 17 Nov 2007
Though this recipe is only one element in Tony Conte, chef of The Oval Room's recipe for Maine Peekytoe Crab Salad with Pickled Peaches and Thai Basil, it's worth making alone for drizzling over white fish or summer tomatoes or as a sauce for angel hair pasta. read more...
Tony Conte - Chef of The Oval Room - 17 Nov 2007
Antonio Conte worked in four-star restaurants in Manhattan, but he got tired of New York City. read more...
Sides: Tomatoes - much ado about nothing - 17 Nov 2007
If there's one vegetable that should be eaten in season and gathered from the garden or fields, it's the tomato. Here's a cooking tip to get maximum flavor from those red balls masquerading as tomatoes in our supermarkets. read more...
Starters: Tomato Crab Soup - 17 Nov 2007
When Nathan Beauchamp was chef of 1789 Restaurant, he shared this recipe for an elegant dinner party soup. But if you serve it with a side salad and a crusty loaf of bread, it makes a hearty meal in a bowl. read more...
Mains: Saffron Lamb Kabobs with Cucumber Yogurt, Tomato Confit and Cinnamon Apricot Couscous - 17 Nov 2007
Tim Elliott, chef of Mie N Yu's recipe is a real Spice Route dish. Apart from the couscous, each component can be prepared well ahead. It's a great dish for a large party, simple to cook and easy to serve. read more...
Tim Elliott - Chef of Mie N Yu - 17 Nov 2007
Tim Elliott has climbed a corporate path to his post at Georgetown’s Mie N Yu. His background makes him a perfect fit for a restaurant that serves nearly 2000 guests a week in several dining rooms with different themes. read more...
Chinese vegetables & fruits identified - 16 Nov 2007
Don't miss out on the cooking possibilities of Chinese fruits and vegetables just because they are unfamiliar. Use this list below to ask for help in looking for them. read more...
Home-cooking Restaurants - 16 Nov 2007
Nostalgic for restaurants of the 50s? That time before fusion when food was simple but wholesome and plentiful? There are still some diners, restaurants and lunch counters around, cooking food as mother made it. read more...
Mains: Grilled Venison Chop with Polenta Corn Custard, Broccolini and Sun-Dried Tomato Demi-Glâce - 16 Nov 2007
Russel Cunningham, chef of Dupont Grille's recipe makes a soothing fall and winter warming celebration of a meal, with a less than common meat. The Polenta Corn Custards can be made ahead of time and reheated. read more...
Fish: Maine Peekytoe Crab Salad with Pickled Peaches and Thai Basil - 16 Nov 2007
This is one of Chef Tony Conte of The Oval Room’s most popular first-course dishes, . It’s a demanding one for a home cook. But most of it can be prepared well ahead and there is, in fact, little real cooking involved. If you'd prefer just to tackle the Basil Oil, as Tony Conte suggests, it also appears as a separate recipe. read more...
Russel Cunningham - chef of Dupont Grille - 16 Nov 2007
Russel Cunningham lives right across the street from the Dupont Grille, where he is executive chef. read more...
Mains: Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs - 16 Nov 2007
Who ever says 'No' to a comforting dish of slow-cooked beef packed with flavor falling off bones? It doesn't need to be below freezing to reach for this recipe from Brian McBride, chef of The Blue Duck Tavern. It's good with a salad in high summer, too. read more...
Desserts: Pan Dulce - 16 Nov 2007
Katsuya Fukushima, chef of Minibar and Café Atlántico, takes classic French toast and by changing the bread to brioche, putting Chihuahua cheese from Latino markets between the slices and adding cinnamon to the egg custard, gives it a Latin American twist. read more...
Katsuya Fukushima - Chef of Minibar & Café Atlántico - 16 Nov 2007
Katsuya Fukushima planned to be a scientist, but instead he has become a chef. He's the Executive Chef of José Andrés Catering with Ridgewells. This interview took place when he was Executive Chef of José Andrés' minibar at Café Atlántico. read more...
Mains: Fennel, Chili & Rosemary Roasted Berkshire Pork, Seckle Pears & Fingerling Sweet Potatoes - 16 Nov 2007
It's really worth seeking out pork from a heritage breed for this recipe from Robert Weland that's especially good in the fall. But don't miss out on trying it just because you can't find it. It will work well with a regular supermarket roast. read more...
Robert Weland - Chef of Poste - 16 Nov 2007
Chef Robert Weland makes his own charcuterie — and more — at his Penn Quarter restaurant, Poste. read more...
Fish: Hearty Crab Bisque - 16 Nov 2007
So much of this soup/stew dish from Alcione Vinet, owner-chef of Park Cafe can be prepared ahead of time, it's a useful and seductive recipe for entertaining. Mop up its juices with a crusty loaf of bread. read more...
Alcione Vinet - Owner-chef of Park Cafe - 16 Nov 2007
In the ‘70s, Alcione Vinet left Pinochet and came to the United States, where he washed dishes, worked in contracting and eventually opened a restaurant that battled to succeed. Today, it’s a fine-dining hot spot. read more...
Desserts: Spiced Pumpkin Crème Brûlée - 16 Nov 2007
Don't be alarmed by the words "crème brûlée". The pumpkin purée stablizes the cream mixture in this recipe from Bryan Voltaggio, ex-chef of Charlie Palmer Steak and now proprietor of Volt in Frederick, to produce a dessert that's worth making long past Hallowe'en and the fall season. read more...
Bryan Voltaggio - Chef of Volt, ex-chef of Charlie Palmer Steak - 16 Nov 2007
Bryan Voltaggio loves the outdoors, but he’s also passionate about
cooking. This interview took place before he left the kitchen at Charlie Palmer Steak to open his own place, Volt Restaurant in Frederick. read more...
Extras: Lontong - 16 Nov 2007
Strictly speaking, Indonesian satay is served not with toast points but with cubes of lontong, compressed rice, cooked in a rectangular banana leaf package similar to this photograph. read more...
Phô - 16 Nov 2007
One of the best meals-in-a-bowl is the Vietnamese soup Phô. Pronounced 'fur' or 'feu', like the French word for fire, it's satisfying, simple and healthy, a Vietnamese breakfast dish that makes a great lunch for Westerners. read more...
Bread flour unscrambled - 15 Nov 2007
Which flour bakes the best bread? First, know that a grain of wheat has three parts: the endosperm which is the central source of the starch, accounting for 85 percent of the grain. Next to it lies the germ, accounting for only 2 percent. But it's the most positive element. It's the 'seed' that grows new wheat plants and it contains most of the whole grain's protein, vitamins and oil. Plus, pretty much all the flavor lies in the germ. Both of these are covered by the protective outer layer of bran. read more...
Pork meats & cured sausages - 15 Nov 2007
Cured and smoked pork meats are central to German and other Northern European cooking and wonderful in winter with mashed potatoes and red cabbage. read more...
Bottarga - 15 Nov 2007
Bottarga is the salty, fishy, compressed dried roe of the mullet, a Sardinian specialty. read more...
Drew Trautmann - Chef of Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar - 15 Nov 2007
Drew Trautmann focuses on locally sourced foods at Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar in a fashion that reflects the West Coast sensibilities of his dining room and bar. read more...
Bosnian specialties - 15 Nov 2007
Bosnia is not a part of the world whose foods are familiar to most. But there are a few markets and places to eat in the area selling their specialties. read more...
Bialys - 15 Nov 2007
While you can hardly move for bagels, Polish bialys, named not after a character in The Producers but after Bialystok near Poland's north east border, are a rarity. They are baked without prior boiling, and their indent only goes half way through. read more...
Beer - 15 Nov 2007
Beer in America is no longer limited to that uniform golden liquid that froths out of cans. The number of microbreweries nationwide producing 'boutique' beers with their own highly distinctive flavors keeps growing. read more...
Banana leaves - 15 Nov 2007
Banana leaves, like corn husks, are cooking wraps supplied by nature not the supermarket. read more...
Figs - fresh - 15 Nov 2007
One of the best treats of the fall, they don't come cheap. So it's a disappointment when you open your wrapped box and find some of them rotten. read more...
Salamis & charcuterie - 15 Nov 2007
In 1927, Italy suffered a dreadful outbreak of swine fever. Since then, by law, imported salamis, cotecchinos, even some cured hams must be pasteurized. Europeans would argue that this diminishes their flavor quite considerably. read more...
Baguettes the French like - 15 Nov 2007
A bad baguette is almost as bad as that Kleenex bread. But there are some good ones around. read more...
Bacon - 15 Nov 2007
Proper bacon is not that stuff that leaks puddles of grayish water into the pan. Buy the bacon Grant Achatz of Alinea cooks with. read more...
Bacalào - 15 Nov 2007
Reconstituted dried salt cod may not sound like much in English, but call it, in Spanish, bacalào, in Portuguese bacalhau, or bacalà in Italian, and you have a highly prized dish. read more...
Greek cooking - lessons & eating out - 14 Nov 2007
The closest large Greek community is in Baltimore, with its markets and restaurants. But Middle East markets stock plenty of Greek ingredients, and you can learn to cook it yourself. read more...
Garlic - the stinking rose - 14 Nov 2007
Elizabeth David swore that swallowing an unpeeled clove of garlic whole before eating any garlicky food would prevent garlic smell on the breath. read more...
Chinese restaurants - 14 Nov 2007
They're everywhere. And this is not a restaurant review web site. But these are some of the place the Chinese eat at. read more...
Ethiopian markets - 14 Nov 2007
There is a large Ethiopian community in Washington, and a number of Ethiopian restaurants around the Adams Morgan area. There you'll also find some small but good Ethiopian groceries. read more...
Caribbean eateries - 14 Nov 2007
Cafe Atlantico and Red Ginger are well-known informal prime dining restaurants with a Caribbean twist. But there are others. read more...
Jeff Buben - Owner-chef of Vidalia - 11 Nov 2007
Jeffrey Buben started as a dishwasher, made his way to New York City and settled in the District. read more...
Parmigiano-Reggiano & Grana Padano - 11 Nov 2007
Never buy 'Parmesan' ready grated in those cardboard tubes. It tastes like vomit. read more...
Extras: Toddy coffee - 11 Nov 2007
Toddy Coffee is a method of making good coffee from cheap grounds, according to several eatWashingtonians. read more...
Dim sum explained - 11 Nov 2007
Dim sum - 'bits that touch the heart ' - are an ancient snack. And there are plenty of places around the area to sample them. read more...
Starters: Heirloom Beet and Vidalia Onion Salad, with Honey Thyme and Pink Peppercorn Vinaigrette served with Goat Cheese Crostini - 10 Nov 2007
With beets no longer confined to mid-winter growth, this is a pretty and delicious appetizer recipe from Jeffrey Buben, owner-chef of Vidalia, that could also do a turn in the spring and fall as a main course dish served with crusty bread. read more...
Desserts: Mango mousse - 10 Nov 2007
An easy and glamorous dessert - and a favorite secret of Washington's Middle East diplomatic community. Okay, the recipe doesn't use 'purist' ingredients and it smacks of some of those weird gelatin desserts of the 1950s. But it works. And is served with great success and admiration. read more...
Sides: Chilled Jumbo Asparagus and Shallot Remoulade made with Homemade Mayonnaise - 10 Nov 2007
Jamie Stachowski was the owner-chef of now closed Restaurant Kolumbia. His recipe offers a great technique for cooking asparagus as well as a sauce that would go well with grilled beef or dolloped on a roast beef sandwich. read more...
Jamie Stachowski - Owner-chef of Restaurant Kolumbia - 10 Nov 2007
Chef Jamie Stachowski learned about curing meat as a child, working in his Polish family’s restaurants. Sadly his Restaurant Kolumbia is now closed. But you can find some of his home-made sausages at The Keilbasa Factory. Read this profile and you'll understand why so many people are keeping their fingers crossed he'll be cooking again soon somewhere else. read more...
Chris Payton and Casey McQueen - Owner and chefs of The Curry Club - 10 Nov 2007
This interview took place when Chris Payton and Casey McQueen still owned The Curry Club, now closed.
Chris Payton and Casey McQueen met in an alley behind Payton's restaurant, the Curry Club. McQueen working at Bistro Lepic next door. They’ve been working together since. read more...
Mains: Wild Mushroom Risotto with Spring Asparagus - 10 Nov 2007
A good deal of fear surrounds the making of risotto. But as Geoffrey Tracy, owner-chef of Chef Geoff's and Lia's recipe makes clear, the prime technique to pull off this favorite dish is twelve to fourteen minutes of calm and patience. read more...
Geoff Tracy - Owner-chef of Chef Geoff's and Lia - 10 Nov 2007
In December 2006, Geoffrey Tracy opened a third restaurant. Five months later, his wife was due to give birth to twins. read more...
Robert Wiedmaier - Owner-chef of Marcel's - 10 Nov 2007
Ask chefs where they like to eat, and Marcel's will be high on their list. read more...
Desserts: Hot Chocolate Cake - 10 Nov 2007
Morton’s executive chef Bob Kiebler cooks by the book, This recipe from the Morton’s Steak Bible is the chain's No.1 dessert. “If you like molten chocolate cakes, you’ll be thrilled at how easy they are to make,” it says. “To get the right consistency, though, you must bake small, individual cakes; for these, you will need 6-ounce soufflé dishes or ramekins.” read more...
Mains: Grilled Watermelon Salad with Country Ham, Pine Nuts and Watercress - 10 Nov 2007
This is a stunningly pretty summer salad, pitching the raspberry red of the watermelon against the deep green of the watercress, from Tom Green, chef of the Kennedy Center. And it's refreshing, unusual and easy to make. read more...
Tom Green - Chef at the Kennedy Center - 10 Nov 2007
"I interviewed at a restaurant, as college students do, and on the application I wrote, 'I like to cook.' So they hired me as a chef," says the Executive Chef at the Kennedy Center. read more...
Vanilla - expensive but worth it. - 9 Nov 2007
Walter Nicholls used to report on food for the Washington Post's Food Section. Now he's plunged more deeply into the subject and with a single focus: to bring the best possible flavoring ingredients to cooks. He's joined the Paso Robles, CA, Cook Flavoring Company. Already he's managed to sway several prime Washington pastry chefs to use its vanilla. read more...
Starters: Virginia-style Peanut Soup with Jalapeño and Crispy Chicken Dumplings - 9 Nov 2007
When Terence Feury was the executive chef of Fahrenheit, his clients would beg him for this Southern recipe. It turns the humble peanut into an elegant and unusual soup that's so simple to make. The dumplings aren't tricky either - but the soup works well without them. read more...
Starters: Red Beet Salad - 9 Nov 2007
When Fabrizio Aielli, was the owner-chef of Teatro Goldoni, this recipe was one of his most popular appetizers. It's easily made. So though he and his wife Ingrid have moved down to Miami, he left it behind for us. read more...
Mains: Paella - 9 Nov 2007
Herbert Kerschbaumer, owner-chef of Jack's Restaurant & Bar's recipe can be increased in multiples to feed a crowd. And you don't have to watch over this version. Allter the balance of the first six ingredients, if you wish, according to taste. read more...
Extras: Chocolate Truffles - 9 Nov 2007
It's always a treat to be given a home-made food gift from a good cook. Trent Conry - once chef of Ardeo - has three sumptuous chocolate recipes for food presents any time of year but especially the holiday season, that even a modest cook can tackle fearlessly. read more...
Herbert Kerschbaumer - Owner-chef of Jack's Restaurant & Bar - 9 Nov 2007
Herbert Kerschbaumer opened his Dupont bistro, Jack's, after returning from a two-year honeymoon. read more...
Desserts: Classic Bistro Pot de Creme - 9 Nov 2007
Peter Brett, pastry chef of Circle Bistro's recipe, is the height of luxury, yet can be made in minutes before work on the day of a dinner party. Just make sure you use a good quality chocolate. read more...
Extras: Congee - 9 Nov 2007
The Chinese choose congee for breakfast, a warm porridge-like dish of rice. You have to be a fan of squidgy, slurpy food to be a fan of this. If you are, it offers a good background for your favorite Chinese crunchy bits, like dried fish or pickled vegetables. read more...
Starters: Gazpacho - 9 Nov 2007
Terri Cutrino, executive chef of Jose Andres' Jaleo restaurants' recipe for that refreshing and pretty soup perfect for summer soup which you can prepare well ahead of sitting down to eat it. read more...
Terri Cutrino - Chef of Cafe Atlantico - 9 Nov 2007
I talked to Chef Terri Cutrino when she was chef at Jaleo, which she first got to know Jaleo as a faithful customer when she worked at the AARP, located across the street. Now she's found at Cafe Atlantico. read more...
Mains: Thai Chicken Basil with Fried Egg - 9 Nov 2007
Aulie Bunyarataphan, owner-chef of Bangkok Joe's, gives a recipe that's the perfect example of how speedily a Thai dish can be brought to the table. The bulk of the time involved likes in assembling the ingredients for a quick stir fry that preserves flavor and contrast of textures. read more...
Fish: Slow Roasted Halibut with Potato-Mushroom Hash - 9 Nov 2007
The technique for keeping a piece of halibut succulent and juicy after cooking that Barton Seaver, when he was owner-chef of Hook, revealed in this recipe can be applied to any firm-fleshed white fish. The trick is in that water-filled pan of water. read more...
Starters: Baba Ghanouj - 9 Nov 2007
Abdulkader Niori, chef of Lebanese Taverna, adds yogurt to his recipe for this classic Middle Eastern eggplant dip. read more...
Abdulkader Niori - Chef of Lebanese Taverna - 9 Nov 2007
When Abdulkader Niori came to America from Eritrea at age 14, the owners of Lebanese Taverna took him under their wing. Over the years, he climbed from dishwasher to executive chef. read more...
Desserts: Sopa de Chocolato Blanco con Compota de Frutos Rojos - 9 Nov 2007
This is one of those recipes we all hunt for: a dish, in this case a dessert, that is impressive to taste and to look at, that can be whipped up with little effort and time. It came from Santi Zabaleta, when he was chef of Taberna del Alabardero. read more...
Fish: Lobster, Cucumber, French Tomato and Mango Salad with Passion Fruit Vinaigrette - 9 Nov 2007
When Alexander Powell was chef of 701, he offered this challenging recipe for accomplished cooks that stretches a lobster to feed a dinner party and marries it with unusual tropical fruits and flavors. read more...
Santi Zabaleta - Chef of Taberna del Alabardero - 9 Nov 2007
The Spanish government has dubbed Taberna del Alabardero "the best Spanish restaurant outside Spain." This interview was with its executive chef, Santi Sabaleta, who has recently been replaced by Dani Arana. read more...
Starters: Asparagus Soup - 9 Nov 2007
An elegant yet simple spring season soup with an unexpected addition of Gruyere, from Todd Gray, owner-chef of Equinox. read more...
Fish: Cod with Coconut Milk - 9 Nov 2007
When Bernard Marchive was chef of Pesce, he cooked this very simple recipe for cod or other firm white fish. Given he's French, its Asian twist comes as a surprise. read more...
Fabrice Bendano - Pastry chef of 1789 - 8 Nov 2007
1789 pastry chef Fabrice Bendano began his career at age 16 in a Cannes restaurant. read more...
Massimo Fabbri - Chef of Ristorante Tosca - 8 Nov 2007
Massimo Fabbri went through a tourist visa and two work visas en route to his post at Tosca. read more...
Phet Schwader - Chef of BLT Steak - 8 Nov 2007
Soulayphet "Phet" Schwader was raised in Kansas on food from his mother’s native Laos. But now he's executive chef at BLT Steak, lauded French chef Laurent Tourondel’s contemporary take on the classic American steakhouse. read more...
Peter Brett - Pastry chef of Circle Bistro - 8 Nov 2007
When Peter Brett, a graduate of Boston University’s graphic design program, discovered his passion for baking might actually earn him a salary, he went back to school and learned to become a professional pastry chef. read more...
Extras: Soda bread - 8 Nov 2007
Irish Soda Bread is the world's easiest, fastest loaf to make - no proving, no hanging about. Bought from local bakeries it's often a yeast-based confection of sweet dough studded with raisins. Here is EatWashingtonian Elisabeth Nicholson's recipe, from the Tyrone Guthrie artsplace in Co. Monaghan, which she says is "DEAD easy". read more...
Fish: Shrimp with Garlic and Chilies - 6 Nov 2007
If you're looking for a dish that will spark interest in your guests yet only take minutes to produce, this mildly spicy (you're in control) Indian recipe from Chris Payton and Casey McQueen, who once had the Curry Club in Glover Park, could be it. read more...
Starters: Tomato Soup with Goat Cheese Flan and Parmesan Sticks - 6 Nov 2007
Robert Wiedmaier, owner-chef of Marcel's recipe is three different elements in one. The Parmesan Sticks could be made alone to serve with cocktails and the Goat Cheese Flans could also become an alternative to the more familiar grilled goat cheese served on a mixed leaf salad. read more...
Desserts: Passion fruit syllabub - 6 Nov 2007
Passion fruit, in its wrinkled purple shell, may be one of the most expensive fruit to buy fresh in Washington, but in Australia and New Zealand, it grows so prolifically it is almost a weed. read more...
Cheeses unpasteurized - forbidden gems & others - 6 Nov 2007
The FDA prohibits the import and sale of raw milk cheeses under 60 days old, to the chagrin of Europeans. Trying to protect us from the very real ravages of E.coli and other bacteria means we're unable to taste some real gems from other countries.
Are the French and Italians falling like flies from their consumption of young unpasteurized milk cheeses? Click the link to my article for The National Interest and find out where the dangers really lie. read more...
Cinnamon - 5 Nov 2007
Cinnamon is the spice that provoked Columbus's search for the Spice Islands. read more...
Extras: Asian Marinade Hickory Grilled New York Strip - 4 Nov 2007
An Asian twist on a marinade for beef, from Phet Schwader, when he was chef de cuisine at BLT Steak, brings a fresh zing to a familiar favorite. read more...
Latino menus - what's is that stuff? - 4 Nov 2007
Que? Some of the terms on Latin American menus may be confusing enough to discouraging ordering. And you'd miss a treat. read more...
Latino produce - what is it all? - 4 Nov 2007
Supermarkets now carry increasing numbers of vegetables from Latin America and the Caribbean. But how should you use them? read more...
Chocolate - dark secrets - 4 Nov 2007
Think of chocolate and you think of Belgium, Switzerland, France. Or your thigh. But chocolate originated with the Aztecs and Mayans, to whom it was the nearest thing to a standard currency. read more...
Bourbon unburbled - 4 Nov 2007
What is Bourbon? A dark American whiskey originating in Bourbon County, Kentucky. read more...
Baked beans - the musical fruit - 4 Nov 2007
Beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you toot. The more you toot, the better you feel, so let's have beans at every meal! read more...
Extras: Pickled garlic - 4 Nov 2007
Pickled garlic - Kratiem Dong - is a popular Thai specialty that is very good for high blood pressure sufferers. Since you can buy huge containers of ready-peeled cloves at CostCo or H Mart and even some Giants, it's worth knowing how to make it at home. read more...
Lemongrass - how to grow - 4 Nov 2007
If you are a keen cook of Thai food, you may want to grow your own lemongrass. It's easy and a pleasing plant to have around the kitchen during winter when it should be brought inside.. read more...
Oriental fruits identified - 4 Nov 2007
Oriental markets are full of unfamiliar fruits. It's a shame to pass on them because you don't know what they are. read more...
Chinese drinks with food - 4 Nov 2007
While tea is commonly drunk in the West with Chinese meals, in China it is served only once the meal is over. read more...
Oriental products explained - 4 Nov 2007
Without a working knowledge of Chinese, most of the treasures in a Chinese or Asian supermarket will remain out of reach, on the shelves. Here's a phonetic translation so you can ask what's what. read more...
Rice - the long and the short of it - 4 Nov 2007
There are around 10,000 varieties of rice, though only some half dozen reach general stores. Which is best for what? Rice unraveled. read more...
Lentils & dhals unravelled - 4 Nov 2007
Which dhals are which? And which lentils, pulses and dhals are best for which dish? read more...
Coffee - grounds for debate - 4 Nov 2007
Before 1000 AD, the nomadic Galla tribe of Ethiopia realized that their daily ration of a certain local berry ground up and molded into a ball with animal fat was giving them an energy charge. What they were eating was the coffee bean. read more...
Festival foods - 3 Nov 2007
Easter is the most important festival of the year in Greece, with music and communal feasting of whole lambs roasted in the baker's oven or on spits. read more...
Smoked salmon - 2 Nov 2007
There's more to smoked salmon than some of those coral-pink plastic packets provide. read more...
Licorice - 2 Nov 2007
Licorice makes a Dutch candy beloved of its countrymen. And they like it salty... read more...
Speculoos - 2 Nov 2007
Speculoos to the Belgians are what brownies are to Americans. read more...
Yeast - 2 Nov 2007
Fresh yeast makes a better home-baked loaf than dried. But where to find it? read more...
Breads - a good chew - 2 Nov 2007
Not so long ago, the only bread available in Washington came sliced in cellophane packages. Now you can't move for choice among breads studded with everything from olives to cheese. But where can you get a plain brown loaf? read more...
Extras: Pesto - 1 Nov 2007
One taste of pesto is an instant ticket to Italy. And it isn't hard to make, with no really precise amounts. It's worth making yourself because pre-packed pesto too often tastes like damp lawn clippings. read more...
Barton Seaver - Owner-chef of Hook - 9 Oct 2007
This interview took place when Chef Barton Seaver opened Hook, to serve seafood bought directly from fishermen. Now he's back, from April 1, at the Glover Park restaurant that took over the Busara space, Blue Ridge. There'll be more than fish on the menu, unlike at Hook. read more...
Todd Gray - Owner-chef of Equinox - 9 Oct 2007
Todd Gray is chef at Equinox, and his wife, Ellen Kassoff Gray, is co-owner and general manager. They are one of just a few family teams in all of D. C's fine-dining establishments. read more...
Fish: Poached Lobster and Heirloom Tomato Salad - 9 Oct 2007
This is an elegant recipe from Massimo Fabbri, chef of Ristorante Tosca that's simple to achieve. And you can always buy your lobsters ready-cooked. read more...
Fish: Halibut with Fanny Bay Oysters, Sauternes and Blood Orange Reduction - 8 Oct 2007
The secret of this recipe from Yannick Cam, once owner-chef of Le Paradou, is in balancing the tartness of the citrus fruits against the unctuousness of the Sauternes and the butter in the sauce, then serving it with fish of prime freshness. read more...
Tea for two, ch'a, ch'a - 5 Oct 2007
Ch'a is the Chinese word for Tea but even in Russian - chai, Japanese - ocha, or English slang - char, afternoon tea is a thoroughly British institution. The court of Charles II of England was introduced to the drink in 1662 by his new wife, Catherine of Braganza, a century after the Portuguese had brought it back from Macao. The cuppa at once became the fashion. read more...
Tea tidbits - 5 Oct 2007
The difference between English tea and High Tea. read more...
Cream tea - 5 Oct 2007
A cream tea needs a good fruit jam and thick clotted cream to spread on a warm, freshly baked scone straight from the oven. Whether you spread the cream first or the jam first depends on whether you come from Devon or Cornwall. read more...
Bird's Custard - 5 Oct 2007
Bird's Custard - what's so great about ready-to-cook sweetened vanilla powder heated up and thickened with milk? read more...
Salty tale - salt explained - 5 Oct 2007
In the 1920s, table salt manufacturers in the U.S. began to add iodine to their product to prevent thyroid deficiency problems in the mid-West. These days, purist (or pretentious?) foodies like their salts unrefined and in a myriad of mineral colors. read more...
Mushrooms - mycological mysteries - 31 Dec 1969
Anyone living within easy access of forests across Russia, Poland, Finland and Northern Europe will know about mushroom hunts. As soon as the leaves are on the ground, people creep silently in the early morning through the undergrowth, reluctant to give their position away lest other hunters discover where they have made their finds of wonderful and exotic mushrooms.
More and more unusual mushrooms are reaching Washington's supermarkets and farmers' markets. But what are they? And what to do with them? read more...
David Ashwell - Chef of Brasserie Beck - 31 Dec 1969
David Ashwell, chef at Robert Wiedmaier's Brasserie Beck, left private dining rooms to return to restaurants. read more...
Nosh notes: Ethiopian restaurants - 31 Dec 1969
Early 1980s geopolitics brought Ethiopians to the capital area who now have grown to a community some 200,000 large. Like many of the Vietnamese who fled Saigon, some made a new life by opening a restaurant. Personally, it's not a cuisine I rush to cross town for. But here's a list of several with their own fierce fan base. read more...
In March 2007, Mike Isabella started at Zaytinya. Just a few months later, the hip downtown mezzethes restaurant won a RAMMY award.
Chew On This: Not sleeping makes you fat
Cakes - to order or make beautiful
Apple Tarte Tatin
My favorite markets - Yasaman Persian Bakery
It may look like a Big Mac but it isn't.
Cerkez Salad
Shiraz Grocery
Make your own tahini
Olives
Mike Isabella - Chef of Zaytinya
Chew On This: Omega-3s. Are they really that magical?
Chew on This: No link between red meat and cancer?
Plaza Market
Veal Cheeks
Browse for
Delicious Recipes
DC Chefs
Cuisine Regions