Asia to Australasia
You want to switch to eco cling-wrap? Banana leaves are the aluminum foil of South East Asia. Durian is the region's love-it-hate-it fruit. Congee is a Chinese breakfast you might wonder at. They may all be unfamiliar or even seem alarming. So bite instead into soft toro sashimi or spoon into an Australian passion fruit and float away on a striking taste trip. Whatever you're willing to sample, you've got to try a bowl of Vietnamese Phô. It will change your view of soup.
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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...
Asia to Australia food web sites - 29 Apr 2008
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...
Maxim's Supermarket* - 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...
Eden Center unscrambled - 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...
Apsara Gourmet Oriental Food Market - 21 Mar 2008
Apsara Gourmet Oriental Food Market has been running for 21 years. Angela Doroteo is its latest owner. She took it over from her uncle when he retired, but aside from having to hump heavy boxes of fresh produce from the bag of her car herself, little has changed.There are fresh rice noodles in the cold cabinet and shelves and shelves of dried ones, along with a huge array of bottled sauces and curry gravies. The choice of fresh produce is small but useful. In the season for champagne mangoes (the very best for flavor without fiber) she keeps a large supply of crates of them. "If it is wrinkly at the fat end," she advises, "don't walk away. This is when they are at their sweetest." read more...
Jumbo Jumbo Bubble Express* - 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...
Aji Ichiban* - 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...
Creamed Maitake Mushrooms with Edamame, Toasted Pistachios and Tarragon - 4 Jan 2008
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...
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...
Hisao Abe - Owner-chef of Kotobuki - 15 Dec 2007
Chef Hisao Abe, who owns Kotobuki on MacArthur Boulevard, learned the art of sushi-making after years of watching, sniffing, tasting. read more...
Aulie Bunyarataphan - Owner-chef of Bangkok Joe's - 14 Dec 2007
Bangkok Joe owner Aulie Bunyarataphan started her career using her grandmother's recipes. 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...
Ikura - 28 Nov 2007
The glowing bright orange 'caviar' beads used in sushi called ikura is the roe of the orange shum salmon. 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...
Mochi - a Japanese dessert - 27 Nov 2007
Mochi, a Japanese ice cream covered in dough, has developed a broad fan base. 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Chinese mushrooms - 24 Nov 2007
Several varieties of Chinese mushrooms are sold dried in Chinese script packages. But which should you use for what? 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...
Kaz Okoshi - Owner-chef of Kaz Sushi Bistro - 20 Nov 2007
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...
Kabocha Soboroni - 19 Nov 2007
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...
Filipino market finds - 18 Nov 2007
There are wonderful, unfamiliar to many, goodies to discover at Filipino markets. 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...
Wild Chesapeake Rockfish with Lemongrass Broth and Shiitake Mushrooms - 18 Nov 2007
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...
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...
Fish - fresh or not so fresh? - 17 Nov 2007
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. 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 noodles & curd - 17 Nov 2007
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...
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...
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...
Katsuya Fukushima - Chef of Minibar & Café Atlántico - 16 Nov 2007
Katsuya Fukushima planned to be a scientist, but instead he has become a chef doing work that he regrets has been dubbed “molecular gastronomy.” read more...
Lontong - 16 Nov 2007
Strictly speaking, Indonesian sate is served not with toast points but with cubes of lontong, compressed rice, cooked in a rectangular banana leaf package similar to this. 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...
Banana leaves - 15 Nov 2007
Banana leaves, like corn husks, are cooking wraps supplied by nature not the supermarket. 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...
Breakfasts - a good start - 14 Nov 2007
The Italians and Greeks drink a thimble of strong coffee. The Vietnamese eat Phô, the Chinese congee, and the Irish, English, Welsh and Scots a heart-burning fry-up. It's all breakfast to them. read more...
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. read more...
Roasted Peking Duck, Kohlrabi, Apples, and Chard - 10 Nov 2007
This makes an elegant fall and winter dish from Brendan Cox, chef of Circle Bistro. While the duck is roasting in the oven, you have plenty of time to tackle the vegetables and the rich sauce. read more...
DC's wholesale/retail market unscrambled - 10 Nov 2007
Shop fresh produce, meat and groceries retail where DC's store and restaurant owners go to buy wholesale. read more...
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...
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...
David Ashwell - Chef of Brasserie Beck - 9 Nov 2007
David Ashwell, chef at Robert Wiedmaier's new Brasserie Beck, has left private dining rooms to return to restaurants. read more...
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...
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...
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...
Asian Marinade Hickory Grilled New York Strip - 4 Nov 2007
An Asian twist on a marinade for beef, from Phet Schwader, chef of BLT Steak, brings a fresh zing to a familiar favorite. read more...
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...
Sushi and sashimi explained - 4 Nov 2007
Confused about the difference between sushi and sashimi? This is it. 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...
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...
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.
Garlic - the stinking rose
Licorice
Farmers' markets - food for health and flavor
Share Our Strength chefs' cook out!
Asparagus - just so much grass...
Chinese restaurants: Kosher, vegan, organic
Gastropubs - eating cheap in Britain
Phyllis Richman
Chew on This: Chicken abuse
Quinoa - the risotto alternative
Quinoa
Balsamic vinegar - a sour note
Yasaman*
Chew on This: We drank more bottled water than beer last year
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