|
|
Jordan Wright
August 2010
Ooey, gooey, chewy cupcakes, creamy icing sliding off the tops, finger-licking, oh heck, paperliner-licking good, crumbs caught mid-air and time-warp flashbacks – a retro rewind to the innocent indulgence of old-fashioned cupcakes, where a kid’s eyeballs over-amp in megawatt lust and grown-ups get a tiny dessert sans guilt. Something for the whole family. Something to get us into the minivan and drive for miles only to stand in line…or maybe not.
 Chef Finarelli with Red Velvet Chocolate Port Cupcake batter - photo by Jordan Wright In the midst of all the current cupcake hoo-hah Chef Matt Finarelli breaks away from the pack to say, “Let’s make sophisticated cupcakes and teach everyone how to bake them at home!”
 Andy Hoyle of Republic National Distributing pairs cupcakes with spirits - Photo by Jordan Wright Finarelli, who teaches several cooking classes a week at Open Kitchen in Falls Church, Virginia, in everything from tapas to tamales and pizza to pappardelle, demonstrates an astounding repertoire of international cookery coupled with a keen sense of humor and boyish charm. This month’s single session evening courses have included “Summer in St. Tropez”, featuring Julia Child’s salade niçoise, whole roasted branzino with lemon aioli (author’s weakness) and ratatouille. And for a light dessert, caramelized peaches with peach ice cream and peach chocolate macaroons. How’s that for a foodcation to the South of France at home!
During an island-inspired night class called “Caribbean Dream” participants learned how to prepare grilled lobster, seviche atop avocado, and flaming rummed-up bananas Foster with both pineapple and coconut. It’s no wonder his classes fill up quickly. You are both student and diner!
For his “Adult Cupcakes and Wine Pairing” Finarelli demo’ed and served six of his inspired recipes. Imagine, if you will, red velvet chocolate port cupcakes with vanilla port frosting paired with Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port from Amador County, CA and dark chocolate and chipotle cupcakes with candied orange peel paired with Banfi Rosa Regale from Strevi, Italy. A bride-to-be with friends in tow came for a bachelorette party and were enjoying a few extra purchased glasses of champagne and port. Yes, you can do that too. How civilized.
Andy Hoyle of Republic National Distributing described and poured for the class of 40 guests, “The cork pops here”, he quipped to an increasingly cheery group. Hoyle took a tricky menu-pairing complementing sweets with spirits. My favorite combination was a pretty prosecco and almond cupcake topped with rosewater and petite flowers. It was served with Kluge Estate Cru, a divine bubbly out of Charlottesville, VA. We heart our champers and this is a lovely one. Here’s your assignment while sipping:
 Prosecco and Almond Cupcakes with rosewater and fresh flowers - Photo by Jordan Wright Prosecco and Almond Cupcakes with Rosewater and Fresh Blossoms
Courtesy of Chef Matt Finarelli of Open Kitchen
Yield ~32 cupcakes
Ingredients:
4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 sticks butter – unsalted – softened
3 cups sugar
8 ea eggs
6 Tbsp milk
¼ cup Prosecco
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup slivered almonds – well chopped
1 recipe Rosewater Frosting
As needed Edible blossoms (e.g. pansies, marigolds, small roses, cone flowers, herb flowers, lilac, lavender – all pesticide free and well washed.)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cupcake pan with papers.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- With mixer on low speed beat in milk, Prosecco and vanilla until just combined.
- Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating until just combined after each addition.
- Fold in almonds gently.
- Bake until toothpick comes out clean – about 20 minutes. Cool and top with Rosewater Frosting and then edible blossoms.
Rosewater Frosting
Ingredients:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1¾ cups confectioner’s sugar
5 tsp rosewater
Method:
- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.
- Add lemon juice and rosewater and beat until smooth.
Open Kitchen wears many toques. It is a full-service caterer, a cooking school with hands-on or demo cooking classes, a flex-timeshare kitchen for local chefs to launch and grow their own business, and a bistro serving lunch Monday through Saturday, and dinner Thursday through Saturday.
To check class schedules, restaurant hours and timeshare availability visit: www.OpenKitchen-DCMetro.com or call 703 942-8148.
August 2010, Jordan Wright
In the blistering heat of a summer’s day a battalion of gardeners in full purple t-shirted regalia toils beneath my window plying their weaponry against the unruly grass. They strive to conquer all they survey with baying mowers, droning blowers and edger wands with the ear-splitting sound of concrete on steel.
 Chocolate Chip Almond Ice Cream- photo by Jordan Wright Adding to their fearsome cacophony, are whining electric drills and triple-octave cicadas telegraphing for the perfect mate. The drills are the worst. Long after the landscapers have moved on and the bugs have cast off their brittle casings, homeowners, spurred by an overdose of DIY shows, will still be building, re-building, repairing, sanding, painting and patching up what seems like every wall and roof in the neighborhood. Did I mention the road crews?
Here in my cool cocoon, I have strategized my own military operation geared to thrash back the blistering temperatures with frosty ice cream treats and luscious fruit cobblers. I consider this an important mission.
A few summers ago Wheeler Del Toro, author of “The Vegan Scoop” was serving up samples of his recipes at National Harbor’s Food and Wine Festival. Founder of the Boston-based Wheeler’s Frozen Dessert Company, Del Toro learned his craft at the posh Berthillon ice cream shop in Paris and turned his knowledge and skills into his own interpretation of the icy confection by using all-vegan ingredients.
Now I am most assuredly not vegan, not by anyone’s definition, but I do try to limit my consumption of dairy products when at all feasible. So this month I finally got around to trying out some recipes from the book. I started out with Del Toro’s Cantaloupe, not rich enough; then the Strawberry, not luscious enough and the berries too chunky and hard. I was really excited about the Red Bean, hoping to replicate any one of the versions I enjoy in Japanese restaurants. Here I met with another failure
 The yummy bits before adding to coffee ice cream - photo by Jordan Wright when I inadvertently used a jar of a red bean paste called for in the recipe, but, alas, didn’t notice the second ingredient on the jar read salt! The whole horrid mess met the drain with a vengeance!
Feeling as though nothing worse could befall my amateur attempts, I hit upon my tour de force…quasi-vegan coffee ice cream with bittersweet chocolate chunks and almonds. ‘Quasi’ since I used Nestle’s chocolate chips… more convenient and economical and I didn’t want to have to jettison a cup of chopped Scharffen Berger if things didn’t go my way yet again.
I became convinced that substituting the arrowroot, called for in the recipe, for cornstarch was the clincher. The final product had a smoother mouth feel and more body. Just remember if you decide to try it my way the ratio is one-part arrowroot equals two- parts cornstarch.
I used Del Toro’s basic Coffee recipe and put in the bits that I like best.
DAIRY-FREE COFFEE ICE CREAM
Adapted from The Vegan Scoop (Fair Winds Press) by Jordan Wright
 The finished product - photo by Jordan Wright 1 cup (235 ml) plain soymilk [not the light variety], divided
2 tablespoons (16 g) arrowroot powder [or 4 tablespoons corn starch]
2 cups (plain) soy creamer
¾ cup (175 ml) fresh strong coffee [I used decaf]
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract [I used ½ vanilla and ½ almond]
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 cup chopped skin-on whole almonds (raw or toasted)
In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup soymilk with arrowroot. Set aside.
Mix soy creamer, remaining ¾ cup soymilk, coffee and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat. [This took me forever to heat up so I ratcheted it up to medium] Once mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and add arrowroot cream. This will cause the liquid to thicken noticeably. Add vanilla extract.
Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2 to 3 hours. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. In the last two minutes, while the ice cream is still soft, stir in the chocolate and almonds.
Note: Since this product results in a firmer freeze, it is best to leave the ice cream on the counter for about a half an hour before serving.
FRUIT COBBLER -TRIED AND TRUE AND STUNNINGLY SIMPLE
On weekly forays to the farmer’s market I often find myself lured by the bounty of locally grown produce and come home laden with baskets chock-a-block with far more than I can use up in a day or two. My winter-starved senses crave redemption from anemic supermarket fruit and I cave at the glorious sight of towering tables of berries, peaches, plums and nectarines bursting with vibrant color and flavor and the sweetly floral scent of just-picked fruit.
 Blackberries - photo by Jordan Wright Lately I have turned my over-buying into a successful solution. At least once a week we are invited to a party or picnic where we are asked to bring a dish to aid our over-burdened hosts in filling out the menu for a large gathering. For years such an invitation has put me into a tailspin as I mentally review my hundreds of go-to recipes to arrive at the perfect offering.
Here are my typical requirements for a summer’s dish: Not too fancy, not too complex and assuredly fail-proof. Won’t melt, easy to whip up with a minimum of on-hand ingredients, cooks up while taking shower, needs no additional on-site preparation, poses no challenge to most food allergies, and is able to withstand brutal temperatures without poisoning the guests.
Notice to gracious hosts entertaining in July and August: You need not alphabetize me to determine sweet or savory. The following dish handed down by my husband’s mother, who is an 87-year veteran of every church, garden and civic club potluck dinner in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is what you can expect.
GRANDMA FREDIA’S FRUIT COBBLER
Adapted by Jordan Wright
 Nectarine cobbler with creme fraiche - photo by Jordan Wright
1 cup self-rising flour (unsifted)
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon of vanilla
1 quart skin-on and sliced peaches (about 6 large) or nectarines (about 8 ) or blueberries or blackberries or a combination of the above
1 stick of butter
Set oven to 350˚. Whisk together sugar and flour. Add buttermilk and vanilla to make a batter. Don’t overmix. Put stick of butter in glass or enamel casserole dish and place in oven until it begins to bubble, about 5 minutes, but keep checking till you get the hang of it. Do not leave the kitchen at this point even to hunt for the sunscreen. Remove dish and place fruits evenly over the melted butter. Pour batter to cover all fruit. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes till nicely browned on top. Remove and set on rack to cool. Now would be the time to wrap the hostess gift.
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, ice cream or crème fraiche.
Special Feature to the Washington Examiner by Jordan Wright – Sunday August 1st, 2010
Nothing’s more exciting to me than a food quest. I will go anywhere foraging leads me. I’ve rambled down back roads to find a beekeeper who sells honey off her front porch and waded through fields of strawberries, stretching out as far as the eye can see, to gather the ripe fruit for homemade strawberry jam. I’ve tromped over woodlands rife with snakes and poison ivy (dicey at best) to find the edible shoots of the thorny greenbrier vine and collect the elusive morel. I follow the food wherever it leads me and farmers are my most powerful inspiration. So when I heard that the well-known family restaurant, Silver Diner, was serving local and sustainable food, my ears pricked up. I may have even cocked my head like a bird upon hearing the UPS truck thunder down the road, but initially I just couldn’t wrap my brain around the incongruity.
 The scene at the Silver Diner - photo by Jordan Wright Let’s see… a 1950’s-style diner that is also a healthful eatery with fresh fruits and vegetables and grass-fed hormone free beef. Visions of “The Fonz” and “American Graffiti” coupled with burgers n’ fries kept edging forward. I only knew the iconic diner as a fast-food greasy spoon with neon-lighting, formica-topped counters, gut-busting platters and antique car rallies in the parking lots.
I ignored the news for a few weeks longer while a friend in the local small farm movement continued to update me with newer and ever more surprising revelations. “There are on-site weekend farmers markets, money-off coupons to restaurant patrons to redeem at the farm stands, and a brand new menu loaded with fresh and local fruits, whole grains, veggies and meats,” she crowed. My curiosity piqued, but first I dug out my Holmesian magnifying glass which looks a bit like a like a cell phone because it is…and placed a call to HQ in Rockville, MD to verify her findings.
When I reached Ype Von Hengst, the Dutch chef and co-owner, I heard a-man-on-a-mission, “Families with kids want to go to places with better food options. So we’ve gone local and healthful,” he said. “I have a moral obligation to give it to the kids.“ Music to my ears…
 Farmers markets are found outside some of the Silver Diners on Sundays - photo by Jordan Wright He spoke of sourcing from local farmers and providing an outlet for them to bring their product directly to his customers. “When they eat with us they receive coupons to redeem outside at the farm stands and if they have any produce left over at the end of the day we buy it from them and use it in the restaurant.” “We have six parking lot markets going now, with plans for next summer’s expansion.”
Von Hengst, who is running his second Marine Corps marathon this October, is proud of the changes to Silver Diner and is constantly searching for new sources. “It’s a journey for us. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we have begun by rethinking our whole approach to buying and sourcing locally as much as possible.” It makes them a gleaming example to others in the family-friendly food business – low prices coupled with fresh healthful food from area farms. They deserve a lot of credit.
“Our local produce comes to us the day after it has been picked off the vine and our milk from the Kreider family farm in Manheim, PA, goes from the cow to our milkshakes in as little as two days,” he continued. Here at last a paradigm shift in the way we picture the American diner.
My husband was up for a visit. He loves this place, with its home-style food, retro vibe and cute Sebring tabletop jukeboxes. We were in high warble during our drive to the Clarendon location to confirm the rumors. (There are seven Silver Diner outposts in the Metro DC/VA/MD area and eleven others around the Mid-Atlantic, but this one was the closest for us.) We had no idea what to expect and my husband was afraid they had done away with his favorite sausage, eggs and biscuits, or worse, jacked up the prices. Instead we found the same gentle prices and some of the traditional menu options, but much more nutritious.
If you have a fondness for Silver Diner’s big breakfasts, the smoked Surry sausage and Virginia-cured center cut ham steak now come from Edwards and Sons in Surry, VA. Founded in 1926, they are the only company still producing hickory-smoked hams in Virginia and they make them the old-fashioned way, from a 1604 recipe that uses brown sugar, fresh sage, red pepper and salt and smokes them for 24 hours.
 The new menu reflects fresh and wholesome changes - photo by Jordan Wright Instead of white-flour flapjacks we could choose from banana granola pancakes made with local honey nut granola from a little producer in Baltimore or French toast made with wonderfully eggy challah bread from Uptown Bakery in Hyattsville where the diner sources all of its artisanal multi-grain breads. And although they still have flaky fresh-baked in-house buttermilk biscuits you can opt for leaner turkey bacon to go with your eggs from Martin Farms in Fincastle, VA. While there I spied an omelette prepared with a crab cake and sweet local corn folded in and blended with fresh scallions and Monterey jack cheese that’s still calling my name.
You begin to get the sense that big change has already come to Silver Diner when you are handed the menu featuring a chef on the cover crisply white-jacketed and cradling a bounty of fresh produce. Inside the extensive menu lets you choose from 600-calorie entreés listing the fat (in some cases a mere 5 grams), calories, cholesterol count and fiber. Lighter dishes like Mango Vegetarian Stir Fry served with whole-wheat angel hair pasta or Grilled Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce could satisfy even the pickiest eater, but they still feature favorites like the down-home Smothered BBQ Meatloaf made with two-week aged hormone- and antibiotic-free Angus beef from Black Eagle Farms in Piney River, VA.
We also found local Chesapeake Bay soft shell crab sandwiches, mid-Atlantic Mahi Mahi with brown rice and edamame that pair well with a selection of local beers Tupper’s from Maryland and Old Dominion and Star Hill breweries of Virginia. Wines are from Virginia’s Barboursville, Horton and Chateau Morrisette located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even the diner’s Greenberry coffee was roasted in nearby Charlottesville, VA. I don’t usually tout a price point but believe me your wallet will thank you.
 Fruits and veggies at the Silver Diner's farmers market in Clarendon - photo by Jordan Wright Oh, yes, you can still get fries, though they’re fried in zero percent trans-fat oil just as they have done even before the new stricter standards… and all their milkshakes and malts are made with all-natural ice cream, no food coloring or preservatives, thank you. The Chunky Monkey Banana Shake and the Peanut Butter Heath Bar Shake haven’t been abandoned either, but choices now include healthier alternatives like the Acai Pomegranate Shake made with organic acai berries, pomegranate juice,banana, yogurt and wheat germ or the Peachy Blue that adds fresh blueberries and peach topping.
Here’s where they pay it forward. The diner is launching a program that reflects their commitment and transformation. They call it “Eat Well Do Well!” It not only gives the customer dollars-off on subsequent visits but also partners with Action for Healthy Kids and donates a portion of its sales to the Farm-to-School week promoted by First Lady, Michelle Obama. Oh, and did I forget to mention they have free Wi-Fi?
Before driving off we picked up heirloom tomatoes, from Chris Guerre owner of the Maple Avenue Market in Vienna and scallions from Angela Stolberg of Lucia Farm in Culpepper. It doesn’t get any fresher!
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the next generation diner.
www.silverdiner.com
Visit Whisk and Quill on Facebook
Jordan Wright, Nibbles and Sips, July 31, 2010
 Todd Gray in his home kitchen putting the finishing touches on the hors d'oeuvres at the Garden Bling Party - photo by Jordan Wright Chef Todd Gray and his wife Ellen Kassoff Gray opened their Washington DC home this past weekend in a Garden Bling fundraising effort for FAIR Fund. The DC based non-profit works to prevent the human trafficking and sexual violence of youth all over the world.
 Tomato Tartare from Michel Richard - photo by Jordan Wright Coming together for a wonderful cause guests were treated to wine and hors d’oeuvres from Todd Gray’s Equinox and Michel Richard’s Citronelle and catch a glimpse of Todd preparing the heavenly nibbles in his home kitchen. In their garden guests listened to remarks from co-founder, Andrea Powell, and enjoyed live music. Auctioned off were dinners and a huge basket of goodies from the soon-to-be opened Serendipity3. However the real centerpiece of the event was FAIR Fund’s JewelGirls whose unique jewelry was snapped up by the guests.
 Guests enjoy music and food in the garden - photo by Jordan Wright This dynamic and creative effort is an economic empowerment and art therapy program that provides approximately 200 young women a chance at a life free from exploitation and violence. Participants create jewelry while gaining access to mentors, support and life and financial management skills. All proceeds from the sales help provide young women with safe housing, health care, clothing, food and basic necessities.
 Jeanine Schoonover, Jenny Hay, Jordan Wright - photo by Yulia Mikhalchuk Recognized in 2008/2009 as a “Best Small Charity” by the Greater Washington Chronicle of Philanthropy, FAIR Fund serves over 1,500 active college students.
www.fairfund.org
www.shutterbloom.com
Want more photos? Visit Whisk and Quill on Facebook
From Ted Turner to Ted Lerner
Sports Legend and Washington Nationals President Stan Kasten Lunches with ESPN’s Thom Loverro and Kevin Sheehan
 From left ESPN's Thom Loverro, Washington Nationals President, Sam Kasten, Jordan Wright of Whisk and Quill and ESPN's Kevin Sheehan at Morton's DC - photo by Whisk and Quill Jordan Wright
July 2010
Washington Nationals President, Stan Kasten, was the “Living Legend” featured at Morton’s DC luncheon yesterday. A font of inside sports info from his days with Ted Turner and the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks, the loquacious and astute Kasten told us, “There aren’t enough cameras and media for Turner who has a separate staff that works to create buzz for him.” Are we surprised? About his early days, “I used to drive around the country going to minor league games when I was a teenager.” Must be the junior training camp for running a team…
Children Uniting Nations Pre-Gala Dinner Is Full of Surprises
 CUN Founder Daphna Ziman (left) with Lani Hay - photo courtesy of Shutterbloom photography Lani Hay, President and CEO of Lanmark Technology, Inc., uber-lobbyist, Dr. Christine Warnke and Greg Houston, President of PSA-DC hosted a private dinner at Neyla’s to welcome the celebs to town. Jermaine and Randy Jackson, Quinton Aaron, co-star of “The Blind Side” with Sandra Bullock, Def Jam artist and Oprah discovery, Abraham McDonald felt the crush beside locals like Modern Lounge’s Janine Schoonover, whom some of you may not know got her Edward R. Murrow Award when she was an investigative reporter for a documentary shown on PBS’s “Frontline’”, and hair stylist-to-the-stars, Erwin Gomez, of the Erwin Gomez Salon in Georgetown.
 Erwin Gomez (center) with Janine Schoonover (right) and friend - photo courtesy of Shutterbloom McDonald’s dynamic sister and manager, Breeze, told me the announcement of his win on Oprah’s “Karaoke Challenge” was a surprise, “We were all sitting around the computer when Ms. Winfrey Skyped us and we saw that we were on the show live!” The surprise at this party was McDonald’s astounding vocal range as he sang to the wowed crowd a cappella.
Alice in Wonderland at National Harbor
 A visitor considers the Alice display - photo courtesy of The Art League Yesterday evening’s opening of Alexandria’s The Art League’s exhibition of paintings by Carol Dupre was held at its latest venue in National Harbor. Dupre’s “Alice in Wonderland” series has been a voyage of artistic discovery. “The final ‘staging’ of my second painting series of Alice has a totally different feel that the first series…. Alice has moved from child-growth and child-awakenings in many different accumulative ‘forms of knowledge’ to later years of further access reconstructing the initial identity forms” she informed the gathering at the location’s first ever show.
Jermaine Jackson Sings at DC Gala
Last night’s Children Uniting Nations gala at the J. W. Marriott had a wealth of talent with Def Jam artist,
 Def Jam Artist Abraham McDonald after his crowd-stopping number at Neyla's for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright Abraham McDonald and Jermaine Jackson who was accompanied by his
gorgeous wife, Halima Rashad. McDonald sang his latest hit “Miracle”. Surprise performer Jackson channeled his late brother, Michael, with his haunting rendition of “Smile”.
“This was his favorite song, “ he wistfully told the predominantly LA gathering, most of whom had been on Capitol Hill all day lobbying for global foster care advocacy. “A cause that” in the words of founder, Daphna Ziman, “counts on us. The children don’t vote and don’t pay taxes.”
 Jermaine Jackson wows the crowd at the gala for Children Uniting Nations - photo by Jordan Wright I spoke with California Congresswoman Diane Watson who gave one the most moving tributes of the evening. On cooking she told me. “I only cook once a year at Christmas, but I make all the same dishes my grandmother did. She was from New Orleans and could make all the wonderful recipes from Cajun to Creole. My sister and I had to figure it out since she never wrote down the recipes… but we remembered the flavors and worked it out on our own.”
Well, you knew I was going to steer the conversation around to food…
Want more photos? Visit Whisk and Quill on Facebook
Extra photos courtesy of Shutterbloom Photography http://shutterbloom.com/ and The Art League http://www.theartleague.org
Pages: 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
...25
26
27
Next
|