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. [...]]]> 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

Andy Hoyle of Republic National Distributing pairs cupcakes with spirits - Photo by Jordan Wright

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

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.

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 [...]]]> 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 [...]]]>

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

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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 [...]]]>

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

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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 [...]]]> 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…

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Extra photos courtesy of Shutterbloom Photography http://shutterbloom.com/ and The Art League http://www.theartleague.org

Zentan Chef Susur Lee

Master chef Susur Lee glides through space as fluidly as a man performing his daily tai chi exercises. Exuding grace, elegance and economy of motion, he has replaced the traditional sword and sabre of a ninja warrior [...]]]> Special Feature to The Washington Examiner by Jordan Wright – Monday July 12^th, 2010
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/The-legend-of-a-master-chef-98429204.html

Zentan Chef Susur Lee

Master chef Susur Lee glides through space as fluidly as a man performing his daily tai chi exercises. Exuding grace, elegance and economy of motion, he has replaced the traditional sword and sabre of a ninja warrior for the more utilitarian kitchen knife, his weapon of choice to create his tantalizing dishes.

Chef Susur Lee's "Top Chef Masters" highest scoring elimination round Roasted Chicken Curry - photo by Jordan Wright

During his 30-year career, Lee has studied classic French, Chinese and Japanese cuisines and developed his own vocabulary by fusing all three.

With the opening of his first since-shuttered restaurant, Lotus, in Toronto, he parlayed his worldwide notoriety into consulting for the posh Ritz-Carlton and starting his own string of successful restaurants. He now owns the eponymous Lee Restaurant and Madeline’s in Toronto, Shang in New York and Chinois in Singapore. And, thankfully for us, he has opened his latest outpost, Zentan, in Donovan House, just off Thomas Circle, where I found nirvana in his inspired menu.

Lee is on a mission to conquer the world by introducing his guests, dish by brilliantly innovative dish, to his New Asian Cuisine.

Towering Singapore Slaw at Zentan - photo by Jordan Wright

Our evening’s menu began with Singapore slaw, a stunningly beautiful tower of 19 ingredients, dressed with salted plum sauce and topped with toasted hazelnuts, daikon sprouts and scattered with orange marigolds and yellow pansy petals. Black and white sesame-crusted tuna, slightly seared and crowned with chopped egg and Thai mint, was followed by Cantonese marinated skirt steak with shallot brown butter, chili ponzu and crunchy hazelnuts. Many dishes sported two sauces, further ratcheting up the dynamic.

It was around that time that I morphed into a sybaritic diner on overdrive as we dove into Mongolian rack of lamb with chili mint, carrot cardamom chutney and Penang peanut sauce with a foil of sugary glazed bananas. There was a perfect sweet and sour soup with shards of chicken and vegetables, roasted salmon cloaked in yuzu-tarragon hollandaise, topped with avocado wedges and wasabi mashed potatoes, and a lusciously caramelized black cod that benefitted from a miso mustard sauce and Cantonese preserved vegetables, a house version of kimchi.

Black and White Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna at Zentan - photo by Jordan Wright

We tried chicken two ways. The first offering was rolled chicken breast prepared Pekin style. A technique more commonly employed with duck, it is a two-day preparation that requires the chef to blow air between the skin and flesh, and hang it to dry for 10 hours. The result renders the skin sweetly lacquered and the meat tender and moist. I imagined the accompanying delicate shrimp chips as a perfect cocktail snack. The second chicken dish we tried was Lee’s “Top Chef Masters” award-winning roasted chicken with curry. It had earned him the highest “elimination round” score in the show’s history, and it does not disappoint.

In each of the dishes I found the global influences Lee uses in designing his food, and the elements of sweet, salty, spicy, tart, juicy and crunchy that bear his unique signature and complement each dish. His mastery of

Caramelized black cod with a miso mustard sauce and Cantonese preserved vegetables - photo by Jordan Wright

technique, flavor and artistry roared off the plate, and I reveled in the most memorable Asian meal I have had since my last visit to Singapore.

This summer the restaurant has been serving some of Zentan’s nibbles and sips beside the hotel’s rooftop pool overlooking the city, where the bar scene is hot. Friends can lounge and take a dip from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. while enjoying spicy ginger martinis and grilled skewers of curried coconut shrimp, garlic chicken, Korean chili skirt steak, teriyaki pork belly, and miso and brown sugar glazed vegetables. Try the scrumptious sushi, sashimi and spicy lobster roll with shiso and caviar. On Saturday and Sunday, they grill the skewers poolside from noon to 5:30 p.m.

www.zentanrestaurant.com

Our first president tipples the good stuff at Mount Vernon - photo by Jordan Wright

George Washington is still entertaining in fine style at his Mount Vernon home with the release of his original recipe un-aged rye whiskey being sold for the first time since 1814. A limited number of the bottles, priced [...]]]> Jordan Wright
July 2010

Our first president tipples the good stuff at Mount Vernon - photo by Jordan Wright

George Washington is still entertaining in fine style at his Mount Vernon home with the release of his original recipe un-aged rye whiskey being sold for the first time since 1814. A limited number of the bottles, priced at $85.00, were available for the launch (only 471) last week and I was thrilled to be number 30 in the queue. There was also a commemorative boxed set containing an engraved shot glass and mini bottle of the aged variety, a tempting bracer for an brisk autumn fox hunt.

A magnificent morning greeted eager tasters who toured the distillery and gristmill along the banks of Doe Creek where the rye whiskey is being made and bottled by hand just as it was done two centuries ago and according to the original records uncovered at the estate.

The grist mill at work - photo by Jordan Wright

Every part of the centuries-old process is authentic - photo by Jordan Wright

The raw grain ready for processing - photo by Jordan Wright

VA State Senator Toddy Puller, whose efforts cannot be understated in sponsoring Virginia’s new distilled spirits tasting law allowing Mount Vernon a special designation to sell the whiskey, was presented with the first bottle by Dennis Pogue, Mount Vernon’s Associate Director for Preservation, and Dr. Peter Kressy, President of the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS), who proudly told of his association’s commitment in leading industry funding for the $2.1 million archeological excavation and reconstruction.

James Rees, President of the influential Mount Vernon Ladies Association spoke of Washington the innovator and entrepreneur, “This was the largest and most successful distillery in the United States, marketing to the West Indies, England and Portugal.”

The handmade process in the distillery - photo by Jordan Wright

Master Distiller, David Pickerell, poses in front of the distillery - photo by Jordan Wright

The Master Miller (center) checks the records - photo by Jordan Wright

Master Distiller, David Pickerell, formerly of Maker’s Mark Bourbon and now distilling his own WhistlePig Farm rye whiskey in Vermont, described the whiskey this way, “It’s nose is slightly floral, earthy and grainy, with a taste that is surprisingly sweet and mellow with a berry taste.” He added, “The whole process was exhausting. Everything was made by hand and we did it in two weeks!”

A rare first bottle of George Washington's original recipe rye whiskey - photo by Jordan Wright

The estate currently has around 50 gallons laid back of the two year-old straight rye whiskey aging in oak barrels. It won’t be available till next spring. But according to Pogue, the demand for the un-aged variety has been so high they are trying to have a new batch ready at the same time.

World Champion mixologist, Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve and PX in Alexandria, was so inspired he created a new recipe for Whisk and Quill just for the occasion.

I Cannot Tell a Lie

1 oz. George Washington Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Bourbon
½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Cherry Liqueur
2 oz. Cherry Vanilla Juice (recipe follows)
Dash of Fee Brothers Cherry Bitters

Cherry Vanilla Juice
Mix together 1 quart of pitted cherries and 1 scooped out vanilla bean. Pass through a food mill.
To serve:
Stir all the ingredients together and serve in a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
Courtesy of Todd Thrasher

For more information about The Distillery at Mount Vernon visit www.mountvernon.org

For questions or comments on this article contact Jordan@WhiskandQuill.com. Visit us on Facebook to see more photos of our stay.

June 2010

Lena Mae Brown's Carolina Gold Plantation Rice Pudding at the home of Campbell and Meredith Coxe - photo by Jordan Wright

A quest for the traditional “receipts” of the Old South and the emerging epicurean landscape of the New South drew me to tour South Carolina on a nine-day culinary adventure.  Along [...]]]> Jordan Wright

June 2010

Lena Mae Brown's Carolina Gold Plantation Rice Pudding at the home of Campbell and Meredith Coxe - photo by Jordan Wright

A quest for the traditional “receipts” of the Old South and the emerging epicurean landscape of the New South drew me to tour South Carolina on a nine-day culinary adventure.  Along the way my partner and I sampled pickled cherries, okra, mushrooms and leeks and beheld gleaming glass jars of green beans and purple baby beets.  From top restaurants to roadside stands we tasted blackberry, raspberry and tomato jams and jellies and reveled in the fresh fish and shellfish from oceans, rivers, and bays starring on every menu.

We found the art of charcuterie enjoying a revival with chefs preparing their own rillettes, patés, terrines and dry-cured sausages.  Here and there refrigerated walk-ins were crammed to bursting with whole pig’s heads, pork belly, fresh sausages from hogs and rabbits and bacon…tender, salty and smoky…to flavor antelope, quail and earthy slow-cooked greens.

We met and dined with chefs whose kitchens were a hive of creativity and experimentation, and whose near-religious devotion to local and sustainable foods was palpable.  Notable American cooks from Greenville and Latta, to Charleston, Pawley’s Island and Beaufort are adapting and reinterpreting Southern flavors, adding French Haute Cuisine, Nouvelle French, American Modern, Mediterranean, and Pacific Rim influences to their gastronomic conversation to create a new Southern gastronomic paradigm.

Below I give you some of the most delectably innovative food we feasted on and the historic properties where we were ensconced.  Follow my dishes, if just vicariously now, until you can visit for yourself.  I wouldn’t want you to miss a morsel.

Upcountry Greenville

Pickled beans, okra, cucumbers, cherries, peppers and turnips at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright

Shrimp and Grits at High Cotton - photo by Jordan Wright

Greenville's Reedy River as seen from High Cotton Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright

Brunch at High Cotton with Executive Chef Anthony Gray: Elderflower Mojitos;Shrimp and Grits with Fried Green Tomatoes, Braised Beef Benedict, slathered in pimento cheese and Carolina sweet onion gravy; Plum Cobbler with peach ice cream.  Chef Gray is a font of information about local farmers and growers and proudly turns locally produced Spanish heritage Ossabaw hogs from Caw Caw Creek farm into his own charcuterie.

Rejunvenated at: The Spa at West End with a Volcanic Earth Clay Ritual, Sea Salt Body Scrub and a totally addictive Vichy Shower.  In case you’ve not had one yet it is a long horizontal wand with seven large showerheads attached.  You lie on a soft shallow bed while a steady stream of warm water pours over your entire body.  It is sheer bliss… like a tropical rain forest during a downpour but without the bugs!  As soon as it started I hoped it would never stop.

Calamari Salad at The Lazy Goat in Greenville - photo by Jordan Wright

Roasted Banana Pudding at The Lazy Goat - photo by Jordan Wright

Fried Branzino stuffed with crabmeat and preserved lemons - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at The Lazy Goat with Chef Vicki Moore: Fresh Blackberry Mojitos; Grilled Calamari with ahi dolce and pickled pepper salad; Fattoush Salad; Roasted Mussels and Chorizo; Moroccan Braised Lamb Shank with plantain chips; Whole Crispy Branzino, with charmoula and shaved fennel; Pan-Roasted Grouper with lobster and rapini risotto, and saffron vanilla sauce; Roasted Banana Pudding; Pecan Pie with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Last fall Moore was chosen by Esquire Magazine’s food writer, John Mariani, as one of four “Breakout Chefs to Watch”.   In September she will create dishes with DC chefs, Bryan Voltaggio of Volt and David Guas, author of “Dam, Good, Sweet” for the city’s “Euphoria” festival, where nationally known chefs pair with local chefs to prepare exquisite gourmet dinners in the town’s finest restaurants.  In recent years this food and music extravaganza has featured such top chefs as Thomas Keller and Bobby Flay and artists like Chris Isaak.  Check www.euphoriagreenville.com to get this year’s schedule.

Beef Tartare with compressed cucumber and scallion wings at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright

Rare seared tuna, pearl pasta, Honshimeiji, Edamame, sake black beans at Deveraux's - photo by Jordan Wright

Devereaux's in the old tobacco factory - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner the following evening at Deveraux’s with Executive Chef and Partner Spencer Thomson: Beef Tartare with Japanese mustard; Bison Carpaccio; Hudson Valley Foie Gras with ice wine cherries, marcona almonds and vanilla sunchoke; Sashimi of Japanese Snapper with cucumber, cilantro and peanuts; Charred Beef Filet with portabello-potato hash; Black Grouper with summer succotash, shaved turnip, tomato concassé and truffled corn broth; Pekin Duck on white corn polenta, with duck sausage; Strawberry Shortcake in a white chocolate orb.

Chef Thomson will stage with Guy Savoy in Paris this October, where he will no doubt continue his love of reinventing the classics.

On our road trip across the state we visited owner and grower, Glenn Roberts, at Anson Mills where we learned firsthand the history of rice and its legacy in America.

Mid-State Latta – Quaint with a Touch of the British

Breakfast at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

Italian Breakfast BLT at the Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

The drawing room at Abingdon Manor - photo by Jordan Wright

Abingdon Manor, an exquisite former private estate and gardens made us feel we were at home in England.  We loved that it’s a mere five-mile hop off I-95 to be coddled by owners Michael and Patty Griffin.  Patty is an accomplished chef who hosts her own local cable TV show and conducts monthly cooking classes for guests in the Manor’s spacious kitchen.  The inn’s china and silver grace the damask-draped tables beautifully showing off her dishes.

Dinner by Chef Griffin: Shiitake Mushrooms with Hoisin-chili glaze, Dilled Carrot Soup; Home-grown Tomato Stack; Hypnotiq Sorbet; Seafood in Parchment; Poached Pear with amaretto cream.

Breakfast by Chef Griffin: Italian Breakfast BLT; Fresh fruits; Herbed Biscuits.

Pawley’s Island Coastal Charm

Sunset over Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Pawley's Island Firefighters - photo by Jordan Wright

Daybreak at Litchfield Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright

Litchfield Plantation, a quintessentially Southern Lowcountry inn, set on six hundred acres of a former rice plantation, channeled my inner Southern belle.  Its balconies overlook an avenue of ancient live oaks dripping with Spanish moss.

Trio of Ice creams at Bistro 217 on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Adam Kirby at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright

Asian Salad with SC Pink Shrimp at Bistro 217 - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at Bistro 217 with Chef Adam Kirby: Tomato, Crab and Jalapeno Soup; Pan Sautéed Vermillion Snapper with lobster sauce; Trio of Homemade Ice Creams, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry and Pistachio.  Chef Kirby grew up on the Island and has a strong relationship with its watermen who provide him with the freshest seafood in the area.

Eminence blueberry detox facial preparations at Stox & Co. - photo by Jordan Wright

Rejuvenated at: Stox & Co.  A beautiful salon and day spa in Litchfield Beach with a stunning yoga and Pilates studio.  I enjoyed a Blueberry Detox Firming Peel using Eminence skin care products, a line of natural organic skin care developed in Hungary and made from fresh fruit extracts.  It was almost good enough to eat!

Blackberry Cobbler at Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright

Softshell Crab at Frank's on Pawley's Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Pierce Culliton of Frank's - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at Frank’s with Chef Pierce Culliton: Tomato Pie with Four Cheeses; Grilled Watermelon Salad with balsamic vinegar, goat cheese and arugula; Soft Shell Crab with whole grain mustard sauce; Sautéed Flounder with Shrimp and yellow stone ground grits; Blackberry Cobbler.

Charleston – Le Grande Bouffe in the Lowcountry

Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

Charleston street scene - photo by Jordan Wright

Tiffany glass windows at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

We had posh digs in the Wentworth Mansion, a glorious property and one of the nation’s premier historic hotels.  Built in 1886 as a private home for a local cotton baron, we found elegance, distinction, luxurious appointments and deluxe service.

Charleston Chews, Lemon Chess Bars and Sweet Potato Cornbread from Dixie Bakery - photo by Jordan Wright

Breakfast snacks on the run from Dixie Bakery and Café:  Charleston Chews; Lemon Chess bars; Sweet Potato Cornbread.

Sous Chef, Jill Mathias, in the kitchen at Carolina's - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef Don Drake of Magnolia's - photo by Jordan Wright

Magnolia Plantation - photo by Jordan Wright

Nibbles and Sips:  At Magnolia’s with Chef Don Drake, Pimento Cheese; Shrimp and Grits; at Carolina’s we quaffed Carolina Sweet Tea; at Cypress with Chef de Cuisine Garrett Hutchinson, in-house patés and dry cured charcuterie; at Tristan with Chef Jesse Sutton, House-made Mozzarella.

Pork, Pine, Morels and Green Garlic at McCrady's in Charleston - photo by Jordan Wright

SC Crawfish, Sweetbreads, Sweet Onions and Artichokes at McCrady's

Seared Grouper with Courgettes, Cucumber and Bonito at McCrady's

Dinner at McCrady’s with recent James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock:  Stone Crab with orange, coconut and sour mix; Seared Grouper with courgettes, cucumber and bonito; Crawfish, sweetbreads and artichokes; Pork Pine, morels and green garlic; Beef Marrow and carrots four ways; Banana Puddin’; Chocolate Hazelnut, Chewy Caramel and Malt.

Chef Frank Lee of S.N.O.B. - photo by Jordan Wright

Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits - photo by Jordan Wright

S.N.O.B. Restaurant - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at S.N.O.B. with Executive Chef Frank Lee: Gazpacho; Corn Bread; Fried Chicken Livers with Cheese Corn Grits; Southern Crab Salad with fresh fruits; Shrimp and Black Beans.  The charming and self-effacing Lee is a mentor and guru to many nationally known chefs who cook in the Lowcountry style.

Countertop pies at the Carolina Cider Company - photo by Jordan Wright

Tasting room at Firefly Distillery and WInery - photo by Jordan Wright

Third generation tea grower and taster, William Barclay Hall at Charleston Tea Plantation on Wadmalaw Island - photo by Jordan Wright

Breakfast at the Wentworth: Fresh orange juice, Rabbit Sausage, Waffles with piles of fresh berries, and Eggs Benedict.

Rejuvenated at: The Spa at Charleston Place with a relaxing Swedish massage and dip in the saltwater pool overlooking old Charleston.

Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, heart of palm, crispy leeks and baby carrots at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright

Jelly Doughnuts, house made strawberry and peach jellies, John's Island honey and peanut butter milkshake at Circa 1886 - photo by Jordan Wright

Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer - photo by Jordan Wright

Dinner at Circa 1886 at the Wentworth Mansion with Executive Chef Marc Collins: Vichysoisse with toasted haricots verts; Crab Cake Soufflé with mango purée, pineapple relish and sweet potato frills; Foie Gras “Cherry Coke Float”; Nilgai Antelope Filet with lentil and foie gras stew, crispy leeks and baby carrots; Country Ham-wrapped Angler Fish with black-eyed pea “baked beans”, fennel pollen onion ring and apple cheddar slaw; Carolina Flounder with crab and shrimp pilau, grapefruit sabayon, candy striped beets and basil lacquer; Jelly Doughnuts with house made strawberry and peach jellies, John’s Island honey and peanut butter milkshake (Oh yes, he did!); Pan Fried Vanilla Bean Angel Food Cake with fresh berries and honeysuckle ice cream.  The notoriously shy Collins never peeked his head out of the kitchen to accept kudos or give up his honeysuckle ice cream recipe.  One can only swoon with the memory.

After dinner: Port, sherry and an assortment of liqueurs are offered to guests of the Wentworth, and taken on the veranda.

Beaufort – The Sea Islands

Beaufort Inn in the Sea Islands - photo by Jordan Wright

Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Beaufort in the Lowcountry - photo by Jordan Wright

On our final evening we lodged at the charming Beaufort Inn, a pink and white Victorian home built in 1897 in one of the most beautiful towns in America.

Pink Shrimp at Gay Fish Company - photo by Jordan Wright

Stone Crab at Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Gay Fish Company in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Here in the Lowcountry, where Daufuskie Island Gullahs still speak their West-African patois, we found a thriving seafood industry with Bulls Bay oysters, stone crab, pink and brown shrimp and restaurants that reflected the local catch.

Brick oven Spinach and Sausage Pizza at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Cinnamon Pillows with Creme Anglaise at Paninis Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine at Paninis Grill in Beaufort - photo by Jordan Wright

Lunch at Panini’s Grill with Chef/Owner Nick Borreggine: Buttered “Coosaw River” little neck clams; Italian Sausage Panini; Almond Crusted Calamari with spicy aioli and burnt honey; Rosemary-infused Crème Brulée and Cinnamon Pillows with crème Anglaise.  Borreggine was the former pastry chef at The Inn at Little Washington under chef/owner Patrick O’Connell.

Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wright

Fricasseed lobster tails with creamed corn - photo by Jordan Wright

Executive Chef Brian Waters at Saltus River Grill - photo by Jordan Wrigh

Dinner at the Saltus Grill with Executive Chef Brian Waters: Raw Bulls Bay Oysters; Seviche of Dorado; Crispy Fried Lobster tails with cream corn and pea tendrils; Pommes Frites with truffle butter; Braised Pork Belly with soy glaze, bok choy salad and pineapple sambal; Pecan pie.

During our madcap epicurean escape we relished sweet potato butter on biscuits, tomato pies, and Hoppin’ John salad with country ham at a small private luncheon cooked by Lena Mae Jackson whose Carolina Plantation Gold Rice Pudding with blueberries sent us into a chorus of hallelujahs.  We fell hard for fried peanuts, pork BBQ at Mama Jean’s, blackberry cider, rice grits (pronounced as one word) and cowpeas, real pimento cheese, and “Charleston Chews” from the Dixie Bakery and Café.  To hold our memories close, we slowly made our way back north with treasured family recipes, Low Country Winery’s Blueberry Wine, Firefly Sweet Tea Bourbon, the Mast Store’s Toasted Pecan Syrup, Breakfast Tea from the Charleston Tea Plantation, and sacks and sacks of Carolina Plantation Gold Rice, without which no self-respecting Southern hostess would dare serve her guests.

Sweet Potato Butter from Lowcountry Produce - photo by Jordan Wright

Soda pop for sale - photo by Jordan Wright

The road less traveled - photo by Jordan Wright

Already we hear the clarion call to revisit the chefs, watermen, tea and rice growers, dairymen, farmers and innkeepers of South Carolina whose generosity of spirit and indomitable passion to share their journey have inspired us to further explore America’s culinary roots.  I hope you’ve been inspired too.  May your travels be as delicious and memorable as ours!

For questions or comments about this article or to tell of your best experiences in the Palmetto State, contact Jordan@WhiskandQuill.com.  Visit us on Facebook to see more photos of our stay.

A steamy night at Puro Café in Georgetown last week was enlivened with bracing spirits and sublime hors d’oeuvres.   Stunning Euro stylistas in tiny shorts teetering on 4-inch heels mixed with chic localites for the opening of the new all-white trellised patio.  It was easy to keep [...]]]>

Guests at Puro Café - photo by Sara Mosqueda

A steamy night at Puro Café in Georgetown last week was enlivened with bracing spirits and sublime hors d’oeuvres.   Stunning Euro stylistas in tiny shorts teetering on 4-inch heels mixed with chic localites for the opening of the new all-white trellised patio.  It was easy to keep our cool under a draped pavilion replete with comfy lounges and twinkling lights while sipping “Copper Fox Bayou Cooler”, created and served by Alembic’s Chief Mixologist, Jon Arroyo.   The soothing summer punch recipe, given to me by Arroyo, consists of Wasmund’s Single Malt Whiskey, agave

sweetened iced tea, fresh lemon juice, Grand Marnier, Peychaud’s Bitters and Angostura bitters.  A few pitchers of this magical elixir and the blazing heat will be a fleeting memory.

42˚ Catering, who does special events around town and for Puro Café’s private parties, created heavenly savory and sweet delicacies for the evening’s guests.  Here’s what Chef Frederik de Pue prepared for the guests.  I wouldn’t want you to miss a bite!

Seared Sea Scallops with a minty ginger miso mustard sauce - photo by Sara Mosqueda

Menu of Savory Treats

Carpaccio of Foie Gras with a remoulade of celery root and coffee liquor dressing; Hearts of Palm Vol-au-Vent with little cilantro pesto jellies; Grilled Baby Octopus rolled into in a phyllo cigar with tapenade of kalamatas and pine nuts; Seared Sea Scallops with a minty ginger miso mustard sauce; Muscovy Duck Breast in a spicy mango cube with balsamic vinegar and Thai basil; Crisp Arctic Char with Steamed Leeks with apple cider coulis and parsley chips; Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Tempura with black truffle soy sauce and chervil salad; Confit of Rockfish Filet with Creole salsa, Peruvian aji pepper and watercress cream; Queso Blanco Tequenos topped with avocado cream and scallions; Black Pepper Chicken Spring Rolls with rice vinegar dressing; Beef Tenderloin Marinated with Chardonnay and soy sauce.

Sample of Sweet Treats

Sweet Treats from 42 Catering - photo by Jordan Wright

Sweet - Single-Origin Venezuelan Chocolate; Saigon Caramel Mousse; Chocolate Caramel Mousse with vanilla sponge cocoa liqueur; Mango Cilantro Bavarois; Goat Cheese with Dark Chocolate Mousse and fresh raspberry; Cherry wrapped in Single Origin Tanzanian Dark Chocolate.

The gracious Chef de Pue was kind enough to provide this recipe for his crazy delicious crab tempura.

Maryland Jumbo Lump Crab Tempura with Black Truffle Soy Sauce and Chervil Salad

1 lb of fresh jumbo lump crab meat
2 cups tempura flour
1 teaspoon curcuma (turmeric)
¼ bunch chervil
3 TB mayonnaise
2 TB truffle juice
1 TB soy sauce
Salt
Pepper
Frying oil

Mix mayonnaise, truffle oil and soy sauce with a pinch of ground black pepper. Depending on saltiness of soy sauce you might need to add little more salt.  Add one tablespoon of chopped chervil to bring color to sauce.

Place whole pieces of crabmeat gently on a paper towel to dry the crab so batter will stick.

In separate bowl mix tempura flour and curcuma with a little water to create a thick, smooth batter.  Add several ice cubes to batter (the ice will cool down batter and will create a nice crispy tempura).

Preheat frying oil to 320˚.  Place spoonful size pieces of crab into the batter and then into the oil.  Give them enough time to create a nice crispy outside and once golden, remove and place on paper towel.  Serve immediately with dipping sauce on the side.

Visit Puro Café at www.PuroCafe.com

For private parties www.42CateringServices.com

For cocktail catering www.DrinkAlembic.com

For questions or comments on this article contact Jordan@WhiskandQuill.com or visit www.WhiskandQuill.com.