Nibbles and Sips Around Town – July 29, 2014

Jordan Wright
July 29, 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts 

Jose Andres’ Evocative America Eats Tavern, Penn Commons Opens, Cuba Libre’s Ceviche Classes, Restaurant Week, Vapiano’s “Dinner and a Movie Deal”, Mount Vernon’s Colonial High Jinks and The National Gallery of Art’s Garden Café  

Jose Andres’ Evocative America Eats Tavern

Jose Andres’ newly minted America Eats Tavern in the Ritz-Carlton Tyson’s Corner evokes the casual elegance of Long Island’s tony Hamptons (Sag Harbor springs to mind), transforming the hotel restaurant space.  Formerly occupied by French chef, Michel Richard, the charming spot is a breath of fresh air embraced in a rustic chic décor.  

Andres, we’ll call him the “The Reigning Ambassador of Spanish Cuisine”, shows off his newly acquired American citizenship by using some of the country’s earliest recipes and traditional foodstuffs to celebrate our national culinary heritage.  Gourmet magazine where are you when we need you?

Plumbing the pages of 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st century American cookbooks to cull recipes from George Washington Carver for Peanut Soup from 1914 to Mary Randolph’s The Virginia Housewife receipt for Gazpacho from the 1851 Colonial supper table, Andres has unearthed some intriguing renditions of beloved American dishes.  As expected he has tweaked them a bit by sidestepping the nitty-gritty of using squirrel, deer or bear, replacing those dicey ingredients with domestically farm-raised proteins from a variety of American purveyors.

Peach Julep at America Eats Tavern

Peach Julep at America Eats Tavern

 The handcrafted cocktails are superb, and a must have.  Ice cubes are made in three sizes  – crushed round and square – and tailored to each drink.  Be sure to order the Peach Julep, a beautifully balanced, sweet to tart, bourbon to mixer, served in a copper julep cup.  It’s a veritable dose of Southern sunshine.

The menu is a primer on American gastronomic diversity – from sea to shining sea.  You’ll find a lavish seafood bar with oysters, Maine lobsters and Alaskan king crab; breadbaskets brimming with drop biscuits and coupled with blackberry butter; skillet cornbread and hushpuppies served with trout roe; and the pride of San Francisco – a loaf of sourdough bread.  Casting an ever-widening net there are hams from Edwards & Sons in Virginia, Benton’s in Tennessee, La Quercia of Iowa and Olli Salumeria’s Becker Lane Ham.  The latter gets a biscuit, red-eye mayo, Amish pickled eggs, and crunchy sour pickles from my favorite local fermenters, No. 1 Sons.  Even lowly catsup has not been neglected with an assortment of bumped up fruit catsups from local producer ‘Chups that includes Blueberry, Peach and Plum.

Heirloom Recipe Mac n' Cheese

Heirloom Recipe Mac n’ Cheese

Recipe credit from around the nation is given to the historic dishes.  Several dishes, like the Steak Tartare American, that became popular in 1950’s America, describe their history, or in this case, mythology.  For instance, you may not have known that an early pudding-style rendition of mac n’ cheese was created by a French émigré to America who owned a pasta factory in Philadelphia in the early 1800’s.  Here Andres dresses up the creamy vermicelli-based recipe, offering a sumptuous add-on of King crab.

The famed Waldorf Salad of Chef Oscar Tschirky, the Harvard Beet Salad from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook of 1906 and other notables have been credited with their originator. Even dear Irma Rombauer, author of the great American classic, The Joy of Cooking, is celebrated for her refreshing Shrimp and Grapefruit Cocktail.

There is so much to love here, but be sure to save room for the luxurious Triple Chocolate Cake from Martha Washington’s own recipe.  Divine to the max.

Executive Chef Nate Haugaman

Executive Chef Nate Haugaman

Pastry Chef, Rick Billings, and Chef de Cuisine, Nate Waugaman, are turning out breakfast (a first for Andres), lunch, dinner and room service should you be so lucky to be putting on the Ritz.

Mark Your Calendars
 Celebrating National Rum Day at Cuba Libre 

Award-winning chef and business partner, Guillermo Pernot, will host two interactive cooking classes on Tuesday, August 5th and Wednesday, August 6th at 6:30 PM.  Pernot is an expert on ceviche, winning a second James Beard Award for his book ¡Ceviche! – Seafood, Salads and Cocktails with a Latino Twist.

Hiramasa Ceviche with Chayote Mirasol Chiles Salad

Hiramasa Ceviche with Chayote Mirasol Chiles Salad

Guests will learn how to make different kinds of ceviche, and how to pair it with rums from the restaurant’s over 90 premium and flavored varieties from Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua and Tortola.  Classes are priced at $59.00 per person, and are limited to 30 guests.

Tahitian Abalone Ceviche by Chef Guillermo Pernot

Tahitian Abalone Ceviche by Chef Guillermo Pernot

On August 15th and August 16th, rums are featured at half price during happy hour.   Rums are priced between $8 and $34 a glass.

Cuba Libre Beverage Manager Vance Henderson demonstrates the perfect Daiquiri

Cuba Libre Beverage Manager Vance Henderson demonstrates the perfect Daiquiri

DC’s Biannual Restaurant Week Kicks Off

And don’t forget the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington hosting of Summer Restaurant Week from August 11th through the 17th, when participating restaurants offer three-course lunches for $20.14 and three-course dinners for $35.14.  It’s the perfect opportunity to sample some of Washington, D.C.’s best restaurants at an affordable price. For more info visit http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek.

Mount Vernon’s Colonial High Jinks

At George Washington’s Mount Vernon a Colonial Market & Fair featuring artisans in colonial attire and a dozen entertainers on two stages re-creating the amusements loved by early Americans.  

General Washington will preside over a host of amusements including Mr. Bayly, Conjuring and Entertainments; Signora Bella, Equilibrist; Professor Thompson S. Gunn, Mystic Arts of Asia, the Far East, & India; and a demonstration of an 18th century chocolate-making process using an authentic colonial recipe.  Sports-minded guests can batter up to an 18th C cricket game or shop from a collection of works by over forty juried artisans from across the nation who will be on hand to demonstrate their trade and sell their wares. 

For a fantastic view of the estate and its river locale, Potomac River sightseeing cruises will be free on a limited basis.  Listen to Martha’s advice and get there early.   

The Fair takes place Saturday and Sunday September 20th and 21st from 9am till 5pm.  For more info visit www.MountVernon.org.

National Gallery of Art’s Garden Café Lightens Up for Summer

The National Gallery of Art’s Garden Café has a new summer menu.  Created by Chef Michel Richard of Central Michel Richard and Villard Michel Richard and executed by Chef David Rogers to dovetail with the current Degas/Cassatt exhibit recently profiled here, the menu has now has lighter options including a seasonally inspired frisee salad with hard-boiled eggs, Gruyère cheese, and cherry tomatoes; ravioles de fromage au basilic (cheese ravioli in basil sauce), along with the French classic, bœuf à la bourguignon.

Penn Commons Goes Big and Bold

Chef/Owner Jeff Tunks and partners, Gus Demillo and David Wizenberg have conspired to bring you their newest outpost, Penn Commons.  Armed with an enormous bar and bold tavern style cuisine helmed by Executive Chef Alfredo Solis – all the better to accommodate the crowds after the action at the nearby Verizon center or at the many theatres in the neighborhood – the new spot features delish cocktails (thirteen of which are named for the original thirteen colonies) and dozens of beers on tap, at least one from each of the United States.  They’re calling it “American sensibility joined with American seasonality”. 

Golden Tomato Gazpacho with Crab and Cucumber Relish at Penn Commons

Golden Tomato Gazpacho with Crab and Cucumber Relish at Penn Commons

Having sampled some of the dishes last week, they are creative, hearty and delicious and I can say that the crab cakes are already the BEST in town!  

Good To Know: If you get there after the show or game, they have a 10pm “Dinner Farm Bell” menu for the bar and lounge area that is casual American food served family style and goes for the ridiculously affordable price of $12.00.  Actors and athletes take note!!!

Vapiano’s Terrific Meal Deal for Movie Lovers

A made-to-order dinner at Vapiano plus a ticket to see any movie playing at these neighboring theaters in Bethesda, MD, Reston Town Center, Dulles Town Center, and Ballston, Virginia.  The restaurants feature a wide-ranging menu of Italian favorites from antipasti and salads, to pizza and pasta and desserts, like tiramisu and panna cotta.  Each guest purchasing the package gets a movie ticket, a fountain soda drink and one of Vapiano’s entrée selections (excluding extra meats and toppings) for $20.00 plus tax.  To participate in “Dinner & A Movie”, ask at the host stand when you arrive at the restaurant.

Choose your own ingredient salads at Vapiano

Choose your own ingredient salads at Vapiano

Nibbles and Sips Around Town – June 2014

Jordan Wright
June 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts 

Freak Show Without a Tent, Dino’s Grotto Opens, Erin Dickins Spices Up Her Repertoire, Mio Brings Puerto Rico to DC 

On DC-Based Food Writer Nevin Martell’s Latest Book

Partiality Alert Based on Consuming Alcoholic Beverages at Martell’s in the 1960’s: I wasn’t two pages into chapter one, when author Nevin revealed that his father was proprietor of Martell’s, a preppy watering hole on 83rd and Third Avenue where I gleefully lost a few brain cells during a misspent youth. It was a glorious time when fake IDs were a cottage industry and school holidays were spent drinking G&Ts on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. As I delved further into the book, my salad days redux, I discovered that Nevin and I had both followed a rather parallel offbeat path on which his father had led his family so many years before. I, too, had enjoyed unorthodox adventures in the South Pacific, South America and Europe during the heady days of the 60’s, a time when exotic locales were relatively unspoiled (and often perilous) and encounters with the natives and their consciousness raising practices didn’t require a tour guide. 

Nevin Martell's book - Freak Show Without a Tent

Freak Show Without a Tent – Swimming with Piranhas, Getting Stoned in Fiji & Other Family Adventures (Possibilities Publishing 2014) is Nevin Martell’s pentimento of travels with his family of four – – snarky sister Josephine, prim and proper mother Alison, and balls-to-the-wall father Ralph, whose spur-of-the-drunken-moment decisions to seek authentic experiences, placed the hapless family in cahoots with the Gods of Danger. Though Nevin reveled in these offbeat escapades with true teenage aplomb, it appears Alison went along if only to assure her children weren’t eaten by cannibals or crocodiles. His sibling, however, was hell-bent on exposing her older brother’s awkwardness.

Martell, a DC-based food, travel and lifestyle writer for the Washington Post, Wine Enthusiast and NPR’s blog “The Salt”, has had great success with his earlier books, The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food & Drink (2013) (selected by Whisk and Quill in December 2013 for “Best Books of the Year” – http://whiskandquill.com/?p=6775) and the small-press smash Looking for Calvin and Hobbes: The Unconventional Story of Bill Watterson and his Revolutionary Comic Strip (2009).

Nevin Martell - author's photo courtesy Possibilities Publishing

Nevin Martell – author’s photo courtesy Possibilities Publishing

Drawing upon his childhood travel diaries Martell gives us a hilarious Hunter S. Thompsonesque view of his unflappable father and delightfully dysfunctional family from the eyes of a pubescent lad whose fantasies were evenly divided between James Bond, Robert Louis Stevenson and assorted comic book super heroes. Occasionally those dreams would turn treacherous under his father’s autocratic rule, and the mishaps and mysteries in the nether regions of Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand and The Azores would frighten the young explorer.

At times I felt like I was reading Tom Wolfe’s chronicles of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters or watching Wes Anderson’s The Royal Tenenbaums. Of a kava drinking and dancing ceremony among Fiji natives, Martell writes, “The scene shifted after our fellow partygoers hit their fourth cups of kava. Suddenly, someone hit “play” on a small boombox and what I assumed was Fijian dancehall music filled the small space. Half the crowd rose to their feet with the herky-jerky grace of undead puppets; the others remained seated, demonstrating the kind of full-body lethargy that’s usually reserved for heroin addicts.”

A highly engaging and fiercely colorful read by one of our very own. Find him at www.NevinMartell.com.

Dino’s Finds a New Home in Shaw Neighborhood 

Dino’s Grotto is Chef Dean Gold’s latest enterprise with Kay Zimmerman, his wife of 25 years. Landing in the emergently hip Shaw neighborhood after five years in Cleveland Park, the new joint is as relaxed as its Hawaiian-shirted owner. Don’t expect the latest in sleek, chic, throw-in-a-touch-of-orange décor popular in the city’s newest eateries. The place is more akin to your Aunt Lydia’s dining parlor with its soft yellow walls, randomly hung art and chairs that look like they were lifted from a 1980’s roadhouse. The food is another story. Gold and Chef de Cuisine, Lenins Salinas are turning out delicious eats with premium farm-sourced ingredients.

Gold loves pickling and dives into it like heron after a minnow. We began with the Vegetable Antipasti. Sour-and-spicy pickled ramps and asparagus and a bowl of house-cured olives and lupini. I mistook a whole clove of garlic for one of the shiny golden beans, which was indelibly startling. I determined to inspect subsequent bites more closely. Because Gold’s cooking is more akin to a rustic Italian style of dining, it should be expected. Italian cooks of that stripe do not over-combine their dish’s elements, preferring different tastes in each mouthful.

Vegetable Anitpasti at Dino's Grotto

Vegetable Anitpasti at Dino’s Grotto

A marinated mixed seafood salad of octopus, shrimp and scallops followed house made Paté Cinghiale, wild boar studded with pistachios; and Testa, a pork head terrine. Salty and spicy are Gold’s signature combinations and we found it echoed once more in the devilled eggs with red caviar crowns served with sriracha aioli.

A dish of head-on shrimp perched atop local asparagus became the forerunner to bowls of tender Italian meatballs served family style. Scrumptious deep-fried baby artichokes are sourced from the Santa Monica Farmers Market, a favorite dish of mine from my travels throughout California’s artichoke farmland. Don’t expect fancy plating skills here. Diners expecting to be dazzled by drizzles or dots from a squeeze bottle, will be disappointed. Food is served plainly – on a plate – in front of you.

Veterans of the old Dino’s should not fear, customer favorites like Wild Boar “Cinghiale” smothered in cream, tomato, onion, hazelnuts, rosemary, cocoa and pecorino over pappardelle, one of the best dishes in town, is still on the menu as is the linguini with white wine and garlic clam sauce.

Wild Boar Cinghiale at Dino's Grotto

Wild Boar Cinghiale at Dino’s Grotto

Gold’s experience at Whole Foods developing their wine, cheese and specialty foods program from the ground floor into the multi-million dollar industry it has become today, shows in the quality of the wines and cheeses served.

From ten options we chose Castelmagno, a sharp raw milk cow and sheep combination, Blu di Bufala, a mild and creamy blue, and Capra Cremosa Tartufato, a fresh goat cheese with black truffle.

Gianduja "Nico" - Dean Gold's Venetian confection

Gianduja “Nico” – Dean Gold’s Venetian confection

In this predominantly Ethiopian restaurant neighborhood, Gold has already created a popular bar scene on the lower level. Called Grotto Bar at 1914, a special “Hangover Brunch” has been instituted.

Start recuperating with “Hair of the Dog” made with Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, a raw egg, Worcestershire sauce, simple syrup, sriracha, blackstrap bitters and lemon juice.  If you can get that down, you’re halfway there. Choose another from the list of boozy brunch cocktails for your second before selecting a main course or two starters.  A sweet deal at $25.00.

Songstress Erin Dickins Spices Up Her Repertoire 

Jazz vocalist Erin Dickins has a new shtick. The former Manhattan Transfer co-founder, who performs her sophisticated cabaret act throughout Europe and the U.S., has developed a line of herbal sea salts she calls, Sizzle & Swing, which pretty much describes everything about her.

Erin lives in nearby Easton, MD and we’ve stayed in touch over the years. So right before she launched her line, she sent me some of the mixes to try out. With all the gourmet food shows and food festivals I’ve attended over the years, I have sampled dozens of herbal spice mixes. For the most part they taste oddly similar, as though they’ve just been packaged under different labels. But Erin’s unique and imaginative combinations and the use of top quality herbs, (heavy on the herbs and light on the salt.) place these miles ahead of the run-of-the-mill blends. Don’t even get me started on the rubbish at the food festivals.

Erin has always been cookin’ with gas, as they say, honing her culinary skills at the New York Restaurant School and teaching herself Escoffier techniques. She even owned a Manhattan restaurant in New York with 20 world-class recording pals called “Possible 20” that soon became a hangout for the recording and theatre scenes.

As a companion to the gourmet herb and sea salt blends, the sassy songstress has also written a cookbook, “Jazz for Foodies”. Packaged along with her latest 12-track CD “Java Jive”, it pairs songs with recipes using the blends. The seasonings come in four flavor combinations and are beautifully packaged in 4 oz. tins.

Chili, Lime & Cilantro Sea Salt – I loved this on popcorn and in guacamole. She uses it in her recipe for the Vietnamese chicken soup, Pho Ga.

Tuscan Sea Salt – A taste of the Mediterranean. Its versatility is harmonious with all meats. I liked it with chicken. Erin adds it to a maître d’ hotel butter to use on steak.

Lemon Basil Seasoning Salt – Summer in a tiny tin. Erin pairs it with her song “Long Ago and Far Away” and adds it to Lobster Mac n’ Cheese.

Dill Tangerine Seasoning Salt – For delicious devilled eggs! Erin uses it in her delicious rendition of Spinach Pie as the backdrop to “Can’t We Be Friends”.

Companion track: “Long Ago and Far Away”
Serves 6
Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces elbow macaroni (we used “designer” noodles)
  • 16 ounces of Half and Half
  • 6 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 3 ounces shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1 lb lobster meat, chopped – about two tails
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 tbsp dried tarragon
  • 2 tsp Sizzle & SwingLemon Basil Seasoning Salt
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Bring water to boil in medium pot and cook noodles per label instructions. In a double boiler, combine cheddar cheese, 3 oz. parmesan cheese, cream cheese and Gruyere cheese. Heat until blended. Gradually add cream, stirring until smooth.

In a large pan, heat olive oil, add shallots, tarragon, Sizzle & Swing™ Lemon Basil Seasoning Salt and garlic. Add lobster meat and sauté until opaque.

Remove from heat. Drain cooked pasta, add to lobster mix, then gently fold in the cheese sauce, salt and pepper and blend well.

Place in casserole dish or individual ramekins, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese and top with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350°F for 6-8 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden brown. See your cardiologist in the morning!

To order the spices or the cookbook with CD visit www.sizzleandswing.net.

Mio Brings Puerto Rico to DC 

Wilo Benet brings his international fusion style to Mio Restaurant

Wilo Benet brings his international fusion style to Mio Restaurant

Chef Wilo Benet hit town like a tropical storm last week, bringing his beautifully balanced and elegantly presented dishes from Puerto Rico to Mio Restaurant, where his good friend and Mio owner Manuel Iguina will feature Benet’s exquisite dishes on a special menu throughout the summer. Benet, the chef and owner of the award-winning Pikayo restaurant in Puerto Rico, describes his style as contemporary global cuisine, a concept that combines traditional Puerto Rican ingredients with Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Spanish, Italian, Classical French influences. This fusion of flavors, together with Wilo’s artistic emphasis on style, are simply divine.

Hawaiian Swordfish marinated in sofrito with a yuzu emulsion - Wilo Benet dish now at Mio Restaurant

Hawaiian Swordfish marinated in sofrito with a yuzu emulsion – Wilo Benet dish now at Mio Restaurant

Firmly ensconced in San Juan’s Condado Plaza Hilton, Pikayo celebrates its 24th anniversary this year.

Benet’s style goes beyond traditional Puerto Rican cuisine. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Benet worked in some of New York City’s most prestigious kitchens including Le Bernardin, The Water Club and Maurice Restaurant before returning to Puerto Rico to serve as Chef de Cuisine at the Governor’s Mansion.

Kurobuta Pork Cheeks on coconut milk polenta with sherry sauce and julienned pata negra Iberico loin at Mio

Kurobuta Pork Cheeks on coconut milk polenta with sherry sauce and julienned pata negra Iberico loin at Mio

Benet opened Pikayo within the Puerto Rico Museum of Art drawing kudos from The New York Times who hailed the restaurant as “maybe the best museum restaurant in the world.”  Recognized by Bon Appétit and Conde Nast Traveler, he has published two cookbooks, Puerto Rico True Flavors and Puerto Rico Sabor Crillo, which are currently in their third printing.

Mango Terrine with almonds, fresh cherries and dulche de leche as part of Wilo Benet's summer menu at Mio's

Mango Terrine with almonds, fresh cherries and dulche de leche as part of Wilo Benet’s summer menu at Mio’s

Wilo Benet’s new TV Show dubbed SABORES DE ENSUEÑO con Wilo Benet” is currently on Utilísima Channel FOX Latino.  The show is based on recipes of Puerto Rico True Flavors.  With an audience of 11 million people from Mexico to Argentina, and including the United States, the show is accessed in Puerto Rico on Onelink (Channel 171), on Direct TV (Channel 234) and on Dish TV.

Benet has another show called “Sabor a Wilo,” now in its third season on Direct TV (Channel 161). He has also appeared on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern, and as a guest chef on Bravo’s Top Chef.

To check out his guest stint at Mio’s, visit www.miorestaurant.com.

Nibbles and Sips Around Town – A Conversation with Pastry Chef Joseluis Flores

Jordan Wright
June 4, 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright 

Pastry Chef Joseluis Flores

Pastry Chef Joseluis Flores

You may have noted that I only occasionally report on desserts.  Often they can be so cloyingly sweet, targeted to a juvenile palate, or just something to bump up the check total.  And unless there is a designated Pastry Chef on board, I find that this is too often the case.

Joseluis Flores, Richard Sandoval’s Pastry Chef and Executive Chef for Kitchen Operations, does not fit into any of the aforementioned categories.  He is an astounding and accomplished chef who has been recognized by Star Chefs as a “Rising Star”.   As Pastry Chef for Toro Toro he has created two desserts that I would get on a red-eye for.  Thankfully I do not have to.  His “Cortadito Bar” and the dreamy “Deconstructed Key Lime Pie” are on the I Street restaurant’s printed menu.  Recently I spoke with Flores about his work and inspirations.

Whisk & Quill – What was your first dessert or memory of something sweet?

Joseluis Flores – I’d say the orange pound cake my grandma made.  As the only boy in the family I learned from her.  As kids we’d all gather around and she taught us how.

W&Q – What was the first desert you made?

JF– The orange pound cake certainly, and a chocolate pound cake too.  We usually ate these cakes once a month on a Sunday and not necessarily for a special occasion.

Deconstructed Key Lime Pie

Deconstructed Key Lime Pie

W&Q – Can you talk about how you came up with the Deconstructed Key Lime pie?  I loved it.  It is beautiful and unpretentious as well as delicious.  Something you want to dig in to, not stand back from.

JF– Italian meringue a rich key lime custard and garnished with complementary flavors without missing the essence of the idea.  I think people overthink desserts.  They try to put too much stuff in it.  Sometimes the simplest thing is the most challenging.

Cortadita Bar - another of Joseluis Flores' divine desserts

Cortadita Bar – another of Joseluis Flores’ divine desserts

W&Q – What about your lavish Cordadita Bar?

JF – It’s a takeoff on the Cuban coffee that’s an espresso with a dash of milk.

W&Q – What kind of chocolate do you prefer?

JF – I use many different kinds, but for that dessert I use Valrhona 64% chocolate.  It’s a combination of white and dark chocolate and a lot of coffee and milk in the mousse.  The base is a smooth and silky almond and hazelnut cake, a typical French genoise.

W&Q – Who are your greatest professional influences?

JF – I’d have to say Jacques Torres and Francois Payard, and from elBulli, Ferran Adria, and his brother, Albert Adria, whom I met once at a Star Chef event in New York.

W&Q – What is your favorite dessert?

JF – I like everything chocolate!  I like a simple chocolate mousse with raspberries.  For myself, believe it or not, I like hot apple pie with chocolate ice cream on top.  Sometimes I make apple empanadas in the restaurant using pie dough and eat it with cinnamon and vanilla-flavored chocolate ice cream that I make with Abuelita using some smoked ancho chiles.

W&Q – What types of sugar do you use?

JF – I use granulated white sugar and a lot of brown sugar too, both dark and light, for cookie dough.  I use agave for marinating fruits and make a flan with piloncillo.  Also I like agave syrup with spices for making my churros.  Occasionally I use sugar from beets or dates.

W&Q – What do you think is the next trend in desserts?

JF – Wow!  That’s difficult to say.  But I think a lot of the pastry chefs are going back to the basics, not so much molecular gastronomy.  Everything has its time.  A lot of the chefs give us the trend of the food.  But some of the desserts have become very expensive to create and not everybody can afford that.   A lot of restaurants are using more basic ingredients.  So many restaurants try to overdo, and just don’t decorate the plates right.   Not everyone can play with the more molecular techniques.

I make one dessert that is served only in Miami and New York.  It is a Mexican cream cheese mousse with a cream cheese crust and cookie crumbs and French preserves with strawberries and raspberries.  We use the same ingredients to decorate the plate.  I try not to go beyond or crazy.  You can just take one ingredient and transform it with out losing its integrity.

W&Q – How do you get all your ideas?

JF – The company we have now with Richard [Sandoval], affords me a lot of opportunities to be creative.  It also lets me explore flavors and ingredients from around the world to create new Latin and Asian flavors.  With so many combinations at hand, I can always create something new.

W&Q – Can you describe the differences in Latin-inspired desserts?

JF – People often ask me, “What’s a Latin dessert, a Peruvian dessert, a Mexican dessert?”  If you look back in history there was no sugar in America.  It was honey and vanilla.  We didn’t have these things until the mix of cultures.  For example in Argentina alfajores is a cookie made of corn starch and sugar that they are very proud of.  Those desserts came from the Old World, places like Arabia and Dubai  – – and the kind of sugars they use.  We have to mix the Latin flavors somehow – – otherwise we end up with nothing.

For example some fruits came from America.  Pineapple, that’s now used all over the world, was once for the very rich.  All these flavors like guava and mamey, they came from Latin America and were brought to Europe.

When I was writing my first book [Dulce: Desserts in the Latin-American Tradition 2010] I did a lot of research about baking ingredients.  For example the vanilla bean was brought from Mexico to Spain and then spread around the world.  Then, look at who are the masters of chocolate – – Switzerland and France.  Chocolate was brought to Europe from the Americas.

W&Q – What’s next for you?

JF – This September I will be at a Star Chefs competition in New York City.  There are usually 20 different pastry chefs from around the country.  I really like to do this because a lot of the money goes to the students.  Plus it keeps me in shape.  The last time I went I had to train for two weeks!  I like to see people from the industry and all the latest technology so I can have a knowledge of what’s in the marketplace.  Like a lot of other pastry chefs, I like the PacoJet [ice cream machine] a lot and also all the different Silpat pans and molds that allow me to create different shapes.

W&Q – Is there another book we can look forward to?

JF – Actually, I am working on another book.  The last one took me a couple of years to develop, compile and test the recipes, so I imagine this one will too.  I like to put all my memories in it.

This interview was conducted, condensed and edited by Jordan Wright.

Nibbles and Sips Around Town – May 26, 2014

Jordan Wright
May 26, 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts

Taberna del Alabardero Celebrates 25 Years, Toro Toro Opens, New Farmers Market Opens in Mosaic District, Cassatt/Degas Exhibit at the National Gallery of Art, Great Taste of Tyson’s, and “Fed Up” Makes the Case Against Sugar 

Twenty-Five Years and Counting 

25th Anniversary at Taberna del Alabardero

25th Anniversary at Taberna del Alabardero

Taberna del Alabardero has been a favorite destination of mine since working in the Aviation and Aerospace industry back in the 90’s.  As the point person for staging small yet high-level events, I arranged several dinners in their beautiful private dining rooms a few blocks from the White House.  These were exquisitely prepared meals that showcased regionally authentic dishes.  Seafood paellas, slow-braised oxtail and roast suckling pig, a specialty of Segovia, can still be found on the menu.  On a few evenings our guests were honored with an appearance by His Excellency, the Spanish Ambassador.

As a chic watering hole for royals there is hardly another spot in town to rival it.  From princes to kings and pop stars to diplomats, all have been taken by its elegant charms and authentic Spanish cuisine prepared by Executive Chef Javier Romero and his talented team.

Have I mentioned the impeccable service?  It’s like dining in a luxury hotel in Europe in decades past or a favorite café where you know everyone at the bar.  In summer, tables are set up along the street and sharing tapas and pintxos, letting paper-thin slices of jamon de Iberico melt in your mouth, and downing pitchers of Sangria flavored with summer fruits can be just as pleasing.

Father Luis de Lezama with author Joan Nathan

Father Luis de Lezama with author Joan Nathan

Now in its 25th year founder Father Luis de Lezama, the man responsible for bringing the restaurant to Washington, DC, came to town to celebrate and to tell the story of the restaurant that almost didn’t open.

It was the 1980’s when de Lezama arrived in Washington looking for the perfect location to launch his restaurant.  He had a vision to educate young men from impoverished families in Spain by teaching them the culinary arts.  The priest was sent under the auspices and goodwill of the Spanish Government who seemed eager to underwrite his “American adventure”.

After securing the lease on a location on 18th Street, the National Bank of Spain, who had promised to underwrite the plan, backed out leaving de Lezama to fend for himself and somehow find new funds to bankroll his vision.

With little money, a high-rent lease to cover and dozens of eager trainees awaiting their journey and jobs in America, he was forced to eat dollar meals in a nearby shelter while pondering his fate from a cheap room at the YMCA.

Fifteen years earlier he had successfully opened the first Taberna del Alabardero in Madrid and the training school he had dreamed of was going strong.  But now he was faced with more than just an embarrassment.  It would be a devastating blow to the students.  He decided to present his dilemma to the building’s landlord, Oliver Carr.  Carr liked the idea immediately, backing the restaurant project and assuring the future for the young men back in Spain.

As de Lezama explains, “The most important value of Taberna del Alabardero is to preserve the Spanish gastronomy essence. There is no need of mixtures or “techno-emotional” cooking to present an actual cuisine.  The gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce) have to taste like they taste as do merluza en salsa verde (hake in green sauce), calamares en su tinta (calamari cooked in their own ink).  They do not need any masking.”

Seafood Paella

Seafood Paella

Today the business group that de Lezama conceived has more than 700 employees, a foundation, three catering schools and renowned restaurants in Madrid, Marbella, Seville and Washington, DC.

Taberna hosts monthly wine dinners and special tastings, and has recently announced new catering services.  Visit http://www.alabardero.com.

Toro Toro – Sandoval Opens His First DC Fine Dining Restaurant

Toro Toro

Toro Toro

For international chef and restaurateur, Richard Sandoval, opening a fine dining establishment in DC was something he’d long planned to accomplish.  Last month he opened the sleek, chic Toro Toro.  His DC area restaurants now total five along with Ambar, El Centro, Masa 14 and Zengo, plus the nearby, La Sandia in Tyson’s Corner – – bringing his worldwide empire to 31 restaurants with such far-flung outposts as Dubai, Serbia, Qatar and Mexico.

I have now enjoyed Toro Toro on two separate occasions.  My first experience was last month the day after they began service with a soft opening, and again when His Excellency Eduardo Medina-Mora, Ambassador from Mexico, was present for the ribbon cutting a few weeks later.

 Richard Sandoval with His Excellency Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora and wife, Laura Perez Medina-Mora


Richard Sandoval with His Excellency Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora and wife, Laura Perez Medina-Mora

I have always found Sandoval’s dishes to be exotic combinations of Latin-Pan Asian flavors.  His deft hand shows a beautifully balanced command of complex and intriguing spices.  And I must confess I have a soft spot for the seafood seviches served in his other restaurants.

But Toro Toro takes its cue from Brazilian churrasco, and I was disappointed by the inconsistency of the flame-cooked meats.  We went for “The Rodizio Experience”, a menu selection that must be ordered by the entire table.  It includes all you can eat of five cuts of meat, plus chorizo sausage and prawns.  Though the chorizo and filet were blameless, the steaks, chicken and lamb chops had suffered mightily from under- or over-cooking.  Some were so rare they resisted cutting.  A rare filet is a godsend, but a too-rare lamb chop that necessitates using a seesaw slicing motion to dislodge a morsel, is not eater friendly.  And, alas, some of the meats were flat out overdone.  Clearly the kitchen needs practice with its new equipment.  And perhaps it was entirely unfair of me to have gone in so soon.  (A few weeks later Sandoval told me they were having trouble getting the flame-broiler adjusted.)  However there are other churrascarias in town that have this meat-on-a-sword thing down pat and Toro Toro’s kitchen will have to step up their game to compete.

Seared Seafood Seviche at Toro Toro

Seared Seafood Seviche at Toro Toro

As expected both seviches were carefully prepared, though the Seared Seafood Seviche, a concoction of prawns, calamari, scallops, ginger, leche de tigre and aji amarillo, was an appetizer that soared, as did the Cachapas, duck carnitas on corn pancakes with Oaxaca cheese and tomato jam.  Simple but perfect.  Having just watched Anthony Bourdain’s Oaxacan food adventure on CNN’s “Parts Unknown”, I’d give my eyeteeth to experience more of this ancient and complex cuisine.

Here’s the best of it.  The service is sophisticated and attentive.  A Catena Zapata “Vista Flores” (Malbec 2009) at $8.00 by the glass is a steal, there’s a Euro-style nightclub with DJ downstairs, and Pastry Chef Joseluis Flores’ desserts are beyond divine.  They are swoon-worthy.  (Look for next week’s interview with Flores.)

The downstairs bar at Toro Toro

The downstairs bar at Toro Toro

Mosaic Central Farm Market Opens in Fairfax 

In addition to founding Bethesda Central Farm Market and Pike Central Farm Market in Rockville, pioneer, innovator and co-founder of MeatCrafters, Mitch Berliner, has branched out into Virginia territory with the help of wife, Debra Moser, opening a third market in Fairfax’s new Mosaic District.

The Sunday morning market features over 30 farmers and artisanal food products and will be open until October.  Each week a “Cook’s Corner” will feature local chefs who will demonstrate how to use some of the fresh fruits and veggies sold at the market.  A series of cooking classes are also offered at $25.00 p.p. with all proceeds going to Manna Food Center.

Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax

Mosaic Central Farm Market in Fairfax

On June 7th Chef Lynn Foster will teach students how to prepare Chilled Asparagus Soup with Pea Shoot Garnish, Crispy Buffalo Chicken Salad with Baby Greens Slaw, Hoppin’ John Salad and Fresh Berries with Balsamic Sabayon.  Students will enjoy eating all of these delicious dishes.

Foster, who was the chef/owner of Garrett Park Café for twelve years, has worked at the Tabard Inn, Great Sage and Laboratorio at Galileo with Roberto Donna.  She has taught at L’Academie de Cuisine, Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table, and is currently a partner at Alchemy Caterers with Top Chef alum and co-host on ABC’s The Chew, Carla Hall.

Sign up at www.centralfarmmarkets.com where you’ll also find a list of vendors and farmers.

Cassatt and Degas Share the Spotlight at The National Gallery of Art 

Anyone can twist my arm to visit the National Gallery of Art where I like to luxuriate beside the Garden Café’s fountain indulging in second helpings of Coq au Vin, Camembert and Chocolate Mousse.  With thoughts of Degas and Cassatt whirling in my head, the buffet is even more appealing now.  Michel Richard is the café’s consulting chef this year and who better to design the perfect French dejeuner menu to pair with these two artists’ work?

Though both Impressionists shunned the rendering of foodstuffs in favor of horses and ballerinas for him, and women and children for her, it’s because I think of these artists as quintessentially French that I automatically think of food.  I’m sure you get my drift.

Still I look for the lost lines and the de rigeur painterly red.  I scavenge the scumbled backgrounds and the artists’ change of heart in shifting the image’s placement.  I look for clues and reasons, choices made and choices denied.

While scanning the provenance I take note of the medium employed and listen in to everyone’s comments from docent to tourist.  I attempt to put it all in context within the period and the artist’s challenges while I read the panels that tell of Degas’ influence on Cassatt and vice versa.  An older man, a younger woman.  Platonic, we’re told.  Who’s to say?  A bottle of Sparkling Burgundy is only $31.50 at the café.  You’ll want to ponder these things at your leisure before taking in the evocative Andrew Wyeth exhibition around the corner.

Degas/Cassatt runs through October 5thAndrew Wyeth: Looking Out, Looking In through November 30th.  Visit www.NGA.gov for more information.

The Great Tastes of Tysons 

This weekend The Great Tastes of Tysons will be held at the Lerner Town Square beside the Tysons II Mall from 12pm to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday.

More than just a tasting, this tent-covered festival will bring together celebrity chefs, artisanal craftsmen, culinary pioneers, music and family entertainment, as well as international wines and spirits.

Great Tastes of Tysons

Great Tastes of Tysons

Over 150 wines, spirits and beers will be featured along with local and regional favorites.  Guests will be able to sample all of the varieties on-site including special gin, scotch and rum tastings.

On the Cooking Stage on Saturday look for Todd Gray of Equinox, Bart Vandaele of Belga Café and B Too; Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery and Bearnaise, and Joe Yonan, editor of the Washington Post Food Section.

Food writer Joe Yonan

Food writer Joe Yonan

Sunday’s line up of superchefs includes Jonah Kim of Pabu Izakaya, Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, and Michael Friedman of The Red Hen will be doing demos while Victor Albisu of Del Campo and Taco Bambo will be kick off the grilling South American style.  Enjoy a live taping on Saturday at 1pm of the radio show “Foodie and Beast” with hosts Nycci and David Nellis.

Scott Drewno, Executive Chef, The Source By Wolfgang Puck

Scott Drewno, Executive Chef, The Source By Wolfgang Puck

Headlining the live music are Looking for Lester, Sean Grace, David Back and the Texas Chainsaw Horns.  For information visit www.tastetysons.com or call 1-800 830-3976.

“Fed Up” Opens and a Little Known Secret About Senator Cory Booker

Evening at the US Capital Visitors Center

Evening at the US Capital Visitors Center

The press screening for the new movie Fed Up was held in the US Capitol’s Visitor’s Center Theatre and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker was holding forth about the film’s topic – – that too many hidden sources of sugar, in all its deleterious forms, are the cause of obesity in America.

While this riveting documentary sets out to prove it with a dazzling array of scientific facts, it’s the story about four obese teens struggling to lose weight that pulls at the heartstrings.  It even gets in a little dig at First Lady Michelle Obama for not standing up to the big corporations that sell these foods as school lunches – – something she forcefully addressed this week in a letter to the Washington Post when speaking about the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.

Fed Up panel Laurie David (l), Stephanie Soechtig (c), Michael Jacobson (r)

Fed Up panel Laurie David (l), Stephanie Soechtig (c), Michael Jacobson (r)

Executive Producer Laurie David (Oscar-winning Producer of An Inconvenient Truth), Director Stephanie Soechtig, and Executive Director Michael Jacobson from the Center for Science in the Public Interest were on hand to hear Booker speak.  Co-Producer Katie Couric was not in attendance.

Senator Cory Booker introduces the film

Senator Cory Booker introduces the film

Booker spoke passionately about the film.  He told the audience how important it was to understand how sugar can affect our health.  But why?  He admitted he once weighed 300 lbs.  There was a gasp.  He went on.  This was something close to his heart and even closer to his waistline.

Did you know one soda a day increases a child’s chance of obesity by 60%?  Visit this site for a wealth of facts about the dangers of too much sugar in our diets.  http://fedupmovie.com

Nibbles and Sips Around Town – April 15, 2014

Jordan Wright
April 15, 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater ArtsBroadway Stars, and LocalKicks 
 

In Which We Visit Union Market, Bidwell, the Launchology Series and Sample Nibbles and Sips From Zaytinya’s Upcoming Greek Easter Festival 

Union Market DC

Union Market DC

The Craveable Union Market

The greengrocer's stall at Union Market

The greengrocer’s stall at Union Market

There are many things to lure the foodie to Union Market, the 140-year old recently renovated food hall that has been luring the food adventurer with its interesting jumble of cute stalls, that house a bespoke butcher, a juicery, bakers, kitchenware, a pickle maker and eclectic eateries.

Harvey's Market

Harvey’s Market

As a chef I have often been stymied by our area’s lack of good butchers and fishmongers.  Where does the home cook go to find the ingredients necessary to replicate the sort of dishes they’ve had while dining out.  For instance, where can you buy pork belly, guanciale, high quality calf’s liver and freshly cut veal shanks for home use?  Try George Lesznar’s Harvey’s Market, a family owned business since 1931.

Buffalo & Bergen at Union Market

Buffalo & Bergen at Union Market

Who sells knishes fresh made bagels and New York style egg creams? Buffalo & Bergen’s throwback diner by Gina Chersevani is right here with a selection of fine crafted cocktails by the self-appointed ‘mixtress’.

Got a hankering for clams, oysters, shrimp or oyster chowder made with Benton’s bacon?  Pull up a stool at the Rappahannock Oyster Bar for some of Travis and Ryan Croxton’s locally raised oysters and seafood specialties.

Porketta sandwich at Red Apron

“Porkstrami” sandwich at Red Apron

Craving charcuterie or home made corned beef?  Stroll over to Nathan Anda’s Red Apron stall for a “porkstrami” sandwich or a stacked muffaletta and a pint of locally brewed suds.

Wondering who is fermenting their own pickles?  Snag some kosher style pickles and kraut at Number 1 Sons who prepare kale kimchi, caraway studded sauerkraut and an assortment of fabulous pickles.

Toki Underground chef James Wozniuk at Union Market

Toki Underground chef James Wozniuk at Union Market

Can’t wait for Erik Bruner-Yang’s H Street market to open?  Stop in at Toki Underground’s pop-up where Chef James Wozniuk has a few sit-down booths for dishes like ba vong and Khmer lemongrass grilled chicken with rice vermicelli.

On June 14th the market kicks off its third annual ‘Sunday Supper’ series featuring a star-studded lineup of the country’s finest chefs and mixologists including Jose Garces, Spike Gjerde, Emily Luchetti, Nick Stefanelli, John Mooney, Aggie Chin, Jeremiah Langhorne, Rob Duncan, Santosh Tiptur, and Derek Brown.  For tickets and info contact Evelyn Hawkins at 301 347-3298 ehawkins@edens.com.

Bidwell at Union Market

The marble bar at Bidwell

The marble bar at Bidwell

Bidwell is the Union Market’s 120-seat anchor restaurant and high hopes were for it to reflect the market’s philosophy for locally grown produce and in-house made ingredients prepared by a locally known chef – – and that it does.

Known to DC diners from his days at Red Sage and Raku, chef/owner John Mooney signed on early to the project, securing the building’s vast rooftop to grow herbs, fruits and vegetables using “aeroponic” gardening.  Last month I saw the beginnings of what promises to be an enormous garden where towers of plants will grow vertically.  For now the precious seedlings start life in tiny pots in a back storage area strung with 24-hour grow lights.  Mooney’s dedication to rooftop gardening that employs a system based on water, air and sunlight was honed over the years when as restaurant consultant for India’s Taj Hotel Group, he opened PURE by Michel Nischan, the country’s first organic restaurant.  The well-traveled chef, whose love of cross-cultural cuisine is reflected in his latest restaurant, also owns Bell, Book & Candle in New York’s hip West Village.

Escargots roasted with parsley butter and Yukon Gold potatoes

Escargots roasted with parsley butter and Yukon Gold potatoes

The first thing you notice about Bidwell is its character.  It is modern.  So many are these days with that 50’s living room style that seems to be ubiquitously punctuated with spice orange accents.  But here historic details are incorporated – – subway tiles, reclaimed wood and Italian marble – – giving the place an air of coziness.  The large rectangular open concept room has an all-glass front that overlooks the outdoor dining.  At the far end beyond the bar is an open kitchen with dining counter – – a perfect spot to view the organized chaos of the kitchen, and where my amiable dining partner and I had front row seats to all the action.

At the Chet's table with Chef de Cuisine Inez Raoul

At the Chet’s table with Chef de Cuisine Ines Campoamor

Chef de Cuisine Ines Campoamor was in full command of the kitchen when we arrived.  She is a whirlwind of efficiency, charm and energy who made a point of explaining every dish as it arrived.  Admittedly we had a hard time selecting from all the alluring ‘Shared Bites’ and ‘Small Plates’ categories, so we ordered quite a few – – just to cover our bases, don’t you know.

Red and Golden Beet Salad with melted Burrata

Red and Golden Beet Salad with melted Burrata

Most outweighed their plebian descriptions far exceeding what we expected.   Drunken Bean Dip was one such starter that didn’t sound particularly special, but we were urged to try it and we were glad we did.  It uses Pork Slap Beer that rounds out the flavors and there’s an option to add the in-house made chorizo.  I suggest you do.

Crispy Fried Oysters

Crispy Fried Oysters

We followed with sustainably raised Old Salt oysters that are prepared two different ways.  We went back and forth on which to choose.  But why not try both?  Crispy Fried Oysters with green chile buttermilk dressing and Roasted Oysters with garlic butter, bacon and a parmesan crust topped with ribbons of frizzled celery root.  We had to throw in the towel and call it a tie.  You can decide for yourself.

Marinated Fluke Sashimi

Marinated Fluke Sashimi

For a delicate sashimi you can do no better than the Marinated Fluke Sashimi with citrus, a hint of jalapeno and chopped herbs.  You’ll find herbs get star billing at Bidwell and are tucked into nearly every dish including, as you might expect, escargots with the de rigeur soupçon of Pernod, giving us pause to reflect that all was right with the world, if only as a fleeting illusion.

Irish American Onion Soup

Irish American Onion Soup

Pacing ourselves not at all, we dove headlong into the Irish American Onion Soup shingled with Knockamore smoked Irish Cheddar.  I loved this version that uses mushroom broth as its base, and the unusual smoky cheddar, so hard to find, must be sourced from an unnamed shop in New York City.

A playful dessert from Bidwell

A playful dessert from Bidwell

For the destination dish, I suggest planning an entire visit around the Lobster Tacos.  Better than lobster rolls, (Hold the bread, Downeasters!) they’re served on a soft taco with avocado-tomatillo salsa, and merit a plateful.  Not so exciting was the “Gin & Tonic” Verlasso Salmon entrée.  Dry as a bone after marinating for several hours before being hash-tag grilled.  Poor fish.  He could have used a lot less attention and a lot more care.  A temporary setback which we immediately rectified with a root beer float and Ines’s playful dessert of brownies, ice cream cookie sandwiches and meringues.  We were the boss of the goat’s milk caramel sauce in a baby squeeze bottle.  http://unionmarketdc.com/market/artisans/bidwell/

The Launchology Series at The Howard Theatre 

The Launchology Series at the Howard Theatre

The Launchology Series at the Howard Theatre

In early April industree began presenting a fascinating insider look at the restaurant business with its ‘Launchology Series’.  Promising “candid conversations, unfiltered advice and real stories from industry leaders”, all sessions are held at the Howard Theatre.  Earlier this month I attended the second in the series of four.  As a former restaurant owner, I was quite impressed to hear from a panel that pulled no punches and were unflinchingly honest about their experiences in the hospitality industry.

“We originally came up with the concept for Launchology as a result of one of the original speaker series events we hosted,” said Alisia Kleinmann, founder of industree.  “Following that event, we were inundated with so many questions from members in the industry like, ‘How do I get a loan and a space?  I want to go brick and mortar but don’t know how?  How can we hire and keep great people?’ among other critical questions.  So we thought, lets put on a series that explains everything that members in the industry need to know from people who have actually done it all – and not just any people, but some of the best in the business.  And like our speaker series, we aim to keep it real.  The advice, stories and insight our panelists can give to the next generation may not always paint a pretty picture, but we want them to understand exactly what they are getting into, and the best way to go about accomplishing their plans and goals.”

Local entrepreneurs who offered samples of their wares offered a quick breakfast.  Among them Krave Jerky showed off their high protein, all-natural line of turkey, pork and beef jerky for those on the go; Dolci Gelati served up some cold treats – Pomegranate Honeydew and Cherry Blossom were especially welcomed; and Bub and Pop’s gave out scrumptiously juicy beef brisket on a bun.  I took a seat across from a young woman whose husband was a chef with plans to open a restaurant in DC.  He had sent her as his proxy.

And then it was time to get down to business.  The panel consisted of Kathy Hollinger, President of the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW); Thomas Dailey, Potomac Construction Services who has built out a number of restaurants in our area; Jeff Black, Black Restaurant Group; Peter Hapstak of HapstakDemetriou+; Russell Stillwell of Next Step Design; Conan O’Sullivan of SONA Creamery; public relations maven, Jennifer Motruk Loy and Tim Ma of Water & Wall and Maple Avenue Restaurant.  Washington Post Food Writer, Tim Carman, who will moderate all the discussions, kicked off the questioning.

Here are a few pearls of wisdom heard at this session.

On choosing a space:

  • Tim Ma – Try to get an existing space that has already gone through the permits applications.
  • Hapstak – Some spaces don’t want to be restaurants.  The costs of installing the exhausts can be very expensive.

On keeping a project on budget:

  • Stillwell – It’s important to do checks as you move along.  At a certain point it’s important to put your pencils down and just get it done.  At the end of the day you just have to hit those numbers for your client.

On restaurant and bar regulations:

  • Hollinger – It’s been crazy in the year and a half I’ve been President.  Everyone is being slammed across the board.  It feels volatile.  Restaurants are being targeted, though I don’t feel these [city] agencies are sophisticated enough to have a strategy.
  • Black – Virginia is tougher than DC.  Even if we do things according to code we can get a rogue inspector that may insist on something that isn’t even in the code.  You have to eat your pride to make sure your project doesn’t go off the rails.

On interior design:

  • Hapstak – We are moving away from the Brooklyn hipster thing and the reclaimed wood thing.
  • Loy – Our design sensibilities have changed.  You can now get advanced materials that look like they’ve come off a barn.

On efficient kitchen design:

  • Hapstak – Our greatest resource is Google.
  • Black – One of my favorite expressions is, “I pay for every step my employees take.  If they take an extra step I lose money.”  Design, time and money balance with food and scale.

On new or used equipment:

  • Ma – Not for refrigeration!  It’s like one year and done!

On opening a new restaurant:

  • Black – Restaurateurs are perpetually optimistic and eternally pessimistic.  Before you open a restaurant you should go to your ANC meetings to know what your customers want.  They’re all very different and have power over your liquor license. You don’t want to sign a lease that you can’t get out of if you don’t get your liquor license.
  • Hollinger – I think the ANCs [Advisory Neighborhood Commission] and BIDs [Business Improvement District] are much more powerful than any of the agencies.  We try to work with all of them and create and cultivate those relationships.

For tickets and information on the remaining sessions on April 22nd and May 13th visit www.DCindustree.com.

Greek Easter at Zaytinya 

Zaytinya will hold their annual and ever-popular two-week festival from April 20th till Greek Orthodox Easter on May 3rd.   Chef/Owner, Jose Andres, and Head Chef, Michael Costa have created a splendid new menu for the Lenten season with seasonal dishes that incorporate authentic Mediterranean ingredients.

ThinkFoodGroup's Head Mixologist Juan Coronado shows off his Baklava Soda

ThinkFoodGroup’s Head Mixologist Juan Coronado shows off his Baklava Soda

Last week we sampled them along with mixologist, Juan Coronado’s specialty cocktail he calls “Mellow Yiayia” made with rye, honey-walnut syrup, lemon juice and St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram.  Yia Yia as you may know is an affectionate term for grandmother.  I’m sure even my Danish grandmother would have loved this.  Coronado has also concocted a Baklava Soda, which is perfect for mixing with bourbon or rum.  The fizzy mixer is made from honey, black walnut syrup, lemon juice and cinnamon.

Lobster Avgolemono for Zaytinya's Greek Easter festival

Lobster Avgolemono for Zaytinya’s Greek Easter festival

To culminate the celebration, on Saturday, May 3rd from 11:30am to 4pm, Zaytinya will host Agora, its annual Greek outdoor market event.  Agora introduces guests to unique Greek artisanal products, wines and more.  The free festival includes live music, Spartan warriors, and complimentary loukamades.  www.Zaytinya.com.

Maroulosalata a housemade fresh myzithra cheese with brown butter hazelnuts and Earth N Eats greens

Maroulosalata a housemade fresh myzithra cheese with brown butter hazelnuts and Earth N Eats greens

 

Nibbles and Sips Around Town – March 30th 2014

Jordan Wright
March 16, 2014
Special to DC Metro Theater ArtsBroadway Stars, and LocalKicks 

City Tap House, The Partisan, Malmaison, Jaleo Brunch, Peach Brandy at Mount Vernon

Brunch before the Matinee

Crystal City Jaleo

Crystal City Jaleo

On an unseasonably warm Sunday we tried out the new brunch menu at Jaleo.  We chose the Crystal City location on the same block as Synetic Theater.  Chef Ramón Martínez, Jaleo’s Executive Chef, has put together an appealing selection of both classic Spanish dishes and some newer creations with some incorporating Andres’ new line of Spanish foods that we wrote about last December.

Sweet-soaked Spanish Toast with Carmelized Bananas and rum whipped cream at Jaleo

Sweet-soaked Spanish Toast with Carmelized Bananas and rum whipped cream at Jaleo

I hadn’t been in the restaurant in the daytime before (Does that tell you something about my life?) and it was gorgeous.  Sun streamed in through the two-story windows overlooking Crystal Drive, and all seemed right with the world.

Just writing about these fabulous dishes is causing me to delicately drool on my well-worn keyboard.  Here’s what we loved.

Two types of Pan de Cristal - with smoked salmon or Spanish sardines

Two types of Pan de Cristal – with smoked salmon or Spanish sardines

Pan de Cristal on crispbread served two ways – – fresh tomato and Spanish sardines in olive oil and smoked salmon with minced hard-cooked egg, goat cheese and capers.  Huevos Estrellados – organic fried eggs and fried potatoes.  You can add on jamón ibérico or creamy sea urchin if you like.  The sea urchin won out.

Huevos Estrellados with Sea Urchin

Huevos Estrellados with Sea Urchin

Huevos a la ‘Angel Muro’, eggs with toasted bread ‘Angel Muro style’ with piquillo confit and acorn-fed ham – – the Spanish version of what we fondly call Toad-in-the-Hole.  And Huevos a la Cubana, sautéed rice served with tomato, fried egg and Ibérico pork belly.

Jaleo's Spinach, Pine Nut and Raisin Salad

Jaleo’s Spinach, Pine Nut and Raisin Salad

All in the name of research, of course.  But do you think we stopped there?  Try the churros for dessert.  They’re served with a frothy cup of hot chocolate for dunking.

Huevos a la Angel Muro

Huevos a la Angel Muro

Also at all three Jaleo locations till April 13th are these special dishes created just for the Cherry Blossom Festival – – Panceta Confitada con Salsa de Cereza, pork belly confit with cherry sauce; Queso Murcia al Vino Tinto con Mermelada de Cereza y Pan Tostado, ‘the drunken goat’ with Murcia cheese, cherry marmalade with toasted bread; and the Sopa de Frutas Rojas con Helado de Queso, a wild red berry soup with Idiazábal cheese ice cream.

Malmaison – Georgetown’s Hip Hideaway 

Brunch at Malmaison

Brunch at Malmaison

When restaurateur and nightlife entrepreneur Omar Popal took the plunge and opened Malmaison last year he brought a cool Euro vibe to a part of Georgetown that had been sorely neglected for decades.  In an old warehouse on a stretch of K Street tucked under the Whitehurst Freeway, Popal has created a stylish outpost –what is on weekdays a yoga retreat and juice bar + breakfast and lunch spot is by night a spot for hip urbanites to dine and dance to electronica.

The Pastry Basket at Malmaison

The Pastry Basket at Malmaison

The space has a Philippe Starck design feel with contemporary mauve sofas, high ceilings, and jet-black chairs and tables that overlook Georgetown harbor.  In the evening a separate event space turns it into a party fueled by state-of-the-art sound equipment that draws hipsters to nightly dance parties, cultural activities and fashion shows.  Popal strives to cater to all his guests with a coffee bar, juice bar and breakfast, lunch and dinner service, and now Saturday and Sunday brunch.

Omelette with red potatoes at Malmaison

Omelette with red potatoes at Malmaison

On earlier visits I had sampled their most delectable French pastries – especially the macarons, tortes and tarts – and I knew just where to start.  You’ll want to break the fast with a basket of homemade pastries – a flaky, buttery almond croissant, a hefty slice of dense cinnamon swirl bread, blueberry muffin and a tender roll floated in on a cloud, or so it seemed.  A jaunty wakeup call of a cocktail called “Suma Deez”, made with coconut-infused vodka and champagne and rimmed with cocoa powder and coconut flakes was as close as I would get to luxuriating on a tropical isle this winter.

The menu is divided up into salads, crepes, delights, eggs, and chef’s specials – and most selections are well priced, unless you are all in on lump crab cakes or a salad of Maine lobster.  Pricey, but not beyond what’s expected for a menu styled like a five-star hotel’s breakfast offerings.

Lump crab cakes at Malmaison

Lump crab cakes at Malmaison

There are plenty of choices for the granola, green juice and yogurt crowd.  Try the Arugula and Wheat Berry Salad with cranberries, feta and fresh mint, or the Greek yogurt with granola, almonds, walnuts and dried fruits topped with seasonal fruit and honey – – then pair it with Popeye’s Punch, a juice drink of celery, apples, spinach, cantaloupe and lime.  Later jog along the waterfront or rent a kayak at the nearby Thompson’s Boathouse. For the I-worked-my-tail-off-this-week-and-I-earned-it types or the Sunday crossword solvers like myself, there are more divinely decadent offerings.  Piperade (the Basque egg dish made with onions, peppers and tomatoes), smoked salmon, steak frites (the frites fried in duck fat and served with Bearnaise), eggs Benedict, quiche, brioche French toast or sweet crepes to name a few.

Merci, Chef Gerard Pangaud for a lovely brunch!

The Partisan and Red Apron Butcher Open in Former Union Hardware Store 

At The Partisan

At The Partisan

In-house made charcuterie has become all the rage.  Classes on how to cure meat, break down a side of pig, or how to make your own sausage have got everyone’s attention and/or participation.  Add to that the burgeoning market for innovative craft beers, artisanal cocktails and intriguing new wines, and you’ve got The Partisan.  Think about it – – putting these all together in one place and driven by the talents of Red Apron Chef and Butcher Nathan Anda, Executive Chef Ed Witt, Wine Director Brent Kroll, Beer Director Greg Engert, and Cocktail Guru Jeff Faille, is so exciting.

Brett Kroll, Wine Director at The Partisan

Brett Kroll, Wine Director at The Partisan

Anda’s Red Apron Butcher is no stranger to shoppers at the Dupont Circle and Penn Quarter farmers markets where he sold his sustainably raised and humanely treated meats and meat products for years.  Others have found him in bricks-and-mortar locations at Union Market in DC and Mosaic in Merrifield.

A trio of condiments

A trio of condiments

Let’s start with the food at this new D Street location.  To begin the charcuterie menu is organized by flavor profile (bright, herbal + floral, spicy hot, smoky, spiced, rich + smooth, earthy), a dinner menu organized by animal (fish, chicken, pig, cow), and then size (small, medium, large).  There are vegetarian starters, so your non-meat-eating friend can still join you, as long as they don’t mind a pig’s head on your plate.

Whole braised pig's head

Whole braised pig’s head

The main menu eschews traditional order-by-course offerings and gets broken up by source or animal (beef, poultry, pork, and fish).  Each section has dishes in a range of portion sizes that encourage sampling and exploration.  There’s Bolognese, with house made pasta, guanciale and heart ragout, and lard-toasted breadcrumbs; Braised Spanish Octopus with tomato, oregano, and fingerling potatoes; 120-Day Dry Aged Beef Carpaccio; and Corned Beef Belly with braised cabbage, grated pumpernickel, and pickled mustard seeds, that can be ordered in small or medium and complemented with salads, slaws or vegetable sides.

Some items are designed to share, such as the Roasted Pig Head served with salsa verde, pickled peppers, and arugula and pig ear salad; the Rotissi-Fried Chicken, deep fried and served with honey hot sauce; and the Bollito Misto, a stew of cotechino, smoked heart, belly, pickled tongue, pork bone marrow and tenderloin with Calabrian aioli.

Chocolate and Pistachio Crepes

Chocolate and Pistachio Crepes

Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac has dreamt up nostalgic favorites like Snicker’s Terrine with peanut butter cheesecake, peanut caramel and chocolate glaze; Lemon Meringue Pie, a Meyer lemon eclair, with torched Swiss meringue and graham cracker crumbles and Fried Apple Pie, a hand pie made with bacon, caramel, graham crumble, candied pecans and vanilla bean ice cream.  Her fave is the Fernet Ice Cream Float with ginger beer, lime zest, Fernet Branca ice cream and ginger molasses cookies.  Ours were the Red Velvet and Campari macarons.

The Partisans Red Velvet and gold-striped Campari Macarons

The Partisans Red Velvet and gold-striped Campari Macarons

On the beverage side The Partisan taps the talents of Kroll, Faile and Engert.  Kroll has personally selected over 400 wines to balance the encyclopedic range of meats.  Twenty-five are on draft and eight wines are preserved through the Napa Technology preservation system allowing for the presentation of rare, mature wines to be served by the glass and half-glass.

Engert has compiled an impressive beer program featuring seventeen drafts and over fifty bottles or cans that highlight his signature flavor profiles.  Though comprehensive, The Partisan’s beer program will focus on Sour ales (seven draft sours and seventeen bottles) and Saisons, two craft categories particularly suited to the menu.  The rest of the list features some unique and rare farmhouse ales, traditional lambics, and the highly coveted hoppy brews.

The bar also benefits from the talents of Faile, one of our area’s finest spirits specialists.  To complement the menu, he has created a menu of ten cocktails – – Sailin’ On, made with Overholt Rye, Cocchi Vermouth, Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Chili Infused Averna and Chocolate Bitters; Cool Confusion with Plymouth Gin, Cocchi Barolo Chinato, Kina L’Avion D’Or; and Banned in DC with Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, Carpano Antica, Crème de Cacao, and Hellfire Bitters.   Specialty spirits offered on draft include Willett Pot Still Bourbon, Michters Rye, Amaro Nonino and Bittermen’s Bäska Snaps Malort.

Don’t bring a calorie counter when you go.

Cozy City Tap House 

There is something so intrinsically cozy and familiar at City Tap House.  The four-month old gastropub situated close by downtown theatres, City Center, Walter Washington Convention Center and Verizon Center will make you believe it’s been sitting on this well-traveled corner of Mount Vernon Square forever.  The friendly spot is designed as a laidback pub with wood plank walls, copper fixtures, candlelit tables and flat screen TVs on every wall.  Industrial-style lamps float above a large bar that overlooks the dining area and an open kitchen helps define the casual atmosphere.

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare at City Tap House

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare at City Tap House

The food too, is prepared in a straightforward rustic style, referred to on the website as “Elevated American Regional”.  But there’s nothing casual about the beer program here.  This is where it gets, as we used to say, dead dog serious.  Over sixty craft beers and cask ales are sourced both locally, DC Brau’s The Citizen and the soon-to-be-tapped Victory DirtWolf from Pennsylvania for example, and include dozens from around the world.  Unfiltered and unpasteurized beers are offered by using a system of rotating casks, and draft beers are available in an ever-changing rotation.

Try a flight of four beers at City Tap House

Try a flight of four beers at City Tap House

Here you’ll find Belgians, Bitters, Browns, and Barleywines sharing space with Pale Ales, Lagers, Pilsners, Bocks and Wheats, as well as a nice selection of Porters and Stouts.  It’s a bit overwhelming if you’re not familiar with hundreds of local and international brews, and who is, but if you’re willing to experiment you’ll come away knowing a few more to keep in your repertoire.  It’s all very easy for the novice, or the curious, with flights of beers you think you’d like to sample.  Thankfully both the menu descriptions as well as the servers are highly knowledgeable about all the beers they offer and will ask about your preferences and gently guide your selections.  Certainly our server, Jordan, helped us make a few good choices that paired nicely with dinner.

Seared Sea Scallops with curried cauliflower

Seared Sea Scallops with curried cauliflower

This homey pub aims to cover all the bases with a wide array of dishes from locally sourced burgers to pizzas (the Tartuffo has roasted mushrooms, Taleggio cheese, guanciale, fried egg and black truffle, oh my!), mussels three ways and Foie Gras French toast, poached lobster rolls, Korean Short Rib Tacos and juicy ribeye steaks.

But if all you came in for were a few beers, they’ve got snacks covered too.  Try the Bacon Popcorn & Candied Peanuts, or Skillet Fried Shishito Peppers.

Sweet Corn & Crab Hushpuppies

Sweet Corn & Crab Hushpuppies

We launched our dinner with a couple of appetizers, Yellowfin Tuna Tartare, which could have used a bit more acid, and the Sweet Corn & Crab Hushpuppies.  The hushpuppies, served with honey thyme butter and citrus remoulade were a novel combination I was unfamiliar with, but nonetheless a marriage made in heaven. We were tempted by Lamb Neck Gravy with herbed ricotta and a dish called Blue Crab Mac N’ Cheese that melts lump crabmeat into Fontina cheese.  But we’ll just have to wait to wrap our mouths around that mouth-watering indulgence.

We opted to try Green Kale Salad, which it seems everyone and their mother is preparing these days.  This version, however, was outstanding and had sweet roasted figs, pomegranate seeds, toasted pecans, shaved Grana Padano cheese and maple-pecan vinaigrette.  Our waiter told us they use baby kale, which explained the mild flavor and tender greens.

We soldiered on to Lobster Roll with duck fat fries, a must try that brought back memories of Maine, and Seared Scallops nestled atop curried cauliflower, leaves of Brussel sprouts, sautéed apples and crisped up pancetta with a piquillo pepper coulis and herb persillade.  Perfection on a plate!

A trio of Dolcezza gelati

A trio of Dolcezza gelati

Could we go on?  We did.  Coaxed into dessert we surrendered to a trio of Dolcezza gelati and a scrumptious Apple Cherry Cobbler that showed personality with a topping with brown butter streusel and salted caramel gelato.

City Tap House's Skillet Apple Pie

City Tap House’s Skillet Apple Pie

There are so many unusual and appealing dishes to try that we stalwart dining soldiers will certainly return to fight, or partake, another day.

George Washington’s Peach Brandy Debuts This Month 

Mount Vernon Distillery -  peach brandy

Mount Vernon Distillery – Peach Brandy

More than 200 years after George Washington’s Distillery stopped producing brandy, his distillery at Mount Vernon has created 400 bottles of George Washington’s Peach Brandy.  Created at the reconstructed site, the inaugural batch will be available for sale at George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill April 1.  Each precious 375ml bottle will retail for $150.00.

To create this historic product, seven leading craft distillers from across the United States gathered at the historic distillery on October 6, 2010.  Working under their direction, Mount Vernon produced this brandy based on traditional 18th-century methods, that is without any recipes or instruction manuals to guide them.  The product was double-distilled in copper pot stills heated by wood fires, and was aged for two years in toasted oak barrels.

These companies helped in the process – – Templeton Rye Spirits of Iowa, Philadelphia Distilling of Pennsylvania, A. Smith Bowman Distillery and Catoctin Creek Distilling Company of Virginia, Huber Starlight Distillery of Indiana, and Finger Lakes Distilling Company and Hillrock Distillery, both of New York.

Washington oversaw the production of only 60 gallons of the popular spirit each year, compared to the 11,000 gallons of rye whiskey that he bottled and sold during the same time period.  Most of his brandy never made it to market.  Instead, he poured it for the many guests that flocked to his Mount Vernon estate.

For further information about the purchase of this very limited product visit MountVernon.org/PeachBrandy.

An Elegant Seasonal Dinner at Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate is Offered in May

Next month Mount Vernon invites guests to a seasonal table with a dash of history during a new culinary event, Farm to Table.  On Friday, May 9, from 6:30 till 10pm, the evening will commence with a reception in Washington’s upper garden and greenhouse and feature specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. After the reception, guests will learn how food was grown, stored, and prepared for the Washington family through a private tour of Mount Vernon’s lower garden and Mansion.  After the tour a spectacular four-course dinner at the Mount Vernon Inn will feature some of the products cultivated and produced on the estate.

The four-course menu sounds divine and begins with an amuse bouche of Cod Brandade Fritters with Horseradish Mousseline.  It proceeds with a first course of Fried Asparagus Salad, with Gorgonzola Cheese, Pancetta, Heirloom Lettuce, and Balsamic Vinaigrette, a second of Seared Maryland Wild Rockfish in Fennel Saffron Broth with Garden Leeks and Baby New Potatoes, a meat course of Beef Tenderloin Wellington topped with Béarnaise Sauce and ends with Rhubarb, Strawberry & Lemon Curd Tart.  Wine pairings are included with the dinner. For more information visit www.MountVernon.org.

Photo credit – Jordan Wright