Jordan Wright
June 20, 2012
Special to www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com, www.broadwaystars.com, and www.localkicks.com
With over 180,000 products from 80 countries and regions on display at this week’s Fancy Food Show in DC, even a veteran show-goer needs a game plan before navigating the packed convention floor. Armed with the show’s diagram I hit the cavernous souk-like space like a laser-guided missile.
I like talking with the startups, entrepreneurs who are just getting their feet wet in the marketplace. Most are looking for East Coast distributors for products already found in stores on the West Coast. Scads of delicacies captured my eye and palate. Here’s a first look at a few I swooned over.
Calamondin Café
 Calamondin Cafe’s cakes and coulis – photo credit Jordan Wright Laurie Gutstein, MD presides over 1,000 calamondin trees on Pine Island, an area close by Ft. Myers along the Gulf Coast of Florida. Better known as a region for palm tree growers along with vegetable, mango and lychee farms, Gutstein’s family farm sits in the community of Bokeelia close to Matlacha, a quaint fishing village, evocative of “Old Florida”.
The plant’s history in this country began in 1899 when American botanist and plant explorer David Fairchild, brought back some seeds after an expedition to Panama. Along with his benefactor Barbour Lathrop they introduced citrofortunella microcarpa to South Florida. Floridians took to planting the prolific tree in their backyards making desserts and preserves from the golf-ball sized fruit. The glossy leaved plant produces an orange-hued fruit with a thin rind and near-zero pith, packing a lot of juice for its miniature size.
By the mid-20th century, when a destructive fruit fly began besieging the trees and the arrival of modern foods turned many home cooks from the kitchen, its culinary use went the way of the butter churner. That is until a few years ago when Gutstein unearthed a recipe from an old family friend and started tinkering with different formulas to create teacakes glazed with the sweetened fruit whose unique flavor profile, rather like a cross between a kumquat and a tangerine, has a wow factor of ten. Now you can order her moist calamondin-drenched cakes in three sizes or have your own jar of sunshine with her calamondin coulis. www.calamondincafe.com.
SeaSnax
 SeaSnax Chef Roscoe Moon – photo credit Jordan Wright Kale chips have been gaining a lot of traction lately but seaweed’s luster is on the rise thanks to a recent tout from TV’s Dr. Oz who featured SeaSnax in a recent episode. These crispy roasted seaweed snacks from Korea are nutritious and addictive, and converts will like that they’re non-GMO, gluten free, with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Did I mention all the vitamins and minerals seaweed contains? Nine flavors from Spicy Chipotle and Toasty Onion to Classic Olive and Wasabi, it comes in full-size sheets or nifty grab-and-go packs. Visit www.seasnax.comto find a store near you.
 Types of seaweed used in SeaSnax – photo credit Jordan Wright Living Tree Community Foods
 Nut butters from Living Tree Community Foods – photo credit Jordan Wright Founder and president of Living Tree Community Foods, Jesse Schwartz is a former professor and amateur botanist. During the 1970’s he spent much of his time roaming California’s Santa Cruz Mountains, the Sierra foothills and Mendocino County collecting rare heirloom varieties of apples. Through a process of grafting he brought many of these old time apples back from extinction. Schwartz first started by making and selling almond butter, eventually growing his business to 25 different nut and seed butters along with olive oils, chocolate, bee pollen and many other “alive” products – all are unheated and organic.
At the show were samples of Almond, Pistachio, Walnut and Hazelnut Cloud – each one smooth textured and distinctive. One of their latest products and certainly one of the company’s most intriguing, is Berkeley Buzz Butter, made with chocolate, acai berries, ginger, rosemary, cinnamon and honey and a whole host of other organic ingredients. Visit www.livingtreecommunity.com for recipes and to order by mail.
Bovetti Chocolates
Last year I discovered an amazing product from the Italian company Bovetti, an artisan chocolatier whose elegantly made chocolates rise above so many competitors. After misplacing their product materials and unable to recall the company’s name, I deliberately sought them out again this year. The company produces an outstanding range of over 140 different chocolate bars all from fair trade chocolate. Some have spices added such as Sichuan pepper, espelette chili, ginger, cardamom or fennel. The fruity ones add candied apricots, cherries, and bananas. And some feature flowers like violets, rose petals and jasmine. My favorite is their line of Aperitif Chocolats, tiny seeds of fennel, aniseed, rosemary and pink peppercorns individually enrobed with white or dark chocolate creating miniature spheres that explode with flavor. Find them at www.bovetti.com.
DC’s BuddhaFest Inspires
 Congressman Tim Ryan (Ohio) at BuddhaFest – photo credit Jordan Wright DC’s BuddhaFest last weekend was a blissed out affair designed to put you in touch with your inner self. Aren’t we all seeking that elusive state? The Pink Line Project hosted the festival at the Spectrum Theatre in Rosslyn where Friday night’s speaker, Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan (D), spoke to the rapt audience with a discussion of his new book, “A Mindful Nation”. The former quarterback cut a dashing figure as he expounded on the country’s “quiet revolution”. His programs on “mindfulness” have recorded an impressive success rate in major universities, corporations, prisons and high schools. But he seemed most proud of its successful teaching to returning vets suffering from PTSD. Sharing the stage with Ryan was Tara Brach, author, psychologist and founder of the DC Buddhist Fellowship along with her husband, yoga instructor Jonathan Foust. A screening of the award-winning and inspirational documentary Buddha’s Lost Children closed the evening.
 Tara Brach at BuddhaFest – photo credit Jordan Wright Ode to the Grape
 Lemongrass shrimp at The Curious Grape – photo credit Jordan Wright At The Curious Grape in Arlington’s Shirlington Village I found myself snug in a suéded banquette basking in the sunny glow of a restaurant with a full wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. The former wine and cheese shop has moved around the corner from their former home and added a restaurant. The stylish new digs have a relaxed modern flair with honeyed wood floors and ebony-hued tables and chairs. A vineyard inspired mural soars over the black granite topped bar – a great spot within a short walk to Signature Theatre and the local arthouse movie theatre. Driving home the grape décor is the purple room-length banquette with accenting purple napkins.
Wine, Dine and Shop is the resto’s tag line. The shop section features coffees, chocolates, and artisanal products while over 300 well-chosen wines are cradled in cherry wood rows of racks. Over 25 varieties of chocolates including Vosges Haut-Chocolat, organic Taza, the ultra elegant Amedei from Tuscany and Askinosie, rated “The South’s Best Chocolate” by Southern Living Magazine. The La Salamandra Dulce de Leche, with or without chocolate is an indulgent drizzle over vanilla ice cream. There are olive oils too. L’Estornell an organic 100% arbequiña olive oil from Spain being one of my faves. I also spied Vincotto fig vinegar and Revolution Tea, and coffees from roasters Novo Coffee of Colorado and Lexington Coffeevia the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. A case of international cheeses for take home stands beside the café’s extensive espresso and pastry bar.
 The espresso bar and shop at The Curious Grape – photo credit Jordan Wright The restaurant wants to share its not inconsiderable knowledge of wines. Co-owner Suzanne McGrath, a certified wine educator and her partner, Katie Park, hold frequent seminars highlighting regions from Spain to Oregon. The night we visited wine consultant Cheryl Hauser was conducting one of the weekly Thursday night wine tastings in the private glassed-in dining room.
The menu itself is designed to assist by guiding the diner to suggested wines for the most optimal pairing for its seasonally inspired dishes. Thirty wines are available by the glass or half glass and most of the dishes can be ordered in half or full portions. An alluring prospect for those of us who prefer a different wine with every course and look to sample a variety of dishes. In addition there are more beers, both by bottle and draft, local and imported, than I could possibly describe here. Suffice it to say the full or half drafts would make for an evening of adventurous tasting.
Straight out of the gate the food was creative and memorable. Executive Chef Eric McKamey, who at the tender age of 28 has worked in some of Washington’s finest kitchens including PassionFish, Local 16, Proof under Haidar Karoum, Central under Michel Richard, CityZen under Eric Ziebold, Palena under Frank Ruta and the now-shuttered 2941 under Jonathan Krinn,has a firm grasp on flavor, technique and presentation.
 Baby artichokes starter at The Curious Grape – photo credit Jordan Wright We sampled a silken yellow tail with preserved lemon and a piquant radish salad before moving on to baby artichokes with spring garlic and breadcrumb topping. A daily special was fresh tuna salad over tart fried green tomatoes paired nicely with a Michael Shaps Viognier from Virginia Wineworks. Another winning dish was lightly charred head-on lemongrass shrimp complemented by roasted peanuts and Thai basil and nestled cozily over rice noodles bathed in cucumber tamarind vinaigrette.
 Pan seared sea scallops – photo credit Jordan Entrees beckoned. Red wine braised lamb shoulder falling off the bone proved meltingly rich and tender. Pan-roasted sea scallops partnered up with firm textured black rice, baby bok choy and a delicate plum wine beurre blanc and was a neat foil for “Le Orme”, a 2009 Barbera from Michele Chiarlo.
Desserts were a grand hoorah to the restaurant’s house-made pastries – a charming tuile cup filled with lemon mousse perched on a puddle of lavender blueberry preserves, and a dark chocolate pot de crème with caramelized hazelnuts and chocolate batons.
There are four types of three-cheese platters broken up into categories according to types of wines. Our “White Wine Cheese Selection” included white Stilton with apricot, Gruyère de Compté and Beehive Teahive from Utah. And thanks to the menu’s guidance we opted to pair it with a Vajra moscato and a Douro Valley Croft ruby port. Clearly both chef and sommelier have created a most harmonious union!
Highly recommended.
Jordan Wright
June 4th, 2012
Special to www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com, www.broadwaystars.com, and www.localkicks.com
Crystal City Gets Good Stuff
 Spike's opening of Good Stuff Eatery in Crystal City - photo credit Jordan Wright A klieg-lit opening for Spike Mendelsohn’s Good Stuff Eatery in Crystal City brought out family, friends and TV crews earlier this month. Bravo’s film crew has been trailing Spike for his upcoming show Life After Top Chef – and apparently his guests too. An all-who-enter-within waiver was tacked to the wall outside the front door, warning guests they might make the final cut. Wannabes and the rest of us were undeterred, especially from inhaling his juicy burgers, cups of fiery hot chili and sweet potato fries. Champagne and beer made the rounds but were bested by those addictive Toasted Marshmallow milkshakes. P.S. The ultra-rich shakes get their creaminess from the addition of a daily house-made custard. I know. I asked… in the interest of my readers of course.
 The posted release at Good Stuff Eatery - photo credit Jordan Wright  An assortment of burger sliders at Good Stuff Eatery - photo credit Jordan Wright Spike has come a long and much-televised way from burger-flipping pool parties at the Rubell family’s Capitol Skyline Hotel (Remember the giant rubber duckies in the pool?) when the film crew from MTV”s Real World was shooting the young and restless and he was the ever-gracious host. Did I mention how telegenically cute he is? What’s next from the celeb chef? Could be another Good Stuff Eatery opening on M Street in Georgetown later this year.
La Forchetta is Roberto Donna’s New Playground
 Maestro Donna slicing salumi at La Forchetta - photo credit Jordan Wright When it became known that Roberto Donna, cookbook author, restaurateur and James Beard Award-winning chef, would be cooking again after years of legal and financial hurdles, including the shuttering of his short-lived Galileo III experiment, gourmands began salivating for his signature Italian cuisine. La Forchetta, which shares patio space with Chef Geoff’s in the nicely wooded neighborhood of Wesley Heights close by American University, is Donna’s new laboratory. Owner Hakan Ilhanwho was aware of Donna’s woes as well as his talents has hired him to cook, not handle the finances. Crisis averted.
 Pizza maker at La Forchetta - photo credit Jordan Wright  Patio at La Forchetta - photo credit Jordan Wright The tangerine-accented resto features a square-shaped bar surrounding a large brick oven for wood-fired pizzas. Should be cozy in winter. For now a cheery patio was the draw and most diners were outdoors the night we dined. We tried Donna’s signature risotto with truffles, spinach pizza, rockfish with pesto and Swiss chard, a dish of house made veal and pork sausages over polenta, and papardelle with ragu.
It took awhile to get our cocktails, which arrived at the same time as the food followed by the wine several courses later. A request to debone the fish didn’t pan out as hoped and in the darkening room I gave up plucking out the bones myself and put it aside. Also disappointing were the house made sausages – unexpectedly dry and without the hoped for juiciness to ooze into and flavor the polenta. Thankfully the pasta was up to Donna’s standards – light and tender – and served with wild boar ragu that had clearly benefitted from the low and slow cooking the sauce demands.
 Pasta with wild boar ragu at La Forchetta - photo credit Jordan Wright The pizza was a puzzlement. It comes uncut – a not well thought out decision. For the diner, who may not have in mind dividing their own pie without the benefit of a pizza cutter and work surface, it was flat-out annoying trying to cut a pizza with a steak knife while it slid around a small glass plate. As for its execution, instead of a mound of arugula the small pie sported a few leaves, sparse cheese, little sauce (though it was tasty), and a wide-edged underdone toppingless crust. We gazed wistfully at our neighbor’s salumi platter and wished we had ordered it with a bottle of chianti and a plate of pasta.
Would we return? Yes, now armed with foreknowledge. Sit outside on a balmy evening, order drinks, wait till you’ve finished those before ordering food, and stick to the simplest preparations. Note well: We saw the maestro hard at work shaving meats, not slaving over a hot oven.
Isabella Goes South of the Border
 Top Chefs Jen Carroll with Mike Isabella at the opening of his new restaurant Bandelero - photo credit Jordan Wright Mike Isabella has the Georgetown bar scene figured out. Cheek-to-jowl with the Modern and Rhino Bar and across from J. Paul’s, Isabella’s newest outpost after Graffiato is Bandolero, a low-key high intensity No Country For Old Men Mexican hangout, which is primed to go head to head with those well-known watering holes. The former Top Chef from Season 6 and 2010 Top Chef All-Stars had a totally rockin’ opening and former Top Chef fellow contestant, Jen Carroll, was there to cheer him on.
 The scene at Bandelero - photo credit Jordan Wright To keep up with the fast pace of a hot bar, Isabella has put some pre-made designer margaritas on tap. The “El Bandolero Margarita” and “El Mata Amigos” cocktails (“Mata” can mean bushy hair, a grove or the mastic tree? Clarification needed here.) flowed freely at the press opening last week. Currently the bar features over 65 tequilas and a dozen mezcals to choose from. Assistant General Manager, Ryan Jones, told me they’ll soon be off to Mexico in search of some obscure small-batch tequilas to ratchet up the inventory.
The décor, an intriguing hybrid of Mexican bordello meets medieval dungeon, is Elvis on black velvet dark with colonial era brick walls. But forget about the cave mood lighting, (Jones told me the lights were turned up for the event.) and order some food. You won’t be disappointed.
Start with orange infused pumpkin seed spread with jalapenos or chunky guacamole made with salsa roja and served with masa chips and chicarrones. On to Taquitos and Tostados. I couldn’t get enough of the Maryland blue crab tacos with coconut, red chili and purple potatoes – and I’m still craving the tuna, ginger and sweet potato. Fabuloso! And though I delighted in the mahi mahi taco, I noted there’s one made with lobster to try another time. A perfect balance of smoky and spicy was revealed in tacos of suckling pig, apple and habanero mustard, and succulent pork cheek flautas to dip in queso anejo.
In any case Isabella knows the basics of Mexican cooking from his early days on the line. “I used to cook in a Mexican restaurant in New Jersey,” he told me. As for his reinvention of Mexican street food he says, “It’s Mexican with a twist!” Viva la révolution!
Frenchify Me
 PAUL opens 3rd Bakery in Heart of DC at 1000 Conn Ave NW on Mon June 4, 2012 - Photo credit to Jason Colston Paul Bakery opened another of their traditional boulangerie cafés, this one in a stunner of a building on Connecticut Avenue near Dupont Circle. Now you can get your café au lait and croissant or sack of macaronson your way to work. Working lunch in the conference room during déjeuner? Impress your K Street clientele with crépes and tartes for lunch.
 B B forever Brigitte Bardot is coming to Washington! Well, virtually anyway. The photo exhibit “BB Forever – Brigitte Bardot, The Legend” features France’s most alluring sex kitten and opens June 21st through September at the Sofitel Washington. Concurrently the hotel will offer a special ”French Icon” package, which includes luxury accommodations, daily breakfast for two in iCi Urban Bistro, and dessert for two in Le Bar. It’s the first time an exhibit about the iconic movie star and animal advocate will appear in North America. Sofitel has also created a special collector’s edition catalogue for the exhibit that includes rare photos, accompanied by commentary and anecdotes by journalist and author Henry-Jean Servat, as well as an editorial by the legend herself.
New Chef New Menu at Alexandria’s Morrison House
 Artichoke puree with truffles served in a mason jar with artichoke chips at The Grille at Morrison House - photo credit Jordan Wright Brian McPherson, former executive sous chef at Poste is now heading up the kitchens at The Grille at Morrison House, the tony boutique hotel in Alexandria’s Old Town. McPherson recently crossed the Potomac where he worked as executive sous chef under Rob Weland for the past five years.
The Grille has a well-known piano bar scene on Thursday nights and cast members as well as talented local songsters from the area drop by to trill show tunes and light opera for guests.
 Olive oil cake with strawberries and basil ice cream at The Grille at Morrison House - photo credit Jordan Wright  Radicchio, curly endive, walnut salad with Cashel blue cheese at The Grille at Morrison House - photo credit Jordan Wright McPherson is already doing great things with both upscale and foraged ingredients and at last week’s spring-inspired dinner there was no exception. Opt for the clubby Grill Room (the formal dining room desperately needs a makeover) and start with the artichoke paté with black truffles, marinated artichoke hearts and artichoke chips. Follow with English pea pistou with hedgehog mushrooms and pea shoots or asparagus and nettle soup with crème fraîche, radishes, asparagus tips and ramps. Take it from me, it was like grandmere’s potager. Rosy lamb filets served with a bordelaise jus are rich and meaty, and a salad of radicchio, curly endive, pecans and Cashel Bleu cheese is one I’ll try to recreate at home.
But the pièce de résistance for me was the most heavenly bouillabaisse I’ve ever eaten outside of Marseille. Served with a proper rouille sur baguette and floating in saffron broth were tender pieces of lobster, halibut, mussels and scallops. Formidable!
For dessert we shared McPherson’s insouciant nod to strawberry shortcake with lightly macerated strawberries over a delicate olive oil cake with a rose-infused sauce and basil ice cream on the side, as well as raspberry panna cotta with fresh raspberries and sorbet made from the juice of the same.
If you aren’t up for ditties from the Washington Opera’s off-duty supernumeraries, skip Thursdays – otherwise book a table as fast as you can.
Wolfgang Puck Expands His Empire to National Harbor
 Tablescape with the Wilson Bridge beyond at the Sunset Room at National Harbor - photo credit Jordan Wright The swank press opening of Puck’s new catering space at National Harbor was an event worthy of the innovator himself. A breathtaking view of the Potomac River coupled with Puck’s stylish cuisine and artisanal cocktails gives this event space an advantage unlike many others in the area. We dined on fresh ravioli, soft shell crab sliders, warm asparagus soup, those legendary pizzas (prosciutto and arugula was the clear winner for me) and Korean short ribs served with half a dozen toppings from scallions to house made kimchee.
 Soft shell crab sliders at the Sunset Room - photo credit Jordan Wright  Korean Beef at Wolfgang Puck's Sunset Room Puck installed a brand new state-of-the-art kitchen in the unused space and trained his staff to reflect the same high standards one comes to expect at his DC resto, The Source, which also has a successful catering division in the Newseum.
Sleek and chic is the dynamic. Oscar-worthy cuisine is the result. The Sunset Room at National Harbor promises to be a premiere destination for conventions, weddings and other social occasions. With a capacity to host private events of up to 2,000 guests and do it in elegant innovative style, Puck’s mantra of “Eat! Love! Live!” translates into LA style parties for the East Coast.
 The view from Wolfgang Puck's Sunset Room at National Harbor - photo credit Jordan Wright
Jordan Wright
May 15th, 2012
Special to www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com, www.broadwaystars.com, and www.localkicks.com
Summer Cookbooks, Celebs, Book Giveaway and A Sri Lankan Pop-Up Dinner
Apron Anxiety Giveaway – Alyssa Shelasky’s hot new tell-all cookbook will be given away to a lucky subscriber of WhiskandQuill.com. Go to CONTEST to register and enter to win your own copy. See my write up in last week’s column. Giveaway ends June 1, 2012.
In between bites we’ve been trying to catch up with the recent crop of cookbooks. This week’s report that the Washington Metro area, Alexandria and Arlington in particular, are the most well-read cities in the country was indeed exciting – so let’s stay on top with a great summer read.
What’s summer without ice cream? Since National Ice Cream Week is from May 30th to June 5th this year, you’ll have just enough time to practice wowing your peeps with these unique formulas from San Francisco’s coolest ice cream chefs. In the Humphrey Slocombe Ice Cream Book (Chronicle Books) the shop’s owners Jake Godby and Sean Vahey have partnered with San Francisco Chronicle’s Inside Scoop columnist, Paolo Lucchesiin a book chockfull of beat-a-path-to-your-door sweet treats. In a small Mission District shop they prepare their sometimes pot- more often alcohol-inspired ice cream concoctions each day and fans line up to try their latest whimsies. The Gabba Gabba Hey Sundae was inspired by The Ramones and uses the recipe for Balsamic Caramel ice cream. I can hardly wait to try the one for Sweet Summer Corn or Strawberry Candied Jalapeno.
 Lorraine Wallace - Mr. Sunday's Saturday Night Chicken Best-selling New York Times author, Lorraine Wallace, has come out with her second cookbook, Mr. Sunday’s Saturday Night Chicken (Wiley). Lorraine is the wife of Fox News journalist Chris Wallace. In a journalistic nod to full disclosure, I went to school with Chris’s sister, Pauline Dora, who was the former president of New York’s tony The Conran Shop and now owns Design Collection, a swank home accessories shop in New Canaan, CT. The siblings are both children of the late 60 Minutes anchorman Mike Wallace. Still with me? Lorraine, a resident of Washington, DC and mother of six, has chosen to cast chicken in the starring role in her tribute to her husband’s favorite dinner choice. There are 130 recipes featuring poultry including one from her pal, Art Smith, Oprah’s former private chef, for his legendary Art and Soul’s Fried Chicken, her sister-in-law Pauline’s Easy Roast Chicken, and the recipe for Brined Organic Pheasant from my dear friend Rob Townsend, former chef at Upperville’s Ayrshire Farms. Lots of Wallace family photos and intimate snippets of their lives grace the pages between recipes.
British author Jane Hornby’s follow-up to What to Cook & How to Cook It is entitled Fresh & Easy (Phaidon Press). The stunning tome features 75 step-by-step recipes with helpful photos for dishes perfectly suited to outdoor entertaining.
 Pistachio Yogurt Cake with Figs & Honey from Fresh & Easy Jane Hornby’s Pistachio Yogurt Cake
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus cooling
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Serves at least 8
Note: I love the unique texture that yogurt gives to cakes and baked goods; sort of dense but light at the same time. Here I’ve mixed it with olive oil and pistachios to make a moist and tasty Middle-Eastern-style cake that’s ideal for dessert with coffee or a glass of mint tea.
Ingredients
7 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
scant ½ cup olive oil
3 eggs, at room temperature
scant 1 cup Greek yogurt, plus extra to serve
1 ¾ cups shelled pistachios
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp fine salt
¾ cup superfine sugar
6 fresh figs, or more if you like
2 tbsp honey, plus extra to serve
Instructions
- Butter the inside of a deep 8-inch round cake pan, then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Melt the butter in a pan, then pour it into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the oil and let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the eggs and yogurt to the bowl and whisk until smooth and even.
- Put 1¼ cups of the pistachios into a food processor with 1 tablespoon of flour and process until fine and sandy. If you don’t have a food processor, the next best thing is to put the pistachios into a food storage bag, squeeze out the air, then bash the nuts with a rolling pin until fine.
- Add the nuts, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to the buttery mixture, then fold together using a spatula or metal spoon until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the pan and even out the top.
- Bake the cake for 45 minutes, or until evenly risen and golden and a skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool the cake in its pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack.
- When ready to serve (it can be warm or cold, but is best warm), put the cake onto a serving plate. Slice the figs in half and sit a few pieces on top of the cake. Drizzle 2 tablespoons honey over the top of the cake and fruit, then sprinkle with the remaining whole nuts. Serve with the rest of the figs and more yogurt on the side. The cake will still be very good to eat a few days after baking*
 Kim Barnouin - Skinny Bitch Book of Vegan Swaps
From the Skinny Bitch series best-selling author and holistic nutritionist Kim Barnouin, we get her umpteenth guide to a healthier lifestyle – (HarperOne). We knew she was headed there sooner or later. Barnouin’s R-rated banter intends to strip away the fear of an inaugural trip to Whole Foods. Seriously? “Swap Hostess Twinkies for X’s and O’s Vegan Bakery Canoe Boats,” she counsels the culinary naif. That should be a snap with bankrupt Hostess Brands laying off all 18,500 employees this week. Read this if you don’t know the difference between Kellogg’s and Kashi.
On a more serious note, Napa Valley’s award-winning chef and restaurateur, Cindy Pawlcyn’s new book, Cindy’s Supper Club – Meals From Around the World to Share with Family and Friends (Ten Speed Press) got us planning our next dinner party. Pawlcyn takes us to exotic locales – think Turkey, Peru, Korea and South Africa – without ever leaving the sanctity of our own kitchen. Twenty-five complete menus plus luscious photos from Alex Farnum. Take note of the Hawaiian Pork Katsu and grab your market basket to prepare the refreshing Forager’s Salad from Ireland with ten veggies, a clutch of herbs, hazelnuts and blue cheese. Wildflowers optional.
Also from Ten Speed Press is Brooklyn native Victoria Belanger’s Hello, Jell-O, a cutesy summer-useful book of gelatin treats. You might try serving her Pear and Lychee Martini or a minty Mojito mold at your next cookout. I like the Petite Watermelons made with blended vodka-infused strawberries, decorated with tiny black sesame seeds and served in a scooped-out lime wedge. These are not your grammie’s potluck supper recipes, it’s upmarket throwback fun.
When Anthony Bourdain filmed an episode of No Reservations in Sri Lanka his guide was Baltimorean S. H. Fernando, chef/author of the new cookbook Rice & Curry (Hippocrene). “Skiz”, as everyone calls him, whose first effort cookbook is enthusiastically endorsed by both Bourdain and Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern, has compiled authentic recipes from his homeland into a highly engaging book. Using spices that have applications in the ancient Ayurvedic system of holistic health, Fernando takes the home cook into a world few have ever written about. As a graduate of Harvard University and Columbia University’s School of Journalism, the multi-dimensional renaissance man is also a film director, record producer and music journalist having written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Vibe and Spin. He’ll be hosting (and cheffing!) a 12-course pop-up dinner called The Sri Lankan Supper Club at Montserrat House in Washington, DC on June 8th. For details and ticket info visit his blog at www.riceandcurry.wordpress.com.
If you’re watching your figure, or maybe someone else is, NBC’s Today Show Diet and Fitness Guru, Joy Bauer has a new book for you. The Joy Fit Club – Cookbook, Diet Plan & Inspiration (Wiley) is Bauer’s entry into the world of before-and-after success stories. This super user-friendly at-home approach to weight loss ratchets up the inspiration with thirty transformative stories and photos from men and women who have followed her expert advice while losing up to 300 pounds. The easy to follow 21-day diet plan includes yummy snacks like Lime Ginger Baby Cakes with Coconut Frosting (only 5 grams of fat each).
Jordan Wright
May 2, 2012
Special to www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com and www.broadwaystars.com
Destination Pig
 Chef Will Harlan breaks down a side of beef while Chef/Owner Scott Harlan looks on at Green Pig Bistro - photo credit Jordan Wright I’m hooked on Green Pig Bistro and already dreaming about a return engagement. Who could resist dishes so scrumptiously succulently delicious they should be illegal? At the hot new porcine-centric resto in Clarendon last week, I did not get arrested for engaging in food porn. But I could’ve and so could you. Who cares? Bring on the cuffs!
For a resto whose raison d’etre is pork (their naturally raised Virginia beef is outstanding too) all meats are broken down from the whole animal. Chef and Owner Scott Harlan, whose signature riff is preparing the lesser known cuts, has assembled a fine supporting kitchen cast including Co-Chef Will Sullivan and Sous Pastry Chef Rory Kraus. But according to an ad last week on Craigslist (and a follow up call yesterday), they need additional help in pastry and service.
 Beef shank for two with polenta and greens from Green Pig Bistro - photo credit Jordan Wright  Crispy pig ear tacos at Green Pig Bistro - photo credit Jordan Wright After a chance meeting in New York City with design diva Nicole Facciuto, Harlan chose the design team of Facciuto Mele to execute his vision for a low-key rustic, sleek-chic bistro. The stunning Facciuto is known to many as one of four designers on Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible, the Robert Irvine program that takes failing restaurants and turns them into success stories. Along with her partner Erich Mele they transmogrified the ordinary space, outfitting it with a boho eclecticism and a nifty stainless steel open kitchen. The upscale design vibe uses old cookbook pages as wallpaper and bathroom doors that are cleverly labeled Julia (as in Childs) and James (as in Beard).
But let’s dish on the food. Harlan goes for deep soulful bright yet complex flavors. Start off with crispy pig ear tacos, pimento cheese balls, or fries served poutine style with duck gravy and cheese. Juicy smoky tasting cheeseburgers are enhanced with 1/3 ground bacon to 2/3 beef and three types of cheese. More daring diners will try corned ox heart reubens or lamb sweetbreads with cauliflower and grapes. Whole pork shanks cooked sous vide then crusted and served with polenta and greens are best suited for two, Parker House rolls on the side. Save room for some screaming crazy house-made doughnuts with chocolate sauce and peanut butter ice cream.
Brunch is served Saturdays and Sundays. We like that. And in addition to eggs-and-bacon fare there are a few non-standards like sourdough blueberry pancakes with maple ice cream and a dish intriguingly entitled Aunt Florence’s egg pie. Ah, sweet mystery of life.
There’s no website yet so here are the deets. Green Pig Bistro 1025 North Fillmore Street, Arlington, VA 22201. No lunch service as of now, but for more info and to check hours call 703 888-1920.
Alexandria Goes to the Dogs and You Should Too
 Inspector Foo Foo dreaming of doggy "Yappy" Hour at Artfully Chocolate - photo credit Jordan Wright Starting this week Artfully Gifts and Chocolates’ Old Town Alexandria location kicks off their Friday evening summertime doggy “Yappy” Hour. In addition to their delicious designer chocolates, specially baked dog treats and burgers and beer and wine for their owners will be available for purchase. I hope to be there with Inspector Foo Foo, my Shih Tzu, who will have his report on your desk in the morning. 506 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
 Jose Andres at Jaleo Crystal City - photo credit Jordan Wright My all-time favorite interviewee and grand master of Iberican pork, José Andrés, has devised a special menu to go along with the Joan Miró exhibit at the National Gallery of Art. Beginning May 6th and continuing through August 12th Garden Café Catalonia will feature dishes as well as wine and beers from the region.
The über-chef Andrés, owner of Oyamel, Zaytinya, minibar and Jaleo restaurants here in Washington, was just named to the 2012 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
À la carte selections inspired by the exhibition include empedrat de mongetes amb bacallà (white bean salad with vegetables and Catalan salt cod), canelons de Sant Esteve (pork and chicken “canelons” with béchamel sauce), and escalivada catalana (salad of roasted red pepper, eggplant, and onion). A lovely dessert is peres al vi amb gelat de vainilla (pears poached in red wine with vanilla ice cream).
The buffet at $20.25 incorporates a variety of traditional Catalan fare, including rustic bread, empedrat de mongetes (white bean salad with vegetables, black olives, and tomato), sopa freda de cireres de Santa Coloma de Cervelló (cold cherry and tomato soup), samfaina (Catalan vegetable stew), xatonada (salad of frisée, preserved tuna, and romesco sauce), formatges amb anous i codony (Catalan cheese with Marcona almonds and quince marmalade), escalivada catalana (salad of roasted red pepper, eggplant, and onion), pollastre a la catalana (Catalan chicken stew with dried fruits and nuts), fricandó de galtes de vedella amb bolets (Catalan stew of beef cheeks and mushrooms), and for dessert crema catalana (caramelized Catalan custard).
To recreate the experience at home, recipe cards for some of the dishes are offered to guests.
The Lonely and Glamorous Life of a Celebrity Chef’s Girlfriend
 Apron Anxiety: My Messy Affairs In and Out of the Kitchen by Alyssa Shelasky  Alyssa and Spike in better days at the St. Regis in Washington DC - photo credit Jordan Wright Alyssa Shelasky’s book Apron Anxiety – My Messy Affairs In And Out Of The Kitchen (Three Rivers Press) arrived this week buried under a slew of recent esoteric cookbooks and social networking how-to’s, – more on those soon. Alyssa as some of you may remember had a long tempestuous affair with the sizzling hot Top Chef Spike Mendelsohn. In her tell-all-without-using-names book (she calls him “Chef”) she spares us none of the juicy details, which she had been sharing on her blog even before becoming editor of New York Magazine’s Grub Street. She refers to herself as a “writer with a heavy heart, and wild child with a stethoscope on her crotch.” The book is actually a culinary coming-of-age cookbook in the Gael Greene sex-and-food gallivant style, focusing in on Shelasky’s novice attempts at cooking.
After ditching a terrific job with People Magazine to move in with Spike on C Street, she had a rough time of it in this oft button-down town and spent lonely days hanging out at Belga Café. That was around the same time I met her at the Capitol Skyline Hotel where Spike was flipping burgers poolside for super art mogul Mera Rubell. But I digress.
Shelasky eventually did embrace the kitchen with as much passion as the bedroom after a timid start with Martha Stewart’s Macaroni and Cheese and Sarabeth’s Cream of Tomato Soup (both recipes are in the book). The book is sassy, delicious and adorable and witty like Alyssa. I loved it!
How Olive Ya Sapore
 Sapore on Capitol Hill - photo credit Jordan Wright The newest addition to the Capitol Hill area is Renee and John Farr’s Sapore Oil and Vinegar a neat shop that sources artisanal products from around the world, tucking in pastas, sauces and books among the stainless steel pouring vats in their lively tasting room.
 Earth & Vine sofi award finalist Spicy Apple Garlic Jam - photo credit Jordan Wright  At Sapore to reveal the sofi award finalist. Wines courtesy of ProChile - photo credit Jordan Wright This week The Farrs graciously hosted an invitation-only preview of the Fancy Food Show’s NASFT sofi award finalists where the products were showcased and eagerly tasted. Carrie Morey of the Callie’s Charleston Biscuits, was on hand with samples of her meltingly tender sinfully buttery biscuits.
 Carrie Morey of Callie's Charleston Biscuits addresses the press - photo credit Jordan Wright Take home swag bags of some of the products were given out, but the Tate’s Bake Shop’s Chocolate Chip Cookies and Polka Dot Bake Shop’s Sweet Potato Crackers with Cracked Black Pepper were inhaled long before I crossed the 14th Street Bridge headed for home.
The NASFT Fancy Food Show will be at the Walter Washington Convention from June 17th-19th. For more info on the sofi finalists visit www.specialtyfood.com/sofi.
Swilling and Chilling at National Harbor’s Wine and Food Festival
 National Harbor Maryland - photo credit Jordan Wright  Jordan with Barbara Fairchild at the National Harbor WIne & Food Festival This weekend the 5th Annual National Harbor Wine & Food Festival returns to the waterfront at National Harbor on Saturday, May 5th and Sunday, May 6thfrom noon to 6:00pm. More than just a tasting, the festival brings together area chefs, artisanal foods and crafts, culinary pioneers and three stages of live music as well as wine and spirits from around the world.
This year’s festival features over 150 International wines, spirits and beers. Beyond the drink tastings highlights there will be a Cinco De Mayo Pavilion with Hornitos tequila, a craft beer tasting biergarten, and a whiskey and bourbon tasting paired with hand-rolled cigars.
Food samplings include guacamole and chips by Rosa Mexicano, Whoopsie’s Gourmet whoopie pies, Nature’s Table Café, gourmet baked goods by Icing Smiles, Mojo Magic and Cuban Salsa by Havana Road Café. Rotating gourmet dinners from food trucks, Chesapeake crab dip by KS Catering, fresh pastas and Italian specialties, kabobs, charcuterie, and even a whole hog from Kloby’s Smokehouse.
Saturday on stage celebs include Sticky Fingers Doron Petersen of Food Network’s Cupcake Wars, Food Network star Sara Moulton, The Wine Coach Laurie Forster, The Beef Association’s Dave Zino. Sunday features Marta Ines Quintan of Havana Road Cuban Café, Natalie Dupree making her famous Southern biscuits, Sara Moulton, Jim Baker of the Washington Wine Academy and Cooking with Salt and Pepper. All of these local, regional and nationally recognized chefs will do book signings, meet and greets and cooking demos.
To purchase tickets and view schedule, visit www.wineandfoodnh.com or call (800) 830-3976.
Jordan Wright
April 17, 2012
Special to www.dcmetrotheaterarts.com and www.broadwaystars.com
I’m often asked, “Where shall we go for brunch?” “It depends,” I evasively respond, clueless as to your expectations. Prefer outdoors, indoors or lavish buffet? Quick and cheap or farmer’s market sourced?
Do you languish over Bloody Marys or just need a quick morning fix? Would you like live entertainment with your eggs or just a place to kick back with the Sunday crosswords? Bringing friends and family or just for two? The following suggestions hope to inspire.
Brunch In
Ahhh, breakfast in bed – the ultimate luxury. Get a head start with perfect provisions from your local farmers market.
The Alexandria Farmers Market, one of the country’s oldest markets, delineates the perimeter of the fountains at City Hall on King Street. Buy sausage biscuits, VA country ham, fresh OJ, farm fresh eggs, herbs, and a bouquet of lilacs for the breakfast tray. Saturdays from 5:30am–10:30am.
 Herbs at the Alexandria Farmers Market - photo credit Jordan Wright The Bethesda Central Farm Market has recently moved its 30-plus vendors to the Bethesda Elementary School. Try the luscious cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery, baked goods from the Farm Market Bakery, Susie Sunshine Sprouts, fresh fruits from Pong’s Orchard and Zeke’s Coffee. For a bit of Britain get the English bangers from MeatCrafters. Now at 7600 Arlington Blvd. at the intersection of Old Georgetown Road. Sundays from 9am-1pm.
 The Copper Pot preserves - photo credit Jordan Wright  Bunches of lilacs at the farmers market - photo credit Jordan Wright FreshFarm Market Dupont Circle, the granddaddy of urban markets, is in full swing with Dolcezza Gelato’s icy confections, Euro-style pastries and whole grain breads from the Bread Ovens at Quail Creek Farm, Bev Eggleston’s EcoFriendly Foods signature bacon, Blue Ridge Dairy Co.’s house made mozzarella and yogurt, and preserves from the Copper Pot. Enjoy their Peach and Prosecco “Bellini” jam and don’t forget to fill your basket with farm fresh fruits and veggies. At 20th Street between Massachusetts and Connecticut Avenues. Sundays from 8:30am–1pm.
Downtowners can access the Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Market where neighborhood chefs pick up specialty items like breads, cheeses, artisanal meats and farm-grown produce. Grab crab cakes from Chris’ Marketplace, apples and gooseberries from Black Rock Orchard and honey from Sand Hill Farm. On 8thStreet between D and E Streets. Thursdays from 3-7pm.
 Penn Quarter Farmers Market - photo credit Jordan Wright Brunch Out
 Todd Gray's Muse Almond Torte brunch photo  Muse at the Corcoran Todd Gray’s latest adventure is Muse at the Corcoran Gallery of Art where he will prepare a vegan brunch twice a month. Carnivores are most welcome. Pastry Chef Doran Petersen of Cupcake Wars and Sticky Fingers’ Bakery adds to the yum factor with her specialty vegan sticky buns. Standouts include Bananas Foster vegan pancakes with caramelized baby bananas, Grilled Polenta with asparagus sauce, roasted mushroom and black walnut pate Macaroni Salad with green peas and ramps; and Plantain Fritters with black bean and red onion marmalade. The $35 adult price (+tax and gratuity) includes a complimentary starter cocktail. Children age 12 or younger dine for $12. Reservations are recommended for Sunday Brunch. From 11am-2pm. Vegan brunches are on the first and third Sunday of every month. 500 Seventeenth St., NW. Call 202 639-1786 or visit [email protected].
Metro area music lovers just got some divine intervention with the recent openings of The Howard Theatre, the Melody Tavern and The Hamilton.
 The Hamilton - Photo credit to Ron Blunt At The Hamilton you might find your own slice of heaven with the Howard Gospel Choir, the first college choir of its kind founded over four decades ago at Howard University. The all-you-can-eat down home soul food brunch features shrimp and grits, buttermilk biscuits with sausage gravy, fried chicken, gumbo, BBQ pork and sweet potato hash, along with waffles, eggs and pancakes. Each $25 ticket comes with a choice of Bloody Mary or Mimosa. From From 10-11:30am and 12:30–2pm. This is a ticketed brunch and reservations are a must. Call 202 787-1000 or visit www.thehamiltondc.com/live/event/1230pm-gospel-brunch-3.
 Top Chef Master Marcus Samuelsson Competition will be stiff with the all-you-can-eat gospel brunch at the newly renovated historic Howard Theatre featuring the hallelujah chorus of the Harlem Gospel Choir. The menu offers Southern-style dishes created by famed Top Chef Master Marcus Samuelsson and set against a Beaux Arts backdrop. The menu’s not out yet – the spot’s so new – but we’re counting on it to be fabulous to the max. Reservations strongly suggested. Tickets are $35 in advance, $45 the day of the show. From 12:30-2:30pm at 620 T Street, NW. Check the website’s calendar for artist’s performance schedule. www.thehowardtheatre.com/calendar.
 Jaared Arosemena - the "Sax Man" at Melody Tavern If you imagine your Sunday with a mellower vibe, check out the stylish new Melody Tavern in Crystal City for their Jazz Brunch. The well-priced á la carte menu takes you down home with country-style chicken and biscuits, shrimp and grits, steak and eggs and so much more. This month groove to the smooth sounds of “Sax Man” Jaared Arosemena. From 10am-2pm at 3650 South Glebe Road, Arlington, VA. Call 703 413-4141 for reservations. www.melodytavern.com.
 Rhubarb clafoutis at Sou'Wester at the Mandarin Oriental Digging deep into Southern foodways is Sou’Wester at the Mandarin Oriental. James Beard Award-winner of “Best Chefs In America” Eric Ziebold, formerly of Spago and French Laundry does not disappoint. An á la carte menu brings pan-seared Maryland soft shall crab with jambalaya, tasso ham and spicy shrimp emulsion and hush puppies served with honey butter. Or choose the North Carolina shrimp with Anson Mills grits, pickled okra and smoked shrimp sauce. Dessert captivates with fried apple pie or rhubarb clafoutis served with baked meringue, ginger streusel and rhubarb sorbet. From 11:45am-4pm 1330 Maryland Avenue, SW. For reservations call 202 787-6148 or visit www.mandarinoriental.com.
As a huge fan of seafood the brunch at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington DC in tony Georgetown is a religious experience of an entirely different stripe. Lavish displays of luscious pink shrimp, raw oysters, crab claws, Bloody Mary oyster shooters, Ahi tuna, seviches, crabcakes and seared scallops beckon. Even the omelette station has lump crabmeat. But there’s so much more to love.
Seven separate stations gleam with creatively conceived salads like curried cauliflower with chickpeas and golden raisins; the spinach salad packed with walnuts, goat cheese, strawberries and chrysanthemum (oh my!); and another made with sunflower sprouts, corn shoots, broccoli sprouts and lime.
Over on the meat side there’s beef tenderloin medallions with Bing cherry demi-glaze or pistachio crusted lamb loin with fig compote. How about a full-out charcuterie station? Or go old school with house made pork sausages nestled alongside of creamy scrambled eggs.
The elegant room, overlooking the canal, even has a pickle station with pickled pearl onions, fiddlehead ferns and Alba mushrooms. If Asian is your thing Moo Shoo pancakes are made with Peking duck.
Pastry Chef Jennifer Krause crafts heavenly baked breads and breakfast pastries to make you feel like a naughty child let loose in a French bakeshop. Go for it. Even cheeseheads are given the nod with Prima Donna, Murcia Al Vino, Gjetoast, Cahill’s Porter, Manchego and Griftin.
 Seafood delicacies at the Four Seasons Washington  A small selection of brunch sweets at the Four Seasons Washington Caveat for newbies. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Off to one side is the dessert room with splendors so tempting you’ll imagine you’ve just discovered the Holy Grail as you discover row upon row of petite sweets to corrupt the innocent. Dig in.
Executive Chef Doug Anderson who is proud of his partnerships with local farmers, is clearly showing off here and you’re the beneficiary. Brunch is served in the hotel’s Seasons Restaurant from 10:30am–2:30pm at $80.00 pp. 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. For reservations call 202 944-2000 or visit http://www.fourseasons.com/washington/.
Jordan Wright
April 6th, 2012
Hop on In
Seems like the holidays stacked up on us this year. It’s times like these we wish we were still in school or had paid federal holidays. But noooo – we’re still hopping around finding the best places to hang out, clink your drink and tuck in. So if you haven’t made Easter or Passover dinner plans yet, here are a few choices.
Go Greek
 Asparagus Salata - Photo credit Greg Powers Zaytinya is doing it up Mediterranean style with a Greek Easter festival that runs from April 8th through April 22nd. We dropped in last week for an advance sampling of some of the scrumptious dishes and they are totally wow! Head Chef Michael Costa is taking full advantage of the resto’s spit roaster to cook Sprarangia, a flame cooked lamb shoulder – all crispy and charred and tender at the same time. He serves it with Mayritsa a traditional Easter soup made from lamb’s liver (sign me up!), caramelized onions, rice, egg and lemon broth; a palate-cleansing salad of white asparagus tzatziki, pistachios and green asparagus; and Spanakorizo, rice pilaf with spinach puree and preserved cherry tomatoes and feta. Try the glossa – a rich dish of lamb’s tongue, potato skordalia, green olives, celery and candied pistachios.
 Lamb Kleftico - Photo credit Greg Powers These Greek Easter cookies are so craveable and packed to go for later or a hostess gift if you have that much self-control. For those of you who live and die for these heavenly sweets you can choose from – paximadakia, pastoules, spiced walnut cookies in honey syrup, and kourabiedes baked with a hint of Metaxa.
Why Cook Kosher When You Can Make Reservations?
Seems like keeping kosher is getting harder and harder for working Washingtonians – so little time so little space and nowhere to store all those dishes. But Passover celebrants – do not despair. Let a trained French chef keep you and your family kosher in style. Just bring your own afikomen.
Chef Michel Laudier of Tragara Ristorante in Bethesda, once top toque at Georgetown’s tony Rive Gauche, is preparing a traditional Kosher-style (without chametz) Passover menu featuring homemade gefilte fish with fresh horseradish and chicken soup with matzah balls to start. Entrees like grilled salmon or veal chops are tempting, but save room for a Passover roulade with strawberries and whipped cream doused with Sabra liqueur or haroset ice cream in a meringue shell with honey caramel sauce.
Jeepers Creepers Where’d You Get Those Peeps
It’s too late to get your dark chocolate-dipped Peeps at ACKC. Apparently we’re not the only ones that thought this was a super cool idea. As of this morning they were completely sold out. Instead we dashed across the bridge to the Peeps store in National Harbor and got them in turquoise, pink, purple and yellow. Now our guests can dip their own at the table with my favorite Icelandic chocolate. Finger licking approved.
Ham vs. Lamb – An Easter Dinner Quandary
 The patio at RIS Ris Lacoste is cooking up her sophisticated Modern American Cuisine for Easter at her eponymously named restaurant RIS, well located near the Kennedy Center. Start with chilled pea soup with lemon, crab and mint, followed by a delicately prepared salmon sampler with smoked trout, smoked steelhead trout caviar, smoked New Brunswick salmon, salmon rillettes and salmon cucumber tartare. How luscious! It’s a ham-or-lamb choice of entrees – a duo of lamb both shank and rack with a Shiraz sauce or a puff pastry-crusted ham Wellington. I suggest a nice Willamette Valley pinot noir with either one. Cross the finish line with a meltingly tender coconut cake and take a nice long walk along the river.
Very Cherry Patio Finds
The stunning Sofitel’s Lafayette Square patio is open for the season and they’re serving these delish mojitos through the month of April. I can’t believe we got the secret recipe from Head Bartender extraordinaire Vincent Gernigon!
Sofitel’s Cherry Mojito
 Cherry mojito from the Sofitel Hotel DC - photo courtesy of D. Murphy
2 oz Bacardi Cherry Torch
¾ oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
Cerises griottine (aka Griottines Morello Cherries from France, a type of sour cherry with a dark skin)
Splash of Soda Water
Fresh mint leaves
2 Teaspoons of Granulated White Sugar
Muddle fresh mint and cerise griotte in a shaker. Add granulated sugar. Add Bacardi Cherry Torch along with some ice. Shake well to bruise the leaves. Pour into a highball glass topped off with soda water. Garnish with cerise griotte and a spring of fresh mint. A votre santé Vincent!
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