Jordan Wright
October 22, 2014
Special to The Alexandria Times
 Mary Kate Morrissey (Sharon Falconer), Nova Y. Payton (Mary Washington) and Charlie Pollock (Elmer Gantry) – Photo by Margot Schulman. Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer has gone back to the well to remount Elmer Gantry, a show he co-produced in DC with writer John Bishop, composer Mel Marvin and lyricist Bob Satuloff sixteen years ago. Reimagined by the original team, this massive musical based on Sinclair Lewis’ quintessential novel now boasts several new numbers and a re-worked script.
Backed by a ten-piece orchestra, there is a great deal of heart and soul in this redemptive tale of a down-on-his-luck preacher and a young, ambitious evangelist, Sister Sharon Falconer. When Gantry (Charlie Pollock), a traveling farm equipment salesman on his last dime, watches the second-rate religious troupe at a revival meeting, he seizes the opportunity to join them, wooing the beautiful Sharon and transforming their hokey act into a big time, holy roller spectacle filled with gospel singing, Sunday go-to-meeting psalms and mournful folk songs. “People want to feel that heat in their lives. They want to laugh. They want to cry!” he tells her. And by the time they get to Topeka, Gantry has created a full-blown, berobed, hallelujah choir, and the pair’s sermonizing has reached a feverish pitch.
 Ashley Buster (Epatha Washington), Nova Y. Payton (Mary Washington), Daphne Epps (Grace Washington) – Photo by Margot Schulman. It’s at this point, midway through Act I with the addition of three gospel-singing sisters led by Nova Y. Payton, where the show truly catches fire. The Washington Sisters played by Payton, Ashley Buster and Daphne Epps bring a huge, near dwarfing presence to the rest of the chorus. In “Carry that Ball”, a football-themed spiritual that substitutes the word “touchdown” for “hallelujah”, Payton takes her singing to the rafters, electrifying the audience and juicing up the show.
 Mary Kate Morrissey (Sharon Falconer) and company – Photo by Margot Schulman. Mary Kate Morrissey does a fine job as the ambitious and charismatic Sister Sharon whose past is as suspect as Gantry’s. In the tender tune, “You Don’t Know Who I Am”, she lets him know she has had to reinvent herself in order to evolve.
Unfortunately believable and powerfully passionate performances by Morrissey et alia are not matched by Pollock, whose uneven performance especially in Act II (he runs out of steam in their big duet “With You” and his solo turn in “My American Dream”), unreliable voice, and buzz cut hairstyle with trendy facial stubble, all contribute to his seeming out of date and out of sync with the other actors.
 Charlie Pollock (Elmer Gantry) and Bobby Smith (Frank Shallard) – Photo by Margot Schulman. Watch for Bobby Smith, outstanding as Frank Shallard, Gantry’s slick-as-a-snake associate; and Harry A. Winter as Bob Faucher, the unscrupulous banker, to keep this revival afloat.
Through November 9th 2014 at Signature Theatre (Shirlington Village), 4200 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, VA 22206. For tickets and information call 703 820-9771 or visit www.signature-theatre.org.
Jordan Wright
September 25, 2014
Photo credit – Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts
 Event Chair David Hagedorn in lime green tie When Washington Post food writer David Hagedorn is doing the asking, big name chefs and restaurateurs respond. Though we didn’t see her there, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who married David and his partner, Michael Widomski, last fall, are on his speed dial.
The noted cookbook author chaired the Human Rights Campaign LGBT “Chefs For Equality” evening of food and fun Tuesday night at the Ritz-Carlton West End in one of the most delicious events of the season. Two hundred chefs and their crews, plus some of the city’s top mixologists (if you hate that moniker, move along) prepared tastings for the guests who were dazzled by splashy drag queens, assorted pols and a ballroom filled with damned good looking men and their gal pals.
 VIP table settings Some of the most scrumptious bites came courtesy of Todd Gray and Chris Edwards of Salamander Resort & Spa (the concord grape jelly made from a neighbor’s vines was to die for); Michelle and Christophe Poteaux of Bastille whose foie gras mousse was topped with pear confit and toasted hazelnuts; Tim Ma of Water & Wall and Maple Avenue who served an Asian Chicken Soup; and Brian Noyes of Red Truck Bakery whose Chocolate Moonshine Cake (a Mason jar filled with the local firewater from Belmont Distillery) was a mouthful of pillowy, boozy chocolate cake.
 (Left to Right) Brian Noyes of Red Truck Bakery – Tim Ma of Water & Wall – Brent Sick Del Frisco’s Grille We also noshed on nibbles and sips from K. N. Vinod of Indique Heights, Mitch Berliner of MeatCrafters, Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar, Gina Chersevani of Buffalo & Bergen, Aaron McCloud of Cedar, Ris Lacoste of RIS, Tarver King of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, Jeff Faile of Neighborhood Restaurant Group and David Guas of Bayou Bakery whose “American Grilled” show is on the Travel Channel.
 (Left to Right) Aaron McCloud of Cedar – Brinn Sinnott of Le Diplomate – Michael Friedman of The Red Hen Salt & Sundry provided swag bags for the VIPs who sat together at tables lavishly decorated by their individual hosts. Their specialty dinners were prepared by uber-chefs Robert Wiedmaier (Marcel’s), Michel Richard (Central Michel Richard), Patrick O’Connell (The Inn at Little Washington), Frank Ruta (now baking with Mark Furstenberg at Bread Furst), Peter Chang (soon to open in Bethesda) Tony Conte (The Oval Room), Scott Drewno (The Source), Jeremiah Langhorne (formerly of McCrady’s soon to open a DC outpost), and Fabio Trabocchi (Fiola and Casa Luca).
 (Left to Right) Felicia Beefeater aka A. J. Dronkers with Jordan Wright – Todd Gray and Chris Edwards with team from Salamander – Gus DiMillo and Jeff Tunks of Passion Food Hospitality But it was all one big happy family there to celebrate this year’s Gay Rights successes and to push for Marriage Equality in Virginia. Star power came courtesy of Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe who wooed the joyful crowd with his promise of support for gay marriage in the “Virginia is for Lovers” state.
 Bryan Sorrentino’s cake from Charm City Cakes
Jordan Wright
September 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts
A Green Wolf Resides on 14th Street, Tapping the Trees, A Visit to Maple Avenue Restaurant , Station 4 Goes to Valencia for Inspiration and Porchetta for a Crowd at Jackson 20
One of the most frequent questions I get is, “What is your favorite restaurant?” It’s a fair question to ask of a food writer, but nearly impossible to answer, because in addition to the tried and true, there are umpteen places opening in our area every day, and really it all boils down to personal taste. Some want a place to channel their inner romantic, others a cozy spot to hang out with friends. Some want to see and be seen while others are seeking the ultimate in complex culinary techniques and a gastronomic high. I, your eager guinea pig, am out there sniffing and sorting, testing and reporting, ever ready to explore and share my impressions with you.
Lupo Verde – A Green Wolf Resides on Fourteenth Street
Since the 1980’s restoration of the Willard Hotel and Santa Fe Chef Mark Miller’s groundbreaking Red Sage restaurant, 14th Street has changed from an XXX-Rated peep show boulevard to a destination for serious food and a cool style. Beaux Arts buildings have been returned to their former glory and chefs and bartenders are vying for your attention from Pennsylvania Avenue to Shaw and beyond.
 Lupo Verde’s Pulpo with orzo appetizer One of the newer destinations is Lupo Verde – fast becoming the hottest spot in town with its fantastic house made salumi and exquisite hand-rolled pastas. Thirty-four year old Calabrian Chef de Cuisine Domenico Apollaro helms the kitchen, bringing his knowledge of Italy’s boot region. I love this place and its brilliantly authentic Italian cucina. It’s just like dining with an Italian famiglia.
The corner facing brownstone has been lovingly transformed into a stylishly intimate retreat featuring a downstairs bar, two-level dining enhanced by floor-to-ceiling windows facing the street, and a glass-enclosed meat and cheese larder along the north wall of the dining room. It’s like gazing through the shop window of a salumeria.
 Rosy red Carpaccio at Lupo Verde If you have dined in Southern Italy, you will recognize many of these homespun dishes. If not, your server will patiently describe them to you. They are divided by Antipasti, Pizza al Tegamino (a Turin-style pizza served in an iron skillet), Primi, Secondi, Contorni (side dishes). I cannot to begin to recall all the salumi and fifty cheeses offered (most of which can be purchased to go), but they are either made in-house or sourced directly from Italy. Ditto for the fruity olive oil from a farm in Italy and accompanies the breadbasket.
On a recent visit we tried one of the many handcrafted cocktails like the Principessa combine blood peach puree, grapefruit bitters and prosecco; or the Sofia made with Don Ciccio & Figli hibiscus liqueur (a locally made liqueur), prosecco and hibiscus flower.
 Squid ink pasta with head-on Shrimp at Lupo Verde A perfect appetizer is Polpo al Cannonau – braised baby octopus with its crimson tentacles encircling a mound of orzo – dotted with seared peaches and flavored with squid ink vinaigrette – as close to coastal Italian as you can get barring a plane ride on Alitalia. Carpacccio di Carne Marinata is another delicious option – rosy-hued shavings of paper-thin beef atop arugula and local tomatoes with a garnish of padano.
Garganelli, one of the kitchen’s homemade pastas, is featured in a version with asparagus, thyme, bottarga (salted tuna roe) and prawns. Or try the Scialatelli al Nero that boasts head-on shrimp on squid ink pasta with a mix of seafood, egg yolk and saffron broth. Bravissimo, Chef, for not caving on using head-on shrimp. All the fat and flavor of these sea creatures is concentrated in the head, and too many chefs are removing the heads, deferring to the quirks of petulant neophobes. Take courage, dear diners, you don’t know what you’re missing!
 The salumi and formaggio at Lupo Verde In the Calabrian region you can find swordfish on many restaurant menus. Here it is served as Pesce Spada – a lightly grilled swordfish with mint-lime mascarpone, green bean salad and spaghetti timballo.
And though desserts are predictably simple, as Italians will typically have fruit or cheese and stroll the strada after dinner in search of gelato, they are far preferable after such a large meal.
 Brunch at Lupo Verde Recently the restaurant launched a Saturday and Sunday brunch that adds breakfast pizzas, Nutella crepes and egg dishes to the menu’s regular fare. Be sure to order the Cestino di Pane, a basket of assorted sweet breads that includes zeppole. *You could live on these! (*This statement has not been approved by the Mayo Clinic.)
Hot in Vienna – A Visit to Maple Avenue Restaurant
Last week in New York City, the James Beard House hosted a dinner prepared by the “Rising Star Chefs of Virginia” and Tim Ma, Chef/Owner of Water & Wall and Maple Avenue Restaurant, was one of the five chefs selected to prepare one of the courses. His dish, “Partridge in a Pear Tree” reflected his playful approach to ingredients and techniques. Ma used the glorious bird, balancing out its gaminess with braised celery, fresh pears, and foie gras jus. That would be his way.
 Hudson Valley Duck Breast with Quinoa and Spicy Corn Salad at Maple Avenue Last month I dined at the postage stamp-sized Vienna outpost that Ma developed as his first laboratory. Many of the dishes used trendy ingredients but were uniquely tweaked – Steamed Prince Edward Island Mussels with saffron coconut broth and spicy Chinese sausage, and another, a bowl of Thai-inspired caramelized okra seasoned with garlic and lime. Ma doesn’t hold back on chilies or peppers – even Shrimp and Grits gets a toss of piquillos. For tamer palates there is a Baked Mac and Cheese – a rich blend of blue cheese, cheddar and Gruyere topped with an herbed panko crust.
 Seared Scallops with Coconut Risotto at Maple Avenue Restaurant Entrées are equally creative. Pressing into service vegetables and meats from neighboring farms, Ma’s style borrows from Southern regional and enhances it with an Asian twist. I particularly loved the seared scallops with coconut risotto, scallions and basil ice cream.
 Fried Okra at Maple Avenue As you can imagine, the menu changes with the seasons, so it’s impossible to count on any of the aforementioned, though the website doesn’t appear to have updated its options since the August menu. Reservations are required.
Hickory Dickory Dock – Tapping the Trees
 Shagbark Hickory Oak I once dined al fresco on the top of a hill on actor Robert Duvall’s gentleman farm located just outside The Plains, Virginia. My husband had won the highest bid at a charity auction for a horse-and-carriage ride to his estate that included a champagne-fueled picnic with the organizer. When we arrived at the house to await instructions as to where to spread out our provisions, I saw one of the most magnificent examples of a Shagbark Hickory tree I had ever seen in all my born days. It was smack dab in the center of the circular driveway. Leaping out of the carriage, I loudly identified the tree at the very moment Mr. Duvall was approaching from behind with his wife, the Argentine beauty Luciana Pedraza. He was impressed I knew what it was and proudly explained it had been designated the Virginia State Champion. He then directed us to a road that led down into his valley and up again to a hilltop where we were to set up our luncheon, and bade us goodbye.
Minutes later, the couple ascended the ridge and strode towards our little group of now just three, the coachman having passed out in a shed from early tippling. He asked if they could join us, explaining that anyone who could identify a Shagbark Hickory was someone he was eager to know. And that is how we whiled away a crisp fall afternoon with Mr. Duvall and his stunning wife. He is a brilliant generalist and can converse on any topic under the sun and we did.
The reminiscence of that glorious autumn afternoon goes to explain my dot-connecting excitement when I discovered Hickory Bark syrup. Now you may feel that the connection is a bit of a stretch, but I assure you it is not as the syrup is made not twenty minutes away in Berryville, Virginia.
 Falling Bark Farm Wildcrafted Hickory Syrup Joyce and Travis Miller of Falling Bark Farm began their business in 2011 making a small batch product foraged from Shagbark Hickory trees that uses a process of extraction that does not harm the trees. By concocting an extraction made from Hickory tree bark, and later sweetened with turbinado sugar or honey, they can make a sustainable product.
 Joyce and Travis Miller of Falling Bark Farm at the Bluemont Festival There are as many culinary uses for this amber-colored syrup as there are for any sweet syrup or honey. I just used it in place of honey when making a batch of granola, but it’s lovely in yogurt, on pancakes and waffles or on salmon, ham glazes or roasted Brussels sprouts with bacon. It has a distinct, yet mild, and somewhat nutty flavor.
For the Millers this business came as a bit of surprise. Though Travis had worked for major supermarket chains, Giant and Safeway, throughout his career he was eager to do something involved directly with customer service. After retirement he took on cabinet making before launching their syrup at a small farm market in Purcellville, which further led to the Bethesda Farm Market where he began to garner attention from chefs and locals excited about using his hickory syrup.
The couple says that 95% of their business is wholesale. Some of their loyal clients are the Twisted Vine Wine Bar in Arlington who uses it in brunch dishes and Salamander Resort & Spa, whose Chef de Cuisine Chris Edwards serves it with pancakes and waffles. In Winchester Chef/Owner Ed Matthews of One Block West uses it in a myriad of ways. As his menu changes nightly, he recalled a few dishes he has used it in. For savory dishes he likes to drizzle it over Prosciutto-Wrapped Scallops with Grits; Hickory-Smoked Minnesota Walleye with Asparagus, Radishes, Morels; and Pork and Grits, a dish made of house-cured pork belly, coarse yellow grits, poached egg, and pimentón sauce. Another application Matthews has employed is as a dipping sauce for an open-faced pork belly sandwich with tangy slaw and a poached egg.
Dessert brings other pleasures to the One Block West table like Hickory Syrup and Black Walnut Gelato; Pumpkin Pie-Spiced Crème Caramel with oatmeal lace cookie, crème Anglaise, chocolate-orange cremoso and hickory syrup. For this last one Edwards adds a graham cracker crust.
To find it in our area try Glen’s Garden Market and Gone Native Foods at Union Market, both in DC as well as some Whole Foods and Fresh Market stores in Northern Virginia. They also make a private label syrup for Ash Lawn-Highland and the Mount Vernon Estate. “We get calls every day from companies wanting to use our product. Next we plan to work with the Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg, PA who will use our syrup to brew a specialty beer,” Travis says.
Falling Bark Farm’s most deluxe product to date is the 180 Reserve Cask Hickory Syrup. It is aged for one hundred days in organic rye whiskey barrels from local distiller Catoctin Creek. To use any of their syrups at home Miller recommends making a 6-1 ratio of seltzer water to syrup for a delicious soda. He also mentioned making a delicious ham glaze of equal parts of bourbon and syrup. To order by mail visit www.wildwoodshickorysyrup.com.
Jackson 20’s Splendid Table
 The Porchetta Feast at Jackson 20 On a warm end-of-summer evening in Old Town Alexandria we dined al fresco in the courtyard at Jackson 20, a restaurant in the upscale Hotel Monaco. Teak tables placed in a long row held blue glass candleholders and vases filled with wildflowers. White linen napkins encircled by silver pig napkin rings stood by each setting and after a few glasses of Gruet an epic feast commenced with house made charcuterie and “pig butter”, a pure lard concoction made for spreading on toast.
An exquisite Farmers Beet Salad of pickled watermelon rind, arugula, BBQ pecans and Pipe Dreams Fromage, a runny, delicate flavored cheese, sat beside another salad of tomatoes and basil.
 Porchetta The special order “Porchetta Roast” dinner is served family style and involves a pork shoulder that is spit roasted with crackling bronzed skin and stuffed with pork sausage. It was brought to the table on a large wooden platter surrounded by a symphony of Southern side dishes – collards, mac and cheese, biscuits and corn bread and Brussels sprouts with chanterelles.
 Beet salad from Chef Brian McPherson Prepared by Executive Chef Brian McPherson, the best part is that with just one week’s notice you can order this fantastic dinner throughout the fall season for a minimum of eight guests at $38.00 per person.
Station 4 Visits Valencia
Our friends at Station 4 have taken to serving paella on Wednesday nights. Executive Chef Orlando Amaro will be creating a different Valencian rice dish each week incorporating many of the ingredients he sources from local farmers, fishers and meat purveyors. Some of the dishes to expect later this month are Del Mar y de la Tierra Paella – a delicious olio of saffron rice, shrimp, mussels, squid, chicken, chorizo and sweet peas on September 17th and Clams and Chorizo Paella made with lobster broth, chorizo, Manila clams, and mixed peppers offered on September 24th. Paella is priced at $25 for one person or $35 for two guests. For the perfect pairing try a carafe of sangria for an additional $15.
 Tomato Basil Salad at Station 4
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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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
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.
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” – https://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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
Jordan Wright
June 4, 2014
all photo credit to Jordan Wright
 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 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 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.
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