Jordan Wright
March 29, 2013
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts, Broadway Stars, and localKicks
Greek Orthodox Easter Festival at Zaytinya
 Head Chef at Zaytinya – Michael Costa – photo credit Jordan Wright Jose Andres’ popular spot, Zaytinya, is planning a five-week festival beginning March 31st and ending on Greek Orthodox Easter, May 3rd. Head Chef, Michael Costa, who continues his mission to create dependably delicious flavor-forward food, has devised some truly savory bites for the Lenten season. Last week we had a chance to sample some of the upcoming dishes including mixologist, Juan Coronado’s dazzling cocktail, Apokreas. Named appropriately after a Greek carnival celebrating Dionysus, it’s a combination of Metaxa, verjus, and maple syrup garnished with a red pickled quail egg and baby carrots. Cue the bunnies!
 Apokreas cocktail with pickled quail egg and baby carrot garnish – photo credit Jordan Wright A few of the traditional dishes we sampled were lachanosalata, shredded cabbage and carrot salad served in Brussels sprout leaves and dressed with olive oil, lemon and smoked walnut skordalia; sopa me lahanika aladoti, a smooth Lenten vegetable soup with cauliflower, rice, mushrooms, tahini and herbs topped with crispy cauliflower and black tahini; and clam stew from Lefkada, sea sweet clam soup with basmati rice.
 Greek Easter offerings Yogurt, olives and lava beans – Seasonal morsels from Zaytinya – photo credit Jordan Wright During the festival there will be an agorá outdoor market on Sunday, April 21st and Monday, April 22nd featuring artisanal foods, crafts and Greek music. Look for Andres’ Pepe Food Truck to be out front selling spit-roasted lamb sandwiches served with tzatziki and pickled red onions. Prizes of signed cookbooks, Zaytinya gift certificates, wines and other delights are being offered to benefit World Central Kitchen.
During the first week of the festival, the restaurant will host Greek cookbook author, photographer and journalist, Aglaia Kremezi for a collaborative wine dinner on April 3rd and a cooking class on April 4th. Check the website for more deets. www.Zaytinya.com.
Todd and Ellen Gray Host Seder Dinner With Recipes From Their Latest Cookbook
 The NEW JEWISH TABLE by Ellen and Todd Gray The New Jewish Table (St. Martin’s Press) by Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray arrived at my door in galley form a few months ago. Written with Washington Post food writer, David Hagedorn and sporting a foreword by Jewish cookery queen and DC local, Joan Nathan, the book is Gray’s modern spin on traditional Jewish cooking. What really charms me as a cookbook collector is the backstories told by the writer, and in this collection the duo fills the space between the easy-to-make recipes with cooking tips and personal tales of their very different childhoods. Ellen, a city-bred Jewish girl and husband, Todd, a country-bred Episcopalian, are the successful owners of Equinox Restaurant here in DC. Between them they have written a book that speaks to their food memories yet reinvents familiar Jewish recipes in Todd’s fresh and elegant style.
 The ceremonial Seder plate – Photo credit Jordan Wright This week the Grays hosted Passover Seder dinner for family and friends at Equinox and this scribe was lucky enough to snag an invitation. Though I had attended a one Seder dinner long ago at the Palm Beach Country Club when I was a girl, I enjoyed revisiting the time-honored traditions, including the reading of the prayers by the guests and the unique ceremonial plate of baytzah (roasted egg), maror (bitter herbs), z’roa (roasted bone), karpas (green vegetable) and haroset (chopped apples, nuts and wine) to represent their exodus from Egypt to the Holy Land.
 Guests read the Seder prayers The Gray’s, who are known for their warmth and conviviality served dishes from the cookbook starting with a salad of roasted heirloom beets with golden raisins and Sicilian pistachios; Todd’s Black Angus beef brisket in red wine sauce with potato mousseline and wilted spinach and sesame seeds; quinoa with poached figs and mint; and finishing wondrously with a decadent flourless chocolate cake with caramel ice cream and bourbon vanilla sauce. Now have I got your attention? Mazel tov Mr. and Mrs. Gray!
 Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach 
Click Link to Download Receipt in PDF
Chocolate Hazelnut Rugelach
A Persian Excursion in the Heart of Georgetown
Word is out that one of Georgetown’s “in” spots for the past twenty-two years is serving Persian cuisine on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Now that’s hard news, readers, especially when you consider this place has flown under the radar for over two decades. So, yes, we had to see for ourselves what all the fuss and flutter was about.
When Iranian chef and Peacock Café’s co-owner Maziar Farivar, was tapped by the James Beard Foundation to cook a dinner for the Persian New Year’s celebration, Nowruz, he had to research his own country’s cuisine. Inspired by the dishes of his childhood that were still close to his heart, he set out on a mission to learn how to prepare the dishes that the women in his family had brought with them to America. From that jumping off point he and brother Shahab Farivar, decided to proudly offer his country’s cuisine in his own restaurant.
Regulars are familiar with Farivar’s everyday menu of American meatloaf, organic chicken, sustainable seafood and an array of pastas. It’s the jumbo lump crab cake, grass-fed rib eye steak and lobster salad that up the ante. But lately the clientele have been clamoring for his exotic Persian dishes and that is what we came for on a frigid winter’s night.
 Fresh herbs with feta and beets and Pistachio soup at Peacock Cafe – Photo credit Jordan Wright We pored long and hard over the menu and the specialty cocktail list from which we chose mango martinis made with homemade sour mix, fresh fruit and organic blue agave. It was a good place to start. Stymied by so many alluring menu choices, we vacillated wildly over our decisions before settling on the following – – borani-e laboo, red beet and yogurt dip with hummus, olives and seasoned flat bread; naaz, roasted eggplant with pomegranate; and panir va sabzi gthat with whole fresh herbs, feta radishes and dates.
An exquisite pistachio citrus soup, soup-e pesteh, arrived followed by khoresht qaymeh, which turned out to be a stew consisting of lamb and yellow split peas with sundried lime over basmati rice. We also tried a dish called albaloo polo ba morgh, a pomegranate-glazed chicken dish with sour cherries in the rice. We found the dishes to be quite small so there was ample room for dessert when we capped off the evening with the restaurant’s signature chocolate volcano.
P. S. We tried to take some photos but, alas, the sexy, red-lit resto, bracketed by neighbors Neyla and Café Milano, is so charmingly intime that the photos aren’t quite up to snuff. www.PeacockCafe.com.
A New Brunch Spot Shines in Shirlington
On the far end of what I’ll call the Shirlington Strip, that two-block boulevard lined with boutiques, bakeries, heaps of restaurants, one artsy movie theatre and, of course Signature Theatre, is The Curious Grape. You may recall I swooned over young chef, Erik McKamey’s food last June, shortly after they expanded from a wine and cheese shop into a full size restaurant. Now happily they have also expanded their hours to include a sit-down lunch on Saturdays and, more importantly, a scrumptious Sunday Brunch.
 Flight of wine-based Bloody Marys – photo credit Jordan Wright You would expect nothing less from a place that features wine at every turn, than their creative use of wine as a base for the ubiquitous Sunday morning drink, the Bloody Mary, which they just call “Mary” cocktails here. There are three versions, but order the flight in order to try them all, thus finding a favorite, if you can, which is well-nigh impossible. These cute cocktails served in half-size martini glasses snub their noses at vodka while providing an assuredly more preferable and less earth-shattering way to start your day of rest.
For the flight you’ll have the Ciao Bella, flavored with balsamic vinegar, roasted red pepper and basil and decorated with a morsel of cheese and sundried tomato on a bamboo spear. The Bloody Maria, spices it up with smoked paprika, piquillo peppers and cumin seed and comes garnished with chorizo. And lastly the Beijing Mary incorporates soy sauce, wasabi and sesame oil with a sprig of Thai basil. Each one delivers a sort of sprightly perfection. There are other brunchy drinks made with sparkling rose, sake, tawny port and sparkling hard cider as a base, but those will be for another day.
The menu is cleverly laid out in food and wine columns to aid the diner in pairings, and since the list quite extensive, you might want to stick to the script. Most selections can be ordered by the half glass, so as you work your way through their well-culled offerings, you can convince yourself you are getting an education in wines from around the world. Blissfully all wines are $13.00 and under for a full glass, so drink up, it’s study hour.
Baked goods are made in house, so try a coconut lavender muffin or cinnamon bun to break the fast. We dove in hard selecting a few starters to share. Doughnuts with wild boar, hoisin sauce and pickled onion were a tasty balance of flavors we couldn’t get enough of was an earthy foil for a dish of airy ricotta blintzes sweetened with cranberry compote, caramelized honey and thyme. And a gooey wine-kissed Abondance cheese fondue, served only as a small plate, proved a tease I’d like to see offered as an entree.
 Wild boar doughnuts at the Curious Grape – photo credit Jordan Wright Driving me mad with craving as I write this, was the house made flat iron corned beef accompanied by sweet potato hash, poached egg and salsa verde. Why, you may ponder, is this corned beef so different from all others? Why is it so irresistible, so craveable? It is because to achieve this wonder you must first appreciate the marvel of well-brined, slow-cooked meat, a process that renders the beef mouth-meltingly tender. But here’s why this one supersedes the others. In a twist of brilliance, the chef puts a thick slice of the boiled meat onto the flat top grill, searing the flesh and giving it a crusty ‘bark’. Gourmands, it does not get any better than this, except when the yolk of a perfectly poached egg oozes over the meat and onto the crispy potato hash below.
 Flat iron corned beef on sweet potato hash – photo credit Jordan Wright Next I was eager to try what is referred to as the Spanish breakfast, a potato and leek “tortilla” with Serrano ham and Zamorano cheese. I am a sucker for any dish that lists leeks as an ingredient. But this one was a disappointment, as the eggs were dry, the whole concoction flat as a board, the leeks, well, I’m not sure where they went to, and the delicate imported ham was seared to smithereens. Even the sweet note of quince on the side could not redeem it. I hope they get a better handle on this, since apart from an apple pancake soufflé, it was the only other egg dish.
 Ricotta blintzes – photo credit Jordan Wright As a footnote we decided to wait until we had finished with our bloodies before ordering coffee and tea. The restaurant has an extensive coffee bar menu and additions like house made vanilla bean, hazelnut and toasted almond syrups to flavor the java. My cappuccino with hazelnut syrup was lovely but my cohort chose a Chai latte that sent us into orbit. It seems the barista makes pouches of well-chosen spices for this drink and it’s terrific. All in all we concluded that the Curious Grape is a most welcome addition to the brunch scene and we’ll be back very soon. www.CuriousGrape.com.
Last Chance for The Garden Café’s British Menu at the National Gallery
 The Garden Cafe at the National Gallery of Art – photo credit Jordan Wright By last count I have already made three trips to the Garden Café Britannia to dine on Cathal Armstrong’s British-inspired menu at the museum and I am still smitten. With the opening of the large and gorgeously curated Pre-Raphaelite exhibition, I have returned with both local and out-of-town friends luring them in with the fabulous buffet, the elegant fountain setting and the best lunch deal in town (at $20.75 for all you can eat, it’s a steal). They have all been giddy with delight over the food, which is consistently wonderful and overseen by the National Gallery of Art’s Executive Chef, David Rogers.
 Carrots and turnips – Cornish pasties at the Garden Cafe The menu will stay in place until the end of April, but hurry! In early May, to complement the Gallery’s upcoming Diaghilev and the Ballets Russes exhibit, famed chef Michel Richard will transform the café into the Garden Café Ballets Russes. Expect dishes with both a French and Russian influence as the master creates a menu featuring Russian black bread, lentil salad, chilled borscht, blini with caviar, grilled eggplant, beef stroganoff, salmon coulbiac, and strawberries Romanoff for dessert. Na zdorov’ye!
 Digging in at the Garden Cafe Britannia – photo credit Jordan Wright
Jordan Wright
February 20, 2013
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts, Broadway Stars, and localKicks
 The Barefoot Spirit How to Succeed in the Wine Business Without Really Knowing a Damn Thing About It
Last month I spoke with Barefoot Wines founder Michael Houlihan about his upcoming book The Barefoot Spirit (Evolve Publishing – May 2013). Michael, who has been in the wine industry for nearly 30 years along with his life and business partner Bonnie Harvey, created the affordable and ubiquitous wines we know from the cute footprint icon. As soon as I spoke with him, I knew I liked him. He’s engaging, modest, enthusiastic and plain speaking, and considered a wine industry visionary. Though there are better known trailblazers throughout the history of California wines – perhaps none have started out more hapless, or dare I say clueless. He’d be the first to admit it.
When Michael and Bonnie hatched their idea to produce wine out of their farmhouse laundry room in 1985, they were so unaware of the vagaries and complexities of the business that they didn’t even know that wine came in different sized bottles. And though Bonnie had a nose for business and Michael had a knack for sales, they couldn’t possibly foresee what it took to make and sell wine on a grand scale. But both kept an open mind and both were quick studies.
 Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan Co-Founders of Barefoot Spirit As he describes it in his light-hearted and informative book, Michael started his sales adventures by lugging samples of Barefoot wines through a blinding thunder storm to the Piggly Wiggly in South Carolina – hardly an auspicious beginning. Neither one of them was knowledgeable about such crucial details as marketing, distribution and shelf placement, and they were sticker-shocked when they discovered the high cost of glass to bottle their wines. The term ‘spiffs’, which are legal bonuses given to distributor reps to push a wine, was not in their vocabulary yet. They just had a product they believed in and a commitment to see it through. Michael remembered what one wine purveyor told him, “You’ve got to be better and cheaper than Bob.” Mondavi, that is. So they put their heart and soul into the venture and learned along the way. Turns out they learned a lot.
A cornerstone of their success in marketing their brand is something all winemakers use today in one way or another – getting their wines to the public through tasting events in order to establish solid relationships and engender goodwill along the way. To that end Michael and Bonnie created Barefoot’s “Worthy Cause Marketing”, donating their wine to charitable events and following up with their new friends. It proved to be an ideal model, both personally and professionally. Many budding entrepreneurs now turn for advice to the pair who in 2005 sold Barefoot Wines to the family-owned E. J. Gallo, which according to Wine Folly is, “the largest wine brand on the face of the earth.”
“The Barefoot Spirit” is the polar opposite of a dry business-oriented tale of success. It’s about a pair of entrepreneurs who dropped everything, except their commitment to fun, to make and sell an affordable wine. I mean who wouldn’t love a pair of nature-loving, beach-combing winemakers who think there’s nothing better in life than hiking the Sierras with their cats and treating their business like an adventure. Now that’s a tale you wouldn’t want to miss.
 The action at Toki Underground – photo credit Jordan Wright Tales From The Underground – Toki’s Simple Pleasures
“We have to arrive at an unfashionable time,” I insisted. “The minute they open the doors!” Like everyone else I’ve been put off by Toki Underground’s rumored lines-around-the-block and their no-reservations policy but my accomplice and I were determined to check out all the noise. Certainly the restaurant’s 2012 DC “Restaurant of the Year” award has the trendoids beating a path to their door, but we weren’t going to let that stand in our way. So around five on a weeknight, I picked up my epicurean compatriot and we headed off to H Street where we discover to our delight that we are seated right away.
Toki Underground has been on the radar screen of foodies and chefs from Alice Waters to Joan Nathan whose famous Sips & Suppers event featured the noodle shop’s Executive Chef Eric Bruner-Yang in one of their private dinners this year. The tiny noodle house, all 650 square feet of it, has a mere twenty-five stools and most face the wall. Don’t expect a romantic hideaway or group ramen night. This hot spot could be more fondly described as a hole in the wall.
 Counter dining at Toki – photo credit Jordan Wright The tiny outpost sits above The Pug, a small dive bar on the first level. A steep stairway leads to the second level and the unmistakable aroma of miso, soy and freshly made ramen. (Why “Underground” if it’s on the second floor?) A tattooed host leads us past clouds of billowing steam from the open kitchen where we hop onto two empty stools, propping our feet up on the footrests, actually repurposed skateboards, and dive into the menu like starving cheetahs.
The décor is Asian animé hipster – the limited menu Japanese/Taiwanese fusion ramen and dumplings complimented by Asian-themed cocktails, sake and Korean beers. But it’s the ramen, lovely silken noodles made off premises in Springfield, VA to Bruner-Yang’s specifications and floating in a 24-hour simmered pork shoulder bone stock, that steals the show. Though there are a purported twenty-six different styles of ramen, the young chef draws on his life in Taiwan watching his mother and grandmother form the flour and water into pliable strands to interpret his own style.
The proper way to eat ramen is to slurp. (Miss Manners, cover your ears!) The reasoning behind this custom, uncouth to Western proprieties, is to aerate the noodles in order to eat them quickly before they break down in the hot broth. Lots of communal slurping was heard. Dainty diners need not apply.
 Sesame Crusted Salmon with horseradish sauce and eggplant jam – photo credit Jordan Wright Our dumplings come first, steamed instead of pan-fried and the soft pillows, stuffed with ginger, scallions, Napa cabbage and a house-made spice mix, and served alongside tare, a sweet soy dipping sauce. A classic hakata follows – the bowl filled to the brim with ramen, pork loin, pickled ginger and nori seaweed. My partner likes the nitamago with the sous vide cooked egg that when broken spills into the broth turning it into a creamy slurry. If you’re of a mind, Chashu pork cheek or other additions can be added to most dishes with a nominal $4 surcharge. All the ramen bowls are layered with complex seasoning and spice and cradled by the deep undertones of the slow cooked pork bone stock.
Dessert is an afterthought here with house made chocolate chip cookies and a carafe of milk. Take it or leave it. If you want something more substantial you may want to drift over to Dangerously Delicious Pies for a slice of heaven on a plate.
Currently in the works is Bruner-Yang’s experiment to channel the Asian night market experience. Look for Maketto to bring the same energy and intriguing cuisine to his revered H Street neighborhood.
1,001 Serbian Dreams
 Cherry pomace and Honey Drop rakija – photo credit Jordan Wright It was last November and a small group of us were brunching at Masa 14, when I first heard about Ambar. Ivan Iricanin and his partner, chef and restauranteur Richard Sandoval (Masa 14 and El Centro D. F.) had already begun building out the Eighth Street restaurant that would soon transport the soul-satisfying regional dishes of Serbia’s Balkan republic to DC. In particular they were excited to debut dozens of varieties of the country’s national treasure, rakija, which are fruit brandies of a wide-ranging potency. My antennae were vibrating like a summertime cicada.
In January the two-story brownstone opened with three authentic Serbian chefs and bar shelves filled with glistening bottles of rakija sharing space with wines from Slovenia, Bulgaria, Croatia and Serbia. It’s a cozy country rustic space yet with a modern polish. Mason jars of pickled eggs and vegetables take up shelf space with books and candles flicker against the pickled wood walls.
 Forest Gnocchi at Ambar – photo credit Jordan Wright The cuisine here is a heavenly mixture of Mediterranean, Balkan, Turkish and hearty Slavic fare – a bit spicy, earthy and deeply flavored, especially the meats. Scanning the menu I saw a multitude of intriguing dishes – Wild Mushroom Salad salata sa pecurkama, White Veal Soup teleca krem corba, Venison Carpaccio karpaco od smetine. But it was the way they were described that made us lean in further. A dish called simply ‘Grilled Asparagus’ is done up in a velouté sauce with crispy prosciutto, pumpkin, purple potato and quail egg. Beet and Goat Cheese Salad, slojevi cvekle arrives garnished with pork cracklings, walnuts and chives. Sesame Crusted Salmon, losos, is flavorfully enhanced by horseradish sauce and spicy eggplant jam. It seemed impossible to decide but after giving our preferences to our capable and quite adorable server, she made a few suggestions and additions to complement our initial choices.
 The Balkan bread basket with three spreads at Ambar – photo credit Jordan Wright The homey Bread Basket ustipci ili proja is a good place to start. Filled with the Balkan version of cornbread, fried sourdough, (be still my heart) and three savory spreads, the one most of us are familiar with is ajvar – a spicy red pepper puree. We also swooned over the Cheese Pie gibanica – a delicately layered phyllo napoleon with spinach and goat cheese, far better than most I’ve tried. Though they have the traditional beef and pork kebabs cevapi, which adds cheese to the skewer and the National Dish pljeskavica, a Balkan hamburger – it was the Stuffed Sour Cabbage known as sarma that transported us on that cold, rainy evening.
Ambar does not treat dessert as an afterthought. They have a pastry chef who trained in kitchens throughout Europe. The most unusual dessert is the Forest Gnocchi. Dazzlingly presented in an earthenware bowl that weighs as much as a bocce ball, its separate components consist of chocolate mousse, bitter orange cake, ground chocolate, orange gelee, tarragon gnocchi and passion fruit espuma. The unusual dessert, pretty as a medieval garden, is then stirred up with black tea sauce.
Be sure to finish with one of the rakijas. We opted for the subtle Honey Drop and the high octane Cherry Pomace. Just the beginning of our love affair with Ambar.
Jordan Wright
January 26, 2013
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts, Broadway Stars, and localKicks
It’s been a whirlwind of deliciousness since my last column. Umpteen restaurants have opened in the Metro area, most notably Ambar with its authentic Serbian chefs in a modern setting housed in an old brownstone on Capitol Hill; Suna, across from Eastern Market; and Bryan Voltaggio’s Range, which at 14,000 square feet is an astonishingly large undertaking for gourmet food. So far reviews are good. Not much to personally report as sadly I missed the recent press opening.
What’s New
 Range Restaurant – Potato Vodka In Dupont Circle the Russian-inspired Mari Vanna is getting a lot of buzz. Could it be the vodka or the Ovechkin-watchers? With outposts in London, Moscow and New York Mari Vanna has planted its Cossack boots firmly in DC. Where else could we get pirozhok, borsch and caviar with blini?
 Energy Kitchen Black Bean and Mango Salad and Cali Veggie Burger On K Street the 500-calories-or-less fast food concept Energy Kitchen has weight-watching office workers in its thrall. The healthy fast-casual resto developed by Anthony Leone and Randy Schechter plans an additional outlet in DC soon. Here smoothies are called “Smart Shakes” and have energy-boosting ingredients like fresh fruits, protein powder and yogurt. Add to that a wrap; veggie, turkey or bison burger; or a large salad and one of their low-cal sides like black bean and mango or creamed spinach and eating light and right never tasted so filling!
 The bar at Ambar – Photo by Jordan Wright The aforementioned Ambar is the much-anticipated restaurant from Richard Sandoval and Ivan Iricanin whose Balkan Peninsula style-cuisine is helmed by Serbian-born Executive Chef Bojan Bocvarov, Pastry Chef Danilo Bucan and Sous Chef Ivan Zivkovic. The restaurant plans a Valentine’s Day dinner of Roasted Squash Salad with mixed greens, panko-crusted mozzarella, crispy bacon and pomegranate dressing; Cheese Pie with phyllo, cucumber yogurt and red pepper spread; Roasted Mushroom Crepe with red pepper emulsion, béchamel and gouda; Veal Stew with kajmak and sautéed onions and carrots, as well as Sesame Crusted Atlantic Salmon with spicy eggplant jam, sesame crust and horseradish sauce. I certainly hope there’s a dessert in there somewhere.
Priced at $35 per person exclusive of tax and tip, couples select one drink each from the house red, house white, Mango Lemonade, Mojito Classic, Margarita Classic, Grappa Rakia, Corona or National Bohemian. Believe me one Mango Lemonade will cure what ails you, so you’ll be tempted to have a few. Follow your impulses!
 Nando’s Peri Peri in Old Town Alexandria – photo credit Jordan Wright In Alexandria Nando’s Peri Peri the South African-roots flavorama has opened an outlet on King Street and at National Harbor recently. Known for its flame-grilled chickens, fans choose sauces ranging from mild to I-double-dog-dare-you hot as accompaniments. Have it with some spicy garlic olives and sangria – that’s the Afro-Portuguese influence. The international concept restaurant chose the DC area for its US debut and it’s been going gangbusters ever since. Lesser known but just as yummy is the pea mash with parsley, mint and chili and the gooey grilled halloumi.
 Nottinghill Restaurant & Garden Area One of my new favorite spots is the super creative Asian-fusion Sushi Naru with its multiple sushi masters and sleek blond wood interior. Very flavor forward, if you like that kind of thing – and I do. Also in Old Town is the upscale Notting Hill, which slid elegantly into the former Le Gaulois space just a few weeks ago. The restaurant, proud of their local farm-sourcing, will reopen the pretty garden in spring but in the meantime is hosting the Saturday night sing-a-longs formerly at the now-shuttered Bistrot Lafayette.
 Old Town Theater owner Bob Kaufman on Opening Night and some of the evening entertainment – photo credit Jordan Wright It’s a hit! Old Town Alexandria has gotten its historic King Street theatre back and that’s no joke, unless of course you want to make something of it, which is what the upcoming talent intends to do. Comic relief is on the bill for the foreseeable future in the stunning and totally restored 1914 Old Town Theater. Ask about the hidden windows and secret stairway uncovered during the rehab. http://www.oldtowntheater1914.com.
Invasive Fish Gets Its Due
 Snakehead – Fish Upcoming is the “Snakeheads At The Harbour!” dinner at Tony and Joe’s to benefit Miriam’s Kitchen and the Oyster Recovery Partnership on Georgetown’s restored waterfront, the perfect metaphor for restoration and recovery. On January 28th top DC chefs Scott Drewno of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Victor Albisu of Del Campo, Chad Wells of The Rockfish, Phillipe Reininger of J&G Steakhouse at The W Hotel, Adam Litchfield, from Cause The Philanthropub, Dennis Marron, of Poste Moderne Brasserie, David Stein, of Tony and Joe’s Seafood Place and Matt Day of Woodberry Kitchen will prepare a number of delicacies. All chefs will do their culinary best to turn the mighty snakehead into a palatable fish…as long as it doesn’t taste like chicken! Though the invasive beast is named in the event, there will be lots of sustainable seafood too, thanks to host ProFish. For tickets go to https://tonyandjoes.com/snakeheads-at-the-harbour-benefit-dinner/.
Annual Capital Wine Festival Kicks Off With a Grand Tasting
 Cured meats at The Fairfax Hotel’s wine event – Photo Jordan Wright The tony Fairfax Hotel at Embassy Row is gearing up for its annual Capital Wine Festival dinners in February and March and Nibbles and Sips was on hand for the grand opening reception Friday night. The ballroom held several stations related to the reds and whites. The meat station offered lamb loin and beef tenderloin, another had cured meats and local cheeses (loved the La Quercia prosciutto and Maryland cheesemaker Cherry Glen’s Monocacy Ash goat cheese).
 Cherry Glen Monocacy Ash goat cheese – Photo Jordan Wright At the seafood station, tailored to pair with the evening’s white wines, was Executive Chef Christopher Ferrier, who eight months ago dovetailed seamlessly into the hotel’s classically elegant yet modern dynamic. Ferrier served up a luscious smoked scallop seviche topped with baby celery sprouts, togarashi and a light sauce made from yuzu, lemon, lime and grapefruit juices with sriracha and served in a tiny scallop shell.
 Smoked Scallop Seviche – Photo by Jordan Wright Boutique California wines were offering generous pours. From Napa were Darioush, Miner Family Winery, Heitz Wine Cellars, Burgess Cellars, Patz & Hall, Pine Ridge Vineyards, and artisan winemakers Julie Johnson’s Tres Sabores Winery along with her son Rory Williams’ Calder Wine Company. From Italy’s Alba area, where the rare white truffles are hunted, came the classic wines from Pio Cesare who make the coveted Piedmontese barolos, barbescos, nebbiolos and barberas. These exceptional wines will be featured at the wine dinners. What a tease!
 The Ladies of Boxwood Winery – Photo by Jordan Wright Squeezed into the mix were two Virginia wineries, Boxwood whose wines are distinctly French-inspired, and Barboursville, known for winemaker Luca Paschina’s Italian styled wines. As I raved about Barboursville’s Octagon, and who doesn’t, the sommelier took out a bottle hidden behind a backpack and poured me a glass. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, as my mother used to say. Visit www.CapitalWineFestival.com for tickets and dates of the upcoming dinners.
The “First Lady of Napa Valley” talks love, travel and California wines.
By Jordan Wright
Special to Washington Life Magazine
 Margrit Mondavi, the “First Lady of Napa Valley,” is most at home in the vineyards. (Photo courtesy of Robert Mondavi Winery) Margrit Biever Mondavi’s book tour to Washington, DC dovetailed seamlessly with the opening of “FOOD: Transforming the American Table, 1950 – 2000”, an enticing new exhibition at the National Museum of American History chronicling a half century of American food and wine from farm to table. As Vice President of Cultural Affairs for the Robert Mondavi Winery, she was there to witness the opening.
Wearing a fire engine red shawl and snappy silver sequined boots, she diligently signed copies of her book, “Margrit Mondavi’s Sketchbook – A Reflection on Wine, Food, Art, Family, Romance and Life.” If that seems like a rather lengthy title, the sprightly octogenarian has unquestionably earned it. Her far-flung adventures and indelible legacy are the proof of the pudding.
It is a refreshingly candid pentimento written by a woman and accomplished artist who has found both pleasure and passion in her work and life. It reads like a private conversation with a close friend and is beautifully composed with personal photographs, recipes, tributes by friends and family, along with her whimsical watercolors that capture the couple’s private dinner menus, tablescapes and plein air landscapes.
 Mondavi’s new book has reflections on everything from family to wine. (Photo courtesy of Robert Mondavi Winery) From a childhood on the shores of Italy’s Lago Maggiore, to meeting the love of her life, Robert Mondavi, in 1967, she writes of the Napa Valley winery. Together, she and Robert made it into a cultural destination for the performing arts as well as a world renowned culinary school, where three-Michelin-starred French chefs Joel Robuchon, Alain Chapel and Paul Bocuse, and American icons like Julia Child, the institute’s first guest chef, took turns teaching classes.
Over a leisurely lunch at a downtown District watering hole, I interviewed the legendary Margrit, as she prefers to be called. As she twirled lengths of truffle-topped pasta around her fork, we spoke of many things from wine to the price of olive oil, which she knows off the top of her head. She met most of my questions with questions of her own; her curiosity is insatiable. Below are just a few of the memorable anecdotes she told me over lunch on life, love, cooking and everything in between:
On life and family:
“I love life. I think everyday is a present, and as my husband would say, I have no secrets. I cannot tell a lie, because my memory is too short. In general, I like to be on the joyous side and be remembered for that. I have wonderful friends and family, but I realize that you have to accept life and I try not to ponder it too much. It’s important to participate and enjoy life as long as you can and I do with three children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren whom I adore.”
On cooking:
“Once, we were in Salzburg to do a television show. They had found a wild turkey, but it weighed only about two pounds. After the tiny bird was cooked – they actually had prepared one in advance to speed up the show – we shared it with the manager and his staff. It was the most delicious turkey I’ve ever had in my life!”
On wine:
“There was a time when the French turned up their noses at California wines. Not anymore! The tasting of 1976 with un-aged wines proved that we could do what Bob said we could do. Twelve years later they did another tasting at COPIA and proved that California wines age well if they are properly made and properly stored.”
On love:
“Love is excitement and Robert was always exciting. Our life was enjoyable, but challenging,too. I was the person who brought art into Robert’s life, because he never had time. We started the music festival and the cooking schools and he was always very supportive. And we loved to travel. When Bob was eighty-two we bought a pair of worldwide American Airlines tickets for unlimited first class travel, so we went everywhere for free. He would say, ‘Let’s go to Berlin. Let’s go to Beijing.’ And we did!”
On letting go:
“I have to learn about tossing things aside. I want to and don’t know how to begin. I have to simplify my life. I go to work every day and I feel very betwixt and between because with my husband it was always people, people, people. It was a wonderful time.”
In a ceremony at the winery in January 2013, Margrit Mondavi will be honored as the thirtieth recipient of the Monteith Wine Bowl Trophy, given to the stalwarts and icons of the wine industry.
 Margrit was recently in Washington to attend the opening of this exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, on which the Robert Mondavi Winery was a consultant. (Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian)  Jordan and Margrit The Perfect Finish Lobster ravioli
photo credit Jordan Wright
Jordan Wright
December 13, 2012
This year’s cookbooks brought us a wealth of ways to be engaged in food in one way or another – grow it, cook it, eat it, share it, broadcast it. While some cover the cuisines of far-off cultures, others focus on a specific region of America or share memories of meaningful meals. Books on preparing a garden’s harvest and instructive manuals on chronicling your food adventures with blogs, photos or Pinterest. Proust would be pleased. Have a madeleine and read on.
Lifestyle Cooking
Each afternoon I am treated to lunch by the writers of the Canal House cooking series – virtually that is. From their bespoke blog they email a beautiful photograph of their luncheon with a short description of how they prepared it and what they served with it. It might come from their Lambertville, New Jersey garden; be foraged on a hike in a nearby woods; or left on their doorstep by a friend. Sometimes a few simple ingredients combined with leftovers from their Sunday suppers or backyard cookouts become a gourmand’s delight. Written by Christopher Hirsheimer, former executive editor and co-founder of Saveur magazine and food and design editor of Metropolitan Home; and Melissa Hamilton, food stylist and former Saveur food editor, Canal House Cooks Every Day (Andrews McMeel Publishing) is a gorgeous collection of over 250 recipes for the home cook.
Entertaining
Cynthia Nims’s Salty Snacks (Ten Speed Press) is a fun book with simple, but original recipes for making your own chips, crisps, crackers, pretzels and other savory bites and had me bookmarking a goodly number of pages. I loved the Cumin Lentil Crackers, Salami Chips with Grainy Mustard, Blue Cheese Straws, Five-Spice Duck Skin, and other tasty treats. Whether you make food for gifting, cater parties or host them, you will refer to this delightful book whenever you’re entertaining. Heads up, family and friends, the Coconut Crisps with Basil and Chiles could be in your Christmas stocking.
How To Books
Helene Dujardin’s Plate to Pixel – Digital Food Photography & Styling (Wiley) shares secrets from her career as a professional food photographer teaching photo-by-photo how to achieve the fabulous results professional food stylists use in creating those mouth-watering photos used in ads, magazines, blogs and books.
Three food-centric books from the “For Dummies” series, give tips for DIYs on how to get your message out with Pinterest For Dummies by Kelby Carr, Food Blogging For Dummies by Kelly Senyei, and Food Styling & Photography by Alison Parks-Whitfield – all from Wiley. Now you can write your own cookbook, blog about your Aunt June’s recipes, or photo broadcast the last scrumptious thing you ate.
Healthful Cooking and Gardening
Health nuts delight! Mark Bittman has you in his culinary sights with Leafy Greens – An A-to-Z Guide to 30 Types of Greens (Wiley). From the New York Times food writer and author of How to Cook Everything, Bittman puts together over 120 recipes to green up your diet. And who isn’t going green these days? Ramp up your anti-oxidant intake with dishes like Bitter Greens with Bacon, Grilled Radicchio and Risotto with Arugula and Shrimp. Whether its mizuna, kale, watercress, broccoli rabe, mustard greens, dandelion or collards, this nifty book will tell you how to identify and prepare over 30 kinds of greens whether found at local farmers markets or an Asian grocery.
I had a lot of fun with Vegan Eats World (Da Capo) by Terry Hope Romero – named “Favorite Cookbook Author” by VegNews. Though I am most assuredly not a candidate for a strict vegan diet, there are many wonderfully creative recipes from a wide variety of cultures that would suit an omnivore. Romero doesn’t just share her recipes and experiences that she describes as “savoring the planet”, she dreams of a vegan revolution. So imagine a tofu banh mi sandwich, a seitan Greek gyro, Jackfruit Tacos, and Korean bulgogi made with extra-firm tofu.
I’m all for growing your own berries and veggies. So over the past ten years or so our family has tended a small plot at the Chinquapin Organic Gardens in Alexandria, Virginia. Community gardening is a great way for urban gardeners to keep their hands in the soil, swap crop tips or recipes, and share summer’s bounty. So I was particularly interested in Fruit Trees in Small Spaces – Abundant Harvests from Your Own Backyard by Colby Eierman (Timber Press) an inspiring and informative book filled with concrete advice on selecting, pruning, espalier training, and preparing the fruits of your labor. Did you know you could make wine from fresh oranges or peach leaves?
Photos by Erin Kunkel who once served as Director of Sustainable Agriculture for the Benziger Family Winery and Director of Gardens at the recently shuttered COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts in Napa Valley, make it look easy and fun. Expect to see his produce on your plate if you are dining at Chez Panisse in Berkeley or Girl and the Fig in Sonoma. As an advocate for children’s gardening programs, he was the co-founder of the School Garden Project in Eugene, Oregon.
Ethnic Cuisine
Phaidon Press, who last year charmed us with the Noma cookbook whose recipes used Scandinavian foraged ingredients, now brings us The Lebanese Kitchen by Salma Hage. Hage has compiled over 500 recipes from every region of her native Lebanon to bring us an astonishing collection of dishes for every course from mezzes to fattoush and aromatic desserts. Within its pinked-edged pages is also a special section devoted to recipes from noted chefs who have already come under the spell of the Lebanese cuisine. Roasted Sea Bass in Tahini Sauce, a Middle Eastern favorite of mine, is here demystified.
Morocco (Chronicle Books) by Jeff Koehler has a subtitle – A Culinary Journey with Recipes from the Spice-Scented Markets of Marrakech to the Date-Filled Oasis of Zagora which pretty much tells you what you can expect from its matte finish pages. If I could eat this book I would. You can almost smell the rosewater and spices. This is why everyone dreams of visiting the ancient North African nation and why those that have come away with stars in their eyes. The food is lavish, sensual and colorful. From tagines to cous cous with a section on the Moroccan pantry that defines the country’s exotic ingredients. It is easy to follow and sublime to eat. You can follow Jeff’s culinary adventures on his website www.jeff-koehler.com.
Also worth noting is Rice & Curry – Sri Lankan Home Cooking (Hippocrene), a re-issue written by former Rolling Stone contributor S. H. (Skiz) Fernando Jr. The photo-laden cookbook slash travelogue, has book jacket blurbs from Andrew Zimmern, host of Bizarre Foods and Anthony Bourdain who used Skiz as a guide through Sri Lanka on Travel Channel’s No Reservations. Visit this link to read about Skiz’s DC pop up dinner this summer and more 2012 cookbook reviews.
American Regional
Get the jump on your Charleston friends this year with Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking (Gibbs Smith). Veteran cookbook authors Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart explore the history of Southern regional cuisine with recipes that reflect the Old South along with some modern day twists. This summer I watched Ms. Dupree making an unholy mess at a biscuit demonstration at Maryland’s National Harbor. She was as funny on that hot steamy day as she is in this book. And she gave practical tips in the same generous way she shares them on these pages.
 Jordan with Nathalie Dupree “I always use flexible plastic cutting boards. They make life easy when you transfer dry ingredients to the bowl and cut out your biscuits,” she trilled. She went on to show how the biscuits must touch, and how she uses a 9” cake pan to nestle eight biscuits together. “That’s enough for four for the first serving. You can put in another pan after that to keep bringing out hot biscuits.” She is very clear in her instructions and it certainly emboldened me to learn to make the perfect biscuit. In this terrific compendium of all things edibly Southern you’ll find classics like Fried Chicken, Pimento Cheese and Sweet Potato Biscuits along with Peaches and Figs Wrapped in Country Ham. It’s a keeper – all 600 recipes!
Memoirs
Margrit Mondavi’s Sketchbook – Reflections on Wine, Food, Art, Family, Romance, and Life is a personal favorite. Margrit, widow of Napa wine pioneer Robert Mondavi and worldly octogenarian, has written this book with her heart and soul. It is a refreshingly candid pentimento by a lively spirit who has found both pleasure and passion in both work and life. Enjoy a memoir that reads like a private conversation with a close friend, and is beautifully composed with personal photographs, recipes and tributes from friends and family, and illustrated with her whimsical watercolor studies chronicling the couple’s private dinner menus, tablescapes and plein air landscapes. Visit this link to read my recent interview with Margrit Mondavi. .
Marcus Samuelsson’s latest book, “Yes, Chef”, is an emotion-filled autobiographical journey beginning with his adoption as a child from his native Ethiopia to his new family in Sweden. The James Beard Foundation Award winner and winner of Top Chef Masters has written a thoroughly fascinating and poignant memoir that takes the reader from his culinary education in Europe to his success at New York’s Aquavit restaurant, later culminating in the 2010 opening of his smash hit Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem. Visit this link to read my August interview with Samuelsson at the Howard Theatre.
A Table at Le Cirque: Stories and Recipes from New York’s Most Legendary Restaurant (Rizzoli, NYC) written by its creator the Tuscan-born Sirio Maccioni and Pamela Fiori, a former editor at Town & Country and Travel & Leisure, puts you squarely at the best table in Manhattan. For close to four decades, this exclusive institution has been a glamorous watering hole for celebrities and the country’s social and business elite. Many of the world’s leading chefs have made their mark in its kitchens and the book contains recipes of some of their legendary dishes including Daniel Boulud’s Black Bass with Barolo Sauce, Alain Sailhac’s Fettuccine with White Truffles, Pierre Schaedelin’s deconstructed Caesar Salad, and noted chocolatier Jacques Torres’s Bombolini.
Local and Notable
Jersey born and bred Mike Isabella has a passion for food – earthy, soul-stretching, heart-stirring Italian food – and he’s decided to share it with the home cook. In Crazy Good Italian (Da Capo Press Lifelong Books) he takes you into the kitchen with his nonna to teach you the family’s favorite dishes. Included in the over 150 recipes that speak to his Italian roots is his famous Pepperoni Sauce, the one that wowed the judges on Bravo’s “Top Chef”. Isabella has gotten to be a familiar fixture not only on television, where he made a cameo appearance on “Life After Top Chef”, but also around the DC area with his casual resto Graffiato and Georgetown venture Bandelero. His almond and jam flavored Rainbow cookies are perfect for Christmas with their red, gold and green layers topped with chocolate. Visit this link to read my piece on Isabella’s opening of Bandelero earlier this year.
My first assignment as a DC-based food writer was to interview Carla Hall at DC’s CulinAerie, a catering company where she once taught cooking classes. I found her presiding over a TV watch party with her friends and co-workers, held the night the Top Chef finalists were announced. Though she came in second that night, the show forever changed the life of the former French fashion model in ways she could not have imagined.
Currently the co-host of ABC’s The Chew, Hall has written her first book Cooking With Love – Comfort Food That Hugs You (Simon and Schuster Digital Sales). In it she offers up her versions of simple, home-style dishes like Chicken Pot Pie and Deviled Eggs with Smoky Bacon. The amorous title best describes Hall’s easygoing approach to cooking. She continues her presence in DC as executive chef of Alchemy, an artisanal cookie company. Visit this link to read my interview with Hall on that auspicious night.
A Few More Treasures from This Year
Bouchon Bakery (Artisan) by Thomas Keller; Jerusalem: A Cookbook (Ten Speed Press) by Yottam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi; My Key West Kitchen: Recipes and Stories (Kyle Books, London) by Norman Van Aken and Justin Van Aken; The Complete Recipes (Flammarion, Paris) by Paul Bocuse.
Jordan Wright
November 27, 2012
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts, Broadway Stars, and localKicks
Thanks to Visit Rappahannock County Virginia – Office of Tourism
‘Grey Thursday’. Who dreamt this one up? It’s so not right, on so many levels, and affords us little time to catch up with family, trim the tree together or settle in for a bit of football. Turkey sandwiches anyone? ‘Black Friday’ – a miserably stressful experience at best. Enough said. Now we have “Cyber Monday’ and we are urged to buy online. Let’s just say it’s a cheerless marketing ploy devoid of Santa and his adorable elves. Is this what Christmas has become, just a way to buy gifts more efficiently? If the meaning of Christmas is checking off items online, or battling frantic buyers in a department store for the last cashmere sweater, then surely the spirit of the holidays will pass us by. So count me out. I want the old-fashioned Christmas back – that glorious time of year when we greet our neighbors and find a store where we can meet the owner or the talk to the artist. So bundle up and sally forth with good cheer into the chill air. Have a mug of hot spiced cider, or something a bit more fortified. Tis the best season of the year!
 Rappahannock Pasture – Cluneford Sheep – Roadside Cider Shop – Photo credit Jordan Wright I like to inch up on Christmas slowly, smell chestnuts roasting, bake cookies, make tiny marzipan pigs, put up fruit chutneys and fill tureens with homemade pimento cheese. As for shopping I prefer to patronize a local business. Last weekend we decided to take our list with us to Rappahannock County, Virginia and add to it an elegant country manor, a few wineries, galleries, specialty boutiques and a few sips of damn good whiskey.
 Rappahannock Historical Society – Antique Printing Press – Shops in Washington, VA – Photo Credit Jordan Wright The Friday after Thanksgiving, as department stores and parking lots were filling up with crazed shoppers, we headed west – a quick hour and a half drive from Washington, DC. Soon silhouettes of the Blue Ridge Mountains traced the horizon and we were motoring down country lanes past meadows dotted with Black Angus cattle drinking from placid ponds and on through valleys where horses grazed idly. Weathered red barns and hulking silos chockfull of fodder towered over fallow fields strewn with cylinders of winter hay. Our first stop was a mom-and-pop cider stand to pick up local sorghum and apple butter. Rappahannock County was once one of the nation’s largest apple producers and its rich history of agriculture is still thriving.
Flint Hill
We begin in Flint Hill. The tiny town’s quirky not-to-be-missed 24 Crows boasts an art gallery, gift shop and lunch spot. It’s a friendly place where neighbors linger over a glass of wine and where you can get your hands on an extendable bug zapper or choose from a selection of fine wines, gourmet goodies and hand woven socks. The turquoise and yellow clapboard house also bears an array of gifties like dainty fabric handbags, handmade jewelry and wool scarves. Brightly colored fur trapper’s hats with pull-down flaps float down from the ceiling and handcrafted sock animals await the children on your list. We loved the original greeting cards and hand carved larch wood cutting boards. For the nautically inclined on your list take note of Sperryville artist Mark Malik’s classic one-of-a-kind 1950’s runabout models reminiscent of Henry Fonda’s speedboat in On Golden Pond.
 Classic Runabout Model by local artist Mark Malik – Shopping and dining at the counter at 24 Crows – Photo credit Jordan Wright Lunch changes daily according to owner/chefs Heidi and Vinnie’s caprices. From the ingredient-driven lunch menu we chose a Wagyu Beef Burger with Applewood smoked bacon and Maytag blue cheese on a challah bun, and the Curried Chicken Salad with apricots and toasted almonds on organic whole grain bread. End on a sweet note with Heidi’s Handmade Ice Cream. The challenge was in deciding on one of the intriguing flavors like Apricot, Drunk Pumpkin made with Meyers Rum, and Curious George Banana and Peanuts. We opted for a cone of Copper Fox Whiskey Sticky Toffee Ice Cream and didn’t regret a lick of it! Shades of things to come… 24 Crows is open Wednesday through Sunday 11:30 till 2:30pm for lunch only.
Across Zachary Taylor Highway (Route 522) is the Horse N Hound for the pet lover and equestrian on your list. The rustic cottage offers everything you need for riding and rough outdoor wear. A pair of Blundstone paddock boots or a jaunty oilskin equestrian cap would satisfy the sportiest on your list – horse owner or not. For the family dog there’s natural pet food and treats or a new collar and leash engraved in a thrice.
Washington
A few miles further will put you in Washington. The Inn at Little Washington is the cornerstone of the town and has been a destination spot since 20th Century pioneer chef Patrick O’Connell turned a run-down garage in an off-the-the-grid town into a mecca for international gourmands and the landed gentry. O’Connell has since bought up much of the village, turning Pre-Revolutionary homes into bespoke shops and posh accommodations. If you’re lucky enough to secure a reservation to dine there or stay in one of their romantic suites, you will be in for an extravagant bucket list experience. Executive Chef Scott Lyons gave me a tour of the gleaming kitchens and a dinner guest-only box of mignardises nestled in a replica box of the inn.
 The Inn at Little Washington – Executive Chef Scott Lyons – Chefs prep for dinner service – Photo credit Jordan Wright Housed in a 1740 restored tavern are The Shops at The Inn at Little Washington. Here you can buy souvenirs of the inn including cookies, preserves, and pies sold in a handmade Shaker box or, for the cook that has everything, one of their signature Dalmatian-spotted aprons. Irresistible Susan Carson and Company handbags; soaps and perfumes from the venerable 18th Century French house of Rancé; chic home accessories; fine art or a cocktail table-worthy cookbook from a fine collection in will beckon the discerning shopper. Mystique Jewelers has a small nook with a case of designer baubles. A pair of gold fleur-de-lis earrings caught my eye, as did some pretty silk negligees from Kumi Koocoon and lingerie from Veréna.
 r.h. Ballard Shop – Washington shops – Floral display at the Inn – Photo credit Jordan Wright Stonyman Gourmet Farmer is a unique and beautifully restored 18th Century mercantile, one of the oldest in the Mid-Atlantic region. It boasts a series of enchanting outdoor gardens offering a relaxing respite to enjoy lunch or a plate of farmstead cheeses, pastries and fresh baked breads.
Scour Antiques at Middle Street for vintage pieces and collectibles including clocks, toys and porcelain or seek out French tablecloths, rugs and fine art at r.h. Ballard.
A Currier & Ives Christmas
This Sunday, December 2nd, the historic town will be all aglow with its annual Christmas in “Little” Washington Festival & Holiday Parade. Festivities begin 10am with an Artisans Market featuring over 30 local artists and crafters, along with specialty food and wine vendors. The Market will be at both the Washington Town Hall and the RAAC Community Theatre until 4pm.
The Washington Baptist Church on Gay Street will be the site of the “Hanging of the Greens” services at 10am. A rare Christmas stamp collection will be on display from 12:30 until 7pm.
Grand Marshal “George Washington” returns to the first town he surveyed as a young man of 19. Accompanied by other famous Virginia patriots from “The Committee for the Republic,” he leads the Holiday Parade along Main and Gay Streets. The parade begins at 1:00pm and showcases antique cars, homemade floats, a cavalcade of animals and marching bands, and, of course, Santa Claus himself.
At 2pm Stonyman Town Square hosts Santa Claus, who will have a gift for each child who stops by. Also on the Square, the Gold Top County Ramblers will play and sing country and Christmas favorites and visitors can stay warm by the bonfire. Also at 2pm you can experience “living history” as the Virginia Patriots re-enact events from Valley Forge. And for the piece de resistance magician Steve Kish performs at 2:30pm at The Theatre at Little Washington. All events are free and held whatever the weather.
Huntly
Time for check in and we drive a few short miles to Huntly. A long stacked stone wall signals the entry to Glen Gordon Manor. Don’t look for a sign. The Bed & Breakfast is so understated you won’t see one. Situated below the sight line from the road and beyond a slight rise in the terrain, its discreet profile signals a private country estate. Winter in Virginia’s Piedmont arrives earlier here than in the city and as we come down the long drive we see the neatly stacked cords of wood, covered swimming pool and blanketed horses along with the source of our breakfast, breeds of chickens chosen for the color of their eggshells, skittering around in the backyard.
 Glen Gordon Manor in Huntly, Virginia – Photo credit Jordan Wright Originally built in 1833 as a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop, the Gordon family later converted the house to a hunting lodge frequented by the Prince of Wales and his wife, Baltimorean socialite Wallis Simpson, and their tony pals. Since then the manor has been lovingly reconfigured from residence to inn without losing any of its aristocratic identity. You enter under an arbor, where we saw the twitching tail of an elusive cat named Oreo, into a large center hall. We are greeted by owner Dayn Smith with a glass of wine and an invitation to relax beside the fire in the grand Hunt Room.
Dayn Smith and his wife, Nancy, are the manor’s proprietors. Full of genuine warmth, they look like they just popped out of the pages of Town and Country. Their nephew Trent, who is equally as charming, helps with cooking, serving and seeing to guests’ needs. Dayn comes to innkeeping through his years as an award-winning executive chef and owner/entrepreneur of several high-profile restaurants in Puerto Rico – his wife from her years as a nurse tending to VIP clientele in an exclusive New York plastic surgeon’s practice. Their gracious manner is reflected in the elegant details of the manor and the sumptuous cuisine. We immediately sense we are in the lap of luxury and we curl up like kittens beside the roaring fireplace.
The inn’s rooms are tastefully adorned with good art, great books, antiques and sumptuous linens, but the piece de resistance is the food. Though open only a short time, the area is already abuzz with talk of Dayn’s refined French cuisine and his delectable sauces. On off nights they host a members-only “Supper Club” that has diners eagerly rebooking as soon as a new evening’s festivities is proposed.
 The Windsor Suite at Glencroft Cottage at Glen Gordon Manor – Photo credit Jordan Wright Our quarters are a few hundred feet down the driveway in the recently redesigned Glencroft Cottage Windsor Suite. The suite is tastefully appointed with a lavish bathroom and large tub situated beside a picture window looking out over the mountains, meadows and stables. We dress for dinner. And when we arrive at seven, the dining room is already lively.
Since the menu is chef’s choice the only decision we need to make is if we would like our five-course dinner paired with wines from the manor’s wine cellar. Dayn is partial to French wines, which suits us just fine.
We begin with a Willm Alsatian Blanc de Noir Crémant made from 100% pinot noir grapes. It is accompanied by an amuse bouche in the form of Aleppo-crusted quail with tiny potatoes fried in sumptuous duck fat. We are swooning already. The palate teaser is followed by cream of parsnip soup with chive spuma topped with crispy parsnip chips and paired with another Willm Alsatian wine – a Pinot Blanc Reserve.
A seasonally correct roasted pumpkin salad arrives constructed of local garden greens, jamón Ibérico, Manchego cheese and toasted pepitas dressed in a balsamic reduction. We continue with our fish course – steelhead trout nestled in a tangle of carrots, leeks and fennel and dotted with a dill beurre blanc and complemented by a glass of Bandol, a rosé from Mas de la Rouvière. If I were at home I would have thrown up my hands and called for my uncle, but who would turn down sheer rounds of veal cheek ravioli with truffle and wild mushroom ragout and delicate Brussel sprout leaves served with a Côtes du Rhône, Les Champauvins from Alain Jaume et Fils. And who in their right mind would resist apple gallette with caramel ice cream and caramel Anglaise and apple butter heightened by a Dow’s 10 year-old tawny port? It was an extraordinarily creative and outstandingly sublime meal, prepared with a light yet skilled hand and reflective of the superb ingredients and the chef’s mastery of sophisticated culinary techniques. We resume our contented feline positions after dinner, lingering by the fire and visiting with other equally impressed dinner guests.
 Organic Chicken Egg Layers – Four course breakfast – Five course dinner paired with wines – Photo credit Jordan Wright The following morning a four-course breakfast awaits us in the sunny dining room – fresh orange juice, seven-grain oatmeal with milk spuma, Greek yogurt with raspberries and blueberries and wild rice pancakes topped with an orange yolked poached egg, Hollandaise and asparagus. Thank you little chickens. We are tempted to linger but unfurl ourselves and embark on our mission, armed with gift lists to complete.
Glen Gordon Manor, 1482 Zachary Taylor Highway, Huntly, VA 22640. www.glengordonmanor.com
Sperryville
Though Rappahannock Cellars winery is just around the corner we drive a few miles to the town of Sperryville, which lies beside the curvaceous South Fork of the Thornton River. We head for The Shops at the Schoolhouse where we find Coterie, which is defined by a group of artisans and designers housed in a series of rooms. Look for beautiful handmade leather belts, bags, jackets, medieval-style leather corselettes and dreamy full-length naturally dyed linen dresses perfect for wearing with cowboy boots. In the garden room we find unusual new and vintage outdoor ornaments. The whimsical hand made woolen figures, owls and elves, are particularly enchanting. Pick up a few boxes of Cocoa Bella hot chocolate blend for a perfect hostess gift.
 River District Art Shops in Coterie – Cocoa Bella – Monkey Business – Artisans Market – Photo credit Jordan Wright Wandering around I found a few well-priced antique paisley throws, garden artifacts and collectibles in Monkey Business and I meet Rebecca Abecassis proprietor of the Knit Wit Yarn Shop. Rebecca carries an astonishing array of fine yarns and knitting supplies along with fair trade teas, jewelry, handknit hats, gloves and scarves.
Across the way is the River District Arts, an artist collaborative laid out in a series of spaces similar to Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory. Explore the open studios to find original art, photography, pottery and crafts. In the Artisans Market two exhibition galleries showcase regional artists and one-of-a-kind Virginia crafts. You’ll come upon Café Indigo for yummy soups, sandwiches and light fare. Pumpkin cupcakes were the flavor of the day, but the choices vary daily. After the holiday parade in Washington on Sunday, December 2nd they are planning an artist reception featuring the Small Works show. Sip a glass of mulled cider and meet the artists.
 River District Arts – Cafe Indigo – Knit Wit Yarn Shop at Sperryville – Photo credit Jordan Wright In the heart of the historic village is Rudy’s Pizza side by side with Thornton River Grille and the Corner Store. Warning: Do not leave town without having pizza at Rudy’s. It is the gold standard in Italian pies and once you have had it you will be forever comparing other versions to it. Repeat: Have this pizza. You will thank me.
 Author Ted Pellagatta signing books at the Corner Store – Rudy’s Pizza in Sperryville – Photo credit Jordan Wright We perused the aisles of the Corner Store discovering freshly made Hatfield pork sausage, Russian black bread, cheeses and local yogurt – picnic provisions for another day – when I ran into WJLA meteorologist and local resident, Bob Ryan, who had dropped by to say hello to his pal, local photographer Ted Pellegatta, at the counter signing his book – Virginia’s Blue Ridge – A Pictorial Journey.
 Founder Copper Fox Distillery Rick Wasmund – Bottle Labeler and Wax Cap Sealer – Photo credit Jordan Wright But we are focused on gifts today so we trot down the road a piece to the Copper Fox Distillery for a few bottles of Wasmund’s Applewood Aged Single Malt Whiskey and their Copper Fox Rye Whiskey. Rick Wasmund is an old friend who lives above the distillery with his beautiful new wife and baby daughter. He showed us around the property and proudly told us his small-batch whiskies are now being exported to England and Scotland. Now that should tell you something about the caliber of his product. If you have a few minutes take the complimentary tour where you’ll taste the both the raw and toasted barley and learn about the process of making whiskey. It’s highly informative and the fumes are intoxicating.
 Tucker Rogers musician son of Margaret Rogers owner of Central Coffee Roasters – Photo credit Jordan Wright A mile or so further down Route 211 is the cozy Central Coffee Roasters. Margaret Rogers is the engaging and well-traveled owner who along with her musician son, Tucker, roast the coffee on site, greet visitors and hold tastings.
Amissville
As you head back to DC, drive along Route 522 (which becomes 211) and on to Amissville. There are no little shops to browse but some wonderful tasting rooms where you can pick up a few bottles of wine and wine accoutrements. Wasn’t that on your list too? Stop in at Rappahannock Cellars in Huntly, Narmada Winery and Gray Ghost Vineyards & Winery in Amissville.
Back to the city we go after a thrilling weekend in the country filled with real memories of the holiday spirit and a car laden with treasures. Move over Santa this sleigh is full!
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