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Jordan Wright to Washington Examiner
September 2010
 Laurent Tourondel’s latest book touts the merits of local farmers markets. (Photo Courtesy of Wiley) Back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, as I like to tell it, we all ate what was in season. It was a time when few people had refrigeration in rural areas in the United States and in many countries around the world they still do not. The home kitchen had its icebox back then, a hulking wooden closet with heavy steel latches, not much more than a cooler really, that kept milk, eggs and butter chilled but wasn’t good for much else. All other foodstuffs were purchased daily at the local market or delivered. Each Monday the iceman would pull into the driveway, snatch a block of ice off his truck with huge iron tongs, and heave it into the icebox through an outside door on the kitchen porch. We still had one back in the 50’s before it was converted into a refrigerator.
It was typical to wait ten months before tucking into a garden-fresh tomato or a handful of cherries. There were no hydroponically grown super-veggies back then and the advent of summer meant more than an end of school days and a dip in the ocean. Winters were devoted to pining for sweet corn and fresh greens and dreaming of ways to prepare them. I know this sounds austere, but such was the way of life.
Before the dawning of the Kelvinator, we could only count on frozen fish or meat and Bird’s Eye peas to tide us over. We spent fall and winter dreaming of what most of us now take for granted in the supermarkets of today. With the advent of refrigerated shipping, transcontinental flights and mega-farms we now live in a world where we can feast on everything from corn and watermelon in winter and spring lamb all year round. While snowflakes fall we cut up fresh papaya and strawberries for breakfast and cook up Chilean sea bass for dinner. Is there anything left for us to dream about?
Now we can turn to Laurent Tourondel for seasonal direction in the kitchen. Known for the popular BLT Restaurants (Bistro Laurent Tourondel), he was named Bon Appetit’s “Restauranteur of the Year” in 2007. He has worked at Relais and Chateaux’s three Michelin-starred La Maison Troisgros in France and at Cello in New York City. This summer he opened the casual outpost, LT Burger, in tony Sag Harbor, NY and still serves as Executive Chef at Brasserie Ruhlmann in New York City. His first two very successful cookbooks were Bistro Laurent Tourondel and Go Fish.
In his third and latest book, penned with Charlotte March, Fresh From The Market – Seasonal Cooking from Laurent Tourondel, (Wiley), Tourondel accords the seasons their respective bounty and exhorts his readers to do the same. He adheres elegantly to the philosophy held by many of our best chefs to let a few choice ingredients drive the attitude of the dish. As a result his book is a primer on cooking in the simple French way of allowing an entire platter of in-season green beans with walnuts, a green salad and baguette with cheese to be a meal. And while dessert may be optional, wine is most assuredly not.
When I first read this book my impulse was to toss out a good chunk of my library, so taken have I been by its merits. But before you think that it is only about what you can grow in your kitchen garden or purchase from your local farmers market, you will need to be more expansive in your thinking. For above all Tourondel is a fine French chef, accustomed to working with truffles, partridge and foie gras. So dream accordingly, if you will.
 Photo of book cover - All photo credits to Quentin Bacon In a recent conversation with Tourondel he spoke of his new book, a hopeful meeting with Escoffier and the future of the American table.
Jordan Wright – I found your latest cookbook to be beautifully presented and replete with exquisitely tweaked French classics. What was your inspiration?
Laurent Tourondel – Really I like the seasonal product more than anything else. I was trying to create something fun for people to read and cook from.
JW – I understand you like to follow the evolving trends in food. What do you see for dining in the near future? And what ingredients will be driving your dishes?
LT – I think better and fresher products from the market. I think the evolution is about more organic product and to eat in a simpler way, with less preparation…to make dishes with a clean finish. People are asking for healthy food. Not necessarily vegan or vegetarian but healthier.
JW – What are your greatest day-to-day challenges?
LT – To cook for my girlfriend! But seriously, to teach people about what I do. That is the challenge of today.
JW – When you’re at home what do you crave the most?
LT – Cheese…a lot! And peanuts.
JW – If you were trying to impress a beautiful woman what would you prepare?
LT – Something light I think…perhaps my steamed lobster with a ginger lime broth.
JW – What famous or historical personage would you like to dine with?
LT – Henry IV, because he was crazy and he had great parties!
JW – If Escoffier came into your kitchen today what would you like to ask him?
LT – A million questions. I’d want to know what he thought of some of the newer ingredients he would be unfamiliar with and how he would choose to use them. And also I’d like to cook for the guy of course.
JW – What advice would you give to a new restaurant owner?
LT – Try to give people what they want, don’t just do the restaurant for yourself.
JW – What advice would you give to recent culinary graduates?
LT – Give yourself a destination of where you want your culinary career to go. Don’t go everywhere.
JW – Can you tell me about your new cookbook?
LT – I’m very excited about doing a seasonal cookbook. It was a long process because we had to do it season by season to obtain the right ingredients. I think it came out great!
Recipe from Fresh From The Market by Laurent Tourondel
Steamed Lobster in Gingered Lime and Scallion Broth with Baby Bok Choy
 Steamed Lobster in Gingered Lime-Scallion Broth with Baby Bok Choy from Fresh From The Market - photo credit Quentin Bacon The combination of ginger and lime results in a truly enchanting flavor, which is well suited for both savory and sweet dishes alike. This very light broth pairs quite well with other shellfish, such as shrimp and mussels, or firmer white fish.
SERVES 6
6 live lobsters, 2 pounds each
1/2 cup Chablis or another dry white wine
3 cups Vegetable Stock (page 304)
6 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons matchstick-size strips peeled fresh ginger
11/2 tablespoons ginger juice (see page 96)
6 baby bok choy
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Zest of 2 limes
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Prepare the broth
Holding the lobster body in 1 hand and the tail in the other hand, twist the lobster until the body
and tail separate.
Repeat with the remaining 5 lobsters. Using the back of a chef’s knife, crack the claws off the
lobster bodies just below the knuckles. Reserve the bodies for making lobster stock or freeze
them for another use.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the lobster claws and cook
until the shells become bright red and the claw meat is just barely cooked through, about 8
minutes. Transfer the claws to a bowl of ice water.
Once cool, remove the claw meat from the shells.
Using a chef’s knife, cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise and discard any intestines that
may be clinging to the tail.
Leave the meat in the shells. Bring the Chablis to boil in a large saucepan. Add the lobster tails,
flesh side down, and the vegetable stock. Cover and cook until the lobster meat is just barely
cooked through, about 3 minutes.
Remove the tails from the broth.
Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the broth into a clean medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add the shitake mushrooms, ginger, and ginger juice to the broth and simmer until the ginger
is soft, about 3 minutes. Strain the broth again through a fine-mesh strainer and into a large
saucepan, reserving the mushrooms and ginger.
Finish the broth
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the bok choy and cook until
crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Immediately transfer the bok choy to a bowl of ice water and allow to cool.
Using an immersion blender, blend the cold butter into the strained broth until emulsified.
Return the reserved mushrooms and ginger, lobster claw meat, and blanched bok choy to the
broth along with the scallions, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, and cayenne and continue to cook
over low heat for 2 minutes.
To serve
Divide the lobster tails among 6 large shallow bowls. Arrange the claw meat and 1 bok choy
over each lobster tail. Spoon the sauce and vegetables over the lobster tails and claws and serve.
Wine suggestion
Serve this dish with an exotic white Rhone blend that offers rich flavors of guava, minerals,
and Asian spices, such as Tensley, “Blanc,” 2007, Santa Barbara County, California.
Special to Georgetowner/Downtowner
Jordan Wright
September 2010
 The stunning Barbara Smith with her Southern Style cookbook Union Station, the magnificent early 20th century train station that houses B. Smith’s Restaurant in Washington, DC is one of the most majestic buildings in the city. Designed by distinguished American architect, Daniel Burnham, it has been a national landmark since its completion in 1908.  The magnificent dining room at B. Smith's Restaurant in Union Station Washington, DC - photo by Jordan Wright The splendid Beaux Arts statuary was created by no less a sculptor than Louis St. Gaudens, whose 50-plus figures in the station were considered his finest work. Adding to its tony provenance is its proximity to the US Senate and the charming Le Notre-inspired gardens.
Sixteen years ago the stunning Barbara Smith, Vogue supermodel and African-American style setter, opened her very popular restaurant along the south side of the building. Housed in what was once known as the Presidential Suite, it is the same site where US Presidents and dignitaries once convened before their inaugurations. With its spectacular décor, lavish period chandeliers and Presidential seals still intact it is in these turn-of-the-century rooms where B. Smith, as h is known, serves her delightful mix of Cajun, Creole and Southern cuisine.
Recently I visited the restaurant to try out her new fall menu. I found her signature style still in place with smartly suited and wine-savvy servers, low country cuisine and a genteel atmosphere. In the background a baby grand played softly as we sampled fried chicken livers with onion confit and pineapple chutney; crawfish and crab dip and pan-seared grouper over hoppin’ John rice with a citrus beurre blanc. The osso bucco with creamy asparagus risotto didn’t speak to the Southern style but was tender and lusciously sauced all the same.
 Fried Chicken Livers with Onion Confit and Pineapple Chutney at B. Smiths - photo by Jordan Wright  Beignets with Caramel Amaretto Sauce at B. Smiths - photo by Jordan Wright Several well-chosen and gently priced wines accompanied our dinner. We began with a 2008 Caymus Conundrum…a blend (I know, I know, but just get over it. I did!) of California whites but really very soft and lovely with honeysuckle overtones, and followed up with a 2007 Sacred Hill Marlborough Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc in which I divined chocolate, plum and cinnamon tones.
B. Smith’s still keeps their ever-popular Bourbon Street bread pudding on the menu but it was the beignets that really charmed. Oh to have a half dozen of these warm, sweet treats for breakfast with a cup of French Market chicory coffee!
For reservations and information contact www.bsmith.com
By: Jordan Wright
Special to The Washington Examiner
September 5, 2010
 Jamie and Bobby Deen with local winner Kim Porterfield All hell’s broken loose outside these walls. Seventy-five mph straight-line winds tear across fields surrounding the Legg Mason Tennis Tournament venue snapping 100 year-old trees like chopsticks and ripping them from their earthy sockets.
Below us a small army of grounds keepers armed with push brooms uselessly displace three-inch deep puddles that have submerged the courts. From a luxury ark (read: skybox) Jamie and Bobby Deen talk about grilling … something they know plenty about. “Granddaddy made his own 50-gallon drum for grilling at home. All he put on his chickens was lemon and Worcestershire sauce, and they were known far and wide as the county’s best chickens,” Jamie reminisces.
Between ear-splitting thunderclaps and sky-slicing lightning, I learned of their latest adventures and plans for the future. Jamie is putting together a new show called “The Family Table” and Bobby is in development on his own project. They’ll be on separate paths for awhile though still managing the family’s The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah, Ga. Together they await the upcoming release of their fourth and latest cookbook, “Take It Outside”.
This spring, “The Boys,” as everyone calls Paula Deen’s sons, debuted their new magazine, “Deen Bros. Good Cooking,” whose target readership aims for a predominantly male audience hopped up on tailgating, grilling and barbecue. “My favorite cut is the bone-in rib eye. I tell everyone, when I’m done cutting, I will pick up the bone and finish it off!” warns Jamie. As for Bobby, “I’ll opt for a big old porterhouse every time.”
The Boys learned a lot about restaurants and cooking styles through their Food Network series, “Road Tasted.” But they knew little or nothing about wine. “We knew enough to get the bottle open. But after a four-day trip to Napa with the guys at Beringer Vineyards, we learned a lot,” Jamie told me. Now they’re traveling around the country for Beringer looking for the “Ultimate Griller” in the Beringer Great Steak Challenge that pairs the best steak recipe with Beringer wine. The battle, with a grand prize of $15,000 and a guest appearance on The Cooking Channel, will culminate this October at the winery’s splendid 1,600-acre Napa Valley vineyards.
As hosts of the nationwide search they were here for the mid-Atlantic regional competition and to announce the Mid-Atlantic winner, Kim Porterfield of Pulaski, Pa., whose delectable Oyster Rockefeller Filets recipe is featured along with the Deens’ Blackberry Head of State Steak recipe.
Oyster Rockefeller Filets
Wine Pairing – Beringer Pinot Noir
 GSC DC 4_Winning Steak Oyster Rockefeller Filets
Filling: One 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1/2 cup shredded Fontina cheese; 2 Tbsp. fresh grated Parmesan cheese; 1/4 tsp garlic salt; 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 6 8-ounce filet mignon steaks, 1 1/2 inches thick, brought to room temperature. Six slices lean smoky bacon; 2 Tbsp. olive oil; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper. Sauce: 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter; 4 whole cloves peeled garlic, slightly smashed; 12 large fresh oysters, shucked, rinsed, drained and quartered. Juice of one half of a lemon; 1 tsp Louisiana hot sauce; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; 6 slices rustic bread, 1 inch thick; 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Fresh chopped parsley for garnish.
» Directions
Heat grill to high temperature. Combine filling ingredients. Slice a pocket into the side of each steak and stuff with spinach mixture. Wrap bacon around side and secure with toothpicks. Brush steaks on both sides with the oil, and season with the salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill and let cook until golden brown and slightly charred, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook another 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare (an internal temperature of 135 degrees F), or to desired temperature. Remove to a platter, tent with foil, and let rest. Meanwhile, in a medium saute pan on the grates of the grill or a side burner, over medium heat (turn down one burner), melt 1 stick of the butter. Add the garlic, oysters, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce. Cook until edges of oysters start to curl, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining butter, one tablespoon at a time, to thicken sauce. Remove garlic cloves. Keep warm. Brush bread with oil and grill a few minutes on each side until lightly toasted. To serve, place one filet on each of six dinner plates (remove toothpicks). Spoon the oyster sauce over the steaks. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve with the grilled bread to soak up the yummy juices remaining on your plate!
 The Deen Brothers Blackberry Head of State Steak Tip: If you don’t have fresh blackberries or want to save some money, use blackberry preserves. Save the leftover butter mixture for pancakes the next morning.
4 tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup blackberries
1/2 teaspoon sugar
4 (8-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks about 11/2 inches thick
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine the butter, lemon zest, and tarragon in a medium bowl until creamy. Finely crush the berries and sugar with a fork in a small bowl. Add the berry mixture to the butter mixture, stirring to blend well. Mound the butter mixture into small bowl; set aside.
Spray a grill rack with nonstick spray and preheat the grill to medium-high. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill rack and grill, about 5 minutes per side for rare or until desired doneness. Transfer the steaks to a platter. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve with the butter mixture.
Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 10 min
Difficulty: Easy
Read more at the Washington Examiner:
Special to the Georgetowner and Downtowner
Jordan Wright
August 2010
Ooey, gooey, chewy cupcakes, creamy icing sliding off the tops, finger-licking, oh heck, paperliner-licking good, crumbs caught mid-air and time-warp flashbacks – a retro rewind to the innocent indulgence of old-fashioned cupcakes, where a kid’s eyeballs over-amp in megawatt lust and grown-ups get a tiny dessert sans guilt. Something for the whole family. Something to get us into the minivan and drive for miles only to stand in line…or maybe not.
 Chef Finarelli with Red Velvet Chocolate Port Cupcake batter - photo by Jordan Wright In the midst of all the current cupcake hoo-hah Chef Matt Finarelli breaks away from the pack to say, “Let’s make sophisticated cupcakes and teach everyone how to bake them at home!”
 Andy Hoyle of Republic National Distributing pairs cupcakes with spirits - Photo by Jordan Wright Finarelli, who teaches several cooking classes a week at Open Kitchen in Falls Church, Virginia, in everything from tapas to tamales and pizza to pappardelle, demonstrates an astounding repertoire of international cookery coupled with a keen sense of humor and boyish charm. This month’s single session evening courses have included “Summer in St. Tropez”, featuring Julia Child’s salade niçoise, whole roasted branzino with lemon aioli (author’s weakness) and ratatouille. And for a light dessert, caramelized peaches with peach ice cream and peach chocolate macaroons. How’s that for a foodcation to the South of France at home!
During an island-inspired night class called “Caribbean Dream” participants learned how to prepare grilled lobster, seviche atop avocado, and flaming rummed-up bananas Foster with both pineapple and coconut. It’s no wonder his classes fill up quickly. You are both student and diner!
For his “Adult Cupcakes and Wine Pairing” Finarelli demo’ed and served six of his inspired recipes. Imagine, if you will, red velvet chocolate port cupcakes with vanilla port frosting paired with Terra d’Oro Zinfandel Port from Amador County, CA and dark chocolate and chipotle cupcakes with candied orange peel paired with Banfi Rosa Regale from Strevi, Italy. A bride-to-be with friends in tow came for a bachelorette party and were enjoying a few extra purchased glasses of champagne and port. Yes, you can do that too. How civilized.
Andy Hoyle of Republic National Distributing described and poured for the class of 40 guests, “The cork pops here”, he quipped to an increasingly cheery group. Hoyle took a tricky menu-pairing complementing sweets with spirits. My favorite combination was a pretty prosecco and almond cupcake topped with rosewater and petite flowers. It was served with Kluge Estate Cru, a divine bubbly out of Charlottesville, VA. We heart our champers and this is a lovely one. Here’s your assignment while sipping:
 Prosecco and Almond Cupcakes with rosewater and fresh flowers - Photo by Jordan Wright Prosecco and Almond Cupcakes with Rosewater and Fresh Blossoms
Courtesy of Chef Matt Finarelli of Open Kitchen
Yield ~32 cupcakes
Ingredients:
4 cups cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 sticks butter – unsalted – softened
3 cups sugar
8 ea eggs
6 Tbsp milk
¼ cup Prosecco
2 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup slivered almonds – well chopped
1 recipe Rosewater Frosting
As needed Edible blossoms (e.g. pansies, marigolds, small roses, cone flowers, herb flowers, lilac, lavender – all pesticide free and well washed.)
Method:
– Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line cupcake pan with papers.
– Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
– Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
– Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
– With mixer on low speed beat in milk, Prosecco and vanilla until just combined.
– Add flour mixture in 3 batches, beating until just combined after each addition.
– Fold in almonds gently.
– Bake until toothpick comes out clean – about 20 minutes. Cool and top with Rosewater Frosting and then edible blossoms.
Rosewater Frosting
Ingredients:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1¾ cups confectioner’s sugar
5 tsp rosewater
Method:
– Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
– Add confectioners sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.
– Add lemon juice and rosewater and beat until smooth.
Open Kitchen wears many toques. It is a full-service caterer, a cooking school with hands-on or demo cooking classes, a flex-timeshare kitchen for local chefs to launch and grow their own business, and a bistro serving lunch Monday through Saturday, and dinner Thursday through Saturday.
To check class schedules, restaurant hours and timeshare availability visit: www.OpenKitchen-DCMetro.com or call 703 942-8148.
Special to the Georgetowner and Downtowner
Jordan Wright
August 2010
In the blistering heat of a summer’s day a battalion of gardeners in full purple t-shirted regalia toils beneath my window plying their weaponry against the unruly grass. They strive to conquer all they survey with baying mowers, droning blowers and edger wands with the ear-splitting sound of concrete on steel.
 Chocolate Chip Almond Ice Cream- photo by Jordan Wright Adding to their fearsome cacophony, are whining electric drills and triple-octave cicadas telegraphing for the perfect mate. The drills are the worst. Long after the landscapers have moved on and the bugs have cast off their brittle casings, homeowners, spurred by an overdose of DIY shows, will still be building, re-building, repairing, sanding, painting and patching up what seems like every wall and roof in the neighborhood. Did I mention the road crews?
Here in my cool cocoon, I have strategized my own military operation geared to thrash back the blistering temperatures with frosty ice cream treats and luscious fruit cobblers. I consider this an important mission.
A few summers ago Wheeler Del Toro, author of “The Vegan Scoop” was serving up samples of his recipes at National Harbor’s Food and Wine Festival. Founder of the Boston-based Wheeler’s Frozen Dessert Company, Del Toro learned his craft at the posh Berthillon ice cream shop in Paris and turned his knowledge and skills into his own interpretation of the icy confection by using all-vegan ingredients.
Now I am most assuredly not vegan, not by anyone’s definition, but I do try to limit my consumption of dairy products when at all feasible. So this month I finally got around to trying out some recipes from the book. I started out with Del Toro’s Cantaloupe, not rich enough; then the Strawberry, not luscious enough and the berries too chunky and hard. I was really excited about the Red Bean, hoping to replicate any one of the versions I enjoy in Japanese restaurants. Here I met with another failure
 The yummy bits before adding to coffee ice cream - photo by Jordan Wright when I inadvertently used a jar of a red bean paste called for in the recipe, but, alas, didn’t notice the second ingredient on the jar read salt! The whole horrid mess met the drain with a vengeance!
Feeling as though nothing worse could befall my amateur attempts, I hit upon my tour de force…quasi-vegan coffee ice cream with bittersweet chocolate chunks and almonds. ‘Quasi’ since I used Nestle’s chocolate chips… more convenient and economical and I didn’t want to have to jettison a cup of chopped Scharffen Berger if things didn’t go my way yet again.
I became convinced that substituting the arrowroot, called for in the recipe, for cornstarch was the clincher. The final product had a smoother mouth feel and more body. Just remember if you decide to try it my way the ratio is one-part arrowroot equals two- parts cornstarch.
I used Del Toro’s basic Coffee recipe and put in the bits that I like best.
DAIRY-FREE COFFEE ICE CREAM
Adapted from The Vegan Scoop (Fair Winds Press) by Jordan Wright
 The finished product - photo by Jordan Wright 1 cup (235 ml) plain soymilk [not the light variety], divided
2 tablespoons (16 g) arrowroot powder [or 4 tablespoons corn starch]
2 cups (plain) soy creamer
¾ cup (175 ml) fresh strong coffee [I used decaf]
¾ cup (150 g) sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract [I used ½ vanilla and ½ almond]
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
1 cup chopped skin-on whole almonds (raw or toasted)
In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup soymilk with arrowroot. Set aside.
Mix soy creamer, remaining ¾ cup soymilk, coffee and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat. [This took me forever to heat up so I ratcheted it up to medium] Once mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and add arrowroot cream. This will cause the liquid to thicken noticeably. Add vanilla extract.
Refrigerate mixture until chilled, approximately 2 to 3 hours. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions. In the last two minutes, while the ice cream is still soft, stir in the chocolate and almonds.
Note: Since this product results in a firmer freeze, it is best to leave the ice cream on the counter for about a half an hour before serving.
FRUIT COBBLER -TRIED AND TRUE AND STUNNINGLY SIMPLE
On weekly forays to the farmer’s market I often find myself lured by the bounty of locally grown produce and come home laden with baskets chock-a-block with far more than I can use up in a day or two. My winter-starved senses crave redemption from anemic supermarket fruit and I cave at the glorious sight of towering tables of berries, peaches, plums and nectarines bursting with vibrant color and flavor and the sweetly floral scent of just-picked fruit.
 Blackberries - photo by Jordan Wright Lately I have turned my over-buying into a successful solution. At least once a week we are invited to a party or picnic where we are asked to bring a dish to aid our over-burdened hosts in filling out the menu for a large gathering. For years such an invitation has put me into a tailspin as I mentally review my hundreds of go-to recipes to arrive at the perfect offering.
Here are my typical requirements for a summer’s dish: Not too fancy, not too complex and assuredly fail-proof. Won’t melt, easy to whip up with a minimum of on-hand ingredients, cooks up while taking shower, needs no additional on-site preparation, poses no challenge to most food allergies, and is able to withstand brutal temperatures without poisoning the guests.
Notice to gracious hosts entertaining in July and August: You need not alphabetize me to determine sweet or savory. The following dish handed down by my husband’s mother, who is an 87-year veteran of every church, garden and civic club potluck dinner in the Commonwealth of Virginia, is what you can expect.
GRANDMA FREDIA’S FRUIT COBBLER
Adapted by Jordan Wright
 Nectarine cobbler with creme fraiche - photo by Jordan Wright
1 cup self-rising flour (unsifted)
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
¼ teaspoon of vanilla
1 quart skin-on and sliced peaches (about 6 large) or nectarines (about 8 ) or blueberries or blackberries or a combination of the above
1 stick of butter
Set oven to 350˚. Whisk together sugar and flour. Add buttermilk and vanilla to make a batter. Don’t overmix. Put stick of butter in glass or enamel casserole dish and place in oven until it begins to bubble, about 5 minutes, but keep checking till you get the hang of it. Do not leave the kitchen at this point even to hunt for the sunscreen. Remove dish and place fruits evenly over the melted butter. Pour batter to cover all fruit. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes till nicely browned on top. Remove and set on rack to cool. Now would be the time to wrap the hostess gift.
Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream, ice cream or crème fraiche.
Special Feature to the Washington Examiner by Jordan Wright – Sunday August 1st, 2010
Nothing’s more exciting to me than a food quest. I will go anywhere foraging leads me. I’ve rambled down back roads to find a beekeeper who sells honey off her front porch and waded through fields of strawberries, stretching out as far as the eye can see, to gather the ripe fruit for homemade strawberry jam. I’ve tromped over woodlands rife with snakes and poison ivy (dicey at best) to find the edible shoots of the thorny greenbrier vine and collect the elusive morel. I follow the food wherever it leads me and farmers are my most powerful inspiration. So when I heard that the well-known family restaurant, Silver Diner, was serving local and sustainable food, my ears pricked up. I may have even cocked my head like a bird upon hearing the UPS truck thunder down the road, but initially I just couldn’t wrap my brain around the incongruity.
 The scene at the Silver Diner - photo by Jordan Wright Let’s see… a 1950’s-style diner that is also a healthful eatery with fresh fruits and vegetables and grass-fed hormone free beef. Visions of “The Fonz” and “American Graffiti” coupled with burgers n’ fries kept edging forward. I only knew the iconic diner as a fast-food greasy spoon with neon-lighting, formica-topped counters, gut-busting platters and antique car rallies in the parking lots.
I ignored the news for a few weeks longer while a friend in the local small farm movement continued to update me with newer and ever more surprising revelations. “There are on-site weekend farmers markets, money-off coupons to restaurant patrons to redeem at the farm stands, and a brand new menu loaded with fresh and local fruits, whole grains, veggies and meats,” she crowed. My curiosity piqued, but first I dug out my Holmesian magnifying glass which looks a bit like a like a cell phone because it is…and placed a call to HQ in Rockville, MD to verify her findings.
When I reached Ype Von Hengst, the Dutch chef and co-owner, I heard a-man-on-a-mission, “Families with kids want to go to places with better food options. So we’ve gone local and healthful,” he said. “I have a moral obligation to give it to the kids.“ Music to my ears…
 Farmers markets are found outside some of the Silver Diners on Sundays - photo by Jordan Wright He spoke of sourcing from local farmers and providing an outlet for them to bring their product directly to his customers. “When they eat with us they receive coupons to redeem outside at the farm stands and if they have any produce left over at the end of the day we buy it from them and use it in the restaurant.” “We have six parking lot markets going now, with plans for next summer’s expansion.”
Von Hengst, who is running his second Marine Corps marathon this October, is proud of the changes to Silver Diner and is constantly searching for new sources. “It’s a journey for us. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we have begun by rethinking our whole approach to buying and sourcing locally as much as possible.” It makes them a gleaming example to others in the family-friendly food business – low prices coupled with fresh healthful food from area farms. They deserve a lot of credit.
“Our local produce comes to us the day after it has been picked off the vine and our milk from the Kreider family farm in Manheim, PA, goes from the cow to our milkshakes in as little as two days,” he continued. Here at last a paradigm shift in the way we picture the American diner.
My husband was up for a visit. He loves this place, with its home-style food, retro vibe and cute Sebring tabletop jukeboxes. We were in high warble during our drive to the Clarendon location to confirm the rumors. (There are seven Silver Diner outposts in the Metro DC/VA/MD area and eleven others around the Mid-Atlantic, but this one was the closest for us.) We had no idea what to expect and my husband was afraid they had done away with his favorite sausage, eggs and biscuits, or worse, jacked up the prices. Instead we found the same gentle prices and some of the traditional menu options, but much more nutritious.
If you have a fondness for Silver Diner’s big breakfasts, the smoked Surry sausage and Virginia-cured center cut ham steak now come from Edwards and Sons in Surry, VA. Founded in 1926, they are the only company still producing hickory-smoked hams in Virginia and they make them the old-fashioned way, from a 1604 recipe that uses brown sugar, fresh sage, red pepper and salt and smokes them for 24 hours.
 The new menu reflects fresh and wholesome changes - photo by Jordan Wright Instead of white-flour flapjacks we could choose from banana granola pancakes made with local honey nut granola from a little producer in Baltimore or French toast made with wonderfully eggy challah bread from Uptown Bakery in Hyattsville where the diner sources all of its artisanal multi-grain breads. And although they still have flaky fresh-baked in-house buttermilk biscuits you can opt for leaner turkey bacon to go with your eggs from Martin Farms in Fincastle, VA. While there I spied an omelette prepared with a crab cake and sweet local corn folded in and blended with fresh scallions and Monterey jack cheese that’s still calling my name.
You begin to get the sense that big change has already come to Silver Diner when you are handed the menu featuring a chef on the cover crisply white-jacketed and cradling a bounty of fresh produce. Inside the extensive menu lets you choose from 600-calorie entreés listing the fat (in some cases a mere 5 grams), calories, cholesterol count and fiber. Lighter dishes like Mango Vegetarian Stir Fry served with whole-wheat angel hair pasta or Grilled Salmon with Lemon Garlic Sauce could satisfy even the pickiest eater, but they still feature favorites like the down-home Smothered BBQ Meatloaf made with two-week aged hormone- and antibiotic-free Angus beef from Black Eagle Farms in Piney River, VA.
We also found local Chesapeake Bay soft shell crab sandwiches, mid-Atlantic Mahi Mahi with brown rice and edamame that pair well with a selection of local beers Tupper’s from Maryland and Old Dominion and Star Hill breweries of Virginia. Wines are from Virginia’s Barboursville, Horton and Chateau Morrisette located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even the diner’s Greenberry coffee was roasted in nearby Charlottesville, VA. I don’t usually tout a price point but believe me your wallet will thank you.
 Fruits and veggies at the Silver Diner's farmers market in Clarendon - photo by Jordan Wright Oh, yes, you can still get fries, though they’re fried in zero percent trans-fat oil just as they have done even before the new stricter standards… and all their milkshakes and malts are made with all-natural ice cream, no food coloring or preservatives, thank you. The Chunky Monkey Banana Shake and the Peanut Butter Heath Bar Shake haven’t been abandoned either, but choices now include healthier alternatives like the Acai Pomegranate Shake made with organic acai berries, pomegranate juice,banana, yogurt and wheat germ or the Peachy Blue that adds fresh blueberries and peach topping.
Here’s where they pay it forward. The diner is launching a program that reflects their commitment and transformation. They call it “Eat Well Do Well!” It not only gives the customer dollars-off on subsequent visits but also partners with Action for Healthy Kids and donates a portion of its sales to the Farm-to-School week promoted by First Lady, Michelle Obama. Oh, and did I forget to mention they have free Wi-Fi?
Before driving off we picked up heirloom tomatoes, from Chris Guerre owner of the Maple Avenue Market in Vienna and scallions from Angela Stolberg of Lucia Farm in Culpepper. It doesn’t get any fresher!
Ladies and gentlemen, this is the next generation diner.
www.silverdiner.com
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