• 21May

    Wheat’s Sin: Living Gluten Free… and loving it?

    Gluten-Free!By Guest Blogger Trish King

    About four years ago, I found out that I am gluten intolerant: I have a severe sensitivity to the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye and barley. Discovering yourself to be gluten intolerant, you become very aware of what is in the food you eat: there is wheat, barley and rye in everything! It is in cereals, breads, and your favourite meat loaf at the local diner. It’s in your microwavable meal; it is also disguised as “modified food starch.”

    Four years ago there was not much around when it comes buying gluten free foods; when you were hungry and on the run, there was no gluten-free McDonald’s to run to, only your own cries of “Great – what I am I going to eat now, there is wheat in everything!!!”

    Well, a lot has changed over the last 4 years, as many people have become aware of Celiac Disease and gluten intolerance. We’re in luck these days, with plenty of companies who have made the change to make eating more pleasant for those with gluten intolerance. So you don’t need to let having Celiac or a gluten intolerance stop you from enjoying chewy breads, crunchy snacks or a great breakfast. All these products are made mostly from rice, corn, tapioca or potato flours, eggs, and milk. Here are some of my favorites…

    I generally go to Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe’s for my all my Gluten-free pre-made and baking supplies. Whole Foods also has their own line of gluten-free breads – Sourdough, Prairie Bread, Prairie Raisin Bread and sandwich loaf.

    Against the Grain, out of Vermont, claims to make the “Best Gluten free baguette in the world!” You can find these, among other things, at Lilit Café in Bethesda, Whole Foods, and Wegmans. Check with your local stores, as not all locations seem to have them.

    Glutino’s Gluten-Free Pantry has a plethora of gluten free products to choose from, including cookies, crackers, bread sticks, cereal, and pretzels, and, when you’re craving something sweet, try Pamela’s has a great line for cakes, pancake mixes and pre-made cookies that really hit the spot.

    Sweet Sin, a Baltimore-based bakery which has a line of wonderful gluten-free sandwich breads and pizza rounds. If you don’t live near there, you can get their stuff at the Whole Foods locations in Bethesda and Rockville, and at Lilit Café.

    – TK

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  • 07May

    The Virginia Gold Cup – Just Drink!

    Please forgive my tardiness – the Gold Cup was almost a week ago and I’m just getting this to you now. It’s been a hectic week! But that horse race, let me tell you! The day started as I picked up some friends – driving past the strategically placed paimagesrty buses throughout Georgetown was my clue of what to expect. Boys in shorts and bowties drinking from red cups were only topped later by the numerous guys in cars drinking from beer cans as they drove down the highway.

    We were lucky enough to be invited to a tent. With the tricky weather, I felt pain for those picnicking without cover. Lucky for them, it didn’t rain. And something tells me the flip cup games would have continued even in a downpour. The atmosphere was intriguing. If swine flu was present, the entire senior class at Georgetown University would have been wiped out with one cough. There was enough plaid and pink and sundresses and hats and flip-flops and sunglasses to stock J.Crew and Anthropology for entire summer season.

    What culinary treats was I to expect at this Caucasian gala in the Virginia countryside? I thought there would be a lot of ham – and there was. Drinks? I was expecting something chic. Some tents had open bars – with Papio. Humph. Our tent was potluck. I still salivate as I think of the person among the crowd of Supreme Court-trained lawyers who brought the cherry brownies. Delicious. Other than that, I was staring at platters of appetizers that included (and I am for real) melba toast, with a slice of hard-boiled egg, topped with a canned, smoked oyster.

    I wasn’t there to eat anyway. Drink and drink I shall. Sam Adams, Merlot, the Champagne of Beers perhaps? I brought mint infused bourbon for mint juleps. As I pulled out my mason jar filled with delicious bourbon and mint leaves, those elderly women, much like the late Queen Mother, gave a seductive glance my way and I swear there were a few with streams of light drool seeping from their pursed lips. Sweet tea this was not.

    As the races concluded, blood-alcohol levels steadily increased. Cheap beer in silver and blue cans seemed to be the choice beverage. And as the young men started to stumble and the little ladies began to trip over their feet, I sat back in simple delight. So much money was present that day and, in the end, it turned into one big frat party. I don’t know why this still shocks me – I’ve been to enough of these events to know what’s going to happen. But I’m not immune. And I don’t want to be.

    -AEK

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Etc, Travel Tags: , , No Comments
  • 20Apr

    Why I don’t have any Cakelove

     

    cupcakes.jpg


    Cupcakes are delicious. I love cupcakes. I draw my culinary Maginot line, however, with those cupcakes purchased from boutique bakeries throughout our region. This, of course, if a gross generalization – have I eaten some spongy goodness from every small business? No. But I’ve had enough to know what’s good and what’s not. And what’s even more shocking to me is that simple cake should be something every American holds at minimum a master’s degree in; all of us have eaten it since our first kindergarten birthday. We should all know what’s average – but the cupcake craze has come and continues and continues and continues.

    Anyone can make a cupcake if they try. It’s not cassoulet. It’s not even a sheet cake. Dollops of batter lovingly plopped into cheerfully decorated paper wrappers, they’re virtually impossible to destroy; any easy-to-follow recipe can be had on the Internet or on a bag of flour. Sure they’ll take about 30 minutes from start to finish, but the final product will be more than worth the effort. And I promise, they will taste just as good – if not better – than those you’ve purchased and you’ll get a dozen for the cost of just one.

    Store bought cupcakes are convenient. I agree. And the icing is usually tasty. But a great cupcake should be like a fifty-year marriage between cake and icing – comfortable, seamless, and complimentary. If you need some sugar, buy a tub of Duncan Hines and grab a spoon! Don’t spend $3.50 for a few tablespoons of creatively flavored cream cheese or butter cream with a chunk of mediocre cake. If you don’t bake because you only want one, eat your one and bring the rest to work. You’d be amazed at the co-worker goodwill created with baked goods.

    As the weather gets warmer, I can comfort myself with the knowledge that our minds will soon turn to frozen yogurt and the super hip tartness scale. I say break free from the hold of these boutique bakeries! Leave them to the cake making; the cupcake is their version of the checkout aisle chocolate bar. It’s impulsive and costly – the grande latte of the bakery world! You have a Jacques Torres within you…just set him free!

    -AEK

    Editor’s (JAY’s) note:
    I can’t help myself – sometimes I just have to share a story. 😉

    I had the pleasure of meeting Jacques Torres at The Chocolate Show in NYC several years ago. He was selling his wares: *Insert French accent here*
    “Men, buy my ‘shocolate,’ the ladies will love you…ladies beware, I’m eating some now.” 😉

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  • 02Apr

    The Horticultural Talents of Thomas Jefferson

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    By Andrew Kohn
    Right now in my garden, along with the bird feeders and strawberries, I’m growing ‘Caseknife’ Beans, Long Red Cayenne Peppers, and Balsam Apples. What’d these three plants have in common you ask? Surprise, they were all cultivated by Thomas Jefferson. This past weekend I visited Monticello and, for the first time, truly appreciated the horticultural talents of our 3rd President. In his gardens he cultivated numerous species of fruits and vegetables, giving us so much we can even overlook his weak attempts at grape cultivation! Although, somebody in Virginia has successfully figured out the equation – as evidenced by the fabulous Petit Verdot I imbibed on the trip.
    (By the by, I dined at Fossett’s Restaurant located at Keswick Hall near Charlottesville and had a scrumptious “re-invented” summer salad with tomato foam, basil jelly, and homemade cheese. Molecular gastronomy that even rich old people will eat! The duck was delicious although predictable and the pork was well done. Avoid the oyster and sweetbread stew – too many textures on top of too many flavors.)
    I digress, however…back to my veggies. The peppers were first planted by Mr. Jefferson in 1767; the beans in the 1820s; and the Balsam Apple (an unusual vine) was planted in 1812 and adorned the walkways of Monticello. I write about these plants not to suggest you run out and buy them, but instead to think about the history of those tomatoes and herbs we’re all planning on growing this season. Heirloom vegetables deserve a place in our gardens. My beans are one of the oldest documented varieties used in American gardens. This is exciting! On July 4th, I’m looking forward to chomping down on my colonial beans while reading the Declaration of Independence – both of which I should thank Thomas Jefferson for providing to me.

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  • 26Mar

    African-American Foodways Lecture

    I met Michael Twitty of Afro Foodways a few years ago when his table was one of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival’s exhibits on food culture. We spoke about Judaism – he is an African American man who has converted to Judaism, and we of course talked about food as well. He was fun and full of interestign information, and we have kept in touch over the years. Now is your chance to see him do his thing:

    Saturday, March 28 – African-American Foodways Lecture – Alexandria Black History Museum, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It is a few blocks walk from Braddock Road Metro Station. The lecture is free!
    Culinary historian Michael Twitty returns to present his new lecture, “Cooking in the Quarters: Enslaved African Virginians Cooking for Themselves.” Discover the important cultural aspects of diet and food preparation with this leading expert on African-American foodways. Lecture will explore the preparation of foods of enslaved Virginians, including open hearths, stew stoves, and special tools and pots that gave certain foods their unique flavor. Learn about the importance of tradition, nature, and availability of ingredients in African-Virginian cooking.
    Twitty’s book, Fighting Old Nep: The Foodways of Enslaved Afro-Marylanders 1634-1864, will be available for purchase.
    703.838.4356. 902 Wythe Street. www.alexblackhistory.org.

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  • 13Mar

    Stir the Gumbo!

    small sauceboss_5.JPG
    By my good friend, Guest Blogger Wayne Manigo AKA Wayneman. Wayne is on the left in the photo.
    There are some musicians that make history by being masters at their craft. They might practice for hours each day, until they hit the pinnacle of success. Other may decide on combining other talents with their god given gift. Enter Bill Wharton (aka The Sauce Boss) and his band “The Ingredients.” His unique style of playing the blues is combined by his love and desire for “Gumbo.” “Uncle Bill” (I’m the only fan who calls him that) has a talent to make a gumbo that will “Knock your Aunt Connie’s socks off!” This has been his signature style since 1990.
    Once the Sauce Boss hits the stage, he’s a magic man in motion. He’s start by making the “holy trinity” of celery, onions, and green peppers for the “rue” on stage. As he continues to cook, the Sauce Boss will perform some of the finest blues in all the land. These are old school blues jams inspired by the likes of Robert Johnson, Duane Allman, Muddy Waters, and ZZ Top. As the band plays the blues into the wee hours, the Sauce Boss demands audience participation by inviting everyone to come onstage and “Stir the gumbo!” At the end of the night…the entire audience eats gumbo for free!
    The first time I met “Uncle Bill” was nine years ago in his hometown of Tallahassee. I walked into this establishment named Bullwinkle’s, which was voted best college bar by Playboy magazine. I couldn’t believe what my senses were telling me! Was that the smell of gumbo coming from their Tikki bar? And who’s that crazy guy with the chef’s outfit playing the guitar?” By the end of the evening, I was dancing, singing, and sweating like I’ve never done before. Once the set is complete, “Uncle Bill” served this fabulous gumbo to the masses – free of charge.
    I became a fan of “Bill Wharton and the Ingredients” on the spot! The Sauce Boss is so well known for his gumbo that it inspired Mr. Jimmy Buffet to pen the tune “I Will Play For Gumbo.” He’s been mentioned in the “Lee’s Brother’s Southern Cookbook” and they stated “When he comes to your town, you don’t want to miss this blues and gumbo combination. “Uncle Bill” provides the Sauce Boss Gumbo Recipe for is gumbo on his website, so you can duplicate it at home. I make it each year at my annual pot luck prior to attending his annual concert at Madam’s Organ.
    It would be a crime not to mention the charity work the ‘Sauce Boss’ has done with his nonprofit organization “ Planet Gumbo.” This non-profit was created by Bill Wharton in Nov 2002 to help everyone understand the trials and tribulations of the homeless. His band continues to perform benefit concerts each year to raise money and awareness. By the end of time, The Sauce Boss would have spread his message for love, happiness, and helping other using gumbo and the blues. Let’s eat!
    Bill Wharton is playing at Madam’s Organ at 9pm tomorrow (4/14).

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  • 13Mar

    Never Eat Next to Med School Students

    BuffaloWing.jpg
    The crew at DCist.com do a feature called “Overheard in DC” in which snippets of conversation are presented with minimal context – typically somebody talking a bit too loud on a cell phone at an area grocery store, or two folks sharing a wee bit too much information on the Metro. It’s a great feature, and if you can’t get enough of DCist’s offerings, check out EavesdropDC.
    If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and probably the laziest, then we at DCFud could launch a similar feature focusing simply on restaurants and people eating in public. It never ceases to amaze me what people will say in public, scant inches from perfect strangers.
    I had the joy of sitting next to a couple of medical school students in Baltimore, and while I certainly would like the best trained, most highly educated doctors available, I’m not enthralled with the idea of eating next to them when discussing various ailments and diseases. And…especially when they have visual aides. And…I dated a doctor several years ago, but recent enough that I remember a few things.
    At a restaurant in Baltimore…mid-conversation
    Female Med School Student: “It was a softball-sized hematoma above his left eye.”
    That’s a blood collection from a broken artery. I was OK with that.
    Moments later…
    Male Med School Student: “We worked on the dissection of the posterior compartment.”
    That’s generally known as the calf muscle. I’m OK with that too.
    He continued…
    Male Med School Student: “I was looking at the three muscles, and I know it’s weird, but I got hungry for chicken.”
    Um, check?
    What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever heard while dining?

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  • 07Mar

    I juice, therefore I am.

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    By Guest Blogger Andrew Kohn.
    I have a confession to make and it’s not a pretty one; I’ve fallen prey to the juicing craze. Once only reserved for the body-builder or new age hippie, juicing has now swept across America, picking up housewives in Salt Lake City, mixologists in New York City, and every Oprah watcher in-between. Isolated in my little kitchen, I thought I was immune to this tornado until the day I was re-gifted a juicer. No spinach, carrot, kale, or cranberry has been safe since.
    But the real question is, why do I juice? Leafy greens produce about as much liquid as they look like they would, and you can only get so much out of a chunk of ginger. Sure, I could just use celery and cucumber, but I require flavor. Oprah’s green juice recipe isn’t too shabby, and if it’s good enough for Oprah…but I also need some variation. And undoubtedly, there’s some hidden team that produces the glass of juice to her majesty sans the mess that naturally follows a juicing session.
    One problem is that doesn’t keep for long. Some pulp will invariably make it into the glass. Let it stand for a few minutes and the strata begin to appear. The stages of juicing are revealed – the actual liquid, the fine sediment that successfully navigated through the sieve, and the foamy vegetable meringue that rests like whipped cream on top of the entire concoction. Stir that baby up and take a sip. Delicious. Don’t stir it up – well, you’re re-paid for your lazy attitude. I will admit there is nothing lazy, however, about my juicing. Freshly prepared every morning, it’s not the smell of bacon that wakes up the house but the jarring buzz of parsley meeting a cruel fate.
    You’re mission, if you choose to accept, is to juice. The machines can be reasonable – instead of a morning $3.50 latte, buy the juicer and feed it some veggies. They’re also staples at garage sales across the country – but don’t let that deter you. Those people were quitters! And you’re a winner! I bet you’ll feel better and maybe even shed a few extra pounds in the process. Experiment with different flavors and compost the leftover vegetable pulp. Fresh juice has numerous health benefits , including an increase in metabolism and a preventative against cancer and heart disease.
    I freely admit I’ve bought into the craze, sipped the proverbial carrot-ade, and wonder where I’ll go next?! Hummus instead of mayonnaise? Gluten-free pumpkin seed toast instead of my English muffin? Carob chips instead of Hershey’s! Now let’s not get carried away. My bunker has been reinforced against those tornados and my pantry is fully stocked with provisions!
    Do you know where to get some good juice in town? Please email a comment to dcfud.writers@gmail.com,and after a healthy inspection I’ll report back!

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  • 27Feb

    FUD wants YOU!

    The good news is, some of us are over-employed (that’s good, right?). Some of us have even moved away from the DC area *gasp* to go to graduate school (not me, I didn’t get voted off the island).
    But the bad news is a dry spell for the FUD at the moment. So, to
    counteract this terrible state of affairs, we are looking for…..
    A FEW NEW WRITERS!!
    Were you annoyed by a restaurant?
    Do you have some random recipes to share?
    Have you discovered the best wine or restaurant in DC?
    Do you want to write a comparison article for a particular item or dish?
    Need some hipster cred? Good, since that is how we are compensated. 🙂
    Then we want you for DCFUD. Send any sort of writing sample to
    dcfud.writers@gmail.com, along with a couple ideas you’d like to write
    about. It’ll be crazy!

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  • 23Feb

    Free Pancakes for Charity!

    pancakes.jpgThat’s right! Tomorrow, February 24, 2004, you can get free pancakes at IHOP, and the rest of your check goes to raise money for sick kids. I mean, if that’s not a great excuse to stay up all of tonight dancing and greet the sunrise by cheating on you diet, I don’t know what is! There may be other ways to visit IHOP, but that’s how I do. Call me nostalgic, I might not not be.
    So go get you some sugar, ’cause everybody loves sick ki…err…that came out wrong. You know what I mean.
    For those so inclined, you can RSVP for the Facebook event.

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