• 23Oct

    MetroCooking Show comes to DC!

    This weekend DC will be a food lover’s paradise with the 10th annual MetroCooking DC Show taking place at the Washington Convention Center. From 10:00 am – 6:00 pm on Saturday, October 24th and from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 25th. Patrons can attend cooking demos and book signings with top Celebrity Chefs the likes of Giada DiLaurentis, Michael Symon, Bryan Voltaggio and Cristina Tosi, sample tasty delights from over 50 local restaurants in the Grand Tasting Pavilion, taste local brews from the beer, wine and spirits garden, learn new cooking techniques and tips in the Tasting & Entertaining Workshops, participate in the pop-up cooking school to sharpen one’s culinary skills or meet one’s favorite James Beard award-winning chef and watch them share their culinary creations on the James Beard Stage. This weekend promises to be the best MetroCooking DC event ever!

    In the lead up to MetroCooking DC, I was invited to attend a media preview hosted at Bryan Voltaggio’s Range at the Chevy Chase Pavilion. Bryan Voltaggio shared a few of his culinary specialties to whet our appetites for the weekend. Bryan will be presenting on the Celebrity stage on Sunday from 12:45 – 1:45 pm followed by a book signing of his latest tome, Home: Recipes to Cook with Family and Friends.

    Votaggio did not disappoint in serving us his culinary treats. From his restaurant Aggio in Baltimore, we were presented with his house made squid-ink tonarelli pasta in a sea urchin cream topped with Chesapeake blue crab meat and crispy prosciutto. A pasta lover’s dream! Cooked perfectly al dente, the sauce very light, and the combination of fresh seafood and salty prosciutto was stellar.

    From the Range menu, where the craftsmanship of the chefs is featured front and center, a full table of house made charcuterie, nicely selected cheeses, and samples from his Chesapeake seafood raw bar was a perfect preface to his more hearty meat dishes. Votaggio specializes in sourcing ingredients from the Mid-Atlantic region and creating modern interpretations through a combination of classic and progressive cooking techniques. The result is two unusual yet exceptional dishes – Beef Cheek and ½ Pig Face! When was the last time you sat down in a restaurant and had the option to order meat from the heads of farmed livestock? The Beef Cheek was wonderful – incredibly tender and succulent and topped with exceptionally creamy mashed Yukon gold potatoes. The ½ Pig Face – was a great surprise – the perfect balance between crispy and tender. The skin’s crispy crunch was met with tender pork meat with just enough fattiness to render it moist and flavorful. Served in lettuce wraps with a selection of sauces and pickles, it combined the unusual with the familiar.

    Of the three vendors in attendance, the most interesting for me was a company out of Baltimore, Tessemae’s, which produces all natural olive-oil based salad dressings and dipping sauces that have every hint of being homemade. Based on a salad dressing recipe of the mother of three boys, the brothers decided to take a leap and once they did, the company grew from selling a few bottles at a farmer’s market to over $35 million in sales in just 6 years. Stop by their booth at MetroCooking DC this weekend to have a taste and to talk to these ambitious entrepreneurs about their story – it’ll have you cheering them on like it did me.

    To learn more about MetroCooking DC and to purchase tickets, click here. For Bryan Voltaggio’s Range, click here. And to check out Tessemae’s story, click here.

    Hope to see many of you out circulating at MetroCookingDC this weekend!

    -SAW (Steve)

    Range Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 21Oct

    DC Welcomed Brooklyn at the Three-Headed Beast

    Three meats, three chefs, and one hell of a cause. The Brooklyn Brewery ended their week long DC Mash Tour with the Three-Headed Beast competition at Blind Whino Sunday October 11th. All proceeds from the event went to The Food Trust, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide everyone with affordable and nutritious food.

    Who was on the guest list? Self-proclaimed foodies and beer enthusiast who spent the better half of a Sunday skipping brunch in favor of the promised ‘nose-to-tail’ dishes. No vegetarians with gluten allergies allowed. What was on tap? Brooklyn Lager, Oktoberfest, Defender IPA, Post Road Pumpkin Ale, East IPA, all of which are delicious and perfect for a fall afternoon.

    Beer and good times aside, everyone was there for one, well three, things: meat, meat, and more meat.

    Hosting the competition was Head of Culinary Programming at Brooklyn Brewery, Chef Andrew Gerson. His beast of choice was lamb. Filling his niche of slow cooked, the braised lamb was perfectly seasoned with Szechuan pepper, ginger and star anise. Pairing the lamb with roasted delicata squash and Romanesco atop a butternut squash puree was a subtle nod to Gerson’s love for Italian cooking. The East IPA was suggested to be most complimentary to the lamb’s seasoning, making it the perfect fall pairing.

    Chef Kwame Onwuachi took a break from preparing for the highly anticipated opening Shaw Bijou. His beast of choice- Goat, head included. Drawing inspiration from a blend of cultures, the Bronx native serves his curry braised goat on msemsen bread topped with Kashmiri chili sauce and anticucho yogurt. Jealous? Seconds were had. The Defender IPA wasn’t a first choice but the right choice to amplify every spice in Onwuachi’s creation. The Defender IPA is your cousin who is Ivy League educated and also happens to be part of a female fight club. It’s more than just a red.

    We’ve all been there for the whiskey, but Chef Russell Jones is the true gem of Jack Rose Salon. His beast of choice was pig. Staying fresh and keeping classic, the smoked pork shoulder and tail were topped with the best chow chow north of the Carolinas. A house-baked Parker House roll was served alongside true, good ole fashion pork rinds, and yes, the spice was just as good as the crunch. A classic dish calls for a classic beer for a classic girl with food all over her face. The Brooklyn Lager and pork rinds were a perfect combination.

    All three chefs were winners of the Three Headed Beast competitions. “This is a perfect way to end, on a perfect day like today,” Gerson, toasting a Brooklyn Lager in the air to crowd.

    -HGP (Haylee)

    Editor’s Note: We’d like to mention that Kwame and 2 other local chefs (Chefs Marjorie Meek-Bradley and Garret Fleming) will be representing DC in the upcoming Top Chef season. Good luck guys!

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  • 18Oct

    Girls and Pearls: a Shuck IT! Soiree

    IMG_0088

    As the sun sets on the Georgetown waterfront, inside Tony and Joe’s, women are showing off their pearls for a good cause! The Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research will benefit from the proceeds of today’s event. This event will help bring this continued fight to the forefront. Using the oyster is an ingenious idea (from Elizabeth Scott’s Good Eats Media) since the oyster shell placed back in the water will regrow.

    IMG_0086

    Left Bra by Kenzie Careell (travonne.walker@yahoo.com) & right bra by Amanda Casarez (amandacasarez.designer@gmail.com). Both are Fashion Interns at the Macy’s DC Fashion Incubator.

    Attendees were encouraged to drop in their business cards to hopefully win some raffle prizes. While attendees mixed and mingled with Mother of Pearl, Nycci Nellis of The List Are You On It and WTOP’s Foodie and the Beast, they enjoyed the above signature hors d’oeuvres.

    One element of the event that I personally enjoyed was seeing the photos of Breast Cancer Survivors (Jacqui DePas Photography: jacqui@jacquidepas.com). This personalized touch (see the below images) made the evening even more enjoyable because it got you thinking about the strength of these women. October is Breast Cancer Month and this was a nice way to support your sisters and eat some good food.

    -CLF (Crystal)

    Tony and Joe's Seafood Place Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 15Oct

    November 4th will be the next DC Food Blogger Happy Hour!

    Nov 2015 DCFBHH BrickandMortarFlyer2

    RSVP here for the November DCFBHH. It will be at Brick & Mortar at Prequel. Brick & Mortar is a speakeasy-like bar in Prequel’s basement. They do make a helluva Hemingway Daiquiri.

    Anita of Greg’s List will be this month’s host.

    -JAY

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  • 14Oct

    Oyamel’s Annual Day of the Dead Festival is Here!

    The festival will begin with a kick-off party on Monday, October 19th, and continue through November 1st. Last night, I attended the media preview for this festival. Above are some images of the event’s highlights. Yes, the face painter was a highlight!

    My favorite drink of the evening was the “Funeral at Yucatán” ($12), which is made with Milagro blanco tequila, Ancho Reyes liqueur, espresso, egg white, and lemon juice, topped with cava, garnished with basil leaf and grated coriander seeds. The Tacos de Castacan (which contain pork bell, kidney, and liver), Sunfish Tamarind Ceviche, Lechon en Recado Blanco Tacos, and Guacamole were favorites of mine.

    I also tried the two cocktails that are in one of the images in the above gallery, Ultimo Suspiro (El Silencio Espadin, Yellow Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, lime) & Xochitl Mezcali (El Silencio Espadin, Yellow Chartreuse, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, lime, pomegranate).

    I was unable to try the striped bass dish since the stock they use for it contains an ingredient I’m allergic to, mushrooms. It did look good though.

    -JAY

    Oyamel Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 10Oct

    Brooklyn Brewery Mash Tour

    This “Ghost Bottles” (Galahad and Raspberry Whisper) are not available for sale. Galahad was my favorite beer of the evening.

    Brookyn Brewery’s Secret Supper was held last night at Maurice Electrical Supply (a block from Union Market) in partnership with Dinnerlab. The rain prevented this form being an outdoor dining experience, but there was plenty of room inside for us all. Above are images of the evenings highlights, including all the dishes we were served.

    Tomorrow at 3pm will be Brooklyn Brewery’s 3 Headed Beast event near Waterfront Metro. There is still time to get tickets ($35) for it, but it is not a vegetarian friendly event.

    I also had the pleasure last night of trying Honeycomb Grocer‘s Pickled Watermelon Rind (made from heirloom Bradford Watermelon) and a great cocktail (Hemingway Daiquiri) from Prequel‘s Brick & Mortar (a speakeasy-like bar in the basement). Yes, it was a busy evening.

    -JAY

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  • 02Oct

    The Brooklyn Brewery Mash Tour Comes to DC in October!

    Brooklyn BreweryOctober 4th – 11th, the largest craft beer tour of its kind will be coming to D.C. for a week long series of beer dinners, panels, film, secret suppers and tap takeovers – the Brooklyn Brewery Mash Tour.

    Events include:

    • Brooklyn Beer Here – Hosted at our favorite local bars, Brooklyn Brewery celebrates community ties with beer specials+ tap takeovers featuring familiar styles and rare brews.
    • State of Craft Beer – A discussion of D.C.-based brewers presented at a local brewery and moderated by Brooklyn Brewery co-founder Steve Hindy.
    • Found Footage Festival — Found Footage hosts Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher screen their latest compilation of outrageous, hilarious and ridiculous clips selected from found VHS tapes around the country.
    • DIY Dinner Party with Chef Andrew Gerson and ATHENOS – Combining the best elements of a cooking class, beer tasting and dinner party, learn to prepare four delicious dishes and expertly pair them with Brooklyn Brewery beers, followed by a family-style meal.
    • Secret Supper with Dinner Lab – A multi-course beer dinner prepared by Brooklyn Brewery chef Andrew Gerson in collaboration with Dinner Lab. Featuring ghost bottles, local artists and live music at an undisclosed location.
    • Three-Headed Beast – Featuring three local chefs, three whole ‘beasts’ and a pie contest, this fall feast brings together live music, outdoor games, loads of Brooklyn beer and more. Proceeds go to a food charity serving the DC community.
    • Mash Closing Party– A full night of live music, partying, and plenty of Brooklyn Brewery beer to close out the week with a surprise headliner to be announced.

    -JAY

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  • 26Sep

    Das Bier Bash

    Drink the District’s Das Bier Bash was last week in the parking lot across the street from the Busboys & Poets at 5th and K, NW. There were a good number of beers to sample, and it was a fun event, but the sun was quite strong, and there was no available shade. Next year, they may want to consider setting up canopies with chairs for shade. Above are some images of the day’s highlights.

    -JAY

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  • 07Sep

    The Week in DCFüd #5

    It has been another great week! Above are some foodie highlights.

    -JAY

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Events, Recipes Tags: , , 1 Comment
  • 02Sep

    Preview: Earls Kitchen + Bar is Coming to Tysons Corner

    Earls Kitchen + Bar is a large independent restaurant group in North America, with 63 restaurants – 58 of those in Canada and 5 in the United States  (Denver, Colorado; Bellevue, Washington; Miami, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts). Earls main office is located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Earls Restaurants Ltd. and the Fuller Group is a family owned operation. Featuring fresh, made from scratch, often local ingredients, food lovers are in for a unique culinary experience.  This fall, Tysons Corner will welcome Earls Kitchen + Bar which is sure to be central attraction in Virginia.

    Cameron Bogue, Image Courtesy of Earls Kitchen Bar.

    Cameron Bogue, Image Courtesy of Earls Kitchen Bar.

    For this review, I had the pleasure of acquainting myself with Earls’ cocktail program run by Beverage Director Cameron Bogue. Cameron, a Portland, Oregon native, has a commitment to using only 100% fresh squeezed in-house juices and handmade syrups when conjuring up craft cocktails throughout Earls Kitchen + Bar locations in the U.S. and Canada.

    Cameron’s main goal to blend Earls’ philosophy of using only fresh ingredients made with passion with popular trends in modern mixology has garnered much recognition among his peers within the hospitality and spirit industry. To that degree, after attending the cocktail tasting, I now understand why.

    Bees Knees

    A twist on a classic cocktail, this sparkling, summer drink will leave you thirsting for more! The Bees Knees cocktail is made with Aviation Gin, Cointreau, with 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters, a burst of house made honey syrup, and finished with fresh squeezed lemon juice. The pure and simple flavor of the honey syrup paired with the brightness of the lemon juice compliments the depth of the Gin and undertone of the Angostura bitters is an ideal summertime cocktail.

    Once served to you over ice in a Honey Bear Jar garnished with Lemon Zest and a wooden honey dipper, the Bees Knees leaves an indelible impression. Crisp, clean, and refreshing, you’ll definitely be coming back for more of this summer solstice nectar.

    Cabin Fever

    What a drink! I may be impartial to this due to the fact that I’m from the Midwest and recall having cabin fever when blizzards forced us to stay inside for days at a time! Sure wish we had this to enjoy while inside. Either way, this spicy, smoky whiskey sour is in a league all on its own.

    Drink ingredients include Crown Royal, Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Tawny Port, paired with Bittered Sling Moondog bitters, Earls homemade Ginger syrup, sweet Pineapple juice, and  fresh lemon juice, you’ll wish you were stranded in a cabin. Once packed into a stainless steel shaking tin, it’s shaken 12 times and strained over fresh ice in a classic blue Camping Mug with a small amount of Soda water. And now the best part – the garnishes, which include an organic, food safe pine cone and mint sprayed with Bowmore 12 Year using an atomizer, transporting you to a cabin in woods. By far, one of the most unique and creative drinks I’ve ever encountered.

    Old Fashioned

    A classic, whiskey cocktail, the Old Fashioned is always a timeless treasure. Featuring Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Bittered Sling Root beer Bitters, and Demerara syrup, this drink is gently stirred to perfection. The brand recognition of Maker’s Mark wheat Bourbon combined with the plum and root beer flavored bitters and caramel-like taste of the Demerara syrup blend to create a smooth yet spicy libation. Served in a classic old fashion glass, this drink is garnished to perfection with an orange peel and cherry. Once you sip on this, you’ll be ready to take on anything that comes your way as you’re ignited from the inside out by this delicate, but strong and ageless drink.

    -Guest Blogger, Micaela (MAC)

    Editor’s Notes:

    “Fladgate” is not a typo. Also, we have the recipes for these three cocktails. Comment if you want us to share them.

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Events, Restaurants Tags: 3 Comments
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