• 17May
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    Wonderful French Master Butcher, Marc Pauvert from Spring House Farm in Lovettsville, VA Working on a Whole Lamb!

    Last chance to buy tickets for tonight for DC’s Lamb Jam.

    -JAY

  • 16May

    Wonderful food industry people who create extremely tasty products:

    -JAY

     

  • 14May

    Granite City Food & Brewery celebrated the opening of its National Harbor, MD location last Monday. Their first East Coast spot, Granite City is a great addition to the many other dining options at National Harbor. Spacious and modern, this restaurant and microbrewery houses a wide range of food and drink selections for just about anyone to enjoy, beer lovers and non-beer lovers alike.

    The restaurant features a full service, wrap-around bar, open kitchen, private dining rooms, patio area, and on-site microbrewery that can be seen from inside the restaurant and is available for tours. Granite City prides itself not only the quality of its handcrafted beers but also of its made from scratch food and signature cocktails. The watermelon martini, for example, was sweet and refreshing on such a hot day. This drink, among several other martini flavors, is featured on their complete happy hour menu.

    Able to seat approximately 300 people, the restaurant and bar quickly became packed at its grand opening event. It would be of no surprise if Granite City soon becomes the place to be, especially on weekend late nights.

    If you live in the National Harbor area or are simply looking to take a day trip, be sure to check out Granite City while you’re there.

    -SDM

  • 13May
    Wine lovers crowd around to dance to VinoFest’s live music performances.

    Wine lovers crowd around to dance to VinoFest’s live music performances.

    VinoFest DC 2015 was held this past Saturday, May 9, 2015, at Storey Park NoMa in Washington D.C. VinoFest is a diverse live music and wine festival presented by Vinolovers. Upon entering the festival, tents were lined up along the gated perimeter with various activities (such as painting and life-size beer pong), wine tastings, and food trucks. Front and center of VinoFest was a stage that eventually had the entire crowd dancing by the end of the night.

    The stage featured Questlove (from The Roots), Black Masala, White Ford Bronco, Trouble Funk, Alison Carney (and her electric blue hair I could not stop staring at in admiration), DJ Adrian Loving, DJ Neekola, and D.C.’s DJ Hazzard. The musicians performed a beautiful mix of originals and old school classic covers (my favorite was TLC’s “No Scrubs”) that had almost every head at the festival swaying to the beat of the music.

    Food line-up: Dirty South Deli, Red Hook Lobster Pound DC, Slate Wine Bar + Bistro, Straw Stick & Brick Delicatessen, Swizzler, and Puddin’.

    Although I unfortunately did not get to try every single food vendor, I was able to experience Slate Wine Bar + Bistro’s chicken paella as my first VinoFest dish of the day and it was absolutely delectable.

    My second dish came from Swizzler and it was a savory tray of truffle fries. The perfect snack to share with a friend while under the warm Saturday May sun.

    My last dish at VinoFest was the David Wooderson sandwich and Fingerling Potato Salad from Dirty South Deli. The grilled asparagus, fried egg, and lemon-pepper ricotta were my favorite components in the David Wooderson (which also included English peas, mint, and trumpet mushrooms on ciabatta bread). The Fingerling potato salad was a refreshing side of potato chunks served with gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) marinated cucumber, red onions and mint.

    The wine tasting tent quickly became the focal point for majority of the VinoFest attendees (obviously) and staff members worked hard to serve the vino loving masses. I was pleased to see how professional and passionate the staff members were and am even more pleased at how proceeds of VinoFest DC 2015 will benefit DC Central Kitchen, Make-A-Wish Mid-Atlantic, and Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Over 1,800 vino lovers attended VinoFest DC last year so I am curious to see how many attended last Saturday.

    VinoFest DC 2015 was a huge success and I look forward to see what VinoFest has to offer next year. Until then, cheers!

    -EHY

  • 12May
    It’s the most exciting time of year for the DC gluten-free population. Sunday JUNE 7th is the fifth annual Gluten-Free Expo- a time where gluten-free vendors from all over the world come to offer their newest goodies to the DC gluten-free population. Last year’s expo brought over 2,200 visitors, and with more vendors than ever before, this year will be even bigger and better! And even more exciting- I was asked to be a featured blogger at the event! Which means you as my readers get to benefit by getting discount tickets to the Expo. So make sure you save the date and click the link below for more info about the event and to save 25% off the price of a ticket with this coupon code: GFNOVAGIRL25OFF.

    -JPM (Joyana)
  • 06May

    DominionJust in time for the warm weather, downtown Bethesda’s Piazza Beer Garden at Cesco Osteria is now open. Beer lovers and food enthusiasts can enjoy unique local beers and tasty Italian foods while soaking up the sun in this relaxed spot.

    Voted “Best Outdoor Beer Garden” by Bethesda Magazine, the piazza prides itself on its sustainability and support of local farmers and breweries. The piazza was created from sustainable and environmentally friendly materials, and the menu and beer options are local. Some favorite foods are the margherita pizza and fried calamari, among many other hearty Italian bites to choose from. At their season-opener beer bash last Tuesday, guests were treated to glasses of Dominion Candi, a popular Belgian Tripel. Perfect for the summertime, this beer is light, refreshing and on the sweet side. Piazza offers twelve taps with a changing selection of beers from local breweries as well as many bottle selections to please any kind of beer lover.

    On May 7th, Cesco Osteria will celebrate its 18th anniversary. Chef and owner Francesco Ricchi is offering all diners a complimentary glass of prosecco and birthday cake to celebrate. Check out Piazza Beer Garden Monday through Friday from 4pm to 10pm or Saturday from 2pm to 10pm.

    -SDM

    Click to add a blog post for Piazza Beer Garden on Zomato

  • 05May

    I love it when a restaurant has the ability to hijack my taste buds. Located adjacent to the 9:30 Club, ‘Satellite Room’ offers many surprises in food and pop culture. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by their very friendly hostess. After explaining it was my first time as a guest, she invited me to explore the venue’s vast art collection. I was amazed reviewing those paintings. Before I knew it, I whipped out my camera and started taking pictures.

    Although most of those pictures won’t make it into this article, the memories of that art work…I will cherish forever. My personal favorite was the “Marilyn Misfit” portrait. Being a fan of Marilyn Monroe, and a fan of the punk band “Misfits,” this painting captured my imagination and held it hostage. It was at that moment that I realized before taking my first bite of anything…I was hooked on this place!
    The menu was packed with delightful food options, and it was challenging to decide which dish I wanted to order. Chef Charles Smeed was available to speak with me, so I inquired about the popular food choices. He explained how it would be difficult to narrow it down to a single selection, because their customers love everything that comes out of the kitchen. However, he was willing to create a sampler plate for me to taste a few items. Imagine my surprise when he presented:

    • Sausage Biscuit & Gravy
    • Chipotle Glazed Meatloaf
    • Steak & Eggs

    As a food critic, I’m rarely at a loss for words. But after tasting this delightful combination of ‘food heaven’…all I could say was “WOW!” Chef Charles informed me that the meals prepared at the Satellite Room were created from scratch. The ‘love’ used to prepare these dishes is obvious. And just when I thought it was over…it was time to taste one of their signature drinks from the “Breakfast Cereal Boozy Milkshakes” collection. Using several types of cereals (combined with some popular spirits), these shakes will make you feel like a kid again. Speaking of kids…they also offer non-alcoholic versions. So if you decide to bring the young ones with you…I’m sure they’ll going to love it too!

    My only regret was not being able to eat more food. As I watched various burgers and other food delights enter the dining area, it occurred to me that I simply must return to the Satellite Room. Devouring one of those burgers with my eyes was not enough. When I spoke to some of the customers at the bar about their favorite night to hang out here, they suggested I visit during the late night ‘Wu-Tang’ Wednesday event. I’m looking forward to what DJ Baronhawk Poitier will spin on the turntables to enhance my delightful dining experience.

    -WMM (Comedian/Writer/Cook and my friend,  WayneMan)

  • 04May

    The Embassy of Spain hosted a networking event this past Tuesday, at which twelve leading companies from Andalusia, Spain presented their food and beverage products to DCers. Sponsored by Extenda and EMD Sales International Foods, the tasting event brought in Spanish speakers, food enthusiasts, media personas, and manufacturers, importers and distributors of the international food and beverage market. Extenda, a trade and investment agency of Andalusia, Spain, has offices in New York and Miami.

    One of my favorite products there was from Salysol, a company that makes canned dry nuts. The corn nuts, cashews and other nuts were addicting, and I found myself ending up back at that station quite often. The Ibérico cured ham and goat cheese from Consorcio de Jabugo were hearty favorites that disappeared fast. The event hosted several olive companies, including Campomar Nature, Industria Aceitunera Marciense and Luxeapers, as well as olive oil companies, such as Echinac and Framoliva. The wine reduction I tried from Único Vinagres y Salsas was a delicious syrup that topped off the meats, cheese, and breads well. The Regañás Don Pelayo, or Spanish tapas crackers, from Fuerza y Emoción tasted like bread, but in a flat, thin cracker form. They are a staple in Spain, also paired well with meats and cheeses. Other featured products included wine and cocktails from the company Espadafor, canned fish from Ubago and saffron from Saffron Family.

    For more information on these Spanish products and companies, or to learn more about how the food and beverage international market works, contact Extenda USA.

    -SDM

    Permalink Filed under: Events 4 Comments
  • 23Apr

    Gluten-free baking in past years can be compared to trying to mix highly combustible materials. It has required such an accomplished hand utilizing a precise mix of ingredients to achieve an edible, tasty result. It therefore has been viewed as a completely intimidating task that many would rather steer clear from. However, with new products coming on the market each day, gluten-free baking might finally be more approachable for the amateur.

    I recently attended a gluten-free baking class hosted by Delight editor Vanessa Maltin Weisbrod. This particular event was sponsored by the Children’s National Hospital to raise awareness for their Celiac Disease Program and was kindly hosted at Wildfire Restaurant in Tyson’s. As usual, the food was fantastic and was accompanied with a surplus of great information. I would definitely consider the night a huge success.

    I have to say there is no one who is better informed about gluten-free cooking, baking or products than Vanessa. My head was spinning by the end of the evening, but I left feeling like I could conquer the world in my kitchen going forward. She provided us with slide after slide explaining the components of gluten-free flour blends and why certain flours are better for different kinds of baking rather than others. She also gave us tips on different substitute fats you could use to add moisture to your baked goods. My main takeaway is it is crucial to educate yourself about your ingredients and their consistencies and what other alterations you might need to make to a recipe to compensate.

    For instance, I learned that coconut flour is a great flour to use for baked goods, but you may need to use less sugar and add additional liquid for best results. I also learned the benefits of sorghum flour and how it has a smoother texture perfect for use while making pancakes and flatbreads as well as baked goods with a more bread-like consistency.

    Tapioca flour is apparently great as an additive for binding in gluten-free baking and works well to create crisp crusts and as a thickener for sauces. It has a sweet and starchy taste and is best combined with other flours like quinoa and brown rice flour. You should again use less sugar to compensate for the sweetness already present in the tapioca flour.

    As for the all-purpose baking flours on the market, I learned that is really crucial to read the listing of flours included. For instance, some blends are higher in starchy flours like brown rice and tapioca. Others are a blend of high proteins like millet, chickpea and amaranth. You need to be mindful of these blends when you purchase because they will have an effect on the baked good you are creating. The best blends should have a decent balance of both the higher starch and high protein flours to keep your baked good moist. You also want to make sure it has either guar or xanthan gum included as a binder.

    Overall, knowledge really is power. Gluten-free baking can be fun and rewarding once you become more comfortable. Instead of an intimidating challenge, I’ll now view it as an experiment to learn. For further information about the class I attended or future opportunities to attend yourself, feel free to contact me at Joyana [-at-] glutenfreenova [-dot-] com.

    -JPM

    Wildfire on Urbanspoon

  • 09Apr

    STK May 2015 DCFBHH V6The next DC Food Blogger Happy Hour (DCFBHH) will be Wednesday May 6th, 6-8pm at the steakhouse,  STK. This month’s host is Eugene of DC Life Magazine.

    You can RSVP on the DCFB’s Facebook event page.

    -JAY

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