Plight of the Pumpernickel

U.S. Royalty Dishes on Organic Eating at the Sweetlife Festival

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:55:00 +0000

Last weekend, Jon and I took in the sights and sounds at Sweetgreen's Sweetlife Festival, a day-long music event with a roster that included The Strokes, Girl Talk, Lupe Fiasco, and more. We sat down with local scenesters U.S. Royalty to talk about the festival's message and their own eating habits.

It's the first video I've ever shot on my new Canon t2i, and hot damn it looks pretty! Better quality than a film cam, eh? Click here to read the accompanying article.

View more videos at: http://www.thefeast.com.

Things are Hot at Hot N Juicy

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 05:19:00 +0000

Behold, the glory that is seafood in a bag! What sounds like food-poisoning-waiting-to-happen is how food is served at Hot N Juicy, a Louisiana transplant on Connecticut Avenue offering steamed crawfish, shrimp, and a slew of other items. The common denominator is, of course, that everything is hot and juicy. Whowouldathunkit.

While I'm not in a rush to eat all my food in a bag, it works at Hot N Juicy. A variety of different seasonings are available: Louisiana-style, juicy Cajun, garlic butter, lemon pepper, and the Hot N Juicy special, which is a combination all the aforementioned. We chose to go with the Hot N Juicy special, which gave our seafood a deep, pungent flavor. And spicy. So, so spicy.

When my dining companion and I placed our order with the waitress, we asked for that our order be cooked 'spicy,' because we're not wimps. However, she returned our request with a heavy stare and a plea of "are you sure? When we say spicy, we mean spicy." After a few minutes of back and forth, we were scared down to the 'medium' spice level. When the food finally arrived, we were thankful for the waitress' disclaimer—at the end of the meal, I couldn't feel my lips. If it had been any spicier, they would have fallen off.

A meal here isn't expensive at all, and I'm already craving a return visit.

Restaurant Review: Himalayan Heritage in Adams Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:51:00 +0000

Last week, my friend Andy and I grabbed a bite to eat at Himalayan Heritage on 18th Street in Adams Morgan before catching a performance of China: The Whole Enchilada, which currently stars my friend, the irrepressibly funny Ben Demers.

The whole evening, as it turned out, was pretty theatrical. The meal started out with an amuse-bouche of red pepper-flaked fava beans with puffed rice. The creamy beans were splendidly complemented by pops of spice, and the puffed rice added a lovely crunch to the whole affair.

We started our order with an appetizer of paneer chilli ($7.25), which turned to be quite different from the Indian paneer I'm used to. This version of the classic cubed cottage cheese dish is denser, which lends to a more concentrated flavor. The bright red color is from a hot and sweet sauce that might have been cloying if not for the perfect creaminess of the paneer. The accompanying vegetables—stir-fried bell peppers, red onion, and capsicum—weren't so lucky.

We finished up the meal with a hearty plate of Sunkoshi momo ($11.95), which is a Nepalese imagining of the Chinese dumpling. These perfectly steamed parcels (see the first image) were undeniably the star of the meal, filled with minced chicken flavored with Nepali spices. It was served with Nepali aachar, a type of condiment that tasted like dipping sauces I've tasted in many an Indian restaurant.

The service was also incredibly pleasant and homey, which is a nice change of pace from the rushed gruffness of some other Adams Morgan eateries. I'll certainly be back.

Spotted: Disco Fries at ChurchKey

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:48:00 +0000

Things I'm powerless against: French fries, cheddar cheese, and sausage gravy. These 'disco fries' are pure, greasy, goodness, and you kind of feel bad after you enjoy it—not unlike disco. Whatever, I admit to loving me some Bee Gees now and then. And damn it, I'll happily chow down on these fries, too. They're $8.50 at ChurchKey.

Flushing, Queens: Skin Noodles, Green Tea Mooncakes, and More

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 18:35:00 +0000

Last weekend in New York City, a few friends and I crossed land and sea in a journey to Flushing, Queens, a place enveloped in foreign smells and the chattering sounds of strange dialects. We felt like wayward Americans mistakenly landed in some Asian outpost, stumbling past stalls overflowing with colorful ingredients—those foul, spiky durians, dusty lotus roots, and pale green winter melons—and past crowded alleyways lined with pint-sized takeaway shops.

Finally, we found, down a flight of dirty steps, our destination: Wong Jing Xian Chan, or Golden Shopping Mall, a collection of tiny restaurants and chairs crammed inside a windowless, low-ceiling-ed series of corridors. Anthony Bourdain had stooped his 6'4" frame to enter these shops, and where Tony went, so did we.

After a frustrating search for chairs, we settled in for the meal. I'd endure much worse discomfort for these noodes—spicy, cold soba with sliced vegetables; stir-fried chicken atop wide, hand-pulled noodles that never seemed to end; and thinly sliced tofu with 'skin noodles,' which are made from yuba, the skin that forms on top of soy milk as it's boiled.

For dessert, we ran across the street to a Chinese bakery—my favorite kind. Green tea mooncakes in a flaky pastry and soft, warm buns filled with sweet red beans.

Part of spending a good deal of time in New York City means eating a good deal in New York City. And I certainly don't have a problem with that—from here on out, I'm going be a better photographer my food, much to the chagrin of impatient dining companions waiting to dig in. Sorry, guys.

Last Week in Drinks (and Drinks and Drinks)

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Between shooting videos for work and going out with friends, the last week has been a boozy one, to say the least. I always bring along my trusty Canon Rebel, so check out this visual chronicle of the last week of my life in drinks.

In no particular order, these are my favorites:

1. The Dexter cocktail at Restaurant Eve. Mixologist Todd Thrasher was just nominated as a semi-finalist for a James Beard award, and for good reason. Check out his mad skills in the below picture: Todd is a huge Dexter fan, so he created this serial-killer-inspired cocktail with blood orange pomegranates, Tangelos, Averna, 42 below Vodka, and egg white molasses. Um, yum.

2. The Monk Cocktail at Zola. Brothers Ari and Micah Wilder (nope, not Jewish) are not your average mixologists. They've got some pretty funky drink ideas, such as this one, which includes Calvados apple brandy, elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and a Sauterne (that's a Californian wine)-infused foam on top. A house-made lavender salt is sprinkled on top.

3. The Sazerac at Zola. The Wilders wouldn't let me walk away without trying this one too. It's a Sazerac, America's oldest cocktail, but their version uses kumquats, Sazerac rye, peychaud’s bitters, and soaked kumquats (which you eat alongside the drink). Oh, and an absinthe rinse for the glass.

4. The Pork Belly Cocktail at Zola. Yeah, another one from Zola. The Wilders call this an 'edible cocktail,' because the ice is made from smoke-infused water and the drink is served alongside a skewered piece of pork belly. The alcoholic-component is taken care of by Laphroaig 10-year scotch and Carpano Antica vermouth. The taste is a bit weird—not for the faint of heart—but definitely worth a try.

5. The Caramel Corn Cocktail from Zola. This new cocktail isn't even on the menu yet, but it's going to be one of Zola's new seasonal drinks. It includes rum that the brothers have infused with carmelized burnt oranges and bananas, Velvet Falernum liqueur, two ounces of hot water, and buttered rum. It's served with caramel corn (another edible cocktail), and it is, quite frankly, dangerous. I've never had a drink so sweet and wonderful that still knocks you on your ass. Drink with caution, this baby is alcoholic.

6. The Mint Julep from Nola in New Orleans. Naturally, on my family trip to New Orleans, I had to order a traditional Southern cocktail. Yeah, I know it's not original to New Orleans, but they're much more common here than in D.C. I unfortunately wasn't too much of a fan—it was way too sweet for my tastes—but at least I got to imagine myself sitting on a front porch in a khaki suit.

7. The Fig Manhattan from 701 Restaurant & Bar. This version of the classic Manhattan includes spicy rye, sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and a fig-infused foam. It's a sweeter version than I'm used to, but this drink definitely packed a punch.

8. The Saigon Mule from Ba Bay. The Capitol Hill modern Vietnamese spot's sweet and slightly frothy drink wins for most drinkable cocktail of the week. Made with homemade ginger ale, vodka, and lime, it's pretty as a picture. Look at that glass! It's sweet but not cloying, and alcoholic but not heavy.

And there you have it, people. I'd like to tell you this week is going to be less alcoholic, but that would be a lie. I head to Oyamel's Tequila and Mezcal Festival tonight. Check back here for pictures and updates on my hangover.

Wine Bottling is Fun/Hurts My Arms at Keswick Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:16:00 +0000

Earlier this month, my friend Arthur and I trekked down to Keswick, Virginia to help out with a wine bottling at Keswick Vineyards.

It was a lot more of an in-depth process than we thought, but it was a pretty awesome time. I thought I was just there to film, but I was wrong. The vineyard put me to work, and boy were my arms tired by the end of the day.

Check out my pictures and the video I put together for The Feast below. Click over here for the full article.

View more videos at: http://www.thefeast.com.

The Feast: Oyamel's Day of the Dead Taco Features Fresh Masa, a Healthy Conscience

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 19:20:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, Oyamel's Joe Raffa showed me how to make the eatery's taco de acelgas, a meat-free taco with swiss chard, potatoes, and a sofrito of tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño. Check out the above video I made for The Feast.

Here's a snippet from the accompanying article:

Part of the magic of Raffa's simple taco is the fresh masa used to make the tortilla. "The best tortillas are made from fresh masa," says Raffa, who explained that masa is corn that has been cooked in limewater, which makes the husks fall away and produces a very doughy and soft mixture.

Read the rest here.

View more videos at: http://www.thefeast.com.

The Feast: Sausages at Againn, Jokes About Male Anatomy

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Last week, I stopped by Againn gastropub in downtown D.C. to catch up with chef Wes Morton, who showed me how to make the restaurant's sausages for The Feast. Check out the below video to see how it went. Here's a snippet from the accompanying article:

"In this installment of Eat My ___, Executive Chef Wes Morton shows us how the restaurant's links are made. And no, he's not above bathroom humor. It's OK, Wes—neither are we. Chef Morton shows us the various tools of the trade: Casings made of pig's intestines that might look "little phallic for some of you straight arrows," and a humorously-named tool called a prick, which has sharp metal prongs that make small holes in the casings."

To read the rest, click here.

View more news videos at: http://www.thefeast.com/video.

The Feast: Porky Baked Beans for Superbowl Sunday from Butcher's Block

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 18:45:00 +0000

This Superbowl Sunday, chef Robert Wiedmaier's Butcher's Block is offering a special game day menu. For The Feast, I caught up with chef Chris Watson (who heads the kitchens at Wiedmaier's Brabo and the Butcher's Block) to talk about his baked beans, which will be available on February 6.

Click here to read the full article.

View more news videos at: http://www.thefeast.com/video.

The Feast: Oscar-Inspired Eats in D.C.

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 22:35:00 +0000

Looking to celebrate the recently-released Oscar nominations for this year? Click here to check out The Feast's gallery of dinner ideas inspired by the Best Picture nominees.

Review: Zola's New Tasting Menu a 'Parade of Flavors'

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 15:50:00 +0000

Over the weekend, Jon and I had the good fortune of dining at Zola. I went without expectations—my last meal there was about six years ago, and my clearly drug-addled waiter was removed from the floor sometime before the starters came. Needless to say, I didn't walk away remembering the food. I knew a repeat performance was unlikely, but you never know. This time around, the occasion for Jon and my visit was Zola's new tasting menu, which was, on the whole, a successful and playful parade of flavors.

Our first dish started with a bang, featuring firework components: Lobster, caviar, and a plump, raw oyster. Can these things ever taste bad? Nope, Jon and I concluded. Cool cucumber slices let the ingredients shine, and the result was a pleasantly fresh, salty bite of ocean.

Of several other dishes worth mentioning, the veal with sweetbreads was truly a standout. The meat, perfectly tender, sat atop a creamy fennel puree, with pearl onions and smoked sweet breads. The finishing touch, a blood orange glaze, sent me spiraling out of orbit. I'm not usually a fan of sweetbreads, but here they tasted nearly like pillows of gnocchi with a faint livery taste and a crunchy char.

I can't conclude this post without mentioning the cocktails, which were crafted by mixologists Ari and Micah Wilder.

Check out the 5 Banks cocktail below, which features Banks rum, Luxardo Bitter, Wilder Bros black cherry gomme syrup, fresh grapefruit, and a garnish of grapefruit cubes. The foam lends a sort of 1940s vibe, and the liquid itself is like candy, but not overbearing thanks to a tart kick from the grapefruit.

If you look closely, you can even see Jon through the glass in the drink's stem. It's like a Where's Waldo for alcoholics. Or, you know, people who like to drink in moderation.

The Feast: Kushi Owners Talk Sushi Etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 22:36:00 +0000

Last week, I sat down with Kushi Izakaya & Sushi owners Darren Lee Norris and Ari Kushimoto Norris, and the pair shared with me their preferred techniques for eating sushi.

Check out the below video to find out what you may be doing wrong, and click here for the accompanying post.

View more news videos at: http://www.thefeast.com/video.

A Late Christmas Present: Santa Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Look what I found waiting for me in my room when I returned from a few days of R&R in Rockville? Santa cookies!

These wonderfully crafted pieces of joy were made my roommate's mother, and just look at them. There's some serious holiday cheer baked into these babies. Thanks to you both!

Spotted: Addie's Mussels at Black's Bar and Kitchen

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:02:00 +0000

The dinner items at Black's Bar and Kitchen might give a mid-twenties professional sticker shock. A particularly mouth-watering scallop dish clocks in at $29 (whoa doggies!), and I was a tad concerned when I dined there last night. Low funds plus poor impulse control around food equals broke Rachel. However, to my rescue: Mussels! Ah, that glorious bivalve. So juicy, so tasty, so cheap.

Black's Bar and Kitchen offers four mussel dishes (Addie's, Thai, French, and Georgian), all either $13 or $14. I had the the Addie's mussels, which are simmered in a broth of tomato, garlic, shallots, lemon, and parsley. The portion was healthy (I certainly didn't feel deprived), the broth rich and hearty, and the mussels sweet and plump. And I don't need to remind you that at $13, it fit my budget.

The Feast Digest: Mmm Mmm Good

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:34:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a food editor for NBC's The Feast, and boy have I been working my tush off. Check out what I've been up to since last week:

Got any good leads? Send 'em my way at plightofthepumpernickel@gmail.com.

A New Use for Filet Mignon: Vietnamese Spring Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Hi, all. Sorry for the blog silence—life has been, to say the least, hectic during the last month. I'm the food editor of a new NBC website, The Feast, so check me out! Even though I haven't been blogging, I have been been eating delicious things and snapping pictures of them, so let's get to it.

I'm quite blessed to have a grandmother that regularly sends me dry ice-laden packages of frozen Omaha steaks. That being said, I need to start clearing out space in my freezer. Since one can only eat traditional filet mignon so many times, Jon and I have started getting creative. Behold: Vietnamese spring rolls with filet mignon!

This dish is wildly simple, once you get the hang of rolling the sticky rice wrappers, which can be purchased at any local Asian market. The rest of the ingredients (vermicelli noodles, zucchini, lime, and cilantro) are readily available at most supermarkets. As for the filet mignon, either purchase it at your local butcher/supermarket or find yourself a generous grandmother.

I start by marinading the meat in rice wine, ponzu sauce (a citrus-flavored, soy-based sauce), sesame oil, and red chili flakes. Proportions are up to you; I just futz around until I like the taste. After letting the steak soak for half an hour, I saute it in vegetable oil until medium rare and then set aside for ten minutes. (This gives the juices time to settle and ensures they won't spill out as soon as you slice into the steak.)

Meanwhile, I thinly slice my raw zucchini and boil the white vermicelli noodles in water. As soon as this is done, the meat is ready to be sliced in slivers about half a centimeter thick.

Once everything is ready, I begin assembling my spring rolls. The rice wrappers are dipped in warm water for about three seconds (don't be tempted to wet them for longer, you'll wind up with a sticky mess on your hands), upon which I place the zucchini, noodles, meat, and cilantro. After a squeeze of fresh lime, I tightly wrap the contents burrito-style.

Dipping sauces are a must—hoisin sauce with a sprinkling of crushed peanuts is a personal favorite. Otherwise, don't be afraid to mix things up.

Thanks, Grandma!

A Foodie's Chanukah Present

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 21:42:00 +0000

My mom got me a giant jar of capers. She knows me too well.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5

Scenes From a Chinese Restaurant: Shanghai Garden

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 19:39:00 +0000

Jon and I get bored waiting for our food at Shanghai Garden by the Van Ness Metro Station and try to figure out my new lenses. Debatable artistry ensues.

Bonus round: Which of these is not like the others?

Spotted: Whole Rockfish at Italian Pines

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:48:00 +0000

For the life of me, I can't figure out why so many people are turned off by whole fish. Filets are boring—no crispy skin, no charred fins to gnaw on, and no gooey eyeballs to pop out. (For the record, I'm not personally a fan of eyeball jelly, but many diners are more fearless than I.)

Preparation for a whole fish is often simple, and when done correctly, always satisfying. Take, for example, this expertly seasoned rockfish courtesy of Italian Pines in Gaithersburg. The fish is gutted, the cavity filled with herbs and garlic, then sprinkled with a healthy dose of salt and pepper. Slits on the skin aid the crisping process. The result is tender, sweet meat, lots of crunchy bits, and a lovely acidic kick from a squeeze of lemon. Perfection.

This dish's price changes based on the market, but I don't believe I paid more than $15 for my meal, which came with a side salad and pasta. Italian Pines' ambiance leaves a bit to be desired, but the restaurant serves up seafood fare better than some downtown hot spots.

Spotted: Butternut Squash Soup at B. Smith's

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:09:00 +0000

When asked to tender a restaurant recommendation to an out-of-towner, B. Smith's probably wouldn't top my list of possibilities. The Union Station restaurant itself is beautiful (the space was originally the presidential railroad suite in the days before Air Force One), but the dishes are fairly lackluster and pedestrian. It may be fine fare for a train station layover, but B. Smith's is not a destination.

A noted exception on a recent lunch was this butternut squash soup, offered as a special of the day. Where other dishes I tasted fell flat, this soared. The soup itself was thick and slightly sweet, and a drizzling of creme fraiche added a bit of creamy decadence. Chopped pecans in the center made for an earthy contrast.

At $9, it wasn't a steal, but that's to be expected. Union Station seems to suffer from airport currency—inflation for the sake of inflation. But, I'd take this over Panda Express any day.

Spotted: Carnitas, Barbacoa Chivo, and Chicarron Tacos at Taqueria Distrito Federal

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 00:31:00 +0000

First off, let me say that I love this place. Last Sunday, my brunch-hungry crew stopped at two other spots before we were finally seated on the open patio at Taqueria Distrito Federal in Columbia Heights. At Domku, despite an abundance of clearly open tables, a waitress snootily told us none were available, and The Red Derby was, no joke, out of food by 1:30 P.M. I guess some restaurants don't like selling food in exchange for money.

I ordered a trio of tacos, each for the bargain price of $2.95. See them above, from right to left: carnitas (pork), barbacoa chivo (goat), and chicarron con salsa verde (pork skin in green sauce). The carnitas were deliciously tender and juicy, with a lovely tang from a squeeze of lime. The barbacao chivo, also wonderful, had a pleasant, slightly gamy texture. The chicarron, well . . . the chicarron was pretty gross. I had anticipated something crunchy and savory, but instead got gooey, gloppy, and somewhat gag-reflex-inducing. But hey, Taqueria Distrito Federal gets points for exotic offerings.

Spotted: Grilled Red Wine Octopus at Firefly

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 17:10:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had an uncharacteristically large lunch at Firefly on New Hampshire Avenue (appetizers, entree, cocktails—the whole shebang).

A standout of my meal: The grilled red wine poached octopus with smoked avocado, olive aioli, and roasted olive gremolata. Octopus can be chewy sometimes, but not so here. The meat was tender, juicy, and had a pleasant-but-not-overbearing char. The olive gremolata nicely rounded out this Mediterranean-inspired dish, and though the smoked avocado didn't taste particularly smoked, it was a cool, smooth complement to the octopus's light saltiness. The olive aioli only barely flecked the plate, offering (correctly) just a hint of creaminess.

It's one downside: The $12 price tag is more than some of Firefly's sandwiches, but heck. If you're searching for some midday decadence, look no further.

(Most importantly, this dish brings octopus back into my good graces—Jon had a nasty bout of food poisoning about two weeks ago that we believe stemmed from a conspicuously spongy octopus dish at Jaleo, of all places. Beware the Pulpo a la Gallega ‘Maestro Alfonso'!)

Thank you, WaPo!

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:01:00 +0000

A hearty thanks to the Washington Post and Lori's A.M. Buzz for featuring Monday's fortune cookie post in their Breaking News Blog:

"I love this very funny fortune Plight of the Pumpernickel received when she cracked open her cookie after dinner at Shanghai Garden in D.C.'s Van Ness neighborhood."

Click here to read Lori's other interesting tidbits from around the city.

Fortune Cookie with a Sense of Humor

noreply@blogger.com (The Pumpernickel) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:25:00 +0000

Yes, folks. The above image features a real fortune that I found in a real fortune cookie from Shanghai Garden across the street from UDC.

I am thoroughly amused.