You Knew I Was Coming Over . . . So Why Didn't You Cook?

To Me, Tea Pots Are Like Shoes . . .

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:51:00 +0000

You can never have too many of them. I am definitely not above buying them on the sly and hiding them in my closet. I've got beautiful 3 tone harmonics, Chinese iron, glass, even delicate Japanese porcelain teapots. Oh, and I like tea too.

Today I'm enamored with and am trying desperately to prevent my credit card from entering its numbers at the click of the 'Buy Now' or 'Add to Cart' buttons to procure the lovely Taira-Nami Teapot offered as an exclusive to Lot 18 (which feeds another of my indulgences - wine. We'll discuss that later).

The Taira-Nami was designed exclusively for the French tea company Le Palais des Thes. From their website (with Google translation because I didn't study hard enough in sophomore French class):

Taira-Nami teapots were created exclusively for The Palais des Thes. They honor their reasons for seas to the famous print by Japanese artist Hokusai.

Or something like that. Seems the waves on the side mimic the work of Japanese artist Hokusai. They had me at waves. This beautiful vessel actually comes in three different shades of blue and is 90 euros on the original French web site. My resolve is fading fast. Besides I was looking for something to gift myself for my upcoming birthday other than dinner and the theatre.

A little about Lot 18: It's sort of like Groupon for the decadent life. As they describe on their website:

Lot18 provides access to high-quality, hard-to-find wines and gourmet foods at attractive prices, as well as wine- and gourmet-themed travel excursions and exclusive dinners at top restaurants across the country.

Sigh . . . I'm going to have to buy a cabinet just for my teapot collection, but that's another shopping trip.

Taira-Nami Teapot in Sky Blue | Lot18:

'via Blog this'

Blossom Inspired - Cherries & Chocolate, Anyone?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 18:10:00 +0000

This is my favorite time of year, when cherry blossoms adorn tree limbs for a finite but infinitely beautiful time. It goes back to my growing up in Newark, N.J. When the blossoms arrived around my father's and my birthday (April 14th & 21st, respectively), he would take the family for a drive through Branch Brook Park in the north ward of the city.

Conceived by a 'father' of American landscape architecture, Frederick Law Olmsted, Sr. (he designed Central Park in New York), Branch Brook park was the first county park in the United States opened for public use. The parks' 360 acres contain over 4,000 cherry blossom trees.

My dad died a few weeks before blossom season when I was twelve years old (on St. Paddy's day). I remember stating that I never wanted to go to the park again during the spring time (twelve year olds are so absolutist). However, it did not last; the appreciation of the beauty of the trees that he fostered within me never left and now I welcome the memories of that time with my father.

Which brings me to why I'm writing. Today, March 25th, is the opening of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.; celebrating the 100th year of the gift of 3,000 trees from Tokyo. This year the blooms are awesome. It's a little dreary in the DMV* today, but a walk along the tidal basin admiring these beautiful trees is a sure pick-me-up.

So before I go out for my walk, I figured I'd find some cherry blossom inspired recipes on the web. Cherry Blossom flowers are edible. If you know of a tree that has been maintained organically, you might want to pocket a few blooms for a candied flower treat. About.com has a step-by-step tutorial on making candied flowers.

Candied Flowers

By Elizabeth LaBau

Ingredients:
1-2 cups of edible organic flowers
1 egg white, at room temperature
1 tsp water
1/2 cup superfine sugar
Small paintbrush
Wire drying rack
Preparation:

1. Add the water to the egg white and whisk it gently with a fork or small whisk just until a few bubbles appear.

2. Working with one flower at a time, dip the paintbrush in the beaten egg white and gently paint all the petals on the front of the flower. Turn the flower over and paint the back of the petals as well. It's important that all the surfaces be covered so that the flowers are properly preserved.

3. Hold the flower over the bowl of superfine sugar and sprinkle the top with a thin, even layer of sugar. Turn the flower over and sprinkle the bottom with sugar as well.

4. If there are large clumps of sugar anywhere, dust it off gently so that only a thin, even layer of sugar remains on the flower.

5. Place the flower on a wire drying rack to dry completely. Smooth the petals out and arrange it how you would like—once it is dry it can no longer be moved, so take the time now to get it to look its best. Repeat the process of brushing the flowers with egg white, covering them with sugar, and arranging them on the drying rack until all of the flowers have been candied.

6. Allow the flowers to sit at room temperature until they are completely dry. Depending on the humidity in your house, this can take anywhere from 4-24 hours or longer. When they are finished the petals will be stiff.

7. Carefully store your candied flowers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. They are very delicate, so pack them between layers of waxed paper and be very gentle when handling them. They will absorb moisture from the air, so it is best not to store them in the refrigerator, and avoid placing them on wet desserts until the last possible moment.

Cherry Blossom Fudge

Rated three and a half stars on Allrecipes.com, this recipe posted by CONFITUR is quick enough to throw together before you leave in the morning for a sweet treat for tea time.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cherry-blossom-fudge/

Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 5 Min

Ready In: 2 Hrs 15 Min

Yield: 1 - 8x8 inch dish

Ingredients

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

1 pinch salt

1 (3 ounce) package cherry flavored gelatin

1 cup butter

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup maraschino cherries, halved

Directions

Butter an 8x8 inch dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and stir in gelatin. Boil 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, chocolate chips, vanilla and cherries. Pour into prepared pan. Chill 2 hours before serving.

Amount Per Serving Calories: 400 | Total Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 45mg

Thirsty or perhaps can't get enough cherries and chocolate? Food and Wine has a Cherry Blossom cocktail contributed by Jamie Boudreau of Seattle's Vessel that should fit the bill. If you are in the D.C. area, check out this list from the Washingtonian of purveyors of blossom inspired drinks.

Cherry Blossom

Ingredients

Ice

1 1/4 ounces rye

3/4 ounce cherry eau-de-vie (also known as kirsch or kirschwasser)

1/4 ounce crème de cacao

Dash of Angostura bitters

2 griottine cherries, skewered on a pick (see Note)

Fill a pint glass with ice. Add the rye, cherry eau-de-vie, crème de cacao and bitters and stir well. Strain into a chilled coupe and garnish with the cherries.

Notes: Griottine cherries are sour cherries soaked in kirsch or syrup. They are available in the international section in supermarkets or online at zingermans.com.

So today I'm going to take pictures of blossoms in D.C. and throw back a few good ones for my dad. He'd be pleased.

*DMV - short for the DC/MD/VA area

Returning to My Food Roots & Obsession . . . Did You Cook?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 17:00:00 +0000

I haven't food blogged for months. I've taken great pics of fabulous food in Hawaii, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Washington, DC but I was slowly losing my mojo. My weight has been a downer these past five years, not only because of food but lack of exercise; and it seems at every turn I have some injury, illness, or malady that keeps me from toning down.

Well, enough of that craziness. I went veggie in January and February and lost 20 pounds. I'm now at a standstill, but won't let that stop me. Why?

BECAUSE I'M STILL HUNGRY!!!!!! Did you cook?

Today's National Apple Pie Day

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Fri, 13 May 2011 17:50:00 +0000

Jeez, that's stupid. Who gives a ______? Oh, yeah. Apple growers.

Anyway, it's warm and the farmers markets are in full effect. Skip out and kiss an apple pie . . . donut, I mean. Dunkin Donut is giving away $50 large to folks who figure out what variety of apple they use in their sugar bombs today.

Is this what National Apple Pie Day is all about?
Really?

Photo courtesy of Skiptomylou.org

I'd wager not. And to prove it here's a link to a hot, steamy rustic apple pie recipe I found on Skip to My Lou. Okay maybe its really an Apple Crostata, but if you make it I am sooooo coming over to your house!

The recipe is adapted from Ina Garten - you know, the contessa. It's all five-starry over at the Food Network site. Cindy at Skip to My Lou eased it up a bit with purchased pie crust, but I wouldn't throw it out the kitchen for cutting corners. It just means you will be able to make it quicker so I can come over to taste it right after work. WhaddaPal!

For ingredients we're looking at:

about 6 cups thinly sliced apples
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F (it's a bit chilly today anyway).
Peel,core, and slice the apples. Toss the slices with the first mixture. Cover the dough with the apples leaving a 2 inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
Bake the crostata for 20 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

See? That was easy. Thanks Cindy! She's got a few more pics on the site to help you through. I swear I would make it myself but my kitchen doesn't have a sink right now. Or cabinet doors. Or a counter. Or running water.

What time is dessert?

Magnum - Ice Cream Treat or Condom?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:20:00 +0000

Is anyone else troubled that there's a new ice cream bar that's named after a condom?
Magnum.

That's not even subliminal!

I'm not even going to get into the different flavors, the model they have licking the pops on the new commercial, the "film" by Karl Lagerfeld, or even the tag line "Discover the many pleasures" and "Rachel Bilson discovers that pleasure is hers for the taking . . ."

Okay, maybe I might go into the flavors. It's easy to be seduced (now, is that the right word?) by promises of deep, dark chocolate. The flavors are :
Dark
White
Almond
Double Caramel
Double Chocolate and
Classic.

Even though we know this is Unilever, they keep mentioning Belgium chocolate and have those artsy-fartsy "films" promoting the bars.

So what do you think? Have you tried one yet (I mean the ice cream bar)? Will this summer find you with sweet cream dripping from your lips by virtue of Magnum a la Rachel Bilson? After all, it is a big bar. I'm just glad they had the good taste (?) not to shape it obviously.

Drop a line and tell me what you think.

http://www.magnumicecream.com/default.aspx

Mmmm . . . Pasture to Plate at Glasbern Inn - Now That's a Happy Birthday

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:37:00 +0000

Our Gatehouse suite

The last time I stayed at Glasbern it was over six years ago and I remembered the accomodations over the meals. Now this great country retreat has a world class chef helming the multiple kitchens so it's a great time to return (uh, and it's my birthday).

The event this April 21st is their five course Pasture-to-Plate Wine Dinner
hosted by Executive Chef Jason Hook and Wine Expert Terry Balent
featuring course-by-course wine pairings. I'll stop drooling now. Maybe. Here's the menu tonight (asterisked items are from the Glasbern farm):

Pork Belly* - baby octopus, heirloom tomato salad + ramps*, chorizo emulsion - paired with 1999 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

Parmesan Foam - english peas + tendrils*, mint, sweet yellow curry - paired with a young Beaujolais

Day Boat Halibut - marcona almond crust, lychee nut, black cumin-truffle jus - paired with 1999 Dominus Napanook, Red Bordeaux Blend, Napa Valley

Leg of Lamb* - white asparagus, maitakes + swiss chard*, farm egg bearnaise* - paired with 1986 Bordeaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild

Chocolate Cake - peanut butter ice cream - paired with 1976 Schloss Eltz Beerenauslese, Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling

I really can not wait. It's a good thing the restaurant is only a few steps up the hill from our suite. I'm on my way now. I'll report back with pics.

Glasbern
A Lehigh Valley Country Inn
2141 Pack House Road,
Fogelsville, PA 18051
innkeeper@glasbern.com
610-285-4723

.

Food and Love . . .

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:25:00 +0000

Love and food - can they ever be really separated?

Today I'm thinking of the magnificent love of food and each other shared by Paul and Julia Child. If not for him, would we have ever been graced with the talents of the former Ms. McWilliams? One will never know. However we do know that they shared a sensual zest unlike many others and reveled in it until the end.

While a bit hokey for these days, I share with you below a sonnet written by Paul for Julia on her 49th birthday. I've got to admit - comparisons between rounded bottoms and scrambled eggs are crazy funny, but I think we all know what fueled this piece.

Birthday 1961

O Julia, Julia, cook and nifty wench,

Whose unsurpassed quenelles and hot souffles,

Whose English, Norse and German, and whose French,

Are all beyond my piteous powers to praise --

Whose sweetly rounded bottom and whose legs,

Whose gracious face, whose nature temperate,

Are only equalled by her scrambled eggs:

Accept from me, your ever-loving mate,

This acclamation shaped in fourteen lines

Whose inner truth belies its outer sight;

For never were there foods, nor were there wines

Whose flavor equals yours for sheer delight.

O luscious dish! O gustatory pleasure!

You satisfy my taste buds beyond measure.

PAUL CHILD

Winging It: Flav's Fried Chicken - You Know You Want Some!

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 07:12:00 +0000

Posted this the other day on Digital Chicken: Flav's Fried Chicken - You Know You Want Some! While I'm not a 'Flava of Love' fan, I still bounce to '911 is a joke' and truly miss Public Enemy. The clock lassoed Flav was an interesting juxtaposition to the serious Chuck D. Fast forward twenty years (yikes!) and the timeless one is hawking 99 cent wings and more in Clinton, Iowa. Only in America. Who would have thought that the rapper's version of a rodeo clown would have a culinary degree or food service experience?

I know - truth is stranger than fiction. Read more about FFC here: Digital Chicken: Flav's Fried Chicken - You Know You Want Some!

Why Come?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:32:00 +0000

It's called a 'Pork Butt' when it's actually the hog's shoulder?

Victoria Reynolds Slice of Grace-Pork Butt, 2008 11 x 8.75 Inches Oil on panel

Some even try to blame it all on Massachusetts by calling it 'Boston Butt'. What exactly are they saying? Someone does know his shoulder from his butt? Well, some intrepid butcher decided that the bottom of the shoulder should be referred to as the 'butt' and the lower part as 'picnic' (what the ?).

But I'm Not a Butt!

It is a low cost, highly marbled cut of meat used frequently for pulled pork and kabobs. Oh yeah, don't forget there's a bone in this butt.

So what would you rather it be called? Shoulder roast? Shoulder steak? Shoulder butt roast? Dinner?
Go figure . . . the leg is the ham - no 'leg of hog' or 'piglet leg'.

Do you have a seemingly inexplicable "Why Come?" food name or label? Leave a comment or contact me with your latest foodie conundrum.

What Was I Thinking????

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 20:03:00 +0000

I couldn't escape from work in time to grab a quick bite at the National Harbour. We left too late for dinner before last week's Cirque de Soleil OVO performance and had to eat in the big tent. Six dollar hot dogs and popcorn, ugh.

I opted for a glass of wine and one of two sandwiches offered: chicken wrap or mozzarella panini. I chose the weak panini. Husband and daughter got the hot dogs and said they weren't the best (mentioned something about the Ikea hot dogs tasting better). Circus food - whaddya expect?

One great feature was the refillable metal water bottles that benefited the One Drop foundation (making a difference in the cause of water). A wonderful way to get a drink and be doubly socially responsible.

Great performance, but boy was I hungry!

It's Always Sweeter When It's Cheaper

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:31:00 +0000

I have been adding omega fatty acids to my diet for over 6 years. A favorite has been Udo's Oil, which has a rich, nutty taste and is very easy on the taste buds. When I don't forget to add it to my salads or smoothies, it has a definite good impact on my HDL and LDL cholesterol levels.

Recently I've discovered a new choice that seems too good to be true - Barlean's Omega Swirl. It's ab-so-lute-ly marvelous in a cup of Greek yogurt. And does it make great smoothies or what!?! No hyperbole here - even my husband likes it. In fact, he prefers the pomegranate-blueberry swirl.

Oh, did I forget to mention the yummy flavors? There's lemon zest, strawberry banana, orange cream, and now they are introducing two new flavors: pina colada and mango peach.

Not sure you can believe all of this excitement about a product that is supposed to be good for you? Don't take my word on it, try out a sample. Click here to order a sample of Omega Swirl.

If you've tried it before and are interested in trying out the new mango peach flavor at a discounted price (and free shipping), visit the Barlean's Blog. A sneak peek at $9.95 for a full sized bottle might just make you a believer.

This is the best thing that has happened to me since I found chocolate calcium supplements and gummy bear vitamins.

DC Restaurant Week Again . . .

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:54:00 +0000

http://washington.org/restaurantwk/

Make Reservations at Open Table

Made last minute reservations at Lia's on Willard Avenue in Chevy Chase for tonight. It's our first time there, so we are looking forward to it. It's a Chef Geoff brand - a local DC area restauranteur - there are several establishments dotted in and around the beltway. This one specializes in contemporary Italian cuisine.

D.C.'s 2010 Restaurant Week

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 16:21:00 +0000

D.C.'s 2010 Restaurant Week looks to be one of the best yet. This year, the official event lasts from August 16-22, but with the economy the way it is, some restaurants are extending these specials by another week or longer.

This biannual event is fantastic for those looking for fine dining on a budget. When else can you go to the area's finest restaurants and find three-course lunches for just $20.10 or three-course dinners for $35.10? Some are offering special menus, while others are offering these amazing deals on everything in the house.

With all the variety, we’ve separated participating restaurants by cuisine to make deciding just a little easier. You can also click on each restaurant for more information. And keep in mind, the best restaurants book up fast, so make a reservation now!

Eggplant Everywhere and Not a Bit to Eat . . .

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Mediterranean paninis and Baba Ghanoush aside, what to do with the past weeks' glorious purple bounty? Clagett Farm's CSA has blessed us with some of the best aubergine I've tasted in years, but I'm quickly running out of creative culinary steam.

What is even worse is that I've packed up most of my cookbooks because my kitchen is about to be remodeled - ARGGGGH!

My favorite quick way to deal with eggplant is to grill it along with zucchini, tomatoes, and mushrooms and make a smoky ratatouille. Yum. Thinking about the last time I cooked it and totally rocked it out with a bit of chipotle pepper. To quote Emeril "Oh yeah, babe." Try it, you won't be disappointed.
My next favorite way is in one of many Indian styles - I'm a sucker for cumin and coriander. Here's a strictly informal recipe:

Spice is a matter of taste - use with discretion, but whip it up when necessary!
Mix the following in a small bowl (about a teaspoon each) and set aside:

Cumin
White pepper
Garam Masala
Tumeric
Cayenne pepper (what's life without a little spice?)

Cut the eggplant into cubes
Heat olive oil hot, but do not burn ( I use my wok or deep cast iron pan)

Cooking very quickly:
Throw in cumin seeds and toast quickly,
Add a bit of crushed coriander (just to make breathing unbearable)

Cool it down with a little fresh minced ginger, chopped onions
Add minced garlic, chopped and seeded tomato
Add half of your spice mixture (just in case you made too much)
Simmer and Stir - this shouldn't last over 2 to 3 minutes.
Add in the eggplant
Cook until tender about 10 minutes,
add more of the spice mixture if you dare
Throw in a bit of chopped fresh cilantro (if it doesn't make you gag)
and salt to taste.

In case you are struggling with measurements (something I just refuse to do), here are my veggie ratios for this recipe-like-thingy: 1 huge, mammoth eggplant (or 2 medium or 3 to 4 small) to 1 large, ripe tomato to 1 medium red onion to 2 cloves garlic to a half inch of ginger. Yup! That's just about right.

Wait a minute - this is so good I could eat this daily with a bit of brown basmati rice, bhindi masala (just wait for the best okra harvest) and garlic naan.

Do you have any quick and yummy eggplant recipes? Got a link to a chef with the best? Leave a comment and don't forget to make extra 'cause you know I'm dropping by!

Bring on the Bhurta!

Why Come?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:15:00 +0000

They call them 'ox tails' and they are really the tail of a cow?

Colitas de Res (Ox Tails), oil on canvas 14"H x 18"W Sergio Lobato - Meat Paintings in oil

Watching Pat & Gina make Oxtail stew on At Home With The Neely's . . . they just might get me to try this out (although the thought of eating a tail creeps me out). I do know hubby would tear it up.

Are You Missing Asian Festival DC 2010 in Reston, VA this Weekend?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 18:16:00 +0000

It's free and this years focus is on the Phillipines. You are bound to cop some good filipino bites this year. Check it out: http://www.asianfestivaldc.com

Hmmm . . . another D.C. festival in VA.
Go figure.

Foodies Paradise - Restaurant Week

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:11:00 +0000

All praises due to the intrepid inventors of that period of time deigned 'Restaurant Week'. An epicureans dream week, a dieters kryptonite. Alas, I wish I were able to visit all of the cities throughout the nation that participate, however my meager income keeps me tethered to the eastern regions. The District of Columbia's week to savor the best is normally in January. What to do the rest of the year? I stare longingly at OpenTable.com's list of participating cities, hopelessly wishing for a fifteen dollar bus line to Sacramento and Miami.

All is not lost! I am a three and a half hours drive from the big apple. Surely, I can make it up there to partake in this epicures' holiday, especially since it has been extended.

I've been food envious of Darcel as he has navigated through the city's cuisine on the NYC Go blog. I am definitely going to make the excuse of escorting my niece up to NYU for her sophomore year to get to this feeding frenzy.

She'd better get back to school soon, I'm hungry.

Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival Next Week

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 03:10:00 +0000

It's an all-out hog-out with your favorite Food Network stars in Atlantic City. The Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival provides four days of tasting and sipping events including the ultra shi-shi-poo-poo thousand dollar private dining experience with chef Marcus Samuelsson.

You still have time to grab a travel package at $785 and up (which will get you into the sold out Neely Gospel Brunch) or go a la carte for individual events that start at $30. It's a great way to hang out at the shore, make the rounds at all of the casinos, and of course satisfy your epicurean urges. I certainly would have gone this year had I not bought theatre tickets for that Sunday. Ahh . . . next year.

National Junk Food Day - A Time for Celebration?

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 23:40:00 +0000

Seems just a might bit odd to celebrate the hot and greasy, the cold and cheesy, the fast and sugary. But why not? There's bound to be a food that, though pronounced junky - you just cannot resist. You know it . . . Own up!

While you're pondering your life of uber lipids, take a look at the semi-celebratory sites below:

ESPN Mike And Mike: National Junk Food Day video

3 Celebrities Who Should Celebrate National Junk Food Day from The Stir blog

OC's guide to you-know-what day

Pizza and ice cream - where you at????

My personal favorite:
Celebrate with 2300 calorie macaroni and cheese quesadilla

5 Buck Food Find From the Baltimore Sun

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:12:00 +0000

Always on the lookout for a bargain eat fest, I found this page from the Baltimore Sun Online Metromix.

The photo above shows Bananas Tempura at XS. Here's the rundown:

Banana tempura at XS
The bill: $4.75

The dish: Bananas dipped in batter, then fried tempura-style, served with whipped cream and berries

The scoop: XS's fried bananas have a great flavor if you like your bananas hot and with a strange consistency. And, we do. Being the sugar junkies that we are, however, we'd have liked to see a little bit more of a dessert treatment on these. Maybe a chocolate syrup accent here, a cinnamon dusting there, a honey dip on the side. Just a suggestion.

Get your money's worth? Aww, hell yes!—Amanda Krotki
Credit:Amanda Krotki

You can submit your own $5 food finds using this submission form.

My Garden is Made for Mojitos

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Okay, so I don't have a lime tree and the back forty (feet, that is) isn't sporting any sugar cane. None of this matters since I've got the 'runaway mint front garden from hell'.

Yes, mint is a weed. I didn't even plant the stuff. When I moved into this place nine years ago, the front was a mix of trailing roses with no place to go and a massive mint plantation. I pulled up all of the mint and the stinking roses, planted daylilies, hostas, tulips, daffodils, and columbine. So what do I get to show for all of that hard work? MOUNTAINS OF MINT!!!!!

The stuff is the ultimate in organic gardening - I never fertilize or water it or use any sort of pesticides. I thought if left entirely alone it would wither and die. No such luck. I give it to neighbors. I give it to family. I give it to strangers. I dry it for tea. I give up.

So yesterday was my brother-in-law's birthday - my gift? Mojitos. I generally don't like all of the sugar content, so I asked the local liquor store owner how I could use less. His response was that adding tonic water (which has sugar in it) would replace the granulated sugar and add a bit of a fizz. Normally I just add club soda. Great. So here is my almost recipe - since I never measure anything. I just add until it tastes good.

3 limes
A mess of mint leaves
2 tablespoons of sugar
Bacardi white rum
Tonic water

Place the leaves and sugar in a bowl, squeeze the lime juice into said bowl. Find something with a rounded bottom to grind the sugar, mint and juice together. My bro-in-law didn't have a mortar and pestle, so I used a smaller bowl to mash it up - worked just fine.

Fill a small pitcher with ice. Pour the mash over the ice. Add 1 cup of tonic water. Add rum to your taste. If your taste makes the rest of the party screech "OMG! This is too alcoholic!" it may be a bit too concentrated. Add as much tonic water as you need to lighten the drink for normal folks (just add a couple of extra jiggers in your own glass).

A good time was had by all. I'm so glad my daughter is driving now.

Freebie Fridays

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Slurpees
July 11 or 7/11 - Free Slurpee® Drinks = Live Music To Their Ears
7-Eleven® Celebrates 82nd Birthday with Biggest Slurpee Bash Ever
5 Million Free Frozen Drinks and Access to Live Nation Concert Tickets

Books
FreeRead Until July 31st - Peter Sheahan's Flip - How to Succeed by Turning Everything You Know on Its Head

Short Stories: Read Stafford Battle's (AfroCyberspace) story 'The Lynching' in issue nine of Expanded Horizons http://ow.ly/gV2l #22ndCenturyPress

Tor Books Short story

Starbucks Ice Cream:
http://email.starbucksicecream.com/cgi-bin23/DM/y/hfvR0G56yo0HZB0UMf0EZ

Father's Day At Clyde's Chevy Chase

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:42:00 +0000

I have to admit that when I received the email that the family was going to convene on Daddy's Day at Clyde's, my heart dropped a bit. I really wasn't up to a chain restaurant experience, hoping instead for a foray into a new culinary venue.

I was pleasantly surprised - while the service was a bit confusing (we got there at the end of brunch and our wait staff changed mid-meal - the food was very fresh and tasteful, not to mention reasonably priced. I am used to visiting Clyde's in Georgetown and Columbia - two diametrically opposed locations. I have never been over impressed with either. It's usually for a lunch with clients that demand American fare and I find myself with the same appetizers and a burger. Yawn.

Yesterday was different. While our starters did contain our obligatory fried calamari and oysters (some family members won't leave home without 'em!), we branched out a bit with the Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki which was served with seaweed salad, pickled carrots and onions, cucumber, Sriracha sauce, and wasabi vinaigrette. Yum. The sushi grade tuna worked well with the pickled veggies and I found myself eating most of those as my husband and others devoured the tuna.

Although there were nine of us, we only ordered five different entrees:

Maine Lobster (all the dad's ordered this for some reason) with French fries, cole slaw and the obligatory lemon butter,
Crab Cakes with asparagus, roasted potatoes and mustard aioli,
Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Trout Parm - Parmesan crusted trout, green beans,roasted potatoes with a bit of hollandaise, and the Prix Fix special
Grilled Rockfish with crab salad and guacomole, Shrimp cocktail and Blueberry Strawberry Crumble for dessert.

My sister-in-law could not believe the size of her Trout Parm, so she spread half of it around the table. It was very good with a fried parmesan taste. My stepdaughter and I ravaged my husband's lobster, but he didn't mind since he really liked the crab salad and grilled rockfish from my plate. The three shrimp in the cocktail were huge and more than enough to share with other diners. As you can see, we are really into the 'family style' sharing thing - no plate is safe. Unless it is my father-in-law. No one got a hold of his fried oysters. I loved my rockfish - it was so flavorful without being over seasoned. Nothing was overcooked and portions were more than enough. Dessert was okay. I was more than glad to share the Blueberry crumble. It really didn't leave an impression. However, the Sinful Chocolate cake my sister-in-law ordered was good but not overwhelming. All in all, it was a pleasant afternoon and I will certainly return when I'm in the area and just am not feeling a hot stove (hmmm, isn't that always?). Clyde's of Chevy Chase 5441 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Phone: 301.951.9600

Safeway's 17th Annual National Capital BBQ Battle

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:39:00 +0000

America's Food & Music Festival - Historic Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.
June 27th & Sunday, June 28th, 2009 - www.bbqdc.com
WASHINGTON'S BIGGEST TASTE EVENT -
A SMOKIN' GOOD TIME FOR A GREAT CAUSE
Celebrate the first weekend of summer at the Safeway Barbecue Battle, with great food, fun, music, and entertainment for all ages. America's best BBQ tastes even better along with great music and there will be plenty of both including tasty barbecue of all kinds from top vendors, great bands like Chuck Brown, Marcus Johnson, Phaze II, Art Sherrod Jr. and many more. Don't miss the free food samples in the Safeway Sampling Pavilion, cooking demonstrations, sports entertainment, high-stakes BBQ contests and much more action throughout the weekend. While tens of thousands of Washington area residents and visitors to the Nation's Capital enjoy the festivities, the Barbecue Battle event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs in Washington and has donated over one million dollars to this worthwhile organization in past years.
With so much to eat, see and do, the Safeway Barbecue Battle has garnered many awards over the years including being voted a "Top 10 BBQ Event" by The Travel Channel and Discovery.com.
For more information please visit www.bbqdc.com
or call (202) 828-3099.
We'll see you at the BBQ!

2nd Annual Food & Wine Festival - June 6 & 7, 2009 at National Harbor

noreply@blogger.com (dweiums) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 12:51:00 +0000

For those who love great food, wine, beer, spirits, music & fun!
Rain or Shine
2ND ANNUAL FESTIVAL
Show Hours:
Saturday, June 6, 2009: 12 noon-Sunset (8:00 p.m.)
Sunday, June 7, 2009: 12 noon- 6:00 p.m.

Your general admission ticket includes:
Food, wine, beer and spirits tastings
Attendee bag and wine glass
Access to seminars, chef demos and workshops
Ability to enter our Country Fair Baking Contest with Big Prizes
Ability to participate in our Dine Around (extra charge)
Ability to participate in our Very Special Private Events (extra charge)
Featuring:

A Trio of Former Top Chef Contestants:

Carla Hall, Alchemy Caterers
Ariane Duarte, CulinAriane
Spike Mendelsohn, Good Stuff Eatery

Also:
Renee Catacalos, Edible Chesapeake, Maryland
Chana Brissett, RSVP Catering, Fairfax, VA
Timothy Dean, Timothy Dean Bistro & Jazz
Barbara Fairchild, Editor-in-Chief, Bon Appétit
Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito, Baked, Brooklyn, NY
Patrice Olivon, L'Academie de Cuisine, Maryland
Suvir Saran, Dévi, New York City
Miran Shim, Inside Park at St. Bart's, New York City

http://www.foodandwinenh.com/