Frozen Candied Kumquat Margaritas

Yum, yum, yum!

The temperatures last week (here in NYC) got up to somewhere around 105 with a heat index of 115….!  How the hell can you possibly stay cool in heat like this?  Well, if you’re the girls of Flavor Junkie: by drinking as many of these tasty frozen treats as possible.

The ‘frozen’ part keeps you cool and the ‘margarita’ part (aka tequila!) dulls your sharp edges.  (And in heat this bad, *all* my edges are sharp…almost like barbed wire.)   And between the two, the incredible heat seems to matter less and less…..and you’re ready to enjoy whatever Hot-Summer-Fun is in store!  *smile*

Frozen Candied Kumquat Margaritas

1 cup Ice

6 oz  Tequila – I use Cuervo Gold

1/3 cup Candied Kumquats with syrup

2oz Orange Juice

Juice of 1 Lime

1 – 1/2 cups (additional) Ice

Put  the 1 cup of Ice, Tequila, and Candied Kumquats in a blender.  Process on “ice crush” until the ice has started to be whittled down and the kumquats are mostly chopped up.

Add the Orange Juice and Lime Juice and process until the ice and kumquats are completely pulverized.

Add an additional 1 to 1 1/2 cups ice (depending on how strong and/or frozen you like your drinks) and process on ice crush until the ice is chopped into little flecks…and voila!  You have your Frozen Candied Kumquat Margarita.

( Tip:  when serving frozen drinks, add one or two large ice cubes to the glass – the large cubes will help keep the ‘frozen’ part frozen longer and since the liquid is ‘frozen’, the large cubes won’t really melt and dilute your drink.)

Now it’s time to sit back, sip, cool off and enjoy!

Serves 4.

I have to say:  It’s good to be a white girl with adoptive Asian parents.  They hook me up!

If you know us – or have read the “About” section – you know that I’m a crazy-curly-haired pale white girl and Carolyn is one of those beautiful, long-dark-haired, looks-good-no-matter-what Chinese girls.  Her parents – who immigrated to The States much longer ago then you would ever think - are like classic sitcom characters: fantastic, heavily-accented broken-English speakers with Chairman Mao haircuts and a penchant for tunic style clothing.  Seriously:  airlift them into any village back in China and it’ll look like they never left.  *smile*

A long time ago now, her parents graciously (or maybe just to razz Carolyn?) proclaimed me “Number One Daughter”.  Seemingly because of my good, submissive, daughterly, and god they hope one day: wifely, skills:  I cook, I clean, I sew, I’m deferential to my elders at all times….they love that!  And so, anytime that Carolyn goes back for a family visit, they send her back laden – yes positively laden – with things for me.

One time during a visit, they were driving down some rural road in Georgia and her mom spied some Ginkgo trees along the side of the road.  She made them stop, get out and gather bags and bags of the rather stinky nuts in the midday heat.  She then made Carolyn carry them back on the plane – stinking all the way-because she wanted me to have them and “Fresh Ginkgo hard to get and very ‘spensive’ (as she says the word.)  I want  Josie to have.”

One Christmas-time visit found Carolyn’s suitcase over the airline weight limit because they day she was leaving, her parents got up early to hit the farmer’s market and bought me a case of grapefruit *and* a case of oranges.  They wanted me to have fresh fruit in winter, they knew I liked grapefruit – and if they know I like something – watch out! *smile*) and  because ”Citrus is good-for-you-healthy!” her mom argued, as she unpacked some of Carolyn’s clothes to make room for the fruit.  There was *no way* two cases of fruit was going to fit in our Manhattan fridge – so our Christmas tree made it to Three Kings Day and beyond with platters of citrus fruit underneath it.  It was quite a sight!  And prompted much conversation from visitors…I mean, how often do you see that in New York City?  And everyone who visited – and I do mean everyone – went home with a fruit or two…so Mom got her way and many, many more New Yorkers than usual enjoyed that good-for-you-healthy citrus that winter.

Carolyn’s last trip was no exception. I got all of my favorites:  Bean Sprouts, Pea Pods, Shanghai Bok Choy, etc.  Yes, of course we can get these things  here, but they always think they can get them cheaper, pick them out better, don’t trust that we’re going down to Chinatown everyday to buy the right ones….(and they’re right about that *smile*)…and so they send them along with my favorite Taiwanese Ramen packets and salty-sweet Japanese Rice Cakes. (Carolyn has learned to live off whatever clothes were left on previous visits, because she knows that her mother will toss them out of her suitcase to make room for the food.  I’ve always said Carolyn is smart.)

But there was a new item in amongst the usual:  A few bags of freshly picked kumquats. They were off visiting relatives the day before Carolyn was heading back…and lo and behold that relative had kumquat trees…so before anyone was allowed to sit down to lunch – they had to gather the ripe fruit into bags to send back to me:  “Citrus is good-for-you-healthy in summer, too –  You take them, Josie will want!”

And that I did, so Thank You adoptive-Asian-Mom! *smile*

Kumquats are the size of large olives  - a small beautiful orange-colored citrus fruit with an edible rind –  but they are very, very sour – think sour like lemons, not sweet like oranges.  Some people pucker up and eat them our of hand….but my favorite thing to do with them is to candy them.  The bitterness still comes through once they’ve been candied, but now with the sweetness to balance it out and make it much more enjoyable.

Candying the kumquats is a very easy to do and once made they will keep in jar in the fridge for a couple of months at least (I’ve always used mine all up by then).  They can be served as part of a cheese tray or course, paired with meats such as Duck or used in cocktails (admittedly my favorite way to use them.)

Candied Kumquats

4 cups of Kumquats
1 cup water
2 cups sugar

Wash the kumquats.  Cut eat kumquat into quarters.  Remove any easily-removable seeds, but leaving some in is just fine.  They’re edible, just like the rind and pulp.

Meanwhile, combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan.  Heat over high heat until it comes to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the kumquats and simmer for 12 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the kumquats to a glass jar(s). You want to leave room for some of the syrup in each container.

Continue to simmer the syrup on the stove for another 8-10 minutes to allow it to concentrate a bit further.

Pour the syrup over the kumquats.  Any syrup that is left over should also be saved and stored in a jar. (You’ll want this syrup for cocktails!)

Store in the refrigerator.

Empellón in the West Village

Bring him to Empellón for dinner.

Let me say first off:  Empellón is a great restaurant.  The food: delicious.  The service:  friendly and accommodating.  The spirit list:  long.  But my-oh-my the clamor in there!

We had early dinner reservations on a recent thunderstorming summer night.  I arrived promptly at reservation time – 6:15pm – but my date did not.  As I checked in (to the fully booked restaurant) I said my date was not here yet, they smiled and said “No problem, just let us know when he’s here,” and offered me a seat at the bar.  The bar was almost-full and there were only a handful of tables occupied…and at that point you could hear the music over the talking, but the talking was loud enough that the place felt lively.  This sound level was to change all too soon.

By the time SLB (Second-Language-Boy) arrived at 7:00 – yes, that’s right, I said 7:00(!) – the place was almost entirely full and you could hardly hear yourself think. Seriously crazy-loud.  I was worried that we were so long past our reservation time (and the place was packed and turning walk-ins away) that we would have lost our slot (and I wouldn’t have blamed them a bit) – but they couldn’t have been nicer and more welcoming and happy to seat us.  Not an iota of annoyance or tsk-tsking….and they had every right to be…so that helped me get passed my annoyance at SLB and settle in to enjoy dinner.

Empellon is Alex Stupak’s take on Mexican Food.  Don’t think chili relleno and mounds of ropa vieja, sticky yellow rice and refried beans scooped onto a paper plate – think high-end re-imagined Mexican, and you’re there. 

Which was great for me – and will be for you, too, when you eat there – but only added to SLB’s discomfort.  He was already feeling nervous having arrived so late…

[And his reason?  Because it was raining, he ran home to take a shower after work and it took longer than he thought it would.  Um, it was still raining after the shower - it was one of those rain-all-day-and-all-night summer-thunderstorms -  so what was the point of that? And who risks being *that* late to a first date?  I mean, come on now. ]

And then he sat down to a menu that wasn’t what he thought it would be (he was thinking traditional Mexican ground-beef-tacos and refried-beans) and he didn’t recognize a lot of the items or words on the menu…..and on top of all that, it was so unbelievably loud in there, whenever the waitress came over and said anything or asked us a question, he just looked at me like a fish that suddenly finds itself laying on its side, gasping for air, wondering where all the water has gone.

I did my best to explain, but I was shouting into the noise.  At one point, I think he just decided to nod and agree so we could get past ordering already and maybe start talking about something he’d have some hope of understanding. Poor guy.  So when the waitress came, aside from his main course, I don’t think he really knew what we were ordering.  

The first real dawn of recognition – or simply hearing – through the din was when I ordered a different main course than he did – he interrupted and asked why I was ordering that…I told him I had heard it was really, really good - and he said “Oh, maybe I should get that, too, then,” and turned to the waitress to change his order…I took quick breath, grabbed his arm to stop him and set the tone for this – and all future dates – when I clearly said “We can never order the same thing.  Never.”   He gulped for air, went back to looking confused and I finished ordering.

Just so you don’t think I’m horrible – once the waitress left, I very nicely – and with a smile on my face – explained that the fun in going somewhere new is to order different things so we get to share and each try a number of dishes….he said he understood and just thought that since I had said I liked his choice he thought we were both getting it…..so we both awaited our food and drinks happy….really, happy, I promise you! *smile*

[But in addition to not leaving a girl sitting at a bar and possibly losing your reservation...how do you get to be 40 years old and not know about co-ordinating the dinner order?  Maybe that's not how things work in the old country...but even so, you've lived here for 5 years...and I bet you got American tv shows and movies there *and* with subtitles so you'd be sure to know what was going on in that eisode of "Friends' or what have you......I'm just saying....*smile*]

Ordering finally out of the way, we started with a couple of drinks -( hmmm, I wonder if we had started drinking before looking at the menu if the translations and explanations would have gone better…or worse? *smile*)  I had tried something from the cocktail list during my time at the bar – the Empelloma:  Reposado with House-Made Grapefruit Soda and Smoked Salt – but as I hadn’t loved it (it needed to be a bit sweeter to really be enjoyable), and I think SLB’s head would’ve exploded if he didn’t at least recognize the drinks we were ordering, we both opted for a Margarita on the rocks.  Simple and to the point and much to his relief!

We struggled in the din to hear each other until <thankfully> our order of Guacamole with Chips and Two Salsas arrived to fill our mouths and make conversing less important.  The guacamole was good – but the standouts were the salsas – Smoked Cashew and Arbol Chile.  These were so good – especially the Smoked Cashew – that when they asked if they could clear the chips and salsa before our mains arrived, we both protectively covered them with our hands and said no.  There was no way they were going away until the salsa bowls were empty, believe me.  Next visit I’m going to skip the guac and go for the Chips with Four Salsas.  Those first two salsas were so, so good, I’m rather obsessed with trying them all.

He wanted a salad, so even though he didn’t know what Arugula or Jicama were, he took my word for it they made up a salad…and I went for one of the Queso Fundidos with warm tortillas – the Red and Green Chorizo.  His salad was was tasty – with great texture and a refreshing bite to the dressing –  and my Queso was outstanding!  So much yummy, cheesy goodness.  By the time we finished this – and we were sharing – I was pretty much full up. (And this is another reason I’m skipping the guacamole next time.  So much good food still to come.)

The only word on the menu other than taco that I’m *sure* he understood was “Lobster”… so he excitedly ordered the Lobster Tacos as his main. 

Lobster Tacos

These were impressive!  If you look at the photo, you’ll see how big the lobster chunks were – even a whole claw or two – and they were delicious, served on those fresh tortillas with giant corn, cheese and a sauce made with epazote ( an herb often used in Mexican cooking).  

I went for the  Chicken Tacos and both SLB and I were very happy that I did.  For as delicious at those Lobster Tacos were (I still drool when I think of how tasty they managed to make the giant corn. Seriously, I’d love to know just what magic they worked on those over-sized kernels…) – my chicken tacos were twice as good!

Chicken Tacos

Large pieces of dark meat chicken in a somewhat peanut-y sauce were topped with some sharper-than-you’d-think pickled onions….and what a combination they made.  SLB, who had told me  that Lobster was one of his all time favorites (while we were shouting at each other waiting for the chips and salsas to arrive), took one bite and said to me “Oh yes, you heard right – the chicken tacos are better!”   He said it with a smile, so I *think* he forgave me for not allowing us to both order it…but then again, they were really, really good, so maybe not. 

The tacos are available in orders of two or three…but unless you want some to take home, I say two would be plenty.  We had each eaten one chicken and one lobster – not so much that we were hungry enough to, but because they were so good you hated to stop eating them – and he was gentlemanly enough to let me take both of the extras home. 

Hmm, I wonder if that was because he was feeling guilty for being so late or because he just didn’t know how to ask for his in English.  Either way, thank you SLB. *smile*

Empellón
23 West Fourth Street
at West 10th Street
New York, NY 10014
212.367.0999
www.empellon.com

Eat It or Skip It Verdict:  Eat It!

Grilled Sausage Patties with Peppers and Onions

Grilled Sausage Patties

This is the perfect lunch on a hot, sunny, summer day as far as I’m concerned!  It’s a crisper, dare-I-say lighter (really, dare I?  I’m just waiting to hear the backlash…*smile*) take on your traditional Sausage and Peppers. 

The reason I say this is ”lighter” is that traditional Sausage and Peppers are links of sausage cooked with peppers and onions and some amount of tomato sauce (and the amount of tomato sauce varies widely…from almost-none to swimming-in-it)…and they are usually cooked together long enough that the result is really a Sausage-and-Peppers Stew, with a somewhat-slimy texture and the ‘darker’,  long-cooked, more muted flavors of the ingredients.

Peppers and Onions on the Grill

But here the flavors aren’t cooked and muddled together – they are layered upon each other so you get more of the taste of each individual component and can see how each compliments the other…all in one juicy, crispy bite.  Also, who wants a pot of something cooking on the stove on  a hot summer day?  Here you throw the ingredients on the  grill, layer them on a bun… and you’re done!

Like I said, this is one of my favorite summer lunches – but they’re also a great addition – and nice change of pace from regular burgers –  to any BBQ you may be hosting this season.

Grilled Sausage Patties with Peppers and Onions

8 Italian Sausage Patties , Hot or Sweet  (I’m a big fan of the hot)
2 Red Peppers, sliced into rings
1 Green Pepper, sliced into rings
2 Large Yellow Onions, sliced into rings
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Black Pepper
8 small Kaiser or Hard Rolls

Preheat your grill to medium-high.

Wash the peppers and slice into rings.  (When slicing into rings, I find it easier to remove the stem and seeds *after* slicing.)

You don’t want the slices too thick – you’re going to be layering them on top of the sausage patty the way you put a slice of tomato on a burger – but not too thin, or they will fall apart on the grill.

Trim the ends of the onion, peel and slice into rings.  I make my onion slices slightly thicker than the pepper slices – I like them to keep a bit of that onion crunch/heat after grilling and the thicker slices give you that - nicely cooked/charred on the outside, still slightly raw in the center for a bit of raw-onion flavor.

Put the vegetables in a bowl or on a plate, drizzle with Olive Oil and sprinkle with Garlic Salt and Pepper.  Use your fingers to toss them to make sure they all get seasoned.

Grill the vegetables – I usually spritz the grill with cooking spray first, though I know some people think this is dangerous *smile*….so feel free to use your tongs to swipe the grate with a bit of oil-soaked paper towel instead if you’d prefer.

They are thin, so they only take a few minutes on each side to get just-cooked and to get some nice grill marks on them.  Remove the vegetables and keep them loosely covered while you grill the sausage patties. (If you cover them tightly they’ll continue to cook and get mushy – don’t do this! *smile*)

Again, I tend to spritz with cooking spray, then cook the patties with the grill cover closed for about 4 minutes on each side.  When they’re done, put them on a platter (if you want your guests to put together their own sandwiches)…or as you take the patties off, you can fill each roll with a patty and some of the peppers and onions, so that they are ready for your guests to grab and eat. (A nice option for parties…)

I like them just like this – where the flavors of the sausage and peppers and onions can really come through – but feel free to dress them up any way you’d like:with mustard, ketchup, BBQ Sauce, lettuce, tomato, pickled jalapenos…..these sandwiches pack so much flavor they really can stand up to almost anything, so have fun!

The Secretatiat and the Boogalee Crush at Arcadiana

Let’s start out the right way.  With cocktails.

Arcadiana – We did not eat at this Louisiana cuisine restaurant…but we did have cocktails here every afternoon.  It was located right across from the convention center and its outdoor seating – complete with umbrellas and comfy, padded wicker furniture and the promise of cocktails – was just the right kind of inviting to a couple of girls who’d been on their feet walking the exhibit hall for hours on end.

Our first round – pictured above was from their Signature Drinks menu.  I was excited to see that they had a Sazerac on the menu – but as it was so, so hot, I resisted that pull and went for something that would be a bit cooler – so I chose the Secretariat:  Bourbon, Vermouth, Triple Sec and house made Sour Mix, with a sugar rim.  It was the grown-up cousin of the Whiskey Sours my dad used to make, and I loved it.  C got the Boogalee Crush (which wins for most-fun name, by a landslide!): Jim Beam, muddled blackberries, ginger simple syrup and house-made sour mix.  Fun, fruity and refreshing.

Our next visit-to-Arcadiana/break-from-the-convention was during Happy Hour, so we took advantage of the $5 Specialty Cocktails and tried the Cajun Dark & Stormy: Gosling’s Dark Rum, ginger simple syrup and ginger ale; and the Category Five:  their version of that New Orleans cocktail with El Dorado Light Rum and Goslings Dark Rum.  Two more great drinks – and a huge bargain at only $5 a pop!

Verdict: Eat (or in this case Drink) It!

Ethiopic – Great Ethiopian food in a lovely setting in a not-so-touristy part of town.

Verdict:  Eat It!

Ebenezer’s Coffee House – Pretty, historic building with both inside and outside seating…drinks, snacks and even live entertainment if you time it right.

Verdict:  Eat It!

Againn - Keep in mind the only thing ‘pub-like’ at this Gastropub is the names of the foods they’ve re-interpreted (Bangers and Mash and the like)…but if the sleek new steel building it’s a part of doesn’t throw you off, the house-made charcuterie and the *very* well-mixed cocktails (there is even a disclaimer on the drinks menu to please allow adequate time for your drinks to be made)……or if you only want to taste what could very well be the best Banoffee Pie of your life, you should make your way to Againn.

Verdict:  Eat It!

Zaytinya- Jose Andreas’ Middle Eastern Mezze (small plates) restaurant…and while a few of the dishes were stand-outs, the rest were  good to only ok…and the cocktails while inventive, were not quite the kind you’re dying to go back for…

Verdict:  Skip it! (Unless you’re dying to try it and you’ve read our full review and don’t think the things that bothered us would bother you.)

Pretty archway in Union Station

Acadiana
901 New York Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
202.408.8848
www.acadianarestaurant.com

Ethiopic Restaurant
401 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-675-2066
www.ethiopicrestaurant.com

Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse
201 F Street Northeast
Washington D.C., DC 20002
(202) 558-6900
ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

Againn
1099 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Located on 11th St between K & New York Ave
202.639.9830
www.againndc.com

Zaytinya
701 9th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
Corner of 9th & G Streets
202-638-0800
www.zaytinya.com

That was one of the first things I said when I checked in with the host at Jose Andreas’ Zaytinya, for, even though I had a reservation which I was on time for, they handed me a beeper and told me it would light up when a table was ready.  Um, really?  I know you’re a big, bustling, popular eatery, but you really can’t keep track of your customers with reservations better than that?   The last time I was handed a beeper like that was when someone convinced me to stop at The Cheesecake Factory at the mall.  Yeah.  Doesn’t set a good tone for the rest of the meal I can tell you.

The space itself is not my favorite – they have a number of different dining areas that don’t look like they have anything to do with each other.  The worst area by far is to the right of the entrance, just across from the bar area – the space is so bleak, combined with the style of the table and chairs it looks like the seating area of a mall food court.  I kid you not.  When our buzzer went off and they tried to seat us there, we politely asked if we could wait until something in another area became available.  They were gracious enough about it and we were soon seated in the slightly warmer dining area next to the open kitchen.  I’m glad it worked out because we had already decided (while we were waiting for that glorious buzzer to light up) that we’d rather leave than have to eat our meal in that space.  And we meant it.

Chicken Soup Avgolemeno

Service is *incredibly* slow….we saw one table get up without even ordering – they just gave up after drinks – but we were tired from a full day of walking the show floor, so we didn’t mind so much…though we were seated at our table for more than 5 minutes before anyone approached us – for anything – and seated for a full 30 before our first cocktail arrived….so like I said – incredibly slow service – be forewarned.

Snail Kibbeh

Zaytinya is Jose Andreas Middle Eastern Mezze (small plates) restaurant….and overall the food was good.  The Chicken Soup Avgolemeno  was a bit more tart than it should have been – the Arayes – grilled minced lamb and tahini stuffed pita was rather disappointing…but the rest were very good: Kotopoulo Youvetsi: chicken cooked with tomato and orzo; and Urfa Biftek: grilled steak rubbed with spices…..both were tasty if not particularly inventive…but the Snail Kibbeh (potato-crusted snails) were incredible…..as was our favorite dish of the night:  Piyaz -  Giant Beans with kale and tomato in a-don’t-let-a-drop-go-to-waste sauce spiked liberally with fresh dill.

Piyaz

Greek and Lebanese wine are not at the top of our list, so we turned to the fun and rather unusual cocktail menu – I had the Istanbul, not Constantinople made with Maker’s Mark and Apricot and C went with A Date with Rose - Chairman’s reserve rum, date syrup and almond foam.  A date with Rose is worth ordering *just* for the almond foam or *just* for the glass it’s served in.  Our later order of a glass of Greek Rose reminded us we still feel the same way about Greek wine – very skip-able.

Fun and Foamy Cocktails!

Would we go back?  A qualified maybe. Most of the food was good and a few of the dishes were extremely good….but taking into account the space and the slow service and all that went with it…we won’t be rushing to go again.

Zaytinya
701 9th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
Corner of 9th & G Streets
202-638-0800
www.zaytinya.com

We lucked out and found that one of the restaurants we were most interested in trying – Againn, a decidedly contemporary, upscale, high-brow-cocktail version of a Gastropub -  was literally right around the corner from our hotel.  So this was our later-side Saturday night dinner pick….the last chance we’d have to sit back and relax a bit before the craziness of the Fancy Food Show in the morning.

Being New Yorkers, we were more than a bit surprised that at 9pm on a Saturday night, this restaurant – currently on the Washingtonian’s list of 100 best restaurants – was only slightly more than half full.  Surprised, but not overly disappointed, as this meant we were able to get one of  outside umbrella tables…a great score on such a rare, humidity-free DC night.

This is the one picture that actually came out – it was 9pm after all and the sun had set…and since we didn’t want to be the people taking flash pictures of the food, this was all we got.  We started with their soup of the day:  Garlic and Potato.  Neither of us really liked it.  It was a bit too dusky tasting and the drizzle of oil over top didn’t add anything, except to make it feel too greasy in the mouth.  In keeping with the ‘pub’ theme, C got the Fish and Chips  – nicely battered thick pieces of white fish, hand-cut potato-wedge fries and classically-English mushy peas – and I had the Bangers and Mash.   I wasn’t the biggest fan of the mustard mash or the caramelized onion gravy, though I can understand how they played nicely together…but the house-made sausages were light and lovely tasting.

We had two very nice cocktails – handcrafted with house-infused syrups etc. and they were truly an artisan’s creation.  My Churchhill Downer started off one way- mostly bourbon and lemon -  but by the time I was drinking the last quarter of it, the ice had melted and the strawberry-and-basil infused syrup really came right up, both in the nose and in the taste, and was a great finish to a fine drink. The Pippa Punch was a refreshing blend of vodka, lemongrass, bitters and a hint of watermelon.

Our most favorite thing, though, by far – was the Banoffee Pie.  I had heard it was good, but I’m not usually a dessert kind of person….but something told me to order it -and I’m so glad we did.  It took a few minutes to come out, but when it arrived, we could see why: hand crumbled thick graham-oaties-type biscuits were in the bottom layered with some chocolate ganache, sliced bananas , caramelized milk and freshly whipped cream, all served in a wide mouth canning jar.  It was so good, I almost can’t believe it.  I think it is safe to say that I will never, never, NEVER go to Againn and NOT order the Banoffee Pie.  Diet or fullness or lateness be damned – it’s simply too good to miss.

They are known for their house-made Charcuterie…and as much as we love that kind of thing, we knew we’d be sampling tons of that at the Fancy Food Show over the next few days so we didn’t order some to at least try, as we usually do.  On my next non-food-show visit to DC I can see myself ordering one or two of those finely mixed cocktails, their Charcuterie platter – oh! and the side of Brussels Sprouts with house-made Bacon which we had, loved, devoured – and finishing it all off with a Banoffee pie.

Now *that* would be a good, good night in DC.  I’m ready! *smile*

Againn
1099 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Located on 11th St between K & New York Ave
202.639.9830
www.againndc.com

And the girls of FlavorJunkie and Five Finger Foods are there….and we couldn’t be more excited!

We got into town this just after noon today and our first stop (of course!) was for lunch.  We headed over to the H Street Corridor to try some Ethiopian food at Ethiopic.  As its only open for lunch on weekends (and all our dinners are booked up) – we were glad it was Saturday.

We took the metro to Union Station and walked east…and once you make your way past the Columbus Moment and the Federal Judiciary Building you suddenly find yourself in a neighborhood.  Like row-house and bikes-in-the-yard and small-convenience-stores kind-of-neighborhood…and if you look back over your shoulder the gleaming glass and marble of “Washington DC” as you grandly think of it is right there…but when you look ahead, you feel like you took a step into a different time with the turn-of-the-century or older architecture (so gorgeous!) and the peeling paint and older, dented cars parked street-side.

This is one of those neighborhoods that seems to be coming around, being touched up and fixed up and being restored to former glory…and so you see, every fifth house or so one that is freshly painted or planted or something…and it gives you a peek into what this area used to be…and seems will be again.  Which all makes for a nice intro to what you’re going to find when you reach Ethiopic.

It is a located on a block that seems to be being reborn as we speak.  Ethiopic is in a beautiful old building – set on a corner (with pretty striped-awning umbrella tables along one side “the patio”)….the  brick of the exterior has been painted – a fresh shade of light beigey-green with colonial white trim and the sleek black of the modern built-out windows in the front…proving everything old is – or can be – new again.

The inside is done in the same colors -neutral tones with rich dark wood tables and chairs…but here the exposed brick wall has been left it’s original brick-red color.    All in all a very open, airy, soothing place to sit down to a fine meal.

And a fine meal it was!  We were fairly hungry, but kept it in check as we have a *lot* of eating ahead of us the next few days…*smile*  We ordered the Doro Key Wot – Chicken Legs and a Hard Boiled Egg simmered in a spicy red sauce, Dinich Wot – Curried Potatoes cooked with Jalapeno Peppers, and my new favorite – Ethiopic Signature Tibs – Beef sauteed with Onions and Jalapeno Peppers….seriously, I ate way more than my half of that last dish.  Simply killer!

It all came out each in its own pot, which our (very sweet) waitress then served on the large platter lined with injera (the spongy pancake-like bread used to scoop up the goods and get them to your mouth – remember, no utensils here!)….with a basket of injera on the side for ripping and scooping.  The platter also came with some of their Salata – a very refreshing salad made of diced tomatoes, onions, jalapeno pepper…which while still plenty spicy, was a nice, cool-spicy respite to the warm-spicy, sometimes very spicy-ness of the other dishes.

So if you’re looking for something a little different, in a different part of town perhaps…or if you’ve just heard about the amazing Ethiopian food DC has to offer….Ehtiopic is worth the visit.  And I’m not kidding about the Signature Tibs – I could go back and eat another serving of it *right* now.  So good!

On our way back to the Metro station we stopped by Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse – an inviting place that caught my attention on our walk over.  I got a nice Iced Vanilla Latte from the very friendly baristas…if we had time to stop, the outdoor patio with umbrella tables looked like a nice place to sip, read, think….whatever you feel like on a nice sunny day like today.  While I was waiting for my drink to be ready, I saw that Ebenezer’s is more than just a coffee shop, they host live performances, too–so fun!  My coffee was good, the place is nice and if you check out their website, you can read about the interesting history of the building….so keep them in mind if you’re out that way – especially if you’re a coffee junkie like me! *smile*

Ethiopic Restaurant
401 H Street NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-675-2066
www.ethiopicrestaurant.com

Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse
201 F Street Northeast
Washington D.C., DC 20002
(202) 558-6900
ebenezerscoffeehouse.com

Eat It or Skip It? We’re here to tell you.

Here’s the Flavor Junkie round up of all the eating we did in New Orleans.

Acme Oyster House – We had a plate of raw oysters, they were nice enough and we tried the famous Char-grilled Oysters – which started out OK, but the longer they were in front of us, the more pungent the cheese (Romano?) sprinkled on top became…and simply covered the taste of the oysters themselves.  The best thing we had?  The Boo Fries – crispy golden french fries topped with cheese and the most flavorful brown gravy you’ve ever tried.  If they had a takeout window, I’d get an order every night on my way in from partying….so I guess I should be grateful they don’t! *smile*

New Orleans is an oyster city – so don’t waste your time standing in line for this place.  Though if you’re walking by there isn’t a wait and you have a craving for gravy-fries…feel free to stop. *smile*

Verdict:  Skip It!

Mother’s – a famous ‘dive’ if ever there was one.  This is a place I had some really amazing memories of….but that is where the amazing stops – in the past.  Went back to get the Ferdi Special Po’ Boy - a sandwich stacked with their own Baked Ham, Roast Beef, Gravy and (my favorite) Debris- the burnt ends of the roast beef that fall off and get mingled in the fat and juices…yuuuumm-yy!  But despite my memories of killer Mother’s Po-Boys past….this one was ‘eh’.  The Debris was still incredibly tasty, but everything else–the bread, the roast beef, the ham–were all lacking and when eaten together damped down the deliciousness of the debris.  I ended up stripping everything off my sandwich – including the top part of the bread – except for the Debris, so I could at least get to enjoy that one glorious taste. And that is no way to dig into a famous Po’Boy.

Verdict:  Skip It!

Cafe Du Monde – The most famous of the oh-so-many famous places in New Orleans – and it is worthy of its reputation.  The coffee is strong and creamy, the beignets are light and crispy and arrive in a cloud of sugar that puffs and sprays as you take a bite…and the slightly worn-and-crumbling building is boisterous and filled with people having a great time…morning, noon and night.  It would be worth a visit even the food wasn’t this good…but I’m so happy that it is!

Verdict:  Eat It!

Arnaud’s - another New Orlean’s institution…and indeed, you do feel as though you’ve traveled back in time a bit when you enter….Went for dinner and chose to eat in the Jazz Bistro (where they have a live band winding through the tables as you dine)…and I’m so glad we did.  The food is fine – we had the Trout Meunier and the Quail Elzey for mains–not great and certainly not bad, but nothing remarkable, either….but combine the old-fashioned dishes with the faded glory of the room and the vitality of the musicians…and you’ve had a worthy – very worthy New Orleans dinner experience.

Verdict:  Eat It!

Grapevine – We were turned on to this place by the bartender of the place we  were having mid-evening cocktails at.  As usual, we New York City girls were looking to eat dinner on the late side and our bartender, Mike, told us this was one of the few places that would be serving at 10pm on a Sunday night in the quarter–so off we went.   It was a newly-redone, yet still exposed-brick charming kind of place.  We ended up having a few more cocktails (my new-this-trip-favorite Sazarac) and so, mostly filled up with liquor, we chose a few things from their “Petite Fare” menu….the Angus Medallions and the Mussles with Crabmeat and Bacon.  Both fit the bill deliciously and perfectly.

Verdict:  Eat It! Don’t skip another restaurant you’ve been wanting to eat at to come to the Grapevine, but if you’re looking for late-night eats or are simply in their neighborhood, they’re a fine place to stop.

Nola Restaurant – Hands down, the single best meal we ate our whole trip.  The Buttermilk Fried Chicken, the Gumbo YaYa, the Stuffed Fried Chicken Wings, The Beef Brisket – all were amazing in their own right.  And this restaurant will always hold a special place in my heart for being the place I first had a Sazerac cocktail.  At a loss for what to order, I thought, what the hell, I should have one before I die….and it was so great, Carolyn switched her drink order to it come round 2…and I’ve had dozens since then.  So, so good!  And extra bonus points to our country-boy waiter who was so Lousianna-polite that he escorted me – on his arm – to the ladies room.  Talk about service! *smile*

Verdict:  Eat It!

Hubig’s Pies – conveniently found at a Walgreen’s near you!  Near you in New Orleans, that is.  Think of a freshly made – and not as sickeningly sweet – Hostess-type hand-sized Fruit Pie…and you know what we’re talking about with Hubig’s.  They have the apple and the blueberry and the like, but they also have Pineapple, Chocolate (think chocolate cream pie filling)…and my favorite:  Coconut.  They are made and delivered fresh, and should be eaten within a week or so ( the date is stamped on each waxed-paper-type bag).  These are so delicious, I carried back as many of the coconut as I could find.  I also brought back an assortment of other flavors…but mostly so I wouldn’t have to share as many of those coconut ones. *smile*

Verdict:  Eat It! At about $1.09 a pie – it is a steal for something so fresh, portable and delicious!

And as a bonus, I’m going to slip one Do It or Skip It into this article….If you’re in New Orleans on a Sunday, do yourself a favor and catch the Jazz-Gospel Mass at Saint Augustine’s Catholic Church in the Treme.  It’s at 10am – and make note, it’s a 2 hour affair (so you can plan your lunch reservations accordingly*smile*)…but what an experience!  You don’t need to be religious to enjoy this or get something out of it.  The church was built in 1842 for a place of worship for slaves and free people of color, and the layout of the church is beautiful – and so beautifully New Orleans.  The music during the mass was incredible and the service was so interactive and the people so friendly, you feel like if you came back the next week they’d remember you and welcome you back.  We got the chance to a number of locals after the service and that was a bonus.  It’s a great way to start a Sunday in New Orleans.

Acme Oyster House
724 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 522-5973
www.acmeoyster.com

Mother’s Restaurant
401 Poydras
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 523-9656
www.mothersrestaurant.net

Cafe Du Monde
French Market
800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
504-525-4544
www.cafedumonde.com

Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro
720 Orleans Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-523-1930
www.orleansgrapevine.com

Nola Restaurant
534 Saint Louis St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-522-6652
www.emerils.com/restaurant/2/NOLA-Restaurant

Hubig’s Pies
800-232-0269
www.hubigs.com

St. Augustine’s Catholic Church
1210 Gov. Nicholls St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
504-525-5934
www.staugustinecatholicchurch-neworleans.org

Buttermilk Fried Chicken at Nola

There are so many good things on the menus—it’s hard to choose! *smile*

Trout Meuniere at Arnaud's

Gumbo YaYa at Nola

Mussels with Crabmeat, Andouille and Saffron at Grapevine

Cafe au Lait and Beignets at Cafe Du Monde

They certainly do have some *good* eating here! *smile*

Mother's Ferdi Special Po' Boy

Acme's Famous Chargrilled Oysters

The Falafel Pita from Pita Grill

So, what makes it a snack?

Well, I do realize that some people would consider it a *meal* (or a lunch at least….) but for me, it is only a snack. *smile*

It doesn’t keep me full long enough to be a ‘meal’…but it is so tasty—and just filling enough—that it is the perfect snack:   in the middle of an afternoon of running around the city, when you’ve already burned off lunch and it’s a long way ’til dinner…or late in the afternoon on a night you’re eating post-theatre…grab one of these and you’ll be happy and satisfied with a tasty, healthy hold-me-over…that *still* leaves room (both mentally and physically! *smile*) for dessert with dinner.

OK:  What makes it a secret?

Well, it’s the super-special only-in-in-the-know price.   $3.00!

Hmmm, but it says on their menu that the Falafel Pita is $5.75?

And it *is* $5.75 if you order it for delivery…but if you stroll into one of their NYC locations (6 so far and counting) and order it, they have what they call their “Daily Falafel”  and it’s only $3.00!

It has a fresh, fresh pita, filled with the warm falafel, lovely baby lettuces, tomato….and it comes with your choice of  sauce (regular tahini, spicy carrot tahini, citrus garlic sauce, among others)…and they’ll even give you an extra one for free!  (If you need any more than that, well, you’re going to have one soggy pita and it’s gonna cost you an extra 50 cents.)

What a deal!  And it’s not advertised anywhere – not on their menus, on their website or in their stores.  It’s only for those in-the-know…..(or at least someone like me, who wandered in unknowingly for a tasty snack and ended up with a bargain, to boot! *smile*)…. and now *you* know….

So the next time you’re running low on fuel as you go through the city, pick up one of these $3.00 wonders…and you can keep on keeping on…with a smile on your face and (if you’re like me and so addicted to it you lick every last drop out of those little containers…) a faint line of tahini  on your upper lip.

All the other “in-the-know-ers” will know *just* what you’re smiling about! *smile*

Lemon and Herb Mascarpone Stuffed Roast Chicken

This is something I’ve made often since trying it a couple years back. 

Tonight, the perfect combination of events made it jump to the top of the “What-to-Make-for-Dinner” list:  A cold, icy-snowy night prompting  me to make something warm and satisfying…and want to run a hot oven to do it……Having a container of mascarpone cheese (I always buy an extra when making tiramisu, just in case anything goes amiss, and this last time, nothing did. *smile*) and a nice, plump Roasting Chicken (that I had picked up, on sale, at the grocery store the day before) in the fridge, ready to go.

I found a few fresh herbs – this time I used celery leaves and fresh sage – the zest of a lemon, a couple cloves of garlic (minced) and some salt and pepper…and I was ready to mix all that with the mascarpone, slip it under the skin of the chicken, and dinner was on its way!

I had a 7-lbs roaster, so I let it cook for an hour (at 400 degrees), then added some quartered potatoes in to roast in the melted cheese and juices for the rest of the cooking time. (Figure about 1 hr 30 min to 1 hr 45 minutes for a 7-lb bird.)   A little  bit of basting and tossing of the potatoes, and it all comes out so deeply browned and so, so flavorful…a quick mix of sauteed vegetables on the side…. and our warm, satisfying dinner was on the table with minimal work, but maximum flavor. 

The perfect combination to ward off the chill of this snowy winter’s night.

A Little Night Music

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler

It was the “Send in the Clowns” that did it.  Tipped the scales in this cast’s favor, that is.  A Little Night Music opened in the fall of 2009 starring the incomparable Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta Jones.    And I saw it shortly after they opened.  Angela, as always, was incredible – giving her very comedic part depth and nuance.  Catherine Zeta-Jones on the other hand…stilted at best.  I’ll admit right off the top I’m not her greatest fan…but I promise you, I went to the show wanting nothing less than to be surprised and thrilled at CZJ’s performance….but that just didn’t happen.

Her acting–not up to par, and her singing—not good at all, and in the case of “Send in the Clowns” (*THE* song of this show, *the* song.), her singing was practically non-existent.  And she didn’t manage to “act” the song instead, either.  It was just, flat.  And for Sondheim fans everywhere, this was a sad, sad moment indeed.  So though I walked away from that performance thrilled to have had yet another chance to see Angela Lansbury live, on stage (and at her age, that is not something to take for granted.)…..Catherine Zeta-Jones’ performance was so bad, it left me with an over-all bad feeling about this production.

Fast-forward to July of this year—-Angela and Catherine have finished their run with the show….and Elaine Stritch and Bernadette Peters have taken over their roles.  Interesting.  I wasn’t completely thrilled with the new casting….as much as I like Elaine Stritch, I couldn’t imagine her giving as Madame Armfeldt anywhere near as finely tuned a performance as Angela, and  as for Bernadette Peters as Desiree Armfeldt, well, I was on the fence.  Goodness knows Bernadette is a performer….I just wasn’t sure how she would be in this role….and if she could deliver “Send in the Clowns”.  So I didn’t rush out to buy tickets to see this new cast.

But our friend Cydney was dying to see what these two did with those roles…..and one thing led to another….and a few nights ago found Carolyn, Cydney and I sitting in the front row of the mezzanine taking in this new cast.  As I suspected with ES and BP, this was a much broader playing of the roles – especially by Stritch.  Not bad, but I prefered the earlier style better.  And as for Peters…I felt I was seeing more Bernadette than Desiree…but then came “Send in the Clowns”…and Bernadette Peters sold it!  She touched every feeling hidden within the lyrics and the music and brought them out for all to hear.  It was the “Clowns” I had been looking for.

The rest of the cast is wonderful – as they had been the first go-round…especially Leigh Ann Larkin and Erin Davie….and while Elaine Stritch plays a much broader Madame Armfeldt, she does play it to great comic effect.  The laughs and the great renditions of “The Miller’s Son”, “Everyday a Little Death” and so importantly “Send in the Clowns”….makes this a production worth seeing.

Walter Kerr Theatre
219 West 48th Street between Broadway and 8th Ave.
Now Playing – through Jan 9, 2011

Photo from Playbill.com

With a name like that, how could I not make it? *smile*

I’ve stuffed all number of pumpkins and squash with all number of things…but when I saw this name….and then read the words of the amazing Dorie Greenspan, I knew this would be the next pumpkin I would stuff.

In short, this is a pumpkin that is hollowed out, seasoned and stuffed with bread and cheese and aromatics and then baked,  until the pumpkin flesh is tender and the filling has come together like some of the best bread stuffing you’ve ever tasted.  Yum, ya-yum, yum, yum! *smile* 

Carving Jack-o-Lantern Style

 You can serve it as a first course or a side, but I chose to serve big wedges as the main course, serving it with only  a nice Dijon-Vinaigrette-dressed Mesclun Salad to start…and calling it lunch! *smile*

If you read through her recipe, you’ll see that this is a dish with endless variations.  Quite unusually for me, I decided to go the vegetarian route this time.  Do, do, do check out her recipe–she lists so many options, vegetarian or otherwise, so it’s sure to give you plenty of ideas to make this your own.

Seasoned Pumpkin

I stuck pretty closely to her recipe, though like most ‘stuffings’, think of it more of an outline than a true recipe.  Put it what you like, what you have on hand….it will all come together deliciously as it bakes.  My major tweak this go-round was to replace the heavy cream with skim milk.  I’m not saying it wouldn’t have been gorgeous with the cream, but I also knew it would be plenty tasty without out it, so why not save those ‘cream calories’ for the dessert course? 

Filling the Pumpkin

And considering that we’re in the season of Halloween candy and bite-size Snickers are around every corner…well, I’d better start replacing just about everything I’m eating with skim milk! *smile*

Stuffed and Baked Pumpkin

Pumpkin Stuffed with Everything Good
serves 6-8

1 medium-sized Sugar Pumpkin
Garlic Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1/2 a slightly stale Baguette, thinly sliced and ripped into 1-inch pieces
1/3 pound cheddar Cheese
1/8 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
4 cloves Garlic, coarsely chopped
4 large Scallions, sliced
1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme
1/2 cup Skim Milk
4 dashes Hot Sauce (I used Frank’s)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut the top off the pumpkin, the way you would a jack-o-lantern.  Remove the seeds (don’t forget to save them to roast later–yum!) and strings and scrape the inside of the pumpkin clean.

Season the inside of the pumpkin generously with garlic salt and pepper.  Put hollowed out and seasoned pumpkin on a foil-lined baking sheet or Dutch Oven.

Toss the bread, cheeses, garlic, scallions and thyme together.  Season with salt and pepper.  (If you keep it vegetarian, be sure to season generously.  If you add meat–especially bacon or sausage–go a bit easier–but either way, taste and adjust accordingly.

Pack the filling into the pumpkin.  Every pumpkin is different, so you may have too much stuffing or you may need a bit more.  But don’t be shy–go ahead and stuff—everybody loves stuffing!–so you don’t want to skimp.

Measure out the milk (cream if you’re of a skinnier persuasion than I am *smile*), add the hot sauce and season a bit with salt and pepper.  Mix, then pour, slowly, over the bread and cheese mixture in the pumpkin.

I say pour slowly, because, while you don’t want it swimming in milk, you do want everything nicely moistened, and the stale bread will take a few moments to absorb the liquid.  Use as much liquid as looks right…but don’t be overly worried here, you can always add some more as you check it while baking.

Put the cap back on the now-filled pumpkin (just as you do your jack-o-lantern), wrap the stem with a bit of foil (just to ensure it doesn’t scorch) and bake in the oven on the center rack for about 2 hours.  Check after an hour and then at 90-minutes to see how the stuffing is doing, see if it needs a bit more milk, etc….and continue baking until the stuffing is bubbling and gorgeous and flesh of the pumpkin is easily pierced with a fork.

I removed the cap during the last 1/2 hour to give the stuffing a chance to brown up a bit–and that was perfect, I thought.
You can scoop portions with a big spoon or slice and serve stuffing-filled pumpkin wedges (this time I did the wedge optoin)—but either way, present the whole roasted pumpkin with the cap placed back on top to your guests first…it is quite a sight to behold!