Pie a la Mona

Pie a la Mona Has Moved and Changed Names!

2007-09-30T16:14:00.000-04:00

I've decided to take the leap and change to another blogging platform. I want to customize my site more and have you involved as much as possible. So, I've set up a new blog on Wordpress. My new name, The Houndstooth Gourmet, is inspired by my new logo which shows a waiter in houndstooth pants being trailed by an adorable pooch who is waiting for his owner inside the bistro. Gourmet, meaning a connoisseur of fine food and drink, nods at my desire to find good, hearty food to share with you.

Please visit me at http://houndstoothgourmet.com/ and look for more features in the future as I customize my new site. All of my posts and comments can now be found on The Houndstooth Gourmet, and I will continue on my mission to bring you food for thought and food for your table.
Bookmark me!

Warm Regards,
Ramona
The Houndstooth Gourmet

Market Roundup - Kingstowne and Old Town Markets

2007-09-30T13:01:00.000-04:00

What a fantastic couple of days these have been. Once again on Friday I was at the Kingstowne farmer's markets reveling in the produce, breads, jams, artisan cheeses and ice cream. Although the temperature read 81, the air was clear and the wind threatened to raise the canopies as their ropes strained against the intermittant gusts.

To update, corn (albeit small) and tomatoes are still here! I scored a dozen ears of corn for $3.50, which is quite the bargain in this neck of the wood. Tomatoes were $1.99 a lb. and taste just as good as they did last month. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't buy cheaper seconds in bulk this week. My hope is to do this sometime soon so I can make several more quarts of tomato sauce.

Along with the perfunctory tomatoes and corn, I bought zucchini and yellow squash, and these.

Can you guess what they are (besides ugly)?

Now, a slight miscommunication with my better half last week left me without a pint of my newly rediscovered favorite ice cream flavor: mint chocolate chip(we'd bought a pint the week before and absolutely loved it). Let's see, it went something like this:
"Oh look, she (the Middleburg Creamery and Country Store) has that chocolate truffle thingy ice cream and mint chocolate chip!", I said to Frank as I pointed to the sign in the truck window.
"OK, let's head over there after Allenberg Orchards", he remarked.
OK.....so far we're on board. We lined up for the ice cream and "Oh, there's Smita at Crackpot Gourmet" I said, excited to introduce myself to her.
I visited with Smita and joined up with my husband, who was holding a cold white bag. Yes, the ice cream.
We got home and Frank put the bag on the kitchen island and unloaded the chocolate truffle thingy ice cream. I told him to put both pints in the freezer downstairs.
*blank stare* "I only got one", he remarked gingerly as if waiting for a forehead slap from yours-truly.
"OMG!! you didn't get the two I mentioned?" Huff..huff...huff.
"Ah, um....no"
"Ack! We like need, I don't know, couples counseling! We just don't communicate!" I bemoaned, as if my world were teetering on a very thin edge of mint chocolate chip ice cream-less misery.
"I'll go back", Frank offered
"It's OK" I spoke a little more softly, reigning in my insanity. "I'll buy more next week. But why oh why didn't you get the mint chocolate chip?" *whiny tantrum over*
(Men put up with a lot of hormonal garbage, admit it ladies)
Moments later, with restored sanity and steadied nerves,I saw we still had plenty of berry sorbet in our kitchen freezer. Tragedy was averted and the world was good again.

This week at the alter of delicious ice cream goodness, I got myself 3 count'em 3 pints.

French Vanilla Espresso
Mint Chocolate Chip
Pumpkin

Saturday morning started with loading Tucker and Cole into the Boobaroo and taking them to the groomer. Our groomer (Pet de Lite) is a lovely woman with whom conversing is pleasant if not a bit "lost in translation" due to English being her second language. With trepidation I told her that I wanted Tucker's hair just trimmed on his body, but to really clean up his face and legs. "No summer cut", I said hoping that ESP would have her seeing the picture of Tucker in my head if I concentrated hard enough. Not Yeti, but not like one of those Persian cats who has bad allergies and gets shaved so they wind up looking absolutely ridiculous. Don't laugh. He's been snickered at before. She intently entered all instructions into her computer. Cole could get the usual puppy cut with a snowball head. We left the dynamic duo in good hands and headed back home to pick up Daisy and spend the morning in Old Town.

Our first order of business was breakfast. Old Town seemingly has more and more breakfast options and King Street Cafe is one of them. They make a good, cheap breakfast sandwich that is all I need to fuel me up for a nice walk and visit to the market. Saturday's al fresco breakfast was enjoyable in the shady coolness.

Farmers Market- Part 2

I haven't been to the market in Old Town in forever. I've looked down on it, to be truthful. I've seen it with mostly crafts and very few true farmers and artisans. But yesterday, the market was bustling with vendors and market goers alike. What struck me most was the amount of baked goods, jams and honeys. Savory biscuits were popular as were products using Virginia ham. The produce was beautiful and I felt as though I was in sea of apples, corn, pepper and leafy greens.
With my appetite for market goods not sated with my Friday market visit, on Saturday I bought shitake mushrooms, a savory scone and small raspberry loaf from Maribeth's Bakery, and a bag of Lapsang Souchong tea (which I want to cook with).

If anyone has tried smoking and cooking with Lapsang Souchon tea, please share your experiences!

Pork Chops In A Raspberry Plum Sauce With Sage and Rosemary-Weekend Herb Blogging*

2007-09-25T20:09:00.000-04:00

Plums had been showing up at my local farmers markets and their aubergine beauty drew me to them.

I dabbled in a plum upside down cake yet still had a handful leftover. They were beginning to look a little sad and shriveled so "what to do with them?", I thought. It's fall and I begin to think about roasts and turkey married with delicious fruits. "Ah, a sauce!".
Here's a recipe for a sauce using plums and savory herbs. The flavors compliment meats such as pork, chicken, turkey and veal.

Enjoy.

What you'll need:

For the sauce.

Ingredients:

8 prune plums or 2 black plums halved, pitted and sliced
3 Tbsp. raspberry jam
1 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot diced fine
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary chopped fine (or 2 tsp. dry)
1 Tbsp. fresh sage chopped fine (or 1 tsp. dry)
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add herbs and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken stock and plums. Simmer in covered pan for 10 minutes, until plums are completely softened. Add jam and balsamic vinegar. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add butter, salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate.

This sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, or frozen and gently reheated when ready to use.

For the pork.

Turn on broiler and place rack 6-8 inches below broiler.
Pat 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick boneless pork chops dry. Salt and pepper each side. Place pork chops in a pan lined with heavy duty aluminum foil.
Place pan on rack under broiler and broil on each side for 5 minutes. Turn off broiler and set oven to 425 degrees. Allow pork chops to continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 145-150 degrees. Allow pork chops to rest for 8-10 minutes before serving with plum sauce.

For cleaning.

Ingredients:

1 dishwasher

1 Bichon Frise

* Weekend Herb Blogging is a weekly event sponsored by Kalyn's Kitchen and hosted by Ulrike at Küchenlatein this week.

Caldo Verde - Getting Your Fiber With Flavor!

2007-09-24T15:10:00.000-04:00

A painter sees a flower and is inspired to paint. An architect sees a building and envisions how to build it. A poet experiences a powerful life event and takes pen to paper. I see fresh, available ingredients and think about their peak of flavor, how they work with other ingredients and what recipes make them shine.

Working with my farmers market purchases this week, the next recipe up is going to use the kale I got from the Del Ray market.

Caldo Verde, or Portuguese kale soup, is a delicious hearty dish that's high in nutrients and fiber and big on taste. Served as a first course, or main dish with hearty bread, this verdant symbol of Portuguese cuisine satisfies both cook and consumer due to the ease of preparation and accessibility of ingredients. I first discovered caldo verde when watching an episode of Emeril. The colors looked great and I happened to have a bit of Polish kielbasa on hand and thought "what the heck?". I tried it. I liked it.

Now, I've made caldo verde with chorizo and linguica with tasty results. Being Polish, and having kielbasa on hand much of the time, I've taken to making this soup with smoked Polish sausage. I find the kielbasa seasoning goes a long way in flavoring the stock. In this recipe, I use only 8 ounces of turkey kielbasa, in the name of making this soup as healthy as it is robust.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, diced into half inch squares

8 cups chicken stock

3 cups water

1 lb. kale, sliced thinly into "ribbons" after rib has been removed*

8 ounces kielbasa, chorizo or linguica, casing removed and diced fine

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a dutch oven or heavy pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for an additional 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and water. Place potatoes into pot and cook at a strong simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Using a potato masher or large fork, break up about half the potatoes to release starch and thicken soup.

Add thinly sliced kale, red pepper flakes and kielbasa. Salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer partially covered over low heat an additional 20 minutes to soften kale.

Serving suggestions: Drizzle a small amount of good extra virgin olive oil over individual servings at the table.

* Chiffonade is a cutting technique which results in thin strips or ribbons. Take leaves and pile one on top of the other. Roll tightly like a cigar and cut across the roll to make ribbons. This cutting method can be used for leafy greens and herbs such as basil.

Tucker says "Good soup that's good for you!" In dog speak, of course....

At the Del Ray Farmers Market - The Autumnal Equinox

2007-09-24T11:33:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, I packed up my Bichon Frise, Cole, and headed to Del Ray. Looking at the slide show in this post, you can see dogs are very popular in Del Ray. While not allowed in the market proper, they are welcomed on the grass nearby. Cole got to cavort with a nice black lab while his mama went shopping.

(He was way more excited to go to the market. He gets to lick babies)

Indian Summer came on cue one day before the Autumnal Equinox. Fittingly, nectarines were still available at Toigo's stand, as were Bartlett pears. I bought a handful of each and wandered over to the "cheese guy" from Apple Tree Goat Dairy. Based on my enjoyment of his mediteranean herb covered chevre, I bought a cheddar-horseradish chevre this time around.

Next, I headed over to the farmers from Reva, Va. (first stall on the left as you enter the parking lot). These folks are so nice and their prices are easy on the wallet. I picked up kale and a butternut squash. Finally, as I could hardly wait a minute longer, I bought a chicken saltena from Marcela's Bakery stand. These golden and spicy stew filled savory pastries were piping hot out of the oven just up the street. It was still good and warm when I got it home and tucked into it's goodness.

The goat cheese chevre was fantastic. At $9 for a large log, it's truly a deal and lasts for at least 2 weeks in the refrigerator, wrapped in a paper towel an sealed in a plastic bag. Here's my favorite new snack: chevre on toast with a slice of fresh field tomato.

Stay tuned for a recipe using the kale: Caldo Verde. Yum!

Play With Your Food- Meet Mr. Tomato Head

2007-09-24T10:20:00.000-04:00

OK. So I got a little silly when making tomato sauce. What's food for if not to play with once in a while?

If you follow along with me here at Pie a la Mona, you know that I'm a big fan of farmers markets and seasonal cooking. Last week, part of my market harvest was tomato seconds which I bought to make fresh tomato sauce using Marcella Hazan's basic recipe. It's more like a method than an recipe with exact measurements.

First, I cored the tomatoes and sliced them in half. Using a heavy pan, I cooked them covered, over medium heat for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. When the tomatoes were softened, I ran them through a food mill and returned the strained tomatoes to the pan.

Next, I added a peeled onion, cut in half, and about 5 tablespoons of butter (see Mr. Tomato Head above). This was cooked at a low simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Discard the onion before refrigerating or freezing.

I salted the tomato sauce throughout the reduction process, being careful not to load all the salt at the beginning because the sauce concentrates as it simmers away.

Nine tomatoes yielded almost 2 quarts of simple, delicious sauce.

Note: You can use canned tomatoes for this recipe, but avoid using tomatoes packed in puree. Puree tomatoes are cooked and this detracts from the fresh brightness of this tomato sauce.

Serving ideas: This sauce is great for gnocchi and pastas such as spaghetti or linguine. How about serving it with my meatballs? (good idea!) Serve with fresh shredded basil and grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese.

At the Kingstowne Farmers Market- The Tween Season

2007-09-22T07:27:00.000-04:00

Although yesterday had me still in shorts, the signs of fall were apparent at the market. Gone were the peaches and nectarines. Small ears of corn were a mere shadow of their robust August counterparts. But, that's OK. This is what seasons bring us: produce that burns as bright as a star, then goes to ground only to emerge again next year in full splendor.

To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the sun.....a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which has been planted. There is comfort in the rhythm.

And so the apples comfort with their beautiful red and green hues and crisp white flesh. The tomatoes continue to give fruit, unwilling to concede the fall. Apple pies and tomato sauces. The crossroads of the Autumnal Equinox. That time of year ( in Virginia) when sweatshirts top shorts and promising cool clear days are tempered by Indian Summer. I am as excited to fill my basket with Honeycrisp and Empire apples as I am to snap up $1/lb tomato seconds, then run over to the Middleburg Creamery ice cream truck to pick up a pint or two for home.

At Allenberg Orchards: Pumpkin Faces, Honeycrisp apples and tomatoes

Developed in Minnesota in the 1960's as a cross between the Macoun and Honeygold apple, the Honeycrisp apple has soared in popularity since it's commercial release in 1991. The "explosively crisp" apple seems to achieve the elusive balance between sweet and tart, enabling it to be eaten plain and in salads, baked goods and savory recipes. Large cell structure gives it extra crunch and it can be stored in the refrigerator for months.

Behold the Honeycrisp:

A mix of seconds tomatoes were still lovely specimens which will be used today in Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce recipe. I'm still too much of a coward to try canning them, so the sauce will be frozen in zip-loc baggies.

At Crackpot Gourmet: Delicious Jams

Smita Nordwall of Crackpot Gourmet offers wonderful jams with perennial and seasonal favorites. She has been selling her jams at the Kingstowne Market for 3 years. I bought a jar of "Peachy Keen" jam, which is also made with blackberry brandy and almond. It transcends the store brands by a mile and is fragrant with fresh peaches.

Samples and good company are abundant at Smita's stall.

Country Captain Chicken- an exotic and easy curry

2007-09-19T15:32:00.000-04:00

At first glance, country captain chicken would appear to be a southern dish conjured up to delight dinner guests with it's far eastern spice. In fact, this dish is an easy East India curry probably first served at an English table by an Indian soldier in service of the United Kingdom. While in the service of the UK, Indian troops were referred to as "sepoys". In their native India, they were called the "country troops". The "Captain" likely refers to a native captain of troops.

The earliest published recipe for country captain chicken according to Cecily Brownstone, a food columnist, was in 1857 in Miss Leslie's New Cookery Book. Early in the twentieth century Alexander Filippini, the chef at Delmonico's in New York City, was famous for making this dish with dried currents and slivered almonds, as it is generally prepared today and in my version. Ms. Brownstone, being a strong proponent of properly prepared country captain chicken, had an ally in the late James Beard, who taught this recipe to his students and eventually it made it's way into "The Joy of Cooking".

My Country Captain recipe aligns itself closely with Cecily Brownstone's. It comes from a wonderful cookbook: of the "365" series of cookbooks. In particular, this is from "365 Ways to Cook Chicken".

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flower

1 chicken (3 lb.) cut up, or 3 lb. chicken thighs

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onion

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground pepper

1/4 tsp. mace (or 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)

1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 tbsp. chopped parsley

1/2 cup currants (or 1/2 cup golden raisins)

1/4 cup slivered almonds

Directions:

Place flour in a shallow baking or pie dish. Dredge chicken to coat lightly.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large dutch or cast iron oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and brown on each side, about 10 minutes. Do this in batches to not over crowd the pan. Remove chicken to paper towel and set aside.

To the same pan, add onions bell peppers, and garlic. Saute for 5 minutes. Add curry powder, salt, pepper and mace. Stir to blend. Add tomatoes, parsley and raisins.

Bring to a gentle boil and return chicken to pan. Reduce heat and simmer partly covered for 40 minutes, until chicken is tender.

Serve over rice and garnish with almonds.

Soup Ought To Be A Food Group- Polish Mushroom Soup

2007-09-19T14:48:00.000-04:00

Soup is one of my favorite things to eat and make actually. Sometimes, I wish the bowl were bottomless! It's filling, satisfying and comforting all at the same time. Here's a recipe for a mushroom soup using Polish dried Borowik (king of mushrooms) mushrooms which I picked up here in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has a rather large Polish population in the neighborhood of Port Richmond, were my mother grew up. Polish grocery stores carry Polish products of all sorts. These mushrooms caught my eye and made me reminisce about that earthy soup, usually served on holidays. My mother's version adds potato dumplings and prunes. Tonight, I garnished mine with sherry and a dollop of sour cream.

Ingredients:

1.4 (or there abouts )oz. dried Borowik or dried porcini mushrooms

2 pints white (button) mushrooms

8 cups beef stock

3 cups water

1 carrot

3 stalks celery with leaves

1 medium onion

1 cup half and half

1/2 cup sherry

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a sauce pan, bring 3 cups of water to a gently boil. Add dried mushrooms and reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes uncovered.

In a pot (I use le creuset enameled cast iron dutch oven), saute fresh mushrooms in 1 tbsp. butter. Add a pinch of salt to allow mushrooms to release their liquid. Set aside in a bowl.

In same pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add shredded carrots, diced onion and diced celery. Saute gently for 10 minutes. Add beef stock and simmer gently, uncovered for 30 minutes.

Strain beef stock and discard vegetables. Return stock to pot and add sauteed mushrooms and dried mushrooms with liquid. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add half and half and sherry.

Blend in blender or use immersion blender to get desired consistency.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a shot of sherry on the side!

*Don't forget to inspire me with your soup challenge recipes!*

Prune Plum Upside Down Cake

2007-09-18T10:27:00.000-04:00

Prune plums were looking gorgeous at the farmers market last Friday. I bought a pint of them and said "Hmmm....what now?" I decided on an easy recipe from Epicurious which showcases their purple and red beauty.

This cake makes for a nice breakfast along with a cup of tea or coffee. It's not just for dessert!

Recipe from Epicurious.

**note** I baked the cake for an hour and it was a tad dry. I would set the timer for 50 minutes and check for doneness then.

Enjoy!

Rigatoni with Meatballs - Presto Pasta Night

2007-09-17T09:59:00.000-04:00

I've been making meatballs for like I don't know...ever. When I was dating my husband Frank, he made for me and a few friends his grandmother's meatballs. Come to think of it, I do believe that was the last time he cooked for me! Well, I was impressed and after we were married, we combined our cookbooks and loose recipes together. Handwritten on an index card was the meatball recipe, passed down from his grandmother to his mother and then to me.
Frank's Italian grandmother took her cooking seriously. Her recipes were taught my my mother in law personally so her son would not miss her cooking. While not in person, I learned from her meatball recipe what makes the meatball turn out tender and savory. First, use fresh bread crumbs and milk/cream. No dried pre-made bread crumbs from a container. Next, use garlic salt. I don't know what it is, but there's something about garlic salt whose flavor surpasses powdered garlic and salt. Perhaps it's the blend whereby the ratio of garlic to salt is just perfect. All I know is that it works.
Here's my recipe, inspired by grandmom, and made my own. They are tender, moist and delicious. Makes about 28 meatballs.
Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs ground beef, 80/20 lean to fat ratio
1 tbsp. each:
dried basil
dried onion flakes
dried marjoram
dried oregano
dried shallot flakes (optional)

pinch cinnamon
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I used white bread with crusts, about 4-5 slices)
1/2 cups each:
half and half
milk
water

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs gently beaten
3 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place ground beef in large mixing bowl. Add herbs, cinnamon, bread crumbs, Parmesan, eggs, parsley, half and half, milk and water. Gently combine. Do not overwork meat. Add salt and pepper. Mix throughout meat.

Into a heated pan, cook a small patty of the meatball mixture to test for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

Gently hand roll golf ball sized meatballs and place onto an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Treat surface with non-stick spray. Place meatballs at least one inch apart.

Place baking sheet( I used 2 half sheet pans)on racks set in the middle of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotates sheets upper rack to bottom rack and vice versa. Bake and additional 15 minutes. The meatballs should be golden brown.

Transfer meatballs into gently simmering marinara on stove top. Cover and continue to simmer on low for 30 minutes to an hour.

While meatballs are simmering, cook pasta according to directions. Drain pasta and portion into bowls. Top with meatballs, marinara, grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

Mangia!

Colonial Cooking at Mount Vernon

2007-09-17T07:41:00.000-04:00

This weekend Mount Vernon (home of George Washington) held a craft festival. Juried craftmen and women donned period garb and made their wares with skill and love. The cooking demonstration caught my eye (of course) as the mistress cooked on a little "oven" these lovely hoecakes. I got to sample them and I was reminded of Paula Deen's little beauties.... butter! They were absolutely delicious!

Enjoy the slide show!

At the Kingstowne Farmers Market

2007-09-15T08:14:00.000-04:00

This cooler Friday brought the last of the peaches from Allenberg Orchards. Baseball sized and still a bit under-ripe, they will be savored until a new crop is picked next year! Prune plumbs were abundant and looked inviting in their aubergine splendor (I'm thinking upside down cake).

White corn was still present, but I (gasp) skipped them at this point as I'm pretty sure I'm about ready to grow a husk right about now.

Beautiful rainbow swiss chard showed up at $1.50/ lb. I bought a just over a pound. It's washed, dried, wrapped in paper towels, stored in a plastic baggie, and waiting in the refrigerator for a roast chicken dinner tomorrow (braise?). Apples are becoming abundant too!

Meanwhile, this morning, we're enjoying croissants and coffee cake from Cenan's Bakery.

Allenberg Orchard goods:

Let's see what recipes I can share from this week's bounty. Check back soon!!

Table Talk - A Diner on Duke St.

2007-09-13T11:04:00.000-04:00

Today was my first weekday visit to my nearest diner, Table Talk on 1623 Duke St. Across from the relatively new Old Town Whole Foods, Table Talk has long withstood the omnipresent building up of the Eisenhower Valley region. It stands short and proud amongst the brick stores, condos, hotels and business offices.

Inside, two dining areas and a (fully stocked) small bar reside within the weathered interior, adorned with live ivy and old ceiling frescoes. The atmosphere is lightened by the large windows and gentle prices.

A simple breakfast menu offers continental fare, omelets, french toast, hash browns, fruits, an interesting creamed beef (note , I didn't say "chipped" beef) and all the meat sides you could want. Today, I ordered one egg, ham, hash browns and bread of choice for $5.45.

For under $6, this platter offered practically a whole ham steak, a perfectly poached egg, hash browned potatoes with onion and plenty of paprika, and two buttered pieces of rye toast.

This, is a diner breakfast!

Go for the cheap food. The atmosphere is ultimately friendly, albeit a bit loud, and the place has a real neighborhood vibe from business persons starting their day, to church-goers gathering after worship.

Table Talk Restaurant

1623 Duke St.

Alexandria, VA 22303

(703) 548-3989

Map It!

Powder your nose: decent

Credit Cards: Yes

Summer's Last Call: Peaches, Nectarines, Corn and Tomatoes

2007-09-06T18:51:00.000-04:00

Summer is waning despite the heat and humidity here today. I'm looking forward to fall and all the soups, stews and braises I'll be making. Over the next few weeks the produce will change at the markets so preserve, can and freeze what you can. Before long, we'll be talking about asparagus and ramps in the Spring! That's the best part of eating locally. It's like the seasons; they change and each one is special in their own way.
Here's a last hooray! for summer fruit.

Nectarine, sour cherry and blueberry cobbler.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, 1/4 cup
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
4-5 cups fruit total (use any you have on hand; frozen and thawed fruit works well too)
3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

In a 9x13 inch pan, melt the butter.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk and baking powder. Pour over butter.
Spread fruit evenly on top.
Dust with remaining 3/4 cup sugar.

Bake on middle rack of oven 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Don't forget the ice cream!

Market Salamander - Middleburg, VA

2007-09-06T10:31:00.000-04:00

My shoulders relaxed and my breathing became a bit deeper as we traversed the limits of the beltway and headed west on I-66 towards Loudon County. As strip malls gave way to suburban sprawl, we crossed Rt. 15 and the country opening itself up to us. Pastoral roads punctuated by horse farms and antique shops funneled us directly into Middleburg, VA. A town where land originally sold for $2.50 an acre has become known as the "Horse and Hunt Capital" and is home to long time locals as well as well heeled Washingtonians and celebrities such as Robert Duvall and well, Wendy Pepper.

A day trip to Middleburg is an approximate one hour, 45 mile drive west of the Washington D.C. Parking is plentiful in lots and street meters. Among the shops, inns and restaurants is a unique market and eatery called Market Salamander. Resembling a rustic barn on one side, and with a gourmet market and open kitchen on the other side, Market Salamander offers a wide variety of items to fill your pantry and your stomach. Among them are cheeses, wines, olive oils,vinegars, butters and caviar. Amiable chefs work the open kitchen where a chalk board displays the sandwich and entree selection and the sides are displayed in a display case. Opposite is a refrigerated case with tasty looking confections and trifles.
I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and Frank ordered the crispy chicken BLT. The pulled pork came served on a warmed kaiser roll and was topped with coleslaw. The pork was tender and juicy with a thin bbq sauce that was tomato based with slight tang which lent a North Carolina bbq sauce note to it. The slaw was crisp and creamy, while not being overdressed and was flecked with slivered roasted red bell pepper. I chose the red potato salad side which was redolent of fresh tarragon blended into the creamy dressing. The potato chunks were large and perfectly cooked.
Frank's crispy chicken BLT came dressed with red pepper mayonnaise in a cheddar wrap. He had a side of the coleslaw and while he enjoyed that, he gave a bigger thumbs up to the potato salad.
We shared a side of macaroni and cheese, because let's face it, we were hungry and our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. A large portion of creamy fussili pasta was rather boring and bland. It needed to be kicked into adult mac and cheese status with the addition of more pungent cheeses. But for $2, we didn't mind.
With soft drinks, our meal came to just under $22. And we were too full for dessert.
There is indoor and outdoor seating. We sat outdoors on the side porch and enjoyed people watching. In back a delightful pergola covered terrace offerd more al fresco eating and we noted that dogs were welcome, and pampered actually!
So, perhaps next time we take a trip to lovely Middleburg we'll take one of our pups along to stroll the streets and enjoy a sandwich. I know I'm going back for the pulled pork.....you had me at "hello".

Market Salamander
200 West Washington St.
P.O. Box 2082
Middleburg, VA 20118
Map it!
Phone (540) 687-8011
www.market-salamander.com
Powder your nose: Sorry, skipped the ladies room here.
Credit Cards: yes
Additional notes: Market Salamander also offers cooking classes, afternoon tea and catering.

At the Del Ray Farmers Market

2007-09-05T10:51:00.000-04:00

The Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, VA is a slice of main street America, a mere 5 miles from the nation's capital. This bungalow filled walkable town is how neighborhoods used to be, before we all needed our "space" and 3 car garages. Front porches are close to the street and people can be seen milling about on their way to Mt. Vernon Avenue, or just chatting with neighbors. Independent stores line said Avenue with restaurants, shops and services. There is not a Starbucks to be found here *collective gasp*. And I say, good for them!
Each Saturday from spring through fall, the Del Ray Market is open from 8am to 12pm, at the corner of Mount Vernon and Oxford. The small parking lot accommodates about 15 or so vendors selling produce, meats, pastas, cheeses as well as savory and sweet baked goods. A special shout out goes to Marcella's Bakery stand for their beef or chicken saltenas!
Folks gather on the grass along the sidewalk to talk with neighbors and rest with their dogs. The ratio of dogs to "no pets allowed signs" is about 3:1. No dogs go into the parking lot, but they are well tolerated just outside the perimeter. Well, just see below!
We had a lovely morning at the market with two of our dogs (black and white one) and took a short ride over to Old Town to enjoy our saltenas by the Potomac River. Enjoy!

Patatas Bravas: My Version (or..what to do with those leftover mashed potatoes)

2007-09-03T12:34:00.000-04:00

Patatas Bravas (fierce potatoes) is a Spanish tapas dish made with fried cubed potatoes served with a spicy tomato sauce and aioli. With smashed yukon gold potatoes leftover from a previous dinner, I made potato pancakes reminiscent of this tasty dish. My other favorite way to eat potato pancakes is with sour cream or applesauce. It's one of my favorite breakfasts!

To 2 cups of smashed potatoes, I added 1/3 cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, a tablespoon of dried thyme, 2 eggs and some kosher salt. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. I dropped 2 large tablespoon dollops into a medium high pan with 3 tablespoons of hot vegetable oil. After the first side browned nicely and the potatoes set, I turned and browned the other side. The potato pancakes were placed on a paper towel to drain.

For the aioli, I added to my mini food processor: 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, a pinch of saffron, 1/2 zested lemon, juice from 1/2 lemon and one clove garlic. I blended until it was a smooth paste and added salt to taste.
*note* this is more of a method than a recipe-you may alter the amounts to get your batter just right.
Here's the process ending with the "patatas bravas" topped with the aioli:

The taters waiting to be recreated into something wonderful.

Frying up in the pan.

Tada! Crispy on the outside with a savory creamy center.

p.s. Thanks, Mom, for making these for me in your trusty Revereware pan.

Poll Results: How often do you go to the farmers markets?

2007-09-03T11:14:00.000-04:00

Thanks everyone for participating in the poll! I was happy to see that 50% of the votes went for going to the markets once per week and one third of you go 2 to 3 times per month. Way to go! Here's are some links to help you find a market near you in the Washington DC area.

Fairfax County Markets
Fresh Farm Markets (DC, VA and MD)
Maryland markets
Virginia Markets
Washington Post list
Eastern Market

Chocolate Chip Nut Cookies from the Metropolitan Bakery Cookbook

2007-08-29T16:49:00.000-04:00

The Metropolitan Bakery has been providing Philadelphia and surrounding areas with handmade rustic artisan breads and goodies since 1993. Hailing from the area myself, I was pleased to happen upon this sepia toned cookbook a couple years ago. I've always been fond of Metropolitan Bakery's breads and make it a point to go to one of their store when I visit Philadelphia.

Most frequently, I visit their spot at Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market. The breads, pastries and cookies are among the best I've ever tasted (and I've been discovering and tasting a few here in Northern Virginia!). Most recently, I bought 2 large slightly crunchy cookies which were delicious. So, I'm on a mission to hone my baking skills with this book (among others) which contains over 100 recipes from rustic breads to brioche to cookies. Additionally, there are add -ons to the baking recipes such as jams, chutneys and spreads ranging from sweet to savory.

Today, I started with something approachable for me; cookies. Who doesn't like a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie, right? This recipe got my attention because it has nuts, which I love, and oats. But instead of being a traditional chocolate chip oatmeal cookie, this recipe calls for the oats to be processed into a flour-like consistency. Along with roasting the nuts and using, well let's face it, a lot of butter! this cookie turned out aromatic and crisp on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside. I'd put it up there with the best of them!

(Yes, that's 3 sticks of butter. Move along now, nothing to see here...keep reading)

I hope you like them too.

Here's the recipe. I altered it slightly. In parenthesis is what I used due to not having all the chocolate on hand. Frankly, I wouldn't change a thing. Feel free to use the original recipe, or my alterations.

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup old fashioned oats (I used Quaker oats because I bought a barrel of it at Costco)

3 cups all purpose flour, sifted

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup milk chocolate chunks (processed 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels)

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups bittersweet chocolate chunks ( I used 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels and it seemed like plenty)

1 1/2 cup pecans, toasted* and roughly chopped

1 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted* and roughly chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 large baking pans with parchment paper or non-stick sheet (I found the parchment allowed the cookies to rise a bit more)

In a food processor, grind the oats until they become fine like flour (1)

In a large bowl, combine:

ground oats

flour

baking powder

baking soda

salt

1 cup of chocolate chunks which has been grated over small holes ( I used the food processor again, pulsing it until the morsels became fine) (2)

In an electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each egg has been added. (3)

Beat in vanilla.

Place mixture on low and add flour mix until combined.

Fold in the chocolate chunks/morsels, pecans and walnuts.

Drop dough in 2 tablespoon portions onto parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between dough. Bake in middle of oven for 10 minutes. Rotate sheets from top and bottom, and the bottom to the top for even baking. Bake an additional 6 minutes. Cookies should be light golden brown(4). Transfer to cooling rack. Repeat until all dough is done.

*To roast nuts, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread nuts on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes(5). Allow to cool and rough chop.

(1) Oats before and after grinding.

(2) Chocolate morsels after grinding.

(4) Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugars.

(5) After nuts have cooled, rough chop before folding into cookie dough mixture.

Now being that this recipe made between 50-60 cookies - share with your friends!

Chill Out!- The Dairy Godmother

2007-08-28T17:27:00.000-04:00

The August heat had me longing for The Dairy Godmother's frozen custard. This Wisconsin treat is authentically brought to Del Ray by Liz Davis, owner, CIA graduate, former pastry chef and frozen concoction maker extraordinaire. With a Wisconsin pedigree, Liz creates wonderful flavors in addition to the omnipresent vanilla and chocolate flavors. Updates can even be sent to your email to draw you into her convivial, main street America establishment. Yes, authentic frozen custard not in a fly over state.

After our meal at Los Tios Grill, we wandered up Mount Vernon Ave. a few blocks for dessert. Large embossed windows make the inside awash with light. Muralled walls and picnic tables lend to an informal, leave your cares at home atmosphere. The Dairy Godmother is where people gather after they've shed their suit and professional countenence. It's light, social and welcoming. T-shirts, sodas and dog treats are also sold. I picked up a bag of squirrel biscuits for my 3 pups.

The chalkboard menu presents the frozen custard flavor of the day as well as several sorbet options. Frank opted for a chocolate vanilla swirl cup and I got the lime mint sorbet. The mint flecked lime sorbet was a great way to top off a Mexican meal. It sure made the walk back a lot cooler!

The Dairy Godmother is closed on Tuesdays. Hours of operation vary seasonally.

Check out the Custard Cam and Liz's great explanation about what frozen custard is as opposed to ice cream and frozen yogurt (and yes, it's the 10% milkfat that makes it so darn good)

The Dairy Godmother

2310 Mount Vernon Ave

Alexandria, Va 2230

(703) 683-7767

Los Tios Grill - Del Ray, Alexandria VA

2007-08-25T15:58:00.000-04:00

My usual stop for Mexican food in Del Ray is Taqueria Poblano. Overall, I hear mixed reviews about the location in Arlington, and more positive reviews of the Del Ray location. Our last meal (in Del Ray) was very good and I was tempted to get drawn back to my old standby, but alas my DH and I walked a little further up the Avenue to try a new place.
Los Tios is a casual Mexican and El Salvadoran restaurant located on Mount Vernon Ave., which offers indoor and seasonal outdoor seating. As we were greeted, the indoor space expanded before me as we were led into the rich Southwestern toned cantina . In front, there is a bar with a large screen tv. Two dining rooms, one behind the other, are painted with Corals and accented with turquoise. Noise bounces easily off the walls which are punctuated with Tuscan urns and large paintings evocative of a more light-hearted de Goya.
We ate early, before 6 pm (and no, my hair is not blue..yet) and were seated right away. Our waiter greeted us shortly after and took our drink orders. A basket of warm tortillas accompanied by a thick and chunky salsa arrived in shortly after.The salsa vegetables seemed fresh in the thick picante type sauce.

The wide ranging menu offers favorites such as quesadillas, chimichangas, burittos and fajitas. Combination platters with rice, beans and salads can satisfy the urge to sample a bit. Meats and seafood platters are offered with a range of finishes from tequilla (Camerones el Cantinero) to their home style bbq sauce (Castillas Barbacoa).
I ordered the Pollo Mexicano. The thinly pounded chicken breast and shrimp were topped with a fresh salsa consisting of red onions, diced fresh tomatoes, cilantro and parsley The salsa was dressed with a bit of lime and perhaps olive oil. Accompanying the chicken and shrimp were white rice and steamed broccoli which retained a verdant color and crunch. On the side, I was served black bean soup. The soup had a nice broth with a hint of cumin. It was enjoyable, if a bit on the salty side.

Frank, my DH, had the Carne Asada Salvadorena . The skirt steak had a nice char, but not too much as to overpower the flavor of the steak. While not melt in you mouth tender (well, no skirt steak is), it was easy to chew. His yellow rice was combined with lima beans and corn, and sat beside refried beans. The thousand island dressed salad was basic but saved by seasonal ripe tomatoes and fresh avocado. On the side were 2 steaming tortilla which toughened as they sat absorbing moisture underneath the linen napkin they were presented with.
Both main dishes were light and clearly made with fresh ingredients where vegetables and herbs are concerned. The fresh and healthier ingredients left us feeling good that we did not weigh our meal down with cheese and sour cream. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. We do “south of the border” runs from time to time. Don’t judge us……..
Overall the service was very friendly. A salsa and chip refill came before we finished our first complimentary serving. My lemonade was also refilled quickly.
As we departed, we were sent on our way by the staff who thanked us warmly and held the door open as we left. It was a family friendly feeling. Speaking of family, there were many children of all ages, and highchairs were available.
Noise can be a factor if you want intimate conversation.
We opted to walk off a bit of dinner to get to dessert at The Dairy Godmother. More on that later!

Overall Frank and I thought Los Tios was an inviting cantina serving a variety of Hispanic dishes (abeit "Americanized" for the most part) with good service at a moderate price point. Dinner for two including 2 entrees, one margarita and one lemonade came to about $37 before tip.

We'll be back!

Website- http://www.lostiosgrill.com/

Location- 2625 Mount Vernon Ave

Alexandria, Va. 22310

Map it!
Powder your nose - The ladies room was a large, clean single bathroom with a diaper changing table.
Credit cards - yes

Eastern Market Reopens

2007-08-25T13:13:00.000-04:00

On April 30, 2007, the South Hall of Washington D.C.'s historic Eastern Market was devastated by fire. The Capitol Hill marketplace, built in 1873, is one of only a few public markets in D.C. , and the only market that has maintained its initial function since opening.

So in the early hours on that late April morning, when residents and merchants stood transfixed as they witnessed the near destruction of the market, the vow came from Mayor Adrian Fenty that they would rebuild. Nearly 4 months later, a new temporary structure, the East Hall, is up and running east of the South Hall.

The thick humid air did not keep an anxious crowd from gathering outside the East Hall this morning as early as 8 am. Mayor Fenty arrived to greet the patrons and dedicate the temporary market. With merchants surrounding him, Mayor Fenty thanked all who worked on, raised funds for and supported the Eastern Market and it's merchants since the fire late April. A tile was dedicated and before the ribbon was cut, Mayor Fenty reminisced upon first walking onto the scene of the fire. "The first person who approached me asked me if we would rebuild" remarked Fenty. "We will, I said".

"You'd better" she replied.

And they did.

As the crowded funneled into the bright, airy and air conditioned hall it became apparent that this "temporary" structure was built with great care and deliberation. Most vendors* had full cases; all adorned with fresh flower bouquets.Large banners hang high above the merchants and are illuminated by natural light coming through the translucent ceiling above. Wider aisles were teaming with patrons greeting vendors like old friends, exchanging smiles and words of welcome.

It felt like something small, but very significant, was put right in the world as I watch them purvey their goods.

It was a great day for D.C. and for those suburbanites like me who also treasure the market. The Phoenix really does arise from the ashes, replete in its' technicolor plumage as it begins it's new life. Community does matter and good deeds do go rewarded.

My reward? Well, for tonight a couple of flat iron steaks from Union Meats, and many more Saturday mornings at Eastern Market. I can taste the bluebucks now...

*Market Lunch will open in two weeks when they expect to be fully equipped. The long community table awaits.

Take this week's poll: How often do you go to the farmer's market?

2007-08-23T11:03:00.000-04:00

I'm polling for a week to see how many of you frequent the markets in your area. Feel free to share what your favorite market is and why in the comments section. Thanks for your participation!
Note: If you've tried to comment before but could not because you don't have a Google account, well now you can!

Sour Cream Cheesecake with Farm Fresh Blackberries

2007-08-23T10:20:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday at the Dupont Market I bought blackberries. They are still sweet and plump, so keep an eye out for them and enjoy while they last! Here's a recipe for an easy and light cheesecake, with blackberry topping.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

1 tablespoon cinnamon

24 ounces Cream Cheese - softened

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup blackberry jam

2 cups fresh blackberries - or you can substitue frozen berries

Directions

Pre heat oven to 325 and allow cream cheese to come to room temperature.

Combine together graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. I used a food processor. Press evenly onto bottom of a springform pan.

In mixer, whip cream cheese with paddle attachment. Add eggs one at a time. Add sugar slowly. Pour mixture over crust.

Bake on middle rack for 45-50 minutes until set. Depending on your oven and size of springform pan, you may need slightly more or less baking time.

Mix sour cream and sugar until incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Pour over cheesecake and continue to bake 10 additional minutes. Allow to cool completely.

In the meantime, combine preserves and berries in pan and heat on low for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.

Pour berry mixture over cheesecake and serve.

Hint: make both cheesecake and topping the day before. Store covered in refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat berry mixture in pan or microwave. Serve berries poured over entire cake, or along side for individual use.

The Spanglish Sandwich - cue the Hallelujah Chorus

2007-08-20T14:51:00.000-04:00

When I first saw the movie "Spanglish", I did not take note of the sandwich per se. I was entranced by Adam Sandler pouring his beer blindly. I thought to myself "I wonder how many takes that took!" and "Mmmmm.....beer". Then I watched the movie again. I thought it brilliant that his character automatically plated his sandwich in food photo fashion. Slice, separate and let the egg run. I'm sure that was all Thomas Keller.

Speaking of brilliant, this sandwich has been dubbed "The World's Best Sandwich". It's really that good. I wanted to keep true to the recipe and ingredients, but wanted the sandwich to reflect the products I get locally. You'll see the original recipe below, with my local ingredients which I used, beside them in parenthesis.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 thick slices of bacon

2 slices Monterey Jack cheese ( Keswick Creamery Cheddar)

2 slices pain de Campagne (Atwater Bakery country white loaf), toasted

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

4 slices tomato (Allenberg Orchard salad tomatoes)

2 leaves butter lettuce (red leaf lettuce)

1 teaspoon butter

1 egg

Directions:

Cook bacon until crisp. Allow bacon to drain on paper towels.

Lightly toast bread. I used my broiler and kept it on until I needed it to melt the cheese.
Place cheese on one slice of bread. On the other slice, spread mayonnaise and layer bacon, then tomatoes and then the lettuce.

Melt butter in non stick fry pan and cook egg over easy. Keep it gooey!

Melt cheese under broiler.

Place egg on lettuce.

Place melted cheese bread on top,cheese side down.

Slice and allow egg to run!

Now go wipe the egg yolk and tomato juice from your chin!

At the Dupont Farmers Market- the future is almost here

2007-08-19T13:15:00.000-04:00

This week's farmers market trip was to the Dupont Circle Farmers Market. Dupont is one of a half dozen Freshfarm markets. It's held on Sundays year round.
Being the height of the summer growing season, this D.C. market was bustling today, despite the looming clouds threatening to dowse us with rain (which isn't a bad thing, we need it badly). Peaches, tomatoes and melons are still going strong. Corn was less abundant, however, I did purchase a type of yellow corn called Mirai™ (pronounced me-RYE) from Toigo Orchards®. To me, Silver Queen (or most supersweet white kernel corn that falls under the same moniker) has been the king of corn. But, this may change.
Mirai™ (meaning "the future is almost here" and "taste"), a yellow, white or bi-colored corn, was developed in 1992 at a seed company in Illinois. It's popularity in the USA is resurging now after being grown primarily in Japan, where smaller boutique farms would tend to and pick it by hand. With seeds once again available here since 2001, Mirai™ has become known for it's corn taste, sweetness, tenderness and longevity after picking. It can be stored for longer periods of time due to a decreased starch content. I have read it can keep in the refrigerator anywhere from 17 days to 6 weeks!
So here's the Mirai™(left) alongside a supersweet white variety that came from Lancaster County PA. The Mirai™ comes from Shippensburg, PA.

Tasting the two raw; they were both sweet and juicy. However, after cooking (shown below, with white corn on bottom) in boiling water for 2 minutes, the Mirai™ developed a depth of corn flavor that the white variety didn't. The white corn remained sugary and did not develop any flavor to speak of.
I'm fortunate I came upon this corn today, as it's lead me to rediscover what corn should taste like; it ought to retain the flavor of corn and not forsake that for sweetness. I may even consider giving up the butter and salt.

I'm not promising....

King Street: The New Restaurant Row?

2007-08-18T16:09:00.000-04:00

King Street is the main thoroughfare running through Alexandria Virginia's Old Town neighborhood. From the Potomac River to the Masonic Temple sitting up high on Shooter Hill, King Street is lined with restaurants and boutique shops and services. Most every type of cuisine can be found including Italian, Classic American, Southern, Indian, French, Lebanese, Chinese, Greek, Thai and Seafood. The restaurants also range in quality. But, things are really starting to look up with the more recent addition of destination restaurants known for exemplary cooking, and quality, locally sourced ingredients.

Raising the culinary bar are Chef Cathal Armstrong and his wife Meshelle who own Restaurant Eve, Eamonn's A Dublin Chipper and The Majestic. Their trinity of restaurants ranges from a fish and chips pub, to classic southern American, to world class dining in Restaurant Eve's Tasting Room. The ripple effect from these choice restaurants is that other fine restaurants and chefs are looking to Old Town to join in King Street's abundant and ever increasing business and tourist appeal.

In the near future, this is what we can expect to see opening on and around King Street:

Hank's Oyster Bar, located in Washington D.C.'s Dupont Circle neighborhood will be opening another location at 1026 King Street. With the closing of the short-lived Bohio's Cuban Bistro, Chef Jamie Leeds saw an opportunity she couldn't pass up. A fall 2007 opening is expected.

Bookbinder's Restaurant, a Philadelphia landmark, is expected to open another location at 109 S. Asaph Street by the summer of 2007.

Sauciety, a modern American grill, will be a street level anchor restaurant for the new 4 star , 4 diamond Westin Hotel, now being built in the booming Eisenhower Valley. Opening is expected for October of 2007. Could this be Alexandria's Maestro of the Ritz Carlton Tyson's Corner, VA? Or perhaps CityZen of Washington D.C.'s Mandarin Oriental Hotel?

I hope so!

Cantler's Riverside Inn - Annapolis, Md.

2007-08-17T17:28:00.000-04:00

It's a rite of passage, a tradition and a tourist's delight. Although crabs are mainly associated with Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay, the entire D.C. and Northern Virginia region revel in summertime's blue crabs.
This is the time of year when most good crab houses serve local blue crabs. A good crab is heavy for it's size and contains sweet white meat. At Cantler's Riverside Inn they come with a liberal dusting of Old Bay seasoning, a knife, a mallet and brown paper for the table. Now, I'm not originally from this area, and any Marylander could pick me under the table with their skills, but I did manage to give myself a primer on crab picking before I went. Mainly I think, the give away that one is new to the blue crab is the use of the mallet to crack the shells. From what I gather, the mallet is used to smack the knife, which is over the area of the shell you want to crack.
Using my novice picking skills, I managed to pull out a nice amount of meat from my crabs. It
wasn't pretty, but I managed to get a few nice chunks dunked into the clarified butter provided and placed into my longing mouth.
We also ordered the crab dip and steamed shrimp. The crab dip had a lot of chunky meat, and was made with mayonnaise and a dash of paprika. It came with a Pillsbury-like roll which should be dashed for some nice crackers. With the generous portion given, you don't need the cheap bread for bulk.
The Old Bay seasoned shrimp were large and served right out of the steamer. This alone could make a nice lunch along with perhaps, a cup of soup. Yesterday's soup of the day was cream of artichoke with crab. Sounded good, but there was the blue crabs calling my name.
I couldn't resist.

Cantler's Riverside Inn
458 Forest Beach Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
Phone: 410-757-1311

Note: Cantler's has indoor and outdoor dining areas. Outside the community picnic tables overlook the river and docks. They are very popular and get busy on the weekends especially. There is one small access road to get into Cantler's parking lot, and it gets backed up. I'd advise that someone get out of the car and put your name on the list ahead of time, so by the time you park, your wait won't be too long.

Berry Blueberry Chocolate Chip Gelato

2007-08-15T09:56:00.000-04:00

Here's a cool refreshing way to beat the August heat and get your chocolate fix! This berry blueberry chocolate chip gelato was inspired by those heavenly but oh-so-expensive chocolate covered delights found at places like Godiva. Chocolate marries with berries so well. The unctuous undertones of the cacao and the tartness of berries is found with this gelato as well. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

1/4 cup blackberry jam

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, pulsed in food blender

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a heavy bottom saucepan, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender and mix until smooth.
Beat the sugar and the egg yolks in a large bowl with a whisk until thick and light yellow. Heat the milk over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan, stirring frequently (do not boil). Add about one-third hot milk mixture to sugar mixture to temper the eggs and stir continuously with a whisk. Gradually add to remaining hot milk mixture, stirring continuously with a whisk.

Cook over medium-low heat until mixture coats back of a spoon (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in blueberry mixture, and cool completely. Stir in chocolate chips and lemon juice.
Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

2007-08-12T12:48:00.000-04:00

The corn** from this week's farmer's market haul is white, crisp, juicy and sweet. It's perfect for making one of my favorite soups; cheddar corn chowder. This recipe is Ina Garten's "The Barefoot Contessa".

I think Ina is brilliant. Without any formal training, she built a gourmet food empire, has written books and catered, and has a successful show on Food Network. And, she has to be the best neighbor in the world. What I'd give to pop over her better-than-home-and-garden manse, and be a guinea pig for a new recipe!

I've tweaked the recipe just a bit to make it my own. I feel the additions to her original recipe give the flavor an additional boost. First, here's a link to the recipe. Now, I add a tablespoon of paprika in addition to the turmeric. I think the flavor goes really well and boosts the rich color. In fact, I would say simply skip the turmeric if you don't happen to have it on hand when you want to make this recipe. Second, I cook the potatoes about 10 minutes longer and use an immersion blender to blend about 25% of the cubed potatoes*. This enhances the creaminess. Last, I also add a tablespoon of thyme to accent the corn.

This recipe makes a great deal of soup. I've frozen it before with success.

Enjoy!

* Here's a photo instruction of how to get equal sized potato cubes. Planks, sticks and cubes.

First, place the potato on it's side and cut into 3-4 "planks".

Then, lay each potato half flat and cut into "sticks".

Now, cut across sticks to make "cubes". This makes quick work for cubing 2 lbs. of potatoes.

**To remove kernels from corn, without them flying 2 feet away, get a big bowl and place a smaller bowl, inverted, in the big bowl. Place your ear of corn and slice kernels from top to bottom.

At the Kingstowne Farmers Market

2007-08-11T14:40:00.001-04:00

Kingstowne market is one of Fairfax County's farmers markets. It's every Friday from 4-7, and is held in the parking lot by the Sunoco. There are about 15 or so vendors, many of whom participate in other Fairfax Markets, and Fresh Farm Markets. It's close to me, but it took me 3 years to realize this fantastic market was here! The participants are from within a 125 mile radius and must be the producer of their own goods. Currently, my seasonal market favorites include corn, tomatoes and peaches.

Allenberg Orchards in Smithburg Md. has incredible produce at equally pleasing prices. I am now a devotee of their cherries, peaches and tomatoes. I don't think I've tasted better.

In addition to heirlooms, Allenberg Orchards also had San Marzanos! That's going to turn into pomadoro sauce.

I've never heard of these, but they just looked so beautiful, I had to snap a photo.

Corn, from another purveyor, is in abundance. $.50 each.

Here's yesterday's take, except for a couple croissants and coffee cake from Cenan's Bakery.

Now, onto making that delicious Cheddar Corn Chowder, seen here. Stay tuned for the recipe.

Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

2007-08-09T10:40:00.000-04:00

Flank steak is a tasty and affordable cut of beef. It's suitable for a simple quick meal any day, or for entertaining. But, you have to prepare the steak in a manner which best accentuates it better attributes. I find that preparing it over searing heat works best. Tonight, I used a cast iron grill on the stove top to cook the flank steak to medium-rare*. I grilled the steak on each side for approximately 3 minutes, felt for doneness** and placed it on a cutting board. Then, as with all animal protein, I let it rest for 8-10 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute evenly throughout the meat. Slicing it across the grain makes each piece tender.

Here, I arranged the steak over a salad of romaine lettuce, garden tomatoes, carrots, celery, chopped almonds, sectioned orange slices and feta cheese. It's a great way to clean out your refrigerator! So, whatever you have and your taste buds desire will work on this salad.

To plate, arrange the salad, drizzle over the orange vinaigrette (recipe below )and top with sliced flank steak and feta cheese.

Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 cup orange juice reserved from sectioning orange

juice from resting steak (yes! do it!)

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1 tbsp. honey

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Place all ingredients, except olive oil, into mixing bowl and combine. Adjust seasoning to taste. Stream in olive oil while whisking mixture. Continue to whisk until emulsified.

*The best meat temperature chart from Martha Stewart. I have this printed out and keep it in my kitchen for reference. I find that going with the professional kitchen temperatures works best.

** How do I know how well done my steak is?

Here is a link to The City Cook. It beautifully demonstrates what I think is the best method of manually determining how well done a steak is. It takes some practice, but once you master it, you wont need a thermometer.

If you still want to measure the temperature of your steak with a thermometer, I recommend using a simple and inexpensive analog instant read thermometer or a Thermapen.

Sour Cherry Coffee Cake

2007-08-07T20:19:00.000-04:00

I already miss cherry season ! First, the Mt. Rainier cherries showed up at the markets. So red and yellow with a hint of sour balanced by sweet cherry goodness. I made cobblers and crisps galore!.

Next, came the sour "pie" cherries. Who would have thought sour was good? Oh my. These cherries, found at my local farmer's market and grown in Maryland, are delicious. I bought 2 quarts at a time, but when I realized the season was nearly over, I stocked up with 4 more quarts and froze them whole. I washed and dried them, then placed them on a baking sheet in the freezer. Once frozen, I store them in Zip-lock baggies.

Tonight, I thawed about a cup and a half for this recipe by running them under tepid water in a colander for a couple of minutes. I pitted them, and reserved the juices for the recipe. If you can't find sour cherries, use bing cherries instead.

This recipe is easy, quick and most of all, delicious!

Ingredients

1/2 cup pecans-- coarsely chopped
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour plus 3 tablespoons for coating cherries and nuts
1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sour cherries, pitted with juice
8 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/3 cup fresh orange juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°.Toast the chopped walnuts in a baking pan in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees.Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together into a bowl. In a second bowl, combine the cherries and the nuts.In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter until it is light and fluffy; add the sugar and honey gradually, beating the mixture until it is very light. Add the eggs, one at a time. With mixer at lowest speed, add the flour mixture (reserving 1/4 cup), alternating it with the orange juice.Toss the cherry-nut mixture with the reserved 3 tablespoons of flour, and add to mixer. Blend into the batter on low speed just until incorporated evenly. Turn the batter into a buttered and floured loaf pan (or use non-stick spray), approximately 10 x 7 x 2 inches. Bake the bread in the center of the oven for 45 minutes and check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should pull out dry.

Cool the loaf for 15 minutes in the pan; unmold onto a rack to cool down.

This bread is good warm or cold, and goes well with a pat of butter.

Pan Seared Talapia with Peach, Feta and Tomato Salsa

2007-08-07T17:11:00.000-04:00

This is a spectacular salsa to compliment fish and chicken. Here, it's served with roasted cauliflower and a cup of cheddar corn chowder. Let's cover the fish, salsa and cauliflower first!

Pan Seared Talapia

Ingredients:
2 Talapia filets, 6- 8 oz. each
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
flour for dredging
salt and pepper
Directions
Salt and pepper talapia filets on both sides. Dredge in flour and shake off as much excess flour as possible.
Over medium heat, place butter in pan and allow to melt and bubble. Once bubbling has stopped, add olive oil. When oil shimmers, add fish and do not move for about 1-2 minutes. When fillet is able to be moved without sticking, flip over and sear for another 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towel, dab any excess oil, and plate.
Top with peach, feta and tomato salsa. Recipe below.

Peach, Feta and Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:
2 ripe peaches, peeled*, pitted and cubed
1 medium tomato, seeded and cubed
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 small red onion, diced finely
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. light oil, such as safflower or cannola
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and let marinate for at least 10 minutes before serving. Can be made up to 8 hours before time. Store in refrigeratore.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients:
One head cauliflower
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Core cauliflower and cut into florets. Arrange florets on aluminum foil lined sheet pan. Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower and sprinkle salt and pepper evenly on top. Turn over florets to coat.
Place in middle rack of oven and allow to roast for 40 - 45 minutes.

*Peel peaches with sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife. Slice in half and remove pit.

Fire Roasted Salsa

2007-08-07T17:07:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

2 large hierloom tomatoes
1 small onion
2 new mexico peppers
1 cup cilantro leaves and stems
1 tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. spanish paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Roast peppers over fire ( I used my gas stovetop by placing peppers on grate) or under broiler until skins are blackened. Place in bag to steam for 10 minutes. Close tightly so steam can not escape.Meanwhile, cut tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds with pulp. Roughly chop onion. Remove skin from peppers (seed removal is optional depending on the heat level you want to achieve). If the skin is difficult to separate from the flesh, do this under cool water.
Place onions, tomatoes, peppers, cumin and paprika into food processor. Pulse until blended but not liquified. You want to retain texture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cilantro and pulse 4-5 times.