Archive for the ‘Foodie’ Category
DCBeerathon – An Epic Beer Crawl Comes to DC
26 Beers..26 FULL-SIZED Beers..26 Beers and 26 Bars..
Beer 1: Guinness Black at James Hobans
Beer 2: Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout at Science Club
The Crawl Begins..I attended the Inaugural DCBeerathon which was held in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, November 10th, 2012. I really had no idea what to expect – first time event in DC, but a record in NYC..we would see.. Let me give you the bottom line: it’s a beer tasting/crawl that takes almost super-human stamina and for some reason, I even believed I could visit all 26 bars and finish all the beers! Note to self: next time, skip the bars with Mega-commercial beers and go home after 14 or so stops – my body/brain was so overwhelmed just past the midway point, that frankly I’m not sure what I said or did!
I started the event a little before 1 pm at James Hobans Irish Pub just off Dupont Circle, and found a group of local beer crawlers who were willing to put up with me for a few stops. Since there were 4 different egistration bars, there was only a small crowd of people waiting to go on the tour – a group of guys wearing Uncle Sam costumes were at the front of the line, but they were really the exception to this event – most people were just regular un-costumed beer lovers, or people looking for a good excuse to try out all of these bars. I didn’t see anyone in running costume..during any point in the event..OK, it’s NOT a running event (at least in DC).
<Note: Rather than list all 26 bars and beers, I’m including the Event Course at the Bottom of this Post – click on the photo and it will be easier to read.>
Beer 3: Leinenkugel Seasonal at Mackey’s
Beer 4: Goose Island Honker’s Ale at Madhatter
Starting from Hoban’s (Beer 1: Guinness Black Lager), we left to go south on Connecticut Ave. and began cruising at a good pace with my fellow imbibers: Max, the Golfing Floridian, his wife Ammi (she wasn’t drinking — only with us for moral support!), Brent the Commercial Real Estate Wheeler Dealer, and a gentleman I’ll just call Mr. Navajo..I found out late in the experience that he was 100% Native American Indian..I may have said something about this, maybe something I shouldn’t have said, but frankly I don’t remember, and he was a fun guy to hang out with! The Floridians were relatively new to DC, so I was sort of the local guide – we had a course map that was frankly very well detailed, and having lived in DC for over 20 years..well, we didn’t get lost..at all..Our basic route was south from Dupont to Science Club, Mackey’s and then north up Connecticut Ave. and all the way up to Adams Morgan (The Reef was our high point..literally, we were on the roof after the walk up 18th St.)and then we hopped on a taxi and decided to go from the south part of 14th St., starting at Stoney’s and move our way north to 14th and U which had multiple stops on the same block..this is also where our cohesiveness as a group began to fade..I guess I wore out my welcome, but who knows!
Here are just the “Lessons I Learned” and Highlights:
–Our pace quickened as time went on – At our 2nd stop at Science Club, we sat down, chatted a bit and I learned about my fellow drinkers. The Floridians were just getting into the food scene here in DC and were curious about local customs. I told them about how craft beer was booming in the DC Market and how only just over a year ago our first brewery DC Brau opened up, and how many more had followed afterward. Once we all got to know each other (Wheeler Dealer and I both talked real estate for awhile – I once was a commercial real estate broker in DC in a former life until I Drink on the Job ), we stopped sitting down at each bar – rather, we would walk in, show our badge (which got clicked), get our beer, down it, and move on..efficiency is the game!
Beer 6: Dogfish Head Seasonal at BGR (substitute beer)
Beer 7: Peroni at Cantina at Darlington House
–Beers with more flavor became easier to drink as we went along as our taste buds became bored with flat commercial-style beers. So I’ll probably never get Annheuser Busch to sponsor my TasteDC business..oh well, I think it’s better to be honest..American style lagers begin to taste flat and almost like “lite” beer along the way as your palate becomes a bit fatigued. I also noticed that “hoppier beers” like Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA revive your palate and wake up your senses – almost like a cold splash of water in the face. Other beers of note – I had my first 3 Stars Beer – the Pandemic Porter at Stoney’s, very flavorful and not too creamy, more refreshing – DC Brau Public Pale Ale – I had this when playing Bocce at Black Jack (first-time – I beat Mr. Navajo, and he was Pissed!) – the hops really revived me and gave me needed energy!
–You Have to Eat Along the Way. I had mixed feelings about eating and drinking beer – this tends to put me right to sleep, so I ate lunch before I left. Still, in the spirit of sharing, everyone bought food and shared like the Sliders that Mr. Navajo provided to us at BGR’s – grease is good, and BTW – their onion rings are HUGE and real vidalia onions..some of the best I’ve ever had! We also all grabbed a big slice of Pizza once we were on 14th & U – that was good and needed sustenance..
PBR (sub for Kona Longboard) at 1905 Roofdeck
–After the first few beers, I began drinking a few swigs out of the glass, often leaving half the beer. Hey, it was impossible to stay sober, but why waste yourself with bad/boring beer? I began to notice that beer was tasting like water near the end – which was around 10 pm when everyone split-up – and the final beer I had, a PBR (1905 ran out of Kona..I think?)..couple sips..need I say more?
–At some point, a certain mental lunacy sets in where you stop really being aware, and go on instincts.
Even good people go looney after 15-20 beers, multiple bars, and 10 hours on your feet. I think it was at Alero on U St. where the volume went way up on the music and Wheeler Dealer starting hitting on a woman, and her girlfriend laid into him – this is why Saturday nights are a really bad time to go drinking in bars – it seems that everyone holds back the whole week to let go..I think this is when the group lost cohesiveness and I said some things I shouldn’t have said ( who me??) and the group split up.
–The point of DCBeerathon is to have fun – it’s not a game to win. Considering that I spent over 9 hours walking, talking, drinking, and eating with 4 people I barely knew, it’s amazing that we all got along..and had a pretty good time at it! My conclusion is this is a fun event for people who enjoy beer, a little partying, but also a unique way to see DC our city. Everyone wants to experience a city in their own way, and I would definitely do Beerathons in their other cities which now include Houston, NYC and Savannah, Georgia..maybe this could be done with wine and whiskey too, who knows – Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
P.S. Almost forgot..I actually completed “getting” 24 beers out of the 26 stops AND I actually stopped at the 25th stop which was JoJo’s, but I never got a beer – the place was so crowded from the band, so I just hung out and sobered up a bit..oh, I missed The Codmother, which would have been 26..
Thanksgiving Turkey 2012: Where To Get Your Local Gobbler
Heritage Turkeys are Gobble, Gobble Good!
So you wanna buy a local Turkey for your Thanksgiving – maybe you want a Heritage Turkey too? Below is a Listing of various Heritage and Natural Turkey Sites and places to purchase them in the DC, VA, and MD Area. TasteDC obtained this information primarily from 2 articles: Foodshed Turkey Guide 2012 and the Washington Post: Where to Buy Fresh Local Turkeys in the Washington Area. I tried to add more information where possible including direct contact with the producers. An important Note: You MUST pre-order a few weeks in advance for most of these retailers and there are VERY limited allocations of certain breeds of birds – remember, they have to plan many months in advance – a Heritage Bird is a living animal that has to be fed for many months before it can be harvested and put on your table!
Foodshed Turkey Guide 2012
Roast a local turkey this year and your farmer will gives thanks for YOU.
Happy, healthy locally raised turkeys make better Thanksgiving entrees than those weird, bloated, and watery orbs with pop-up buttons in them. Plus, real turkeys are better for the environment and the local economy. Here is an evolving list of fresh turkey sources in the region; we’re constantly adding new ones as purveyors and farms contact us, so check back!
Belle Meade Farm
353 F.T. Valley Road
Sperryville, VA 22740
(540)987-9748
www.bellemeade.net/pages/farm.php
[email protected]
Best way to order: e-mail. Turkeys often sell out! Order early!
Payment : cash or check
Avery’s Branch Farms
16923 Genito Rd.
Amelia, VA 23002
(804)561-1930
www.averysbranchfarms.com
[email protected]
Best way to order: online reservation
Payment: Cash or checks are preferred.
Ayrshire Farm
Home Farm Store
1 East Washington Street
(Route 50)
Middleburg, VA 20117
540-592-7018 x1006
www.ayrshirefarm.com/AyrshireFarm/AFHome.html
Best way to order: online or by phone
From Washington Post Article: AYRSHIRE FARM/HOME FARM STORE
1 E. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-687-8882.
www.ayrshirefarm.com
What’s for sale: USDA-certified-organic, humane-certified heritage breeds. Brined, oven-ready.
Price per bird: $95, 8-9 pounds; $125, 10-12 pounds; $195, 17-20 pounds; $225, 20-22 pounds. Turkey breasts $130, 7-8 pounds; $145, 9-10 pounds.
Ordering: By phone, online at store.ayrshirefarm.com or by e-mail to [email protected]; order by Nov. 16. (After Nov. 16, any remaining birds will be available on a first-come basis; call first.)
Pickup: fresh, Nov. 21-22, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; frozen, 7 days a week anytime with 72 hours notice.
Delivery: Overnight shipping via FedEx available through Nov. 14 for certain sizes only.
Contact: Customer service (540-687-8882).
Border Springs Farms
PO Box 58
Patrick Springs, VA 24133
276.952.5485
www.borderspringsfarm.com
[email protected]
Briars Farmstead
2535 Pyletown Road
Boyce, VA 22620
540-837-2554
www.briarsfarmstead.com/
[email protected]
Best way to order: by phone or by downloading order form from website and mailing it in.
Payment: check, cash or credit card
Charis Eco-Farm
3081 Shutterlee Mill Road
Staunton, Virginia 24401
540 886-8486
[email protected]
Best way to order: phone or e-mail
Payment: cash or check
Crowfoot Farm
Amissville, VA
540-937-4490
crowfootfarm.com/wordpress/
[email protected]
Day Spring Farm
21388 Steptoe Hill Rd.
Middleburg, Va 20117
540-687-6036 or 540-454-3145 mobile
www.dayspringfarmva.com
Fields of Athenry Farm, Purcellville, Va.
fieldsofathenryfarm.com/
$40 deposit required
703.300.5765
[email protected]
Haskins Family Farm
370 Buffalo Marsh Road
Middletown, VA 22645
(540) 869-3795
www.Haskinsfamilyfarm.com
[email protected]
Jesse Straight’s Pastured Poultry
5703 Wilshire Drive
Warrenton, VA 20187
540-349-3099
www.whiffletreefarmva.com
Best way to order: By phone
Maple Avenue Market
128 Maple Ave. E
Vienna, VA 22180
703-957-9348
$50 deposit required
Best way to order: email [email protected]
Payment: check, cash or credit card
Open Book Farm
10430 Rum Springs Rd
Myersville, MD 21773
www.openbookfarm.com
[email protected]
240.457.2558
Sunny Knoll EcoFarm
38907 Fry Farm Rd
Lovettsville VA 20180
www.sunnyknollecofarm.com
[email protected]
Best way to order: email
Payment: Cash or check
Tuckahoe Lamb & Cattle Company
989 Cartersville Road
Cartersville, VA 23027
www.tuckahoeplantationlivestock.com
[email protected]
(804) 506-4015
The Whole Ox
540-660-5535 (cell)
www.thewholeox.com/
Letter Directly From Whole Ox Butcher Shop in the Plains:
There are four options available for turkeys, all of which are free range & humanely raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones.
The first option is natural white Turkeys from Ashley Farms located near the border of Virginia & North Carolina. They are $4 per pound & come in three different size ranges: 10-14, 16-20, & 20-24. Ashley Farms is one of the highest quality poultry producers in the country.
We have two local options as well. The first is Whiffletree Farm who provide us with our chickens. Their turkeys are white hybrids and range in size between 12 & 26 pounds at a cost of $6 per pound.
We will have very few “British Bronze” turkeys from Ault’s Family Farm near Farmville at $8 per pound. These were voted best turkey in Britain for the last 8 years and will range in size between 12 & 20 pounds.
Lastly, Heritage Black Turkeys are $8 per pound and are a very old breed, probably the first to be developed from Native American stocks. Some of the first turkeys taken to Europe in the 1500’s were Black Turkeys where they became very popular, particularly in Spain. It is a naturally mating, slow growing breed particularly suited for the outdoors and produces a very flavorful and tender meat. These are raised on a small family farm in North Carolina and range in size between 12 & 18 pounds.
We will do our very best to accommodate the size range you are looking for.
We’d like to hear from you by the 7th of November and we will be sure to have a few extra birds on hand. Let us know as soon as you can so we can be sure to accommodate you. All other pre-orders are welcome.
We will need a credit card to reserve your bird and you can call us at 540-724-1650 to place your order or email the birdman at [email protected] Pickup of turkeys will be either Tuesday the 20th or Wednesday the 21st.
From Washington Post Article:
Where to buy fresh local turkeys in the Washington area
VIRGINIA
AYRSHIRE FARM/HOME FARM STORE – See Above
BRIARS FARMSTEAD
2535 Pyletown Rd., Boyce, 540-837-2554.
www.briarsfarmstead.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Broad-Breasted Whites, 10-16 pounds.
Price per pound: $5.50; $40 deposit required.
Ordering: By phone, e-mail to [email protected] or via the form at www.briarsfarmstead.com.
Pickup: Nov. 20 and 21, 9 a.m.-5 p.m, at the farm.
Contact: Matt or Ruth Szechenyi.
EAST LYNN FARM
19955 Airmont Road, Round Hill, 202-253-3737
www.eastlynnfarm.com
What’s for sale: Broad-Breasted Bronzes, 16-18 pounds.
Price per bird: $140 and up; $50 deposit required.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected].
Pickup: Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 in Georgetown or on the farm.
Contact: Georgia Basser.
FAIR OAKS FARM
23718 New Mountain Rd., Aldie, 202-253-3737
www.fairoaksfarmva.com
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Broad-Breasted Bronzes and Whites, 16-18 pounds.
Price per pound: $8.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected] or online at www.fairoaksfarmva.com.
Pickup: Nov. 18 and Nov. 19 in Georgetown or on the farm.
Contact: Georgia Basser.
HASKINS FAMILY FARM
370 Buffalo Marsh Rd., Middletown, 540-664-2441.
www.haskinsfamilyfarm.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Broad-Breasted Whites, 13-18 pounds.
Price per pound: $6.50 if picked up in Leesburg, the Palisades or Crystal City; $6 if picked up at the farm; $25 deposit required.
Ordering: At farmers markets in Crystal City, Leesburg or the Palisades; by phone; or by e-mail to [email protected].
Pickup: Nov. 17 in Leesburg, 9 a.m.-noon; Nov. 18 at the Palisades farmers market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Nov. 19 at the farm, 3-6 p.m.; Nov. 20 at the Crystal City farmers market, 3-7 p.m.
Contact: Robert Haskins.
Ecofriendly Foods
3397 Stony Fork Rd., Moneta, 540-297-9582.
ecofriendly.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Old Country Broad-Breasted Bronzes, 18-25 pounds; heritage breeds, 10-16 pounds.
Price per pound: $6, Broad-Breasted; $8, heritage; $40 deposit required.
Ordering: At farmers markets at Arlington Courthouse and Dupont Circle.
Pickup: Nov. 17 at Arlington Courthouse, Nov. 18 at Dupont Circle.
Contact: Bev Eggleston.
***
Where to buy fresh local turkeys in the Washington area
By Becky Krystal, Published: October 23
Looking to add a little more local flair to your Thanksgiving spread? Consider placing an order for a local bird from one of the farms listed here. There are more producers this year, with plenty of breed and size options to suit almost any table. Several farms sell half-birds or breasts if you need something smaller. Don’t wait, though; supplies are limited, and small birds tend to go fast. For details about the farmers markets where you’ll be able to place your orders and meet the producers, check out our interactive map at wapo.st/markets2012.
MARYLAND
FULL CELLAR FARM
Jefferson, 301-639-9711.
What’s for sale: Broad-Breasted Whites, 15-40 pounds, and heritage Red Bourbons, 15-30 pounds.
Price per pound: $3.50 for Broad-Breasted Whites, $5 for Red Bourbons.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected] or at the Everedy Square and Shab Row, Urbana Library, White Oak (FDA) and H Street farmers markets.
Pickup: Several Maryland locations.
Contact: Kip Kelley.
GROFF’S CONTENT FARM
14930 Bollinger Rd., Rocky Ridge, 301-447-6148.
What’s for sale: Broad-Breasted Whites, 12-20 pounds.
Price per pound: $5.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected].
Pickup: At the farm or at the Georgetown (Rose Park), NoMa, Eastern Market (Tuesday), Mount Pleasant and Riverdale Park farmers markets; additional delivery to District and Maryland locations may be available.
Contact: Julie Bolton.
MAPLE LAWN FARMS
11788 Route 216, Fulton, 301-725-2074
www.maplelawn.com.
What’s for sale: Free-range Broad-Breasted Whites, 10-40 pounds.
Price per pound: $2.25 for hens, $2.10 for toms.
Ordering: By phone or online; order by Nov. 18.
Pickup: At the farm through Nov. 21.
Contact: Iager family.
Also available at: MOM’s Organic Market locations in Alexandria, Bowie, Herndon, Merrifield, Rockville, College Park, Frederick, Jessup, Timonium and Waldorf (price TBD; order by Nov. 17 and pickup Nov. 19-21); www.momsorganicmarket.com); David’s Natural Market locations in Columbia, Forest Hill and Gambrills ($2.49 per pound, $5 deposit required; order by Nov. 18;www.davidsnaturalmarket.com); Whole Foods Market locations in Maryland (pre-orders through Nov. 18, or available in store beginning Nov. 15), as long as supply lasts, $2.49 per pound ($2.99 per pound for brined); www.wholefoodsmarket.com).
NICK’S ORGANIC FARM
8565 Horseshoe Lane, Potomac, 301-983-2167; 2733 Buckeystown Pike, Adamstown, 301-874-4854.
www.nicksorganicfarm.com.
What’s for sale: organic pastured Broad-Breasted Whites, 15-27 pounds; organic pastured heritage Red Bourbons, 10-24 pounds.
Price per pound: $4.59 for the Broad-Breasted Whites with a $25 deposit required; $9.99 for the heritage Red Bourbons with a $50 deposit required.
Ordering: Request an order form by e-mail to [email protected] or phone, 301-983-2167.
Pickup: Nov. 20-21 at both locations.
Contact: Nick Maravell.
SPRINGFIELD FARM
16701 Yeoho Rd., Sparks (Baltimore County), 410-472-0738.
www.ourspringfieldfarm.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Broad-Breasted Whites, 14-25 pounds; Broad-Breasted Whites all natural, 14-25 pounds; heritage Narragansett, 6-10 pounds.
Price per pound: $4.50, pasture-raised; $3.50, all natural; $8, heritage Narragansett.
Ordering: Online; order by Nov. 11.
Pickup: Nov. 17 and 18 at the farm.
TRUCK PATCH FARMS
3201 Sams Creek Rd., New Windsor.
truckpatchfarms.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised Standard Whites, 12-22 pounds; half-birds also available.
Price per pound: $3.79.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected] or at the Mount Pleasant, Bloomingdale or 14th & U farmers markets.
Pickup: Nov. 17 at 14th & U and Mount Pleasant; Nov. 18 at Bloomingdale.
PENNSYLVANIA
ALDEN LESHER
Chambersburg
What’s for sale: pasture-raised Red Bourbons, 11-22 pounds.
Price per pound: $4.50.
Ordering: Contact Friends & Farms at 240-842-9121 or [email protected].
Pickup: Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 in Columbia and Nov. 21 in Timonium.
COULTER FARMS
964 Price Rd, Honey Grove, 717-734-1072.
www.coulterfarms.net.
What’s for sale: Broad-Breasted Whites, 14-20 pounds.
Price per pound: $4; $20 deposit required.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected] or at the Crystal City and White House FreshFarm markets (the White House market closes for the season Oct. 25).
Pickup: Nov. 20 at Crystal City market.
Contact: Kinley Coulter.
COUNTRY VITTLES FROM CRITTER HILL FARM
Biglerville, 717-677-9311.
What’s for sale: Free-range, antibiotic-free, all-natural white hybrid turkeys, 12-18 pounds, or whole bone-in breasts, 7-10 pounds; half-birds and parts available.
Price per pound:$3.95 for whole birds; $4.50 for the breasts
Ordering: By phone, by e-mail to [email protected] or at the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace and Farmers Market at Maryland; order by Nov. 10.
Pickup: Nov. 14 at the Farmers Market at Maryland and Nov. 17 at Columbia Heights.
EARTH ’N EATS
Waynesboro, 717-765-0150.
What’s for sale: Organic, pasture-raised, Broad-Breasted Whites, 10-12 pounds and 12-14 pounds. Available brined for an additional $5.
Price per pound: $5.50.
Ordering: Contact A.M. Wine Shoppe at 202-506-2248 or [email protected] by Nov. 16.
Pickup: Nov. 20 and Nov. 21 at A.M. Wine Shoppe, 2122 18th St. NW.
Contact: Meredith Donin, general manager, A.M. Wine Shoppe.
PECAN MEADOW FARM
357 Newburg Road, Newburg, 717-423-5365.
What’s for sale: Heritage Narragansett, 6-14 pounds.
Price per pound: $6.
Ordering: By e-mail to [email protected] or at the 14th & U farmers market.
Pickup: Nov. 10 and Nov. 17 at the 14th & U market.
Contact: Daniel Shirk.
SUNNYSIDE FARM
1865 York Rd., Dover, 410-336-9735.
www.sunny-side-farm.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised heritage Midget Whites and Holland Whites, 14-21 pounds.
Price per pound: $5; $40 deposit required.
Ordering: By phone, by e-mail to [email protected] or by sending a deposit.
Pickup: Nov. 18 in Towson.
Contact: Dru Peters.
NORTH MOUNTAIN PASTURES
201 Cold Storage Rd., Newport, 717-497-3496.
www.northmountainpastures.com.
What’s for sale: Pasture-raised, organically fed Broad-Breasted Whites, 10-28 pounds.
Price per pound: $4.95; $25 deposit required.
Ordering: online and at Silver Spring, Bloomingdale and Takoma Park farmers markets.
Pickup: Nov. 17 at the Silver Spring farmers market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.; Nov. 18 at the Bloomingdale and Takoma Park farmers markets, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Nov. 17 at the farm, 1-5 p.m.
Contact: Brooks Miller.
© The Washington Post Company
Chefs For Equality – a Cause Worth Eating For!
I have really great news for DC Fundraisers and Foodies in our Nation’s Capital – DC has reached Foodie Destination! OK, so maybe there are still quite a few events with poor food and bad drinks, but after recently attending the Capital Food Fight, the Washingtonian Brunch & Bloody’s event and Wednesday, October 24th’s Chef’s For Equality event, I noticed many of the same restaurants and chefs showcasing different sides of their culinary ability. The bad news is I didn’t get a list of dishes from last night’s event – I was spending too much time tasting, drinking and a bit of hobnobbing – but let’s just say there wasn’t a bad dish! What made this event extra Foodie was that there was also a Cocktail focus and some of the top Mixologists in our region like Todd Thrasher and Adam Bernbach went all out to impress the crowd.
The Evening’s cause was to raise awareness and votes for Same-Sex Marriage Rights in Maryland – since I support same-sex marriage but I’m really focused on Food and Drink Events, here are the details on the politics of the event from the Human Right’s Coalition. Also, Washingtonian had a nice article with some Chef gossip and the details on the political cause. Other Articles include the Washington Blade which mentions MD Gov. O’Malley’s speech at the event, Tim Gunn from Project Runway was a speaker at the event as well, you can read more at MyFoxDC’s Coverage. I’m all for political causes and fundraisers, but I feel it’s my duty to stay focused DC’s culinary experiences.
-
- Georgetown Cupcakes
-
- Chef Michel Richard
-
- Dean Gold, Dino’s Restaurant
-
- Todd Thrasher, TNT/PX Restaurant/The Majestic/Society Fair/Virtue Feed & Grain
-
- Chef Alli Sosna, Allison Sosna Group / Microgreens
Below is a list of participating chefs and Mixologists as well – I was able to copy the links to most of the restaurants so it’s also a nifty way to find out more about each establishment. I’ll try to update the dishes if I can get a list of them, but alas, this is mostly a Publicity post right now – I REALLY like to include more food information – Cheers!
Participating Chefs
Find out more about DC’s top culinary chefs participating in this special event.
- Victor Albisu, Taco Bamba – is currently holding Pop-ups at
- José Andrés, ThinkFoodGroup
- Sebastien Archambault and Peter Brett, Blue Duck Tavern
- Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve
- Jon Arroyo, Founding Farmers
- Kyle Bailey, Birch and Barley
- Ian Bens, Juniper
- Justin Bittner, Bar Pilar
- Jeff Black, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
- Danny Bortnick, Firefly
- Devin Bozkaya, Westend Bistro
- Amy Brandwein, Chef AmyB
- Erik Bruner-Yang, Toki Underground
- Jeff Buben, Woodward Table
- RJ Cooper, Rogue 24
- Logan Cox and Alison Reed, Ripple
- John Critchley, Urbana
- Travis Croxton, Rappahannock River Oysters
- Noah Dan, Pitango Gelato
- Scott Drewno, The Source
- Enzo Fargione, Elisir
- Teddy Folkman, Granville Moore’s
- Mark Furstenberg, Bread Furst
- Georgetown Cupcake
- Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen
- Dean Gold, Dino
- Todd and Ellen Gray, Equinox
- David Guas, Bayou Bakery
- Thomas Hall, 901 Restaurant
- Scot Harlan, Green Pig Bistro
- Michael Harr, Food, Wine & Co.
- Jerry Hollinger and Zena Polin, The Daily Dish
- Mike Isabella, Graffiato
- Jim Jeffords, Evening Star Café
- Haidar Karoum, Proof / Estadio
- Billy Klein, Café Saint-Ex
- Ris Lacoste, Ris
- Jamie Leeds, Hank’s Oyster Bar
- Andrew Little, Sheppard Mansion
- Tiffany MacIsaac, Buzz Bakery
- Jody Manor, Bittersweet
- Dennis Marron, Poste Moderne Brasserie
- Jon Mathieson, BLT Steak
- Cedric Maupillier, Mintwood Place
- Aaron McCloud, Cedar
- Harper McClure, The Federalist
- Raynold Mendizabal, Fujimar
- Clayton Miller, Wit and Wisdom
- Mary Lee Montfort, Mary Lee’s Desserts
- Wes Morton, Art and Soul
- Terry Natas, Carmine’s
- Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro
- Nelson Paz, The Ritz-Carlton, DC
- Padua Player, Susan Gage Caterers
- Christophe and Michelle Poteaux, Bastille
- Nora Pouillon and Todd Woods, Restaurant Nora
- Leslie Poyourow, Fancy Cakes by Leslie
- Beau Ramsburg, Rettland Farm
- Michel Richard, Central
- Kimberly Robinson, Makin’ Whoopie
- Omar Rodriguez, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana
- Craig Rogers, Border Springs Farm
- Lara Stuckey, Fluffy Thoughts Cakes
- Peter Smith, PS 7’s
- Alli Sosna, Allison Sosna Group / Microgreens
- Emily Sprissler, Mayfair and Pine
- Nicholas Stefanelli, Bibiana
- Vikram Sunderam, Rasika
- Zoe Tsoukatos, Zoe’s Chocolate Company
- Jeff Tunks, Passion Food Hospitality
- Bryan Voltaggio, Volt
- Rob Weland, Cork Wine Bar
- Robert Wiedmaier, Marcel’s
- Paul Yeck, Jaleo DC
- Steve Yoon, Sushi Rock
- Demetrio Zavala, Lincoln
Featured Mixologists
- Adam Bernbach, Proof / Estadio
- Derek Brown, Passenger / Columbia Room
- Gina Chersevani, Hank’s Oyster Bar
- Jeff Faile, Fiola
- Matt Ficke, Columbia Room
- Jon Harris, Firefly
- Corey Polyoka, Woodberry Kitchen
- Michael Searles, Virtue Feed & Grain
- Rachel Sergi, Jack Rose
- Andrew Shapiro, Green Pig Bistro
- Colin Sugalski, Toki Underground
- Bryan Tetorakis, Rogue 24
- Owen Thomson, Volt
- Todd Thrasher, TNT/PX Restaurant/The Majestic/Society Fair/Virtue Feed & Grain
- Ari Wilder, Fujimar
- Rob Yealu, The Federalist
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
A Multi-Chef Event with Star Power in DC
Great Shindig at the Ron Reagan Building!
Capital Food Fight on Monday, October 8th, 2012 was a culinary party for DC’s Foodie Elite! This impressive event had a Sold-Out Turnout of around 1,500 people tasting, imbibing and nibbling on 2 Levels of the Ronald Reagan Building. What makes this event so different from many multi-chef events in DC was the Star Power draw of some big name Chefs and Foodie Stars: Anthony Bourdain, Padma Lakshmi, Carla Hall (DC’s own!), Andrew Zimmern and of course DC’s own infamous Jose Andres put on a show for the crowd around the cooking competition between 4 Battling DC Chefs:
Chef Jeffrey Buben -Vidalia, Bistro Bis
Chef Enzo Fargione – Elisir
Chef Guillermo – Pernot – Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar
Chef Adam Sobel – Bourbon Steak
And the Winner is..
Chef Buben!
I have to admit – I was so focused on tasting many of the 60 Restaurant’s dishes at the event, that I barely paid attention to the cooking competition – I’m a professional taster, and that’s what I do at these events – Taste! the list of restaurants was quite impressive, here’s the list of about 60 – Capital Food Fight Restaurants .
Ohh, and here are the dishes served:
1789 • House-made ricotta with fresh figs & Wildflower Honey
Adour • Lobster salad with cauliflower & céleri rémoulade, assorted macaroons & al tiramisu
American Tap Room • Bourbon barrel stout braised wild boar with pumpkin butter & pickled vegetables
Argia’s Italian • Duck confit, bean ragout with crostini
Art and Soul • Louisiana crawfish étouffée, preserved lemon, brown jasmine rice & scallions
Bandolero • Red snapper tostada – really woke up my tastebuds and refreshing with a good dose of salt to bring out the fish and other flavors!
Bar Pilar/Café St. Ex • Wagyu brisket chili with farmhouse cheddar cheese & scallions – Wagyu is so wonderfully soft fat on the palate and really made this comfort food dish work.
Belga • Celery waffle with orange duck in cotton candy – I didn’t feel like waiting in line – the cotton candy just got so much attention – food as entertainment I guess!
BLT Steak • Tuna tartar
Blue Duck Tavern • Mushroom tart
Boqueria • Roasted market carrots with yogurt, marcona almonds, citrus vinaigrette & cilantro
Boundary Road • House-made sausage & pretzel rolls
Carmine’s • Meatballs & eggplant parmigiana – funny how the most basic foods get oohs and aahs at this event.
Cava Mezze • Short rib stifado with roasted pearl onions & sunchoke puree
Central Michel Richard • Salmon croquet monsieur
Cuba Libre • Scallop tiradito with compressed strawberry, roasted corn, salpicon/sweet potate & micro celery – interesting how a fruit like strawberry brings out other flavors so well – this worked.
Dolcezza Artisanal Gelato • Lemon ricotta cardamom & cementine sorbetto
Elisir • Gorgonzola panna cotta eggshells with candied celery – great presentation and creamy, delicious dish.
Equinox • Truffled fontina & slow cooked cabbage with roasted chanterelles
Et Voila • Endive soup with hazelnut oil & roasted hazelnuts
Evening Star • Pumpkin soup
Good Stuff Eatery • Toasted marshmallow shake
Graffiato • Cured sardines & broccolini with preserved lemon & aged balsamic – sardines definitely wake up the senses at a crowded event like this.
iCi Urban Bistro • Rosemary duck confit rillettes with pickles on toasted baguettes
Indique • Crab papad roll
Jackson 20 • South Texas antelope carpaccio, mole de Colorado, local radishes & pickled tomatoes
Kaz Sushi Bistro • Mini temaki (sushi hand rolls)
Lebanese Taverna • Sliced lamb loin with pastry & lebneh
Lincoln • Braised short rib with bone marrow jam, pickled shallots & black pepper truffle biscuits
Masa 14 • Fried steam buns with Korean lamb barbeque
Mie N Yu • House-made pho with duck breast
Oyamel • Salpicon de reshilled, shredded beef, pickled onions, tomatoes & chipotle chiles
PJ Clarke’s • P.J’s mini burgers
Policy • Brisket sliders with oven roasted tomatoes, sunny side up quail egg, caramelized onions & black truffle mayo
Rappahannock River Oysters • Rappahannock River oysters & Olde Salt oysters
Ripple • House-made Lamb mortadella, squash mustard & beet juice – yep, it looked like mortadella!
Santa Lucia Coffee • Coffee
Taberna del Alabardero • Tomato surprise stuffed with anchovies
Taco Bamba • Pork tenderloin burrito, grilled avocado, white beans & picked jalapeno pistachio vinaigrette
The Federalist Duck • Sausage with mustard pickled cabbage
The Majestic • Sashimi, rockfish with soy-yuzu vinaigrette, daikon, ginger, cilantro & sesame seeds
Westend Bistro • Fennel smoked trout with apple cranberry chutney, saffron aioli & angel hair potato crisps
Hank’s Oyster • Oysters on the half shell with saki ginger mignonette
Gristmill • Shrimp & grits
Jackie’s • Local lamb stuffed nora pepper with smoked tomato
Shake Shack • Frozen custard
Taylor Gourmet • Hoagies & salads
And of Course lot’s of Media Coverage:
Article by Washington Business Journal’s Miss Frederick
Jessica Sidman for City Paper – 4 Memorable Moments from Capital Food Fight (Note: she mentions the man who paid $1,000 to eat Iberico ham off Padma Lakshmi’s collar bone!)
“Where Did That Iguana Come From?” in the City Paper
Fall Is Tasting Season in DC
Charlie Adler – Drinking on the Job!
With the new TasteDC site revving up (expected completion in late November, 2012), I thought it’s a good time to update the Foodies and drinks lovers in the DC Region on what’s happening event-wise. Since it’s the end of September, Oktoberfests are all over our area – even LivingSocial (our locally based Deal Site) is getting into the action with their Craft Beer and Food Truck Festival at the Yards in DC (September 29th-30th, 2012). Both Reston, VA (Oct. 5th-7th) and Shirlington, Va (13th Annual CapCity Beer Fest is Oct. 6th – Saturday) are having big beer fests as well in October, 2012.
A trend in food and drink events I’m beginning to see is a very big interest in “international” events like the DC Turkish Festival on Sunday, September 30th and the Romanian Food Festival on Oct. 5th – 7th – it seems that people in our area can’t get enough of new and unique culinary experiences! I’m noticing a return of the Embassies into the event sphere with the French Embassy always leading the way – they have their upcoming annual Champagne Gala on Friday, November 9th which usually sells out in advance.
The truly Hot area of food and drink events are the multi-chef and unique culinary additions to our Foodie landscape. 
One such example is Washingtonian Magazine’s Saturday, October 20th Brunch & Bloody’s Event which is located in an art event space that’s in the up and coming Shaw area – the Longview Gallery. This event is based on Washingtonian’s October, 2012 Cover Story about the Top 50 places in the DC Area for Brunch – I’ll be attending this event, so stop by and share your Bloody with me..or just say “Cheers”!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler
Meatopia..da, da, da, daah..
Great Video with fun theme song for Meatopia – held on Randall’s Island, NY on Saturday, Sept. 8th, 2012 – here’s the link too – Meatopia
Tasting Events in DC – June 25th – July 1st, 2012
Even with this heat wave, I’m seeing alot of food and drink events in the DC Region and some interesting cooking classes as well. I thought the Blog would be a fun place to post these events every once in awhile (until the TasteDC Food and Drink Event Calendar is completed in the Fall), enjoy!
Photo from 2012 Fancy Food Show
5-Course Belgian Beer Dinner
June 25th (Monday) 7 pm
Mad Fox Brewing Company, 444 West Broad Street, Suite I, Falls Church, VA 22046
Menu with Beers
Our culinary team, led by Executive Chef Andrew Dixon, has an exciting menu for our first Belgian themed beer dinner. We’ll have a 5-course meal paired with Mad Fox’s Belgian-style beers, including the soon to be released Abbaye des Chutes and the Witte Vos Witbier.
The cost is $75 excluding taxes and gratuity – seating is limited,
Reservations with a credit card are taken at 703-942-6840.
***
Gluten Free Wine Dinner
June 26th (Tuesday) 7 pm
Wildfire McLean, Tysons Galleria 3rd Floor, McLean, VA 22102
Join us for an evening of gluten free dining, featuring a four course custom menu, each paired with a hand-selected
wine to complement the dish. The event begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m., follwed by dinner at 7:00 p.m.
Guest speaker, Vanessa Weisbrod, Executive Editor of Delight Gluten Free Magazine, will be on hand to share her insight on living and dining gluten free.
Complete Menu
Tickets Are $65/per person exclusive of tax and gratuity
Make Reservations by Calling Elissa or Amanda at (703) 442-9110
***
6-Course Sushi-Ko Beer Dinner
June 26th (Tuesday) 7 pm
5455 Wisconsin Avenue Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Six-course menu created by owner and creative director of Sushi-ko, Daisuke Utagawa, together with beer expert Jocelyn Cambier.
The beer dinner is $85, all inclusive. Here’s the menu:
Edamame paired with Port City pale ale
Lobster and Asparagus Suimono (clear soup) with Brasseurs Illimites double porter
Flounder Carpaccio with White Soy and Truffle Sauce complemented by a surprise beer of Brasseurs du Monde
Honey and Soy Roasted Duck with A l’Abri de La Tempete Corps Mort
Spicy Broiled Mussels and Coronado Islander IPA
and a final course of Nigiri Sushi paired with Brasseurs Illimites Imperial Stout
Call (301) 961-1644 for tickets
***
Wine Tasting 101: Champagne Deutz & Maison Delas (Rhône) Class
June 26th (Tuesday) 7 pm
French American Cultural Foundation, La Maison Francaise, 4101 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007
Charlie Adler Shows How to Open Champagne
Our monthly Wine Tasting 101 soirées — with veteran wine journalist Claire Morin-Gibourg – explores the regions (Burgundy, Champagne, Rhône Valley, Languedoc and Bordeaux) and vineyards in France, as well as tasting techniques. List of wines for this session include: -Champagne Deutz Brut Classic, Champagne Deutz Brut Rosé nv, Champagne Deutz Blanc de Blancs, Cuvée William Deutz millésimé, Delas Frères blanc Saint Joseph ou Condrieu, Delas Frères rouge Hermitage; Also included: a fine assortment of cheeses.
Tickets Are $70/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
***
Chef’s Best
June 26th (Tuesday) 6:30 pm
The Washington Hilton Hotel
1919 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC
Enter through the “T Street” Entrance
VIP Reception for Sponsors & Special Guests, 5:30pm
Main Doors Open, 6:30pmMore than 1,300 guests will enjoy tastings from 60 of the region’s brightest culinary stars while raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support children and adults facing HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. In addition to a menu filled with one-of-a-kind delights, you’ll enjoy bidding on live and silent auctions featuring travel opportunities and other great adventures.
Tickets Are $250/per person (Table/Sponsorships Available)
More Info and Purchase Tickets Online
***
Sold Out-Whiskey Cocktail Making Class
June 27th (Wednesday) 6 pm
The Gibson, 2009 14th Street NW,Washington, DC , 20009
One ticket to The Gibson Whiskey Cocktail Making Class on Wednesday June 27, 2012 at 6 PM
Whiskey-blending tutorial with premium single malt whiskeys
Take-home custom blended whiskey
Tickets Are $60/per person
SOLD OUT
***
6-Course Spanish Wine Dinner
June 27th (Wednesday) 7 pm
Tuskies, 203 Harrison St., Leesburg, VA 20175
Guest speaker Alicia Geiser will showcase some of the delicious wines coming from Spain. Chef Patrick will be hard at work pairing these wines with his interpretation of Spanish cuisine. $95 inclusive
Tickets Are $95/per person inclusive
Purchase Tickets Online
***
Catoctin Creek – The Art of Summer Cocktails
June 27th (Wednesday) 6:30 – 8:3O PM
J&G Steakhouse Wine Bar, 515 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20010
Scott Harris, general manager of the award-winning Virginia distillery Catoctin Creek, will demonstrate how to make three whiskey-based drinks that are sure to be a hit at your next summer soirée. Guests will also enjoy paired bites and receive a gift bag of Catoctin goodies after the event and then show off your newly acquired mixology skills later this summer.
Tickets Are $41/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
***
Great Lakes Brewing Company Beer Dinner
June 28th (Thursday) 7 – 10 pm
Dino’s, 3435 Connecticut Avenue NW
Cleveland Park, Washington DC, 20008
The Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Mission Statement: “Great Lakes Brewing Company is a principle-centered, environmentally respectful and socially conscious company committed to crafting fresh, flavorful, high-quality beer and food for the enjoyment of our customers. We aspire to maintain our status as the premier craft brewery in the Great Lakes region and are dedicated to uncompromising service, continuous improvement and innovative consumer education.”
See Complete Menu http://www.dino-dc.com/2012/06/great-lakes-brewing-company-brew-dinner.html/#start
Tickets Are $55/per person exclusive of tax & gratuity
Call for Reservations 202-686-2966
***
Essential Knife Skills
June 30th (Saturday) 2:30 – 4:30 pm
Sur La Table (Pentagon City), 1101 South Joyce Street Suite B-20 , Arlington, Virginia 22202
One of our most popular classes, join us as our expert instructor helps students become confident at the cutting board with the chef’s most important tool. Students will hone basic knife skills and practice the fundamental cuts for vegetables—mince, dice, brunoise, batonnet and julienne—as well as learn some advanced techniques. We’ll also show you how to select a knife that best fits your needs, and share tips for keeping all your cutlery sharp and well maintained at home.
Tickets Are $59/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
***
BBQ and Smoking Cooking Class
June 30th (Saturday) 2 -5 pm
Culinaria, 110 Pleasant Street Northwest Vienna, VA 22180
TasteDC BBQ 101 Class Video
Summertime and barbecue – they just go together. Chef Mike will discuss brining, rubs and the various cuts and preparation of smoked meats including pork shoulder, ribs and salmon. Come learn how to make and, most importantly, taste some great BBQ and smoked items.
Tickets Are $85/per person
Purchase Tickets Online
***
Get Thee To a Valentine..
(Note: Updated on February 9th (Thursday) 2012 – will be updated as events unfold or get Sold Out..)
I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day, but like Halloween, it’s a celebration/festivity that has taken on a life of it’s own. And 2012 is no exception, there are just a plethora of Valentine’s tastings for both the chocolate and non-chocolate lover – I’m not even sure if the latter exists! Some quick thoughts on Valentine’s and tastings: if you’re a restaurant or event provider who wishes to really draw people in this time of year, any theme with chocolate, sparkling wine (especially Champagne) or some over-the-top rich dish like braised meats seems to bring people in in droves – oh, and also any food/concept connected with Amore, for example oysters and fondue (both chocolate and cheese work). It’s also OK to add terms like “seduction”, “decadent”, “aphrodisiac” and even “libido” to your menu descriptions which breaks away from the everyday norm of exclusion of these concepts – Valentine’s gives you as the marketer the right to explore the racier side of life..and people will accept and forgive you for about a week! Of course, certain cultures are also associated with lasciviousness so French and Italian restaurants and themes have a distinct advantage. If you have a strong combination of all of these themes and concepts, you can also expect a marriage proposal or two to occur – and hopefully, not with your staff!
Oh, and to make all this information just a touch more confusing..Valentine’s Day is officially Tuesday, February 14th, but many events list their date on Saturday or Sunday as “official” Valentine’s Day events – it’s a celebration of love and romance, does it really matter what the official date is? I think not..
I will list the major tastings by date (Note: if you’re just looking for a listing of restaurants that have multi-course dinners especially for Valentine’s, here’s a pretty good list by Washingtonian):
Thursday, February 9th,
Sommelier Showdown (as part of the DC International Food and Wine Festival), 7:00pm-9:00pm
Ronald Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest Washington, DC 20004
Tickets are $150/per person and can be Purchased Online
See top DC Sommeliers flex their knowledge at the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival’s inaugural Sommelier Showdown. Our experts will engage in a friendly tête-à-tête and compete in a race of the taste, using deductive tasting to identify wines with hidden labels.
To complement the wines presented, the Showdown will feature five of DCs most noted chefs who will be tasked with bringing food and wine together, including Chefs Todd Gray (Equinox), Xavier Deshayes (Ronald Reagan Building), and Jaime Montes de Oca (Zentan).
***
SOLD OUT-Savory Syrah – A Global Tour
7 pm
Chain Bridge Cellars, 1351 Chain Bridge Rd. McLean, VA 22101
Wine experts all agree that Syrah is one of the “noble” varietals, capable of making some of the most complex, layered and age-worthy wines in the world. But the kinship between a $10 Aussie Shiraz and a $70 Hermitage is pretty hard to fathom! So take a worldwide tour of everything Syrah/Shiraz can be and see if you can find some common themes. We’ll taste bargains from Australia and the South of France; classic American, South African and Rhone wines; and a couple of “big guns” from the Barosa and Cote Rotie.
This class includes seven wines, Syrah-friendly snacks, and take-home descriptions of each wine and region covered.
To reserve a space, email [email protected] or call 703.356.6500
***
TasteDC Chocolate Making 101 at Wanders Chocolaterie
How to Blind Taste Wine
February 9th (Thursday) Session 1: 6 – 7:30 pm; and Session 2: 8 – 9:30 pm
Adour in The St. Regis, 923 16th and K Streets, N.W., Washington, DC 20006
Wine Director Brent Kroll will conduct a sensory analysis on how to quantify wine flavors and origin.
Tickets are $60/per person.
Call (202) 509-8000 to Make Reservations
***
Linked In Reply to “What are the barriers to embracing slow food, local food, healthy food? It must be more than cost. Thoughts?”
Sometimes thoughts and concepts on food just build up in my head and get squeezed out like ketchup from a squeeze bottle (organic of course!) – here is my reply to a post on Linked-In in the “Slow Food” Group discussion begun by Eric McNulty:
Q: What are the barriers to embracing slow food, local food, healthy food? It must be more than cost. Thoughts?
Reply (Charlie Adler): Blame WWII..why? The U.S. govt. and U.S. industry came together in a form of Nationalism never seen before – the war promoted uniform delivery of food to troops – so if you came from Oregon, CA, Florida or Maine (the 4 corners), you would be eating the same canned foods, Heinz ketchup, Hershey’s chocolate, etc..food science could deliver non-perishable food to troops, why not to homes in the US? This is extremely simplified, but effectively, American tastes became homogenized, and Supermarkets grew with this new food production/distribution phenomenon..
I grew up with TV dinners, frozen pizza, and all kinds of pre-packaged processed foods in the 60’s and 70’s..ironically, even though today supermarkets provide a wider range of foods, more organic, and even more “nutritious” combinations, food has never been more processed, distributed from farther distances, and more weird food allergies “du jour” appearing daily by consumers – almost forgot, and more people overweight and on diets..Conclusion: Americans taste for food is chain, supermarket, convenience store, frozen, fat-free, Vegan, choose a label..
We have become our own worst enemy – the labels on food define us as a consumer – Slow Food has 3 strikes against it: “slow” is jargon for “stupid” or “wasteful” in American culture, “food” or “real food” is a foreign concept to the majority of Americans who eat Protein bars, and drink Energy drinks, and take dietary supplements, rather than actually get nutrition from a carrot or steak, and finally, Strike 3 – Slow Food is LITERALLY a foreign concept from Italy! Since Americans can’t even figure out why spaghetti and meatballs don’t go together, how will we as a nation understand such a philosophical concept as “slow food” unless we are seriously “Foodie”??
Conclusion?
Temper, Temper – Shiny Chocolate Needs a Temper
This a video from a TasteDC Exotic Chocolate Cooking Class with Rob Kingsbury discussing the tempering of chocolates. Tempering is a term both used in chocolate and in food preparation, but the word is used slightly differently for each purpose. In food prep, when you use the term “tempering”, it’s often associated with tempering eggs – if you add raw eggs to a hot liquid, they will scramble, which is usually not the goal, you want to incorporate eggs in an emulsion evenly throughout. Rob, who owns both ACKC on 14th St., in Washington, D.C. and Del Ray, VA, as well as Kingsbury Chocolates in Alexandria, VA, mentions how his mother made Chocolate Cream Pie by tempering eggs. When it comes to chocolate, tempering is about creating shiny hard chocolate which is snaps when you break it or bite into it. This is caused by the crystalline structure of the cocoa butter and solids together, for an intense explanation check out Cooking for Engineers on Chocolate Tempering. If you don’t temper chocolate, it just doesn’t have the appearance and crunch that most people like.
Here’s the information from the TasteDC class:
TasteDC’s Chocolate Temptation:
Class on Making Exotic and Unique Handmade Chocolates
with Rob Kingsbury, Kingsbury Chocolates
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Chocolate Menu:
-Chipotle Cinnamon Truffle
-Wasabi Orange Lavender Truffle
-Cosmopolitan Truffle
-Margarita Truffle
-Demonstration of a White Chocolate bar filled with Cranberry and Lime Relish.
Oh, and plenty of wine was served – Port and dessert wines go with chocolate, but medium bodied reds like Merlot do nicely.
Cheers!
Charlie “I Drink on the Job” Adler