‘The Common Man’ dropped into Againn (pronounced A-Gwen, a Gallic term, $$), a well-conceptualized and sophisticated Gastropub, tonight for a burger and beer to scout it out for future visits. Loved the large space with huge windows looking into the urban environment of 10th and New York Ave, NW. The bar was jammed so they accommodated me with the bar menu in the restaurant, thank you to the chef for going outside his comfort zone.
The burger tasted extremely fresh and is made from the Scottish Highland breed which has remained mostly unchanged as a breed for hundreds of years, which adds value to the already bloated burger scene here in DC, and also indicates the meat is not from disaster/gigantic cattle feed yards. The meat was great, but perhaps a tiny-bit under seasoned harming the caramelized onions as the beef didn’t meld together as well as it would’ve with a better salt balance.
However, everything on my plate (except I imagine the farmstead cheddar cheese) was house-made: the bun, the pickle, the fries, the ketchup, and the aioli which is such a simple yet amazing concept that escalates the meal by ten-fold. And I could taste it, absolutely made the meal.
Bottom-line: Go check it out. I’ll be back for the charcuterie as they offer a board with more house-made treats, and the wine list was extensive. I’ll probably avoid the bar menu this time even though there are other interesting selections, seeking out the more refined menu to see truly what the chef has in his repertoire.
Sometimes I make culinary treks…. Usually to find wine and cheese. I don’t know what it is. I grew up on government cheese and when I first started to enjoy booze I was happy with Mad Dog 20/20. Now I will actually plan a trip around finding incredible cheeses to enjoy and incredible wine to wash it down with. Especially if a charcuterie board is involved.
‘The Uncommon Woman’ looks at me funny when I shout “Let’s go get charcuterie!!”. Mostly because I say it all of the time. I once seriously proposed that for dinner every night we just eat charcuterie, bread, cheese, and a bottle of wine. Needless to say, it didn’t fly.
But I still get my way sometimes because I am a lucky man, and we get out to sweet locales that feature charcuterie whenever she notices that look in my eyes.
But last weekend I didn’t have to convince her. We were in Old Town, Alexandria with a couple of good friends and carrying a couple of afternoon glasses of wine in us already and “stumbled” upon the Grape + Bean ($$). This simple and comfortable place kinda’ blew my mind…
Grape + Bean at first glance is a wine shop with a coffee bar, but we picked up the menu and it was a charcuterie Valhalla. It was well-priced too. We paid $24 for a collection of five meats and cheeses. ‘The Uncommon Woman’ was the master at picking these while I belabored the wine selection because while the wine list is interesting, yet small, you are allowed to pick any bottle in the store and they add “corking fee” to it (more on that later)! I took my time going through each shelf, as they have the shelves ordered from lightest reds to heaviest (a nice method for any wine drinker, beginner or expert).
Finally I found it! A Kermit Lynch import (they have a ton of them) from Burgundy. A 2005 Pierre Guillemot, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Sepentières. We popped that baby and it was gorgeous. Nice fruit, but balanced with acid and a slight earthiness. As it sat it developed. Would have been even better after an hour, but we didn’t have the luxury of such time. By the way, $30 if you pop in and buy it. Could use another 5+ years I’d say for peak drinking. Yum.
Anyway, their selection of cheeses was great. Highlight was a Tuscon cheese that had the texture of ice cream, and the rosemary manchego to pair with the jamón ibérico.
The server was great… This kick-back red headed kid that was very talkative and knew more about wine than what one would perceive from his college-kid demeanor. We talked about many things including football, photography, and his love of the cheese. He was cool.
Because he was so cool I didn’t react to the fact that he kinda’ wasn’t clear when he told me they’d only add a “corking fee” to the bottle I picked out. The $30 bottle I thought might wind up being $35-40 wound up being $47. This isn’t a “corking fee”, they just adjust it to wine list prices I think. Still a great bottle, but we were going for afternoon prices.
So overall the Grape + Bean is a great hideaway off of King St in Alexandria worthy of the trek outta’ the city for a comfortable setting… and charcuterie. I recommend it for great cheese and an excellent wine selection. There are many choices in Alexandria, but I will always have the Grape + Bean in mind for afternoon bottles.
Stock is probably the easiest thing you can make with the most payoff. ‘The Uncommon Woman’ and I have been doing this for a long time now… Every piece of veggie end that we have when we chop up veggies for our dishes throughout the week goes into a bag in the freezer until the weekend when it’s time to stock up. Every shallot, onion, and garlic end; every skin from a carrot; every dark green top from leeks and onions; every woody mushroom stem; every celery crown; so on and so on.
We don’t even buy stock anymore, and if we’re forced to for a last minute recipe we’re never as impressed as when we use our own. This is great too when you have too many veggies in the fridge and won’t have a chance to use them before they go bad. We just chop ours up and throw them in the bag for the stock (‘The Uncommon Woman’ always reminds me to make sure the scraps are rinsed before going in the bag).
Our key too is our pressure cooker (highly recommended). Instead of several hours (4-8) on low heat the pressure cooker does it in 35-45 minutes. But of course you can still do it in a stock pot if you’ve got the day to waste away; it warms the house and makes it smell nice (if you do this make sure the veggies are covered by about 2-3 inches throughout the process, keep adding water if necessary). We usually make several quarts and throw ‘em in the freezer.
Another key, browning the veggies. I throw them in the cast iron skillet on medium-high until the veggies are lightly browned before I drop them into the pot. I don’t brown them in the stock pot because I don’t want the stock to be too toasty.
We throw in white wine and tomato paste at the end to add a little umami to the party.
Homemade Veggie Stock
Big Ziploc bag full of veggie scraps: Obviously the key is to have aromatics. We always have plenty of carrot, onion, and garlic scraps.
2 cloves roughly chopped garlic
2-4 thyme sprigs
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (keep the salt light so you can control it in the recipe you use the stock in later down the line)
2-3 bay leaves
2 1/4 quarts of water
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
It all depends on how much you’re going to make of course, this recipe yields about 4 quarts. We throw it all together (minus the wine and tomato paste), cover it with the water, bring to a boil then cover and seal. Once the valve starts exhausting the steam in a steady fashion we bring the heat down to medium-high and let it go for about 35-45 minutes. At the end when you take off the cover add the wine and tomato and let it continue to simmer for about 5 more minutes.
When done, strain the veggies out with a metal strainer lined with cheese cloth right into quart containers and either freeze or pop in the fridge for that recipe during the week.
NOTE: If you want to make chicken stock, just add the chicken bones or whatever you use, but keep the chicken to veggie ratio to about 3:1. Same thing. Also, we don’t usually put greens in there. The most we’ll do is swiss chard stems or something, but bitter greens will overpower it and also the green color greens produce makes the stock appear unappetizing because of the chloroform.
I haven’t had a snow day in ages. Now how better to enjoy it, and prolong the cozy DC-area snowfall mood, then to bake fresh bread and nosh on some charcuterie?
I’ve been doing it a bunch lately. I plan ahead by 12-18 hours, mix up the dough, and let it sit ’til the yeast has activated and it’s time to get it ready to bake. It is extremely crispy on the outside, and bouncy and airy inside. The key is to cut a piece and take a whiff as if you were smelling a good wine. The malty, yeasty aroma will make your mouth water… It reminds me of an incredible beer flavor.
I learned to bake bread from Jim Lahey of the Sullivan St Bakery in Manhattan. Here’s the original recipe from the NY Times.
And if you really enjoy it, BUY HIS COOKBOOK.
The recipe is so simple. I’ve added my additional comments and I’ve altered his instructions a tiny bit.
No-Knead Bread
Yield: One 1½-pound loaf.
Equipment:
* Two medium mixing bowls
* 6-8 qt. pot (Pyrex glass, Lodge cast iron, Le Creuset cast iron, or ceramic)
* Wooden spoon or spatula (optional)
* Plastic wrap
* Cotton dish towels (not terrycloth), 2 or 3
Ingredients:
* 3 cups bread flour, more for dusting
* ¼ teaspoon instant yeast, or whatever yeast you have, doesn’t matter
* 1¼ teaspoons plain-ole table salt
* Cornmeal or wheat bran as needed for dusting.
1. In a large bowl combine flour, yeast and salt. Add 1 1/3 cups water, and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rest at least 12 hours, preferably about 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. If your place is chilly leave it for up to 24 hours. Be patient.
2. Dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles, and it went from a dry to a wet look. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it; sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest about 15 minutes.
3. Using just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to work surface or to your fingers, gently and quickly shape dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel (not terry cloth, leaves fuzzy pills in the dough) with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; put dough seam side down on towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Fold the towel over the dough and let rise for about 2 hours. When it is ready, dough will be more than double in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.
4. At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (I use either my Lodge cast iron, or my ceramic-covered cast iron) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under towel and turn dough over into pot, seam side up; it may look like a mess, but that is O.K. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.
Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Carefully pull it out with a wooden spoon and a towel, and leave it on a rack to cool for almost an hour. You’ll hear the dough “sing” as the crust shrinks. That is the sound of success.
Next step, carve that bad boy up and eat it. Again, take your time with the first bite, smell it deep. It’s amazing with the sweet/malty contrast if you spread some fresh jam onto it. Or I’ll be using it for charcuterie tonight.
I tend to eat it in a day or so, but it should last in a brown bag on your counter for about 3 days or so. If it goes stale make bread crumbs with it by just throwing it in a food processor.
Buen provecho.
The Common Man ventured out of DC last week and encountered a southern culinary treat deep in the Yankee North
Cambridge, Massachusetts … it isn’t exactly the first place you’d expect to find wonderfully cooked and prepared southern food, is it? Until last week, I would have agreed with you. I myself hail from Boston, and when I go home I usually gravitate towards Tremont 647 or take a stroll down Hanover St. So what the hell was I doing eating southern food here?
Well, it’s no secret in Cambridge, but a little place called Hungry Mother, just off of a side street just over the river in Boston has found a niche and hit it big — and not just with the locals. In fact, Hungry Mother’s reputation has reached down to the south, and such writers as John T. Edge and the Southern Foodways Alliance have recognized and indulged.
But what’s drawing them beyond the fact that it’s probably one of the only southern joints in the area is Chef Barry Maiden’s dedication to classically inspired dishes, done with his French technique. Some southern purists might complain that his food isn’t quite “down home” enough. This is not exactly the southern food you would find at a typical Southern Baptist Sunday supper or in diners on roadsides winding through the bible belt. But it’s still food with roots. Roots in southern homestyle cooking.
When you walk in to wait for your table and see a list of snacks “to hold you over…” including boiled Virgina-grown peanuts, or Allen Benton’s Tennessee ham on homemade biscuits with a black pepper jam, you know you’ve momentarily stepped outside the Northeast. There’s something to spying the little bar welcoming you and looking up at the old-man bourbons on the top shelf and ordering a real cocktail made fresh by a bartender in an apron and a bow-tie. If you’re from the Boston you’re thinking, where am I? This is special… it’s comfort mixed with elegance, class mixed with irreverence, expertise mixed with simplicity. You feel somehow part of the southern aristocracy, even as you shucking peanuts, and you realize how lucky you are to have been lead to Hungry Mother.
But what’s the secret? The chef says it’s all about making food that he loves, just making every component of it perfectly. Starting from the bare bones. Of course lots of chefs pay lip service to the same ideals, but Barry actually ‘walks the walk’. When you’re crunching on a fresh baked crostini with corned beef and spicy mustard on it, you’re eating something that has been brined and cooked in-house, served with spicy mustard that was mixed with house-made spices right in the tiny downstairs prep-kitchen. There’s a reason Chef Barry Maiden was one of the Best New Chefs in the country, according to Food & Wine Magazine this year. All the way from Saltville, Virginia. I envy you, Boston/Cambridge.
So the southern connoisseur (which I certainly do not claim to be) is driven to test the chef, of course. “Bring on the grits!” he may shout. But he’ll not taste a creamier and more perfectly balanced cup of grits this side of the low-country. These grits are made with fresh, craft-made cheddar cheese and topped with tasso ham. The corn is ground by a very special producer down in North Carolina who still uses his old, porous stone grinder, giving the grits that homestyle texture any old-school southern traditionalist would absolutely crave in his grits.
Amidst all this food, it’s hard to even look up, but when you do, you see that Hungry Mother has a warm decor that gives you the feeling that you’re in a cozy southern bead and breakfast, but without a hint of kitsch. I delighted in having Thomas Jefferson watch over my meal and in perusing the pages torn from Virginia Housewife cookbook that covered the bathroom walls.
But you can’t help forgetting about the space when you’re enveloped in the food and conversation. It has a communal loudness, without being oppressive, and being comfortable in one’s decibel is wholly southern, as far as I know.
The Black Eyed Pea Fritters with a house-made buttermilk ranch and pickled kohlrabi says, ‘Hey, I’m fried, but not heavy’. Good frying is an art, and when you are eating southern, but don’t feel weighed down, something is being done right.
As you might expect, there is a northern element to Hungry Mother, because Chef Maiden seeks out fresh, local ingredients. His Deviled Main Crab skillet is made with bread crumbs and house-smoked paprika. The cheddar cheeses are from Vermont, and the house-cured meats and chutneys are all made in-house from local produce.
You taste it in the Berskhire Pork Loin too. Imagine a perfectly cooked loin, draped with a dry-rubbed, smoked rib to top it off. The cider reduction felt so comfortable, along with the smoked and cured bacon. I haven’t found pork like this in a long time.
Never have I tasted a New England bouillabaisse so craftily southern, yet obviously from Maine and the fisheries of the North East. It features local diver scallops, squid, oysters, and house-made Old Bay aioli (yes, he makes his own Old Bay) in a delicate broth as succulent as it is unique.
You see, while Barry is from the South and is inspired by the foods his family cooked, he has been adopted by New England, going to culinary school there, training at Lumiere and L’Espalier under two of New England’s finest French-trained chefs, marrying his wife there, and even having his first child in his Somerville locale. This is no fancy “fusion” though. It’s a solid tree, with southern roots, a classically French base, and a tall New England trunk, with branches even directing towards Brazil (exquisite cow tongues smothered in gravy on toast, ZOMG!), if you can believe it.
If I had to muster up one complaint, it’s that their wine list doesn’t feature any of the best southern wines you can find, from Virginia. Of course this is the fault of the state of Massachusetts because there is no distribution yet — a truly sad state. Fortunately, they’ve got plenty of French and California varietals, combined with some great creative options.
Save room to indulge more with an old fashioned chocolate layer cake (the twist? a light sprinkling of sea salt) or a big ole creamy slice of pecan pie with bourbon (!) ice cream. Wash the sweets down with a champagne-bottle of Brooklyn Local Number 2, Belgian-style dark ale, that is creamy, chocolaty, and caramely.
Another famous figure born and bred in Saltville, the confederate general ‘Jeb’ Stuart, was known for his cavalry skills, exercised under the great General Lee, and for his hardworking image that inspired southern morale. Jeb met his end at the Battle of Yellow Tavern. Well maybe Barry is not so far from his this famous native after all. He has a truly southern conscious that has been stricken by the north, and we’re happy to visit his tavern any old time.
Go North to taste the South. Your just rewards await you.
All Pics from Hungry Mother website
Full disclosure: I’m lucky to count Chef Maiden as one of my close friends, but our friendship doesn’t detract from my ability to objectively identify him as one of the top young chefs on my radar
Where: Restaurant Nora’s 2132 Florida Ave NW
Outstanding: Food Philosophy, Flavors, Atmosphere, Wine, Ingredients, Customer Service
Meh: Duck Croquettes
Awful: Nada
Absent: Nada
So ‘The Uncommon Woman’ and ‘The Common Man’ were off to Cleveland Park to eat at Palena, but when we finally show up, BOOM!, sign on the door that says “Closed for Private Party”… (Nice that it wasn’t on the website considering they don’t take reservations for the Cafe, but whatever…)
So we say hmmm, how about Blue Duck Tavern, and we race over to Foggy Bottom. Nah, no walk-ins until after 10! OK, let’s call Blue Ridge in Glover Park and Sonoma all the way over in SE Capital Hill: No and No.
OK, well, I’ve been dying to get to Restaurant Nora’s ($$$$) so let’s try to call them… I hear those sweet words, “we may be able to fit you two in”. BOOM!, catch the next cab and within 15 mins we’re sitting down (they were busy and accommodated us which was very nice of them).
And even though Palena is amazing, we were lucky to stumble into Nora’s. Bottom line up front, the meal was PERFECT, especially the wine.
Firstly, it’s not just organic… Whatever, anything can be mass-market organic these days, it’s becoming a buzz word. But they source locally as much as possible and cook seasonally. Their focus on sustainability is more impressive than the fact that things are “organic”, it was extremely impressive, and definitely my favorite so far amongst the other establishments in the area that share these principles. (The back of their menu is a great read about their philosophies.)
We’ve stopped getting several courses each (gettin’ old, gotta’ watch that over-consumption) so usually we split a 1st course then each get entrees. Last night we shared Nantucket bay scallops. First of all the plate was beautiful, and they split it for us without the request, which is always a nice touch. The scallops were cooked nicely, with a seer and a delicacy in the middle. The plate had a dollop of a strong-flavored lemon emulsion that cut the butteriness of the scallops when you dragged them through it. The roast cauliflower puree that shared the plate was perfectly smooth.
My entree was hard to choose… Sustainable salmon, or grass fed ribeye, or freakin’ slow-roasted guilt-free pork roast!! Man… I decided to go with the duck. Get this though: Cocoa Crusted Duck Breast with Duck Croquettes, Spaghetti Squash, Roasted Sunchokes, Green Beans, and very beeeeeeauuuutiful Maple Sherry Jus. Good God.
It was ridiculous. The duck was cooked perfectly. That bittersweet chocolate only added a great bitterness, no choco-sweetness. The skin was crisp, the inside was rare, and the duck breast sliced beautifully. The sunchokes were so smokey and buttery. And the summer squash was nutmegy. I won’t forget that meal anytime soon.
Though if I had a slight critique, it was that the duck croquettes were forgettable. I hate to say this, but they basically tasted like chicken nuggets. I was expecting a doughiness inside with pieces of shredded duck, but it was a chunk of duck, battered, and deep fried… Nothing special.
‘The Uncommon Woman’ loved her Wild Rockfish (and I loved it too). It was pan roasted with Beluga Lentils, Wilted (yet crisp) Mustard Greens, Roasted Shallots, and rounded off with a Lemon-Thyme broth for bite. They may have snuck in some roasted leeks on top too.
And let me tell you about the wine… Jackpot. $48 for one of the best Willamette Pinot makers I’ve had in a couple years, organically produced Evesham Wood 2008. It made me melt (I’m considering seeking out a case). I was expecting only nice fruits like typical $50 price-point Pinots and was pleasantly surprised by extra aromas of anise, vanilla, and a soft brown-butteriness. Yum. It tasted even better with elegant fruitiness (not candy-juicy at all) and nice structure. That butteriness that we smelled was on the palate too, and the finish was long. It was amazing. I was trying to strike the balance between savoring it and taking it down since it was so good.
For dessert we split a slice of house-made pumpkin pie. It was nice, creamy, and fresh! And the maple ice cream that balanced the plate was full of flavor. Insane.
The server seemed a little weeded, but he did a fine job, including checking on us, etc. And we were placed in the upstairs dining room which is gorgeous and kind of quiet so it was nice.
I would recommend Restaurant Nora’s for anyone who loves food whether you care about food issues or not. Nora Pouillon has it down, and apparently has for a long time (claimed to be the first certified organic spot in the US, so she was pioneering way back when). Of course I reveal no new news. Her reputation has been established long before I even knew what brown butter was. I only hope to help solidify that reputation more amongst those who trust my impressions.
This is my new favorite place in DC, hands down. But make a reservation, we got lucky.
On the way back from a wine-tasting soiree in Loudoun County on Saturday, I convinced my friends and ‘The Uncommon Woman’ to try the new Afghan Kabob House in Arlington on the way back into the district. I wasn’t ready to give it a full review, so here is my Tyler Cowen-esque short post on it:
It was good all around, with a huge selection. Everything was seasoned nicely, and spiced well. They even had Qoboli Palao as a side, along with the Badenjan, both came with my lamb kabob. And I loved the well-done, crispy/soft Afghan bread.
One of the best I’ve had in VA. Everyone in my group loved it.
Not out and about, but right in the good ‘ole home. ‘The Uncommon Woman’ made an awesome pie for me one night, scrapped together with late-summer veggies we had kickin’ around from our CSA. And it turned out to be the best homemade pizza we’ve made… And we’ve made a lot.
But I also realized that I am officially fat. Fat because I’ll eat like 5+ pieces until she smacks my hand. But seriously, it’s one of the best veggie pies my meat-eater mouth has tasted. What’s the secret to the meatiness? Roasted zucchini… It adds a nice meaty quality, without the guilt. I made her write it down, and we’re sharing it…
Warning: It is a little time consuming, but it’s sooo worth it. Stuff can be done in the background while chillin’ out.
BEST PIZZA EVER
Sauce:
1 large zucchini, diced
1 large red pepper, halved
tomatoes (20-odd grape, or equivalent)
half a large onion, roughly chopped
1 shallot, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
Crust:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Toppings:
half REAL water buffalo mozzarella ball, sliced into rounds (the difference is noticeable)
1 cup shredded mozzarella
Toss zucchini, onion, shallot, and garlic with tomatoes, olive oil, dry herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Roast at 425 degrees for about half an hour, tossing every 15 minutes.
Once the tomatoes start to pop, pull them out and put in blender or food processor with juice that has accumulated.
Roast the rest for about another 15 minutes or until the pepper will peel easily. Take out half of the pepper. Peel it. Add peeled pepper and garlic to tomatoes and puree. This will be the red sauce.
Slice the other half of the pepper.
Toss some flour on the table and roll out your dough (we get ours for like $2 at Harris Teeter). Brush pizza dough with the some olive oil (add more chili flakes if you like more spice). Spread red sauce on pie. Add toppings (zucchini/onion/shallot mixture, and red pepper slices). Add salt & pepper to taste, if desired. Top with slices of mozzarella ball and cover with shredded mozzarella.
Bake at 425 until crust is golden brown.
I think it’s really all about that roasted red pepper, and roasted garden grape tomato sauce that kicks this pie into the ‘awesome’ category.
And right now is about the time when there is an abundance of these things (zucchini, tomatoes, red peppers) that need to be cooked.
In honor of the beginning of football season and the beginning of baseball postseason, I thought a healthy, veggie side would be a great addition to the fall food discourse. So, instead of just using sports references to describe ‘The Uncommon Woman’s’ cooking this week, I thought I’d share what she tossed together. (My writing may be a little kitschy today, so forgive me)
We were looking for a great, healthy recipe where we could use these late summer/early fall veggies that we get from our CSA and sometimes we find ‘winners’, sometimes we ’strike out’. But ‘The Uncommon Woman’ ‘hit it out of the park’ with a huge bowl of seasonal goodness that is going into the book and will be served on the side during football and baseball games each summer/fall.
Our fridge and counter spaces have been packed with an abundance of sweet potatoes and fresh corn from our farm. Throw in some basil (which we’ve gotten EVERY week since July because one of his farm hands decided to plant more than enough for the season) and shallots and we’ve got a ‘homerun’ of a side for this month’s goods.
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 ears of corn, kernels sliced from the cob
5 T. canola oil
2 T. fresh lime juice (or any other bright acid that you enjoy)
1/2 finely chopped shallot
2 t. cayenne pepper chili powder
8-10 leaves julienned fresh basil
salt & pepper
In a large bowl whisk together the lime juice, shallots, cayenne chili powder, salt, and pepper. Then emulsify the oil into it, one tablespoon at a time. Once you get a nice vinaigrette put it aside to meld flavors.
Boil water, then add the diced potatoes and boil for about 5 minutes or so. Add the corn for about a minute more and drain.
Toss the chopped basil and potato mixture around with the dressing and serve as a heaping side dish to some veggie or humanly raised beef burgers. Guilt free, locally available, and perfect fresh late summer/early fall flavors.
Maybe you’re thinking, “WTF? Why wouldn’t you do sweet potato fries?” Well, we do, but sometimes it’s nice to have something different.
And I’m tellin’ ya’, this was a ‘grandslam’, you can’t go wrong. And I was thinking that if you wanted to get crazy and mix in some sautéed Mexican chorizo and put it into an empanada-type vehicle, you’re really gonna’ throw the ‘knock out punch’ at a get together.
Disclaimer: This is an alteration of a Rachel Ray recipe, but way better… This explains the kitschiness…
Where: Pho 14 1436 Park Rd. NW
Outstanding: Pho, Speed, Price
Meh: Often out of Bánh Mi sandwiches
Awful: Nada
Abesnt: Booze (but not often their fault, liquor licenses are expensivo)
‘The Common Man’ and ‘The Uncommon Woman’ are extremely pleased that our neighborhood gets better and better all the time. Especially when we get Pho whenever we feel like it.
Pho 14 ($, pronounced ‘pha’) is quite good, very authentic, and cheap. We stroll in there whenever, and leave paying $25, with tax and tip. That’s not bad at all.
I typically get the flank steak, and it usually is plentiful and perfectly poached in that flavorful broth. It’s is extremely fragrant, and they have all the options, tripe, etc. By the way, the difference between the regular size and the large is about a buck, and it’s worth it. I just wish they had Vietnamese beer to wash it all down with like they do at Nam-Viet way up in Cleveland Park.
The garnishes (of which I always DUMP into my Pho) are all very fresh and crisp. I’ve never had basil that’s off a little, and the sprouts are always firm. The lime is bright and the jalepeños are spicy.
‘The Uncommon Woman’ is a veggie, and they have veggie Pho. She loved it, and it was full of veggies (mushrooms, broccoli, carrots) and tofu. She even asked for a little fish sauce and added it to the broth for a little more flavor. Additionally, they have a lot of rice dishes, and other Vietnamese staples, like spring rolls or vermicelli.
Unfortunately every time I go there they seem to be out of Bánh Mi sandwiches. This is one of the best deals, for $9 you get a sandwich, a choice of appetizer, and a bowl of beef broth soup. They’ve got several choices of Bánh Mi too. I wish they did better on planning their bread orders.
The waitstaff is very pleasant, and gets right down to business. After you order Pho your accoutrements shows up immediately, they don’t mess around. The food comes out HOT and ready to go, and you don’t get silverware unless you ask (chop sticks all the way).
So, don’t waste time on those other big buck Pho joints in the DC area. Just go to Pho 14. Arrive a little early for a table, or just belly up to the dry bar. Fast food at its freshest. Do it.
UPDATE: Finally got Bánh Mi. Great French bread, yummy veggies, and tasty beef broth. The pork was a little skimpy though. I ordered the “Red Marinated Pork”. And I wish they would put it on a plate… Otherwise, it was yummy.
‘The Common Man’ hopped the Capitol St border from NW to NE and headed over to H St today for their neighborhood festival. One thing drawing me was the promise of Oskar Blues canned-beers selection at The Red & The Black. Before today I had only had Dale’s Pale Ale, which always impressed me, but I wanted to celebrate their whole catalog.
We tried a bunch of them, so I got to mooch off of my friends to give you this exclusive aggregation of Oskar Blues tasting notes:
1st Beer: Mama’s Little Yella Pils
Not to blow my load too early, but this was my favorite. If you wish that American off-the-shelf pilsners were actually good AND light, you’ll LOVE this beer. It is really like a Czech beer. It was mildly fruity, with a well-balanced body and a grainy malt quality that surprised me, again, ’cause I long for canned American pilsner beers that taste as good as this. That balanced body was a nice yella’ color, but not transparent and watery like Bud. Bottom line: golden, balanced, light fruit, mild.
2nd Beer: Gordon
I’ve read that this beer is an attempt at a strong ale and imperial IPA hybrid. The alcohol level is high (it said 8.smthng%), to the shagrin of ‘The Uncommon Woman’ (she’s taking an evening nap because of it). I smelled it quickly, and it smelled sweet, with citrus. The taste was bold and hoppy, initially hit with more citrus and the maltiness was caramel-like. The alcohol flavor, while light, lingers a little to, but it’s balanced well with a medium body to it. It was interesting because for a strong-ale knockoff, it was incredibly smooth. Bottom line: big, hoppy, smooth, boozy, fruity. This beer has won a bunch of awards actually. It was good, and out of a can, I mean, COME ON…
3rd Beer: Old Chub
This was more Scottish strong ale than the Gordon which is like a hybrid. I stole a few swigs from my friends who were guzzling it, and I got a nice toastiness from it, like toffee or coffee. Also a slight smokiness and certainly a chocolate, milky mouth-feel. It was more bitter than I was expecting too. Body was medium-heavy. Bottom line: good beer, strong roasted flavors, full body, dark beer.
4th Beer: Dale’s Pale Ale
I have to admit, I didn’t drink this today. But I’ve had it several times and I can give a description of it (I keep tasting notes in my phone), and it’s fitting to include it with the other Oskar Blues beers. I like it, but don’t love it. I like the others above more. It doesn’t have a lot going on but it has a nice hopiness and a really nice, clear amber color. The sweet hoppiness is matched evenly with the caramel maltiness. But I think it is a little heavy and syrupy. Bottom line: good beer, good balance, a little heavy, good American pale from a CAN!!
They had a stout, Ten Fidy. Unfortunately because we were at a street festival we were bar hopping so I didn’t get it it, but one day, I swear I will… (I think my local NEW Yes Organic might carry it.)
Look, all these beers come from a can, which alone is impressive as hell. Also, I don’t really get strong metal flavors from these beers, and if I do think I am, I imagine that if I had a blindfold on I wouldn’t be able to tell that it wasn’t from a keg. Pour them into a glass to see the color and smell them, you won’t be disappointed.
When it comes to Oskar Blues’ beers metal taste might be a white myth, “like Colorado, or Larry Bird”. Still, for canned beer (extremely cheap packaging) these beers are a little steep. The point of cans are that they are supposed to be less wasteful and easier to manage, two things that should bring prices down.
But I get it. It’s good beer. They started small in the Boulder, CO area and grew because their beer is GOOD. They started canning it by hand in a barn, then grew and started shipping around the US, gaining more an more accolades for carving a niche as THE quality can.
I’m drinking Little Yella right now as I sit and watch baseball because I got some from the store after I was drinking them today. Just goes to show… (Thought: Maybe ‘The Uncommon Woman’ is actually napping because I am watching baseball…)
I may go out on a limb here and say that Cisco brewery from Nantucket, MA ranks up in my top few breweries from back home. Last night I was at local spot CommonWealth. They have such great beer specials from many different commonwealths in the English-speaking world. They usually have Cisco beers, so I let my taste buds pull me there and I took back two 22 ozers from Cisco, just because… So I thought I’d share my love.
1st Beer: Whale’s Tale Pale Ale
This pale ale is just a little more elegant than I find with some of the other great ones out there. It’s “softer”, if that makes any sense. I think it was the maltiness, which made it much nicer than most hoppy pale ales (although the balance was nice), as it certainly wasn’t done in an American pale ale style. It had a great floral flavor, with some carmel. I drank it out of a fat pint glass with a little head. Actually… I took their last one. They’ve switched over to…
2nd Beer: Bailey’s Blonde Ale
This one is floral too, but it has more of a citrus flavor, and it’s done in a great English-ale style, with a nice copper color and a lot of head. It does have a great bitter finish, and it was light and refreshing, awesome for the summer eve. Yeasty and not as malty as the Whale’s Tale.
CommonWealth charges $13 for these 22 oz beauties, and I’m OK with that sometimes. At least for the quality, and the craft brewing that Cisco does. I say go there and have a Bailey’s before the summer weather goes away. Then dig into their other beers, the Bailey’s will be a great starter. And hey, the food there aint too bad either. Pretty sure it’s the same people who do Hank’s Oyster Bar, one of my favorite places in DC.
So, I know I’ll be at Columbia Heights Day, Saturday 29 Aug, will you? We’re talking about tons of food and drink specials all day, along with shmoozing with fellow Columbia Heights peeps (really I’m going for the specials of course). Wait… It’s sponsored by the 2010 Census… Is this some kind of trap by the tyrannical government to tag us and track us…? No? What, I’m paranoid…? Fine. Anyhow, who cares when you’re walking around full of pizza and beer, stumbling to the after party at The Wonderland Ballroom, sponsored by Starr Hill Brewery (Charlotsville, VA) and OnTap mag. Shweet. ‘The Common Man’ will be there (‘The Uncommon Woman’ has to work, boooo). Let me know if y’all wanna’ meet up…
UPDATE: What a day for a neighborhood celebration, I had a great time. Some things were shaky:
1) Why wasn’t Wonderland prepared for this, they should know? At one point 1.5 hour wait for food, and servers/bartenders were outta’ their minds
2) Room 11 was ill prepared. They had no system going. In fact at one point I heard a server ask the chef grilling how to put orders in, and he said if she came up with an idea to tell him… Whoops.
We happened to show up for their BBQ on the porch at server shift-change, but the off-going didn’t fill the on-coming in on anything, so we waited 30 mins in the sun for just 1 drink. And each time I looked around for a server, they were mostly hanging out at the door chatting with the hostess, or other patrons.
Also, they tried to run a frozen margarita machine outdoors in the 90+ degree heat. I felt bad for them for that ’cause the machines couldn’t keep up. Nice thought though.
The poor PM server was running around to get on top of shiz, but he got it eventually. Kudos.
I’m cutting them a hell of a lot of slack because they just opened, it was a festival (I’m having bad luck at festivals this summer), and I am just happy a nice wine bar has opened in my neighborhood.
The best experience was at Pete’s New Haven. They were doing $5 pint and slice, of which since they had ran out of the Peroni, or whatever beer it was supposed to be, so began pouring Belle’s Oberon (fruity wheat beer, summer style with a nice spice) and the Lagunitas IPA (nicely balanced hoppiness with nice fruitiness, though it does getter sweeter as you drink). So I had two beers, and two slices of perfect New Haven-style pizza. Yum. Mix in a little A/C and no on-site craziness and I was happy. Great job.
But anyway it was a cool day, good job CoHi peeps, looking forward to next year.
Wine and Cheese at Veritas Vineyard in Afton, VA
Imagine yourself whisked away from DC to a beautiful wine country. You’re skipping from one elegant winery to the next, disappointed by the fact that you only have time to enjoy each minimally because you must soldier-on to see as many as you can. As you skirt from one to the next, you are consistently impressed with the scenery and the great care that’s put into making craft, limited-production wine, with sophisticated flavors that pry your wallet open and force you to shell-out dough for bottle after bottle after each detailed tasting of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Claret-style wines.
Well, if you’re here in DC you don’t have to travel to Napa, Sonoma, or Bordeaux for this experience, nor do you have to only imagine it… I just discovered that it’s only 2.5 hours drive southwest, to the Monticello wine appellation, surrounding the charming, colonial town of Charlottsville, VA. No, seriously, it’s true! They have a lot of good wines!!
Chardonnay from Afton Mountain Vineyard
‘The Uncommon Woman’ and I stayed and traveled within the Monticello appellation and we both left decidedly impressed. We raced around and from Friday through Sunday tried nine different wineries, about 70 different wines, and each destination was a pleasant surprise.
I’ll have to admit, I was skeptical that there would be much of a diversity in the Monticello wines, and also that there would be much sophistication there. I assumed the wines would be mostly like those of the Northern Neck appellation in eastern VA (maybe a couple surprises), but overall they were superior. And I must say that some wine, and the beautiful scenery, rivaled some of the best wine regions I’ve traveled to around the world. Of course there was some bad wine, just as there is in Napa, Sonoma, and even in Burgundy, but for the most part this was not the case.
On a whole the best grapes produced were the Cabernet Franc, Vigonier, and Petit Verdot wines that most wineries made. Some were extremely elegant, such as my favorites, the Petit Verdod of Veritas in Afton, VA, or the Viognier of White Hall Vineyards in Crozet, VA or the Meritage from King Family Vineyard, also in Crozet.
Beautiful Cab Franc grapes hanging at Pollak Winery in Greenwood, VA
They all had such beautiful vineyards, especially those on the slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park, like the extremely beautiful Veritas in Afton, VA or tucked away in the Appalachian Mountains just west of Charlottsville, like King Family. Even those more north in the appellation, such as Sweely Estate Winery (formally Acorn Hill) rivals some of the ones I’ve visited in other world-renowned wine regions.
The Blue Ridge Mountains, view from the Skyline Drive
Of course there were some choices that weren’t so sophisticated, but never did I hate a wine because the quality was downright bad. The times I did not enjoy a particular wine was only due to its style, not because the winery was second-rate.
And one more thing, it was cheap and the people are friendly. Go to Napa, and you’ll encounter too many tourists and too many winery employees who see you as such, and the tasting fees are often $20 and up. In and around Charlottsville wine tastings, on average, were no more than $5 each, and most often the fee is waived if you purchase any wine.
Afton Mountain Winery in Afton, VA, the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains
So I wholly recommend visiting the land of the first American winemaker, Thomas Jefferson (one of his few failures), and if you’re a cork-dork like me, you will come away quite impressed, I guarantee it. You might even come back with a couple of cases as we did…
Favorite Red: VERITAS VINEYARD, PETIT VERDOT 2007, “PAUL SHAFFER EDITION”: This was a beautiful, sophisticated wine, with an intense dark fruit nose, but once it washes across the pallet you experience more than just the typical Bordeaux flavors: more complex flowery, peppery, and vanilla flavors. This is one of the most refined wines I had in Monticello, at the most beautiful location.
Favorite White: WHITE HALL VINEYARDS, VIOGNIER 2008: The aromas of stone fruit, particularly peaches blended with a light honey, introduced this wine to my senses. Across my pallet were similar flavors, but more citrus and spice at the mid-pallet, with those touches of vanilla from the malolactic fermentation on the finish. I tried dozens of Viogniers, even Viognier/Chard blends, and this was the best balance of Viognier’s fruitiness with the perfect acidity and vanilla flavors.
Biggest Surprise: AFTON MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS, Tête de Cuvée Brut 2005: This little winery makes an incredibly delicate Pinot Noir/Chardonnay blend sparkling wine, made in the méthode champenoise. It was perfectly dry and toasty, like some of the lower-end elites of Champagne, with a subtle and clean fruit finish that lingered. I was never blown-away by the Monticello sparkling wines, but I was at Afton Mountain.
Where: The Reef 2446 18th St NW
Outstanding: beer selection, covered roof deck, wide open space, daily events
Meh: attempt at sustainable food presentation, food, service, oysters
Awful: 2nd floor smell, cleanliness, preparedness for DC Beer Week 2009
Absent: staff, promised Oregon oysters
Well, ‘The Common Man’ is really disappointed. This week is DC Beer Week 2009, and since I am going away this weekend I figured one event would be perfect (enough), so I chose oysters and beer, why wouldn’t I? The Reef advertised oysters from Oregon flown into DC, with a list of Rogue Brewery beers, from 5-10 and I was drooling thinking about it early in the day. I was expecting a salty, shellfish extravaganza, but it turns out they were swimming into the deep end and couldn’t keep their heads above the water.
So I got there at about 6:00, and it was getting busy. I went right up to the roof deck, content with how busy it was until I saw there was one bartender, yes uno bartendero, serving approximately 70 people. He was working his ass off, and he had a teammate *trying* to help him keep up, but the wait was unsatisfactory. I immediately ordered a Rogue Captain Sig’s Northwestern Deadliest Ale and a dozen Blue Point Oysters, excited I got my order in before the floodgates opened. (I reviewed the Rogue beers here.)
As I waited, I watched The Reef take a dive. The frustration in the staff-members’ faces and the level of customer angst rose in tandem. They could not keep enough Rogue beers (the special beer advertised for the night) up there, nor could they keep them cold enough (it was about 90 degrees, with heavy humidity) as I drank a couple of them warm. Bottom line, they were unprepared for a heavily talked-about and advertised event in the worst way: not enough staff. I blame management for that, not the staff, again, they were working their asses off.
So after 50 minutes, I got my oysters (they were backed up with only 2 people shucking combined with hundreds of oysters ordered at all times, again, this was an oyster/beer event). They weren’t really worth the wait, though I was surprised they knew how to shuck. The Blue Points were a little milky, and not salty enough for my taste, and I think they mixed in some Gigamotos. Oregon oysters are supposed to be sweeter, and more elegant, as Oregon oysters are gaining a following as of late. Trusting my instinct, I looked closer, realizing that their oyster choices, Blue Point, Malpeque, and Gigamotos, aren’t actually from Yaquina Bay, as advertised. Boo.
At first I figured that Blue Points could be, as many bays have Blue Points, but they were actually from either N. California or Long Island. Malpeques are of course from Prince Edward Island, Canada, and Gigamotos are from Washington state. WTF? So essentially, if the event was supposed to be Oregon beer paired with Oregon oysters, they failed big-time.
Instead of getting more average oysters, I decided to order their bison burger. On every other Tuesday, they are half-off, and I figured, “hey, for a place that makes a claim at being local, sustainable, and conscience of sensitive agriculture, I could get a good burger”.
I wish I could take great food pics like The Arugula Files does, but alas, a blackberry must do for now.
I liked it but meh. It was a standard burger, on what appeared to be brioche bread (hopefully homemade); with fresh tomato, lettuce, and pickle; and it was cooked medium-rare like I asked. But it was fishy that an establishment that makes such a lofty claim of sustainability and food conscientiousness served me what seemed to be frozen Sysco fries and obviously Heinz ketchup (ie. high-fructose corn syrup). I’ll give the chef the benefit of the doubt because, as I’ve witnessed, it is often hard to do what’s right while coming up against an owner’s desire to drive a BMW, if you know what I mean, but he’s trying.
The Reef food creed seen hanging above the urinal in the bathroom
As I sat digesting, and contemplating the extreme contradictions of The Reef, I looked around and saw that the place was a pigsty. There were un-bussed glasses and dishes EVERYWHERE. I watched what appeared to be the manager trying to keep up with it a little, shucking here, cleaning there, but the space is huge and very crowded, thus he couldn’t keep up. Again, where is your summer staff?
On a positive note, the chef tried to pair small bite creations with the Rogue beer flavors, and I think his flavor profiles, while slightly erratic (lime salad paired with a chocolaty stout?), were creative. The Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar beer went pleasantly with the mission fig, chestnut honey, and regiano parmesiana cheese plate–bravo.
So, I will give The Reef another try on a normal weekday night, as maybe it’s a bit unfair to judge wholly on the night of an event. But you have already betrayed my trust with your oyster switch-a-roo. Next time I will enjoy one (or a few) of their many beers (certainly a delight) and another creative kitchen concoction, but please chef, don’t try to WOW me with your food ideology if you’re not going to come through, just make it happen.
UPDATE: So Mike at DC Beer sensed my frustration. This is good, and shows that the people behind these events really do care about the people who pay the big-bucks for the beers and food. And as customers we care when they get it right. I will look forward to next year when they do a bang-up job. But I am still not very happy that they were supposed to have Oregon oysters, yet they did not, nor did they tell me when I said, “I’ll take a dozen Newport, Oregon oysters please”, tisk, tisk. I’ll cut them some slack on preparedness, but I will not for this transgression. Should I give The Reef another chance, on a not-so-crazy night? I probably will. Cheers.
Where: Cafe Collage 1346 T Street NW
Outstanding: The music (classical only), seating (plenty of it and a mixture of tables and comfy chairs, bright window seats and dark corners, upstairs and downstairs), staff (super friendly), decor (bright and beautiful), smoothies (today I got raw spinach with fruit juices – yummy and cleansing)
Meh: the coffee, prices (coffee drinks are cheaper than normal, and sandwiches are about standard, though I haven’t tried one yet)
Awful: nothing!
Absent: Wireless (I think so)
As a grad student ‘The Uncommon Woman’ needs to take her work outside of the house sometimes, to keep her sanity. However, I’ve found it’s hard to work at many coffee shops, for a variety of reasons (e.g. the music is too loud, the chairs are uncomfortable, the espresso machine is constantly screaming, I feel like I’m being pushed to turn the table, the free wireless beckons me to Facebook, etc.). Well I’ve found the perfect spot. It’s not new, but it’s under new management:
Give ‘er a try!
While ‘The Common Man’ was thoroughly disappointed in The Reef, and its ability to do anything right during its hosting of the Rogue event for DC Beer Week 2009, he was thoroughly impressed with the tastes of the Rogue craft beers. Here is The Common Man’s short-and-sweet descriptions of the great Rogue beers he tried:
1st Beer: Captain Sig’s Northwestern Deadliest Ale
This beer’s name is inspired by the famed captain from The Deadliest Catch episodes from Discovery Channel. This dark red beer had a very strong, bitter backbone, with some floral notes up front. But its strength was in its toasty, almost chocolaty flavor. Great beer for a nice northwestern climate, not on a hot DC summer day. Would be great with fall dishes with meats, or fatty fish such as salmon.
2nd Beer: Kell’s Irish Lager
This was a heavier lager, with a red-ish hue to it. The immediate taste was fruity, but with a nice round smoothness to it. Unfortunately mine was served quite warm, so I didn’t get to enjoy it as it should be. Supposedly it’s great for floating Guinness on, which is one reason they created it.
3rd Beer: Imperial Irish Red
This gorgeous dark burgundy colored, big red ale was excellent. Great fruitiness up front, slightly fig-ish, with nice body that lingers.
4th Beer: Shakespeare Stout
A great stout, standard in variety. It had a nice, chewy and thick body to it, with a heavily roasted flavor. Had a nice chocolaty finish that would be great with dark chocolate desert.
5th Beer: Hazelnut Brown Nectar
This perfect Brown Ale gets my blue ribbon of the five beers offered. It had an outstanding, strong hazelnut aroma to match its mellow nutty/brown ale flavor. It was like drinking a nice hazelnut iced-coffee, but with great malty-beer goodness. I’d love to have this beer in the fall. ‘The Uncommon Woman’ loved this one with her figs too.
With all that being said, there are a couple complaints (of course, ‘The Common Man’ is a pain in the ass). Firstly, these are great Northwest US climate beers. They are all quite heavy in body, very hoppy or malty, and don’t go great on such a humid day. Of course, that’s not to say we should all be drinking Corona all the time just ’cause it’s hot and humid, but Rogue has dozens of beers, maybe the selection could have been better, like their “somer” beer, the Orange Honey Ale, or their Imperial Pilsner. These lighter-style beers could have mixed things up a little.
Secondly, Rogue 22 oz bottles are really cool and creative. Unfortunately, as a beer geek, I wanted to see the bottles, but the staff was too out-of-sorts to think about that, and they were serving them in plastic cups on the roof deck (I understand the no-glass policy, but come on man, this was a beer festival, not a Friday night party). Next time, let us see the bottles, and read the labels, there’s a reason beer makers pour tons-o-money into their bottling and labeling, ’cause we like it.
So, all-in-all, flavors were abound. I tried to picture myself sitting at the Rogue brewery in Oregon, overlooking Yaquina Bay, a scene my friend with me described (he lived in Seattle for years), but The Reef failed me there particularly by not giving me Yaquina Bay oysters, as promised. Go Rogue Beer! Boo The Reef.
Any self-respecting beer and oyster lover wouldn’t miss this at The Reef, 2446 18th St NW, in Adam’s Morgan. Being that I am, it’s on!
The Reef’s Rogue Oregon Oyster and Ale Festival: Fresh, Yaquina Bay Oysters from Newport, OR will be flown-in for this special event. The Reef’s Chef Connor will be preparing other delicious dishes paired with the complex, tasty beers from Newport’s Rogue Ales. 5-10 PM
I’ll be there with ‘The Uncommon Woman’ and some friends at 6:30. I’m drooling and it’s not even 1 yet.
UPDATE: Crazy busy shit-show, I’ve got a lot to write about… Disappointed.
Petworth, Quincy St & Georgia Ave NW (Fortunately for me, closed for dinner… I know, WTF?)
‘The Uncommon Woman’ here, with my very first post.
So… I lived in Spain for a few years and became obsessed with Spanish cuisine (and bad Spanish pop music), and by that I mean the kind of food that every señora worth her snuff learned to make from her abuela. More dishes to come, but for now:
Gazpacho. My “summer in a glass” (or bowl. actually, usually a big ol’ pitcher.)
If you’ve tried gazpacho before and hated it, please give it another go, but this time make it yourself. The problem isn’t that it’s a cold tomato soup. The problem is that in the US most restaurants don’t know the difference between “salsa with cucumber” and gazpacho.
In Spain, there are as many versions of gazpacho as there are tight-fitting jeans. Southern (Andalusian) gazpacho is typically more watered-down and with chunks of day-old bread. Other regions make it thicker and spicier, sans bread, but never quite as thick as salmorejo (which is also delicious, by the way!).
The inspiration for my version is pretty much the same “inspiration” that’s behind all my cooking: Use the freshest ingredients, make it as quickly as possibly while dirtying as few kitchen tools as possible, only use the minimal amount of added fat & sugar necessary for taste, and keep as much real food content in as possible (skins, seeds, etc.) so as not to loose any nutritional value or fiber. So no, I’m not our typical foodie, but I sure am trim and regular. ;P
How to make a huge pitcher of great gazpacho:
In a blender, liquefy:
1 (peeled) cucumber
1 small bell pepper
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup of EVOO
1/8 cup of vinegar (any kind will do – play around with the tastes)
1/2 cup of water
This is your spicy base for the rest, which is all tomatoes — approximately 6, depending on size. (Goes without saying, but this is my “summer in a glass” because good-tasting tomatoes — local, vine-ripened, organic — are only available in these hot months.) You’ll probably need to pour out most of what’s in the blender (into a large pitcher or bowl) to make room for the tomatoes. Blend them in shifts if necessary. Just wash and quarter them. Yep, you can leave in all the seeds and skins. (Strain them out if you want to be super classy. But who wants that?!)
Mix or blend everything together, then salt & pepper to taste. I probably use 2 tsp each salt & pepper, but honestly, I’ve never bothered to measure anything with my gazpacho. The measurements above are all best guesses.
You’ll want to refrigerate the gazpacho for a couple of hours at least to get the best blend of flavors. Then season more if required and serve! I like mine in a glass with a meal, or in a bowl with a garnish as a meal itself.
Great garnishes:
rounds of local farm-fresh hard-boiled eggs
diced onions, peppers, tomatoes
diced ham (only if they’re happy, free-range and organically-fed piggies!)
UPDATE: From ‘The Common Man’. Go here, bake this bread before you make the gazpacho, and when it starts to get stale a couple days later (or you can tear it up and put it on a baking sheet in the oven on low heat to dry it out if you’re short on days), put torn chunks of it in the bottom of your gazpacho bowl before you pour in the sopa and let it sit for a moment. For me the stale bread lessons the acidic bite and it adds solid texture. Soo good.
So, ‘The Uncommon Woman’ decided to be sweet to me and make me lemonade. It was amazing.
8 U.S. Eureka lemons
1 cup organic cane sugar (to taste)
6 cups filtered water
Heat a couple cups of the water to mix the sugar into, then let it cool. Microwave a couple lemons at a time for about 10 seconds and press down and roll them, both get the juices goin’. Slice and juice away into a pitcher then take the sugar mixture and the rest of the water and pour it into the pitcher, aggregating all ingredients, stir, and serve over ice with a lemon wheel garnish.
‘The Uncommon Woman’ doesn’t think lemonade is summer in a glass, she says her Gazpacho is, but whatever. She’ll be making that soon to prove it. Oh, and that’s ‘The Above-Average Mutt’ in the background eyeballing my drink.
Where: Local 16 1602 U St NW
Outstanding: roof deck, yuppie eye candy, decor, post-college scene
Meh: bartenders
Awful: beer selection, prices
Absent: intellectual conversation, the girl you’re gonna’ marry one day
Ok, so I’m 30. I went out on Saturday night with my single friend thinking, tonight we need to hit a singles place for him (The Uncommon Woman was working). I thought, Local 16 is full of ‘em, and it’s a perfect night to be outside, let’s do it!
Well, unfortunately it’s a pretty young crowd. The woo-girl population and the general douche-baggery picked up at about 10:30-ish, crowding the bar. Hey, been there done that, but I usually don’t mind it, so we pushed on.
There were some singles and we even talked to some nice girls closer to our age, but the scene was bleh. Wing man duty was off. Instead we just enjoyed the awesome night on the roof deck talking about work, and the health care debate, or whatever us ‘older’ gentlemen talk about at bars.
I was hoping that they’d have some good drinks, but the bar was quite standard, and the beer selection was off the typical industrial table, Miller Lite, Peroni, Blue Moon, blah, blah, with the best option from Wisconsin brewery Leinenkugel, oh! and they were way overpriced. There was nothing local, or fresh. And lets just say the bartenders weren’t really en fuego, even though they work one of the busiest bars in the city.
The place was boomin’ when we left to hit another place at about 11:00, with a line (The Common Man bar rule #1: Never stand in line to get into a bar, ever again). But it was probably a larger guy:girl ratio. Girls are really open to talking in bars like that :/.
Bottom line, the decor inside, and the roof deck upstairs, are gorgeous. The space is huge, and it was fun for a little bit. Don’t go if you’re looking for a more mature, intelligent scene, and don’t go if you want good drinks or beer. I will come back to enjoy the deck before sundown next time by having a simple cocktail, and avoid the post-college frat party.
Where: Cantina Marina 600 Water St SW
Outstanding: trashy eye candy, cheap Dos XX on Sat, waterfront, HD TVs outside
Meh: cocktails, service
Awful: food
Absent: babysitters
As ‘The Common Man’, I often run down to Cantina Marina ($) on hot Saturday afternoons, for cheap beer, people watching, and Potomac waterfront views, just like any regular guy would. I don’t expect much from the staff, and I certainly don’t come hungry, but I feel like I’m not in DC… I dunno’, it’s more like I’m in a small waterfront bar on Florida’s west coast.
The crowd is really nicely mixed, from younger yuppies, to middle aged boozers, to couples. I’m a margarita guy (ok snob), and Cantina Marina has an awful margarita selection, with no good tequilas. Their “Cadillac Marg”, with Cuervo and Gran Marnier for $10 is really overpriced and not good. But I was pleasantly surprised by how much booze was actually in their house frozen marg.
They do have ginger beer and Gosling’s Dark Seal Rum, and I’m partial to the Dark ‘N’ Stormy myself, and I appreciated sipping them in the heat. As a bartender though, I made these the true Bermuda way, with plenty of lime mixed in, but for ease (or lack of knowledge) at Cantina Marina they only put 1 lime to garnish the plastic cup. Boo.
‘The Uncommon Woman’ gets a buzz off of two cocktails, so she’s happy with their “John Daley”, sweet tea vodka with lemonade, but agrees the menu sucks (nothing healthy).
But the Dos XX special ($4/bottle for Amber or Lager), sitting in the sun works well to shake off the fact that the food is awful. It’s really just a bunch of fried, breaded, frozen seafood, with unsustainable classics like red snapper on the menu.
There are a lot of young kids working there, and by the looks of things there wasn’t much of a supervisory staff controlling things, it was more like a college hangout than a place of business. But I will say they are all very nice.
Basically Cantina Marina would be some crappy dive college bar if it wasn’t in such prime real estate. Since it is, I’ll eat first, then take advantage of it and escape to SW any Saturday afternoon.
I’m not proud of it, but I’m guilty. Chipotle, when you just don’t wanna’ to think about it, ya’ know… What can ya’ do?
But do not go to the one in Chinatown, it’s a shit-show. Also a glaring contradiction, as it shares a space with McDonald’s, the opposite of anything cultivated “naturally”.
