I've Moved!

So, many of you know, I've moved- in more than one sense.  I've moved across the country to San Francisco so I feel that I must move my blog as well.  It seems like I'm a bit of a poser if I keep posting about DC when I don't live there anymore.

So, that being said, I've started a new blog.  It's called So Forking Good. It will have the same great content, but will be less geographically-focused.  I promise you, I will use this new blog to continue to provide great recipes, reviews, food news, interviews, food tips and much more along with any chance at snarky or goofy commentary I can manage to think of.

I can't thank you all enough for following Devouring DC.  I honestly thought my family would be the only ones to read it (because I paid/blackmailed/threatened general safety of them, of course) but it turns out I'm not too horribly boring for the public food-loving interweb community.  You've given me an addiction and fueled my existing passion for something everyone in the world shares a common interest for: food. I spent a decade in the DC area and have more memories and friends than I can count.  I thank all of you.  I will truly miss the DC area- the friends, the restaurants, the happy hours, the KFL memories... all of it.  It is now a permanent fixture in who I am and will be forever.  What an amazing experience it has been.  I know I am more than a little bit of a nostalgic/sappy person, I mean, who doesn't cry at the ASPCA commercials (I have your number Sarah McGlaughlin you B*tch. I already have more rescue dogs than I can handle!) However, I look forward to more amazing memories no matter what the location.  Thank you DDC readers!  I truly love all of you and hope you will follow me on my new adventures! Eat well my friends- life's too short to do otherwise.

I Miss East Coast Pizza

The San Francisco Bay area has a lot of amazing food.  No one can deny that.  Some of the world's top restaurants and chefs have set up shop here.  One food that I haven't found to be great here: pizza.

I don't want to generalize too much.  It's not like I've been to every pizza joint in the area.  I have been to (or ordered from) a handful, though and have yet to be impressed.

FAIL #1: Seniore's Pizza, San Bruno
The YELP reviews were pretty high for this place and they delivered so I went for it.  I was disappointed by the spongy crust.  It wasn't terrible, but I definitely have had better pies.

FAIL #2: Toto's Pizza, San Bruno
Ok, soggy crust, too much cheese, funky taste overall.  One of the worst pizzas I've ever had, honestly.  I was starving and still couldn't eat more than a slice.

FAIL #3: Extreme Pizza, San Bruno
Slow service of about an hour for a place a mile down the street.  Got boneless buffalo wings that tasted like they had maple syrup on them.  This place was Extremely unremarkable.

So far, the best pizzas we've had were made by our dear friends the Lindeman's or ones that we made ourselves at home.  I think we're just going to stick to this plan. (Lindemans- we'll be inviting ourselves over soon!)

Now, to leave on a positive note.  I've discovered something this area does fantastically: Pho!  You can get great Pho just about anywhere.  It's perfect for warming your bones on a damp rainy day.  I always order the raw beef (it cooks when it hits the broth) noodle soup.  The best part is it's cheap.  You can feed two people to the point of being stuffed for $6.75.  Awesome.

Now I'm hungry and want Pho.

My Chat with Top Chef All Stars' Spike Mendelsohn

Yesterday I had the privilege of speaking with Chef Spike Mendelsohn, the famed fedora-donning celebrity chef from Top Chef Season 4 and the current Top Chef All Stars. His resume is impressive to say the least. He was trained in classic French cuisine, received the highest honors one can get at the Culinary Institute of America and has worked in world-renowned restaurants (that I will probably never get into) such as Les Crayeres, Bouchon and Le Cirque. He has studied on a culinary adventure in Vietnam and has worked with some of the best chefs in the world. Needless to say, I’m jealous. DC is lucky that we have not one, but two of Spike’s restaurants- Good Stuff Eatery and We, The Pizza.

Chef Spike was kind enough to speak with me regarding some of his latest adventures and projects including teaming up with Mastercard and Suntrust for a donation to his favorite charity, Horton's Kids which provides tutoring, mentoring and support to children in DC.

DDC: Can I get your thoughts on the current season of Top Chef All Stars- how it's going and how is it different from your first Top Chef experience?

Chef Spike: My first experience I didn't have anything to lose. I was a kitchen rat and had a good resume. I was just myself. This time around, I've had opportunities with cookbooks, events, charities, and restaurants. Now I'm representing more than just myself. I have a more laid back approach.

DDC: What are your thoughts about the last episode of Top Chef All Stars with Jen leaving and the drama of Jamie's finger cut?

Chef Spike: The finger cut, yeah. We've all cut ourselves in the kitchen. Definitely wasn't warranted to be rushed off to the hospital. I was really disappointed in Jamie. She put the extra work on Jen. I thought it was weak. I mean they were on the other team so I was laughing it up but I thought it was weak. On Jen leaving- We were all surprised. It just shows the intensity and how competitive it is. Any one of us could be sent home at any time over a couple granules of salt or something.

DDC: Anything you can share about the next episode?

Chef Spike: All I can really share is it definitely should be one of the all-time best quick fires.

DDC: I want to touch on some memories from Top Chef Season 4. Are there any fun things that happened and didn't make the episodes that aired?

Chef Spike: I remember we were playing cards one night and Antonia wouldn’t show us her hand so we dragged her around on the floor. It was a long time ago, but we had a lot of fun, silly moments.

DDC: What’s your favorite dish you ever made on Top Chef?

Chef Spike: Butternut squash soup for the Improv on Season 4- definitely. I also loved having the opportunity to remake the scallop dish the way it should be and got a shout-out from Bourdain. That was pretty amazing!

DDC: Can you tell me a little more about teaming up with Mastercard and Suntrust for their Marketplace to support your favorite charity?

Chef Spike: They donated $5,000 on my behalf that will go to buy gifts from the marketplace for Horton's Kids in Anacostia. It's for all Mastercard holders. [You get] free access to hundreds of discounts and it’s great for last minute online shopping for the holidays. You can also use it to donate to charity directly if you wanted to donate to Horton's Kids.

DDC: That’s awesome! It’s great that they donated to the children and that people can log on and easily do the same.

Chef Spike: Yeah, It’s going to be great. I’m going today to hand out gifts to them.

DDC: For people doing last minute shopping, do you have any favorite retailers or gifts on there?

Chef Spike: Omaha Steaks is great. You can donate them to a charity or send as a gift. Barnes & Noble is also on there (which carries my cookbook, too.)

DDC: Speaking of holidays, do you and your family have any Holiday traditions or holiday food traditions?

Chef Spike: We change it up every year in my family. This year we are going to Puerto Rico. Maybe I'll do some traditional Puerto Rican food or maybe roast a pig or something. Who knows!

DDC: That’s awesome. Way to do the holidays in style! For those of us not lucky enough to go to Puerto Rico, do you have any holiday tips?

Chef Spike: Ha, yeah. I’d just say keep it simple, easy and comfortable. It's all about being with family. We will get together and do a lot of comfort food- mac n' cheese, turkey, cornbread, mashed potatoes. It’s all about comfort.

DDC: Do you have any special Holiday additions to menus at your restaurants?

Chef Spike: Well, not really. I mean, it’s pizza and burgers. We just celebrate by being festive, but we do have an Eggnog milkshake.

DDC: That sounds awesome. I assume that's the non-adult version?

Chef Spike: ha, yeah, non-adult, although if you want an adult version I suppose you can ask a certain way, haha.

DDC: Ok, one more thing I have to ask, how many fedoras do you own?

Chef Spike: Hmm, I'd say about 65. Yeah, 65. I've been giving a bunch away lately.

DDC: Do you get a lot as gifts?

Chef Spike: Yeah, people do send me fedoras a lot. I'm the guy that wears the hat.

DDC: Thank you so much for your time and sharing with Devouring DC Readers. Be sure to let me know if you ever open a place in the Bay area!

Chef Spike: Definitely! I love San Francisco. Definitely get brunch at Mama's on the waterfront. Monte Cristo with jam. The best brunch!

(FYI- I will be going there first chance I get!)


Be sure to watch Chef Spike on Top Chef All Stars tonight at 10/9c on Bravo. Below is more information on the Mastercard/Suntrust Marketplace, Spike’s Restaurants and Horton’s Kids.
Last but not least- Happy Birthday Spike! Hope you have a great day, great holiday season and a Happy New Year. Best of luck on Top Chef!

Mastercard/Suntrust Marketplace- click here.

Horton's Kids
110 Maryland Avenue, NE Suite 207
Washington, DC 20002
202-544-5033


Good Stuff Eatery
303 Pennsylvania Ave S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
202.543.8222


We, The Pizza
305 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003
202.544.4008

Road Trip America, Final Destination

We made it! Ok, we made it on Friday but haven’t had our cable and internet hooked up so had to leave you hanging for a few days.

The morning of departure from Lake Havasu we were planning to go take pictures of the London Bridge and continue our drive all the way to San Jose for a pit stop to see some friends and then the extra half hour to San Bruno, our final destination. When we got up, though, we just wanted to get going. The trip had finally taken its toll. We skipped the London Bridge pictures, although we drove past it so still saw it.

The trip seems to have taken its toll on the dogs as well. Lelu declared that she’d “had it” and kept trying to crawl over the front seat. This went on approximately every 10 minutes for the entire 10 hour drive.

We didn’t make any more sight-seeing stops along the way, but I followed along on the Roadside America app to see what oddities were out there. There were some interesting things. Out in the Mojave desert area, there were an abundance of alien-related stops. People building weird chambers and houses in the shape of spaceships type of thing. There was the last gas station James Dean stopped at before his fatal car accident as well as a memorial at the sight of his accident. There are small wild-west towns with donkeys roaming the unpaved streets and little old motels that have been in business for 60 or more years.

We started at a lake in red mountains, passed through the Mojave desert, then to more flat land similar to Texas, then lush, rolling hills that looked like Italy. We did stop for some food along the way, but couldn’t find any cool mom-and-pop places. It was pretty desolate. Sadly, our choices were rest-stop Pizza Hut, Taco Bell or Carl’s Jr. So, we got incredibly sloppy burgers from Carl’s Jr. and gas station snacks. Yum?

We met our friends in San Jose and introduced our dogs. It went better than expected, until Lelu’s patience wore out. We got to San Bruno around 9:30pm and crashed at our new, empty house. Now, for the furniture to arrive…

Road Trip America, Pit Stop #5: Lake Havasu via the Grand Canyon

Today is the second to last day of our cross-country journey and we started it off with the sight we were most looking forward to seeing- the Grand Canyon. 

We drove about an hour up the long two-lane road to the main parking area.  We grabbed the dogs and started walking towards the first viewing area.  As we approached the rim, we both looked at each other with the "you've gotta be kidding me" expressions on our faces.  I knew the Grand Canyon would be big and I knew it would be beautiful, but there are no words to describe just how big and beautiful it really is.  You see pictures, you see it on tv, but there is absolutely nothing like seeing this in person.  It's breathtaking.

We hopped in the car and hit a 7 mile stretch of road leading to half a dozen different view points.  Each vista was more jaw-dropping than the next.  We overheard an old tour guide saying it was 3000 feet down to this one trail we could see on a plateau and then another 1000 feet down to the river from that.  We saw donkeys on a trail way below us but they looked like ants.  I also heard the guide point out this semicircle rock formation they call the ampitheatre.  He said if it were an ampitheatre, it would seat half a million people!  That's just ridiculous.  I enjoyed eavesdropping on this elderly tour group.

After about two-and-a-half hours of taking in the sights we were on our way back down to towards Grand Canyon village to grab some lunch.  We stopped at a place with no name.  It just said "Internet, Espresso, Sandwiches, Gifts."  Ok.  Great name.  I decided I love this little cafe.  It had computers, great books, souvenirs and a coffee/sandwich shop.  It had the charm of a family owned business.  The woman actually made a pretty mean vanilla latte.  I got a turkey sandwich on sourdough and I have to say, it was better than I expected.  We haven't had a lot of fresh food lately so something as simple as a turkey sandwich on super soft sourdough really made me happy.

We got back on the highway and drove another 4-ish hours to Lake Havasu, AZ, on the border of Arizona and California.  It was beautiful driving into this city with the sun setting behind massive rock formations.  Once again, we were exhausted after a long day so asked for a local delivery and got a pizza.  We ordered a pepperoni and meatball pizza from Rosati's.  I was confused about their crust options- thin, Chicago, double crust or pan.  Their pan crust sounded thicker than the double crust (which they say they invented.)  We ordered the double crust, and it was incredibly thick.  I can't imagine what the pan pizza is like.  It was really heavy, but pretty good.  The meatballs were well seasoned and the sauce was good, although hot as lava.

I'm stuffed and tired, but looking forward to tomorrow.  Tomorrow we see the London Bridge-yes, the London Bridge.  It was brought over piece by piece and rebuilt, now standing here in Lake Havasu.  We saw it on the way in- it was lit up with Christmas lights.  We're going to get a better look in the morning and then back on the road.  Maybe we'll hit some more of old Route 66 on our way up to San Jose and then our final destination of the trip- our new home in San Bruno.

Road Trip America, Pit Stop #4: Flagstaff via New Mexico and the Meteor Crater

Yesterday was a long travel day of about 10 hours.  We got up early and left the hotel without breakfast in the hopes that we could make it to the Meteor Crater in Winslow, AZ before they close at 5pm while still seeing other sights along the way.  I watched Starman about 150 times when I was a kid so I was determined to get to this crater.

Luckily, the other attraction we wanted to see was just 3 miles from our hotel in Amarillo.  Just off the highway is Cadillac Ranch- a bunch of old Cadillacs buried nose down in a field by an eccentric billionaire.  These cars have become an iconic image of Route 66.  It was a beautiful, sunny morning and perfect for hiking out into the field dodging cows (and more importantly cow pies) to take photos of spray-painted cars.  There were paint cans all over the field from tourists coming to tag the art (which is apparently encouraged.) 

We got back on the road and continued the long drive on the open road through New Mexico.  This is quite possibly the straightest, longest road in the world.  Thankfully they increase the speed limit to 75, but it's so open and straight it feels like you're going 40.  We entertained ourselves with more comedy albums and cruised through to Albequerque.  Sadly, there isn't much to report as far as food goes.  I never realized how difficult it can be to eat on the road.  The location we stopped in Albequerque didn't have much that we could easily grab for the road so we resorted to Quiznos. Yuck. I know if we had more time we could've found some great grub but we were on the clock to get to the crater.

A couple hours later, we arrived at the turn for the crater.  As we drove 6 miles down a quiet road in the we saw signs to turn to AM1610 for crater info (along with signs to watch for cattle. The crater property is privately owned and they have cows everywhere, with no fence keeping them from the road.)  We were quite entertained with the crater radio.  The voice on the radio, who I will refer to as "crater man" was very dramatic and enthusiastic.  We burst into laughter as he announced "EXPERIENCE THE IMPACT!"  We got to the site and hiked up the steps to the viewing platform.  We forgot that we come from 340 feet above sea level and this is at 6000 so we were gasping for breath.  All I can say is that it's awesome.  It really is a beautiful and impressive sight.  It's definitely worth the stop.

After the crater we continued on to Flagstaff to the hotel.  (By the way, I highly recommend Spring Hill Suites if you're visiting that area.)  We were pretty exhausted by the time we got in so looked for dinner that we could bring back to the room.  We found a place up the road called Buster's.  I'm pretty sure it's a chain, but it wasn't bad.  We got steaks and baked potatoes.  The steaks were cooked perfectly, but the potatoes were not.  I could tell they were microwaved, but I didn't care.  The meal got the job done.  We were all pretty beat (dogs included) so made it a lazy night and planned our next leg of the journey.

Today we're off to the Grand Canyon then Lake Havasu.  Hopefully we'll find a good dive along the way.

Road Trip America, Pit Stop #3- Oklahoma

Today we got up early in Fort Smith, Arkansas and crossed the bridge into Oklahoma.  Miles and miles of quiet highway with small, quiet forgotten towns were speckled along the way.

Our first stop was to see the Oklahoma City Memorial.  It was a pretty dreary, cold and gray day today.  We discovered Oklahoma City is pretty industrial and quiet.  We were able to park right across the street from the memorial.  The memorial is quite beautiful and moving, remembering those lost in the horrific bombings of the Murrah building back in 2005.  There is still a partial wall of the original structure with the steel rods exposed set against the backdrop of a field of empty chairs and reflecting pool that looks smooth as ice.  The memorial is bookended by two towering structures.  It is a beautiful reminder of a sad event in American history.  I was particularly moved by the smaller chairs next to the others and the Christmas wreaths hanging from each one.

After the memorial, we continued to pass through town on the way to Amarillo.  Through the rest of Oklahoma and into Texas it was long stretches of road with not much to offer the eye but cows and windmills.  We stopped for lunch at a little cabin off the highway in the middle of nowhere outside Clinton, OK called Jigg's Smokehouse.  you walk into this tiny smoke shack and are greeted with tables and the smell of smoked meats.  The walls are adorned with memorabilia of those who have passed through, most of which were business cards stapled to the walls.  I ordered a BBQ beef brisket sandwich and my husband got the "Kitchen Sink".  This sandwich was ridiculous!  It was about two pounds of ham, summer sausage and what appeared to be 5 other smoked meats topped with a special BBQ sauce and cheddar.  It was like a delicious brick.  My BBQ brisket was awesome.  The sauce is really tangy and sweet but still has a hot kick that builds up the more you eat.  Great lunch!  We both left our business cards to be added to their collection.

Feeling like we just ate another Thanksgiving dinner, we continued on for another few hours to Amarillo, TX where we will rest our chilled bones for the evening.  Getting up bright and early to hit the road by 7 for sunrise photos at Cadillac Ranch followed by (if we make it in time) the Winslow Meteor Crater and on to Flagstaff, AZ.  Hopefully we'll get some good photos and good eats along the way.

Road Trip America, Pit Stop #2: Nashville to Fort Smith, AZ Via Memphis (cont.)

Ok, there wasn't really "nothing."  There was something, but nothing I care to see again. We decided to hit up Graceland along the way and hope to get some Memphis BBQ.   I cannot express how much we deeply regret this.

If you're passing through Memphis and think to yourself "I have to see Graceland", just tell the voices in your head to shut up. Graceland is the pits. No joke. I thought it was some beautiful estate kept as a shrine to the King in the beautiful countryside. It is quite the opposite. (This is why you need to do more research, kids.) Graceland is in the, well, less-than-desirable section of town, let's just say. It's pawn shop strip-mall after strip-mall and the famed "Elvis Presly Boulevard" is riddled with potholes that will surely rip the chassis right off your car. My husband said "this can't be right" just about the time we arrived at the parking entrance of Graceland ($10. Ten-frickin-dollars to park in an empty parking lot in the ghetto that looked more deserted than Wally World.) I immediately felt depressed. This place clearly was not reminiscent of the glamour and glory of the old days of Elvis. In fact, I'm quite positive the King would roll over in his grave and throw fried peanut butter-banana sandwiches in the faces of all that now run this place. To top it all off, we never saw the mansion. The standard tour is $30/person (no dogs, obvi) and I had already decided I was uncomfortable enough with this place to not stay. I would love, however, to meet the person who shells out $69/person for the deluxe mansion tour. What the hell could you possibly see to make walking in an old house where someone once lived worth it?

Anyways, I ran inside the ticket area/gift shop to see what the deal was and was dead set on at least getting me some Elvis sunglasses to make the $10 parking worth it. Nope. All they had were super cheap-looking shiny plastic sunglasses for $25. I feel like those should be free w/parking at this hell hole. (*NOTE: I apologize if you are from here and love it. God speed or something nice.  I heard it used to be lovely.)

So...long story long, we got out of Graceland w/in 10 minutes. (That's a dollar a minute for anyone counting.) We set off to grab some Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives BBQ nearby. No chance. I wasn't stopping anywhere near there. We opted for a bag of Doritos we had in the car and kept driving to Fort Smith, AK. In case you haven't taken this drive, there isn't much to see other than flat fields spotted with the occasional Jesus sign. We were entertained by downloading Aziz Ansari standup from iTunes. (Love him- hilarious.) It was a quiet, peaceful section of road, but left us with zero fun food options.

So, I'm sad to say I have no good food stories to report from day 2 of my Road Trip America. Tomorrow we're passing through Oklahoma City on to Amarillo, TX. From what I've read, we should definitely catch some great sites and great eats as we begin to hit the old Route 66. I'll keep my fingers crossed and keep you posted!

Road Trip America, Pit Stop #2: Nashville to Fort Smith, AZ Via Memphis

Day #2 of the journey and we set off on 40W from Nashville to the other side of Arkansas in Fort Smith.  Oh man, do you know what there is to see along the way?!!!!


Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.

Road Trip America- Pit Stop #1: Pizza Palace, Knoxville, TN

As you may know I'm in the middle of moving across the country to San Francisco.  What better opportunity to see (and taste) the country than a cross-country road trip?  After packing up our house into a moving van and packing our dogs into a tiny mazda hatchback, we were off.

We left yesterday morning and drove from Silver Spring to Nashville with some minor pit-stops along the way.  It was an easy drive of about 11 hours, mostly up and down mountains with stretches of 40 miles between rest areas.  What surprised us the most is the cold.  It seems the further southwest we traveled the colder it got.  We hit some snow, but thankfully nothing that really stuck.  The wind was pretty brutal, though.  I was thankful we decided to drive the Southern Route.

Our friends Suzi and Eric got us Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives book before we left.  What a great idea!  We decided we were going to hit as many stops as we could along the way from that book. 

Our first DD&D stop was the Pizza Palace in Knoxville, TN.  Three immigrant brothers from Greece opened this drive-in in 1961 after buying a pasta sauce recipe.  The "secret sauce" is now a star attraction at this joint.  They are known for their pizza, pasta and onion rings. 

We pulled the car up to the little menu speaker box and ordered a pizza and onion rings (recommended by Guy.)  When the woman brought out the tray, she exuded that southern hospitality one would expect in Knoxville.  She proclaimed "we have the best pizza in the world, ya know! we're famous!"  Love her.  She doted on our cute dogs, remarked what a giant head Lelu has (she really does have a big noggin') and handed us the hot tray of artery-clogging food.  The pizza had thick layers of mozzarella oozing from each slice like hot lava.  They do have something about their sauce.  That was the first thing I noticed.  I almost regretted getting ham and pepperoni because I didn't want to mask the sauce.  It was pretty good pizza, but I wouldn't run out and say "the best in the world."  You have to love her spirit though.  The onion rings are hand battered, giant sweet vidalia onions.  Not bad.  I would recommend stopping if you're ever passing through.  There isn't much else around there...really.  There is nothing.  It's a quick stop off the highway though so not too much of a hike.  It's really all about the old school drive-in experience with southern hospitality and charm.

So what's next?  I'm not sure exactly.  I'm pretty sure lunch today will involve some Memphis BBQ though.  More to come...

App Review: Epicurious for iPhone

Photo courtesy of iTunes

There are tons of food-related iPhone apps out there and I honestly find most of them useless.  They either don't have the features that I would want or have only a handful of recipes.  I have come across one that I have now fallen in love with: the Epicurious app.

This app offers loads of useful functions for the beginning cook and the seasoned pro.  You can search for recipes by keywords, ingredient, course, dietary consideration and even season or occasion.  There is an impressive variety of recipes- over 8,000 under the main ingredients search alone.  Once you find ones you like, you can save them into a favorites folder.  When you're ready to use it, you can save it to your "shopping list" where it breaks out all of the ingredients you need.  This app has photos and user reviews as well. 

I have yet to see another app out there that combines all of these functions.  The best part...it's FREE!  This is quickly joining the Yelp app as one of my favorites.

Brunch is Awesome

I love brunch. There is nothing more perfect after rolling out of bed extra late on a Sunday and brushing off a hangover with some Eggs Benedict (Benny) or Belgian waffles. This weekend being Halloween I imagine there will be plenty of need for a gluttonous Sunday feast.

One thing I hate is deciding at the last minute you want brunch and then not knowing where to go.  Brunch DC has a great blog about brunch all around the DC metro area. I was particularly tempted by the Tabard Inn's homemade doughnuts and and Cafe Saint-Ex's Monte Cristo! They have a pretty extensive list of brunch reviews and you can sort by neighborhood.

If you want to be original, host your own brunch! Change it up- do a special theme or cuisine. Friends will love the casual gathering and it can be a nice change of pace from standing in line because a lot of places don't do reservations for casual brunch. Check out this list of a Month of Brunch Menus to give you some inspiration.

Whether you go buffet style, sit-down, formal or a casual brunch at home- be sure to go heavy on the grease and keep the mimosas coming!

Devouring San Francisco

Nope- this just doesn't have the same feel as Devouring DC.  Lacks originality and alliteration.  Now that I'm a Bay Area transplant I'm going to have to redirect my foodie focus.  I could still write about DC, I just won't have any recent personal experience to back it up.  Now how is that helpful to anyone?

I've been agonizing (embellished, but still) about what to call my new blog.  It seems every time I come up with a name someone else has already done it.  Let's face it, food blogs in San Francisco are a dime a dozen.  I'm going to need to stand out and really set myself apart from the others if I don't want to get swallowed and lost in the bowels of food blogging hell. OK, that was an overly descriptive, overly dramatic and just plain gross metaphor. Sorry.  Now let's focus.  It's time for you to help me!  If you have any fun, original and creative ideas, please feel free to leave them in the comments.  Results TBD...

The CIA Is Coming to DC!

Not that one from Langley, the food one.  I'm talking about the Culinary Institute of America, one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world with an alumni roster that includes the likes of Cat Cora, Michael Symon, John Besh, Anthony Bourdain and Michael Chiarello. 

If you've ever thought about becoming a chef, baker or restauranteur (and who hasn't?) then now is your chance to rub elbows with staff and find out everything you need to know.  The CIA is holding an admissions reception in DC on Monday, October 25th at 6:30pm at the J.W. Marriott downtown at Metro Center.  Admissions staff will be on hand to answer all of your questions and provide information about their programs and scholarship opportunities.  Speaking of scholarships, you could enter for a chance to win up to a $15,000 scholarship for the best Thanksgiving turkey in the CIA Top Turkey Scholarship contest!

Not really looking for a career change but want to have the experience?  Try out the CIA boot camp.  This is an intense training camps for adults with a passion for food.  I am personally saving up for the week-long bootcamp at the CIA campus in St. Helena, CA. That sounds like a perfect vacation to me!

What's Happening DC? Upcoming Food Events

I thought before I move to the left coast on Sunday I would do a post about all of the things I'll be missing back here in the DC area. : (  If you go to any of these, particularly the last one,  be sure to post a comment to rub it in!

Singles Dinner for Six
Friday October 8th (7:30pm ages 40s-50s; 8:00pm 20s-30s)
Potenza- 1430 H st., NW and Bistro Bis 15 E st, NW
It's exactly what it sounds like.

Taste of Georgetown
Saturday 10/9 11:00am
Georgetown
Nearly 30 of G'town's restaurants will have food to sample along with wine pairings and live jazz while benefiting the homeless

Daylight Washington DC
Sunday 10/10 4:55pm (every Sunday)
Bohemian Caverns (11th and U st.)
Music, dancing, drink specials and catered buffet from 5-7pm

Champagne Brunch
Every Sunday 11:00am
The Mansion on O- 2020 O St., NW
Gourmet buffet with omelet/crepe/waffle bar and champagne. Explore the "Mans" while you're there- over 100 rooms and 32 secret doors!

Capital Food Fight
Thursday, 11/11 6:00pm
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center- DC
Top chefs battle on stage in a competition that benefits DC Central Kitchen. Be sure to catch celebrity chefs Jose Andres, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio and Michael Mina!

It's My Birthday and I Will Eat What I Want To

Yay, it's my birthday and I'm (none of your damn business) years old!  If there is one day out of the year I let myself eat anything I want (and there isn't, it's most days actually, but I digress,) it's today!  Where will I go?  What will I devour?  No clue. I might head over to Mussel Bar, even though I'm likely to face a 90 minute wait on a Friday, but I don't care.  I love moules frittes!  Right now I'm actually more concerned with my cake (or just dessert in general.)  I love a great pumpkin cheesecake on my birthday.  You can't beat it.  One year I had a fantastic one at Chef Geoff's.  I might have to call and see if they have it.  Love that place.

I'm also a huge fan of Max's Best pumpkin ice cream.  It's to die for!  I love Max's ice cream.  I used to live in Glover Park and loved going to Max's.  I think it's the best in DC.  I miss that neighborhood!

If anyone wants to make me a cake, the Internet Food Association's blog has a recipe posted here.  If not, feel free to send me your recommendations!

If you're planning on grabbing some dessert yourself, here are some places to check out:

Co Co. Sala
929 F. Street, NW

ACKC
1529C 14th St, NW

Dangerously Delicious Pies
1339 H Street, NE

More Modern Kitchen Gadgets

So I've been surfing the interweb again for cool, modern kitchen gadgets and came across some of these funky finds:

Rubik's Cuet Salt & Pepper Shaker
Uncommon Goods- $15

Penguin Corkscrew
Uncommon Goods- $10

Hopside Down Drink Glass

Modern Gadget- $27.50 (yes, that's for one glass)

And for my personal favorite...

Vino Mug
Chiasso- $18



I'm going to need a bigger kitchen.

Boneless Pork Loin Chops with Curry Butternut Squash Puree

It's Autumn! This is absolutely my favorite time of year, and not just because my birthday falls near the beginning of the season (we will not speak of that.)  I love the cooler night air, the leaves turning gold and red and, of course, the harvest of beautiful earthy vegetables. 

Unfortunately, it's been more than a bit dreary on the east coast the last few days.  I am staring out the window now at the at the billions of rain drops plummeting to the earth as if they had a personal vendetta for Montgomery county.  Rain jerks.  Even my dogs feel the general malaise, slumbering  all day long with occasional sighs and grunts of boredom and cabin fever.  What better on a day like this than comfort food?

Here is a recipe I whipped up that might take the dampness out of your bones and brighten your spirits. 

Ingredients (serves 2):
PORK:
2 boneless pork loin chops, thick cut
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste

SQUASH PUREE
1 butternut squash
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup chicken stock (warmed)
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Skin the butternut squash and slice into 1 inch cubes.  Coat them in a bowl with the olive oil then mix with Kosher salt and curry.  Spread out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until tender.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet on medium high heat.  Season the pork on both sides with Kosher salt and pepper.  Place in the pan and cook for about 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the chops. (Pork is not something you want to under or over-cook. There is very little chance your cut will be exactly the same as what I bought so I recommend using a meat thermometer. The pork will be done when the center reaches 155 degrees.)  Remove the pork and rest on a cutting board while you prepare the squash.

In a large bowl or mixer, puree the squash with the chicken stock and butter until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary (always taste your food before serving!)

*NOTE: In the picture, I served with red-wine braised shiitake mushrooms. I didn't include them here because I didn't think they added to the dish.  My husband disagrees. I'll leave it up to you...

MUSHROOMS:
2 cups shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp. butter
1/8 cup dry red wine
Salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet on medium heat, saute the mushrooms in butter until soft. Add red wine and reduce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Taylor Gourmet...But Not Really

Last weekend I was doing some shopping in Bethesda and wanted to grab a quick sandwich for lunch to bring home.  I heard the new Taylor Gourmet was really good and I have seen the place look packed before so I thought I'd give it a shot.

The menu definitely has a lot to offer with over 20 signature hoagies as well as chicken cutlet and vegetarian sandwiches. I decided to get the Race Street hoagie which has turkey, prosciutto, pesto and mozzarella.  It was a great combination of ingredients but there was one major, MAJOR flaw...I couldn't get through the bread.  The hoagie was so thick and hard it was like gnawing on a hockey puck.  I actually had to use all of the strenth in my jaws as well as my biceps to rip through this bread.  If I wanted to feel barbaric, I would have gotten a damn turkey leg at the Renaissance Festival or go to Medieval Times. This was obnoxious. It was so bad that I actually got slices of my own bread and transferred the toppings- which were just ok.

I'm sorry Taylor Gourmet, but epic FAIL. I give you 1 fork out of 5. Thumbs down.

Post-Race Brunch in Philly

This past Sunday my sister-in-law and I ran in the Philadelphia Rock n' Roll Half Marathon. It was a beautiful day and we ran for a great cause, raising money to support research for MS. After burning about 1300 calories and nourishing our bodies with Cytomax and Gu, we needed a proper brunch to celebrate. We cleaned ourselves up and headed to Bar Ferdinand on North 2nd Street.

The interior had an unmistakable Spanish charm, with lace-draped chandeliers and dried roses hanging around the bar. We chose to sit outside and enjoy the sun and fresh air. While sipping on bloody mary's and white sangria cocktails, we decided to start with some tapas for the table. We ordered Croquettes filled with serrano ham and charred scallion along with puff pastry triangles filled with dates, bacon and cream cheese. The croquettes were crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. They were cheesy, salty and rich. The pastries were a perfect combination of salty and sweet- the dates were balanced with the salty bacon and flaky crust. Two fantastic ways to start a meal.

For brunch they offer a special- your choice of one of three 4-course menus for $15. Awesome deal! I ordered the eggs benedict with saffron hollandaise, potatoes with spicy tomato aioli, house-made Spanish bacon and bruschetta with spicy tomato sauce. The potatoes were golden fried and the sauce gave them a great little kick. The crisp, salty bacon was about as perfect as bacon could ever be and the benedict was outstanding. The eggs were beautifully poached into these perfect little orbs. I cut into them and the yolk poured out like tasty lava. I am VERY particular about my eggs, too. If I see one HINT of uncooked egg white, I won't touch the dish. These were perfect. The hollandaise was incredibly rich and smooth.

As full as I was, my sister-in-law was telling me the cupcake shop on the way back was featured on Oprah as one of her favorites. Of course that means I had to get one for the road. We stepped into Brown Betty Dessert Boutique a few doors down where I grabbed a red velvet cupcake to go. When I got home, it was smushed, but it didn't matter. One of the best cupcakes I've had to date. It was moist, rich and the icing was creamy but not too sweet. So worth the calories! What a great end to a great day! Many thanks to my family, my tutu-sporting running partner, friends and to all those who donated to I Run to Stop MS!