Holiday - - Page 34

by LB

Some Soda to Soak Up the Beer

Editor’s Note: New Contributor LB — a Boston-based chef currently studying for her Masters in Gastronomy — joins us just in time for St. Patrick’s day with this classic Irish recipe. Welcome, LB!

The smell of whiskey, green vomit, and shame is clinging to the air….just another morning during St. Patty’s here in Boston. We take our leprechaun-laden drunkfest very seriously around these parts– Patty’s isn’t only on the 17th; rather it starts the Sunday before with the St. Patrick’s parade in the mostly Irish South Boston. Swigging from a communal bottle of Jameson while sharing the sidewalk with nuns and priests is always a bit of a mind-fuck, but hey, where else can you start seeing double and confess at the same time?

All this day-drinking requires a serious amount of food, of course. Corned beef, cabbage and boiled potatoes, bangers and mash, shepherd’s pie, and my favorite, Irish soda bread. Aside from a big greasy basket of fries, nothing sets me straight in the middle of a bender better than bread. Bread that is slightly sweet, flecked with raisins, and both crunchy and soft at the same time is just gravy. So do yourself (and your liver) a favor this Patty’s and whip yourself up a loaf before you pour yourself that first green beer.

Irish soda bread has a million incarnations, but this one is pretty fucking delicious– and seriously easy. I’ve seen children make this recipe, so unless you are completely void of pride, quit complaining that baking bread is too difficult and make this. Now. Of course, don’t tell anyone how easy it was — just let them bask in all your flour-laced glory. And demand that they buy you a drink for all your labors.

by Russell Warnick

ES Local: The DC Gay Valentine’s Day Guide

Valentine’s Day is the time of the year when personal displays of affection are obligatory — a day to celebrate without any inhibitions. For the gay community this can sometimes be a challenge as restaurants are not as universally tolerant of gay couples’ PDAs. We’ve all heard the horror stories where a gay couple has been asked to leave a restaurant when either the owner isn’t happy or other customers feel uncomfortable. Yes, the gay community has its own restaurants, but there are not enough seats to fill every gay person in the city, especially this city.

Here is my guide to some great restaurants in DC where I would be happy to go on V-Day, to recommend to my friends, or to you, the readers of ES.

The First Date: 1789

As deceptive as it is great. Daniel Giusti is one of the youngest Executive Chefs in one of the oldest and grandest of dining rooms in the District, but you’d never guess by his youthful menu — my personal favourite dish is the Oyster Gratin. Actually, my experience at 1789 was somewhat overwhelming. The food really was exceptional but the surroundings and other clientele were not my usual setting. I think of 1789 as an older, more conservative restaurant, so I’m not sure that a gay couple would be comfortable showing some love. But I would recommend 1789 for a first date — first dates are not for touchy-feely situations but more for getting to know your newfound love, and 1789 can provide that conversational atmosphere. 1789 is offering a five-course tasting in addition to its a la carte menu. 1226 36th Street NW, (202) 965-1789

Impressing a Second Date: Tabard Inn

This classic standby is no stranger to gay clientele. Bordering Dupont and 17th Street, it’s a popular choice amongst my friends for weekend brunch and I suspect it will be no different come Valentine’s Day. The hotel is offering a 3-course prix fixe menu which includes Oysters, Seared Guinea Hen and a selection of desserts to choose, albeit on the pricier side at $65 per person. 1739 N Street NW, (202) 331-8528

by ML

Sex on a Plate: The Event

*start shameless self promotion*

For the past few months, I’ve been working with the sexy lady pictured above (Jennifer Iannolo) on what will be a fabulous Valentine’s extravaganza. We want you all there. You by yourself. You with your boyfriend/girlfriend. You with your friends. You with your love triangle. Just come.

And if that picture isn’t enough to convince you…I will be there too!

DETAILS: Step inside the head of food & sensuality maven Jennifer Iannolo, host of Food Philosophy and co-creator of the Culinary Media Network, as she presents a selection of flavors, tastes and textures designed to evoke your senses. Instead of the rote table-for-two scenario, her Valentine’s Day cocktail party in the Penthouse Solarium of the Roger Smith Hotel will be a sultry evening of tastes with the kinds of aromas, textures and flavors that will make your mouth water — and prime you for what she hopes is a most sensual evening.

This event is for singles, doubles, threesomes, or whatever tickles your fancy.

DATE: February 14, 2010

TIME: 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM

VENUE: Roger Smith Hotel, Penthouse: Solarium

EVENT TYPE: Cocktail & Tasting Party

MENU: A series of delectable small plates and adult beverages

EARLY-BIRD TICKET PRICES THROUGH 1/31/10 (friends *or* lovers, darlings):

$100 pp
$95 pp for “doubles”
$92 pp for “threesomes”
$90 pp for groups of 4 or more

Purchase here.

HOTEL SPECIAL

The Roger Smith Hotel is offering a special “Take Monday Off” rate on Valentine’s Day for this event. Please contact Brian Simpson for details on Twitter or via e-mail.

in Holiday 2 comments

by gansie

My Resolution to Start Smoking This New Year

I think the first time I had smoked fish was in sushi, not the oft walked Jewish path of lox on a bagel with cream cheese. I had plenty of exposure to smoked salmon and smoked whitefish salad, mostly at bat mitzvah luncheons and funerals. Unfortunately, my personal smoked fish craze didn’t hit until I was living in DC, and we notoriously lack Jewish delis.

However, 80 and I just celebrated friends’ wedding in southern Florida, eating and partying our way through Sunny Isles Beach, Hollywood and West Palm Beach. And wow, it was nice to be around the Jews. I never can find the pleasure of smoked whitefish in the District. There are maybe 2 New York style delis in the area, and I haven’t fell in love with either of them.

But in Florida! Florida!

After the nuptials, 80 and I visited with my grandmother. While at lunch I schmeared smoked whitefish salad on a pumpernickel bagel (80 choose wrongly and ordered the *lean* pastrami sandwich and Mommom took down matzah brei, a bagel and hash browns). Whitefish salad is less pungent than smoked salmon, it’s creamier than a tuna salad consistency, but with a saltier, less generic taste. It also doesn’t reek of mayo.

Later that day at my aunt and uncle’s golf clubhouse, the free (!) snacks offered in the bar area were smoked whitefish salad right next to boursin cheese (It was actually quite funny, they had a chef in full whites slicing the boursin on a wooden cutting board akin to prime rib), swiss cheese triangles, broccoli florets, grape tomatoes and crackers. It was a mid-winter miracle.

So apparently we’re in week four of the New Year. I had this majestic resolution—obviously food related—but I haven’t started it yet. I will start making claims now. I will hopefully cash them in before 2011.

I will smoke a white fish. Whatever a white fish is. I will then take that smoked white fish and make a salad out of it.

There.

(Photo: PS95)

in Fish / Food Travel / Holiday / Personal 14 comments

by gansie

We Love To Cook. And It Shows.

I’m a terrible, terrible gift receiver. And I really hope my family isn’t reading this post. For Chanukah last year I asked for a creme brulee set with a mini blow torch. I don’t know what intrigued me to light food on fire, but I couldn’t wait to caramelize everything that came out of my kitchen.

But because that beautiful set has not been used yet, I didn’t request any gear for the kitchen. I still landed two cutting boards (thanks Mommy and 80P); two books, Watching What We Eat (thanks 80P’s parents) and Alice Waters’ The Art of Simple Food (thanks Justin); a pizza peel (thanks Scott); and a bagel guillotine (thank’s 80P’s parents). And I’m sure I’m forgetting some things.

So besides the neglect of my 2008 presents, I also didn’t ask for anything because I binged purchased for myself recently (and there is >>thismuch<< room left in my cabinets). I cannot deny the allure of thrift store kitchen items. So cheap, so cute, so unique, so unnecessary, which is actually part of the charm.

Above you will see the set of 6 mini bakeware dishes. I don’t know what that kind of canoe-like shape is called, but it was just too cute. I love sets of things. I love that green. And when I have a dinner party for 6 everyone will be able to have an individual side of um, something. I actually already used one for a shallow dip bowl.

More purchases from unexpected brands post jump.

in Holiday 4 comments

by BS

Feed Us Back: Comments of the Week

– The Man Who Eats with Wolves has really stirred up ESers’ appetites. Don:

Yummmmm! I suddenly have the urge to hunt down the cat that digs and pees in my garden and eat its innards. I imagine that if this guy learned anything from his experience it was how to “wolf” his food down.

Sounds like someone’s trying to start a pun-off! If you haven’t caught the wolfman podcast yet, take a listen.

– Thanks to everyone for reporting back on all your foodie holiday presents. Ben digs deep for a pepper mill analysis:

As lovely as that pepper mill is (and it is quite lovely), any mill that cannot be operated one handed is inferior. Now, granted, the one-handed mechanisms aren’t always as even, reliable, or voluminous as the unicorn appears to be. The advantage of being able to pepper something I’m stirring/holding/moving with the other hand FAR outweighs any other consideration.

– And reaching back to our list of the most outrageous holiday presents, erica eloquently defends the purchase of a seltzer maker:

in Holiday 2 comments

by gansie

Honky Tonk Princess

Fuck. So I’m back at work now. But at least I have these so-so photos from my iPhone to remember my looooong road trip from Atlanta to Hartsville to Nashville to Knoxville to Kingsport and back to DC. Let me walk you through my trip, via food, of course.

Toured World of Coca-Cola. (Atlanta)

I learned a few things. Sex in different language sells. Coke’s secret formula has nothing to do with taste. Chile’s Lift is the best soft drink in South America. I paid $45 for 80P, 80P’s Mom and me to be brainwashed into drinking Coke for the rest of our lives. And it was worth it.

Met a top chef. (Atlanta)

Met another top chef. (Atlanta)

Ate Sonic for the first time. (Somewhere off the highway in Monteagle, Tennessee)

Don’t worry. I didn’t eat that enormous chili cheese dog pictured above (80 did!). I try to avoid meat and fast food. Shockingly, though, the mozzarella sticks were awesome. And the black and white shake, even better. Actually, get this.

We all know what a black and white shake is, right? So I wake up drunk on New Years Day, giggle my ass off for an hour, start to feel crappy, head to a diner and try to order a milkshake on my way out. And my fucking server looks at me like I’m insane. She took a triple take. And she goes, “Um, like put them on top of each other?”

What the fuck? What would that even mean? I clearly did not order a milkshake from that establishment.

in Drinks / Holiday / Personal / Photos 8 comments

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