Dee’s Pineapple Upside Down Cake
recipes, cakes, pineapple, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes
recipes, cakes, pineapple, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – November 12-19
2nd Annual Cheese and Wine Festival
All Asia Food
Thursday, November 16
1st Annual Belgium Beer Festival
Washington, DC
Friday, November 17
Hudson Seafest
Hudson, FL
Saturday, November 18
Learn to Deep Fry a Turkey
Pennsylvania Food and Beverage Show
York, PA
food events, Tasting Journal
LobersterFest 2006
See more pictures from LobsterFest 2006 here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nathasha
family, food, lobster, seafood, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – November 5-11
Sunday, November 5
San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival
Monday, November 6
Wednesday, November 8
The ABC’s of Wine
Thursday, November 9
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
San Diego, CA
Friday, November 10
The Chocolate Show
New York, NY
Saturday, November 11
Miami International Wine Fair
Planet Wine’s 2nd Annual Holiday Wine Festival
Arlington, VA
food events, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – Oct. 29 - Nov. 4
Sunday, October 29
17th Annual WineFeast 2006
Wednesday, November 1
Piedmont & Barolo Wine Dinner
Thursday, November 2
Wine Basics 101 – DC Wine Tasting
Denver International Wine Festival
Friends of James Beard Event
Friday, November 3
Florida Seafood Festival
Apalachicola, Florida
Urbanna Oyster Festival
Urbanna, VA
Saturday, November 4
Giant Omelette Celebration
food events, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 22-28
Sunday, October 22
PartyScoop.com’s 2006 Fall Conference
Monday, October 23
Connecticut Restaurant Show
Tuesday, October 24
Oakville Ranch 4-Course Wine Dinner at Al Crostino
Wednesday, October 25
1st Annual Unique and Unusual Food and Wine Festival
Thursday, October 26
Introduction to the Wines of France with Fran Kysela
Saturday, October 28
The Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest
Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape
Powhatan, VA
Cooking Class: Recipes from Famous Washington Restaurants
Washington, DC
The Washington Post 2006 Dining Guide
Attention Washingtonians!!
Tom will be fielding questions about his dining guide at WashingtonPost.com tomorrow at
dining guide, Washington, DC, Washington Post, restaurants, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 15-21
Sunday, October 15
The Annual Wild Mushroom Festival
Monday, October 16
World Food Day USA
Tuesday, October 17
Michigan Restaurant Show
Wednesday, October 18
Celebrity Chef Tour
Thursday, October 19
Introduction to America’s East Coast Wines
6th Annual Midwest Beerfest
Saturday, October 21
I Love Garlic Cooking Class
2006 Taste of Bethesda
Last week, the girls and I stepped out into the cold dreary weather to attend the Taste of Bethesda. The temperature was low, and the rain was sprinkling on and off. However, this event has become somewhat of a tradition for us, and so to not go was hardly even a question. And so we added a couple extra layers, some rain boots and a hat, and then off we went to taste Bethesda. Here are some pics from this year…
restaurants, Bethesda, MD, Taste of Bethesda, food, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 8-14
Sunday, October 8
4th Annual North Berkeley Spice of Life
West Virginia Black Walnut Festival
Tuesday, October 10
Friends of James Beard Benefit
Wednesday, October 11
South African Wine Dinner
Thursday, October 12
35th Annual National Shrimp Festival
Taste of Atlanta
Port Moody, British Columbia
Saturday, October 14
Taste of Georgetown
Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival
Jamon Iberico is here!
A few months ago, KCRW's Good Food (my favorite podcast) did a little segment on Jamon Iberico, which is considered by many to be the best ham in the world. It is the best of its kind, encompassing a quality that is equivalent to
I remember wanting to blog about the breakthrough of Jamon Iberico in the
Jamon Iberico, Washington, DC, Jaleo Restaurant, KCRW, GothamWhore, Tasting Journal
Sunday Brunch at Jackie's
Jackie’s Restaurant
Tel: 301.565.9700
http://www.jackiesrestaurant.com/
In small quiet corner not too far from the bustling streets of downtown
Last week the girls and I decided to have brunch at Jackie Greenbaum’s popular hot spot. We arrived early
to a nearly empty dining room. Once we were seated we sat back and admired the vibrant colors and eclectic shapes and textures that adorned all four walls and everything in between.
Although the brunch menu was limited, I still had trouble deciding what to order. Katherine, Kim and Roman all ordered crispy fried chicken served with biscuits, on top of gravy. After a few more minutes, I decided to order the bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon. And of course, we ordered a few sides of home fries as well.
After about half and hour of gossiping, we started to wonder why our food was taking so long. Our server walked by as we were looking around the room to see if any other tables had gotten their food yet. He mumbled something that sounded like “Your food is coming… frying the chicken…”. So I guess the crispy fried chicken was the hold up.
Finally just as we were on the verge of starvation our dishes arrived. The girls’ chicken looked great and tasted delicious. The home fries were perfect except for that there could have been a little more. My bagel arrived in a lovely present
ation, embellished with red onion, parsley and capers. I thought it was a bit too chewy, but other than that it tasted fine.
Although Kim was pining for a scone when we first arrived, we ended up opting out for dessert after our meal.
Jackie’s has been quite a hit since it first opened a couple years ago. I can see why… despite the meal delay, the great atmosphere and tasty food is a surefire recipe for success.
restaurants, brunch, Silver Spring, MD, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – October 1-7
Sunday, October 1
Steak 101 – Restaurant Secrets to Juicy Steaks & Sides
Introduction to French Wine
Tuesday, October 3
Taste of Louisville
Wednesday, October 4
5-Course Rhum Clement Dinner at Tabaq Bistro
Thursday, October 5
Agora Greek Food and Wine Festival
Natural Products Expo East
Friday, October 6
Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival
Saturday, October 7
Taste of Bethesda
Sushi Making 101
food events, Tasting Journal
Photo Files…
I love looking through old photos. I have the best time doing it! I came across some really great ones the other day that I wanted to share.
Here are few for now…
Little Christina eating a blueberry
Grandma walking around Chinatown in New York
food photos, Ocean City, MD, New York City, Tasting Journal
Food News
Washington Post food critic, Tom Sietsema won
The 2006 WashingtonPost.com “Best of the Best” winners are in. Check out the picks for the best restaurants and bars here...
food news, Washington, DC, Washington Post, restaurants, Tasting Journal
Spinach Update
So the FDA has announced that it is now safe to eat fresh spinach so long as it’s grown outside of the three counties in
What other bloggers are saying:
Kim O’Donnel’s A Mighty Appetite
spinach, E Coli, food news, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – September 24-30
Sunday, September 24
Culinary Charity Event of the Year
Monday, September 25
Slow Food Sustainable Seafood Gala
Tuesday, September 26
Chocolate & Cheese Tasting
I Love Italian 6-Course Wine Dinner at Dino’s
Wednesday, September 27
Wine Dinner at Chef Geoff’s
Thursday, September 28
Sunset Rooftop Mixer at the Hilton Washington Embassy Row Hotel
Wine Tasting Reception at the P&C Art Gallery
Old
The Joy of Sake
Friday, September 29
14th Annual Apple Festival
Saturday, September 30
Introduction to Italian Cooking Class
Georgia Chili Cook-off
food events, Tasting Journal
Spinach Substitutes
Currently at least 171 victims have been affected in 25 states. According to the FDA, 92 of those people have been hospitalized, 27 of them with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a disease which can cause kidney failure.
So does this mean we can’t eat anymore spinach? That’s probably the safest route to go. The FDA advises to avoid fresh spinach or products containing fresh spinach until further notice.
But what about organic spinach? Well, Washington Post food journalist, Kim O’Donnel blogs about other alternative sources for spinach. Read more here...
A few spinach alternatives that her blog mentions include chard, red Russian kale and collard greens.
spinach, food, vegetable, E Coli, Tasting Journal
Upcoming Food and Drink Events – September 17-23
Monday, September 18
Italian Wine Dinner
Alexandria
Wednesday, September 20
Mid-Atlantic Food, Beverage & Lodging Expo
Opera Night at Café Mozart
Friday, September 22
2006 5th Annual Precious Cheese Feast
Saturday, September 23
Taste of Rhode Island
Fine Food Good Living Festival
food events, Tasting Journal
In Food News Today…
The WashingtonPost.com released its 2006 Cooking Class Listings for the DC metro region today. And guess what I found at the top of the list?!! Cambodian cooking classes! There’s one with Demaz Tep Baker
On CNN.com I came across an article about the latest culinary innovations that were introduced at the Fancy Food Show held in
food, food news, cooking classes, Washington, DC, Tasting Journal
Crazy for Coconut
This was actually my first time making the coconut oatmeal cookies and I
really love how well they came out. It wasn’t too sweet and the coconut was nice and subtle. I’m thinking next time I might throw in some milk chocolate chips for extra flavor.
Crispy coconut shrimp has always been a favorite of mine. I normally like to bake it, but I know some people who like to fry it. I think both ways come out tasty… but baking it is a little less messy, and of course a bit healthier as well (if you care about that sort of thing).
recipes, shrimp, cookies, coconut, baking, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal
Attention local foodies: It’s the 11th annual
3-course fixed-price lunch - $20.06
3-course fixed-price dinner - $30.06
For more information, see here...
restaurants, Washington, DC, dining out, Tasting Journal
Today in the Washington Post, food critic, Tom Seitsema used his column to catch up on his correspondence from the public. I found it to be a pretty interesting read. Check out the part about taking pictures in restaurants! Obviously, I’m an avid picture taker of food and the likes, but somehow it never occurred to me that others might take offense. Hmmm…
"The Waiter Wore Cologne" By Tom Seitsema
restaurants, food critic, Washington Post, Washington, DC, Tom Sietsema, Tasting Journal
Playing Catch-Up
Oh my gosh! Can you believe it’s already August?! My summer is just flying right by, and I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve hardly paid any attention at all to my blog! The funny thing is though, every time I’m out and encounter some sort of gastronomic epiphany, or something that’s just food-blog worthy, I usually remember to take notes, grab a card and takeout menu, or snap a few pictures. But then I get home and all my notes, menus, and photos get stored away for later – when I have free moment to spare.
ed the rest of the restaurant. The food came out in spurts of about 15-minute intervals. When our bill came, it had a few Chinese characters written on it, and a number that seemed higher than it should have been. My father disputed the bill, and asked our waitress to recalculate it. She did. The check came out to be $25.00 less. Despite all that, however, the quality of the food was actually not as bad as you would think.
Before we left, Grandma bought some lychee and cherries at a fruit stand in
We celebrated our first evening in the sexy city with dinner at Novecento on
Clevelander
Clevelander was our last stop after a night of roaming the city bar hopping. After a few rounds of cocktails we decided to order a juicy bacon cheeseburger (with fries, of course) and beef kabobs. The atmosphere was lively and fun. At that point in night however, I was just glad to be sitting down because my feet were so sore from walking all over town.
Larios on the Beach
We were hungry and in search of some delicious Cuban food. We decided on Larios, Gloria Estefan’s trendy Cuban restaurant. I loved the décor and atmosphere. There’s a small stage and dance floor inside for those who love to salsa. The food was decent, and the portions were large. Not only did we satisfy our Cuban craving there, but Kim spotted Pharrell dining al fresco as we entered the restaurant. Unfortunately by the time she reapplied her makeup and got up the courage to ask him for a picture, he was already gone. Poor Kim...
Nikki Beach
Once you hear the music thumping, you know that you are near. The stylish beachside nightclub boasts teepees, bamboo beds, and scantily dressed people dancing to world music. We ordered a couple pitchers of mojitos that took forever to come. The service sucked, but the drinks were good (when they finally arrived). We had fun sitting back, sipping drinks and people watching. There’s a Mediterranean-style menu, but by the time we got there, the kitchen already was closed.
travel, restaurants, Miami, Chinatown, New York City, Tasting Journal
Hotel Washington Sky Terrace Louge
515 15th Street NW
Washington
202.638.5900
http://www.hotelwashington.com/
Nick and I had dinner at the Sky Terrace Lounge in Hotel Washington for our two-year anniversary last week. The Sky Terrace at Hotel Washington is a popular destination for tourists.
When we arrived at our destination on the rooftop level of the hotel, we joined the line of others waiting for a seat that shows a spectacular view of the Washington Capital and Monument. Nick and I didn’t really have to wait too long before someone walked us to our table. We were soon seated at a small wobbly two-top among a mass of out-of-towners. After wiping off the damp chairs and stuffing a wad of beverage napkins under one of the table’s legs (to stop it from wobbling), we were able to sit peacefully and enjoy the beautiful view.
I’ve heard that the Sky Terrace is a great spot for sipping on cocktails while chatting with friends. I would have to agree on that. I was enjoying myself very much after my Grey Goose martini arrived (I asked for dirty, but they forgot the olive juice). After perusing through the menu however, I’d have to say their food is nothing to brag about. The menu consisted of unoriginal salads, sandwiches and hamburgers.
Nick and I ordered tortillas with picante sauce for our appetizer. So basically we had chips and salsa… There were a few other interesting looking items on the starter list however, such as chicken satay, hummus, and Bloody Mary shrimp. I think I’ll probably give those a try during my next visit.
For my entrée, I order the bourbon Teryaki chicken sandwich. The little piece of bland chicken that was hidden between an oversized bun was overcooked and in desperate need of some moisture. My sandwich was so dry that I had to take a sip of my martini after each bite to help it go down. Nick was a little bit luckier with his dish. He ordered the Mediterranean steak sandwich that was served in pita bread with lettuce, tomato, feta cheese and yogurt. I liked the combined flavors of feta and yogurt in his sandwich.
We decided to skip on the dessert. I did order some Sambuca however, just so Nick and I could enjoy the best part of the restaurant a little longer – the view.
While the food and service were really not the highlighting points of the Sky Terrace, it is still a nice place to go if you have great company and want a basic burger with a fancy view.
restaurants, Washington, DC, great views, hotels, Tasting Journal
Corn and Potato Salad
This recipe for corn and potato salad is light, delicious, and different from your traditional potato salad. There’s no mayonnaise. Instead there’s just a little olive oil and fresh lime juice. The corn gives the dish some added sweetness and nice texture. Our cousins from
recipes, potato salad, corn, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal
Attention Local Foodies:
3-Course Dinner - $30 or $22
restaurants, Bethesda, MD, dining out, Tasting Journal
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Another of my latest cooking creations...
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
spinach dips, spinach, artichokes, cooking, recipes, Tasting Journal, Tasting Journal Recipes
Oven Baked Ribs
One of my latest cooking creations from last week...
Oven Baked Ribs
barbeque, ribs, grilling, cooking, recipes, Tasting Journal Recipes, Tasting Journal
Road Food and Two for the Road... Jane and Michael Stern
I was listening to a recent episode of The Restaurant Guys the other day and they were doin
g an interview with Jane Stern. Her and her husband, Michael Stern, write a monthly food column for Gourmet magazine. They have also authored more than 20 books, including the bestseller, Road Food, a guide to hundreds of restaurants across the nation. The Sterns have recently come out with a new book, Two for the Road: Our Love Affair with American Food. In this latest edition, the food couple hits the road yet again, covering more than three million miles and sometimes eating more than 12 meals a day!
Can you imagine – 12 meals a day?! I’ve been meaning to get my hands on a copy of Road Food for quite some time now. I’ve finally placed my order with Amazon, and both Road Food and Two for the Road should be arriving at my doorstep any day now.
In the meantime, I’ve been perusing the Stern’s Road Food website… The site presents a featured restaurant each day, information and reviews on thousands of local food stops across the country, and a food forum. I’ve spent a lot of time lurking in the Regional Forum, where I’ve discovered some cool new places to eat right here in DC!
food books, Road Food, Two for the Road, food travels, restaurants, traveling, Tasting Journal
Au Bon Pain’s Jalapeno and Cheddar Bagel
What I’m Eating…
food, Au Bon Pain, breakfast, bagels, Tasting Journal
My Birthday Dinner... Ardeo Restaurant and Bardeo Wine Bar
I used to work for Ashok Bajaj when I was 20-years-old. I was a server and bartender at one of his restaurants called The Oval Room, in
Even before working for Bajaj, I was already familiar with his restaurants and the type of service and quality of food that he extended to his guests. I was in fine dining territory working for him. I had to learn the “proper” way to serve, the correct way to clear plates, how to gracefully open a wine bottle, how to make fancy cocktails, how to pronounce all the sophisticated names of all the dishes I was serving, and how to not look like a 20-year-old doing it all. I was definitely a clumsy one. I looked and felt awkward working there. Not surprisingly, the General Manger came to me before a shift one morning and told me that he didn’t think things were working out (with me). He said that I was too young and inexperienced, and that maybe I should try Ruby Tuesdays down the street! And with that, I turned in my apron, and said farewell to fine dining… at least for the moment.
I decided against Ruby Tuesdays, and instead worked my way around a variety of other restaurants in the
* * *
For my birthday last week, the girls surprised me with dinner reservations at Ardeo
Restaurant. We arrived an hour early so we could check out the scene next door at Bardeo Wine Bar, and sample some of their wine.
All dolled up, the four of us stepped into Bardeo’s small dining room and headed straight for the crowded bar. Although we had dinn
er reservations next door, I took a quick scan at their menu anyway. Bardeo offers about a dozen small plates, some of which include: a crispy goat cheese salad, served with marinated beets, baby frisee and walnuts; a platter of charcuterie and antipasta; and a petite filet of Wagyu beef served with creamed spinach, fingerling potatoes, and crisp shallots.
The wine menu offers selections by the glass and half bottle. If y
ou really want to sample wine however, the best option is to order the wine flight, which is a tasting of 3 ounces of four different wines served next to each other. The girls and I ordered the wine flight along with some cheese samples. Really, what could be better than wine and cheese? Oh, I know! Complimentary shooters! In honor of my birthday, the bartender threw in a round of B52 shots!
Soon after the last of the wine had been drunk, and the remaining morsels of cheese had been swallowed, the four of us walked through a door connecting us to Ardeo’s dining room 
for our dinner reservations.
Ardeo’s menu is a list of trendy modern American dishes that tend to arrive to the table in style. For example, the jumbo lump crab salad appetizer is served on top of Bloody Mary granite, garnished with micro celery, and presented in an attractively chilled caviar glass. Th
e executive chef, Christopher Bradley, seems to not only value the importance of food presentation, but lucky for us, aims for delicious taste as well.
ens, and garnished with cherry tomatoes, haricot verts, and quartered pieces of boiled egg. This appetizer was very good! I should have ordered the entrée version of it. The calamari was also tasty; it came out lightly battered and fried, and was served with a side of
spicy harissa aioli.
For our main courses, the girls and I ordered a variety of dishes and shared them all with each other. The entrées that we selected included the grilled sirloin presented in a spinach foie gras emulsion, served with baby carrots and a Yukon gold puree, in a red wine reduction; the seared duck breasts, served on top of noodles, in a
sesame-star anise jus; the grilled Mahi Mahi, presented on a plate with a side of micro greens and slivered almonds; the pan roasted salmon, served with sautéed mustard greens and smoked bacon, in an apple rosemary coulis; and the green asparagus risotto with wild mushroom ragout. My favor
ites were the grilled sirloin, and green asparagus risotto. I practically licked remnants out of the risotto bowl! The salmon was the least popular among our table. It was a bit dry, and flavors just weren’t as prominent as the other dishes.
We decided on two desserts from the menu. The first was the espresso SemiFreddo, served with mocha pralin
e and mocha caramel sauce. The second was the chocolate peanut butter bombe, presented with chocolate sauce and peanut bark. Both were beautifully displayed and tasted excellent!
By the end of the dinner, we were all thoroughly stuffed. I had a wonderful evening, and a great gastronomic experience! Thanks so much girls, for the delicious birthday!!
For more information on hours, directions, etc., see their website here...
food, restaurants, Washington, DC, wine bars, American cuisine, Tasting Journal
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