Memories of Summer

It is February, Valentines day, below zero outside and the power has gone out. My laptop battery is dying, and while cozy by a blazing fire, my mind wanders back to summer in the valley of the Shenandoah mountains.

Summer to me equals dining outside. Picnics, patios and farm dinners. Farm dinners are quite a trend, and I am a fan. Sitting outside in a beautiful setting, eating local ingredients, connecting with nature and feeling like you are a part of something good. I have found not all farm dinners are created equal and want the opportunity to shout out loud about how impressive, while down to earth, the Hill and Holler farm dinner I attended just outside Charlottesville was. I am now a newbie to “cville” and, having moved here this past summer, I thought one way to get to know the area, the food scene, and some new folks would be a family-style farm dinner. This area is known for its wineries, cideries and countryside. I got lucky when I found the web site for Hill and Holler. What attracted me to the event was that it is a collaboration of local farmers, chefs and purveyors of the cville community while also raising funds for local food and agricultural organizations.

This Hill and Holler farm dinner was at Grace Estates Winery in Crozet, Virginia in support of the Piedmont Environmental Council with Chef/Butcher Matt Greene JM Stock Provisions at the helm. On a mild summer evening at the end of June, without electricity or running water, Hill and Holler created a four- course rustic dinner utilizing foraged greens and heirloom meats paired with wines from Grace Estates.

Photo By Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Grace Estate Winery

My mother and I drove through the gates of the winery with vines on each side up a small hill to the reception area at the silo. We were greeted by Hill and Holler creator Tracy Love, who was welcoming and open to telling me more about her work with Hill and Holler. We sipped our first glass of wine as we learned about the charitable organization to which the proceeds for the evening went—Piedmont environmental council http://www.pecva.org, which works towards “Promoting and protecting the natural resources, rural economy, history and beauty of the Virginia Piedmont”.

After the passed hors d’oeuvres of pate` made by JM Stock Provisions, we boarded an open-back truck that transported diners into the vineyard to an open field where the dinner was held in an impressive tee-pee provided by the Skyline Tent Company. Unlike canvas enclosed tee pees I have experienced at camp, this was elegant, open, and kept diners cool. Next to the tee-pee another tent housed the “kitchen area’ where without electricity, Matt Greene lead his team to create the meal.

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Photo By Kristen Finn kristenfinn.com

Photo by Kristin Finn kristenfinn.com

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

What first struck me about the setting, besides the natural beauty, the elegance of the tent, were the rustic details on the table. Tracy does all of the décor herself. This is where “god is in the details” – the vintage cutlery, mixed vintage Virginia china. Tracy collects this inventory and for each event brings different details. Tracy tries very hard to create diverse experiences so that you can attend every dinner in a season and have a new experience at each. Her passion lies in re-purposing items that she can use at her events, décor will not be repeated— down to the candles on the table which she personally spray painted and coordinated with tied leather, burlap, feathers, and antler pieces to make a rustic and elegant table scape.

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Unlike the organizers of other farm dinners, Tracey buys product from purveyors; it is not donated. This gives producers a platform to introduce their food and their company to the community. Each event benefits a local food or agricultural organization. Tracy started by cold-calling chefs asking if she could use their products. By doing that, she made local connections, creating community and connecting neighborhoods. For Tracy it is more about community connections and community involvement from not only attendees but the purveyors themselves.

Some local purveyors featured in this dinner: JM Stock Provisions, Twenty Paces Sheep and Goat Dairy Creamery, Rag Mountain, Henley Orchard, Jamerson Farm, Agriberry Farm, and Grace Estates Winery.

Now, about the food– while I could go through course by course my palette makes me jump to the house-made Jamerson Farm rabbit sausage. Wow, if this is any claim to what they are doing at JM Stock Provisions this is the best advertising you can buy. Fantastic, new flavors– perhaps because I do not often eat rabbit, but perhaps because this is what they are known for– creating savory sausage. Smoked trout is a local favorite, as well as one of mine and the parpardelle with venison and pickled peaches left me wanting more.  The generous pouring of wine by Grace Estate winemaker Jake Busching, was impressive and a wonderful first impression of the winery. Being a fan of dessert wines, I enjoyed the Le Gras Cuve 2012 at the end of the meal with the blackberry cornmeal pie.

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

I was blown away by how Tracy was able to pull this off for $100 a head, all inclusive, pay in advance with 4 courses and 5 glasses of wine. Great deal.

Thank you to Tracy Love for taking the time to sit down with me over a glass of King Family Vineyard Vigonier. Tracy is enjoying continuing Hill and Holler, creating unique events around Charlottesville all while working full-time at Blenheim Vineyards. Thank you to photographer Kristin Finn for generously sharing her photos of this beautiful event with me, and to both for being their friendly amazing open selves in giving their time to speak to local enthusiasts and I hope future supporters.

See upcoming and other previous Hill holler events: http://www.hillandholler.org/

 

Photo by Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Photo By Kristen Finn, kristenfinn.com

Summer at the Smithsonian

It’s summer in the city. At the Crab Deck in Kent Narrows, Maryland,  just over the Bay Bridge, one can have a vacation in an evening, despite what can be an unpleasant drive on 495. Once a year I have to get my fix of Old Bay Seasoning, steamed clams, beer and corn on the cob, all placed on brown paper table covering and paper towels. For Sunday lunch, I was inspired to make lobster rolls, fresh corn salad with cilantro, and watermelon-raspberry juice. Despite the humidity and the frizz in my hair, I am trying to lean into a D.C. summer.

This blog post, however, is about art and food! I will be trying to merge the two things that inspire me most as I continue on my writing way.

One of my favorite activities to do in Washington is visit The Smithsonian. Offering a full day of art and picnic opportunities, the Smithsonian is a beautiful stop in D.C. in the summer for locals, despite the tourists. Having grown up going to the Smithsonian, for me the challenge is always where to have lunch. I wonder if tourists really do rely on the fast-food concession stands that are on the mall, as I always see lines, and perhaps it is a novelty to buy items from the famous D.C. concessions stands. I myself am very nostalgic for the red, white and blue bomb pop, but this is just a sugar rush. There is of course the pleasant, but overpriced, cafeteria in the National Gallery of Art, as well as their lovely Garden café. The Garden Café` often offers themed menus that accompany exhibitions and this does add to a unique exhibition experience.

But I wanted to explore some newer options. First of all, there are food trucks! Not the concessions stands or tourist-packed trucks on the mall, but restaurants on wheels. Technically they are not on the mall, but just a block over on Independence Avenue and only between 12-2 p.m. To find them, head down to the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) on Independence and you will see them lined up on 12th St. and Independence just outside the L’Enfant Plaza metro stop. There is sushi, Ethiopian cuisine, Peruvian food, Greek, and if you are lucky the grilled cheese truck. Food trucks are a great option for keeping the price of your lunch down and there are plenty of places to picnic.

Benches on the mall are always an option, as well as just bringing a blanket with you and sitting on the grassy part of the mall in the sun. But I recently stumbled upon the perfect alfresco lunch spot in the gardens of the Smithsonian castle. The Smithsonian castle is one of my favorite stops today, as it was redone a few years ago as a welcome center. (While I did hear a group complaining about how unimpressed they were with the castle and that there is nothing there and they would tell people to skip it on their next trip, to me the castle is a welcome oasis from the heat of the mall and tourists.) Perhaps one reason for me is that there are bathrooms there—it is a great meeting spot when you get off the Smithsonian metro in the morning, need to use the restroom after your 30-minute train ride, and you can even grab a coffee as you make your way to your favorite museum. And as much as it is a nice morning stop it is in the gardens at the castle that you will find hidden benches and my recent discovery of three umbrella-covered tables that are open for public use. I found it odd that no one was using the tables mid-day and perhaps in the pristine gardens of the Smithsonian castle they seem private, but I asked a grounds person who was nearby water plants and she clarifies they are open for use. So, why not grab a food truck option to go and stroll back to the garden oasis that waits you to shelter you from the D.C. heat?

The most interesting lunch location I am going to recommend is a cafeteria of sorts. It is the café in the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI). The Mitsitam Native Foods café  is a unique experience. It features Native American regional cuisine. Of course for me this is perfect as I appreciate learning through food and trying things I would not make for myself.

As stated on their web site:

“Mitsitam” means “Let’s Eat!” in the Native language of the Delaware and Piscataway People. The Mitsitam Cafe enhances the museum experience by providing visitors the opportunity to enjoy indigenous cuisines of the Americas. The cafe features native foods found throughout the Western Hemisphere. Northern Woodlands– Region that spans from the Atlantic Coast to the Mississippi and from Southern Canada to the Chesapeake. Mesoamerica– Home of the Papago or “Bean People” and spans from the American Southwest to Mexico and Central America. South America– Region that encompasses the entire southwestern hemisphere. Northwest Coast– Region that stretches from Southern Alaska to Northern California. Great Plains– Region that stretched over the great landscape from Alberta, Canada to Texas. Each Station depicts the life ways and related cooking techniques, ingredients and flavors found in both traditional and contemporary Native dishes.” 

Some items on the menu the day we visited included items like octopus escabeche, puree of persimmon and carrot soup, fire-roasted chicken and yucca stew, purple potato and green chili with a queso stuffed pepper, chicken tamal with almond mole sauce and side dishes like sweet potato and coconut cazuela, quinoa, roasted poblano and corn salad. Not only do these options reflect some native traditions, they are something new to learn about and reasonably healthy. While cafeteria style, it is great to see things like sweet potatoes, quinoa, and cabbage salads on the menus. In addition, they have a coffee car that serves specialty drinks of coffees and hot cocoas. While I have sampled many Mexican hot chocolates, the spicy blackberry cappuccino and Mexican Latte De Olla were new to me. You can also book a chef’s tasting at the café for your group and the chef will tell you the history of the café and give you a personal tour of the seasonal cuisine. That does need to be booked in advance and information is on the web site.

Otherwise, you can take your own tour, it’s just hard to decide which region to taste.

The Rage of Ramen

Slurp shot: Cousin Sara

Sakuraramen Adams Morgan

“Tea” cocktail

Slurping Turtle Chicago

Chuko Ramen with butternut squash

My Subaru buried in a foot of snow in the D.C. area has me craving ramen. For those who know me, I’m slightly obsessed. I admit my addiction to carbs, and a nostalgia that began with snow days home from school, my mother serving my brother and I the classic Oodles of Noodles to warm up after playing in the snow. Ramen is an American comfort food. While I have not had a bowl of Oodles of Noodles in years, it has regained high status and a popularity bordering on culinary obsession.

We are in a ramen Renaissance, thanks to the hype around David Chang and Momofuku in NYC, which opened in 2004. Chang’s Momofuku restaurant group now includes a noodle bar, milk bar (desserts), Momofuku Ssäm Bar, Má Pêche and Momofuku Ko. Needless to say, if I had money to burn I would try them all. Listen to this interview from 2009 on NPR’s “All Things Considered” to hear more from Chang.

I was reawakened to ramen after watching the show “Mind of a Chef” on PBS. The show, whose executive producer and narrator is Anthony Bourdain, featured David Chang in its first season. Now in its second season, “Mind of a Chef” follows a chef’s passion within their culinary world, and we experience what makes them excited. In the first season, Chang was fun to follow. (The second season features chef Sean Brock. He takes it up a notch, discussing his interest in food history, seed saving and authentic low-country flavors.)

While I still have not yet gotten to try Chang’s famous alkaline noodles in the Big Apple, I recommend J. Kenji López-Alt’s Serious Eats write-up about all things ramen and why ramen noodles should be cooked in alkaline water. In addition, check out this  beautiful article from Eater.com that discuss the noodle purveyor Sun Noodles used by Chang at Momofuku and what restaurants, like Slurping Turtle mentioned below, are making their own and why.  There is also an interview with Chang on his reasons for working with Sun Noodle, and great videos of the history of Ramen and its production.

In the meantime, I have been doing my own search and comparison of ramen noodles in the D.C. area and, frankly, wherever I can.

For my thirty-fourth birthday dinner, budget being of critical importance this year, it was fun to find a reasonable eat that was still an experience. So, ramen it was, at Slurping Turtle in Chicago. This was a great spot for a birthday dinner, as we got to sit at a communal high table at the center of the restaurant and take it all in. The menu was not only ramen, but appetizers, sushi, cocktails, teas and desserts, so plenty to choose from, with a stylish/hip atmosphere.

Moving on to the D.C. area, I had to try the trendy ramen spots, so I hit Sakuramen in Adams Morgan and Daikaya on 6th Street. Both stick authentically to ramen, with Sakuramen offering only buns as an accompaniment, and Daikaya offering beer and gyoza as their only other options. Frankly, you do not need anything more than one of the ramen bowls, as they are wonderfully filling. I have yet to try Toki Underground, which also seems popular.

But the best of my limited tastings of ramen so far was at Chuko in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn. I ordered a miso broth with butternut squash, soft-boiled egg, chicken and wonderfully wavy noodles (you can choose your noodles here). The venue, which calls itself an izakaya, features other delicious offerings, including kale salad with crispy sweet potato, raisins and miso, pork buns, crispy Brussels sprouts and various Japanese pickles. Perhaps it’s not the most authentic of ramen joints, but the flavor is amazing – worth the first-come, first-serve policy, one-hour wait time and cash only policy. What we didn’t realize is you can come ahead and put your phone number on the list. I would recommend that you put your phone number down, walk across the street and have a drink at the cozy, candlelit Weather Up bar (go through the unmarked white door) while waiting for your call.

Part of the fun of this ramen craze is hopping from ramen spot to ramen spot to try different bowls. Please comment to recommend where I should go next!

Limoncello . . . made in Washington, DC!

I LOVE Limoncello! Well, Limoncello I drank in Italy, and limoncello I have personally made myself and with girlfriends. It is a fun evening activity with friends to peel lemons and beautiful when stored in glass bottles.

Home made Limoncello

It is hard for me however, to convince friends here to be as enthusiastic as I am about limoncello. They say it is “too sweet”, or “too syrupy”, “how can you drink this stuff?!” they call out to me in bewilderment. The fact that I even serve this mediocre limoncello to friends is simply me holding on to the nostalgia of that time in Sorrento… but every time I try a new bottle with a embellished “Italian” label on it here at home I hope, maybe this will be the one!  Of course, whenever I go to an Italian restaurant I order the “house-made” limoncello which also serves some mixed results.

But perhaps I have found the answer! The Washington Post featured, Don Ciccio & Figli here in Washington, DC  in the article, “Italian liqueurs, made in Washington”, and what makes me excited is that they make their limoncello with real lemons. This might sound obvious, (I thought it was because, well, that is how you make it at home) but Francesco Amodeo, the producer of Don Ciccio & Figli’s traditional recipe liqueurs says that in fact, most limoncello producers do not use lemons at all:

Amodeo’s “tanks are surrounded by boxes of fresh fruit. “Big commercial limoncellos are made with powders. They don’t use lemon peels,” Amodeo said. “I visited a commercial producer back home, and I’m looking around, and I say, ‘Where is your fruit?’ And the guy looks at me and says, ‘We don’t use lemons anymore. Are you crazy?’”

“Of course,” Amodeo added, “the limoncello tasted like nail polish.”

After reading the Washington Post article, I wrote to Francesco, inquiring if I could bring a group of friends to his distillery to taste his product. This is something we would often do in Colorado on a Saturday, tour the local distilleries and micro-breweries while meeting the purveyors who are young, successful, and connecting on a personal level with their supporters. He wrote me back and generously offered a private tasting of his products. Wow. I was excited, surprised, and after the tasting, impressed. Not only did he provide a tasting of each liqueur from his product line but he made us a cocktail featuring each one.  We tasted 6 liqueurs; Limoncello, Finocchietto, Ibisco (hybiscus), Mandarinetto, Fico D’India (prickly pear) and Concerto, a dark liqueur which has over 15 herbs and spices, coffee and espresso. Francesco insists he is the only  producer of “Concerto” outside of the Amalfi Coast. Some of the liqueurs I preferred alone, Finocchietto and Concerto as lovely digestivi, while others made an amazing cocktail. I appreciate that he taught us how to make simple cocktails that don’t break the bank. Using one of his liqueurs, one could make a signature party cocktail for about $50, or less, if you already have a stocked bar. He is truly creating a well designed product from the bottle (which will fit well in your fridge without having to lie it down), beautiful label design, to the delicious authentic product. He imports his lemons from Sorrento! Cliche` as it might sound, my only problem with this experience is that now I want one of each. I look forward to building my Don Ciccio & Figli collection. Salute!

Photo taken by: Heather Baltrush

Sensuous Sipping Chocolate

My first experience with sipping chocolate was in Italy. It was cioccolato caldo or their hot chocolate. As an American accustomed to drinking powdered Swiss Miss hot chocolate, the Italian way is a shock. It is basically like drinking a melted chocolate bar in an espresso cup. I actually did not like it at all, fortunately my tastes have changed.

The intensity of the cioccolato caldo or the many Elixirs that are now so popular is the bitter-sweet taste which lends itself to a more mature palate; at least compared to my preference for the sugary powdered versions.

Pitango Gelato has the authentic Italian cioccolato caldo. I noticed it only because on their counter sits the cioccolateria macchina which stirs and heats their hot chocolate evenly keeping its thick consistency. I immediately recognized it from Italy as it was a novelty for me the American, searching for hot chocolate during an Italian February. Otherwise you are mesmerized by their amazing gelato flavors that include such classics as Stracciatella (Vanilla Chocolate Chip) or Nocciola, but attract me for their Cinnamon, Bourbon Vanilla and Cardamon plus their sorbettos of Spicy Chocolate, Bosc Pear and White Grapefruit.

Ozo Coffee based in Boulder, Colorado is serving Cacao Elixirs that are a 100% raw product sweetened with coconut sugar or a shot of pure cacao with its authentic bitter taste. They are emphasizing the natural energy and health benefits of cacao and include a Mayan spice version. This is delicious but something to get accustomed to if you are not used to bitter chocolate.

Piece, Love, and Chocolate in Boulder, Colorado has three versions of sipping chocolates. Dark, white, and half dark/half white. I ordered the half and half and it was perfect. To me the dark is too bitter, the white too sweet and the half and half is just right.  The option for the white chocolate makes this sipping chocolate unique– and the fact that the owner Sarah Amorese will often be the one pouring it for you. Sounds totally cliche but its true, that Sarah truly puts love into all of her chocolates. Her upbeat energy (perhaps from being surrounded by chocolate fumes all day!) radiates through the shop.  You can shop, taste, take classes and watch the open kitchen. It is a must see experience in Boulder and I would suggest sipping some half and half chocolate on a cold Colorado day as you sign up for one of her beer and chocolate tasting classes.

Sarah Amorese

Kakawa Chocolate in Santa Fe New Mexico recreates historical recipes of their elixirs.  I fell in love with their sipping chocolates years ago during a visit to Santa Fe New Mexico and had lingering nostaligc memories of the film Chocolat and one of my favorite books Like Water for Chocolate. What seduces me about their elixirs are the different flavors derived from historic recipes. You can imagine drinking what Thomas Jefferson might have indulged in at Monticello. What was Mayan hot chocolate really like? That of Marie Antoinette? The historic drinking chocolate of the extravagant Italian court of Tuscany from the 1660s to the late 1700s? While much of this is based on known historic writing on chocolate, such as The True History of Chocolate by Sophie and Michael Coe, (great review of the book from the Blog Chocolate Speak by Sandra Andrews-Straskoit) it all comes to life at Kakawa.

CoCo Sala in Washington, DC elevates hot chocolate to be enjoyed as a flight with such flavors as Pumpkin Spice, Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel. This is a restaurant after my own heart in that chocolate is infused into their whole menu not just desserts and exudes romance. In the very dark, candle lit F street location I ordered the creole crab cakes with a chipotle chocolate tomato cream sauce with a totally over the top strawberry and chocolate vodka cocktail. This is a bit gluttonous, but so much fun. It is also very different from the other sipping chocolate locations I noted in this blog in that CoCo Sala’s hot chocolates are very sweet.  I would suggest the flight of hot chocolates, versus a single larger serving as the sugar content seemed so strong to me a little taste of each was all I could manage– while saying that I did finish each small one, of course. The salted caramel being my favorite. They do have a spicy hot chocolate and while it was certainly sweeter that those from Kakawa mentioned earlier, the sweet truly balanced out the heat and was very enjoyable. Do not cross this spot off your list in the summer either, as they serve the “hot chocolates” on ice.

Pumpkin Ravioli

This specific Pumpkin Ravioli or Tortelli recipe was a five-year search.
 I first tasted these when I was studying abroad in Florence, Italy in the 
spring of 2000. My class took a weekend
 excursion to Mantova and dined together on this primi
 piatti. The flavor was unlike any ravioli I had tasted
 and I never forgot it.

Every opportunity I had 
in the states I would order pumpkin ravioli when it was 
featured on a menu and it never tasted like what I 
had in Mantova. I started to experiment with flavors
 trying to replicate the taste with no success, it was 
always bland and reminded me of butternut squash soup. What was 
missing was the ingredient of the mostarda Mantovana,
 which adds a sweet (pear) and spicy (horseradish) 
flavor that cannot be re-created easily. If you cannot find 
it in specialty stores, it can be ordered online for a price.
 This element keeps the ravioli special and requires some
 pre-planning.

Needless to say the search and effort to make the “right” 
ravioli di zucca is a labor of love and finding this recipe 
in the magazine La Cucina Italiana seems like fated destiny.
 As you can read in the magazine’s historical description (that I have included below), written by Ian Wolff, the recipe is from the table of Queen Christine of
 Sweden. This is significant to me because when I found
 this recipe, I was working on my Master’s thesis on 
the artist Arcimboldo who would have been very closely
 related to the same kind of sixteenth century court life in 
Milan. Perhaps Arcimboldo had tasted the same ravioli! 
Please note that this unique flavor is not liked by all as it is often considered too sweet, at least by my mother, and perhaps by those too polite (or afraid) to say anything to me. . . I am guilty of going a bit heavy on the amaretti cookie, as it is so good.

The Dish of Dukes  by Ian Wolff

From Renaissance kitchens that catered lavish banquets held in rooms decorated by masters came the cornerstones of a famed pasta dish that holds a city’s pride.

In Bartolomeo Stefani’s historic cookbook, L’Arte di Ben Cucinare, et Instruire, published in 1662,
he describes a banquet held by the duke of Mantova for Queen Christine II of Sweden. More than six courses were served at the event, including a “trionfo,” an ornately decorated sugar sculpture in the shape of Mount Olympus. A renowned chef of the Renaissance known for his daring menus, Stefani served as the prized chef of the Gonzaga family, catering to their famous love of cuisine.

The Gonzagas ruled the duchy of Mantova, in northern Italy, from 1328 to 1707. Over the course of their reign, the city rose to new cultural heights with commissions such as Giulio Romano’s Palazzo del Te, and, thanks
to their passion for food, Mantovan cuisine became coveted in Renaissance Italy.

Dating back to an Etruscan village, the city of Mantova is surrounded by man-made freshwater lakes that were diverted from the Mincio river in the 12th century to bolster the city’s defenses. The lakes offer a bounty of freshwater fish, and the outlying plains and marshlands provide a wealth of livestock, rice, vegetables and fruit for local kitchens.

Europe’s best chefs were lured to the city to oversee the Gonzaga’s lavish banquets. Their passion for gustatory exploration and elaborate meals inspired many of the dishes and recipes still associated with the region.

Today, the most sacred of the area’s recipes is tortelli Mantovani–fresh pasta stuffed with a combination of Mantovan mostarda, regional pumpkin, the Venetian delicacy amaretti and nutmeg. Grown from the innovative and adventurous recipes encouraged by the Gonzagas, it has been said that this dish can be attributed to Stefani and his interest in fruit preserves, or mostarda.

It is the mostarda that separates tortelli Mantovani from the less exciting tortelli di zucca, or pumpkin
tortelli, found elsewhere in the region. A spiced fruit preserve that can be traced to early documents
from the Gonzaga court, mostarda Mantovana includes a blend of ground mustard seeds and local
fruit, such as apple or pear. Preserved in terracotta pots during the time of the Gonzagas, it was a luxury item specially prepared by local apothecaries and available only to royalty and wealthy families.

The agrodolce flavor of the tortelli stuffing is balanced by a light butter sauce served on top of the pasta. And like many regional dishes that draw from the local bounty, it’s a dish that has been perfected over time as a labor of love. The more common recipe for tortelli di zucca, popular throughout the Lombardy region and often enjoyed on Christmas, excludes the mostarda and amaretti in favor of bread crumbs, and is typically topped with a more assertive butter-sage sauce.

A plate of tortelli Mantovani is a staple on menus of the city’s restaurants and is considered a prized dish throughout Italy. The locals undoubtedly have carefully guarded secret ingredients and techniques that add subtle variations to the dish. But making it at home with mostarda Mantovana, or a good
quality apple or pear mostarda, is often easier than getting to Mantova.

Wolff suggests:

Look for mostarda Mantovana at your local specialty food store, or order it online at formaggiokitchen.com.

Bartolomeo Stefani’s L’Arte di Ben Cucinare is available stateside in English and includes the recipes from the banquet held for Queen Christine II of Sweden.

Gravlax Recipe

Gravlax with Mustard Dill Sauce

2 sides of fresh salmon with skin on

1 large bunch of fresh dill

Kosher Salt

Sugar

Vodka optional

Pan large enough to lay out fillets

Bricks or heavy cans

Dill Sauce: Add sugar, olive oil and dill to Dijon mustard to taste.

Take 2 sides of fresh Salmon with skins on and wash off the filets

Gravlax (Scandinavian Salt-Cured Salmon) (Photo credit: I Believe I Can Fry)

Sprinkle Kosher Salt generously over each fillet ( not too thick)

Sprinkle sugar generously over the salt

Place dill on top of one side

Pour some vodka if desired

Put 2 sides together like a sandwich

Cover very tightly with aluminum foil

Put on pan. Place bricks on top and place in refrigerator.

Every two days uncover and take a spoon to collect the liquid and baste the fish.

Gravlax (Scandinavian Salt-Cured Salmon) (Photo credit: I Believe I Can Fry)

Recover and put back in refrigerator doing this for about 4 days.

Take the salmon out after 3/4 days, rinse and slice on the diagonal.

Serve with Mustard Dill Sauce. Can be frozen.

Washington, DC Chef’s Table

I recently purchased a new cookbook. Even though there are so many recipes online, and I do keep a large file of “go-to’s” on my desktop, I can’t stop buying cookbooks. There is something about having the book in your hand while being guided through a theme that I find utterly seductive. This is also why I subscribe to food magazines that have beautiful photography, as it never seems to get old to me.

My most recent purchase is the Washington, DC Chef’s Table by Beth Kanter with photography by Emily Pearl Goodstein.  I thought this purchase was appropriate since I just moved back to the DC area and the book features recipes from local restaurants. What makes this book unique is not just its recipes, but also the stories about the Chefs and their journeys in their love of food. There also is a fun interactive element to this book. These wonderful ladies are connected to Facebook and encourage you to visit the restaurants, cook the food in the book, take pictures and “share” your experiences on the website. While this might not be a new concept with social media, I personally have never interacted quite in this way with a cookbook. Yes, I have made my way through recipes, documenting my cooking journey, but have I ever let the authors see my progress? No. This book is about community and creates it.

As the author states in her introduction, “all of the food entrepreneurs featured in Washington, DC Chef’s Table have built their business from the ground up . . . the collection of these moments serves as a constant reminder that it is the people who elevate Washington from a destination to home and who turn food into meals.”

I first dismissed this book as another collection of restaurant recipes that are usually near impossible to recreate. Professional chefs invent sophisticated recipes to entice us to go to their restaurants! It was not until I attended the authors speaking event at Sixth and I Historic Synagogue where I was whole-heartedly convinced that Washington, DC Chef’s Table was a different kind of cookbook.  Beth and her photographer Emily (who was an engaging MC and author of the entertaining and informative blog: www.wildandcrazypearl.com) interviewed some of the Chefs from their book while emphasizing the Jewish connection to food and the Jewish community. The event was sponsored by the “Jewish Food Experience,” which is a great resource for the DC Jewish community focusing on recipes, restaurants, DC Jewish food history and service.

Sixth and I Historic Synagogue

The discussion started with matzo ball soup and ended with a heated debate about the right way to make an egg cream.  In the middle there was an amazing Mandle Bread that we could taste from the Sunflower Bakery and some Hamantaschen just in time for Purim. One gentleman said he usually doesn’t like Hamantaschen because it is so dry- I feel the same way—and we both agreed the Sunflower Bakery defies this expectation and we both now are Hamantaschen fans.

It was a pleasure to hear about Mixologist Adam Bernbach, Bar Manager at Proof, discuss his Jewish background and start the egg cream debate. Executive Pastry Chef Elizabeth Hutter of Sunflower Bakery who is not Jewish, talked about making wonderfully moist parve baked goods with students who have developmental or other cognitive disabilities. She trains them for employment in baking.  Executive Chef Daniel Bortnick of Firefly, discussed his matzo ball soup recipe, and how, despite owning a restaurant, he finds time for Shabbat. It is these personal connections that make this book unique and I think, illustrate exactly what the author was seeking in the publication of this book. More than just a collection of recipes, this cookbook is a portrait of DC as illustrated though the food served here. Thank you Beth and Emily for a great book, and a wonderful sense of community!

Chinese New Year Dumplings!

I have a bit of an obsession for dumplings. They have a depth of flavor that is hard to master and when you watch cooking shows on “how to,” the experts always make it look so easy. . . In fact, it is not. Recently, I watched an episode of Top Chef: Seattle in which their quick-fire challenge was to pick a regional dumpling from around the world and recreate it in 20 minutes. What a great challenge! What a great dinner party idea. This begged the question: what exactly is a dumpling? While it is rare for me to use Wikipedia as a source, their definition of a dumpling broadened my perspective of the dumpling and makes me conclude I need some serious practice with this specialty.

I would go so far as to say I am “dumpling-challenged”. Every time I make a ravioli it feels like the first time, Matzo balls I never quite know if they will turn out and I hold my breath as I drop them in the water, and gnocchi? Well, they have only thus far been a disaster! But they are so simple, right? “I did everything right,” I think to myself, but alas, the water was boiling too high, or not high enough. I try to get hints from masters on tv and in classes. There is a subtlety in the art of the dumpling that I will continue to work on.

Executive Chef Scott Drewno at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant The Source in Washington, D.C., says that once  you do their daily dumpling prep of about 1,200 dumplings in four hours, you will master this skill. I don’t think I passed the audition at our master class! Last Saturday, I attended the first dumpling class at The Source as part of their two-week celebration of the Chinese New Year. This is the way to take a cooking class, with the champagne flowing!

The class was held upstairs, where they host private events, and three demonstration tables were set up so we could make dumplings at our table while watching the chefs. I had the privilege of sitting between the executive chef’s family and April Fulton, who was writing a piece on the event for NPR.org’s food blog The Salt. For more history and background on dumplings and the Chinese New Year, see her piece on the Chinese New Year Traditions. For a “how to” on making the dumplings including the recipe, check out her latest post on The Salt, “How to Make a Chinese New Year Worthy Pot Sticker”. If you need a visual aid to go with your recipe, check out the link from dc-eater.com of Stephanie Breijo’s BYT video of the week with Chef Drewno.

While it was less a hands-on class than a demo, it was great to hear Chef Drewno give his personal tips for making dumplings. I need to remember its steam, then pan fry – I have always done the opposite! This is how you get the perfect balance, what he called the “chewy top and crunchy bottom” of the dumpling. What makes The Source’s dumplings so outstanding is the ingredients, including the fat, from the best pigs. I didn’t realize quite how much fat there is in dumplings, but this is where the flavor comes from. Some other hints I took away from the class are to use peanut oil as it has a high flash point. It is a very neutral oil so it will let the flavor of your food stand on its own or it can take on any flavor  you would like to infuse it with. I also learned that mixing the meat mixture well is not only important to make sure the ingredients distribute evenly, but so that it emulsifies and sticks together when cooked. Many chefs might already know these tricks of the trade, but for one who is just reading out of a cookbook, why are all these details not explained? Hence the opportunity to listen to the chef himself.

We made two dumplings, one pork and one seafood, to practice folding and sealing them. Needless to say, I need more practice, although the glasses of Champagne helped me not feel so bad about my lack of technique. Fortunately, we were not just eating the two dumplings we made in the class, but a family- style dim sum lunch. And this was much more than your usual dim sum. Some of my favorites from the menu included the Garlic Littleneck Clams, with such amazing flavors of garlic that tasted so different from the Italian garlic flavors I am used to; the Scallop Sui Mai, generously filled with the seafood; and the Millet Congee, because I don’t know if I have ever had congee. The rich, salty pork was such a contrast to the light rice pudding it was a delight to eat.

Like a choreographed performance, there was an intermission between the making of  the dumplings and the eating of lunch, during which there was a demonstration and pouring of the restaurant’s signature cocktail for the Chinese New year, the Dragon’s Fire Cocktail. What a pleasant interlude and so delicious! I cannot emphasize enough how satisfying this drink was, but I would insist one come to The Source if only to try this cocktail.  I am not a margarita fan, which was how this was described to us, but it is not in the same world as a margarita, even a very good one. The smoky tequila was mixed with fresh squeezed grapefruit and lime juice, Cointreau and – what made it for me – jalapeno. I do not like spicy, but this was smoky-smooth with a subtle heat at the end of your sip, wow.

So, quite an afternoon and impressive lunch. This experience almost makes me want to forget learning how to master the art of the dumpling and my lofty aspirations for a home dumpling-making party and just bring friends to The Source to eat! Well, almost. . . we will do both.

The Menu for the class:

Chinese Spare Ribs, Black Bean Glaze

Garlic Littleneck Clams, Cilantro, Sambal

Sea Scallop Sui Mai, Curried Lobster Emulsion

Pork Belly Pot Stickers, Black Bean Vinegar, Chili Oil

Szechuan Style Green Beans, Candied Walnuts

Crystal Chive Dumpling, Kurobuta Pork, King Crab

Chilled Cucumber Salad, Toasted Sesame, Togarashi

Szechuan “Dan Dan” Dumpling, Organic Chicken, Peanut Sauce

Millet Congee, Red Braised Pork Belly, Pickled Butternut Squash Relish