Melissa Clark to Appear at 6th and I Historic Synagogue

Posted on November 18, 2011 by Judy

The  6th and I Historic Synagogue has become a bountiful font of social and cultural events in downtown DC.  I have gone there to hear Michael Chabon and other authors, but I am especially looking forward to the next event – an appearance by the New York Times food columnist Melissa Clark.

On Wednesday, December 7, Ms. Clark will speak and sign her new cookbook, Cook This Now.  I have been following her column, “A Good Appetite,” and appreciate her tasty, seasonal recipes.  Now I learn from the event description that she has written 32 cookbooks!

 Watch this space for a full report.

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Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show, Part 2: Sal del Mar

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Judy

The exhibits at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show represented a wonderland of indulgence.  Foodstuffs, accessories, gimmicks and gimcracks abounded.  Some stood out from the rest.

Walking up one row of vendors and down the next, I was immediately attracted to the display for Sal del Mar sea salt.  A large, colorful banner hung behind the table heaped with sacks decorated with hand-done embroidery, and attended by the friendly and enthusiastic Heather Towsley.

Now, I am a sucker for textiles.  One of my hobbies (besides cooking and eating) is quilting, and in my more honest moments I admit that quilting is only an excuse for collecting fabric.  So I was immediately fetched by the unique packaging on display.

Heather told me that women in the remote Mexican Sierra Madre village of Sabinito produce the sacks to eke out their household income.  These women are extending their long tradition of embroidery to a new market and simultaneously supporting their families with the unique designs decorating the salt sacks.

The variety of colors and whimsical designs add value to the premium product within.  Although working with sketches provided by the company’s artist, the women add their own touches to each sack – thus, no two are alike.

Having such close relationships with their artisans allows the Sal del Mar people to arrange for the production of custom sack designs for wedding favors, restaurants etc.  This strikes me as a great idea for holiday gifts from food-related businesses.

The moist salt is harvested by hand from evaporation pools at the edge of the Sea of Cortez.  It is flaky, slightly grayish and delicious as a finishing salt or rimming a margarita glass. The Sal del Mar website has recipes for drinks and dishes that show this terrific salt off to best advantage, although a sprinkle on fresh field-ripened tomatoes is my idea of the best of all possible uses.

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Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show, Part 1: The Chefs

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Judy

At the Washington Convention Center November 5 and 6, a mix of vendors, big-name personality shows, cooking demos and wine tasting.  Here follows a thoroughly idiosyncratic review of the things I found most interesting.

Unfortunately, the personality I had most looked forward to seeing was a no-show: Jacques Pepin was too ill to make the trip.  The other “names” filled in for him, and the many fans who came to see them were satisfied.  Paula Deen, Giada De Laurentiis, and Guy Fieri all put on great shows.

There were continuous cooking demos at the 29th National Beef Cook-Off® booth and the Bloom Cooking Stage Featuring James Beard Honored Chefs.  Several of the latter chefs had been demo chefs at the Olney Farmers and Artists Market, so it was nice to say hello.

I want to make up for not reporting on Joe Yonan‘s appearance at the OFAM last month by saying how endearing he was on both occasions.  He demonstrated the same technique of making a base recipe and then ringing variations on it that he did at the Market:  Sweet Potato Soup Base and Sweet Potato and Orange Soup with Smoky Pecans (find the recipes here: http://www.olneyfarmersmarket.org/recipe.html).

His book,  “Serve Yourself: Nightly Adventures in Cooking for One” is full of terrific recipes and ideas that are appropriate for single cooks, but can be easily expanded to several servings. They can also inspire chefs cooking just for themselves to work outside their comfort zone.

I said hello to Joan Nathan (Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France) at her signing and asked her to pose with Monica Bhide (Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen).

Joan appeared at OFAM back in 2008 and I hope to cajole her into a return appearance some time next season.  I’d love to see Monica there too!

 

 

 

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Review: Arabian Delights, Recipes and Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula by Amy Riolo

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

I have many cookbooks. What I value at this point in my life and continuing education are books that can teach me something about food in context of the culture it springs from. Arabian Delights is such a book. Amy Riolo not only includes recipes from Arab lands, but also explains the regional differences in Arab cuisine, opening up a previously opaque part of the world to understanding through food.

An introductory section explains the differences in the cooking of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the Unite Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Geography and history combined produce fascinating divergences, both large and small, in neighboring countries’ traditions.

The recipes are grouped by occasions for which they might be prepared and enjoyed, including not only the expected events such as Ramadan meals (predawn and after dark feasts which must fortify those fasting during daylight for a month), but also those which are more obscure.

Many occasions are delightful to imagine. In the chapter “Children’s Pearl Diving Party,” we learn that “until the 1930’s, pearl diving was a common occupation among Bahrainis.” The recipes that follow are organized around seafood-themed party dishes. All the chapters include hints for planning the parties as well as recipes for each dish on the menu.

I was amazed to learn of the existence of Desert Truffles, mushrooms that grow, not in symbiosis with trees as truffles in colder climates do, but with a member of the rock rose family. Thus the chapter “Bedouin Desert Truffle Party” presents recipes for using them, should one ever be lucky enough to come into possession of any of these rare delicacies.

Amy Riolo maintains a home in Egypt and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East. In her Acknowledgments, she thanks King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia for his hospitality. Despite circulating in such rarified society, the recipes are accessible for any cook eager to try new dishes and learn about relatively exotic cuisines.

Amy’s recipe for Red Lentil Puree with Za’atar Pita Chips is available on the Olney Farmers and Artists Market website.

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Namaskar: A New Jewel in Our Crown

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

Residents of the Olney area no longer have to travel across the county to find good food from the Indian subcontinent.  Frances Gomes, who has been selling Indian/Bangladeshi food at the Olney Farmers Market for two seasons, has opened a restaurant.  If the food on opening day is any indication, it should be a winner.

The interior is simply but pleasingly decorated, with walls painted to look like stone and comfortable seating in the small space.

Mr. Gomes’ chef is his father-in-law, who reportedly was the personal chef for the sultan of Oman for 20 years.  The kitchen includes a Tandoori oven, which is put to good use turning out Tandoori chicken and delectable naan (puffy flatbread).

The menu touches all the expected bases: samosas, curries, kabobs, two types of bread, vegetarian dishes heavy on beans and pulses (but not heavy in execution), desserts, and drinks.  In addition to the printed menu, a buffet for lunch and dinner offers a chance to sample many dishes for a bargain price ($8.95).  I took advantage of this, while my dinner companion opted for an appetizer and main course from the menu.

The mixed vegetable cutlet was freshly fried, well seasoned and contained a surprise: mozzarella cheese, which added a welcome contrasting texture.  This dish might be improved with the addition of a sauce or pickle alongside.

The lamb vindaloo, also from the menu, needed more spiciness to meet expectations of the usual preparation of this dish.  Although delicious (and generous in portion size), it had the mild spicing common to all the dishes we sampled.  When this was mentioned to him, Mr. Gomes promised to address it.

From the buffet, the Tandoori chicken was tasty and tender from its marinade and quick cooking in the hot clay oven.  The mixed vegetables, channa masala (chickpeas and vegetables in tomato sauce), daal (lentils nicely seasoned), chicken curry (again, mild – I had to check the sign on the chafing dish to identify it as curry); were all dishes that stood up well to the buffet table environment.  I did not sample the beef dish – I had intended to, but was too full!

There is a welcome spicy note on the buffet table in the form of a vegetable pickle.  A little of this condiment spices up your food quite nicely, if you feel the need for it – or even if you don’t require a certain amount of heat, it goes very well with the daal and channa masala.

The rice pudding for dessert hit just the right note for ending the meal.  I had only a little, because I had indulged in a mango lassi to go with the buffet.  I have a weakness for this blended drink of fruit and yoghurt; Namaskar’s version is an excellent rendition.

Namaskar is located in the strip mall behind the old White’s Hardware building, just off Georgia Ave. at Norbeck Road.  Mr. Gomes also expects to continue selling prepared food at the Olney Farmers Market next season.

Namaskar: 4007-BB, Norbeck Rd, Rockville, MD 301-929-1055.  No website. Call for operating and buffet hours.

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Tea and Other Towels

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

My interests (besides food and all food-related activities) include quilting and sewing.  Although I have become a little dilatory about finishing projects these days, it still provides a great excuse to buy fabric.  In quilting circles, this is known as “building my stash”.

Sometimes I find things I can’t quite justify as quilting fabric, but I buy anyway – and three tea towels I found recently qualify.

There is a long tradition of printing recipes on tea and kitchen towels; another of souvenir tea towels as mementos of trips to foreign climes.  This towel may combine both traditions.  It has a recipe for “Swedish Herring Filets” in German.  The blonde holding the fish and the net is redolent of summer vacations on Northern lakes, strangely at odds with the recipe for preparing fish preserved in salt or pickled: Salz = salted; Matjesheringe = soused herring, i.e., raw herring soaked in a mild vinegar solution.

 

 

The recipe for “A little of this & a lot of that Salsa” on this towel has a zinger in the ingredients list.  It sounds like a perfectly ordinary set of stuff – tomatoes, onion, cilantro, bell peppers – when suddenly you see “1 quite ripe papaya” and have to wonder where this recipe originated.  The Maui onion and apple cider vinegar are also slightly odd.  I wonder if the papaya and Maui onion point to Hawaii as the provenance of the recipe and, hence, the towel?

 

It might be a stretch to define my last towel find as food-related, but it’s definitely a souvenir.  Pub food in England used to be nothing to write home about; it’s been a long time since I was there, but this towel inspires daydreams of cruising the canals in a houseboat, mooring at pubs along the way.  Maybe next summer?

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A Very Funny Picture

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

It’s not often that two of my favorite things, Cooking and Science Fiction, are combined in one place.  And it’s funny as well!

Judy Newton

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OMG NYC Part 2 – Eataly

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

We got to Eataly just in time to run into the last of the lunch rush.  We walked in to an enormous room filled with grocery aisles, specialty departments, tables and chairs, and about a dozen different locations to eat lunch.  These range from small and informal bars to large, fancy restaurants.

We sat down on the first two empty seats we saw, which happened to be at “LA ROSTICCERIA,” the roasted meat station. The Eataly website describes this one as “the ultimate destination for meat lovers … offers a complete meal in one spot. Every day, we offer different roasted meat to either purchase by the pound or to enjoy immediately on a sandwich.”

We both ordered the Tuesday special, a sandwich filled with Arista Sausage (made and roasted in-house) and a side of salad.  Although the sausage seemed to be sliced meat rather than ground, it was well-seasoned and delicious.  House-made bread with olive oil for dipping came with it.

After lunch, Barry elected to wait at the Starbucks down the block (free WiFi) while I wandered happily around the store.  Through the small but interesting selection of Italian housewares, the rather pro forma fresh produce section (their hearts aren’t really in it), to the more impressive cheese, meat, seafood, pasta, sweets, bread, gelato, and not one but two coffee bars.

After getting lost in the dry goods aisles, I bought some fresh pasta to take home.  This picture shows just a fraction of the selling and eating floor.

Last summer, Mario Batali announced that he would be opening Eataly DC in 2012.  However, the Washington Post Going Out Gurus reported in September that plans seem to have changed since then. Stay tuned!

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OMG NYC

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

Last week Barry and I took a Tripper bus up to New York City for an event at Planet Hollywood.  Nothing notable to eat there, but I had a foodie agenda for the rest of the trip.

After we checked in to our hotel, we set out to visit the food hall at Grand Central Station.  On the way we walked through Bryant Park, which has several ‘wichcraft kiosks selling lunch, snacks and very good coffee.  These are the brainchild of Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of the Craft family of restaurants and head judge of Bravo’s Top Chef.

Grand Central Food Hall is full of stalls selling just about anything a busy commuter could ask for, to consume at the end (or beginning) of the workday – and some things are more unexpected than others.

The next day, we went to explore the newly opened section of the High Line.  This elevated park winding its way through several miles of the west side of Midtown was a railroad right-of-way back when many more things were manufactured in New York than now.  It was abandoned and condemned, but then rescued and converted into an extraordinary space.  There are food concessions during the summer, but none on a weekday in October, alas – although there is a stairway down to the Chelsea Market.

 

We were walking along West 20th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues when I spotted a plaque on the wall of one of the old brownstones: The Muffin House, home for years to the Thomas English Muffin bakery.  Of course I took a picture.

 

 

Our last destination before heading towards the bus stop was Eataly, the amazing Italian food emporium, but it deserves an entry of its own.

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One More Expo Post

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Judy

6th Oct 2011

Elep[hantThis will be my first attempt to post pictures on this blog, so bear with me. The Natural Products Expo had some great visuals, one of which was an elephant cake made by Charm City Cakes, a local Baltimore bakery. The Kelapo coconut products people swore that it was a real, edible cake made with their coconut oil. Unfortunately, they were loath to cut it up to prove this point, so I couldn’t say.

The Taiyaki-making machine was even more interesting, because they were giving out samples of the little fish-shaped fritters the machine turns out. In Japan, there are tiny shops dispensing these snacks in every neighborhood; my daughter had one down the block from her apartment when she lived in Tokyo. The fillings change with the season. At the Expo, they offered pumpkin spice-flavored cream filling.

 

The last picture shows a display of the colors and fillings available using plastic models to represent the real food. In Japan, many restaurants have these models of food displayed in their windows, making it easy to order when you don’t speak Japanese! There is a street in Tokyo lined with restaurant supply shops, some specializing in selling every kind of food model you can imagine, both raw ingredients and finished dishes.

Judy Newton

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