New Food Truck In Olney

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Judy

Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but I might smell a trend.  First we had the fish truck at the OFAM every Sunday, and now the Corned Beef King is parked at the Exxon station off Georgia Avenue Wednesday through Sunday, filling a hole in our culinary landscape that’s been there since BJ’s closed.

Jon Rossler is cooking pastrami and sides as good as any I had in my Philadelphia youth.  I wish I could vouch for his corned beef and knishes, but they’ve been sold out both times we’ve lined up for them.  I can say that the pastrami is excellent, and the generous pickle spear provided with each sandwich is properly sour.

The potato salad is well-seasoned with dill and chives, and yellow with egg yolks, creamy but not too creamy.  One small kvetch:  the potatoes are cut a little too large for my mouth.  The coleslaw and kraut are fine, fitting accompaniments for the meat.

Although the offerings are rather limited at the moment, Jon told me he hopes to offer nova lox on bagels and corned beef hash in the near future.

Jon learned his way around deli from working for his father, Chuck, owner of the Celebrity Delly in Falls Church.  The Celebrity has been a neighborhood institution since 1975.  Here’s hoping if Jon follows in his father’s footsteps and opens a restaurant, he won’t go too far from Olney!

The Corned Beef King Truck’s hours are Wednesday thru Friday, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. (maybe later on Friday); Saturday 11:00 a.m.- 9:00 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m.– 8:00 p.m.  The website is under construction.

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What I Cooked for Thanksgiving

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Judy

My friend Janet Terry, OFAM President and Market Master, works at WUSA-9 booking the local news program.  She often books chefs for the cooking segments.  Lately, she passed along a recipe for Brussels sprouts that she swears was delicious, even though she usually dislikes the little cabbages.

The chef appeared on a three-minute cooking segment and demonstrated the dish.  There’s videotape at:

http://jchayward.com/2011/11/16/blue-duck-tavern-on-9-news-now-at-noon/

It features John Melfi, Chef de Cuisine of the Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt.  The printed recipe is there as well.

Now, there’s an interesting situation here: several ingredients the chef added to the dish in the tape appear to be absent from the recipe.  I have heard that chefs often “forget” an ingredient or two when asked for a recipe, and this seems to be what happened –Chef Melfi added “plumped cranberries” and a handful of fresh herbs to finish the dish, which also was plated sitting on a bed of something.

But, you know?  This dish has a heck of a lot going on even without that.  I decided to make it according to the recipe, and it was pretty good.  The best thing about it was the pickled onions.

Not only are they gorgeous to look at, but the recipe makes more than you need for the Brussels sprouts.  They make a great addition to a relish tray, with cornichons and olives.

If you make this recipe, don’t cook the onions for long after you add them to the sprouts; they will retain their color and add both flavor and eye appeal to the dish.

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My Weekend In Baltimore, Part 1

Posted on November 29, 2011 by Judy

Ah, serendipity!  I love stumbling across foodie topics in unexpected places.  Two events I attended in Charm City over the weekend provided fodder to chew over (sorry!).

The first was Darkover, a convention devoted to fantasy literature that has been held annually for 34 years on Thanksgiving weekend.  This was my first time at this small, laid-back event in a hotel near the Timonium fairgrounds.  In addition to a program of discussions around fantasy literature, author readings, music, art, workshops, and fellowship, a large dealer’s room sold everything from books to clothing.  And Auntie Arwen sold herb and spice blends.

Auntie Arwen (aka Jane Sibley) has been selling an amazing variety of seasonings since the very first Darkover.  She has a devoted customer base here and at other events, and sells online at www.auntiearwenspices.com.  She attributes her success to the use of honest ingredients and fair prices.  Most blends sell for $5.00 or $6.00 a jar.

Since she began her career in selling seasoning blends with a formulation of garlic salt for her garden club in Haddam, Connecticut, she has branched out to sell hundreds of varieties at farmers markets, craft fairs and historic re-creationists’ events.  She has a line of pre-modern herb blends for those re-creationists, and will produce custom blends to order, including salt-free blends.  Everything is sold in heavy glass jars to preserve the potency of the ingredients.  A customer returning an empty jar is rewarded by a discount on the next order.

Here is a partial list of her wares: curry blends, peppers and salts (both varietals and blends), grilling mixes, sweet blends, flavored sugars, hot spice blends, seafood blends, ethnic blends, blends for specific meats; also, coffee from a local Connecticut roaster, tea and tisanes.  Also, cough syrup and sore-throat syrup made from her own blend of healing herbs. Also, soap; and, just added: fudge.

And, oh, yes, she still sells that original garlic salt.

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Another Reason I Love Church Bazaars

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Judy

Some bazaars have white elephant sales and some have a nice selection of crafters.  The really good ones have food inviting enough to keep you there for lunch, or a specialty you can’t get anywhere else, or both.

The Washington Christian Academy bazaar has all of the above.  Last Saturday we stopped in just in time for a taco salad and side order of oliebollen.  These fried balls of dough stuffed with apple slices and raisins are what set this bazaar apart from all others.  Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, no sweetener is added to the dough to compete with the fruit. A dusting of powdered sugar on the outside compensates for that!  The name means “fat balls” in Dutch, and they are best eaten hot.

Irene Ritsema is the oliebollen maven of WCA.  She told me that the oliebollen and another treat, banket, reflect the Dutch heritage of the school’s founders.  They started making the pastries about fifty years ago and have been continuing the tradition every year since; the oliebollen are so popular that there is a half-hour waiting period for each portion of three all day long.

Irene told me that when she went to New Orleans, she was struck by the resemblance of oliebollen to beignets there.  Although she organizes the production for the bazaar every year, she doesn’t use raisins when she makes them for her own family.  In the Netherlands, oliebollen are a New Year’s tradition.

Irene kindly led me into the kitchen where volunteers were busy frying and powdering the oliebollen.

Making Olie BollenThe banket being sold had been baked in advance.  Unlike the oliebollen being cooked as we watched, banket not only keep for several days, but also freeze well– and so many folks buy many to pop in their freezers, they were sold out when we arrived!

Had we not been tardy, we would have had a chance to sample a log-shaped, almond-filled pastry with a butter crust.  At Christmas in the Netherlands, banket are made in the shape of letters, for people’s initials and to spell out words.

Here is a link to a recipe for oliebollen: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/oliebollen-dutch-doughnuts/detail.aspx and one for banket: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banket/

 

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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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