Whatever happened to that soup recipe?

If you are kind enough to read this blog on a regular basis, my absence from writing may have caused concerned that I had another Hot Pocket mishap with the Corn and Potato Chowder soup recipe I mentioned in my last blog. Fortunately, that was not the case. The soup was delicious and (more importantly) edible. Better yet, no one was harmed in the process of my cooking, even though there were a few close calls.

The reason I haven't written this month is that my grandmother passed away. She was an amazing person, who shared her love of food, and especially baking, to me. Her passion for Christmas cookies and  her obsession with making desserts pretty are legendary in my family.  Her love of food, especially making it for those she cared about, was just one of the ways she shared her enthusiasm for life. But it is one of her traits that stays with me most vividly because I can continue to share it, in this blog and through baking. Today I'm doing both, by finally blogging again and by posting my favorite oatmeal chocolate chip recipe.

The recipe isn't exotic, it's from a Quaker Oats box.  It originally was for oatmeal raisin cookies, but I'm not a raisin fan, so my grandma substituted chocolate chips. She made the cookies every year for Christmas when we were growing up. I've had many delicious cookies in my life, but this is these are the cookies that I love most. 

I hope you have a wonderful holiday season filled with your favorite people and (of course)  holiday cookies!

Meatless Monday: Searching for Inspiration

Meatless Monday is here again, and I've hit a roadblock. I've kept it a Meatless Monday, I haven't tried any exciting new meatless recipes or foods to share. I've spent the last half hour looking for exciting recipes, and now I feel too exhausted to cook them. Fortunately, I found two I'd like to try: Macadamia Nut Pesto Fettuccine and Corn and Potato Chowder. At some point this week, I will attempt to make one of the two recipes so that next Monday is inspired.  

Meatless Monday: Inspiration for a Meatless Thanksgiving

I apologize - this was scheduled to post last Monday, but apparently did not. Better late than never I guess!

A Thanksgiving without turkey sounded sacrilegious at first. But when I really thought about it, all my favorite dishes (mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni and cheese, pumpkin pie, etc.) are meatless.  So this year, I’m focusing on the meatless options, especially those dishes that are vegan or veggie based. The recipes I've found make a meatless thanksgiving look surprisingly tempting...

I've been obsessed with Jennifer Segal's Once Upon a Chef blog ever since I saw her pumpkin bread recipe on metrocurean. Fortunately,  the blog has some delicious-looking holiday veggie recipes.

I found more meatless Thanksgiving inspiration in these dishes:
Roasted Squash, Pear, and Ginger Soup
Walnut Apple Stuffing
Sourdough Stuffing with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Easy Vegan Pumpkin or Squash PieVegetarian Shepherds Pie

Bayou Bakery Opens!

According to Metrocurean, Bayou Bakery is finally open in Courthouse!

I can't wait to try out their beignets.

Helping a good cause is as easy as pie...

Thanksgiving is the ultimate foodie holiday, but it's also a time to appreciate what we have and think of others less fortunate. Every year Food and Friends celebrates both traditions with their Slice of Life pie sale. The proceeds go toward delivering meals to children and adults battling HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-challenging illnesses. Tomorrow is the last day to order a pie, so order your pie before it's too late!

Boston - or another excuse for becoming a delinquent blogger...

Last week I was eating my way through Boston with my friend Liz. We checked out some impressive places...

Dining:

Elephant Walk 

When a friend of mine said this French and Cambodian fusion restaurant was her favorite, I added it to my list of places to go. A cozy neighborhood restaurant, Elephant Walk offers knowledgeable servers, a relaxed atmosphere, and mid-range prices. But what really stands out is its awe-inspiring menu with a huge range that accommodated multiple dietary preferences (vegan, gluten-free, and meat lovers). Literally everything on the menu looked delicious. It was so difficult to chose one dish that I almost made a pro-con list. Finally I made a decision.

I started with the Salade de Timbale au Chevre, or Vermont goat cheese tossed with grapes, sweet Moroccan dates, diced Bartlett pear and walnut on a bed of baby greens.

For my entree, I tried the Crevettes Amrita. The dish sautees shrimp in a lightly sweet and spicy Cambodian satay sauce with coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, peanuts, star anise and lemongrass.

Il Villaggio

I love Italian food, so Boston's North End was like heaven. Italian grocers, pastry shops, and one amazing-looking restaurant after another. But when Liz and I walked past Il Villaggio, we knew it was the restaurant for us. It was small with a reasonably priced yet still tempting menu. Inside, the ambiance was low key but the cool lighting gave it a great vibe. Our waitress was helpful and attentive. The food was excellent. I got a butternut squash ravioli with prosciutto accompanied by a delicious wine.

Dessert:

Mike's Pastry 

The best part about any Italian neighborhood is the pastry. In Boston, Mike's Pastry is the place to go. It's always crowded, but worth the wait. The cannoli is phenomenal. I know this because I actually got a cannoli hangover. Not in Boston? You can order Mike's online!

Tatte 

Another great recommendation. This bakery has elegant pastries and cookies with subtle flavors.

Burdick Chocolate

A friend and chocolate aficionado recommended Burdick after she went on a Boston Chocolate Tour. It had some of the best chocolate of my life.  The shop also made a good cup of coffee.

Going Out:

Grendel's Den 

They serve mulled wine in November.  Need I say more?

Deep Ellum 

I loved the well-crafted drinks with a dive bar atmosphere.  And who wouldn't be impressed by a place that offers a Manhattan 8 different ways?

Meatless Monday: What to pack in a meatless lunch box...

Packing a lunch for work has always been challenging for me.  I rarely find frozen meals I like - sandwiches get soggy, soup gets gross fast, take out is hit-or-miss, and people feel sorry for you if they see you eating cereal.  But recently I found two Trader Joe's frozen meals that I like (or can at least tolerate) a few days a week: Reduced-Guilt Roasted Vegetable Couscous and Channa Masala.  

Both are meat free and I no longer get pitying looks from coworkers.  Neither beats a homemade meal or a good lunch out, but they're solid meatless options with fewer drawbacks from the alternatives. 

Crumbs coming on Saturday!

Meatless Mondays will return next week, but in the meantime, I have some sweet news.  According to the Washington Business Journal, Crumbs Bakery is finally opening this Saturday in Chinatown!  I can't wait to check it out.

A quick blog before picking up where I left off...

I apologize, I've gotten woefully behind on this blog. I promise to pick up my posting pace in the next week.


In the meantime, here’s a quick write-up of the standouts from my trip:


The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English – The menu includes, burgers, wine and cheese, fresh seafood, and a dumpling bar. The food is phenomenal. The atmosphere is casual but elegant. Definitely worth checking out!

Sushi Samba – By far the best meal of the trip. I was skeptical of Japanese-Brazilian-Peruvian fusion, but Sushi Samba pulled it off. My favorite dish was the yellowtail jalapeno and lemongrass. Amazing.

Magnolia Bakery - Lived up to the hype, but didn't have the range of flavors I've become accustomed to at Georgetown. Their pumpkin spice cupcake was a perfect way to enjoy autumn in New York.

Meatless Monday: New York

While in New York this weekend, I revisited Quartino Bottega Organica for dinner. I knew the food was organic, but didn't realize the restaurant was nearly meatless (they only served fish). So if you are visiting New York on Meatless Monday, this is definitely a place to add to your itinerary.  

The menu was creative and used fresh, organic ingredients. The pear, arugula, and parmesan salad was delicious, while the wheat fettuccine with artichoke hearts, pine nuts, and spinach made me wish I lived next door.  The wine was organic and quite good. The service wasn't as friendly as I remembered, but our waitress was attentive and helpful. The only downside was the noise level in conjunction with the close proximity of the tables.  My friend and I left the restaurant knowing far more than we ever wanted to about the girl sitting next to us.

A Belated Meatless Monday: A Sweet Respite

Yesterday was one of those days. So much so that I didn’t get a chance to post my weekly Meatless Monday blog until Tuesday. But there was a bright spot in my day and it was meatless, though not necessarily super healthy. I was rushing off to a lunch meeting in Crystal City when I passed the Sweetbites cupcake truck. Food trucks are all the rage right now, but working mostly in Arlington or McLean, I don’t see them too often. Luckily Sweetbites was still around after my meeting. Their chocolate coconut cupcake got me through the afternoon. The frosting tasted like a sweet whipped cream with coconut. Maybe it was the circumstances in which I ate the cupcake (it was the only escape from a crazy day), but it may have been the best chocolate coconut cupcake I’ve eaten in this town. Needless to say, I’ll be back next Monday. If you’re in Arlington, here are the deets:

Sweetbites Cupcake Truck
Mondays 10am – 3pm
Crystal Drive and 18th Street

To follow the truck in the city, check out its calendar!

Want to get your weekend off to a good start without feeling like a sardine?

Last Friday, a friend and I were looking for a chill place with great cocktails that wasn't packed. Everywhere we tried was crowded and noisy. One place (Churchkey) even smelled like a beer-soaked frat house. Not encouraging.

We'd heard good things about Dickson Wine Bar and headed in that direction after the traumatic frat party flashback. Dickson was exactly what we wanted. There were enough people to give the place some life, but it wasn't like riding the metro during rush hour. The ambiance was nice - the space was open with the top floor overlooking the main floor and facing a huge window.

We settled into seats on the loft overlooking the main dining area and started to review the menu. The cocktail and wine lists were impressive; both lived up to expectations. Our server was friendly and unpretentious, making excellent recommendations without being overbearing. The food was as good as the drinks. We ordered two flatbreads: fig /goat cheese and prosciutto / arugula / goat cheese.  Both were amazing, but what impressed us the most was the side salad. I have never tasted spinach and greens so fresh.  Never in my life did I think I would see the day when a salad eclipsed flatbreads (with goat cheese no less), but against all odds, it happened.

In short, Dickson Wine Bar is the perfect place to start your weekend.

What could be better than starting your
weekend off with a bourbon drink
at Dickson?

Can whoopie pies hold their own in this cupcake town?

Could anything be better than a cupcake? Some things, like Derby pie, come close, but nothing else can at once be delicious, cute, nostalgic, and give the illusion of portion control.

Until now. Whoopie pies are popping up in high-end bakeries and groceries around the city. They retain the quirky, bite-size nature of a cupcake, but offer a completely different dessert experience.

Thanks to metrocurean, I found out about Whoops! Bakeshop and started following them on Twitter @WhoopsBakeshop, where they announce when they will be selling whoopie pies at local venues.  Not long after, we headed to Mid City Caffe to see if Whoops! would live up to the hype.

Vanilla Chocolate and Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In spite of appearance, whoopie pies are not cupcakes with frosting in the middle. The cakes are tasty and are somewhere between a cupcake and a cookie in consistency, which gives them the strength to keep the pie together instead of crumbling underneath the weight of the icing.  Whoops! icing was delicious and a nice change from the frosting-on-the-top setup. The overall effect was a perfectly proportioned dessert that was sweet and satisfying. I honestly can't  say I like whoopie pies more than cupcakes, but they are equally as impressive.

Meatless Monday: My New Obsession

Tofu scares me. It always has. The consistency is slimy and looks like opaque Jell-o. I’ve avoided tofu like the plague. In an effort to branch out and challenge myself on Meatless Monday, I recently tried Pad Thai Tofu. The consistency was unexpectedly good, probably because the tofu was fried. It had a sweet taste, adding to the flavor of the peanut sauce and fresh herbs far more than chicken. I can’t stop ordering this dish. I would eat it every day if I could. My obsession is that bad.
This experience proved to me that in the right dish, tofu can be delicious. If I ever stop eating Pad Thai Tofu, perhaps I will be able to try and recommend other delicious tofu dishes. In the meantime, I have some Pad Thai to heat up.

Meatless Mondays: Healthier Cupcakes

Cupcakes are glorious, but not exactly the epitome of healthy living. This has never stopped me, but when I read Have your (Less Sinful) Cupcake, I was inspired to try a new take on my favorite food.

The recommended recipes were intriguing, and I thought it would be worthwhile to try one. I chose Banana Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting, which was simple to make. The cake recipe doesn't have butter, and the result was a light-tasting and very banana flavored cupcake.

The frosting calls for almond milk, confectioner's sugar, and dark chocolate.  

The end result is delicious, meatless, and healthier - perfect for Meatless Monday.

How a disappointing brunch at Montmartre was salvaged by Crepes at the Market...

Some friends and I heard that some of the best crepes in town were at Montmartre in Eastern Market, so we headed there for brunch. After ordering a round of mimosas, we looked at the menu. There were only three crepes on the menu and two of the three had Swiss cheese. The menu explicitly said "No Substitutions," but my friend is allergic to Swiss cheese asked if it could be left out of the crepe. The waiter said no, explaining that we had to respect the chef. He suggested that my friend try the vegetable crepe without Swiss cheese. But that crepe didn't sound nearly as good. While I agree that the chef should be able to set the menu, I cannot excuse a restaurant that doesn't accommodate food allergies!

We left disappointed and crepeless.

Fortunately, Crepes at the Market saved the day.  With reasonable prices and an extensive menu of sweet and savory crepes, our brunch was salvaged.  After a ham, apple,  cheese savory crepe and a delicious banana, strawberry, Nutella crepe Montmartre was a distant memory.

Beretta

On my last day in San Francisco, I had the chance to catch up with a friend I hadn't seen in ages.  After some googling, we decided to check out Beretta in the Mission District.  The restaurant had a nice ambiance - it was clearly popular, but not pretentious.  The drink menu was pretty nice and the pizza menu was irresistible.

Catching up over a great meal was the perfect way to end my trip.

Burma Superstar

A foodie friend suggested Burma Superstar when he found out I was headed to San Francisco.  A bustling hole-in-the-wall, the restaurant was packed even at lunch.  The service was friendly and efficient.  The food was out of this world.

My parents and I decided to start out with the Chicken Burmese Samosas.

Burmese raviolis hand wrapped and filled with curry spices, potatoes, deep fried, and served with the house special sauce

I read that people line up out on the street for Burma Superstar's Tea Leaf Salad, not to mention it was featured on the Food Network, so of course I had to try it.  (I wasn't disappointed.)

My dad tried the Vegetarian Samusa Soup (also featured on the Food Network and also delicious).

While my mom tried the bean curry.

In all, Burma Superstar was a great recommendation and well worth checking out if you are in the Bay Area!

Napa: wine, cake, bread, and prosciutto wrapped figs

I love cake, bread, and wine so what could be better than a winery that seems to combine them all?  With this in mind, I booked reservations at Cakebread Cellars.  Sadly, the Cakebread namesake comes from a family name and are no cake or bread samples at the wine tasting.  Fortunately, the wine more than made up for it.

Next my family and I went to William Harrison vineyards.  It's a smaller winery and very laid back.  The tasting was quite good, the stand out was their chardonnay.  I'm skeptical of chardonnays and was surprised to find myself buying a bottle.

Our last stop was Mondavi.  

They have an excellent wine 101 tour that explains the vineyards, how wine is made, and how to taste wine.  Plus they gave us a prosciutto wrapped fig!

I loved Napa, but if I were to do it again, I would reverse the order of wineries visited.  Mondavi is a great way to start the trip, William Harrison is the ideal middle ground, and Cakebread is the perfect way to finish the tour. 

Meatless Monday Deal

After I returned from San Francisco, I got sick. It was bad. I barely left my house, I didn't blog, I didn't even want to eat. The only thing I wanted was a smoothie. I got a smoothie every day I was sick. It was the only thing that could get me out of bed. 

Smoothies got me through that difficult time. That alone is a compelling reason to feature smoothies on Meatless Mondays.  But here's another reason, Smoothie King is featured on Groupon today!  For $8 you can get two medium smoothies. 

Flu season is coming.

Cupcakes San Fran Style at Kara's Cupcakes

Ghirardeli Square is best known for the famous chocolate shop and its ice cream sundays.  But now it also hosts another dessert attraction: Kara's Cupcakes.

Even if I could be tired of the cupcake trend, I would have had to check it out just based on the window displays alone.

I would have liked school a lot more if these had been around when I was there.

My sister and I got chocolate peanut butter and chocolate coconut  cupcakes.  Both had rich cakes and light, balanced frosting (not an easy feat with peanut butter icing). 

Both were gone quickly.

San Francisco: Finding a Local Favorite

Over Labor Day weekend, my parents, sister, and I met up in San Francisco for a wedding. By the time all of our flights got in, we were starving. My sister and I were eager to try out Ike's Place, so we all headed to the Castro for sandwiches. Unfortunately, we were not prepared for the two hour line.   

Anytime four hungry people encounter a roadblock to food, things can get ugly. Especially when they are related. On full stomachs, we could handle this situation, but the lack of food killed our decision making abilities. We deliriously wondered the streets of San Francisco until finally my dad had the best idea in the world: we should ask a local where to eat.

This may seem like common sense, but at this point, food deprivation had left us with the mental capacity of Snooki. We asked a campaign worker for a recommendation and he told us that we had to check out Cafe Flore down the street.  

We were not disappointed.

The patio was very nice, but also quite popular, so we grabbed a seat inside. Next to the revolving dessert case. I ordered a delicious bacon burger and slowly started to feel human again.  

Once I regained the powers of observation, I started to look around and liked what I saw. The atmosphere was friendly and laid back. There were signs for some impressive happy hour specials that put some of the best deals in DC to shame. If I ever move to San Francisco, I know where to start my weekend.

Meatless Monday: San Francisco Style

To kick up my write up of San Francisco this week, I'm sharing my favorite meatless finds from the Bay Area's Boudin Bakery.



Addictive

Sourdough turtles are the best!



How do I survive a four hour road trip? Alpine Pantry

Some people love road trips.  I am not one of them.  The only upside is that sometimes when driving, you stumble upon a local deli, bakery, or restaurant that almost makes traveling by car worth it.  

While the weather is nice, I try to visit my Grandma in West Virginia as much as I can.  On my way to her house this time, I stumbled upon Alpine Pantry, a Mennonite establishment specializing in deli meats, cheese, bread, baked goods, jams, and spices.  Everything is fresh and delicious, and after hours in the car by myself had no will power...which explains why I walked away with a bear claw (gone before I could grab my camera) and...

Herb and Cheese Bread

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

The bread and the pie were a hit at Grandma's house.  I'll definitely be back on my next trip.

If you want to check it out on your way to Wisp, Coopers Rock State Forest, or other local attractions, here are the deets:

Alpine Pantry

301-478-3696

I-68 Exit 56

21505 Flintstone Drive

Flintstone, MD 21530

Mon-Fri 7:30 - 5:00

Saturday 7:30 - 3:00

Closed Sunday

Meatless Monday: My Favorite Things

After a Meatless Monday hiatus while in San Francisco last week, I'm back and ready to share some of my recent meatless obsessions...

Scallions and parsley hommus from Balducci's with Trader Joe's Multigrain Pita Chips are my favorite snack right now.

Someone brought this delicious Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar salad dressing to a brunch party and I've been addicted ever since.

I love to make Italian food.  Though I have to admit, mine is about as authentic as the Olive Garden.  Recently I've been sauteing fresh summer squash and zucchini with garlic, onion, and Italian spices.  Adding the veggies to marinara sauce is delicious.

Inspiration for a Meatless Monday Holiday

If you're trying to get into the groove of Meatless Mondays and are at a loss for how to be festive and meat-free this Labor Day, David Hagedorn has some inspiration.

I'm on Twitter!

Always the commitment phobe, I wanted to be sure I could really handle the pressure of a Twitter commitment before getting seriously involved.  I've been testing it out for the past month or so, and it's definitely more than a fling.  Check me out at http://twitter.com/dcfoodjunkie

And for my fellow-skeptics/commitment phobes, you can scope Twitter out without actually joining, so no pressure to get seriously involved. 

I'm working on a blog re-vamp and the new look will include a link to my Twitter just to make things easier for you when you finally decide that this Twitter thing might actually work for you (I promise, it's not as scary as it seems).

Meatless Mondays: Herb Salad

This Meatless Monday, I decided to try a herb salad with feta, roasted red peppers, and toasted nuts recipe from this month's bon appetit.  I couldn't find the marinated feta, so I opted for marinated mozzarella instead; it was a suitable substitute, but I think the feta would have been better.  It was a quick and easy meal to make, but the salad dressing was strong, so in the future I will use it sparingly.

I also was inspired by my friend Debbie's success with a tasty looking Quinoa Greek Salad.  Can't wait to try it out!

Meatless Mondays: Spinach Littles

It's embarrassing to admit, but I have gotten addicted to Spinach Littles.

They're not just for kids.

Amused by the fun shapes and petite name, I thought these might be worth checking out.  I never expected them to actually be good.  They taste like spinach hash browns.  I happen to love spinach and any potato-based food, which explains why I can't stop eating these.  I never pass up a cupcake, but often forget all about veggies.  So my current spinach little obsession isn't all bad - at least I'm eating something green, even if it is star shaped.

Big Top Cupcake Saga

I spent most of last Saturday trying to make a Big Top Cupcake. The commercial says that it is faster and easier than making smaller cupcakes, but after at hours on Saturday I can honestly say that is not the case.  At least not for me.

It all started when my sister, the thoughtful and awesome person that she is, got me the As-Seen-On-TV silicon bakeware.  

Nothing screams "You have a serious cupcake obsession," like receiving a Big Top Cupcake maker.  The Big Top is 25 times bigger than a normal cupcake, which means it's about the size of a child's head. Anyone cupcake-crazed enough to purchase this product is too far gone to consider the practical realities of how to eat a massive cupcake.  (I'm pretty sure the only way to eat it is to grab huge chunks of it with your hands or fork - perfect for an addict.)

Given my love of cupcakes and recent daydreams of working in a cupcake shop, I believed I would be a natural with the Big Top Cupcake.  I even went so far as to take some liberties with the cake mix by adding in chocolate chips (I really know how to shake things up and get creative in the kitchen).  But the Big Top instructions for baking were vague, saying I should follow the cake mix instructions for timing and heat.  

The only easy part was putting the batter in the bakeware.

A half an hour later I had a crisp, dry outer Big Top with a gooey center.  After another 30 minutes minutes in the oven, the outside was as hard as a rock, but the center finally looked quasi-edible.  Still in denial and determined to make the Big Top a success, I made a bourbon butter cream icing in an attempt to redeem my jumbo cupcake.  Even though I waited until the cupcake cooled, it rejected the icing like a bad haircut.  

Will everyone's face light up when they see this king-sized cupcake??

Not only did the Big Top refuse to cooperate with my increasingly desperate attempts to make it at least attractive, if not edible, but it also called into question my future as a cupcake natural.  Exhausted from the hours and emotional energy I'd lost to the fruitless endeavor, I took the bourbon icing and left the kitchen shaken to the core.

Later, my roommate found me comatose, with a half-eaten bowl of bourbon icing.  It was not my finest moment.  I incoherently told her about the traumatic episode, and she suggested that I cook the Big Top longer at a lower temperature (maybe 300 degrees).  Brilliant.  This weekend, things will be different.  I just know it.

Meatless Mondays: Vegan Ice Cream?

Last week, I read an article about a public health campaign for Meatless Mondays on NPR. Let's be honest, meat is awesome (especially when it's bacon). But too much of a good thing can be bad. Eating it at every meal raises cholesterol and increases the likelihood of chronic heart problems. So why not go meatless for a day?

This campaign is a cool concept and I'm curious to see what new foods I'll discover by forgoing meat and focusing on veggies or even vegan food. (It would be too easy to observe a meat-free day by enjoying pasta or cheese-based dishes - so I'm mainly focusing on foods outside my comfort zone.) I'll document my Meatless Monday adventures here once a week, sharing new recipes, food products, or restaurants.

This week I tried vegan ice cream.

To be honest, as an ice cream lover, the whole concept of vegan ice cream is an oxymoron. But when I found out there is a dairy-free ice cream made of coconut milk, I was curious. I love coconut, and if anything could make vegan ice cream palatable, coconut milk would be it.

After trying a few bites, I knew this wasn't authentic ice cream. But it was still really good. It wasn't trying too hard to be something it was not (like soy ice cream or even some "diet" ice creams) - the coconut milk ice cream was confident in its own identity. (And why shouldn't it be? I can't think of one dish with coconut in it that isn't delicious.)

I was shocked to find myself genuinely enjoying a vegan food.

My Favorite Flavor

Really?

Recently, I was perusing the wine section of my local Harris Teeter and was horrified by what I saw.

Ed Hardy now makes wine.
Only one thing comes to mind: WHY?

Apparently tacky clothing was not enough - Ed Hardy just had to break into the wine market. I guess it's a natural step. I constantly find myself thinking, "If only I had a wine to match my outfit!"

About 30 seconds after I stumbled upon the wine, I could already see the Ed Hardy Lifestyle Channel in development and just knew there would be an awful reality tv show involving dysfunctional people living in an Ed Hardy house.

I was quickly nearing a full blown panic attack in the middle of the wine section. Thinking about how mortifying this would be only made me panic more, and I knew I had to act quickly before things got out of control. I searched for some free cheese samples, but there were none.

Then, I did what I always do when I'm at a loss - I picked up my iPhone. Luckily, my friend Emily had just sent me an article about the best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc under $17. I picked up a bottle of Crossings and paired it with an award winning goat cheese my roommate picked up over the weekend.

Both were amazing and almost made me forget all about my traumatic wine shopping experience. Almost.

Alexandria Restaurant Week

In all of the excitement over DC Restaurant Week, don't miss Alexandria's Restaurant Week! From August 20 - 29, local restaurants will offer one of three deals: $35 Prix-Fixe three course dinner, $35 dinner for two or $3.50 sweet treats.

My favorite places offering deals include Columbia Firehouse, ACKC CoCoa Bar, and Dairy Godmother.

I'm looking forward to checking out Grape + Bean after hearing my friend Robin rave about it for ages. Not to mention, can you really go wrong with a place that specializes in wine and coffee?

Places to avoid: Chart House and Warehouse Bar and Grill (I went there once and the food was mediocre and overpriced).

Where I'm going for dinner next time I'm in New York

New York is a great city with a mind-boggling number of famous restaurants and eateries. But some of the best restaurants are the inviting places you stumble upon while walking through the city.

My cousin Jessica and I were wandering around the Village looking for the perfect place to get a drink. There were a million options, but none seemed quite right until we walked past Quartino Bottega Organica. I loved the space - it was small, quiet, modest, and relaxed. The music was good and suited the ambiance. (This may seem trivial, but if you've ever had a meal ruined by Kenny G., you understand how critical music selection is.)

After a busy day, it was exactly what we needed.

The bar was small, but the wine list was impressive. It featured organic wines, but included several good, non-organic wines as well. I was surprised to find the prices much lower than I expected. The people working at the bar were down-to-earth and friendly. From talking with them, I got the sense that this was a restaurant owned and operated by people who truly loved food. After looking at the menu, I knew that this would be my first stop next time I visit New York.

Ramen - no longer just for college kids and starving artists...

When I hear someone say ramen, two words immediately come to mind: college and desperation. I associate the noodles with 50 cent deals at Giant, not cutting edge cuisine.

But ramen done right can be gourmet, as I found out when I tried Ippudo. In 1985, Shigemi Kawahara, the Ramen King, opened the first Ippudo in Japan. Since then, it's made its way to New York, where it thrived in the notoriously competitive New York restaurant scene.

The night I went, the small restaurant was packed. Chefs prepared the food in an open kitchen. In spite of the calm, Zen-inspired decor, Ippudo bustled with excitement. The service was excellent. If the ramen was half as good as the Ippudo experience, I knew I would love it. I was not disappointed, the classic ramen was addictive. The broth was subtly spiced and I couldn't get enough. The pork melted in my mouth. This was not my college ramen.

New York Doughnuts

What makes a great doughnut? New York's Doughnut Planet would argue a great doughnut has homemade fillings in a variety of flavors.

I wanted to check out Doughnut Planet since I saw it featured on the Travel Channel. My cousin and I got four doughnuts: Lavender, Valrohna Chocolate, Coconut Glazed Coconut Creme (my favorite), and Strawberry Jam Filled. They disappeared too fast to take pictures and lived up to our high expectations. The fillings were delicious but not overwhelming. The doughnuts themselves were light and sweet.

Doughnut Planet is a worthy rival of Fractured Prune for best doughnut ever- but it's a tough call. While Fractured Prune's hot glazed doughnuts rolled in delicious toppings are phenomenal, there's something irresistible about the Doughnut Planet's perfectly proportioned delicious filling to doughnut ratio.

Carmine's Opens Tomorrow in Penn Quarter!

While blogging my New York food adventures, it seems fitting to pause and share Urban Daddy's announcement that the New York Italian Restaurant Carmine's is opening in Penn Quarter tomorrow. Can't wait to check it out soon!

New York's most famous deli

Remember that scene in the deli from When Harry Met Sally? Did you ever wonder, like I did, if their sandwiches were that good? Turns out that Katz's Deli is famous for making life-changing sandwiches and cheesecake.

So of course I had to check it out. As soon as I got into the city, I met up with my cousin and headed to Katz's.


We walked into a large, bustling dining room. The menu was overwhelming - everything sounded delicious. But after walking there in oppressive heat, I couldn't fathom something as heavy as the famed pastrami sandwich. I opted for a chicken salad sandwich instead, vowing to come back next time for an authentic sandwich experience. The chicken salad sandwich was one of the best I've ever had and perfect for a hot summer's night. Still, my New York sandwich guilt didn't dissipate with each delicious bite and I realized there was only one way to make things right - eat a piece of authentic New York cheesecake.


This was the best cheesecake of my life. The texture was smooth, and it was the perfect blend of sweet and cheesy. It literally melted in my mouth. The power of this cheesecake cannot be underestimated. At this very moment, I have Katz's mail order cheesecake page up and the only question is "how many?"

A Cupcake Economy

Earlier this month I went to New York for the weekend. Somewhere in New Jersey, I received an email from a friend linking to a Wall Street Journal blog that reported cupcakes were a key driver in the New York's recent growth. I spent the next two hours thinking about cupcakes. As a result, I went on a cupcake photo shoot when I finally made it to Crumbs.

There were ginormous cupcakes...

celebrity theme cupcakes-of-the-month...

Girl Scout cupcakes...

and the best cupcake of all - chocolate coconut.

Hey, I'm just trying to support the New York economy.

Restaurant Week

One of my favorite times of the year is back! DC's Restaurant Week runs from August 16 - 22 this year. Nearly 200 area restaurants are participating, including some of my current favorites like Rasika, Acadiana, and Againn.

Three-course lunches are $20.10 and three-course dinners are $35.10, so make your reservations now!