• 07Mar

    Boxwood Winery Tastings & Happy Hours

    In my Inbox. Much of this is local and only $10. Boxwood Winery itself is in Middleburg, Va.

    -JAY
    ——————–
    Boxwood Winery and The Tasting Room Wine Bars are pleased to announce our upcoming schedule of events.

    Please RSVP to cat@boxwoodwinery.com. Event links follow each listing:

    Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 8 pm, Reston, Mardi Gras!
    All welcome to our Mardi Gras Party with live jazz and complimentary Creole snacks by award winning chef and author, David Guas of Bayou Bakery. Boxwood 2007 (out of vintage) will make an appearance – don’t miss its encore or the party!
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=165709883477667&index=1

    Saturday, March 12, 2011, 4 pm, Chevy Chase, The Mardi Gras Super Tasting
    The Mardi Gras Tasting: Join us in our Wisconsin Place location for a tasting of
    5 delicious wines for $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and Kings Cake also by Chef David Guas. Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=205231379492297&index=1

    Saturday, March 12, 2011, 4 pm, Reston, Trefethen Tasting
    The Trefethen Family Winery Tasting: John Harrington of Napa Valley winery, Trefethen will be on hand to present and discuss Trefethen’s wines including special vintages. $20 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=202493056433096&index=1

    Sunday, March 20, 2011, 2 pm, Middleburg, Super Tasting
    Middleburg Super Tasting Event: Join us for a worldy tasting and discussion of 5 wines for $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity) in our charming hometown of Middleburg. Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197551666930660&index=1

    Monday, March 21, 2011, 6 pm, Chevy Chase, Networking and Wine
    The Networking Wine Tasting at Wisconsin Place: Bring your business cards and introduce yourself to other professionals while tasting two glasses of delicious wines. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=193284500703022&index=1

    Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7 pm, Chevy Chase, Paraiso Tasting
    The Paraiso Vineyard Tasting at Wisconsin Place: David Fleming, Wine Maker of the acclaimed Paraiso Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey, California is welcomed for a tasting and discussion of Paraiso wines. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116022795141309&index=1

    Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 7 pm, Reston, Kamen Tasting
    The Kamen Estate Wine Tasting: Katy Wilson of Kamen Estate Wines in the Mayacamas Range of Sonoma County, California is welcomed to present and discuss Kamen’s highly acclaimed Cabernets and Syrahs. $10 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Please RSVP.
    http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131028946969202&index=1

    Event attendees receive $10 off menu prices on bottle purchases and 10% off cases.

    News from the Winery:

    It is almost time for Rose! Last year’s vintage sold out in only weeks and we expect both of our awaited 2010’s to do the same. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for news on the release, then beat a path to The Tasting Rooms for your cases!
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxwood-Winery/227231687567

    Boxwood’s on-hand vintages are moving quickly: Time to consider cellaring your favorites. You can purchase bottles and cases on-line at the Boxwood store:
    http://stores.floridakeys.com/boxwood/

    Schedule your visit to tour and taste at Boxwood Estate Winery now for the warm seasons ahead! Tours can be booked online here:
    https://secure.floridakeys.com/boxwoodwinery/

    Keep tabs on us:

    Follow Boxwood Estate Winery on Facebook:
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boxwood-Winery/227231687567

    Follow Boxwood’s Tasting Room Wine Bars on Facebook:
    http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=30378393212&v=wall

    We look forward to seeing you in March!
    The Boxwood Winery and Tasting Room Teams
    This message was sent by: The Boxwood Winery, P.O. Box 1887, Middleburg, Virginia 20118

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  • 07Mar

    Rockland’s Grills Gone Wild Menu

    This year’s grills gone wild week is in effect in all four Rocklands today through Friday.  The menu and features game dishes, and may change somewhat during the week.

    Right now they are featuring:

    • Grilled wild Alaskan halibut with caramelized onion rice and mango salsa ($9.99)
    • Wild boar sausages on collards served with honey mustard ($7.99)
    • Venison half smokes with cheese “all the way” with chili, sauerkraut and grilled onions ($5.99)
    • Muskrat poppers served with Thai curried red pepper cream ($6.99)

    Sometime this week they will add snapper (turtle) chili.

    I tried the venison half smoke (at the Arlington location) and it was good.  The half smokes were chopped up and served as two sandwiches.  Their chili is better than I expected.

    BTW, muskrat is supposed to have an odd smell and taste like liver.

    -JAY

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  • 07Mar

    ROTI MEDITERRANEAN GRILL OFFERS “FREE LUNCH DAY” TO BENEFIT DC CENTRAL KITCHEN

    In my inbox.

    -JAY

    ———––

    March 7, 2011

    ROTI MEDITERRANEAN GRILL OFFERS “FREE LUNCH DAY”

    TO BENEFIT DC CENTRAL KITCHEN

    WASHINGTON, D.C.— On March 10th, DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) will benefit from the generosity of DC diners who commemorate the grand opening of Roti Mediterranean Grill’s second DC location.  Through Free Lunch Day, voluntary donations will go directly to DCCK.

    “We believe in using food as a tool to transform lives. With Roti’s generous Free Lunch Day they are doing the same, letting our people and programs benefit from their food,” said Mike Curtin CEO of DC Central Kitchen. “We are humbled by those who support DCCK and truly appreciate all that Roti is doing for us.”

    When:  Thursday, March 10th from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

    Where: Roti Mediterranean Grill

    1275 First Street NE, Washington DC

    What:   All customers will receive a free sandwich, salad or Mediterranean plate. One free lunch per person.  All guests must be in line by 1:30 p.m.

    About DC Central Kitchen

    This year marks DC Central Kitchen’s 22nd year of combating hunger and creatingopportunity.  The Kitchen works 365 days a year providing low-income individuals and families with nutritious food, assisting local farmers, empowering chronically unemployed men and women to achieve self-sufficiency and reaching out to people living on the streets.  Tens of thousands of pounds of free or low-cost, surplus fresh produce recovered from area farms enhance the nutrition of more than 4,500 meals prepared at the Kitchen every day.  To learn more about the Kitchen and its initiatives, visit www.dccentralkitchen.org.

    About Roti Mediterranean Grill
         Roti Mediterranean Grill serves casual, tasty and healthful food inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, which is known for its abundant use of olive oil, vegetables and legumes. Emphasizing robust flavors, Roti serves freshly-cutfire roasted meats and traditional side dishes such as falafel, hummus and Baba Ghanoush. The menu, created by executive chef Barry Brooks, features a variety of salads, sandwiches and Mediterranean plates. Driven by a passion to create healthy, honestly good food, the eatery provides a nutrition calculator at http://roti.com/nutrition-calculator/ to promote smart lifestyle choices. Roti will be launching 7-10 new locations between February & June 2011 in Chicago and D.C.

     


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  • 07Mar

    The Body You Want…The Demo!

    In my inbox.

    -JAY

    ——————

    Come see Fitness experts Josef Brandenburg and Natillie Rauch co-owners of The Body You Want(tm) Fitness Training Systems for a special nutrition talk and cooking demonstration at the Social Safeway on Saturday, March 19th from 1-2:30pm. Find out easy tips for how busy people like yourself can incorporate good nutrition practices in their everyday schedule and how Safeway’s new SimpleNutrition tagging system can help you do so! Also enjoy a cooking demonstration with a practical yet nutritious meal.

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  • 07Mar

    A Really Good Cheesesteak…From A Truck!

    I’ve been eating cheesesteaks  for months from the BadabingDC truck. The cheese steaks are very very good. Really!  Especially with Cheese Wiz!  They also specialize in various kinds of spiedies but I’m just not from that part of NY, so I’d never heard of spiedies (which are from Binghamton).

    I order the cheesesteak ($7) with with Cheese Wiz and onions, but you can choose a different cheese or not order onions.  BadabingDC tweets daily to let you know where in Arlington they are located for lunch.  They were in Ballston Thursday for lunch and will be there again this Thursday.

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  • 06Mar

    Vinifera. Reston. Go there.

    I’ve been to Vinifera twice now, and haven’t been disappointed either time.  This last time we started with the scallops and venison off the “blending” menu (tapas/appetizer sized plates).  Huge scallops, perfectly cooked, on a parsnip puree with a white wine-butter sauce.  I was impressed with the sear on the scallops and the sauce was perfect.  I’m not a huge fan of parsnips generally, but the puree was pleasant and I liked the accompanying root vegetable chips, which were more like shavings but were just enough to add an interesting texture.  The venison medallions were tender, cooked nicely (medium-rare), and served with a demi-glace on a chestnut puree.  I’m gluten intolerant, so I couldn’t enjoy the demi-glace.  It needed the demi-glace.  I inadvertently ate some sauce and the venison was much better with it.  Unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy the dish totally as the chef envisioned it, but I did find the chestnut puree tasty and I think it was a nice accompaniment to the venison.  I very much appreciated how accommodating they were for my request to put the sauce on the side.

    For my entrée I had the Vinifera paella.  I’ve never been to Spain, and I’ve only had paella a couple of times, but this dish will be the standard I use to judge all future paella experiences.  Seriously, it was amazing.  They do “deconstructed” paella; the seafood (two each of scallops, mussels, and jumbo shrimp), chicken, and chorizo came resting atop the Arborio rice, not mixed in.  The seafood was fab.  The scallops were smaller than the blending dish but still decent-sized.  The shrimp were ginormous.  The chorizo, which I’m not normally a huge fan of, supplied a nice kick to the dish.  I was most impressed with the chicken, though.  I really think chicken breast is boring, but Vinifera’s version, with crispy seared skin and juicy meat, made me appreciate a chicken boob not drowned in cheese and bacon.  They left in the wing bone which I found a little odd, but Chef Bo Palker (who was happy to answer my questions when I called) explained that it was left in for aesthetics.  Whatev, it was fantastic!

    No room for dessert, although I would’ve found room if they had an interesting “crème brulee of the day” as presented on the menu.  Just vanilla bean, booo.  The server claimed that there are more interesting selections in the warmer seasons.  I’ll update when I go back.

    As a person with a food intolerance, I really appreciated the service I received at Vinifera.  I actually had the same server both times, and he was great about checking with the chef about gluten on the menu items I was interested in.  Aside from the kitchen-checking, the particular wine I ordered wasn’t the vintage listed on the menu and he was very helpful in finding the vintage I wanted.  I wish I could remember his name (as he remembered me from the previous visit) but I can’t.  He was awesome.  Thanks, Mr. I-can’t-remember-your-name!

    I loved the atmosphere.  The place is just pleasant to be in, and it’s easy to hold a conversation there.  Just enough color to not be drab, not so much color to be annoying.  I’m looking forward to going in warmer weather so I can enjoy the patio.  It’s not cheap, but the portions are large.  It might be a hike to get there, but it’s worth it.  Go.  For real.

    -KPG (Guest Blogger Katherine)

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  • 05Mar

    YMCA Arlington Accepting Recipe Submissions (Donations) For Their Cookbook

    I’ve been helping my friends at the Arlington YMCA about this for a month or so, and they are now ready to accept recipe submissions for this fund-raising project. The recipes should be healthy but do not have to be vegetarian, vegan, or organic, but let them know if they happen to be. Feel free to distribute this to chefs restaurants, food bloggers and other foodies. They would also like some restaurants (that have appropriate mobile equipment) to demo their recipe submissions but it is not a necessity. The cookbook is not Arlington specific, so submissions are open to the DC Metropolitan area.

    This is a good change to get your name, blog or restaurant mentioned in a cookbook.  Portfolio builder?

    Thanks.

    -JAY
    ———————————————-

    Press Release (March 4, 2011):

    Arlington, VA – As the New Year begins, so do those New Year’s resolutions. Thousands of Americans will have a fresh new start as they challenge themselves to live a healthier lifestyle. To help make this New Year a total success, the YMCA of Arlington is coming out with a healthy eating and lifestyle cookbook. It’s an effort to help the metropolitan area as they commit to exercising, eating healthier and living better lives.

    Our New Year’s resolution at the Y is to help the metropolitan area keep theirs. “We take great responsibility in helping kids, families and individuals in our communities lead healthy and wholesome lives. A New Year’s resolution is always a good start, but the Y is here to help people maintain their commitment, not just through the year but for the rest of their lives.”

    I am calling all Metropolitan Washington Area restaurants, food bloggers and foodies to participate in the YMCA Arlington Cookbook by donating a recipe or recipes. We are accepting healthy recipes, including (but not limited to) organic, vegetarian, vegan and ethnic foods. This book will be published and sold within the branch to help with our annual campaign Building Bridges. Last year alone, we provided more than $2 million in scholarships and financial assistance to nearly 12,000 children, families, and seniors. With your help, we can continue to provide essential child care, camp, counseling, social services, and health and wellness programs. You can help us make sure no one is turned away.

    Cookbook Recipe deadline:

    Please email recipes Bianca.Patterson@ymcadc.org by June 30th, 2011.

    Bianca Patterson
    YMCA Arlington
    3422 13th St. N
    Arlington, VA, 22201
    (703) 525-5420

    For more information, call (703) 525-5420 or log on to www.ymcadc.org and find the YMCA Arlington branch for details.

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  • 05Mar

    Hikaru

    With only nine tables and a short sushi bar, Hikaru in the Courthouse neighborhood of Arlington is small enough to be cozy without cramped. The service is friendly and quick to point out the restaurant’s specials for happy hour, which lasts from noon until 7 on Saturdays.

    I ordered off the regular menu and was pleased with the freshness, portion, and construction of the standard rolls. (Avocado and spicy tuna pictured here.) That’s too little for the joint to rise beyond cheap neighborhood sushi fix joint to a restaurant worth going out of one’s way for.

    I plan to use this weekend’s 50% off Living Social coupon to return with other dcfud writers to try the specialty rolls at a later date, although I might wait until the restaurant is finished remodeling. Good thing I did some recon first.

    -CAF

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  • 05Mar

    Slovak Recipe: Easter Bow ties (Fánky)

    My friend Lubos has a Slovak Recipe Website and yesterday brought some of these bow ties to an event where I was the guest speaker at GMU so I could try a Slovak dessert. Thanks so much Lubos–they were delicious. I do get the funnel cake comparison even though they do not look alike. Here is his recipe for Fánky.

    -JAY

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  • 04Mar

    Additional (Food-Focused) Info On The Travel and Adventure Show

    In my inbox. I gave the free registration code in a previous post.

    -JAY
    ———————————-
    Travel and Adventure Show Gets Spicy, Announcing Its

    Debut of the International Fiery Foods Challenge

    Culinary Stage events highlights worldwide cuisine, local Chefs and Embassy Chef

    Washington, DC – DC’s Seventh Annual Travel & Adventure Show is heating up the Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place, NW) this year with the addition of a Culinary Stage featuring the International Fiery Foods Challenge and Embassy Chef demonstrations. The show, which already offers Washingtonians the opportunity to discover their “inner explorer,” returns Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13, providing attendees the opportunity to explore hands-on activities, attend engaging travel seminars, and win incredible giveaways, all while finding the vacation of a lifetime.

    The Culinary Stage, sponsored by Cuisine Noir and Cultural Tourism DC, will showcase culinary demonstrations by local restaurants, Embassy chefs and Travel Channel’s Taste of America host, Mark DeCarlo will host the Culinary Stage. The schedule for the Stage is as follows:

    Saturday, March 12:

    11am – 1:30pm Embassy Chef Demonstrations

    2pm – 4:30pm Fiery Foods Challenge

    Sunday, March 13:

    12pm – 1pm Mark DeCarlo Interactive Demonstration

    1pm – 3:30pm Embassy Chef Demonstrations

    The Fiery Foods Challenge is a fun, educational event designed to showcase the wonderful world of food with a fiery kick, while the Embassy Chef demonstrations take advantage of Washington’s unique opportunities to present cultures from around the world by working with the city’s many Embassies. Participating embassies include Belgium, Hungary, Morocco, Sri Lanka and South Korea.

    Chefs participating in Saturday’s Fiery Foods Challenge include will be representing Sweet Mango Café (Caribbean), Rumba Café (Latin American), Mexico Tourism Board and Belize Tourism Board. They will compete for the chance to walk away with the title for Balanced Flame, Hottest Flame or Crowd Favorite.

    Challenge chefs will be asked to demo a recipe from their cultural background, adding a fiery kick to spice things up. Each chef will have 30 minutes on stage for their demo, walking attendees through the recipe step by step while explaining its origins and the significance of the ingredients. Immediately following the demo, attendees will receive a sample size of the recipe and a printed copy to take home. Visitors can then be the judge as they test their taste buds and vote for the fieriest food in the International Fiery Foods Challenge.

    The Culinary Stage is just one of the many ways that show attendees can discover the many facets of traveling. Travel headliners on the Main Stage include Travel Channel’s Samantha Brown, Pauline Frommer (travel writer and creator of Pauline Frommer Guidebooks), Peter Greenberg (Travel Editor for CBS News), Mireya Mayor (Geo WILD! Television host, National Geographic Emerging Explorer, and author), and Jennifer Baggett, Holly Corbett, and Amanda Pressner (co-authors of The Lost Girls).

    Throughout the Travel & Adventure Show, guests will find exhibitors showcasing hundreds of captivating destinations. From Ethiopia to the Florida Keys, there are exhibits for experience seekers of all kinds and those looking to travel both internationally and domestically.

    Those interested in attending the Travel & Adventure Show can get discount tickets online for only $9 with promo code: DCPR. Tickets are $15 at the door, and children 16 and under are free (children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). To purchase tickets online, go to www.adventureexpo.com/washingtondc.

    Media can register for press passes online at http://www.adventureexpo.com/pressdc.

    About the Washington DC Travel & Adventure Show

    The Travel & Adventure Show is entering its 7th year and is the longest running series of consumer travel events in the United States. The show is a one-stop-shopping marketplace where consumers and the travel trade will find thousands of travel providers offering unique vacation options and travel information. Attendees have access to hands-on activities, educational seminars, cultural performances and more. The Washington DC Travel & Adventure Show’s Official Airline Sponsor is Ethiopian Airlines and Acura is the Official Auto Sponsor. For more information on the Travel & Adventure Show, as well as a full schedule of activities, events and seminars, please visit www.adventureexpo.com/washingtondc.

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