• 13May

    Some Of The Best Baked Goods We’ve Eaten Recently

    Some Of The Best Baked Goods We’ve Eaten Recently:

    Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIssac shared their GBD doughnuts at Graffiato’s May Industry Takeover Night. Some of my favorites were the Key Lime Curd Filled Brioche, Grapefruit Campari, Peanut Butter & Jelly, and Chocolate Creme Filled Brioche.

    My friend Patricia King owns a gluten free bakery in Easton, MD called Patisserie Patrice. She sent me two kinds of bread, a Strawberry Granola Bar, and a Snickerdoodle, all of which were gluten free and delicious. She did a great job with the textures on everything, especially the granola bar (which is addictive).

    A Bit More sells a wide variety of regular and gluten free baked goods at the Kingstowne Farmer’s Market (Fridays 4-7pm). Our favorite items (that contain gluten) are the Triple Chocolate Rocky and blueberry lemon scones, while our favorite gluten free items are the Glazed Pecans, Granola Bites, Pumpkin Spice Bread, and Brownies.

    Bonjour La Parisienne (which needs to update their website) also sells at the Kingstowne Farmer’s Market. Everything is “a unique recipe,” which means that he threw something random in it and that it somehow works. I did not try the Challah bread (which contains pumpkin puree), but the blueberry muffins (which I think either contain yogurt or sour cream) and the chocolate chip cookies are decadent and amazing. Seriously! I did not ask what the secret ingredient in the cookies are. Next time I’ll try the Cinnamon Buns.

    Edit: (5/17/2013) Maybe the guy from Bonjour La Parisienne was kidding last week about the pumpkin puree. Apparently pumpkin is not an ingredient in the challah.

    -JAY

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  • 21Feb

    The Fake Fish Story Slaps DC!

    Oceana Story--SushiCy has been talking about all these stories he has been running across where the consumer is buying food items that are misrepresented. A few examples are fake honey, calamari (we hope this one is not true because it is nasty), and lemon juice. The big story that we keep hearing again and again is how often you are told you are buying one kind of fish (at a fish store or sushi bars), when you are actually purchasing another. A fish (escolar) that is often a substitute for white tuna in sushi bars can even cause :serious digestive issues.”

    From Dr. Oz:

    “As part of our campaign, Oceana conducted DNA testing of seafood meals in multiple cities across the country to get to the bottom of how much bait and switch was occurring. What did we find? Everywhere we tested, we found seafood fraud: 39% of seafood tested in New York, 55% in Los Angeles, 31% in Miami, and 48% in Boston (including testing by The Boston Globe) were mislabeled as entirely different types of fish than listed on the label.  ”

    Oceana sent me their DC-specific story.

    -JAY

    ———————————————————————————

    “Oceana Study Uncovers Widespread Seafood Fraud in Washington, Nationwide

    26% of Seafood Mislabeled in D.C. Grocery Stores, Restaurants & Sushi Venues

    WASHINGTON—Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, uncovered widespread seafood fraud across the United States, including in the nation’s capital, according to a new report released today. As part of one of the largest seafood fraud investigations in the world to date, DNA testing confirmed that 26 percent of the 105 seafood samples collected by Oceana in Washington, D.C., and one-third, or 33 percent, of the 1,215 fish samples collected nationwide were mislabeled, according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.

    Read the rest of this entry »

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  • 30Jan

    Some of the Best Things We’ve Eaten (or Drank) Recently 11!

    z_crackersThe products we’ve been addicted to lately include two crackers (Z Crackers’ (Garlic & Basil), and Snack Factory’s Pretzel Crisps (Everything)), one Italian Soda (San Pellegrino’s Aranciata Rossa (Blood Orange)), some peanuts (Feridies’ Virginia Peanuts (Red Skin)), and a cookie mix (Cobblestone Kitchens’ Gingerbread Cookie Mix).

    Z Crackers are from Brooklyn and are handcut. They have a good texture and go well with cheese. Several varieties of them are sold at Arrowine. We tried the Garlic & Basil flavored crackers; next time we will probably purchase the Cayenne & Cumin variety, since it sounded good as well.

    Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps are thin crunchy pretzels/crackers but have a bagel topping (everything). They pretzelcrisps_flavorsare supposed to be good with cheese, but we just eat them straight out of the bag. World Market carries several varieties of this snack.

    You can find San Pellegrino‘s Aranciata Rossa everywhere (including Supermarkets). All the flavors are good, but we have been leaning towards the Aranciata Rossa (Blood Orange) lately.

    The Feridies peanuts are yummy (salty, crunchy, and delicious). A variety of Feridies‘ products are sold at Arrowine, including the cashews.

    Finding this particular Cobblestone Kitchens product, the Gingerbread Cookie Mix, is tricky. We have only found it at TJ Maxx, and have not been able to find it online. You can, however,  find their gingerbread house sanpellegrinomix online. The cookie mix is nice because you roll it out with your hands, and because the icing mix is included as well. The cookies and frosting are very tasty. We don’t own a rolling pin, so we used a wine bottle covered in plastic wrap to roll the cookies out.

    -JAY

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  • 11Jan

    Arrowine And Taqueria Distrito Federal Deals

    Living Socal currently has a deal of $25 for a certificate for $50 worth on non alcoholic purchases at Arrowine Wine & Cheese in Arlington. I HAD to purchase it since they have a great selection of cheeses, charcuterie, and other gourmet items. LS also has a $10 for $20 deal for Taqueria Distrito Federal in DC, which is one of my favorite taco joints.

    -JAY

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  • 17Dec

    DC Dosa Launching in the Foggy Bottom Whole Foods!

    Today was one of two soft launches for Whole Foods Foggy Bottom‘s new addition, the vegan and gluten free prepared foods venue, DC Dosa.  Today’s soft launch ends at 2pm, but there will be another in January, as part of their Wine Down Wednesday Happy Hour (on January 9th from 5-7pm). It was great that I got to try their dosas for free today as part of the first soft launch. Take advantage of the soft launch on the 9th, although the menu will differ from what I tried today.

    -JAY

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  • 03Dec

    Vice Presidential Pie Selection

    I was reading the Washington Post Express on the metro today, and realized that I won Friday’s Reader Caption Contest! They used the caption I wrote for this picture of Joe Biden pie shopping in the new Washington, DC Costco.

    -JAY

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  • 14Nov

    Fans of Lamb Holiday Recipe Contest & Unrelated Chocolate News

    CoCo Sala has brought back my favorite of their seasonal chocolate barks, Pumpkin Seed Brittle Bark. They carry their chocolate store, on their website, and at Union Market.

    Last year’s DC Lamb Jam was awesome. Below is a message  (found in my inbox) from Fans of Lamb DC.

    -JAY

    ————————-

    Holiday Recipe Contest  

    From now through December 14, fans of lamb are invited to post their ewe-nique family recipes plus a quote about why they love American Lamb on the American Lamb Board’s Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/AmericanLamb, or on Twitter or Pinterest using the hashtag #AmericanLambFamilyRecipe. Weekly winners, chosen at random, will  receive a lamb cut of their  choice for a family feast. A panel of  lamb-lovin’ chefs will review all entries and choose a grand prize  winner, who will receive a $500 gift  certificate to a restaurant in  their home town that serves American  lamb. We’ll announce the winners  each week as well as the grand prize winner on December 17 via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. You can find  the American Lamb Board  on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmericanLamb, on Twitter at twitter.com/FANofLAMB or on Pinterest at pinterest.com/americanlamb.

    How you can participate:

    Chefs and Shepherds

    Send us your lamb-tastic family favorite recipes! We’ll post them on our social media channels crediting you, and we’ll also use them to reach out to local media sources to get home cooks loving lamb this holiday  season. Additionally, we’ll reach out to lamb-loving chefs to  pick a grand prize winner. If you’d like to help us, please let us know.

    Bloggers and Home Cooks

    Enter our contest! Post your recipes on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AmericanLamb, or on Twitter or Pinterest using the hashtag #AmericanLambFamilyRecipe.  We’ll re-post each recipe onto our Facebook  page, and you’ll be entered  into our contest to win a weekly cut or a grand prize gift certificate.

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  • 09Sep

    Potomac Chocolate Meet the Maker and Premiere Launch Tasting At Cocova

    In my inbox from Cocova.

    -JAY

    ——————-

    Ben Rasmussen of Potomac Chocolate will be appearing with chocolate samples on September 12th at Cocova.

    Potomac Chocolate  Meet the Maker and Premiere Launch Tasting

    Wednesday 9/12/12

    5:30pm to 7:30pm  This is a free event open to all

    “Come and meet Ben Rasmussen, owner of famed Potomac Chocolate, as he premieres his newest creation with us.  Be among the very first to taste his new Peru Bar.  We have been anxiously awaiting this new addition to his chocolate bar lineup, and you can be among the first in the world to try it!

    Although Ben has only been making chocolate for two years, he has wowed the world of fine chocolate with his artistry and is also a   winner of the Academy of Chocolate Silver Medal in 2011.

    Ingredients in Ben’s bars: cocoa beans & sugar. Period.  That is why he is so good, and why his bars are so enjoyable.”

    Cocova is also having free sample days on these Saturdays:

    September 15, October 20, and November 17 at 3pm – 6pm.

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  • 08Sep

    Some Of The Best Products That We’ve Tried Recently

    Naron’s Chocolates.

    Stubb’s BBQ Sauces: I tried the Sweet Heat and Hickory Bourbon. Both are good, but we preferred the latter. We had fun with these sauces at a recent barbeque. This company was an exhibitor at the summer DC Fancy Food Show.

    Nueva Cocina‘s Black Beans & Rice: This mix was a hit at the same barbeque. I’ve mentioned their coconut rice mix previously (which comes in white and brown rice versions). This company was also an exhibitor at the summer DC Fancy Food Show.

    Frontera’s Guacamole Mix: Just add avocado; it is a great product (from another exhibitor from the summer DC Fancy Food Show).

    Naron American Chocolates: I picked up a box of these Baltimore treats at The Chocolate Mousse in DC as a gift. Instead of getting the remade assortment, I individually chose the components, including some chocolate almond bark (in both milk and dark chocolate varieties). You get a pound for $19, and the quality on these chocolates is excellent, so it is a good deal and a makes a great gift.

    The Karen Mary Co.’s Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows.

    Karen Mary Co.’s Chocolate Covered Marshmallows: Chocolate Mousse also carryies great local handmade Chocolate-Covered Vanilla Marshmallows With Caramel & Sea Salt by Karen Mary Co (in the other chocolate case). Should we tell Anthony at DLDGLG.com (or DCFüd’s Beer Writer, MLC) about these Beer Marshmallows? (We haven’t tried them.)

    Although I wasn’t about to review the set that was sent to me (because all the lids were either missing or the incorrect size), T-Fal Ingenio does have an interesting concept, so Ill mention it. The items in this cookware set have lids and attachable handles, so can be put in the fridge (with leftovers).

    Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or events.

    -JAY

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  • 10Jul

    Pacari Chocolate Presentation at Cocova in DuPont Circle.

    As I turned the corner to the street where my GPS indicated Cocova should be, I saw a few restaurants, all doing good business…especially for a Sunday evening. But, Cocova was more subdued. All I saw was an A-frame board advertising a chocolate tasting.

    Like a speakeasy of decades ago, Cocova is in the basement. Since chocolate is a guilty pleasure for many, it kind of fits. Unlike the speakeasy, Cocova is well lit. Also unlike the speakeasy’s sinful nature, chocolate has been given a bad rep unfairly.

    When I was given this assignment, my experience with chocolate was limited to the sugary bars available atevery convenience store in the USA. That is the equivalence of writing an article about Formula 1 racing after having driven a 1972 Datsun B210.

    So, I studied as much as I could find about the subject. I found many articles online touting the benefits of chocolate consumption, including one article claiming indications that chocolate was involved in the treatment of some forms of cancer…but all of the articles that spoke positively of made a point to say it was DARK chocolate that the healthy stuff.

    After speaking with the people of Cocova, I found out that the truth is, the more raw the chocolate you consume, the healthier it is. I can only surmise, with my limited knowledge, that these articles copied the idea of dark only from each other; and that the originator of this idea was from a time when EVERYONE thought of chocolate as the same sugary bars and instant chocolate milk I bought at the grocery store…the idea of “dark” chocolate meant you could not buy it in a wrapper. I am now convinced that my “chocolate cravings” up until now have just been a combination of sugar cravings along with the comfort food the cheap stuff became.

    Now, when I get a REAL chocolate craving, Cocova is on the short list of places I will visit to satisfy it. Cocova offers tastings, classes, and private parties, and supplies chocolate from around the world.

    But, tonight, the focus is on Pacari Ecuadorian Organic Chocolate. Pecari was in town to exhibit at the Fancy Food Show.

    Pacari Chocolate was started in 2002 by Santiago Peralta with the help of his then girlfriend and now wife, with the hope to build a life for his family. Santiago reminded me of Antonio Banderas in the role of Zorro, with a genuine humility, but an underpinning of pride that you knew would attack like a jungle cat on anyone who insult him. He started Pacari with the idea that making the final product, premium chocolate that can compare to its European counterpart, would improve the value of the crop for the local farmers, increasing the farmers standard of living.

    Read the rest of this entry »

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