Cocktail of the WeekMay 30, 2012
• May 30, 2012

Just in time for the upcoming summer season, the Museum of the American Cocktail hosted an event last week at the Georgetown Four Seasons Hotel celebrating popular drinks from South of the Border. Three bartenders from Bourbon Steak?Duane Sylvester, JP Caceres and Jamie McBain?each prepared cocktails featuring spirits from Latin America and the Caribbean. Sylvester, whose family hails from Trinidad and Tobago, presented two rum drinks, a classic punch and mojito. Caceres, from Bolivia, presented two traditional South American cocktails, the caipirinha, made with cachaca from Brazil, the pisco sour, and the forged frompisco, a Peruvian grape-based spirit.

McBain presented the only original cocktail of the evening?a crimson-red tequila and beet juice concoction called ?We Got the Beet.? Being a tequila lover, I am always on the lookout for non-traditional agave tipples. But for a person who doesn?t like beets, I approached this concoction with hesitation. I later learned that Jamie, himself, doesn?t eat beets either.

He developed the recipe after receiving multiple requests as a bartender for flavored margaritas. ?I get asked to make flavored margaritas, which I don?t,? Jamie said sternly. ?This is my small concession.?

The classic margarita is a simple formula. Consisting of tequila, lime juice and a sweetener?usually an orange liqueur like Cointreau or triple sec?it yields a pleasing sweet and sour and potentially salty profile if you enjoy a salted rim.

Jamie?s five-ingredient recipe of tequila, beet juice, agave syrup, lime and Averna Amaro, creates a multi-layered complex cocktail. Amaro?meaning ?bitter? in Italian?is an herbal liqueur, usually enjoyed as an after-dinner digestif. It is produced by macerating herbs, roots, flowers, bark and citrus peels in alcohol, mixing it with sugar syrup, and allowing it to age in casks or bottles. Averna has a distinct herbaceous flavor that tempers the sweetness of the beet juice and highlights the root vegetable?s earthy quality. The result is a harmonious balance of sweet, sour, bitter and salty.

For tequila, Jamie uses Partido Reposado for this cocktail. Reposado?meaning ?rested? in Spanish?refers to any 100 percent agave tequila, which has been aged between two and 12 months in oak barrels. Jamie enjoys the subtle smoky flavor the reposado tequila imparts in this drink.

For those planning to make this cocktail at home, finding the beet juice can be tricky. A health food store that sells fresh juices may be your only pre-made option. Otherwise, you?ll need a juicer to make it at home. At Bourbon Steak, Jamie uses beets that have been steamed first. But if you would prefer a more pronounced earthy flavor in your cocktail, he suggests roasting the vegetables before juicing. In addition to their unique freshness, the beets, will give this cocktail a stunning scarlet hue.
If you don?t have access to a juicer at home, you can sample the ?We Got The Beat? at Bourbon Steak located inside the Four Seasons hotel in Georgetown. For more information on upcoming seminars being hosted by the Museum of the American Cocktail, please visit www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org

**We Got The Beet**

1.5 ounces Partido reposado tequila
.5 ounce beet juice
.5 ounces Agave nectar
.5 ounce Averna
.5 Ounce lime juice.
Salt
Salt half the rim of your cocktail glass. Mix four ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake.Strain intoglass.

The Cosmopolitan: Once the “It” Cocktail
• May 17, 2012

Maybe it’s the appealing pink color, the pleasing tart flavor or the swanky glassware. Perhaps it was the four liberated and stylish ladies of New York who adored them. But for one reason or another. the Cosmopolitan — or Cosmo, for short — was the “It” cocktail of the late 1990s and first half of the 2000s.

This tipple hit its zenith of fame when it became the favorite drink of Carrie Bradshaw on HBO’s “Sex and the City.” But believe or not, the Cosmo pre-dates the prime time television show by years. It was also another trend-setting celebrity that lent her hand at influencing this drink ‘s destiny before Sarah Jessica Parker started to imbibe on this vodka, cranberry and citrus concoction.

The Museum of the American Cocktail recently hosted a seminar on popular vodka drinks, which included the history behind the Cosmopolitan. Phil Greene, founding member of the museum and author of “To Have and Have Another : A Hemingway Cocktail Companion,” hosted the event, which was held at the Warehouse theater inside the Passenger bar.

Several recipes for cocktails similar to Cosmopolitan have been uncovered. One recipe for a drink named “Cosmopolitan” that Greene dug up dates back to 1934, from the book “Pioneers of Mixing Gin ?at Elite Bar 1903-1933.” While this early recipe uses gin instead of vodka, its remaining ingredients are comparable to today’s version. Using gin in a cocktail during that time was commonplace. Vodka did not start to get a stronghold in the American drink scene until the 1950s. Another similar recipe from the Ocean Spray Cranberry Growers from the 1960s, was unearthed by Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff which calls for one ounce of vodka, one ounce of cranberry and a squeeze of lime.

The invention of the modern-day Cosmo is generally credited to bartender Cheryl Cook in Miami’s South Beach. According to Greene, “In the mid-1980s the martini was making a comeback, and many customers were ordering them, seemingly just to be seen holding the iconic martini glass. However, for many, including women, martinis were a bit too strong and powerful. So she came up with the idea to create a drink that was visually stunning and uses the martini glass. Using a new product called Absolut Citron, a splash of triple sec, a few dashes of Rose’s Lime and some cranberry juice to turn it pink, the Cosmopolitan was born.”

The Cosmo further evolved when cocktail heavyweight DeGroff sampled it at the Fog City Diner in San Francisco. DeGroff decided he could improve upon this formula and created his own version for the Rainbow Room in New York.  According to Greene, he used Absolut Citron, Cointreau, cranberry juice and fresh lime juice, along with a flamed orange peel garnish.

It was at the Rainbow Room where the Cosmo’s superstardom began. Its prominence skyrocketed when Madonna was pictured sipping one at the Rainbow Room Grammy party, when the award show was held next-door at Radio City Music Hall. Next came “Sex and the City,” which cemented the Cosmopolitan’s place in drink history.

Soon, Cosmos were on cocktail menus across the nation along with various drinks with names ending in “ini” and served in the cone-shape big martini glasses. While the Cosmo’s place in the sun has faded somewhat, it has earned a spot on the list of classic cocktails. Even our favorite New York girl seems to have cooled on her Cosmopolitan. In the film version of Sex and City, Miranda asks why the girls stopped drinking Cosmos. Carrie replies, “Because everyone else started.”

Dale DeGroff’s Cosmopolitan:
1.5 oz. Absolut Citron Vodka
.5 oz. Cointreau
.25 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. Cranberry Juice

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

The Museum of the American Cocktail will be sponsoring evening of stories, cocktails and songs led by Dale DeGroff on Thursday, April 12. For more information, visit www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org

Cocktail of the WeekMay 16, 2012
• May 16, 2012

While Mardi Gras may be the biggest party of the year in New Orleans, visitors looking for a grand shindig that showcases the city?s musical heritage will head to the Big Easy for the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival. Those who made it to the recent 2012 event were entertained by local acts like the Neville Brothers and Dr. John as well as by international superstars, such as Cee Lo Green, Foo Fighters, Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty.

For many, a trip to Bourbon Street before and after the show was all part of the musical fun. In a town known for drive-through daiquiri shops and go-cups, partiers can wander through the French Quarter with a choice of mind-numbing beverages like the cyclone, hand grenade and jungle juice. Long before these frosty concoctions hit the streets, there was the drink that may have caused more Crescent City hangovers than any other: the Hurricane.

Bright red and cloyingly sweet, a version of this tipple can be found in any watering hole in the French Quarter. While the drink?s formula has changed through the years, its history can be traced back to World War II when it was invented at Pat O?Brien?s.

For the first-time visitor to New Orleans, Pat O?Brien?s deserves a place on their to-do list. While some dismiss this well-tracked spot as ?touristy,? there?s a special allure about visiting the bar that the New Orleans Times-Picayune referred to as ?Disneyland for serious drinkers.? Founded by Pat-O?Brien, a bootlegger, and Charlie Cantell, a wholesaler, this Louisiana institution opened its doors as Prohibition was repealed. With its charming fountain courtyard, live piano music and storied history, Pat O?Brien?s is memorable stop in a city filled with saloons.

The invention of their signature drink came about as a practical necessity. Back in the 1940s, liquors such as Scotch and Bourbon were in short supply. There was a glut of post-Prohibition rum, and the dealers wanted to move it. The bar?s partners were forced by liquor wholesalers to order as many as 50 cases of rum in order to purchase a few cases of the whiskeys they wanted.

Barmen played around with a mixture of fruit juices and passion fruit until they came up with an alluring combination: a tasty and potent cocktail, containing four ounces of rum in each serving. They began selling the new creation in a Hurricane glass and the drink?s moniker was born. The Hurricane caught on, and the rest, as they say, is history.

While the atmosphere at Pat O?Brien?s has remained a constant, today?s Hurricanes have changed dramatically since the cocktail?s inception. Due to the high volume of visitors, Pat O?Brien?s now makes their hurricanes from a pre-made mix.

The ingredients are fairly simple a rum, grenadine, citrus and passion fruit juices. Pat O?Brien?s sells its own brand of Hurricane rum, made in the Virgin Islands, and mix, that can be ordered online. Nevertheless, creating your own hurricane from scratch will result in a rewarding and delicious refresher.

Even though this fabled tipple is not what it used to be, a stop at Pat O?Brien?s is still a fun diversion for those planning a visit to New Orleans. ?We have such a long and colorful history,? reminded Pat O?Brien?s spokesperson Jamie Touchton. ?Visitors want to experience the legend that people have been talking about for decades. The hurricane is the drink of New Orleans. Many try to imitate it, but none can compare to the taste, strength and the overall experience of being in Pat O?Brien?s.?

**THE HURRICANE**
2 1/2 oz Mount Gay Silver Rum
1 1/2 oz Goslings Black Seal Rum
1 oz fresh orange juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
2 ? oz Passion fruit puree
? Oz Stirrings grenadine (made from pomegranate)

Combine the ingredients in a shaker, and serve over ice. Garnish with an orange slice

Last-Minute Brunch for Mother’s Day
• May 14, 2012

In case you need a reminder, Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and many places in the city are booked solid for brunch. Check out these last-minute brunch locations to say thank you to the moms in your life.

Café Milano
Starting at 11:30 a.m., you and your family can enjoy a Mother’s Day Buffet Brunch at Cafe Milano. The Buffet Brunch includes breakfast station, antipasti, raw bar, bread station, pasta station, carving station and desserts. $95 per person. $35 per child 12 years and under. 3251 Prospect Street, NW, 202.333.6183.

Coco Sala
Chocolate, Champagne and Flowers Brunch at Coco Sala serves a multi-course meal, champagne cocktail and chocolate surprise for mom. $60 for adults; $30 for children, 10 and under. Brunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 929 F Street NW, 202.347.4265.

Bistro lepic
Offering classic and contemporary French cuisine, Bistro Lepic offers the perfect setting to say thank you to the mother in your life. On May 13, Bistro Lepic will be offering a special Mother’s Day four-course menu at $49.95 per person. The menu features foie gras, soft shell crabs, and whole grilled branzini. 1736 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 202.333.0111.

Blue Duck Tavern
The Blue Duck Tavern will offer a three-course, buffet-style holiday brunch, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Brunch highlights include prime rib, scrambled eggs with rock shrimp and ricotta cheesecake. Brunch is priced at $90 for adults and $42.50 for children between ages six and 12. 1201 24th Street, NW, 202.419.6755.

Brasserie Beck
Enjoy savory crepes and waffles at Robert Wiedmaier’s contemporary Belgian restaurant. A favorite at Beck is the large selection of daily cheeses served with apricot cake. Reserve a spot for brunch on the outdoor patio between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. 1101 K Street NW, 202.408.1717.

Lincoln Restaurant
This year for Mother’s Day, Lincoln Restaurant, an upscale-casual restaurant known for its small plates, will be offering a three-course brunch. At $55 per person, choose from traditional brunch items with a twist. 1110 Vermont Avenue NW, 202. 386.9200.

Sea Catch
From 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sea Catch will be offering brunch in celebration of Mother’s Day. Brunch items include a lobster and goat cheese omelet, spinach quiche, poached eggs and stuffed French toast. 1054 31st Street Northwest , 202.337.8855.

Top of the Hay
Celebrate Mothers Day at the Hay Adams new venue located on the 9th floor of the hotel. With breath-taking views of Lafayette Park and the White House, enjoy a delicious brunch buffet featuring fresh produce from local farms, a chilled seafood station and housemade desserts. Pricing begins at $110 per person which includes a glass of Scharffenberger Brut upon arrival. 800 16th St NW, 202.638.2570.

Das
• May 3, 2012

Ethiopian food remains a distant concept to many.For Georgetowners, Ethiopian dining means Das, which over the past six months has transformed from the former Zed’sto become apowerhouse in the niche market.
If you’ve never tried Ethiopian food before, Das prevails as the premierplaceto taste it.Theknowledgeable staff delights in advising guests about the menu and customs of Ethiopian dining. One of Das’ erudite servers was quick to assist her guests about one such custom: Injera.All Das’ dishes arrive with Ingera, a spongy yeast-risen flatbread. Guests use this Ethiopian staple as a utensil to scoop up their main course.
“It tastes even better if you use a little less of the bread and get more food,” she suggested.
Das has a variety of traditional dishes, complete with Injera, that are sure to surprise. One such dish is theChicken Doro Wat, a peppery poultry delight. The chicken arrives moist and tender in a spicy red sauce complimented by a hard-boiled egg. Though Doro Wat is reserved in its homeland for holidays and special occasions, by popular demandDasserves it everyday.
Another favorite dishis the SteakTibs. These diminutivecubed streaks are paired with hot green peepers, sautéed onions and fresh juicy tomatoes. The seasonedvegetables and Das’ specialty sauce successfully create a strong, but not overpowering,flavor combination.
For those with a braver tongue, Das Owner and hospitality expert, Sileshi Alifom recommends the Kitfo, a steak tartare. The chef’s spices alight the Kitfo with a salty gusto amplified by a robust spicy wallop.
After dinner,Alifom remindsthatthere are no true Ethiopian desserts. Most natives prefer fresh fruit as their after-dinner indulgence. However, if you are soinclined, Das has created a dessert menu complete with delicious variations on everyone’s favorites, like Chocolate Fondant.
Not only does Das acquaint guests with Ethiopia’s savory selections, it also seeks to bathe them in a chicambiance. Traditional artwork spans the walls and soft music welcomes Das’ eclectic customers toward the table’s treasure and the staff’s service expertise.
“All Ethiopian food is pretty much the same. If you go to 14th street they’ll have a similar menu. The difference is in the consistency side. The difference is in the presentation,” says Alifom. “The difference is service, and our main focus is service.”
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Fancy Food Show Wows, Wins Over D.C.
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The 57th Summer Fancy Food Show occupied the exhibit halls of the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, from July 10 to 12, as buyers and other attendees walked the aisles “to spot hot trends, find new ideas and source the latest products for stores and restaurants for the year to come” — and to sample foods, which included the latest trends and flavors in chocolate, artisanal meats and cheeses, confections, snacks, beverages, salsas, spices and natural and organic products.

With 180,000 products from 2,400 exhibitors representing 80 countries and regions, the show was overwhelming. Not open to the general public, it is run by the the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade, Inc. (NASFT), which says “the $70 billion U.S. specialty food industry is on the rebound after a period of holding back.” Indeed, the show is the largest marketplace for specialty foods and beverages in North America — and there was no holding back at the convention center. There were some familiar brands to causal attendees, but many exhibitors displayed unique, high-quality foods.

“We are so pleased to bring our show to Washington, D.C., as unprecedented interest in artisanal food and innovative products creates wonderful opportunities for buyers and suppliers,” said Ann Daw, president of the NASFT. The Summer Fancy Food Show moved to Washington, D.C., this year from its long-time home at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York due to ongoing construction. It will be held again in D.C. in 2012.

One local attendee, advisory neighborhood commissioner Bill Starrels, was enthusiastic not only about the show but about its economic benefits for D.C. “This is a great benefit for hotels, restaurants and tourism nearby and around the District.”

A panel of trendspotters, coordinated by the NASFT, cited these trends: “Booze-Infused Foods,” such as Chili Lime Tequila Tortilla Brittle from Anette’s Chocolates or wine-infused ice cream from Mercer’s Dairy; “Give it a Try Kits,” like Grow Your Own Mushroom Garden from Back to the Roots; “Popped Food” like Black Truffle & White Cheddar Popcorn from 479 Degrees Popcorn; “Japanese-Inspired Eats,” such as Yuzu Gummy Pandas from Bissinger’s Handcrafted Chocolatier; “Cherries” like Bada Bing Cherries from Tillen Farms. Other trends identified at the Summer Fancy Food Show include coconut in food and beverages, salts from around the globe and innovative dairy products such as goat milk yogurt.

Winners of the 39th sofi Awards for the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year — ranging from cheese, chocolate and crackers to meat, past and snack foods — were announced at the show hosted by celebrity chef Cat Cora. (A sofi Award is considered the highest honor in the $70-billion specialty food industry. “sofi” stands for specialty outstanding food innovation.)

The big international food pavilions included Italy, Spain, Morocco, India, South Africa, Mexico, Chile and Jamaica; food aisles for states included Virginia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Vermont and New York.

At the end of the show, food was donated to D.C. Central Kitchen, which had teams ready to gather the samples.
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Across the Cutting Board with Ris
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When I got to Ris, Washington chef Ris Lacoste’s lauded contribution to DC’s food culture, the restaurant was empty. It was early on a Saturday morning, and the city was just waking up. Through the windows, the expanses of barren dining tables and upturned chairs looked nearly unfamiliar from the week before, when I met Ris for the first time amidst a clattering of plates and glasses, the hum from a dozen full tables swarming around me in the bustling eatery. Now, it was lifeless and unmoving. They didn’t open for a few hours.

However, walking into the kitchen through the back, it was a different story. I was greeted by a pastry chef feverishly mixing some creamy, white spread (which, as I later found out, was completely delicious). Fresh fruits and vegetables were being hauled in by the palette-load while a flurry of assistants disseminated the boxes throughout the kitchen. Pots and pans were nearly flying, finding their proper location after the previous night’s demands. Vegetables were being prepped. A flame shot briefly out from an industrial stovetop. Rows of cutting stations pulsed with the temptation of the coming day, the knives glistening on the wall not far away.

I was there to cook soup with Ris. Call it a job perk. I myself know enough about food to fool my friends into thinking I can cook. I could tell you if you’re about to burn the rice, what to add to your stir-fry to make the vegetables zing, which wines go well with which meats. My fish is always crisp and juicy and my knives are always sharp. But setting up at a cooking station alongside Ris Lacoste feels like meeting Andre Agassi for a few sets of leisure tennis: whether or not they’re trying very hard, I am surely in over my head, but it’s still rather thrilling.

We are making soup because it is the season for soups. And if you know Ris at all, you know that she cooks with the seasons. Regularly going to farmer’s markets for inspiration, she sees food the way photographers see their subject matter. You can’t shoot a sunset in the morning, and you can’t cook with strawberries in the dead of winter. It doesn’t make sense. Food will taste best, and be most nutritious, if it’s fresh and local.

So it’s not surprising that soups are popular in the fall. In the autumn months, root vegetables and squashes are in great abundance: potatoes, butternut squash, beets, radishes, onions, horseradish,
sweet potatoes. Now is the time of year when these key ingredients are reaching their peak. Still, soup transcends mere seasonal convenience.

Giving someone a bowl of soup, Ris explains, is like giving that person your love, a taste of your soul. Soup needs to be listened to, pampered, spoken with, encouraged, handled delicately but firmly. Always keep your finished product in mind, she tells me. If it were a white soup, we would make sure the butter didn’t brown. If we were not going to puree the soup, we would skin the vegetables, and cut them uniformly to make sure they cook evenly. However our soups will not be white, and one will be pureed. Not to mention that there are loads of vitamins in vegetable skins, so it’s best to keep them in the cooking when you can.

The soups we will be making, she tells me over coffee, will be sweet potato bourbon soup and borscht. Sweet potatoes are like chocolate to me. I don’t care when or where or why—I just like eating them. I had also once added sweet potatoes to a ham bone soup and it tasted good, so I was looking forward to seeing what else it could do to a soup.

But the borscht had me jumping for joy. Like the Russian peasant’s equivalent to American beef chili, no one makes it the same way. A piecemeal dish from the old country, it’s modest, cheap, healthy, and a great way to clean out the pantry. Need to get rid of some onions? Tomatoes? Beef? Potatoes? Carrots? Celery? Throw ‘em in. Eggs? Hardboil ‘em and throw ‘em in.

This dish, however, has been largely left behind. You don’t see beets much outside the salad bar these days. My grandmother used to make borscht, and I recall being scared of it. That thick, impenetrable red, the indecipherable chunks of mystery vegetables.

My palette has since expanded, and my grandmother hasn’t been able to cook for years. I was excited to reinvigorate my heritage. As it turned out, the love of borscht runs in my blood. However,
this is not, as they say, your grandmother’s Russian borscht. The heavy beefstock and kielbasa add a savory thickness that cuts through the sweet-sour play of beets and horseradish like a razor. And as for the sweet potato bourbon: it indeed tastes as good as it sounds. A word from the wise: The apple-horseradish sour cream is an unmistakable stroke of genius.

SWEET POTATO BOURBON SOUP
Yield: 1 Gallon
The flavors in this soup that brighten and enhance the sweet potato are the Sage, Orange and Bourbon. Although the recipe calls for use of a ham and chicken stock, you can eliminate the ham and substitute vegetable stock or water.

Ingredients/Shopping List
2 Tbsp. Butter
3 Carrots, roughly chopped
2 Celery Stalks, roughly chopped
1 Onion, roughly chopped
Bouquet Garni of 6 Sage leaves, 2 Bay leaves, 5 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
1 C. Bourbon
3 lbs. Sweet Potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
2 Oranges, halved
1 Smoked Ham Hock, optional
3 Qts. Chicken Stock, Vegetable Stock or Water
1 Tbsp. Salt or to taste
½ tsp. Freshly Cracked Black Pepper or to taste
½ C. Orange Juice

Garnish
1 C. Crème Fraîche, combined with 2 Tbsp. Bourbon
Diced Ham, Optional
Toasted Pecans, roughly chopped
Green Onions, thinly sliced

The Soup:
In a heavy-based 2-gallon soup pot, melt the butter. Sweat the carrots, celery and onions with the bouquet garni over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until onions are lightly caramelized. (A Bouquet Garni is a mixture of whole fresh herbs, used to flavor soup or stock, tied in a ‘bouquet” for easy removal.) Add bourbon to deglaze the pan and flavor the vegetables. Cook for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are saturated and the alcohol of the bourbon is “cooked off.” Add the sweet potatoes, halved oranges and ham hock (if using). Add enough chicken stock to cover the vegetables by about 2 inches. {the amount of liquid you add to achieve the perfect thickness of the final purée depends a lot on the vegetable being used. Some vegetables render more water into a soup than others. Some take longer to cook, thus resulting in greater reduction of the amount of added liquid. Trial and error and experience are great teachers. Just remember to always observe. You can always thin a too-thick soup with stock or water and and thicken a too-thin soup with added cooked vegetables. Almost always there is a “fix.” You’ll know better next time.) Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through. (the cooking time depends on the size of the vegetables and the level of heat. If you are in a rush, cut the vegetables smaller and up the heat.)

The Garnish:
Meanwhile, mix together the crème fraîche and bourbon. Ready the remainder of your garnish
and set aside until ready to use. Remove the oranges, bouquet garni and ham hock from the soup. Season with salt and pepper. Puree in a blender until smooth. Pour blended soup back into the pot and stir in the orange juice. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Serve with a dollop of bourbon crème fraîche, diced ham (if using), toasted pecans and green onions. Garnishes are KEY! They provide balance, texture, freshness, a bit of “je ne sais quoi“ to any soup.

RUSSIAN BORSCHT
Yield: 1 ½ Gallons

This soup is great for its vibrant color and texture – cutting the vegetables and other ingredients
into different shapes and sizes gives it an interesting consistency. Borscht is a soup that uses everything but the kitchen sink, so feel free to use leftover vegetables or meats that you have in the kitchen – no rules here! Every cook has their own version of Borscht. This is mine, which has developed over the years, inspired by friends and their grandmothers.

Ingredients/Shopping List
1 C. Bacon, small dice, Optional
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Onion, medium dice
3 Carrots, peeled & sliced into rounds
2 Celery Stalks, sliced
Bouquet Garni of 4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, 2 Bay leaves, & 5 Sprigs of Parsley
2 lb. Head of Red or Green Cabbage (approx. 2 qts.), thinly sliced
2 Qts. Beef Stock, optional (You can omit beef stock and just use chicken if preferred)
2 Qts. Chicken Stock
1 Ham Hock, optional
2 C. diced fresh tomatoes; in season, or canned San Marzano tomatoes
1 lb. Sausage (your choosing, we used kielbasa here), cooked & sliced
2 lb. Red Beets (approx. 2 qts.), roasted, peeled & grated
1 Celery Root, small dice
1-2 C. Brown Sugar
4-6 Lemons, juiced (1/2 – 2/3 C. lemon juice)
2 Tbsp. Salt or to taste
1 tsp. Freshly Cracked Black Pepper or to taste

Garnish
1 Apple, peeled & cut into a large dice (use any local, firm textured apple, such as Honeycrisp)
1 Tbsp. Butter
2 cups sour cream
½-1 Tbsp. Prepared Horseradish or to taste
Green Onions, thinly sliced

The Soup:
In a heavy-based 2-3 gallon soup pot, sauté the bacon in olive oil over medium heat until cooked thru, 3-4 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and herbs, and sweat for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add the cabbage and roast until it begins to caramelize slightly, about 5 minutes. Add beef stock (if using), chicken stock and ham hock (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook another 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Add the tomatoes, sausage, beets, celery root, brown sugar and lemon juice. Bring back to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cook until vegetables are just cooked, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Taste additionally
for sugar/acid balance and adjust if necessary.

The Garnish:
Sauté the diced apple in butter for 3-5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized, but still firm. Set aside to cool. Add the sour cream, horseradish and a pinch of salt. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Ready the remainder of the garnish and set aside until ready to use. Serve with a dollop of apple-horseradish sour cream & green onions. Add fresh sliced apple for texture & presentation.

Ris Tips: You can create your own prepared horseradish by grating fresh horseradish and mixing it with a little cider vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. Be mindful, fresh horseradish packs a punch. Also, when puréeing soups or sauces, use extreme caution. You may want the soup to cool slightly before using the blender. Blend in small amounts and always use a towel and your hand to secure the lid. The towel allows enough air circulation to keep the heat from building up pressure inside the blender, while keeping your hand from burning. Furthermore, every time you roast a chicken, make sure to make chicken stock while you are doing the dishes. And always make a whole pot of soup. Make deliveries to your neighbors with the leftovers. [gallery ids="99253,99254" nav="thumbs"]

D.C. Trend Trucks Into Georgetown
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Strolling down the brick-laid sidewalks, weaving in and out of the usual crowds, one large gathering stops you in your path. Quickly planning a scheme to maze your way through the group, a savory smell of mouth-watering food triggers a growl in your stomach. Much to your surprise, the crowd that was once in your way is now the crowd you want to be part of: a gathering of hungry Georgetowners waiting for fresh-made food from one of D.C.’s renowned food trucks.

A classic scene at Farragut Square, Franklin Park, L’Enfant Plaza, and Metro Station, D.C. food trucks have made a name for themselves and now are beginning to adventure into Georgetown. D.C. Food Trucks Association, a group of more than 20 local food trucks banding together to improve and develop the food truck industry, is actively seeking out new and beneficial places for food trucks access a greater D.C. audience.

A member of D.C. Food Truck Association, Big Cheese Gourmet operated by Patrick Rathbone, traveled to Georgetown two weeks ago, and got a great reception from locals.

“People were very appreciative that we actually came down there because they don’t get very many food trucks,” commented Rathbone about his premier Georgetown experience. Discussing competition with fellow food trucks, he said “we talk about how good different spots are… [we] pass along if someone is looking for a food truck in particular.” Rathborn sees a great potential market for their business in Georgetown, and plans to use his connections with the Association to get more trucks to the area.

Not only does D.C. Food Truck Association help organize and promote the mobile business, it also legally fights for better and improved legislation to help the industry thrive. A common misconception is that, like street food vendors such as hot dog stands, food trucks need site permits. In reality, since they have stationary kitchen property where the food is prepped and stored, they do not need site permits. Mike Lenard, owner and operator of TaKorean, encountered this issue on May 22, according to Prince of Petworth, a local D.C. neighborhood blog site, and almost had his truck shut down because of this misunderstanding.

Following the trend filling the nation’s sidewalks and streets, D.C.’s food trucks offer a variety of foods and treats. From Scoops2U, a not-so-classic ice cream truck, to CapMac, the bearers of some incredible macaroni and cheese, these trucks are bringing the restaurant scene curbside to people who only have a 20 minute lunch break to enjoy the savory and sweet sides of life. Even celebrity chefs are partaking in the mobile business. According to Zagat.com, Bravo’s Top Chef contestant and Good Stuff Eatery co-founder and head chef Spike Mendelsohn partnered with Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. Together they will launch Sixth & Rye in late May, a kosher food truck specializing in the classic corned beef sandwich.

“It’s not really about competition… it’s about bringing everyone together, the more trucks the merrier,” says Bapu Fojol, a founding brother and operator of fojol bros. Food Trucks, serving Merlindian food – their take on Indian – from one truck and Benethopian food – their take on Ethiopian – from another. fojol embraces similar concepts that the Association and Rathborn represent, one that sees food trucks as “more of a togetherness than a competition feeling.”

This “togetherness” is best represented with food truck’s use of social media. Constantly Tweeting to their customers and fellow colleagues, food trucks have mastered the craft of building community through social media. Websites such as FoodTruckFiesta.com use truck’s Twitter feeds and geo-locating social media to track locations of trucks, supplying customers with updated information every 60 seconds on where to go for their favorite mobile meal. Also, this aggregator site compiles the tweets, locations, blog posts, and reviews of the food trucks in D.C. and the greater Metropolitan area.

Constantly updating tweets from trucks discussing deals and locations to announcing launchings of new trucks, FoodTruckFiesta.com (also available in App form) centers this portable industry by getting truck operators and customers to come together to keep the business going. This keeps the somewhat scattered and on-the-go companies connected to one another and their customers.

“It’s less expensive to get into the [food truck] business,” comments Rathborn, when comparing food trucks to regular restaurants. “Customers bundle up [in the winter months] and wait in line… in the summer months they can’t wait to get out of the office into the sun,” he continues.
This summer, the food trucks have Trukeroo to promote their business. Created by Georgetown Events, Truckeroo is a food truck extravaganza with over 20 trucks lining up in the Navy Yard serving thousands of people. The day-long munching spectacle hosts live music, free admission and access to the Das Bullpen. With Trukeroo I and II already completed with wild success; Truckeroo III, the final summer event, will be held on August 12.

“It’s not the same old stuff,” comments Jake Robertson, a business worker in the Farragut Square area who comes to food trucks daily for lunch. “When you work somewhere you can only go so many places for lunch and it’s nice that they come to you,” he says when asked about the best part of food trucks while sitting on the grass in the shade of a tree, nibbling away at his kabob from the Stix Truck.
“We’re not just about food,” says Fojol, “we’re about bringing people together… about entertainment, enjoying yourself, leaving here with a smile.” As customers enjoy their food on silk blankets laid out by the fojol bros. truck under trees in Franklin Park, the atmosphere of food trucks sinks in. John S., operator of Sauca Food Truck, says the best part of his job “is being with the people and playing my music.”

The trucks are not only famous for their food but also for their atmosphere, that comes from the people who run the trucks “[We] drive around, play music… We wave. We smile. We get smiles back. It’s the best part,” says Fojol.

So when is the next food truck rolling into Georgetown? Keep your eyes on the Twitter feeds. According to Rathborne, they’ll be coming back “soon.”
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The Cactus Colada
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As the home stretch of summer kicks in, it’s time to throw that outdoor cocktail party you’ve been thinking about since May. Back to school ads are on TV, Oktoberfest beers are creeping into liquor stores and heavy jackets are on display at retail shops. Invite some friends over and mix up a batch of warm-weather drinks before the steamy evenings melt into fall.

For a wealth of summer entertaining tips, I turn to my friend Jerry Lenoir, a classic cocktail buff and the Willie Wonka-like figure behind the enchanting Mr-Booze website.

Jerry has quite an elaborate bar set-up inside his home, so I was curious about his outdoor entertaining style. “I have a little tiki bar in our carport.” Jerry explained. “I’ve brought a couple of fans out there, plenty of lanterns and colored lights. I’ve set out tiki totems and hung bad Polynesian art – it’s fun.”

The Mr-Booze Website is filled with tips for hosting your party – everything from setting up your bar, selecting the perfect party tunes and prep work that can allow you more time to mingle with your guests.

“Decorating an outdoor space for the warm months can simply mean adding a string of lights, a few tiki torches and some sounds, all setting the mood for a removal from the mundane.” Jerry says. “You just want to be able to make someplace that is familiar a little special and exotic. You and your guests should feel, while drinking that cocktail, that you are somewhere whimsical, nostalgic and out of the ordinary.”

To make things easier Jerry advises to batch a couple of your drinks before the party. If you want to go one step further, Jerry suggests plugging in a blender outside. “Have a tub of ice, some fresh fruit, sugar and rum.” He says. “You can blend up batches at a time.”

On his website, Jerry describes frozen cocktails as akin to a swimming pool in terms of cooling off and relaxing. “When paired with a loose cotton shirt, shorts, no shoes and an Adirondack chair, angels should start singing ’cause you’re that close to Heaven.” He muses. “Like peaches, Christmas trees and pumpkins, the frozen drink is completely seasonal. You should feel like a fool sipping one after Labor Day. They call for hurricane glasses, whole fruit garnish, and plenty of awkward silences as you and your guests suck them down.”

While many associate blender drinks with daiquiris and margaritas, Jerry’s website features an interesting variety of frozen cocktail recipes. Being a tequila lover, I was intrigued by the cactus colada- an alluring mixture of coconut cream, pineapple and tequila. While similar to a pina colada, the agave punch gives this refreshment an eye-opening smack. Jerry’s describes its flavor as a fistfight between tequila and coconut. For me it’s a cheery alternative to the standard frozen margarita.

If you are concerned about hosting a backyard or rooftop party in the high heat, Jerry offers a simple guideline for determining whether to imbibe inside or out. “If the ice in my glass melts faster than it keeps my drink cold, I steer the gathering indoors. Good advice, Jerry!

The Cactus Colada
2 oz. tequila (better is better)
2 oz. cream of coconut
4 oz. pineapple juice
2 cups ice
Blend till creamy. Recipe courtesy of Adam Rocke’s book, Tiki Drinks.

Ingredients to make the cactus colada may be purchased at Dixie Liquor at 3429 M St. in Georgetown. More recipes and entertaining ideas can be found online at Mr-Booze.com.

Loudoun County Goes Fresh
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As a high tech hydroponic agribusiness, it may not surprise you that the idea behind Endless Summer Harvest came from, of all places, Epcot in Disneyworld. According to farm owner Mary Ellen Taylor, an Epcot pavilion called “The Land” featured a hydroponic garden that inspired her to start her own business. Taylor even consulted with Dr. Merle Jensen, the brain behind “The Land,” with the design of their facilities.

Today, Endless Harvest Summer Harvest’s 12,000-square-foot facility produces as much Lettuce as a 12-acre farm. In addition to how efficiently the farm uses space, hydroponic farming is highly sustainable as well. Since the lettuce is grown in water, all the water is recycled.

Another advantage of hydroponic farming is the ability to grow fresh produce year-round. During 2010’s Snowmageddon, Endless Summer Harvest was still able to operate. Pretty amazing if you take into account that even the federal government closed for a few days.

The farm’s 25 varieties of organic lettuce can be found at five farmers markets in the Washington metropolitan area as well as on the plates in many restaurants. You can find where their lettuce is distributed nearest to you at ESHarvest.com

Catoctin Creek Distillery
As one of the few craft distilleries in the country, Catoctin Creek Distillery creates high-quality, organic spirits for the region. The Purcellville, Va. distillery was founded 2009 by Scott and Becky Harris.

Catoctin Creek, named after the Indian name for their area of the Chesapeake region, produces a number of organic and kosher products that are made with only the finest grains and products.

Although Catoctin Creek is most famous for their whisky and ryes, the distillery’s Watershed Gin won the gold medal from the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago, a tasting institute that provides unbiased of reviews wine and spirits.

Catoctin Creek’s organic certification means that all spirits are made with organic grain, which in turn creates a cleaner spirit. As for sustainability, the mash remaining after the distilling process is recycled into cattle feed, so there is nothing that goes to waste.

Local produce from the Loudoun County region is also incorporated into Catoctin Creek’s products. For example, Pearousia, their Pear Brandy, is made with Loudoun County Pears.

Catoctin County products are widely distributed in Washington, D.C. Visit them online at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com to find where you can knock one back.

Stoneybrook Organic Farm
Stoneybrook Farm originally began as an effort to protect 35 acres of farmland from development in 2006. They were subsequently certified organic in 2008, and opened their on-location farmer’s market in 2010.

Stoneybrook is unique for it’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. For a fee, people can support the farm and subscribe to fresh vegetables for a year. People in the program, which now has numbers around 100, form a close bond with the farm and participate in many activities and work days.

The farm’s market is open Sunday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Saturdays. In addition to carrying items from their own farm, the market carries local and organic meat, local organic dairy products including raw cheeses, free-range eggs, pies, and sandwiches. They even have wireless Internet. Pretty good for a farmers market, if you ask us.

Stoneybrook Farm is located at 37091 Charlestown Pike, Hillsboro, Va. You can learn more about the farm and where to find their produce at StoneybrookFarm.org

Notaviva Vineyards
If you like wine and if you like music, Notaviva Vineyards should be your next stop in Virginia. The Purcellville winery makes a number of different varieties of wine from Loudoun County grapes, but perhaps its biggest attractions are the musical performances that are often held there.

Saturday, Sept. 10, Notaviva will be holding its second annual World Music Festival, playing host to musicians, artisans and food vendors on its vineyard grounds. This event benefits Loudoun Interfaith Relief, the largest food bank in Loudoun County.

Notaviva Vineyards is located at 13274 Sagle Rd., Purcellville, Va.

Fabbioli Cellars
Fabbioli Vineyards prides itself on being a tightly knit family business. As a young family fresh to the area, the Fabbiolis decided to buy patch of land in Leesburg and start a vineyard in 2001. Ten years later, the business has stayed in the family, although the family has grown over the years, said vineyard owner Doug Fabbioli.

Fabbioli has over 30 years of experience in the wine business and attributes his success to “having quality, always.” Fabbioli says good wine comes from “close monitoring and lots of attention” and “thinking on your feet.”

If you are interested in fruit wines, Fabbioli Vineyards definitely has some good choices. Fabbioli likens their varieties to “biting into a fruit,” and recommends their Aperitif Pear Wine.

For those interested in learning more about the wine business, Fabbioli also offers courses for those interested in entering the wine industry. Fabbioli says, “I want [people] to make a really good wine.”

Fabbioli’s Facebook page is frequently updated with photos chronicling life around the vineyard, so check them out there. [gallery ids="100264,107004,107011,107008" nav="thumbs"]