Food & Wine

Caroline Jackson • June 10, 2011

If there is one tool most vital in propelling the East Coast wine industry towards a West Coast level of prestige, that instrument is education. This applies for both the consumer and the producer. As the next generation of winemakers gains a more extensive understanding of the science behind the techniques, the Mid-Atlantic States are producing wine of an increasingly high caliber. Simultaneously, the desire of the consumer to learn more about tasting, pairing, and international wine continues to spread, guiding the entire regional industry towards a more sophisticated focus.

In response to this progression there are more opportunities for wine education in the East than ever before. Because of the wide array of classes, programs, and certificates now available, it can be confusing to differentiate between types of training. Whether you are a potential viticulturalist, a sommelier-in-training, or merely hoping to feel a little more confident perusing a restaurant’s wine list, there are finally accessible programs geared to your goals.

In 1880, the University of California Davis launched the very first accredited Viticulture and Enology program in the United States, only to be shut down in 1919 with the establishment of Prohibition. The department was reinstated in 1935, and for years it remained the only prominent resource for a comprehensive education in winemaking or grape growing within the US. Gradually, a few other West Coast institutions also began offering degrees in the field, but it wasn’t until 2008 that Cornell reformed its long-running viticultural research division into its own freestanding department, becoming the first Enology and Viticulture degree in the East. This was an essential step not only for the education of future winemakers, but also in the acquisition of expertise and the establishment of a venue for research specific to local conditions.

The quality of East Coast wine has greatly benefited from this resource, directly apparent in the advancement of vineyard management and winemaking techniques. But only recently have other Universities in the region begun to offer alternative programs. Virginia Tech now offers an Enology and Viticulture concentration within its Food Science and Technology department, and just this year the community college in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania began accepting students to its new undergraduate department. Most programs now offer online extension courses as well.

If you are more interested in the sale, service, or discerning consumption of wine, there are often multiple privately owned wine schools in any metropolitan area. There are a few “academies” right in D.C. that offer a variety of educational opportunities for anyone, from the casual buyer to the aspiring professional. Both the Capitol Wine School and the Washington Wine Academy offer classes connected with the WSET (Wine and Spirits Education Trust), which provides a widely accepted measure of proficiency. Generally, one can earn WSET Certificates at the Intermediate or Advanced Level, which can be helpful if you hope to get a job at a restaurant or wine retail store.

These programs usually charge an entry fee specific to the certificate level you’re aiming for, and then may have classes once a week or so for several weeks. The classes may start out with more general tutorials on global wine regions and basic winemaking knowledge, but will progress toward more specific tasting comparisons of different varietals and styles.

Additionally, the WSET also offers a more official Diploma, which is often considered the first step towards becoming a Master of Wine. This distinction is achieved by only a handful of people in the world and takes an additional minimum of three years to complete. The Master of Wine exam is said to be an arduous ordeal of essays and taste tests, including a section that requires the participant to name the vintage, region, and exact producer of several wines in a completely blind tasting—a sort of ultimate wine challenge.

Sounding a little beyond your personal ambition? Are you looking for a more recreational atmosphere, where you might choose to learn about a selected topic now and then? As the industry recognizes the growing consumer interest in a deeper understanding of wine, some wine-focused restaurants and boutique retail shops are offering their own classes and educational events. One example can be found at the Philadelphia-based wine, beer and tapas bar Tria. With three locations downtown as well as a separate “classroom” location, Tria’s staff hosts educational seminars often focused on a different varietal each week, as well as periodic food-pairing classes and specialty flight tastings that you can sign up for in packages or as a one-time experience.

Despite this plethora of available outlets, the best place to start is at your local wine shop or wine bar. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I guarantee you that most wine industry employees live for those moments when they can “nerd out” over their passion for vino with a customer who is genuinely interested in the subject. People get into the business because they love to drink, learn about, and talk about wine—they’re sure not in it for the money, I can tell you that much—and I think you may be surprised at the enthusiasm and aptitude that may be sitting right there at the corner store.

Caroline Jackson now works for Chehalem Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. She has a degree in English and a background in East Coast wine sales and winemaking. Visit her blog, Sips and Sounds, which pairs daily music selections with a wine or craft beer.

Caroline Jackson • May 31, 2011

Whether it’s local wine, craft beer or fine cuisine, these bourgeoning industries are always benefited by producers and consumers developing a broader understanding of the product. In other words: Education. East Coast residents have come a long way in aiding the growth of these industries through knowledge and general interest, and yet there are still many common misconceptions about wine and how it is made and marketed that hamper the progress of East Coast wine promotion. To understand more about what’s in the bottle, what better place to start than what’s on the bottle.

We all know what it’s like to walk into a wine store and feel a little overwhelmed by the choices. Maybe your original goal was to try something new, but then the eight-syllable hyphenated French classifications and various ranches of Napa start to blur together, and you end up just grabbing your regular go-to Cab. As you may already know, there are two main styles of wine labeling, largely considered Old World vs. New World. European wines will rarely tell you the grape varietal of the wine, so it is up to you to become familiar with which regions (Bordeaux, Rioja, Piemonte, etc.) produce what kind of wine, and furthermore which sub-regions and specific producers or “Chateaus” you prefer. It is then up to the buyer to become familiar with what kind of wine is made in which region to know what each bottle contains, although a few French and several Spanish and Italian producers are moving toward a more modern style. New World wines (anything not from the original Western European regions) will generally state the grape or the name of the blend right on the front label, and may often provide additional varietal information or tasting notes on the back.

Another common source of label confusion is the designation of “Estate” wines. In general, if a wine is labeled “Estate,” that usually means that the grapes used are grown in vineyards owned by the winery within a certain distance from the production site. It gets tricky, however, because the bottle may not say “Estate” for this to be the case. Many smaller production wineries exclusively use their own estate-grown fruit, but may not advertise as such on their labels. I always recommend visiting a winery’s website to find out more about where they are getting their grapes.

Many larger production wineries may have several acres of their own estate vineyards and then source the rest of their grapes from neighboring growers, and then will often produce a separate smaller batch solely from estate grapes that may go into a special reserve bottling. However, non-estate wine does not always mean it is lower quality. There are many excellent winemaking operations that carefully choose only the best vineyards to source from and have developed close simbiotic relationships with specific growers. Just as some of the best vineyard owners don’t make wine at all, some great wineries don’t own any vines and still manage to produce world-class wine.

If a winery is not diligent in its involvement with a source vineyard during the growing season, they may end up with some unpleasant surprises come harvest time that will negatively affect the quality of their wine. However, there are many highly respected winemakers that have long-running relationships with the vineyards they source from and are well versed in the importance of communication between winery and growers. Many of the most prestigious wineries in the country buy grapes from several different vineyards, all with premier growing sites and acclaimed viticulturalists. When it comes time for production, wineries often keep grapes from specific vineyards separate through the fermentation and aging process. Then, when it’s time to blend, each barrel is tasted and assessed; here, the winemaker may set aside a few barrels that are most expressive of a specific vineyard’s terroir to be bottled as a “single vineyard” release.

For example, Oregon is famous for it’s Pinot Noir and cool climate white wines that come from the Willamette Valley. Then the greater Willamette wine region is separated into more specialized AVA designations that group together topographical areas with comparable climate and soil composition. Beyond that, there are many specific vineyards that are renowned for the caliber of their particular site. If a wine is made from grapes that came from several places throughout the valley, the bottle will then only be a general “Willamette Valley” designation; others some may specify, for example, the Dundee Hills AVA and may showcase characterstics of its particular soil type, or even further, state the exact name of the Vineyard that it came from (i.e. Temperance Hill, Palmer Creek, Stoller, Bryan Creek, etc.).

This somewhat parallels the traditional European system of classification, where a Pinot Noir from France may not only tell you it is a Bourgogne, but also from the Côte de Nuits region, and furthermore from the Grand Crus vineyards of Romanée-Conti. In France (and paralleled throughout Europe), the Appellation d’origine contrôlée laws decided long ago which wines deserve the most prestigious title of Grand Crus, which may be called Premier Crus, which may only use the “village” name, and which are merely to be considered generic Bourgogne. The New World regions are young enough that this kind of quality distinction is not so set in stone, and therefore it is up to you to read, taste, and decide which wines stand out in the ever-growing pack.

Caroline Jackson now works for Chehalem Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. She has a degree in English and a background in East Coast wine sales and winemaking. Visit her blog, Sips and Sounds, which pairs daily music selections with a wine or craft beer.

Nico Dodd • May 20, 2011

Anyone working in downtown Washington knows about the growing population of food trucks offering a wide variety of gourmet dining choices.

This summer, Georgetown Events will be hosting Truckeroo, a monthly festival where 20-25 food trucks will gather at the corner of Half St. and M St. NW in Das Bullpen, across the street from Navy Yard Metro and one block from Nationals Park. The Nationals will be in Phoenix playing the Diamondbacks.

Featured food trucks will include Big Cheese, which sells grilled cheese, Red Hook Lobster Pound, which has lobster roles, and Floridano, famous for their ice pops. Das Bullpen will also offer their European beer selection.

This summer’s first Truckeroo will be Friday, June 3rd from 11 p.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free. There will also be live music at the event. The Nationals will be in Phoenix playing the Diamondbacks.

Truckeroo was the idea Bo Blair, owner of The Bullpen and Das Bullpen beer gardens, and in conjunction with the DC Food Truck Association, Capitol Riverfront BID, Washington City Paper, and Food Truck Fiesta.

To look at the full list of trucks, visit Truckeroo’s homepage.

Georgetowner • May 17, 2011

From Steve Ells and the folks that brought you the amazingly successful QSR idol, Chipotle Mexican Grill, comes a new concept in the same QSR style. It’s called Shophouse Southeast Asian Kitchen (a mouthful in more ways than one) and will open its first store—a test market store—in Dupont Circle on Connecticut Ave., NW near the north Metro stop. The Asian-themed concept is slated to open this summer, but the Ells’ tweaking process is known to take time. No plans to expand beyond the first store yet.

New York City’s Luke’s Lobster, the lobster shack-themed restaurant concept founded by Georgetown grad Luke Holden, is scouting Penn Quarter for its first store in DC. Holden gets his seafood bearings from his father Jeffrey, who owns Portland Shellfish and is one of the owners of Luke’s. Other owners include Luke’s brother, Bryan, who lives here in Washington, and Luke’s friends Scott Bullard and Ben Conniff. A summer opening is planned.

Mid-Town Café opened on Wisconsin Avenue near Q St., next door to ILO Salon, and changed its name to Book Hill Café (for obvious reasons). The chef operator is Matthew Mohler, who has worked at Adour at the St Regis Hotel and J&G Steakhouse at the W Hotel. So American fare will highlight the menu. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on the menu, as is an outdoor patio.

Quick Hits: It appears that Orlando-based Seasons 52 loves this area enough to sign a deal to open a second location, this one in Tysons Corner Center. Their first in the region opens in across from White Flint Mall in Bethesda. Yet another summer opening is planned. Salt & Pepper, by Chefs Nathan & Lindsey Auchter, joined by Robert Golfman and Suechen Chen (formerly of Bambu) will open where Kemble Park Tavern used to be in DC’s Palisades.

Another burger place opening this summer: Korean-based concept Kraze Burger is slated to open on Bethesda’s Elm Street. Expansion is expected to continue in North Bethesda, and Dulles and Georgetown will follow. They will also offer tofu and veggie burgers as well as salads.

Speaking of BGR, the chain plans to open a Clarendon restaurant at the corner of N. Highland Street and Wilson Boulevard. That would be the sixth BGR in the area. They have another Arlington location on Lee Highway in Clarendon).

Ivan Iricanin’s new taqueria, El Centro D.F., serves authentic Mexican food near his partners’ other restaurant, Masa 14. His partners are Kaz Okochi and Richard Sandoval. El Centro D.F. will occupy three floors in the 14th Street, NW building. Dinner and lounge on the lower level with the traditional taqueria on the first floor. Rooftop bar upstairs. Can’t wait for those warm summer evenings.

Richmond-based Café Caturra, a coffee house and wine bar, also plans to open in Arlington on S Glebe Road this summer—coffee during the day, wine in the evening. An outdoor patio is also part of the plan for the summer opening. Café Caturra was founded by musician turned restaurateur Jeff Grant.

Chef Update: Former Westend Bistro sous-chef Adam Barnett will be head chef at Eventide. He previously worked at another restaurant in the group, Liberty Tavern, as well as the Inn at Little Washington.

Openings Update: Ping Pong Dim Sum’s Dupont Circle location plans to open in early August, for the time being. Pinkberry, which just opened on Connecticut Avenue near M Street, plans to open (in no particular order) in Leesburg, Clarendon, National Harbor and Georgetown.

On The Calendar: Zoofari at the National Zoo – Thursday, May 19; Wine Enthusiast’s Toast of the Town at National Building Museum (still a few slots open) – Friday, May 20; RAMMY Awards at Marriot Wardman Park (Carnevale theme) – Sunday, June 26.

Linda Roth Conte is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc (LRA) specializing in making creative connections through media relations, marketing initiatives, community outreach and special events for the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at 703-417-2700 or Linda@LindaRothPR.com or visit her web site at LindaRothPR.com.

Georgetowner •

While most drinkers are familiar with beer, wine and spirits, sake, a rice-based alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin, has an aura of mystery about it. Pronounced Sah-KAY, many view it as an exotic and foreign elixir. Known as “The Drink of the Gods,” sake is the national spirit of Japan and has been consumed for over 4,000 years.

Sake is often referred to as rice wine. However, it is made through a brewing process similar to the way beer is made.

Many people are first exposed to sake in a sushi bar or Japanese restaurant, and never try it elsewhere. The most common sake served is Futsu-Shu, which would be equivalent of table wine.

But like wine, sake comes in a variety of premium categories. These types are distinguished by the degree to which the rice has been polished and the added percentage of brewer’s alcohol or the absence of such additives. More and more of these sake styles are breaking into the US market. According to Imbibe magazine in 2007, for the first time ever the dollar figure for sales of premium sake in the US exceeded that of generic Futsu-Shu.

As the popularity of sake increases, it has begun to appear on cocktail menus as bartenders and mixologist discover its versatility.

Market Watch magazine reports in April 2011 that bartenders are combining sake with distilled spirits in cocktails as a way of enhancing their flavor profiles. Todd Richman, corporate mixologist for Sidney Frank Importing Co., which markets the Gekkeikan portfolio, sees sake cocktails as an emerging category.

“It has a lot of finesse,” he says. Richman believes that sakes fit well with the handcrafted cocktail movement, which touts fresh-squeezed juices and house-made ingredients.

A spattering of Washington restaurants serve sake cocktails. A popular item at Zentan is the Spicy Thai Martini made with Nigori unfiltered sake, chili infused Russian Standard vodka, St. Germaine and a splash of cranberry. At Poste Brasserie, the Plum Blossom is a cherry-infused sake cocktail finished with plum soda.

Another popular trend is using sake in place of the base spirit in familiar cocktails. For example, in a Saketini, the classic martini is given a new twist when sake is substituted for vermouth and mixed with gin. A sake screwdriver and Zipang mimosa combine sake and sparkling sake respectively with orange juice.

These reinvented cocktails are popping up on menus not just at Asians spots, but steakhouses, tapas bars and conventional restaurants as well. According to Market Watch, Ruby Tuesday is one of Gekkeikan’s largest customers due the chain’s use of Gekkeikan sake in their sangrias.

One of my favorite sake libations is an updated version of the Sex and the City favorite, the Cosmopolitan. The Sake Cosmo replaces limejuice with sake. I like the way the acidity of sake blends with the tart flavor of cranberry. The orange sweetness is highlighted with a touch of earthiness. It’s just enough difference to give this fading favorite a breath of new life.

Sake Cosmo

1 oz Vodka
1 oz sake
1 oz orange liqueur
1 oz cranberry

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice. Pour into a martini glass.

Different styles of sake may be purchased at Dixie Liquor (3429 M Street in Georgetown)

Miss Dixie • May 5, 2011

As we slug through one of the hottest summers in memory, Washingtonians have been seeking creative ways to have fun and cool down.

A clever and inventive antidote can be found at Art and Soul on Capital Hill, where the latest rage is their uplifting and invigorating Sno-Cone cocktails. Your childhood favorite is back, but with a decidedly adult twist.

Art and Soul, a welcoming lounge located in the Liaison Hotel, offers a menu of four icy cocktails designed by general manager Jay Poblador. These treats feature crushed ice layered with seasonal fruits and vegetables, mixed with liquor and served in cone-shaped glasses. The resulting tipples are light, stimulating and absolutely refreshing.

Jay, who recently moved to DC from New York, is experiencing his first Capital summer. “I didn’t realize it was so hot and humid here,” he said. “I designed these cocktails to be refreshing and appeal to your childlike primal urges.”

Bartender Heejin Shubbuck mixed up four frosty selections – the Laurel Park, the Rehoboth, the Savannah and the Washington Bite.
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Perhaps the most visually appealing is the Laurel Park, which arrives looking like a beautiful rainbow of ice and fruit including the pinkish hue of strawberries and cool green cucumbers. The layers are doused with gin and Saint Germaine elderflower liqueur before being topped off with rose sparkling wine.

Jay designed the Laurel Park to showcase a wide range of flavors including fruitiness, sweetness and bitterness. “All around it’s a nice flavor profile,” he said. “The flavor of St Germaine is so nuanced, and gin provides a perfect pairing .”

As I sipped my cocktail and the ice melted I noted how the flavor changed and evolved. When I reached the bottom of my glass, I enjoyed spearing the now frozen (and alcohol infused) fruits.

The Rehoboth Sno-Cone proved to be equally as complex. This treat is built from pineapple soaked with cachaca, a Brazilian sugar cane rum. It’s garnished with fresh spearmint for a rejuvenating effect. Jay rims the glass with a smoked sea salt rim, which enhances the subtle smoky flavor of the cachaca.

The Savannah, forged from fresh peaches, is the sweetest of the bunch. It starts with a full and luscious flavor, but finishes light and spicy thanks to vodka infused with African black nectar tea. “The tea imparts a bit of bitterness and nice tannins on the back of your tongue,” Jay says.

The final frozen concoction highlights the exotic flavor of Yuzu, a Japanese juice that tastes like a concentrated mixture of lemon, lime and orange. It imparts a tart flavor with no lingering aftertaste. It is rimmed with a cinnamon, sugar and cayenne for a sweet and spicy essence.
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These delightful coolers are a seasonal offering at Art and Soul, so hurry before the temperature drops. Sno-Cone cocktails are half price during happy hour- Monday –Thursday, 4-7 pm.

The Laurel Park
1.5 oz Hendricks Gin
.5 oz St Germaine
.25 oz Simple Syrup
Splash Sparkling Brut Rose
1 oz diced Strawberries
1 oz diced cucumbers
Shaved or Crushed Ice

Assemble a martini glass with layers of ice, cucumber, and strawberries, placing layers of ice in between the fruit for color contrast. Shake Gin, St Germaine and Simple Syrup. Pour over ice and fruit. Top off with sparkling rose.

Ingredients to make the Laurel Park may be purchased at Dixie Liquor in Georgetown. Readers may sample this cocktail at Art and Soul at 415 New Jersey Ave.

Georgetowner • May 4, 2011

As Cinco de Mayo rolls around, many will celebrate the holiday by hoisting margaritas. However, these two traditions, the party and the cocktail, may actually be more American than Mexican.

Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May) commemorates the Mexican army’s 1862 victory over France at the Battle of Puebla during the French-Mexican War. According to National Geographic, the anniversary of the victory is celebrated only sporadically in Mexico, mainly in the southern town of Puebla and in a few larger cities. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican culture and ancestry, similar to the way that St. Patrick’s Day and Oktoberfest celebrate the Irish and German heritage.

While the margarita is the #1 requested tequila cocktail in the U.S, the paloma is more popular in Mexico. Spanish for “dove,” the paloma is a refreshing highball made with tequila and grapefruit soda. According to Brown-Forman, which markets the El Jimador and Herradura tequila brands, 100,000 palomas are consumed each hour in Mexico.

While colas dominate the soft drink market in the United States, tropical fruit-flavored sodas are popular in Mexico. These preferred refreshments are believed to have evolved from agua fresca, or fruit waters, sold by street vendors throughout Latin America.

Mexican soft drinks differ from domestic sodas in two main ways. They are sweetened with natural sugar instead of corn syrup, which gives them a brighter flavor. They also tend to taste more like juice than the highly carbonated drinks favored in the U.S.

Squirt is a well-known brand of grapefruit soda in the States, however it has more of a lemon-lime flavor than the Squirt sold in Mexico. Jarritos, a popular Mexican soft drink brand, is available in many unique flavors, including Toronja or grapefruit. It can be found in Latin American markets.

Knowing these differences, one could make a paloma with Squirt or Jarritos, but for deliciously brisk version, I recommend using freshly squeezed grapefruit and lime juices topped with soda for a bit of fizz.

Just like a margarita, the paloma may be served with or without salt on the rim. The salt adds an additional layer of flavor: sweet, sour, and salty, with just a pinch of bitterness.

The paloma can be found at a few Washington Mexican restaurants including Oyamel and Rosa Mexicana. Chief mixologist Jon Arroyo at Founding Farmers in Foggy Bottom offers a different take, with an added kick most don’t have.

Arroyo uses house-made chipotle syrup to add seasoning and the drink is topped off with a mescal floater to give it an extra agave punch. These smoky elements provide one more level of complexity.

“I’m a big supporter of spice mixed with fruits,” Arroyo says. “I like the balance.” Arroyo’s cocktail starts out crisp and refreshing, then it hits you with spicy smack.

Founding Farmers is a perfect place to try the paloma on Cinco De Mayo if you want to avoid the rush at area Mexican restaurants. Or if you prefer to dine-in, try this easy-make paloma at home.

The Paloma

1/2 oz fresh lime juice (1/2 lime)
3 oz fresh grapefruit juice
2 oz tequila
1/2 oz agave nectar (or simple syrup)
Salt
Soda

Rim a Collins glass with salt. Mix first four ingredients and pour over ice into glass. Top with club soda or grapefruit soda.

Dixie Liquor in Georgetown will host a tequila tasting on May 5, from 5-8 pm.

Georgetowner •

“Other than shad roe,” said Ris, as we walked around the farmers market on a windy Saturday afternoon, “asparagus is just the harbinger of spring.” Looking around, every vendor had buckets of the fat, twiggy vegetables, rubber-banded in bunches with their spiky pompadours pointed toward the sky. And everyone at the market that day seemed to be there just for the occasion with baggies, satchels and Radio Flyers overflowing with springtime’s most famous green.

With their celebrated six-week lifespan, asparagus is like a revered culinary house guest that restaurants gear up to accommodate every season for their brief, glorious visit. On the first warm days of each year, anticipation for them is immediate and stifling; in a draft of last month’s column, I prematurely alluded to the crunchy spearheads, caught up in simultaneous thoughts of spring afternoons and their companionable treat. Ris had to hold me back, imploring me not to let loose a wave of untimely kitchen references.

“But it’s true,” she says. “There is something about being able to just eat asparagus fresh, right out of the ground that screams spring, freshness, growth. It’s revitalizing. They are such stunning, beautiful vegetables, and so much brighter than produce you see in the winter, that it awakens a certain spirit within us, and a desire for seasonal produce.”

Whether grilled, sautéed, steamed, roasted or fried, asparagus’ distinct flavor, crispness and seasonality have made it a delicacy for millennia. It was cultivated by the ancient Greeks and Romans, who also dried it out for use during the winter months. There is a recipe for asparagus in the oldest surviving cookbook from the third century AD, and a rendering of the spears even grace an ancient Egyptian frieze dating back to 3000 BCE.

“And it lends itself so well to so many flavor sensations,” says Ris. Asian cuisine uses it frequently in stir-fry, Italians wrap it in prosciutto, the French steam it and drizzle it with Hollandaise sauce, the Greek grill it with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Shave it with a potato peeler and mix it with salad greens, throw it in eggs or add it to almost anything for a fresh twist on classic dishes.

As for Ris, she has her own ways of dealing with this springtime herald. Her favorite, simple method of cooking asparagus is a quick pan roast. She puts a skillet on the burner until its quite hot, making sure the pan heats evenly and all the way through. She drizzles some oil in the pan, a couple tablespoons at the most, and as soon as it heats up she throws in the asparagus, tosses it around and covers it with a lid. Ris lets the asparagus sit for three to five minutes, unconcerned with unevenly browning the spears. “It adds character,” she says. “This steam/sear method gives the asparagus a great texture while allowing it to largely retain its moisture and flavor without being diluted.”

She then lifts the lid, adds salt, pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon, and flips them. “I wait for the asparagus to cook a bit before adding the salt and pepper because it needs to soften up and release some water before the outer skin can absorb other flavors.”

After another minute or two on the pan, she takes them off and plates them, adding a sprinkle more lemon, pine nuts, fresh croutons, chopped hardboiled egg, a shave of parmesan and some quality feta cheese. “The feta is a power house flavor that balances the strength of the asparagus,” she says.

This is too easy and too good of a dish not to try for yourself. Ris recommends picking up the feta from Lebanese Taverna, which according to her has the best around.

In the kitchen at RIS, however, asparagus gets more of a royal treatment. Her asparagus and grapefruit salad, a “combination of dishes that came together over the years,” is a customer favorite. “This is one of those dishes where people cry when we take it off the menu each season,” she says. “But what can you do? We put it on the menu when asparagus is in season, and you take it off when it’s gone.”

It is at once deceivingly simple and meticulous in its preparation. The asparagus is marinated in house-made miso vinaigrette, and the dish is topped with a ginger-lime glaze. Both are fairly elaborate, but worth the effort depending on the depth of your love for this world-class delicacy. “Asparagus, with its strong almost bitterness, mixes so well with acid and citrus from the grapefruit and dressings. The flavors temper each other and balance the palate.”

But the bottom line is: asparagus is now. Run to the farmers market and pick it up while you can. This weekend will also see the arrival of strawberries, Ris informs me. Perhaps a seared tuna steak with goat cheese, strawberries and fresh asparagus? What are you waiting for?

Asparagus and Gingered Grapefruit Salad
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By Ris Lacoste

“Don’t be afraid of these ingredients. These are great, versatile dressings that work well with many salads and keep forever in the fridge. They’re well worth the effort.”

Serves 6
2 cups miso vinaigrette (see recipe below)
2 cups ginger glaze (see recipe below)
42 pieces of large asparagus
36 sections of pink grapefruit, 4-5 grapefruit
¼ cup mixed black and white sesame seeds
2 scallions, cut thinly at an angle
salt

Make the miso vinaigrette and ginger glaze ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator. Ever so slightly peel each stem of asparagus to eliminate any stringy toughness and to ensure even cooking. Blanch in a large pot of boiling salted water until the stems just bend, 3-5 minutes. Remove immediately to an ice bath to stop cooking and preserve green color.

Remove from the water as soon as the asparagus is chilled and drain. Asparagus is much more flavorful if not served ice cold, so keep at room temperature if just before service. If not, refrigerate until 10-15 minutes before ready to use.

Section grapefruit into a strainer over a bowl. Squeeze out as much juice as you can from the remaining fruit pith. Make sure the sections are whole and cleaned of all pith. (It is best to buy a couple of extra grapefruit, to assure enough perfect sections.) Place the sections into a separate bowl and cover with ginger glaze. Drink the fresh squeezed juice.

To arrange the salad, cover the asparagus with a cup or so of the miso vinaigrette, saving enough to dress the bottom of each salad plate. Let the asparagus soak in the dressing for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile, cover the bottom of each salad plate with a layer of the miso vinaigrette. Arrange a log pile of 7 asparagus spears in the center of each plate. Arrange 3 grapefruit sections fanned out on each side of the asparagus. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds.

Miso vinaigrette
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Makes 3 cups
3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon miso
1 ½ tablespoons chile paste with garlic (essential ingredient, found in Asian markets)
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
3 ounces sherry
4 ounces rice vinegar
5 ounces fish sauce (nuac nam, also found in Asian markets)
2 ounces lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 ounce sesame oil
4 ounces peanut oil

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl except for the sesame oil and peanut oil. Whisk in each oil one at a time. This dressing will last indefinitely, covered in the refrigerator.

Ginger Lime Glaze
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Makes 2 cups
8” ginger, peeled and cut into very fine threads
zest of 4 limes
1 ½ cups tarragon vinegar
¾ cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a non reactive pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes to infuse flavors. Bring back to a boil and repeat process. Bring back to a boil for a third time. Set aside until cool enough to cover and refrigerate. The glaze will last indefinitely and makes a great iced or hot tea base.

Georgetowner • April 20, 2011

In the continuing saga of Gifford’s Ice Cream and Candy Co., principal Neal Lieberman has seen the fruits of his efforts coming to blossom. He came to an agreement with Chevy Chase Land Company to re-open the Gifford’s in Chevy Chase in early April. Also, Gifford’s and ACKC (Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections) have formed a marketing partnership, so that all of the ACKC locations will be scooping Gifford’s ice cream. ACKC will manage the Gifford’s location in Chevy Chase. Still more news in the right direction: Gifford’s will now be carried in all three area Balducci’s markets, as well as the Balducci’s & Kings markets in New York and Connecticut, which makes 34 stores total, serving five Gifford’s pint flavors. As part of a continued expansion selling to area restaurants looking for local, all-natural ice cream, Gifford’s and BGR: The Burger Joint have teamed up to offer Gifford’s milkshakes at all of the Burger Joint restaurants in DC and Bethesda, as well as the new BGR locations in Springfield, Va., Clemson, SC, and coming soon to Cabin John, Md., Columbia, Md., Mobile, AL, and Miami, FL.

Zed Wondemu has sold her renowned Ethiopian restaurant, Zed’s Ethiopian, to an Ethiopian couple with a strong background in food and beverage, who plan to rename it Das Ethiopian. Das translates to “tent” in Ethiopian. The location will get a facelift as well as some new menu items. They will still be the first outdoor dining spot you come to on M Street on the west side of Georgetown.

A new American bistro called Sixth Engine will open in an historic former firehouse in the burgeoning NoMa area of the Mount Vernon neighborhood. Pioneer developer Douglas Jemal bought the landmarked property from D.C. in 2005 knowing a thing or two about up-and-coming areas. He signed a deal with Gavin Coleman of The Dubliner on Capitol Hill and partners Jeremy Carman, Paul Holder, Paul Madrid and Tim Walsh of Town Hall in Glover Park. They plan to open a 3,600 square-foot American tavern-style bar and restaurant. They will even restore the firehouse’s old pole — fill in the blank for crazy bar promos here.

Chef/Manager Update: The new exec chef at Central by Michel Richard in Penn Quarter is Jason Maddens, a former sous chef at the new Michel in The Ritz-Carlton, Tysons Corner.

Pizzeria Orso’s new pizza chef is Chris Nye, a 30-year-old sous-chef from 2941 restaurant, owned by the same folks who own Orso.

Fabio Trabocchi, who is opening Fiola where La Paradou used to be in Penn Quarter, has hired Miles Vaden as executive chef. He was formerly of at Eventide in Arlington. Trabocchi refers to Vaden as his rising star. Adrian Reynolds, a former sommelier at Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles, will oversee the wine list. Jeff Faile, formerly of Palena in Cleveland Park, is the bartender supreme at Fiola. Jason Gehring, the former pastry chef at Cindy Wolf’s Charleston in Baltimore, takes over those duties at Fiola. Interesting tidbit: The restaurant was known as Bice in the mid-1990s, where Fabio first started cooking in the US and met his wife Maria.

NYC’s incomparable restaurant impresario, Shelly Fireman, plans to open Fiorella Pizzeria e Caffe in May at National Harbor. Everything is imported from Italy – even the workers, who are the only ones who can install the lighting fixtures from Milan. It is his second venture into National Harbor, as he opened Bond 45 in January 2010.

There’s more pork coming to DC – who didn’t know that? Actually, Alicart Restaurant Group, the NYC company who brought you Carmine’s, plans to open Virgil’s Real Barbecue, targeting Penn Quarter, since Carmine’s has done so well there. It may open by year’s end at the earliest.

We wrote about this awhile ago, but things are going into full gear now with Mike Anderson’s new three-pronged Del Ray project at 2312 Mount Vernon Ave. The barbecue concept, Pork Barrel BBQ, has the biggest space, complete with a long bar (always a good ROI). Then there’s the sushi and sake bar which Mike needs to name real fast – how about Mt V Sushi & Sake? The third part of the F&B triumvirate is Chop Chop, a fast-casual restaurant serving Asian dishes. All three spaces share a dishwashing and prep area, as well as storage.

If you like Dupont Circle’s Public Bar and Metro’s red line, a second Public Bar is planned for Tenleytown, where Dancing Crab used to be on Wisconsin Ave, NW. Co-owner Tony Hudgins of Public Group, says there will be more interactive games, like skeeball. Although the Tenleytown space is smaller, the kitchen area is larger so expect more food to come out of the kitchen there, especially with the team behind Founding Farmers helping to develop the menu. Public Group also operates Lupe Cantina in DC and Sushi Rock in Arlington.

Ashok Bajaj, Knightsbridge Management, with an impressive restaurant empire in DC –from Bombay Club serving Indian food to Bibiana Osteria Enoteca serving Italian cuisine, plans to open his eighth restaurant in the area, at the new 22 West Residences in the West End. Construction begins in late summer so it may not open until 2012.
Nancy Koide and Errol Lawrence of Sei and Oya plan to open Sax where Posh used to be on 11th Street, NW. Think gold and gilded and red velvet. Jonathan Seningen, most recently with Oya, will be the executive chef. Sax will offer contemporary French cuisine on small plates sans utensils. A May opening is planned.

Barry Berkowitz, the operator of The Melting Pot restaurants in this region plans to relocate his popular Reston fondue restaurant to Plaza America, off Reston Parkway. The current location on Wiehle Avenue will remain open through May so look for a June opening for the new spot, which will include an 80-seat patio and non-fondue bar and patio menu.

Linda Roth Conte is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc (LRA) specializing in making creative connections through media relations, marketing initiatives, community outreach and special events for the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at 703-417-2700 or linda@lindarothpr.com or visit her web site at LindaRothPR.com