Good Grape: Cederberg Bukettraube 2007

Vinoteca is a wonderful wine bar in the U Street Corridor of Washington, DC.  It’s also conveniently around the corner from Ben’s Chili Bowl, if you’re into late-night noshing after wine. But I digress.  One reason Vinoteca is such a fun experience is that they offer wine in three portions — tastes, full glasses, and bottles.  And unlike some [...]

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To Try: Pear Custard Pie

  Here’s hoping pears are still in season, because this pie looks fantastic.  This recipe comes from Taste of Home magazine (my mom subscribes).  Contributor Barbara Rea says, “My daughter CJ baked a pear pie for us once and I’ve made it several times since then. We like it so much that I’ve considered contributing [...]

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A Tale of Two Pork Chops

…actually, three: Here’s a simple, 4-ingredient recipe for succulent jerk pork chops.  If you’re noticing a trend in these recipes, I warned you—I got a lot of pork chops on sale.

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Washingtonian Names 100 Best D.C. Restaurants

Washingtonian magazine has released its list of the Top 100 D.C. Restaurants. Petes Apizza, my local pizzeria, made the cut.  But it turns out, it got the nod mainly out of budget appeal, according to food critic Todd Kliman.  Personally, I find the pizza (by the slice) kind of lacking.  Maybe it’s better made-to-order? Give me Red Rocks pizza any day [...]

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Quinoa Garden Salad

My friend, Jessica, put together a nice little salad based on quinoa (KEEN-wah), a protein-  and fiber-rich grain (or technically, pseudo-grain).  Its flavor is slightly nutty and delicious with fish or anything grilled. -1 1/2 c. quinoa, steamed with 2-2 1/4 c. water and completely cooled -1 cucumber, diced -12-15 grape tomatoes, halved -1/2 red [...]

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Hamburger Bed, Anyone?

While we’re talking sandwiches…if it’s any consolation, you can bury yourself in a toasty sesame seed bun and processed “American” cheese-product slice: Photo via Geekology Facebook has all the juicy details.  (Sorry, couldn’t help myself.)

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RIP Döner Kebab Creator

A moment of silence to remember the creator of the mouth-watering street snack, the Döner Kebab:    Credit: The Local A German news site, The Local, reports: In sad news for anyone who has been drunk and hungry at 2 am, the man who invented the döner kebab sandwich nearly four decades ago in Berlin has passed away. Mahmut Aygün, [...]

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To Try: Homemade Chewy Granola Bars

  A box of Kashi chewy granola bars runs more than $4.00 where I live.  Surely one could make them at home for pennies on the dollar, and they’d probably taste better, too.  Here’s one recipe I’m considering, courtesy of Cooks.com:     -1 c. brown sugar -1/4 c. sugar -1/2 c. butter -2 Tbsp. honey -1/2 [...]

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Lemon Pepper Pork Chop Marinade

Our freezer is currently full of pork chops after a big sale at the grocery store.  My favorite method is to marinate and quickly grill them, so they stay juicy.  Sorry, you’re not getting anything more elaborate until I’m feeling better. -2 center-cut pork chops (really, any cut will probably do, just adjust cooking time) [...]

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Savor the Spice of Himalayan Heritage

A couple of nights ago, I had my first encounter with Nepali cuisine at Adams Morgan’s Himalayan Heritage restaurant.  It was fun exploring the menu, which isn’t intimidating if you’re familiar with Indian food.  Our waitress graciously guided us through the Nepali offerings and recommended chicken “momo,” or steamed dumplings ($9.95):

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To Brown or Not to Brown?

Credit: recipetips.com When you make a roast or braise, do you brown the meat first?  I’d always thought this was a crucial step in infusing  a dish with lots of flavor.  But I just read a recipe from Jamie Oliver suggesting that, at least in the case of stew, you get better results if you skip the browning.  Check it [...]

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Strawberry Spinach Salad with Honey-Thyme Dressing & Candied Almonds

I’m not much for salads, which needs to be remedied.  Consider this one a small step toward leafy lovin’: dressing: -2 Tbsp. raspberry vinegar -a dab of raspberry mustard (or a bit of rasp. jam mixed with dijon) -splash of white/regular balsamic vinegar -2 tsp. dried thyme (fresh would be even better, use more) -salt & lots of [...]

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Cold Weather Food: Stuffed Cabbage/Peppers

I’m a little hesitant to post this recipe, only because so many people are fiercely devoted to their own family’s secret formula.  So, if your Oma made stuffed cabbage differently, bully for you!  However, if your grandparents didn’t pass along their classic Eastern European recipe, you might like to try this flavorful variation, which lightens up [...]

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Pie: Your Patriotic Duty

Happy Inauguration, everyone! To commemorate this historic day, take a cue from our new Commander-in-Chief, who believes in the audacity of flaky goodness: This wonderful credited to Scott Olson/Bloomberg News If pie’s not your thing (or if you’re less enthused about the regime change), an inaugural cocktail might do the trick. The Lady Michelle (rum, huckleberries, mint, [...]

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Country Cookin’

Sorry this photo isn’t prettier.  I forgot to whip out my cell phone until a few bites in.  Before it got all mangled, this was country-fried steak with white gravy, greens, and mashed potatoes with brown gravy, alongside Texas toast and cornbread.  I came nowhere close to finishing, but it was delish.  That red blob [...]

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