Metro Cooking DC Show October 24-25

[weezy]

http://www.metrocookingdc.com/index.html

I've gotten tickets for Sunday 25th.  Any other Rockwellians going that I can say hello to next time?

[weezy]

So, I guess I was the only one there :-)

Actually, according to some folks I heard generally in the crowd, it wasn't a very big turnout today, but I think the MCM and the Redskins game both contributed to that.   It was an interesting afternoon, but all in all, I don't know if I'll go again next year.  The exhibitors were skewed heavily to the hot sauce contingent.  Maybe I got turned around and kept going through the same 2-3 aisles, but it seemed like hot sauces were 30% of the vendors.

The tasting area had some hits and misses.  Smith & Wollensky did a beef tartare with potato chips that I didn't care for a bit -- very fatty beef without much counterpoint that i could taste and potato chips that might as well have been out of a grocery store bag of Lay's products, so lackluster.  Nage, however, did a wonderful braised beef on brioche with a horseradish sauce.  Definitely made me want to check it out in the future.  Range also had an interesting, tasty dish with beef heart.  And Hank's Oyster Bar was serving raw Maine oysters on the half shell, very mild and not briny.  But I was disappointed that the advertising made it appear that Del Campo would have a booth, but that was simply a listing of the better RAMY members, not who was actually serving at the show.

[cheezepowder]

I was there on Saturday.    I've been a few times, and I actually go just to see the vendors.  I've never been to any of the tasting events or celebrity chefs.  I was disappointed in this year's show too.  I thought there were significantly fewer vendors (hot sauce and otherwise) than the first time I went (4 or so years ago).  I'm not planning to go again.

[StarStraf]

We were there on Sunday - sorry I didn't glance here before.  I agree, to much hot sause, we also went I think 4 years ago.  no tasting event or celebrity chefs for me (but did watch demo at Ikea / james beard stage) I agree that seemed fewer vendors then before - but that might have been layout - last time the wine area was in center and vendors all around (especially kitchen tools/gadgets) - so more walking done.

Most interesting thing was an app SpotLuck - which is a restaurant picker - you enter the area and it spins and one restaurant gives you a bigger discount then the others, reminds me of old app I had on my palm pilot years ago.

Did pick up first holiday gift (Jalepeno Maple Syrup) for father in law, and lots of cards, but not sure how many will ever get used.