Poivrot Farci

That's debatable. The Washington Post, its 12 year veteran food critic and the editor ought to be able to know that “pouisson” is gibberish. “Poussin” on the other hand, is the younger version of the restaurant’s namesake.

The Philippine tuna fishery is not well managed. Long-line fishing has close to a 50% bycatch rate (turtles, sharks, birds). Even Monterey Bay list foreign/Pacific long-line tuna as "avoid". From the FFA (Pacific Island Forum Fisheries Agency): "Limits on long-lining – At present there are no limits on the number of long-line vessels that can operate in the region. Although longlining does not usually capture juvenile yellowfin and bigeye, this fishing technique is thought to be responsible for most of the biomass reduction of yellowfin and bigeye, hence some controls are considered necessary". Any establishment can call themselves "sustainable" or use such a term with impunity since there are no regulations or standards. It is just a matter of saying so and it flirts with consumer fraud.

...fat-veined pork belly...;...which he serves as a big, pistachio-veined triangle (Mendocino grill 2006) In the same vein: …vegetable-veined couscous... …rosemary-veined focaccia... Later, I discover that the beef-and-veal meatballs are also tender, and veined with basil and Romano cheese. …tender veal meatballs veined with lemon zest. Swiss chard veined with smoky bacon bits. …cornbread pudding veined with apple bits Crab cakes veined with corn. …and a savory "pancake" veined with red and green bell peppers... …rice veined with crunchy nuts... …a cakelike brownie (veined with nuts and served warm)... …to its slightly crunchy meringue center, to its dense, nut-veined chocolate base... …light-as-air cigars veined with puffed matchsticks of roasted chicken skin …turn out to be air-filled blimps of fried bread veined with scallions …a pink slab of salmon terrine veined with fresh dill …an appetizer of herb-veined pork sausage …a bowl of pesto-veined house-made pasta The fish sits on a plateau of cashew-veined coconut rice …the flaky spinach pie veined with cheese …ginger-veined ice cream Crack open the sculpture with a fork, and you discover a rich vein of velvety vanilla ice cream. …finely ground chicken veined with dark-green sour cabbage …crisp not just from its veins of pistachios

Depends if the cat is chasing an escort on its tail. Honest answer. …the electric coleslaw that serves as its escort 4/9/13 But the twice-cooked Belgian fries best the flat beef stew they escort.. 3/21/13 Lightly toasted dark rye bread serves as another escort 1/9/13 The pistachio sable cookies that escort his Meyer lemon tart 5/11/12 …that last being one day's designated escort for the tavern's fried chicken 9/18/11 …are great escorts for the restorative cocktails 6/15/11 ...basil-flavored tilefish gets an escort of saffron pasta 5/15/11 Take the mixture escorting the pan-seared salmon 3/27/11 …in part because every garnish, every escort, is special on its own 7/23/10 …and meaty snails it escorted to the table 7/23/10 (same article!) My affection lies with its escort of potato “tots” 6/16/10 …and the cloying pad Thai noodles that escort a main course...12/30/07 A whole ear of corn and a cake of potato salad escort the grilled-then-roasted half-chicken...10/21/07 ...even my well-connected Korean escort 10/14/07 …an entree of white tuna with escorts of "citrus caramel" and "pepper anglaise" 1/28/07 ...and a number of dishes arrive with fancy escorts 8/20/06 ...tilefish gets an elegant escort of diced lobster 6/18/06 Herb-paved salmon comes with escorts that bite and soothe:...12/11/05 ...but not from the dull clump of chard that serves as an escort. 10/02/05 Panna cotta flavored with buttermilk is first-rate, however, as is its escort of sour cherry sorbet. 9/18/05 …like that beef, the chicken is better for its escorts 3/13/05 ...all treated to fresh, seasonal vegetable escorts...2/97 Mornings, the 40-minute trip gets an escort of rolling hills...(whatever that means) 11/25/94 Escorts of frequently salty saffron rice and vegetables 5/13/92

I’ve gone to great lengths to lampoon Spike as a basic-cable game-show contestant and questionable Cheshire peddler of “farm fresh” ingredients. Paula Deen not so much. She doesn’t itch my French pride and isn’t a competitor. The funny thing about Spike’s Steak Frites concept is that by any other name it is quite possibly Yankee Doodle steroid & hormone commodity feedlot beef with unlimited frozen French fries*. I think you used to be able to get that at Denny’s and Ruby Tuesday, but now it’s taboo. He’s like the Rothko of the 2 course prix-fixe menu. God bless him for capitalizing on that. *there is nothing written on the menu or press releases to suggest otherwise, and those are considerable selling/marketing points that would align with fresh and farm appeal. Someone convince me otherwise and I will acquiesce. Medium-Rare cuts their own fries, which would suggest that they fry them there as well. No claims about the provenance of their beef other than that it is award winning)

French food is inherently viewed as snobby, whereas chain restaurants are specifically designed not to be. French food is blessed not to have a dopey restaurant chain dilute its legacy and Spike is welcome to try with his mercurial low-wattage mishmash of Clouseau caricatures including a “seasonal” appetizer of maple-glazed seared foie gras with mango and passion fruit…in July. (Legislation passed last week to help ensure that). His greasy, delible marks on the birthday-party-food-for-fat-kids genres (pizza & burgers), while shamefully popular, are not a threat to half a millennia of established food culture and probably not representative of his 3 Michelin star tutelage. His success however is absolutely remarkable, envious, and along with easily loathed chains very profitable. France polished the fundamentals of Italian cooking long ago. The roots of culinary practice, theory, methods, vernacular, technique, discipline, hierarchy and organization are well established in virtually any western kitchen that is worth a damn. Should you enjoy restaurants, white bread, fanciful desserts, gout, tropical fruits from another hemisphere growing in your greenhouse and family style dinner service then you can applaud the excesses of French aristocracy. If those aren’t enough bon-vivant contributions there is always champagne, internet, gambling, photography, cinema, pasteurization, canning, food processors, coffee percolators, Cartesian coordinates, bicycles, taxis, denim, sewing machines, batteries, pencils, dentisry, aspirin and refrigeration which are used with as much daily frequency as one might eat. Let the Italians have their “crappy” chains though it would be nice if they were depicted by macho gondoliers driving Fiat 500’s and gesturing diners with their hands much like this city’s recent French restaurants’ style and substance are modeled after anything within 20 meters of a Parisian greatest-hits postcard carousel if that is your idea of a stylish neighborhood. Old World culinary heritage has my deepest sympathies though to be fair, many countries keep the best stuff for themselves.

Nope. I was told that a some people associate the K st & Old Town Chadwick's with the Clyde's-style group, maybe because of their ownership of Old Ebbitt and Hamilton and that all the Chadwick's are equally crappy. And so the owners circumscribed their name, probably so that they wouldn't have to make wholesale changes to the chalkboard and whatnot. I still go about twice a week, but I campaigned for "Chazz's".

The Friendship Heights Chadwick’s is not related to the Clyde’s group Chadwick’ses. In order to differentiate themselves, the owners decided to abbreviate their name to Chad’s, ostensibly because Chad’s conjures argyle sweaters, scotch and old money good-times whereas getting a dwink at “Wick’s” is just too Elmer Fuddy-duddy. They say the FH Chadwick's is the namesake of the owner’s great-grandfather J.R Chadwick –a pioneering 19th century medical librarian and girlie parts specialist. It’s what makes loitering and smoking around the Chadwick’s sign seem so perfectly lewd. Peter, the mild-mannered part-time bartender/ abusive part-time standup comedian & recovering addict has a deep repertoire of Brood II specific cicada jokes which are as scorchingly irreverent as they are topical . It is as good a bar as any other to get starched at after work.

All sardines are wild, so the menu buzzword distinction isn't really necessary. Tilefish is one word. Harukei turnips, not harukie; if you order the halibut. They, and many others, need a proofreader. (attn. Le DIplomat: couscous is one word)

Encornet Farci. Squid, stuffed with harlequin seafaring boudin. Manicured asparagus and some spring onions. (ingredients courtesy of Bestworld).

Cochon 555 DC 2013 (speechwriter for the Range administration). Prosciutto Cotto & Mortadella Asparagus in blood aspic and chicories in a smoked ham-hock vinaigrette. -∞∞∞- Leverpostej Danish-style liver terrine wrapped in cured belly. Salted and cured anchovies, a couple of marinated capers. -∞∞∞- Pâté en Croûte It’s heart, tongue, kidney, fatback, pistachios and a few figs. Some pickled rhubarb and mushrooms. -∞∞∞- Pork Belly Pojarski Breaded and fried Ramp gribiche. -∞∞∞- L’Astet Loins roasted with spring garlic Warm confit potatoes and 4-spice rillettes. -∞∞∞- Saucisson en Brioche Clothbound cheddar sausage baked in a leaf lard brioche And cracklin’ whipped lard. Pâté en Croûte with pistachio inlay. Prosciutto Cotto, Mortadella, Spalla Cotta, Saucisson en brioche. 1st three courses Asparagus in blood aspic (stock from bones, skin & beets; clarified with blood), pâté en croute, liver terrine. Cheddar saucisson en brioche (baker Ben Arnold), pork belly Pojarski, smoked lard & pretzel truffles (pastry chef John Miele), roasted loin & tenderloin-within with potato and rillettes. (Max Flatow photography)

Yes way. $15, Dinner menu. The abstract artsy one-offs are made at home, where they belong.

Artichaut farci en crepinette et son petit ragout printanier. Artichokes stuffed with pork and turnip greens. Bound in my ventrèche and caul fat then gently roasted with lemon and olive oil. A ragout of dried chickpeas simmered with pork shanks, some fresh chickpeas, sliced artichoke stalks. Toasted bread crumbs to follow. Chock full of o'chokes

TSs lithium veined reviews are not the life force of a restaurant, though sadly the gold standard -a liability to this city's restaurant scene.. While dinner at Sūna left me wanting and the style of cookery is not one that I embrace, absolutely nothing was so awful so as to deserve such a scathing review. He goofed on the wording on the menu, but it isnt much different than what one would read at other Jetsons flavored venues and those in between who list random, often contrived ingredients. Of course TS is still aflutter after last weeks Christmas tree looking Caesar salad and deconstructed tuna/avocado roll and Mr. Spero doesnt have the relaxing celebrity that other chefs have acquired. Links made in May 2012 to the 2.5 star review of R24 go to the October 3 star review. Thats the magic of publishing on the internet. Too bad the techies at the Post couldn't find a way to link the Sūna review to some of those dopey Q&A's when TS is out to lunch.

Julien. It's French. He does more than charcuterie and unlike those who chase a ball around for our entertainment he gets paid much less than he deserves. Have you been to Range and/or ever eaten anything I make? I can not speak for my colleagues, but if I wanted empty praise, I’d have my parents over for dinner. What this city does not need is another slow-pitch tenured food critic who calls in dutch-rudder reviews because they are friendly with the chef/owner and only eats there as a formality.

What breakthrough diet allows an 8oz hamburger and 3 tumblers of rye whisky for lunch but forbids French fries (which can be left uneaten, along with the bacon and cheese I suppose)? If money is no object, the menu offers a variety of salads (directly above the sandwiches) which can be supplemented with any protein. $9 + $12 for beef tenderloin lets one have their meat and eat it too. Nutritionally, the hamburger has more deficient properties than the booze and spuds combined. The bartender is not necessarily stupid -probably following company protocol on substitutions as mandated by the corporate office- and could be praised for saving you roughly half the RDA of calorie/fat/cholesterol intake and $60 in the process.

More precisely -and more relevant to the mother’s citizenship than channeling Steve Doocy and quoting an on-line interview- René’s father is Albanian (23% of the world population is Muslim, most living in, like, China). Though I am not a 5-time James Bears Award winning journalist, in my reality Marc Veyrat was born almost 20 years after Bocuse, Guérard and Girardet and is revered for making weird pancakes out of lentil flour or obscure mountain herbs and other progressive whatnot that would find a Tetris fit in Adrià’s kitchen lab, Noma or even Ripple. Weenie-foodie consumer advocates are unable to understand the practical dollars and sense that come from a lengthy fixed-course menu. It helps to guarantee a level of consistency and execution worthy of the praise and at the very least ensures they can charge a premium for the experience without having costly, highly perishable foodstuffs left over on a Saturday night.

I am. Along with duck galantine (winter truffle & confit gizzards), head cheese, garlic sausage with pistachios, pork rillettes, chicken liver mousse, potted foie gras, wild-game pâté, gravlax, my fresh ham, rindswurst and likely boudin blanc for NYE.

Pâté en croûte with currants, squab & foie gras all rolled up in there: Special redemption edition.

The beef shin, which weighs 6-8lbs on the bone, is intended to be shared between 4 or more at the table as a centerpiece, as will other cuts from other animals in varying sizes. The menu’s Cliff’s Notes will be available on Amazon soon to assuage any more starved speculation.

Cook & sous-chef positions available at Range. An opportunity to learn tremendously and work with the toppest-shelf equipment, disciplined recipes & techniques, quality product and enough stainless steel to line the pools at Hearst Castle. Rotisserie, wood burning grill & oven, pasta extruder, raw bar, combi ovens, circulators, 3-deck bread oven, dry-aging meat chamber, charcuterie and reputable management. Contact Matthew@voltrange.com to arrange a trail.

Yohan's 1st place "farm themed" pâté croûte The farm as viewed from above. Here is a close approximation of my performance at the 2012 World Pâté Croûte Championship. I was exposed to dizzying level of professionalism and experience and feel that I fell short. Having to bring my wares from so far away put me at a considerable disadvantage, perhaps more so without the ooh-la-la garnishes & flair (though presentation accounted for few of the 200 total points) and I picked #12 at random, placing me last in the tasting, at which point the judges may have had their fill. Judges included Regis Marcon (Le Clos de Cimes ***), 2011 winner Eric Desbordes (Le Bristol ***) and numerous MOF’s. My mistakes were significant, but at least my slices stayed together –another contestant’s aspic was too loose and the pastry collapsed when cut. First and foremost, my pastry (80pts) did not achieve enough color, likely a result of baking 3 at once, thereupon lowering the temperature of the oven. Had I cooked it longer at that temp, I would have risked overcooking the forcemeat. I did not have a consistent gap for the aspic either. Cyril Malard. Elle Ixir, Lyon Upon speaking with Patrick Henriroux (La Pyramide **, MOF) he said that the judges prefer a chunkier forcemeat, and that I should have kept the gizzards whole. Keeping pace with the gin flavors I finished the slice with fleur de sel mixed with lime zest and ground juniper berries. M. Henriroux explained that juniper is not a flavor that the judges crave. Pickled cauliflower lightly dressed with an orange zest & confit fat soffrito didn’t compare to some of the Bocuse d’Or inspired garnishes put forth by other competitors, but wasn’t worth many points anyway. Lastly, I should have pulled the pâté out of the fridge earlier so that it would have been served at room temperature which otherwise mutes the flavors. Now I know better and being exposed to such work has been invaluable. Frédéric Cote. Au Colombier, Lyon This is the high water mark of cookery; the confluence of discipline, theory, practice, technique, artistry and finesse. It is an absolute honor and pleasure to have been selected. Any and every cook should aspire to have the substance of their work judged blindly in such a format that transcends the stylistic pandering to photogenic tattoos and irritable congeniality. The gentleman whose work I witnessed and tasted are legitimate craftsmen*. You're welcome Green Party. My squab, currants and almonds. Yohan’s pâté had been in the works for almost a year and was stunning, though I thought the liver flavor was a bit strong. The theme was “the farm” and included something from every farm animal. The black dough fabrication & application of the lettering was clever and the detailed flower inlay nicely centered. Virtually all the forcemeats were chunky to the point where they fell apart after cutting the slice (mine had a firm yet moist texture) and more than half featured exceptional quality foie gras, not the excessive 2 ½ lb+ David Crosby sized lobes generated here which loose too much fat. Very rich and significant amount of care went into layering and inlays. One criticism from the judges is that they fear the aesthetics may begin to trump the flavor. Other inlays included especially savory ballotines, intricate designs and even whole cèpes with an intensely mushroom flavored aspic. All other pastries were cooked closer to perfection than I have ever seen and nothing short of delicious. An absolutely remarkable event with plenty of Mumm bubbles and M. Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Les Meysonniers to wash it all down. We plated in 10 minute intervals and I was not able to see the first 8 pâtés plated. More pics *The romantic suggestion that cooking at this level is art is nonsense. I do not know of any artist that must consistently replicate such a varied standard of work on a daily, weekly, monthly basis (we each had to bring 3 identical pâtés). These cooks are in the rare league of polished tradesmen like woodworkers whose creative artistry is seen through clean dovetails and moldings. Artists make one-offs. Craftsmen don’t. A tasting.

The aforeposted pictures and a detailed recipe were assessed by the Confrérie du Pâté Croûte committee and was deemed up to snuff by Le President des Toques Blanches (Christophe Marguin), securing me a place among the 12 finalists. For those of you keeping score at home, I am the first (and so far only) American to have qualified for the competition (the 4th edition) and will have the undesirable handicap of having traveled the farthest with 3 pâtés and accoutrements stowed at the mercy of baggage handlers on both sides of the Atlantic. I will compete (on behalf of the soon-to-open Range restaurant in Friendship Heights) against chefs from tiny kitchens and Michelin rated brigades then be judged by MOF’s and experts in the craft. At the very least, after $1300 worth of travel & lodging, I am guaranteed a complimentary apron. CMPC 2009 CMPC 2010 CMPC 2011 2.0 version. Special Cocoa Edition. Scrimmage Nipple Argyle Edition

Forcemeat binoculars. Chicken galantine. Bobo chicken garnished with strips of the breast, fatback, brandy-drenched currants, pistachios and an inlay of liver mousse. Soon to be added to the Hooter’s hooterstizers menu Pleasant fabrication of pheasant. Pheasant ballotine. Marinated in gin. Garnished with confit gizzards, chestnuts and sage. Slightly seared and heated through with the poaching juices.

Mes salaisons. Viande de Grisons (air-dried Randall-Lineback eye-of-round with herbs. No casing); Bresaola (air-dried Black Angus eye-of-round in beef bung), Saucisson sec (lean Randall-lineback, pork fatback, lucknow fennel, black peppercorn in beef middle). No starter culture, no problem. Bloom County Opus.