ALB

We went here one night last summer- http://picazzos.com/. We split a pizza and a salad and I remember it being exactly what we wanted that day. a non expensive, pretty tasty dinner.

I got strawberries from Twin Springs last weekend. They were not very sweet but very flavorful and red all the way through. Do we need more heat for sweeter berries?

I took one of those classes a few years ago and thought it was great. We made a lot to take home and it was fun to learn more about the chocolate making process.

I wish I could! 2 more months of school. If this goes well and you ever schedule another one- I'm there!

A few weeks ago a friend and I were deciding were to go for brunch on a saturday. She was having her car repaired in Tenleytown so we ended up at Cafe Ole. http://www.cafeoledc.com/ I didn't know anything about it (other than it wasn't insanely expensive, a nice suprise for this grad student). We ended up very happy with this choice. We shared the - Tramezzini ($9)- a pita with scrambled eggs and your choice of meat, smoked salmon or roasted vegges and French toast ($9). The sandwich was very hot with a lot of vegetables and cheese and a nicely toasted pita. The french toast was a thick cut of multigrain bread. The walnut sauce tasted like sundae topping but the strawberry was nice. The coffee was good and strong but it should be noted it does not include refills. I don't think this is a destination location for brunch in the city, but if I am meeting people in that part of town I will absolutely suggest it. It was very tasty and service was fast. I think its a place for people in the neighborhood to grab a quick bite, many who were in and out while we caught up. but the place was never packed and we were not rushed at all.

oh no I sadly missed this! Busboys was fine and served our purpose but this sounds great. next time! Thanks all!!

Thank you both! I found out this morning that the friend is staying closer to Shirlington than what I typically think of as Alexandria. So the friend she is staying with suggested busboys and poets. Hopefully they are open, if not, I'll have your suggestions as back-up. Thank you so much. This is why I love this board so much. I appreciate your help!

I am meeting a friend in Alexandria for breakfast tomorrow. Does anyone have recent suggestions? Decent food but not terribly expensive. She is in from out of town so we would like to be able to sit for a while and catch up. and open on the Monday after Christmas..

I had the same issue a few years ago. Now I wilt chard on the stove top with garlic and some olive oil. then splash some champagne vinegar after I take it off the heat. big hit.

It is a pizza of a different animal but I really like pizza at Corner Slice. NY style pizza. and they deliver.

Thanks for the tip! I just moved to New Hampshire Ave and have been wondering which places to check out.

People anywhere near Roots in Olney- they are very well stocked, including water, milk ,(and wine) and all of the food they normally have. No batteries and other items (as that is not their thing).

Do you have recommendations for Lotus of Siam? I'm excited to visit in a few weeks (don't worry, we have a reservation .)

Thank you both so much!! Do you have a bbq rec for Nashville too? Can't have too much while in TN, right?? If anyone else has favorites, please chime in. I promise to report back!

Hi everyone, I am leaving saturday to drive my sister out to graduate school in Los Angeles and I was hoping for some help for the gallery here. Do you all have any favorites along the way out there? We are stopping in- pigeon forge, tn Memphis Dallas (visiting friends there so that one is taken care of) Clovis, NM Taos, NM Sedona, AZ Las Vegas So if you know any place in these cities, surrounding areas and places in between- please chime in! The only reservation we have right now is Lotus of Siam in Vegas. The only caveat is- we are both grad students, so I am really wondering- what is your favorite taco stands or bbq places or other similarly priced places.. sadly we'll have to skip the higher price places this trip. Thanks All!

If a crab house is your liking there are many on Kent Island. My family loves Harris- we venture out a few times a year. www.harriscrabhouse.com/

I got 6 quarts of seconds at scenic view and they even beat the $3.75 since I bought so many. thank you for the tip! time to make jam

A few years ago I was in that wonderful predicament. I pureed them all and froze the puree in ice cube trays then bagged. I used them in the winter for strawberry vinaigrettes and strawberry cakes etc. Do you think the Rockville market will have strawberries again? I still haven't made my strawberry jam this summer, and I'm afraid I missed my time frame. I was going to pick them at Butlers but I might have missed them?

That is really sad news. It is a great forum and was very helpful to me during my few months in Chicago. I hope someone buys it.

The scone recipe I use is heavy on the leveners and I always like to mix them and bake right away for maximum rise. I might be wrong, but I always think things will go flat if I don't bake them right as the chemical reaction is happening. Another solution might be to mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and mix at the last minute or bake/freeze and pop them in the oven before serving.

I went in last weekend and picked up almond croissants and a few macaroons. I thought the croissants were perfect, crispy but not dry and perfectly sized for one person rather than being excessively large. I couldn't believe they were only $2.75. Tout de sweet would be dangerous for me if I still lived in the neighborhood. I accidentally crushed the macaroons in my purse so I can not give a reliable review on texture but the hazelnut and pistachio were very tasty.

Thank you!

I made lemon curd with some meyer lemons from a trip to CA.. can I freeze it? too good to throw away, too deadly to eat quickly.

Because you've given me a chance to share- I just made the best birthday cake I've ever made for my sister's birthday- the recipe is the yellow cake with chocolate frosting from Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco. It is the first thing I've made from that book, but so far highly recommended. The frosting has egg whites- so is that an italian buttercream?

I stopped by Cava Grill for lunch today and really enjoyed it. I got the minis with 2 falafel and 1 lamb - all with tzaziki, lettuce, rice and the cucumber salad made of cukes, lemon juice among other things. I really enjoyed it. I just ate everything with a knife and fork rather than trying to pick them up because once I was done choosing toppings, it was all pretty much covered anyway. I really liked it- especially the falafel- I love how they keep some of the chickpeas whole rather than blending them all. I'll definitely be back.