Adam23

Any of the soups at Greek Deli are great, though they close at 4 and run out often before. Bread and Brew sometimes has nice soups. They usually have 4 choices. I've found the vegan ones tend to be better than the others - luckily they will let you taste them before purchase.

I found this letter to CSPI on the bill and their response to be fascinating reading. I actually agree with CSPI. (man, that was hard to type). Letter to CSPI: Food Safety Bill MUST Protect Small-Scale Producers and Farmers! Dear Ms. O'Reilly, One in four Americans will get sick from tainted food this year and about 5,000 will die, but this doesn't have to be the case. Foodborne illness is preventable -- if industrial producers and food manufacturers were required to develop plans aimed at preventing bacterial contamination in food and the FDA had the authority and tools necessary to oversee and better ensure the safety of the food supply. The House passed bipartisan food safety legislation (the Food Safety Enhancement Act, H.R. 2749) in July. However, many organizations in the sustainable food community believe that this bill will jeopardize the work of small-scale producers and family farmers. For example, a small family farmer will have to pay the same annual registration fee as an industrial giant like Archer-Daniels Midland. This is unjust and places undue burden on small farmers who are NOT the primary source of food contamination. There should be no food safety bill without specific protections for small-scale and family farms and small-scale food producers! I call on you to support Senate action on balanced legislation that would create a comprehensive system for preventing and responding to foodborne illness while protecting America's small-scale farmers and producers. Thank you in advance for you attention to this matter. Sincerely, CSPI's Response: ------------- From: NAH CSPI <nah@cspinet.org> Date: Thu, Sep 10, 2009 at 3:11 PM Subject: Re: Attn: Ms. Kathleen O'Reilly To: xxx Thanks for your email. Our Senior Staff Attorney in our Food Safety Department has responded to your concerns as follows: The Food Safety Enhancement Act is about building safety into the production of all food that is offered for sale to the public and is designed to protect public health. Even so, it is somewhat surprising to see the bill described as treating all food processors the same. In one sense that may be true. All food processors will have to plan for safety. That is not a bad thing, though. Whether the processor is selling a premium product (like artisan cheese) to a few customers, or mass marketing cheese to thousands of customers, every consumer has an expectation that the people who produce food for us are taking measures to ensure that food is safe. On the other level, though, the bill is anything but a one-size-fits all measure. Each food processor is responsible for reviewing potential hazards (such as the potential of Listeria Monocytogenes contamination of cheese) that are likely to be present in the food it makes. From that review, a processor is to design controls that will prevent, eliminate or reduce the hazard (such as maintaining proper temperatures and aging cheese appropriately). Each control is then monitored by the processor. These are steps that build safety into the processing of food, and that every processor regardless of size should take to ensure products are safe. Since the processor identifies the hazards, designs the controls and does the monitoring, each processor can match the safety measure to the size of the plant and/or volume of production. Claims that food safety plans are difficult to develop and complex are unfounded and speculative. The Europeans have been requiring all food processors to follow the same steps of hazard analysis, implementing critical control points and monitoring for years and, to my knowledge, have not found it to put undue burdens on artisan food suppliers. Not only does the Food Safety Enhancement Act call for each food processor to design a system best suited to ensuring the safety of its product, the bill also phases in the requirement to have a food safety plan so that small and very small companies will have up to three years to develop and implement their plans. Also, FDA is required to consider the impact of any regulations on these companies and provide assistance to them in complying with the safety requirements. These steps are designed to preserve artisan, small, and very small processors by easing the transition to a modern food safety system focused on preventing illnesses. Artisan foods offer many qualities such as taste, nutritional depth, sustainability, etc. that mass produced products cannot. But these qualities are not necessarily safety attributes. If safety is not built into the process, then artisan food processors have the same capacity to make their customers sick as mass producers. The fact that they have fewer customers isn't going to make a difference to the people who suffer an illness that was preventable, and that can be life threatening or lead to long-term health problems. The $500 registration fee may apply to some larger artisan food processors. (However, keep in mind that artisan food processors can be subsidiaries of very large companies, because the term is not defined in law. This creates a problem for crafting an exemption from the fee.) Not every small processors will have to pay the fee. A small processor may fall under the existing retail food establishment exemption. This exemption applies to any processor who sells more than half of the food it processes directly to consumers. Meanwhile, Congress has attempted to address the potential adverse affect of the fee on small processors. The registration fee has been reduced from $2,000 when the bill was first introduced to $1,000 and now $500. Since the bill has not passed either the House or Senate, it is possible further changes may be made to the fee structure. However, one of the problems the bill attempts to address is that of providing adequate funding for FDA to carry out its food safety mission. It is true that we need to establish a system for preventing food-borne illnesses caused by mass-marketed foods. But everyone who produces food for sale to the public has a responsibility to do so with the safety of the consumer as a primary concern. David W. Plunkett, J.D., J.M. Senior Staff Attorney, Food Safety Program Center for Science in the Public Interest 1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20009-5728 Tel: (202) 777-8319 Fax: (202) 265-4954 Email: dplunkett@cspinet.org

Stopped by the market this morning and it's slowly growing in size. Two produce tents, a guy making cupcakes and a few other vendors. I must say, their prices are very cheap. Heirloom tomatoes at $2/lb. Grabbed a bunch, had some for lunch - wonderful. Also picked up a large bunch of basil and some peaches.

And that terrible Michigan accent. Now if the pierced face one goes, i'll be happy.

We generally enjoy our meals there. Usually end up with an omlette or something and usually find it pretty satisfying and tasty. I particularly like the wild mushroom one. I think it is a tad overpriced, but when you think that the breakfast includes rolls/muffins, juice, and coffee - it isn't the most terribly priced breakfast (considering a place like Steak n Egg will run you $12 for an omlette and coffee). Add in an always entertaining clientele and stimulating conversation to overhear because of the tightly spaced tables and it's a good value.

Hazlitt isn't that worst on Seneca and you get the opportunity to drink the Hazlitt Horny Juice (aka Red Cat), the #1 selling NY wine (though it is rather awful).

Unfortunately Dr. Frank is on Keuka Lake and is probably the best winery in the Finger Lakes. If you can somehow trek over, its worth it. Weimer, is on the west side of Seneca lake, not far up from Watkins Glen. Amazing Riesling. For the east side of Seneca Lake, Red Newt is a must. Their restaurant is nice too. They make a good meritage and their reds are pretty decent overall. Lamoreux Landing had a nice unoaked chardonnay. Their wines are pretty good. Shalestone has excellent reds if it is open. Hazlitt and Wagner are a big step down from these three but not too bad. Otherwise, there isn't much memorable, though if Rasta Ranch in Hector is open, it's an experience to behold for pure amusement factor, but the wine is awful. For West side of Cayuga, Sheldrake Point is a wonderful view along the lake though their wines are mediocre. Hosmer, Knapp and Lucas are the best three on that side of Cayuga. Also Bellweather Cider is very nice if you like cider. If you need help with restaurants or a place to stay, let me know. We go up there way too much.

Definitely have to check it out. Though the timing and location seems to overlap quite a bit with the Yuma St. farmers market - maybe they should join forces.

I disagree they are safer, much less "significantly safer". I'll give you that buying sustainable/local/organic/whatever floats your boat may make you happy or feel like a better person for buying that product, but there are no good hard facts that these products are any safer than any product sold at a generic supermarket. I buy most of my produce at the local farmers market a block from my house. I do so because I think the quality is often better (though often not), because I like to be able to talk to the people that grow my food and I like to see my neighbors. I pay very high prices for the privilege to eat these veges. That being said, I can't fathom how the produce I buy there is any safer than what I buy at Giant or Costco or wherever. Unless you are telling me that local Farmer Joe is hand washing each and ever animal, fruit, vegetable, etc. in a clean room with sterile water, i'm not sure how any educated person can by that its safer. Makes you happy to buy it. Sure. Safer, not really. A lot of people have the misconception that large agriculture is unsafe. They see recalls, freak out and only buy from Farmer Joe if they can afford to do so. A lot of these recalls are the result of significantly more sensitive testing equipment that the producers are using to test their products, tests that local farmers do not often do simply because they are cost prohibitive or for a variety of reasons (though as Anna points out above, some do). I'm willing to bet a lot of money that if we walked through any farmers market on any given day and bought a random assortment of products and tested them with the same equipment larger producers use, the results would be similar (or maybe even worse). Birds shit on small farms and big ones. Its the hard truth.

I was sitting next to Todd on a shuttle flight about 3 weeks ago and I mentioned that I liked Olives and he mentioned that it was closing for renovations shortly. He didn't give me the impression that it was permanent and from the sounds of it he has been in town off and on for some time in preparation for it with his business people.

I'll agree with you that this may be burdensome on small farmers moreso than a large producer, but unfortunately my lack of representation doesn't help your cause. As for your comment that small farmers pose little danger to the food supply, i'm not convinced and never understand why people make that generalization. Salmonella and other dangers to the food supply can come from small farmer joe or large farmer corporation. Don't fool yourself.

I second that. I've had butter chicken at too many places to count and I always seem to come back to Bombay Curry Company as my favorite. I also enjoy Rasika's as well.

I have spent a ton of time researching netbooks. I got a Dell Mini 12 a few weeks ago for $325 and it has been great. That being said, i'd recommend the Samsung NC10 or NC20 - most of the people at work have one of those two and they are the best. Only got the mini 12 because of the price.

I went to the DC premier screening a few weeks back and wasn't impressed. It is basically an hour or so of confusing rambling on why Monsanto is bad and why Polyface Farms is good. I would save your money.

I'll give my vote to El Pollo Rico. Nothing fancy here. Just properly fried and salted frozen steak fries. So good. And in 2nd place, McDonalds fresh out of the fryer can't be beat.

Looks like a new restaurant is taking over the 21st and P corner that was formerly Cafe Trope. Its called Scion. Was walking by today and a "Now hiring" sign is in the window. Anyone have any info?

Agreed. Really pricey, but easily the best gelato in the DC area by far. So good.

From a friend... "He needs to stay at the office and eat at his desk and get some work done. Jeb Bush, Eric Cantor and Mitt Romney were at Pietanza on Saturday. Arlington is the new gastro-political hotspot."

We did Cape Town and the winelands a while back which was a rather amazing foodie vacation - great wine, amazing food (and lots of interesting new foods that an American typically would not eat), great local food products, etc. Plus it is cheap - a week and a healthy budget in ZA would be a wonderful foodie vacation. This year is the Spain trip including San Sebastian and a swoop down to rioja for some good wine and then Can Roca and El Bulli to finish it off. I'm pretty excited for this trip.

Off the top of my head - Corned beef at Central or Gyro at Greek Deli (that's a sandwich right?)

Agree there are a lot of tourists around - 2 hotels on P, at least 3 others come to mind within a block. Also, the street has a lot of lunch traffic, particularly the end closer to the circle. I personally think the construction on P St did take its toll on some newcomers, but it is now over. I think with the coming opening of Le Pain Quotidien, there will be some even larger traffic that should benefit the restaurants on the street. The restaurants that are successful on the street either have a niche or do something right - Paradisio and Obelisk are excellent; You go to Japone for karaoke and comedy night and whatnot, not the sushi; Pesce has good and satisfying seafood, etc. I never really got Mark and Orlandos and the numerous other places that have since passed.

We have had two fridges. We had a Sanyo which worked well, but we outgrew it. We now have a Danby Silhouette which we have had for 3 years or so. Works great and the price was a lot cheaper than other brands- and it has nice wooden racks instead of cheap metal ones.

I concur. His places are ok and I always somehow end up at them with a group of people looking for a "cheap" place that isn't Clydes or TGI Fridays. And then I leave with a bigger bill than I hoped and mediocre food. His burger is decent though and the price is right for happy hour.

When I had lobster a few nights ago, it was not overcooked or tough. My top vote on the Normandy menu is the Fricassée de volaille au cidre, pommes rôies - Tender falling apart chicken, wonderful roasted apples and a rich cider flavor. Excellent on a crummy rainy day.

Had an awesome meal here over the weekend. I'm a Vietnamese novice, having eaten Vietnamese food about 4 or 5 times in my life (Four Sisters and one of the places in Georgetown). The meal was superb and different than anything else I have ever had - and miles better than the places in Georgetown and quite a bit better than what we had at Four Sisters (though I felt the menu at Present had little similarity to Four Sisters). We shared the rich man's crepe and the autumn rolls which have been mentioned above. Both were excellent. Particularly enjoyed making the wraps with the crepe/rolls and the herbs. For entrees, my wife had the tamarind glazed duck and I had the sweet and sour soup. Both were fabulous. The duck was tender, falling off the bone and had an excellent sweet glaze. We both thought the sweet and sour soup was superb - full of bean sprouts, okra, shrimp, and other veges. It had a lot of flavor including a nice pineapple flavor and a number of other rich flavors I honestly haven't ever had with prior to this meal. Service was excellent. Overall an excellent meal.