hillvalley

Sigh

Am I the only one who misses the family owned shop that was there before the redevelopment? Nonchain ice cream, people behind the counter who knew you, pictures of kids with messy faces on the walls.

Sigh

I still have a few spots open. If you are interested send me a PM or email

I noticed that the herbs, strawberries and aspargus seems more expensive at Dupont than at Arlington. The strawberries were definitely a better value at Arlington at the herbs ran about $0.50-$1.00 more at Dupont (not to mention there is a wider variety at Arlington).

Chicken breasts stuffed with prosciutto, provolone and lots of basil with sauteed snap peas from Market.

If you recieved a PayPal request from me please Do Not pay it yet. I am having a problem with my account I'll let you know when it is fixed. Sorry.

(Jacques, you're in the clear)

How were the crabcakes? Worth the splurge?

Sutton Place/Balduccis carries a lot of the Boylan's flavors including black cherry.

Colorado Kitchen and Trader Joe's both carry Boylan. CK has a wider variety though.

Herbs have finally started to arrive. I picked up some basil, oregano and flat leaf parsley. I feel herbed yogurt cheese in my future.

I was at Dupont right when the opening bell rang in hopes of getting a couple of flat irons from Sunnyside for the weekend but they didn't have any They did have the first baby carrotts of the season, still attached to the greens. I also picked up the first peas of the season. Strawberries were everywhere but selling fast. Is it me or do the strawberries and asparagus seem more expensive at Dupont than Arlington?

My splurge of the week was a blue goat cheese from Firefly Farms. I broke in their new portable credit card machine I think the cheese is going to go with the baby spinach from New Morning.

Eel was something that I ate growing up. We would skin, slice, stuff with spices and bake. Wonder if the fish mongers around here have any?

The fish couple did have eel for around $3.00. I don't know how to choose a fresh eel but they looked pretty good.

Please note that if you would like to attend you need to contact me directly

Does anyone know what time Colorado Kitchen opens for brunch on the weekends?

Indian Kebob and Bread Dinner

Sunday, June 26th @ 5pm

Passage to India

4931 Cordell Avenue

Bethesda, MD

Cost: $60 includes tax (tip and alcohol not included -- people should bring cash)

Prepayment will be required through PayPal.

This event is open to 50 people.

Contact me if you would like to join us.

Kebabs And Breads

PATRANI MACHI

(fish fillet marinated in cilantro-chilli chutney, wrapped in banana leaf and baked)

TANDOORI BATER

(quails on the bone, marinated in yogurt –garlic and spices, then char broiled)

PHULKARI KABAB

( cauliflower florets grilled in the tandoor)

SOYA-DAL PARATHA

(lentil and wheat bread flavored with dill)

RESHMI MALAI MURGH

(supreme of chicken, roasted and glazed with scallion cream)

MAAS KE SULE

(diced lamb smoked with cloves)

TANDOORI KUKKURMUTTA

(grilled mushrooms)

DAL-BATI

(hearth baked wheat balls with spiced 5 lentil stew)

MURGH KALI MIRCHI

(chicken morsels ,moistened with cheese sauce and spiked with cracked peppercorns)

LAGAN ME PAAN KA KEEMA

(lamb mince spiced with betel leaf and cooked en daube)

PANEER HARYALI

(low fat house pressed ricotta, with mint and pepper chutney)

SHEERMAL- KADDU KA DALCHA

(milk enriched yeasty bread with a pumpkin and legume stew)

KARELI RAAN

(lamb shanks braised and finished in the tandoor)

TANDOORI ALOO

(dry fruit stuffed potatoes, glazed in the oven)

JALI MIRCHI AUR TAMATAR

(marinated and charred chunks of tomatoes and jalapeno peppers)

RUMALI- MAH KI DAL

(handkerchief thin bread with our famous black lentils)

TANDOORI PHALAHAR

(dates, pineapple, figs, grilled and steeped in ginger rum, served with reduced milk ‘Rabri’)

A few other things worth mentioning:

-Please feel free to contact me about any event. I cannot be reached during workday hours by PM and cannot guarantee a response in 24 hours. You all are a needy group, be patient

-If you would like to attend an event but do not want your name posted on the board please let me know. Announcing your attendance is not a requirement.

-Many events will require prepayment. Failure to prepay is a forfeit of your reservation at the event. If you pay and cannot attend it is your responsibility to a) let me know and in most cases find your own replacement, unless I have a waiting list. Restaurants put on these events for us and expect to generate a certain amount of revenue.

-Prepayment will be through PayPal and sent to the email you used to register. Please make sure that you pay using the same email to create less confusion.

Thanks,

Y.L.C.D.

Our first June event will be an Italian cheese tasting at Cheestique on Sunday, June 12th at 6pm.

Jill will discuss a variety of Italian cheeses which will be accompanied by non-alcoholic beverages (no liquor license at this point).

There is room for 13 people. PM me if you would like to join us. The first 13 people to contact me will "win" the spots. (I feel like a radio DJ.) I will keep a waiting list if necessary.

The cost is $20 a person and payment will be required through PayPal before the event. Lack of prepayment will forfeit your seat. Details will follow.

Feel free to contact me if you have questions. I look forward to seeing you June 12th.

Hillvalley and Lani olda started with the cream of asparagus soup while I opted for the asparagus salad.  I'll let them describe the soup.

The soup was exquisite. When I ordered it I assumed it would be a cold asparagus. Well, you know what happens when you assume.....The soup was served hot. The cream was the perfect background to the asparagus flavor and the color was a brilliant light green. Laniloa summed the color up perfectly when she remarked that this was the color she would like her kitchen.

Some incredibly fresh strawberries atop some congealed cream stuff that Hillvalley knows the name of and I can't remember. Wonderful presentation and a perfect combination of the slightly sour berries with the sweet cream stuff

I believe that was vanilla bean panna cotta. Jacques didn't mention that the berries were lightly sweetened and softened by what I believe was good old fashioned sugar, but I would not be surprised if we are missing an ingredient or two.

Eve was worth the field trip for a lunch on a beautiful afternoon.

It was a perfect field trip, even if it meant crossing the river. The only thing that could have perfected the meal would have been sitting out doors or possibly one of Thrasher's Gin & Tonics. I tasted this beautiful concoction back when it was still in development. I am not a g&t kind of woman but this drink could convert me. The planning that went into the ice cube alone makes it worth a try. Sweet, refreshing, a perfect accompaniment for a summer eve.

Whoa!

Look what happens after a lesiurely lunch at Eve! Monica and I are almost ready to announce all the details, but for now lets keep this thread about her great article.

You should also check out her article on making yogurt at home in this month's issue of Cooking Light (which doesn't apear to be available on line ).

Now that we are done with our first dr. com event I thought I would fill you in a little about what is going on behind the curtain.

I am in touch with a number of restaurants, industry specialists and generous people in the hopes of planning different events. Some events will be informal like our picnic while others will be more formal affairs. Stay tuned for details.

Please feel free to contact me if you have an idea for an event. For now I am going to ask that you check with me before any dr.com events are organized. Thanks!

Currently there are at least five different events in different stages of planning. When details are finalized I will start a thread for each event.

In the mean time you can check our calendar for local events. If you know of any that should be included please send me the information and I will post it.

Restaurateurs: please feel free to email me any date-specific PR for consideration, but please word your emails concisely and precisely as they should be presented on the calendar so I can avoid editorial headaches.

I now return you to your regular restaurant threads.

Anyone know anything about a possible EG/DR event?

You will be the first to know once the details are worked out. For now they are conecntrating on opening the restaurant.

On my last trip to New York I brought back a box of Vosges Chocolate for a friend. He made the mistake of leaving it at my place by accident and never got them back.

For my birthday this year I recieved a delectable box of truffels from Buckinghamilton and her fiance Diner Boy, but you'd have to ask her where she got them

I third or forth the Eastern Market suggestions. I personally prefer Union Meats, across from Mel's poultry and the flower shop. I have requested a specific cut and if they don't have they can usually get it in a day or two. Not to mention they do a great job sharpening knives.

Tonight's dinner for me was a Salumi platter with fixin's from the Italian Store in Arlington - Sopressata, Mortadela, Prosciutto di Parma, Buffalo Mozzarella, some toasted bread and some assorted olives with my new revalation - pickled garlic cloves. 

Be careful with that revalation...I discovered it a few years ago. The day after indulging myself in a meal just like yours I was informed by a student that "I smelled funny"

The fact that they left off Kotobuki shows just how little effort they put into updating this list. Where else can you get some of the best sushi in the city (the scallop is out of this world and the toro a true sushi bargain) for $1 or $1.75 a piece accompanied by housemade soy sauce and the Beatles?

I'm going to miss this thread once the picnic is over. It's been sorta like a food porn telenovela.

Don't worry, there are already a number of events in the works. Stay tuned to this channel for further details

Great. I planned my entire day off Thursday around getting to the Grill at noon. Figures it would be closed Grrrrrrr

It speaks volumes about the magical effects of Gastreaux's tender butt on the fairer sex that, when I hinted to my wife on the way home that it would be really neat if we had a smoker of our own, her response was not: "In your f*cking dreams!" But rather: "Yeah, that would be awesome!"

I volunteer to suffer through your attempts at trying to recreate Jacques work of art

Palena for Saturday lunch.

Start with a bloody mary ala Palena with the house made pickle. If it's a beautiful day sit on the patio and enjoy the day. If it's a rainy one cozy up together in a booth. The artichoke and fontina panini is amazing, as are the donuts.