eatWashington

I'm totally tickled pink suddenly to see eatWashington up there as a topic! I am still in DC, but on a fluctuating basis. My mother, who lives in the south of England, has developed dementia. Which means she's having a whale of a time flirting with every man of any age she sees, saying whatever she feels like regardless of consequence. She's as happy as a lamb. But I've had massively to step up my visits over to her from DC. She still lives at home but does stuff like giving away her pictures, jewelery, knick-knacks, to strangers who admire her garden, sending checks off to cover her Direct Debit payments. The utilities companies owe her so much credit she could buy several world cruises... So I decided to put eatWashington on hold as I wasn't keeping up to date enough with openings and closings of markets, restaurants, chef moves, etc. But I'm such a computer idiot I thought all I needed to do was stop paying my server. Which I did, not realizing that this would mean the site would disappear into the ether. Which it has, all 1000+ articles, all listings, all information. Forever, as far as I know. Which is devastating, as all I wanted was to give myself a breather while sorting out my mom. If anyone knows how to retrieve it, let me know, at watson.julia@gmail.com. --- [Can someone write Julia and tell her how to recover her site?]

Not unless you buy it from a Halal Butcher.

Who's this Michael? Aside from Wagshal's, Let's Meat on the Avenue, The Butcher's Block, Easter Market and The Organic Butcher, are there any other real butchers around?

Marcella must have had a revisionary moment. The Classic Italian Cookbook states 4 1/2 ounces of flour to each egg but not to exceed that. I suspect my problem lies right there with that apparent excess. You're right! I really did do something wrong. Cement is inedible even when you've used cooking ingredients to make it.

Your reaction has been eye-opening. Not only about my parsimony (I didn't realize pasta machines were quite as cheap as $25...) but about Marcella's balance. She dictates 4 1/2 ounces of flour per egg as against your almost half that amount. Anyway, I've now followed your instructions. And struck gold. I've just made 48 shredded-roast pork-and-tomato ragout-stuffed ravioli (left-over food, as you'll have guessed), listening to All Things Considered and the pasta has been like ironing silk! Came out thin as Kleenex under the rolling pin and I don't feel like I've had a gym work out (though perhaps I shouldn't celebrate that!). Thank you. Julia

I've tried Marcella Hazan's recipe for hand-made pasta with 00 flour and with regular Giant flour. The 00 produced cement, the Giant was a little more malleable. She calls for 4 1/2 ounces of flour to each egg. I could get a bit more movement out of the mass when I reduced the flour by almost one ounce, adding it in when the paste stuck to the counter. I don't want to buy a pasta machine - Italian cooks have managed without them for centuries. Does anyone have a successful method for making a really thin sheet? It worked better with a splash of milk. But that wasn't what Marcella advocated... Julia

It's great news to learn there's a place to get Jamie Stachowski's brilliant charcuterie! When he owned Restaurant K, he was one of the best chef interviews I ever did! I didn't have to open my mouth the whole hour! The anecdotes just poured out of him. Glad that he and Krystyna Ahrens of the KF have linked. (Slap me if I shouldn't direct you here, but she's a pretty interesting person too - http://www.eatwashington.com/article/the_kielbasa_factory Julia

I thought Indian Spice and Appliances was now at 1065 W. Broad St., Falls Church, 703 532 1777...Julia

It's easier, I think, to find India groceries in Virginia. But here's some I like in Maryland: Dana Bazaar, 1701 Rockville Pike, 301 231 7546, and 12829 Wisteria Drive, Germantown, sells fresh fruit and vegetables, and staple groceries from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Spice Lanka in Derwood is Sri Lankan and run by a really helpful owner. He's got unusual spices at reasonable prices. http://www.eatwashington.com/article/spice...vorite_markets/

Yes, I read the Campari tale. Thanks for the Angostura Bitters explanation. I'm a little sad it's not made of beetles. Also because it means I pay for dinner...Perhaps I should insist we go to Oyamel for the cricket tacos...

I have a dinner staked on whether or not Angostura Bitters contains beetles. I know there are a number of herbs in there, but is the squashed cochineal beetle one of the ingredients? It is - or perhaps was (I don't know if it's now banned) - in Campari.

No, in my opinion. The few places that do serve it - there's a small Vietnamese restaurant on Del Ray Ave and another on Cordell - tone it down for Westerners. When you ask for herbs and Sriracha they look at you as if you were nuts. Pho without Sriracha? Case rests...The other dreadful place that does this is that Vietnamese place (called Nam, I think) opposite the Uptown Cinema on Conn Ave NW which claims to serve Pho, though only at lunch. For which we should be grateful.

So that's what a top sirloin steak means! Who knew! As a Brit, certainly not me. I've been wondering how to ask for a rump steak - lo! these past 15 years I've lived here! Thank you! BTW, does anyone know any good butchers in NW? The wonderful Pam Ginsberg used to get you anything at Brookville Market on Conn Ave, from rattlesnake - if you had a mind for it - to a whole pig which I once dragged home in a supermarket trolley. Did wonders for sidewalk crowd control. But she moved to Wagshal's in Spring Valley and you have to mortgage your home to shop there. Julia, eatWashington

Anyone tried the newly opened Co Co. Sala on F St NW? A huge amount of financing has gone into this space - a bar from Italy, mosaics, gas fired flames on the room dividers. Desserts and chocolates are beautiful. Of the 5 different dessert tasting menus we tried, the Italian Voyage is the least interesting. In each we were more excited by the savory elements - in the Aztec Experience an excellent enchilada with guava sauce which was more like a cube of membrillo. The chef is tackling everything from entrees like mac 'n cheese three ways to the desserts and chocolates. Hope he doesn't wear out...

I was just going to serve a clarified butter and lemon juice sauce. But discovered I'd run out of lemons. So I squeezed (into cooled butter so it didn't spit itself into oblivion) orange juice instead. Delicious! Like a Sauce Maltaise without the fuss...

Spent a fortune on produce this weekend at Dupont Circle Farmers Market. The strawberries were wonderful. I made Eton Mess (you make meringues, break them into large chunks then fold them into a cloud of whipped cream along with chunks of strawberries and a swirl of strawberry puree...). But the big disappointment was the asparagus. Much money but not much flavor. Didn't compare with anything freshly picked in France or England. Also, it didn't leave that amazing stench when you pee. Is somebody tinkering with asparagus to remove that smell and along with it removing the flavor?

I'm not sure I should give out my secret: but here goes. For the Dupont Farmers Market - or any Dupont Circle activity - park on Decatur Place, a one-way street approached from Mass Ave. It's a 5-7 min walk down Conn. Ave. eatwashington.com.

I've found good stuff, from ranges (though didn't buy one of those...) through to smaller appliances, metal mixing bowls, massive whisks and all the kind of stuff that makes you think, if I just had one of those I'd turn into Thomas Keller, at Jefferson Davis Highway, on the right before you get to the Target. George's, 415 E Raymond Ave, Alexandria, (703) 836-1800. eatWashington.com

I reckon the best test for bought ice cream is either the vanilla or the chocolate. But there's a real proper genuine pistachio which is phenomenal at Dolcezza on Wisconsin Ave NW around Q St (the precise address, along with other good ice cream parlors is on eatWashington). The pistachio isn't bright green but a sort of grungy decorator brown - which is how it should be. But the other flavors are just as good, too. In season, their strawberry ice cream just tastes like crushed fruit and cream. York Tropical ice cream shop does some really weird and wonderful flavors, like Grape Nut, and Guinness. But there's something a bit fatty, rather than creamy, about the in-the-mouth feel for me. Julia (of eatWashington)

========= Have you ever tried making your own? It's fun while you read the Food Section, or something. Fill a clean glass jar with heavy cream, put the lid on tight, jiggle it about until it begins to get thick. It will separate into a lump (pretty small!) banging about in a cloudy liquid. Julia, of eatWashington

Okay, this is blowing my own trumpet, but if you want to know where find any food stuffs - familiar, unfamiliar, weird, and just wonderful (including D'Artagnan products) - for cooking and eating in the greater Washington area, log on to my web site http://www.eatWashington.com. It's also got DC chef profiles and recipes.

I'm a Brit. What you call Biscuits, I call Scones (pronounced 'sk-on'). They shouldn't be those lumps of raisin-studded dough you could break a window with. A proper English scone should be light and fluffy, eaten warm from the oven, preferably with real clotted cream (there's a recipe to make your own on eatWashington) and home-made raspberry jam. But pretty wonderful with butter and jam. You won't recognize them. 8 ounces self-raising flour, plus more for dusting 1 1/2 ounces butter, soft 1/4 pint milk 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar Pinch of salt Preheat the oven to 425F. In a mixing bowl quickly rub the softened butter into the flour using only your fingertips. With the blade of a knife, stir in the sugar and salt, then little by little, while continuing to stir, slowly add the milk. When it's all absorbed bring the dough quickly together with your hands and put it on a floured surface. Roll it out to 1 inch thick, then punch out circles with a white wine glass or a 2 inch cookie cutter. Give them a tap to get them out and onto a greased baking sheet. If you twist the cutter, they'll stretch out of shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Cool them on a wire rack only until tepid enough to handle, then eat at once. Happy high tea! eatwashington