crackers

God, you must impress yourself!2.5 stars it is.

The Dog Cooker.

Lollipops are all over the news. This past weekend, the Wall Street Journal featured a really fun article about restaurants offering their patrons lollipops- sweet and savory as treats. (with a nice shout out to Komi) And the Washington BizBash has an article explaining how the intricacies of the new lobbying rules are doing away with sit down meals and buffets, and replacing them with toothpick foods and lollipop receptions.

Is Dino participating in Restaurant Week as a member of the Washington DC Convention & Tourism Corporation or the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, or is this a Dino counter-promotion? There is a separate thread for other menu price promotions, not to mention the Dino thread.

Here are the Winter, 2007 thread, and the Summer, 2006 thread in case you are looking for suggestions or reminders. The restaurant must be a member of the Washington DC Convention & Tourism Corporation and/or the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in order to participate. The restaurants have until this Friday to sign up to participate.

Did anybody else stop by for drinks at the bar Friday to check it out? There was a whole lot of singing going on in the restaurant upstairs. And for at least the next couple of Friday evenings, "A Little Night of Music" is featuring soprano Diane Able and guest tenors Paul McIlvane or Joseph Haughton in a selection of arias and showtunes to accompany a special four-course dinner prepared by Chef Wabeck ($60 plus drinks, tax and tips). The website doesn't have the new menu up yet, but you can reserve on-line through it.

New Restaurant of the Year: Rasika Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year: CityZen Informal Dining Restaurant of the Year: Tallula Restaurant Chef of the Year: Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve Restaurant Employee of the Year: Dave Vorhees, waiter, 2941 Restaurant Pastry Chef of the Year: Huw Griffiths, Tabard Inn Wine and Beverage Program of the Year: Restaurant Eve Restaurant Manager of the Year: Ellen Kassoff Gray, Equinox Rising Culinary Star of the Year: Nathan Beauchamp, 1789 Restaurant Neighborhood Gathering Place of the Year: Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar Hottest Bar Scene of the Year: Zaytinya Power Spot of the Year: Georgia Brown's People's Favorite: Lebanese Taverna

For all of you who have asked, the answer is "No!" I did not write to Ms. Hax. [insert comment about my awesome cupcakes here.]

Annapolis Seafood Market (three branches - Annapolis, Edgewater and Severna Park) has live jumbos for $4.99-$5.99 each, depending on the day. Perfection on a plate.

Hell if I know where to post this one...it's a small town between Harrisburg and Scranton on I-81 called Frackville, PA. Yeah, Frackville. Exit 124 B. Don't forget that. The only reason I don't trade in my mom-mobile for a shiny new Mercedes SLK is because she has such a great nose for genuine home cooking, Central PA style. The SLKs - probably not so much. And she steered me straight to the parking lot of the Dutch Kitchen. Amazing. Homemade soup of the day was lentil, "bleenies" - two huge fresh potato pancakes hot out of the pan ($1.95!), and a terrific house-made chicken pot pie. The baked fresh pork sausage looked tempting too. I asked about the pierogies and was told sheepishly that they were made elsewhere. After all that, there was no room for a slice of that good looking lemon meringue pie sitting in the pie case. Bottomless cup of Joe: $.89. That will get you at least to Binghamton without even thinking about a stop at KFC.

There were so many deee-licious contributions to the Spring '07 Picnic. Once again, let's compile them here. Previous picnic compilations are: Fall, 2005; Spring, 2006; and Fall, 2006 Here are some that we'd love to get recipes for, and I am sure there were others: Home Brew ferment everything mdt Non-Alcoholic Beverages Anna Blume: concentrated syrup Other: Jacques Gastreaux: ---> [evil] Martian Pig Slop from Hell sparkycom: Rosemary Gin Fizz Appetizers, Salads and Condiments cucas87: ---> mojito salad (modified from last time?) ferment everything: ---> homemade gouda Grover: Inari sushi mushman: Greek cucumber salad Pat: farro salad with tomatoes and herbs pidgey: curry lentil salad Scott Johnston: deviled eggs (curry and plain) SquidsDC: spicy cole slaw StephenB: ---> deviled eggs with caviar ZoraMargolis: mulberry, Queen Anne cherry, and crabapple-mint preserves Meat and Main Courses AGM: lamb bbq4me: ribs ICD: Cuban picadillo Ilaine: grandmother's fried chicken Jacques Gastreaux: ---> smoked pork butt legant: ribs squidsDC: marinated chicken pieces Thistle: NC style Boston butt Vegetable Dishes Anna Blume: escarole pie with pine nuts melgold: pasta fritatta with veggies and cheese Scott Johnston: roasted vegetable tort synaesthesia's: jap chae ZoraMargolis: fava bean mousse Baked Goods and Desserts Barbara: Michel Richard's chocolate mousse dome cake cjsaddler / txaggie: mini hot pepper jelly and cream cheese biscuits. Crackpot Gourmet: strawberry and pineapple crepes mktye: sweet and savory focaccias, sourdough and rye breads, blondies Pat: cheesecake, creme de menthe brownies Paula: cupcakes, cookies sparkycom: gougeres Thistle: poundcake Tweaked: madelines txaggie/cjsaddler: cookies Bacon-tasting ferment everything: homemade smoked

Besides "Tom's First Bite," any early reports?

Tom says: Good luck John! Let us know when you're ready for the first dr.com happy hour!

I brought the Neopol's bacon (The "Baltimoron" bacon) and was very skeptical because it looked to be 98% fat. Well, it held its own surprisingly well. I wouldn't want a plate full of it though. The Niman bacon was super salty and chewy. FermentEverything's was a real winner! And everything tasted better with that maple syrup - yum!

Here are some of my picnic Photos. Hopefully Scott Johnston will have more because there were a lot of dishes that I missed. As you will see, Peanut looked particularly fetching this year sporting a chocolate Van Dyke! By my count 75-80 of us were at this year's picnic having a wonderful time. The rain and mist kept us closer to the pavilion than at previous picnics. Some kids did get in some soccer, and there was a lot happy splashing about with rubber boots on. The weather gave us more of a chance to mingle. And there were more new faces than I remember at previous picnics - and one not-so-new member who made his first-ever appearance. The food and drink contributions were spectacular - the bar has once again been raised. Thank you all for all for making this year's spring picnic so great - and for your donations toward the picnic site rental and the lamb. Let's do this again in the Fall, ok? [And did someone mention roast kid?]

patience good fellow...patience. I am still under the influence of that last rosemary gin fizz and the Bitter Ender Tasting Society's post-picnic wrap party. (so we know that all BETS are off right now.) I'm bitter I didn't get a photo of Tweaked smearing those lamb brains on toast.

No.

Yes.

Made my first strawberry-Grand Marnier ice cream of the season yesterday. I served it alongside strawberry shortcakes (with creme from a can- sorry Zora). The strawberries are really good this year!

The Organics I bought earlier this week are going straight back for a refund. This happens routinely (thinking I am going to bite into a perfectly ripe apricot that was purchased in a grocery store here) I feel like Charlie Brown and the da** football.

We will be there RAIN OR SHINE. I will bring plastic tarping if we need to cover things up temporarily, but I think we'll put the food tables in the center of the pavilion for maximum protection. If you have a portable awning/canopy thing, consider bringing it. See you tomorrow! p.s. no tug of war - nobody stepped up to captain either team. But I'll still be bringing eggs for the egg toss.

We're going to Dim Sum Go Go this time, but if somebody would like to take the lead in organizing another trip to NY, to go to HSF (46 Bowery), or some other favorite, by all means please let us know. I'd love for this to be a semi-regular trek.

Good thing you didn't wait. They are great when they come out steaming hot. Not much better than Mickey D's once they've cooled off, which doesn't take very long. The lamb rillettes that come in a small ramekin as part of the charcuterie plate are probably my favorite item on the menu. While I was waiting for dinner one night, a nice bartender brought me out a ramekin by itself, bless his heart. It would make a fantastic stand-alone appetizer.