cjsadler

This reminded me about this infamous publication about the "natural" toxins in our upcoming Holiday dinners...

Saw it at Bell's the other week. Don't know if it's still there.

I am drinking a Founders' Porter as I write this, though this delicious substance is not found "in Nature" About the Ajinomoto study funding.... Many studies are industry funded, but I’m not sure that necessarily invalidates them. I used to work with scientists who did some industry funded studies. Yes, there was an incentive for them to have fudged the data to achieve the desired outcome and this is something to be aware of. However, there was also a very strong incentive for them not to have: their career would essentially be over if it was found out that this was what they were doing (in fact it would have meant not just the end of their careers, but likely the end of our whole company). Further, most of these studies are in respected peer-reviewed journals. The reputation of the journal is on the line as well. In the aspartame example, Critical Reviews in Toxicology is no fly-by-night journal.

After I got a taste of this earlier this year, I was hoping it would show up here (Thanks for the heads up). Bombers gone, but 12oz 4 packs available at $22.99 or by single bottle at $5.99. Dave said he had 13 cases of it (!) Phenomenal stuff, and I'm not really even that much of an imperial stout lover. If you liked the Founders Breakfast Stout, wait until you get a load of this...

It wasn't bad, but it certainly wasn't great. Go for lunch, which is a better deal. As I mentioned a few posts up, go to Lola.

I was going to suggest that too. Other beer places close by.

I joined mdt at both places and man were these great picks. BiRite had some of the best ice cream I've ever tasted.Liked Luce. I wasn't aware of it until I saw a poster at the restaurant, but chef Dominique Crenn is one of the chefs on the current The Next Iron Chef. Wish I would have avoided Fish & Farm.

The Founders Harvest Ale is one of the best beers I've had this year. Found at Whole Foods in Vienna ($10.99/4 pack)

Elemental @ gasworks was a pretty wild experience. I forgot to post about it. They have a menu, but apparently no one orders from it. Instead, the kitchen sends out course after course of food paired with wine (sometimes paired with multiple wines). I lost track of how many courses were served, and it must have been at least 10 different wines + a cocktail that a accompanied the food. The price was very reasonable, bordering on cheap for what it was. You won't be told anything about what you're eating or drinking, unless you ask (the idea is not to have preconceptions, but I'm not sure I liked repeatedly having to ask about the wines). It's in the first floor of a condo building on the edge of Gasworks Parks. The unlikely space makes it seem like you're at a fun dinner party at someone's house. You'll need to get there early and wait in line. The best food I've ever had? No. One of the most unique food experiences I've ever had? Yes.

"Bistro" or not, I wonder about the pricing of some of the dishes. I've had it and it's good, but for a simple dish with relatively low cost ingredients, $16 for the papri chat seems very high. I see there's also a green bean salad right now for $17. If the market there in Old Town will bear it, then good for Eve, and maybe I underestimate their costs, but I've been mainly hitting the lickety-split lunch (where the papri chat has shown up before), which remains one of the best deals around.

Spent a few days in Burlington last week. Smokejack's is closed, unfortunately. There didn't seem to be a whole lot of great options remaining. I went to American Flatbread one night. The food is not much different from the Ashburn location, but the added attraction is the beers they brew (aka Zero Gravity Brewing) There is also a good tap and bottle selection of beers from other breweries. I'd recommend A Single Pebble for lunch-- they do a $15 tasting menu that consisted of about seven or so small plates. Hen of the Wood, though, is an absolute must if you're in the area (it's in nearby Waterbury). Loved the all-Vermont cheese list. Black Sheep Bistro in Vergennes is also not too far away, and was pretty good (and very reasonably priced). Plus you can make a pit-stops at Magic Hat and Otter Creek Brewing on the way down.

This friend of mine will have three young kids in tow, so waiting in line at the Original Pancake House on a Sunday is definitely out. I'd prefer something with reservations. Any ideas?

Dogfish Head's Punkin' is usually the best of the lot for me. I find I can only handle pumpkin beers in small doses, though.

What do you mean only? That's more calories than any candy bar out there I'll give them a try, though.

"The Shadow" is drinking nicely right now. Wish I still had a couple more bottles left, but I think that was the last one.

Looks like it might become regularly available here. The Whole Foods on P Street had 7 cases of it out on the floor. On tap at Paradiso Dupont right now too. Now if we could get the Kentucky Breakfast Stout....

It wasn't like at her house or anything A few years ago she and the chef from the London Grill in Philadelphia did a dinner together there where all the dishes were from the Slow Mediterranean Kitchen. It was outstanding. I remember a monkfish and clam dish (which I keep meaning to try), a slow braised lamb shank, and lots of mediterranean dips to start. PW was very friendly.

I did read this entry, as well as a whole bunch of others including this article in the LA Times that tried to tackle the silicone mold problem (it didn't work). After probably a dozen different attempts (luckily the batter recipes are usually very quick to make) I gave up. My taste tester gave every one a thumbs down. The flavor and interior were usually fine, but the crust you get with the silicone molds tends to be unpleasantly thick and chewy. However, I did seem to be getting closer with a few tips I discovered: putting the mold on a cooling rack instead of a baking sheet (to distribute the heat to the molds better) and upping the oven temp (I think I when I ended my experimentation, I had it up to 425). Good luck! Let me know if you figure it out. I hope you do.PS- Looks like the LA Times published another recipe that's supposed to work with silicone molds.

I'd never heard of canales until a few years ago, when I was at a dinner hosted by Paula Wolfert. Canales were the dessert. I thought it was the greatest pastry I'd ever tasted. Tried to reproduce them with a silicone mold, but after many tries decided you need the real copper or aluminum molds. Too damn expensive for those though!

Picked up a cheap copy of the Magnolia Grill cookbook (love that place). Made the cheddar linzers: sandwiched crackers with pepper jelly that looks like a linzer cookie and... Pork rib chop with creamy shrimp hominy (added some chorizo) Cornmeal crepes with peaches and caramel for dessert

Someone at Art and Soul obviously cares about their beer. Current taps are an all east coast lineup that includes DuckRabbit Milk Stout, Weyerbacher Hops Infusion, Flying Dog Double Dog (only $6), and AleWerks Tavern Brown. What a contrast to the selection at DC Coast, where I happened to stop in last week.

After recent, extensive taste testing, I thought Red's Eats had the best lobster roll in New England. Only minor flaw was that it was served a little too chilled. Should have tried those clams!

Was there a couple of months ago. Was a big disappointment, unfortunately. Belga, Granville and Beck are all much better. To boot, Mannequin Pis was out of nearly every beer (and the list isn't even that long. It was comical-- "ok, could you just tell us what beers you do have?").

I take it this place is related to Bistro Bistro in Shirlington?