porcupine

Two people can stuff themselves silly and leave a generous tip for a grand total of twenty bucks at A&J in Rockville.

I like the Parm thing to, but Mr. P hates it. Sometimes I top with breadcrumbs. Sometimes I top that with thinly sliced tomato. I will try the Wisc cheddar - thanks!

Basic White Cupcakes (origin unknown): 1 2/3 c sugar 3/4 c butter 1 1/8 c milk (whole) 1 t vanilla 5 egg whites 2 1/2 c sifted cake flour 1 t salt 4 1/2 t baking powder Sift dry ingredients together. Beat four egg whites to very soft peak stage. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in the other egg white and vanilla. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk (1/3 dry, 1/2 milk, 1/3dry, 1/2 milk, 1/3 dry). Fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon into paper/foil cupcake cups and bake at 375 for about 15 minutes. Note: these will come out very dry if you overbeat the egg whites. The original recipe called for beating all 5 whites, but I found that the mixing is easier (and therefore less prone to overmixing) if you mix in one unbeaten white as described above. Basic Cream Cheese Icing: 6 oz cream cheese 6 oz butter most of a box of confectioner's sugar about 1 t vanilla Beat together until smooth.

FWIW, my basic mac and cheese formula: for one pound pasta, make a white sauce with 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, and 3 cups milk; add 12 oz grated cheese; season as you like. With cheddar cheese I'll use paprika and a bit of Worcestershire sauce. I use varying cheeses depending on mood. The other night I followed this formula using a mix of fontina, gruyere, and parmesan, with some heavy cream in place of the milk (it was Clean Out The Fridge night), and seasoned only with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. The result was very alfredo-like.

Not at home it isn't. This whole thing still mystifies me. Is a small commercial bakery that much diferent from a home kitchen?

We were there for three, and the pacing was very relaxed. I would hesitate to say that they could do it faster, as I have no inside knowledge, but from a customer point of view I'd hope that they could. Couldn't hurt to ask, right?

Well said. Can't someone please put this thread out of it's misery? And yet, like a train wreck, I can't help but watch...

After a two-year absence, I wouldn't know. But: the walls are sponged yellow. The ceiling is recessed, with indirect lighting; a fan light is in the front alcove; other lighting is from votives on the tables and candle sconces; the floor is bare wood; the tables are dark wood, and only a few have tablecloths; the chairs are dark wood with white seats; there is a service table near the front and a cupboard along one wall. I believe there are fewer tables than before. And that's about it. I think it's gorgeous. I'm sure many will find it plain. But there sure ain't much to distract you from the food!

Komi has emerged from its recent renovation as one of the stars of the DC dining scene. (Though it probably was before, too.) Last night we had the fixed price tasting menu. This included mezze, one pasta (from a choice of four), one meat or fish main course (from a choice of four), and one dessert (from a choice of three). Sound a little skimpy? Check it out what we were served over a three hour period: house-cured green olives sea urchin with Meyer lemon (and, um, something else) warm dates with mascarpone, sea salt, and olive oil warm fresh mozzarella with toasted breadcrumbs and house-cured anchovy crostini with: tzatziki; prosciutto and kumquat; deviled egg and black truffle cauliflower panna cotta with quail egg, blood orange, Parmesan (and, um, something else) fried four-cheese balls with cipollini onions house made crackers: asiago; paprika; sesame For pasta Mr. P had ricotta ravioli with mushrooms and black truffles. I had pappardelle with milk-braised baby goat. For mains he had white tuna with, um, something really tasty (like orzo maybe?) and I had grilled lamb with lentils and rutabaga. Then there was the cheese. Sorry I didn't get the names, but one was a pecorino that crumbled off the fork yet was creamy in the mouth; another was a very soft and highly pungent cow-goat cheese; the third was possibly the sharpest blue I've ever tasted. These were served with a toasted slice of fig and pinenut bread (which I think it had anise in it). And dessert: his was donuts with chocolate mascarpone pudding. Mine was Meyer lemon gelato with fennel-lemon shortbread. (If you read the Shopping and Cooking forum you know how nuts I am for Meyer lemon. Joy!) The coffee took a while because they were still brewing it. For that matter, so did his iced tea! Anna explained "we now brew iced tea to order". I love that. And finally, lollipops, which we stupidly left on the table. We were too dazed to remember to take them along. I keep trying to describe these dishes for your benefit, and I just can't. The mezze tasted like the epitome of each ingredient, because they're so simple. Yet they're so good! The sea urchin was like a spoonful of ocean. I've never liked anchovy until last night. The papparedelle were supple, the goat rich and almost sweet. Everything was... perfect. I never use the word "perfect". But there wasn't one thing to quibble over. The flavors, presentation, contrasting textures... all sublime, eye-opening, jaw-dropping perfection. I'm in awe. I last dined at Komi two years ago, and remember thinking that the chef had promise. Promise fulfilled! This was a stunning experience. And not just the food. The interior is beautiful in a Spartan sort of way (if I were a designer that would be my style; I love simple). The staff were friendly and gracious with just a touch of (appropriate) formality. Anna chose a wonderful Sicilian red to accompany my lamb. In every way last night's dinner was every bit as good as my recent meals at Citronelle and Maestro. And how much did this extravaganza cost? $58 per person. Given the quality (and even quantity), this has to be the best bang for the buck around. My thanks to Anna and her crew and Chef Monis for a dinner I'll never forget.

Excellent idea.

Thanks for the analysis. I only left the gingersnaps out because I ate one while preparing the sauce, and they were the worst gingersnaps ever. Eeeee-yuck. I didn't want to ruin the sauce with them. But I should've added some of the spices - good thinking. I think the sweet-sour balance was just fine, anyway - it was that darn elusive depth-of-flavor thing again. The dish tasted fine - it just didn't taste... enough. Needed umami. It was like the beefyness had been leached out of the meat. On a side note, I'm almost as nuts about ginger as I am about Meyer lemon. Think I'll go eat a few ginger candies whilst brewing a cup o' ginger tea.

The pulled pork is definitely best when UBBQ first opens, and eaten on the premises. But the attraction is the soul rolls with redneck fondue. Sublime junk food. As for the beans...? yuck. But that's just my opinion. You know there's a Rocklands opening up nearby?

boneless beef chuck roast.

If anyone else has tried the sauerbraten recipe in the new Gourmet cookbook, I'd love to hear your opinion of it. I made it without juniper berries and without the gingersnaps in the sauce at the end. But I found the meat surprisingly one-dimensional for something that had been soaking in red wine and vinegar for two and a half days before braising. Perhaps it needed a fuller bodied wine. Also, though the recipe states that the roast can marinate up to four days, mine was on the brink of being mushy. I'd hate to think what four days would do to it. For that matter, can anyone point me to a really fabulous sauerbraten? Best part of the meal was the (homemade) spaetzle.

Underwood deviled ham.

thanks, but as I work in West Virginia, well...

bing! Thanks for the tip. Every Penzey's jar I've ever seen has been huge and that's why I never tried them - just had it in mind that they sold in large quantity only - glad to know I'm wrong. Thanks!

This Giant is huge , as has a very large selection of "international" and "gourmet" items - especially Indian things (like packaged rasmalai mix). <sigh> Didn't have time to hit TSFKASPG (aka Balducci's), and won't until Friday am. The meat goes in the pot Fri afternoon. D'ya think throwing them in for the last few hours would be worth it?

Just need to vent a little as I can not find juniper berries anywhere. On another thread someone advised me to try WF and Giant. Nope. I especially hate the Giant in the Traville shopping center. Every time I ask if they have a certain food they look at me like I was from Mars or something. Last time it was Key lime juice (bottled). Other Giants have it. But three people at this store had no idea what I was talking about. They kept sending me to the beverages aisle. Same with juniper. "what? I never heard of that!" Motherfucker I did not ask whether you ever heard of it, I just want you to check the inventory on your computer and tell me if you stock it, and if so where. Sorry. I feel much better now. That place pisses me off. I am never shopping there again.

And the winner is... Al Dente!

perhaps I will see you there.

Chef Donna is a natural showman. You're gonna have a blast.

from mktye's link: " It's this alkaline treatment that makes grits different from polenta."

(hip-hip, hooray!)3

I'd like to know that, too, 'cause I sure don't buy what Alton Brown sold in that one episode - that they're exactly the same. They ain't. They have to be different kinds of corn, processed differently. Otherwise what accounts for coarse and white vs fine and yellow?