KMango

I've never been to Sweet Rice, but have had green peppercorns at other Thai locales. Mmmmm. Spicy.

Freshly brewed Art of Tea, Classic Black, over ice with lemon & a touch of honey. Toasting to the awesome Samaritan who helped my 83 year old neighbor recover her lost purse today. He found it on the side of Braddock Road, sometime after it had flown off the roof of her car, where she had absentmindedly left it. The minute he discovered the satchel, he checked the driver's license for the address, and drove all the way to our neighborhood to return it. She was despondent, knowing precisely what had happened, and was in the middle of placing a hold on her credit cards when he drove up. Cheers to you, good man.

Another emphatic thumbs up for the KitchenAid food grinder attachment. We break it out all the time, including yesterday, when we ground beef to make grilled hamburgers for an appreciative crowd. I noticed you mentioned baby food, and if you don't already have a food mill, the KitchenAid fruit/vegetable strainer is another nice option to supplement the grinder attachment.

Not exactly the same thing, but I keep intending to try the lox protocols described on this site; their tip is to incorporate the fresh dill at the end of the processing as part of vacuum sealing. Maybe take out the dill for smoking, but put more fresh dill back in at the end?

We are regulars at Annandale H-Mart, and find it well-organized with fresh selections. Aisles and shelves are consistently front-and-faced, someone is really keeping an eye out for order. (parking is a pain) (but once inside) (ahhhhhhhhhhh)

And another option for the Maryland side of the Potomac... Have lunch at Monocacy Crossing, coupled with hiking at either Sugarloaf or the easy/breezy tow path; the quiet entrance via the Monocacy Acqueduct. You could even plan the route to go a bit out of your way to have a just-for-fun journey across the White's Ferry. (objects in post) (may be farther) (than they appear)

Today's Photo Op: "60% Less Sodium Than Salt" (from bj's in alexandria) (in the meat section galley) (aka msg)

Smiling at the adorable gift my husband made for me last night. I woke up to a house that smells like a cinnamon-scented honey farm, and individually vacuum-packed sweet peanut bundles in the kitchen. *grin*

Fail Drop Soup. (what happens when) (you forget to) (temper the egg)

High five for the honey discovery! (And a bonus slap for assonance.) Speaking of vinegar, have you made your own vinaigrette yet? Apple cider vinegar, a dollop of dijon mustard, a touch of honey, plus other seasonings such as an interesting salt, freshly ground pepper, fresh or dried dill, orange zest, whatever you have on hand; ideas above are an excellent base. Don't forget that's not just for salad, the same ideas will propel the flavor of your marinades. Pork kabobs with pineapple and a honey-based glaze would be a crowd-pleasing opportunity. Then, with the residual heat, grill some bananas, finish off on the stove with a honey-based syrup, neglect not your vanilla pods. A minted honey syrup would add a fresh sweetness to your tea or julep-esque beverages this summer. And...I can't help it..... Honey butter wants to bee your very best friend.

Respectful of all comments above, I see the benefits of honoring tradition. I am also a huge fan of innovation and experimenting with different methods. Consider the possibility that for 2012, for one of the two picnics, it's a bigger and splashier event. If it goes well, fantastic. If there are negative consequences, either planned or unplanned, those can inform the decision for the 2013 picnics. Is there a worry that such an experiment would forever taint the future of DR? Or is it more of a sense of an opportunity lost via a temporary reduction of intimacy and connection during this one event? For instance, long-term members having to weed through the masses to find their friends; newer members not being able to quickly identify other members; less diversity of exceptional homemade goods because home chefs put forth less effort (perceptions of feeding strangers rather than friends), etc. That first question is probably less of a solvable challenge; a show-stopper. For this second question, wise choices of event logistics could probably address.

Ah, so I'm becoming a bit of a local here lately... A few recent shout outs: The menu staple BCA (bacon/crab/artichoke) dip arrives with both freshly fried pita-esque chips and fresh pita wedges. It's rich, and more than enough for two or three to start a meal. Although I did not notice, nor miss, the bacon this past time...perhaps it is a lighter edition for summer? Or maybe the B stands for baked, and I'm on auto-pork belly mode for some reason. Find an excuse, any excuse (pizza crusts!), to request a side of the house made ranch dressing. Yes, it's just ranch, but the garlic and depth are a revelation. If offered the "Cheesecake Tart", order it, and sharpen your fork tines to prepare for a table-wide fight to the finish! Pillowy light, topped with feather-touch sponge cake, dotted with cranberries, dark berries, sliced strawberries, and a whisper hint of powdered sugar. Outstanding.

A quick shout out to the cuisine at Layalina. A solid A for food, B minus for (over) service during a recent visit. The greeting, as always, was warm and welcoming. But we experienced far too many interruptions, from several different people, who inquired about plate clearing when we were trying to have a focused conversation in the uncrowded restaurant. A few highlights: The evening's special of lamb-stuffed eggplant delivered comforting heartiness, yet light enough for a summer meal. Stems still appearing on each of the two baked eggplant ovals were an impressive and appealing display. From the mezza menu, the green beans demonstrated ideal texture, delicious and satisfying. Also from the vegetable mezza, the shredded beets mixed with tahini, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts were the evening's favorite choice. Current headlines should preclude me from drawing too many comparisons to cалат из красной свеклы, but this pink splash of a dish is worth regular rotation on anyone's culinary radar screen. The house white wine, a Lebanese variety, stood up nicely to these flavors, a refreshing and a pleasant change of pace. (i'm totally posing) (that's not russian) (it's google translate)

Mebbe it's placebo effect*... But right after a bite, I grab a freshly cut onion and rub the spot. Itching afterwards, even days later, is nearly non-existent. (*and even if so) (ignorance is bliss) (i want to be happy)

A curious combination of potatoes, carrots, and shallot, for what could soon become pan-fry-and-and-it's-ready-for-breakfast potato patties, kinda like these. Still not entirely sure where this is going. (so many roads) (to the town of) (deliciousness)

Making lemon meringue cookies, a modified version of America's Test Kitchen Classic Meringue. 10 min start-to-oven. Gawds bless you, stand-up mixer. (and to port city) (afternoon tasting) (as inspiration)

Indian -n- Italian con-Fusion Gluten-free gnocchi (gawds that was easy, light, and fluffy, thanks KitchenAid mixer) Seared sea scallops Broccoli Chick peas Korma-esque sauce w/coconut milk

Agreed! Someone should conduct a time lapse photography project of the masses, often dressed in matching t-shirts, swarming the food court each day. Especially during summer months.

Ahhh yes...welcome to Tracks on this fine Thursday night. Please remember to tip your bartenders as generously as possible... And watch out for that flying volleyball. *bam* (outdoor dance floor which i refused to leave) (+ adjacent volleyball which i refused to avoid) (= many nights with sand in my combat boots)

Upon request, Meaza on Columbia Pike will serve "brown bread", a mostly-teff variety. Even an all-teff bread will have traces of wheat flour from within-restaurant contamination. It should help significantly, though, if you are mostly, but not completely, avoiding gluten. P.S. Yum.

Some Assembly is Required: A casual, al fresco, lettuce-wrap meal Green leaf lettuce from the garden Grilled, sliced, marinated flank steak Grilled corn, cut off the cob Shredded carrot Sliced water chestnuts with coconut milk Spicy peanut sauce from homemade peanut butter, coconut milk, lime, Thai chilis Shirakiku Hitomebore rice steamed in chicken stock Vanilla Mint Lemonade; spiked with Captain Morgan's silver, with spearmint from the garden and pod-steeped simple syrup, may be my new summer beverage

Thanks again for the stellar rice find! By "sushi-style", I meant we rinsed it until the water went completely clear, a long process. Is that what the Japanese do with every meal? I always rinse my rice, too, just not that long every time.

A happy, high-five birthday to Kibbee Nayee, and to feverlax! May the lamb and dried sumac be with you.

Just last night, we picked up a bag of Shirakiku Hitomebore the H Mart in Annandale. House guests were fascinated, both by the market experience (GORGEOUS seafood) and by the rice. We tore into the bag immediately upon returning home. We rinsed it sushi-rice style, and enjoyed the clean, pure flavor, with ideal texture. So flavorful by itself, we added only water to the fuzzy logic cooker. Another "never would have found it" treasured find from the DR crew. Thanks, Xochitl10.

"Color me impressed, and a bit worried." ---observer of Pisa construction culminating in 1319 The Curious Grape's new location is a jaw-dropper. What used to be a crowded, cramped store has transformed into an airy, flowing, vibrant venue as a result of moving down the block. Their new location is a trick to find in the Village at Shirlington. The best way I can describe it for newcomers is what I posted in this thread: pretend you are walking out of the Carlyle, turn right, and look up and to your right. The storefront is just inside the door, followed by the restaurant and bar, and a special event room opens up into the back. The modern contrast of the new space compared to the old will impress you. Like me, you'll also wonder "how can they afford it?" I've talked with several restaurant owners in Shirlington, and rent is *expensive*. The large footprint of this space compared to the previous locale, and the growing selection of highly specialized retail inventory had me doing mental math and coming up wondrous. I did not see much retail foot traffic during our visit, and with Cheesetique’s covetable selections just down the street on the main walkway of Shirlington, I will be keeping an interested eye on the business model of this admirably ambitious undertaking. Enough with the building business babble, and on to the food...the menu design is another impressive point. Each dish has a recommended wine pairing, a common practice in countless restaurants. But Curious Grape's menu design goes well above and beyond the ordinary match--a smart layout culminates in recommending a range of wine selections, not just "the perfect pairing". The diner, in effect, attends a Wine 101 course by way of browsing the menu and pairing half pours with small plates. This encourages novices to knowledge-building adventure by ordering a series of dollar-safe, palate-wise experiments. This layout is especially clever in that an expert will not get bogged down in pairing recommendations, and can instead quickly find their intended selection. Kudos to the mastermind who designed a menu that resonates deeply with the venue’s name and culinary mission. The menu features seasonal ingredients, highlighting a produce list of “what’s growing right now”. Once again, another educational opportunity, this time for those not yet in touch with the ebb and flow of the region’s growing seasons. We ordered the chorizo mini-empanadas and a micro-green and beet salad. High quality ingredients in both, served quickly and with a smile. We chose dessert from the retail dessert case, a mascarpone and strawberry tart. Our visit was about ten days ago, so I cannot recall price specifics, except I thought the menu would probably bump up a few dollars in a few areas once the venue establishes their early, positive reputation. And by the looks of it, they will. The restaurant has been hopping the other times I have walked by in the past week or two. I’ll bring an out of town guest in for another shop-and-sip experience sometime soon and report our findings.