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pizzler

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Everything posted by pizzler

  1. So, Pizzler...it's a nickname I got in the early days I was on the Internet way before I read about its various slang meanings, some of which are quite vivid. I keep it because I still have a sense of humor. I've not had a comparable meal in the Shenandoah Valley to the one we had at eM Restaurant in Winchester though I've been trying. A very good takeout place in Front Royal is the Blue Wing Frog on Chester Street. It's primarily a caterer, but has a brick and mortar establishment where you can eat in or get the fixings for a picnic when making the winery rounds. Skrimps (spicy shrimp), Death by Pork, and Pomegranate Chicken are favorite sandwiches and entrees. Don't pass on the cookies...lemon rosemary, salty frogs, and ginger snaps are awesome. The staff is personable and more than willing to fill requests. The dining area is simple, but they do have a huge table there to satisfy both your NBA player friends and children.
  2. We had a wonderful dinner at a new place in Winchester, eM Restaurant, which is a block off the Pedestrian Mall. It's very small, under 40 seats, with a 5 stool bar area and reminds me of the chic noveau Old Town Alexandria restaurants both in style and quality. We went on a Friday evening with an early reservation and by the time we left at 7:30 it was packed. The wait staff was attentive but not intrusive. We started with drinks...my wife had a cocktail named "Sitting by the Campfire" which was a mix of Godiva liqueur and marshmellow vodka, an incredible chocolate grahamcracker dust on the rim, and finished with flaming marshmellow that was so good she had another during dinner, a rare event. I started with an Anchor Steam beer and moved to a Samuel Smith chocolate stout for the meal...two favorite brewers of mine that I was shocked they carried. Normally we'd have wine with dinner and reviewing the list, it is a small, but smart, selection of wines designed to complement the food. The menu changes daily. We started with a cheese, sprigs, and sun dried tomato flatbread that was delicious. My wife had the vegetarian eggplant cannelloni with assorted vegetables and ricotta cheese that was a taste treat. I had the Angus filet, which was a beautiful piece of meat seared to perfection with a touch of salt and spice, then covered with a delicious reduction that enhanced the flavors. We ended the meal with a maple creme brulee that was out of this world. I tasted it the entire 40 minute trip back home. Chef Will Mason has created a masterpiece in Winchester. There aren't many places in the Valley, apart from the Inn at Little Washington, I know I'm going back to. This is one of them.
  3. Don kindly suggested I share a FaceBook post about an extraordinarily generous gift an anonymous donor made to GlobalGiving that will match dollar for dollar recurring donations made before March 28th to fund education scholarships for Kenyan orphans who are infected or affected by AIDS. We are blessed in the Nation's Capitol and sharing some of that good fortune with those in greatest need is a good thing to do. Thank you all! Here's what I wrote: Many of you know that I’m now president of Nyumbani-USA, a 501©(3) non-profit that helps Kenyan orphans who are infected or affected by the HIV+ virus. It’s one of the most successful efforts to repair the devastation to Kenyan culture and families…and it’s doing it one child at a time. The children come to us frequently near death. They are nursed to health, loved, and supported so they can be reintegrated into Kenyan society, not as burdens but as contributing citizens. An anonymous donor has made an amazing gift to help these orphans get the education they need to get a job… matching your gift dollar for dollar through GlobalGiving. That means every gift you make will benefit two students. Here’s where to go for instructions on how to make a monthly contribution that receives automatic matching funds: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empowering-orphans-through-education-in-kenya/ You only have until March 28th to make twice the difference.
  4. Saint Ex it is...no wonder I couldn't find anything about it. Sorry about that... At least it didn't come out Satan Ex.
  5. A great thread about an issue that I've long wondered about in this area. I'm used to California where BYOB is SOP.
  6. I love thoughtful pairings of food and wine where you discover something new about each and the whole is tastier than the sum of the parts. But try finding that synchronicity at a DC restaurant...it's rare. Cork and the Inn at Little Washington have been the most successful at it so far, but there are plenty of possibilites to explore. Lately I've been focusing on sparkling wine which is an easy accompaniment to most meals but is a challenging enhancer of them. Kudos to Diane Gross at Cork for her encyclopedic passion for Champagne and her ability to marry it to Ron Tanaka's food. In the interest of full disclosure, I am a part owner of Cork or maybe I should say, a lucky part owner of Cork. I know nothing about restaurant management and only invested on a belief that Diane and Khalid knew what they were doing. And did they ever. So while I'm biased, there is plenty of independent confirmation that the bias is well founded. I know Don through tennis, not food or wine. He roundly beats me in singles, but I suspect I'd give him fits in doubles. Once I discovered he was "the" Don Rockwell we got into discussions on wine, then food. He knows his stuff. This will be great fun!
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