LauraB

High-end restaurants use it for making silky smooth pureed soups

I've been making a lot of pureed soups lately and my Cuisinart processor and Kitchen-Aid blender are just not getting the job done in creating a 'silky smooth' puree. Will the Vita-Mix solve this problem?

Maple and herb-brined pork roast

Danish-style red cabbage

Roasted red-skinned potatoes

A life's education is learning and surviving within a new culture; not reading about it on a screen.

As someone who has lived and worked in a foreign country, I couldn't agree more.

foodtrip and others - where are you getting kabocha this year? I was seeing them in abundance last year and none this year. Thanks!

I have been finding Kabocha at my local Safeway, believe it or not. My WF never has it.

Roasted kabocha, butternut squash, and parsnips with maple syrup glaze with garlic and rosemary and finely chopped Marcona almonds as a topping

Sauteed kale and garlic

Red Lentil Soup

Lentils cooked with water, butter and turmeric, then pureed; juice of 3 limes added

Onions sauteed in butter with cumin and mustard seeds, cilantro added at end, then added to soup

Soup served over cooked brown rice and spinach sauteed in a little butter

Nice lunch for this dreary day.

I put a Persimmon Cake in the oven a few minutes ago. My sense of triumph was completely shattered, however, when I turned around, after closing the oven door, and realized that I had completely forgotten to add the nuts and currants. That's going to be one boring cake. Those persimmons were so beautiful too....

Baked spaghetti squash with oyster mushroom and pearl onion ragout

Sauteed red kale with garlic

Another drink to the memory of Elizabeth Edwards. I had the good fortune of meeting her when she came to WAMU last spring. She left a very strong impression as a truly sincere and compassionate person. She seemed genuinely grateful for our conversation. I am very saddened by this unexpected news.

Vegetable Curry:

Vegetables: broccoli, mushrooms, onions, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, fennel bulb

Spices: toasted yellow mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, turmeric, cayenne, fresh cilantro, fresh ginger

Additional: Coconut milk

Served over basmati brown rice

I'm confused about the new configuration. Is the new space going to have the same menu as the Cafe, or will it have a separate menu? Meaning, separate from both the Cafe and the Dining Room.

That sounds really good and perfect for the weather. I should make more stews.

Stews and soups are my favorite way to cook in the fall and winter. And, according to Chinese medicine, the most beneficial way for us to consume our nutrients. This particular recipe came from Epicurious. I've made it many times in the last few years -- it's colorful, tasty and nutritious!

Dinner tonight: Leftovers from last night's stew. Still good!

Butternut squash and carrot stew with Moroccan spices

Served over Quinoa

We had Thanksgiving dinner at the Ashby Inn in Paris, VA. Wow! First visit and it definitely won't be our last. Tarver King has created a truly special dining experience out there. You don't expect stellar food on a holiday, and yet the food was stellar and the wine pairings were heavenly, thanks to Neal Wavra, GM and Sommelier. The ambiance of the Inn's dining rooms was absolutely perfect for this holiday and the service was excellent. We're already thinking about booking for next year!

Pork tenderloin brined, then rubbed with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, salt, seared, then roasted, drizzled with maple syrup

Roasted vegetables (carrots, butternut squash, cauliflower), drizzled with maple syrup

Sauteed red chard with garlic

We were in Arlington today and stopped into the Westover Market to see what Bruce had on offer at the Butcher Shop. A big thank you to Cody for all of his help. Among other items, we purchased some ground beef from Roseda Farms. Tomorrow I plan to use half of it to make hamburgers. I haven't made hamburgers at home in at least 20 years! So, obviously, I'm out of the loop when it comes to sourcing the best hamburger buns. (In the old days I'd use English muffins for buns.) I'd love your ideas about the best buns and where to buy them. Thanks!

I could just steam them and bring them, but I am looking for something a little more creative.

Any ideas?

This is always a winner: Green Beans with Roasted Onions. It's one of my most requested recipes. I should note that I do make a few modifications to the basic recipe: I use balsamic vinegar in place of the red wine vinegar. I melt the butter and toss it with the onions before roasting them and roast at no more than 375 degrees, otherwise, the onions are likely to burn. I also make sure to toss the onions and sauce thoroughly with the green beans so that all beans are covered.

Had dinner at Palena this evening and what an experience it was! When we arrived at the door we were greeted by 3 Secret Service agents who checked our bags and wanded us. They explained that a 'dignitary' was dining inside. I'm thinking, maybe a cabinet secretary. (Ho hum). Spent about 20 minutes at the bar before our table was ready (we arrived early). Enjoyed an excellent gin martini. As we were being escorted to our table in the dining room I noticed Secret Service agents at the back of the room. After we were seated, I looked up and right in front of me I saw... Michelle Obama. Yes, the First Lady was dining not 12 feet from our table. She was with two other women who I did not recognize. Glad to know that the President and First Lady are still getting good advice about where to dine out in DC! Let's see, the President is in Portugal at the NATO meeting...yeah, I think the First Lady had the better dinner tonight!

Oh, the food? You want to know about the food? I didn't take notes and I wasn't focused on writing a review, so I can only repeat what everyone else has written -- the food was exceptionally good. We all had the Autumn Consomme and the Chestnut Soup --both were divine. (See others' posts above for details about these dishes.) I was less enchanted with my entree which was rockfish and shrimp -- shrimp was excellent, rockfish was tasteless. Desserts were all uniformly excellent. We all agreed this was one of the finest meals we've had in quite some time.

With the colder weather here I've been thinking about soups lately. Does anyone have any good cookbook recommendations? I've been using Lidia Bastianich recipes but feel that I need to expand my horizons. Simple and easy to find ingredients would be preferred but I don't mind if it's a little time consuming.

Lately I've been especially fond of A Beautiful Bowl of Soup by Paulette Mitchell. I should mention that it is vegetarian recipes only, but the recipes are so delicious I don't miss the meat. The book includes an abundance of beautiful color photos. It's a gorgeous book. Some of my recent favorites are: Greek Spinach and Orzo Soup, Mediterranean Saffron Stew, Acorn Squash and Fava Bean Stew, and Moroccan Red Lentil-Bean Stew -- to give you an idea of the kinds of dishes you'll find.

Brined, grilled pork tenderloin with dry herb rub (ground thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, bay leaves, salt)

Steamed broccoli

Sauteed kale with garlic

Last night:

Grilled lamb loin chops from Wagon Wheel Farm in Howard County, MD

Grilled red peppers and portabello mushrooms

Sauteed red kale with garlic

So... I have been trying to be more and more conscious/conscientious about my fish buying and eating. The problem is that I really like canned tuna for things like quick lunches or packed in olive oil for different uses. I have been looking and it seems like American Tuna sold at MOM and WF is the only brand I can find that uses line and pole methods through a quick google search, anyone know any others?

I recently purchased the Wild Planet brand Albacore Tuna at Whole Foods. According to the label and their website, it is pole/troll hand line caught; claims lower levels of mercury than other kinds, and the can is BPA-free. More info on their website. Just opened the first can yesterday and was pleased with the taste and quality. I don't recall what the price was.

Chicken breasts in spiced chipotle honey sauce, roasted

Sweet potatoes roasted along with the chicken breasts

Kale sauteed with garlic

I've been cooking a lot of Indian food lately (can't get enough after having great Indian food in London last year), and figure there must be an Indian market somewhere in DC where I can get spices, rice, lentils, and other staples. Hard to find things like fenugreek and other seasonings in quantities in specialty grocery stores. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I get my Indian food ingredients at Patel Brothers in Rockville (15110 Rockville Pike, in the shopping center where Magruders is.) They have a couple of other locations in the area in Hyattsville and Fairfax.

Second Prime Rib. I would also add:

1789 in Georgetown. Setting is very traditional and noise level is low. Haven't been there for Christmas Eve, but did have Thanksgiving there last year and it was really lovely.