sparkycom

One more round of baking, one more batch of rosemary simple syrup (for rosemary fizzes) and we're there! I will be bringing my daughter and her pal. (Sparkycom +2)

Not to complicate things, but maybe terroir ranks up there with umami? And pornography? As in, ya know it when ya see (taste) it.

I'm in--I will bring gougeres (pate-a-chou cheesy yum-yum things) and some potent potables of some sort. I know I missed it somewhere, so please remind me of the picnic site at Ft. Hunt Park. Thanks folks!

As a student at L'Academie, the most intimidating person I cook for is the great (and I mean that) Chef Gerard Pangaud. 'Nuff said.

Just a note on the Eastern Market website--I've talked to a number of vendors who say that the Market Manager (hired in 99 or so) was on vacation in Las Vegas when the fire happened and, again according to these inside and outside vendors, has still not returned. Perhaps this explains why the website has not been updated.

Just got back from the meeting on Eastern Market. There were 350+ in attendance to discuss and weigh in on the proposed temporary structure for the South Hall market vendors to maintain their businesses and community presence while Eastern Market is being rebuilt. Judging from the comments from audience members and the amount of applause, most of the folks in attendance were in favor of the structure being built on the Hine Jr. High school lot across from the market. This structure would be a 245'-long steel-framed building (my husband describes it as being similar to an airplane hangar) that, to quote the proposal, "would have a ventilated shed roof, be air-conditioned for the extremes of weather and feature Cluss-inspired doorways and building features." Other points raised included support for closing 7th St SE between C and North Carolina on weekends to accommodate weekend vendors who might be displaced with the temporary structure. Those in attendance were encouraged to answer questions on these topics and submit concerns and ideas. I did speak to Sr. Canales afterwards and he did express some disappointment with the 6-week timetable to have another community meeting. He wants to get back into business as soon as possible and is hopeful that there won't be a lot of foot-dragging. (I thought Mayor Fenty mentioned a timetable for the completion of the structure, but I can't remember what it was.) Finally, there was significant political turnout--it was moderated by City Administrator Dan Tangherlini (Cap Hill resident), and Mayor Fenty and Councilmembers Tommy Wells, Phil Mendelsohn and David Catania were there as well. Representatives from DDOT, DCRA, and OPM were also very visible. In all I felt it was a good meeting and I was blown away by the turnout, not only from the officials but the community and the market vendors (both inside and outside vendors) as well. Way to go Eastern Market supporters, let's continue to work to bring our market back.

Please note, the Eastern Market meeting on Monday at Hine Jr. High has been moved to 7:30. (Banco, great seeing you and family at the market today!)

I believe it was Dan Tangherlini. He is also behind the plan to allow artists to paint murals over the broken windows. In addition to his position with the Fenty administration, he is a Capitol Hill resident, and I believe he understands the valuable role that Eastern Market has in our community. Edited to add: It was DCFD. Brilliant idea.

There will be a community meeting on Monday, 6pm at Hine Jr. High. http://urbanplacesandspaces.blogspot.com/2...ting-short.html I will be there--PM me if you can attend.

I have done this recipe many times and have gotten rave reviews. FWIW, I get my rabbits from Capitol Poultry at Eastern Market.

Thanks folks, I knew you would come through! I wound up doing a tortilla soup from epicurious (darned tasty, if I do say so myself) and sent that over with mixed greens and bread. (They loved it!) This weekend I'm going to attempt the stuffed shells and the veggie curry stew that sounds so yummy. Might even attempt the spaghetti squash casserole. I will report back, sorry for the delay. And thanks again for the wonderful suggestions!

Folks, I need to get your recipes for tried-and-true tasty vegetarian dishes. My new neighbors just had a baby and I want to whip a few things up for them. They are not strict, and would probably be ok with chicken-broth-based or fish-broth-based dishes. (Does that make sense?) I'm going to do a roasted zucchini dish and was thinking about stuffed shells but I'd love for y'all to weigh in. Thanks in advance for your help!

Hope this isn't steering this too far off, but I have a question about vacuum-sealing. I recently got a foodsaver and the inserts caution not to vacuum-seal fresh mushrooms. Neither the inserts or their website say why you shouldn't. I did some quick research and found one site (www.shiitakes.com) that says, "The FDA does not permit vacuum packing of fresh mushrooms in America because it creates an anaerobic environment which is favorable to the growth of toxic micro-organisms such as Clostridium botulinum which causes botulism." Oooo-kay, that makes some sense and my question is this: wouldn't that logic also apply to other fresh items such green onions, leafy greens, and herbs? For the record I do take "risks" with eating including devouring runny eggs, pork cooked medium, beef cooked as rare as possible, all types of sushi and sashimi, raw oysters, etc., etc. I'm wondering if the warning to not vacuum-seal mushrooms falls into the same risk-reward area as my above-mentioned taste-treats? FWIW, prior to cooking, I clean my mushrooms with a damp cloth. For the particularly dirty ones, I do a dunk-n'swish in a few tablespoons of sherry or white wine, depending on how they will be prepared. TIA for your help!

I get my star anise (and other goodies) at Da Hua (I think that's the name) in DC Chinatown. It's on H St. between 6th & 7th as I recall....

We’re back! This post will be a test of my (sadly lacking) tech skills both in photo-taking and photo-posting, so bear with me. Also, jet-lag is a harsh mistress, so bear with me on the writing as well. I did not get to Petrus or Va Bene because we simply ran out of time exploring all of the options. I am happy to report we did partake of a lot of local cuisine in both HK & Beijing and came away very satisfied. In HK, we stayed in Mong Kok, which was not as touristy as other parts of Tsim Sha Tsui or HK Island, so we had lots of great local venues. All of the noodle houses serving Cantonese in our neighborhood were fantastic. Big, simmering pots of yummy meats in tasty stock would call our names on every block. And the street food! If you are traveling to HK or Beijing, in the words of Oprah, “don’t be scared”, otherwise you will miss out on some delectable (and cheap!) goodies. Moist chunks of lamb, beef, chicken or pork on skewers dunked into vats of hot oil and seared to perfection, oh my. The highlight in HK was my brother and sis-in-law’s wedding banquet at the Pacific Club. A parade of raw oysters, lamb lollipops, and roast suckling pig were just part of what I would call the best buffet ever. I unfortunately do not have any pictures of the food because I did not want to embarrass my brother. (My husband and I had already done a fine job of that with our karioke rendition of "Blue Christmas”. We were so bad, they gave us a do-over.) In Beijing we stayed on Wangfujing Street, which is home to (what I hope will become famous) Wangfujing Snack Street. Here are some of the delicacies that we did not partake of. I was sorely tempted, but I wasn’t sure I could handle the creamy goodness of the grasshoppers or the cicadas. My 10-yr. old daughter and I debated the crunchy texture of the scorpions and sea horses and camethisclose to trying them out. Instead we chose some yummy skewers of pork and lamb as well as dumplings and noodles to chase away the chill of Beijing. My personal favorite was a restaurant In Beijing called Yuelu Shanwu in the Dongcheng neighborhood. We had beef that was coated in fresh cilantro and a prawn dish combined with red and white chiles. (Please note that both dishes had been partially consumed by my husband and daughter before I could get the camera ready.) Another highlight was the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant off of Wangfujing Street. IMHO, duck fat rules. (In modest quantities, of course.) And finally, a photo of this restaurant on HK Island. Perhaps this will be the start of a new contest for traveling Rockwellians. If you are traveling to HK or Beijing anytime soon, I would be happy to share more to help you in your travels. PM me anytime.

Thanks Lola! I so appreciate your suggestions, and will report back. As far as authenic HK-cuisine is concened, I plan on being adventurous. (I''m no Anthony Bourdain, but I'll go as far as I can!) Again, many thanks!

I will do the same around 5. Here's hopin'!

Hi Folks, Anyone here have recommendations for restaurants in Hong Kong and/or Beijing? I'm doing my homework by looking at the numerous travel forum sites for tips, but I'd much rather get the advice that only Rockwellians can supply. We will be in Hong Kong Dec. 26th-Jan. 1, then Jan. 1-6 in Beijing. (Brrrr....) Many thanks! Sparkycom (aka Snarky Bomb)