Cathal Armstrong

Too bad!!

Is it Todd??

Please join me in wishing two long time posters "Tripewriter" and "Walrus" congratulations and best wishes on the impending wedding date this coming Saturday November 11th in Santa Fe New Mexico.

Good luck, love each other.

Cathal

For what it's worth, at least some of the merch (what the original post was referring to) is definitely British...they have cadbury flake bars, which are British. I didn't study the rest of the offerings, but decent odds British stuff is at least a substantial portion, if not all.

Does British candy get angry if you call it Irish?

For what it's worth Cadbury has factories in the US and England and Ireland among others. Their best chocolate is made in Ireland and no, british candy does not get angry when it is called irish because they were not occupied by the irish for 600 years. You asked....

Was in for lunch last week - while I definitely enjoyed it, I think I prefer a batter on the cod that's a little less thick & bready... I'm sure I'll be back to try again though. Loved the atmosphere, loved the frites, and the best part for me : The fried banana - If you like bananas, this is a must!

p.s. the selection of British chocolates and sodas is great! Especially love the crunchie bars... wonder if they'd deep fry one of them for me...

Ahem.....Irish, not British.

Petition your congressman to stop supporting farm subsidies to industrial farmers. You already pay for industrial commodities with your tax dollars. $19 billion per year to corn farmers. Get up and make your voices heard.

I haven't finished the book, but so far I'm reading facts, and not preaching. So far he hasn't told me, the reader, what I should be doing. I'm making my own informed decisions.

I agree that most people are concerned with taste, and are "addicted to" the taste of corn-fed beef, pork, and chicken. I think folks are more concerned with price, and that is where our true addiction is, culturally, in terms of food.

I appreciate that many people cannot afford to source their food from local sustainable organic farms. That's part of Pollan's point--the cheap corn has produced cheap food to which we as a culture are now addicted. Is he really postulating that everyone in the country must turn to local, sustainably farmed, humanely raised food sources?

I may not be able to derive all of my food from local organic sustainable sources, but at least I can get some or most of it that way.

I'd think the free-range chicken from Bresse might be a day or two older than the one from Loudoin County, and yes, you might taste a difference. But then again, maybe not.

The information I've gotten so far does speak directly to the foie gras issue. Corn-fed beef cattle in feed lots are not really different from the ducks fed corn to fatten their livers. Corn is not a natural food for cattle or ducks. It produces artifically excessive fat content in the animal. Corn-fed cattle would not survive much beyond the age at which they are slaughtered--that's how unhealthy the corn-based diet is for them. Keeping in mind that the ducks are not literally force-fed, but are trained through positive reinforcement to accept the gavage, there is little difference between their lives and those of feed-lot cattle (or hogs).

I understand very much the cost of buying locally. A chicken in the supermarket costs 79c per pound, a free range chicken from Polyface Farm costs $2.20 per pound, but what is the future of our planet worth? I look at it this way: we are at zero, every plus one is plus one. We must make an effort, if foodservice professionals and food lovers don't try the food chain is doomed. Not only fast food but restaurant chains that thrive off cheap food like Cheesecake Factory will be the future of fine cuisine.

The questions I ask myself when I buy for the restaurant are: are the $3.50 per pound tomatoes worth it, are they different, do they taste better, do they last longer, do I feel better about myself, can I stay in business buying product that is 3-4 times more expensive than the alternative. There is no doubt in my mind, that is why I will drive 400 miles next Wednesday to pick up my chickens from Joel Salatin that will be alive when I get to his farm and served that evening, beef, eggs the same.

Take the test.....cook a supermarket egg and a free range egg side by side, you will see and taste the difference. We must teach our children the value of food culture, what is more important to the developement of a childs mind than good sustenance and the nurturing effect of the family dinner?

Happy dining.

Everyone who loves food should read this book and pass the message on. Brilliant insight into the very different worlds of industrial, organic and sustainable farming.

We just passed inspections and were approved to close in. Hoods arrive on Wednesday and kitchen equipment arrives later in the week, probably 2 to 3 weeks away, all things being equal. We will keep you posted as we progress.

We have an opening in the kitchen.

Thank you for posting this topic,

SOS has changed it's original goal which was to fight hunger in the United States and their new mission is to fight and eradicate childhood hunger in the US. This lofty mission has deservedly earned the support of many of us in the foodservice industry accross the country.

This years Taste of the Nation will be attended by many of the stars of the culinary field in the area.

I am honored to be the honorary chef chair and we hope, with your support, we can pull off the most successful Taste to date. Please go online to strength.org to find more information on the event and the chefs attending, as well as instructions for purchasing tickets.

There will be many features at the event including a bar chef table showcasing 4 prominent bartenders creating signiature cocktails and over a dozen wine and spirit vendors. Jeff Gaetjen and I will have a live culinary cookoff along the lines of IC.

Food, drink and fun for a great cause. Look forward to seeing you there.

January 3rd..."The Return Of The Lickity Split".

I am sitting here at 1.30am, tired but enthused, waiting for my hotdogs to heat up. Thinking.....imagining David driving home in his van...1.5 hours to go...I wait for my hotdogs. I'm f**king starving. I have cooked foie gras, wild scottish pigeon, the best of the best ingredients. But I am happy to have my hotdogs.

David brought me Crones tonight, beautiful, delicate Crones, I can't wait to work with them tomorrow....like Jingle Bells.

I have watched Camile Beau over the last couple of months in awe...I greedily want David's stuff and want to be with my kids on Sunday...the best of both worlds.

They selflessly help.

There are no words to express. It's mindless. It's too much. But they do. Over and over.

Someone on the other side criticised Margaret.....absurd!!!

I'm going to eat now.

Charity..........

"Ramblings of a tired, happy, grateful chef"

Tonight in the Tasting Room

So far 3 volunteers for Saturday (one new recruit!!!) and 3 for Sunday.  That's a very good start -- anyone else care to join?

FYI David and I will be doing a segment for NPR on November 2nd. When I have more specific information I will let you know.

Restaurant Eve and all of it's employees are beyond grateful for the outpouring of charity for a single entity that impacts us so significantly. Without people like David we could not possibly offer the product we do. You have made a major leap into our world and your generosity will be met with the same advantages that we offer to our esteemed coleagues within the industry. I thank you. I thank you. With the utmost respect.

Sincerely,

Cathal.

Meshelle circulated the following note to some press after my staff and I went out to help our friend at his farm. Don Rockwell heard of it and suggested I post about his fate. I have included some photos.

Sunday at dawn after completing a very demanding Saturday night shift, Chef Armstrong Chef/owner of Restaurant Eve-Old Town Alexandria and 10 of his kitchen and wait staff gathered to drive towards the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where David & Sharon Lankford-A local farmer and his wife awaited their arrival.

David Lankford grows 75% of Restaurant Eve’s herbs and produce. David Lankford is critical to these handful of Restaurants: Maestro, Equinox, Galileo, Palena, Vidalia, Colvin Run Tavern, Cashion’s Eat Place. as he also supplies them with much of the same goods. (Is your favorite restaurant among these?)

Without David Lankford, the basil you eat would not be so green, the carrots not so rich and the corn not so sweet. He is a pioneer, an innovator and the first to grow the sweetest of strawberries in winter. Fine dining Restaurants depend so very much on supreme quality of goods, so they may in turn pass this on to you, The Dining Consumer.

The landowner has sold and David & Sharon must leave. And take with them 11 Massive Greenhouses, one of which the size of a football field-And he must do it immediately.

Eve’s staff, and a week before Maestro’s staff, in an effort to help; Dismantle countless yards of seed gutters, hauled hundreds of pounds of earth, driving and carrying the precious cargo of herbs and this fall’s produce to the new farm, all to lend a hand to their farmer to try and defray at least 2 days worth of costs. “No one could ever imagine a green house to be so big,” said Ricky-one of the Staff members. “And we are going to breakdown one?”

“If I had 100 men, it would take a month.” Said Lankford. (When my husband returned home exhausted, said, “Honey…now he only needs 75 men and 28 days ”)

Other restaurant friends have also offered to help. It’s nice to know that we too have charity in our own back yard. If anyone would care to lend a hand and meet the farmer partially responsible for so many wonderful dinners that you may have had. Please contact-Chef Armstrong at Restaurant Eve so he may place you in touch with the Lankfords.

“It is our duty to reach out for the small farmers. They are one of the key players in the fine dining world. “…Chef Armstrong

I got home at 1:00 am and I only live 5 mins. away.  Perhaps that shot of Laphroaig and lingering at the bar is what did it.

I got home at 2.30 and had a cold steak sandwich that Meshelle picked up at Outback on Monday with a glass of milk.

It has been my great pleasure to know Susan a little. She helped guide me through the notorious permit process in Alexandria. Meshelle and I conceived Restaurant Eve at the bar at Majestic Cafe. She opened the door for serious food in Old Town after years of drought. She is like the godmother of modern american cooking in this region and I am shocked to hear that she will be retiring. Her steady hand and almost stoic humor will be sorely missed. I feel as though there has been a death in the family.

My wife, my staff and I congratulate her on a most distinguished career and wish her all the fun of retirement.

I second that emotion.

Nadya, you have an interesting question and I can sense your frustration. If you like to email me I will give you my best effort at answering it for you but for now it is time to lay down my pen.

To all posters I thank you for your questions and your attention. It has been an honor to be a guest among you and though I rarely post I always pay attention to your comments and criticisms. Although many of you are not nor have ever been employees of restaurants your oninions reflect that of our guests and must be payed their due heed. Even though we may be ofttimes frustrated by the negative we still hear you and thank you for making us better.

Kindest Regards.

Slainte.

Cathal.

Chef Armstrong,

I wonder if you could tell us a little about how you chose the location of Eve, and how it's worked out for the restaurant.  What are some of the pros and cons of being across the river?  How important do you think location is for a restaurant?  And what do you think of the Old Town dining scene apart from Eve?

Originally Meshelle and I discounted Old Town assuming that rents would be prohibitive. We were looking in Middleburg for a quaint inn to develop a disitnctive Irish location similar to Ballymaloe in Shanagarry. We considered a number of places 1789, Ashby Inn among others and we were very close to a deal on a great house above the town of Middleburg. The owner had 145 acres and wanted to subdivide 10 of them with the main house which would have been perfect except that his wife took ill and they decided to sell the entire property and move home.

A few weeks after that we were introduced to Washington's Old Club. A beautiful building on south Washington St. that was owned by the Clydes Restaurant Group. We spent a good deal of time and money investigating it and finally decided that with 1 million raised and the prospect of borrowing 3-4 more it was a bigger bite than we wanted to chew. We walked away, dissapointed.

We had lunch at Majestic Cafe that afternoon and decided there and then to revamp our concept, forget about the inn idea and open a small restaurant with the possibility of growth in the future. We abandoned the irish idea knowing that a restaurant could not support it without the feel of an inn.

Two days later Meshelle stopped in to Santa Fe East for a cocktail and from there grew her vision of Restaurant Eve.

We love Old Town. I have never really been interested in having a business in D.C. Don't get me wrong it's a great city, but I find cities to be a little impersonal and congested. I like the quaintness of smaller towns and villages and I think you can feel that when you come to the restaurant. The biggest cons to being here are the difficult building codes and the prohibitve liquor laws. We have to physically go to the loquor store to purchase and often the liquors are $10-$12 more per bottle than downtown. Also all alcohol served on the premises must come from a licensed distributor making the popular BYOW illegal. The pros I have found to be the wonderful guests we have, adventurous in their dining habits. I certainly sell food here that we couldn't give away downtown.

It's a hot summer Sunday and the whole family is hungry. What do you eat?

It's a chilly winter Wednesday, after a long night at work, and you're fending for yourself. Same question.

Sunday dinner in the summer is usually, ribs or chicken or hamburgers on the grill, you know stuff the kids will eat with corn and salad from the market.

I'm never home on a Wednesday evening in winter but on Sunday evening nothing beats the old fashioned beef stew with mashed potaotes. I make it at work on Saturday, it's always better the next day.

Chef Armstrong,

Thanks for what has been a very interesting and informative chat. My question is a little out of left field, but I figured I'd throw it up there:

With such an emphasis on seasonal ingredients impeccably presented, as well as the advantageous location in a country of plenty, are there any ingredients you wish you could get a hold of but cannot? I recall that when growing up, my mother would lament the lack of quality jackfruit, as well as several other ingredients that don't really have English equivalents I know of, in the US. Anything you wish was cultivated/available in the area more?

In the same vein, are there ingredients you see too often that you wish restaurants would use less often? "Foodie" magazines always publish lists of "hip" ingredients (a notion I'm a little skeptical of) -- do you think about these kinds of lists when coming up with menus?

Oh yes, I wish I could get some wild Irish Salmon, farm raised is readily available but I won't buy farm raised fish, I believe it is bad for the species and bad for the environment and all around bad flavored.. Also I would love to get some Dublin Bay Prawns, Galway Bay Oysters, some of the french oysters are great too, Clairs and Specials.

I have been working with one particular farmer to encourage crop diversity, I have participated with the AIWF and Smithsonian to raise awareness in this area. A lot of the local farmers all have the same thing for sale, peppers, zuchinni, yellow squash, yawn, boring.

It's funny though, I get a lot of calls asking what we are doing that is "cool" That doesn't really interest me. I'd rather do good than cool.

I see from your post above that you "hit the farmers market on the way in" to work.  Which farmers market(s) to you frequent most and which do you like the best?  Do you fiind that each farmers market has its own strenghs?

Tuesday: Alexandria

Wednesday: Vienna

Thursday: Annandale

Friday: McLean

Saturday: Courthouse

There are others but others are these are the ones most conveinient for me. Don't go to the one in Old Town on Saturday, most of the people there go to Costco to buy what they sell. The other markets require you to be a grower to have a stall.

For the most part the same farmers and the same product is available at all the markets but on Saturday at Courthouse for example you can find a great Dairy farmer, real milk!!!!!

Also there is a really good farmer that has true free range chickens and pork and Duck Eggs.

The market at Courthouse is the biggest and busiest, but I like the smaller weekday ones better, more personal.

Cathal, when I was in a few days ago, we discussed Mark Furstenberg of Breadline, and you lavished him with the highest of praise.

Likewise, Jill Erber of Cheesetique.

Being a petulant Irishman who has surely downed many a bastible cake, and having come from a fine cheese program at Bistro Bis, what are your thoughts on Breadline and Cheesetique, and on the local bread-and-cheese situation in general?

Cheers,

Rocks.

Most chefs agree that Mark Furstenberg is the best baker in the country. I love his artisanal, rustic style. His bread reminds me of living in France. I was delighted to see that he was nominated for a James Beard award last year. Not only is he a great baker he runs a great restaurant, teaches at the Culinary Institute of America and consults for many highly regarded restaurants. He is a crusty old genius. I have the highest regard for him.

I love going to Cheesetique to buy my cheese(despite the fact that it takes much more time and costs much more) because I can personally hand select the cheeses I want. I have bought from wholesale companies in the past and I have to say that it is worth the effort to purchase from someone who understands how to handle cheese and sells only quality. We have developed a great relationship and Jill comes to the restaurant to do classes with my waitstaff. It's astounding how much cheese we sell and I can't believe that it took this long for a real chees shop to open in this area. Even the often assumed to be culturally barren Dublin has had 2 similar stores for years.

The only way is up from here.