Xochitl10

My recommendation is unfortunately in Montgomery County, but I've seen James Gilbert at Metro Orthopedics and Sports Therapy for assorted injuries over the past 16 years. He's a sports medicine guy who has a fantastic staff of physical therapists. MOST takes CareFirst, but be aware: their billing department is the single worst thing about dealing with that practice. There were times in the past where Azami and I almost quit going there because the billing department was so frustrating, but a) it's down the street from my house, and b ) Dr. Gilbert is worth the frustration.

Mabo doufu. It's not a traditional Japanese New Year's food, but Azami and I are fighting off colds and red (tobanjan) and white (tofu, rice) are auspicious colors, so why not?

Marcella Hazan's beef braised with onions
Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes
Sauteed green beans
Spinach salad with radishes and orange slices, citrus vinaigrette
Gluten-free pumpkin cheesecake
Amaretto

Grazing all afternoon as we decorated our tree: posole, calabacitas (zucchini and corn), fresh homemade tortillas, biscochitos. And birthday cupcakes brought by a friend.

On 12/17/2016 at 10:52 AM, dracisk said:

Yes! I'm going to make these. I'm going to attempt to enlist the assistance of my 2.5-year-old. Wish me luck. :-)

How did it go?

Molasses cookies and biscochitos are on tap for today. Such a perfect day for baking.

Salt-grilled salmon
Steamed rice mixed with spinach, sesame oil, and black sesame seeds
Miso soup with potato and shiitake
Moorenko ginger ice cream

Posole: shredded pork shoulder, hominy, and red chile sauce made from a combination of ancho, guajillo, and pasilla peppers. Sadly, no New Mexico reds. Also sadly, the poor resident Akita dog didn't get any.

Second Thanksgiving yesterday, prior to which I discovered that we'd depleted our stash of red chile sauce.

Roasted turkey breast, dry-brined w/rub of salt, black pepper, garlic, and thyme
Gravy
Mashed potatoes
Bread stuffing (old-school Betty Crocker recipe)
Pear-ginger cranberry sauce
Roasted Brussels sprouts
Michael Ruhlman's buttermilk dinner rolls
Pumpkin bread pudding

On 10/17/2016 at 8:43 PM, DonRocks said:

The one on the left is the Japanese Yam; the one on the right is a Garnet Yam - the picture doesn't quite do the depth of the purple color justice, but it's precisely the color of German cabbage.

That is fascinating -- I've never seen an all-purple J-sweet potato. Wikipedia Japan tells me it's called beni-imo (紅芋; "purple yam") in Japanese and is a yam grown in Okinawa. What did it taste like?

Last year, I got a great dinner of pulled pork, collards, mac 'n' cheese, and a biscuit from Poogan's Porch for the plane. I know you said not barbecue, but I mention Poogan's because 1) the food was great, and 2) they were fabulous about getting it out to me quickly after I told them I was heading for the airport.

I had a fantastic blondie from DogTag Bakery this afternoon. It was dense and buttery and full of butterscotch chips. Perfect treat for a movie (shhh). I've gone there a few times and generally been happy with my treats; the pumpkin mini-loaf is wonderful when they have it. They're a nut-free bakery, which I love as a person with several nut allergies.

DogTag Bakery is the work experience part of a job training program operated by DogTag Inc., a non-profit, in conjunction with Georgetown University's School of Continuing Studies. It's staffed by veterans with disabilities participating in the program and employees of DogTag Inc., who are training them.

Fried sesame-crusted tofu (half black sesame, half white sesame; silken tofu) served with a dashi/shoyu/mirin/ginger dipping sauce

Watercress and fig salad with a sesame, shoyu, and vinegar dressing

Somen (thin wheat noodles) served chilled with tsuyu (dashi, mirin, and shoyu) and green onions for dipping

1 hour ago, DonRocks said:

I might have seen these today at Whole Foods Falls Church - in fact, I might be eating one right now. They were marked as being organic and from California, but to the best of my reading ability, they were scribbled as being "Japanese Yams" - they're dark brownish-red, with an ivory-colored interior - very fibrous and starchy, dense and heavy, in a yucca-kind of way. If I hadn't baked these myself, I'd swear there was an ever-so-slight touch of nutmeg in them. They don't taste like regular yams, and do taste like the type of yams you see as tempura in Japanese restaurants, but mine are baked so it's hard to tell - plus, the distance of time and all that. This is exactly what they look like - they are *extremely* filling.

That is exactly it. Isn't it delicious? In my opinion, they're best eaten wrapped in foil and freshly plucked from a wood fire in the back of some guy's truck, on a super-cold night of drinking and karaoke.  

9 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Maybe you could chime in about Katelin's question as payment. 

I would if I had an answer other than "my house." Neither Azami nor I can think of anyplace we go that has it.

On 8/1/2016 at 11:24 AM, ktmoomau said:

Do you know if they are the Kotobuki variety or oriental?  I will try to buy one and figure it out, my cousin loved them and doesn't like the typical variety served here, her father is a big gardener and may grow some for her in the future.

I only know them as satsuma-imo (さつま芋), but Googling convinces me that they are the Oriental varietal. Kotobuki appear to be browner in both flesh and skin.

Thanks, all! I appreciate a unanimous recommendation.

On 7/29/2016 at 8:10 AM, ktmoomau said:

I owe a huge write-up but need to get over my jet-lag to do it.  Question, does anyone know the type of sweet potato that the japanese use in tempura?  It isn't the normal variety of sweet potato you find here, and may be a type of yam.  I really liked it over our normal sweet potatoes.

I've found them at the Silver Spring WFM, as well as Maruichi in Rockville. I love being able to get one, bake it, and eat it hot out of the oven. Just like the ones I used to buy at the supermarket in Kitakami.

They've been working on a new location on Grace Street in Georgetown for quite a few months now. I drove past this evening, and the "Coming Soon" sign is still up for SUNdeVICH, Grace Street Coffee, and the South Block Juice Co.

Azami and I would like to give a gift certificate for a nice dinner place in or near Dale City/Woodbridge. We're thinking $50-75 pp including tax and tip. I know nothing about restaurants in that area and would prefer to avoid chains if possible. Any cuisine is fine. Any suggestions?

Lemon, raspberry, and blackberry trifle. I had a lemon cake layer (Nigella Lawson's Lemon Syrup Loaf Cake) in the freezer, which I turned over, swabbed with framboise, and cut into fingers for the base. I tossed on some (freakin' delicious) blackberries and raspberries, poured over vanilla-bean custard, and topped with freshly whipped cream. So delicious on a summer afternoon.

Okonomiyaki with sliced pork and a giant bottle of Sapporo Black Label beer. 懐かしい！

Dessert was WF organic vanilla ice cream with homemade green chile caramel sauce. That did not make me think of Japan.

I haven't been back to Montreal since 2012, but I enjoyed Restaurant Holder on rue McGill quite a lot when I was there. Delicious steak frites and a nice selection of Quebecois cheeses.

My officemates swear by the creamy potato/kale and the butternut squash tacos. I do enjoy the creamy potato/kale, but the mushroom/feta tacos are my #1. And I'm a big fan of the sour cherry shrub. If you're so inclined, you can zip across the street to DogTag Bakery afterwards for dessert.

Blue Apron doesn't.