The Doughnut Plant

Doughnut Plant
379 Grand St., New York, NY


I am not a big donut person. The sugar usually makes my stomach hurt, and once my blood sugar crashes, a headache is sure to follow. But Sunday I was in for a treat, when friends introduced us to donuts from the Doughnut Plant.

Doughnut Plant takes pastry to the next level by taking an old holed standby - of Homer Simpson fame and cop jokes - and applying new flavors and ingredients that I suspect were spurred on by the continuing cupcake craze. Roasted Chestnut, Panettone, Marzipan, Pomegranate, Gingerbread ... the list goes on and on.
Oh my word. These things were heavenly. Sugar bombs, yes, but delicious sugar bombs at that. The Creme Brulee donuts appeared as small semi-flattened spheres glazed on one side with hard caramelized sugar. After biting through the sugar crust - which cracked perfectly a la traditional creme brulee - your teeth encounter a soft, light donut body, then continue on to the hidden center of frothy creme caramel.

I also had the fortune to sample the Blackout donut, which tasted like a donut/fudge love child. Meanwhile, the Peanut Butter Glaze Cake Doughnut with Blackberry Jelly was a square jam donut that tasted of peanut butter, which I found tasty but not particularly spectacular (then again, I am sure peanut lovers would fall over themselves for this one). Overall, I was impressed. The donuts were not overly sickeningly sweet (see Krispy Kreme), nor were the flavors dull and tired (see Dunkin' Donuts).  Doughnut Plant, you've found a new friend in me.



(Photo credits, top to bottom: theblognut.net, keeyool.com)

Christmas Eve Dinner - a saga with a happy ending

We were lucky enough to host my in-laws on Christmas Eve, and I was under self-prescribed pressure to create a delicious meal. They're wonderful, generous people, and I fully enjoy their company, so I wanted to offer them a real treat ... aside from not asking them to do any dishes! I had a few parameters: to not use potatoes, poultry or ham, since those were on the menu for Christmas Day, but otherwise it was anything goes. I just didn't want to mess it up.

The dining table, looking festive for four

Knowing there was no way I could create seven dishes revolving around seafood, I decide to skip the Italian tradition of The Feast of Seven Fishes and instead focus on the WASP tradition of good old roast beef. I planned to do standing rib roast; if that wasn't available, filet mignon with chive butter was my back-up dish. I scoured some favorite sources - Williams Sonoma Healthy Kitchen series, The Food Network, Whole Foods, Saveur.com - until I found the perfect meal.

Now, I knew it was going to be risky shopping for food on Christmas Eve day, but I have two Whole Foods, two Harris Teeters, a Trader Joe's, a MOM's, and several Safeways and Giants within a 10-mile radius. I had my shopping list (and even a "back-up" shopping list to compensate for the lack of any ingredients) and I was ready to go. I was going to wake up early Friday morning, hit the stores, and conquer this meal. 

Friday morning arrived all too soon. I wake up with the Mother of All Head Colds. I am miserable.  I seriously consider prying out my left eye to alleviate the pressure in my face, and I am so stuffy that I can barely comprehend human speech. Meanwhile, my left eye is streaming tears and I look like a 19th-century TB patient about to be shipped off to a  sanitarium. But I am tough. I must. Create. This dinner. 

A quick run to Target for Day-Quil puts me back into Barely Human Land, and I begin my quest. I sacrifice Whole Foods for Harris Teeter (easier parking), and wander the aisles in a foggy daze. The brussel sprouts look small and sad, so I decide to skip the roasted brussel sprouts with bacon. I sacrifice the homemade cheddar biscuits for store-bought biscuits. There are no lemons for my salad dressing. I couldn't find the exact recipe for an anticipated side dish, so I make a substitution. It takes three tours of the store before I can find the bleu cheese, and I spend 10 full minutes staring at the spice rack, searching for poppyseeds. 

 Great-Aunt Helena's standing
rib roast recipe card

Finally, loaded with ingredients, I swing by MOM's for butter (they're out of Kerry Gold, but they have lemons!) and head home, confident and ready to go. When I get home, the place is sparkling clean (thank you, ever-wonderful husband) and I'm starting to feel slightly more human. So I start cooking ... and I realize very quickly that I have a problem. Since I am so stuffed up, I cannot taste a thing. Oh god. Since I was modifying my butternut squash soup base to create the Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup from scratch, I needed to be able to TASTE. So I had to rely on the hubs - he was going to be my Seeing Eye Taster. 

Appetizer: White Bean and Prosciutto Crostini

The crostini was easy to put together, but according to the hubs, it tasted boring (quote, "How can something as bland as white beans overpower all the other flavors?"). Easy fix - some fresh lemon juice and salt did just the trick, and the mixture went into the fridge for the flavors to meld. Next time I might skip the prosciutto, and instead top the white bean mixture with some crispy chopped pancetta.

First Course: Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup 

If you're been reading Spoon and Fork DC, then you know that I've made simple Butternut Squash Soup from scratch before. I had frozen a portion of it, so making this super simple coconut curry version was easy:

Butternut Squash Soup

1/2 can regular coconut milk (not condensed!)

2-3 tsp. curry powder (to taste)

1 tsp. salt (to taste) 

Heat, stirring frequently, until simmering. Taste often and add curry and salt to taste. 

(This replaced my original side dish, which was to be a replica of Nando's roasted butternut squash, grilled corn, red onion and cranberry side. Who was I kidding, I didn't have the energy to grill corn!).

Main Course: Standing Rib Roast

For the standing rib roast (bone-in), I followed my Great-Aunt Helena's recipe, which my mom has made for either Christmas or Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember. I left the beef sit out for about 30 minutes to bring it up to room temperature prior to preparation. The recipe is simple and pretty much foolproof:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together salt, pepper and flour. Pat this mixture into the beef, covering all sides. Place in a roasting pan, do not cover. Cook time: 1/2 hour per pound of beef. After removing from oven, let sit for 30 minutes, do not cover. Carve and enjoy. 

Salad: Harvest Salad

1 container organic baby lettuce

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup bleu cheese

1/2 cup Simple Poppyseed Dressing

Side: Buttermilk Biscuits

OK, I was going to make cheddar biscuits but come on, I was sick. So I went with Simply buttermilk biscuits. 

Dessert: Apple-Butter Apple Pie

I have to admit: my head cold caused me to cheat on the apple pie. I used two store-bought pie crusts, and peeled and thinly sliced three Granny Smith apples. I layered the apple slices in the bottom crust, alternating layers with Bigg Rigg's Apple Butter. Then I placed the second crust on top, pinched the edge closed, brushed on some egg white glaze, and tossed it into the oven for 50 minutes.  

THE OVERALL RESULT: The entire meal was delicious. The soup was amazing, and I could actually taste the coconut curry through my stuffiness. The meat came out perfectly. The flour mix created a gorgeous crust on the outside of the meat, which was pink and moist on the inside. The salad was a lovely complement to the heavier meat, while the biscuits were decent. The apple pie could have been sweeter; it had an apple-sauce taste, and it would have worked better accompanied by vanilla ice cream. Overall, a major success. No snafu's, and I managed to pull off a lovely though unpretentious dinner, even though a hideous cold. 

Butter Lane Cupcakes, like Mom used to make

Butter Lane Cupcakes
123 East 7th St., New York, NY

Mmm, Butter Lane. I love your premise - to use only the finest ingredients, and to develop tastes that delight the tongue and do not rely on copious amounts of sugar to do so. We had the pleasure of sampling Butter Lane when we celebrated a friend's 30th birthday Saturday night.

To begin with, the cupcakes look endearingly homemade. They are small, and the frosting is not exactly perfect - it looks like a baker lovingly smeared it on with a spatula. The flavors are interesting - there was a chocolate cupcake topped with sea salt caramel chocolate icing, a banana cupcake adorned with peanut butter icing and marshmallows, even a caramel cupcake topped with popcorn.

I tried the sea salt caramel chocolate concoction. The cupcake was moist and flavorful, and icing was alternately sweet (caramel!) and salty (sea salt), which made for a really delicious combination (then again, I am unashamedly in love with the salty-sweet combination, so consider this review fully biased). The mouth feel was lovely, and the cupcake did not leave a cloying aftertaste. It was a clean-finishing cupcake, I would say, though oenophiles the world over would gasp at my transgression in comparing a cupcake to wine.

Verdict - I like. I have had far richer cupcakes, and cupcakes with more decadent icing, and cupcakes with lighter, fluffier icing than Butter Lane's. But something about Butter Lane was endearing - perhaps it was their small size, perhaps the less-than-perfect icing that would only be PhotoShopped to death if it ever graced a magazine cover.

DC Restaurant Week! Jan. 17-23

The dates for Washington DC Restaurant Week have been announced! I Twitter'ed about this last week, so be sure that you're following @spoonandforkdc on Twitter. From Jan. 17-23, you will be able to enjoy a three-course prix fixe lunch for $20.11, and a three-course prix fixe dinner for $35.11.*

Where is Spoon and Fork DC dining during RW? This time around, I'm interested in trying Kinkead's, and maybe the old standby Filomena, or last year's newcomer Potenza.

Where should you dine? In the past, I've had lots of luck at Zaytinya - the multi-course mezze menu has been very carefully chosen and put together, and you will leave absolutely satiated. Another fave is Hook - the dishes are wonderful, and no one cuts corners even though it's RW.

Who's offering the best deals? Most people tend to book right away at the most expensive restaurants in town - Bobby Van's, The Caucus Room, Kinkead's and all the steakhouses (Morton's, Ruth's Chris, etc.). But where else can you go? I've heard that Adour and Bourbon Steak offer up a good deal (though for lunch only this year), along with BlackSalt (check out my review here) and the Blue Duck Tavern. The Oval Room is always big news. Dining at Poste and Rasika can definitely add up, so consider RW for keeping prices down.

Where are YOU planning to dine?

*Not including gratuity, tax or beverages.

Here are RW's participating restaurants: http://washington.org/restaurantwk/

I love using Open Table to reserve: http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=68&m=9

Happy eating!

Marc Forgione - a disappointing Iron Chef fail

Marc Forgione
134 Reade St., New York, NY (TriBeCa)

Oh, Marc Forgione, I have to say that you were one of my greatest disappointments in 2010. You run a well-received Michelin-starred restaurant and you recently won Iron Chef, yet somehow you fell flat on Friday night. Maybe I built you up in my mind; maybe I allowed anticipation to run rampant ... but somehow I don't think this was my fault.

The hubs and I had arranged to meet some dear friends at Marc Forgione in Manhatten. We were eagerly looking forward to dining on Marc's rustic, modern American fare. After some pre-dinner drinks with family at DBGB, the hubs and I grabbed a cab and hustled over to Reade St. We were starving. As soon as we were seated, the four of us ordered three appetizers. Note: Marc Forgione does not update his menu online as often as he changes it in-house, so please bear with my lack of detail.

A basket of bread came out, accompanied by butter. It was warm and delicious, so we didn't have any complaints there. Then the appetizers arrived. The first dish, a bowl of Widow's Point mussels, was abhorrent. It was a slap in the face of all the chefs who coax magic from our bivalved friends. They were the smallest, saddest mussels I have ever seen, and they were huddled against one another in a beefy brown broth - yes, I said BEEFY. I took one mussel, and I was done. I never wanted to experience that taste nor texture again. I do mussels better than Marc Forgione.

The other two dishes - oysters topped with bread crumbs and a sauce, and a bowl of succulent agnolotti - were tasty. Especially the agnolotti, which appeared as firm pillows of pasta cradling a lightly poached egg in a bowl of broth. Break the egg, swirl the yolk, and voila - deliciousness.

Then the entrees arrived. I had ordered the pork, but the menu did not specify whether it was pork belly, pork cheeks, or pork tenderloin. It certainly did not even hint at the overly vinegary, mustardy pool of watery liquid that a pile of shredded white cabbage was sitting in, nor the small balls of potato that were far too firm (undercooked) and starchy to be enjoyed. I think the fatty pork was pork belly. But the outer rind on the pork had been caramelized to the point that it was sticking in my teeth like Laffy Taffy. Unfortunately, there was so much vinegar and mustard in the dish that the fumes were actually stinging my nose. Since our server had apparently disappeared, I decided to eat the meat and leave the caramelized rind and the sad cabbage swamp on the plate.

Meanwhile, the hubs ordered a delicious dish of veal and bone marrow. The veal was rich and tender, while the marrow - served in a bone with a tiny spoon - was far more gelatinous than I thought it would be. Granted, the marrow had cooled a bit by the time I garnered a taste, but still ... I was expecting something rich and decadent, like a foie gras or a pate. Not gelatin.

Finally, we wrapped up dinner with a pecan pie bread pudding, which was warm, gooey and delicious.

Knowing that most reviewers adore Marc Forgione, I was positive that I had missed something. So I scoured the reviews online. Most people loved their experience, but every so often, someone had an experience similar to mine. Apparently Marc often hits home runs, but when he misses ... man, does he miss. Every photo looked about 10x more delicious than my meal, and I am kicking myself for not taking photos of the caramelized pork hovering above the vinegar pool of sadness. Sigh.

Sadly, the mussels set a bad precedent for the meal, and the pork followed suit. I won't be making a return trip, Marc Forgione.

Peking Gourmet Inn, aka "The Duck House"

Peking Gourmet Inn
6029 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA

Ahh, Peking duck. Your crisp skin and moist, tender meat make a cold Sunday night so much easier to manage. And what better place to order Peking duck than Eddie Tsui's Peking Gourmet Inn? A staple in Falls Church since 1978, PGI is a favorite among Northern Virginians - one glance at the always-packed waiting room reinforces this fact. PGI makes a point of telling its customers that "store-bought ingredients were not adequate to generate the authentic taste" of Peking duck, so the place grows its own jumbo spring onions on a Virginia farm, sources its ducks from Long Island, and handcrafts its hoisin sauce and pancakes. And damn, do they do duck well.

The glistening Peking duck ($38) comes out on a white cloth in the server's hand. The server uses a flat blade to pare slices of crisped skin from the underlying layer of duck fat. Once the skin has been removed and arranged carefully on the platter, the server scrapes away the fat and proceeds to carve slices of meat onto the platter. The server finishes up by carving the legs and adding them to the heap of meat and crispy skin.

The duck is accompanied by the famous housemade pancakes (12 count) and hoisin sauce, along with slivers of potent spring onion and spears of cucumber. To enjoy Peking duck to the fullest, pick up a pancake and lay it open across your hand. Add in a slice or two of crispy skin, some duck meat, cucumber spears, a spare amount of spring onion (warning: they are potent!), and a dollop of hoisin sauce. Roll up the pancake and take a big bite. The duck skin melts on the tongue, perfectly complementing the duck meat and refreshing cucumber. It's phenomenal.

No other PGI dishes have stood out in my memory as well as the Peking duck. I've had the hot and sour soup, which is warm and entertaining but not particularly spicy. Temperature hot - yes; spicy hot - no.  The egg rolls served to another table looked appetizing, but not worth the calorie commitment. If you go, be sure to make reservations and then save your calorie allotment and cash for the Peking duck.

L'Auberge Provencale, a small taste of France in Northern VA

L'Auberge Provencale
13630 Lord Fairfax Highway, Boyce, VA

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending a small family wedding at L'Aubereg Provencale, a small, family-run bed and breakfast owned by Alain and Celeste Borel. Approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes from DC, L'Auberge Provencale is located out in grassy horse and wine country, just past the Three Foxes Winery. Entering the B&B feels like walking into someone's cheerful French country home - if that someone had Wine Spectator awards decorating their entryway and a photo-worthy fire crackling in the fireplace.

Although the day was overcast and bitingly cold, L'Auberge Provencale exuded a warmth that was only encouraged by their generous offerings of freshly squeezed mimosa. The staff was attentive and paid careful consideration to detail - no sooner had I taken the last sip of mimosa than a second one appeared in my hand. Every action was accompanied by a smile.

Perhaps the most exciting part about L'Auberge Provencale is its amazing, Zagat-rated restaurant. Out of Zagat's Top 100 Hotel Restaurants in America, L'Auberge Provencale rates #57  - no small feat considering that the two-room restaurant is in a somewhat isolated location. And the food was delicious. Guests had the option to choose an appetizer and a main course, accompanied by ample portions of red and white wine - the red option a delicious blend from the Cotes du Rhone region.

Dinner began with a bread basket, filled with large, warm hunks of multigrain bread and smaller slices of French bread. Then the appetizer - options included a creamy butternut squash soup, a fresh green salad, and Prince Edward mussels mariniere, served with a delicious broth of saffron, cream and vermouth.

There were three options for mains - Eggs Benedict, which presented perfectly poached eggs perched atop housemade chicken sausage and soft English muffn; a beef culotte of Wagyu beef atop fingerling potatoes with truffle sauce; and a lacquered salmon. I chose the Wagyu beef and it was wonderful - a tender, medium-rare cut of beef that was perfectly complemented by the salty, rich truffle sauce. The meal concluded with coffee, tea and wedding cake.

After attending upwards of 20 weddings in my life, I can honestly say that L'Auberge Provencal offered the best fare of them all. I'm so glad to have been introduced to this place, because I would love to make a return trip. The warmth of the ambience and the staff, combined with the amazing meal, turned out a wedding day that was one of my all-time favorite experiences.

Bastard chili

I don't think I am going to survive winter this year. It's barely December, and I'm already cold and deprived of sunlight. So when I think food, I think dense, rich dishes that warm me up from the inside out. Last night I had a particular craving for chili, so I threw together this quick, delicious dish from odds and ends in the fridge. I was a little skeptical at first, but the result was amazingly tasty and spicy!

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 lb. ground beef
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can dark red beans, rinsed
2 andouille sausages, cut into bite-size pieces (Adele's is a nice brand)
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 jar spicy arrabiata tomato sauce
1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning
Water
2 cups cooked barley
Parmesan cheese

Place a pot on the stove over medium heat. Add olive oil. Add the onion, saute until translucent. Add the ground beef and cook until browned almost the way through. Add the beans, sausage, tomatoes, arrabiata sauce and Cajun seasoning. Let simmer 10 minutes. Add 1/2 can of water, along with 2 cups of cooked barley. Let simmer 30 minutes.

Ladle into bowls, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

L'Auberge Chez Francois

L'Auberge Chez Francois
332 Springvale Rd., Great Falls, VA

What can I say about Chez Francois that hasn't already been said? Washington City Paper writes that "Chez Francois may be the area's last bastion of classic French cuisine." The Washington Post calls it "the grand dame of French restaurants," although "presentation is a little dated." Washingtonian magazine points out that "it's all about nostalgia at this Alsation institution, now in its sixth decade." Critics tend to praise Chez Francois for its service, its superb dishes, and its attention to detail.

My in-laws love to celebrate their wedding anniversary at Chez Francois, so Saturday marked my third time dining there. Tucked away in Great Falls in an old French country-style home, Chez Francois is warm and inviting, especially during the holidays when the nostalgic decor, fireplaces and Christmas lights fit the season perfectly. When you walk in, you're greeted by a trio of employees who offer to check your coat and accompany you to your table. Upon sitting down, you're offered a house aperatif that involves framboise and fresh raspberries.

From there, your appetite will be indulged. Chez Francois offers a six-course prix-fixe dinner menu for the price of the entree, which can range in price from $62 to $74. Specials can carry an additional charge - a tuna tartare was an extra $8, it's not highway robbery by any means. 

We nixed the aperatif in favor of wine (a delicious Fess Parker Syrah) and the wonderful house beer special - a Stella blended with amer picon, a bitter, orange-flavored French cordial made from quinine, spices, cinchona bark, oranges and gentiam. It's at once refreshing and citrusy, yet with a hint of spice. The drinks are accompanied by a plate of garlic toast and French bread. The garlic toast is warm, buttery and crispy - top it with the house-made cottage cheese spread to temper the garlicky bite.

The amuse bouche arrives next - a small slice of house quiche. On Saturday, Chef Jacques offered up an onion quiche that was so creamy and fluffy it put eggs to shame.

Then it's time for the appetizer. Chez Francois offers a wide variety of appetizers, including rich, creamy lobster bisque, French onion soup, frog legs, garlicky escargot. Craving something rich and meaty, I ordered the braised veal cheeks. Served in a mini cocotte, the chunks of tender veal cheek were presented in a thick meaty broth with tender root vegetables, much like a miniature beef stew. It was delicious to the point that I was tempted to suck up the liquid with a straw. The hubs had a pleasant caramelized apple tart topped with Roquefort cheese.

The salad de l'auberge offers a nice change of pace, followed by a a small portion of refreshing house-made citrus sorbet to cleanse the palate.

Finally, your entree - no matter if you select fish, duck, beef, rabbit, shellfish, Chef Jacques crafts each dish with attention and care. I had the poached lobster, accompanied by crab meat and asparagus, in a lobster butter sauce. The hubs enjoyed Beef Wellington, which was presented as a tenderloin topped with duxelles and wrapped in a puff pastry. A puree of root vegetables is always presented to the table in a communal serving dish.

Upon finishing, you have the option of selecting dessert, which includes a plum tart, a decadent chocolate yule log, or the famous Chez Francois souffles - followed by coffee or tea. When you think that you could not possibly fit another bite, the water drops off a plate of mignardises - small chocolate truffles and crisp tuiles.

All in all, Chez Francois is a wonderful restaurant for special occasions. While the food can be very rich, you can select dishes that are on the lighter side. Since the portions tend to be smaller, the meal is not as overwhelming as it sounds, but you will certainly leave absolutely, completely, 100-percent full.



(Photo credit: Jacques H.)

Simple poppyseed salad dressing

I attended a bridal shower at my mother-in-law's home, and she put together a delicious salad dressing. I begged for the recipe, modified it a tad (cutting down on the sugar, adding more onion), and posted it up here for all to enjoy! Modify to your heart's content.

Poppyseed Dressing

1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice (use fresh if possible)
3 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp. poppy seeds

In a blender or food processor, combine the first five ingredients (through salt). With the machine running, add the oil in a slow, steady stream until smooth. Add the poppy seeds, process a few seconds to mix.

This tastes amazing on any number of salads, I absolutely love it poured over a blend of spinach and romaine, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, bleu cheese and shredded roasted chicken.

Mary had a little lamb ... accompanied by mint jelly

No matter if you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or Eid ul-Fitr, lamb is a great option for any holiday meal. According to NutritionData.com, lamb is packed with protein, Vitamin B6, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorous and Manganese. It's also a good source of Vitamins A and B12, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc, Copper and Selenium. The meat also contains the "8 fundamental amino acids," according to the American Lamb Council.

A reader asked me where he could find local, grass-fed lamb. Luckily Virginia's lush Shenandoah Valley is a hotbed for the woolly creatures. Choose grass-fed lamb whenever possible, as the meat tends to be more tender, less fatty and less "gamey" tasting than feedlot lamb. Plus you'll reap the advantages of balanced Omega 3 and Omega 6, as well as higher levels of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).

Northern Virginia Pastoral Guild offers grass-fed lamb from the Shenandoah Valley. Lamb is sold in three sizes - Small, Medium and Large - with five farm pick-up locations in Front Royal, Warrenton and Toms Brook. Price includes butchering. Lamb breeds include Katahdin, Dorset and Hampshire.

Misty Meadow Farm out of the Shenandoah Valley sells Katahdin lamb, a leaner breed with a smooth, mild flavor. Visit their Web site for the online ordering form.

Border Springs Farm out of Patrick Springs, VA, supplies delicious local restaurants Volt, Firestone and Zaytinya. Designated "Virginia's Finest Lamb" by the Virginia Department of Agriculture, Border Springs will ship anywhere in the continental U.S. Visit their page for details.

J&L Green Farm, based in Edinburg, VA, supplies the Polyface Buying Club with lamb. Owner Jordan Green apprenticed under whole food guru Joel Salatin before striking out on his own. Visit the J&L Green Farm Web site for contact information.

Chicama Run is a small family farm in Purcellville, VA, that offers lamb freezer meat. Buyers can order online - the farm sells bone-in or bone-out roasts, along with standard cuts of meat. This farm has also been designated "Virginia's Finest Lamb" by the Virginia Department of Agriculture.

Mount Vernon Farm in the Blue Ridge Mountains (Sperryville, VA) has grass-fed New Zealand-style lamb. Buyers can visit the farm or become a member of their Buying Club.

(Photo credit: Irish Food Board)

Top Chef All-Stars - who's going to win?

Guest blogger Phil Hargis poses with
Top Chef competitor Carla Hall

Top Chef All Stars pits some of the most talented, favored - and despised - contenders from the seven seasons of Top Chef. Who's going to take the crown of Top Chef All Star? I personally am placing my bets on Angelo and Spike (of course, what DC person couldn't? It's Spike!), but I know in my heart that Marcel, with his irritating personality and weird Wolverine hair, will rank somewhere near the top. However, I have been hearing good things about Mike, Tre and Dale - wonder what they have in store for the competition?
Guest blogger and local foodie Phil Hargis shares his thoughts below ... may the games begin!


Phil's Top Chef All Stars Rankings:

NPR's top cookbooks of 2010

"2010 was a monster year for cookbooks," says T. Susan Chang in her amazing NPR article, 2010's Best Cookbooks: Real-Life Labors of Love. Although true, it's a statement that comes across as surprising in the age of smart phone Epicurious apps and Recipes.com. Do people even buy cookbooks any more? Apparently they do, when the book contains knowledge not readily available through an app.

In her article, Chang discusses books that are the work of "real-life cooks, who are food writers, small-business owners and moms first - and famous, second." She chose cookbooks that aren't just a collection of recipes - instead, Chang compiled an "overwhelming display of carefully crafted books produced after years of research, recipe-resting and tireless detective work." Not only do these labors of love delve deeply into their subject matter and exhibit a passion for sharing it, but they all feature "human-sized" recipes that actually work.

Take a moment to read Chang's article, especially if you're looking to buy a book for that special foodie in your life this holiday season.

1. In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite, by Melissa Clark, hardcover, 464 pages, Hyperion & Co., list price: $27.50
2. Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes From My Home to Yours, by Dorie Greenspan, hardcover, 544 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, list price: $40
3. One Big Table: 600 Recipes From the Nation's Best Home Cooks, Farmers, Fishermen, Pit-Masters, And Chefs, by Molly O'Neill, hardcover, 880 pages, Simon & Schuster, list price: $50
4. Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, With Authentic Recipes and Stories, by Grace Young, hardcover, 336 pages, Simon & Schuster, list price: $35
5. Flour: Spectacular Recipes From Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe, by Joanne Chang, hardcover, 320 pages, Chronicle Books, list price: $35
6. Quiches, Kugels, And Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France, by Joan Nathan, hardcover, 400 pages, Knopf, list price: $39.95
7. The Gourmet Cookie Book: The Single Best Recipe From Each Year 1941-2009,by Gourmet magazine, hardcover, 176 pages, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, list price: $18
8. The Essential New York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for a New Century, by Amanda Hesser, hardcover, 932 pages, W.W. Norton & Co., list price: $40
9. Nigella Kitchen: Recipes From the Heart of the Home, by Nigella Lawson, hardcover, 512 pages, Hyperion & Co., list price: $35
10. The Food Substitutions Bible: More Than 6,500 Substitutions for Ingredients, Equipment And Techniques, by David Joachim, paperback, 696 pages, Robert Rose, list price: $24.95