COCHON 555 - Washington D.C.

COCHON 555 - Washington D.C. “5 Pigs, 5 Chefs, 5 Winemakers”
Join me tomorrow, May 31st, 2009! Get a sneak peak of Chef John Manolatos in action before his television debut on Capital Cooking next weekend. We'll be making Light Mediterranean Nights food next weekend on our episode to air in September.

But tomorrow, check out...
WHAT: A group of top Washington D.C. area chefs will each prepare a heritage breed hog from head to toe for this competition. Cochon 555 is the only national chef competition promoting heritage pigs and breed diversity. Guests and professional judges will determine a winner based on creative, classic preparation and overall best flavor. The winner will be crowned the “Prince of Porc”. In addition, five family-owned wineries will showcase their wines.
WHO: Taste Network presents
Brian McBride, Blue Duck Tavern
RJ Cooper, Vidalia
Nicholas Stefanelli, Mio
Jamie Leeds, Commonwealth Gastropub
John Manolatos, Cashion's Eat Place
Wineries: Miner Family Vineyards, Patz & Hall and more.
WHEN: Sunday, May 31st, 5:00 p.m.
Chef & Judges VIP Reception 3:30 p.m. photo opportunity/rsvp required WHERE: Mandarin Oriental, Washington D.C. - 1330 Maryland Ave SW
WHY: To promote heritage pigs and breed diversity in local and national communities. Also, to raise awareness for ICompassion, an organization that works to reduce the number of individuals who die from kidney disease each year through providing support with a national live donor registry.
HOW: The cost is $125 per person and is open to the public. For tickets or more info visit www.amusecochon.com. Advance ticket purchase required (industry discount available).
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Cochon 555 began in Atlanta and is national in scope. Other cities include Chicago, New York and San Francisco. Chefs and judges from each city are selected by Taste Network to participate in the event. www.amusecochon.com
Taste Network is a Georgia-based company delivering experiential services to the artisan wine and cheese industries. The company’s mission is to provide cultured events and education focused around artisan wine, cheese and cuisine to its clients and the public at large. www.tastenetwork.org

Eating in Avalon: Joe's Italian American Roadside Stand

On the way to Avalon, New Jersey last weekend, we passed by some great roadside produce stands. One that really caught my eye was Joe's Italian American Roadstand. We bought some fresh asparagus, bright red strawberries, ripe tomatoes and summer squash. Yum!!

Capital Cooking expands to North Liberty, Iowa!

Capital Cooking will begin airing in North Liberty, Iowa. With your help, our distribution will continue to grow. If your state isn't listed, email me at capitalcooking@gmail.com and I'll tell you how we can get it airing in your area soon. We are now reaching 28 U.S. cities as well as Australia and New Zealand!

Current Outreach

Comcast Channel 95 and RCN Channel 10 - DC

Comcast Channel 69 & Verizon Channel 38 – Arlington, Virginia

Cox Cable Channel 10 - Fairfax, Virginia
HCTV - Herndon, Virginia
Access Montgomery TV 21 - Maryland
KDHX Channel 21- St. Louis, Missouri

CAT3 TV - Columbia, Missouri
Windsor Community Television - Windsor, Connecticut

East Haven Public Television- East Haven, Connecticut
People TV Channel 24 - Atlanta, Georgia
MCAM Channel 23 - Manchester, New Hampshire
CCTV in Concord-Carlisle, Massachusetts

SCTV - Saugus, Massachusetts
The Peoples Channel 8 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Saco River Community Television - Hollis, Maine
TV2 Channel 2 - Manistee, Michigan
HPA-TV - Hibbing Minnesota
TBNK - Covington, Kentucky
WITC Channel 6 - New Richmond, Wisconsin
DATV - Dayton, Ohio
KCAT TV Channel 15 - Los Gatos, California
NCTV - Nevada City, California
Channel 20 - Gilroy, California
WCTV - Waterloo, Iowa

NLTV- North Liberty, Iowa
Philadelphia Community Access Coalition - Philadelphia
FLTV in Fair - Lawn, New Jersey
Aurora 8 - Aurora, Colorado
Triangle Television - New Zealand
Channel 31 Adelaide, Australia

Review: Local 16

I've enjoyed many nights socializing with friends on the rooftop of Local 16 on U Street. Recently, they've roped off part of the roof for dining. When we asked about putting our name on the list for dining, we were told that we could only do that if we were ordering entrees...we asked if we could order a series of appetizers to have a tapas style meal and we were told "no." The price of 3 appetizers is actually more than 2 entrees so this did not seem to make sense. I haven't heard of many restaurants telling customers what they can and cannot order.

Usually we'd pass on ordering food with this type of treatment, but we were really hungry so we dined anyway. We ordered the gnocchi and fennel salad. The gnocchi lacked flavor but the fennel salad was pretty tasty. I'd stick with just having drinks at Local 16 and go elsewhere for dining.


(202) 265-2828

U Street/Shaw
1602 U St NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.localsixteen.com

Capital Cooking expands to East Haven, Connecticut

Capital Cooking will begin airing in East Haven, Connecticut on ETV. With your help, our distribution will continue to grow. If your state isn't listed, email me at capitalcooking@gmail.com and I'll tell you how we can get it airing in your area soon. We are now reaching 27 U.S. cities as well as Australia and New Zealand!

Current Outreach

Comcast Channel 95 and RCN Channel 10 - DC
Comcast Channel 69 & Verizon Channel 38 – Arlington, Virginia
Cox Cable Channel 10 - Fairfax, Virginia
HCTV - Herndon, Virginia
Access Montgomery TV 21 - Maryland
KDHX Channel 21- St. Louis, Missouri
CAT3 TV - Columbia, Missouri
Windsor Community Television - Windsor, Connecticut
People TV Channel 24 - Atlanta, Georgia
MCAM Channel 23 - Manchester, New Hampshire
CCTV in Concord-Carlisle, Massachusetts
SCTV - Saugus, Massachusetts
The Peoples Channel 8 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Saco River Community Television - Hollis, Maine
TV2 Channel 2 - Manistee, Michigan
HPA-TV - Hibbing Minnesota
TBNK - Covington, Kentucky
WITC Channel 6 - New Richmond, Wisconsin
DATV - Dayton, Ohio
KCAT TV Channel 15 - Los Gatos, California
NCTV - Nevada City, California
Channel 20 - Gilroy, California
WCTV - Waterloo, Iowa
Philadelphia Community Access Coalition - Philadelphia
FLTV in Fair - Lawn, New Jersey
Aurora 8 - Aurora, Colorado
Triangle Television - New Zealand
Channel 31 Adelaide, Australia

Brunch Review: La Fourchette

I walked out of La Fourchette saying, "yum!" Very tasty French brunch dishes. Best French toast that I've had in the city. The also offer many varieties of omlettes and poached eggs. La Fourchette brings a cozy atmosphere with fun art painted on the top of the walls. Although we sat inside because of the breeze, there is also outdoor seating. I would highly recommend La Fourchette for a weekend brunch spot.

(202) 332-3077

Adams Morgan
2429 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009

Pre-production: Taste of Morocco

Photo by Shauna Alexander

Filming is great fun, but pre-production can take quite a while. Last November, I met Soufiane at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show. We decided to work together to film an episode featuring Moroccan cuisine. I've been preparing to film it since we first met but each time we were ready to go, something would happen. We finally got everything lined up and filmed a great show. Taste of Morocco will feature Amlou, Chicken Tagine with Couscous, Moroccan Serpent Cake and a Casablanca Cocktail. Recipes and episode coming soon!  This show could not be made possible without the help and dedication of my crew.  Thank you to Alili for your sponsorship and to Le Creuset for the beautiful Tagine and other pots. Also, thank you to Ame Cosmetics for the make-up.

Review: The Reef

Fun place to sit outside for a drink and they even give an Adams Morgan zip code discount (10% off). I wouldn't recommend the food. My bison burger was dry and lacking flavor. My friends always loved the duck confit sanwiches, but apparently there is a new chef and they are no longer on the menu.

(202) 518-3800

Adams Morgan
2446 18th St NW
Washington, DC 20009
www.thereefdc.com

Review: Bistro Italiano

Bistro Italiano is located near Union Station in a row house behind Schneider's liquor store. It is a small restaurant with a mom and pop feel. I ordered the manicotti and it was average. The portions are large and the prices are inexpensive, but you get what you pay for. I've heard they have good pizza so it might not be a bad place to order a pizza to-go. We had a nice time at the restaurant for my friend Jessica's birthday. Happy Birthday Jess!

(202) 546-4522

Capitol Hill
320 D St NE
Washington, DC 20002

Don't Miss the Taste of Arlington this Sunday

When is Taste of Arlington®?
Sunday, May 17, 2009 from Noon to 5:00pm, Rain or Shine.

Where is Taste of Arlington®?
Wilson Boulevard in front of Ballston Common Mall.

Taste of Arlington® is an annual event that transforms the Ballston area into a lively street festival, complete with noteworthy restaurants, live entertainment and children’s activities. Attended by over 10,000 people each year, it is the largest single day event in Arlington. Proceeds of the event benefit Community Residences, a local non-profit organization that assists people with disabilities to live independently in the community.

The 2009 Taste of Arlington® will provid a deeper flavor of Arlington, showcasing the county's urban villages such as Ballston, Clarendon, Columbia Pike, Rosslyn, Shirlington, Crystal City and Pentagon City. Over 40 restaurants will participate.

The event is hosted by the Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership, in partnership with the Clarendon Alliance, Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, Rosslyn Renaissance and the National Science Foundation.

ZooFari

Tonight
May 14, 2009 6:30-10 p.m.

Don’t miss ZooFari 2009, where you’ll find all the ingredients for an unforgettable evening. Help celebrate elephantine appetites and the National Zoo’s commitment to Asian elephants at ZooFari 2009. This enchanted evening will bring together an oasis of culinary delights, fabulous wine, live entertainment, a chance to meet celebrity chef Carla Hall and a spectacular auction. Also, Chef Enzo from D'Acqua will be there.

Fantastic Food

ZooFari began more than 20 years ago as a catered event drawing several hundred visitors, and has since become one of the premier events in Washington—hosting master chefs the area's best restaurants and thousands of guests.

See the list of restaurants participating in ZooFari 2009.

Please note: This event is not peanut-free. Please be aware that we cannot guarantee that traces of nuts are not present in food products available at the event.

Celebrity Chef Carla Hall

Exclusive to this year's event, local (and now famous) Washingtonian chef and owner of Alchemy Caterers and "Top Chef" reality show finalist Carla Hall will be making a special appearance at ZooFari. Hall, best know for her recent participation on the top-rated Bravo Network show, will be in the Sweepstakes tent from 9-10 p.m., signing aprons and oven mits. Carla will also be whipping up a food demonstration at 8 p.m. in the ZooFari Lounge.

Super Auction

The ZooFari Silent Auction will be filled with fabulous, fun, and furry treasures to add to your collection. Hundreds of partygoers will try to outbid each other on fantastic pieces of art, weekend getaways, fine wine, tickets to sporting events, and much more. But you can start bidding now! The ZooFari 2009 Online Auction is open for bidding. Check out the auction.

A Great Evening for a Great Cause

Last year's ZooFari raised more than $300,000 to support animal care, conservation science, education, and sustainability at the Zoo. Over the years, proceeds from the event have funded a variety of Zoo initiatives, from new and improved exhibits in the Small Mammal House to construction of Amazonia and Think Tank, and conservation programs designed to save Komodo dragons, tigers, giant pandas, and other endangered species.

Pork Barrel BBQ: All American Spice Rub

Check out this All American Spice Rub! This will be perfect for your summer barbecues. It is also the perfect gift for Father's Day. Capital Cooking will be using this All American Spice Rub on our BBQ episode this summer and we'll teach you some delicious recipes that you don't want to miss.

Perfect for meat, poultry, fish and veggies! This all purpose rub adds bipartisan flavor to any meal.

Not only does our All American Spice Rub taste great - but it is all natural and contains no preservatives and no MSG. The tins are made here in the U.S., and contain recycled steel and are fully recyclable. The labels are printed with soy ink, and the rub is manufactured locally in Virginia to reduce its carbon footprint. Now whats more bipartisan than that?

Quantity Discounts: 1-2 tins - $8.00 per tin 3-10 tins - $7.50 per tin 11-50 tins - $7.00 per tin 51-100 tins - $6.50 per tin 101 or more tins - $6.00 per tin

Eating in New York: Zarela

Zarela
Although the margaritas were tasty, the service wasn't that great. We waited for quite a while just to get the waiter to run our credit cards. The Mexican eating experience was delicous despite the poor service. Fun atmoshpere and good food. I'd recommend checking it out.

(212) 644-6740

Midtown East
953 2nd Ave
New York, NY 10022
www.zarela.com

Coming Soon: Social

Social: The Newest Columbia Heights Dining Experience


What: Social, located at 14th St NW & Meridian Pl NW, is soon to be the hottest new restaurant in DC. With a nod to the Columbia Heights community, partners AJ Guy, Scott Hammons & Tim Korzep, have created a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere to stylishly wile away the night. The inventive micro-dining menu guarantees no one will have to commit to the whole meal in one order or go home without being well fed. Walking distance from the Metro, Social is situated to closely serve its Columbia Heights, Mt. Pleasant, Petworth, & Shaw neighbors as friends.


When: June 2009
Where: 14th St. NW & Meridian Pl. NW, Washington DC

D'Acqua Ristorante and Chef Enzo Febbraro

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Enzo Febbraro of the politically acclaimed D'Acqua Ristorante for a working lunch to plan our upcoming Cooking of Campania episode of Capital Cooking. By the time he was 16, Enzo had graduated from culinary school and embarked on a culinary tour of Europe, which gave him the opportunity to cook in fine kitchens throughout Paris, Nice, Munich, Grmaisch, Madrid, Milan, the former Yugoslavia, and London. Enzo has cooked in Michelin three-star restaurants and five-star hotels throughout Europe.

During lunch, we enjoyed octopus, a meat pasta dish, a pesto pasta dish with monk fish, a Neapolitan dessert and tiramisu. Yum! Enzo will be sure to bring much personality to the Cooking of Campania show and I'm looking forward to working with him. Stay tuned!

Penn Quarter
801 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
www.dacquadc.com

Coming Soon: My Family Favorites

Check out the preview!

My Family Favorites: Join Lauren, her mom, and Aunt Linda to learn the secret family recipes, including: Popeye Pills, Chicken Duchess and Carrot Cake.

Contest

Asparagus Lovers Unite for Obama!

In Celebration of Earth Day RegionalBest.com Seeks Best Recipe in America
Listen Up America! President Obama knows what he’s doing when it comes to the economy, but he’s a bit of a picky eater when it comes to his veggies. Unlike former President George W. Bush, Obama likes his broccoli, but when it comes to Mother Nature's springtime darling, asparagus, he’ll only eat it if nothing else is available.

On the heels of an organic vegetable garden being planted on the White House lawn and in celebration of Earth Day, RegionalBest.com, an online food market that supports small food artisans, producers, and sustainable agriculture, announces “Asparagus Lovers Unite for Obama!,” a recipe contest to find the best asparagus recipe in America. The contest is open to food bloggers, home cooks, chefs -- anyone that has a favorite asparagus recipe.

“Michelle Obama is a champion of healthy food and living,” says Marsha Cade, Co-owner of RegionalBest.com. “She has praised planting gardens and eating fresh vegetables, so help us help her husband. Our contest is a fun and lighthearted way to support her efforts and to bring more green to the White House.”

Stand up and do your part. Enter your favorite asparagus recipe for everything from appetizers to salads, side dishes and main entrees. While President Obama is working to fix our country, let’s work to help him discover new ways to enjoy his asparagus.

Winning recipes from eight regions of the country will be sent to the White House Chef, as well as showcased on RegionalBest.com and publicized nationwide. The grand prize winner will receive $1,000 worth of farmer and artisan produced foods from RegionalBest.com’s online food marketplace. Prizes may include such tasty foods as California extra virgin olive oil, Wild Alaskan salmon, Texas tamales, New England baklava, Vermont maple syrup, Idaho certified organic lamb, Maine lobster, Utah and Vermont artisan cheeses, North Carolina all natural jams and Texas Guajillo honey.

Recipes will be judged on taste, creativity and regional flair. Regions include New England, Mid-Atlantic, South, Southwest, Midwest, Rocky Mountain, West, and Pacific Northwest. The deadline for submissions is May 20, 2009, with winners to be announced and posted on RegionalBest.com May 30, 2009.

Send recipes by email only to recipes@regionalbest.com. For more information and contest guidelines, go to www.regionalbest.com.



About RegionalBest.com

RegionalBest.com is an online food marketplace that offers regional foods produced by artisans, farmers, ranchers, cheesemakers and other small, family-owned companies across America. RegionalBest.com is committed to help small producers who champion local flavors move beyond their local market to reach a broader audience. The company supports sustainable and eco-friendly farming and production practices. For more information, please log onto www.regionalbest.com.

CAPITAL COOKING BRINGS AFRICA TO WASHINGTON

Lauren DeSantis creates Ethiopian Soul Food with the owners of Etete and Chez Hareg

Washington, D.C. - “Capital Cooking” and Lauren DeSantis bring Ethiopia to Washington D.C. when she cooks with the owner of Etete, Tiwaltengus Shenegelgn (“Tete”), and the owner Chez Hareg, Hareg Messert.

Tete has been bringing Ethiopian comfort food to the nation’s capital for over two decades. Using pancake-like bread called injera as a utensil, Etete (meaning “mama”) serves small plates of cooked meats, vegetables and dips in a family style presentation. Awaze tibs is one of the small plates offered with strips of beef sautéed with seasoned butter, fresh tomato, berbere, green pepper and onion. With Tete as her guide, DiSantis will cook both of these plates to create the perfect small meal.

But no meal is complete without dessert. A native of Ethiopia and an alumnus of the Ritz Carlton pastry kitchen, Hareg Messert opened her bakery in the middle of the Ethiopian community in 2007. Providing African and European pastries, cookies, and cakes, she has recently expanded her offerings to even the most restricted eaters, vegans. Chez Hareg also caters for breakfast, lunch, brunch and cocktail parties.

Watch “Ethiopian Cuisine” to learn and travel to a country you may not visit otherwise. Capital Cooking is the first television show of its kind. A series exploring the culinary and cultural riches of our nation’s Capital and is hosted by Lauren DeSantis.

Capital Cooking highlights cooking traditions of regional cuisine from all areas of the country as well as international dishes. Throughout the series, DeSantis will incorporate entertaining tips into the shows, will cook with local chefs, and will demonstrate how to make recipes with ingredients that viewers can find at local grocery stores and farmers’ markets. Visit www.captialcookingshow.com for more information on upcoming events and http://captialcookingshow.blogspot.com for daily updates.

Airing this month on Cox Cable Channel 10 in Fairfax:

Ethiopian Cuisine: Join Lauren and the owners of Etete and Chez Hareg as they make Ethiopian Soul Food including Injera, Awaze Tibs and an Ethiopian dessert.

Time slot during the 4th week of the month- Monday at 11:30 p.m., Thursday at 9:30 a.m., and Wednesday at 4 p.m.

In New Zealand, watch Capital Cooking on STRATOS on Wednesdays at 8p.m.

KDHX Charter Cable Channel 21 in St. Louis, Missouri

Every Wednesday at 1p.m.
By Jacquie Chamberlain

Recipe: Zabaglione

With summer right around the corner, I crave fruit desserts. Zabaglione is the perfect pairing with fresh fruit and it is easy enough to prepare on a weekday night. You can also make extra to use in tiramisu. Zabaglione is a classic Italian dessert originating in the Piedmont region. Marsala wine is from Sicily and can be found in your local grocery store. Use the extra wine to make creamy chicken marsala.

Zabaglione

4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dry Marsala wine
Strawberries or other fruit

Place egg yolks and sugar into a heat-resistant bowl or the top of a double boiler and whisk until foamy and pale yellow. Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Make sure you don’t have too much water so that it will not touch the bowl. Set the bowl on top of the pot of simmering water and continue whisking the zabaglione. You may want to use an electric mixer if your arm gets tired. Gradually pour in the Marsala while continuing to beat - don't let it boil. You want your eggs to cook slowly so the mixture stays very smooth. Keep whisking for 5-7 minutes until it is thick and yellow. Serve warm or cold with fruit.

Thanks Corey!

Thanks for being a great director and for all of your support!

Check out the Market opening today!

Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at 14&U Farmers’ Market, 14th and U Streets NW (14andufarmersmarket.com).
Photo by Ashley Mosley

Planning a Fun Bridal Shower

One of my girlfriends is getting married this summer and a couple friends had a bridal shower for her in New York. Instead of the typical BINGO game where you are answering questions about the couple, we split into teams to see who could recreate the celebrity dresses by decorating a doll cake. FUN! What a creative idea!
Beforehand, you buy the Wilton Stand-up Doll Cake Pan Wonder Mold Kit and make enough of the cake dresses to split up in teams of 3. You can actually buy the doll cake picks here. They had all sorts of decorating tips, sprinkles and various colored icings to use. You could probably make a large batch of your favorite butter cream icing and then divide it into bowls and add food coloring. Although, I thought our Lara Flynn Boyle was the best, the judges picked the bride's J-Lo as the winner. The hosts also made us personalized aprons with our initials so that we wouldn't get our clothes dirty. They served an assortment of tasty sandwiches and desserts including homemade peanut butter cups. Everyone had a great time!