Coming Soon: Ted's Bulletin

The makers of Matchbox will be bringing you Ted's Bulletin scheduled to open this April.

You'll enjoy the 1930's style interior finished with features such as art deco light fixtures, brass signage, wall treatments and marble counters salvaged from the recently demolished Philadelphia Convention Hall.

Operating hours:

Monday thru Thursday
7 AM - 10:30 PM

Friday and Saturday, 7 AM - 11:30 PM

Sunday:
Open 7 AM
Last seating at 10:30 PM

Prominently featured on the menu will be burgers made with beef ground in-house, as well as American classics such as meat loaf, pastrami and grilled cheese sandwiches(option to get this for the kids with Wonderbread! :) , fresh soups and salads. Our culinary team will consist of Shannan Troncoso, Jon McArthur and Jacob Hunter who will be shifting over from matchbox Capitol Hill as well as matchbox Chinatown.

The "Bulletin" element is in reference to our interior menu boards as well as the rotating specials our chefs will whip up on a daily basis.

Dessert and Pastry Chef Erica Chirunomula (formerly of Ten Penh) will be charged with heading up our shakes, pies, breakfast sandwiches, homemade pop tarts (just silly good!!) , cakes, muffins and pretty much all things baking. Erica's work station will actually be in one of the bay windows overlooking the sidewalk so folks can see her preparation techniques--we think a great added visual for the neighborhood!

To round out, we will also be serving coffee, espresso and cappuccinos for takeout or dine in.

On the bar side, we will be serving classic cocktails complete with unique round ice cubes and fresh ingredients overseen by our chefs, a funky but affordable wine list as well as "prohibition style" light and dark beer on tap.

The restaurant will seat up to 75 total with room for a larger group of 10-12 guests. Booths will seat 2, 4 or 6 guests total.

Another fun feature will be a video display in the dining room where we will be projecting vintage 8mm home movies from the 30's 40's and 50's, shot around and about DC as well as points beyond.
We have found great old footage from the White House, Arlington as well as Mount Vernon.

Other: tin ceilings, a large sky light, interior oak doors from old law firms with lettering still on the glass, marble tile flooring, an open kitchen and meat display case, photos of the neighborhood and specifically 8th Street and Barracks Row featured in our menu as well as framed throughout the restaurant.Hopefully we'll film another show with these guys.

Artini

The month long city-wide celebration of ARTINI 2010 starts March 1st! Mark your calendar for the culminating event at the Corcoran Gallery of Art on Saturday, March 27 from 8pm to Midnight. In the meantime, please see the enclosed press release detailing “feature nights” for taste-testing these artistic martinis by DC’s most amazing mixologists!

Vote for your favorite ARTINI at www.washingtonian.com/artini.

The proceeds from ARTINI go to support ArtReach, the Corcoran’s community outreach program. ArtReach extends the resources of the Corcoran to underserved communities in Washington, D.C. through free high-quality arts education programs.

Happy sipping and hope to share an “artini” with you soon,

The Art of the Blog

Join ReadysetDC's newest event "The Art of the Blog_", which is this Friday, the 26th. Each month they will focus on a specific genre of blog, with special guest bloggers. For the first one, they are focusing on neighborhood blogging.

Dan Silverman of "Prince of Petworth" and David Garber of "And Now, Anacostia" will be featured at the first event.

Come out to meet them and find out how they started blogging, and why they still do. Each event will include a Q&A, along with drinks and entertainment.

This Friday, music will be provided by Sean Peoples of FATBACK (www.fatbackdc.com)! More details below:

"Friday, February 26th from 6 to 8pm
At DISTRICT | 2473 18th Street NW

Special Guests Prince of Petworth & And Now, Anacostia
Discussion of Neighborhood Blogging w/ Music and Drinks

A monthly event bringing together bloggers from across the nation's capitol to meet, unwind and stimulate the mind.

Each month will focus on a specific aspect of life in the District, featuring special guest bloggers from different fields. Each The Art of the Blog_ will feature a discussion, drinks and entertainment. The Art of the Blog_ invites bloggers, readers and anyone in between."

Afterwards, Sean P will keep the vibe going into "the GALLERY at District", an art opening and social, in partnership with No Kings Collective (www.nokingscollective.com).

facebook event pages:

The Art of the Blog_: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=325499765558

the GALLERY at District: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=350026920228

National Food Bloggers Bake Sale -- Call for Volunteers

When:
April 17, 2010

What:

The first annual National Food Bloggers Bake Sale, part of the Great American Bake Sale, will be held on Saturday, April 17. Organized by Gaby Dalkin of WhatsGabyCooking.com, food bloggers from across the country will unite to support the cause by holding bake sales in their states. Readers will have the opportunity to taste the baked goods from their favorite food blogs at each state’s bake sale location. (You can visit Gaby's blog to see other participants from around the country.)

Funds raised through Great American Bake Sale support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in America. Nearly 17 million— almost one in four—children in America face hunger. Despite the good efforts of governments, private-sector institutions and everyday Americans, millions of our children still don’t have daily access to the nutritious meals they need to live active, healthy lives. More information on SOS can be found at http://strength.org/

DC Bake Sale:

Location t.b.a., and the time is tentatively 10am - 1pm.

What We Need:

1. Baked goods!
   
2. A couple people to help man the booth the day of the bake sale.
3. Other fundraising ideas to supplement the food sales. I'm thinking of including a raffle -- will be looking for gift certificates or prizes from local businesses.
   
4. Help spreading the word! Attached is a badge you can post on your blog. The twitter hashtag is #FB_bakesale if you want to help build buzz or just connect with other bake sale participants around the country.

Contact Colleen if you'd like to participate.

2 Years Since Capital Cooking Started Filming

It has been two years since we filmed the first episode of Capital Cooking. We started the show with DC Cuisine and learned how to make the famous half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl. We interviewed people at Eastern Market to find out their views of DC Cuisine and received mixed responses. We've tried to use those responses to create more episodes and so far have produced 29 episodes to date. Each episode gets better than the last. We're trying really hard to improve the quality of the filming and the content of the episodes which isn't always easy on a limited budget. We're also getting faster thanks to our fabulous crew! We're currently airing in over 20 million households nationwide as well as Australia and New Zealand. With the help of Nick Szpara, Kevin Morris, Joe Davidson, Kim Auron, Caitlin Smith, Emily Clack, Bim Mamber, Steve Palmer, and Shauna Alexander, we are taking the production to the next level.

This month we filmed two episodes, Sunday Brunch and Cocktail Party.
We've been working very hard to finish the Capital Cooking Cookbook. I can't wait until it is complete.

Filming is a ton of work, but so worth it! This is my outlet and my passion and I love sharing it with you. Happy Cooking!

Thank you to our new sponsors:

Emperor's Brand Vodka
Laconiko Olive Oil

Photo by Shauna Alexander

Book Review: "From The Palate to the Spirit"

Zakynthos, Crossroads of Culture and Cooking Greek Traditions of Food in Zakynthos by Calliopi Toufidou

"From The Palate to the Spirit" is a guide to the food and traditions of Zante (Zakynthos) island. The book features 100 recipes of the local specialties as well as the history, traditions, and culture at this special part of the "Eptanisa" (Ionian Islands). This book will give lots of detail about the specific culture of Zakynthos and could be useful if you were traveling to that island. I haven't tried to make the recipes from inside the book yet, but some of the recipes include ingredients that are not readily available at your local grocery store. Calliopi does a good job of promoting Greek tradition by sharing stories in her book. So if you're traveling to Greece and want to learn more about the culture of the Ionian Islands, email Popi to get a copy of the book at p.toufidou@gmail.com,

Food Blogger Happy Hour: March 3rd

It is that time of month again... Yes, it is time for another Food Blogger gathering. Join us March 3 at Vinoteca for the next food blogger happy hour.

DC food bloggers have a new Facebook fan page, a virtual space to hang out, converse, and get to know each other. If you are a food blogger (or a food lover) feel free to "become a fan." We'll be posting future events via Facebook, so it's a great way to keep up on what's going on.

Coming to Vinoteca on March 3? Please RSVP here.

A lot of people make these happy hours happen. As always, thanks to the planning committee:

Arugula Files
Beer Spotter
Biscuits and Such
Capital Cooking
Capital Spice
Common Man Eats
Dining in DC
Gradually Greener
Modern Domestic
Thrifty DC Cook
We Love DC

Hope you can make it!

Preview of the Lunch with a Lobbyist episode

Lunch with a Lobbyist: Join Lauren DeSantis in making a delicious lunch with lobbyist, Anita Estell including: Mixed Greens with topped with cranberries, apples, carmelized walnuts and fig balsamic vinaigrette, Tilapia with Vanilla Beurre Blanc, and Pumpkin Crème Brulee. We’ll get the inside scoop about being a lobbyist in DC, changes in the ethics rules, and best lunch spots.

Valentine's Recipe from ZENTAN

Plan a romantic dinner at home for Valentine's Day and make your sweetheart a special recipe of Empress Chicken from ZENTAN Restaurant.

EMPRESS CHICKEN

By Chef Susur Lee

8 oz Chicken Breast sliced thin (coat with 1 egg white and 1 tsp cornstarch season with salt and white pepper)

2 oz oil for cooking

4 oz Sliced Shitake Mushrooms

1 small onion slice

1 stalk of celery sliced

1 small red pepper sliced

1 tsp garlic chopped

1 tsp ginger chopped

2 oz toasted cashews

1 oz rough chopped cilantro

2 oz oyster sauce

2 oz Worcestershire sauce

1 oz soy sauce

.5 tsp corn starch

1 T water

A wok is preferred, but this dish will work just as nicely in a sauté pan. Heat up your pan to medium heat, add chicken that has been sliced and marinated, cook 75% then add garlic ginger, let cook 30 seconds and begin to add the rest of vegetables. Make slurry with the cornstarch and water and set aside. Add the Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and soy sauce, thicken with slurry, finish with chopped cilantro and toasted cashews. Serve over steamed rice.

Special thanks to Megan Bailey

Heather Freeman

Media & Public Relations

Snow Days to Braise

The city is filled with snow so it is the perfect time for some Braise Days. Doesn't that make you hungry?!

Try these Braised Beef Short Ribs with Parsnip Puree that I learned in Cooking 101 at L'Academie de Cuisine. I prefer to braise in my Le Creuset Braiser so I can start by browning the meat on the stove top and finish it in the oven. There is nothing like watching the meat fall off the bone and enjoying the amazing tenderness.

Braised Beef Short Ribs

2- 3 pounds of Beef short ribs

3-4 cups Mirepoix (carrots, onion, celery)

Garlic

Tomato paste

Herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay, black pepper)

Beef stock

Red wine

Salt and pepper

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear the short ribs in clarified butter or olive oil until well browned. Remove from the pan. Add a little olive oil and saute the vegetables until they start to soften and take on some color. Add the tomato paste and cook down briefly. Add some wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up the all of the tasty bits. Add the ribs back to the pan and add enough beef stock to bring up the volume of liquid to about halfway up the short ribs. Bring to a boil, cover, and put in a 300°F oven. * You could also transfer everything to a slow cooker at this point and let it slow cook for 3-5 hours on high hear first and lower it to low heat about 2 hours in. Braise the short ribs for 3-4 hours, until they are tender and the meat falls off the bone. Remove the short ribs and set aside. Pass the remaining sauce through a strainer into another saucepan. Continue to reduce the sauce for 5-10 minutes. Serve the ribs over the Parsnip Puree and drizzle the sauce on top.

Parsnip Puree

Ingredients

1 yellow onion, diced

5-6 cups parsnip, peeled and diced

Butter

Chicken Stock

Cream

Salt

Method

Add 4 tablespoons of butter to a large pot and sweat onions on a low-medium heat. Meanwhile, dice the parsnips into small pieces and add to the pot. Add the chicken stock until it barely covers the vegetables. Season the ingredients conservatively with salt. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until the parsnips are soft. Uncover and reduce liquid until dry. Once dry, move the mixture to the blender and puree starting on a low speed. There is no starch in parsnips so you can blend as much as you want. Add salt, another few tablespoons of butter and cream to the blender. Add enough cream to get it to the consistency that you like. It should look like mashed potatoes.

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Savor the Date

The 23rd Annual Taste of Arlington Returns on May 16, 2010

Tickets Only $15 until March 15th

ARLINGTON, VA — The Ballston Partnership is pleased to announce that Taste of Arlington 2010 will take place on Sunday, May 16th from noon to 5 p.m. What has become a beloved spring Arlington tradition will be back this year and bigger than ever. In addition to a wide array of Arlington’s favorite eateries, the Taste will also feature a juried arts and crafts show, children’s activities, live entertainment and a farmer’s market so culinary inspiration can follow Taste attendees home. Tickets are available online at the reduced price of $15.00 until March 15th, a ten dollar savings from the day-of-event price of $25.

The Ballston Partnership has teamed up with the Clarendon Alliance, Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization, and Rosslyn Renaissance, as well as the Rosslyn BID and the Crystal City BID to present the Taste of Arlington, a celebration of their collective communities and the largest single day event in Arlington. Proceeds from Taste of Arlington will benefit the Virginia Hospital Center and Arlington Community Foundation.

What:	The 23rd Annual Taste of Arlington - a lively street festival that celebrates community by bringing together over 40 restaurants, local talent, arts and crafts, children’s activities and an average of 12,000 people from the greater Washington, DC area.
Where:	Wilson Boulevard in front of Ballston Common Mall. Parking is available all day for $1 at the Ballston Public Parking Garage adjacent to the Ballston Common Mall Metro Ballston-MU station (Orange line) Bike Valet Service provided by Washington Area Bicyclist Association
When:	Sunday, May 16th, noon - 5 p.m.
Tickets:	The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required to taste. * Limited Time Offer Tickets: eight Tastes for $15 until March 15th Advance Online Tickets: eight Tastes for $20 Day of Event Tickets: eight Tastes for $25 One food sample costs one Taste Beer and wine cost two Tastes Tickets are on sale now at: http://www.tasteofarlington.com/tickets.html

Review: Sonoma Modern in Charlotte

Great atmosphere! Sonoma offers a modern wine bar and great selection of wines. We were there on a Monday night and were actually the only people in the restaurant. I hope this isn't a reflection of the downturn in the economy...
I started with the Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad. I was a little disappointed by the number of beets. I was expecting for the salad to consist of beets and goat cheese, but as you can see below, it was mostly green.

For my entree I tried the Pan Roasted Chicken Breast with Roasted Garlic and Thyme Gravy. I don't usually order chicken at restaurants but I figured I'd give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised by the tenderness of the chicken. The roasted garlic melted in my mouth.
I ended the meal with the Chocolate Torte with Pistachio Ice Cream by recommendation of our server. Rich and delicious...I couldn't finish the whole dish but it was the perfect sweet ending to the meal.

(704) 332-1132

Downtown/Uptown
100 N Tryon St
Charlotte, NC 28202
www.sonomabistro.com

Pairing Food and Wine with Lamar Brown

Hello Cupcake to Predict SuperBowl Winner

Football analysts say that the Saints strength is offense and the Colts will challenge them with their defensive players, but what local cupcake lovers want to know is which one has the best frosting? The answer coming from Hello Cupcake is both.

Hello Cupcake, located in Dupont Circle, is making its own SuperBowl predictions, one purchase at a time. From February 1 to February 8, customers can support their team by purchasing Colts or Saint cupcakes. Three hours before kick-off on Sunday, Hello Cupcake staffers will announce a winner.

Hello Cupcake knows that football is an all-American pastime and nothing is more all American than a freshly made baked good. According to Forbes Magazine, 100 million viewers are set to watch the Super Bowl next Sunday. This local cupcakery may not be able to purchase a $2.5 million ad for those viewers to see but with a close game forecasted, Hello Cupcake hopes to sell a lot of cupcakes.

SuperBowl cupcakes feature custom designed emblems mimicking the team logos. “We love to engage our customers in all aspects of our business… from our new cupcake design series, to the fun pick-up line blog (www.youhadmeathellocupcake.com) and now with promotions like this, our customers get to share a little bit of their personality with us.” says owner Penny Karas.

Just in time for party planning, Hello Cupcake is accepting pre-orders via email or phone. SuperBowl cupcakes will be available to purchase individually or by the dozen starting Monday, February 1. Each cupcake purchase equals one point towards your team of choice.

Don't miss Dinner with my friend Daniel

Last night I enjoyed an EcoFriendly Farms Pork Dinner with my friend Chef Daniel Giusti. I can't believe it has been almost two years since I last had the pleasure of cooking with Dan during our 1789 episode of Capital Cooking.

WASHINGTON DC OPEN CALL for the 24 Hour Restaurant Battle

Date: Monday, February 22, 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Zentan Restaurant/Donovan House Hotel

1155 14th Street NW, Washington, DC

We are looking for:

• Two to five person teams with pre-existing relationships (brother and sister, mother and son, husband and wife, etc.) who would love the chance to prove that they can run a restaurant.
• A dynamic front of house and back of house duo. One person on the team will run the front of the house and the other person on the team will be the chef and run the kitchen. All levels of experience (culinary school trained to home cook, little or no restaurant experience to a lifelong career in restaurants) will be considered.
• Lots of energy and charisma! We're seeking personalities that pop.

If you have any questions or need further information, please feel free to contact me or visit our website at www.24hourrestaurantbattle.com.

Anyone who is interested in attending the open call can contact us at casting24dc@gmail.com

Review: Smith and Wollensky

Don't judge the steaks by the ambiance.
Every so often, I treat myself to a delicious steak. My friend Elle was in town so we all went out to dinner at Smith and Wollensky during Restaurant Week. Smith and Wollensky was one of the first big name steakhouses to come to DC in the nineties. Unlike Capital Grille (Republican) and The Palm (Democrat), Smith and Wollensky regularly hosts a bi-partisan crowd. Our waiter indicated that the times have changed with the recession and there are quite fewer corporate lunches.

Get started at Smith and Wollensky with the buttery bread that melts in your mouth. The House salad is nothing to write home about, but we all loved the juicy Filet Mignon. The huge slice of NY cheesecake was a fabulous way to finish the meal. We only sucked down three bottles of wine on special for Restaurant Week (only $25).
Fun and Tasty!

Downtown
1112 19th St NW
Washington, DC 20036
www.smithandwollensky.com

Planning your Super Bowl Party

Get your favorite party dishes ready to go for Sunday's Super Bowl!

If you are inviting friends over to watch the game, make sure you have good food.

You can't have a great Super Bowl Party without some tasty appetizers... I'm making Jamaican Wings, Potato Skins, Artichoke Dip and a delicious nacho cheese dip.

For the main course, I'm going to serve some of my personal favorites including, chili and baked potato soup. It is cold outside so people enjoy eating warm comforting soups.

Don't forget the beer!

What are some of your favorite recipes for the Super Bowl?