Port City Brewing Company's New Seasonal Pilsner

By Claire Goldman

Capital Cooking Show Blog Contributor

Since the 1990s, the craft beer industry has been steadily gaining popularity across the United States.  If you're in the DC area, there is only one place where you can get your authentic craft brewery fix, Port City Brewing Company in Alexandria, VA.  Located two miles from the King Street Metro, the brewery was founded in 2011 by Bill Butcher and Head Brewer Jonathon Reeves serves up four year round staple brews and a rotating seasonal concoction.   Get your growlers (four pint beer jugs) ready for a smooth pour of their delicious beers.

Taiwan: Arrival to Taipei

Beautiful flowers given to us upon arrival at Sheraton Taipei Hotel

After about 19 hours of flying time, we landed in Taipei.  We're here to film a Capital Cooking:  Around the Globe travel series all about Taiwan.  We are ready to dig in and experience the food.  Although it might not be widely known amongst Americans, Taiwan is known for having one of the richest culinary traditions in Asia.  From visiting a traditional tea house to indulging in the best street food, we can't wait!

Brigitte Bardot—A Lifetime in Pictures

By Viola Bello

You could tell she was French just by looking at her.  Sultry and sophisticated, she was the cultural counter weight to the bubbly, blonde American sex symbols of the 1960s. 

Upcoming Events: Masa 14 Happy Hour, Art and Soul Crab Boil and More!

Escape the bustle of DC to the ultimate urban oasis with panoramic views and chic ambiance at the Rooftop at Masa 14 (1825 14th Street NW, 202-328-1414). This year-round rooftop bar is the stylish new scene for alfresco dining and drinking. Pitchers of sangria and Latin cocktails paired with Latin-Asian finger foods make for lively mixing and mingling.  Happy Hour Specials:  M-F from 5-7 p.m. (ongoing)

Darn Good Chicken

By:  Hannah Mellman

Open for just over a year, Pollo Peru is an authentic Peruvian charbroiled chicken restaurant in the heart of Reston, Virginia. Started by Enrique Lenz and his daughter Amy Gedrich, their passion for cooking and authentic Peruvian food led them to open their first restaurant. Worth the drive for those DC'ers, Pollo Peru offers causal, budget-friendly dining and take-out that will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.

Summer Fancy Food Show Hit DC Once Again

by Samantha Grieder
Capital Cooking Contributor

The Summer Fancy Food Show came back to the District and left too soon, bringing a wealth of specialty foods to the area by way of the DC Convention Center. Open for three days, the event hosted everyone from industry professionals to gourmands, wandering the aisles of seemingly endless amounts of every food one can imagine.

A Taste of Italy-Delverdi and Lucini Food truck Tour

Lucini and Delverdi hosted a VIP cocktail hour at their booth last Monday at the Fancy Food Show. 

Hurry in before it closes!

Say it ain't so! I was hoping they'd change their minds, but I wasn't that lucky. Following an exciting year, José Andrés concludes the run of his temporary destination, America Eats Tavern, on July 4, 2012.

California's Liquid Gold

In advance of The Fancy Food Show, which returned to DC from June 17-19, The California Olive Oil Council held a private event at Equinox Restaurant, inviting guests to taste some of the freshest certified extra virgin olive oils from California and experience delicious food pairings created by Executive Chef Karen Nicholas.

Austria: Surprisingly Ingenious!

Austria definitely showed their ingenuity as part of Fancy Food Week 2012.  Hosted at swanky L2 Lounge in Georgetown, the Austrian exhibitors showcased the best of Austrian cuisine, wines and beers with a mix of unique Austrian food products.  The diversity of flavors set Austrian food on a whole new level with crisp white wines, creamy cheeses, schnitzel and an amazing sauerkraut strudel.

And the Winner Is...

The RAMMY Gala was a huge success with more than 1,500 guests gathered together to celebrate the outstanding achievements and excellence in the Metropolitan Washington restaurant industry.  Congrats to all of the winners!

Virginia Eastern Shore Guide: Part IV

by Samantha Grieder and Lauren DeSantis

Photos by Corey Then

After spending the afternoon at the seafood festival and having dinner at the Sea Shell Cafe, the crowd headed back to The Refuge Inn to rest up. It was quite the busy day.

Rare Tea Republic Cupping Event

By:  Lauren Rittermann

Rare Tea Republic hosted a small private event at the Fancy Food Show to showcase some of their spectacular hand-picked teas.  Sarah Scarborough, the tea buyer for Rare Tea Republic, went through the process of traveling the world and finding some of the best teas around.  We started by touching, sniffing, and tasting a variety of teas from black to white while we learned about the area where each one came from.

Cheese of France Cocktail Reception

Cheeses of France hosted an elegant and fun cocktail reception after the Fancy Food Show on Monday featuring some of their exquisite cheeses, along with French wine and passed hors d' oeuvres.

Happy Birthday Corey!

Always remember our "Golden" years! 

Thinking of Drinking: RAMMY Nominee -- Chaos Theory

 

This summer's cocktail trend is grapefruit.  Dan Searing of Room 11, plays up the tart citrus fruit in Chaos Theory, a spicy tequila cocktail.

Upcoming Events: Safeway BBQ Battle, Alexandria Food and Wine and More!

Alexandria Food and Wine Festival - June 23-24: Sips, slurps, chomps, and laughter will fill the air in Old Town Alexandria in the Carlyle District (300 John Carlyle Street) as the local community gathers together to enjoy the diverse restaurants of Alexandria and Virginia’s wineries for the 1st Annual Alexandria Food and Wine Festival. Enjoy this new lively festival, complete with live entertainment, a children’s corner, food and wine tasting, a food demonstration showcase area and a VIP networking reception for our sponsors. Attendees will be able to sample food and wine from a variety of local restaurants and Virginia’s wineries, including The Chart House, Indigo Landing, and wineries Mattaponi Winery, Unicorn Winery, Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery, and Cedar Creek Winery. Cost: FREE; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages.  Hours: 12-5 p.m.

Fanch Food After Party: Scotch at the British Embassy

By Viola Bello

On a beautiful Monday evening, we visited the British Embassy on Massachusetts Avenue to celebrate the launch of Duchy Originals from Waitrose.  The rotunda of the Embassy was filled with friendly people chatting, sampling delicious food and tasting single malt Scotch whisky aged 12 and 17 years.

Event: Masters of Food and Wine Breakfast

by Samantha Grieder
Capital Cooking Contributor

On Sunday, June 24th, Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt Washington will be hosting a Masters of Food and Wine event with breakfast and a walk through the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Farmers Market.

Recipe: Gazpacho

This recipe comes from our Cooking with Small Spaces episode featuring Denise Medved from the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show.  Hard to believe we filmed this four years ago!  Although this isn't my favorite Gazpacho recipe, it is super simple and looks pretty.  If you're in a pinch and don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen or if you enjoy easy recipes, check it out.

Sam Adams Summer and Lobster!

By Matt Dewey

Savor Beer Week was an amazing celebration of beer which featured both national brands and micro-brews showcasing their beer at local restaurants. Capital Cooking went to Iron Horse in Gallery Place to taste the quintessential summer beer, Sam Adams Summer Ale.  They paired the beer  with the New England lobster roll.

Eat With Your Eyes: Grilled Columbia River Salmon

Is your mouth watering?  You can find this Grilled Columbia River Salmon, Morels, and a Cioppino-Shellfish Broth at DC Coast during their Coast to Coast Summer Menu Series.  Take a three-month summer dining voyage featuring a four-course dinner menu for $55, Thursday-Sunday.  You'll be able to find this delicious salmon dish until the end of June.  It was perfectly paired with a Pinot Noir, Domaine du Prieure from Burgundy, France 2009.  

Eating and Drinking Around Town: Black's, Ping Pong and More!

DC has no shortage of tasty treats.  From cocktails to sweets, I've been eating all around town and loving every minute of it.

Taste the European Tradition

By Melinda Contreas

As the Summer Fancy Food Show made its return to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center from June 17th-June 19th, more than 2,400 exhibitors from 80 countries and regions used the show floor to reach as many of the 25,000 attendees as they could over a three day period. With many of the key players in the industry in one city over the three days, a number of exhibitors took the opportunity to host private press conferences, receptions, and banquets both before and after the show, hosting key players in the industry in a more intimate setting.

Caution: Mouth Watering Reading. One of the BEST meals I've eaten in a long time!

I stopped into try some new dishes upstairs at Bar Pilar and was blown away.  Chef Justin out did himself with the most amazing menu.  Jonathan Fain walked us through his "Periodic Table of Cocktails."  

Father's Day Give-Away: $50 to Wagshal's

Show your dad that he's #1!  Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Father's Day Give-Away: $75 to Tonic

Treat Dad to some tots! Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Slow Sippin': Triumph of American Spirit

Recently Tuthilltown Spirits – distiller of Hudson whiskeys, among other things – sent us some of the best treats we’ve had in years.   Regular readers know that Capital Cooking is generally simpatico with the products we feature.  While CC will point out the occasional swing and a whiff, we normally try to write about products we like.  It fits our optimistic approach to life.    But to say that we “like” Hudson Whiskey is like saying Facebook was a “decent” idea or that landing on the moon was a “nice” accomplishment.  It just doesn’t convey the magnitude of the sentiment.

Last chance! Father's Day Give-Away: $50 to 2100 Prime

 Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Thinking of Drinking: RAMMY Nominee -- Dia De Descanso

Dia De Descanso, meaning Day of Rest in Spanish, is a wonderful combination of grapefruit, saffron, lime and sparkling wine.  Adam Bernbach of Estadio combines mojito and sangria styles this punchbowl cocktail that is great for any summer party.

Thinking of Drinking: Casa Oaxaca Mezcal Tasting Dinner

4 Courses. 4 Different ways to taste the elixir of gods! 

Thinking of Drinking: After Midnight

I've been experimenting with my new favorite beverage, Realbeanz.  This cocktail recipe is both yummy and hydrating.  Drink one after dinner and you're sure to have fun until after midnight!

Father's Day Give-Away: $100 to Cuba Libre

Show your dad that he's #1!  Father's Day is almost here. There's still time to enter before Sunday to win your dad something special.

Father's Day Give-away: $50 to Matchbox

Show your dad that he's #1!  Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. Today, sign up to win a $50 gift card to Matchbox.  All dads love pizza, right? 

Upcoming Events: Taste of Reston, Summer Fancy Food, Safeway Barbecue Battle and More!

The Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce is presenting the 22nd Annual Taste of Reston - an event featuring two days of restaurants and community vendors, live entertainment on four stages and a Family Fun Zone! This is the largest and most family-friendly event held at the Reston Town Center each year. JUNE 15-16  FRI 3PM-11PM  SAT 12PM-11PM; CARNIVAL CONTINUES ON SUN 10AM-8PM.

Father's Day Give-Away: Mad Fox Brewing Company

Is your dad a beer fan?  Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Father's Day Gift Guide

Get the Capital Cooking Cookbook for only $20 from now until Father's Day by using this code:  5KCP7TEC.  With all of the bbq recipes you'll need to make special cooking memories!

Event: Alexandria Food and Wine Festival

Sips, slurps, chomps and laughter will fill the air in Old Town Alexandria as the local community gathers together to enjoy the diverse restaurants of Alexandria and Virginia’s wineries for the 1st Annual Alexandria Food and Wine Festival, taking place on Saturday, June 23, 2012.

Lauren's Top 5 Beers from SAVOR 2012

  

SAVOR rocked!  Connecting small and independent craft breweries and craft beer lovers from across the country, the Brewers Association recently hosted the nation’s premier craft beer and food pairing event here in DC.

Father's Day Give-Away: $50 to Daily Grill

Show you're dad that he's #1!  Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad.  Today, sign up to win a $50 gift card to The Daily Grill.

Matchbox Introduces New Brunch Items

By:  Lauren Rittermann

Matchbox restaurant in Rockville just added 4 brand new delicious items to their brunch menu.  And if you didn't know already, Matchbox in Rockville serves brunch every Saturday and Sunday, as well as holidays.  On Sundays they offer jazz brunch and you can enjoy your meal while listening to live jazz music.

Father's Day Give-Away: $75 to Tailgate Cruiser

Tailgate with Dad! Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Still time to Enter! Father's Day Give-Away: Backyard Cheese and Brews Class

Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Father's Day Give-Away: Smucker Farms

Father's Day is approaching. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. Keep reading everyday to enter. 

Still time to Enter! Father's Day Give-Away: Cafe du Parc

Show you're dad that he's #1!  Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. 

Father's Day Give-Away: Fuel Pizza

Show you're dad that he's #1! Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. Today, sign up to win a round of beer/wine/frozen drinks (one per person) and appetizers for a group of people (up to 12 people) at Fuel Pizza. It’s a value of $100!

Take a Culinary Journey Through India

Don't be fooled by the construction outside. The Bombay Club is alive and well! Throughout June, Washington’s famed power dining location is featuring menus from the different regions of India. I got a taste of the Goan/Manglorean menu. 

Father's Day Give-Away: Assaggi

Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad. Today, sign up to win a $100 gift card to Assaggi. Chef Domenico was one of our favorite guests on Capital Cooking's Picnic Pleasers episode.

Ripple's newest addition-The Grilled Cheese Bar

In honor of their second anniversary, Ripple is introducing their brand new artisanal grilled cheese bar.  Located in Cleveland Park, Ripple is known for their seasonal, daily menu, extensive wine and cocktail list, and their ever changing selection of cheeses and charcuterie.

Father's Day Give-away: $50 to The Curious Grape

Wine and Dine Dad!  Father's Day is almost here. Throughout the month of June, Capital Cooking will be giving away all kinds of fun gift cards for Dad.