Upcoming Events Around DC

There are so many events in the city for Halloween it’s hard to list ALL of them so here are our top picks of where to go on the scariest night of the year:

Perfect Pair: Barboursville Wine

Corey, Me, Luca Paschina, Tara Lumetta, Paul Lumetta

The Hay-Adams hosted a delicious Five-Course Wine Dinner with Barboursville Vineyard. One of my favorite chefs, Jaime Montes de Oca, Jr., paired his signature Lafayette Restaurant dishes with Barboursville’s wines presented by the winemaker, Luca Paschina.  My cousins were in town to enjoy the event with us and we had a wonderful dinner.  We began the evening with grapefruit Campari cocktails and bites of foie gras and tuna carpaccio.

Oyamel's Dia de los Muertos Celebration

Photo: Garrett Lamm

By: Ian McGinnity
Capital Cooking Contributor 

Decidedly delectable dishes and colorful, calavera-clouding cocktails come alive at Oyamel’s annual Dia de los Muertos festival. A compelling meld of the common with the exquisite, Head Chef Colin King demonstrates his well-honed craft by fashioning traditional Mexican dishes with refined ingredients and delicate garnishes. Lasting until November 2^nd, this is an event you will not want to miss.

On the Road Again: St. Brigid's Farm Annual Field to Fork Dinner

The only thing better than spending a beautiful Saturday at a vineyard or a farm is spending a Saturday at both a vineyard and a farm. Thanks to an invite from the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association,  we were able to spend the last Saturday of September enjoying wines, produce, and beef from Crow Farm and Vineyard and St. Brigid's Farm as we made our way from the Crow Farm tasting room to a table for 150 at St. Brigid's Farm Annual Field to Fork Dinner.

Uncorked: The Ebro River Valley

By: Lauren Rittermann
Capital Cooking Contributor

The popular Tapas restaurant , Jaleo, continued their quarterly Tour of Spain Wine Dinner series with a wine dinner focused on the area of Ebro River Vallery. Sommelier Jordi Paronella, and Jaleo and Chef Ramon Martinez worked closely together to pair wines and Spanish cuisine while leading guests on an educational tour through the country.  I thought overall the dinner was great, but I especially loved learning about the Ebro River Valley in Spain, and tasting various wines from the region.  It was fun to try the wines with different cuisine to see what worked well and didn't work well together.  It was informative, fun, and the service was great.

Upcoming Foodie Events

Photo by Emily Clack

Thursday, October 24—Fighting Cancer with Poetry: On Thursday, October 24, Busboys and Poets will host some of the hottest spoken word artists from around the DC Metropolitan Area to share customized pieces about how cancer has affected them. This Def Poetry Jam-Styled event will help raise funds for a cancer awareness project. In addition, the event will celebrate the birthday of the person who's behind all of this; the CEO & founder of Christoph Writes, LLC, Christoph Jenkins. The Jin Lounge will host a mixer/happy hour from 6-7:30pm, and then the readings will start at 8pm next door at Busboys and  Poets. Tickets are $20 a person and all proceeds will benefit “Seize the Spread of Sarcoma” foundation. For more information, visit www.fightingcancerwithpoetry.com.

A Taste of Sweden at Capella Georgetown

By:  Jennifer Duff
Capital Cooking Contributor

It is not everyday that an Embassy flies over executive chefs from Michelin star awarded restaurants in their country so we can enjoy their cuisine, culture and story for the week.  Lucky for us, the Embassy of Sweden did just that for this Thursday and Friday only, offering a pre-fixed three course lunch ($38) or six course dinner ($88) featuring pure, fresh Scandinavian cuisine in a luxurious setting at the Capella Hotel in Georgetown. 

Uncorked: Barboursville at The Hay-Adams

The Hay-Adams is hosting a Five-Course Wine Dinner in partnership with Barboursville Vineyard tomorrow!  The Hay-Adams Chef Jaime Montes de Oca, Jr. will pair signature Lafayette Restaurant dishes with Barboursville’s featured wines presented by Barboursville Winemaker Luca Paschina.

My Recent Obsessions

I try new products all of the time. It is rare that I find true new gems that I'd recommend to others. Here are a few of my new favorite items that you should check out:

Modernize your dining experience with the revolutionary Knork! Flatware.  I love this stuff and have the full set for our show.  The utensils have a great feel. 

Recipe: Mussels (Moules) Mariniere

Four years ago, I went to culinary school at L'Academie de Cuisine. During my time there, we learned all about shellfish. This recipe allows the flavor of the mussels to shine. When preparing mussels, toss any that don’t close when squeezed. Serve this dish in large bowls to make room for the broth.

Uncorked: Raise a glass to DC Wine Week at I Ricchi

By: Laurie Wallin

Capital Cooking Contributor

DC Wine Week, founded by Lisa Byrne and Vanessa French, is a week-long celebration dedicated to enjoying wine, wine education, and an opportunity to help support the area’s growing local wineries, wine shops, wine bars, restaurants, and merchants. Ristorante I Ricchi hosted CIAO BELLA! an Italian Wine Fest on Wednesday, October 16, which featured 16 wines representing a vast selection of Italian varietals accompanied by a selection of Italian bites. This event was an excellent opportunity to become further exposed to and learn about Italian wine!

On the Road Again: Charlottesville, VA

By Claire Goldman and Photos by Lauren DeSantis

Plush accommodations, wineries, fine dining, boozy brunch, hiking, leaf peaking and the list goes on... The combination for a perfect weekend city-escape awaits just a short road trip away in Charlottesville.  Home to the historically prestigious University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville has so much to offer beyond touring the beautiful campus.

Upcoming Events Around DC

DC Wine Week: Oysters and Wine. Tap into an amazing wine list at Tel’Veh Cafe & Bar in Mount Vernon Square, you have to spend some quality time with its wine list. Join DC Wine Week Thursday, Oct. 17, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for a jovial happy hour with complimentary hor d'oeuvres, super wine specials and $1 oysters. Tel’Veh Cafe & Wine bar is located at 401 Massachusetts Ave, Washington, D.C. 20001. Reserve your spot today [http://www.dcwineweek.com/2013/10/happy-hour-oysters-wine/].

Cheers to Beer: Oktoberfest

By:  Jennifer Duff

Capital Cooking Contributor

Fall is in full swing and for many, that means Oktoberfest celebrations, pumpkin-flavored and German beer, and rich, savory treats.  To join in the celebration, Mad Fox Brewery recently hosted its third Oktoberfest festival featuring the release of Hitzi Frau Oktoberfest Lagerbier, a German-inspired menu, and live music out on the Market Square in Falls Church.

Capital Cooking on Let's Talk Live with Fall Wine Pairings

Fall is here!  I went on Let's Talk Live to give you some wine pairing suggestions for the season.  Enjoy!

Guide to Puerto Rico

How to Get There: 

Jet Blue has direct flights from DCA. Within 3 hours, you'll land in San Juan. 

First Taste: Libertine

Libertine is the local, New Orleans/Paris-inspired joint that every neighborhood in DC should have, and that Adam’s Morgan has been pleasantly surprised to get.  It combines classics with creativity, and it has charm to spare.

The Heart of the Plate

Healthy food and delicious food do not have to exist in separate realms. In fact, Mollie Katzen has spent her entire career proving that vegetables are extremely tasty and just as exciting as their meat counterparts. As one of the New York Times' best-selling cookbook authors, Mollie released her newest and 12th book, The Heart of the Plate: Vegetarian Recipes for a New Generation. She spent the evening sharing her story, reminiscing the low fat diets of the 80's and the half-cooked broccoli, meeting Julia Child, and all the while making the audience laugh throughout.

Fashionistas and Foodies Fundraise For Literacy

On September 6th, 2013, fashionistas and foodies gathered together at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel as the fashion and culinary worlds merged to create one beautiful display of  confectionery work. Hosted by the Heart of America Foundation, a national non-profit that uniquely promotes volunteering and literacy, Charity in Chocolate  raises funds to provide books to local children who have little or nothing to read at home by offering guests an evenings of delicious creations from over 50 area restaurants, the chance to win one-of-a-kind experiences in their raffle, and a not-to miss fashion show that could quite actually be a lost episode of The Food Network's Challenge. 13 pastry chefs/chocolatiers competed to win "Best Chocolate Fashion Costume", designing costumes inspired by literally characters, with the only requirement being everything must be made of sugar. Chefs were inspired by literary characters from all time periods, as everyone from Juliet to Katniss Everdeen were represented on stage.

Upcoming Events Around DC

Thursday, October 10—Washingtonian’s On the Rock Whiskey Festival: This Thursday, the Washingtonian will host its second annual whiskey and fine spirits festival, On the Rocks. The festivities include a live band, culinary bites from Spilled Milk Catering, and sips of premium whiskey, Scotch, malt, bourbon, rum, vodka, gin, tequila, and much more. The event is from 7:00-10:30pm at the Powerhouse (3255 Grace Street, NW). Tickets are $65 and are available at www.washingtonian.com/packages/food-drink/on-the-rocks-whiskey-and-fine-spirits-festival-2013.

Fall Recipe: Butternut Squash Gratin

Love fall recipes.  Here's one of my favs!

Ardeo+Bardeo Gets a New Chef

Photo by Kristen Finn

Matt Kuhn came up to DC from Charleston and joined Ardeo+Bardeo as the new executive chef.  He's added a little of his style to the menu.  

Opening: Sophie's Cuban Cuisine

First opened in 1997 in Lower Manhattan, Sophie's Cuban Cuisine has officially opened its first non-NY location within the Golden Triangle neighborhood thanks to James Lambert, the Chief Operating Officer of the Running Cedar Restaurant Group who asked to franchise Sophie's Cuban Cuisine after he saw a void in DC for Cuban restaurant concepts. 

Bar 515 Unveiling

We waited all summer, and the newly remodeled J and G Steakhouse at the W Hotel was finally unveiled on Wednesday night. Located directly across from the Treasury at 515 15^th Street, N.W., J and G’s new space is designed for elegant dining, as well as a chic drinking venue.

Mosaic District's Fashion Week

By Claire Goldman

If you haven't made a trip out to the Mosaic District in Fairfax, VA, what are you waiting for?  This outdoor shopping, dining and culture center is the perfect place to do your fall shopping.  Make a day of it with shops for men, women and children and an array of restaurants that are sure to please anyone in your crew.

Fashion Redeux

By Claire Goldman

When approaching the O St NW row house located between Truxton Circle and NoMa neighborhoods, the first thing that stood out was the Lady Gaga look-a-like posing scantily clad in front of a red sports car.  I knew this would be a night to remember.

Upcoming Events Around DC

Drive, walk or cycle to Union Market this Friday night for their Drive-In Encore Series. This week's feature presentation will be Caddy Shack in honor of National Golf Day. For those opting for the two-wheeled or two-footed forms of transportation, special picnic areas in the parking lot will be designated just for you. The best part is that the event is free and no tickets or reservations will be necessary, admittance is on a first come first serve basis. Gates open (at 6th St. NE) at 6 PM and close at 7:45 PM; the show starts at 8 PM. If you forget your movie snacks, don't worry! A variety of Union Market's regular vendors will be open serving food and drinks especially for the occasion. 

First Bite: Vino Volo in Tysons

By:  Jennifer Duff
Capital Cooking Contributor

How often do you see a glass of wine on the menu that you'd like to try, but you aren't ready to invest in ordering the whole glass?  It happens to me all the time.  I see a wine that I think I might like, but when the server comes over to take the order, I immediately revert back to my wine comfort-zone.  Well, now is your chance to be brave -- with some help from Vino Volo at Tyson's Corner.

Thinking of Drinking: Them Apples

I love fall cocktails.  This one is delish!

Opening: Newton's Noodles

Newton's Noodles Tuna Bites Appetizer

By Claire Goldman

From Dennis Friedman, the chef and owner of Newton's Table in Bethesda, comes Newton's Noodles the design-it-yourself fast gourmet Fuzu experience.  If you're not familiar with Fuzu, it's Friedman's signature Asian noodle dish that gained so much popularity at Newton's Table, it demanded it's own designated venue.