legant

Frittata w/ capellini, eggs, leeks, red peppers and zuchinni Blueberry muffin Tea, direct from Tanzania, with an extra touch of turbinado

The Washington Post just published its annual listing of CSAs with available shares. Anyone interested in splitting a share? I haven't selected a CSA yet, but would prefer a DC (or Metro Red line accessible) pick-up location.

I'm in!

Coordinator Restaurant Opportunities Center United, New York City & New Orleans, LA Restaurant Opportunities Center United (ROC-U) is dedicated to winning improved conditions for the nation’s restaurant workers. ROC-U’s flagship operation, the Restaurant Opportunities Center of New York (ROC-NY) was initiated shortly after September 11, 2001 with workers who had lost their jobs at the World Trade Center. Since then, ROC has won eight campaigns for restaurant workers against exploitative employers, winning over $585,000 in unpaid wages and discrimination payments for restaurant workers as well as improvement in working conditions. ROC-U is currently recruiting a full-time Coordinator to initiate a survey of restaurant workers in New Orleans. Once selected, the individual will spend three weeks working in ROC-NY in New York City before beginning the position in New Orleans. The Coordinator will report weekly to and work with the ROC-U office in New York City. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: * Organize a Steering Committee of multi-ethnic restaurant workers to lead and offer expertise to the study and assist with outreach to new restaurant workers. * Conduct survey outreach to restaurant workers citywide. * Initiate skills trainings with workers who develop interest through the survey project. Qualifications: * Demonstrated leadership in organizing experience (at least two years) and understanding of member leadership development * Experience in and ability to initiate a new project * Demonstrated commitment to racial, social, and economic justice * Good writing and computer skills * Some research experience * Restaurant industry experience a major plus Compensation is negotiable, based on experience. Benefits included. To Apply: (specific instructions not provided) Send cover letter and resume to Restaurant Opportunities Center United, 275 Seventh Ave, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10001 Fax: (212) 243-6800. Immigrants, women, local candidates, and people of color encouraged to apply.

Napa Wine Trailblazer Peter Newton Peter Newton, a pioneer in the California wine industry who founded Sterling Vineyards and Newton Vineyard, was among the first in Napa to experiment with Old World techniques, and showed the region's promise with Merlot

Taking advantage of the confluence of the Lunar New year and my birthday… Longevity: Soba noodles | Buckwheat noodles, Shitake, Carrots, and Baked Tofu tossed with a Tamari-ginger sauce. Topped with toasted sesame seeds Making wishes come true: Roasted salmon | Drizzled with Orange-Miso Sauce Fellowship, community: Lion's Head Meatballs | Simmered in Ginger Coconut Sauce; Potstickers | Served with a Sweet Chili dipping Sauce Luck and wealth: Bok choy with/ braised Shitake Sauce; Spicy Garlic Spinach Abundance: Black Pearl Layer Cake New beginnings: Oranges And... no celebration is complete without Champagne and Sparking Wines; all paired well with the spicy foods.

Hmmm. Hadn't thought about it like that. I guess I am semi-vegan, at home, when I'm cooking for one. But, any where near Cleveland Park (and Palena or Dino or Nam Viet) and the omnivore surfaces. Furiously.

Once a month, after my Sunday stint at DCCK, my group goes for brunch at Teaism. Unfortunately, after almost two years, I'm a creature of habit: french toast or scrambled eggs with the smoked chicken sausage. I had planned -- really I had -- to try one of the bento boxes but none were on display; I couldn't decide between the salmon or chicken boxes. Happily, the french toast was a reliable fallback. You've convinced me: it'll be a bento box this month!

dah-um! this is great! I shoulda bought more sprouts]

Spinach with smoked gouda. Unfortunately, because I tend to make two-serving souffles, the calculations involved in halving most recipes take souffles out of my repertoire. But, I am heading to the store; maybe I should add eggs to my shopping list?

English muffin w/ cinnamon sugar Leftover beef Pho (After that cold, rainy, nasty Friday I went to Nam Viet for Pho. I had the foresight to order the large soup, yet had it split in two portions: a bowl to eat there, the other to go. I asked that the to-go noodles be packaged separately; no mushy noodles and the soup re-heated wonderfully. Just as good as Friday night. Only thing missing us the Garden Roll.)

(Not quite braised) beef (not short) ribs Collard greens Cheese grits Candy coated bits of chocolate and peanuts 2005 (Bonny Doon) Big House Red I had bought the beef ribs earlier in the week, drooling with anticipation of a “quick” weeknight meal. Silly me. After 2+ hours of slow roasting: not bad, but surely not a quick weeknight meal. The ribs were a tad bit greasy but tasty nonetheless. Picked the bones clean. Next time I have a hankering for beef, I’ll get beef (not short) ribs -- as the three ribs were just the right amount and a good alternative to buying a 3 lb. roast -- and try a dry rub. Continuing with the quick weeknight meal theme: I also purchased, from the freezer section, Glory collard greens. Dah-um! Those were some good collards. Lots of sodium but nicely seasoned. And, crunchy too! A bit too much liquid for me – which I drained before serving – but I will definitely purchase again.

It really is a shame: Those scrambled eggs look so good. I'm not a big egg eater so a half dozen will last me six weeks or so. Yes, I really do wish they would sell eggs individually. It sure beats trading, with the neighbors, two eggs for a slice of cake.

Dah-um! What time should I show up next Saturday? That plate looks a little bare; I'll bring the scrapple and biscuits and apple butter.

According to the link, there are two different types of ribs and the "short" ribs can be found in two different locations. Which, again, begs the question: how do you cook beef "spare ribs" without braising. So far, I've marinated (wine, oil, Sirarchi, garlic, S&P) the "spare" ribs and have them roasting, covered, in the marinde, at 350 going on 1.5 hours. I'm going to remove the foil the last 20 minutes of cooking. Check for an update in the "Dinner" thread.

English muffin topped w/ cinammon sugar* Yogurt w/ frozen berries (raspberries, blueberries, strawberries) and (CSA) honey [*OMG! What a trip down memory lane! I don't think I've had toasted bread w/ cinammon sugar since I was in elementary school.]

Update, please. Did you find them? Where?

How do I describe this? When I think of ribs, I think of pork ribs. With either a dry rub or tomato/vinegar based BBQ sauce. So far, I've seen recipes for "braised" beef ribs. And, they are inevitably described as "short" ribs. I guess the real question is: what, if anything, should I be aware of when I attempt to "dry" cook beef -- not labeled as "short" -- ribs? ETA: I like the idea of smoking the ribs. Is it safe to do this inside? I know Ferment Everything has this set-up going on, but he also leaves pots of simmering liquids, unattended!, on the stove when he goes to work out at the gym; he probably has better a homeowner's insurance policy!

Viktor Schreckengost, a celebrated industrial designer whose products included mass-produced dinnerware In the 1930s, Viktor took up the cause of making the American homemaking job not only easier, but more pleasant by creating dishes that fit modern tastes and lifestyles. The dinnerware shapes and treatments that Schreckengost devised for several American manufacturers are among the most innovative designs in the history of American dinnerware.

Lovie Yancey, founder of the Fatburger restaurant chain "I think of that stand as like a little postwar survivor that's a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit of an African American woman who really did usher in what became a very good model for a franchise business"

Uhm... is there a difference between beef "short ribs" and regular ol' beef ribs? Any suggestions on how to cook them, other than braising?

Yo! Ol' Man! Happy B-day!

Which are your go-to food/drink blogs? There are so many now, including lots of people who post on dr.com. Some bloggers are deeply anonymous, (they may be members of dr.com … or not). Some blogs are for-profit and make money when viewers click on various ads on the site. Here are some that I meander through on occasion (with known dr.com members in Bold): PM any changes, corrections or additions to legant; updated January 29, 2008. Member's Blogs: Apples and Bananas focuses on the local food scene, as well as trends within the greater food community. Are You Hungry Yet has KT, Chocolatechipkt, dishing up some very nice food prep photos and a fun sense of style. Capital Life. Culocho writes with his unique spin on the DC scene. [by invitation only.] Counter Intelligence – Melissa McCart, MeMc, is frequently looking to others on dr.com for inspiration and ideas. Often her queries to members of dr.com end up being integrated into articles she writes for DCist, the Express, and thefoodsection.com, among others. Diplodocus. Kanishka, the peripatetic gastronaut. Dmwineline is dmwine's long-standing blog offering an alternative take on wine. Dave is also the Wine Columnist for Washingtonian Magazine. EatDrinkDC is LittleWing's blog. She recently left the restaurant biz (we'll see) to become the cheesemonger at a new DC cheeseshop (but what she really wants to be is a blues singer.) Eric Eats Lunch. Want to know where Ferment Everything eats lunch? Check it out here. Food For Thought is MBK's thoughtful, if sporadic, blog about restaurants, food and wine. French Laundry At Home by DinerGirl Gelato-ology. Dolcezza, who runs the artisinal gelato and sorbetto shop Dolcezza in Georgetown blogs with a retailer's perspective. Gourmet Pig is The Gourmet Pig's blog of restaurant reviews and recipes. Let's Sharing! is Xochitl10's blog about living in Japan. Although not focused solely on food, there is a "Food" category link on the sidebar. Life of Spice is Monica Bhide's blog where she posts reprints of some of her many interesting articles, recipes, travelogues and other musings. Lots of Everything from Malawry Metrocurean. oliveDC posts frequently about the local food and restaurant scene. Prep. Shogun got off to a great start with this blog about his time in the Corduroy kitchen. He has moved to Connecticut and Prep sits idle, awaiting his next adventure. Small Pouch is PerriK's blog mainly (at least recently) about the TV show "Top Chef." Synasthesia. Her blog focuses on restaurant reviews, some travelogue and musings. The Houndstooth Gourmet. Monavano focuses on "local, seasonal, farmers markets." Also, info on foodie news pertaining to (mostly) NoVa." This is Gonna Be Good is 1000yregg's contribution to the blog community. He posts on items in Baltimore and DC, with additional information on trips elsewhere and cooking. Trouble with Toast. BettyJoan "was a server at a Cajun restaurant in my hometown, … used to wait on Jeff Foxworthy." What Do I Do With Kale?. Rachel, clayrae with more restaurants, more cooking, more musing. You Gonna Eat All That? Barbara, Biscuit Girl's blog has restaurant reviews, and lots of photos of her dogs. Wahoooob was "selected for Honorable Mention in Food & Wine's 2006 photo contest." And last, but not least, Don Rockwell's Lettres de Mon Moulin is now formatted and published at WETA's DC Dining. Washington-area Bloggers: Anapestic. 45 year old guy in Olney shares his recipes with the world. Chief Wino is Andrew Stover's fun blog about wine, food and travel. He is (was?) the wine director at Oya. Too bad he didn't design their website. ChileFire has Mr. Tugwell living on a 40' motor yacht moored at the Gangplank Marina in DC. He blogs about the fiery side of eating, with recipes, restaurant and product reviews. Chocolaterie Wanders. Chocolatiers Wilhelm and Melanie Wanders talk about chocolate and life and general in the Washington, DC area. DC Diner is a former college professor, lawyer and trained chef doing restaurant reviews. DC Drinks contains "Isaac Washington" reviews, rantlets and ribald on all things alcoholic. DC Food Blog has a couple: "J" and "T" chronicling their life and times, "Top Chef", and recipes. DCFoodies is probably one of the best known of the local foodie blogs, and its author, Jason Storch is well known to regulars of dr.com. Eat With Me, Scott Eichinger's blog, contains an extensive recipe index. Ethnic Dining Guide. Tyler Cowen's dining guide in blog format. Farm Groupie. Local (mostly Virginia) farms and farmers markets and reports of what this mid-30's mom is doing "to support local agriculture, to live a slower more seasonally connected life and to eat fresher and more delicious food." FoodGoat. LadyGoat's "daily adventures in eating, cooking, drinking, more eating, and some stuff in between." Food-Plan has "ebeth," "kobi," "vgill" and "shields" ranking hundreds of local eateries on a scale of one to ten, with a brief description of each one. Plus a few essays. Gluttony - The High Cost of Living is "Jason's" contribution to the dining scene in DC. "There is nothing worth half as much as doing, or indeed quite as satisfying, as having a good meal, with good people." Recipes and restaurant reviews, and a few musings. Gourmetro is a team effort, and not just in DC. Gracious Bowl -- It's all about soup. In Search of Free Food. Lee Tucker is a 22 year old from upstate New York, newly arrived in DC. So far not much food content. Kitchen Monkey. A 30- something guy shares his recipes with all of us. And he does it again here. Kitchen Wench, a.k.a. "Alicia" is a young Minnesota transplant blogging about her interest in cooking. Lost In Somewhereistan has world traveler "Brunette" telling us that she is an amateur gourmand who works an office job to supports her exotic spice habit. Recipes, restaurant reviews and musings about life and food. My Little Kitchen has "Cathy" from Maryland blogging about working her way through Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies. Complete with photos. Real Reviews DC: "two young lads living in our nation's capital who have taken it upon themeselves to share with you their advice on fun things to do in the Washington, DC metro area." Restaurant Gal uses stories about her series of jobs in secret area restaurants as metaphors for larger cosmic truths. Steak Sandwich and a Steak Sandwich is a long name for a fairly brief blog. Suburban Tasteland "Scouting out strip mall finds and taco truck lines". Tarting it Up. Restaurant reviews, recipes and the "dining scene." This blog has "AK" and "AC" eating their way across the DC area. ToastPoint is a blog by "Katherine" who says about herself: "I love Cheeto's and foie gras equally." Her blog has wonderful recipes and scrumptious photographs. Veg Blog - Ryan McMichael, 31-year old vegan living in Virginia. All things vegan. Wine With Dinner reviews wine and DC-area restaurants. Baltimore-area Bloggers: Kitchenography, "A Kitchen Life in Baltimore." Coconut and Lime offers "creative tips and original recipes by a food- obsessed, cupcake-loving girl in Baltimore" with nice photos and recipes. Dining Dish is a blog by industry insider Dara Bunjon. Kit Pollard's Mango and Ginger focuses on "ways I've come to love food… eating, shopping, traveling, reading and cooking. Mrs. Goatwax is a self-described "artist and poet" who seems to hold court mostly at Molly's Public House. Jake Slagle's Unique Culinary Adventures has restaurant reviews, (nice photos) recipes and events. Other Bloggers: Brendan Eats is an amateur cook in Richmond, VA. Look for local restaurant reviews. And read about how he made salmon in his dishwasher! Gourmetro is a team effort, and not just in DC. Mainly About Food, started this blog now that he is in the foreign service - posting about his food and other adventures in Pakistan and other diplomatic outposts. Mangiare Bene Lisetta writes about Italian food without pretension. Weston's Digestions chronicles an expatriate's culinary adventures as he "travels throughout Asia and explore the countless eateries and watering holes of my home base in Tokyo, Japan." Other Food/Wine/Dine Resources: Chef2Chef - "Culinary portal" Chowhound - For Those Who Live to Eat The List: Are You On It? Eat Washington. Freelance writer Julia Watson has recorded her favorite Washington food finds. She lists farm markets, cooking classes and helpful food facts. eGullet - Eat. Chew. Discuss. LTH Forum - Eating in Chicago-land RogueFood is actually Meowzart's food chat site, not unlike dr.com. Pool Boy is managing the site while Meowzart is on sabbatical. There are some interesting chats going on. More of a Baltimore tilt than DC, but plenty of both. Dead Blog Roll (If not dead, then certainly long neglected): Five Dollar Sundays is a blog about how to feed two adults for a total of $5.00 on Sundays. Global Gastronomy. My Head Half Empty is a 28 year old marketing guy "TK" just starting a restaurant review blog. Restaurant Bytes Talking with my Mouth Full is author Bonny Wolf's contribution to the local dining scene. She also edits "The Kitchen Window," NPR's weekly online food column. [Original post and comments by Crackers; updated January '08. PM any changes, corrections or addition to legant.]

Seriously. I've done it. As a pre-theatre meal. And, usually it is a full meal. It's not about the money; it's about snoring during Tamburlaine. Theater on both Wednesday and Thursday nights; more than likely I will be splitting, rather reluctantly, my lamb steak. Stop by and say hi; code word is mussels.

Rather than serve the meal in courses, I'm developing a Lunar New Year menu around themes: Longevity: Cold noodles with a tart sesame and vinegar sauce or Singapore noodles or Hakka noodles in peanut sauce Making wishes come true: roasted whole salmon with a ginger, soy sauce Fellowship, community: Tom Yum Gai or Gaeng Joot Woon Sen or sui mai or Ken Hom's Oriental pate Luck and wealth: Bok choi w/ shitakes Abundance: Red bean nian gao Using recipes by MingTsai and Ken Hom as a jumping off point.