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Today's haul from Potomac Vegetable Farm: beet greens (with embryonic beets attached--I guess this is how they thin the rows) 1 head green cabbage carrots lettuce onion garlic garlic scapes

The bar was almost empty when my husband and I arrived at 11:30--early lunch because I had to go to work after. He had the current mussel preparation with bacon, that I loved a few weeks ago, and he loved it, too. He had the sandwich du jour--pastrami. My beet and Pipe Dreams goat cheese salad was perfectly done. I'd avoided this salad before because I was afraid the sugared walnuts would be too sweet, but they weren't. My pulled-pork sandwich was really wonderful--my new favorite! So moist and tender, with a sauce of Pommery mustard that was subtly mustardy, and the cole slaw was the right note of sharpness. I'm not great at descriptive prose, but we both loved every bite of our lunches.

Yesterday's Regular Share haul from Potomac Vegetable Farms: Two kinds of lettuce Carrots Rainbow chard Garlic scapes Shun kyo radishes Mei Quing Choi

Friday lunch at Mui Kee in Falls Church. Roasted pig and roasted duck on steamed rice with Chinese broccoli. Nice lunch! Crunchy skin on pig and duck. Sunday brunch at Taqueria el Poblano in North Arlington. Egg and cheese burritos with bean sauce and crema, pico de gallo and rice. Surprisingling tasty! And their lime cooler is great without any simple syrup.

I picked up my first bag of vegetables this evening on my way home from work. (The drop is literally 2-3 blocks off of my commute route home--Guinea Road!) We got a head of red-leaf lettuce, a head of escarole, a head of another lettuce-type green, a bunch of salad turnips, a stalk of green garlic, a bunch of garlic scapes, two sweet Walla-Walla onions, and a small bundle of flat-leaf parsley. An unexpected bonus was an early delivery of our flower share (we paid an extra fee for that) in the form of a bunch of Sweet William. Everything looks very fresh and clean. This CSA is a little more expensive than Bull Run Mountain Farm, which we joined last year, but the convenience of no more than a 5-minute delay in my homeward commute vs. an hour's trip after work once a week last year is worth every penny. In addition, PVF packages each share in a color-coded canvas bag, so all I have to do is check off my name and take a green bag, which I return the next week. Bull Run's operation was a little more DIY, in that we got a canvas tote at the beginning of the season, and each week we brought our own plastic bags to select the designated quantity of each item, as listed on a white board. I'm looking forward to a great summer and fall vegetable season!

Anyone going to Vintage Virginia this weekend? We're going to try to go tomorrow, early, to beat the thunderstorms. Click

The seafood counter at the Whole Foods in Fair Lakes yesterday. I've enjoyed their oysters and miso tuna. They're good with deep-fried fish (but the chips are usually meh). Yesterday, I ordered catfish "southern style" with rice and a side Caesar salad. My husband ordered the shrimp and chips. His dish arrived a good ten minutes before mine did--I know from watching the cooks that his was started long before mine was. After several minutes of watching the staff's backs, my husband called out to one of them and asked if I could at least have my salad to eat with him. I will say that the salads are huge, but not great (the Caesar at the salad bar is generally better). My catfish was undercooked in one place--on the side that sat on the griddle before it went into the oven, making me think the griddle was just not hot enough. The fish was very fresh and delicious, nevertheless. Service at the counter is glacial at its best, in my experience (which is usually limited to lunches on Sundays and holidays). The staff today were preoccupied with washing knives and forks and emptying a bussing pan that must have been left from last night. They spent all of their time on the far side of the unit from their half-dozen customers, with their backs to us, except when they came to take our order initially or (finally) deliver the food. Sunday brunch at Farrah Olivia last week: duck confit salad and their version of eggs Benedict were definite winners for me. My husband loved his grilled asparagus appetizer and the signature roast chicken on mac & cheese. Carryout from China Star in Fairfax was a loser: I ordered cashew chicken because I thought it would be better than Wendy's and I didn't have time to go to Popeye's. I know I ordered from the "American" menu, but I was low on funds and time, and just needed someting quick. It wasn't up to their usual standards. The cashew chicken tasted off, and the chicken was slimy in texture, as in undercooked. I tossed most of it. Pho Cyclo for carryout: #40, vermicelli salad platter four flavors. The shrimp (grilled and tempura) were pretty good. The pork was perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned. The crispy roll was still good when I got it back to my office. Rabeing for lunch: The fancy chicken wings were great! It was clear that care went into their preparation, and I enjoyed every bite. The special pad Thai with "fresh" soft-shell crab, shrimp, scallops, and chicken wasn't all that. The crab didn't taste fresh, and needed the sweet-hot dipping sauce to go down. The pad Thai was OK, but not worth the premium price, IMO. Other small plates I've had there have been wonderful, so I'll go back.

I just got back from Trader Joe's with a nice-looking pint of fiddleheads for $2.99. I paid about $5 several weeks ago at WF for less than half that amount, and these are smaller and tighter (read: greater quantity for the volume).

Zora, you are correct that, in this area, it is illegal to sell unpasteurized milk commercially. However, in Pennsylvania, it is legal for farmers to sell unpasteurized milk (goat and cow) directly to consumers on the farm. IMO, it is worth the trouble to obtain it, whether one locates a farmer and goes to the farm or joins a buying club locally through which one may purchase directly from a designated farmer.The milk is very clean and fresh, and generally the farmers submit to regular testing in order to hold their permits to sell. The politics are complicated, however, and even law-abiding farmers who do hold permits are at risk for harassment from local agriculture authorities, fueled, I believe, by the larger commercial concerns who do not like to see farmers selling directly to consumers (and making a better profit than if they sold wholesale). So often secrecy enfolds such enterprises and one must know someone and sign an oath of confidentiality in order to partake. Anyone who is interested in unpasteurized milk, whether goat or cow, would do well to join the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, or at least peruse their site. Still, IMO, well worth it.

I just discovered this last night when I opened a package of Cibola bacon to make German potato salad. It's not the same thing at all, IMO! I'm going to have to find another source for good bacon. The farmer from whom I regularly buy such things doesn't have a smoker, so he offers "fresh bacon," which is basically sliced pork belly. Also not the same thing.The bacon I got as part of the half-hog I ordered last fall, processed by Fauquier's Finest, was awesome, so perhaps that's a good place to start.

According to this article, Sangria is now legal in Virginia. A law was signed by the governor in April to legalize it. However, the law only addresses Sangria, and not other drinks that mix wine or beer with other spirits.

Burke Farmers' Market had lots this past Saturday and the previous Saturday (opening day). It pays to get up early, because on a nice day (unlike this past Saturday) they may sell out quickly. I've gotten them from two different vendors, and they're not at all like the ones from the grocery stores. Worth setting the alarm for!

Smith Family Farm, at the Burke FM, sells chicken and eggs, although they didn't have eggs today. Another vendor did have eggs today, and I bought a dozen, but haven't tried them yet.

What do you recommend ordering at Asian Grill? I went today for the first time, and ordered the fried calimari and an entree from the "Chef's Specialties" section of the menu that was named for the restaurant. It was thinly sliced chicken breast and little shrimp in a sauce that tasted good but was a disconcerting shade of terra cotta. There were a few slices of water chestnuts and mushrooms in it as well. It tasted fine, but was monotonous. As a part of a larger meal with other choices, it would probably be great. I liked the apple-filled cinnamon-sugared fried wonton that was presented at the end of the meal. If I give this place another chance, what should I order? Meanwhile, I was left wishing I'd gone in search of Delia's instead. ETA: In Googling the Asian Grill I came across this website, listing vegan restaurants in the DC area, which proclaims that Asian Grill serves "beef" and "chicken" in a variety of ways. What I had was definitely not mock chicken or shrimp, but the real thing. I guess some vegans will be disappointed.

Before the vet hospital in which I work moved from Springfield, we ordered delivery from Delia's at least once a week. Well, many people in the hospital ordered more often than that. But I've never been to the restaurant, and since the hospital moved to Merrifield three years ago, I have missed Delia's food terribly. I've tried twice to find it, but must have gone right by it both times. Is it on the other side of Backlick from the credit union?

Lackadaisi, I've been to Mio three times since Chef Frigerio took over the kitchen, and reading your review, I wouldn't have believed it was the same place. But I appreciate your detailed descriptions of what went wrong, and if I had been served the food that you received, I would have been extremely unhappy.I am one of those who has been raving about Mio. I've only been for dinner, albeit three times since February, and only for the very earliest reservation time on a Saturday night. So I recognize that I've caught the kitchen and FOH staff when they're fresh and on their game, before the place gets busy. That's exactly why I dine so early when I eat out. I do think that the food is quite good for the price-point--at least, the food I've eaten was. Chef Frigerio is committed to "slow food"--to purchasing as much of his ingredients locally and directly from the source as possible. His food requires a lot of prep--making of stocks and sauces, braising of meats, etc. They aren't pulling chicken breasts out of the freezer or using canned stocks. But I also think that the FOH, as gracious as they have been to me and my husband on our visits, still needs a little work. On our first and second visits, we had very nice wine pairings with our courses. This past Saturday, we asked for pairings and apparently the young man who had overseen them on our April visit was absent, and the managing partner, Manuel Iguina, was not out front much at all. Whoever selected our wines by the glass seemed to be thinking "white wine for fish" without considering the type of fish, cooking method, or saucing. My delicious rockfish with Manila clams and ramps would have been better accompanied by, IMO, a light red. Likewise, my sweetbreads with morels was not done any favors by the white wine that accompanied it (I didn't take notes this time). The conversation that you describe with the hostess, Lackadaisi, and the one that was related in Kliman's Washingtonian review ("We're not Italian") suggest that some staff may need coaching on how to say things to customers. Chef Frigerio and Mr. Aguina seem committed to providing a great dining experience, and I hope that they will take the criticisms as well as the compliments as constructive feedback to keep moving forward.

Last Thursday, Bombay Curry Club for a late lunch. Rogan Josh, very tasty, fork-tender lamb. Saturday night, Mio for an early dinner. Spring has sprung! Veal sweetbreads with morels, duo of cuttlefish, trio of rabbit, rockfish with ramps, black cod with brandade & crushed potatoes & green beans, trio of grapefruit with pineapple "carpaccio", butterscotch pot de creme, and apple dumplings with apple-radish salad and maple-ginger ice cream. The food was delicious, but where was the nice young man who had done wine pairings for us on our last visit?

I found a little piece of Cibola country ham in my freezer yesterday and used it to make very yummy sauerkraut (with bockworst from WFM). This morning they were at the Burke FM, and I was so happy to get their pork cutlets again (great for a last-minute weeknight dinner). They also now have salt pork in small packages for $1 each.

Spring Valley Farm had lots of ramps this morning at the Burke FM.

Lots of vendors had asparagus this morning at the Burke Farmers' Market. I bought mine from Spring Valley Farm.

There were only about 6 or 8 boxes of morels, 6 to a box, $12 each, today at the Spring Valley Farm booth at Burke Farmers Market. I got one box and 3 bunches of ramps.

I got up extra-early this morning to get to the Burke Farmers Market when it opened, and it was worth all the pain! I paid a small fortune for a half-dozen morels (one is extra-large). The same vendor also had ramps and fresh asparagus. Now I'm almost sorry we're eating out tonight--I have to wait till tomorrow to enjoy this haul.

I wasn't wowed on my first visit a few months ago, especially by the mysterious yellow powder in the bottom of my glass of "Fresh-squeezed Lemonade," but this time instead of allowing the server to choose my lunch, I chose it myself, and it was very enjoyable. I had Bo Tai Chanh, a salad of romaine and watercress topped with thin slices of medium-rare flank steak. It was all very fresh and tasty. I also tried Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio, rice vermicelli with grilled pork and crispy roll. Also fresh and delicious. I took half of each home for lunch the next day, and both were good cold. Service was spotty. Food arrived promptly, but my water glass stood empty for a long stretch until I caught the eye of a waitress who sent someone to fill it. I'll go back.

Friday lunch at Saigon Cafe (across from the Eden Center).

I agree, Don! That info is particularly important to folks like me with a partial hearing loss (My mother was right--rock & roll did make me deaf!). I have regretfully not returned to some restaurants where I loved the food and service, because the noise level was uncomfortably high. But the Sound Check needn't be more prominent than other aspects of the review.