Gut Check

About  |  Writers  |  @NoVADining

Freeze Jag: Plush Gelato & Coffee

Posted by Warren Rojas / Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.

The place: Plush Gelato & Coffee – 175 Maple Ave. E., Vienna; 703-938-2655; www.plushgelato.com

The prescription: gelato affogato. Perhaps I’m too literal. But when a retailer plugs both wake up juice and Italian confections into their business name, I have to assume they want me to try them together. Plush is only too happy to oblige with its affogato–a dual tempered pick-me-up featuring your choice of homemade gelatos inundated with a steaming shot of made-to-order espresso. The piping hot coffee quickly burrows through the hyper dense dairy balls, carving grooves into which the robust liquid will ultimately while also speeding the general dissolution of the extra rich ice cream. Fight as you might to scoop every last bit of frozen bliss into your mouth before the coffee has its way with it, you will ultimately be left with an addictively sweet latte.

I’m partial to the white chocolate cherry (creamy and tart) and mint (so very fresh) gelatos. But I could just as easily see myself slurping a double shot bolstered by blood orange, toasted almond,  Vietnamese coffee (boasting an impressive 10 espresso shots per batch), roasted banana, gianduja, tiramisu, dulce de leche or lemon tart scoops. “Sometimes, we also have bourbon [gelato],” the attendant informed me with a devilish grin.

Buddy, you may have just resolved all of my eating/drinking needs.

–Warren

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

 


→ POST COMMENT (0)



How To: California Roll

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

A lot of people love sushi, and almost everyone is familiar with the “California Roll.” Most places charge $5 for this simple roll, so why not save some money by making it at home?

You will need:
- Sushi rice
- Powered sushi flavoring
- Roasted seaweed, specifically for sushi
- Imitation crab meat
- Sliced avocado
- Sushi mat
(You can find all of these at your local international grocery store such as H Mart or Lotte, but I just added links to Amazon just in case you had trouble finding any of the items.)


Left - Roasted seaweed
Right - Imitation crab meat (about $4 for a whole pack)


Step one Cook two cups of sushi rice with a rice cooker (if you don’t have one, here are directions on how to boil rice). Afterward, allow the rice to cool before mixing in the sushi powder. I normally add the powder to taste, but I believe there are instructions on the back of the package.


Step two (I normally cut the seaweed in half to make rolls thinner, but it’s based on preference.) Spread a thin layer of sushi rice evenly across the seaweed. Lay out avocado and imitation crab meat on one end and roll.


It should be sort of a simultaneous rolling-and-tucking motion since you want to tuck the tightly sushi into itself.


Step three This is what the finished roll should look like (left). Just cut it into bite-sized pieces and you’re finished!

You can definitely add tobiko (the tiny orange fish eggs) if you would like (they sold a bunch at the H Mart I went to). You can also make the sushi roll inside out so that the rice is on the outside. Just line the sushi mat with plastic wrap so the rice doesn’t stick, then flip the seaweed upside down after you have spread the rice across it, add the ingredients on top of the seaweed, and roll.

- Mai Nguyen


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Red Meat: Sengaroun Luangrath

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

Bangkok Golden III toque Seng Luangrath is just chomping at the bit to flood the market with her native Laotian cuisine.

Mind you, she’s still cranking out all the terrific Thai food that’s been the restaurant’s bedrock cuisine since its inception. But she’s always brainstorming new ways to share the signature tastes she experienced as a youth and has grown to treasure as an adult–like putting a distinctly Asian spin on Continental standbys like escargot and steak tartar.

WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?

SL: White pepper, ground Thai chiles, lemon grass, Kaffir lime leaves, galangal root, lime basil, garlic

WR: What’s the very first dish you ever mastered? How long did it take? Do you still make it today?

SL: Larb, a mince meat mix with herbs. It take [about a] half hours [sic] to make. [I] make this every day.

WR: What seasonal ingredient(s) get your creative juices flowing?

SL: Lime juice

WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …

SL: Food from Northern Laos

WR: What’s the most challenging dish you’ve ever attempted? Would you make it again?

SL: Vietnamese rice crepe stuffed with pork and black mushrooms

WR: If I could the spend the day working alongside any local chef, I’d love to collaborate with …

SL: Andy Bennett

WR: What’s the easiest/quickest–but still wholly satisfying–meal you make for yourself?

SL: Papaya salad

WR: In the next six months you won’t want to miss my …

SL: Lao cuisine with a modern twist. I am working on grilled fish and larb with a modern cooking method.

WR: It’s quitting time. I’m pouring myself …

SL: I drink a lot of hot, organic soy milk to help me relax.

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Laotian-style tartar sounds like en epicurean trip I desperately want to take. Count me in, chef.

Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.

–Warren


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Mind Games: Meet Chocolate Mint

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

Chocolate Mint Bunch (Image: Johnisha M. Levi)

I first heard about chocolate mint (the plant)–not to be confused with mint chocolate (the candy)–from former Rock Creek-Mazza Gallerie pastry chef Yasmine Sandhu. I was weighing pastry school at the time, and Yasmine was kind enough to let me volunteer or stage in her kitchen so that I could get more of a feel for the day-to-day life of a pastry chef.

Although Yasmine had to design her menu within pretty rigid nutritional requirements (Rock Creek’s petite desserts were all under 100 calories), at the restaurant, she had a lot of freedom to alter the menu as she saw fit. She was able to buy a lot of her produce from local markets, and would build her sweet creations around what was seasonally available. She told me one of the things she was excited to get her hands on was chocolate mint.

Mint comes in an astounding number of varieties. We are all (overly) familiar with spearmint and peppermint, probably not so much in its natural state, but as popular flavors in anything from ice cream to cookies to chocolate bars. But mint plants come in a mulititude of varieties and hybrids, some of the most appetizing sounding of which include pineapple mint, apple mint, orange mint, lime mint, ginger mint, lavender mint, and lemon mint.

So is chooclate mint as appealing as the name suggests? Uh, that would be a yes. I first spied it at the Arlington Courthouse Farmers Market shortly after my conversation with Yasmine. In addition to produce, Potomac Vegetable Farms sells beautiful (almost bouquet-size) bunches of fresh herbs at the Saturday market. You’ll notice them advertised enticingly–their names neatly and colorfully displayed on small chalk boards. So when I saw “Chocolate Mint” in green block letters, I couldn’t resist.

(Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

The plant’s aroma is what will first hit you. It is a little bit of a mind game smelling chocolate mint because, well…it smells like mint chocolate candy.  (Looks like a pump, feels like a sneaker). One website describes its odor as reminiscent of Andes creme de menthe thins but the aroma is fuller-bodied and more sensual. It is like smelling a good quality high cacao content dark chocolate with a sea breeze overlay.

It is all so intoxicating you might want to nosh a leaf on its own. Of course you are still eating mint, not chocolate, but because by some estimates 80% of what you perceive as “flavor” (as opposed to “taste”) comes from your sense of smell, your imagination fills in the blanks (namely, the snap of the tempered chocolate and its heady combination of fruity smoky flavors). In reality, the finish of chocolate mint is comparable to spearmint–not quite the level of tingle that you get in the menthol-packed peppermint, but lightly cooling nonetheless.

Hey, at the very least, a leaf or two makes a fantastic natural breath mint or palate cleanser.

So what can you do with chocolate mint? You’ve got a lot of options–some pretty basic, like using it to make either an iced or hot tea, or chiffonading it to eat with fresh berries. Here I’m having it with some fresh, plump blueberries, also from the Courthouse market.

Blueberries with Chocolate Mint (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

You can also infuse the mint in dairy-based desserts such as panna cotta (a no-fuss dessert of Italian pedigree), or, in the spirit of this month’s Freeze Jag, in a French custard-style ice cream. (Forget American or Philadelphia-style ice cream–without the eggs, it is not nearly as luxurious. If you are gonna eat the ‘cream, don’t count the calories and fat, I say.)

 The Perfect Scoop author, chef and food blogger David Lebovitz’s Mint Chip Ice Cream recipe, which has the grace to leave out terribly offensive green food dye, is the perfect way to pay due tribute to chocolate mint. After infusing handfuls of mint into warmed cream and milk, you will cook the egg cream and sugar mixture to nappe (170 Fahrenheit so that the eggs are safe), strain and cool, and let the ice cream base age over night before running it through your ice cream machine.  And the last step is the best step: folding melted chocolate into the ice cream to make natural “chips.”

-Johnisha M. Levi

August 7-13 is Virginia Farmer’s Market Week!

Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets and Hours

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets
Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Design Matters: Nobody Likes the New Budweiser Cans

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

In an effort to boost their sagging sales (while craft beer sales are up! Go team!), the King of Watery Domestics, Budweiser, has taken their can back to the drawing board for the 12th time. The result? Well it’s pretty terrible, actually.

The new can highlights the “Budweiser Bowtie” an element that has never played a huge part in the brand’s formerly floral, text heavy tins. The new look gives the can a kind of a sleek, pared down feel that everyone seems to want these days.  The result? Nobody likes it.

A line up of Budweiser's can designs. (Image: Anheuser Busch-InBev)

The color scheme has edged more towards an in-your-face red and the trademark medallion and ribbons have melted into the background. I know that Budweiser is about as corporate and soulless as it gets in the beer industry, considering it’s a product of the largest brewing company in the world, Anheuser-Busch InBev, but allowing for that corporate lack of regard for history and tradition to leak out of the can and onto the design is about the last thing a Big Beer company should do.

Look at Milwaukee’s Best. Milwaukee’s Best had a great can design for years. Now look at it. The logo fully embraces the brand’s place as the go-to brew for frat boys and bars where patrons dance on tables.

Now look at Budweiser’s main competition: Miller High Life, Coors, Pabst, National Bohemian – all bad beers, all great cans.

Now I realize that calling Budweiser soulless is sort of like harping on McDonald’s for a lack of integrity, but if there’s one thing Budweiser had going for it, it was it’s consistently old school can and bottle designs. When it comes to cheap, filler laden brews, aesthetics matter, because good lord, it’s not like flavor plays much of a factor. Coors has kept its golden can essentially unchanged, and Miller High Life is still all ribbons and pretty girls perched on the Moon.

They get it.

Drinking from a can that’s gone mostly unchanged since its inception gives a nice sense of tradition, something that only a handful of the country’s micro-brews can fence with, despite a better product. The unwavering designs give a feeling that one day your kids might grow up to drink the same cruddy beer out of the same cool can.

By completely overhauling their new can, Budweiser has broken the unstated rule of the big beer industry when it comes to design. Keep the main product traditional-looking, as sort of elder-statesman of the brand, and then go and make your light beer cans as ugly as you want.

Oh, and they’ve also raised their prices.

So to hell with it.

- Kris King


→ POST COMMENT (1)



Freeze Jag: Dairy Queen

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.

The place: Dairy Queen – Multiple NoVA locations; www.dairyqueen.com

The prescription: Cookie dough Blizzard. EVERYBODY mixes stuff into their soft serve these days. But the DQ was the first to give it a clever name–the highly imitated “Blizzard” burst onto the dessert scene over a quarter decade ago–and they’re been thinking up new and exciting ways to sneak candy into our diets ever since. Crushed cookies and crumbled candy bars are all fine and dandy. But sometimes, nothing but gobs of teeth-rotting cookie dough (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) will do–particularly when said blobs of chocolate chip-studded decadence are integrated into creamy vanilla ice cream that is then drenched in a lo00000ng pump of chocolate syrup and vigorously spun into a gravity defying treat.

Traditionalists will be pleased to know that the peanut butter cup, cookie dough and Oreo Blizzards remain evergreen, while more adventurous palates can continue to explore the next frontier–triple chocoholic (with truffles), strawberry-golden oreo or French silk pie Blizzards, anyone?–in frosty ecstasy.

Better yet, indulge your sweet tooth this Thursday (8/11), AKA Miracle Treat Day, and at least part of your purchase will benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

–Warren

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.


→ POST COMMENT (0)



The Sugarcane Returns

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 9th, 2011

After I discovered the sugarcane shortage over two months ago, I had tried several times after that to see if they got any in yet. Many failed attempts were made and I had given up all hope. However, I had the chance to go to Eden Center over this past weekend when I saw this sign:




Translation: We have sugarcane juice! So I hopped right on in and bought myself a cup for $3.50 at Kim Phung Bakery. I wasn’t the only happy camper that day, I saw many customers hoarding cups of sugarcane juice (okay, I’m exaggerating a bit). I’m not sure if any other bakery has sugarcane yet since they didn’t advertise it as well, but at least I know one place that has it for sure.



As for taste, it isn’t as sweet as you would think. I also had a lychee bubble drink, and the bubble drink was much sweeter than the sugarcane juice. The flavor is hard to describe since I can’t compare it to any other juice, but it is extremely refreshing. In order to make the juice, they just put sugarcane stalks through a machine to squeeze all of the juice out. Since it’s in the back of the store, you won’t be able to see them do it, so here’s a video I found on youtube.


Yikes, wouldn’t want to get my hand caught in there. Anyway, if Eden Center is too far for you, Yeo’s has a canned “Sugar Cane Beverage” that you can find at your local international grocery store (Lotte, H Mart, Grand Mart, etc).

Kim Phung Bakery
6771 Wilson Blvd.
Falls Church, VA 22044
703-534-4525

- Mai Nguyen


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Corkage Fee Got You Whining?

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 8th, 2011

(Image: Roman Sigaev/Shutterstock)

As Gut Check has mentioned before, the corkage law passed in Virginia allowing customers to bring their own wine to any restaurant that will allow it. However, some customers may have been swayed away from bringing a wine from home since restaurants are allowed to charge a corkage fee to anyone who decides to choose this option. Charging a person to drink their own wine? I guess restaurants have to make money somehow.

If you were one of those people who were turned off by the corkage fee, a certain individual has offered a small solution. Chris Pearmund, owner of The Winery at La Grange, Pearmund Cellars, and Vint Hill Craft Winery, is offering to reimburse 50% of the corkage fee. In order to receive reimbursement, visit any of his wineries with your receipt from a Virginia restaurant that charged you a corkage fee for any Virginia wine that you brought from home. Of course he would be flattered if you had enjoyed one of his wines over dinner, but that isn’t necessary. As long as it is a Virginia wine, you are good to go for reimbursement.

- Mai Nguyen


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Freeze Jag: Yolly Molly Cafe

Posted by Warren Rojas / Monday, August 8th, 2011

August is historically the steamiest, stickiest, sweatiest month of the year–brilliant move, Founding Fathers, building the nation’s capital on a swamp–in these parts. We’ve tracked down 31 frozen treats (one a day for the rest of this month) to provide you with some temporary, and often insanely delicious, relief.

The place: Yolly Molly Cafe – 12164 Fairfax Town Center, Fairfax; 703-272-7007; www.yollymolly.com

The prescription: AYCE fro-yo. I’ve seen adults wander into this newish fro-yo pipeline and stare wide-eyed at the bank (eight in all) of self-serve machines, somewhat perplexed by how they should proceed. One dessert-savvy tot, on the other hand, instinctively marched directly from the front doors to the fro-yo nozzles and began dictating his mix-and-match order to his doting guardians. Lucky for him–and us–no one need wait in line or dawdle at the front counter during Yolly Molly’s weekly all-you-can-eat promotion (Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 p.m.-7 p.m.).

For $6.99 (regular price: $0.59 an ounce) one can indulge in all kinds of probiotic goodness, including: California tart (standard base favored by the entire froyoverse), wild strawberry, triple chocolate (billed as low-fat, but definitely delivers a mousse-y, uber chocolaty experience), pomegranate energy, pink lemonade sorbet (sweet-tart palate cleanser with plenty of citrusy staying power), plain raspberry and vanilla bean (spicy and creamy standard bearer).

And don’t forget to travel down the toppings bar, a customization carnival stocked with: fresh fruit (mango, pineapple, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, shaved coconut), cookies (whole animal crackers, crushed oreos), sugary cereals (Fruity Pebbles, Captain Crunch), straight up candy (gummi pieces, M&M’s, toffee bits) and sauces (honey, white chocolate syrup).

–Warren

————————————————————————————————————————————————

Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Two Ways to Celebrate: August 7 -13 is National and VA Farmers Market Week

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 8th, 2011

Kuhn Orchards (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

You have not one, but two reasons to celebrate seasonal, locally grown produce and the hard-working women and men who bring it to you rain or shine. This year, Gov. Bob McDonnell proclaimed August 7 -13 Virginia Farmer’s Market Week, in order to coincide with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack’s proclamation of this year’s National Farmers Market Week.

In advance of National Farmers Market Week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued its annual report, the 2011 National Farmers Market Directory. The data was collected by the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. Between April 18 and June 24, 2011, farmers market managers from across the nation were asked to self-report on a voluntary basis. According to the accumulated data:

-7,175 farmers markets currently operate throughout the United States

-More than 1,000 new markets were recorded in the last year, representing a 17% growth since 2010

-There has been rapid market growth outside the Far West and Northeast states (where farmers markets are more established) in states such as Alaska (up 46%) and Texas (up 38%)

-Only about 12% of the reported markets have the capability of accepting SNAP benefits on site, which represents a 16% increase since 2010

The national market directory allows you to search markets by state and for those within a certain mileage of an area code, as well as for available products and types of payment accepted. Virginia has 172 self-reported market entries in the directory. To access the USDA National Farmers Market Directory, click here.

In honor of Virginia’s very own Farmer’s Market Week (with the apostrophe, unlike its national counterpart), the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services  is seeking submissions for its 2nd Annual Photo Contest. Capture a scene from your favorite Virginia market–anything from the vendors, the customers, performers, and special events, to Animal, Vegetable, Miracle–for a chance to win a Virginia Grown/Virginia Finest Prize Package valued at $100. You have until August 17 to submit your entry to the photography panel, which will choose winners in the following  three categories:

-children up to and including the age of 12
-children from ages 13 to 18
-adults (19 and over)

In addition to these photographer winners, the Virginia farmers market with the most entries will be awarded a special prize.  Winners will be announced on or before August 26, 2011. For the entry form, and for more information on the contest, click here.

Kuhn Orchards (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virgina Magazine)

-Johnisha M. Levi

Northern Virginia’s Farmers Markets and Hours

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m.
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m.
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m.
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m.
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets
Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m.
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

Or click here for our full list of local farmers markets


→ POST COMMENT (0)



Page 42 of 134« First...102030...4041424344...506070...Last »