Rainy Day Meals: Egg Drop Soup
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, May 17th, 2011
(Image: Olli Wang/Shutterstock)
Recently, the weather in Northern Virginia has been dreary and according to the weather forecasts it’s not going to get any better (thunderstorms through Friday, yikes). So what better way to escape the dreary weather than with food? One of my favorite things to eat on a rainy day is egg drop soup. It is relatively easy to cook and most of the ingredients can already be found around in the kitchen so you won’t have to venture into the rain to get them.
To cook egg drop soup, I normally use the following ingredients:
- A can of chicken broth (approximately 16 ounces)
- Cornstarch
- Salt and pepper
- Scallions
- An egg
- Chinese Shaoxing Wine (optional)
- Frozen corn (optional)
- Chicken (optional)
To start, pour the chicken broth into a pot and add salt and pepper for taste. If you have Chinese Shaoxing wine, you can add it now too. Set the stove on high. In a separate container, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with just enough water for the cornstarch to dissolve. For the egg, what I like to do is separate the yolk from the egg whites and throw the yolk away since it isn’t necessary for this recipe and it also makes the soup a tad bit healthier. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a fork until it becomes more fluid.
When the broth is boiling, add the frozen corn and stir until it thaws. Then, gradually pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the broth to help thicken it up. After stirring for a minute, turn the heat down to medium and slowly pour in the egg while stirring. This will give the egg a stringy effect.
Personally, I think the soup itself isn’t really filling, so I always add chicken to the soup. In a bowl, mix cornstarch, egg white, salt, and pepper. Then put chicken in the bowl and mix it so that the chicken is thoroughly covered with the mixture. Boil the chicken in a separate pot and then add it to the finished pot of soup.
When serving, scoop the soup into a bowl and cut up some scallions for garnish. One can of broth usually makes about one to two servings. For a more detailed recipe of basic egg drop soup, you can use this one here.
However, if you don’t have time to cook, I definitely recommend Vinh Kee’s Creamy Chicken Corn Soup which is what my version was based off of.
Vinh Kee Restaurant
3103 Graham Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042
(703) 645-0118
(Image: Olli Wang/Shutterstock)
- Mai Nguyen
What’s Cooking: José Andrés Makes Hot Dogs For America Edition
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, May 16th, 2011
- José Andrés to Open Pop-Up American Café/Restaurant
Fresh off of winning the James Beard award for Outstanding Chef, D.C. big shot José Andrés announced today that he will be opening a six-month pop-up restaurant at his Penn Quarter space to coincide with the National Archives exhibit “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? The Government’s Effect on the American Diet.” The multi-leveled restaurant, called American Eats, is slated to open on the July 4. The first floor will be a café serving quick and easy bites like hot dogs, lobster rolls and cheesesteaks, with a second fancier floor dedicated to a menu featuring recipes mined from American pedigrees like the chef of George Washington and The Joy of Cooking. The menu will also feature Brunswick Stew (VA! VA! VA!).
Also from The Post, new kid Ashburn brewer Lost Rhino should be out for public consumption in bars by the end of June. So far the only way to try the beer has been to make your way out to the brewery’s monthly tasting sessions on the first Wednesday of each month. But now, all that stands between Lost Rhino and the thirsty public is state label approval.
- Don’t eat in front of the TV, fatso
File this under “Well, yeah.” A new study from the University of Birmingham in the U.K. shows that eating in front of the television causes people to overeat. Findings showed that those who concentrated on their food (flavor, texture, nuance) consumed less and reported being more satisfied with their meal than those who sedately shoveled food into their faces while watching Netflix (Okay, embellished a bit there).
To be fair though, these findings apply to any meal eaten absent mindedly, including those eaten on the go, or during a conversation. So next time you try to lose some weight, remember to eat your meals in an isolation chamber, locked away from unhealthy distractions like basic human interaction.
- Panera’s Wackadoo Pay-What-You-Want Stores Actually Work
Launched last year out in a St. Louis suburb, Panera’s part-charitable pay-by-donation location actually seems to be working, according to Panera founder Ronald Shaich. The store provides suggested donations for their items and allows customers to pay what they will for the food. According to the Associated Press, Shaich attributes its success to peer pressure. No, really.
Posted by ryan / Friday, May 13th, 2011
The nationwide celebration of real American beer kicks off this Monday, May 16. All fifty states have participating bars and restaurants for the first time in its six year history. Enthusiasts and newbies alike will have ample opportunity to discover new favorites with special releases, collaborations, pairing dinners, brewery tours, and much more. Here are a few official events in our neck of the woods.
-Mad Fox Brewing Company of Falls Church is offering a tour of their new facility on Wednesday, May 18. Feel free to ask all the questions you’ve ever had about the brewing process.
-Magnolias at the Mill of Purcellville is assisting the launch of Corcoran Brewing on Thursday, May 19. A special menu has been planned for the occasion, and the tasting room will have growlers available for purchase.
-T.G.I. Friday’s started celebrating early with their new Better With Brew menu. Craft beer inspired dishes include Brew House Steak, Ale House Baby Back Ribs, Dijon-Crusted Beer Chicken, and Guinness Stout Milkshakes.
-Rock Bottom and Union Jacks of the Ballston Common Mall are getting into the spirit of things all week long. Both are featuring a different brewery each night. You can meet the distributors, sample before you buy, test your knowledge, and win great prizes! Ask your bartender or server about the daily special.
-The culmination of the week is the Taste of Arlington, which is an annual event that draws an average of 15,000 people to the Ballston area. Over forty noteworthy restaurants participate in this lively street festival. Advanced tickets can be purchased now for $20, or $25 at the entrance until 3 p.m. This allows you to try up to eight food items or four alcoholic beverages. It all starts Sunday, May 22 at noon, regardless of weather conditions.
- There are over 1,700 independent breweries in this country. These bold risk takers are the heart and soul of the industry. Take some time to savor their life’s work when you get the chance.
-Ryan Robertson
D.C. Taco Experiment Cook-Off This Weekend
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, May 13th, 2011
(Image: The Food Experiments)
All eyes fall on H Street this weekend as the D.C. Taco Experiment amateur cook-off hits The Rock and Roll Hotel on May 15.
Sponsored by the Brooklyn Brewery and curated by cook-off kings Nick Suarez and Theo Peck, the D.C. Taco Experiment will set local cooks, dabblers and crackpots upon one-another in a no-holds-barred battle to see who can sling the best taco in the region.
Starting off as a series of popular cooking competitions in New York back in 2009, the Food Experiment series expanded into a national venture this year with five cook-offs held in various cool-kid cities throughout the country (Austin, New Orleans, D.C., Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn). The series stresses ambition and originality over rigid rules (of which there aren’t any), so expect to see all sorts of surprising twists on an old classic as well as ridiculous works of pretense that barely qualify as a taco.
Competitors will be vying for fancy cookware, cash prizes and various trinketry, and also the opportunity to compete in The Food Experiment Championship in Brooklyn in September.
Tickets are $10 in advance, and $15 at the door, and will get you samples of the competitors’ tacos as well as a healthy supply of Brooklyn beers including their lager, pale ale and summer ale. Things get going at noon and run until 3 p.m. Part of the proceeds will go to the Capital Area Food Bank—so, remember, it’s not gluttony, it’s charity.
Rock and Roll Hotel
1353 H St. NE
Washington, DC 20002
In-N-Out Expansion: Hype or History?
Posted by ryan / Thursday, May 12th, 2011
If there’s one restaurant chain the East Coast is missing out on, it’s got to be In-N-Out Burger. The fast food franchise that started over sixty years ago in a suburb of Los Angeles is gradually making it’s way across the country. This may be the direct result of Five Guys moving into their territory.
Two new locations recently opened outside of Dallas, where residents couldn’t be happier. It was like a dream come true for literally thousands of people who showed up the first day. The wait time averaged almost four hours, while news helicopters hovered overhead. A few die hard fans were so overcome with emotion that they started crying after their order was filled.
That may sound ridiculous, but notable aficionados include Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, Thomas Keller, Eric Schlosser, Mario Batali, and the late Julia Child. These are renowned chefs and critics who are known for their discerning taste buds. Multiple reader’s choice awards have been bestowed upon it as well. Advertising isn’t even necessary with all these free endorsements.
Now there are 258 branches in five states, which include California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and now Texas. I have to wonder what’s next? Could there be one in Virginia some day? Maybe, but I wouldn’t hold your breath. You see, they have a certain policy for ensured quality. Distribution centers can’t be too far away, or they’d have to start freezing for preservation purposes. These are built at an enormous cost to the company.
Just think about how great it will be the next time you travel. Five Guys lived up to my unbelievably high expectations at first, but I don’t appreciate it as much as I used to. Permanence inevitably leads to apathy, remember that. It’s just a fact of life folks.
Who am I kidding? I would never get tired of In-N-Out!
-Ryan Robertson
(image: In-N-Out)
Nabisco to Unleash the Triple Double Oreo
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, May 12th, 2011
The *sigh* Triple Double Oreo (Image: Nabisco)
The rumor that Nabisco had developed a horrifying new breed of Oreo has been buzzing around the internet this week ever since it was first posted on Reddit on Monday. Yesterday, however, Nabisco confirmed that they have, indeed, created something called the Triple Double Oreo, a new confection in the cookie company’s war against humanity.
What exactly is a Triple Double Oreo? Well, it’s like a regular double stuff Oreo, with a double stuff chocolate Oreo attached to the bottom. It’s life imitating South Park.
Nabisco’s statement to Today reads: “This summer, Oreo will introduce a new ‘twist’ on the iconic cookie: the Triple Double Oreo. Three chocolate Oreo wafers with two layers of creme — one classic vanilla, and one chocolate. While we tried our best to safeguard this news, we couldn’t hold back the buzz.”
That’s not buzz you’re hearing, Nabisco. That’s terror.
Nutrition information for the Triple Double hasn’t been made public yet, but Dietsinreview.com has done some creative math to figure out an estimate of the calorie count for new cookie (cookies?): 130 calories per cookie.
Of course, this sort of stunt is designed to drum up indignation from bloggers and food nerds and to take advantage of the buzz that gets generated around warped culinary creations like the KFC Double Down or Wendy’s Baconator whose decadence turns heads. I can see videos of people deep frying these things now. So really, just by posting this and doing the whole righteous indignation song and dance… I’m part of the problem.
So, sorry about this, everyone.
- Kris King
Wild Alaskan Salmon Comes to Northern Virginia
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
Sockeye Salmon (Image Cold Country Salmon)
Like a lot of youths from Alaska, Traveler Terpening started work as a commercial fisherman at a young age.
“I can’t remember exactly how old I was when I started [fishing] but I was too young, basically,” Terpening told Gut Check with a laugh. “I think I quit my first job crying.”
Terpening, now 30, has been happily spending his summers fishing in Alaska since at least his early teens. Last fall, when Terpening and his wife, Nicole Ziegler, started spending their winters in Arlington, the pair immediately became enamored with the area’s fresh, sustainable food market. But even though you can’t throw a stone in Arlington without hitting someone trying to sell artisanal crepes or lobster rolls from Maine, Terpening couldn’t find a single provider of wild Alaskan salmon in Northern Virginia.
Working from their Arlington home, Terpening and his wife decided to fill the void, and founded Cold Country Salmon, a co-op style vendor of sockeye and king salmon from Terpening’s home waters of Alaska.
“I saw a community of people [in Virginia] who are really excited about high quality food, and sustainable food, and wild food and knowing the producer…” Terpening told us, “So it started to make sense to go ahead and start talking to people myself and selling them fish myself.”
Cold Country’s salmon will be sourced from Alaska’s Ugashik River, a part of the Bristol Bay fishing area and site of the world’s largest migration of sockeye salmon. Terpening chose the Ugashik based on its short fishing season, and the impressive size and high quality of the fish that come from its waters. “Our salmon are absolutely massive…” Terpening said, “They’re just these massive hulks of fish and they’re just absolutely gorgeous.”
This summer, Terpening will return to the Ugashik to oversee Cold Country’s fishing operation, if one can even call it that. “It’s basically just me and a boat,” Terpening chuckled. “I do all of the fishing myself, 90% of the fish are caught by my hands.”
“I do hire a crew member,” he’s quick to add.
Terpening expects to ship about three-thousand pounds of salmon to Virginia by summer’s end. When pressed about how much of this would make up of the entire summer’s haul, Terpening became cagey: “I don’t like to go into it; a fisherman never divulges exactly how many fish he catches, but it’s not uncommon for fisherman in my area to catch anywhere from 30 to one hundred thousand pounds in a season.”
Once caught, the salmon will be vacuum sealed and flash frozen, a process that freezes objects in seconds and preserves the firm texture of the fish. It’s also the subject of about a million YouTube videos. “The whole key with [flash freezing] is to form very, very small ice crystals within the cellular structure,” he explains. “When you have a slow freezing process it forms large crystals and breaks down the cellular structure of the flesh and then you have a lower quality, sort of mushier product.”
Of course, fishing a river as remote as the Ugashik isn’t without complication, especially when shipping fish to the other side of the planet. The irony of a self professed environmentalist like Terpening moving thousands of pounds of fish across a vast swath of land isn’t lost on the fisherman. “Something that I’m looking into, which is [really] important to me, is bringing fish out without the massive carbon footprint of the industrialized food system and… and that’s kind of exactly what I’m doing.” Terpening admits. “It’s one of my top priorities to figure out if there are ways I can move fish so far with much less of a carbon footprint.”
Despite his concern, the fisherman has yet to work out how exactly he plans to ship his fish in a way that’s environmentally conscious. Terpening is considering shipping his fish via train or through independent trucking companies that rely on bio-fuels instead of diesel.
Customers pre-order the salmon in 10 or 20 kg shares, and, when the fish becomes available in the fall, they will be given directions to drop-off points throughout Northern Virginia, D.C., and, potentially, Maryland. In order to keep in close of contact as possible with his customers, Terpening has no plans of selling his fish at retail outlets or farmer’s markets, though he hasn’t ruled out supplying inquiring restaurants. “I know that there are some really good restaurants that are really focused on sustainable seafood and high quality food,” he said, “and I may reach out to them in the future, and if they’re willing to come to me then I’d be more than happy to talk to them.”
“I’m a fisherman, I’m not a retailer,” he said, “I want to remain a fisherman and also just have the opportunity to join the food community here and sell my fish locally.”
Cold Country Salmon is taking pre-orders for sockeye salmon now, and will be taking orders for king salmon later in the year, depending on availability. Terpening will be keeping customers updated throughout the fishing season on his blog, as well as on Twitter and Facebook.
- Kris King
Posted by ryan / Wednesday, May 11th, 2011
I’m not one hundred percent sure, but I think I became a fan of horse racing last weekend. I wish I could tell you that I attended the Virginia Gold Cup, but then I’d be lying. The coverage that preceded the Kentucky Derby was fascinating though.
What initially caught my attention were the elaborate hats the women were wearing. Celebrity interviews followed, and I was suddenly hooked when they started talking to the world renowned chef and restaurateur Bobby Flay. He shared some of his favorite recipes as I came to the realization of what this event was all about, besides gambling.
The conversation didn’t last very long, he only mentioned a few quintessential things. His cocktail suggestions sounded great, so I followed up with some research to find other popular ones. These are what I believe to be the top five, composition included. Some are more complicated than others. Don’t be surprised if you notice a common theme, it is Kentucky after all.
5. Old Fashioned- A standard with gentility.
A. BourbonB. Bitters
C. Cherries
D. Ginger E. Orange
F. Soda
4. The Back Forty- Simple yet complex.
A. BourbonB. Citrus
C. Maple Syrup
3. The Pimm’s Cup- A British favorite.
A. Fruity Gin B. CitrusC. Cucumber
2. Bourbon Bloody Mary- I’m drinking when I should be sleeping.
A. BourbonB. Celery Salt
C. Hot Sauce D. Tomato Juice E. Wasabi F. Worcestershire
G. Lemon Wedge
1. Mint Julep- At least one of these must be consumed during the festivities.
A. BourbonB. Simple Syrup
C. Fresh Mint
D. Shaved Ice
(image: shutterstock)
-Ryan Robertson
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Image: Supertrooper/Shutterstock
“Finish your peas.”
How many times have you heard that in movies? The pea suffers from a pretty severe image problem. Rather than being viewed as a fresh spring treat, most people equate peas with the lifeless frozen pellets that sit entombed in the back of their freezers, a vegetable only good for lending some color to mashed potatoes or a beef stew. They’re the kind of food that cartoon characters will only eat at gunpoint.
But with spring in full stride here in Virginia, the peas coming out of our markets are top notch, and we owe it to the little green guys bring them into our kitchens and dress them up nicely for a fresh spring meal. If anything, it would be good way to apologize for all of the negative PR we’ve dumped on the pea over the years.
When poking around the market looking for fresh peas, the ones that you want come in vibrant green pods that snap open when bent. A pod that bends on itself or is dark in color is a sign of age, avoid those. Look for medium sized peas, avoiding pods with oversized peas or ones with too few peas. You’ll need to buy quite a bit to make multiple servings, about a pound and a half of unshelled peas yields roughly 2 cups. Once you get your peas home, they should keep shelled in the refrigerator for about 4 days, but, like most vegetables, they are best eaten immediately.
To prepare, pop the pods open with your thumb, remove the peas from inside and discard the inedible casing. You can eat the pods of sugar snap peas and snow peas, but as these are later season vegetables, it’s best to wait for those. At this point, you can prepare your peas in a number of ways: stir fried, steamed, heck, you can eat them raw by the fistful if you want.
Boiling is probably the easiest way to prepare peas, as long as you’re careful not to use too much water and not cook them for too long. We’ve stumbled across some recipes online that suggest boiling peas for up to 15 minutes. Don’t do that. Remember, peas are little guys, so they only need to cook for about two minutes until they’re tender, otherwise they’ll turn mushy on you. Peas are often served with butter, salt, pepper, and if you feel inclined, mint (personal note: blech).
Update: A helpful reader has pointed out that you can actually make use of the pea pod, find a recipe for pea pod soup here.
- Kris King
Posted by ryan / Tuesday, May 10th, 2011
Barrel Oak Winery of Delaplane plans to open an art gallery in Middleburg on May 21. To be more specific, it’s located next to the Red Fox Inn at 8 East Washington St.
According to the proprietor Brian Roeder, expectations should be high. “Our main winery is known as a place with great wine that’s wrapped in a great experience,” he said. “There are no judgments about your wine knowledge, we just want to help you to discover. Middleburg won’t be any different.”
The size won’t be the same though. Capacity crowds may not even reach thirty people, while Delaplane can accommodate almost five hundred. They also plan on playing smooth jazz through the speakers, and the staff will be wearing uniforms.
Visitors of the gallery can try up to seven wines in elegant glassware for $8, but the first two are on the house. Barrel Oak is sharing the spotlight with Rappahannock Cellars and the Phillip Carter Winery.
Accompanying appetizers include savory meats, gourmet cheeses, and fresh bread that are locally sourced from farms like Ayrshire.
The scenic works of artist Armand Cabrera will be on display for the foreseeable future.
He’s expected to be present for demonstrations, and some of his prints are going to be available for purchase. The former LucasArts game designer has successfully established himself as a bona fide artist. His ability to paint quickly but efficiently will be on full display.
“We’re really excited about it,” Roeder said. “We’ll be welcoming kids and dogs just like we always do in Delaplane.”
The official opening falls on a Saturday afternoon.
For more information call (540)-364-6402.
-Ryan Robertson