Courtesy of Market Burger

Opening: Early March

An old school burger joint moves into a 100-year-old building in downtown Purcellville.

WITH: Couple (dating seven years!) Rebecca Dudley and Jason Lage, owners of Market Table Bistro in Lovettsville.

ON MENU: Burgers, with beef and toppings sourced from Maryland and Virginia, fries from Idaho (“They’re just the best French fried potatoes you can get,” says the locavore Lage) and a black bean-based veggie burger.

ON TAP: Old school milkshakes. Lage scoured Ebay for those classic sea foam green machines that do ‘shakes the right way. “It takes a little longer, but we don’t really care about that,” he says.

NEVER ON: Anything that you can’t put on a bun.

FUTURE PLANS: “We have four or five concepts,” starts Lage, as he ticks off a taqueria, a fish and chips joint and a soup and sandwich place.

145 W. Main St., Purcellville; 540-751-1145; marketburger.net.
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday

(April 2012)

By Stefanie Gans

Courtesy of Meshelle Armstrong

Todd Thrasher, the spirits lover who brought Prohibition-style drinking to Alexandria’s PX over five years ago, and who will soon open a globally inspired cocktail list for TNT (a bar in the coming Columbia Pike space for the second location of Eammon’s), now offers his cocktails to-go.

In the latest move behind the Restaurant Eve team’s domination of Northern Virginia, Thrasher’s drink mixers—Cosmopolitan, Dirty Martini, Tonic—are now available at food emporium Society Fair in Old Town.

Here’s a bit from Thrasher on his love of rum, his first drinking experience (rum included) and his stance on drink mixes.

Ever drink Cosmopolitans?
“No, I don’t like vodka so much. Vodka is a great vessel to hide the alcohol into different flavors. I have a tendency to drink rum.”

What kind of rum do you drink?
“Personally, I like Barbancort 15-year-old. That’s kind of my go-to rum. If I’m going to have something mixed, I drink Westerhall rum, which is a much lighter rum.”

Is rum becoming trendy now?
“I think so. But, I don’t want to say trendy because rum is really the first spirit of the Americas. Rum’s been around for a long time. It’s definitely having a renascence right now.”

Are you putting it in cocktails?
“I use tons of rum in cocktails. It’s my favorite alcohol to use because it’s so versatile. You can have rum that will be like vodka and doesn’t have a lot of flavor, or rum that tastes like cognac. It’s the alcohol we have the most of behind the bar [at Restaurant Eve].”

Is this because of your passion?
“It all started because of my passion, and then all of the wait staff and sommeliers at Eve have kind of gotten behind it. There are rums that will fool you into thinking you’re drinking scotch, so the wait staff and sommeliers have really gotten behind it and have said, ‘Well if you like this, then why don’t you try this and give yourself something new.’ We’ve really seen the rum sales go up and the cognac sales go down a bit.”

Have you always been into rum?
“No … I always … The first time I ever drank in my life I was 20-years-old, and I had Captain Morgan and RC Cola. Ohmygod. Most of the time when you have an experience with your first alcohol and spend the next two days in bed sick you don’t want to go back to it. But I’ve always gone back to it.”

Did you mix it yourself?
“Oh, I definitely mixed it myself.”

Did you get caught?
“No, just catching myself being sick for the next two days.”

Did you puke?
“Oh, yeah.”

When drinking at Home now, what do yoU put together?
“I’ll drink either wine, most of the time, or a Rum Manhattan.”

Do you use mixes yourself?
“Only my own.”

GRAB A DRINK: Society Fair, 277 S. Washington St., Alexandria; 703-683-3247; www.societyfair.net

(April 2012)

Bine/shutterstock.com

As spring arrives—kicking off the start of wedding season—the question of a proper dessert appears on to-do lists of the almost-married. With vintage making a comeback, wedding budgets strained by years of a down economy, and the increasing population of educated foodies who care about flavor as well as style, perhaps it’s time to abandon the traditional wedding cake.

MACARON TOWERS: Cupcakes are old news. In swoops the French macaron. Not only are these delectable bites colorful and have endless flavor possibilities—salted caramel, pistachio and lychee—they are also gluten-free. Built into a gorgeous structure reflecting a couple’s personality (the Eiffel Tower for a Parisian honeymoon), these two-bite confections make the perfect dance-and-go dessert. For the sugar-obsessed, order additional smaller towers as centerpieces to add a pop of color (and save on the florist bill).

CHEESE COURSE: Arranging cheese wheels into a stylish “cheese cake” is perfect for those who don’t crave sweets. Serve an assortment of cheeses with honey, jams, spiced nuts or dried fruits and pair with a favorite wine or champagne for the ultimate wedding toast.

PETIT FOURS SPREAD: Customizing a petit fours spread to feature small bites of personal favorites will allow guests to taste many different confections ranging from exquisite layered cakes to mini éclairs, dark mocha bon bons or toffee bark. Although this may be a pricey option, the assortment of decadence will stand out among other weddings this season.

VINTAGE PIE: Pies are perfect for locavores who want to highlight an array of seasonal- or regional-specific flavors. From peach-blackberry to classic cherry, celebrate tradition with these homey, yet elegant sweets. Pies can also be made sugar- or lactose-free to cater to a variety of dietary needs.

HERITAGE DESSERTS: Northern Virginia’s remarkably diverse community often unites different cultures for wedding celebrations. Use the dessert display as a nod to either of the couple’s family heritages; e.g., sweet rice cakes are a common offering at Korean weddings. —Sally Traynham

jon le-bon/shutterstock.com (Pie); mykeyruna/shutterstock.com (Japan rice cake); Picsfive/shutterstock.com (cakes); marco mayer/shuterstock.com (cheese); Madlen/shutterstock.com (macarons)

(April 2012)

(RE)OPENED IN JANUARY

After three years sitting vacant, Flint Hill Public House & Country Inn re-opened this past January with a new modern feel, but with a nod to the past. The name of the inn remains the same, as well as the exterior. “We kept the schoolhouse look on the outside,” says managing partner John Gruber. Over 100 years ago, the property operated as a one-room schoolhouse.

675 Zachary Taylor Highway, Flint Hill; 540-675-1700; flinthillva.com

(April 2012)

Photography by Sally Traynham

Indulge: creamy banana black-bottom pie

By Stefanie Gans

What started as a hobby nine years ago turned into a full-time job for Sue Olinger. When her HR position was eliminated, Olinger, already selling pies at the Warrenton Farmers Market, decided to fully concentrate on baking.

Now the owner of Sue’s Pies & More, Olinger still laughs about her first day: Within an hour and a half, she sold all 30 of her pies. “I remember thinking, ‘That was a real fluke.’” But the next week, it happened again.

An airy, banana black-bottom pie sports a slim layer of chocolate ganache. Vanilla pudding and whipped cream fill the top three-quarters, and sliced bananas separate the mix from the chocolate below. We’d prefer an equal pudding-to-chocolate ratio, but it still conquers that afternoon sugar craving.

Sue’s Pies & More; 540-878-1181

(April 2012)

By Joey Hernandez

Waking up early and buying tomatoes from your local farmers market is one way to support a local, sustainable economy. But, there’s one step further: buying into Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).

CSAs work for both the farmer and buyer. Consumers pay up-front, allowing the farm to pay for the seeds and tools needed for the season ahead. In return, “shareholders” receive a weekly supply of produce, meats and cheeses from the grower. While CSAs promise plenty of food, ingredients delivered depend on what grew that week. There’s lots to consider. Which CSA suits you?

Cooking Style “Iron Chef America” You revel in the joy of cooking with new ingredients, experimenting with new cooking methods and playing with new tools. Sous vide immersion circulators roam freely in your adobe. CSA: Polyface Farm offers beef liver, tongue, kidneys and tamer cuts of meat, plus vegetables and eggs. Sign up: Open enrollment buying club. 43 Pure Meadows Lane, Riverheads; 540-885-3590; polyfacefarms.com	Cooking Style “30-Minute Meals with Rachael Ray” Planning a meal remains a priority as hectic workdays and carpools cut into your kitchen time. CSA: Great Country Farms offers a produce list that provides recipes, expected crops for the season and a weekly newsletter designed for organization lovers. Sign up: Now. Shares sell out by first week of April. 18780 Foggy Bottom Road, Bluemont; 540-554-2073; greatcountryfarms.com	Cooking Style “Worst Cooks in America” Even though you have a slight fear of cooking, you can still participate in a CSA. While a 20-week share may be a big commitment, some farms offer shorter arrangements. CSA: Olin-Fox Farms. With two months of local farm-fresh goodies like free-range eggs and heirloom tomatoes, making omelettes will have you feeling like Eric Ripert. Sign up: By May 21. P.O. Box 222, Reedville; 804-453-4125; olinfoxfarms.com

Illustrations by Ashleigh Carter

READY, SET, COOK While your weekly CSA box will contain an endless amount of possibilities for you to cook, it’s always helpful to have a few books around to inspire the next dinner creation:

Thomas Keller’s “Under Pressure: Cooking Sous Vide” to inspire your next gourmet creation.

An all-encompassing classic book like “Better Homes and Gardens’ 365 30-Minute Meals” offers both a variety of recipes and ingredient substitutions to avoid last-minute trips to the grocery store.

“The Farmer’s Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying your CSA and Farmers’ Market Foods,” by Julia Shanks, provides detailed info on farm-fresh foods, such as proper storage tips for produce.

(April 2012)

Virginia Senate Bill 604 passed this March, allowing breweries to sell their own beer—for drinking—on site. Just like wineries. ¶ It’s an important step for breweries, catapulting beer drinking to the same coveted status as wine. And it’s about time. ¶ Last year, breweries opened up from Alexandria to Waterford. Bars and retail shops now serve locally produced craft beer, relegating Bud to 7-Eleven status. It’s a great time to be a beer drinker. And it’s only getting better.

Best Bars
Reader-selected NoVA craft beer bars.

Beer Basics
A little cheat sheet to get you through the story.

Best Retail
Finding beers awesome enough to bring home.

Be a Beer Geek
Buzz words explained by area beer experts.

Miller Lite Bars
Sometimes, you just want a Miller.

How Local Can You Go
A pictorial on Port City Brewing Company’s locally sourced oyster stout.

Local Brewpubs
A pint and a bite always go together.

Best Breweries
The makings of a beer town start here.

Virginia Beer History
George Washington liked fruit beer?!

(May 2012)

Styled by Eva Burns • Photography by Kate Bohler

Salt & Pepper Ripple Dark Gray, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $32/pair; • Olive Wood Spoons, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $7 and $7.50; • 9” Small Resin Paperwhite Bulb, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $6.50; • Slate Cheese Board, Red Barn Mercantile, redbarnmercanile.com, $50; • Glass bottle, Peacock Road, peacockroad. com; $8.95; • Large Ruled Pitcher, Red Barn Mercantile, redbarnmercanile.com, $28; • 1970s Green Ice Bucket, The Hour, thehourshop.com, $80; • Mini Copper Tongs (part of a bucket set), The Hour, thehourshop.com, $90; • Linden Ecru 60” x 90” Tablecloth, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, • $54.95; Honey Dipper, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $2.95; • Small Slate Board, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $9.95

Food Bar Setting - This look is all about layers. Start with the back and work your way forward. Bring in some height by using taller flower arrangements, terrariums and potted plants that will also tie in with your centerpiece elements. Layer in food items that have height themselves. The last layer in the front is all the shorter items (jars of honey, salt and pepper shaker, a bowl of strawberries, and a platter with asparagus and prosciutto).

Linden Slate 60” x 90” Tablecloth, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $54.95; • Bubble Vase, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $6.50; • Nasturium Pick, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $4; • Mushroom Cluster of Four, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $32; • Pink Swirled Glass Coupes, The Hour, thehourshop.com, $200/set of 9; • Green Tico Glass, The Hour, thehourshop.com, $200/set of 8; • Soda-lime Mugs, Anthropologie, anthropologie.com, $10/each; • Natural World Dessert Plates, Anthropologie, anthropologie.com, $18/ each; • Sissinghurst Castle Dinnerware, Anthropologie, anthropologie.com, $24/each; • Heather Lins Numbered Linen Napkins, designpublic.com, $120/set of 6

Centerpiece – Since there were so many elements contributing to the centerpieces, I stuck with one type of flower, the yellow daffodil. The bright yellow works great with the greens in the terrariums and the place se ings. All the terrariums have the same chartreuse reindeer moss. Try increasing visual interest by incorporating unexpected objects (rocks, antlers, mushrooms). Keep centerpieces low so guests can easily converse, but don’t be afraid to fill up the table—zig-zag each piece in one continuous line.

Table Setting – The most important thing when mixing tableware and patt erns is to keep it in the same color family. I chose greens and blues paired with bits of pink. The linens stayed neutral so the colors could really pop.

 Terrarium 101

Making and maintaining a terrarium is easy, as long as you have the proper layers. The most important ingredient (besides your plant!) is charcoal. This helps collect water runoff after you’ve misted your terrarium.

1 Mix a handful of charcoal with a handful of small pebbles.

2 Fill the bottom of your vessel about an inch with this mixture.

3 Layer in about an inch of potting soil and make a well for your plant. 

4 Remove the plant from its container, break up the roots, and place it in the well.

5 Gently pour in more po ing soil to cover all the roots and lightly pat down.

6 Add moss or other little found objects for a personal touch.

Grey Terracotta Saucer, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $4; • Glass-Domed Willow Serving (2 piece), Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $45; • Flocked Green Nest, Peacock Road, peacockroad.com, $8.95; • White Egg Cup, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $1.95/each; • Acacia Wedge Server, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $14.95; • Mini Glass Creamer, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel. com, $2.95; • Glass-Domed Cheese Board, Crate and Barrel, crateandbarrel.com, $34.95

 The Recipes

Onion “Pop Tarts”

Turn a kid favorite into a savory breakfast treat. Flaky pastry dough fi lled with caramelized onions and bacon is the perfect complement to any brunch.

1/3 lb. bacon 1 sweet onion

1 T olive oil

1 T sugar

1 T balsamic vinegar salt & pepper, to taste puff pastry (thawed if frozen)

1 egg

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 Cut bacon into small pieces, and sauté bacon in a pan over medium heat until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.

3 Thinly slice the onion, and place in a pan with olive oil over mediumlow heat, stirring occasionally. After five minutes, add the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until onions are caramelized and tender, about 25-30 minutes. During the last five minutes, add the balsamic vinegar.

4 Add the bacon to the cooked onions, and set aside to cool.

5 Cut 24 discs out of the puff pastry (this will make 12 tarts, top and bottom). Place 12 discs down on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and place 1-2 tablespoons of the cooled onion-bacon mixture onto each disc.

6 Whisk an eg with a tablespoon of water to make an eg wash. Brush the perimeter of each disc with the egg wash.

7 Place a top disc on each of the tarts, and pinch edges together with your fingers or with the tines of a fork. Cut a small slit in the top of each tart, and brush the tops with a light coating of egg wash.

8 Bake until tarts are golden brown and pastry has puffed, about 30-40 minutes.

Afternoon Mimosa

A new take on the classic.

2 tsp finely grated orange zest (about one orange)

2 tsp sugar bitters Champagne

1 With a mortar and pestle, muddle orange zest and sugar into a paste.

2 Place about ½ teaspoon of the paste into each Champagne flute.

3 Add 5 drops of bitters to each glass.

4 Fill the glasses with Champagne. Makes four.

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

1 lb. prosciutto, halved lengthwise

2 bunches asparagus Parmesan cheese

1 Wash the asparagus, and trim the ends.

2 Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and season with a handful of salt. Once it reaches a boil, place the asparagus in the water for one minute. After one minute, remove the asparagus, and place them immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain the asparagus once cooled.

3 Wrap each stalk of asparagus with a halved piece of prosciutto, starting an inch above the base and wrapping it in a corkscrew up the stalk, leaving the tip exposed.

4 Arrange on platter in bunches, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese shavings and salt and pepper. – Recipe provided by Dinner Matters; www.dinnermatters.net

by Stefanie Gans

Sally Traynham

¼ c. red wine (we used pinot noir)
¼ c. red wine vinegar
1 c. water
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. whole peppercorns
½ tsp. allspice
3-inch piece orange peel
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper fl ake s
1 pint strawberries, stems removed

1 Combine all of the ingredients, except the strawberries, in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2 Let the vinegar solution cool to room temperature.
3 Place strawberries in a jar and pour the cooled vinegar solution over strawberries.
4 Seal the jar with an air-tight lid and place in refrigerator for at least 24 hours.
5 Enjoy within two weeks.

By Stefanie Gans / Photos by Kate Bohler

A Prohibition-themed mural; an exquisite shrimp tapa.

Sam Adkins lived right next to the cut in the Capitol Hill section of Washington, D.C. “The cut being the bad part of town,” the chef clarifies. But late last year Adkins moved two blocks away from William Jeffery’s Tavern, where he now runs the kitchen on Columbia Pike.

After working in fine dining across the region (Cashion’s Eat Place and New Heights in the District, and Jackie’s in Silver Spring, Md.), Adkins bounced around kitchens for a year before learning about this opportunity from a fellow chef, from whom he rented an apartment.

The move from the city to the suburbs haunted Adkins at first. “It was tough,” he admits. “There’s just like this thing; It’s Virginia, you can’t do it.” Now—with William Jeffrey’s first insane few months over—Adkins embraces his new neighborhood of South Arlington, and he’s not alone.

All the hungry diners ... put an egg on it.

The second iteration of Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper will open on Columbia Pike, and by the end of April, Del Ray favorite Taqueria Poblano will debut its third restaurant across from William Jeffrey’s.

“When we saw the Columbia Pike location,” says Taqueria Poblano owner Lindsay Michel, “we thought it would just be great because it’s a neighborhood that’s exciting, and it’s trying to become more of a community.”

Chris Lefbomb, Adam Lubar and Wilson Whitney, (also owners of Dogwood Tavern, Rhodeside Grill and Ragtime), thought about the location in the same way. In deciding to open William Jeffrey’s, they chose Columbia Pike because, as Lefbomb predicts, “It’s going to be a lot bigger, a lot trendier.”

With its new destination label, the team built its biggest and most ambitious restaurant on the pike.

“This is our first time working with a chef,” Lefbomb admits. It’s hard to understand a restaurant operating without a trained culinary talent; instead the owners implemented a system of kitchen managers lacking creative control of the menu. “We heard stories on what can happen,” Lefbomb says of chef-driven concepts, but quickly adds that their choice of Adkins has been positive.

Lefbomb, Lubar and Whitney insisted on a few bar classics, such as burgers (order it topped with pimento cheese and egg), nachos and a buffalo chicken wrap to ground the menu, but let Adkins bring his fine dining flair to a stunning Spanish tapa.

Browned garlic and chile de arbol flavor an addictive sauce, left chunky with broiled tomatoes and a ton of parsley. Tail-on shrimp float atop, but leave their essence behind in a brandy-spiked oil perfect for a bread-dunking session. Another starter from the sea, fried calamari, bests the average bar snack with a light breading and tender texture juxtaposed to a kicky and creamy aioli.

Lamb shoulder—studded with garlic and rubbed with oregano—slow roasts on a bed of onions for a tender filling playing against crusty ciabatta. As the high-ponytailed waitress promised, the roasted shallot dressing played nicely with the accompanying side salad, but also worked overtime as the sandwich’s spread.

A light touch of breading on calamari

The waitress also sported black chunky glasses—a signal of urban décor shifting down 395. The large restaurant also takes a few cues from the city: dropped lighting, with wire cages holding a slim, dim bulb, over communal tables. The bar displays its inventory of on-trend cocktail ingredients: fresh herbs, bizarre bitters.

But what city dining lacks in space (Room 11, Little Serow), this restaurant—designed to order—fits in roomy booths, a stage for live performances (pending permit) and a large back dining room.

All three together, William Jeffrey’s, Eamonn’s and Taqueria Poblano, constitute more movement than the pike has seen in decades. “For 30 years we have seen practically no new development,” says Takis Karantonis, executive director of the Columbia Pike Revitalization Organization. He blames the lack of public transportation. “What didn’t happen?” he asks in response to the lame-duck living of Columbia Pike. “Metro didn’t happen.”

A garlicky lamb sandwich

Instead, stations graced North Arlington, allowing for Ballston and Clarendon to shine with an enviable dining scene (Lyon Hall, Tallula) and city-sized cost-of-living. But for Columbia Pike, Karantonis says, “The consequence of that was stagnant economic development, or relative disinvestment.”

In 2000, zoning standards moved to a form-based code that supports mixed-retail, helping swing the area into a more urban enclave. Changes brought construction projects, one of which is Siena Park. The luxury building now houses apartments, XSport Fitness and William Jeffery’s.

Opened just this past December, William Jeffery’s is still figuring out what works and what doesn’t.

Adkins plans on, rightly, removing a lackluster breaded flounder and a half-assed “harvest vegetable plate.” Picking five sides does not an entrée make. Especially for $18. Instead, Adkins will introduce an Asian-inspired stir-fry of carrots, cabbage, soybeans and shiitake mushrooms with a quinoa-sushi rice cake.

With additional restaurants not joining William Jeffrey’s until later this spring, the tavern can take its time adjusting the menu. South Arlington is still a few-dozen restaurants away from the density of the Metro-enhanced North Arlington neighborhoods. And that’s fine with Adkins.

“Verse North Arlington,” jokes the chef, “I like it a lot more. North Arlington has so many shops and stuff, and I feel like I’m in a mall.”

Adkins though, already feels the movement. “Even in the past four months I’ve been here, I’ve noticed people are out on the streets more. I think there are a lot more people here who are willing to start a quote, unquote, scene, like a community.”

The former city boy’s voice rises. “I’m getting a South Arlington T-shirt,” says Adkins. “I’m just like, f#&% it. I’m happy where I am.”

William Jeffrey’s Tavern

2301 Columbia Pike, Suite 101, Arlington; 703-746-6333; williamjeffreystavern.com

Hours: Open for lunch, dinner and late-night dining daily.
Average entree: $13 to $20 ($$)

(April 2012)