Candy Sushi

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Leave it to the innovative country of Japan to create a sushi that requires no fish or rice. In fact, this is a bit similar to the Doctor Dreadful Food Lab from Tyco, except it looks a lot more appetizing and realistic. The “sushi” is a grape flavored gummy candy. Instructions are easy: pour water into the mold, add powder, and mix. It’ll probably harder to find it than it is to make it since it can only be bought in Japan (it is being sold online here for $5.80, but shipping and handling fees may kill the fun of making these mini pieces of sushi). Here’s a video of it being made:

I am personally intrigued with how realistic the texture of the rice looks. If it was available in the U.S. I’d probably but it for myself to try since it seems pretty entertaining to make candy sushi. But until it is easier accessible, I’ll stick to real sushi.

- Mai Nguyen

Philanthropy and Cooking Go Hand in Hand

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

(Image: Share Our Strength)

September 1 Deadline for Cutting Edge Student Scholarship Program

Will you graduate from or are you enrolled in culinary school during the 2011 calendar year? Are you interested in playing a role in the fight against childhood hunger in America? Then consider applying for the Zwilling J.A. Henckels and Share Our Strength Cutting Edge Student Scholarship Program.

Scholarship recipients will receive an all-expense paid trip to Share Our Strength’s Conference of Leaders taking place in Baltimore from October 15-17. The conference brings together Share Our Strength volunteers, top chefs, restaurateurs, corporate partners, grant recipients, staff members and anti-hunger advocates with a common goal of eradicating child hunger.

Students can look forward to

-attending a welcome event along with past Cutting Edge Scholars;

-networking with leading chefs;

-assisting in the Taste of the Nation event;

-engaging with national leaders in the fight against childhood hunger; and

-learning from speakers addressing issues of hunger and the role of the culinary community in engineering solutions.

To apply for the scholarship, submit an online application that includes a 500-word essay answering: “What is a Chef’s Role in the community?”  The application deadline is September 1, 5:00 pm EST. To submit an online application, click here.

Brainfood Seeking Volunteer Classroom Assistants

(Image: Brainfood)

The D.C. non-profit youth development organization Brainfood is looking for volunteer Classroom Assistants for its Kitchen All Stars and Community MVPs programs.

Brainfood uses culinary education and food as a means to teach D.C. teenagers life skills. Volunteers do not need to have professional cooking experience–they are there to facilitate group dynamics and to both mentor and assist high school students as they develop kitchen skills.

Brainfood is asking for volunteers to commit to one day a week for 9 months.  Both programs run from September 2011 through May 2012, 4:00 to 6:30 pm., Monday through Thursday.

Brainfood Kitchen All Stars

What: An introduction to cooking and life-skills class. Students learn through a hands-on approach in the kitchen.

Where: Chinatown site; Columbia Heights site

Brainfood Community MVPs

What: Either the Kitchen All Stars or Summer Institute are prerequisites for this program. Students will develop their own healthy cooking community workshops, refine and hone their cooking and teaching techniques, identify target communities for delivering their workshops, and as a final step, conduct the workshops. Students will be compensated as community teachers.

Where: Chinatown site

Email Carina at carina@brain-food.org or call (202) 615-6182 to sign up for one of two upcoming Classroom Assistant Information sessions held at Brainfood Chinatown (777 8th Street NW).

Volunteer Information Sessions

Wednesday, August 31,  6:00-7:00 p.m

Thursday, September 8, 6:00-7:00 p.m.

-Johnisha M. Levi

Mid-Autumn Festival: September 12

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Moon cakes on sale at Lotte Plaza (Chantilly Location)

Summer is coming to a close, but that’s no reason to feel glum. As summer dwindles away, autumn is approaching. This means a cooler temperature, crispy leaves, and the Moon Festival (also referred to as the Mid-Autumn Festival). This is a holiday largely celebrated in Chinese and Vietnamese cultures. There are many stories and legends behind this festival which may make it confusing as to which story is being celebrated. However, one thing is for certain: with the Moon Festival come moon cakes.

Moon cakes can come in squares or circles and have various fillings. The most common and traditional filling is a sweet lotus seed paste with yellow egg yolk. The more egg yolk that is in a moon cake, the more expensive and valuable it is considered. Other moon cake fillings that I’ve tried include nuts, red bean paste, and green tea paste.

The price for a box of four moon cakes can vary. I’ve seen some as cheap as $12.99 (seen above at Lotte Plaza), but I’ve also seen many being sold at Eden Center for $25 to $50. But don’t worry, there is a way to stretch that hefty bill for four moon cakes. Since moon cakes are so massive and dense, it’s generally really hard to eat the whole thing in one sitting. I generally cut each moon cake into four pieces, and just that one-fourth is more than enough to satisfy me for a while. Plus it’s better to eat them in smaller portions since one moon cake can have 700 to 1000 calories depending on which one you get.

There are also more modern variations of moon cakes. One popular version is known as the “snowskin moon cake” due to the crust’s pale appearance. This crust is made out of glutinous rice requires no baking. Other variations include a jelly outer crust, and mini sizes for those who are watching their weight.

This year the Moon Festival will fall on September 12, so be sure to buy your moon cakes before they sell out!

- Mai Nguyen

A Food Lover’s Afternoon in Historic Downtown Leesburg

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, August 22nd, 2011

Whether you are enchanted by its history, its railroad right of way-turned bike trail (the last 10 miles from Leesburg to Purcellville are arguably the best part of the W&OD Trail), its antique shopping, or its quiet beauty, it is clear that Historic Downtown Leesburg–Loudoun County’s original town center–has something to offer any visitor. If you are a food lover, there is even more reason to make Leesburg’s downtown an afternoon destination. Here are just a few memorable stops from my visit last Saturday.

Shop

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

Work up your appetite with a little early afternoon browsing. At the friendly boutique retailer Crème de la Crème, you’ll find shelf upon shelf of goodies for your dining room and kitchen, including an extensive collection of French table linens and cutlery and handmade French and Italian pottery.

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

Crème de la Crème
101 S. King St.
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703)-737-7702
www.shopcremedelacreme.com

Lunch

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

For lunch, meander over to Market Station, a charming shopping center framed around restored historic buildings (namely a railroad freight station, a station master’s house, a log house, barns and grist mills).   Grab a sandwich to enjoy on the umbrella-shaded outdoor patio of bakery/coffee house/deli South Street Under. The almond chicken salad with red grapes, spilling forth from its bed of South Street’s famed ciabatta (also sold individually in foot long loaves), is ample enough to split.

Almond Chicken Salad on Ciabatta (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

For a lighter option, choose the blackened chicken wrap, which swaddles tomatoes, red onions and hunks of avocado in addition to its mildly spiced protein. And don’t forget the lemonade. None of that mucousy corn syrup aftermath here as this lemonade is sweetened with agave. Fresh lime juice also nicely mellows the astringency of the lemon.

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

South Street Under
203 Harrison St. SE
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 771-9610
www.southstreetunder.com

Dessert/Snack
If you don’t heed any of my other advice, do yourself a favor and don’t go home without at least grabbing a slice (if not a whole pie) from Mom’s Apple Pie Company. In this tiny storefront parked at the slice-shaped intersection of Loudoun and Market Street,  Texas Cake with mile-high fudgy icing, chocolate-drowned brownies (yes, chocolate on the inside, chocolate on the outside!), and saucer-sized cookies may compete for your attention, but there is a reason why this is the Pie Company, right? Emphatically yes–both pie slices I sampled were gold medal winners. A tawny double-crusted beauty hides a jubilant, slightly tart red raspberry and peach filling.

The Raspberry Peach Pie Goes Quickly! (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

If you are a blueberry lover, you are in luck. Delve into a generous brown sugar and butter crumb topping and uncover concentrated forkfuls of indigo farm fresh berry. And don’t worry–Mom’s is open seven days a week! Try a new pie flavor every day. . .

Blueberry Crumb Pie (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Nothern Virginia Magazine)

Mom’s Apple Pie Company
220 Loudoun St. SE
Leesburg, VA 20175
(703) 771-8590
www.momsapplepieco.com

-Johnisha M. Levi

Freeze Jag: Pleasant Pops

Posted by Warren Rojas / Monday, August 22nd, 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: Pleasant Pops truck – www.pleasantpops.com; @pleasantpops

The prescription: Chongos paleta. There I was, sitting on a public bench, minding my own own business when the realization that I was being watched swiftly crept over me. When I turned she was almost on top of me, her hawk-like gaze tracking the every move of my diligent digits as I gingerly unsheathed my gently perspiring afternoon delight. “Where did you get that?” the obviously spellbound young woman begged me–quickly followed by “And do they take credit cards?” That passionate interlude was made possible by Pleasant Pops, the upstart dessert vendors who’ve chosen Mexican-style paletas as their refreshment medium. Their fruity exploits are legendary, but I was captivated by the sultry chongos, a dreamy pop forged from Mexican crema (sweet as can be) mischievously dusted with bright, sexy cinnamon.

Need a break from frozen dairy? Pleasant Pops mixes up their catalog every week, but if they’ve still got’em, we recommend  cooling off with: summer peach (absolutely exhilarating), cantaloupe or blackberry-mint (equal parts ripened fruit and steadfast mint). –Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Freeze Jag: Moo Thru

Posted by Warren Rojas / Sunday, August 21st, 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: Moo Thru – 11402 James Madison Highway, Remington; 540-439-6455; www.moothru.com

The prescription: ice cream cookie sandwich. “What’s the specialty here?” a first timer sheepishly inquires at the window of Moo Thru’s 21st century barn (yep, that’s an XLERATOR hand dryer in the unisex restroom). “Everything’s good here, boss,” a grizzled old timer assures him, the overall-clad regular basically bouncing in line while waiting for his double scoop of ice cream (“Look!  They’ve got black raspberry!” he about squealed to his equally white-haired partner). Once I spotted the tray of big, chewy chocolate chip cookies, I knew I had to go meta: a chocolate chip cookie sandwich built around cookie dough ice cream. It was a melty treat par excellence, the twin cookies a testament to the exquisite pleasures of real butter, chocolate and sugar, while the homespun ice cream was milky, creamy and generously chunked with sugary cookie dough.

I have no idea when the bulb went off in dairy farmer cum Moo Thru founder Ken Smith’s head, but if his plan to capitalize on all the milk his Holsteins produce by churning it into home made ice cream and dishing it out to sun-parched locals isn’t proof that that whole “build it and they will come” hookum actually works, I don’t know what is.

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Freeze Jag: Gruto’s

Posted by Warren Rojas / Saturday, August 20th, 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: Gruto’s – 141 W. Main St., Purcellville; 540-338-1983

The prescription: Triple Decker Belly Wrecker. Never mind that less is more nonsense. At Gruto’s, more is most definitely more. As in more soft serve. More toppings. And more public acclaim for ingesting heart-stopping amounts of each. All of which added up to my having to try their famous Triple Decker Belly Wrecker, a mountain of cold, creamy soft serve–vanilla, chocolate, twist and a rotating specialty flavor–interspersed with overlapping layers of confectionary bliss. I elected for a fiendishly chocolaty construct cobbling together a crunchtacular mix of crushed oreos (base level), candy coated m&m’s (middle tier) and crumbled peanut butter cups (top of the world, ma!).

Needless to say, I never reached the bottom of the Styrofoam cup. Which means I have LOTS of work to do if I wish to join the ranks of the 2011 Triple Decker Belly Wrecker club (check out the mounted plaques for the current crop of soft serve crushing royalty; confidence is distressingly low I’ll ever attain “Beast Buster” status). And precious little time to do it (staff counts down the days till “the end of soft serve” season on a chalkboard).

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Freeze Jag: Snow Moon

Posted by Warren Rojas / Friday, August 19th, 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: Snow Moon – 7233 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church; 571-259-7250

The prescription: diablito. Latinos love fruity stuff. And hot sauce. But this dessert is a total mind fuck. Its sinus-clearing spicy. Its teeth-numbing cold. Its stick to your gums sweet. And that’s just the first bite. The magic begins with mountain of shaved ice that’s liberally doused in a mixture of lemon juice fused with habanero hot sauce (El Yucateco). Then comes a heaping spoonful of pulpy, clingy tamarind preserves. The lemon juice adds respectable tang, the hot peppers underlying fire, but it’s the chewy, gooey tamarind that ultimately steals the show with its lingering sweet- and sour-finish and jam-like consistency (puts commercial syrups to shame).

Not up to the capsaicin-spiked challenge? Snow Moon can put out most inner fires with its more traditional snow balls flavors, including: French vanilla, margarita, pineapple (que rico), pink champagne, black cherry, passion fruit (refrescante), pina colada and cotton candy. Your standard offerings feature machine shaved ice doused in your choice flavored syrup and tamped down with fresh cream.

–Warren

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Keep tabs on the month long Freeze Jag trek here.

Spotlight on Arlington Food Assistance Center

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, August 19th, 2011

Corn in the Arlington Central Library demo garden (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

AFAC’s Plot Against Hunger Project

As you’ve picked up and dropped off your summer reading, have you wondered about the sweet corn, collards, tomatillos, pole beans, basil, and host of other crops flourishing along the periphery of Arlington’s Central Library? Well, they aren’t just for show. The demonstration vegetable and herb garden, now in its second year, was planted in partnership with Potomac Vegetable Farms, Potomac Overlook Regional Park, Girl Scout Troup 1431, and USDA The People’s Garden as part of the Arlington Food Assistance Center’s Plot Against Hunger Project.

Collards in the Arlington Central Library demo garden (Image: Johnisha M. Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

The Plot Against Hunger Project, launched in 2007, supports the AFAC’s mission of bringing fresh produce to Arlington families in need. This fresh produce makes an essential contribution to the non-perishable groceries, milk, meat, and bread that the AFAC supplies to its clients, as it is comparably more expensive than foods that are higher in calories but lower in nutrients.

Sources of the Project’s donations include local schools, community and faith-based organizations, farms/commercial growers, area farmers market vendors, and civilian gardeners.  The AFAC even has free seeds it will supply for planting. To date, the Project has received in excess of 400,000 pounds of donated fresh produce.

Plot Against Hunger also sponsors informational events, like Wednesday’s fall gardening talk, to champion the benefits of sustainably grown produce.

To learn more about the Arlington Central garden and to track its progress, click here; or watch the latest in garden video tours commentated by AFAC’s Plot Against Hunger Coordinator Puwen Lee. Also look for information on upcoming educational events on the Central library’s outdoor board. For more on the Plot Against Hunger Project, contact the AFAC.  

Arlington Food Assistance Center Center’s Plot Against Hunger Project
2708 S. Nelson St.
Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 845-8486
http://plotagainsthunger.afac.org/

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

September is Hunger Action Month and the AFAC Needs A Few Good Volunteers

And speaking of plotting against hunger . . . September is national Hunger Action Month (HAM) and the AFAC is looking for volunteers for a variety of Arlington events to raise awareness and collect both food and monetary donations for 15,000 food insecure Arlingtonians. Arlington’s HAM launches on August 31 at Shirlington’s Bus Boys & Poets with live music and a food drive.

Gleaning  

Volunteer on Saturday mornings to glean crops from two Arlington farms on Saturdays (September 3, 10, 17, and 24). All food will go to AFAC clients. (Note that the gleaning program runs from July through the end of October so there are other opportunities to pick produce. You will need to fill out a Volunteer Profile Form available online before you can schedule a gleaning date).

Safeway Food Drives

One hundred volunteers are needed at five area stores to work two-hour shifts. Volunteers can assist with a range of tasks, including collecting and sorting of donated food, as well as driving, pick-up and transport. (September 10 and September 17, 10 a.m. -1 p.m.)

Shred for Bread

Bring food donations to the Church of the Brethern (300 North Montague St.) as ProShred takes care of destroying your personal documents. Two volunteers are need for both the 9:30-11:30 a.m. shift and the 11:30-1:30 p.m. shift. (September 17)

Restaurant Days

Already a Northside or Screwtop regular? Put yourself to good use where everybody knows your name. AFAC Ambassadors staff happy hours and wine tastings at area restaurants and food establishments (Marvelous Market, Whitlow’s on Wilson, Northside Social, and Screwtop Wine Bar).

If you are interested in donating your time and talents for the worthiest of causes, email volunteer4afac@afac.org, or call (703) 845-8486. For a full list of Arlington HAM events and activities, click here.

Happy Friday!

-Johnisha M. Levi

Foods News Round-up

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, August 19th, 2011

How to avoid those cereal-aisle tantrums. As a parent, have you ever feared going to the cereal-aisle because of how your kid might react? The first thing they do is run and grab the most colorful box with a large amount of sugar. If you say no, they’ll start freaking out on you. Well studies have shown that this “nag factor” is related to all the commercials that kids see on television. Best way to reduce this nag factor? According to Dr. Nazrat Mirza of the IDEAL Clinic, the most effective strategy is to limit your kid’s exposure to television and commercials. The next effective strategy is give your kid reasoning as to why you will be buying the healthier cereal choice as opposed to their sugar-filled cereal. And the most ineffective strategy is to just let them have their way. The Washingtonian has the full story here.

Restaurants reveal some of their secret recipes. The Washingtonian uncovered some of the unconventional ingredients that local restaurants use. Reston’s Passionfish uses Velveeta in their mac and cheese while Clarendon’s Liberty Tavern uses Pabst Blue Ribbon beer to brew their beer-and-chedder sausages. The Washingtonian has the full story here.

Enjoy a wine-filled September. Now that all of the kids are going back to school, you’ll probably end up having a lot of free time to yourself. Not sure what to do? Luckily Crystal City will be holding six wine events in September. Every Friday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Crystal City will be hosting Wine in the Water Park. Here The Wine Academy will be serving wine by the glass for $5 and beer for $4. Jaleo will be serving complementary snacks and DJ Adrian Loving will be playing music for guests to enjoy themselves. On September 18 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Vintage Crystal event will take place in Crystal City. There will be wine tastings, tapas, tequila, and fun. Read more about it on ARL Now here.

And what’s a Friday without a few freebies?

Boston Market – Buy any meal after 5 p.m. and receive a free night movie rental from Blockbuster Express. Promotion ends September 9. Movie rental expires September 30.

Chick-fil-A – Make reservations for breakfast and receive a free breakfast entree! Promotion runs from September 6 to September 10. You can make reservations starting August 29.

Einstein Bros Bagels – Buy one triple decker club sandwich and get one free. Expires August 24.

IHOP - Every day in August from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., kids eat free! Valid only in the month of August.

Happy Friday!

- Mai Nguyen