How to: Cassava Coconut Cake

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, July 7th, 2011

Banh khoai mi, or cassava coconut cake, is one of my favorite Vietnamese desserts. Although it is a cake, the texture is completely different from many Western cakes. Instead of being light and fluffy, it’s sticky and condensed, almost similar to really dense gelatin. It’s really easy to make and only involves three ingredients.

Two packages of frozen cassava (32 ounces total)/two pounds of fresh cassava
One can of coconut milk
Two cups of sugar

If you choose to use frozen cassava, make sure to thaw and drain it. Mix all of the ingredients into a bowl. Grease a baking pan, and pour the mixture into the pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. To see if it’s ready, poke it with a toothpick and if the toothpick comes out clean, it’s finished. The top of the cake should be a golden brown while the inside should stay white.

Banh Khoai Mi from Song Que (Image: Mai Nguyen/Northern Virginia Magazine)

If you rather buy it to try it out before baking, the majority of bakeries in Eden Center will sell it. The above photograph is from Song Que (6769 Wilson Boulevard, Falls Church, 22044).

- Mai Nguyen

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Lexicon of Sustainability Seeks Civilian Curators for Pop-Up Art Shows

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, July 7th, 2011

The Lexicon of Sustainability Project is taking its large format photo collages to the streets of America from 2011- 2012 and it is looking for 100 civilians to act as curators of these Pop-Up Art Shows. Professional curators need not apply.

Douglas Gayeton and Laura Howard-Gayeton are the creators of The Lexicon of Sustainability Project. What originally started out as research for a book cataloging the lexicon of 13 different areas of sustainability (“from air to water, manufacturing to conservation, food to farming, energy to architecture and health to spirituality”) grew into a multi-faceted project that includes:

-Video Shorts (everything from webisodes to half-hour series for television)
-A Social Network of Ideas (including a wiki-like interface for both contributing lexicon and debating definitions)
-A Traveling Photography Show (with lecture series, films, and special guests)

The traveling photography show is a ”groundbreaking exhibition of large format photo collages” that the Project wishes to exhibit outside of conventional venues such as museums and galleries in order to both involve ”the very people trying to build more resilient food networks in their communities” and encourage further dialogue on ways in which people can impact their local food systems.

 The Project is therefore looking for students, teachers, farmers, librarians, gardeners, chefs, cooks, food activists and more to host its mobile art shows. Each curator will be responsible for hosting two shows that involve his/her local communities. After the Pop-Up Show, featured photography will become part of a permanent collection in a school, library, or government building that the curator has identified.

To download a curator application for the Lexicon Photo Exhibit or to learn more about the Lexicon of Sustainability Project, click here.

-Johnisha M. Levi

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Two New Food Trucks to Northern Virginia

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

A new food truck started catering to the Northern Virginia area last week. Tortuga Truck, owned by Andrew Smiedala, specializes in different variations of the Torta, a Mexican street food sandwich, which is influenced by Mexico, Central America, South America, the Carribbean, and Spain. Bad news: since the length of the truck exceeds Arlington’s requirements, they won’t be able to serve in that area. Good news: this means more love for the Falls Church and Tysons Corner area. Since it just started last week and seem to be having a few technical problems this week, I haven’t had the chance to try it out yet, but hope to soon.

Another food truck that has started to serve the Northern Virginia area (specifically Arlington) is the Red Hook Lobster DC truck. They’ve been around for a while now and were able to get permit to serve to Arlington and served in Ballston yesterday. They are the first D.C. food truck to be permitted to serve in Montgomery County, the District, and now Arlington. They are most well known for their lobster rolls, and now that they’ll be frequenting Virginia more often, I have more reason to try it out.

How to find out if they’ll be near you?
Follow Tortuga Truck on Twitter
Follow Red Hook Lobster DC on Twitter

- Mai Nguyen

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Crop Rapport: Ochoa Produce

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Nancy Ochoa in Action at the Tuesday Fairfax Farmers Market (Image: Johnisha Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

They say variety is the spice of life, a motto that Ochoa Produce proudly takes to heart. “We do everything in varieties,” Nancy Ochoa explained, which really sets this farm’s offerings apart.

I discovered Ochoa Produce at the Tuesday Fairfax Farmers Market. Fairfax County (in contrast to the City of Fairfax) requires that vendors at this producers-only market come from within a 125-mile radius of the County. Van Dyck Park, situated just off of Old Lee Highway, has been home to the market for the last nine years after city construction uprooted it from its previous site, the Truro Church parking lot.

This is Ochoa Produce’s first year at the Fairfax Market and only the second year that the Ochoa family has been farming its own land. Nancy Ochoa, who works the market stand with her mother (and wakes up at 3:30 a.m. to get to Van Dyck Park), explained that her father had been farming Westmoreland County land for 24 years. Long years spent working the land of others.  The 24-acre farm that the family purchased and works is situated in Warsaw, Virginia, part of Richmond County and in the agriculturally-rich Northern Neck of the state.

Words, and even photographs (in my estimation), do not do Ochoa Produce justice. The family offers a breathtakingly beautiful array of fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  Considering that I arrived at the tail end of the market, I can only imagine the Ochoa display in pristine condition before eager shoppers (a lot of their faces now familiar to the Ochoas) began making their selections.

Although there is a lot to choose from, Ochoa says that without a doubt, the specialty melons and both the regular and heirloom tomatoes are the best sellers.

For melons, you have your choice of Sugar Baby watermelons, red or yellow seedless watermelons,  cantaloupes, as well as hybrids like the Sweet Dream (the love child of a honey dew and cantaloupe) and the French Orange. The French Orange resembles a smaller version of a cantaloupe, but its interior is a deeper, richer orange, and its flavor is both sweeter and more subtle. Ochoa suggests splitting a French Orange and serving it with a scoop of ice cream nestled inside. Alternatively, some regular customers find that the melon is equally delectable if mixed with fresh berries.

Watermelons and Specialty Melons (Image: Johnisha Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

Full-sized tomatoes come in the stoplight colors of red, gold, and green, and there are impressively massive Cherokee Purple heirlooms (roughly the size of my two fists put together, and in hue, a dusky, almost ruby red, with green shoulders).

Cherokee Purple Heirlooms (Image: Johnisha Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

And do the Cherokee Purples look as good as they taste? Absolutely. The red here actually signals ripeness, unlike those deceptively bland grocery store counterparts, and it is a tomato that eats like a beefsteak (juicy and hardy).

Cherokee Purple Interior aka Heaven (Image: Johnisha Levi/Northern Virginia Magazine)

Looking for something more petite? There are six types of cherry tomatoes to choose from, including the heirlooms pink brandywines and black cherries. Buy a basket of one variety or mix it up and get an assortment. Ochoa offers both options.

Assorted Cherry Tomatoes (Image: Johnisha Lev/Northern Virginia Magazine)

For those who like some heat on the tongue in these dog days of summer, the chili pepper selection is not to be missed. Choose from jalapeno, serrano, cayenne, hot banana, or superchilis (the smallest, but don’t be fooled). Nancy says that the peppers, even the banana (I can attest from a whiff of one she cut open for me), are a little hotter than usual this year.

Squash and beans are also not shunned here. You can choose between yellow squash, green zucchini, golden zucchini and (adorable) pattypan if you are hankering for the former. For the latter, choose from Italian, pole, lima, and pinto beans to name just a few of the options.

What is next for the Ochoas? Nancy says they are starting to grow peanuts.

If you are unable to make it to the Fairfax Market but are eager to try Ochoa Produce, you can also find them at five other area markets including Lorton, Fredericksburg, and Orange.

-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
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)

Seasonal Virginia: Sweet Corn

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, July 6th, 2011

Image (Shutterstock/David Kay)

“Corn is evil” comes up with over 24 million hits on Google, whereas “summer squash is evil” comes up with a whopping zero (until now!). Nobody has ever drawn a bad political cartoon about asparagus, and there’s a reason for that. Corn shows up in practically everything we eat, fuel made from it drives up food prices, it makes us fat, it’s shouldered by billions of dollars in government subsidies.

But it’s summer! And we’re in Virginia! It’s time to forget that corn makes us into bloated, sedate cow-people and enjoy some fresh, white, tender sweet corn.

First grown by in Native Americans, sweet corn showed up in recorded history sometime in the 1770s when it was first collected by European settlers.  The vegetable gets its sweetness from a mutation in its natural sugar production, and stores twice as much sugar than field corn, which we mostly use for livestock, cereal, booze and the much maligned high fructose corn syrup.

Sweet corn comes shaded both yellow and white, and, despite what your grandmother says, the color doesn’t mark a distinction in sweetness (but aesthetics are important, so eat white). There are a ridiculous amount of varieties, most of them differing in shelf life. The sugars in supersweet varieties convert to starch slower, which means they’ll stay sweeter longer. Because they don’t get much starch, the kernels of supersweet corn err on the little side.

Sweet corn starts to lose its sweetness quickly once picked, so it’s best to eat as soon as you buy it. The rate of starch conversion increases with temperature. There’s not much you can do about the speed of harvest, unless you grow it yourself, but when shopping for sweet corn try to get a batch that was harvested that day, preferably in the cooler morning hours. Try to avoid buying corn from vendors that are keeping them out in the heat, on the way home, try to keep your corn cool for as long as possible before cooking, these guys are temperamental.

As for which corn to choose, go for the ones with vibrant, moist green husks. The tuft of silk sprouting from the top should be stiff and light, and you should be able to feel the kernels on the inside. Take a peek in the husk to make sure that parasites haven’t beaten you to the punch. Kernels should be in nice, even rows and shouldn’t look dry, wilted, brown or depressed. If you pierce a kernel, it should release a cloudy juice. There’s not much to it.

Now corn is an adaptable food, but it’s easy, so figuring out what to do isn’t so tricky. The purest way, of course, is boiled on the cob. Place shucked corn in a large pot, cover with cold water, add a tablespoon of sugar and bring to a rapid boil. Once the water starts boiling, the corn is done. Don’t let the corn sit in the hot water once done, as it will continue to cook and get overdone.

If that method is too boring for you, then there’s always the grill. Pull back the husk just enough to remove the silk and then replace it with cooking string, soak in water for a couple of hours and then grill for 20 to 30 minutes over medium heat. You won’t really need to do much to add flavor, but if you’re feeling like a fatty, dip the corn in a huge tub of melted butter. It’s kind of like being at the carnival.

You could pretty much go all day with corn cooking methods, so I won’t bore you with what you can easily find in your favorite cookbook or food blog. I will say this, though, Cuban corn? With mayonnaise, cayenne, lime and cheese? Awwweessooome.

- Kris King

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Crepes de Pouce Gras

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

Crepes de Pouce Gras, which translates to “Crepes of Fat Thumbs,” is owned and operated by Michele Hirata. Hirata started the business in order to fund her Fat Thumbs charity. (The name comes from Hirata’s own fat thumbs that she used to get teased for.) The charity was founded in April 2004 and provides free handmade “Fat Thumb Chemo Beanies” to hospitals, cancer centers, and fundraisers. The hats are made specifically to be extremely comfortable for patients who are going through chemotherapy.

How can you help support this local charity? Buy her delicious crepes! Every Saturday and Sunday until December 2011, Hirata will be at Occoquan Farmer’s Market and Dale City Farmer’s Market respectively.  Some of their savory crepes include selections such as pulled pork with barbecue sauce and coleslaw, roast beef with gorgonzola, romaine, and tomato, or two  vegetarian options: tomato, mozzarella and basil or gorgonzola with sundried tomatoes. A few of their sweet crepes include Nutella with fruit, Bavarian cream custard with fresh fruit and cream, and sweetened ricotta with fresh fruit and cream.

For more information on Fat Thumbs, please visit Hirata’s website here.

Occoquan Farmer’s Market (Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon)
125 Mill Street
Occoquan, VA 22125

Dale City Farmer’s Market (Sundays 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.)
Dale Blvd. (next to Center Plaza Shopping Center)
Dale City, VA 22193

-  Mai Nguyen

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Red Meat: Warren Brown

Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

It’s been a decade since local cheflebrity Warren Brown dropped the legal briefs and picked up a rolling pin:

(Image: Joshua Cogan)

He’s since opened several bakeries/cafes, helped pioneer the reality cooking show/travelogue concept and has penned a few cookbooks (with at least one more already in the works for next spring).

WR: Butter. Sugar. What other culinary elements could you not live without?

WB: It’s equipment for me. My mixer. My stainless steel skillets (always skip the non-stick). My coffee grinder – to mill spices and whole grains.

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

WB: Sweet & Sour Chicken. Haven’t made it in years, but first did it in high school. I remember feeling especially proud when I got the recipe right and successfully fried the chicken strips, and when I tasted the sauce and liked it!

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

WB: Stone fruits

WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …

WB: Moro–kinda old, by Sam and Sam Clark, published in England. Love the foods they share.

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

WB: Timpano – after the main dish from the movie Big Night. I’ve made it twice, both times was years ago. It was an all day affair and making the sheet of pasta was a real work out!

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

WB: Darren Norris @ Kushi.

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

WB: Tough one. I like scones in the morning with scrambled eggs. Scones with oats and raisins and multi-grain.

Nothing is measured so I don’t really know measurements, but roughly speaking:

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

WB: New line of cupcakes we’re test running this summer in our Summer Loving freestyle cupcake-a-thon. Strawberry cheesecake, Key Lime pie are just two early eye catchers.

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

WB: This summer, a Peak Organic pale ale, or a cold glass of white wine.

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

Key Lime pie cupcakes sound like a little slice of heaven. Can’t wait to try one…

Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.

–Warren

→ POST COMMENT (0)

Virginia Legalizes BYOB; Clarendon Best Cellars Closing

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

(Image: Christian Delbert/Shutterstock)

BYOB Now Legal in Virginia