Posts Tagged ‘food’
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, May 24th, 2012
Teresa Kasprzycka/Shutterstock
Show off your summer garden’s edible and delicious masterpieces.
Email us pictures of your garden in all stages for a possible photo feature as we highlight local backyard vegetable and herb gardens across NoVA.
Posted by Sally Traynham / Monday, May 21st, 2012
IriskinoFoto/Shutterstock
Hot weather and picnics are on this weekend’s hit list. Round up the family, pack some grub and enjoy the summer weather at one of these perfect picnic spots:
Bluemont Park, Arlington
Nestled in Arlington, this beautiful 70-acre park offers everything from frisbee golf to paved trails and natural streams. A picnic shelter is available for rent and picnic tables are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Entrance fee: n/a
Great Falls Park, McLean
A pet-friendly national park with staggering views of the Potomac River with falls and nature at its best. Picnic tables and grills are available on a first-come, first serve basis (no reservations accepted). Entrance fee: $5 pp
Bull Run Regional Park, Centreville Read the rest of this entry »
Spacious fields with scenic woodland trails a picturesque stream are hard to beat. The large outdoor pool will open Memorial Day weekend. Picnic shelters available for reservations. Entrance fee: $7 per vehicle
Palates Behind the Plate: Nicolas Flores of Hank’s Oyster Bar
Posted by Joey Hernandez / Friday, May 18th, 2012
Photo courtesy of Patrick McMahon
A series dedicated to the palates behind NVM’s 2011 Fifty Best Restaurants. We know what they serve, but what do they eat?
Restaurant: Hank’s Oyster Bar
2011 Rank: #36
Executive Chef: Nicolas Flores
NoVA’s best dish:
The atomica pizza from Pizza Paradiso in Old Town…simply the best!
Never would I ever eat:
All clams.
After work grub:
Buffalo wings and Stella beer.
At home cooking:
Grilled lamb chops with grilled vegetables including romaine lettuce, asparagus, and spring onions, Egyptian rice and cucumber yogurt salad. For dessert….fruit.
Burger, burrito or bahn mì:
Bahn mi.
[tips for the food desk / follow @JoeyHndz]
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, May 17th, 2012
LianeM/Shutterstock
Saying goodbye is never easy. This time of year is infamous for transitions, from getting hitched and buying a new house to college graduations and switching jobs. For me, this is my farewell to the magazine after an amazing, food-filled five-month journey.
Notorious for stress-baking back in college and an advocate for the school of thought that food will solve (almost) everything, it’s no surprise that food is my “go-to” when in need of easing transitions and saying goodbye. Homemade, personalized and edible gifts can be very simple and elegant with a low price point. And no, they don’t always have to involve cooking or laborious hours in the kitchen for those limited on time.
Here are some DIY edible farewell gifts, that will send anyone on a grand departure with lots of love.
Homemade BBQ Dry Rub [foodnetwork]
With summer right around the corner, this crafted BBQ dry spice rub is a perfect gift for the adventurous cook.
Flavored Olive Oils [theKitchn] Read the rest of this entry »
Infusing olive oil with favorite, personal flavors—such as meyer lemon, basil, chili or garlic—creates simple, elegant and unique giveaway.
Stuffed & Saucy: NoVA’s Newest Mobile Kitchen
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, May 17th, 2012
Two empanadas and a spring roll. Photo by Sally Traynham
Something Stuffed is one of Arlington’s newest mobile kitchen concepts, shoving local ingredients into empanadas, dumplings and wraps. So naturally, walking up to the bright purple food truck, I was expecting fried food goodness.
I ordered Vietnamese-inspired spring rolls, an orange-ginger iced tea and two empanadas: one stuffed with steak, peppers and a red-wine gravy and the other taking on Thai flavors with chicken, coconut milk and spices. And while fried, and farm-sourced, it was pretty underwhelming. The fried part was great, but the filling lacked flavor.
However, the dipping sauces definitely made up for it.
Read the rest of this entry »
American Craft Beer Week in NoVA
Posted by Sally Traynham / Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
Julian Rovagnati/Shutterstock
This week marks the 2012 American Craft Beer Week. Here are some local events where all beer geeks can drink and celebrate NoVA’s rising craft beer culture.
Tuesday, May 15
Tuesday Patio Cookout
5 p.m. @ Northside Social
Housemade sausages on the grill featuring draft beer from DC Brau, Port City and Lost Rhino.
Broad Street IPA Tuesday Tapping
3 p.m. @ Mad Fox Brewing Company
The Centennial hopped IPA counterpart to Mad Fox’s Orange Whip IPA, Broad Street IPA brings grapefruit and resiny herbal aroma.
He Said/She Said Beer Dinner
@ Dogfish Head Alehouse Fairfax
Randall the Enamel Animal, featuring 90 minute with Hops.
Flying Dog Beer Dinner
7 p.m. @ Virtue Feed & Grain
A five-course dinner where each course pairs with a Flying Dog brew.
Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Widmer Brothers (OR), with specials, prizes and giveaways.
Wednesday, May 16
Kill the Keg
6 p.m. @ Mad Fox Brewing Company
Mad Fox has invited five local brewers back for another Kill the Keg event. First keg to be finished wins the honors! Participating breweries include:
Port City – Monumental IPA
Lost Rhino – Zlaty Pils
Chocolate City – The Ugly Sticke
DC Brau – Ground Wolf IPA
Devils Backbone – Eight Point IPA
Mad Fox – Orange Whip IPA
Flying Dog Rooftop Party
6 p.m. @ Whitlow’s on Wilson
Celebrate craft beer in the summer breeze on Whitlows Rooftop deck.
Ommegang Steal the Pint Night
@ Fireworks Pizza Arlington
Fireworks will host Brewery Ommegang, pouring BPA, Art of Darkness, Three Philosophers and Rare Vos.
Randall the Enamel Animal
@ Dogfish Head Alehouse Fairfax
Randall the Enamel Animal, featuring bourbon soaked wood-chips.
Union Jacks Beer Feature
@ Union Jacks
Union Jacks features Dogfish Head (DE), with specials, prizes and giveaways.
Calling NoVA Home Cooks and Food Bloggers
Posted by Sally Traynham / Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
foodandmore/Shutterstock
The Food Desk at Northern Virginia Magazine is looking for NoVA home cooks and food bloggers who would be interested in working with us on future projects.
Interested or know someone who would be? Shoot us an email and we’ll fill you in.
Posted by Sally Traynham / Tuesday, May 15th, 2012
Mike Flippo/Shutterstock
McLean area senior high schools students reveal a high underage alcohol consumption rate. [McLeanPatch]
A health-forward Protein Bar is slated to open in Ballston this summer. [ARLnow]
Food icon, Mario Batali throws down and takes part in the Food Stamp Challenge, making major changes for him on his farmily this week on a $31 per person (for the week) budget. [WaPo]
Harris Teeter on S. Glebe Road remains closed indefinitely after a raw sewage backup. [DelRayPatch]
Domino’s takes pride as the first nationwide pizza chain to offer gluten-free crust. However the crust is only suitable for those with “mild gluten sensitivity, calling questions of cross-contamination to the table. [CNN]
7-Eleven launches Slurpee Lite, a low-cal alternative. [DCist]
The Montana State Society’s 8th Annual Testicle Festival (also known as Legends of the Ball) will be pushing the limits of food lovers with exotic fare this Saturday in Arlington. [ARLnow]
The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation launches the first Food Revolution Day this Saturday, May 19 across the nation. [The Wall Street Journal]
Crystal City welcomed Good Stuff Eatery last week. [NVM]
[tips for the food desk]
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Friday, May 11th, 2012
Having trouble reading through May’s Nectar column? Need more help pronouncing that funky, super-fruit acai? Ahh-sigh-ee. Here you go.
First Night Report: Good Stuff Eatery Opens in Crystal City
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Chef Spike Mendelsohn outside Crystal City's Good Stuff Eatery. (Photo by Sally Traynham)
Last night, while the team at Good Stuff Eatery finished up last minute preparations, Spike Mendelsohn‘s dad was outside chatting up the crowd of about 20 anxiously awaiting burger lovers. Inside, Chef Spike Mendelsohn, former Top Chef contestant, joked with his staff and hung out with his mom and sister amid rolling cameras. Mendelsohn once again joins the cast for a BRAVO show, this time capitalizing on his growing restaurant empire in Life After Top Chef. (Projected 2013 air date.)
As the clock reached 5 p.m., this family operation opened the doors of its second location on the commercial strip of Crystal Drive.
Be Gentle! (Photo by Sally Traynham)
Regardless of the sign outside, or because of it—warning all Good Stuff eaters that they might be captured on film—there was a constant flow of hungry people on opening night. With new items like the Steakhouse burger, American Wedge salad and Salty Caramel Kiss milkshake, customers appeared eager and content waiting ten minutes for a burger and shake. (Perhaps the “Be Gentle With our Staff” signs helped calm the impatient.) Meanwhile, some scoured over the “dip bar,” which includes old bay mayo and mango mayo.
With his second GSE opened, and a third in Georgetown debuting this fall, Mendelsohn is all about expansion.
Read the rest of this entry »