Posts Tagged ‘José Andrés’
Posted by Sally Traynham / Thursday, February 16th, 2012
José Andrés: Republicans and tapas. [DCist]
Did Valentine’s not go so well? Top 10 Break-Up Foods [Endless Simmer]
Gulp down some fresh pear cider via Black Rock Orchard at Falls Church Farmers Market this Saturday. [WaPo]
Rate restaurants for a free 2013 Zagat guide. [Wash Times, Zagat]
Food Truck Crazy? Check out Lemongrass, Arlington’s newest addition to its food truck fleet, serving a Vietnamese-inspired menu that includes banh mi sandwiches, banh mi-style tacos and three varieties of bubble tea, “boba”. [ARLnow]
Celebrate Mardi Gras, NoVA-style. [NVM]
Wok and saute with your teen this Friday during a cooking class featuring shrimp lo-mein and chicken fajitas. [HerndonPatch]
Vote for your favorite Vienna dish, Part VI. [ViennaPatch]
Get into the kitchen with your children at Wildfire’s Kid’s Spring Cookie Class with Executive Chef Eddie Ishaq. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Food for Others. [Wildfire]
Photo: Lemongrass
[tips for the food desk]
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 30th, 2011
It’s been a great end to the year here on the Gut Check, and I’m sad to say that with the end of 2011 I must say farewell.
As my last post, I’m going to capture the highlights of my year with a journey through food-time in photos:
I started here with my farewell to summer, specifically to hot dogs and opened my eyes to all the great diggity dog places NoVA has to offer;
I enjoyed a deconstructed Key Lime Pie a la José Andrés at America Eats Tavern;
I got a free pie;
I made homemade granola for the first time;
I enjoyed one too many chili half-smokes at Ben’s Chili Bowl;
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 29th, 2011
The countdown continues. Today’s category of food is savory. I’m definitely a sweets person — it’s always all about the sweets, always — but let’s face it, you need real savory food to survive.
So here are my top picks of savory items I’ve consumed in the NoVA area this year. For pure survival, that’s all.
Top Five Savory Foods of 2011:
5. Super Pollo (Arlington)
After a serious hunt for a good Peruvian chicken joint, Super Pollo hit the spot. I never thought I would enjoy plain chicken that much, but with the spice rub that coats the crispy skin with oil, I could probably eat an entire chicken myself. The meat inside is so juicy and tender, and when you dip it in the sauces (I love the spicy green one) it’s to die for. The sides are great, too, with plenty to choose from. My favorites are the fried yucca and the plantains (see, there’s my sweet tooth again).
4. Gazpacho at America Eats Tavern (Washington, D.C.)
José Andrés’ benefit restaurant in partnership with the “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?” exhibit popped up in D.C.’s Penn Quarter on July 4th and will be closing exactly a year later on July 4, 2012, so if you haven’t been yet, you better go! This was a great dining experience, from the educational aspects of the menus with a history of American food to the typical José Andrés creative molecular gastronomy exhibitions in his food. The gazpacho I had there was easily the best gazpacho I’ve ever had, in its simplicity and bold flavors of individual ingredients coming together in my bowl right before my eyes (literally — the waiter poured the tomato broth over my vegetables and olive oil).
3. Izakaya Blue Ocean (Fairfax)
If you love sushi as much as I do, you have to make your way over to the deceiving location of the Pickett Shopping Center off Main Street in Fairfax where this hidden sushi haven is located. This is one of the most authentic places I’ve been to in the area, and it makes for an incredible lunch-time experience. The eel-avocado and spicy tuna rolls I had at the sushi bar were spot-on. Great service, too — and, of course, home to my favorite mochi ice cream.
2. “The New Luther” at ChurchKey (Washington, D.C.)
Fried chicken with smoked bacon on a glazed doughnut? Let’s be honest, this sandwich is the type of food you can only eat once a year — maybe once a lifetime. But 2011 was my year of the New Luther, and I enjoyed every bite. I was debating whether to add this to the savory or sweet list due to the fact that it’s a sandwich with a sweet glazed doughnut in place of your typical bread or bun. But since it’s served for lunch with french fries, I decided it is most certainly savory. The doughnut just adds a nice little sweet tone and balances out the salty fried chicken and bacon. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
1. The Italian Store (Arlington)
This place is heaven to me! When I’m missing all the Italians and likely mobsters from New Jersey, I just take a trip to the Italian Store. I love walking around and seeing their Italian specialties in the store while waiting for my massive, oily, and, best of all cheap, sandwich. They’re all good — from fresh prosciutto to layers of spiced ham with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and hot peppers, doused in oil and vinegar, to the best thing (in my opinion) they offer: their fresh mozzarella.
Melt in your mouth.
-Julia Harbo
Skip DC’s Ketchup Retinkering; Try Lyon Hall’s Housemade Mustards Instead
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
Washington City Paper’s Chris Shott has been bitching about housemade ketchup all year. In the food editor’s polemic, 57 Reasons to Hate Homemade Ketchup, Shott tears through restaurants brave enough to attempt the tomato-based concoction, calling it “artisanal glop.” He lists José Andrés’ attempt as “thin syrups” that “look like watercolor paints, and don’t taste much better.” He comes to the poetic conclusion: ”it sucks.”
Shott’s ketchup vendetta even earned a spot on the alt-weekly’s year-end cattle call of trends, disappointments and minor victories.
But I think Shott’s anger might lessen if he traveled to Clarendon for Lyon Hall‘s rendition of a housemade condiment: mustard. Executive Chef Andy Bennett offers a seasonal rotation of mustard varieties, recently showing a pumpkin mustard that works well right from the spoon (or maybe baked into a pie crust).
Read the rest of this entry »
José Andrés Catered Porcelanosa Grand Opening
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, November 18th, 2011
What do bath and kitchen tiles have to do with José Andrés?
Last night I drooled over some of José Andrés’ food while standing among models of porcelain
toilets — this sounds weird, but let me explain: I was at the grand opening of the Porcelanosa store in Rockville.
José Andrés, Spanish mega chef of Jaleo, minibar, Zaytinya, and Oyamel, catered the event — because he’s friends with the owner of the Spanish company, as well as the Spanish ambassador Jorge Dezcallar, oh, and he’s a good chef.
Needless to say, the event was a success. Here are some highlights of the food:
“The New Tortilla” was a typical José creative creation of potatoes, onions and cheese inside an egg shell.
"The New Tortilla" in the making
As beautiful as these egg creations were, they were delicious.
Another notable mention: salmon cones with salmon roe.
Salmon Cones
And the popular molecular gastronomical olives — olive “bursts” soaked in rosemary and garlic infused olive oil.
"Olives"
One of José’ Andrés’ sous chefs was even kind enough to give me a lesson on the making of these “olives” — essentially olive flavored liquid texturized in a mixture of calcium and sodium alginate, then soaked in a bath of rosemary and garlic infused olive oil. One flavorful explosion in my mouth.
Actually, more like five.
Mine didn't come out so perfectly. More like conjoined quintuplets (not like there's anything wrong with that...and they still tasted amazing).
I may be partial to food over bathroom tiles, but the Porcelanosa event, in my mind mouth, was a huge success.
-Julia Harbo
Don’t Ever Say That PAUL Gave You Nothin’
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, September 15th, 2011
- Image: WDG Photo/Shutterstock
This past weekend, after a long dinner with copious amounts of food at America Eats Tavern, I was strolling through DC’s Penn Quarter when I noticed across the plaza of the US Navy Memorial a wonderfully familiar awning. In the clear night, I could make out the clean white letters of PAUL shining ever so gloriously in the moonlight. I never thought I would see such a magnificent sight as PAUL right here in DC, the capital of the United States of America!
I discovered PAUL when I was traveling through France and immediately fell in love with their beautifully delicious baked goods—second to the Eifel Tower and €2 wine, these pastries are what I think of when I think of France. Don’t get me wrong, I definitely preferred some of the one-of-a-kind patisseries I found on the small streets in Paris, but during the two weeks I was traveling through France, I learned that Paul was a trustworthy brand in which I could lay my expectations of eating some form of delicious French baked goods. When I was back in Barcelona resuming my work, I was pleasantly surprised to find a random PAUL franchise for a taste of Paris in a different European country.
Back in DC, I was pulled by some force, despite my fullness from dinner, towards the shining lights of PAUL and gazed in through the windows. It was about 9 p.m. and the lights were still on as a few workers were closing down shop. Before I knew it, one of the workers saw me and the group I was with and started walking quickly towards the locked door. Pardon me, didn’t mean to eye-rape your baked goods, kind sir, just taking an innocent glance!
“You folks want something?”
“Oh, nooo, just looking….”
“Hang on—” and he was off, walking towards the back of the cute little shop.
We all looked at each other in giddy curiosity of where this friendly worker was going and what he might be bringing back with him. I was expecting some day-old croissants, a couple of stale macaroons, at best. He returned from the kitchen with a large box to present us with, opening it in front of our bright eyes. Inside was a lattice-topped fruit pie, probably about 12 inches in diameter, so beautifully glazed it nearly reflected the moonlight.
“I was gonna take it home with me, but I really don’t need it,” the man said.
“Really?”
“Enjoy it…and don’t ever say that PAUL gave you nothin’!”
It was the sweetest thing that I had witnessed a stranger do in a while. What better way to brighten up the end of a great night with free pie?
The item turned out to be what PAUL calls a tarte aux myrtilles, otherwise known as a blueberry tart. Though it was clearly just left over from the morning, so not completely fresh as to be servable the next business day, it was a sweet gift, and I will forever remember PAUL as a sweet delight.
The lovely PAUL worker and his charming gift
PAUL is located at 801 Pennsylvania Ave., NW DC; 202-524-4500. For more information visit www.paul-usa.com.
-Julia Harbo
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, September 12th, 2011
This Friday, as a tri-birthday celebration and in honor of the ten year anniversary of 9/11, I went to America Eats Tavern, José Andrés’ new restaurant replacement of the acclaimed Café Atlántico in DC.
America Eats Tavern, DC
José Andrés, apart from being named as an official Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation, originally trained at the “best restaurant in the world” (before it closed), El Bulli, and is an acclaimed master of Spanish cooking. Despite this regional mastery, Andrés’ new Tavern sure does wave the American flag strongly in every way possible. In teaming up with the National Archives, the restaurant serves as a benefit in partnership with the exhibit “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam?” and all profits from the restaurant are being donated to the exhibit.
America Eats Tavern falls into the category of the trendy pop-up restaurant. The menu is essentially an archive itself, telling stories of American history through food dating back to the 1600’s, with Native American hulled corn transformed into creamy grits or a variety of oysters from New York City in the 1800’s. I could have spent an hour just reading the menu and its historical descriptions, but, heck, we wanted to eat.
This restaurant was definitely an upscale scene, but when one of us ordered the peanut butter and jelly sandwich with foie gras, I couldn’t help but laugh when it came out served with a mini jug of milk (with a straw) and a brown bag of potato chips. I got a bonus chuckle as our first course was being cleared and the waitress asked, “Are you still working on your milk?”
At first, when my gazpacho was placed in front of me—a disproportionately big white bowl with three tiny tomatoes outlining a small pool of vinegar-speckled olive oil—I thought, Well, Americans must really doctor up the traditional gazpacho, and, I’m glad I ordered a second course. But then another member of the wait staff proceeded to pour a fresh tomato puree around the circle of tomatoes and olive oil and it was too late before the idea came to take a video on my phone (hey, I might be eating food from the 1800’s, but it’s the 21st century now!).
Needless to say, it was some of the boldest and tastiest gazpacho I’ve ever had, even in its deconstructed form. It was my first time actually tasting deconstructed food (after watching it for years on Top Chef) and I have to say, there’s definitely something to be said about it.
Maybe the coolest part of the meal was the dessert: key lime pie a la deconstruction.
With a spoonful of lavender-topped condensed milk, graham cracker crumbs, meringue, and lime zest foam (yes, foam!) it really did taste like a traditional sweet and zesty key lime pie that just happened to look like a strange futuristic molecular gastronomical deconstructed half food, half art.
America Eats Tavern, which has appropriately been open since this past July 4, will remain popped-up and open, at least, until January 1.
-Julia Harbo
Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, June 28th, 2011
Wild animals are fair game on Gordon Vivace’s prep table:
The self-taught chef turned restaurateur opened Cucina Vivace on Crystal City’s fabled “restaurant row” a few years back and has been cultivating a loyal following ever since. He has since spun off a personal cheffing gig/meal delivery operation and has a cookbook in the works.
WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?
GV: Basil, cumin, any number of hot peppers
WR: What’s the very first dish you ever mastered? How long did it take? Do you still make it today?
GV: I tend to cook in an old-fashioned Mediterranean style, so “mastered” could have a lot of meanings. My dishes often come out a little different from one attempt to another on purpose, and none are necessarily better than the others. It’s more a matter of what’s on hand to make them special that particular time. But, I suppose the first dish I feel I made that was unanimously accepted where people might not have liked it cooked by others is … chicken liver! I have a few secrets for transforming this ugly little morsel and, oh yes, I still make it whenever I can.
WR: What seasonal ingredient(s) get your creative juices flowing?
GV: Summer tomatoes, winter squashes and local meats like venison and boar.
WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …
GV: I don’t actually read too many cookbooks, though I’m fond of all the Lidia Bastianich books.
WR: What’s the most challenging dish you’ve ever attempted? Would you make it again?
GV: Whole stuffed wild boar. And probably not.
WR: If I could the spend the day working alongside any local chef, I’d love to collaborate with …
GV: José Andrés
WR: What’s the easiest/quickest–but still wholly satisfying–meal you make for yourself?
GV: Roast chicken.
I stuff the cavity with lemons, rosemary, peppercorns and a few ice cubes to help the flavors get into the breast once steam forms.
Roasted in a 400 degree oven, the prep time is about 10 minutes. Then I’m off with a glass of wine until I check on it 45 minutes later. Then it rests for 10-15. Total involvement time is about 15 minutes, 20 if I decide to make gravy (though it doesn’t need it). And it’s wholly satisfying.
WR: In the next six months you won’t want to miss my …
GV: Italian Summer Grill Menu. Our entrees this summer are particularly geared toward the grill and many items will be disappearing in the fall.
WR: It’s quitting time. I’m pouring myself …
GV: Elijah Craig bourbon
————————————————————————————————————————————————
Chef, stuffed boar and venison are right in our wheelhouse. But it sounds like we may have to give your chicken livers a whirl…
Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.
–Warren
National Archives’ Exhibit on How the Government Shapes Diet Opens Friday
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, June 7th, 2011
(Image The Foundation for the National Archives)
The National Archives’ newest exhibit, What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? The Government’s Effect on the American Diet, opens on Friday, June 10. From war gardens to FDA dinner plates, the exhibit highlights the American government’s historical involvement in the way its citizens eat, through “production, regulation, research, innovation, and economics.”
The United States government has a long history of involvement in Americans’ dinner tables. According to NPR, who got an early tour of the exhibit, founders Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin were known to bring food from abroad, like olives and rice, to see if they could cultivate them here, and the Department of Agriculture routinely shipped explorers abroad to find food that would flourish in American farmlands.
According to the What’s Cooking website, the exhibit features four main categories: farm, factory, kitchen and table. The farm section concentrates on how the government helped shape the American agricultural complex, including the introduction of farm subsidies; factory focuses on the horrifying state of early industrial food production and how it was eventually cleaned up; and kitchen and table cover similar topics like the government’s involvement in promoting healthy eating, and wartime diets.
It also has a picture of Nixon’s last meal as president: pineapple, cottage cheese and milk. Mmm, mmm.
There’s more on NPR about the coming exhibit, including an interesting anecdote about how the U.S. government discovered that some preservatives were actually poisonous: human experimentation!:
“[Harvey] Wiley kept notes and tables of the effects the meals had on his volunteers. Often, they became violently ill. One note reads: “#5 was nauseated and sick during the night of February 1 and vomited all of his dinner. He did not eat breakfast on February 2.”
Isn’t that nice?
What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam? will be in the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery in the National Archives building starting Friday, June 10 and will run to January 3, 2012. Chef Jose Andres pop-up American eats restaurant made in collaboration with the exhibit is scheduled to open up July 4.
- Kris King
Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, May 31st, 2011
Where there’s smoke there’s … barbecue? Chef Alex Reyes certainly hopes so:
(Image: Stacey Viera)
The Spanish toque has been working his magic behind the scenes of the Harry’s chainlet for some time now. He recently accepted a new challenge in launching Harry’s Smokehouse, a casual concept accentuating the pleasures of slow-smoked, expertly grilled proteins and other summer favorites.
WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?
AR: Pimenton (Spanish paprika), saffron, chili flakes, cardamom, thyme, parsley, basil and bay leaves.
WR: What’s the very first dish you ever mastered? How long did it take? Do you still make it today?
AR: My grandma’s Spanish tortilla! It took me a while but I did. I still make it for my family when I go to the farmer’s market to get some local eggs and spuds!
WR: What seasonal ingredient(s) get your creative juices flowing?
AR: Rhubarb in the spring, tomatoes and corn in the summer, celeriac in the fall and squashes in the winter.
WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …
AR: Ferran Adria’s “Modern Gastronomy” and also his [AUTHOR IS ACTUALLY LISA ABEND] new book “The Sorcerer’s Apprentices“. The book reveals secrets and stories inside Adria’s restaurant “El Bulli” and also narrates about the training of the apprentices of one of the world’s top restaurants.
WR: What’s the most challenging dish you’ve ever attempted? Would you make it again?
AR: Traditional American BBQ. It is not just about smoking meats … it’s an art! I still have a lot to master but I’m having so much fun in the process.
WR: If I could the spend the day working alongside any local chef, I’d love to collaborate with …
AR: Jose Andrés. He is great chef and talented restaurateur.
WR: What’s the easiest/quickest–but still wholly satisfying–meal you make for yourself?
AR: Pan con tomate y jamon Serrano (Bread with tomato and Serrano ham) this is an ideal snack anytime of the day!! You simply toast or grill the bread (baguette) then smear it with ripe tomatoes and drizzle the bread with Spanish extra-virgin olive oil (I prefer sol de la Mancha) and little sprinkle of fleur de sel. Top it with the Serrano ham and enjoy!
WR: In the next six months you won’t want to miss my …
AR: Harry’s restaurant group new concepts/restaurants!!
WR: It’s quitting time. I’m pouring myself …
AR: A glass of a Spaniard [sic] wine.
————————————————————————————————————————————————
Chef, we, too, continue working on our signature barbecuing techniques. Enjoy the journey.
Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.
–Warren