Posts Tagged ‘The Cajun Experience’
Posted by Warren Rojas / Tuesday, April 26th, 2011
Chef Bryan Crosswhite wants everyone to fall as hard for his beloved Cajun cuisine as he has:
(Image: The Cajun Experience)
What began as a passion project housed in a ramshackle hut in Leesburg has grown into a personal quest for world domination. Crosswhite’s latest ambitions include opening additional locations in D.C. (Capitol Hill) as well as outposts both near (NYC, Boston) and far (Europe, Middle East).
WR: Salt. Pepper. What other spices/herbs could you not live without?
BC: Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder
WR: What’s the very first dish you ever mastered? How long did it take? Do you still make it today?
BC: Crawfish etouffee. It took me about a week to perfect it and then about 45 minutes to cook. We currently have it on all our menu’s at our restaurants. It is the top seller for 2011.
WR: What seasonal ingredient(s) get your creative juices flowing?
BC: Live crawfish! We boil them, pinch the tails and suck the heads.
WR: My latest cookbook obsession is …
BC: Chef John Folse – The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole Cuisine
WR: What’s the most challenging dish you’ve ever attempted? Would you make it again?
BC: Maqluba from Iraq. It was tough because I couldn’t read Arabic. Yes I will cook [it] again.
WR: If I could the spend the day working alongside any local chef, I’d love to collaborate with …
BC: Michel Richard
WR: What’s the easiest/quickest–but still wholly satisfying–meal you make for yourself?
BC: French toast stuffed with chocolate and strawberries.
10 1-inch slices French bread
6 to 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup melted butter
6 to 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup melted butter
Cut a pocket in the center of each slice of bread and stuff 2-3 tablespoons of chips into the created pocket.
Place slices into a buttered 9X13 pan.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.
Pour the mixture over the top of the sandwiches.
After about 20 minutes, turn the slices over, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the liquid is absorbed, at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Remove the dish from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking.
Drizzle melted butter over the tops of the slices and bake in a preheated 425° oven until golden brown and set, about 30 minutes.
WR: In the next six months you won’t want to miss my …
BC: Vermilion Parish Filet: filet blackened with peppercorn crust, topped with fresh crabmeat with etouffee sauce on top.
WR: It’s quitting time. I’m pouring myself …
BC: Water (trying to lose weight)
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Your stuffed French toast sounds amazing, chef. But the etouffee-topped, blackened filet has this hired mouth craving dinner more than breakfast.
Come back next Tuesday for another helping of Red Meat.
–Warren
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 4th, 2009
In the world of amateur restaurant reviewing, boundaries can be a wonderful thing.
Just ask local food sleuth Jim Webb.
The Leesburg resident has been cranking out one-shots about visits to area restaurants (chains and their multiple locations, included) for 20 months as part of his personal quest to critique every hometown eatery.
The biggest obstacle to date? Restaurant turnover.
“Lots of new ones keep popping up,” he noted. “So maybe I’ll never be done.”
The IT professional claims no culinary training–”I’m not a gourmet or anything,” he openly admitted–but does have a passion for Asian cuisine.
And while Ruby Tuesday remains a family go-to (“It’s somewhere we can all agree on,” he said), Webb has added many new favorites to his mental Rolodex, including:
*homemade pastas from Galetta’s (“That was really good,” Webb shared)
*curry creations from Thai Pan (“It’s tiny and in this weird location, but fairly authentic.”)
*deli delights from Puccio’s (“Really good sandwiches.”)
*spicy fare from the Cajun Experience (“Tiny but great.”)
To date, he’s injected about $2,700 into the local economy and has crossed circa 80 places off his original list–with another three dozen still to go.
What’ll he do if he ever does cross the dining finish line?
Webb’s not entirely sure. But he did leave the door open to devising another regional challenge.
“Maybe visiting every winery in Loudoun County,” he mused, quickly adding, “There’ll be something in the future.”
–Warren