FOODSERVICE MONTHLY'S Sauce on the Side

My First 'Downsized' Turkey Day ... Thank You Cafe Renaissance!

For the first time in 43 years (that would be Nov. 1966, when the streak started ... to keep it in sports vernacular), I did not cook a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. I have officially downsized the biggest cooking day of the year for this home cook. Even when I was a hotel manager and worked all the holidays, I still fixed turkey and all the appropriate accompaniments. I have moved passed all the failures and refinements that come with time ... until I had a blend of what I liked from my childhood past (the simple bread/herb/butter stuffing and the canned cranberry sauce) and style points for my grill-roasted Weber turkey (which freed the oven for my spectacular apple and pumpkin pies). I'll spare you the trip back through time of my learning to cook, marriages, kids, hotel food and beverage, Veuve Clicquot, nouveau Beaujolais ... I'm too full right now and the glass of Pinot too large to have any of that conversation be anything but maudlin.

What I can lucidly comment on (in my mind) is the delicious meal Acqua and I had earlier today at Cafe Renaissance in Vienna. We found Cafe Renaissance 15 years ago (it's been serving from its Glyndon Avenue location for 15 1/2 years) when I was writing community dining reviews in my new journalism career. After three visits and one glowing review I lost all objectivity and stopped writing about the restaurant in any impartial way, relegating it to the occasional community feature. The little restaurant was a step back into time where the food was classical, where all the women were lovely ladies and the owners Saeed Abathi and Tony Tassbihi (Tony has since opened Cafe Mileto in Germantown) made every guest feel like the most important. The Turkish chef Ocean Joseph (see the poor quality iPhone foto) has become an American citizen and in recent years has expanded his menu into something more contemporary, but you don't have to whisper if you would like a dish prepared in a manner not matching the menu ... it can be done. 

So Cafe Renaissance became our "romantic" restaurant ... a place where we could go and separate ourselves from the stress of life and feel special without being anyone special at all. We became friends of the family and they know my children in NC, Ohio and the UK, my brother in Ga. ... my grandchildren. We have watched Saeed and Soraya's girls grow into lovely young ladies. 

I don't get to Cafe Renaissance much any more. I live 45 minutes away. I am on the food trail chasing down the latest new spot, the latest trend, the coolest drink ... but I was off today, a tradtional food holiday ... and I wasn't cooking. Ocean prepared a wonderful turkey plate for me ... Acqua had a lamb rack that she desired and Saeed found a few minutes to join us and eat his own turkey dinner. His oldest daughter was helping on the door when we arrived. They've added a Christmas tree this year to provide a homey, holiday touch to the decor. And Ocean told us he is a new grandfather. 

Alas, I must cook a turkey; I can't give up the ghost ... it will be on Saturday. The pumpkin pie is a must and I'll improve my Red Velvet Cake with tips I've taken from David Guas's new cookbook DamGoodSweet. Life is good. 

Gaylord National Tree Lighting ... A Tornado of Opryland and Vegas on the Potomac

 

It might be the American kid's dream of Christmas (I don't think many other cultures could totally grasp the magnitude) ... loud, bright, glitz: all orchestrated to some exponential crescendo: it's the Gaylord National holiday kick-off with its second annual lighting of a 60-foot synthetic glass Christmas tree hanging from the atrium roof, a synchronized water fountain show in front of the tree and fireworks over the Potomac. All of this while choirs sang Christmas songs, kids danced and as they say ... the crowd went wild. Did I mention they can create indoor snow along the Holiday Lane?

I was exhausted after the bombs bursting in air so I missed the visit to the nine degree ICE! at Gaylord National ... a visit inside a wonderland carved out of two million pounds of ice. Don't worry, it won't melt before you get there as it remains through January 10. There are so many levels of pricing and times that it's best to visit the Gaylord ICE! Web site. My best estimate is that adults get in for around $20 and kids march through for $13. My glass of Malbec at the bar in the Old Hickory Steakhouse was perfectly soothing for me at under seven bucks ... even though I was disappointed that Carolyn Stromberg, fromagere extraodinaire, gets an occasional night off or more selfishly stated that it's on a night when I happen to stop by unannounced.

Don't even ask me why a giant PEEPS is wondering around looking for Easter eggs. I did learn that the new modern PEEP sees itself as a year-round celebration and the first PEEPS store will open at Gaylord around December 10.

Saborea Puerto Rico 2010 Dazzles With Mio Preview

I had the opportunity to sample the flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine from  two of their best chefs: Alfredo Ayala and Augusto Schreiner at Puerto Rican restaurateur Manuel Iguina’s MIO restaurant.

The media event was organized by Saborea Puerto Rico, A Culinary Extravaganza 2010, Puerto Rican cuisine’s top foodie event, now in its third year. Their visit to DC was part of its Saborea Gastronomic Journey throughout the United States to promote the event in the mainland.

Saborea Puerto Rico is an annual event by the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association carried out to highlight the best of the of the island’s cuisine. Over 60 restaurants and 50 local and international chefs come to this culinary extravaganza.

The highlight of the afternoon was the very first course that was served as we arrived: a roasted pig cooked by Luis “Apa” Ramos and accompanied by yucca with garlic sauce. Let me just make it clear ... OMG! Cut with precision by a machete-like cleaver into tasty morsels of moist, extraordinarily flavorful pork ... the dish placed itself into the category of what I would call an "instant classic." The skin was a radiant light mahogany with the feel and texture of a savory candied brittle. With a sipping glass of Bacardi Reserva Limitada, the spirit calmed the juicy meat of the pig.  

This excellent beginning was completed with a Conch Ceviche, followed by Mahi-Mahi dish served with a sweet corn sauce seasoned with a little sofrito. The next course was a guinea hen cooked in its own juice with a rum reduction.

Dessert was candied guava slices and papaya in syrup with a pastry likeness of San Juan’s famous sentry box, made by chef Schreiner. Pieces of Puerto Rican white cheese completed the sweet finish.

The third edition of Saborea Puerto Rico will be held on April 9 to 11, 2010 in the Third Millenium Park, located at El Escambrón beach in San Juan.  For more information, access: www.saboreapuertorico.com.

Thursday Night Madness: Lucinda Scala Quinn's Booksigning at ZW&K

Embrace the Mad Hungry world of Lucinda Scala Quinn at her book signing being held at Zola Wine & Kitchen (505 9th St. NW, WDC) tomorrow night Thursday, November 12. Lucinda is the vice president and editorial director of food and entertaining at Martha Stewart Omnimedia. She's in Washington to promote her new cookbook, Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys (ARTISAN BOOKS, October 2009), and will be participating in a cooking demo alongside Stir Food Group executive chef Bryan Moscatello from 6 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are priced at $75 per person and includes a copy of her book along with appetizers showcasing the published recipes and two glasses of wine per person (I'll have a big glass please ... to soothe the madness). Guests for the evening also receive a 10 percent discount on wine purchases from its wine shop during the event.

Reservations are made through Hooks Book Events.

Taste of Elegance ... Mid-Atlantic Chefs Compete for Best Pork Dish

Jerry Edwards, owner and corporate chef for Chef's Expressions Catering and Consulting, Baltimore, won the three top honors at the annual Mid-Atlantic Taste of Elegance held recently at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore. He won the Chef Par Excellence honor as well the People’s Choice Award and the best wine pairing award during the competition which was sponsored by the National Pork Board and the Iowa Pork Producers Association (IPPA). His expression of the "Three Little Pigs" as seen in the foto was as visually appealing as it was tasty.

The Mid-Atlantic Taste of Elegance contest brings some of the region’s best chefs together to showcase their talent using pork in creative, non-traditional ways. Ten chefs competed in the competition and more than 325 invited guests from the culinary industry and the media attended the event. 

Edwards’ winning entrée, “Three Little Pigs,” featured a Straw House (wheat berry salad garnished with miso bacon), a Stick House (smoked pork loin grilled over rosemary branches with rosemary-onion soubise), and a Brick House (brick-pressed pork belly infused with star anise). Edwards received $1,000 and entrance into the National Taste of Elegance competition, which will be held in the spring of 2010.

Trey Massey III, the private chef to the Irish ambassador to the United States, earned Premium Chef honors. Jordan Lloyd, executive chef at the Bartlett Pear Inn at Easton, Md., earned Superior Chef honors. 

Judges for this year’s event included besides myself representing Foodservice Monthly:

• Mark Salter, a Pork Checkoff Chef from Maryland’s Inn at Perry Cabin
• Bryan Voltaggio, chef/partner of Volt in Frederick, Md. and currently seen on Top Chef
• Lynn Hoot, executive director of the Maryland Pork Producers Association

 

Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Kick Off 2009 Conference WIth Gala at Ritz-Carlton DC

I realized as I was sending tweets from the Ritz-Carlton Washington DC ballroom that many of my readers might not be familiar with Women Chefs & Restaurateurs … here is a smidgen of background and a list of the women honored … with fotos of Ris Lacoste, Kate Jensen, Ellen Kassof-Gray and Nora Pouillon.

Formed in 1993 by eight of the nation's top women chefs and restaurateurs, the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs has grown to a membership of over 2,000 foodservice professionals through which it offers a variety of networking, professional and support services.

Founding Members included women chef/restaurant pioneers Lidia Bastianich, co-owner of Felidia and Becco; Elka Gilmore, chef, San Francisco; Joyce Goldstein, author/restaurant and food consultant, San Francisco; Johanne Killeen, co-owner of Alforno, Providence, RI; Barbara Lazaroff, owner of Spago Beverly Hills and Imaginings Interior Design, CA; Mary Sue Milliken, co-owner of Ciudad & Border Grill, Santa Monica, CA; Anne Rosenzweig, owner of Inside, New York City and the late Barbara Tropp, author/chef/consultant, San Francisco.

Through Tuesday the women’s group is holding its national conference at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington.

I was fortunate enough to be invited to their Sunday night gala where the "Women Who Inspire Awards" were given out during a dinner celebrating “The First Ladies of the Table.” In the spring of each year, hundreds of women are nominated for these prestigious awards.

I will be writing more about the conference in the December issue of Foodservice Monthly … for tonight I have the winners of the awards to announce. Carla Hall, Alchemy Caterers, was the gracious, entertaining emcee of the evening’s festivities.

 Golden Fork Award recognized excellence in the dining room and honored a woman whose front of the house service/management skills demonstrate a commitment to excellence: Ellen Kassof-Gray, Equinox, Washington DC.

Golden Whisk Award honored a woman whose passion and excellence as a chef serves as a role model for others: Ris Lacoste, RIS, Washington DC.

Golden Goblet Award recognized excellence in the beverage profession and honored a woman whose has made the serving of wine, spirits, coffee or tea one that enhances the dining experience: Shelly Lindgren, A-16 and SPQR, San Francisco, Calif.

Golden Plow Award recognized excellence in growing and producing from nature’s bounty and honored a woman whose skill in farming results in food that graces our plates while respecting the environment: Moie Crawford, New Morning Farm, Pennsylvania (she has sold in DC since 1974 and now every Sunday at Dupont Circle).

 Golden Bowl Award recognized excellence in baking and pastry arts while honoring a woman whose skill in the baking and pastry arts inspires others: Kate Jansen, Willow Restaurant, Arlington Va.

Community Service Award recognized outstanding contributions in community affairs by honoring a woman who has made a strong impact on the lives of others: Linda Vogler, DC Central Kitchen, Washington, DC

Barbara Tropp President’s Award recognized a lifetime of culinary excellence and honored a woman who has made exceptional and lasting contributions to the restaurant industry: Judy Wicks, White Dog Café, Philadelphia, Pa.

Genesis Award recognized a woman who has achieved a true “first” in the culinary profession: Nora Pouillon, Restaurant Nora