the arugula files

Blueberry Margaritas

I'm not one for mixed drinks.  Hand me a glass of Pinot Grigio and I'm happy.  But with a freezer full of  blueberries, you have to be creative. And what better way to use blueberries than in a margarita?  

Honest Blueberry Jam

Recently I've heard a few people use the word "honest" to describe food.  My first reaction was, what an absurd adjective to describe food!  Those copywriters have lost their blueberries.  As if food can lie to you.  The more I thought about it, though, the more it made sense.  Undoubtedly, there is a lot of food out there, all produced by that evil monolith known by some as “Big Food,” that is lying straight to my face.  As Food Inc. notes, meat producers proudly brand their pork products with idyllic photos of the family farm, when the pork product really comes from places that would most certainly curb your craving for bacon and eggs.

Back to the blueberries: if there is such a thing as honest food, it's this here jam.  I picked the blueberries myself, then made the jam on my own stove.  Take that, Big Food.

Hello Garlic, Nice to Get to Roast You.

Unfortunately for Marcus, my friends, immediate family, and strangers who sit too close to me on the Metro, I heart garlic.  Most dishes that come out of my kitchen include generous applications.  I would like to say that I eat garlic because of the health benefits, but I don't.  I eat it because I like the taste.  I know: garlic stinks.  It gives you dragon breath and the tang oozes out of your pores, leaving you smelling like Pepe la Pew.  People complain.  They move away from you. 

This may sound wicked, but instead of reducing the amount of garlic I eat, I think we should all sign a compact to eat more garlic.  If everyone is eating garlic in equal proportions, then we all reek of it.  Marcus doesn't agree with my compact idea.  Apparently, neither does Monica Belluci.  I don't want to end up a stinky pariah, so I avoid garlic when it appears prudent. 

Recently, though, my friend Jen brought me a bulb of garlic straight from her garden.  She planted, cultivated, and harvested this beauty with her own hands, and I wanted to celebrate it by making it a headliner.

Blueberry Picking at Butler's Orchard

This morning I dragged Marcus out of bed at 7 am.  Come on, we're going blueberry picking!  We arrived at Butler's Orchard by 9:10, and were in the blueberry field by 9:20.  Butler's Orchard is only a short drive from DC.  With no traffic you can be there in 30-40 minutes.  You should bring sunscreen, water, and a bucket or a container to hold your blueberries.  If you forget your bucket at home, you can buy one at Butler's for $1.25.

The Chicago Edition: Biking the Lake, Green City Market, and Heartland Cafe

I spent this past weekend visiting my sister in Chicago. Since it's summer, and the weather in Chicago is beautiful, we decided on a bike along the lake.  Sounds healthy doesn't it?  Of course, we had our own twist.  After I rented a bike at the McDonald's Cycle Center, we stopped at Green City Market for lunch. 

It was an amazing day for a picnic.  We had sweet cherries, mint tea, spinach and cheese crepes, and portabella sandwiches.  I picked the portabella mushroom sandwiches, and my friend Denise brought back the spinach and cheese crepe to share.  If I visit Green City again, I would choose the crepes over the sandwich.  Just saying.  Go Denise!

Waste Not, Want Not: Kitchen Sink Strata

At the end of the week, I always have an odd assortment of food in my fridge on the verge of expiration. It usually makes me feel guilty.  Terribly guilty.  Like if I planned better, or something, then I wouldn't have extra cilantro struggling to stay alive in my crisper.  And what is up with having an extra 1/2 loaf of delicious farmer's market bread left over?  What am I in the zone?  In addition to stale bread, veggies are frequent victims: oh my dear lovely shallots, don't feel neglected there, alone in my veggie bowl; it's not you, it's me.

Usually this situation is a clear indicator that I abandoned cooking the meals I originally planned for the week, and went out to eat more than I should have. Yeah, probably. 

Atwater's Kalamata Olive Bread: Best. Bread. Ever.

Atwater's, a Baltimore-based bakery that sells bread and other carbolicious items at Dupont Circle Farmer's Market and many other markets around the Washington region, makes the best. bread. ever.  Right now you are thinking, thanks, tell me something I don't know.  As a side note, that phrase was my signature expression when I was a teenager.  Wow, did I have an attitude problem. 

Anyway, I'm going to tell you something you might not know, so pay attention.  Ready?  The Kalamata olive bread is Atwater's best bread.  There you have it.  You can thank me later. (My Mom's favorite expression from when I was a teenager; it usually followed her telling me to do exactly what she said, for example, "I know you hate doing your homework, but you'll thank me later."

"America is the Best Country in the World" and Himalayan Heritage

In my quest for trying all of the restaurants on the Washingtonian Cheap Eats List, Marcus and I landed at Himalayan Heritage on Saturday night.  The restaurant is only a short walk from our apartment, and we would have missed it had it not been for Amelia at Gradually Greener, who mentioned it in a comment on my cheap eats post. 

So, we ventured up the hill for a taste of Nepal and India, and were promptly greeted with perfectly spiced edamame and ginger.  Our waiter at Himalayan Heritage provided the best service I've had in a long time, maybe the best service ever.  Water glasses were filled to the rim, he described each of our plates with caring detail, and happily shared that he thought "America was the best country in the world," a refreshing statement from a Nepalese immigrant, who I'm guessing was in his early twenties, and reportedly had been in the U.S. for about a year in a half. 

How had we missed this place? (Careful you could miss it too: the signage isn't that great).  Everything was so enjoyable--the service, the soft Nepalese music in the background, and a nice reminder about feeling lucky to live in the U.S. (as opposed to, say, Iran). 

Chef Artley's Strawberry-Balsamic Vinaigrette

I'm always on the hunt for tasty vinaigrette recipes.  It was only a few years ago that I stopped buying bottled dressing.  That simple move dramatically changed my opinion of salad.  Not only does bottled dressing taste mediocre, it's expensive. 

Today I was walking through the Dupont Farmer's Market and was happy to see Chef Will Artley (and helpers) from the Evening Star Cafe dishing out beef carpaccio with "black" heirloom tomatoes and salad drizzled with strawberry-balsamic vinaigrette.  And, damn, that sample was tasty.

Apparently, this week was the last week for strawberries. Sigh.  I didn't make it to Butler's Orchard because of rain and tedious chores.  I guess I'll have to aim for blueberry picking, which, according to Butler's website, are almost ready to harvest.

Blog-o-riffic Summer Salads

I haven't had much time for cooking lately.  I'm surviving on a few mainstays: turkey sausage sandwiches, peanut butter crackers, pasta with cheese, and Amy's frozen pizzas.  Not exactly blog-o-riffic.  So, I offer you three summer salads from the archives: coleslaw (hold the mayo), pasta salad (hold the mayo), and corn, pepper, and feta salad (hold the mayo). Do you see a theme here?  If you have a recipe for a summer salad that does not include mayo, please post a link in the comments section.