the arugula files

Food Blogger Happy Hour: September 1 @ Poste

Get.  Out.  It's been a year since the first food blogger happy hour?  Yes, it's true  Every month, on the first Wednesday, food bloggers come together for beer and buffalo wings (or wine and wagyu skewers).  It started big and is still going strong.  For our anniversary, we are headed back to Poste for truffle fries on the patio. If you plan to join us, please RSVP on the DC Food Bloggers Facebook page.

 

Is the Banh Mi the new Cupcake? (Plus the Best Banh Mi in the DC area)

"How did you find me?" asked Ha Lu, the owner of Nhu Lan.  I pointed to the Washingtonian review on the wall.  She smiled and proceeded to wrap up the two banh mi sandwiches I had ordered to go.  This was not a question she asked the other customers.  That's because the Vietnamese shoppers making their way through the Eden Center already knew the best eateries; they had their favorites.  Not me.  I was there, an interloper, searching for the best banh mi.

Banh mi, the popular Vietnamese sandwich, has several components: crusty bread (should be soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside), salty meat (grilled pork, head cheese, pate, chicken, and, sometimes available for vegetarians, tofu), tangy condiments (some mix of pickled carrots, daikon, jalepeños, and cilantro), and rich and creamy mayo or butter. 

The sandwich appears to be the darling of the media, with articles cropping up faster than cupcake shops around DC (here, here, here, and here). 

Which makes me think: is the banh mi the new cupcake?  Yet another trend that is a little bit old, overused, and tired among the foodie crowd?

It seems that everyone wants to hail a pedi-cab and head to the Eden Center, the Vietnamese shopping center at Seven Corners, where the parking lot mirrors the streets of downtown Saigon: jammed with people trying to get somewhere, fast.  You don't have to travel to the Eden Center to try this Saigon sub.  DC chefs are reinventing the banh mi by adding upscale versions to their menus.

Unlike cupcakes, which are too sweet for my taste, I wanted in on this fad.  So I set out to become a banh mi afficiando.  I tasted a few authentic versions from different shops in the Eden Center, washed down a haute version with a glass of Muscadet at a wine bar on U Street, and nibbled on a food truck creation while sitting under a tree in Farragut Square.

 Here's my banh mi diary.

Grilled Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes (Plus, the MidAtlantic Red Fruit Festival)

You know how kids show up at your door step and take way more halloween candy then they need?  That's me at the tomato stand.  I fill my bag with Green Zebras, Purple Cherokees, Brandywine, Mr. Stripey.  I want them all.

I eat them whole, with a dash of salt, balsamic, and olive oil, or I put them in panzenella, salsa, and, now, on grilled pizza.

This pizza is all about simplicity: two cloves of garlic (diced), two heirloom tomatoes (sliced thickly), a handful of fontina and feta. Roll out your favorite pizza dough, brush the top with olive oil, and place on your grill. Flip it a few times.  Then add the garlic, tomatoes, and cheese.  And, for the love of the farmer, don't add tomato sauce.  Just top it with basil and enjoy the taste of your summer garden (or in my case, since my garden was an epic fail, enjoy the taste of a local farm).

Grilling pizza? It's easy.  No, the pizza won't fall through the grates.  Need directions?  You can find them here.

Speaking of tomatoes: make sure to enter your tomato recipe in the Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival, open to food bloggers, home cooks, gardeners and tomato-enthusiasts.

 

We, The Pizza: Solid Pizza, Tasty Meatball Subs

Every time Spike Mendelsohn, the former reality star chef and owner of We the Pizza, says something about why he came to DC to open a restaurant, I roll my eyes and make finger gagging motions.  This has nothing to do with the food at his restaurants.

Mendelsohn once told the Washington Post, "I would like to be an ambassador of bringing young, hip restaurants here. I'm looking at D.C. as a blank canvas where I hope to practice my art form." And on NPR he told Kojo Nnamdi he came because "big fish in a small pond...you know."  Listen up, people, DC is not the next great food city.  It is a great food city now.  Please stop.

Good news for Good Stuff Eatery:  good food trumps asinine comments.

If I were to go on a burger date with, say... President Obama, and the options were a) Good Stuff Eatery or b) Ray's Hellburger I would try to convince Barak, an obvious fan of Ray's, to go to a. That's how much I like Good Stuff Eatery. 

This is a long way to say that I was totally stoked for We, the Pizza.  Totally.  Stoked.  My current food scene mantra is: less Neapolitan pizza and more up scale  New York or New Haven-style pizza.

Grilled Flank Steak (Plus, Should You Include Acid in Your Marinade?)

Marinades are usually comprised of three components: acid, oil, and herbs.  Christopher Kimball says that you shouldn't include acid (orange juice, vinegar, etc) in your marinade mixture. His argument is that the acid breaks down the meat and leaves it too mushy.  I was willing to take him at his word until I started experimenting a few weeks ago.  One night, I grilled flank steak after marinating it for 24 hours in a mixture of rosemary, garlic, shallots, and olive oil. The recipe is here.  End result? It was good, but I thought the marinade flavor overwhelmed the meat.  Something was off.

Farfelle with Brie, Basil, and Cherry Tomatoes

I've had this dish a million times before.  Tomatoes, basil, and cheese (and maybe a little garlic).  It's  amazingly simple.  Usually I make it with fresh mozzarella.  This time around I tried it with brie, after a friend in Boston served me something similar.  Using brie gives it a mellow creamy flavor.  It melts nicely, coating the farfelle with a light cheesy sauce.  (As you can see from the photo above, I like red pepper flakes.)

Matryoshka Doll Measuring Cups

I love these little measuring cups.  Aren't they the cutest?  I doubt I'll use them for measuring, but I might hide things in them.  I'm not sure what.  Any ideas?  

DC State Fair (First Ever!)

My blogger friends, gradually greener, modern domestic, and the indoor garden(er) are doing something extraordinary.  Something that's never been done before.  They are planning the first, ever, DC State Fair!

The fair will be a part of Columbia Heights Day on August 28th.  Check out the contests and enter your wares (vegetables, photos, home brew, pickles, jams and more).  See you at the fair!