Home is Jaleo

Tegan moved to DC this weekend! For those who don't know, Tegan is one of my Vandy besties and a past roommie and the district's newest resident. After we finished moving her stuff into he apartment (why did I think living in a row house with 5 millions stairs was a good idea?) we decided it was time to celebrate the way we have celebrated so many times before: Spanish style. 

Tegan knows me too well, and without even asking choose José Andrés's Jaleo for dinner, one of the most-loved tapas restaurants in the city. Located right downtown, Jaleo's large glass windows prove the perfect opportunity to observe the dazed tourists, annoyed locals, and speeding streets from a equally bustling and crowed setting. 

Carnes, verduras, paellas del día, frituras, pescados, quesos, embutidos, 'José's Way'...you can have your pick of the taste of Spain. 

Of course, we had to start off with Sangria. I will always be partial to Tegan's homemade sangria (which may have to have it;s own future blog post). Jaleo's sangria is a bit to wine-y for my taste but you really can't go wrong with a cool glass on a hot summer night. 

We started out with a Spanish classic - Pasamontes manchego cheese with compressed apples in muscatel. 

Next, we had Escalivada Catalana with roasted red peppers, eggplant and sweet onions with sherry dressing, served with toasted bread. 

Being southerners we had to get the fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and microgreens....and some tiny papas arrugas with mojo verde and rojo sauce. 

We were surprisingly stuffed from all these tiny little tapas. Ok, and maybe a bit tipsy from the sangria. So of course, as soon as we saw the the Gin and Tonic ice cream on the dessert menu we knew we had to try it. Other than holding a claim to fame for her sangria, Tegan is quite known from making a mad gin bucket. 

Her mom ordered rounded us out by ordering the Pan Con Chocolate (chocolate flan with caramelized bread, olive oil and brioche ice cream).  

Bienvenidos a casa Tegs! 

Cork me please

Avocados. Olive oil. Salt. This is what Cork taught me: You only need those three ingredients to be satisfied in life. Lindsay and I brunched at Cork a couple of weeks back. Located on 14th, Cork is causal neighborhood hangout that specializes in lovely wine and small plates. They also have a quaint little store across the street where the sell wine, cheese, and other delicious delights that they offer in their restaurant. 

 

  
A note that Cork is only open for brunch on Sunday. Lindsay and I made the awful mistake of planning on going the week before on Saturday, and were sorely disappointed when we realized we failed to plan. Typical. However, we made up for Saturday's lack of Cork's famous avocado appetizer by ordering two plates on our Sunday visit. The restaurant offers a warm and cozy ambiance; brick and wood-paneled walls make you feel as if you are breaking for a quick bite in a retro-country farmhouse. 

 

 

Lindsay began with the citrus mimosa flight. How pretty are those colors? 

I mostly focused on the toasted avocado bread. That's sea salt, pistachio oil, and crushed pistachios you see there. What's great about the recipe is is very easy to duplicate at home, thank you Cork for snack inspiration.

 

 

We must have been looking especially daring, because the bar tender tried out a new drink mixture on us. While it wasn't out favorite, who can say no to a free drink? Lindsay was a bit apprehensive....

For entrees, I got the Baked Egg in Parmesan Crust, with wild mushrooms, asparagus, goat cheese, Gruyere cheese. It was delicious, cheesy and crusty and everything I wanted. Lindsay got the Carrot and Marcona Almond Salad, with verjus, golden raisins,  and toasted cumin. Of course I ended up eating a lot of that too.

 With all a ton of new places coming to 14th street, Cork will surely become a oldie but a goodie in my book.

Washington Post Pizza Making

As soon as I saw as email for a pizza making event hosted by the Washington Post's food and travel editor, Joe Yonan, you betcha I dropped everything I was doing to sign up. The fact that it was a event sponsored by the DC Vanderbilt Alumni Association was also a added bonus. Editors, alumni, and pizza? Who said you couldn't mix a little networking with cooking?

Joe has a fabulous apartment in DuPont, furnished just the way you would imagine a tasteful, urban, city living space of the Post's food and travel editor would be out finished. I tried to do my best and not be nosy, but I couldn't help gazing at all his cooking books, wall art, and of course his amazing kitchen (where all the magic happens).

It wasn't until I was checking out his website and his 'Cooking for One' cook book did I learn he was a fellow Texas boy. A alumni of both UT Austin and Boston Culinary school, Joe wrote for the Boston Globe and lists a impressive résumé of accomplishments, including being honored at the Association of Food Journalists. I nearly died with excitement to know there even was such a thing.

After introductions were made, our host gave us a rundown on pizza basics. This was straight up cooking advice from the boss-man himself. I am a little hesitant to share it, but as I care about your pizza well being, I think I can make am exception. I always thought of a pizza in terms off toppings, but Joe was quick to point out that a pizza should always be about the crust. Focus on the crust? I can dig that advice. Here is Joe's no fail, all around delicious recipie for fool-proof crust:

Joe's No-Knead Spelt Pizza Dough

1 1/2 cups whole spelt flour
2 1/2 cups white bread flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast (may substitute instant yeast)
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

I also learned that for best crust results, it is worth it to invest in a pizza stone or baking steel for optimal cooking. It was crazy to see Joe bake our pizzas, after having the oven preheated (to about 500 degree- hot!), for only about 2 minuets before they were ready to eat. It was literally faster than delivery! 

Anyway, enough rambling. Here are some of the glorious pizza creations for future pie making. My favorite was the roasted squash, chile-caramelized onions, walnuts, and Roquefort combination scattered with arugula and drizzled with pumpkin seed oil. This was my choice to make!

Next was Mushroomy bechamel, roasted mushrooms, and mozzarella.

But don't forget about Ricotta, roasted potato slices, smoked trout, preserved lemon, Greek yogurt or creme fraiche, and scallions.

They keep coming! White bean-tomato spread, black olives, and Pecorino cheese. 

Last was caramelized onions, dried figs, Taleggio, and radicchio.

Joe will be hosting further cooking experiences with Sidetour in the future. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for his classes and recommend signing up. Until then, I am going to be working of the ridiculous amount of pizza I ate...and probably making some of my own in the meantime.

Union Market

As my friend Lindsay and I passed fading Chinese storefronts and dark, dingy industrial warehouses in D.C.'s NoMa District, I began to wonder if our quest for DC's revamped urban food venue, Union Market, was only going to leave us thoroughly creeped out. It was only after driving around for awhile did we notice a steady stream of visitors entering a modern brick facade in the otherwise run-down industrial space. The huge, white 'Union Market' signed should have clued us in but I think we were too intrigued by the market's sketchy, wholesale surroundings to notice what was going on at roof level in the no-mans land between the metro stop and residential apartments.

Signage: Union Market

Floor plan of the market

However once inside Union Market, we were greeted by culinary delights from every direction that hardly reflected the market's dingy surroundings. Of course we were immediately drawn to a cheese and wine bar/bistro that appeared both chic yet low-key. Many cheese samples were consumed. Too bad we hard already eaten brunch at Masa 14, or else I think we would have spent a small fortune on fine cheese and boutique wine at Righteous Cheese.

I can never say to to fresh seafood, and Rappahannock Oyster's artisan offering definitely made me want to head back whenever I was craving some nautical nom-noms. With evocative, seafaring names like Stingrays, Snow Hills, and Olde Salts, I would imagine their oysters would taste like wearing a yellow raincoat on a New England coast. Salty and satisfying.

Ok, I love being a vegetarian but Red Apron Butchery actually appeared quite appealing. Maybe it is the fact that ever once in awhile I miss bacon (yes, I will admit it) or the fact that small - scale meat counters remind me of neighborhood Spanish markets, but there was something quite homey and non-threatening about this local charcuterie.

There were tons of other goodies throughout the market, too good to not promise to try in the near future. Enough coffee and pastry places to provide a dangerous sugar/caffeine high, and a various non-mobile establishments of some of DC favorite food trucks. A ideal spot for foodie gatherings and leisurely Saturday strolls, Union Market is the ideal mix of D.C.'s community and culinary character.