Photo and Food Session with Kristina Hopper (Part 2)

As I said in yesterday's post, I had such a good time cooking for Kristina and doing a photoshoot with her. Below you'll find pictures she took of the food and of me. The recipe for the main dish I made was a variation of one I learned from chefs Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac. The dessert, a pineapple ricotta pie, came from the Soprano's cookbook. You can read her post about me here.

If you're interested in working with her, Kristina does portrait sessions for families, children, individuals and small businesses. You can contact her to discuss projects at: http://www.kristinahopper.com/about/contact/.

  Broccoli rabe and toasted pine nuts. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

 Pineapple ricotta pie. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

 Parmigiano Reggiano and sliced garlic, Italian sausage. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

 

Me, cooking dinner. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

 



 Farfalle with broccoli rabe, sausage, toasted pine nuts and parmesan. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

 

There is never too much parmesan. Copyright Kristina Hopper.



 Marissa Bialecki of Bon Appetit Foodie. Copyright Kristina Hopper.

Thank you, Kristina for taking such beautiful pictures! You made me feel at ease in front of the camera and you're incredibly talented. Also thanks to her boyfriend and assistant for the day, Jeff! Check out more about Kristina and her work at http://www.kristinahopper.com/.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Photo and Food Session with Kristina Hopper (Part 1)

If you've been reading my posts over at We Love DC, you know that my main column is the Capital Chefs feature. I love getting to know interesting people who are passionate about what they do. So the following is kind of a Capital Photogs profile of Kristina Hopper, a photographer I recently met through my friend Jennifer. For months I eyed Jennifer's headshots with a little envy because the photoshoots looked like so much fun and because Kristina was clearly a pro with lighting. So when the opportunity came to cook for her and to do a little photoshoot, I was thrilled.

I can't rave enough about her work, so I'll let the photos speak for themselves in tomorrow's post. Below you'll find an interview I did with Kristina, along with one of her favorite recipes for Earl Grey Shortbread cookies. If you're interested in working with her, you can contact her at: http://www.kristinahopper.com/about/contact/.

Marissa: What is your favorite thing to photograph?
Kristina: People. An expression or an action captures a tiny story about who that person is what makes them tick. A good photograph lets you into their world just enough to make you want to know more. I have a lot of fun photographing children because they are the easiest to make comfortable in front of the camera. They act like themselves, not knowing who will see the photos and not caring what other people will think of them.

M: How long have you been doing photography and how long have you had your photography business?
K: I've been taking photos ever since my father put a 35mm in my hands when I was a teenager. I started developing it into a business about six years ago and officially began marketing my services two years ago. Building the business is more time consuming than I ever would have imagined but as a "creator" at heart I love every minute of it.

M: What made you want to start doing photography?
K: I see beauty everywhere. In people, places, things... Photography, to me, is the science and art of capturing that beauty in one precious moment of time - in a way that others can recognize it. What the eyes see and what the camera captures can be so different, and aligning them is a huge challenge, and that's what makes photography so fun.

M: Name the piece of photo equipment you just can't live without.
K: A reflector. Only when you understand the nuances of your camera do you understand that the main ingredient of a photograph is light. Manipulating this one ingredient changes the entire recipe of the photograph! A reflector is essential to me in aiding the manipulation.

M: What's your favorite type of food to eat? Favorite restaurant in the city?
K: I love almost all Italian meals but I'm also a sucker for anything spicy, snack food, Indian flavors and pho. You can describe my taste as eclectic.

Currently I'm digging Chef Geoff's for the food. I've had their beignets, parmesan-truffle popcorn and margarita pizza on different visits and wonder if they put some sort of drug in their dishes because they're the best I've ever had. Recently I also made a second visit to the Fish Market in Old Town and everything about the evening was spectacular. Meaty crab legs, stellar friendly service and upbeat atmosphere. Will be making it a regular hang-out for sure.

M: Do you have a recipe you'd like to share?
K: Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies - my favorite dessert to bake, and they make great gifts. They taste almost lemony so they're wonderful for spring!

Recipe courtesy of Claire Robinson

Ingredients
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

Directions
In a food processor, pulse together the flour, tea, and salt, until the tea is just spotted throughout the flour. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and butter. Pulse together just until a dough is formed. Place dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll into a log, about 2 1/2-inches in diameter. Tightly twist each end of wrap, and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Slice the log into 1/3-inch thick disks. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart (2 probably needed depending on size of sheets). Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks and cool to room temperature.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Arcadia's Mobile Market Project

A little while back I blogged about DC Central Kitchen's idea to start a truck farm. By the way, I'm happy to report that they met their fundraising goal. And now another innovative and mobile idea in need of some funds has come to my attention, this time from Arcadia.

It's called the Mobile Market Project, and the idea is to turn a school bus into a traveling market with fresh produce. The bus will be converted to run on biofuel (aka old cooking oil) and will go around to regions across the city that are "food deserts." They'll sell fresh local fruits, vegetables, eggs, cheeses and humanely-raised meats and will accept SNAP, WIC and FMNP vouchers. Aside from just selling produce, they'll have food and educational resources, such as bringing farmers and chefs to local schools and community centers to keep spreading the word about making healthy food choices. In other words, they've really got the bases covered with this project.

So the way this thing works is they need $15,000 in pledges by April 22, 2011 (yes, that's Earth Day). If they don't meet that goal, you don't get charged and unfortunately, the project will stall. They have nearly $7,000 in pledges and have 28 days to go. Depending on how much you donate, you can get some shwag to show off your support, but really any amount will help this project.

I know this is the second post of mine in a short time advocating that you donate to a particular cause. But really, I don't go about this willy-nilly. There are tons of nonprofits out there that ask for money, and unfortunately not all of them put them to good use. But considering Arcadia is founded by the same people behind Neighborhood Restaurant Group and the project's goals cover so much, I think this is project worthwhile. What a better way to literally invest in your community, DC? Watch their video below and you can donate here.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Happy Birthday to Me

On last Wednesday I happily turned another year older. There have been some personal ups and downs in my life lately, so this birthday was one that I really wanted to be special. It needed to be significant, to set the tone for the next year ahead of me. I'm a sentimental sap when it comes to special occasions.

Me with Tiffany's Hostess Cake

I start a new job in two weeks at a big PR firm, and I couldn't be more excited. It's not a permanent position, so I'm nervous, but it's definitely the right move. I'm busier than ever. I'm interviewing fascinating chefs just about every weekend. Through WLDC and my own blog, I've met some terrific, generous and interesting people. And I'm blessed to have good friends around me in DC. Did I gain a couple of pounds since I started writing for WLDC? Maybe...but this is my birthday post. Calories be damned.

So to celebrate, a close group of friends and I went to Birch & Barley. I know, I know, this is about the 10th post mentioning this restaurant. I can't help it. The food is so fantastic, I can afford to eat there, and it was my food writing at We Love DC that led me here in the first place. Good food, good drinks, good company with a table full of people who I love so much. I have to give a big thanks to Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac. They are so very generous; they are geniuses in the kitchen; and they helped make my birthday dinner one to remember. I ate pig's head terrine (I think it was terrine?) for the first time and it was delicious. The flatbreads were outrageous, the housemade charcuterie, the beers, the pisco cocktail, the cavatelli with roasted pork--all of it was insanely delicious. Don't even get me started on dessert--the "hostess" cake, blood orange sorbet with hazelnut panacotta, the parsnip cake--I can remember taking bites and closing my eyes to just enjoy how good this birthday tasted after I blew out my candles. For once, I didn't overanalyze anything I was eating, I didn't take pictures, I just savored it all. Thank you Kyle and Tiffany for feeding me and my friends that night. I'm lucky to know both of you!

So here's to the next year ahead of me. Enormous thanks to my friends Jennifer, Amy, Kim, Quentin, Dave and Sebastian for spending my birthday with me. This is a great group of people, some who I've known for longer than others, but all of whom have enriched my life and I love dearly. To more great meals and good times ahead of us. Cheers.

Disclosure: My guests and I did receive a few dishes on the house (as well as that birthday cake in the picture) during my birthday dinner at Birch & Barley.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Restaurant Review: Two Amy's

I've filled out the pizza brackets on Washingtonian in years past. I've perused reviews and Google maps, plotting where my next pizza excursion would be. I've been the nag on this blog and with friends, the one moaning and groaning about how pizza here, with few exceptions, does not cut it. So I finally made my way over to Two Amy's for their famed Neopolitan pizza.

To be honest, I'll tell you right now I wasn't impressed. Maybe it was all the hype that preceeded Two Amy's, but after eating my pizza I found myself thinking, "Alright, glad we did that once. I don't need to eat pizza here again." The reviews I read are quite frankly dated. So I wonder if it's just that things have changed since the Washington Post went in 2009 and Washingtonian went and reviewed the pizza in 2006. Five years or even two years is a long time, especially in the restaurant business.

The feel and ambience of the restaurant is cozy. It's a neighborhood spot that is packed even on the off-hours. And while I loved the feel of the restaurant--the open counter in front of the kitchen's ovens with cooking surfaces coated lovingly in flour dust as people pulled the pies out of the oven--this delicious scene didn't quite translate to my plate. I'm not saying the pizza was terrible; the toppings and flavors were quite good. But there were a few things that were off about the pies.

Two Amy's Etna Pizza

For starters, the pizza is thin (a good thing!) with thick, bubbly crusts. However, the consistency of the dough meant my friend and I spent half our meal sawing through the chewy base, almost having bits of pizza go flying off our plates as we tried to diligently cut it into slices. Maybe we just needed sharper knives, or maybe a pizza cutter would do the trick. My largest complaint, however, was that the toppings on the super thin crust just slid right off when you went to pick up a piece of the pizza. Toppings that aren't baked into the crust don't make the grade for me. It was a slightly messy late lunch, perhaps the type of food to avoid eating on a first date. Also, thirteen bucks per personal pie is a wee bit pricey.

I had the etna pizza with eggplant confit, olives, capers, oregano and grana. The briny and salty flavors of the olives and capers, along with the smooth eggplant were delicious. The pizza was cheesy enough and the grana (hard Italian cheese) also added a nice salty touch. But again, my pizza's toppings should not almost end up in my lap when I go to lift a piece off the plate. My friend, Sarah, got the margherita pizza which had beautiful slices of mozzarella and sauce sliding right off the pie. Personally, I believe pizza should have a little body--it should be able to be folded without flopping about, letting toppings and what not fall all over the place. Overall, the pizza was certainly flavorful.

For dessert, we tried the cannolis. At first bite, Sarah and I both smiled at one another. At last we had arrived at the best part of the meal! But then came the funny, sour aftertaste which led to both of us frowning and asking each other, "Does that taste weird to you?" The shell of the cannoli was perfect--crispy, light and fried just right. The filling, as I said was tasty at first with the creaminess of the ricotta melting in your mouth. But then there was something off, something sour and almost metallic in the aftertaste. I don't think the filling had spoiled, but if this were The Godfather, I would take the gun and leave the cannolis.

Overall, Two Amy's seems to be one of those restaurants that Washingtonians overhype until they're blue in the face without pausing to think, "Is this really that good?" The service at Two Amy's was average; nothing bad, but nothing spectacular. If you do go, prepare yourself for a crowd. I think I was lucky to get a table without waiting when I went. For my pizza needs, I'll be sticking to my favorite: Pete's Apizza.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Help DCCK Start a Truck Farm

Every once in a while a truly innovative idea comes along. So when I heard about this spin on urban farming in the form of garden beds in the back of a pickup truck, I thought, "How cool. Why didn't someone think of this before?"

Before I insert my own opinion, let me give you the main facts. DC Central Kitchen, my favorite food-related nonprofit, wants to start a truck farm but they need your help. Their goal is to raise $4,000 by March 18, which will allow them to purchase a used truck, outfit it for gardening and buy other gardening supplies and gas.

The mobile farm will visit after-school agencies that DCCK delivers meals to, will teach kids about gardening and about how to cook with and prepare the foods that they grow in the mobile garden. So these kids will get to learn how to plant fruits and vegetables, harvest them and then get to eat them right on the spot from the truck's garden. Pretty genius after-school activity, huh?

Below you'll find the form to donate or just click here.

Now here's the part about my opinion. I grew up in the 'burbs and was fortunate to have a family that loved growing their own food. There is nothing better than a freshly picked tomato from your own backyard. It's economical, it's healthier. Farming (done right) is so wholesome and American; it's how things ought to be.

Back when I talked with Allison Sosna of DCCK, we lamented how it's unfortunate that most people don't know how to cook. Yes, homecooked meals are often more healthy. But they're also just so...tasty. They are the subject of many of my memories growing up and I feel sad for people that don't grow up with the attitude that you can cook anything and eat better at home.

There's a part of Anthony Bourdain's Medium Raw that comes to mind, "But I do think the idea that basic cooking skills are a virtue, that the ability to feed yourself and a few others with proficiency should be taught to every young man and woman as a fundamental skill..." I know, I know, I cut out the crass funny part that makes me laugh, but in this public forum I do a mighty fine job of reigning in the crude Bourdain quotes in (especially when talking about raising money for something geared towards kids!). Anyway, the point is learn to feed yourself! And that is just what DCCK's truck farm will help kids do. They'll learn that farming or cooking isn't pretentious, it isn't terribly difficult and the rewards taste really, really good. So don't forget to donate to DCCK's truck farm by March 18th!

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Happy Mardi Gras!

Ah to be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras or Venice for Carnevale just once in my life. THAT would be fun, albeit completely crazy. But since we can't be in the Big Easy or Venezia, here are a few options of things to do in the city that came to my attention today:

Feeling in the spirit of overindulgence in honor of Fat Tuesday? According to a tweet from ThrillistDC, Hot 'N' Juicy Crawfish restaurant up in Woodley Park will have a crawfish eating contest at 6 pm. Sure shellfish might be ruined for you for the next six months, but you'll get $200 if you win.

If eating shellfish ain't your thing, you can "stuff your pie holes" at Dangerously Delicious Pies shop. They're hosting a pie speed eating competition (I believe with their sausage, tomato, fennel pie) with a $20 entry fee. Only six spots are available, so email pieladydc@gmail.com, and I apologize if it's already full. Maybe you can be a spectator and avoid all that pain!

Or just play it low key and get yourself a warm beignet from Bayou Bakery (all the buzz I've heard indicates they're the real deal, though I have yet to try them). Scanning the twitterverse quickly, I found a handful of tweeted specials for Mardi Gras: 51st State in Foggy Bottom will have $8.50 jambalaya, $6 hurricanes and beads (please, keep your tops on, everyone!). Local 16, a favorite haunt of mine will have king cakes, drinks, musics and yes, more beads. Clydes also indicates there's some Mardi Gras fun to be had, but their link was broken when I tried it. Tacklebox in Georgetown will serve more hurricanes and "party favors" (code for beads?).

Whatever you do, fellow Washingtonians, have a safe and happy Fat Tuesday. Happy Mardi Gras!

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

WLDC Posts Roundup

This week truly has flown by. Next week I'll try to squeak out a restaurant review of 2 Amy's, a post about eating dinner at Zentan and chatting with Susur Lee (ah it was so cool!) and maybe something else. Also in the exciting news of Marissa's life, I'm doing a photoshoot with my best friend's coworker, Kristina Hopper. Her pictures are fantastic. Now if only I could figure out what to cook and if I should straighten my hair. I know, I know, big decisions to ponder. Make your case in the comment section, pretty please.

Without further adieu, the roundup of interesting stuff I've been writing over at We Love DC.

In food news...executive chef Wes Morton moves to Art & Soul downtown while Mike Sindoni, former chef de cuisine at Againn, moves up to executive chef. Also Buddha Bar got a new executive chef a little while ago. James Beard Award semifinalists - look at DC rackin' up those nominations!

Help Food & Friends by dining out on March 10th at participating restaurants.

Capital Chefs (aka the cool people in the kitchen that I get to talk to every week) - Tom Marr of Pete's Apizza, my favorite pizza place in DC. And his recipe for carmelized winter squash antipasti. Adam Sobel of Bourbon Steak and his recipe for venison chili that I could eat slathered on anything. Tiffany MacIsaac and Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley and their delicious pasta recipe that I have been craving ever since.

Go eat this: lamb ravioli at Bibiana because Nick Stefanelli knows what he's doing when it comes to lamb. I had never seen an entire animal broken down before my eyes. Little woozy, but it was impressive. Also try the pulled pork sandwich at PORC Mobile. PORC's porc sauce is so good, I want them to bottle it and sell it.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Brunch at Birch & Barley

I think by now most of you know that I tend to gush and go on and on about food and restaurants that I love. I'm a firm believer in being honest when it comes to writing about food, be it good, bad or ugly. Perhaps I'm late to the party, but my new food obsession, my new favorite restaurant that I just can't shut up about is Birch & Barley.

A few weeks ago, I interviewed executive chef Kyle Bailey and pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac for We Love DC's Capital Chefs feature. I always appreciate when chefs give me their time, and especially the ones that talk freely and are relaxed. There are the chefs I click with, the ones that make me laugh, the ones that teach me something, and Kyle and Tiffany certainly did all of the above.

I have to say I really admire the pair--they work hard, they're passionate, they make all their food from scratch (I believe Kyle said: "We don't open bags. Just cans of whoopass."), they genuinely want to train their staff and make them better. They're not ones to focus on petty competition. They want to help other people in the food industry because they're passionate about what they do and they want to see the food scene in DC grow. And they cook in a restaurant that revolves around beer. What's not to love?

During the interview for We Love DC, they showed me how to make homemade ricotta cavatelli with slow-roasted pork, toasted pine nuts and broccoli rabe. Go ahead, look at the pictures (way better than the unfortunately dark ones from my iPhone in this post!) and start drooling. One bite and I knew I had to come back to try their food.

And so, this past weekend, I made my way to 14th street and had a fantastic brunch at Birch & Barley. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was probably the best brunch I've ever had. I opted for the huevos rancheros with homemade poblano sausages and pupusa. The pupusa actually reminded me a little of these Punjabi breakfast crackers called muthi. The eggs were cooked perfectly, folded onto itself with ripe green silky avocado and melted pepper jack inside. Pair your breakfast with some of the homemade hash browns--little golden rectangles of potato with parsley, thyme and chive. I also enjoyed a muddy blarry (aka bloody mary) and sampled the bloody bull: a bloody mary with beef broth in it. I recommend going with the bloody bull for the extra depth in flavor and saltiness.

However, the real star of brunch was the chicken and waffles. The waffles were slightly crunchy on the outside, fluffy and light on the inside, with a smattering of powdered sugar on top. There was a subtle sweetness, but mainly it was the texture of the waffle that got me hooked. The chicken? Perfect. That's the only word to describe it. Tender, moist (despite my general aversion to that word) chicken coated in a crispy, crunchy breading that started off sweet due to the maple-chicken jus and the buttered pecans, but then had a pleasantly spicy kick afterwards. If I had to fight someone for that chicken and waffles, I would. That's.how.good.it.was. I got to chat for a second with Kyle after brunch and when I brought up the chicken and waffles and how delicious it was, he said, "I know, right!? And I'm not even from the south!" Cracked me up.

And then, just because I was in the mood to be rolled out of brunch like the blueberry girl in Willy Wonka, I tried a couple donut holes. Decadent, thick and they'll hit the spot if you've got some extra room. I especially liked the combo of bacon and toffee.

Phew, I feel full just from writing that post. So if you're wondering where to go for brunch on these increasingly warm spring weekends, head over to Birch & Barley. I recommend making reservations, though the restaurant serves brunch all day on Sunday (it's a win for everyone involved). Enjoy gazing at the beer organ, have yourself a leisurely boozy brunch to the Motown grooves playing and just be thankful that such a place exists, only here in DC.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.