Small Bites: Where I've been Eating in the District

Just because I'm not writing up a full review, doesn't mean I haven't been chowing down at some good places around DC. Here are some of the latest places that have made the grade in my book.

Ray's Hell Burger

The Mack. Pardon the poor iPhone picture quality.

Do I even have to say how awesome their burgers are? When I did my battle of the burgers feature last summer, I had yet to try this gem. Sure I had heard all about it, but I was stubborn about going out of my way to Virginia. Put it this way, you haven't had a burger in DC until you've had Ray's. Huge, thick patties, cooked to perfection and seasoned impeccably. They've got a full menu of burgers with different fixings, and you pretty much can't go wrong with any one. Sometimes it's hard to describe something so simple. This is just how burgers should taste. Note: it's cash only, so be prepared when you go.

Pleasant Pops
Rarely would I go out of my way to get frozen juice on a stick, but Pleasant Pops is so much more. When I worked downtown, I went through a phase where I anxiously stalked their truck on Twitter. There was nothing better on a hot summer day than a honey lavender cream popsicle or a sweet tea popsicle. Their pops pack a flavorful punch, so be on the look out for their truck or their booth at your local farmer's market. And they use local, seasonal ingredients which is always a plus in my book. Bonus (depending on how you look at it): the truck gives you the calorie count for their pops.

Oohs & Aahs
This is a no frills, soul food to the max, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of a place. And that's how it ought to be. My friend Tom and I had been jonesing to try Oohs & Aahs for a few weeks when we found ourselves wandering around after a show at the 9:30 Club, turned to one another and said, "FRIED. CHICKEN." It's a little pricey (food for the two of us was about $40), but the portions are huge and it's the kind of food that sticks to your ribs. Their mac and cheese is creamy and loaded with cheese, while the fried chicken has a crispy coating and juicy on the inside. The sweet potatoes are incredibly sweet, but in a good way. Sure, you can see the gallons of grease in the fryer right in front of you at the counter. But that's the beauty of this place. It's soul food, and though it might not be the best thing for your waistline it will most certainly make you feel a whole lot better about the world.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Restaurant Review: Mussel Bar

When I think about mussels, frankly, I can't help but recall Anthony Bourdain's description of the mollusks sitting in a bucket of their own funk and how one little bad guy in the bunch can leave you praying to the porcelain Gods for hours on end. I love mussels, but I also know enough, like Bourdain, not to order them unless I know and trust the place. If you'd ask me where I would choose to eat mussels in the DC area, I'd confidently direct you to Mussel Bar in Bethesda.

Try as I might to will myself to order something else off the menu, I go for the mussels every time I come here. It's in the restaurant's name for pete's sake and it would feel, well, wrong to order something else. Mussel Bar is usually crowded any given night of the week, though both times I went the service was still on point despite all of the full tables. The mussels are plump and fresh with that nice balance of a little bit of brine in between the sweet and creamy flavor. It's nice to just sit back for an hour or so, sip on a cold beer and pull the mussels from their glistening black shells in a bowl of steamy broth.

The standout mussel dish for me was the one with mushrooms, pancetta, parmesan and truffle cream. I consider it a pretty good indication of the food if I want to stick my face in the plate and slurp it down in public, no less. The broth in the dish was creamy with crispy pancetta and soft mushrooms floating about. I gladly dipped a hunk of bread, as well as my fries, in the broth to soak up every last drop. I had tried another mussels dish with chorizo and shrimp, though it was a special so I can't guarantee that you'll see it on the menu the next time you go. Each time the broths have been flavorful and the mussels have been pleasantly fat. I'd also recommend going with the classic dish with shallots, cream and sauvignon blanc.

In addition to great mussels, the restaurant has a pretty extensive beer list to choose from. And the crispy frites sprinkled with salt are the perfect companion to a bowl of mussels.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Last Taste of Summer: Cooking Squash Blossoms

Every year at this time I'm torn between wanting to cling to the last warm days and fresh produce of summer while leaping ahead into the autumn filled with colder weather, turning leaves, sweaters and boots, and yes, anything and everything cooked with pumpkins or apples. While fall is my favorite season, I couldn't help but look back longingly at some pictures I had taken of squash blossoms. Their brilliant, curled orange tops that faded gently into the bottom of the green blossoms make me yearn for one more hot day at the farmer's markets and an afternoon dip in the pool. They're out of season by now, but in these final days where I'm crossing my fingers for the temperature to creep into the mid-80s, I figured I'd share some of the pictures and the recipe for the stuffed squash blossoms I made back when summer was still in its heyday.

I did two versions: one with ricotta cheese and one with goat cheese. Both are very informal recipes--meaning, the measurements are estimates and you should use your judgement based on your personal tastes (ie: you like a stronger herb flavor, add more herbs to the mixture). Personally, I preferred the ones stuffed with ricotta cheese, but I suggest experimenting with both. Also note that it's important not to overstuff the squash blossoms unless you want to spend your time fishing out fried cheese curds from the pan. The squash blossoms are also pretty delicate, so make sure that when you stuff them you don't rip the flowers. The recipe for the batter is from Bon Appetit Magazine, though I adjusted it a bit because frankly it made enough batter to fry practically everything in my pantry. Instead, my logic was cut the batter recipe in half and then just drink the rest of the beer!

Fried Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Ingredients:
- 10-15 fresh squash blossoms (available at farmer's markets)
- 1 1/2 cups of ricotta cheese or 3/4 cup of goat cheese (you can use goat cheese with herbs already in it if you're feeling extra lazy)
- Handful Mixture of fresh herbs, oregano, thyme and parsely, finely chopped
- Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. In a bowl, mix together the freshly chopped herbs and cheese (either ricotta or goat cheese).
2. Stuff the blossoms about 3/4 of the way full and twist the tops closed, so that the cheese doesn't leak out when you fry them.
3. Dip the blossoms in the batter and put immediately into a pan of hot vegetable or canola oil.
4. Fry until golden brown and then drain on a plate with paper towels.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt and serve immediately.

See Epicurious for the batter recipe. You can adjust it to about half of your bottled beer (roughly 6 ounces), 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. I used a summer ale when I made the batter. A good quality, light beer will do.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Give to DCCK's/Go Venga Stuff the Bus Tour

Today marks the start of the two week Go Venga "Stuff the Bus" tour benefiting DC Central Kitchen.

The Go Venga school bus will be making stops throughout the city and you can help them meet the goal of collecting 5,000 pounds of food for DCCK. Some of the suggested items to donate include: canned tomatoes, beans, pasta, granola bars and trail mix and applesauce, though you can donate other items as well. And if you can't donate canned goods or food, you can still donate online. Even just giving $10 will buy a roaster chicken for the Stuff the Bus food drive.

I'm serving as one of the "guest hosts" on the tour and I'll be at one of the bus' first stops this Sunday, September 18th at Clydes in Georgetown from 12-3 PM. Stop by, bring food, come say hello! For a full schedule of the bus' stops, celebrity guests and more information, go to stuffthebus.com.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.

Behold, The Power of Cheese: Bourbon Steak's Cheese Program

Last week I wrote a little bit about Bourbon Steak's cheese program over on We Love DC. There are plenty of cooking processes I wish I knew more about and could yammer on about while I cooked blindfolded and with one arm tied behind my back--canning, cheese making, understanding all of the chemistry behind baking--I'm slowly checking some of the things off my list. There was one chef interview I did where the chef made a remark about the pastry chef having an "intimate knowledge of dough" and being able to just touch a batter or pasta dough and immediately know what was missing. I yearn to get to that level with food. So in the meantime, I'm taking cues from the experts and gratefully storing up the tips and nuggets of knowledge chefs in DC have given me over time.

When I met with Brent Balika at Bourbon Steak, he showed me how to make homemade mozzarella, a process that it technically easy enough to do at home but certainly requires special materials (ie: rennet) and patience and background knowledge on cheese. Take a look at the pictures of the cheese wheels in the "cave" at Bourbon Steak and of Brent stretching the fresh mozzarella.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.