foodie-isms

Martha Stewart was visiting the Washington, D.C. area this past weekend. She spent some time in a local Leesburg CostCo where she was signing copies of her newest cookbook, Martha’s American Food: A Celebration of Our Nation’s Most Treasured Dishes, from Coast to Coast. Of the nearly 400-pages of American cuisine, Martha said her favorite recipe was the Mile-High Apple Pie. Of course we had to asked Martha what was her favorite Costco product (besides her book) and she did not hesitate to mention the Dom Perignon. She certainly had many reasons to celebrate with her favorite Champagne as she signed about 800 cookbooks in the two hour time she allotted for her book signing.

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Chocolate for Breakfast & MC2 Confections Announce an Exciting (& Delicious) Joint Venture

Cinnamon Dusted Cacao Nib Clusters

Northern VA (2012) Sue Ann Gleason, culinary nutritionist and founder of Chocolate for Breakfast & Merideth Cohrs, award-winning chocolatier of MC2 Confections have joined their culinary skills and passion for chocolate to produce what is likely to be one of the most unique chocolate products to hit the market in a very long time.
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Food & Wine announces that voting has begun for The People’s Best New Chef 2012. Chef Christopher Edwards, of The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, is in the running.

Lovettsville, VA (March 5, 2012) –- Today FOOD & WINE invites the dining public to select The People’s Best New Chef, a program now in its second year. The award, an extension of the FOOD & WINE Best New Chefs program, honors talented up-and-coming innovators who have run their own kitchens for five years or fewer. The dining public will determine The People’s Best New Chef winner via online vote beginning today and continuing through March 11.

Beverly Morton Billand, owner of Patowmack Farm, is thrilled to announce the recognition for her Executive Chef Christopher Edwards. “Chris has been such a wonderful advocate of my vision for Patowmack Farm creating local, organic, seasonal menus for our guests. I’m so thrilled to see this National recognition and invite all of our guests to honor him with their vote, said Morton Billand.
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SPICE

My favorite spice is actually a herb! I adore curry leaves. They have nothing to do with curry powder or curry! They are gorgeous green and shiny but the poor things have had to deal with such an identity crisis as people often mistake them as a substitute for curry powder when, in fact, they have no relation to each other (curry powder is ground spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, coriander etc. and depending on the powder, may or may not have curry leaves). Curry leaves, popularly known in India as Kari Patta, are aromatic and flavorful leaves that can change the taste of a dish quite dramatically by adding a pungent lemony flavor to dishes. I have found no herb that adequately duplicates their flavor. These are easily available in Asian grocery stores in and around the DC metro area. And, of course, on Amazon. If you want to grow them yourself, try nurseries like Acorn Creek: ask for curry leaves (Murraya koenigii), not a curry plant (Helichrysum italicum).

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