So what’s going on?  Several government buildings are being evacuated, metro is apparently running slowly, facebook and twitter blew up with #earthquake statuses.  What is saVUryandsweet doing?  Went back to work 2 mins after, then got on here to blog, but going back to work shortly.

So in googling the earthquake, got a post about last year’s rattling quake at a whopping 3.6.  Funny I don’t recall that one now that we’ve had a 5.9.  For evidence of last year’s damage and devastation check this out.

So as I sit here typing this, I wonder if I should go home?  Aftershocks are possible but what difference would it be on the road or at home? Not to mention this work ain’t gonna do itself.  I don’t know about you but I’m feeling phantom tremors which is a bit creepy but ah well back to the daily grind.

MORE EAST COAST QUAKE COVERAGE:

CNN

Washington Post

We Love DC

As you can see I was a bit ambitious… I didn’t cook everything as I wanted to,  but I did manage to make a few recipes.

I got a funny look when I announced that I was making Pizza Skewers, but the protests didn’t go beyond that.  The recipe called for 1 cup toppings of your choice which meant pepperoni and mushroom (although Hawaiian will always be number one in my heart.)  By the way, if you don’t have all sorts of fancy sticks, double up on the skewers – it makes for interesting presentation and helps to stabilize your food.

So does anyone know what the true spelling for meat on stick is? Kebab? Kabob? Kebob? The world my never know.  I added a shot of Worcestershire to Matt’s recipe for Beef and Vegetable Kebabs.  Can’t go wrong with kabobs, these are a keeper.  Don’t forget to soak your skewers before putting them on the grill!

Can you believe I’ve never had a corndog until I made Mr. Armendariz’s recipe?  It was a hit in case you were wondering.  Its cousin the Breakfast Pancake Dogs are the on the cover, and my list of recipes to try.  I fried the corn dogs in my cast iron on the stove, a deep-fryer would be nice, but not necessary.

I’ve also never had leeks.  They paired very well with the chicken yakitori.  These were very good.

I had five desserts flagged to make, but my gluttonometer was maxing out.  The strawberry shortcake was simple, light, and yummy.  What else would you expect?

Last but not least, I made Elote which is husband approved – he ate THREE, and now requests it regularly.  Here’s the recipe so you can gorge yourself too:

ELOTE

(Matt’s exerpt calls them heavenly, which indeed they are)

• 4 wooden sticks
• 4 ears fresh corn, shucked
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 4 lime wedges
• Salt (optional)

1. Boil corn 4 minutes or to desired doneness; drain.  Insert a wood stick firmly into the bottom of each ear.
2. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise on each ear and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons Parmesan and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.  Squeeze a wedge of lime over each and season with salt, if desired.  Eat them on the go!

Matt and Adam are wickedly talented and nice people to boot, and I’m so honored to have this beautiful cookbook in my collection.  Grab one today and experience the love and joy that is “On a Stick!”

p.s. ALL WEEK my husband imitated Jose Jalapeno.  Hope you enjoy the video, this review, and the cookbook… on a steeeeee-ck.

(***Disclosure: I received a copy of On a Stick! to review. All photos and recipes have been reprinted with permission of Quirk Publishing.  The opinions expressed are my own)

This is my kitchen.  Excuse the fluff balls on the floor from my beagle Samson  We’re putting in an island (in search of a granite counter top currently), hardwood, backsplash, and…

Hopefully I can talk my husband into repainting the kitchen.  The red was nice at first, but its worn on me.  Too dark for my taste and a pain to accessorize with.  Cross your fingers that he gives in soon.

It was a bit overcast for the Food and Wine festival.  Loved the blood orange bellini and Cooking Light provided free samples from my favorite cheese people, Kerrygold!

I got my first taste two DC Food Trucks at the festival: Red Hook and Badabing.  Badabing served Spiedies and fingerling potatoes with truffle oil and goat cheese.  The chicken speidie was tasty and the soft goat cheese paired nicely with the potatoes.  As for the lobster roll, can’t vouch for it because the husband done et the whole dang thing before I got back… The nerve.

Please excuse the food pics, cooking after working an eight hour day and trying to get food on the table before the husband complains it’s late is not conducive to proper food-styling.  Vietnamese week started with lemongrass chicken (ga kho xa) with rice, salad, and cucumber.  As a kid I hated lemongrass, my mom would always try to sneak some into marinades but I could always tell and protest.  Recipe to follow at the end of the post.

Tuesday I made Char Siu from Andrea Nguyen’s “Into the Vietnamese Kitchen” and served it over stir-fried egg noodles and cabbage.  AH-mazing.

Wednesday I made Crispy pan-fried pho with tofu (pho ap chao dau hu), adapted from Wandering Chopsticks.  The husband didn’t mind that it was vegetarian or tofu.  This is a re-try for me as I think I overcooked the noodles in the pan.

Thursday was another recipe from Andrea Nguyen – Beef with crispy potatoes (bo xao khoai tay) with steamed broccoli.  Another success.  Mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Friday was Summer Roll (goi cuon) night, pork and shrimp veggie rolls.  For this recipe you need to come to my class at Cook!

And finally, Saturday was Garlicky Roti Chicken (ga roti), also from Andrea’s cookbook.  I didn’t grow up on this but this is going to join the recipe rotation at my house.

I just received my copy of ON A STICK! and I’m in love.  Stay tuned to see how I’ve made my belly very happy and round with this book.  So that’s what’s going on at mi casa.  And as promised my lemongrass chicken recipe:

Thit ga kho xa

• 1 Chicken breast sliced thinly
• 1 tbs Fish sauce
• ½ tbs Soy sauce
• 1 tbs Oyster sauce
• 1 clove Minced garlic
• ½ onion sliced and bruised
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black Pepper
• 1 tbs Sugar
• 2 stalks bruised 2 inch sections of lemongrass

1. Combine everything but the chicken.
2. Marinate chicken for at least an hour up to 48 hrs.
3. Preheat pan to medium-high heat.
4. Stir-fry chicken until done about 7-10 minutes.
5. Serve with rice, salad, and sliced cucumber.

I won’t keep you in suspense… SHAKE SHACK IS OPENING IN DC May 17, 2011.

YES YES YES.

1216 18th St. NW

Don’t believe me? I heard it at:
Zagat & DC Eater.

I’ve been trying to get to France for over the last decade.  If I play my cards right, I’ll finally make it there next spring/summer.  In high school I took French, and fell in love with the language.  One of the first chapters was on food, and mentioned croque monsieurs along with l’orangeade and l’escargot.  I also learned the word for window which is fenêtre, which is the root of the word defenestrate – to throw (a person or thing) out of a window.  The more you know.

In honor of national grilled cheese month, I made croque monsieurs last weekend with my own twist. In case you don’t know, croque monsieurs are hot ham and cheese sandwiches topped with bechamel and more cheese.  I swapped in croissants for white sandwich bread and buddy it was good.  After nearly devouring the entire croque, my husband turned to me and said “this is totally unhealthy isn’t it?”  To which I replied “yeah, but it’s darn good.”  Bon appetit!

Croque Monsieurs

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups hot milk
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch nutmeg
• 12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 8 croissants
• Dijon
• 8 ounces honey ham, sliced but not paper thin

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

Halve and toast the croissants, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 4 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the croissant with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread. Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot.

More croques around the interwebs:

Croaked madame @Food for the Thoughtless

Brie croques @Framed Cooks

Croque monsieur @Simply Recipes

Quickie Recipe for Carolina-inspired Pulled Pork (exact measurements to follow, maybe):

• Place pork shoulder in crock pot before work/at the beginning of your day
• Pour about a half cup of water into the crock pot
• Turn to low, and be on your merry way for 8-10 hrs
• With tongs carefully remove pork from crock pot and set on a cutting board to cool
• Cut off fat and discard
• With two forks shred the meat
• In a bowl place meat, sprinkle with: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a little salt, sugar, cracked pepper, a dash of cayenne, and several splashes of cider vinegar
• Mix, taste, adjust, wait wait don’t eat it yet
• Add a splash of Italian dressing or hot sauce, OR BOTH… Dressing? Weird I know but it worked
• Nom away, I served mine with buttered cornbread, and overly mushy green beans (per request of the husband)

I haven’t always been a huge fan of Korean food… in fact I’m still easing myself into it all.  Two years ago the most I would eat is Kimchi ramen and mandoo (potstickers).  Enter Honeypig from Annandale, VA.

The VUrdict: KOREAN BBQ IS AMAZING!  A savory flavor explosion, soy sauce, garlic, and onion.  The scent of the grilled meat is intoxicating.  You love kbbq too? YEAH!!!  You have no idea what I’m talking about or where to start? Glad you asked…

Think it’s too spicy? That’s what I thought too! (Interesting tidbit: I have a low tolerance for heat).  If it’s your first time or for that matter your 40th time, I recommend the Kalbi (shortribs, can’t go wrong there) and the pork belly (trust me it’s delectable).  You’re welcome.

The servers will bring the meat on platters and cook it tableside.  See the blur of hands with the tongs and scissors?  That’s a kbbq artist at work.

With your meat you’re provided all sorts of condiments, I recommend tasting a little of each to see how you like it.  But for starters, grab a leaf of lettuce, spoon some rice onto it, top with meat, dip into the soy garlic sauce and devour.  Fresh lettuce, warm rice, and flavorful shortrib = happy mouth.  If you’re ever in Annandale, stop by this place, it’s open 24 hours.

Honeypig

7220 Columbia Pike

Annandale, VA 22003

(703) 256-5133

Other Blogger Reviews:

KoreanFoodBlogger

Lunching in the DMV

The Yum Report

If you guessed Italy, Rome, or the Colosseum for yesterday’s Wordless Wednesday you’re right!  I grabbed a panini and munched while admiring the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum.  Last October my husband and I spent 7 days in Italy, 3 days in Rome, 2 in Florence, and 2 in Venice.

According to my Rick Steve’s guidebook, at one point either you were Roman or Barbarian.  After viewing the growth of the Roman Empire above with the black stone depicting non-Romans and white stone depicting the Roman Empire, I could understand why.

With our Roma Pass (which I highly recommend getting for the cut the line and money saving benefits) we hit the Colosseum on our first day.

Built in 80 AD the Colosseum could accommodate about 50,000 people.  The main spectacle of the Colosseum was the gladiators, but exotic animals were also displayed and hunted, in addition there was the occasional execution.  We missed the opening of the underground tunnels by a week!  I guess we’ll just have to go back to see what it’s about.

A hop, skip, and a jump away from the Colosseum is the Roman Forum, vast ruins of ancient Roman government buildings.  Just amazing to witness the crumbled columns, headless statues,  and half-standing buildings.

You can actually see the Vatican from the Forum.  Leave the stilettos to the Italian bellas, bring comfortable shoes to Italy, lots to explore, see, and eat.

Speaking of eating, all that walking makes for a big appetite.   For lunch we dined at divinOstilia Wine Bar behind the Colosseum.  I had the strozzapreti speck e funghi, pasta with speck ham, mushrooms, and Parmesan.  Hungry yet?  I am.  To create this dish stateside, you can use trofie pasta or penne and add mushrooms and parm to an amatriciana sauce.

In my Everyday Food magazine there’s a recipe for orecchiette with bacon and tomato sauce.  Is it just me or is it hard to find anything other than spaghetti, penne, or elbow macaroni in regular grocery stores?  With no orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta) available, I subbed penne.

Penne with bacon, mushroom, and tomato sauce

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients:

Directions:

To give you a refresher on the bastardized sushi, marvel at the photo above from my favorite sushi joint in Alexandria, Yamazato, oh how I miss you.  SaVUryandsweet can’t palate raw fish, she’s tried, just can’t get over it, so she opts for shrimp tempura, krab (yes it’s krab, the imitation stuff, I CAN SPELL DARNNIT), and cream cheese.  She also doesn’t like the taste of seaweed and swaps in soywrap.  It’s delicious, don’t judge.

So this sushi adventure started with making sushi rice and shrimp tempura.  I definitely overcooked the shrimp and my rice wasn’t the right taste or texture.

Hello soy wrap!  I found them at Harris Teeter in the international aisle.  When I asked the people who worked at Grand Mart (my local international grocery store) for soy wrap, I received many perplexed looks and shrugs.  The seaweed and sushi mat were procured at Grand Mart.

Place plastic wrap on sushi mat, unless you enjoy eating shards of bamboo and like having most of your rice stick to the mat and not your roll, just sayin.  Put down  a layer of rice, then seaweed, then fillings, roll tightly and voila!  Really, it wasn’t that easy, that rice was a PITA, sticking and not cooperating at all.  For my soy wrap I put the wrap down before the rice, then proceeded like normal.

Beautious no?  Get your sharpest knife and slice up that sucker.  If your knife ain’t so sharp hope you like a hand roll, go get a decent knife… seriously.

It looks half decent but it was pretty sucky, just be glad there isn’t food-o-vision yet because this joint was not that great.  Look I made nigiri ebi! That was sucky too.   Thus concludes my sushi fail, but wait! I’m a glutton for punishment so guess what?  I’m going to try it again someday.  Fingers crossed for not so sucky sushi.