Mrs. P

I'd love to join in - for 2

Made the strawberry version yesterday and they turned out perfectly! Thank you for the recipe! This pizza cutter idea was great - I have a non-stick pizza cutter and it worked very well, only requiring 1 recoat of vege spray. Thanks for all of the tips here!

It is a good question - if using the airport shops as a guide, they sell candies with pictures of the white house. That's probably not what you are looking for. Maryland has all the crab stuff - old bay seasoning for example - but what is really DC's own that is take-awayable? I often think that one of the best things in DC is the variety of non-US and specialty foodstuffs that you can find. But something from DC and part of the DC culture? Hard to say. Foggy Bottom Ale?

A hunk of avocado smashed on top of toasted wheat bread, with a sprinkling of salt. This is my Chilean husband's breakfast tradition, and all our guests leave with a new breakfast craving. It is amazing! Some add a hint of lemon juice too.

I was thinking of Fonda San Miguel in Austin when I read your first post. I haven't come across another place quite like this, with such a selection of Mexican moles and the like. It menu is not Tex-Mex, with the exception of additions like mango margaritas. The Rosa Mexicano in DC, for example, would not at all compare to upscale setting and nuanced flavors highlighted at Fonda San Miguel, though I could not speak for the RM in NY.

Cafe La Ruche - one of my first big nights out to a nice restaurant when I moved here for college, plus the first brunch with my now-hubby. Service has never been great, and the renovation removed some of the old charm of French flags and street signs. The menu hasn't cvhanged much, but the food preparation has - or perhaps I have become more discerning. In any case, I will always enjoy going there for a fruit tart and a glass of wine, maybe even brunch from time to time.

The house was one of the things that made me want to stop in there! Our first time there was on a super cold night in January. The warmth of the house and the staff that evening ensured that we would return many times. Since then, the same waiter and the busboy have recognized and welcomed us each time, and the familiarity has made Addie's very homey to us. That in addition to the comforting and simple fare. JPW - I'll have to try Dietle's! I had been wondering about it!

Addies is tops on my list for the Rockville Pike area. I've been approx 4 times in the last 6+ months, and have really enjoyed it. The grilled prociutto-wrapped fresh mozz is spectacular, and most of the entrees we have had have been excellent. The cardamom creme brulee was the best dessert I have tried there. The only complaint I have is that though there are daily specials, the menu did not seem to change at all between the first time we went (January) and the last time (late June). I did not even change to accomodate the summer veggies. Has anybody else noticed this?

We ordered our wedding cake (Opera) from Patisserie Pupon, and ordered the croquembouche as the groom's cake back in 2002. It was spectacular and a big hit. We had to reserve the date well in advance (~5 months) for an October wedding. They were very accomodating and delivered everything on time. Call to set up a tasting meeting, specify that you are interested in the croque, and you will have a wonderful treat of a sampling of gorgeous desserts.

Found a recipe for something similar on epicurious - doesn't look too difficult. I'm thinking I could use limoncello in the lemon filling to soften. Any thoughts? Link

We picked 8 lbs a few weeks ago, and there was much leftover after jams and ice creams were made. I added them to a bottle of Kirschwasser, sugar, and a cinnamon stick. After a month and a bit, I'll strain and bottle it as a little reminder of summer - ripe blackberry liquor.

Yeah - I already checked with the restaurant in the DC area. They purchase them from a supplier in Italy. Good point, though, that they could have differnt consistencies from place to place. I would be up for experimenting with variations on different centers, maybe making a big batch of gelato and tring different types of centers - from straight limoncello to more of a custardy zabaglione-type center, as Ludja suggests. The standard chocolate tartufo I have come across is either a ball of chocolate gelato with a cherry in the center, or with a chocolate ganache-type center. Here's a photo I found on the web for what this looks like: Pic of tartufo

After having tried this amazing desert in one restaurant, I have searched for a recipe. Given the fact that I was recently given a lovely ice cream maker, plus I have a dozen peeled lemons from a recently-started limoncello, I am dying for a recipe for lemon tartufo. I have a good lemon gelato recipe, but what is used for the center of the tartufo that allows it to stay liquid during the freezing process? I am guessing there is some alcohol, but in my experience the center is thicker than a liquor. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!

I just started a limoncello with some fabulous summer lemons. I just noticed the tip to add the zest of one lime - I think I'll pull out the jar and add that in. Thanks for the idea to make lemonade - what a great idea! I tried the Caravello limoncello, and thought that there was too strong a taste of grain alcohol. I have had better, but homemade. Have not tried other brands - I decided it is cheaper (though slower) to make your own!

I visited Dehli Club on Monday. We really enjoyed the food, and though the service was a bit overly attentive (repeatedly interrupting our conversation when the restaurant was essentially empty at the start of our meal), we were not rushed to leave after the check came and were able to continue our conversation. Overall the service was gracious and attentive, as others have noted. We started with the spinach fritters. Six light and fluffy fritters were accompanied by a lovely mint sauce and a tamarind sauce. It was a perfect pairing because I love mint and my friend loved the tamarind sauce, so we each essentially got our own sauces. We finished off the sauces with the fantastic garlic naan. For entrees I ordered the tandoori mushroom and paneer dish, and my friend selected the butter chicken. The raita was a little weak, with very little cucumber flavor, but it was refreshing when paired with the tandoori mushrom and paneer dish. My friend adored her butter chicken, and though take-out menus are not yet availbale, she announced that she will be calling to order butter chicken for pick-up! I am eager to return and test the lamb skewers that are mentioned in earlier posts, as well as other dishes that we had to nix because of my friend's allergies. The decor was a bit sparse and the red tone very bright, but this did not keep the Delhi Club from being 2/3 full by the time we left. Overall it was a wonderful meal, totalling $40 approx including one beer. I would recommend it!

Went to Ray's last Friday - no eggs . They said they aren't on the menu, and the waitress said she could not recall that they had ever been there!

Thank you for this potent reminder of an enchanting ritual. We moved to DC from Miami last fall, and one of the things I most miss is the afternoon cuban coffee that people made in my office. It is just as you describe in the article - two or three people who meet and chat while trading off on the stirring task. The rest of us got to gossip, learn from them and, best of all, experience that thimble-sized taste of strong coffee, creamy sugar, and elbow grease.

I made a reservation today for a special date with my husband at Ray's on Friday. I read back through this thread and am really excited to experience this fabulous restaurant. Mike answered the phone, took the reservation, and asked if it was a special occasion. He seemed so accomodating and genuinely interested in making it a special night that I am really looking forward to the dinner! My husband is the big steak fan in our house, so I am sure that this is going to be a treat. I'll be sure to report back! And - JPW - I wouldn't take the charred part either

Thanks for taking our questions this week! I was very excited to hear of this Q&A! I'm going to add one to the "this vs that" category.... I grew up in Austin, and had some of my first dining experiences at places like Las Manitas and Mexico Tipico. I grew up thinking that Mexican food was based on flour tortillas, and I loved them. When I spent a summer in Oaxaca at age 16, I discovered that corn tortillas are not the hard, pasty, flat objects that I had seen when the flour tortillas weren't available in Austin restaurants. There I learned to love the freshly-made, warm corn tortillas sold at market stands, and came to understand that the prevalence of flour tortillas as more of a Tex-Mex phenomenon. Can you comment on the reason for the preference for flour over corn tortillas in the Tex-Mex menu? What is it about the corn tortilla that has kept it from a more prominent role on the Tex-Mex palate? Thanks again for participating in this forum!

I think these folks are regulars. My friend saw this dog there sipping a cosmo. No joke!

I haven't been in a few years, but the Brookings Institution cafeteria on Mass near Dupont was wonderful the last time I tried. The ingedients were high quality and the prices beat most in the area.

I should have read the Todd Kilman article for tips on what to order at Red Dog last night. He mentioned skipping the entrees and pizzas, and that would have been good advice for us since that was exactly what we ordered! I have to agree with DonRocks and JPW that the service is still an issue for this neighborhood spot, with long delays in ordering, drinks, and such. Pleasant people though. Our experience with the food differed greatly from JPW's, and we were sad that the dishes we selected did not show much improvement from our first visit back in March. Last night we ordered the asparagus soup ($4), the trio of flatbreads ($8), and pizza with basil, ham, and gorgonzola (~$13). The asparagus puree had a few spears of asparagus and a tiny drop of an herb cream in the center, but the puree itself was surprisingly bland. The trio of faltbreads came out as doughy balls with overcooked toppings. Perhaps thinner dough and some sort of sauce tying together the toppings would help. The pizza was the best selection, with fresh and flavorful toppings, though there was an excess of cheese and the dough was quite soft. We agreed that we really want the Red Dog to do well in the neighborhood, but perhaps for the time being we should count on it as a coffee house instead. Some desserts at the next table over looked well executed, so we might try that next time.

Update on Marcella's on Connectucut in Chevy Chase. We went last week just before lunchtime (11:30ish). The owner was MAKING THE MOZZARELLA fresh while we waited. Apparently he makes it at this time each day, for their pizzas and for individual sale. We did not try the pizza, but took home two warm balls of mozzarella and a loaf of fresh bread, sliced some tomatoes, cut some basil from our backyard, and feasted. Incredible.

I agree that the soft tacos at Chipotle rock - I'm not a big fan of over-stuffed rice burritos so I haven't tried those. I love the carnitas and always get a side of guac. Good, fairly fresh ingredients and a limited menu seem to be a winning combo at Chipotle. Steve captured it exactly. Service is really good too - the people there have always been nice and more on track than other fast food spots.

Wow - I was not aware that having your pets with you was considered un-american. Sounds like something Governor Erlich & Comptroller Schaefer would come up with . Erlich and multiculturalism[