Tuesday Afternoon Barhop

When your nearly 10-month old child starts her nap at about 1030am, you realize that she will likely wake up in time for you to have a nice afternoon out rather than at home while she is sleeping. As a result: afternoon barhop in Virginia. In this case, two bars/restaurants in VA: Rustico in Alexandria, VA and Jay's Saloon and Grill, Arlington, VA.

First, Rustico, Alexandria, VA. I'll give you some skinny then a map. Rustico seemed like a great place and it definitely was. I was with a very good friend who had been before and who also knew that I like good beers. What a great beer selection. The big kickers for me:
Leffe Blonde and Gulden Draak. (NOTE: I gave you wikipedia entries because I know that 1) Leffe's website is slow, 2) Gulden Draak's site is in Belgium and 3) I am often annoyed by beer snob reviews...I am NOT a beer snob.)

Leffe in bottle and Gulden Draak on tap. Both great beers. My brother had touted both, and he did not disappoint. Leffe was a great Belgian blonde with a modest alcohol content while GD was a darker ale with a higher (7.5%) alcohol content. I thoroughly enjoyed both and am very glad that I went to Rustico.

Also good at Rustico: fries. They were quite good, though probably not as good as some real tradition frites elsewhere. Also, I had another very strong, tart and fruity beer of 15.5% alcohol...but I forgot what it was.

Here is the location, and parking is free nearby:
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On to Jay's, which is apparently the location of a coming happy hour for friends of mine (including me!). Jay's reminds me of Fitzwilly's, the Chicken, etc., from my old college days. Don't misunderstand, it's not a perfect match, but good enough for northern VA.

Jay's smells like smoke, grease, and beer, and it looks like smoke, grease, and beer has been slathered everywhere. I love it. They have cheap beer (today was $2.50 longnecks of Bud and Bud Light) and bar food including jalapeno poppers...as every bar should have. You don't need more than that for a good happy hour bar in my opinion. If it smells like beer, tastes like beer, and (maybe) looks like beer - it must be beer!

Jay's - hot stuff but a little tough on the eyes:

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Good Pasta Sauce - All'Amatriciana Sauce

I enjoy eating pasta dishes because they fill me up, are generally easy to make, leave plenty of leftovers (for now), and can be customized, so to speak, with the sauce, pasta type, garnish, etc. A new favorite sauce of ours is all'amatriciana sauce. It's a little bit sweeter than a regular marinara sauce, due largely to the yellow onion, but still has a nice salty attribute due to the pancetta or bacon.

Here's a recipe that has the specifics for the all'amatriciana sauce, but I'll list them here too:

All'Amatriciana Sauce:

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 6-8 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, diced (depends on how much you like)
* 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* Pinch (OR MORE!) crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
* 1/2-1 cup grated Pecorino Romano (again, do you like more cheese?)

Directions:
In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

I adapted this online recipe slightly to the one I have in a cookbook as well as to my own taste as noted in parentheses in the ingredients. If you use the 28 oz. can of tomato puree, this sauce is good over a pound of pasta and can serve several people. You can probably also use crushed tomatoes, I doubt it matters that much.

As for amount, with a pound of spaghetti, we generally have many servings left for leftovers. It's good stuff people!

I Miss Texas Breakfast...and $2.10 Coffee

I really wish I could just transport lots of the local Mexican food restaurants from Texas to my neighborhood here. This morning, we woke up really wanting some good breakfast. I definitely could have gone for the migas at Coco Loco, College Station, Texas. Too bad for me.

We started doing a quick search for places to eat, and I noticed Anita's. I read some reviews that made breakfast there sound pretty good. So, why not? Well, turns out that it was decent. I ordered Anita's Famous Breakfast Burrito. It was filled with eggs and chorizo, covered in a "New Mexican" red chile sauce, and served with refried beans and homefries. I wasn't impressed, but it wasn't bad. The chile sauce overwhelmed the burrito itself, and I could have used more chorizo. It filled me up, but it felt like I was missing something. Perhaps it's the salsas from Coco Loco?

Here's the location of this branch of Anita's:

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I will probably eat here again, in large part because I want to try other items. But, I'll probably check out other breakfast joints around here before going back.

One last thing - the coffee was $2.10! For normal restaurant coffee?!?

Opa! - Plaka Grill, Vienna, VA

I think we may have decided that Thursday night is dinner-out night. I think we have gone out the past two Thursdays, but that is irrelevant really. We decided to try a small Greek joint here in Vienna, and it worked out wonderfully.

Plaka Grill is in a small shopping center and definitely feels like a small, local place. There is maybe seating for 25 or so, and the service is extremely quick. We ordered two appetizers: hummus and tyrokefteri (feta, hot peppers, olive oil pureed together), Plaka gyro, and mousakka (eggplant, beef, pasta, cheese). Each dish was really good, and I ate entirely too much - go figure. We ordered more than we would normally because it was a) our first time here, b) we like Greek food, and c) why not? Plaka also gives you plenty of pita bread with each dish. I love that we did not have to go ask for more even though I was eating pita like I was starving.

Here's the location - NOTE: you won't find the correct location by typing in Plaka Grill, Vienna, VA for some reason. So, just use 110 Lawyers Rd NW, Vienna, VA:

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Plaka Grill gets high marks from me, especially since it was very quick service as well. It's not some swank joint, but definitely a good place for a good price. I shall return!

Seared Tuna Suck

So, I'll make this quick. There are a few points I'd like to note about making seared wasabi-crusted tuna the night before last:

1) The tuna was packaged for use the following day, while previously we had seen the steaks out in the main seafood area - thus displaying greater freshness.
2) I used sesame oil which really did add a nice touch to the flavor - of which there was less than there should have been (see 1 above).
3) I did not use a non-stick pan - who gives a crap though, except much/all of the wasabi and sesame seeds stuck to the pan. Next time, I guess I will go non-stick?
4) I baked one steak per the directions on the package, and it was slightly overcooked - for my taste at least. I like med-rare, this was much closer to medium than I liked.

In sum, it was mediocre. I am looking forward to getting fresher tuna, perhaps making my own dressing/rub, trying my non-stick pan, and then picking some good sides. I took it easy with the sides this time (jasmine rice and store-bought seaweed salad) because I was in learning mode with the store-bought crusted tuna.

Lessons learned, people, lessons learned. Back to my personal Bond-a-thon on this drizzly, cold day! NOTE: Forecast = 50, rain likely. Wow, thanks.

Microbiology, Cheese, and You

I stopped by Wegmans today for the items needed for dinner tonight. It should be good - seared wasabi-crusted tuna with a simple salad of something we have here and jasmine rice. Obviously, I did not feel like working too hard on any sides today. Sue me.

While there, I decided I wanted some cheese. So, I settled on a member of the blue family - Roquefort - and another one I had never heard of before - Selun. (NOTE: Yeah, that is about all I could find on it.)

Now, I love most, if not all, blue cheese. I adore them for whatever reason. They are delicious. Roquefort, including the ubiquitous Societe brand, is great. I could have eaten the entire piece I bought, but I thought I would actually conserve a little for later today.

The selun, however, took me by surprise. I was not expecting the intense smell. For those of you who ever spent time working with bacteria cultures and/or in a microbiology lab, it is definitely a cheese that makes you feel like you're whiffing in the smells of the bacteria incubator. I was not ready for it. However, when I ate it, it wasn't that bad. In fact, the after taste was actually quite pleasant. I just have to get past that smell. What was that? Listeria? E coli? Perhaps the black plague? Yummy.

Selun image is probably copyright/courtesy/not mine but Fromaggio Kitchen.

Pizza and Pho = Fat Boy

We had a great time with good friends last night, and we were vegging out today. As is typical, we decided to have pho, to get some spicy broth to help finish the day. But first - pizza! I was really hungry earlier so we ordered from the Pizza Bolis nearby in Vienna. I don't pretend to be a gourmet pizza guy, a pie aficionado. I'm not from New York or Chicago, so I don't get involved in pie fights. I just like a good slice of pizza, whatever kind of crust, with some good flavor. Pizza Bolis always hits the spot. Today was their white pizza, supreme (with jalapenos!), and some chicken wings. Good stuff.
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After a much-needed nap in the afternoon, we headed out for pho. There is a place nearby called Pho Thang Long in Fairfax. It was pretty good. Not the best I have had, my wife and I both agreeing that perhaps today wasn't a good broth day. Still, it hit the spot, especially with peppers and chili sauce. I will try it again, largely for convenience sake, but also because I really liked the people there, too. Regardless, here's the location:

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By the way, Tombstone is one of my favorite movies. I love that show. If you don't, suck it, Trebek!

World Sports and My New Wish

So, I'm watching Dhani on the Travel Channel start his Muay Thai boxing...which has absolutely nothing to do with this post. However, I think this show will be a good, interesting show - traveling the world, learning national sports?!? Other than food, I think this is a great way to get acquainted with (and let the viewers learn) about a country. Also, if I were Dhani's size and had his athletic ability, this would be a great idea.

On to my new wish - an oil barrel pit. I want one of those drums. I want one of those boys in my yard, waiting for some charcoal or wood, ready to cook some good food - beef, pork, seafood, vegetables, whatever. I have just a gas grill now, and that works well enough. Actually, no, it's kind of a pain, but it still works alright. Still, give me a regular barrel pit, load it with some good coals and wood, and I'll cook all day for my friend, my family, and myself. I'm hungry already.

Oops - photos courtesy/copyright/not mine from top: Travel Channel and bottom: Barbecue something UK.

Buck Wild, NJ/PA - Part 2

OK. I'll make this last part quick but I'll still let you know everything I want to.

After we headed out from Reading Terminal Market, we strolled through Chinatown. I saw a sign that said - "Best Peking Duck in Town," so I resolved to come back and try it. We headed down 9th Street through a seemingly non-existent Little Italy then down South Street, which is pretty lively even around lunchtime on a weekday. We stopped for a couple beers and a small snack before heading back to Wong Wong in Chinatown.

On our way back, we definitely had to get our time in with the Liberty Bell. It was alright. I mean, it's a big bell that has lots of symbolism. Nice work, and it's crack is kept from expanding by some internal support structure. Interesting, I guess.

So, Wong Wong Restaurant. I'm always skeptical of any place that says they have the best of anything. Well, I was right again. However, I should note that I am completely ruined for all time on trying Peking Duck anywhere. I had it in Beijing last May at a somewhat formal dinner, and it was excellent. Crispy duck skin, homemade pancakes, and well-cooked meat. I loved it. At Wong Wong, not so much. I should have known I would not have liked it as much when I saw the waitress put the duck in the microwave to heat it up, but I didn't have many other options by this time (read: exhausted 9 month old sitting next to me). It was decent, not too expensive, but not really worth my time. Oh well. Plus, the pancakes sucked and were more like thick dumpling dough that had been microwaved.

I've got one last thing: jughandles. An interesting type of intersection for roadways. Signs that say "All turns made from right lane" are definitely new to me. Regardless, after the first few, you get used to them. Kind of.

I liked Philly but should have learned more about where I wanted to go before heading out. I'll remember my laptop next time. But, if I had to choose where I would rather have been this past Wednesday, I really wish that we had been near NYC!

Buck Wild, NJ/PA - Part 1

So, I realized a few things from our short trip to NJ and PA:

1) Read ahead when traveling to another state to learn about where they sell important things: beer, liquor...food, beer.
2) Read ahead when traveling to another state to learn about their interesting or ridiculous (perspective here people) traffic control mechanisms.
3) Read ahead when traveling to another city to figure out, at least a little bit, about where you want to go - especially when, in this age, you realize you do not have internet access the day of your visit.
4) Rolling solo with a baby in a city = not the easiest day in the world.

So, thus begins my short trip to NJ and PA. Well, not PA, but a whopping 4 or 5 hours in Philly.

I'll make this easy to read and won't bore you with one, droning, relentless work of rambling. Multiple parts, people, multiple parts. So, part one in a series.

We headed to Moorestown, NJ, for (enter not my own reasons). I originally had thought we were headed to Morristown and would be able to hit up NYC. OK, OK. I screwed up, so instead I get Philly for a day. Good enough.

We stayed in Mt. Laurel, NJ, only 20 minutes or so from Philly. I get up the morning after our arrival to a lovely, soulful, and completely whining baby. I love her, but damn did she cry all morning. I realized when we left the hotel at 9am that she was really tired. Whatever. Parking in Philly was ridiculous, especially since I did not and do not know a damn thing about that city (#3 above). Twenty bucks. For 91-12 hrs of parking, $20. Good enough. I told myself that I would pay up to 20 or 30, so good enough, all around. However, a tired, fussy baby and a Jackson on
parking? I'm not so sure about this joint.

I thought we'd try to hit some history before food and drink, so we headed straight for the hot shit: Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, etc. Well, again, tough shit, jerk. Too many people, too many tour groups, too many kids. So, we just took random photos - here's my favorite:

Needless to say, we walked this day. We strolled for awhile around a lot of historical sites, then finally decided to find the Reading Terminal Market. If you've ever been to Boston, it's similar to Faneuil Hall. Just FYI. It was fun to roam, but not the easiest thing in the world with a baby, rolling solo (#4 above). Regardless, I ate some fried clams from Wan's Seafood (seriously, it's fried clams - not rocket science). But RTM is pretty cool. Lots of selections of food styles, a beer garden, and places to buy (relatively) fresh food items. Really, I was pissed when I saw frozen poultry items. Poultry is poultry, but don't roll with frozen. Damn. Whatever. Here is my one photo from there:

So, that's my first part of the day in Philly. Totally uninteresting, but it does get better. Regardless, I roamed for awhile which I really, really like to do in big cities. More will come later, including baby diapers in Chinatown, South Street, and my first beer of the day!

Moorestown not Morristown, Jackass

So, this whole time (ok, the past few days since I was reminded) I have been thinking I'll get a full day in NYC with my daughter. We'd roam around Manhattan, maybe eat some good French food, play in Central Park, whatever. I had believed we were staying in Morristown, NJ, which, as you can see in the below map, is only about 35 miles from NYC.

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But, wait! What's that? We're staying in Mt. Laurel, NJ? What?!? That's only 20 miles from Philly, not 35 miles from NYC? Well, hell, I wish SOMEONE would have told me it was MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE not MORRIStown, NJ - even though I was just told that I had been told that previously. Well, I guess I need to make sure I'm actually listening - ha! Anyway, I've never been to Philly, so it works out fine with me.

Eamonn's - Fish and Chips

We met with good friends for lunch today in Old Town Alexandria. We hit Eamonn's on King Street. The large cod was good - a nice, tender piece of cod, lightly breaded, fried, and definitely tasty. The chips were great, too, and the large was certainly large enough.

The beers were good, too. Guinness draft was $5.25 + tax, so not too terribly bad. We had a good time. Apparently, Eamonn's is attached to PX Lounge, which is supposed to be a nice, speakeasy-type lounge. Needless to say, if you visit their website, we didn't hit up PX for anything after lunch. But, maybe, just maybe, when I feel like dropping 20 on a cocktail, I'll find my way to PX. Until then, I'll take my $5 (or less!) beers.

New York City

I just realized this weekend that I will probably get to visit one of my favorite cities for a day this week. That's right, we'll be in NJ for wifey's work, but I've got a full day on Wednesday to hang out. That area, of course, is reasonable - they have mass transit. I'm looking forward to eating and drinking around NYC for a day with my little lady!

Did you say $799.99/lb?!?

Wegmans, as noted, is one of my new favorite places. A big part of that is the selection. I love that they had about 10 types of mushrooms, including shiitake, cremini, and black truffles. Nice! But, at $799.99/lb, you won't be sampling that at my dinner table anytime soon.

NOTE: And by anytime soon, I mean ever!

Man, I have to remember to take my camera everywhere. Shiitake!

Wegmans , an outstanding food experience

Wegmans is one of my favorite stores now, and I have only been there once. It is almost overwhelming in every sense, but in very good ways. Their produce, meat, and seafood looked very fresh. Their selection of almost every item in the store was comprehensive and possibly the best I have seen in a grocery store.

I am hooked, but only for major trips for specific items. This will not be my local grocery store to pick up cereal, milk, etc. - it's easily a 20-minute drive with no traffic. But, for good seafood and meats or specific items I cannot find closer to home, Wegmans is the spot. For instance, if I need a good selection of mushrooms, onions, meat cuts or seafood, Wegmans surpasses my local Giant store.

I would like to thank my good friends who recommended this store - you know who you are!

Here's the spot:

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Spicy Broth Cures All - Pho Today

We had some friends over last night, and I made lasagna. The lasagna turned out great. We had some fresh bread, a simple spinach salad, and lots of wine. Needless to say, today was going to be a good day for spicy food. It's one of my favorite things to have the day after imbibing significant quantities of drink.

After running an errand, about which I will post later, we rolled up to Pho Today in Fairfax, VA. We definitely wanted some spicy food, and pho is one of the best ways to get it. I ordered the house special with all the beef bits available - meatball, tripe, brisket, etc. It was good. Not phenomenal, not the best ever, but a solid bowl of pho. When you put the condiments of your choice in - mine are basil, lime, bean sprouts, and lots of Sriracha sauce - the broth gets nice, spicy, and lovely. One of my favorite things in the world is spicy broth in pho. God, I love it.

Pho Today was good, but I'll go back only if I'm in the area. Still, it was hot and spicy! Here's the location:

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DC Seafood Market (sans photos)

We went to the DC seafood market today on the waterfront. Here's a link to one of the companies down there. It is definitely a place I will return to. Today, it was a bit cool and windy, and the market was not too busy. For us, that worked out great, even though our little girl's hands did turn a little purple. Not my fault, she hates gloves!

I enjoyed seeing all the fresh seafood sitting out for purchase in all the stalls. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera. So, no photos this go-round for the food. The seafood was beautiful: bright red snapper, flat, goofy-looking flounder, whole squid, octopus, clams, many kinds of crabs, scallops, oysters, and so on. The smell was even great, letting me know that this stuff was very fresh, as advertised. The best part is being able to eat there, not just buy fresh seafood. We had crab balls with hushpuppies, stuffed crab, fried scallops, and fried trout fillets. I am getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Alas, as noted, no photos. I will go back again, probably this week if the weather cooperates, and take some photos. Post to come.

FREEDOM!

You guys remember that scene in Braveheart when Mel Gibson's character screams "Freedom!" as he is disemboweled? Well, it's not true. Did you know that? Well, it's not true. I know, a repeat performance.

But, THAT'S OK! The Scottish cause was worthy then, and, even though I am sure it does and will cost a lot of money, will be worth it in the end. The English empire is naught. F- it. Colonialism is dead!

Roasted Bird and Battery Sucking

I made a simple recipe of roasted chicken with balsamic vinaigrette for dinner tonight. It was definitely easy and turned out really well. The chicken was moist, the remaining sauce was just a little tart and tangy, and I am full once more. However, something odd did occur while I was cooking. At one point during the chicken's cook time, I opened the oven to take a whiff. What did I smell? Something oddly similar to Underwood's barbecue sauce. Awesome. If you have never eaten at Underwood's, then, suck it, Trebek!

The picture posted here sucks, by the way. Our stupid camera sucks down battery power like a college kid sucking on a beer bong - hard, fast, nasty, and way too often. So, sorry, the picture is slightly blurry and too dark. But, you know what? The food still tasted good! Mwahahah - or something.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Redux

So, as seen in a prior post, I was a tad bitter about my first batch of oatmeal raisin cookies. I recently made another batch with a different recipes that, at least in part, turned out better.

I actually tweaked the recipe I found some because I wanted a little bit of salt and some nutmeg. They were pretty damn good and chewy but I realized another problem - I slightly greased the cookie sheet for the first batch...which resulted more than a few cookies not crusting enough. It was like peeling Slimer off the cookie sheet. But, I felt that was necessary because at least one of the sheets I have to use sucks. Whatever.

They were better, that's all I care about!

Moules Mariniere and Sri Lanka

We had not had seafood at home in awhile, so, why not? The simple moules mariniere recipe from Pepin's book would suffice, but I did not feel like changing anything for my measly 2# of mussels. His recipe calls for 5 lbs., by the way. So, I went with a "Classic French Mussels" recipe I found online here. Honestly, it's pretty much the same thing. It worked out quite well with the primary differences being a few less herbs in this one than Pepin's.

I have never cooked mussels but knew that it was only as difficult as you made. Our dinner turned out well. As a side, and mostly to give us something else to eat, I blanched then sauteed some string beans with a little red pepper flake. Pair it all with some good crusty bread, and you've got yourself quite a dinner. The broth with the mussels was great - garlic, shallots, cream, white wine, and parsley. Simple but good.

My favorite part - sitting a big piece of bread in a bowl full of broth and letting it soak right in. Damn am I full.

As for Sri Lanka, I finally got around to watching No Reservations from last week. I am glad that Bourdain went to Sri Lanka because, other than the Tamil Tigers, I really knew nothing about Sri Lanka. Now, at least, I know that they apparently make some wonderful, spicy food. My favorite: the spicy crab curry from the end of the show. It's a "good ass burner in the morning" type of dish apparently. Perhaps, one of these days, I'll get the chance to taste it too.

A Long, Fun Night

I hate losing that hour for daylight savings. Last night we had a blast going out in DC for a birthday bash. The two spots: Marvin and Saint Ex. Both were good bars. Marvin had a decent selection of Belgian beers between about $6-15, with Saint Ex's lower level for dancing, drinking beer, and sweating. Of course, you've got to sweat, right? It wouldn't be a good night out unless you leave with a soaked shirt and wet hair.

After the two bars, we had some good pizza, too, just down from Saint Ex. Manny and Olga's was some good stuff. Their Greek pizza definitely hit the spot for the handful of us who were fortunate enough to eat it. The pizza joint came on a recommendation from the bouncer at Saint Ex. It's always good to check with the people who work in the area for the good spots. This seems like obvious advice, but some people just don't do it.

Anyway - it was a good night, a long one, and I definitely need to catch up on the lost sleep from Saturday.

All these places are on 14th NW just off the U Street metro. Here's the Google map with some of the nearby restaurants noted in red:

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Whitlow's and Walking

Our first foray out with our visitors consisted of lunch at Whitlow's on Wilson, metro to the Capitol, then strolling back through the Botanical Gardens and Air and Space Museum. All in all, a good day, and it was helped by the fact that the weather was actually wonderful.

As for the food, I have eaten at Whitlow's once before and had a cheeseburger both times. They are good burgers. The best ever? No. Good enough to drive many miles for? No. But, they are good, slightly greasy, and tasty hamburgers. Mine had jack cheese and jalapenos - always a good combination.

So, a good day was had, and the food was good enough. Here is the obligatory map to Whitlow's:

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T.O. Goes Byebye and Blackberry Witbier

So, Terrell Owens is gone from the Cowboys - along with Roy "I am a complete f-ing idiot who cannot tackle without the 'horse collar'" Williams - and I cannot say I am sorry about either. Here's to hoping that the other Roy Williams kicks ass and Dallas actually wins a playoff game in the next decade.

Also, I tried Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier today, and, well, it's nothing to write home about...if you found yourself in a lovely place with lots of other beer to drink, that is. It's good, nice flavor, easy to drink, and actually would be nice on a warm day. Not a hot day, but a warm one. I always love it when beer tasters say, "Man, this beer would be great to drink on a hot day after some work outdoors." To many of those tasters, I say this: you are stupid. There are very few beers that really are good in the heat after some work, and I am not so sure about most of them.

Whatever. Drink whatever you like, whenever you like, as long as it makes you happy.

Family Fun

We have family here with us this weekend, so hopefully I will have something fun/interesting to share soon. I will be keeping what I make for them simple, to save time and because they are not adventurous eaters. I'll probably just go with vodka sauce and penne and a huge pot of minestrone soup for the two dinners here at home.

Hopefully, when we go out, we will either eat somewhere new (not likely) or at least somewhere I have not been in awhile.

Oh yeah, I'm trying my hand at making simple beef demi glace. Bon appetit!

Pho 75 - I am such a phan!

Pho 75 is unassuming, sparsely decorated, but serves some great pho. I don't ask for much when I ask for pho, but this definitely delivered. I ordered a regular bowl with tripe, tendon, and both fat and crispy brisket. Mix in the rest, esp. hot sauce, and you've got a great lunch. I really enjoyed this pho.

Not only was the pho great, but the Vietnamese coffee hit the spot too. I discovered, just today, that the best end to some great pho is iced Vietnamese coffee. That stuff is fantastic.

So, if you cannot tell, I recommend Pho 75. It's at 1711 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA - or here on the map if you need it:

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Also, the lady who took my order and brought my pho was great. She loved my little girl, eatin' up all tha' noodles. I'm definitely going back here.

Endives - who knew?

Oddly, I had never eaten an endive before last week. I made a simple salad with arugula, endives, and white wine vinaigrette. I love endives. When fresh, they are very crisp and add a great texture to a salad. I have yet to even worry about preparing them in any other fashion - salad is good enough for now.

That which is lawful, often means nothing.

As many of you know, I like to discuss topics and questions which really have no end and answer, respectively. Today, I would like to raise some questions about the law, or lawful living in general. These questions are simple and take little time to read. I will not bring the full force of this train of thought to bear.

My first question is this: what is lawful? Simply, it is that which follows a law. This can be simple when speaking of physical laws, such as Newtonian physics. I have yet to see anything disprove the simplicity of force equals mass times acceleration. No. What I mean to raise here are simple points about the laws imposed by men. What is lawful when it comes to the laws of men? Simply "obeying" the law? Obeying the law unquestionably, even if it hurts one's own family or something personally doted on? You get the picture.

Second question: when is unlawful behavior acceptable? Is unlawful behavior acceptable when taken against unjust rule? Is it acceptable when taken simply on a whim, with no harm in my mind for any recipient? Is it ever acceptable? I find unlawful behavior to often be a heinous and disgusting term - murder, rape. However, I also can find it to be the best term in the world, especially when countering violent unlawful individuals or major injustice.

Third question: when and how does one fight to change laws, especially if unjust and/or worthless? There are many arguments that could be made here. One of the easiest is for the legalization of some, soft, recreational drugs. (NOTE: I could not care less here). For sake of argument, let's make a historical reference. Prohibition. Alcohol is banned. This leads to the creation of some of the most famous, criminal minds of the 20th century. For sake of argument, what does banning marijuana do? It leads to some of the most famous, criminal minds of the 20th and, sadly, 21st century. Anyway, some could make good arguments that some U.S. laws are unjust and worthless.

Another comment that adds to the thought process, if you care about classical philosophers. Aristotle states, from Nicomachean Ethics, that "it is possible that to be a good man is not the same as to be a good citizen of any state whatever." What? Virtue in an unlawful person?

Thinking is always better than being a dumbass.

Winter Beer Sampler

It's cold. It's snowy outside. I'm in the beer mood...wait, I'm always in the beer mood. Regardless, it's Winter Beer Sampler, Part Too Many To Count, at the abode. Thanks to Norm's Beer and Wine, there is decent selection of US microbrews chilling in the snow outside.

First up, Brooklyn Local 2. This ale is wonderful. In fact, I really, really like this beer. I like it so much, I may not even write about the others - though, in a shout-out to my brother, I do have a Left Hand Milk Stout out in the snow.

As I write, the old lady is coming in with Arcadia Ales Double IPA from Battle Creek, MI. Let's see what we think....wait for it...it's a good IPA. The requisite hops are there for an IPA, the aroma seems a bit off, but it's good.

Back to the beers and re-runs of No Reservations on Travel Channel.

Snow Day

So, we have a nice blanket of fluffy snow on the ground - about 8" or so. It's great. Our neighborhood is off from the main roads but our roads still get plowed. Fortunately though, we do not have to go anywhere today. It's nice and cold, windy, and downright stay-at-home weather.

That said, I'll probably go somewhere. I don't have any good chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, chicken, spinach, etc. Like I really need it today, but why not? I need the stock for lots of dishes, so, we'll push on through the frozen tundra of Virginia.

Only kidding. As if it is really that cold, but it's still pretty sweet for lots of people to have the day off. I think working full-time is overrated. So sayeth the guy who stays home all day, everyday!

Comfort food on a cold night

The beef bourguignon was a great success. A simple dish to make, all I really had to do was prep and simmer. I added some buttered egg noodles with parsley and some French bread from the store. I loved this dish. Simmering the beef with red wine and homemade beef stock for about 2 hours melded the flavors together very well and softened all the meat. My daughter liked it too! She has a few small pieces of beef and some gravy. She loved it.

I highly recommend this dish to anyone with a little time. It's great, especially on a night when it was cold and snowed quite a bit.

Breakfast Success and...Meat Jello?

I have never made hollandaise sauce, much less eggs Benedict. Fortunately, both came out pretty well this morning. My hollandaise was not perfect, but that is not what I was looking for. I think the temperature needed to be a little higher while I was whisking the egg whites. Now that I know that, I am going to experiment with my hollandaise a bit, and see what other sauces I can make with it.

As for the glace de viande from yesterday, I'm not so sure what to think about the result. I had about 3 quarts of liquid from cooking the beef bones yesterday and it reduced all the way down to about 1 cup. However, it never reached the carmelized consistency that is noted in Pepin's technique. After cooling in the fridge, it is more like meat jello than anything. That said, this was not the stock from the actual roasting and simmering of the bones, so that may be part of it. Still, Bill Cosby probably never envisioned this type of jello in the fridge!

So, one positive and one neutral on the two items from the past 24. I'm looking forward, very much, to beef bourguignon tonight, especially since it is supposed to snow up to 8" tonight.