Equinox Restaurant, Washington DC

Looking Forward to Giving Back

2012-01-14T10:09:00.000-08:00

Portrait of Alice Waters being presented to

the National Portrait Gallery on Jan., 20, 2012

We love our community and always look for ways to give back. So, we’re proud to participate in several fundraisers for some invaluable organizations. DC Central Kitchen and Martha’s Table both provide excellent, much-needed services in the DC area. Sunday Night Suppers, presented by Jose Andres, Joan Nathan and Alice Waters, is on Jan. 22. Todd will be one of a group of chefs preparing dinners in 20 private homes for this benefit. To see the impressive roster of participating chefs for Sunday Night Suppers and to register, please visit the event registration page.

Alice Waters is also the subject of an award-winning portrait being donated to the National Portrait Gallery here in DC (as shown in the graphic at top). On Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. Todd will participate in this “farm-to-gallery” chefs’ reception to celebrate the occasion, “A Taste of Portraiture, The Art of Organic: An Evening With Alice Waters.” Following a talk with Alice Waters, the chefs’ reception will feature light fare by Todd, Jose Andres, Cathal Armstrong, Haidar Karoum, Nora Pouillon and others. Info & tickets: registration page.

To benefit our animal friends, we’re co-hosting the 11th Annual Sugar & Champagne Affair, a fundraiser for the Washington Humane Society (WHS) on Feb. 1 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. We’ve hosted this for several years. This year’s event honors local crusaders against animal cruelty. The reception showcases fine sparkling wines and tastes from the DC area’s most talented chefs, including Jose Andres, Cathal Armstrong and Robert Wiedmaier. More than 40 restaurants will serve tastes of their specialties, ranging from Sticky Fingers Bakery to BLT Steak. Leashed dogs are welcome—and we’ll serve treats just for them at the Doggie Bar! Tickets & info: WHS website.

ALSO HAPPENING...

January 9–22, Winter Restaurant Week: Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant: Join us for an extended Winter Restaurant Week. We are offering special 3-course Lunch and Dinner menus. Lunch is $20.12; Dinner is $35.12. Wine pairings will be available for $15 additional, and beers will be offered at our Happy Hour prices. Please contact us for reservations.

Sunday, January 15, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: For Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday celebration weekend, Todd Gray’s Muse at The Corcoran will present MLK Brunch, featuring a special menu with some of Dr. King’s favorite dishes, including Martin’s Skillet Cornbread, Reverend King’s Collard Greens with Sweet Onions and Smoked Pork, and The Reverend’s favorite Pecan Pie. Relax over brunch in the glorious Corcoran Gallery atrium while being inspired by live music from DC gospel group, Mutual Agreement. Please contact us for reservations.

After brunch, take in the Gallery’s excellent “30 Americans” exhibit, “a wide-ranging survey of work by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades,” now extended through February 12. As always, Muse guests receive a $5 discount on Corcoran Gallery admission.

February 5: Superbowl Sunday: Todd Gray’s Watershed Restaurant will host a Superbowl viewing party featuring Happy Hour prices.

February 14: Valentine’s Day: We are presenting a special Valentine’s Day menu at Equinox. Please call 202-331-8118 for reservations.

February 17, 7–10 p.m.: Todd Gray’s Watershed Restaurant: Friday Night Skipjack Shrimp Boil: Following the great fun of our Fish Fry, Oyster Roast and Game Roast events, we’re ready to party again with another family-style Friday Night Dinner! This one will features shrimp seasoned with our signature Skipjack spice. As always, we’ll keep things lively with music by a local group and feature a local beer. Price is $75, all-inclusive (2-for-1 rate for our NoMa neighbors in zip code 20002). Watch this space for more info! Please contact us for reservations.

RECENT BUZZ...

Pamela’s Punch events-website editor Pamela Sorenson featured us in her preview of Sugar & Champagne.

Equinox Executive Chef Karen Nicolas was interviewed by Kelly DiNardo for Food Network’s City Eats’ blog, The Plate.

Zagat.com’s Olga Boikess selected Equinox as one of “10 Options for Healthy Dining in DC.”

G-Free Foodie blogger, K.C. Pomering interviewed Todd.

Enter, Winter!

2011-12-30T15:09:00.000-08:00

A change of pace and scenery! And, we’re really enjoying just that, at the fabulous Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, where Todd is the Culinary Director. Along with 20 of our family and friends, we’re getting to know this fabulous property. From the bartenders to the line cooks, we’re meeting our “hospitality cousins” down here and exchanging lots of great information. Happy for some face time (and a little bit of sun time, too!), we’re psyched for a bright future here in the Caribbean. The spot in the photo above is Ellen’s favorite private event space. She’s looking forward to having classes held there, working on booking yoga and ecotravel journeys throughout the year. Watch this space for info!

On December 28, Todd was guest chef with Chef Pascal Messier (above) at Fishing Lodge, Cap Cana for a Festive, Seasonal Chef”s Dinner. The menu showcased the glorious Caribbean cuisine, including a Salad of Caribbean Spiny Lobster with Mango and Papaya, and Ginger-Pistachio Vinaigrette, as well as Crispy Local Pompano, Dominican Style, served over Coconut Rice with Avocado and Piquillo Pepper Relish.

From the bartenders to the line cooks, we’re meeting our “hospitality cousins” down here and exchanging lots of great information. Above are Chef Pascal Messier and the kitchen staff of Sanctuary Cap Cana.

Judge William T. Newman joined Todd in adding final touches to desserts at the dinner. Judge Newman is the husband of Salamander Hotels & Resorts CEO, Dr. Sheila C. Johnson.

Thanks to all who celebrated with us at our 12th-Annual Winter Solstice Dinner on December 16 and our Christmas Eve dinner. We are looking forward to seeing you back in DC for New Year’s Eve!

Saturday, December 31, 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. seatings: New Year's Eve Dinner at Equinox Restaurant: A beautiful and brilliant, flexible menu in seven courses includes stand-out offerings such as Lightly Cured Kampachi with Tangerine Confit, Basil Seeds and Ginger Oil; Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine with Shaved Fennel Salad, Rosemary Brioche and Persimmon Mustard. Again, our vegetarian guests will not be disappointed with options such as Chestnut Crepe "Crespelle" with Spinach, Tallegio Cheese and Compressed Asian Pear; and Corn Flour Tagliatelle Noodles with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Wilted Arugula and Housemade Goat’s Milk Ricotta. Desserts include Dark Chocolate Trio of 70% Chocoate Mousse, Dark Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Sorbet. Structure your own menu of three, five or all seven courses—with or without wine pairings. (Please contact us for reservations.)

Saturday, December 31, 5:30 p.m.–10p.m.: New Year's Eve Dinner at Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant: Just in time for New Year’s Eve, we’ll switch gears from “local & seasonal” Caribbean Spiny Lobster to “local & seasonal” Virginia Ham Beignets! Todd will prepare New Year’s Eve Dinner at Watershed, featuring Crispy Skin Arctic Char Served on Coconut Rice with Rock Shrimp and Green Onion; Grilled Creekstone Farms New York Strip with Englsih Stilton Butter, Roasted New Potatoes and Cabernet Wine Sauce; and Chocolate Souflée Tart with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. ($50; $70 w/wine).

Saturday, December 31, 5:00 p.m.–8p.m.: New Year's Eve Family Buffet and Movie Night at Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant: Bring the kids along for a fun, relaxing New Year’s Eve. We’re offering something for the whole family: Our kids’ buffet will please them with our own takes on their favorites, including Crispy Chicken Strips, Macaroni and Cheese and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Our adults' menu will satisfy grownup tastes, featuring Cider-Braised Turkey with Apple-Pear Chutney, Cavatelli Pasta with Mushroom Bolognese and Pecan Bourbon Tarlets. (Kids under 12, $17; Adults, $30)

2012:

January 4, 6–9 p.m.: DC Food Blogger Happy Hour: Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant. We are excited to be asked to host this casual gathering of a group of DC-area food bloggers, who usually meet monthly for a happy hour at a selected restaurant for food, drink and face time.

January 9–22, Winter Restaurant Week: Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant: Join us for Winter Restaurant Week. We are offering special 3-course Lunch and Dinner menus that showcase our seasonal, regional cuisine. Lunch is $20.12 with selections that include Louisiana Creole Shrimp Salad, Panko-Crutsed Maryland Flounder Filet and Warm Apple Crisp. Dinner is $35.12 with selections that include Mid-Atlantic Seafood Chowder with Rappahannock River Oysters, Carolina Style Barbeque Shrimp, and Dark Chocolate Tart with Cinnamon Ice Cream. Wine pairings will be available for $20 additional, and beers will be offered at our Happy Hour prices. Please contact us for reservations.

Sunday, January 15, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Market Brunch at Todd Gray's Muse at The Corcoran. Typical brunch offerings might include Baked Vegetable Frittata with Zucchini, Baby Spinach and Fontina Cheese and a seasonal quiche. Relax over brunch in the glorious Corcoran Gallery atrium while being inspired by live gospel music, in recognition of the birthday of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. After brunch, take in the Gallery’s excellent “30 Americans” exhibit, “a wide-ranging survey of work by many of the most important African American artists of the last three decades,” now extended through February 12. As always, Muse guests receive a $5 discount on Corcoran Gallery admission.

ALSO HAPPENING...

Sugar & Champagne Affair, February 1, 2012: The Washington Humane Society presents the 11th annual dessert and champagne reception to honor local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Humane Educators. This celebration of all things sugary and sweet showcases tastes from the DC area’s most talented pastry chefs complemented by some of the world’s finest sparkling wines. The VIP reception presents an exclusive savory gathering prepared by the finest chefs of the national capital region. For tickets and info, please visit the Washington Humane Society website.

February: Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant: Friday Night Shrimp Boil: Following the great fun of our Fish Fry, Oyster Roast and Game Roast events, we are ready to party again with another family-style throwdown featuring (food description). Enjoy live music and beer from our local DC brewery, DC Brau. Price is $75, all-inclusive (2-for-1 rate for our NoMa neighbors in zip code 20002). Watch this space for the date! Please contact us for reservations.

New Cookbook: We are wrapping up a project very close to our hearts: an ethnically diverse family cookbook that mixes Jewish cooking with today’s modern cuisine trends from a professional and home-cook point of view. We have excellent collaborators who share our joy in the process of bringing to life this labor of love: co-writer, David Hagedorn; and, photographer, Renée Comet. As soon as we can, we’ll let you know how to get your own copy. Meanwhile, to learn a little about it (and to see some beautiful photos of our recipes), please visit Renée Comet’s blog, CometPhoto.

Photo by Renée Comet

RECENT BUZZ...

On. Dec. 21, Todd joined James Beard award-winning radio host, Kojo Nnamdi on DC's NPR affiliate, WAMU 88.5 to discuss holiday food traditions, along with Pati Jinich, TV host and chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute. If you missed the program, you can check out the archive.

On the show, Todd recalled growing up in Virginia with oysters for his family’s Christmas dinner, and how he has enjoyed creating variations on Ellen’s family’s Hanukkah recipes, like his Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Latkes. He shared that recipe with Katy Adams of the Washington Examiner.

Fireplace tables at Equinox are the best seats in town! DC food writer, Nevin Martell interviewed Todd in his piece on selected restaurants’ fireplaces for Washington Post's Express Night Out.

CityEatsDC writer Kelly DiNardo interviewed Todd for their “Grill The Chef” feature. Equinox and Watershed are featured on CityEatsDC, a new business from Food Network. CityEatsDC’s website carries info about the DC food scene and individual restaurants in their excellent blog posts, restaurant write-ups and slideshows—plus, diners can make reservations right on the site itself.

Roll Call reporter Warren Rojas interviewed Ellen about Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran for their article on museum restaurants.

Watershed recently had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Sheila C. Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, and Managing Partner of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics, and her guests, including Mystics’ Forward/Center, Crystal Langhorn. Some lucky Mystics fans were able to join them by contributing via the annual auction at Sibley Hospital’s Breast Cancer Awareness event. The Mystics posted this video to commemorate the occasion.

Tizz the Season

2011-12-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

So much is happening this time of year: gatherings of family and friends, preparations for home and workplace holiday festivities and gift-giving, and observance of the season in various traditions. We’re busy, too, catering and hosting many private holiday events, and making plans with you in mind. We hope you’ll fit us into your busy schedule, because we’re inviting you to join us for...

Friday, December 16 at 7 p.m: We’ll celebrate the coming of the longest night of the year at our 12th-annual Winter Solstice Dinner at Equinox Restaurant. This special four-course menu is a collaboration between Todd and our new Executive Chef, Karen Nicolas. The meal will begin with the Chefs’ amusées, including White Truffle Fonduta Beignets. Other courses include hearty dishes such as Pan-Roasted Turbot and Juniper-Brined Medallions of Cervena Venison. And, for dessert...Winter Chestmut Cremeux with Brown Butter, Armagnac Toffee Sauce and Hawaiian Coconut Sorbet. All courses meet their match with paired wines. (Limited to 50 seats; $125 per person, all-inclusive; Reservations are required.)

Sunday, December 18, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: A great way to spend time with friends during this season would be to take a short break from the holiday tizzy by catching up over our Market Brunch at Todd Gray's Muse at The Corcoran, and strolling through the galleries (maybe even doing some shopping for holiday presents at the excellent museum shop). Typical brunch offerings might include Baked Vegetable Frittata with Zucchini, Baby Spinach and Fontina Cheese and a seasonal quiche. Relax over brunch in the glorious Corcoran Gallery atrium, and take in a lively musical performance of “diverse harmonic styling” by D.C.’s sensational female acapella group, Epic.

Saturday, December 24, 5:30–10:30 p.m.: We will serve an elegant menu at Equinox Restaurant that can only be described as a Christmas Eve Feast. Guests may select from varied offerings such as Carpaccio of Virginia Black Angus Beef, Butter Poached Lobster, Duo of Roasted Aussie Lamb or Spice Rubbed Pennsylvania Duck Breast. Our vegetarian guests will find tempting sustenance in several courses designed with them in mind, including Green Swiss Chard and Garlic Agnolotti and Baked Ricotta and Spinach Gnudi. Our pastry chef brings the meal to a beautiful finish with an array of festive temptations, including a Chocolate “Bouche de Noel.” (Please contact us for reservations.)

Saturday, December 31, 6 p.m. or 9 p.m. seatings: New Year's Eve at Equinox Restaurant will begin with an oyster roast under the stars, continuing in style with a beautiful and brilliant, flexible menu. Seven courses include stand-out offerings such as Lightly Cured Kampachi with Tangerine Confit, Basil Seeds and Ginger Oil; Hudson Valley Foie Gras Terrine with Shaved Fennel Salad, Rosemary Brioche and Persimmon Mustard. Again, our vegetarian guests will not be disappointed with options such as Chestnut Crepe "Crespelle" with Spinach, Tallegio Cheese and Compressed Asian Pear; and Corn Flour Tagliatelle Noodles with Chanterelle Mushrooms, Wilted Arugula and Housemade Goat’s Milk Ricotta. Desserts include Dark Chocolate Trio of 70% Chocoate Mousse, Dark Chocolate Brownie and Chocolate Sorbet. Structure your own menu of three, five or all seven courses—with or without wine pairings. (Please contact us for reservations.)

Hope you will join us in toasting the holidays this year!

Holiday Gift-Giving Idea: We offer gift certificates for Equinox Restaurant, available online, and for Todd Gray's Watershed Restaurant, available at the restaurant. Cheers!

ALSO HAPPENING...

December 28, at Sanctuary Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic, Todd will be guest chef with Chef Pascal Messier at the Blue Marlin for a festive, seasonal dinner. He says he'll be waiting w/egg nog! You can see the menu here...

Photo by Renée Comet

RECENT BUZZ...

There was nice profile of Todd by writer Josh Novikoff in DCist blog—calling him a "Man of Many Roasts." After listing all of Todd's projects, Novikoff says, "Dude is Everywhere." So true!

Some bloggers joined us for the Friday Night Game Roast on Dec. 9.: Julie (AKA JMDC88) is a vegetarian, who tells us in her post that she felt welcome and included. Lauren DeSantis of Capital Cooking blog said in her post, "A great time was had by all. Even if you missed last Friday's feast, you can check out some upcoming Friday Suppers at Watershed beginning in February." Couldn't have said it better ourselves!

Festivities Starting... Now!

2011-12-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

We've officially launched the holiday season! At Todd Gray’s Watershed, we just hosted the annual holiday party for our extended DC- restaurant-industry family, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). It was an unseasonably warm, almost balmy evening—perfect for cocktails on the patio...

...and Todd’s grilled oysters.

Then we moved indoors for Todd’s signature East Coast Seafood Gumbo and other hearty main dishes...

...saving room for a sweet ending to a convivial evening.

If you’re planning a holiday event for family, friends, colleagues or associates, book now to party at our place! We host events at any of our venues: Todd Gray’s Watershed, Equinox and Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran. Or, our catering service can bring the party to your place!

The next party we’re throwing at our place is our Monthly Friday Night Roast, Hunt Country Fare on Friday, December 9, 7–10 p.m. at Watershed. If you missed out on our sold-out Friday Night Oyster Roast, please plan to reserve your spot for this casual, family-style mixed grill of countryside-sourced meat and fowl, including: Roasted Venison Denver Leg, Cider Brined Roasted Game Hen, and Pheasant & Port Wine Cherry Sausage. We’ll be gathering around the patio bonfire, listening to live music by The Walkaways and featuring beer from our local brewery, DC Brau. $75 per person, all-inclusive. ($75 / 2 people for our NoMa neighbors in zip code 20002). For reservations, please call 202-534-1350.

Celebrate the start of the season with us at our Winter Solstice Dinner at Equinox. Todd and our new Executive Chef, Karen have designed a simple, elegant menu of food-and-wine pairings, as always showcasing seasonal elements and flavors, including: Pan-Roasted Turbot on the Bone with Leek-Wrapped Spaghetti Squash, Miners Lettuce and Infused Lobster Broth; Juniper-Brined Medallions of Cervena Venison with Italian Hazelnut Spaetzle, Slow-Cooked Endive and Quince Mostarda and Winter Chestnut Cremeux with Brown Butter, Armagnac Toffee Sauce and Hawaiian Coconut Sorbet. $150 per person, all-inclusive. Limit of 50 seats. Reservations are requested, please call 202-331-8118.

We will have details soon for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve celebrations!

ALSO HAPPENING...

Market Brunch at Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran, December 18: Every first and third Sun., 11–2, in classic atrium of the Corcoran Gallery we offer a sumputous buffet of brunch classics, which may include dishes such as waffles, quiche, salads and desserts, along with hot mulled apple cider to ward off the chill. Muse guests are entitled to $5 off Corcoran admission, making it even more reasonable to have a fabulous Sunday of brunch and browsing through the current exhibits. Reservations suggested: 202-639-1786.

Photo by Renée Comet

RECENT BUZZ...

Katy Adams and Nikki Schwab have the scoop in their “Yeas & Nays” Examiner column on Todd “bringing DC cuisine to the Caribbean” (where we are heading with friends and family for a brief holiday season retreat)...The Grand Resorts at Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic.

Todd just had a wonderful time in the Dominican at the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic. He got to compete with some great golfers, coming in third! Plus, the event raised much-needed funds for pediatric care in the Dominican and New England. Here's a pic of Todd with David Ortiz, Papi himself.

Holidays With Our Restaurant Family

2011-11-18T10:49:00.000-08:00

Falling leaves and that nip in the air inspire hot mulled cider by the fireplace! That also means that the winter holiday season is drawing close. The holidays remind us of how grateful we are to be surrounded by family, and in our business that includes our team. We have some great plans for our holiday season, which you can read about below. To kick it off, we want to introduce some of our restaurant family. We'll be spending good times with each other this season, and hope you will join us!

Executive Chef Karen Nicolas (Photo by Emily Clack)

For the first time in over 12 years, Todd handed over the reins to a new Executive Chef at Equinox. We are proud to introduce Karen Nicolas, who started in mid-October. As Todd put it, “Chef Nicolas has the experience, talent and collaborative spirit to carry Equinox through the next decade of dining in Washington. I will continue to collaborate with Chef Nicolas on dishes, but her culinary vision will be reflected in the menu.”

Karen comes to us with more than 16 years experience in some of the country's most distinguished restaurants, including Gramercy Tavern in New York City, Simon Pearce in Philadelphia, Soul in Chicago, and Aureole in Las Vegas.

In Washingtonian magazine, Karen described some dishes that she is looking forward to serving our guests: "I want to do a savory chestnut flan or custard with porcini mushrooms, coffee soil, and candied coriander seeds. And I'm thinking about a sous-vide guinea hen dish with some quinoa, preserved lemon, and...roasted banana squash."

Citrus Marinated Beet Salad (Photo by Emily Clack)

Executive Pastry Chef Tom Wellings dreams up the dreamy desserts for all three of our restaurants. If you have been tempted by any of these delights on our menus, blame/thank Tom! He came to us two years ago with impressive experience at wd-50 in New York City, as well as Maestro and Restaurant Eve in Virginia. We love his philosophy: "The synergy between the pastry kitchen and Equinox’s savory kitchen elevates the dining experience, and allows diners to really engage with ingredients."

Executive Pastry Chef Tom Wellings

Tom's dessert below, "Brown Sugar and Pear" (pear sorbet, brown sugar, cream and brandied milk) inspires thoughts of a good Sunday morning cereal—this dessert will evoke mornings in your jammies. Instead of using typical oats, he used buckwheat kernels and manna to give it honey-like sweetness (Manna is tree sap from the middle east—what the Israelites survived on in the desert during Exodus. Yes, it will be in the cookbook!)

Brown Sugar and Pear (Photo by Emily Clack)

Adding Todd Gray's Watershed to our group was a tribute to our love of Eastern Seaboard seafood—especially oysters! So, we needed an Oyster Master, and found Will Sexton. Most recently from Charleston SC, Will has intesive training in handling delicate seafood in the Japanese tradition for a sushi restaurant, and he honed his awesome shucking chops at Coast restaurant. The guy really knows his seafood and has mad knife skills! He has great ambitions for his work at Watershed, including hosting oyster tastings and educating guests about The Oyster Recovery Project's Shell Recycling Initiative.

Will Sexton (Photo by Emily Clack)

Will has even influenced the cocktail menus to change with the raw bar offerings.

In that spirit, we have the Grand Raw Bar Platter (below), a selection of east- and west-coast oysters, jumbo poached shrimp cocktail, steamed lobster and cucumber salad, Carolina mahi mahi, crudo with avocado, and noodle salad with jicama and orange. We like to think it pairs well with some of our new Happy Hour cocktails, including the Boyd & Blair (Boyd & Blair potato vodka, lavendar bitters, horseradish, lemon sour and red ink splash).

Raw Bar Platter (Photo by Emily Clack)

Will's demonstrating his shucking expertise at our (sold-out!) Friday Night Oyster Roast on November 18, 7–10 p.m. We're serving a selection of east coast oysters roasted on the grill; New England clam chowder; fried chicken and more. The Billy Triplett Trio will entertain and we're featuring local brew, DC Brau.

ALSO COMING UP...

Market Brunch: Sunday, November 20, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. is our next Market Brunch at Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran. Please join us in the exquisite atrium of the Corcoran Gallery of Art for a brunch buffet featuring our signature seasonal and locally-sourced menu, with dishes such as Brussels-Style Waffles with Cinnamon Maple Syrup & Whipped Vanilla Cream, and Baked Vegetable Frittata. Classical guitar by Jarret Laskey will accompany your meal as you gather your energy to tour the provocative 30 Americans and other great exhibits. For reservations, please email.

Thanksgiving Dining: Let us cook for you!

Join us for Thanksgiving Dinner at Equinox, 12–7 p.m.; or,

Come to Watershed’s Thanksgiving Feast, 2–5 p.m.

Menus feature Traditional Roasted Heirloom Turkey,  Chestnut Brioche Bread Stuffing, Little Green Beans, Cranberry Compote—and so much more!

Friday Night Game Roast: Friday, December 16, 7–10 p.m., we are hosting a Game Roast at Todd Gray’s Watershed. Last week’s Oyster Roast sold out, so, please be sure to make reservations to taste the offerings on this uniquely wild menu, featuring Warm Quail Eggs in Toasted Brioche, Pheasant & Port Wine Cherry Sausage, Chablis Poached Pear with Whipped Armangnac Vanilla Cream—and more. $75 per person, all inclusive. Please call for reservations: 202-534-1350.

Christmas Eve: Join us for Christmas Eve dinner at Equinox. We'll have all the delicious details soon.

Holiday Parties:
We are booking holiday parties at Equinox & Watershed restaurants and happy-hour cocktail parties at Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran. We also offer Todd’s holiday meals for you to bring to your own home and full catering services for larger parties.

Holiday Getaway to Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic: Join Todd & Ellen at a luxurious tropical resort, Fishing Lodge Cap Cana, Dec. 26–30! Todd is the Culinary Director for Salamander Hospitality (a member of the Salamander Hotels & Resorts family). Please check out these very special rates for this exotic retreat!

Sugar & Champagne Affair: On February 1, 2012, The Washington Humane Society presents the 11th annual dessert and champagne reception to honor local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Humane Educators. This celebration of all things sugary and sweet, showcases tastes from the DC area’s most talented pastry chefs complemented by some of the world’s finest sparkling wines. The VIP reception presents an exclusive savory gathering prepared by the finest chefs of the national capital region. For tickets and info, please visit the Washington Humane Society website.

New Cookbook: We are wrapping up a project very close to our hearts: an ethnically diverse family cookbook that mixes Jewish cooking with today’s modern cuisine trends from a professional and home-cook point of view. We have excellent collaborators who share our joy in the process of bringing to life this labor of love: co-writer, David Hagedorn; and, photographer, Renée Comet. As soon as we can, we'll let you know how to get your own copy. Meanwhile, to learn a little about it (and to see some beautiful photos of our recipes), please visit Renée Comet’s blog, CometPhoto.

Beignets (Photo by Renée Comet)

RECENT BUZZ:

Blogger Marissa Bialecki wrote a cool two-part profile of Todd on the DC News website, "We Love DC." Part two even includes Todd's recipe for Shrimp and Grits.

Sunday Brunch at The Muse & Friday Oyster Roast at The ’Shed

2011-10-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

Brunch can be just the inspiration you need to rise and shine on a Sunday. Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran serves up our signature cuisine in that museum’s glorious classical atrium, and we now host brunch on first and third Sundays of each month, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Please plan to join us for our next one, Nov. 6.

This Tomato Tartine featured the last of
our summer tomatoes.
Photo by Emily Clack

Make a day of it at the Corcoran, fortifying yourself for a tour of the new gallery exhibits by starting with a leisurely Brunch in our Cafe, accompanied by live music. All of our menu selections feature seasonal, local ingredients—many sourced from the nearby FreshFarm Market, by the White House. Definitely plan to catch the Corcoran’s new 30 Americans exhibit—sure to evoke meaningful brunch conversation!

Almond Vanilla Cake
Photo by Emily Clack

Our varied Brunch menu offers a range of dishes to satisfy everyone, including:
• Brussels-Style Waffles with Cinnamon Maple Syrup & Whipped Vanilla Cream
• Path Valley Roasted Beet Salad with Danish Blue Cheese & Spiced Pecans
• Chef’s Selection of Virginia Sausage; and,
• Trickling Springs Yogurt House-Made Granola with Early Autumn Berries.

For Brunch reservations, please phone 202-639-1786, or email here.

OYSTER ROAST • Todd Gray's Watershed • Fri., Nov. 18, 7–10 p.m.

Photo by Emily Clack

At Todd Gray's Watershed, our September Clambake and October Fish Fry were a blast. So, we're really looking forward to our November Oyster Roast! Our new oyster shucker, Will Sexton will ply his considerable expertise at this event. He acquired these skills in several distinguished Charleston, SC seafood restaurants before joining our Watershed family in September.

Our Oyster Roast menu:

• Selection of East Coast Oysters Roasted from the Grill

with Drawn Lemon Butter and Horseradish

• Classic New England Clam Chowder

• Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuits

• Annie’s Southern Fried Chicken

• Baked Potatoes with Vermont Cheddar, Smoked Bacon & Sour Cream

• Iron Skillet String Beans with Toasted Almonds & Sweet Onions

• Chocolate Banana Bread Pudding

Again we'll feature beer by our popular local brewery, DC Brau. Simo, our bar manager is designing a special cocktail menu featuring Boyd & Blair, an excellent potato-based vodka we just discovered. He already dreamed up this unique concoction for our new “Boyd & Blair Hour” bar menu (available Mon.–Fri., 5–7 p.m. at Watershed):

The Boyd & Blair:

Boyd & Blair Potato Vodka

Lavender Bitters, Horseradish, Lemon Sour, Red Ink Splash

The Billy Triplett Trio will play their blend of “down home organic original and cover folk rock bluegrass jams.” And, to keep everyone toasty for this al fresco event, we'll tent the patio and crank up the heat lamps!

Thanks to DC's Brightest Young Things blog for a great article on our October Fish Fry. As writer Kimberly Cardena points out, our hope is to do more for Watershed's neighborhood, NoMa, than to simply bring our "delicious interpretation of Mid-Atlantic coastal cuisine.... [We're] actively working to be a neighborhood gathering place..."

In that spirit, for the Oyster Roast, our regular, all-inclusive rate is $75 per person—but it’s $75 for two NoMa/20002 neighbors. For all details, please visit Watershed’s events page. For reservations, please email us.

ALSO COMING UP...

Farmland Feast: “The locavore party of the year” is how DC Magazine describes this annual event, the primary fundraiser for our area’s invaluable resource, FRESHFARM Markets. On Mon., Nov. 7 at 6 p.m., Todd will join forces with a fantastic group of DC-area chefs to prepare a five-course autumn dinner with local food and wines to benefit the Market’s mission of reaching “both underserved and well-served populations of shoppers: friends, families, neighbors, environmentalists, gardeners, health professionals and, most important, healthy eaters.” For more market and event info, and to buy tickets, please visit the FreshFarm Market website.

Capital Food Fight 2011: Nov. 10, 6 p.m. is the DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) annual chefs’ challenge, and Todd will be competing against three worthy opponents, including Brian McBride of Blue Duck Tavern. Only for such a good cause would we go into battle, given our Kumbaya mentality! Also, we'll join some of DC’s other best restaurants in serving tastes of our signature dishes from Equinox and Watershed. It’s all to help raise funds for the many important DCCK programs: from feeding the hungry to culinary job training to school meal programs. Get in on the excitement, taste the great food, and, most important—help a great organization help a great many people in need! Please see info and buy tickets on the Capital Food Fight website.

Holiday Dining: We’re hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at Watershed and Equinox, with menus featuring Traditional Roasted Heirloom Turkey, Chestnut Brioche Bread Stuffing, Little Green Beans, Cranberry Compote—and so much more! And, we’re booking holiday parties at those restaurants and happy-hour cocktail parties at Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran. We also offer Todd’s holiday meals for you to bring to your own home, and full catering services for larger parties. More delicious details to come!

New Cookbook: We are wrapping up a project very close to our hearts: an ethnically diverse family cookbook that mixes Jewish cooking with today’s modern cuisine trends from a professional and home-cook point of view. We have excellent collaborators who share our joy in the process of bringing to life this labor of love: co-writer, David Hagedorn; and, photographer, Renée Comet. It's off to the publisher this week! As soon as we can, we'll let you know how to get your own copy. Meanwhile, to learn a little about it (and to see some beautiful photos of our recipes), please visit Renée Comet’s blog, CometPhoto.


Whitefish Salad on Toasted “Everything Bagel” Photo by Renée Comet

NEW BUZZ:

Huffington Post's Rachel Tepper writes about Todd’s and Ellen’s personal food preferences in her article, “Todd Gray, Equinox Chef, Is A ‘Domestic Vegan’ At Home.”

In time for Halloween, Ellen talked about “Robert,” the personal ghost that lives in their home, on Metro Connection (a DC-based program on National Public Radio’s WAMU-FM).

Falling Forward

2011-10-12T10:25:00.000-07:00

Goodbye to a long, hot, strange summer with earthquakes, hurricanes and…other disturbances. Those kinds of changeable conditions are creative fuel for us, given our longtime commitment to seasonal, regional fare. And, we draw on that nurtured fluidity in responding to some high-profile critiques of our newest restaurant, Todd Gray’s Watershed.

People ask us, “What do you think of these negative reviews?” Sincerely, we believe that criticism, even when it stings, offers us a chance to reflect on ways to improve. And we’re genuinely grateful for that opportunity. When anyone takes time to offer us feedback, we consider it seriously—whether it’s from mainstream-media food critics, the growing community of knowledgeable food bloggers, contributors to yelp!, or a neighbor.

We’re proud of Watershed—especially for bringing our creative cuisine to the developing NoMA neighborhood. And, as we learn from valued feedback, we expect that our guests’ experiences will only continue to improve. We always hope to satisfy the high standards for food and service that you have come to expect from us.

In the spirit of focusing on that goal, we have a new chef taking the reins at Equinox: Karen Nicolas, former sous chef at Gramercy Tavern in New York City and Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA. We'll be sure to introduce and welcome her here in a future post.

The Watershed Patio

Watershed’s Shrimp & Grits

A Friday Night Fish Fry is a great opportunity to enjoy Watershed. Please join us on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. for an eastern-seaboard tribute to traditional coastal dishes, when we’ll also feature DC’s newest brew, DC Brau. To see our tempting menu and other details, please visit Watershed’s website.

Here are some photos of Watershed’s September Clam Bake...

ALSO COMING UP...

State of the Plate D.C.: We will be attending the conference, State of the Plate D.C.: Sustainable Meat and the Culinary Community, at George Washington University on Mon., Oct. 17. With several other distinguished restaurant owners, chefs and nonprofit organizers, we’ll share the panel, “Making the change: Restaurateurs and chefs share their experiences.” For conference info, please visit the State of the Plate D.C. website.

Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer: Throughout October, 24+ DC area restaurants are donating portions of sales to Take a Bite Out of Breast Cancer and PinkJams! to promote breast cancer awareness to young men and women. Please dine at Watershed on Sun., Oct. 23, when we are donating 25% of profits to them. For more info, please visit the PinkJams!/Take a Bite website.

Sunday Brunch at Toddy Gray's Muse at the Corcoran: Beginning on Sunday, Oct. 23, Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran is bringing back the tradition of brunch at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Every other Sunday we'll present a bounteous buffet of Todd’s finest savory and sweet brunch offerings. On Oct. 23 we will also feature a jazz singer. The Gallery has several exciting new exhibits, including “30 Americans,” which “showcases works by many of the most important African-American artists of the last three decades.” For full details on café hours and the museum, please visit the Corcoran website.

Sunday Brunch buffet at Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran

Recent brunch fare included this fresh-baked,
deep-dish quiche and seasonal fresh fruits.

Capital Food Fight 2011: Nov. 10, 6 p.m. is the DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) annual chefs’ challenge, and Todd will be competing against three worthy opponents. Only for such a good cause would we go into battle, given our Kumbaya mentality! Also, we will join some of DC’s other best restaurants in serving tastes of our signature dishes from Equinox and Watershed. It’s all to help raise funds for the many important DCCK programs: from feeding the hungry to culinary job training to school meal programs. Get in on the excitement, taste the great food, and, most important—help a great organization help a great many people in need! Please see info and buy tickets on the Capital Food Fight website.

Photo by Renée Comet

New Cookbook: We just began working on a project very close to our hearts. With the working title, Kitchen Conversions, it’s an ethnically diverse family cookbook that mixes Jewish cooking with today’s modern cuisine trends from a professional point of view. We have excellent collaborators who share our joy in the process of bringing to life this labor of love: writer, David Hagedorn; and, photographer, Renee Comet. We will be telling you more about this, but meanwhile, to learn a little about it (and to see some beautiful photos of our recipes), please visit Renee Comet’s blog, Cometphoto.

Mallets & George Foreman Grills

2011-03-13T12:11:00.000-07:00

We like to make the boys of St. Alban's to work for their lunch and really what's better to do on a Friday afternoon then pounding a chicken? After a tutorial from Chef Gray all the boys immediately took the mallet and showed that bird who was boss. (I was quite impressed by their skills.) Paillard chicken was on the agenda and the cooking group was shown how a dish that can sound a bit daunting can easily be made with a few ingredients and a few tools.

So they got their hands dirty pounding and marinating, and then grilled those bad birds on an everyday George Forman grill. Who says you have to give up the grill during the cold months? The beauty of the George Forman is it is compact and can achieve great results when used correctly.

The boys even achieved those fancy grill marks by placing the chicken at 5 o'clock, and then turning it clockwise to 7 o'clock. Even I took away a few tricks from class.

But every good chicken needs a saucy friend to accompany it, so as the grills kept cooking they put together an amazing Maple Mustard sauce. Who needs those pre-made sauces in the grocery aisle when you can make a fresh batch that is even more delicious?!

DC chefs better beware because these boys have skills. They even learned the art of presentation and how to schmear the sauce so artfully across the plate before placing their protein on top. Below you can see Chef Gray demonstrating the finer point of decoration.

It was a tasty success for all! Thank you to Dos Gildas for inviting us into her class. So we enjoy bringing the joy of cooking to a new generation of budding foodies.

Here is the recipe for the Maple Mustard sauce. You definitely should whip some up with your next dinner:

3/4 c, Whole Grain Mustard

1/4 c. Dijon Mustard

2 tbs. Maple Syrup

1 tbs. Balsamic Vinegar

3 scallions thinly sliced

1/4 c. toasted pine nuts

tt Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

A Sneak Peek

2011-03-09T17:03:00.000-08:00

The Watershed is so close to opening and we are so excited to show you the newest addition to our family! Here are just a few things you can look forward to:

1. A raw bar!!!!

2. Po Boys and a variety of other sandwiches.

3. Fresh regional seafood

4. And there will be dessert!

You can check out the full menu on the new menu tab I added for the Watershed. And I hope that we wetted your appetite for what is to come. Follow us on twitter (@EquinoxDC) for updates!

Ladies Lunching

2011-03-06T16:17:00.000-08:00

It seems fitting that in this month dedicated to women's history that we, in our own small, way played a part in the First Lady's. It is always an honor to be recognized by the Obama's for our work, and it was a privilege to host Michelle and First Lady of Mexico, Margarita Zavala, for lunch last week.

The duo dined with the lunch crowd in the main dining room, which gave everyone quite a thrill; and they ordered some of Todd's quintessential dishes: pulled chicken saladcwith toasted cashews and frisee with arugula pesto and chopped salad with quail egg and baby beets with sherry mustard vinaigrette. An order of Jerusalem Artichoke Gnocchi with Black Trumpet Mushrooms was shared by the First Ladies as well as Lemon Ricotta Fritters and Caramel Hazelnut Truffles.

While visiting DC, First Lady Zavala has joined Michelle on visits to some of DC's local bilingual schools to read to the children. One of my personal favorites, The Cat in the Hat, was the story of choice for our First Lady to read. It has been quite a whirlwind of activities, and our small role in it is very exciting.

Equinox and the Gray's have a wonderful history with the First Family. One of the Obama's first date nights happened at Equinox back in 2009, Todd has been a guest chef at the White House, and the Gray's have has taken on the call to bring healthier meals and educate our children on good eating habits in the Let's Move Program. And we hope that this relationship will only grown stronger through this presidential term.

Menu Highlights

2011-03-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

Any one who follows us on Twitter (@EquinoxDC) will often see new menu items being talked about and discussed. It is all a part of being seasonal and growing along with what is naturally happening around us. And now we find ourselves March, which for DC means Mother Nature is constantly teasing us with warm weather one day, and then making us bundle up the next; and the apples and hearty greens are start to ween off and we can feel the earth getting ready to sprout summer fruits and vegetables. But what do we do in this in between month? What is the happening things to eat in this time of tranistion? One is Meyer lemons.

And with that I give you 5 things that you did not know about Meyer Lemons:

1. Meyer lemon originate from China and they are believed to be a cross breed between a lemon and tangerine.or orange.
2. They brought state-side by a US Department of Agriculture employerr, Frank Nicholas Meyer, who collected a sample after a trip to China
3. The fruit is more yellow and round then a true lemon and its pulp is a dark yellow and contains up to 10 seeds per fruit.
4. The taste is sweeter, and less acidic in flavor than the more common lemon Lisbon or Eureka grocery store varieties
5. The skin is fragrant and thin, coloured a deep yellow with a slight orange tint when ripe.

Over at Equinox you will see the Meyer Lemon popping up in a few places as well as other some new re-workings of your favorite offerings to bring in what is in season now. So check out the menu page to see what is going on and come by the to see us to give it a taste.

-Veronica

Best of DC 2011

2011-02-22T17:18:00.000-08:00

Best of DC 2011 Large Buttongreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

It's that time of year kids! Where the best of the best are nominated and chosen by the readers of the Washington City Paper in their "Best of" competition. I always enjoy voting in the "Best of" competition because I feel like it is a true reflection of what DC wants and likes. And this year we are throwing our main man, Todd Gray, into the pool an d would love for you to support and vote for him in the "Best Chef" category. So please vote and support Todd and all that he has done for DC!

Budding Chefs

2011-02-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

All pictures taken by Dani of Dos Gildas. Check out the blog: www.dosgildas.com

The boys of St. Albans came by for a cooking class and we had a blast having the boys back in the kitchen. Fun was definitely had by all, and they learned about different cooking techniques and produce, practiced their cutting skills, and even got to use a molcajete, or mortar and pestle, to add some spice to their guacamole.

And of course after all was said and done they got to eat all of it, which was definitely their favorite part of the class.

Not too shabby boys, not shabby at all.

Sugar Rush

2011-02-01T20:56:00.000-08:00

Who let the dogs out? Okay, so that was a completely predictable way to start out but my creativity may be lacking with the amount of sugar rushing through my system. To say that this event was a success is an understatement. This year's Sugar & Champagne exceeded all our expectations, with even more restaurants and wineries participating and the happy new addition of our local food trucks. Why have been people gone to the dogs over this event? Oh, I don't know it could be this....

Or this.....

Or even this...

I am seriously in love with that little goober above. I wish I could have just swooped him up and taken him home. But instead I picked up this cannoli and hoped that calories ingested for charity don't count.

Cupcakes, brownies, donuts, gelato, cookies, panna cotta, mousse, eclairs. Any sweet you could desire was there. My personal favorites were ones with a touch of savoriness to them. Like the donut and hot chocolate from Cork.

The donut was rolled in a mix of cinnamon, sugar, salt, and cardamom, which took this simple sweet treat to a whole new level. I wanted to take them all, but had so many more things to try.

And then there was the sea salt gelato and candied pork belly from Kushi.

This was absolutely unreal. That's all that needs to be said.

The creativity that all of our amazing pastry chefs brought was truly unbelievable.

Yes, there were definitely plenty of sweets and bubbly, but when it comes down to it, people come to support the Washington Humane Society. We are all animal lovers and it shows.

Countdown to Valentine's Day

2011-01-22T09:55:00.000-08:00

Guys, we have officially headed into the either romantic or dangerous territory of Valentine's Day. It is less than a month away and already hearts and pink have inundated the aisles of CVS, Hallmark, and every supermarket in town. So here is where I am going to come in to help the gentlemen of the DC area. The way to a woman's heart, is through her stomach. Yep, girls like to eat, and on the big ol' V-Day you know that we like something a little special. And God knows you won't be able to throw a stick without hitting a Valentine's Day dinner deal around this town. All that is well and good, but I can promise that you will be eating the finest Valentine's day treats at Equinox this February 14th. There may be some "aphrodisiac" leaning ingredients, which you never know until you try if they work. But oysters are delicious no matter what so whether they lend some love powers to their "victims", they are worth indulging in. So check out the menu below, and give us a call to make a reservation.

Valentine’ s Day at Equinox

February 14, 2011

*Glazed Sting Ray Point Oyster with Champagne Zabaglione*

First Course

Creamy Yukon Gold Potato Soup

Buttered Maine Lobster, Lemon Crème Fraiche, American Caviar

West Coast Dungeness Crab Salad

Gala Apple Gelée, Avocado Mousseline, Crispy Garlic Tuille

Second Course

Braised Point Judith Calamari “Risotto”

Iranian Saffron, Sweet Red Pepper, Caramelized Artichoke Hearts

Sautéed Gnocchi of Jerusalem Artichoke

Smoked Eggplant Puree, Red Wine Butter, Black Pepper Pecorino

Third Course

Pan Roasted Dixie Vermillion Snapper

Warm Napa Cabbage Slaw, Grilled Oyster Mushrooms, Spiced Coconut-Snapper Broth

Black Sesame Crusted Arctic Char

Wilted Arrowleaf Spinach, Forest Mushroom “Cannaloni”, Vermouth-Ginger Cream

Fourth Course

Bacon-Wrapped Medallions of Cervena Venison

Sweet Onion “Pisalladiere”, Niçoise Olive Jus, Rosemary Salt

Rosemary Roasted Loin of Veal

Balsamic Glazed Sweetbread, Spinach “Fonduta”, Pinenut-Raisin Jus

Cheese Course

Boutique Cheese with Warm Cashew-Raisin Bread

Twig Farm Goat, Tomme Fleurette, Boerenkaas Gouda, Bleu de Moncenisio

Dessert Course

Chocolate Budino

70% Chocolate Custard, McEvoy Ranch Olive Oil Ice Cream,

Crumbled Chocolate Biscotti, Sel Gris

“Broken Rose”

Rose Mascarpone Ice Cream, Broken Raspberry Macaroon, Lychee Coulis, Raspberry Pudding

Three Courses: $70 with Wine Pairing: $95

Five Courses: $90 with Wine Pairing: $125

Why hello 2011! Sorry I didn't stop by sooner

2011-01-19T18:06:00.000-08:00

So things have been crazy guys, I'm not gonna lie. The day job has been keeping me much too busy for my taste, but now things are a-calming down, so I'm back and can give my own personal spin on all things Equinox, WaterShed, Todd & Ellen Gray, food, wine, etcetera, etcetera! Woo! So let's get to it. The biggest thing on our mind continues to be Sugar & Champagne. I know it was the last thing that we talked about, but really this must-go-to event is just getting better and better, and it hasn't even begun:

1. All those DC Food trucks that you will wait hours for during the work week, will be parked outside the Ritz from 4-8pm, to provide you with your favorite savory treats. Can you say lobstah? Or mac 'n cheese? And they will be donating 50% of their sales to the Washington Humane Society. Holla!

2. So many of your favorite restaurants are coming to participate that it would be just a shame to miss it. The full list can be seen here.

3. All you Top Chef fanatics may see some of our local competitors. (Wink, wink)

4. Puppies!!!

5. Bubbly!!!

I mean if the last 2 reasons don't make you want to come, then we may have to part ways forever. Tickets can be purchased here.

So besides that being in the forefront of our minds, there are a few other things that we are buzzing about. Like the upcoming opening of the Watershed. Words like space flow, menu development, and event planning are being thrown around like Mardi Gras beads around here. It is a pretty exciting time and things are just going to get better. The NOMA neighborhood is just a great community and we are so excited to be a part of this "up and coming" hood. Continue to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for more updates.

So for now I will leave you with those quick reminders. I hope you all have a great week and keep an eye out for further story telling on this here blog. ;)

-Veronica

10th Annual Sugar and Champagne

2010-12-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Things are starting to go to the dogs over here, and I mean that in a completely great way. Now that Christmas has passed the Equinox team is ready to go full steam ahead into one of our favorite events of the year, Sugar & Champagne. For those who are unfamiliar Sugar and Champagne honors The Washington Humane Society’s local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Humane Educators. This beloved DC event was created by our very own Ellen Gray who sits on the board of WHS and is a major animal lover. The Grays have 2 dogs and 2 cats of their own and Ellen wanted to create an event where she brings her love of all things furry and four-legged into an amazing event where food, bubbly, human, and dog come together.

2011 marks our 10th Sugar and Champagne and I thought a little photo montage of our past events would be fitting to get everyone into the spirit of things and show you what you can expect this year:

Small dogs......

Big Dogs....

Little Dogs with Big Men......

Big Dogs with Small Women...

Dogs with Bangs....

And Dogs with Mustaches.....

They wear Bow Ties.....

And they wear Fancy Collars.......

They Eat....

And Schmooze.....

And then Go Back for Seconds....

But Don't Worry There is Plenty for Their Two-Legged Friends to Enjoy....

No Wonder Everyone Looks so Happy....

At Sugar and Champagne We Party the Night Away, Until the Pups Start Pooping Out....

So come join us on February 1st at the Ritz-Carlton, DC. We will be going to the dogs from 6-8 p.m. and hope to see you there. To purchase tickets and for further event information please visit the WHS site.

A Boozy Success

2010-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

DC had it's very own Tuesday Booze-Day (copyright Kathy & Hoda. Thanks very much ladies), this past week in the Spirit of the Festival. Just another great event by the DC International Wine & Food Festival. Though this time around we didn't focus on the wine, but on the those snazzy drinks that mixologists come up with at your favorite eateries. Equinox, Ici, Founding Farmers, PS7, and the cooking team at the International Trade Center came together to showcase a food and mixed drink pairing. Just trying to blow people's minds and show them that mixed drinks can complement food as well, and not just lull you into a gentle buzz and give you the confidence to talk to the hot boy/girl at the end of the bar, (though that is pretty cool)

The variety of drinks went from sweet to spice, to straight up tequila! That's Herradura Tequila to be exact, which was oh so smooth going down. Other liquors of choice were Hendrick's Gin, Chairman Reserved Spice Rum, Patron XO, Woodford Reserve, and Remy Martin. It was a great variety of spirits that elicited some major creativity from our mixologists.

Needless to say that anythings with this much booze was a success. Though I don't think the foi gras or caramel custard hurt either. So be on the look out for our next event as we can promise some fun if you come. If you don't already, follow @EquinoxDC on twitter for updates on all the DC International Wine & Food Festival events among other things.

Mixologists rule the kitchen on November 30th

2010-11-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

If you have not gotten over celebrating this past week. If the tryptophan buzz has not left you dozing on the couch. If you still have room for more......well do I have an idea for you. Take out the calendars and just mark November 30th on it and get ready for another DC Wine & Food Festival Event. This time it is not just about food, but also about mixology and the art of pairing cocktails with a chef's creations. This is a personal favorite subject of mine that I have talked before on the blog and I am very excited to see what will happen next week. Our own Simo will be there representing Equinox and I know he will not dissapoint. Here is a reminder of some of his creations:

And trust me, this is just a teaser. Better things will be happening if you head over to the Ronald Reagan & International Trade Center on November 30th.

So if you are a lover of liquor and a lover of food, or if you love food and your date loves liquor, then really it is just a win-win situation. Head over to out website for more information. And if you are an at-home mixologist then check out information on our Cocktail Contest and throw one of your home recipes into the pool. Or shaker in this case.

-Veronica

What we are thankful for.....

2010-11-22T13:40:00.000-08:00

1. A roof over our heads

2. A fire that is contained in a stove ;)

3. A staff who is our family and has stuck by us through many trials.

4. Diners who love what we do and waited patiently for us to return

5. For the many opportunities that DC has provided for us

(we look forward to continuing in our evolution with you)

6. For our family and friends

7. For the promises of a new year

(it will be here before we know it!)

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Oyster Roast!

2010-11-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

It is officially holiday time and I am ready to get my grub on! Bring on the stretchy pants and let's live up to the stereotype that Americans love to just pack it on. You know what I say, they're just jealous that they don't have their own Thanksgiving and a reason to just go balls to wall, all out, ain't no shame in this turkey game, and show that stuffing who's boss once a year. It is a special day for goodness sake, it's not like we eat like this all the time! But we might as well have some fun with this festive caloric intake. ;)

But since we are in DC so many of us find ourselves sticking around the city, so we can save some of our money for Christmas tickets home, and without the desire or crazy crowd to induce us to cook all the fixins that we connect to the Thanksgiving holiday. So why not say screw that and come by someplace where you know the food is tasty and you'll find common comrades around the fire. And literally there is going to be a fire as we are starting our Thanksgiving off at Equinox with an oyster roast. Yum! This is a Gray family tradition, and I have included the family photos to prove it. There of course will be other traditional Thanksgiving items gracing the menu, but with Todd Gray flair that we all know and love. Check out more details here, http://www.equinoxrestaurant.com/menus/equinox_events.pdf , and give us a call, because we are going to be having a great time and we hope that you will come join us.

Dad showing how it is done.

Harrison practicing his shucking skills

A DC Geography Lesson

2010-10-31T12:05:00.000-07:00

So if you follow our twitter (@EquinoxDC) feed I'm sure you have been noticing NoMa being mentioned. And you may be wondering what's the big deal. And it will be a big deal but I have to be the ass that can't tell you everything and I am sorry about that. But i think you are smart people and know that things our up are sleeves and can speculate, which I will not discourage you from doing. But until I can give you the 411, let's just talk NoMa.

That little acronym has been thrown around lately. If you read DC blogs like DCist or We Love DC, you will have read about the newest burgeoning are of DC. NoMa, or north of Massachusetts (how very New Yorker SoHo/NoHo/Dumbo of us) is located by Union Station, with it's major borders being New York Ave, North Capitol, Florida Ave, and Massachusetts. It also is very close to the hipster haven of H Street NE, and not to far from all the suits on K Street. and if you look at a map it really is almost the center of DC, so I dub it the "nucleus" with us all living in the plasma around. Jeez I really did have to look up cell structure to even figure that out (don't judge me! When is the last time you thought about it?)so I promise to think of a better metaphor next time. If you have any ideas feel free to shout them out.

Well folks, NoMa is a-booming! Current tenants include The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Sirius XM, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and CNN. And according to the Washington Post we can expect NPR, the Community College of the District of Columbia and the U.S. Department of Justice to set up shop soon. Some really cool apartment buildings built up and it is not the isolated little strip of small coffee shops and delis that it was a few years ago. NoMa is becoming the "mixed-use" neighborhood that they envisioned. And by "mixed-use" they mean a place that small businesses, large office, residents, restaurants, bars, etc. exist in a cohesive manner.

I'm jealous of the fact that there will be a Harris Teeter opening this winter. I love the "Teet" and am considering of moving again. Though by the sounds of it there will be a lot of reasons to explore setting up your home base in this neighborhood as it continues to grow. It appears from the July 10, 2010 Washington Post article on the area that the only thing the residents find lacking the amount of sit down restaurants. Hmmmm................(insert foreshadowing here)

Have a great week!

-Veronica

It's Friday Foolery Again

2010-10-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

It's Halloween people! Break out the candy and your sassy costume and let's get this party started. Did you know that Halloween has its roots in the Celtic holiday Samhain? The Irish name Samhain is derived fromOld Irish and means roughly "summer's end" and celebrates the end of the "lighter half" of the year and beginning of the "darker half". The ancient Celts believed that the border between this world and the Otherworld became thin on Samhain, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. And as the cool weather begins to set in we all begin to hibernating just a bit an seeking those warm weather treats that become synonymous with the season.

I absolutely love the ingenuity that chefs, mixologists, and home cooks have this time of year. Like pairing wine with candy corn and roasted pumpkin seeds. And Equinox is no different. Simo making some Fall inspired cocktails: Handcrafted Apple-Pear Cider, Cinnamon Infused Wild Turkey Bourbon, Fresh Lemon Sour & Homemade Spice Bitters. Tom tempting us with such desserts as Tempe Pumpkin Pudding with Ricotta Ice Cream, Toasted Pine Nuts and Brown Butter Emulsion. And Todd always tempting us with dishes like Basil Crusted Rib Eye of Aussi Lamb w/Autumn Lentil Ragu, Carrot Coulis & Olive Jus. Will you just stop people! I cannot handle all these temptations! Oh, who am I kidding? I am so coming over to try a little bit everything.

As we delve deeper into Fall and Winter expect some more surprises. Anything you're particularly craving this winter?

Time to head to the arena, the Arena Stage that is

2010-10-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

It was a busy weekend for the Equinox family. Besides it being Harrison's homecoming weekend, which had Ellen busy selling cupcakes and attending all sorts of sporting events, it was also the Arena Stage's homecoming weekend as well. But this homecoming was a celebration of the Arena Stage returning to its Meade Center location in the SW Waterfront.

Equinox restaurant, partnered with Market Salamander, is privileged to be one of the Center's food vendors and we were down at the celebrations selling some bad ass nibbles to give everyone a taste of what....well.....what they would be tasting when they come back for a show. Despite my lack of descriptive creativity in that last sentence it was a successful day for everyone. Glee club performances, Mayor Fenty acting as Honorary Co-Chair, theatre tours, a sneak peek of "Oklahoma", gorgeous weather that allowed shorts and sundresses to make a final performance before winter truly sets in, and a gathering of people who love DC.

"Oklahoma" will be playing until December 26th, and another show called "Every Tongue Confess" will be starting up November 9th. You can find out more about current and upcoming shows here: http://www.arenastage.org/shows-tickets/the-season/. So head to the waterfront and check out a show and see us at the concession stand.

What the Squash?!

2010-10-20T19:05:00.001-07:00

It's October people. And October equals leaves beginning to change colors, boots and sweaters are pulled out of the nether-regions of our closets and storage container, Halloween costumes are planned, and the usual pumpkins and Jack-o'-Lanterns begin to grace doorsteps.

Pumpkin soup, breads, muffins, lattes, hell even pumpkin pizza has begun to grace every eating establishment in town. While I am all for anything pumpkin, especially pie, there are so many other squashes out there that are with exploring. Ever heard of kabocha squash? If you click on that fun little menu tab above you will find that kabocha graces the Equinox menu. Not pumpkin, acorn, or butternut, nope it's kabocha that we adore.

The varieties are endless and so I took a little inspiration from that to go outside my squash comfort zone at home. Thus I present to you a story of "Sweet Dumpling Squash in Four Acts":

First Act: "He" was whole.

As a whole as a squash could be.

Second Act: "He" spilled his guts.

How easy it was for a squash to to let go.

Third Act: "He" sought warmth.

He knew all squash loved a good roast.

Fourth Acts: "He" learned to play well with others.

Cranberries and squash is like ebony to ivory.

And it was delicious!

Fin!

The End!

Okay I am no playwright but it was yummy.

-Veronica

Inspiration in YouTube form!

2010-10-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

Lauren DeSantis, from Capital Cooking, stopped by the CHOP market and it's like she was reading my mind. I've been jonsing for some butternut squash soup, but really want to try to make it myself instead of heading to the soup aisle of the market. Boom!!! And here she appears making butternut squash soup! Mind.....Blown! So I am going to be taking a few tips from her and I hope that this video will inspire you as well to buy some winter squash as well.

-Veronica

A Diamond in the Rough

2010-10-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

See that dirty rock looking thing above? That loyal readers is a white truffle and it is worth a sizable chunk of change. A true diamond in the rough. If diamonds were fungus that is. But truffles are hot these days and have begun gracing every day restaurant items from fries made in truffle oil to truffle salt on the table.

At this very moment we are in the midst of white truffle season. Forget Fall, Halloween, apple picking, Columbus Day, etc because what is on our brain in truffles and how we are going to use them. The big debate has been risotto or agnolotti on the Equinox Twitter feed. By my count risotto is winning by a couple votes, but I think agnolotti could pull it out in the end.

But until decisions are made I thought it would be beneficial to all of us to know a couple fun food facts about this seasonal guest star:

1. White truffles grow symbiotically with oak, hazel, poplar and beech and fruiting in autumn
2. They grow in both Italy and Croatia but the city of Alba, Italy is the most famous for growing them and hosting a very popular white truffle market and festival.
3. This is not a fact, per se, but I just loved this line from www.lifeinitaly,com: "The white truffle might smell like earth, tree roots and old cheese, but this gastronomical object of desire, from Italy's Piedmont region, is very famous for its aroma, taste and aphrodisiac qualities." I'm personally always looking for an old cheese smell in my aphrodisiacs. :)
4. Back in 2007 a white truffle, weighing in at 3.3. pounds, was purchased for $330,000. Wowzas!
5. Dogs are actually specially trained to smell and hunt for these types of truffles. (This fact actually makes me sad as I want to always imagine a truffle pig hunting for my truffles. And upon further research I found out the dogs began to be trained to hunt for truffles, because the pigs were known for eating too many in the field! Well they are yummy, who could blame them.)
6. A local tradition of Alba is to give a prized white truffle to somebody famous each year of the festival. Past recipients have been: Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Reagan, and also Winston Churchill, Michel Gorbachev and celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Alfred Hitchcock, Rita Hayworth, and Sophia Loren.

A pretty amazing little tuber that packs quite a punch. Now I am really ready to get my truffle on!

-Veronica

Friday Foolery

2010-09-30T17:13:00.000-07:00

It is almost Friday and despite the rain I am so ready to enjoy tomorrow. And there are a few things to look forward to in the next couple days, which always helps as well:

1. Olga, the mastermind behind Mango Tomato, will be demonstrating at CHOP market tomorrow, Friday, afternoon.

She will be making a Curry Butternut Squash soup , which I think will be a very good addition to the stock pile of cold weather recipes. So you better stop on by to have a taste and grab a copy for yourself.

2. Saturday is Crafty Bastards and this is one of my favorite events of the entire year! Local and some out of town crafters will be setting up shop in Adams Morgan to sell their wares from unique clothing and jewelry, kids' toys, accessories for your home, etc. It is a very cool craft fair and you should definitely come check it out between 10 am-5 pm.

Here is a link to the site if you would like to learn more about it: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/about/

3. Oktoberfest!!! We cannot forget about that, and it all month so you have plenty of time. Who cares if you're not German, everyone is allowed and should celebrate. It's just like Cinco De Mayo, even if you are not Mexican you know you will be drinking a very large margarita that night, so let's not pretend otherwise. So whip out your lederhosen and get your Prost on! There are way too many events and local places to name but I did do a fun little search for you that you can check out for ideas: http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/search/oktoberfest%20.html

4. I just found this Youtube video and it seriously just made my evening and I hope it will bring a smile to your day as well.

Have a great weekend!!!

-Veronica

Things are heating up.....

2010-09-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

1. Last Friday night was the first ever Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival that our very own Ellen Kassoff Gray spearheaded with the DC International Food & Wine Festival. And it was an amazing, red, juicy, tomato filled event! The creativity of our local at-home chefs was mind blowing and I overheard so many people giving the event a big thumbs up. My personal favorite is the above tomato tart prepared by April Fulton. Yum!! I had 2 helpings because it was just blowing my mind. There was no opportunity to try everything as I was working the front door and by the time I could get inside some dishes had been cleared out! I was a very sad panda about that, but it was amazing to see tomatoes making everyone so excited. Here are a few other photos of the event and you can see more info on the winners here: http://redfruitfestival.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/and-the-winners-are/.

2. Chef Gray was featured in a CNN piece, just today, to discuss his work with Murch Elementary School and bringing healthy food option back to the cafeteria. You can check out the video here: http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/09/27/rethinking-school-lunch/ We are so happy to have an active role in the Let's Move Program and hope that we can continue to encourage other to take an active role in bettering their own children's schools.

3. And of course we continue to play in the kitchen. We are working on some exciting new dishes and can't wait to show you what we are up to. So stay tuned....

-Veronica

October = Virginia Wine Month

2010-09-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

Picture taken by Carol T. Powers for The New York Times

And as we are only a little over a week away from October 1st I thought I should let you know. (And that is actually a pic of a VA vineyard)

This month is full of great wine-centric festivals, including the Mount Vernon Wine Festival and Virginia Wine Festival, as well as wineries hosting many events on their property. It is worth a trip across the river to go check out some of our fine local vintages and pick up a few good bottles for all those holiday events that are fast approaching.

We are also super excited about a documentary coming out on PBS next month called Vintage: The Winemaker's Year. Here is the synopsis:

Vintage: The Winemaker’s Year is a feature length documentary exploring the rapid growth of the wine industry in Virginia and its increasing impact on the state’s cultural, social, and economic landscape. The film premieres on PBS stations across the nation in October 2010 in coordination with Virginia Wine Month.

You can find further information here: http://bit.ly/d5HKNK

Definitely something worth checking out to learn more about what is happening so close to where we live.

-Veronica

A little food trivia....

2010-09-18T04:58:00.000-07:00

Equinox has been busy testing out some new recipes for the menu as this weather cools and Fall is fast approaching. Yesterday they tweeted:

Monterey white seabass with little neck clams, chorizo and saffron broth appearing on the menu this weekend w/ Pernot Puligny Montrachet '08

And I was immediately wiping up pools of drool of my desk. But I also began to think about saffron that day as well. I am a sucker for saffron. In college I used to go to my Iranian-Jewish friend's house for Shabbat every Friday and her Mom would make the most amazing saffron rice for this special meal. This was my first introduction to this "a little dash packs a punch" spice. Now when I see it on the menu I am immediately sucked in and want to try.

Saffron is a pretty interesting plant with a very long history. The spice comes from the dried stigmas of the saffron crocus and it takes 75,000 blossoms or 225,000 hand-picked stigmas to make a single pound which explains why it is the world’s most expensive spice. But not only is saffron prized for it's taste but also it's color. The word saffron originates from the Arabic word zafran which means yellow. And anyone who has had saffron know that it colors everything a rich golden yellow color. In India this color is considered the epitome of beauty and is the official color of Buddhist monk's robes.

It originates from the Mediterranean, but has been brought to many other countries through the Roman Empire and Muslims from North Africa with the largest current importer being Spain. It turns out that it is even cultivated in small quantities throughout the US, which I was completely unaware of, but is considered a more earthy and not as potent varietal in the gradations of saffron experts.

Whooooo! What a complicated and intricate history this little plant has. If you want even more info, because trust me there is so much more, check out Wikipedia or one of the many online spice encyclopedias for a quick reference about this spice. Or just come over to Equinox and try our new menu and experience saffron for yourself.

-Veronica

You say tomato, I say toe-mah-toe

2010-09-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

The Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival is just a week away and I am so excited with our finalists' entries:

Main Courses:

Mary Cunningham’s Grilled Heirloom Tomato Pizza,
Amy Angelo’s Lasagna Stuffed Tomatoes,
April Fulton’s Tomato Tarte,

Appetizers & Soups:
David Tarre’s Nuovo Caprese with Corn-Fried Mozzarella,
Rosemary Lawler’s Cream of Tomato Soup with Seafood,
Olga Berman’s Roasted Tomato & Dark Cherry Balsamico Soup,

Beverages & Sauces:
Amanda Hine’s Grilled Peach With Tomato Raspberry Sauce & Basil Whipped Cream,
Christiana Aretta’s Green Tomato Ketchup,
Maria Alvarez’s Simo’s Bloody Mary,

Salads:
Mario Raymond’s Panzanella with Lemon Rosemary Sorbet,

Desserts:
McKenzie Severson’s Caprese Cupcakes,
Jessica Sidman’s Green Tomato Marbled Goat Cheese Ice Cream,
Maggie Sklar & Sandy Ibrahim’s Sundried Tomato Goat Cheesecake,

I am especially intrigued by the desserts, aren't you? I will be all over that on September 24th and will try to remember to leave you some to try.

You can pick up tickets by usung this link: http://redfruitfestival.wordpress.com/tickets/. And what beeter way to kick off your weekend than at a festivall supporting our local homecooks and chefs.

-Veronica

Food in the News

2010-09-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

(AP Photo/Cook It Raw, Erik Refner)

The "Cook It Raw" event that is taking place this year at Levi Lapland, Finland has been hitting the news quite a bit. And there is definitely good reason to see what these incredible chefs are up to. If you are not familiar with the "Cook It Raw" event the premise is that chefs come into a new location each year (this is the 3rd event) where they hunt, forage, and fish and then prepare meals while trying to leave the smallest footprint on the environment. This is a sustainable and locavore mentality to the umpteenth power, and it is super exciting to see what they came up with.

I think this event brings to light how we need to brings ourselves back to the earth, dirt, and root of food and cooking. We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to things like overfishing, pumping animals full of hormones, global warming, etc. when it inevitably will affect what we will be able to eat in the future. Chef Bottura, from Milan, Italy puts it best when he states "Our cuisine is no longer about liking or not liking something," he explained. "It's about trying to influence everyday life. If I put aesthetics and ethics together, that is the future of cuisine."

Definitely read this Associate Press article to find out more about this extraordinary event: http://bit.ly/95RZ8o

-Veronica

Chefs Move to Schools

2010-09-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Most school lunch programs in this country are abysmal, to say the least. But with an outstanding spokesperson in the White House, Michelle Obama, who has spearheaded the Let's Move Program, one can only hope that our next generation of eaters will be more conscious of what they put in their mouths.

Chef Gray, along with other great chefs, have stood behind her efforts with their participation in the Chef's Move to School branch of her program. By adopting a school, Murch Elementary School to be exact, Chef Gray hopes to make kids active participants in where their food comes from; there by making them more excited to eat those fruits and veggies parents are always trying to convince them to eat.

Just this past Saturday Chef Gray, along with his son Harrison, spoke to "A Chef's Table with Jim Colman" about the importance of this program and teaching our children good eating habits from day 1. You can listen to the podcast of the show by clicking here: http://www.whyy.org/91FM/chef/index.html

Hope you enjoy.

-Veronica

Let's Give them Something to Talk about......

2010-09-11T08:19:00.000-07:00

While food is the main attraction at Equinox, your definitely should round out the meal with a great glass of wine. Chef Todd and Ellen have a serious love of wine and that has spilled over into the restaurant as well as the recent renovations. The back room, that can be used for special events, is also our very own little chapel to liquid grapes. In fact, Tasting Table wrote up a wonderful article on our wine list, which is definitely worth a gander:

http://tastingtable.com/entry_detail/dc/2011/Equinox_makes_its_wine_list_the_star.htm

So come on by and make Travis, in-house sommelier, work for his paycheck and ask what will go with that dish you just ordered. It is well worth it.

-Veronica

What we are excited about...

2010-09-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

"Irena Salina's award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century - The World Water Crisis."

This is an eye opening documentary and definitely worth your time to watch.

Watermelon! Recipes are in the works so be on the look out.

Chef Gray has been up to a lot of trouble lately and by trouble I mean some awesomeness. Besides just receiving the American Culinary Federation Cutting Edge Award, he has a couple of cook off competitions under his belt. He tied with Chef Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Masa 14 at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic and won Cadillac's Culinary Challenge Test Drive against Chef Eric Ziebold of CityZen.

Anything you're excited about and would like to share with us?

-Veronica

RED FRUIT FESTIVAL

2010-09-02T09:23:00.000-07:00

Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival

Featuring the talent of renowned Mid Atlantic Chefs:

Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant

RJ Cooper, Rogue 24

Xavier DeShayes, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Brendan Dorr, B&O American Brasserie

Jerry Edwards, Chef’s Expressions

Beej Flamholz, Beej Flamholz LLC

Matt Hess, The Wine Kitchen

Kaz Okochi, KAZ Sushi Bistro and Masa 14

Mike Lund, Food

Aaron McClould, The Vintage Restaurant Group

Chefs Christophe Poteaux and Michelle Garbee-Poteaux, Bastille

John Walsh, Chef’s Expressions

Meet The Judges

Meet The Judges of The Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival’s Tomato Recipe Contest :

Bonnie Benwick {The Washington Post}

Marybeth Albright {DC Magazine}

Nycci Nellis {TheListAreYouOnIt.com}

Ed Bruske {The Slow Cook}

Laura Anthony {US Botanical Garden}

Annie Lou Bayly {Daily Candy}

Julia Rapley {Vice President of Events and Sales Ronald Reagan International Trade Center}

Behind the Curtain and Into the Kitchen

2010-08-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

It starts as quiet. Laughter as jokes and rips are thrown at one another, and a relative calm permeates throughout the kitchen. And then in a 7-minute period seven tables have been seated and have put in their orders. Ranging from 2 tops to a group of 22, the kitchen and the people within it are struck by a lightning bolt of energy as the game begins.

It can be described as a dance, a well-oiled machine, or a bit of a military march, but no matter what it is a team. Everyone has his or her part and if one person doesn’t make it, then nobody does. As one person opens an oven door, another person instinctively moves forward; one-person turns, and another moves in to the plate. It is all fluid motions that come from a well-trained team. One on the grill, another on vegetables, another on pasta, soup, and hot appetizers, and yet another who runs the tickets, plates the dishes, and makes sure that the other people are on point. And there is still one person on salads and cheese, desserts, dishwashers, and food runners.

And lastly, there is of course Chef. He stands over everyone, giving the orders, keeping track of the flow, and coming when help is needed. Consistently checking that the plate is right: the temperature, the garnish, and the flavor. This is one of the many reasons that Equinox remains on the top of the DC restaurant list; when the chef is in the kitchen the message of the restaurant remains clear and constant.

The heat is rising in the kitchen and the tickets are still whirring out. Though the since of urgency has increased, there is still a clear and calm line of attack as everyone continues to move through the orders. It is a symphony of clangs, sizzling protein, towels wiping plates, water hitting cutlery for washing, and footsteps moving through this “dance”. It has a hypnotizing effect on me as I try to put together how it all works.

Finally we have seemed to meet an impasse and the calm sets in again. Jokes and laughter begin to run through the kitchen as people tease each other on how that was just too easy. It appears all is calm again, until tomorrow.

-Veronica

Tomatoes unite DC food bloggers

2010-08-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

It was a great night over at the restaurant as we hosted DC food & garden bloggers for a meet and greet happy hour in honor of the upcoming Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival. The excitement as this event has been coming together has been making all of us giddy, but seeing so many others coming on board and wanting to be a part of this first time event has been taking the "excitement" to a whole new level. Already we hear people discussing recipes they are thinking of submitting or even trying to pick one out the many already in their arsenal. And the mix of blogs was great with long time bloggers, such as The Arugula Files and Mango & Tomato, and newer blogs, like One Vanilla Bean, coming together and proving that DC is a forced to be reckoned with in the culinary world.

But the Mid Atlantic Red Fruit Festival is not just for bloggers, it is for anyone who is a cooking/tomato growing enthusiast. And I encourage anyone who has a great tomato recipe to please submit. The more the merrier, as they say. Or if you would just like to come to the festival and check out the show, that is great as well. It is going to be an amazing event with great food, chefs, and wine. So please go to the site for further details on recipe rules and festival event info: http://redfruitfestival.wordpress.com/

You can also like us on Facebook, follow the twitter, or sign up for a messenger pigeon to come to you daily with updates. Okay maybe not the pigeon, but every other form of technology is available for you to stay up to date on all things tomato.

-Veronica

September 24th: The Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival

2010-08-04T05:57:00.000-07:00

I am sending out some serious smoke signals over here to all my fellow lovers of food and home-cook aficionados as there is an upcoming event that is going to be the talk of the town. The 1st annual Mid-Atlantic Red Fruit Festival!!!! But what does this oh so fancy title mean, you ask. Well the Red-Fruit Festival is a celebration of our current local harvest with a specific emphasis to our lovely, seedy, and blushing produce. Why? More like why not!!

This is not the time to delve into minutiae, unless it involves wondering what red fruit is being featured and what will the festival entail....well I am so glad you asked! This year's red fruit is the tomato and the festival is inviting all creative homes cooks, bloggers, and gardeners to send in their best recipes. A panel of judges will pick a group of finalists who will be cooking live at the festival on September 24th at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center. If you are interested please follow the link and read more of the details and rules about recipe entry: http://redfruitfestival.wordpress.com/

The festival is open to everyone to watch, taste, and be merry as we celebrate this ever versatile fruit and those who have made it into the finals. So please check out the site for details on tickets and times. This is going to be a wonderful event and part of the proceeds will be going to Seed for Schools which "collects and redistributes seeds to schools and community gardens in our region that have a demonstrated commitment to engaging children with life science and nutrition". So whether you would like to be competitor or just an avid watcher, the festival is going to be a great event to celebrate DC and all that this season has to offer.

You can also "like" us on Facebook and receive up to date info on what is happening with the festival: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mid-Atlantic-Red-Fruit-Festival/102698856455632

-Veronica

FAIR Fund Garden Bling

2010-08-03T05:12:00.000-07:00

Just in my last post I wrote about the charitable doings of Todd & Ellen, and now the Washington Social Diary is talking about it as well! I would like to think they got the idea from me, but I think that can just be labelled wishful thinking. :)

If you follow this link, http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/1903072, and scroll down past the Housewives of DC (please!) you will see a very nice article about the recent FAIR Fund charity dinner that the Gray's hosted in their home.

-Veronica

Charity in the city

2010-07-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

We are a true DC establishment over here at Equinox Restaurant. Our location alone puts us in the heart of the movers and shakers and it doesn’t hurt to have the White House as your neighbor. But more than that we take pride in being part of this great city and love being actively involved in our community. Besides signing on to actively participate in Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” program and establishing an edible garden at Murch Elementary School, Equinox partakes in many outside events that benefit different charities or aimed at educating people on responsible eating/buying habits.

Just last week we set up shop at the Washingtonian Magazine “Best of” party which contained a plethora of different restaurants and vendors who all put together amazing dishes. And while everyone was having fun noshing, socializing, and seeing a couple past Top Chef contestants it was good to know that a portion of the ticket money was going to support charity.

Our tomato-watermelon gazapacho was hit with the masses on such a hot night. The spicy concoction with a fruity twist even turned some gazpacho haters into lovers. The atmosphere of the evening was just plain happy and as we joked around with out table partners, Charlie Palmer Steak, and snuck over to Georgetown Cupcake to sneak over a few to try, I was reminded of how lucky I am to be in this place, in this city, and surrounded by some of the best people that I have met in my time here.

It has been a busy summer for everyone in the Equinox family; and the likelihood of it slowing down is nil to none, and we really wouldn’t want it any other way.

-Veronica

August 5th Dining Under The Stars on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza

2010-07-22T10:36:00.000-07:00

Ultimate Summer Supper Under the Stars to be Shared on

The Woodrow Wilson Plaza

Limited Tickets Remain for the August 5, 2010 Debut of the Urban Farm Table on the Plaza

(July 21, 2010) It’s the first lesson every American learns as soon as they are old enough to sit at a picnic table: summer’s bounty tastes best when enjoyed outside. The event coordinators behind Washington, DC’s annual International Food and Wine Festival have tapped into the mythology of the American cookout and will up the the ante on al fresco dining with the debut of the Urban Farm Table. The occasional series of one-of-a-kind dining experiences launches Thursday, August 5, 2010 with a four-course celebration prepared by leading local chefs including Todd Gray of Equinox in an exceptional one-night-only setting.

This singular summer supper will be served at long communal tables under the stars in the center of Woodrow Wilson Plaza at the Ronald Reagan Building (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004). The Washington Wine Academy will pair sippable summer wines with each dish. Tailor-made for area foodies, the Urban Farm Table on the Plaza will gather like-minded diners together in an unprecedented cityscape and share access to the producers and creators of fine food. The invitation to the Urban Farm Table on the Plaza extends the mission of the International Food and Wine Festival: to connect diners with leading local and international producers and chefs, but for an exclusive, one-night-only celebration.

Says organizer Ellen Kassoff Gray, “The Urban Farm Table on the Plaza is more than a barbeque with a bureaucratic backdrop. We know it’ll be a special evening for our 80 guests and I’m sure it will inspire more people to consider not just what they eat but how they celebrate community.”

The presenting chefs for Urban Farm Table on the Plaza are Olivier Perret of Ici Urban Bistro; Todd Gray of Equinox; Xavier Deshayes of Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center; and Tiffany MacIssac of Birch & Barkey and ChurchKey. Note: Chef bios and collaborative menu below.

The “star-studded” evening has been timed for maximum twinkle: canapes will be passed at sunset (8p.m.), and guests will be called to the table at dusk (8:45 p.m.). General admission tickets are $70; $60 for Tastepost.com members. Parking will available in the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center.

Menu

Urban Farm Table on the Plaza, August 5, 2010

Canape Reception

Kluge Estate and Winery Blanc de Blanc NV (Charlottesville, VA)

Olivier Perret: Ici Urban Bistro

Sweet Pea Veloute with Grilled Carolina Day Boat Shrimp, Pea Tendrils, Olive Oil Foam

Albrecht Reisling Reserve 2009 (Alsace, France)

Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant

Grilled Golden River Trout with Summer Succotash, Benton’s Tennessee Ham, Sweet Corn Vinaigrette

Nautilus Pinot Noir 2008 (Marlborough, NZ)

Xavier Deshayes, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

Fire Roasted Ayreshire Farm Beef Striploin and Stuffed Baby Zucchini with Morel Mushrooms, Roquefort Beurre “Maitre d’Hotel”

Bodega Weinert Malbec 2004 (Argentina)

Tiffany MacIssac: Birch & Barley and ChurchKey

Jasmine Tea Mousse, Plum Sorbet with Coconut Cream and Yuzu

Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2009 (Italy)

***

For Tickets email

wineandfoodeventsdc@gmail.com

Summer Dishes - a must try

2010-07-05T05:43:00.000-07:00

Summer Menu Highlights:

After an amazing staff meeting this past week, I have to highlight 2 dishes that you must try. That’s right, I’m not even asking I am demanding you to. (Pretty please? With cherries on top?)

First is the Creamy Carolina Sweet Corn Soup with the added bonus of lump crab meat, fava beans, and lemon verbana. Obviously corn is the main character but what those little added bonuses do is offset the sweetness in a very subtle way. And with summer corn starting to overflow the markets this could be the “Lady Gaga” of the menu, as in a fierce star that you must get to know now.

Second is Fettuccine with Pork Ragout, which includes chickpeas, roasted corn, and sweet garlic butter. This dish has the earthy and hearty flavors that are so often seen in the colder months and then put aside once the heat hits. But here you will find those same intense flavors, without the heaviness that can coincide with winter dishes. The sauce is light and buttery with pork that just melts in your mouth. (Now I’m salivating!) If corn soup is this month’s Lady Gaga, than this dish is like the Rolling Stones; a class act that never gets old.

So what is everyone waiting for? Turn off the computer and head down here because I know you are hungry and want to give these a try.

-Veronica

Below are some photos of the new Equinox!

Veronica meets Simo

2010-06-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

When I go out for a drink I tend to keep it simple: beer or wine. In fact I consider myself more of a beer lover above all. Rum and cokes, vodka and cranberries, gin and tonics, etc. were drinks that filled my oh so “just turned 21 and don’t really know what to order” drinking days with bartenders tending to be heavy on the liquor and just splashing in a mixer. When most of us were 21 we were most likely trying to get a buzz and not trying to truly enjoy a cocktail. (At least I hope most of us went through that point in our lives.) But if you put yourself safely in the hands of an expert mixologist you will find that there is an art form behind cocktails and these purveyors of distilled liquids take as much care with their ingredients as any top chef. What is seasonal and fresh helps develop the cocktail offerings just as much as the regular menu.

My introduction to Simo, resident Equinox mixologist, has presented me with a vocabulary of techniques and ingredients that I’m still trying to grasp. But being the avid student that I am, I decided to sit down with him at the bar and be his guinea pig for the night. It was a tough decision guys, but someone had to do it. In his able hands, and using dishes for inspiration, I learned that just like wine or beer, a great cocktail could complement and enhance your meal. So let this be a 3 cocktail story that brought out the best on my plate. That’s right….3!

Cocktail 1: grapefruit juice, sake, lemon verbena essence, Chinese wolfberry syrup, with start anise garnish. Out of the 3 cocktails of the night I found this one the most interesting and complex. The flavors were ones that you would generally encounter in an Asian dish, but now these were put into liquid form, which was just a new taste adventure for me. The cocktail was paired with the crispy blue crab spring rolls with lemon aioli. Oh my yumminess!!! The spring rolls are crispy, light, and have a wonderful brininess from the fresh crab. Its shell is thin and does not take over the entire roll, like you will find with the some of the usual take out Chinese restaurants. This allows the crab to be the main player; as it should be. With the cocktail’s hint of lemon, the aioli was enhanced, and the licorice taste of the star anise, which only intensified as it sat in the drink, was the perfect accent to the sweet cream

Cocktail 2: lychee lemonade, Campari, St. Germain, CapRock organic gin, and red wine. Now this is a cocktail that made me want to high tail it to the pool and let myself soak up the sun (maybe with a cute cabana boy for company). It was sweet, floral with lavender and elderflower, and pink in color; this is what you want to sip on a hot summer day. But the addition of red wine mellows the drink out so you are not just having a dessert cocktail. What also helps calm the sweetness is to combine it with a dish that is savory. A salad of bacon and asparagus that was topped with a refined “toad in the hole” made with brioche toast and a quail egg was the perfect complement. Both the drink and salad are light and are a great intro for your dining experience. Nothing is over the top so you are not immediately weighed down, but instead left wanting just a bit more. The best kind of tease there is!

Cocktail 3: brown sugar, orange bitters, cinnamon infused bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of sour mix. Spicy….that is the only way to describe this drink. The orange hits you toward the end, but you are first bombarded with cinnamon that just warms your throat. Take a sip of this and then have a bite of perfectly cooked beef. The meat already tastes amazing because it has the earthy taste that comes through with grass fed cows. Combine it with this drink and that taste is enhanced ten-fold. I didn’t want to stop taking a sip and then having a bite. It was the ying and yang, the Burt and Ernie, a happy marriage of food and cocktail combinations. In other words, this was good. Capital g, Good!

So are you ready to try? Put yourself at the bar and let Simo work his magic on you. Pick an appetizer, salad, entrée, or dessert and leave your drink choice up to him and you will not regret it.

-Veronica

Todd Gray Speaks at The White House

2010-06-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Friday June 4th 2010

I adopted Murch Elementary last year – a public school here in Washington, DC.

Working through the schools administration we visited during lunch and assessed what the kids were eating. All though there were some fruits and available much of it was actually going into the trash. From this observation it became clear to me that the kids may have heard that these foods are “good for you” – but they were not necessarily eating them.

I needed to somehow make these nourishing foods more appealing to the kids by helping them to have more respect for wholesome foods. By helping them to experience more about the origins of their food and involving them in the process they developed wonder and natural curiosity took over.

It dawned on me that as chefs; what comes so natural to us is not so accessible to kids – many of them are not invited into a kitchen or a garden on a regular basis – food is something that is put in front of them and they are told to eat it. But they have tremendous curiosity – it was not hard to get them excited. This is where a chef can have the most impact in a school – bringing this opportunity to the entire school population.

This needs an approach that involves the teachers, the parents and the school administration. What developed from this process was a community set on changing not just the foods offered to kids but the way the kids look at food in general. The parents and teachers became just as excited about the project as the kids did.

We held several meetings in the school library with a core group of participating parents to plot the year and how we would do this together – I guided them on the food end they guided me on teaching their kids.

The teachers at Murch began to incorporate the idea of a school garden and cooking into the classroom through earth sciences where they were taught about geminating seeds to mathematics where fractions are a natural part of following a recipe.

Kids are not into preaching as we all know – they only learn and act when they are excited about something – That’s why this required a hands on tactic to teaching them to how to plant, harvest and cook some very basic produce – the idea got them excited and most importantly interested.

One of the most successful ways of accomplishing this is hands on cooking classes – The don’t have to be complex – we set up several stations in the gym or on the playground and gave kids simple tasks to do while preparing a meal for the entire group. They enjoyed simple tasks like mixing ingredients for a panzanella and making simple vinaigrette. It gave them pride in their creation – and bonus – they got to eat it! I demonstrated to them how to trim an asparagus – by giving them their own pile to then work with I saw them laughing and having a great time with it – they were involved in the process not just cooked for and told what to eat because its healthy.

The parents are just as excited about the cooking tips as the kids. Our classes became a meeting point for a sort of Q&A with the “school chef”. I encouraged and answered so many cooking questions from parents on everything from proper cooking times of a chicken to healthy alternative for deserts. I am doing them quarterly with a seasonal emphasis. Involving the kids and parents together in these classes gave the group a foundation to work together. Kids love the idea of a team.

This is where we chefs – we men and women in white can help out because kids see our whites and instinctively listen to us – they see us as a definite authority figure when it comes to food. This is why we are so valuable to this movement.

We started a little village of gardeners at Murch school, the parents, the faculty and the kids, it grew into a community that I led – that is something I never experienced before.

Its incredibly gratifying to make such a difference in a school – to be in a position of leadership for an entire community is incredible – it’s a terrific way to be so appreciated outside of my own kitchen.

Its very helpful to interweave the food and where it comes from into the school curriculum. This helped to build a discussion point for kids and parents at home and in the classroom on whatever level they chose – some kids like the cooking part some like the math part – some just like the eating part – but the substance was there for this dialogue to take place. My cooking demonstrations gave families a starting point for conversation – it was an activity that brought them together.

Every community is different – the key to success is approaching that community is from being a member of it – by adopting a school you become not just a member but a leader. Not one that is coming to preach to them how they should change their eating habits – but one showing them how and most importantly involving them in the process. They need the seed of guidance and then I found that the community takes over and makes its own way – all will be different – all situations/budgets and administrators are different – you have to recognize and respect that.

This project has been one of the most rewarding aspect of my 25 year career as a chef. I never dreamed of this in culinary school – but this is the evolution of things and we are needed right now to share our culinary education and experience with our next generation of diners.

Make a commitment to the school and these kids –it will change your life professionally and personally – our own son is so proud of what we are doing and asks us all the time – “when are you coming to my school?”   - Chef Todd Gray ~ The White House 2010 

20831734 | Your Lightbox Photos | The Washington Post

2010-06-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

20831734 | Your Lightbox Photos | The Washington Post

A Monumental Memorial Day in DC

2010-06-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day has come to mean many things to American culture. The official creation of Memorial Day back in 1868 was to give a day of remembrance to those who had died in service, originally during the Civil War. It has now become a day to honor men and women who have given their lives during all military engagements that the United States has been a part of. Did you know that it also was originally called Decoration Day? Just thought I would throw another interesting fact at ya. But Memorial Day has also become a day to celebrate life, to gather with our friends and families, and enjoy what we have at this very moment.

It also seems to be the definitive marker for Summer to begin, which can only mean that it is time to fire up the charcoal and cook the ubiquitous hamburger and hot dogs that grace most of our gatherings. But let’s get one thing straightened out here before we go on any further, what most of us call a Memorial Day BBQ is really not….is your mind blown yet? A BBQ purist will tell you that barbecuing involves cooking your meat low and slow for hours or even days. What most of us are doing is grilling, which is when you cook over high, direct heat for a much shorter period. So what was happening was grilling and we did some damn good grilling on Monday.

The usual food suspects were there but with the Equinox twist and attention to only having the best ingredients that all of us have come to adore. Handmade hot dogs and hamburgers, fresh brioche buns, coleslaw, potato salad, and of course it wouldn’t be a party without something sweet. Is strawberry cake with fresh whipped cream good enough? Why yes it is!

When humans are near fire and are in the act of cooking food over it I feel like our inner caveman starts creeping up to the surface. I have nothing wrong with that when the results are so delicious. I only had a hot dog, so I could not speak of the hamburgers virtues, since when anyone is grilling I must have one or my life would be over as we know it; dramatic, but true. And these dogs were spicy, smoky and had that great pop when you bite into them, which can only be achieved from being cooked over the flames.

The weather was beautiful, good people surrounded us, and even our own personal chef guitarist was there to serenade us. We only let him stop when he expressed the need for food. Selfish, I know! J But you never know, when you come to Equinox sometime you may see him playing again. So come by and see us because the doors are open again and we are looking good.

-Veronica

Veronica takes on the National Zoo

2010-05-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

Zoofari…more like Zoo-you might need to roll me out of here because I just stuffed my face and have grown to a rather unmanageable size-fari. Doesn’t quite roll of the tongue with that title I think. But it’s okay, right, since it’s for charity…right? Anyone?
Let’s get down to brass tacks here Zoofari is a great cause and you can feel good about yourself, but it’s about the food. (Though the wine and beer doesn’t hurt either.) It is one of the best foodie events of the season in DC with 120+ restaurants and food vendors set up along the winding paths. And were talking the good ones, the restaurants that most of us young professionals pray are going to be participating in restaurant week so that we have an excuse to blow some of our money there in a more affordable way. Zola, Central, Vidalia, Commonwealth, Belga, Taberna Del Alabradero, Coco Sala, etc; with a so many restaurants you know the offerings were to die for, or at least to go into a food coma for.

I make it sound like warfare! Though when I think of it it can be a bit like warfare when it comes to these events. First you have your mission: Eat/drink as much as possible without getting sick. Second you have a game plan: Avoid eating in the first 10 feet of entering. The really good stuff is toward the back of the event so you need to quickly haul ass down there. And then take a look around before you begin piling your plates. Third you have obstacles to overcome: The dessert offerings are toward the front of the event, but you should not, I repeat, should not stuff you face in here first, take it from me. Grab a cupcake and then save it for later. Also lines will try to deter you, but I say move past them and head to the next booth, you can always go back. I hope you are taking notes because my advice is like gold doubloons that you should stash away for future food pirating experiences.

And, of course, our beloved Equinox was part of the Zoofari experience as well, dishing out a few treats to get everyone’s taste buds ready for the delectables that would soon be bombarding their palates. What I really appreciated about Chef Gray’s offerings was that they were really the perfect size, as in bite sized.

A Buttermilk Biscuit topped with Wild Ramp Butter and Duck Ham and a Brioche Grilled Gruyere Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Chutney and Chive Flower - sensible food to eat standing, with your hands and in a crowd.

Both were just enough and not so unwieldy that you were worried that cheese will drip on you and you are doing the infamous hunch and hold as you try to look cute in your sundress and cutest platforms. Perhaps that is only a girl concern, but still with the magnitude of food that was being passed out it was nice to just have a bite so you do not feel like such a glutton. Both appetizers were approachable for both adults and children, while being refined ideas of dishes that all of us have had in one form or another. I am also just huge fan of the salty sweet combination in foods and both were right on target: sweet corn with salty prosciutto, a touch of sweetness in the brioche that offset the cheese and chutney. My mouth is seriously starting to water over here, and I am getting strange looks from the other coffee shop residents. Stay cool Veronica, play it cool.

The most impressive part of all of this is what chefs are capable of cooking outside of their kitchen. The Equinox staff had to set up shop in a tool shed with the bare minimum tools that could fit on the table: griddle, knife, cutting board, a tub of chutney, etc. I can barely cook in my own kitchen sometimes, but this why I am the interpreter and they are the food experts. Because did I mention that I set my toaster oven on fire once? I’m just saying that this is just one of the many reasons why we are all better off with me being the avid observer.

-Veronica

p.s. it is countdown time everyone! Equinox will soon be reopening their doors and I hope that everyone is excited as I am. So look forward to Memorial Day weekend and more news on upcoming events and news.

G.R.O.W. Growing Roots of Washington DC - starts with the kids!

2010-05-17T20:20:00.000-07:00

Chef Gray has been tapped by the Administration to consult on carrying out the mission of the First Lady of the United States to put healthier food on the table at lunch time for our nations children. We are working with Ben Murch Elementary in NW DC to help with this mission.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eauyq7_onXU

CHOP - Grilled Mushrooms!

2010-05-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

Capital Harvest on the Plaza (CHOP) has come back to the Ronald Reagan & International Trade Center along with the warm weather and sunshine that we have all been aching for. I swear that when the spring/summer farmer markets re-open it is a sign to retire closed toe shoes and get ready for the heat. If you work around Metro Center/ Federal Triangle then you should definitely stop by on Fridays from 12-5pm and check out the amazing variety of vendors. The smell of kettle korn alone will draw you in.

The market also offers chef demos at 12:30 pm showing how you can use the products that are at the market to make a delicious meal. With the variety of products at CHOP there are so many possibilities, which is very exciting for anyone who sees certain produce and has no idea how to cook it or what to make with it. (I’m looking at you rhubarb!)

At Last week's demo Chef Gray put together a Grilled Wold Mushroom Salad with Frisee, Toasted Hazelnut and Mustard Seed Vinaigrette. He used a combination of oyster and shitake mushrooms that he lightly coated with olive oil salt and pepper and put right on the grill. I know it seems silly but I honestly never think of grilling mushrooms unless it is in kabob form. And really this is mistake as the grill gives a whole different taste to mushrooms. The smoke brings out its earthy taste and they stay a bit firmer, in a good way, when cooked in this way. I have often looked at clusters of oyster mushrooms but am always a bit fearful of these fungi and how to tackle cooking them. With the grill you put the whole cluster on and that is that. Once cooked you cut the caps from the stem and can make stock out of the stems if you choose to.

Another great trick that we learned was that you can take your roasted nuts, put them in foil or plastic wrap, and use a heavy bottomed pan to crush them. No fuss no muss. And who doesn’t love to learn a quick tip that saves you from dirtying your food processor. You can see a picture of this technique below.

At the end of the demo the crowd was very happy with the results. We actually ran out of samples (sorry!). It was delicious so I can understand how that happened. Demos will continue to take place and everyone should come out and check them out. You can go to CHOP’s website to see who will be doing future demos: http://www.capitalharvestdc.com/Demos.html.

Some of DCs best chefs will be coming out and you can support a great event. And like I said before, the kettle korn alone is worth the trip.

-Veronica

CHOP MARKET = Capital Harvest on the Plaza

2010-05-16T10:36:00.000-07:00

Meet the farmers, producers and chefs of CHOP (e-i-e-i-o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOmDtCrE9jY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcxrEMngj7s&feature=channel

Enjoy!
Todd & Ellen