A DC Weekend of Food- Part 1 - Oya

A last minute trip to the city for the second daughter model shoot in a month (different daughter this time) meant that we needed to stay in the city near my son's salon, PR@Partners at Metro Center. Since we were going to be there I wanted to find a really outstanding restaurant, but quickly found out that the very best restaurants are often booked well in advance. I wanted more than a meal, I wanted a great food experience with food and ambiance that matched, something I could never find within an hour's drive of Newport News. I wanted something special, something amazing.

After checking with friends, checking Washingtonian's list of favorite restaurants, Zagat, and fellow bloggers, I picked a handful and made calls and sent emails trying to find one that would take pity on me despite the fact that it was the final weekend of Cherry Blossom in DC. An email to Oya, a restaurant my son had been to before and one that came highly recommended and explained my situation and amazingly they said they could accommodate us. I had checked out the menu and Oya's menu included an Asian/French/American fusion that included dishes as diverse as a crispy shrimp roll, braised beef short ribs, and tofu caprese. This seemed like a great match for our family since we have very diverse food tastes. So with our dinner reservation made, we focused on our main reason for this trip- Bridget's editorial photo shoot. While she spent hours getting her hair highlighted, the rest of us checked into the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel and Molly and I checked out Filene's Basement, just about a block away at The Shops at National Press.

Finally, Bridget was finished for the night and she and young Gavin came to the hotel and we got ready to walk over to Oya for dinner. I have to admit I was a little anxious, because my husband is more of a traditionalist, and while he has adventurous taste in food, he is not that into the trendy, two-bite plate restaurant scene. It was really important to me that everyone have a great time and enjoy the evening. The jaunt to the restaurant was a very pleasant walk, and Oya's sleek glass facade was inviting, especially since we were all hungry.

Oya was breathtaking from the moment we stepped inside and saw the curtain of chains and the long modern fireplace. At this point (the chain wall) my husband said, "Never, never again",and I was really worried that this was going to be a really long night. We were quickly seated at a table near the fireplace, and our server came to welcome us and take our drink orders.While we waited we had time to look around and take in the incredible atmosphere. Besides the very cool fireplace and the aforementioned chain wall, a waterfall separated the front side of the house from the kitchen, a floor to ceiling capiz shell chandelier created a focal point and a wall of white roses continued a theme that combined old world elegance and modern lines into an environment that defies description. As we settled in, my husband began to relax a bit and our server brought us a dish of something that looked and tasted like bite-sized cheese popovers that we hot and delicious- light and airy. I had already decided I was going to take advantage of Oya's Prix Fixe dinner that offers three courses and a variety of choices- I saw this as not only economical but a great way to try several different dishes. Bridget, my husband and Molly all decided to do the same, but my son Gavin, a sushi aficionado, wanted sushi instead, so off we went. As the first course, Gavin Sr. and Bridget ordered the Spicy Tuna Roll , Molly ordered the chicken skewers that came with three different dipping sauces, and I ordered the calamari. Whatever doubts my husband may have had at the outset of the evening, were eliminated with the first bites of food- he thought the spicy tuna roll was the best sushi he had ever had. Molly, who at 15, is always the toughest to please, ate every bit of her chicken and everyone was sharing so that we could taste more than one thing. My calamari was as cute as it was delicious. Delivered in a small wire mesh basket lined with faux newsprint, they came with a spicy Thai chili sauce, the perfect complement for the crisp and tender rings. Portions were surprisingly good for a small plate-type restaurant, meaning that each diner could have a good portion for themselves with still a few bites to share.

The next course meant that young Gavin's plate of sushi arrived along with my husband's roast chicken, my salmon, Bridget's scallops and Molly's Spicy California and Chef Selection. While the music kept the energy up, our table was quiet as everyone was focused on their food which was incredible.My salmon was perfectly cooked, sauces were the understudy and not the star, and vegetables were crisp-tender. How do I know my husband loved his? Nothing but a bone left on his plate and he didn't even comment on the Lady Gaga music in the background.

Though we were getting full, we were anxiously awaiting our desserts since we had read a lot about Oya's selections. Molly and Bridget both chose the sorbet, which was three small scoops, one each of strawberry, coconut and mango. I had the molten chocolate cake that came with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream. Gavin had the bread pudding (no picture-it was gone before I could capture it on film!) that I had read a lot about and he was blown away-he usually doesn't like bread pudding but this dish was so good that he refused tastes of even my molten chocolate cake because he didn't want to spoil that taste on his palate!

Oya was everything I wanted for my city dining experience. So often a place that looks as impressive as Oya does not measure up when the food arrives, but we were all delighted-Oya was a place where the ambiance was more than matched by the delectable food. The Prix Fixe menu has got to be one of the best deals in Washington, but the full menu offers some really delicious sounding morsels that would bring me back to Oya. While the environs are unique and provide a plush and welcoming venue, it is the food that makes Oya something special.

"Iron Chef" Cabin Camping

It will take me awhile to catch up so I am going back to the beginning of this crazy summer to bring you up to date on some fun and great food we have had. If you have read this blog you know that my family gravitates toward either the beach or the mountains for relaxation and recreation. Several weeks ago some friends of ours called and said they wanted to go camping before they were reassigned (they are military) since they could wind up anywhere. Even though it was not the best time since I was in the middle of proposal season and camping takes a lot of preparation, I thought we might be able to do it if there was a cabin, since then we wouldn't have to pack and carry our tent. I have to say, that I really didn't expect there to be one available, since cabins are usually all booked in the on season, but there was one available and so we were on for a weekend in the mountains!

Some of the best part of camping is the food, but it takes a lot of planning. Luckily, our friend Julie was up for a camping"Iron Chef", and so we set about splitting the meals and developed menus for the trip. For my dinner, I made a great recipe that I actually found on Foodbuzz for a flank steak and delicious cheesy polenta. But Julie blew me totally away this trip. She made a delicious version of eggs benedict that used thinly sliced roast beef with sauteed mushrooms instead of ham and a cream and cheese sauce instead of the routine hollandaise. Served on sliced brioche from Anderson's Cafe, a fabulous cafe in an upscale garden shop here in Newport News, this dish was a real hit, definitely better than usual camping food,and Julie even poached her eggs on a camp stove!!! I was amazed, since this is a skill I have yet to master. Round 1- Advantage Julie

I was sure that I could blow her out of the water since I had made homemade venison sausage.I planned pancakes but on a whim, I made the leftover cheesy polenta into patties and fried them with the sausage, and they were a great hit, the cheesy creaminess making the perfect complement to the spicy sausage. Since I had to cook in the rain- I give myself extra points. Round 2- Advantage Me

Our next dinner, Julie made a mushroom soup with toasted cheese sandwiches made from the Anderson's brioche with brie and gruyere cheese, and a clone of the Bonefish Grill's Saucy Shrimp Appetizer that was out of this world! Round 3-Goes to Julie

I hope I am not making it sound as if it were all competition since we had an awesome time with good friends, hanging out by the fire, talking and laughing and soaking up the beautiful scenery at Crabtree Falls. Besides the great food the hit of the trip was our tennis racket-style bug zapper which provided some unexpected entertainment, and our Mayan hammock which provided a great place for hanging out (and sleeping, for Lilly!)

Saucy Shrimp Appetizer Clone From Bonefish Grill*

1 ounce butter
5 ounces (50/60 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 of the Bonefish Grill lime-tomato-garlic sauce (see below)
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1. Add butter to sauté pan, coating pan. Pour excess butter out. Sauté shrimp, olives and sun-dried tomatoes until shrimp turn opaque.

2. Add one-fourth of the lime tomato garlic sauce (see note). Toss the
sauce with shrimp and vegetables and remove the pan from the heat.

3. Pour all ingredients onto an appetizer plate. Top with crumbled
feta and a pinch of parsley.

Lime-tomato-garlic sauce: Place 1/2 cup roughly chopped
sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh tomatoes, 1/4 cup
lemon juice, juice from 2 limes, 1/4 cup chopped garlic, 1/2 cup white wine and 5 tablespoons granulated sugar in saucepan. Stir and let cook until reduced in volume by half. Add 1 cup heavy cream, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon white pepper. Stir and let simmer until the mixture thickens. On medium to low heat, slowly add 2 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces) until melted. Remove pan from heat when all of the butter is incorporated.
Makes enough for 4 servings

*Adapted from:
http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/eatingout/eating_b/bonefish-shrimp-appetizer.htm


Awesome Julie's take on Anderson's Showplace Eggs Benedict*

1 loaf of Brioche, sliced
1 lb. of sliced deli roast beef, chopped
4 Portabella mushroom caps, diced
8 eggs
1 batch of mornay sauce (recipe below)
1 bag of baby spinach

1. Toast Brioche and set aside.
2. Boil water in deep skillet for poached eggs
3. Place mushrooms in pan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (if you
chose- if you are using a non-stick skillet this is not needed) and
saute.
4. Once mushrooms are cooked add chopped roast beef. Mix well and allow
to heat through.
5. Begin poaching your eggs and steam spinach.
6. Once eggs are cooked to order, put toasted bread on plate, top with beef, spinach and mushrooms. Add egg and top with mornay sauce and serve.
Serves 4

Mornay Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups hot milk
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Gruyere
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Dash ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Dash of cayenne pepper

1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Add flour and
cook slowly for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat. The mixture should get foamy or frothy but not brown.
2. Add the hot milk and whisk vigorously until smooth. Add the seasonings and return to the heat and boil for about 1 minute over medium high heat. Remove from heat, add cheeses and stir
until incorporated completely. Add cayenne.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

An Old New Kitchen Island

Since the time we first bought our house, about 9 years ago, I really wanted an island in my kitchen, but since we added a two-story addition, there just was no money in the budget to accommodate that fantasy. Every time we have visited a house with an island, I have just loved how an island, even a small one, can enhance work flow and provide additional prep space. This most recently was brought to mind when we stayed at the beach house for the girls' birthday last April. The house had a small granite-topped island(right) that served as a baking center with all appliances, equipment and accessories for baking collected in one place. Since this island was in the center of a kitchen about the same size as mine, I started thinking that this is something that would work and so I started looking around for some alternatives that would not require demolition and construction.

The first alternative we thought about is an old butcher block, something my husband has always wanted. But while they look awesome and offer some prep/counter area, the drawbacks are that they are extremely heavy, and they offer no additional storage, something I was really hoping to gain.

I started looking at a kitchen-cart type of island. I thought that would give me space, and I could position it where I wanted to provide extra workspace and flexibility. I checked several sites including my staples Amazon and Overstock, as well as some others such as ekitchenislands.com
and Kitchen Island Superstore. I was impressed with the versatility that there was- so I knew I was not the only one with "kitchen island envy".However, I had a hard time finding something with the features I wanted in my price range.

Then a possible solution fell into our laps. We have been buying furniture at auction for most of our married life, and our favorite haunt is the Phoebus Auction Gallery. Their catalog for each auction is online so it is easy to find whatever you are looking for. And if you know what you are looking for and set yourself a spending limit, you can get great deals on furniture, rugs, art...just about anything you could need for your home. Which brings me back to my island.In looking at the auction catalog, I saw an antique store counter made of oak and it occurred to me that it might make a good island, offering both the prep space and storage we wanted, with the added bonus of being a real antique. After taking the measurements, it appeared that it would fit so we prepared to bid, but we had an alternative - we thought if it didn't fit well in the kitchen, we would use it in the den to hold our TV. Since most of the full-featured kitchen carts run in the $300-$600, we thought if we could get this piece for under $300 we would be happy. Since the piece had some character, even including original square head nails, we thought it would blend well with the whole feel of our house.

My husband is the auction bidder, but I watched the action in real time from home on Proxibid,and we got the counter for $250!! It is now in our kitchen, and the longer it is there the more I wonder how we lived without it, I bought baskets and made extra storage on the shelves. and the top provides a great place to put groceries on the way to the fridge or pantry , and extra space for chopping (on a cutting board,of course) Our dilemma now? Originally we thought we would have a piece of granite cut to cover the top to protect the wood, however, the wood surface has such a beautiful patina that we are rethinking our decision.



So now - see what you think about our makeshift kitchen island. I would love to hear what you think, and whether you think we should cover the counter or not. Do you think it looks out of place in our traditional kitchen? Should we move it to the den for the television or does it look right at home?

Training in DC-and the Peking Gourmet Inn

How can it have been a month since my last post?Well, it has been a busy time,with budget season and the new Congress and stimulus package excitement making my day job crazy, and tons of freelance work with super-tight deadlines taking up my free (?!) hours during the evening and weekends,when I cook it has primarily been just to get everyone fed. However, I want to share a food experience I had on a recent jaunt to Washington DC.

Learning about the new Congress is part of my day job, so when I had to attend a 1-day workshop in DC, I decided to drive up the night before and stay with Katie and Gavin in the big city (well, kind of, they live in Arlington) Since I hate driving at night I left in time to get to their place by evening and hung out with Gavin until Katie got off from work at 7 PM. I know you won't believe this but after lamenting how I hate taking down Christmas decorations, I ended up taking down Katie's Christmas tree and packing up her holiday things (it had to be done, and I guess she inherited the I-hate-taking-down-Christmas-stuff-gene from me), while Gavin introduced me to his latest collection of YouTube favorites.

When Katie returned, she was so excited,saying she was taking me somewhere special for dinner we drove to an unassuming little strip mall to the Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church. I had heard about this restaurant from my husband who had gone with Katie on his big weekend going to the Redskins game (one of the few games they won this season!), so I was prepared that when we drove up, it had a unassuming facade in a little strip mall. Once we stepped inside I was pleasantly surprised, the restaurant was cozy without being cramped, and I was greeted with the restaurants"wall of fame" sporting pictures of all the politicos and celebrities that have come there to eat (this restaurant was apparently President George 41's favorite).

We settled into a booth and were greeted by Mr.Wong, a friendly and experienced server. we looked at the menu trying to pick from the dishes.Peking duck, the restaurants specialty,was a no-brainer since we all love that, and you cannot go to a Chinese restaurant without eggrolls. Katie is not as fond of spicy dishes and Gavin and I both like spicy so we tried to find a mix of foods that we could enjoy. We finally settled on Sweet and Sour Chicken (Katie's choice) and Szechwan Beef Proper (Gavin's choice).

While going to a new restaurant to eat is a fun experience, going to a meal with Katie and Gavin is an experience in and of itself . They pick at and insult each other, all in fun, of course and they are just so funny together- they have such a great relationship and it is so much fun to be with them. Mr Wong brought our eggrolls first and they were delicious, crisp on he outside with tender,well seasoned insides that were not laden with grease as can often happen when cooking eggrolls. You can see that Gavin gave these the thumbs-up! Frankly, I could have eaten more but I didn't want to fill up with all the food we had ordered.

Next, a small table was set up beside us, signaling the coming of the Peking duck. This was dramatically presented and artfully carved right at the table. Our server was more than pleased to pose with the deliciously crisp and fragrant duck before carving, and he ensured each serving had a mix of crisp skin succulent white and dark meat. As he carved he carefully removed any excess fat so that our Mandarin pancakes were full of the flavors that make Peking duck so delightful. It was so delicious, a special treat since I hadn't had Peking duck in a really long time. The duck was such a star , that the other dishes paled in comparison. The sweet and sour chicken was just okay and the Szechwan beef proper was not what I expected (sweet-hot) and was more like beef candy, however it was really pretty. As you can see,though, Gavin gave the whole dinner a thumbs-up!

I know you won't believe that after all this food we actually were interested in dessert, but Katie really thought the toffee bananas sounded great and we decided we could share. Gavin wanted to try the coconut ice cream so we took the plunge, but our server informed us that the bananas were too soft for toffee bananas but we could have toffee apples instead. We were in for another tableside show with our dessert as well. The server dipped the apple chunks that had been coated in batter and fried into a bowl of toffee sauce and then dropped them one by one in a bowl of ice water so that the morsels developed a crunchy exterior- it was great, like a Chinese version of apple pie - we ate every bite. We had a taste of Gavin's coconut ice cream which was awesome and we agreed that next time we would have the toffee apples and ice cream together.

We left the restaurant stuffed, with our take-home boxes in hand. The experience was really fun, but next time I would increase the eggrolls and have just the Peking duck with perhaps a veggie dish on the side, because the duck was clearly the star of the meal. I know our picture won't end upon the wall of fame, but the Peking Gourmet Inn still treated us like we were celebrities!

Getting the Basic Necessities

Can you imagine a more bucolic name for a place than Nellysford? Just the name of the little hamlet conjures visions of green pastures with cows and goats, long slow days and country stores. In fact, it is the home of Wintergreen Resort, a four-season resort in the mountains of Virginia. While being near Wintergreen and its winery is a nice part of Nellysford, our favorite part is a tiny vine-covered building that houses Basic Necessities, a combination cheese-wine shop and cafe that has become part of our routine when we head to the mountains to camp. Our love affair with Basic Necessities started when we began heading to Crozet for lunch at La Coccina del Sol on our way to Crabtree Falls. Nearly halfway between Crozet and Crabtree, we found this lovely little shop and stopped to check it out.

When walking in, you are immediately assailed by the smell of freshly baked breads and whatever soups and specials are on the menu for the day. While Basic Necessities is tiny, it is packed with culinary treasures from their assortment of outstanding cheeses, to their fresh-baked breads, to their wine room- the focus is on offering customers the best of the best. We got a bottle of wine, some cheeses and a baguette that was still warm and decided to forego the dinner we had planned and instead have fruit, cheese and bread after we set up camp.

The staff at Basic Necessities is always helpful, no matter how busy they are. When they had run out of a cheese we had had before, they took the time to write down the name for our friends so they could look for it in their own area. Owners Kay Pfaltz, Bev Lacey and Keith Dix are a part of the slow food movement and in the summer months offer organic produce for their customers as well. Their affiliation with Blue Heron Farm, a pesticide-free farm less than two miles away enables them to provide local produce to their many devotees.

I can't imagine a more delicious meal than being surrounded by the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, ripping into a fresh baguette and slathering it with soft and creamy Tallegio cheese. It has become part of camping routine, and now we have taken to stopping on the way down the mountain so that we can bring a bit of Basic Necessities home. If you live near Nellysford or travel to the area, be sure to check it out- you will not be disappointed. They offer high quality, delicious food in a warm, friendly atmosphere. And try the cafe - my family has not done so yet because of our Coccina del Sol addiction, but people line up to eat in their cozy back room, and if the food tastes as good as it smells- you are in for a real experience! If you are near Nellysford, stopping by this shop is a basic necessity!

Preparing for Hanna

There are plenty of lists about what to do to get ready for a storm, assuming you are sheltering in place, not evacuating. Having flashlights, gassing your car, getting water and canned goods are all very important, but having been without power for 14 days after Isabel, I am going to share with you a few things you might want to do that probably not on any of those lists.

1) Do your laundry- If you end up with no power and lots of cleanup in the aftermath of the storm, you will be glad to have clean towels and underwear. We were lucky after Isabel that a friend offered to help by taking our laundry to her house which had power and washing it for us, but that was a very special friend, and I wouldn't count on that from just anyone.

2) Wash your dishes- Without power, you don't want to be stuck with a lot of dirty dishes that you then will have to wash by hand.

3) Clean out the fridge - If the power is out for an extended time the last thing you need is some two-week old leftovers or slimy lettuce in your fridge smelling it (and your kitchen) up!

Are there other suggestions you have for helping to shelter in place without losing your mind?

Getting ready for the storm

Here we are in the midst of hurricane season for the mid-Atlantic, and as we head toward the anniversary of the worst storm in 40years to hit the Hampton Roads, Isabel, it looks like we are faced with a triple threat in the Atlantic- Hanna, Ike, and Josephine are headed our way. We are starting to make our storm preparations, and I thought it would be interesting to hear from others what they are doing to prepare for the storm or any tips for weathering a storm. Whether it be a hurricane or a winter storm, you need plans for power outages, food that is easy to prepare, and things to keep the electronic generation busy when the power is out and you are sheltering in place. Let me know what you are doing or have done to get ready for a storm or any tips that may be helpful to others facing this triple threat!

A Taste of Italy (at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg)

With my daughter in town and a week off, we were determined to do some fun and tourist-y things while she was here. Since we have season's passes to Busch Gardens Williamsburg,we decided to go there as a family and hit the roller coasters

Amusement parks no matter how good they are are not exactly known for great food (or reasonable prices!), and we ate lunch before we left so no one would be hungry, and we figured we would leave before dinner. But everyone was having a great time and the weather was awesome (warm but low humidity, nice breeze), so we decided to find something to eat for dinner and close the park down. As a park that is centered on countries of Europe, there are great opportunities for some fantastic food, however, when you are serving thousands of people of varying tastes, that can be challenging. We have tasted food at the Festhaus (Bratwurst, German potato salad, and mile-high sandwiches), at the Smokehouse where they have incredible ribs, but our favorite place to eat at Busch Gardens is in Italy, where they have homemade pasta (they really make it themselves-see picture of their chefs working, right). We always order one of the platters because there is plenty of food for two and a variety of things to try.

We ordered the Mamma Stella platter that had eggplant parmagiana, chicken parmesan, and spinach cannelloni,with more than enough food for two hungry people and at $10.49, one of the best food deals in the park. So we had our Italian Olympic meal away from home and then headed for the Roman Rapids - a fitting end, wouldn't you say?! So my recipe for good eating on a budget at Busch Gardens? Head to Italy... and mangia!

Countdown to the Olympics- One World, One Dream

One of the reasons that I started this blog was to encourage families to use food as a way to bring them together, to make occasions out of everyday events. I have written in this blog about football Sundays and Chinese New Year's Eve, and now, as the Olympics approach, while the athletes are training and the broadcasters are putting together vignettes on the athletes, the Chinese government is trying to clean up the air for the games, and the torch is making its way to the Bird's Nest Stadium, I am collecting Olympic Trivia and looking for new recipes for the Dowd version of the Olympics! I started doing this years ago when my children were young and now, even though they are older, they look forward to the Olympics as a family event.

What makes this so special? Each night of the Olympics we have food from a different country. Our tradition is to begin on opening night with Greek food, paying homage to the site of the first Olympic games, and we always end the games with the food of the country of the next Olympic games. Between these two we choose a country for each night including the host country. It is a great way to experience different cuisines, to learn about different cultures, and make an evening of TV viewing into a family event. We post the country by flag each day of the Olympics on the refrigerator, and we have contests throughout the games- questions about Olympic sports, the ancient Olympic games, geography, history and culture of the host country, with the winners getting small prizes that I get. We each post our predictions for the country bringing home the most gold medals and predictions for the number of US medals in the games on a chalkboard that hangs in our kitchen. I makes for a fun time and often attracts friends and neighbors who want to be part of the Olympic dream (without the intense training and sore muscles!)

Sound daunting? It needn't be. Have pizza or spaghetti for Italian night, hamburgers and hot dogs for American night, order out Chinese to honor the host country, or bring home sushi for Japanese night. Fussy eaters? Choose traditional foods and translate your menu into a foreign language using one of the many internet translation tools. Eat with chopsticks, open fortune cookies, make curry, and boboti, and quiche, and souvlaki. There is a world of dishes and you can pick something challenging and complicated or something simple- it is all about the experience.

This year our Olympic fest is a little more challenging since my husband and I are on the South Beach diet. Our normal Greek meal has in the past been pastitsio made from the Jeff Smith book on three ancient cuisines (a great source of recipes, by the way). I love pastitsio because of its no-nonsense combination of pasta,meat and tomatoes topped by a creamy custard with a hint of cinnamon. This Friday though, we are shunning pasta and will have a dish of marinated lamb served with tzatziki, and a Greek Salad. And for each night after that we will be making our way around the world in both food and sports. I will try to post recipes and pictures throughout the games and I hope you will be inspired to join in the Olympic spirit as well. It is a great way to bring your family, and the world, together on common ground. One World, One Dream.

Cafeteria Food at a Nuclear Physics Lab

Most of you who have read this blog for awhile or who have checked out my profile know that my "day job" is working in the Director's Office at Jefferson Lab, a nuclear physics research lab, here in Newport News, Virginia. There is always something fascinating going on at the Lab whether it is the forefront research being conducted by our users, or technology being utilized for medical imaging, or the Upgrade of our accelerator that will help us address what the New York Times called "one of the 10 questions to ponder for the millennium". At a facility with a population of nearly 1000 from 35 states and 27 countries even the hallway conversation is interesting.

Like tech giants Google and Microsoft, we are lucky at JLab to have an onsite cafeteria. While we have to pay for our meals, our Quark Cafe is staffed by a CIA-trained chef Chris Thornhill, and run by the Compass Group, a multinational food service company that runs cafeterias at countless universities, companies and numerous restaurants as well. How can you meet the diverse dietary needs and international tastes of Jefferson Lab's staff, users, and visitors? Chef Chris serves up everything from Southern favorites as sausage gravy and biscuits to handmade sushi rolls to order to meet the needs of his clientele. The Quark Cafe's most used piece of equipment? The espresso machine which is a favorite with our scientists no matter where they are from. The Quark Cafe offers a salad and deli bar every day, two soup choices, and entrees that include cafeteria standards such as meat loaf or chicken divan as well as more exotic falafel and stuffed eggplant.

Every Thursday, besides our regular menu choices, staff and users are invited to the Chef's Table, a special entree made to order by Chef Chris at a special cooking station set up where he can be observed working his culinary magic. Chef's Table entrees always attract a crowd- Chris has featured mussels and clams in wine sauce, salad with beef tenderloin and blue cheese (pictured left, courtesy of JLab photographer Greg Adams), a seafood plate that included crab cake, salmon fillet and shrimp in a light cream sauce, and my personal favorite , made-to-order sushi rolls. Chef's Table gives us the chance to get a restaurant quality meal at about half the price, watch a chef in action and enjoy Chris' easy banter without even leaving the site.

Our cafeteria is more than just a quick place to grab a bite, the staff there is like family to those 15 minutes or 15 hours away from home. We know their names (Gaye, Chris, Dan, Sandra and Dianne) and they know ours. They know who is watching their carbs, who likes liver, and what "the usual" is for their regular customers. It is that atmosphere that is as important to those who dine at the Quark Cafe as the food itself.

The Quark Cafe is so much a part of life at Jefferson Lab, it is hard to imagine what it would be like not to have such a great place to get a good breakfast or lunch right on site. What do you do for lunch? Brown bag it? Go out? Eat at your desk? Or do you have your own cafeteria that you frequent. I invited you to lunch at JLab, now it's your turn to take us along for your lunch break!

Check out My article on the Quark Cafe and get Chef Chris' recipe for Asian Beef Stir Fry at
http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-taste_jlab_0625jun25,0,619746.story.

Hampton Roads-- Where's the Beef?

If you live within driving distance of Williamsburg,VA and you have a great recipe using Certified Angus Beef, have I got a contest for you! In conjunction with the Michelob ULTRA Open, The Junior League and Certified Angus Beef brand is sponsoring a recipe contest with the prize of $50 worth of Certified Angus Beef each month for a year. How do I know about this opportunity? I have been asked to be part of a panel of judges headed by Certified Angus Beef corporate chef Scott Popovic, who will prepare the winning recipe at a luncheon at the Kingsmill resort!

So when I got the invitation, I did a little research about Certified Angus Beef and I learned a lot. While I know the basics about beef, how it is graded and what to look for in a good piece of beef, I really didn't know what was special about Certified Angus Beef. Particularly today, when consumers are looking for meat that is not only delicious but healthy, I was pleased to find out that Certified Angus Beef offers a line of Natural beef . They use a "never, never, never" (clever, huh?) policy, where animals are never given hormones other growth enhancers, never given antibiotics, and never given anything other than natural foods and forage. You can check out their site for more information, and some great recipes. And if you are in the Hampton Roads area or its surrounds, check out the contest rules at http://www.dailypress.com/features/dp-%20now_beefcontestmar14,0,1009724.storyand brush off your best beef recipes. Who knows? Maybe I will get to taste one of your recipes!

Lunching at the Ringling Brothers Pie Car

The "Core Four" had a great opportunity today to enjoy an eating experience that usually enjoyed only by the staff and performers who travel with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus' Red Unit. We got to enjoy a meal on the "pie car", the train car that provides the food for the hundreds of trainers, performers, maintenance and set-up staff that make up the Greatest Show on Earth. A friend of ours who works with the circus invited us to come and have a meal and take a behind-the-scenes look. The circus actually has a red team and a blue team and this year it was the red team that came to our area (see right Al Roker on the blue team's pie car- for more of a behind the scenes look, see the Ringling Brother's site where this photo is posted) Since it is such an unusual experience (and a wonderful one) I wanted to share it with you to give you a peek inside a world that is very different from the one most of us are part of everyday.

When the circus comes to town, some staff and performers stay near the arena but the bulk of the people who make the circus happen live on a set of train cars that are "parked" during the show's run in a town and are bussed back and forth to the arena. Besides going to the pie car we had the opportunity to see a room for one of the staff. On the train, every inch is used, the corridors are tiny, only one person can pass through at a time. Most rooms have sleeping berths with a mini-kitchen like you would see in a small camper. The room we saw was described as one of the larger ones and it was about 8x10 feet but had been made a home on rails by its occupant.

The pie car takes up an entire train car and inside it looks like a diner with booths (see the Core Four seated, left) with a long narrow kitchen at the end. The kitchen has to be open 24 hours just like your home kitchen so people can come down to get a midnight snack or glass of milk. We were greeted by one of the Ringling chefs, Xavier, who had joined the circus in January. The day we were there, the train was celebrating their 100th show since they started the season in January (this was March 3rd to give you an idea of how hard these people work). He let us know our choices - tilapia, beef or chicken shish kebab, salad, macaroni and cheese or rice as a side. My husband and I, trying to observe Lent, opted for the tilapia (I had macaroni and cheese, my husband, rice) and the girls had mixed beef and chicken shish kebab). Our friend also brought along a young local politician and the chef from a local restaurant, who was quickly co-opted by Xavier to check out his kitchen (I don't think he will ever complain about how tight his kitchen is after that experience!) While we waited for our meals we had a chance to talk with some of the circus employees who were lingering over their meals in the pie car. They hailed from all over-New York City, Virginia's Eastern Shore, Southside of Chicago, Brooklyn and Hell's Kitchen (now the new Times Square, Xavier noted). They all were friendly and anxious to tell stories about their time with the circus, what the traveling life is like and how their time with the circus is a way to build their future. One electrician, a proud teamster, was getting additional skill, training and experience so he could start his own HVAC business. Xavier, our chef, is getting additional experience and saving money to eventually open a restaurant with his brother in London, and another young man wants to work toward an online degree so that he can return to Japan, where he grew up, as a teacher. They also didn't mind telling stories on and teasing each other, much like your own family would around the dinner table. When our food was ready, we had huge mounds of food, and for my husband and I, two fillets of tilapia, seasoned with a seasoning mix that was Xavier's secret, and perfectly cooked, tender and flaky. The macaroni and cheese was comfort food to the nth degree. The girls' shish kebabs had huge chunks of beef and chicken that had been marinated on a bed of white rice. They could only eat about half before they said that they would take their leftovers home for dinner (which they did, eating every bite!)

As we lingered, mainly because the company was as good as the food, we heard about the challenges of cooking in such a small space, cooking when the train is moving, feeding people at two sites (the train and the arena), and from all over the world (Brazilians, Chinese, Russian are some of the larger populations in the circus). We heard that Brazilians can eat their weight in quesadillas, and that Russians love anything with potatoes. Xavier, who previously cooked in vegan and vegetarian restaurants is always trying to introduce more vegetables and fruits and fresh dishes into the mix. Asked what his favorite thing to cook was, he said that when he had the budget he loved to cook lamb, since that was his favorite meat. He then took me on a tour of his workspace (that is Xavier and I in his kitchen looking into his cooler at right). I have to say that the picture actually makes his kitchen look bigger than it actually is! I am a size 8 and I had to turn sideways to walk between the burners and griddle on the right and the steam tables on the left. Though I usually subscribe to the idea that you shouldn't trust a skinny chef, I told Xavier that I could see how he stayed slim since about a half hour after he had cooked it was quite warm in the kitchen. He said that when he was cooking he had the fans on, but acknowledged that even with the fans (upper right of the picture) it could still get warm in the midst of meal preparation.

After about two hours (that seemed much shorter!) we hated to leave but thought we had better let Xavier and the crew get back to their work. We said our goodbyes, took our leftovers (including a slice of cheesecake, that Xavier insisted we try). One of the staff members gave our girls Ringling Brothers patches, and as we drove off beside the train, the guys we had shared a meal with, including our chef Xavier, waved.

It was a meal, and people, that I will never forget!