Archive for the 'Dining Favorites' Category
Angry Alexandria Consumers Want to Know - Where Are the Grits?
May 11th, 2008 Categories: Dining Favorites
Our original plans for Mother’s Day were centered around a low key evening of grilling and dining on our back patio. Torrential rain storms and chilly temperatures made moving inside a wise decision. But it also meant a menu change. We are “challenged” for space in our dining area so when more than three or four are gathered together it is strictly buffet and we always try for an easy, one utensil meal. We settled on shrimp (do you notice a trend here?) and grits and a green salad and set off to do our shopping.
We wanted stone ground grits, an artisanal delicacy with a distinct coarse texture and taste. Giant had “quick” grits - ugh. Balducci’s had not a single grit of any kind. Safeway had regular Uncle Ben’s Grits (ok in a pinch) and Whole Foods had “Corn Grits also known as Polenta”. Now, I know people like to think that polenta and grits are the same thing but they’re not, not really. Besides, the corn grits came from Oregon and everyone knows that grits do not grow in Oregon. Four markets in one day was more than enough for me so Harris Teeter and Trader Joe are off the hook on this one.
Tonight we will have to settle for Uncle Ben but tomorrow I’m checking in with www.Hoppinjohns.com first thing and ordering in my supply of stone ground grits. To paraphrase Scarlett, ” . . . . I’ll neva go hungry for stone ground grits agin.”
Happy Mothers Day to all women who have nurtured and loved,
Virginia and Michael
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“Royal Reds” Are A Shrimp Lover’s Dream
May 9th, 2008 Categories: Dining Favorites
I was cruising the Food section of the Washington Post last week when an article by John Martin Taylor caught my eye and three words came spinning off the page - shrimp, Thunderbolt, and the Williamses.
I love shrimp, I spent every summer of my growing up on Wilmington Island (just over the bridge from Thunderbolt and Savannah) and our favorite road side dinner was the now defunct “Williams Seafood.”
If you’ve been looking for some new shrimp recipe’s or just want to add to your culinary knowledge about “royal reds“, check out John’s article, you’ll be glad you did.
Check out his online store too at www.hoppinjohns.net.
Virginia
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The Surest Sign of Spring - Tables and Customers on the Sidewalks of Alexandria
April 4th, 2008 Categories: Alexandria, Del Ray, Dining Favorites, On The Avenue, Things to Do
ON THE AVENUE
People and Places on Del Ray’s Mt. Vernon Avenue
Driving home tonight I saw what I had been looking for these past few weeks. With Mother Nature at her finicky best, our few temptingly warm days have been followed by freeze warnings (well almost). Not to be deterred, the bravest souls in shorts and flip flops have raised defiant fists to the weather gods but the one sure sign still eluded me. But then tonight, there it was - Del Ray stalwarts were flocking to the open patio at Fireflies.
Maybe another place beat them to the punch on another night but since I didn’t see it, Fireflies goes down on my calendar as the first restaurant in Del Ray to open its patio for the 2008 season.
Granted, the umbrellas were down and most of the patrons had on jackets - no matter, folks were eating outside! For some of you that might not seem like a great accomplishment but here in Alexandria, we take the ability - and opportunity - to dine ‘al fresco’ very seriously. The smallest section of sidewalk is all it takes - that and a restaurant’s willingness to supply tables, chairs, an umbrella or two and wait staff. And those dogs we love so much, well, they can come too!
About Fireflies - Marylisa Damiani and Dan Lichens, graduates of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) opened this ‘fast, fresh, fun’ eatery in late 2002 in a former auto parts store owned by Tony Damiani, Marylisa’s father.
Eighty tons of rubble were removed to make way for a custom walk-in fridge, industrial mixer, 800 degree pizza oven (nicknamed Nadine), a deli case and the curved “great wall of wine.”
Affordable wines and thin, thin, hand-thrown pizza crust are highlights here as is the Tuesday - Friday, 4:30-6:30pm happy hour and the bluegrass Sunday brunch.
I think I know which patio I’ll be on this weekend . . .
Virginia
Our guest author today is my spouse, manager, and all round good friend.
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