Cheestique

Most people who know me, know that I am a cheese fanatic. My three favorite foods in the entire world are chocolate, peanut butter, and cheese. I don't think I could ever live without these things.  A little obsessed? Maybe. Whatever, we all have our vices.

A few weeks ago, we had a food-fun day in Alexandria and DC where we had ice cream, cupcakes, and cheese. This cheese shop we went to is called Cheesetique.  An adorable little market that even has a little cafe in the back where you can order cheesy filled sandwiches, mac 'n cheese, soups, salads, flatbreads, and even brunch on Sundays! Unfortunately for us, we had already had lunch when we got there, so we were just there to ogle the cheese.

The shop really wasn't that big but I don't know if I've ever seen so many unique cheeses in one place before. So many flavors and types...soft, hard, goat, cow, sheep, blue, cheddar, gouda, and so many more I can't even begin to name or remember. 

There was one whole section of just blue cheeses.  Blue cheese is one of those you either love or hate. I LOVE blues! The bluer the better! I love that strong pungent tanginess, especially when you can pair it with something sweet.  I bought a very intense blue called Black & Blue. Super delish!! Tangy and sharp, only to be enjoyed sparingly, just the way I like it!

We also bought a Garlic Brie. I love plain brie, epsecially when its served warm so its slightly melty and gooey. This brie was definitely very garlicky.  If you like garlic (which we do), its very good. But again, it is a stronger flavored cheese, so enjoy sparingly. 

The shop also offers a variety of cured meats, salamis and hams and such to accompany your cheeses, as well as crackers, nuts, jams, and even wines to create a perfectly paired cheese plate.

And the smell...Superking always laughs at me when we walk through the gourmet cheese section of the grocery store. He says it smells like feet. I however love the smell. It reminds me of a quote from Andrew Zimmern where he refers to the smell of cheese being like God's feet.  Feet smell or not, I love the smell of cheese. The smells, the tastes and flavors, the textures, all the amazing things you can pair with it that enhance both the flavor of the cheese and the thing thats being paired with it. Cheese is a wonderful thing!

Jaleo by Jose Andres

For our romantic Valentines Day dinner, we went downtown to Jaleo, a Spanish tapas restaurant owned by renowned chef Jose Andres.  As soon as we saw his name we knew we had to try this place. For those who may not know who Jose Andres is, he is the one credited with bringing the whole concept of tapas or small plates to America. He is originally from Spain, owns several restaurants in DC and Las Vegas with a variety of cuisines (not just Spanish), and he was named Outstanding Chef by the James Beard Foundation in 2011 (one of the most prestigious organizations in the foodie community). So needless to say, this guy knows his stuff.

I knew we were in for a treat but little did I know what surprises were in store for the evening.  We began with bread and olive oil. The olive oil was served with a sprig of rosemary and a whole fresh garlic clove in it.  If you've never tasted a whole fresh garlic clove...be forewarned. It packs a punch.  I dipped my bread in the olive oil and really gave it quite a soaking, hoping to get a hint of the rosemary and garlic flavor.  When I put it in my mouth and began to chew and swallow, it felt like I had just eaten a really spicy pepper! That was the burn from the fresh garlic! My tongue and throat felt singed as I tried to wash it down with my sparkling water.  It didn't even phase Superking though.  Ok, good stuff but a little potent.

Then arrived our first set of small plates.  I ordered a cheese plate with Valdeon cheese, an intense flavored blue cheese made from cow's and goat's milk served with some crunchy little breadsticks and apricots.  I'm not really a fan of apricots but combined with the cheese it was awesome! The sweet fruitiness of the apricots really cuts the sharpness of the blue.  But the blue cheese by itself was just as amazing.

Superking ordered a charcuterie plate of three different types of dried Iberian ham. Each one savory and salty and porky, served with a few pieces of bread topped with a tomato brushetta.

Then here's where the night got interesting.  We were patiently waiting for our next course when another young couple had been seated next to us and had begun receiving their first offerings.  I found it odd that their dishes seemed awfully similar to the ones we were waiting for...hmmm...Then upon overhearing their conversation they began to wonder what they had ordered and what they were being served.  Lo and behold, they had been served our plates instead. The waitress promptly realized what had happened and came to apologize saying that our dishes would be out soon.  In the mean time, a manager came over and apologized again, saying both those plates would be on him!  Awesome! Free food at a nice restaurant! What service!

Then our dishes arrive...Superking got Lomo de Buey...a sliced skirt steak served with piquillo peppers.  The steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and the peppers were somewhat sweet and uniquely complimented the steak.

I was served grilled quail with rosemary sauce and honey aioli...super yumm! The quail was like eating a tiny chicken but the meat was darker and richer, almost like a duck.  And the sauces....delish! I love rosemary and the honey aioli was sweet without being overpowering. My only disappointment was that I wish there was more!

As we were still digesting our steak and quail, the manager arrives at our table again with another plate of the steak.  He says the kitchen made an extra one in the midst of the earlier confusion so he thought we should have it.  Another free dish! Awesome!

Now time for dessert! A hazelnut chocolate mousse cake with hazelnut ice cream.  Have you ever had a Ferrero Rocher? Little balls of chocolate hazelnut goodness, one of the most awesome candies ever created.  This dessert tasted just like one of these candies except way better!!! And yes I ate every bite (though I did spare a few for Superking) including scraping the plate. So rich and creamy and a little crunch from some chopped hazelnuts. Decadence on a plate!

Then to top the whole evening off, our waitress comes out with our check explaining that she also took care of our dessert! I've never been to a restaurant with that kind of service.  They went way above and beyond for a tiny easily correctable mistake.  Multiple apologies from the waitress and the manager, prompt service, and more than half our meal was on the house!  Where else are you gonna go to get amazing food and amazing service like that?  Even if the food was mediocre (which it was far from) I would go back there time and time again purely for the generous service of the staff!

One Block West

No, I'm not giving you directions. Its the name of a restaurant in Winchester Va near where I grew up.  Winchester is not exactly a bustling metropolis nor is it known for its fine cuisine. In fact I would categorize it as a small college town (home to my alma mater Shenandoah University, originally a music conservatory) full of country folk to put it nicely. Though I will give Winchester credit that over the last few years they've grown up a bit in trying to compete with nearby counties Loudoun and Fairfax.  However they still have a ways to go.

wild boar terrine

Israeli couscous risotto

This is why, when last month my family wanted to get together in Winchester to celebrate my parents 41st wedding anniversary, I was a little skeptical that we'd find a decent place appropriate for the occasion.  But my sister assured me she would find a couple good choices.  And she came through. We decided on One Block West.

seared fois gras

crab cakes and fancy slaw

There is a section of Winchester called Old Town where there is a quaint outdoor mall with neat little shops and restaurants and coffee shops.  Well, just "one block west" of this mall is the restaurant One Block West...hence the name...

osso bucco complete with marrow in the bone

wild mushroom puff pastry

I was pleasantly surprised (after having to walk down a dark alley) to arrive at this romantic and elegant yet comfortable setting, where my parents, my sister and her husband were waiting for Superking and I.  I was also pleased to learn that the menu is very seasonal, often changing daily, because the chef and owner takes pride in finding and using local fresh ingredients from local farmers markets. The menu even includes wine pairings from local wineries in and around the Shenandoah Valley.

rabbit cassoulet with brussel sprouts

port and blue cheese tasting plate

caramelized orange upside down cake

The food we had was great.  We've had better especially for the price.  It seemed a little expensive.  I don't mind shelling out the big bucks for quality, especially seasonal, food but I felt like we've gotten more for our money elsewhere. Having said that, the food was still very good, the atmosphere was nice, and the company wasn't too bad either ;)  One Block West is definitely a surprising little gem in an unlikely place. Happy 41 years, Mom and Dad!

chocolate truffles for the road

Left to right: Me, Superking, dad, mom, sister Lisa, her husband Scott

Twelve Years...

Today Superking and I celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary.  Twelve years...in some ways it seems like a long time, like we've been together forever; and in other ways its gone by so fast it seems it was only yesterday we said "I do".  Either way its been a happy twelve years.  Not that we haven't had our ups and downs because we certainly have, as every couple does. But every day we have stood by one another and loved each other more and more than the day before.

Last night, we went out to a fancy dinner to celebrate these wonderful 12 years. This past Christmas, a family member had given us a generous gift card to a restaurant called Ruth's Chris and we decided to save it for a special occasion.  So this was it!  Ruth's Chris is an upscale steakhouse and isn't particularly unique per se, but the cuisine it offers is amazingly good.

We started off with an appetizer of Seared Ahi Tuna.  Mostly raw and perfectly sliced, the tuna was tender and flavorful and served with a ginger mustard sauce with hints of beer and horseradish.  A lovely way to start the meal with our complimentary crusty bread and creamy soft butter.

We also shared a Caesar salad, beautiful crunchy greens with bright red sliced cherry tomatoes, fresh thinly shaved parmesan cheese, and a few salty anchovies on top.  If you like fish, and you like salt, you should totally give the anchovy a try.  It really adds a nice salty touch to your salad (or even a pizza).

Now I am not a huge fan of steak.  So at most steakhouses, I usually go for a seafood option (which I love a good crab cake).  However, I'm discovering more and more that its not so much that I don't like steak. Its that I don't like steak that has been cooked badly.  Growing up, the only steak I ever had was whatever the cheapest cut of meat was and it was cooked to death to the point where it took me an hour to chew and swallow just one bite.  There was also no flavor so it had to be slathered with an entire bottle of cheap steak sauce just to make it palatable enough to choke down...Ok I'm exaggerating a bit. But not much (sorry mom, love you)...

Last night as I was looking at the menu, I was leaning towards the usual crab cakes, which I'm sure would've been awesome, but I wanted to go for something different than I normally would've chosen.  Superking encouraged me, "when in Rome..." or the steakhouse...go for the steak.  This was the first time I have ever ordered a whole steak for myself at a restaurant!!

I went for the Petite Filet with the Blue Cheese Crust topping.  Now you must know that "these aren't your ordinary steaks", as Amanda Freitag from Food Network would say. All of Ruth's Chris steaks are cooked at 1800 degrees, seasoned with a little salt and pepper, and topped with butter which melts and sizzles all the way from the kitchen to your table.  Very simple preparation which makes for the best steaks I have ever eaten. And this from someone who's not a steak fan.  

My steak was so tender  and juicy I probably could've cut it with my butter knife.  So full of savory meaty flavor! The butter added a sweetness to the meat and the generous topping of blue cheese that had been roasted on the steak added the perfect tanginess to it as well.  I love me some blue cheese! This blue was fairly mild which was nice so as not to take away from the flavor of the steak but to enhance it. And parts of the blue cheese were slightly browned and crusty adding a lovely textural element.  Superking also got a filet but instead of the petite, his was a regular size and though he didn't order the blue cheese on his, he promptly became jealous of mine and had to steal some of it to try!!

They serve the side dishes a la carte and family style so we ordered some potatoes to share.  When you look at the side dishes, they have three categories...salads, vegetables, and potatoes.  And you think, "potatoes have their own listing? How many different kinds of potatoes can you serve?"  On their menu, seven.  We chose the Lyonnaise potatoes.  They are sliced and pan-fried in butter with thinly sliced sauteed onions and other seasonings.  They were slightly crispy and salty and tasted sort of like french fries but way better!

We were so stuffed for dessert but since the restaurant knew it was our anniversary, they said a dessert would be on the house! So of course we HAD to pick something! We couldn't disappoint our wonderful waiter! :)  So we opted for the Chocolate Sin Cake.  Might as well go all out since its free, right?  This cake was so dark and dense, almost fudgey, it was easy to see why they called it Sin Cake.  It was packed full of dark chocolate and espresso flavor, topped with a shiny layer of chocolate ganache and surrounded by this beautiful deep red strawberry sauce and a fan-sliced fresh strawberry.  Absolutely gorgeous and decadent, to die for!

Thank goodness they're not too fancy to neglect offering doggie bags!! Food like that is way to good to let go to waste no matter how full you are! We've been here for past anniversaries and as the waiter wished us, "to at least a dozen more", hopefully we'll be back at Ruth's Chris before another twelve years has gone by.

Happy 12th anniversary, my Superking! I love you to the moon and back!

DC Weekend 2011: The End

Mussels

Granville Moore's  is not a grand place, inside or out, but what they do, they do really really well. And what they do well is mussels. Their menu is limited to a few typical pub appetizers and burgers and then their Moules and Frites (mussels and fries). 

There are several different types of mussels they offer. I ordered the Bleu Moules.  A huge bowl arrives at my table filled with all these black mussel shells swimming in a broth made with white wine and lemon with chunks of tangy blue cheese, juicy pork belly, shallots, and spinach.  Words cannot describe how delicious these were! I'm always a sucker for blue cheese anyway!

Superking had the Belgian White mussels.  His also had pork belly but braised leeks and Belgian ale cream. Also super delish!

Next to our heaping bowls of mussels we each had a small basket of frites (crispy fries).  It is Belgian tradition to have your frites served with some type of mayonnaise.  Which I loved this idea even as a kid! Hmm, maybe I have Belgian ancestry... They had several mayonnaise offerings but we chose truffle mayo and bacon chive mayo.  Both very good. I loved the mushroomy flavor in the truffle mayo and of course what's not to like about bacon?

I have to admit, the place looks like a dump inside (and the outside isn't very promising either) but theres a reason people line up out the door for over an hour waiting to get inside this place every week!

This is the outdoor patio area where we sat. Its hard to see in the picture the trash can, cleaning supplies, and old towel hanging up to help block the sun and the back alley.

door leading back inside which was too dark and cramped to even try to get a picture

Two words...Moules and Frites. Thankfully we got there early enough that we didn't have to wait, but even if we did have to wait, it would've been worth it once we tasted those sweet juicy mussels!!

not exactly a 5-star joint but they serve 5-star food! we were happy!

Snow and Soup

So we had the first major snowfall of 2011 here in Northern Virginia last night.  I think it was about 10" or something. The roads were a mess and many of our friends and family were trapped for hours in non-moving traffic because of people having to abandon their cars in the middle of the roads, running out of gas, getting stuck, or just giving up on getting home.  Even my dad ended up staying the night at our house because he couldn't take anymore driving after being on the road for almost 6 hours to get from DC to Sterling, and he lives another (normally) hour drive further out from my house! What a messy nightmare!

And yet, in the midst of all that treachery, we took a moment to admire the stillness and beauty of that thing which was making so many people's lives so miserable.

It was a good thing I decided earlier that day to make some hot homemade soup! Only my second soup I've ever made (the first being a pumpkin bisque I made last year, sadly, long before the conception of my food blog).  This time I made a French Onion Baked Potato Soup.

In honor of National Soup Month, I've been dying to make a good hearty soup that even my non-soup-loving husband would enjoy.  When I asked him a couple weeks ago, what kind of soup I should make for him, he suggested baked potato soup.  So I began the hunt for a thick warm stew-type soup that would satisfy the hungry beast within him.

my poor little bird feeder...sorry birdies!

Lo and behold, I came upon several recipes that stood out to me.  A couple potato soups and a couple French onion soups (hubby LOVES the French onion soup at Mon Ami Gabi, one of our favorite local restaurants).  So which one do I choose??  I decided to do what I always do in this situation...I chose both kinds!!  Why do I have to choose just one soupy delight?  I can have them all by stealthily combining the recipes using bits and pieces of each to create my own masterpiece!

Well, maybe not a masterpiece but at least a darn good soup.

I will say, though hubby was very pleased with the outcome, I thought it maybe could've used a little more seasoning and I wish the flavor of the onions came through a little more (so if anyone has any suggestions??) but all in all, it did turn out pretty good and was a perfect way to welcome, or curse, the snow!

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/2 onion
3 TBsp butter, plus butter for sauteeing
3 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups of milk (or 1 cup milk & 1/2 cup heavy cream)
3 tsp herb/seasoning (I used rosemary and garlic powder)
5 small potatoes
1 cup bacon
1 cup mushrooms
4 thin slices of sourdough bread
butter for spreading on bread
sliced and/or shredded cheese of your choice for topping
(This makes about 4 servings)

yummy very thick bacon from local farm, Chicama Run

Cook bacon and cut into pieces. (If you want good crisp bacon without a mess or fuss, bake the slices in the oven at 400 for about 15-20 depending on the thickness of the slices).  Preheat saute pan and melt butter.  Chop onions and mushrooms and add to saute pan on low heat.  Cook until onions begin to caramelize.

Pour broth into large pot. Chop potatoes and boil in broth until soft.  Ladle 1/3 to 1/2 of potatoes (depending on how chunky you want your soup) with some broth into a blender and blend until smooth.  Then pour into a crockpot along with the rest of the potatoes and broth. Turn the crockpot on low just to keep soup warm until serving. 

chopping

waiting...

boiling!

In same hot pot already used, melt butter and add salt, pepper, and other seasonings.  Slowly add flour, stirring out lumps.  (Note: the flour may be a step you could skip if you don't want the soup to be super thick as mine was) Pour in milk/cream and stir until thick and bubbly, being careful to keep it from burning on the bottom.  Add bacon, onions, and mushrooms to milk mixture.  Then add milk mixture to potatoes in crockpot.

When almost ready to serve, spread a thin layer of butter on sourdough slices as well as a few thin slices of cheese, and lightly toast until cheese is melted.  Spoon soup into 2 large bowls.  Place one toasted sourdough slice on top of soup in each bowl and shred more cheese on top of that.  If your bowls are oven-safe, place on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400 just until top cheese is melted.  If not, you can also place the bowls in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds to do the same thing. Place bowls on small plates and serve remaining sourdough slices on the side.

very thick and chunky

ooh, melted cheese

hmm, needs more cheese

that better!

Another note: The soup is very thick and hearty. And if there's plenty for leftovers the next day, be prepared to reheat it a little extra-long because it will be almost as thick as mashed potatoes! Enjoy!

P.S. If you want to check out the original recipes I borrowed from...
http://www.cookerati.com/hearty-cream-of-potato-soup/
http://www.cookography.com/2007/french-onion-soup
http://vegacious.com/2010/09/potato-soup/
http://vegacious.com/2010/10/mail-2/