Tampa: Deviled Crabs at La Cubanita

One of my best childhood memories is going down to the docks in Tampa with my Dad and getting deviled crabs at Seabreeze Restaurant. They'd come out steaming hot and we'd load em up with hot sauce and eat em outside by the water... never mind the smell of the bay or the industrial nature of the area. I've had them since at Alessi and other spots, but they never seem to be quite as good at Seabreeze. (Maybe it's the moment in time.)

Today, I popped by my favorite Cuban place near my parents house (La Cubanita Cafe) for some cafe con leche. When I saw "Deviled Crabs" on their daily menu, I had to order one. I brought it home to split it with my Dad. Damned if it wasn't pretty close to what I remember. If you haven't had a Tampa-style deviled crab before, here's what you do:

1) Remove from the bag and breathe it in.

2. Break it in half to check out the quality of the crab meat inside. Lump meat... awww yeah!

3. Rip hot sauce packet open with your teeth and drizzle over the top until well saturated (to taste). Stuff it in your gullet.

UPDATE: I just popped by La Cubanita again this morning for cafe con leche and Cuban toast and chatted with the owner about how good the deviled crabs were. Turns out there's good reason why his taste better than Alessi's. Alessi's uses frozen ones from the distributor. He used to also, but eight years ago, he got his shipment in and the crab meat was poor quality and they had ketchupy taste (ed note: and I think they come out soft instead of crisp when you bite into them). Then and there he decided La Cubanita would hand make their own deviled crabs in the shop. As he said, "Ingredients matter. I use quality crab meat to ensure a good filling and Japanese panko bread crumbs to get the crispy outside."

For the purported recipe of the famed Seabreeze Restaurant deviled crabs, click here. Maybe one day I'll attempt it. (Dear Santa, please bring me a Fry Baby)

In the mean time, who do you think has the best deviled crabs in Tampa?

La Cubanita is located at 3240 Lithia Pinecrest Road in Valrico, FL.  

Sausage, Spinach and Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan

While home for Christmas, my Mom asked me to teach her how to make risotto. I guess she'd tried it before and it came out gummy. She and my Dad ended up dumping it and going out to dinner.

I learned risotto from Giada and, for whatever reason, I took to it. Risotto's my go to thing. Provided I have arborio rice (risotto), I can make it with virtually anything in the kitchen. The other thing I love about it is, you don't have to be exact. Measurements, schmeasurements... it's done when it tastes right. A little too thick, add liquid... Too soupy, cook it down... too bland... add something tasty.

The main thing risotto takes is time. You have to hang out by the burner with your spoon and your wine for a good 30-40 minutes. But the reward, mmmm! (And, I love the process too.) Here's what I did last night, but you can tweak it with any cheese, protein or vegetables you have around:

Sausage, Spinach & Mushroom Risotto with Parmesan
Main Course Serving Size for 4

Ingredients
2 cups arborio rice (approx)
1 bottle of cheap white wine
1 carton of chicken broth
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic (chopped as fine as you can get em)
1 link andouille sausage (you can use more, this is just what we had in the fridge)
1 cup parmesan cheese (I prefer the grated to the powdery kind, but both work)
2 handfuls spinach
1 cup mushrooms

[Note: for vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and omit sausage]

Directions

1. Pour yourself a glass of wine. Heat burner to medium high.
2. In a stock pot (you want it to be fairly deep, the rice is gonna grow a lot,) coat bottom of pain thinly with olive oil and toss in the garlic. Cook til translucent.
3. Add the rice. Yes. Straight into the pot on top of the garlic and olive oil. Give it a slight stir so the rice gets a nice olive oil and garlic coating and then step back. Don't stir. This is the biggest risotto lesson. Like an awesomely bad Kenny Rogers bar song, you gotta know when to stir and when to walk away. You want the rice to toast. It'll start getting a light brown coloring and you'll smell it toasting. OK, now give it a stir. And let it sit til the rest of the rice gets toasty.
4. Now you can add liquid. I alternate wine and broth. It doesn't so much matter the order, but I usually start with broth. Add one cup, stir into the rice and step back. Let it cook down until almost all of the broth has been absorbed.
5. Now add one cup of wine. Stir (only enough that it doesn't stick to the bottom as it thickens.) Step back. 
6. Relax. Drink your wine, chat with friends, watch Days of Our Lives that you've DVR'd guiltily. For the next half hour or so, you'll alternate wine and broth. Stir. Let it absorb. Repeat. There are life lessons in risotto. Good things take time. Some times, it's best to let it lie. You know the drill.
7. Know how you know it's almost done? Not the clock, not the number of cups of liquid added... no... it's when you taste it and you are like, OMFG this needs to get in my belly. Is your risotto there? Ok, now add 3/4 of your cheese and your sausage with your next round of liquid. Stir it all in and let it absorb. (If your sausage is uncooked, toss it in and cook it in the broth, your risotto will absorb the awesome flavors.)
8. When it's cheesy awesomeness is absorbed and the rice tastes perfect but it's still slightly liquidy, you're done (you don't want to cook it down too much because even after you take it off the heat, it's still going to reduce... you want it perfect at the table. If it's perfect on the stove, by the time it gets to the table it'll be overcooked.) Toss the spinach on top and stir. Portion into bowls and top with shredded parmesan. 

Hope you try it and love it! Let me know what you think or if you have other risotto tips to share in the comments or tweet me @floridagirlindc.

PS. Got leftover risotto? Add a little liquid before you reheat it to get it the right consistency. Or, form it into patties, coat with breadcrumbs and fry up into Risotto Patties or Risotto Balls (Aranciata if you wanna be fancy!)

PSS. Like this? Check out my Butternut Squash and Vanilla Risotto or Parmesan Risotto with Ramps, Morels and Asparagus blog posts.

Learning How to Decorate Christmas Cookies from Gail Dosik

Way before I was thinking about Christmas, Cathy (aka Mrs. Wheelbarrow) emailed me and told me Gail was coming to town to teach a cookie decorating class. I'll admit, I signed up to just to meet Gail. You see, Gail and I are those nerdy Twitter pals who've talked for gosh, years? but never met. We talk food, Ike, Morning Joe. She's my kinda gal... and she also happens to be one of the most talented bakers in New York City and the owner of One Tough Cookie.

Then I found out who else was coming... cookbook authors, food editors, food writers... all cool chicks that I admire. Talk about intimidating. You see, even though I fancy myself an artist and novice cook, my cookie decorating was always plain sloppy. Luckily, once I settled in, I realized everyone was thinking the same thing.

Gail gave us the basic tools - pastry bags, tips, flat pastry spatula and the game changer, rolling pin bands. She also gave us her stiff and flood icing recipes which I won't reveal here (take her class though, and you'll be gifted!), but suffice to say, these results can not be attained with store bought icing. Despite begging, Gail's cookie recipe remains a trade secret... and who can blame her. They are the perfect balance - not cloyingly sweet, firm enough to decorate, but not hard.


She gave great tips and step-by-step directions (we practiced a lot first on parchment paper with designs to trace underneath). What do you think of the results? Obviously, I'm only showing you my favorites - I ate the ugliest ones to hide the evidence!

The class photo and info on other classes after the jump...

Thanks for a great day girls... L to R @THEtoughcookie, @frijolita, @MrsWheelbarrow, @winnieabramson, @PatriciaJinich, @domenicacooks, @jestei, @floridagirlindc, @bonniebenwick @food52news

Stay up to date on Mrs. Wheelbarrow's cooking classes on her website, MrsWheelbarrow.com.

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Crackers

I stumbled upon Yummy Mummy's Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites on Pinterest about a month ago and pinned them to my Thanksgiving Menu. I got all of the ingredients, but didn't realize you had to start them the day before (story of my life) so they got 86'd. Then I was going to make them for a tree decorating party, but ran out of time. But I was determined to make them so why not tonight to take to an impromptu cookie and wine house party...

Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites

I subbed a cranberry pepper jelly I found at Whole Foods for Mummy's chutney... and I was too lazy to go snip mint from the community garden today, so mine aren't quite as pretty as hers. But, they taste amazing and the cranberries look like they are covered in a morning frost.  Get the recipe here and try them for your upcoming Christmas parties!

Deep-Fried Bacon-Wrapped Peanut Butter Cups at The Passenger

Last night, I was flying back in from Chicago. Easy peasy into DCA. Except something or other wasn't cool with landing gear of some sort (the flaps not the wheels thankfully), so we got diverted to Dulles to take advantage of the longer runways... much appreciated as I wasn't interested in a winter dip into the Potomac. But after that, I needed a drink, so I met Marshall, Sylvie, Alejandra and crew at The Passenger where I saw this sign.

I mean, when life gives you deep-fried, bacon-wrapped, peanut butter cups in a Coca-Cola tempura batter... in my book, you owe them a try. I didn't even take a picture because they basically look like fried blobs on a stick, but boy, they taste damn good. Try to get by The Passenger while Chef Joe still has 'em on the board.

The Passenger is located at 1021 7th Street NW, Washington, DC. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest cocktail and menu concoctions. 

Small Business Spotlight: Washington, DC

Today being "Small Business Saturday", I thought I'd share some of my favorite DC local shops.

Miss Pixie's Furnishings and What Not is a great second hand furniture and home wares store. The first purchase I made for my new home was four vintage diner stools for my bar. These days, I go in searching for the perfect small round, but expandable, dining table or a set of old school lockers that would be cooler storage than I could find at The Container Store. I was just in there a few days ago and they've also got a ton of vintage Christmas decorations and ornaments.
Miss Pixie's is located at 1626 14th Street NW

Photo: OoCities

Coup de Foudre isn't cheap, but ever since I started buying lingerie there (on a splurge), I don't think I've been back to Victoria's Secret. They have a well curated set of designers, including Huit, Cosabella, Hanky Panky and Simone Perele.  I've found that the fit holds the girls better for longer with these - whereas others tend to flop after just one wash. Stop by - and even if you don't want to - let them do a bra fitting. Once they informed me I was wearing the total wrong size, everything changed in the level of, ahem, support I was receiving.
Coup de Foudre is located at 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Proper Topper in Dupont Circle is my go-to for gifts, but just as often I buy something for myself. The store thrives in winter with owner Anna Fuhrman's well edited selection of gloves, hats and scarves that help you brave the elements without looking like a North Face ad. Don't miss the sale rack of clothes either - there's not a huge selection, but if there's anything in your size, snag it fast!
Proper Topper is located at 1350 Connecticut Avenue NW (right at the Dupont Circle Metro South exit)

Photo: From Single to Married to Baby

If I had to pick one store to buy my clothes, it would be Urban Chic. It's not a huge place, but I can shop for work, play, vacation, date nights or just hanging out at home in their racks. Why fight traffic to Tysons when you can get the same fashion in such a cute, local store. They are my go to for Shoshanna dresses and bikinis, J Brand jeans, DVF work-to-going out dresses and more. Again, check the sale racks for fantastic details... especially when they do their jeans clearance!
I usually shop at the 1626 Wisconsin Avenue location (so that I can hit Sassanova and Sherman Pickney too), but there are other locations in Baltimore, Fairfax and Bethesda.

Hill's Kitchen has an amazing amount of adorable and functional kitchen and entertaining selection packed into it's super cute townhouse (with lessons happening up the stairs!) Whether you need pots and pans, DC cookie cutters (they have the Capitol, the Washington Monument and more), decorations for the holidays or tips on a recipe - Leah Daniels at Hill's Kitchen has you covered. (Plus, it's next to all of those fun 8th Street restaurants you've been dying to try.)
Hill's Kitchen is at 713 D Street SE next to Eastern Market Metro

Photo: InspirationDC

I found TroHv randomly. I was looking for an auto parts store... and when I found it, it was kind of in a sketchy neighborhood so I kept driving and realized I was sort of near Takoma Park. I tweeted that I'd never been to that neighborhood and the tips came rolling in. TroHv was my last stop before heading home and I fell in love with the huge open space, mixture of vintage and new home wares and furniture, plus affordable table top and gift items.
TroHv is located at 232 Carroll Street NW near Takoma Park Metro. They also have a Baltimore location.


What are your favorites? What did I miss? On my to-try list today - Foundry and Metro Mutts (for Ike).

My Thanksgiving Menu 2011

The theme this year (hopefully) is low stress. After last year's turkey debacle (planned to fry it, which fell through and had to bake it so we ate late), this year, I wanted to focus on sides and not the main course. We're calling this the Mid-Atlantic Thanksgiving Feast:

The Mid-Atlantic Thanksgiving Plate

Starter:
Sparkling Brie & Cranberry Bites by Yummy Mummy

Mains:
Ham
Crabcakes (made by local DC farmers market staple, Chris)

Sides:
Kale & Leek Gratin (twisting this Michael Symon recipe)
Sweet Potato Souffle
Butternut Squash & Cornbread Stuffing Muffins

Dessert:
Apple Pie from Buzz Bakery in Alexandria, VA

What are you making/serving?

UPDATE: Due to poor planning the cranberry bites didn't make it (I neglected to read that they needed to soak overnight. I'll serve them this weekend for a party instead.) And the souffle... well, my Mom went to the grocery store for something I forgot and while she was gone I, not recognizing visually the difference between my butternut squash and the sweet potatoes, threw them all into the stuffing muffins - oh well, one less thing to make and the muffins were epic!

Fall at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

I don't know why, but I kind of wanted to not like Pearl Dive Oyster Palace (and it's upstairs bar Black Jack). It's the type of place that has the right PR team, is getting all the buzz... all the cool kids are going to it... and those usually don't live up to the hype. But after my second visit - this time with my family - I have to admit, I'm kind of smitten. It's not a fancy schmancy seafood place like Oceanaire or Hook was, nor is it a fabulously divey oyster shack. It's somewhere in between (kind of expensive, but purposefully weathered?) - but the important part is that in short order, they are cranking out great food with great service. No easy feat for the new kid on the block.

The downstairs bar at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace (access Black Jack upstairs through that door on the right)

They do oysters a variety of ways - I've tried the "Tchoupitoulas" (which frankly I just like to show off that I can pronounce it) with oyster confit, blue crab, roasted corn and aioli and last night my Dad got these Wood Grilled East Coast Oysters with garlic, red chile, South Mountain Creamery butter and gremolata. As he declared them the best oysters he's had in years, our server shared with us that the chef personally meets all of his oystermen and often, the oysters are only three hours from the water to the plate. It shows.

Wood Grilled East Coast Oysters

We also sampled the Pork Cheeks over creamy grits which I couldn't resist ordering on both visits. We were there early and benefitted from a kitchen mistake and got these Squash & Goat Cheese Risotto Fritters gratis.

Squash & Goat Cheese Risotto Fritters

My brother ordered the fun to say "Que Sueno de los Gatos" or What Cats Dream Of... it's a seafood stew with mussels, shrimp, calamari and more in a gorgeous saffron milk sauce.

Que Sueno de los Gatos

Don't stop reading... there's lots more after the jump!



Dad got the Fried Oyster Po Boy with fries...

Fried Oyster Po Boy

Mom has a seafood allergy, so she ordered the Pennsylvania Amish Chicken Dinner... if you can't eat seafood, Pearl Dive also hand grinds their duck sausage and has a grass fed Hanger steak with blue cheese.

Pennsylvania Amish Chicken Dinner

We were pretty stuffed, but when we heard the pie of the day was Egg Nog, we had to try it. It's the holidays on a plate folks... ya gotta try it. A whipped, cool egg nog filling in a gingerbread cookie crust - can't miss!

Egg Nog Pie

Remote Office: Misha's in Old Town

I work in a windowless office that I share with six women. And while I love them to death, some times it's great to get all Cheney and attack my inbox from an undisclosed remote location.

I'm only telling you this after the fact, but today's remote location was Misha's Coffee in Old Town Alexandria. They made a killer latte the size of my head, had cute scruffy barista boys, rockin' wifi and tasty baked goods.

Misha's Coffee

Where's your favorite place to work remotely (aside from your sofa)?

Other DC area indie coffee shops with free wifi, great vibe and good space: Dolcezza in Dupont Circle, Open City in Woodley Park, Pound Coffee on the Hill and Chinatown Coffee in (where else) Chinatown.

Best of the Web: Thanksgiving Desserts

While trying to decide what kind of dessert to make for a friend's dinner party recently, I stumbled down a recipe rabbit hole and came up with more fall recipe awesomeness than my kitchen could crank out. I'm passing along the most drool-worthy finds on the Internet in hopes that one of them will make it to your Thanksgiving table.

• Apple Baklava by Michael Symon
• Caramelized Banana Splits by Gourmet
• Chocolate Ricotta Pie by Giada deLaurentis
• Cranberry Granita by Giada deLaurentis
• Figs with Honey & Champagne by Erica deMane
• Maple Nutmeg Tart by PassionFruits
• Mini Sweet Potato Pies by Aaron McCargo Jr.
• Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake by Ina Garten
• Pear, Apple & Cranberry Crisp by Ina Garten
• Pumpkin Flan by Gourmet
• Ricotta Sweet Potato Beignets by Gale Gand
• Salted Caramel Banana Pudding Pie by Ann Thorton
• Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites by Yummy Mummy
• Sweet Potato Casserole Cookie Bars by Scarletta Bakes
• Sweet Potato Donuts by Leanne Bakes
• Sweet Potato Souffle by Martha Stewart

PS. There are purposely no softballs included. (Looking at you pumpkin pie, apple pie and pecan pie.)

PSS. Check out my dream Thanksgiving menu picks on Pinterest.

To Do: Help Homeless Veterans

I'm volunteering tonight at Miriam's Kitchen for the dinner service. After reading this email from them this morning, I'm gonna lose it. No tears in Chef John's chicken pot pies. Repeat.


The following is copied from an email by Miriam's Kitchen, an organization serving the homeless of Washington, DC:

There are 76,000 homeless veterans in the United States on any given night.

At Miriam's Kitchen, nearly 1,000 (or 24%) of our guests are veterans.

Just this morning, we were joined by 15 veterans and had the opportunity to thank each of them personally for their service.

We also had the opportunity to talk with them about the services we provide to veterans.

Those services include:

• meeting their basic needs and providing them with healthy meals and clean clothing,
• providing them with services like medical care, mental health treatment and legal assistance through our case management program,
• linking them with housing programs specifically tailored to veterans,
• connecting them to services through the Department of Veterans Affairs and All Faith Consortium by providing space for their outreach workers in our dining room, and
• helping them find their way by welcoming them into the Miriam's Kitchen community.

You are already a big part of the work we do for homeless veterans but if you're inspired to do more today, here are a few ideas from the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.

From all of us here at Miriam's Kitchen, Happy Veterans Day.

The Top Chef Texas Florida Connection

Working at Moto in Chicago isn't the only thing Top Chef Texas contestants Chef Chris Jones and Chef Richie Farina have in common. Both have roots in the Sunshine State!

The tweet Chef Jones sent me...

Now you just have to choose whether or not you're going to cheer on Chris who hails from Fort Lauderdale and has family in Tallahassee or Richie who's a Tampa Bay boy - Riverview to be specific!

The tweet Chef Farina sent me....

Meanwhile, I'm heading to Open Table to make Moto reservations for my next trip to Chicago! Good luck guys!

PS. If you aren't following @JeffHouck, the Tampa Tribune food editor on Twitter during Top Chef, you aren't really enjoying the show to it's full extent.

Whirlwind Weekend: Fall in DC

Sometimes, the best planning happens on the fly. When my two besties Kimbril and Whitney came to town for the weekend, all we had on the docket was Saturday night at the Kennedy Center... but here's what happened...

Drinking Blue Veins at Black Jack

Friday night, it was a toss up between some place I love but had been (Estadio) and a new place (Pearl Dive Oyster Palace.) The girls declared I needed to try something new and they were fine to weather the hour plus wait at Pearl Dive Oyster Palace. We got our ticket number (ala DMV) and went up to Black Jack, the upstairs bocce/artisan cocktail joint. It wasn't too crowded, the bartender was fabulous (I might have been crushing on his handlebar mustache or maybe that was the Maple Bourbon drink in my hand.) In a flash, we were at our table, noshing on an amazing seafood stew and oysters. I'll return to try out the catfish-fried egg-BLT and shrimp & grits!

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

Now, the last time we were all in DC together was probably a decade ago... and I took em to the Tune Inn. The Tune, if you hadn't heard, caught fire about 6 months ago and it was kismet that it was reopening that night. We weathered a taxi ride through Occupy DC's protest d'jour and made it to the hallowed ground of deer butts and Natty Boh... the good news, it looks pretty much the same, but smells a lot better!

The Tune Inn

And then, the coolest thing happened (well the coolest thing since we got a table and didn't have to stand at that crowded bar)... a guy sent a plate of bacon to our table.  In addition to being tasty and way less creepy than that rose selling guy, this gave us intro to half the bar who wanted a piece...

Plate o'Bacon at Tune Inn

Lest we watch the sunrise from our booth, we finally threw in the towel around 3am and went home. The morning required a slight bit of recovery, so we headed to BGR for sweet potato fries and burgers before hitting the 90th Birthday Celebration at the Phillips Collection. If you haven't gone yet, you need to go see the Degas ballet dancers exhibit- insane brush strokes, explanation of his process and co-exhibition of his influencers.

BGR: The Burger Joint

After that, we strolled down Connecticut Avenue with designs on hitting Foto Week at The Corcoran Gallery, but somehow ended up taking the obligatory photo in front of The White House....

The White House

 ... followed by the Washington  Monument, which every DC gal worth her salt knows is best seen from the roof top of the W Hotel...

POV at the W Hotel

 ... and then, because we care about history, we had to go to Old Ebbitt Grill... and because they'd never had them before, we needed Dark n' Stormy's...

Old Ebbitt Grill

Luckily, we are rally-cap-kinda-gals and we dolled up and made it to the Kennedy Center in time to see The Washington Ballet's performance of The Great Gatsby which blew my mind. It was sexy, stylish and cool with flapper dresses and live music. I sported the sparkle made my friend Jen's company, ban.do in LA (dig it, check out her site!)

Pre-ballet bite at Bourbon Steak

The Washington Ballet at the Kennedy Center

My phone battery faltered around this time, but suffice to say, we hopped a cab as soon as the ballet was over and went to J. Pauls to catch the end of the Bama-LSU game. Once the Tigers sewed that up, we wandered over to Mr. Smiths (don't judge) where we sat piano side and belted out tunes til last call.

But no, I wasn't done. I still had to hit Toki Underground... one of the places I'd been lamenting I hadn't visited. They just started staying open til 2AM, so there we were, chef-side with ramen til 3:30am.

It's nice to know we can still be rock stars. 

The Best Spaghetti Squash Recipes on the Web

The 14th & U Farmers Market was open and despite the cold, rainy (snow threatening) weather, I figured if they can get up and truck their wares into the city, the least I could do was roll out of bed and see what they had. Also, I was out of coffee creamer, so ya know, I needed coffee too.

I came out of it with a pumpkin, a Whisked! sweet potato pie, and this cute spaghetti squash... now, what should I make with it? A round up of spaghetti squash recipes from around the blogs below. Or post links to your favorite in the comments.

• Spaghetti Squash Lasagna by Skinny Taste
• Spaghetti Squash with Cream Sauce by Macheesmo
• Moroccan Spiced Spaghetti Squash by Eat. Drink... Better.
• Spaghetti Squash Gratin on Metrocurean
• Spaghetti Squash Pie by Kraft Foods
• Paleo Hash Browns by Health Bent
• Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta by Cupcakes for Breakfast
• Spaghetti Squash Gratin by The Healthy Foodie
• Twice Baked Spaghetti Squash by Hungry Girl
• Spaghetti Squash with Sausage by White on Rice
• Spaghetti Squash Pancakes by Lancaster Farms CSA Recipe Group
• Spaghetti Squash Nests with Meatball Eggs by Cooking with My Kid
• Oh My Gosh, Spaghetti Squash by My New Roots
• Spaghetti Squash with Chili by Better Homes & Gardens

PS. Tips for first time spaghetti squash roasters are available on Arugula Files.

UPDATED 1/5/2013: I'm doing a 30 day paleo challenge so spaghetti squash is perfect. Here are a few more ideas from my pals on Twitter:

To Do: Help Keep DC's Homeless Warm

I'll say it. "I'm lazy. I'd love to help and all, but I'm really busy and I don't have time to go to Target, buy a coat and some coffee and deliver it to Miriam's Kitchen to help someone in need."

Oh wait, we took that excuse off the table and made and easy-peasy Amazon wish list! You can buy exactly what Miriam's Kitchen needs at any given time right here - and it ships to them directly. You don't even have to put your laptop or smartphone down (unless your Visa is out of reach.)

Right now, they need coats and sweatshirts if you are flush. Feeling frugal? Help them buy sending coffee to keep folks warm on the many upcoming freezing nights ahead.

Thanks, y'all rock.

PS. If you wanna get more involved, Miriam's is super flexible with volunteering. I have one regularly scheduled shift a month, but can pick up other ones along the way. And I always learn cooking tips from Chef John Murphy, so it's win-win-win (help them, help me, help homeless.) Find out how you can help at http://www.miriamskitchen.org/.

On any given night in DC, there are over 6,000 people who are homeless. Miriam's Kitchen provides free homemade meals and works to address the causes and consequences of homelessness with each individual they serve. They are located at 2401 Virginia Avenue NW (near GW metro) and have free garage parking for volunteers. You can access the Miriam's Kitchen Amazon Wish List here.

TO DO: National Archives Food Fright

All of this food blogging has made me more aware of the madness of food policy in this country. One of my favorite chefs and the one guy (so far) who can get me passionate about farm subsidies (the accent helps), Chef Jose Andres is presenting this evening at the National Archives on "Food Frights: Food Safety Now and Then."

This is part of the America Eats: "What's Cooking Uncle Sam?" series he created in conjunction with the Archives. In addition to exhibits and lectures, Andres also converted his Cafe Atlantico restaurant into a pop-up concept called America Eats Tavern, featuring his take on historic American foods. His restaurants are always an experience, but I love the stories on the menu almost as much as the food at this one.

Chef Jose Andres (photo credit: Jason Varney)

Tonight's panel, moderated by Meet The Press' David Gregory, will explore the history of food safety - how and why did the government get involved? Where are we headed? Fellow panelists will be Philip Derfler of the US Department of Agriculture, Suzanne Junod, FDA Historian and Caroline Smith DeWaal of Center for Public Interest.

Admission is free and first come, first serve. Doors open at 6:30pm and the talk begins at 7:00pm. Use the special events entrance at Constitution Avenue and 7th Streets.

To Do: Policy's Trick or Tweetup

I'm just back from almost a month out of town and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things. I can't think of a better way to start feeling all autumnal than a Halloween party and Policy's throwing one for epic social media nerds like me.

There will be complimentary bites, drink specials and a costume contest for Facebook and Twitter users... so I guess I better get creative. (I'm kind of a costume hater... so much pressure to come up with something cool/ironic/zeitgeisty!) Plus, I love the music at Policy - it's kind of my go-to dance-my-butt-off joint.

Wanna join? RSVP here and I'll see ya there. Wanna play from home? The hashtag is #PolicyTrickorTweetup (not exactly 140 friendly, but we're up for the brevity challenge!)

Policy is located at 1904 14th Street NW, Washington, DC. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest events, news and menu changes.

PS. I have THOUSANDS of photos and great recommendations from my trip to Australia. Hope to get them edited and posted for you soon. But first, down to Talladega this weekend - work calls... (love my job!)

What I've Been Eating: The Source by Wolfgang Puck

Sometimes, life gets so busy, blogging falls by the wayside... but rest assured, I have photos of killer food saved up for months! Here's one I Foodspotted in real time, but I wanted to make sure to share with y'all because it was fantastic.

The evening did not start out well. I walked out of work and my car was booted. Thanks, DC police. ;) It seems with just two unpaid tickets, you are eligible for this pleasure. I had 15 minutes to book my tail over to the Courthouse and pay up or it would get towed and I'd owe even more. I made it, but then I had to wait over an hour while the booters came back to de-boot me.

Naturally, I decided to wait this out at The Source bar.  I started with this killer cocktail... I can't remember it's name... but it involved tequila and an awesome jalapeno kick!

Then, I had the tempura green beans... because, you know, I was trying to be healthy and eat more vegetables. They are delicious. If you must eat vegetables and hate them (I don't hate them though), I highly recommend a tempura batter and spicy dipping sauce!

And, I ended with these Virginia clams in a spicy Thai broth that I wanted to lap up like soup when I was done.

When I left The Source to get my car, it had a new ticket on it for parking after zone time was up... while it was booted. Sigh. I just cared a lot less after this meal.

The Source by Wolfgang Puck is located at 575 Pennsylvania Avenue (entrance is actually on 6th Street NW) in the Newseum. It's walkable from either Gallery Place/Chinatown or Archives/Navy Memorial metros.

MAP: Where to Eat and Shop in Rockville, MD

I'm getting ready to redo my bathroom and @APoshGirl is sending me on a tile hunt up in Rockville, MD. The only issue is, I know nada about Rockville, but people tell me there is good food up that way. (Yes, I'm being an over-dramatic District resident... it's not like it's Vermont, it's a few miles north.)

So, natch, I asked my Facebook and Twitter friends and got so many great suggestions back. I'll never be able to get to them all today (and still maintain my figure), so I decided to make another foodie Google map in case I find myself back that way. I hope it helps you guys too. Based on frequency and amount of exclamation marks, my friends thing Addie's, Cuban Corner and Joe's Noodle House are the top choices, but looks like there's plenty of ground to try. Here's my Google map with all of the suggestions I received: 

View Rockville, MD in a larger map

PS. I'm also including the shops I'm traversing as I decorate my new condo. Rockville is PACKED with home renovation, furniture and antique shops. You could spend days shopping there for things you've pinned on Pinterest! My targets for bathroom tile are Architectural Ceramics, Mosaic Tile and Porcelanosa.

Tell me in the comments if I missed anything and I'll add it in!

DC Area Hurricane Specials

The earthquake came too fast to get you disaster deals from the local restaurants, but Hurricane Irene's giving us plenty of notice. I'll add them as I see them, but here's a starter set of fun places to go and weather the storm with your newest best friends...

Cajun Experience in Dupont Circle - $5 Hurricanes all day Saturday!

Free tastings at Cardinal Point Winery in Afton, VA (near Charlottesville(

Who KNOWS what this is... but it's Rogue 24, so you know you wanna find out!

Bottom Line will be staffed up with bartenders from Dewey Beach's Starboard - and tons of specials to go along!

1905 is blowing through with Restaurant Week prices... take that Irene!

District 2 is offering this Stoli concoction for $6 during Irene...

Lyon Hall in Clarendon serves up their version of Come On Irene for just $5

Need to hunker down? Cleveland Park Bar & Grill is the spot. No closing. No way.

Acadiana is making deals on their killer cocktails. I've ridden out two tropical storms here and can verify it's a good time.

Not a better place to ride out a 'cane than Bayou... they know their Nola.

Haha, Medium Rare wins the most amusing deal out there...

If you see others, tweet them to me at @floridagirlindc and I'll keep sharing em!

PS. Just found more on Washington City Paper.