Whole 30: Eggs & Chorizo Brunch, Two Ways

Yep. I'm still going. Breakfast is one of the hardest times for me because I don't really like to eat when I wake up early.

But on weekends, game on. I just finished an awesome workout with Grant and happily inhaled this:

Whole 30: Chorizo, Sweet Potato & Kale Chip Hash

Yesterday was the day the carb cravings kicked in. I almost teared up at the sight of a cake pop in Starbucks. So small and harmless. This morning, I awoke with a deep need for cheese grits. But, I powered through. Had a big ass salad for lunch. As dinner neared, I tried to convince friends to go out to eat with me so that I didn't have to face my kitchen. 

Luckily, what I threw together was fantastic - spicy, salty and sweet - which assuaged my evil carb-loving internal monologue. Here's what I did to create an uber paleo-friendly chorizo, sweet potato and kale chip hash:

Chorizo, Sweet Potato and Kale Chip Hash

Chorizo, Sweet Potato & Kale Chip Hash
Ingredients:

• Chorizo (I got mine from Eco-Friendly Farms at Dupont Circle Farmers Market), serving size about the size of your palm
• Sweet potato, serving size half a sweet potato diced per person
• 1/4 onion, diced
• Kale, two stems, diced with bottom of the stem discarded
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Drizzle olive oil in skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and cook a minute or two until they start to become translucent.
2. Add the diced sweet potatoes and cook four to five minutes. (Try to not flip them during this to get a nice caramelization going.) Shift sweet potatoes to the edge of the skillet, making a center well.
3. Add kale in center well and cook four to five minutes. Swish all of the ingredients together and then make another center well. (You want the kale to get a light coating of olive oil so that it becomes slightly crunchy). Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the chorizo in the center of the pan. Crumble with wooden spoon. Cook four to five minutes (again, don't flip it, allow it to caramelize) and then swish all of the ingredients together.
5. Taste one of the sweet potatoes to make sure it's cooked well enough. If go, serve and eat - if not, let it cook a minute or two more until it's complete.

Got a paleo-friendly recipe that I should try? Leave me the link in the comments or tweet me @floridagirlindc.

Whole 30: Spaghetti Squash with Chorizo, Kale and Mushroom Sauce

The other night, I traded fellow #Whole30 challenge friend Amy some of my paleo-friendly Bolognese sauce in return for a spaghetti squash. The squash was staring at me on my counter... daring me to go out to eat again and still maintain my willpower. Luckily for my bod, the Bengals-Texans game was so lame, I started looking at recipes.

In 2011, I wrote a post on the best spaghetti squash recipes on the web. And then promptly made none of them. As I perused them, three stood out as particularly delicious and easy to make with paleo-friendly ingredients (hat tip Macheesmo, White on Rice and My New Roots.) I took a look at the ingredients in my refrigerator and came up with this little number that was so awesome, I would order it in a restaurant even if I could eat carbs.

Spaghetti Squash with Chorizo, Kale and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

I didn't plan to blog this so I didn't measure exactly, but you'll want a half of a large spaghetti squash per serving. Sausage, kale, mushrooms and onions based on your taste, but generally I used a large handful of each.

• spaghetti squash (half a squash per person)
• sausage (I used chorizo from Eco-Friendly farms but anything would work)
• kale (chopped into strips)
• mushrooms (sliced)
• onions (diced)
• cream (to taste. I probably used 1/4 c for one serving)
• almond flour
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees. 

2. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Scoop out insides. Discard seeds and stringy stuff. Drizzle olive oil on a cake pan. Rub olive oil all over the spaghetti squash and sprinkle salt and pepper on the insides. Flip them over so that they are face down in the pan. Insert pan in oven and bake for one hour.

3. About 15 minutes before the squash is finished, begin your sauce. Mix your sausage with a light dusting of almond flour to act as a binder. Roll into meatballs.

4. On medium heat, drizzle olive oil in your pan and cook your diced onions until translucent. Then add the meatballs. Cook for 2-3 minutes

5. Move the meatballs to the center of the pan and add kale to the outsides of the pan. Cook for 3 minutes. 

6. Make a center well and add the mushrooms. Cook a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to brown and caramelize.

7. Remove your spaghetti squash from the oven to cool.
8. Add cream to the sauce pan and simmer. After a minute or two, fold all of the sauce ingredients together.

9. Using a fork, scrape the squash so that you have a pile of spaghetti-like threads. Make a well in the center of the sauce pan and add them. Cook for a minute and then fold all of the ingredients together.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

I hope that you'll try this if you're on a no-carb diet. It was decadent, spicy and filling. I'll definitely make it again, even if I'm eating carbs again.

PS. I still have one half of my spaghetti squash left. I'm thinking of trying to rock these Paleo Hash Browns for breakfast. Stay tuned.

Whole 30: Eating Out at Oyamel, Starbucks & Dino

I eat out a lot. I mean, a lot.

So, any behavioral changes with regards to what I eat is never going to work long term if I can't make it work at restaurants. Part of the reason this Whole 30 paleo challenge has worked for me (yes, I know it's only been two days) is that I haven't felt hungry. Yesterday, I didn't cook one damn thing. 

I started off for lunch with my team at Oyamel, knowing there are multiple options for small plates of vegetables, seafood and meats. I would just have to be vigilant about asking them to remove things like cheese, beans and sugar. But then I remembered that over the summer, one of my favorite meals there was the Pork Belly Torta - essentially a BLT made with pork belly. When I had it, it was so overwhelmingly filling but delicious that I dumped the sandwich insides onto lettuce so that I could keep eating it. So this time, I started out that way, and it was awesome:

Pork Belly Torta, sans torta at Oyamel

As we left lunch, I was thinking outloud, "I'm full, but mentally I feel like I want something sweet. It's weird. I don't really. But I kind of feel like I need something." My friend said she needed coffee and I knew the perfect solution to kill my craving but stay on track: the Starbucks Breve Latte (pronounced brev-ay). It's basically a latte made with heavy cream and it is smooth, warm and creamy. I can drink far less of it and feel satisfied: 

Breve Latte at Starbucks

I had made the paleo-friendly Bolognese sauce and saved single servings, but I just didn't feel like cooking last night. On the way home, I shared some with my friend Amy who's also doing Whole 30 and she traded me a spaghetti squash (which will make a great meal this weekend.)

I had been tweeting with Dean Gold, owner of my favorite neighborhood Italian joint, Dino. He noticed that I was trying to stick to paleo and told me to pop by and challenge his chef. They do have a ton of things on the menu that are easy to tweak and stay on program. I chose the beet salad (which came with a vinegar-based cucumber slaw and tangy grapefruit slices to start. For dinner, I was going to have the Bollito Misto (which has *six* meats involved), but I was in a seafood mood and I knew from Steve Vilnit's Maryland Seafood updates that rockfish, crab and oysters are in season right now. So I chose the Chesapeake rockfish with squash. 

Beet Salad at Dino

Chesapeake Rockfish with Squash

So, what restaurants do you think are simple to make paleo-style choices? I find that most restaurants are fairly easy to tweak. Got ideas of what I should try next? Leave me a message in the comments!

Whole 30: Paleo Bolognese Sauce

Every gal worth her salt (or sugar) has one go to dish that she can cook. For me, one of the easy recipes in my arsenal (so easy I don't really even look at it anymore) is basic Bolognese pasta sauce. I mean, you really can't screw it up.

Paleo Bolognese Sauce

But, I'm doing this paleo challenge this month and that means several of the ingredients I use (based on this Pioneer Woman recipe) are banned. I decided to modify it and see if the taste came close so I excluded the Parmesan cheese, wine and Worcestershire sauce (who knew, but it contains molasses and sugar) and subbed the one cup of milk with a half cup of heavy cream. And I most definitely can't eat it over pasta.

It's not as perfect as the original version, but it's pretty damn good. Use your favorite spices to add as much kick as you like. I used fresh basil and oregano, but dried ground spices are fine too.

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

Approx 2 lbs ground beef

2 cups shredded carrots

1 large red onion, diced

3/4 cup mushrooms (sliced, diced)

5 cloves garlic

6 ounces tomato paste

35 ounces Italian peeled tomatoes

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons oregano 

1/2 cup heavy cream (if you're meh on cream, go with 1/4 cup)

salt

pepper

cayenne pepper (if you like spicy)

[NOTE: You could add other veggies like red peppers, spinach, or broccoli.]

Directions

1) Heat oil in large Dutch oven or pot on medium. Add carrots and onions and cook 3-4 minutes. 

Steps 2-7 (left right top, left right bottom)

2) Make a well in the center and add the ground beef. Cook until it turns brown. Gradually mix in with carrots and onions.

3) Add basil and oregano. Stir. Cook a few minutes. 

4) Make a well in the center and add the tomato paste. Let cook a minute or two. Gradually mix with ground beef.

5) Add garlic and mushrooms, combine.

6) Make a well in the center and add the peeled tomatoes. Let cook a minute or two. Gradually mix together all ingredients.

7) Make a well in the center and add the heavy cream. Combine.

8) Let simmer for 30 minutes to 2 hours. (Add cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.)

PRO TIP: Save this sauce in smaller containers and Ziplocs to use with combinations including: topping for spaghetti squash, put a fried egg on top, atop or aside roasted veggies... how would you use it? Leave me suggestions in the comments!

I chose to top mine with an egg (I get mine from the Waterview Farms egg guy at Dupont Circle Farmers Market on Sundays) and then bake it at 300 degrees until the yolk started to cook.

Whole 30: Emergency Paleo Snack Pack

Look, I get that eating meat and veggies instead of pasta and cheese is healthier for me. But where I get weak is snacking. I'm one of those people that gets postal cranky if I don't eat every four hours or so. So, I needed a paleo-compliant emergency kit to get me through to my next meal in order for me to be successful on this #30daytransformation challenge. Here's what I came up with:

Tammy's Emergency Snack Pack: 

Almonds

Apple Chips

Coconut Flakes (not shredded, but the chunkier kind)

Dried Apricots

Take a handful of each, pop in a Ziploc, shake and go! It's sweet and crunchy and filling.

UPDATE: The apple chips lost their crunch overnight. To keep optimum crunch factor mix just before serving.

I think this can be improved upon too. What spices, herbs or other ingredients would you add?

Whole 30: Stocking the Fridge for Success

I'm getting ready for my 30 day healthy challenge that starts tomorrow (so happy it's not starting after a night that involved several bottles of Champagne, Jenna's ziti and Cards Against Humanity) and that means trashing the temptation and stocking the fridge to make it easier.

I know that if I let myself get hangry, I'll be more likely to veer off course, so my plan is to have lots of options. Also, I've looked over the recipes I was given and, well, meh. I'm picky. Lots of things gross me out. I'm going to make my own way and find things that work for my tastes *and* for the plan. 

I've been getting a lot of questions about what "the plan" is... basically, I'm going to try to stick to (as local as possible) meats, fruits and vegetables and am cutting out carbs, refined sugars and preservatives as much as possible.

My Fridge: The Day Before

Here's how I've got it set up (sourced from my local bodega + Dupont Circle farmers market):

Top Shelf is Meat: Eggs, Chorizo, Maple Bacon, Ground Beef, Sliced Turkey, Prosciutto and Duck Fat for cooking

2nd Shelf is Snacks: Fruit, Coconut Water, Olives, Snap Peas (also got some wasabi seaweed snacks that help give me a crunch taste)

3rd Shelf is Veggies: Mushrooms, Kale, Cauliflower, Broccolini (on the counter and not shown: avocados, sweet potatoes, onions, tomatoes, carrots, lemons and limes)

4th Shelf is Dairy/Dairy Subs: Heavy Cream, Coconut Milk 

I've learned that these paleo types are hard core... I'm not sure I can get my head there, but I'll do my best to stick with it for 30 days. Either way, I'll be honest in telling you if recipes and work arounds generally taste terrible, just fine or fantastic. Stay tuned...

A Farewell to Carbs: 6 DC Carbs I'll Miss Most

When I decided to do the My Bootcamp 30 Day Transformation Paleo challenge, my first thought (after I stocked up on veggies and meat at the farmers market) was ok, I have four. more. days. of. carbs. So, what are the can't miss carbs of DC? Here's my take:

Taylor Gourmet Subs and Risotto Balls
Sure they make awesome salads (which I will be consuming by the barrel when the new Penn Quarter shop opens across from my office), but my favorite cozy go to order is a melty sub on their awesome bread with a side of risotto balls.

Taylor Gourmet Risotto Balls & Subs

The Donut Trend
Why did I decide to do this at the same time as Chef Jason Gehring opened Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, Chef Tiffany MacIsaac is opening a new donut shop and I have those insane lemon donuts at Palena Market a block from my house? I can give up cupcakes... but donuts?

Lemon Donut at Palena

Evil Tiffany MacIsaac Donut from her pop up at Salt & Sundry

Baked Goods from Blind Dog Cafe 

I could go 30 days without tasting the best chocolate chip cookie in Washington, but how can I get my latte without one of their creative scones of the day or the Bacon Goat Cheese Croissant sandwich? Breathe.

Mexican Corn at El Chucho

I'll give you that not every menu item is a win at El Chucho, but they do veggies well. Especially the Mexican corn which is so creamy, cheesy and sweet corn-y that it will look like the best splurge ever when I cross that Paleo threshold.

Mexican Corn at El Chucho

Everything at Fiola

I guess the upside is that Fiola does healthy well. Maria's lunch menu always has amazing salads, veggies and fresh grilled fish that will make me feel fabulous *and look fabulous* all while staying on my challenge. The downside... no Cacio & Pepe or Bolognese for the next 30 days.  Ooh, or Jeff Faile's Manhattans... shit, why did I agree to this?

Bolognese at Fiola

Ramen at Toki Underground
So, I'm gonna assume no noodles are allowed on the #30DayTransformation. Maybe I could just get a bowl of broth, pork belly and fried egg?

Toki Underground Ramen (photo: Jenna Golden of Eat More. Drink More.)

Honorable Mentions

• The Everything Potatoes at Range
• Sunflower Flax Bread by Atwater's Bakery at the Dupont Circle Farmers Market
• Whisked pies
• French Toast at Medium Rare
• Goat Cheese Naan at Rasika
• Lasagna & Risotto at Dino
• Agnolotti at Graffiato

What else? Tweet me or tell me in the comments what you'd miss most if you were giving up carbs for 30 days.

New Year Challenge: 30 Day Paleo Program

I've been working out once a week with Grant Hill for over a year now... longer than I've stuck with any kind of exercise plan. It's always outside with gorgeous DC scenery (choose Cathedral, Georgetown, Logan Circle or the dreaded Exorcist Stairs) and whether with friends or solo, it's fast, effective and interesting. I feel and look better than I have in years.

Sandbag squats in sleet and snow? No biggie... #lies

So, when he asked me today if I was going to join his 30 Day Transformation program starting January 2, 2013 you might think I jumped at the chance. But, I'm me... so I equivocated. "I mean, Grant... I just don't think it works with my lifestyle... I mean, I really really like food and eating out... like, a lot..." He pushed back, "I really think you can do it. I'll help." I ducked, "I mean, I could... but would you, like, be checking up on me..." (He follows me on Twitter and sees my food posts so there's not a lot of room for cheating without lying.)

As I was driving home from our workout, I thought about it. I mean, this guy has gotten me into shape for surfing lessons and kept workouts interesting and introduced me to some of the coolest chicks I know. Could I give him 30 days of Paleo? I've done it before and I know it works.

So, fine. I'm in. Let's do this thing. Y'all join Grant in keeping me honest.

And if you want in too, the details are on Grant's My Bootcamp website. Strength in numbers, right?

Plus, blogging recipes... saving money by eating in... Paleo dinner parties???

Follow Grant on Twitter at @GrantHillFit and tweet him for more info on bootcamp, personal training or nutrition.... that's how I got started! Leave me your favorite Paleo recipes in the comments below and I'll try em out!

How to Prep for a Hurricane Like a Floridian

Batten down the hatches (of Whole Foods), DC... it looks like Hurricane Sandy's headed our direction. So, what should you do to get prepped?

Hurricanes (photo: Phil Denton on Flickr)

1. Help Your Neighbors. First of all let's be serious. Do you have neighbors that might need some help? Make sure they are ok with this Operation Hurricane Prepare guide that I helped make with Create The Good. In addition to being the right thing to do, one of the things that hurricanes do is bring the community together. Some of my favorite memories are helping neighbors tape their windows or dive in and pull patio furniture out of the pool afterwards. That probably won't happen in DC, but you can get batteries for flashlights, water and coolers of ice for your elderly neighbor.

2. Plan Your Food. I'm not saying we should dramatically buy out everything in the grocery store. Take a look at your refrigerator. If you lose power, what will go fast first? Things like half and half and cheese would be first on my list to save. Therefore, I'll want a cooler of ice ready to go if Pepco goes bust. In addition, I'll want to have at least 24 hours of food and drink that doesn't need to be refrigerated. (I'm planning on making a mess of this Bolognese sauce today and freezing it in portions.) If you don't have a gas oven, you might want to cook any proteins in your freezer. Growing up in Florida, when we lost power, we'd fire up the gas grill and have a cookout (well, on the covered patio.)

3. Secure Your Yard. Got planters or chairs outside? Bring them in or make sure they are not at risk of blowing down the street. Your patio chairs shouldn't end up in the way of emergency vehicles trying to get by.

4. Charge Everything, Then Get Old School. In DC, our biggest threat is likely power loss (ok, or flooding if you're in a basement.) If you're a technology junky like me, that means you'll lose the Internet, the cable and the lights. Plug everything in and charge what you can to 100% but what will you do with yourself after it's gone? Make sure you've got good books, a deck of cards or some board games to pass the time.

5. Throw a Hurricane Party. I'm not saying get hammered and dangerous, I'm saying talk to your friends and neighbors. If you've got to weather a storm and no power, share your food, play games and generally hunker down together. Storms are scarier when you go through them alone. That said, here's Emeril's recipe for Hurricanes if you want to make a pitcher to kick things off!

6. Don't Drive. Keep the streets clear for emergency vehicles. We'll probably have some trees down and Pepco will need to get through to clear them and restore power. Also, if there's water, don't drive through it. Your car will stall. You'll get stuck. And the emergency workers will be stuck dealing with you instead of what they should be doing.

Tweet me at @floridagirlindc if you have any questions or need recipes!

UPDATE: More Tips That Make Sense

• If you're responsible for someone else (baby, dog, etc.), make sure you are storing extra water - re-use gallon jugs, freeze it in ziplocs, fill your bathtub... whatever you like. If we lose water for a week, you'll want it to drink, clean, flush and bathe. Consider how much you go through. Yeah.
• Download the Pepco app if you live in DC. Instead of spending maddening hours on the phone, you can just report your outage on the app. In addition, you can see outage maps near you and approximate times they think they will get a crew your way.
• If you've got above ground power lines, chances are, you're gonna lose power. Make sure you have batteries for flashlights and/or matches and candles unless you want to sit in the dark in bed and watch Caddyshack on DVD til your laptop battery dies.
• If your car is in a flood prone zone, move it now before all of the spaces are snapped up. But don't move it so far away that you can't use your car as a power source to recharge your iPhone and iPad. It may be the only hope for tech addicts like me.
• I'm hoping I don't have to tell you this but, don't drive through or wade through flooded streets and don't go near downed power lines. That's a pretty quick way to become a statistic AND make a Darwinism list.
• Are you a true storm junkie? Not unless you've got the RedCross storm app and are following alroker on Instagram.
• Save your iPhone and iPad batteries by turning off 3G and wireless unless you're using it. Turn off all notifications. Close apps you aren't using.
• Reliable sources (Twitter) tell me that downloading a movie on iTunes and watching it will take WAY LESS battery power than watching streaming Netflix or HBO GO through a 3G connection if you're power goes down. Plan accordingly.

Where to Eat in New Orleans Right Now

Last week, I had a whirlwind business trip to New Orleans - one of my favorite places to eat - and I tried to fit in as many new tastes as possible. Here were my favorite bites:

For lunch, go Green Goddess in the French Quarter. Sit at an outdoor table on quaint Exchange Street and bask in the feel. The menu is one of the few in town that offer amazing healthy and vegetarian options. Naturally, I veered away from that. I had a cool watermelon gazpacho, these decadent duck confit tacos and a side of Manchego cheese grits. Don't judge.

Duck Confit Tacos at Green Goddess (photo: Tammy Gordon)

My favorite dinner was at Herbsaint, where sans reservation I pulled up a chair at the bar and sampled small plates from a spicy gumbo to a rich gnocchi Bolognese. But, my favorite bite was this butter poached Gulf tuna. If it's on the menu when you visit, you have to try it.

Butter Poached Gulf Tuna at Herbsaint (photo: Tammy Gordon)

After dinner, we wanted a little bit more New Orleans. We went to a well known joint that shall not be named an ordered up the worst Manhattan I've ever tasted. After tweeting our DC bar guru, Jeff Faile, we stepped away from the offending glass and hopped a cab two miles away to uncharted territory - Cure. Bartender Ryan immediately rectified the situation, serving one of the best Manhattans of my life. He and his wife are recent New Orleans transplants, having just moved from... Manhattan (where he was at Spotted Pig for years.) Stop by and see him - and trust in his suggestions. Cure is legit.

Manhattan at Cure in New Orleans (photo: Tammy Gordon)

As a Tampa native, I feel it's my responsibility to try Cuban sandwiches wherever I see them on the menu. At Cochon Butcher, everything on the menu looked so good, I was tempted elsewhere. But the Cuban was a reward with crunchy pressed bread encompassing roast pork, pickles and cheese... but with enough of their own twists to not make it a copy. I actually liked Butcher better than I liked my dinner at Cochon (though it was still good... I mean, I had a fried oyster bacon sandwich.)

Cuban Sandwiches at Cochon Butcher (photo: Tammy Gordon)

And, of course, you have to go to Cafe du Monde for beignets and cafe au lait!

Round Up: Late Summer Best Bites in DC

It's been a busy couple of weeks and I haven't been blogging a lot. But, rest assured, I've been eating a lot of great dishes. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite bites from the past month or so:

Pulled Pork and Mac-n-Cheese at The Pig

Saffron Pappardelle and Rabbit Ragu at Bourbon Steak

Affogato with Nutella Gelato at Pitango

$1 Oyster Happy Hour at Hank's Oyster Bar (related: I've started liking oysters!)

Berry Goat Cheese Ice Cream at Sugar Magnolia (they also have sweet corn ice cream!)

The Cuban at Sundevich Truck (eaten riverside at Jack's BoatHouse)

Chocolate Chip Cookies (+ any baked goods) at Blind Dog Cafe

Meatball Subs at Taylor Gourmet

Cocktails at the 918 F Street Speakeasy

Cooking Classes at 918 F Street - this one from Rupen Rao's Indian class

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Fried Soft Shell Crab at Pearl Dive Oyster Bar

Mexican Corn at El Chucho (also loved the fried zucchini and squash blossom tacos)

Goat Cheese and Avocado Market Vegetable Salad at Fiola (I'm still obsessed with all things Fiola)

Open Faced Fried Fish Sandwich with Cole Slaw and Chips at Palena

Yeah, I've been eating well.

Will Artley's Pizzeria Orso: So Much More Than Great Pizza

I don't get to Falls Church often, but when I heard Chef Will Artley was taking the helm at Pizzeria Orso I decided I needed to make time to visit. I got to know Artley when he was the chef at Del Ray's Evening Star where he cranked out solid food using local ingredients for years. Since then, he's consulted on new restaurant openings, started his own pop-up concept, studied under pizzaiolo Peppe Miele and gotten his certificate in baking authentic Neapolitan pizzas. I popped by his new space in Orso on Sunday evening with no expectations other than I trusted that he knows food.

As luck would have it, I found Artley at the pizza oven. I told him I'd seen a tweet about some sort of pork belly mac-n-cheese action and turned my car his way. He said, "Want me to just bring you stuff?" Folks, when a talented chef says, "Hey, want me to bring you stuff?" you must give up menu control and let him do it.

I grabbed a table on the spacious outdoor patio and out came the first course, a grilled watermelon, smoked blue cheese and arugula salad. It was sweet and tangy with a nice bitter green tang.

Grilled Watermelon Salad

Next, one of my favorites of the whole meal, the seared scallop over Parmesan couscous with tomato jam. Please order this when you go. It was cooked perfectly and again, had great balance and flavor.

Seared Scallop over Parmesan Couscous

After that came one of Chef Artley's signature dishes, the PEI mussels in a smoked blue cheese broth. It was paired with house made sourdough toasts to dredge through the cheesy sauce once you've polished off the perfectly cooked mussels.

PEI Mussels in Smoked Blue Cheese Broth

The following course, a sweet corn agnolotti was packed with farmers market flavor. Where Graffiato's version is super sweet and soft, Orso is hearty and stuffed with early corn and crab.

Sweet Corn Agnolotti

The first pizza we tasted called The Bentley after the restaurant manager, Jonathan Bentley, who's wife about to have a baby. The Neapolitan-style pie was topped with baby spinach (get it?), roasted tomatoes and grana (I had to ask... it's a type of cheese.) At this point I was already thoroughly stuffed but I still had to have a slice - the rest will be lunch today.

The Bentley

The Bentley was the special of the day, so we also sampled the classic Margherita DOC. Again, this one becomes breakfast and lunch today after a smoky, cheese bite.

Margherita DOC

At this point we were raising the flag, calling Uncle and all other forms of being so full that we might pop. But Artley wasn't done. When he took over Orso, he found an unused slushee machine. It's now cranking out refreshing, icy cocktails like the Grape Crush and Watermelon Granitas Slushee:

Orso Slushees!

And he insisted we at least took a bite of the lemon donuts topped with Nutella whip. (Related: anyone else believe that even when you are so full from dinner, there's like another stomach somewhere that allows you to fit in a bite of something sweet?)

Lemon Donut with Nutella Whip

I've added Pizzeria Orso to my list of places that are worth crossing the Potomac for - and tops on my list are the half price wine deal on Wednesday nights and the pup friendly patio (Will has four dogs of his own.)

Follow Chef Will Artley on Twitter and Pizzeria Orso on Facebook and Twitter for updates. Pizzeria Orso is located at 400 South Maple Avenue in Falls Church, VA. There is reserved parking in the garage for restaurant patrons. [NOTE: Orso is closed on Mondays.]

NOTE: For those of you who know my blogger ethics policy, I disclose when I receive something complimentary. Artley was gracious enough to take care of us and it was much appreciated. That said, all items are available on the menu and I will be back on my own dime. ;)

Best Bars in Tampa for Convention by Florida Bar Tab

This is a guest post by Florida Bar Tab, one of my favorite sources for discovering the best spots to booze it up in my home state. I value his opinion because he's never just chasing a trend or new opening. Like me, he values old Florida over martinis with a Gulf view. Plus, like me, he's a campaign veteran so knows what the real staffers want in a watering hole. Take a look at his list and make sure you hit at least a few while you're visiting Tampa:

I make it a point not to be political. But any time you get tens of thousands of people flooding into a city from out of state, there's bound to be tens of thousands of people looking for a drink. So, if they're spending their money, I want to make sure it gets into worthy hands. Some of the best places to drink in the greater Tampa Bay area, in no particular order:

The Hub, 719 North Franklin Street, Tampa. Not quite the same since it moved, but still one of the best dive bars in town. Drinks are strong and cheap. Don't ask for a double, because you're pretty much already getting one. That and the bartender will probably look at you like you're an idiot. Dark and smokey and a diverse crowd that can sometimes be a bit weird, like the night a homeless woman held my hands, stared deeply in my eyes and sang along with Patsy Cline's "I Fall to Pieces" before asking me to buy her a beer. It has possibly the best jukebox in the state.

Skipper's Smokehouse, 910 Skipper Road, Tampa. Part bar, part seafood restaurant, part outdoor music venue. This is my favorite bar in Florida to catch live music. Stand under massive oak trees on a hot Florida night and enjoy local and national acts, or head indoors to the roadhouse-like bar that's got offbeat decor and music posters.

Cigar City Brewing, 3924 West Spruce Street, Tampa. This is Florida's best brewery. I have even boldly made that statement to other Florida brewers and I don't get an argument. And they have a tasting room where you can enjoy their brews, along with a handful of guest taps from other Florida breweries. The room itself is on the bland side. That's completely opposite of the beer, which is flavorful, complex and adventurous. But don't try to have a pint of each, since they usually have more than 20 house beers on tap. And you can even get quart or gallon sized jugs filled to bring back to your hotel.

Tampa Bay Brewing Company, 1600 East 8th Avenue, Tampa. One of Florida's oldest and finest brew pubs. I rarely go to Tampa without stopping in at least once. Not only is the beer great, but the food is good, too. Great pizzas, and the meatloaf is the best I've had ever, anywhere. Located in Ybor City.

Four Green Fields, 205 West Platt Street, Tampa. It's as if a country pub somehow disappeared from Ireland and magically reappeared just outside of downtown Tampa. It has a thatched roof and looks looks like it should be surrounded by green fields rather than on an urban street. Inside, it also remains true to the Irish character and resists the urge to go all leprechaun and cheesy in a way that ruins so many other Irish pubs.

Mahuffer's, 19201 Gulf Boulevard, Indian Shores. This might be Florida's oddest bar. If Salvador Dali opened a dive bar, it might look sort of like this place. The mix of stuff decorating it _ a graffiti covered bust of Abe Lincoln, a boat hull, a mannequin head hanging from a noose, large illuminated panels sexually depicting astrological signs _ can keep you entertained for hours. [Ed Note: I love this place - Tammy]

Don CeSar lobby bar, 3400 Gulf Boulevard, St. Pete Beach. I tend to hate hotel bars, but there are exceptions. The Don CeSar is a beautiful piece of Florida history, and the bar makes some great cocktails. It's almost like a step back into time. [Ed Note: Why have I never been here, it looks gorgeous. - Tammy]

The Hurricane, 807 Gulf Way, St. Pete Beach. OK, so it doesn't make the best drinks in the world, but the rooftop bar has an incredible view of sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. Worth it for that alone.

The Ale and the Witch, 111 Second Avenue Northeast, St. Petersburg. Perhaps the best beer bar in St. Petersburg. Lots of  taps. If you can't find a beer you like, then you don't like beer.

Cassis American Brasserie, 170 Beach Drive Northeast, St. Petersburg. Terrific cocktails in this French themed bar and restaurant along the bayfront park in downtown St. Pete.

Mastry's, 233 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg. This place has been around seemingly forever. When the New York Yankees used to have their spring training camp in St. Petersburg, legends like Mickey Mantle and Joe DiMaggio used to drink here.

Flamingo Sports Bar, 1230 Ninth Street North, St. Petersburg. This is the bar where beat author Jack Kerouac had his last drinks before dropping dead the next day. That was almost 43 years ago and the same guy owns the bar today. He likes telling stories about when Kerouac used to drink there. The bar itself is a tribute to the author. It definitely qualifies as a dive bar, but the cool side of divey. The house drink special was what Kerouac used to drink -- a shot of whiskey and a beer for $2.25. Of course, neither the whiskey nor the beer are of the highest quality. Maybe that's what killed Kerouac.


Now, living 300 miles from Tampa hasn't allowed me to explore every bar, so here are recommendations from readers I trust:

Tiny Tap Tavern, 2105 West Morrison Avenue, Tampa. Some say this is Tampa's best dive bar. High on my list of new places to check out. [Ed Note: When I was a Tampa campaign hack this was my favorite place to go after work... or at least after it was rude to knock on doors or call people. - Tammy]

Ciro's Speakeasy and Supper Club, 2109 Bayshore Boulevard, Tampa. Tampa's version of the new craze over prohibition era bars.

The Independent, 29 Third Street North, St. Petersburg. A beer hall with exposed brick walls. It was the inspiration for Fermentation Lounge, which is one of my favorite Tallahassee bars.

Follow Florida Bar Tab on Facebook, Twitter or his blog. 

For all of my blog posts on the RNC Convention click here, for all Tampa posts, click here. Tweet me @floridagirlindc if you have any questions. 

Julian Mayor's Top 3 Places to Drink Wine in Tampa

This is a guest post by Julian Mayor for 2012 RNC Convention goers - He is a Tampa native, recovering foreign policy wonk, cook and sommelier. When in Washington, stop by Michael Mina's Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons and visit Julian's amazing wine and beverage program.

Tampa Meet Up in DC: Julian Mayor & Tammy Gordon

1. The best restaurant for wine in Tampa is hands down Bern's Steakhouse. They have one of the largest collections of wine in the world, with more than 6,500 selections and over a half million bottles in their inventory. Bern's is the power spot to celebrate the nomination. But, don't let the 182 page wine list scare you. Ask for sommelier Brad Dixon who will help you select the right wine for your taste and budget. Bern's Steakhouse is located at 1208 South Howard. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

2. If you're looking for something a little more laid back, check out Cru Cellars in South Tampa. Voted "Tampa's Best Boutique Wine Bar," here you'll find a focus on small production wine paired with chef created farm dishes. You can come in and grab a few bottles to take home from their wine store, or stay in the back wine bar and sample more than 20 wines by the glass. They also are hosting private events for the RNC Convention with space for 30-40 people. Cru Cellars is located at 2506 South MacDill Avenue. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter for updates.

3. If you are staying in Tampa's historic Ybor City, visit Beaune's Wine Bar. Beaune's (pronounced "bones") is unique in that there is no restaurant price mark up. If you don't see a wine you want on the menu, you can simply walk into the wine store, select a bottle and enjoy it in the wine bar. The menu is simple and designed to pair with wines. One caveat: there are no TVs at Beaune's which could make a nice break from convention madness. Beaune's Wine Bar is located at 2009 North 22nd Street at West Palm Wines. Follow them on Twitter for updates.

For all of my blog posts on the RNC Convention click here, for all Tampa posts, click here. Tweet me @floridagirlindc if you have any questions.

Best Restaurants in Tampa for the Republican Convention

There's so much pressure when everyone from your professional life in Washington, DC is headed to your hometown for weeks of political power networking and nominating. I've got so many local Tampa area favorites (for so many reasons) that I want to share. The best way that I know to do it is download them all into a Tampa Food Map for the Republican National Convention, and then give you more information on a few of my must-dos.

UPDATED: Not sure why but Boca, the new Ceviche location and the new Edison are not on Google maps yet, but are must try spots! La Segunda Bakery is also not on the map, but is awesome for Cuban bread... and those of you not able to go to Tampa will be happy to know they ship Cuban bread direct to you.

Click here and you'll get my full list, along with the ability to see what's near you or near the event you're headed to:

View Tampa Food Map for RNC Visitors in a larger map

PS. In the coming days, I'll bring you deep dives on my local favorites, as well as guest posts from people who know Tampa food well. In the mean time, if you have questions tweet me or email me!

PSS. For all of my blog posts on the RNC Convention click here, for all Tampa posts, click here.

A Week of Beach Food: Rehoboth & Dewey Beach Edition

I got so many recommendations of places to eat during my week at the beach, but I ended up grilling out at the house for the most part. Just hanging out on the back deck with my dog, my friends and some amazing ingredients was hard to leave.

Pretty much what I did all week...

But when I did, here were a few of my favorite bites in Rehoboth & Dewey Beach:

Date Night Dinner at Stingray: Rehoboth
Saturday night, we biked into Rehoboth Beach for a cocktails and sushi at Stingray Sushi Bar + Asian Latino Grill. I loved the cute Victorian house and front porch setting at Stingray, but when you enter, prepare for trendy decor and music. We sat at the bar, had too many cocktails, and split sushi rolls and ceviche. My fave: the black grouper ceviche! From there, we biked back to the boardwalk where we took in an epic Journey cover band... if that doesn't get you in beach vacation mode, I'm not sure what will!

Healthy Lunch at Fifer Orchards Farm & Market: Dewey
Fifer's was like having a farmers market a block and a half from my house. Fresh, local ingredients + snacks + a fantastic deli. After overindulging on those bacon-butter burgers, I was craving lots of fresh vegetables, and this Veggie Sandwich with hummus, cheese and a massive amount of greens hit the spot. Plus, it was served with a crunchy pickle and a refreshing side of watermelon:

Market Vegetable Sandwich at Fifer Orchard Farm & Market in Dewey Beach

Hangover Acquisition at The Starboard: Dewey
Maybe all of those veggies made me crave something bad for me? I mean, Orange Crushes aren't terrible  for you on their own... perhaps it was that I had more than I recall. They do go down easy and The Starboard serves more oranges (and grapefruit) than any other establishment in Delaware. It involved a cover band. Possibly shots. And making fun of a guy that couldn't stop saying that he had a Lamborghini. And, lots of fun with Mary & McCealaig.

Starboard. So amused.

Hangover Recovery at Nalu Hawaiian Surf Bar & Grill: Dewey
Let's put it this way - the nachos served three grown adults who are big eaters... and we were too full to order lunch. Add it to your list if you just need a mound of cheesy goodness.

Birthday Dinner at Ristorante Zebra: Rehoboth
For the big day, we decided to return to Stingray for drinks and then walk across the street to Zebra for some Italian. Of course, I tasted everyone's plates, so I can confirm that my favorites were the carpaccio, the grilled avocado with mango, and the summer risotto.

Grilled Avocado Salad with Mango from Ristorante Zebra

Summer Risotto with Lemon and Shrimp at Ristorante Zebra

Birthday Custard at Kohr Brothers Custard on the Boardwalk: Rehoboth
We resisted dessert at Zebra because we had our eyes on the prize. More boardwalk custard. My favorite (I'm not sure if it's taste or location) is the Kohr Brothers Custard right at the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk. I get straight vanilla usually, but since it was a celebration, I opted for chocolate dipped with rainbow birthday sprinkles:

Cheers to Boardwalk Custard!

Coffee and Baked Goods at The Coffee Mill
With the week over, it was time to turn in the keys (*tear*). Luckily, right next to my realtor was my favorite coffee shop - I picked up a spinach and cheese stuffed croissant, an iced latte and got ready to fight the traffic back home to DC. I like to think the Coffee Mill makes entry and exit to Rehoboth and Dewey (it's at the apex) a little bit nicer.

[BONUS farmers market and the house realtor links after the jump...]

Anderson's Produce Market: Greenwood, DE
There are so many cute towns and markets on the road between DC and the Delaware short. On the way home, I fell smitten with Anderson's Produce Market. The owner, Kevin Anderson (and former chef) came out to greet Ike and told me that his lab was usually there too. When I asked what those red hair fruit things were, he didn't just tell me rambutan. He told me how he and his wife first encountered rambutan on a surfing vacation in Costa Rica. Then recently, he found a nearby source. He told us they were a little like a grape once you peeled the skin off, but with a pit. They were... and maybe a little bit plummy? Either way, super fun to try. The yellow melon (I forgot the name) was a taste combo of honeydew and canteloupe. And, I couldn't pass up the local apricots (especially after Dino's inspiring turn has me thinking about what I could come up with!)

My Anderson Market haul

Long & Foster of Rehoboth & Dewey Beach
The always in-the-know Cathy Barrow clued me into the fact that Dewey is a dog-friendly beach, so that made narrowing the scope of last minute rentals easier. I picked a house (100 West) that was just a block from the beach, bike-able/long-walkable to Rehoboth, had three bedrooms to host friends and a fenced in backyard for Ike. It was perfect. Long & Foster made the rental super easy and I'd definitely recommend reaching out to Carol there if you are looking for a place. I know I'll be back.

Backyard at 100 West, Dewey Beach, DE

Bacon Butter Burgers at the Beach

Alejandra (aka @frijolita) came to the beach this weekend and brought pure evil along with her in the form of advice from our friend Nevin Martell, "to get the perfect burger, sandwich a pat of butter in the middle of the patty."

Evil happening here...

To add insult to injury, we topped it with slices of cheddar and slabs of applewood smoked bacon from the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmers Market (where I stopped on the way to the beach and went totally overboard.)

Bacon Butter Burgers

You can't serve something that egregious with more fat, so I whipped up a tomato, cucumber, olive and feta salad. Try it sometime. Then try to stay awake.

Lazy Tuesday at the Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market

So far so good over here on vacation. Highlights have mostly included sleeping in, watching Ike roam the backyard freely, reading at the beach and generally not being in the office. But, I did have one thing on my agenda: the farmers market.

Fine, I'm a little addicted to farmers markets, but isn't that better than many alternatives? The Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market operates year round on Tuesdays, rain or shine, from noon til 4pm.

I'm staying in Dewey, but this was just a short bike ride past Silver Lake and then up to Lighthouse Circle. It's not huge but there were about twenty to twenty five vendors there today selling everything from fresh baked goods to Eastern Shore cheese to Delaware peaches. I forgot to bring my camera (and I'm trying to live in the moment over here and not tweet my every breath), but I snapped this photo of my haul:

Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market in July

I picked out sunflowers to put on the table for tonight's grilling festivities, some peaches, tomatoes and feta to make a salad, some locally baked honey wheat bread which will ended up sandwiching tomatoes and mayo and/or grilled peaches and cheese, apple cider donuts and a tub of feta made on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

I also picked up some cheddar and peanut butter dog biscuits for Ike who's been enjoying his sun deck this week:

Ike soaking in the sunshine and beach breezes

Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market is located at Grove Park (right at Lighthouse Circle). They offer seasonal updates, recipes and photos on Facebook and Twitter.

PS. Is it really a lazy Sunday if you've already worked... and you've biked to the market? Actually, it's been a busy Tuesday... for the beach and all.

Best Places to Eat at the Delaware Shore?

My birthday's coming up next week and I'm planning to have my toes in the sand, my dog at my side and of course, great food and drink in my belly. The Delaware shore is better known for boardwalk fast food than local source and seasonal, so I'm adjusting accordingly.

I've asked my friends what their favorites are when they visit Dewey, Bethany, Rehoboth and Lewes beaches and culled them into this fine Delaware Beaches Food Map. Take a look and let me know in the comments if I missed one of your favorites.

View DE Beaches Food Map in a larger map