spiiiiicy meatballs

Ground beef, bread crumbs, an egg, chopped chili peppers, garlic and more cilantro than you think is appropriate. mix everything together, roll in balls and drop them in an inch or so of vegetable oil.  Fry till they're golden brown and let them drain on a paper towel.  The of us ate about 4 pounds worth of this almost immediately after I removed them from the oil.

food and sex (totally PG)

who doesn't love Nandos... please tell me they have peri peri chicken in your city.

food & sex

OK, so this video's been out for a while and I've debated posting it but Christ, it's summer, I live in steamy DC & AC does shit.  I have no sweet tooth but I can use an ice cream truck right now. Uh oh!

REVIEW: Palette on 15th & M, Washington DC

If you work in this neck of the woods your lunchtime options are somewhat limited but fear NOT, Palette is a sophisticated and impressive downtown gem.  Their menu is a bit sporadic and lacks an overall theme but that just makes for a nice diversity if you're lunching with a variety of dietary preferences and restrictions. Their barbecue duck sandwich is pretty kickass, fish and chips a step above the rest, and their crab cakes... omg their crab cakes are totally off-the-chain-  huge pieces of meat, perfectly seasoned, browned on the outside and moist on the inside. The omelet entrée and the crab salad I think were OK but not amazing so I'd go for something else.  Palette, 1177 15th Street Northwest Washington, DC (202) 587-2700

REVIEW: Nage on Scott Circle, Washington DC

Yes it's located on the ground level of the Marriott Courtyard but don't be fooled.  I've been to Nage a handful of times for work lunches and have never been disappointed.  Contemporary American cuisine I believe is what defines their innovative and often changing menu but yesterday I may have had HANDS DOWN the best gnocchi dish outside Italy. Chickpeas, heirloom tomato, watercress pesto, buffalo mozzarella (please excuse the terrible photo above). The presentation was a bit overwhelming but the the dish itself, FANTASTIC...seriously check this out.   Nage Restaurant, 1600 Rhode Island Avenue, NW Washington, DC 

i'm VERY happy you don't eat hostess products

they just nasty.  I try and avoid beef fat in my baked goods.

you probably dont eat ramen any more

but if you're looking for a hangover cure maybe reach for something else.  Looking past the fact that for the seasoning mix the first ingredient is salt and the second is MSG, what exactly is "chicken powder?"  Frankly, I'm much more comfortable with chicken fat than dehydrated, pulverized chicken bits.  Oh well, call me picky. 

gluten free

DRINK: cold vino with citrus and bourbon

So refreshing you can drink this all day.  Bottle of decent full-bodied red wine, 3/4 of a bottle of soda water, cup (+ or - ) of bourbon and a thinly sliced orange and lemon.  Combine everything, refrigerate at least for 30 minutes and serve over ice.  Depending on your company you can make this as strong or as light as you like so use your judgement.  Soooooo good.

sardinian pizza

Great cheese-less pizza that's just meant for hot summer days.  Toppings are super Sardinian and pretty easy to find..   Tuna (try and find better quality tuna packed in oil- otherwise regular canned will do fine), red onion, tomatoes, capers, cracked black pepper and sea salt.  Probably one of the healthier pizzas you'll sink your teeth into anytime soon.  
In case you forgot how to make the dough: 1 packet active dry yeast 3 ½ cups all purpose unbleached flour, 1 cup semolina flour (#1 durum wheat),1 ¾ cups warm water (80˚ F), a touch of olive oil, and just a sprinkle of salt.... 20 minutes at 375 or till the crust is golden brown.