I haven’t been able to spend too much time updating the blog lately, as you can easily see.  Hopefully I’ll get back at it soon.  But in the meantime, feel free to follow me 140 characters at a time on Twitter at WillBlog4FoodDC.  You can also see my latest Tweets on the right. And if your’e looking for more info, check out some of the great links in the blogroll.

-Justin

I’ll be honest, I’m not a big fan of conservative columnist George Will. In fact, I think he’s a hack. I’m not a big fan of the Washington Post’s editorial and opinion page either. So, I was quite surprised to see Will calling Obama’s new Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, to task in his Sunday column, titled “Where the Obesity Grows.” Here’s a sample:

“Vilsack’s department is entwined with the food industry that produces a food supply unhealthily simplified by the dominance of a few staples such as corn. This diet, Pollan says, has made many Americans both overfed and undernourished.

Hippocrates enjoined doctors: “Do no harm.” He also said something germane to a nation that is harming itself with its knives and forks: “Let food be thy medicine.” That should be carved in stone over the entrance to Vilsack’s very important department.”

Who knew that George Will had a soft spot for Ag reform and providing healthier food to our children and ourselves? Not me. Nope. Definitely didn’t see that coming. I bet Big Ag didn’t see it coming either.

Now, it wasn’t the greatest piece of journalism. Fairly unoriginal and for the most part, a Michael Pollan cut and paste job. And I’ve seen better from better columnists. But, having George Will quote Pollan, in a good way no less, isn’t the worst thing in the world.

As noted the other day, I had plans to go to Bistrot du Coin for the anual Dining Out For Life fundraiser. I know that Bistrot du Coin is not the epitomy of high-end French cuisine, but I love the place. Great atmosphere, tasty French bistro food, a good value, and best of all, a variety of moules frites. I order a bucket every time, and on Thursday night we had the Moules Roquefort.

Perhaps the best part of the dish is the cream sauce that’s leftover once the mussels are gone. If it was socially acceptable, I’d get all Sideways and drink directly from the bucket. Luckily, we had plenty of bread for dipping. And, our waiter taught us a neat little trick involving a fork and a shell. So, I give you the end of our meal, as a progression, in photos (sorry for the poor quality, the iPhone camera has it’s limits).

Step 1 - Eat all of the mussels

Step 2 - Attach shell to fork

Step 3 - Scoop up some sauce

Step 4 - And you're done

Bistrot du Coin

Got plans later tonight? Why not go out to a local restaurant, help the local economy, and help a good cause?  Nearly 150 area eateries will be participating in tonight’s annual Dining Out For Life fundraiser, which raises money for local AIDS service organizations. All participating restaurants will donate at least 25 percent of tonight’s profits to Food & Friends.

I’ll be going to Bistrot du Coin, they’re donating 50 percent of their profits. Click here for the full list of restaurants.

For the second weekend in a row, I’ve had some aging bananas sitting in a bowl and getting blacker and blacker by the day. What’s the solution? In the past I’ve been known to pitch them into the trash can. I’m just less inclined to eat a mushy banana. But now I’ve come to my senses. The obvious solution is banana bread.

Banana Nut Bread

It should have been obvious before, especially given my past success with pumpkin bread, but we’ll ignore that for now. And after a few tries, I think I’ve got the recipe just right – moist, not too dense, and perfect when served warm with a little butter spread on top. 

Continue for the recipe.

In honor of Mardi Gras, I cooked up some BBQ shrimp – New Orleans style. I spent a long weekend in New Orleans last spring and there’s one word that summed up the entire trip: delicious. It’s a great city with a wonderful culture and the food to back it up.

We ate our way across the city. And yes, we even went to one of Emeril’s restaurants, the Delmonico. Which, by the way, was recently featured on Top Chef (Go Carla!). This recipe comes from Emeril and is similar to the same dish we had at the restaurant. It’s quite rich and not what you would typically expect of a BBQ shrimp dish, especially if you’re used to eating BBQ shellfish in the mid-Atlantic region.

BBQ Shrimp - New Orleans Style

Continue to see the recipe.

Several restaurants participating in Restaurant Week are extending their fixed price menu through the end of February. Here’s a list of the highlights. Go to OpenTable to make a reservation or click on the restaurant below.

Mie N Yu - Gearshift Photo

• 701
• Cafe Atlantico
• D’Aqua
• Farrah Olivia
• Le Chat Noir
• Mie N Yu
• Mio
• Oya
• The Oval Room
• Rasika

The Oscars are tonight and I’m rooting for Slumdog Millionaire in the Best Picture category. I thought it was a great movie, filled with plenty of despair but entirely uplifting at the same time. And who doesn’t love a dance scene during the closing credits?

In anticipation of Slumdog’s imprending win, and in order to have a snack to go around while watching the show, I cooked up a little Indian dish – mango chutney. Simple, a bit spicy, and great for dipping with naan bread.

Mango Chutney

Continue for the recipe.

DC’s Winter Restaurant Week is now underway and based on some quick research, it appears that there are still quite a few good tables available. I’m guessing the economy might have something to do with it. Just a hunch. But that’s no reason not to take advantage of a good deal when you find one!

Many others have posted on where to go/not go, the best deals, and best service (see here, here, and here), so I stuck with the basics – for the most part. My research was simple. I used OpenTable.com and searched for a table for two between the hours of 6pm and 10pm. Of the restaurants with tables available, I’ve listed what I consider some of the best options (no chains, steakhouses, or tapas). For a full listing of available restaurants on any given night or to make a reservation, just click on the date.

Wednesday, February 18th – 170 restaurants with reservations available, including: Co Co Sala, Il Mulino, Kaz Sushi Bistro, Mio, and Tosca Ristorante.

Thursday, February 19th – 166 restaurants with reservations available, including: 1789, Acadiana, Belga Cafe, Filomena Ristorante, Hook, Poste, Teatro Goldini, and Taberna de Alabardero.

Friday, February 20th – 151 restaurants with reservations available, including: Agraria, Cafe du Parc, Dino, Hudson, Indebleu, Le Chat Noir, Marrakesh, Notti Bianche, and TenPenh.

Saturday, February 21st – 152 restaurants with reservations available, including: Bistro Bis, Chef Geoff’s, D’Aqua, Occidental, Sea Catch, Sonoma, and Zengo.

Sunday, February 22nd - 136 restaurants with reservations available, including: 701, Cafe Atlantico, DC Coast, Mie N Yu, and Oya.

It’s Valentine’s Day. I’m sure you hadn’t noticed. Not much to say about this holiday. But, I did use it as an excuse to get a cupcake. Actually, I bought a half dozen (from Hello Cupcake). 

Brought to you by Hello Cupcake

One down so far. Tasty. Planning to spread the love with the rest.