Hi Again!

Guess what happened since my last post? I had a baby boy! Braxon Alexander Strobel was born on November 9, 2020 at 10:26am in the most chaotic of circumstances. While my motherhood journey has been anything but smooth or easy, I can confidently say that nothing brings me more joy than my sweet baby Brax. My heart has never felt so much love, and I cannot believe this perfect angel is mine. Shout out to the real MVP, hangry husband, who has made this transition into parenthood survivable. Food is still at the top of my mind most days, and I’m excited to share my new food adventures with you again. However, I think it’s important to share my story of becoming a mother, so I invite you to join me to read more…..

That’s what Maryland Does

I’ve spent most of my life sampling crab cakes on the Eastern Shore and crafting what I think is the best representation of a Maryland-style tradition. I’ve made these more times than I can count and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Get Your Kitch Together

The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home. We don’t just prepare meals in our kitchens – we host our friends, bond over family discussions, nourish our bodies, and much more. As such, you want your space to be vibrant, functional, and organized. But how exactly do you go about creating such a kitchen and what kind of items and tools should you have to complete it?

Beans, Beans, The magical Fruit….

Listen, I’ve been avoiding beans for a majority of my life. To me they have no taste, and typically a less than appealing texture. But during this quarantine period, I did some reading from Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen and decided to give beans another chance - my way. Below is my first success story of flavorful brothy beans and a riff on them for a marinated cold bean condiment option. Both are delicious and I ate them all within three days. Let me know what your favorite ways to eat beans are!

It’s my birthday!

I love carrot cake. It’s always been my mom’s favorite, and I’ve discovered it’s my favorite, too! I made one for my birthday this year, which I shared with my twin brother, Thomas (safely and distantly). We’ve only been apart for one birthday when he was studying abroad in Australia. I hope we can continue to celebrate together for the rest of our lives. Check out how to make one for yourself below!

Have it all

Hangry Husband and I announced last week that we are expecting our first child, our little dumpling, in October! I couldn’t wait to share the news, and I can’t wait to be a mom. I had a feeling I might be pregnant when I started experiencing extreme HANGER pains in the morning. I typically am a coffee for breakfast kind of person, but it was not an option to skip a filling breakfast during the first few weeks. One of the things I crave most is hearty toasts! I equally love buttery egg toast and avocado toast, so I starting making a hybrid of both on one toast! Here’s how I do it:

Let them eat cake

I saw this cake on Instagram and could not stop thinking about it. Then I realized, “Hey, I could probably make this!” So I did. Hangry husband forgot the funfetti cake mix on the grocery list, so I adapted this recipe from Tasty and made my own! Separating the marshmallows from the grain cereal in the Lucky Charms is a fun activity for your spouse or your children and the reaction from this cake is sure to bring smiles and laughter. I presented my nephew with this colorful creation for this eighth birthday and his eyes were aglow, his toothless smile wide. I hope you and your families enjoy it as much as we did.

The Longer it Sits, the better it gets!

Just because we’re stuck at home, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy seasonal eats! Most farmers markets are still open, and you can even source directly from some farms in the area. Check out Future Harvest’s interactive map of both options here. The markets are practicing safety by enforcing social distancing in lines and picking the items for customers instead of the serve yourself method. Grab some spring things and make a big bowl of this pasta salad to have for lunch during the week, which gets even better the longer it hangs out in the fridge!

Snap. Crackle. Crunch. Quarantine.

Well, we are two weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic self isolation in Washington, DC. It’s been a very traumatic time for the DC food industry, and the food industry worldwide. I urge you to order take-out or delivery from your favorite restaurants, if they are offering it, or consider buying a gift card to those restaurants and businesses forced to close. Additionally, you can find an online tip jar for our service industry friends here, and an aggregated list of all food and beverage delivery/take-out options in your area here.

For the soul

Ah, chicken soup. It’s a comfort classic with powers of healing and nostalgia. I grew up on Campbell’s Chicken and Stars, and I still find myself reaching for the can when cold season takes me victim. Better than Chicken and Stars? Homemade. If you set yourself up for success, homemade chicken soup is simple and oh so satisfying. I always have homemade stock and some kind of chicken in my freezer, and some sort of hearty vegetables in my crisper. I replaced noodles with zucchini for this version because I find that when I store chicken noodle soup in my fridge for leftovers, the noodles soak up all the broth and I’m left with mushy pasta and no broth. More on this later.*

Your New Fave Neighborhood Hang

Nina May opened in the fall of 2019 to immediate praise. Located in the old Bird space in Shaw, the fresh concept of a communal neighborhood eatery has been brought to life by Chef Colin McClimans and General Manager Danilo Simic. Every element is designed to make you feel good – and it does!

The perfect recipe to clean out your fridge and pantry

This recipe was inspired by something I read or watched and when I gazed into my refrigerator one evening I realized I had all the makings for this scrumptious Tuscan soup. Just take some vegetables, some sausage, some bread, and some liquid - and voila - dinner is served. Don’t be afraid to mix and match vegetables, herbs, and bread varieties. It really is the perfect dish to use up all those odds and ends collecting in the crisper drawer.

An Autumn Staple

At first glance, butternut squash is super intimidating. Your knife isn't big enough to slice through it; the amount of skin you have to remove is overwhelming - and there are seeds to remove, too!? But really, once you get the hang of it you will be able to prepare butternut squash in your sleep. My secret? Microwave the squash for one minute and then slice off the top and bottom to expose the flesh. Your (sharpened!) knife will slice right through it, and skinning and de-seeding will be a breeze. Here’s how I do it…

DC has reached peak patio SZN

There’s something about dining al fresco in DC that really brings me to peak summer status. It seems like no matter where restaurants are located in DC, they try to make a patio situation happen. That said, some are better than others. Here are a few that I love to frequent, what are you favorites?!

Traditional Omakase Transports Arlington Diners to Japan

At Yume Sushi in Arlington, Chef Saran (Peter) Kannasute takes diners on an intimate dining experience through Japan. Curating the freshest Japanese ingredients directly from the source, Japanese delicacies are shipped overnight and prepared daily for the evening’s Omakase tasting. Omakase or “ I shall leave it up to you” is a traditional Japanese dining experience where the chef prepares seven dishes based on the days’ best offerings. No need to pour over a menu trying to decide what to order, Chef Kannasute will place seven perfect plates in front of you while you sip on local Japanese beers, or sake on draft.

Orange chicken should always be served with waffles

ChiKo, a fast casual Chinese-Korean concept by Scott Drewno and Danny Lee, launched BRUNCH this month at their DuPont location and it’s basically the only place you’ll find me eating brunch besides the Hangry District HQ (my house). Light on the eggs and heavy on flavor, this brunch menu will have you counting down the minutes to the weekend. Here’s what it looks like:

Mintwood Place, a DC staple in Adams Morgan, unveiled their new Family Meal menu, which is easy on the wallet and perfect for enjoying with loved ones and friends. The three-course, family-style feast is priced at $160 and offers guests a rotating list of five nibbles and starters, three entrées, two sides and five seasonal desserts to share, prepared by Chef de Cuisine Matthew Cockrell. Chef Cockrell’s French culinary background is apparent in the classic dishes, adding flair and finesse.

Stepping in through the wooden door of the newly opened omakase style restaurant, Zeppelin, guests are transported to a buzzing bar, dimly lit and engulfed with the sounds of shaken cocktail. Flames lick skewers of meat and vegetables that satiate the appetite while encouraging all to imbibe.  You’ll never want to leave.

Napoli Pasta Bar, just 18 months old, is a new Italian eatery in Columbia Heights serving up classic Neapolitan cuisine and already nabbing a 2019 Michelin DC Guide Bib Gourmand honor. The intimate neighborhood space has enticed me since I saw the colorful plates adorning the tables through the expansive bay windows, and watched as the cozy patio was added to the entrance.

Be Present at this Gift of an Eatery in Falls Church

Family owned Vietnamese restaurant, Present, located in Falls Church, VA is truly a gift.  The eatery was named and designed as a retreat for families to gather together, share food, and live in the moment. That’s exactly what we did when we feasted on the cuisine. 

NINE GOURMET HOT SAUCES YOU CAN FEEL GOOD ABOUT

Connie Caulfield is the owner of Caulfield Provision Company, a woman-owned, small family operated company that produces a line of seven gourmet hot sauces.

Get lit with local spirits

I recently teamed up with one of my favorite local distilleries, Catoctin Creek, and my favorite local mixtress, Gina Chersevani of Buffalo and Bergen, to bring all of you hangry readers the very special recipe for the 🛷Sleigh Ride 🛷 - a cocktail to make all winter long while you’re curled up by the fire watching holiday flicks on FreeForm. If you want to skip the shakin’ and stirrin’, you can sidle up to the bar at B&B and whet your whistle while you people watch.