Wonder What You'll Be Seeing Next at the Grocery?

Top Trends Spotted at the US’ Largest Natural and Organic Products Trade Show

Image from Natural Products Expo west

By Susan Able with contribution from Maddy Beckwith | Edible DC

Expo West, the largest US trade show for natural and organic products, is took place last week, March 7-11, in Anaheim, CA. The trade show is hosted more than 3,000 exhibiting companies and had over 67,000 registered attendees.

Edible DC got a firsthand report from DC attendee, Maddy Beckwith, who was on the exhibit floor for several days and she summed up the top 5 trends she saw in new natural and organic food products.

From top, clockwise: Scout seafood with toppers, meati patties on the grill, oats over night and Mush.

1. More and more “Plant-Based” meats and eats. A great example is Meati, a Denver-based company that makes animal-free, whole-food protein nutrient-rich mushroom roots. The company is on a path to expansion, but for now you can find their product at Sprouts in Herndon, VA.

2. Many examples of "Functional Beverages" lots of drinks with Adaptogens with ingredients from ginseng to CBD that are designed to increase mental alertness and energy, or helping you relax. And lots of examples of Mushroom-based beverages—think reishi mushrooms that some believe have potential health benefits, including boosting the immune system and fighting cancer.

3. Lots of food makers thinking way beyond the potato potato chip—a proliferation of Vegetable Chips and Fruit Chips. Even Torres, a potato chip maker since 1969, has introduced Beetroot, Parsnip and Sweet Potato Chips as well as Broad Beans Chips with Amaranth and Chia Seeds.

4. The emergence of "Toppers" — individual and bulk packaged crunchy toppers (to be used as a snack or literal topper on a meal or salad). An example is Vancover, BC-based Scout Seafood Snacks, sustainably sourced seafood (tuna, salmon, etc.) in a tin with a crunchy mix-in topper.

5. So many "Overnight Oats" to be found throughout the expo. Two examples are Oats Overnight and MUSH. Both are packaged oats that come already “overnight” soft from being mixed with protein milk. These are protein and fiber rich, dairy-free, gluten-free immediate breakfast options.

DC's woman-owned restaurants announce Women's History Month Food Fest March 13 - 19

Chefs jamie leeds of hank’s oyster bar and ruth gresser of pizzeria paradiso are both hosting specials and events to celebrate Women’s history month. Photo by @anaisabelphotography

By Susan Able | Edible DC

A collaboration of DC woman chefs and restaurateurs in honor of Women’s History Month has launched, and we’ve got a website link with all the details of the collaborations and specials. Make sure this is on your radar for edible/drinkable ways to celebrate women’s extraordinary accomplishments this month and support DC’s women-owned food businesses.   

RE:Her DC is an organization of DC’s women and non-binary owned-restaurants, bars and bakeries that formed during the pandemic. Their second annual Women’s History Month Festival will invite food and beverage lovers in the area to celebrate Women's History Month, and the strength and diversity of DC’s woman-owned restaurants by taking part in their menu collaborations and specials from March 13 – 19. 

These special events are scattered throughout the DMV during the Festival, so diners can chose from an array of woman-owned restaurants in the area to visit during the celebration. RE:Her members will donate a portion of the sales from these specials to Regarding Her’s grant program.

A few examples of the RE:Her Women’s History Month Events:

GOOD STUFF EATERY + DISTRICT FISHWIFE
Owners: Micheline Mendelsohn, Good Stuff Eatery, and Fiona Lewis, District Fishwife
Dates: 3/13 - 3/19
Collab: The District Fishwife Salmon Burger will be sold at Good Stuff Eatery
Neighborhood: Capitol Hill

PIZZERIA PARADISO & WHOLE OX
Owners: Ruth Gresser and Amanda Luhowiak
Dates: 3/13-3/19
Specials:  Madeleine Kamman inspired Beef Bourguignon Pizza Special. Local beef and bacon from Butcher Amanda Luhowiak of The Whole Ox in Marshall VA and the Julia Reverse Martini
Neighborhood: Various locations

HANK’S OYSTER BAR
Owner: Jamie Leeds
Dates: 3/13-3/19
Events (link here):
3/12 Wine Tasting & Bites with  Diane Gross of Cork Wine Bar and Nadine Brown
3/13 - 19 Hank’s  at the Wharf will feature Fishscale’s signature Spicy Sambal on their  fried oysters and popcorn shrimp & calamari at their Wharf location. Fishscale is owned by RE:Her member Kristal Williams
3/19 Dumplings with Susan Qin of Chinese St. Market (SOLD OUT)
3/26 5-Course Dinner with Katherine Thompson and Lucy Dakwar of Thompson Italian
Neighborhoods: Alexandria and The Wharf DC

BEAUTY CHAMPAGNE & SUGAR
Owner: Zena Polin
Special: RE:Her Red Wine Wine Cookie ($1 Giveback)
Neighborhood: Alexandria

PRESERVATION BISCUIT COMPANY
Owners: Tricia Barba, Preservation Biscuit Company, Victoria Lai, Ice Cream Jubilee
Collab: Banana-Rama Ice Cream Biscuit Sandwich Collab with Ice Cream Jubilee: Buttermilk biscuit filled with banana bourbon caramel ice cream, strawberry jam, and topped with cinnamon and a rum banana sauce.
Neighborhood: Falls Church

RIS DC
Owner: Ris Lacoste
Special: My Mother’s Meatloaf
Neighborhood: West End

Reminder, find the rest of the event action to celebrate Women’s History Month and women-owned restaurants at this LINK. You can follow Regarding HER DC’s organization on their instagram here.

DC Chefs Join American Culinary Corps as part of Partnership Between James Beard Foundation and State Department

Photos courtesy of the US State Department

By Tim Ebner / Edible DC

Food has the power to change the world. That is something you could see clearly in February as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with Chief of Protocol Ambassador Rufus Gifford, welcomed more than 50 chefs to Washington to celebrate their work in diplomatic exchange.

This was a celebration of food, culture and chefs who have helped make an impact in communities near (most chefs hailed from the DMV region) and far, and it is a partnership effort supported by the James Beard Foundation.

Chef AMY brandwein from centrolina is being congratulated on becoming a culinary diplomat.

“Our mantra at the James Beard Foundation is ‘Good Food for Good,’” said Clare Reichenbach, James Beard Foundation CEO. “Together we have created a remarkable group of chefs and culinary professionals who represent the rich culinary tapestry and panoply of foodways in this country. These individuals are industry leaders and the embodiment of the foundation’s mission and values.”

The chefs who came to Washington visited the White House and gathered for a reception at the Department of State witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding along with Ambassador Gifford and Reichenbach. This Biden Administration action solidifies the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership between the Department of State and the James Beard Foundation.

“When we break bread with people, we learn something about each other in ways that transcend divisions of geography or language,” Secretary Blinken said. “In my own time as a diplomat, I have found that sitting down for a meal with my counterparts has often led to conversations, candor, exchanges that simply don’t happen when you’re in a conference room, a board room, in an official formal environment. Put another way, sometimes diplomacy gets more done effectively at the dining room table than at the conference table, and I’ve witnessed that, experienced that myself.”

This concept is core to the American Culinary Corps. It also adds another tool to the Department of State’s public diplomacy by embracing and utilizing food, hospitality, and the dining experience as tools to engage foreign dignitaries, bridge cultures, and strengthen relationships abroad.

Participants from the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership commit to work within their local communities and abroad, including global missions where they will travel, cook, share culinary traditions one meal at a time.

You can support these D.C. chefs and their mission to do good, by following them online and dining out at their restaurants soon:

• José Andrés 

• Victor Albisu

• Angel Barreto 

• Amy Brandwein

• Erik Bruner-Yang

• Michael Friedman 

• Jerome Grant

• Fernando Gonzalez 

• Carla Hall

• Matthew Hill

• Christian Irabién

• Jeremiah Langhorne

• Edward Lee

• Andrew Markert

• Marjorie Meek-Bradley

• Masako Morishita

• Patrick O’Connell

• Rose Previte

• Debby Portillo

• Daniella Senior Alvarez

• Aaron Silverman

• Johnny Spero

• Vikram Sunderam

• Yuan Tang

• Kevin Tien

• Paola Velez

Make Homestyle Chicken Curry Just Like Karma Modern Indian

Chef Ajay Kumar shares this easy and delicious recipe for a “Curry in a Hurry”

By Tim Ebner / Edible DC

This is an easy to make curry from scratch (in 30 minutes or less) for dinner in a hurry. This dish pairs nicely with butter naan and steamed rice, and it comes from Chef Ajay Kumar owner of Karma Modern Indian and Kismet Modern Indian.

Yield: Serves 3-4

Prep time: 10-15 minutes

Total cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast (cut into small chunks)

• 2 onions chopped

• 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste*

• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon red chili powder

• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric powder

• 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder

• 1 tablespoon garam masala (homemade) salt to taste**

• ½ tablespoon cardamom and mace powder

• 2 chopped green chilies

• 1 cup yogurt (beaten)

• 1 cup fresh tomato puree

• Chopped cilantro, to garnish

* To make garlic ginger paste: Mince about 1 tablespoon of ginger finely and 2 large cloves of garlic finely—take the large blade of a chef’s knife or use a mortal and pestle to smash the finely minced garlic and ginger together to create the paste.

**To make your own whole garam masala: Grind together the 1/2 tablespoon of cumin seeds, 2 ounces mace, 4 pieces of green cardamom, 4 cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 4 black pepper corns, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 bay leaf. [Editor’s note: If really pressed for time, use 1 tablespoon of a fresh, high quality garam masala spice mix.]

Directions

Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and add the garam masala. Add chopped onion and stir slowly until golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste to fried onion mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Now add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and coriander powder, stir for 2 minutes on a very low flame.

Add the beaten yogurt and stir slowly and blend it with mixture. Then add the tomato puree and chopped green chilies. Cook it for 5 minutes before adding chicken pieces, cover with lid bringing curry to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for an additional 15 -20 minutes.

Add garam masala powder, stir well and garnish with fresh cilantro. This dish tastes particularly good with buttered naan and steamed basmati rice. Enjoy!

Holiday Specials Making the DMV Bright

Photo from Call your mother, chelsea carter.

Now is the time to plan for dining specials and to-go orders!

By Susan Able | Edible DC

To quote Jennifer Coolidge in White Lotus, “You’ve got this.” Yes, the crush of the season is impending but there are so many options for dining out and picking up that you can make your life more glamorous and much easier.

Hanukkah and Christmas Special Offerings

Photo By chelsea carter. Call your mother deli.

Call Your Mother

Call Your Mother, has Hanukkah and Holiday Catering menus featuring latkes, jelly doughnuts and four cookie varieties, available for pick-up or delivery. Some highlights: Classic and Delux Latke Platter, $30 and $65, Jelly Doughnuts, $20 for 6 or $35 for 12. Available for pick-up or delivery Dec 18 - Dec 24 during regular shop hours. Holiday Cookie Tins, $30 with four of each: Peanut Butter Brownie Cookie, Festive Chocolate Chunk Cookie, Festive Snickerdoodle Cookie and two Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats. Available for pick-up or delivery Dec 12 - Dec 24 during regular shop hours.

Del Mar

Celebrate Feliz Navidad at Del Mar, a magical place at The Wharf to enjoy the season and stroll along the water. Experience Del Mar's 4-Course Christmas Eve Menu, featuring winter dishes like Butter Poached King Crab and White Truffle, and Josper Roasted Quail with Hudson Valley Foie Gras, or enjoy a la carte dining. 4-course menu, $225. Saturday, December 24th, 5:00 pm - 10:30 pm. Reservations here.

And this is fun! Enjoy a spin around the ice rink at The Wharf, and then warm up at Del Mar, Tuesday - Sunday, 3:00 - 5:00 pm and have your pick of special seasonal cocktails, sangrias and appetizers.

L’Ardente

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is happening not only Christmas Eve, but for a full week at DC’s L’Ardente, Dec. 17-24. L’Ardente will present a special menu for two that features two glasses of Veuve Clicquot; the La Perla seafood platter featuring oysters, shrimp cocktail, hamachi crudo, crab and caviar; the Campanelle Nere, a squid-ink pasta tossed with lobster, leek soffritto, tomato, Calabrian chili and lemon confit; a whole grilled branzino stuffed with fennel, tomato and olives served atop a flavorful lemon-herb sauce and two desserts of your choosing. Our Feast of the Seven Fishes costs $250 for two and will only be available during dinner service from Dec. 17–24 and will be offered in addition to our regular menu. 

Little Acre Flowers

For all your holiday floral gifting, decorating and tablescaping-think supporting local flowers at Little Acre Flowers, and they also feature locally made gifts. The Little Acre Flowers holiday shop is live and full of some of options for the season, giftworthy plants, wreaths, centerpieces, and gifts. Also available this year: Chanukah arrangement. The Winterberry Vase and the Mixed Evergreens Vase are in stock as well. Also a cute baseball cap.

I Ricchi

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is offered at I Ricchi, for dine in or pick up. $125 pp, and the menu includes seven seafood courses ranging from pan seared prawns to lobster risotto, finish with panettone bread pudding. Order here.

Sababa

Sababa, a “modern Israeli” restaurant and Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand winner will celebrate Hanukkah with a variety of specials, which will be available in addition to the restaurant’s full menu. From December 18-25, guests can opt for Potato Latke "Vichyssoise," crispy potato latke topped with leeks, slow cooked in cream, priced at $14; Schmaltz Chopped Chicken Liver with hard-boiled egg and house pickles, priced at $14; Duck Confit, duck leg slow cooked in goose fat, served with spiced Israeli couscous, priced at $28, as well as Braised Beef Brisket with sweet potato Chraimeh, priced at $38. Served Sunday, December 18 through Sunday, December 25, during dinner service. Reservations here.

christmas cake at seylou bakery.

Seylou

Artisanal whole grain baker, Seylou, has a number of limited time holiday offerings including the Christmas Cake ($30), pictured above that is inspired by a traditional Christmas cake from Venezuela. It’s a very rich cake finished with a 7 spice tea syrup. Other items include Stollen, Speculaas Cookies, Sorghum Molasses Cookies and whole grain dinner rolls. Breads and holiday items are available for pre-order here.

Tea in peacock alley at the waldorf astoria. photo courtesy of the waldorf astoria.

Waldorf Astoria Washington, DC

Perfect time for holiday tea! The Waldorf Astoria in the Clock Tower Building has a special Holiday Tea available Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Seating times are 12:00 pm, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Hosted in the soaring Peacock Alley atrium, bites from a selection of Clock Tower Tea Sandwiches are offered, including the Larriland egg salad eclair with sturgeon caviar and chive and a twist on the classic Waldorf Salad with chicken, gala red and green apples on cranberry walnut bread. The cinnamon and orange cranberry homemade scones and various holiday-themed sweets complete the experience along with a live harpist. Make a reservation here.

Bûche de Nöel from Convivial.

Order a Bûche de Nöel

If you are hosting, or want to win the VIP award as a guest, from Convivial ($38) or Fresh Baguette or any number of French bakeries around, but do it now as they require pre-order.