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Top Chef exit interviews

Wednesday, July 7th, 2010

Apologies for the shameless self-promotion (yet if not here, where?) but I am very excited to be chatting with this season’s Top Chef contestants as they pack their knives and go. If you’re a Top Chef fan like me, please check out my exit interviews on the Washingtonian’s Best Bites blog. Each Friday, we’ll grill a […]

Adventures in Burgundy

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

When I traveled down to Burgundy to research my NY Times article on Thomas Jefferson and wine, I had a big hurdle to face: Driving. See, I can’t drive a stick shift. And apparently there are only two automatic cars for rent in the town of Dijon. Both of which were reserved.
So, I decided to rent […]

Thomas Jefferson, Burgundy and me

Saturday, June 12th, 2010

Salut, mes amis! I’m so excited to share this article from this Sunday’s New York Times travel section, Retracing Jefferson’s Steps in Burgundy!
It was so much fun to visit the Côte d’Or in March, to follow in the Founding Father’s footsteps. After reading Jefferson’s journals, I’ve developed quite the crush on the self-described “foreign gentlemen” from Virginia.
I’ll post […]

Nonstop Top Chef

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008

I’m on my way to So Cal this afternoon and won’t be able to post for a few days. But here’s a little interview I did for the Washingtonian with Top Chef contestant Spike, in which he discusses his new Capitol Hill burger joint, why Padma’s so calm, and where he keeps his secret ingredients.
When […]

Top Chef redux

Friday, April 11th, 2008

Between Top Chef and the Real Housewives of New York City (don’t even get me started on Alex & Simon!!) I can’t stop watching Bravo TV!
I’ve started doing weekly Top Chef recaps for the Washingtonian. Check out my thoughts on Zoi’s crazy earrings, Dale’s bitter rant and Richard’s unclean salmon here.
(Photo courtesy of Bravo.)

Melange du jour

Friday, February 8th, 2008

 
A bit of a mix today. First, I am happy to announce that Cooking the Books will begin a new cookbook review — The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics (pictured above). Several of my friends and family members swear by Martha. I’m looking forward to sampling some of the 1,200 recipes.
Second, a new cookbook means we […]

From despicable to delicious

Wednesday, February 6th, 2008

 
Today’s NYT dining section has a little snippet about ox-tail soup at Momofuku Ssam. Apparently, wunderkind-chef David Chang refused to eat his mother’s oxtail soup as a child — now he loves it. This article (actually, it’s hardly an article, more like a paragraph) got me thinking about foods I used to hate but now enjoy.
Definitely […]