recipe for wassail - a hot toddy for heavyweights and other holiday traditions from a single girl.

i'm not dating anyone special right now, have no kids, and yet i have an ever-growing list of holiday traditions i observe and share with friends that make me merry happy. perhaps without this structure of the-things-i-love-to-do-in-december, i'd get real grumpy this time of year. i'm not gonna test it. unless anyone has a companion ticket to escape the city for a few weeks of travel.

firstly, i have to run out as soon after thanksgiving as possible to pick out a tree. i can barely contain myself when the trees are put on display at the nursery down the street. there's something comforting to me about waking up and saying good night to a beautiful tree. i think it reminds me of home.

there are a couple of downsides to the tree decorating. unfortunately it involves my dragging it across the lawn and up the steps, mauling it while i wrench and twist it through the door by myself (save the years where there was a guy involved - always better to have help). i almost can't do anything until it's decorated. except make hot chocolate. getting the ornaments down from my cold and scary attic is the other troublesome thing - i move quickly though and close that thing right back up before i see the family of "squirrels" that has been rummaging through my stuff up there all year. i won't even go into stringing the lights because no matter how many people you have it's tough. this year i have a stepstool (thanks to last year's boyfriend; nice). lighting the tree is probably best done alone to avoid a small scuffle amongst loved ones.

once that's done, let the fun begin. opening my ornaments is as exciting as unwrapping presents. i have a thing for christmas ornaments. one of my traditions is to buy myself two new ones: the annual white house christmas ornament (regardless of who's in office - this is bipartisan), and the neiman marcus peacock ornament. what's that? well it was intro'd to me a few years ago as a gift from my dear friend nicole. who knew they designed a different one each year?! i've got three now and they're gorgeous with plumes and feathers and sparklies. they're about $42 (to me, priceless) and you have to hurry and go there to get yours - they run out. last year a poor sales associate had to grab a ladder and climb a tree in the middle of neiman's to get the last one from the very top of the tree (whew).

my other traditions include the following shows i have to watch:

christmas vacation

christmas story

love actually

listening to as much christmas music as i can on 97.1 wash-fm is yet another. to some, this is annoying because they play non-stop christmas music beginning the monday before thanksgiving. a few of my personal favorites:

george michael last christmas

mariah carey all i want for christmast is you (cheesy i know)

the waitresses christmas wrapping

i love to put eggnog in my coffee every morning instead of cream.

i have to have a gingerbread latte at starbucks.
lots of hot chocolate on hand.

a trip to barnes & noble; not sure why
a chef's tasting menu at some swank restaurant - nothing beats the winter tasting menus

i'm gonna try to add a new one this year: ice skating at the sculpture garden

last but not least, i have to make sure there's a plan in place for the annual bookclub ornament exchange. this sounds nerdy but it's not. under the guise of bookclub, it allows the marrieds and boyfriended to escape men and children for the night for some important discussions on a classic book, like east of eden or the sun also rises. perhaps i'll rename this. mainly because we're no longer an official bookclub. we just drink a lot of wine and gossip. this annual party is conducted like a white elephant gift exchange, if that's the right term - everyone brings a wrapped ornament and we draw numbers and person #1 gets screwed because someone steals her ornament. for a group of attractive and civilized chics we have on occasion, become a little catty during the exchange. you see, most people bring a fabulous ornament (it's becoming competitive - everyone wants to see her ornament as highly desirable and passed around like a trophy, not stuck in the hands of girl #1 all night). it's all in good fun though and one of my favorite things at the holidays, as i love a new ornament. i also love to gossip.

i like to host the "meeting" at my place. that way i can make sure my next holiday tradition is observed: the making of the wassail. what can i say about wassail? it makes you feel warm from the inside out. the mulling spices simmering stovetop make your house smell like the holidays.

the recipe follows and i should warn you - it is delicious and deceitful. it is alcoholic and it will sneak up on you. the next thing you know you're walking funny and slurring your words; laughing uncontrollably. (we used to have this on a weeknight, but that doesn't work out so well.) so just beware and alternate your wassail with something less potent like a glass of wine or champagne! this year's invites are out and it's at my place on friday night. i hope you enjoy and try wassail yourself.

wassail

{about 10 servings}

ingredients
5 small apples
5 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 bottles dry sherry or dry Madeira
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cloves
3 allspice berries
several sticks of cinnamon
2 cups superfine sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup brandy

method

core the apples and fill each with a teaspoon of brown sugar. place in a baking pan with 1/8-inch of water.
bake in a 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until tender. combine the sherry or madeira, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, allspice berries, cinnamon, sugar and water in a large, heavy saucepan and heat without letting the mixture come to a boil. leave on very low heat. add the brandy. pour into a metal punch bowl, float the apples on top and serve in 8-ounce mugs.

(note: i make it differently every year: to make it less potent, add a bottle of old-fashioned apple cider for more apple flavor and omit the water. you can use orange juice and zests as well to change up the recipe. spiced rum instead of brandy or sherry works well too. it looks nicer to dice the apples and toss with the brown sugar and a little melted butter before roasting.)

teaism at lafayette park, dc

i'm not into hot tea. i know i'm admitting to a less-than-sophisticated side of my otherwise openminded and worldly culinarian self. i'm just not - though i'm the biggest fan of coffee. i just don't understand tea and i think that's why i don't do it. wish i did, perhaps i will someday, but for now i've got all i can handle in this pea-brain before any new info can be filed. there, i admit it.

i went to teaism for lunch on the advice of the person i was meeting. i always thought it would be uber-sophisticated, dark and cozy and quiet.

shhhh, we're drinking tea.

i thought the menu would consist of scones and pastries and tea, some more tea and a side of tea. no sir-eee. it could be called teabucks. the place is deli/diner-esque, not what i thought it would be at all, aside from a shelf with silk-covered boxes of (tea?) and pretty chopsticks and paper for sale. turns out this is a lunchtime get-'em-in-and-out-asap joint. looking for relaxing tea? get your fanny over to the mayflower hotel around 4 instead.

i was late for lunch, in a hurry to get my lunch and get back to my one-hour meter before getting another godforsaken parking ticket in this town. the menu's huge. so, i quickly ordered the salmon bento box - it just popped out at me - before i even had time to review the rest of the menu (i can't tell you what else they offer but it was substantial). also, i couldn't deal with my tea-ignorance at that time (plus, doesn't tea take forever to steep and blah, blah, blah) so i ordered a diet green tea soda, which is probably one step up from the lipton green tea my parents drink by the two-liter.

bento boxes are pretty cute, i must say. they're lacquered boxes with little compartments each holding a respectable and perfect amount of food, all at a 90-degree angle, none of it touching each other (wish these were around when i was a kid who couldn't stand my mashed potatoes touching my corn). left to right included pickled cucumber salad, soy-honey glazed salmon filet (cold), edamame. then on the side was sweet and sticky brown rice with yummy green stuff sprinkled on top. i am pleasantly surprised. everything needed a little salt but it was just the perfect little lunch in a perfect and cute little box.

yes, i think teaism offered the perfect little cubicled lunch - until the clock struck 12 that is. people filed in like ants, the place became over-crowded in a matter of seconds and i could barely get out without knocking a coat off a chair or hitting someone in the head with my over-sized bag. so much for your relaxing tea time.

perhaps i'll try again sometime and actually get some tea so i can relax.

blacksalt restaurant & fish market. palisades - 4883 macarthur blvd, dc

blacksalt has been on my hitlist ever since they opened three years ago or so. combination fish market/restaurant, it may sound like you're going to be dining in a warehouse with newspapered tables, high ceilings, a captain's platter, schooners of beer, mallets and plastic bibs featuring a lobster smiling back at your date; quite the contrary. thankfully.

instead it's the perfect marriage of a cozy market to pick up fresh, fresh fish with a terrific neighborhood restaurant. you trust these people too because they know what's up. they are committed to providing fish and shellfish only from sustainable aquaculture stocks. (by the way there's a great website to check out if you want to know more about what fish to buy and why: http://www.mbayaq.org/ so you too can avoid illegally-fished or over-fished fish.)

way back when, i did visit blacksalt soon after they opened, to check out the fish market offerings and to see what the buzz was. they offer some cool and real products (my preferred brand of fleur de sel is a good sign to me), some great olive oil, truffle oil, vinegars, brining spices, condiments, etc. this, of course, in addition to a fairly well-stocked case of fresh fish, whole and filleted. the fishmonger is well-versed and explains anything you need. what a cool place to get your catch of the day from all aspects. there was a curtain drawn to separate the fish market from the dining room so i couldn't get a feel for the dining atmosphere but i think i thought it wouldn't be that cool. i was wrong.

so, last night i had dinner there. finally.

i'm always leary of ordering fish when i'm out (this is partially because i don't order entrees due to my commitment-phobia). mostly it's because i was "raised" in a kitchen where we revered fish, and cooked it impeccably. i cooked fish impeccably. (i had to, else face the wrath of a 28-year-old chef who was eager to demean, belittle, debase, humiliate, scream, throw things at you and use every four-letter word in english and french you can imagine and some you can't). i know most kitchens aren't like that so it couldn't possibly be as good a product as what i used to prepare. at blacksalt, you really have no choice but to order fish and that's a good thing.

we started with a bottle of their house cabernet (mid-priced at $52, can't recall the name, but good after breathing a bit), a couple of appetizers - fried clams, white anchovy "pizza". first, they bring you a selection of bread with olive oil for dipping. the foccacia was good, the french bread pretty good and the really yummy looking yeast rolls, not worth the calories. yes, i tried them all - research, research, people. the fried clams were well-fried and crispy served with a curried mayonnaise. i thought it needed a little lemon and while curried mayonnaise sounds flavorful, it was missing something. i love white anchovies. they're mild and delicate and yummy. not like your typical anchovy. try them if you ever see them and please stop saying, "i hate anchovies." this "pizza" has hummus on it and something really smokey, not sure what - paprika? it was good (teeny tiny) but i'm not the biggest smokey flavor fan and thought it overwhelmed those yummy little anchovies i was so looking forward to.

i wanted to try the skate wing but they were out. this plays well with they're fresh catch theme don't you think? instead i ordered the salmon (well they were out - but they did have arctic char - same difference but perhaps a little more mellow than salmon). It was served on top a delicious crisp-tender bed of shaved brussels sprouts that were cooked in lots o' butter and bacon. the sauce was a surprising orange sauce which i guess gave it an asian twist. it was sweet but absolutely delicious. i ate every bite.

i should've but didn't feel guilty about ordering dessert - a generous slice of chocolate peanut butter crunch cake with peanut brittle and chocolate sauce. no complaints there. kind of wish i'd tried the trio of creme brulee though. i might be chocolated out right now.

i incontrivertibly recommend blacksalt. its atmosphere is neighborhoody, simple and cozy and clean and unpretentious, it's the diners who bring sophistication to it. a good spot for dining with friends or a date. the maitre d' was charming and funny. people with english accents can get away with anything, can't they? he was sweet and helpful and made us feel right at home. our server was fantastic and very attentive. take my advice on this one and go, go, go fish.

vinoteca 11th & u streets, washington dc

after checking out a neighborhood art exhibit opening of a friend, the girls and i popped over to vinoteca for a snack and, of course, some wine. it's not my first visit to vinoteca, in fact i've come several times.

vinoteca has some notable characteristics and i'll give it a shot capturing them all.

it's an amalgamation of hippy, boho, chic, grunge, urban, laid back, neighborhoody, stylish, wine-snobbery, friendly, inviting, look-cool-without-trying-too-hard, hopefully you know a thing or three about fine food kind of place.

have i confused you? point is, all kinds of people will enjoy vinoteca and it's a not-too-intimidating place to learn about food and wine if you need it; otherwise, sit back, relax and enjoy its slow-paced nature. row house turned restaurant, this place feels like it's been decorated by your best friends but has a raw, inner-city sleekness to it, to boot.

i'm happy the patio is open for seating on this early october evening of 70 something degree weather. the view is urban and colorful and typical for the new spots on u street - being an area that's up and coming, you're used to seeing a mixture of new and dilapidated buildings and all sorts walking by. unfortunately you hear almost constant earsplitting sirens of firetrucks racing by. it's just what it is, you're in the city, and you know it.

don't let the vibe fool you - it may seem laid back but they're not playing around when it comes to wine or food. the wine list is lengthy and sophisticated and what's more, you can order a flight of wine for comparison or discussion or just plain enjoyment. they offer by the glass - a 2.5 oz taste or a 5 oz glass. pretty cool, no? they experiment with house-made charcuterie here; a respectable and risky endeavor as this takes time and effort like you wouldn't believe. the menu is composed of a few nice salads, sandwiches, panini. the entrees mostly include what i'll call classics like duck confit and sauteed rainbow trout with pommes puree and beurre blanc but is also sprinkled with these smart boys' more inventive ideas like salmon and cantaloupe or bison hangar steak with dill chimichurri and housemade "tommy sauce". what's tommy sauce?

i should preface the rest of this information by saying one of my favorite reasons to come here is because the three gentlemen running the kitchen are three of my former students. i'm not trying to take any credit for their astuteness in the kitchen because they were all talented in school. they shared a natural knack for cooking and care of food both of which cannot be taught. it was obvious to me that they worked hard, took school seriously and loved what they did (noteworthy because for every culinary school student who cares about the food, there is one who does not - and perhaps i will address this someday in another article). i digress. clearly these dudes were destined for this. in my opinion, culinary school breeds a couple of things hopefully: professionalism, knowledge, the drive to be a genuinely good cook and friendship. after their respective externships at highly-acclaimed restaurants scattered about dc, they quickly (and some would say, prematurely from an educational and experience standpoint) jumped aboard a ship bound for who knew where. risky? perhaps, but why not, they're young, smart, driven and proud.

anyway, back to the food and the experience.

after a quick hello to my friends in the kitchen, where i learned about a couple of new menu additions: bison steak tartare and shrimp and saffron grits wrapped in a crepe, i knew i wanted to try those. friends had already ordered the famous vinoteca beef sliders, little burgers with caramelized onions and cheese on top. i ordered a surprisingly good glass of 2006 hall vineyards sauvignon blanc. reasonable at $11 a glass. while the cheese flights seem like a flexible, common-sensical way to enjoy a cheese tasting, as a cheese aficionada, i found it to be rigid. why? because i wanted a few different kinds of cheeses (humboldt fog from the american tasting, the manchego from the spanish and my all-time favorite colston-basset stilton which was not available in a flight). well if you do this, as explained by our waitress, that is, if you order random cheeses you don't get the yummy little accoutrements you would if you ordered one of the cheese flights (like quince paste or walnuts, blueberries and whatnot). being gracious, i ordered the american flight because my friend wanted the humboldt fog. unfortunately something went awry though and we received two hard cheeses; i didn't mention anything - they were good but i'm pretty sure we were supposed to get pepato and it wasn't on the plate.

the food arrives and the burgers are not surprisingly muy delicioso, though i think a little more salt could have made them perfecto (just me). the bison steak tartare was good, it was spicy with fresh jalapenos and whole grain mustard. the problem for me here was the dill. i like dill; i love dill, in moderation. in here there was too much dill and it overpowered the flavor of the bison for me. poised atop the tartare were crispy delicate homemade potato chips that added a nice touch though. i must add that i did eat all of the tartare - the dill started to grow on me with every bite. the shrimp and grits in the crepe were quite nice. perfectly seasoned, beautifully presented atop a bouillabaisse sauce (learned later from chef seth as the waitress didn't know). the saffron was an excellent idea to add to the grits and i will be stealing the crepe idea from chef russell (thanks, russell).

all in all another enjoyable evening at vinoteca. service was a little slow on the refilling of the wine but our pixie waitress was charming and sweet nonetheless. i'm so impressed and proud of my friends seth, brennan and russell, who took such a chance. perhaps i'm secretly a little jealous. these gentlemen deserve a lot of respect and i wish them all the best.

co co sala 9th & f streets, dc

i've been known to sit in front of my tv eating chocolate chips out of the bag while sipping a glass of cabernet...for dinner.


laugh all you want but for those who haven't tried it, well i recommend it - with caution. you see, when you eat a chocolate chip, then have a sip of your wine (assuming it's one that goes well with the chocolate), well all bets are off, my friend. the wine tastes better with the chocolate and the chocolate tastes better with the wine and so on and so forth. each brings out the flavor of the other.


one can plow through the entire bag of chocolate chips and the bottle of wine. you have to be careful with such an enterprise. no one likes a big fat drunk.

now that you know i love chocolate and wine together, you can understand my excitement over a new spot in dc that specializes in chocolates and wine. co co sala is uber-chic. music from underworld (or some other such group) fills the rooms, the red, the black, dark colors, glass, everything is very modular. mini fireplaces seem to pop up magically throughout the restaurant, and they're at eye-level. random, but cool. perfect on this rainy, chilly evening in the early fall.



i have to say i missed the food. due to the lack of blinking parking on this street and all streets around, and a full-on lack of parking garages, and no valet (at 8 pm - though the valet showed up around 9 - what gives?!), the girls had ordered and gobbled up the appetizers they ordered by the time i finally arrived (in a stressed out frenzy but still looking fabulous due to the illegal, right-up-front park job i finally decided to make since it was raining and i was late). what i can tell you is this: they shared shrimp mac & cheese, swordfish sliders and aztec cheese course - a mini enchilada with some accoutrements. they raved about the yummy little plates - all about $7 each. sorry i missed them - right up my alley.



we sat at the back bar - oh my, though they don't look it, these must be the most comfortable bar stools ever. they are square, brown soft leather and so cushy. we had a spectacular view of the open kitchen back here so i could see the efforts of the chefs as they work. shiny burger buns brushed with butter before being whisked off to their tables by well-endowed, red wrap-dressed ladies. (yes, i marveled at how good these ladies looked in their wrap dresses - boobies everywhere.) the final details being perched upon each plate. (not the boobies, you gutter brains - back to the food - the final details of the food were perched upon the plates!)


a portion of the bar is glass, showcasing the chocolates and bon bons you can purchase and take with you in their shiny little boxes with gold letters. the crowd is sophisticated, smart young professionals in designer suits - not the boring capitol hill staffer suits. like the chocolates, the crowd is complex and refined. a gentleman kindly sent us a round of "shots". these shots were a varied and heavenly composition of chocolate mousses (meese? mice?). a tiny spoon for each of us to taste. holy hazelnuts these were enchanting for this chocoholic. color me in love.


make sure you visit the restrooms before over-imbibing or if you're directionally challenged like me. the windows and mirrors are deceiving and you might find yourself pushing on doors that aren't doors at all. i can't even explain what happened - you have to experience it for yourself. this was like being on the starship enterprise and i disappeared for a minute. well, whatever. looking like a buffoon momentarily is a small price you pay for being in such a trendy restaurant.

by the way, this place was a cool bargain, as well; i got out with a $25 tab. this is unheard of, but believe me, i'm not making this up.


i know i haven't offered too much information in the way of the food here but if you want to check out a trendy spot, different from most places i've found lately, try co co sala.

cafe du parc - williard intercontinental washington

when i walked up the red-carpeted steps and entered the grand lobby of the williard, i was transported to another time and certainly another place. maybe paris. i know everyone says the williard is a washingtonian fixture, the dining room having served almost every president since the 1850's, but i felt like i was in a different city for the evening. adding to this was the fact that i was out with a french gentleman who speaks very little english. my french is limited to all things food related and though i've been studying, i can only remember how to say things like, "ou est la change mon bebe?" where can i change my baby? not so handy for a single girl on a date. we both had french-english translation dictionaries with us.

cafe du parc is a place i've wanted to try but i always forget about its presence. who, at my age, living in the area, thinks of grabbing a bite at the williard? the menu is designed by chef antoine westermann, a top-michelin starred chef who, as a matter of fact, dined at citronelle one night when i was working. i was in awe and quite frankly, scared, to be cooking for him as he ate at the chef's table situated in the kitchen, adding more intensity to an already high-pressure situation.

of course, antoine westermann isn't really working in the kitchen at cafe du parc, just like most famous chefs these days aren't working in the restaurants that extend their illustrious legacies. that aside, to be seated in the cafe du parc, from the grand lobby, you walk up a flight of stairs opening to the kitchen; a bustling, lighted, casual-feeling kitchen with several young (and good-looking) french chefs - supposedly all trained in france under the master, himself. a well-suited young expediter stands at the pass. it's evocative of a cafeteria, in a way (minus the chef's jackets, of course). and i don't mean that in a bad way, it's just right in your pathway the minute you reach the top of the steps.

well i only got a glance of the dining room (which had a good vibe) before my date and i were whisked back down the steps and out to the patio. it was a nice evening, and i always prefer to take advantage of the outdoors. i wonder, sitting just outside this celebrated hotel, who else has dined in this spot? dignitaries, famous, old-monied. yes, yes and yes. lucky me. i probably would not have taken my french date to such a french restaurant, truth be told, but the reservations were made for us by a lovely french gentleman who knows every chef in this city and perhaps in all the important restaurants in the world. it goes without saying that we were VIP tonight.

excellent.

we ordered a bottle of 1994 crozes hermitage, a syrah from the rhone valley. the very french menu was complete with all things you would expect to find at a bistro. no surprises here. therefore, i told my date in my broken english (evidently i speak broken english when i'm with with someone who doesn't speak english) that i'm going to order the charcuterie as my entree. i wonder what a french person thinks of the knucklehead ordering charcuterie as an entree. i don't really care, to be honest, that's what i want and that's what i shall have. in my defense, there are more things on this charcuterie board than most places offer. traditionally french. The waitress informs me that it's enormous - she might have to bring over an extra table to manage it. ok, do whatever you have to do; i'm to look a damn fool here, go for it. my date ordered the braised pork belly. alongside, gratin of potatoes. french people never tire of their own food. i guess we, as americans, don't either though.

the chef kindly surprised us with an appetizer of seared foie gras with sauteed chanterelle mushrooms and a wisp of frisee salad. it was sweet and slightly charred and pillowy. it paired perfectly with the wine, lucky for us. it's good when the food arrives because this is something we can communicate about.

my texas-sized charcuterie board came and it was, unnecessarily big. the waitress wasn't kidding but i did not allow a separate table for my 2x2' board.

we made room and two corners hung off the sides of the table and it was practically in my lap, like a study board from college (or a high chair seat and tray). everything was spaced out so much you could park (smart) cars in between each item. that's why it's so big - certainly not because i'm a piglet ordering way too much food. (well it was too much food - this bountiful platter could easily serve 4 people). anyway, the highlights included a creamy pork rillette served in a tiny mason jar, foie gras mousse (more foie gras - it was a good thing i worked out that day) and the pate. especially the foie gras mousse i think - it was my favorite. the board included prosciutto and saucisson (sausage) and crusty bread, whole-grain mustard and cornichons (the pickles tasted old though - a small thing to overlook but still....). i enjoyed a taste of my date's pork belly - that's all i needed though. the rich, layer of fat was crispy-seared and the meat i'm certain was braised for hours and hours. to me, it was still perhaps a little dry (i know but i have to say something!). i didn't try the pommes gratin.

dessert options were minimal and again, tres francais. no chocolate to be found was saddening. no creme brulee to be had was somewhat disappointing. this is why french people are skinny. we ordered a macaroon with rasperries and strawberries and a quenelle of raspberry sorbet. it was nice and i didn't need anything else. it was nice, what else can i say. the macaroon was flawless? it was.

this dinner, though simple, lasted for hours as we flipped through our dictionary over and over to communicate as normally as we could. we struggled with our conversation so much we only drank one bottle of wine. strange for me and i'm sure even more so for a frenchman. it was fun and interesting (and exhausting). i really need need need to practice my french. this all concluded with an espresso. well, two, because as a piglet american i have to have two. one isn't enough. i joked about this and this frenchman delightfully agreed and joined me in a second round of espresso.

if you made it this far through my story, you get a bonus. when you go to visit, be forewarned: valet parking at the williard is $29. try to find parking around the corner. it's a lovely view, this area of town, anyway, and a brisk walk after dinner (full of foie gras) does us all good. thank heavens i've been good about carrying cash lately.

redwood restaurant and bar, bethesda

it's rare for me to take a trip to bethesda. let's face it, unless you live there, it's a daunting thought, that drive. i have a close friend there so i am happy to report i have and will continue to go more frequently in the future. the drive wasn't really that bad after all.

redwood restaurant and bar is open and i made my first visit wednesday evening. it spans what seems like over half of a charming, bustling new pedestrian walkway called bethesda avenue. first impression of redwood was positively positive. the lighting is splendid - dark, cozy, reds and ambers.

to the right is a lounge area with modern low-set tables and comfy looking chairs. attractive people. a long bar.

to the left, a long and wide corridor of dining room tables, adjacent to a wait station that is the best looking one i've ever seen - you don't mind watching them fill water, tea pitchers because it's lovely. granite. modular. clean.

behind the host stand (overheard - one hour long waits), a wall separating another bar - you step up to it. it's secluded from the rest of the restaurant - next time i'll explore it. perhaps one doesn't feel isolated up there, or would you?

to me, almost certainly the best feature is the procession of floor-to-ceiling windows that flank the dining room tables so you're only arms reach from the goings-on in the courtyard walkway. not just any windows - they fully open up like towering shutters, transporting your table to the outdoors. it's charming yet cosmopolitan here. it's european. it's freeing. it's downright cool.

the bathrooms are tidy and again, modern but warm (the lighting in here, however, not so complimentary). it's nice when you don't have to touch anything. of note, the automatic paper towel dispenser is set to deliver the perfect portion and with only one wave of your hand you have enough to dry your hands. it's the little things in life.

redwood's atmosphere is well-balanced, managing to be quite warm while maintaining clean, geometric lines, chocolate browns and crisp whites. clean, clean wine glasses. in the back (i'll call it the back but there really is no back to redwood - it's thoroughly horizontal), there's a fireplace (and was that a buck's head on the wall?). nice, nice, nice.

on to the food. it will come as no surprise to those who know me, that an entree was out of the question tonight. appetizers here aren't meant to share - the appetizer menu is composed of salads, mostly. but, and to my delight: amish chicken liver mousse with poached figs and arugula. simple, delicious. the figs were poached like you'd poach a winter pear - in plenty of red wine or port, perhaps, star anise, vanilla and cinnamon i suspect. sweet, spicy, yummy.

the bread for the table was perfection. crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. i wished all bread was like this bread.

we shared a cheese board, nice selections of the usual and unusual. nice to see u.s.-made constant bliss. honeycomb was sticky and rich. the confit of apricots on the cheese board was flavorless and didn't add anything, really. my friend enjoyed a lovely beet salad (nicely diced and pretty), a vegetarian potatoes gratin was both interesting (i'll be stealing this idea - sorry - i loved that it was cut into a perfect rectangle and served on a rectangular plate) and tasty.

we also shared sides of cheesy grits, and macaroni and cheese, delivered in the tiniest le creuset daubes. so cute that if my balenciaga bag was bigger i might consider... well, i'm kidding, of course, i would never risk getting macaroni in my balenciaga. i digress. both needed a tiny bit of salt and the macaroni should've been al dente - in my opinion.

sadly, i can't report on dessert. there was a chocolate something rather that intrigued me and the waiter mentioned that the goat cheese (souffle, was it?) was "the bomb". yes, he used that word. oh and the service was well above average - attentive and helpful.

all around well done. i'll make that trip again - it was completely worth it.

did i mention that people in bethesda are particularly attractive?

sonoma

wednesday evening i had a date at sonoma. interestingly, since we didn't have a reservation, we were told we could sit at the bar or sit upstairs on those weird, too-low sofas. as we discussed leaving, we were interrupted by the hostess who informed us they would have a table in 10 minutes. (huh? why not mention that in the first place? of course we'll wait 10 minutes. geez, why is it so hard?!)



oh - a cancellation.



why is there only one sparkling wine by the glass at a "wine bar"? and it's a prosecco - sadly one that's too sweet to have more than one of, by the way.



charcuterie plate (of course i ordered it) was good but doesn't have the accoutrements that proof does.



i've only had meat and cheese at sonoma in the past so i was initially excited to see what they could do when using fire. i found the menu limited. i wanted something to jump out at me. the special sounded good but when i saw it arrive at the table next to ours, it didn't look as appetizing as it sounded.



waiter moved my OCD date's glass not by the stem but by putting his entire paw over the glass. i may not have noticed, but sadly he did, and he proceeded to obsess about it for the next 5 minutes until he could order another. ugh.



i ordered a cheese and mushroom tartelette as well as the pork tenderloin pate (both from the appetizer menu). i was a little saddened by the look of the tartelette (brown and dry) and by the fact it was slightly underseasoned; otherwise it was good - oh and the baby arugula salad perched next to it was lovely.



the pork tenderloin pate was - not surprisingly after i thought about it - dry. why attempt such a thing? pork tenderloin is always dry if cooked through. i needed sauce with my pate. or it needed a much larger fat percentage in the mixture. the viognier suggested was marginal too (and i usually love a viognier).



my date's hanger steak was undercooked and had to be put in the oven for a bit (um, i think refire in order here but what do i know? i'm just a cook). oh and the chefs knew i was there - love you chef b - come on though - had i been in that kitchen i would've been screaming at you - let's have some attention to detail when cooking for a fellow cook.



oh i hate sounding so negative but i must say i was disappointed. i looked so cute that night too. i should've had a big smile on my face with each bite.



perhaps it was just the company.

proof

wine is proof god loves us and wants to see us happy
ben franklin

i really enjoyed an evening at proof thursday night. i hadn't been since february and, at that time i didn't enjoy it as much as i had several times prior.

even sitting at the bar alone for 30 minutes - which i never do - was liberating. bartenders were sweet.

i really, really, really like this place. it was so light and summery inside (i thought it was a cozy winter spot). i moved outside when friends arrived. i didn't eat anything but charcuterie and cheese as this is what i typically do at happy hour. ann, our server, was fabulous, as always. wine great. i can't say enough good things. it was a perfect night.