The Houndstooth Gourmet

I got a new toy for Christmas baking- a pizzelle maker. After doing a bit of research, I bought a VillaWare Electric Quattro Pizzelle Maker. It works like a charm. Once my batter was made, the process of churning out pizzelles was quick and efficient. I made two types yesterday; orange-rum and chocolate-walnut. The former was outstanding while the chocolate was just meh. Fortunately, I have a great chocolate biscotti recipe up my sleeve and will post about that later.

Pizzelles originated in Italy. The name “pizzelle” means round and flat. Early on, pizzelles were made in molds and cooked over fire. Often times, the pizzelle mold had the family crest, initial or town name of origin.

Pizzelles now associated with Christmas and Easter, were made for celebrations. Specifically, for the “Festival of the Snakes”, also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico” day in the town of Colcullo Italy, which is in the Abruzzo region. After the snakes were captured and subsequently driven back into the bush, away  from the town, the residents would celebrate with these round delights. The town was said to be rid of snake bites for another year.

 

Back to my new toy.The pizzelle maker is truly non-stick. No spraying. No sticking. I found two kitchen tools to be very helpful during and after making the cookies. First, a small scooper to ensure uniformity. Second, a small pasta cutter to cut the excess away from the pizzelles and round them out. Each batch of 4- 3 inch pizzelles took under one minute to pour and bake. I allowed each batch to cool on a large wooden board, then stacked them until I was finished with the batter. I then cut and stored them in tins.

 

Last, I want to share these wonderful tins and boxes I bought from Michael’s craft store. The Chinese take-out boxes are very popular this year. I purchase a variety of Holiday themed boxes and tins for gift giving.

 

I’m looking forward to making the traditional anise pizzelles of my childhood Holidays. In the meantime, here’s a recipe for those delicious Orange Rum Pizzelles.

Orange Rum Pizzelles

Ingredients:

3 eggs room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled

2 tsp. rum

2 tsp. orange zest

2 cups flour

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl or standing mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until creamed. Add the cooled butter a little at a time. Add the rum and grated orange zest. Gradually add enough flour to make a light dough. The batter should be stiff enough to be dropped by a spoon or small ice cream scooper (I added just about all 2 cups).

Place about 1 tsp. (for small pizzelles- large pizzelles should take about 2 tsp.) on each mold and close grill firmly. Each pizzelle batch should take 45-50 seconds to bake. Remove to cool. Cut excess batter from around each pizzelle when cooled.

Tags: equipment, cookies, Hound Picks, baking by Ramona
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I received this email from Liz at The Dairy Godmother:
Here are a few of the treats we are offering this season. Most items require 48 hours notice but do call and check if you need something sooner. Often we can do it.

Frozen Custard Buche de Noël

Traditional French Yule log with a twist. Chocolate custard and chocolate roulade rolled into a log shape. Decorated with meringue mushrooms and chocolate leaves.

One size: $24.50 (Serves -8)

Frozen Custard Cakes

One size: $19.95 (Serves 6-8)

• Eggnog Custard cake: eggnog custard between layers of gingerbread with caramel topping. Decorated with gingerbread creatures.
• Starry Night cake: chocolate custard with white chocolate chunks between layers of chocolate cake with a hot fudge glaze. Decorated with star-shaped cookies.
• Peppermint Stick cake: candy cane custard between layers of chocolate cake with a hot fudge glaze. Decorated with mini candy canes.

Frozen Truffles

Assorted flavors of gelato or sorbet hand-dipped in bittersweet chocolate.

Box of Six: $10.60

Holiday Cookie Platters

Great for parties or corporate giving. Platters will include (at least) gingerfolks and critters, flavored homemade marshmallows, and decorated shortbreads.

One size: $22.50 (Serves 12-16)

Homemade Marshmallows

Box of twelve assorted homemade marshmallows tied with a festive ribbon. Perfect gift for teachers, neighbors, and co-workers. Flavors vary.

Box of Twelve: $7.50
                                Yours,

                                                 Liz

Tags: Hound Picks by Ramona
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Whether it’s a host/hostess gift that you need or a special something to please that foodie in your life, you can find wonderful food, supplies, classes and gift certificates right here in our region that will be sure to please and show that you are proud to support our local merchants.

Here are just a few shops and purveyors to get you started on your Holiday gift buying. I know that there are many other wonderful food purveyors in our area, especially in DC and Maryland. If you have a favorite, please make a recommendation in the comments section so I can update our list and help everyone find just the right gift!

SWEET

 Kingsbury Chocolates

  Kingsbury Chocolates are the perfect gift for the chocolate lover in your life. Kingsbury offers fine chocolates including truffles, caramels, chocolate bars (I can personally vouch for these), hot chocolate, fondues and Vermont maple popcorn to name a few. They offer boxed assortments and baskets, all beautifully wrapped. Chocolate tastings are also available for your home or business. You can also purchase Kingsbury Chocolates at Artfully Chocolate.

Visit Kingsbury in Old Town Alexandria, or order online.

Kingsbury Chocolates
1017 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 548-2800
(800) 704-4179
www.kingsburychocolates.com

Artisan Confections

These hand-crafted chocolates are individual works of art. They are made with Valrhona chocolate, butter and cream along with fine liquers, extracts, fruit purees and botanicals. What they do not have is artificial ingredients and preservatives.

Owner and chocolatier Jason Andelman is a native of Northern Virginia and founder of Artisan Confections. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America’s pastry program. His confections are perfect as a hostess gift, distinctive corporate gift or just for you!

Artisan Confection’s retail shop is located in Arlington, where you can see the chocolates being made or even treat yourself or someone else to a chocolate making class! Confections can be ordered online, or purchased at Biagio Fine Chocolates, Best Cellars, Periwinkle and Artfully Chocolate.

Artisan Confections
4815-B Lee Highway
Arlington, VA 22207
(703) 239-0616
www.artisanconfections.com

Artfully Chocolate

Artfully Chocolate is a relative newcomer to the vibrant neighborhood of Del Ray in Alexandria. This colorful shop offers fine chocolates, treats, orchids and artwork. Among the fine chocolates they carry are Artisan Confections, Kingsbury Chocolates, Christopher’s Confections and J. Chocolatier.

Artfully Chocolate
116 E. Del Ray Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 635-7917
www.artfullychocolate.com

The Curious Grape

The Curious Grape, located in the Shirlington section of Arlington, is a really fun place to visit what with free wine and chocolate tasting! The store carries of wide array of fine chocolates, including single origin chocolates, flavor-infused chocolates and Artisan Confections. In addition, you can find truffles, sauces, hot cocoa, fudge, spreads and dessert wines.

The Curious Grape can also prepare a wonderful gift basket or host a private chocolate tasting right in your own home!

The Curious Grape
4056 S. 28th St.
Arlington, VA 22206
(703) 671-8700
www.curiousgrape.com

ShoeBox Oven

ShoeBox oven is a virtual bakery which has received high praise from many of the area’s magazines and newspapers. It’s theme, “a very tiny merry bakery” tells of the meager origins of this fantastic bakery. Operating out of Ray’s the Steaks kitchen on Friday nights, Krishna Brown created imaginative and whimsical goodies which combined things like Mexican chocolate and Japanese chilis for “amor and the Samurai” which she would sell on Saturday morning at the Arlington farmers market.

For the holidays, Brown offers Apple Duchess pie, Campfire S’mores, Caramel Chocolate Tart, Parisian Macaroon Gift Box, and Vintage Babka besides her everyday treats such as a Girl in Bombay, White Chocolate Crunch and Champagne Chocolate.

You can order online for Tuesday through Thursday shipping, or pick up at both Ray’s locations in Arlington and Silver Spring and the Arlington farmers market on Saturday mornings. Best Cellars in Arlington also does ShoeBox Oven tastings each month.

ShoeBox Oven
www.shoeboxoven.com

Cocoa Cafe and Gallery

 By Kingsbury Chocolates and Artfully Chocolate, this place in NW D.C.  just opened at 1529c 14th St., NW D.C. This venture features chocolates, a patisserie and a cafe. There are many products you can order online, too. FYI- the cafe offers libations for your chocolate pleasure, including sparkling wines and coffee drinks.

Cocoa Cafe and Gallery

SAVORY

Hard Times Cafe

Hard Times Cafe has many area locations offering good old comfort food. The Old Town location was the first Hard Times I visited and was introduced to Chili Mac. I’ve been eating chili over spaghetti ever since! My husband is partial to Cincinnatti style chili which was also new to me and I particularly enjoy Hard Time’s mix. It’s got a bit of spice and heat with just the right amount of aromatic cinnamon running through it.

Among the spices mixes Hard Times Cafe offers are Cincinnatti, Texas, Terlingua Red and Vegetarian. Hot sauce, chili vinegar and gift certificates are also available at your nearest location or online.

Hard Times Cafe
VA and MD locations
www.hardtimes.com

King St. Blues

King St. Blues has several Virginia locations along with their original location in Old Town Alexandria. They offer “comfort food with a southern accent” under huge iconic paper mache creations. Although not a bbq joint, King St. Blues offers several delicious bbq dishes including ribs, pulled chicken and pulled pork, all slatherd in their own Mahogony BBQ Sauce. You can enjoy this sauce at home or give as a gift for the bbq lover in your life. Also available is Rib Butt Rub.

King St. Blues
Old Town, Kingstowne, Crystal City, Arlington and Stafford VA
www.kingstreetblues.com

Cheesetique

Cheesetique, a wonderful cheese, wine and other goodies shop in Del Ray offers a large variety of  artisinal and farmstead cheeses doled out with expert advise. Cheeses from local purveyors and from around the world are available at Cheesetique. Jill, the proprietor, also offers cheese tasting classes. With her success, she has outgrown her small storefront location on Mt. Vernon Ave. and will be moving to a larger shop just a block down the road.

Cheese tasting is always wonderful at Cheesetique. Have them make a special gift basket or cheese platter for your holidays! The gift of a cheese class is also a wonderful idea for the cheese afficianodo on your gift list.

Cheesetique
2403 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 706-5300

http://www.cheesetique.com/

Planet Wine Shop

Planet Wine, next to Evening Star Cafe (and owned by the same folks) offers a fine variety of wines as well as cheeses. In particular, they offer “Petite and Cheese Packs” which included about a half dozen cheeses and can be purchased at the store, or online. Subscription to monthly delivery is also available, as are gift certificates.

This is a  particularly nice gift for the wine lover as well, because you can purchase a bottle of wine at Planet Wine, and enjoy it over dinner next door at Evening Star Cafe for a nominal corkage fee. Nice!

Planet Wine Shop
2004 Mt. Vernon Ave
Alexandria, VA 22301
(703) 549-3444
http://www.wineaccess.com/store/dailyplanetwines

Toigo Orchards

If you go to most any of our area’s wonderful farmers markets, you  know Toigo. Not only do they have some of the best produce around, but they also make their own sauces, butters, canned goods, honey and mustard. You can purchase their products at your nearest market or order online. Check the website for Toigo’s market schedule. The Italian Store in Arlington also carries Toigo’s heirloom tomato sauce.

http://www.toigoorchards.com/

FOR THE COOK

La Cuisine

La Cuisine, located in Old Town Alexandria, offers high quality kitchen supplies for the serious cook. From All Clad, to Wusthoff to cookie cutters and kitchen string, La Cuisine has it. They also feature a few gourmet food products. Currently, La Cuisine has Panel chocolates including Galets de Rhone, assorted truffles and caramels. Saison De Rosalie Jams have also just arrived.

In addition to the above, La Cuisine offers gift certificates, cooking and baking classes and a newsletter you can sign up for via email. Shop online or in person.

La Cuisine
323 Cameron St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 836-4435
www.lacuisineus.com

L’Academie de Cuisine

L’Academy de Cuisine offers cooking classes for the professional as well as home chef.  For adults and children alike, you can learn classic French cooking techniques, cuisines from around the world, pastry arts and knife skills (well, maybe that’s not for kids!). Classes are demonstration or participation and offered at convenient hours.

L’Academie de Cuisine
5021 Wilson Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 986-9490
www.lacademie.com

Tags: Alexandria, Washington, Arlington, gifts, Virginia, Hound Picks, chocolate by Ramona
3 Comments »

Hard Times Cafe is a casual and fun restaurant in Alexandria, VA and has over a dozen outposts throughout Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina. It’s a chili parlor with other good food that’s bad for you, like burgers, ribs and wings. I first tried their chili 10 years ago when visiting  friends in Alexandria. They told me to boil some spaghetti while they went out to pick up the chili. What?

You see, I had never heard of chili mac. Chili mac, for the unitiated out there among you, is chile over spaghetti. Now, forget about what constitutes “real” chili, whether beans should be banned or visible vegetables are verboten. This ain’t about what kind of chili you like or is from your “neck of the woods”. It’s about taking that favorite chili and piling it on top of spaghetti. Topping such as cheese and diced onion are good too. Whatever you like, you put it on. For me, it’s shredded cheese, sour cream and chives. I can do without the chives really, but the cheese and sour cream are a must. In fact, when I made this last Sunday, we had to make a stop at our closest market just to pick up some sour cream. It’s essential in the Houndstooth household.

One of the best things about chili mac is the tasty mess that it turns into as all the ingredients get mixed. It actually improves as you eat it!

If you are in the area, do take a hand from the Hard Times Cafe chili mix by stopping in and buying some mix. Or, order it from their store. You’ll be glad you did! I go for the Cinncinati style mix which has slight heat and permeates the meat with cinnamon. Plus, it’s so damn easy to make. No chopping, no cutting. I just brown the meat, open a couple cans of beans and a can of tomato puree. Then, it can simmer on the stove and fill the house with wonderful smells.

There is a recipe on the back but of course I ignore it and make it my way (for one, it calls for boiling the meat. Uh,no). Here’s what I do:

Ingredients:

2 lb. ground beef (I use 80/20 mix)

2 cans beans, such as kidney or pinto

1 large can tomato  puree

1/2 cup water

1 box Hard Times Cafe chili mix

Directions:

Brown meat in heavy bottom pan. Drain grease if you want.  Pour chili mix over meat and add water. Stir to evenly coat. Add beans and tomato puree. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, covered. Stir every 5 minutes. Serve over spaghetti and add your choice of toppings.

* Presto Pasta Night is a weekly blogging even held by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast.

Tags: Hound Picks, Alexandria, Chili, Virginia, Restaurants, pasta, Recipe, beef by Ramona
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