All materials and refreshments are included, plus you get to take your completed gingerbread house home with you.

The class is intended for  children.

Fairmont’s Gingerbread House Class
The Fairmont Washington, DC
2401 M Street, NW
Washington, DC  20037  (map it)
202-429-2400

Dates and Times -  Thursday, December 13, 2008, at 10:30 a.m

Tickets – $45.00 per student. Reservations are required. Contact Diana Bulger at the Fairmont at diana.bulger@fairmont.com or by phone at 202-457-5019

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Foggy Bottom GWU – Blue and Orange lines, then a 5-block walk or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Paid parking at the hotel or metered street parking is available.

Image – Flickr
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Post from: The DC Traveler

The test kitchen chefs select a couple dishes to perfect, then try dozens, and sometimes over a hundred versions of the dish until its perfect, easy for the home cook and as easy as possible.

The resident chefs show step-by-step instructions making recreating their dishes simple and stress free.

The show also tests cooking equipment and gadgets, and has a food tasting segment where supermarket foods are rated after being tested by a panel of tasters.

The show’s host, Christopher Kimball is also the publisher of a great hands-on and mostly advertising-free cooking magazine, Cook’s Illustrated and recently launched a second publication, Cook’s Country Magazine.

Kimball is hitting the road to promote his new cookbooks, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Baking Book and The Cook’s Country Cookbook.

Christopher Kimball of America’s Test Kitchen
Friendship Heights Village Community Center
4433 S. Park Avenue
Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815 (map it)

Date and Time – Thursday, November 13, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets – Free, but reservations are required by calling 301-656-2797

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Friendship Heights – Red line, then a 4-block walk.

Parking – Limited free street parking, with paid parking at the mall across the street.

Image – Flickr – Kimball
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Post from: The DC Traveler

This weekend is time again for the always popular Metropolitan Cooking & Entertainment Show in Washington, DC.

Join over 40 of DC’s finest chefs and foodies, along with special cooking presentations by well-known Food TV celebrity chefs, Paula Dean, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis. 

Enjoy cooking demonstrations and head-to-head cooking competitions, food and wine tastings, tips on entertaining and cooking, along with workshops on everything from holiday cooking to knife and plating skills. 

With over 170 food related companies displaying and selling everything from exotic weekend cooking retreats, wine storage, and kitchen gadgets, the show is not just for the home cook, but for anyone who loves great food.

Two of the celebrity chefs, Flay and De Laurentiis, will also be signing their cookbooks, but you must purchase a ticket to one of their cooking sessions ($55-$80 and includes a General Admission ticket). 

Metropolitan Cooking & Entertainment Show
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW
Washington, DC 20001 (map it)

Dates and Times - Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008 – 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008 – 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tickets – Advanced online tickets for adults are $20.00 and $10.00 for children 6-12, with kids 5 and under free.  At the door prices -adults – $25.00, kids – $13.00. Tickets are also available by phone at 888-695-0888.

Interactive cooking sessions – $35.00 to $145.00 per session.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Mt. Vernon Square – 7th St. – Convention Center – Yellow and Green lines.

Parking
Metered street parking is available but will be difficult to find near the Convention Center, try the public lots and garages within walking distance.

Images – Flickr – Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis

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Post from: The DC Traveler

But my favorite place in the old neighborhood was Meyer Delicatessen. It was an old world German deli filled with countless types of German sausages, cold cuts and food products. After I moved from Chicago, every trip back would require a stop at Meyer’s to fill a cooler to bring home.  Just walking in the door and smelling the rich flavors that permeated the walls over the years, reminded me of my regular visits as a young child and walking in while holding my grandfather’s hand.  Sadly, it closed a couple years a go.

But recently, I may have found a replacement. It’s the German Gourmet, in suburban Falls Church, Virginia.

Walking in is like taking a quick trip to Germany. Not only is it a German gourmet and food store, but it sells a variety of German products that you don’t normally see outside of Germany. 

The deli counter offers a nice variety of meats, cheese, wieners, brats, and sausages.  So you can pick up some pickled herring salad, beet salad, double-smoked speck (ham), a few knackwursts, a pound of veal and pork Gelbwurst, and don’t forget a bit Head Cheese (which is not actually cheese, but made from pork snouts – yum!!).  Grab a loaf of old world brot (bread) and you’re ready for a German feast.

A hearty selection of German beers and wines are also available to complement your meal.

And to end things off, try something from their bakery counter, such as an elegant German cake (anything with chocolate should work) or one of the daily made fresh strudel. The poppy seed is my personal favorite.

Have a sweet tooth?  Bags of German candies, marzipan or liquor-filled chocolates can’t miss.

They even offer the traditional Christmas wine, Gluehwein, a spiced mulled wine.

German language music CDs and magazines, as well as many German gift items line the shelves as well.  So if you need a German doll, a unique toy, or even a small cuckoo clock, German Gourmet is the place to go. 

Want to host your own authentic Octoberfest? Check out their wide selection of German beer steins, mugs and glasses.

The family-run original store, located in suburban Falls Church for over 45 years, is a small but friendly place.  The new larger store, about 5 miles away, which opened last August, is considerably larger, has a wider range (1,500+) of products and offers much more free parking.

Add they have hot brats to go available, all the time, so when you have a hankering for Bratwurst sandwich with German potato salad, and a slice of strudel, the German Gourmet should be at the top of your list.

Click here for a slide show of some of the store’s products.

German Gourmet (original location)
7185 Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-534-1908   (map it)

5838 Columbia Pike (new larger location, near Baileys Crossroads)
Falls Church, VA 22041
703-379-8080   (map it)

Dates and Times – Monday & Saturday 9-6, Tuesday – Friday  9-7, closed on Sunday

Nearest Metro Subway Station – line, then a  block walk or use the

Parking – free parking

Images – Original location exterior, from personal collection © 2008 – Jon Rochetti, bread rack, cheese counter, sweets,     ___________________________________________________

Post from: The DC Traveler

Enjoy authentic German umpapa bands and polka dancing, some great kids events and activities, along with a big carnival.

And don’t miss the great German food, like grilled brats and Rhinewurst sausages with Sauerkraut. And of course, treat yourself to a stein or two of German beer.  The whole experience may make you feel like you’re enjoying a part of this original Deutschland festival.

Fort Belvor 13th annual Octoberfest
Off Richmond Highway / US-1, and Belvor Road – Fremont Field
Fort Belvor, VA (map it)

Dates and Times – Thursday – Sunday, October 2-5, 2008. Hours – Thursday – 6:00 p.m. – 10:00, Friday – 6:00 – midnight, Saturday – noon to midnight, Sunday, noon – 8 p.m.

Tickets – Admission is FREE.  Carnival tickets are $20.00, food and beverages additional.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Huntington Ave. – yellow line, then a 15-minute cab ride.

Parking – free.

Images – band, bratwurst

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Post from: The DC Traveler

Artisan breads, gourmet cheeses, high-quality produce and case after case prepared foods, desserts, and other gourmet items, make this small grocery store with a neighborhood feel seem much larger.

The well-stocked wine hall in the rear of the store, has a wine expert on staff to help you with your selection or with suggested pairings with your meal. They also offer free wine tastings (four to five wines) every Friday evening.

A large number of their prepared item are available in small quantities. From beef tenderloin to crab cakes, you can plan a gourmet meal, a romantic dinner or a casual picnic from the dozens of entrée options.

One of my favorite sections is the cheese counter, that offers a wide variety of cheeses from around the world, many that you don’t normally see at your neighborhood grocery store. 

Another personal favorite is that they offer three types of anchovies – Mediterranean, salt-packed, and my personal favorite – the white anchovy. All I need is a loaf of crusty French bread, a chuck of cheese, and a glass of wine and I’ve got the perfect dinner.

Their selection of individual pastries is huge, I counted over 20, allowing everyone to get their own decadent dessert. Their bakery’s quality allows them to easily compete with just about any classic European pastry shop.

If you love to cook, don’t miss their 400+ online recipes.  Their cookbook, The Dean & Deluca Cookbook, is also a classic and one I often reach for when cooking classic dishes at home. And at under $20, it’s well worth it.

Dean & Deluca
3276 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20007 (map it)
202-342-2500

Hours - Daily – 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Foggy Bottom – Orange and Blue lines, then a 1¼ mile walk or cab ride or use the DC Georgetown Circulator which stops just a couple blocks away.

Parking – Free and metered street parking and paid lot parking is available in the area. If you park on M Street, look up and down the block for one of the green parking meters.

Images – from personal collection   © 2008 – Jon Rochetti 

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Post from: The DC Traveler

The Grand Sushi and Saki Event – Wednesday, April 2, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

• Join grand master sushi chefs as they present sustainable sushi offerings, Japanese Saki and beer selections. The tasting is immediately after a presentation by the author of  The Zen of Fish: The Story of Sushi, from Samurai to Supermarket, Trevor Corson. Cost – $95.00

The Master Cheese Monger’s Favorites – Wednesday, April 30, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

• Foodie and author of Cheese Primer, Steve Jenkins was the first American to be inducted into the prestigious Guilde du St. Uguzon in France. He an also be heard on NPR’s The Splendid Table.  He’ll be serving up some great cheeses from around the globe, many not available in the U.S.  And what’s cheese without a nice glass of wine? Best Sellars wine stores co-founder, Joshua Wesson, will be serving a sampling of especially selected wines to pair with the cheeses. Cost – $75.00

The Italian Beer Renaissance – Thursday, May 8, 2008, 7:00 p.m.

• I’ve been drinking Italian beers for years. And I guess there’s a beer revolution in Italy. Several fine mircobreweries have opened around the country and the brews they create go far beyond traditional Euro-styles.  Join Garrett Oliver, the brewmaster of The Brooklyn Brewery and author of The Brewmaster’s Table for a sampling of some of Italy’s newer beers.   Cost – $75.00

National Geographic Explorers Hall 
1145 17th Street, NW, at M Street, NW
Washington, DC (map it)
202-857-7588

Tickets – Available by phone at 202-661-7585. Attendees must be 21 or over.

Nearest Metro subway station – Farragut West – Orange line, then a two block walk.

Images – Flickr: beer coasters, cheese, sushi. 

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Post from: The DC Traveler