After our second trip to Rania in DC, we just have to say something. Outstanding.
.
The drinks are ridiculous and interesting and the food is bursting with flavor.
Are you amused?
A great target for dinner before a show at the Warner.
Rania DC: Best Indian Ever
October 16, 2025
food, mixology cocktails, dc, food, mixology, rania, restaurant, warner theater Leave a comment
.
The drinks are ridiculous and interesting and the food is bursting with flavor.
Pur deliciousness
February 27, 2025
who knows americans are awful, food, hyatt, Jean-François Rouquette, michelin star, Paris, pur, restaurant 1 Comment
About the only problem with Pur is that it is situated in a Hyatt. This leads to patrons who have no idea what they are experiencing.
Pur is an excellent, old school, chef run restaurant. Of special note is its architecture. The kitchen is on display and works like a clock.
Americans are so, well, American.
Kids do the Cooking
August 28, 2024
cooking, food cooking, food, progeny, steak Leave a comment
Both grown kids are excellent cooks. This I find personally gratifying. When they cook together double yum happens.
Ganesh Chaturti on the Shenandoah
October 29, 2021
farm, nature, river Allen Kitselman, bald eagles, bindi, ceremony, cheeto, consecration, food, ganesh, Ganesh Chaturti, gem, hinduism, immersion, indian food, karthik, nature, river, river run, romey, shenandoah, shenandoah river, skaggs, the shrine Leave a comment
Sometime last summer (during the height of the pandemic), “the shrine” on my property was designed by Allen Kitselman and implemented by Claudio and his brother. On 9/12 it was properly initiated with a Ganesh Chaturi ceremony led by Karthik.
Here’s how that went down.
First, Karthik shared the significance of Ganesh Chaturti, read some ancient text, and made an offering.
Ready for the ceremony
Karthik leads the reading
Incense
Ganesh at the shrine (and everywhere else in the universe too)
In the verdant woods of Virginia
A gift for the mantle
Then it was off to the river for part two of the ceremony, a small prayer with an earthen Ganesha moorti which Jackie immersed in the Shenandoah river in a traditional way (plus kayaks).
We kayaked several miles together. Had lunch. Saw eagles. Reveled in nature. There was a cheeto sighting.
When we were getting ready to depart, the truck failed to start. But we persevered (with some help from Skaggs and a trusty hammer).
And then some fabulous food and conversation.
All in all, an excellent day. The shrine is consecrated and new friendships blossom.
Bindi people
About that Ramen
November 30, 2019
food food, japan, kyoto, raman, restaurant, tokyo, travel Leave a comment
Sushi
November 30, 2019
food, travel food, ginza, gonpachi, japan, photography, rio, riotaro okada, sushi, tokyo, video 1 Comment
Thanks to my friend Rio, a masterful sushi lunch in Ginza at Gonpachi. Best sushi so far this life.
フード, indeed
September 20, 2017
food, humor, photography, travel, who knows food, humor, japan, travel 1 Comment
The best ramen, tsukemen, cold noo-noos dipped.
the makers of the best ramen in the hippest ramen space in town. Tokyo- Fuunji, thanks.
Some like it RAW – put me on the Sushi Train.
The Conductor.
Just meat.
Kaiseki – catch it when you can.
eaters, dressed for the part.
Nishiki Market, Kyoto.
Protein Snack this, my friend.
Fabulous fish flakes.
And the Famous Bento Box. Prepackaged cooked food, room temp. Japan. Train food. Sticky rice superb.
Roast Beast and Yorkshire Pudding
November 6, 2016
cooking cooking, drippings, food, gem, recipe, roast beast, roast beef, yorkshire, yorkshire pudding 1 Comment
Rare roast beef with Yorkshire pudding is one of my very favorite meals of all time. Heck, we’ll even have it for no apparent reason! Happy today day! Here are a few tricks to making a delicious beast.
Yorkshire pudding though incredibly simple ingredients-wise takes a couple of tricks. Trick 1: Start with warm ingredients and beat them to frothy. Cold eggs and milk will not work properly. Once the batter is beaten, refrigerate for at least an hour covered. (This allows the flour to do its gluten thing with the egg.) Remove from the fridge just about when you put the beef in so that there is time for the batter to slowly warm. Trick 2: cook it under the beast.
Yorkshire step 2 remove from chill and warm to 70 degrees B4 rebeat/cook pic.twitter.com/ifmn60jqgp
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) November 5, 2016
On the beef front, start with a standing rib roast. Don’t get it tied, rolled, or cut from the bone. The ribs provide lots of flavor.
Roast beef and yorkshire pudding: step 0 13.3# beast pic.twitter.com/BMfnBgFk6x
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) November 5, 2016
Season the beast simply with an entire head of garlic, peeled with cloves sometimes cut lengthwise then inserted into the beef with a paring knife and a finger. Liberally apply lots of pepper and some salt.
Roast beast step 1: season with head of garlic peeled and inserted plus salt and pepper pic.twitter.com/bBsYGNSr6P
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) November 5, 2016
Pop it in an oven preheated to 550. Immediately turn it down to 350. Plan to cook the beast 17 minutes per pound and no more.
Roast beast step 2: roast oven at 550, roast in and down to 350 immediately pic.twitter.com/9OKt73nH7k
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) November 5, 2016
Beef roasting at 350 (about 90 minutes in)
Before adding the Yorkshire batter, turn the oven up to 400 and beat the batter to froth one more time. Remove some of the drippings below the beef to make gravy with (put into cast iron skillet). Add half a stick of butter under the roast to compensate. Then pour the batter around the beef.
Roast beast step 3: yorkshire in the pan (oven up) pic.twitter.com/Wae39IQ5cP
— noplasticshower (@noplasticshower) November 5, 2016
The batter will rise if all is well.
Yorkshire on the rise under the beef
Remove the beef on time, and check the temperature. Let the beef rest for 15 minutes.
Finished cooking and now resting. Rest your beef before carving!
Yorkshire with beast removed. The drippings are ultra delicious.
Serve to family and friends with a nice Cab.
Et voilà.
Why aren’t those chickens laying any eggs?
November 21, 2015
animals, birds, cute, farm, food, humor, nature, photography, who knows chickens, food, nature, photography, possum Leave a comment
Are the days too short?
Is it the weather?
Nope – somebody’s been a’snackin!
