More adventures in chocolate

I have long been a fan of the fine boutique chocolates made by Artisan Confections in Arlington Virginia.
With my sisters current fascination with chocolate, I found myself signed up for a chocolate making class with her there.
I must say, I rank an evening of eating fine chocolate and drinking red wine right up there with some of my most favorite culinary adventures.
The class consisted of a brief introduction on where chocolate comes from (which was really interesting), some demonstration, and then just enough hands on.
At the beginning of the class we were greeted with a glass of wine and some samples of their wares. At the end of class we took home a ton of chocolate that I could not imagine eating having already consumed more chocolate than I normally eat in a year.

Lickety Split at Restaurant Eve

After visiting La Cuisine and the chocolate bar, my sister and I went to Restaurant Eve for lunch where we enjoyed their Lickety Split menu, available in the bistro/bar.
For our first course my sister delighted in the antelope scrapple with poached egg and hash browns, while I enjoyed the sweet potato bisque. Then we both had the special salad of mixed greens, lentils with shaved young garlic, accompanied by a side of very rich salmon moose and crouton. As you will read and see in my next post, my salad was beyond special, at least in presentation.
www.restauranteve.com

Adventures in chocolate

My sister has been fascinated in chocolate lately. She has even talked about opening a chocolate shop in her neighborhood. (Not seriously however, just in whimsical fantasy.) As a result of her latest fascination, I joined her on an adventure to La Cuisine, a shop known for their "chocolate tasting bar". The chocolate bar was basically a section of wall with small drawers containing chocolate couverture from France, Belgium, and other parts of the world.
La Cuisine also had many other fabulous things to offer, my favorite being the 1lb container of diced orange peel from Switzerland that only cost $12.00.
www.lacuisineus.com

A salad that made me blush

I wanted to entitle this entry... "For a good time visit Restaurant Eve", but I think the photo will speak for its self.
Restaurant Eve is located in Alexandria Virginia and is a very popular spot with an excellent reputation. They have a really sweet deal in the bar/bistro where for $15.00 you can get any two
Items off of the Lickity split menu.
But diners beware, your foods presentation could make you to blush.

More photos from cooking class

A surprise lesson in Lebanese cooking

About three weeks ago I was treated to a cooking class at the Lebanese Taverna. The friend that treated me, Gladys, is in a class I am taking on web design. The entire experience was fabulous. The evening consisted of appetizers of hommos, baba ghannouge, tabouleh and sambousck. Delicious Lebanese white and red wines flowed all evening. At each place on the table was a cutting board, knife, and recipes for the evenings menu. Instruction, demonstration and participation were all part of the night, concluding with eating every thing we made.

The Menu was...
Lentil Soup
Rice and chicken
Shakshouky
Mamoul

I enjoyed the meal so much I recreated the entire menu for my parents three days later.
All the specialty foods like rose water are conveniently available and for sale at the market where the classes take place.