DC Quickfire Challenge: Snakehead Edition

Remember snakeheads? Tons of DC media about how they were taking over the Potomac and eating our native species? Well, guess what? We're fighting back. How? Well, this past week, Maryland fishermen pulled in SEVEN HUNDRED POUNDS of those suckers from our waters.

Let me let you in on a little secret - they are tasty! DC chefs are jumping to add them to menus. You can do your part and eat the heck out of em. Local source stars, Equinox and Ripple were first out of the gate getting snakehead on the menu this weekend. Equinox Sous Chef Blair McCormick has even been appointed Chief Snakehead Handler for the downtown dining hot spot. 

Equinox Chief Snakehead Handler (photo: Ellen Gray)

"Move over cod, there's a new fish slithering into the spotlight," said McCormick. "The fish is light and creamy - and we're serving them beer battered and fried with a side of tabasco and lemon."

Equinox Beer Battered Snakehead

Ripple Chef Logan Cox is serving his snakehead pan-fried with sweet potato, wild rice and a caper emulsion. Since it's located in my Cleveland Park neighborhood, I walked up tonight to try it (yum!) and bring you this photo:

Ripple Pan-Fried Snakehead with Sweet Potato, Wild Rice and Caper Emulsion

Starting on Tuesday, Dino launches their new spring menu and it will feature pancetta wrapped snakehead in a saffron mussel stew. 

If you spot snakehead on the menu - most importantly, order it and eat it. Then, let me know (tweet me @floridagirlindc using #snakehead or email me) and I'll add them to this post. Try to send me a photo so we can see all of the creative ways this tasty bastard is being cooked!

More to come and this blog post will be updated as they are added.

[Ed Note: Want to stay more up to date on what's being caught in the waters near you? Sign up for the Chesapeake Bay Seafood Update.]

Austin: Barley Swine for One Helluva Dinner

Sometimes you need a break from all of the SXSW madness, and my friends Megan and Chris always find me an oasis of killer, locally sourced Austin food to sneak away and taste. This year, it was famed Barley Swine. You may know of it as Chef Bryce Gilmore "Food & Wine Best New Chef 2011"'s place. I knew of it as the brick and mortar companion with last year favorite Odd Duck Farm to Trailer (which is sadly closed now.)

Barley Swine

Barley Swine is a few things. It is small. Real small. It has egregious waits. But they can sometimes evaporate as people decide not to wait. Like, our two hour quote turned into a fifteen minute wait and we had to rush back over. But, I was so glad that we did, because the meal was so interesting and creative. Each bite of the small plates had an amazing pop of flavor, so that we all finished the meal smiling and satisfied.

My iPhone photos from a night time meal just don't do it justice, but I had to share some of my favorites. First up, the pea shoot soup with parmesan fritters. (You know I'll order anything that says "fritter.")

Sweet Pea Shoot Soup

Next up, an artfully arranged beet salad with a rainbow of local beets - did you know you can eat beet tops roasted? One is peeking out of the back of this photo:

Beet Salad

I keep saying on my next visit to Austin, I'm going to go on a pork belly and avocado diet and make a million. This pork belly from Barley Swine could keep me going for days. It was candy sweet and paired with carrots.

Pork Belly

Remember when, faced with a dinner full of food writers, I ate tempura fried rabbit hearts? Yeah, I kinda still regret that - Austin must put me into crazy food positions. But trying foods at least once before saying no forever is my jumping out of airplanes. So, when presented with grilled shrimp paired with FRIED SHRIMP HEADS, I said, WHAT THE HELL? I mean, there's a well re-told story in the Gordon family lore about one of my brother's friends who came over for dinner and didn't know you were supposed to de-shell the boiled shrimp and was just crunching away. Wouldn't this be the same?

Well, I wouldn't know until I tried, right? So, I jumped right in for one. Here's the deal. I'm glad I wasn't a wuss. And it totally worked with the dish. But, I could also pass on fried shrimp heads. But, ya never know... when in Rome... and faced with a talented cook... why not?

Grilled Shrimp with Fried Shrimp Heads

Y'all know I'm also not a huge steak fan, but if all steak is like this coffee Waygu topped with celery root slaw, count me in!

Waygu Steak

One pic that I didn't get was of the Chicken Fried Chicken Egg. All I can say is, get it. It was inhaled quickly and I still am thinking about it!

Tune in for dessert and details on the location, after the jump. Then we're back to DC tomorrow.

Austin: Second Bar + Kitchen for Brunch

This post was waylayed by the post TED/SXSW SARS (I'm not sure how I thought I'd get away with 10 flights in 14 days and not get sick, but alas...)

I told you Second Bar + Kitchen was so nice, I went twice. And even though I had no idea what day it was, luckily Chef David Bull did... It was Brunch Day!

We ordered up the bread basket... But before you yawn... It contained bacon cinnamon rolls. I defy you to stay carb free when faced with that.

Bacon Cinnamon Rolls

Next up, the Texas Benedict which was poached eggs over pulled pork atop a jalapeño cheddar biscuit... Smothered in chorizo gravy.

Texas Benedict

Don't judge, I split it. And ordered a vegetable. The Brussels sprouts... With bacon and cheese.

Brussels Sprouts

Check it out if you're in Austin. Lookin at you Beth, Chris, Chris and Rachel.

Austin: Second Bar + Kitchen for Lunch

It's kind of funny this places is called Second. It's so nice, I've eaten there twice... In the past two days.

Is that beyond nice and moving into obsessed territory?

I'll break it up into two posts just to stay on theme. Here's how it happened... Alejandra was supposed to meet a friend of a friend for lunch. She and I had just come out of the SXSW session about Bravo's use of transmedia in last season's Top Chef. And we were *hungry*. Our new friend Dave met us outside and ushered us over to Second. It was slammed so we bellied up to barstools and I knew I was home when I saw this:

Behind the bar at Second Bar+Kitchen

If you've ever been to SXSW, you know along with the marathon of sessions, networking and parties comes a cold. In order to ward it off, Second has a "C-Section" drink made with Emergen-C... yep, that is 1000 grams of Vitamin C being made right there:

Mixing up a C-Section

Next up, we needed food STAT, so in went two appetizer orders... first, when I see fried pickles on menu I usually get them. But when you see BUFFALO FRIED PICKLES on a menu, it's like, the law to get them. While sitting at the bar, I sold three more orders to people who sat next to me.

Buffalo Fried Pickles

Alejandra added the Avocado Fundido to the mix. Guacamole with chorizo served with sweet potato chips. Perhaps we should have stopped there... but it just kept going...

Avocado Fundido

I ordered the Fried Egg & Avocado Sandwich which was crunchy, sweet and ooey gooey perfection. I could only finish half, but I sold one to the next guy who sat down. Yes, at this point, I'm pimping out their food to strangers.

Avocado & Fried Egg Sandwich

Now enamored, we asked for a tour. The space is beautiful - lots of light and patio space for an indoor-outdoor feel (despite the monsooning rains that day). The kitchen serves three restaurant concepts in one: Second, Bar Congress next door and then Austin's only five star experience, Congress in the evenings.

Second Bar+Kitchen from second level looking down

About this time, more friends joined us and Chef David Bull came in to do some butchering. We had made such a fuss, he spent some time chatting with us and even shared some rare salmon cheeks with our little crew that had now expanded to include Addie and Liz.

Chef showing Addie where the cheeks are nestled.

Wild Irish Salmon Cheeks

We rolled out of there and somehow made it to a bunch more of the SXSW work experience. Though, when I was supposed to go to an early dinner at Barley Swine, I was still full from our lunch experience.

If you're ever in Austin, add this one to your list.

Second Bar+Kitchen is at the corner of 2nd Street and Congress in downtown Austin. Follow their team on Facebook and Twitter for the latest menu additions and specials.

Must See TEDTalks: Bryan Stevenson

I kind of left you hanging after my first post on TEDActive. Truth is, the whole experience was overwhelming... inspiring... and cool. I'll share my favorite talks and moments as the videos become public.

The first one I have for you is Bryan Stevenson's talk on injustice in America. There were a lot of talks by a lot of daring, smart, amazing people. This one got the longest standing room ovation of the entire week. I started out multitasking with one eye on the screen and ended up mesmerized, horrified, moved. Take a look and share it if you find it as important as I do:

Learn more and find out how you can help by visiting the Equal Justice Initiative website.