Where is a slice just a slice?

So, I think that one of the things I miss most about New York City is the water. Seriously. Firstof all, it's one of the cleanest in the country. It was never too harsh for my face and I had no qualms about drinking it straight from the tap if I woke up parched in the middle of the night. Also, as I think all are aware, it is THE reason why NYC has the best bagels and pizza dough. Not sure what the reason is, but NYC tap water produces some of the best food around. That being said, the single thing I really miss about NYC is the pizza. It's the best. Hands down. Now, I've never been to Naples, so I can't say for sure that a Manhattan slice doesn't outrank the original Neapolitan slice, but I would probably bet that it could hold it's own in comparison.

Since I've moved to DC, I have missed that single slice I'd pick up on the way home from work, on my lunch break, on a weekend walk, or anytime I was craving perfect crust, delicate sauce and yummy, gooey, mozzarella cheese. I've missed the anticipation of a freshly baked pie, just for me, right out of the oven, then right at my door. When I first got here and my friends would order pizza, I'd opt for wings. I don't like wings. There are a few places in DC that serve up a decent New York or New Jersey slice, but they are far and in between. My test? I order a slice. If they know that what I want is plain slice of cheese, they probably know what they're doing. Or at least they are from New York. Mama Lucia serves a good slice, but eat it hot, it doesn't bear well an hour later. They won't move into DC, they say the rents are too high, so I'm stuck driving out to Silver Spring if I'm jonesing. There is also the phenomenon of Two Amy's which I find overdone and overrated. Not to mention there are always children running rampant in there. No matter what time you go. It's like Children of the Corn, those kids rule without a parent in sight. You'll get a better pie and a cooler atmosphere for what it is at Pizza Paradiso, but that's just my opinion. Less pretense, less daycare. Since I refuse to drive out to Virginia for an authentic New York slice (this is a rumor, I've never actually visited Tony's Pizza in Fairfax, but it's supposedly the best in the area), I've made it a quest to bake the perfect pie right in my very own oven. I may not have a woodburning one, but I've got a Thermador and a pizza stone, so shake whatcha mama gave ya.

Herb and Dori got me hooked on this little Italian deli that hides in Capital City here in DC. It's like a little bit of Little Italy. I was always so bummed that Washington didn't have a Little Italy like NY and Philly. So finding this market was such a blessing, it's truly a gem. A. Litteri is on Morse Street in the middle of meatpackers and wholesale food suppliers in a very ugly part of the city. A very ugly part that happens to be a 5 minute drive from my house. It's a tiny little shop that packs a good punch. The walls are stacked to the ceiling with imported goods from Italy that can't be found anywhere else in the city and more pasta and Cento products than you can name. At the back of the maze of aisles, is the meat and cheese counter. You can get true Italian subs (rated the best in the city and judging from the lines at lunch, I'd believe it) and the best cheeses and sausages. I've never actually ordered baccala, but it's so fabulously Italian, I'll tout that too. Be prepared to be patient, these guys know how good you're going to get it, so they have no problem making you wait.

After trying the pizza dough at Vace (not my favourite Italian market in the city), I decided it didn't have enough salt. I tried Litteri's and was much more satisfied. For some reason, making dough scares me immensely. If yeast is involved, I'm immediately terrified. I should really try to get over that.

I found that the house marinara sauce at Litteri's was light and refreshing, something I dig in my pizza sauces, and saved me the hassle of fast forwarding my Godfather DVD until I got to the part where Clemenza gives up the secret to his sauce. I love a good margarita pizza, so I started out simple with mozzarella and fresh basil for garnish.

It's a total work in progress, and I think I'm on my way to finding the perfect recipe for me. My biggest obstacle so far is the thinness of the crust. Sometimes, I can get it to an acceptable width, but it's hardly ever consistent and it's hardly ever round. I heard a true Neapolitan pie isn't round anyway, so there.

The Deal:

(per slice)

Calories: 165; Fat: 6g; Carbs: 19g; Protein: 8g

The Linen Lunch

I enjoy a nice lunch. It's my thing. I am so very over shoving a fast salad into my mouth, at my desk, while simultaneously answering e-mails. At my former job, I would be mid-bite when Melissa would scream from down the hall in thick Brooklynese, "LSD!! Get in here!" I'd grab a napkin, make sure there was no romaine in my teeth and scramble to the fit room to see what she was screaming about.

"Where did this pant originate?"

"It's from the Alyssa pant, which used to be the Norell pant with cuffs and a 1" waistband, which I believe came from the Eileen Black Label pant. Pattern CH31. "

"Awesome, you rock, thanks"

You see, that was the problem with having an insane memory in a work environment where research just takes too long. Why look through the history notes of a Product Development Manager tech sheet when LSD knows exactly what you need? Who cares if she's in the middle of lunch?

That was when I'd decided to actually take my lunch hour out of the office. When I decided no more would I sit praying for uninterrupted silence in hopes of proper digestion. I would take my behind to a proper restaurant with proper linen napkins and Jack's became my spot of choice. It's a great little place right in the heart of the fashion district with a pretty diverse menu. There are regulars who frequent the restaurant for lunch and bartenders John and Liam know exactly what you like and remember everytime. My favourite there was the tuna burger that I would order without the bun, but with extra ginger-mustard glaze. I'm pretty sure this menu option was a blatant bite from the famous tuna burger served at Union Square Cafe. I've recreated this burger with a good degree of success and I suggest you try it too, but today, we're talking about something else. My new favourite. 701 Club on Pennsylvania Avenue.

When I first started working at the Smithsonian, I was at a loss for what to do at lunch. I'd accustomed myself to eating pretty well and I just couldn't go to Subway and sit in a rank plastic booth to enjoy my lunch hour. I'm a Libra, I need delicious cuisine, a good glass of wine, and ambiance to boot. When I asked my new colleagues where they went, I was shocked at how frequently I got, "there's a McDonalds right down the street!". Clearly, we wouldn't be enjoying our lunch hours together. It's a bit of a walk, but I started heading to the best place I knew in Penn Quarter. I know that area pretty well since my Dad's office is right there, so I walked into my favourite downtown lunch spot, 701. It's owned by a guy named Ashouk who owns a few choice spots in DC. They know me there (via my pops) so it felt comfortable and I felt welcome. Sometimes I become a creature of habit, so I found myself at the 701 bar several days out of the week. One day last week, I decided to deviate from my usual and try the black bass on the menu. It was heavenly. The portion was perfect and whatever sauce they used was divine. I started picking around to see where the flavors were coming from and found a delightful array of random ingredients that worked wonders together. It looked as if the black bass still had the skin and was sitting atop a bed of french lentils. Haricot verts, artichoke hearts, roasted peppers and grapes rounded out the mix and it was all topped with this mysterious, light and frothy cream sauce. I decided then and there that I had to try to recreate this dish at home. I knew I could recreate the fish and the vegetables, but I hadn't a clue as to how to attempt the sauce. After a few attempts at the sauce, it was obvious I'd need a bit more instruction, so I followed the advice of my dear friend Shannon. You don't ask and you don't get. So I marched right into 701 and was greeted by Will, the sommelier. He's a fan of LSD so didn't mind a bit giving up the details of the delicious dish.

So I tried tried again. This time to wonderous success. Only one catch. I ommitted the artichoke hearts because, well, they just aren't my favourite.

So here's what went down. I started making my meez by preparing all ingredients. I took a red pepper and charred it right on my stove burner on all sides. I peeled it, sliced it and set about a quarter of it aside for immediate use. I decided I'd prepare the green beans for steaming since I knew my fat content would be increased with the delicious emulsion with which I'd finish off the dish, so I definitely didn't want to sautee them. I sliced a quarter cup of green beans into julienne strips and set aside. I took about 6 or 8 red grapes, sliced those in half and set aside then measured about 1/4 cup of french lentils and set those aside as well. Lentils only take about 20 minutes to cook, so I started boiling 3/4 cup of vegetable stock and added the lentils when the stock came to an active simmer. I set up my "steamer" (all clad double boiler works just as well) and waited for the water to boil. The green beans and grapes would steam while the lentils simmered for their last 5 minutes.

Now for the fish. I took a 5oz filet of black bass and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper then sauteed on both sides with a tiny bit of olive oil. Easy, right?

Here's a tip: buy a travel size spray bottle and fill with olive oil. Use this to coat the pan instead of pouring straight from the bottle. It's like cooking spray without that weird chemical that propels the oil from the can.

OK, here's where you have to make a true, grown up decision. I am going to give you the recipe for the emulsion, but it is at your own risk. The basis of it is cream and butter, ensuring it's deliciousness, but increasing your fat intake. I used half of this emulsion on my bass, but if I can get myself down to a quarter, I will loudly proclaim that I, indeed, rock a party.

Gather together in a sauce pan 2 tablespoons of cream, a tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of white port and 1/2 tablespoon of champagne vinegar. Combine over low heat, then emusify if you have the appliance or beat with a whisk until frothy.

I tried to plate this dish just the way they did at 701, so I took a shallow bowl and placed my cooked lentils at the bottom then added the haricot verts, the grapes and the roasted peppers. On top, I placed the black bass. Then poured my deliciously creamy, delectably sinful sauce right on top of the fish and let the veggies catch the goodness. I want to try this dish with an Arneis, but my insticts tell me a subtle Chardonnay is probably the way to go. I enjoyed with a lovely Chablis (chablis is actually a chardonnay, who knew?) because the typical buttery, oakey, Chardonnay is not my favourite, but by all means, experiment with what you like.

Bon Appetit!

The Deal (with sauce):

Calories: 398; Fat: 16g; Carbs: 22g; Protein: 38g

(without sauce)

Calories: 272; Fat: 5g; Carbs: 20g; Protein: 38g

The Salad Standby

OK, so let me tell you about my personal trainer. His name is AC and he rocks my fitness right now. I work out at a gym called Balance here in D.C. It's not your average Life Circuit rotation gym, it's hardcore. A bunch of rugby players own the place and there is nothing cute about it except for, well, the rugby players. At my first session, he had me push a sand bag across the basketball court, benchpress my own body weight, and run while he held me back with the rubber band wrapped around my waist. Not to mention the chinups, pushups, and skipping rope. All exercises at which I'm not particularly stellar. All with the exception of skipping rope. Every girl is a pro at that one. AC works just about every muscle in my body without me even knowing it. The day after, I am always a little stiff, but it's not so bad. It doesn't get brutal until the day after that.


I can't lie, the best part of the workout is the salad after. When I was working in New York City, the salad I ate everyday came from Metro Cafe on 7th Avenue. It was my own freaked out, pared down combination of a Caesar, Cobb, and Tuna Nicoise. "May I have a small mixed greens with tuna, hard boiled egg, parmesan, and extra croutons, please? Caesar dressing on the side, thank you."


I swear, it was like a mantra.

When I was courting the Godfather, I ate this salad almost everyday and it totally worked for me. The protein boost in the early afternoon was exactly what I needed in order to walk back into Ralph Lauren and keep up that insane, Fashion Avenue, Devil Wears Prada pace without morphing into a complete bitch.


A few years back, a friend of a friend opened Chopt. They basically expanded on the idea that is one of many stations in establishments like Metro all over NYC. Chopt offers the same "make your own" salad concept, but takes a mezzaluna to your salad so that scarfing seems charming.


So that's where I head after the gym for my freaked out Cobbsar Nicoise. It's like the Red after the J (a nod, Sarah). I'm already high from the incredible workout and that protein packed salad makes me feel as strong as some of those cute rugby boys.


The salad is probably one of the easiest salads to put together. Grab about three generous handfuls of mixed greens, drained and flaked canned tuna (one can will suffice), two chopped hard boiled eggs, two tablespoons of grated or shaved parmesan and a handful of croutons. Have your dressing on the side. You can make your own dressing, if you are so inclined, or just choose your favourite. I find that when I have my salad dressing on he side, I end up consuming really no more than a teaspoon or so. It's a good deal.

The Deal:

Calories: 378; Fat: 21g; Carbs: 14g; Protein: 34g