Our second course arrived after a nice break for pleasant conversation. Now, I have been known to make a pretty mean macaroni and cheese. In fact, I’ve put the recipe up here for everyone to enjoy. I actually dress it up a bit and make it presentable for polite company. Patrick O’Connell takes it one step further and puts a bowtie and cummerbund on it, teaches it to dance the tango and allows it to mingle with the most refined people on the planet.

More...

I had mentioned that Patrick O’Connell’s sense of whimsy tends to come through in the food he prepares and that is showcased in the First Course selections that Ms  Cocktail and I made. Ms Cocktail has a penchant for oysters so she selected the Quartet of Maine Oyster Slurpees while I went only a touch more mainstream with the Carpaccio of Herb Crusted Baby Lamb with Caesar Salad Ice Cream.

I know, you just did a double take at my selection with the thought of Caesar Salad Ice Cream. More...

Dinner at the Inn at Little Washington is definitely not for someone who is in a rush. It is a time to relax and savor the exquisitely prepared dishes along with the time spent with that special someone. Patrick O’Connell finds a way to make this experience very special while still maintaining a sense of fun. Through out the entire meal, one is constantly reminded in many subtle ways that one should not take this, and life in general, too seriously.

More...

Ms Cocktail and I decided to treat ourselves to something special for our wedding anniversary this year (21 in case anyone is counting). We decided to spend an evening at The Inn at Little Washington. Nestled in the very center of the little town of Washington, VA, the place is an experience like no other.

Your experience starts at the very moment that you arrive at the front door. Your vehicle and luggage head in separate directions as you are politely asked your name. This is the one and only time that will happen during your entire stay. For the rest of your time here, the staff will know your name even if they haven’t personally met you before.

More...

Growing up in New England, my family never knew how to properly cook corn. My mother used the time honored tradition of husking the corn, then putting it in a pot of water, bringing the water to a boil and the boiling it until what she considered done. This was usually somewhere between soggy and sodden with the added bonus of having the majority of flavor and nutrients removed for health reasons. Ms Cocktail also grew up in New England and she also suffered from this time honored tradition. It took Ms Cocktail working with a wonderful lady from Iowa who was kind enough to teach us that you brought the water to a boil first, you added the corn and then no longer than 5 minutes in the boiling water. Voila! Perfect boiled corn every time.

I then discovered that you can cook corn on the grill. This adds a wonderful roasted flavor to the corn, unlike anything you can possibly get from boiling it. There are two approaches to grilling corn, either in the husk or shucked. If you grill it in the husk, you should soak the whole ear of corn in water for about a half an hour to an hour prior to placing on the grill. Then grill over indirect medium heat for about 25 minutes, turning two or three times to keep the husk from burning. This essentially steams the corn within its own husk and adds a touch of that roasted flavor to it. The other way to do it is to shuck the corn, spray the ear down with olive oil, then grill over direct medium heat for ten to twelve minutes, turning frequently. This gives the corn a nice roasted flavor with some browning of the kernals to help compliment that flavor.

More...

Last week was Restaurant Week in Washington, D.C. For those that don’t know, this means that restaurants in the city and surrounding area that wish to participate put together a prix fixe menu from their normal offerings and have this available at a reduced price. It is a way for the restaurants to entice new customers as it is typically cheaper to visit during these special weeks.

Ms Cocktail and I try to visit at least one new restaurant during this week as it is an opportunity to explore something new without breaking the bank. The restaurants post their special menus on a web site where one can browse the offerings before making a choice of place to try. This year, Ms Cocktail and I along with a couple of her co-workers decided to try Café Atlántico in downtown DC.

More...