Hungry Times Two

Setting the scene: Friday night, low on groceries, and even lower on energy to cook.   The cast of characters: Erin and Scott, HTT bloggers with a desire for something different. The mission: A new place to eat, without the pain-in-the-ass travel time to Hell On Earth, I mean, Northern Virginia or DC. Final destination : Tiffin the Indian Kitchen, Langley Park, Md. Background info: Scott and I have visited Woodlands  (vegetarian Indian) in Langley Park and wanted to see if Tiffin might be as good. Langley Park is a swath of commercial real estate  between Takoma Park and Silver Spring, Md., dotted with tons of tiendas, liquor stores, and apartment buildings primarily housing a huge immigrant community here. It ain't exactly the flashy area we'd bring out of town guests or anything, but if you're looking for ethnic food, you can't go wrong.

Gratzi in advance, y'all - My Mother Dear and I head to Italy next month for a 12-day whirlwind trip through Italy. Venice, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Assisi, Pompeii and Capri - we're coming for you!

It's official: I hate my kitchen.

Lunch can be a total crapfest sometimes in my workplace location - Chinatown and Mount Vernon aren't exactly culinary wonderlands. In fact, I was supremely disappointed when I discovered how sad most Asian restaurants are here in D.C. However, lunch (and dinner) is redeemed: Introducing the Korean delight Mandu . Credit: clix/SXC Lightening-fast review of Mandu's new location on K Street, near Busboys and Poets and Taylors:

A friend in Tennessee sent this along, and I thought the sheer ingenuity behind it was worth sharing. This is a fish-stick I wouldn't mind eating. (I ate enough of the other kind in elementary school). As he noted, these are "stockers", so unlike wild-caught trout (catch and release), these are fine for all-you-can-eat grilling. Yum.

In addition to my latest read, Keith Richard's Life , (and yes, it's coherent), I'm also reading two food-related works. From SXC/Zsuzsanna Kilian The first is one I snagged via the incredibly helpful Interlibrary Loan at my library branch -- The Essential New York Times Cookbook by NYT food editor and writer Amanda Hesser . Hesser asked for reader feedback and sifted through all the published recipes -- from cocktails to sweet endings -- in the paper's annals and whittled it down to a hefty red doorstop of a compendium.

Blogging sucks. Blogging is the best thing ever. I hate blogging. I live to blog. Welcome to my mind, in which I debate why I haven't posted more often here lately. Blame my ever-increasing disinterest in cooking -- I had the "mehs" this winter, but damn if it isn't sunny outside and spring is almost here and well, I miss writing and having good tasty things to write about. So... I'm presently reeling from a dyno-MITE class with Mrs. Wheelbarrow : Easter Desserts rocked my world, and the worlds of friends A & S, who were so smart to join me today to learn how to rock a coconut cake, tishpishti , and a pavlova.  Let the record show I'm heading out in 20 min. on the greenway to burn off what I'm about to describe:

Okay, so this blog post title is a TAD sarcastic! Beer, raw oysters and clams, fries, donuts and more beer is not exactly healthy, in a nutritional/pysiological sense, but they're definitely a mental health/pleasure boost. The first photo comes from The Brewer's Art, where I spent Friday after work with two co-workers for happy hour. And yes, that IS a pitchfork on the tap, which is appropriate for the beer it dispenses - Ozzy ! I had a Chimay glass of it and a pint of Zodiac ale - most satisfying after rushing a grant application around for signatures, etc. The following day, we spent Saturday in Baltimore for Jason Dick's birthday, the man with the classic quote, "If you think something happened, then it probably did." We met up at Federal Hill's Cross Street Market, where we proceeded to inflict serious damage on Nick's Seafood supply of bivalves. Three Natty Boh's and a plate of Maryland oysters was the start of many an oyster and clam (cher...

Earlier this week, Erin made beef curry and it featured spices that we received from my dad and sister last Christmas. They live in Augusta, Georgia, my hometown, which has a surpisingly large South Asian community and subsequent restaruants and even groceries. Dad and Molly, thanks so much for the collection of spices, plus the cookbook 660 Curries ! That's the fun thing about food and cooking gifts, they make you think about the gifter every time you use them. Thanks again Dad and Molly!

It's been a sad, sad week for food at our house this week. The sad evidence: Mac and cheese (oh lord, the generic kind), burgers, stir fry, and a few other piddly things. I don't know where you went, motivation and energy, but please come back. We're getting downright slovenly over here at HTT. I think a Come to Jesus at the grocery store is a must-do this weekend. We have it in our power to make tasty, healthy meals. I know we do! Heal me, Lady of the Giant Grocery Store Chain. Now where are my coupons?

I seem to have a knack lately for finding random food-related news stories. Forget breast milk ice cream : how about waging a full-on fight with the one you live with over Girl Scout cookies ? Apparently someone really loves their Thin Mints. I swear, I could see this happening over the Caramel deLites (formerly known as the far-superior Samoas), but I fail to see what's so special about mint cookies that would lead a girl to get all stabby. Which begs the question: what foods would you defend with your best sharp kitchen utensil? For me, it might be my stash of emergency cookies (presently Gingersnaps) - that you certainly don't want to fool with, particularly when my hormones are raging. Enough said. Food stealers, beware. Step off from this Cookie Monster.