Grill the Chef: Jason Gehring of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

Posted by Kelly DiNardo on

Former Fiola pasty chef Jason Gehring recently opened the sweet and savory Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken in Washington, DC. Today, we turn the tables and grill the chef.

ASTRO1_088

What’s in your fridge or freezer that would surprise people?
Velveeta cheese slices. I always add a couple slices to my macaroni and cheese.

Last meal you cooked for yourself?
Smothered pork chops, collards, cornbread and parsley potatoes.

Last meal on earth?
Fried chicken with gravy, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans with ham hock, collards and sliced heirloom tomatoes.

Which six people — alive or dead — would you choose to attend your ultimate dinner party? What would you serve? 
Nina Simone, Julia Child, James Franco, Sigmund Freud, Vincent van Gogh and Margaret Cho.

I’d serve brunch — fried eggs, ham steaks with red eye gravy, biscuits, grits, fresh fruit and Irish coffee. Keep reading…

Little Bites: Look Restaurant and Lounge’s Goat Cheese Mushroom Bruschetta

Posted by Nevin Martell on

Photo courtesy of Look Restaurant and Lounge

Photo courtesy of Look Restaurant and Lounge

Oftentimes chefs don’t want to cook another meal when they get home after an arduous 12-hour stretch behind the burners. But throwing together a comforting snack to help take the edge off the day is another proposition entirely. These scrumptious nibbles don’t require a degree from the Culinary Institute of America to make, but they’re worthy of winning a Top Chef Quickfire Challenge.

We picked up this week’s recipe from Look Restaurant and Lounge, which specializes in small plates with big flavors. The Goat Cheese Mushroom Bruschetta is a perfect example. The mixture of three shrooms is covered in goat cheese pesto, topped with balsamic-soaked sundried tomatoes, and finished off with peppery arugula.  Keep reading…

Sound Bites: Patterson Hood of The Drive-By Truckers

Posted by Will Levith on

The Drive-By Truckers

The Drive-By Truckers (l to r): L to R: Jay Gonzalez, Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, Brad Morgan, Matt Patton | Courtesy of Drivebytruckers.com

Welcome to Sound Bites, where we meet rock musicians at the crossroads between music and food.

Digital Dossier
Twitter Handle: @pattersonhood
Facebook Page: Drive-By Truckers Page
Official Website: www.drivebytruckers.com

The Drive-By Truckers are a great American rock band.

In fact, the band  — which blends hints of country, folk, roots and Southern rock — meets our (un)Official American Rock Scions Requirements list:

(a) They are based in Athens, Ga., which has spawned rock greats like R.E.M. and Widespread Panic.
(b) They have a key record or two — we’d call a tie between “Southern Rock Opera” (2002) and “Decoration Day” (2003).
(c) Lead songwriters Patterson Hood (vox/guitar) and Mike Cooley (vox/guitar) are a force together, but they make great solo albums, too.
(d) Their music is like a fine wine — it just gets better with age.

CityEats had a chance to sit down with Hood to talk Athens’ best restaurants and bars — and where the band dines in New York City.

The band is based in Athens, Ga. Which restaurants, bars and music venues would you recommend to introduce someone to Athens?
The Grit, The National and Five and Ten. You won’t find three better restaurants anywhere. [Chef] Hugh Acheson is totally amazing. There is a bar called The Manhattan that I would put up against any bar in the world. We also have The Flicker Bar, which always has cool old movies on its TV over the bar and, of course, our beloved 40 Watt Club.

Keep reading…

Perfect Wines for Summer Barbecues

Posted by brianfreedman on

Santiago Ruiz high res VALMINOR defesa rose2011

Put down the cheap beer. Summer barbecues are the perfect time to break out some great bottles of wine. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to drink any less seriously just because you’re charring meat and veg on the grill. I’ll come right out and say it: Barbecues are ideal for pairing high-impact wines with fire-licked dishes. Wondering where to start? Here’s a primer.

To Start: Crisp White or Dry Rosé
These are the best wines to start the festivities. My two go-to wines are Albariño from Rias Baixas, in northwestern Spain, and a fruit-forward, lively rosé. Look for addictive wines from Valmiñor and Santiago Ruiz (a gorgeous Albariño-based blend) for the former, and the fabulous Esporão Vinha da Defesa Rosé, an amazing example from Portugal’s Alentejo, for the latter.

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Meatless Monday: Eggplant Parmigiana

Posted by Kelly DiNardo on

As we pay greater attention to where our food comes from, our health and the health of what we’re consuming, even the most carnivorous eaters are taking a break from meat – at least occasionally. Of course, it can be challenging to follow Meatless Monday, the international campaign to eat vegetarian on Mondays. So we’ve turned to chefs for a little inspiration. Today, enjoy eggplant parmigiana from Carmine’s.

Carmine's Eggplant Parmigiana

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