Blog+Bakery

Hey Readers,

This is the blog for "The Georgetown Foodie" to keep you up to date on the latest from Nightly Noms Bakery/Delivery, simple recipes from our kitchen, and reviews of restaurants across America's college campuses.


A portion of our profits are donated to Operation Smile in efforts to place the same smiles on kids faces that we at Nightly Noms experience from baking! nom nom nom!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Live from Shanghai!-Oysters, Spicy Soup, and Street Food

Hey Nomsters!

MaLaTang
Sorry it's been a while since my last post informing you of Nightly Noms postponing delivery until Spring 2012. I've been in Shanghai about 5 days now and have already been through a whirlwind of foodie experiences. From street food to traditional Sichuan (so spicy!) food, I've had the opportunity to taste a variety of dishes; and thankfully haven't eaten anymore bugs.





Street Seafood Options
One of my favorite things about Chinese street/snack cuisine is it's really customizable. MaLaTang (麻辣烫) in particular is a great option if you're looking for a simple and delicious meal. MaLaTang is a spicy soup that you can basically add whatever ingredients the shop has on hand. From meats, to noodles, to veggies, each bowl is custom made to order and spiced to the buyer's desire. MaLaTang is a bit like Chicken Noodle Soup to the Chinese. ~$1.00/bowl

Scallop w/ Garlic












In addition to MaLaTang, I've been eating a fair amount of the "on a stick" variety of food. Each night after about 6pm, street vendors and BBQ stations pop up and are surrounded by fairy lights to illuminate the area. From BBQ meat or veggies on a stick to freshly grilled seafood (oysters, clams, scallops, oh my!), hungry students have the chance to sample the local favorites while enjoying a bottle of pijiu (啤酒,beer). So far I've tried octopus and zucchini on a stick, both were flavorful and seasoned with some sort of spice powder. I also had a grilled scallop with garlic on the half shell, which was awesome. and only about $.75. In addition to food on a stick, one of the best street food items is Jidan Bing (鸡蛋饼,egg pancake). Typically eaten for breakfast, this crepe-like pancake is stuffed with a variety of ingredients ranging from just meat, to meat, veggies, and sauce. There crepes are the perfect indulgence in Chinese street food and are served pipping hot and to-go.

Sichuan Spicy Pork & Peppers
I'll be back with more Shanghai updates soon for now keep snacking and let us know if you want to share your adventures in cooking!

Jidan Bing
-gf

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Important Note!!!-Delivery Returns in Spring 2012 (not Fall 2011)!

Hey Nomsters,

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while, but with the craziness of summer I've fallen behind. Some of you already know, but I'll be studying abroad in Shanghai this fall meaning that the delivery service will not start again until spring semester since I was unable to find a replacement baker. The Georgetown Foodie+Nightly Noms blog will of course continue to post for all of you foodies out there! We've made sure to find some interesting bloggers to keep you up to date with the culinary adventures being had in DC, and I'll also be blogging from my location in China.

We're so sorry that you'll have to wait for your noms until spring, but we hope that you understand and will be just as excited to start nomming again when we're back in full swing in Spring 2012.

See you in 2012 (and if it's the end of the world, you might as well be eating something tasty)

-Elizabeth (Baker)

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Freshmen15: Sweet Tooth Solutions pt. 1-Frozen Treats

Hello again my freshmen and returning nomsters,

I hope you found some solid suggestions from our first Freshmen15 post. While savory sandwiches and pizza delivery is important to the student foodie experience around G'town, satisfying solutions for a sweet tooth are equally crucial to a student's survival. So here we are with some of our favorite frozen sweet tooth solutions around G'town's campus. And not to self advertise too much, but considering Nightly Noms is a late night, bakery delivery service, if you need to solve a baked good craving, we're not a bad place to start! Not to mention we cater to birthdays, dinner parties, meetings, and groups of students who are in need of a fresh, homemade, baked good that reminds them of home! But, we'll talk more about Nighty Noms in our Freshmen15 post about on-campus options.


Frozen Treats:
T Sweets Wisconsin & P Street
T Sweets: Thomas Sweet (Wisconsin & P) is home to some of the best sweets in the Georgetown area. With ice cream, malts/shakes, frozen yogurt, and fudge, you'd be hard pressed to not find something you want to devour on their menu. Now, you really can't go wrong with any of your options, but my personal favorite is the Peanut Butter Oreo Swirl frozen yogurt (so amazingly nom-worthy!). The frozen yogurt is silky smooth and quite creamy! Ice Cream at T Sweets is also very tasty and with waffle cones and numerous topping options, how can you go wrong?! In addition to all of the above, T Sweets also has their signature "Blend-In" option (~DQ's Blizzard), meaning you can have a taste of every option with ice cream, froyo, and toppings all in one if you so choose.

Fun fact: they also make ice cream cakes!
$3-$7 Website



Sweetflow, courtesy of Sweetgreen
Sweetgreen: Locally sourced organic ingredients made into salads and wraps an tart froyo (aka "Sweetflow") with toppings ranging from fresh fruit and nuts, to chocolate chips and baked apples? What's not to like about Sweetgreen's healthy approach to fast food dining? Created and operated by three former Georgetown students (Woo! Go Hoyas!), Sweetgreen provides the Georgetown area with custom made salads and tart froyo. The ingredients are fresh and provided from local farmers, making the veggie options at this salad bar to die for! They also have a location in Dupont Circle and a Sweetgreen truck that serves up salads, froyo, and warm oatmeal to waiting customers.
Fun fact: you can use the froyo toppings/salad toppings interchangeably, meaning granola or baked apples can be added to a salad visa versa. 
Online ordering available.
$4-$11Menu/Website



Wingo's: (Wisconsin & O St.)Known for their wings and variety of sauce options, Wingo's acts as one of Georgetown's hotspots for late night/delivery dining; but did you know they also have awesome milkshakes!? Thick and creamy, a Wingo's milkshake is sure to satiate any craving for ice cream/dairy (but watch out for the "dairy coma" aftermath!). While Wingo's has the traditional offerings of chocolate, vanilla, etc, if you're looking for something with a larger "wow factor" go for the Coffee Oreo or Cookie Dough. They also offer an "extra thick" option if you're looking to really up your calcium intake.
 $4-$12 Website/Menu



Enjoy the warm weather!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Simply 7: Mushroom+Caramelized Onion Pizza

Hello Nomsters,

We're back with another "Simply 7" post to give you ideas for simple, delicious dishes that can be made in an apartment, dorm, or home with fewer than 7 ingredients (sans the basics, salt/olive oil/etc)!
We covered homemade pastas and pasta salads in a previous post, so this time we're summing up a recipe for homemade pizza that'll have you begging for another slice! (or least keep you from feeling the desire to order in pizza all of the time)

Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, especially in pizza or pasta. They have a way of soaking in the flavors of the other items that have been added to them, which is probably why my mom always said "watch how much butter you put in that pan!" They're like little sponges! Similarly, caramelized onions have a great taste and manage to soak in the flavors of other ingredients, so it should be no surprise that the mushroom/onion combo is probably on most people's favorites list. My recipe for this basically came out of thin air, I had a bunch of mushrooms and onions and figured I'd add some other random seasoning and make a pizza! So here you go :)

Pizza Dough 
You can use this Recipe from our pizza post! Or buy premade dough from your local grocer (Trader Joe's has awesome dough, ~$1.99)

Onion Topping
Ingredients:
-1 to 2 small/medium Onions
-1 to 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
-1 Tsp Cinnamon
-Salt/Pepper (to taste)








Mushroom Topping
Ingredients:
-1 Large package of Mushrooms (I used Baby Portobella and sliced them up myself)
-Salt/Pepper (to taste)
-1/2-1 Tbsp Butter
-1/4 Cup Water
-1 Tbsp Olive oil
-1 Tsp Oregano (optional, or to taste)

-1 to 2 cups Parmesan Cheese/Asiago/whatever you're feeling or have on hand 


Method
So, the pizza-making process is pretty easy, make the dough, let it rest, while it's resting cook/assemble your toppings, go back to the dough and roll it out/oil it, add your toppings, add the cheese+a bit of olive oil, put it in the oven, nom nom nom! But, since we're dealing with other ingredients, we'll break it down for you. When making this particular pizza, I started with cooking the onion mix and then cooked the mushrooms in the same pan after (gives more flavor!).

Oven @ 475F

1. Chop onions into slices, or into thin rough pieces, season with salt and pepper,
2. Heat up your olive oil in a skillet over medium/high heat (approx 1-2mins or when you add a piece of onion it sizzles),
3. Add onions, additional salt/pepper/oil if needed, add cinnamon to taste, continue to stir until caramelized (about 5-8minutes),
4. Turn off burner, scoop onions into separate bowl and set aside,
5. Slice mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, heat up olive oil and butter in the onion skillet on medium heat,
6. Place half of the mushrooms in skillet and lightly spread them out, add your water. As the mushrooms begin to soak up the liquid, add the rest of your mushrooms,
7. Season with salt/pepper and oregano, lightly stir mushrooms, continue cooking until tender,
8. There will be extra liquid in the pan, make sure to remove the liquid (draining) as to prevent it from flooding the pizza dough.
9. Roll out pizza dough on olive oil coated pan, drizzle some olive oil over dough, use a fork to make small marks in dough to prevent bubbles,
10. Spread onion and mushroom mixture over dough, add cheese on top, place in oven and cook for about 12-16minutes or until crust is golden
11. NOM

This turned out to be one of my favorite pizzas I've made this summer, the dough was crisp, the mushrooms were flavorful, and the onions perfectly married (I don't know how I feel about this word as description of flavors yet...) with the mushrooms and cheese.

Try it out, let us know what you think!





Also, as always we appreciate the support of our followers! We've added a "donate button" so if you aren't within our delivery area, wish to contribute to the baking/innovation of The Georgetown Foodie+Nightly Noms (to provide students with recipes, reviews, a better food experience, etc), or just want to support student-run business, Operation Smile and the dream of Nightly Noms, you have that opportunity :)




-The Georgetown Foodie

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Freshmen15: Georgetown + DC's top spots for freshmen foodies

Hello Nomsters,

This particular post is dedicated to the Freshmen who will be gracing our presence in the next two weeks and to all of the familiar faces we'll be seeing in our favorite food spots around G'town/DC.
If you're a freshmen at Georgetown, you've hopefully been following Vox Populi's freshmen features (the blog maintained by The Georgetown Voice) to get the inside scoop on what to expect. While Vox already covered some of the best food options around G'town, we figured we'd expand a bit and give you some more options and details!

With summer vacation quickly coming to an end, Georgetown and DC are about to be stupefied by a swarm of students once more. For freshmen, your battle with boxes, carts, and SWQ elevator frustrations will be stifling with the hot DC heat; but cool breezes, parent-paid dinners, and random floor meetings/parties will fill your nights. After your week long "welcome" onto the Hilltop, you'll no doubt want some insider information on where to get fed in the weeks following your parents' departure. So here we are to give you the skinny on the foodie culture around campus and in DC! Now, we're by no means encouraging gaining the "freshmen 15," but for the love of cake, be sure to explore your options. Up first, the basics around campus: Sandwiches & Pizza

Sandwiches: Nothing quite works as a the perfect combination of ingredients like a sandwich. Whether you're looking for a sub, croissant, pita, or bagel, you'll be able to find any of those options at one of these fine Georgetown establishments.

Wisemiller's Deli (36th & N. ) is a Georgetown favorite. With classics like the California Chicken (grilled chicken, honey mustard, avocado, lettuce, tomato, and sprouts, served warm on a croissant)
and specials like the "Hot Chick," (chicken fingers, cayenne ranch dressing, pepperjack cheese, and tomatoes) you'd be hard pressed to find a more flavorful sandwich. Wisemiller's (Wisey's) is home to fan favorites like the Chicken Madness and Burger Madness (both of which could easily send your body into a food coma), but they also play host to an array of sandwich options. So whether you're looking for a breakfast sandwich, cold cuts, or something that'll make your heart pound, you'll be sure to get your fix at Wisey's. Also, their cookies are pretty amazing, the most popular is the Oreo Cookie (a cookie with in a cookie!). Reviews/Number $5-$10
No delivery, you can call ahead though.

If you're looking for something a bit more green, "Healthy" Wisey's (Wisconsin and P) is also an option with smoothies, salads and wraps. Healthy Wisey's Menu $5-$10
Offers Delivery


Quick Pita: (Potomac & 33rd) Home to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, Quick Pita provides options for students looking for an atypical sandwich. Quick Pita offers small plates like tabouli (salad-like appetizer, $4.45), hummus/pita ($4.95), and falafel ($8.64))and a variety of sandwiches ranging from chicken shwarma to eggplant sandwich Besides their Mediterranean flare, Quick Pita offers a daily lunch special, sandwich, fries, and a soda, for $6.82. Quick Pita also has a series of meat and veggie pies that you can purchase as a light meal or small snack.  Quick Pita Menu. $5-$11 Offers delivery


The Miami Burger, Booey's



Booey's (32nd & Prospect): A bit further off campus then Wisey's, Booeymonger's is another frequented spot by both students and residents. Booey's makes a mean sandwich and has a larger variety of breakfast options if you're looking to avoid Leo's. The Miami Burger is one of my favorites, it's your standard Lox & Bagel with all of the trimmings; and without buying the ingredients yourself, it's probably the cheapest you'll find in the Georgetown area ($7.25). I also know for a fact that the Fifth Avenue ($6.50) is also delicious, with hot pastrami, grilled mushrooms, muenster cheese, on a french roll (which is perfectly crispy), you can't go wrong. If you're looking for something a bit littler/veggie, the Natural is also a good option with spinach, tomato, turkey, melted provolone, and Russian dressing (6.50). Along with sandwiches, fries, salads, and dessert, Booey's also has some of the cheapest pitchers of *hem hem* beer ($7.25) in the neighborhood. $5-$13 Booey's Menu No Delivery



2am Miracle
Pizza: Now, you have a couple of options for pizza. If you're looking to order in, a quick fix, or a post party late night slice then Tuscany's (Prospect & 33rd) is your best bet. Offering a quarter-pie slice of either cheese or pepperoni for about $3.75, you can't go wrong. Just make sure you ask for a side of ranch!! I know, I know, "why ranch." But have faith in this blog and the majority of the Georgetown student population, ranch-dipped pizza is like french fries dipped in a Wendy's Frosty: it just works (especially at 2am). Fun fact: If you're looking for more than pizza, Tuscany's Turkey Pesto Sandwich is a great choice. It's both fresh and gives the appearance of being healthier. Keep in mind though that the sandwiches are huge there, so sharing is caring. 4am on weekends, 2am weekdays.   Order Here $4-$10 Offers Delivery

Ledo's pizza is also a good option for delivery if you're in search of a full pizza. Their claim to fame is providing the public with square pizzas that are cut in the same shape. The overall taste and quality may be a bit better than Tuscany's jumbo slice, but you can't beat the convenience of Tuscany's. $12-$22 Order Here 



Ledo's, courtesy of Serious Eats
If you're in the mood for a sit down pizza option, there's both Uno's Pizzeria or Pizzeria Paradiso on M. Street. Being a Chicago native, I tend to shy away from Uno's and their claims to "Chicago-Style" deep dish, but they do have a good thin crust option. On the other hand, for those of you in the 21+ club Uno's has a phenomenal happy hour, which occurs twice daily in the afternoon and late-night. Pizzeria Paradio is home to more traditional Italian style pizzas. With very thin crust, light sauces, and fresh ingredients, Paradiso is usually a good option for a nice dinner out that won't completely rip through your pockets. Paradiso also has really good happy hour specials on both pizza and drinks. $12-$20 Uno's Menu  Paradiso Menu

Finally, if you're up for a walk, the Safeway up Wisconsin has a variety of cafe options, including pizza, sushi bar, salad bar, and sandwich station.

That's all for now and let us know if we were helpful! Comments always appreciated :)
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook

Happy Nomming,

The Georgetown Foodie









Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Restaurant Review: Tarry Lodge by Mario Batali

Black Fettuccine+Rock Shrimp
Hello Friendly Nomsters,

It's been a while since I wrote about the wonders of a dinner on the town and with my past post about bug eating I think it's high time I give you some pictures of things you would consider eating on the spot rather than as a "life experience." Prior to my travels to Beijing, I ended up with an impromptu layover and visited my roommate and her family in Westport, CT. The Westport and Greenwich areas boast a nice array of dining options due to their proximity to the city, which is why Mario Batali chose to open his second Tarry Lodge restaurant in Westport. With some strategic planning/pestering on my roommate's, part, and a bit of luck we ended up with a reservation during the restaurant's opening week (obviously I was practically jumping out of my seat with excitement when she told me).

The basic fact you need to know about Mario Batali: he's an Iron Chef praised for his impeccably fresh Italian cuisine and known for running around Kitchen Stadium in clogs (of the Dutch variety). From homemade gnocchi to stone oven baked pizzas, Batali prides himself on using the freshest of ingredients to satiate the tastebuds of his loyal critics and customers. He has a wide array of restaurants, mostly in New York, ranging from trattorias to seafood restaurants. Tarry Lodge Enoteca Pizzeria (crudely translated "an informal place to grab some delicious wine, pizza, and pasta"), is one of Batali's  culinary experiences that packs a flavorful and memorable punch.

Tuna Tartar
For dinner we sampled a variety of appetizers and entrees. I personally satisfied my foodie appetite with Tuna Tartar as a starter and a bowl of the Black Fettuccine with Rock Shrimp and Chilis as my entree. The Tuna Tartar was delicious if raw fish is your thing and if your first time going for raw fish (besides sushi) be sure to go someplace that you know uses good cuts and fresh ingredients. A nicely formed mound of raw tuna was placed atop a bed of arugula and mixed greens, finished with small cronstinis for dipping. The tuna mixture had a nice tangy flavor, probably from lime juice. Overall a satisfying small plate, but nothing to moan about.

On the other hand, the Black Fettuccine could have had me out of my seat screaming after the first bite. When I first saw the menu, I wasn't quite sure if I really wanted to try the Black Fettuccine, which is a homemade pasta that turns out black as night due to being made with squid ink. After perusing the rest of the menu, I decided to try something I was less likely to find at another Italian restaurant, than my typically gnocchi overdose. The Black Fettuccine was incredible. The pasta had a hint of seafood due to the squid ink, while the broth was enhanced by the lobster base and rock shrimp topping. There was also grilled corn and onions throughout the dish that added a bit of spice to the pasta. The overall dish was savory, but very light, making it a perfect entree.

Finally, we split an order of tiramisu, which was also quite tasty, but not overwhelmingly sweet, which made it a good ending to a lovely dinner out.

Enjoy Restaurant Week DC!

-gf

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Breakfast Street Food at its Best: Baozi, Scallion Cakes + Egg Crepes



Scallion Pancake

Hello Again Nomsters,

I've returned with more scrumptious descriptions of my tasting adventures in Beijing, China. I hope you guys weren't too grossed out by the bug eating experience I described in my last post. As promised, we’re moving on to bigger and better snacking in this update from The Georgetown Foodie’s Nomming Across Asia series. If you hadn’t guessed from the frequent reporting on traditional Chinese snacks, China has an extensive list variety of options when it comes to exploring the street food scene. While most doctors often cringe at the idea of sampling some of the slightly sketchy local eateries in China, you only live once. So take a couple of educated risks during your time abroad and try something new. Just be sure that your Hep shot is up to date, and then feel free let your taste buds explore the nuances of a fantastic foodie culture. If you’re headed to China in the near future here are a few of my favorite options for beginners to the Beijing street food scene.

China’s capital boasts a wide array of street fare, but some of the best is found at breakfast time. Whether you are strolling down bustling car-filled streets or small alleyways lined with hanging red lanterns and freshly washed clothing, you’re sure to find some good tasting options. From little smoking carts to tiny walk-up window storefronts, businessmen, city locals, and foodies often find themselves indulging in the deliciousness of a street-side breakfast of egg crepes, scallion pancakes, and baozi. With each item holding its own unique flavor, any of these breakfast “pastries” will keep you full and having you say "hai you yige!" (Meaning "one more!" in Chinese). Any of these three items will serve as a good introduction to the Chinese ability to make tasty food fast and portable.

Egg Crepes
First, egg crepes are pretty basic in concept, but incredibly tasty. Made on a large griddle, a crepe-like batter is poured out, topped with scrambled egg, chopped onion, and slathered with duck sauce, if requested. After the crepe is cooked, it is folded, cut into triangles, and placed into a plastic bag for an on-the-run breakfast or snack. These crepes have a doughy consistency with a slightly salty/eggy taste and are the Chinese equivalent to an omelet, but better because you can eat these with your hands!

If you're not quite interested in an egg crepe, maybe a scallion pancake is a bit more your style. Packed with veggies and sometimes egg, these pancakes are warm pockets of delectableness! Scallion pancakes are similar to McDonald’s classic egg mcmuffin, with a bready outside and porous inside to soak in the juices from its stuffing.  Also, ff you ask politely, the shopkeeper may even be willing to stuff your pancake with some meat.

Finally, baozi—now, I really cannot say enough good things about these amazing bundles of deliciousness. I will probably talk them up too much, but honestly, if you go to the right place, they are incredibly tasty. Baozi are steamed buns, sort of like dumplings, stuffed with a variety of fillings. When abroad in China, you will find anything from vegetables and meat, to lotus paste or custard in a baozi. The more you eat baozi, the better you’ll understand that the sky literally is the limit of what could be inside these breakfast buns. There's one type of baozi I particularly love. I originally found it at a supermarket in Shanghai last summer. The specific bao is called “niu rou sheng jian bao,” which roughly translates to “Beef Pan-Fried Bun.” It's almost like a hamburger, but with thinner dough encasing juicy meat and vegetables. Sheng jian bao are known for being placed in a shallow wok and fried until the dough soaks up the juices and the bottoms are very crispy. Lastly, if you're ever in Shanghai, the trip is not quite a success without sampling "xiao long bao," which translates to “little dragon bun.” This variety of baozi are special due to their thin wrapper and soup filled insides xiao long bao are particularly famous in southern China, especially Shanghai.
Qing Feng Baozi

On this particular trip to Beijing, a group of us ended up at Qing Feng Baozi, a small local restaurant. The baozi were pretty amazing, definitely flavorful and juicy.

You can't really go wrong with any of these Chinese breakfast options, so try one or try all three! If this post isn't enough to convince you to nosh on an item from a Chinese breakfast cart, then maybe the fact that most of the aforementioned items will cost you $.5-$.50 cents USD will encourage you to explore your options.


 As always, let us know of your own foodie adventures.

Until next time,
The Georgetown Foodie
















Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Bug Eating: Foodie Travels in Beijing, China

Hello Foodie Followers,

Cicadas on a Stick...
Sorry for our absence in the blogging world for the past couple of weeks. I've been traveling (and eating) my way across Beijing for the past two weeks, and as most of you know, China's blocked a fair amount of blogging sites. On the upside, they haven't banned the art of photograph (or eating), therefore I have a lovely assortment of photos for you all.

I spent the past two weeks with Georgetown students (GIRC) and other students hailing from a number of universities teaching kids about Model UN and working for a Model UN expo called WeMUN. Hands down probably one of the best experiences of my life that just so happened to allow me to collect some good street food info too! Therefore, I'll be using the next couple of posts to elaborate on the deliciousness of Chinese food (the real stuff, we're not talking about Panda Express). Up first, Bugs!

Cocoons, Cicadas, & Scorpions, oh my!
So, it's pretty common to be walking down a Beijing street and see either vendors selling snack food or people walking about the streets with items on sticks or in plastic bags. Both methods of packaging work well for those traveling on foot. However, generally speaking if you're walking around with something a stick, chances are you're a bit more of a risk taker in terms of trying the local fare because meat/bugs are usually what come of a stick. Whilst casually strolling down a neighborhood walking area of Beijing, our small group of Georgetown IRC reps decided to try out some of the more risky of the "on a stick" variety, which is how the four of us ending up nomming on cicadas. Now, bug eating in China isn't some ancient delicacy by any means, I would say 50% is a tourist attraction, 25% is because the Chinese actually enjoy eating bugs, and 25% is for the protein. We had three options, something that looked like giant maggots (which in fact turned out to be cocoons, thank goodness we avoided eating a butterfly), cicadas, and scorpions....

Each item was nicely placed on a stick and lined up in rows. Obviously the cocoon was a no-go due to the probability of it going "pop" in our mouths, the scorpions were also quickly set aside as an option since only three came on a stick when we had four willing to sample the bugs, that left us with the cicadas (shell intact). So for all of $2.50 USD, we were handed a freshly fried and salted stick of cicadas and left to our own snacking. Needless to say, we all survived the bug eating, but some of us took it better than others, haha.


Long story short, the cicadas were incredibly crunchy and salty, so it could have passed for some other type of food on a stick. However, since we were well aware of what we were nomming on, the tastiness index dropped. I could sort of taste the sharpness of the outer shell, which was not appetizing, but at least is was better than a butterfly...
Dane (G'town IRC) mentally preparing for the crunch




Would we do it again... yes! Why? cause it's a good story to tell, which half the fun of cooking, baking, eating, and the culinary tradition is about sharing food experiences and stories to build a sense of community.

So try something new (and if you're not up for deep fried bugs, maybe start with seafood?)

-Georgetown Foodie

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Harry Potter Sweets: "Cauldron Cakes"



Hello Nomsters,
With the release of the final Harry Potter movie less than 48 hours away, I thought this would be a good time to cook up some Harry Potter favorites as a tribute to the epic adventure we've experienced by following "The Boy Who Lived" for the past fourteen years. From the books we read throughout our childhood, to the movies we anticipated during our teen years, it would be neglectful to not take note of the influence that JK Rowling's universe has played in our generation. I'm sure most of us are thinking "how can it actually be the last movie?!" Now, while I know not everyone may be a fan of the series, I can say that this blog and those closely connected to Nightly Noms are in the least Potter fans, if not complete and utter "Potheads."

With billboards scattered around cities with the slogan of "It All Ends," we can't quite help but feel that a huge part of our own childhoods are ending. Just think, for those of us who just turned twenty, it won't be until we're around thirty that we can say that we haven't spent more than half of our life following a certain boy wizard and his friends' adventures. So, in honor of my personal obsession with the adventures of Mr. Potter, and due to the fact that I'm going to see the midnight premiere with friends, I've decide to tweak, bake, and invent some of my own Harry Potter sweet recipes.

I thought that cooking up some Cauldron Cakes would be a fun experiment and spent some time debating about the best way of executing a recipe. Should we make a lava cake? Chocolate vs. Cinnamon? Cauldron shaped vs. the traditional baking pan? In the end we decided to go with a recipe of chocolate cinnamon cupcake with a caramel cream cheese filling (to mimic a bubbling over effect.") We hope you enjoy these Potter-inspired recipes and look out for an upcoming post for Butterbeer Ice Cream Floats


"Cauldron Cakes"
Cakes
Ingredients
-1 1/4 Flour (sifted)
-1/2 cup Cocoa Powder (sifted)
-2 to 3 tsp Cinnamon (sifted)
-1 1/4 cup Sugar
-1 cup Milk (room temp, can be 2% or whole, if you only have skim, you can use that and add a bit of cream)
-1/2 tsp Baking Soda
-1/4 tsp Salt (sifted)
-Vanilla
-2 Eggs (room temp)
Along with the Cauldron Cakes, Exploding Bon Bons sounded like a good challenge so we've included a recipe for our version of those also.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with baking cups (or spray with pam, or use saran wrap and rub butter to avoid sticking).

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl/measuring cup.



3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

4. Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.

5. Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

6.Add the sifted cocoa powder and cinnamon, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.

7. Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are about 1/3 to 1/2 full. Then, using a spoon, place a dollop of your filling into the center (don't push down!) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center/side of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. If you use a mini bundt pan and can't get them out without smooshing them, then place a piece of saran wrap over a cookie tray, place it on top of the bundt pan, and flip it. Then, lightly tap the tin in an attempt to get them loose.


Filling/Icing
Ingredients
-1 8oz package Cream Cheese
-1/4 to 1/2 stick Butter
-1 tsp Vanilla
-1/4 package of Instant Vanilla pudding mix OR 1/2-1 cup of Confectioners (Powdered) sugar
-4 to 7 Tbsp Maple Syrup (sweeten to taste, but in small increments to monitor filling consistency)

Method
1. place your softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to incorporate them into each other. Add roughly a tsp of Vanilla, mix,
2. Add either your pudding mix or the confectioners sugar and mix well,
3. Add in maple syrup and mix until creamy
4. See Cake recipe above for filling prodecure

Now, I have to admit that I was a bit worried about how these would come out; but, in the end they came out better than I could have imagined. In the end, you could actually keep them upright or flip them right side up (since I used a decorative bundt pan). Originally I had planned to use a cupcake pan with baking cups, but after rummaging around my kitchen I found the perfect pan, so I decided to use that rather.

Depending on how much filling you place in the baking cup/batter, you get a larger "hole" in the center, giving them their Cauldron-like appearance! I personally made up the recipe for my filling, but I'd probably play with it a little more to perfect the taste, or I would use cream cheese frosting. As you can see from the pictures, I used some of the left over icing to give the cakes a "bubbling" effect. That just requires the use of a steady hand, or a self-made piping bag. My friends and I will be munching on these tonight as we anxiously wait to head to the theater, so hopefully I'll be able to post more feedback in my next post :)


Finally, before Potter fans around the world dress up, line up, and excitedly chatter about all of the insanely wicked memories they have that relate to world of Harry Potter, we raise our Cauldron Cakes in honor of some of the best adventure stories of our time and hope for many more!



nox, 


The Georgetown Foodie


We always love comments, please take the time to leave one below :)

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Nightly Noms Recipe: Blueberry Stuffed Graham Cracker Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Hey Nomsters,

I'm back for more. I know, two posts in one week? It's a bit of a shocker, but with so many blogs out there  I have to give you a a good reason to stay up to date with The Georgetown Foodie. I'm sure you're sick of hearing about cupcakes, but there's a recipe at the end of this post, so it's worth your time!

In the past couple of years the "Cupcake Craze" has taken over bakeries around the country. For DC dwellers, we can barely take a bite out of a baked good without being asked if we've tried a Georgetown Cupcake. For Georgetowners, we like G'twon Cupcakes well enough, but whispers of our devotion to Baked & Wired's Vanilla Chai don't go unnoticed. And then there's the new addition of Sprinkles, which has exponentially increased the amount of lines we must avoid on our cobblestone paths. Same goes for Chicago natives, from Molly's Cupcakes, to the boutique-inspired cupcakes at more, cities are experiencing an influx of cupcake consumers. But how long will the cupcake craze last? Big name publications like WSJ and The Post have been predicting a cupcake cataclysm for the past few months, but with no avail. Our take on the situation? It won't be cupcakes that go out of style (not with the millions of kids that love the individually sized cups of cake and icing) it'll be the fact that cupcake consumers just don't want to shell out $3+ dollars for something we can make ourselves, if we really want to, especially if we're already spending $3 dollars for our latte fix. For those of you who opt for the cupcake fix, keep buying, it's not a sin to enjoy a pricey treat every once in a while; but, if you're looking to take cupcakes to a party or make them for your own, at least consider the value in baking up some of your own tasty treats!

Here's a recipe straight out of the Nightly Noms' test kitchen for some delicious Blueberry Stuffed Graham Cracker Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting. Of course you don't have to stuff them, but it adds a nice touch!

Blueberry Stuffed Graham Cracker Cupcakes 
w/ Cream Cheese Frosting


Cupcakes
Ingredients
-1 1/4 cup All Purpose Flour (sifted)
-1 1/4 cup Sugar
-2 Eggs (room temperature if possible)
-8 Tbsp Butter (1 stick, room temperature)
-1/2 tsp Baking Soda (sifted)
-1/4 tsp salt (sifted)
-1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crumbles (sifted, like the Keebler ones used for pie cfrusts)
-1 1/4 tsp Vanilla
-1 cup Milk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard cupcake pan with baking cups (or spray with pam, or use saran wrap and rub butter to avoid sticking).


2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl.

3. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until fluffy. Stop to add the sugar; beat on medium speed until well incorporated.. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing slowly after each addition.

4. Combine the vanilla extract and milk in a large liquid measuring cup.


5. Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

6.Add the graham cracker crumbs, beating (on low speed) just until incorporated.

7. Use a standard-size ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake paper with batter, so that the wells are two-thirds full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
Ingredients
-4Tbsp Butter (1/2 stick, you can use a full stick if you want a more whipped texture)
-8 oz Cream Cheese (your standard package at the store)
-1 box of Confectioners Sugar (approx 16oz or ~3.75 cups)


Method
1. If you have a mixer or hand mixer, place butter and cream cheese into a bowl and mix on low to medium until incorporated with each other. Add vanilla and mix,

2. Add confectioners sugar (powdered sugar) about a cup at a time and mix into butter/cream cheese mix until the entire box has been mixed in well. Consistency should be light, but not too whipped.
(if you don't have a hand mixer, no worries, that just means a bit more mixing. Make sure you let the butter/cream cheese soften and then used a fork to mix them together. Add vanilla and then start adding confectioners sugar until well incorporated.)

3. Frost the cupcakes, if you want the look that's in the pictures, you can either use a piping bag, OR you can take a large ziploc bag, fill it with the frosting, and cut a hole in one corner.

*if you want your frosting to be a bit firmer as to give the cupcakes a similar appearance as the ones displayed, I would suggest loading your piping bags and them placing them into the fridge for about 20-30mins.

Let us know what you think and be sure to leave a comment :)

Enjoy and keep up the cooking,
-GF

Monday, July 11, 2011

Simply 7: Summer Pasta Salads, the best way to avoid eating ramen every night

Hey Nomsters!

If there's one thing you take away from this post, it's this: Pasta+Water+Whatever you want=some really tasty summer lunches and dinners.

With so many students staying away from home this summer, the Georgetown Foodie is going to reel out some new posts called "Simply 7."  Our goal is to give college students basic recipes that require 7 ingredients or less (excluding some basics like salt and pepper or olive oil)!




All of you in a high heat/humidity climate for the summer know the sluggish feeling of not wanting to do anything but sit on a stoop sipping iced tea or go out for happy hour. And for those of you staying in DC for internships, jobs, and the usual debauchery, I bet you're not enjoying the combination of heat, the need to cook (so you don't go broke), and the fleeting feeling of nausea when you think "I don't have anything edible in my kitchen for lunch except oatmeal?" I mean, college students are definitely equipped to handle the pressures of 4am study sessions, 10pm meetings, and the random late night draw of solo cups and flashing lights; but when it comes to cooking, we can be sort of clueless. So here we are at The Georgetown Foodie/Nightly Noms trying to satisfy your late night munchies and give you a mini education in the world of culinary creativity!




Ask almost any college kid what the go to meal is when you 1. don't have time, 2. need something fast, and 3. just don't give a flying... uh fish? The response: Pasta. I mean any kid with common sense can boil water (if you can't, click here immediately)

For all of you out there that go to the same Kraft Mac'n'Cheese, Ramen noodles, and Barilla Whole Wheat Penne.... PAUSE for a minute. You can still pick up that box of inexpensive, tasty pasta, but we're going to give you some alternatives to that package of "cheese" you find with your Scooby Doo shaped mac. Pasta salads are a quick fix for hunger and a fast and easy way to make a lot of food that'll last you a a few good meals. The basic equation for pasta salad is simple. There's so much room for creativity, you'll never risk boredom with a week straight of mac'n'cheese. So here's one recipe and pictures* that use 7 ingredients for a string of meals that'll last you through a summer as a solo cook! Click the links for some of the specific ingredients, many that can be used for both this pasta salad and pizzas.

Basic Pasta Salad Equation: Pasta+Protein (meat/cheese)+Veggies+Seasoning

Mediterranean Summer Pasta Salad

7 Ingredients (measurements are approximations, so use as much or as little as you want!)

-Pasta, anything from Tortellini  to Penne (cooked, just follow the instructions on the box for al dente and add a dash of salt)
-Sun Dried or Cherry Tomatoes (chopped, use a bit of oil from sun dried tomatoes instead of regular)
-Feta Cheese (small cubes, approx 1/2 cup), or any cheese you have on hand
-Canned Chicken
Some Feta!
-Kalamata Olives (chopped)
-Red Bell Pepper (diced)
-Cucumber (diced)
-Seasonings (olive oil, salt, pepper, etc)


Method
1. Place cooked pasta in large container, add a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking and dryness
2. Chop up or cube your other ingredients
3. Add a protein
4. Mix in seasonings
5. Taste/edit to perfection


Some other fun additions:
-Celery
-Carrots
-Chopped Walnuts or Sliced Almonds (Trader Joe's)
-Dried Cranberries
-Lemon/Lime Zest
-Cayenne pepper
-Curry Powder


One of the best things about pasta salads is that they're versatile and can be tweaked as you go. If you aren't in love with the taste starting off, try adding a little something else, like a squeeze of lemon, or a tablespoon of salad dressing to get to the desired flavor! Most pasta salads can be stored up to a week depending on the ingredients, so you'll have some go to meals for a while. Also, you can always opt to heat up your pasta in the microwave for a different taste, or bake it with some cheese on top!

*note-pictures shown depict a pasta salad with more than 7 ingredients, but I've listed the basic 7 in the recipe.


Happy Nomming,



-Georgetown Foodie