May 6, 2011

You could say that I’m a pragmatic foodie and definitely NOT a restaurant critic (after all, I’m the one who awarded Domino’s top honors in our pizza contest). I find it hard to criticize any place that allows me to sit at a table and have someone else plan, execute, serve, and clean up a meal. Cooking 7 dinners a week for 14 years for 3 picky eaters will definitely soften your judgmental side!  So when a friend invited me to accompany her to Table 21 at Volt in Frederick, Maryland, earlier this spring, I said “sure” with a shrug, having no idea what a rare treat was being dangled in front of me.

I had a vague recollection that “Top Chef” was somehow involved with chef/owner Brian Voltaggio so decided I should do some research. Since I hadn’t watched the show, I googled and found some clips of episodes – enough to discover he came in second to his brother. Talk about sibling rivalry!  I enjoyed reading the bios from his web site, and perused the menu to see what type of food Volt offered. Gradually, I became aware that a gastronomic experience was awaiting me. Twenty-one mini bites designed by a talented chef especially for a table of eight people who get to watch the kitchen work its magic – dinner and a show all for $121!

Having been counseled by my friend to only eat lightly that day, I had fruit and yogurt for breakfast and a light soup for lunch. Our reservations were at 8:30, and we arrived in Frederick by 8:15 and were shown to the lounge. The restaurant is located in a historic house that has been creatively restored, and I loved the energy of the orange lounge with its low-slung sofas and fantastic light fixtures. Refusing to order cocktails (we’re saving ourselves for Table 21, we explained), the server brought complimentary mocktails to our group anyway. Fruity, yet light with an intriguing flavor – what was it, we asked? Fresh pineapple juice with cream soda, was the answer and it was fabulous.

Soon we were ushered to the coveted seats at Table 21. A bar set around the prep table (with a glass partition) gave us front row seats to a fascinating evening of food creation. We selected a light cava to sip through the appetizers, and then the show began.

There was a server for every two people, and the hostess announced each course as it was laid in front of us: 

1. Chips and Dip: A fabulous twist to an old party standby, the chips were dehydrated prosciutto
2. Celeriac Macaroon: Stuffed with foie gras, it shattered in your mouth and melted on your tongue
3. Mock Oyster: The most creative but not my most favorite, this bubble of salsify and malt vinegar looked like an oyster but popped in your mouth immediately filling it with salty liquid
4. Yellowfin Tuna Tartare: Exquisite, wrapped with yuzu bubbles that popped and delighted your senses
5. Devilled Quail Egg: A last minute substitution, this tiny perfectly made devilled egg was a delight
6. Cherry Glen Farm Goats Cheese Ravioli: OMG – goat cheese, butternut squash, maitake mushrooms…I was in heaven
7. Sardines with Celeriac and Pear: A unique combination that worked – sardines wrapped around salad of pear and celeriac
8. Clam Chowder: Deliciously made with bacon woven in every bite
9. Scallop on Steel Cut Oats: Scallops are a favorite of mine, but I was surprised how well they worked on a bed of savory oatmeal. The textures and tastes showcased Brian Voltaggio’s talent
10. Black Cod: Smoky with a sweet glaze and a cornbread puree
11. Hen Egg: Using sous-vide, this translucent egg nestled on a bed of quinoa
12. Sweetbread: I imagine Volt was a good place to first try sweetbreads! Deliciously creamy paired with savory mushrooms
13. Winter Garden Salad: A work of art, whipped goat cheese surrounded by carrots and beets looked like a tiny garden
14. Foie Gras: Served with warm buttered brioche, it simply melted in your mouth
15. Pork Belly: Salty and crunchy, with intense pork flavored mellowed by cranberry beans and turnip
16. Sonoma Squab: Smoky dark meat with a hint of orange, this is the only dish I sampled one bite and could leave the rest on my plate*
17. Creekstone Farm Beef Strip Loin: One perfect bite of beef, potato, rutabaga, turnip, and onion
18. Ewe’s Blue Cheese Sorbet with Pear: An imaginative twist on the cheese course, a dollop of pear sorbet on dehydrated blue cheese powder
19. Coconut Lavender Vanilla: Coconut meringue infused with lavender and accompanied by a dehydrated vanilla puff
20. Dulce de Leche with Lime Sorbet: The sweetness of the dulce de leche was sharpened by an intense lime sorbet
21. Peanut Salted Popcorn: A decadent end to a decadent feast, dark chocolate sorbet on top of peanut salted popcorn, accompanied by a crème brulee banana and a peanut butter cup had us all licking our plates clean!
22. Chocolates, Candies, and Macaroons: A sweet to end the evening, we nibbled but did not finish – even though it was all scrumptious

Volt’s kitchen uses a dehydrator to create puffs with intense flavor (think cheese puff texture with intense flavors of beets or vanilla) or thin slivers of produce as accompaniments (pear slices for instance). All of the dishes had balance and clean, clear flavors. And the entertainment value of watching a restaurant kitchen behind the scenes? Priceless.

But the true mastery of Brian Voltaggio? Being able to prepare a finale that has everyone licking their plate at course 21.  Such talent is amazing to watch…and taste.

TABLE 21 @ Volt
21 course tasting menu | advance menu not available
Seating in the kitchen | up to 8 guests | $121/person
Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 7:00
Friday and Saturday 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm
228 North Market Street | Frederick, MD
301.696.VOLT
Table 21 is booked through 2011, and the waiting list for cancellations is “epic” according to the hostess. The restaurant is keeping a list of people who wish to be contacted when they open up their 2012 calendar. Call for more information.

* In our party of four, all of us opted out of one course that “didn’t speak to us.” Interestingly, they were all different dishes: sweetbreads, pork belly, quail, and dulce de leche.

Many thanks to Mary Patton for her excellent photography.

By ANNETTE HENNESSEY
Falls Church Times Staff

December 16, 2010

As reported by Wyatt Shields at the City Council meeting last week, Falls Church City households received new rolling trash bins earlier this month.  In the City Focus last week, residents were informed that old trash cans can be recycled on December 20-21, if they are rinsed and placed face down at the curb by 7:00 a.m. on Monday, December 20.  Before deciding to get rid of old containers, you may want to read the helpful guide on the City’s web site.

The City has also revised its Solid Waste Guidelines, based on the new bins and “Waste Wednesday”.  Some highlights:

• Next Monday, the City will collect all kinds of trash receptacles (metal and plastic, including lids and green bins) as long as they are clean. The green bins that are in good shape will be kept for redistribution to customers in town homes. Ones in moderately good shape will be used by the City for events and for other uses. Cracked and broken bins will go to recycling along with most of the trash cans. If you do not recycle your containers on December 20, you may put them on the curb any Wednesday marked “please recycle this container”.
• You may want to keep your old trash can to hold brush (but not yard waste).  Trash cans may be used for brush as long as the brush is stacked neatly in one direction, the can is less than 30 gallons and weighs less than 50 pounds when full. The can should be labeled “brush” and the brush should be visible sticking out of the top or the truck driver may not see it. Branches must still be less than 5 feet in length and less than 6 inches in diameter. Yard waste must still go into brown bags with orange stickers.
• City policy restricts trash and recylcling bin weight to 200 pounds for safety reasons. 
• If residents have an overflow of recycling, the excess may be placed in green bins, cardboard boxes, paper bags or extra containers clearly marked “recycling.”  Please keep all recycling separate from the trash.

And in this season of giving, remember wrapping paper — except for the foil metallic paper — can be recycled, along with all the gift boxes. I know for one, the Hennessey household will have an overflow of recycling on Wednesday, December 29!

November 19, 2010

Our family went to see Les Miserables at George Mason High School last night and I have some advice for you:  Run, don’t walk, to buy your ticket for this show. Strong leads, melodic orchestra, fabulous cast, and professional sets combine to make this a sophisticated, entertaining evening for only $8. The students had amazing stage presence, and sound and projection were excellent.  Effectively using lighting and screens, the staging matched the students’ performances.  Costuming was professional and in keeping with the musical’s setting. 

Given the size of George Mason High School, Pamela Ricker has done a masterful job of maximizing the pool of talent for a very ambitious musical.  I have to say, it was as enjoyable as any London or Broadway production I’ve seen … including Les Miserables! 

For less than the price of a movie ticket, you can enjoy local theater at its best (and the Harry Potter movie will be around for a while).  So come see what a small high school can do.  Tickets are on sale at George Mason High School both Friday and Saturday nights at 6:00 pm with the auditorium doors opening at 6:30 p.m.  The show begins at 7:00 p.m.

Please note that the show will be reviewed by the Cappies, the area student- theater criticism program, on Friday, November 19, which means there will be 50 fewer seats available than usual. For more information on Cappies, visit www.cappies.com.

September 5, 2010

The weather changed overnight, the pool closes on Monday, school starts on Tuesday, and the calendar is filling up. Summer is officially over.

As I reflect on our summer, I realized that our summer was one of benign neglect, for reasons beyond my control. With record heat in July, I gave my garden up to Nature’s forces – our water was needed to keep our newly landscaped lawn and shrubs from dying of shock.   Who knew we’d still get a bountiful crop of goodies – the white eggplant and cherry tomatoes were plentiful and are still producing.  So our zucchini, cucumbers, and larger tomatoes withered on the vine…our long beans were champs and kept on growin’ through 95° heat.   

My ‘tweens also blossomed through this summer of benign neglect while I managed a database migration at work.  Finding few camps that fit with vacation plans or interests, they had a lot more unscheduled time than in past years. 

I learned that a simple To Do list left on the kitchen table with no nagging was completed beyond my expectations.  Working as a team, they were able to get the lawn mowed (one to pick up the sticks and start the ancient mower, one to mow the lawn in neat rows). Even though, honestly, there was a lot of screen time, a request to “turn off the computer and TV and find something else to do” was met by more books being read this summer – even when it meant they had to walk to the library to check out the next book of a series.  Baskets were shot with friends, the dog visited the dog park frequently, and outings with friends were organized – without a lot of intervention on my part.  We used the pool more than ever.

Hmm… maybe this is a trend.  Or maybe it was a fluke.  But it was a great summer.  How was yours?

This article is the first in an occasional Sunday series about life in general.  Ideas for stories?  Send them to contact@fallschurchtimes.com.

September 3, 2010

After a hectic week in our house, nothing welcomes the weekend better than ordering out for pizza.  (Add a glass of wine and a good comedy from Netflix and I’m in heaven!)

Even though we’ve been ordering pizza for years, our family hasn’t formed a firm allegiance to a local pizza joint.  So this summer, when faced with a lazy day, we decided to blind taste-test eight cheese pizzas in preparation for the coming school year.

My two kids called four friends to help with the judging.  We created score sheets and a tracking grid to note comments about delivery times, pick-up process, price, and size.  We identified eight different restaurants in Falls Church City or just over the line – ranging from national chains to one-of-a-kind pizza parlors.  We ordered medium pizzas (when available) with just cheese.

The contenders were:

Every restaurant either delivered piping hot pizzas in a timely manner or had them ready for our arrival.  And while prices ranged, you could easily grab a pizza for under $20.

Once the pies had been sliced into tasting portions, they were placed on one plate.  Using rating sheets, the six-student panel of judges was asked to rank the pizza’s crust, sauce, and cheese, and then vote for their overall favorite.  They chewed and sipped lemonade to cleanse between bites. Silently, they wrote comments in the margin.  Some needed a second slice to make a decision.

But when the votes were tallied, there was a clear winner.  And I think you might be surprised at the results.

The winner? Domino’s.

That’s right.  Four out of six judges picked Domino’s as their favorite.  The crust was described as flavorful, fluffy, nice flavor of garlic, spicy, chewy (good), and crispy.  They also liked the sauce, but thought there was not enough on the pie.  The only aspect of the pie that got mixed reviews was the cheese – with some judges thinking it was gloppy.

If you looked at the numerical scores awarded the three components of the pizzas, Anthony’s came in second.  The panel of judges particularly liked their crust (which tasted homemade) and their sauce with chunky tomatoes.

To be fair, Pie-tanza and Pizzeria Orso pies would have been better devoured in the restaurant.  Their wood-fired crusts and gourmet cheeses didn’t appeal to the student taste buds like a more traditional pizza.  But if you want to eat pizza in your jammies on your couch, our panel said these are not the pies for you.

And even though I couldn’t participate in the “blind-taste” test (since someone had to dish up the plates), to appease my own curiosity, I filled out my own scorecard.  And I didn’t disagree with the kids.

Domino’s was a decent pizza.  And Anthony’s came in second on my scorecard.

Domino’s launched a new pizza recipe in early 2010, to celebrate its 50^th anniversary.  In its product launch, ads talked about how they had improved their cardboard crust and sauce that tasted like ketchup.  I guess I can say they succeeded in convincing six ‘tweens and a mom that it’s not a bad choice…

…when on a Friday night, your fingers need to do the walkin’ for dinner.

My thanks to Thomas Beddow, Claire Schmidt, Tallulah Lewis, Jack Hennessey, Anna Hennessey, and Alicia Devereaux for their discerning palates and attention to detail (see cover photo).

June 16, 2010

This Friday, school’s out in Falls Church City…and summer officially begins!  Even though swimming pools have been open since Memorial Day, the lazy hazy days of summer don’t really begin until you no longer have to be at a bus stop at o’dark thirty.

So what are your plans this summer?  Still looking for a good camp or two?  The Falls Church City Recreation and Parks Department offers something for everyone of all ages.  From Mommy & Me swim lessons to horseback riding, sports to science, art to adventure, tennis to fencing, a wide range of camps still have openings, according to Amy Maltese, camp coordinator for the City’s Recreation and Parks Department.  Click here for a full list of camps with openings.

Descriptions for each camp can be found in the 2010 Summer Camp Brochure which is available online at http://www.fallschurchva.gov/. Hard copies of this brochure are also available at the Falls Church Community Center. For additional information, contact Amy Maltese at 703-248-5307 .

By ANNETTE HENNESSEY
Falls Church Times Staff

June 8, 2010

As most of you know, two years ago the Falls Church Times was born.  According to George Southern, our self-appointed historian, it was conceived on May 18 but the first story appeared on June 8, 2008.   We really didn’t pull it together until the fall, but since George went on record with June 8, it’s now our official anniversary date.

With a couple of years under our belt, we’ve had to deal with changes. Jimmy Scarano departed for graduate school. Election coverage stretched our staff.  More and more people began expecting us to have indepth investigative reporting, not understanding that the Times was an all-volunteer effort.  But along the way, we’ve stayed true to our founding principles:

• The Falls Church Times remains non-profit.
• Our comment policy has created a forum for City residents to debate in a robust, yet civil manner; no personal attacks or mean-spiritedness are allowed.
• Through our opinion pieces and Community Comment, the Falls Church Times has shown its willingness to publish opposing  points of view.

Most of all, the Falls Church Times staff have fun. We enjoy working together to produce an online newspaper that continues to attract readers and fans.  And it works — someone always has time to post a story, crop a picture, schedule an event.

George Southern is our “Wizard of Oz.”  Behind the scenes, he tweaks headlines, resizes the pictures, manages the editorial calendar, and keeps the quality of the Falls Church Times consistently high.  On top of that, he produces the much-read, and always discussed, weekly Man About Town column.  George Bromley covers city meetings better than Clark Kent ever did for the Daily Planet. Dave Witzel keeps the web site humming.  Gina Caceci single-handedly keeps arts alive in the City, and Scott Taylor’s stories highlight unique aspects of Falls Church.  We’ve been lucky to have Stephen Siegel’s professional talents at work on some of our investigative video reports. 

We continue to attract volunteers. When Jimmy left, Kathleen Nixon, Ilene Smith, and Kathy Washa stepped forth with some great ideas for the Friday FOOD column.  Stephanie Oppenheimer has been writing about Falls Church City school functions this spring, and Ian Edlind has contributed about the bike path that bisects our Little City.  Christine Kilgore followed her inaugural story about H1N1 with other public health features, Kathleen Nebeker continues to write about City policies, such as pet registrations, that can sometimes be a mystery to City residents, and Stephen Hiscott reports on any new East Falls Church development plan, as well as the new Pedestrian/Bicyclist/Traffic Calming Initiative the City has undertaken this spring.  When Victoria Kwasiborski stepped out of the Comment box into the Opinion spotlight, her first column garnered nine comments in one day.

This new wave of writers is heartening.  It strengthens the Falls Church Times, broadening our appeal and widening our viewpoint.  It ensures our sustainability as a volunteer resource for the City.  It is cause for celebration.

From Day 1, when Dave Witzel posted our Under Construction page, the Falls Church Times has been evolving.  So continue to look for new voices, new faces, new features, and new columns at fallschurchtimes.com.  Spread the word to your neighbors and friends.  And as always, new volunteers are always welcome here at the Falls Church Times!

May 26, 2010

Last night, the Falls Church City School Board accepted the resignation of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School principal, Vincent Baxter, effective June 30, 2010.  Mr. Baxter became principal of TJ two years ago when the former principal, Trudy Taylor, retired.  He had previously served as assistant principal at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School.

In April, Gail Lovette, the assistant principal who was hired to replace Mr. Baxter at MEHMS, also submitted her resignation to the School Board. She is leaving MEHMS on June 30 to attend the University of Virginia to obtain her doctorate in Reading Education.

In a press release from FCC Public Schools, Mr. Baxter announced his decision to leave as “personal” and said:
“I’ve had four wonderful years here in Falls Church City . . . [my leaving] stems from a desire to work a little closer to home so that I can be more involved with my own children’s lives as well as the lives of the students I serve in school.”

Dr. Lois Berlin announced that Bob Palermo, assistant principal at TJ, would be promoted to principal and that the school’s Primary Years Program (PYP) coordinator, Mary Kay Howard, would assume the responsibilities of assistant principal at TJ.

“At this critical time, it is important that there’s a continuum,” Dr. Berlin said.  “Mr. Palermo and Ms. Howard have been a part of the school culture for many years, they are well-respected by the faculty, staff, students and parents, and they are well-versed in PYP and its attributes.  All of this will help ensure a smooth transition at TJ.”

By ANNETTE HENNESSEY
Falls Church Times Staff

May 24, 2010

Woodland House at 610 Fulton Avenue sits on over one acre of property in the center of Falls Church City.  Originally built in the 1890s, the house has been in the Shefer family since the 1960s, but the owner died in February 2010.  The house and surrounding property is expected to be sold by sealed bid auction next month.

Neighbors are concerned that, since the house sits on one of the few large residential tracts remaining in Falls Church City, the property could be subdivided into standard lots. In addition, the property contains a dramatic poplar tree that is at least 100 years old and which occupies virtually the entire southwest corner, or about one-quarter acre.

Therefore, the neighbors claim in their petition to the city, “the siting of the house together with the tree would complicate a developer’s plan to subdivide the property and construct dwellings, whether multiple single family or townhouses or other types of residential units.”  They expressed their concern that the size and location of the lot would create pressure on the City to compromise the historic house and its property “in the name of economic development of the City.”

In the petition, the neighbors call on City Hall to preserve both the historic home and poplar tree, establishing an official position, either by legislation or resolution, against development of the property.

Auction by sealed bid is expected in June.