Cedar

Therapeutic Advice from Pepin to Perkins

2011-12-12T21:56:00.000-05:00

Inspiration can come from many sources. Matt Perkins derived his from watching Jacques Pepin's cooking show when he created Cedar's latest cocktail, The Therapist, named after one of his regular guests at the bar.

The Therapist is a combination of 1-1/2 oz. premium vodka and 1/2 oz. ginger liquor stirred over ice, strained and poured into a cocktail glass, then finished with a dash or two of chocolate mole bitters and 3 coffee beans for garnish.

Watch Matt Perkins demonstrate The Therapist as featured on Barmetrix.com.

You Say Chowda, I say Chowder.

2011-03-22T22:41:00.001-04:00

Off Duty: Chef's Conch Chowder at Home
by Ryan Kowalski

I came across Maryland Conch at the Maine Avenue Fish Market. They were $1 each whole. I had never cleaned them, but have had experience working with conch in Miami, and ate them on trips to the Caribbean.

I decided to make a Bahamian-style chowder, which contains no cream. The conch is extracted from the shell by hitting the top crown with the back of a hammer and using an oyster knife to release the muscle, then pulling it out from the other side. It is cleaned and diced, and cooked with onion, celery, green pepper, potato, garlic, tomato, clam juice and beer.

Conch is similar to octopus or calamari in that it will become tender if cooked long or very quickly, hence, appropriately prepared in the slow-simmered soup.

Made from Scratch: A Fresh Start to the New Year

2011-01-09T22:25:00.001-05:00

Cedar is proud to sponsor DC Central Kitchen's innovative developments in introducing fresher, healthier foods "made from scratch" from locally farmed produce to the DC Public School lunch program. Not only is DC Central Kitchen a leader in supporting the "Healthy Schools Act" approved last year by the DC Council, it has a proven record of serving the community with food for the homeless, as well as culinary job training for those (re)entering the workforce.

When you become a member (free to enroll) of Celebrated Chefs, Cedar will donate 5% of your check to DC Central Kitchen. Receive a complimentary copy of the cookbook when you attend the Celebrated Chefs event at Cedar from January 7-16, 2011.

Cedar Restaurant and Executive Chef Andy Kitko were featured in the recently published volume of Celebrated Chefs. This limited edition 146-page hardcover cookbook is a collection of fifty chefs’ most beloved recipes from the finest restaurants in the Washington, DC region. The book is a sneak peak into the DC area’s premier restaurant kitchens, illustrated with tantalizing color photography of signature dishes, such as our Oyster Pan Roast, tailored to your home kitchen.

Visit celebratedchefs.com for more information.

Cedar Celebration 2011

2010-12-19T07:54:00.000-05:00

Taking the Bitter with the Sweet

2010-11-21T21:26:00.000-05:00

This week's blog post is by Matt P. who tells us about the Monte Carlo, one of Cedar's most beloved cocktails:

photo by Linda Szewczyk

The Monte Carlo is one of the most popular cocktails at Cedar. The first drink on our original list, it is near and dear to our hearts. It is similar in style to a Manhattan, although it differs in several key ways.

Its base liquor is rye, a type of whiskey that has been experiencing a resurgence in recent years. In the United States rye whiskey is made from a mash of at least 51 percent rye (the other ingredients of the
mash are usually corn and malted barley). It is distilled to no more than 160 proof, and aged in charred new oak barrels. The whiskey must be put into such barrels at no more than 125 (U.S.) proof. Rye whiskey
that has been so aged for at least two years may be further designated as "straight," as in, "straight rye whiskey." Rye was the prevalent whiskey of the northeastern states, especially Pennsylvania and Maryland, but largely disappeared after Prohibition. The rye that we use at Cedar is Rittenhouse. It is a 100 proof whiskey that is made in Kentucky using a pre-prohibition Pennsylvanian recipe.

photo by Linda Szewczyk

While a Manhattan uses sweet vermouth to round out and smooth the Whiskey, the Monte Carlo contains Bénédictine. It is an herbal liqueur beverage invented by Alexandre Legrand (who later changed his name
to Alexandre Le Grand) in the nineteenth century and is produced in France. The recipe contains twenty-seven plants and spices. At the Benedictine Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, monks had developed a medicinal aromatic herbal beverage. It was produced until the abbey's devastation during the French Revolution.

In 1863, Alexandre Legrand set out to recreate the recipe. Working with a chemist, he developed the formula now in use. He began production under the trade name "Bénédictine," using a bottle with an easily recognizable shape and label. The family eventually sold the company to Martini and Rossi, which was in turn bought by Bacardi. The recipe is a closely guarded trade secret, ostensibly known to only three people at any given time. So many people have tried to reproduce it that the company maintains on its grounds in Fécamp a "Hall of Counterfeits" (Salle des Contrefaçons). The bottle and label have been imitated, as has the name Bénédictine. The manufacturing process involves several distillations which are then blended. Bénédictine is celebrating it’s 500th anniversary this year.

The Monte Carlo also uses Peychaud bitters and Marasca cherries, further separating it from its more popular cousin. Peychaud's bitters was originally created around 1830 by Antoine Amédée Peychaud, a Creole
apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) who settled in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1795. It is a gentian-based bitters, comparable to Angostura bitters, but with a lighter body, sweeter taste and more floral aroma.

The Marasca cherry (Prunus cerasus var. marasca) is a type of sour Morello cherry. The Marasca cherry is limited in its availability, as the tree has strict environmental requirements for successful growth. The fruit's
largest yield is in Zadar in Croatia, but it has been successfully cultivated in northern Italy, Slovenia, southern Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is thought that the tree originated in Central Asia.

Compared to other cherries, the fruit of the Marasca cherry tree is small, with a bitter taste and a drier pulp. Those last two qualities make Marasca cherries ideal for creating fine cherry liqueur. By definition, true Maraschino liqueur is supposed to be made only from Marasca cherries. The Marasca cherry was also the original base cherry used to make Maraschino cherries.

~Matt P.

Soup's On!

2010-11-07T21:52:00.000-05:00

During this first wave of the autumn chill, what better way to warm your body and soul than to take in the savory butternut squash soup at Cedar! The butternut squash is a sweet, nutty type of winter squash with a hard pale yellow skin and soft orange flesh. It is a fruit which grows on the vine and has a flavor similar to pumpkin.

At Cedar, our servers present a velvety butternut squash soup, poured table side over a bowl of caramelized apples, crushed amaretti and applewood bacon lardon. Last year, it was received so well by our guests that we have revived it for the current menu. Here are some testimonials from the critics on Yelp:

"Andy Kitko, the executive chef at Cedar, is a genius. He makes a butternut squash soup that is complex but subtle. It's sweet, smoky and creamy but not heavy. There is an apple-wood bacon and apple combination that just balances the flavors perfectly." ~Eric L.

"Butternut Squash soup with bacon and apples - really divine." ~Megan D.

"The soup was a stunner - savory, complex, and well complemented by the tart roasted apple and bacon garnish. This was one of our favorites of the evening." ~Rachel C.

The soup pairs well with Leopold Bros. New York Apple Flavored Whiskey.

Raising the Bar on Bitters

2010-10-24T21:49:00.001-04:00

Invented in Milan in the 1860s, the Italian apéritif Campari is a bitters made from the infusion of aromatic herbs and orange peel in alcohol and water. Its characteristic red color was historically attributed to the use of the carmine dye, which was processed from Cochineal insects that subsisted on cacti native to South America and Mexico.

This week, Matt P. shares the story behind the evolution of his recipe for the Crimson Slipper cocktail from the bar:

As a bartender, I’ve had the opportunity to try many different liquors, and I’ve found most quite agreeable. One category I didn’t appreciate before is the bitters. Campari is the quintessential bitter liquor. I never understood the attraction, and like most bartenders, thought of it as an “old man” drink. But as more and more people started ordering it at Cedar I decided to give it another chance. A little research yielded the Crimson Slipper. This unique cocktail takes your senses for a ride with a distinctive nose, smooth mid-palate and citrus finish.

~Matt P.

Photo by Mikias Abebayehu

Ingredients:

2 ounces Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
1 ounce Campari
1/2 ounce triple sec
Dash of Peychaud’s bitters
1/2 Lime
Lime twist

Chilled Martini Glass

Instructions:

Rub the inside of the martini glass with the outside of the lime. Combine all of the alcoholic ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and stir. Strain into the prepared martini glass and garnish with a twist.

Give Pig a Chance

2010-10-18T20:52:00.000-04:00

Crispy Pig's Head Torchon with Apple Mustard, Frisée, Cornichons & Fuji Apple Compote

It isn't for the faint of heart, but pork lovers will tell you that the cheeks and tongue have the most flavor and the ears have a snappy texture. Lately, Chef Ryan Kowalski can be found in the kitchen gingerly preparing a whole pig's head torchon for the Cedar menu. The adventurous eater will surely be rewarded with a decadent treat. Give pig's head a chance--after all, love happens when you least expect it!

photo by Dave Newman

Chef Ryan skins the whole head, braises the tongue separately with chicken stock and mirepoix (carrots, celery, onions), and dices the ears. He then flattens the meat with a mallet and forms a roulade around the braised tongue and diced ears. After wrapping the entire roll in cheesecloth and braising it in chicken stock for six hours, it is rewrapped tightly in cheesecloth, and hung for twenty-four hours. Once ready to eat, the torchon is sliced into discs, dredged with breadcrumbs and mustard, and then pan fried to crispy decadence.

A Celebration from Our Kitchen to Yours

2010-10-10T13:42:00.000-04:00

Receive a complimentary copy of the cookbook when you sign up to attend the Celebrated Chefs event at Cedar from January 7-16, 2011. Visit celebratedchefs.com for more information. Stay tuned for more details!

Country Pâté, City Style

2010-10-03T00:22:00.000-04:00

What the French call pâté de campagne, or country pâté, is a dense and flavorful loaf of meat and spices baked in a terrine. At Cedar, we add a splash of cognac and rich foie gras. The result is a nuanced flavor that is a bit smoky from the bacon with an unctuous mouthfeel due to the foie gras. Whereas terrines are typically lined with lard fumé (bacon) or pork back fat, we wrap our pâté in caul fat as a thinner, more delicate alternative.

After mincing some pork, chicken liver, bacon and foie gras together, we add white wine, cognac, cream and eggs. The mixture is seasoned with salt, black pepper, nutmeg and thyme. Then, we line the terrine with some of the caul fat, fill the terrine with with the prepared mixture, and cover it with more caul fat. After placing some bay leaves on top, we cover the terrine with its lid and slowly bake it in the oven in a water bath. The earthenware terrine evenly distributes the heat and cooks the pâté.

Our house pâté is served with Pleasant Ridge Reserve farmstead artisan cheese, salad, grilled baguette, stone ground mustard and cornichon.

Entering the Spotlight: Meet Chef Ryan

2010-09-26T16:04:00.001-04:00

Ryan Kowalski is no ordinary guy. By the age of eight he was ordering an amuse bouche-sized tortellini dish for $24 at LA's hot spot, Spago, on a family vacation. In his early teens, he received Charlie Trotter's cookbook from his father and experienced his very first chef's tasting menu at the eponymous restaurant in Chicago on his twenty-first birthday. It was at that moment when he stepped into the shiny kitchen and saw all the young cooks with their toques and copper pots, that he knew he wanted to be one of them.

In May, Ryan Kowalski joined Cedar as the Sous Chef, reuniting with Executive Chef Andy Kitko after four years since he worked as a fish cook at San Francisco's Michelin two-star Aqua, where Chef Andy was then the Sous Chef. With this common background and the powerful synergy in their working relationship, the two chefs have built the Cedar kitchen to reflect the Californian sensibilities of using quality seasonal ingredients, as well as the rigor and energy of a classic fine dining kitchen.

The Ryan I work with is a human jukebox, an expert of all things '80s, and a lover of French and American cuisine. It is no surprise that my interview questions would be answered with the kind of passion, determination and humor that is so apparent in his demeanor. Here in his own words, we can learn about what drives him, what makes him really tick. (~A.W.)

I will always remember my first taste of a fresh apricot when I was an intern at Le Moulin de Mougins, a 2-star Michelin property in the hills above Cannes, France, during the summer of 2004. There were gardens and fruit trees everywhere, and one day when I was working with the pastry team, the pastry chef told me to go get him some apricots off the tree and they handed me a basket. Until that point the only apricot I knew was the dried or canned ones (I grew up in Virginia). So naturally, I was excited and I reached for the first one that was ripe and bit into it, and since it was hot from the Provençal sun, the juices exploded in my mouth and I had a rush-sensation that I can still recall.

The first dish I cooked for a girl that I wanted to impress was two different preparations of Chesapeake female blue crabs: hot & cold. I made a parfait with the claw meat layered with avocado, jalapeno, and garden sweet 100 cherry tomatoes with purple and Thai basil for the cold. For the hot version, I made a powerful jus with the [crab] shells and dropped some fresh linguine and tossed it with the lump meat and parsley chiffonade. I was blown away, as was she.

My most embarrassing favorite food would probably be the baby crabs that live inside the oysters we shuck for our pan roast. It sounds gross, but I worked in a seafood market for three years in college and worked a lot of oyster roasts, and was educated that it's like a local delicacy. The cooks know to save them for me, and I roast them for a few minutes in butter, and they are like these crunchy/sweet/intense crab-flavored morsels.

Some foods I struggle with are okra, turkey, catfish and factory processed boneless skinless chicken breasts. My favorite dishes are anything with shellfish and refined, complex soups.

If you come to Cedar, you should order the oyster pan roast. It is one of the signature first courses and it emphasizes the vision of Cedar. We shuck fresh local oysters from the Chesapeake estuaries or the Atlantic coast, and the garnish changes with the season. And it's delicious.

My career basically started when I arrived in Paris to attend Le Cordon Bleu after college, immersing myself in French cuisine and the life of Parisians through the seasons. I had the opportunity to work for 3 months at a famous property on the Mediterranean that taught me a tremendous amount about new ingredients. I came back to the States and got a job in the pastry department at Michel Richard Citronelle in Washington, the premier fine dining spot at the time. I decided to move to San Francisco to experience California cuisine and spent three years as the fish cook of two Michelin rated properties, Aqua and Fleur de Lys, respectively. Then, I moved to Miami to get a change of scenery and flavor, and was the sous chef of a four-diamond French restaurant at a luxury resort. Now, I'm back in the capitol, the best place for me to highlight my style of cuisine.

From Sea to Shining "C"

2010-09-19T16:34:00.000-04:00

Marinated Calamari with Greek Yogurt, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes and Pepquino Cucumbers

The culinary world has adopted the Italian word calamari to describe Mediterranean-inspired squid dishes. In contrast to the more popular preparations of calamari, Cedar's squid appetizer is not fried or battered. Instead, these Atlantic calamari are grilled and marinated, presenting a fresher, healthier option.

Fresh, cleaned calamari tubes and tentacles are first seasoned with fennel pollen and paprika. After brushing them with olive oil and lemon zest, they are grilled first and then covered with olive oil and lemon juice while still warm. As they cool, they marinate in their own liquid.

The yogurt sauce introduces a Mediterranean-influenced element to the dish. The creamy and tangy Greek style yogurt spiced with sumac balances perfectly with pickled cucumbers, crunchy Pepquino (micro) cucumbers and tomatoes.

Recipe for Yogurt Sauce

Mix together the following ingredients:

2 cups of nonfat Greek yogurt (preferably Fage)
2 tablespoons sumac
1 clove of garlic, minced to a paste
sea salt to taste

A Well-Soaked Sponge

2010-09-11T22:29:00.000-04:00

The idea of soaking a cake in liquid isn't all that novel--the Italians have their tiramisu and the French have their canelé. But when you soak a sponge cake in a mixture of three milks, the result is a moist, sweet and custard-like tenderness.

The origins of tres leches or "three milks" cake can be traced back to the earliest recipe on record from Nicaragua, but it is a ubiquitous dessert in many Latin American countries. Traditionally, the cake is soaked in three types of milk: evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream. At Cedar, the evaporated milk is replaced with coconut milk, giving the cake a distinctively coconut flavor.

The sponge cake is light and airy, because no butter is used to make the cake batter. This characteristic texture is responsible for preventing the cake from getting soggy despite being drowned in the milks. While the cake is still warm, holes are poked all over it and the milk mixture poured on top. The cake miraculously absorbs all the liquid.

Cedar's Coconut Tres Leches Cake is enhanced by the tartness of passionfruit sauce and toasted coconut flakes. A scoop of housemade piña colada sorbet completes this popular dessert.

House-Cured Moulard Duck Prosciutto

2010-09-05T14:17:00.000-04:00

We chefs have an affinity for charcuterie, the process of preserving meat. The end product, of course, is a delicious treat, but we love to work with our hands, employing the techniques and methods to transform the meat into its new cured form. Our duck prosciutto is aromatic, flavorful and has a balanced ratio of tender meat to fat.

At Cedar, we have just unveiled our duck prosciutto, after five weeks of tending to the dry-cured Hudson Valley Moulard duck breasts. A Moulard duck (not to be confused with the wild Mallard duck) is a very large duck which results from a hybrid cross of Pekin and Muscovy ducks. The Moulard duck we use is raised in the Hudson Valley for foie gras, and is renowned for yielding the highest quality of duck livers.

The word prosciutto stems from the Latin perexsiccatus, from which modern Italians derived prosciugare, meaning "to thoroughly dry." The duck prosciutto is dry-cured by definition. We used an all natural sea salt and spice rub to cure the duck breast, rather than using nitrites (which give the meat a desirable even rosy color, but can be toxic in large concentrations).

Making the Duck Prosciutto:

We toasted juniper berries, star anise and coriander seed, and then crushed them with bay leaves and added them to a mixture of fresh thyme, garlic, sea salt and sugar.

We then packed each duck breast in the spice and salt rub, and wrapped each one tightly in plastic wrap.

After four days, we rinsed the cure off the breasts and dried them before wrapping them in cheesecloth and hanging them in the refrigerator with twine for four weeks.

After four weeks of patiently monitoring the duck prosciutto to make sure that it is not contaminated by unwanted mold or that the environment has just the right amount of humidity, we were eager to open the package and taste the first slice of our efforts.

Brunch & Bubbly

2010-08-30T17:10:00.001-04:00

Weekend brunch is practically a ritual for urban dwellers, and Cedar’s Chefs have created a menu representing their favorite brunch experiences. From the quintessential Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Crispy Potato Cakes to the Banana Nut Crunch French Toast made with fresh banana bread from Pastry Chef Anny’s childhood recipe, there are many choices to start off your day of play.

La Vie en Rose

Indulge in Cedar’s elegant and whimsical champagne cocktail selection—what a great excuse to have a drink before noon!

Poodle

Champagne Cocktails at Cedar

LA VIE EN ROSE | House-made White Peach Sorbet, Rose Petal Water & Prosecco

STARDUST | Pear Vodka & Champagne

POODLE | Fresh Grapefruit Juice & Champagne

SNOWFLAKE | White Cranberry Juice & Champagne

FRUIT BASKET | Puree of Seasonal Fruit & Champagne

FLIRTINI | Ketel One Citroen, Pineapple & Champagne

ST. GERMAIN | Elderflower Liqueur & Champagne

Fruit Basket

Join us for weekend brunch on Saturdays from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm and Sundays from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm. Our brunch menu is available online (click here).

More Good Eats

2010-08-20T23:36:00.000-04:00

Restaurant Week may be winding down around town, but Cedar is going strong for one more week! There will be some new additions to the menu next week, and we will offer the popular three-course menu through Saturday, August 28th. If you couldn't make it the first time, there's still a chance to join us for a late summer feast.

Appetizers

Chilled Corn Soup with blue crab salad and whipped crème fraiche

Marinated Calamari with Greek yogurt, baby heirloom tomatoes and pepquino cucumbers

Market Lettuce Salad with fennel, corn, tomatoes, parmesan and mustard-tarragon vinaigrette

Crispy Pork Belly with watermelon, jalapeño jelly and chermoula vinaigrette

Roasted Beet Salad with dates, caramelized pecans and goat cheese

Entrées

Grilled Halibut with fresh corn polenta, honshemiji mushrooms and garlic-parsley butter

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with goat cheese grits, applewood bacon and roasted cherries

Creekstone Farms Flat Iron Steak with white bean ragu, bacon, green garlic, basil and pea tendrils

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with cherry tomato confit, olives, capers and tuna belly sauce

King Trumpet Mushrooms with bulgur wheat, poached egg, walnuts and arugula-frisée salad

Desserts

Yellow Peach-Almond Crumble Cake with Tahitian vanilla chantilly

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Bar with candied hazelnuts

Coconut Tres Leches Cake with passionfruit sauce

DC Restaurant Week or Two

2010-08-14T23:23:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again, when all of Washington's foodies will venture out to sample the best of the city's restaurant scene for one week beginning on Monday, August 16th. By popular demand, Cedar will extend restaurant week through Saturday, August 28th.

Join Cedar for an exciting three-course dinner menu! We look forward to creating a memorable dining experience.

Appetizers

Chilled Corn Soup with blue crab salad and whipped crème fraiche

Marinated Calamari with Greek yogurt, baby heirloom tomatoes and pepquino cucumbers

Market Lettuce Salad with fennel, corn, tomatoes, parmesan and mustard-tarragon vinaigrette

Crispy Pork Belly with watermelon, jalapeño jelly and chermoula vinaigrette

Roasted Beet Salad with dates, caramelized pecans and goat cheese

Entrées

Grilled Halibut with fresh corn polenta, honshemiji mushrooms and garlic-parsley butter

Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with goat cheese grits, applewood bacon and roasted cherries

Creekstone Farms Flat Iron Steak with white bean ragu, bacon, green garlic, basil and pea tendrils

Grilled Yellow Fin Tuna with cherry tomato confit, olives, capers and tuna belly sauce

King Trumpet Mushrooms with bulgur wheat, poached egg, walnuts and arugula-frisée salad

Desserts

Yellow Peach-Almond Crumble Cake with Tahitian vanilla chantilly

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Bar with candied hazelnuts

Coconut Tres Leches Cake with passion fruit sauce

Note: We will resume our promotion for half-price bottles of featured wines on Mondays following restaurant week.

Q:What's for Dinner? A:Reservations!

2010-08-06T19:45:00.004-04:00

Are you wondering what to make for dinner? It's too hot to turn on the oven or heat up the pan, and who wants to do the dishes anyway? Make a reservation. . . at Cedar! And be sure to save room for dessert.

This week for our Taste of the Season menu, we are featuring:

Course I:
Crispy Pork Belly with Watermelon, Jalapeno Jelly and Chermoula

Marinated Calamari with Greek Yogurt, Baby Heirloom Tomatoes and Pepquino Cucumbers

Course II:
Grilled Halibut with Chorizo-Bell Pepper Stew and Potato Rissole
Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Zucchini-Corn Risotto and Garlic-Parsley Butter

Course III:
Blueberry-Almond Crumble Tart with Sweet Corn Ice Cream

Valrhona Chocolate Pound Cake with Fresh Berries and Candied Hazelnut

Overheard in the kitchen today: the chefs are planning for an all new Taste of the Season menu for Monday, August 9th. There will be Heirloom Tomato Salad with Ricotta, Prawns with Pickled Watermelon, Skate Wing, and Blue Cheese-Crusted Pork Chops with Figs and Fresh Corn Polenta.

And for the last course, save room for a Peach-Vanilla Cake and a summery take on PB & J--a Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwich with Berry Compote.

Taste of the Season | August 3rd - 14th

2010-07-30T13:16:00.001-04:00

Ideas are flying around the kitchen at Cedar, as the chefs collaborate on creating exciting dishes from summer's bounty, fresh from local farms.

Executive Chef Andy, Chef Ryan and Pastry Chef Anny invite you to indulge in a special three-course tasting of the season’s inspirations.

Mikias and Matt will guide you through wine pairings with each course to enhance your experience.

The ingredient-driven prix-fixe menu changes each week, and comprises dishes such as:

Marinated Seafood Salad with watermelon & salsa verde,
Chilled Melon Soup with lobster & exotic spices, and
Blueberry-Almond Crumble Tart & sweet corn ice cream.

A Midsummer Night's Corn Ice Cream

2010-07-23T20:36:00.001-04:00

Recipe for Sweet Corn Ice Cream

With temperatures hovering around 100°F, there's no doubt we are in the middle of summer here in DC. But, with all the humidity, the unforgiving sun, and the overall swampy, not-so-fresh feeling we get from walking down one city block, comes summer's best corn.

We've already seen the entrance of berries, followed by the stone fruits, and now it is time to revel in the glory of mid-summer's sweetest corn. At Cedar, we celebrate summer's quintessential ingredient by creating a fresh Sweet Corn Ice Cream. Try some with our blueberry-almond crumble tart in our air-conditioned dining room!

Recipe for Sweet Corn Ice Cream

Corn Ice Cream is a Mexican favorite. Cedar's version is made silkier by puréeing the corn kernels. Mara says it reminds her of her childhood in Brazil, where she would find luscious yellow corn ice cream in restaurants during her family road trips. New England maple syrup adds a subtle sweetness that enhances corn's natural flavors.

Ingredients (yields 2 quarts):

4 ears of sweet corn, shucked, kernels removed from cobs
4 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
7 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions:

1) Cut the kernels off the cob, and save the cobs.

2) Place the kernels, the cobs, and the cream, milk and sugar in a large pot. Bring to a boil, and let steep for 60 minutes, covered.

3) Discard the cobs but strain out the kernels and save for later.

4) Temper the eggs with the hot liquid, whisking constantly to prevent eggs from curdling.

5) Place the entire mixture back into the pot and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until it becomes thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Remove from heat.

6) Add corn kernels into the ice cream base, and let steep again for 10 minutes.

7) In a blender, purée the entire mixture. Then strain through a fine sieve, discarding the solids.

8) To the ice cream base, add 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup, and stir to mix.

9) Cool in an ice bath. Freeze according to ice cream maker's specifications.

Virginia Oyster Pan Roast goes to Best of Washington 2010 Party

2010-07-16T21:56:00.000-04:00

CEDAR’s Oyster Pan Roast was featured as one of the best dishes in the Washington area this year, and highlighted in the April 2010 issue of Washingtonian Magazine and in their Best Bites Blog under “Things We Love.” Chef Andy Kitko, who created this dish around his memory of NYC’s Grand Central Oyster Bar and his New England childhood, will be attending the upcoming Best of Washington 2010 party to share this dish with everyone.

Cedar's Virginia Oyster Pan Roast is a silky, smooth "stew" which results when whole Rappahannock River oysters are "roasted" in a pan with its own liquor from the oyster shells, white wine and a fish fumet with various shellfish. The broth is scented with thyme, bay leaf and shallots, and the addition of cream and butter gives this dish its satiny mouthfeel. Braised salsify, a vegetable whose flavor is reminiscent of oysters but with a touch of sweetness, as well as braised leeks and grilled bread garnish the dish.

Mark your calendar for one of the best parties of the year! Cedar Restaurant will be among the 100 Best Restaurants of 2010 at this event hosted by Verizon Wireless.

WHEN: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 | 7-10 pm

WHERE: National Building Museum | 401 F Street NW | Washington, DC 20001

HOW: For information see
www.washingtonian.com/sections/bestof

WHY: Sample, sip and socialize among the best food and drink industry people in DC. Also, support The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

We all scream for ice cream! And sorbet. And FroYo.

2010-07-02T20:44:00.002-04:00

As children, we saved our allowance or pocket change and kept one ear tuned to the first pitch of the ice cream truck turning the corner. As adults, we tend to exercise more restraint when it comes to indulging in desserts, but summer is here, and nothing is better for reliving the simple joys of childhood than cool, luxurious ice cream in this heat!

Cedar offers house-made ice cream and sorbet, a total of six flavors, which are made frequently in small batches for freshness and quality. We use only wholesome, natural ingredients, organic dairy whenever possible, and pure fruit purée. We never use any chemical stabilizers or preservatives. This summer, we've added our own tangy Frozen Yogurt to the menu. Try them by the scoop or sample a bowl of three selections.

Caramel Pecan Ice Cream:

Toasted Southern pecans are incorporated into this silky ice cream made with a lightly salted caramel (paired with our Carrot Cake).

Gianduja Ice Cream:

This decadent ice cream owes its complex flavor to the melted Valrhona Gianduja bar mixed into the ice cream base. Gianduja, invented in Turin, Italy, is a high quality milk chocolate containing hazelnut paste, and gets its name from a carnival character who embodies a typical resident of Piedmont where this chocolate-hazelnut confection is a specialty.

Coconut Sorbet:

Made from the meat of the mature coconut, it tastes like eating the fruit itself. Though it seems rich due to the natural sugars and oils found in the fruit, it contains no dairy (milk, cream or eggs) products.

Pineapple Sorbet:

If you've ever bitten into a fresh cut pineapple, then you will appreciate this. It is basically a frozen pineapple itself. Try it with the coconut sorbet if you feel festive and are in the mood for a piña colada.

Green Apple Sorbet:

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so it goes. Well, a Granny Smith apple with all of its verdant peel gives it the texture and color of the fruit. The slightly sour flavor makes it a great palate cleanser. Try it with a glass of ginger beer.

Frozen Yogurt:

There are lines out the door at yogurt shops this summer, but you won't need to wait long to have our FroYo. It is made with non-fat Fage Greek yogurt, which means no guilt and you get your daily serving of yogurt culture, too! It is slightly sweetened and balanced with a touch of fresh lemon juice for a tangy, refreshing treat.

Are you screaming, yet?

Smile! Say Cheese Course!

2010-06-25T16:15:00.000-04:00

Cedar's cheese selection changes seasonally, and offers diners an opportunity to sample a variety of textures and flavors from artisans in the US as well as from farmsteads worldwide. The cheese course is perfect as a prelude to desserts, or on its own with wine at our bar. Diners may select the type and portion size of each cheese (by the ounce), and enjoy them with the accompaniment of mini toasts, quince paste or local honeycomb.

SELLES-SUR-CHER | pasteurized goat's milk | France

-bloomy rind, buttery and rich
-from Selles, a village in the region of Centre overlooking Cher, the Loire River tributary
-covered in flavorless vegetable ash used to temper acidity and to encourage edible mold rind to develop; the mold takes on a bluish hue over time
-aged 3-5 weeks

-suggested wine paring: dry white with ‘blanc’ in the name & sparkling wine

OMA | organic raw cow's milk cheese | Waitsfield, Vermont

-washed rind, creamy, pungent, earthy aroma and tangy flavor
-handcrafted at the Cellars at Jasper Hill Artisan Cheese in partnership with von Trapp Farmstead
-aged 60 days

-suggested wine paring: Bordeaux-style wines

PLEASANT RIDGE RESERVE | pasteurized cow's milk | Dodgeville, Wisconsin

-firm, nutty flavor with milky finish
-produced by Uplands Cheese Company using "old world" farmstead techniques with summer milk from pasture-fed cows
-aged four months

-suggested wine paring: Albariño, Zinfandel, Merlot

SHROPSHIRE BLUE | pasteurized cow's milk | Leicestershire, England

-blue-veined, crumbly yet creamy, assertive and sharp flavor
-first produced in Scotland to replicate Stilton, but currently made exclusively in the East Midlands by one of the three Stilton dairies: Long Clawson, Cropwell Bishop and Tuxford & Tebbutt
-the orange color comes from adding annatto, a powdered form of the achiote seed, to the milk
-aged 12-18 weeks

-suggested wine pairing: ice wines and sweet wines

[note: try the Shropshire Blue with honeycomb for a surprising taste]

A Fluke by Design, Not by Chance

2010-06-18T14:39:00.001-04:00

FLUKE CARPACCIO

with avocado, toasted pine nuts, ruby red grapefruit, micro-marigolds, micro-basil & basil-infused oil

When Chef Andy Kitko created his opening menu for Cedar last year, he found his inspiration in ingredients from the forest, garden and the wild. One of these dishes was the Fluke Carpaccio, which is back on the menu this season by popular demand. He composed his dish to be visually vibrant with contrasting textures and a light, refreshing taste appropriate for the summer months.

The fluke, a type of North Atlantic flatfish, is abundant this time of year in our local waters. Because it is readily available and locally accessible, Chef Andy is able to procure sushi-grade quality fluke on a daily basis. Technically, the fluke carpaccio at Cedar is prepared in the style of sashimi, thinly sliced with a sharp knife and laid on the plate like overlapping roof tiles. A true carpaccio entails slicing raw meat which then gets pounded thinner.

The flavor of the fluke is mild and delicate, with a low oil content. Chef Andy slices the fresh fish very thinly with a sushi knife, and then marinates it each evening, just before service, in his housemade lemon-infused oil, before sprinkling the fish with some Maldon sea salt. Each ingredient on the plate adds its own unique characteristic to the complexity of the finished product, from the freshness of the fish, to the creaminess of the avocado and juicy pops of bright flavor from the ruby red grapefruit.

The edible flowers called marigolds assert a slight spiciness in contrast to the tiny pungent shoots of young basil and kernels of toasted pine nuts. The dish is finished with crunchy sea salt and the brilliant green of the basil infusion.

Coffee, Tea, or Peach Julep?

2010-06-11T15:22:00.002-04:00

This week, our talented Sharon Moskowitz shares a refreshing tea-inspired summer cocktail, the Cedar Peach Julep, and brings to us the story behind the key ingredient: Basil Hayden's Bourbon.

Peach Julep with Basil Hayden's Bourbon

by Sharon Moskowitz

Age: 8 years
Proof: 80
Color: golden amber
Aroma: spice, tea, hint of peppermint
Taste: spicy, peppery, honey, light-bodied, gentle bite
Finish: dry, clean, brief
Award: Silver Medal Button

Cedar's Peach Julep

1 ½ oz Basil Hayden's Bourbon
½ oz Fresh lemon juice
½ oz Fresh honey syrup
6 mint leaves
2 oz Iced Peach Tea

The honey and peppermint notes are vastly utilized in our new summer cocktail, Cedar Peach Julep. The mint, mixed with the sweetness of the freshly brewed peach tea, and smooth nature of house made honey syrup combines for a fantastically refreshing sip, one after another.

History of Basil Hayden's

Basil Hayden's Bourbon dates back to 1796 when Basil Hayden, Sr., an accomplished distiller, created a recipe unlike any other of his time. He used a traditional corn base, but mixed small grains in his mash to capture the spicy flavor of rye and complement the sweet smoothness of corn. More than 200 years later, Basil Hayden's is a smooth, fast finishing bourbon that bridges the flavor of rye whiskey and small batch bourbon together.

In 1785, Basil Hayden, Sr., a Maryland Catholic, led a group of twenty-five Catholic families from Maryland into what is now Nelson County, Kentucky, home to many of the famous bourbon labels, including Jim Beam. When Beam Industries introduced their small batch collection, among the four was Basil Hayden's. Basil Hayden's utilizes twice as much rye in it as the other bourbons in the Collection.

Enriched by a hint of peppermint, it impresses with notes of pepper balanced by slight citrus overtones, and a spicy, warm finish. It is aged eight years at a relatively mild 80 proof.

In a New York State of Mind

2010-06-04T16:57:00.006-04:00

Featured Spirit:

Leopold Bros. New York Apple Flavored Whiskey

Leopold Bros. is a family owned and operated Denver distillery that produces handcrafted, hand-numbered, small batch spirits.

The distinctive flavors of the Apple Whiskey are attributed to several varieties of New York State’s finest apples, from the common Golden Delicious to the rare Macoun. After blending, the Apple Whiskey is aged in used bourbon barrels, which add the oak, raisin and vanilla finish. The combination of apples perfectly balances the charred oak finish, making the New York Apple Whiskey a fine candidate for an after dinner drink or enjoyable just on the rocks.

If you are among the lucky ones at Cedar to have sampled the fresh apple butter or honey from Matt P's family farm in West Virginia, then you will surely understand his palate and inspiration. This week, Matt P talks to us about why the New York Apple Flavored Whiskey is one of his favorite fine spirits:

Apple Whiskey gave us the chance to expose our guests to a unique artisanal brand. Less than ten establishments in our market carry it. In keeping with Chef Andy Kitko`s theory of best ingredients fashioned with best techniques, we craft cocktails that are delightful to the eye, nose and palate. Apple Whiskey appeals to non-whiskey drinkers with its smoothness and to traditionalists with its flavor. A reflection of the distillers art, the whiskey and macerated apples are barrelled for an indeterminate amount of time. Then, a thief (a small long spoon) is used to taste each barrel. It is only sent to bottling when the flavors are perfect, as one might imagine the chef does with each sauce before a dish is plated.

-Matt P

Tasting Notes From the 2006 Beverage Tasting Institute:

Bright amber orange color. Warm caramel, roasted nut, and white pepper aromas. A round entry leads to a supple medium-full palate of baked Grannysmith apple and bosc pear, honey, lemon tea, and burnt sugar flavors. Finishes with a warm puréed autumn fruit, toasted oak, and brown spice fade. An interesting combination of apple pastry and whisky flavors that would make a hearty Apple Martini or unique Manhattan. (December 21, 2006)

El Niño's Nectar

2010-05-28T18:40:00.018-04:00

Featured Wine:

Clos du Val 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Anny Wohn

The Clos du Val 1998 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon of Napa Valley is one of the prized wines at Cedar, and among several special bottles on our list. The harvest of 1998 went on record as one of Napa Valley's latest, due to the unusually cool temperatures and high levels of precipitation brought on by El Niño. For the ripening grapes, the extended growing season and delayed “hang-time” yielded berries with peak flavors, intense color and a desirable richness.

Anny Wohn

During Chef Andy Kitko's years in San Francisco, he incorporated the diversity of wines from Napa Valley, which naturally complement organic and clean flavors, into his cuisine. He especially recommends pairing the Clos du Val with the current menu's Lemon-Black Pepper Crusted Duck Breast with Leg Confit Hash, Celery Root and Huckleberry Jus or Creekstone Farms New York Steak with Braised Cannellini Beans, Fiddlehead Ferns and Pea Tendrils.

Anny Wohn

Clos du Val produces a very limited Reserve level wine only in years of exceptional quality Cabernet Sauvignon harvest. This deep ruby colored wine has a bouquet of dark fruit, cedar, and vanillin (the primary component of the extract of the vanilla bean; the process of oak-aging introduces this organic compound to wine). Even as a young wine, it was characterized as expressing complexity and a soft mouthfeel, and it only continues to improve with age.

CELLAR NOTES:

Anny Wohn

Appellation: Napa Valley
Composition: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc
Aging: 24 months in 100% French oak; 80% new
Alcohol: 13.5%
Soil type: Sandy loam bench lands
Age of vines: 11 years
Harvested: September 25, 1998 - October 19, 1998
Bottling: December 19, 2000
Santé!

Pastry Chef Entertains at Home

2010-05-21T14:03:00.010-04:00

Anny's Popovers with Strawberry Butter

Back in my college days when I wasn't much of a cook, and owned only two cookbooks, I referenced my handy The New Basics Cookbook by Rosso and Lukins whenever I entertained my hungry student friends. The authors were New Yorkers whose recipes and palate brought to me what I missed when I felt homesick.

I learned to make The New Basics popovers--crisp, steam-filled, golden balloons with a moist center--in those early days, and have since developed my own recipe. These days, I serve popovers as bread with a savory dinner, or eat them hot from the oven with strawberry butter, as a reminder of my childhood visits to the Popover Café on 86th and Amsterdam.

STRAWBERRY BUTTER

(yields two 3oz. ramekins)

4 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 Tablespoons confectioners' sugar
a pinch of kosher salt
1/4 cup washed, hulled, coarsely chopped strawberries

In a food processor, chop all of the ingredients together until combined. Transfer the mixture into ramekins, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. Leave out at room temperature for about 20 minutes prior to serving.

POPOVERS

(yields 6; recipe can be multiplied without a problem)

2 cups milk
4 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
melted butter or vegetable oil spray for greasing the popover pan

1) Place the popover pan inside the oven, and preheat the oven to 350F.
2) Heat the milk until just warm to the touch but not hot, and set aside.
3) Sift together the flour and salt, and set aside.

4) Whisk the eggs until frothy and gently pour the warm milk into the eggs.

5) Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently mix until combined and smooth.

6) Remove the hot popover pan from the oven and place it on a sheet tray. Brush the pan with melted butter or spray liberally with a vegetable oil spray.

7) Quickly ladle the batter all the way to the top of the wells (the sheet tray should catch any overflow), and place the popover pan with the sheet tray into the oven.

8) Bake for 50 minutes. Do not open or slam the oven door while the popovers are baking. Serve immediately from the oven for best results.

TRICKS OF THE TRADE:

1) In the days I did not have a popover pan (which is designed to circulate hot air around each individual popover as it bakes), I used an ordinary muffin pan. The trick is to leave every other well empty so that the popovers have space to expand and air to flow around them.

2) When I entertain, I put the popovers into the oven about 45 minutes before I expect the guests to sit down at the table. That way, the popovers can come out steaming hot from the oven to the table. What is also nice is that once the popovers are in the oven, I have about 45 minutes to set the table, finish other dishes or mingle with the guests.

3) Popovers are most impressive and delicious fresh from the oven. However, if you must save them for later, poke a hole on the top of the popover to let out the steam. Later, re-warm them in the oven for about five to seven minutes and serve hot.

Off Duty: Chef's Breakfast at Home

2010-05-14T10:37:00.115-04:00

by Andy Kitko

My typical day off starts with a solid breakfast, in contrast to the hurried, out-the-door, coffee-in-paper-cup routine of a work day. I shop for my ingredients when I get up, enlist my wife's help in setting the table with fresh juice and grinding the beans for the French press. On my last day off, our breakfast comprised rösti with wild Sockeye salmon and scallion scrambled eggs.

I started making rösti a couple of years ago because, believe it or not, my wife does not like breakfast potatoes or french fries. The rösti, a Swiss potato "pancake," makes the perfect base for the salmon, and is a satisfying way to incorporate potatoes into the breakfast menu.

Rösti with Wild Sockeye Salmon & Non-Fat Sour Cream

1) Grate a large russet potato using a box grater, and rinse the grated potato with cold water.

2) Drain the potatoes, squeezing gently to remove excess water.

3) In a pan, heat some canola oil until hot, and begin to lay down the potatoes in the pan. Press the potatoes into the shape of the pan, spreading them in an even layer.

4) When the edges are crispy and golden brown, flip the potato cake swiftly in one motion to cook the other side.

5) Cook the other side until crispy and golden brown. Then remove from the pan and lay out on paper towels to dab any excess oil.

6) Season the potato with a pinch of sea salt. Spread non-fat sour cream on top of the rösti.

7) Lay down the salmon and sprinkle with chopped fresh scallions. Finish with freshly ground black pepper.

8) Cut into six pieces using a sharp knife and serve.

Scrambled Eggs with Scallion (watch instructional video on cooking scrambled eggs)

1) Crack 6 large eggs into a bowl and add a 1/4 cup of milk. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper. Beat the mixture with a fork.

2) Heat a pan with some butter, and begin to cook the scallions. Pour the egg mixture over the scallions.

3) Let the eggs cook for a few seconds, then gently push the cooked areas with a spatula to allow the runny eggs to cook. Watch video below:

4) Pull the pan off the heat just before the eggs have fully cooked and set aside. This is crucial, as the latent heat will carry over and continue to cook the eggs. If you cook the eggs to the end, it will be overdone.

Cedar Turns One!

2010-05-09T23:59:00.003-04:00

One year ago, there was an idea called Cedar. It was a dream about great food, personable service, and a team of passionate people who wanted to build this dream from the ground up. We set a date to open, but as anyone who has ever attempted to open a restaurant knows, deadlines are. . . well. . . tenuous.

Even as the opening day approached, the cedar-trimmed ceiling screens were half installed--rather, didn't fit over the pipe and had to be reconfigured with expert problem solving. Crates of new dishes and silverware were awaiting a good wash, the ice machine thankfully started to do its job, and the kitchen crew was busy scrubbing and setting up the pantry and walk-in refrigerator.

Yet, somehow, when that day came, the linens crisply lay across the dining tables, the candles glowed, the music played on, and everyone stood (after a sigh of relief and some high-fives) shirts tucked and breathlessly anticipating the first footsteps to descend the stairs. We opened to the public, as planned, on May 11, 2009. What a year it has been!

Some of our Cedar family members share their thoughts and experiences about Cedar below:

We started Cedar by welcoming the strongest team we could find for each department to provide the best experience in Penn Quarter. We were surrounded by an overwhelming talent pool, starting with Andy Kitko who exceeded our expectation by designing a menu which helped bring our concept to life. He provides a style of cooking and a menu I could only have dreamed of at that point.

Andrew Zechiel gave us a great beginning by putting together one of the finest wine lists and set the tone for providing exceptional service. Anny Wohn, definitely one of the brightest and best talents we have ever seen, put the final touch on the menu by consulting on our desserts, and now wears different hats by editing our weekly blog and newsletters. Matt Perkins, with whom I have worked for over ten years shines with his creative cocktails. The list goes on.

Cedar to me means a new beginning; a small and intimate family that cares about each guest's experience with a passion for food, drink and service. I start my day every morning eager to come to Cedar, prepared to make everyone feel special here and to provide a sanctuary from a hard day of work or a great evening out. What impresses me the most is the commitment and passion of each of our Cedar family members; we all come here hitting the floor running, eager to provide the best experience.

My goal is to provide an environment where everyone has an input and a responsibility to contribute to the big picture that makes Cedar what it is today. Our future? Keep working hard to reach the goals we set to improve in every aspect.

-Mikias Abebayehu, Owner

Everyone is a VIP here, and it is a personal experience with every diner. Cedar has been a great place to network--I have never met so many interesting people with such significant roles in DC. Each night, when the lights dim for dinner service, an unexpected "homey" and intimate atmosphere fills the underground restaurant.

-Linda

Cedar, my new family, is not only about amazing food, but it is a place to feel at home.

-Mara

What I value are the close relationships with co-workers and regulars, as well as a sense of loyalty from the staff and a willingness to always help one another.

-Jen

I feel Cedar at its first birthday is like a teenager becoming an adult, like a coming of age story. It started as a concept in my mind and on paper and now it has materialized, but with its own identity.

-Andy Kitko

Working with Chef has given me a chance to expand my horizons, considering flavor profiles and experimenting with texture and consistency. This year has been one of growth and expansion of professional vision, and most importantly, I look forward to another year of connecting with coworkers and developing relationships with a group of regulars who have become part of my Cedar family.

-Matt

A Portrait of the Blue Crab as a Soft-Shell

2010-04-30T18:29:00.004-04:00

Soft-shell crab season has begun! From now through July, the Chesapeake Blue Crabs will molt their hard exteriors as they outgrow their shells, exposing soft, papery coverings for a four-day window of time before they harden again.

Blue crabs are prized for their sweet meat, and in their soft-shell state, it is possible to enjoy them whole rather than picking through their small frames. At Cedar, Chef Andy Kitko prepares these delicate crabs à la meunière, a method of cooking by which something is first dredged in flour, and then cooked with brown butter, parsley and lemon.

Chef Andy Kitko dredges the soft-shell crab in a mixture of flour and Old Bay seasoning, and then sautés it in olive oil and foamy butter--butter that is on the verge of browning. After finishing the crab in the oven, he splashes fresh Meyer lemon juice in the pan, removes the crab, and adds chopped parsley into the resulting warm vinaigrette, or meunière sauce.

The base of the dish comprises crushed roasted sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), the pulp of roasted Meyer lemons and blanched English peas.

A salad of frisée with chives, olive oil and lemon vinaigrette tops the sunchoke base for the crispy soft-shell crab.

Fit as a Fiddle

2010-04-16T23:15:00.012-04:00

Picture this: healthy cattle grazing in a pasture, free of antibiotics or growth-promoting hormones. Picture this: young fern fronds picked individually by sustainable harvesting methods in the wild. Now, visualize the new dish inspired by these two components:

Creekstone Farms New York Steak with braised cannellini beans, fiddlehead ferns and ramps.

Fiddlehead ferns are immature fern fronds that are harvested early in the spring before they open up and reach their full height. They are curly in shape, resembling the scroll ornamentation on the head of a violin or a fiddle.

Because they are not farmed, fiddlehead ferns are only available seasonally, in the early spring. These edible young fronds are known as "tops," and turn into the mature fern frond if left to grow. Individuals must pick each young frond by hand, taking care to only take three of the seven tops per plant, as over-picking will kill the fern. In the absence of cultivation, harvesters have to exercise sustainable methods to acquire them and to conserve the plant for posterity.

Fiddlehead ferns have a distinct, earthy flavor and snappy texture, contrasting well against the grass-fed, grain-finished Creekstone Farms premium beef. Chef Andy Kitko chose Creekstone Farms for his steaks, for the same reasons notable New York City restaurants have recently--for their superior quality marbling and flavor, and the company's high standard of quality-control measures to ensure healthy, natural animals.

To showcase this beautiful rich meat, and to highlight the bounty of the season, he braises cannellini beans to produce a creaminess that accentuates the crunch of the blanched fiddleheads, as well as the bright flavor of spring garlic and the aroma of ramps.

Pea tendrils, Maldon sea salt from Essex, England, and unfiltered extra virgin Sicilian olive oil finish the dish.

Younger than Springtime

2010-04-09T16:43:00.018-04:00

If spring were a flavor, green garlic would be it. Wild, locally foraged green garlic is a favorite early spring ingredient in Cedar's kitchen at the moment.

Also known as spring garlic or baby garlic, it is a premature garlic whose cloves have not yet fully become differentiated. While the resulting appearance is a scallion-like deep green stalk with a pale white bulb, its flavor is distinctively that of garlic, only not as pungent or spicy. The earlier crop tends to be more slender, and as we get further into spring, the bulbs are more pronounced.

The spring garlic used at Cedar grows wild in the field, and is hand picked as needed, as it is highly perishable, and only available during a small window of time. Green garlic is not usually sold in major supermarkets, since the traditional harvest time for garlic is in the middle of summer, when the cloves have fully become segmented, and the garlic can be cured and dried to last in storage through the fall and winter.

Chef Andy Kitko braises the green garlic in a beurre monté, an emulsion of butter in chicken stock, before straining it out to add to other vegetables or to use as a flavoring agent in his dishes. It can be used fresh or cooked, and cooking it reveals its sweetness.

For a springtime treat, it can be cut, sweated, steeped in chicken stock and cream, and then puréed to make a soup embodying the essence of the season.

Currently, green garlic is featured in our Rockfish special, which highlights Cedar's "field and stream" approach to food.

The Making of an Opera

2010-04-02T19:50:00.005-04:00

In celebration of springtime and commemoration of the 1912 arrival of 3,000 Japanese cherry trees to Washington, DC, we are featuring a Matcha Opera Cake with Cherry Sorbet and Cherry Caramel Sauce during the National Cherry Blossom Festival .

The classic French Opera Cake is a work in six acts, comprising three thin layers of almond sponge cake, each brushed with coffee syrup; a layer of espresso buttercream; one layer of dark chocolate ganache; and a chocolate glaze.

Cedar's Opera Cake is a variation on the theme, substituting Japanese matcha for espresso, and adding matcha to the almond cake. Matcha is a fine green tea powder made from shade-grown tea leaves, unlike other green teas we typically brew for drinking, such as sencha. Lack of direct sunlight slows the growth of the tea leaves, producing amino acids that make matcha sweeter in flavor than other green teas.

The crumb layer is a thin almond sponge cake, also known as a jaconde, to which matcha powder is added. Almonds complement stone fruits, such as cherries, and this cake is the perfect match for our housemade cherry sorbet, which is a combination of black cherry and morello cherry.

Matcha Buttercream:
sugar syrup, farm eggs and yolks, European style butter, matcha powder

Dark Chocolate Ganache:
Valrhona chocolate 72% and 66% couverture, heavy cream

Assemble:
jaconde, buttercream, ganache, jaconde, buttercream, ganache

Cut, and serve with 23 karat gold leaf on top.

Rockfish Summer in Cape Cod

2010-03-26T23:02:00.023-04:00

We usually associate seasonality with vegetables and fruit, and migratory behavior with birds, but right here in our Virginia waters, the giant rockfish (striped bass) are preparing for their long journey up the east coast to Cape Cod, Massachusetts for the summer and fall. By mid April, as the temperature rises in the Chesapeake Bay, rockfish will spawn and then exit the Bay to migrate north to cooler waters.

Chef Andy Kitko created a special grilled rockfish dish for this very seasonal fish. This week is the last opportunity for fishermen to catch them until their return to our area in November, as the young ones are given a chance flourish during the summer and replenish their population.

Chef Andy Kitko selected the rockfish for its quality and availability during this transitional period between winter and spring, and matched it with early spring ingredients and end of winter ones, such as the preserved Meyer lemons. The fish is grilled with its skin on, and rubbed lightly with olive oil, lemon zest and some salt and pepper, to accentuate its natural flavors.

To accompany this fish, he chose roasted fennel, glazed turnips, braised leeks, pea tendrils, micro basil and pee wee purple potatoes roasted with lemon, garlic and thyme. The dish is finished with an unfiltered Sicilian extra virgin olive oil.

The Cedar Family Tree

2010-03-24T16:15:00.110-04:00

We, at Cedar, are a diverse bunch. We hail from five continents and collectively speak a dozen languages between the thirty of us. We, restaurant people, are a strange breed--we stay up late, work hardest on weekends and holidays, and keep coming back for more even when the routines of each day present a Sisyphean challenge.

So, who are we and why do we do it? For us, it is a labor of love. Our common bond is the desire to please and to nourish our guests, to share what we know and care about, through food and eating. The mission of this Blog is to invite you along an insider's journey through the creative process, collaborative energy and inspiration behind the dining experience at Cedar.

Weekly blog posts will feature stories about creating new dishes from conception to execution, a behind-the-scenes peek into the kitchen, entertaining ideas, what chefs cook at home, the origin and sources of ingredients, recipes, and more.

Meet the Folks:

Executive Chef Andy Kitko intended to become a painter, and discovered that his aptitude for painting translated into his sensibility for choosing food as the medium, utilizing flavors as the palette for his work. Andy’s childhood environment undoubtedly contributed to his respect for nature and history. Born and raised in Connecticut, thus influenced by the bounty of the Atlantic and aware of the four distinctive seasons in his grandmother’s garden, his earliest exposure to food entailed attention to the seasonal rhythms of ingredients prepared by means steeped in the old world traditions of his Italian heritage.

Upon graduating from the California Culinary Academy, Andy trained under Chef Sylvain Portay and Chef Gary Danko before immersing himself for two years as the Saucier at New York City’s Café Boulud, where he honed his mastery of classical techniques. During his tenure as Sous Chef at Aqua he continued to develop his ideas about combining the regional and international, both in styles of cuisine as well as in the application of ingredients. He was the opening executive chef of Bar Tartine and Palmetto in San Francisco prior to moving to Washington, DC.

Mikias Abebayehu wears many hats, as co-owner, general manager, host, sometimes handyman, but most notably the backbone of Cedar. As if that is not enough, he is a talented drummer and percussionist who collaborates with world-renowned musicians. He studied music under Calvin Jones at UDC, and brings over fourteen years of restaurant and management experience to Cedar. Informed by his professional musical training, Mikias carefully selects and arranges the jazz vocals and instrumental pieces for the dining room. He is the welcoming presence on the floor, the first and last person a guest will meet, and he remembers everyone's name. And he does it all with that famous smile.

Often lauded "Bartender Extraordinaire," Matt P. brings over ten years of bartending experience to the position of Wine and Beverage Manager at Cedar. Matt grew up in West Virginia, and what started as a temporary foray into the restaurant industry after college soon became his avocation and passion. He does it for the love of meeting people, and for the challenge of inventing unique drinks. He draws upon his ecology and environmental technology background to guide him as he balances flavors in his reinterpretations of the classics in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.

The kitchen serves as both laboratory and design studio for Anny Wohn’s desserts. Raised in New York by parents who embraced the wealth of diverse cuisines available, Anny developed an appreciation and love for the history and culture of food. Anny is a former neuroscience researcher and Harvard-trained architect/urban designer whose affinity for both the sciences and the arts ultimately culminated in the pursuit of a career in pastry. She began her pastry career at Boulevard and Aqua in San Francisco, and served as the pastry chef of BLT Steak in Washington, DC, prior to consulting on desserts at Cedar. She writes about food, culture and city life.

Welcome, and stay awhile!