In the past 5 days at 1508 we have served lunch for the host committee of a Center For Inspired Teaching event, served tea to Alice Waters, had a full Home Restaurant and last night in collaboration with Joan Nathan we hosted and cooked for one of the Sunday Suppers that raised money for Martha's Table and D.C. Central Kitchen. A secondary goal of the dinner last night was to prompt discussion about food issues including hunger and sustainability.

Fresh in my mind is last nights dinner which was inspiring and thought provoking. Throughout the dinner and the day today it has stimulated conversation about bridging the gap between
actual dining experience and the way food is produced...In addition to Joan Nathan dinner guests included Robert Egger of D.C. Central Kitchen and Bev Eggleston of Eco Friendly Foods all of whom instigated and encouraged meaningful dialogue.

I can not think of two individuals in Washington D.C. doing more to bridge the gap between talking and doing than Bev (who runs an artisnal butchery practice commited to resisting corporate processing and factory farming) and Robert (who runs DC Central Kitchen, Fresh Start, V3, CKP...committed to feeding and training Washingtonians in culinary practices, community involvement...) they understand the importance of both action and politics and their very different approaches to the same problem of feeding and eating across all economic levels are inspiring... leave us wanting more... More than anything Bev and Robert offer us options, perspectives, help us to pause and in that form a resistance to status quo...

If you are going to give to any local charity give to DC Central Kitchen...

If you are going to eat meat get it from Bev at Eco Friendly Foods, at the Dupont Farmers Market EVERY Sunday...

John and I worked on the menu with Joan Nathan taking inspiration for many of the dishes from her forthcoming book...

Congratulations to Joan her hard work on these dinners that raised Over a Hundred Thousand Dollars for Martha's Table and DC Central Kitchen...

Passing
Lamb Chops with Preserved Lemons*
Apple and Parsnip Soup*
Beef Tongue with Capers*
Winter Squash Gratin
Moroccan Orange and Black Olive Salad*

Seated
Roasted Rockfish with Beets, Scrambled Eggs and Chives
Layered Turnip, Black Walnut and Wild Mushroom with Roasted Garlic Sauce
Roasted Chicken Thigh with Truffle, Mashed Potatoes, Shallots and Greens*
Batch 19 Cheese with Olive Oil Cracker
Grapefruit Soup with Figs and Mint*
Soft Gingerbread with Frozen Coconut, Chocolate Sauce and Hickory Nut Nougatine*

Small Bites
Pistachio and Cardamom Cookies*
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Drops
Sweet and Salty Pumpkin Seeds
Lavender Oatmeal Thins

*inspired by Joan Nathans Forthcoming Book, Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: In Search of the Cooking of the Jews of France (Knopf, fall 2010)