Sunday, January 17, 2010

January meeting ... guess not

Didn't get much feed back on a January 21 meeting, so I guess that we just take it off the calendar and consider Laurel Lodge our January meeting. I'm going to put up the 2010 schedule today, so please make your picks. Thanks.




Our next get together would be scheduled for January 21. Originally, Susan had offered to host this meeting. I remember that we talked briefly about this date and that maybe we could go to Susan's when the potential for bad weather might not be so high. I think that we talked about maybe going to Eliza's or just skipping January since we're at Harper's Ferry a couple weeks later. Susan and I had no recollection of a final decision. Can you please weigh in with your preference? Thanks. Martha

2010 Meeting Calendar

All meeting at 6:00 PM, third Thursday of the month.

February 5 - 6:  Laurel Lodge
February 18: 
March 18:
April 15:  Eliza
May 20:  Dinner out in Shirlington
June 17:
July 15:
August 19:
Sept. 16:
Oct. 21:
Nov. 18:
Dec. 16:

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

January meeting ... guess not

We didn't get much feed back on the January 21 meeting, so I guess that we just take it off the calendar and consider Laurel Lodge our January meeting.  I'm going to put up the 2010 schedule today, so please make your picks.  Thanks.

Our next get together would be scheduled for January 21.  Originally, Susan had offered to host this meeting.  I remember that we talked briefly about this date and that maybe we could go to Susan's when the potential for bad weather might not be so high.  I think that we talked about maybe going to Eliza's or just skipping January since we're at Harper's Ferry a couple weeks later.  Susan and I had no recollection of a final decision.  Can you please weigh in with your preference?  Thanks.   Martha

Monday, January 4, 2010

News For All You Central Michel Richard fans

Top chef says adieu to Central Michel Richard


Chef Cedric Maupillier has parted ways with Central Michel Richard, reports his former boss.

"He did a great job: Two years at Citronelle and three years at Central," says Michel Richard, singing the praises of his former chef at the fashionable French-American bistro earlier today.

The split was described by both men as amicable. Maupillier says he wants to take a two-month "food break" to travel (likely to Asia), but he plans to return to Washington and contemplate "the next step"-- which won't include working for another chef. His dream: Cooking in a place "with my name on the door."

Taking Maupillier's place at Central is Arthur Cavaliere, until recently the executive chef of the 300-plus-seat Parc in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square and now a week-long resident of Washington. Richard was introduced to the 29-year-old Philadelphia native by a mutual friend, and he sampled Cavaliere's bistro cooking twice at Parc before hiring him for Central. Richard appreciated his "simple" food and "elegant" execution, despite the crowds. On a busy day, says Cavaliere, he and his crew served 2,000 lunches and dinners.

Richard says he plans to work with his new hire, who starts next week, to better Central's bar menu and give some "old food fresh twists."Stay tuned, the master of edible wit says, for reimagined meatballs and chicken pot pies.

Laurel Lodge Retreat, please RSVP to Martha by Friday, Jan. 8

Hope everyone had a great holiday and that you're all finding ways to keep warm.


I heard from Ed Wheeless about our February retreat to Laurel Lodge.  (http://www.laurellodge.com/)  He's suggesting that we have our group meal on Saturday, February 6, but has invited anyone who wants to come up on Friday evening and stay through Sunday.  For the early Friday arrivals, we'd go to a local Harper's Ferry restaurant called Dish.  http://www.wvdish.com/

Since we're approaching Valentine's Day, Ed proposes we base our Saturday night dinner on the book Aphrodite by Isabel Allende.  Or, more broadly, any foods reputed to be an aphrodisiac.  He will supply recipes from the book and a sample menu from a dinner CafĂ© Atlantico did based on the Allende book.

Laurel Lodge has three guest rooms -- two rooms with one queen size bed each and one room with two twin beds. So some of us would be sharing a room, some a bed.  If you want to bring a blow-up bed, that might be helpful if we're over 6 people.
 
Because Ed and Chris are also doing some travel during their break, it would be good to at least have our numbers settled by the end of this week.  So please let me know if you will be coming along on this adventure and whether you'll be there Friday, Saturday or both nights.
 
Thanks and toodles!