Real Parties: Under the Sea!

Kate and I had a blast putting together all of the cute little touches for our sister’s baby shower a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t wait to share the final pics with you.  We went a little overboard with the theme, but our sister was so surprised and thrilled with all of the fussing!  My favorite part was the two color letterpress in coral and pool invitation that Haute Papier (warning – shameless self-promotion) created just for her, though I think the mom-to-be’s were all of the clear balloon that looked like bubbles, including the giant ones that were three feet wide!  Now, we just need to be patient for another few days until this baby gets here!  Congrats to Ash & Darryl on the little miss!

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CSA Week 1: Greens, Greens and More Greens!

Haute Papier is so excited to be participating in a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program this year.  We did our research when deciding which farm we would go with and in the end chose Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia. Each week we’ll be giving you a peek inside our delivery boxes and sharing a recipe for something we made with the delicious fresh produce.  First up is this great saute I made using some of the greens we received this week. I’m a big believer in a diet rich in vegetables and try to keep animal proteins to a minimum – not that I don’t love them, I just try incorporate both fiber and protein into my diet at the same time – which is where the beans come in.  This recipe is satisfying enough to have as dinner – add in a crisp, white wine (sauv blanc or sancerre are both perfect) and some crusty bread!

Recipe after the jump…

The Equinox Family Grows

Chef Todd Gray was one of The District Domestic’s first chef interviews.. Read it here.

Junior League of Washington’s Tossed & Found Sale

Sprinkles Georgetown!

Yes, the cupcake “revolution” is getting old, but this is the real deal… Sprinkles Cupcakes… the ORIGINAL cupcake bakery!  It’s arrived here in DC – dangerously down the street from the Haute Papier design studio… but not far enough that the walk down there will burn off the calories consumed by even one cupcake (as if I am actually able to have that kind of self-restraint!)!

We were able to get a sneak peek and ridiculous amount of tasting earlier this week at a preview for business owners in Georgetown and we’re beyond smitten with the deliciousness of the cake!  It’s perfectly crumbly with so much more flavor than another cupcakes shop in Georgetown, whose name we’ll leave unmentioned, but irritates the heck out of my husband – if only because its customers have no sense of the difference between the street and sidewalk as they stand googlie-eyed taking pictures of the storefront.

We also got to meet Candace (the founder) and her husband, Charles.  Candace is just adorable – complete with cute little converse tennies with her chef’s jacket.  Welcome to DC Sprinkles!!

A First Birthday Party!

I had to share the pictures from Etta’s adorable First Birthday Party – they were just too cute to not!  Haute Papier worked hard to create a fun and playful theme based around unique colors and funky fonts.  Some of our favorite elements were the cake pops inspired by Bakerella, personalized plates from Boatman Geller, and polka dot garland, sewn by yours truly!  Stay tuned for a tutorial on the garland!

A Weekend of Wine

It’s back and more popular than ever!  The the 12^th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting takes place on Saturday, February 12^th & Sunday, February 13^th at the Ronald Reagan Building.

If you haven’t been in the past, this is a great one! With over 100 wineries, a plethora of speciality food shops, cooking demos and tons of tasting, this is the premier event for Wine & Food in our region. On the grand stage be sure to check out demos from Mike Isabella and Carla Hall of Top Chef fame and Washington Post food gurus Bonnie Benwick and Joe Yonan.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

From the Kitchen of: Enzo Febbraro

Today’s Chef Feature comes from Chef Enzo Febbraro of Bond 45 at the National Harbor.  The restaurant (who’s other location is in the middle of the theater district in New York) boasts a mozzarella bar, antipasti bar and is just a few steps from the water!

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
A hand-held immersion blender!

What is the most overrated food/technique in restaurants today?
FOAM.

If you were to open a restaurant with a different type of cuisine than what you are cooking now, what would it be?
All Asian foods.

What is your favorite local product or purveyor to work with?
I really like Virginia Hams.

What is your biggest customer pet peeve?
Guests who think every dish is completely prepared by the chef – cooking is a big team effort and each cook brings special skills that come together to make a great dish.

What do you drink/eat after work?
Red Wine – Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic and I like simple spaghetti with a fresh tomato sauce.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
I cook all day and night so on my day off I tend to eat out – my family loves clams and mussels so I’ll make them in several different ways from time to time. If we have a big party at home, I’ll cook but I don’t usually have the same foods.

Keep reading for Chef Febbraro’s recipe for Parmesan Corn Pudding which is one of the delicious side dishes that was served on Thanksgiving!

From the Kitchen of: Al Nappo

Today’s Chef Feature comes from Chef Al Nappo of Founding Farmers. Washington’s greenest restaurant just announced plans to open a second location in the Park Potomac Development in Potomac, Maryland in the Fall of 2011. We’re looking forward to it! In the mean time, read along for Chef Nappo’s answers to the usual questions!

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
Stick blender, for sure.

What is the most overrated food/technique in restaurants today?
Sous Vide.

If you were to open a restaurant with a different type of cuisine than what you are cooking now, what would it be?
A burger place.

What is your favorite local product or purveyor to work with?
Kreider Farms, Lancaster, PA.  Very fresh dairy products.

What is your biggest customer pet peeve?
Food arriving too quickly.

What do you drink/eat after work?
Oodles of diet coke and a lot of tacos!

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
My burger mix – ground beef, worcestershire sauce, minced fresh garlic, salt, white pepper, squeeze of lime juice, perfection!!!

Happy Thanksgiving…

I’m headed to Spain for Thanksgiving to visit my little sister, but before I left, I wanted to share this great promo that Haute Papier is running for the next week… Get 150 coasters for the price of 100.  Simply enter the promo code “thankful” when ordering on our website here.   These coasters make a great hostess gift during the holiday season!