LOVING OCTOBER

It’s that time of year where you can’t help notice the change in daylight hours, I love when it gets darker earlier and leaves begin changing colors {those beautiful earth tones} falling in piles to the ground. The past week temps have plummeted in our area and we’ve had a few frost warnings.

Morning walks are frigid; I’ve had to pull out the fleece lined sweat-jackets to stay warm; it’s a glorious feeling sauntering the neighborhood in the crisp air.

The colors of sunset at Heath ……….

Last weekend a few friends got together for a girl’s night out at Jimmy’s Famous Seafood in Baltimore.  Two of us live in Northern Virginia, it was a good 55-mile drive to this locale, but once we arrived the atmosphere was very relaxing. The cocktails and food were quite tasty. We shared two appetizers; the crab cake egg rolls served with a famous slaw, mango ponzu and spicy mayo. Next was their famous crab dip served with a garlic bread and Monterey jack cheese. I ordered the soft-shelled crabs which was absolutely delicious.

My adorable nephew and niece enjoying the season. Eli playing in the football game last weekend and his sister Aria got her ears pierced …… !!!

Interpol’s Stolen Works of Art

Since graduating from art school many years ago, I periodically review Interpol’s “Stolen Works of Art” database to keep abreast of cultural and aesthetic happenings around the art world. So many of my colleagues and friends have been fascinated by the Louvre robbery last Sunday by four men in broad daylight. It saddens me to know these priceless items have been stolen, but like so many people, its fascinating keeping tabs on this situation.

Stay stylish,
Kathleen

L’auberge Chez François

Medallion of beef tenderloin, Béarnaise Sauce, organic vegetables and Quy enjoying raspberry soufflé for dessert.

Quy is one of my oldest and dearest friends. We’ve matured through the trials and tribulations of life, while maintaining a fabulous sense of style and “side-splitting” humor.

We are consummate “foodies”, who share an ardent interest in food outside of hunger. Lately, we’ve challenged ourselves to choosing restaurants written up in the Washington Post, social media, or word of mouth to critique and analyze. I enjoy finding dishes on the menu, which we taste, then write down the ingredients to take home and remake.

First on our list was L‘Auberge Chez François in Great Falls, Virginia. This Alsatian restaurant is famous for its authentic pasta, tarte flambée [which is equivalent to pizza [but much better], cabbage dishes, charcuterie or their bake specialties. These recipes are from this Germanic region of France, lying on the west bank of the river Rhine along the Vosges mountains.

The medallion of beef tenderloin with Béarnaise Sauce and the onion soup gratinée are two dishes I want to recreate.

Here are two articles regarding Alsatian cooking-

Saveur
Home-Style Alsatian Dishes
Saveur, Sep 18, 2009

Washington Post article by Laura Chase de Formigny

Stay stylish,
Kathleen