written by: Svetlana Legetic (with recipe/advice help from Dan Searing and Greg Jasgur)
photos by: Jeff Martin

(PERMALINK HERE)

FOOD IN THE FALL! So much to look forward to and so little time. Instead of pretending that we can do some sort of a crazy comprehensive list of anything (I tried to do some sort of a opening/closing list but then I gave up-just read our "weekly food news" for that), we figured we'd (highly subjectively) just list some fun stuff we think may make your eating Fall a little better around these parts.

FIRST THINGS FIRST:

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Everyone who professionally drinks in DC knows Dan Searing of Room 11 IS THE MAN. So much so that I am probably going to get into trouble for adding this into the guide because those 10 bar spots they have are highly coveted by people who could cause me some serious street cred harm if this results in them not being able to get a seat next time they stop by.

But, luckily for everyone Dan has a new book out called THE PUNCH BOWL which allows everyone to enjoy tasty cocktails IN LARGE QUANTITIES in the privacy of their own home. FOR FALL, we asked him to pick a good BYT pick and prepare it for us. AND YES, HE PICKED SOMETHING CALLED "THE SPREAD EAGLE". You're welcome. Instructions below:

Spread Eagle Punch
(Originally adapted from Jerry Thomas' Bartenders Guide: How to Mix Drinks, 1862)

• 12 to 18 servings
• Ingredients
• 1/2 cup demerara sugar
• peel of two lemons
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 750-ml bottle of Corsair Triple Smoke (may use any smoky scotch such an Islay single malt scotch whisky)
• 1 750-ml bottle of Corsair Wry Moon (may use a traditional aged rye such as Old Overholt Rye Whiskey)

WHAT TO DO:

1. Muddle the sugar and lemon peel together in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until well incorporated. Add the boiling water. then the whiskeys. Place the mixture in the refrigerator, and chill for at least 2 hours.

2. Pour the punch into a punch bowl that has been filled with ice cubes.

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• Burger, Tap & Shake -  Joining Whole Foods at Washington Circle, Passion Food Hospitality is opening the doors of and District Commons and Burger, Tap & Shake, two restaurants in one, to feed the hungry folks of Foggy Bottom beginning the end of September.  Plus, I have a feeling you BYT readers will just love the "shaketails" or grown up milkshakes that feature different spirits and endless toppings and BTS' housemade custard.
• BURGER GURU FIGHT: tonight, burger fans will have to make a tough call: BOBBY FLAY will be @ SIXTH AND I SYNAGOGUE, and  GEORGE MOTZ (director of "Hamburger America") will be @ NATIONAL ARCHIVES. Spoiled for choice, you are.
• Also opening in early October is Memphis.  Memphis will (as you probably already guessed) offer authentic Memphis-style bbq (where meats are slow cooked over hickory wood and charcoal and finished off with a selection of tomato and vinegar based sauces).  Rederick Rayborn is the Pit Master, and comes from Corky's famous BBQ in Memphis, TN.  And yes, there IS an outdoor patio.
• Plus, as always, please keep an eye on our BILB (Burger I'd like to Bang) column run for us by the kind folks @ Burger Days for more updates on to die for burgers in DC (the photo below is from them)

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With all those burgers around, many people are reluctant to try out vegan food because they fear the taste will not be as satisfying as the carnivorous or dairy-infused meals their taste buds have become accustomed to. To these people I say get over your assumptions and give something new (and 100% good for you) a taste. Seriously. Live just a little.

Check out the recipe below courtesy of Brennan Gerald, who will be a featured speaker at the 2011 DC VegFest this coming Saturday (September 24).  Gerald is a DC native and the Vegan/Raw Food Chef for Dffrnt World Deli.

Ingredients:

• Portobello Caps
• Vegan Buns
• Kale or Spinach Shreds
• Tomato Slices
• Olive Oil
• Onion (preferred taste)
• Stone Ground Mustard
• Daiya Vegan Cheese
• Vegan Mayo

Instructions:

• 1) Thoroughly wash all produce.
• 2) In a bowl, pour two tablespoons of olive oil and preferred food seasonings. Dip portobello caps in marinade. Place on hot grill and cook until soft and and sizzling.
• 3) After five minutes of grilling, add sliced union on top of the portobello cap for flavor. Let the onion cook with caps until soft and sizzling. Season according to preferred taste.
• 4) Toast buns and dress with vegan mayo, stone ground mustard, kale/spinach shreds, and sliced tomato.
• 5) While still on grill, place preferred amount of vegan cheese on top and let melt for several minutes. Once melted, place on bun
• 6) Put sandwich together, let cool for thirty to sixty seconds.
• 7) Take a huge bite, the first is always the best.

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having said that, obviously:

• EATWell Group is wearing their pork love loud and proud. NOT ONLY are they bringing back their PIG ROAST on October 1st and 2nd @ HEIGHTS (featuring pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ platters, candy apples and more) BUT they just announced that SOON they'll be opening a new place in Logan Circle opening called The Pig. With a name like that, it should come as no surprise that this new restaurant plans to serve a lot of pork ( serving everything "nose to tail" and  taking the phrase "farm to table" to heart - using produce from the company's own farm out in La Plata, Maryland. Watch out.
• WEEK OF BACON, as hosted by RESTAURANT 3 is back October 13-22, with a Patio Pig Roast followed by a Bacon tasting dinner, followed by a Bacon Brunch, followed by a Bacon Happy hour, followed by....you get the picture. Hope you have some elastic pants lying around.
• Pig Parties continue at Jackson 20. These parties have been really popular in the summer, but the restaurant is bringing them back into the fall. Think southern-inspired barbeque and a whole roasted eco-friendly pig from Dorsey Farm with traditional fixings like pulled pork shoulder, mahogany barbeque, ribs, smoked corn, corn bread with maple butter, and seasonal fruit pies all for $35 per person on Jackson 20’s colonial-style patio. Reservations are highly recommended.  Upcoming pig parties for the remainder of the season will take place on September 21, October 12th and November 9th at 6:00 p.m.
• or if you like to enjoy ANY roast outdoors, you pick the animal and POSTE brasserie will take care of the rest. You just sit in their glorious garden and enjoy.

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It's no secret to anyone I know that I'm pretty obsessed with Ripple. The summer dinner we had there was one of our absolute favorites this year, seasonal and clever without feeling snobby and with a great sense of both where it came from and where it was going.  So when the Fall Guide time rolled around, I knew we needed to go over and see what he had in store.

What we found was probably the best/coolest charcuterie plate you'll have this season, and we'll stake our reputation on it (and not a prosciutto in sight. Not that there is anything wrong with prosciutto. It just doesn't come anywhere near the home-made genius of this).

SERIOUSLY. Right now, here's what's on the menu (and yes, it will change as weather changes)

• Beef and barley terrine - where Logan increased the amount of liver and added cooked pieces of barley throughout. Whole dried prune in the middle for texture and sweetness, as a perfect finishing touch-almost like a jam to spread on top.
• Pork butter - which is all you'd hope it would be: rendered fat from salami and hams, fortified with smoked maple syrup and duck jus for that extra autumnal kick.
• Rabbit rillette - Logan introduces more game animals in the fall. He smokes the legs in juniper berries and wood and confits it. Good Great with crackers
• Brandade with Hubbard squash - roasted Hubbard squash paired with salted fish, making for a perfect combination of sweet and salty. He adds dried olives for texture.
• Suckling pig and trotter terrine, set with gelatin, nice and hearty on a cold night
• And finally-Garnishes - Pickled torpedo onions and housemade mustard.

JUST GO.

BORED OF THAT EXACT SAME LUNCH YOU HAVE EVERY DAY? Well, blessedly, there's some new lunch spots and deals in DC's most popular work neighborhoods:

• DUPONT: Ping Pong Dim Sum just opened it's second location right off the circle, and as a longtime proponent of their Power Lunch specials at their restaurant in Chinatown, I, for one, am excited to have them on hand in more than one location (bonus: they will unveil their fall menu in October which will include new fall/winter themed cocktails and new dumplings)
• FOGGY BOTTOM: Litestars , which is soon opening, seems like the perfect place for the health-conscious, as all of the menu items by Chef Annie Laconte are proclaimed to be low in fat/calories and high in fiber/nutrients, and come accompanying nutrition cards, so people on any diet can make smart choices
• H STREET, BETHESDA, CHINATOWN... In case you missed the memo: as of this month, for the first time, all Taylor Gourmet locations are providing a whole-wheat bread option, AND (and this truly matters for condiment lovers out there) mayonnaise and spicy brown mustard upon request.
• DOWNTOWN: You know how people always say there's no decent bahn-mis in DC (that delicious Dickson one non-withstanding)? Well, a lot of hope rests on BONMi which is opening in early October at 19th and I Streets, NW and will offer "unique versions of the popular Banh Mi Sandwich, along with salads and summer rolls".
• DOWNTOWN: For a power lunch on a budget, stop by J & G Steakhouse where last week, for a mere $24 we had a prix-fixe lunch of: sweet pea soup, steak and a HUGE BATCH of homemade cookies.
• CLARENDON: Rabbit opened in late July, but their delicious salads in combination with Red Velvet cupcakery sweets AND a wine and beer selection should keep everyone happy well into the Fall.

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• Brother's Grimm Cup @ Jack Rose -now that the whole of Jack Rose is open and in business, it may seem natural to go trawling through their 1400 bottles of bourbon, scotch and spirits, consumed neat. And that's ok. But-if you're in the mood to relive the summer at least a little, get this cucumber vodka version of the classic Pimm's cup, with some cranberry bitters on top. DO IT.

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There are two types of people in the world: people that LOVE oysters and people who HATE oysters. I am (as you probably guessed), one of the former and if you're like me-this is a GREAT FALL to be in DC. If you're not, skip past this column - we talk about cheese and happy hours and seasonal beer below. ANYWAY-

• Blackbyrd, as you may know-is open on 14th and U. It is pretty great and somehow, still not quite as crowded as some of other locations associated with Eric Hilton. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY-EVERY DAY THEY HAVE A KICK ASS OYSTER HAPPY HOUR (with $1 oysters, and really terrific oysters at that). GO.
• Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Black Jack just opened (like, yesterday) just down the street on 14th. Both places are bound to be super successful since: a. they look awesome, b. they're owned by the people behind BLACK's Restaurant Group who know a thing or two about seafood and c. THERE IS AN INDOOR BOCCE COURT involved.

• Legal Seafood's Oyster Festival started this week and goes through October 16. We went and sampled the menu and it is delicious (we'll write about it some more before the festival is over) and features (obviously) oysters on the half shell plus more fun things like oyster, mushroom and spinach pie. And there is a signature white sangria that may or may not have St.Germain in it.
• And lets not forget Hank's Oyster Bar's recent renovation and expansion

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• as mentioned above BURGER GURU FIGHT: tonight, burger fans will have to make a tough call: BOBBY FLAY will be @ SIXTH AND I SYNAGOGUE, and  GEORGE MOTZ (director of "Hamburger America") will be @ NATIONAL ARCHIVES. Spoiled for choice, you are.
• Jose Andres+Ferran Adria @ Lisner on September 29 : pretty much the culinary nerd event of the season. For more information on tickets, contact the Lisner Box Office at (202) 994-6800 or visit lisner.org.:
• Martha Stewart is going to be in town on November 17. JUST IN TIME FOR ALL IMPORTANT PRE-HOLIDAY ADVICE. You heard it here first.

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Sure we've written about these places a million time before BUT! why not see what new tricks they have in store for the fall:

• Graffiato, post a busy inaugural summer season,  has said goodbye to summer sweets (like the sweet corn agnolotti) and hello to fall favorites. New menu highlights include warm brussel sprouts, striped bass, pumpkin risotto, chestnut agnolotti and the Porky's Revenge pizza. Stacy Isabella's famous nutella cookies have taken on the status of the zeppoles, off-menu and available in limited quantities only by request.
• One of our favorite chefs (and people in general) in DC Scott Drewno of The Source just returned from a two-week trip in China and is debuting some new menu items as we speak

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• MONDAY NIGHTS @ PS 7'S: Happy hour deals from 4pm to close including $3 beers, $4 glasses of wine, $7 seasonal punch by the amazing Gina Chersevani, 1/2 price on all flatbreads and burgers, and $5 Salami Poppers.
• FRIDAYS @ BAYOU: Pick your favorite “Food on a Stick” with choices from spicy sausages to beefy meats (items to vary each Friday).   Be sure to get a $10 pitcher of Abita to cool the taste buds.  Pick up some friends and come enjoy the flavors of Louisiana
• MONDAY-FRIDAY: J&G Steakhouse's (who are really stepping up their fall game - see our lunch section too) lower level wine bar just launched "Happy on the Hour." Featured beverages are $5 at 5:00 pm, $6 at 6:00 pm, and $7 from 7:00 to 7:30 pm, including red and white wine by the glass, three signature cocktails (Ginger Margarita, Grapefruit Gimlet, Vodka Thyme Lemonade) and two domestic beers.

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When you walk into a place called Bourbon Steak, you don't necessarily expect to walk away talking about cheese but well, you do. But thanks to Pastry Chef's Brenton Balika's in-house made artisanal cheese selection (all using locally sourced, seasonal ingredients, naturally), you do. Aged anywhere from two weeks (like the creamy CAPRETO chevre) to six months (the fantastically pungent Gorgonzola "INDECISO") there is something for your every need hiding in his "cheese cave" and waiting to be brought out for your enjoyment.

For fall, he's feeling rather enthusiastic about anything with sheep's milk and keep an eye out for his bullet and grappa washed cheeses, since they sound pretty unmissable.

• RUNNER UP/HIGHLY ANTICIPATED: Keep an eye out for Birch & Barley and ChurchKey's new cheese program that will of course be paired expertly with their 555 beers

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Greg Jasgur's beer curating skills @ Pizzeria Paradiso are the stuff of hop legends in DC. So we figured, who better to ask what beers we should all be nursing in the upcoming months. Here is what he came up with:

• Victory Festbier 5.6% Märzen: -Every fall the world’s largest festival is held in Bavaria, Germany: Oktoberfest. The lager served at the festival, known as Märzen, is amber colored and medium bodied, with a lightly toasted sweet malt flavor and clean finish. The beer served at the Munich festival has to be brewed within the city limits. This exclusive club of breweries known as the Club of Munich Brewers, are Augustinerbräu -Hacker-Pschorr Bräu -Hofbräu -Löwenbräu –Paulanerbräu  –Spatenbräu. If you’re feeling like celebrating a little closer to home, try the Festbier made in Dowingtown, Pennsylvania by the Victory Brewing Co. True to the Oktoberfest style, Victory’s version has a bit more body, imparting a slightly stronger toasted nut flavor than its German counterparts.  It’s hopped with just enough German whole flower hops to give the beer a nice balance and dry finish. This beer should have you dancing around in your lederhosen in no time.

• Elysian Night Owl 5.9% Pumpkin Ale: - The closest thing we in the beer community have to a Black Friday stampede – at least in my experience - is the release of the Pumpkin Ales. It seems that each year the release of these beers get pushed up further and further, and the demand gets greater and greater. Starting in August the question “got any pumpkin beers?” gets repeated ad nauseum. The craze is short and exhausting. Long before the Great Pumpkin disappoints Charlie Brown, Linus and Company, the city is dry of this seasonal beer. Most of the pumpkin beers being produced are sweet and heavily spiced tasting more like pumpkin pie than fresh pumpkin. Elysian’s version is tastefully restrained, spiced with nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, ginger and allspice but not overly sweet at a 5.9%. Some would say the beer is “gourd”eous.  But not me.

• Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouché  Brut de Normandie 5.5% French Cider - It wouldn’t be Autumn on the East coast if we weren’t talking apples.  Ciders are so often misunderstood, with most people expecting a very sweet, juice-like flavor. This beautifully crafted cider from Normandy, however, has more in common with Champagne than with your common, better known ciders.  Vinous, tart, and funky, perfect for a rustic countryside picnic.

• Pretty Things Saint Botolph’s Town 5.7% Rustic Brown Ale - Personally, when I think of Autumn I think New England. Named after a Longfellow poem of the same name, Saint Botolph’s Town is an ode to Boston, the home of the husband and wife team behind the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. The beer has smoky malt character, a bitter clean hop bite, and just the right amount of tartness around the edges, to imply its rustic old world ale inspiration without alienating a less adventurous palate. Pairs perfectly with freshly slaughtered pheasant, rustic goat milk cheeses and a VHS copy of Dead Poets Society.

• Founders Harvest Ale 6.5% India Pale Ale - The end of summer marks the end of the hop season, when craft brewers around the country roll out their harvest ales. The term “harvest ale” is more of a catchall than a style. They differ a lot amongst breweries, but in a general sense they tend to be heavily hopped pale ales with complex hop character and a fresh grassy essence. Founders Brewing Company from Grand Rapids Michigan is no different. This beer is “wet hopped,” a process in which hops used in the brew are un-dried and extremely fresh, as in the same day they are picked fresh. This process imparts all of the hops oils and resins to the beer, giving this pale ale a strong floral aromas and tons of citrus flavors. Drink this one in line at the grocery store, or at least as fresh as possible.

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• HANDS DOWN WINNER: the macaroons at ADOUR @ St. Regis. In my humble (but semi-pro) dessert eating opinion pastry chef Fabrice Bandano is a genius. The small, perfectly formed flights of fancy in flavors both expected and unexpected (one of my favorites includes a vanilla cookie with perfectly salted caramel filling) ....

and what's more, if you choose to try and master the macaroon making skills yourself, he does teach a few, open-to-public classes this season:

• November 13: Thanksgiving Pastry Class on pumpkin macarons and almond financier cookies.
• December 4: Holiday Pastry Class on chestnut macarons and chocolate soufflé.

Plus, could you think of of a more amazing place to enjoy a fun French dessert than this? Didn't think so (h/t to David Rockwell)

• RUNNER UP: PS 7's mixtress, Gina Chersevani, and her fall "cuptails": Think baba au rhum with Gina's new fall offering of cocktail-soaked-cupcakes in flavors including Pumpkin Zombies (rum and pumpkin cake), Baked Apples with Caramel (Apple Jack), and Bit O Honey

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• Washington-based mobile application Venga (in collaboration with some well known DC foodie faces) is kicking off fall with Stuff the Bus – a two-week, fresh food drive to benefit D.C. Central Kitchen. It debuted at the H Street Festival on Saturday September 17, 2011 and culminating at Truckeroo on Friday, September 30, people can bring donations or purchase produce from the Venga bus’ ―virtual store.‖ In the days between, the Venga Bus will host daily food drives at local restaurants including Chef Geoff’s Downtown, Clyde’s Georgetown, Birch & Barley, Casa Nonna, Ping Pong Dim Sum, Front Page, Town Hall, Mason Inn, and We, The Pizza as well as area farmers markets. For a full schedule of stops, please visit www.stuffthebus.com or follow the drive on Twitter @GoVenga #stuffthebus

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Please feel free to let us know in the comments if you feel we missed something (and we probably missed a bunch, lets face it). And stay tuned for more fall guides (style, arts, theatre, the works).