Oh San Francisco! How I love Thee! In addition to being one of the coolest and most beautiful cities in the country, you are probably tied neck and neck with NYC as the best FOOD city in America. I’ve had so many great meals in you (not to mention all the great wine and beer), and I would even consider living in you (if I had cash like that, but I’m stuck out here on the real set of The Wire aka Bodymore, Murderland). But I do love visiting you, and I’m coming out there really soon, so I wanted to give something back. I noticed you had no Sri Lankan restaurants in the area, and for a food mecca such as you, this is a major gap. So I am packing up my spices and bringing my travelling Sri Lankan Supper Club to liven up your palettes for an evening. My good friends at Buyer’s Best Friend, a broker for my curry powder, are letting me use their awesome new digs on Haight Street to throw this little shindig, and my new friends at Rural Returns are supplying some authentic Heirloom Red Rice directly from Sri Lanka (which I’m sure none of you has eaten before) for your dining pleasure. And that’s not all! My other new friends at White Lion Arrack are providing some complimentary Sri Lankan cocktails so this ain’t nothing but a party y’all. But tickets are limited so reserve your spot today! Right here:
Chef Charles Disanayake invites you to taste contemporary Sri Lankan cuisine. This six-course tasting menu takes you on a journey through Sri Lanka, with each course highlighting the different flavors of each region and ethnic group. Sri Lankan cuisine incorporates the influences of the country’s evolving population, borrowing flavors present before, introduced during, and developed after the Colonial Period. Charles’s menu demonstrates the versatility and sophistication of Sri Lankan cuisine, and showcases dishes you won’t find anywhere else in New York.
A self-taught chef and restaurant consultant, Charles Disanayake’s culinary career has taken him around the world. He has hosted underground supper clubs in New York, Munich, London, and Sri Lanka. Charles’s New York supper club events have been featured in Business Insider magazine as one of the top 12 supper clubs in New York City.
Welcome Cocktail: Rum, Ginger, Lemongrass and Lychee
Sri Lankan Supper Club Menu
Coconut and Cashew Crusted Shrimp with Micro Greens and Chili Mango Chutney
Baked Chili Peppers Stuffed with Anchovies, Garlic and Paneer
“Tissue” Roti with Slow-Roasted Chicken, Scallions, Eggs, and Curry Dip
Crumb-fried Spicy Beef Crepes with Sweet Chili Sauce and Cilantro Lime Chutney
Dutch Lamprais – Saffron Rice, Beef, Chicken, Lamb and Pork Curry, Shrimp Sambal, Beef Frikandel and Curried Eggplant Cooked in Banana Leaves (This course can be served with just chicken for those who don’t eat beef or pork)
Wattalapam with Jaggery, Cashews, and Coconut Milk
Sri Lankan Supper Club Vegan/Vegetarian Menu
Coconut and Cashew Crusted Tofu with Micro Greens tossed in a tamarind Vinaigrette with Chili Mango Chutney
Baked Chili Peppers Stuffed with Sweet Chili Caramelized Onions with a Panko Crust
“Tissue” Roti stuffed with Curried Mushrooms,Leeks and Cherry Tomato’s and Curry Dip
Crumb-fried Vegetarian Rolls stuffed with Spiced Potatoes and Peas with Sweet Chili Sauce and Cilantro Lime Chutney
Dutch Lamprais – Saffron Rice, Mixed Vegetarian Curry, Chili Sambal, Vegetarian Frikandel and Curried Eggplant Cooked in Banana Leaves (This course can be served with just chicken for those who don’t eat beef or pork)
Tapioca Cooked with Jaggery, Cashews, and Coconut Milk topped with Raspberries
Chef selected wine pairings included with each course
The Embassy of Sri Lanka Washington DC invites all to
Sri Lanka Food Festival -2012
at Washington Buddhist Vihara
on Sunday, August 5 in the Vihara Premises from 9.00 AM to 3.00 PM
For more details contact:
Washington Buddhist Vihara
5017, 16th Street NW,
Washington DC, 20011
Tel: 202 723 0773
This is charity event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka, Washington DC.
Sri Lanka was placed third at the recently held Bocuse d’Or Asian competition in Shanghai for the Biennial World Chef Championship – the Bocuse d’Or (The Concours Mondial de la Cuisine, World Cooking Contest), winning the bronze medal. This means they secure entry as one of the four Asian teams that will compete at the finals of Bocuse d’Or International championship in 2013 at Lyon, France along with culinary giants like France, U.K., U.S.A, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore, etc.
Sri Lankan chefs win bronze at world cooking contest
The two winners are Hilton Colombo’s chef Buddhika Samarasekara and Apprentice Rashen John. “The whole menu for the event revolved around the three main ingredients of Ceylon tea, Ceylon Cinnamon and Cashew,” said Chef Buddhika. This was the first time Sri Lanka has been represented at a competition of this calibre as it is frequently referred to as the culinary equivalent of the Academy Awards. This is also an honour for the Colombo Hilton celebrating its 25th year.
“This is an achievement for all Sri Lankans,” said the Promotions Manager of Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka, Anura Dewapura. “There was a lot of hard work involved. This is a common dream for all chefs to achieve this award as it’s one of the most prestigious. This is a great encouragement for all younger chefs as well as all those who expect to enter the field.”
Also present at the news conference were the General Manager of the host hotel Hilton, Rudolf Troestler, the president of Bocuse d’Or Sri lanka, Rohan Fernandopulle, the official coach for Bocuse d’Or Sri Lanka, Alan Palmer, Director Marketing of Dilmah Tea, Dilhan Fernando, Baili Delegue in Sri lanka for the Conrere de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, Nigel Austin and the chairman of Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, Dr. Nalaka Godahewa.
2012 Summer Fancy Food Show in DC, June 17-19, 2012
One of the biggest deals in the food world is the NASFT Fancy Food show, which takes place twice a year–in San Francisco in the winter, and either New York or DC in the summer. Hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world come together to debut their new products, and the rest of the food industry follows. Unfortunately, this exclusive event/feeding frenzy is not open to the public.
After having just attended my third Fancy Food Show, I can honestly say that the novelty has worn off, but that doesn’t mean it’s still not (literally) a gas to eat your way through two floors–and we’re talking two floors which are each the size of a football field, crammed with booths bursting with free samples of the latest fine foods to hit the market–at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in DC. Actually, grazing is a better word to describe what one does at a Fancy Food show, because you’re really getting a ‘tasting menu’ of small bites and bits supplied by the 1000 plus vendors, as opposed to a full meal (though what you will consume in a day is probably the equivalent of several big meals). Of course, the bigger companies like Fage (pronounced “Fah-yay,” as I discovered) can afford to give you a whole container of their superior Greek yogurt, which you’ll probably want to eat right on the spot. Those probiotics will come in handy for the heavy digestion ahead. But it’s also essential to bring a few empty bags to take away the endless shwag you accumulate visiting booth after booth. You’ll be eating for days afterwards from all the booty you copped at Fancy Food.
I remember my first time down on the feasting floor, eating a path down aisle one, and turning down nary a free mouthful until the motley contents of my stomach eventually caught up with me. It doesn’t pay to be too eager (read: greedy) at Fancy Food or else you might find yourself doubled over in pain and bowing before the porcelin messiah. But far from being a glutton, this time I was a study in restraint, putting only those things I really wanted to try into my pie hole; asking for smaller bites than were offered; and even observing several “no eating” breaks to allow time for some precious digestion. When eating becomes such a serious business, the key to surviving the three days of the convention is to pace yourself.
As a veteran, I can afford to be a little jaded at this point as well, and let you know that not everything I encountered at this convention qualified as “fancy.” What the hell was Hormel doing there for example? Potted meats I can do without–not to mention the guy at one of the China booths who was selling MSG by the ton. Hasn’t word got around that we are at least trying to be healthy? I guess the recession is news worldwide because I noticed a lot of the same bigger companies (who can afford to be here) exhibiting and not as many new, smaller vendors. Still, there was plenty to see, smell, and taste.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
In previous years I focussed on the incursion of ethnic foods or did a rundown of the latest hot sauces to hit the market, but this year, since there was less of both, I’m just sort of highlighting products I liked or found interesting . The Caribbean section, which used to be good for a scorching selection of hot sauces, for example, was reduced to only about 5 or 6 booths this time around. I still managed, however, to find some interesting hot sauces from some unlikely places.
a selection of hot sauces
Don Joaquin from Ecuador uses passion fruit to add sweetness to their heat while Mi Madre’s Pique from Puerto Rico doesn’t even bother grinding whole chilies, garlic, peppercorns and spices to create their ‘rustic’ looking salsa. While neither is super spicy, both are big on flavor. I was also able to pick up samples of my old standby, Mexico’s El Yucateco, made with nothing less than the hottest habaneros as well as some Iguana sauces from Florida, which come in a whole range of great flavors. My favorite sauce, however, was the straight orange habanero puree from Interfoods, which I plan to use to create my own customized hot sauce.
With the breakout success of Indian food and Asian food in general over the past year, I expected to see a whole slew of newer Asian products at this years’ show, but sadly, I think the economy has thwarted such an expansion. Tandoori Chef, purveyors of the frozen naan pizza, maintained its presence, however, joined by smaller companies such as Maya Kaimal and Sukhi’s, which was serving up plates of Indian food better than many restaurants. In addition to their line of frozen foods, and their trademark Naanwich, I’m excited to try Sukhi’s Vindaloo Curry Sauce since their stuff tastes authentic–especially the tangy cilantro yoghurt chutney I had with my samosa.
Aside from the odd Korean and Thai vendor, the Asian representation at this years’ show was a bit of a disappointment, though there were a couple pleasant surprises. Since I’m not so familiar with Filipino Food, it was nice to run into Mama Sita, who was hawking her line of Filipino sauces and mixes. She was also good enough to give me a cookbook with a variety of Filipino dishes that I will definitely try as well as a spice mix for Sinigang Sa Sampalok, a prawn soup made with Tamarind . Another Filipino lady, representing the company Sun Tropics, was debuting calamansi juice, a typical citrus fruit from the Phillipines that tastes like a cross between a lime and a tangerine. Calamansi is one of those products which is not so easy to find in the U.S., but I guess those days are behind us now.
Calamansi juice…..Yummm!
watermelon art at the Thai Feast booth
Speaking of Asian flavors, I am very happy to witness the day that Sriarcha sauce has become a mainstream condiment, speaking volumes on the evolution of the American palette. I, who routinely douse everything with Sriracha, was pleasantly surprised to find those crunchy dried peas usually flavored with wasabi, now available with a coating of spicy, garlicky Sriracha.
Yaaaayy!! Sriracha peas have arrived!
Being partial to anything coconut, I was also excited about several new products from the palm tree to hit the U.S. market. The first is Dang‘s toasted coconut chips from Thailand. Slightly sweet/salty with a great coconut taste, I could think of a myriad uses for these little chips–first and foremost as a topping for ice cream. I just wish Vincent, the company’s Chief Culinary Officer, had been a little more forthcoming with some samples so I could test them out because I already finished the small pack he gave me on the way home.
move over potatoes — how about a bowl of these sweet/salty toasted coconut chips?
Another coconut product I’m psyched about is Kelapo‘s Coconut oil spray. In the west, we are just finding out about the health benefits of coconuts, and this product makes it both easy and convenient to use coconut oil in baking, salads, or whatever. And I might add that none other than Sri Lankan coconuts are used to make this oil, which is another plus because the coconut oil we have there is organic and unprocessed. Incidentally, I also came across several olive oil sprays and even a balsamic vinegar spray.
The spray craze has arrived — olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and coconut oil
Speaking of balsamic vinegar, there were plenty of different types to try, but the most interesting product I found was the balsamic ketchup from Di Nigris. Regular ketchup is made from white vinegar, so why not subsititute some black balsamic vinegar instead? It tasted just as good if not better.
One last coconut product worth mentioning would be Maggi‘s coconut powder. Owned by Nestle, Maggi is a name well-known in Asia, but virtually unknown in the U.S. While several brands of canned coconut milk are currently available here, Maggi is finally bringing over their powdered coconut milk, which should make cooking Asian food a lot easier. Did I also mention that they get their coconuts from Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka is one of the few countries that is not usually well represented at Fancy Food, but this time I ran into several Sri Lankans–even a whole family represented Chami Tea. Dilmah Tea, one of the largest independent Sri Lankan tea producers, also showed for the first time at Fancy Food.
Sri Lankan Chami Teas — a family business
Fancy Food is a great place to be introduced to products from abroad as I would estimate that roughly a quarter of all exhibitors represent foreign countries. One of the stranger new products I came across this year, in fact, came from Peru. Having just visited that country in March I was curious to try Kaptive, their new energy drink made from coca leaves, which have a very unique and bitter taste. People in Peru routinely chew coca leaves–especially for relief from the high altitudes in the Andes–which contain the active ingredient of cocaine (though in miniscule amounts). While I was not surprised to see an energy drink made of coca leaves, I was puzzled to learn that its active ingredient–the cocanoids–had been removed. So what gave these drinks their energy? The print on the bottle was too small to read. But the drink itself tasted good–much more than I can say for chewing coca leaves.
Kaptive energy drinks, made with coca leaves
As with every Fancy Food show, there is inevitably a surplus of fine chocolate, most of it organic and dark and sourced from practically every tropical clime in the world. But some of the best bars I tasted this time came from Germany. Ritter Sport, with their trademark square bar, is a favorite for everyday consumption. Surprise, surprise: I also discovered a funky new product out of Germany called IChoc by Vivani. These vaguely i-pod shaped bars each bear a different musical motif, but what makes them special is their intense flavor. I tried “Beat Berry,” which was brimming with dried raspberry shavings which also gave it a nice crunch. Meanwhile “GoGo Mango,” a white chocolate bar laced with yogurt and pieces of dried mango was the clear winner. Wow! And I’m not even usually a fan of white chocolate.
A GoGo Mango IChoc bar from Germany
One thing I do love, however, is pie, and while I did not come across any pies, per se, I did discover that a respected brand of ready made pie crust, Wholly Wholesome, now comes in a gluten free variety.
Wholly Wholesome’s new gluten free pie crust
Last year, I feel like I came away from the show with more free stuff (i.e. “shwag), but this year, some of the shwag was more impressive. I certainly can’t beat the rice cooker that the Thai Rice Board gave me last year, but Good Fellas Foods came mighty close with a package that was delivered to me only days after the convention. No dead fish in that delivery, but rather an apron, a cookbook from the late mobster Henry Hill, and 2 bottles of their awesome sauce, which I will sure be enjoying.
Best in Shwag: an apron, cookbook, and 2 jars of sauce from Goodfellas Foods
There were also some very strange freebies to be had. For anyone who thinks the bacon craze has died down, for example, guess again. One booth was not only giving out samples of their bacon lip balm but, yes, I hate to say it, bacon lube….
Bacon lube? That’s just wrong.
No celebrity sightings this time, although I did run into Aarti Sequeira, the Indian host of Food Network’s Aarti Party, which started off as a her own self-produced cooking show on YouTube. Hey, that means there’s still hope for Pan Asian…
me and Food Network Star Aarti Sequeira
Though noticeably scaled back, this year’s Fancy Food did seem to have more alcohol–from French, Spanish, and Italian wines, to German and Belgian beers, to all manner of Mexican tequila and mescal. I would spend at least a segment of each day boozing it up, not for a buzz, but rather to burn some of the calories sitting in my stomach. I was also happy to see my drink of choice up in the mix this time I around: Cachaca from Brasil. Thanks to the folks at Tatuzinho, I must have ended every day of Fancy Food 2012 with a couple caipirinhas! Salute!
Brasilian Cachaca — the drink of champions!
And here’s my little space in the Buyer’s Best Friend booth:
Skiz’s Original debuts at 2012 Fancy Food Show in DC!
This past Friday I had the pleasure of hosting another Sri Lankan Supper Club–this time in the nation’s capital at a fairly new space known as Montserrat House on 9th & U Streets (www. montserrathouse.com). Once again, those patrons who plunked down $50 for a full rice & curry meal with appetizers and dessert, went away, I believe, fully satisfied and with a much deeper appreciation of Sri Lankan food. It’s astounding that such a diverse metropolis as DC does not have a Sri Lankan restaurant–especially since there’s quite a few Sri Lankans in the DC/MD/VA area–so that would probably account for the dinner selling out pretty quickly. But aside from a handful of people familiar with the cuisine, few really knew what to expect, so I had to treat them to the typical kind of meal that we are accustomed to on the island. The menu, all of which comes from my book, Rice & Curry: Sri Lankan Home Cooking, was as follows:
Appetizers
fish cutlets
beef patties
masal vadai
Mains
Basmathi rice
black pork curry
fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry)
parippu (lentils stewed in coconut milk)
mallun (sauteed greens)
eggplant moju ( caramelized eggplant)
coconut sambol
Sri Lankan salad
pappadum
mango chutney
mixed pickle
Dessert
Wattalapam (coconut flan)
Since all of the main dishes in a rice & curry meal are served together, Sri Lankans don’t usually eat appetizers, so I used some popular street foods, usually eaten as snacks, to pique peoples’ appetites. Cutlets, patties, and vadai are also, ironically, the most labor intensive part of the menu. With the Montserrat’s deep fryer out of commission for the evening, we also had the fry both the cutlets and vadais in small batches on the stove top. That’s how I usually do it at home, so while more time consuming, it was no big deal in the end.
breading & frying the cutlets is very labor intensive…
…but well worth the effort!
beef patties, fresh out of the oven
Using a kitchen you’re not familiar with presents all kinds of challenges. For example, I didn’t bother to check and see if an oven I was heating up some dishes in was working. I only found out minutes before we were to begin plating that the food was still cold. Once again, improvisation is key, as we quickly heated up stuff in saute pans on the stove top. Though it did delay the dinner service a little bit, no one complained and, in fact, everyone was very happy with their meal.
I usually like to document everything that I make at these dinners, but because we had to get the food out to the 50 customers in a hurry, I only had time to snap a few shots of the finished plates.
from left to right: pappadum, fish, pork, eggplant, dahl, greens, coconut sambol, and salad–served on a banana leaf as they do in Sri Lanka
I did, however, manage to get some nice shots of the condiments, which people could help themselves to at the table.
the condiments: mango chutney and mixed pickle
some fresh green and red chilies–only for the brave
And, of course, no meal would be complete without a decadent dessert. In Sri Lanka, the overwhelming choice is usually wattalapam, a flan made of coconut milk, eggs, and jaggery (palm sugar).
for dessert, coconut flan
I was able to mingle with guests after the dessert service, and the feedback I received from everyone made it well worth all the effort. I have to send a special shout to my servers, Greg & Gillian, and my sous chef for the evening, Wilma Consul, for all their help. Also shouts out to Eric and Elliot at Montserrat House for having a cool place and making this event possible.
June 8th, 2012 7:00PM, $50 Per Person Includes Dinner & Specialty Cocktails
Menu
Appetizers:
Fish Cutlets
Masala Vadai
Beef Patties
Main Courses:
Basmathi Rice
Pork Curry
Fish Ambul Thiyal
Curried eggplant
Mallun (sauteed greens)
Paripppu (lentils stewed in coconut milk)
Coconut Sambol
Tomato Cucumber Salad
Mango Chutney
Pappadum
Dessert:
Caramel Pudding (flan)
S.H. Fernando Jr. (aka “Skiz”) is a journalist, filmmaker, musician, and gastronaut. His most recent book, Rice & Curry: Sri Lankan Home Cooking, which focuses on the cuisine of his homeland, was a New York Times notable cookbook for 2011. A specialist in the flavors of Asia, Skiz travels and writes about food for his blog, “Rice&Curry,”(www.riceandcurry.wordpress.com) dedicated to all things spicy. He also produces a YouTube cooking series called “Pan Asian,” which highlights dishes from Asia and beyond. Skiz makes his own brand of Sri Lankan curry powder—Skiz’s Original—which is sold online (www.foodoro.com) and through gourmet purveyors across the country.
The Washington Buddhist Vihara cordially invites you and your families to attend the Asian Food Bazaar, Sanghamitta Day celebration and Annual General Meeting scheduled to be held on Saturday 24th March 2012 at the Vihara. Please join us in this meritorious event by participating or by sending your kind donation to the Buddhist Vihara Society, Inc.
Keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Ananada Guruge, former ambassador to US. He will speak on 2600th “Sambuddha Jayanthiya” (2600th anniversary celebration of the Enlightenment of The Buddha).
AGENDA
9:30 am—3:00 pm – ASIAN FOOD BAZAAR
3:00 pm – 3:15 pm – VANDANA AND BUDDHA PUJA
3:15 pm – 3:30 pm – WELCOME SPEECH BY VEN. M .DHAMMASIRI
3:30 pm – 4:30 pm - KEYNOTE SPEECH IN ENGLISH BY DR. ANANDA GURUGE (The Ex S.L. Ambassador in the U.S.)
4:30 pm – 5:00 pm – ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
5:00 pm – BLESSING SERVICE (SETH PIRITH)
The Hill Center, housed in the beautifully renovated historic Old Naval Hospital on Capitol Hill, blocks from the U.S. Capitol, serves as a cultural, educational and community center. The 11 program rooms include a professionally outfitted demonstration kitchen. Beginning in 2012 Hill Center will host a monthly series of master cooking classes with notable DC chefs, sommeliers, mixologists and the farmers who source their food. Format is flexible and fresh ideas are welcome (mini-series; spin offs, etc). The objective is fun, educational, and delicious. Target audience beginners to accomplished home cooks; children to adults.
The demonstration kitchen comfortably seats 12-14. State-of-the-art kitchen with 6-burner KitchenAid commercial gas cooktop and double built-in ovens; Electrolux Wearwashing dishwasher/dryer; overhead camera with multiple view points of cooktop that displays on a flatscreen for enhanced demonstration.
=
Paneer
