Heard around the DC Foodie blogosphere this week...Let's start with saying "hello" to a few local food bloggers that I discovered this week. Read about everything from dals to daubes at Post- Collegiate Cooking A Deux (Daily dinners with a little bit of early 20s existential ruminations thrown in.) This duo bonds over cooking, and share a penchant for our farmers markets.

Next, Two Novice Chefs, One Tiny Kitchen features a married couple whose love for each other grows along with their love of cooking and baking. Tyler enjoys experimenting with ethnic food, and Julia is a budding baker. Be sure to check out their blogging from their tiny apartment kitchen. Warning: put a drool cloth over your keyboard before you peruse the photos!

Deglazed follows the life and cooking of a former web designer turned professional chef. Chef Matt's story is truly inspirational, as he followed passion, not money, and took on the challenging and often harmful career of a chef eager to learn, create, and be inspired.

On to print media-today's Washington Post Metro section has an article about distribution of Virginia wine. It tells about the experience of Lew Parker, owner of Willowcroft Farm Vineyards in Loudon County. Hailed as Virginia's new agricultural economy, vineyard owners hope to see more profits from a state-subsidized distribution company (Virginia Winery Distribution) designed to help small wine makers like Parker.

In Wednesday's Washington Post Food section, area chefs dish about the rising cost of food, and the lowering average of customer bills. Chef and owner of Cashion's Eat Place, John Manolatos, estimates that the average check has decreased from $65 to $50 a person in the past year. Chef R.J. Cooper (Vidalia) has a new expression, "Watch for waste". From chive tips to leftover butter buns, nothing goes unused.

In the chatosphere, I got a good laugh this week while reading Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema's Wednesday chat. One chatter wrote in about a mixed up check received at the end of a meal. It turns out that the chatter got a lower bill, and mentioned it to the manager. The manager fixed the problem and gave the chatter the correct, and higher bill for the food that was ordered and eaten. The chatter, not satisfied that the right thing was done and karma points scored, thought that perhaps their "good deed" should have been rewarded, with say-a discount.

The punch line? Another chatter quickly responded (paraphrasing) "Should a bank give me ten bucks if I go by and decide not to rob it?" Ah, sanity. I love it.

Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week. Don't forget to tip your servers.