Times are hard, and as such, I have been eating out a lot less, as I am sure a lot of you have, as well. Eating in is all well and good, but every once in awhile, it's nice to have someone else take care of the prep, cooking, and cleanup, isn't it? But when the bucks aren't rolling in like they used to, how do you justify such a frivolous expenditure? Looking for an excuse? Thanks to Food & Friends' 14th Annual 'Dining Out for Life,' you may indulge with a guilt free conscience, assured in the fact that your lapse in willpower is helpin' out some folks whose times are a good deal harder than your own.

For 20 years, Food & Friends has supported thousands of our neighbors living with cancer, AIDS, and other life-threatening illnesses, providing them with groceries, hot meals and nutritional counseling. Through the diligent work of some 6,500 staff and volunteers, Food & Friends prepares and delivers over 3,000 meals a days, disseminating them to 2,600 clients in DC and surrounding counties.

Food & Friends is the only group in our area providing these kind of services at no cost to their clients. As you might expect, this sort of thing doesn't come cheap -- and that's where you come in. Dining Out For Life is one of F&F's most popular fundraisers, and participating is a cinch! Simply dine out at one of the 150+ participating restaurants on Thursday, March 11th, and a percentage of your bill will be donated to the cause, anywhere between 25% and 110%! Just make sure you tell the host you are their for Food & Friends, and they'll take care of the rest.

A full list of participating restaurants is available here, a small selection of which are accepting reservations here on OpenTable. Take a look, find your favorites, note their contributions, and book your table now, as spaces are filling up fast!

Eliza and I did some volunteer work with Food & Friends this past Thanksgiving, and I can honestly say you are not likely to meet a more open and warm-hearted group of people, doing more honorable work. Please, treat yourself this Thursday, and help them keep the goodwill going.

Many of you may not know much about the YMCA outside of being a member of one the local YMCA gyms, but the YMCA is one of the worlds biggest community outreach, non-profit organizations that exist. They work with thousands of local schools, hospitals, and youth agencies to help local communities across the world.

The YMCA hosts an event every year called "Chocolates Galore and More." It is happening again this year for the 22nd time on February 19 from 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm at West Belmont Place at The National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Virginia. The event's proceeds support the YMCA’s Loudoun County’s Building Bridges annual giving campaign, which provides essential scholarships and much-needed funds to local Loudoun County families who turn to the YMCA for help. 

People who attend will indulge in luscious chocolates, exquisite desserts and mouth-watering hors d’oeuvres prepared by the area’s finest restaurants and caterers, sample a specially selected tasting of Tarara Wines and coffee from Central Coffee Roasters.All food prepared for the event will be judged in a competition by three guest judges: Melissa J. Harris, Publisher of Flavor Magazine; Bryan Voltaggio, chef and owner of VOLT Restaurant in Frederick, Md; and Josh Short, Executive Pastry Chef, Buzz Bakery in Alexandria, Va.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.ymcadc.org, or contact the YMCA Loudoun County at 703-777-9622. Ticket prices are $60 for general admission and $70 for reserved seating (of which $50.00 is tax deductible).

While this event isn't necessarily a "DC" event, I'm hoping that you will be willing to make the trip and help out our Virginia neighbors. 

Next week's game has all the makings of being the best Super Bowl since 2002. Both the Saints and Colts have great story lines and last weekend's championship games point to a fantastic match up in the works. (With all the connections to Louisiana, a pot of gumbo and a case of Abita wouldn't be a bad call.)

So what better time to restart the old grilling column? I've been a bit busy lately with beer bar profiles, homebrewing and expanding the family. As a result, I haven't cranked out a grilling column since Oktoberfest. Shameful, I know. But I'm sure everyone has been dutifully grilling throughout the college and NFL seasons, right? Right??

If not, it's time. This is the Super Bowl, people, so let's get back on the horse. And what better way to get back on the horse than with chicken? (That made a whole lot more sense when I wrote it.)

As we all know, chicken wings have become the official food of football. The people who argue that pizza or nachos are the preeminent game food are the same people who argue that baseball is still America's pastime. Ignore these people.

The beauty of grilling chicken wings this time of year is you don't need to spend that much time outside with them. Toss them on, glaze the hot wings a couple times when they're nearly done, and pull 'em off. That's it. I'm a proponent of year-round grilling, but I hate spending time outside during the winter. (Well, winter up here. If I were writing this post back home in Tampa, I'd be outside in shorts. Your winters suck.)

For this post, I did the wings two ways: buffalo style, or hot wings, and jerk. For the jerk, you marinate the wings over night. For the hot wings, you glaze them on the grill and prepare a blue cheese sauce while they cook (but it'll be better if you make it the night before). Most importantly, this is all stuff you can do while drinking beer. I know, I did.

So skip the bars, buy a couple packages of chicken wings and make sure you have propane in the tank (or charcoal in the bag). This is the Super Bowl, so it's time to do it right. And the only way to do it right is to do it on the grill.

(This is the point I usually make a beer recommendation. Not this time. As I mentioned, I've been homebrewing, so I'll be drinking my own during the big game. I will say this: with all the pre-game analysis, festivities and what not, and then the game, Super Bowl Sunday is a marathon, not a sprint. While I'd love to spend the day sucking down Hopslam, the 10 percent beer would lay me out before kickoff. So shoot for something a little lighter, like Oskar Blues' Mama's Little Yella Pils, Abita's Turbodog, or Clipper City's MarzHon. All three are great beers that will treat you right all day long.)

Grilled Jerk and Hot Wings
(makes a lot of wings)

Hot Wings

20-25 whole chicken wings (I don't separate the drummette and the wingette. Life's short, give everyone a whole wing.)
1 large 10 oz. bottle of hot sauce (I buy something cheap and relatively mild. In this case, I used Tapatio.)
3 tbs. honey
1/2 stick of butter (room temperature)
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable oil

Blue cheese sauce

1 pint of Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of soft, crumbled blue cheese
2 tsp. of garlic powder
2 tsp. of onion powder
1/4 oz. of lemon juice
1 tbs finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Jerk Wings

20-25 whole chicken wings
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup of green onions
1 tsp. thyme (dried or fresh)
2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbl. crushed red peppers
2 Serrano or jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. soy sauce
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
Several dashes of Tabasco

The night before, marinate the jerk wings and put the blue cheese sauce together (I know I said you could do that while the chicken cooks on the grill, but the sauce will be better if it has a night to come together.). For the jerk wings, combine all the ingredients except the chicken (if I didn't point that out, someone would have) in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients form a very loose paste. Spoon the ingredients onto the chicken wings -- making sure to coat them thoroughly -- cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the blue cheese sauce, add all the ingredients except the chives into the Greek yogurt, taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Cover and refrigerate. Scatter the chives on top before you serve.

An hour before you're ready to grill, remove all the chicken from the refrigerator, as well as the butter. Brush the chicken you're using for hot wings with a light coat of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Whether you're using a gas or charcoal grill, set it up for indirect cooking (charcoal: hot spot on one side, cool on another; gas grill: two outer burners on, two inner burners off). When the grill is hot, put all the chicken on and close the cover. Grill the chicken for 30 minutes. Open the lid and flip the chicken. Also, swap the pieces of chicken that are farthest from the heat with the pieces closest to the heat. Close the cover and keep grilling for another 30 minutes.

During this last half hour put the wing sauce together. In a sauce pot, combine the hot sauce, butter and honey. Simmer over medium heat until the ingredients coalesce. After the wings have been on the grill about an hour, start brushing the sauce on the chicken.Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Add another coat of the wing sauce and grill for another five minutes.

Pull all the wings off the grill, get the blue cheese sauce out of the fridge and go watch that game.

Better late than never...I guess.

For those of you that wait for us to post this every DC Restaurant Week, I'm sorry for getting this up so late. You'll find later that the full list, but first, here is a list of restaurants I think you should try for DC Restaurant Week if you have not already. 

1. Dino - Dino is always a good choice for restaurant week. Especially if you can go on one of the wine madness days during Monday through Wednesday. They are offering the deal all month, so take your time.
2. Willow - Willow really makes it worth the trip during DC Restaurant Week. They always have excellent service and the food is wonderful. There is still plenty of availability next week and the week after.
3. Firefly - Firefly is offering a good portion of their menu and is another restaurant that makes it really worth the trip.
4. Tallulah - I went to Tallulah and had a really nice meal. I think it's worth everyone checking it out.
5. PassionFish - For those of you in Reston, I eat here for lunch pretty often and it's always very good.

Here are the Restaurants that are extending restaurant week.

1789 - January 11th through the 31st
2941 - January 11th through January 29th
Art and Soul - January 11th through January 24th
Bastille - January 11th through January 23rd
Bangkok Joe's - January 11th through January 31st
Chima Brazilian Steakhouse - January 11th through January 21st
Circle Bistro - January 11th through January 24th
Co Co. Sala - January 11th through January 20th
Darlington House - January 11th through January 24th
Kinkead's - January 11th through January 22nd
Kora - January 4th through January 31st
Nage - January 11th through January 24th
Notti Bianche - January 11th through January 24th
Oyamel -January 11th through January 24th
Policy - January 11th through January 24th
Jaleo - January 11th through January 24th
Cafe Atlantico - January 11th through January 24th
Perry's - January 11th through January 31st
Redwood - January 11th through January 24th
Restaurant 3 - January 11th through January 24th
Spezie - January 11th through January 23rd
Tuscana West - January 11th 
Willow - January 11th through January 23rd
Zaytinya - January 11th through January 24th
Zengo - January 11th through January 24th
Zola - January 11th through January 24th

And finally, here is the fill list of DC Restaurant Week Menus

15 RIA - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menus

1789 Restaurant - Dinner Only
Extending their DC Restaurant Week offering until January 31. There are two menu options, one for $35 and one for $50, which kind of defeats the purpose of Restaurant Week, but I'll let you make the call on that.

2941 Restaurant - Lunch only
Extending DC Restaurant Week until January 29th.
Apps
ENDIVE SALAD - Bartlett pear, Fourme d’ ambert blue cheese, truffle vinaigrette
or
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP - apple cider gelée, spiced apple compote
or
SALMON TARTAR - cucumber carpaccio, yuzu aioli, wonton cracker

Entrees
GRILLED ESCOLAR - pomme rosti, citrus beurre blanc, steelhead caviar
or
BURRATA CHEESE RAVIOLI - fricassée of mushroom
or
ROASTED DUCK BREAST - quinoa-farro risotto, Swiss chard, blood orange marmalade

Desserts
GUAYAQUIL CHOCOLATE CAKE - blood orange segments, crunchy praline rice, earl grey tea, ice cream
or
MEYER LEMON POUND CAKE - lavender syrup, ricotta cheese mousse, poppy seed shortbread

701 Restaurant - Lunch and Dinner
Check their web site under "Events" then click on "Restaurant Week".

Acadiana Restaurant - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner menu

Adour at St. Regis Hotel - Dinner Only
Dinner Menu

Againn DC - Lunch and Dinner
LUNCH MENU
Apps
Curried Cauliflower Soup  
or  
Beetroot Salad

Entrees
House Made Corned Beef Sandwich 
Or 
Loch Duart Salmon with French green lentils, braised greens

Dessert 
Sticky Toffee Pudding  
or
Brown Bread Ice Cream 

DINNER MENU
Apps
Celery Root Soup  
or  
Beetroot Salad

Entrees
Loch Duart Salmon with French green lentils, braised greens 
Or 
Tamworth Pork Belly with Anson Mill’s white grits, mustard greens, smoked tomato broth

Desserts
Sticky Toffee Pudding  
or  
Brown Bread Ice Cream

Art and Soul - Lunch and Dinner
Extending DC Restaurant Week an extra week until January 24th.
Lunch and Dinner menus for DC Restaurant Week are here.

Bangkok Joe's - Lunch and Dinner
Extending DC Restaurant Week to January 31st.
 Lunch and Dinner menus are on their web site.

Bibiana - Lunch and Dinner
Seems like their DC Restaurant Week menus will be here but are not posted yet.

Bistro Bis - Lunch and Dinner
Bistro Bis is offering their full menu for Restaurant Week. See their web site for their current menu.

Bistro Lepic - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Bombay Club - Lunch and Dinner
Menu is on their web site. Click on "events" and then "Restaurant Week".

Bourbon Steak - Lunch Only
Lunch Menu

B. Smiths - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner menu

Café Atlantico - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Cafe Du Parc - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Café Promenade - Lunch and Dinner
Menus will be posted here.

Café Soleil - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menu

The Caucus Room - Lunch and Dinner
Menus will be posted on their web site. See if you can find it in the mess of flash...

Cedar Restaurant - Dinner Only
Their Restaurant Week menu will be found here when it is ready.

Ceiba - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menus

Charlie Palmer Steak - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menu

Chef Geoff's Downtown, New Mexico Ave, and Tysons Locations - Lunch and Dinner
Offering their full menu according to their web site. 

Chima Brazilian Steakhouse - Lunch and Dinner
Offered their full salad bar and meat options until January 21st for DC Restaurant Week.

Circle Bistro - Lunch and Dinner
Extending DC Restaurant Week and additional week and offering their full regular menu.

Co Co. Sala - Lunch and Dinner
Co Co. Sala is extending DC Restaurant Week until January 20th.
Lunch and Dinner menus

Coeur de Lion - Lunch and Dinner
Menus should be available on their web site

Darlington House - Lunch and Dinner
Extending Restaurant Week until Jan 24th.
Lunch and Dinner menus.

DC Coast - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menu

Dino - Dinner Only
Offering Restaurant Week the entire month of January!  Full menu will be available with some upcharges and includes a splash of moscato, grappa, limonsardo or house infused -cello 

They will also be offering Wine Madness as well so wines $50 and over are 33% off. During the official Restaurant Week, January 11 thru 17, they will not be offering free corkage (normally Monday through Wednesday) or Menu della Sera. For more details, look here.

Dish + Drinks - Lunch and Dinner
Dish is offering their full regular menu and is extending DC Restaurant Week until January 24th.

District Chophouse - Lunch and Dinner
Menus were posted to their web site last restaurant week. Keep an eye out. 

Farmers and Fishers - Lunch and Dinner
Guests that come to Farmers & Fishers for Restaurant Week in parties of 2 or more receive a free 3-cheese Farmhouse pizza on the house as a starter course in addition to the normal 2 or 3 courses for lunch and dinner.
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Filomena - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menus

Firefly - Lunch and Dinner
Menus for Lunch, Dinner, and Brunch are on their web site.

Fire and Sage - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Georgia Browns - Dinner Only
Menu for dinner is posted on their web site here.

Geranio - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Hook - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Hudson Restaurant - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu 

I Ricchi - Lunch and Dinner
Details on their DC Restaurant Week offering are here.

Jackson 20 - Lunch and Dinner
Dinner menu

Jaleo - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

KAZ Sushi Bistro - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and dinner menus are available here on their web site.

Kellari Taverna - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Kemble Park Tavern - Dinner Only
Dinner Menu

Kinkeads - Lunch Only
Extending through January 22nd
Lunch menu is on their web site under menus and "Promotional Menu"

Kora - Lunch and Dinner
Offering Restaurant Week the entire month of January. If your entire table orders off the Restaurant Week menu, all bottles of wine you order are half price.

La Chaumiere - Lunch Only
Lunch Menu

Le Chat Noir - Dinner Only
Offering their full menu. See their current dinner menu on their web site

Lia's - Lunch and Dinner
Lia's full menu will be available. For more details, click here.

Logan Tavern - Lunch and Dinner
Offering their full menu for lunch and dinner for the entire month of January. Dinner includes a glass of wine. See full details on their web site.

Marrakesh Palace - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner menu.

Mie N Yu - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch/Brunch Menus
Dinner Menu

The Monocle on Capitol Hill - Dinner Only
Dinner Menu

Nage Restaurant - Lunch and Dinner
Extending Restaurant Week and additional week. Lunch and Dinner menus are on their web site.

New Heights Restaurant - Dinner Only
Dinner menu is posted on their web site

Neyla - Dinner Only
Dinner menu is posted on their web site

Notti Bianche - Lunch and Dinner
Extending DC Restaurant Week through January 24th and offering their full menu.

The Oval Room - Lunch and Dinner
Menu is posted on their web site  - click "Events" and then "Restaurant Week Winter '10"

Oya - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Oyamel - Lunch and Dinner
Extending Restaurant Week until January 24th. 
Lunch Menu 
Dinner Menu

PassionFish - Lunch and Dinner
Menus are posted on their web site

Perrys Restaurant - Dinner Only
Extending Restaurant Week until January 31st - Menu is posted on their web site.

Petit Plats - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner menu are here.

Policy - Dinner Only
Policy is allowing guests to choose any 3 entrees from their regular menu as well as a dessert.
Their current menu is here.

Poste - Lunch, Brunch, and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Brunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Potenza - Lunch and Dinner
Offering their full menu, check out their latest menu on their web site.

The Prime Rib - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menus are on their web site

Rasika - Lunch and Dinner
Menus are on their web site - go there at your own risk.

Restaurant 3 - Lunch and Dinner
Extending Restaurant Week until January 24th
Lunch Menu 
Dinner Menu 

Ris - Lunch and Dinner
Menus are now on their web site.

Sou'Wester - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Spezie - Lunch and Dinner
We have no details on the menus, but we know that Spezie is extending Restaurant Week until January 30th.

Taberna del Alabardero - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner menu

Tallulah - Dinner Only
Tallulah is quite enjoyable since Barry Koslow took over the kitchen. They are offering their full menu for Restaurant Week. Click here for their current menus.

Teatro Goldoni - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

TenPenh - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch and Dinner Menus are on their web site.

Tuscana West - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Vermilion - Lunch, Brunch, and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu
Brunch Menu

Vidalia - Lunch and Dinner
Unlike previous years,Vidalia is not offering their full menu according to their web site.

Vinifera - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch Menu
Dinner Menu

Volt  - Bwah??
Good luck getting a reservation...there months from now, let alone next week.

Willow - Lunch and Dinner
Willow is extending Restaurant Week for an extra week until January 23rd. Their menu is on their web site. Willow is a personal favorite of mine.

Zaytinya - Lunch and Dinner
Extending until January 24th.
Lunch
Dinner

Zola - Lunch and Dinner
Offering their full menu for DC Restaurant Week.

Zengo - Lunch and Dinner
Lunch - Offering the Zengo Bento Box plus dessert
Dinner - Guests will have a choice of 3 items off of our Latin-Asian dinner Menu: choice of any one Ceviche/Tiradito/Sushi Roll/Antojito & Dim Sum/Soup & Salad, choice of any one Large Plate, choice of any one Dessert

It's that time of year again, folks! DC Winter Restaurant Week has been announced for January 11th - 17th. Almost 200 area restaurants are participating this winter, offering a three-course dinner for $35.10, or a three-course lunch for just $20.10. RW offers a great opportunity for local residents to explore places they've never been, and to taste the best the city has to offer for a fraction of the price. As always, DCFoodies will be offering up this season's menus as we receive them -- but don't wait! A lot of restaurants play it close to the chest, not releasing their special menu until days before the event, when most of the better tables are already booked. Here's a few tips for booking early:

1) Avoid places that already offer special pre-theatre menus, and the like. You can experience these places on the cheap anytime, sometimes at a better price than the RW offering. Of course, a lot of these places have been known to throw a free glass of wine into the deal...

2) Go for the big and pricey! Hey, when is the next time you are gonna get a meal at Ruth's Chris for less than $40? Look for the $$$s and $$$$s on OpenTable and go for broke, though bear in mind, those ones book up fast.

3) Some restaurants put more into Restaurant Week than others. Some offer a bare-bones selection, hardly indicative of what they really can do. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a few offer the entire menu, giving diners the option of tasting everything the chef has to offer. Though one can never be sure ahead of time, take a look at last year's menus, as they should give you a good idea as to who goes all out for the occasion.

4) Many places extend the Restaurant Week pricing for additional month or two. If your time is short and you wanna cram a lot in, again, take a look at last year's menus, and hold off booking those places that extended the deal, as they are more likely to do so this year as well.

5) Though it may be tempting to pick the trendy new spots on this year's list, consider giving it a pass. Restaurants have enough troubles within their first six months without taking Restaurant Week into consideration -- those that take it on too quick often prove unfit for the task, with lackluster service and questionable food being the end result. Give it some time, and stick to the tried and true -- if they are any good, the new guys will be around for this summer's Restaurant Week.

For a full list of participating restaurants, please visit the official website here. Stay tuned, as we will be rolling out the menus as soon as they become available.

As part of an ongoing effort to alert you, the readers of DC Foodies, to all of the really cool food-related events, classes and opportunities throughout the Washington Metropolitan area, we give you this week's edition of the Foodie To-Do List.

Each Wednesday, we give you a heads-up on a few of the upcoming events that we think look particularly interesting.  This week, we've got:

Trevor Corson Presents All Things Sushi at CulinAerie:

What: 
Spend your Saturday night learning all the right moves for your next sushi outing.  Trevor Corson, who has literally written the book on sushi, will be on hand to talk about everything from seat selection and omakase to beverage pairings and sushi-making.  Participants will even get to roll and eat their own sushi during the class.

When: 
Saturday, October 17th
6:30 PM

Where: 
CulinAerie
1131 14th Street NW
Washington, DC

Why: 
Trevor Corson knows more about sushi - from its historic roots up through the most recent developments involving the global population of bluefin tuna - than just about anyone else outside of Japan.  After three hours with him, you'll know everything you need to turn your average sushi experience into a Komi-like parade of delectable dishes.  As if that weren't enough, you'll go home with a signed copy of his book, The Story of Sushi.

Cost:
$145 per person.  Sign up via CulinAerie's website (registration required) or call (888) 789-COOK (2665) for more details.

Willow Creek Farm's Third Annual Fall Festival:

What:
Family-friendly fun that's actually friendly to the whole family can be tough to come by.  The folks at the Clyde's restaurant group are putting on their annual weekend of music, food and farm animals (a petting zoo) out at their Willow Creek Farm.  30 minutes from the city, this place is a far cry from Old Ebbitt Grill or your local Clyde's outpost - in addition to being a restaurant, it's a real working farm whose produce travels from farm to table in a matter of minutes.

When: 
Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25
Noon to 5PM

Where:
Clyde's of Willow Creek Farm
42920 Broadlands Boulevard
Broadlands, VA

Why: 
In Washington, the Clyde's Group is best known for shellfish and classic American fare.  But Willow Creek Farm puts a different face on the group, and this weekend represents a great way to experience it for yourself.  Enjoy the live music and everything Clyde's has on offer for the weekend - it's a great getaway just a short drive outside the city.

Cost:
Admission is free and open to the public.  Food is available for sale, with prices ranging from $3 to $5 per item.

"Modern Gentlemen" with Jason Tesauro, a Four-Part Series of Classes at the Morrison House:

What:
Do you know how to carve a turkey?  How to enjoy a good cigar?  Fine, hotshot - how about how to open a bottle of sparkling wine with a saber?  Author Jason Tesauro is leading Washingtonians on a four-part journey covering these and other topics in an effort to help them become true "Modern Gentlemen."  Each two-hour class will cover a different subject area: Sticks & Stones (cigars & whiskey), Brews & Birds (craft beers & carving), Corks & Forks (wine & food), Fizz & Flasks (cocktails).

When: 
Wednesdays - October 28, November 18, December 16, January 27
7:00 PM

Where:
Morrison House
116 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA

Why:
This isn't your typical "how to impress ladies" or "style for dummies" type class.  Tesauro will walk participants through his subject matter in a way that highlights the whys and hows.  Ideally, men will leave each class eager to put their new knowledge into practice - becoming true Modern Gentlemen along the way.  And knowing how to knock the top off a bottle of champagne with a sword isn't too shabby, either.

Cost: 
Classes are $80 each, but anyone who signs up for all four receives a complimentary dinner and a night's stay at the Morrison House "to show off their newfound skills."

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If you would like your events posted here, please email help@dcfoodies.com with the event info.

Each Wednesday, we give you a heads-up on a few of the upcoming events that we think look particularly interesting.  This week, we've got:

#SOSFood, Share Our Strength's Twitter-Based Food Chat:

What: 
Share Our Strength is constantly coming up with new ways to engage people on issues of childhood hunger within our country.  Tonight, they're hosting a virtual chat "joining together food lovers and food bloggers to talk about food, culinary trends and how to be a successful blogger."  It's a great way to interact with some folks who share your love of food.

When: 
Tonight, 9-11 PM

Where: 
Twitter - follow along using hash tag #SOSFood

Why: 
This is Share Our Strength's 2nd monthly Twitter chat, and this time around they're featuring two DC-based panelists: our own Jason Storch and author Monica Bhide (who also writes A Life of Spice).  As if that weren't reason enough, they're promising gift baskets full of yummy items will be given away to random participants during the chat.

Cost:
Free - but if you don't have a Twitter account yet you won't be able to actively participate.  Go sign up for one now so you can join in the chat (and win prizes!).

DC Food Blogger Happy Hour at CommonWealth Next Wednesday:

What:
Last month, close to 60 bloggers showed up for drinks on the patio at Poste Brasserie to celebrate the inaugural DC Food Blogger Happy Hour.  The general consensus was that these should be regular things, so they'll be taking place the First Wednesday of every month from now on.  Next Wednesday we'll be gathering at CommonWealth Gastropub in Columbia Heights.

When: 
Wednesday, October 7th
6 - 8 PM (Happy Hour specials until 7)

Where:
CommonWealth Gastropub
1400 Irving Street, NW
Washington, DC

Why:
Getting frustrated at your friends' lack of enthusiasm about that AMAZING meal you had last week?  Eager to dish about restaurant gossip without having people look at you funny?  So were we!  Thus was born the DC Food Blogger Happy Hour, and this time we wanted to hold it in a location that offered some quality beer options to go with the food.

Cost: 
That's entirely up to you - but just try to say no to those delicious Scotch eggs and an Imperial pint or two to wash them down.  Show up before 7 to enjoy some decent Happy Hour specials.

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