Today's National Apple Pie Day

Jeez, that's stupid. Who gives a ______? Oh, yeah. Apple growers.

Anyway, it's warm and the farmers markets are in full effect. Skip out and kiss an apple pie . . . donut, I mean. Dunkin Donut is giving away $50 large to folks who figure out what variety of apple they use in their sugar bombs today.

Is this what National Apple Pie Day is all about?
Really?

Photo courtesy of Skiptomylou.org

I'd wager not. And to prove it here's a link to a hot, steamy rustic apple pie recipe I found on Skip to My Lou. Okay maybe its really an Apple Crostata, but if you make it I am sooooo coming over to your house!

The recipe is adapted from Ina Garten - you know, the contessa. It's all five-starry over at the Food Network site. Cindy at Skip to My Lou eased it up a bit with purchased pie crust, but I wouldn't throw it out the kitchen for cutting corners. It just means you will be able to make it quicker so I can come over to taste it right after work. WhaddaPal!

For ingredients we're looking at:

• about 6 cups thinly sliced apples
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup granulated  sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup granulated or superfine sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Heat the oven to 450 degrees F (it's a bit chilly today anyway).
Peel,core, and slice the apples. Toss the slices with the first mixture. Cover the dough with the apples leaving a 2 inch border.

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and allspice in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Pour into a bowl and rub it with your fingers until it starts holding together. Sprinkle evenly on the apples. Gently fold the border over the apples to enclose the dough, pleating it to make a circle.
Bake the crostata for 20 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the apples are tender. Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

See? That was easy. Thanks Cindy! She's got a few more pics on the site to help you through. I swear I would make it myself but my kitchen doesn't have a sink right now. Or cabinet doors. Or a counter. Or running water.

What time is dessert?

National Junk Food Day - A Time for Celebration?

Seems just a might bit odd to celebrate the hot and greasy, the cold and cheesy, the fast and sugary. But why not? There's bound to be a food that, though pronounced junky - you just cannot resist. You know it . . . Own up!

While you're pondering your life of uber lipids, take a look at the semi-celebratory sites below:

ESPN Mike And Mike: National Junk Food Day video

3 Celebrities Who Should Celebrate National Junk Food Day from The Stir blog

OC's guide to you-know-what day

Pizza and ice cream - where you at????

My personal favorite:
Celebrate with 2300 calorie macaroni and cheese quesadilla

Father's Day At Clyde's Chevy Chase

I have to admit that when I received the email that the family was going to convene on Daddy's Day at Clyde's, my heart dropped a bit. I really wasn't up to a chain restaurant experience, hoping instead for a foray into a new culinary venue.

I was pleasantly surprised - while the service was a bit confusing (we got there at the end of brunch and our wait staff changed mid-meal - the food was very fresh and tasteful, not to mention reasonably priced. I am used to visiting Clyde's in Georgetown and Columbia - two diametrically opposed locations. I have never been over impressed with either. It's usually for a lunch with clients that demand American fare and I find myself with the same appetizers and a burger. Yawn.

Yesterday was different. While our starters did contain our obligatory fried calamari and oysters (some family members won't leave home without 'em!), we branched out a bit with the Sesame Crusted Tuna Tataki which was served with seaweed salad, pickled carrots and onions, cucumber, Sriracha sauce, and wasabi vinaigrette. Yum. The sushi grade tuna worked well with the pickled veggies and I found myself eating most of those as my husband and others devoured the tuna.

Although there were nine of us, we only ordered five different entrees:

• Maine Lobster (all the dad's ordered this for some reason) with French fries, cole slaw and the obligatory lemon butter,
  
• Crab Cakes with asparagus, roasted potatoes and mustard aioli,
  
• Smoked Baby Back Ribs
  
• Trout Parm - Parmesan crusted trout, green beans,roasted potatoes with a bit of hollandaise, and the Prix Fix special
  
• Grilled Rockfish with crab salad and guacomole, Shrimp cocktail and Blueberry Strawberry Crumble for dessert.
  

My sister-in-law could not believe the size of her Trout Parm, so she spread half of it around the table. It was very good with a fried parmesan taste. My stepdaughter and I ravaged my husband's lobster, but he didn't mind since he really liked the crab salad and grilled rockfish from my plate. The three shrimp in the cocktail were huge and more than enough to share with other diners. As you can see, we are really into the 'family style' sharing thing - no plate is safe. Unless it is my father-in-law. No one got a hold of his fried oysters. I loved my rockfish - it was so flavorful without being over seasoned. Nothing was overcooked and portions were more than enough. Dessert was okay. I was more than glad to share the Blueberry crumble. It really didn't leave an impression. However, the Sinful Chocolate cake my sister-in-law ordered was good but not overwhelming. All in all, it was a pleasant afternoon and I will certainly return when I'm in the area and just am not feeling a hot stove (hmmm, isn't that always?). Clyde's of Chevy Chase 5441 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Phone: 301.951.9600