What's for Lunch? New options "Hit the Streets" of Old Town...

An exciting new lunch option is coming to Old Town Alexandria! 

Bread & Chocolate "Hits the Streets!" 


Known throughout the DMV for their indulgently delicious brunch and exquisite European pastries, Bread & Chocolate is going mobile, bringing an exciting new menu to the Market Square near City Hall.

A new direction for the company, this concept is the brainchild of Operations Director, Andy Cook,  who gave his chefs leave to create "outside the box" and boy did they BRING IT!!


Chefs Tim Campian and Alex Jifar have indeed been busy creating 3 incredibly tasty sandwiches you won't want to miss: Carolina Pulled Pork with a tangy vinegar BBQ sauce, a Cholay Gobi featuring a spicy mix of chickpeas and roasted cauliflower, and a Curry Chicken with saffron rice, all served on fresh, hand made flat bread.


In order to spice things up a bit, they're also bringing UncleBrutha™ along for the ride! That's right, our Award Winning ALLSAUCE™ are the featured condiments on this amazing new menu.

As if that alone wasn't enough to "spice up" your midday meal options, I'm going to be there too and I'm bringing extra bottles of ALLSAUCE™ so you can pick up a set to stash in your bag or back in the office. 

So if you find yourself in Old Town in Alexandria, VA, come on out to the Market Square in the 300 block of King Street weekdays between 11-2. If you haven't done so yet, you may want to follow me on Twitter (@unclebrutha) so you can stay up on daily events, new menu items and upcoming specials. Of course, I'll be keeping you posted on Facebook as well.  Or, you can visit our website at www.unclebrutha.com. See you in OLD TOWN!

Slow cooked "Beefy" Brisket

Upon learning of recent findings regarding the health benefits of "Grass-Fed" beef, I was reminded of a favorite recipe for slow cooked brisket (using ALLSAUCE™ No.10) that I hadn't enjoyed in a while.  Tender, juicy and PACKED with flavor, the resulting tender morsels are perfect served over steaming brown rice. You can regulate the amount of No.10 according to your desired  heat level starting with a smaller amount for those with a slightly more "delicate" palate. Enjoy!

Slow n’ “Beefy” Brisket

INGREDIENTS 

1 3-5 lb. Grass-Fed Brisket
1 ½ cups Natural Beef Stock
1 cup Honey

1-4 oz ALLSAUCE™ No.10 (per desired heat level)

1 qt cherry or grape tomatoes (sliced)
1 red onion (cubed)

1 TBS red miso paste

1TBS Salt Free All-purpose seasoning
DIRECTIONS 

Place brisket in a slow cooker with sliced tomatoes and onions. Warm the stock in a small saucepan. Add honey, miso paste and ALLSAUCE No. 10, mix well then pour over the brisket. Sprinkle with all-purpose seasoning; cover, cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4.5 to 5 hours. Serve over steamed brown rice.

Neo Creole Soul..

My search for great recipes to go with our Mardi Gras feast brought to mind one of our favorites; Spicy Shrimp and Sausage over Creamy Cheese Grits, a contribution from our good friend "Chef Rock" Harper. Recognized as an "iconic" southern dish, Shrimp and Grits started out as a seasonal fisherman's dish also known as "breakfast shrimp." Chef Rock takes this southern classic to new heights with the addition of Andouille sausage, a blend of 3 cheeses and of course some UncleBrutha's™ ALLSAUCE™ No.10. 

Spicy Shrimp and Sausage
over Creamy Cheese Grits

The Creamy Cheese Grits
Ingredients:
1)   1 ½  cups Chicken Broth 
2)   2 cups water
3)   1 cup course stone-ground White Grits 4)   1 cup heavy Cream
5)   Salt and White Pepper to taste
6)   1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
7)   1 cup Mascarpone Cheese
Preparation:
1)   Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a heavy-bottomed stockpot or large saucepan.
2)   Slowly pour in the grits, stirring constantly.
3)   Reduce the heat to low and continue to stir so that the grits do not settle to the bottom and scorch.
4)   In about 5 minutes, the grits will plump up and become a thick mass.
5)   Continue to cook the grits for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring frequently.  The grits should have absorbed all the chicken stock and become soft.
6)   Stir in heavy cream and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  The grits should  have a thick consistency and be creamy like oatmeal.
7)   Stir in cheeses, mixing well
8)   Season to taste with salt and white pepper.
9)   Keep warm over low heat until ready to serve.
Note: If the grits become too thick, add warm chicken broth or water to thin them down.

The Tasso Gravy
Ingredients:
1)   4 tbs. Butter
2)   ½  cup sliced Tasso - cut in 1 inch strips
3)   ½  cup Flour
4)   4 cups Chicken Broth
5)   ¼ cup UncleBrutha’s™ ALLSAUCE™ No. 10
6)   2 tbs. finely chopped Parsley
7)   Salt and Pepper to taste
Preparation:
1)   Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat.  Add the Tasso.
2)   Saute for 1 minute, browning slightly.
3)   Make a roux by adding the flour and stirring until well combined.  Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes until the roux develops and nutty aroma.
4)   Turn the heat up to medium and gradually add 2 cups of the chicken broth, stirring vigorously.
5)   Keep stirring constantly until the broth begins to thicken and is smooth.
6)   Gradually add the remaining 2 cups of broth and UncleBrutha’s™ ALLSAUCE™ No. 10, stirring constantly until the broth thickens into gravy.
7)   Reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes to cook out the starch flavor.
8)   Add the parsley.
9)   Simmer for another 5 minutes.
10) Season to taste with salt and white pepper.


The Andouille Sausage and Shrimp
Ingredients:
1)   1lb Andouille Sausage, sliced or crumbled
2)   1lb large, raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
3)   1 clove garlic, minced
4)   2 TBS finely chopped shallots
Preparation:
1)   Heat sausage, garlic and shallots in a skillet over medium high heat for 3 to 5 minutes until sausage is browned
2)   Add the shrimp and saute until pink.
3)   Pour the finished tasso gravy into the shrimp skillet, reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes.


The Final Assembly
1)   Serve the hot andouille sausage and the shrimp over the cheese grits.
2)   Garnish with Reggiano Cheese 

"EVERYBODY is a Star" ~ Sylvester Stewart

Taking a break from the sauce for a minute, I thought I’d share a few comments on some current events that truly resonated with me. I spotted a post in the Facebook news feed recently with a caption that included the question: “why does overnight stardom have such a negative effect on people?” As I had just learned of Mr. Ted “Golden Voice” Williams’ entering into rehab, I paused for a moment to consider the question; even started to lean towards agreement with it. But as I considered the facts of his particular case I came to the realization that it’s just not that cut and dry. 

Ted Williams, admittedly, was homeless for a reason. His abuse of alcohol had led to drug addiction. Both cost him his job, family and personal relationships. So can the blame for his having to enter rehab be put on the overnight stardom? Personally, I don’t think so. The “problems” were already there. Perhaps we can say the overnight stardom triggered a relapse, or as the Slate.com article implies, they were never really gone in the first place. But maybe the sensationalized stardom is not really the thing that should be focused upon here.

While the ups and downs of overnight stardom can indeed be compelling subject matter, my hope is that people will take the time to look at another and in my opinion, more important issue here. Why did it take his “overnight stardom” to not only bring attention to Ted but also to his problems?  And now that he is one (a “star,”) why has that made such a difference in his getting access to the help he has needed for years in order to overcome his addictions?

Addictions of EVERY kind are real and the ways in which we deal with them are as varied as humanity its self. But once we have accepted that we have one along with a desire to break it, some can tackle doing so on there own while others may need a little help. We can sometimes get help in the form of social support but for some professional and/or medical support is the ONLY option and that my friends, falls under the heading of health care. Whoop, there it is!! The “H” word (or two words actually.) Some of you may get upset with me over what I am about to say but it is my hope that in doing so, an open and civil discourse may ensue.

For too long our health care system has been broken. But we’ve recently seen historic health care legislation signed into law. In saying that I’m not in any way trying to imply that the system has been fixed and what we have now is perfect.  But I would like to ask my friends out there advocating “repeal” of President Obama’s historic health care reform, how many examples of the Ted Williams’ in this country do or will we have to see before we realize that “repeal,” which to me equates to returning to what we had before, does nothing to make things better?

No, the new law is not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction. It’s a step towards seeing the millions of Ted Williams’ in this country getting the help they need without having to first become an overnight sensation or spectacle in order to get it. Let’s advocate for amendments; continue moving FORWARD until we do have a system that works for everybody. Let’s encourage our elected officials to drop the political posturing and get down to the business of legislating with the goal in mind of what’s best for the PEOPLE of this country. When it comes to health care, let’s put people first; leave the partisan politics for later.