Chef Todd Gray and Dame Ellen Kassoff, our hosts with the compost, will share their sustainability journey and pass along valuable tips on how you can start composting and save money by rescuing valuable ingredients you’re probably tossing. Wasting food wastes all kinds of resources and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. By embracing seed-to-stem cooking and diverting food waste into compost, we can help reduce methane emissions and produce an invaluable resource — often referred to as “black gold” — for growing food and maintaining healthy soil.
The afternoon will begin with a tour of Equinox’s composting system, followed by a cooking demo with Chef Todd where you’ll get to taste some surprisingly scrappy snacks. We’ll toast to compost with cocktails and mocktails made with ingredients that often go to waste, and end with insights from a panel of sustainability experts: Caroline Howe, Aspire Program Coordinator, Innovation & Equitable Development, DC Department of Small & Local Business Development Jeffrey Neal, Founder & CEO, Loop Closing Lela Singh, Retail and Social Media Manager, Teaism Tea Shop During the event, you’ll have the opportunity to bid on sustainable lifestyle items at the silent auction and raffle. Proceeds of the auction and raffle will fund the Les Dames DC Chapter’s grants and scholarships program in support of the advancement of women in the food, beverage, and hospitality industries. Metro accessible via Farragut West and Farragut North stations. Cost: $35 for members and non-members and includes passed bites and one drink. Tickets must be purchased in advance, click here to buy your tickets.
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There’s always something new in social media and the food blogging world. This is your chance to learn from three successful bloggers/influencers how to maximize your brand, business or blog in the ever-changing online business world. Our panel includes Dame Anina Belle Giannini of Le Chef’s Wife, Britney Brown-Chamberlain of “Britney Breaks Bread” and Shani Whisonant of “Begin with Butter.” The panel will be moderated by Dame Bonnie Benwick.
Cost is $25 for members, $35 for non-members, and includes appetizers, soft drinks and wine donated by RATIONAL USA, courtesy of Dame Cindy Selby. Dame Kim Bryden has donated use of her office space for the event. Street parking is available. There is also 90 minutes free parking with purchase at the Whole Foods at 600 H St., NE. Click here to register! A portion of the proceeds will go to support Les Dames d'Escoffier DC Regional Chapter’s fundraising for grants, mentoring, scholarship and education programs to help support women to succeed in culinary-related industries. Join us for a sommelier-led wine flight and canapes reception followed by a conversation with Dana Cowin, former Food & Wine editor in chief, conducted by Anna Spiegel, Washingtonian food editor. This event celebrates Cowin’s just-launched zine Broadly Speaking based on her popular podcast, which highlights “the generosity of women and awe of the whole human experience, bringing together in one place everything from heartbreak and humor to recipes and empowerment." Ticket Cost: $85 per person (Members of the Public) $75 per person (DC Dames Only) Tickets include a complimentary issue of Broadly Speaking Valet parking for $15 at Bourbon Steak is available to everyone who attends this event. A portion of the proceeds will go to support Les Dames d'Escoffier DC Regional Chapter’s fundraising for grants, mentoring, scholarship and education programs and operations to help support women to succeed in culinary-related industries. Advance registration required. f Dana Cowin is a tastemaker and innovator in media, food and branding. Her work spans advising creatives, founders and non-profits and creating editorial content through podcasts, social, video, zines and books. With more than twenty years’ experience as the Editor in Chief of Food & Wine magazine, Cowin has curated collections of extraordinary food, bringing attention to the remarkable women behind the products. An award-winning influencer in the food world, she is a sought-after speaker on topics from trendspotting to lifestyle and motivation, entrepreneurship and of course, good food! She is host of Speaking Broadly, a podcast that features visionary women at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and food.
Anna Spiegel is a Food Editor at Washingtonian magazine. She has spent over a decade covering Washington’s dynamic dining and drinking scene for the monthly print publication and online—reviewing restaurants, writing features, and covering a variety of culinary happenings. Prior to joining Washingtonian, Anna earned a degree from the French Culinary Institute in New York and an MFA degree from Columbia University, often splitting time between professional cooking and jobs in journalism.
WHEN: Sunday September 11th, 2022 TIME: Arrive by 9:15 am. Foragers will leave at 9:30 am and return by noon WHERE: Carderock Recreation Area, Potomac, Maryland (off the Clara Barton Parkway) PARKING: Meet at this parking lot: https://goo.gl/maps/2EGbXKJMopNoEMbh8 WHAT TO WEAR/WHAT TO BRING: Long pants & long sleeves (optional but helps to avoid contact with poison ivy), hat, hiking boots or sturdy shoes, walking stick (there will likely be some tricky footing in spots), drinking water, a snack, collection bags & backpack to stash finds, and bug repellent WHO: Dames members and friends. Dames may bring a friend to join them COST: $36 members /$37 non-members TICKETS: Click here to buy your tickets! Tickets must be purchased in advance. EVENT DETAILS: Get ready to join your fellow Dames for a seasonal foraging walk with Matt Cohen, founder of Matt’s Habitats. On our September hunt, Matt will introduce us to delicious American Paw Paws; we’ll learn where to find them, when to pick them and how to use them. Along the trails will be other wild edible plants; perhaps wild grapes, spicebush berries, garlic mustard, black walnuts, wild ginger, and possibly mushrooms. Matt will introduce them all, as well as discuss culinary ideas, preparation techniques and seasonal foraging. Meet-up directions and reminder will be emailed before the event. This foraging event is limited to 20 participants. If you are bringing a guest, please be sure to purchase their ticket at the same time you purchase yours. If the event is sold out, we will schedule a second foraging walk. A waitlist has been set up for this purpose as part of on-line registration. Paw Paw - Asimina triloba- Our largest local native fruit, paw paws are the only species in the Custard Apple family found in the United States. Several tropical fruits such as soursop and cherimoya are close relatives. In April, paw paw trees produce showy red flowers with a fetid odor attracting pollinating blowflies and other carrion-feeding insects. The large, strongly-scented leaves are the exclusive food source for the native zebra swallowtail caterpillar. The trees are found generally in the understory of forests, thriving in bottomland habitats such as along the Potomac River. Also known as the West Virginia Mango or Hillbilly Banana, the fruits taste like a custardy combination of the two. Eat them straight from the tree or scoop out the pulp to make puddings, ice cream, bread, pancakes, and more. Matt Cohen started Matt's Habitats in 2003, specializing in sustainable gardening practices with an emphasis on native plants, wildlife habitats, and edible gardens. In 2009 he began to lead walks throughout the year on wild edibles and plant/mushroom identification, and he continually exercises his knowledge of the natural world through conferences, personal study, and lots of time outdoors. The headquarters of Matt's Habitats is a 120-year-old farmhouse in Silver Spring. Rooftop solar panels generate most of the electricity, and vegetable and fruit gardens generate a lot of produce. His 1/4 acre yard also serves as a test plot for many of the native plants that he uses in his clients' yards. Matt donates 10% of his net profit to environmental and humanitarian NGOs including Anacostia Watershed Society, Casa of Maryland, and the Capital Food Bank. He currently serves on the board of the Mycological Association of Washington, DC. ![]() A Dames (and friends) event Tickets: Click here to buy your tickets! Do you know where your food comes from? Who produces, processes, and prepares it, and in what conditions? Why is fresh food available in some communities and not others? And who—if anyone—is responsible for ensuring that everyone has access? With every bite of food we eat, we have an opportunity to help remake an unjust and unequal food system. Food for the People explores these questions by looking at the greater Washington, D.C. area’s food system and the inequalities that shape it. Join us at the Anacostia Community Museum as we take a deep dive into the food issues of the nation’s capital—past and present. This indoor and outdoor exhibition features artifacts, art installations, videos, and hands-on interactives. We will have a guide to take us on a special Les Dames Escoffier Washington DC Regional Chapter tour. The details: When: Saturday, September 10, 2022, at 2 pm Where: Anacostia Community Museum 1901 Fort Place SE, Washington, DC 20020 Who: Registration is open to Dames and one guest Cost: $10 per person. FREE parking on-site. Space is limited to the first 20 guests. Dames and guests only please. You don't want to miss this! On Sunday, February 20 as New Orleans natives, Simone Rathle and Chef David Guas take you on a MARDI GRAS culinary (and cocktail!) journey. Chef Guas, the award-winning founder of Bayou Bakery, will create a favorite Mardi Gras dish – New Orleans Style Shrimp & Grits. Those who sign up will get the recipe in advance so that you may cook along with Chef Guas (and have that delicious recipe for dinner that night.) To whet your Louisiana whistle, Simone will craft a cocktail so that you may toast the Mardi Gras celebration as though you were right there on Bourbon Street. And… there will likely be King Cake involved. Sunday, February 20 at 6 pm. REGISTRATION REQUIRED IN ADVANCE TO OBTAIN ZOOM LINK. Click here to register. Please sign up by Saturday, Feb 19 so that we may forward the recipes to you. Take a culinary journey of Our Luscious Planet hosted by the Washington, D.C. Chapter of Les Dames d’ Escoffier. We’ll travel via Zoom each Wednesday in June to a new corner of our globe, unlocking the mysteries of exotic ingredients and novel cooking techniques. Led by five celebrated chefs, renowned cookbook authors and expert culinary instructors, guests will be whisked away on a virtual tour, complete with in-depth cooking demonstrations and expert wine or bespoke cocktail pairings from a member sommelier or mixologist. These demonstration classes offer a chance for you to sit back, take notes and ask questions in real time as you watch a pro at work. Recipes will be sent to you before each session. Get your tickets early--don’t let the journey begin without you! MAKE A DONATION! FOR EVERY $5 DOLLARS YOU DONATE YOU WILL RECEIVE A GIFT OF A RAFFLE TICKET. AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION PROCESS, YOU CAN DESIGNATE THE RAFFLE BOX THAT INTERESTS YOU. THERE WILL BE FIVE RAFFLES, ONE FOR EACH SESSION. Each virtual excursion will feature a hand-selected gourmet gift box of native spices and sundries to be raffled off. Thank you raffle tickets will be available for metropolitan DC/MD/VA area residents. The winning raffle ticket will be drawn at the conclusion of each workshop and the winning ticket holder will be notified by email. Check out photos of the raffle boxes below! Proceeds from Our Luscious Planet will benefit our fundraiser partner, Thrive DC, as well as Les Dames DC's grants and scholarships programs for women in the culinary arts. Thrive DC's meal program and re-entry program meets the needs of vulnerable women in the District of Columbia. There couldn’t be a more worthy organization for us to support. Click here to buy your tickets! GREECE June 2, Maria Kopsidas, Owner of Cookology Cooking School All Things Phyllo, Learn the Ancient Art of Creating Phyllo Dough Pastries (Lacto-ovo vegetarian)
ISRAEL June 9, Joan Nathan, Cookbook Author and PBS Series Host From Israel with Love, Joan Nathan’s Home-Cooked Favorites (Pescatarian)
IRAN June 16, Najmieh Batmanglij, Cookbook Author and Culinary Instructor Nush e-Joon, May Your Soul Be Nourished
THE PHILIPPINES June 23, Chef Evelyn Bunoan From Start to Finish: A Quintessential Three-Course Meal of The Philippines
LITHUANIA June 30, Chef Justė Židelytė Garden to Table, a Lithuanian Feast of Summer Produce (Lacto-vegetarian)
COST: Individual classes are $35 and the entire five series package may be purchased for $140, a discount of 20%.
You only need to purchase one ticket per session per household. Ticket sales are final and will not be refunded. If necessary, email us no later than 2 days in advance of the class (info@lesdamesdc.org) and we will assist you in applying your credit to another session. If you wish to transfer your zoom link to a friend or family member please notify us in advance. LOGISTICS: All global cooking classes are held via Zoom, and you will receive instructions for logging in via email after registering. Please download the Zoom application in advance. Cooking classes are recorded, and you will receive the link to the recording within a week after the class takes place. The link will be available for two weeks. As part of the registration process you will be asked to acknowledge that your face may be recorded, if your personal video screen is on when the meeting is in speaker mode. Les Dames DC and Thrive DC are partners on the fundraiser, Our Luscious Planet. Thrive DC's programs for women going through hard times will benefit from the fundraiser proceeds as well as Les Dames DC's culinary grants and scholarship programs for women. Deepen your connection with nature’s web of life.
Join us for a mid-Spring foraging walk with Matt Cohen, founder of Matt’s Habitats. The November and April walks had rave reviews, don’t miss an opportunity to Participate! Click here to purchase your ticket. Saturday, May 1st Meet-Up: 1:50 pm Forage: 2-4:30 pm Probable Meeting Site: Takoma Park at the Public Works Department Parking Lot Final confirmation of meet-up site will be sent a day or two before the event. Some great edibles are in season in early May: pokeweed, milkweed and bamboo shoots, black locust flowers, field garlic, and lots of wild greens. Depending on location and weather conditions, winecaps, wood ears and oyster mushrooms might be around too. This event is limited to 15 tickets; Dames and guests are welcome to the limit allowed by leader Matt Cohen. Tickets are $40 for the general public. Bring your walking stick, camera, and maybe a zip-lock bag for your finds, and join Matt Cohen for an afternoon of foraging along the hills and trails of Takoma Park. You’ll learn to identify an array of mid-spring edible flowering plants, many of which are in your neighborhood and just waiting to be included in your spring salads! Have a family member who doesn’t eat enough fresh anything? You can take them for walk on the wild side! They’re not weeds, they’re not just beautiful, they’re edible! Our conversations will include not just “the where, but also the why and the how.” Let’s walk and talk sustainability, simple gifts, and grass-root cooking! The Saturday May 1 Walk will Highlight mid-spring flowering plants, greens, and possibly, some edible fungi. At the end of the walk, we'll share a wild-side salad! Meet at 1:50pm; forage with Matt from 2-4:30 Make your reservation early Matt Cohen started Matt's Habitats in 2003, specializing in sustainable gardening practices with an emphasis on native plants, wildlife habitats, and edible gardens. In 2009 he began to lead walks throughout the year on wild edibles and plant/mushroom identification, and he continually exercises his knowledge of the natural world through conferences, personal study, and lots of time outdoors. The headquarters of Matt's Habitats is a 120-year-old farmhouse in Silver Spring. Rooftop solar panels generate most of the electricity, and vegetable and fruit gardens generate a lot of produce. His 1/4-acre yard also serves as a test plot for many of the native plants that he uses in his clients' yards. Matt donates 10% of his net profit to environmental and humanitarian NGOs including Anacostia Watershed Society, Casa of Maryland, and the Capital Food Bank. He currently serves on the board of the Mycological Association of Washington, DC. WEBINAR: THE NEW FOOD CHAIN: FROM LAND TO MOUTH DURING COVID
Presented by the Green Tables Committee, Led by Karen Vartan DATE: Tuesday, November 10 TIME: 7 p.m. The New Food Chain: From Land to Mouth During Covid will cover how consumers’ needs and interests have changed during the pandemic. Panelists include Dames Sandra Miller, educator and writer and owner Painted Hand Farm; Debra Moser, founder Central Farm Markets and co-owner MeatCrafters-Charcuterie and Salami; and Diane Welland, R.D.N. and nutrition consultant. Topics will range from how to select food to build immunity to moving beyond the grocery store to why families should establish a connection with local ranchers and farmers and how to build those connections and, most important, how to get the most for your money. RSVP: Click here to sign up on ZOOM Please join us at our next virtual event! So You Want to Be Published: Three authors who have made the publishing journey share their tips and back stories
DATE: Thursday, October 29 TIME: 5:30 - 6:30 pm PLACE: A virtual event on Zoom RSVP: Click here to register on ZOOM |
Les Dames d'Escoffier
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