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.  

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!
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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.

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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.

​​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)

• Flakey Honey-Nut Pastry (Baklava)
• Flakey Pastries with Spinach and Feta Cheese Filling (Spanakopita Triangles)
• Flakey Pastries with a Filling of Mixed Cheeses (Tyropita Triangles)

Working with phyllo dough can be tricky. Let Maria Kopsidas show you how, using techniques she learned growing up in her Mediterranean-heritage family. After this class, you'll have the confidence to try her methods in your own kitchen. 
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​ISRAEL June 9, Joan Nathan, Cookbook Author and PBS Series Host
From Israel with Love, Joan Nathan’s Home-Cooked Favorites (Pescatarian)

• Bulgarian Eggplant Soup with Yogurt
• Arctic Char Simmered in A Spicy Tomato Sauce (Aharaimi)
• Apricot Meringue Kuchen

Joan Nathan’s love for Israeli food goes back to the early 1970’s when she was working for the Mayor of Jerusalem at that time. She noticed that every ethnic group had different foods – Christian, Muslim, Jewish – and that most Jewish foods were nothing like those she grew up with. On June 9th, join Joan as she shares what makes Israeli food different, how varied it is and how Jewish food varies from country to country and region to region.
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IRAN June 16, Najmieh Batmanglij, Cookbook Author and Culinary Instructor
Nush e-Joon, May Your Soul Be Nourished

• Saffron Chicken & Barberry Braise (Geymeh Zereshk-e Kordi)
• Persian Rice with “Golden Crust” (Chelow)
• Quick Pickle of Persian Cucumbers and Toasted Coriander Seed(Torshi Hazeri-e Piaz)

Esteemed cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij will demonstrate how to cook rice with its golden crust/tahdig, the jewel in the crown of Persian cooking; served with a saffroned-chicken and barberry braise. Barberries are the berries of an indigenous shrub and are one of the ingredients and specialties of Iranian cooking.  
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​THE PHILIPPINES June 23, Chef Evelyn Bunoan
From Start to Finish: A Quintessential Three-Course Meal of The Philippines

• Crispy Vegetable Egg Rolls (Lumpiang Shanghai)
• Sautéed Vegetables with Bihon Noodles (Pancit Guisado)
• Fricassee of Chicken Thighs in Rich Tomato Sauce (Chicken Apritada)
• Chewy Cassava Dessert Patties Rolled in Grated Coconut (Pichi-Pichi)

Chef Evelyn Bunoan will be your guide to the traditional Filipino palate. Philippine cuisine is a fusion of different cultures that tickle ones taste buds, climaxing to a burst of culinary experience: Malay, Spanish, Chinese, South East Asian, the Middle Eastern, Indian, European and American. Through these influences – with a potpourri of sauces and spices – the Filipino palate has gone through a long process of evolution, with many of the provinces having a unique dish or two.


 

LITHUANIA June 30, Chef Justė Židelytė
Garden to Table, a Lithuanian Feast of Summer Produce (Lacto-vegetarian)

• Chilled Summer Beet Gazpacho (cold pickled beetroot soup/cold borsch/šaltibarščiai)
• Creamy Mushroom “Risotto” of Heirloom Barley Finished with Whipped Cultured Butter (Kastinys) and Shiitake Mushroom “Bacon” Bits
• Lithuanian Gira, a Kombucha/Kvass style fermented nonalcoholic drink

Lithuanian food is deeply rooted in unadulterated, simple ingredients and recipes developed over millennia of history. While archaic, time consuming techniques and rare (in this part of the world) ingredients might look intimidating, with Chef Juste’s tips and tricks Lithuanian flavors can become familiar, comforting and easy to achieve. During this vegetarian class learn the basics of fermentation with kvass (sparkling non alcoholic drink or Lithuanian kombucha), refresh with a cold summer soup recipe, experiment with making risotto (the Lithuanian way) and get inspired by a heritage recipe from the chef's grandmother, adapted to modern times.
 

​COST: Individual classes are $35 and the entire five series package may be purchased for $140, a discount of 20%.
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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

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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