Home Plate

by David Hagedorn

Oh, Madeleine!

I can’t help gazing wondrously upon the French mini sponge cakes (known as madeleines) that Arlington pastry chef Patrice Olivon sells at the farmers markets at Lubber Run and Fairlington. Delicate and buttery with dots of white icing that make each one look like a cameo brooch, they taste as good as they look.

Olivon was born in Casablanca, Morocco, and raised in the south of France, where he graduated from the Ecole Hotelière de Marseille cooking school. While working in the mess during his stint in the French military service, he made friends with someone who had connections in Washington, D.C., and immigrated in 1979. After a decade at the nowshuttered La Maison Blanche restaurant, he became White House executive chef (1991 to 2005) and was an instructor and program director at L’Academie de Cuisine cooking school (also now closed) from 2005 to 2016.

Chef Patrice Olivon

In 2019, Olivon set up shop at the Lubber Run market and began preparing his signature patisserie out of a licensed catering kitchen in Falls Church. Operating under the business name J’Aime Madeleine, he initially sold only madeleines ($19.95/dozen or three for $5.25), but has since expanded his repertoire to include jelly-filled sablés (butter cookies, $2.25 each), light-asair macarons ($9.75/dozen) and palmiers—flaky puff-pastry elephant ears made crispy with caramelized sugar (three for $5.75).

Olivon offers madeleines in flavors such as pistachio, strawberry, salted caramel, vanilla bean and lemon, but he also likes to experiment. For instance, he does a creme brulee version with caramelized potato chips and smoked paprika, which together render a burnt sugar crunch and flavor reminiscent of the hardshell topping on that classic French dessert.

The Lubber Run Farmers Market (Barrett Elementary School, 4401 N. Henderson Road, Arlington) is open Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon. The Fairlington Farmers Market (Fairlington Community Center, 3308 S. Stafford St., Arlington) is open Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Arrive early, as Olivon usually sells out, or preorder online for pickup. You can also find his sweets at Idido’s Coffee and Social House off Columbia Pike (1107 S. Walter Reed Drive, Arlington). jaimemadeleine.com

ORDER THIS now

Salmon Tikka Pineapple

at Spice Kraft Indian Bistro

Restaurateurs Helen Sanjjav and Anthony Sankar and chef Premnath Durairaj have a winning concept in Spice Kraft Indian Bistro, which opened a second location (the original is in Del Ray) in the former Delhi Club space in Clarendon last November. Durairaj’s gorgeous and exceedingly flavorful salmon tikka pineapple is a must. The chef marinates pineapple slices and salmon overnight in yogurt seasoned with coriander, Kashmiri chili powder, cumin, garam masala, black salt, mustard oil, fenugreek leaves and ajwain seeds. The fish and fruit are then charbroiled in a tandoor oven and served with a side of a vibrant orange tikka sauce made with tomatoes, onions, spices, butter and cream. Exquisite! spicekraftva.com

New Roots

A friend and I recently enjoyed a delicious lunch that included avocado multigrain toast with roasted tomatoes, shaved radishes and a drizzle of olive oil; braised brisket and provolone on ciabatta with horseradish cream, arugula and red onions; a green smoothie made with spinach, spirulina, mangoes, peaches, bananas, honey and coconut water; and a glass of refreshing, on-tap hibiscus-honey-rose tea.

The setting? Roots Provisions & Grocery on Old Dominion Drive in McLean. (P.S.: You can top that avocado toast with goat cheese, bacon and/or a fried egg if you like.)

The market, café and bar, which replaced LoKL Gourmet in May, is a joint venture of building owners Ryan Benston, Michael Green and Matthew Ruesch—plus private chef and restaurant consultant Anne Alfano (now a minority owner), whom the partners tapped to switch up the menu, décor and overall concept.

“[They] are from McLean and recognized the need for more fastcasual restaurants and a cocktail bar,” Alfano says, “a place to congregate, have drinks and food and have fun.”

Roots hosts trivia night once a week and plans to introduce live music, comedy nights and other community-centric activities going forward.

Offering seating for 40 inside, plus 12 outside, the 3,000-squarefoot space is large and airy with high ceilings, exposed brick, wood floors and a living-room-style lounge area outfitted with West Elm furniture. Low lighting and candles in mason jars set the mood at night, as does a cocktail, beer and wine list curated by bar manager Laura Jackson.

“We make all of our sour mixes and flavored simple syrups in house,” Alfano says. “I’m really proud of our gin and tonic garnished with juniper berries and rosemary.”

Takeaway items for sale in the market include packaged cheeses and charcuterie, milk, eggs, Roberta’s frozen pizzas, Nightingale Ice Cream Sandwiches, beverages (including fresh-squeezed juices, craft beer and hard seltzer), house-made chicken stock, dried pastas, an assortment of oils and vinegars, and prepared foods such as guacamole and chicken salad. The frozen chicken pot pies made by chef Jenn Crovato of D.C.’s 1310 Kitchen & Bar in Georgetown are so good they’re hard to keep in stock.

The café menu features espresso drinks, breakfast fare, sandwiches, salads and bowls (the quinoa tahini bowl is a best-seller), as well as indulgences such as milkshakes, ice cream cones, cake pops, croissants, chocolate chip cookies, brownies and apple pie. Sandwiches, bowls and salads range in price from $10 to $14. rootsprovisions.com