Leesburg, VA October 2019

LifestylePubs.com/Leesburg

OCTOBER 2019

Our Fall "Foodie" Issue

YUMMY PIG'S RIBS WIN OUR RIBS INVITATIONAL

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LIFESTYLE LETTER

OCTOBER 2019 PUBLISHER

Hann Livingston | hann.livingston@lifestylepubs.com EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Melinda Gipson | melinda.gipson@lifestylepubs.com

Yum. WE ARE FOODIES AT LEESBURG LIFESTYLE. We celebrate good eating and cook to entertain. We love it so much that we're raising our own beef, pork, poultry and eggs! Our

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jennifer Brady CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Alex Erkiletian, Sean O'Rourke, Celeste Linthicum, Jennifer Brady

community seems to share our values regarding what we put into our mouths. From the refreshing prevalence of farm-to-table ingredients at our local restaurants, to the farmers markets that support our local food producers, to the awe-inspiring chefs willing to share their favorite recipes, our October issue has harvested some of our area's best offerings.

I'll always remember my first upscale, fine-dining experience at Le Bernadine in New York City. It was a gift (I never could have afforded it as a 25-year-old on a journalist's salary), so maybe that made it all the more special. The pomp of presentation and the choreographed dance of the waitstaff took the extravagant courses to an art form. After that, I was hooked, and I made it my mission to sample menus of the best chefs in New York at places like Bouley, Daniel, Aquavit, Jean-Georges, Eleven Madison Park and Per Se, to name a few. They all raised their cooking to an art form that touched all of the senses. It made me realize that anything is possible when a great mind is at work with even the most simple of ingredients.

For a kid who grew up in North Carolina with the comfort of barbecue, fried shrimp, fried chicken, okra and collard greens, these experiences widened my horizons and

CORPORATE TEAM

made me game to try anything and everything. The beauty of Loudoun is that's exactly

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

what we have here: a little of anything and everything!

So, celebrate with us this month. Dolce & Ciabatta takes us inside the preparation of

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

one of the area’s best breakfast sandwiches on page 34, and we learn what it takes

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

to build the perfect kitchen so we can make them in style. Leesburg Farmers Market

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

ringleader Jennifer Brady highlights the farm-to-table delights available every Saturday and Wednesday at the market and stretches the perfect grocery shopping morning into a full day of harvest adventures. And what would a Leesburg Foodie issue be without a barbecue taste-off where we highlight some of the area's best ribs? We also

EDITORIAL MANAGER Nicolette Martin AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

took the time to check in with the creative minds behind The Wine Kitchen and share a new signature cocktail from a historic muse.

And finally, in keeping with the month, we'll finish with a good scare! If you act fast, there's still time to join the troop of "haunters" who annually turn Paxton Manor into Leesburg's nationally-ranked haunted house benefitting the Arc of Loudoun. Just don't eat too much before you visit!

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA NEVADA | NEW JERSEY | NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

Hann Livingston, Publisher

LifestylePubs.com/Leesburg

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO Proverbs 3:5-6 Leesburg Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via

ON THE COVER Yummy Pig owner Jim Thompson PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALEXANDER ERKILETIAN 6

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

the US Postal Service to some of the Leesburg areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Leesburg Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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INSIDE THE ISSUE OCTOBER 2019

FEATURES 10 'My Forever Kitchen' Richard Forbes' Absolute Kitchens Inc. Aligns Architecture to Life

14 Loudoun Clear The Wine Kitchen’s Clarion Call to Greatness in a Glass

16 Worth the Trip One Perfect Saturday in Loudoun County

16 10

22 Judging Loudoun's Best Ribs Judges Pick Barbecue's Finest

22

14 DEPARTMENTS 6

Lifestyle Letter

10

Open House

14

Hops & Vine

28 Giving Back 32 Culinary Creations 38 Local Limelight

OPEN HOUSE

'MY

FOREVER

KITCH

EN'

T H E B E L L' S 'FOREVER KITCHEN'

ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY SEAN O’ROURKE PHOTOGRAPHY

YVONNE BELL AND HER HUSBAND, BILL, HAVE LIVED

so, to me, it’s about how you cook and entertain and live in

IN IN THE SAME HOUSE IN ROUND HILL FOR 40

the space that matters.”

YEARS AND PLAN TO RETIRE THERE. But, when Yvonne

He spent hours asking questions, measuring furni-

thought of being home all day watching people walk from

ture the couple wanted to keep and surveying the Bell’s

the backyard pool through the dining room across an oriental

dishes, cutlery, cooking pans, pots and utensils, and

rug to get to the kitchen, she declared it time for a change.

even spices commonly in use.

Aside from moving the kitchen from the front of the

Down came a wall separating the former dining room

house to the rear, she had no pre-conceptions. Enter

from the old kitchen. In went a built-in Subzero refrigera-

Richard Forbes from Absolute Kitchens Inc.

tor with two freezer drawers to the left, a 36-inch smooth,

“Kitchens are not about appliances or cabinets or coun-

electric Bosch cooktop in the middle of a 108-inch coun-

tertops,” Richard says. “My background is in architecture

tertop, and accompanying oven, microwave, convection CONTINUED >

10

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

“THIS IS MY FOREVER KITCHEN.” —YVONNE BELL

SLIDE-OUT PA N T R Y

Richard Forbes Creates the Perfect Kitchen

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

11

OPEN HOUSE

(C ON TI N U ED)

oven and warming oven to the right, with a sliding pantry just beyond the ovens.

Richard

nicknames

the

cabinets

from

Quality Custom Cabinetry of New Holland, Pennsylvania, “the Stepford Wives of kitchen cabinetry,” for the perfection of their construction. Though they appear white, the cabinets sport a blue, striated wash, which, with the natural and recessed lighting, makes the ceiling look a bit higher. The island is painted a darker blue, with a brown glaze to help incorporate the couple’s beautifully striated brown and gray quartzite countertop and splashback.

CUSTOM DR AWE R S

Richard dislikes seams, so the wall of maple that frames the cabinetry, the nine drawers under the cooktop and the appliances, was constructed in one piece. Each drawer has a specific purpose: one has posts for plates, while another sports slots for spice jars and a fixed knife block.

The 9-foot island with sink offers a curved surface to those seated at the bar so people don’t have to lean forward to chat. The sink is Swiss-made stainless steel with a high nickel content that will hold its finish. Handily, the dishwasher is adjacent to the sink within easy reach of those dining at the bar. And, finally, the bar chairs were hand-made by Shenandoah Kitchen and Home in Purcellville.

Construction ran from Feb. 6 to early May. Richard has done simple “pull and replace” jobs in as few as two weeks but says, “I don’t do many of those kinds of kitchens. I enjoy the hard ones.”

Absolute-Kitchens.com

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Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

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HOPS & VINE

14

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

ARTICLE CHARLES SCHECH | PHOTOGRAPHY SEAN O'ROURKE

LOUDOUN CLEAR THE WINE KITCHEN'S CLARION CALL TO GREATNESS IN A GLASS

CREDIT OUR FOUNDING FATHER'S TACTICAL AND POLITICAL VICTORIES TO DISCIPLINE, CUNNING AND THE EVER-PRESENT INSPIRATION OF BARBADIAN RUM. It turns out, that's all George Washington drank, and it served his campaign purposes as well. Ladle pours cheered voters to the polls to elect him to the House of Burgesses in 1758, the year of Leesburg's founding.

As Commander in Chief of the Continental Army, George also believed alcohol sustained the morale of his fighting men, saying, “The benefits of moderate use of liquor have been experienced in all armies and are not to be disputed.”

The liquor that stirred the general's patriots was a bit rough around the edges. Back then, intrepid tavern keepers often filtered rum through milk, a practice known as "milk washing." When

INGREDIENTS

you mix milk and citrus with liquor, milk proteins

+ 2 cups Plantation 5 Years Barbadian rum

bond to the liquor's astringent compounds and

+ 1 cup whole milk

then curdle. Absent strained curds and color,

+ 1/3 cup lemon juice

what emerges is a clear, bold cocktail, still savory

+ 1/3 cup sugar

but light and refreshing.

+ 20 dashes of Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye bitters

Given The Wine Kitchen's deeply ingrained spirit of creativity, they couldn't resist updating the brew with a touch of their own tradition. Drawing on Purcellville's Catoctin Creek

DIRECTIONS

Distillery's newly released bitters, they used just

1. Add milk to a large glass bowl and set aside.

a few drops to add hints of chicory, honeysuckle

2. Mix all remaining ingredients into a pitcher.

and regal rose to the cocktail that sounded the

3. Slowly pour the mixture into the milk and gently

clarion and clarified the path to a more perfect

stir. Set aside for 45 minutes to allow curds to settle.

union. May it inspire you to greatness.

4. Strain through a cheesecloth to collect the curds.

5. Strain a second time through the curds, taking care not to disturb them.

6. Strain through a coffee filter, then store in an airtight sealed container (We use a mason jar.) and place in the refrigerator.

7. When cold, pour over a single large cube of ice, and the milk punch is ready to serve!

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

15

th or W the Trip Pumpkin Picking at Wegmeyer Farms is just one stop in a perfect Loudoun Saturday.

ONE PERFECT SATURDAY IN LOUDOUN COUNTY ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY JENNIFER BRADY

16

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

T he perfect foodie weekend STARTS

EVERY

SATURDAY

AT

THE

LEESBURG

FARMERS

MARKET

(LoudounFarmersMarkets.org), CONSISTENTLY NAMED THE BEST FARMERS MARKET IN LOUDOUN COUNTY. With more than 50 vendors year-round, this market has evolved since its humble beginnings 25 years ago to include not just farmers but bakers, locally roasted coffee, handmade artisan soaps, kimchi, flowers, barbecue, goat cheese, wine, chocolates, oysters and much more.

Load your trunk with reusable bags of all shapes

Saturday Morning at the Leesburg Farmers Market

and sizes and make a beeline to Catoctin Coffee Company. People wait patiently in this line for a reason—the coffee is amazing! Then visit Happy Crepe. This Leesburg-based business creates sweet and savory crepes sourcing eggs from Green Acres Family Farmstead and other ingredients from all over the market depending on what is in season.

Prepared with breakfast, enjoy your food at one of the orange umbrella tables and listen to the local musicians as you make a plan for all of the goodies you’re about to buy. In October, leafy greens are in season, and stalls are overflowing with dinosaur kale, curly kale, red Russian kale, rainbow chard, cauliflower, turnips and Brussels sprouts.

Fall and winter squash also abound, and hearty stews are perfect for dinner on these cooler fall evenings. Try Delicata squash with its thin skin that you can leave on while you roast it in pretty half-moon shapes, or try sweet little Honeynut squash, the adorable squash that looks like a shrunken butternut, that was specially bred for perfect fall squash flavor and only recently started appearing at farmers markets.

Stock up on Virginia’s Finest dried herbs from Full Moon Organic Farm, “Hillbilly Bacon” from Baker’s Farm Fresh Pork, King Oyster mushrooms from Rooster Dirt Farm, or apples with fun names like Pink Lady, Suncrisp, Jonagold, Mutsu and Apple X from all of the fruit vendors.

Shopping accomplished, get ready to explore the rest of what Loudoun has to offer!

CONTINUED >

Farm Fresh Apples

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

17

WORTH THE TRIP

(CON TI N U ED)

Stop 1

PUMPKIN PICKING AT WEGMEYER FARMS, 38299 HUGHESVILLE ROAD, HAMILTON. Located just eight miles west, Wegmeyer’s Home Farm is the perfect place to pick a pumpkin. An old stone barn from the 1700s with a mountain of straw bales, corn stalks and mums offers the perfect fall photo-op. The field also is chock full of Instagram-worthy pumpkins, including many heirlooms that are perfect for pumpkin recipes.

Stop 2

Pumpkin Picking at Wegmeyer Farm

Walsh Family Wine

WALSH FAMILY WINE, 16031 HILLSBORO ROAD, PURCELLVILLE OR WHEATLAND SPRING FARM AND BREWERY, 38506 JOHN WOLFORD ROAD, WATERFORD. Just seven miles north of Wegmeyer Farms is Walsh Family Wine. A relative newcomer, they’ve been growing and making wine since 2014. You will fall in love with both the wine and this sweet couple’s story. If you prefer beer, head for the brewery. It is family-friendly with a beautiful outdoor space and offers beer brewed in a century-old barn using ingredients sourced from their own farm and their farming neighbors. Lovettsville’s Market Table Bistro provides locally sourced food on weekends, so no need to bring a picnic.

Stop 3

TIPPED COW CREAMERY, 251 N. 21ST ST., PURCELLVILLE. Head just a little south to Tipped Cow Creamery to discover one of the many flavors in rotation like "passionfruit" and "s’mores." Think you’re not a mint chocolate chip fan? Think again! Tipped Cow’s version is made with real garden mint and large chunks of fudgy chocolate. And, after every 10 visits, you can spin their giant prize wheel for a chance to win a year of free ice cream!

OTHER CAN’T-MISS EVENTS WITH GREAT FOOD: Waterford Fair: Oct. 4-6 WaterfordFairVA.org Middleburg Film Festival: Oct. 18-21 MiddleburgFilm.org Loudoun Farm Tour: Oct. 19-20 LoudounFarms.org/FarmTour

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Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

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The Competitors

YUMMY PIG TAKES FIRST INVITATIONAL HONORS

Loudoun BBQ Ribs: ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON

PHOTOGRAPHY ALEX ERKILETIAN

NO FALL FOODIE EDITION IN VIRGINIA IS COMPLETE WITHOUT SOME DISCUSSION OF PORK. And, in our experience, no single food group gives more rise to the conversation (dare we say controversy?) than barbecued pork ribs.

To help focus that conversation, Leesburg Lifestyle drew on the support of former barbecue judge and professional food marketer Dan Hine of EatLoco.org. Working tirelessly to synchronize the production of five of his favorite local barbecue chefs who agreed to compete, with the schedules of four busy chefs willing to judge the offerings, we together crafted an elite invitational that has all the makings of a regular “happening.”

Each contestant’s rack was judged numerically from one to 10 on the basis of three criteria: appearance, tenderness and taste. Any “home-court advantage” that might have been afforded The Yummy Pig based on owner Jim Thompson’s offer to host the competition was negated by having to wait for the late arrival of a judge, who ended up being replaced at the last minute! (In other words, by the time the judging began, all the ribs were served at room temperature.)

22

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

Dan numbered the racks from one to five to mask their origin, and Judges Hard at Work

the four judges rated each in turn. No “sides” were included, putting a slightly inordinate burden on the taste and tenderness of the meat itself, without the benefit of balance by, say, the sweetness of baked beans, corn or cornbread. While not judged, “sides” often make the difference in selecting a barbecue provider, and there’s plenty of variety to choose from in Loudoun County.

Each of our contestants puts his own spin on “all the trimmings.” In addition to ribs, The Fermented Pig provides charcuterie, kombucha and handmade bacon at several local farmers markets; ResQ BBQ caters, so he has a range of sides including smoked mac and cheese as well as jambalaya, chili, beef stew and even stuffed Jalapenos; Big Kyle’s BBQ has delectable beef brisket and wings, and can support whole-hog barbecue gatherings; Yummy Pig’s restaurant serves brisket empanadas, sweet potato gratin and quinoa salad with baby spinach, feta and cranberries and does a respectable bread pudding; Carolina Brothers does pork, beef and chicken BBQ from its Ashburn base but also caters and markets four different delectable sauces you can take home.

Each of the racks had something to commend them. Ranging from tangy to smoky, they could either stand alone or be complemented by an accompanying sauce. ResQ BBQ won points for its “killer IPAinfused sauce,” and Yummy Pig won positive commentary for its “really great mustard.”

At the end of the day, the consensus on stand-alone ribs was unanimous, if by a respectably thin margin. The winner: Yummy Pig. Chef Jim Thompson credits his success with the fact that the former tenant left a smoker onsite when he folded. Rather than pay to remove it, he decided to put his own spin on the classic.

“There was a steep learning curve in the beginning because barbecue is a very subjective thing; people are very passionate about their style of barbecue.”

Jim’s style leverages both meat and sauce. He cooks a “bark” on each rack with a little sauce but then provides several different dipping sauces to taste the finished product.

“When it comes to the meat, it’s important to have the right tenderness and the right amount of smoke,” he says. He breaks down whole spare ribs to a St. Louis cut and pulls the membrane from the back to allow the rips to pull apart easily when cooked. They are then rubbed down with a proprietary mix of spices and grilled over a mixture of hickory, red oak and either apple or cherry wood.

When people ask him to describe his style, he says simply, “We do Leesburg barbecue; that’s it.”

CONTINUED >

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

23

LOUDOUN BBQ RIBS

(CON TI N U ED)

Judges Prep for Ribs Taste Off

CONTESTANTS: Danny Hurdle and Joey Dundas, Carolina Brothers (CarolinaBrothers.com) Chuck Meyer, ResQ BBQ (ResQ-BBQ.com)

the SCORING

Kyle Norris, Big Kyle BBQ (BigKyleBBQ.com) Jim Thompson, Yummy Pig (YummyPig.com)

Appearance

Josh Plante, The Fermented Pig (TheFermentedPig.com)

the JUDGES:

Tenderness

(Left to Right) Chef Jason Madden, AhSo Restaurant, Brambleton Chef Tony Breda, The Cutting Board, Hamilton (Dan Hine, founder of EatLoco.org.)

Chef Jonathan Clawson, The Wandering Chef, Ashburn Chef Tommy Messina, Lost Fox Hideaway, One Loudoun 24

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

Taste

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October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

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GIVING BACK

Lisa Kimball and Her 'O-Scare'

Haunt-meister Matt Smith

Crystal Mills Getting Her Scare On

Ready

for Ghoul School?

Crystal Mills as Park Ranger Randy

28

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

THE FAMILY THAT CARES TOGETHER SCARES TOGETHER ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON

BY DAY, MATT SMITH, 46, IS THE MILD-MAN-

Most volunteers are local high-schoolers who receive

NERED DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES FOR THE ARC OF

credit for as many as 30 hours they contribute.

LOUDOUN. He finds and recycles playground equipment

Sometimes, those who may have trouble blending

for the disabled children that the ARC serves, works to

in or making friends blossom in the atmosphere of

patch the aged roof of the Paxton Manor and side build-

Shocktober’s fright family.

ings that house school and rehab facilities, and over-

Lisa relates the case of one struggling teen whose

sees the 17-acre campus. But inside, lurks a guy ARC of

parent made clear that becoming a member of a shock

Loudoun CEO Lisa Kimball dubs “our haunt-meister.”

family could well have saved her child’s life. Lifelong

Matt is the heart, soul and brains behind Shocktober,

friendships are forged, along with deep appreciation

a haunted house experience ranked fifth in the nation

that those served by ARC sometimes struggle even

for thrill-value. Making a mark on this scale takes com-

harder to fit in.

mitment. Lisa has spotted a bucket of blood in his office,

By all accounts, it is an absolute blast. Now in its 10th year,

and he’ll often take delivery of “body parts” through

this will mark the eighth season Crystal Mills, a pre-school

FedEx. Planning for the event ramps up in March, with an

teacher for the ARC, has participated with her daughter.

annual haunt convention in St. Louis, but truly begins with

“I’m an easy-going person, but, like everybody, things

the post-show cast party that rates which bits evoked the

go wrong or stress me out. I just put that away in what I

most genuine horror from the thousands of attendees.

pretend is a little box. Then, once a year people pay money

Insiders call it the “O-Scares” and cherish awards for the

for me to scare them to death. It releases all that stress

most realistic performances.

and anything that bothers me,” Crystal says, then giggles.

If the house were actually haunted, that would be an advantage, but Matt says, “I don’t believe it. Then again, I grew up in a funeral home ,so nothing bothers me.”

Yep—think Six Feet Under. The family-owned MolthenBell and Son Funeral Home in Milwaukee spurred Matt’s first forays into fright.

“We played hide-and-seek down in the basement with the dead bodies. ... It took a while to get comfortable,” he says.

Well beyond comfortable, Matt plays headmaster to

“I call it scare therapy.”

She’ll be bringing to life “Park Ranger Randy” this year.

He likes pets, especially skunks, and some might find his presence a bit...uncomfortable. Crystal says forthrightly what Lisa and Matt tried to soft-pedal.

“What some people see as strange ... we embrace.”

Knowing you can entertain 20,000 people in just a few weeks while raising $600,000 or 10% of the ARC’s budget is “uplifting and empowering.”

“Ghoul School” in late September. It’s a mandatory six-

Sweetly, she adds, “You gain so much from it. And the

hour training for Shocktober’s more than 300 volunteers

first time you put a 6’4” dude down on the ground in the

ranging from the psychology of fright to what to do in

fetal position? That’s priceless!”

case of emergency.

Actors may also train, “how to scream 500 times over

Shocktober runs Oct. 4-Nov. 2. The last Ghoul School takes

the course of three or four hours and not destroy your

place Sept. 28.

throat,” Lisa says.

Shocktober.org/Volunteer | TheARCOfLoudoun.org

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

29

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Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

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6 Course White Truffle Dinner Girasole Restaurant

The Plains, VA

Hosted by Francesca Vaira G.D. Vajra Winery Sunday, November 10th, 6pm Call 540.253.5501 to make a reservation. www.girasoleva.com October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

31

CULINARY CREATIONS

PHOTOGRAPHY CELESTE LINTHICUM

HARVEST WARM UP YOUR MORNING WITH LEESBURG'S HEARTIEST BREAKFAST

32

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

JONATHAN CLAWSON'S PERFECT PUMPKIN BREAD INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

+ 30 ounces pumpkin purée

+ Preheat oven at 320 F.

+ 1/4 pound butter (one

+ In a large bowl add all dry ingredients and

stick, softened)

mix thoroughly with a whisk.

+ 3 1/2 cups AP flour

+ In a smaller bowl add pumpkin, oil and

+ 3 cups sugar

softened butter and blend well. + Add

+ 1 teaspoon salt

pumpkin mix to the dry mixture and mix

+ 2 teaspoons baking soda

until well blended.

+ 1 teaspoon baking powder

+ Grease a traditional bread pan with pan

+ 2 teaspoons cinnamon

spray or butter. Line the bottom of pan with

+ 1 teaspoon nutmeg

parchment paper.

+ 1/2 teaspoon allspice

+ Fill bread pans about 2/3 full. Bake for 1

+ 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

hour and 15 minutes.

+ 1/2 teaspoon clove + 1/4 cup oil

ICING: + Whip cream cheese with whisk until soft.

ICING:

+ Add sugar and vanilla and mix well.

+ 1 cup cream cheese

+ While whisking slowly add cream until

+ 1/4 cup sugar

desired texture.

+ 1/4 cup heavy cream + Pinch of salt

CONTINUED >

+ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

33

CULINARY CREATIONS

(CON TI N U ED)

Bacon, Egg and Swiss Breakfast Croissant

DOLCE & CIABATTA BACON, EGG AND SWISS BREAKFAST CROISSANT INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

+ Dolce & Ciabatta croissants

+ Preheat oven to 350 F.

+ 8 slices of swiss cheese + 8 slices applewood smoked bacon + 4 large eggs + Salt and pepper, to taste

15 minutes 4 servings

+ Slice croissants in half. + Place croissants in a single layer on baking sheet. + Place 1 slice of swiss cheese on each croissant half. + Bake in preheated oven for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melty and croissants are toasted. + Place bacon on frying pan and cook it low and slow.

Flip occasionally.

Remove bacon from the pan when bacon is crispy. + In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper. Pour egg mixture into the pan over medium-high heat. Cook eggs to your liking. Remove from heat. + Top the bottom half of croissant with bacon, egg and second half of the croissant buns. + Serve immediately.

Visit LifestylePubs.com/Leesburg for another yummy bread recipe from Dolce & Ciabatta.

34

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

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2019

October 2019 | Leesburg Lifestyle

35

TRIPLE CROON OINNER 16666

hirlaoay Court, Leesburg, Virginia

This ssssish brick eorgiin essise is nesssee on i eesiribse 4.55-icre cus-ee-sic socision in Beicon Hiss.

Nimee ifser she Tripse Croon oinner hirsiois, shis ssunning properss is sruss i rire fine. escome sour guesss inso she grine soo-ssors foser oish mirbse fsooring oish chineesier ine euis ssiircises. Ensice shem onso she eeck for mins useps ohich oversooks she expinsive minicuree grounes compsese oish hissoric bink birn (oish pirking for ieeisionis cirs) ine siso. Prepire i gourmes meis in she chef’s kischen oish high-ene ippsiinces, cussom cibiness ine grinise counsersops shis opens so i spicious soo-ssors fimiss fimis room oish oooe-burning firepsice ine cussom buiss-in cibinesrs. Resix ine en os in ifser einner vinsige pors in she sinenfose pinesee sibrirs, or perhips i gime of poos in she sooer seves recreision room ine cussom bir. Your overnighs guesss cin eisiss be iccommoeisee in she ieeisionis upper-seves four beerooms oish en-suise bishs, or in she privise sooer-seves “in-sio” suise. Resire for she evening in sour grine firss-fsoor misser suise shis feisures i sissing irei, firepsice oish mirbse surroune, soo sirge oisk-in csosess, ine i suxurious misser bish oish soiking sub ine sirge gsiss shooer. This sovess home refsecss she personisiss ine sisse of shose iccussomee so she bess in uisiss eesign, finishes ine sifesssse. pe

16666OhirlaaayCourt.com

Lisa Thompson

Each Office is Indepently Owned and Operated©

LOCAL LIMELIGHT

FARM TO FORK IN LOUDOUN COUNTY WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN TO 'EATLOCO'?

ARTICLE MELINDA GIPSON PHOTOGRAPHY ALEX ERKILETIAN

Dan Hine of EatLoco.org

WHEN THE LOUDOUN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NAMED DAN HINE’S MARKETING COMPANY EatLoco.org ITS 2018 “DESTINATION BUSINESS OF THE YEAR,” DAN IMMORTALIZED THE FARMERS OF THE LOCAL MARKETS HE SUPPORTS WITH A POEM. (See bit.ly/EatLocoPoem.)

At heart, it pleads with fellow residents to consider the long-term health and community benefits of keeping local farmers in business as they plan their weekly grocery shopping. If enough consumers patronize farmers markets, they give farmers the incentive they need to sustain their way of life rather than bowing to pressure from developers to cash in on the real estate value of their farmland.

Already, farmers are overworked and exhausted, Dan explains. If they have to spend just one day a week selling their proteins and produce to their neighbors, then they can manage to use the other six raising the food we eat.

“We fight to keep them relevant,” he says. “If I can make our markets successful enough that they can slow their lives down just a little and worry less, I feel like I’ve done my job.”

By all accounts, he’s succeeding. From Jan. 1 to the end of summer, the two

“WE SOURCE EVERYTHING FROM WHATEVER IS AVAILABLE

EatLoco.org markets at One Loudoun and Brambleton drove nearly $1.2 million in sales.

Dan also caters to the farmers’ other critically important clients: the chefs, restauranteurs and caterers who have coalesced to make Loudoun a destination for discriminating diners who take the freshness and natural processing of their food choices seriously.

One such chef is Tony Breda. Tony runs both a catering business and the Cutting Board of Waterford which provides a small prix fixe meal for about 10 people.

For that meal, “everything comes from the local farmers market. We source everything from whatever is available and then make our menu,” Tony says. “I don’t know what’s going to be there. I can go thinking I’m going to get scallops, or that I’m going to get soft shell crabs in season, but maybe that vendor is not there that day, so then I have to go get something else, like a pork butt.”

Certain vegetables and fruits always are available, like heirloom tomatoes grown right in Waterford, but there’s enough variety to make every meal a creative endeavor.

AND THEN MAKE

“Using whatever’s local and fresh makes a huge difference,” Tony says. “There’s a perception—entirely accurate in my opinion—that, if it’s local, you’re eliminating the middleman. There’s no storage or long transport—any of the things that wear the flavors

OUR MENU.” 38

Leesburg Lifestyle | October 2019

down and destroy the integrity and tenderness. When we can eliminate shipping something across the country and find something local, it is, every time, going to be better.”

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