What's Happening In Washington, DC: August 24, 2015

Food trends come and go, but nothing is as stale as old bread as now overused culinary clichés like locavore and farm-to-table. While their use by date may have expired, the philosophy behind buying local still merits our support. It's a linchpin in the movement to make our food supply safe and transparent. We support the chefs who take the time and effort to grow, or have grown for them, organic, humanely raised, non-GMO foods. This week's chefs and food folks do just that, so help support them with your wallet—raise your fork and knife in salute.

City Perch Kitchen + Bar Farmers' Market Dinner
When not serving as a guest judge on the Food Network program From Duff till Dawn, James Beard Award-winning chef Sherry Yard is hosting tantalizing locavore dinners like this Wednesday's Farmers Market Dinner. This is the second, four-course dinner in the series, and it's being held August 26, at 7 p.m., at City Perch Kitchen + Bar. For $50 per person (or $80 with wine pairings), guests can kibitz with the chef as she serves four, locally-sourced food courses and wines from local purveyors and wine producers such as Heritage Farms, The Chef's Garden, Elk Run, and Crow Farm & Vineyards. Advanced reservations are required and can be made by calling 301-231-2310. 

ENO Wine Bar Debuts "The Cellar" and ENO Wine Club
ENO Wine Bar in Georgetown offers 40 wines by the glass, 233 wines by the bottle, and 26 flights, and they are now offering two other reasons to go: a private space for wine tasting for up to 18 people called "The Cellar," and a new Wine Club. Comfy leather couches and burnished wood tables make The Cellar a favorite spot, and debuting after Labor Day, wine lovers can take advantage of exclusive access to complimentary services and discounts reserved just for members. Membership is $60 per month and includes wonderful amenities such as:

  • Complimentary valet parking (valued at $26) at the Four Seasons Hotel
  • Two free customized wine flights per month valued at $44
  • Complimentary birthday glass of wine valued at $15
  • Waved corkage fee of $25 for personal bottle and storage services using Coravin™ Wine Access Technology
  • $5 on all Nibbles anytime including olives, almonds, crostini with olive oil, and crudités  
  • 25 percent off all retail products
  • 50 percent off one  Enoversity Sunday wine class per month valued at $25  
  • Waved room rental fee of $250 when booking The Cellar for private events  
  • Exclusive access to certified sommeliers (priceless)

Katrina10 Gathering at Bayou Bakery in Arlington
The tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina is this Saturday, August 29, and New Orleans native son, chef David Guas, is marking the day with a Katrina10 Gathering at Bayou Bakery from 5 to 7 p.m. It's his vision that tragedy will give way to hope as the city continues to struggle to recover from the hurricane 10 years later. Live music by Laissez Foure and Nola fare will be featured and until Saturday, September 5, $10 from each copy of David Guas' cookbook DamGoodSweet will be donated to The Roots of Music to support free music education for New Orleans' youth. Here are a few of the yummy food and drink offers you can enjoy:

  • catfish couvillion
  • andouille stuffed mirlitons
  • peel 'n' eat shrimp 
  • deviled eggs
  • pimiento cheese
  • rebirth punch (to symbolize the NOLA recovery)
  • NOLA swingers
  • Abita bottled beers $20 for 5 bottles or $5 each

Summer Whitford is the D.C. City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal and the DC Wine Examiner. You can follow her on Twitter @FoodandWineDiva.