Posts Tagged Eastern Market
Heirloom Tomatoes – Those Crazy Looking Tomatoes
Posted by Justin Thorp in Buying Food on August 25th, 2009
On Saturday, I was walking through Washington DC’s famous fresh/farmers market Eastern Market. I got excited when I noticed that one of the produce stands was setting heirloom tomatoes.
Ever see those multi-color crazy looking tomatoes? Those are probably heirloom tomatoes.
So what’s an heirloom tomoato? According to TomatoFest.com, it’s “a variety that has been passed down, through several generations of a family because of it’s valued characteristics.”
You can find all kinds of heirloom tomatoes. One of the most common is Brandywine Heirloom tomatoes. It’s a variety that can be traced back as far as the 1800s. It’s a varietal that’s prized by food gourmets for its great flavor.
So… I came how and diced up a bunch of the different heirloom tomatoes. I tossed them with some diced pancetta and balsamic vinegar. It was delicious.
Heirloom tomatoes definitely look different and I could have easily passed by them. I didn’t and I’m happy.
Have you had an heirloom tomato before? What do you think?
Peregrine Espresso – Capitol Hill, Washington DC
Posted by Justin Thorp in Coffee, Coffee Shops on July 5th, 2009
If you were talking too fast north on 7th St SE on your way to Washington DC’s Eastern Market, you could easily miss what has become my favorite independent coffee shop in Washington DC, Peregrine Espresso.
Opening in late August of 2008, Peregrine Espresso has become known as the place to go if you wanna relax and drink a classically made cappuccino, latte, mocha, or one of the other drinks on the menu. It’s not like Starbucks. They don’t do syrups also all coffees are the same size. So… there will be no super-venti caramel lattes.
It’s just the drink done using the best technique with the best beans and milk possible. I believe their coffee producer is Counter Culture Coffee. If you went to Murky Coffee when it was still around, they used Counter Culture as well.
Here’s a photo of the latte that I got this morning. That’s SOO pretty…
Another thing, which is unique about Peregrine Espresso, is that that when you order a cup of coffee it’s made with these single cup drippers. There is this funnel that you put the filter in with just enough grounds for one cup. They put your glass underneath and then pour the hot water through the grinds. Here’s a photo from tvol:
Until I came to Peregrine for the first time, I had never been able to taste the nuance in coffee flavor. Maybe it’s a mix of the coffee beans that they use and the technique but here it comes out loud and clear.
My only complaint about the place is that there isn’t more room. I’ve been lucky lately but at times it can be hard to get a seat. Dunno if this is going to change any time soon so you just have to get creative. During the summer it’s nice because you can sit outside in their patio, which is awesome for people watching. 
As I said, this is the best place to get coffee in Washington, DC. I’ve told this to many folks, taken them to Peregrine, and they see that I’m not kidding. Try it the next time you’re in the neighborhood.
Address
660 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington DC 20003
Hours
Mon-Sat. 7am-9pm
Sun. 8am-8pm
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