Photograph courtesy of Flickr user quinn.anya.

Clam juice is an easy way to add a briny kick to seafood dishes, but the brands at supermarkets tend to be packed with preservatives and added salt. A better alternative: fresh clam juice from Virginia waterman Jimmy Hogge, who with his wife, Paige, runs Buster’s Seafood at local farmers markets.

Hogge has fished the Chesapeake for 54 years but only recently discovered he could sell the liquid that’s released when he cracks open the littlenecks he harvests in Mobjack Bay. The liquor—$5 a pint—is clear and lightly salty, with the flavor of just-shucked clams. The juice keeps only three to five days, but there are many ways to use it. We’ve added it to a garlicky pot of steamed mussels for extra dipping broth, mixed it in with white wine for Italian clam sauce and with cream for New England chowder, and even thrown it into a spicy Bloody Mary in place of Clamato.

Available October through March on Saturday at the Arlington Farmers Market (N. Courthouse Rd. and N. 14th St.) and Sunday at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market (20th St. and Massachusetts Ave., NW). May through October, it’s available Thursday at the FreshFarm market near the White House (Vermont Ave. between H and I sts., NW).

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Photograph by Erik Ueke.

If you work in a restaurant kitchen, the last thing you want to do when you get home is slave over another stove. I discovered Carr Valley Bread Cheese when I last cooked in a restaurant, and it was a godsend. All the firm, mozzarella-like cheese needs is a quick pan fry—or 30 seconds in the microwave—and you have a warm, melty block that tastes like a homey grilled cheese sandwich.

The Wisconsin cheese is a twist on a Finnish product, juustoleipä. Carr Valley bakes its version, giving it a nutty brown surface that crisps nicely in a skillet. The mild, sweet-salty flavor takes well to a dab of apricot jam, a drizzle of honey, or a dunk in fresh marinara. Or you could go the post-restaurant-shift route: Unwrap, zap, and enjoy with a cold brew.

Carr Valley Bread Cheese, $8.40 a pound, is available at Whole Foods and at carrvalleycheese.com.

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Tacos from R&R Taqueria, one of 2011's most memorable meals. Photograph by Scott Suchman.

1) When my son Jesse was born, nearly four years ago, I went out and picked up sushi from the excellent Joss in Annapolis (along with a bottle of wine), and we ate it in the hospital that first night. Four weeks ago, I had the exact same thought when my second son was born. Turns out Joss now delivers, and we feasted on three bags’ worth (what can I say? I’ve got an inner Jewish mother. “Eat, eat . . . ”) of sashimi, sushi, and rolls at the birth center as we held and kissed and got to know our new baby. The wonderful nurse, Katya, turned out to be a sushi lover, and in between her rounds I popped pieces of yellowtail into her mouth. I’m telling you: Jewish mother.

2) “What’s going on?” I asked the young sommelier one night at a French restaurant, my attention diverted by a happy commotion in the dining room: taking of pictures, getting of autographs. “That’s the first African-American to win a Grammy,” he said. I thought for a moment. “You mean Harry Belafonte?” I said. “Uh, I believe that’s the name, yes. Mr. Belafonte,” he replied. I was with my mother and, in a moment of inspiration, asked him if he would tell “Mr. Belafonte” that he had an 84-year-old admirer in the room. Several minutes later, the man who bankrolled Martin Luther King Jr. through the ’60s walked toward the table. My mom had slid into the upholstered booth with difficulty, but now it was as if she were on rollers—she zoomed over to meet him. Belafonte was the epitome of class and grace, as nice and as warm as could be, posing for pictures and even allowing himself to be kissed. “I’m the same age as you,” he said to my mother. By which point she was covered in tears.

A slushie at Estadio, a staff favorite. Photograph by Stacy Zarin-Goldberg

When it comes to staying cool, the Washingtonian staff knocks back cocktails, scarfs down frozen yogurt, and orders all drinks over ice. The following roundup is a highly subjective list of some of the best ways to beat the heat in Washington.

• Cocktails at Estadio: Nearly every Washingtonian editor and writer is a fan of mixologist Adam Bernbach's concoctions at this Logan Circle Spanish-tapas joint. Some of our favorites include the bourbon slushie, gin and tonic, Moscatel-sherry float, the coconut-lime-lemongrass slushie, and a sparkling drink with tequila, Cava, rosemary, and grapefruit.

• Dolcezza sorbetto: Nearly any flavor will do at these three Argentine-gelato shops (Dupont Circle, Georgetown, Bethesda), but we like to go for the most seasonal choices, or a classic standby: lemon.

• Chocolate fro-yo from Pinkberry: Top it with brownie bites and chocolate chips. It tastes just like Ben & Jerry's, but you can absolutely convince yourself it's healthy because it's yogurt. 

• Salted-caramel-and-praline ice cream at Comet Ping Pong: A super-salty version of a flavor that's now as ubiquitous as molten cake. If you want something for late-night snacking, look for a pint from Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, the excellent Columbus, Ohio-based brand that Whole Foods is now selling.

• Seasonal-fruit concrete at Shake Shack: This burger joint offers ultra-thick, Midwestern-style frozen custard, and a variety of mix-ins turns it into a "concrete." While the chocolate-mint behemoth called the Washington Monument is a sugar bomb, the vanilla custard layered with crispy crepe shards and fruit—it was vanilla-poached rhubarb when we had it—isn't nearly as cloying. 

Montgomery Donuts from the pizza shop Slice N Dice. Photograph by Scott Suchman

It’s a weekend morning—do you know where your doughnut is? Here are our six favorite places for the wake-up treat.

Baked & Wired. Doughnuts are shaped like airy sugar-rolled muffins, both plain and jelly-filled, at this bakeshop. We’re not the only fans: They’re available only on Tuesday and Friday and often sell out by late morning.

Cork Market & Tasting Room. Wine gets most of the attention at this gourmet shop, but on Sunday fried-to-order doughnuts deserve the spotlight.

La Flor de Puebla (6300 Kenilworth Ave., Riverdale, 301-699-8708; 5024 Edmonston Rd., Hyattsville, 301-699-8658; 10470 Dumfries St., Manassas, 703-257-2054). Rich, eggy cream fills the powdered-sugar-sprinkled puffs called bolas de Berlin at this Mexican bakery.

Shilla Bakery (Fairfax, 703-352-1446; Annandale, 703-333-2001; Centreville, 703-266-6001; Rockville, 301-217-0003). At this Korean bakery, you can fill your basket with red- and white-bean-stuffed doughnuts and rice twists, but it’s the crullers that are top-notch.

Downtown DC’s Acadiana serves creatively topped deviled eggs. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Acadiana. Different toppings—crab ravigote, Choupique caviar, and bacon—make this trio of halves hard to share.

Firefly. The Dijon-mustard-and-paprika-whipped yolks are church-supper classic, but caper powder and fried garlic make this bar snack stand out. (We have the recipe here.)

Food Matters. A heavy dose of smoked paprika fires up the middles of these five bites.

Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food. Overstuffed eggs get crunch from chopped pecans and—even better—sugared bacon.

Palena Cafe. The newly expanded cafe is best known for its burger, but Frank Ruta’s traditional deviled eggs are terrific, too.

Ray’s the Classics and Ray’s the Steaks. Leave it to meat master Michael Landrum to load up hollowed egg whites with steak tartare.

2 Amys. These curry-spiced eggs with salsa verde have been on the menu at Peter Pastan’s Neapolitan-pizza restaurant since day one. (We have the recipe here.)

• Brownie sundae at Addie's
• Texas sheet cake cupcake at Baked and Wired
• House-made Oreos at Bayou Bakery
• Chocolate bombe at Bibiana
• Cookies-and-confections plate at Birch & Barley
• Coconut candy bar at Bourbon Steak
• Chocolate cake at Buck's Fishing & Camping