Although Woodstock—the iconic 1969 festival for free-spirited hippies—passed me by, last weekend I witnessed a similarly monumental event with this era’s sustainability-loving foodies. Slow Food Nation, a conference held in San Francisco last weekend, predictably celebrated patronizing farmers’ markets and eating locally. But, with the tag line “Come to the Table,” organizers tried to quell critics—who expected the weekend to be a gathering of wealthy earth-bag-toting elite—by holding panel discussions that addressed our country’s food policies.

Photograph by David Hicks.

Ordinarily we don’t recommend a restaurant for only one good dish. We’ll make an exception in the case of Max’s Kosher Cafe (2319 University Blvd., Wheaton; 301-949-6297). The dish is falafel, and it isn’t just good—it’s great. Run-out-and-grab-a-stranger great. If you’re accustomed to the dense, overspiced balls that too often constitute falafel, then the version at Max’s will open your eyes. We doubt you could get anything fried to be lighter than this.

Last Monday, Labor Day, marked the unofficial end of summer, so we pulled together some of our favorite foods that embody everything the season stands for: sweet fruit, frozen desserts, and ballpark eats. The official end of summer—the autumnal equinox—doesn’t come for another couple of weeks, so you still have a chance to savor heirloom tomatoes and cocktails on outdoor patios (and Marvin’s heat lamps keep crowds happy outside until winter!).

We can’t think of an educational experience that could possibly be more fun than a museum devoted to cocktails. It does, in fact, exist—the Museum of the American Cocktail is inside the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans and is currently working on setting up a permanent exhibit in New York. We’re still hoping for one on the Mall. For the time being, though, local mixologist/sommelier extraordinaire Derek Brown of Komi has teamed up with the cocktail-centric museum to offer special events around town. One of the museum’s founders is Phil Greene, a cocktail historian (and lawyer by day) who lives in Washington.

The next museum-sponsored event takes place September 9 from 6 to 7:30 PM at Mie N Yu in Georgetown. Brown and Greene will educate cocktail enthusiasts on the history of exotic cocktail ingredients and how bartenders have used them over time. Brown’s brother Tom of Cork and Mie N Yu barmaster Chris Kelley will be on hand to help demonstrate several drinks—including the Bombay Government Punch of 1964, the mai tai, the Moscow Mule, and their own original creations. They’ll also give tips on how to make out-of-the-ordinary libations at home. Naturally, this informative lesson also includes plenty of cocktail sampling.

Tickets are $50. To order online, click here or call 202-222-0948 and ask for Mike Cherner.

Mie N Yu Restaurant, 3125 M St., NW; 202-333-6122.

Like New Yorkers with their bagels (and pizza, and delis . . .), transplants from the West Coast are always pining away for their beloved Baja-style fish tacos. Now they have a new place to try. Chef David Scribner isn’t from Mexico or even SoCal—he’s a Washington native who graduated from Saint Albans—but his barely three-week-old Glover Park restaurant, Surfside, is serving up fresh two-ply tortillas stuffed with grilled fish of the day. Loaded with black-bean-and-corn salsa, avocado, cabbage, and a zippy cilantro-lime sour cream, the “Maui” tacos are an early menu highlight at the surfer-inspired seafood spot.

A lime cupcake with coconut icing from Hello Cupcake. Photograph by Jennifer Smoose.

• In the mood for a cupcake? Apparently. Dupont Circle’s fanciful Hello Cupcake (1351 Connecticut Ave., NW; 202-861-2253) debuted Monday morning with long lines and hour waits for its $3 peanut-butter/chocolate and root-beer-float confections. But that wasn’t the only cupcake shop that came on the scene this week. Old Town’s Lavender Moon Cupcakery (116 S. Royal St., Alexandria; no phone number yet), made a quieter splash when it opened last Sunday, but we’re itching to try the farmers-market-inspired creations such as peach-and-basil. to try the farmers-market-inspired creations such as peach-and-basil.

Forget quail eggs, the beloved playthings of trendy restaurants and sushi bars; the egg of choice among the city’s top toques these days is duck.

Duck eggs have made appearances at Corduroy, where chef/owner Tom Power uses them in his duck-egg-and-duck- leg salad and in a lush crème brûlée on the dessert menu, and at Westend Bistro (1190 22nd St., NW; 202-974-4900), where chef/owner Eric Ripert and chef de cuisine Leonardo Marino are presenting a fried duck egg over green beans, walnuts, and bleu-cheese dressing.