Dine for charity: Cashion’s Eat Place launches its Ticket to Giving dinner club on Tuesday. Guests can buy $40 tickets for a three-course meal Sunday through Thursday until December 30, and 10 percent of the bill will go toward Taste of the Nation’s No Kid Hungry campaign.
More market: Union Market extends its hours this week, opening for the first time on Tuesday for a six-day-a-week schedule. Drop in for cooking demos from vendors such as Rappahannock Oyster Bar and chef John Mooney, who’s slated to open a restaurant in the market.
Mole festival: Sadly, this is not a celebration of ground-dwelling mammals. El Centro 14th Street and Georgetown throw their first Mole (pronounced “mo-lay”) Festival on Wednesday, highlighting the Mexican sauce. Through November 30, find specials such as quesadillas with a tasting of three moles, hanger steak with mole negro, and more.
Noma comes to Washington: Chef René Redzepi of the internationally lauded Noma in Copenhagen gives a talk on Thursday at 6:45 as part of the Smithsonian Associates program. He’ll also sign copies of his new book, A Work in Progress: Notes on Food, Cooking and Creativity. Tickets are $30.
Say (Spanish) cheese: Explore the world of Spanish cheeses beyond Manchego during a class at Righteous Cheese on Thursday at 7. You’ll taste six cheeses and four wines from Spain while learning about their history, ideal pairings, storing tips, etc. Online reservations are $49.
Hail to the chef: Former White House toque John Moeller, who cooked for presidents Bush, Clinton, and Dubya, signs copies of his new book this week: Dining at the White House—From the President’s Table to Yours. Meet the chef on Thursday during an event hosted by the White House Historical Association from 11 to 2 in the Decatur House’s Shop on Lafayette Square.
Drink more cider: Delve into the world of Virginian hard cider during Cider Week, Friday through November 24. You’ll find a range of tastings and events (many that require traveling beyond the immediate Washington area), from a pairing workshop at Early Mountain Vineyards to a DIY workshop at Charlottesville’s Fifth Season Gardening.
Brews and whiskeys: Spend Saturday afternoon sampling whiskeys and beers at the second annual Brew & Bourbon Classic at Laurel Park from noon to 5. In addition to the bounty of spirits and brews you’ll find eats from food trucks such as Red Hook Lobster Pound, live music, horse-racing, and more. Tickets start at $35.
Turkey camp: If you have pre-Thanksgiving cooking jitters, sign up for Art and Soul’s holiday “mini camp” on Saturday at 7. The evening starts with demonstrations on how to cook holiday dishes including stuffing and pies, following by a sit-down, family-style meal with beverage pairings. Tickets are $65 per person.
Hot release: Fiery food fans can head to Dacha Beer Garden on Saturday for the release of Flying Fish Pepper hot sauce, a spicy new condiment made from native Chesapeake fish peppers. The party doubles as a fundraiser for the nonprofit City Blossoms, which runs gardening education programs for local kids. Donate $5 for jars of the sauce or Red Apron Butchery pork sandwiches; a portion of beer and hard cider sales also goes to charity.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
