With so much delicious food at their disposal, Washingtonians can afford to pick and choose where and what they want to eat. Sometimes too many choices confound them. In that case, solve your eating and food-shopping dilemma with a single stop — Cork Market & Tasting Room. Back in the recesses of the establishment, past the refrigerator cases and the shelves lined with exotic and exclusive edibles, executive chef Kristin Hutter stirs and seasons, slices and samples, day in and day out, much to the delight of her numerous fans.
| If you go |
| Cork Market and Tasting Room |
| Where: 1805 14th St., NW |
| Info: 202-265-2674 |
| Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun., Mon., 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. |
Who would not love her egg salad made with Trickling Springs Farm eggs and smoked bacon; the vegetable sandwich that is like a salad with grilled eggplant; and the drop-dead delicious fried chicken?
“Try this,” she smiles with the ease of a Washington hostess pleasing her guests. Setting down a crock of hot, bubbly mac and cheese — fragrant with blue cheese and crisped and crumbled Italian bacon — Hutter talks about how, exasperated by her earlier career, she turned to the food world.
Even though she grew up under the tutelage of a mother who loved to cook (“She really influenced me,” she says), native Washingtonian Hutter surprisingly did not immediately join the food world. After a brief stint working in D.C. restaurants, Hutter moved to the West Coast and joined an investment company. Problem was, she spent all her spare time dreaming up recipes, cooking with friends and dining out at local restaurants.
Bored by the office routine, Hutter knew she needed to change focus, and headed back east. After working in local restaurants, she saved up enough money to enroll at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. While studying toward her culinary degree, Hutter worked at the local Sprout Creek Farm near Poughkeepsie. At the farm, she made cheese six or seven days a week; on weekends, she sold the cheese at local farmers markets.
“Making cheese is hard work,” she says with a little irony. “You have to have everything at the right temperature and follow a lot of sanitary regulations. I had to get certified with a dairy license.”
After graduation and an externship at Clio Restaurant in Boston, Hutter returned once again to D.C., where she worked for such premier D.C. venues as Citronelle, BlackSalt, Restaurant Eve and Black Market Bistro. As she pulls up a chair to chat, she explains how she fits the high-end experience into her present life. Quite easily, as it turns out.
“At the CIA, did I have a vision of the future?” she asks rhetorically. In the long run, Hutter wanted to work in a fine dining establishment, and ironically, she found that planning menus and cooking for an upscale food market made a perfect fit. “Now I get to put it all down here,” she says, gesturing to the plate.
Hutter is responsible for developing the recipes and, along with her staff, experiments with ingredients daily.
“We want the food to be stupendous — great,” she says. “We try things out a lot before we put it out there.”
As for her mother, who still lives in the D.C. area, Hutter says, “She is very proud of me. She comes in often; she loves the vegetable sandwich.”
But what about the fried chicken and the macaroni and cheese?
Q&A
What’s your comfort food?
Cheese. Depends on my mood: stinky, mild, sheep, cow, goat, for all over Europe and the United States. And Australia.
Which chef do you admire the most?
I’ve learned something from every chef I’ve worked for. … Michel Richard [Citronelle] was great, amazing. Clio’s job was also amazing; I was doing it all. I learned so much from Jeff Black, as he is an amazing chef, leader and manager.
Which is your favorite restaurant?
I have favorites for different reasons: Thai Square, Sushi-Ko; 2 Amys, Restaurant Ever, Distrito Federal.
What is your signature dish?
I don’t have one, and that’s what I like. I do a little of everything, from cookies to salads to nice desserts to sit-down dinners. Most people love my fried chicken.
What’s in your fridge?
Cheese, pickles, chicken liver pate, sparkling water, ratatouille, condiments, mustards, jams, dog biscuits.
Macaroni and cheese
Serves 8
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced onion
? cup all-purpose flour
? cup white wine
1 quart whole milk
1/3 pound sharp white cheddar, grated
1/4 pound Bleu d’Auvergne or other creamy blue cheese, crumbled into small pieces
1 cup diced pancetta, rendered and drained
1 pound dried orecchiette or other pasta shape, cooked al dente
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Topping:
Equal parts dried bread crumbs and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced onions and sweat until soft, without browning. Whisk in the flour and cook over low heat until you have a blond roux. Whisk in the wine; gradually whisk in the milk. Keep on very low heat and stir frequently until the mixture thickens. Add both of the cheeses and stir until melted. Add the cooked pancetta. Fold in the cooked pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping.
