Photo by LaTur

Dish of the Week: Tube meat on the grill

Where: Eastern Market, Society Fair, Stachowski’s Market.

Labor Day weekend is nearly upon us, bringing a day off from work and an excuse to fire up the grill. But rather than unpackaging and cooking up some grocery store bought hot dogs, consider wowing your fellow picnickers with something a little more special.

Earlier this year here at DCist, we christened and celebrated Tube Meat Week, highlighting places around town where you can purchase delicious sausage and other meats. Alicia Mazzara ate her way through Eastern Market, highlighting savory selections like chicken habanero sausage, pork sausage with fennel and whiskey, and duck sausage. We met charcutier Julien Shapiro through Jamie Liu, learning about his passion for good food and getting a glimpse into the butchery case at Society Fair, where you can find beef hot dogs and a variety of sausages. And Kat Lucero’s profile of Stachowski Brand Charcuterie left our mouths watering for pork frankfurters with fennel and sweet paprika and Thai chicken sausage.

Whether you check one of these places out, or stop by a local farmer’s market to see what else is out there, try something a little different on the grill this Labor Day. But if your ingredients are already purchased, or a friend shows up with some Ball Park franks, try adding a twist: spiral cutting your hot dog before grilling it up.

Small Bites

Restaurant Month
Rogue 24 (922 N Street NW) Restaurant Week Gone Rogue event August 13 through September 1, offers 24 small courses paired with beverages. The two menus, named Progression and Journey, are priced at $100.12 and $140.12 respectively.

Brie unleashes a smear campaign on cheddar…
The Park Hyatt Washington Lounge is preparing for the upcoming presidential election by offering two blue cheeses (representing the Democratic candidate, President Barack Obama) and two red cheeses (representing the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney) nightly from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Cheese samplers are available at $6.

Happy Birthday, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace!
Help Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Black Jack (1612 14th Street NW) celebrate their first year in business at a First Anniversary Party on September 20. Tickets are a bit pricey at $150 (and increase in price on September 1), but include fresh oysters, unlimited food, live music, an open bar, and most importantly will go to support Food & Friends