A selection of piña coladas from Colada Shop, available this month. (Photo by Mojalvo Pic)
The heat (humidity?) wave of 2018 continues, and this week’s food events feature ways to get inside and cool off with piña coladas or tastes of a favorite African dish. Read on for our picks.
July is for IPAs
Local chain Pizzeria Paradiso is back with its curated “JulyPA” beer list through July 14. Hop lovers can sip through a selection of more than 50 draft beers ($6 – $11 each), which will make appearances throughout the two-week stint. The team has also created a complementary pizza with peaches, apricots, ricotta, and prosciutto ($14 – $20).
Learn to love Jollof
Visit Union Market (1309 5th St. NW) on Saturday, July 7, for this year’s Jollof Festival. Jollof is a popular rice dish in West African countries, and chef representatives from Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, and other countries will create their own versions in a cooking competition. Doors open at 2 p.m. and guest voting ends at 6 p.m. Admission tickets, which include four tastings, are $35 or $60 for two. There will be also be a cash bar and other entertainment, including African music.
Coffee lessons from Counter Culture
Those who know (and love) their coffee often consider Counter Culture roasts to be among the best available. The North Carolina-based company operates a training center in D.C. with regular classes open to the public. This Saturday, July 7, features a session on how to brew better coffee at home. Admission for the two-hour class is $75 and comes with a guided tasting and instructions on techniques like pour-over brewing. Attendees also receive a three-month home subscription of coffee delivery. The class begins at 1:30 p.m. at 1781 Florida Ave. NW, Suite F.
Piña coladas come to Colada Shop
Cuban cafe Colada Shop hosts its second annual piña colada festival from July 10 through July 22. The special menu features four takes on the coconut, pineapple, and rum cocktail, including a boozy ice pop “paleta” version. There will be pineapple-themed snacks at the kickoff party, as well as a $30 pina colada for two, served inside a pineapple. It all starts at 4 p.m. on July 10 at both the D.C. (1405 T St. NW) and Sterling (21430 Epicerie Plaza) locations.
A night of Canadian beer at Granville Moore’s
Grab tickets for a collaboration dinner next Wednesday, July 11, featuring the Belgian ales of Quebec’s Unibroue brewery and the Belgian fare of Granville Moore’s (1238 H St. NE). The four-course meal costs $60 a person and includes a an official Unibroue cookbook and glassware. The menu is yet to be released, but expect pours of the brewery’s interpretation of Belgian ales paired with the restaurant’s hearty fare. tickets are limited to 25 people. The event begins at 7 p.m.
