Inspired by Washington DC

THE MEAL

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I’m learning things about my own country that I never knew before, thanks to this challenge. Like, of course I knew that Washington, D.C. is the nation’s capital and isn’t technically part of any state. But what I didn’t know was that the city of Washington was built within the territory of District of Columbia, and that over time the boundaries of the territory became indistinguishable from the city, creating what is now Washington, D.C. It’s still a territory, not a state, and has its own mayor and city council, but is ultimately governed by Congress.

Located north of the Potomac river between Maryland and Virginia, Washington, D.C. is all about the federal government and American history, containing such important and historic sites as the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian Art Museum, and the Lincoln Memorial.

While only 68 square miles, Washington, D.C. has its own unique culture and, unsurprisingly, its own favorite cuisine!

WINGS WITH MUMBO SAUCE

Though invented in Chicago by Argia B. Collins, an African-American restaurant owner, mumbo sauce has been in Washington, D.C. since the 1960s and is as iconic to the city as cheesesteaks are to Philadelphia. Locals put it on everything from Chinese food to french fries to hot dogs! It’s like a marriage between sweet-and-sour sauce and barbecue sauce, and I loved it.

I decided to make chicken wings to go with the sauce, and that was an amazing decision, if I say so myself. I’d never made chicken wings before and originally thought that frying them was the only way to go, but I found a great baking method that made them perfectly crispy. Smothered in mumbo sauce, they were outright addicting. I ate half the batch in one go, and the other half didn’t last long!

WHITE BEAN SOUP

In the restaurant that feeds those who work in the Senate wing of the Capitol, there’s a white bean soup that’s been on the menu every single day (except one) since around 1905! There are stories of either Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho or Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota demanding that it stay on the menu, but in either case, there’s an official mandate that says it has to be offered every day. The only day when it wasn’t served was September 14, 1943, when navy beans were very briefly unavailable because of WWII food rationing.

Senate Bean Soup is defined by its white navy beans, ham hock, and onion. Other ingredients are added depending on who’s making it, including carrot, celery, and sometimes mashed potatoes! The House of Representatives has their own version in their own restaurant, but this one seems to be the most popular for whatever reason.

I liked this soup well enough. We had a surprisingly rainy and cold Memorial Day weekend, so having soup on hand was nice, and I thought it was a perfectly appropriate food to make for the federal holiday. But ham and bean soup isn’t a flavor I’m especially fond of, so I’m not sure that I would go to the trouble of making it again.

LIME RICKEY

In the 1880s, Colonel Joe Rickey frequented a bar called Shoomaker’s in Washington, D.C. His drink of choice was rye whiskey mixed with fizzy water and lime juice. Others wanted what he was having and called it “that Rickey drink.” The cocktail quickly caught on, with gin replacing whiskey. In 2011, the drink was named the official cocktail of Washington, D.C., and July is “Rickey Month” in the territory! Nowadays, a lime rickey isn’t necessarily alcoholic—a lot of people use sugar syrup instead of gin—and that’s exactly what I did. The result was a refreshing limeade that I definitely get the appeal of. I still prefer lemonade, but lime is a great way to go too!

RED VELVET CUPCAKES

I had a more difficult time coming up with an iconic dessert to represent Washington, D.C., but I kept seeing posts about cupcakes. Apparently people in D.C. are very proud of their cupcakes, especially Georgetown Cupcake, a popular bakery that had its own show on TLC. And so I decided to make red velvet cupcakes!

Red velvet cake is said to have originated in Maryland in the early 20th century. The cocoa powder they used turned red during baking to create a beautiful-looking and light-textured cake. During WWII, beet juice was used to achieve the color, and nowadays it’s generally red food dye and cocoa combined, though some still use beets, and purists will say that dye shouldn’t be used at all.

This was my first time ever making red velvet cake, and I was really proud of how it turned out. I’m not a huge fan of frosting (I know, I’m weird), but the slightly vinegary chocolate flavor pairs so well with cream cheese frosting. Obviously I’m not a pro frosting piper, but whatever. I was more worried about how they tasted than how they looked. 🙂

So how do you think I did? Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions for improvement, and be sure to tune in next time for my take on a meal inspired by Maryland! If that’s where you’re from, what do you think I should make to represent your state? Bonus points if you have reliable recipes or pro tips before I make the attempt! Thank you for reading!