Chicken Council to Award $100,000 for Best RecipeStart cooking and you can win!By Phyllis SteinbergYour favorite chicken dish might be worth more than a good meal. That’s what food writers were told at the National Chicken Council Food Media Seminar held recently in Washington D.C. for food writers from across the nation. Fifty-one contestants, one from each state and the District of Columbia, will be selected to compete in the 46th National Chicken Cooking Contest which will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 15, 2004 In addition to the first place grand prize, the second place finisher will be awarded $10,000; third place $5,000 and fourth place, $2,000 and fifth place $1,000 plus every state finalist will win an expense paid trip to Charlotte for the Cook-Off. The contest is sponsored by the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. Chicken is the only required ingredient and it can be prepared whole, in parts or in any combination. The Seminar was about trends in dining in and dining out. Surveys indicated that the demand for chicken has strengthened over the past year as the low-carb diet philosophy took hold. A three-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast meat provides 24 grams of protein but less than two grams of total fat and like other animal products, no carbohydrates.
Interesting dishes were prepared by Washington D.C.’s most successful and well-known chefs, including Michel Richard of Citronelle, Rita Garruba of Butterfield 9, Kazuhiro Okockhi of Kaz Sushi Bistro, Cesare Lanfranconi of Ristorante Tosca and Roberto Donna of Galileo Restaurant.
Oh, well, back to chicken. It’s time for you to get cooking. Send your original recipes to: National Chicken Council Cooking Contest, P.O. Box 27997, Washington D.C. 20038-7997 or fax to 202-293-4005. Entries may also be made electronically through the website: www.eatchicken.com by Phyllis Steinberg |
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Appetizers and small dishes from tapas to tasting menus are catching on. The small plate trend appears in many forms. The new Zaytinya Restaurant in Washington DC is a prime example. It’s Middle Eastern dishes are served on small plates, family style. The restaurant was very busy and everyone was enjoying tasting the new innovative cuisine of Zaytina. 
Food writers also had an opportunity for a cooking demonstration and luncheon consisting of “Chicken in the Pot” and other dishes with chicken prepared French style at the French Embassy by its executive chef, Patrice Olivon.
But Washington D.C. isn’t just about eating. There is plenty of opportunity for sightseeing in the city. The biggest buzz around town of course was the new World War II Monument.
There is also the International Spy Museum, which is well worth a visit. From picking a lock to planting a bug, you will learn the history of spying around the world and do some amateur sleuthing while you are there. There are many interesting exhibits from the car used in some of the James Bond movies to a spy camera that fits into a lapel. 
There are museums and monuments everywhere in Washington D.C. with enough tourist attractions to keep you busy for a week. The Smithsonian museums are free. The Smithsonian Museum of History has a wonderful exhibit of Julia Child’s kitchen.