Washington D.C.

The Nation's Capitol

Two Truths and a Lie

• In 1814, the British Army defeated an American militia on the Potomac River and marched to D.C. When they arrived at the White House, President Madison had fled but his dinner table was still set. The British drank Madison’s wine, ate his meat, and set fire to his dining room.

• In 1910 Congress passed a law barring any building from surpassing the Capitol dome in height. This has resulted in urban sprawl, exuberant housing costs, and splendid views of the Washington Monument.

• Franciscan monks built fake catacombs underneath D.C. so American Christians could get a sense of the early Christian burial sites without the hassle and expense of overseas travel. The monks obtained the skeleton of a 2nd-century martyr and papal endorsement to lend legitimacy to these mostly fake graves.

The Recipe - Chocolate Cherry Blossoms

       In 1790, Virginia and Maryland donated land along the Potomac River for a new federal district. Pierre Charles L’Enfant, a French military engineer, drew up plans for the new capital city. He envisioned a park-like city with garden-lined boulevards and a large green space that would become the National Mall. 

   At first, L-Enfant’s vision was only partly realized, D.C. was a small city and cows grazed on the mall. After the Civil War, newly freed black citizens poured into the city establishing vibrant neighborhoods. In 1901, the government revisited L’Enfant’s plan and set about beautifying the city. They dredged the Potomac River to make room for more parks and the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials. Beautification continued in 1912 when Japan donated thousands of cherry trees to plant along the tidal basin. Today the city is a vibrant, diverse home to the U.S. government. 

   This is my final recipe so I wanted to make something luxurious and beautiful that pays homage to the American melting pot of influences. I started with a French recipe for sables to honor L’Enfant’s plans. To honor the heritage of the city's large black population, I flavored the dough with premium African chocolate. The cookies’ final shape and decoration honor the Japanese cherry blossoms that draw millions of visitors each year. 

   I love the slightly salty, very bitter, and rich taste of these sables. The cherry glaze is the perfect compliment. They are so small it is easy to eat half a dozen at once. After cutting out two trays worth of blossoms, I turned the scraps into tree and branch shapes to save time and honor a beloved D.C. tree, stumpy. 

Want to experience DC for yourself? Teresa recommends ...

I visited recently just to celebrate completing this blog and it was a blast. D.C. is a great place to walkabout and explore. So much power, culture, and history is condensed into this small space. I especially enjoyed the Lincoln Memorial and the National Portrait Gallery. My cousin hosted me and despite the dreary weather, we had an amazing time. Thanks to all who have read this; this is my 56th post! My next post will involve details on my forthcoming cookbook which will contain all recipes from this project.

Time for the whole truth

The height of the capitol is 288 feet and The Height of Buildings Act in DC is so restrictive nothing can be built more than 160 feet tall.

(By the way, you can click on any of the 2 truths and a lie statements to visit the source of the trivia)