Recap: Art and Soul’s Biscuit Bash

Last night, Art & Soul in the Liaison Capitol Hill Hotel kicked off patio-season with a friendly biscuit competition benefiting Hospitality High, a preparatory high school for D.C. students interested in the hospitality industry.  Good thing I recently traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina, to brush up on my (American) biscuits because biscuit means two completely different things in France and in America. In France, biscuits are typically sweet, more like cookies. In America, they’re more like bread. Either way, I would have enjoyed any event named biscuit bash!!

With the assistance of students from Hospitality high, five chefs battled it out for the title: Jason Gehring of Menu MBK; Hamilton Johnson of Vidalia; Dylan Fultineer of Rappahannock River Oysters; Brian McPherson of Jackson 20; & Susan Wallace of BlackSalt. My personal favourite was Brian McPherson perfectly buttery biscuit (it was pan toasted in a butter,) which featured Mangalica ham from D’Artagnan, farmers’ greens and tomatoes, pickled ramps and thyme aioli. 

Jackson 20’s Buttery Biscuit for Art & Soul’s #BiscuitBash

My wooden token was not enough to tip Jackson’s 20 biscuit though, and Vidalia‘s Hot Mess was crowned best biscuit. (Can you believe I’ve actually never eaten at Vidalia?)

Vidalia’s Hot Mess Biscuit for Art & Soul’s #BiscuitBash

Chef Hamilton Johnson of Vidalia and his team pose with Tommy McFly, chef Art Smith and the  Hospitality High student  who assisted them throughout the evening.

Now if eating your way through biscuits on a gorgeous patio and for a great cause doesn’t already make for a great evening, there was also bluegrass music from the Drymill Road Band, a whole lamb roast from Border Springs Farms, oysters from Rappahannock and cocktails from Southern Efficiency. Derek Brown’s bartending staff generously donated their tips to Hospitality High as well…

Cocktails from Southern Efficiency paired perfectly with the messy biscuit sandwiches.

Oysters from Rappahannock river – try them at Union Market or Eat The Rich

A huge thank you to Tricia at the Liaison Hotel for inviting me to Biscuit Bash yesterday. I can’t wait to have more of Art & Soul’s own biscuits throughout the summer. The restaurant is actually serving them as a side with their new fried chicken to-go picnic lunch for two ($35, includes biscuits, potato salad and beans along with fried chicken, starting memorial day weekend.) Oh, and of course, they’re always available at the restaurant and on its fabulous patio!