"Homegrown" is a term often tossed around in various genres of food. You just rarely hear it at the raw bar. That could soon change.

The newly expanded Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle, City Paper readers' pick for "D.C.'s Best Seafood 2011," is now growing its own oyster.  The "Hayden's Reef," served for the first time at the restaurant last week, is a collaboration between Hank's chef-owner Jamie Leeds and Virginia oyster farmer Bruce Woods. The mollusk is raised in the Nomini Creek area of Westmoreland County in an estuary boasting one of the lowest salinity levels within the Chesapeake Bay, which is said to give the oyster its "unique sweet flavor," according to publicity materials.

On Monday, Young & Hungry stopped by the new and improved Hank's to sample the brand-spankin' new mollusk, which stood out for its large shell and beige tint. I found it to be much meatier and a bit less briny than the other available Virginia variety, Old Plantation, but less creamy than the buttery Naked Roy from Washington State.

My dining companion, admittedly not much of an oyster connoisseur, put it more bluntly: "It's like licking the bottom of a barge—but in a good way."

His positive spin makes some sense, at least to the chef: "I think that it's a good starter oyster, as far as the flavoring, because it's a mild oyster," says Leeds. "It's got a meatiness to it. Some oysters are very creamy and those are more for the oyster veteran. All in all, it's a good well-rounded oyster."

Since its debut last week, the new oyster has been the restaurant's best-seller. "We blew through 1,000 of them in three days," Leeds says. Not only served on the half-shell, the Hayden's Reef is also used in the chef's Hog Island-style barbecued oyster.

The mollusk is named after Leeds' 8-year-old son, who isn't quite the shellfish aficionado that his mother is. At least not yet.  "He sipped the juice a little bit," says Leeds. "But he's not ready to take in the whole thing."

Hank's may be the only place in D.C. currently growing its own oyster. "I haven't heard about it anywhere else," Leeds says.

The process began about a year ago. "We collected bushels and bushels of old shells," Leeds explains, "and we took the staff out there to [Woods'] farm and we poured them in the water and built the reef with those shells. He used the reef to grow those oysters...We have about 750,000 oysters now." That sort of supply could last the restaurant anywhere from six months to a full year, she says. (For some perspective, Hank's generally goes through about 10,000 per week. That's including all six varieties on the blackboard.)

Fresh shipments are scheduled for twice a week, though the recent hurricane knocked out power to Woods' farm, meaning that Hank's will have to do without for the next several days, Leeds notes.

The chef recommends that patrons pair the new oyster with either the Old Rasputin imperial stout on tap, or the house specialty "Hanky Panky" cocktail, made with lemon-infused vodka, a little limoncello, a little cava and a little dab of simple syrup. "It's nice and bright and citrus-y and goes nice with oysters," she says.

Photo by Chris Shott

Leeds is also taking the opportunity to debut an all-new oyster, called the Hayden's Reef, developed in collaboration with Montross, Va., oyster farmer Bruce Wood and raised in the Nomini Creek area of Westmoreland County, which is said to have one of the lowest salinity estuaries in the Chesapeake Bay.  According to a press release, this low salinity allows for "a unique sweet flavor that produces one of the finest half shell, baked or fried oysters." A rep for the restaurant tells Y&H the new oysters would be pulled from the water on Monday and delivered fresh for Tuesday's 5 p.m. opening.

Image courtesy of Hank's Oyster Bar

We're giving away two tickets to the Smithsonian's World Oceans Day festivities. Join activist-actor Ted Danson in hearing from experts about the long-term impact of last year's ecological disaster in the Gulf of Mexico while also enjoying sustainable seafood dishes created by local chefs, including Kyle Bailey of Birch & Barley and Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar. The event takes place Thursday, June 9, at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

As far as valuable learning experiences go, this one should be pretty tasty. Check out the menu and wine list here and here.

Photo by Alpha/Creative Commons Attribution License

As reported by The Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema in his regular online chat last week, Commonwealth owner Jamie Leeds is selling the business to the new Irving Street Restaurant Group, which is fronted by Terry Cullen. Cullen and his associates are also opening Lou’s City Bar, a sports bar that will be located just down the block from Commonwealth on Irving Street between 14th and 16th Streets, Northwest.

According to commenter Michael Wilkinson on a Prince of Petworth post last week, plans for the new venue include removing Commonwealth's private dining room to expand the bar area, putting down hardwood floors, and adding more mainstream items to the food menu. The last change is good news to anyone who found Commonwealth dishes like deviled sweetbreads hard to stomach. Cullen is planning a May opening for the new but similarly-themed restaurant.

As for executive chef and owner Jamie Leeds, the sale enables her to focus resources and energy on expanding Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle, which she also owns. As Sietsema reports, Leeds got the opportunity to purchase the rowhouse next door to her original Hank's location and jumped at the opportunity to expand her six-year-old seafood restaurant.

I dropped by Commonwealth this week and the place was as busy as it has been any time I have visited. So busy, in fact, that I lost interest in waiting to order a beer. The solid but bit pricey draft list included Victory Prima Pils, Tröegs HopBack Amber, and Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA alongside British pub mainstays like Strongbow, Smithwick's, Bellhaven, and Guinness. If you intend to say goodbye to this gastropub with a quality beer in hand, I suggest hitting the bottle menu (or what's left of it), which has long had a strong selection of American breweries like Smuttynose, Ommegang, and Weyerbacher and regional favorites like Flying Dog and Heavy Seas.

Photo by Flickr user Mr. T in D.C. using an Attribution 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license

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In November we wrote about notable women in the craft beer industry as well as D.C.'s local ladies of beer. Next weekend, at the peak of SAVOR mania, there will be opportunities to meet and learn from several of the women featured in our lists, and two events focus specifically on women and beer.

On Saturday at Commonwealth, owner and chef Jamie Leeds is hosting a beer tasting and networking event for women in the restaurant, beer, and service industries with Sebbie Buhler of Rogue Ales. The event is a fundraiser for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, a professional culinary organization that Leeds heads as President.

Then on Sunday your very own Lagerheads have partnered with Amy Bowman and Hollie Stephenson at the Black Squirrel, Deverie Robinson of DCBeer.com and Hurra Bier!, and Rachel Murray of The Brickskeller to bring the national and local female beer community together for an educational tasting and meet and greet. Eight women in the beer industry will talk through ten beers and six food pairings. Visit the official event page for more details about this Washington City Paper event and the chance to RSVP.

Although it's still a dude-heavy line-up, at Friday's Lupulin Reunuless at The Brickskeller, Kim Jordan, founder of New Belgium Brewing in Ft. Collins, Colorado, will share the stage with other big names in beer. To our knowledge, this will be the first time a female brewery founder or brewmaster has participated in the infamous East vs. West Coast hop slam (and hop slam reunion) series.

It's that time of year again. SAVOR is coming to town and with the national craft beer and food pairing event comes a week-long beer party for D.C. Tickets sold out in record time this year, but thanks to the local bars, restaurants, and distributors who take advantage of so many talented brewers being in town for SAVOR, you have plenty of opportunities to taste many of the same beers being served and meet several of the same brewery founders and brewmasters who will be at SAVOR.

The Lagerheads haven't decided if the best way to prepare for an entire week of drinking is to hydrate and get extra sleep now or start drinking to get our livers warmed up. Whichever route you choose, we hope this list of beer events for SAVOR week (a.k.a. D.C.'s Unofficial Beer Week) will help you make good decisions about where to spend your sobriety. (If you prefer a graphical representation of this info, check out our DC Beer Events Calendar. Our tired fingers thank you.)

TUESDAY, JUNE 1

• [LH PICK] East Coast Craft Beer Cask Party at ChurchKey – Leading up to SAVOR, ChurchKey will pour rare casks and drafts and give away glassware from five East Coast craft breweries: Harpoon, Dogfish Head, Peak Organic, Heavy Seas, and Flying Dog. 4 to 8PM.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2

• The Clash of the Titans at The Red and The Black – The event will feature Great Lakes Brewing Company's Lake Erie Monster and Harpoon Brewing's Leviathan, two behemoths among beers. Music provided by Nathan Robinson (of Archivist) and friends. Glassware giveaway. 5 to 8PM.
• Anchor Humming Ale Release Party at ChurchKey -Anchor's new seasonal release, Humming Ale, will be featured on draft and multiple other Anchor offerings will be available. 6 to 9PM.
• Flying Dog Meet the Brewery Night at Pizzeria Paradiso – Both Pizzeria Paradiso locations will have a special selection of Flying Dog beers including Barrel Aged Gonzo, Locally-Roasted Coffee Stout, and a firkin of Raging Bitch Belgian IPA. 5 to 8PM.
• [LH PICK] Three Floyds Tasting at the Brickskeller – The three brothers from Indiana who started Three Floyds Brewing Company will be on stage at the Brick leading a tasting of eight FFF beers, including their Alpha King Challenge winning beer. 6:30 to 10PM. Tickets $35 at LoveTheBeer.com.
• Heavy Seas & BreweryFans.com SAVOR Ticket Giveaway at Elephant & Castle – Loose Cannon IPA will be available for $1 off. Get a raffle ticket for every Loose Cannon purchased for a chance to win a ticket to SAVOR including a salon ticket. 6 to 9PM. Drawing at 9PM.
• Goose Island Sofie Tasting at D'Vines – Free tasting of the Illinois brewery's "sparkling saison" style beer, brewed with wild yeasts and aged in wine barrels with orange peel. Every 13th four-pack is $0.01. 5:30 to 8PM.
• Extended Hump Day Flying Dog Happy Hour at 19th – The golf-themed bar will have a late happy hour featuring Flying Dog Doggie Style Pale Ale and other Flying Dog offerings. 8 to 10PM.
• American Craft Beer Tasting at Granville Moore's – It'll be too late for those award-winning mussels but the folks at Granville Moore's are featuring a bunch of American craft beers including Brooklyn Barleywine, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Brooklyn Local 2, Anchor Porter, Rogue Chipotle, Coney Island Albino, River Horse Triple and others. Free Granville Moore's glasses to the first 30 people. 10PM to 12AM.

THURSDAY, JUNE 3

• A Toast to SAVOR at RFD – Unlimited samples from 10 breweries featured at SAVOR:  Dogfish Head, Samuel Adams, Ommegang, Sierra Nevada, Saranac, Harpoon, Heavy Seas, Anchor Steam, Magic Hat, Flying Dog, Southampton, Stoudts, Peak Organic, Hook & Ladder, Cisco, and Otter Creek. 6:30 to 10:30PM. Tickets $30 at LoveTheBeer.com.
• Three Floyds Beer Dinner at Birreria Paradiso – The Floyds will guide guests through four courses and seven beers, including the super rare barrel-aged Dark Lord Imperial Stout. Seatings at 6:30 and 9:00PM. $65 includes tax and tip. Call 202-337-4936 for reservations. [SOLD OUT]
• [LH PICK] Odell Tasting at the Brickskeller – Doug Odell of Ft. Collins Colorado will speak about and serve eight of his beers. 6:30 to 10PM. Tickets $30 at LoveTheBeer.com.
• [LH PICK] The Bruery Dinner at Brasserie Beck – The Bruery founder Patrick Rue from California will host a dinner of four-courses paired with five Bruery beers: Orchard White, Saison de Lente, Rugbord, Oud Tart and 100% Barrel-Aged Coton. 7 to 9:30PM. $85 plus tax and gratuity. Call 202-408-1717 for reservations.

FRIDAY, JUNE 4

• Heavy Seas Barrel-Aged Below Decks Barley Wine Tasting at D'Vines - Taste free samples of Heavy Seas' award-winning barleywine aged two ways, in wooden bourbon barrels or cabernet barrels. Every 13th bottle is only $0.01. 3 to 5PM.
• Sierra Nevada Meet & Greet with Ken Grossman at ChurchKey – Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman will be on hand to serve some of his rare barrel-aged brews and cask ales and give away glassware. 4 to 7PM.
• [LH PICK] Sam Calagione Book Signing & Dogfish Head Tasting at D'Vines – Owner and founder Sam Calagione will be selling and signing his book Extreme Brewing. Guests can taste Fort on draft at the store. Free Dogfish Head glass with book purchase. 5 to 6PM.
• Harpoon Brewery Night at Scion – Six Harpoon Brewery beers will be available: IPA, UFO, Munich Dark, Leviathan Imperial IPA, Leviathan Big Bohemian Pilsner, and 100 Barrel Series Single Hop ESB. Food and beer pairings available a la carte. 5 to 9PM. RSVP to joanne@scionrestaurant by May 31, for a free bottle of Harpoon UFO.
• Great Lakes Lake Eerie Monster Debut at DC Bread & Brew - "Release the Kraken!" will feature Great Lakes Brewing Company's Lake Erie Monster and free glassware giveaways. 6 to 9PM.
• Magic Hat Beer Dinner at Policy – Alan Newman, co-founder of Magic Hat Brewing Company in Vermont, will lead a beer dinner upstairs. 6 to 9PM. Call 202-387-7654 for reservations.
• Terrapin Brewmaster Meet & Greet at Rustico - Meet Spike Buckowski, brewmaster and cofounder of Terrapin. Enjoy casks of Hopsecutioner dry hopped with Centennial Hops, Hop Karma Brown IPA aged on wood with vanilla, Gamma Ray Honey Wheat Wine, their newest Side Project, and #11 Boomshakalager. Terrapin pint glass giveaway. 6 to 9PM.
• Abita Bayou Beer Tasting at Eatonville – Meet and greet with reps from Abita Brewing Company in Louisiana and taste six different beers in draft and bottle, plus Abita Root Beer. Admission includes first beer and passed hors d'oeuvres including Fried Oysters, BBQ Shrimp and Exotic Gumbo. Live New Orleans-themed Music. $10. 6 to 8PM.
• [LH PICK] Lupulin Reunuless at the Brickskeller - Without key competitors, a Lupulin Slam reunion (Lupulin Reunulin) is not possible this year. Instead a new lineup of big names in craft beer will be on stage to talk about their beers. Speakers include Ken Grossman of Sierra Nevada, Kim Jordan of New Belgium, Rob Tod of Allagash, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head, Greg Koch of Stone, Nick Matt of Saranac, Bob Pease of the Brewers Association, and Bill Madden of Mad Fox Brewpub in Falls Church. Doors at 6PM. Program 7 to 10:30pm. Tickets $50. [SOLD OUT]
• Meet the Brewers Night at Pizzeria Paradiso Georgetown – Meet brewers Phil Markowski of Southampton and Matt Brophy of Flying Dog and enjoy several great American craft beers from Flying Dog, Southampton, Ommegang, and Victory. Markowski will have copies of his book, Farmhouse Ales: Culture and Craftsmanship in the Belgian Tradition available for purchase and signing. Surprise guests and beers are highly likely. 7 to 10PM.

SATURDAY, JUNE 5

• [LH PICK] Stone Founder Meet & Greet at Rustico – Stone co-founder Greg Koch and hoprageous Stone beers including double dry-hopped Stone IPA, 10th Anniversary Blend Imperial Russian Stout, and a cask of Ruination IPA. 11:30AM to 2PM.
• Coronado Tasting with Rick Chapman at Best Cellars Clarendon – Beer tasting and bottle signing with Coronado founder Rick Chapman. 1 to 2:30PM.  More info: 703-741-0404.
• [LH PICK] Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Tasting at Commonwealth – A fundraiser and networking event for women in the beer and hospitality service industries to meet the Women Chefs of D.C. A selection of artisanal cheeses and charcuterie will be paired with three beers from Rogue Ales by Chef Jamie Leeds and Rogue Advocate Sebbie Buhler. 2 to 4PM. $10 WCR members; $20 non-members. RSVP online.
• Coronado Tasting with Rick Chapman at DeVinos – Meet Coronado owner and founder Rick Chapman at a tasting featuring Mermaid Red Ale, Islander Pale Ale, and Idiot IPA. 3 to 5PM.
• Stone Tasting at Chevy Chase Wine & Spirits – Featuring five Stone beers: Levitation, IPA, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Smoked Porter & Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale. 3 to 6PM.
• SAVOR: an American Craft Beer & Food Experience at the National Building Museum - Attendees will enjoy a reception-style sampling of sweet and savory appetizers and 140 craft beers from 70 breweries and a chance to converse with the brewery owners, brewers and representatives. 7:30-11pm, $95. [SOLD OUT]

SUNDAY, JUNE 6

• [LH PICK] The Bruery and Allagash Brunch at Pizzeria Paradiso Dupont - The Bruery founder Patrick Rue and Allagash founder Rob Tod will lead guests through a six-beer four-course brunch.  Beers include The Bruery's Hottenroth, Tradewinds Tripel, and Coton and Allagash Black, White, and Curieaux. 12 to 1:30PM. $60 includes tax and tip. Call 202-337-4936 for reservations.
• Coronado Founder Meet & Greet at Rustico – Meet founder Rick Chapman and drink two Coronado beers on cask, Irish Stout and Nutter Brown. 2 to 5PM.
• [LH PICK] All 'Ale the Ladies: Women of Craft Beer Meet & Greet at the Black Squirrel – Enjoy great beer, food pairings, and door prizes at this educational event. Featured guests include Sebbie Buehler of Rogue, Gwen Conley of Flying Dog, Julia Herz of the Brewers Association, Carolyn Smagalski of BellaOnline, Ellie Tupper of Tuppers' Hop Pocket Ales, Kelly Zimmerman of Heavy Seas, Erin Tyler of Legends Limited and Susan Greene of Global Brewers Guild. 6 to 8:30PM. Info online. [RSVPs FULL]

MONDAY, JUNE 7

• [LH PICK] Schlafly Happy Hour at The Big Hunt – Meet and greet with co-founder and brewmaster Dan Kopman from St Louis Brewing Co., makers of Schlafly Ales & Lagers. On draft will be the 2010 World Beer Cup Gold Medal Winner- Kolsch, APA (American Pale Ale), and the just-released AIPA (American India Pale Ale). Bottles of a rare Schlafly 750 ml will also be available to purchase. 5:30 to 7:30PM.

Photo by Eddie Arrossi Photography

Let's talk about head cheese, that lonely part of the charcuterie board that tends to gather dust on restaurant tables. Why is that exactly? What are we nervous about when it comes to pig-head parts suspended in aspic?

Allow me to answer my own semi-rhetorical question: I think it's all about the ears and those thin strips of crunchy cartilage that run throughout the organ. Unlike many Asian cultures, Americans seem to have an aversion to the crunchy-gelatinous texture of pig ears. The texture (not to mention the shape of the organ, should it be left in place) tend to remind us that we're actually eating an animal.

This, no doubt, grosses out the average diner, who prefers to eat meat without any outward signs that an animal sacrificed its life for the meal.

If this is indeed your hang up about head cheese, you need to (ahem) head over to Poste Moderne Brasserie, where chef Rob Weland has developed a recipe that treats pig's ears more as a garnish. It's an ingenuous approach that provides the crunch you expect but not from the actual offal meat suspended in gelatin. Weland adds crunch by slicing the ears thinly and deep-frying them; he then garnishes his head cheese with a small tangle of these fried pig-ear strips, as if they were rounds of crispy shallots.

It makes for one of the most approachable (and delicious) plates of head cheese in the area.

Weland's head cheese is an outgrowth of his Poste Roasts, and it's different than some of the other versions around town. Both Jamie Leeds at CommonWealth GastroPub and R.J. Cooper at Vidalia tend to braise and/or confit the head meat before adding spices and other ingredients and pressing the mixture into terrines with added gelatin, natural or otherwise.

By contrast, Weland simmers pig cheeks, tongue, snout, bones, and even  trotters with spices and a splash of vinegar until the mixture is thick and golden and gelatinous. Weland doesn't add any gelatin; the bones and meat provide enough to set the meat in place. He'll plate his head cheese atop a simple sauce gribiche and then sprinkle it with those fried pig-ear garnishes.

It has everything you could want with a plate of head cheese — a rich succulent serving of savory pork, a good hit of acid, and that tell-tale crunch of cartilage.  The dish is also so attractively plated you may not know you're eating head cheese, particularly if Weland calls it a "terrine of suckling pig," as he sometimes does when serving it as part of his 20 Bites menu at the Poste kitchen counter.

"I'm not afraid of the word 'head cheese,'" Weland insists. In fact, ever since he started his Poste Roasts, the chef argues that "people really want to eat the unusual parts...People are going for this."

Which would seem to indicate that nose-to-tail eating is catching on. I don't doubt that it's trendier than it once was, but I'll only believe the whole-animal hype once all chefs can proudly announce they're serving head cheese on their menu, not a terrine of suckling pig or some other clever description.

Y&H is no Reliable Source, but even this food scribe is occasionally thrown a scrap of gossip about all the Top Chef shenanigans going on in the District. Like yesterday, a source told me that some white-jacket types were seen cooking in the building across the street from NPR's headquarters at 635 Massachusetts Ave. NW.

Apparently the aromas were torturing some NPR staffers who work in the building. There was even some speculation that the cheftestants were being ask to do a TV demonstration dish — you know, one of those dishes that a chef throws together quickly on camera while the TV host blathers away.

So says my source quoting another source.  This is what passes for reporting in the world of Top Chef stalking.

Meanwhile, Hank's Oyster Bar chef/owner Jamie Leeds tweeted that Gail Simmons, Mike Isabella (Zaytinya's chef and a contestant last year on Top Chef), and another TC alumnus, Spike Mendelsohn, all dined at her Dupont Circle restaurant last night.

I spoke with Leeds this afternoon, who said the trio was part of a larger entourage that dined at Hank's.  Leeds wasn't there for the celeb sighting but said they ordered lots of oysters on the half shell as well as fried oysters and clams and some sides like mac 'n' cheese and onion rings.

"They were smiling and laughing and having fun, " says Leeds, who hadn't heard whether Isabella and Mendelsohn had just shot an episode for the coming season. "I was kind of fantasizing that they were scouting out Hank's with the idea of doing a quick fire [challenge]."

Leeds was imagining a shucking challenge at her restaurant. Alas, there has been no call from Top Chef producers. But she does have another celebrity chef coming to her Dupont restaurant. She says that Bizarre Foods' Andrew Zimmern has a reservation for later this week.

Finally, Chris Shott, the Show & Tell alumnus who's now our Interim News Editor, spotted Padma Lakshmi last night at the Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert, where she was dining with an unknown older gentleman in a booth.

I asked Shott to tell me what Lakshmi was eating, what she was wearing, what her dining companion was eating. His response?

"I was too distracted by her plunging neckline to pay any attention to what she was eating."

Photo courtesy of Top Chef

Kelly Zimmerman leading a ladies-only tour of Clipper City

As a follow up to yesterday's post about prominent women in the national beer scene, today we are posting a list of local and localish beer-loving ladies. DC and the greater Washington area have a very decent number of beer women, from restaurant and bar owners to brewers, wholesalers, and other business folk.

And this segment of the local beer scene continues to grow, as exemplified by female-themed beer events like the Clipper City ladies night (pictured above). Tammy attended a ladies-only chocolate and beer pairing at the Baltimore brewery in July and highly recommends going next time. Better yet, why not start having events like this here in DC. Any takers?

As with yesterday's list, the group of names below is not exhaustive. For example, there are a number of great female bartenders and servers who spread the beer gospel every day. Feel free to chime in with shout-outs for other noteworthy local libation-loving ladies in the comments.

RESTAURATEURS

Diane Alexander – Co-Owner, The Brickskeller, irrefutably the DC beer institution. If you've ever been to a beer event there, she's most likely taken your ticket at the door. She's seen and heard a lot, as The Brickskeller's hallowed halls have been graced with many beer greats over the past 25 years.

Ruth Gresser – Owner and Chef,  Pizzeria Paradiso and the women who agreed to turn her restaurant's basement into the outstanding beer bar it has become. She has continued strong beer programs in her additional locations (a third one coming soon!) and is well on her way to having a little empire of top beer destinations in the area.

Jamie Leeds – Co-owner and Chef, Commonwealth, the gastropub in Columbia Heights. There are almost 30 British beers in her selection, as well as around a dozen American craft brews to sample in her U.K.-centric restaurant.

Amy Bowman – Owner, The Black Squirrel and enthusiastic proponent of all things beer. Check out one of Black Squirrel's DCBeer-sponsored events for a chance to meet her and share her passion.

BREWERS & BREWING SUPPORT

Ellie Tupper – Brewer, Tuppers' Hop Pocket and honorary Brickskeller beer event moderator (although her husband is usually the official moderator, she always ends up adding something enlightening to the conversation). She has tasted and logged over 17,000 beers around the world. 'Nuff said.

Gwen Conley – Quality Control Manager, Flying Dog Brewery who is called the "Sensory Goddess" for her ability to smell and taste subtleties in beer. She has great suggestions for beer and food pairings and is eager to share her love of beer with others.

Kelly Zimmerman – Marketing Director, Clipper City Brewing Company and general women-in-beer advocate. She heads up the Ladies' Nights at Clipper City and is a member of the Pink Boots Society.

Hollie Stephenson – Future Brewer, Black Squirrel who spent three weeks this fall taking a brewer's course in the U.K. in preparation for heading up Black Squirrel's microbrewing efforts. We look forward to seeing how her passion for beer translates to making her own brews.

Chris Ames – Manager, Maryland Homebrew who delivers very knowledgeable and patient on and off-site "tech support" for novice homebrewers like the Lagerheads. She knows beer and brewing and is eager to help get more ladies involved.

BIZ

Erin Tyler – Sales Manager for Legends Limited, a local specialty beer wholesale company. She is a beer expert and advocate for craft and imported beer (the flavorful kind) who is often called on to share her knowledge at beer events.

Susan Greene – Sales Manager, Global Brewers Guild. You are likely to run into her manning tables at local beer festivals, pouring the excellent brands her company makes available to the area. She cares about bringing the best beers she can get to you.

WAIT, ONE MORE...

YOU – Beer enthusiast and soon-to-be female beer connoisseur who, after reading this post, decided to get out that there and learn as much as you can about beer. Go get 'em! First stop: Meet & Greet with beer experts Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune tonight at ChurchKey.

Jamie Leeds

The post is a two-year commitment that will place a fairly serious burden on Leeds' time and attention. She will oversee the marketing and membership committees. She will attend quarterly meetings. She will have a say on the organization's spending and Web site. She will even travel to Chile soon for a sort of culinary fact-finding mission.

"It means a lot of work," Leeds tells Y&H over the phone this afternoon. "It's a very challenging, exacting, and very rewarding position."

How will Leeds manage her three restaurants with such a heavy commitment over the next two years?

The restaurateur, who has been part of WCR since its inception in 1993, explains that the president is eased into the position with a one-year incoming term, followed by the two-year presidency, and then a one-year outgoing term. The president also has lots of support from the WCR board, an executive director, and the committees. In other words, Leeds won't have to do everything for the 2,000-member organization.

Still.

"I did sit down with everybody [at her restaurants] and talk about it," Leeds says. "It has taken me out of the restaurants a great deal. All the managers and chefs are very supportive. I wouldn't have done it without their support."

What's more, Leeds adds later in our chat, "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think the restaurants were strong enough to support it."

Leeds' new gig comes as she and her chef de cuisine, Abigail Fellows, have been opening up the menu at CommonWealth, adding some lighter fare and more options beyond the chef-driven gastropub grub.

As fate would have it, I was dining at CommonWealth last night, test-driving some of the new dishes. I enjoyed the homemade squash ravioli with an orange butter sauce (though it was a touch sweet between the sauce and the roasted kabocha). And I thought the patty on my "Uncommon" lamb burger was a righteously meaty mouthful, firm and savory, but I found the mint pesto far too sour and the English muffin a poor substitute for a genuine bun. The bread-to-meat ratio was way off, and the muffin didn't supply the sweet buttery flavors I like in my patty-delivery system.

Mostly, I have to admit, I was disappointed even to see some of these selections on the menu. While much of the original gastropub menu remains intact, there are clearly additions that take CommonWealth in a completely different direction, like the pork belly sliders and ceviche and the chicken and dumplings.

It's the price you pay, Leeds shrugs, for being a neighborhood restaurant. You have to cater to the neighborhood's wishes. "They come here for all the different types of desires they have," Leeds tells me. "If we were packed every night with people ordering head cheese and black pudding, I'd be in heaven."

But that's obviously not the case.