I was supposed to have dinner at Bryan Voltaggio’s newest restaurant, Aggio, back when it opened, but an ice storm forced me to cancel. That an ice storm was the cause will show how early in the year this was. I wanted to try again, but life was far too busy for me to make it happen, until Saturday, when I finally had that dinner … and also the crazy idea of making it at all-Voltaggio day at the same time.

Which meant that before the evening’s meeting of the Seersucker League—aka me and Charlie Newton—first came breakfast at Family Meal and lunch at Volt.

I’ve eaten at Family Meal in Frederick many times for both lunch and dinner, but never breakfast. I’m not generally a breakfast person. I’m not even really a morning person. But to pull off my Voltaggio triple play, I got to Family Meal at 8:00 (they open at 7:00) and started my day with …

Hotcakes (caramel apples, chantilly, apple syrup)

Yes. Not maple syrup. Apple syrup.

Then, after hiking around old town Frederick for awhile, and taking care of some necessary errands before my trip to Loncon 3, I met friends Sandy and Risa Stewart for brunch at Volt, which had been the first of Voltaggio’s restaurants to open. Knowing that Aggio was waiting in my future, I opted for the three-course brunch, rather than pressing (as I usually do) for the more extensive tasting menu. Risa started with …

Smoked beets, yellowfin tuna, tonnato, wild herbs

While Sandy went for …

Carrot cassarecce (chanterelle mushrooms, coffee, black cardamom)

I couldn’t resist going for an old favorite, even though I knew I should have struck out into new territory and gone for something new. So I once more had Chef Graeme Ritchie’s wonderful …

Calamari bolognese (squid ink cavatelli, pepperoni, parmesan)

I could eat that all day!

For the next course, Risa and I each chose …

Halibut, white asparagus, pickled sour cherry, bulb onion

Very delicate!

While Sandy, proving that at least one of us was in a brunch rather than a lunch mood, ordered …

Omelet (caramelized onions, aged cheddar, applewood bacon, whole grain mustard)

And before the third course came, we all shared …

Doughnuts (maple glaze, bacon)

To finish up our meal, Risa went with …

Chocolate (sesame, caramel)

While Sandy and I both chose …

Parfait (granola, berries, Greek yogurt, vadouvan)

And then, when it was all over, we were each given a mini coffee cake, as is usual for all meals at Volt. It’s meant to be eaten the next morning for breakfast … but I’m not sure how many last that long!

That night at 8:15—after a five-mile hike with my son through Rock Creek Park, which worked up an appetite again—I met Karen and Charlie Newton and Sharon and Frank Patry at Aggio for that long-delayed dinner. We chose the tasting menu, which started with a groan-inducing parmesan funnel cake.

We lusted after a sack of them! But since we were adults, we pushed that desire aside and did not beg for more.

And then the tasting menu began …

Chioggia beets

Beets that have been roasted in salt crust, dressed with tonnato sauce made from yellow fin tuna and bonito oil, radish and rocket leaves, grated bottarga and olive oil.

Irene isn’t happy that I don’t eat beets at home, only when out. But then, I don’t have the talent of cooking them like this.

Octopus

Braised with nebbiolo vinegar, then charred over wood fire with flavors of barbecue, seaweed and pistachio, lentils cooked in the braise, calamari lightly poached in sea water, sprouted wheat berries and sour grapes.

A dish which reminded me how much I love octopus, and had me thinking … I’ve got to learn how to cook octopus at home.

Halibut

Roasted with browned garlic and lemon thyme, puree of sunchoke, potatoes cooked in the style of risotto, olives that have been emulsified with their brine, meyer lemon pith and juices.

Having had a halibut course for lunch, you’d think I’d tire of it. But no, not when it’s prepared so perfectly.

Lamb ragu

Whole wheat lumache with concentrated tomatoes, ragu made from shenandoah valley lamb shoulders and the rendered aged fat, oak smoked pecorino.

Umami!

Dry aged New York strip

Aged 10 days, potato puree made with leeks that have been charred in the wood oven, bone marrow custard, black mission figs that have been roasted with sherry vinegar and honey, accompanied by wilted dandelion greens with shallot marmalade.

The steak was wonderful, but it was the bone marrow custard which had me drooling …

Pistachio in olives

Cake is made with the oil from castelvetrano olives, layered with pistachio cream, sweet cherry sorbet, crispy pomegranate, and poached cherries.

And thus ended my all-Voltaggio day. The only flaw was that I wasn’t able to squeeze in Lunchbox. That Bryan Voltaggio is just too prolific!

Then … a two hour drive home. My head didn’t hit the pillow until 2:30 a.m., and after all that food and 10 miles hiked, I was out immediately, dreaming of … hmmm … I can’t quite remember. But there was probably food and friends involved!