-I'm a big fan of talking to anybody in a grocery store.
-Even the other people shopping? -Yeah, actually, yes.
You see me walking towards you, run away.
That's definitely something. -In the grocery store, got it.
-People look at each other's carts
and they're judgy and stuff.
-Hi, I'm Dave. -And I'm Mary Beth.
-I'm just a guy who shoots video for The Washington Post
and brave enough to take on any role.
But the one thing that scares me -- cooking.
-And I'm the food host of The Washington Post,
which means I get paid to cook.
And now I get to do my dream job with a friend.
It's time to "Teach Dave To Cook."
All right, Dave.
I know you want to cook a three-course meal.
-I do. You know, I like chicken.
-I think it would be really fun to do a chicken dish,
'cause if you like chicken, it is versatile,
and it's something that can sit in the oven for a while.
-Yeah. -If you have people over, right?
And then do you like sausage?
-I love sausage. -Yeah, I think that we should
do a chicken dish with sausage. -Okay.
-And you said a three-course meal,
so maybe we'll start with a salad,
which doesn't sound exciting
unless you think to yourself, "You know what I can do?
I can make my own vinaigrette." -I can do that?
-Yes. -Me?
-And in any way that you like, like with any vinegar you like,
with a little cheese in it, with some mustard.
So, that's good for two courses.
How about dessert?
-Chocolate will either make me or break me.
-Well, why don't we do something chocolate?
How about a chocolate mousse? -Okay.
I'm for it. -And then we can do, like,
a very similar flavored whipped cream for the topping.
-I'm excited to make chocolate mousse
for my sister -- her downfall.
I can finally bring her down.
-We're not buying anything that is speciality, right?
-Okay.
-Like, you could go to a regular grocery store,
you could go to your corner market,
you can go and buy this stuff.
I love Wagshal's because Pam the Butcher is there.
So, how often do you go shopping?
-I would say once every two weeks about.
-Do you feel like you're, like, a shopper
who knows what you like and what you don't like?
-I feel like I know where the grocery store is.
-Pam the Butcher!
-How are you? -Oh, I'm good.
-It's good to see you. -It's so nice to see you, too.
-Yeah. -So, this is my friend Dave.
-Hi. -Dave, friend Dave.
Pam the Butcher.
-Hi. -This is Pam the Butcher.
She's a DC legend.
-Okay. So, this is the place to go?
-I like to think so, yes.
My father was a butcher, both my brothers were butchers,
my sister married a butcher, okay?
-This is where cooking starts.
This is the most important thing.
If you learn nothing else from this,
cooking starts with ingredients.
-So, what biggest piece you thinking about?
-I thought the thigh was the biggest piece,
but now I'm doubting myself.
-Oh, the thigh -- chicken thighs, yeah.
-Yeah.
-Yeah, okay. -Well, the breast
is really bigger, but I do have large thighs.
-Good. I want the chicken.
-Me too!
So, we're gonna do chicken thighs in a skillet.
-Okay. -We're gonna sear them first.
-Okay.
-And then cook them in some white wine
with some herbs and some sausage.
-Oh, so having a little sexy meal here.
-The sexiest chicken meal that you could think of.
-But we do want the bones, because we want
the flavor in there. -Okay, that's fine.
-Do you know if a chicken thigh is white meat or dark meat?
-I'm gonna just -- I have a 50/50 shot.
I think it's dark, but I don't know.
-It is dark meat. -Yes, okay.
-Because dark meat is generally -- it has more fat.
-Mm-hmm. More flavor.
-More flavor, yes.
Yeah, I think most people, if you ask them
what part of the chicken is their favorite,
if they really did a taste test --
-They'd always pick the thigh.
Always pick the thigh, every time.
-Okay.
-In a blind taste test, always pick the thigh.
-'Cause there's that much more flavor in it?
-Mm-hmm.
-Well, it also -- like, chicken breast can get kind of chewy,
and thighs are just tender, you know?
Yeah, and then you've got the bone in it,
so when we cook the chicken thigh
in some stock and everything --
we're gonna get some of Pam's great stock.
-Yep. -When we cook the chicken thigh
in the stock, the bone will actually give more flavor to it.
-My gosh. The bone will give more flavor?
-Yes, because the bone has a ton of flavor.
I mean, bones are how you make stock.
-This is all new to me. -I know!
That's why we're teaching you to cook.
So, maybe we'll do six thighs?
-Yes, let's do it. -Okay, that's great.
And this is a great thing about having a butcher,
is that, you know, you can talk it through with them.
I talk to Pam about how I cook things all the time.
-So, 4 1/2 pounds. I think that's plenty.
-4 1/2 pounds is definitely plenty.
That's a great-looking chicken, too.
So, the great thing about chicken thighs, too,
is that they are less expensive than chicken breasts.
And we also need some sausage to cook with the chicken.
So, what have you got?
I see sweet Italian. Do you have any hot Italian?
That was my nickname in high school.
-So, I have hot Italian, sweet Italian,
chicken, garlic, and herb.
-Okay, so, here's the thing about sausage, too,
is that whatever you decide to make the chicken dish
with is going to take on the flavor of that sausage.
-Right.
-Pam's made all these sausages with --
-Yeah, we make all of our sausages
by hand, no electricity.
I mean, you can see little specks of fat.
You put it in there by hand.
-I like hot food, so --
-I've got chorizo or hot Italian.
-Let's do hot Italian, 'cause that's the first one you said.
-Hot Italian? So, we're gonna do four?
-'Cause, you know, what goes well with meat?
Meat. -Meat.
More meat.
-More meat. -I believe Pam.
-Always believe Pam.
-I've known her all of five minutes but --
-Pam will become your best friend.
Pam hosted my law school graduation party.
-Graduation. Oh, Lord.
-I know, that was so long ago. -That was such a long time ago.
That was a long time ago.
-I've known Pam for, like, 20 years.
I love you, Pam.
-I love you, too. Thank you, sweetheart.
-Thank you so much. -Good luck to you.
You're in good hands. -Thank you.
-All right, let's go do some more shopping.
-All right. -Now, here, we have lemons.
-Sure. -So, pick out a lemon
that has -- feels firm, looks a little glossy.
That's a good lemon.
-Did I pick a good lemon? -You did.
Lemon really brings out the flavors of some things,
and actually, lemon is a good substitute for salt sometimes.
-Good, because I have high blood pressure, so that's --
-You do?
-Yeah. -Oh, don't kill yourself.
So, I also picked up some radicchio.
We're going to use this with some other hardy greens
for our salad because, with a vinaigrette,
we want to get some hardy greens.
So I'm really excited about that.
I got some garlic.
We've got a nice, tight head of garlic.
That's what you want to look for.
-Tight meaning not falling apart?
-Yeah, exactly. Like, you don't want to see
a clove of garlic sticking out like that.
-Okay, right. -And no sprouts either.
You want something that's really fresh.
And then I've got this beautiful parsley.
Aww. You're so cute.
-Thank you for that. -So, let's go over here.
Got some thyme.
-Of course.
-Do you want to pick out an onion for me?
-I do. -That would be great.
-One of these onions? -Yeah.
-Okay. How's this guy?
How do you know? -That's good.
You just don't want any bruises on it.
-Okay.
-You can't really smell the onion.
You know how some people go around and they're like --
-Ah, it smells like skin.
-And then maybe a bottle of white wine.
-Ooh. So, which one should we get?
-Well, you want to cook with a wine
that you would drink, definitely,
because any wine that you put into a dish
is gonna get concentrated as it cooks,
and it's going to, like, cook down.
And the flavor's gonna become even more intense.
Ooh. You know what?
I'm gonna do this.
A French Chardonnay is usually not oaky,
so that's a good one to get. -All right.
Can I show you my favorite part of the grocery store?
-Yep. -Okay.
Free samples.
-Yes! -Yes.
-Literature and stacks are my two passions.
-Bring the plate. -Ah, uh-huh.
On the next "Teach Dave To Cook."
Are you ready to make a vinaigrette?
-I better be.
-Let's make an amazing salad,
which might just be a vehicle for these cheesy croutons.
-Look at that. Oh, my God.
-Get your hands messy on the next episode.
Get in there! -This smells good.