I’m a Pillsbury Bake-Off Slacker

OK, I know the Pillsbury Bake-Off was held in Dallas this week and I know I am a reporter in the food business and I should have been there. I could not make myself go. But DMN’s Michael Granberry did and he reports that the winner took home $1 million for her recipe for double-delight peanut butter cookies. Note to chefs: she used SIX ingredients. Hmm.

Update: Whoopsie, so did “Our Own” TG, she’s a frisky little baker herself.

What is the Worst Meal You Ever Ate?

A friend of mine asked me that question last night and it took me about two seconds to answer. Which, for me, is weird because usually I can’t remember what I said five minutes ago. But my taste memory is alive and not-so-well with memories of malicious meals that I not only ate, I paid good money to “eat”. I think Freckle Face will agree with me (cue the violins): restaurant reviewers eat more bad food than good food. But through the years of spitting food out into my napkin or flushing it down a restaurant toilet, one rock-bottom meal stands out. It occurred in January 1998 at the gone-but-how-could-I-ever-forget-the-day-and-night-after Traci’s in UpChuckTown. The “cuisine” was “Home Cooking Gone Gourmet” gone bad. Ten years later, I can still taste the scorched lobster shepherd’s pie (both the initial and the replacement orders) and a spinach salad doused with syrupy vinaigrette that was covered with cheese, and broiled. Yes, broiled salad. Luckily it only went in once, because it came out so many more times. Your turn.

Sign Up for an Intimate Look at the Dallas Farmers Market

Most Dallas chefs know about Thursday nights at the Dallas Farmers Market. That’s when a lot of the local producers bring in their crops to sell during the regular weekend hours of the market (Saturday and Sunday from 7 AM- 6PM) and they offer bulk pricing. On Thursday, June 5, the good folks over at Slow Food Dallas have teamed up with the Dallas Farmers Market Friends to host a “Moonlight Market Tour” from 8PM-10PM. I can’t think of a better way to learn all of the ins and outs of the Dallas Farmers Market. (RSVP no later than June 1, 2008 to Claudine Martyn at claudinemartyn@hotmail.com ) Also, if you aren’t a member of either Slow Foods or Farmers Market Friends, please consider becoming one. The Dallas foodie scene needs you. Plus, it’s fun and tastes good. Which is more than I can say about this, which is only fun.