Tim Love Gives Love to School Lunches

Good morning Dishers, and Happy Halloween! Let’s start this morning off by discussing who is dressed up in the office today. No one. Guess who’s been eating candy? This girl. Okay, next topic. Let’s talk about someone who’s making a difference in the area. Chef Tim Love. We know he’s great in the kitchen at Lonesome Dove and flippin’ burgers at Love Shack. His newest project is revamping the school lunch program at his son’s school, All Saints Episcopal in Fort Worth. From the press release:

At All Saints, Love has introduced numerous new, healthier lunch options for the students, including a readymade sack lunch featuring sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, baked chips, fresh fruit; vitamin-rich steamed vegetables; turkey hotdogs; and 100 percent real fruit juice.  Any fried dishes, such as the sweet potato french fries, are made using 100 percent canola oil, which has zero trans fats, while other ingredients like white flour and corn syrup have been completely removed from the menu. The existing school lunch menu has not been completely overhauled however: (“Kids should still be allowed to have a cheeseburger on Fridays,” says Love).

Chef Love is also working with the school on teaching nutrition in the science curriculum. He hopes to integrate this healthier system into Fort Worth public schools, where his girls have started kindergarten. Pretty cool, huh? There, that was my nice post of the day. The rest are going to be dark and evil, mwahahahaha!!

A Weekend In Paris. In Dallas.

Everyone loves Paris. But we can’t even afford the gas to drive to Austin right now, much less a trip abroad. If you’re like us (so sorry), at least the Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas is offering some relief. They are offering a French Toast weekend package that’s a pretty sweet deal. For $260 dollars, you get a night at the Omni, a cooking class, a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, a wine tote with two bottles of wine, a French dinner, and a “French Toast” breakfast for two in your room or in the restaurant. Throw in whatever French word you want here for awesome. Click here for all the info.

Royal Chef Creates Menu for American Airlines

Royal Chef Darren McGrady (profiled here by yours truly) is flyin’ high these days. Yep, good one. He’s created a British-influenced menu for first and business class travelers on American Airlines flights, which seems like a big honor to me. On the menu? Cottage pie, beef filet with morel mushrooms, and oatmeal-crusted pork, just to name a few items. Way to go Darren. Click here for press release and pictures.

Trader Vics Offers Cheap Zombies on Halloween

Now that’s a headline I’ve never written before. Anyway, word has just come that Trader Vic’s will be offering $2.00 Zombie drinks. On the website, Zombies are described as “Our version of Don the Beachcomber’s original lethal libation. A real dirty stinker.” That tells me nothing. But there is also a picture, and it’s orange and icy, so we’re guessing it’s full of vodka. Go and enjoy.

Cocktail Contest Pits Rathbun Against Rathbun

You all know Kent Rathbun, owner of Abacus and Jaspers, Iron Chef winner, etc. You know his wife, Tracy, runs Shinsei restaurant. On November 23, the two will battle, but over drinks, not food. Grey Goose vodka is the liquor of choice, and bartenders from the three restaurants will compete for the title of “Bartender Extraordinaire.”  (Okay, we made that up). But the winner will get his or her cocktail placed on the menus at all three restaurants, so that’s a good thing, too.

Want to judge the competition? For $75, you get drinks and food (Rathbun barbeque, yes please) and the opportunity to give a marble to whichever drink you like the best. The one with the most marbles wins. Jump for all the details.

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Eat Free Food at Urban Taco on Halloween

You know you’re going to be wearing a costume on Friday anyway, so if you’re in Mockingbird Station, stop by Urban Taco on Halloween. You’ll get free chips and salsa (they’re serving pumpkin salsa, mole sauce and jalapeno zucchini on Friday), and if you’re over 21, you’ll get a free Halloween margarita.

Sounds like a good way to warm up before whatever you have going on that night. I still don’t know what to be for Halloween, speaking of. Suggestions are appreciated.

Pumpkin Carving–Not Just for Kids

I love carving pumpkins. I’ll admit that it seems a hassle at first, but when I’m finished there’s a sense of satisfaction and a very handsome pumpkin to show off. Anyway, if you’re still looking for something fun and different to do this Halloween, invite some pals over for a pumpkin carving party. I went to one recently (check out the sweet pic) and I must admit it was more fun than I thought it would be. People munched and drank and carved, and by the end of the night we had our very own carved pumpkin patch right in the backyard. All I’m saying is that carving doesn’t have to be just for the little ones. See the cat in the middle… that’s mine.

Learn How to Cook Tonight

I’m sure you’re great in the kitchen. You whip up souffles and debone your own chicken. If not, chef Mansour Gorji has some spots left in his cooking technique class tonight. You know chef Gorji. He owns Canary Cafe, a great mediterranean spot in Addison. He makes killer steak. He loves pomegranate. Come learn how to make shrimp gazpacho, fresh fish with tortilla de patatas, and pistachio and figs over ice cream during his Spanish Seafood cooking course at his restaurant. Tonight at 7pm. Cost is $59 for class, meal, and wine. Ole!

Call 972-503-7080 for resys.

Update: Chef Jason Boso Released!

Nancy forwarded this email along to me on Saturday. Great news for a Monday morning about Jason Boso, (Twisted Root, Cowboy Chow), who had been in the hospital after a Hummer crushed his scooter.

Jason Boso was released from Baylor today.  Yesterday (Friday) marked 7 weeks since the accident landed him in the hospital.  While he will still have physical therapy, etc. many times per week for a while, he’s home and is looking forward to getting back to work.

Jason–we look forward to you making us a burger very soon.