Articles for June 19th, 2009

Nancy Flunks Geography: Columbia River is Not in Alaska

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 5:48pm | filed under Mistakes I made, seafood | 6 Comments »
Alaska is not on this map

Alaska is not on this map

I like maps and I’m glad an eagle-eyed reader named Kirk likes maps too. Kirk sent me this map. It’s the Columbia River. I referred to the Columbia River in an earlier post about salmon. I mistakenly said our next batch of king salmon was coming from the Columbia River in Alaska. Maybe there is a Columbia River in Alaska and perhaps there is a salmon or two swimming around or up it, but the salmon available in markets now comes from the river you see to the left. Thanks, Kirk. I will now go jump in a lake.

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Eat This Now: Soft Shell Crab Sandwich at Parigi

posted by Jennifer Chininis | June 19th, 2009 2:01pm | filed under Reviews, Sandwiches, seafood | 3 Comments »

softshellcrabI love soft shell crab. When I was growing up, my family and I would spend a week in the Florida Panhandle every summer, and I’d eat soft shell crab every chance I got. Some people are turned off by the idea of eating the whole thing, shell and all. And that’s a tragedy, because they’ll never have the pleasure of eating this sammy from Parigi. The crab was cooked perfectly–well-seasoned, with just the right crunch. But the bread is what makes a good sandwich great, and that is so true here: the bun was soft and buttery, not to thick, and reminiscent of the pan de yema at La Duni. Roasted potatoes–not too many, mind you–had a punch of heat. Get this dish while you can.

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Columbia River King Salmon is Here

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 1:54pm | filed under Chefs, Food Fight!, Foodie People, seafood | 2 Comments »

0808-the_salmon_danceWith Copper River salmon-gate in our rear view mirror, it is time to look forward to the next shipment of wild king salmon from Alaska—those pesky fish from the mighty Columbia River, Spring King or “Springers” as they call them in the biz. Jon Alexis of TJ’s Seafood Market has recovered from the Copper River ordeal, and is now giving the survivors of Jammin’ With Wild Salmon and SideDish readers first notice. Fresh from electroshock therapy, Mr. Jon Alexis.

Hey Salmon Tasting Gang-
D Magazine Tasting Winner “Copper River King” season is over. But every door that closes opens another one (or whatever the saying is.) Tomorrow we’ll get Columbia River Salmon . Here’s the story: Continue reading "Columbia River King Salmon is Here"

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Inwood Estates Vineyard & Winery Featured Tasting Saturday at Whole Foods Lakewood

posted by Hayley Hamilton | June 19th, 2009 1:49pm | filed under Father's Day, North Texas Wine, Wine & Spirits | 3 Comments »

Owner/Wine Maker Dan Gatlin of Inwood Estates Vineyards and Winery, located just outside of downtown Dallas, will be at the new Whole Foods in Lakewood tomorrow , June 20th, for a tasting and bottle signing event from Noon-3pm. Inwood Estates is known for making award winning Spanish style wine, including a white blend made with the Spanish Palomino grape, along with their flagship wine, a Tempranillo-Cabernet Sauvignon blend.   It’s an ideal opportunity to support one of our local wineries, and pick up a last minute gift for Dad.

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Carolina Galvan-Rodriguez is Opening Another Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine in Plano

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 12:25pm | filed under Food On TV, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News, Travel, Wine & Spirits | 12 Comments »

Somebody tell Carolina Galvan-Rodriguez that we are in a down economy—she is opening four new restaurants before August 4th. Wednesday night she debuted Carolina’s Mexican Cuisine in North Dallas. (I’d show you the pictures we took, but I can’t find the photographer. Nice work, Dude.)

Minutes ago, I learned that the second location of Carolina’s (at 75 and Parker in Plano) will open Friday, June 26th. Then, in late July, the former wife of MCrowd founder Mico Rodiguez, will open her first location of Taco Mundo at Preston Royal and a second location on August 4th. The location of the second Taco Mundo must be top secret—it wasn’t in the press release. Neither was the menu. Go. Eat. Report.

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All The Cookie News That’s Fit to Print: Creme de la Cookie Opens in Snider Plaza in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 12:02pm | filed under Baking, Chocolate, dessert, Food On TV, Openings/Closings | 5 Comments »
My Red-Headed Woodpecker prefers nuts to cookies.

My Red-Headed Woodpecker prefers nuts to cookies.

First comes news that the FDA is suggesting that consumers should not eat refrigerated raw cookie dough or bake the Nestle Toll House products because there could be a risk of spreading E.coli through handling or on food-preparation surfaces. There haven’t been any deaths reported, but the government has received 66 reports of illness in 28 states. (Is there a slight chance that these folks ate the whole package?) This morning, Nestle issued a voluntary recall. Hmm.

However, there is some good cookie news. Yesterday,  a little bird flew into the Dan Koller’s office upstairs and sang to Overheard: Crème de la Cookie is opening in Snider Plaza. It didn’t take long for super sleuthly songbird TG  to tweet about the sweet shop. I’ll bet Leslie “Catch a Falling Star” Brenner is already typing the back story of this “delectable journey for your taste buds.” (I wonder if J.T. Lemley  will deliver tomatoes to you while you wait.) Anywhoo, they open today in the space formerly known as Doughmonkey.

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Where To Take Dear Old Dad for Father’s Day

posted by Jennifer Chininis | June 19th, 2009 11:46am | filed under Brunch, Events, Father's Day | 1 Comment »

fathersdayNancy started the brunch discussion a few days back. Sarah Eveans took that ball and ran with it. Here are her suggestions for what to do in Dallas for Father’s Day.

P.S. Speaking of Father’s Day brunch, just got a message in my in box from Go Fish and Dallas Fish Market. Both restaurants are offering 25% off brunch this Sunday. Dallas Fish Market is $35 per person; Go Fish’s brunch menu is à la carte. Both have kids’ menus.

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Want To Be a TV Star: Here’s Your Chance

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 11:00am | filed under Food On TV, Foodie People, Restaurant News | 4 Comments »

Gala Films, a Canadian production company, is producing a new documentary TV series to air on the Oprah Winfrey Network here in the states and in Canada this summer. It’s called My Last 24 and it focuses on people who are following their dreams despite the challenges.

They are looking for a restaurant that is opening in July. They want an owner who doesn’t have previous restaurant ownership experience. They’d love someone that is coming at this from a totally different career but they would also consider a waiter or someone who worked in the kitchen and then decided to open their own place. They are willing to film anywhere in Texas if they find the right story. They will film the week leading up to the opening and then the opening event.

Is it you? Then contact Stacy at Gala Films (Mylast24@gmail.com). Here’s a look at what they are about.

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Restaurant Review: Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 10:15am | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Restaurant News, Reviews | 5 Comments »
Texas quail o

Texas quail and chopsticks. Who knew it would ever come to this? Photography by Kevin Hunter Marple.

Yes, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck is a gimmicky tourist trap. However, the food is vintage ’80s Asian Fusion at its finest.

Hit me with your best shot.

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Science Project: Making Wine at Vintner’s Cellar in Plano, Stage 3

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 19th, 2009 10:04am | filed under Beverages, Crazy Technology, Silly Reasons to Celebrate, Wine & Spirits | 1 Comment »
Right now my wine looks like many hangovers waiting to happen.

Right now my wine looks like many hangovers waiting to happen.

On May 1st, I started making a batch of wine with Vintner’s Cellar’s owner Larry McDowell. During our first meeting, I chose to make Viognier and we started the project by mixing the juice of the grapes with yeast.

Two weeks later, I returned to rack the wine–separating wine from its sediment, or lees, and transferring my creation into another glass container using a plastic siphon.

Wednesday, I headed up to Plano to get down and dirty with my wine—we added all kinds of nasty sounding chemicals to degass the plonk, I mean wine. You see, when yeast converts the sugar to alcohol, carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring byproduct. So we opened little packets of potassium sorbate, metabisulphite de potassium, and Isinglass and added them to the fermented juice to kill the remaining yeast and help the solids sink to the bottom.

We stirred the mixture until it looked like cloudy unfiltered apple juice and then recapped. In two weeks, I’ll returned to taste, tweak, and bottle my wine. If you’d like to follow along with pictures, they’re below. Chin-chin.










Science Project: Making Viognier, Stage 3
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