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SideDish Heads to the Southwest Foodservice Expo on Sunday

Twelve Dishers and I will hit the floor of the Southwest Foodservice Expo on Sunday. Join us on Twitter (DSideDish) or catch the reports on Monday.

Re: Fuqua Winery Wine

For those of you scoring at home, Fuqua’s 2006 Tempranillo contains both Texas High Plains (10%) AVA fruit and fruit from Santa Barbara County (90%) AVA.

Dallas’ Fuqua Winery Wins Gold

I just received a note from Lee Foster Fuqua on a big win for his Fuqua 2006 Tempranillo, (which also won at this year’s Dallas Morning News Wine Competition.)

The San Francisco International Wine Competition, the largest, most influential international wine competition in America, is judged by a prestigious panel of nationally recognized wine experts.  The 2009 competition has just been completed and our FUQUA 2006 Tempranillo won a DOUBLE GOLD Medal.

“This is really a big deal for us” said Lee Fuqua.  “Not many people ever win a Double Gold Medal.”  Gold medals are hard to come by.  Getting several panel members to agree to award a particular wine is difficult.  On those rare occasions when all five wine experts at the table judges a wine to be worthy of a gold medal, the wine is distinguished as a “Double Gold Medal” winner and is tossed into the “Best of Show” Sweepstakes award. 

Congrats Lee and Julia!!

The FUQUA Winery Tasting Room is open Saturday from 12:00 noon until 7:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 noon until 5:00 p.m.  Tastings are free.  The Tempranillo is priced at $27.95 a bottle.  I am also a huge fan of their Unoaked Chardonnay.

Burning Question: Who Has the Best Hangover Food?

How sad. I’m already planning my Sunday morning. But I have a party to attend Saturday night where the vodka will flow freely and the host is known for toxic Jell-O shots. I know. Classy. Anyway, I’m always looking for a great brunch/lunch spot for tasty food to soak up all the residual alcohol. I know greasy burgers are the common cure. (Howdy, Angry Dog!) But I’m looking for something a little different yet still effective. One of my new faves is the Hangover Helper at Kozy (pictured left): a mountain of scrambled eggs, ground buffalo, mushrooms, salsa, gauc, and spinach. That and a strong cup of coffee does the trick. So, SideDishers, what gets you through the morning after?

Dear Kirk, Wake Up and Smell the Eats!

Kirk is a frequent commenter here on SideDish. He likes to point out all of my mistakes. Kirk is always busy because I make a lot of them. Anywhoo, I just wonder how in the foodie world Kirk didn’t catch this one by Kay the writing teacher over on Eatsblog! She writes:

“It’s Kay, guest blogger and instructor for SMU’s food writer’s workshop Cathy wrote about yesterday. While Leslie Brenner gathers ideas about where to take out-of-towners when they come to Dallas and Ft. Worth. What’s your secret to finding food lover’s favorites in other cities in the US and around the world? We all know about the cab driver and hotel concierge, what’s new?”

Why do you only correct me? Is this the only blog you like to be right on? Where you going to get around to this later in the day? Operators are standing by!

Homework Assignment: Name the Chefs in the Picture

Okay Dishers, here is a look down memory lane. Amy Severson sends this photo taken sometime in the late 80s (88?) on the patio of Baby Routh. See how many you can identify. (Click on the picture to make it bigger. Then click on each face and make them bigger.)

Crispy Fried Tacos: Dallasfood.org Report

Tacos by Scott.

I love crispy fried tacos. So does Scott over at Dallasfood.org. He’s just completed another one of his marathon eating reports—this one is on “closed” and “open” crispy fried.  His brief note with the link says: “Consider this a belated response to a Disher’s request from July 2008.”

Here is his full report. After you read it, I guarantee you will have to eat at least ten tacos before the end of next week. (I did.) Scott, you have just won “Commenter of  The Year.” I bet you are taking the rest of the day off.

Celebrity Diner: Sullivan’s Steakhouse in North Dallas

This just in from Sullivan’s Steakhouse in North Dallas:

We had an exciting visit last night at Dallas Sullivan’s! Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Justice Scalia dined with us. He was came in with Sullivan’s regular SMU law professor Bryan Garner. .Justice Scalia was the first to arrive and ordered a margarita to cool down from the Texas heat. They had a very enjoyable evening. He also stated if Chelsea, the server, poured him regular espresso he was going talk her ear off all night.

Wine For Breakfast: James Tidwell’s Wine List at Café on the Green

Thanks to Esquire for this photo.

Recently I dined at Café on the Green and perused Master Sommelier James Tidwell’s wine list. Sure the restaurant is in the tony Four Seasons at Las Colinas and there are a lot of business types looking for a good steak and a California Cabernet, but I found a lot of unique and reasonably priced wines. Obviously Tidwell has a knack for taking wine seriously but not to the point of making it unapproachable.

I asked Tidwell to show us his favorite picks. Guess what? He did.

“I like to recommend interesting finds, but do not want to
intimidate, alienate, or otherwise put people off wine by using esoteric or
obscure specialty items,” said Tidwell. “On the other hand, why recommend what people
already know, love, and drink daily? Tough decisions!”

Jump for the joy of wine. (more…)

Where’s the Beef? Flavors From Afar This Saturday

Rusty Roth of East Texas’ Rusty’s Grass Finished Foods visits Flavors From Afar this Saturday 10am-3pm to tout the benefits of grass-finished beef. The handsome cowpoke will offer cooking tips and plenty of samples of his steak, burgers, and various sausages (chorizo, Polish, Italian, and more).