Articles for July 1st, 2011

Central 214 Goes to the Dogs

posted by Allison Hatfield | July 1st, 2011 11:04am | filed under Dog Friendly, Events, fundraiser | 1 Comment »
blythe beck and dog

Chef Blythe Beck wants you to adopt this dog.

About 150 people showed up to Hotel Palomar last night with their pets to sip beer (people), sniff butts (dogs), and eat cheeseburgers (both). Naughty Chef Blythe Beck was feeling rather nice as hostess of the patio picnic to honor her recent rescue dog, Sheriff, and raise money for Operation Kindness.

A puparazzo snapped pics of dogs and their owners on the red carpet as they entered the party. Later, while guests mingled, Beck made the rounds, touting the assets of adoptable dogs, including a terrier mix named Nisha (pictured). The crowd laughed when she said that her dog means more to her than “boys, food, or vodka.” Seems that plenty of party-goers could relate.

A blow-up kiddie pool provided canines with relief from the heat; a breeze kept the human crew cool. The evening wrapped up with a raffle of fluffy pet beds, self-cleaning litter boxes, and a hotel staycation for the lucky owner of a white Havanese.

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2011 Southwest Foodservice Expo: Texas Mushrooms

posted by Andrew Chalk | July 1st, 2011 10:40am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Food Porn |

Sarah Tensberg is a trained chef who has worked at restaurants in New York and Washington D.C. But she gave up the glory to move to Gonzales, Texas and become corporate chef of family-owned Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms.

At the Southwest Foodservice Expo I asked her about the different types of mushrooms the company had on display.

Somebody Help This Poor Boyfriend Out

posted by Sarah Reiss | July 1st, 2011 10:18am | filed under Delis, July 4th, Vegetarian/Vegan | 21 Comments »

Panicked 4th of July requests are coming in fast & furious. Here’s one of my favorites from this morning:

Help! I just started dating a very cool woman. She happens to be vegan (or is it a vegan?). Regardless, she invited me to her 4th of July cookout which is, yes, you guessed it, all vegans except me. I want to be respectful and make a good impression on her friends & family (I really like this girl). She asked me to make a side, preferably potato salad. I could look up some recipes but I’m kind of a lost cause in the kitchen. Does anyone know if there’s a deli that sells vegan sides?

A challenge, to say the least. Let’s help this poor schmuck.

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Brews News: Save the Date for Christmas in July

posted by Sarah Reiss | July 1st, 2011 10:11am | filed under beer, Brews News |

Christmas on the lake in July – fabulous idea. That’s why we’re taking the time to give you the heads-up about this event a full month ahead of time. The Flying Saucer is celebrating their second anniversary/second Christmas with rare beer tappings throughout the day and a “Beerknurd Buffet” from 11 am to 2 pm on July 31.

Stick around for the raffles. We don’t know what the prizes will be yet, but we’re hoping it’s one of these.

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Rooftop Gardens, Dining, and Movies at The Pyramid in the Fairmont

posted by Sarah Reiss | July 1st, 2011 9:53am | filed under AgriBusiness, menus | 5 Comments »

The rooftop terrace at The Fairmont (left); Scallop with mango, lychee-ginger salsa, freeze-dried mango, and cilantro (right). (Photos by Brooklynne Peters)

Contributor Brooklynne Peters attended a tasting at The Pyramid Restaurant in the Fairmont last night. Read on for her report:

Executive chef Andre Natera. (Photo by Brooklynne Peters)

In honor of summer The Pyramid Restaurant and Bar is going back to its roots. Last night, executive chef Andre Natera, recent inductee to the World Master Chefs Society, and a locavore who has been with Fairmont since April of 2010, invited us to taste some new items and reimagined classics.

Natera’s style of cooking is rooted in classic French technique, but includes elements of modern local cuisine and bright summer flavors such as mango and ginger. In fact, his fresh summer menu hinges on the bounty of fruits, vegetables, and spices he is growing in the 3,000 square-foot garden on the roof of the Fairmont.

“Every ingredient on the menu, we want to keep it familiar,” said Natera. “I want every dish to be approachable.”

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Food Feedback Friday

posted by Nancy Nichols | July 1st, 2011 9:00am | filed under Food Feedback Friday | 32 Comments »

Hey, Dishers. Happy July!  Where did you eat this week? Did you find something fabulous? Did you find something foul? We’d love to hear your thoughts on your latest restaurant experiences. Here’s what you reported last week.

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