Articles for October 4th, 2011

Flavor! Napa Valley

posted by Hayley Hamilton | October 4th, 2011 2:10pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Ethnic Food, Father's Day, Wine & Spirits, Wine Pairing | 1 Comment »

My first few trips to Napa Valley only had to do with the wine….it is, after all, the birthplace of the American wine movement.  Why in the world would I go to a wine mecca and waste all that time in restaurants….grab a baguette and a piece of cheese and go.

Thank goodness through the years I have been convinced to enjoy meals at places like The French Laundry, REDD, The Restaurant at Meadowood, Brix, Oenotri, La Toque, Morimoto, Bottega and even a short drive out of Napa to Chez Panisse in Berkeley opened my eyes to incredible flavors with California flair created by passionate, enthusiastic, farm-to-table chefs.  Now, the food is as much a purpose in visiting Napa as the wine.

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History of Dallas Food: Prohibition in Dallas, Part 1

posted by Nancy Nichols | October 4th, 2011 1:25pm | filed under AgriBusiness, Bad critters, cheap wine, Drinking, Food Crime, History of Dallas Food | 6 Comments »

Inspired by the first two episodes of Ken Burn’s Prohibition on KERA, Amy Severson and I did a little digging into some of the details of what was going on in Dallas before, during, and after prohibition. The third, and final, episode is tonight at 9PM. It’s been a fascinating documentary. Today, we scratch the surface of prohibition in Dallas.

Dripping Dry Dallas. That was the name earned by our city after the repeal of prohibition in 1933.

If you’ve watched the first two episodes of Ken Burn’s historical presentation, Prohibition, our country’s brief love affair with forced sobriety, you already know the national temperance movement came about as a reaction to the despair brought on families affected by alcoholism.

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Somebody Help This Poor Girl: Healthy Food at the State Fair of Texas

posted by Nancy Nichols | October 4th, 2011 11:33am | filed under AgriBusiness, Expensive cheap eats, State Fair of Texas | 27 Comments »

This brave Disher asks the question:

Hello. Do you know if any of the vendors at the State Fair have anything remotely healthy?  I know it is a fried food fiesta, but surely there is something healthy or just low calorie to be had? Chicken tacos on corn tortillas would suffice.

I am clueless. Healthy State Fair food is an oxymoron.

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Five Fried Foods at The State Fair of Texas

posted by Nancy Nichols | October 4th, 2011 11:20am | filed under AgriBusiness, Expensive cheap eats, I Went to College for This?, State Fair of Texas | 11 Comments »

D Magazine intern Arti Sharma made her first trip to the State Fair of Texas. She ate five fried food items and lived to write about them. She rates them on a one (poor) to five (fabulous) scale.

It was difficult for me to pick only five items to try during my first visit to the State Fair of Texas. I hope to go back for more, but in the meantime, here’s my take on the first five.

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Food Truck Population in Dallas Increases by 40 Percent

posted by George Lewis | October 4th, 2011 9:44am | filed under Food Trucks, Uncategorized | 7 Comments »

The number of upscale food trucks on Dallas streets will increase significantly this month.  Currently, there are about 16 active food trucks in Dallas and 8-10 in Ft. Worth.  Some are more active than others and some are event-only trucks and trailers, but those numbers give you an idea of current activity.  Now that the blazing summer is past and the glorious fall weather is upon us, we’ve got at least 6 new food trucks rolling out in the Dallas area.  More importantly, all of these food trucks look like they are going to be deliver  inexpensive, relatively fast food with innovative flavors.

An introduction to October’s lineup:

First on deck is The Butcher’s Son (TBS). We told you about TBS a couple of weeks ago.  This is the truck that I’m nicknaming “Tailgater’s Dream.”. See their full menu after the jump.  TBS #1 rolls this week and TBS#2 cranks up next week.

Next up is The Cup Cakin’ Machine, which is planning on starting operations October 8.  Owner/pastry chef Ashley Green intends to feature unique flavors.  One in particular caught my eye:  a “buttermilk maple cupcake topped with bacon.”

You’ve got to love the name: The Good Karma Kitchen food truck.  No guessing here as to which dining segment they are targeting: healthy, vegetarian, and gluten-free.  Good Karma is planning on being on the streets of Dallas and Fort Worth towards the end of this month.

So-Cal Tacos plans on starting Fort Worth first, followed by Dallas.  Owner/chef Scott Wooley wants to bring upscale Baja tacos topped with a “Killer Salsa” with a cool surfing vibe.

The Munch Box has their truck complete and is working on finalizing their menu.  Owner/chefs Rob Vassilakos and Eric Foster intends on focusing on high end farm-to-table ingredients.  The truck itself will feature monitors of the farms that Munch Box gets their produce from.

There are more coming in October, including Antojitos Cali-Mex and Lee’s Grilled Cheese.  However, they are limited to only Fort Worth right now.

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Event Report: 8th Annual Rathbun Art Party in Dallas

posted by Andrew Chalk | October 4th, 2011 9:08am | filed under Andrew Chalk, Charity events, State Fair, Wine & Spirits | 1 Comment »

Kent and Tracy Rathbun threw open their penthouse in the sky on Sunday for their Eighth Annual Art Party. As previously reported, the ticket proceeds went entirely to the Dallas division of The March Of Dimes, which works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. Other sponsors making a difference were Fiji Water, Park Place Premier Collection, Allen Brothers, Martin & Martin Design, Veev, Justin Winery, adastra Public Relations, and The Heights at Park Lane. Guests dined on “State Fair” themed food prepared by Rathbun Catering and enjoyed Justin Cabernet Sauvignon, Landmark Chardonnay, and cocktails.

Since an Art Fair it a very visual event, check out some of the local artists who exhibited here.

Work of Upcoming Artist Gareth Rathbun

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Things To Eat and Drink In Dallas This Week

posted by Liz Johnstone | October 4th, 2011 9:06am | filed under Events |

October is my favorite of the year. I’m excited for pumpkin everything and squash soup, but this week offers more chances for barbecue than anything else, and also, a suckling pig. A solid trade.  As always, add more food events in the comments.

Monday (Oct. 3)

First Monday at Screen Door. It’s happening, they’re just not sure of the menu yet. But same format as always—  two complimentary small plates, and if your reservation falls between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., you’ll be there for happy hour-price drinks.

In the Kitchen with the Chefs of Nobu. This cooking class at the Central Market in Plano is unfortunately sold out, but you could always add your name to the waitlist.

Wednesday (Oct. 5)

Luau on the Patio Beer Dinner. The folks at the Meddlesome Moth sacrificed an entire suckling pig for this. Garrett Morerro of Maui Brewing Company, which produces beers with cutesy surf-inspired names like “Bikini Blonde” and “Big Swell IPA,” is the evening’s special guest. Click that link for a full menu.

Cooking class at Duo. The “fresh is fabulous” series continues with an emphasis on quick, healthy meals.

National Association of Catering Executives fundraiser. The cause is a good one— building an accessible, comfortable home for a wounded Iraq War veteran from Killeen, TX.

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