One perk for guests at the Hotel Palomar in Dallas is the Wine Hour they host in the evenings. Last week, the hotel opened the event to the public and combined it with a fundraiser for the Promise of Peace Community Garden. The Ackermans provided musical entertainment. Promise of Peace is a non-profit active in East Dallas that aims to reduce the school dropout rate, reduce crime, gang involvement and teen pregnancy through local initiatives that increase community involvement. The organization’s two main activities are the community garden on East Grand and photography classes.
More below. (more…)
Our favorite forager, Tom Spicer has lots for sale at FM 1410. Here’s his latest update on inventory.
Okay, enough with the links already. Here’s what I need you to buy…and if you can’t buy anything then just come sit out on my back deck and take in the fertile scenery yields of my blood, sweat and tears. Arugula, Sweet, lemon, thai and cinnamon basils, “Spicer Greens”, Wolf Creek Okra and 8 Ball zucchini, Marfa, Tx. Tomatoes, Wild and Cultivated Exotic Mushrooms, Sea Beans, Squash Blossoms, Fresh Pinto Beans (purple hulls and black eyed peas by monday). Wolf Creek Farm pickles and preserves (real, local farm mom n’ pop put up goods as opposed to all the high fructose corn syrup stuff made in mass quantities with what ever label you want on it) Send me out to the mkt. in the wee hours to get the freshest pick of sweet corn, tomatoes, spinach, melons/cantaloupes, squash or whatever…kale and collards included though my garden is flush with Rainbow Beet tops and Chards”. That’s all for now. let me know what you’re looking for.
Jump for Tom Spicer’s (unedited) vegetable report.
Mark Wootton, the cook as he prefers to be called, at Garden Café says Garden Café is back up and running. Last night he emailed this note.
We have been struck by lightning twice in the last couple of years. What are the odds? So, we have been instructed to buy lottery tickets… and we will!
Mark was the cook before and after the lightning. OH NO. That song.
This unedited list just in from Spiceman:
Developing and properly staffing any small business operation, especially a farm of any size, on less than a budget of shoe string potatoes isn’t easy… then throw a tanked economy on that camel. Fewph!
But I’ve DONE IT! My garden is filled out and flush, The new deck we built less than a year ago RULES, I have awesome garden workers, 2 lovely ladies to assist you with your produce needs (Ellen and Nicole)…now all I need is a driver.
Ok nuff said…here comes the good stuff: (more…)
A loyal Disher (h/t DG) sends a link to a recent newsletter by Dr. Dirt. His parents know him as Howard Garrett, the multi-media writer/talker of all things growing. Anywhoo, Dr. Dirt has a quick guide to identifying genetically modified food in the grocery store. So if you’d like a little less Monsanto in your morning meal, check this out.
Many consumers don’t realize that the FDA does not require genetically modified food to be labeled. That’s because the FDA has decided that you don’t care if the tomato you are eating has been cross bred with frog genes to render the tomato more resistant to cold weather. Some consumers may not be concerned with eating “Franken Food”, but for those who are, here is how to determine if the fruits and vegetables you’re buying are (GM) genetically modified.
For conventionally grown fruit (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8. Example: A conventionally grown banana would be 4011. An organically grown banana would be 94011. A genetically engineered banana would be 84011.
Dr. Dirt has more guidelines for steering clear of GM foods in your diet. Click here. If you have questions on this newsletter or any other topic, check his radio show schedule. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook.

Chad sees squash blossoms and gets excited, wanting to use them at his dinner he will cook at Tawlet. Rabih is concerned, wrinkling his brow, and keeps pointing to the trash, "no good! no good! no good!" so Chad picks one and eats it raw as the farm manager Rabih's eyes almost pop out. We had the manager of Tawlet call Rabih and ask him in Arabic to bring a bushel to the Souk al Tayeb market on Saturday so Chad can buy them from him. Photos by Randy Potts.
This morning comes a photo dispatch from Randy Potts and Parigi Chef Chad Houser who are in Lebanon. You can read their previous reports here, here, and here. Jump for more. (more…)
A while back, the good folks at Paul Quinn College decided to turn their decommissioned football field into a two-acre organic farm. Great idea, eh? The call it Food For Good and if you’re not familiar with the project already, get familiar with it—because it’s pretty darn cool. One way to do so: show up from 6-9 pm on April 14 for Trammell Crow’s pop-up A Community Cooks event where, for $100, you can enjoy live music from The Bishop Arts Jazz Allstars and delish treats from chefs Graham Dodds (Bolsa), Julian Barsotti (Nonna), Randall Copeland (Ava), Jeff Harris (Red Fork), Janice Provost (Parigi), Kelly Hightower (Nova), Tim Bevins (Craft), Orazio Lamanna (Dallas Cowboys), Kate Nelson (PieCurious). Special guest urban agriculture pioneer and CEO/founder of Growing Power Inc., Will Allen, will be on hand to share his wisdom and lend agro-support to the project.
jump for more… (more…)
Patrick Kennedy files a story about Urban Acres in the March issue of D Magazine. It’s an in-depth look at former-chef-turned-thoughtful grocer Steven Bailey and his venture Urban Acres. Here’s a snippet of Kennedy’s story:
Urban Acres’ recipe is one part hands-on learning experience and two parts community involvement, further distinguishing it from the impersonal feel of either the downtown Farmers Market or a typical supermarket. Every time I’ve visited the store, I have run into an old friend or made a new one. The feel of the place is flavored as much by the community as it is by Bailey himself. He is staking his business on the one thing his competition will never have: a home here in Dallas.
This just in from the Spiceman:
y’all need to come see what we’ve got here at the FM 1410. This is what I’ve been trying to finish and it’s almost done…a few finishing touches but now we’re up to our wazoogala in arugula…and if you have a fetish for lettuce we’re it ! check out our wailing wall of basil and last but not least…Our New Shed and Deck ( a Cajun porch on steroids) come on down y’all. Spiceman’s FM 1410. 1410 B North Fitzhugh Ave.
The full crop of ripe Texas produce is just around the corner but local markets are kicking into high gear with all kinds of goodies. The two clichés in the previous sentence should be enough of an incentive to get off the computer and head to Mockingbird Station Market tonight from 4:00 to 7:00 PM.
Web details here. Jump for the list of unique vendors. (more…)
Tra la, tra la. Here is a lengthy note from Tom Spicer. He’s been busy as a, well, bee.
Go, Tom:
Greetings from The FM 1410, the Spiceman’s lair of Culi-ne’er-do-wells and looking to please or sometimes… tease with tastes of trinkets from his garden.
We have a nice garden buffet of fresh, edible greens, flowers and GREEN CORRIANDER BERRIES right off the umbeliferous crowns @ $2/oz.
Use them like pepper corns to encrust and make robust your fish, poultry dish or toss them over your shoulder and make a wish.
EAST TEXAS STRAWBERRIES from Titus County…or just accross its border maybe but wherever I got them I drove 4 hours round trip because the flavors beconed
the Spiceman to run the gauntlet of sirens (you’s in a heap o’ trouble boy) but I say I say, fog horn leg horn…that there’s a strawberry! retail @ $4 PT wholes ale $30/flat
ORGANIC TIOGA, TX BRAISING & SALAD GREENS Wolf Creek Farm is back on line with late plantings of snow kissed salad greens retail/wholesale around $10#…value added from Spiceman’s Garden at $15# look for late crops due to the late spring, okra, eggplant, heirloom tomatoes, yukon gold potatoes, shishito, Padrone, marconi and gypsy peppers…other great organic produce from Tioga Tim late in summer are water melons, canteloupes (sorry honey dew, but…I can’t elope)
Jump for joy!! (more…)
From the copy and paste press release department:
Pinkberry. Just in time for the beginning of “Pinkberry Season”: two new decadent and delicious toppings. Cheesecake Bites and Cinnamon Streusel have joined the extensive list of luscious yogurt pairings offered on Pinkberry’s topping bar. Celebrate spring with new swirl topping sweets, and follow @pinkberryswirl for juicy news on a brand new Pinkberry yogurt flavor deputing March 12th.
Akin Farms. Wendy Akin of Akin Farms writes a lovely newsletter with updates on her crop availability. Her first of the season was delivered yesterday. READY TO PLANT. The seed potatoes are here and waiting in bushel baskets for the soil to dry enough to make beds for them. Onion plants – about 12,000 of them! – have arrived and are waiting to be planted. Michie likes to get all this in the ground in mid February, but this year we are hoping for early March. Big 5 pound sacks and about a hundred little packets of seeds are piled up in the diningroom waiting for spring planting. Many hundreds of tiny tomato, pepper and eggplant seedlings are growing on heat mats under lights and flats of hefty artichoke seedlings are growing in the greenhouse. Subscribe to Wendy’s informative mailings at akinfarmorganic@aol.com
Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream. Girl Scout Day. March 6th Noon – 1:00 PM only.
GIRL SCOUT DAY at HENRY’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM, 2909 W. 15 th St.
Plano, TX 75075. 972-943-3639. FREE Girl Scout Cookie Ice Cream. ALL Flavors.
All Girl Scout Cookies will be manufactured into HENRY’S HOMEMADE ICE CREAM
If you are a Girl Scout, Daisy, Brownie, or a brother or Mom or Dad then you are invited to attend for FREE ICE CREAM !!Watch for Celebrity Scoopers !!!! Ice cream makes you pretty! Think outside the cone!
TJ’s Fresh Seafood Market. Crawfish Are Finally Arriving. Order By Wed For Weekend. (Price Last Week Was 4.65 / lb). March 7 – Oscar Night…TJ’s Shrimp Platter Wins “Best Oscar Snack” Every Year. March 15 – Alaskan Halibut Season Starts. March 29–Passover. Best Gefilte Fish In Dallas! A very popular fish in Australia, barramundi is prized for its sweet, mild taste and big flake! We will get barramundi in Thursday and Friday. Price should be around $19.99 / lb. 214-691-2369.
Dish. Now open for lunch.Restaurant to Offer Lunch Menu and Specials. Dallas diners can now experience DISH for lunch five days a week. With a focus on fresh, simple and comfort, DISH’s new lunch menu blends home-style favorites with the best ingredients to create classic dishes with a twist. Guests looking for a quick and reasonably priced lunch will find it at DISH with menu items ranging from $4 to $18. DISH’s lunch menu features items patrons will enjoy time and time again. From starters, flatbreads and salads to sandwiches, burgers and main plates. In addition to the regular menu, DISH will also serve daily fish and pasta specials as well as a made-fresh daily soup.
Bring your own wine to Spiceman’s Absolutely Unusual Culinary Extravaganza. For those of you still using Morton’s salt, Spiceman is Tom Spicer, forager and procurer of all-things-produce. His wonderfully offbeat shop, Spiceman’s FM 1410, is next to Jimmy’s Food Store and Urbano Café in East Dallas. This Saturday (November 21) Spiceman will teach a few cooking classes. Festivities kick off at 10:30 a.m. with roux making and continue with wild mushroom paella cooked by The Spiceman over a bonfire and duck and Andouille gumbo by David Anthony. Spiceman says, “Come dine, bring yo wine and loose yo mind at Spiceman’s Gumbo ‘n da Garden!” Wild mushrooms? Oh, yes. 1410-B Fitzhugh. 214-954-7974.
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Dole Fresh Vegetables, a subsidiary of Dole Food Company, the world’s largest producer of fruits and vegetables, has released an astonishingly vague press release that claims: “Dole Research Ranks Dallas Among the Top U.S. Markets in Per-capita Salad Consumption, Growth Potential and/or In-kitchen Salad Experimentation and Creativity.” WTF does this mean?
“This means that local residents eat more salad per person than their counterparts in other U.S. cities, have the potential to eat more salad and/or are more likely to try new salad blends, experiment.”
And how they reached their conclusion?
“The exhaustive, 18-month research effort, part of the company’s relaunch of its reinvented DOLE Salads line, surveyed the in-store buying habits and in-home consumption trends of prepackaged salad consumers throughout the United States and Canada.”
Hmm Russell Evans, senior brand manager for Dole Fresh Vegetables, I bet you say that to all of the cities on your list.
“Despite the fact that it is the home of barbecue, Dallas is among the most sophisticated salad markets in the country and home to an increasing number of salad lovers,” said Evans. “Our research found that salad consumers here are much more likely to use salad as a meal or as the basis for creative new lunch and dinner entrees. From a salad standpoint, Dallas is a trendsetter.”
If you are a lettuce-loving trendsetter or just a plain old salad eater, take cover. You can expect “a comprehensive multimedia campaign featuring a new Dole Salad Guide spokesperson. Dole will be specifically targeting salad consumers in Dallas.”
Since we are on the subject of salad, I have been searching for a good chopped salad.
I’ve been hearing rumors for weeks that city officials were making the rounds and visiting the small farmers markets that have cropped up in spots such as Celebration, Bolsa, and North Haven Gardens. Now comes official word from Ed Lowe of Celebration. They have shut him down and he’s going to the Dallas City Council.
The City of Dallas Health Department has decided that the Celebration Farmers Market is in violation of certain codes. Celebration was told on 2 previous occasions that we could operate a Farmers Market in our parking lot under our existing permits. We strongly believe that all food handling practices and food products at the Farmers Market were perfectly safe. We have complied strictly with all Health Department codes for 38 years and take our responsibility to public health VERY SERIOUSLY.
We appreciate the warm welcome and support that you’ve provided our Saturday Farmers Market. We believe that what we along with our wonderful vendors are offering is a safe, fun and convenient setting for you to purchase healthy, delicious, local produce and other products.
We are going to approach the Dallas City Council to explore how the code can be modified to allow the Celebration Farmers Markets and others like us to provide a valuable service to the citizens of Dallas while protecting the public health.
I have contacted Ed and asked him for instructions on how you can sign the petition he plans to take to the Dallas City Council. Stay tuned. (OMG, I can hear Amy Severson already.)
How many of you have visited a small winery and gotten swept up in the romance of tending the vines and making your own wine? It’s happened to me on more than ten occasions. Ah, the cool morning breeze in your hair; the dogs and chickens running freely through the fields; sharing endless glasses of wine with happy customers. Snap!
On October 12th from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Stephenville will host a “Prospective Wine-Grape Growers Workshop.” The workshop will be presented by Fran Pontasch and Fritz Westover of the Texas AgrLife Extension Service viticulture team. Pontasch is the team’s North Texas viticulture adviser and Westover serves as the Gulf Coast viticulture adviser.
They will present a real-life look at the most common concerns potential or small-scale producers may have prior to committing valuable resources towards a commercial vineyard enterprise. Topics will include necessary viticulture expertise, vineyard site selection, risk factors, and vineyard labor requirements and economics.
When the class is over, perhaps we can all discuss the dogs, chickens, and endless glasses of wine ideas. Details for the class below. (more…)
I bought some Texas cream peas last week in East Texas and they were delicious. I cooked them in chicken stock with big hunks of Noonday onions and thyme from my herb garden. However when I really get ambitious, I make this nifty recipe I clipped from TexMo a couple of years ago. You can buy some this weekend at the Dallas Farmers Market, along with these other local and regional goodies.
Angela’s Farm – lots of onions – red, yellow and white! Yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, okra, peas are starting to come in
Berry Best Farm – Organic Blueberries
Birch Creek Farms – acorn and yellow squash, cucumbers, zucchini, new potato’s – Yukon gold and red Pontiac potato’s, purple top turnips, – THEY are selling out fast every weekend so be here early!
Comeback Creek – blueberries, onions, garlic, peppers, cucumbers, and squash
Coopers Organic Farm with certified organic onions
Dan Massey – Cream red new potato’s, yellow straight neck squash, green zucchini, Blue Lake green beans, Japanese cantaloupe, Crimson Sweet watermelons, seedless watermelons, Small Jubilee watermelons, Black Diamond watermelons, blackberries and jalapeño peppers, Black-eyes and Purple Hull peas (weather pending), tomato’s
Dis-n-Dat – eggs
Fred’s Alaska Seafood – salmon and crab legs
Fretwell Produce – okra, yellow crook neck squash, patty pan squash, 8-ball squash, gold and green zucchini, cucumbers, eggplant, red new potato’s, Pablano peppers, Jalapeño peppers, sweet banana, Marconi pepper, green bell peppers, white 1015’s and purple sweet onions
Haney Farm – eggs
Harmony Harvest – eggs and veggies- also has CSA group
Heather Duncan – cut flower bouquets out of her garden, she also has a recipe for Lavender Lemonade made from her own lavender!
Heddin Family Farm – Texas Cream peas, Purple Hulls and Black eye peas, green beans, green tomato’s, Cayenne Peppers, Jalapeño Peppers, squash, red new potato’s, zucchini, pickling cucumbers
J.T. Lemley – yellow squash, 8-ball squash, tomato’s, onions, peaches, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, plums, blackberries, cucumbers, new potato’s, sweet yellow onions
Joe Smith Farms – hanging baskets of flowers and annuals/perennials to plant – really great deals and good for garden pots
John Lucido – still has some herb plants and of course his herb pasta and canned goodies
JuHa – Pork and Goat meat, eggs
JZJ Beef – Beefmaster beef, beef jerky, and beef sticks!
Kitchen Pride – Mushrooms – Oyster, Portabella, Baby Bells, and White Button
La Esperanza Farm – variety of spring vegetables – can’t even list them all!
Lightsey Farm – peaches, onions, potato’s, plums, blackberries, green beans, zucchini, apricots
Mill Creek Farms is also bringing in squash, potato’s and peas
Northstar Ranch – Beef and pork –
Orchid Garden with specialty plants and beautiful orchids
Savoy Sorbet – Sundays – herbal infused sorbet from her herb garden
TxHoneybee Guild – local honey and zip code honey
TxLonghorn Cooperative – Saturday’s and Sunday’s with certified Longhorn Beef
Jon Alexis of TJ’ Market contacted me last week and told me he was going to eat his way through the recent New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. I asked him to send a report. He did. I forgot to post it. Sorry Jon, you are not the only thing I’ve forgotten lately. Better late than never? I don’t know, I’ve run out of apologetic clichés. Here goes:
“Food is music to the body, music is food to the heart.” — Gregory David Roberts
One could argue that food and music are two of life’s purist pleasures. Agree? Then book your trip to next year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (or Jazzfest as everyone calls it) today.
Obviously the festival is about music…not just jazz, but blues, gospel, zydeco, ragtime, world music and rock. With approximately 100 festival concerts each day, and evening showcases that last until 5am every night, the jazzfest is a music lover’s dream. We saw Neil Young, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Tab Benoit, John Scofield, Doc Watson, The Funky Meters and many more.
But how does one have the energy to dance in the sun all day, and until it comes back up the next morning? By stuffing one’s face the entire time with decadent New Orleans food.
One of my favorite restaurants is…in the back of a gas station. Genie at the Quick & Easy across from the airport is a hidden gem. A former New Orleans resident on the rental car bus overhead me discussing and quickly agreed, so I’m not crazy. Crawfish boudin, white beans & rice with ham hock and cornbread on a styrophoam plate? Now THAT’S how you start off a weekend of eating.