David Schechter (@DavidSchechter) via Twitter

Is it bad that when I first got a glimpse of David Schecter’s dead gator discovery on his Twitter yesterday, my brain processed the news in this exact progression?

1) There is no way I’m stepping foot in Trinity River. Ever. Not after that Mud Run participant died there, and especially not after this 11.5 gator swam in those waters.

2) How many pounds of gator nuggets can you make with this big ‘ole reptile?

Your guesses, please.

(clockwise from top) Chef Graham Dodds, oxtail ragout with crispy gnocchi, and a Scotch egg. (Photography by Kevin Marple)

This month Todd Johnson checks in with Graham Dodds, the newish executive chef at Central 214. His cooking is a far cry from his predecessor Blythe Beck. Have you tried the newish Central 214?

With his shaggy beard and dark painter’s cap, Graham Dodds looks out of place in Central 214, the restaurant he now helms at Hotel Palomar. It feels like a typical hotel restaurant—contrived modern decor, nondescript white leather banquettes, amber walls—so focus-grouped that it lacks any personality. And it’s not just the new chef’s appearance. Dodds’ culinary history is far too personal for such an impersonal space.

For the past three years, Dodds was the executive chef at Bolsa, the award-winning spot in the Bishop Arts District. He was in on the project from its inception, and his farm-to-fork approach—championing local and seasonal ingredients—was fresh at the time, not the marketing gimmick it has become. Dodds’ creations were simple, his flavors pure. Nothing was over-sauced or overwrought. Bolsa was an instant hit, and it established North Oak Cliff as a dining destination. D Magazine named it the 2009 restaurant of the year.

Click for more.

If anyone knows how I can plant myself on that coveted RSVP list, let’s talk. I’ll pay you in almonds.

Hunky Town, Twin Pricks, Tooter’s, Pecker’s Hot Italian Sausage, Tube Steak Junction, Cake Balls to the Walls, Nuts and Butts, Quickies, Long Dong Silver, Tally Whacker’s, Love Mussels, Wee Willie’s, Twig and Berries.

Ladies, the floor is open.

The Truck by The Tesar.

Dallas’ Mozzarella Company won four ribbons at the American Cheese Society Annual Competition last weekend in Montreal, Canada, more than any other Texas cheesemaker. They were one of a very select group of cheese companies to win three first place ribbons!  This marks the 25th year that Mozzarella Company cheeses have been singled out for their excellence by the prestigious judges of the ACS. This year’s winners were: 1st place – Hoja Santa Goat Cheese; 1st place – Goat’s Milk Ricotta; 1st place – Pecan Praline Mascarpone; 3rd place – Queso Blanco with Chiles and Epazote

If you haven’t eaten at least two gallons of that Pecan Praline Mascarpone you haven’t lived. Jump for Lambert’s thrill of victory:

Paula Lambert, founder of Mozzarella Company, states, “It is a magnificent accomplishment and a testament to the love and hard work that we put into our cheeses. I am especially thrilled that this year’s winning cheeses reflect the terroir of Texas. They are truly unique and delicious cheeses.

Speaking of terroir, my inspiration for the Hoja Santa Goat Cheese is Stephan Pyles. In the mid-80’s at Routh St Café he prepared salmon wrapped in an hoja santa leaf for Julia Child. I loved the anise flavor of this leaf, and  Patricia Quintana frequently uses this leaf for wrapping fish and chicken in her acclaimed Mexico City restaurant, Izote. So, years later when I wanted to create a leaf-wrapped cheese, I remembered their dishes. By wrapping the cheese in the distinctive Hoja Santa leaf the cheese is infused with a captivating flavor of sassafras.

The inspiration for Goat’s Milk Ricotta is purely Italian. It is made in the classic Italian method, however from the whey of goat’s milk cheeses. It is light cheese drained in a basket with a lovely light goat’s milk flavor.

Chicago Chef Rick Bayless is the inspiration for the Queso Blanco with Chiles and Epazote. Years ago we discussed a woman who made delicious squash-blossom tacos on a comal in a little village outside Oaxaca in Mexico. I told Rick that I would make a cheese for him with the same flavors of those tacos so he could stuff in squash blossoms at his restaurant Frontera Grill. It has a wonderful fresh flavor.

And the inspiration for Pecan Praline Mascarpone comes from my heritage and love of Southern foods. When I was growing up in Fort Worth I loved to make pralines. Early in the life of Mozzarella Company, I developed our Mascarpone Tortas … mascarpone layered with basil pesto and other savory fillings.  Around that time a friend brought me some pecan pralines and it came to me in a flash that they would be delicious stirred into the mascarpone. My next idea was to serve the Pecan Praline Mascarpone torta with ginger snaps … now my favorite accompaniment is Empire Baking Company’s Pecan Raisin bread. We always serve this combination at the events …. And it is always everyone’s favorite.

The 2011 Judging & Competition saw a record number of entries: 1,676 cheeses and cultured milk products from 258 different companies in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Selected Mozzarella Company cheeses are available in stores such as Tom Thumb, Whole Foods, Central Market, Market Street as well as at Scardello’s and Eatzi’s. A complete selection of all cheeses is available at the Mozzarella Company shop in Deep Ellum and online at www.mozzco.com.

Would you like to eat dinner with this man?

Tweeter up, Dishers! Tomorrow is the MLB All-Star Game. Don’t give a twit about the game? Me either! But Evan Grant, the Dallas Morning News Rangers beat writer and The Ticket contributor, and I are going to auction a special dinner for two to raise money for the family of Shannon Stone, the Ranger fan who died tragically on Thursday night. You will have a chance to bid on having dinner with Evan and me which is funnier and more interesting than any reality TV show.

Besides Happy Hour prices all night, there will be trivia games and prizes. Rangers swag and baseball tickets, and FREE garlic fries…Check it out. It’s all happening at Gordon Biersch in the Shops at Park Lane. Hope to see you there. Deets.

The foodie who never sleeps.

You have to get up pretty early in the morning (or stay up all night) to beat SuperChef follower Steven Doyle to the table of a new restaurant. Last night, he was a guest at a super secret soft opening dinner at RedFork. Give his report on cravedfw a nice SideDish Bump.

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.

Now having a groovy chicken coop in your backyard or on a patio in New York is trendy. The gals over on the D Home blog have the scoop on the “must have” coop. If you want to get your backyard bird party started, the folks at Northaven Gardens have the knowledge and supplies. I’d rather have a goat.

Once she gets the new BEE in her bonnet, Monica is going to open a ” true Mexico City-style full-service restaurant”  in an unfinished space at the ILUME building not just down from Dish. She is building the 3,500 square-foot restaurant “from the ground up.” She has changed the name from Distrito but hasn’t come up with a replacement.

Hmm. Maybe we could help her with that.

Hark! This morning, an email with the subject line: Check out this trip to Spain.

Turns out the festivities at Central Market has inspired A Taste of Spain, a boutique travel agency specializing in private, authentic culinary tours of Spain, to create a special tour for CM customers. It’s called the Ultimate Foodie Tour of Spain and it takes place September 11-18, 2011. Check out the full itinerary. Here are some highlights.

From hands-on cooking classes to VIP wine tours to avant-garde meals in Michelin-starred restaurants, A Taste of Spain has created a spectacular itinerary with the participation of Spain’s best chefs, food purveyors, and wineries throughout Madrid, Rioja, Basque Country, and Catalonia. Among the highlights: dinner at the restaurants of Paco Roncero and Quim Marqués (pictured is coca de sardines from his Suquet de l’Armirall), two of the participating chefs during Passport Spain; a private visit to Caves Naveran to taste and learn the process of Cava, the Catalan sparkling wine; and lunch at a private sociedad gastronómica.

I am not getting paid for writing this or taking any freebies but I’m just saying, I am going on this trip. Anyone care to join me? Book your reservation. Questions? Email culinary@atasteofspain.com.