Articles about hostess gifts

JonfromTJs Visits Total Catch Market in Houston

posted by Nancy Nichols | September 1st, 2011 2:32pm | filed under Bureaucratic red tape, catering, Foodie People, Free Stuff!, Groceries, hostess gifts, I Went to College for This?, I'm a sucker for a man in flannel, make mine a double, pop-up restaurant, seafood | 11 Comments »

Part of the Total Catch.(photo by Jon Alexis.)

Jon Alexis, know on every blog in the United States of America as jonfromtjs, handles the marketing for TJ’s Seafood Market, the successful fish market in Preston Forest. He is a conscientious student of seafood. Recently he learned about Total Catch Market, a project (and blog) run by PJ Stoops and Billy Tellez of Louisiana Foods. Their niche is selling by-catch fish, the innocent fishes caught by fishermen actually fishing for a higher profile fish. JonfromTJs was so moved when he heard about these guys, he jumped in his car and drove to Houston.  He sends a brief story about his experience along with cell phone pictures. I am going to run it below. Grammar police be warned: the copy is unedited only because I am low on time at the moment. Take it away jonfromtjs:

Continue reading "JonfromTJs Visits Total Catch Market in Houston"

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What Would Happen if Women Opened Restaurants With Male Body Parts as Themes

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 23rd, 2011 2:12pm | filed under Bad Names For Restaurants List, Best Gay Hangout Restaurant Evah!, breastaurants, Bring it!, Cheap trick for comments, ChirpyChirpy, cupcakes, Dog Friendly, Drinking, Goats!, Hole in the wall, hostess gifts, I Went to College for This?, I'm about to get fired, Keep Dallas Douchey!, Merguez Sausage Hunt, Murmur, Newfangled condiments, Not-so-skinny bitches, Nutjobs, Overprivileged chimps, Procrastination is part of the creative process, questionable judgment, Rants, restaurant business news, RudeDudes, Silly Reasons to Celebrate, Slow News Day, Spicy foods, youthful spontaneous restaurants, Yum is Dumb | 53 Comments »

‘Scuse me while I saddle up my high horse. Am I the only woman who is concerned about the sudden surge in Breastaurants. I mean really 35 additional Twin Peaks? A bar opening in downtown called The Spread Eagle? Seriously boys? How would you like to take your daughter into one of the restaurant’s the gals in our office just conceptualized. We call them Peteries.

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.

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Opera-Free Shopping at Eatzi’s For One Week

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 19th, 2011 9:56am | filed under Bad Names For Restaurants List, Breaking News, Dog Friendly, Groceries, hostess gifts, Overprivileged chimps, Silly Reasons to Celebrate | 5 Comments »

Eatzi’s has decided to change their music for a few weeks. My ears are so happy. I have nothing against opera music, but when those sopranos hit the high notes while I’m wait for a roasted chicken to get quartered, my cochleas recoil. The opera music will return next week.

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Wino News: Big Wine Sale at Sigel’s in Addsion

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 18th, 2011 10:31am | filed under cheap wine, hostess gifts | 1 Comment »

The Brad was first in line.

It’s a bummer to learn many restaurants can’t afford to pick up the wine they’ve ordered after it arrives at Sigel’s in Addison. In many cases (HAH!) a restaurant may not pick up the order because they’ve  changed their list or their wine-by-the glass selections. No matter the reason, Sigel’s has a huge inventory they need to clear before the next order of wine which will potentially not get picked up is on the way. It’s time for winos to rejoice. Starting today over 300 wines marked down. Complete list below. Go to 15003 Inwood Rd. No phone sales.

Continue reading "Wino News: Big Wine Sale at Sigel’s in Addsion"

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Campo Modern Country Bistro to Open in Oak Cliff

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 17th, 2011 9:40am | filed under Bring it!, ChirpyChirpy, Cult Cuisine, hostess gifts, Hot Links!, Openings/Closings, Restaurant News | 1 Comment »

Miguel Vicéns and John Paul Valverde owners of Coevál Studio, a firm that recently designed and built two Mexican restaurants in Fort Worth, is taking over the former La Carreta Argentine space on North Beckley in Oak Cliff. They will rework the space and open it as Campo Modern Country Bistro. This news comes from Steven Doyle of CraveDFW. He sends a hot link and a note:

I interviewed a design group that does restaurants and found out that Matt is their consulting chef and opening soon in Oak Cliff.  This isn’t his main restaurant that will open most likely first quarter 2012, but one he will consult on and have a presence indefinitely.

Matt is Matt McCallister. You know Matt. The execuchef at Stephan Pyles left his high profile gig to “Play” in kitchens around the world. Currently he is popping up in restaurants around town, like Café Momentum. He’s got  a chef’s fantasy job. If you’re not his Facebook friend, you are one uninformed Dallas diner.

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Food Writer Discovers What to do With an Oversized Zucchini

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 16th, 2011 4:42pm | filed under Gardening, hostess gifts, menus, Murmur, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Slow News Day | 3 Comments »

Really? He got paid to write this?

3 Comments »

Hot Link: The Tesar, The Truck, The Doyle and Camarena Tequila

posted by Nancy Nichols | August 10th, 2011 5:06pm | filed under Cult Cuisine, Drinking, Foodie People, Goats!, hostess gifts, I Went to College for This?, Merguez Sausage Hunt, Mexican Revolution, Nutjobs, Really?, Yum is Dumb | 1 Comment »

We sent a reporter to cover the most exciting news of the day but she mistakenly went to the wrong location. But Steven “Crave Me” Doyle was there. So was John Tesar. The Tesar is now making tacos for a taco truck supplied by Camarena Tequila. They float around the country and partner with local checks and hang out at local events. I don’t have any of the details like how can they give away free tequila but Doyle was there and he has the scoop of his career. Take it Craveman.

The Truck by The Tesar.

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Gas Station Tacos in Dallas: Taqueria Cholula

posted by Nancy Nichols | July 26th, 2011 10:30am | filed under cheap eats, Christopher Baccus, Cult Cuisine, Gas Station Tacos, hostess gifts, Tacos | 2 Comments »

Christopher Baccus loves cars and gas station tacos. We find that very attractive.

Dishers, Christopher Baccus is  a taco junkie and blogger. Not just any kind of taco, primarily those found in or near gas stations. A few weeks ago he took you there. This week he takes you here.

Chorizo tacos are underrated. I love it when I find chorizo on a taqueria menu in a gas station and Taqueria Cholula has no shortage of chorizo and other options for the taco fanatic. You’ll find at least 14 types of tacos here: beef fajita, chicken, pastor, and barbacoa. The day of my visit they were out of two.

Taqueria Cholula, located in the Conoco Station at I-35E and Royal Lane, is the first place I’ve found that serves suadero, a thin cut of meat from the breast of a cow. Sorry, I didn’t try it. I really wanted to try the chorizo and I also ordered beef fajita, pastor, and barbacoa tacos on corn tortillas with chopped onions and cilantro. My carryout order also included some salsa roja, more orange than red, and salsa verde.

Continue reading "Gas Station Tacos in Dallas: Taqueria Cholula"

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Tei-An Celebrates 3rd Anniversary at One Arts Plaza in Dallas

posted by Nancy Nichols | July 14th, 2011 12:33pm | filed under Celebrity Diners, celebrity sightings, Cult Cuisine, hostess gifts, party, Restaurant News, Sexy food | 6 Comments »

Teiichi “Teach” Sakurai, the hardest working man in the noodle business.

On August 8, Tei-An is throwing a bash to celebrate their 3rd year at One Arts Plaza. According to tradition, that means you must bring a gift made of leather. (Oh boy, this guy will have a field day!)

But seriously, the party will feature food, drinks, and Hunter Sullivan’s three- piece band.

Jump for the five Ws.

Continue reading "Tei-An Celebrates 3rd Anniversary at One Arts Plaza in Dallas"

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Sacred Cellars is Closed. Sacred Cigars is Open.

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 28th, 2011 1:10pm | filed under Buzz Killer!, Cult Cuisine, hostess gifts, questionable judgment, Really stupid joke, Slow News Day, Wine & Spirits | 8 Comments »

Where to find sacred cigars in Snider Plaza.

Silly me, I just noticed Sacred Cellars is no longer a cellar. I contacted owner Rudy Ced and asked him what was happening. He said:

I stopped ordering wine for my inventory around Oct 2010. In Nov 2010 I opened Sacred Cigars inside Snider Plaza. I sold all my wine in order to fund this new venture. Wine was fun and enjoyable, but extremely difficult to make any money at. Cigars are a better business model, more fun and I have a better location and more capacity to grow business wise.

Well said, Ced.

8 Comments »

Dallas Trend Prediction: Guajillo Chile Peppers are the New Jalapeno

posted by Nancy Nichols | June 2nd, 2011 2:01pm | filed under Cooking, Cult Cuisine, Eat This Now!, Ethnic Food, Groceries, Health Food, hostess gifts, questionable judgment, Regional Mexican Cuisine, Spicy foods | 3 Comments »

Guajillo peppers on my counter make me happy.

We already know that parsley, as a garnish,  is out and micro greens are in. Also, a hamburger is not a hamburger unless it has a pickle or cornichon skewered to the top bun. Today, I predict the demise of the jalapeno and the rise of the guajillo pepper. I know it’s a bold statement, but I’m feeling bold and douchey today. So, if you have anything better to suggest, I’m all (deleted).

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Brews News: Surefire Hit or Satan in a Sunday Hat? You Be the Judge.

posted by Sarah Reiss | May 27th, 2011 11:41am | filed under beer, homebrewing, hostess gifts | 2 Comments »

It was bound to happen. Williams Sonoma, aka the folks who brought “keeping up with the Joneses” to the kitchen, has entered the world of mail-order homebrew (except they call it “artisanal beer,” natch).

Check it out:

With their apartment-friendly beer-making kits, Erica Shea and Stephen Valand of the Brooklyn Brew Shop make it easy to craft artisanal beer – right in your own kitchen. Showcasing the finest barley, hops, yeast and spices, your all-natural home-crafted brew will taste as great as the premium artisanal beers served at the best brew pubs.

Choose either fresh summer wheat beer or India Pale Ale (IPA), a pub favorite with bold, hops-intensive flavor.
Includes the specialty equipment and ingredients you’ll need for home-brewing, including enough grain, hops and yeast for your first batch.
Additional equipment and ingredients required: six-quart pot, fine-mesh strainer, funnel, honey and ice.
Step-by-step instructions guide you through every stage: the mash, the sparge, the boil, fermentation and bottling.
The entire brewing process takes approximately 17 days.
Each mix produces 1 gal. of IPA beer or fresh summer wheat beer.
Equipment can be reused over and over to make more fresh beer.

Kit includes:

1-gal. glass fermenting jug.
Screw-cap stopper.
3-piece chambered airlock.
Racking cane.
4′ tubing.
Tube clamp.
12″ laboratory thermometer.
Sanitizer packet.
Ingredient mix (choose summer wheat or IPA).

jump for the burning questions… Continue reading "Brews News: Surefire Hit or Satan in a Sunday Hat? You Be the Judge."

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Ruth Reichl is Back: Gilt Taste Online Magazine/Catalog is Live

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 18th, 2011 3:54pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Cooking, Goats!, Groceries, hostess gifts, Mistakes I made, Murmur, Overprivileged chimps | 3 Comments »

I have mixed feelings about Ruth Reichl. For many years I devoured everything she wrote. After reading her first couple books, I grew a little weary of her style. Her writing is florid like perfume. Sometimes she says so much with just a spritz; other times her words overwhelm your senses.

However, she has been a talented, successful, and authoritative voice to my generation of eaters and writers. When I got a chance to sit down with Ms. Reichl at a conference in Minneapolis, oh about ten years ago, I was ready to bond.

Didn’t happen. She was rude. She never looked me in the eye. She didn’t ask me one thing about myself or Dallas. (Wouldn’t a national food magazine editor be curious about the dining scene in a major US city?) She was deep into her job as Queen of Gourmet and she didn’t want to talk about food criticism. She was “past that.”

Well, goody for her. Gourmet died and Ruth rose above the rubble. She’s had a series of glam jobs on TV, she wrote books, and is the executive producer of Garlic and Sapphires, a film based on her memoirs. And she has great hair (which I’m sure she hates). My disappointment in Reichl has morphed into mind-numbing mixture of jealousy and resentment. Especially when it comes to her hair.

Today, cue Elton John, Ruth Reichl is back. She is the editorial advisor to Gilt Taste, an online magazine/catalog (webazinelog?) featuring fine writing, artisanal products, and lots of Ruth. Does she get on your nerves or do you love her flowery prose (and The Bridges of Madison County)? But here’s the good news.

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Mexican Bologna Smuggler Busted at the Border

posted by Nancy Nichols | May 17th, 2011 4:03pm | filed under Bad critters, Buzz Killer!, Cult Cuisine, Dog Friendly, Food Invasion, Food Trucks, hostess gifts, Junk Food, Procrastination is part of the creative process, Sandwiches, Slow News Day | 9 Comments »

I know, this little story I am about to tell you has nothing to do with Dallas other than the fact that I read DMN editor Bruce Tomaso’s post on Scoop.

According to Tomaso, whose witty reporting on the opening of In-N-Out Burger gave us the phrase “hot on fries,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized 385 pounds of contraband bologna. (Which is a good name for a band.) Tomaso infers implies “some people who come to the United States from Mexico prefer the flavor of their native bologna to the comparatively bland varieties found in American supermarkets.”

Which begs the question: Do Mexican bologna manufacturers have a secret ingredient we need to know about? Maybe Maple & Motor needs to get the word out on their stellar baloney sandwich. Oh, I have a joke on the edge of my tongue but I can’t type it. Feel free to fill in the blank.

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Chicks in the Food News: Liza Garza and Dee Lincoln

posted by Nancy Nichols | April 1st, 2011 2:31pm | filed under Celebrity Chefs, Cooking, Cult Cuisine, hostess gifts, Openings/Closings, Overprivileged chimps, Restaurant News, Silly Reasons to Celebrate | 6 Comments »

Lisa Garza is baaaaack.

Lisa Garza will debut her new line of fancy aprons in the HOME department at Neiman Marcus Northpark. She will also cater a kick-off soiree on April 13 from 6-8:00pm. “I’m serving green tea tipsy Arnold Palmers, smoked salmon profiteroles, curry deviled eggs with Tobiko caviar, mushroom duxelles, truffle tarts, and French macaroons,” Garza said. “Neiman’s is going to have my apron collection on display for 10 days.” Aprons will be available for purchase. Garza plans to launch a line of table linens in the fall.

Dee Lincoln is set to open her first freestanding location of  Dee Lincoln’s Tasting Room & Bubble Bar at Rosewood Court in May. You may have sampled some of Dee’s wine bubbly at her tasting room at Cowboy’s Stadium. She’s consulting with chef Blaine Staniford of Grace in Fort Worth. Full release, and it’s full, below. Continue reading "Chicks in the Food News: Liza Garza and Dee Lincoln"

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Sake To Me! Niigata Sake Debuts at Tei An

posted by Sarah Reiss | October 15th, 2010 12:17pm | filed under Beverages, Ethnic Food, hostess gifts, Neighborhood restaurants, sushi, Wine & Spirits | 1 Comment »

Takako Shigeno, general manager of Kinshihai Shuzo sake brewery founded in 1825

Yesterday afternoon, a contingent of Japan’s most notable sake makers from the Niigata province converged in Tei An in One Arts Plaza for a sake tasting and rice-wine education. Turns out there’s a lot more to sake than the hot bottle that appears in front of you at the neighborhood sushi bar. (In fact, of the seven sake makers I spoke with yesterday, the consensus was that sake should only be warmed by resting the bottle in warm water. According to the experts, warming it above 112 degrees ruins the delicate flavors.)

jump for the faves… Continue reading "Sake To Me! Niigata Sake Debuts at Tei An"

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