Click here to help those who are helping the Gulf recover from hurricanes, oil spills and tornados. Folks like the American Red Cross, World Wildlife Fund and Habitat for Humanity. 150 charities to choose from.
I would be remiss not to point out that Bourbon only comes from Kentucky, everything else is whiskey. Now read this from Thrillist then watch the video:
Excessive reliance on imports can ruin your economy, an idea that's all Greek to Greece. Now making in Texas what Texans consume most, Garrison Brothers Distillery.
A homegrown Hill Country operation from a former GSD&M-er, Garrison has proudly crafted TX's first bourbon, strictly following our national spirit's standards (distilling sub-160 proof, barreling sub-120 proof, 51% corn, maturing in white American oak), while dispelling the myth that the stuff must be Kentucky-made the same way Champagne must come from Champagne, and Wild Irish Rose must come from C-Mart. The raw materials: 200ac of organic grain grown on-site, corn from the Panhandle, Pac-NW barley, and limestone-heavy groundwater tested to meet Bourbon County specs by Maker's and Buffalo Trace reps, all combining in the barrel to create a long velvety finish and a complex flavor profile dominated by smoked butterscotch, which fortunately tastes nothing like the butterscotch Kids' Telly smoked. Although they've been quietly distilling for a bit (under the pre-release name Young Gun), they've now expanded capacity (up to 5000gal of mash a day), and've just begun visitor programs: the quick "Whiskey Road Trip" (walk-through + tasting), the more intensive "Sit and Sip" (tastes at various stages of distilling), and, promising a full-on education + a take-home barrel, a package called "Old 300" -- also the pre-green-screen-era version of the movie, which basically involved naked guys running around fighting no one.
Finding a bottle of Garrison on the shelves is rare, so your best bets beside the distillery are hooch-houses like tenOak and Trifecta on 3rd -- where you can wreck your economy, throw up your hands, and say you can't pay, and hope someone bails you out in the morning.
Another one I'm not getting to visit but I thought I'd hit you with the 411 from Thrillist:
A first-annual chance for you to drink lots of suds
First times are always memorable -- Benjamin Braddock no doubt recalls the first time he had sex with Mrs. Robinson, and Dustin Hoffman no doubt recalls the first time he played his Rain Man character, then called "Benjamin Braddock". Raise your glass/can to a DFW first: the North Texas Beer Festival.
Coming May 13-15th to Plano Centre, the NTBF will showcase 150 beers from 30 different breweries like Franconia, Rahr, Jester King, Boulevard, Sam Adams, New Belgium, and Alec's favorite refreshment after building bridges for the Japanese, Guinness. The goings on:
Meet and Greet Brews Cruise: Sample a selection whilst cruising Lewisville with brewers and their reps
Sampling Sessions: Included in the admission price is a "sampling card" good for a dozen 2oz pours (more can be bought based on need...no, desire...no, it's need)
Live Music:Joey Love, Maylee Thomas, Elvis T. Busboy & the Blues Butchers, and Red Leather, who all take the stage in Red Grange's helmet
Homebrew School: Both basic (101) and intermediate (201) level classes!
Cooking Classes: TBD chefs from local eateries, teaching you to be less dependent on local eateries Harley Jump Start: Located in the outdoor biergarten, this contraption lets you "ride" a Harley while stationary, giving you the Lord without the Anarchy
Brewer’s Breakout: Speakers from the likes of Boulevard, Franconia, Rahr, and Sam Adams teaching history, traditions, food pairings, and "quality control"
Charity Golf Tourney: Proceeds’ll go to the only homeless shelter in Collin County, and as a participant, you’ll get free beer while playing, which'll totally lower your scor...ing odds with the cart girl
A ticket complete with a Brews Cruise pass is $119, but general admission will only run you $30 -- you don't need to be a card-counting math savant to know that's a good deal.
The Inn at Dos Brisas Beats to its Own for Valentine’s Day
Ground yourself with the best of winter vegetables and roots—delicate leeks and earthy sun chokes, transformed into creamy soups and buttery purées—high level comfort on a plate to enjoy for Valentine’s Day, by the elegant and grand fireplace in the dining room of The Inn at Dos Brisas – the only Forbes five-star rated restaurant in Texas.
This winter alone, over a 100 varieties in the ground, whose evocative names range from Ivory Egg to Lemon Drop to Aunt Ruby’s German Green to the unlikely Royal Hillbilly and slightly sinister sounding Orange Russian 117…three different Brussels sprouts, and 24 carrots [Dragon or Cosmic Purple, anyone?] But wait – that’s not all: who’d have expected 15 kinds of cauliflower, and 14 kinds of garlic? Even the kohlrabi, leeks and tomatillos enjoy a diversity of at least two varieties in this garden. Lettuces [18 varieties!] include Mascara and Flashy Trout Back; radishes [also numbering 18] include Easter Egg, White Isicle, and Crunchy Royale [that one Kate Middleton should take note of!] They are all about standing tall and firm as brassicas in the oversized vegetable patch and green house this time of year—which no doubt, will be appreciated among the dining guests.
Who better to call upon for a culinary experience on Valentine’s Day than one of the brightest chefs in America? Here at The Inn at Dos Brisas, a newcomer to this region, highly acclaimed and James Beard Award winning chef, Craig Shelton, focuses on his love of cuisine to bring passion and romance with recipes full of aphrodisiac ingredients. Shelton partners his seductive choices with home grown organic vegetables, seafood, poultry, and of course, chocolate….
Petit Pois Sitona lineatus
Warm Tart of Maine Lobster, Oyster Mushroom, Petit Pois, Potato Galette, Saffron
Rose Petal Rosacea
Torchon of Foie Gras, Rose Water, ‘Aromas of Condrieu’
At The Inn at Dos Brisas, there is a celebration of ingredients, a sympathetic marriage of organic and pure. The food will trigger emotions that support the ultimate goal and vision of chef Craig Shelton. You got to love that!
The eight-course Valentine’s tasting menu is available Thursday, February 10 – Monday, February 14 for $250 per person. Seatings begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and Monday, and at 5 p.m. on Sunday.
A four-course Saturday lunch is available from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. for $69 per person, and on Sunday, a season brunch is offered from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. for $95 per person.
The Inn at Dos Brisas is located at 10000 Champion Drive in Washington, Texas 77880 – dosbrisas.com - 979.277.7750
The Inn at Dos Brisas is Forbes’ Lone Five-Star Recipient in Texas
They are the brightest five stars in the hospitality industry. They have represented the highest standards of excellence for more than 50 years. They are, of course, the Forbes Five-Star ranking, and this year The Inn at Dos Brisas is the only property in Texas to receive the coveted five stars – of all of the restaurants, hotels and spas in the lone star state. This year marks the fourth consecutive year that The Inn at Dos Brisas has been awarded the prestigious ranking for its exceptional culinary experience which follows a comprehensive farm-to-plate philosophy made possible by extensive on-site gardens, orchards and greenhouses which supply more than 400 organic fruits and vegetables to the restaurant. This year, there’s a little extra sparkle around the 300 acre retreat these days as Relais-Gourmand chef and James Beard Award “Best Chef” winner, chef Craig Shelton, has recently joined The Inn at Dos Brisas as executive chef and managing partner of the Five-Star property. The Inn at Dos Brisas is one of only 23 restaurants in the United States to be named a Five Star restaurant in the 2011 Forbes Travel Guide. In order to receive the prestigious five stars, a restaurant must deliver a flawless dining experience, consistently providing exceptional food, superlative service, elegant décor, and exquisite presentations. The Inn at Dos Brisas – Washington, Texas – www.dosbrisas.com – 979.277.7750
The Inn at Dos Brisas is a member of Relais & Châteaux, the prestigious international association of privately owned hotels and restaurants embodying the highest culinary standards and the French "art de vivre."
Iron Chef Bobby Flay is going coastal! Flay will be swinging through the Third Coast this fall visiting book stores, malls and specialty stores throughout October. Most of the dates are in Texas but there are also visits to the Birmingham area and South Florida.
SUR LA TABLE #15
5809 PRESTON ROAD SUITE 580
PLANO, TX 75093
10/18/2010 12:00pm
TV’s ultimate cooking competition is Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef. Season three of the popular contest is once again teeming with high caliber chefs. The reason that NIC is the ultimate series of this ilk is the quality of it’s contestants. NIC only takes the best chefs in North America.
Case in point Bryan Caswell. Chef & Owner of Reef, Stella Sola, and Little Bigs in Houston, Caswell graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and developed his interest in food while growing up in Texas. The 6-foot-4 chef refined his culinary skills and style working in Barcelona, the Bahamas, Hong Kong, Bangkok, and New York. In addition to being the chef and owner of several Texas restaurants, Continental Airlines appointed Caswell to its “Congress of Chefs” to develop the menu for its first-class in-flight foodservice. He has received recognition from The James Beard Foundation, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and Bon Appétit.
Keep up with Chef Caswell's progress each week by reading the NIC Recap at WannabeTVchef.com.
The 2010 Taste of Dallas is this weekend and I grabbed some info about it to help you make your plans.
From the net:
Ahhh, take in the pleasing aroma of a NEW Taste of Dallas. Prepare your palate for a weekend of culinary delights from Dallas’ top chefs and most popular restaurants. Sample the menus of restaurants you’ve always wanted to try. Steal a secret or two from top culinary talent at cooking demonstrations. Drink in select wines and learn about the winemaking process. Satisfy your sweet tooth with some of Dallas’ most delectable desserts. Experience regional cuisine and be the first to try the next “big thing.”
At Taste of Dallas, it’s all served up steaming hot for you.
But when we say Taste of Dallas, we really mean slice of life. Sampling doesn’t stop at food. Experience the best of what Dallas has to offer in music, visual arts, talent and more. Bring the kids and play together in the Kid's Taste Town. Kick back in the Gilley’s Music Stage location. Try skills you didn’t know you had for a chance to win great prizes in our own “60 Seconds Challenge” competition. Shop for the latest gadgets and gifts, or take home art from an as-yet-undiscovered artist who just might be the next big thing.
With a move to Dallas’ own Fair Park, Taste of Dallas is expanding into 150,000 square feet of indoor space and has an entire outdoor esplanade to fill with Dallas’ best hot fare and a chance to cool your heels – what could better?
Be one of the first to experience the NEWTaste of Dallas – fresh, new, made to order. Enjoy your slice of life.
Lots of cheflebrities on the schedule this weekend including former Food Network star Sarah Moulton, Daniel Nemec (Woodfire by Kirby's), Shawn Horne (Horne & Dekker), David Bull (Bolla Restaurant at Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa), Richie Blankenship (Charlie Palmer at The Joule), Jordan Rogers (Fedora Restaurant & Lounge), Scott Jones (Cowtown Diner), Jason Boso (Twisted Root Burger & Cowboy Chow), Scott Romano (Charlie Palmer at The Joule), John Franke (The Ranch at Las Colinas), Eric Shelton (M Dining at the Music Hall), Chase Cheatham (TJ's Fresh Seafood Market & Catering), Matt Mortimer (Blue Goose, Aw Shucks & Big Shucks), Jeanette Prasifka (Crosby Catering & Coffee), Joe Garza (The Adolphus Hotel and The French Room) and Illya Roberts (Chef & Author, Twelve Months of New Orleans Cooking).
JULY 8, 2010 (THU) Domaine Serene Tasting at Cellar 17
Cellar 17 Wine Bar | $15 per person, but purchase 2 bottles of the featured wines and it's free!
Just how good is the Bar-B-Que at the Salt Lick Bar-B-Que in Driftwood, Texas? So good that two different Food Network stars called it, "the Best Thing I Ever Ate." But they aren't the only celebs that venture to this landmark smoke joint just outside of Austin. Check out this who's who list reviews:
Sandra Bullock "My God, this food! It’s the best, I mean, the best!"
Adam Richman, Host of Man v. Food - The Travel Channel "My never ending quest for barbeque bliss has lead me to the Salt Lick. Unbelievable! It melts in your mouth. One of the best things I have ever eaten! And the burnt ends of the brisket – a work of true, true poetry - crispy, creamy, chewy, salty, and sweet from the sauce. They were perfect!"
David Letterman "Paul and I were in Austin a year ago and if you want good, real actual BBQ, you got to go to Austin…Salt Lick, that's right, Salt Lick…tremendous. I bring this up because I'm hoping they'll send us some." (and they did!)
Lance Armstrong "The best barbecue is at a place called The Salt Lick."
Dennis Quaid "Ten miles out of town in the Hill Country there’s a great barbecue place called The Salt Lick that’s worth the drive."
And our two Food Network chefs, what did they have to say? Well they said it on the show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate." What does that tell you?
Bobby Flay, "Here is the real deal. I eat a ton of those Salt Lick beef ribs. They are fantastic! Lots of flavor! Salt lick makes their own barbeque rules. It is so good. Beef ribs are something I don’t usually cook. It is something I leave to the Salt Lick."
Duff Goldman "My favorite plate of barbecue is at The Salt Lick in Austin, Texas. It’s huge. Awesome! The flavor of the sausage is so intense. The brisket is super tender and really good."
The Salt Lick is a true Third Coast success story as the roots of restaurant run back to Mississippi in the mid-1800s. Scott Roberts, the current owner of the Salt Lick, had a great-grandmother, Bettie Howard, who came to this land from Desoto, Miss. in 1867. On the trip by wagon train to Driftwood, Bettie barbequed meat by searing it and then slow cooking it over coals – the same method the family uses today. Today people come from all over the world to eat at the Salt Lick maybe it's because, on a good day, you can smell the smoke from Canada.
But don't take our word for it. Take a look for yourself:
Recently, through he magic of the Internet, I was introduced to an exciting blog out of the Lone Star state. The City Sisters is devoted to "cooking and entertaining in the city." That city is Dallas, one of the jewels of the Third Coast. Emily and Natalie are two of five children from a proud Texas family that have used their pioneer spirit to teach the folks of Dallas that they can have the beautiful decorations and great food that the economy has robbed us of. Through imagination, attention to detail and most importantly gratuitous amounts of chocolate the City Sisters are helping to restore decadence to the Third Coast.
Recently I was able to ask Emily and Natalie a few questions about their vision, chocolate and growing up Texas. Check out there answers then head on over to their blog and subscribe.
Third Coast Cuisine: For those who do not know, who or what exactly is The City Sisters?
The City Sisters: The City Sisters is a blog formed by Emily Herrera and Natalie Quinn, two sisters living in the city of Dallas. The blog showcases our cooking endeavors and hosting tips. We feel that anyone is capable of creating a wonderful meal and throwing a great party, and we are here to show you how to do it well and without breaking your budget.
TCC: So who does the cooking and who does the flower arranging?
Sisters: We both cook and handle the flower arranging, but our Mom should take credit for any skills we've obtained. We pale in comparison to her talents, but are learning new techniques all the time. All of the arrangements and centerpieces on our site were created by us (unless otherwise noted) and we try hard to find budget friendly options to pull our table designs together.
TCC: Are you fans of chocolate?
Sisters: We're paint our faces and stand in the rain at the game kind of fans!
TCC: What made you decide on this particular endeavor?
We have been throwing parties for years and cooking in the kitchen with our family since we were kids. As adults, we started hosting parties together and found that it was a lot more fun to work together on a project than separately. We knew we were in trouble when we started planning our annual Halloween party in the month of June. We just couldn't get enough! We started cooking together once a month to try new recipes and began hosting more and more parties. We decided to start a blog to keep track of it all and to share our inspirations with others.
TCC: What's the best thing about living in the Republic of Texas?
Sisters: Well, our roots run very deep in Texas (like fighting at the Alamo deep). We love everything about this great state. Whether it's floating the Guadalupe, having a beer at Gruene Hall, seeing a band in Austin, visiting family in Houston or eating, shopping, and seeing performance art in Dallas, we love it all! Oh, and the easy access to Mexican food is pretty much the bomb!
TCC: If someone wanted help with their wedding how would they get in touch with you?
Sisters: While we've planned our own weddings and hosted numerous parties/showers for family and friends, we haven't ventured into the world of event planning for hire. Right now we are here to share our ideas and techniques for throwing a great event and serving the best food possible. If you'd like to hire us for any part of your event or just want a little hosting advice, we are more than happy to help. Just email us through the contact form on our website and we'll get back to you asap! TheCitySisters.com
On Monday September 28th, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives host Guy Fieri visits two Third Coast hot spots on back-to-back episodes of his popular travel show.
First, on an episode entitled "Not What You'd Expect," Fieri heads to the Texas state capital to visit favorite Austin eatery Magnolia Cafe which brags to be open 24/8. The cafe is a quirky little place that features burgers (including bison), breakfast fare, salads, soups and Third Coast favorites like Voodoo Chicken, Baton Rouge Salad (with blackened catfish) and the Magna Cristo a variation of the Monte Cristo with Turkey, ham, bacon, swiss cheese, avocado and tomato on battered and grilled Italian white bread. The show airs at 10P ET.
Immediately afterwards on a retread episode inspired by viewer suggestions aptly called "Places You Sent Me" Guy heads down to the Big Easy for the Parasol's Restaurant & Bar's famous Roast Beef Po' Boys with Debris Gravy. Can't wait? Here's a sneak peek:
Posts
A homegrown Hill Country operation from a former GSD&M-er, Garrison has proudly crafted TX's first bourbon, strictly following our national spirit's standards (distilling sub-160 proof, barreling sub-120 proof, 51% corn, maturing in white American oak), while dispelling the myth that the stuff must be Kentucky-made the same way Champagne must come from Champagne, and Wild Irish Rose must come from C-Mart. The raw materials: 200ac of organic grain grown on-site, corn from the Panhandle, Pac-NW barley, and limestone-heavy groundwater tested to meet Bourbon County specs by Maker's and Buffalo Trace reps, all combining in the barrel to create a long velvety finish and a complex flavor profile dominated by smoked butterscotch, which fortunately tastes nothing like the butterscotch Kids' Telly smoked. Although they've been quietly distilling for a bit (under the pre-release name Young Gun), they've now expanded capacity (up to 5000gal of mash a day), and've just begun visitor programs: the quick "Whiskey Road Trip" (walk-through + tasting), the more intensive "Sit and Sip" (tastes at various stages of distilling), and, promising a full-on education + a take-home barrel, a package called "Old 300" -- also the pre-green-screen-era version of the movie, which basically involved naked guys running around fighting no one.
They are the brightest five stars in the hospitality industry. They have represented the highest standards of excellence for more than 50 years. They are, of course, the Forbes Five-Star ranking, and this year The Inn at Dos Brisas is the only property in Texas to receive the coveted five stars – of all of the restaurants, hotels and spas in the lone star state.
