and Cynthia Wahl
be your guides
Fancy Food on Forest Park
At Sapristi!, chef Carlos Cavazos prepared Oysters Sapristi!, a variation on Oysters Rockefeller. He lightly fried the oysters and put them on a bed of pancetta, caramelized onion and spinach over a homemade potato chip with cracked pepper. On the side were Sapristi!’s signature frites, served with a spicy aioli for dipping. The ideal wine pairing, thanks to John, was the 2008 Castell Castell Silvaner, from Germany’s Franken region. (Remember, Sapristi! sells all wines on its list at retail prices if you want to take a bottle home!)
Across the street at Ruffino’s, chef Asdren Azemi Albanese treated us to a beautiful plate of rabbit confit over pappardelle (pasta) with spiced cashews and rabbit jus, with a dark green frill of fried kale alongside. He paired this with a Sicilian sangiovese, the 2008 Terre di Sole.
Around the corner at Grady’s, we were treated to a dessert platter sure to horrify your dentist (and cardiologist). Grady’s sister, Paige Herd, is the pastry chef, and she created the white-chocolate Kahlua mini-bundt cake topped with homemade chocolate ice cream; strawberry shortcake; dessert taco of caramelized sugar shell stuffed with homemade vanilla ice cream, caramelized bananas, chopped strawberries and fresh mint over chocolate ganache; and banana pudding. Our adult beverage pairing was a glass of bubbly, the Charles de Fere brut.
Can you say yummy, y’all?
Jan. 27, 2010
Goldwaves event
In Good Company – and Good Taste:
Texas Toast Launches Team-Building Programs
Texas Toast directors June Naylor and Cynthia Wahl recently staged an afternoon-long corporate event, a food-and-wine smack-down at Times Ten Cellars. Texas Toast hosted the staff from Goldwaves Salon in Fort Worth, splitting the company into three teams to compete for bragging rights at a contest dedicated to “Substance and Style.”,
The teams had 90 minutes in which to craft an impressive dish and learn about the proper wines to pair with their creations. The 21 participants worked from a common pantry, which was stocked with abundant produce and other staples, and each team was required to use Mystery Box ingredients, which were pork tenderloin and eggplant.
The first team was coached by Dena Peterson, executiv
e chef at the Café Modern inside the Modern Arts Museum in Fort Worth. Team Dena prepared:
- An appetizer of herbed crepe topped with wild mushroom and spinach cream with Parmesan; and
- A main dish of Middle Eastern tomato orzo with grilled eggplant and lemon-garlic grilled pork tenderloin, topped with tabuli-style salad
The second team’s coach was Lanny Lancarte II, owner-chef at Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana in Fort Worth. Team Lann
y made:
- Baby romaine salad with grilled green beans, pickled onions, lime-oregano
vinaigrette as a starter; and - Ancho-dusted pork tenderloin “Mille Feuille,” with eggplant ratatouille, wild
mushroom risotto, and wilted spinach.
Louis Lambert of Lambert’s Fort Worth served as the final team’s coach. Team Lou’s presentations were:
- An appetizer of creamy potato soup with Parmesan and oregano; and
- “Slum Dog Pork Tenderloin,” an Indian-inspired spiced-grilled pork tenderloin with grilled eggplant chutney, herbed rice and a warm spinach salad.
Team Lanny’s entrée was declared the winner by an esteemed panel of judges that included Fort Worth artist Nancy Lamb; floral and event designer Bill Bostelmann; and food/travel/fashion journalist Tiffany Figuereido.
Texas Toast looks forward to a wealth of corporate food-and-wine events to come.
Jan. 26, 2010
Waltz Across West Seventh
Our latest Feeding Frenzy was another embarrassment of cuisine riches. Our lively crowd gathered Love Shack So7 on a nippy evening, perfect for pulling up a chair next to one of the fabulous fire pits on the patio. With a clear, starry sky and the scent of burning pinon wood for company, we sipped one of Tim Love's refreshing signature cocktails, the cucumber-jalapeno margarita (see recipe, below). This was paired with the kind of comfy deviled egg halves my country grandmother would have loved and portly meatball sliders that had a rustic appeal offering good balance to the clean, crisp beverage.
In due course, we crossed the street to Mac's on 7th, in Montgomery Plaza, where owner Mike McMahan greeted us with his new Ginger Mac Martini. That’s a pretty cocktail (recipe, below) made with fresh ginger and gin. Mac's proceeded to spoil us madly with a teaser plate of grilled sea scallop and avocado corn relish atop a blue corn chip, which we washed down with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand's Marlborough region. Mac's main attraction was a braised short rib on sweet potato-pine nut polenta, accompanied by chile-basted charbroiled shrimp, all paired with a Russian River pinot noir.
Finally, we waltzed back across Seventh Street to Tillman's Roadhouse, a new hugely popular hangout in West Seventh, where pastry chef Kim Donahey had us play with our food. Our hands-on dessert creations included tabletop s’mores, which featured made-in-house marshmallows in orange, coffee and and maple flavors. We roasted those over small burners and smeared them over from-scratch cinnamon graham crackers and thin sheets of semi-sweet chocolate also made in the Tillman’s kitchen. That wasn’t enough, either; we also had frost-your-own cupcakes, with the Cherry Dr Pepper cupcakes the runaway favorite and a perfect match for Tillman’s version of Irish coffee.
We made lots of new friends among the first-time Texas Toasters, and welcomed veteran feeders, too. We’re hoping everyone comes back soon. Until then, here are drinks to make at home.
JALAPENO CUCUMBER MARGARITA
From Love Shack So7
Makes 1 cocktail
2 slices fresh jalapeno chile
2 slices cucumber
2 ounces Hornitos tequila
4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce Cointreau
1 ounce Sprite
Lime, jalapeno, cucumber for garnish
Muddle the jalapeno and cucumber slices together with sugar, then add tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and Sprite. Add ice and shake well, then pour into a highball glass with salted rim. Garnish with lime, jalapeno and cucumber.
GINGER MAC MARTINI
from Mac’s on 7th
1 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces ginger-infused simple syrup (see below)
2 ounces Tanqueray gin
1 ounce club soda
Lemon twist for garnish
Pour lemon juice, simple syrup and gin in a mixer, add ice and cover; shake to mix. Strain into a martini glass, top with soda and garnish with lemon twist.
To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 2 ounces (a four-inch piece, sliced very thin) peeled fresh ginger root in a pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir just until sugar dissolves and immediately remove from heat, cover and allow to steep for at least 1 hour. Cool completely. Store, covered, in refrigerator until ready to use. (Note: If you like your cocktails less sweet, cut the amount of sugar in half.)
Dallas food tour
Our first Dallas food tour was a smash-hit. Within our intimate group were Linda and Michael, a couple from New Jersey, visiting Texas for the first time. Texas Toast showed them a thing or two about food and hospitality in the Lone Star State. They’d asked ahead of time if we could please not stuff them solely with chicken-fried steak. We assured them that while we love our CFS, we do know how to do other things well.
Our entertaining friends Sarah, Wes and Michael from Fort Worth joined us, giving the New Jersey folks an ample dose of Texas humor. We began in late morning; at our first stop, the original Zodiac Room at the flagship Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas ( http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/info/restaurant.jhtml?rest=100009), we gathered around a sunny table and told stories from our earliest memories in that room. While we sipped the signature chicken consomme and noshed on fresh, steaming-hot popovers with strawberry butter (see recipes below), we listened as executive chef Kevin Garvin shared tales about the legendary Zodiac Room and Stanley Marcus. We talked a little about Helen Corbitt, the first food director for NM, who put Dallas on the culinary map more than a half-century ago, before anyone had yet heard of Julia Child.
From Neiman’s, we headed over to the Dallas Farmers Market (www.dallasfarmersmarket.org). Although it’s only January, a few farmers were there with some gorgeous produce. They gave us samples of tomatoes, mangos, tangerines, pineapple and peanuts. From the roasted corn stand, we bought a cup of elotes, a mixture of corn – hot and fresh from the cob – mixed with grated cheese and mayonnaise, with chile powder sprinkled on top. Believe us, it’s really good. Inside the enclosed shed, we perused tables of fresh, locally made pastas, a booth selling locally made candles and a sausage stand.
Next, we headed to Deep Ellum to visit Paula Lambert at the Mozzarella Co. (www.mozzco.com), a famous artisan cheese company. Paula took us on a tour of her business, which makes about 1,000 pounds of cheese daily. We sampled a number of her products, made from cow’s or goat’s milk, and wound up leaving with sacks full of cheese and cookbook purchases.
Then we zipped over to Jimmy’s Food Store (www.jimmysfoodstore.com), a wonderful rarity in Dallas. Our New Jersey friends thought it hilarious that we’d take them to a corner Italian grocery, but we explained what a singularly special jewel it is for us, as there’s no real Italian heritage to speak of around these parts. They were impressed with all the special fresh pastas available, as well as Henry’s Homemade Ice Cream, sold here but made in Plano. Best of all, we happened by just when Michael Weinstein, the Dreadhead Chef (www.dreadheadchef.com) was offering samples of his dessert chips (chocolate chip, yum) and sweet salsas (pineapple-banana-macadamia nut, double yum). Jimmy’s never fails to impress me with the racks and racks of Prosecco choices, many for just $9.99.
Finally, we wrapped up our day with a leisurely, late lunch at the Mansion on Turtle Creek (www.mansiononturtlecreek.com). Chef Bruno Davaillon (he arrived at the Mansion recently from Mix in Las Vegas) prepared a lovely menu for us, and here it is:
Choice of entree:
Pork Tenderloin, White Cheddar Grits, Wild Mushrooms and Peas
Roasted Eggplant and Goat Cheese Ravioli, Preserved Summer Tomatoes, and Basil Salad
Grilled Salmon Filet, Celery Root Puree, Blood Orange and Celery Salad
Wines:
V. Laurenz Gruner Veltliner "Singing," Austria '07
Dow's, Vale do Bomfim, Douro Reserva, Portugal '06
Desserts:
Tropical Vacherine, with Citrus and Vanilla Sorbets
Mansion Candy Bar, Brownie, Peanut Croquant, Chocolate Mousse, Lime Coconut Sorbet
Ice Cream Sampler: Chocolate, Vanilla Bean, Fleur de Sel Caramel
During lunch, Chef Bruno stopped by a couple of times to make sure we were happy with our lunch. As a bonus, we were regaled with entertaining stories about the Mansion’s early history (the historic home, when it was a residence) by the delightful Duncan Graham, an Englishman who serves as the Mansion’s general manager.
What a great way to spend a Friday in Dallas, with nary a chicken-fried steak. You should join us next time. Until then, here’s how to make the popovers and strawberry butter. Many thanks to the Neiman Marcus Cookbook (2003, Clarkson Potter).
Neiman Marcus Popovers
Makes 12
3 ½ cups milk
4 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 large eggs, room temp
Place milk in bowl and microwave on High (100 percent power) for 2 minutes, or until warm to the touch.
Sift flour, salt and baking powder together in large mixing bowl. Crack eggs into work bowl of electric mixer fitted with whisk, and beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until foamy and pale in color. Turn down mixer to low and add warm milk.
Gradually add flour mixture and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Turn machine off and let batter rest for 1 hour at room temperature.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Spray popover tin generously with nonstick spray. Fill popover cups almost to the top with batter and place popover tin on cookie sheet. Transfer to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down oven temperature to 375 F and bake for 30 to 35 minutes longer, until popovers are deep golden brown outside and airy inside.
Turn out popovers and serve hot with strawberry butter, recipe below.
Strawberry Butter
Makes 2 ½ cups
1½ cups butter, at room temperature
1 cup good-quality strawberry preserves
Place the butter in the work bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high until light and fluffy. Add the preserves and beat until well combined. To serve, spoon or pipe the flavored butter into 2-tablespoon ramekins or onto side plates.
Jan. 12, 2010
Stockyards Stampede
There was more than enough glorious food at
our Stockyards Stampede Feeding Frenzy.
Then Tim Love pulled out the stops when we got to Lonesome Dove. He started us off with amuse bouche, a tall shot glass filled with a creamy soup he made with cold-smoked acorn squash that came from the market that day. The soup was flecked with toasted pepitas and housemade guanciale (or bacon), with just a tiny chile kick at the finish. Alongside, there was a buttery little toast topped with foie gras (talk about gilding the lily!). Love and his team of chefs followed that with a plate of velvet slies of New Zealand venison, paired with a a tender frill of slow-roasted hen of the woods (an exotic mushroom) and a little ricotta pillow enveloped in a crunchy jacket of angel hair pasta. Seriously? We all went quiet with a bit of reverence. The accompanying wine was the 2002 Foley Syrah from California's Santa Rita Hills.
Eventually, we pulled ourselves away from
Lonesome Dove to mosey around the corner
to the White Elephant Saloon. There, Love's staff served us a dessert drink in the form of a chocolate-Tuaca milkshake in a martini glass, laced with Godiva liqueur. And because that drink must have wanted a little buddy, Love created a short shot of Licor 43, or Cuarenta Y Tres, a bright yellow Spanish liqueur that hints of citrus and vanilla. He made it look like a tiny beer by topping it with a layer of heavy cream, so he dubbed this a Cervecita. We called it yummers.
Holiday Wine Down
We began at Put A Cork In It, a neighborhood wine shop. Owner Chris Keel picked wines for us to sip Holiday Wines Under $12. Chris calls these pop-and-pour wines that party guests will enjoy with and without food:
· Pepi Pinot Grigio (Italy), $9.99
· Centini Bianco (Tuscany), $11.99
· Castle Rock Pinot Noir (Sonoma), $11.99
· Monte Oton, Campo de Bora (near Rioja, Spain) $8.99
· Fine Line Cabernet Sauvignon, $11.99
While we were there, we noshed on these appetizers from Park Hill Café:
· Apricot Brie with Toasted Pecans and Caramelized Onion
· Chicken-Artichoke Tarts
· Creamy Salmon Crostini
· Tomato-Basil-Bacon Pastries
Then we spent time with Gigi Sullivan and Charlotte Abelson, two of the owners at WineStyles Montgomery Plaza. We sipped these five wines there:
· Charles de Fere Jean-Louis Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine (France), $15.99; this bubbly is perfect with canapes and dessert or just alone
· 2007 Colombelle Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne (France), $11.99, a crisp wine white wine that pairs beautifully with seafood
· 2006 Saginaw Vineyard Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon), $22.99, a lighter red with mellow effect that’s a nice match with turkey or salmon
· 2005 Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa/Sonoma), $22.99; this spicy, full wine aged in French oak goes well with peppery pork tenderloin, lamb, game and steak.
Our last stop was a delightful time at Times Ten Cellars, a new winery and wine bar off Foch Street in the West Seventh development. We enjoyed five tasting dishes prepared by Louis Lambert at Lambert’s Steak-Seafood-Whiskey, paired with Times Ten’s wines:
· Green Onion Beignets with Lump Blue Crab Louis, paired with chardonnay
· Fruited Green Curry Scallops with Grilled Pineapple and Mango, served with sauvignon blanc
· Parmesan Polenta Fritters with Pan-Seared Wild Mushrooms, served with sangiovese · Mint Pesto Lamb Chops with Ojinaga Chimichurri, paired with syrah
· Cornmeal-Almond Pound Cake and Brandied Apricots, served with Muscat blanc
Tues., Nov. 17, 2009
Seventh Street Shuffle
First course: Eddie Vs Prime Seafood
Maryland-Style All Lump Crabcake with Chive Remoulade Sauce
and Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp
Drink: choice of wines or a Fort Worth Cosmopolitan with pineapple-infused vodka
Second course: Saint-Emilion
Chef Mark Hitri’s preparation of duck three ways: Duck Breast, Crepe with Duck Confit, and Cassoulet of Duck Sausage in Baked Tomato Half
Drink: Owner Bernard Tronch’s wine cellar offerings, the 2003 Chateau Calon Montagne St Emilion; and Domaine Magellan Vieilles Vignes (Grenache/Roussaneof)
Third course: Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana
Coconut Pain Perdu, Coconut Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Pineapple Brulee with Cajeta
Drink: Peiper Heidsieck, Cuvee Sublime, Demi-Sec from Champagne
(followed by a tour of Lanny’s kitchen – a special treat for Texas Toast!)
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Tues., Oct. 27, 2009
An Evening with Grady Spears
Grady's Restaurant, Fort Worth
Dishes from Cooking the Cowboy Way, a new cookbook
Menu
Appetizers
Candied Bacon with Goat Cheese
Canadian Cowboys, Calgary, Alberta
Plantain Nachos with Creamy Black Beans
Bellamy Brothers Ranch, Darby, Florida
Drink: West Texas Sunrise
A Texas Tailgate Party, Arlington, Texas
First Course
Mexican Caesar Salad
Rancho de la Osa, Sasabe, Arizona
Wine: 2008 Brennan Vineyards (Comanche, Texas) viognier
Main Course
John’s Ancho Strip Steaks
Lonesome Pine Ranch, Bellville, Texas
with
Baked Acorn Squash
Rancho de la Osa, Sasabe, Arizona
And
Wildcatter Creamed Spinach
Wildcatter Ranch, Graham, Texas
Wine: 2005 Waterstone Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon
Dessert
Brazosberry Cream Pie
Lonesome Pine Ranch, Bellville, Texas
