Food Media & News DIGEST: Texas 2004

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Food section:

Lunchbox basics

Mary Vuong writes about back to school menus for your kids.

Carb Math: Low Carb Diet, love it or lose it?

Janice Schindeler has the results of the Chronicle's survey about the subject.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Houston Press Dining:

Sushi Pudding

Robb Walsh visits Bank and claims that "The food is damn good" even after an encounter with a less than friendly or wine savvy waiter.

Elie

[spoonbread]

San Antonio Current

Ever wonder what local San Antonians consider the best? Here's a current list from the Current magazine. The staff picked some, but it does give alist of the best as voted on by us locals.

I have to disagree with the best menudo. Taco House #4 wins hands down!

The Best

San Antonio Express News

Cheryl Van Tuyl Jividen gives a very good article on school food and and what kids are eating nowadays, how unhealthy alot of it is and what people are trying to do to curb unhealthy diets for thier kids. I really liked this one.

Schools strive to give lunches 'kid appeal'

Edited August 21, 2004 by spoonbread (log)

[spoonbread]

Austin Chronicle

Wes Marshall explores wine,

Here

Austin-American Statesman

Dale Rice gives a lukewarm review of Palmers.

Wimpy Crabcakes

[Raynickben]

D Magazine

Great Grapes.

Julie Blacklidge visits 17 wineries in North Texas. Locations, prices for tastings, hours of operation and a short summary of each winery makes this article a keeper!

The Dallas Morning News: Texas Taste

Robb's Tex-Mex Cafe.

Kim Pierce interviews author Robb Walsh and asks "what is Tex-Mex cuisine?"

Everything Tastes Better with Garlic.

Cathy Barber reviews this new cookbook by Sara Perry and I'm pretty sure without having seen the book that Ms. Perry is right on.

The Dallas Observer

Think Pink

Now where have I seen that headline before? Oh yeah, the DMN used "Think Pink" on 7/14 for their article on rose`s. Guess what? Dave Faries' article "Think Pink" is on rose`s. Imagine that. You still should read it because Dave Faries is a witty writer but next time how about using "Hey Jose`! Try a Rose`!"

[FoodMan]

Houston Press Dining

Transcendent Tacos

Robb Walsh reviews yet another Taco joint. You would think that by now after it seems like he reviewed every taco place, taqueria, Tex-mex, taco truck, Mexican, low-end, and high-end we should be pretty bored with this genre. right? Worng. Walsh's reviewes are more than just that, in this one he manages to answer some Tex-Mex Vs. Mexican questions, replies back to a letter from "100% Taquito" owner, and recommends some awsome sounding squash and pork tacos! Read and enjoy.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Food Section:

Consumers Gulp High Tech Drinks

RJ Middleton compares high tech drinks, fortified with caffeine and Taurine they provide drinkers with much needed energy. Check out who's who in this article.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Dining Guide:

Depend on La Fendee

Alison Cook reviews this latest Middle Eastern eatery. their Babba Ghanooj sounds excellent.

A force to be reckoned with

Dai Hyunh talks sandwiches, from Shawarma to Torta, and wher to getg your fix in Houston.

Houston Press Dining:

Fruits of Franchising

Robb Walsh cools down at La Paletera. I have to try one of those popsicles!!!

Elie

[Raynickben]

The Ft. Worth Star Telegram

It's Hatch Chile season. All you need to know about the green chiles of New Mexico is here in Going for the Green by Amy Culbertson.

FYI- Central Market has a Roasted Hatch Poblano Pesto that is muy delicioso! I made beef fajitas and spread the pesto on the tortillas.

June Naylor reports on this weekends Zestfest. "Folks can taste and buy a wealth of snappy sauces, salsas, spices, barbecue, chili, chips, meats, salad dressings, soups, beans, mustards, nuts, jams and candies, with flavor influences ranging from Southwestern to Thai. Smokers, grills, cooking accessories, books and art will be on display and on sale, too."

Article here and official website here.

The Dallas Morning News

Karen Elizabeth Watts shops at a GAS STATION for party food. Man that brings back college memories when I had no money and no real credit card but I had a Mobil card and you CAN sustain life at the corner gas station. And they sell Hostess snowballs too!

Fill 'Em Up and Gas station recipes.

Viking is giving away one-hour classes.

That's right. Viking is giving away one-hour classes. Details here.

Mofongo, a "Puerto Rican dish made of green plantains, olive oil, garlic and crispy bits of pork rind" can be found at Coqui Bakery in Hurst.

Cheryl Ng Collett reports They got mofongo.

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Dining Guide:

Churrascaria a breed apart

Alison Cook reviews Avenida Paulista, the new Brazilian place that took over the Rodizio Grill's location.

An Aftertaste For Tradition

From cookies and milk to S'mores, Dai Huynh tracks top notch Houston restaurants and their take on comfort desserts.

Houston Press Dining section:

Boring by Design

It really is not all bad at Spencer's for Steak and Chops, a review by Robb Walsh. the decor might be boring but the steaks are good.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Sunday edition:

Ultimate Houston: Food and Drink

check out who is named the ultimate in Houston’s Food and Drink. Interesting listing with categories include “freebies”, “coconut cool”, “culinary catalyst”, “French Bistro”, ”Vietnamese Crepe” among many others. A Fun read.

Elie

[spoonbread]

San Antonio Current

Ron Bechtol gives a review for another Tex-Mex/Mexican/Cuban/Everything in between restaurant in SA.

Cascabel

San Antonio Express News

Bonnie Walker reviews a book, "The Prickly Pear Cookbook", and laments the pain of thier needles...ouch!

Prickly Pear Cookbook

[spoonbread]

Austin Chronicle

Wes Marshall gives us a close-up view of Noodle-ism, a new restaurant from Jeff Liu.

Noodle-ism

Austin-American Statesman

Dale Rice covers why Fonda San Miguel has retained its longevity.

Fonda Review

[Raynickben]

The Ft. Worth Star Telegram

The sudden popularity of CUPCAKES! is reported by Carolyn Jung of Knight-Ridder. Anyone with kids knows cupcakes never left the building.

Bud Kennedy announces the results of J.D. Powers and Associates survey on chain restaurants. Carraba's is #1 in the South.

Guess what is the worst chain restaurant? Anyone with kids knows this hell on earth.

The Dallas Morning News: Texas Taste

Short Orders by Kim Pierce asks three local chefs: "What is your favorite convenience product for cooking at home and how do you use it?"

FYI: My favorite convenience is running water.

[FoodMan]

Houston Press Dining Section:

Osso Buco Me? Osso Buco You!

Rob Walsh reviews Portofino and shows us exactly what happens when a restaurant owner throws a food critic out for complaining abou the food.

Elie

[spoonbread]

San Antonio Current

Lisa Sorg trumpets the diversity of legumes and how they are a staple in a vegetarians' diet. yeeks...

Meatless Eater in Steer City

San Antonio Express News

Bonnie Walker enlists the aid of Texas A&M professors to get helpful hints on how to keep those pesky weevils out of your kitchen. And all this time I thought they were poppy seeds.....

Weevil Invasion

Edited September 22, 2004 by spoonbread (log)

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Dining Guide:

Succulent sabotage

Think you are eating low fat when you order pasta with marinara sauce. Think again. Dai Huynh investigates the “tricks” chefs use to add flavor and texture to their apparently low-fat foods.

In search of its soul

Alison cook reviews the new “upscale” Thai restaurant “Thai Sticks” and finds out it has a long ways to go. I guess I am sticking to Arawan.

Houston Press Dining:

Meatball Politics

“As far as spaghetti lunches are concerned, this is as good as it gets.”

Robb Walsh visits the “Sacred Heart Society's Thursday spaghetti lunch”

Elie

[Raynickben]

Ft. Worth Star Telegram

Poet Maya Angelou has written a food memoir titled "Hallelujah! The Welcome Table: A lifetime of memories with recipes". Food Editor Amy Culbertson reviews the book and includes one of Angelou's recipes.

The Dallas Morning News: Texas Taste

The Texas State Fair runs from Sept. 24 - October 17. The food competitions are a huge part of the fair and in All's Fair the Texas Taste Staff presents five winning recipes from last year's fair. If you want more Fair info, including where to find the nearest corn dog stand, go to www.bigtex.com

Oil & Vinegar is a culinary gift shop chain with their first Texas location now open at the Dallas Galleria. Cheryl Ng Collett has the details.

Kim Pierce reports on the growing use of screw-caps, instead of cork, to maintain wine purity. Cap Dance.

The I Love to Cook Book by Lauren Groveman is reviewed by Kim Pierce.

The Dallas Morning News: Metro

Sharon BuMann is a New York artist specializing in the medium of butter. Her sculptures have been featured at The Texas State Fair for five years now. Katie Menzer interviews Ms. BuMann and gives a preview of this year's creation. Moo.

[spoonbread]

Austin-Amrican Statesman

Dale Rice brings up a hot debate, whether to sauce your meat or not during the bbq process. I like mine slathered with the stuff!

To Sauce or Not to Sauce....

Austin Chronicle

Virginia Wood names off the winners of the 14th Annual 'Austin Chronicle' Hot Sauce Festival. Winners recieved prizes, tasters recieved lotsa cold beer and the promise that taste buds do rejuvinate.....

And da winnah isss......

Austin Chronicle

RobbWalsh has a say about the festival.

Reheated

[FoodMan]

Houston Press:

Best OF..

Best Restaurants in Houston are named.

Lafayette Legacy

Robb Walsh raves about Denis' Seafood. It seems like it could turn to a new favorite.

Houston chronicle

Hope Floats Eternal

Alison Cook reviews a Houston's wannabe, The Grill at Clear Lake.

Elie

[Raynickben]

The Ft. Worth Star Telegram

More on The Texas State Fair from Amy Culbertson. Deep Fried Fare delves into all the fried foods the fair offers including the fried twinkie (which I don't even want to know about) to the fried Oreos (what the !!@#$?).

I need a salad.

The Dallas Morning News: Texas Taste

Old tea, new tea by Cheryl Ng Collett has a lot of great information on area tea spots and tea pots. Note from me: York Street offers an eclectic array of teas after dinner and one night we had and African tea that was so good that we bought a couple of pounds from the chef right then and there.

Aahhh tea. So dignified. Like a salad. Not like a fried oreo.

Kim Pierce reviews Jacques Pepin's latest book: Fast Food My Way.

The DMN's annual Holiday Cookie Contest is now open. Details here.

[FoodMan]

Food and Wine magazine

Austin Power: Restaurant News , Tyson Cole’s UCHI

Houston Chronicle Food Section

Tastes Like Jamaica

RJ Middleton profiles this Jamaican authentic restaurant in "Tablehopping"

Bittersweet Love

Renee Kientz writes about the glories and benefits of this most sinful of foods, dark chocolate. The recipes especially that decadent chocolate cookie one sound amazing.

Elie

[FoodMan]

Houston Chronicle Dining Guide

Kudos to the Kitchen

Dai Huynh interviews Jeff Armstrong whose restaurant 17 was named one of the best new restaurants by Esquire.

Houston Press Dining

Cowboy Cookin'

Robb Walsh reviewes The Burning Pear who apparently is still smoldering not burning due to spotty service.

Elie

[spoonbread]

San Antonio Current

Lisa Sorg writes an intriguing article on the hemp plant and it's uses in food, as well as the history of the legalization of hemp in Canada and lobby to make it legal to import hemp food products here.

For some reason I'm hungry now....

Field of Dreams

San Antonio Express News

John Griffin reviews Tex-Mex and Robb Walsh.

Here

[Raynickben]

The Dallas Observer

It's the annual "Best Of" issue for the Dallas Observer. The catagories include: Culture, Sports, Market, Scenes, and the reason why we are all here FOOD!!

There must be something in the water, because no one's drinking it.

In Ft. Worth they're drinking aguas frescas. (article by Sandy Guerra-Cline appears in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram)

In Dallas they're drinking Sangrita: tequila's friend (article by Louise Owens appears in The Dallas Morning News)

and Sherry. Tina Danze tells you what sherry is, how to shop for it, how to serve it, etc.

Also, in the Dallas Morning News this week:

Barbara Rodriguez features Chef Johndavid Bartlett, major player in the slow foods movement.

Reviews of Cookbooks Bringing Tuscany Home by Frances Mayes with Edward Mayes

and Half Baked Gourmet Party Food by Jan Turner Hazard & Half Baked Gourmet Desserts by Tamara Holt.