Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Things Are Big in Texas, but EATALY?!?


EATALY OPENS: Batali, Bastianich & Co.'s Mega-Temple Of Italian Food, Revealed (PHOTOS)

Eataly's options for the hungry and/or curious visitor, many of which are pictured in the slideshow above, include:

  • A bakery helmed by Nancy Silverton, of La Brea Bakery, using a wood-fired oven -- visible to the public -- that was brought in from Italy and will run most hours of the day. Bread and focaccia will be baked continuously both both for purchase and for Eataly's various restaurants.
  • A Salumi e Formaggi counter

  • A fresh pasta counter offering a huge variety of handmade pastas for home cooks
  • Story continues below
  • Pizzeria Rossopomodoro, helmed by six pizza makers who arrived in New York from Naples just last week, using wood-fired ovens hauled in from Italy.
  • Il Laboratoria De La Mozzarella, where fresh mozzarella will be made daily
  • Uber-local produce, direct from the Brooklyn Grange, a rooftop farm in Queens.
  • La Verdura, a vegetable bar and restaurant that will feature a highly-publicized vegetable "butcher" that can prep any vegetables you purchase for ease of cooking at home (think artichokes and the like).
  • A paninoteca
  • A rosticceria
  • A macelleria (butcher) that will showcase two exquisite beefs: a grass-fed Italian Piedmontese variety ideal for raw preparations, and "a grain-fed superbeef that will be engineered...by beef guru Adam Perry Lang."
  • Il Manzo, the only restaurant in Eataly that will take reservations, headed up by Michael Toscano, formerly of Batali's Babbo.
  • A fresh fish counter
  • A crudo bar and seafood restaurant Il Pesce, run by David Pasternack, the chef of Batali/Bastianich-owned seafood restaurant Esca
  • A pasticceria run by Italian pastry chef Luca Montersino
  • A gelateria that also includes a variety of pure-fruit "ice creams" made entirely of single fruits like bananas, figs, etc.
  • An espresso counter featuring Lavazza coffees
  • La Scuola, a cooking headed up by Lidia Bastianich that will offer courses on Italian food, wine & beer, with guest chefs galore including Bastianich and Batali
  • Imported, packaged Italian goods galore: dried pastas, grains, anchovies, olive oils, vinegars, jams, honey, canned tomatoes and sauces, and pretty much everything else good from Italy
  • And, for good measure, a working Italian Bank's ATM

Friday, August 27, 2010

New Fried Craziness at The Texas State Fair


Fried Beer at The Texas State Fair

From SlashFood.com:

Ever since the inauguration five years ago of the Big Tex Choice Awards at the Texas State Fair, food vendors have been deep-frying the impossible in their pursuit of the Most Creative and Best Taste awards.

Nothing in the rules says the food has to be fried, but this is an event, after all, that carries the semi-official slogan: "Fried Food Capital of Texas."

Big Tex has given us the Deep Fried Latte, Texas Fried Cookie Dough, Fried Coke, and last year's Most Creative winner: Deep Fried Butter. That would seem to qualify the fair as the Fried Food Capital of the World.

This year's contestants have batter-dipped their way into whole new territory with two new concoctions: Fried Beer and the Deep Fried Frozen Margarita.
As the Dallas Morning News reports, the Fried Beer was the result of a painful process of trial and error for creator Mark Zamble. His initial efforts kept exploding once they hit the fryer, and he kept getting burned. Zamble has already applied for a patent and trademark for Fried Beer, which appears to be a pocket of pretzel dough filled with its signature beverage.

The Deep Fried Frozen Margarita is the brainchild of Jake Levy, who won the Most Creative award in 2007 for the Deep Fried Latte. As the Morning News describes it, the margarita "includes a funnel cake batter mixed with either tequila or tequila-flavored wine, dusted with margarita mix and served in a salt-rimmed plastic glass."

Judges will decide the winners over Labor Day weekend, and the winning creations will debut at the fair's opening on September 24.

Now we're just waiting for someone to tackle the ultimate deep-fried koan: Deep Fried Fryer Grease.


Sunday, August 22, 2010

Thursday, August 26th at Central Market


Terry Chandler, The Outlaw Chef & Denise Shavandy, CM Executive Chef, Ft. Worth

Celebrate 15 years of Hatchmania with Central Market this year as a local favorite, Terry Chandler, goes
up against a seasoned Hatch expert, Denise Shavandy. Each chef has been encouraged to bring his/her own style to the dishes while using minimal ingredients and quick preparation. Dishes will feature:

  • Hatch Chiles & Chicken Thighs
  • Hatch Chiles & Shrimp
  • Hatch Chiles & Watermelon

Pick up lots of tips, enjoy lighthearted repartee and sample 6 dishes that feature everyone’s favorite chile.

CLASS TIME 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Friday, August 20, 2010

Patio Weekend!



TGIF !!! Kurt South LIVE AT FRED'S tonight, Friday Aug 20.
On Saturday, Drew Kennedy at 7pm, Greg Reichel at 3pm & Scott Copeland at noon.
On Sunday (COUNTRY FUNDAY SUNDAY), Greg Schroeder at 6pm, Justin Ross at 3pm and Kurt South at noon.
NO COVER EVER at Fred's Texas.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

HATCH QUICK FIRE CHALLENGE: TERRY CHANDLER & DENISE SHAVANDY


Terry Chandler, The Outlaw Chef & Denise Shavandy, CM Executive Chef, Ft. Worth

Celebrate 15 years of Hatchmania with Central Market this year as a local favorite, Terry Chandler, goes
up against a seasoned Hatch expert, Denise Shavandy. Each chef has been encouraged to bring his/her own style to the dishes while using minimal ingredients and quick preparation. Dishes will feature:

  • Hatch Chiles & Chicken Thighs
  • Hatch Chiles & Shrimp
  • Hatch Chiles & Watermelon

Pick up lots of tips, enjoy lighthearted repartee and sample 6 dishes that feature everyone’s favorite chile.

CLASS TIME 6:30 - 9:00 PM

Monday, August 16, 2010

DFW.com - Fred's revs up the office lunch


DFW.com: Fred's revs up the office lunch



Let’s say your office group has had it with dull deli box lunches. You can get through those boring lunch meetings around the conference table better now that Fred’s Texas CafĂ© comes to the rescue with Fred’s Express, a new catering/to-go option.

Fred’s, everybody’s favorite burger-and-beer place near West 7th, just opened this outfit that operates from a commercial kitchen two blocks from the legendary joint.

You can order quail seared on a grill and simmered in a salsa for $20 per person, green chili pork chops for $16 per person, a BBQ platter for $10 per person or a taco bar with three kinds of tacos (shredded chicken, chipotle pork, tomatillo beef) for $14 per person.

There’s a 10-person minimum per order and orders need to be placed 24 hours ahead. Fred’s will deliver the food to you and there’s a $25 delivery fee. Call ‘em up at 817-870-8866.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Outlaw Chef Brands is on Facebook

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Live Music at FRED's - NO COVER


Sat Aug 7:
7pm: Will Hobbs
3pm: Nick Verzosa
Noon - Miles Penhall

Sun Aug 8:
COUNTRY SUNDAY
6pm: Mike Ryan
3pm: Justin Ross
Noon: Kurt South

Friday, August 6, 2010

Fred's Express


http://www.FredsExpress.com/

Busy? Hungry? We’ll bring fresh delicious food to your meeting or event, ready to serve and enjoy. From Ranch House Chicken to the Super Foods Salad Bar, Fred’s Express delivers the exceptional taste you demand, on time and fully setup, complete with all serving accutrements.

Call 817.870.8866 or visit www www.FredsExpress.com to place your order.

Sunday, August 1, 2010


The HuffPost's FOOD SECTION keeps turning out well written primers for food noobs - such as "I can cook better steaks on a $30 hibachi than I do on my $2,500 pellet grill."

How to Grill Great Steakhouse Steaks