Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Messina Hof Winery Paired Dinner

Food Fight, Round 3. Online Charity Austin Serves Up Foodie Experience​s

 
Austin’s most unique and tasty online charity auction gears up for Round 3 with a lineup of culinary contenders that are sure to have food lovers putting up their dukes. The 12-day online bidding battle begins Monday, Oct. 17 with a menu filled with one-of-a-kind foodie experiences.
 
The 3rd Annual Food Fight! is the yearly fundraiser for the Austin chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier, an international service organization of women culinary professionals who support local school garden projects, culinary scholarships and hunger programs.
 
More than 75 unique and tasty culinary experiences ranging in value from $25 to $750 will entice food and wine lovers to battle it out to secure winning bids. Chefs, restaurants and culinary businesses have generously donated items from dinners to autographed cookbooks to VIP culinary experiences. The bidding begins on Monday, Oct. 17 at AustinFoodFight.org and new items are continually added throughout the auction. The online aspect of the auction makes it easy for anyone to bid and support the Les Dames’ community initiatives.
 
“Austin Dames have tapped their resources to create bid packages with many food and wine insider opportunities you can’t get anywhere else,” said Cathy Strange, president of the Austin Les Dames chapter and global cheese buyer for Whole Foods Market®. “And the best part is that the good-natured bidding wars all benefit school gardens and culinary scholarships for women.”
 
Whole Foods Market, a leading natural and organic foods supermarket, is the auction’s presenting sponsor, and is joined in support for the online charity auction by Greenling, CultureMap Austin, Field Branding + Design, MeFoodie and the Austin Food Blogger Alliance.
 
A sampling of auction items up for bid includes:
 
  • A Tea Party for 12 – 24 guests at the Steeping Room with the Grande Afternoon Tea Service
  • Cypress Grove Cheese Getaway with two nights stay in Arcata, Calif. at the Carter House Inn with VIP tour, wine dinner and cheese making with internationally renowned cheese master Mary Keehn, creator of Humboldt Fog.
  • East Austin Farm Tour with Chef Sonya Cote of East Side Show Room.
  • Best of South Congress - A night for two in a pool side bungalow at Austin’s famed uber-hip Hotel Saint Cecilia, plus dinner for two at Perla’s Seafood & Oyster Bar.
  • Private Chef and Wine Dinner at Stone House Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country with winery owner Angela Moench.
  • One Night of Your Travaasa for Two + Culinary Class - Austin’s newest destination hotel on Lake Travis offers a one night stay for two with breakfast and a private one-hour cooking class with Travaasa Executive Chef Ben Baker.

The Austin Chapter of Les Dames has one of the largest chapter memberships for the international organization and is filled with Austin’s most dynamic women culinary professionals committed to serving the local community. Chapter members offer scholarships and mentoring to women entering the culinary and hospitality industries, organize culinary education events, support school garden projects and volunteer hundreds of hours each year in the community helping to feed Austin’s homeless. To donate items for the Food Fight! Online Charity Auction, email info@AustinFoodFight.org.  For media queries, please contact Cathy Cochran-Lewis, cathy.cochranlewis@gmail.com.

Les Dames d’ Escoffier International (LDEI) is an organization of women leaders who create a supportive culture in their communities to achieve excellence in the food, beverage and hospitality professions. Founded in 1976 in New York as a non-profit organization, LDEI’s mission includes education, advocacy and philanthropy. The Austin Dames chapter was chartered in 2003 and is one of 28 chapters in the U.S. and Canada.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Haddington​s & Mulberry Update Hours and Menus: Brunch & Late-Night Menus Reflect Change of Season & Locally Sourced Fare


While the late-night hours are abuzz at Mulberry, brunch has been expanded at sister restaurant, Haddingtons. Ideal for fall dining, the inviting atmosphere and American Tavern cuisine have been particularly popular with recent Austin City Limits Music Festival visitors, who supported Haddingtons as the place to dine on West Sixth Street.
 
 Already a staple for Sunday morning weekend recovery, Haddingtons’ brunch is now also offered on Saturdays, and includes an extended menu. Served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, Haddingtons’ brunch menu includes a variety of breakfast dishes like the egg and tomato centric Gypsy Eggs ($10) and a current special of Oyster and Steak Hash ($18); as well as fruit-and-grain dishes like hot oatmeal ($9) and fresh grapefruit ($5); two varieties of French toast ($9) and freshly made pancakes topped with seasonal fruit ($9). Additionally, diners hungry for lunch dishes may opt for the newly added Haddingtons Burger ($14); a variety of satisfying sandwiches including the Roasted Lamb Sandwich ($12), a vegetarian Zucchini Sandwich ($9) and a Salmon Sandwich ($13); a toasted bagel with cream cheese ($6) and optional house cured salmon. And, as always, Haddingtons’ brunch menu will feature a slew of classic cocktails and creative originals that perfectly complement any brunch item.        
 
 Downtown Austin’s cozy neighborhood wine bar and New American-style restaurant is serving up some seasonal specials specifically created to tempt hungry night owls. Mulberry, known for its innovative, locavore cuisine that complements the local style of its downtown neighborhood, is offering another reason to stay up late this fall with its newly extended hours and seasonal late-night menu.
 
 Now open until 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, Mulberry features a late-night menu inspired by locally sourced foods, autumnal flavors and Executive Chef Jacob Weaver’s culinary creativity. Mulberry’s late-night menu, served from 11 p.m. to close each night, includes lighter fare such as snacks and plates of Devils on Horseback ($7); house ricotta served with oven-roasted tomato and pine nuts ($6); tortilla Espanola with sour cream, tomato fondue and bulb onions ($8); and house-made meatballs in a white wine and lemon broth ($11). Hungry late-night patrons will delight in Mulberry’s sandwiches like the fried green tomato sandwich with oven-roasted tomatoes, pimento cheese and fresh, seasonal greens ($7); the corned beef brisket sandwich served with braised cabbage, house mustard and provolone ($9); and the Cuban-style pork sandwich with gruyere, pickles and Cholula mayonnaise ($8). Since a late-night meal isn’t complete without dessert, the Mulberry menu features the most scrumptious buttermilk pie, poached berries and lemon curd ($7). And with one of Austin’s most celebrated wine menus, Mulberry will continue to offer several sparkling, white and red wines by the glass, as well as draught beers as part of its late-night menu.   
 
“One of the things that’s uniquely appealing about Mulberry’s special menus like the late-night menu is that they provide offerings outside of our basic menu. If you’re hungry past 11pm, Mulberry is a central place where you can find a meal inspired by local ingredients and caring chefs that is reasonably priced. Chef Weaver has really put together a great fall menu for late-night service.” says Mulberry owner Michael Polombo
 
Located at 601 W. Sixth St., Haddingtons is open for dinner Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m.; and for brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Late-night cocktail service is available Monday through Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m., Thursday and Friday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information about Haddingtons and the updated seasonal brunch menu, please call (512) 992-0204, or visit www.HaddingtonsRestaurant.com.
 
Mulberry is located at 360 Nueces St. on the street level of the 360 Condominium Tower in downtown Austin. For more information about Mulberry and the new late-night menu offerings, please call (512) 320-0297, or visit www.MulberryAustin.com.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams Host AFF's 9th Annual Film & Food

Austin Film Festival presents the 9th Annual Film & Food, one of the most fun and exciting culinary events in Austin. The glamorous and historic Driskill Hotel is the setting for this evening of flowing cocktails and inventive, delicious cuisine presented by some of Central Texas’ most notable chefs. Live and silent auctions offer attendees opportunities to bid on unique items and experiences.
Proceeds from the ticket sales and event auctions benefit AFF’s Young Filmmakers Program. The Young Filmmakers Program was founded to encourage students, ages 9 - 18, to explore their creativity and improve their literacy skills through the arts of screenwriting and filmmaking. Programs are offered free through AISD schools and partner organizations and grant more than 300 students and teachers access to the annual Austin Film Festival & Conference.
Restaurants participating in this year's Film & Food :
Austin Cake Ball
The Driskill Grill
Ruth's Chris Steakhouse
Whole Foods Market
Polkadots Cupcake factory
Ranch 616
Driskill 1886 Cafe & Bakery
Buenos Aires Cafe
Eddie V's Prime Steakhouse
Roaring Fork
Haddington's
Mullberry
Garridos
Passion Cafe
Parkside
Truluck's Seafood Steak and Crab House
and more...
Sponsors of the Film & Food include Whole Foods Market, KVUE, Twin Liquors, Dos Equis, Shweiki Media Printing, Livestrong Austin Marathon & Half Marathon, and United/Continental Airlines.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Recipe: Blue Cheese Dressing

If you like a great blue cheese dressing, don't buy it. Make it! Here's a great recipe. Hope you enjoy it.


Ingredients1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup salad oil
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup (2 oz.) crumbled blue cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced onion


DirectionsPlace milk, oil, salt, and onion in blender.
Add vinegar while mixing. (This is important for consistency. If you add less vinegar, it will not be thick enough.)

Add blue cheese and mix briefly to distribute it evenly. (I like large chunks, so I sometimes do this part by hand.)
Refrigerate until thickened.

Breakfast Club is Back at J. Black's Feel Good Lounge


J. BLACK'S
FEEL GOOD LOUNGE
BreakfastClub
SATURDAY
9.10.11
Doors Open at 10am
TEXASvs. byu
Complimentary Shuttle to Tailgates
3pm-7pm
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Brunch & Game DayMenu
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Drink Specials
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Book your reservationnow!
Ellie@JBlacks.com

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Savory Spice Shop-Arboretum Announces Grand Opening!!


The Savory Spice Shop will be holding its grand opening on Thursday, September 15th.

Savory Spice Shop provides over 400 spices and herbs, along with 140 hand blended seasonings, ground weekly. We invite customers to taste what they want and buy what they need in amounts as small as a 1/2 ounce.

Savory Spice Shop-North Austin is a locally owned business located right next to Con Olio in the Arboretum. We look forward to teaming with our sister location on West 6th Street to bring the Savory Spice Shop experience to Austin!

Please feel free to stop by for some samples and a tour of our new location anytime during our opening week. You can also follow us on Facebook at Savory Spice Shop-North Austin for more information on upcoming events. We look forward to meeting you!

Savory Spice Shop North Austin
10000 Research Blvd. #129
Austin, TX 78759
www.savoryspiceshop.com

office: (512)524-3964
email: northaustin@savoryspiceshop.com