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Top Chef thoughts?

Fruth Farms Easter eggs at Flavors From Afar

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Spring stirrings at Eden's, including a community garden


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« March 12, 2008 | Main | March 14, 2008 »

March 13, 2008

Top Chef thoughts?

5:37 PM Thu, Mar 13, 2008 |
Bill Addison   E-mail   News tips
tompadma.JPG Whew. Thursday is mad deadline day and I'm just now catching my breath. So, gang, late in the afternoon: What did you think of the first episode of Top Chef?

I'm into the cast. Love the twist with the two women from San Francisco, and the reactions it elicited (augmented, no doubt, in the editing process). Coco500, where Jennifer works as executive chef, is a fabulous restaurant. Three words: tempura green beans.

Also enjoying the immediate macho tension between Richard and Andrew. Andrew has a colorful, if monotonous, vocabulary.

We could have seen Rocco DiSpirito and his Bertolli-hawking appearance a mile away, even though deep dish pizza is, by this point, way more American than Italian.

(Ending spoiler for DVR watchers ahead, stop right now!)

Poor Nimma seemed doomed from the get-go. I haven't been to the restaurant in Atlanta where she works, but I've heard it's solid. When they showed her being all solitary, going to bed without hanging out with the others, I knew her 15 minutes of stardom were up.

Those soufflé snafus were awkward. Soufflés can be tough without some practice, though any chef should know the fundamentals: intensely-flavored cream or egg yolk base aerated with beaten egg whites for leavening. Those were some sorry examples.

Anyway, we'll see how things shape up. I'm kinda into it and, format-wise in the fourth season, kinda over it. You?

P.S. -- This just in from the wires. My ambivalence seems to be in the minority. Chicago appears to be the magic ticket for TC's ratings:

"Season to season, Top Chef premieres have grown, continuing Bravo's hallmark of increasing viewership with each original franchise cycle. Last night's 10 p.m. Top Chef: Chicago premiere increased from the third season premiere (6/13/07) by 11 percent in total viewers (2.256 vs. 2.024 million) and by five percent among adults 18-49 (1.475 vs. 1.407 million).

Online, BravoTV.com saw double digit gains for the Top Chef: Chicago site generating a 30 percent increase in page views (540,000 vs. 415,000) last night, compared to the Top Chef: Miami premiere in June 2007."

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Categories: Television

Fruth Farms Easter eggs at Flavors From Afar

4:48 PM Thu, Mar 13, 2008 |
Kim Pierce   E-mail   News tips

Natrually pastel-hued Auraucana chicken eggs will be available from Fruth Farms (Cash, Texas) at Flavors From Afar now till Easter.

But here's the catch: You've got to let Nancy and Gary Krabill know you want some so that the Fruths bring enough. You can e-mail them here or call at 214-696-2327.

At the end of the month, the Krabills also expect to be stocking bottles of Jim Henry's unfiltered 2007 Texas Ranch extra virgin olive oil, which I first told you about here. It's intense, grassy, peppery stuff. Flavors From Afar is at 6712 Snider Plaza.


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The entry "Fruth Farms Easter eggs at Flavors From Afar" is tagged: Flavors From Afar , food , Fruth Farms , Jim Henry , Texas olive oil

Categories: Shopping, Texas Foods

A deal on olive oil

3:23 PM Thu, Mar 13, 2008 |
Cathy Barber   E-mail   News tips

NF_SaviniOil.jpg We couldn't write about Savini Olive Oil as soon as we wanted to. It recently went on sale, and a woman bought out the entire stock of at least one World Market location. But even at $12.99, this 2-liter can is a steal.

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Categories: Cooking, Shopping

Spring stirrings at Eden's, including a community garden

3:13 PM Thu, Mar 13, 2008 |
Kim Pierce   E-mail   News tips

"Will work for food" takes on a whole new meaning at this Balch Springs nursery. Eden's Organic Garden Center has planted a community garden, and if you volunteer to work, you get to share in the "profits" - that is, some of the garden's organic fruits and veggies. Go here to learn more about the community garden and how to participate.

Eden's is also gearing up for its Market Days, to held every first and third Saturday morning every month through December, where a handful of local farmers and ranchers share their sustainable and organic goods. But since the season has been so slow to start, no market day Saturday. Instead, if you'll contact Eden's owner here, she'll send you an e-mail with information on how to pre-order from a couple of producers, who will deliver to the nursery on Saturday. It's at 4710 Pioneer Road in Balch Springs.

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The entry "Spring stirrings at Eden's, including a community garden" is tagged: food , wine

Categories: Events, Shopping, Texas Foods

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