EATS

Kozy Kitchen is the cheerfully funky eatery in Uptown where the omelets are organic, the meat is grass-fed and the sour cream coffee cake is a mail-order phenom.

If you haven't been recently, go check it out. We hardly recognized it (in a good way) after a hip makeover of lime green and soft blue paint, leather banquettes and even upgraded flatware.

And good news travels fast it seems, the place was packed the last two times we've been in. Guess that's one reason why chef/co-owner Nicolas Pavageaux hinted to me that a second Dallas-area location is in the works.

We'll keep you posted.

Kozy Kitchen, 4433 McKinney Ave., 214-219-5044

Photo by Courtney Perry: Kozy's Nicolas Pavageaux

Since I've been penning these COTW posts for the last month or so, a few readers have emailed to ask if I have an all-time favorite cheese. I try to be democratic about my love for fromage in its many guises, but, truth be told, I do have a favorite: Hudson Valley Camembert.

Camembert is a bit of a misnomer, since the cheese has a looser, plusher paste than French Camembert or Brie. Its snowy, edible rind does closely resemble those cheeses.

Good weather expected for this Saturday's market. Marilyn Horton, who heads up the market this year, reports that lettuce and spinach are over, but there will still be greens, including chard, collards and kale. The season's earliest peaches may be available Saturday, along with tart green plums and perhaps some blackberries.

She says you'll definitely find broccoli, yellow and zucchini squash, new potatoes, sweet potaoes, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, onions and strawberries. For a more detailed description of vendors and their wares (pastured meats, Gulf seafood, bread, coffee, pecans, etc.) click here. The Coppell Farmers Market is at 455 W. Bethel Road between Freeport Parkway and Denton Tap Road. It goes from 8 a.m. to sellout.

Local dietitian and food consultant Robin Plotkin allows as how PopChips are her favorite chips. Now she's passing along a coupon for a free bag. Click here to download yours. It expires at the end of May.

From Wine Spectator Online: Robert Mondavi, a visionary winemaker and brilliant marketer who helped lead California wine into international prominence, died at 3 a.m. today (5 a.m. Texas time) at Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa, Calif. He was 94.

There's a reason this escape is the top e-mailed story in the New York Times this morning (click here for for the link). This is sheer, pure foodie porn of the highest order, a tasting and visual tour through four of San Francisco's farmers markets.

From "honey so rich it won't fit through a squeeze bottle" to an Afghan bolani "quesadilla" with eggplant dip and spinach, the story paints a vision for us of what could be yet to come in our city. Extras at the SF markets large and small are mingled among the farmers from surrounding growing areas selling strawberries, asparagus, boy choy, peaches, cheeses and so much more.

Besides the bounty of the region, Northern California got a headstart on us when the opening of Chez Panisse in Berkeley more than 30 years ago triggered what has evolved into the national "locavore" movement. But the North Texas area is undergoing a tangible uptick in interest in locally produced goods that's thrilling to watch. Check out a farmers market this weekend or sometime during the season to see what the hoopla's all about - or to fill your kitchen, as I do, with best of our local products.