EATS

Hey, gang: We're tackling al fresco dining next for our new feature on Dallas-Fort Worth's best restaurants. Do you have a favorite restaurant patio? Give us the low-down. Comment below or email us at dining@dallasnews.com. We'll publish some of these comments in a print version, which will appear in a future issue of Guide.

For our critics' top spots, we were looking for qualities in patios (serene, romantic, opulent, family-friendly) beyond great people-watching, which is why none of the basic though often eye candy-filled patios of the West Village made our list. Click the link below to read our suggestions.

Photo: Mansion patio by Rex C. Curry / Special to DMN

Yup, that's almost the whole story, cribbed from Nancy Nichols over on Sidedish. But how cool is that? The Lower Greenville Whole Foods Market is letting the kiddos sell the things they've been growing in their school garden. 'Takes place in the parking lot under the awning from 10 a.m. to noon.

While checking out the Grand Prairie Farmers Market Saturday, I bought my first local tomatoes and blackberries. The toms were from J&H Farm in Montague County up near the Red River and had to be windowed (sunned) for about a day. But oh, what a mouthful of real tomato flavor, like the difference between Technicolor and black-and-white. This is why we wait all year for fresh and local. I seasoned them with Jim Henry's Texas olive oil and a good Italian vinegar, some salt and some pepper.

Let me say right up front that I've never had a vine-sweet blackberry. The ones I've gotten from the farmers market have always been sour. Not this pint. They were plump, ripe and sweet, ready to devour out of hand. These came from Tony Vann's farm, also in Montague County. Both farmers are at Grand Prairie's little market next to the Liberty Bell south of the city hall Thursdays and Saturdays.

The gourmet hot dog makers are closing their Greenville Avenue storefront after a going away party on Sunday night. However, diners will still be able to get their fix for all-beef kosher franks the old-fashioned way: the wheeled hot dog stand. The cart will cruise the streets (nothing definite on where or when yet) providing Texas Frito Dogs, Thai Chile Lime Dogs and more.

The party, which starts at 9 p.m. Sunday at 3611 Greenville Ave. at Martel, will include snacks, music and more. It's also BYOB, and donations will be accepted.

Photo: Big D's Don Breitkreutz by Jason Janik / Special to DMN

Richard Ham writes in from Ham Orchards to tell me that this weather has unleashed the blackberries, which are ready for all "pick-your-own" comers this weekend. The early season peach varieties are ripening, too.

He reports that the stand/store/orchard has added an in-store bakery with fresh breads and cobblers. They've also added peach and muscadine grape slushes. And that's not all. They've built a chicken house and now have 300 hens a-laying cage-free eggs.

Ham Orchards is on U.S. 80 east of Terrell and before you get to Elmo. You can pick your own or buy already picked. They've also saved peach ice cream from last year so you can have some now.

If these bottles could talk, what story would they tell? Not your typical grocery-store wine, Ceretto Zonchera Barolo is a Barolo connoisseur's delight. Here are bottles of the 2001, long unavailable from the distributor, for sale for less than the wholesale cost of the current vintage available.

Here's the deal: 2001 Ceretto Zonchera Barolo on sale at the Tom Thumb on Northwest Highway across from NorthPark for $49.99 a bottle. $46.99 with a Reward card. $42.30 if you buy a six-pack. Let's see how long they last before someone with an eye for a find makes off with them.

If you're planning to go to Eatzi's for lunch today: you MUST try the tomato-basil vinaigrette dressing at the salad bar.
It's oil-free and packed with roasted tomatoes and a kick of spices. It's the perfect summertime dressing. It was sooooooo good, in fact, that I just called to see if they would sell it to me by the barrel.
I've been on a quest to find a light, healthy, flavorful salad dressing. Anyone else have other dressing favorites that aren't packed with fat and calories?

This report comes from Marilyn Horton at the Coppell Farmers Market, but let's just say you can apply the principles to most area farmers markets this weekend.

The big news: The silver lining in these unseasonably high temperatures is a rush by peaches and blackberries to ripen now. This means we're seeing more ripe early-season peaches (I ran across Texas peaches at the supermarket) and blackberries are bursting to go.

The Coppell market reports that they'll be selling yellow squash and zucchini, green beans, new potatoes, cucumbers, the first of the local field tomatoes and broccoli. They've still got a few strawberries (most are played out), green onions and the first of the peppers. It will be the last week for greens like kale, collards and Swiss chard, and poke salet. Last week, organic grower Gene Holmes had squash blossoms, a highly perishable delicacy, and there are still green plums.

Rehoboth Ranch will have pastured meats and loads of pastured hen eggs. Coppell also has Alaskan and Gulf seafood, Mawker coffee, teas, fresh baked breads and more. Generally, what's at Coppell (455 Bethel Road) is duplicated at other farmers markets. Go get 'em, locavores.

I wouldn't normally post a recipe from a winery, but this one sounds like such a good way to kick off the summer on Memorial Day that I just had to share it. The creation of Hess Collection executive chef Chad Hendrickson, it was sent to go with the 2007 Lake County Sauvignon Blanc. If you're squeamish about oysters, you could substitute a mild-flavored cooked fish.

In a bowl, place 12 fresh-shucked oysters, 1 cup peeled, seeded and small-diced cucumber, 1/2 cup small-diced red onion, and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. In another smaller bowl, combine 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup lime juice and hot sauce to taste. (They recommend Tapatio brand.) Mix the juice and hot sauce well, then pour over the oyster mixture. Season with salt, and gently fold in 1 small-diced avocado. Divide among 4 shot glasses and serve immediately.