I don't usually just post a press release, but in this case, it states the information so clearly that I'm thinking, "Why rewrite?" (OK, I did lowercase the screaming caps, and I want to draw your attention to the pop-up farmers market that's buried toward the bottom of the release.) Here's the skinny, both on the cocktail competition (free, but RSVP) and the Chefs for Farmers event, where the winning cocktail will be served.

Join five of Dallas' top barmen on March 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. for a high-stakes cocktail competition at The Chesterfield in downtown Dallas. Eddie "Lucky" Campbell (pictured) of The Chesterfield, Jason Kosmas of Marquee, Kyle Hilla of Bolsa, Brad Hensarling of Fort Worth's The Usual and Abe Bedell of Oak will create a handcrafted cocktail for the occasion, which will be judged by those in attendance. The winning libation will be the signature drink featured at Chefs for Farmers' Mixin' It Up on the Boulevard May 6 in Lee Park.

"The Mix-off Battle" is a free event, but attendance is limited. RSVP is required by March 10 at im@chefsforfarmers.com. Light bites by Chesterfield executive chef Michael Ehlert provided. Complimentary valet parking available.

Flip to the jump for info on the main event.

The state has released its proposed labeling requirements for bakers and others who may now sell their food products from home under the Texas Cottage Food Law if they gross less than $50,000 a year.

These include listing all possible allergens and all ingredients in descending order by weight. That's more than commercial bakeries are required to do. The state is accepting comments about the proposed labeling requirements through Feb. 24. (There's a link to the full proposed requirements on the jump.) Here's where you can comment, online or in person:

PUBLIC COMMENT
Comments on the proposed new rule may be submitted to Cheryl Wilson, Food Establishments Group, Department of State Health Services, Mail Code 1987, P. O. Box 149347, Austin, Texas 78714-9347, (512) 834-6770, extension 2053, or by email to cheryl.wilson@dshs.state.tx.us. Comments will be accepted for 30 days following publication of the proposal in the Texas Register.

PUBLIC HEARING
A public hearing to receive comments on the proposal is scheduled for February 2, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., at the main campus of the Department of State Health Services, 1100 West 49th Street, Room K-100, Austin, Texas 78756. Please contact Cheryl Wilson at (512) 834-6770, extension 2053, or cheryl.wilson@dshs.state.tx.us if you have questions.

I could hear a collective sigh of relief when the state legislature passed the Texas Cottage Food Law during its last session. This is the law that makes it legal for cooks to sell goods out of the their homes, if the gross sales are less than $50,000 a year. But now that the proposed - note: proposed - labeling rules are out, home bakers are crying foul.

The rules would call on them to list all possible allergens and all ingredients in descending order by weight. The home bakers are upset because commercial bakeries aren't required to do this.

In case you can't get behind the paywall, I've excerpted on the jump the part of the article that states what agency to contact during the comment period to speak out for or against the proposed labeling rules. I'll re-post with the exact site where you can file comments.

On this issue, I am in complete agreement with the bakers (and the law applies to all home-produced foods, not just baked goods): These are onerous requirements. What do you think?

I ran into Paul Wackym, the force behind Wackym's Kitchen cookies, at the Coppell Winter Market, and he turned me on to a killer seasonal flavor that he dreamed up for the Central Market Citrus Fest: salted sour lemon.

Wow! The combination of the sugar cookie, salt and an aggressive hit of lemon is hard to beat. He's also making a cookie using Rio Star grapefruit. He emphasizes that these are seasonal flavors that will be gone after the citrus fest, which ends Jan. 24, so get them now. Happily, his best-selling flavor, salted caramel, isn't going anywhere.

I love that his cookies are small, about two good bites. What an upbeat, guilt-free way to end a meal.

UPDATE 1/11/12: I've received several e-mails from local foodies highlighting D-FW food truck videos I missed posting earlier. So please scroll down or click through to the jump to watch videos and vote for Ruthie's Rolling Cafe, So-Cal Tacos, The Bacon Wagon and Eat Jo Dawgs.

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Over the past few months, the Food Network's television show Eat St. has asked vendors to submit videos of their mobile businesses. The food truck with the most votes by Jan. 31 will be featured on an Eat St. segment. The top five fan favorites will receive a write-up on the Eat St. blog. Winners will be announced Feb. 10. More details here.

Now watch the Texas-submitted videos below and vote! Locally, we have Nammi Truck, Red Jett Sweets and The Butcher's Son in the running.

Nammi Truck of Dallas-Fort Worth

Red Jett Sweets of Fort Worth

For a limited time, all 730 Whataburger locations across 10 states are offering spicy ketchup in addition to the regular Fancy kind.

Pegasus News took the bullet and reported on the not-that-big-a-deal condiment news last week. (Read the entertaining story here.)

Since then, the Internet has lit up with opinions on this fascinating development. Let's hear yours.

Thanks to HoneyG's comment on my earlier post about Eat the World black-eyed-pea tamales, I can pass along another source.

La Popular Tamale House, the wonderful takeout spot in East Dallas, is also making black-eyed-pea tamales for New Year's. It's best to order ahead, but there will be supplies for walk-ins while they last.

They're $12 a dozen, and La Popular will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year's Day.

Eat the World will again be selling black-eyed-pea tamales for New Year's Day. They're $13 a dozen, with discounts for three dozen or more.

The takeout store also has Texas caviar (made from black-eyed peas, in case there's a newbie in the crowd who doesn't know this) and quarts of ready-to-heat black-eyed peas.

Everything will be available to pick up starting Friday, and the store will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year's Day. Order by email here, or call it in at 214-340-3663.

File 2003/Staff photo

Greenling already does home delivery in Austin for local organic or sustainably produced fruits and veggies. Now the service is ready to start up in Dallas in late January.

Here's Greenling's web site def: "an online-based, home delivery service of local and organic groceries. We source directly from the same local, sustainable farmers and producers you'd see at the farmer's market."

What is more, the company is hiring and plans a job fair Monday afternoon, Jan. 2, at its Allen headquarters. Details are on the jump.

Nothing like running right up against the holiday rush. Dr. Sue alerted me that she will be at the Dallas Central Market Tuesday handing out samples of her exclusive CM flavors. I'm assuming these are barks: ginger fog, blueberry-ancho-chile and cherry pecan.

The good doctor will be in between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.

I love Dr. Sue's Gourmet Chocolates because she uses only the best, purest ingredients - organic where possible - to produce chocolate candy that's good for you in moderation.

Here's the story I wrote when I first heard of this amazing chocolatier.

File 2010/Staff photo

Meet Marc Kuehl, cheesemaker at Brazos Valley Cheese, at Sigel's in Addison from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. He'll have some of his award-winning cheeses for sampling.

Brazos Valley Cheese is part of the Brazos de Dios Community in Waco. I like the way the Houston Dairymaids website explains it:

"Marc.. [is a member] of the Brazos de Dios Community, a group of about 1,000 people who practice traditional farming and craft on 500 acres along the Brazos River near Waco. Although they have cars, cell phones, and other modern conveniences, they most value efforts to make things slowly, by hand, and in tune with the natural environment. As a result, they are experts in carpentry, farming, metalwork, pottery, and weaving."

And cheese-making. Kuehl will have on hand to taste: horseradish-and-pecan cheddar, roasted garlic montasio, raw milk muenster, raw milk gouda and raw milk Swiss.

The cheese-tasting overlaps with Jami Fleming's pie and dessert wine tasting from 1 to 3 p.m. She owns The Plate & Cork Catering.

Chef Sharon Hage has signed on to be the "culinary curator" for the Sylvan Thirty culinary incubator. That's a place that "helps artisan and start-up food entrepreneurs, as well as emerging chef talent, to launch and grow their own food businesses," according to the press release.

Sylvan Thirty is a mixed-use development slated to open next year at the corner of Sylvan Avenue and Interstate 30 across from the Belmont Hotel.

"Incubator participants will pay a membership fee to join, which includes access to a shared commercial kitchen and retail space, giving them the temporary opportunity to craft and sell their food products without the initial expense of building out and equipping their own space."

Other businesses do incubators. Why not food? It's a cool idea, and Hage lends name appeal.

File 2009

We've got a fine-sounding farm-to-fork dinner coming up Sunday. Chef Andrea Blair of Wine Down Bistro in Burleson cooks for the event at Times Ten Cellars in Fort Worth. Festivities start at 5 p.m.

Local goods on the table include grass-fed beef from Teel's Custom Meats in Weatherford, vegetables from Texas Prairie Farms in Godley and bread and dessert from Artisan Baking Co. in Fort Worth.

How's this for menu highlights: radishes with butter-and-salt gougères, Texas Ruby Red grapefruit sorbet and ancho chile-and-coffee-lacquered beef short ribs - with Times Ten wines, of course. The whole menu is on the jump.

It's $68 a person, benefits Meals on Wheels of Tarrant County, and you can buy tickets online here.

On Sunday, when Whiskey Cake in Plano hosts a mini-farmers market during its brunch hours, you can meet the cow that made the cream that goes in the Ramos gin fizzes that bartender Sean Conner will make. She will be there from Holleman Farms in Greenville.

That's also where the eggs will come from that make up the whites that join the cream that comes from the cow and goes in the drinks that Conner will make.

Pegasus posted the details on the farmers market here. Basically, the market is an extension of Whiskey Cake's commitment to farm-to-fork dining. With the exception of one, the vendors on hand will be those who regularly supply the restaurant. Brunch is 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Here's something new this season from Dude Sweet Chocolate, Kathleen Clapner's wonderful Bishop Arts chocolate shop: sugar plum dates. Medjool dates are fabulous on their own, so rich, sweet and creamy. Imagine one filled with marzipan touched with a kiss of orange blossom water, plus dried apricots and an Indian spice called baharat, all cloaked in Dude Sweet's top-drawer dark chocolate. They're outrageously good, reminiscent of marrons glacés, the glazed chestnuts so popular at Christmastime in France. They're not inexpensive, at $15 for a box of five. But what a fantastic hostess gift or stocking stuffer.

Sugar Plum Dates, $15 at Dude Sweet Chocolate, 408 W. 8th St., Dallas; 214-943-5943; www.dudesweetchocolate.com

If you live in the McKinney area and haven't yet ordered a pasture-raised turkey for Thanksgiving, Local Yocal just off the McKinney Square will have a limited number from Richardson Farms in Rockdale.

They'll cost $5.50 a pound and require a $25 deposit. The turkeys will arrive on Saturday, Nov. 19. The market is closed Nov. 20, but will arrange pick-up by appointment on Nov. 21.

Rehoboth Ranch still has some Broad Breasted White turkeys that were raised on pasture and supplemented with non-GMO grain available for Thanksgiving. They're $4.49 a pound with a $25 deposit. Order today and tomorrow at Texas Meats at the Dallas Farmers Market, and tomorrow at the Rehoboth stalls at the Coppell and McKinney Chestnut Square Farmers Markets. You can also order at the ranch in Greenville.

Tomorrow at the White Rock Local Market, you can also order pasture-raised birds from Homestead Heritage; I have no details on the specifics.

The White Rock market's Sarah Perry dropped me a line to say "...we welcome back local organic grower Farmer Jones Plants and Produce from Poetry, Texas. Certified organic farm Good Earth Organics will be there, too. And we welcome new vendor Lightsey Farms from Mexia. [KP notes the Lightseys are a long-time Texas farming family.]

"Lightsey may have some of their fabulous persimmons to bring, as well as pears and sweet potatoes. Look for acorn squash, red and green tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, leaf lettuce, rapini/broccoli raab, mesclun, Swiss chard, jalapenos, habaneros and more from Farmer Jones and the others."

Look for similar produce at other farmers markets.

Thinking of making a pecan pie for Thanksgiving? Some pecan sandies for Christmas? Well, brace yourself. Pecan prices have soared over what they were last year.

I found this out when I walked into Hines Nut Co. downtown yesterday to purchase a pound of pecans. The price was suddenly $6 a pound where it had been $3.50 a few weeks before. These $6-a-pounders were mammoth pecans, though, whereas the last ones I bought were just regular pecans.

I also checked with Texas Pecan Co., a huge North Dallas destination for holiday bakers, and owner Rodney Phillips says he's paying twice as much this year as last and charging about 40 percent more.

He says both the drought and the continuing demand from China - which now siphons off 30 percent of the U.S. crop, he says - have bitten into the number of pecans available domestically. And you know the mathematics of supply and demand.

Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

If you love cookbooks but get frustrated with cheffy books whose recipes call for crazy ingredients and require days of preparation, you might just find a title in the current crop of cookbooks being published that speaks to you. Review copies of three exciting books just landed in my mailbox, each focuses on home cooking, but from very different angles.

My Family Table is by a chef -- John Besh (August, Lüke, etc.), but it's decidedly not cheffy. Its subtitle is "A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking," and the recipes reflect the way Besh likes to cook at home. The book is boldly organized, starting with a few very useful-looking master recipes ("Creamy Any Vegetable Soup," "Curried Anything," "Warm Any Fruit Crumble"). It then offers themed chapters ("Sunday Supper," "Dinner from a Cast-Iron Pot," "School Nights," "How to Cook a Fish," etc.). There's plenty of intriguing recipes within, like duck stewed with apples and turnips, a delicious-looking chicken fricassee, pickled shrimp (for a jazz brunch!), and a slow-roasted pork shoulder, which I'm going to try to make tonight because I happen to have on in my fridge (baseball food!).

Slow Food Dallas is partnering with JuHa Ranch for a Ranch Tour and Hay Ride from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 6. (That's a Sunday.)

This is a real working cattle ranch, where the family follows sustainable practices to produce beef, pork, chicken and eggs. Judi Glasgow and Harry Butaud (JuHa - get it?) will show you their spread, where they also sell and train ranch horses and dogs. Lunch will be prepared by chef Chris George with products from the ranch.

It's $30 a person. Purchase tickets through Eventbrite.

This should be a super outing. I've known Judi for years on the farmers market scene, and she's one of the troopers. JuHa is at 8098 NW CR 2080 in Barry, Texas, just west of Corsicana.

That's Judi on a cold day at the Dallas Farmers Market.

Yesterday, I noticed a small display of locally grown Kieffer pears at the Whole Foods Market on Park Lane.

These backyard Texas pears are small, hard and yellow, sometimes with a red blush. Their crunchy flesh is extremely firm, but when they're ripe they have a lovely, sweet flavor with a little mineral edge, like a wine. Renee Studebaker makes an impassioned case in the Austin-American Statesman for eating them out of hand.

If you're not sure they're ripe, leave them in a cool, dry spot for a few days. I'm told they made excellent canning pears because of their firm flesh.

When I was out at the State Fair last week to participate on the wine stage, I made sure to sample the wines being poured at the adjacent tables in the wine garden, and one of them was Weinhof Winery's Blackberry wine.

Weinhof Winery

I spent several minutes chatting with winemaker Brenda Thompson, whose German family made fruit wines the old-country way in Perrin County, Mo., while she was growing up. She and husband Larry started as amateur winemakers in 2000, making fruit wine according to her uncle Willie Bruckerhoff's recipe. In 2005, they went commercial and in 2007 opened the doors of their Weinhof Winery in Forestburg.

They also make grape wines, but I was completely captivated by the fruit varieties, all made from local fruit. The blackberry tasted like blackberries with a nice, acidic buzz that rolled to a drier finish, not unlike a riesling. If you're out at the fair Monday or Tuesday, stop by the wine garden for a taste.

Back in May, Cheryl Collette Ng wrote about plans for this year's Outstanding in the Field dinner. Traveling locavore chef Jim Denavan will bring his bus to Flower Mound on October 19, where Sharon Hage will prepare a 4-course dinner, paired with wines, at Latte Da Dairy.

I just had a call from a reader, Jan Lovell, who tried to nab seats (they're $200 each) when our story was published, but it sold out quickly. Well, October 19 is his wife's birthday, and he'd really, really like to bring her to the dinner. Because tickets are paid for in advance, says the Outstanding in the Field website, there are no cancellations or wait lists -- once it's sold out, it's sold out.

I told him this would be a long shot, but we might as well try: Is there anyone out there who purchased tickets and cannot use them? Mr. Lovell would be thrilled to take them off your hands. Please leave a comment here letting Mr. Lovell know how to reach you, or email me at lbrenner@dallanews.com, and I will put you together. Oh, and Mr. Lovell, please shoot me an email as well, so I know how to reach you.

Meanwhile, if you're lucky enough to have a ticket and do plan to go, we'd love to hear all about it after the fact -- so definitely take pictures!

2010 file photo of last year's Outstanding in the Field dinner at Tom Spicer's FM 1410

Last week, I wrote that TJ's Fresh Seafood Market & Catering was the first Dallas seafood purveyor offering bycatch from Gulf waters as part of the next step in "ethical and sustainable seafood production." (Bycatch - swept into nets when fishermen are going after other species - has gotten thrown away until now.) TJ's actions followed an Edible Dallas & Fort Worth story on the same topic. (See the post here.)

Eager to look into this new phenom, I got some triggerfish from TJ's on Saturday and am here to report that it is some of the best seafood I've ever eaten: Its flesh is firm, with a nutty, almost sweet flavor. All I did before a quick stovetop saute was marinate the fillets briefly in lime and olive oil with a sprinkling of my favorite all-purpose seasoning, Greek-based Cavender's. At $20 a pound, it wasn't cheap, but the flavor coupled with the sustainable aspect made it totally worth it. Follow TJ's on Facebook for updates.

The fish gets it name because its dorsal fin snaps up and locks into place with a dangerous-looking spine on the end. But rub a much smaller fin behind the main event and the weaponry lies back down. And behind those fleshy lips, the fish's long, slender teeth look like a squirrel's. Yikes.

TJ's Fresh Seafood Market & Catering

Robert Hutchins reports in his newsletter that some of his Rehoboth Ranch chickens have stopped laying eggs, and when that happens it's time to turn them into stewing chickens.

This presents an interesting double-edged sword. Stewing chickens have much more flavor than even the most flavorful pastured-raised chickens (and these are all raised on pasture). But because they're older, they're tougher.

So you have to use different cooking methods. On the jump, I've added a couple of Robert's recipes to get you started if you're as intrigued by this as I am. Rehoboth Ranch sells on Saturdays at the Dallas (Texas Meats, Shed No. 2, Friday too), McKinney(Chestnut Square) and Coppell farmers markets.

My story today in the Arts & Life section reminds readers not to forget the second season at area farmers markets, when there's a resurgence of summer items such as zucchini and tomatoes as well as the coming of true fall crops, such as winter squashes (butternut, acorn, spaghetti), pumpkins, greens, lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower and more.

I also wrote a story about the increasing number of artisanal producers, farmers and farmers markets that are using Facebook pages to connect with their customers and keep them updated on changes.

On Lemley's Produce and Plant Farm page, the Canton farmer notes that he has Tennessee apples this week ("no wax, no preservatives straight from the tree") along with pumpkins, yellow and zucchini squash, onions, cucumbers, okra and a few peas.

Try looking up your favorite producers and markets.

File photo/Dallas Morning News

The new Edible Dallas and Fort Worth includes an article about "total catch" fishing. As the name implies, this means keeping and selling perfectly good, edible fish that is part of the bycatch when fisherman go after specific species, such as red snapper. The bycatch is usually trashed.

Writer Kelly Yandell says some chefs and seafood experts are "convinced that this is the new wave of ethical and sustainable seafood consumption." (Find Edible free at places like farmers markets and Whole Foods Market.)

Dallas is getting its first taste of this concept (at least, first to my knowledge - if you know otherwise, please tell) at TJ's Fresh Seafood Market & Catering. Every Saturday, TJ's will sell healthy Gulf fish that used to be thrown away, with names like barrelfish, triggerfish, mangrove snapper, cobia and others.

Has anyone had a chance to try this yet in Dallas or elsewhere?

Several new cookbooks and memoirs with recipes, plus the reissue of Bill and Cheryl Jamison's Texas Home Cooking (Harvard Commons Press), make Texas hot for fall. And they take Texas tastes in every direction, from the Casserole Queens' "sophistakitsch" to a memoir about Molly Ivins and a Texas food blogger's first cookbook.

Corn, Roasted Red Pepper and Cheddar Quiche (pictured) comes from Kaleta Doolin's Fritos Pie: Stories, Recipes and More (Texas A&M Press). It's a modern Fritos recipe using the first modern American snack food in the crust. The book also includes early Fritos recipes, like one for deep-fried, Fritos-crusted bites of jellied cranberry sauce. Does that sound like fair food, or what?

Check out my story and get the Fritos quiche recipe here.

Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

Daniel Vaughn, aka BBQ Snob, just published his debut column for Texas Monthly -- about a renaissance in Dallas barbecue. He singles out five places -- Smoke, Meshack's Bar-B-Que Shack, Pecan Lodge, Mama Faye's and Lockhart Smokehouse as "torch bearers." Read all about it here.

So, what do you think? Have you been to many or any of these? The Texas BBQ Posse wrote about Mama Faye's the day after it opened in September; I haven't been yet. Have you? What's your favorite place for barbecue in Dallas?

Photo of meats from Lockhart Smokehouse by Mona Reeder/Staff Photographer

While planning your Labor Day cookouts, don't forget farmers markets today (and Sunday for the Dallas market). Pasture-finished beef, lamb and pork are in good supply (especially for early birds). Ditto pasture-raised chicken.

At Coppell Farmers Market you should also be able to find Texas family-fished Alaskan salmon as well as Gulf seafood and a small amount of seafood, such as Maine scallops, sourced from fishermen on the East Coast with a family connection to Magnolia Seafood.

If you get up late, don't forget that Local Yocal just off the square in McKinney also has pasture-raised meats and poultry. I also love Good Earth Organic Farm's gorgeous red okra and Indian eggplant, at the McKinney Farmers Market.

Farmers markets are the best sources for Texas peaches as the season winds down. Also other fruits and veggies for your Labor Day feast.

David Woo/Staff Photographer
Red okra budding on the plant at Good Earth Organic Farm near Celeste. These haven't developed the characteristic, fuzzy pod that looks identical to green okra, only it's red.

The finalists for the State Fair of Texas's seventh annual Big Tex Choice Awards were named yesterday, and quite a line-up it is. I have to confess, when I saw the list, there was one that jumped out at me: the fried pineapple upside-down cake. That one actually sounded really good.

And then something funny happened: I was invited to taste the concoction on the Gene and Julie Show on 103.7 Lite FM this morning. I jumped at the chance.

OK, this particular fried delight has a pedigree -- it was created by Abel Gonzales, Jr., the concessionaire who brought us such hits as fried butter, fried Coke and Texas fried cookie dough. He's been a finalist in every one of the previous competitions.

You've still got at least an hour to shop the White Rock local Market, whose traffic, like so many markets is down with the heat.

Go anyway!

Three purveyors have gorgeous farmstead cheese. Homestead Land and Cattle has pastured chicken and smoked whole chickens. Also grits and cornmeal from their antique gristmill.

Good Earth Organics has beautiful red okra, Asian pears, eggplant and garlic braids. Yes, certified organic. The Finley Farms and the Heddins family have produce as does newcomer Triple M Farms.

Village Baking Co., Brennan Vineyards, JuHa Ranch, Lucido Pasta, a couple of cookie vendors - they're all there right now.

Oh, yeah. Magnolia Seafood has the most gorgeous Maine scallops fished by Capt. George's relatives up East. I had the Gulf shrimp last week, and posted about it here. The only bad news: Capt. George didn't get back from his boats in time to set up at Coppell. Check next Saturday.

Kathy Johnston at the Coppell Farmers Market has her fingers crossed that first of about a month's-long supply of her family's fresh-caught Alaskan salmon will arrive this week. It's flash-frozen on the boat before being flown to DFW.

Coppell is also home to Captain George's Magnolia Seafood. He has a small fleet of boats that fish the Gulf, and last weekend I bought some of his large shrimp. I'm not exaggerating when I say it was some of the freshest, meatiest, most flavorful shrimp I've ever eaten.

First, it passed the sniff test: just briny sea breeze. Then it was on to the taste test. The Sig-O marinated the in-shell shrimp in lemon juice and olive oil seasoned with garlic, salt, cardamom and nutmeg. Then he sizzled 'em off in a skillet with a little butter. The juices made a fantastic sauce. It was worth the messiness of picking the succulent meat out of the shells.

Have you seen "The Help"? I haven't yet, but apparently people are leaving the theater hungry for fried chicken and other Southern delights. I just got a call from the Gene and Julie Show -- Gene and Julie were wondering where I like to go for Southern food. That'll be the subject of a segment on their morning show on 103.7 Lite FM on Monday morning at 8:20 -- tune in!

Of course I pointed them to our Best in DFW: Southern and Texan Restaurants story. I didn't mention Rick's Chophouse -- which used to have amazing fried chicken -- because chef Paul Petersen left and I haven't been back to check it out. Nor have I been to Mary's Southern Cuisine and Entertainment yet -- have you? What's your favorite place for fried chicken?

File photo of the Screen Door's fried chicken and mac 'n' cheese

Paula Lambert sends word from Montreal that her Mozzarella Company placed first in three categories and third in another in the American Cheese Society Annual Competition over the weekend.

First place: Hoja Santa Goat Cheese
First place: Goat's Milk Ricotta
First place: Pecan Praline Mascarpone
Third place: Queso Blano with Chiles and Epazote

I won't be coy: It just so happens that my significant other is Paula's hoja santa man (one of a couple). He grows the big-leaf plant in his Lake Highlands backyard. He's got another dog in this hunt, too. He also grows epazote.

Congrats to Paula, who's also celebrating the Mozzarella Company's 30th anniversary. Read on for other Texas winners.

Staff file photo of Mozzarella Company's Hoja Santa Goat Cheese

Well, I didn't exactly lie. Last week, farmer J.T. Lemley told me about Elberta peaches, the mother of all the best-tasting peaches of today, such as Loring and Bounty. He explained that they can barely travel from the field to his on-site Canton farm market - they're just too fragile - much less make the trek to the Dallas Farmers Market. Hence, the hybrids to produce tougher skins.

Today, I made a quick stop at his Dallas Farmers Market stall and what do I see? Elbertas! I bought six. Shared four. Have two waiting in my kitchen. One is showing the signs of travel fatigue, bruised and weeping. It gets eaten tonight. The other will be sacrificed at breakfast.

The weeper is already intoxicatingly fragrant. Can't wait to take the first bite. Oh yeah, Elbertas are also fuzzy, like peaches of old. I've no idea if they will be at Lemley's stall tomorrow or the weekend, but if you're a fan, you might want to check.

Dallas Farmers Market grower J.T. Lemley called to tell me he's got a Facebook page now that you can find at Lemley's Produce and Plant Farm. His plan is to post his growers' notes about availability and supply.

What about other area farmers? Is anyone else doing a Facebook page to stay in touch with fans?

Lemley tells me he's still pulling off good peaches and has plenty of tomatoes to sell. He's also expecting to increase his supply of peas from neighboring Sides Farm this weekend.

As for other farmers and markets, the heat is taking a toll on some crops, but there's still plenty of good stuff out there.

J.T. Lemley (center) surrounded by Dallas chefs on a tour of his farm earlier this year.

This is pure press release, because the first one starts in 15 minutes:

"Four Seasons Markets has scheduled 12 Evening Markets at its 4 existing locations where they currently operate weekly farmers markets.

"The idea comes from the summertime markets found along the seashores of Europe where tourists vacation. An evening market is a pleasant opportunity to stroll and take some time shopping, when the outside temperature finally cools down, before or after having dinner at one of the local restaurants.

"Locations include: West Village (Dallas Uptown), The Eastside (Richardson), Castle Hills (Lewisville) and II Creeks Plaza (Richardson). The market will take place every Friday, once a month at each location, starting July 8th at West Village (5 p.m. to 10 p.m.).

"Vendors will include Specialty food producers, Craftsmen, Artists and tenants from each location. Live music will be provided by local artists.

"An evening market is a great addition to a shopping center because it brings more visitors to the place, when usually, everything is closed. The majority of the tenants at each location will also participate in remaining open until 10pm.

"More info at: http://www.fourseasonsmarkets.com"

In reviewing Local, chef Tracy Miller's charming 8-year old restaurant in the old Boyd Hotel in Deep Ellum, I found it curious that the menu didn't play up local ingredients more. After all, chefs everywhere are capitalizing on the locavore trend. Here's a restaurant that's well-positioned to tout "local" in a very natural way.

Wouldn't it be cool if Miller played up the idea to the hilt on her wine list? Her current list includes mostly California and other West Coast wines, with a few Australian and old world selections as well. She also offers a Gruet sparkling wine from New Mexico. Wouldn't Local's wine list be the perfect place to feature Texas wines? I've been drinking a lovely little rosé from Becker Vineyards at home -- a 2009 Provençal Mourvedre. It's light, simple, fresh, pretty and inexpensive (I've been paying about $10 a bottle for it at Whole Foods) -- and would go great with many of Miller's dishes. I don't think I've seen it on any lists around town.

Have you tasted that Becker rosé? Which Texas wines would you love to see on wine lists -- Local's or otherwise?

Staff photo

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The Bishop Arts barbecue spot whose motto is "No forks! No sauce! No kidding!" is now serving sauce -- no kidding. That's what Teresa Gubbins is reporting on Pegasus News. Lockhart Smokehouse tried offering sauce on Father's Day, reports Gubbins, and it went over big. She quotes co-owner Jill Bergus as saying, "We went through so many bottles of sauce that day. We said, 'OK, people want it.'"

I've contacted co-owner Jill Bergus in order to confirm -- and find out whether forks will be the next frontier. I'll update when and if I hear back.

UPDATE: I haven't heard back from Jill Bergus yet, but Daniel Vaughn has a post on Full Custom Gospel BBQ about Lockhart serving sauce -- and offering forks, "for a (small) donation." Must be part of the Kessler School fundraiser they've been running. Will update when I learn more.

Photo of Lockhart Smokehouse's barbecue offerings by Mona Reeder/Staff Photographer

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Hannah Hale, part of the Greenville family that produces wonderful, pasture-raised Windy Meadows chicken, e-mailed to tell me that the Twin Oaks Farm run by Texas A&M-Commerce will be open two more weeks for pick-you-own.

"We will be in peak production for at least two more weeks, through July 16th. It has been a great year for blueberries here.

"The opening hours for the next two weeks are 7 to 10 a.m. Monday-Friday, Thursday evenings 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays 7 a.m. to 2 p.m."

Hannah knows all this because she works at the farm. Get more details about it in my blog post here.

Hannah also sends the great news that Windy Meadows Family Farm is now supplying chickens to the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek.

The first time I dined at Marquee Grill and Bar, the subject of this week's review, my friends and I were taken with our waiter's enthusiasm about the Beeman Ranch beef on the menu. And indeed, the flavor of the steaks -- a 20-ounce boneless ribeye with a phat slice of foie gras butter melting on top and a 14-ounce New York strip -- was terrific.

It made me curious about Beeman Ranch. Is it an actual ranch? If so, where is it? What makes the beef so special? I started nosing around on the web, searching for it. But I turned up nothing. So I asked Brian Twomey, Marquee's owner. After I had made both my review visits, I had been corresponding with him by email in order to arrange photos and check facts. Twomey had a representative from the beef company call me.

While I was assembling information for yesterday's In Season column about pick-your-own blueberries for the coming holiday weekend, I completely missed the Texas A&M University-Commerce Twin Oaks Farm.

The last day of the season is Saturday, when the farm will be open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Straps and one-gallon buckets will be provided.

The farm is located at 2965 State Highway 50, 5.5 miles north of I-30, northeast of Greenville and south of Commerce.

If you have any questions or wish to place orders, email Blueberry@tamu-commerce.edu or call 903-886-5357.

If I were to offer etiquette advice to an out-of-state visitor invited to a dinner party, I'd suggest avoiding two topics: politics and barbecue. They're just too contentious here in Texas. But over on the Scoop blog, Bruce Tomaso writes about a boycott that mixes up both: an aide to John Wiley Price is calling for a boycott of Dickey's Barbecue. Read all about it here.

Right now, this minute, at J.T.Lemley's stalls at the Dallas Farmers Market, you can buy beautiful Cherokee purple heirloom tomatoes that are ready to eat. I wrote about how good these were when I visited his Canton farm and bought some. He's also got terrific freestone peaches.

Next week at Kroger and Central Market, you should be able to find Angelcots, white apricots, described in PR materials as having an "intense apricot flavor but the texture of a nectarine." I can't vouch for 'em - has anyone had these before? - but I can tell you about 'em.

Freida's
Angelcots

If you live in North Dallas and can't swing by the downtown Dallas Farmers Market, don't forget that Celebration Restaurant runs a nifty little market in its parking lot, 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

That's Brian Spaniel, who comes to Celebration regularly and owns Cherokee Ranch with his mom, Dorothy. (She's at Eden's Organic Garden Center in Balch Springs.) The ranch is near Ennis, and all the animals are raised on pasture. Availability of cuts depends on when they've most recently harvested.

Celebration's deal is to provide space for vendors like Spaniel, as well as Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Co., Texas Olive Ranch, Stephanie's Premium Bakery, Lucido's Pasta and others, but with a twist.

Did you stay home on Sunday night and have dinner in front of the TV? I know I did -- I plopped some shrimp and burgers on the grill. The one family member not watching his weight had the burger, and the rest of us had shrimp, as pictured here. I picked a bunch of herbs from the garden -- thyme, marjoram, basil and rosemary -- chopped 'em up, added chopped garlic, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper and dropped in peeled shrimp -- beautiful, fresh shrimp from the Gulf. After a brief bath in the marinade, I skewered them and grilled them till just-done. With it, we had my favorite raw zucchini salad, recipe courtesy of the L.A. Times' Russ Parsons. Just halve and slice zucchini thin, put them in a colander, toss with a teaspoon or two of sea salt, and let them rest for half an hour. Then rinse well, pat dry and toss with lemon juice, a touch of good olive oil, fresh ground black pepper, a clove of crushed garlic, some torn basil (or mint) and top with toasted pine nuts. Letting the salted zucchini rest makes it kind of soft -- with a texture that's almost cooked, but still with that fresh, raw flavor. So good! With a glass of rose, it was a great dinner for watching and cheering the Mavs.

The thing is, I'm superstitious, so next season I'm going to have to eat this same dinner for every Mavs away game. What did you make? Please tell us your championship-winning menu!

At Coppell Farmers Market at 9 a.m. Saturday, get in on a free food preservation class. "This class will present an overview of different ways to preserve market foods (canning, blanching/freezing, dehydrating, etc.) and show what equipment is needed for each method," according to the press release.

Also, if you're coming from Dallas on I-635, you'll want to avoid the construction at Denton Tap and Belt Line. "It is suggested that if you're coming north on Belt Line from LBJ Freeway, avoid that intersection altogether by exiting on Freeport. Drive north on Freeport to Bethel Road (by Hard 8 Pit BBQ) and turn right (east). You'll run right into the market and avoid all the construction."

Cool story on page 1A this morning, in case you missed it: Michael Brick tells us about Franklin Barbecue, the Austin phenomenon. I have not been yet, have you?

In more barbecue news, Texas Monthly has a groovy new free app for the iPhone. It features reviews of Texas barbecue spots and finds barbecue spots for you based on your location --anywhere in the world! (Paris barbecue? Bangkok? Luling?) There's also a check in feature that posts to the magazine's new barbecue website, and depending on how many check-ins you have, you get ranked from "casual enthusiast" to "BBQ junkie."

Photo of Aaron and Stacy Franklin by Guy Reynolds/Staff Photographer

Chefs Produce, which links local farmers and restaurants, took a group of chefs on a field trip to J.T. Lemley's Produce & Plants on Monday. Some two dozen folks, myself included, piled into a couple of vans and headed to the Canton farm. Matt McCallister and daughter Ella brought up the rear in his pickup.

Mr. Lemley's pooch, Lucy, was a bit overwhelming for 2-year-old Ella, a little trooper who spent a lot time on Dad's shoulders. We walked through several of Mr. Lemley's fields, where he grows tomatoes, peppers, peaches, squash and more.

He has allowed the weeds to grow up around his tomatoes to protect the plants from the sun. Normally, he says, it doesn't get this hot until July. (I'm pretty sure it was close to 100 F.) Not to worry, he says, as he's still getting a bumper crop of tomatoes this year.

So says the note from Diane Fourton, who owns Pecan Lodge, the barbecue spot at Dallas Farmers Market, with her husband/slash/pitmaster Justin Fourton. Apparently Lurline, their beloved barbecue pit (show here wtih Justin), has been on vacation since April as the couple planned for a new smokehouse. But Lurline will be back on duty beginning Saturday, turning out smoked brisket and ribs, along with a couple of new menu items -- pulled pork and house-made sausages. They'll be celebrating Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with free samples from the new barbecue menu -- including burnt ends.

They also plan to round out the menu with other lunch dishes in the coming weeks, including shrimp and grits, po' boys and file gumbo.

Pecan Lodge, Shed Number Two, Dallas Farmers Market, Shed 2, Dallas Farmers Market; 214- 748-8900; www.pecanlodge.com

Photo by Khampha Bouaphanh/Special Contributor

The Coppell Farmers Market held its farm-to-table dinner Sunday night at Grapevine Springs Park and, although my photograph foreshortens the image, I can tell you that was one long, white-tablecloth table.

Volunteers served, and vendors supplied everything from Jack Finley's vegetables to Rehoboth Ranch's Berkshire pork.

Two vendors, Victoria and Robert Hooker (who make handmade tortillas and hot sauce), double as instructors at the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Dallas and arranged for aspiring chefs (culinary students) to prepare the six-course feast. Read on for some highlights.

The Coppell Farmers Market is hosting a six-course Farm-to-Table dinner Sunday featuring foods from its farmers and producers prepared by the International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Dallas.

It starts with a tour of the Coppell Community Garden with appetizers at 5 p.m. It's an awesome garden, BTW. Then festivities shift to Grapevine Springs Park at 6 p.m. for the dinner proper, with wine and live music.

Coppell is one of the area's best markets, run by volunteers who got an early start on the farmers market curve and zeroed in on the important things, like a good vendor mix, keeping vendors and shoppers happy, and vetting vendors. Tickets are $100 and will help establish Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program at the market. Get tickets online here.

Courtney Perry/Staff Photographer
Farmer Mike Powell sells his lettuces at the Coppell Farmers Market

This is a way early warning, because these things sell out early.

Cribbing from special contributor Cheryl Ng Collett, who wrote about this in The Dallas Morning News: "What began in 1998 as a series of farmers' dinners by founder, chef and artist Jim Denevan has transformed into a full-blown culinary tour. This year's Outstanding in the Field tour recently kicked off in California. A dinner is scheduled this fall in Flower Mound.

"On Oct. 19, the signature red-and-white bus will stop in Flower Mound, at the goat cheese farm Latte Da Dairy. Guests can expect a tour of the dairy and to meet the dairy divas (a.k.a. goats) before sitting down to a four-course dinner with wine pairings created by chef Sharon Hage, formerly of York Street. Hage says she will be "sourcing as many ingredients locally as possible."

According to the group's website, there will be two meals in Austin (seats still available). Another in Brenham on Oct. 22 is already sold out. It's a quirky OITF tradition that guests are required to bring their own plates, to create a beautiful and eclectic setting."

The event is at 2 p.m. Oct. 19 at Latte Da Dairy in Flower Mound. Cost is $200 per person. Buy tickets at www.outstandinginthefield.com

UPDATE: Early ticket op is over; the event's now sold out.

Here's the summary of a story on EatGreen DFW about Senate Bill 81, which passed the Texas Senate and now goes to Gov. Rick Perry's desk, according to a reader-submitted story (meaning I haven't gone back and veted this, although site watchdog Brian Cummings is fairly strict about things like accuracy).

"SB 81 now goes to the Governor, who can either sign it, do nothing (in which case it become law), or veto it. It is an all-or-nothing decision on the entire bill. SB 81, in its final form, recognizes that small-scale local foods are different from the food in the industrial system with its long, complex supply and distribution chains. The bill closes the loophole for wholesale distributors, while de-regulating low-risk direct sales. This bill is an excellent step in the right direction, and we will continue to work to roll back unnecessary restrictions on local producers."

I'm still waiting to learn the fate of the wine industry's marketing and agriculture funding.

Brian Cummings

While you may love the look of 8-ball and 1-ball squash, have you ever wondered what, exactly, to do with it? Dallas Farmers Market farmer J.T. Lemley hands out a recipe sheet with stuffing ideas. I came up with this one (pictured left) on my own.

I prepared half a cup of quinoa according to package directions and combined it with a vegetarian sloppy Joe mix, prepared according to package directions. I hollowed out the squashes and reserved both the cap and the scrapings from inside.

Don't forget to preheat your oven to around 400 F. I microwaved the squashes on High (100 percent power) in a loosely covered glass dish with a tiny bit of water for 4 minutes, then stuffed each one with the sloppy Joe-quinoa mix, topped them with a bit of asiago cheese and baked them until they were hot and the cheese was melted.

It was terrific - now go to the jump to see what I did with the leftover squash

Brian Cummings reports over on EatGreenDFW that Local Yocal/Genesis and Sloans Creek are combining forces. Nathan and Ellen Melson, creators of the Sloans brand, will manage the two ranches (one in North Texas, one in Oklahoma), which produce grass-fed beef, lamb, goat and heritage pork.

Matt and Heather Hamilton will concentrate on processing, sales and marketing. Local Yocal is just off the square in McKinney. Get the full story here.

Kim Pierce has a very cool story this morning in which she offers 10 tips to make the most of local farmers markets -- including her three favorite markets. Did you know North Texas is now raising Berkshire pork? I didn't. Kim also sheds light on the markets that offer organic dairy products, the markets that offer samples of Texas wines and more. Khampha Bouaphanh's photos are gorgeous. In case you missed it, here's a link. And here's a link to Kim's updated farmers market guide. And here is a very cool interactive farmers market guide map.

Photo of organic eggs and produce at McKinney Farmers Market by Khampha Bouaphanh/Special Contributor

Ham Orchard, everyone's favorite peach destination, opened one day early this year -- on Saturday.

I stopped by on Sunday and was amazed to find that our local peaches are already wonderful! Flavor Rich, a juicy yellow cling with wonderful, bright flavor was the star of the day. I hesitated between a small bag and a big one. So glad I got a big one -- I can't stop eating them.

They also had amazing canteloups and some pretty little zucchini, plus some hard, black plums and beautiful-looking, but not very promising apricots. Oh, and apricot or peach fried pies and ice cream.

Ham Orchard, 11939 County Road 309, Terrell; 972-524 -2028; www.hamorchard.com

2009 File photo

OK, here's some news I'm not the tiniest bit ambivalent about: Murray's Cheese is coming to Dallas. Maria Halkias had the story in March, and Nancy Nichols reported progress on Side Dish today. I just caught up with Murray's publicist Deena Siegelbaum, who filled in some details for me.

But first, a word about Murray's. Nichols' post mentions that many New Yorkers think Murray's is the best cheese shop in New York. I can't weigh in on that exactly because it's been some years since I've lived in New York and I may not have caught up on all the good cheese shops there. But I can definitely say it was my favorite by a long shot during the many years I lived there, and it remains the best cheese shop I've been to in the U.S.

Murray's forged a partnership with Kroger supermarkets, and they've already opened 25 Murray's store-within-a-stores in Cincinnati, Atlanta and Houston, Siegelbaum tells me. The first North Texas Murrary's, in a Kroger in Irving, will open on May 25. Two others will follow -- one on Mockingbird in Dallas (opening June 15) and one in Fort Worth (opening July 6).

A friend was at Jimmy's Food Store and sent in this pic. Shades of the old-time way of doing business:

'Seems a farmer came in and asked if co-owner Mike DiCarlo would like his newly picked squash blossoms (left) and 8-ball squash (these are lighter green than you sometimes see). DiCarlo, recognizing a deal, quickly said yes.

There aren't too many. For sale while they last.

Although the Dallas Farmers Market is open year-round, this Saturday marks the official "farmer" season kick-off with a marketwide celebration.

The fifth annual Mama Ida Ice Cream Social (named in honor of longtime market advocate Ida Papert, who died earlier this year) takes place 9 a.m. to noon. Taste ice cream made by culinary students and young men from the Dallas County Youth village and vote for your fave.

Chef Vijay Sadhu of Sutra leads off the Chef at the Market series with a cooking demo 10 to 11 a.m. Finally, there will be all manner of children's activities, from a rock-climbing wall to crafts table.

And of course there will be lots of fresh, local produce as more farmers and producers stream in to shed No. 1. This week, expect eggs, East Texas tomatoes and peaches, squash, cucumbers, green beans, maybe some early blackberries and more.

I'm not taking a stand on the debate about relative healthiness. This is about consumer demand. Check out that photo.

This is a package of HEB root beer I got today at Central Market. Gourmet real-sugar sodas are easy enough to find. But when a major supermarket chain decides to create its own entire line of store-brand "generic" soda that way, that's saying something.

Apparently the company has produced a sugar-only cola and something called "Dr. B" for a while. Recently added: Orange Burst, Wild Red, and Old Fashioned Root Beer. All made, according to the HEB website, "right here in Texas."

I'm assuming there are places in Texas that have actual HEB stores where this stuff is available at the regular supermarkets. Since at this point the only HEB stores hereabouts are Central Market, that's where you'll need to head for this. OTOH, if HEB is making money with these sodas, how long can it be before other store brands will follow suit? (And no, I've not tasted it yet. Still chillin'.)

[UPDATE: Pretty good. Does the pure sugar make a difference? Hard to say because it has a lot of relatively strong tastes (at least for root beer) batting around. I don't think I'd mark it quite as high as my fave, the only sporadically available St. Arnold (also of Texas). But I'd like to do a taste-off. Bottom line: I'll buy it again.]

The Grapevine Farmers Market won't be open this Saturday because of Grapevine's Main Street Days, according to EatGreenDFW. "The market will have a booth at Main Street Days located by Wilhoite's with peaches, sliced watermelon, jarred items, local honey, nuts, and jerky! The market returns to its regular business hours next week."

Speaking of peaches, Ham Orchards opens its summer season Saturday; hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Aug. 1. They will have peaches on Saturday. It's located east of Dallas on U.S. 80 between Terrell and Elmo, south side of the road.

Finally, Sarah Perry tells me that Windy Hill Organics from Comanche, a popular vendor, returns Saturday to White Rock Local Market. Windy Hill is not certified organic, but uses organic practices.

This is a deja-vu post I do more or less every year at this time. On a recent shopping trip to Whole Foods Market, I bought the early-season organic Mexican peaches - not as good as the peaches to come, but still a welcome prelude to the season.

Texas blueberries have been in markets a few weeks; these early ones come from growing areas farther south. And conventionally grown California cherries always lead off the cherry season here. Which isn't really our season per se. It's just the time of year we can get these wonderful sweet fruits.

I saw some Texas strawberries last Saturday at the McKinney Farmers Market at Chestnut Square. As for local peaches, Ham Orchards near Terrell will open Saturday with fresh-picked peaches to sell.

Hail Merry's Blonde Macaroons have been nominated for a Vegetarian Times 2011 Foodie Award in the raw food category. What a great honor for Dallas raw foodist Susan O'Brien, who created the Hail Merry line.

The macaroons made the cut after the VT staff tasted various products over a year. The other finalists include Earth Cafe Life Is Sweet Potato Pie; Navitas Naturals Power Snack, Cacao Goji Superfood; and Two Moms in the Raw Blueberry and Apple Granola.

Now it's up to you. Readers and anyone who goes to the awards website can vote for their favorite.

Hail Merry

Farmer J.T. Lemley in Shed No. 1 at the Dallas Farmers Market called to tell me that he's now harvesting several kinds of squash, including 8-ball, 1-ball, zucchini and several kinds of yellow squash at his farm near Canton. (He loved the recent rain.)

I bought some of his tomatoes from Marfa (his field tomatoes aren't ripe yet), and they were darned good. Oh joy, to have tomato season upon us again.

I also made short order of his big, green-topped spring onions. I sauteed them with some local mushrooms and added these and sun-dried tomatoes to red quinoa with just a little seasoning. Finished it all with some shredded asiago cheese. A delicious and healthy one-bowl meal in 20 minutes, with good leftovers.

File 2010/Staff Photo
8-ball (green) and 1-ball (yellow) squash

It's an idea born of a re-tweet, but I can't get it out of my mind: making bitters from hoja santa. It started with a tweet a few minutes ago from the Houston Chronicle's Alison Cook (@alisoncook). "I mean if people drink Fernet Branca," she tweeted, "why not epazote bitters?"

Why not indeed? It sounds great. I retweeted, adding "A fab idea -- or why not hoja santa bitters?" I recently had a dessert at Alma, a goat cheesecake with an emerald green hoja santa syrup drizzled on the plate. The flavor was wonderful.

Then another Alison tweet: "Going to start my batch of backyard hoja santa bitters posthaste." How great! Thinking I'd make some too, I started nosing around the web. It turns out making bitters is extremely involved. Here's an interesting post about it from spiritsandcocktail.com's Jamie Boudreau. Very daunting. Too much for me, I think. Maybe you'll do it, though. Or maybe the Italian Wine Guy will make some and let me taste it (he has a forest of it in his back yard).

Photo of hoja santa by Natalie Caudill/Staff Photographer

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When I traveled to Arche Winery and Ancient Ovens outside Saint Jo in January, I could hardly keep my mouth shut about the find. It was like something out of Italy, two places - a vineyard and winery and a restaurant doing a single fixed-price menu - so remote that you have to want to seek them out.

They're located in what's known as the North Texas Hill Country, beautiful rolling hills in Montague County northwest of Denton.

Howard Davies' wonderful wines are made from the grapes he grows at his Oak Creek Vineyards (he's pictured doing winter pruning) , where he and his wife live and where Arche Winery is located. Ancient Ovens, where dinner is served Thursday through Saturday nights, sometimes outside on a pavilion and sometimes in the lodge, is about a half mile away. The star is Neapolitan-style pizza made in a wood-fired brick oven.

Check out the Arche story here, and Ancient Ovens here.

Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

Ever tasted Katherine Clapner's silky and suave Dude, Sweet chocolates? Now you can get them at Neiman Marcus -- and not just in Texas. Melissa Repko has the story, via Bruce Tomaso at the Scoop blog.

Photo by Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

Local Yocal Farm to Market (yes, the spelling is intentional) is a butcher shop that opened in December in the old Hamm's Custom Meat Market space on the square in McKinney. What makes it special? You can buy fresh (not frozen), ranch-direct, grass-fed beef.

It comes from owners Matt and Heather Hamilton's ranch outside Durant, Okla. The store also carries pastured pork, lamb and chicken as well as eggs from pastured chickens from south Oklahoma neighbors. In addition, you'll find Texas Daily Harvest organic cheeses and dairy products, County Line Farms organic milk and Three Happy Cows drinkable yogurt. Also products like Texas Olive Ranch olive oil.

The heart of the operation is the butchering facility. "There's a huge shortage of processing for small producers," says Heather. Burgundy Pasture Beef, with its retail shop and butchering facility in Grandview, is the only other business like this. This is going to mean a lot to small, local producers of grass-fed beef.

...J.T. Lemley returns to his stall at the Dallas Farmers Market. The East Texas farmer called to tell me that he will open for business on Friday in his usual spot in Shed No. 2. He'll start out selling garden plants and his hot-house tomatoes.

"I've got tomatoes in the field," he says, which he planted last Saturday. He dodged a bullet with the snow and cold snap. "I thought it killed the onions," he says, "but they came back. We didn't lose anything."

I am highly partial to Mr. Lemley, and I report often throughout the season about what he's doing and selling because he is a bellwether for the other farmers in the area. Plus, he's an all-around good guy who sells some of the best field tomatoes in the state.

His stall will be open seven days a week from now until deep into the fall.

Late 2010 photo, when Lemley was getting tomatoes from Marfa.

Years ago, I used to get my Picolos Pickles fix at a local Tom Thumb, which carried the Corsicana-made, best pickles in Texas (and maybe the Southwest). After the store dropped them, I was left to order online or stop on the way to Austin and pick some up. Or hope a kind friend would gift me for Christmas.

No more. While prowling the aisles recently at Jimmy's Food Store in East Dallas, I came across a whole shelf of the wonderful bread-and-butter pickles and their spin-offs (relishes, dills, etc.).

What makes them so good? They're crisp, with just the right balance of sweet, tangy and spicy elements. A pickle connoisseur's pickle.

Picolos website

White Rock Local Market kicks off its third season 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and continues every second and fourth Saturday through the end of the year. Green Spot Market & Fuels, 702 N. Buckner, at Northcliff; 214-319-7768; www.whiterocklocalmarket.com.

Sure, it's early for our favorite local produce, such as field tomatoes, peaches and blueberries. But there are plenty of wonderful, locally produced and artisanal goods plus seasonal greens, cabbage, hydroponics and more.

Coppell Farmers Market holds another winter market, 8 a.m. to noon. Same story there. 455 W. Bethel Road, (between Denton Tap Road and Freeport Parkway) in Old Town Coppell; 972-304-7043; www.coppellfarmersmarket.org.

And Patina Green in McKinney will open an hour early, at 9:30 a.m., according to EatGreenDFW, to let customers check out organic meats, cheeses, eggs, milk and produce. 116 N. Tennessee, McKinney; 972-548-9141, www.patinagreen.typepad.com
.

Evans Caglage/Staff Photographer

Chef Bradley Balch just sent me a new batch of his Chef Bradley Gourmet Creations sauces - all formulated with reduced-sugar, but they pack terrific flavor. Get the scoop on my latest favorite, It's a Carolina Thing, over on the Dallas Life blog.

Eva Greer's 2011 cooking-class series has already begun, but there are still many more to come over the spring, summer and fall. The classes are held at Greer Farm, a working farm near Daingerfield that also has overnight accommodations for folks wishing to get a hands-on experience of farm life.

Eva used to develop recipes for Pilgrim's Pride, and she loves teaching her "Farm to Fork" classes. Here's the menu for the March class; cost is $75. Go to the jump for the complete schedule and details.

March 5, 2011: Mardi Gras Feast

Lump crab meat and brie soup
Commander's egg Benedict with special sauce and homemade triple meat sausage
Imperial crawfish
Cajun Caesar salad
Creamy Pralines

Ida Papert, who founded the Dallas Farmers Market Friends in 1991, died at her Dallas home Friday of complications of pneumonia, according to the full obituary here. She was 81. (Nancy Nichols on SideDish gave me the heads-up.)

"Mama Ida" spent a lifetime serving the Dallas community, but foodies, and especially foodies who wanted the Dallas Farmers Market to succeed, know she worked tirelessly on behalf of the market. I was thrilled to tap her for a story about tomato recipes last summer, and in May I ran black-eyed pea salad and sweet onion recipes from her family's cookbook, which the Friends had published earlier as a fundraiser. I've still got some of her homemade jam in my refrigerator! We're all going to miss her.

A memorial service will be held Monday at 12:30 p.m. at Temple Emanu-El.

File 2003/Staff Photo

Nancy Nichols has the story at Side Dish: Tom Spicer seems to be saying he's being evicted from the garden next to his shop, FM 1410. What a shame.

2009 photo of Tom Spicer by Allison V. Smith/Special Contributor

Smoke restaurant in Oak Cliff hosts inaugural Foodways Texas fundraiser

Tonight's the night: Smoke, at the Belmont Hotel, will be the scene of a shrimp, fish and oyster feast to raise funds to help start up Foodways Texas, an organization whose mission is to promote promote Texas' food history and multicultural foodways. The event is sold out, but walk-ins are still welcome at $75 per person. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres (pickled shrimp with Rio Star grapefruit, anyone?) at Bar Belmont at 6:30, then a big barbecue in Smoke's backyard -- oysters roasted over wood, fried catfish and seafood gumbo. Are you good at liberating oysters from their shells? Here's your big chance to show off your shucking skills in a contest.

Smoke, the Belmont Hotel, 901 Fort Worth Ave., Dallas; 214-393-4141; www.smokerestaurant.com

I've noticed an intriguing ingredient on the cocktail menus at two different restaurants within the space of a week: Paula's Texas Orange. I first saw it mentioned at the Ranch at Las Colinas as an ingredient in their Cadillac Rita and in their Tito's Texas Tea (though I didn't try either drink). And then I came across it at Smoke, where it's a component the No. 901 -- described on the cocktail menu as "Our maple wood-infused Bulleit bourbon, Paula's Texas Orange, Our Drunken Cherries & a dash of orange bitters." An excellent drink to be sure, but I didn't know what Paula's Texas Orange was until I came home and Googled it. As it turns out, it's an orange liqueur made in Austin -- something you can use instead of Cointreau or Triple Sec.

Now I'm curious to taste it on its own. Have you had it? What'd you think? Anyone know where to buy it?

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Fruth Farms Southwest, which used to bring its wonderful wares to Flavors From Afar, has arranged for a new drop-off point, starting this Friday at noon.

It's Plaza Health Foods just across Snider Plaza from Flavors. Caroline or Allen Fruth will bring eggs with them weekly and take special orders for their free-range meats.

Give 'em a shout at 214-762-0994. A few years ago, Joyce Saenz Harris wrote a wonderful Dallas Morning News story about the Fruths and their Cash, Texas, farm; check it out here.

Late-breaking farmers market news: Saturday is the first day for the Four Seasons Market at Sachse, a year-round market just northeast of Garland inside the former Sachse City Hall. That's great news because it continues on Sunday, when North Texas is expecting some chill weather.

The market includes some terrific vendors. I didn't have time to link them, but you'll find I've blogged or written about several: Truth Hill Farms (pastured meats), Candi's Cupcakes & Cakes, Brisket Heaven (oven-roasted brisket and jalapeno salsa), Empire Baking (artisan breads), Dallas Spice/Kurry King (Indian spice and dahl blends), WeMe Dallas (rustic bread, killer ranch dressing), Kap's Pepper Co. (peppered jellies, including habanero), Little John's Produce and Good Earth Organic Farm (local and regional produce), Carol's Candies and Lucido Pasta. Look for non-food vendors, too, including Purple Ranch Farm (lavender products).

The Sachse market takes place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday-Sunday. The address is 5560 State Highway 78 (Lavon Drive).

Launched last summer, Foodways Texas is a new organization that's just getting up a bit of momentum. "It's an offshoot of the Southern Foodways Aliiance, founded by Texas members of the Southern Foodways Aliiance who wanted to do the same thing in Texas," says Houston food writer and founding member Robb Walsh.

Like SFA, it's got academic cred. It's an affiliated institute of the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin. It's all about preserving, promoting and celebrating the foodways of Texas. "This isn't about fine dining," adds Walsh. "It's about grass-roots food culture."

Toward that end, the first Dallas event is a Gulf Coast seafood feast at Smoke that includes music, an oyster-shucking contest and a documentary about making Texas sorghum syrup. The date's Jan. 24. Read on for details and the lengthy menu.

Today and Sunday are the final days for Pastabilities at the Dallas Farmers Market. (It's closed New Year's Day.) While technically not part of the market, the little storefront was part of it in spirit, shared by Pastabilities owner Ed Greer and Mike Koster, who operates Koster Cattle Co.

Koster will continue in the space. He raises cattle north of Dallas and also owns Koster's Famous New York Delicatessen in Prosper on State Highway 380. (The Brad trekked out there for the burger, which is made from Koster's cattle, and writes about it here.)

Everything is half off at Pastabilities; it's a good opportunity say goodbye to Greer and thank him for all he's done to support the market.

Owner Bruce Bagelman writes to say that Green Spot Market & Fuels has added made-to-order hamburgers and veggie burgers, as well as fries (including sweet potato fries), to its lineup. He's using grass-raised beef comes from Homestead Land & Cattle Co., raised at the Brazos de Dios community near Waco, and from Burgundy Pasture Beef, a pioneer in local pastured beef based in Grandview.

Bagelman isn't saying where the cheeses come from to top the burgers, but they include cheddar, marbled jack-blue (that's new to me), Swiss and muenster, as well as a rotation of local cheeses. Buns are made by Empire Bakery. 'Sounds like some great burgers.

Meanwhile, the new espresso bar will offer espresso drinks using wonderful Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters coffee, which buys many of its beans direct from farmers.

I ran into Bedford Bakery co-owner Stephan Steinbach last weekend at Eden's Organic Garden Center market day in Balch Springs, where he was selling a table-full of the new bakery's wares. I didn't take a pic because it was just a jumble of packages, but I'm stoked by what I found.

The bakery has been open just a few weeks. If you know anyone who lives around Bedford, tell 'em about it. You can tell the bakers are using good ingredients and baking from scratch. They will have a few stollens Christmas Eve and will be open regular hours, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Photo courtesy of www.bedfordbakery.com

At the Dallas Farmers Market today, I ran into Ed Greer (left, with sunglasses), who told me that he's closing Pastabilities after a 10-year run. "It's just time," he says.

Although technically not part of the farmers market, the little space tucked just north of Shed No. 1 was transformed into a quaint shop by Greer and Mike Koster, half Koster Cattle Co. and half Pastabilities, which specialized in Pappardelle's Pasta from Colorado. Koster, a local rancher, will continue to hold forth there.

Tomorrow, Sunday, New Year's Eve and Jan. 2, Pastabilities will sell everything for 50 percent off. I'm sorry to see Ed go. No one has been a bigger supporter of the market.

Pastabilities photo by CHERYL DIAZ MEYER/Staff Photographer

It's late, late, late to be getting tamales, but the Dallas News website revived my story from last year to give you a few leads.

It's not too late to go to Shed No. 2 at the Dallas Farmers Market to pick up a few dozen at La Popular Tamale House's outpost there. They'll be open till 5 p.m. today and till 3 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Folks who commented on the story also recommended these spots:

"Dallas Tortilla & Tamale Factory in Old Town. Lewisville..." - jcl2634

"Braum's has in their frozen grocery section pretty decent cheap tamales for $3.99 a dozen - pork or beef." - Just2BeMe

"You have to try Dallas Tortillas tamales their the BEST!" - birdy1724

Dallas Tortilla and Dallas Tortilla & Tamale Company are the same spot - with two websites.

Photo by EVANS CAGLAGE/Staff Photographer

Brisket Heaven is one of those sweet, mom-and-pop operations that you see at farmers markets. They started at the Four Seasons Market at Firewheel and have been gaining momentum ever since. What's different about their brisket? They don't smoke it, they slow-roast it, and it's wonderful.

For the holiday season, they're making Brisket Heaven tamales (lard-free) in their far North Dallas kitchen (Preston at Campbell) and will deliver to your doorstep Dec. 21-23 within a 10-to-15-mile radius. (Get your order in by Sunday).

No minimum order, but they prefer to deliver two dozen or more ($18/long dozen). They make a kickin' jalapeno salsa, too ($5/half pint). It's C.O.D. (cash or checks). Make a phone call to 469-235-8141 or include all the pertinent information in an e-mail to info@brisketheaven.com. Be sure to include a daytime phone number where they can reach you to work out delivery.

Check out the other places you can find Christmas tamales here.

I made a memorable road trip last year to Rise No.1 owner Hedda Gioia Dowd's East Texas farm. Eggs were collected; hay was cut to line roasting pans; and Dowd, along with Rise executive chef Cherif Brahmi, slow-cooked a daylong feast - all photographed by FD Luxe contributor Courtney Perry - for a September food feature.

Turns out more was cooking than duck that day. Dowd loved Perry's photos so much she tapped her to shoot a new cookbook. Rise to the Occasion: A French Food Experience debuts this month in Dallas.

Fans of Dowd's and Brahmi's celebrated Inwood Village soufflé bistro will find plenty of advice on creating their own airy egg masterpieces and home-style French fare. The nearly 200-page book brims with recipes, illustrations, photos and family stories, tips on entertaining and Dowd's slow-food philosophy. Writer Celine Chick (hubby Donald Chick named Park restaurant's back bar after her) weaves it all together.

Adding to the sizzle: You'll recognize some famous faces at Dowd's table, including a certain former U.S. president and first lady.

Rise to the Occasion: A French Food Experience by Hedda Gioia Dowd, Cherif Brahmi and Celine Chick (Pelican Publishing, $35), available at Rise restaurant and major booksellers