This Friday, the Soup Peddler is throwing a party to celebrate ten years of consistent deliciousness. Happy anniversary, Soup Peddler!! Also on the celebrate-ometer is a spanking new website, which has a new order function that should make it super easy for any Austinite to incorporate the Soup Peddler into their life on a more regular basis.
For more party details, holler at them on Facebook or just show up for free beer and games like toss a cabbage into a soup pot (sign me up) for prizes. Thanks to Jodi Bart over at Tasty Touring for sharing.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tillamook road-trips through Texas
In a town quite familiar with and fond of a certain burnt orange hue, an all-natural cheese has no problem making friends. So Austin food bloggers (myself included) were happy to stop in to Hopdoddy for a meet-and-greet with some super sweet reps from Tillamook who had cubed up some tasty bites of cheese for us to sample as part of their LoveLoaf tour. Who doesn't love cheese? And this is the good stuff.
Tillamook, farmer-owned and operated, has been making its little corner of Oregon beautiful since 1909. They are committed to making their products (over 200!) in the most natural way possible. They never treat their cows with artificial growth hormones. I would love to tour the factory, which has served as a honeymoon destination for some.
Its medium cheddar cheese first won an award for excellence at the 1904 World's Fair, then again in 2010 in the World Champion Cheese Contest, where it scored a 99.6 out of 100 for taste.
Tillamook cheese is, thank goodness, sold east of the Rockies. We get it around here. Bummer for us; we don't get to try the butter, sour cream, yogurt, and ice cream they make, too.
Tillamook churns out (heh) gallons of ice cream in mouth-watering flavors like Oregon Black Cherry and Grandma's Cake Batter.
Tillamook yogurt flavors range from tart Key Lime to sweet Baked Apple Pie, and one flavor I haven't seen in the yogurt aisle before: Watermelon.
I do lament that Tillamook's yogurt and ice cream might not expand into the Austin market as quickly and thickly as the cheese has. But I toss my proverbial nacho hat in the air and give a big, cheese-y cheer at the good news that Tillamook cheese is moving into the Texas market in a bigger way, taking a bigger wedge of the wheel, ha ha.
The award-winning medium cheddar already has a strong menu presence in Austin. Hopdoddy name-drops Tillamook cheese on the menu like it was Gwynneth Paltrow. The Ben White-based food truck Ah La Cart uses two kinds of Tillamook to make their amazing smoked mac and cheese. It's as if Tillamook is becoming synonymous with natural. For those who want their burgers to come from grass-fed cows, or those willing to have the hazelnut conversation when ordering a meal, this is good to know. Also if you like excellent cheese, it's good to know the name of one.
Along with the medium cheddar, I also tried the Monterey Jack. Mary, the smiling Tillamook rep pictured above, said Tillamook just developed a new formula after a year of research and development. It's super creamy and I bet it melts like a dream.
I would love a grilled cheese with tomato made with the Tillamook sharp vintage white cheddar, which is aged two years in a dark room before its ready. Tangy sharp cheese goodness.
The Goodnight burger is a lovely showcase for the cheddar. BBQ burger perfection. Thank you, Hopdoddy. I swoon in your general direction.
The pepper jack was spicy, but Mary said some Texans said it could be hotter. She promised that next time, she'd bring the habanero jack, which she said was h-o-t HOT. And there will be a next time. This blogger party that Tillamook threw is just one stop on its #TXLoafLove tour. They're coming back in March.
Keep your eyes open for the cutest custom VW bus, in orange, naturally, when the TXLoveLoaf tour comes back to Austin this spring. They come armed with recipes, like an all-natural queso from Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Top Chef season 5. I bet they'll bring some of that habenero jack cheese with them, too.
| Say, "Award-winning cheeeese!" |
Its medium cheddar cheese first won an award for excellence at the 1904 World's Fair, then again in 2010 in the World Champion Cheese Contest, where it scored a 99.6 out of 100 for taste.
Tillamook cheese is, thank goodness, sold east of the Rockies. We get it around here. Bummer for us; we don't get to try the butter, sour cream, yogurt, and ice cream they make, too.
Tillamook churns out (heh) gallons of ice cream in mouth-watering flavors like Oregon Black Cherry and Grandma's Cake Batter.
Tillamook yogurt flavors range from tart Key Lime to sweet Baked Apple Pie, and one flavor I haven't seen in the yogurt aisle before: Watermelon.
I do lament that Tillamook's yogurt and ice cream might not expand into the Austin market as quickly and thickly as the cheese has. But I toss my proverbial nacho hat in the air and give a big, cheese-y cheer at the good news that Tillamook cheese is moving into the Texas market in a bigger way, taking a bigger wedge of the wheel, ha ha.
The award-winning medium cheddar already has a strong menu presence in Austin. Hopdoddy name-drops Tillamook cheese on the menu like it was Gwynneth Paltrow. The Ben White-based food truck Ah La Cart uses two kinds of Tillamook to make their amazing smoked mac and cheese. It's as if Tillamook is becoming synonymous with natural. For those who want their burgers to come from grass-fed cows, or those willing to have the hazelnut conversation when ordering a meal, this is good to know. Also if you like excellent cheese, it's good to know the name of one.
Along with the medium cheddar, I also tried the Monterey Jack. Mary, the smiling Tillamook rep pictured above, said Tillamook just developed a new formula after a year of research and development. It's super creamy and I bet it melts like a dream.
I would love a grilled cheese with tomato made with the Tillamook sharp vintage white cheddar, which is aged two years in a dark room before its ready. Tangy sharp cheese goodness.
The Goodnight burger is a lovely showcase for the cheddar. BBQ burger perfection. Thank you, Hopdoddy. I swoon in your general direction.
![]() |
| Goodnight burger and fries, Hopdoddy |
The pepper jack was spicy, but Mary said some Texans said it could be hotter. She promised that next time, she'd bring the habanero jack, which she said was h-o-t HOT. And there will be a next time. This blogger party that Tillamook threw is just one stop on its #TXLoafLove tour. They're coming back in March.
Keep your eyes open for the cutest custom VW bus, in orange, naturally, when the TXLoveLoaf tour comes back to Austin this spring. They come armed with recipes, like an all-natural queso from Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Top Chef season 5. I bet they'll bring some of that habenero jack cheese with them, too.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Anticipating the BACON TAKEDOWN
![]() |
| Bacon Roses as seen on Instructables.com |
Sorry; I won't be making any super bowl dips and while I hope Madonna creams the Giants, I probably won't watch the game. So that's that for super bowl stuff.
Yes, of course I love the Puppy Bowl!
I hope everyone has a happy Valentine's Day, naturally. But Addie Broyles over at the Statesman previewed a slew of SXSW i (please don't make me say sxsw eats) food events that already look like they will have packed waiting lists after the rsvp begins and evangelical foodie fans become all a flutter with confirmation that they can bear witness to panels on how social media about television programming is now transmedia and within it, television shows on cooking, eating, and food can be made now more then ever, or are even more challenging to make. Or something. Draw your own conclusions.
Two celeb-chef heavy panels have since been announced. One panel features that lanky swamp rat/star chef Bourdain (who's been around here before) and another hosts a face we've seen (-ish) around here before in his multi-city tour of the state that is Top Chef Texas, Tom Colicchio. Bonus: Colicchio will be on a panel with Bravo programming genius, executive, and fantastic aftershow host, Andy Cohen (love!).
While hearing all these fantastic wise men and women on the panels talk is I'm sure something people are really going to want to do, one sxsw i event looked to be instantly fun, in part because it's at Shangri-La, and then because of bacon. It's...the BACON TAKEDOWN.
I don't care that it's a cliche, novelty bandage, and restaurant. I love bacon. I love it in grilled cheese, on turkey sandwiches, in beans and on tacos. And the Brooklyn-based, now national Takedowns are simply semi-ruthless quasi-competitive amateur cooking challenges with a common ingredient. On March 11th, the Takedown lands at Shangri-La at 2pm. Email or tweet at Takedowner Matt Timms to get the specifications if you think you're good enough.
If you're up for a challenge this month aside from the super bowl and Puppy Bowl and V-day and the Oscars and plotting your sxsw bacon victory, make the bacon roses pictured above; instructables.com has a downloadable PDF. They look sweet.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Meat Week off to a booming start
Hey, it's Meat Week! I can't think of a more adorable sustenance-based social activity than bbq, can you? Neither can the founders and daring captains of Meat Week, which just started here in Austin. Meaning, it's not too late for you to saddle up.
Meat Week is like an endurance race of bbq. Dinner will simeltaneously be held at bbq restaurants all over the USA and world (see the entire list of participants here). On January 29, Meat Week Austin kicked off with a late lunch at City Market in Luling.
Local chapters are led by captains, who help steer the bbq pilgramages and culinary gatherings of internet-spawned social friendships based on common interests. There is an admiral, too.
After bbq has been had, voting will determine which place had the best sauce or vibe or wins hands down. But, only people who have attended and eaten for four or more nights have the right to vote.
Honors are bestowed on those that come to Meat Week, even if it was just once. You, the fans of meat. The ones that showed up to get down with some bbq. As stated in the Newcomer's Guide:
Photos are also taken and archived. The MEAT CAM 2000 has been assembled. I would imagine that costumes are not shunned but celebrated (take this advice at your own risk).
Do you want your vote to count for something? Or for best bbq? Show up with an appetite at least four times during Meat Week, eat bbq, then vote. Vote with all your heart, which I hope is perfectly healthy in spite of being such a meat lover.
Here is the schedule for Austin Meat Week.
And my headline refers to this news story in which a guy said a bomb was in a piece of meat. It wasn't. He just said there was.
![]() |
| Salt Lick Bbq, 2008 |
Local chapters are led by captains, who help steer the bbq pilgramages and culinary gatherings of internet-spawned social friendships based on common interests. There is an admiral, too.
After bbq has been had, voting will determine which place had the best sauce or vibe or wins hands down. But, only people who have attended and eaten for four or more nights have the right to vote.
Honors are bestowed on those that come to Meat Week, even if it was just once. You, the fans of meat. The ones that showed up to get down with some bbq. As stated in the Newcomer's Guide:
Meat Week Honors: Awards chosen by the leaders for those who have a special place in this year's Meat Week. These are usually different each year. Years past have included an award for the person who came every night or the one who had to walk the farthest to enjoy meat. Your best Meatographer might also receive an award. These are presented, along with the Best Ofs, on the last night.
Photos are also taken and archived. The MEAT CAM 2000 has been assembled. I would imagine that costumes are not shunned but celebrated (take this advice at your own risk).
Do you want your vote to count for something? Or for best bbq? Show up with an appetite at least four times during Meat Week, eat bbq, then vote. Vote with all your heart, which I hope is perfectly healthy in spite of being such a meat lover.
Here is the schedule for Austin Meat Week.
And my headline refers to this news story in which a guy said a bomb was in a piece of meat. It wasn't. He just said there was.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Kitchen Nightmares: The Taping at El Greco
To sum up: FOX's Kitchen Nightmares came to Austin to rescue El Greco, a family-owned Greek Taverna. The taping was in September; I sent an email, was screened, and deemed acceptable to appear for the "after" taping segment. On arrival, I was asked to sign a "blogger's" non-disclosure agreement (different from the NDA I was asked to print and sign and bring with me to the restaurant). The NDA asked that I not reveal anything about the taping of the show before it aired. It aired Friday, which means my dirty laundry airs NOW.
(Note: This was excepted from an email I wrote to friends right after the taping).
In person, Gordon Ramsay resembles a tall, handsome, thin, strong, wrinkly ginger Sultana.
So I didn't get the email confirmation until after ten pm the night before. Work dragged by, then me and Francis showed up a little early for our 5:50 reservation, just in time to walk around the corner and see a massive camera rig, several buses, and a huge crew of
weary-looking people who had probably been working long days all week at the tail end (I hope) of a record-setting Texas drought. The crew asked us if we were there for dinner, we said yes, then they asked us to back up because GR was making his entrance to the restaurant!! So we backed up - beep, beep, beep - and watched as the camera swung and GR walked - strode, even - purposefully across the street into the place: what a thrill. Just like he does on TV!
Then came some waiting. We went around the corner into a not uncharming parking garage and handed over our NDAs to the production staff. Basically, we agreed to let FOX use our likeness, not be paid, pay for our food, drink responsibly, not drink if we were under 21, turn off our cell phones, and not take pictures. Then we were photographed, and told to wait in a line.
It helps to remember the bizarro aspect of Austin of which people are so freaking cheeful about waiting in lines. Waiting is half or maybe more than half the fun of whatever the thing they are waiting in line to do. It isn't unpleasant, just a little Stepford Wife-y, but hey. Anything that makes standing around in a parking garage next to a porta-potty in over 100-degree heat more tolerable is fine with me. And yes Austinites, I do find your cheerfulness tolerable.
After a few sweat beads burst through our skin, a producer came up to me and asked if I could say how many readers my blog has. I was purposefully vague - and I never really check the stats. I said it varies and it can be thousands of page views for some stories, and hundreds a day, depending. I really don't know. He fished, "millions?" I doubt it. More like thousands.
We waited some more. I never closely checked the time during all of this, but there was a lot of waiting. Then another producer approached us and said that Gordon liked food bloggers (I know, he's done that schtick on the show before!), and that he may say "Delicious Austin" but not "dot com" and that I may be featured on the show. Woo hoo, sure - but there was also a dude in a wheelchair and a dude from the military an I think a Fox journo from the local channel here, so it's a long shot that me and my blog would be featured. I plotzed anyway. I puked and died. I was like, can there please be a shot of GR reading my blog and chuckling, "oh Alex, ha ha, you donkey." Or at least reading it and complaining, "Oh come on! You donkey!"
I had to sign a second NDA saying I wouldn't blog about the production aspects of the show - but can tell you guys!!
So we wait and wait - then finally get to make our filmed entrance. Twice. We had to go back because a car came down the road. The producer asked us to walk in a second time and said, "for posterity, guys?" The crew was so nice.
The place was lovely - open and airy, blue and white, with red tiled roofs over nooks in the space. Super cute, with round blue place mats and big, heavy white jugs of water on the table - very needed for the hot day.
After we waited to be seated, GR came over and shook my hand. He is fit! Tall. Francis made fun of me for being so excited.
There were about four camera guys working the room and a boom guy, all with weight belts
and heavy gear. There were three or more producers inside. And I saw a hidden camera focused on us, and a few more placed around the room. It's a small restaurant!
Then we were seated. Service was awkward, and even more so were the cameras, which came up to film every table, often. We were asked by producers to direct our conversation about the restaurant and the food when the cameras came around. This of course made me want to hold up a copy of that day's paper and talk about current events, but I did not.
The owner, a lovely lady with fantastic skin who could be in her 50s, could be in her 60s, seemed stressed-out, very overwhelmed. Her smile left her face as we were there - about two hours in all. She stressed out over changing tables for new parties, and I saw her hand two bottles of wine to a table so they could open it themselves! Whoops.
We did not hear GR yelling at anyone. I did see him supervise the line. I can't say that I even saw the chef working. I am sure he was there, but he made no impression on me. The producers kept asking us to wait saying that chef wanted to talk with us (GR or chef Jake? I have no idea), but we lingered long after our baklava was eaten and then just left. We did exit twice do the crew could get their shot - for posterity.
(Note: This was excepted from an email I wrote to friends right after the taping).
In person, Gordon Ramsay resembles a tall, handsome, thin, strong, wrinkly ginger Sultana.
So I didn't get the email confirmation until after ten pm the night before. Work dragged by, then me and Francis showed up a little early for our 5:50 reservation, just in time to walk around the corner and see a massive camera rig, several buses, and a huge crew of
weary-looking people who had probably been working long days all week at the tail end (I hope) of a record-setting Texas drought. The crew asked us if we were there for dinner, we said yes, then they asked us to back up because GR was making his entrance to the restaurant!! So we backed up - beep, beep, beep - and watched as the camera swung and GR walked - strode, even - purposefully across the street into the place: what a thrill. Just like he does on TV!
Then came some waiting. We went around the corner into a not uncharming parking garage and handed over our NDAs to the production staff. Basically, we agreed to let FOX use our likeness, not be paid, pay for our food, drink responsibly, not drink if we were under 21, turn off our cell phones, and not take pictures. Then we were photographed, and told to wait in a line.
It helps to remember the bizarro aspect of Austin of which people are so freaking cheeful about waiting in lines. Waiting is half or maybe more than half the fun of whatever the thing they are waiting in line to do. It isn't unpleasant, just a little Stepford Wife-y, but hey. Anything that makes standing around in a parking garage next to a porta-potty in over 100-degree heat more tolerable is fine with me. And yes Austinites, I do find your cheerfulness tolerable.
After a few sweat beads burst through our skin, a producer came up to me and asked if I could say how many readers my blog has. I was purposefully vague - and I never really check the stats. I said it varies and it can be thousands of page views for some stories, and hundreds a day, depending. I really don't know. He fished, "millions?" I doubt it. More like thousands.
We waited some more. I never closely checked the time during all of this, but there was a lot of waiting. Then another producer approached us and said that Gordon liked food bloggers (I know, he's done that schtick on the show before!), and that he may say "Delicious Austin" but not "dot com" and that I may be featured on the show. Woo hoo, sure - but there was also a dude in a wheelchair and a dude from the military an I think a Fox journo from the local channel here, so it's a long shot that me and my blog would be featured. I plotzed anyway. I puked and died. I was like, can there please be a shot of GR reading my blog and chuckling, "oh Alex, ha ha, you donkey." Or at least reading it and complaining, "Oh come on! You donkey!"
I had to sign a second NDA saying I wouldn't blog about the production aspects of the show - but can tell you guys!!
So we wait and wait - then finally get to make our filmed entrance. Twice. We had to go back because a car came down the road. The producer asked us to walk in a second time and said, "for posterity, guys?" The crew was so nice.
The place was lovely - open and airy, blue and white, with red tiled roofs over nooks in the space. Super cute, with round blue place mats and big, heavy white jugs of water on the table - very needed for the hot day.
After we waited to be seated, GR came over and shook my hand. He is fit! Tall. Francis made fun of me for being so excited.
There were about four camera guys working the room and a boom guy, all with weight belts
and heavy gear. There were three or more producers inside. And I saw a hidden camera focused on us, and a few more placed around the room. It's a small restaurant!
Then we were seated. Service was awkward, and even more so were the cameras, which came up to film every table, often. We were asked by producers to direct our conversation about the restaurant and the food when the cameras came around. This of course made me want to hold up a copy of that day's paper and talk about current events, but I did not.
The owner, a lovely lady with fantastic skin who could be in her 50s, could be in her 60s, seemed stressed-out, very overwhelmed. Her smile left her face as we were there - about two hours in all. She stressed out over changing tables for new parties, and I saw her hand two bottles of wine to a table so they could open it themselves! Whoops.
We did not hear GR yelling at anyone. I did see him supervise the line. I can't say that I even saw the chef working. I am sure he was there, but he made no impression on me. The producers kept asking us to wait saying that chef wanted to talk with us (GR or chef Jake? I have no idea), but we lingered long after our baklava was eaten and then just left. We did exit twice do the crew could get their shot - for posterity.
Yes, you may have briefly seen me on Kitchen Nightmares!

But only very briefly! I got as much screen time as shots of the 360 Bridge and South Congress. As Austin's El Greco had already bitten the dust before the air date, I'm glad that I can take no responsibility for their failure. Though if it's credit that matters, I'll take credit for closing down the place. In short: Fuck that guy. No amount of delicious tatziki or amazing grilled octopus means you can treat family like that.
The taping process was far better than watching the show. Watching the owner unable to resist his crippling case of the Fuckits and become barely able to work as his mother and aunt shoulder massive debt and do most of the prep, all while cursing the day of his birth and calling him a lazy donkey, is brutal stuff. It's a lot more pleasant to sit around for a while and wait for the food to appear, and to watch crews with huge cameras zoom around and try to get a good shot in a tiny restaurant. And I will post a blog about my taping experience later.
Please forgive me for not live-blogging my "appearance" on FOX's Kitchen Nightmares. I cut my cable a few months ago, and while I miss wasting hours of my life, I do love saving the money.
The El Greco ep aired this past Friday. You may be able to catch the episode on Youtube or Hulu; FOX holds their eps. By total chance, I went to a neighbor's house (I just yelled, "Hey, can I come over?") and they just happened to be watching the show - so I caught it live with full rewind benefits (viva DVR). So yay, neighbors!
First off, I am very glad to see that the reasons for El Greco's demise were not filth, nor vermin, nor rotten food. It was just a lazy owner who lost his motivation, and a family willing to carry him for about $800,000 worth of debt ( accrued in under three years) before caving in and calling Kitchen Nightmares. The food at El Greco was never bad, but diners didn't want to go back often enough for the place to be profitable. There are at least twenty restaurants within walking distance of El Greco that are just as good, and half the price. And diners can sense when someone has a case of the Fuckits. Chef: Own it. Take responsibility.
The funniest part was the chef that had no lines: Chef Mic. El Greco's poor line cooks seemed more demoralized than most, as most of their work was reheating food, not cooking it. In a microwave. Using plastic wrap over the dishes, which clung hotly on after "cooking" and wasn't removed til just before serving. Which is disgusting. This produced the flattest, most smashed piece of moussaka I've ever seen. Tragic. My lip curled at hearing Chef Jake defend his practice of using the microwave and saying it has no effect on the food. When he asked "What's not fresh about food made 24 hours ago?", I wished I knew the Greek word for donkey. Gordon pitching the microwave out of the parking garage was perfect - and hilarious.
El Greco came out swinging against KN online via food blogs almost as soon as taping stopped. Nasty, open-ended questions were posed all over the internet, including, "Did Gordon Ramsay ruin El Greco?" Gordon did not. El Greco was too far gone for him to do anything about it but smash some plates, shake hands, and walk away.
The abundance of post-taping vitriol makes El Greco's total radio silence from mid-December on even weirder. Since the show aired last week, comment's on El Greco's Facebook page range from forlorn customers asking if the place is still open (it isn't), to a user proudly saying a line cook once at El Greco is now doing well as a chef at his place (not sure where). Even the Statesman hasn't placed El Greco in their openings and closings file, probably because no one can get anyone from El Greco on the phone!
To sum up: The taping was fun. I was glad to meet Gordon Ramsay. But I don't think I ever want to be present for a taping of Kitchen Nightmares again!
PHOTO CREDIT: KITCHEN NIGHTMARES: Chef Gordon Ramsay (L) travels to Austin, TX, to help the owners and staff of El Greco Grill in an all-new episode of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES airing Friday, Jan. 13 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. ©2011 Fox Broadcasting Co. CR: Bill Matlock/FOX
YROTD: Glenn has no friends
Yelp said it, not me.
Glenn is, of course, Glenn Danzig, and while he still hasn't really lived down the Fun Fun Fun fest debacle, he has decided to rate businesses in his community by posting on Yelp. YROTD stands for "Yelp Review of the Day," and Glenn's are exactly that. They are of the day! But are they really...Glenn? Maybe. And should the Yelp profile stay up? I say yes.
While it is well-documented that Glenn lives in a million dollar home once owned by Lucielle Ball in L.A.'s posh Chevoit Hills section (with cats!), many of the reviews are of Austin spots. Which is weird, right? Glenn's name in Austin is practically still a dirty word. Or should I say, Glenn's brand is still tarnished from his well-documented bad behavior during Fun Fun Fun fest, and this could be exactly the thing that would make him welcome here again: Useful, funny, and cool reviews of places that offer karaoke nights and coffee drinks.
I first spotted Glenn's http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=NrGQYD8eANYn3JWsdzFJQg earlier today in Austin Yelp's Talk section. By day's end, the story broke on MetalSucks.net. MetalSucks suggests the profile will be gone soon due to Glenn's active pack of lawyers, but here's hoping it stays up as a tribute, and as a service to those who use Yelp. Glenn's reviews are being very well-rated as "useful," "funny" and/or "cool" by his fellow Yelpers, and that matters in the corporate sense; Yelp corporate loves five-star reviews, and most of Glenn's reviews are on the glowing side. Don't all those businesses deserve to have their positive, useful, funny, cool reviews stay up?
It is probably just a total coincidence that Glenn's Yelp profile lists the Austin rock club Red 7 as one of his favorite sites - second favorite, exactly.
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