Posted on October 21, 2009 at 1:14 p.m.

I think Gubbeen's nuttiness is less than advertised.

On Molto Formaggio cheese shop in Dallas just got best cheese ever known to mankind

Posted on October 14, 2009 at 11:35 a.m.

Wouldn't the folks at Orange Cup have a problem with their landlord bringing in another froyo shop? Where will Red Mango be located in the mall?

On First Red Mango in Dallas area to open at NorthPark Center on October 19

Posted on October 12, 2009 at 7:57 p.m.

I imagine being a well-known chef opens some doors, Worzel. I'm more impressed at the feat of eating at all of Spain's six three-star and however many two-star restaurants (8-10?). Seems like that would be a solid three weeks of eating (unless he was stacking lunches and dinners), plus a heck of a lot of driving. If that's what he did, it's best not to tell people, just to avoid jealous backlash.

On Official press release announcing opening of Samar by Stephan Pyles in Dallas

Posted on September 28, 2009 at 3:26 p.m.

I'm not so sure about that, Worzel. Most cuisines have arisen against a backdrop of limited ingredients--often outright scarcity. To me, at least, what makes food interesting--beyond how it tastes--is its relationship to a tradition or way of life. Cooks in Dallas have more ingredients available to them than at any time in the city's history, yet--outside occasional pockets of authenticity--a lot of the cooking feels hollow and generic, disconnected from the place and who we are as a people.

On Dallas locavores emphasize importance of buying local food

Posted on September 11, 2009 at 11:43 a.m.

BerryBerry uses Italian-made Carpigiani machines, while almost all other local froyo chops use American-made Taylor machines.

On Dallas frozen yogurt meltdown: BerryBerry in Addison

Posted on August 31, 2009 at 9:55 a.m.

Is the jackfruit sorbet available at any of Paciugo's stores?

On UPDATEDX2: JW Foster, chef at Pyramid at Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, wins Caesar salad-off

Posted on August 26, 2009 at 10:41 a.m.

Someone on the Belo Eats Blog commented:

"The barbecue pit was made by A.N. Bewley Fabricators (here in Dallas, near Fair Park). The sole heat source is a wood burning firebox, but temperature is controlled by an electronic thermostat, so the operators can 'set it and forget it' (though not as much as they could with, say, a Southern Pride smoker). They'll have to tell you what they're using for the cold smoking, since that smoker isn't visible from the window into the kitchen. It's probably a Southern Pride, Cookshack, or similar. (If it's big enough, there may be a temptation to cook the barbecue there, then 'finish' it in the Bewley.)"

On Sneak preview of Smoke, BBQ restaurant coming soon to Belmont Hotel in Dallas

Posted on August 25, 2009 at 1:01 p.m.

Any word on what kind of smoker they're using for the barbecue?

On Sneak preview of Smoke, BBQ restaurant coming soon to Belmont Hotel in Dallas

Posted on August 14, 2009 at 11:14 a.m.

You may be right, Twinwillow, though I've seen some people take to his chocolate right away.

MariaW, I think we're likely to talk past each other. Pressing of cacao mass (or liquor) to separate cocoa powder from cocoa butter is "processing." It's historically tied to the movement of chocolate production from individual artisans to industrialization and mass-production. It adds nothing to the quality of a chocolate bar, which is why you'll find "cocoa beans," "cocoa mass," or "cocoa liquor" on the ingredient lists of the world's best chocolates--not "cocoa powder." Additionally, many ways of extracting cocoa butter from cocoa powder either use chemicals or use too much heat to qualify the output as "raw."

Without knowing who the maker of the cocoa powder is, you're missing out on important information--about quality, processing methods, environmental impact, economic fairness to the growers, and sourcing concerns (if you're worried about child labor and slavery and such). Radical Health in Austin is not making chocolate or processing cocoa powder. They're buying it from someone and reselling it. Unless they're transparent about who the maker is, all you can do is decide whether to trust them or not.

You say "there's no sucrose, glucose, fructose, sugar, dairy, soy, lecithin or fillers." First, how can anyone know that, if complete and accurate ingredient lists aren't provided? Lack of detailed information--especially when coupled with unsupported health claims--raises red flags for me.

Secondly, I believe you're wrong. "Amy's Passion" contains agave nectar, which is composed almost entirely of fructose and glucose--the same combination of sugars that makes up the dreaded high fructose corn syrup that appears in nearly every processed food in America. And I know of no serious student or connoisseur of chocolate who would consider "raw carob powder" and "mesquite meal" as anything other fillers, contaminants, or adulterants in a chocolate bar. (Depending on the specific composition of "Amy's Passion," which we don't know because the information isn't provided, it may even violate FDA rules to call it "chocolate.")

Like I said, though, I believe we're likely to talk past each other. If you like the taste of Amy's Raw Chocolates, feel that they're having some beneficial effect on your body that you couldn't get from less complicated foodstuffs (e.g., blueberries, quality dark chocolate, cauliflower, etc.), don't mind the price, have no worries about the lack of detailed ingredient and nutritional information, and have implicit trust that whoever's supplying the guy she's buying her chocolate from is staying "raw," ethical, and organic (without even knowing which company it is), then more power to you. I'll stick with "cacao beans, sugar" from reputable, known chocolate makers--natural, great-tasting, ethical, as "local" as chocolate can be, and entirely guilt-free.

On Amy's Raw Chocolates bringing healthy chocolate to Dallas

Posted on August 13, 2009 at 12:49 p.m.

Twinwillow,

Today, it's DeVries Costa Rican 77%. (The ingredient list will be the same for his Costa Rican 80% and 84%, also, though the proportion of cacao mass to sugar will vary, as will the conching time.) Yesterday, it was Patric Madagascar 75%. (His 70% has the same ingredient list. His 67% has a little added cocoa butter, of his own pressing.) Domori (Criollo line), Theo, and others also have chocolates with similarly simple ingredient lists. (Pacari, mentioned above, has a raw 100% bar where the only ingredient is "cocoa beans.")

There are also plenty of fine, premium chocolates with a little added cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and/or vanilla. None of those additions significantly impact the nutritional picture (though anyone who's highly allergic to soy might have problems with a chocolate including lecithin).

On Amy's Raw Chocolates bringing healthy chocolate to Dallas