Food-O-File
Hot, Hotter, Hottest, Hot Sauce!
By Virginia B. Wood, Fri., Aug. 28, 1998
Wine on My Mind
About 50 lucky wine lovers joined us at one of the Thursday wine tastings hosted by wine buyer April Lowe at Whole Foods Market-Gateway (Hwy 360 & Research, 345-5003). The featured wines were some excellent 1995 Chateauneuf-de-Pape vintages presented in an educational program by A. J. Hernandezof Ambiente Wine Importing (2314 Rutland, 835-2299). Hernandez shared photos that he'd taken in the vineyards of France's southern Rhone region and described the area's climate and geography as being somewhat like that of Central Texas. We keep hearing that Central Texas grape growers are being encouraged to plant Rhone grape varietals such as grenache, syrah, and mouvedre. If there is a chance that Texas vintners could create wines that approach the quality of the big red beauties from the southern Rhone, here's hoping those vines are already planted...
Speaking of Texas wines, the grapes were picked a little earlier this summer due to the drought conditions, but the harvest looks good, although the crop was somewhat small. Hot, dry conditions stress the vines, causing smaller clusters with more concentrated sugar. This could mean that 1998 will yield smaller quantities of very good wines...
The friendly folks at Becker Vineyards (off Hwy 290W on Jenschke Lane, 830/644-2681) are looking for grape stompers. Attend their third annual complimentary grape stomp August 29 and 30, and September 5 and 6...
Lisa Allen, executive director of the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association (TWGGA), was in Austin earlier this month to firm up plans for Texas Wine Month in October and to make arrangements for the TWGGA's annual meeting which will be held Halloween weekend at the Doubletree Inn (6505 N. I-35, 454-3737). The meeting will feature seminars, panels, tastings, and a Sunday fair atSpicewood Vineyards. Check the TWGGA Web site at more information...
Executive chefs David Garrido of Jeffrey's(1204 West Lynn, 477-5584) and Bruce Auden of Restaurant Biga in San Antonio will prepare a special menu to complement the fine wines at a German Estate Vintner's Dinner this evening at Jeffrey's. The price is $80; reservations are required.
Bocaditos
Since he left Zoot (509 Hearn, 477-6535) more than a year ago, folks have wondered when popular local chef Stewart Scruggs would be back on the range. The good news for Scruggs fans is that he's back! He will debut as the new chef at Brio Vista (9400 Arboretum Blvd., 342-2642) September 1...
Stan Adams and Fred Geesin — respectively the owner and chef of Gilligan's (407 Colorado, 474-7474) — recently spent some time in South Florida checking out the New World Cuisine scene in the Sunshine State. Geesin will return to Florida for a New World cooking seminar in the fall...
Richard and Peggy Sechrist of Homestead Healthy Foods announce that their Homestead Beef and Homestead Free Range Chickens are being produced at the very first organic ranch to be certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture. Homestead Healthy Foods can be found every Saturday at the Westbank Farmer's Market...
