What a Chef does on her day off

I am pretty much jaded by food shows. I have been going to them since I was young and in Culinary School in Florida. After so many years, there just isn't enough "new" product out there to make me want to see 40 different ways to bread chicken fried steak and eat all day from one color group....shades of brown.

Yesterday however was the Southwest Food Expo and it is better than average.It only comes around every three years. I don't expect much and the day did not start off well, but I did find a few things I wanted to share.
First let me say, I love driving into downtown Dallas. I get excited coming over the last curve by the W Hotel and seeing the skyline spread out before me. It feels like the beginning of a fish out of water movie. You know the kind, where the country girl makes good in the big city!

Anyway,the food was ok. A few surprises, like truffle infused salt and Thai ginger salt...must have those. Also, Katz's was there with some really spicy tuna rolls with all kinds of caviar. They had huge fish on ice and were cutting it up in the booth! Pretty great for a food show. But I have to say that the biggest finds were in the alcohol section of the convention center called Cafe 21.


A few of my favorites were mostly Texas spirits. I spent some time talking with Mrs. Kelleher. She and her husband Gary make Dripping Springs Vodka. A truly great spirit with a sweet corn flavor that really imparts some nuance that you just can't find with traditional vodkas. I am not a huge fan of vodka cocktails. I think a great cocktail should showcase and enhance the flavor of the spirit, and most vodkas taste like nothing to me, so why am I drinking it? I usually stick to gin or rum, but this one tasted wonderful, subtle and substantial at the same time. Mrs. Kelleher also told me about Paula's Texas Spirits. Paula and her crew make some of the best lemoncello and orangecello out there. They have such a dedication to quality, all of their fruit is hand zested for the liqours!


She cited her favorite Sunday Brunch Drink for me...Texas Rio Ruby Grapefruit Juice, fresh squeezed of course, with Dripping Springs Vodka and a splash of Paula's Texas Orangecello! Where is my glass?

Another booth where I spent a good bit of time was Treaty Oak Platinum Rum. The owner was there to talk up his great product and to hand out quite a few samples... a couple for me! Wow, what a wonderful flavor, earthy and sweet on the nose, "like gingerbread" I said. That's when he told me that they use molasses for the alcohol base. Actually they use only local products, incorporating molasses from the last operating sugar mill in Texas.


I really hope to have some of these products at Hannah's soon, make sure to ask the next time you are in and tell me what you think!

Well after a trip through Cafe 21, I went round again to hit up some more of those tuna rolls, some more focaccia with olive oil and truffle salt, and a kobe burger with gorganzola from the Sysco booth. Not a bad day afterall.

Chef Sheena