Rock Your Taco at @AustinFoodWine

The Saturday night event was the Rock Your Taco Celebrity event.  Eight chefs made tacos for the masses, that were judged by a panel consisting of Gail Simmons, Andrew Zimmern, and FOOD & WINE Magazine publisher Christina Grdovic.  The Rock Your Taco Champion of 2012 was Uchiko Austin as chosen by the panel.  However, there were some other really tasty tacos.  It would have been difficult to chose a favorite!  I think for this post, pictures are worth 1000 words. 


We arrived on the scene to see Chef Rene Ortiz giving Chef Tim Love a helping hand with meat roasting. 

Chef Morimoto was one HARD working chef.  I barely saw him leave the station behind the tent during service. 

And here's the Morimoto taco. 

And another shot of the Morimoto taco. 

And Morimoto signed my badge.  *sigh*

Michelle Berstein's sweet bread tacos were quite tasty I must say. 

Marcus Samuelsson's curry tacos with pate was really flavorful and inspiring.  I'm thinking more about Indian/Middle Eastern and Mexican food fusion after this one.

Chef Sarah Grueneberg flambes her shrimp tacos with Ouzo! Those are indeed flames.  I did find the shrimp tacos to be intensely and wonderfully spicy.  I like things really, really spicy.

Here's the winning Uchiko taco. 

Marcus Samuelsson's taco on the left and Tim Love's taco on the right. 

Laura Sawicki's desserts.  I only ate three. 

Most awesome @Chef_Morimoto photo & Saturday demos at @AustinFoodWine Festival 2012

The first day time event of the Austin Food and Wine Festival started with possibly the most awesome photo ever.  I mean ever.  I must admit that I am little bit biased since I was photographed it.  Gifted with a media pass, I was able to get into the grand tasting earlier to spot Morimoto.  I started watching the Japanese Iron Chef somewhere in 1999 or 2000, and needless to say, I was a little in awe (kinda sorta, ya know). 

Morimoto is one of those magical legends of celebrity chefs, and he was doing a book signing.  As I waited for him to do his signing, the personality started to come through.  He gave me the Hook'em!  And then a double Hook'em!  See below.

If you want to know, I'll give you my six cents on how to prepare for the festival.

1. Wear comfortable shoes.  You'll be walking from where you parked to the festival, and all over the festival.  The terrain is quite sandy and dirty, so best be prepared by wearing shoes with traction.
2. Sunblock.  Sunblock.  Sunblock.  And sunblock.
3. Unless you have a VIP pass, it might be wise to wait until the last hour of the grand tasting.  During the VIP period, it was pretty tame.  However, during general admission, it could get a little squishy.  If you wait until after most of the crowd had eaten their fill, the tents started to clear out.
4. Neti-pot (with distilled or boiled water) when you get home.  It was quite dusty, and your sinus will thank you.
5. If you must wear a dress or a skirt, make sure it has some structure and substance so it doesn't get blow around.  The wind was causing some free peep shows.  
6. Arrive very early to the cooking demos.  The lines can start as far as an hour in advance. 

Here's some photos from the grand tasting.  It seems like pie is big this year, so do make sure you hit up all the pie vendors. We got to check in with our friends from Columbus Salame (San Fran, CA) pictured below along with many other Austin Favorites. 








 HEB had a really neat center piece of bamboo stalks. 


I was happy to see that Alaska Brewing was represented well.


Kitchen Aid put on a display that would make any baker wet his/her pants!

After eating a great deal of super tasty treats and drinks, I headed down to check out the Tyson Cole hands on demo.  I didn't get to participate, but I did get to take some photos. 

Chefs Tyson Cole and Paul Qui stop for a second to give us a smile. 

The hands on demo area.

Busy chefs preparing for the demonstration.

This guy made a hilarious face, and yes, he was having a great time. 

The final product from some of the attendees. 

More happy sushi students.

This woman did a great job with her display, and she seems quite pleased with herself. 

Taste of Texas @AustinFoodWine 2012

This year is different.  This year is the first year that FOOD & WINE and C3 are presenting what used to be the Hill Country Wine and Food Festival.  In addition to a different structure to the festival this year, there are some unfamiliar faces coming to play.  Thursday night kicked off with the Live Fire event by the Austin Food and Wine Alliance.  It was a pretty awesome event last year, complete with wildlife.  It was also the first time I had ever put the heavenly Franklin's barbeque in my mouth.  I was sad to miss it this year due to that day job, which happened to have evening hours this semester.  A big thanks to the festival for inviting me as a media guest, and a big thanks to KitchenaidUSA and Whirlpool for providing a pass for my photographer.

The first event of the Austin Food and Wine Festival was the Friday night Taste of Texas event.  Special guests chefs this years included:

• Tim Bryes (SMOKE, Dallas)
• David Bull (Congress, Second Bar + Kitchen, Austin)
• Jason Dady (Jason Dady Restaurants, San Antonio)
• Aaron Franklin (Franklin Barbecue, Austin)
• Bryce Gilmore (Barley Swine, Austin)
• Sarah Grueneberg (Top Chef Texas, Spiaggia, Chicago)
• Rene Ortiz (La Condesa, Napa, Austin)
• Monica Pope (T’afia, Houston)
• Paul Qui (Top Chef Texas, Uchiko, Austin)
• Philip Speer (Uchi/Uchiko, Austin)
• Laura Sawicki (La Condesa, Austin)
• Gabe Thompson (dell’anima, New York City)
• Andrew Weissman (Sandbar, Il Sogno Osteria, San Antonio)
• Nate Wales (La Condesa, Austin).

Just prior to the festival, Josh Ozersky had a Colonel Sanders and the American Dream book signing at Lucy's Fried Chicken. A big thanks to UT Press, Lucy's Fried Chicken and Austin Beer Works for the crunchy chicken afternoon. 

This was on one of the tables at the festival.  I thought it was pretty darn interesting. 

This festival also marked the anniversary of when I first had Franklin BBQ.  Happy Franklin BBQ Anniversary to me! 

As you can see, the Barbecue Jesus draws a line of disciplines where ever he goes. 

@TimBrynes brought an amazing show of three whole porkers.  This is just one of the babies. 

Here's Laura Sawicki's dessert.  That woman is a genius, and her pastry chef of the year honor is well deserved.  If you see her, give her a hug and eat her dessert!

@ChefSarahJayne Grueneberg brought mackerel on grilled pumpernickel toast with black almond tapenade.  Salty + crunchy = win!

And here's the lovely chef!

Here's Chef @MonicaPope and Chef Stephen Cash.  I loved her offering of mushroom dumplings!

And what's a wine festival without Devon Brogile (@dbrogues) of Whole Foods?  Nothing, I say. Nothing.

This was a really interesting and entertaining station.  Chef Gabe Thompson of @Lartusi cooks up pork belly on a griddle using bricks as a makeshift stove.  That's so Texas.  That's also so awesome!

Lunch at @FallCreekWines with @ChefJoshWatkins of @CarillonAustin

I must say that I am fortunate.  Fortunate and spoiled rotten that I have really awesome friends.  Chef Josh Watkins invited @Windaddict/ @HopSafari and I to spend the weekend at Fall Creek Vineyards.  I had already met Susan Auler of Fall Creek Vineyards many times before, but this was my first time visiting. 
The weekend included a wine pairing lunch on Saturday at noon, and you'll get to see some behind the scenes pictures. 


We arrived to rows and rows of grape vines.  The setting was absolutely gorgeous.  This was Texas Country.


Before dinner, Ed and Susan Auler took us on a trip on the Fall Creek Ranch.  This is Fall Creek Falls.  It was stunning and serene at the same time.  We stopped for some wine and smoked Alaskan salmon caught by Ed Auler on a trip to Alaska!


During our visit to this Native American meeting ground, Ed gave us the scoop.  There were many inhabited caves in this area as well as artifacts found.  The large upright rocks in the right of the photograph were considered religious landmarks.  Many of the artifacts found in this area were smooth boat stones.  They look like larger flat pieces of stone that were used as a mortar and pestle to for grinding.  You can see some of these artifacts in the Fall Creek Tasting Room. 


Dinner Friday night was prepared by the lovely Sarah Watkins.  She shared her secret cornbread treat with us.  A mixture of honey, truffle oil, porcini powder, and salt.  Mix together for a taste of heaven!


I also had to sample some cassia flower sorbet.  Just to make sure it was good enough for lunch. 


Chef Brad Turner steals a bite in the kitchen!


Smoky rosemary ribs, potato salad, and jalapeno cheese cornbread served with the amazing honey truffle and porcini sauce.  Thank you, Sarah for the fantastic meal!


The next morning began with even more fun.  Did I mention that the Watkins and Aulers are all sorts of fun?  Here's Josh playing peek-a-boo in the pea tendrils. 

On the menu are is sous vide veal set at 130 degrees.  Oh yes, oh yes!


Chefs Josh and Sarah sit down for a break after the salads were plated.




But right after, Josh is back in the kitchen slicing up the veal.  Mmm..... veal.


The salad was White Asparagus Salad, Manchego Cheese, wrapped with White Anchovies, Arugula, and
Minus 8 Vinegar served with Spicewood Vineyards 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Texas Hill Country, Estate.


 I didn't get many photos of the main course as we were plating like fools.  Food was flying out the door at about one plate ever second or so.  Whew! It was a bit crazy.  The main course was a Veal Tenderloin Sous Vide with Mesquite Smoked Syrup, Paprika Oil, and Fingerling Potato Puree served with Fall Creek Vineyards Tempranillo, Salt Lick Vineyards, Texas Hill Country, 2009.  The veal was amazingly tender and the potatoes were so buttery that you'd think Paul Deen was in the house.


Sarah and Josh start on the desserts.  Plieno actually made the desserts, but we plated and served them.  I could write something rated PG-13 about chocolate, but we'll keep what happens at Falls Creek, stays at Falls Creek. 


The dessert was Manjari Financier, Averna Mousse, Cherry Pudding, Espresso Ganache, Cassia Flower Sorbet, and Cocoa Nib Nougatine served with  Gotas de Oro, Texas, 2010.  It was, as usual, interesting in flavors, textures, and oh-so-yummy!


And because no lunch is complete without a good burping, here's a photo of Josh and baby Cash, post bottle burping.  A huge thanks to the Watkins and the Aulers for inviting us out for a fabulous weekend.