Austin Foodie Bits: Week of October 12

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Okay then, getting behind for one week of Austin Foodie Bits puts subsequent weeks in jeopardy. Yet another reason I want to find a more efficient way to manage this information. Along those lines, many thanks to everyone who took the time to share thoughts and comments about how to make Foodie Bits better. In the interests of time and making everyone aware of some really fantastic events coming up very soon, I’ve focused this edition on this week’s activities plus some really great food-related fundraisers that everyone should know about. Next week we’ll be back to the regular grind and I promise to publish on Monday.

With the changes in the weather, foodie fun is really picking up, so I expect you’ll find no shortage of interesting activities between now and the winter holidays. Austin’s diverse and locally-focused food is so well represented by these many events so I hope you’ll find your way to one or two.

Oh, and by the way, there’s this little matter of a football game in Dallas this weekend. All I can say is “Go ‘Horns!”

Be Spontaneous: This Week’s Events [10/12-18]

• [UPDATED] [DO GOOD] October 14: TRIO Pancake Dinner – The Four Season’s newest fundraising event will resurrect the popular “breakfast-for-dinner” concept with a Pancake Dinner at TRIO. The special menu will feature four different pancake options for the evening’s dinner, in addition to their regular a la carte menu. 50 percent of the proceeds from pancake sales will benefit Seton. For $15 for adults and $7.50 for children, this event is a fantastic deal. I’ll be there – will you? This is Life in Austin has a great write-up of the event, so if the words “pancake” and “TRIO” and “proceeds” aren’t enough to get you down to the Four Seasons, hope on over to their post for even more information.
• [DO GOOD] October 15: Austin Museum of Art’s La Dolce Vita – Did I mention that there’s an event this week benefiting AMOA? I gave away two tickets to the event but you can still get your own at any Twin Liquors location. For the cost of a nice dinner with wine at any single Austin restaurant, you can sample food from over 50 restaurants along with a bevy of great wines, all the while supporting the arts in Austin. I’ll be there – I hope to see you. $100/ticket. 6pm – 9pm. Laguna Gloria.
• [NEW] October 16-17: St. Elias Mediterranean Festival – Mediterranean food, music, and dancing – what more fun could there be. Take a couple of hours out of your weekend to stop by the 77^th annual edition of this popular festival to sample tasty food and wine, shop in the marketplace, and even dance a jig or two, all for the amazingly low price of $5 donation. You have no excuse not to go (unless you’re in Dallas cheering on the ‘Horns). 6pm – 12am. Purchase tickets at any Twin Liquors.
• [NEW] October 17: Book Signing and Chef’s Demo at the Austin Farmer’s Market – This weekend promises to be a beautiful one, so why not head out to the farmer’s market to browse seasonal offerings from our local farmers. While you’re there, you can meet Pamela Walker, author of Growing Good Things to Eat in Texas and enjoy a Chefs’ Demo by Jam Sanitchat of Thai Fresh. I can’t think of a better way to kick-start your weekend.
• October 17: Dai Due Venison Workshop – Deer hunting is a popular past time here in Central Texas, yet many hunters turn to a deer processor when it’s time to turn their prize into dinner. This workshop will show you how to process the entire deer and utilize every single bit of it with no waste. Co-taught by “…Tink Pinkard, a professional hunting guide and bona fide East Texas good ol’ boy that knows his way around firearms and food..” it promises to be not only educational but fun. $225 which includes dinner at the Venison Feast on Sunday at Montesino Farm in Wimberley. 2 pm – 6 pm. E-mail info@daidueaustin.com to reserve.
• [NEW] October 17: A Taste of Tuscany Dinner with the Winemaker – If you’re looking for a way to feed your stomach and your mind this Saturday evening, treat yourself to a winemaker’s dinner at Twin Liquors. Giovanella Stianti Mascheroni, proprieter of Castello di Volpaia and one of Tuscany’s leaders in organic viticulture, will share her wines. The accompanying Tuscan-inspired menu is sure to be tasty and you’ll learn something new along the way. 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Marketplace at Hancock Center Wine Room. $50 per person, $85 for two. Purchase tickets online.
• [NEW] October 17: Cuban Pig Roast – Its pig roastin’ time at Rain Lilly Farm, a great activity for a fall evening in Central Texas. You’ll dine on a Full Quiver hog and seasonal sides from the farm. This event is BYOB, so you can pair your favorite beer or wine with the pig. 6 pm – 10:00 pm. $35 per person. E-mail info@farmhousedelivery.com or call 512. 529.8569 for reservations.
• [NEW] October 18: Alton Brown Book Signing – Alton Brown is coming to town to sign copies of his latest book, Good Eats: The Early Years. Pickup a book at Book People and he’ll even personalize it for you. There are some specifics about wristbands on the Book People site, so be sure to read those before you head on down to get your book and meet Alton. I’ll be coming back from Dallas (sniff) so I’ll miss the event, but if you go, tell him I said hi!

Eat Well, Do Good

• [NEW] October 21: Cupcake and Wine Paring to Benefit Komen Austin – The folks from House Wine are at it again. They are pairing cupcakes and wine (you read that right) and this time proceeds from the event will benefit Komen Austin. There are more details to come, but for now, set aside a mere $13 and mark your calendar for 6pm on the 21^st for this most tasty and worthy activity. Stop by on your way to the Slow Food Austin fundraiser or the Film & Food event. What a great way to start your evening.
• October 21: Slow Food Austin Fund Raiser – Slow Food Austin is hosting their first fund raiser and it promises to be a fun and tasty event. Learn all about raw milk cheeses from Whole Foods’ Global Cheese Buyer Cathy Strange. You’ll get to taste complimentary beers from Austin’s (512) Brewery and honey from Round Rock Honey. The lovely Barr Mansion is hosting the event, so it will be a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds. For only $50 ($40 for members) you’ll learn a lot, taste some great food, and support an important cause. 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm.
• October 21: 7^th Annual Film & Food – The Austin Film Festival is hosting its yearly fundraiser in support of the Young Filmmakers Program designed to help kids ages 9-18 explore creativity and build literacy skills via filmmaking and screenwriting. A host of local restaurants including the Blemont, Eddie V’s, Jezebel, Roaring Fork, and Ranch 616 will provide great food while attendees enjoy music and bid on items in a silent auction. The Driskill is a beautiful venue and the cause is a great one, so get out your fancy clothes and come out for a fun and tasty evening. $85. 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm.
• [NEW] October 24: Slow Feast in the Field – Green Gate Farms will host its third annual Slow Feast in the Field celebrating local, naturally grown, freshly harvested food to benefit the Austin Discovery School (ADS). This magical evening will feature a progressive five-course gourmet meal served outdoors at the historic Bergstrom homestead. You’ll dine on seasonal fare surrounded by fields of produce. The menu will feature heirloom vegetables and Duroc/Berkshire pork raised at the farm and prepared by Chef Jesse Bloom of Ecstatic Cuisine. This is yet another opportunity to sample the best that Austin has to offer while supporting a really great local group. 7 pm – 10 pm. $100 per person. Purchase tickets online.