Austin Foodie Bits ~ Food and Wine Events for the Week of October 21

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I‘ve been a bit of a continental traveler lately visiting both San Francisco for BlogHer Food and Las Vegas for BlogWorld. Both conferences were amazing but they’ve really limited my blogging time. Add in the hectic holiday and food seasons, and Foodie Bits has been a bit neglected. Happily I’m ensconced in town for the foreseeable future so my weekly event list is back. I am however going to change my posting schedule at least through the holidays to account for the way food events are flowing and for the very practical reason that my weekend are crazy busy. By posting later in the week I’ll be better able to bring you a more complete listing of the events around Austin. So, look for Foodie Bits on Thursdays for a while.

In the Spotlight

So many great events are happening this month that it was difficult to choose just a couple to spotlight, but for you, dear readers, I made the tough choices.

  • After some exciting regional semi-final action, the Chefs Under Fire competition is down to three final contenders for this year’s crown. Juan Rodriguez of Reata Restaurant, Erica Beneke of MAX’s Wine Dive, and Christina Lee of Central Market Cooking School will put their creative talents to work with a secret ingredient on Monday, October 25, at the beautiful AT&T Conference Center. Their work will be judged by three former Iron Chef America competitors: Chef David Bull, Chef Tyson Cole, and Chef Kent Rathbun. The $45 general admission ticket includes table seating during the judging, a meet and greet with the judges,and a taste of each dish. The $75 VIP ticket includes all of those benefits plus exclusive access to view the contestants during the competition. The tasty competition starts promoloy
  • It’s Texas Wine Month and I feel remiss in not having written about it sooner. For the whole month of October wineries, retailers, restaurants and communities across the state have been and will continue to host events celebrating the great work done by Texas winemakers. Find an event near you, pick up a Texas Winery Passport for a self-guided tour of wineries in our area, or simply ask for Texas wine the next time you dine at your favorite restaurant.

Be Spontaneous – This Week’s Events

  • October 22: Women and Wine Dinner –Fleming’s is celebrating = the work of 3 leading women winemakers as part of their celebration of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Enjoy three hand-crafted premium wines hand-selected by their Director of Wine along with a special three course dinner. $95/person. Fleming’s Downtown. Call 512.457.1500 to reserve.
  • October 22: Winemaker Dinner Series – Domaine de la Solitude – Join Jean and Francoise Lanson, Winemakers and Owners of Domaine de la Solitude known for their wines from the Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône appellations for a paired dinner featuring their favorite bottles. $45/person. Whole Foods Culinary Center. 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm. Reserve online.
  • October 22: Kocurek Family Oktoberfest Dinner – Local Charcuterie experts from the Kocurek family are ready to treat you to an amazing Oktoberfest Dinner featuring ingredients from local producers and benefiting the Sustainable Food Center. You’ll dine on confit of porkbelly and duck, hand-crafted buerwurst, knockwurst, and frankfurters, and more. BYOB. $80/person. Swoop House. 6:45 pm. Purchase tickets online.
  • October 22: Charity Bash benefiting the HOPE Market – Celebrate HOPE Market’s 1st birthday with a party benefiting them (along with charity:water and Glimmer of Hope). The open bar will feature drinks from Deep Eddy Vodka, Savvy Vodka, Pedernales Cellars Wine, and more. $30/person. Pine Street Station. 8:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
  • October 23: 20th Annual Fredericksburg Food and Wine Fest – The weather is glorious so how better to spend your Saturday than with a road trip to the Hill Country to enjoy Texas wine, food, music, and more. $20/person. 12:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
  • October 23: Brunch of the Living Dead – Watch a classic zombie movie and enjoy all-you-can-eat breakfast pizzas and $1 mimosas. Silly fun at its best. $25/person. 12:00 pm. Purchase tickets online.
  • October 23: Austin Cake Ball Class – Cake balls are all the craze and for good reason. They are the perfect party dessert and can have virtually endless flavor combinations. Learn how to make cake balls in your own kitchen from the foremost experts in town – the owners of Austin Bake Ball. $50/person. Whole Foods Culinary Center. 10:00 am – 12:00 pm. Reserve online.
  • October 24: Slow Food Austin Farm Tour at Richardson Farms – Richardson Farms meat is prized around Austin for by those seeking high-quality, sustainably raised products. Take a tour of their farm to find out more about how they run their operation and even order your Thanksgiving turkey. $20/person (redeemable for a selection of Richardson Farm meats). 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. RSVP to betsyl@slowfoodaustin.org.
  • October 24: Arthouse Reopening – Arthouse at the Jones Center, Austin’s premier contemporary art center, is celebrating its public reopening with a day of free festivities and food for all ages. Enjoy music, workshops, and food from local favorite members like Best Wurst, Chi-Lantro, and more. Congress between 7th and 8th Streets. 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
  • October 24-30: Austin Beer Week – The inaugural Austin Beer Week will celebrate all that’s wonderful about craft beer and the craft beer community in Austin. There will be dinners, beer and food tastings, happy hours, and more. Prices vary by event.
  • October 25: BAKE! Essential Techniques for Proper Baking – Baking is a science and Nick Malgieri wants to help you become a better scientist. You’ll learn his master recipes and leave with a copy of his book so you can continue your experiments at home. Enjoy tasty treats like sesame flatbreads, brown sugar pecan wafers, and ginger bars. $65/person. Central Market Cooking School. 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm. Reserve online.
  • October 24: Uchi Community Table – Enjoy some of Uchi’s best offerings in an intimate communal setting. Enjoy a five-course meal and the company of fellow food lovers. $45/person. Beverages and tips are extra. 6:45 pm. Call 512.916.4808 to reserve.
  • October 26: Texas Wine Tasting – Maggiano’s is celebrating Texas Wine Month with a tasting of wines from Messina Hof, Becker Estates, Llano Estacado, and Fall Creek. Executive Chef Matt Nicholson will prepare dishes with Texas flair to pair with the wines, including some items he will be grilling on the patio. Live music and local art will round out the experience. $40/person. Maggiano’s at the Domain. 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Call 512.501.7870 to reserve.
  • October 26: Free Frito Pie – Tillamook’s Loaf Love Tour is coming to Austin this weekend and they’ll be partnering with Jo’s Coffee on Congress to give away free Tillamook-topped Frito pie for an hour on Tuesday, October 26th. Get yourself down to Jo’s between 5:00 pm – and 6:00 pm. Also, keep your eye out for the Love Loaf buses around town for fee stuff and even take your picture with one to share on the Tillamook Facebook page.
  • October 27: Slow Taste of Italy Dinner – Chef Jason Donoho is creating a menu of four of his favorite recipes from the new Cooking with Italian Grandmothers by Jessica Therox and sharing it with the community. He’ll use local ingredients and 15% of the proceeds with benefit Slow Food Austin. This has all the makings of a fantastic event. $95/person or $165/couple. Optional wine pairings are $35/person. ASTI Trattoria. 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm. Call 512.451.1218 or reserve online.
  • October 27: Inglorious Bastards Live Oak Beer Fest – Great movie, great beer, and great food – what could be more fun? Enjoy this hysterical move along with great food like Nazi scallops, tomato-fennel tart tatin, and strudel all paired with selected Live Oak beers. $60/person. Alamo South Lamar. 7:00 pm. Buy tickets online.
  • October 27: Just Say Boo to Cancer Fundraiser – Take a stroll through the Twin Liquors Galleria Marketplace, enjoy beer, wine, and appetizers, all the while benefiting the American Cancer Society. The event is free, but for $10 you can purchase a raffle ticket to win fabulous prizes. Free, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

Plan Ahead – Events in the Next Three Weeks



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3 Comments

  1. Optimista / October 21, 2010

    Another great food event that didn’t make your list – the Green Corn Project fundraiser on Sunday at Boggy Creek Farm. $35 pp advance tickets, and there will be food from Bola Pizza, Wink, Olivia, FINO, Asti, Confituras, Thai Fresh, Blue Star, and more. http://www.greencornproject.org/2010-Fall-Festival

    • Natanya / October 21, 2010

      Thanks for the heads-up. This one wasn’t on my radar.

  2. Carla C. / October 22, 2010

    Wow, so many things going on. I’m stressed out just reading the list!