Food Find: Allegro Coffee

Ever searching (bleary-eyed, in need of stimulation) for the perfect cup of joe, I'll often deviate from my usual brand and give something new a twirl.  I admit I'm a fickle little thing when it comes to coffee, and my allegiance will stray for a good sale or a pretty new foil sack.  Last week, however, I happened upon Allegro Coffee at Whole Foods and I may never stray again.

Allegro is full-flavored and offers a spectrum of roasts from light and lively to dark and mysterious.  I'm currently sipping a cup of the Colombian La Cacica.  Last week it was the Organic Whole Foods special blend.  The price is right (WF blend was 9.99 for 12 oz. and this Colombian was on sale for $8.99) - in fact, it's in line with what I normally pay for a markedly less socially-conscious cup.  You see, Allegro is all about sustainability and social responsibility.  I can have my brew and feel good about it, too!

Check out the company's website for more info.  Available at Whole Foods, and there's a coupon in this weeks' flyer at the register, so you can try it for $1 off the already reasonable price.  Buzz on, my friends!

www.allegrocoffee.com

VeVe 180

After a visit to VeVe last night, the difficult decision was made to amend our previous post.

Contrary to glowing reports of amazing food, sexy lighting and live music at this Lakewood spot, the food and atmosphere on our visit were just "okay" (no need to be persnickety and particular in this instance - we'll just leave it at that), and a visit from the chef confirmed our assumption that someone else must now be doing the cooking back in the kitchen.  It was not the chef that my friend had met when he fell in love with VeVe some weeks ago, the chef that had dazzled him with delicious, masterfully prepared Latin dishes.  This was a different fellow, one who fed us adequately but failed to impress.

This change in kitchen talent, combined with several other minor but cumulatively significant glitches in our experience last night, were enough to warrant this post today. 

Sigh.  In the immortal words of Bad Santa, "They can't all be winners, kid."

C&S

Why I Love Andrea Immer

Master Sommelier Andrea Immer is my go-to guru in the world of wine.  

Why?  Well, you'd be hard-pressed to find an expert with more qualifications.  She earned the title of Master Sommelier (at the age of 30, I believe), was named Best Sommelier in America, she served as Wine and Spirits Consultant to Windows on the World, and hosts her own television program on Fine Living Network, to name a few.

But those prestigious accomplishments aren't what I love most about Andrea (yeah, we're on a first name basis...at least in my head).  What keeps me coming back to her book, Great Wine Made Simple, time and again, is the fact that she's just so damn down to earth.  She is all about de-mystifying wine and her positive, upbeat approach makes the process a joy from beginning to end.

I'm reading through GWMS again right now, and one passage struck me as particularly genius.  If you've ever been intimidated by wine, especially in the context of - "Why do I love my $10 brand so much more than this $50 bottle?  Do I have cheap taste?!" - keep this advice in mind:

"Quality is in the eye of the beholder, or at least the sensory aspect of it.  You may recognize and respect the quality components and workmanship in a car or a home or a pair of shoes, but they may not be to your taste.  Similarly, it isn't worth paying extra for a quality wine if it's not your style."

What a brilliant thought!  As soon as I started to view wine (and evaluate and appreciate it) in the same way I would a new pair of shoes or a piece of furniture, it was an "a-ha" moment.  Many of the same standards of craftsmanship and commerce, as well as the experience of the maker, apply to wine as they would other goods.

Try this one on for size:

"Quality spans the price spectrum, from bargain to mega-bucks bottlings.  For everyday-priced wines, say in the $10 neighborhood, quality means a notably tasty wine that consistently stands out against similar-priced wines."

This bit of advice is also a gem.  Think of it in terms of your favorite neighborhood restaurant - the food, lovingly hand-crafted and served with care, may be the best of its kind in the city.  The prices are lower than the fancier place up the road, but not because the quality is inferior.  Perhaps the rent in the less-tony part of town is more affordable, or the menus were printed on laser paper instead of card stock.  You get the idea.  Many factors are at work to determine the price of wine, and in so many cases a wonderful bottle can be had for a song. 

That's all for today.  For more of Andrea's awesome advice, check out Pairings with Andrea on Fine Living, or pick up a copy of Great Wine Made Simple.  Enjoy them both with a great glass of wine!

Save this Restaurant!

While I don't normally post on things of this nature, I felt I'd make a special exception today...

I met up with a friend last night, and he was overflowing with wonderful things to say about VeVe on Live Oak in the Lakewood area - the food, he gushed, was beyond wonderful (some of the best Mexican he'd ever had), and the service was impeccable.  This small family-owned restaurant, according to my friend, is one of the best food-finds in recent memory.  And this fellow, a restaurant-insider, should know!

A look at the website revealed charming decor and menu items that left my mouth watering even more than it did last night when he described a silky mole sauce that he "wanted to eat like soup with a spoon".

Unfortunately, my friend also mentioned that his new neighborhood fave might be struggling since it opened a few months ago, perhaps due to summer vacations, and a lack of advertising budget (so common when it comes to a business of the heart, opened on a shoestring).  He urged me to go, and to spread the word about VeVe, not wanting to see another great restaurant go by the wayside.

So, there you go, blog fans - I'll be visiting VeVe soon, and maybe you can too.  I'll post my thoughts here on DallasEats...

For more info:  www.veverestaurant.com

Next Food Network Star Offers Consolation Prize!

Was anyone else as disappointed as DallasEats in this season's unpalatable Next Food Network Star competition?  Week after week, the judges seemed to shove most of their good sense and judgement down the In-Sink-Erator, and contestants didn't fare much better, what with all the undercooked food, poor camera delivery and downright shoddy chefsmanship on display.

Still in all, we agreed with the Final Three, and hung in there to the bitter end - we're no quitters! Our loyalty was rewarded, however, with the inexplicable decision to give the title, braggin' rights and brand new show to Aaron McCargo, Jr., despite his less-than-stellar performance in the last challenge.  We love Aaron, and that man can cook, but as far as "total package", he just didn't have the on-camera chops to justify the judges' decision.  The fact that the Food Network's website leaked the winner days in advance also took much of the fun out of the game for viewers.

In our not-so-humble opinion, the true show-stopper in the final challenge was Adam Gertler.  His humorous, effortlessly educational mini-show was our fave, and he had camera presence and then some compared to his two somewhat stiff, often stumbling competitors.  We're suckers for a lovable goofball.  Thus, you can imagine our delight today upon learning that the Food Network will be giving Adam his own show as well.  Titled "Will Work for Food", the show will have Mr. Gertler exploring the world of culinary employment through a variety of food-related jobs.  Sounds like fun! (Also sounds like a refreshing concept.)

On a related note, the debut of Aaron's show "Big Daddy's House" yesterday rated a solid "good".  The dishes were deliciously unique (a Roasted Pork, Provolone and Broccoli Rabe Panini really got the mouth watering), but the host's discomfort on camera was still apparent.  His delivery was bumpy at times, and the rapid-fire cuts of the program were a sure-fire tip-off that multiple boo-boo's had to be edited out.

The final loose end is Lisa Garza, our hometown girl from the Final Three.  Apparently, there was only one runner-up prize to be had - no new show announcements as yet for sassy, stylish Lisa.  Perhaps it's just as well that she stay here in Big D, hosting packed crowds at her restaurant Suze, which will inevitably see a boom in business in the wake of her newfound fame.