The Oklahoman’s Food Editor Dave Cathey

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Quesadillas: The Mexican Grilled Cheese

 

We’ll fulfill this month’s taco recipe and honor April’s designation as National Grilled Cheese Month simultaneously by sharing a recipe for quesadillas.

Quesadillas are merely grilled or griddled cheese tacos. Start with good flour tortillas, then add a nice melting cheese or two or three and you’ve got the foundation. For this recipe, I’ve prepared a sweet and spicy bacon filling, featuring agave nectar and Salsa Ahumada, chipotle-based sauce with a smoky finish.

To amp it up, serve them with a good salsa, guacamole and sour cream.

If bacon doesn’t fit your palate but you want to introduce a protein, thin slices of grilled chicken, beef or pork work great. Avoid ground meats as they tend to make for a soggy quesadilla.

Killer Quesadillas

Ingredients

• 4 10-inch flour tortillas
• 1 cup grated queso quesadilla or blend with Monterrey Jack, cheddar or asadero.
• 4 teaspoons butter
• 8 ounces Chipotle-Agave Bacon filling (recipe below)
• Salsa Ahumada (recipe below)

Directions

Heat skillet or griddle to medium.

1. Making one at a time, melt butter then add tortilla. Immediately add a few pinches of cheese then optional proteins.
2. Using a spatula, fold the quesadilla into a taco shape and press.
3. Cook until quesadilla is golden brown.

Sweet and Spicy Agave Bacon Filling

Ingredients

• 6 slices hickory-smoked bacon
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Chile de Arbol powder
• 2 tablespoons Pure agave nectar

Directions

1. Fry bacon to desired crispness, drain and cool.
2. Chop bacon and mix with remaining ingredients

Salsa Ahumada

• 1 28 ounce can Fire-Roasted organic tomatoes
• Half a small to medium white onion
• 3 to 4 cloves unpeeled garlic cloves
• 2 to 4 chipotles in adobo

Directions

1. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle to medium high.
2. Place tomatoes and chipotles in food processor and pulse 3 or 4 times to break up chipotles.
3. Place onion half on griddle, flat side down along with garlic cloves.  Cover with the lid from another pot or pan. Roast 2 to 3 minutes until onion and garlic begin to blacken.
4. Using tongs, flip to unblackened sides and repeat.
5. Once the garlic and onion have attained some color and all sides and is fragrant, remove from heat.
6. Peel garlic cloves and add to food processor. Pulse mixture 5 to 6 times to blend garlic thoroughly.
7. Roughly slice the onion and add to food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times for chunky consistency.

Source: Dave Cathey

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Red Cup’s Veggie Love Runneth Over

When it comes to dining out in Oklahoma City, vegetarians are treated like second-class citizens. While the best places do have options for people like my wife Lori, who has been a vegetarian since the 1990s, often the choices are the same: grilled cheese, salad, pasta or a special order from the diner’s own imagination.

Not so at The Red Cup Coffeehouse, 3122 N Classen.

What opened as a typical 90s coffeehouse that offered cups of joe in various states of froth with the occasional baked good is now one of Oklahoma City’s most agressively vegetarian cafes.

We’re not talking 105degrees Cafe, but certainly a place that would’ve pleased the beatniks of the 50s who turned into health nuts by the 70s.
The restaurant only carries one nonVegetarian dish these days, a turkey sandwich that’s just too popular to take of the menu.
Meanwhile, they feature daily vegetarian specials, a frito pie without meat, two kinds of grilled cheese, meatless nachos, and a housemade veggie burger. And did I mention the peanut butter, banana and honey sandwich. The thoughts that puts in my mind are practically pornographic.

Yes, the Red Cup still offers coffee, and a lot of it. They also offer some of the best smoothies in town, and a nice selections of tea.
The beatnik atmosphere is alive and well. The cast of characters might seem familiar because it is. I’m pretty sure the dude with the salt and pepper beard, spilling Cafe Au Lait on his beat-down backpack has been sitting on the porch since the summer I first heard “Semi-Charmed Life.” And that’s part of what I love about the Red Cup.
Have you been to The Red Cup? Let me know what you thought.

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Cafe Nova Looking for Love

Cafe Nova opened in 2005 with an unfair advantage over other restaurants on the Western Corridor. It had sex appeal.
Namely, John Paul Merritt, one of Nova’s original partners, was hot off his appearance on ABC’s massively popular “The Bachelorette.”

While I can’t explain why anyone could ever buy into the reality of that reality show, John Paul finished second for the hand of Jenn Schefft. His made-for-TV heartbreak made him, for a short time, America’s most sought-after bachelor.

Paraphrasing the great fictional character Howard Beale said it best: “We’ll believe any crap we see on the tube.”
While John-Paul’s celebrity might’ve been no more substantive than any of the other traveling troupe of acrobats, storytellers, dancers, singers, jugglers, side-show freaks, lion tamers, and football players that than celebrity mad prophet of the airwaves Howard Beale propped up the boredom-killing business, it certainly was a boon for a new restaurant.

At least for eight months.

When stories of financial woe surfaced, America’s love affair with John-Paul went on the rocks. Adoration quickly turned into abhorrence. Whether he deserved such a switch shift in reputation is the subject for somone besides me. All I personally know about Merritt is that he was a pretty good basketball player in high school. I never watched ”The Bachelorette” so his attachment to Cafe Nova meant zero to me. What I do know is that when his popularity waned, the thin line between love and hate was crossed by the masses, and the restaurant got a caught in the crossfire. Merritt sold out to his partners and has now returned to the masses he escaped, if only for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, as far as I know, Merritt never cooked so much as a single French fry at Cafe Nova.

Fast forward to 2010, breezing over the regime of chefs Ryan Parrott and Vince Howard to name a couple, and the restaurant is still struggling to find its way back into prominence.

Veteran chef John Gatewood and engenue Rachel Cope are fighting the good fight to keep the restaurant that boasts one of the city’s most beautiful spaces relevant.

Don’t worry, The Deep Fork Restaurant Group isn’t on the verge of shuttering the place; it’s still one of the most popular upscale night spots along the Western corridor. But the culinary team would like to keep the place from digressing into a watering hole.

And I would, too.  Have lunch in Cafe Nova some time, and you’ll understand why. Whether the food was any good or not, the atmosphere is artful and relaxing. Soft white light pours through the frosted glass and massive sky light illuminates the brick walls adorned with colorful, modern art. Then there’s the patio, which seems  for brunch some Sunday this spring.

Lunch service includes a gourmet preparations of familiar dishes under Gatewood’s guiding hand. Entrees are served with a side and drink for ten bucks. Now that 10 bucks is the new 5 bucks for lunch, this is easily one of the best lunch-hour values in the city.
When I was in during my recent grilled cheese hunt, I started out with a delicious cup of tomato bisque, which hinted at sweetness but stopped short just in time.

The grilled cheese came with a bowl of artfully sliced and presented fresh fruit, hand-cut fries. Simple, clean and delicious. The grilled cheese was sumptuous. Seriously. The brioche toast was crisp in the right places and buttery along the palate, opening it up to accept the cheese combination fully. Add a mandolin-sliced, house-made dill pickle slice and it’s a lunch you’ll promise to treat yourself to again. Soon.

For dessert, Gatewood presented a mango sorbet with strawberry slices, drizzlied with a sweet red wine reduction. Stuffed as I was, it was impossible to keep my spoon out of it and my spoon out of my mouth.

While the grilled cheese was expertly presented, I was sorry not to try the grilled ahi tuna special that day. And I’m anxious to go back and try other dishes from the seasonal menu like Black Angus Sliders, Shrimp and Grits, Fish Tacos, Fruitti di Mare, Truffled Gnocchi or Ricotta Ravioli. It’s approachable, affordable food in a beautiful atmosphere. You can’t convince me that’s not something that benefits our dining landscape.

I can’t vouch for dinner service, but I can promise you I will venture there soon. When I do, I’ll let you know. Have you been to Cafe Nova lately? Let me know what you thought?

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Western Concepts Strikes Again with The Tasting Room

Last year, restaurateur Carl Milam forged a partnership with chef Kurt Fleischfresser, of the Coach House, fortifying the reputation of the already rock-solid Western Concepts Restaurant Group. Fleischfresser began his consulting for Western Concepts a few years ago and included the addition of the Fire Room at Musashi’s and the addition of David Henry, fresh from his Coach House apprenticeship, to The Lobby Bar. In the year-plus Fleischfresser and Milam have been official partners, major improvements to the Will Rogers Theatre space have been made, but now Western Concepts has unveiled its largest project since the merger.

Tacked onto the southern flank of the Will Rogers Theatre, is a chic new space called The Tasting Room, which will serve multiple purposes.
One of those purposes is as a private dining or party space. Designed for partys of 10 to 125, it gives Western Concepts a smaller, more exclusive alternative to Will Rogers for special events. Milam said it can also serve as a premium space for coordinators interested in offering VIP options to there large events.

The Tasting Room can be an elegant banquet facility for seated dinners of up to 60 people, 65 including the patio. Chef’s Table dinners for up to 20 can be arranged as can hors d’ oeuvres receptions for up to 125, plus 10 on the patio.

Chef Fleischfresser said he plans to hold cooking classes at least once a month. The Tasting room can accommodate up to 42 students. It can also be booked for presentations, filming instructional videos and outside cooking classes.

The new concept boasts state of the art technical components like high-definition, remote-controlled cameras that allow chefs to focus on specific spots during demonstrations. The camera can also be use to record a recipe preparation or product demonstration. The camera feeds into a 60-inch monitor above the kitchen, another in the entryway and also over the bar at The Lobby Bar. A geothermal heat and air system has been installed to keep the area comfortable, while conserving energy.

The architect for the Tasting Room was Chris White with construction carried out by Jacobs Contracting. Lighting was by Triple C with sound design by H.E.S.I. Chef Fleischfresser designed the kitchen with help from Architectural Antiques. The gallery art on display is by Michael Wimmer. The chef of The Tasting Room is David Henry under the management of Scott Stuckey and David Hung.

To book an event, call 604-3015 or go online to www.thetastingroomokc.com

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The Big Kahuna’s Family Tree

I started calling chef Kurt Fleischfresser the Big Kahuna after talking to other people. The truth is, he doesn’t talk himself up much. Don’t get me wrong, this is a man who knows what he’s built. This wasn’t accidental. If his plan to evolve Oklahoma into a culinary destination is to take root, many seeds have to be planted. And they have.

The Kahuna has around 30 graduates to date and countless others whom he’s affected and continues to effect daily. Here’s a list of names I was able to scrounge up with some of the places his graduates work or have worked. If I missed anyone, leave a comment.

Mark Acheson — Portobello Ristorante, Oak Tree Golf and Country Club, Bricktown Brewery, Fish City Grill.

Dustin Crenshaw —Iguana Lounge, TerraLuna Grille, 501 Cafe, Oak Tree Golf and Country Club, Varsity Sports Grill, Bricktown Brewery, We’re Stronger Together Buying Group, Jakin and Boaz Restaurant Development Group.

Jeffrey Sipple —Stonepine Estate (Carmel, Calif.)

Ralph Mann — Portobello Ristorante, Deep Fork Grill, The Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro, The Boneyard Grill (Guthrie)

Daryl Maloney — TerraLuna Grille, The Museum Cafe, Sushi Neko

Ben Coleman — Ground Floor Cafe, Nikz at the Top, New World Cuisine, Oak Tree Golf and Country Club, U.S. Marine Corps.

Eric Smith — InnJoy (Chicago), Romeo Romeo (Chicago), Upstairs at Eric’s, Pachinko Parlor.

Chad Willis — Iguana Lounge, Mango, Metro Wine Bar & Bistro, Saturn Grill.

Chris Aken — Stomp (Calistoga, Calif.), La Folie (under Roland Passot in San Francisco), Mount View Hotel (Calistoga, Calif.) Catahoula, (Richmond, Calif.), Avia Hotel (Napa, Calif.)

Joseph Royer — The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro, Saturn Grill.

Brian McGrew — Stella Modern Italian Cuisine.

Jim Strawn — Ground Floor Cafe, The Metro Wine Bar and Bistro, Iguana Lounge,

Leo Novak — Deep Fork Grill, Whole Foods, Fete Events (Crested Butte, Colo.),  Atmosphere Restaurant (Crested Butte, Colo.), Rustica Restaurant (Crested Butte, Colo.), Uley’s Cabin (Crested Butte, Colo.)

Brian Gregory.

Victor Izeta —  Boulevard Steak House, Iron Starr Urban BBQ, Bolero Tapas Bar and Spanish Grill.

Robert Black — Museum Cafe, Cheever’s Cafe, Red Primesteak, Good Egg Dining Group Executive Corporate Chef

Trey Ferguson — Nonna’s in Bricktown, Restaurant Row Catering, Turquoise Bistro, Cool Greens

Nathan Malone — Ranch Steakhouse.

Ryan Murphy — The Mantel Wine Bar and Bistro, Deep Fork Grill.

Shawn Smith — Knob Hill hotel (San Francisco, Calif.)

Brian Ward — Saturn Grill.

Tim Ward — Stomp (Calistoga, Calif.)

Kevin Ward —Graduated Feb. 2010.

David Hill — Eatzi’s (Atlanta, Ga.)

Joshua Richardson —Deep Fork Restaurant Group Executive Corporate Chef.

Joshua Valentine — Stephen Pyles Restaurant (Dallas), Samar by Stephen Pyles (Dallas)

David Henry — The Lobby Bar, Sushi Neko, The Tasting Room.

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Food Choices Fantastic at 2010 Festival of the Arts

 

Time was the Festival of the Arts took place on the lawn west of the Civic Center and the best food was served on its outskirts by Frank Hightower’s bunch from The Cellar.

“We set up a sidewalk bistro just outside the festivities,” his widow Dannie Bea told me. “My father used to come out to pitch in. I remember so clearly, it was like yesterday.”

Beautiful spring days conjoined with art for all five sense have a tendency to cling to whatever primordial fabric it is that makes up memory.
The Festival of the Arts is now one of the city’s premier annual events, and in no small part because of the food. Doubtlessly, Hightower and chef John Bennett helped nudge the level of the food with their impromptu sidewalk bistro back in the day.

This year 28 vendors are on the premises. On opening day I was able to sample bites from four of them with the help of videographer Tanner Herriott and famed freeloader and public information expert Sheri Guyse.

We started out with the chicken-avocado cone from Iguana Mexican Grill. This is a nod to The Mighty Cone down in my hometown, and a fine one at that. Crunchy, creamy, spicy and easy to eat while you walk. That is festival food at its finest. Chef Ryan Parrott and partner Robert Painter, who as always was leading the Iguana cheering squad, succeed again.

Next we made it over to Craig and Carter’s Famous Fish Tacos. I remember Carter Tague from his days with the old Varsity Sports Grill where he managed for a long time. I also recognized him as a charter member of the Stalkers Society for the original Iguana Lounge. We reminisced about the original when it was in the space currently filled by Earl’s Rib Palace on Western, long before it expanded.

“Tomatillos,” he said. “They were the only place in town that had tomatillo salsa.”

So I knew right away that the fish tacos he and his long-time partner would be dynamite. And they are. Atlantic pollock dipped in a batter that includes red chile, chipotle crema and serrano slaw. It’s no surprise that Carter spent a lot of time working at the famous Coyote Cafe in Santa Fe, where he and Craig Stringer still reside. This was my favorite overall dish. Crunchy, spicy, cream — hmmm, running theme — all in a light corn tortilla so it’s not too filling. Super easy to tote around the grounds.

Then we ventured to Deep Fork’s tent where chef Joshua Richardson had my favorite bite overall with the chicken brochette. Bacon-wrapped chicken and artichoke heart. Game over. The Wedgie is a pecan-crusted chicken sandy with a spicy slaw in a pita. Excellent, but the videographer Tanner Herriott has video evidence that plainly depicts it’s a little messy. Thanks for sparing the world my slaw explosion, Tanner. That said, The Wedgie beats the heck out of trying to eat an Indian Taco on the go. We also had Deep Fork’s Drunken Fries with the cheeseburger sauce. If you’ve been to the Drunken Fry, you already know how lip-smacking this dish is. I won’t bore you with the details only relate as Sheri, Tanner and I dug in we were joined by chef Parrott, who ate more than one, actually more than two — perhaps even more than three.

We finished up at Sage Cafe’s booth. Co-owner Charifa was running the register, lighting up food row with her smile. And then there’s the three-cheese mac and cheese that is Sage’s signature. You get the picture. They also had a nice little brownie parfait with a hint of mint, though I didn’t pick up much. I did get plenty of chocolate, including some little chunks within the brownie. What I liked was that the parfait wasn’t huge. Some of the desserts on the row were the size of minor planets. That’s good for some, but not really my thing. Something about crunchy, creamy and spicy. Unfortunately, I didn’t have room for a Strawberries Newport or anything from Coco Flow, though I’m confident that both will live up to the standards we expect.

Anway, everyone who attend will doubtlessly find some thing to love. Enjoy the festival.

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Sage Cafe to Introduce Lounge

The rebirth of Deep Deuce has been truly laborious. This baby has been a 500-pound gorilla — octomom style. But Kevin and Charifa Smith have certainly done their part to see this historic area not be forgotten by time or slow development.

First, the couple opened Sage Gourmet Cafe and Market, adding a downtown dining experience to the landscape that features organic foods, fresh and, when available, local ingredients. Well, the market hasn’t gone as expected, but response to the cafe has. Thus, the market is being phased out in favor of more seating. Considering the size of the well-appointed space, this is a welcome transition.

But an excellent new addition to the restaurant communities growing middle class wasn’t enough for the Smiths. Now they’ve targeted another 500-pound gorilla that has sat in the center of Deep Deuce since the first day the word rebirth and Deep Deuce were mentioned in the same sentence: music.

More specifically, jazz.

To mark the first year of the cafe’s opening, The Smiths are poised to open Sage Lounge on May 1 and, at least for the first month, will feature only jazz. Charifa Smith says that without jazz there would never have been a Deep Deuce worth remembering.

“We think it’s important to bring it back,” she said. “Deep Deuce holds such nostalgia because of the wonderful musicians who’ve played here in the past, such as renowned Guitarist Charlie Christian and Blues singer Jimmy Rushing. Sage has had such a successful first year and we are excited about all the changes that have been made to better serve our customers.”

The Smiths are working with Walter Taylor III of Taylor Made Jazz to showcase the musicians in the Sage Lounge. “I was 14-years-old playing my first gig down on Deep Deuce and am honored to be a part of a project that will restore the authenticity of the music and pay homage to the history of the neighborhood,” states Taylor. “I’ve spoken to Leroy Parks who played sax with Edward and Charlie Christian.” Parks is expected to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony and anniversary live performance on May 1 along with 80-year-old drummer/vocalist Roland Allen who still plays. Bands scheduled to perform will be announced during the ceremony. “We look forward to creating a relaxed, upscale entertainment venue for all music and food lovers alike.”

On May 1, Sage will celebrate its anniversary all day with specials, giveaways and door prizes in the restaurant starting at 11 a.m. The live jazz event in the lounge starts at 7 p.m. There is no cover charge. Table reservations are suggested and can be made by calling  232-7243.

If you haven’t been to Sage Cafe, this lounge will put you in the neighborhood. The food will keep you coming back. Don’t expect to find chicken-fried steak, hamburgers or barbecue. This chic little cafe sports a seasonal menu that promotes fresh, organic ingredients. Salads, sandwiches and mac and cheese are the showpieces. Each time I’ve been to Sage, I’ve started with the grilled seasonal vegetable platter and haven’t been disappointed. The platter also comes with house hummus and tortilla chips. Be sure to grab a selection of salts Sage offers as the vegetables come off the grill lightly seasoned. The “salt bar” includes 11 choices and for $2, diners can select three. Be sure to choose a basic salt, a smoked salt and make sure the third varies in texture from the first two.

The big ticket at Sage is the macaroni and cheese. The five varieties are served as entrees, my favorite so far was a beef stroganoff that was the special one day. The beef melted in the mouth and creamy sauce carried just enough kick to titillate my heat-seeking palate. Sage will split the entree on request, and I recommend that if you’re considering the Blue Cheese and Roasted Garlic mac. I loved the first three bites of this dish, but it’s very rich.  By the end, I’d wished it was a side rather than an entree. So, cut in half with perhaps the Beef and Cheddar or Three Cheese, it would be perfect. As for those on the menu daily, I’m partial to the Greek and Cheese, which include kalamata olives, Feta, diced tomatoes, garlic and grilled chicken. The only version I have yet to try is the Shrimp Pesto, but at our recent photo and video shoot I got a close enough look to be inspired to try it on my next visit, which will be soon.

Have you been to Sage? Let me know what you thought.

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“Eat Up” Scheduled for Tuesday

The Made in Oklahoma Coalition and the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma will host an “Eat Up” event from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 13 at the Regional Food Bank’s Volunteer Center, 2nd floor, 3355 S Purdue, on the second floor.

The event will provide an opportunity for Oklahomans to meet and enjoy food prepared by Good Egg Dining Group, a member of the MIO Coalition. Oklahoma’s own Miss America 2007 Lauren Nelson Faram and Project Runway’s Johnathan Kayne will greet guests for autographs and photos. Sen. Andrew Rice will also be in attendance to help celebrate this local initiative.

April is Made in Oklahoma month, and the MIO Coalition has set a goal to sell 1 million paper towel rolls by the end of the month. A portion of the sale of MIO paper towels supports the Regional Food Bank’s Food 4 Kids program, which provides nearly 8,000 chronically hungry elementary school children with a backpack filled with nutritious, kid-friendly food on weekends and holidays throughout the school year.

Attendees can purchase MIO paper towels for $2 to play a round of paper towel bowling and be entered to win an MIO gift basket valued at $150. If they make a strike, they win an additional free entry in the raffle.

The event is open to the public, and the first 100 attendees will receive a Made in Oklahoma goodie bag, which includes MIO coupons, a “Tastefully Oklahoma” cookbook and information about the coalition and the Regional Food Bank. The event will also include giveaways of gift cards to Good Egg Dining Group restaurants, including Red Primesteak, Iron Starr Urban BBQ and Cheever’s Restaurant.

For more information, call 972-1111.

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It’s all about the Pig

 

The delicious irony of Cochon 555 is it’s mission is to preserve heritage-bred pigs by way of eating them. Founder Brady Lowe, whose background is in marketing and eventually led to food and wine then to the niche of pork, professes that the only way to preserve these pure bred hogs and sows is to create a demand for them. Anyone who ever tastes one will feel the demand for more immediately. This is pork unlike any other I’ve had, and I mean that in the best possible way.

So what are heritage pigs? Well, as I stated, they are delicious. More specifically, they are pigs who come from bloodlines going back generations to a time when farmers raised livestock on the free range. The breeds developed traits based on the farmers practices and names were applied like Berkshire, Gloucestershire Old Spot, Mangalitsa, Tamworth, Red Wattle, Mulefoot, Guinea Hog, Ossabaw Island Hog, Hereford, Duroc, Hampshire, Lacombe, Iberian, Chester White, Saddleback, Yorkshire, European Wild, Poland White, Large White and Large Black.
Heritage pigs don’t come from an industrial pig farm. These pigs are livestock, not a commodity.
The pork they yielded is perfection, I promise.

The best thing consumers can do is ask for heritage pigs. Ask your grocer or butcher if he/she carries these pigs. If they don’t, ask them to start. Demand is the key to keeping this practice alive.
For more information, go here.

Now, as for the night of April 3, what a beautiful succession of interpretations. Winner Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer at the Joule in Dallas was first to deliver and his offerings stuck to the imagination over four competitors to take a narrow victory over my personal favorite, that of the the Big Kahuna himself, Kurt Fleischfresser. On my scored card, Scott got 14 out of a possible 15 while Kurt scored perfection. The difference to me was I found no missteps on Kurt’s menu while Scott’s two desserts were only good and fair. I did give Scott credit for creating desserts.  I also loved that’s Kurt’s menu was technically precise both from preparation to presentation. Both chefs showed advanced skills, drawing from all over the culinary map for inspiration. But Kurts presentation was symmetric. Each portion was the same size, aside from the inspired pork rillette porkcicle, which was served on a separate dish.

The other difference for me was that in the 38 samples I tried, Fleishfresser had 3 of the top 5 for me with the rillete, his Quail Egg Benedict was second. My favorite bite was Kahuna’s pork belly with cherry gastrique. After that, was Shepard’s pork belly on a turbinado stick, then Romano porchetta.

Curt Herrmann of Tulsa’s White Owl offered Mexico on a plate, but the results didn’t elevate the dishes. Rather, they were fairly standard interpretations. Tasty but perhaps too reverential and not creative enough for a competition of this ilk.

Here’s hoping we can draw Cochon 555 back to Oklahoma in the future. If we do, do not miss it. Were you at Cochon 555? Let me know what your favorites were.

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