Ludivine Welcomes Hank Shaw
Hank Shaw, author of the popular blog Hunter Angler Gardener Cook and the new cookbook “Hunt, Gather, Cook: Finding the Forgotten Feast,” will be in town Tuesday, Sept. 6 for a special dinner and booksigning at Ludivine, 805 N Hudson Ave.
Shaw, who worked as a line cook and commercial fisherman, spent 19 years as a political reporter so he possesses the requisite skills to take us through the basics finding our own food with clarity and first-hand knowledge.
The book takes you from wild greens and berries to the ocean and into the wild.
Along the way, in his confident narrative style, spins yarns of those that got away and more importantly how to make sure they don’t get away again. He offers practical advice not only in the preparation of game and forraged foods but also in the health risks and rewards.
He discusses how to bait and catch sea creatures from gilled to crustaceans, including tips on differentiating between those you should keep and those you should return.
In the section devoted to hunting, Shaw waxes poetic about the ethical nature of hunting, justifying his practices and making a good case for killing one’s own meat. Gun enthusiasts will appreciate his confidence with gun glossary and hunting gear. His yarn-spinning runs the gamut, stirring emotion where none was expected.
To attend the special dinner, call the restaurant for reservations at 778-6800.
Sunflower Opens Today
The end of Walmart’s grocery tyranny over the Oklahoma City market is officially under way.
The first brick to the road to better choices will be pressed into the ground today as Sunflower Farmers Market opens its doors at the corner of NW 63 Street and May Avenue.
While I don’t begrudge Walmart its right to compete in our free market, I do hate the effect the stores have on our grocery choices. The worldwide discount monolith’s shadow has kept cloaked us from other grocers for far too long.
Fear of Walmart’s stranglehold has kept away the likes of Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe’s from considering us for business. But with Whole Foods due to arrive some time around Halloween, the national view of Oklahoma City has changed.
While Whole Foods is the great white shark in this insurgency, Sunflower is a humble pilot fish, cleaning up on the residual patronage in markets all over the Southwest. This time the pilot fish is swimming lead.
And what a catch it is for the Oklahoma City market. With an incredible array of fresh produce, a large selection of bulk foods, organic meats and products, Sunflower is a game-changer.
Choice is now king, and that’s a good thing. This is the kind of store that’s had Buy For Less and Homeland in overdrive to pull off extreme makeovers in the last year. And the good news is, it’s only the beginning. Whole Foods is poised to be the biggest retail opening since Bass Pro Shops, but will leave a larger foot print.
Store Director Brad Carder
As for Sunflower, it boasts a couple of Okies at the helm in Store Director Brad Carder and Vice President of Operations Steve Black.
Black, who said he’s worked 30 of his 34 years in the grocery business in Oklahoma, called Carder as soon as the ink was dry on an agreement to come into the market.
“We worked together at another retailer before,” Black said. “And I knew he would be the perfect fit.”
Carder said Oklahoma City residents are going to enjoy the store’s food — and perhaps more importantly, the prices.
Their tagline is “serious food, silly prices”
Black said the chain, which has support offices in Phoenix and Boulder, Colo., can offer low prices by reducing overhead costs and buying directly from vendors.
“We have our own distribution centers,” Black said.
The new 28,000-square-foot Sunflower store is in the Country Club Corner shopping center and adjacent to Half Price Books and Autozone. Departments include floral, bakery, deli, natural living and more. A sushi bar, olive bar and large selection of gluten-free items are also featured. Local foods such as Watonga cheese, Big Sky Bread Co. bakery items and Head Country Barbecue sauce have places on the shelves and a huge bulk area features more than 200 items.
But the star is the produce section, which takes up nearly half the store.
“It’s the whole farmer’s market experience,” Black said. “Our model is a little different than most grocery stores in that we’re built around produce.”
Black said the store also has Double Ad Wednesdays.
“Most stores advertisements run Wednesday through Tuesday, but ours overlap,” Black said. “So, if you shop on Wednesday you get the benefit of two ad cycles.”
The location was most recently Ballenger’s Furniture, preceding CompUSA, Homeland and Safeway.
Akin’s Natural Foods Market is across the street, Whole Foods will be no more than a couple miles away and premium Buy For Less and Homeland store are only minutes west and south, respectively. But after attending a sneak peak and getting the chance to shop the store, I have no doubt this place is here to stay.
Congratulations Oklahoma City, you may now expect the best from your local grocer.
The store opens today and keep hours of 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
Have you been to Sunflower Farmers Market yet? Let me know what you thought.
Alton Brown Coming to Town
Alton Brown is scheduled to appear at Full Circle Bookstore Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. to sign copies of his seventh cookbook “Good Eats 3,” which is scheduled for Oct. 4 release.
The book arrives as Brown ends production of “Good Eats. Food Network aired the last of the original half hour episodes in the spring. Brown says he has three original hourlong specials ready to broadcast later this year.
The show’s recipe is part Julia Child, part Mr. Wizard and part Monty Python. Brown’s ability to offer context as well as technique is matched only by “America’s Test Kitchen.” But no one has as much fun hosting as Brown.
Brown didn’t take the typical route of a culinary professional. He started as a cinematographer. The University of Georgia grad hooked up with fellow Georgians R.E.M. to make some videos. Brown was director of photography for R.E.M.’s “The One I Love” video.
As the story goes, when he wasn’t making music videos he was watching cooking shows. But in the pre-Food Network days, cooking shows had gone as soft as a pork belly braised over night. So, using his film production skills, his degree in drama and passion for food, “Good Eats” was born. The rest is, well, you know the cliche.
Now that the show is history, Brown will embark on a swan song book tour and we here in Oklahoma City are lucky enough to be on the list.
I’ll have more details as the date nears, and hopefully an interview with the man himself.
Naughty Party Promises to Be Above Parr
In honor of the coming of La Baguette’s annual Naughty Party, please attempt to make it through the above John Parr video. If you do, you’ll see a very young, very pre-cosmetic surgery Lisa Rinna in the role of damsel in distress over the realization that’s she in the car with a man underneath a head of hair doomed to parody and clothes to match.
La Baguette, basking in the glow of its recent victories for Best Chef (to chef Alain Buthion), Best Brunch and Best French Restaurant in the Oklahoman’s ”Readers Choice Awards,” will host a “Naughty” party Friday night, starting at 10 p.m.
Reynolds Family Cellars recently added Naughty Cellars as a permanent member of the family. Steve Reynolds will be in town to discuss and celebrate the release of the line. Cost is $35. Dress is as naughty as you want to be, Lisa Rinna lookalikes are welcome but please no John Parrs. For reservations, call 840-3047.
Top Chef: Texas
“Top Chef” is headed for the Lone Star State. Unlike season’s past, crews will move between three different cities: Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. Season nine will also add a couple of new faces. Returning judges Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons welcome famed chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse and critically acclaimed chef Hugh Acheson.
“Top Chef: Texas” will air later this fall. With that title it worries me whether “Top Chef” might be headed down the thorny path of “The Real World,” which once was an excellent show depicting the challenges of early adulthood before converting into a made-for-cable peep show.
The addition of Hugh Acheson was an odd, combative contestant on “Top Chef Masters,” who I fear was added because he wasn’t shy about jumping into conflict. While I understand the value of conflict to narrative, one of the things I’ve always liked about “Top Chef” was the lack of production-concocted antagonism.
Wonder if Tom Colicchio will wear his chef whites if tasked to water ski around and over a shark tank off Galveston Island?
Does “Top Chef: Texas” give you pause? Or are you looking forward to seeing some familiar eateries on national television?
First-Ever Foodie Film FEASTival Nears
On a cold December afternoon last year, George Lang and I were doing what we do best: keeping each other from getting our work done.
Sometimes it’s reciting dialog from the Rankin/Bass production of “The Hobbit,” sometimes its waxing nostalgic on days of New Romanticism, others it’s extrapolating the talent and success of 
Mila Kunis to project the future of Olivia Munn. From time to time food is the subject. For instance, I like to threaten George, a pescatarian married to a vegetarian, that my vegetarian wife and I will buy all the 
Quorn products from the Crest Market with which we both do trade.
But on this particular afternoon, our common love for food and film clashed. We agreed that great meals and great films mark time and are worthy of celebration. We wondered how great it would be if a festival celebrating both would be? We agreed if anyone should host it, it would be the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, considering it has both a first-rate restaurant and cinema.
So, I said to George, “I think I’ll email Leslie Spears right now.”
Within a couple minutes, Leslie, marketing director for the museum, and I were on the phone. She loved the idea and told me she’d run it by film curator Bryan Hearn, which she did. Once Bryan got clear of the Sundance Film Festival in February, the slow wheels of planning began to turn.
About a month ago, we finally worked out the details, Bryan came up with the perfect films and chef Ahmad Farnia’s crew came up with a menu to pair with the films.
The result, is the first-ever and hopefully not-last Foodie Film Feastival.
The three-day event begins Thursday, Sept. 15, 7:30 p.m., with “El Bulli: Cooking in Progress.” The documentary follows world-renowned chef Ferran Adria at his Spanish restaurant El Bulli. The opportunity to see this film comes right on the heels of the legendary restaurant closing its doors so that Adria can continue his exploration of flavor unbridled. The film also closes the inaugural feastival on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 2 p.m.
On Friday, Sept. 16, and Saturday, Sept. 17, we will screen “Soul Kitchen.” The German comedy revolves around a locals-only restaurant. Through a series of comedic set-pieces, the film depicts people of various cultures hop-scotching international borders in pursuit of individual destinies. “Soul Kitchen” begins at 5:30 p.m. both evenings.
Following “Soul Kitchen” Friday and Saturday will be “The Trip.” This comedy starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon follows the two British comedians as they tour England’s finest restaurants for a travelogue. It’s like ordering “My Dinner with Andre” but substituting the philosophy for a tasting menu of comedic one-upsmanship.
On Saturday, the Cafe will host a tasting. Six craft beers and an array of savory sides and cheeses will be offered for $25. Tickets to films will be sold separately.
For more information about the event, go online to www.okcmoa.com/see/films
I’ll have more details and videos as the event nears, so stay tuned and I hope to see you there.
Mr. Sprigg’s Moment Has Come
When people talk about making a mixtape or playlist that represents the soundtrack of their lives, a key ingredient is always missing: commercial jingles.
As a child of the television age, commercials have a bigger house in my medulla oblangata than the Homeowners Association should allow. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with childhood heroes like Dave Winfield, Dan Fouts, Captain Kangaroo and Graham Kerr are Cal Worthington and Earl Scheib. That’s because I lived in San Diego until I was 8.
I was among the many tots in Southern California who thought “Go See Cal” was some form of genetic mutation called a “Pussycow.” All I knew for sure was the pussycow wasn’t at the San Diego Zoo or Sea World, but I pestered my parents to drive me north to Lion’s Country Safari or Marineland. Worthington, who was born right here in Shidler, Oklahoma, created viral video before Al Gore cobbled together the Internet.
I also grew up thinking car owners were constantly in need of steel work and changed their paint jobs as often as Cindi Lauper changed her hair color.
When I moved to Texas, Cal and Earl were replaced by Oscar Snowden. The Big O was Austin biggest and most verbose dealer of Curtis Mathes television, which you may or may not recall was the “most expensive television in America and darn well worth it.”
Once in Oklahoma City, I was happy to find Linda Soundtrak was breaking eardrums here as she had been back home.
And then of course I learned to love the Del Rancho kid, who inspired a similarly aged Mike Hosty to boogie…
and my all-time favorite, the Credit Jewelry cowboy.
In recent years, one local commercial has set itself apart and that is the genius that is Mr. Sprigg’s Barbecue. So, fantastic is the jingle that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay saw fit to mount it on their Funny or Die website, making it a viral superstar.
Just watching it makes me Hongry, Hongry.
The Independent Film Channel has now set up a platform for us to fight for our favorite commercialier and perhaps win $250, which would’ve meant 4.5 paint jobs with 10 bucks in free steel work at Earl Scheib’s back in the day.
IFC’s LoCos Awards was launched following the June 24 debut of “Rhett & Link: Commercial Kings,” which was an original, 10-part docucomedy chronicling two life-long friends (Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal) traveling the country to make epic local commercials for some of the nation’s most deserving small businesses. Together, the duo has created more than 200 web and television spots.
The ad-savvy partners will serve as the final head judges for IFC’s The LoCos after fans whittle down three finalists in each category.
Launched last week, The LoCos enable fans to upload and vote for their favorite local commercials, in 10 categories, through July 20.
The categories are: The Palme d’ LoCo: Best Local Commercial Overall, Best Performance by an Animal or Child, Best Original Song/Jingle, The Jaw Dropper: Most Memorable Special Effect or Set Design, The Star Swipe Award: Best Use of Graphics, The Hammie (Most Overly Dramatic Performance in a Local Commercial), Most Unforgettable Tagline, Best Costume or Mascot, The LoCo Golden Turkey: The commercial most in need of Rhett & Link’s help, The Lifetime Achievement Award: Bestowed upon a memorable, and perhaps even deceased, local advert pitchperson legend.
Web-goers can simply submit a link to any local television commercial housed on YouTube or Vimeo and choose one or more categories for entry. They can vote in any category once a day through July 20. Every day a fan votes, he/she may enter into a sweepstakes to win one of ten $250 prizes, which we hope will be used to help support a local business in their community.
The top three vote-getters in each category will make the finals, which will be announced July 23. Rhett and Link, will determine the winners, who will be announced July 27.
And the next time you’re working the soundtrack of your life, don’t forget Mr. Sprigg’s ribs alway fall off the bo-o-o-o-one but aren’t derived from a Pussycow. And don’t end it with Green Day’s “Good Riddance,” it’s been done to death. Consider “Better Things” by the Kinks.
Big Day for Cooking Girl and Fat Daddy Sweets
Two local food folks have combined to open a food emporium, Cooking Girl Christa Carretero and Alicia Helsley, the mama behind Fat Daddy Sweets.
The store front opens its doors Thursday, July 7, at 8020 N May Ave., Suite A at 10 a.m. It’ll be open til 7 p.m. and continue through the weekend, staying open til 8 p.m. on Saturday. Food demos from the Cooking girl and her chef mentor Katsuya Fukushima are scheduled for 5 and 7 Thursday and 3, 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday. Space is limited, so call 607-1187 to ensure your spot.
The ladies will offer samples and tastings. The store will over fresh-baked sweets of all kinds and prepared take away entrees, sides and dessert. Cooking demos and classes will be scheduled regularly and catering offered.
Cooking Girl will get started with these menu items to choose from: Lime Cilantro Chicken, Grilled BBQ Chicken, Pork Country Style Ribs, Cumin Crusted Pork Shoulder, Brisket, Chimichurri Steak, Lebanese kebob, Mashed Potatoes, Risotto Cakes, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Cheese Grits, Basmati Rice with Almonds, Spanish Rice, Asparagus Gremolata, Green Beans with Parmesan and Walnuts, Lebanese Green Beans, Roasted Broccoli and Garlic
Glazed Carrots, Roasted Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Spring Pea Salad, Greek Salad, Corn Salad, Citrus Salad, and Tabbouli to name a few.
I know I’ll be there tomorrow afternoon to check it out. If you make it by, let me know what you thought.
Birria My Heart in Bethany
Happening over to Papa Angelo’s Pizza, just south of NW 39th Expressway on College, last Sunday a new Mexican Cafe caught my eye.
I should be more specific, a proclamation on the window of said restaurant caught my eye: hand-made corn tortillas. “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!” cried my inner chowhound.
So, the next night Lori and son Luke decided to try out this potential diamond in the rough on the southwest corner of College and NW 39th Expressway called Birrieria Diaz. The banner proudly states the place serves: Estilo Calvillo, Ags: meaning “in the style of Calvillo, Aguascalientes.” That’s no surprise, considering all the other local eateries with ownership from that region: namely Abel’s.
The name refers to the restaurant’s signature dish, birria. The Diaz family specialty, which is commonly a goat recipe, served as a beef or lamb dish. On Monday, only the beef was available. It was braised low and slow in chiles, onions and a tomato. It’s served with the aforementioned corn tortillas, which you can also order fried into tostadas, and fleet of accoutrements: diced onions, cilantro, dried chiles, red onions mixed with habaneros, radish and lime wedges.
The Diaz family doesn’t know me personally, but they know my heart. This is my kind of eating. And they’ll soon get to know me better. Luke tried some tacos al carbon, which he loved. Lori had the cheese enchiladas with red chile sauce. The enchiladas were as far from Tex-Mex as Calvillo is from San Antonio. The cheese was Mexican cotija and the onions plentiful. We also tried a couple dorados, which are potatoes wrapped in a fried corn tortilla dressed with cheese and choice of lettuce or cabbage and a mild tomato sauce.
The young lady running the counter informed me they’d opened last Friday and were so slammed they had to take their menus off the tables and rely on the taqueria menu for now. She said they need to hire more cooks before returning to a standard menu, which will happen soon.
If you’ve been let me know what you thought. I plan to go back down the road when they’ve added staff and menu items. If you want to join me, let me know.
Wayne’s Orange Crush-Pineapple Ice Cream
Last week, I wrote a column about my dear friend Wayne Singleterry, a great man and a great foodie.
In our Norman bureau, we did a Dirty Santa party every year. In preparation for it, a questionairre was circulated to help giftors satisfy giftees. One question read: Favorite Food?
The query sought a response to help guide the giftor toward a gift card suitable for the intended. Typical answers included: Italian, Barbecue, Mexican, and etc. But Wayne was far from typical.
His answer? Bacon.
Wayne was also known to say things like: I’ve had too much salt today, I need something sweet; or I’ve had too many sweets today, I need something salty.
I remember his exact menu the two days his death: The Sooner Schooner from the new-at-the-time Norman Hideaway and fried shrimp at the Norman Pearl’s. Perhaps his two favorite meals, outside of the Indian Taco, doubtlessly his favorite thing to eat on Earth.
One day we happened into a short-lived cafe on Berry called Country Favorites, who that day had Indian Tacos as their lunch special. Wayne called Country Favorites every day until they closed to ask if it was on special. When they had it, we were there.
I like to think that those final two meals were no accident. We found later that he knew treatment for his condition was no longer treatable. He knew the end was near, and he chose his favorite meals. No words can express how honored I feel to have shared those meals with him. He is one of my true mentors, and I miss him dearly.
After last week’s story, I got many lovely emails from Wayne’s family, one included the original recipe. It was also pointed out that our own Melba Lovelace included his recipe in her book “Recipes: Yours, Mine and Ours,” published in 1989.
With that information, I did something I should’ve done many, many years ago — check our archives. I can’t tell you how many inexperienced reporters I’ve chastised for not using the information we have under our very own noses. Paybacks are hell, I guess.
Anyway, with guidance from Wayne’s sister-in-law Maye and Melba Lovelace, here is what she wrote back in 1988 before including the recipe in her cookbook the next year:
Here’s the real scoop about Wayne Singleterry.
A reporter at The Oklahoman, Singleterry is one of the celebrated contributors on “food day at the office.’ When he brought Black-Eyed Pea Salad, everyone thought it was wonderful.
But when I asked Wayne if I could share the salad recipe with readers, all his office-mates started telling me their favorites, which included his ice cream.
He said some of his fondest memories are of summertime ice cream parties making homemade ice cream surrounded by family.
“We had big shade trees in our yard in Marlow, and we’d take turns sitting on the ice cream freezer,” he said.
He’s now helping make memories for his friends.
“Easter’s a good holiday to catch people who don’t have family around,” he said, so he traditionally has an Easter brunch at his home in Norman.
For this brunch, he digs out his two ice cream freezers, one electric and one manual, and gets the ice cream frozen and packed to set aside to mellow before his guests arrive.
Wayne’s Orange Crush-Pineapple Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple
- 1 can (14 oz.) Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
- 6 cans (12 oz. each) Orange Crush
Directions
- Mix pineapple and condensed milk in freezer can.
- Slowly add Crush, pouring it against the side of the can to retain as much carbonation as possible.
- Mix a couple of strokes, then freeze.
- This can be eaten right away or stored and mellowed.
Source: Wayne Singleterry
