Pat’s Pick
Pats Pick
Pats Pick
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MAD FOR HATTIE'S On my first visit to Hattie's, a brand-new restaurant in Dallas' Oak Cliff area, I ordered the prosciutto-wrapped figs stuffed with Maytag blue cheese and walnuts just because the combo sounded different. Wham! Salty, sweet, pungent—this was no appetizer to trifle with. Hmmm. How to mellow out after something that powerful? Well, maybe with a nice little salad of mixed winter greens in a roasted-tomato vinaigrette. Bam! We're talking one assertive dressing here. Lisa Kelley, the chef at this stylish New American bistro, is obviously feeling her oats. An alumna of Parigi, the Hotel Crescent Court's private club, and the Angelika Cafe, Kelley, 42, has put her stamp on this two-month-old place. What I have loved: a smoky tomato bisque accompanied by a teeny grilled cheese sandwich made with slices of baguette; a fresh sauté of tomatoes and asparagus; and a piece of dense, flourless chocolate cake in a luscious orange crème anglaise. As Kelley explores and defines her approach, diners from around the city are finding their way to her outpost south of the Trinity River. They can't wait to see what she'll cook up next.
PATRICIA SHARPE
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Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs
Hattie's, Dallas |
Primary Flavors
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CHOC TREATMENT Lisa Fox, co-owner of Austin's Asti Trattoria and a pastry chef in her own right, talked to us about the most coveted sweet treat for Valentine's Day.
What makes a good cooking chocolate?
It should contain nothing artificial. Also, no added sugar or cocoa powder. I usually cook with Callebaut or El Rey. Valrhona is great but expensive. Lindt is nice too.
What is your most popular chocolate dessert?
The chocolate cannoli, which is a chocolate tuile—a thin rolled cookie—filled with chocolate mousse. I once tried to take them off the menu, but people started e-mailing us and leaving little notes begging us to bring them back.
Will you do a special chocolate dessert for Valentine's Day?
I'll probably do something for two people—like chocolate with either banana, coconut, or mint.
You have mentioned that chocolate desserts are difficult for you. Why is that?
I'm not a chocolate lover; I think it should be just one part of a dessert. But I have learned that people who like chocolate want total, pure chocolate, and they want it as decadent and rich as possible.
What are some of the trends with chocolate desserts?
The chocolate trio is one. For example, you might get a little cake, a small scoop of gelato or sorbet, and a miniature crème brûlé Pastry chefs have fun doing that kind of thing.
EILEEN SCHWARTZ
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Chocolate Pound Cake
Asti Trattoria, Austin |
On the Road
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HAPPY TRAIL TO YOU Do something different for Valentine's Day: Nibble and tipple your way across Central Texas on the fourth annual Hill Country Wine Lovers' Trail. Fourteen of the area's wineries have joined together to offer a variety of wine-and-food tastings, lunches, and dinners for Valentine's weekend, February 14 through 16. At the Chisholm Trail Winery, outside Fredericksburg, for instance, husband-and-wife owners Harry Skeins, Jr., and Paula Williamson are pouring a variety of wines that represent the combined fruits of their labor—he grows the grapes, she makes the wine (she is one of seven women winemakers in the state). A special tasting will pair her dry Chenin Blanc with complimentary oysters and smoked salmon (all wines are $1 to $2 per sample). On Saturday evening the winery will host a candlelit dinner featuring four wines; the main course will match pork tenderloin with a 2000 Merlot ($85 per person, reservations required). Other vineyards are offering various vintages with cheeses, assorted antipasti, sausages, or desserts—especially chocolate. At some locations, local artisans will sell their wares, adding to the festivities. Incidentally, The Wine Roads of Texas, by Austinite Wes Marshall (Maverick Publishing, $18.95), makes a handy travel guide. For more information, go to texaswinetrail.com or call 830-868-2321. One last thing: Don't forget to have a designated driver.
PATRICIA SHARPE
My Library
