Grapes Fall Festively!

by Jamie Samford

The 4th annual Texas Fall Fest and Wine Auction was held in Marble Falls at the Marriott’s Horseshoe Bay Resort Friday, October 31st – Sunday, November 2nd. This is a great event sponsored by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the Texas Wine & Grape Growers Association with a three – fold mission. Expose the public to the merits and importance of Texas wine and food by spotlighting the best wines, foods, chefs and restaurants in our state and to raise funds for much needed Texas wine research as well as for other worthy healthcare needs. The lovely Susan Auler, co-owner of Fall Creek Vineyards started the fun in 2004.

Winn Meat Company and the Texas Beef Council teamed up to support the Fall Fest and lots of chefs involved this year. Let me run down just some of the fun Carol and I enjoyed ! Friday night was a big dine around held outside at the Palm D’ Or Pavillion. (pictured below)

Many of our customers were there and dishin’ up some great grub. Like Gerard Thompson from Rough Creek Lodge (right with me) with our great Berkshire pork, Chef Jesse Lemos from Boot Ranch(below,with me) in Fredericksburg with some short rib sliders and chef Paul Peterson from the Gage Hotel in Marathon . He had a killer canape with smoked grapes! A list of Friday’s participating restaurants with hyperlinks is at the end of this post.

In the small world category I ran into an old chef school friend of mine, Ross Burtwell. He got tired of working for the man and started his own place in Fredericksburg, The Cabernet Grill, complete with a B&B. Go see him!

Saturday night brought the big fu fu Chefs Dinner and Wine Auction. We sat with Linda Bebee, V.P. of Domestic Marketing for the Texas Beef Council, Jane Nickels, wine writer, educator and entertainer (more on her later) and John Broncato and Gina Puente – Broncato, proprietors of La Bodega Winery,(the only winery inside an airport DFW), La Buena Vida Vineyards and many other enterprises. They are such lovely people and Carol and I were honored to meet them. Turns out John and Jane were the emcees for the auction. They were instrumental in raising a bunch of money for a great cause. The dinner was prepared by Robbin Murphy, Executive Chef of the hotel, and a big WMC fan, and noted cowboy cook – Grady Spears. WMC’s Sterling Silver beef tenderloin was the star of the show with an ancho & molasses rub, yum. This is how the table looked all night -

The final event at Horseshoe Bay’s Quail Point, was co – sponsored by WMC and the TBC. It was a Chef’s Challenge Cook Off featuring the Chuck Wagon old school stylings of Paul Peterson of the Gage Hotel and the New World Viking Range Grilling of Jason Dady. He of Tre Trattoria, Bin 555 and the Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills in San Antonio. This was a competition, demo and lunch. We provided Paul with beautiful cowboy cut ribeyes and Jason with a hunk of bone in strip for the competition/demo. The afore mentioned Miss Jane Nickles teamed with Chef Dady to provide play by play, interview him and entertain during the demo. If she is speaking about wine in your neighborhood you must see her, witty and knowledgeable! Chef Gage was hosted by TBC Culinary Spokesperson, author, and nationally recognized culinary professional, Tiffany Collins (note the Texas shaped grill Paul is using) –

Here is Chef Dady’s plate, Bone – In NY Strip with a Texas White Wine – Truffled Pan Jus, in front of a judge -

The competition portion of the program was very close. Chef Gage’s Cowboy Cut Ribeyes with their cast iron skillet char crust, Sweet Potato, Chorizo and Corn Hash with a Charred Red Onion – Texas Red Wine Demi nudged out Chef Dady’s Bone – In Strip Loin with a Texas White Wine – Truffled Pan Jus and Warm Asparagus – Sweet Corn Salad.

Me, Russell and another TBC associate, Andrew Brooks smoked up some beautiful Sterling Silver strip loins for the lunch portion of the affair. I slathered my smoky dry rub for beef all over them and let them rest for a while at room temp. Then we smoked ‘em over mesquite, nice and slow. The TBC smoker, Russell and Andrew did a great job. A job made easier by Sterling Silver beef!

A fun time was had by all! Below, left to right – Linda Bebee, TBC; Russell Woodward, TBC; Jane Nickels (Is that wine glass permanently attached to her hand?); Jason Dady, chef/owner of San Antonio’s Tre Trattoria, Bin 555 and the Lodge Restaurant of Castle Hills; Tiffany Collins, TBC; and me –