WINE THROUGH TIME
“Eat, Drink and Make History” is being planned for 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, at the Edmond Historical Society & Museum at 431 S. Boulevard in Edmond. An auction is planned, along with wine presentations by Premium Brands and food samplings from Alvarado’s Mexican Restaurant, Boulevard Steakhouse, Cafe 501, Cafe do Brasil, Gypsy Cakes, Kang’s Asian Bistro, Lottinvilles Restaurant and Bar, Oak Tree Country Club and Othello’s. All proceeds will benefit the museum. Along with the celebration, this year’s festivities will showcase the museum’s Native American and Pioneer Exhibit, which has recently been renovated. For more details, reach Program Director Christine Gibson at 340-0078 or visit edmondhistory.org.
MEET THE ‘CAKE WRECKS’ AUTHOR
Ever have an episode of “Cake Wrecks” in your own kitchen? Jen Yates, author of “Cake Wrecks,” a phenomenon spurred by a blog and book series launched in 2008, will be in OKC with her husband, John. Visit with them at 7 p.m. Tonight at Full Circle Bookstore in 50 Penn Place. Join in for a video and slideshow presentation, book-signing and a “Cakes Wrecks” cupcake contest. Jen’s newest book is “Wreck the Halls: Cake Wrecks Gets Festive.” For more details, reach Full Circle at 842-29000
CHOW CHAT
Ian Wagner is the executive chef at Southern Nazarene University in Bethany. He trained at the New England Culinary School in Montpelier, Vt. Family:
“Exchanged vows in June, 2011, in Barcelona, Spain, with (the former) Sabrina Gannon, executive chef at Mercy Hospital. Our baby is due in April.”
Honeymooned: “On a cruise through Italy.”
Epiphany dining experience:
“Meeting Ferran Adria, the most famous chef in Spain and eating at his now-closed El Bulli, (which has been called the world’s best restaurant.)” You wish you had: “Clooney’s smile.”
Chef-deciding moment: “I was 12. My mom made a recipe from a cooking magazine, and I told her to take an ingredient out and put in another. She told me, ‘It would be hard for you to find a wife who cooks like you.’ I said, ‘I’ll be a chef.’” Drink? “Dark rum.” Date night? “Casa dos Milagros.” Fun time: “A group of 10 of us went to Chicago for three days and ate at 27 restaurants!” Hilarious happening: “In culinary school, in pastry class at 3 a.m., the previous evening class left the mixers on high speed, but nobody checked the speed setting. We added water and a big sack of flour on top of it, turned it on and poof! We were all covered.”
BYTES
When a server offers “the specials of the day” without including prices, what’s your reaction? Ask? Ignore? Or order and hope not to break the bank? These verbatim answers are from the Gazette Facebook.
“I would ask the prices.” —Terry House
“I ASK. OR DON’T ORDER.” —Mel Dunn-Mathes
“Better ask, I have been caught off guard that way. I had a $23 side of white truffle macaroni and cheese recently in Miami.” — Darian Faulkner
“They should specify. If they don’t then ask.” —Steve Koch
“As someone who had worked in restaurants for 8 years in multiple restaurants, in every restaurant that i worked in that had off the menu specials, we were trained to not discuss price, and that if the guest was interested and concerned about the price, they would ask. This was mainly in restaurants that were more upscale, and that most of the cliental were in a position where cost was not a driving force.” —Phillip Larsen
“If the special wasn’t what I craved I would ignore but if was something I craved I would just ask.” —Melissa Bullock-Bianco
“I agree with Melissa, but I would ask anyway, just out of curiosity!!” —Joe Slawson
“If I am interested in the food, I ask about the price. If it’s not listed though, it makes me suspicous.” —Lacey Masterson Hamilton
—Carol Smaglinski
Photo by Mark Hancock
