Bite Size

January 18, 2011

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The Oklahoma Cattlewomen’s Association and the Made in Oklahoma Coalition have announced their choices for the Beef Cook-Off this Saturday in the Carriage Hall building at State Fair Park. The competition is part of the annual Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show.

The cook-off will feature six statewide finalists who will prepare beef dishes in three categories: entrée, appetizer and a kid’s dish prepared by a parent-child team. There will be a winner in each category, and one overall winner will go home with a $1,000 prize.

Finalists for this year’s Beef Cookoff are Jane Ozment and daughter Mandy, with peachy sweet chipotle beef quesadillas; Linda Rickman and son Zack, with bacon cheeseburger sliders; Rosalie Seebeck, with steak and portobello crostini; Kimberly Stipe, with a spicy mango tenderloin salad; Leah Lyon, with steak Florentine; and Kathy Nusz, with Sicilian spaghetti squash and meatballs.

On Sunday, the Oklahoma Iron Chef competition will kick off at 1 p.m., when six cooks will do their best in the hour granted to prepare a dish featuring the provided meat and a basket of mystery products from the Made in Oklahoma Coalition. The first heat winners will move on to a second round that starts at 3 p.m. First prize is $1,000, second prize is $750, and third prize is $500. All of the contestants will be awarded $100.

All winners will be announced at the Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show and posted on the Oklahoma Beef Council’s website, www.oklabeef. org. The winning recipes will be available after Jan. 25.

In addition, John Gidding of HGTV’s “Curb Appeal: The Block” will make an appearance and share valuable tips. The Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show runs this Friday through Sunday. Visit www. oklahomacityhomeshow.com for more information.

PrimaCafe and World Neighbors

PrimaCafe and World Neighbors are hosting a joint open house from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Jan. 28. Held at the PrimaCafe roasting facility, 44 N.E. 51st, the open house will give coffee drinkers a chance to see how fair trade, organic coffee is roasted. PrimaCafe is a World Neighbors Certified coffee roaster.

Gary Hargrave of PrimaCafe is inviting everyone to the new facility to enjoy light refreshments and live music provided by the Tim Gregory Jazz Duo, along with plenty of coffee and talk.

“This is the first of an annual event, and we hope to have a good turnout from the local foodies,” Hargrave said.

For more details, call 525-0006.

Cat Cora coming this way

St. Anthony Hospital will host its 10th annual Celebrity Chef event featuring national television star Cat Cora at 7 p.m. Thursday. The one and only female of Food Network’s “Iron Chef America,” Cora will present classics with a heart-healthy twist.

The event will be held at Will Rogers Theatre, 4322 N. Western. Besides a cooking demonstration, Cora will also share three special recipes centered on a secret ingredient and offer a small tasting of each recipe.

Tickets are $20. For reservations, call 272-7383.

Service with a smile

“I consider myself nothing more than a very good waitress. I think that everyone should have to wait tables at some point in their life. I think that what I do — whether the shows, the magazine or the cookbooks — is to try and listen for what’s being ordered and then deliver it. I grew up in restaurants. My first job was as a dishwasher in my mom’s restaurant.”

—Rachael Ray in the December 2010 issue of Vanity Fair

Chow chat

The congenial Scott Witherby is an Oklahoma native who attended high school at Edmond North. His time spent these days is in the wine business. Witherby is a wine representative at Premium Brands Wine and Spirits in Oklahoma City.

One thing people don’t know about you: “I was the mascot Herbie Husker at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.”

Who is your hero? “That would have to be my dad, Gerald Witherby.”

Are you a dad? “Yes, my wife, Jennifer, and I have two children, Eli, 6, and Hattie, 9.”

When Chef Kurt Fleischfresser cooked meatloaf for you, you said: “It was like a mother’s home cooking, but on steroids.”

Favorite eating spots: “I go local and go to Boulevard Steakhouse, The Coach House, Lobby Bar and Musashi’s.”

Do you cook? “Every Saturday, my son and I choose a recipe, go shopping and then cook together.”

Favorite
kitchen gadget: “My zester.” Best feature: “My sense of humor.” Finest
bottle of wine: “An ’82 Mouton on our seventh anniversary at La
Baguette. Delicious!” Handyman style at home? “No, I am more like a bull
in the china shop.”

No willpower when it comes to:

“Finger food; put a plate (of food) in front of me, and I will eat it.”

Pet peeve: “A lack of courtesy in people, for example, not holding doors, etc.”

Pets? “A French bulldog and a golden retriever.”

What would your pets say about you? “That I am pretty much like them, but I can’t lick myself.”

No, thanks

Did you hear
about the guy who would never take his wife out for dinner? It seems
he’d once been told he should not go out with married women. OK!

Saying goodbye

It was an
especially rough holiday season, at least for some area restaurants.
Those who closed their doors may have their own reasons, among those
being troubles with landlords, management problems, retirements and on
and on.

Recent closings
included Olive Branch Cafe, 1 N. Hudson, and Los Mariachis, 3655 N.W.
39th. Also Chubby’s Chicken and Grill, 400 E. Main in Yukon, and Pho Air
One, 7199 S.E. 29th in Midwest City.

The
Campus Corner location of Iron Starr Urban Barbeque, 575 S. University
in Norman, has closed its doors, but the Iron Starr in OKC is doing
fine. In addition, owners Keith and Heather Paul of A Good Egg Dining
Group have pulled the plug on Market C, 401 N.W. 23rd. The store had its
final day last week, but the converted vintage gas station will stay
with A Good Egg.

Finally, the French-themed La Baguette inside the Colcord Hotel, 15 N. Robinson, is closing and is now searching for a new site.

“We
are leaving Colcord,” said Michel Buthion, co-owner of La Baguette. “We
will move to a new location. We’ll see what happens.”

Bytes

You’re heading home after a hard day in the office and you’re hungry.

Where do you stop to pick up dinner? That’s what we asked last week on Oklahoma Gazette’s Facebook page. Here are your unedited responses:

“Panang Thai is one I have my husband pick up on his way home when it’s cold!” —Anne Behrens Deaton

“Nhinja
Sushi and Wok Because it’s right next to my apartment, and I love sushi
more than life. Whatever kind of sushi I feel like... my current
favorites are the JoJo roll and the Nhinja roll.” —Monica K Helms

“Gluten-Free snacks from Coffy’s Cafe” —Mark Maxey

“Lee’s
Sandwiches. We get grilled pork vermicelli or grilled pork sandwiches.
It costs less than $15 for both of us to eat, and it’s good, fresh and
relatively healthy!” —Sandina Heckert

“Greek House in Norman, baby!” —Justin Brooke

“China Queen Express on Sheridan & Western because the egg rolls are amazing!” —Robbin Davis

“thai sweet basil in downtown bethany...so yummy!” —Christine A. Woodall

“Ingrid’s Kitchen.... been wanting to try Ingrid’s Pantry, heard they have some great sandwiches.” —Jennifer McCollum

“Louies on 15th in Edmond” —Blake Bryan

“The Chop Shop on North May and Grand. Yummmmmm!” —Christi Hood

“Charleston’s on NW Expressway. We love the Chicken Club Salad. It has been our favorite for years!” —Edwina Trout

“Zorbas, because if you need proof that the cutest animals are the tastiest, get the lamb shank!” —William Ries

“Prairie Gypsies, bien sur!” —Joyel O’Neal

“Bella Vista... South Side!!!” —Michelle Belle Boykin

“Happy Family Chinese in Norman. It’s fast, cheap, very good and on the way home.”—Liz Breen

“I crave Lido’s hot
and sour soup and will stop for a take out, esp. if the weather is cold
and I need comfort food.” —Rena Marrs Parker