Chefs for Farmers: Mixin' it up on the Boulevard

Mixin' it up on the Boulevard is a great event from the Chefs for Farmers group. The event will feature the best chefs in Dallas as well as some very fine local pitmasters. See below for the details, especially the paragraph in bold. I hope to see you there.

Press Release: Chefs for Farmers’ much anticipated ‘Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard’ slated for May 6 at Lee Park will showcase tastings from more than 30 of Dallas’ top restaurants, samplings from 20 wineries and cocktails along with displays from local farmers, artisans and industry experts.

Participating chefs include Abraham Salum, Al Havens, Anastasia Quiñones, Andre Natera, Andrew Bell, Andrew Ormsby, Blaine Staniford, Brian C. Luscher, Bruno Davaillon, Chad Houser, Dan Landsberg, David A. Temple, David Gilbert, Franchesca Nor, Garreth Dickey, Graham Dodds, Greg Bussey, Hollie Dorethy, Jack Perkins, Janice Provost, Jason Maddy, Jeff Harris, Jeffrey Hobbs, Jill Bates, John Tesar, Jon Stevens, Josh Black, Katherine Clapner, Matt McCallister, Nathan Tate, Randall Copeland, Sarah Green, Scott Gottlich, Scott Romano, Tiffany Derry and Tre Wilcox.

Austin’s James Holmes of Olivia joins the Chefs for Farmers roster along with San Antonio’s Jason Dady of The Lodge Restaurant and David Gilbert of Stephan Pyles’ newest venture Sustenio.

Pit masters Justin Fourton of Pecan Lodge, Travis Mayes of Meshack’s Bar-b-que Shack and Tim McLaughlin and Will Fleischman of Lockhart Smokehouse will be firing up the grills [Not to worry, they will not be grilling] for some down home, Texas style BBQ bites.

Dallas legend Stephan Pyles will be honored as head chair, with honors also given to Kent Rathbun and Dean Fearing for their outstanding community outreach and support of local growers. Cold Springs Farm’s Beverly Thomas will also be recognized for the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) commitment to grow and provide certified organic, in-season produce and herbs to consumers.

Cost is $60 per person or two for $110. For a complete list of participants and sponsors or to purchase tickets go to www.chefsforfarmers.com. For general inquiries and sponsorship opportunities email info@chefsforfarmers.com. 100% of the proceeds from Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard benefit Meals on Wheels Inc. and Water for Chizavane.

‘Mixin’ it up on the Boulevard’ is an outdoor food, wine and spirits festival to be held on May 6, 2012, organized by Iris McCallister and Christina LaBarba of FreshPoint. The celebration will bring local farmers, chefs and purveyors together at Lee Park in Dallas, Texas. From 1 to 5 p.m., patrons will enjoy bites by more than 30 of the area’s best restaurants, sip on great wines and cocktails, and listen to tracks spun by local DJs.

Sponsors to date include Whole Foods, FreshPoint, Artizone.com, Edible Dallas and Fort Worth, Lee Park Conservancy, Oh Brownie, Patrón Spirits Company and Range.

Chefs for Farmers was created Chef Matt McCallister to raise awareness for the locavore movement in Texas. Chefs for Farmers is a grassroots organization that celebrates all things local, and consists of a group of volunteers that put on no-fuss events in support of local farmers, as well as the chefs and businesses that participate in the local food movement. As a group, CFF is committed to donating 100 percent of event profits to charitable causes.

- BBQ Snob

Bad Dog BBQ

COLUMBUS: Bad Dog BBQ
Hwy 71 & Schobel Rd.
Columbus, TX 78934
979-733-7824
Open 11:30-'til

Update: This joint is CLOSED.

2011: Roadside barbecue can be a great source for quality small batch smoked meats. It can also be a low overhead outlet for someone experimenting with a new smoker. Bad Dog barbecue is a small side building next to a larger gift shop. The big BBQ flag beckoned us in. I ordered a quarter pound of beef and sausage (no ribs were available), and the owner was surprised at the small amount in our order.



I was surprised at just how bad it was. The meat tasted of salty pot roast sitting in a pool of canned beef broth. It was awful. The sausage was overcooked with a dried and cracked casing and mealy meat inside. If you see this flag, just remember that you're in Central Texas, so good barbecue isn't far away.

Rating *

Billy Bob's Backyard Bar-B-Que

HONDO: Billy Bob's Backyard Bar-B-Que
1905 19th St
Hondo, TX 78861
830-426-5345
Open Sun-Thur 10-7, F-Sat 10-8

Update: This joint is CLOSED. Well, it might still be technically open, but after a recent trip to Hondo I was saddened to see that the smokehouse closed out back. With it went any semblance of decent BBQ. What they have now is sorry baked meat. Here's a photo example.



To anyone that visited here based on my review since the smokehouse trailer left, I truly apologize. Consider it closed because what they're doing ain't BBQ.

- BBQ Snob

2011: While the trailer out back is gone, a call to the restaurant confirmed that their BBQ operation has been moved into Billy Bob's Hamburgers, which sits along the highway just in front of the former trailer location.

2008: I pulled up to this little shack near closing time. The small take-out only building behind a hamburger joint was unimpressive, but I stepped up onto the small porch and placed my order through the sliding window. I ordered a two-meat plate, but I told the clerk that I didn't need any sides. He offered to give me just the meat for 1/2 the price, and I gladly accepted. A short while later a styrofoam container was passed through the window, and I was back in the driver's seat to try the meat. What a pleasant surprise awaited me below the lid. The tender brisket was a nearly perfect example of smoked meat. The smoke flavor was deep into each well rendered slice. The well formed smoke line was covered with a slight crust that added another depth of flavor. The ribs also had incredible smoke flavor beneath the beautiful deep red crust. The fat had been rendered thoroughly to create a perfectly tender rib with just the right amount of tooth required to release it from the bone. It should also be noted that just after I began to eat, the lights in the little shack went out. They were closed, and I had gotten the last order. The last meat of the day would be sub-par at most joints, but not here. This was quite a find for a little shack behind a burger joint in a tiny west Texas town.

Rating *****