Correction: An earlier post of this announcement mentioned an event May 29. That event is private. Our apologies!

Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden has named Jeff White as executive chef, promoting an accomplished member of the restaurant’s team. White was previously executive sous chef at the restaurant and was part of the team that opened the restaurant in 2012.

Born and raised in San Antonio, White helped craft the Boiler House menu. His culinary experience includes such prestigious kitchens as  Biga on the Banks, L’Etoile, Acenar, Grey Moss Inn and The Westin River Walk, as well as Austin’s Louis 106 and Palmers in San Marcos. White also has worked with chef/owner Johnny Hernandez at his True Flavors Catering Company.

Jeff White has been named as executive chef at the Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden.

White has received several awards and recognitions, including an invitation to cook a dinner as the featured chef at the prestigious James Beard House in New York City, the People’s Choice Award for the Taste of Elegance, a spot in “Who’s Who in Restaurant Business,” a feature on the cover of San Antonio Magazine and a medal from the American Culinary Federation.

Boiler House is a wine-centric, Texas-style restaurant featuring grilled dishes from local farms and markets and wines from around the world. Housed in the original boiler house that powered the Pearl Brewery during its heyday, the restaurant’s building dates to 1896 and is one of three original structures remaining on the brewery campus.

Boiler House features two floors of dining, as well as an expansive outdoor patio. Boiler House Texas Grill & Wine Garden is located at 312 Pearl Parkway, Building 3, in the shadow of the Pearl brewhouse.

As executive chef, White does not plan to change the Boiler House menu.

“We feature farm fresh ingredients, so we’ll have seasonal changes and we’re always looking at different angles on grilling and Texas cuisine. We’ll be rotating in some new proteins to accompany the new market dishes as spring and summer vegetables become available, but our entire opening team worked to create a lasting menu that has gained fans—we don’t want to disappoint anyone by dropping something they enjoy,” White explained. “At the same time, I like to introduce people to new flavors and ingredients they may not know, so expect some surprises.”

Boiler House is open Monday – Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Thursday – Friday, 11 a.m. – midnight; Saturday, 10 a.m. – midnight and Sunday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. For the latest Boiler House news, menu and drink specials, follow Boiler House on Facebook, “The Boiler House SA” or on Twitter, “@boilerhousesa.”

On Sunday, May 5, the Quarry Farmers and Ranchers Market will mark its second year with music, fresh farm produce, baked and prepared foods and so much more.

Bakery Lorraine’s French macarons come in a rainbow of colors — and flavors.

Market organizers will also be selling t-shirts made from organically grown Texas cotton throughout the day. The anniversary marks the market’s weekly success of bringing products from local growers and specialty food makers to a loyal community of supporters.

Nicolette Good will bring her full band to entertain the crowd. Good has twice been named San Antonio’s favorite singer-songwriter by the readers of the San Antonio Current and was, most recently, selected as the winner of the 2012 Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk.

Current market members include: 3G Farm, 9-1 Farm, Angel Song Acres, Bakery Lorraine, Bikkurim Organic Farms, Countryside Farm, Cowgirl Granola, Dos Lunas Artisan Cheese, Engel Farms, Good Gluten-Free Foods, Gretchen Bee Ranch, Humble House Foods, Katie’s Jar, Koch Ranches, Ming’s Thing, Mom & Pops, Naegelin Farms, Nisha’s Quick-N-Ezee Indian Food, Parker Creek Ranch, Patty’s Petals, Revolucion Coffee + Juice, Rancho Ojo de Agua, Señor Veggie, Springfield Farm, The Arrangement Nursery, The Gardener’s Feast, The Lemonade Company, (The Original) Winner Winner Chicken Dinner food truck, Well Seasoned Cuisine and Zamudio Farm.

Here’s a great way you can contribute!

The community is invited to celebrate the second anniversary of the Quarry Farmers & Ranchers Market by submitting their favorite seasonal recipes using farm-fresh ingredients. Recipes will be accepted through June 16.

Radish and Cucumber Salad

The best submissions will be featured in the first edition of the “Quarry Farmers & Ranchers Market Community Cookbook,” available for purchase during the winter holiday season. “We want to encourage home cooks and professional chefs alike to submit recipes,” says market co-founder and director Heather Hunter. “The goal is to inspire people at all culinary levels to get in the kitchen and cook with local, farm fresh ingredients grown by people you know and trust.”

Categories include appetizers, soups, salads, entrees (including game and vegetarian), sides and desserts. A helpful recipe form is available on the market’s Cookbook Project page at quarryfarmersmarket.com/community/cookbook-project, and completed recipes may be emailed to info@quarryfarmersmarket.com.

The Quarry Farmers & Ranchers Market is held Sundays, rain, wind, cold or heat, from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the parking lot of the Quarry Market (255 E. Basse), near Whole Foods Market.

For more information call 210-722-5077, email info@quarryfarmersmarket.com, or visit www.quarryfarmersmarket.com.

The following announcement has come from Denise Aguirre of the Point Parks and Eats about a new venture that she’s involved in:

“OPENING JUNE 2013

“The owners of The Point Park & Eats and Texasada Mexican Street Food bring you Taps y Tapas. Modern Mexican Cuisine (not to be confused with Tex-Mex) in a comfortable historical indoor/outdoor setting, featuring 20 draught craft brew taps, wine + locally roasted coffee.

“Chef Luciano Valadez is a 2006 graduate of Le Cordon Bleu. He has spent the past 7 years in the culinary industry serving as Sous Chef, Executive Chef, General Manager and currently the Owner of Texasada Mexican Street Food truck. San Antonio’s premier Mexican/Oaxacan food truck, voted under Yelps top ten food trucks in San Antonio. Denise Aguirre & Noel Cisneros, owners of The Point Park & Eats food truck park & bar will partner with Luciano and bring you 20 craft draught taps, wine & locally roasted coffee.

“Taps y Tapas is located in the 5 Points district off of North Flores, less than a half mile from Downtown San Antonio. We are pedestrian and bike friendly and adjacent to Alamo Bike Shop. The Taps house was built circa 1893 and holds a special place in the heart of the 5 Points District.”

We’ll keep you posted when we hear more.

Michael David Winery is a California favorite named for the brothers Michael and David Phillips. Their family has been farming in the Lodi area since the 1850s, and the brothers are now passing off the running of the winery to a new generation, the sixth generation of grape growers.

This celebrated winery will be the focus of a dinner set fro 6:30 p.m. April 25 at the Emily Morgan Hotel and Oro Restaurant, 705 E. Houston St.

Chef Chris Cook has created a multi-course menu that begins with Smoked Gulf Shrimp and 6th Sense Syrah 2010, followed by  Texas Peach and Chevre Risotto with a Popcorn Crumble and 7th Heavenly Chardonnay 2011.  Cocoa Strip Loin with Pickled Berry and Nutmeg Froth will be paired with the Petite/Petit 2010 before  Young Chicken Coq au Vin with a Black Currant Bacon Reduction and Incblot Cabernet Franc 2010.

Dessert is Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse with Drunken Espresso Raisin and Black Cherry Candy alongside the Earthquake Zinfandel 2011.

The price of the dinner is $79.95 plus tax and tip. Complimentary valet parking and reduced room rates are available. For reservations, call (210) 244-0146.

Copa celebrates cheese at its April dinner.

Cheese lovers, take note: Copa Wine Bar, 19141 Stone Oak Parkway, is sponsoring an Homage to Fromage during its monthly dinner at 7 p.m. April 25.

The meal will begin with Parmesan Egg Cups filled with creamy chèvre mousse and topped with a shirred egg. You can pair it with either  Bavik Pilsner Beer from Belgium or  Casillero del Diablo Viognier from Chile.

A Oaxacan Empanada stuffed with chewy Oaxacan cheese and spicy Mexican chorizo will be paired with either  Wasatch “Ghostrider” White IPA from Utah or  Hob Nob Wicked Red from France, followed by  Moussaka, which is ground beef and roasted eggplant baked with a Mornay cheese sauce and served with cheesy garlic bread. Pair it with either  Leinenkugal’s Creamy Dark Lager from Wisconsin or the Tuscan  Perazzeta Sara Sangiovese.

Dessert is a Churro Cheesecake in which the cheese is baked between layers of cinnamon- and sugar-dipped pastry. It will be served with either  Robinson’s Chocolate Old Tom from England or  Gnaughty Vines Zinfandel from Sonoma’s Dry Creek Valley.

The dinner is priced at $40 a person.  Call (210) 495-2672 for reservations.

Brighton Center’s 14^th annual A Taste of the Northside (TONS), a favorite San Antonio Fiesta event, will be rolling out another night of savory bites, delicious drinks, high-energy entertainment and more for you and your closest friends. Co-presented by Lynd and  H-E-B, it happens Wednesday, April 24, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at The Club At Sonterra.

Fifty of  San Antonio’s most popular restaurants will be dishing up favorites: P.F. Chang’s China Bistro will be serving their famous chicken lettuce wraps;  Z’Tejas’ has fruit-inspired dishes including Ahi Chipotle Citrus Bites and Prickly Pear Meatballs; Rumi Lounge & Grill brings back their thirst-quenching cucumber martinis — a great way to beat the heat. Other well-known restaurants will join this year’s event including BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse, Freebirds World Burrito and Kirby’s Prime Steakhouse and Las Palapas.

Fine dining from restaurants such as Ounce Steakhouse, Sustenio, and Tejas Steakhouse will featuring pairing a variety of specialty wines for V.I.P guests. (Limited V.I.P. tickets are available for pre-purchase online here at for $200 pre-sale.)

Tastings of a variety of wines courtesy of Glaziers and Silver Eagle beers will be on tap to quench guests’ thirst. Music from Blue Finger Disco, Melina Band, and The Decibel Band will provide music in three distinct areas at an exclusive country club setting.

All-inclusive general admission tickets are $55 in advance and can be purchased at any San Antonio H.E.B. location or online here. Each ticket provides the holder with eight food tastings, five beer or wine tastings, entertainment, free parking and shuttle service. Additional food and drink tickets will be available for purchase on-site. Parking information and a complete list of restaurants are available on the website.

Brighton has been serving the community for over 40 years. Brighton Center serves over 2,700 children with developmental delays and disabilities and their families each year through four distinct initiatives – an inclusive child development center, early childhood intervention, parent education and advocacy training. Brighton Center continues to fulfill its vision to create a society where all children are valued and included.

There will be lots of treats for Sunday morning breakfast for mom at the Time Dollar Bake Sale

Time Dollar Community Connections’ second annual Mother’s Day Plant & Bake Sale is Saturday, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 2806 West Salinas St.

Food, baked goods, plants, yard art, collectibles as well as vintage items will be for sale.

Also, free bilingual workshops are offered. The first, at 10:30 a.m. is on making healthy tamales, presented by registered dietitian and diabetes educator Linda Triesch and chef Ana Maria Martinez, both of Les Dames d’Escoffier.

The second workshop is at 11:30 a.m. on traditional plants and healing, by Jane Madrigal, MEd., curative Herb and Plant expert.

Funds raised will go towards providing basic needs programs and life changing programs.  Basic needs programs are the Time Dollar Community Table food pantry, utility assistance, and basic case management.

Also, enjoy music, sweets from Earl Abel’s, the Guenther House, and pastries made by pastry chef Jenny Mattingsley to name a few.  Food and fresh aguas will be catered by Don Strange Catering.

In 2012, Time Dollar served over 7,947 Westside and Bexar County residents with a budget of about $35,000 that equates to $4.40 per guest. Thanks to our supporters, other community-minded donors, and volunteers, Time Dollar was able to provide basic needs and life changing services to all who expressed a need.

Life changing programs include Parent Child Math, one-on-one math education for underserved parents mutually benefiting parents and children, Summer Children’s Gardening Classes that ignites creative learning and thinking, and Square Foot Gardening and Sustainable Living Classes for adults.

Every thing is bigger in Texas and Texas Pride Barbecue is living up to that reputation. The award-winning eatery, just outside of San Antonio, in Adkins, is planning a first-of-it’s kind “Texas Experience” for locals and tourists alike.

 “Texas Pride Barbecue has always been a destination for locals, but we felt that there was an opportunity to share authentic Texas food and music with a wider audience this summer. The region hosts millions of visitors from all over the world and we feel that ‘The Texas Experience’ will give everyone a chance to feel the pride of being Texan. We promise that our complex, with a playground, antique shop, tattoo studio and gaming area will have something for everyone.”

Tony Talanco, owner of Texas Pride Barbecue.

To be held every Wednesday throughout summer, this Texas-sized event will feature a Tex-Mex buffet of barbecue and Mexican food, chuck wagon cooking and displays, mounted horse patrols, Texas beer or wine tastings, live music and plenty of dancing.

Country star, Moe Bandy kicks things off this coming Wednesday, April 10. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the buffet beginning at 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Concerts get underway at 8:30 p.m.

Future concerts include Blue Clear Sky – George Strait Tribute Band on April 17 and Billy Mata on April 24.

For ticket information and full listing of performances visit their website, here. Also see facebook.com/TexasPrideBBQ or call (210) 843-5696. Texas Pride is located on 2908 Loop 1604, Adkins, Texas 78101.

Bolo’s is adding Sunday brunch.

Looking for a place to have a Sunday brunch featuring items such as roast prime rib, shucked oysters and bananas foster? Then you’ll want to head to Bolo’s at the Omni Colonnade, 9821 Colonnade Blvd.

Beginning April 7, Bolo’s Restaurant in the Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade will be serving Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Chef action stations featuring the likes of prime rib, composed salads made to order, crab claws and cherries jubilee will change regularly. Additional stations include local Texas and Latin appeal along with domestic and imported cheeses, seasonal sliced fruits and berries, omelets, blueberry sage sausages and Applewood smoked bacon with Belgian waffles and pancakes made to order.

In addition to Bolo’s menu, each guest 21 years of age and older can get mimosas, which are included with the price of the meal.

Brunch is priced at $30 for adults and $14 for children ages 5-12. Children under 5 are free.

For reservations, call (210) 699-5803.

By Cecil Flentge

Duchman (pronounced Duke-man) Family Winery in Driftwood, Texas, specializes in wines made of grapes commonly thought of as Italian. Sangiovese of Chianti fame and Montepulciano, which is grown extensively in the Abruzzo region, are two examples. Their Vermentino (pronounced ver-mehn-TEE-noh) follows in the same vein. Most famous in northern Sardinia, this Texas edition is both a surprise and a delight (pronounced Good!). It is available at Twin Liquors for about $12.

Fact:

Made from 100 percent Texas grapes grown in the Texas High Plains AVA (American Viticultural Area), this robust white evokes lime and citrus blossom on the nose. It has the appropriate mouthfeel, a smooth viscosity found in classic Vermentino wines, and the flavors flow to pear, lime and grapefruit with a nice minerality lingering in the finish. The alcohol does not give any harshness, even though it is high at 14.4 percent, and that is a side benefit of the rich presence of the grapes’ glycerol. Overall, a nice Vermentino from a new area.

Feeling:

This so calls to be a brunch wine! Delicate enough to caress lobster or shrimp salads, robust enough for a plate of braised clams, and crisp enough to mingle with the tastes of the sea in oysters on the half shell. But just chill it and taste the welcome that it gives.

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a restaurant/bar consultant. Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com.