Bite Size 

Chefs and good cooks alike competed recently during the annual Oklahoma City Home & Garden Show.

The statewide cooking event drew a nice crowd and was sponsored by the Oklahoma Cattlewomen’s Association and the Made in Oklahoma Coalition. The audience gathered in the Carriage Hall Building at State Fair Park to watch the action.

In the Beef Cook-Off competition, the grand prize winner was the cool Trey Ferguson of Coolgreens, who took home $1,000.

Justin Ward from Bolero Spanish Grill & Tapas Bar took second place and won $750. Henry Boudreaux of the Museum Cafe captured the third place prize of $500. That prize money will buy the chefs a lot of beef.

Also creating culinary feasts in the contest were Luke Fry, Iron Starr Urban Barbeque; Jason Lee, Chaparral Energy; and Joshua Valentine, The Coach House. Each took home $100.

In the amateur division, there were three separate categories: appetizers, beef entrées and kidpleasers. Jane and Mandy Ozment took first place in the kid-pleasers category, with Linda and Zack Rickman taking second place. In the appetizers category, Kimberly Stipe took first, while Rosalie Seebeck took second.

In the entrée category, Kathy Nusz was the runner-up to first-prize winner Leah Lyon, who also won the grand prize. Lyon, of Ada, took home $500 for the category win with her steak Florentine orzo with a warm bacon-tomato vinaigrette. She also won $1,000 for the grand prize, plus an extra $500 for beef purchases and a gift card to Williams-Sonoma.

“I am thrilled and so excited,” Lyon said.

The runners-up were each given $250.

BRAUM’S OFFERING BETTER BEEF

Braum’s is now offering a new line of all-natural beef products in its Fresh Market. The cattle are fed a vegetarian diet and are coming from Midwestern ranches chosen by the Braum’s company.

The cattle, according to Braum’s, have never received artificial hormones or antibiotics from the time of birth.

SOUP, SANDWICHES AND OU

The University of Oklahoma’s School of Art and Art History, along with the Arts Alliance, will present Art from the Heart on Valentine’s Day. The event is a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Lightwell Gallery, 520 Parrington Oval. For $15 admission, guests get all-you-caneat soup, sandwiches and one piece of original art. Lunch sans art is $10.

“This event is similar to our Chili Bowl in the fall and provides an opportunity to see and select from a wide variety of student and faculty creativity,” said Mary Jo Watson, director of OU’s art school, in a release.

All of the pieces are small — less than 12x12 — and include prints, paintings, photography, ceramics and sculptures.

“This would be a perfect gift for a last-minute Valentine or a great way to add to your own collection,” Watson said.

The luncheon will also include a raffle for a floral bouquet from local florist Design 2000.

All proceeds will fund art and art history student scholarships. For more details, contact Tiffany Henley at 325-2691.

JUST CHILL NOW IN OKLAHOMA

John Mutz of Focus Partners dropped in the other day with a new item that just hit the local market.

It was a tasty, tropical drink called Just Chill, which has no sodium, only 50 calories per can and low sugar and carbs. It also has ginkgo biloba, ginseng and lemongrass, which the owners claim will calm the body and relieve stress and insomnia.

Just Chill, co-founded by Oklahoma City native Robert Young and Californian Max Bauman, is only available in Southern California and the Oklahoma City area. In the metro area, Just Chill is available at The Health Food Center, OKC Organics and independent convenience stores from Edmond to Norman.

Mutz said that the product is good right from the can or it can also be mixed with vodka for “Chill-tinis.”

“On a cold day, pour your can of Just Chill in a coffee mug and heat in the microwave to create a tasty and effervescent healthy alternative to hot chocolate,” Mutz said.

A FUN FIND

The buzz around town is all about Twin Peaks, 3109 W. Memorial, a new restaurant that is now open for lunch and dinner.

A rapidly expanding franchise, this Memorial Road Twin Peaks is the first of five that partners Nick Bomar and Sam Barnett plan to open in Oklahoma in the future.

“We are very excited about being in Oklahoma City, and we have had a great response from the citizens,” Barnett said. “Our beer is kept cold — 29 degrees — and it’s almost like a beer slushie. Our chicken-fried steak

is huge. (It’s) enough for two and enough to take home and have for another meal.”

The
Dallas-based Twin Peaks concept was named a 2010 “Hot Concept” by
Nation’s Restaurant News. The original Twin Peaks was opened in 2005 in a
Dallas suburb and quickly gained a reputation for quality food and cold
draft beer served in a mountain lodge setting by the “Twin Peaks
Girls.” The chain is expected to double in size in 2011 and already has a
dozen restaurants throughout the Southwest.

Managing
Twin Peaks are Nick McNab and Freddie Zahed, and the restaurant opens
daily at 11 a.m. Reach the restaurant at 418-5555.

CHOW CHAT

Karen
Lent is with U.S. Foodservice and is also an account executive for the
Department of Defense. Her maiden name is Cusack, of the Cusack Meat
Company, which has been in business since 1933. Her grandfather, Francis “Hank” Cusack, purchased the company in 1946.

Family: “Husband, Terry, and children, Jackson, (who) will be 6 in March, and Jordan, who will be 4 in March.

Favorite cut of meat: “Top sirloin.”

You would never eat: “Shrimp.”

Quick tip for cooking steaks: “Don’t press down on the steak, which will make you lose the juices, and don’t do that with hamburgers, too.”

Best thing about you: “I’m tight with money.”

On your day off you: “Teach an aerobics class.”

Biggest vice? “Chocolate.”

People say you kind of look like: “Gwyneth Paltrow.”

Personal
motto: “My kids say it to me: ‘You get what you get, and you don’t
throw a fit.’”

Any talent? “I attempted the violin, but I was terrible. I
love to do Zumba, and I am a novice at Zumba.”

Pet Peeve? “I am a neat freak, and I don’t want a messy house.”

You could rant for hours on: “How to save your money instead of spending it.”

Something I did to land a job: “I turned it down.”

Habit your husband does that drives you nuts? “Smokes cigarettes.”

Date night? “We go to the Looney Bin, the comedy club.”

Your wardrobe? “I like baggy, comfortable clothes.”

Eat out at: “San Marcos near my home, and at the house for my meat. I go to the meat cutter at Crest in Edmond.”

Why Crest? “My husband is the meat cutter there.”

BYTES

Where do you go for food so spicy it makes you sweat? That’s the question we asked on Oklahoma Gazette’s Facebook page. Here are your answers, verbatim.

“The
green curry (“Level 6 -- Thai Level”) at Moon Thai. (Alternately, the
same thing -- only “Level 10” -- at Tana Thai.) —Matt McNeil

“I
love the Coral Snake Salsa at Iguana. When I’m feeling brave I order
the Coral Snake Margarita. Both have just the right combination of sweet
and spicy.” —Holley Mangham

“The four star red curry at the thai kitchen” —Tim Heitzman

“Green Curry at Pad Thai in Norman!!” —Kelli Haines

“habanero hot sauce at Ted’s” —Ryan Abernathy

“Singapore Chow Mei Fun at Yummy Yummy Chinese take-out.” —Roger Barton

“Sala Thai - Beef Pepper Steak so hot & tasty they serve it with a side of chilled cucumbers.” —Kimberly Hickerson

“Firestarter burger at Irma’s - the best mess of beef, cheese, peppers, and chipotle sauce anywhere!” —Matthew Atkinson

“Swadley’s Bar-B-Q’s spicy sauce and their hot links are “KILLER”.” —Curt Breuklander

“Fried jalapeno and onion plate at Chelinos. Oh, so very good.” —Booger Presley

“The spicy pad kee mao at the Thai Garden.” —Paul Cherry

“Lamb Vindaloo at Ajanta. Prig King at Tana Thai depending on how how you order it.” —Sean Goade

“Hot wings at the Mont, and Pad Kee Mao at Tana Thai!” —Lindsay Laird

“Clay Pot Tofu, Level 5 at Sala Thai.” —Colin Newman

“jalapeno sausage @ bbq chop shop” —Chad Erin

—Carol Smaglinski