Over the long holiday weekend, the little dish paid a visit to the new (and one of the only) frozen yogurt places in Dallas, Orange Cup. To put it mildly, I am in love. For starters, Orange Cup is a local company and its Northpark location is its very first. I always enjoy supporting local business as often as possible, but that doesn’t mean I want to sacrifice quality and flavor in order to do so. Luckily, that’s not an issue here. The yogurts we tried were delicious. I went with the natural flavor topped with freshly sliced berries. The natural flavor is a plain yogurt, but hardly anything like the fluffy vanllia-flavored TCBY soft-serve. It has a mild yogurt tang that adds some flavor depth and (for lack of a better word) a “healthy” taste.
And healthy, it is. Their yogurt is made with all-natural ingredients, fat free, and contains live active cultures. Depending on the serving size and topping you choose, you’re looking at just over a hundred calories. For me, that’s fabulous. Each individual cup is personalized with your name, flavor, toppings, and individual calorie count. Brilliant.
My cohort chose the more exotic acai berry flavor. It’s got natural antioxidants because of the berries and added fruits (pomegranates and blackberries). Very refreshing and tart. The toasted granola topping was also quite tasty. I especially liked the delicate hints of cinnamon.
Based on the fact they’re locals and their yogurt is tasty, Orange Cup is a winner. There’s another added plus though. They’re doing their part to help the environment with little touches like sectionalized recycling cans and an incentive plan to reuse their cup-holder bags. Bring your bag back and each time you’ll receive a sticker. After twelve stickers, you’ll get a free t-shirt. Cute.
So stop by next time you’re shopping and don’t miss a really great treat that’s perfect for Summer… (If you shop at Stonebriar, you’re in luck because their second store is opening there soon!)
8687 N. Central Expressway | Dallas, Texas 75225
214.890.7710
Until yesterday, I had never made an angel food cake. Going through the produce section, I’ve always been drawn to the oversized donut-shaped gâteaus when they’re stacked high next to plastic containers of berries. The store-bought version is fine yes, but I’ve always wondered how much better homemade angel food would taste. Also, I try to avoid eating (when I can) foods that have weird, artificial ingredients in them. This is what essentially prompted me to go home and make my own cake: I read the ingredients label. So many strange poly-ides and tri-phates! I’m sure they’re not all bad for you, but it’s so much more comforting to read words like “eggs” and “sugar.”
So with that in mind, I picked up a carton of eggs (which I surprisingly need all of) and headed home to bake. For a classic dessert, I turned to a classic cookbook: The Joy of Cooking. I have my grandmother’s copy. It’s perfect for situations like this because it not only has the recipes you need, but it also gives you a crash course in the item you’re baking. For instance, in the tutorial on angel food cake I learned that angel cakes are really sponge cakes without yolks or butter. I also learned that instead of relying on leavening agents, angel cakes owe their light, fluffy nature to the volume of air beaten into the egg whites. Therefore, it’s really important to not overbeat the egg whites and fold in the dry ingredients very carefully.
I was nervous about getting the right texture with the egg white mixture, but the recipes times and descriptions of what the egg whites should look like was perfect. The cake turned out beautifully, even when made by a beginner! It’s perfect for summertime and I’ll definitely be making this again soon.
Basic Angel Cake
Taken from The Joy of Cooking
A high, very moist and tender angel cake that dissolves quickly on the tongue. For a less sweet cake with a slightly drier texture, decrease both sugar measures to 2/3 cup; the finished cake will be a tad shorter.
Egg whites should be cold. Preheat the oven to 350F. Have ready one ungreased 9″ or 10″ tube pan.
Sift together three times and set aside:
1 c. sifted cake flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
In a large bowl, beat on low speed for one minute:
1 1/2 c. cold egg whites (about 12 large whites)
1 tbs. water
1 tbs. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
Increase the mixer speed to medium (not high) and beat until the mixture increases in volume 4 1/2 to 5 times and resembles a bowl of slightly translucent soft foam composed of tiny bubbles. (This takes anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 minutes.) The foam will hold a very soft, moist shape when the beaters are lifted.
Beat in gradually (on medium speed), 1 tablespoon at a time, taking 2 to 3 minutes:
3/4 c. sugar
When all the sugar has been added, the foam will be creamy white and hold soft, moist, glossy peaks that bend over at the points; do not beat until stiff. If the mixer bowl is nearly full, transfer the mixture into a wide 4 to 6 quart bowl for easier folding. Sift a fine layer of the flour mixture (about one-eighth of the total) evenly over the surface of the batter and fold gently with a rubber spatula only until the the flour is almost incorporated. Do not stir or mix. Repeat seven more times, folding in the last addition until no traces of the flour are visible. Pour the batter into the pan and tilt or spread to level the top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. When the cake is done, it must be inverted immediately to cool upside down, in the pan, to prevent sinking. Let cool upside down for at least 1 1/2 hours, setting the center of the tube over a bottleneck (I used a short wine bottle) or resting the pan on four glasses. When it’s cool, run a sharp serrated knife around the outside edge to loosen the cake from the pan. Angel cakes keep well for 2 to 3 days but do not freeze as well as butter cakes or other sponge cakes.
It’s Wild About Harry’s: part two! If hot dogs aren’t really your thing, that is certainly no reason to pass up a trip to Harry’s. I myself don’t eat hot dogs very often–maybe once or twice a year–but I love going to Harry’s for their superstar special: frozen custard.
Frozen custard is a lot like ice cream, but it contains egg yolks and a higher amount of butterfat. It’s denser, with less air whipped into it than ice cream, and creamier. It’s usually served in smaller scoops (a little larger than gelato perhaps) because it’s so rich–a little goes a long way!
Wild About Harry’s frozen custard is delicious and I love how many flavors they offer on a daily basis. They have the basics: chocolate, vanilla, coffee, etc. and special daily offerings like cookies and cream, peppermint, and coconut. There’s all sorts of topping varieties and sundae options (Brian tried a cookies and cream custard with hot fudge), but in my opinion, they’re unnecessary. This frozen custard is delicious enough to stand all on it’s own. I tried two flavors, coffee and coconut, and loved them. Sweet, refreshing, creamy, and definitely worth coming back for… often.
3113 Knox Street | Dallas, Texas 75205
214.520.3113
I’m not sure when the food service world decided it was acceptable to charge $4 and upwards for a single hot dog. We’re talking about hot dogs, right? Are we at a sporting event or something? The movies maybe? No. Well, then what the hell is going on. As long as I can continue to hit my local Costco and secure a hot/polish dog plus a drink for $1.50, I will always be baffled at some of the prices these “upscale” hotdog places charge.
Now, I understand that these other dogs have more to them like cheese, chili, bacon, jalapenos, lettuce, fritos, and whatever else you come up with. But let’s be honest with ourselves. The amount of these extras they add doesn’t justify a doubling of the price. How much does 6 jalepenos and 2oz of cheese and chili actually cost. I’ll tell you with certainty that it’s not $2 dollars. I just don’t understand how people are willing to pay 7 dollars for a hotdog combo meal. It’s a hot dog people. I’m originally from California and Pinks, who’s been doing the hotdog thing since 1934 in Hollywood, doesn’t even charge as much as the few hot dog places I have been to in Dallas. Almost all of Pink’s standard dogs are under $4, and can get up to $5 or $6 when you add things like pastrami and burger patties, or jumbo size dogs. All these things I can understand. Not to mention they are in Hollywood/LA, the “land of the overpriced everything,” so they could get away with charging a few extra cents, but they don’t.
Ok. Glad to get that off my chest. Despite all my price worries, these dogs where quite awesome. A bit on the small side, but full of delicious ingredients that made up for it. I got two dogs, the Junkyard Dog (bun, spicy Polish sausage, mustard, onion, chili, cheese, jalapeño) and a Texas (bun, frank, mustard, chili, cheese, onions). The chili and cheese combination was great, but I preferred the spicier Junkyard with its Polish dog, onions and jalapeño. While their menu isn’t even in the same league as the Pinks I left behind, they still go toe-to-toe on taste and that’s probably what’s most important. One thing is for sure though, their custard is what takes Wild About Harry’s to the ‘I’ll be going back there a lot’ status. Stay tuned for that.
Overall I like what Wild About Harry’s is doing. It’s a great little stop on a sunny afternoon to take in some sun and people watch along side a great little hot dog and some custard. Definitely recommended, but someone needs to do something about this hot dog price scam. It’s an epidemic.
3113 Knox Street | Dallas, Texas 75205
214.520.3113
Almost five days without a little dish update? For shame! But it isn’t for lack of care, I promise. This week has just been busy with lots of things and unfortunately, most of them didn’t have very much to do with good food :/
However, one really exciting thing did happen! We decided to pay a visit to the Dallas Farmers’ Market. I had never been before, and I feel kinda bad about that. In my defense, I think it’s a little like the Sixth Floor Museum or the zoo: you think about going there, but often don’t until some out-of-towner has you drumming up random things to do. I digress.
I can’t stress how nice it was to go to the Farmers’ Market. All of the produce looked really tasty and was arranged so artistically. I liked the leisurely pace of walking around the fresh vegetables and fruits, tasting samples, taking in the sights and sounds. I was pleasantly surprised by the prices. I bought a gigantic bag of oranges for only $4 and two baskets of berries for $5 (much, much less than what I would have paid for the same amount at a grocery store). And were they delicious? Oh yes, very.
From the center food stand in front of Stage 2, I bought a cup of a Mexican drink called Horchata. Brian is originally from Cali and had told me that they sell it in a lot of places there. I have never seen it on a menu, so when I saw it on the sign, I jumped on it. It’s essentially an aqua fresca made with rice, vanilla, and cinnamon. It’s sweet, refreshing, and my new favorite thing. I’m already researching other places I’ll be able to get my fix…
While there, we also tried roasted corn. They were roasting and selling it in a little cart on the street. Available “on the corn or in the cup” (as the man on the corner repeated in a “step-right-up” fashion), it’s served with a variety of possible toppings (butter, mayonnaise, parmesan, spices, etc.) We tasted it plain with just a little parmesan cheese and it was wonderful. It was so sweet, fresh, and a very simple pleasure.
It might have taken me a long time living in this city to visit, but it will definitely be a very short time before I return. In fact, maybe next weekend? I’m out of oranges…
Oh and if you want see more pictures of the market that didn’t make the cut for the post, check them over at the Little Dish Flickr.
Price: For FREE!
1010 S. Pearl Expy. | Dallas, TX 75201
214.939.2808
I hope you realize how awesome this is. First of all, if you aren’t familiar with the Hollywood heavy weight, Steven Segal, all you need to know is that he used to make killer karate movies with titles like Above the Law and Marked for Death. These were classics of the 90’s and from there he launched a lucrative acting career. And now it’s 2008 and it seems that his career has hit a new high. God bless whoever had the idea of putting this man’s face on the side of an energy drink. It makes my month.
I came across these little delights in the store one day, and instantly purchased them. Who wouldn’t. Later when I got home I immediately drank one, and amazingly….they were horrible. Weird aftertaste, disgusting beginning taste. An all around displeasure, but come on it’s Steven Seagal. One thing is for certain, if I ever get back on the energy drink train, the Lightning Bolt will be the one for me. Not because they taste great, (because they taste bad) but because his face and quote are on the side of every can. And if that doesn’t make you cool and envied, nothing will.
These are some kick ass fries. Most of the time when I dare to order the cheese fries at an establishment they try and pass off some orange-colored rubber substance as cheese. Snuffers on the other hand knows what cheese is supposed to taste like and they give you plenty of it. These fries are covered in all kinds of delicious delights: jalapenos, chives, bacon and aged cheddar. All in mass amounts and piled high atop a perfect amount of tasty fresh cut fries. So next time you are in the area and off your diet, hit these guys up. Highly recommended.
Price: $3.95 (small, pictured above) or $5.95 (large) | Chives, Bacon and Jalapenos $.95 extra (a must)
3526 Greenville Ave. | Dallas, TX 75206
(214) 826-6850
Other locations at Addison, Park Cities, Plano, Rockwall, McKinney, Southlake & Highland Village
I work in Las Colinas, so usually that means my lunch is pretty standard fare. There aren’t a lot of especially wonderful places to eat around the office, so we routinely run to Jason’s Deli, Corner Bakery, and the like.
To my great pleasure, a food-savvy coworker of mine told me to check out Blu Ginger off MacArthur. On a first perusal of their menu, I was immediately pleased to see the several varieties of curry they offer. I forwent my go-to thai dish in order to try their Golden Yellow Curry. In a word, it’s delicious. It’s made like the curry my grandmother used to make: a very familiar stew-like blend of meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions, cooked in a spicy curry sauce and served with rice. I went with medium heat and was a little taken aback by the spiciness, but I will admit that my palate is a little tame when it comes to heat. So, taking a couple extra sips of water than usual, I thoroughly enjoyed this dish. Yes, the golden yellow curry is spicy, but the addition of coconut cream sauce sweetens the dish and gives it such a well-rounded flavor. We don’t usually give “grades” out on the little dish, but if we did, this would be an A.
Price: $7.95 at lunch (served with complimentary veggie crispy rolls and rice soup)/$10.95 at dinner
6550 N. MacArthur Blvd., #150 | Las Colinas, TX 75039
972.373.9799
