Catching Up with Whiskey Cake in Texas

It had been almost 7 years since I had seen a friend of mine. Life takes you across the country in the opposite direction when their life takes them within miles of where you pay rent. But for once the stars aligned. I got sent to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, he was still in the area, I forgot he lived there, he ACTUALLY checked Facebook and saw my check-in at a local BBQ place. So we made plans and had dinner.

I was tired of Texas Brisket, I know that could get me shot but its was 2 straight days of brisket. So I was more than happy when the suggestion of Whiskey Cake came up. My friend explained that they are known for their OMG burger (Onions, Mushroom, & Goodness) that is actually brisket burger but that his wife loves the ahi tuna burger. So I figure if you can go from an amazing brisket burger to an ahi tuna burger that this would be a good choice. They are a "Farm to Fork" style restaurant. I know that is the trendy motto these days but this place doesn't actually have freezers for food only for ice. No microwaves and all that other goodness.

I was excited about the food but more excited to catch up on my friend's life over the last 7 years. He is not married to a great woman who gives him shit when he deserves it. They have a cute new baby, who by the looks of the pictures and the stories is going to be just like his father. Which means they have their hands full.

The food is excellent, full flavors and is well prepared. We shared their dips & spreads appetizer. It changes regularly based on what is fresh available to prepare. For this night it was hummus, cranberry spread, and a crab spread with plenty of pita bread.



I ordered the mesquite smoked duck breast and a Bourbon Flight (Eagle Rare Hand Selected, Elijah Craig 12, Buffalo Trace, and Woodford Reserve). The duck was perfectly prepared and I did not finish it all because I was attempting to save room for the famed Whiskey Cake!!

I have never had the Eagle Rare or the Elijah Craig 12 Bourbons before and I was impressed by both. Eagle Rare is a bright honey color with a hint of bronze. The first aromas reminded me of a toasted honey-wheat bread (nod to my Dad and Granddad here) and tobacco leaf with aeration. After my first sip the aroma and taste quickly evolved to include ripe banana, black raisins and charred oak. In the mouth, this oily, toasty bourbon seduces the taste buds at palate entry and made me want to buy a bottle to have on hand with my next cigar. The Elijah Craig 12 is a dark caramel color. The first aromas were predominately clover honey. Both scent and taste are predominately of raisin, though there are slight hints of caramel and toffee as well. Because of Elijah Craig’s color and scent, I was expecting a much heavier bourbon but I was mistaken. This bourbon was very well balanced. It also has a small bit of spice and lingering aftertaste that doesn't overpower, but coats your tongue with a subtle sweetness.

My friend ordered the Open Pit Grilled Pork Tenderloin. His wife ordered her favorite Tuna Burger. I got to have a taste test of both. Both dishes were moist and perfectly seasoned. I usually am not a fan of tuna in a burger style but they did this one right.












The star of the evening was the Whiskey Cake - a Toffee Tort with a Buffalo Trace Bourbon Anglaise topped with Spiced Pecans and Buffalo Trace Whipped Cream. If I ever make it back to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, I am highly likely to go back just to share a Whiskey Cake with my friend and his wife! It was very original and very good - everyone loved it. Love the Concept, Enjoyed the Food, but expect to spend some money if you go.

A taste of Sonora

This is my version of a Sonoran Hot dog. It does have a bit of a Colombian Hot dog influence from my time in Miami :-)

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 all-beef hot dogs (I prefer Hebrew National)
• 4 quail eggs
• 4 slices extra-thin bacon
• 4 torpedo rolls or bolillos
• 4 tablespoons warm refried beans (recipe follows)
• 8 tablespoons chopped avocado or guacamole
• 4 heaping tablespoons grated jack or cheddar cheese
• 4 tablespoons chopped onion
• 4 tablespoons chopped tomato
• 4 tablespoons Salsa Verde (recipe follows)
• 1/4 cup lard, bacon grease, or vegetable oil
• 3 cups drained cooked pinto beans
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup reserved bean broth
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked and washed
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and minced
• 1 cup minced sweet onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• Sea salt

Procedures

Mix the mayo, Tabasco, and lemon juice and use a funnel to put the mayo blend in a squeeze bottle. Wrap the hot dogs with the bacon slices so the sausage is completely covered. Cook the hot dogs on a comal or flat top, rolling them over until the bacon is crunchy on all sides, about 7 minutes. Cut a pocket into the buns to form a "boat" and toast them on the grill. When the hot dogs are cooked, divide the beans and avocado among the four rolls, spooning them inside the pocket and spreading on either side. Spread the cheese down the middle. Using tongs put one piping-hot bacon-wrapped wiener into the pocket of each roll. Top each hot dog with cilantro, onions and tomatoes. Spread the Salsa Verde across the top. Apply the mayo blend in squiggles across the top of the hot dog. Add poached quil egg on top.

Refried Beans

 - makes 3 cups -

Melt the lard in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Allow to heat for another minute, then add the beans and mash them for 2 minutes with a fork or potato masher. Stir in the 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste). Add the bean broth and the pepper and continue mashing until the beans reach the desired consistency. Tex-Mex beans are generally chunky rather than soupy.

Salsa Verde

 - makes 2 cups -

Put the cleaned tomatillos in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and allow the tomatillos to soak for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and purée the tomatillos in a food processor. Add the cilantro, serranos, onion, garlic, sugar, and lime juice to the food processor and pulse three or four times to combine. Season with salt to taste.

A Salute to our Veteran's

Veterans Day is Nov. 11, and was created to honor all members of our military. ReVeterans Day is Nov. 11, and was created to honor all members of our military. Restaurants are doing their part by offering complimentary Veterans Day meals to veterans and active military. Many restaurants are giving military members free or discounted food — a small way to say thank you to those who serve or have served our country. Below, find some of the restaurants where you can receive a free meal for Veterans Day if you're a past or present member of the U.S. military.

Two notes before heading out to fill your tummy:

·         Proof of Military Service. Most companies require some form of military ID. These include: a Military ID Card (active/reserve/retired), Current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), Drivers License with Veterans Designation, Photograph in uniform, be wearing uniform (if your service permits), Veterans Organization Card (e.g., American Legion and VFW), DD214, discharge paperwork, or other form of identification. Other restaurants and companies may go by the honor system.

·         Participation. Second, always call ahead to verify locations, times, and participation. Many of the listed companies are franchises and may have different policies. We will do our best to keep this page updated as we find new info.

Please call your local restaurant ahead of time to confirm details, as some franchises may have different policies. Also please look for updates at The Military Wallet.

Applebee’s – free meal, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012: Last year, Applebee’s served over one million free meals to military veterans and active service members. Applebee’s is again offering a free meal to military veterans and active-duty service members on Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. There will be 7 entrées to choose from, beverage and gratuity not included. Military ID or proof of service required. More.

Bar Louie, Free meal on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. 2012.Active duty military members and veterans can receive a free meal, up to $10 in value, and a free non-alcoholic beverage. Available at all locations, military ID or proof of service is required (source). Find a location near you.

BD’s Mongolian Grill, Nov. 5-11, 2012. 1/2 off Stir-fry with valid military ID. Only at participating locations. Find the location nearest you.

BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse, Nov. 11-12 2012.Complimentary lunch entree or a one topping mini pizza for dinner. Offer valid to all active duty military and veterans, with proof of service. More info.

California Pizza Kitchen, Nov. 11-12, 2012. Free meal and non-alcoholic beverage for veterans and active military with valid ID or proof of service. Find a location near you.

Champps Americana, Nov. 12, 2012. All Veterans and Active Military will receive a free Champps Cheeseburger and fries on Monday November 12th. Proof of service required. Offer not valid for the Pepperjack Bacon Stack Burger or Kobe Burger. Dine in only, valid at participating locations.More info, Find a location near you.

Cheeseburger in Paradise, Nov. 12, 2012. Free meal from select menu with military ID or proof of service. Beverages and gratuity not included. Find a location near you.

Chili’s – free meal, Sunday, Nov. 11 2012. Chili’s is offering all military veterans past and present their choice of one of 7 meals. This offer is available from 11am – 5pm on November 11, 2012 at participating Chili’s in the U.S. only. Dine-in from limited menu only; beverages and gratuity not included. Veterans and active duty military simply show proof of military service. Visit their website to find locations.

Denny’s Veterans Day Appreciation Event, Nov. 12 2012. Free all you can eat pancakes from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 12 for all active, retirees, and veterans with a valid military ID or proof of military service. Offer available in every Denny’s nationwide.

Einstein Bros Bagels, Nov. 11, 2012. Free Classic or Signature Bagel at participating locations. Announcement.

Famous Dave’s – Sunday Nov. 11 2012. Free or discounted meals on Veterans Day. Offer varies by location, please check the Famous Dave’s Veterans Day page or call your local restaurant for more information.

Fox & Hound and Bailey’s Sports Grille Nov. 12, 2012. Free Sandwich or Entree (up to $13) for active duty military and veterans with ID. Participating locations only. Visit site for location information.

Friendly’s, Nov. 12, 2012. Free breakfast during breakfast hours for active military and veterans with ID. Locations.

Golden Corral – Free meal, Monday Nov. 12: The 12th annual Golden Corral Military Appreciation Monday dinner will is available to any person who has ever served in the United States Military. If you are a veteran, retired, currently serving, in the National Guard or Reserves, you are invited to participate in Golden Corral’s Military Appreciation Monday dinner. For more information visit http://www.goldencorral.com/military/.

To date, Golden Corral restaurants have provided over 3.2 million free meals and contributed over $6.1 million to the Disabled American Veterans organization. THANK YOU!!

Hooters – Free Meal, Sunday, Nov. 11 2012. Hooter’s is serving up a free meal to military veterans all day on Veterans Day. Offer good for all veterans and active duty military personnel. Get 10 Free Wings – Boneless or Regular, drink purchase required. Offer valid at participating Hooters only; open to all active duty and military veterans with valid military ID or proof of military service. For more information, visit, www.HootersVeteransDay.com.

Hy-Vee, Free Breakfast, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Free Veterans Day breakfast from 7am – 11am at all Hy-Vee supermarkets with in-store dining. Please call ahead to verify participation, and bring proof of service.

Johnny Carino’s, Nov. 9-11, 2012. $5 featured entrees for current and former military with valid ID. $1 for each purchased entree will go to the Fisher House Foundation. Locations.

Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut, Nov. 11, 2012.Available only at participating Krispy Kreme stores. Offer available to all active-duty, retirees & veterans. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

Little Caesars® Pizza, Nov. 11, 2012. Little Caesars is honoring the men and women of the United States armed forces this Veterans Day by providing veterans and active military members with a free Crazy Bread® with proof of military status or proof of service at participating stores nationwide. Call ahead to verify participation. For more information visit the Little Caesar's Announcement.

Lone Star Steakhouse, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012.(update): All veterans and active duty military will receive a FREE entrée from the Stars & Stripes Menu. ID required, please call ahead for verification.

LongHorn Steakhouse, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. Complimentary Texas Tonion and non-alcoholic beverage. Offer good for Veterans and active-duty military members. Proof of service required. Visit their site to find a location near you.

Max & Erma’s, Sunday, November 11, 2012.Participating Max & Erma’s locations are offering military members and veterans a free Best Cheeseburger in America Combo, which includes tortilla soup or side Caesar salad, seasoned fries, and chocolate chip cookies. Locations.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants – free lunch or dinner, Sunday Nov 11, 2012: McCormick & Schmick’s is celebrating their 14th annual Veteran’s Appreciation Event on Sunday, November 11th. Veterans will be able to choose a complimentary lunch or dinner entrée. Veterans must provide proof of military service. Be sure to contact your local McCormick & Schmick’s as this is valid at participating restaurants only. Also, space is limited and reservations are highly recommended. For more information visit: M&S Veterans Appreciation Event.

O’Charley’s, Nov. 12, 2012. Free entree from the $9.99′er menu for all active military and veterans with proof of service. Find a location near you.

On The Border, Sun. Nov. 11, 2012. “Sizzling Salute to Veterans” promotion. Mention this special, and On the Border will donate 15% of your purchase to Carry the Load, a non-profit military organization. Veterans and Service members with ID who dine at On The Border on 11/11/12 will receive a certificate for a free entree (up to $10) valid from 11/12/12 thru 11/30/12 (valid at corporate locations only). Find a location near you.

Outback Steakhouse – A week of Free Bloomin’ Onions and Cokes Nov. 11-12, 2012. Outback Steakhouse is honoring America’s military veterans by offering active duty military and veterans a free Bloomin’ Onion and a Coca-Cola product during the week leading up to Veteran’s Day. This offer is available to Military Personnel with ID. Also receive 10% off your purchase from Nov. 13-Dec 31, 2012. More information.

For the past two years, The Outback, with the help of their patrons, has donated $2 Million to Operation Homefront, a non-profit organization providing everyday and emergency support for active troops, wounded warriors and their families.

Red Lobster – Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. Free Appetizer on Veterans Day with military ID or proof of service. Vets may choose from a select list of appetizers. Find a location near you.

Red Robin, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Free Red’s Tavern Double and Bottomless Steak Fries for all Red Robin guests with a military ID or proof of service. Red Robin is also partnering with Heinz for Veterans Day to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project. Red Robin will also donate $10,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project. Find a location near you.

Ruby’s Diner, Nov. 11, 2012. Free Cinnamon Roll French Toast until 11:30am. Valid for all military service members past and present. Coupon required

Spaghetti Warehouse, Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. Buy one entrée, get one free, coupon required. Choose any of 11 Original Recipe Spaghetti entrées and receive a second entrée free. This offer is open to everyone, not just veterans. Download the coupon at their website (available starting Nov. 5th).

Sizzler Restaurants, Nov. 12, 2012. Free lunch served until 4pm. Choice of 3 entrees. Valid with proof of military service. More info and locations.

Souplantation & Sweet Tomoatoes, Nov. 11-12, 2012. Free meal with purchase of another regular priced meal. Available to current and former military members with valid ID. Available at all Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes locations. More info.

Subway. In honor of Veterans Day, SUBWAY® will donate $111,112 to the Wounded Warrior Project ‘s economic empowerment program

Texas Corral – Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. Free entrée (dine-in only). Offer available to all active duty members and veterans with ID. Note: All Texas Corral locations also regularly offer a 50% discount to active duty police officers, firemen and military personnel dining in. Locations.

Texas Roadhouse – free lunch, Monday Nov. 12, 2012. Every Texas Roadhouse location across the country will participate in the free lunch event to honor the men and women of our armed forces. Choose from one of 10 free meals, plus sides and a drink. Offer good for All veterans – including all active, retired or former U.S. military. ID Required. Find locations.

T.G.I. Friday’s – Free Lunch, Monday Nov. 12, 2012.Valid for all US Military personnel and veterans. Must wear uniform (if permitted by your service) or present military ID or other proof of service. Only valid at participating locations for anyone with an old or current military ID. More details on TGIFridays.com.

The Olive Garden, Free entrée, Nov. 11, 2012. Offer good for veterans and active duty military, on Sunday, November 11th during regular business hours. Chose from a special menu; all entrées inlcude freshly baked garlic sticks and choice of soup or salad. Off er good in US and Canada, proof of service required. More info.

Tim Hortons – all US locations are offering a free donut to all veterans (check out the Star Spangled donut!).

Tony Roma’s, Nov. 11, 2012. Free Entree, up to $15 for current and former military members with valid proof of service. Valid at select locations only: Carson CA, Palm Desert CA, Savannah GA, Doral FL, I-Drive FL, Jensen Beach FL, Lee Vista FL, Sunny Isles FL, E. Sahara NV, Henderson NV, Summerlin NV, Brownsville TX, Laredo TX, McAllen TX, McAllen North TX, : Green Bay WI.Details.

Uno Chicago Grill, Nov. 11 -12, 2012. Free individual pizza or entrée with the purchase of a pizza or entrée of equal or greater value. Available for all active duty and veterans. No coupon necessary; proof of service required. Find a location near you.

7-Eleven – Free small Slurpee on Sunday, Nov. 11 from 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Offer good to all current and former military members. ID or proof of service required.

Remember Our Veterans coffee mug (Google Affiliate Ad)

Veterans Day: A James Buckner Novel (Google Affiliate Ad)