Food-o-File: Friday Lagniappe

Sometimes there is too much Austin food news to squeeze into the print edition of the Chronicle. Rather than wait a week, we've decided to give our readers a little bite of something extra.

• Bee sure to tune in to ABC's Shark Tank at 8pm tonight, Mar. 20, to see Austinite Mikaila Ulmer pitch her BeeSweet Lemonade to the potential investors. Young Miss Ulmer is a clever and industrious 10-year-old who was named TeenPreneur of the Year by the Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce in 2013, the same year we met her and sampled her refreshing beverage at a Lemonade Day tasting contest at the Dell Children's Museum. Here's hoping the young lady goes from the lemonade stand to a national brand after her appearance tonight.

• Word of Mouth Catering owner Leslie Moore advises us that his company will launch Word of Mouth Bakery (917 W. 12th) on Monday, Mar. 23 in the free-standing building across the parking lot from the company's commissary kitchen and offices. There should be plenty of good cooking and baking karma in that building, considering that over the past 20 years it's been home to business ventures from chefs such as Alain Braux, Sam Dickey, Gina Burchenal, and Quincy Erickson. Moore also tells us that pastry chef Liz Gifford has rejoined WOM to run the new bakery, which will offer wedding and special occasion cakes in addition to a full line of sweet and savory pastries.

•The Downtown outlet of Trader Joe's (211 Walter Seaholm Dr.) is set to open on May 1st, and will begin hiring new staff members at 9am Monday morning, Mar. 23, at the California-based grocer's Rollingwood store (2805 Bee Caves Rd.). Applications are available at the store or online.

•Houston chef and cookbook author Adá
n Medrano reports that his first cookbook, Truly Texas Mexican (Texas Tech University Press, $29.95), which was featured at the Texas Book Festival 2014, is a finalist for Foreword Reviews' Indiefab Book of the Year award. Buena suerte!

•Austin-based bottled coffee and tea beverages are expanding their flavor offerings and distribution areas. Look for three new flavors of 10oz, ready-to-drink Chameleon Cold-Brew coffee beverages - espresso, chicory, and Mexican – that are now exclusively available at Whole Foods Markets. We've also learned that four flavors of Texas Teas will be available at Sprouts Farmers Market stores nationwide in late March. The teas are made with Texas flavors from Fredericksburg peaches, Poteet strawberries, Pecos cantaloupes, Texas wildflower honey, Rio Red grapefruits, and Imperial Pure Cane Sugar from Sugar Land. Texas Teas were a big hit at the recent Barbecue Crash Course.

• Events you don't want to miss:

Swig & Swine – the national hospitality group known as the Bon Vivants joins forces with both Esquire and Imbibe magazines to present the sixth year of their Pig & Punch event series with a Swig & Swine party at Half Step (75 ½ Rainey) held during South by Southwest. In addition to live music programming, a $30 ticket gets guests festive punches such as Half Step's Rainey Street Revival, Weather Up's Moreno Swizzle, and the Rain King from Drink.Well, plus delicious pork dishes from chefs Alex Chong of Sway, Josh Jones of Salt & Time, and Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. Proceeds from the event and donations will benefit KIPP Austin Public Charter Schools. Sunday, Mar. 22, 2-8pm.

Horror Movie Feast – Chefs Jason Donoho and Trish Eichelberger will present a feast designed to pair with the new indie horror flick, Spring, from Drafthouse Films at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Purchase tickets online. Wednesday, Mar. 25, 7pm.

Wedding Food Truck Expo – DNA Events hosts this open house at the pastoral Umlauf Sculpture Garden (605 Robert E. Lee Rd) to showcase venues, event planners, and food trucks who are are eager to help Austin brides create the wedding of their dreams. In addition to live entertainment from the Eggmen, look for food from Chi'Lantro BBQ, the Peached Tortilla, Dock & Roll Diner, and Slab BBQ . Event firms such as Red Velvet Events, Caplan Miller Events, and Creative Consultants will also be present. For more info, go here. Thursday, Mar. 26, 6:30-8pm.