Food-o-File

In a ceremony at City Council chambers June 9, Mayor Leffingwell and the Austin City Council proclaimed June 2011 the Resurrection of Barr Mansion's Artisan Ballroom month. The proclamation came on the first anniversary of the devastating lightning fire that destroyed the ballroom last summer. The newly expanded, even greener, zero-waste facility is once again hosting weddings and other events and providing seasonal, organic menus in the nation's only certified organic event venue. We send hearty congratulations to Barr Mansion owner Melanie McAfee and her talented staff on the ballroom's resurrection, and we offer our best wishes for its continued success.

A group of Texans styling themselves the Texas Outlaws are throwing a big party at the Colorado Kenichi outlet on Friday, June 17, during the eponymous magazine's Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. The Austin contingent includes chefs Kevin Williamson and Antonio Vidal of Ranch 616, Tyson Cole of Uchi and Uchiko, and Bryce Gilmore of Barley Swine (who closed his restaurant for the weekend in order to attend), as well as representatives of Tito's Handmade Vodka. As we reported last month, Food & Wine will be the presenting sponsor of the first Austin Food & Wine Festival in spring 2012.

Opal Divine's (www.opaldivines.com) owners Michael and Susan Parker have kicked off their annual summer Drink Pink fundraiser to benefit the Breast Cancer Resource Centers of Texas. The Parkers are shooting to raise $10,000 this year, so upgrade that $3, 100% agave margarita to a $3.50 one made with vibrant pink prickly pear juice, and 50 cents go to the BCRC!

This month, KLRU presents Juneteenth Jamboree produced by Michael Emery, with a special focus on foods emblematic to the African-American holiday, including traditional foods of Juneteenth introduced by children's host Funmi Ogunro, insight into the history surrounding Juneteenth foods from culinary historian Toni Tipton-Martin, homage to popular Juneteenth foods by three Austin restaurants, and a cornbread recipe from children's author Deborah Orr's book The Little Cornbread Girl. Juneteenth Jamboree airs June 18-20 on KLRU. Visit www.klru.org/juneteenth for more information.

Cookie Monster alert! The bakeries at both Central Market stores will debut a new line of 19 specialty gourmet cookies this week, with Cookie Happy Hours from 3 to 6pm on Wednesday and Thursday, June 22 and 23. During this promotion, customers can buy six cookies for $3 and pair them with a free 14-ounce container of Promised Land milk. The cookies also come packaged in their own oven-ready, heat-proof packages, meaning cookie lovers can reheat them in a home oven for an aromatic, home-baked treat.

Speaking of baking, summer fruits are showing up in area farmers' markets, so Dai Due invites home bakers to participate in a pie-baking contest. To enter, just take a generous slice of pie made with Dai Due's organic leaf lard and local fruit to the Dai Due booth at the Downtown Farmers' Market (Fourth & Guadalupe) any Saturday morning through July 2. The Dai Due staff will pick the best and announce the name in its weekly newsletter; the winner will receive a case of lard and a Dai Due apron.