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20
Feb 2012
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Upcoming Complimentary Happy Hour at Gilley’s

Interested in sampling what G Texas Catering has to offer? Experience what we do best, by tasting selections from our fantastic menus and enjoying free drinks in our new restaurant, The Jack Daniel’s Saloon at Gilley’s! As a local Dallas catering company, our sample menu highlights our strong Southern roots. Join us for Happy Hour on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 4:30-6:30 PM.

Appetizers

-Apple Wood Smoked Bacon Wrapped Chicken Knots with Jalapeno Sliver
-Lobster Bisque Shooters

Main Buffet

-Smoked Sirloin with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms displayed in Oversized Skillet or Paella Pan
-Hot Water Jalapeno Corn Bread

Macaroni and Cheese Bar

-Homestyle Mac and Cheese with Toasted Bread Crumb topping -White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
-Custom Toppings include: Buffalo Chicken Bites, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Crispy Bacon,
Broccoli Florettes, Diced Tomatoes, Scallions

Martini Salad Station

-Hearts of Palm with Fresh Diced Tomato and Avocado, Balsamic Drizzle

Dessert Station

-Interactive Smores Station or Chocolate Nacho Bar

Interested in attending? RSVP here!

Time: Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012 from 4:30p-6:30p

Where: Jack Daniel’s Saloon in Gilley’s Dallas Complex | 1135 South Lamar St., Dallas, TX 75215 (map it)

Missed this announcement? Be sure to sign up for our exclusive mailing list to ensure you don’t miss these invitations in the future!

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27
Jan 2012
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Shopping Local in Dallas and Fort Worth

Purchasing local and organic foods not only stimulates your community’s economy, but has obvious health benefits. While finding local Dallas food markets available to the public may seem like a daunting task, there are plenty of online resources to help you find the right shop for you. Certain stores like Sprouts and Whole Foods advertise local sections, but farmer’s markets will definitely be the best place to ensure that all of your groceries are locally grown. With such a hands-on, DIY approach, the sellers often double as farmers–equipping them with valuable knowledge for any specialty questions or concerns you may have.

For a full list of potential vendors outside of this narrow area, visit LocalHarvest.org which aggregates local vendors.


View Dallas/Fort Worth Farmers Markets in a larger map

White Rock Local Market

This non-profit, independent farmers market is located conveniently in East Dallas and operates March-December on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of every month from 8am-1pm. All members must grow or make what they sell. For those of you living within the city, this market allows a break from a typical supermarket experience. Due to the selective nature of availability, however, it may be important to strategically plan ahead to maximize benefits.

Grand Prairie Farmers Market

This market features Texas produce and vegetables along with select speciality products such as soaps, honey, tamales, and more. Running from March 31-Dec. 17, the market is open rain or shine from 8am-1pm. On certain days, the market occasionally features live music and demonstrations as well.

Four Seasons Markets

Run by one company, there are three markets in the area highlighting local, fresh merchandise. With locations in Richardson, Dallas and Lewisville, visitors throughout the metroplex can easily reap the benefits of these markets. Open every Saturday year round, each location differs in available times: Richardson (9am-2pm), Dallas (10am-2pm) and Lewisville (10am-4pm).

Coppell Farmers Market

This market has a narrower frame for business, only open from April-November, 8am-12pm.

Rosemeade Market and Greenhouse

This market operates more like a typical grocery store, focusing on Texas produce and fresh items. Open year round, 7 days a week–this definitely provides a medium option for shopping local and working around busy schedules.

Downtown Arlington Farmers Market

This open air farmers market provides local produce in an intimate, open-air setting. Open from April-December, Downtown Arlington Farmers Market is open two days a week: Fri/Sat from 8am-1pm.

Farmers Market of Grapevine

Located in the heart of Downtown Grapevine, this Main St. farmers market highlights local food and crafts. Open April-Oct on Thurs/Fri/Sat from 8am-4pm.

Living Green Outdoors Farmers Market

This market is located in old-town Lewisville, surrounded by the long time culture and history of the town. Opening on May 14 and closing Sept. 10, this short period of time still manages to flourish the second saturday of each month from 8am-12pm.

West Village Farm-to-Market

This market serves the busy, West Village district of Dallas. Open April-August from 10am-2pm every Saturday

Downtown Dallas Farmers Market

One of the largest and most notorious markets in Dallas, this features an indoor and open-air section. Open daily from 8am-8pm, this market is open 362 days a year but flourishes strongly on the weekends. Even if you don’t shop locally often– for event planning or other special event affairs, it can be a nice change of pace to shop locally and learn about where the food you are serving actually comes from.

Although as a local Dallas caterer we are familiar with surrounding food hot spots, most of these farmers markets mentioned are for personal or family use. Certain co-op groups exchange trips to larger Farmer’s Markets and bring back sufficient amounts for surrounding families in the area. As noted by the map above, many of these options are not limited to the confined Dallas area, but extend to include the full metroplex–some even within acceptable distance to our Forth Worth Catering office.

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20
Dec 2011
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Learning the Basics: Knives

knives

The kitchen can be a mysterious, complicated place for some people. By getting a good foundation of the basics, the rest will surely fall into place. One of the most frequently used tools in cooking is the knife–by conquering the many different kinds and uses for knives, your utensil drawer will no longer be a scary, incomprensible part of your kitchen. You don’t have to be a corporate event caterer or professional chef to appreciate and have a quality collection of knives. Here’s a look at the basics for when you decide to go all out and try to cook for a very special event of your own.

Chefs Knife (French Knife)

The chefs knife, also known as the French Knife, is the work horse of the kitchen, used for multiple tasks rather than being extremely specialized. Chefs knives are often used for mincing, slicing, dicing, chopping veggies, slicing meat and occasionally disjointing large pieces of meat. These knives range in length from 6 to 14 inches. There is a gentle curve from the point of the blade to the handle that allows for a balanced, smooth rocking motion.

Paring Knife

Paring knives are also designed to be multipurpose tools, but tend to be much smaller than a chef’s knife. Ranging from two to four inches in length, this smaller size allows for more agile, intricate activities such as peeling, deveining seafood, etc.

Bread Knife

A bread knife typically has a a long, thin serrated blade which allows for slicing of bread without crushing it. These blades range between 6 and 10 inches long.

Meat Knives

As a texas caterer, meat and barbecue are important parts of our menu, and meat knives are an equally important part of our kitchen.

Carving Knife

Carving knives are primarily used for cutting thin cuts of meat. Ranging from 8 to 15 inches, these large, thin blades allow for precise slicing.

Slicer or Slicing Knife

A slicer or slicing knife is closely related to a carving knife, but is traditionally longer and narrower. Typically slicer knives have flat, plain blades but may sometimes come in serated forms. A slicer knife ranges from 10 to 12 inches because one of the main purposes of the slicer is to make long, clean strokes when carving meat or poultry. Slicer knives may also be convenient for slicing sandwiches, vegetables and fruits.

Boning Knife

A boning knife has a thin, flexible blade with an extremely sharp point and is used to remove bones from cuts of meat. The blade allows for intricate work around the bone and typically ranges from 3 to 9 inches in length.

Cleaver

A cleaver has a large, thick rectangular blade for separating, or “cleaving”, meat from the bone. This thick, heavy blade is designed to allow for quick strokes through tough surfaces without breaking or splintering the blade. A typical home kitchen cleaver is around 6 inches long.

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05
Dec 2011
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Learning the Basics: Wine Types

wineglasses

In the United States, wine types are largely known for their varietal–the type of grape, or variety, used to produce the wine. The character and flavoring of the wine is dependent on the varietal of the grape and how they are treated through the process. While many wines are only referred to for one varietal, most wines are actually a combination of grape types. US law dictates that as long as the wine is at least 75% of one varietal, the label can specify that type solely (the remaining 25% can be made from another varietal not listed).

In Europe, wines are largely known for the region the grapes were grown, not the varietal, due to the importance of soil and growth habits.

A well trained bartender or caterer will likely to be able to help you choose a desirable wine based on your meal or taste. G Texas Catering provides full bar service at a variety of events–weddings, corporate events, conventions, and many other events in which attendees may need help choosing wines.

Red Wines

Red wines are created using red or black grapes. Red wine grapes are commonly grown in warmer climates, and tend to stay on the vine for longer. This factor combined with the fact that red grapes tend to be produced with the skin of the grapes intact helps create a more bold flavor and give red wine its distinct color, tannin and flavor.

Red wine types: Barbera, Brunello, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Dolcetto, Gamay, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Syrah or Shiraz, Tempranillo, Zinfandel

White Wines

White wines are created by processing non-colored grapes or red-skinned grapes (but not allowing the processing to extract pigment from the skin). White wines typically have less body than red wines.

White wine types: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier

Rosé Wines

A rosé is a type of wine that holds characteristics of both a red and white wine. Just enough red grapes are used to help create a pinkish color, but not completely transform the rosé to a full red. There are three major ways to create a rosé: skin contact, saignée and blending.

Skin contact involves keeping black (or red) grapes in contact with the juice for a short period of time (typically one to three days). The must is then pressed and the skins are discarded. This method creates a wine more similar to that of a white.

The second method occurs when a producer is trying to increase the tannin and color to red wine, pink juice is removed and fermented separately to create a rosé in a process called saignée.

The third method of blending simply combines red and white wine to create a desirable color.

Dessert/Fortified Wines

Dessert wines are sweeter than traditional wines and are meant to be consumed after a main course. These wines are created by not completing fermentation fully. The nature of this wine is a result of the natural sweetness that is enhanced the longer the grape ripens on the vine. The sweetness of dessert wine can be attributed to a a mold infection, freeze late in harvest (ice wine), or addition of brandy (which stops fermentation).

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29
Nov 2011
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Simple Recipes for the Holiday Season

As one of the busiest times of year, it is very important to plan ahead and stay prepared for the holiday season. With a constant flow of special events, year end corporate parties, family gatherings, gift buying and more, having a few tips and tricks to stay on top of it all can really help. One of the most time intensive and necessary parts of the holidays is planning meals and cooking. These days with the wide popularization of gluten free diets, vegan and vegetarianism and more specialty preferences, keeping things simple and easily adaptable will save you plenty of time and energy in the kitchen.

Here is a list of some speciality holiday recipes from our favorite recipe blogs:

Appetizers


Caesar Salad Deviled Eggs

For any gluten free, vegetarians and anyone on a low-carb diet, this new twist on the classic deviled egg should surely satisfy most party guests. This recipe incorporates a lot of fresh herbs and interesting spices, but feel free to mix and match to taste.

For the full recipe, visit here.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup with Curried Pecans

This simple soup packs a huge punch and incorporates two favorite southern holiday flavours–pumpkin and pecans. Whip this up in less than 30 minutes for any surprise guests! This vegan, gluten free soup can be adjusted to fit nearly any dietary need. For the full recipe visit here.

Main Dishes

Black Rice, Corn and Cranberries

Vegetarians are often faced with limited options and simple replacements–particularly during large holiday celebrations. This Black Rice, Corn and Cranberry Salad will appease both meat enthusiasts and picky vegetarians. With such a large flavor spectrum, this dish provides a perfect blend of sweetness with hearty rice and corn. The coloring and beautiful nature of the dish alone will help send your meal to new, inventive heights! For the full recipe, visit the New York Times Blog.

Prime Rib

As its namesake implies, Prime Rib is one of the most delectable pieces of beef rib meat. Due to its special, impressive nature, this roast is largely saved for special occasions or holidays. For those looking for an alternative to the typical ham, Prime Rib provides a delicious, succulent full flavor option–perfect for a Southern style meal. It may be difficult to find true Prime Rib at your local supermarket, so you may have to call ahead or find a specialized meat market. With just a few spices and some patience, prime rib will likely be the star of your holiday meal. For a full recipe, visit the Pioneer Woman’s website here.

Dessert

Gluten Free Salted Caramel Apple Dumplings

For those of you with special needs guests, this gluten free dessert adds a touch of speciality and thoughtfulness with just the right amount of American classic flavoring. For the full recipe, more photos and detailed instruction visit here.

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14
Nov 2011
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Recap: Sky Ball IX Dinner

G Texas Catering recently had the supreme pleasure of catering the ninth annual Sky Ball Dinner at Alliance Airport on Oct. 22, 2011. This dinner commemorates the Centennials of Naval and Marine Corps Aviation and the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor. Nearly 20 of the 86 living Medal of Honor recipients attended and had a special opportunity to meet the public and share their personal stories. US Naval and Marine Aviation centennials were also recognized  for their diligence, hard work, and devotion. Celebrity Tony Orlando hosted the event and Gary Sinise and the Lt. Band provided musical entertainment.

This event provided a wonderful opportunity for the public to interact with members of the military, veterans and their families in new, exciting ways. More than 700 volunteers worked together to make the event possible. With an ultimate fundraising goal of 1 million dollars, the Sky Ball benefit worked towards the lofty goal of allowing the Forth Worth Airpower Foundation to broaden its’ goal of directly supporting members of all branches of our military and their families.

The entire special event was catered with the hearts of our military and their families in mind. With roughly 3,000 guests including 500 VIP seated guests in attendance, the event was quite sucessful. Every member received full china service and chose from this thoughtful menu:

Entres: Quail Bacon Knos, Shrimp Ceviche, Tender Roast Beef, Smoked Salmon & Crab Cakes

Sides: Grilled Asparagus, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Caeser Salad with Parmesan Chicken Skewer, Bread

Dessert: Lemon Sorbet with Fresh Berries, Caramel Apple Empanadas

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27
Oct 2011
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1st Annual Chicken Fried Steak Day

Because Texans love to eat and celebrate food, this year was the first annual Chicken Fried Steak Day on Oct. 26. This event was started by Jeffrey Yarbrough, CEO of bigInk PR and Marketing, in order to spotlight one of the South’s most desired and prided foods. This iconic meal was officially given it’s own day on May 30, 2011 with the signed approval of State Representative Ralph Sheffield, Speaker of the House Joe Straus, and Chief Clerk Robert Haney. As the sole vendor at Gilley’s Dallas, G Texas arranged an all you can eat buffet for only $5 at the Jack Daniel’s Saloon to celebrate.

As a Texas caterer and Southern food enthusiast, owner John Gilbert was invited to Fox 4′s Good Day on Wednesday morning to show viewers the proper, G Texas way to make Chicken Fried Steak.

Watch the video appearance:

John Gilbert’s Chicken Fried Steak: MyFoxDFW.com

John Gilbert’s Chicken Fried Steak Recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups flour seasoned with the following:
½ tsp Salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Paprika
1 egg
1 cup milk
6 Steak filets (well-tenderized) sirloin is suitable, or tenderloin if you really want to impress
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Stir together milk and eggs in medium bowl.
Dredge the cutlets in seasoned flour and then in the milk/eggs
Dredge in flour a second time.
Heat oil in a large heavy skillet or small fryer.
Add the steaks to the hot oil, and fry until browned, about 5-6 minutes per side.
Remove each steak to drain.
Country Gravy
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups milk
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Gradually stir in milk so that no lumps form, and continue cooking and stirring until thickened. If the gravy becomes too thick, you may add a little more milk.

And for those of you interested in the details of Chicken Fried Steak Day, here is the official resolution from the State of Texas House of Representatives:

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04
Oct 2011
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G Texas Catering at Western Days in Lewisville

WesternDays41

One of North Texas’ most quaint towns, Lewisville, holds an annual Western Days festival to showcase the rich history and culture within the city. This free, two day festival celebrates everything Texas– including mechanical bull rides, Texas BBQ, country music, car shows, trick ropers, arts and crafts and even the National Tamale Eating contest. With such rich festivities including live performances by country music leaders Pat Green and Josh Abbott, this festival draws quite a crowd. Despite the large nature of the affair, Western Days retains Lewisville’s small town feel and still promotes close community involvement.

At a center point of this large event was the MCL Grand Theater. With G Texas being preferred vendor for both the theater and Gilley’s Dallas, the building was transformed into Gilley’s Lewisville–combining the quaintness of Lewisville with the Texan decor and stylings of Gilley’s Dallas and Dallas catering options of G Texas. Gilley’s Lewisville featured the original mechanical bull from Urban Cowboy, Western inspired decorations and live music from many performers–including Gary Kyle. G Texas Catering brought classic Texan barbeque and a full bar service. As always, we used well trained bartenders and event coordinators to ensure a fun, carefree time. We alloted plenty of staff to minimize lines and maximize customer satisfaction. The giant gun barbeque station also made an appearance, smoking all day long. In addition to bars within Gilley’s Lewisville, G Texas and Gilley’s set up several booths throughout the festival to ensure that refreshments and good service were close at hand.

If you missed it in 2011, make sure to mark your calendars for the 2012 affair on Sept. 28-29.

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26
Jul 2011
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Preferred Vendor of the MCL Grand Theater

G Texas is proud to formally announce our partnership with the Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater (MCL Grand). This 40,000 sq. ft. horse-shaped cultural arts center provides an ideal venue for private events, weddings, and city events– including the Lewisville festivals Holiday at the Hall and Western Days. With a 13,000 sq. ft. courtyard at the entrance, the MCL Grand has ample room for indoor and outdoor activities. The Theater also contains a variety of rooms–  a 3,000 sq. ft. lobby, a main theater, a black box theater, a dance recital hall, an art gallery and 5 classrooms. This multipurpose space allows G Texas to cater to a large variety of events. As the official preferred vendor of the MCL Grand, we will provide concessions for all the events that take place within the theater.

Instead of having to worry about food, volunteers, and alcohol sales– G Texas Catering takes care of it all. Vendor relationships are ideal for both parties. Often events are very hectic, and it’s difficult to handle all the demanding aspects of catering; sometimes vendors even use volunteers for serving–which can usually be slow, and frantic. G Texas Catering, on the other hand, hires professional bartenders and well trained staff to work the event. With years of experience in catering and concessions, G Texas will provide superior service at any MCL Grand affair.

If you are interested in booking the MCL Grand Theater, contact our group sales representative or the venue for assistance.

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06
Jul 2011
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Announcing: G Texas Catering’s Monthly Open House

G Texas Catering is the exclusive caterer at the Jack Daniel’s Saloon in the Gilley’s Complex on South Lamar. The Jack Daniel’s Saloon and G Texas just recently re-launched a new menu, and have already started to get attention for such high quality dishes at reasonable prices. In an attempt to showcase more variety from G Texas Catering, we will host a monthly Open House Lunch.

The Jack Daniel’s Saloon provides an excellent setting for the event with its’ authentic Texan decor, and friendly waitstaff. The same bartenders that work the Saloon, and other venues in Gilley’s, are the same individuals who work events that G Texas caters. The fusion of both companies provides an excellent opportunity for these monthly affairs.

The Open House is open to the public, and will be the first Thursday of every month starting in August. G Texas has a very wide menu variety, so each month we will be showcasing new dishes.

A typical menu might include:

Smoked Tenderloin Medallions with Mushroom Scented Mediera Sauce
Barbeque Prawns
Sautéed Green Beans with Almonds and Parsley
Bread Pudding with Lemon Creme

These are just a few featured items from our very large menu. You can read more about options on the Plated Meals and Dessert pages. G Texas takes great pride in providing consistent quality dishes–so no matter the menu, the Open House will be sure to please your palette.

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