I've mentioned before that I didn't even really start learning to cook till I was in college, and even then it was slow going as I was neck-deep in engineering coursework. Since then, I've cooked almost obsessively and loved every minute of it. Even before I left my job, I considered the notion of culinary school. After a fair amount of soul-searching, I expect I'll never go that route (mostly because I doubt I'd use it for anything other than my own enjoyment, and it's awfully expensive). However, I needn't forgo the experience entirely. Michael Ruhlman in The Making of a Chef invites the reader to vicariously experience a cooking school education at none other than the Culinary Institute of America.

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Several months ago, I received a review copy of Ree Drummond's new cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks. I've been a fan of her lovely website and warm, self-effacing writing for a while and was excited for the chance to see her in print (I'm one of those awful tree-killing people who may never be able to let go of physical books in favor of e-readers). I'm pleased to report that the book doesn't disappoint.

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On my to-do list yesterday was to write my top-10 post for 2009. Not on my to-do list yesterday was dealing with an icky half-hangover, half-sinus headache and general crankiness, but it happened anyway. 2009 was an odd year for me blog-wise. I had days when I wondered why I bothered, and still other days when I happily wrote two or three posts at a time. What's interesting about the most-read posts in 2009 is that several of them were from 2008. In a weird way, that makes me happy. It's good knowing that at least some of these posts aren't written, read by a handful of folks, and then never seen again. And here they are:

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As promised, here's my almost-certainly-not-objective review of Alton Brown's latest book, Good Eats: The Early Years. But first, indulge my food-nerd glee (or maybe more nerd-who-cooks than food-nerd) and check this out.

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You remember when the Food Network was just plain old Food TV and you could learn how to cook by watching it? One of my absolute favorite cooking shows to watch was Good Eats and its crazy host Alton Brown. With AB's help, I developed a hatred for uni-taskers (except for the fire extinguisher, of course), learned how to make chocolate syrup, and above all had gobs of fun.

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You remember how in college it was a funny joke to buy the box of wine from Wal-Mart and stick it in your fridge? And it was extra hilarious that it was dispensed via a spigot in its side? Well, now the joke's on us. As it happens, our first experience with a more recent boxed wine offering was actually pretty positive.

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An outdoor festival in October when Austin's temperatures are at their finest – sounds good. A festival at which dozens of the area's food and wine purveyors provide a wide range of samples – a food-lover's dream. A festival that costs $100 a pop to attend – wait, what? But given the breadth and quality of culinary establishments present, it may well be worth it to attend La Dolce Vita, the Austin Museum of Art's annual food and wine festival.

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Several weeks ago, Austin saw its first Cupcake Smackdown. This past week, the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau held the 6th Annual Cocktail Throwdown. First, bars were invited to submit their version of the “official drink of Austin” (made with Austin's own Titos Handmade Vodka). Then these were pared down to just the top five. And finally, on September 24th, we got to try out those top runners and vote for the one we felt best represented our fair city.

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Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. These seven simple words are the first paragraph of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan. By elaborating on those words, he aims to “help us reclaim our health and happiness as eaters.”

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Nestled in the heart of the central-Texas Hill Country, about two-hours’ drive west of Austin, lies a small and unassuming winery that produces a most surprising libation. It could almost be mistaken for a light chardonnay, except the aroma is oddly vegetal and causes a slight sting in the nose. Billed for use in cooking and marinating, or for simply adventurous drinking, the wine is sampled by guests with equal parts curiosity and trepidation. The first wave of flavor is bright and fruity, but it quickly gives way to an escalating spicy heat. Incredibly, the essence of Texas's favorite chili pepper is perfectly captured in this tiny glass of jalapeno wine.

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