This Week in Gluttony

82-cent cocktails fuel this roundup of Dallas’ best food and drink events

Just as one of the biggest food holidays recedes into memory, it's time to get back out there for This Week in Gluttony. From festive gingerbread house-decorating classes to multiple wine events and even a party featuring dirt-cheap cocktails, there is no shortage of food-and-drink fun.

Wednesday, December 2

Holiday Mini Tour Kickoff Party at Old Chicago
This celebration showcases the taproom’s 12 new, limited-time-only holiday beers. Sip on Texas beers like Lakewood's Holiday Bonus and Martin House's Sugar and Spice while playing games, winning prizes, and eating pizza. The fun starts at 7 pm.

Wine and Chocolate Pairing at Messina Hof Grapevine Winery
Enjoy decadent wine and chocolate pairings at this fun event that takes place the first Wednesday of each month. This happy hour event starts at 5 pm and costs $20 a person. Make reservations by calling 817-442-8463.

PlumpJack and Cade Estate Wine Dinner at Lark on the Park
Chefs Melody Bishop and Dennis Kelley pair an exquisite five-course menu with wines from the Napa boutique wineries. Courses include caña de cabra, pepper crusted yellowfin tuna, braised shortribs, grilled wagyu NY strip, and more. The dinner is $165 and starts at 7 pm. For reservations, call 214-855-5275.

Thursday, December 3

Valrhona Chocolate and Vineyard Brands Wine Dinner at Abacus
This unique dinner features six chocolate-inspired courses from Chef Kent Rathbun and team, and to up the decadence, each course will also be paired with chocolate and wine. Joining the Abacus team will be Carmen Cantu from Valrhona and Todd Ruback from Vineyard Brands, as they discuss their chocolates and wines with attendees. Dinner starts at 6:30 pm and costs $175. Reservations are required by contacting Stephanie Conder at 214-520-0151.

Saturday, December 5

Repeal Day Celebration at Victor Tangos
In honor of the 82nd anniversary of the 21st amendment ratification, this Henderson hot spot is offering 82-cent cocktails from 5-7 pm (or until the booze runs out). Cocktails on the menu include the Sazerac, Income Tax, and Hemingway Daiquiri. And, in true Victor Tangos form, Rum Cognac Punch will be flowing.

Checkered Past Winery Grand Opening
Come celebrate the opening of Dallas' latest winery. Starting at 4 pm, enjoy complimentary wine, beer, and appetizers while supplies last. Guests can also score freebies and win raffle prizes. DJ Mark Ridlen and ska band Boss Riot are providing the entertainment.

Gingerbread House Decorating Class at Whole Foods Plano
Get in the Christmas spirit by decorating your ideal gingerbread house with friends and family. This class includes the gingerbread house, candy, and icing along with a bakery team member on hand to answer any questions. Tickets are $30 and the fun starts at noon.

Sunday, December 6

Sunday School at Hotel ZaZa
This is the last Sunday School brunch of the year and the perfect place to let off a little post-Thanksgiving steam. There is always champagne, delicious food, and dancing on tables (really). Brunch costs $75 a person and starts a noon. To reserve your spot, call 214-550-9500.

Don't miss the gingerbread house decorating class at Whole Foods Plano on December 5.

News_Gingerbread House Party_December 2011_Mark's American Cuisine Gingerbread House

Photo by © Michelle Watson/CatchLightGroup.com

Don't miss the gingerbread house decorating class at Whole Foods Plano on December 5.

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Ice Cream News

Global ice cream brand Kelvin Scale makes creamy U.S. debut in Frisco

Kelvin Scale

Ice cream cones by Kelvin Scale

A unique new ice cream shop has made its U.S. debut right here in the Dallas area: Called Kelvin Scale Ice Cream, it's a dessert shop featuring ice cream, waffles, shakes, brownies, and ice cream cakes and it's now open in Frisco at 2650 King Rd. #750, in a former spa business near the intersection of Main Street.

Kelvin Scale was originally founded in India, where it has approximately 40 locations. The name comes from a temperature scale used by scientists that starts at zero — which they wink at with a motto that says "the Absolute Zero of additives."

Bringing it to the U.S. is a team of entrepreneurs who were impressed with the premium quality of the ice cream and other menu items, says spokesman Ram Bonda.

"We make the ice cream from scratch, not from a mix, with none of the additives or stabilizers used by some ice cream brands," Bonda says.

They also tout their use of A2 milk, a whole milk that has become popular because is supposedly causes less gas or digestive discomfort than regular milk — a claim that has yet to be proven. Nonetheless, A2 milk is more expensive.

They also do not whip in much "overrun" — the industry term for infusing air to make ice cream lighter (and less costly to produce).

"The texture of our ice cream is very creamy and rich, and you definitely get more with each scoop," Bonda says.

They offer an unusual selection of flavors, with global influences such as Belgian chocolate, Biscoff cookie caramel, cotton candy, and blueberry cheesecake. More exotic offerings include chikku, made from the sapota fruit which has a distinctly caramel flavor; lychee, from the floral fruit that's popular in Asian cuisines; and Rajbhog, a flavor that pays homage to an Indian dessert featuring almonds, pistachios, and saffron.

"We'll feature 24 flavors in the store, pulled from a total bank of 70 to 80 flavors, with flavors rotating in and out according to what's in season and trending," Bonda says. The company enjoys keeping tabs on social media and weaving in flavors that turn viral.

One scoop is $4.50, but additional scoops are a dollar, making it irresistible to get two scoops instead of one.

There are sundaes of all kinds, brownies solo or with ice cream, and an entire menu of waffle treats: waffles with Nutella, waffles with fruit, a red velvet waffle, and a waffle sandwich with ice cream sandwiched between two waffles.

Frisco was a natural place to introduce the brand in the U.S., Bonda says.

"It's one of most rapidly growing cities in the U.S., and it seemed like the ideal place to launch our flagship location," he says. "The location has an open kitchen so you can see the ice cream being made."

ice cream openings