2019 Bacon Bash Texas

For a third year I was asked to be a final table judge the Bacon Bash Texas in Cranfills Gap, TX. It is a great event and set a calendar reminder to buy tickets every August at www.baconbashtexas.com.  Here are the pictures of the items from the top 10 teams along with a couple fun pictures.   

#baconbashtexas #Baconbash #cranfillsgap #foodfestival #bacon #foodporn #food #foodie #instafood #bbq #delicious #yummy #pork #brunch #foodphotography #lunch #dinner #foodgasm #foodstagram #keto #foodlover

My Favorite TED Talk-Allan Savory

Much of the earth surface isn’t suited for growing crops and I believe the only way we can feed the world’s growing population is through the use of grazing livestock.

This video does a really good job at showing why we need to manage the environment.  A hands off approach wont work and is actually increasing desertification.

Reata @ the 2014 Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit

For the past five years every April Reata Restaurant has participated in the Buffalo Gap Wine & Food Summit.  These year’s theme was Argentina so we decided to roast a whole pig.  We served pulled pork on a crostini with toasted provolone and finished with a chimichurri.

2014 Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival

As many of you know I was one of the founders of the Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival.  I was lucky to work with a great team of community leaders to make the inaugural Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival an incredible success.  Here’s a video that the Fort Worth CVB produced that highlights the festival.

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Fishing for Bluefin Tuna aboard the Excel!

Tuna Aug-13 034A good friend of mine, Matt McMillan and I went on a 3 day trip out of San Diego aboard the Excel.  We were targeting mainly Bluefin Tuna and Yellowtail.  On the final day we really got into them about 50 miles south of San Diego.

 

Pig Roast

I decided to roast a pig on a fire pit a made in April of 2013. The fire pit has a grill, and area from skewers for a Brazilian churrascaria but those elements can be removed and a rack added for roasting pig, cabrito and lamb.

Catching Stripers at Lake Amistad on the Alabama Rig

While fishing at Amistad up at mile marker 19 when the lake was 50 feet low I saw some herons on the opposite bank.  When I went over there I saw some streaks on the Hummingbird when I was about 20 yards from the bank in 35 feet of water.  The video contains pictures of about a 1/3 of the striped bass that I caught.

 

 

Rope Swing and Blob Adventures at Possum Kingdom July 21, 2012

I spent last weekend out at PK with some of my good friends.  We had a great time on the rope swing and blob but as you can see, I’m not as acrobatic as a couple of my buddies.  They were all divers and feel comfortable doing a double flip prior to hitting the water.  I keep my boat out at Possum Kingdom and if you need a great place to store your boat, try PK Boat Storage

Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival

As some of you know Russell Kirkpatrick and I have been working at starting a Food & Wine Festival in Fort Worth.  North Texas and specifically Fort Worth is home to some outstanding restaurants and chefs: Juan Rodriguez at Reata, Tim Love at Lonesome Dove, Molly McCook at Ellerbe’s, Jon Bonnell at Bonnell’s, Blaine Staniford at Grace and Michael Thomson at Michael’s to name a few.

Fort Worth Food & Wine Festival is an exploratory committee started by Russell Kirkpatrick at Reata to look into the idea of creating a Food & Wine Festival in Fort Worth.

City Slickers Bachelor of the Year-Mike Micallef

Aside

 

I’ve been selected as the “City Slickers” Business Mixer’s “Bachelor of the Year”! I will be searching for my “perfect” Bachelorette.  Mark your calendars, Monday, February 13th, 5:30pm-7:30pm at the Whiskey & Rye in the Omni Hotel Fort Worth.  It’s free to attend, you can make a donation or become one of the Bachelorettes.
Register for City Slickers Bachelor Event benefitting Susan G Komen for the Cure, Greater Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX  on Eventbrite
To sign up to be a Bachelorette Candidate please contact Julie Hatch at ccjhatch@sbcglobal.net.  The cost to enter is $100 and all proceeds will benefit The Greater Fort Worth Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Here’s a list of questions for the bachelorette candidates.

  • Name:
  • Birthplace:
  • Age:
  • Occupation:
  • Current Residence:
  • Favorite Movie:
  • Favorite Destination:
  • Something that not everyone knows about me:
  • One of the most important things in a relationship:

Here are my responses to those same questions.

  • Name: Mike Micallef
  • Birthplace: Fort Worth, TX
  • Age: 36
  • Occupation: President of Reata Restaurant
  • Current Residence: Just off of Hulen St. in Fort Worth
  • Favorite Movie: Hard to pick one so I’ll pick a couple.  Tombstone, Gladiator and Saving Private Ryan
  • Favorite Destination: Any place where the fish are biting
  • Something that not everyone knows about me: I don’t drink alcohol and I tested every recipe included in the cookbook, Reata Legendary Texas Cuisine
  • One of the most important things in a relationship: Trust

 

The bachelorette selected will received a future complimentary hotel stay at the Omni in Fort Worth and dinner prepared by Chef Gerard Thompson and Sporting Clays at Rough Creek Lodge on Valentine’s Day.   We’ll leave Fort Worth at 3pm.

Register for City Slickers Bachelor Event benefitting Susan G Komen for the Cure, Greater Fort Worth in Fort Worth, TX  on Eventbrite