Cowtown Marathon and Dining Afterward.

This Saturday, February 28, is the day of one of Fort Worth's premier events, the Cowtown Marathon.

Last year the Cowtown attracted over 13,000 runners. Not bad for an event that started in 1979 with 200.

Visitors can look at the marathon website for the standard suggestions of "things to do." Visitors who run and like a good meal afterward should look at the Food and Forth Worth sidebar ----> for some suggestions. If you want more specific suggestions, leave a comment and someone will certainly share some local advice.

http://www.cowtownmarathon.org/

Good luck to all runners from the 5K to the Ultra marathon.

I hope you enjoy Fort Worth and the area.

Good Bread in Fort Worth?

Rambler's last comments got me thinking about bread. Not that I need a comment to get me thinking about bread, but his mention of Brueger's bagels on Camp Bowie brought back fond memories of them and of the old, original La Madelaine's down the street. If asked to give up a category of food, bread would be the last that I wanted to give up. I like them all: whole wheat, rolls, biscuits, cornbread, bagels, french bread, sourdough, rye, pumpernickel, you name it, if it has flour and yeast, I like it.

Bad news: it is also the one category I think needs improving in Fort Worth. I have talked about this before, and talked critically about what used to be a real bakery, La Madelaine's, and was criticized by some for it. Bit in my opinion, La Madelaine's hasn't made a good loaf of bread in years, or since the original owner and founder sold it. Corner Bakery is only slightly better. Panera's is a great store, I love it, but their bread is average, at best. Central Market? They have a loaf or two worth buying, but do they have a local bakery style killer loaf? Not IMHO. Whole Foods has good bread for certain items, whole wheat especially. Yogi's has a good bagel. Einstein's is okay -- but we really do not have a knock your socks off bakery of any kind.

What if someone could put together a hundred thousand dollars or so and buy a little warehouse off Magnolia, put in some good bakery ovens, and start baking breads for the public and for restaurants? Put a little coffee shop in. Open at 7 close at 2. How many local Fort Worthians would find it and how fast?

I think it would be an instant success. Maybe, I'm wrong, maybe, the supermarket's inexpensive, all-taste-the same-breads drives quality out. The business of restaurants is different than the aesthetics. It could be that there just isn't enough demand for an old fashioned bread bakery.

Any thoughts?
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Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Prophet Obadiah

James Tissot /1888

First Reading from the Book of Prophet Isaiah

Thus says the LORD:
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
The people I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,
for you grew weary of me, O Israel.
You burdened me with your sins,
and wearied me with your crimes.
It is I, I, who wipe out,
for my own sake, your offenses;
your sins I remember no more.