A La Carte
"Heard over tea and scones"
We’re crushed! Our favorite Fiesta at Interstate 10 and Blalock is closing at the end of December. We’ve learned that the main reason for the closure is that the store has lost much of its parking space due to the expansion of the freeway. (Guess we’ll have to cry in our beer, but we won’t be able to get it at that store much longer.)
According to the National Restaurant Association, the “hottest” menu trend now is bite-size desserts. (We doubt there’s a similar trend in prices.)
Hungry for tummy- and heart-warming chicken pot pie stew? Houston’s Sweet Tomatoes restaurants are bringing it back during November based on customer requests. For address and contact information of their four Houston restaurants, visit www.sweettomatoes.com or call 888-374-8358.
The Mansion Restaurant inside the newly re-named Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas has been renovated as part of an onging $20 million program, according to the Dallas Morning News. Highlights include a lower-priced contemporary American menu and an updated interior designed to appeal to younger customers.
According to Nation’s Restaurant News, more restaurants are offering more obscure fish species. Supplies of popular seafood have been severely reduced and some chefs don’t like the flavor of farm-raised fish. Look for barracuda, tripletail and triggerfish, among others, on future menus.
This won’t be hard to swallow. A Japanese study of 39 healthy adults found that dark chocolate, rich in flavonoids, can help improve blood flow in the coronary arteries. According to a story in the Washington Post, participants who ate dark chocolate daily for two weeks had improved coronary flow over those who ate white chocolate. Flavonoids are also found in wine, tea, apples and onions. (To our knowledge, no one has studied how a combination of dark chocolate and wine impacts blood flow, but in our own experiments we have seen many smiling faces.)
Mice in China may be helping find a treatment for diabetes. According to Wine Spectator magazine, resveratrol, a compound in red wine, may help prevent Type 2 diabetes, based on research conducted at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. When given resveratrol, mice had terrific insulin production and better metabolized glucose.
Also about China, Starbucks has announced that it will open more than 80 new stores in the country in the 2008 fiscal year. Starbucks envisions China as being its second largest market after the U.S.
Tired of the SOS when dining at the DFW airport? Per the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, Pappadeaux and Pappasito sit-down restaurants are headed for the airport. Although reaction from other concessionaires at the airport was negative, the DFW board granted approval. When the restaurants will actually open is still up in the air, so to speak.
Culinary Calendar
"Need a pen?"
During November, Sweet Tomatoes in Stafford is holding a food drive to benefit the Second Mile Mission Center. When a guest brings in a canned food item, they will receive 15% off their meal (one discount per guest per donated items, no double discounts, valid after 11 am). Items currently the most needed are baby formula and baby cereal, spaghetti sauce, soup, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter, and jelly. Sweet Tomatoes in Stafford is located at 12540 Sugardale Drive. Telephone is 281/240-1400.
What’s winter without pizza and gelato? No need to find out, as Bistro Toulouse, 5750 Woodway at Bering, is celebrating with specials on these delicious items in November and December. Pizza Toulouse is one special item; packed with sausage, poached pears, red inion and Havarti cheese over an olive oil, basil and garlic base. Another is Mark’s Breakfast Waffle Gelato with maple syrup waffles and walnuts in a banana gelato. For other special offerings in coming months, visit www.bistrotoulousehouston.com or call 713-977-6900.
The Haak Vineyard and Winery in Santa Fe, Texas, south of Houston will hold a Zydeco Festival on November 17 from 1-5 p.m. Featured musicians will be Zydeco Joe & the H-town Players. Food and wine will be available from the winery’s kitchen. Admission is free. Call 409-925-1401 for more information and directions, or visit www.haakwine.com.
Kiran’s Restaurant and Bar at 4100 Westheimer at Mid Lane will be serving a Thanksgiving buffet on November 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Items will include a salad bar, dessert bar, tandoori turkey, lamb and seafood, exotic vegetables, Chef’s hot toddy, and much more. The prices if $37.95 for adults and $19.95 for children under 10. Call 713-960-8472 for reservations.
On Friday, November 23 the Omni Houston Hotel will debut its gingerbread vilage as apart of a gingerbread installation taking place at all of Omni’s Texas Collection. The seven-foot by nine-foot gingerbread dreamscape will include a western town reminiscent of Houston’s heritage. Other holiday acitivites include Caroling for Kids and collection of new toys for Toys for Tots. Daily caroling performances will occur in the main lobby Monday thru Thursday evenings from 5 to 6:30 p.m., November 27 to December 11. The hotel is located at Four Riverway (77056) and the phone number if 713-871-8181.
Flat Creek Estate is holding a holiday shopping event on Friday and Saturday, November 23-24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can enjoy a glass of wine while you shop for unique gifts made by local artisans. For directions to the winery in Marble Falls and more information visit www.flatcreekestate.com or call 512-267-6310.
Do you enjoy great Texas landscape photography? Then be sure to visit Bistro Toulouse on November 27 when it will host Texas photographer Robert Park. A reception will occur from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, call 713-977-6900.
The Wine & Food Foundation of Texas will hold its fifth annual Big Reds and Bubbles, a holiday favorite featuring red wine, champagne and cuisine on Tuesday, November 27 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. The event will be at the Driskill Hotel at 604 Brazos in downtown Austin. Showcased will be the cuisine of 13 of Austin’s top chefs and samplings of over 75 “big reds,” sparkling wines and champagnes. For more information and reservations, visit www.winefoodfoundation.org or call 512-327-7555. Cost is $60 per person for Foundation members and $75 for the general public. Reservations are required and are non-refundable.
My Recipe
"Osso Buco"
Osso Buco (makes 4 servings)
Slowly braised veal in a rich liquored stock with parsnips, carrots, pearl onions, garlic cloves, and fennel, served over Yukon mashed potatoes.
Ingredients for Veal:
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 veal shanks (14 ounces each)
1 pound mirepoix (onion, carrot, and celery), diced 1/4-inch
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large fennel, large diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 quarts brown beef stock, chicken stock or water
10 each pearl onions, red or white or both. The more colors the better!
2 large parsnips, peeled and large diced
8 washed and quartered fingerling potatoes
1 bunch Italian parsley, washed and chopped fine
1 cup red wine- Cabernet or Pinot Noir. If you use the same wine you’re drinking with the veal, the flavors will always match and complement.
First season the meat with olive oil, salt and fresh ground black pepper, then in a smoking hot cast iron pan sear both sides of the shank. Remove the veal and set aside. Add in the mirepoix, fennel, parsnips, garlic, and tomato paste, caramelize all the ingredients together. Use your drinking wine to deglaze the pan. Add the veal stock to the pan and reduce by 1/4. When reduced, pour the simmering liquid over the 4 veal shanks in a roasting pan, add the pearl onions, fingerling potatoes and parsley. Cover first with plastic wrap then with aluminum foil, place in a 325 degree oven for 3 1/2 hours. Check with a fork for tenderness.
For the Sauce: Reduce braising liquid by 1/4, season and pour over shanks.
For the Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes:
8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, cooked tender and mashed
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
3 tablespoons cream, warmed
1 ounce (1/4 stick) chilled butter, chopped into chunks
Mix all ingredients, season, to taste. Reserve warm.
From the Wine List
"Big Red Wines of Texas"
Looking for something hearty to go along with rich, luxurious fall dishes like Osso Buco? (see My Recipe in this issue)
I suggest you try some powerful red wines from Texas that can cut through the oils and fats of beef, pork, veal, and game birds and refresh your palate. Here are a few favorites based on a recent tasting at the 3rd Annual Texas Fall Fest & Wine Auction. My ratings are 0-5 with 5 being best.
2004 Llano Estacado “Viviano”. This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and a bit of Merlot is very dry and whams you with dark fruit flavors and tannin. About $40. Rating: 4.5
2004 Fall Creek “Meritus.” This wine is very dry with good fruit and firm tannins. The 2004’s blend is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot and 5% Malbec. About $40. Rating: 4.5
2005 Messina Hof Winery “Reflections”. This Bordeaux-style wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a medium-full body and good fruit flavors. Not quite as hearty as those listed before. About $25. Rating: 3.5
2004 Lightcatcher Cabernet Sauvignon. This delightful wine made from fruit of the Newsome Vineyard blasts cherry and dark berry aromas out of the glass. Its rich flavors impress no less and it has a heartiness with mature tannins, yet lots of finess. About $30. Rating: 4.5
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Copyright My Table magazine, 2008
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