A La Carte
"Heard over Croissants and Coffee"
It’s official. Sylvia Casares-Copeland and her Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen as one of the Top Ten Best Latino chefs and restaurants in the U.S. The January 2008 issue of Siempre Mujer magazine, a national Spanish language magazine with 350,000 subscribers, made the award. Additionally, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen was one of only two restaurants in the top ten list from Texas.
*Casares-Copeland has been a restaurateur for ten years, and has been teaching cooking classes in Houston since 2003. Her recent appearance on the Food Network, “The Secret Life of: Tex-Mex,” inspired her to release her own DVD and cookbook of her most popular class, Hot Tamales! The DVD and cookbook retails for $19.49, and is available at Brazos Bookstore, Central Market-Houston, Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, and at www.SylviasEnchiladaKitchen.com. For more information call 281-679-8300.
You didn’t know? Shame on you! How could you miss it? To celebrate Houston’s fantastic food scene, Lazywood Press, parent company of My Table magazine, is preparing The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide To Houston, a 220-plus-page book due out in Spring 2008.
- More than just a restaurant guidebook, The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide to Houston will be an insider’s manual that also spotlights ethnic grocery stores, bakeries, farmers’ markets, coffeehouses, butchers, fishmongers, wine bars and more. The 500 listings will cover everything food in Houston, from fine-dining establishments with exquisite wine lists to Vietnamese sandwich shops, from the purveyor of the city’s best baguettes to the Lebanese cafe with the smokiest, most lucious babaganoush, from seafood shops that will deep-fry the whole snapper of your choice to the outdoor farmers’ market where you can buy organic meat and eggs on Saturday morning.
- In other words, here’s the foodie guidebook you’ve been telling us you want. The Ultimate Food Lover’s Guide to Houston is editorially driven and editorially independent. All listings in the guidebook will be determined by My Table writers and editors, with no advertising accepted by listed businesses nor any charge for being listed.
- The slick, four-color guidebook, which will be sold in area bookstores, gift shops, airports, food retailers and on Amazon.com, is designed to be a resource for Houstonians and for visitors to our city. You’ll have to have one! Stay tuned for more information.
Culinary Calendar
"The Update"
Back by popular demand, Haak Vineyards & Winery’s first of three Port & Chocolate events in 2008 is scheduled for Saturday, January 12. From 6-8 p.m. in the cellar, harpist Echo Shen will perform while you enjoy Haak’s Port and a Chocolate Buffet. Reservations are limited to 40 people and the cost is $35 per person. Call 409-925-1401 for more information and reservations. Haak Vineyards & Winery is located at 6310 Avenue T in Santa Fe, Texas (77510). For information on other upcoming events in January, visit their website at www.haakwine.com.
January 17 is the big date. That’s when the next Spanish Tapas, Seafood Paella and Spanish Wine Dinner will be held at Pico’s Mex-Mex Restaurant at 5941 Bellaire Boulevard. The monthly event features tapas, seafood stew and specially chosen Spanish wines. Why paella in a Mexican restaurant? According to Arnaldo Richards, chef/owner of Pico’s Mex-Mex Restaurant, “Paella is a seafood stew. Just think about it. Mexico is surrounded by water, has great seafood – langoustines, lobster, crab and shrimp. When the Spaniards came to Mexico, they brought with them rice, not only to Mexico, but also to the new world as well. And with rice, we had all the ingredients for paella.” Cost is $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity (dinner price without wine is $30 ++). Open seating is by pre-paid reservations only. Call 713-662-8383 for information and reservations.
If you knew sushi, like we knew sushi. Okay, enough of your editor’s singing ability (or lack thereof).
- What’s important is that if you’d like to learn more about sushi, Rattan Pan-Asian Bistro & Wine Bar will be conducting a Couples Only class on Saturday, February 16 from 1-3 p.m. The class will be led by Executive Chef James E. McMillan and will include demonstrations, hands-on preparations, wine pairings, and a full meal. The cost is $60 per person. The location is 1396 Eldridge Parkway. For more information and reservations, call 281-556-9888.
From the Wine List
"Sweet Red Wine"
Just about every month I get asked, “Where can I get a sweet red wine?” Someone’s mother, father, daughter, son, cousin twice removed on their mother’s side, aunt, uncle, or other relative doesn’t like “dry” wines, but wants a red wine they can enjoy with meat and heavier foods. It’s often challenging to find an answer, but here’s one that’s close to home.
- Haak Vineyard and Winery in Santa Fe (just a few miles south of Houston) has just released their Purple Porpoise wine. It’s a semi-sweet red priced at $14.95 and is available only at the winery. As a special introductory offer, all purchases of this wine in January will receive a 10% discount in addition to all other applicable discounts. Note also that Haak offers a Pink Pelican wine for those who like a semi-sweet rose. Both wines are in honor of Haak’s Galveston County location. The winery is located at 6310 Avenue T in Santa Fe, Texas (77510). Call 409-925-1401 for hours and directions.
My Recipe
"Stockholm Krystal (tm) Vodka Berry Compote"
2 Teaspoons Cornstarch
1 ¼ c. Orange Juice plus 2 Tsp. for dissolving Cornstarch
¼ c. Stockholm Krystal™ Vodka
3 Tablespoons Honey
1 Vanilla Bean (split)
1 c. Fresh Lingonberries
1 c. Fresh Blackberries
2 c. Fresh Raspberries
Dissolve cornstarch in 2 teaspoons orange juice. Set aside. In medium saucepan combine remaining orange juice, vodka, honey, and vanilla bean. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook about 3 min. Add berries and cook two minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and continue cooking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and fold in raspberries. Remove vanilla bean and serve warm over a puff pastry triangle and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
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Copyright My Table magazine, 2008
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