A La Carte
"Heard over tea and figs"
Sweet Tomatoes now offers a catering service for parties, family dinners, business functions, and special celebrations. Offerings include entrée-size salads, soups, pasta dishes, muffins, focaccia bread, cookies, brownies, and more. Catering packages start at $8 per person and even include plates and utensils. Staffing is available and delivery is free within 10 miles of the two restaurants providing the service: 8775 Katy Freeway (713-365-9594) and 17240 Tomball Parkway (281-890-1133). Place orders 48 hours in advance by calling or online at www.sweettomatoescatering.com
Fresh at the Bayou City Farmers’ Market are, holy cow, strawberries. They are getting the berries from a new vendor from Wharton. And citrus continues strong with Meyer lemons, grapefruit, kumquats, limequats, and more being available. As usual, gobs of greens will be available as well as grass-fed beef, yard eggs (yep, from real chickens), cut flowers, fresh breads, organic coffee, and more, much more. The location is 3000 Richmond in the back parking lot, Wednesday 4-7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to noon.
- This just in. “Urban Harvest is looking for volunteers to help out at the fruit tree sale on Saturday, January 19, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a great community event that can be experienced from a different perspective when working the sale as a volunteer.” If you would like to help, contact Bob Randall (bob @urbanharvest.org) or Ray Sher (gary_ray @sbcglobal.net).
Haak Vineyards & Winery in Santa Fe has announced a Pruning Day and Oyster Fry on Saturday, January 26 starting at 9 a.m. If you’ve always wanted to work in a vineyard and learn how to prune vines for the coming growing season, here’s your chance. According to the Haak newsletter, “Bring your shears and you are welcome to get cuttings or vines for decorations. Everyone helping with the pruning will be given a ticket and door prizes of wine will be given away all afternoon. The Oyster Fry will start at Noon-ish with music by Strand Street 6 & 7/8 starting at 1:00 until 4:00 p.m. We will have other menu items for non-oyster fans. Free to attend.” Check their website at www.haakwine.com for updates and details.
Culinary Calendar
"So much to choose from"
Trevisio restaurant in the Texas Medical Center as announced that its “guest chef” for January is Dr. Jay H. Stein, MD, executive vice president and executive dean of Baylor College of Medicine. His signature dishes for the month will be Squid Ink Pasta with calamari, prawns, clams and crushed red pepper flakes, and Traditional Caesar Salad. Dr. Stein will kick-off his featured month and signature dish with a happy hour celebration on Wednesday, January 16 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Trevisio is located at 6550 Bertner in the John P. McGovern Texas Medical Center Commons. Call 713-749-0400 for more information.
On January 18 The Rainbow Lodge will be hosting a fundraiser for the West 11th Street Park from 5-7 p.m. Located at 2011 Ella Boulevard, the event will feature music by jazz vocalist Marji Messer and pianist Greg Scott. An original painting of the park by local artist Tim Louque will be available for viewing, with posters of the painting available for a $20 donation. The original will be auctioned via Ebay on Valentine’s Day. Donnette Hansen, owner of The Rainbow Lodge, is co-hosting the event to help raise money to improve the park’s trails. For more information on the fundraiser, call 713-868-1549.
Want to “get outa town” for Valentines? The Divas at Flat Creek Estate in Marble Falls invite you to a Lovestruck Wine Dinner on February 9 at 7 p.m. at the winery. A five-course Italian-style dinner will be paired with their wines including old favorites and new releases. The dinner will “begin and end with chocolate for lovers.” Cost is $85 per person for Estate Club members and includes everything but tax. For the evening, special wine discounts also will be offered. Call 512-267-6310 for reservations and directions. Limit 40 guests.
- And this special: Two couples for one night in the Vintner’s Quarters plus four Lovestruck Wine Dinners for $550 plus tax. One special package only.
Are you ready for this? Simposio Ristorante (8401 Westheimer at Dunvale) will be hosting a week-long Celebration of Chocolate, featuring a five-course meal where chocolate is a major ingredient in the preparation of each menu item. The Celebration of Chocolate Dinner will be available from Monday, February 11 through Saturday, February 16. Did someone say Valentine’s Day??? Cost is $65 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Open-seating between 5 and 9 p.m. by reservation only. Please call 713-532-0550 for reservations and more information.
Rattan Pan-Asian Bistro & Wine Bar is hosting a week-long Valentine Celebration, February 11-16 with a special four-course “Sweetheart Menu.” For those not into chocolate, but who would rather enjoy sushi, Kobe ribeye carpaccio, filet mignon or sea bass, and crème brulee, this sounds like the real deal meal. Cost is $90 per couple, plus tax and gratuity. The restaurant is located at 1396 Eldridge Parkway. For reservations, call 281-556-9888.
Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen, 12637 Westheimer, will be serving two Cupid Dinner Specials on Valentine’s Day, Thursday, February 14. Diners may choose from the La Parrillada or The Enchilada Extravaganza. The banquet room will be reserved for couples only and will feature romantic live music. Cost is $29.95 per person, plus beverages, tax and gratuity. By reservation only between 5 and 9 p.m.; call 281-679-8300.
Chef/owner Frank Triola, of Azzarelli’s, will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with an Italian-American Feast at both locations of his award winning restaurants, at 22764 Westheimer Parkway at Peek, and at 12460 Memorial Drive, between Gessner and Beltway 8. On Thursday, February 14, he will be offering a four-course prix fixe menu, plus tax, gratuity and beverages, with seatings at five, seven and nine p.m. Depending on the choice for the third course, prices for the meal only range from $55 to $85 per person. For reservations, please call the Katy location at 281-395-9010, or the Memorial location at 713-467-2219.
Here are two more out of town opportunities for Valentine celebrations, both at Fall Creek Vineyards in Tow, Texas on Saturday, February 16:
- Enjoy a romantic lunch prepared by Navajo Grill Restaurant at the winery for an 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. seating. Savor the Texas cuisine of Chef Josh Raymer from Fredericksburg during a three-course seated meal featuring several of Fall Creek’s premium wines. The all inclusive price of $40 per person includes the lunch, accompanying wine and a rose to enhance the occasion. Call 325-379-5361 to reserve your place and obtain directions and other information.
- On the same day, you may wish to take advantage of a one hour class covering the pairing of wines with different chocolates. At 2:00 p.m., noted author and wine instructor Jane Nickles will lead the class entitled “Like Wine for Chocolate.” The cost is $18 per person. Call 325-379-5361 for reservations and additional information.
Kitchen Stuff
"Kitchen Helper"
Do you ever run into this situation? You try to open a jar of, let’s say olives, and the lid just will not turn. You try and try, use every jar opener you have in the kitchen, and finally resort to your 225-pound fullback son, all to no available. What’s the deal here? Why do they put those lids on so damned tight?
Well actually, the culprit often times is the vacuum seal in the jar. Many jars are closed while the contents are warm, creating a vacuum when the contents cool. Fighting to loosen a jar lid under these conditions by turning is almost always fruitless.
Here’s a handy helper: Take a standard beer or pop bottle opener and very gently and slowly pry up on the lid until you hear the “hiss” of air entering the container. (This should not bend the lid significantly or ruin it.) Then easily twist the lid off, this time without the force of a vacuum working against you.
My Recipe
"Mediterranean Shellfish Soup"
MEDITERRANEAN SHELLFISH SOUP
(Serves 4)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons shallots, diced
16 clams, rinsed and cleaned
16 mussels, rinsed and cleaned
12 sea scallops, 20/30 count
8 ounces calamari
12 Gulf shrimp, 20/25 count
8 ounces lobster (prefer fresh Maine)
8 Gulf oysters
1 cup Frascati or Pinot Grigio
½ cup tomato concasse (chopped tomatoes)
1 teaspoon saffron
1 cup marinara sauce
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2 pinches roasted red pepper flakes
In copper or stainless steel pan, heat olive oil and sauté shallots until translucent. Add the clams and mussels and cook for 3 minutes. Add scallops, calamari and cook for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and lobster and cook for one minute. Add wine and let reduce, about 2 minutes. Add tomato concasse and saffron and allow to cook for about one minute before adding marinara, oysters and basil. Season with salt and black pepper. For more spice, add red pepper flakes. Soup will be ready in 30 seconds to one minute. Divide and arrange soup into four bowls.
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Copyright My Table magazine, 2008
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