Category Archives: Food & Wine

Great Dogs

The food truck scene in Houston is emerging. There’s a massive amount of geography to cover so when trucks want to be where hungry people gather it’s gotta be in trendy areas such as The Heights, Midtown, Montrose, etc.

While I’m a suburban — and therefore food truck-less — dweller in a non-trendy zone, I do admire those with the courage and fortitude to take it to the streets. And should you conclude it’s easy to throw some food in a truck and fling it for cash, think again. Holy chuck wagon, getting “legal” requires owners to jump through all manner of bureaucratic hoops. From inspections and medallions to the fire department and City health and human services, there’s a lot to do and pay for before those wheels start turning.

Tonight three of us intentionally journeyed 20+ miles to the designated location of Good Dog Hot Dogs at a symbiotic bar in Midtown. We relished (sorry for the tired pun) four of the best hot dogs – “good” just doesn’t seem to cover them.

Ol’ Zapata with caramelized onions, cheese, tomatoes, ketchup, mayo, and jalapeño relish was so good we had two. In second place was Sunshine Dog with pickled red onions, fresh dill relish, cream cheese, and mayo. We also enjoyed the Guac-A-Dog with avocado slices, fresh jalapeño, tomatoes, diced onion, roasted garlic Aioli, cumin, and lime juice. And thumbs up on the Chi-Town Dog  with tomatoe slices, pickled peppers, dill pickle slices, mustard, sweet relish, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Local artisan buns, Texas-made all-natural franks, fresh truck-made chips, and condiments made from scratch – Amalia Pferd and partner Daniel Caballero haven’t cut corners.

By the time I retrieved a couple glasses of Chardonnay from the adjoining bar the dogs were done and we enjoyed a special Thursday-evening dinner on the deck. Them dogs was so good we didn’t even notice it was 93 degrees. Make your own special meal by following this truck on Twitter or their website. You’ll be glad you did.

 

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Fore Street

Late last month we visited Fore Street on a whim while passing through Portland, Maine. In the main dining room tables are arranged on two sides of an open kitchen scene that includes a wood-fired oven, line, and a glassed humidor of sorts for fresh produce. Although the presence of bread seemed to dominate customer reviews (after all, Standard Baking Company is on premises), it is merely an element that competes for attention within the non-stop bustle.

The overwhelming daily menu flowed from garden salads punctuated with mizuna, Hokurei turnips, and grilled Vidalia to chilled meats and offal offerings that included Maine farm rabbit liver pâté and Pekin duck sausage. Wood-grilled meats, oven-roasted seafood, and fresh vegetables ranged from quail and veal sweetbreads to Atlantic bluefish and hake.

Various menu options provide multiple reasonably-priced smaller portion offerings for relief from selection anxiety: Oysters from Nonesuch River, Winter Point, and Hog Island; tastes of Pekin duck rillettes and Maine farm heritage pork brawn; a chilled seafood platter that includes Maine lobster with pickle and tarragon mayonnaise, sliced yellowfin tuna with favas and grilled scallion sauce, summer flounder tartare with lime, shallot, and fresh herbs, and house-caught Atlantic mackerel with pea tendrils and pistachio gremolata. We cannot make the reach to entrees.

Dessert choices include seven artisan cheeses from York Hill Farm and Hahn’s End in Maine and Jasper Hill Farm and Cabot in Vermont. There are also “simply ripe Maine strawberries” from Wayne, Maine (I love saying that) and delectable hand-made chocolates such as orange and white chocolate bon bons and sage flower ganache truffles.

Are you hungry yet? Service and general staff friendliness are high here. Waitstaff take pride in both their tenure and the quality of this restaurant family. So much so that we elect to visit sister property Street & Company on a future visit (Fore Street remains our favorite), but we never make it to Standard Baking Company, Scales at the Public Market, or Two Fat Cats. It is also interesting to note that Fore Street has an always-open reputation that endears it to locals when they occasionally seek shelter from winter storms. Lucky locals.


Fore Street in Portland, Maine

Fore Street occupies a warm brick building with an open kitchen in the Old Port District of Portland, Maine

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World-Class Wine and Lobstah

When you’re planning to drive cross country a couple thousand miles to enjoy the world’s finest lobster with friends in a locale where wine offerings are scarce, pre-selecting the best wine is important. If you’re not a sommelier or hard-core oenologist (I am neither) and the wine selection at the destination is somewhat limited, a trusted advisor is an imperative. What to do?

I relied upon Jen at the Hartford Family Winery. As a knowledgeable guide to the winery’s best, she helped narrow the selection to two difficult choices: 2007 Hartford Court Chardonnay, Stone Côte Vineyard and 2007 Hartford Court Chardonnay, Seascape Vineyard, both from the Sonoma Coast. So we chose both. And what better way to turn up the volume than to go with magnums? After all, 750 ml bottles are so pedestrian and affordable.

The two cherished magnums arrived in Texas a couple days prior to scheduled departure. They were bedded down in what was referred to as the “wine cellar,” a large Igloo cooler where bags of ice were cradled on top of the two Chardonnays. The goal was to keep the wine chilled but not ice-cold. My efforts to keep the bottles dry were thwarted hours prior to uncorking, so sadly the photographic evidence displays a wet label.

The presentation of a chilled magnum definitely makes a statement. It means you care enough to track down and acquire a large-format bottle through a process that generally requires advance preparation and expense. For the new-shell lobster fest, presenting our Maine hosts with the Stone Côte proved to be a great move. Who could have imagined that chilled Hartford Court Chardonnay would serve as an essential spark for such a memorable culinary event? It’s like a party in a bottle. But I’m fairly certain Jen knew all along.

 

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Photo of the Day – Salt & Pepper

Salt and Pepper

Salt and pepper (photo by Kenn Stearns)


Just what every table needs: salt and pepper

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Photo of the Day – Keepin’ It Local

Chefs Chris Shepherd and Randy Evans

Chefs Chris Shepherd and Randy Evans at Eastside Farmer's Market (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The community benefits when chefs and farmers connect through locally-produced vegetables, fruits, and farm products. Yesterday I spotted these locavore chefs – Chris Shepherd (chef and managing partner of Catalan Food & Wine) and Randy Evans (executive chef of Haven) – comparing notes in the 90+ degree heat/humidity during a break in their buying activities at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market at Eastside. Farmers appreciate the restaurants’ buying power and restaurant customers enjoy fresh ingredients that taste good. It’s all good!

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Photo of the Day – 8 Balls

8 Ball Zucchini

Farm-grown eight-ball zucchini (photo by Kenn Stearns)

This variety of zucchini doesn’t vine all over the place. It’s usually confined to a compact bush. Its leaves grow on sturdy stalks that grow straight up from the middle of the plant. Zucchini form in a cluster from the center of the plant.

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Photo of the Day – Taqueria

Laredo Taco Place

Laredo Taqueria in Houston, Washington @ Snover St in The Heights, Washington Corridor (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Colorful, hard to miss, best breakfast tacos in town, owner does not like people to take pictures of his bidness

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Photo of the Day – Radishes

Radishes

Radishes at farmer's market (photo by Kenn Stearns)

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Photo of the Day – Salmon

Salmon

Salmon with roasted beats (photo by Kenn Stearns)

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Photo of the Day – Crawfish Boil

Crawfish Boil

Nothing says springtime better than a crawfish boil (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Crawfish season is from late February to mid-May. Outdoor cooking, Louisiana-style, is a popular way to boil crawfish. I prefer my crawfish purged and washed thoroughly prior to boiling. A Cajun Crawfish Boil recipe works well. Throw in a few red potatoes and corn-on-the-cob. Wash down with you favorite cold beverage, repeat.

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Photo of the Day – Home Sweet Farm

Organic farm blackboard menu

Blackboard menu for Home Sweet Farm is off the Bluebonnet Trail in Washington County near Brenham, TX (photo by Kenn Stearns)


The 22-acre Home Sweet Farm near Brenham, TX grows more than 100 vegetables using natural techniques. Farmer Brad has been a professional organic horticulturist since 1991.

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Photo of the Day – Squash Blossums

Squash Blossums

Platon de Flor de Calabaza - sampler plate including goat cheese-stuffed squash blossoms, squash blossom empanadas with huitalocoche, squash blossom quesadillas, and tamales de flor de calabaza at Hugo's (photo by Kenn Stearns)


It’s squash blossom season and Executive Chef Hugo Ortega knows how to get the very best squash blossoms for Hugo’s. He has tagged special growers in California and Houston that will keep one of Houston’s most popular restaurants well-supplied. Crepas, tamales, empanadas, and more make the season bright!

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Photo of the Day – Vespaio in Austin

Vespaio

Vespaio restaurant in Austin combines great Italian food, friendly staff, and a casual atmosphere (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Last weekend we visited Vespaio, an Italian restaurant on South Congress at Milton. Three of us shared a bottle of wine, appetizers, a mid-course, entrees, and dessert including house made mozzarella, risotto with pulled lamb, oak fire grilled prosciutto-wrapped jumbo Gulf shrimp, cioppino, and traditional (not soggy) tiramisu. We enjoyed a cozy corner of the restaurant with a quiet street view. The authentic Italian food and attentive service exceeded expectations. We highly recommend you give Vespaio a try.

prosciutto-wrapped jumbo gulf shrimp

Oak fire grilled prosciutto-wrapped jumbo Gulf shrimp with haricots vertsi, suppli and red chile pesto (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Zenato

Ripassa della Valpolicella, 2007 Zenato, one of the 70+ wines available at Vespaio (photo by Kenn Stearns)

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Photo of the Day – Pesto

Pesto

Homemade pesto being applied to biscuits as part of a bruschetta-style topping for a lazy Sunday breakfast (photo by Kenn Stearns)

This tome on pesto is a logical follow-on to yesterday’s entry on basil.  Pesto is derived from the same Latin root of “pestle” – a pestle also is like a small bat with an end used for crushing and grinding. At its core, pesto includes crushed herbs and garlic. Basil is a popular herb used in pesto. Pesto can also include pine nuts, almonds, and cheese. Whew.

Pesto

This recipe will yield about 4 cups of pesto. It can be doubled or halved.

  • 4 cups basil leaves, packed
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed lightly and peeled
  • 1 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or almonds
  • 1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino cheese
  • 1½ cups extra-virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Put basil leaves and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend until leaves are finely chopped. Add nuts and blend some more until the nuts are finely chopped. Add cheese and blend everything is combined. While the appliance is running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady drizzle. Add more or less oil to obtain the desired consistency (thicker or thinner). After the oil is blended in, turn off the appliance, and then add salt and pepper to taste.

Pesto can be refrigerated for a week or more. Use an air-tight container and add a thin coat of olive oil on top to keep the pesto from turning dark. Pesto can be frozen put don’t add the cheese. My spousal unit divides batches into small jars (top right in photo above) and refrigerates. She uses pesto for bruschetta, adds light cream with it for pesto sauce on pizza, pasta salad with a little mayonnaise, on tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, smear on bread for turkey sandwiches, and her latest discovery putting pesto in won tons and dropping them into spring soup.

Spring Soup with Pesto Won Tons

by Jamie Davies, Schramsberg Co-Founder

  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 8 petite carrots or regular carrots cut on long diagonals
  • 1 cup green beans cut in diagonal pieces
  • 1 cup asparagus cut in diagonal pieces
  • 1 cup small green peas
  • 1 cup finely shredded green cabbage
  • 1 cup scallions cut in diagonal pieces
  • 1 cup mushrooms quartered
  • 1 cup spinach leaves cut in ribbons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dry dill
  • 1 package won ton skins (12)
  • 12 teaspoons pesto
  • 1 egg yolk stirred with a fork

Pesto Won Ton

Place 1 teaspoon pesto on each won ton skin.

Pat a dot of egg yolk in a corner as “glue.” Fold into a triangle shape.

Dot egg yolk on outer corner. Bring points around and press one on top of the other.

Soup

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot.

Add each vegetable in order given above, allowing broth to come to a simmer again after each addition.

Add pesto-filled won tons and cook gently until they are tender, about 6-8 minutes.

Serve in warmed soup plates. Serves 12.

Bon appétit!

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Photo of the Day – Basil

Fresh Italian Basil

Pots of Italian basil ready for planting (photo by Kenn Stearns)

Each spring we find a couple of basil plants and get them started in the garden. After getting settled in they grow quickly, about an inch per day. Once the summer heats up their growth seems to slow a bit. It’s a versatile herb that we enjoy in many ways.

We’ve tried several varieties of basil including globe, lemon, and Thai, but the larger leaves from Italian work best for our culinary needs: pesto, pizza, anything Italian, chicken, tomatoes, marinara sauce, cheese, and more.

The strong scent of sweet basil comes from eugenol, the same chemical that’s in cloves. It turns out there may be health benefits associated with the essential oils in basil such as potent antioxidant, anti-cancer, antiviral, and anti-microbial properties. Basil represents love in Italy, hatred in ancient Greece, and Satan in certain European lore. In our home, the sweet smell of  basil always means good food.

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