Audio archives will be posted soon.

SHOW RECAPS

Saturday, September 1, 2007
Spinach Recall


There's been another spinach recall - this time because of a salmonella scare.
Why is so much spinach recalled? How safe is our food supply? What is the federal government doing to protect us?
We'll discuss this with Elisa Odabashian, Director of Consumer Union's West Coast office.
(Consumers Union is the non-profit publisher of Consumer Reports.)

Saturday, August 25, 2007

Saturday, August 18, 2007
Monica Pope
t'afia & Midtown Farmers' Market


Monica Pope is one of the best known chef/restaurant owners in the Southwest.
And certainly the best known female chef.
She was recently nominated by the James Beard Foundation for the 'Best Chef in the Southwest 2007' award.
She has accolades too numerous to list here. See them here. Monica's motto is "Eat where your food lives."
We'll explore that with her on the show and also find out more about her Midtown Farmers' Market
that's held each Saturday morning in the parking lot of her restaurant at 3701 Travis, Houston, Texas. Web site

George Reisch
Brew Master, Anheuser-Busch

George Reisch is a big head in the world of beer.
He's a fifth generation brew master and a recognized expert in pairing food with beers.
We'll find out how beer is made and George will give us some ideas for pairing Anheuser-Busch's
new beers with everything from appetizers to desserts. Web site

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Manfred Jachmich & Elizabeth Abraham
So Vino Wine Bar & Bistro
     
Very well-known and prolific Houston restaurateur Manfred Jachmich is back on the scene,
with a new restaurant and a new business partner, Elizabeth Abraham.
SoVino Wine Bar & Bistro is set to open in September 2007. Web site
Read more about it on my blog.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Ernie Manouse
Houston PBS

Ernie is an award-winning anchor and producer at Houston PBS.
He produces and hosts "InnerViews with Ernie Manouse,"
a half-hour series that airs nationally on the PBS network.
He's also a great eater and hence, a regular guest on the Cleverley Show.
There's never a dull moment when Ernie joins us. Ernie told us about his new favorite restaurant:
Chicago Italian Beef, 1777 Airline Drive, Houston, Texas 77009. Read his raves here.
www.ErnieOnTV.com

Gerry Schweitzer
President, Leblon Cachaca

I have discovered a beverage called cachaca.
It's made from sugar cane and it's the main ingredient in the caipirinha, the "national drink" of Brazil.
New Yorker and luxury brand specialist Gerry Schweitzer has introduced Leblon to America and we learned all about.
And did a live tasting on the air too. (love those live tastings!) The Leblon web site has really cool music too.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

Tim Zagat
Zagat Survey

Tim is a regular and welcome guest on the Cleverley Show.
He and his wife Nina established the Zagat Survey in 1979 by inviting avid diners
to rate and review the restaurants they visited. Both native New Yorkers, these two successful
Yale educated lawyers applied a unique premise that rating a restaurant on the basis of thousands
of experiences was inherently more accurate than relying on one reviewer. Their company now offers
guides to dining for more than 70 major markets, as well as guides for hotels, resorts and spas worldwide,
family travel, entertaining, shopping, nightlife, movies, music, theater and golf. Web site

Mike Shiloh
Houston Radio Personality

You may not recognize the face, but you are sure to recognize the voice.
Mike Shiloh is a well-known radio personality in Houston.
You can hear him daily doing the news on a myriad of Houston radio stations.
He is also the 2007 Houston Press Club award winner for journalistic achievement.
(He began his career as a stand-up comic. Go figure! I know there's a joke in there somewhere.)
We were excited to have Mike on the show as our guest co-host.

Rudi Lechner
Rudi Lechner's Restaurant

For more than thirty years, noted Houston restaurateur, Rudi Lechner, has served some of the best sausages,
wiener schnitzel and German beers and wines in Texas. And if you have not experienced his legendary
Kaffee Gute Nacht, also known as Coffee Good Night, made tableside by Rudi, you just haven't lived! Web site
 

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Emeril Lagasse
Chef, Restaurateur, TV Personality & Author

Emeril Lagasse grew up in Fall River, Massachusetts and as a teenager, worked at a Portuguese bakery.
A talented percussionist, upon high school graduation he was offered a full scholarship to the
New England Conservatory of Music but he decided to pursue a career as a professional chef.
What's Emeril up to lately? He's opened a new restaurant in Gulfport, Mississippi.
What a delight Emeril was to have on the show. He was engaging and charming.
He divulged that fried chicken and potato chips are his favorite comfort foods.
And when he indulges he likes to frequent local chicken restaurants in New Orleans,
but in a pinch he'll drive-thru Popeye's. www.Emerils.com

Mike Riccetti, Author
Houston Dining on the Cheap

Discover the best inexpensive restaurants in Houston from authentic Mexican food, barbecue joints,
all-American diners, Colombian rotisserie chicken fast food, sushi, Tex-Mex, Vietnamese sandwiches,
Italian, best hamburgers, Chinese, dim sum, Indian and more. Author Mike Riccetti grew up in Houston
where he lives, works and dines cheaply. Mike's book profiles over 300 Houston restaurants where you
can get your fill for less than $13 per person. Mike took phone calls from listeners who had good
questions for him about inexpensive dining in Houston. He is always a great guest to have on the show.
The hour always seems to go by too quickly...

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Marc Summers
Food Network TV

Marc Summers currently hosts "Unwrapped," "Triva Unwrapped" and "Dinner Impossible"
on Food Network TV. But he has been on TV for a long time. You may remember him
from "DoubleDare" on Nickelodeon. We went to Churrascos when he was in Houston.
Click here to hear my audio about our dining experience.

Paul & Merrill Bonarrigo
Messina Hof Winery & Resort

Paul & Merrill told us about their upcoming harvest events that are open to the public.
Yes, you can recreate the grape stomping scene from the "Lucy Show."
Click here to view their event schedule.

Saturday, July 7, 2007
to come
 

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Jerry Greenfield
Co-Founder, Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

Jerry Greenfield was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1951, four days before his business partner, Ben Cohen.
They came to know each other trying to run the track in gym class. They also double dated together in Ben's Camaro convertible,
complete with an 8-track cassette tape deck. Jerry got his first taste of working in the ice cream industry when he
took a job as a scooper in his college cafeteria. Ben & Jerry set up their first ice cream parlor in Burlington, Vermont in 1978.
And the rest, as they say, is history. Ben & Jerry are very philanthropic and care about the quality of our food.
They were one of the first food purveyors to come out against Bovine Growth Hormone. Of course, there's a lot more to their story ...
Web site

Bradley Manchester, Executive Chef
Fawaz Salaam, Director of Food & Beverage
Hotel Zaza

The new Zaza Houston is open and has become THE place for summer schmoozing.
Executive Chef Bradley Manchester is getting rave reviews for his food in Monarch, the hotel restaurant.
And all food and beverage operations are being guided under the steady hand of seasoned hospitality man Fawaz Salaam.
I've heard that at times, there's a line to get into the restaurant and the bar.
We haven't seen that in Houston for a quite a while! Web Site

Word of The Day
Truffle

One of our callers thought that a truffle was a mushroom. It is not a mushroom, but it is a fungus.
Truffle is one of the rarest and most expensive foods in the world.
This exceptional fungus grows 3 to 12 inches underground near the roots of trees
(usually oak trees but also chestnut, hazel and beech trees). And they look like little rocks.
A truffle is not something that you usually eat by itself. but it is added to dishes to add flavor

It's hard to believe that this food is located by pigs and dogs.
The difficult-to-find truffle is routed out by animals that have been specially trained for several years.
The pigs and dogs sniff the ground until they smell the buried truffles.
Pigs have keener noses, but dogs are less inclined to gobble up the prize once they find it.

Once the pig or dog sniffs out the truffle, the farmer, who is called the (trufficulteur) gently scrapes back the earth,
being careful not to touch the truffle with his hands (which will cause the fungus to rot) and takes it from the earth.
This methodically slow and labor-intensive harvesting method is what makes truffles so extremely expensive.

Truffles have been prized by gourmets for centuries and were credited by the ancient Greeks and
Romans with both therapeutic and aphrodisiac powers.

The most desirable is the black truffle from France.
Dark truffles are generally used to flavor cooked foods such as omelets, polentas and sauces.

The next most popular is the white truffle from Italy and is usually served raw by grating them over foods
such as pasta or cheese dishes. They're also added at the last minute to cooked dishes.

NOTE: What I’d like to know is who first found this fungus underground and decided
to put it in their mouth and eat it and say, "MMMMMM, this is good."

Factual information from THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst. 

Saturday, June 23, 2007
David Denis & Sylvain Denis
Le Mistral French Restaurant

Brothers David and Sylvain Denis have brought the quiet, relaxed atmosphere of their
family's restaurant in Le Revest les Eaux, France, to Houston. At Le Mistral, Chef Denis has taken
many of his family's recipes and merged them with fresh Texas produce and American taste buds.
Sylvain runs the front of the house and also serves as sommelier. Each meal is prepared from
scratch to ensure maximum freshness and is cooked to perfection. David & Sylvain announced on
the show that their brand new (big) restaurant should be open by August. They are building it
right next door to their current location on Eldridge Parkway in West Houston.
They are the darlings of workers in Houston's Energy Corridor, who are happy to see
the Denis' expanding their seating capacity. They are also adding a lounge where live music will be featured daily.
www.LeMistralHouston.com

Ryan Hildebrand
Patrenella's & Corleone Restaurants

Executive Chef Ryan Hildebrand is a graduate of Baylor University (with a degree in Fine Arts) and the
Culinary Institute of America. He has worked at Chez Nous, Mark's, Olivette, bistro moderne and
Vic & Anthony's in Houston. He is now executive chef for Patrenella's and the new Corleone Bar & Grill.
Still recovering from his grand opening bash on Thursday night, Chef Ryan said his new restaurant is now open for business.
They had 40 covers on Friday night, their first night of business. There are only 6 items on the menu and there's no pasta.
But he said that if someone really wants pasta, he'll make it happen. Located behind the 16 year old Patrenella's
restaurant at 813 Jackson Hill, in the Heights area of Houston, Corleone will be a welcome addition to the neighborhood I'm sure.
Web Site

Steve Soussi
Jones Soda

Fish taco, green pea, salmon, broccoli and gravy. Freaky soda flavors.
Orange & cream, cherry and crushed melon. Not so freaky.
Steve told us why Jones Soda made the switch from High Fructose Corn Syrup to pure cane sugar.
There is a trend away from HFCS and celebrities such as Oprah are promoting the reduction of HFCS in our diets.

. Studies have shown that the body processes the fructose in HFCS differently than it does cane sugar –
in short, HFCS decreases our metabolism.
 . HFCS does not release insulin, which helps to metabolize our foods by pushing
carbohydrates into our muscle cells for energy
. HFCS forces the liver to release more fat out into the bloodstream
. HFCS prevents the production of leptin, which helps to regulate our
storage of body fat and increases our metabolism when needed
. HFCS does not suppress the production of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger and appetite
. The body is essentially tricked into wanting to eat more and at the same time, we are storing more fat
. Pure Cane Sugar stimulates both insulin and leptin which act as signals to the
brain to turn down the appetite and control body weight
www.JonesSoda.com

Word of The Day
Escargot
(Ess-Car-Go)
 French word for Snail
Snails were popular early on. They were greatly favored by the ancient Romans,
who cultivated special vineyards on which the snails could feed and fatten.
The cultivated snail has a diet of grape leaves. Fresh snails or escargot should be used
the same day they're purchased**. Snails are usually boiled before being baked or broiled
in their shell with seasoned butter. Canned snails are available in gourmet markets and many supermarkets.
© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

** French chef David Denis, a guest on the show that day, begged to differ with the suggestion
that escargots be used the same day they are purchased. He said that it is customary to wait a week
or so, putting the snails on a fast so that they can 'empty out' before you eat them.

What I didn't get to ask David was, "Who was the first guy that looked at a snail and said, "Hmm, I'll bet that tastes good."
 

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Carmelo Mauro
Carmelo's Ristorante & President of the Texas Restaurant Association

Word of the Day
wasabi; wasabe
[WAH-sah-bee]
This Japanese version of HORSERADISH comes from the root of an Asian plant.
It's used to make into a green-colored CONDIMENT that has a sharp, pungent, fiery flavor.
Wasabi, which is also called Japanese horseradish, is available in specialty and Asian markets
in both paste and powder form. The latter is mixed with water much like dry mustard. Some specialty
produce markets carry fresh wasabi, which may be grated like horseradish. In Japan, SUSHI and
SASHIMI are served with a condiment of wasabi mixed with soy sauce.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Sorry, we are a little behind in posting our archives.
We hope to be caught up soon.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Saturday, May 12, 2007
Jon Paul & Polo Becerra
Post Oak Grills & Polo's Signature


These two well-known names in Houston's restaurant biz have joined forces.
Paul is now a partner with Becerra in Post Oak Grill Uptown, Post Oak Grill Downtown,
Polo's Signature restaurant and Citrus, a restaurant opening downtown in June.
Paul's restaurant 1308 Cantina is now being operated by the Laurenzo family (El Tiempo).

Dorothy Hamilton
Founder of The French Culinary Institute, NYC and host of Chef's Story on PBS


Chef's Story is a new 26-part television series of interviews and cooking segments with today's
most renowned chefs like Lidia Bastianich, Daniel Boulud, Anthony Bourdain, Tom Colicchio,
Robert Del Grande, Todd English, Dean Fearing, Bobby Flay, Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter & Jean-Georges Vongerichten. 
Airing on Houston PBS, Sundays at 2 p.m. Hosted by Dorothy Hamilton, founder and CEO of
The French Culinary Institute, the show focuses on master chefs whose lives, work and evolution
as food legends is thoroughly explored.  Chefs Story

Fernando Salazar
Vice President of Food & Beverage, Omni Hotels Worldwide


The Omni is committed to organic foods, starting with breakfast- and they are not passing on the increased costs to their guests.
This is huge people! No other major luxury hotels in America are doing this, that I know of. Web Site

Word of the Day

niçoise, à la
[nee-SWAHZ]
A French phrase that means "as prepared in Nice," typifying the cuisine found in and around
that French Riviera city. This cooking style is identified with hot and cold dishes that include the
integral ingredients of tomatoes, black olives, garlic and ANCHOVIES.
Salade niçoise contains these basic ingredients plus French green beans, onions, tuna, hard-cooked eggs and herbs.
 From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Dominic Walsh
Dominic Walsh joined Houston Ballet in 1989 and became principle dancer in  1996.
He has danced and dined the world over, receiving praise from national and international critics
(for his dancing, not his dining...well maybe for his dining too).
We enjoyed meeting the driving force behind the critically acclaimed Dominic Walsh Dance Theater Company.
(and how does he stay so trim, anyway?) www.DWDT.org

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Chapulines
Grasshopper, a culinary delicacy in Mexico

Saturday, April 21, 2007


Chef LaLa
Celebrity Chef

Words of the Day
Malbec
A French red-wine grape grown in Bordeaux, in parts of the Loire Valley and in Cahors.
It is also grown in Texas.
From HaakWine.com:
Malbec is a traditional Bordeaux grape with a new world presence.
This Texas bred Malbec grape provides a soft, lush structure that is
balanced with strong fruit flavors.  It has an intense, ink-like color.
Intricate aromatics of luscious ripe plum and berry flavors are edged
with light oak and spice. This Native Texan has delicately mastered the
union of Old and New world wine styles.

Nopales
[noh-PAH-lays]
Long popular in Mexico, these fleshy oval leaves (also called pads or paddles ) of the nopal
(prickly pear) cactus are gaining popularity in the United States.
They range in color from pale to dark green and have a delicate, slightly tart green-bean flavor.
Though fresh nopales (also called cactus leaves ) are available year-round in Mexican markets and some supermarkets,
they're at their most tender and juicy best in the spring. Look for small, firm, pale-green nopales with no sign of wrinkling.
Before use, the thorns must be removed; a vegetable peeler will shave them off.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Ernie Manouse
Host & Producer, "InnerViews with Ernie Manouse"
Houston PBS Television

Ed Toles, Owner
Tony Rao, General Manager
Stephen Ascencio, Executive Chef
Bob's Steak & Chop House
A very new restaurant in Houston

Brian Randall
Expo Comida Latina

Words of the Day

Porterhouse Steak
A steak cut from the large end of the short loin, containing meat from both the tenderloin
 (the most tender cut of meat) and the top loin muscle. This is one of the best and most expensive steaks.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Additional Notes: Many believe the Porterhouse steak to be the best of all steaks. 
It actually includes two steaks: the flavorful top loin and the buttery soft tenderloin.  
It's best to grill or broil them without marinating. 

Tres Leches Cake
Literally "cake of three milks", this is a cake that is soaked in three kinds of milk:
evaporated milk, condensed milk, and either whole milk or cream. Since butter is not often used,
tres leches is a very light cake with many air bubbles. This distinct texture is why, even
though it is soaked in milk  this dish does not have a soggy consistency.

On the Show on Saturday, March 31, 2007

Harry Parker & Jane Hudson
Creators of B4-U-Eat.com, this Houston-based Web site
features restaurant reviews from real diners (not professional eaters).
www.B4-U-Eat.com

Debbie Jaramillo
Manager of Test Kitchens, Riviana Foods
Ever heard of Carolina, Gourmet House, Mahatma, Riceland, River,
S&W, Success or Water Maid rice brands? They are all part of the Riviana Foods family.
www.Riviana.com

Camille Waters
Houston's Queen of Lettuce grows organic lettuces in the inner city.
She supplies the most innovative and celebrated chefs in town with her urban greens.
Now, after thirteen years, she's retiring.
www.UrbanHarvest.org 

(Photo: Camille & Cleverley, wearing their festive garden
hats at Camille's Annual Garden Party in 2002.)

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Peter Max

Iconic American Artist, www.PeterMax.com
Peter was in Houston for an appearance at Off the Wall Gallery.
I consider him a friend. When he was in town last year I had dinner with him at the
St. Regis and he drew a portrait for me on his napkin! I'll see if I can scan it and post it here.
On the food front, Peter is a vegan and he loves to talk about it and educate people.
We got his secret recipe for his super-duper 'Morning Drink.'  We'll post it here soon.

Alex Brennan-Martin, Brennan's of Houston
and Frank Crapitto, Crapitto's restaurant
www.HoustonOriginals.com
We learned about this new association of independently owned restaurants in Houston,
and why it's important to support our local restaurateurs. They've got some great
restaurant gift certificates for sale at a discount from their members.
Visit their web site above to purchase.

Chef Ryan Pera, Executive Chef & Pastry Chef Rebecca Masson
17 in the Alden Hotel
Chef Pera and Chef Masson brought us some delectable treats like Pera's signature
Truffled Mac 'n Cheese and Masson's Lemon Ice Box Pie (which had the best meringue I think I've ever tasted!)
Chef Pera is committed to sourcing the best local ingredients for his guests.
17 has just introduced their new Spring menu and you can sample the
best vegetables and meats that Texas has to offer, as cooked by Chef Pera.

Word of the Day

crème fraîche
krehm FRESH
This matured, thickened cream has a slightly tangy, nutty flavor and velvety rich texture.
It has a thickness of sour cream. A very expensive version of crème fraîche is sold in gourmet markets.
But you can make it yourself by combining 1 cup whipping cream
and 2 tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container.
Cover and let stand at room temperature (about 70°F) from 8 to 24 hours, or until very thick.
Stir well before covering and refrigerate up to 10 days.
Crème fraîche is the ideal addition for sauces or soups because it can be boiled without curdling.
It's delicious spooned over fresh fruit or other desserts such as warm cobblers or puddings.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Chirag Bhatt
Bureau Chief, Bureau of Consumer Health Services
Employees at two Houston area restaurants were recently diagnosed with Hepatitis A.
And there was also a case at a Los Angeles caterer that impacted several high profile events.
We found out that Hepatitis A is spread by people not washing their
hands with hot soap & water after using the bathroom.
And if they touch your food while preparing it you might get infected too.
Hygiene Tips:
. Length of time to wash your hands: Sing "Happy Birthday" twice.
. Along with soap & water, it's the vigorous rubbing together of your hands that helps kill germs.
. If you see that there is no hot water in the restroom, tell the manager. That could mean that
the employees are not washing their hands with hot water either!

. Hussein Hamad
Director of Food & Beverage
Omni Houston Hotel at Westside
The Omni has a great treat for you this Easter.
A brunch that will wow your senses, a petting zoo and family portraits will be taken (for a nominal fee of $7).

Michael Beaulac
Winemaker, St. Supéry Vineyards, www.StSupery.com
Michael came to Houston to host a vintner dinner at Brennan's on March 20th.
We learned about his wines and why they are special.

Saturday, March 10, 2007

. Robert Gadsby
Noé
Chef Gadsby recently competed against Mario Batali on Iron Chef on FoodNetwork.
We found out that Chef Robert lost the competition and he felt that the new mixology
component was the cause. They paired a mixologist with him who had to create a
special drink for each course. Chef Gadsby is the top toque at two Noé restaurants:
Omni Hotel Houston and Omni Los Angeles.

. Gail McGroder
Houston Bridal Showcase
Gail, publisher of the Perfect Wedding Guide,
told us about the upcoming Houston Bridal Showcase.

Words of the Day

Sweet Breads
The thymus glands of veal, young beef, lamb and pork.
There are two glands - an elongated lobe in the throat and a larger, rounder gland near the heart.
The heart sweetbread is considered the more delectable (and more expensive) of the two because
of its delicate flavor and firmer, creamy-smooth texture.
THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Frizzante
freet-TSAHN-teh
An Italian term meaning "lightly sparkling" wines with light effervescence.
Frizzante wines are often slightly sweet.
THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Word of the Day
Think you're pretty smart when it comes to food terms?
Listen for our 'Word of the Day' and call in with your answer.
You'll win a prize...guaranteed!
Call 713-9-650-650 on Saturdays between Noon - 1 p.m. Central

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Philippe Schmidt
Chef/Partner, bistro moderne
Frenchman Philippe Schmidt's restaurant, bistro moderne, is one of Houston's
most popular and highly acclaimed venues (and certainly one of the prettiest dining rooms).
It's one of our only French bistros in Houston.

Paul Bonarrigo
Messina Hof Winery
Paul Bonarrigo is the most award-winning winemaker in Texas.
A tireless promoter, he has almost single handedly put Texas wines on the radar of
the international wine scene.  Messina Hof just won their fourth consecutive title for "Top Texas Wine"
in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition.

Words of the Day

Bouillabaisse
BOOL-yuh-BAYZ, BOOL-yuh-BEHZ

A celebrated seafood stew from Provence, made with an assortment of fish
and shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, olive oil, garlic, saffron and herbs.
The stew is ladled over thick slices of French bread.
THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Meritage
MEHR-ih-tihj ( Rhymes with Heritage)

The term Meritage was created (yes, it is a made-up word and no, it's not French)
in 1988 by a group of vintners who wanted to establish standards for a category
of American blended wines that are made with traditional Bordeaux grape varieties.
 
The name Meritage (a compound of the words Merit and Heritage) was chosen
from over 6,000 entries in an international contest held by these vintners.

The purpose of The Meritage Association is to help identify quality American wine blends that,
because they're not made with at least 75 percent of a single variety, can't use the variety
name on the label. To be designated as Meritage, a wine must be a blend of two or more
Bordeaux grape varieties; be not more than 90 percent of any single variety and it
must be produced and bottled by a U.S. winery from grapes that carry a U.S. appellation.
Based on THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Solu Lalvani
Owner, Yatra
Yatra is a new Indian restaurant in downtown Houston at Main & Capitol.
Mr. Lalvani opened the first Yatra in the heart of Mayfair, London in 2002 and became
known for serving second-to-none, exquisite Indian/Asian food in elegant surroundings. 
And now we have Yatra in Houston. Yatra has catered to a host of celebrities including
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Soon Mr. Lalvani will be opening a bar adjoining Yatra
called Butterfly High, and a basement nightclub, Bar Bollywood.

Lotus Witt
Empty Bowls
Empty Bowls is a grassroots effort by artists and craftspeople in cities and towns across the country
to feed the hungry in their communities. The event, on March 3rd, includes a simple soup lunch with
accompaniments and live music. Diners will select and take home a one-of-a-kind artisan bowl to
commemorate their Empty Bowls donation. All proceeds will benefit the Houston Food Bank.
Tickets can be purchased for $25 each.

Risa Jenkins
Vino 100
Vino 100 is hosting a wine tasting to benefit the Fairy Godmother Project on February 27th.
The Fairy Godmother Project of Houston collects donations of new and gently used prom dresses,
bridesmaid dresses, cocktail dresses, tuxes, suits and accessories and provides them, free of charge,
to students in the Houston area who cannot afford to purchase prom attire.
Cost to attend the event is $25 pp and includes cheese pairings.

Word of the Day

Apéritif
ah-pehr-uh-TEEF, ay-pehr-ee-TEEF

A French term referring to a light alcoholic drink taken before
a meal to stimulate the appetite. Popular apéritifs include CHAMPAGNE, VERMOUTH,
SHERRY, and FORTIFIED and flavored wines such as Lillet and Dubonnet.
From: THE WINE LOVER'S COMPANION, by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Scott Tycer
Gravitas, kraftsman baking
Tycer Time with Chef Scott Tycer.
Scott schooled us the different grades available in beef.

Armando Palacios
Armando is re-entering Houston's restaurant scene after an absence of seven years.
He's opening Armando's in the former River Oaks Grill location at Kirby & Westheimer.
A March 22nd opening is planned. What's Armando's pet dining peeve?
Servers who tell you their name. He doesn't go for that.

Words of the Day
Our first two callers were winners. What smart listeners we have!

Confit
kohn-FEE, kon-FEE
This specialty of Gascony, France, is derived from an ancient method of preserving meat
(usually goose, duck or pork) whereby it is salted and slowly cooked in its own fat.
The cooked meat is then packed into a crock or pot and covered with its cooking fat,
which acts as a seal and preservative. Confit  can be refrigerated up to 6 months.
Confit d'oie and confit de canard are preserved goose and preserved duck, respectively.

Ice Wine
A rich, flavorful dessert wine which is made by picking grapes that are frozen on the vine,
then pressing them before they thaw. Because much of the water in the grapes is frozen,
the resulting juice is concentrated — rich in flavor and high in sugar and acid.
Ice wines are renowned in Germany, where they're called Eiswein  (pronounced ICE-vine).
All definitions are from: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Talked about the restaurant changes at Hotel Icon (see my newsletter),
upcoming wine dinner at Damian's, Polo Becerra's new restaurant, Polo's Signature,
River Oaks Grill has closed and Armando Palacios will reopen it as Armando's.

Bear Dalton
Wine Guy for Spec's
Bear told us about the upcoming Best Bites competition
at the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (Feb. 26th).
Purchase tickets here

Mark Caffey
Chocolates by Mark
Mark made us some chocolate truffles in freaky-deaky flavors like margarita, cosmopolitan and beer.
They were sooo good! We were all fighting about who was going to take the leftovers home after the show!
(Only in the nicest way, of course!...Guess who won???)

Candyce Mathews & George Cano
Students at the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY
They told us what it's like to be a student at the nation's most prestigious culinary school that's
turned out celeb chefs like Anthony Bourdain, Sara Moulton and Rocco DiSpirito.
Candyce & George also assisted me with my cooking demo & talk later that day at the Texas Home & Garden Show.

We had 3 Words of the Day and lots of winners.

Coulis
koo-Lee
A general term referring to a thick purée or sauce,
such as a tomato coulis or a raspberry coulis (frequently used on dessert plates)

Ganache
ga-nosh
A rich chocolate icing made of semisweet chocolate and whipping
cream that are heated and stirred together until the chocolate has melted.
the mixture is cooled until lukewarm and poured over a cake or torte.
Ganache is used to glaze cakes, pastries and tortes.

Saffron
Saffron, a spice, is the yellow-orange stigmas (the long pointy stick that comes out of the center of a flower)
of a small purple crocus flower. (Yes, saffron comes from a flower.)
Because it must be harvested gently by hand, and there are only 3 stigmas per small flower,
it is the world's most expensive spice. It takes over 14,000 tiny stigmas to make one ounce of saffron.
All definitions are from: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Word of the Day
Think you're pretty smart when it comes to food terms?
Listen for our 'Word of the Day' and call in with your answer.
You'll win a prize...guaranteed!
Call 713-9-650-650 on Saturdays between Noon - 1 p.m. Central

Lara Bell
Host of "Wild on Houston" on KTBU, The Tube, Channel 55 in Houston
We dished on Houston's restaurant scene-gossip & news.
And she told us all about her TV show on the Tube.
 
Also on the show, Katie, TCS exec. producer, and I told you about our hilarious visit to Pei Wei.
They are so great at customer service! A shout-out to manager Chris! And thanks!
Plus, I directed listeners where to find some great ideas for where to watch
the Super Bowl and dine on great food at the same time.

Peter Garcia
Owner and chef of El Meson, one of Houston's best Spanish restaurants.
Chef Garcia has won many, many awards for his cooking and his wine list.
We talked about wine, wine, wine. And Peter brought us some of his great dishes to try.
I loved the squid in its ink, but I think I was the only one to try it!
Everyone else was too chicken! It was delish. I gave some to Donna Franklin,
who was broadcasting in the studio next door on Smooth Jazz, 95.7.
She'll give me her review next Saturday.

Mike Ricetti
Author of "Houston Dining on the Cheap," Mike lives, works and dines cheaply in Houston.
Over 320 restaurants are recommended and profiled in his 540 page tome.
(And they are not fast food joints!) Mike is a fount of information on inexpensive dining in Houston.
He told us that his favorite restaurant is Ninfa's on Navigation. His newest revision of
"Houston Dining on the Cheap" comes out in March 2007. Available at Amazon.com.

Words of the Day
Think you're pretty smart when it comes to food terms?
We had a ton of callers for Word of the Day.

Scotch Egg
A hard-cooked egg that is coated with sausage, dipped into beaten egg,
rolled in bread crumbs and deep-fried. Scotch eggs are halved or
quartered lengthwise and may be served hot or cold, usually as an appetizer.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.

Our first caller correctly guessed the definition of Scotch Egg.
We didn't want to disappoint our other callers, so we did a second Word of the Day:

Paella
A Spanish dish of SAFFRON-flavored rice combined with a variety of meats and shellfish
(such as shrimp, lobster, clams, chicken, pork, ham and CHORIZO),
garlic, onions, peas, artichoke hearts and tomatoes.
It's named after the special two-handled pan — also called paella —
in which it's prepared and served. The pan is wide, shallow and 13 to 14 inches in diameter.
From: THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst

Tune in next week to try your hand at guessing the definition of the "Word of the Day!"
Call 713-9-650-650 on Saturday from Noon - 1 p.m.
You'll win a prize...guaranteed!

Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007

Lanny Griffith
Fox26 News
Feature reporter with a fun and off-beat personality,
Lanny covers the “good news” of the day.
We talked about fast food faves and Houston's restaurant scene.
We had a great time Lanny! Hope he comes back on the show!

Marcelo Kreindel
Trentino Gelato
A friend of mine has wanted me to meet Marcelo since last year.
I just met him recently. Now I'm sorry it took me so long.
This man makes the most unbelievable gelatos and sorbets -
100% pure and divinely delicious. Trentino's gelatos and sorbets are available
all over Houston. Check their Web site for locations.

Jeff Martin & Devan Tindall
Galleria Hypnosis & Woodlands Hypnosis
What's synonymous with January? New Year's resolutions.
Can you really lose weight through hypnosis?
I was hypnotized and shared my results.

Does it work? Yes it does. But you do have to do the work.
It's not magic. Like Jeff said,
"If you have a shovel in the garage, it's a great tool, but it's not going to do the work by itself."
I personally find hypnosis and Jeff & Devan's program to be a great help to me in my weight loss efforts.

Word of the Day
Osso Buco
Lots of callers tried to guess what this term meant.
Here's the definition from the Food Lover's Companion:
"An Italian dish made of veal shanks braised with olive oil, white wine,
stock, onions, tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, carrots, celery and lemon peel.
Traditionally, osso buco is served accompanied by risotto."

Tune in next week to try your hand at guessing the definition of the "Word of the Day!"
Prizes! 713-9-650-650

Saturday, Jan. 13 2007

Chef Scott Tycer
Of Aries, Pic & Gravitas fame
One of Houston's most respected chefs, Scott and I dished on the restaurant scene in Houston.
He also gave us the scoop that he has decided to closed his restaurant Pic Café
and will re-open in a new, undisclosed location in the future.

Tim Zagat
Zagat Survey
Yep, the one & only, from the famous
restaurant guide, The Zagat Survey
Tim told us about his new New Orleans Dining Survey
and how his guide books work, now covering 80 US cities.

Chirag Bhatt
Bureau Chief, Consumer Health Services,
Houston Department of Health and Human Services.
Oversees restaurant inspections in Houston
Great discussion about restaurant inspections.
What's the #1 health violation in Houston's restaurants?
Employees not washing their hands enough!

Who's hot and what's happening in Houston's restaurant scene?
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