While many folks are running around … or standing in line ... or reading Tweets and Facebook posts about six-packs of Saint. Arnold’s eleventh release of Divine Reserve, I have mine. It’s a Double IPA with LOTS of hops. I’m not a hop head so I’ll be sharing and trading some of mine. But kinda’ like collecting baseball cards when I was a kid, I had to get my six-pack.
Two words about getting my six pack – Thanks, Jackie!
While this IS a post about DR11, it’s also about relationships.
Jackie is the “beer girl” ... more correctly the Beer Specialist ... at Whole Foods-Sugar Land. She and I became acquainted many months ago. She alerts me to beer tastings at her place, special events, and special pricing. I’m on her email list. It’s why I buy from Whole Foods-Sugar Land (well, that and the fast wi-fi, great products, and the indoor and outdoor tables). Jackie keeps in touch. I wished more retail locations would have a localized email list. Some Tweet, some Facebook, but I like direct emails (and I even get replies).
In the Divine Reserve past (DR 8 and DR 9 for me is "the past") … I was following Tweets and other posts and lucked into misplaced 6 packs. The 6-pack of DR8 was hidden behind some Budweiser at HEB. The purple carriage of DR9 was sitting on a furniture display at a Kroger Marketplace store. I did a double take both times, and promptly bought the beer.
But since then, I’ve gotten to know Jackie an come to appreciate her expertise and devotion to craft beer in Texas and promoting it through the Sugar Land store. Getting DR10 and now DR11 was a case (well, a 6-pack) of simply walking in the door.
I also “know” some beer GUYS – Ron and Joey. They are great guys to know as well. They are home brewers, beer aficionados, and always pointing out the newest beers in stock and the best deals. It’s a different atmosphere at their places (one near my house, the other miles away). They deal in high volume. Yet they recognize faces and remember tastes … “you’re a brown ale guy … here’s what we have in that you’d like.” I’m wondering, “how does he do that???” Their company does weekly emails. I’m on their list and get the info. Whole Foods emails as well, and several of the Whole Foods Tweet, and Jackie also sends out personal emails.
I also became great friends with Stephanie (a beer AND wine person), but, alas, she got married and retired. Stephanie would email on a regular basis. There was always something on sale at her store. It may have been cheaper somewhere else, but Stephanie invited me in to sample, to learn, to buy (no pressure). Her replacement has not kept me posted about their store events. I tend to forget about them (I’m a guy and I need to be reminded – there, I said it!)
The point is – get to know your beer guy or gal ... or your wine person (kudos to Kris and Andy and Andrew – my wine guys ... more them later, too). They’ll take care of you. Many places have samples. You may have to know when and where for sampling. Be sure to participate in their events. Ask if they have an email list. If they don't have one and enough people ask, they might develop one (or they might Tweet). Good participation can mean good sales for the store ... and it can mean more events. It also means learining and expanding your palate. You may be a red or white wine person, but if you never sample “the other,” you’ll never know what you’re missing.
Two last words in closing – try it. TRY what’s being sampled, be it beer or wine (or bourbon, gin, cheese, meats, or chips ... or hot sauce – more on the hot sauce tomorrow). You might find something you like. Jackie got me to trrrrrrrry a blue cheese blend on a recent visit. I don't like blue cheese and I told her so. She smiled, prepared the sample, and even coaxed me (kinda like Mom coaxing the kids to eat their veggies) ... and I hesitantly took the sample. I tried it. Hey - it was okay! I probably won't buy a pound of it, but I can envision a small portion in my basket on a future trip.
Thanks Jackie!
It's time to cue the "Cheers" theme music ...
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
And they're always glad you came;
You want to be where you can see,
Our troubles are all the same;
You want to be where everybody knows your name.
Here’s the official press release on today's "diviness" ...
HOUSTON, March 17 – Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, today revealed plans for its upcoming release of Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11. Brewed in mid-February, Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11, is a Double IPA (India Pale Ale). The beer is slated for release around April 1 – no fooling. (PPP note - it actually was in stores today, March 29 in most places in Houston and Austin - March 30 and 31 for others).
The Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series was introduced more than five years ago and generates considerable excitement among craft beer fans for delivering high-quality, full-flavored beer in limited quantities. In response to frustrations voiced by some who have been unable to locate previous releases of Divine Reserve before supplies ran out, Saint Arnold significantly increased production of Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11.
“We had intended to boost production of Divine Reserve No. 10 to make it easier to find, but we ran into some challenges in the brewing process and ended up with fewer than 2,000 cases and three dozen kegs,” said Saint Arnold Founder/Brewer Brock Wagner. “We intend to come close to doubling production of Divine Reserve No. 11 so that people with jobs don’t have to take a day off to be able to score a six pack. Still, we thought previous production increases would help out with availability.”
This will be the second time the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series offered a Double IPA, but this is the first Double IPA created by the Saint Arnold brew crew (the recipe for Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 3, also a Double IPA, was based on a winning entry from the Big Bash Brew Bash). Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 uses Simcoe, Columbus and Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest, resulting in a very citrusy, hoppy beer. More information on the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve series is available at http://saintarnold.com/beers/divine.html.
Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No. 11 is priced at approximately $16 per six pack and will be available at stores, restaurants and bars in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio. Even with the larger quantities produced, Saint Arnold is requesting that retailers limit sales to two six packs per customer and is asking customers to limit their purchase to a six pack or two.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Pollo Rosa Maria
Carrabba's was founded by Damian Mandola and his nephew, Johnny Carrabba, on Kirby Drive in Houston. The site used to be an adult book store and Texas Monthly Magazine noted the duo should get some award for "Best Conversion of a Building." Carrabba's number 2 is on Woodway in Houston.
Johnny and Damian sold their interests and the Carrabba's near you is a franchise (unless you live near #1 or #2). Such is life.
I have a connection with Carrabba's but don't get there very often. In some ways, it violates my "rule" of not going to national chains ... unless I go to locations 1 or 2. But the franchises do use the Mandola and Carrabba family recipes.
This is one of those recipes. It's Damian's and it's named in honor of Rose Mandola - Damian's Mother and Johnny's Grandmother. My notes are in parentheses. Like most recipes, it's a guide, not an absolute.
I have offered this dish (prepared by me) in a silent auction the past two years (along with salad, pasta, veggie, garlic bread, and dessert). It has brought in $100 or more each time. Yes, I love to cook. No, I don't want to have a restaurant!
Call me some time and I'll come over and make it for you!
Ciao and Mangia!!!
Carrabba’s Pollo Rosa Maria
Serves : 4 Prep. Time : 0:40
4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (I season with olive oil, garlic, basil and oregano,
4 slices prosciutto ham (shaved smoked ham works, too)
1/2 cup fontina cheese (I’ve used SLICES of provelone, muenster and smoked gouda)
1/2 cup clarified butter (see NOTES – but I’ve used plain butter NOT clarified)
3 cloves garlic – minced
1/2 sm. yellow onion – chopped (small??? LOL – whatever)
1/4 cup dry white wine (I’ve used chardonnay and pinot grigio ... you can also use Chicken Stock)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (see NOTES)
4 Tbls. butter
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
1/2 tsp. white pepper (black is fine)
1/2 cup chopped fresh sweet basil (1/4 cup dry – or use a mix of dried basil and oregano and rosemary)
1 lemon - juice of (I’ve used bottled as well)
-Butterfly chicken breasts and grill until cooked through.
-Remove from grill and allow to cool.
-Holding a breast in your hand, opened like a taco shell, stuff each breast with one slice of prosciutto and 1/8 cup fontina cheese.
-Secure breasts closed with toothpicks. Set aside and keep warm.
-In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion in clarified butter until tender.
-Deglaze pan with wine.
-Add mushrooms (or not - see NOTE #2 below), butter, salt, and pepper and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender (at this point I put the chicken breasts back in the pan and ladle/baste with the liquid – it helps melt the cheese).
-Stir in basil (spices) and lemon juice. Add mushrooms HERE if you like thicker sauce!
-Top stuffed chicken with prepared sauce. (or you can wait until this step if you’ve kept the breasts warm).
NOTES : #1 - To make clarified butter, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat and let sit until the milk solids settle to the bottom; skim the clear butter from the top; discard sediment.
NOTES: #2 - I cook mushrooms in pan with a bit of butter and wine/stock then DRAIN mushroom liquid so sauce isn't too runny.
Johnny and Damian sold their interests and the Carrabba's near you is a franchise (unless you live near #1 or #2). Such is life.
I have a connection with Carrabba's
This is one of those recipes. It's Damian's and it's named in honor of Rose Mandola - Damian's Mother and Johnny's Grandmother. My notes are in parentheses. Like most recipes, it's a guide, not an absolute.
I have offered this dish (prepared by me) in a silent auction the past two years (along with salad, pasta, veggie, garlic bread, and dessert). It has brought in $100 or more each time. Yes, I love to cook. No, I don't want to have a restaurant!
Call me some time and I'll come over and make it for you!
Ciao and Mangia!!!
Carrabba’s Pollo Rosa Maria
Serves : 4 Prep. Time : 0:40
4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (I season with olive oil, garlic, basil and oregano,
4 slices prosciutto ham (shaved smoked ham works, too)
1/2 cup fontina cheese (I’ve used SLICES of provelone, muenster and smoked gouda)
1/2 cup clarified butter (see NOTES – but I’ve used plain butter NOT clarified)
3 cloves garlic – minced
1/2 sm. yellow onion – chopped (small??? LOL – whatever)
1/4 cup dry white wine (I’ve used chardonnay and pinot grigio ... you can also use Chicken Stock)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (see NOTES)
4 Tbls. butter
1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using salted butter)
1/2 tsp. white pepper (black is fine)
1/2 cup chopped fresh sweet basil (1/4 cup dry – or use a mix of dried basil and oregano and rosemary)
1 lemon - juice of (I’ve used bottled as well)
-Butterfly chicken breasts and grill until cooked through.
-Remove from grill and allow to cool.
-Holding a breast in your hand, opened like a taco shell, stuff each breast with one slice of prosciutto and 1/8 cup fontina cheese.
-Secure breasts closed with toothpicks. Set aside and keep warm.
-In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and onion in clarified butter until tender.
-Deglaze pan with wine.
-Add mushrooms (or not - see NOTE #2 below), butter, salt, and pepper and sauté 1-2 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender (at this point I put the chicken breasts back in the pan and ladle/baste with the liquid – it helps melt the cheese).
-Stir in basil (spices) and lemon juice. Add mushrooms HERE if you like thicker sauce!
-Top stuffed chicken with prepared sauce. (or you can wait until this step if you’ve kept the breasts warm).
NOTES : #1 - To make clarified butter, melt butter over low heat; remove from heat and let sit until the milk solids settle to the bottom; skim the clear butter from the top; discard sediment.
NOTES: #2 - I cook mushrooms in pan with a bit of butter and wine/stock then DRAIN mushroom liquid so sauce isn't too runny.
Friday, January 14, 2011
My Chili Recipe
First you take a 6 pound can of crushed tomatoes ...
Here’s the chili recipe and some thoughts because it was very c-c-c-c-c-cold in Texas on January 13, 2011.
The thing about chili, there’s no “right” recipe. Chili is like a lot of other ethnic foods … it was designed to use up all the leftovers or utilize whatever you have on hand. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to YOUR taste. If you want the same stuff over and over, then sure, use a recipe and exact amounts. For me, part of the “fun” and “enjoyment” in eating chili is eating something a little bit different each time.
I got that BIG ol’ can of crushed tomatoes at Sam’s (warehouse clubs have them, so do places like Super Wal-Mart and others in the “family” section). Then, I went to the meat case at MY H-E-B (River Park in Sugar Land, Texas).
I bought 10 oz of Garcia Family pork chorizo, 10 oz of Garcia Family beef chorizo, 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb ground beef. I like meat. If you can’t find chorizo, use more hamburger or maybe some ground pork. Then, add more seasoning. And feel free to add MORE meat if you’d like.
Also on the shopping list – onions, bell peppers, cilantro, green onions, cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, and/or pepper jack ... whatever you like) and sour cream.
Finally, get some tortilla chips, or even fresh corn or flour tortillas. If you don’t have fresh ones, take what you can find then use a little butter and warm them in a skillet and they will work fine.
Okay –let’s start cooking.
Get a really BIG pot and a skillet. Pour the tomatoes into the really BIG pot. Start it cooking (medium heat). If you don’t have a really BIG pot don’t put in all the tomatoes – leave room for the meet and onions to come.
Brown the turkey with the pork chorizo and dump it into the pot of tomatoes. Then, brown the beef with the beef chorizo. You CAN drain off the grease, but there’s a LOT of flavor and seasoning in the grease. Just sayin’ …
Speaking of seasoning, it’s time to season your chili. I used 1 T cumin (maybe 2 T, I wasn’t being exact and never thought anyone would ask for the recipe ... really I just sprinkled the camino to lightly cover the top of the pot of tomatoes), 1 t garlic powder, 1/2 t cinnamon and 1 t chili powder. Again, those are guesstimates of what I was adding. I also added 1 cup salsa for additional seasoning. I had debated about using some BBQ sauce in here. I didn’t, but I still have a lot of chili and I can still play around with it.
The Chili Powder was REALLY Chipotle Chili Powder from Central Market. You buy it in bulk and it’s about $15 a pound. I’ve had 3 ounces of it for almost 2 years so it’s not too expensive. A little goes a LONG way with it! Tabasco makes a chipotle pepper sauce and you can use that, or any other seasoning you think might taste good.
You can also add cilantro and use REAL crushed garlic cloves. I was in a hurry and didn’t squeeze the garlic and forget to buy cilantro.
Next, brown some onions and bell pepper. I used one large onion because I like onions (I could have used another because I REALLY like cooked onion). I did about half a bell pepper. I fried about a quarter pound of bacon and used some of the drippings (okay – grease) to fry the onions and peppers. I also put the bacon in the chili. You can’t go wrong using bacon!
Now … simmer … eat … enjoy!
“How long do you simmer?” was a question I received when I posted this recipe. I don’t know. Until you’re ready to eat … until you can smell it … until you get things fixed and are hungry! Everything is cooked and you’re just trying to meld flavors. Maybe an hour, or longer.
I served this in a bowl and topped with cheese, onions, cilantro, and sour cream. It’s great with tortilla chips on the side. I also made a pot of brown rice and tried it over that the second night. It was delicious. Tomorrow (night three), I’m going to try it with tamales!
Here’s the chili recipe and some thoughts because it was very c-c-c-c-c-cold in Texas on January 13, 2011.
The thing about chili, there’s no “right” recipe. Chili is like a lot of other ethnic foods … it was designed to use up all the leftovers or utilize whatever you have on hand. Feel free to adjust the seasoning to YOUR taste. If you want the same stuff over and over, then sure, use a recipe and exact amounts. For me, part of the “fun” and “enjoyment” in eating chili is eating something a little bit different each time.
I got that BIG ol’ can of crushed tomatoes at Sam’s (warehouse clubs have them, so do places like Super Wal-Mart and others in the “family” section). Then, I went to the meat case at MY H-E-B (River Park in Sugar Land, Texas).
I bought 10 oz of Garcia Family pork chorizo, 10 oz of Garcia Family beef chorizo, 1 lb ground turkey and 1 lb ground beef. I like meat. If you can’t find chorizo, use more hamburger or maybe some ground pork. Then, add more seasoning. And feel free to add MORE meat if you’d like.
Also on the shopping list – onions, bell peppers, cilantro, green onions, cheese (cheddar, Monterrey jack, and/or pepper jack ... whatever you like) and sour cream.
Finally, get some tortilla chips, or even fresh corn or flour tortillas. If you don’t have fresh ones, take what you can find then use a little butter and warm them in a skillet and they will work fine.
Okay –let’s start cooking.
Get a really BIG pot and a skillet. Pour the tomatoes into the really BIG pot. Start it cooking (medium heat). If you don’t have a really BIG pot don’t put in all the tomatoes – leave room for the meet and onions to come.
Brown the turkey with the pork chorizo and dump it into the pot of tomatoes. Then, brown the beef with the beef chorizo. You CAN drain off the grease, but there’s a LOT of flavor and seasoning in the grease. Just sayin’ …
Speaking of seasoning, it’s time to season your chili. I used 1 T cumin (maybe 2 T, I wasn’t being exact and never thought anyone would ask for the recipe ... really I just sprinkled the camino to lightly cover the top of the pot of tomatoes), 1 t garlic powder, 1/2 t cinnamon and 1 t chili powder. Again, those are guesstimates of what I was adding. I also added 1 cup salsa for additional seasoning. I had debated about using some BBQ sauce in here. I didn’t, but I still have a lot of chili and I can still play around with it.
The Chili Powder was REALLY Chipotle Chili Powder from Central Market. You buy it in bulk and it’s about $15 a pound. I’ve had 3 ounces of it for almost 2 years so it’s not too expensive. A little goes a LONG way with it! Tabasco makes a chipotle pepper sauce and you can use that, or any other seasoning you think might taste good.
You can also add cilantro and use REAL crushed garlic cloves. I was in a hurry and didn’t squeeze the garlic and forget to buy cilantro.
Next, brown some onions and bell pepper. I used one large onion because I like onions (I could have used another because I REALLY like cooked onion). I did about half a bell pepper. I fried about a quarter pound of bacon and used some of the drippings (okay – grease) to fry the onions and peppers. I also put the bacon in the chili. You can’t go wrong using bacon!
Now … simmer … eat … enjoy!
“How long do you simmer?” was a question I received when I posted this recipe. I don’t know. Until you’re ready to eat … until you can smell it … until you get things fixed and are hungry! Everything is cooked and you’re just trying to meld flavors. Maybe an hour, or longer.
I served this in a bowl and topped with cheese, onions, cilantro, and sour cream. It’s great with tortilla chips on the side. I also made a pot of brown rice and tried it over that the second night. It was delicious. Tomorrow (night three), I’m going to try it with tamales!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
FETTUCINI ALFREDO SAUCE
6 tbsp. butter (please don't use margerine)
1 1/2 c. whipping cream (you can use whole milk)
3 to 4 c. fettucini noodles, cooked al dente & drained
1 c. shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (grate it fresh, please don't use canned stuff unless that's all you have and you like it)
In a large skillet (the largest one you have), melt butter until lightly browned. You can also brown some crushed (or shopped) garlic or even garlic powder with the butter.
Add 1/2 cup of cream and boil rapidly until large shiny bubbles form. Stir occasionally and keep your eyes on things.
Reduce heat to medium and add the cooked noodles to the sauce. Remember, pasta should already be COOKED!!! Honest, I've had one person tell me they added the dried pasta and it failed. Ummm - yeah, that will happen!!!
Pour remaining cream and cheese a little at a time. The pasta should/will soak this up. But a little at a time here - NOT all at once!
Add salt (if you like but I think there's enough salt in things so I don't), some fresh black, red or white pepper and Italian seasonings of choice to taste. What works best here is to chop up some FRESH basil and oregano, maybe some rosemary, and just a touch of Italian parsley (or regular parsley it that's all you have). If you don't have "fresh," a bit of oregano, basil and/or rosemary will do ... and some garlic powder. Tip - if using dried seasonings, roll them in your hand to break them up and release flavor.
Remember - the seasoning(s) you add last are the things you'll taste first so be gentle with them.
Also - you can add meat to this. Chicken is the usual - grill or saute it before you start and have it sliced and ready to add. You can also add some Italian meats - like salami, prosciutto, or pancetta - to this and it'll be great. Have a salad and the wine of your choice. Some would say a chardonnay or pinot grigo. That works. I'm a Chianti and bardolino person.
Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. I don't say serves 4 to 6 people because I've made this and had 1, 2 and 3 people eat the WHOLE thing!
1 1/2 c. whipping cream (you can use whole milk)
3 to 4 c. fettucini noodles, cooked al dente & drained
1 c. shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese (grate it fresh, please don't use canned stuff unless that's all you have and you like it)
In a large skillet (the largest one you have), melt butter until lightly browned. You can also brown some crushed (or shopped) garlic or even garlic powder with the butter.
Add 1/2 cup of cream and boil rapidly until large shiny bubbles form. Stir occasionally and keep your eyes on things.
Reduce heat to medium and add the cooked noodles to the sauce. Remember, pasta should already be COOKED!!! Honest, I've had one person tell me they added the dried pasta and it failed. Ummm - yeah, that will happen!!!
Pour remaining cream and cheese a little at a time. The pasta should/will soak this up. But a little at a time here - NOT all at once!
Add salt (if you like but I think there's enough salt in things so I don't), some fresh black, red or white pepper and Italian seasonings of choice to taste. What works best here is to chop up some FRESH basil and oregano, maybe some rosemary, and just a touch of Italian parsley (or regular parsley it that's all you have). If you don't have "fresh," a bit of oregano, basil and/or rosemary will do ... and some garlic powder. Tip - if using dried seasonings, roll them in your hand to break them up and release flavor.
Remember - the seasoning(s) you add last are the things you'll taste first so be gentle with them.
Also - you can add meat to this. Chicken is the usual - grill or saute it before you start and have it sliced and ready to add. You can also add some Italian meats - like salami, prosciutto, or pancetta - to this and it'll be great. Have a salad and the wine of your choice. Some would say a chardonnay or pinot grigo. That works. I'm a Chianti and bardolino person.
Serve immediately.
Makes 4 to 6 servings. I don't say serves 4 to 6 people because I've made this and had 1, 2 and 3 people eat the WHOLE thing!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Eating in Houston - where to start?
If a friend comes to Houston, where would you take them ... to show off the food and spirit of the city???
The first question would be, what kind of food does the friend like? Or what kind of food do they expect when you hear "Houston"???Houston is a diverse land or people and food ... BBQ ... Tex-Mex ... Country ... Seafood ... Steak???
How about the varying and refined cuisines that make-up the city ... Cajun ... Southwestern ... White Linen ... Soul Food???
Or the flavors which have migrated to 29/95 (our latitude and longitude) through the years ... Italian ... Chinese ... Vietnamese ... Greek ... Indian ... Columbian ... Guatamalan ... Czech???
And where do you go for a really good hamburger (or in Houston's case, a hot dog) ... or a cold one???
So much food - so little time!
When discussing this topic over the past weeks, I thought about the family and friends who have come here and where I've taken them. And where would I take, say, a classmate from high school in Michigan, a displaced Texan living in Philadelphia, or even a visiting head of state?
The first place I would take someone visiting Houston would be - Goode Company BBQ on Kirby Drive. It's quintessential Texan! It's basic BBQ, but also some fancy 'cue (turkey and chicken). There's basic sides, but also nice touches (fried okra and mac and cheese). And then there's Goode's Pecan Pie (I just voted GCPP as my favorite "Comfort Food" in the Houston Press Best of Houston poll). You can eat inside, or out on the covered porch (next to one of the town's busiest streets). They have a couple of other locations and even some company variations (I'll do a report on Houston Food chains later), but the original location says - "Welcome to Houston."
For Tex-Mex, I'd head down Navigation Boulevard to the original Ninfa's Tacos al Carbon. Mama Ninfa is gone and the Laurenzo sons don't have anything to do with the operation any more, but it's a Houston favorite and one of those "Bucket List" places where you have to eat. Sure, there's other places that have better this or that, and we'll talk about them at a later time, but if you only had one place for Tex-Mex in Houston, this would be it.
For good o'l country cooking, like a chicken fried steak or friend chicken or even pot roast. some mashed potatoes and gravy, good biscuits and the like, I'd take you to Hickory Hollow just off washington Ave. Even their "small" is good sized. They also serve good BBQ and sides, but just staying IN Houston -that's the best CFS. If you want to travel a little, my favorite place for CFS is Vincek's Smokehouse in East Bernard. Like the name says, you'll find BBQ there (and lots of good meat cuts), but they have a great CFS and sides.
A good place in Houston for seafood is Christie's. They have a location in Galveston. In fact. many places in Galveston once had Houston locations. The seafood is fresh there and it's served like the olden days. you can get dressed up or be casual. Now, if you wanted to eat yourself silly with catfish, then I'd choose Sudie's on the Gulf Freeway. Or for a good selection of seafood done right - Jim Goode's Seafood place over on Westpark near the original BBQ location. Oooops ... there's three places ... and if I did that with every food catergory I'll never get through writing.
Texas was (and still is) a cow town. We love our steaks ... as you can tell by all the national chains coming here and doing a great business (even Don Shula is here and doing well at the top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Oiler fans have let the Dolphins fade from memory). Truth be told, I don't go out for steak - I grill them myself. Get a great cut of meat ... fix the fire just right ... I'll put my steaks up against anyone's. But to recommend a place to dine besides my house, I'll recommend Perry's. They started with one restaurant and have become a bit of a chain. Not as much as Brenner's and Vic & Anthony's is part of the Landry's chain ... or Pappas has their multi-restaurant chain that includes a couple of good steak places.
Getting a good hamburger is just as easy - or difficult. So many places. If I was trying to impress you with atmosphere and environment, I'd take you to Beck's Prime. They have a couple of locations, they have saved huge oak trees in building them, and they have great burgers and buns. But if I was going to impress you with taste, I'd be taking you to Bubba's Burger Shack. Bubba's sits on some right-of-way property just off the SW Freeway at Westpark and Chimney Rock. Bubba's keeps things pretty simple with burgers and burgers - 8 different ways to order.. NO FRIES, onion rings or even tater tots. They do have a baked potato, jalapeno potato salad, and bags of chips. They also have buffalo burgers. If you ever eat a bison hamburger, you'll have a hard time being satisfied with "just beef" ever again. I eat here about one a year and it's the same thing.
The Houston palate has expanded ... and it's come from the east. Recipes have crossed the Sabine River from Louisiana and my personal favorite is Zydeco Louisiana Diner. They have great recipes, authentic flavorings, and generous portions. The only problem is, they're only open for lunch Monday through Friday. For places that are open longer, I like Mandola's Ragin Cajun. There's the original on Richmond Avenue (inside the loop by the railroad tracks) and several neighborhood locations.
But if you ask me to take you to MY FAVORITE place to eat in Houston ... that would be Collina's Cuccina Italia on Richmond at Wesleyan. It's nothing fancy - just good food, great service, good prices, great atmosphere. Collina's started with 8 tables in the fall of 1993. It's now grown to 30 tables and several other locations. Paul Hill uses family recipes for dough and pasta and sauces. The menu isn't too complicated and I can say that in 16 years I've had everything on it and a few off the menu chalkboard items. Our family has celebrated milestone birthdays and graduations here, as well as eating before and after Houston events, and just having fun. One of the catches is a throwback to when HISD headquarters and Poe Elementary were across the street ... they couldn't get a liquor license so it's BYOB. Collina's now serves beer and wine, but you're still welcome to bring your own for $1 per person (bring as much as you'd like!).
Well, there's a start on places where I take people to eat in Houston.
The first question would be, what kind of food does the friend like? Or what kind of food do they expect when you hear "Houston"???Houston is a diverse land or people and food ... BBQ ... Tex-Mex ... Country ... Seafood ... Steak???
How about the varying and refined cuisines that make-up the city ... Cajun ... Southwestern ... White Linen ... Soul Food???
Or the flavors which have migrated to 29/95 (our latitude and longitude) through the years ... Italian ... Chinese ... Vietnamese ... Greek ... Indian ... Columbian ... Guatamalan ... Czech???
And where do you go for a really good hamburger (or in Houston's case, a hot dog) ... or a cold one???
So much food - so little time!
When discussing this topic over the past weeks, I thought about the family and friends who have come here and where I've taken them. And where would I take, say, a classmate from high school in Michigan, a displaced Texan living in Philadelphia, or even a visiting head of state?
The first place I would take someone visiting Houston would be - Goode Company BBQ on Kirby Drive. It's quintessential Texan! It's basic BBQ, but also some fancy 'cue (turkey and chicken). There's basic sides, but also nice touches (fried okra and mac and cheese). And then there's Goode's Pecan Pie (I just voted GCPP as my favorite "Comfort Food" in the Houston Press Best of Houston poll). You can eat inside, or out on the covered porch (next to one of the town's busiest streets). They have a couple of other locations and even some company variations (I'll do a report on Houston Food chains later), but the original location says - "Welcome to Houston."
For Tex-Mex, I'd head down Navigation Boulevard to the original Ninfa's Tacos al Carbon. Mama Ninfa is gone and the Laurenzo sons don't have anything to do with the operation any more, but it's a Houston favorite and one of those "Bucket List" places where you have to eat. Sure, there's other places that have better this or that, and we'll talk about them at a later time, but if you only had one place for Tex-Mex in Houston, this would be it.
For good o'l country cooking, like a chicken fried steak or friend chicken or even pot roast. some mashed potatoes and gravy, good biscuits and the like, I'd take you to Hickory Hollow just off washington Ave. Even their "small" is good sized. They also serve good BBQ and sides, but just staying IN Houston -that's the best CFS. If you want to travel a little, my favorite place for CFS is Vincek's Smokehouse in East Bernard. Like the name says, you'll find BBQ there (and lots of good meat cuts), but they have a great CFS and sides.
A good place in Houston for seafood is Christie's. They have a location in Galveston. In fact. many places in Galveston once had Houston locations. The seafood is fresh there and it's served like the olden days. you can get dressed up or be casual. Now, if you wanted to eat yourself silly with catfish, then I'd choose Sudie's on the Gulf Freeway. Or for a good selection of seafood done right - Jim Goode's Seafood place over on Westpark near the original BBQ location. Oooops ... there's three places ... and if I did that with every food catergory I'll never get through writing.
Texas was (and still is) a cow town. We love our steaks ... as you can tell by all the national chains coming here and doing a great business (even Don Shula is here and doing well at the top of the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Oiler fans have let the Dolphins fade from memory). Truth be told, I don't go out for steak - I grill them myself. Get a great cut of meat ... fix the fire just right ... I'll put my steaks up against anyone's. But to recommend a place to dine besides my house, I'll recommend Perry's. They started with one restaurant and have become a bit of a chain. Not as much as Brenner's and Vic & Anthony's is part of the Landry's chain ... or Pappas has their multi-restaurant chain that includes a couple of good steak places.
Getting a good hamburger is just as easy - or difficult. So many places. If I was trying to impress you with atmosphere and environment, I'd take you to Beck's Prime. They have a couple of locations, they have saved huge oak trees in building them, and they have great burgers and buns. But if I was going to impress you with taste, I'd be taking you to Bubba's Burger Shack. Bubba's sits on some right-of-way property just off the SW Freeway at Westpark and Chimney Rock. Bubba's keeps things pretty simple with burgers and burgers - 8 different ways to order.. NO FRIES, onion rings or even tater tots. They do have a baked potato, jalapeno potato salad, and bags of chips. They also have buffalo burgers. If you ever eat a bison hamburger, you'll have a hard time being satisfied with "just beef" ever again. I eat here about one a year and it's the same thing.
The Houston palate has expanded ... and it's come from the east. Recipes have crossed the Sabine River from Louisiana and my personal favorite is Zydeco Louisiana Diner. They have great recipes, authentic flavorings, and generous portions. The only problem is, they're only open for lunch Monday through Friday. For places that are open longer, I like Mandola's Ragin Cajun. There's the original on Richmond Avenue (inside the loop by the railroad tracks) and several neighborhood locations.
But if you ask me to take you to MY FAVORITE place to eat in Houston ... that would be Collina's Cuccina Italia on Richmond at Wesleyan. It's nothing fancy - just good food, great service, good prices, great atmosphere. Collina's started with 8 tables in the fall of 1993. It's now grown to 30 tables and several other locations. Paul Hill uses family recipes for dough and pasta and sauces. The menu isn't too complicated and I can say that in 16 years I've had everything on it and a few off the menu chalkboard items. Our family has celebrated milestone birthdays and graduations here, as well as eating before and after Houston events, and just having fun. One of the catches is a throwback to when HISD headquarters and Poe Elementary were across the street ... they couldn't get a liquor license so it's BYOB. Collina's now serves beer and wine, but you're still welcome to bring your own for $1 per person (bring as much as you'd like!).
Well, there's a start on places where I take people to eat in Houston.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Which camera should I buy?
This is one of those questions where you have to decide what you want and need in a camera. What are you going to use it for ... Travel pix? Sports and action? Indoor hobbies?
It's like asking ... what car should I buy??? There are hundreds out there, both cars and digital cameras.
Here is the web-site I used when I taught photography in high school and I still use it in private classes ... it's not biased toward any one camera or brand and has some great decision assisting functions.
go to ...
http://www.imaging-resource.com/
go down the left side and look for the "Compare Models" and "Find the Best Camera For You" links. Both will help you make a decision.
Compare Models helps if you have an idea of what camera you'd like ... or a price range. You can chose up to 16 models, but keep it to about 5 or so (your computer model and connection speed will decide how fast this works). The website will post them on a single page. Then you can compare item by item. Again, this is what I make students do. What's important in a camera to YOU? I like things like Image Stabilization, ISO range of at least 1600, a higher level of Optical Lens Zoom rather than digital lens zoom, and a rechargeable battery. Others may prefer AA batteries and want a camera that's waterproof. Choose and click away. In the end, the site will also give you some buying options. I'll discuss that in a moment.
Find the Best Camera For You will open another page and take you to a site called MyProductAdvisor.com ... but don't be afraid. There are buttons at the top to click - answer questions to set your parameters, then click on "Make Recommendations" ... and in a few moments, you'll have some choices to compare.
You can also see "Dave's PIcks." Dave is the owner and camera guru and spends plenty of time using and writing about the cameras. They have really tekkie explanations, and they have reviews in plain English. It gets "straight to the point" as the copy says ... click on a section and see what they suggest. There are categories called Mom, Sports, Grandparents, Beginner, Budget, Most Popular, Megapixel and Most Popular This Week.
imaging-resource.com has a great monthly newsletter. You can click on the box on the right-hand side of the main page and subscribe. I read it and make notes. Spend some time at their web site and click around.
soooooo ... Canon versus Nikon versus Olympus versus the others ... ???
Personally, I have used Olympus and Canon digital cameras and like them. Olympus makes good single lens cameras and they were the first two I owned. I bought them because I saw the images produced by Deb and Neal and Johhny ... they looked the best and they had Olympus models (back in 2001, 02 and 03). I sold the middle camera (a Super Zoom as it was called) but still have my original 3-megapixel clamshell that I took to Alaska and the Pacific NW in 2003. It STILL takes great outdoor pix ... but I'm not going to use it on sports or action or family portraits. It came in handy a few weeks ago when the Xsi was in the shop.
Canon makes a good digital SLR and I'm on my second. I have experience in all of the models - from the original one I owned and we had at the high school to all the new ones. I currently have the Xsi and my best friend has the T1i. The T1i does HD video. I've also had good experiences with Canon repair. Yes, if you use your camera a lot (or if it's used by teenages in high school), it will need "repair."
I've seen the new Nikon ads and I'm intrigued with the model with swivel screen. I rarely uses the screen as a viewfinder, but there are times it comes in handy.
http://www.ashtonsdslr.com/?cid=usat09hold3000
I always shoot through the viewfinder because I think you can hold the camera steadier holding it closer to your body than using the screen at arms length!
You can look at all of the cameras locally at Best Buy and other places. I'm a Sam's Club member so I go there.
I get shopping info from ...
http://dealnews.com/digital-cameras/
If you subscribe, they'll send you daily info on camera prices (and other things if you ask) and you can make it specific to a camera brand. I've been a subscriber to DealMac and DealNews for 15 years. I've bought a number of products using their price alerts (over $10,000).
My favorite places to buy on-line are ... in order of preference ...
http://www.abesofmaine.com/
http://www.buy.com/
http://www.buydig.com/
I've had good experiences with all three places. I'm not getting any commissions from them or from DealNews or Imaging Resource for mentioning their pages here. If you have a good or bad experience with any of them, please let me know.
FINALLY ...
Here's a tip for entering sports stadiums. Many prohibit taking video. I've had several screeners ask me - "does that camera do video?" Learn to quickly say "NO!" or they'll ask you to take it back to the car or check it at guest services. The irony is - the 7 year old camera DOES take video, the newer (and more expensive) Xsi does NOT. If you do slip up and get rejected, go to another entrance ... practice your answer (no, no, no) ... and try again (again ... experience!!!)
It's like asking ... what car should I buy??? There are hundreds out there, both cars and digital cameras.
Here is the web-site I used when I taught photography in high school and I still use it in private classes ... it's not biased toward any one camera or brand and has some great decision assisting functions.
go to ...
http://www.imaging-resource.com/
go down the left side and look for the "Compare Models" and "Find the Best Camera For You" links. Both will help you make a decision.
Compare Models helps if you have an idea of what camera you'd like ... or a price range. You can chose up to 16 models, but keep it to about 5 or so (your computer model and connection speed will decide how fast this works). The website will post them on a single page. Then you can compare item by item. Again, this is what I make students do. What's important in a camera to YOU? I like things like Image Stabilization, ISO range of at least 1600, a higher level of Optical Lens Zoom rather than digital lens zoom, and a rechargeable battery. Others may prefer AA batteries and want a camera that's waterproof. Choose and click away. In the end, the site will also give you some buying options. I'll discuss that in a moment.
Find the Best Camera For You will open another page and take you to a site called MyProductAdvisor.com ... but don't be afraid. There are buttons at the top to click - answer questions to set your parameters, then click on "Make Recommendations" ... and in a few moments, you'll have some choices to compare.
You can also see "Dave's PIcks." Dave is the owner and camera guru and spends plenty of time using and writing about the cameras. They have really tekkie explanations, and they have reviews in plain English. It gets "straight to the point" as the copy says ... click on a section and see what they suggest. There are categories called Mom, Sports, Grandparents, Beginner, Budget, Most Popular, Megapixel and Most Popular This Week.
imaging-resource.com has a great monthly newsletter. You can click on the box on the right-hand side of the main page and subscribe. I read it and make notes. Spend some time at their web site and click around.
soooooo ... Canon versus Nikon versus Olympus versus the others ... ???
Personally, I have used Olympus and Canon digital cameras and like them. Olympus makes good single lens cameras and they were the first two I owned. I bought them because I saw the images produced by Deb and Neal and Johhny ... they looked the best and they had Olympus models (back in 2001, 02 and 03). I sold the middle camera (a Super Zoom as it was called) but still have my original 3-megapixel clamshell that I took to Alaska and the Pacific NW in 2003. It STILL takes great outdoor pix ... but I'm not going to use it on sports or action or family portraits. It came in handy a few weeks ago when the Xsi was in the shop.
Canon makes a good digital SLR and I'm on my second. I have experience in all of the models - from the original one I owned and we had at the high school to all the new ones. I currently have the Xsi and my best friend has the T1i. The T1i does HD video. I've also had good experiences with Canon repair. Yes, if you use your camera a lot (or if it's used by teenages in high school), it will need "repair."
I've seen the new Nikon ads and I'm intrigued with the model with swivel screen. I rarely uses the screen as a viewfinder, but there are times it comes in handy.
http://www.ashtonsdslr.com/?cid=usat09hold3000
I always shoot through the viewfinder because I think you can hold the camera steadier holding it closer to your body than using the screen at arms length!
You can look at all of the cameras locally at Best Buy and other places. I'm a Sam's Club member so I go there.
I get shopping info from ...
http://dealnews.com/digital-cameras/
If you subscribe, they'll send you daily info on camera prices (and other things if you ask) and you can make it specific to a camera brand. I've been a subscriber to DealMac and DealNews for 15 years. I've bought a number of products using their price alerts (over $10,000).
My favorite places to buy on-line are ... in order of preference ...
http://www.abesofmaine.com/
http://www.buy.com/
http://www.buydig.com/
I've had good experiences with all three places. I'm not getting any commissions from them or from DealNews or Imaging Resource for mentioning their pages here. If you have a good or bad experience with any of them, please let me know.
FINALLY ...
Here's a tip for entering sports stadiums. Many prohibit taking video. I've had several screeners ask me - "does that camera do video?" Learn to quickly say "NO!" or they'll ask you to take it back to the car or check it at guest services. The irony is - the 7 year old camera DOES take video, the newer (and more expensive) Xsi does NOT. If you do slip up and get rejected, go to another entrance ... practice your answer (no, no, no) ... and try again (again ... experience!!!)
Friday, August 6, 2010
Digital versus Film
I get asked many times if I take film pictures ... or not ... and why I like digital.
I took my last serious film photo on the top of the Seattle Space Needle on July 17, 2003.
It was memorable for two reasons. One - it was a rare day in the Pacific Northwest when you could see all three mountains from the top - Rainier, Hood and Olympus. This was my third trip to the Emerald City and the first time we had the visibility to see one, much less all three. Reason two - I was interviewed about being a tourist in Seattle and it was featured in a front page article on Sunday, July 20, 2003 edition of the Seattle Times. Okay, I've taken film pix using those Kodak underwater cameras since then, but those pix of "The Mountains" were the last photos on film with my Canon A-1.
No, I don't take film photos anymore. But that being said, I know that my 35 years of taking film pix up until 2003 (i started with a Kodak Instamatic and black and white film in the 1960's) gave me a tremendous background to go forward in digital. I, and many others of my generation, know the things we had to go through in taking film pix. We learned bracketing, over and under exposure, pushing ASA, and other tricks and tips. All of those elements combine to help me take better digital images. We couldn't see our immediate outcome and only had to guess we were doing the right thing to get a good photograph.
This doesn't mean you have to know and understand all of those items. But taking pictures is like anything in life - the more you know about what you are doing, the better you are going to be.
Why do I like digital? I like the immediate feedback. I can look in the viewfinder and tell how I need to adjust my exposure to take a better picture. I can see if someone's eyes were open or closed. I can tell if the flash was too strong or not enough. I can see mergers, lack of focus, and camera shake.
I don't have to worry about running out of film. I have a 16 GB class 6 HCSD card for my Canon XSi. At 12 megapixel resolution, that will give me about 3,000 pictures. If you drop your resolution to 6 MP .,.. which will be good enough for 4x6 standard prints and anything you want to post on the web, you'll be able to snap 8,000 images. I have two 16 MP cards and two 4 MP cards. I'm set. If you're using a smaller capacity card and you "run out," then you can go back and delete pix to make room. That's NOT something you could do with film.
Another reason I like digital is that you can change ISO and white balance from frame to frame. Again. that is NOT something you could ever do with a film camera. Shooting film, you were stuck with 200 Daylight, 400 Black and White, or 64 Kodachrome for 20 or 36 exposures. It's one of the reasons we had two (or more) camera bodies - for the different kinds of film. Now, if you are shooting in the State Capital in Austin (as I was recently), you can set you white balance to incandescent, then florescent lighting(depending on the room you're in) ... and when you go outside, you can shoot the building in full sunlight and take pictures of statues using the shaded sunlight white balance settings - changing your white balance (and even your ISO settings) from frame to frame to frame.
You don't have to have a mid-level or high end Digital SLR to be able to do this. Most digital cameras allow you to change ISO and white balance (if you read the manual or have someone show you how).
So point, frame, click ... check it ... and take a better photo!
I took my last serious film photo on the top of the Seattle Space Needle on July 17, 2003.
It was memorable for two reasons. One - it was a rare day in the Pacific Northwest when you could see all three mountains from the top - Rainier, Hood and Olympus. This was my third trip to the Emerald City and the first time we had the visibility to see one, much less all three. Reason two - I was interviewed about being a tourist in Seattle and it was featured in a front page article on Sunday, July 20, 2003 edition of the Seattle Times. Okay, I've taken film pix using those Kodak underwater cameras since then, but those pix of "The Mountains" were the last photos on film with my Canon A-1.
No, I don't take film photos anymore. But that being said, I know that my 35 years of taking film pix up until 2003 (i started with a Kodak Instamatic and black and white film in the 1960's) gave me a tremendous background to go forward in digital. I, and many others of my generation, know the things we had to go through in taking film pix. We learned bracketing, over and under exposure, pushing ASA, and other tricks and tips. All of those elements combine to help me take better digital images. We couldn't see our immediate outcome and only had to guess we were doing the right thing to get a good photograph.
This doesn't mean you have to know and understand all of those items. But taking pictures is like anything in life - the more you know about what you are doing, the better you are going to be.
Why do I like digital? I like the immediate feedback. I can look in the viewfinder and tell how I need to adjust my exposure to take a better picture. I can see if someone's eyes were open or closed. I can tell if the flash was too strong or not enough. I can see mergers, lack of focus, and camera shake.
I don't have to worry about running out of film. I have a 16 GB class 6 HCSD card for my Canon XSi. At 12 megapixel resolution, that will give me about 3,000 pictures. If you drop your resolution to 6 MP .,.. which will be good enough for 4x6 standard prints and anything you want to post on the web, you'll be able to snap 8,000 images. I have two 16 MP cards and two 4 MP cards. I'm set. If you're using a smaller capacity card and you "run out," then you can go back and delete pix to make room. That's NOT something you could do with film.
Another reason I like digital is that you can change ISO and white balance from frame to frame. Again. that is NOT something you could ever do with a film camera. Shooting film, you were stuck with 200 Daylight, 400 Black and White, or 64 Kodachrome for 20 or 36 exposures. It's one of the reasons we had two (or more) camera bodies - for the different kinds of film. Now, if you are shooting in the State Capital in Austin (as I was recently), you can set you white balance to incandescent, then florescent lighting(depending on the room you're in) ... and when you go outside, you can shoot the building in full sunlight and take pictures of statues using the shaded sunlight white balance settings - changing your white balance (and even your ISO settings) from frame to frame to frame.
You don't have to have a mid-level or high end Digital SLR to be able to do this. Most digital cameras allow you to change ISO and white balance (if you read the manual or have someone show you how).
So point, frame, click ... check it ... and take a better photo!
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