Recipes and Essays

Recipe for “fideo,” a TexMex Classic

Recipe for “fideo,” a TexMex Classic

Tonight’s dinner is a delicious family favorite, Fideo. I grew up with this flavorful coiled vermicelli stewed with tomatoes, onions and garlic. 2 roma tomatoes, diced (or 4 oz canned tomato sauce–Hunts!) small white onion, sliced 1 clove garlic 8 black peppercorns 1/8 tspn or …

On Coke

On Coke

By 2020 soda will cause more deaths than cigarettes. It’s the sugar. An integral part of our growing fast food, high sugar consumption, Coke and other sodas give the illusion of ease and no need to cook. Yes, we’ve been trained to not cook and …

St. Patrick, Mark Twain, Catholicism, Champagne

St. Patrick, Mark Twain, Catholicism, Champagne

I plan to depart from tradition today as I toast to Bishop St. Patrick and Catholicism. I’m toasting with champagne. Ghastly? Well add a drop or 2 or 3 of Irish Mist liqueur to the bottom of the glass. Taste of clover, heather and herbs. …

“Moqueca”

“Moqueca”

Yesterday at a house party I made “Moqueca,” a Northeastern Brazilian seafood dish served in a clay pot. Fish and some shellfish are quickly boiled in an aromatic broth of coconut milk, vegetables, cilantro and the highly flavorful Brazilian palm oil, dendê. I learned from …

TexMex cuisine has deeper, older roots

TexMex cuisine has deeper, older roots

Kudos to Houston writer, Robb Walsh. I am elated that Houston’s soon-to-be-opened TexMex restaurant at the old Tower Theatre, El Real, has Walsh as a partner. He is a lover of Tex-Mex food and has done a big service to this regional cuisine by researching and …

Vichyssoise Recipe

Vichyssoise Recipe

Stewart Hoover asked me about this when he and Karen treated me to dinner at Frasca.  This cold  soup is not common here in Texas but I recommend it as a starter for your dinner party.   Elegant, rich and refreshing. The name is French, …

At a subtle meal, how words and sound are important.

At a subtle meal, how words and sound are important.

Last night Stewart and Karen Hoover took me (as in treated me) to dinner at Frasca one of the region’s highly acclaimed restaurants. The Northern-Italian-inspired food is fresh, direct, but subtle and I found the subtlety hugely enjoyable. The trend in many fine dining restaurants …

Sweetheart Meal: Tofu and Black Olive Paella

Sweetheart Meal: Tofu and Black Olive Paella

I’m travelling on business tomorrow so I made this Valentine’s dinner one day early. Champagne is served with the first course, in-season white asparagus. Cautious about cholestorel and fat but not at all willing to foregoe luscious pleasure, asparagus are served with quartered egg whites …

Latin American Cuisine meets European Cuisine

Latin American Cuisine meets European Cuisine

With André Amaral, Raul Gonzalez and Edú Portillo I’m presenting these three Mexican candies today, 2-5, at ARC Gallery, Winter Street Studios, Houston, “The Candy Shop.” These 3 Mexican Candies exemplify aspects of the 500-year-encounter between European and Latin American cuisines. Starting at the left …

The Smiley Face Gets its Comeuppance — Finally!

The Smiley Face Gets its Comeuppance — Finally!

Tonight’s performance of “An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein” at the Obsidian Art Space was satire renewed and refreshed. In one of the ten short acts (they are so short that you are left wanting more) titlted “Smile,” Bender and his henchmen drag Gibby into …