Results tagged “foodshopping”

Houstonist is no slouch in the kitchen. That having been said, when we accidentally set fire to a whole pumpkin during a Thanksgiving dessert test run gone wrong this week, Houstonist learned a valuable lesson: If you can't make it, fake it. Luckily, there are a few Houston institutions that have you covered in case your kitchen ambitions require more than your skill set can provide. Ruggles Cafe Bakery offers a wide selection of...

Most people we know either love okra or hate it. As okra season is in full effect, we thought a little ode to the okra will convince the haters to give it a second chance. The okra, a relative to the hibiscus and cotton plant, is a little tubular vegetable with fuzzy, tender casing and round, edible white seeds. Okra also has a sticky core that causes the up-turned noses and looks of disgust among...

In an effort to “branch out," Houstonist recently had lunch at Phoenicia Deli located near the Westchase district. This Mediterranean deli serves up a wide menu, but the most popular item for lunch is the shawarma. We had the Chicken shawarma (other options are beef or falafel), which comes wrapped in a pita with tomatoes and potatoes (more on that later). While waiting for our lunch, we tried some of the complimentary pita and dipping...

Yep, we're laughing - a lot and loudly. Okay, so no well-heeled kitchen should really be without a stadium bundt pan - how do you tailgate without an appropriately shaped cake, after all. The horror! What would Martha say? Yo, don't forget the paper doilies, either! A good marketing campaign would have commemorative cake pans, designed to look exactly like the stadium hosting the Superbowl that year. At any rate, no party is complete without...

Houstonist always has a big pile of tamales, a cauldron of our venison chili and a pot of pintos (to bean or not to bean - that is the controversy question) with all the sides (cheese, onions, corn chips, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, etc) for Christmas Eve. Finding a mean tamale in Houston is actually fairly easy, here are some recommendations for you, in case you need some and are behind the proverbial 8-ball, or...

Houstonist spends December either crazy busy or stupid tired, what with all of the parties, shopping, home decorating and general Christmas season ilk going on. We discovered these, "on accident" and even though we are pushing all of our limits, we simply cannot bring ourselves to endorse pre-cut, refrigerated cookies that come with their own icing. There is something so wrong with it, our sensibilities are offended. We may kill ourselves, figuratively, but the cookies...

Houstonist suggested a nice thermos of cocoa, or hot chocolate (we've now earwormed ourselves with the hit by the band with the tasty name - "You Sexy Thing"), to accompany some of the weekends festivities and goings on. So, we decided to share a recipe that does not involve microwaving water and dumping in some powdered stuff (heaven forbid the one with the freeze-dried marshmallows... when it comes to cocoa or hot chocolate, "go big,...

December is the peak of the citrus season for Houston (and the rest of Zone 9) and to celebrate, Urban Harvest and the Bayou City Farmer's Market is hosting the Second Annual Citrus Festival December 9th and 16th at the farmers market on Eastside. There will be a variety of locally grown citrus fruits available and the local chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier will be on hand to demonstrate citrus recipes and offer not only samples, but, the recipes, too! There will also be some growers on hand to offer advice and tips for growing your own fruit.

Here at Houstonist we try - in between bacon cheeseburgers - to be a little healthy when it comes to our eating habits. This is our very own recipe for herbed chicken which can be either baked/roasted and finished off under the broiler (as pictured) or grilled - you make the call. Our Cranberry Pinenut Couscous makes a nice side - add a salad and some garlic bread - maybe a homemade chocolate cake...

Houstonist made a botched burger attempt this past weekend at Guy's Meat Market. At first - we were sorely disappointed to learn that you can only get one of Guy's smoked burgers Tuesday - Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. (or - until they are gone). Rats. Well - that's a frenzied drive from work in the making - just to try one of the burgers billed as "one of the best". The...

Simple, quick (cooks in five minutes) and compliments chicken, pork or lamb dishes exceptionally well. Houstonist makes this simple grain dish often, usually with a grilled herb chicken (we'll give you that recipe - next time). Couscous is hearty, delicious and so easy to prepare in many different ways. Follow the link to see the recipe....

If it's in season, Houstonist will find a culinary use for it — even mundane mint comes in handy for mojitos and juleps, and it adds a lot to fresh vegetables, free-range chicken and lamb. But where can you go to find organic produce in Houston? We have some ideas: In addition to the tried, true and terribly fabulous Whole Foods Market and Central Market, there are several area farmer's markets to explore. We particularly...