Subject:

Beverages

  • Blogs

    May 22, 2013

    Under $20 Bordeaux for Memorial Day, Earthy the Way I Like It

    "Fruit forward" and "fruit bomb" are descriptors commonly used to describe "big" red wines, the kind you want to break out for Memorial Day, when you're going to be grilling and smoking. And hey, I've got nothing against fruit: Wine is made from fruit and it should taste like fruit. If it doesn't t ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 17, 2013

    Upcoming Events: Wine Dinners, Small Plates and Large Pours

    Wednesday wine tastings at French Country Wines are changing up a bit, but don't worry - the popular evening event isn't going anywhere. Husband-and-wife team Phyllis Adatto and Tim Smith have changed the hours of the weekly wine tasting, which will now take place every Wednesday evening from 5 to 7 ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 7, 2013

    Drink In the Craft Beer at Houston Press's Inaugural BrewFest

    Trying to navigate the suddenly complex and overwhelming world of craft beer at a time when seasonal sours and bourbon barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stouts are all the rage? It's best to lay a foundation first -- building institutional knowledge of what exactly craft beer is, which styles you like an ... More >>

  • Blogs

    May 2, 2013

    Houston Native Wine Celeb Ray Isle Returns Home, Finds Food Scene "Deeply Local While Still Cosmopolitan"

    My 80-year old mother may not know his name but she knows his face. "You mean that handsome young man who talks about wine on the Today show with Kathie Lee [Gifford] and Hoda [Kotb]?" she asks when I mention that I'm having lunch in Houston with Food & Wine executive wine editor Ray Isle. But hey ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 29, 2013

    Chipotle Serves Up New Margaritas with Fresh Juices and Premium Tequila

    Chipotle has decided to change up its margarita recipe, which was originally made with a sweet-and-sour syrup. According to the chief marketing officer, Mark Crumpacker, not many people knew that Chipotle served margaritas. Starting today, and just in time for Cinco de Mayo, Chipotle offers new han ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 24, 2013

    When Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey Pours at Uchi, Houston's Top Sommeliers Listen

    Houston, is that a frico dropping? By my count, there were roughly forty of our city's top wine professionals in the room, all listening with rapt attention and relishing savory nuggets of wine wisdom imparted by Master Sommelier Bobby Stuckey (above). And I'm not talking benchwarmers. This was an ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 19, 2013

    Antonio Gianola's New Italian Wine Program at Houston Wine Merchant

    It's only been a few short weeks since a handsome Floridian swooped down from the sky and snatched up one of Houston's most beloved wine professionals, Marcy Jimenez. Hers is a tough act to follow: Since moving to Houston in 2005, she was a buyer and floor manager at Houston's only independently ow ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 15, 2013

    How to Make Homemade Ginger Ale

    I am what I eat, figuratively, at least since I both self-identify as a Ginger and I adore all things ginger-flavored. I sprinkle ground ginger in my tea, order anything vaguely laced with the spice on Asian menus, and once, even, took two large bites off a piece of the root itself. (My stomach hu ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 9, 2013

    Top 5 Ways To Cook With Green Tea

    Green tea is an excellent source of caffeine that provides you with antioxidants that can help fight against risks of heart disease, cancer and blood clots. It's also one of the beverages that can instantly improve your mood. Strictly drinking green tea can be a little boring and monotonous, howeve ... More >>

  • Blogs

    April 2, 2013

    One Short of a Six-Pack: Five Great Beer Songs Written By Texans

    Beer has nothing to prove to you. The sudsy stuff has been around nearly 10,000 years by some estimates, and has played a critical role in building civilizations and maintaining life itself, according to various historians and scientists. Still, like an honors student aiming for valedictorian and ... More >>

  • Dining

    March 21, 2013

    So Delicious, a Caveman Could Eat It

    Paleo-friendly restaurant menus abound in Houston.

  • Blogs

    March 15, 2013

    New Texas Beer Legislation: What It Could Mean For You

    In case you didn't know, we here in Texas are so far behind the curve when it comes to alcohol laws, we might as well be your grandmother trying to work The America Online. Other states literally look to Texas as the textbook example of how not to do things. It's an embarrassment, really. States li ... More >>

  • Blogs

    March 5, 2013

    Zagat Survey Reveals: In Times of Turmoil, We Still Buy Coffee

    A recent Zagat survey revealed that we still consume coffee even if the price of a cup of Joe continues to increase while our economy struggles to get back on its feet. In fact, the average American consumes 2.2 cups of coffee each day, according to the Zagat statistics. Although we need to cut bac ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 22, 2013

    Celebrate National Margarita Day Today with 15 of Our Favorites

    For whatever reason, some marketing genius decided that February 22 is National Margarita Day. I can't figure out what significance this day has to margaritas or tequila or Triple Sec or limes. Even the National Margarita Day's web page offers no clues as to why February 22 is so important, leaving ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 21, 2013

    The Rest of the Best: Houston's Top 10 Coffee Shops

    The last time we compiled a list of Houston's best coffee houses was in February 2011, and things have certainly changed since then. In just the last several months, Houston's caffeine scene has benefited from several new entrants, all of which are determined to raise the city's coffee profile just ... More >>

  • Dining

    February 14, 2013

    Go West, Young Man

    The top 10 restaurants in Westchase.

  • Blogs

    February 8, 2013

    Immature and Delicious: White Whiskey

    Recently a few friends and I started a whiskey tasting club as an excuse to consume expensive liquor an opportunity to educate our palates on the nuances of high-quality blended malt beverages. At our second meeting, our sergeant-at-arms laid a bottle of clear spirits on the table. "Ahoy!," I sai ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 7, 2013

    Top 10 Wine Lists in Houston

    It's exciting to run across a well-priced favorite on a restaurant's wine list, or to discover something new as you dig through its pages. But there's more to making a world-class wine list than just stocking a cellar with Cakebreads and Chardonnays. To spotlight the best wine lists in Houston, we ... More >>

  • Blogs

    February 4, 2013

    Justin Burrow Heads Downtown: New Cocktail Bar Planned for Main Street

    The downtown block that already contains classic bars Warren's Inn, Char Bar, Dean's Credit Clothing and Notsuoh is about to get one more watering hole when bartender Justin Burrow opens his new bar in late March. The bar doesn't have a name yet, but Burrow and his partners -- Brad Moore and Ryan Ro ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 29, 2013

    The Eating Our Words 100: Sean Beck, Sommelier Extraordinaire

    Who he is: Sommelier and wine consultant to a number of Houston establishments, Sean Beck started working as a waiter at Backstreet Cafe 15 years ago while he was pursuing a history degree at the University of Houston. "At the time, Backstreet had about a 55-bottle wine list," Beck recalls. Backst ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 24, 2013

    Top 5 Low-Cal Margaritas To Try in Houston

    In the spirit of a healthy start to the New Year, I'm trying to cut back on excessively sugary beverages. My biggest weakness is margaritas at mainstream bars and restaurants, which tend to use high-calorie commercial mixers. Thankfully, many Houston establishments have jumped on the skinny cocktail ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 21, 2013

    Top 5 Ingredients to Add to Coffee

    When I go to the grocery store, I always stop by the coffee creamer section to see what new flavors I can try in my coffee the next day. I usually rotate between hazelnut, vanilla, creme brulee and holiday flavors like peppermint mocha; it's fun to change things up. I love getting to make a Starbuc ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 11, 2013

    Big California Wine Crushes a Houston Import from Italy: Sutter Home Forces Trinchero Family to Remove Its Own Name from Labels

    La reproduction interdite... When a colleague showed me the new label for Trinchero Barbera d'Asti Superiore (2006 vintage) last night, I thought to myself, either he is playing a practical joke on me or this is a work of surrealist art. As if plucked from a painting by Magritte or a fountain by D ... More >>

  • Blogs

    January 7, 2013

    Taste Wine, Hook Up at Houston Wine Tastings This Month and Beyond

    The most important thing my mother ever taught me is that every wine tasting is a singles event. It's not the only wisdom she imparted to me. But especially in the light of what I do for a living (writing and talking about wine), it's the most important. Even back in the 1980s, when my mom was work ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 31, 2012

    Champagne Cliffs Notes: The Best Bubblies to Buy for New Year's Eve

    The weather outside was frightful when I rolled up to the mothership Spec's on Smith Street one afternoon last week. But it wasn't half as scary as the demolition derby that was unfolding in the parking lot there, between the old school Caddys, the C-Class Benzes, and the obligatory and ubiquitous ... More >>

  • Dining

    December 20, 2012

    Where to Eat on Christmas Day

    Your stress-free dining guide to the holidays.

  • Blogs

    December 18, 2012

    Perfection and Value in a Bottle: Syrah Rosé from California for $16

    I'm just going to go ahead and blurt it out: The 2011 rosé from Syrah by Santa Barbara, California winery Ampelos is my favorite discovery for 2012 and it's my number one wine for the 2012 holiday season. It's one of those rare wines that fire on all cylinders. It's fresh and it's clean. It's got ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 14, 2012

    Dallas Beer Scene: Revolver Brewing Gets Serious in Granbury

    It's been a big year for craft beer in Texas. One of the biggest stories, however, is news that hasn't quite made its way down to Houston. Dallas is currently experiencing a boom in breweries as big as, if not bigger than, the expansion Houston and Austin have seen in past years. Dallas/Fort Worth a ... More >>

  • Dining

    December 13, 2012

    Let's Get Greasy

    The 10 best fried chicken joints in Houston.

  • Blogs

    December 13, 2012

    Dallas Beer Scene: Lakewood Brewing Brings Its A Game

    It's been a big year for craft beer in Texas. One of the biggest stories, however, is news that hasn't quite made its way down to Houston. Dallas is currently experiencing a boom in breweries as big as, if not bigger than, the expansion Houston and Austin have seen in past years. Dallas/Fort Worth a ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 12, 2012

    Dallas Beer Scene: The Common Table Owner Corey Pond Gives Us an Insider's Look at What's Brewing in DFW

    It's been quite the year for craft beer in Texas. One of the biggest stories, however, is news that hasn't quite made its way down to Houston. Dallas is currently experiencing a boom in breweries that's as big as, if not bigger than, the expansions Houston and Austin have seen in past years. (See "T ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 11, 2012

    Hot Dr Pepper with Lemon: The Ultimate Texas Cold Weather Drink

    When I was in college, Dr Pepper ruled our campus (and so did Drayton McLane, but that's a story for another day). No, seriously. It became the official soft drink of Baylor back in 1997. And along with it came Dr Pepper Hour, formerly Coke Hour. Baylor University isn't just renowned for being the ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 10, 2012

    Top 5 Wine Gifts for the Holidays 2012

    Here are some ideas for wine-themed gifts for the 2012 holiday season, including a few that I'll be giving and a few -- hint, hint -- that I'd like to receive! 5. Wine Grapes by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson et alia If you follow along here at Wine Time, you know just how much I revere Master of ... More >>

  • Blogs

    December 3, 2012

    Why Screw Caps Stink, Why They Rock and a Pinot Grigio I Dig

    "Bartender, bartender! My wine smells like farts!" No, this wasn't a George Carlin routine. It was me (and my not so inner wine nerd) as I sat at a bar at one of Houston's most swank joints, waiting to be seated for dinner. Honestly, I wasn't surprised that my wine smelled like a fart: It came fr ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 9, 2012

    Pinot Grigio, I Love You Just the Way You Are

    "Italy's finest white wine," reads the copy in an advertisement for Pinot Grigio that appeared in an issue of New York published in November, 1980, "magnificently dry with a beautiful straw-like color, Cavit Pinot Grigio has opened to rave reviews from wine critics. If you love white wine, discover ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 7, 2012

    The Draft Brings Philanthropy, Craft Beer and Fine Food to The East End

    Houston Beer Week buzz has been kind of a slow burn this year. With no balls-to-the-wall epic beer dinners like last year's Petrol Station vs. Hay Merchant battle planned for this year, one big event -- The Draft -- is promising to be Beer Week's heavy hitter. The Draft is this year's revamped and ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 5, 2012

    Finally, A Malbec That I Can (Afford To) Drink

    "No, if anyone orders Merlot, I'm leaving," says Miles in what is perhaps the most memorable line from the 2004 film Sideways. "I am not drinking any fucking Merlot!" I, too, have my issues with "Merlot" (especially when uttered between air quotes). But if there were one wine category where Kantian ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 2, 2012

    Cat Piss, Horse Sweat, Wet Dog, Barnyard (Unusual Wine Descriptors)

    One of the pet peeves at our house is gooseberries. No, not the berries themselves. But the people who use the descriptor gooseberry when writing a tasting note. As one wine blogger put it, "New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc's classic description is smelling like cats' pee on a gooseberry bush. If you g ... More >>

  • Blogs

    November 1, 2012

    The Eating...Our Words 100: Bear Dalton, Wine Buyer & Educator, Spec's

    Eating...Our Words has embarked on a project to profile 100 Houston culinarians of all fields, practices, careers and backgrounds. This isn't a Best of Houston list, it's not a 100 Favorites list and it's not in any particular order. Instead, the Eating...Our Words 100 is a way to introduce our read ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 31, 2012

    An Under-$30 Delicious American Sparkler Returns to Houston

    Houston wine maven and man-about-town Denman Moody loves him some Dr. Frank from the Finger Lakes, New York. He poured and spoke about the winery's dry Riesling when I met him for the first time a few weeks ago in Austin (where he was presenting his new self-published book -- a memoir-cum-guide to ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 30, 2012

    What Is Terroir and Why Is It Important in Wine?

    One of the greatest examples of terroir is Parmigiano Reggiano, the unmistakable and incomparably delicious cheese made in the region of Emilia-Romagna (in northern Italy). They make a similar cheese, using similar methods, just across the Po river on the north side of the great waterway (which flo ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 26, 2012

    Eater National's Talia Baiocchi Joins Wine Spectator Team

    UPDATE AND CLARIFICATION: We received word from Talia Baiocchi that this post has caused some confusion. She is not leaving her position as wine editor at Eater National. She is picking up a weekly column for the Wine Spectator in addition to her current job with Eater. New York-based, twenty-some ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 24, 2012

    A Taste of Texas Wines at Sullivan's

    Last week, Sullivan's Steakhouse played host to Messina Hof founders Paul and Merrill Bonarrigo for a wine dinner showcasing the Texas-based winery's award-winning wines. I was invited to attend, not only to reacquaint myself with the Messina Hof's wines, but also to sample the specialty menu create ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 23, 2012

    The Eating Our Words 100: Dale Robertson, a Populist Among Wine Writers

    Eating Our Words has embarked on a project to profile 100 Houston culinarians of all fields, practices, careers and backgrounds. This isn't a Best of Houston list, it's not a 100 Favorites list and it's not in any particular order. Instead, the Eating Our Words 100 is a way to introduce our readers ... More >>

  • Dining

    October 18, 2012

    Fit for a King

    A Pearland biergarten serves up tasty Austrian-German food and lots of fun.

  • Blogs

    October 18, 2012

    The Eating Our Words 100: Denman Moody, Author of The Advanced Oenophile

    Eating Our Words has embarked on a project to profile 100 Houston culinarians of all fields, practices, careers and backgrounds. This isn't a Best of Houston list, it's not a 100 Favorites list and it's not in any particular order. Instead, the Eating Our Words 100 is a way to introduce our readers ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 17, 2012

    Celebrate Oktoberfest Like the Germans Do at King's Biergarten -- With Beer

    When it comes to German beer on draft, there are two places to beat in Houston -- even if one of them is technically in Pearland. Closer to the heart of the city, Midtown's Bar Munich has an impressive array of taps that includes all six varieties of Hofbräu München (including their Oktoberfest b ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 15, 2012

    Flying Saucer Sugar Land Announces Beer Feast Event

    I will be the first to admit, I never expected to like much Sugar Land's Town Square had to offer, much less the package as a whole. Between the distance, the generally unappealing Town Center shopping format or the fact most other concepts of this nature dotting Houston's landscape tend to be a tea ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 11, 2012

    What if Winemakers Listed Ingredients on Every Bottle?

    "Ingredients," reports the back label on a bottle of Randall Grahm's Bonny Doon wines from California, "Syrah grapes, tartaric acid, and sulfur dioxide. In the winemaking process, the following were utilized: indigenous yeast, yeast nutrients, and French oak barrels. At time of bottling, this produc ... More >>

  • Blogs

    October 10, 2012

    How To: Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte

    With all the hoopla about Starbucks' shortage of Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I searched the Internet for a copycat recipe so you can make this wonderful fall drink at home. That was before I found out that Houston is in the clear of having to suffer from the loss of Pumpkin Spice Lattes. But, just in ca ... More >>

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