LDLee

Last Saturday, my wife went to the T'afia and the Onion Creek farmers' markets. (The danger of the Onion Creek market is it is a five minute walk from our house ) She picked up some amazing chocolates at each. I can't remember the name of the chocolatier at T'afia. She bought chocolate laced with tequila and pepper. At Onion Creek, she purchased sugar free truffles you cannot tell were sugar free. Truly a chocolate bomb. You can only eat one at a single serving. They paired really well with a nice bordeaux. The chocloatier was Brown Bag Chocolates. As for the markets, they seem to be building to a critical mass. We had been to Onion Creek market about two months ago and saw only 5 vendors, all selling soap. Now there are fresh herbs, some organic fruits and vegetables, and a chef each week providing a tasting exhibition. What she really wants is someone to start selling fresh goat's milk so she can make cheese.

Here are some links that might be of interest: Texas Olive Oil Council: http://www.texasoliveoilcouncil.org/ TAMU EXtenstion Service: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extensi...live/olive.html Texas Electric Cooperative article: http://www.texas-ec.org/tcp/302olive.html Austin Chronicle: http://www.austinchronicle.com/issues/disp...s_daytrips.html

We finally moved in to the new house. At the end of the move, we were able to open the bottle and enjoy it. You are right that it is not a great dining wine, but it was an outstanding champagne to relax and enjoy. I am not very good at describing wines, so I won't embarass myself too much. I did notice the champagne was dry with a tiny bit of sweetness, tight bubbles, and pear and citrus aromas. Thanks for the suggestion to pair it with parmesan, creme fraiche and caviar. What worked better was potato chips, creme fraiche and caviar. The parmesan was a little too salty and overpowered the caviar. The potato provided a nice base for the other two. Thanks all for your comments. Lindsey

Thanks for the suggestions. They are all excellent. Keep them coming. Mark, one of my wife's favorite appetizers to make is the parmesan chips, creme fraiche and caviar. Great idea. Chromedome, only one bottle. Should be enough for me and my wife. Sorry. As for dinner, the consensus seems to be fish with a light sauce. Is that correct? Regards.

To celebrate our new house , my wife and I plan to open a bottle of 1990 Dom Perignon that we were given many years ago. Any ideas for meals to serve with the Champagne? We have a broad range of tastes and Deb is a great cook. Many thanks in advance for your suggestions.

My wife started cheesemaking two years ago. She primarily makes goat cheeses. The ricotta is so much better than any you can buy. Chevre is outstanding as well. There are several books on Amazon.com. When I get back to Houston, I will find out from her what the best book is.

Went by the market on Saturday. Ends up, the house we are buying is less than two blocks away. As a result, my wife wants a bike so she can go every Saturday morning. Not much at the market yet. Six stands, primarily herbs and fresh lettuces. The biggest draw seemed to be the person selling the home made salad dressing. Despite the limited number of stalls, the market did seem to draw a decent size crowd. Hopefully, that will bring more merchants.

I would suggest passing on Cafe Annie. I personally believe it is overrated, too caught up in its own hype. If Downtown suggest Zula. Have heard wonderful things about Artista (owned by the family that owns Churrascos and Americas). Over in Montrose (about a 10 minute ride from downtown), you should consider Mark's and Aries. We recently ate at Rouge and enjoyed it very much. My wife and I always enjoy eating at Boulevard Bistro. I don't know when Monica Pope will be closing it and opening her new restaurant closer to downtown. For something less upscale, try lunch at Treebeards. I really enjoy their red beans and rice. Houston is a mixing pot of cultures. We have a vibrant asian community. For Vietnamese, try Van Loc. I am not a fan of Kim Son. The little Asia community off Bellaire has some very interesting restaurants. You will find some threads here with better infomration. Most people who come here want to try Tex-Mex and Berbecue. For Tex-Mex, try Spanish Village (if you want to stay close to downtown). I would skip Irma's. Barbecue, I am a Luling City Market Fan. Goode Company is another restaurant where the publicity is better than the food. Enjoy your visit.

Thanks. No, I am a member of the Rotary Club of Houston. Michael McBride, the organizer of the dinner, is a member of the Wine Society of Texas. Need to talk to him about getting involved. I am more of a wine fan, than a connoisseur. We have a wine fridge, instead of a cellar. An old beer fridge converted to wine. Considering (a) the proximity of Messina Hoff to Dallas and Houston and (b) Messina Hoff has a nice restaurant, would seem like a good field trip for this group. Has anyone participated in Messina Hoff's grape picking in August. Sounds too hot to me.

If you want to try some Texas wines, the Rotary Club of Houston, along with the the Wine Society of Texas, is hosting a Texas Vintner dinner on the evening of Tuesday, February 3. Cost is $65 per person. 4 Texas winemakers will be presentinig. I know Haak and Messina Hoff are two of the four. For more information, call Michael McBride at 713-957-1185. Thanks, Lindsey