The Leader • Saturday, November 18, 2017 • Page 1B
MANNA’s Thanksgiving Turkey Tailgate teams up with veterans By Kim Hogstrom For The Leader
For the third year in a row, the Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Alliance, or MANNA, is holding its big Thanksgiving Turkey Tailgate to fry 150 turkeys for families in need in north Houston. This wonderful event promises to be even bigger this year thanks to a partnership forged between the fine folks at MANNA and American Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks. “We are so thankful to this community for its support of MANNA,” Patricia Dornak, Executive Director of MANNA said. “This year, our annual Thanksgiving Turkey Tailgate will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 22, from 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. As a result, we will be providing a fried turkey dinner and all the trimmings to 150 north-side families in need.” For the first two years, MANNA’s 50 volunteers fried turkeys in the parking lot at the agency’s headquarters. The new arrangement will allow for more space, as well as the use of Post 560’s kitchen and facility if the need arises. “We offered MANNA the use of the property at no charge so the event can get bigger and more convenient for them,” former American Legion Post 560’s Commander Richard Voorhies said. “The organization does a lot of great work, and we are happy to help them.” “The American Legion has been wonderful in allowing us to host our event on their grounds,” Dornak said. “This year, our clients will also be picking up their meals at Post 560 on Thursday. That alone will be a terrific change.” As a nonprofit agency, MANNA’s mission is to serve the basic human needs of people who, because of age, education, illness, lack of in-
come, or other crisis, cannot sustain themselves or their families. Clients come from all walks of life and range from infants to the elderly. Since 1989, the organization has been helping families by providing emergency rent and utility assistance, food from its pantry, a vision station, and a resale store that helped with discounted clothing and household wares. Sadly, the MANNA resale store burned earlier this year but the agency is searching for a new lease
Stuttgarden Tavern Heights opens on North Main
and location. Commander Voorhies is helping MANNA find it. “We are looking for about 10,000 square feet of space, and we’ve had a few nibbles, but no lease is signed - yet,” Voorhies stated with a smile. About 28 years ago, MANNA grew out of a gathering of area pastors who witnessed extensive local needs. The pastors decided to pool their resources and founded MANNA with the goal as to act as a coalition. It was a winning idea. Today, MANNA volunteers come from 30 area congregations. Families qualify for their Thanskgiving meals through the MANNA food pantry. The agency has also partnered with the YMCA on W. 34th St. and allocated meals for 50 of their neediest families, and St. James Lutheran Church at 1602 W. 43rd St. for the 20 more. MANNA still needs help. The organization is short on stuffing, chicken broth, cranberry sauce and canned sweet potatoes. Leader readers can drop off donations at the American Legion Post located at 3720 Alba Rd. from noon until 7 p.m. every day of the week. “We want to thank Kroger for donating the brown grocery bags we will serve the meals in, Oak Forest Elementary for decorating the bags, and American Legion Post 560 for allowing us to host our event on their grounds,” Dornak said. “But mostly, we thank our wonderful community and armies of volunteers who make it happen. We could not do it without them.” For more information, to sponsor a famThe Ministry Assistance of the Near Northwest Al- ily, a food drive or volunteer for the tailliance’s Thanksgiving Turkey Tailgate will be from gate, go to www.signupgenius.com/go/ 6:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Nov. 22 at the American 30e0844aaa823a5f49-thanksgivng. Legion Post 560 in Garden Oaks (contributed art).
Local Love
Pumpkin spice and everything nice By Christina Martinez Christina@theleadernews.com
Photo by Christina Martinez Two of Stuttgarden Tavern’s owners, Derek Groenewold and John Mortensen prosting at the 4002 North Main location over two of their German beers on tap - Bitburger and Paulaner.
By Christina Martinez Christina@theleadernews.com We have a new restaurant opening and closing on North Main. Skinny Rita’s shuttered at the 4002 North Main location in August, but the owner quickly found a new tenant and is opening our newest restaurant to come to the Heights - Stuttgarden Tavern. The German inspired restaurant pays homage with its name to Stuttgart, Germany – the capital of southwest Germany’s Baden-Württemberg state; the pronunciation of the restaurant is (STOOT-gard-en). The restaurant focuses on German inspired, made in-house fresh food, along with offering a large variety of German and craft beers, cocktails and wine. Stuttgarden Tavern in the Heights is the fourth location for the concept that originated in Galveston. “Our family really enjoys visiting historic downtown Galveston because of its unique locally owned shops and restaurants similar to the Heights and we wanted to be a part of it,” Derek Groenewold, Stuttgarden Tavern co-owner said. With that desire and a love for German beer, Derek, his wife Shannon with business partners John Mortensen, Eric Jones and Danny Nelson opened their first location
Stuttgarden is located at 4002 North Main. Find them at www.stuttgardentavern.com on the Galveston Strand in July 2014. Later, with its success in Galveston, the Stuttgarden Tavern crew expanded to Texas City in April 2016; to Kemah in October 2016; and the new Heights location which opened last month. Getting down to food, it’s not exactly authentic, but Stuttgarden’s Bavarian pretzel, sauerkraut balls, house-made bratwurst, jaeger schnitzel and stroganoff are all standout items on the German side, but they don’t just serve German inspired food. Their appetizers, salads, wings, burgers, sandwiches and dinner
Contributed photo A few Stuttgarden Tavern specialties.
entrees will satisfy customers craving traditional American and European fare with items like Irish Nachos, the John a Ten Burger, Eric’s Cheese Steak, Bacon crusted Mac & Cheese and Traditional Shepherd’s pie. “The Irish Nachos are a fan favorite in Galveston,” Mortensen said. The Irish Nachos aren’t really Irish, but are a combination of waffle fries, nacho cheese, minced meat, bacon, chives and sour cream. They taste like a loaded baked potato. Beer is something the Stuttgarden Tavern brand knows a thing or two about, the main bar proudly serves 40 beers on tap - 30 rotating craft and 10 German taps - and the outdoor beergarden will soon offer an additional eight to 10 taps. “Of the German beers, Warsteiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner or Bitburger are German mainstay beers you can regularly pick from on the lineup that everyone should try,” Derek Groenewold said. The restaurant is open seven days a week, offering a full bar, fresh food, 26 TVs, large dog-friendly patio, all in a family friendly environment. The tables even have board games to keep you entertained. “We welcome all, but around 9 p.m. is when families can expect the restaurant to feel more like a bar,” Derek Groenewold said. During the week, you can find regular specials: Monday – $12 bratwurst and beer night; Tuesday – local pint night, trivia and all beers are $1 off; Wednesday – $14 steak night and $10 off wine bottles; Thursday – $8 schnitzel and $6 beer flights. Stuttgarden Tavern Heights is open seven days a week (except Monday and Tuesday for lunch) at 4002 N. Main. Find them online at www.stuttgardentavern.com for updates and hours. This was a paid-for article as a part of The Leader’s advertorial program.
Every week it seems like a national brand is moving into the neighborhood. The local love of the neighborhood is starting to look a little different, and I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. What I do know: I love local restaurant Urban Eats and their pumpkin spice latte – it’s a local love that needs to be shared. It’s the season of everything pumpkin spice and Urban Eats owner Levi Rollins said this is a trend he’s usually stayed away from, until recently. “Pumpkin desserts and real pumpkin things I love,” Rollins said. “I’ve always loved pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread all of those great items growing up, but that whole pumpkin spice trend that took over, I wasn’t necessarily a huge fan. The reason being because the trends, for the most part, didn’t actually use pumpkin in their products.” With that said, a ton of Rollins’ customers want those pumpkin spice products and Rollins said he’s found himself in a bit of a teaching curve.
“We’ve found ourselves teaching our customers that our pumpkin spice is a little bit different because it actually has pumpkin,” he said. “All of our desserts do, actually, – pumpkin bread, macaroons, buttermilk bars, cheese cake with gingerbread crust – all of these things actually include pumpkin, including the pumpkin latte.” The pumpkin latte starts with Java Pure espresso, Libby’s pumpkin puree, white chocolate, vanilla and caramel – Rollins notes that vanilla beans have been hard to come by after Hurricane Harvey wiped out several plants, pushing prices to nearly triple their regular price, but the restaurant is still able to acquire – along with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, clove and nutmeg for the “spice.” “My pumpkin spice growing up was always clove, nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon,” Rollins said. “Ours is traditional with a little flare.” Pairing this seasonal offering with a biscotti sugar cookie or something simple to dunk in your latte, is what Rollins recommends for a pairing. Urban Eats is located at 3414 Washington Ave.
Photo by Christina Martinez Urban Eats puts a signature twist on the popular seasonal offer with their Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Craft Chronicles: November edition Landon Weiershausen Columnist
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The Leader’s monthly craft beer column spotlights some of our local craft breweries.
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