Houston House & Home Magazine Holiday 2020 Food & Wine

Cru Food & Wine Bar’s scrumptuous holiday meal (above) and their Pumpkin Ricotta Ravioli (below). Photo courtesy of Robert Tsai

HOLIDAY DISHES FOR THE FAMILY FEAST Story by robin barr SuSSman

M

any of us will be enjoying holiday festivities with close family this year instead of dining out or traveling. But we could all use a little help with the cooking, so why not mix things up with some new dishes and desserts? Pick up or add these creations to your home cooked spread. Happy holidays!

CRU FOOD AND WINE BAR Elevate your Thanksgiving on-site or to-go with butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, pumpkin ravioli, spiffy sides, well curated wines and dessert. cruwinebar.com

WHITE ELM CAFÉ BAKERY Sweet holiday mornings start with cinnamon rolls from this new bakery out west, which also crafts pies, cakes, cookies and other treats. whiteelmcafebakery.com

16 house& home | November 2020 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net

Give the Gift of A Safe Gourmet Trip This Holiday Season Le Petite Gourmet Shoppe offers a culinary cultural escape in a charming boutique on the historic La Grange town square.

We offer cooking classes and give discounts on purchases of cooking items used in class. Explore a world of gourmet food and beverage tools, spices, teas and more.

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR HOME GAME ROOM NEEDS New & Used Pinball Machines, Arcade Video Games & Foosball Large Showroom–Over 300 Machines on Display Sales, Rentals & Repairs

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CLOSKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Goode Company’s Pecan Pie, White Elm Bakery’s cinnamon rolls and Brennan’s of Houston’s Lemon Meringue pie will quickly become holiday family favorites. Photos by Allison Moorman (Goode Co.), Shannon O’Hara (White Elm Bakery) and Jay Stevens (Brennan’s)

BRENNAN’S OF HOUSTON Bring Thanksgiving fine dining home with packages including a whole smoked turkey, gravy, sides, cranberry sauce and dessert. Stunning lemon meringue pie! brennanshouston.com

OSTIA For a holiday dinner by the fireplace, consider entrees from sleek new Ostia in the Heights. Impressive Italian choices include pork chops, seafood risotto, whole shrimp, roasted turnips, duck liver pâté and family-style dinners. ostia.com

DISH SOCIETY Brighten up the table with the shaved Brussel Sprouts salad and other innovative and healthful sides like mashed sweet potatoes with warm fall spices. dishsociety.com, multiple locations.

MOLINA’S CANTINA Tamales at Christmas are a Texas tradition, naturally portable and easy to reheat. Other crowd-pleasers: enchiladas, Jose’s queso, a variety of salsas. molinas.com 18 house& home | November 2020 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net

Pre-Christmas Sale!

Largest & Best Selection Since 1974

The people you have known & trusted for over 47 years

Lighting Your Way® Since 1974

6265 Cypress Creek Parkway • Houston, Texas 77069 281-444-9299 • www.lightinghouston.com 19

Festive Italian specialties from Ostia. Photo by Jenn Duncan

GOODE CO. The luscious Brazos Bottom Pecan pie made with Texas pecans is a big hit for dessert. Check the website for Goode restaurants that bake pies for pick-up along with whole smoked turkey. goodecompanybarbeque.com

RELISH RESTAURANT AND BAR Vibrant salads like the kale and grapefruit, pear salad or butternut squash soup will lighten up the spread deliciously. Count on Relish and don’t be a slave to the kitchen! relishhouston.com

TEXAS PECAN DISHES WITH TEXAS WINES

Tamales: A Tex Mex tradition for the holidays by Molina’s Cantina.

Photo by Julie Soefer

20 house& home | November 2020 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net

For a Texas two-step, try a few Texas pecan recipes like a jalapeno cheeseball rolled in chopped pecans paired with Pedernales Cellars tempranillo or baked sweet potatoes garnished with chopped pecans. Buy Texas wines and Millican Texas pecans at HEB. texasfinewine.com

Safely Open You never know what you’ll find.

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Home Furnishings, Decor and Rarities 1726 Westheimer • Houston, TX 77098 Becky • 832-651-8477 • Open 7 Days, 11:30-6:30 bjoldies.com

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RECIPE

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Cru Food & Wine Bar. Photos by Robert Tsai

Butternut Squash Bisque

W

hip up this easy recipe inspired by the bisque served at Cru Food & Wine Bar. The pomegranate seeds add a jewel-like finish.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon canola oil

I medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, sliced

Coarse salt to taste

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 large butternut squash (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut in 1-inch cubes (can be purchased prepared from supermarket) 22 house& home | November 2020 | www.houstonhouseandhome.net

1 (14 ½ ounce) can reduced sodium chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds for garnish

Method

In a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, cinnamon, and cayenne. Season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add squash, broth, half-and-half, and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and cook until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree in a blender until smooth.

Season with salt. Serve warm and garnish each serving with pomegranate seeds. Note: The leftovers freeze perfectly.

Yield: 12 servings

HOLIDAY WINES FOR PERFECT PAIRINGS

Uncork these crowd-pleasing, recently released wines that pair with everything from turkey to tamales and play well with buttery stuffing, salads and savory appetizers.

White: Keller La Cruz estate chardonnay, CA $40;

Brennan Vineyards viognier, TX $22; Alexandria Nicole Cellars a2 chardonnay, WA, $18; Signor Vineyards pinot gris, $35.

Photo courtesy of Texas Fine Wine and Texas Pecan Board

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grenache rosé Central Coast CA, $15 (both groundedwineco.com); Seghesio Sonoma zinfandel $25.

Bubbles: Benovia Blanc de Blancs, Russian River Valley,

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