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Yummy desserts, bridal trends, special events and so much more. You don't want to miss reading a single page.
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Taste Magazine Food | Fashion Have You Got TASTE?
June 2012
Oh! Those Desserts! Desserts Frost Bake Shoppe
Pie Town
Euro Bakery
Treat!
Pallotta’s Italian Grill
Crazy for Cupcakes
2012 Summer Bridal Spotlight Top Ten Wedding Trends of 2012
Habitually Haute Event Design’s:
6 Haute Tips To Help You Cut Reception Costs
Events Hands Across Texas
Schuchardt Family Benefit Concert
Wicked Corkscrew
In Every Issue Lunch With Taste
Available Pets
Coming Next Month
Our Contributors
Business Spotlight - Mom’s Secret Chef
Special Guest Writer – Rachel Quayle A Brits Take on Dining in The Woodlands
Call
F.I.T.
Human
Performance
Today
At:
832-813-8010
And Receive
Your First
Session
FREE!!! Tell Them You
Saw Their
Ad In
Taste Magazine.
Taste Magazine June 2012
Desserts Frost Bake Shoppe 8
Pie Town 17
Euro Bakery 27
Treat! 42
Pallotta’s Italian Grill 21
Crazy for Cupcakes 38
2012 Summer Bridal Spotlight Top Ten Wedding Trends of 2012 48
Habitually Haute Event Design’s: 58
6 Haute Tips To Help You Cut Reception Costs
Events Hands Across Texas - Schuchardt Family Benefit Concert 24
Wicked Corkscrew 14
In Every Issue Lunch With Taste 20
Available Pets 45
Coming Next Month 61
Our Contributors 5
Business Spotlight - Mom’s Secret Chef 34
Special Guest Writer – Rachel Quayle A Brits Take on Dining in The Woodlands 30
Letter from the Editor..
Taste Texas Magazine is the next great thing
to find the best restaurants, wine bars, sports
bars, night clubs and fashion boutiques in the
area. Our first edition came out February 1,
2012. The magazine covers The Woodlands,
Conroe, Magnolia, Spring, Tomball and the
FM1960/Champions Forest area. We plan on
adding a separate magazine for Sugarland
and Katy later this year.
Our digital magazine features great venues
and boutiques for you to check out each
month. The magazine also has information
on great chefs, food related books and
products, new trends, date night ideas and
much more. Our fashion section highlights
fashions of the season and great accessories.
If you dine or shop at one of our featured
businesses please let them know you saw
them in Taste!!
Thanks,
Wendy
Editor-in-Chief:
Wendy Anderson
For advertising info or if you would like to be
featured in one of our issues please email us or
call: 832-620-6280
http://tastepublications.com
832-620-6280
We are hiring salespeople. Email or call me for more info!
Cover photo by:
http://johnwadephotography.net
Do It Yourself Displays On Sale!! North Houston Office Only
$60 for 2 day rental Must pick up and return to our office in The Woodlands, TX
Buzzards – Flamingos – Golf - Smile Faces - Cupcakes only!
Must Mention Taste Magazine to receive discount!
http://www.flamingos2go.com
Taste Magazine Contributors Nick Rama Freelance Writer Nick was born in Hong Kong, BCC and moved to the Houston area in
1981 and to The Woodlands/Spring area in 1986. Currently Nick has a
Foodie Website Dining Out With Nick – Houston and helps plan tasting
events for the Woodlands/Spring, TX area Foodie Club on Facebook. Nick
is all about helping the small business owner and supporting his
community. He is the Chairman for the local Montgomery County charity
group Hands Across Texas, dedicated to helping fellow Texans with
unforeseen life changes and giving relief to those in need to help rebuild
lives. Nick’s love of food and support of local restaurants make him a
great addition to Taste Magazine as a featured writer.
John Wade Freelance Photographer John Wade Photography started in Austin, TX as a hobby. Friends of mine
kept telling me that I had the eye for portraiture. So, I pursued photography
and am still learning. Photography is very enjoyable to me as I get a sense
of gratitude when my client sees their photo and loves it. That is very
rewarding. Through the years, I have come to meet some very fine people
that have encouraged and helped me with my dream. The success of John
Wade Photography depends on my passion for fine photos and great clients
like you. John is a featured photographer for events and articles in the
magazine. Find out more at http://johnwadephotography.net
Carla Soriano Freelance Writer Carla Soriano is a freelance food writer based in The Woodlands, TX.
Carla writes for the Houston Press’ Eating Our Words blog at:
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/author.php?author_id=3460 , and has a
food blog of her own: http://www.currentlyeating.com. When she’s not
eating, writing, or drinking beer, she manages marketing communications
and events for a local chain of three restaurants. You can find Carla on
Twitter @currentlysavvy.
Rachel Quayle Freelance Writer I'm a happy girl about town from hardly ever sunny, but always delightful,
England. I often travel across the pond to visit my parents in the
Woodlands. My Mum catalysed my passion for all things delicious. Were it
not for my weekly offering, hers would be the best roast dinner in the
world! When I'm not cooking, eating or writing about it; you will find me
and my bulldog sidekick Furkin causing trouble anywhere that sells
tequila...
Jeneba M. Wint Freelance Fashion Writer A born planner and fashionista , hails from the East Coast, specifically
P.G. County, Maryland, but now lovingly calls Houston, Texas home.
She has a B.A. in political science from Delaware State University
and an M.A. in City Planning from The Ohio State University. As the
owner & creative director of Habitually Haute Event Design, she has a
keen understanding of what makes an event special. Her style is
vintage glam and old world chic. Follow her on twitter
@hheventdesign and fan her page on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/hheventdesign . Also, you can read all about
her thoughts and musings on her blog Celebrating Life Instyle or even
book her for your next event at
http://habituallyhauteevents.com/design/
“If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul." A fitting
quote to describe Andrea and TD Williams. Together they
share a love for food and wine that forms the cornerstone of a
special relationship. By day Andrea is a Fitness Professional
and TD is an IT Consultant (a geek). Their passion for food
and wine started years ago and grew into a shared culinary
journey. Often asked about success in marriage, they say that
cooking and sharing wine together is key. With Andrea's
Italian-Lebanese heritage and her nutritional background from
the fitness profession, she has a special affinity for food. A
fantastic cook, she constantly explores new dishes and flavors
to pair with wine and share with family and friends. Drawing
from his technical background, TD loves researching details of
wine from the location and composition of vineyards to the
endless steps of the winemaking process. A Level 1
Sommelier, he shares his love of wine just kicking back with
friends or conducting tasting classes for local wine shops.
Together Andrea and TD make a great culinary couple who
love to share their passion for food and wine with friends old
and new.
Taste Magazine is proud to announce the addition of:
Andrea and TD Williams They will be heading up a new division of our magazine called:
The Williams On Wine!
They will have feature articles and design and create
some wonderful, unique events all centered around wine.
So stay tuned for more details!
Frost Bake Shoppe Article by: Wendy Lee-Anderson
I’ll be honest, Frost Bake Shoppe was originally scheduled to be in the first issue of Taste Magazine,
but at the last minute I asked them if they could wait until our June issue when we would be featuring
desserts. Thankfully, they were patient and waited until now to be featured.
Frost Bake Shoppe is owned by Terese Yates. Their first location on Woodlands Parkway opened on
April 13, 2010. Just recently, April 1, 2012 they opened their second location on The Waterway in
The Woodlands. She decided to open her first location when looking for a great place to get cakes in
the area and could not find any quality ones anywhere. She decided then and there to open the Bake
Shoppe and have yummy cupcakes , cookies and cakes available to local residents in The
Woodlands area.
For those of you that follow the shows on Food Network, Frost Bake Shoppe was selected and
chosen to be on the show Cupcake Wars. They competed head to head with three other teams on an
episode where they had to make cupcakes for the Espy Awards. Talk about pressure, creativity, and
just plain craziness. The episode reruns on The Food Network so look for it.
Frost Bake Shoppe is no stranger to being featured by local magazines, and papers, so I felt
challenged to learn things about their business that people may not know. Our meeting took place at
the new location down on The Waterway. Talk about cute. This place is absolutely beautiful.
Decorated to perfection. I sat down with Terese to learn more about her and her business.
One of my first questions was of course – what are your
most popular cupcake flavors?
Her answer with no hesitation, Strawberry and Red Velvet.
I learned during the interview that Terese is born and raised
in Texas. She is not only a fabulous female business owner
but also a mom that is involved in the community. Frost
Bake Shoppe participates in local charities, supports local
schools and has been a part of the fundraisers In The Pink,
The American Cancer Society, Bailey – Swing for Hope and
many more.
I asked her what makes Frost Bake Shoppe stand out
from other cupcake shops and bakeries?
She stated that because they are not a franchise they get to
make their own rules. They make all their baked goods
from scratch, they do not have to use a franchise companies
recipes, they get to choose what flavors to offer, their hours,
and what specials to run,
What two things can you tell me about that people may
not know about Frost?
First is that we do specialty cakes. We offer fondant cakes
and butter cream frosting. The second thing is that we hold
parties on location at our Waterway location. We do
cupcake decorating parties, wedding and baby showers and
of course birthday parties.
We also learned that the Waterway location does curbside
pickup and offer s free delivery throughout Waterway
Square.
Taste thinks that pictures are worth a million words. We
want to tease you and get you to go try out Frost Bake
Shoppe Soon. We had a great time at the shop and will be
back very soon.
Frost Bake Shoppe 6777 Woodlands Pkwy #304
The Woodlands, TX 77382
Store Hours
Monday – Saturday 9 am - 7 pm
Closed Sunday
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 281-298-7474
Our new location in the Woodlands on Waterway Ave
next to Cinemark Theaters.
Frost Bake Shoppe
25 Waterway Ave #150
The Woodlands, TX 77380
Store Hours
Monday - Thursday 10 am - 8 pm
Friday – Saturday 10 am - 8 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 8 pm
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 281-298-7375
Wicked Corkscrew Event on May 11th, 2012 Comfort Fusion Food – Korean meets - Texas BBQ meets - Vietnamese
Menu: Round 1 -Oak Smoked Pulled
Pork Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring
Roll / Confit Gulf Shrimp /
Butter Lettuce / Rice Vermicelli /
Carrot / Nuoc Cham
Round 2 -Kimchi Fried Chicken
Drumette - Local Yardbird /
Mochiko Crust / Dehydrated
Kimchi Dust / Gochugaru / Chile
Sauce / Radish Pickle
Round 3 -Smoked Salmon Wedge -
Baby Iceberg / Roasted Corn /
Heirloom Tomato / Spiced
Almond /Manchego Crisp /
Lemon Vinaigrette
Round 4 -Mini Corkscrew Taco -
Oak Smoked Pulled Pork / Green
Cabbage / Pico de Gallo / Green
Chile-Buttermilk Dressing
Taste Magazine was invited to an incredible dining event on May 11th put on
by Wicked Whisk Catering and Corkscrew BBQ. The following is a list of
what we consumed along with some wonderful photos and video. We were
honored to be a part of such a great show of culinary skills, fabulous food
and great new friends. Thank you for a wonderful evening.
Round 5 -Rare Waygu Beef Brisket Pho -
Rice Noodle / Mung Bean Sprout / Thai
Basil / Sawtooth / Jalapeno / Lime / Anise
Scented Consommé
Round 6 -Mezzo: Lychee Sorbet Push Up
Round 7 -Yellowfin Crudo - Ramp Kimchi /
Grilled Korean Pear / Black Sesame Oil /
Smoked Sea Salt
Round 8 -Waygu Beef Brisket Slider - Low
& Slow / Roasted Poblano / Habanero
Jack / Avocado / Pickled Red Onion
Round 9 -Oak Smoked Pork Shank - Cast
Iron Finished / Dehydrated Blackberry /
Pasilla Negra / Local Honey / Tellicherry
Black Pepper / Micro Cilantro
Round 10 -Peach Cobbler Ice Cream -
Nichole’s Cobbler + Space Age
Technology + Thai Basil
The Crew who pulled off this wonderful evening!
Click on the link to watch the video of the preparation of this
Fabulous dessert: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3902506763442
Photos courtesy of: http://johnwadephotography.net
To view all the photos from this wonderful event please click on the link below:
http://www.tastepublications.com/#!EVENTS/c216y
Check out Wicked Whisk at: http://wickedwhiskcatering.com/
Check out Corkscrew BBQ at: http://www.corkscrewbbq.com/
Left to right: Honey Stone, Nichole Buckman, Jay Stone, Jonathon James, Will Buckman
I had a chance to sit down with Debra Loggins,
the owner of Pie Town Café and talk about all
the wonderful pies and how Pie Town Café
came to be. Pie Town Café was opened in
2001. In October of this year they will
celebrate their 11th anniversary. The first thing
I noticed when I entered was that it took me
back in time to a wonderful feeling of a soda
shop. It had a homey feeling – made you want
to sit down and enjoy some good homemade
food.
I asked Debra how she came up with the idea
for Pie Town Café and she had a very
interesting answer. At the time, she had 3
children under age 5 and her and her husband
were driving by a new shopping center being
built called Portofino in Shenandoah, TX. She
remarked to her husband that they should open
a business in the center like an old fashioned
pie shop. Her husband agreed and they started
their journey to restaurant ownership.
After designing and decorating a beautiful,
quaint new restaurant their next move was to
find the right chef. Not just any chef, but a
great chef. Again the couple struck gold, they
found Carlos Reyes. Carlos had over twenty
years experience in the business, with a
background as a baker and dietician. Carlos
developed the recipes for a delicious pies and
has been on board for all 11 years.
Pie Town Café Article Written by: Wendy Lee-Anderson
I had a chance to ask Debra a few questions.
What are your most popular pies?
Our most popular pie is the coconut cream
pie, followed by the caramel apple pecan and
the chocolate cream. We normally carry about
thirty pies each day. During October,
November and December that number goes up
to about forty. People start calling for our
pumpkin pie only served during the holidays
on a daily basis waiting for it to hit the shelf.
What makes your pies different from say a
grocery store bought pie?
All of our pies are made from scratch. We roll
out our crusts by hand. We do not use
commercial machines to roll out the different
crusts. All of our puddings are homemade and
we use fresh fruit for all our fruit pies fillings.
Do you sell just pies?
No, actually we have a full menu of
homemade dishes. We are open for lunch and
dinner six days a week and from 12:00 pm –
6:00 pm on Sundays. We serve homemade
soups and sandwiches and we also have ice
cream available as an excellent side to your
slice of pie for dessert. We ask our guests to
keep in mind that our food is not “fast food”
everything is made to order. Everything is
fresh.
How does Pie Town help support the
community?
We are very involved in the community. We
sponsor local school and churches. We have a
teacher appreciation program and also do
fundraisers for Non-profit organizations with a
50/50 split.
If you are looking for a really neat place to
have a great meal and awesome dessert go
check out Pie Town Café. We saved the best
for last----a variety of the pies they have
available is on the next page. Don’t drool on
your keyboard!
Pumpkin Cheese Pie Peach Pie Pecan Pie
Chocolate Pecan Pie Cherry Pie Apple Pie
Caramel Apple Pecan Pie Oreo Crème Pie Coconut Crème Pie
The fabulous pies at Pie Town Café
Pie Town Café 19075 I-45, Suite 111D
Shenandoah, TX 77385
Website: http://pietown.net
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/MhkHU8
Hours: Mon - Thu: 10:30 am - 8:30 pm
Fri - Sat:10:30 am - 9:00 pm
Sun: 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Taste Magazine Invites you to join:
Lunch with Taste is a bi-weekly lunch group that gets together for fun to eat at restaurants
featured in Taste Magazine. We meet on different days of the week to try and have as
many people to attend as possible. This is a free group. Join us on Facebook to keep up
with all of our events.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/255905054504620/members/
Upcoming Events for June 2012
We are celebrating Burgers
for our upcoming July issue.
Wednesday – June 6th, 2012 1:00 PM
3B’s - Bills Burgers and Beer
466 Rayford Road Suite 107
Spring, TX 77386
Friday- June 22nd, 2012 1:00 PM
Mel’s Country Café
24814 Stanolind Rd
Tomball, TX 77385
The Dominic’s Mud, available only at Pallotta’s Italian Grill, is a dessert that is an ice
cream, cookie and candy bar junkies dream. This dessert will satisfy your sweet tooth and
make your taste buds say “Wow!” This dessert is probably illegal in 50 States, so I am
glad to live in the great State of Texas where I can get this over the top frozen creation. I
actually think long time Pallotta’s customers would riot in the streets of Oak Ridge if they
ever decided to take it off the menu and I would lead the rebellion. I am surprised
somebody has not written and dedicated a song to the Dominc’s Muds.
Here is what Phil Nicosia Owner of Pallotta’s had to say about this sinful dessert.
Describe what is in the Dominic’s Muds?
4 layers of Mocha Almond Fudge ice cream, with chunks of Butterfinger candy bar in
between each layer, hot fudge and hot peanut butter drizzled throughout each layer and on
top, with a Nutter Butter and Oreo Cookie crust.
How in the world did this creation of this decadent dessert come to life?
Story goes that Dominic, George Pallotta's youngest son, would go in their home kitchen
at night and make a bowl of ice cream with cut up Butterfingers, crumbled Nutter Butters,
hot fudge, and peanut butter. George liked his creation so much that he created the
Dominic's Muds.
The Best Dessert in The Woodlands and Surrounding Areas
Article written by: Nick Rama
http://diningoutwithnickhouston.com
I heard the Dominic’s Muds has a very intense process to make, will you explain the
process?
It starts with thirty-Six gallons of ice cream, which comes from a specialty ice cream
vendor. We open hundreds of individual packages of Nutter Butter cookies and grind
them down to a fine texture, we then grind down over 50 LBS of Oreo cookies. Next we
unwrap and hand cut over 300 individual bars (over 8 cases) of Butterfinger candy bars
to varied small pieces. Melt down large quantities of hot fudge and peanut butter, just to
create our masterpiece!
This dessert has a strong following; I know a couple that comes to Pallotta’s every
year on their anniversary just to eat it. How long has it been on your menu and
how long does it take to prepare?
For almost 18 years, the Dominic's Muds has been sold as our signature dessert. We
make 12 large containers at a time, which produces 180 portions. It takes 3 people over
4 hours to make these 12 containers. We make Muds typically every month. That's a lot
of muds!
I noticed that you now offer different sizes of the Muds, and I am glad you do, the
original portion was just too much for date night. What are the new portions and
how much are they?
We now offer Dominic's Muds for 2 in a half size and have also offered Dominic's Muds
as a mini treat on caterings and banquets.
The Original Dominic's Muds...$10.99 (feeds 4-5 people)
Dominic's Muds for 2...$6.59 (feeds 2-3 people)
Mini Muds...$2.50 (offered for caterings and banquets) /
How would you describe Dominic’s Muds in 5 words?
Insanely delicious, indulgent, untouchable, rewarding, satisfying, comforting, impressive,
enough to share, worthwhile, chocolaty, peanut buttery, happy belly, homemade, unique,
nothing like it, exciting, that damn good...5 words are just not enough to describe it!!!
Pallotta’s Italian Grill LOCATION:
27606 I-45 North - Conroe TX 77385
(across the freeway from The Woodlands Mall in the Woodridge
shopping center)
281.364.9555
HOURS:
Sunday 10:57 am to 9:03 pm
Monday-Saturday 10:57am to 10:03pm
WEBSITE :
http://www.pallottasitaliangrill.com
Mini Muds
Hands Across Texas (HAT) is an organization dedicated to helping our community and
fellow Texans with unforeseen life changes. Our goal is to give relief to those that are
in need and help rebuild lives. Started by Scott Thompson and joined by the board of
directors, Nick Rama, Kendra Kinney Hartzo, Sandie Mathis-Sherman, Amy Lamb,
Jennifer Headlee, Melony Moore Berryman, Melody Moore, Kevin Eaves and our
latest addition Angie Gerstler.
We are excited to be hosting a benefit for the Schuchardt family, the family that lost a
mother, wife, daughter, and friend on April 17th, 2012. She was shot while trying to
prevent her three-day old baby Keegan from being kidnapped. Hands Across Texas
(HAT) and The Barnabas Society (TBS) a 501(c)3 non profit society invites you to
come out and enjoy The New 93Q, some good Texas BBQ, live music on two stages,
live & silent auctions, raffle & 50/50 drawings, kids activities, and so much more! The
benefit will be on Sunday, June 10th at Papa’s Ice House. Their address is 314 Pruitt
Road, Spring, TX, and will be held from 12:00 noon until 9:00 PM.
On the menu that day we will be serving BBQ plates consisting of brisket, sausage,
beans and potato salad for $10.00 per plate (includes one meat, two sides) or $15.00
per plate (includes two meat, two sides), and $5.00 sausage on a stick. We will also
offer hot dogs and pizza. Kids packages will be offered for $10.00, which will include
either a hot dog or a slice of pizza, a drink and three activities for them to enjoy. We
will sell additional tickets for kids activities for $2.00 each or 3/ $5.00. The kids
activities include: Moonwalks, Clowns, face painting, balloon popping game, dunking
booth, popcorn, and snow cone machines.
Taste Magazine is proud to help promote a
great group of people that make up Hands
Across Texas. The following, is information
about Hands Across Texas and a very special
event they are holding on June 10, 2012.
Hands Across Texas
Schuchardt Family Benefit Concert Article written by: Nick Rama
http://diningoutwithnickhouston.com
The many generous sponsors for this event include: 93Q, AV Discounters of Houston, The
Barnabas Society, Best Friends Vets, Big Texas Saloon, CC’s Café, Chili’s, Cisco Systems,
Cisco’s Salsa Company, Comcast, Corkscrew BBQ, Corset Boutique, Churrascos, Cynthia
Woods Mitchell Pavilion, Creative Memories, Disc Pro Printing, Donoho Jewelers, Elegant
Beginnings, Esigns.com, Eyemasters (soon to be Visionworks)- Tomball, Dr. Tammie Hicks
of Master Eye Associates Tomball, Flemings Steakhouse, Fuller's Vintage Guitar, Gigi’s
Cupcakes, Grotto, Gun Dog Supply, Halo Promotions, Houston Grand Opera, Houston
Symphony, John Wade Photography, Josie Drenner Photography, La Torreta Del Lago,
Locatellis Pizza, Messinhof Winery, Nook Grill, Office Dynamics, Orvis, Pallotta’s Italian,
Papa's Ice House, Pit Row BBQ, Rib Tickler, Rios Fence Company, Ron Carter Clear Lake,
Sawdust Mountain, Schwann, Sembera Security Systems Inc., Sun Coast Resources, Taste
Magazine Publications, The Exchange Club Of The Woodlands, Viva Iticate Bakery,
Walmart-Tomball, Woodlands Resort & Conference Center, Westin La Canterra, Whistle Stop
Tea Room, Wrights Printing.
Please contact Nick Rama to donate silent auction items or with any additional questions or
information by posting on the Hands Across Texas Facebook page or email him at:
The bands we have booked for this event are all donating their time. Where can you go to
hear this much good live music anymore? We have booked the following musicians/bands:
Buck Yeager Band, Placid Blue, Sundance Head, DunVille, Douglas Reid and the Hyred
Guns, Presley Lewis, John Loring, Clayton Gardner, Andrew Wade Band, Steven Chase &
The Lost Souls, Mandi Powell, Susan Hickman, Jeremy Bankhead, Dewey Wayne, Josh
Fuller, Philip Griffin Band, Mark Jones & Twenty Paces, Jonathan Mitchell Band, Dallas
Brading, Daniel Holmes, Kevin Calahan, Mike Amabile, Dusty Neuman, Heather Rayleen,
Bryan Shayne, TreynWrek, Lone Star Hippie and Outlaw Lynn & Who's Drivin. If you have
any questions, you can reach Scott on Facebook or email, which is:
Please Like us on Facebook: Hands Across Texas
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hands-Across-Texas/134737216628426?ref=ts
Hands Across Texas 1481 Sawdust Road #920
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281-229-3571
Check out the video for this event at:
http://bit.ly/NqapOf
EURO BAKERY & CAFÉ Article written by: Nick Rama
http://diningoutwithnickhouston.com
Owned and operated by New York transplants Amjad &
Dimitra Khan, who moved to Texas from Queens, NY
where Dimitra was born and raised, Euro Bakery & Café
opened in December 2009, because Dimitra’s dream was
to open a New York style “hole in the wall” bakery.
Started mainly as a bakery with some sandwiches and
soups. When customers found out Dimitra was of Greek
decent they began asking for Greek Food. Dimitra and
Amjad decided to start adding Greek fare like Pastitsio,
Filet Mignon and Chicken Souvlaki and Moussaka, to go
along with their famous Pita Chips and Tzatziki sauce.
Since they already had the Tzatziki sauce, Gyros were a
natural next menu item. The hardest decision you will
have walking into Euro Bakery is contemplating which
dessert you are going to have out of their three cases as
you enter this quaint little restaurant/bakery.
Here are some of the questions and answers from sitting
down with the delightful couple:
Where did the inspiration for your recipes come from?
The recipes we use are family recipes with Dimitra’s twist
on them. Dimitra loves to cook and bake and is addicted
to the Food Network cooking shows. We moved to Texas
and all the baked goods we could find here in the area
tasted very commercial and processed, like Costco, Sam’s
and the super markets. We could not find the quality &
ingredients that we were spoiled with by all the small New
York bakeries we were used to visiting.
Do you do special occasions cakes?
Yes, we are known for all of our chocolate cakes, people
say the Chocolate Decadence (Layers of our rich chocolate
cake, filled with French chocolate buttercream, iced with
chocolate ganache with the side dipped in chocolate
sprinkles) is the best they have ever eaten. Our cakes start
at $32.99 and can be customized for any occasion.
Since this issue is all about desserts and that is what
made you all famous, my favorite dessert here is the
Galaktoboureko, tell us what that is and also what
are your best selling desserts?
The Galaktoboureko is layers of phyllo filled with a
creamy semolina pudding and soaked in honey syrup.
We sold 239 whole ones Thanksgiving week; it is as
authentic as you can get down here. We have excellent
Baklava and traditional Greek Cookies like
Kourambiedes (Greek Almond) Koulourakia (Greek
Butter), Melomakarouna (Greek Honey Dipped). We
also do many Italian Cookies like you will find in NY,
Italian Rainbow Cookies, Butter Cookies, Jam Filled,
Chocolate filled, Florentines and Italian Amaretti to
name a few. We have a strong following on our
Chocolate Decadence cake and our Apple Pie is made
with a Shortbread cookie top. Napoleans (traditional,
apricot and raspberry) and my famous lemon bars and
fudge covered brownies to name a few best sellers.
Euro Bakery has something called “Frozen Hot
Chocolate”, describe what that it is exactly?
It is an icy frothy drink made with lots of Belgian
Chocolate shavings, ice, and a little milk, topped with
whipped cream. We take a 15lb European chocolate
bar and shave them off by hand, you will not find
Hershey bars anywhere near this establishment.
Available in four flavors: Euro (which is semi-sweet
and dark chocolate mixed), Dark, White and Mocha.
Our Frozen Hot Chocolate is truly like you are
drinking a fine imported chocolate bar and is such a
great summer dessert, it is out of this world!
I love mom and pop restaurants because the
quality is usually better, seems you take pride in
what you serve here, tell me more about that?
Everything here is made from scratch with the highest
quality ingredients we can find, eggs, butter, flour…
only ”real food”. We eat everything here, our kids eat
here and we tell our cooks/chefs if you are not
comfortable feeding the food you are about to serve
to your own family, don’t serve it to our guest. We
even have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options
on our lunch menu.
5 words to describe Euro Bakery and Café?
Homemade, delicious, family, unique and Greek!
EURO BAKERY & CAFE
LOCATION:
5010 Louetta Rd.
Spring, TX 77379
Phone: (281) 257-3023
HOURS:
MON-SAT 10AM – 9PM
WEBSITE : www.eurobakery-cafe.com/
FACEBOOK: http://on.fb.me/LQmxss
Photos courtesy of: http://johnwadephotography.net
TEX MEX AND THE CITY By: Rachel Quayle
Approximately 5250 miles away from where you
are sat, I am drinking a mug of tea. Penning my
thoughts in a Union Jack notebook whilst my
British bulldog snores on my lap. As far as clichés
go, I’m not doing myself any favours. For five
years now, this self-confessed food snob, has bi-
annually made the 12-hour journey from my
beloved England, to visit my parents in The
Woodlands, TX. Each time I come with a mission:
1. To rope me a cowboy.
2. To eat as much red meat as humanly possible.
3. To properly educate you, my dear American
cousins, on the universal inaccuracies
surrounding your renaming of the humble
‘chip’ to ‘French fry’. More on that another
time.
When I first arrived, hungry and naïve. I
was frankly disappointed. Looking back at
my first trip five years ago, I shudder to
think how narrow minded I was about the
local cuisine. In fairness however, the
appearance of chain after chain, a P.F Changs
here, a Cheesecake Factory there, had dashed
my expectations of cowboy cookouts. All
adequate eating establishments, but nothing
that reflected the true gourmet potential of
your wonderful corner of Texas, and the
passion for locally sourced produce that I
know you residents have.
Disheartened doesn’t begin to describe the
way I felt. That is until we stumbled across
Mel’s Country Café in Tomball. This
ramshackle building in the middle of
nowhere is a small slice of food heaven.
From their famous ‘Mega Mel Burger’,
(which basically consists of a whole cow
slapped between a bun) to their humble
home cooked catfish suppers. All their meals
are fresh, local, simple, tasty Texas food for
the soul. It was the ‘Monte Cristo’ however
that truly inspired me. http://www.melscountrycafe.com/
A triple layer sandwich with ham, turkey and Swiss
cheese, battered and deep-fried. Served with
powdered sugar and raspberry sauce’. This was the
cardiac arrest on a plate I had been waiting for. As
Mel’s food got to work clogging up my arteries, I
also felt it giving my belly a hug from the inside out.
This institution that has been in the Weirich family
since 1977, is a great place to take visitors. May they
be from across the pond like I, or just down the road
in Spring. Just remind them to leave their belts at
home.
I left Houston content and eager for more
gastronomic treats. Let it be said now, that The
Woodlands never fails to disappoint. My personal
favourite establishment may shock you, fine reader,
being as this carnivore of epic proportions is about
to whole heartedly recommend Uni Sushi on Market
street. I normally only gorge on a meal that has
mooed, quacked or oinked its way into the frying
pan. Personally, being the patriotic Brit that I am, I
enjoy my fish, deep-fried with a side of mushy peas.
Sushi is relatively new to the north of England, and
is nowhere near as popular as my old friend the beer
battered cod. Which is why visitors to the area, find
the idea of raw fish, novel and delicious. This gem
of a restaurant, offers the usual rolls, nigiri and
sashimi, along with a whole host of fusion items that
don’t fail to delight. The lobster Macaroni cheese is
a triumph in culinary exploration! The crunchy
panko crust hides creamy elbow pasta that has been
delicately kissed with jalapeno, and staggeringly
sweet chunks of lobster make their beds among the
tasty tubes. My personal favourite item on the menu
is the ‘spicy chopped scallop’ served with roe and
thinly sliced scallions over ice. These pearls of
flavour explode in your mouth like lightly spiced
bombs. The only thing stopping me from picking up
the bowl and pouring it down my throat in one, was
my reduced hand eye coordination that I attribute to
their phenomenal yet lethal ‘lychee and Saki
martinis’. But ladies, leave the children at home. Uni
is sexy and sumptuous, not family friendly. Besides,
all parental respect is lost once your kid has
witnessed you stab your partner with a chopstick for
the last ‘tempura Oreo’... (foodgasm). http://www.unisushiwoodlands.com
Burger from Mel’s Country Café
Honourable mentions go to my fellow Europeans
setting up shop in and around The Woodlands. From
the triumph in home cooked family style Italian
dining you will find at Capri. (In my opinion, this
small restaurant in Spring, offers the most authentic
pasta dishes this side of the Mediterranean.) To the
formidable fine dining experience at Chez Nous.
The five star establishment is nestled between
houses in the domestic suburb of Humble. Their rack
of lamb with port jus haunts my dreams until I wake
up salivating and disappointed.
The best little gem I found in The Woodlands is the
Gourmet Bakery and Café on Woodlands Parkway.
The breads and pastries made fresh daily usually sell
out by 1 p.m. But it’s their palmiers that have me
inventing reasons to venture into their neck of the
woods at such ghastly hours of the morning. These
crisp sugary buttery hearts are the most addictive
food I have found. (apart from that special brownie
at college, but we wont go into that.) Whenever I am
stood at the check in desk at George Bush
International, it is always with a lump in my throat
and a tear in my eye. I well up at the thought of
having to leave my lovely mum and dad yet again;
but only do the tears cascade when I remember that
there is no palmier substitute waiting for me back in
Blighty, and it will be a whole six months before my
sweet tooth is satisfied.
I cannot bear writing an article about food in The
Woodlands without mentioning Corkscrew
Barbecue. If you’ve not already been you must have
been living under a rock. I am not going to say
much, as this institution on Budde Road has to be
tasted to be believed. Eating at the exemplar Texas
BBQ is without shadow of a doubt my favourite way
to lapse into a meat coma. You simply cannot call
yourself a foodie until you have tried the pulled pork
tacos, or the chicken, or the ribs, or the brisket or the
cobbler. In fact just stop what you are doing and go
there now or may the gastro gods smite you down
and force you to eat under the golden arches of
doom forevermore.
http://cheznousfrenchrestaurant.com
http://www.capri-pasta.com/
http://www.thewoodlandsgourmetbakery.com
http://www.corkscrewbbq.com
There are so many more places I’d like to mention.
Kudos to Americas, Cru, the Tappas Bar [sic] and
Becks Prime. However it’s four o’clock on a rare
sunny Sunday here in England, and I haven’t been to
the pub yet, which I’m sure is a crime.
But thank you to The Woodlands for teaching me
some invaluable lessons. Most notably that if you
ask a man if that’s a gun in his pocket or he’s just
pleased to see you, it probably is a gun. But also,
that BBQ should be treated like a religion, that
dieting is not an option, and never to settle ever, for
frozen microwaved genetically modified chain
rubbish when there are so many better local family
run and downright tastier alternatives that need our
constant support. Use ‘em or lose ‘em guys! But I
still have a lot more to gain from The Woodlands, I
haven’t yet found the perfect Texas steak, (all
suggestions welcome) nor have I found that elusive
cowboy either (ditto). So it looks like I’ll be eating
with y’all again soon!
Rachel Quayle enjoying
A Lone Star beer.
Business Spotlight Mom’s Secret Chef
Article by: Wendy Lee-Anderson
Mom’s Secret Chef is run by a brother and sister team of Julia and Eric Ward. They
have been running the operation for six years. Opening Mom’s Secret Chef happened
purely by chance. The business was originally owned by someone else and Julia had
stopped by and learned that they were going to close down or sell. She spoke to her
brother and they both agreed this was a great opportunity and decided to go for it.
Julia started her career during the dot.com craze. She lived and worked in the San
Jose, CA area. She planned many corporate events for the company she worked for
and after the dot.com crash she relocated to Washington, DC where she ran several
dessert stores. Her cookies and homemade desserts were a huge hit. Eric also has a
background in the dot.com business but then followed his passion to cooking. He
prepares most of the entrees while Julia focuses on the desserts.
Mom’s Secret Chef is the answer for the nightly
question "What's for Dinner?" Their menu changes
weekly so you can serve a wide variety of dishes
with the ease of just heating them up. No messy
kitchen, no dirty pots and pans. Best sellers include
King Ranch Chicken, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas,
Meatloaf, beefy Cheese Macaroni and Chicken
Pot Pies Need a yummy dessert to finish off a great
meal, they have you covered; from homemade
brownies, to cake pops to cakes. pies and cobbler.
The prices of the entrees average to about $4 - $6
per person.
Mom’s Secret Chef is an excellent solution for
work at home moms, stay at home moms with busy
schedules, empty nesters and people that are
homebound. They have many customers that
come and pick up food for families that just had a
baby, friend or family that have an illness or death,
and people recovering from surgery. It is a great
gift to help out a busy family, new mom, or family
member that can’t get out or cook.
When asked if they plan on expanding they said
they made the decision to expand their business by
adding delivery on Wednesdays. They offer a
special meal for the delivery but feel free to add on
extra entrees to stock up your freezer for quick
meals for when you are on the go. They also do
deliveries to businesses with orders of 20 large
entrees or more.
Mom’s Secret Chef uses the freshest of ingredients.
They shop from local area markets and merchants
and only use fresh produce. They only purchase as
needed so they have very little waste. They can
cater for small to large gatherings, company
picnics, weddings and graduation and birthday
parties. They ask that you call to discuss your event
and minimums may apply.
Mom’s Secret Chef 5135 FM 1488 Rd.
Magnolia, TX 77354
Hours:
Monday-Thursday 10AM - 6PM
Friday 10AM - 3PM
Saturday By Appointment
Sunday Closed
Phone: 281-259-0040
Website: http://www.momssecretchef.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/K40Oc7
Crazy for Cupcakes Written & Photographed by: Carla Soriano
They’re sweet. They’re small. They’re
expensive. They come topped with colorful
sprinkles, pieces of fruit, candies, assorted nuts,
and slivers of chocolate, among other things.
They’re a little tricky to eat. They are a little big
phenomenon called cupcakes.
While they’ve been in existence since the 18th
century, the cupcake industry in the U.S. took off in
1996, with the opening of Magnolia Bakery in New
York’s bustling Greenwich Village. The
neighborhood bakery quickly made a name for
itself with its mini vanilla cakes topped with pink-
hued vanilla buttercream icing. So much so, that in
1999 the owners published a cupcake recipe book
entitled The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook: Old-
Fashioned Recipes from New York’s Sweetest
Bakery.
Shortly thereafter (beginning in 2005), the bakery
made appearances in quintessential American TV
shows Saturday Night Live and Sex in the City. In
2006, Magnolia Bakery appeared in the movie The
Devil Wears Prada.
In the summer of 2010, cupcakes were further cast
into the spotlight via wildly popular reality
television shows Cupcake Wars and DC Cupcakes .
The celebrity queen of crafts and domesticity,
Martha Stewart , also put out a cupcake cookbook
in that same year.
Pop culture may have instigated cupcakes’ rise in
popularity but the sweet delicacies’ continued
acclaim is most likely due to the fact that they’re
highly likeable – and not just because they’re
delicious.
Hubbell & Hudson
Gigi’s Cupcakes
To begin with, cupcakes’ small size makes them easy to
eat – whether it’s on the go, at a party, or on the living
room couch. There’s no fuss to eating them. Simply
remove the disposable paper cup it comes in, take a couple
of bites and voila! They’re gone, and you’re pleased and
you’re done. Isn’t convenience king?
Another one of cupcakes’ strong suits is that they’re apt for
eating by one person just the same as they’re apt for
feeding 100 people. If only one person is involved, the
diner can choose the flavor of their liking without feeling
obligated to ask the opinion of his or her dining
companions in order to please everyone. And if there’s a
group of 100 planning to eat cupcakes, everyone can pick
their favorite flavor. Plus, no one will have to share,
nothing will have to be sliced, and the resulting mess will
be relatively small. The same cannot be said for other
popular desserts like cakes and pies.
Speaking of flavors, the extremely wide variety of flavors
that cupcakes come in is almost uncanny. If you’ve
thought of a cool flavor combination, chances are it
already exists. From syrup filled cupcakes to edible
flower-topped cupcakes to booze-infused cupcakes, the
possibilities are pretty much endless. Definitely another
factor that adds to their likeability.
Last but not least, aren’t cupcakes oh-so-cute? If mere
looks could take people to heaven, cupcakes would be the
biggest culprit of sending people to heaven. Their colors,
toppings, and intricate decorations are enough to consider
cupcakes works of art. This is precisely why any occasion
that includes cupcakes is instantly turned into a festive
occasion.
With so many reasons to love cupcakes, one thing is for
sure: the cupcake craze is here to stay!
Frost Bake Shop Gigi’s Cupcakes
Enjoying a bite at
Frost Bake Shop
Enjoying another bite
at Frost Bake Shop
Are you crazy for cupcakes?
Here are some local spots where you
can get your fix:
The Cupcakery Market Street-The Woodlands
9595 Six Pines Drive, Suite 960
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
281.298.2889
www.thecupcakery.com
Frost Bake Shoppe (see article on page 8) 6777 Woodlands Pkwy #304
The Woodlands, TX 77382
281.298.7474
25 Waterway Ave #150
The Woodlands, TX 77380
281.298.7375
www.frostbakeshoppe.com
Gigi’s Cupcakes 4747 Research Forest Dr. #150
The Woodlands, TX 77382
281.651.5637
www.gigiscupcakesusa.com
Hubbell & Hudson Market The Woodlands Waterway
24 Waterway Ave. #125
The Woodlands, Texas 77380
281.203.5600
www.hubbellandhudson.com
Out of This World Cakes & Cupcakes 4711 Louetta Rd. #101
Spring, TX 77388
281.719.8871
www.outofthisworldcakes.com
Treat (see article on page 42) 126 Vintage Park Blvd.
Houston, TX 77070
281.251.0016
www.treat-cupcakes.com
Photo taken at:
The Cupcakery
Treat! Cupcakes –Vintage Park Article written by: Nick Rama
http://diningoutwithnickhouston.com
Treat! is owned by Shar Ron Aaron and Shirley Sembritzky, both of whom have a background in both
the food industry and customer service. Shar Ron and Shirley decided to open this delightful cupcake
shop because they saw a line wrapped around a cupcake shop across town. They tried the cupcakes there
and decided they could do much better. Treat! offers 18 flavors of cupcakes daily, made from scratch,
not including the breakfast offerings available at 8am (Maple Bacon cupcakes, Blueberry Cream Cheese
muffins and Jalapeno Cheddar scones). In addition to their cupcakes, they have Sugar Cookies, Cake
Pops and Pup Cakes for your doggie (honey, molasses, peanut butter and carrot) perfectly blended into a
gourmet treat for your four-legged friend.
I sat down with Shar Ron and Shirley to learn how they built their dream business and here is what they
had to say:
What sets you apart from all the other Cupcake businesses around town?
We only use the finest ingredients available; we buy from businesses like Swiss Chalet. Only the top of
the line goes into our cupcakes: European butter, Madagascar vanilla and European chocolates. We
make fresh lemon and lime curd, fresh strawberry & raspberry jam, and even our marshmallow crème
are hand made in the mornings which takes hours to prepare. Treat! serves European style coffee which
is brewed one cup at a time and only as ordered. We do this by having 13 full time employees.
What is your business philosophy for your
shop?
Shirley and Shar Ron came from working at
Champions Golf Club. Their job was taking
care of the customers needs and knowing what
they wanted. We lived and worked with a
famous golfer, Jack Burke, he told us to “Buy
the best you can buy and try not to screw it
up” and treat your business and customers like
“Everyday is Grand Opening day”. We live
those words everyday. Mr. Burke has really
been an inspiration. When we opened,
Vintage Park was 90% vacant, our friends and
members of Champions Golf Club really
paved the way to our success by their
patronage.
What are some of your best sellers? My
favorite is the Rocky Road Cupcake?
Key Lime, Chocolate Lovers, Tiramisu, 24KT
(carrot cake)…we have so many repeat
customers that have their favorites, that is the
reason we have 18 flavors featured daily.
Tell me about some of the special
events/caterings you have done.
We have done many weddings, birthday
parties and special events; recently we did a
special peanut butter and chocolate cupcake
for the Vince Young Youth Charity. We did
the Guess anniversary party at the Galleria
and the unveiling of the new Porsche 911.
We’ve also done events for Toys for Tots and
600 cupcakes for the Susan G. Komen kickoff
party.
Freshness seems to be something Treat!
strives for, what happens when you bake
too much?
We bake everything fresh daily, at the end of
the night we will donate to local charities,
hospitals and fire stations. We would never
sell a day old cupcake here!
You have a staff of 13, impressive for a small business, tell
me about how this makes you successful?
Jenny Black is our head Baker and Kitchen Manager; we also
have two additional interesting bakers one from Venezuela
and one from Trinidad who both ran bakeries in their
homelands. We also have two more bakers that have
extensive baking backgrounds in Houston.
Gigi, who is usually up front, has a fan base of regular
customers. Jordan is our youngest and is so dependable.
Kaylin we hired because she has a great personality and she
is tall and can reach all the shelves that we can’t (laughs)!
We also have Ashley who is a Jack of all Trades and has been
with Treat from the beginning. Everyone is like our family.
5 words to describe Treat! Cupcakes?
Awesome, Quality, Family, Best and Home.
Treat! Cupcakes
LOCATION:
126 Vintage Park Boulevard
Houston, TX 77070
281.251.0016
HOURS:
MON-WED 8AM – 8PM
THUR-SAT 8AM – 9PM
WEBSITE :
www.treat-cupcakes.com/
Photos courtesy of: http://johnwadephotography.net
Kitty Kat, ID: A171073
Female, Corgi/Basenji Mix, 45-50
lbs 9-10 months Intake: 09/07/11
INQUIRIES: EMAIL
with ID
ABOUT ME: Kitty Kat came to
shelter in early Sept and was about 3
months old then. She has spent most
of her childhood at the shelter. This
girl has most likley never been in a
home. She has grown up to be a
bigger girl, about 45-50 lbs, and she
really knows nothing but the shelter
life. She is heart worm negative and
has been spayed.
June’s
Available Pets
Maya, ID: A180148 (DIAMOND IN
THE RUFF - reduced adoption fee)
Female, Flat-Coated Retriever mix
Intake: 2/20/2012
INQUIRIES: EMAIL
[email protected] with
ID
ABOUT ME: Maya is very calm. She
knows basic commands and is an
absolutely sweet dog. Really love this
dog!
June’s
Available Pets
Rambo, ID: A181456 (MCAS
PURRL - reduced adoption fee)
Male, Domestic Shorthair, 1 year old
Intake: 2/18/2012
INQUIRIES: EMAIL
with ID
FEES: $80 for dogs, $70 for cats, $25
for long-term dogs (Diamonds in the
Ruff) and cats (MCAS Purrls) at the
shelter more than 60 days.
INCLUDED: Costs for spay/neuter
surgery, vaccinations, de-worming,
and micro-chipping (microchip
included with full-price adoptions
only, available for $25 with
discounted adoptions). Adult dogs
have been tested for heartworms and
cats have been given a feline
leukemia test.
Lucky, ID: A178771 (MCAS
PURRL - reduced adoption fee)
Spayed female, Russian Blue mix,
3 years old Intake: 1/8/2012
INQUIRIES: EMAIL
with ID
Click here for my LOLz image:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.ph
p?fbid=371129162927066
MORE PHOTOS:
All packed up and ready to go
home!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.ph
p?fbid=362485037124812
----> Visit our website for our latest
ADOPTION SPECIALS:
http://www.mcaspets.org/adoption-
specials.html
Summer 2012 Bridal Spotlight
Taste Magazine’s Top Ten Wedding Trends of 2012
From décor to cakes to dresses and more
And Habitually Haute Event Design’s
6 Haute Tips To Help You Cut Reception Costs
Photo Credit: Liz Banfield
Number 1: Pink! All hues of pink are hot for summer 2012 weddings.
Taste Magazine’s Top Ten Wedding Trends of 2012
Photo Credit: Victor Sizemore Photography
Number 2: Outdoor Chandeliers
Having an outdoor wedding? If so, add an outdoor chandelier for a spectacular touch of romance.
Top Left: Monique Lhuillier Spring 2012. Top Right: Manuel Moto 2012
Collection. Middle Right: Sassi Hollford 2012 Collection. Bottom Right: Rosa
Clara Spring 2012 Collection. Bottom Left: ‘Bernadine’ by Maggie Sotter.
Number 3: Illusion Neckline Gowns
Gowns are much more modest this year. Following the trend of the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
http://www.arome-flowers.com/wedding-flowers-gallery5.html
Number 4: Peonies Wedding Bouquets
Peonies come in a wide varieties of colors. They make a gorgeous wedding bouquet of all different shades.
http://www.irisartdesigns.com
Number 5: Storyboard Wedding Invitations
Looking for a new twist on wedding invitations? Try a storyboard invitation to surprise your guests.
http://www.goodthingsweddingfavors.com
Number 6: Eco-Friendly Favors
Re-nu, Re-use and Recycle are in for 2012 These favors are a sure hit for the eco-friendly bridal couple.
http://www.saycheeseforfun.com They have an office in the Houston area.
Number 7: Photo Booths
So much fun! Rent a photo booth complete with props for your guests and bridal party to make some great memories.
Number 8: Metallic and Colorful
Wedding Cakes
Silver and Gold and Bling! So pretty. Also wonderful pops of color are another way to show your style.
Images courtesy of: Kristi’s Cakery located in Spring, TX
http://www.facebook.com/#!/kristiscakery
Photo courtesy of Project Wedding
Herbs used in table decorations, centerpieces or just a touch here and
there are popular for Summer 2012 weddings.
http://heart-of-light.blogspot.com/2010/11/super-simple-printable-napkin-rings.html
Number 9: Herbal Touches
Photo Credit: Annie McElwain
Number 10: Local Food Sourcing and
Wine Pairings
Caterers are using local ingredients to make fresh and simple meals.
Gourmet enthusiasts are pairing each course with a different wine.
Habitually Haute Event Design’s 6 Haute Tips To Help You Cut Reception Costs
Article by: Jeneba Wint of Habiltually Haute Event Design
•Yes, Your Event Needs A Theme! It will save
you time and money and you will be less likely
to spend money on things you don’t need!
Choosing a theme will often help determine the
venue for your event. A Rustic Chic Wedding
Theme will be best showcased at a barn or a
ranch, whereas a hotel ballroom is perfect for a
Classic White Wedding. Choosing a theme,
cuts down on decorating costs and unnecessary
purchases by narrowing down options and
creating structure. A theme allows you can
build your event around the décor rather than
molding a venue to the theme you've chosen.
For example, find an elaborately decorated
ethnic restaurant, and then provide the
musicians and entertainers for a Mediterranean
themed event. Your décor, menu, and
aesthetics, are already taken care in one simple
decision, which equals less headache!
•No Frills? Skip the fancy linen vendor and
instead use the house linens for tables at your
event (Yeah, I know, but hear me out). Add
some luxe and ornate details, such as, detailed
fine china with beaded charger plates;
statement gold or black flatwear; goblets;
elaborate centerpieces with lush florals;
statement runner; gorgeous napkins and DIY
personalized napkin rings; and lots and lots of
candle light (did I already mention candlelight
is a must for any event) with added vintage
glam candlestick holders !! Fabulously Haute
& Effortless Gorgeous!!
•It’s All About The Season! Choose the date, day of
the week, and season for your reception wisely.
Certain times of the year in certain parts of the country
will cost more than others. Also, if you are looking to
stick to your budget, have your reception on a Friday
or Sunday. It will save you a couple thousand dollars
on your venue and with your vendors. Stay away from
summer and fall months to avoid price hikes!
Keep Those Florals To a Minimum And Buy In
Season! Make the most of your flowers, RECYCLE
!!! There is no reason that the flowers used at the
ceremony can't be displayed at the reception. When
deciding on flowers, ask your floral designer to create
complimentary arrangements for both the ceremony
and reception, so that blooms and arrangements can be
interchanged as needed. Always check with your
florists or floral designer to find out about in-season
blooms that match your reception theme and color
palette.
Dress Fit For A Queen? It is your wedding day and
you are supposed to look your absolute best, but that
doesn’t mean you should break the bank! Today, there
are so many options to keep you fabulous on your big
day on a budget: Search the web for a sample sale in
your area; Find a local bridal consignment boutique; or
Borrow or rent a dress, Check out a site like Rent The
Runway for haute rental bridal and evening wear.
To DIY or Not To DIY? Yes, you should DIY for
your wedding creating, custom and personalized
favors, décor, or even centerpieces. Have a plan and
recruit creative and crafty family members & friends.
Remember, this is not the time to think you are a
carpenter, audio visual professional, nor a caterer.
Stick to what you know and feel confident doing! Your
love and passion will shine through your fabulous
home made goods and your guests will feel the love!
Think photo collages , candles and holders, or table
numbers.
Coming Next Month
Burgers
For The Dogs
Nail Fashions
Business Spotlight: Trader Joes
Opening June 15, 2012
Thank you for reading Taste Magazine North Houston.
See you in July!
Taste Publications
http://tastepublications.com