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Chill the Shrimp, Damnit!
So if you’re hosting a cocktail party, the last thing you want to do is poison your guests, right? Perhaps not everyone is aware that shellfish and seafood should be kept chilled (on ice or a chiller), not set out at room temperature. Don’t believe me? Look it up. If it has been out for more than 2 hours, be warned.
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Hopfields Gastropub in Midtown.
First and foremost, if you try to find this place coming from the South, don’t listen to your car’s navigation. The restaurant is not anywhere close to where you’re told to go. However, where it tells you to go, park immediately if you can find a spot! Once you’re out of the car, walk to the Northeast corner of the building and you’ll be right where you should be. I loved the bar menu. The cocktails were superb, albeit a tad sweet for me. Our table dined on a variety of entrees; the mussels were excellent, the steak as well and the pasta dish all received high marks. Of course, the…
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A Changing SOLA: Welcome “EL Burro”
Bwahhaaaa… the place is already closed and gone. Awaiting the next iteration. Last month, South Lamar (SOLA) lost a 15+/- year old dining establishment. A a “cheap and cheerful” go-to spot called La Feria. It wasn’t expensive, it certainly had character, however, it was not a hopping place. The neighborhood was sad to see it go. So out with the old and in with the new. Venture a few blocks up the street and you’ll find El Burro, a sister restaurant to Vox Table. Being a resident in the hood, I had to give it a whirl, of course. The place is cute, has a great bar serving super-effective margaritas and…
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After the Holiday Shopping
Wine. Weather. Weird. That pretty much sums up Fredericksburg, Texas; a strange little anomaly in Central Texas. It used to be quaint and loaded with shabby chic stores filled with dead animals turned into furniture, but it in recent years has upped its game, so to speak. One of my ongoing favorite stops is Vaudeville. I have mentioned it before and it is certainly worth investigating. Try the tea room/cafe. Spend an hour or so in the car driving from Austin and enjoy wine tastings, shopping, then eat a German pastry and head back to ATX.
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Just the Chop
We all know that Austin’s East Side dining is all the rage and there’s always something going on from what’s changing at Qui to Jacoby’s and the delicious, but peculiar, Sawyer. However, the long-running favorite is Justine’s; French flair, curiously cool staff, and crafted cocktails that make you smile. One of my favorites, other than the steak frites, is the butter-soaked pork chop. Super, super delicious! If you’re wanting a seat indoors, arrive early – super early. Cozy tables, comfortable atmosphere, a little loud.
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Who Knew? I Always Thought It Was The Flour. #bestcookies
Ingredient outcomes on cookies: http://www.ozy.com/good-sht/the-science-behind-baking-the-most-delicious-cookie-ever/6613#.V4u8FjDiIdc.facebook
