On May 20, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas and True Italian Taste present the Authentic Italian Table: A Celebration of Pasta, Italy's Gift to the World. The event will take place at Bayou City Event Center, 9401 Knight Road, from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $35 and include free parking, wine and samples from over twenty Houston-area restaurants. Tickets can be purchased at Eventbrite.com.

According to Italian film director, Federico Fellini, "Life is a combination of magic and pasta." I believe that pasta itself is magical. Imagining a world without it would be practically im"pasta"ble. Spaghetti, fettuccine and lasagna may be the most common types, but this versatile gift from Italy comes in hundreds of shapes and sizes. 

Making fresh pasta may seem like a daunting task, but the results are worth it. One of my favorite dishes is the Pappardelle Bolognese from Papa Amadeus. I reached out to owner Art Huerta to see if I could stop by for a quick lesson in pasta making. Papa Amadeus is a locally-owned restaurant in Spring, Texas. Huerta opened the restaurant to honor his grandfather, who was a fantastic baker. Huerta has over 20 years in the restaurant business and has worked for many Italian restaurants throughout Houston.

I met up with Chef Rodrigo Soriano to begin my quick course in pasta making. Pasta can be made with flour and water or flour and eggs. Pappardelle is a thick, flat ribbon-shaped pasta made with egg. The egg gives it a richer taste and the yolk adds a touch of color. Chef Rodrigo made the dough the day before so that it would have time to rest before stretching. The dough is run thorough a pasta machine several times until it is the right thickness. It is then folded and cut into strips. Sounds easy, right?

After taking the time to make homemade pasta, the last thing you want to do is over cook it. Pasta should be cooked al dente, which means it is still firm when bitten. You don't want pasta that is going to turn to mush when topped with sauce. Now, I normally order my pappardelle with Bolognese, which is a rich, meaty sauce. Today, Chef Rodrigo chose a lighter sauce to highlight the freshness of the pasta. Onion, garlic and tomatoes were gently sautéed in olive oil before adding crab meat.  The pappardelle was then added to the pan for a quick toss in the sauce to absorb all the wonderful flavors.

The finished product was a beautiful and flavorful dish that showcased the versatility of pasta. It was paired with a lovely Nebbiolo, another wonderful gift from Italy. Pappardelle gets it's name from the verb pappare, which means "to gobble up". I did indeed gobble up this dish and I look forward to many more memorable pasta meals. Buon Appetito!

Note: This blog post has been entered into the 2018 Houston Pasta Blogger Competition.

The Cottonmouth Club, 108 Main St., opens for business on April 13th. Located in the former space of Barringer Bar, the club promises a cocktail experience like no other. The collaboration between Reserve 101 co-founder Mike Raymond and bartender Michael Neff, took four years to come to fruition. I was fortunate to get a preview of the bar prior to today's official opening. What did I think? I loved everything about it. Great drinks, cool '70s vibe and friendly, approachable staff. 

At The Cottonmouth Club, it's all about the experience. Several different shapes and sizes of glassware are available for guest to choose. The wand may choose you in Harry Potter, but here you choose the glass. I picked a simple, yet elegant martini glass. Before making my drink, bar director Michael Neff asked me a few simple questions. "Spring or Autumn? Shaken and refreshing or stirred and boozy?" I went with spring and stirred and boozy. The result was one of the best drinks I have ever tasted. What was in it? Who knows. What's more important is that I loved it.

The upstairs event space is a sharp contrast to the loungey ambiance of downstairs. Original paintings by Raymond of Texas music icons Kam Franklin, Lightnin' Hopkins and Billy Gibbons adorn the walls.  Hard-wood floors and exposed brick help create an atmosphere that is classy and relaxing.

Expect the cocktail menu to include classics as well as familiar drinks with a twist. Whiskey lovers can enjoy a glass of a house blended barrel-aged bourbon or a sip of High West's A Midwinter Night's Dram. According to Raymond and Neff, The Cottonmouth Club will be "the least cocktail-y cocktail bar." 

The Cottonmouth Club, 108 Main St. - Open daily 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Hours:
Sunday – Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday & Saturday 11am-11pm

The 5th Annual Houston Caffeine Crawl took place February 23-24. The two-day event included a choice of six different routes in various neighborhoods throughout the city. Over fifteen local cafes and roasters participated in this year's crawl. This was my first ever caffeine crawl and my chosen route would take me to five cafes I have never visited. My java journey started on Saturday afternoon at Cafeza.

I arrived early at Cafeza to indulge in brunch before the start of the crawl. Our host for the day greeted us with a smile and gave a brief overview of the day's route. Cafeza is owned by a husband and wife team that were inspired by the cafes they experienced while traveling in Barcelona. It has an easy going ambiance and serves wine, beer, coffee and tea. We were treated to a Cafe Agridolce coffee cocktail, which was my favorite taste of the day.

Next stop was the Paper Co. Cafe, which has their own in-house roaster and uses Mueva coffee. Paper Co. is more than just a coffee shop, they care about the community. Profits go toward providing for Houston's homeless and everyday a community meal is offered on a sliding scale fee. The menu includes made from scratch lunch and brunch items. 

At Inversion Coffee House we were treated to an affogato made with Greenway Coffee and gelato from Dolce Neve. This light and bright artsy shop has a great menu with a diverse selection of gourmet coffees and pastries. The next stop, Blacksmith Houston, also featured Greenway Coffee. Here we sat outside on the patio and learned a little about their roasting process. We were then given samples of plain coffee which had excellent flavor.

Last stop was at Southside Espresso, the second smallest coffee shop in Houston. We learned about Fusion Beans and Sumatra coffee from owner Sean Marshall. A sample of Spiced Honey Butter Latte was the perfect way to end the day. I found some new favorite spots along the way and I'm looking forward the next year's crawl.

Hotel Granduca Houston serves afternoon tea daily from 2 to 4 p.m. in Ristorante Cavour or in nooks throughout the hotel. Granduca adds an Italian flair to the traditional English tea service with three menu levels ranging in price from $52 to $85. Bubbles, scones, pastries and finger sandwiches are included. A special Bunny tea menu is available for children for $23. Reservations are required.

Radio Milano's High Tea is available in the lobby of Hotel Sorella daily from Noon to 4 p.m. Three tiers of canapes and sweets are available with price ranging from $25 to $45. Each menu includes your choice of 12 different French Dammann Freres teas. Specially selected wines and and six botanically inspired craft cocktails can be purchased a la carte. Reservations are required with a minimum 24 hour notice.

Indulge in an afternoon tea like no other at Kiran. A three course service is $40 and comes with gluten-free and vegetarian options. The traditional menu includes Kiran's special Chai blend with samosas, finger sandwiches with Darjeeling, and scones with Earl Grey. A special menu for young adults is available for $20. Tea service is every Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Reservations are required.

The St. Regis Houston Hotel offers a tranquil and luxurious tea experience including butler service and a harpist. Guests can choose from over 25 artisan blends from around the world. Afternoon tea includes signature sandwiches, scones, pastries and macarons. The Traditional menu is available for $49 per person or you can upgrade to the Traditional and Beyond which includes Tea Room Bubbles for $59. Children under 12 are $27. Friday - Sunday, 3 to 5 p.m. and Saturday - Sunday 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations required. 

Afternoon tea service at Bistro Menil is a relaxing and casual affair available Wednesday to Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. For $45 a person, guests get a glass of bubbly followed by an assortment of sweet and savory bites. Tea options include a selection of black and herbal teas. Advance reservations and a two person minimum is required.

I have been a huge 8th Wonder fan for quite some time, but for some reason I had never actually visited the brewery. Located at 2202 Dallas, 8th Wonder Brewery is open seven days a week. The brewery consists of an indoor taproom and a huge outdoor beer garden and fun zone. Their own food truck, Eatsie Boys is there 7 days a week, but outside food is allowed as well.

Being a UH alum, Cougar Paw is one of my favorite 8th Wonder brews, along with Rocket Fuel. Brewmaster and Co-Founder, Aaron Corsi is not only a fellow UH Cougar, but he currently teaches several courses at the University of Houston on the science of brewing. Now that's a course I wish was offered when I attended!

8th Wonder is only blocks away from Minute Maid Park, the Toyota Center and BBVA Compass Stadium. It's the perfect place to pre-game or hang out and watch sports on TV with some of Houston's best brews on draft. Beers are $5 for one token or $15 for 3 tokens and a souvenir glass.

​New Orleans is a city of food, fun and festivities, but let's face it, most people equate the city with drinking. Each year, Bourbon street attracts thousands of revelers that can be seen walking the French Quarter with Hurricanes, Hand Grenades and Huge-A** Beers. Perhaps its because I'm getting old and cranky or that I hate crowds, but when I visit NOLA I prefer to drink like a local. This includes visiting some of their amazing craft breweries. 

Courtyard Brewery , 1020 Erato Street
This cozy neighborhood nano-brewery is open seven days a week. They have over 24 beers on tap, half of which are their own and the other half include special craft brews from around the world. My Courtyard favorites were the See You In Mexico  American Wheat and the Courtyard Peach Double IPA. Courtyard is a cool place to hang out, drink some great beer and peruse the local art hanging on the wall. FYI, parking is very limited.

NOLA Brewing Co., 3001 Tchoupitoulas
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., this tap room has a fantastic selection of sours, ales, porters and stouts. Beers are available in 12-oz. and 16-oz. pours or as a flight of four. I was in a dark beer mood on the day of my visit, so I made sure to include the Irish Channel Stout and Prytania Porter in my flight. The best part about NOLA brewing is the awesome rooftop patio, oh and McClure's BBQ located conveniently inside the tap room.

Port Orleans Brewing Co., 4124 Tchoupitoulas
Open everyday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (except Tuesday), this is my favorite brewery in New Orleans. The tap room is open and airy with lots of seating. You can't go wrong with any of their beers, but the most notable for me are the Riverfront Lager, Storyville IPA, Slack Water Brown Ale, and the unique RoyalTea Pale Ale that's infused with Earl Grey tea. Stokehold Restaurant located inside the tap room cleverly pairs culinary delights with beers on tap. You can dine on roasted bone marrow, grilled shishito peppers and Hungarian Goulash while drinking some of the best beer in NOLA.

Urban South Brewery, 1645 Tchoupitoulas
Laid-back is an good way to describe the ambience at Urban South. The industrial warehouse tap room is open daily (hours vary) and is kid and pet-friendly. Games, picnic tables and pop up seafood boils encourage beer lovers to just hang out. Beers here are light and hoppy with bursts of fruit infused flavors like the Grapefruit Holy Roller IPA. Their new Architecture Series focuses on bolder flavors with a  slightly higher ABV. One must try is the seasonal Vietnamese Stout, Ca Phe.