It's been a horrific stretch of days for the Houston area, but it seems that the worst might be over.  Here is much more frivolous fare, and featuring one that can hopefully soon to be enjoyed by a great many Houstonians.  My brother and sister-in-law are doing so tonight.

Excellent made-to-order margaritas featuring top-shelf tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and more can now be found in numerous restaurants throughout the city, which is a very good thing.  These concoctions have deservedly became much more popular, as they are usually much tastier than the margaritas we grew up with – and, not incidentally, the nice extra margin for the establishments ensures that these are always pushed by the servers.
 
But, sometimes, with the desire to dull the edge in a familiar fashion for well less than $10 to be slurped with some caloric and spicy enough Tex-Mex, especially when it’s hot and humid outside, a basic frozen margarita is often what’s on the mind.  These have been a Houston staple since the early 1980s, and quite likely still the most commonly ordered mixed drink in the area.  
 
There is a wide variance in the quality of frozen margaritas, most I find are too sweet and often redolent of cheap margarita mix plus the unmistakable bite of inexpensive and harsh-tasting tequilas, if there is much tequila at all, and some arrive as a slushy mix and quickly watery mix rather than truly frozen.  With these lesser margaritas, one is usually my limit before needing to switch to beer.  But, as the bar has been raised on the high end, and several places offer quality house frozen margaritas in addition to a usually estimable array of top shelf margarita-inspired cocktails.  What I believe makes a good house frozen margarita includes a pleasant mix of tart and sweet, and certainly not too sweet, evident, clean-tasting tequila made from 100% agave, usually the unaged silver tequila, some taste of lime and not much in the way of processed flavors.  Good is good enough for a quality house frozen margarita, in my opinion.
 
After years of dedicated research, below is my list of the best frozen margaritas in Houston, listed alphabetically.  Just frozen.  Yes, I know that margaritas on the rocks are better than frozen margaritas even with basic ingredients, and I really like the very tart not-quite frozen specialty at Spanish Village, but this list is for bulk-made and wallet-friendly frozen staple of the Houston people.

In "research" in the past year-plus since the original version of this was posted, I have had to drop Ninfa's and Pico's, the latter has devoted their effort to the more expensive, and still excellent, top-shelf margaritas.  Ninfa's quality has seemingly dropped too much, too.  Maybe that is influenced by the significant and definite drop in quality of their long-famed fajitas, which makes for a more disappointing visit, overall.

Eight Row Flint  – From the folks at Heights-also Revival Market and Coltivare, this upscale ice house in a former Citgo station focuses on bourbon, but along with their other cocktails, their frozen margaritas are very good, and probably much more interesting and tastier than they need to be.  Featuring Lunazul blanco tequila, Mathilde XO orange liqueur from top-notch cognac maker Pierre Ferrand mixed with judicious amounts of fresh lime juice and salt tincture, these are very enjoyable, and especially easy to drink, on a warm evening.

El Tiempo – Long known for probably the strongest margaritas around and rumors that Everclear played a big role in the mix, I had found these too sweet and unbalanced for my tastes until the few years or so when they changed the makeup and upgraded the tequila (and one bearing their own lable).  These are now usually very enjoyable, learning toward the tart side but  pleasantly balance, while retaining all that potency.

​Laurenzo’s – Same as above.

The Pastry War – You should expect that the bar dedicated to tequila and mescal from the folks at Anvil would serve up an excellent frozen margarita if they deigned to, and they do, thankfully.  For just $8 you are treated to a more serious than usual frozen blend of quality blanco tequila, key and Persian limes, agave nectar and citrus salt.

Texas Shrimp Shack – With still plenty of plenty of tequilas on display when it was Maria Selma's, who remain with a new tasty concept, this Montrose eatery has always had a very enjoyable and properly balanced frozen margarita.

​The Collio appellation at Italy’s northeastern edge offers an impressive array of wines.  A number of varietals, both indigenous and French, thrive in its unique, mineral-rich soil and a temperate climate that is buttressed by the Alps to the north and Mediterranean to the south.  Sauvignon, as Sauvignon Blanc is called there, Pinot Bianco, Friulano, and Ribolla Gialla all produce excellent wines.  Merlot also thrives, as does Picolit.  Even Pinot Grigio can approach seriousness in the Collio.  This region extends into neighboring Slovenia where it is known as Brda – both names essentially mean “hills” – and these Slovenian wineries make similarly excellent and unique wines.  Four of which, all from the small producer Klinec, were tasted at Vinology the other day, led by proprietor Thomas Moësse.
 
Ribolla Gialla was responsible for the most intriguing stop on a busy wine tour of the Collio I was on a few years ago, a tasting with the newest generation of producers of the Associazione Produttori Ribolla di Oslavia, Primosic, Radikon, La Castellada, Dario Princic, Fiegl and Il Carpino at the Fiegl winery in Oslavia.  Elsewhere in the Collio, the wines labeled Ribolla Gialla are light, usually meant for antipasti or as an aperitivo.  For that duty several wineries create very enjoyable sparkling versions.  In Oslavia, on the border with Slovenia, the wines of Ribolla Gialla are completely different. 
 
Their signature wines made with the varietal are heavier, more complex, and just plain different.  Oslavia is, after all, the spiritual home of orange wines and Ribolla Gialla is their vehicle.  Orange wines are white wines made like red wines, with extended skin contact.  The term orange refers to their hue.  These wines can have a color that ranges from a deep yellow to amber to even orange.  The prolonged contact with the skins results in tannins and additional body plus the darker color.  This process provides a heft that otherwise could only come from a higher alcohol content or aging in newish wood.  These wines also exhibit a greater complexity than most white wines and have the ability to age.  Because of its thick skin, Ribolla Gialla is ideal for orange wines. 
 
One of our hosts commented that “contact with skin can be the oldest or most traditional method” to make wine.  It was used by the older generations simply to ensure that the wines would remain drinkable until the next vintage.  With the diffusion of modern winemaking techniques this method eventually disappeared.  It was revived by Josko Gravner in the 1990s, and it eventually caught on with some of his neighbors in the tiny hamlet of Oslavia and their brethren next door in Slovenia.  Then winemakers elsewhere in Italy and in other countries picked up on it.  Still fairly rare, these wines are a phenomenon on wine lists and in stores in just the past few years.  Their uniqueness and relative scarcity have helped make them “the indie darling of the wine world” according to a Grub Street headline a few years ago, and an object of fascination for many sommeliers, especially those with a high hipster quotient, as Food & Wine noted. 
 
During the Oslavia visit, we tasted Ribolla Giallas made with skin contact ranging from one week to three-and-a-half months.  The ones we sampled at Feigl were not as atypical as the unusual winemaking process might suggest, and were notable for their dryness, balance, length of finish, and big mouth-feel. 
 
The four orange wines from Klinec tasted at Vinology, featuring 100% each of Rebula (Ribolla Gialla), Malvasia Istriana, Friuliano, and Pinot Grigio, were broadly similar, but noticeably different in that these were not as big or bold as the wines I sampled at the winery in Oslavia.  These were a lighter shade of orange, both in terms of hue and also taste.  In contrast to the lengthy skin contact favored by the producers in Oslavia, Klinec allows skin contact for much less time, just between five and ten days for the wines at Vinology.  I found these wines from Klinec still immensely flavorful, and these might be more approachable to the average wine drinker than the more typical of the orange wines from this part of the world.  I really enjoyed all four, which drank well even without food, but with the substantial amount of acidity and minerality in each, these would make excellent partners for a wide variety of dishes, as Moësse pointed out.  My favorite was the lightest, the Rebula, which I found to be the most vibrant and aromatic, and maybe refreshing soon after walking in from the 95-degree temperatures laden with humidity. The copper-hued Pinot Grigio, Gardelin on the label, was a close second, a little heavier, less perfumed, but with a fair amount of fruit and an incredible balance that was a feature of each of the four wines.
 
The wines are $41 at Vinology – for very well-made, expressive and interesting wines – and though drinking very well now, these should be even better in a few years and can likely easily last for another decade or longer.
 
Vinology
2314 Bissonnet (essentially at Greenbriar), 77005, (832) 849-1687
vinologyhouston.com


From left to right: Rebula, Malvasia Istriana, Fruilano, and Pinot Grigio

I am still thinking of the fantastic shrimp I had in Galveston last month, picked up a grocery store on the west end.  The shrimp were remarkably fresh and flavorful, and the pasta dish they starred was likely helped by the cooking talents of my sister-in-law who happens to have a couple diplomas from Cordon Bleu in Paris.  It further reminded me that I needed to cook shrimp more often, including this New Orleans born dish.

One of the many famous dishes originating in New Orleans is Barbecue Shrimp; in my opinion, also one of the very tastiest ever created in an Italian-themed restaurant in this country.  Barbecue Shrimp were first cooked at Pascal’s Manale, a restaurant in business since 1913.  Its heritage is Italian – Manale, after all – and it still advertises itself as “Italian-Creole.”  But, like most Italian-named eateries in the New Orleans area, the Creole is far more prevalent than the Italian.
 
A few things about this garlickly and buttery preparation are unusual.  Though delicious, it hardly registers as Italian or even Italian-American, to be honest.  “Barbecue” is a complete misnomer.  The shrimp are not barbecued, or even grilled.  The shrimp are actually baked.  Lastly, it takes its inspiration from Chicago.  It was created at the restaurant in the 1950s after a customer raved about recently having the well-known Shrimps de Jonghe in Chicago.  Yes, Chicago once had a renowned shrimp dish.
 
As flavorful as the dish is, it is also surprisingly easy, and great for parties, since most of the work is done beforehand.  It can be a little messy, which can make it fun for informal get-togethers.  The recipe below is from The Guide to Ridiculously Easy Entertaining.   It comes from my co-author, Michael Wells, who is originally from New Orleans. 
 
New Orleans-Style Barbecue Shrimp
 
Serves – 8 to 10
 
Ingredients: 
Large shrimp (uncooked & heads-on) – 4 to 6 pounds
Butter – 3 sticks (24 tablespoons)
Olive Oil – ½ cup (4 ounces)
Garlic – 4 cloves, finely chopped
Bay Leaves – 2, crumbled
Lemon Juice – 4 tablespoons; use juice from freshly squeezed lemons
Worcestershire sauce – 2 tablespoons
Flat-Leaf Parley – 1 tablespoon, finely chopped
Oregano, dried – 2 teaspoons
Paprika – 2 teaspoons
Cayenne Pepper – 2 teaspoons
Louisiana-style Hot Sauce – 1 teaspoon
Black Pepper, freshly ground – 2 teaspoons
Chili Sauce – ½ cup (4 ounces)
Lemons – 2, thinly sliced
 
Cooking Steps: 

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.  When butter is melted stir in all of the contents, except for the shrimp.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Place the shrimp in a large baking dish and then pour the butter mixture over it.  Cover it with plastic wrap and then store in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  The longer the better.
3. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C).
4. When nearly ready for your guests, put in the oven at 300°F (149°C) and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.

 
To Serve: 
Serve with steamed rice and crusty French or Italian bread.  For more casual settings, the bread alone will suffice.


Below is some beautiful white shrimp at Boyd's on the Texas City dike, sold for just a pittance and worth the drive.

If you enjoy Pinot Grigio, even if you cannot be seen ordering it with wine savvy or wine-pretentious friends, and are interested in experiencing a more complex and richer version of this very popular varietal than is found in the well-marketed labels and inexpensive wines by the glass at restaurants, try the ones from Collio.  The Collio is an appellation in northeastern Italy in the region of Friuli that borders and extends into Slovenia (where it is known as Brda).
 
“This is the finest white-wine area not only in Friuli but in all of Italy.”   That observation about the Collio is from Italian Wine for Dummies, actually an excellent resource.  The mild climate buttressed by the nearby Adriatic and the protective mountains to the north plus hill-laden vineyards atop unique, mineral-rich soil help provide nearly ideal conditions for several white varietals; and, excellent conditions for several red ones, too.
 
South of the Julian Alps, its rolling hills are layered with rows of vines topped with villages.  Lush forests and lines of cypresses provide verdant interludes.  Its coastal plains are filled with prosperous towns with a proper Mediterranean look.  It is all stereotypically, beautifully Italian.  Signs bearing Slovene place names along with the Italian are not.  Neither are the tough-too-miss monuments to the First World War.  Much of Collio was proudly part of the Vienna-ruled Empire for centuries.  That Austrian legacy is present, if much more subtly than so that of the Slovenes who inhabit both sides of the border; certainly, in the widespread ability to satiate the historic Germanic taste for white wines. 
 
The whites from Collio are generally quite rich and fuller-bodied than the typical Italian whites, often with evident minerality and vibrant acidity.  Many have the ability to age.  These are serious wines, even the usually forgettable Pinot Grigios.  Winemaker Roberto Felluga said that his reserve Pinot Grigio “can keep for a minimum of ten years,” something that you certainly should not try with a Pinot Grigio plucked from the supermarket shelf.
 
Though the wineries are prouder of wines made from the native (Tocai) Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, and Malvasia grapes and efforts with Sauvignon (Blanc) and Pinot Bianco, it is Pinot Grigio that helps pay the bills.  “Pinot Grigio is what changed the economy here” for grape-growers and wine-makers a few decades ago according to producers at Livon.  It was famed food and wine writer Luigi Veronelli who recognized the area’s potential for Pinot Grigio.  These wines then began to find popularity in markets around the world.
 
Several wines found in Houston might be found in other large cities include: Livon Pinot Grigio ($20), Marco Felluga Mongris Pinot Grigio ($20), and Livio Felluga Pinto Grigio ($25).  Another is Jermann Pinot Grigio ($28).  Though the winery is in Collio, Jermann sources their grapes beyond the area and it does not carry the Collio appellation.  The wine is impressive for a Pinot Grigio.  The areas near Collio are also very good for white wines, especially the neighboring Colli Orientali del Friuli.

A vineyard in the Collio.