2015 Holiday Foodie Gift Guide

                                 

It's the holiday season!! I wanted to start the month of december with a holiday gift guide. This is my first time making one, so i've included some of my favorites. Some are recommendations from brands and friends. Here is my roundup of some great(mostly local) gifts that you can share with your loved ones this holiday season. It's the season of giving and appreciation and why not treat your loved ones to something special. Quick and simple tasty gifts for your fellow foodies. Hope you enjoy, stay hungry!

Sylvia's Enchilada's Cooking Class
Reserve spots for Sylvia's cooking classes, better hurry 'cause they fill up fast. Learn how to whip up some of your favorite Tex-Mex dishes by booking an afternoon in Sylvia's kitchen. The class includes a meal with dessert and a beverage of your choice. I had a fun time learning from Sylvia and hearing her tell stories, oh off course the food was delicious!

Pisco Porton
Gift a bottle of Pisco, the finest handcrafted premium white spirit from Peru. Pisco is made from mus ( juice of freshly pressed grapes) that has not completely fermented. This versatile spirit will add to your holiday cocktails. Pisco is strong, but is a great addition to any of your cocktails, you can order it for delivery from Minibar(dot com).

Aces At Home
Give the gift of a personalized dinner. Aces at home brings the pop up dinner to you. You'll have the opportunity to choose a four course dinner from a menu that will be prepared by a private chef. You'll agree on a date, price and number of guests. Once that's done, you can sit back and relax, all the prep work will be done by the Aces team. 

Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge Gift Pack 

Looking for a great gift for that spirit enthusiast? This Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge Gift Pack features a full size bottle of Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, the original blend of Cognac and orange. The flagship of the House comes with a 50ml bottle of deliciously fresh Grand Marnier Raspberry Peach, which is a blend of European raspberries and rare red peaches from the South of France, combined with the world renowned Grand Marnier. Recipes are provided to create succulent Holiday cocktails.  

iPic Movie Ticket/Tuck Room

How about treating that movie lover to a movie night at Houston's newest "it" spot? iPic Theater offers a variety of gift cards for up to $500, you can stuff your stockings with a couple of these.

Creative Ice Cream Class @ Tipsy Dessert Bar
A good cocktail and NON-DAIRY ice cream in one? Now that's bomb. You can book an experience catered specifically to you, right at Tipsy Dessert Bar in Houston.They are offering a 10% deal on their website, better run!






Grand Lux Cafe Giftcard
For every $25 giftcard purchased, Grand Lux will add a complimentary $5 giftcard. You give and shall receive, right? Grand Lux Cafe offers an extensive internationally-inspired menu combined with american hospitality in an elegant setting.

PIADA Italian Street Food Gift card 

For every $25 gift card purchased this holiday season, PIADA will give you a FREE Piada, Pasta or Chopped Salad on your next visit and donate a cup of soup to the Houston Food Back.

The Tuck Room at iPic Theaters Houston

Houston has been getting quite fancy lately, wouldn't you agree?
Earlier this month, I along with my Houston Food Blogger Collective peers, were invited to attend a media tasting at the new "It spot" in the River Oaks District. The Tuck Room, a chic " Mad Men-like" den and lounge, recently opened inside the iPic Theaters in River Oaks District's newest shopping center.

" TUCK (verb): Into something; to be in a place that is hidden; to eat, especially when done with enthusiasm."                  

The Tuck Room brings together the creations of 3 time James Beard Award winning Chef Sherry Yard, and  Master Mixologist/Sommelier Adam Seger, in this sophisticated lounge. Guests can stimulate their taste buds with savory shareable dishes from the menu, and also satisfy their thirst with creative handcrafted cocktails.

We tasted an array of creatively made cocktails and dishes, which I would all recommend. My favorite drink was the passion fruit margarita, made at the Liquid Nitrogen Bottle Service area( P.S. you can get bottle service for $100).  The dish of the night that I could not manage to put down were these pulled pork sliders, made with BBQ pork, smoked Gouda cheese, pickled peppers served on Texas toast.