By Cecil Flentge

Vinously Speaking is a small wine shop in the medical center area powered by two dynamic women.  Veronique ‘Ceci’ Barretto and Melissa Unsell formally opened the successful shop a year ago and they want to do more – and they want you to help.  They are using crowdfunding, a method of asking for financial backing online and in this case donations (with perks).

While speaking with Ceci Barretto about their plans for expansion and innovative push for funding, she spoke of her excitement about all the new, big wine retailers in San Antonio.  More than competition, Barretto looks at them as helping to raise the awareness of wine in the Alamo City, which can only help her business.

But she insists that small retailers have to ‘up their game’ to offer their customers something more, something like – a wine bar.

That is the object of their funding campaign, to add on to their existing shop and offer better ways for their customers to enjoy wine.  Like wines by the glass, by the flight, some deli items to match their wines, and private event rooms.

Their goal is $30,000 — and they have raised more than $5,300 at the time of this writing.

A few more things on the wish (or “need”) list posted on the funding site include — alcohol license, furnishings, decor, paint, lighting, bar build out, wine dispenser, stemware, utensils, updated computer system, additional water closet, wine storage and “a few other items to get the ball rolling.”

Those are the current goals and they want you involved in making it happen.

On their funding site (click here), you can donate whatever amount you want and they list the “reward levels” where they acknowledge your commitment to the project.  It ranges from getting a T-shirt to the impressive naming of an event room after you with your picture on the wall.

Sounds like an endowment to an Ivy League college — but does it work?

The two women have already raised thousands of dollars and you can track their progress on the site.  If this sounds ambitious and intriguing, visit their shop during one of their weekly wine tastings and meet Unsell and Barretto. Maybe your plans can include theirs.

Vinously Speaking An Eclectic Wine Shop & Blog is at 7271 Wurzbach, Ste. 117,  210-793-4078.

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a restaurant/bar consultant. Restaurant events or home tastings. Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com

This weekend, at Alzafar Shrine, is the 16th Annual Festival of Flowers. Next weekend, June 1, comes the popular annual Basil Fest at the Pearl. Put away the gardening gloves for a little while and come see all the new plants, information and more out there for beautiful gardens this summer.

Basil Fest at Pearl Farmers Market is June 1!

Get Ready to Make Pesto (and so much more)

The 4th annual Basil Fest, courtesy of the San Antonio Herb Market Association, will be happening at the Pearl on Saturday, June 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is in conjunction with the Pearl Farmers Market, 312 Pearl Parkway. Admission is free and so is the parking.

This annual event’s mission is to foster the use of basil in everyday living and to provide nutritional information on this popular herb.

The program for this year’s Basil Fest will include a seminar on how to grow basil in this area, and the different types available. A cooking demo will showcase basil, and delve into the nutritional aspect of including herbs in your diet.

Children are encouraged to begin their gardening habit by potting up and adopting their own basil plant to take home – for free. Basil plants, recipes and books on the growing and uses of basil and other herbs will be available.

This year’s special feature is  The Chef’s Challenge – “Just Desserts.” It will highlight local chefs vying for the the first place title as they are challenged to develop the best-tasting basil-based dessert. They’ll be competing for monetary votes of audience members, and the money raised will benefit the Good Samaritan Community Shelters in San Antonio.

See recipe here for Thai Basil Lime Sorbet!

For more information on upcoming events and scheduling, visit the website .

16th Annual Festival of Flowers: It’s a big, bloomin’ deal!

The annual Festival of Flowers will happen Saturday (May 25) at the Alzafar Shrine, 901 NW Loop 1604 W., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Want some new yard, garden and flower techniques? This is one of the best events to attend for answers. As their website says, “There’s an expert in every booth.” The Native Plant Society of Texas will be there with information, Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard will be selling healthy and beautiful olive trees and the Bexar County Master Gardeners will be there with plants to buy as well as information.

Nature’s Herb Farm will also be there to help cooks and foodies with their kitchen herb gardens — as well as many other types of herbs.

There is also a city-wide herb and plant exchange, an organic roundtable, horticulture show and more. Admission is $6 for adults, and free parking is available.

Visit their website here.

UPDATE! Sandy Oaks has moved its Dining Under the Stars to July 12. The date also has been changed in the copy below, as the May 24th event has been canceled.

Dining Under the Stars at Sandy Oaks

On Friday, July 12, Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard will present a mixture of fine dining and an international wine list. Chef Scott Grimmett will have a prix fixe dinner with options so you can decide your dishes and then pick wine to match.  Just in time to herald National Wine Day.

The dining will take place outside, under the stars, in the beautiful country setting of Sandy Oaks. In case of inclement weather, seating will be moved indoors. Dinner: 6 p.m. Cost:  $55 per person, plus tax.  Call (210) 621-0044 for more information and to make reservations. Visit Sandy Oaks online here.

Shiner Beer Dinner at Hotel Havana

Hotel Havana, Shiner Beer and the San Antonio Library Foundation will host a Shiner Supper Club Tuesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. The four-course meal will highlight the culinary bounty of Central Texas.

Hotel Havana chef Toby Soto will prepare recipes from Whole Larder Love using natural meat raised by sixth-generation Texas rancher Loncity Cartwright of Twin Oaks Rand and local produce. Each course will be paired with a selection of beers presented by Shiner.

Tickets are $75 per person, which includes tax and gratuity. Space is limited and reservations can be made by calling Hotel Havana at 210-222-2008. Or, visit the events page at www.havanasanantonio.com

‘BBQ Snob’ Daniel Vaughn to be at Two Bros BBQ

Two Bros. BBQ Market will host Daniel “BBQ Snob” Vaughn at a book signing and celebration Friday, May 24, 6-9 p.m.

The Texas barbecue aficionado and author of the newly released “The Prophets of Smoked Meat,” an Anthony Bourdain book, Vaughn will be selling and signing just just-released books.

There will be  a live band and an offer of Two Bros. BBQ pack along with a full rack of “cherry babies” and a signed copy of “The Prophets of Smoked Meat” for $60. Buckets of beer are also on special.

Two Bros. is at 12656 West. Ave. 210-496-0222.

Portrait of Viola Barrios at Viola’s Ventanas.

The Barrios family’s new restaurant on Westover Hills Boulevard, Viola’s Ventanas, came to life with a series of soft openings this week.

While the grand opening is today, May 18, servers and cooks raced through their practice paces as finishing touches were laid on the building, the patio under the shade of old live oaks and a play area for children, called “the Park.”

Viola’s Ventanas is the Barrios family’s third restaurant and it’s named in memory of their mother, Viola Barrios, who died five years ago.

As the restaurant was presented to gathered guests at a preview Friday evening, it was also blessed with prayer. Not only were Viola Barrios’ children and grandchildren present, many said they felt Viola’s spirit there with them as well. This restaurant, the family says, is Viola’s, but also a restaurant for all moms, kids and families.

Her portrait holds a place of honor on a wall, where her kind face can look over and approve of those who are enjoying their food. Outside, stones in the fountain express what her son Louis Barrios called her “mantra”: They are inscribed with the Spanish words amor, fe and alegria, or love, faith and joy.

Her daughters, Diana Barrios-Treviño and Dr. Teresa Barrios-Ogden, along with their children, listened as Louis Barrios talked about not only her great love for them, but also her courage in the face of what seemed like overwhelming adversity when their father died.

In 1975, Jose Barrios was 46 and the sole support of the family when he was killed in an automobile accident caused by a drunken driver.

“We went from upper middle class to lower middle class in a day,” Louis Barrios recalled. As the family mourned their loss, Viola dealt with the realities that come with the death of a spouse; and she formulated a plan, as she alone would have to support her family now.

View into bar area from dining room at Viola’s Ventanas.

She decided to open a restaurant. This she did with an investment of $3,000, with cast-off dishes and silverware, in an old boat garage in near Avenue B and Jones Street. It didn’t even have parking, as Barrios recalled.

What Viola Barrios did have, in addition to compelling necessity and prodigious cooking skills, were faith, joy and love.

On a quick kitchen tour at Viola’s Ventanas, Diana Barrios-Treviño and her husband, Roland Treviño, pointed out the long counters and equipment, gleaming stainless steel, ice bins, pan racks and much more.

Roland Treviño purchased this equipment, which looked nearly new, for a fraction of what it would have cost from the the former Brasserie Pavil. If some of the lighting fixtures in the dining room look familiar, those came from the now-defunct restaurant as well. Viola, one knows, would have looked quite approvingly this prudent purchase.

An even closer connection to Viola is a modest work table that sits toward the back part of the restaurant. Treviño dug this table out of storage where his mother-in-law had put it years ago, saying at the time, “I’ll want to use it someday.” After removing a metal rack attached to the table, replacing the deteriorated wood work surface, painting the metal pipe legs and replacing old casters with snappy new red ones, he put it in place in the kitchen.

When he brought his wife to see it, the two of them ended up in tears. And they were pretty sure Viola’s spirit was with them then, too.

Before dinner, restaurant guests were invited to go outside for the dedication. City councilmen Diego Bernal, Ray Lopez and W. Reed Williams as well as Texas Secretary of State John Steen offered their words of congratulation as did friends who helped with securing the property, Charles “Marty” and Rene Wender. Father Saturnino Lago from the Oblate School of Theology said a blessing.

Barrios family and city councilman Ray Lopez at dedication of Viola’s Ventanas.

Diana Barrios-Treviño also presented the third recipient of a scholarship from Viola’s Huge Heart Foundation, which will pay for four years of school at the Antonian High School. The young woman to receive this scholarship, Daniella Cisneros, was so grateful she also teared up as the presentation drew to a close.

Viola, as charitable with others as she was with her family, would have been proud of Daniella as well, said Barrios-Treviño. “She is a beautiful example of another little Viola.”

And then, dinner was served.

Viola’s Ventanas opens Saturday, May 18, at 11 a.m. It is at 9660 Westover Hills Blvd. between Highway 151 and Culebra Road.

Louis Barrios (left), Diana Barrios-Trevino (second from right) and Dr. Teresa Barrios-Ogden (right), presented Daniella Cisneros (second from left) with a scholarship from Viola’s Huge Heart Foundation.

Roland Trevino and Diana Barrios-Trevino at Viola’s Ventanas.

“Would you rather eat a plate of black beans or a fudgy brownie?”

That’s what Ziporah Janowski and Julie Harrington of the Shane Diet Plan ask in their new cookbook, “Meal Simple — The Camp Shane Cookbook: Quick, Easy, Delicious & Healthy Recipes” ($24.95). (Shane has a diet resort at the Westin la Cantera where recipes from the book are served as part of the meals.)

Camp Shane’s Brownies

And the answer their question by offering a brownie recipe that’s made with black beans.

Their reason: “You can get the nutritional benefits of black beans while eating a brownie. Sneaking healthy food into dessert is more enjoyable than eating them plain on a plate.”

Still, black beans in a brownie? I didn’t believe it. So I had to try it out. Sure enough, the recipe is quick and easy, and the nutritional analysis is certainly better than a brownie from a bakery. And, they’re wheat-free.

But what about delicious?

Yes, according to the 15 or so people who sampled the brownies both at work and in my Bible study group. I handed them out and told everyone these were “diet brownies.” Yet no one believed me, and not a single person could guess that black beans were in them. I couldn’t taste them, either, and I was the only one who knew they were there.

The only caveat I got from some people was that there were no nuts in them. And I could understand that. Those of us addicted to nuts in brownies love that contrast of texture as well as the additional flavor. Perhaps that’s why I tossed a little coconut into the mix before baking. Nuts and coconut will add fat, so if you have to have them, try limiting them to a good tablespoon of finely chopped nuts and use 1/4 teaspoon almond or walnut extract instead of the vanilla.

That success makes me want to try more from “Meal Simple” and not just the dessert recipes. The Tilapia with Mango Salsa, Roasted Brussells Sprouts, the breakfast treats, and popcorn with a mix of nuts and dried fruit are all on my future must-try list. Who knew dieting could taste so good?

Brownies

Cooking spray
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 eggs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Camp Shane’s Brownies in the pan.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.

In a food processor, purée black beans until smooth. Add eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, vanilla and sugar; blending until smooth. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and pulse a few times to mix. Transfer batter to pan and sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top of batter.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at center comes out clean.

Makes 20 brownies.

Approximate nutritional value per serving: 150 calories, 4.7 g fat, 22.7 g carbohydrates, 4.1 g dietary fiber, 6 g protein.

From “Meal Simple — The Camp Shane Cookbook: Quick, Easy, Delicious & Healthy Recipes” from Ziporah Janowski and Julie Harrington

Foie gras with mango and pear

For the longest time, foie gras was a sliver of culinary paradise reserved for high-end restaurant dining. That is, unless you placed an order directly from the likes of Hudson Valley Foie Gras or through Central Market. And then, the cut of liver was large and whole, and you had to cut it yourself before searing it in a pan.

Thanks to the folks at GauchoGourmet, 935 Isom Road, you can now buy this delicious cut into slabs and individually packaged, so you can get two or 10 servings, depending on your hunger or the size of your guest list.

A 2-ounce slab sells for about $$6.35, which is a great price compared with what you pay in restaurants. But the food warehouse recently had a one-day sale that made me want to stock up for the future.

First, I had to get one necessary piece of cooking equipment: a splatter screen.

Searing foie gras produces a lot of fat that will coat the area around your stove. So, be ready to clean up a good-sized area around your pan, even with a splatter guard.

Think you can’t cook foie gras as good as you get at a restaurant? Think again. A 2-ounce slab, cut about 3/4 inch thick will cook quickly, but it’s easy, if you pay attention for a good minute.

Before you start, make sure you know how you want to serve the meat and have everything else ready, because you want to serve your dish immediately after the foie gras is cooked. Remember, this is an ephemeral treat, exceedingly rich and satisfying, yet its magic works only for a short while. You don’t really want leftovers.

Slabs of foie gras

My inspiration was a foie gras club sandwich that chef Andrew Weissman used to serve at Le Rêve. I simplified it greatly, eliminating the buttery brioche and bacon as well as any sort of balsamic reduction. I retained the silky mango and topped both with slivers of pear, instead of the Granny Smith apple that Weissman used. Both the slab of mango and the pear slices were ready to go before I cooked the meat.

What else could you serve with it? Foie gras is great with a glass of Sauternes on the side, so why not a sauce made with a similar wine, such as a German Riesling, that mixes a touch of sweet with a bright acidity to cut through the unctuousness of the liver? Honey and lemon, a drizzle of thick, aged balsamic or sherry vinegar, or a Rossini sauce made with truffles would all go well with it. If you wanted to use a spoonful of jam, think fig, ginger or onion. Nuts and dried fruit, from cherries to figs, would also add to the flavors.

Luciano Ciorciari of GauchoGourmet says he likes his on a piece of toasted baguette with a touch of sweet-tart preserves, such as red currant or lignonberry.

If you wanted to use the foie gras atop a hot steak, just cook the beef first. While it is resting, sear the goose liver.

Handling the liver is easy: Just thaw the slab, score it on both sides (the depth of the criss-crossed cuts will depend on how thick your slab is), and sprinkle it with a little salt and finely ground pepper. Heat a non-stick pan or a regular sauté pan with the tiniest bit of grapeseed or avocado oil until the pan is extremely hot. Place the slabs in the pan and cover instantly. The fat will begin to melt off the slab and splatter. After no more than 30 seconds, flip the foie gras and cook for the same amount of time. Remove and prepare to serve.

That’s it. Then comes the fun part: eating it.

This is Culinaria’s Festival Week, and the fun begins Wednesday with a series of themed dinners at restaurants around town.

Wine dinners, a beer dinner, even a scotch dinner — they’re all happening on Wednesday and Thursday.

WEDNESDAY

Wine dinners, a beer dinner and a scotch dinner are all part of Culinaria’s Festival Week.

• Boiler House, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 354-4644  — Five-course dinner featuring wines from Flat Creek Estate. Highlights: Pickled big-eye tuna salad, rice cracker crusted diver scallop, and grilled hard spice lamb shoulder skewer. Call for price.
• Arcade Midtown Kitchen, 303 Pearl Parkway, (210) 369-9664 — Four-course dinner with Bonterra Wines includes Hamachi and Scallop Ceviche, Duck Barbacoa Soft Taco and Pecan Smoked Lamb Leg. Price: $55.
• Bliss, 926 S. Presa St., (210) 225-2547 — Six-course dinner with Ramian Wines includes chicken-fried oyster slider, Texas Rabbit, Duck/Duck/Foie and prime strip steak. Price: $100.
• Francesca’s at Sunset at the Westin La Cantera, 16641 La Cantera Parkway, (210) 558-2253 — Five-course dinner features Dina Mondavi of Folio and the Beckers of Becker Vineyards. Highlights include Scallop and Orange Blossom Ravioli, Black Cod Brandade and Rib-eye. Price: $95.
• Lüke Riverwalk, 125 E. Houston St., (210) 227-LUKE (5853) — Wine dinner with Duchman Wines features four courses, including Charred Bandera Quail with Poteet Strawberries and Roasted Cabrito with Eggplant Confit. Price: $75.

THURSDAY

• BIN 555, 555 W. Bitters Road, (210) 496-0555 — The Umai Mi Dinner features a number of Asian-inspired small and large plates, including Spicy Wings, Hot Sticky Ribs, Lemongrass Roasted Chicken, Spicy Cumin Lamb, Tiger’s Cry Flank Steak and Tamarind Glazed Smoked Brisket. Food paired with various wines. $85
• Boiler House, 312 Pearl Parkway, (210) 354-4644 — Six-course beer dinner features Brined Duck Pastrami, Braised Pork Belly and Sweetbread and Spinach Stuffed Quail. Beers include selections from Blue Moon and Leininkugel’s plus others. Call for price.
• Ruth’s Chris Downtown, 1170 E. Commerce St.,   — The Scotch dinner features four courses of food and four scotches, including Oban, Cragganmore, Lagavulin and Dalwinnie. Dishes include a crabtini, wild mushroom bisque and a petit filet. Price: $90.

Prices do not include tax or tip.

Pizza Margherita

“Pizza often gets relegated to the junk food category,” says “My Texas Table: 100 Family Favorites Done Light” (H-E-B, $12.49). “Done right, however, it can be nutritious and tasty. Simply use whole wheat crust, low-fat cheese and lots of fresh basil to enjoy America’s favorite Italian pie guilt-free.”

We don’t need to add anything except: Buon appetito.

Pizza Margherita

1 H-E-B 100 Percent Whole-Wheat Pizza Crust
1 tablespoon H-E-B Olive Oil
1 cup H-E-B Marinara Sauce
12 large fresh basil leaves
1 cup sliced or shredded H-E-B Mozzarella Cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush pizza crust with olive oil.

Spread marinara sauce on crust. Place basil leaves evenly over sauce, then top with cheese.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Approximate nutritional values per serving: 140 calories, 8 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 390 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugars, 7 g protein.

1 carbohydrate choice.

Makes 6 servings.

From Melissa Vela-Williamson, San Antonio/”My Texas Table: 100 Family Favorites Done Light”

Cruzan’s chef/owner Keith Cruzan.

Cruzan’s opens Monday at 1508 Guadalupe Street. This grand opening marks a long-awaited moment for chef/owner Keith Cruzan, giving him and his staff the opportunity to present a variety of healthy dining options.

These will include gourmet sandwiches to classics such as a New York strip, and a variety of freshly made meals will also be available for pick up.  Cruzan’s will also feature live cooking demonstrations hosted by Cruzan himself during restaurant hours on select days.

For Cruzan, healthy eating is a lifestyle commitment.

“Eating should be just as much about what you are putting into your body as it is what you are not.  It’s easy to get preoccupied with a calorie count, but there is a real danger to limiting your calories without regard to the nutritional content of your diet.  Making sure to include the vitamins and minerals your body craves can actually help you meet weight goals and also improves your energy levels, cognitive abilities and overall mood,” says Cruzan when asked his viewpoint on dieting.

Canapes from Cruzan Catering.

Shortly after opening his catering and personal chef business, Cruzan relocated to the heart of the cultural arts district with a mission to bring a new hope to West Side San Antonians looking for local healthy options.  He began offering cooking classes to the public, as well as local nonprofits, in order to educate local residents on nutritional content.

“Hopefully, this restaurant will be a way for me to give back to a community that has supported me and my business from the very beginning,” Cruzan says.

Cruzan’s will serve lunch only, for now. They’ll be open Monday – Friday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. After 2 p.m., the store front for meal delivery pickup will be open until 6 p.m.

It’s time for suds and hops. It’s San Antonio Beer Week.

Can anyone get enough beer? That’s the question that beer lovers will ask themselves when the third annual San Antonio Beer Week begins May 12 with a Mother’s Day party at Freetail Brewing Company. It concludes the following Saturday, May 18, with a pint crawl that will visit at least five breweries.

SABW “is a special week dedicated to celebrating beer and the community that enjoys it!” according to the event’s website. “Events will include a special night at each of the San Antonio-area breweries, special beer dinners and tastings, walking pub crawls, a bus pub crawl, (and) a pro-am brewing competition for a chance to have your beer entered in the Great American Beer Festival.”

Here are a few highlights of the week:

• Bake, Boil and Brew, 1508 Guadalupe St., is hosting is its annual Sweet and Sour Soiree at 5 p.m. May 12. Four samples from Sour Beers paired with treats from Sweet Fuzion Cupcakes will be featured at the event.
• Visit Pedernales Brewing Company in Fredericksburg and taste its new beer, the Lobito, on a bus tour that leaves Blue Star in San Antonio at 9 a.m. May 13. Lunch is at the Fredericksburg Brewing Co.
• Branchline Brewing Co. hosts the opening festivities at 6 p.m. May 13 at its brewery, 3633 Metro Parkway. A new beer brewed just for the occasion will be served.
• Gastronomica Progressive Culinaria, an underground dinner group, and Big Hops Growler Station are partnering up for a 7-course craft beer dinner at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. May 15. Tickets are $50. The dinner’s at Big Hops, 8313 Broadway.
• The Point Park & Eats, 24180 Boerne Stage Road, is hosting Open the Taps, a showcase of Texas craft beers, set for 6 p.m. May 16.

There are more events on the schedule. For a full list, click here.

A few of the participating breweries include 5 Stones Craft Brewing Co., The Granary, Blue Star Brewing Co., Ranger Creek Brewing and Distilling, Alamo Beer Company, Branchline Brewing, Freetail Brewing, Pedernales, and Fredericksburg Brewing Co.

It all just makes you want to fill a mug with your favorite beer and then chase it with a brew that’s new.