A Sip And A Thought Field Day: Premium Sips and Saviors at Bayway Cadillac of The Woodlands

THE WOODLANDS, TX -- I had a wonderfully sumptuous evening this past Friday, put on by Woodlands Wine & Food Week Founder Constance McDerby, with her annual ‘Premium Sips and Saviors’ event at Bayway Cadillac of The Woodlands. Bayway owners Darryl & Linda Wischnewsky graciously provided their showroom for the event turning the place into a veritable smorgasbord of wine and food. The event was a huge success with even an executive bus full of fans that hailed from Kingwood with lovers of wine, champagne, savory and sweets. I don’t know how Constance does it, but her Culinary Director Sherri Segari and team are able to bring wonderful restaurants and wine labels together to create a food haven that is simply Out of This World.

Minus the soup, it’s an exceptional 10 course meal that you can mix and match with a seemingly endless list of wines and some champagnes that are available. There were stations that specialized in wine types, from Pinot Noir, Merlot, Red, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sweet/Dessert, etc. One restaurant, Sorriso, even brought their own house-made Limoncello, which perfectly struck the balance of tart, tangy, and a lasting sweet finish. And I dare say that if you wanted to abide by the dinner menu of an hors d'oeuvre, appetizer, salad, fish, main course, palate cleanser, second main course, dessert, and mignardise, you could have pulled it off. I think I’ll try that approach next year, and bring an intern to take pictures and notes.

I was impressed with the quality of the attendees, of which a few recognized my picture and name, and read my Food & Drink columns. I met a few fellow UH Grads (Go Coogs!!), and other inquisitive ladies and gentlemen who wanted to know, “who is the guy that’s tasting and scribbling.” I commend the restaurants who participated in Premium Sips and Savors. Even H-E-B, a longtime sponsor, had a table with offerings on the savory and sweet side. Goya Foods had an awesome hors d'oeuvre that turned heads as well.

There was a great range of restaurants represented at ‘Premium Sips and Savors.’ The Cuterie, located off Grand Central Parkway in Conroe, had a tremendous selection of charcuterie options at their table. They featured a cup that contained some flatbread crackers, salami, sharp cheddar bites, berries, and pineapple. It paired well with a Cabernet Sauvignon from ‘The Calling,’ one of the top wines from Cali’s Alexander Valley. The dark fruits (black cherry, blackberry, and plum) on the nose were welcoming. It’s dry, but not overly tarty. The hints of vanilla and chocolate yielded to a spicy ending from the tannins that is equally exciting, surprising, with a lasting finish.

Goya Foods featured a ‘Tuna Croquette topped with BBQ Salmon.’ The savory tuna was encased in a crispy fried exterior with a thin slice of salmon stationed atop the tower. The perfectly cooked salmon was coated in a sauce, tasted heavenly and had a wonderful aroma. I was gonna go with a rosé to pair with, but was bold and went with a sunset-pink Brut Rosé, from Champagne Alfred Gratien. The nose revealed hints of strawberry, red currants, apple, citrus and floral influences. I was surprised how well the subtle sweetness of the Brut Rose complemented the tang and smoke of the salmon and croquette.

Killen’s Steakhouse is well established in Shenandoah now, but it all goes back to Ronnie and his father Jerry’s love for BBQ, which instilled a life’s passion for his son. Ronnie was raised in Pearland as was I. In fact, I played on the same little league team and graduated the same year as his brother Jerry, before I moved onto the Army and West Germany, still as an 18 year old with a very naive palate. Executive Chef Luis Lopez, offered a ‘Smoked and Braised Pork Cheek’ with Poblano Cheese Grits and Black Garlic Potlikker Ju, topped with crispy shallots. Now anything smoked in the Killen light is heavenly, and the use of the grits is masterful, bold, and rarely used. It’s kinda like that flank steak and peaches dish I whipped up not long ago and wrote about. That’s why I like Ronnie and his crew. They take chances that others don’t necessarily wanna take. It’s a risk, but calculated, and you can’t win ‘em all. But they have a great track record. I tried The Etude Carneros Pinot Noir with this dish being a natural go-to. The nose gave a fruity, strawberry sense, along with floral and citrus highlights. The soft tannins yielded earthiness, and lots of flavor, with the acidity enhancing the flavor of the pork cheek. That Ju should be bottled and sold. It’s liquid gold.

Mastro’s Ocean Club in The Woodlands offered their ‘Bleu Cheese Crusted Nueske’s Bacon Steak & Gruyere Scalloped Potatoes.’ If you love smoked pork belly, well, this is many times better. The savory and sweet bacon is simply ecstasy in a bite, and the gruyere scalloped potatoes gloriously rounds out the nuttiness of the cheese and creamy buttery flavor of the potato. This is a meat and spud pairing you can’t pass up. General Manager TJ Bellow, and his staff know how to please as evidenced by their small concoction with big taste. I went with a Bordeaux since it pairs well with bacon, Clarendelle White, to be precise. The lighter fruits on the nose, your apricots, white peach, and up’d up acidity from grapefruit, produce a wonderful golden yellow hue that amps the flavor of the meat to new heights.

Back Table Kitchen & Bar on North Millbend Drive in The Woodlands, provided a ‘Smoked Brisket’ on a bed of corn mixed with Ancho Mayo, Cotija Macha Salsa, and Sriracha Powder. It had a nice balance of spicy sweet and salty. Food and Beverage Manager Shannon Gonzales, and Chef de Cuisine Ivan Rodriguez, came prepared to wow! Instilling Latin flavors with a southern influenced staple of smoked brisket. It's a mesmerizingly savory bite that yearns for more. It paired well with a red, Kirk Venge’s Scout’s Honor, which reminded me of my three nephew Eagle Scouts, but was named after Venge’s dog. The nose reveals a purplish hue that harbors the sacrifices of the plums and blackberries, along with a hint of peppery spice. And it paired well the rich texture of the meat with its equally involved spices that sang in harmony.

Del Frisco's Grille presented a succulent ‘Peppercorn Steak with Mash,’ which was drop dead delicious. Sorriso also impressed with a ‘Charred Octopus’ salad. Phat Eatery had a lovely one bite shrimp salad. While HEB had a trio of samples: a vegan inspired lettuce wrap, a Sabatino Truffle Risotto topped with shrimp and pesto, and for dessert, a chocolate cannoli filling atop a brownie with chocolate shavings.

And speaking of dessert, Alchemy Bake Labs had a triple delight of samples. Their 'Strawberry Thumbprint Cookie,' a shortbread with a strawberry curd in the middle, was coated in powdered sugar and some edible glitter. That started the sweet montage. ABL’s 'Vanilla Cake Pops' on a stick, really stole the show. It looked like a sucker covered with a champagne gold glitter, but as you taste expecting a hard texture it collapses into a wonderful ball of great tastes from all sides. Lastly, their 'Millionaire ShortBread,' was a shortbread bottom topped with caramel toffee and flaky sea salt; truly a delicious flavor combination to end the day’s festivities. And of course, with sweet wines literally with an arms reach, I found a gem. I tried a 20 year aged ‘Graham’s Tawny Porto,’ which elevated the tastes of the desserts. The sweet, almost communion-like wine, had a nutty citrus like aroma, fruity; and its finish was elegantly long.

It's most evident you can’t go wrong with a Constance McDerby organized event. Her Woodlands Wine & Food Week, is in its 20th year now, with Constance and her team are well versed in providing great opportunities for enjoyment of delicious wines, and incredible delectables whipped up by the best Woodlands area dining locales. It's easy to make new acquaintances, new friends, and new networking opportunities.

Alcohol Disclaimer: This column is intended for entertainment purposes only. Please drink responsibly, not just for yourself, but for others around you. See you at the Wine Walk next month!

The 20th annual H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street takes place Thursday, October 17th. For info and tickets: wineandfoodweek.com/wine-walk/

Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net

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