SHOW & RECIPE FOR JULY 19

A STEAKHOUSE FOR HOUSTON
While the once-predictable Great American Steakhouse has both undergone and enjoyed a renaissance in recent years – after dire predictions throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s that Americans would stop eating red meat altogether – one local entry has exploded into a success story to rival the big national chains. Perry’s Steakhouse used to “stake out” the fringes of the Houston metro area, but now its latest location is going great guns in the heart of Memorial. Mark Collins and sommlier Susi Zivanovic join us to talk about the exciting road Perry’s has traveled – and the one that still lies ahead.

NEW WORLD WINES, AND MORE
So Vino is a terrific place for a glass of wine – that much is certain. What comes as more of a surprise is how successful its owners and chefs have been at pairing great things from the kitchen with great things from the bottle. We’ll chat, taste and sip during out chat with co-founder Elizabeth Abraham, herself the product of a legendary Houston family business, and talk about how her vision of So Vino expanded from “New World Wines” from places like Chile and New Zealand to incorporate wonderful vintages all the way back to France.

COOKING UNDER THE BIG TOP
To make sure today’s show is a three-ring circus (as most of our shows are, after all), we invited in the folks from Ringling Bros., Barnum and Bailey. It turns out the performers in this traveling extravaganza don’t merely perform, they eat. Several times a day, in fact. And sometimes in large portions. We were intrigued to speak with somebody involved in all this daily cooking, especially after we heard how many nationalities, dietary preferences and religious restrictions there are to cook around. Geez, sounds like dinner in today’s typical American family. Except more so.

This Week’s Delicious Mischief Recipe…
DR. PEPPER BARBECUED CHICKEN

½ cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup Dr. Pepper
¾ cup water
2/3 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
3 slices bacon, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon celery salt
½ tablespoon prepared mustard
Grated rind of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 chickens (about 1 ½ pounds each), cut in half
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except the chicken and bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, season the chicken halves with salt and pepper and place skin-side down on a hot grill. Brown on both sides, turning occasionally for about 15 minutes. After that, baste regularly with the sauce until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes. Serves 8.