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    Independence Day, Français Edition

    Bleu, blanc & rouge: How to throw the perfect Bastille Day party (hint: servelots of bubbly)

    Davon D.E. Hatchett
    Jul 12, 2012 | 10:38 am
    • The French aren’t too shabby in hosting their own independence holidayfestivities called “Bastille Day.”
      ParisDigest.com
    • Simple party day fare includes cheeses, chocolates, fruit and French confectionsserved on a custom-made toile tablecloth.
      Photo by Emile C. Browne
    • Don't forget to grab some of the quintessentially French macarons from yourlocal specialty bakeshop.
    • Finally, the most important element of all: The bubbly.
      Photo by Emile C. Browne

    Didn’t get your party on quite enough in celebrating the red, white and blue? How about a celebrating the bleu, blanc and rouge as a festive reprise? Although we Americans certainly know how to revel in our Independence Day festivities, the French aren’t too shabby in hosting their own independence holiday festivities called Bastille Day.

    It seems that the French took notes when les Américains rebelled and declared our independence from Britain on July 4, 1776, because on July 14, 1789, the people of Paris administered a coup d'état of their own. French commoners stormed the Bastille (a fortress in where prisoners of influence were held) as an act of rebellion against imperial rule.

    So why should the French have all of the fun? This year, Bastille Day falls on a Saturday, a perfect opportunity.

    Today, Parisians commemorate Bastille Day, or "La Fête Nationale" as it is so chicly called, as a national holiday with a grand military parade up the Champs-Elysées, colorful arts festivals, and raucous parties. Even the French President gets in on the festivities by hosting a garden party at the Palais de l'Elysée.

    So why should the French have all of the fun?

    This year, Bastille Day falls on a Saturday, a perfect opportunity to celebrate Independence Day, Part Deux by hosting a Bastille Day “Bubbles and Bites” cocktail fête. This is a simple, yet chic party to throw that only requires a trip to your local wine shop, a pit stop at your favorite specialty/gourmet store, and a little bit of creative attention to detail. Below is a simple game plan for taking care of the food, sips and ambiance.

    First up: Décor elements

    Establish a “francophilian” theme by creating a custom-made toile tablecloth hand trimmed in red, white and blue ribbon. Toile is a fabric with a white or off-white background and a repeating, decorative pattern that generally depicts pastoral theme such as a couple having a picnic by a lake.

    Purchase navy or red toile and blue, white and red striped ribbon from your local fabric store. You can then either get a seamstress to stitch the ribbon onto the toile or go the do-it-yourself route by whipping out your glue gun. Other decorative elements can include vintage champagne glasses, floral arrangements incorporating the colors of the French flag, and art/objects that encapsulate iconic French places, people and things, like the Eiffel Tower or Palace of Versailles.

    Let’s talk music

    Music is important because it not only sets the tone for your party but it also entertains guests as well. Boring music = boring event, so it’s always a great idea to mix in some unexpected surprises with the crowd favorites in your selection of tunes. A few suggestions to queue up include:

    • "Michelle (My Belle)" - The Beatles
    • "Makeda" - Les Nubians
    • "Ne Me Quitte Pas" – Nina Simone
    • "My Cherie Amour" - Stevie Wonder
    • "Champagne Supernova" - Oasis
    • "C’est Si Bon" - Eartha Kitt

    Food selections

    As for the food selections, it is important to have some good nibbles and substantial bites thrown in to keep guests sated, but what would a French affair be without delicate and sweet French confections? Grab some of the quintessentially French macarons from your local specialty bakeshop, along with Madeleines (butter cakes), fruit tarts, and chocolate pot de crème.

    Next make a pit stop at the grocer and pick up figs, French cheeses, ham, shrimp or smoked salmon, green olives, and sliced baguettes. Don’t forget to also get some raspberries, strawberries and blueberries (which also play into the blue, white and red color scheme) and then artfully arrange everything on a couple of serving platters.

    The bubbly

    Finally, the most important element of all: the bubbly. Since this is a French-inspired event, splurge a little and get true champagne instead of sparkling wine (since real champagne only comes from France).

    Since this is a French-inspired event, splurge a little and get true champagne instead of sparkling wine (since real champagne only comes from France).

    Champagnes are classified as follows: “Extra Brut” is the driest (read: extremely low sugar levels and not at all sweet), followed by “Brut,” “Extra Dry,” “Dry/Sec,” “Demi-Sec,” and “Doux,” in ascending order of sweetness. Less sweet wines work well with savory food while those with higher sugar content should be matched with fruit and desserts.

    One bottle of champagne will serve two-three people for the duration of a two-hour affair. To avoid breaking the bank the best bet is to stick with non-vintage offerings from different Champagne Houses (brands), which also gives guests the excitement of sampling different champagne styles.

    Here are some great suggested champagnes as well as food pairings:

    Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label Brut: Nutty and citrusy on the taste buds. Full flavored, but not sweet. Pairs especially well with French fries and potato chips.

    Ruinart Blanc de Blanc: Clean, balanced and smooth with fruity, fresh aromatics. Pairs well with seafood such as cold, boiled shrimp with a squeeze of lemon.

    Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut: Light and fresh. Good match with cheese, especially creamy ones.

    Moët & Chandon NV Imperial (formerly White Star): Delicate and soft with pear flavored notes. Smoked salmon, fruit and cheese are good matchups.

    Pommery: Dry with a bright, slightly mineral taste. Sip on its own.

    Piper Heisdsieck Brut: Pleasant aromas of vanilla and coconut with flavors of honey and pear. Excellent with cheeses.

    Billecart-Salmon Demi-Sec: Floral notes highlight a perfect balance between sugar, alcohol and acidity. Match this one with macarons and chocolate.

    You shouldn’t have trouble finding these popular brands, but another option is to ask your local wine shop for recommendations. Just let then know that you’re looking for actual champagne, and not sparkling wine, and that you need a combination of brut and demi-sec options.

    See? It’s as easy at that. With minimal effort and a little panache, you can easily host a chic affair that will have mon amis saying "C'est, si bon!" and "Vive La Fête Nationale!" in no time.

    Davon D.E. Hatchett is a Houston lawyer and freelance writer with a keen interest in food, entertaining and travel. This is her first article for CultureMap.

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    Innovative Houston chef is the city's newest James Beard Award winner

    Eric Sandler
    Jun 17, 2025 | 6:00 am
    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation
    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

    Add another Houston chef to the city’s growing list of James Beard Award winners. Thomas Bille, chef-owner of Belly of the Beast in Spring, earned Best Chef: Texas at the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant and Chef Awards ceremony.

    Held at the Lyric Opera of Chicago on Monday, June 16, Bille was one of five finalists for the award, along with fellow Houstonian Emmanuel Chavez (Tatemo), Emil Oliva (Leche de Tigre in San Antonio), Regino Rojas (Purépecha in Dallas), and Michael Anthony Serva, (Bordo in Marfa). Neither of Houston’s other finalists — Mexico City-inspired cafe Casaema (formerly known as Ema) for Best New Restaurant and fine dining tasting menu restaurant March for Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program — earned awards in their categories.

    A Los Angeles native who moved to the Houston area to be closer to his wife’s family, Bille took a winding path to his James Beard Award. He opened the first iteration of Belly of the Beast in 2020 as a chef-driven taqueria that was known for its ceviches and birria tacos. He then spent about a year at Chivos, an ambitious but short-lived Mexican-American restaurant in the Heights.

    In late 2023, he and his wife Elizabeth opened a new version of Belly of the Beast in a Spring shopping center. It showcased a broader array of Bille’s skills, with a wide-ranging menu that pulled from global flavors — lamb shank rendang, anyone? — that included meat, seafood, and pastas. The new restaurant quickly earned wide acclaim, including a Bib Gourmand in the 2024 Michelin Guide and CultureMap Tastemaker Award nominations for both Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year.

    “I feel a depth of gratitude,” Bille tells CultureMap in a text message. “Knowing that my wife and I were able to reopen on our own terms. Gratitude for my family, staff, and guests to give us love and support. It is much appreciated.”

    In an interview from the ceremony shared by the James Beard Foundation, Bille paid tribute to his wife, Elizabeth, for her role in the restaurant’s success.

    “The risk that my wife and I took to open this restaurant is more than worth it. My wife left her industry, she was a national director for nonprofit organization,” he said. “I said, ‘We’re going to reopen Belly of the Beast. I need you with me side-by-side the whole time.’ The first iteration she held down her job and supported us. With her at my wide, I’m able to focus on the kitchen, on the food, and mentoring my cooks. Able to see the bigger picture instead of just being in the weeds all the time.”

    Bille is the second Houstonian to win Best Chef: Texas, joining Street to Kitchen chef-owner Benchawan Jabthong Painter, who won in 2023. Since the category of Best Chef: Texas has only been awarded since 2022, Bille is the first man to earn the title. Prior to being its own region, the James Beard Foundation included Texas in the Southwest, where chefs Robert Del Grande (Cafe Annie), Chris Shepherd (Underbelly), Justin Yu (Oxheart), and Hugo Ortega (Hugo’s) all won awards.

    The only other Texas finalist to win his category was Arjav Ezekiel of Birdie's in Austin, who became the first winner of Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service, one of three beverage-oriented categories the foundation added for 2025.

    In addition to Bille and Ezekiel, Texam Chad Houser, founder of Cafe Momentum in Dallas, received the Humanitarian of the Year Award. Toni Tipton-Martin, a Houston-based author, scholar, and journalist, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Houstonian Alba Huerta, who won Outstanding Beverage Program for her bar Julep in 2022, presented one of the night’s awards.

    “It’s with deep celebration that we congratulate the 2025 Restaurant and Chef Award winners — distinguished culinary, beverage, and hospitality leaders whose talent and vision are shaping our dining landscape,” said Clare Reichenbach, CEO, James Beard Foundation, in a statement. “These outstanding professionals are the epitome of ‘Good Food for Good,’ elevating our industry’s standards and redefining what’s possible in American cuisine.”

    James Beard Awards 2025 Thomas Bille Belly of the Beast
      

    Photo by Getty Images for James Beard Foundation

    Thomas Bille is Houston's newest James Beard Award winner.

    awardsjames beard awardchefsthomas billebelly of the beast
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