Upcoming Events: Foraging Food and Cooking Game

Next weekend: Prepare for all the chicken soup you can nosh.

Follow chef Randy Rucker down one path for a Tapas on the Trails evening Saturday, February 11, at the Houston Arboretum. The food-filled evening will showcase Rucker's foraging interests as he leads a group through the Arboretum's trails with tastings along the way. The cost is $75 for Arboretum members, $85 for non-members and features an endcap of sparkling wine, coffees and desserts prepared by Chef Dan Budd.

A few days later, get wild with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as it joins up with Central Market to lead a cooking class on Thursday, February 15, showcasing wild fish and game. The class will feature TPWD experts on hand to answer questions about game, conservation and the great outdoors

Freeman will also teach participants to cook a variety of dishes -- most of which use olive oil -- such as redfish salad, Jack Daniels-marinated quail, wild boar with fig and port wine, and a peppercorn-encrusted venison. The class takes place from 5 to 9 p.m. on February 16 and costs $50 a person.

Many Houstonians will remember the horrifying story of Holden Gothia, whose genitals were severed by his mother, Katherine Nadal, when he was only five weeks old. In that time, Gothia -- who has been adopted by his aunt and uncle -- has made an amazing recovery, but still needs full genital reconstructive surgery years down the road. Heroes for Holden is a charity dedicating to helping raise funds for that surgery, as well as for other children with unpaid medical expenses.

The upcoming Lake Houston Gumbo/Jambalaya Cook-off and Zydeco Jam on Feburary 11 will be donating all of its proceeds to Heroes for Holden, and tickets to the event are only $10. That ticket gets you all-you-can-eat gumbo and jambalaya as well as live music from Cedryl Ballou & the Zydeco Trendsetters. The cook-off -- now in its ninth year -- takes place at Atascocita High School from 6 to 10 p.m.

The next day, another important charity event is taking place: the 11th annual Chicken Soup Cook-off at Congregation Emanu El. On Sunday, February 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., join more than 40 of Houston's best restaurants as they compete for top place in four categories: Traditional Jewish Matzo Ball Soup, Traditional Non-Jewish, Creative, and People's Choice Award. All proceeds go to benefit the Houston Food Bank and your $10 ticket can be purchased online.