Coffee Shops / Distant Relatives / Wine + Farm / Seasonal Recipes No. 80 Jan/Feb 2022
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CONTENTS
sundays 10a - 2p @ Mueller for locations, vendor lists & more info visit
texasfarmersmarket.org
8 What’s On Our Counter 10 N otable Edibles
14
24
SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL
RECIPES OF THE SEASON
Distant Relatives
Chicken Tortilla Soup and Strawberry Orange Salad
16 E dible Endeavor Love, Tito's Block to Block Force of Nature
20 M astering the Markets Texas Farmers Markets
34 E dible Ink Coffee
40 P lant This/Enjoy This Now 42 S napshots Around Austin
New Fredericksburg / Plant-based Seafood / Olive Oil Farm / Seasonal Recipes No. 80 Jan/Feb 2022
On the Cover Chicken Tortilla Soup Photo by Mica McCook
Ce l e b ra ti ng the ve r y b est of Ce ntra l Texa s food cul ture
28
36
FUEL YOUR YEAR
FARMERS DIARY
Focus on local coffee shops
Lewis Wine + Cielito Lindo
4 / EdibleAustin.com
EdibleAustin.com / 5
Be Vocal. Help Local. / Helping Refugees / Home with Kids / Local Beers
PUBLISHER’S note
Fresh Starts / Pecan Grove / Smoothies / Conscious Goods No. 70 May/June 2020 No. 67 Nov/Dec 2019
A
s we planned for the first issue of the new year, and for colder weather, we thought it would be the ideal time to share some great coffee shop destinations around Austin and the Hill Country. When the magazine went to print in late December, we were still waiting on the colder weather, but we enjoyed discovering new places and visiting some iconic ones in our coffee shop feature. We hope you enjoy reading about them and will stop in for a visit sometime soon! In our Spotlight on Local feature, we delve into how chef-turned-restaurateur Damien Brockway utilized his own background and heritage to create Distant Relatives, his popular food trailer that marries African American culinary traditions with modern techniques and Texas barbecue culture. Brockway graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and then honed his skills in local restaurants like Uchiko before deciding to embark on his journey to reconnect with his roots and open a restaurant with a menu that represents who he is and where he came from. When we discussed options for our Farmers Diary story for this issue, our talented and knowledgeable writer, Ada Broussard, suggested a profile piece on the agricultural side of winemaking. When she mentioned how Doug Lewis of Lewis Wines is as much a farmer as he is a winemaker, she also told us about the chickens on the farm who graze between the vines and are part of the healthy pasture/vineyard management. Since they seem to make the perfect pair, we thought it would be interesting to incorporate both into the story. The recipes in this issue are both simple and healthy to help you start your new year off right. On the cover, we feature a bowl of Chicken Tortilla Soup, made with simple ingredients and easy to prepare as a quick weeknight dinner. And to take advantage of some of the wonderful fruits that are in season, we included a Strawberry Orange Salad that is great as a side dish or served as a dessert with a little whipped cream or yogurt on top. Each year, Edible Austin runs our Local Heroes contest, where we poll readers to name their favorite brewery, beverage or food artisan, chef, farm, food shop, food truck, grocer, restaurant, and winery. You can vote from now until January 28, so be sure to visit bit.ly/edibleaustinheroes to cast your vote. We will announce the winners in our March/April 2022 issue.
Ce l e b ra t i n g t h e ve r y b est of Ce n t ra l Texa s fo o d c u l t u re
Cel ebra ti ng Centra l Texa s fo o d cul ture, sea so n by sea so n
PUBLISHER/EDITOR Monique Threadgill monique@edibleaustin.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ralph Yznaga ralph@edibleaustin.com
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New Fredericksburg / Plant-based Seafood / Olive Oil Farm / Seasonal Recipes
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W H AT ’ S
ON OUR COUNTER Story and photos by MONIQUE THREADGILL
Take a look at what we are enjoying this month:
YES, PLEASE! GOURMET TREATS
JAIME’S SPANISH VILLAGE SALSA
When visiting the Junior League of Austin’s A Christmas Affair,
For all those salsa fanatics out there, we’re recommending you pick
we always find new local products we can feature in Edible Austin.
up a jar of Austin’s own Jaime’s Spanish Village Salsa next time
This year we happened upon Yes, Please! Gourmet Treats and
you are at the store. Made from an 80-year-old family recipe that’s
were delighted to try their selection of barks, nuts and fudges.
been passed down through generations, this salsa includes only
One of our favorites was the Butterscotch Bark, but they also offer
simple, natural ingredients: tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic and salt.
Dark
We tried the mild version, which has almost no heat to it but is
along with handcrafted breads, nuts and fudges made with
still packed with flavor, but they make a medium or hot version
recipes from owner Jennifer Morey’s family. Morey spent years
for those who want to turn up the heat level. You can pick up a
making the treats for family, friends and businesses, and
jar at your local H-E-B, Whole Foods Market, Central Market or
finally decided to turn her passion into a business of her
Wheatsville Food Co-op, or order online.
own when she founded Yes, Please! Be sure to try out these
Chocolate
Salted
Caramel
and
Peppermint
Bark,
delicious treats, your sweet tooth (and family) will thank you! jaimessalsas.com yespleasetreats.com
ALAINA & CO CANDLES
MAMA TANG’S SWEET ASIAN VINAIGRETTE When we’re shopping at the local H-E-B, we love to ask the
At the Edible Austin office, there’s always a candle burning, and
specialty products manager what new favorite local product she’s
so we were delighted to discover Alaina & Co’s candles one day
incorporating into her dishes. Her most recent recommendation
while grabbing a coffee at Word of Mouth Bakery. This time of year,
was Mama Tang’s Sweet Asian Vinaigrette, and we definitely see
when it’s cold(er) and drearier outside, a scent that reminds us of
why. After trying it out on a fresh salad, we determined it’s the
a warm and sunny place is great to have, and Alaina & Co’s Island
perfect combination of sweet and salty. You can also use this
Time is perfect to conjure the mood. This hand-poured candle
tangy sauce as a marinade for meat and vegetables, or as a dipping
combines scents of pineapple, goji berry, mango and driftwood to
sauce for sushi, dumplings or sandwiches. If you want to kick it
create a bright aroma that leaves you dreaming of the tropics and
up a notch, there’s a spicy version, too. You can pick up a bottle of
basking in the sun at the beach. There are also many other scents
Mama Tang’s at your local H-E-B or order online. While you’re on
to choose from including Spa Day, Meditation and Folklore, and all
the website, be sure to browse their provided recipes for even more
of their candles are hand-poured here in Austin using sustainably
great ideas for incorporating the sauce into meals.
sourced soy wax. You can pick one up at Word of Mouth, the Austin Marriott Downtown or order online.
mama-tangs.com
alainaco.com
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EdibleAustin.com / 9
NOTABLE edibles
NOTABLE edibles
Prince of Bavaria (for real) Opens KOKO’s Bavarian Brewery & Biergarten
Notable Edibles by MONIQUE THREADGILL
Tso Chinese Delivery Opens TsoCo to Serve South Austin Those in South Austin can rejoice: Tso Chinese Delivery has opened a third location, referred to as “TsoCo,” to bring their Chinese food delivery service to the South Austin area. Located at 2407 South Congress at the intersection of Oltorf Street, TsoCo offers delivery of their same menu Monday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Some of their most popular dishes include their namesake General Tso chicken alongside fried rice, lo mein, soups and more, as well as many vegan and gluten-free options. “We are thankful for the high number of requests and the demand to bring Tso to South Austin, especially areas just south of the river,” says CEO and co-founder, Min Choe. “We are excited to introduce our new designs and improved operations, but most of all, I’m excited to share our food and service to our fans and friends in the area.” Tso accepts orders via its website and orders must either be delivered or taken to-go, as Tso does not have a dining room, but they offer free delivery and have a no tipping policy. To place an order with Tso, visit them online at tsodelivery.com.
photos by DELICIOUS TAMALES
photo by DELICIOUS TAMALES
San Antonio’s Delicious Tamales Makes its Debut in Austin Delicious Tamales has been a favorite San Antonio tamale provider since the 1980s and has six locations throughout the city. Now, Austin has become their first location outside of San Antonio with their opening of a take-out tamale shop at 1931 E. Oltorf in the Riverside neighborhood. Delicious Tamales offers a variety of tamales produced and cooked fresh daily including pork, bean and chicken along with their famous Atomic version, an extra spicy tamale filled with pork and ghost peppers. They also offer sweet tamales, vegetarian tamales and tamale poppers.
Dõ’s Tiny Bread Shed Joins Community in East Austin After serving as a pastry chef for many years in the restaurant and hotel industry, Camila Velez decided to venture out on her own and started Dõ’s as a pop-up bakery from her home back in 2020. Now she is operating from a commercial kitchen and opened a “tiny bread shed” in the new outdoor dining space, Camp East, in East Austin. The neighborhood bakery offers an array of freshly baked breads and pastries including sourdough loaves, pan sobao (traditional Puerto Rican bread), bagels, brioche and sweet rolls. You can visit Dõ’s Tiny Bread Shed on Saturdays and Sundays for in-person shopping or order online pickups. “I want Dõ’s to not only be a business,” says Velez, “but to also be part of a community, to be part of the daily lives of those around me.” To place an order, visit dobakery.com or stop by Dõ’s Tiny Bread Shed at 2903 E. 12th Street.
A graduate of University of Texas, owner Valerie Gonzalez opened her first location in 1980 with her then-husband. Today, Delicious Tamales is the leading tamale manufacturer in San Antonio, selling more than 4.3 million tamales each year. You can place your tamale order online at delicioustamales.com. They also offer nationwide shipping.
photo by MONIQUE THREADGILL
photo by MACKENZIE SMITH KELLEY
Koko’s Bavarian has taken over and reimagined the old Brewer’s Table space in East Austin, creating an authentic-feeling German brewery and biergarten, complete with Stein glasses, rotating beer selections, smoked meats, abundant outdoor table seating and a large outdoor stage to accommodate live music. Koko’s is named after one of the partners, Konstantin (Koko) Prinz von Bayern, who is the Prince of Bavaria. It is said that Prinz von Bayern's fifth great grandfather, King Ludwig I, was responsible for the first Oktoberfest in 1810 in Germany during his wedding, when he invited the citizens of Munich to attend the celebration in front of the city gates. The menu at Koko’s features classic German items: a giant pretzel served with mustard and queso; Belgian fries with dipping sauces, and schnitzels, bratwurst and sausages made of a rabbit-rattlesnake blend or antelope. They also have smoked pork shoulder, rotisserie chicken and vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options. The extensive beer selection includes 30 German and local varieties on tap, additional cans and bottles, and six German-style beers brewed in-house. Visit this fun new biergarten at 4715 E. 5th St. or online at kokosbavarian.com.
photo by DÕ’S TINY BREAD SHED
photo by TSO CHINESE DELIVERY
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EdibleAustin.com / 11
NOTABLE edibles
NOTABLE edibles
Vote for Your Favorite Local Heroes
Steamie’s Dumplings Adds Dine-In Service
Each year, Edible Austin polls readers to ask them to name their favorite local heroes. From now until January 28, you can cast your vote online for your favorite brewery, beverage or food artisan, chef, farm, food shop, food truck, grocer, restaurant and winery.
After getting their start at the local farmers markets in 2018 and then expanding to offer their beloved potstickers at a storefront takeout location in 2020, Steamies Dumplings has now added dine-in service to their restaurant on Airport Boulevard. Owners Cindy Chee and Leslie Chau said that adding a quick-service dine-in option has been in their plans and they felt the timing was finally right to offer this to their patrons.
RECOGNIZE OUR LOCAL HEROES photo by MADRONE COFFEE COMPANY
photo by JACK ALLEN'S
Join us in celebrating our Local Heroes.
Simply visit the link below to vote for your Madrone Coffee Company Opens “Best Of” nominations in these categories: New Location inBrewery Oak Hill Food Shop Beverage Artisan Food Truck Grocer Madrone Coffee Co. has opened theirChef new roasting facility and cafe in Oak Hill Farm at the old Rock Store, a historic Austin landmark that was formerly occupied Restaurant Artisan by Austin Pizza Garden. Madrone is Food a small-batch, specialty coffee roaster that Winery
Jack Allen’s Premiers New Location in Cedar Park
sources coffees from all over the world based on harvest seasons, providing a menu of fresh and diverse coffee options forVOTE their customers. ONLINE NOW!
Jack Allen’s has been a popular dining spot in Austin since owners Jack Gilmore and Tom Kamm opened their first location in 2009. And now they have added a fifth location in Cedar Park within the 1890 Ranch shopping center.
bit.ly/edibleaustinheroes
The menu in Oak Hill includes the standard caffeinated drink options from drip Winners announced in March/April issue coffee to a variety of espresso-based drinks, and for a bite to eat, Frida’s Cocina Voting deadline is January 28 Food Truck serves breakfast and lunch on-site.
The classic comfort-food-heavy menu includes their same signature dishes of “chicken-fried anything,” burgers, tacos, salads and desserts, but with additional rotating seasonal items. As with their other locations, they offer a full bar and feature whiskeys from their hand-selected barrel program.
HEROE L A
S
You can place an order for their frozen dumplings at steamiesdumplings.com or visit them to dine-in at 6929 Airport Blvd., Ste 148.
VOTE TO
LLOOCC
All of their potstickers are made from scratch using simple, local ingredients, and their varieties include their signature pork and cabbage as well as chicken and shitake, a vegan option, or their new special potsticker-of-the-month, which they’ll feature at the dine-in location. Steamies branches out beyond dumplings, though, and also offers crispy scallion pancakes and a cucumber salad. Stay tuned, too, as they have plans to expand the menu in the future.
Be sure to visit bit.ly/edibleaustinheroes to cast your vote. We will announce the winners in our March/April 2022 issue.
2 2 0 2 Made possible by a partnership with societyinsurance.com/texas
Check out Madrone Coffee Co. at 6266 West Hwy 290 or online at madronemountaincoffee.com.
The new location introduces a more modern design, but still maintains the same familiar Jack Allen’s feel inside as well as a large patio for outdoor dining. Visit Jack Allen’s new Cedar Park location at 1345 E. Whitestone Blvd. or order online at jackallenskitchen.com.
photo by STEAMIE'S DUMPLINGS
photo by MONIQUE THREADGILL
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EdibleAustin.com / 13
spotlight on LOCAL
spotlight on LOCAL
Distant Relatives, Close to Home Story by NATHAN MATISSE
photos by DAVE CREANEY
photo by DISTANT RELATIVES
photo by GRANGER COATS
Back in 2018, chef Damien Brockway found himself in an all-too-common place — putting in 16-hour days at a job where the company was making plenty, yet the employees doing everything hadn’t had a raise in a minute. To make matters worse, Brockway increasingly realized he didn’t have a personal connection to the work.
The fix was obvious even if the path to it was not. It required a nearly threeyear odyssey that involved leaving high-end kitchens, doing enough research to make an academic blush, and experimenting with and then perfecting what would become his deceptively concise menu. But now, Brockway proudly spends his days operating Distant Relatives, his young, en vogue food trailer that marries African American culinary traditions with modern techniques and Texas barbecue culture. There’s brisket on the menu at this point, yes, but it’s served with a delicious mustard butter sauce and might come with a side of potlikker or burnt ends and black eyed peas.
As a Culinary Institute of America grad who spent time in local kitchens like Uchiko, Brockway’s then-office was one of those increasingly popular chef’s table restaurants doing “New American” cuisine “at the height of the tasting menu frenzy,” he recalls. Scandinavian and Japanese techniques were getting mixed in, and guests kept asking the chef what to call this food.
“The more folks that get inspired by their own story, their own background, and their own heritage — whether or not it’s specifically African Americans with businesses you can go to that explicitly focus on that thing — that’d be amazing,” Brockway says. “I look forward to meeting these people and talking to them, and really I look forward to eating at those places.”
“I started having conversations with a coworker: ‘What is modern American? What is new American? What does it mean to us and why are we cooking it?’” says Brockway. “I wanted a personal connection to what I’m cooking. I needed the why, ‘Why am I cooking this?’ I’m not a Francophile, so working at Per Se doesn’t mean something. I worked in those kitchens to gain technique and build a resume, but at a certain point if you’re always operating in someone else’s framework, is that appealing? I went into this to eventually have my own restaurant, and if I was going to have my own business, I wanted a personal connection to it.” EdibleAustin.com / 14
It’s easy to hear the excitement in Brockway’s voice if you ask about the research period that helped him unlock the ideas that would eventually evolve into Distant Relatives. The name evokes “ancestry coming from Africa but being in America,” as Brockway puts in. It’s a nod to the history of African American people in this country, and it’s about making a connection with ancestors who arrived through forced enslavement and the general diaspora.
The chef effortlessly cites Michael Twitty’s The Cooking Gene, Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee, or The Charleston Receipts (the oldest junior league cookbook in print) the way home cooks might reference a New York Times Cooking subscription. Some portion of the genius behind Distant Relatives lies in how well Brockway connects that social and culinary history with the techniques he honed in modern fine dining, aspects of American barbecue, and his own personal flavor upbringing. Ask about the smokiness behind his dishes (both main meats and sides), for instance, and Brockway will tell you about how enslaved African Americans cooked everything via wood fire in old colonial kitchens, so smoke would permeate both main courses and sides just because all aspects of a meal came from the same massive hearth. Or listen to the chef walk you through why his meats come with sauce, and you’ll learn the chili vinegar sauce on his chicken leg came from meals his mother made growing up or the pulled pork’s tamarind molasses barbecue sauce calls back directly to African and early African American cooking. “This is not a reclamation [of African American flavors]; we don’t own all of this,” Brockway says. “But why can’t I be inspired to cook my own heritage, this story of where I come from? There’s no good reason I can’t do this … And to me, when doing the research, the flavor profiles become a lot clearer when you look at the really, really old stuff. You see straight up red chile, vinegar, tamarind, coconut — you see these things at the forefront, and it’s readily apparent and well documented.” Distant Relatives began service just over a year ago in August 2020, when Brockway debuted the concept and some of the dishes through a series of pop-up events in Austin. A trailer soon followed in February 2021. Tucked away near a tire shop on East 7th street, Brockway recalls getting excited on days when Distant Relatives would serve 20, 30 or maybe 50 customers. But even when the scale was small, admiration for Brockway’s work was large. Many in the Austin restaurant community became fast regulars, and word spread quickly after influential people came and sang Distant Relatives’ praises.
The thought, care, creativity and work going into Brockway’s unassuming plates has been sought after and praised ever since. The team at Meanwhile Brewing was among Brockway’s adoring customers on East 7th, and they invited Distant Relatives to check out their space in summer 2021 for an eventual trailer relocation. Business immediately went up, “like going from 0-60 in 30 seconds,” Brockway says. And though there was new pressure to perform, the increased demand allowed Distant Relatives to expand to what it is today, a team of five making barbecue that sells out regularly and earns accolades from Eater’s Best News Restaurants to the Texas Monthly Top 50 barbecue list. “There hasn’t been time to stop, to realize, ‘Yeah, we’re really bad ass,’” Brockway quips. “With each of these things, there’s been a new enormous challenge. My nightmare would be if I refinanced my house, took all these assets and scraped every last nickel for this, and put myself out on the front line that this is who I am, what I’m cooking, and we built this team … then all of a sudden, the hype is not real for customers. So for now, we’re trying to translate the experience for the masses, trying to make sure every single person feels like they were the ones sitting in the parking lot of the tire shop.” The thing is: Even if you stumbled upon Distant Relatives completely unaware of all the context, you’d walk away in lunch love. Each order begins with a feast for your eyes, a plate filled with vibrant purple (preserved cabbage), forest green (collard greens), or orange (a chili sauce that hugs pulled pork and would almost certainly make for the best hot wings in town). I’d paint walls with any of those hues, yet somehow equally bright and robust flavors follow. You can taste Brockway’s zero-waste ethos in his potlikker stew that marries the smokiness of the pits with the spiciness of Distant Relatives’ sauce wizardry. And the chef’s culinary skills are evident in the meats, like pulled pork so rich and pillow-y you could close your eyes and mistake it for an indulgent dumpling. It’s obvious why the truck usually has a steady stream of customers, even on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving before the leftovers run out.
sandwich photo by DAVE CREANEY
EdibleAustin.com / 15
edible ENDEAVOR
Love, Tito’s Raises Community Spirits Block to Block
T
Story by EMILY TREADWAY Photos by LOVE, TITO'S
ito’s Handmade Vodka has been an Austin institution for over 20 years. Since its inception in the mid-’90s, Tito’s name is now well-known throughout the rest of the country. But it’s Tito’s nonprofit program — Love, Tito’s Block to Block — which brings gardens and farms to communities nationwide, that is currently gaining traction. The initial idea came from Tito’s vision of creating a work environment where healthy food was made accessible to employees. In the summer of 2017, Tito’s broke ground to build an organic farm on a plot of land adjacent to its distillery. The 14-acre farm increased employees’ access to fresh food but also inspired healthy habits and served as an educational space. Through this initiative, lunch was cooked on-site for employees using produce from the farm while also allowing employees to take fresh produce home to their own kitchens. Lindsey Bates, Love, Tito’s program and communication manager, says, “After seeing the success of the farm for our employees in our own backyard, we wanted to figure out a way to bring it to other communities across the country. We were inspired to create the Love, Tito’s Block to Block program to bring communities together while increasing access to fresh, healthy foods one block at a time.” In 2019, the Love, Tito’s Block to Block program was first piloted in Houston, Miami, and Los Angeles. “These three locations were chosen based on interest from our local teams and their respective nonprofits being open to trying out the program with us,” Bates explains. “We also looked at which communities we could make a significant impact in.” Following the success of its pilot program, Love, Tito’s Block to Block branched out to 25 cities throughout 2020, and, in 2021, expanded to 28 cities throughout the U.S., Austin being one of them. Some projects support multiple gardens or farms or a combination of both. Bates states, “We continue to grow the program in new cities each year and are currently planning for 2022.”
Block to Block works with Tito’s employees around the country to identify cities where the program might be a good fit. From there, relationships are built with local nonprofits to see how Block to Block can support the work already going on in those communities. “Sometimes, that looks like building a brand-new community garden from the ground up,” Bates says, “and in other places, that’s helping to expand and improve existing growing spaces.” In Austin, Love, Tito’s Block to Block teamed up with the Austin Parks Foundation, which supports 13 community gardens throughout the city. Tito's employees help coordinate the project and volunteer at the gardens and farms alongside several different groups, including the nonprofits, gardeners and farmers of that location, and community volunteers. “It’s a really wonderful way to bring the community together and give back at the same time,” Bates says. Locally, Tito’s provided some of the seedlings from its farm to the Austin Parks Foundation to share with its gardeners in 2020, but the decision for what is planted at the Block to Block farms and gardens is usually left up to the local nonprofits and growers. “They know their climate best!” Bates says. “Since our Block to Block program serves cities all around the country, there are different fruits and vegetables that grow better in some places over others. There are also different times of the year when they need to be planted to be the most successful.” Aside from the 13 community gardens that the Austin Parks Foundation supports, there are dozens more community gardens around Austin. For Austinites interested in gardening, it’s a great way to meet other growers, learn from each other, increase access to fresh, healthy foods, and build community. “The great thing about community gardens is that there’s always work to be done,” Bates says. Whether it’s harvesting fresh produce or preparing raised beds for the next growing season, there are opportunities to get involved year-round. “Community gardens also serve as a great opportunity to get outside, get your hands dirty, learn and grow.” For more information about Love, Tito’s Block to Block program, visit titosvodka.com/block-to-block/ and austinparks.org/community-gardens/.
16 / EdibleAustin.com
EdibleAustin.com / 17
edible ENDEAVOR
Force of Nature Story and photos by RALPH YZNAGA
Robby Sansom is a passionate man. He’s passionate about preserving the Hill Country, passionate about regenerative agriculture, and passionate about helping change the way people eat. “As a society, we’ve become so detached from our food,” says Sansom, co-founder, CEO and land steward at Force of Nature. Sansom and the rest of the team are committed to creating a regenerative agriculture system that helps enrich the soil, combat climate change, and make food production more sustainable. With Force of Nature, consumers can invest in environmental regeneration by consuming nutrient-rich meat that is good for them, communities, farmers and the planet. A lifetime Austinite, Sansom learned about conservation at an early age through hunting, preparing his own meat and sharing his harvest communally. He laments how large, corporate operations have adversely impacted the farming community. “Our nation is losing 5 to 10,000 farmers a year. That’s more than jobs lost, that’s family legacies and generational wealth affected, and 7th-generation farmers and ranchers who can no longer sustain their livelihood on that land.” As the former CFO/COO at EPIC, makers of the famous protein bars, Sansom spent the last six years studying regenerative agriculture. He and his team at Force of Nature visited ranches all over the world before launching their company. Their intention is to accelerate the creation of a global regenerative
supply network through following the principles of regenerative agriculture. Force of Nature has curated a vast collection of land stewards, ranchers and farmers who are committed to creating this positive impact and give consumers the ability to vote for environmental regeneration by consuming meat that is actually good for the planet. But he also knows that “there is no true food revolution without the consumer. The race to the bottom has ended — consumers are getting access and they’re voting at the cash register for the items that align with their values.”
photo by FORCE OF NATURE
All Force of Nature animals, including bison, deer, elk, wild boar, pigs and chickens are raised in environments that encourage the expression of their natural behaviors while consuming the diets they were biologically engineered and evolved to eat. For Sansom and the rest of the small team, having the opportunity to build Force of Nature has been a blessing. He is hoping that Force of Nature will have a more significant share of the market in five years — because that will mean “the idea of regenerative agriculture has become mainstream, and the large meat producers will have to improve their processes, including their treatment of communities, land and animals.” Force of Nature’s meats are all sourced from ranchers and farmers who are practicing the five principles of soil health (limited disturbance; armor your soil; diversity; living roots; and integrated animals). After having the opportunity to enjoy their Ribeye and New York Strip Steak grilled on seasoned, Hill Country oak, it looks like the future is indeed bright for Force of Nature. You can learn more and purchase Force of Nature’s responsibly sourced products at forceofnature.com
Portrait photo by FORCE OF NATURE EdibleAustin.com / 18
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Mastering the Markets Texas Farmers Markets by YOLANDA NAGY As we head into a new year, perhaps it’s time
This outdoor/indoor market is not just a shopper's paradise but also
to take a fresh new look at the Texas Farmers
a farmers foodie extravaganza! Since late June, the market has been
Markets that we know and love. TFM has two
divided into two parts: one inside the Branch Park Pavilion (where a
locations — Cedar Park and Central Austin —
mask is required), and another outside the pavilion, wrapping around
and both markets are held on the weekends
the building and onto Philomena Street. (Tip: Before you go, download
and are sustainable, year-round, producer-only
a map of the market’s layout from their website to make sure you don’t
markets. This means that the vendors are
miss your new favorite vendor.)
located within 150 miles from Austin and only sell what they grow or produce. As a shopper,
There is just so much to see, touch, smell and taste at both of these
you’ll feel good about the food you buy there because it will never be
markets! Normally in this column, this would be where I told you
stored in a giant warehouse or trucked in from out of state.
about my favorite vendors, and as much as I love to recommend them, I’m not going to this time. This is a new year, and I want to
If you’re a Saturday shopper, you’ll want to take a trip to the
challenge you to do your own exploration: learn about the markets,
Lakeline (or Cedar Park) market. It fills the Lakeline Mall parking lot
talk with the vendors, and ask them how to prepare and store the items
with over 30 ranchers and farmers, and 61 prepared-food artisans, making this one of the largest markets in the Austin area. Come early to shop before things sell out but plan to stay for lunch by packing a cooler and some water to enjoy the live music.
that you buy. Try their samples, too! Because, remember, you are not obligated to buy and it’s a good opportunity to experience something new. Keep your promise to yourself and take home something new each week. Stay updated by signing up on
All of you Sunday shoppers will also want an early start at the Mueller
their websites for their weekly newsletters where you can find out
market. I’d recommend making your first stop at the information
about what's happening each week, what's in season and their food
booth, not to ask for a map but to buy one of their signature made-in-
programs. You will be glad you did.
the-USA organic cotton bags. I love these bags because they are big and have a pocket to stash your wallet and keys.
Yes, a New Year means new adventures. And local never looked so good! I'll see you at the markets.
When you enter the open, 19,800 sq ft. lot, you’ll discover a European -feel but still Southern-style market with over 120 vendors. There is no other market like it in Austin, in my opinion (but others seem to agree — it was voted Austin’s favorite farmers’ market in the Austin Chronicle seven years in a row).
TFM Market Locations: Lakeline Farmers Market Saturdays 9-1 p.m. 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr., Cedar Park Plenty of free parking Open rain or shine Mueller Farmers’ Market Sundays 10-2 p.m. 2006 Philomena St. Austin Free parking on the street. There are two paid garages (TFM does not validate parking) Find Yolanda Nagy on IG: @eatin_and_sippin_locally and on Facebook: Eatin’ and Sippin Locally.
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United By A Common Cause.
A PROJECT TO SUPPORT ALL OUR PATRIOTIC HEROES
WE NEED YOU
Brewery Beverage Artisan Chef Farm Food Artisan
Food Shop Food Truck Grocer Restaurant Winery
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LLOOCC
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RECOGNIZE OUR LOCAL HEROES
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VOTE TO
Volunteers are the heart and soul of the Food Bank. This past year they have been essential in helping us feed our neighbors impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and devastating winter storm. But we still need your help!
As our community continues to struggle with economic recovery, we urgently need volunteers to help nourish the 65,000 Central Texans we serve every week.
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RECIPES OF THE
SEASON Photography by MICA McCOOK
CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP Makes about 7 servings
For the soup: 1
medium onion, chopped (about 1 c.)
2
garlic cloves, minced (about 2 t.)
2 T.
vegetable oil
4 oz.
can chopped green chilies
15 oz.
can chopped Italian stewed tomatoes
4 c.
chicken broth
1 t.
lemon pepper seasoning
2 t.
Worcestershire sauce
1 t.
chili powder
1 t.
ground cumin
½ t.
hot sauce (or to taste)
4 T.
flour
½ c.
water
1 lb.
skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
1/3 c.
sour cream Salt and pepper to taste
For the tortilla strips: 4
corn tortillas, cut into ¼ inch strips
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
Grated cheddar cheese, for garnish
In a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic in vegetable oil over low heat for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the chilies, tomatoes with their juice, broth, lemon pepper, Worcestershire sauce, spices and hot sauce, and simmer for about 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the flour with the water and whisk it into the soup. Bring the soup back to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and simmer for 5 minutes or until it is just cooked through. Stir in the sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish each portion with tortilla strips and shredded cheese, if desired. To make the tortilla strips: preheat the oven to 400°. Arrange the tortilla strips in one layer on a baking sheet sprayed with vegetable oil. Bake strips in the oven for 10 minutes or until they are lightly toasted and crispy. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.
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recipes of the SEASON
STRAWBERRY ORANGE SALAD Makes 8 servings
¾ c.
sugar
¼ c.
thinly sliced, fresh basil leaves
2 lbs.
strawberries
4
navel oranges
Yogurt or whipped cream Sliced almonds, for garnish
Bring 1½ cups water and the sugar to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook just until clear, 2 to 3 minutes. Let syrup cool very briefly, then add 1/4 cup of basil leaves. Set aside to steep and cool. Rinse and hull strawberries and cut them into quarters (or sixths if very large). With a small, sharp knife, cut ends off oranges. Set 1 orange cut side down on a cutting board. Following its curve with the knife, slice off peel and white pith. Holding the orange over a bowl to catch the juice, cut between the inner membranes and the fruit to release segments. Drop the segments into the bowl. When finished, squeeze juice from membranes into the bowl and discard. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Delicately stack the strawberries and oranges on top of each other in a glass or clear bowl, and pour the basil syrup over the fruit. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt or whipped cream, and garnish with sliced almonds
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FUEL YOUR YEAR WITH THESE LOCAL COFFEE SHOPS
photos by RALPH YZNAGA
Story by Stacey Ingram Kaleh
MAKE A FRIEND DATE CENOTE
Whether you are looking for a casual outdoor setting or an intimate indoor corner, Cenote is a perfect destination for any coffee date — friend dates included! Calling itself “East Austin’s neighborhood patio café,”
I
Cenote is a truly local business started by residents of the neighborhood, Cody Symington and Mary Jenkins, who dreamed of creating a gathering t’s a new year! Not only is the beginning of a new year the perfect
place with great coffee and food on East Cesar Chavez. Bringing in family
time to relax and re-energize, it’s a time to set new goals and focus
and friends, including Austin drummer Cully Symington, Nick Symington
on our priorities. In Austin, where January and February are our
and Heather Lubovinsky, to help realize their dream, Cenote has become a
most “wintry” months, it’s also when we layer on our sweaters and seek
local favorite.
out cozy spaces and warm beverages. There’s no better time to explore our local coffee shops to refuel, get a caffeine fix and seize that new
Beyond a stellar coffee menu, which emphasizes locally sourced
year motivation.
options rotated regularly and served using a pour over method, and a dynamic food menu featuring breakfast tacos, sandwiches and roasted
The Central Texas coffee scene is diverse, dynamic and ever-growing.
veggie plates with ingredients that are naturally raised, hormone-free
From the Domain to Downtown to the Hill Country, there are many
and support Texas farmers, Cenote has the undeniable “it-factor”
great local options to choose from, each with their own unique
when it comes to atmosphere. It feels like it is truly part of the
atmosphere and delectable menu. While the number of choices is
neighborhood, housed in a historic 1887 house that appears on Austin’s
plentiful, a few specialty coffee shops stand out as perfectly suited
very first hand-drawn map. Yet it also has something mystical
for certain occasions. Over time, we each develop our own list of
about its large front porch consumed by vines and the thoughtful
go-to’s and favorites — our favorite latté in the neighborhood, the best
vignettes designed throughout the expansive outdoor space.
cappuccino near our office, coziest corner for an intimate date or catch-up session with a friend. Coffee connoisseurs, I encourage
Cozy up inside on a comfy couch for a romantic vibe or head outside to a
you to get out of your comfort zones in 2022 and expand that list!
picnic table to catch up with an old friend. If your coffee date is going well,
Whether it’s revisiting an iconic Austin shop or venturing out to the Hill Country for coffee with a view, you’ll never run out of new roasts and flavors to keep you stimulated. As you crack open your digital calendar or monthly planner, resolve to support local businesses when you arrange a get-together with a friend, your next business meeting (when you’re so over Zoom), solo
it could always turn into an extended lunch or happy hour, as Cenote is part coffeehouse, part wine bar and part tap room. Don’t miss: Their signature iced coffee, cold brewed for 24 hours, triplefiltered, kegged, and served on a nitro draft system or their house-made chai tea 1010 E. Cesar Chavez | cenoteaustin.com
break or weekend breakfast. photo by MONIQUE THREADGILL
EdibleAustin.com / 29
TURNING A PAGE COOKBOOK BAR & CAFÉ AT AUSTIN CENTRAL LIBRARY
A source of inspiration, the Austin Central Library is the destination for those who embrace curiosity in our city. Individuals and groups of all ages can find a place to feel at home in this vibrant public setting, an escape right in the heart of downtown. An outing to the library wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Cookbook Bar & Café, a counter-service eatery featuring recipes pulled from the pages of cookbooks authored by renowned chefs across the U.S. Browse culinary-themed publications and cookbooks that have inspired the café’s team while you enjoy a coffee or literary-themed cocktail next to floor-to-ceiling windows or out on the sunny patio. You can also pick out a shaded spot on the library’s rooftop with sweeping views of downtown, the Congress Avenue and First Street bridges, and Lady Bird Lake, where Cookbook Café offers a coffee cart with drip coffee to energize you as you turn the pages of your latest read. Cookbook Bar & Café also showcases a special collection of over
photo by MONIQUE THREADGILL
FOR A SOLO OUTING SUMMER MOON
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS TRIANON
If you’ve been in Austin awhile, you’re likely familiar with Summer Moon.
critic Virginia B. Wood. A fifth-generation Austinite and avid cook, Wood was the first pastry chef at Fonda San Miguel and operated
photos by RALPH YZNAGA
her own wholesale dessert and catering company, Las Dulces. You’re
COFFEE THAT KEEPS AUSTIN WEIRD
sure to leave feeling motivated and having learned something new! Don’t miss: Any of their latté flavors from amaretto and hazelnut to
And, if you’ve ever had their signature wood-fired coffee and Moon
Longtime neighborhood go-to Trianon serves up quality roasts in a low-key
Milk, you’ve likely become an evangelist. With beginnings on South
Westlake setting. Tucked away in a shopping center just off Bee Cave Road,
First Street, Summer Moon now has dozens of locations across the state
they offer a great central meeting spot for your next business meeting.
(and even a couple out of state), all known for their focus on distinctive
500 cookbooks, collected by late Austin Chronicle food editor and
SPIDER HOUSE BALLROOM
caramel, lavender or vanilla 710 W. Cesar Chavez St. | cookbookatx.com
After more than 25 years serving the community, it’s safe to call Spider House an Austin icon. A hotspot for art, music and culture, Spider House
Texas Hill Country coffee.
Walking in from the humble exterior, the cafe and roastery features
Ballroom is an eclectic gathering space just north of the UT Austin campus
streamlined wood accents and a comfortable space to sit down, plug in
devoted to providing a platform for artists to showcase their work. At the
When life starts getting crazy, as it tends to, it’s important to slow down,
and stay awhile. Meeting with a client or taking the team out for coffee?
heart of the ballroom complex is a small house that is now the cafe, which
take a breath and create a moment for yourself. For an indulgent solo outing,
You can reserve one of Trianon’s two private conference rooms (one small,
was built in 1931 by German immigrants and has been host to legendary
head to Summer Moon’s original location and pull up a seat at the bar or sit
seating four people, and one large, seating up to 14) at no charge. Be sure to
parties over the decades. It’s even been called haunted by some.
and people-watch on the patio. Summer Moon was founded on the idea of
plan your reservation at least 24 hours in advance and check in on the latest
unplugging and recreating the atmosphere of a cozy Hill Country evening
health and safety policies.
When owner and founder Conrad Bejarano opened Spider House in
five minutes.
While enjoying beautifully crafted cappuccinos, you can order up some
welcome, and he’s done just that. In fact, Spider House attracts a diverse
Tacodeli breakfast tacos and be the office hero. When you’re done with your
range of creative types from UT students to local musicians and
Every batch of flavorful Summer Moon coffee is roasted in handmade
meeting, grab one of their signature roasts to-go. The shop has a feature
filmmakers to celebrities including Terrence Malick, Richard Linklater,
brick roasters over seasoned Texas oak, and the team has spent more than
wall with rows and rows of their own roasted beans, which range from
Quentin Tarantino, Drew Barrymore, Bill Murray, Paris Hilton and others.
two decades perfecting their unique process. Their Moon Milk sweet
origins in Tanzania and Kenya to Honduras and Hawaiian Kona coffee.
cream is designed to be the ideal companion for wood-fired espresso
You’re sure to discover something unique to your taste, whether you’re
and the oak-roasted undertones of the coffee, so be sure not to pass it up.
a fan of light, medium or dark, sweet or herbal, or even honey-processed
under the summer moon, so you’re sure to find some Zen vibes, if even for
roasts. Trianon prides itself on “expertly curated coffees” that include Recreate your self-care moment at home by purchasing one of their
organic roasts, small-batch single-origin coffees, and sustainably sourced
dynamic assortments of house roasts.
and socially responsible microlot coffees. You can browse a wide selection
Don’t miss: Their Summer Moon latté made with their secret-recipe
on their website and arrange to pick up!
1995, he was determined to create a cultural gathering place where all are
Covered in twinkling Christmas lights year-round, and with statues, fountains and bathtubs sporadically placed throughout its grounds, Spider House will bring out your creative side. It’s also one of the best places in town to grab coffee at night. Bring a friend or three, sit among the lights and fuel your conversation with espresso. Don’t miss: Their black-and-white, featuring espresso poured over vanilla
Moon Milk
Don’t miss: Their fresh brewed coffee of the day with bottomless refills
ice cream
3115 S. First St. #1b | summermooncoffee.com
3654 Bee Cave Rd., Ste. A | trianoncoffee.com
2906 Fruth St. | spiderhouseatx.com
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Above and Right: Greater Goods Coffee Co.
COFFEE THAT GIVES BACK GREATER GOODS COFFEE CO.
Want to feel good and do good when you partake in your daily coffee ritual? Look no further than Greater Goods Coffee Co.
photos by RALPH YZNAGA
Serving up specialty coffees from around the world, Greater Goods prides itself on socially and environmentally responsible sourcing, sharing
COFFEE AND A CROISSANT
coffee knowledge, and Texas hospitality. Most importantly, Greater Goods is founded on the principle of giving back to the community. Each bag of
COFFEE WITH A VIEW
BAGUETTE ET CHOCOLAT
LOLA SAVANNAH COFFEE LOUNGE LAKEWAY
If you’re dreaming of teleporting to France, look no further.
In search of a coffee spot that can help you recreate vacation vibes? Head west to the Lola Savannah Coffee Lounge in Lakeway, connected with the Grove Wine Bar & Kitchen on Ranch Road 620.
coffee sold supports a Texas nonprofit organization like Central Texas Food Bank, The Autism Society of Central Texas or Austin Pets Alive!
Baguette et Chocolat is as authentic as it gets. Owners Anne-lise and
Purchase a bag of Good Vibes, with notes of hot cocoa, peanut butter and
Chi-minh Pham-dinh brought a slice of their hometown to Bee Cave
dried cherry sourced from Brazil, and $1 goes to support Central Texans
when they moved from their native Paris to the U.S.
with autism. When you grab a bag of the Rise & Shine classic dark blend, with notes of semisweet chocolate and molasses sourced from Nicaragua
All food and pastries are made daily from scratch by artisans,
and Columbia, you provide four meals to Central Texans who are food
completely in-house and using French recipes. Their signature croissants
insecure. And when you buy a bag of the Take Me Home blend, with tones
are airy and perfectly flaky, sure to transport you to the streets of Paris.
of toffee, marzipan and delicious vanilla sourced from Costa Rica, you
The menu also features classic French omelets, crêpes, quiche, sandwiches
provide a day of care and support for a local animal at risk for euthanasia
on fresh baguettes and more pastries (think tartes and macarons)
and in search of a home.
than you can imagine. Baguette et Chocolat offers a range of LaVazza coffees with a French twist, including indulgent and delectable house-made
Visit one of Greater Goods’ locations to sip on a delicious scratch-made chai
whipped cream.
cider or New Orleans-inspired Vietnamese chicory iced coffee while you choose which bag to take home with you.
It’s common to see a line out the door as early as 8 a.m. on weekends, and favorites such as almond croissants and pain au chocolat sell out quickly.
Don’t miss: Their Vietnamese Chicory Iced Coffee, made with the Rise &
Be sure to make plans to make a special outing for this one — and it will be
Shine dark blend, combined with a spoonful of ground chicory root and brewed
worth it!
Vietnamese style (the rich coffee slowly drips onto a bed of sweetened condensed milk). This specialty can be made vegan upon request.
Don’t miss: Their pain au chocolat and “French Latté” with house-made cream
2501 E. 5th at Pedernales or 12005 Bee Cave Rd. | greatergoodsroasting.com 32 / EdibleAustin.com
Laid-back with just the right amount of sophistication, Lola Savannah’s relaxing lounge opens up to a large outdoor patio with panoramic views of Austin’s rolling hills. Award-winning baristas will wow you with whimsical latté art while you sit back and unwind, on your own or with a bestie. If you have to work but want to infuse a stress-free environment into your routine, set up your laptop outside so you can look up from your email and remember why you love living and working in Austin. When 5 p.m. hits, venture next door for a glass of wine at the Grove.
Spider House Ballroom
12101 FM 2244, Bldg. 6, Bee Cave | baguetteetchocolat.com
Situated at the edge of the Hill Country, this location of Lola Savannah is a perfect stop on your way to or from Lake Travis. Order a blended frappé on a warmer day or enjoy the baristas’ expertise and artistry with a latté or cappuccino. All coffee beans are imported and roasted by Lola Savannah Coffee Company in Houston. Don’t miss: Their artistic flourishes
classic
cappuccino
with
their
barista’s
3001 Ranch Road 620 South | lolacoffee.com EdibleAustin.com / 33
MORE COFFEE HAVENS Austin and the Hill Country have so many great options for coffee, it’s hard to name them all but here are some more of our favorites: Better Half Coffee & Cocktails Better Half Coffee & Cocktails has a large outdoor yard with picnic tables, along with ample inside seating, making for a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. | 406 Walsh Street | betterhalfbar.com Blanco Brew – Wimberly Located just north of Wimberly Square, Blanco Brew serves up delicious cups of their organic, fair-trade, locally-roasted coffees from all over the world. For a treat, pair it with a warm cinnamon roll or freshly-baked cookie made fresh daily in their bakery. | 14200 Ranch Road 12 | blancobrew.com Caliche Coffee Bar & Roastery – Fredericksburg Mozart's Coffee Roasters
Caliche Coffee serves small-batch coffees roasted in their beautifully restored
historic
building
on
Main
Street
in
Fredericksburg.
338 W. Main Street | calichecoffee.com
Medici Roasting
Cosmic Coffee + Beer Garden
With eight locations around Austin, it’s easy to pop in for a cup of coffee at Medici. They have their own house blends, but also offer seasonally chosen
Cosmic Coffee located just off South Congress has a large outdoor area and
coffees from around the world. Find all their locations at mediciroasting.com
prides itself on supporting sustainability and regenerative systems. Their on-site chicken coop, pond and waterfall garden are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. | 121 Pickle Road | cosmiccoffeebeer.com Jo’s Coffee
Mozart’s Coffee Roasters It’s hard to beat the view from Mozart’s patio overlooking Lake Austin. Adding a delicious cup of freshly brewed coffee and a to-die-for pastry makes any day at Mozart’s something special.
Of course, Jo’s is an iconic Austin staple, well-known for the muchphotographed “I Love You So Much” mural, but it’s also a terrific place to stop in for a hot cup of coffee and to take in the sites of South Congress. They also have several other locations downtown, near UT’s campus and north on Red River. | 1300 South Congress Avenue | joscoffee.com
3825 Lake Austin Blvd. | mozartscoffee.com Numinous Coffee Roasters — Marble Falls Stop by Numinous for a steaming hot cup of coffee or a scratch-made pastry next time you are in Marble Falls. | 715 Ranch Road 1431 East numinouscoffee.com Radio Coffee & Beer For a great place to meet up with people to enjoy a cup of coffee on a beautiful day, Radio offers an expansive outdoor seating area in South Austin. 4204 Manchaca Road | radiocoffeeandbeer.com Texas Coffee Traders A staple in the Austin coffee community, Texas Coffee Traders provides restaurants, cafes and coffee lovers all over with the freshest roasted beans, but you can also stop in for a fresh, artisanal coffee and visit their roastery. 1400 E. 4th St. | texascoffeetraders.com
list and photos by MONIQUE THREADGILL
34 / EdibleAustin.com
Better Half Coffee & Cocktails
EdibleAustin.com / 35
FARMERS diary
PERFECT PAIRING LEWIS WINE + CIELITO LINDO
by ADA BROUSSARD photography by PATTY ROBERTSON
O
n the morning I visited Doug Lewis, one of the founders and
Lewis grew up in Elgin, went to elementary
winemakers at Lewis Wines, the winery wasn’t yet open to
and middle school in Hyde Park, and often
the public. I wasn’t exactly sure where I should go, but I
accompanied his dad, a veterinarian
assumed the large tasting room was a good start. As I slowly cruised
and rancher, on five-hour road trips to
past Lewis’s estate vineyards, and a pasture of chickens (more on that
northern Louisiana where his family
later), there was a white Subaru Outback assuredly hauling from the
ran cattle in the Red River Valley.
opposite direction. It was Lewis. “I’ve gotta change into some dry
This would become Lewis’s specific
shoes,” he told me through a rolled-down window. “Make yourself
identity: part farmer, part businessman
at home."
and part winemaker. “In college I got interested in wine and volunteered at a
Writing about wine is usually out of my meat-and-potatoes wheelhouse, but this exchange with Lewis was reminiscent of so many welcomes I’ve had from so many farmers. Them: barreling through their busy morning, putting out fires (in this case, fixing a broken pump). Me: eager to hear all about the ground-up livelihood they’ve built for themselves, harnessing sun and soil into … in this case, wine. I live near Fredericksburg, and the growth of our state’s wine industry is nowhere more apparent than in the seemingly endless number of wineries that border both sides of Highway 290, … as well as Main Street and the country roads that wind in all directions. The construction of new tasting rooms seems perpetual, and these beautiful interiors with branded glassware and shiny signage have somehow monopolized my understanding of the Texas wine industry. But of course, there can’t be true Texas wine without Texas grapes, and while I devote a lot of my professional career to thinking about Texas farmers, this variety of agriculture (and the exhaustingly complex set of variables and skills that go into it), had somehow dissolved into the background of my awareness. Or at least it had, … until I chatted with Lewis. 36 / EdibleAustin.com
winery out here in the Hill Country and worked there through harvest,” Lewis responds when I wonder how it all began. “And then I stayed on through the winter doing tours and some tastings, helping with events, bottling — anything they could get me to do.” That same year, the winery he was working at, Pedernales Cellars, had extra grapes and Lewis made his first ever wine — a side project that he completed with the help of Duncan McNabb, his college roommate who was studying chemistry and had a knack for the detailed methodology of winemaking. “I was going to sell [this first vintage] in bulk to another winery … but the owners of that winery convinced me to start our own brand. I'm really glad they did.” In 2011, Lewis’ family bought property between Johnson City and Hye, and he and McNabb co-founded Lewis Wines. Instead of heading to California or Europe to study wine making, the two hunkered down in the Texas hills, surrounded by Texas fruit, for trial by fire. In 2012, they made some white wines including an award winning Viogner. “That wine was really good. And it was total beginner's luck … We thought, ‘Yeah, that was easy, we knocked it out of the park. So we'll just do this.’ But [that wine] was a bust every year after, in different ways.” EdibleAustin.com / 37
FARMERS diary Over 10 years later, Lewis and McNabb are pressing around 60–70 tons of grapes to make around 3–4,000 cases of wine a year — many of which garner the attention of sommeliers across the state. When I visited, McNabb was on leave, reveling in the very recent birth of his first child. It’s clear that things for Lewis Wines have followed a skyward trajectory from year one, and yet every time I went to praise their craft, Lewis is quick to redirect me. “We make some really good wines from time to time, but we have a long way to go.” Lewis Wines has been steadfast in their mission to make wine with only Texas grapes — a simple ethos that removes any guesswork from reading one of their labels. The winery manages (a.k.a., farms) anywhere from 14–24 acres of fruit themselves — about eight of which are located at the winery itself and the rest are dotted throughout the Hill Country. In addition to these vines, Lewis leases other vineyards across the state, spanning each of Texas’s eight designated AVAs, or American Viticultural Areas, as well as some vineyards like the Blanc Du Bois grapes they get from East Texas and the Gulf Coast. These are used to make their popular vinho verde style Swim Spot — a wine that tastes as refreshing as it sounds. During harvest season, Lewis drives across the state transporting grapes from vineyards as far as the High Plains back to the
Perfect fruit? Lewis Wines often makes a very low-intervention (what some would describe as “natural”) wine, but when the grapes' qualities fail to meet the highest standards, they implore more safeguards. “If the fruit’s in enough trouble, it's not worth the trade off, right? And so as winemakers, we're always faced with decisions like this is the ideal, and then this is reality.” Poplawsky has worked in and around agriculture and food for over
Lewis Wines cellar where
If you're reading this article, chances are you have an interest in the
a decade, most notably as a nose-to-tail butcher for restaurants like
the
how and why your food, and drink, is produced. But the minutiae of
Dai Due, and small farms like Belle Vie, across the region.
those stories — the broken pumps, the hail, the mildew, La Niña —
Developing a working farm at Lewis Wines was always on the list
is lost when you grab a product from a grocery store shelf. Visiting
of Lewis’ dreams, and for Poplawsky, it was the natural extension
Lewis Wines, and sitting in the perfectly disheveled office amid packs of
of her deep passion for ethically raised meat and whole animal
toilet paper and rolls of beautifully embossed wine labels, was a pretty
butchery. “I've just always loved working with food … being a part
honest look at winemaking. Lewis filled me in on last year’s woes. “We
of a system where I am raising it and growing [food] feels the most
were probably set up to have 80 percent of our crop, a pretty good
meaningful to me. I still loved my years in the kitchen, but being
year, and then [from] May first to August 15th, we got close to 40
on the grower-side, I get the most happiness and joy from that. It
inches of rain, a little bit of hail, and lost as much as 80 to 90
finally feels like a dream come true.” When we swap anecdotes of
percent of what was left.”
chicken feed, without an ounce of jest, Poplawsky endorses her
grapes
are
pressed,
matured and bottled. Behind the tasting rooms, the Texas wine industry is a chronicle of demand for grapes by makers, and supply of grapes by producers; a push and pull that has yet to reach an equilibrium. With over 400 licensed wineries across the state, “the market
soy-free food for one simple reason, “I love my feed because I can
is hot for grapes,” Lewis tells me, which can make the process
But a mercurial La Niña, interrupted by spontaneous rains with a
of sourcing very high-quality grapes trickier than it used to be.
splash of hail, created a situation with restricted airflow and invited
“If you have a grower that used to farm 60 acres, and now they're
disease. For a vintner, sometimes the risks inherent in farming pay
overseeing 500, the attention to detail just changes a little. The
off, and sometimes it’s just really tough. “It's agriculture, and to the
industry's changing so much that some of the things you did two or
degree that people want to think that it's not … the less you're going to
In addition to delish dinners, there are other perks about chickens.
three years ago just don't make sense to do now, and that's been a
understand about it,” Lewis says.
Incorporating poultry into the vineyard systems at Lewis Wines is
wild ride … watching businesses develop and things change.” To make the best possible product, Lewis and McNabb are constantly adapting their winemaking techniques and practices to best serve the fruit and its nuances that year, which are all affected by changes in weather including temperature and rainfall. “It's definitely made me less willing to push [for] a certain style. … So this is what I want to do, but we may just be doing with what we've got, you know?”
The story of my trip to Lewis Wines might end here, but it wouldn’t be complete. You see, rotating between the rows of grapes and a nearby pasture, there is another farm called Cielito Lindo Farm — a farm within a farm, owned and operated by Lewis’ partner, Julia Poplawsky.
tell the chickens love it.” Lewis dotes on his grapes, and Poplawsky adores her chickens — the two a pairing so complementary it's worth the hackneyed pun.
good for business — free fertilizer, pest control, guest-entertainment, and a ready-to-go ingredient for farm events. “What grows together, goes together,” Lewis and Poplawsky both tell me, just before shifting the conversation to their upcoming spring wedding.
Cielito Lindo is a chicken farm, producing high quality heritage meat birds and eggs, which are processed on site, and then sold directly to consumers at the Pedernales Farmers Market as well as at the Lewis Wines tasting room.
38 / EdibleAustin.com
EdibleAustin.com / 39
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Potatoes
Tomatoes (Greenhouse)
Radish Spinach Turnip
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photo by JO LANTA
40 / EdibleAustin.com
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