Edible Austin Wellness Issue 2013

edible

No. 27 Spring 2013

Austin

速

Celebrating Central Texas food culture, season by season

The

Wellness W Issue Memb er of Ed ib le Commu n ities

ENUM OPORET W ARB NO THE

IN

What a difference three days make.

At Blue Baker, our artisan baking process takes three days. It’s a process that requires small batches, traditional techniques and simple, honest ingredients to craft remarkably flavorful bread. Stop by our artisan bakery caf´e for pastries. Sandwiches. Soup. Salads. Stone-oven pizza. And, of course, our made-from-scratch breads. Learn more about artisan baking at bluebaker.com. And while you’re there, download our daily specials calendar.

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C o n ra d N

. H il to n

ro d u ci n g C o ll e g e P

P a rt n e r a

n d B e n e fi

ci a ry

Save the dates!

10TH ANNUAL SUGAR LAND WINE & FOOD AFFAIR

Where top chefs share secrets, sommeliers get uncorked and you have exclusive access to the best wine & food around!

APRIL 24 TH - 28 TH , 2013 SugarLandWineandFoodAffair.com Sugar Land, TX 77478 : 713.SIPWINE

CONTents wellness issue 6

Publisher’s Note

10

Notable Mentions

17

Notable Edibles

Whole Kids Foundation, AthleticFoodie, For Kids By Kids, The Wellgro Co.

30

Edible Endeavors

100th Monkey Mushroom Farm.

46

Farmers Diary

Four String Farm.

56

People

Colby Smith.

58

Edible Flavors

Haute herbs.

60

Edible Gardens

Hügelkultur.

62

What I Eat and Why

My gluten-free life.

64

Edible Play

Funny Food.

67

Department of Organic Youth

My chicken farm.

68

Social Cooking

Cottage cooking.

75

Farmers Diary

Cliff Bingham has a farm.

78

Behind the Vines

Flat Creek Estates.

84

La Casita de Buen Sabor

Garden salad bar to plate.

90

Hip Girl’s Guide To Homemaking

On a roll.

92

Root Causes

Life’s questions.

96

The Directory

106 Art

De Terroir

Temporary Insanity.

wellness FEATURES 24 The School of Farm farm-to-table curriculum debuts at the Auguste A Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.

33 Reshaping Our Future Through Food Helping a new generation to a healthier lunch tray.

43 Culture Club Making yogurt at home.

50

Cooking Fresh Brandon Fuller’s spring menu.

70

Healing Health Care A look at the healing power of food.

72

Soy What?

Ubiquitous soy.

93

Picture the Children Children and their food.

Cover: Avery Holt eating a watermelon, by Chasity Whittington,

from the Children and Their Food Photo Exhibit (page 93).

Publisher’s Note

all well and gooD?

Publisher Marla Camp

W

elcome to The Wellness Issue. I promise we’ll stop welcoming you to each of our themed

Jenna Noel

issues as soon as we’ve made the rounds of

EDITOR

introducing them this year. As our first issue with this

Kim Lane

theme, however, I’d like to share a bit of background.

Perhaps you’ll notice a preponderance of children gracing

Copy Editor Christine Whalen

the pages of this issue, along with chickens, hogs and farm

Production Assistant

dogs. This issue is about caretaking the next generation and

Whitney Arostegui

about the creatures that instinctively caretake us. While we focus on wellness

Editorial Assistants

for our families and our environment in this issue, there is also an underlying

Melinda Barsales, Claire Cella, Dena Garcia, Marie Franki Hanan Cari Marshall, Michelle Moore, Lauren Walz

theme of “children and food.” It began with a collaboration last summer with the Children’s Environmental Health Institute to curate a photography exhibition called “Children and Their Food.” The exhibit was a continuation of their Picture

Advertising Sales

the Children project—a visual exploration of children in their environment. This

Curah Beard, Laurie Cochran, Lis Riley

juried exhibition (a selection of photos is on pages 93-95, as well as on our cover) debuted at an international science symposium held last fall in Austin, and will be on display at our Wellness issue signature event, a “Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair,” on Sunday, April 7 at the French Legation Museum. With sponsorship from the Whole Kids Foundation, “Children and Their Food,” will also be touring the country, appearing at Whole Foods Markets in multiple cities. It cuts to the core of what it means for children to interact with and explore food on a visceral level.

In keeping with this theme, we decided to address how food is presented and served in the schools where our children spend a great deal of time as they grow up. As you’ll discover in our feature story by Kristi Willis, things are looking up.

Armed with the mantra “School food is the solution, not the problem,” school-food activist Chef Kate Adamick cofounded Cooks for America, one of several organizations we found to be reshaping the future of food in our school systems nationwide.

Making substative changes in institutional food service—in health care facilities as well as schools—is challenging but imperative.

Then there’s the up-close and personal. Weighing heavily on my mind are those among our family and friends who are not well and who are struggling with the consequential costs and horrific disruptions of their lives and livelihoods. These problems take more than a healthy food system to fix. It will take a communal effort, ideally supported by prescient government leadership, to create a safety net of health care for our at-risk farmers and small food artisans. Let’s have a community conversation around this at the Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair on April 7.

6

Associate PUBLISHER

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Distribution Manager Greg Rose

Contributors Full listing online at edibleaustin.com

Advisory Group Terry Thompson-Anderson, Dorsey Barger, Cathryn Dorsey, Jim Hightower, Toni Tipton-Martin, Mary Sanger, Suzanne Santos, Carol Ann Sayle

CONTACT US Edible Austin 1415 Newning Avenue, Austin, TX 78704 512-441-3971 info@edibleaustin.com edibleaustin.com Edible Austin is published quarterly by Edible Austin L.L.C. All rights reserved. Subscription rate is $35 annually. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. ©2013. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us.

Artwork by Lauren Scheuer

want e W r to hea ! u o y m o fr

Thanks to our sponsors and community partners!

All Kooped Up • Austin EcoNetwork • Buck Moore Feed and Supply Callahan's General Store • Coyote Creek • Edible Austin Chez Poulet • Chicken Mobile Stagecoach • Wheatsville Food Co-op Happy Hen Treats • Funny Farm Industries • Greenling TheGardenCoop.com • Little Miss Recycle Antonellis • Black Star Co-op • Boggy Creek Farm • Dai Due • El Naranjo • Fabi and Rosi The Austin Backyard Poultry Meetup • Bike Austin • Brazos Valley Poultry Club • Compost Coalition Green Corn Project • Partners for Education, Agriculture and Sustainability (PEAS) • Sustainable Food Center • The Texas Aquaponic and Transfarming Group • Urban Patchwork Neighborhood Farms

We’d love to hear your feedback on how we’re doing, learn what content you find most (and least) entertaining and meaningful, and get to know you better.

Please go online to

EdibleAustin.com/survey to answer a short survey and be entered to win one of our great prizes: a Staub Chicken Dutch Oven or a month of Greenling’s Local Boxes delivered to your doorstep!

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SPRING 2013

7

T H E B E S T WAY TO C A P T U R E the flavor of the Hill Country? Use ingredients from

T H E H I L L C O U N T R Y.

Overlooking the 18th greens of the two TPC golf courses, 18 Oaks Restaurant at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country is a casual fine dining experience showcasing prime cuts and traditional steakhouse fare. With a wide variety of our meats, cheeses and produce sourced from local ranchers and farmers, the flavors you’ll taste here are like nothing else on earth. Call for reservations today.

210.491.5825 jwsanantonio.com

notable Mentions ’tis the season for wine and food fests Spring kicks off with a flurry of wine-and-food (and food-and-wine) festivals, so why not indulge in every one? First up is La Grange Uncorked on Saturday, March 16, taking place in the historic Fayette Courthouse Square. For updates on participating food and wine vendors, visit lguncorked.com or call 979-968-5756. While you’re in the area, visit the lovely Rohan Meadery (rohanmeadery.com) and stick around for a musical treat at The Bugle Boy (thebugleboy.org).

Next up is the 10th annual Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair that runs from April 24–28 in Sugar Land in Fort Bend County, located 18 miles southwest of Houston (sugarlandwineandfoodaffair.com).

Attracting foodies from around the state, this five-day festival offers chef workshops and wine tastings galore. And while you’re there, visit the Farmers Market at Imperial at the former site of the Imperial Sugar Factory, the oldest continuously operating business in the state of Texas which processed sugar there for more than 160 years.

ST

Open every Saturday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Looking for a festival with food at the forefront? Experience the 2013 Austin Food & Wine Festival, presented by Food & Wine Magazine on April 26–28. This year’s festival features Chefs David Bull, Tyson Cole,

&

Graham Elliot, Susan Feniger, Aaron Franklin, Bryce Gilmore, Jack Gilmore, Tim Love, Paul Qui, Rene Ortiz, Laura Sawicki, Barton Seaver, Christina Tosi, Jonathan Waxman, Jamie Zelko and Andrew Zimmern among others. Visit austinfoodandwinefestival.com for schedule and ticket options.

For a festival with an all-Texas focus, join us for the Hill Country Wine and Music Festival, benefiting and promoting the establishment of the Texas Center for Wine and Culinary Arts in Freder-

TEXAS MUSIC THEATER

icksburg (see Notable Mention on page 13). The festival takes place on April 26–27 at the Wildseed Farms located on U.S. Hwy 290, seven miles east of Fredericksburg. The festival features some of Central Texas’s hottest wineries and food artisans, while the Texas music stage will feature Flamenco Jazz with Jose Tejeda and the A’lante Flamenco Dance Ensemble, John Arthur Martinez, Charles Thibodeaux and the Austin Cajun Aces and The Almost Patsy Cline

FOOD & FARMERS MARKET • LIVE MUSIC • TEXAS ARTS & CRAFTS 10

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Band. See hillcountrywineandmusic.com for tickets and more.

AY SATURD 2013

,2 APRILM6- 6PM A 11 A

S T. GARDEN FIESTASSE E. SEGOVIA S E 2101 J E TEXAS 78702 , AUSTIN

Artwork by Lauren Scheuer

funky by BIke It’s that time again! The annual Funky Chicken Coop Tour (FCCT) is coming up on Saturday, March 30. This marks the fifth year that Austinites have opened their backyards and chicken coops to fellow chicken lovers. Only this year, there’s a twist: Why not ride the tour on

Texas VegFest is an annual event promoting and celebrating plant-based diets for a healthier, more sustainable future. The event will host a variety of different sponsors and vendors, and will include activities such as:

MUSIC DYNAMIC COOKINGDEMOS DYNAMICSPEAKERS COOKING KIDS’ ACTIVITIES GOOD FOOD && COLD BEER! LOCAL && NATIONAL VENDORS FREE FREE SAMPLES & PRIZES LIVE LIVE

For more information, please visit

SPONSORED BY

T E X A S V E G F E S T. C O M

two wheels? FCCT is partnering with the Austin cycling community to prepare the tour route, provide guides to lead participants from coop to coop, set up rest stops and perform minor bicycle repairs along the way. Visit austincooptour.org for volunteer and tour information.

EAST Austin urban FARM TOUR for a cause Spend Sunday afternoon on April 14 strolling vibrant fields of produce and visiting with chickens, donkeys and goats on four neighboring urban farms. At each farm, chefs will provide tastes of their art using farm-fresh ingredients while local brewers, wine merchants and mixologists will offer sips along with your farmer-led farm tours.

This event will change the way you look at local food and the people you buy from as well as offering the perfect opportunity to get your most pressing gardening questions answered! The East Austin Urban Farm Tour benefits Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, a national organization based in Texas that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthful food supply for American consumers. See eastaustinurbanfarmtour.com for details and tickets.

celebrate veggies at texas vegFest We’re pleased to announce the return of Texas VegFest on April 6, at Fiesta Gardens. The festival is an opportunity to celebrate all the benefits of a plant-based diet—from improving health and protecting the environment to strengthening our relationship with animals and our connection to the food grown in our community. Enjoy the food, entertainment, children’s activities, speakers, cooking demos and interactive events that will get you excited about the produce on your plate. Visit texasvegfest.com for more information.

CELEBRATING THE BEST IN AUSTIN'S CULINARY & COCKTAIL SCENE

15th Annual

Lavender Festival April 27 & 28, 2013

Lavender Vendors ~ Lavender Luncheons Live Music ~ Lavender Cooking Demos Concessions ~ Wine Tasting Parking Fee: $5 Admission: Complimentary Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, Noon – 6 p.m.

APRIL 11, 2013 AT THE DRISKILL HOTEL

TICKETS AT CULTUREMAP.COM/TASTEMAKERS POWERED BY

www.beckervineyards.com 830-644-2681 Directions: 11 miles east of Fredericksburg, 3 miles west of Stonewall, off US Hwy 290 at Jenschke Lane.

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Y BU STIN Y AU PAN M CO LO CA

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FOOD WATER HEALTHY

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The best ingredients deserve chemical-free water!

Water filtration products for a healthy home.

Clean water is the foundation for living healthy. It’s also the key ingredient in the kitchen for superior results. You’ve selected the best ingredients so don’t skimp when it comes to water quality. Get clean, healthy water from your tap with Aquasana water filters.

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SPRING 2013

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Austin Food Bloggers are cooking!

In a jump from its home on the Web to the world of print, the nonprofit Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) is releasing its first-ever cookbook in April. History Press

Texas Center for Wine and Culinary Arts

is publishing the sizable cookbook, which includes more than

Here’s a first peek at phase one of the schematic design for the Texas

100 recipes—including fried egg

Center for Wine and Culinary Arts, just completed by Overland Part-

tacos, avocado margaritas, carrot

ners of San Antonio. The center will be located adjacent to Barons

cake bouchons and Texas coffee

Creek in downtown Fredericksburg, and its mission is “dedicated to

ribs—along with stories, photos and vignettes culled from AFBA’s

the awareness, understanding and celebration of Texas food, wine

members around Central Texas. Proceeds from the sale of the cook-

and agriculture through educational programming and hands-on ex-

books will benefit AFBA’s efforts to support food writers throughout

periences.” The 30,000 square-foot facility will include a hands-on

the region. Visit austinfoodbloggers.org for details and pre-orders.

kitchen, a theater and demo kitchen, two permanent classrooms, a board room, a restaurant, a wine tasting area, wine-and-food-related

AUSTIN CultureMap Tastemaker Awards

retail, a patio with an outdoor teaching kitchen and BBQ center, ap-

Last year’s inaugural Tastemaker Awards, presented by Austin Cul-

proximately 10,500 square feet of indoor event space and an outdoor

tureMap, was a huge success, and this year promises to be just as

event lawn. The center will be built three blocks off of historic Main

delicious. The Tastemaker Awards recognize the culinary achieve-

Street and an easy walk from 300 hotel and motel rooms and Freder-

ments of individuals and restaurants in the Austin area. Categories

icksburg’s numerous B&Bs and guesthouses. A challenge grant of $1.2

for recognition include restaurant, chef, pastry chef, brewery, craft

million to purchase the property for the center has been received

bartender and sommelier/beverage director. The nominees are in,

from the Don L. and Julie Holden Foundation. The center is orga-

and the awards will be announced live on April 11 at the Driskill

nized as a 501(c)(3) so donations to the project are tax deductible.

Hotel. See austin.culturemap.com for a full list of nominees in each

Visit texascenterforwineandculinaryarts.com for updates.

category, and further information about attending this event.

FIRST ANNUAL OLIVE FESTIVAL

• Live Music • Texas Wineries • Olive Oil Tastings • Local Gourmet Foods • Orchard Classes • Cooking Demos • Texas Wineries • Special Guests ~ Micki Sannar ~ Carol Drinkwater

Saturday - April 6, 2013 11am to 6pm - Adults $35 - Kids Free

At the Orchard • 2530 W. Fitzhugh Rd • Dripping Springs, TX 78620 Purchase tickets online at www.TexasHillCountryOliveCo.com, at the Store or any one of our Farmers Market locations.

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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CHIldren’s Picnic and Real Food Fair Edible Austin, The SANDE Youth Project and the Children’s Environmental Health Institute are copresenting a Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair on Sunday, April 7, from 1–5 p.m. on the grounds of the French Legation Museum. Bring the whole family to this free community event, and enjoy a picnic brought from home or buy picnic fixings from an array of local farmers market food vendors. There will be interactive workshops and demos on square-foot gardening,

APRIL 20 join us 802 san marcos for dinner 6:00 pm www.earlyaustin.org

procedes benefit

cooking, beekeeping and more as well as a youth music stage, movies and opportunities to visit with a multitude of representatives from health and wellness professions. Free! More at edibleaustin.com

tasty kids’ menu at Snack bar

Edible Austin - 3.625” x 4.75”

There are many reasons to visit Snack Bar—not the least of which is the dog-friendly patio, one of the best spots for people-watching on South Congress Avenue. But it’s Chef Thomas Reeh’s thoughtful menu that’s the real draw, and it’s no exception for kids. Not only is the children’s menu full of tasty, healthful options—like a scrambled farm egg with fruit, and quinoa with pineapple and avocado—it also doubles as a coloring sheet, giving the grown-ups more time for happy hour. See snackbaraustin.com for menus and more.

relax and smell the lavender!

While Becker Vineyards is most noted for its wine, the property near Fredericksburg also includes three acres of beautifully perfumed lavender. Becker will host its 15th Annual Lavender Festival on April 27–28, with lavender fields in bloom as the backdrop for wine tasting and tours, live music, vintner luncheons, vendors selling lavender products and plants and more. Visit beckervineyards.com for details.

Farm to Plate benefit for sfc brings out the foodies On May 9, celebrate the bounty of spring with Sustainable Food Center (SFC) at their annual fundraiser at the beautiful, historic Barr Mansion, showcasing food by over 25 leading Central Texas chefs ABOVE: Claude Monet, Nympheas (Water Lilies), c. 1916–19, oil on canvas, 51 ¼ x 78 ¾ in., Collection of The Tobin Theatre Arts Fund, Courtesy the McNay Art Museum, San Antonio

dedicated to sourcing locally. The 2013 featured chefs are Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due, Sonya Coté of Hillside Farmacy and The Homegrown Revival and Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo. Farm to Plate also

blantonmuseum.org

features handmade cocktails, biodynamic wines and local microbrews. Tickets available March 1 at sustainablefoodcenter.org

Wildflower Days 2013 TM

Open every day March 11 — May 31

Saving the Rainforest, One Short Film at a Time Austin-based nonprofit Rainforest Partnership is a positive force in the fight to save the ever-dwindling tropical rainforests. They have made headway in communities in Ecuador and Peru, teaching

Spring Plant Sale & Gardening Festival

locals how to develop environmentally sustainable economies—

April 13 & 14

Community Screenings in their 4th annual Films for the Forest

both to protect what remains and rejuvenate what has been lost.

Some of these efforts will be showcased at SXSW Film Festival Challenge. The short films feature innovative approaches to issues

4801 La Crosse Avenue • 512.232.0100

www.wildflower.org 14

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

facing rainforests and their surrounding communities. The screening will be during the week of March 8-16, location and times to be announced. See sxsw.com for complete schedule and updates.

ROSEWOOD gets a neighborhood market Austin’s East Side neighborhood of Rosewood has witnessed dramatic change in recent years, but until recently it was still sorely lacking in nutritional resources. The opening of Rosewood Community Market at 1819 Rosewood Ave. has changed that. Owner Allen Rogers opened the market in an area designated as a “USDA food desert” because of its lack of healthful food options. It’s likely that designation won’t last for long. With just two aisles and no shopping carts, the compact space is brimming with fresh local produce and other graband-go items. Visit rosewoodfood.com for more information.

OLIVE FESTIVAL debuts in dripping Springs The First Annual Texas Olive Festival will be held on Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company orchard in Dripping Springs, with live music, local gourmet food, cooking demos, tastings and book signings. Special guests include Carol Drinkwater, actor and author, discussing her books, documentaries and life at her orchard, and Micki Sannar, chef and

Edible Austin, The SANDE Youth Project and the Children’s Environmental Health Institute present

Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair A Let’s Move! event hosted by the French Legation Museum 802 San Marcos St.

Sunday, April 7 • 1–5 pm • Free bring a picnic • grow a garden • play games meet farmers and local food vendors cooking demos • movies • music and more!

Featuring the Children and Their Food Photo Exhibit

author, serving up delicious desserts. Visit texashillcountryoliveco.com

Texas Natural and Western Swing TurnS 21 San Marcos is gearing up for the 21st annual Texas Natural and Western Swing Festival on Saturday, May 18 on the historic Courtfrom 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The always enjoyable Texas Western Swing

On view in the Museum, April 7

Hall of Fame Show will be under starry skies from 7:30 p.m. to mid-

sponsored by Whole Kids Foundation

house Square, featuring live music and a food and farmers market

night on the banks of the San Marcos River. Visit sanmarcostx.gov

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The HOPE Farmers Market is MOVING! HOPE FM Featured Weekly Vendors

GRAND OPENING! HOPE FM at Plaza Saltillo Sunday March 10 11am-3pm East 5th & Comal ...and then EVERY SUNDAY, rain or shine!

Local Farms Food, Art & Live Music. www.hopefarmersmarket.org

notable EDIBLES A Foundation for Whole Kids

I

mproving children’s nutrition may be the reason why the Whole Kids

Foundation has helped to fund more than 900 school gardens and 1,500 salad bars throughout the United States and Canada since Whole Foods Market launched the charitable entity in

July of 2011. However, local beneficiaries say that what has grown out of these projects has been more than just food. “They are really investing in the community,” says Natalie Seeboth, development manager for the Ann Richards School Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps to fund the Austin Independent School District’s Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders. “We are just really grateful that they are investing in our students because it is the best way to help teach others.”

Last year, the all-girl public school received a $2,000 school-garden grant to help install five raised-bed vegetable gardens, which are being used for everything from studying plant adaptation and photosynthesis to learning about the effectiveness of organically made pesticides. Plus, the girls have tried new foods. “They grew kale from seeds, and once it was fully grown they brought it into the school and were taught how to cook it,” Seeboth explains. “They then went home and cooked a kale dish for their parents that night. We got some great feedback from their parents, who said, I didn’t even know my child knew what kale was.”

Travis High School culinary arts instructor Rob McDonald says his $2,000 grant is being used to help create an outdoor learning environment where his students—and the community at large—can learn to compost, grow food and then use what’s grown to create nutritious recipes. “We want to promote a basic understanding of how to grow food healthily, and how to make healthy decisions when going out to purchase food, whether it be at a farmers market, a grocery store, a restaurant or maybe even a farm directly.”

This spring, the foundation is set to provide an additional 900 schools with salad bars and garden grants using $2.27 million that was raised in September from Whole Foods Market’s in-store donations. Nona Evans, the foundation’s executive director and president, says the reason the foundation chose school gardens for one of their grant programs is because they are an effective and easily implementable way to promote better nutrition for children while also providing opportunities for education, physical movement and more.

“It really helps when kids have a connection to the roots of their food,” Evans says. “There’s just something magical that happens for kids when they see that a seed with dirt and water added turns into food. They are curious, excited and willing to try new things that they would never have otherwise tried.”—Nicole Lessin EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Foodie on the Move he says. “It was a stress reliever in

pic gold medalist foodie who has

college, and I fell in love with food

apprenticed in the kitchens of some

and cooking, and it was around that

of the world’s top chefs could relate

point that I realized I needed to help

to the quotidian challenges faced by

other people learn how to make de-

regular folk. But Austin-based elite

licious foods healthy and help them

swimmer Garrett Weber-Gale, who

realize they can have a better life

took home two gold medals at the

through better nutrition.” What’s

2008 Summer Olympics—even af-

more, after turning his diet around,

ter being diagnosed with high blood

Weber-Gale went on to break the

pressure—hopes that his website

American records for both the 50-

and blog can help people with their

and 100-meter freestyles in the

own day-to-day health and fitness

Olympic trials before winning his

concerns. “I think a lot of times,

two gold medals.

people look at Olympic athletes

These days, Weber-Gale shares

and think, Oh, that person’s just su-

part of his passion through Athletic-

per-gifted; they never had to work for

Foodie—a family-run business that

it,” says Weber-Gale. “That’s total-

offers advice from a range of experts, such as physical therapists,

ly not true for me. I’ve had a lot of hardships that everyday people have, and I’m just a normal guy trying

nutritionists, sports psychologists and even an orthopedic surgeon.

to help people through what I’ve learned.”

He also blogs about everything from his favorite savory red-bean

Indeed, in 2005 (just one year after failing to qualify for the Olym-

recipe to the importance of getting daily sunlight and setting goals.

pics by one place), the 20-year-old swimmer experienced a rude

His mom, Diane Weber, who embraced fitness and a modified veg-

awakening when a routine checkup revealed his blood pressure to be

an diet three years ago to overcome her own health concerns, also

so high that doctors said he was at risk of having a stroke or heart

shares her personal journey. “She’s done a whole transformation

attack. “I was just so determined to figure this out,” Weber-Gale says.

under Garrett’s influence and with his support,” says Garrett’s sis-

“So I started seeing a nutritionist and figured out what I needed to

ter, Hillary Weber-Gale, who serves as AthleticFoodie’s creative

eat. But the problem was, I couldn’t cook anything.”

director.

Initially, there were what Weber-Gale refers to as “epic failures” in

All members of this tight-knit family help out with their differ-

the kitchen, including the time the swimmer attempted to re-create

ent skills: Hillary has an art background, Diane coordinates bloggers

a honey-seared chicken recipe. “The grill was smoking like crazy,” he

and Garrett’s dad, Mark Gale, provides business advice. Yet Diane

recalls. “The chicken breasts were just completely charred from the

says AthleticFoodie is all about her son’s quest to help people live a

honey, and that’s when I realized sugar does burn very easily.”

healthier life. “We all contribute, but there’s no question that he’s the

Despite these frustrations, Weber-Gale took lessons and soon de-

heart and soul of the company,” she says. “He has unbridled passion

veloped such a passion for cooking that he sought out, and secured,

for everything he does. Very few people could compete with his en-

highly coveted culinary apprenticeships at top restaurants, including

ergy, his belief in himself…and in other people.”—Nicole Lessin

Noma in Copenhagen. “I’m constantly excited when I’m cooking,”

18

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athleticfoodie.com

Photography by Hillary Weber-Gale

I

t’s hard to imagine that an Olym-

become a

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“The Ultimate Nursery for Herbs” Austin Chronicle

T

Culinary herbs for chefs— and fruit trees, veggies and native plants for gardeners

he Hyatt Regency Austin recently became one of the first hotels to nationally launch a healthy children’s menu, in associa-

tion with the Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA), First Lady Michelle Obama’s antiobesity nonprofit. At a PHA conference last year, Hyatt approached legendary chef and writer Alice Waters, a

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512-280-1192

Big Taste for Small Diners

11726 Manchaca

pioneer of the organic food movement, and asked her to partner with them for a new program called For Kids By Kids; Waters’s practices seemed a perfect fit for Hyatt’s global philosophy of “Thoughtfully sourced. Carefully served.”

Eleven-year-old Haile Thomas, who’s been cooking since the age of five and has her own YouTube cooking show, Kids Can Cook, was also present at the conference as a member of the youth advisory board with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. The Hyatt approached her as well, to serve as a menu consultant and spokesperson for the new program. “My role was to give feedback on the menu items created by Hyatt chefs,” says Thomas. “I reviewed the initial menu and offered the kid perspective and suggestions for changes.”

The newly designed For Kids By Kids menu includes a seasonal three-course meal created exclusively by Waters, as well as other dishes tweaked and tested by Thomas and a group of her peers.

Some of the recipes were specifically tailored to be interactive and fun for pint-size diners to prepare and eat, like the shake-your-own chopped salad, served in a shakable container full of vegetables, roasted chicken, brown rice and yogurt-basil dressing. Thomas says her inspiration came from knowing that she and many of her friends appreciate options other than the regular burgers, fries and pizzas on typical children’s menus, and they enjoy access to more sophisticated choices like all-natural beef and fresh vegetables.

“Our research taught us that kids like great-quality food as well, and enjoy being a part of the dining experience,” says Mark Bedford, food and beverage director of the Hyatt Regency Austin. As a parent of three boys, Bedford has witnessed limited kids’ menu offerings firsthand. “There are many great restaurants in Austin and I believe the kids’ menu is often an afterthought,” he says. “We have trained our kids to think that chicken nuggets and hot dogs are what they’re supposed to eat, and oftentimes it becomes the easy choice.” Other menu improvements include fruits and vegetables as default side items instead of fries or other carb-loaded sides and free refills of low-fat milk in lieu of the bottomless soda many places still offer.

Bedford says the menu has been surprisingly well-received by both children and their parents. “[The kids] enjoy the interaction the menu brings,” he notes, “and parents have been delighted that they’re able to give their children a healthy option for dinner.” As for Thomas, she hopes the menu inspires kids her age to step outside the box and get into the kitchen. “Cooking is not only fun, but also it helps to get you healthy,” she says. “It’s really the stepping-stone to healthy lifestyle choices because you will learn more about food by cooking it than by buying it from a fast-food window.”

—Veronica Meewes Hyatt Regency Austin 208 Barton Springs Rd. 512-477-1234

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Kris and Milagro Farm help make Jak’s Tasty With Milagro Farm, Kris and Amy Olsen contribute to the growing sustainability of Austin with their variety of fresh vegetables and eggs.

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SPRING 2013

21

GROWING WELL

also sold for fund-raising events, such as an upcoming herb-gardening workshop

hat do cooking and eating like our

at Contigo Austin and a roller-skating

grandparents did have to do with

party, with a substantial portion of the

saving the world? More than you might

proceeds set to fund a new vegetable gar-

think, says the married couple behind

den at Travis High School.

The Wellgro Co., a socially conscious

While the duo hopes to keep The

online business and lifestyle project that

Wellgro Co.’s brand quirky, optimistic

seeks to harken back to the days of unpro-

and approachable, the intention is also to

cessed foods and reverse the epidemic of

effect real social change. “Thinking about

childhood obesity through education and

kids on the free- and reduced-lunch

advocacy for real food.

plan,” says Kerri, “and knowing that those

Cofounder Kerri Keaton Hughey, who

school meals may be the only meals that

has a background in retail management

they get in a day, I just feel that they

and fashion, says the year-old business

deserve food that’s going to make them

was born out of a conversation she had

healthy versus food that will ultimately

with her husband, architectural design-

make them sick.”

er and fellow food enthusiast Ed Hughey, on what they could do to

Indeed, current statistics from the Centers for Disease Control

make a difference with the resources they had available. “It became

and Prevention are alarming and show that, in the U.S., one-third

a brainstorming session,” she recalls, “and we decided that we could

of children born in the year 2000 will develop diabetes and that 17

impact the Austin community and hopefully, in the future, a larger

percent of all children are obese. The Hugheys also point out that

part of our country by raising money to help plant school gardens

these statistics are completely reversible. “Let’s do things the way

and to help fund food-education programs within schools.”

our grandparents did: eat more fruits and veggies, make meals from

The Wellgro Co. does this, in part, through sales of organic-cotton T-shirts with fun illustrated reminders to eat authentic, unprocessed foods—like a string and a leaf tied around a finger or a stop-sign-red

scratch and celebrate our communities. When you eat real good, you feel real good!”—Nicole Lessin thewellgroco.com

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Edible Ed

The School of Farm

by Elizabeth Winslow • PHOTOGRAPhy by Andy Sams

“Y

ou don’t want to get anywhere near Obama’s mouth,” cautions Erin Flynn of Green Gate Farms. On a

chilly December morning, she and a group of students from Austin’s Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts huddle together at the farm to begin the 125 hours of hands-on work that make up the Farm To Table Experience portion of the school’s curriculum. In response to their befuddled looks, Flynn chuckles and explains wryly, “Hey, he was the smartest pig in the litter!”

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SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Opposite page (left to right): Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Farm To Table Experience program participants Dustin Ogg, Chef Instructor Paul Peterson, Esta Hood, Daniel Peek, Kaidence Watson, John Workman and Green Gate Farm co-owner, Erin Flynn. Opposite (below): Mesquitey, a heritage hog baby. Below (top): Watson and Hood trimming mallow in the livestock area. Below: Workman meets Spot, a heritage hog. Right: Peterson spreads mulch.

The group laughs and follows her gaze to a large, friendly-looking

says Flynn. “When we started our community-based farm eight years

pig with long, sharp tusks of which one would indeed be wise to

ago, one of the first things we did was reach out to culinary schools.

steer clear. With that caveat, Flynn offers the students their choice

We assumed these schools would want their students to come and

of tasks for the day: cleaning the pigpen and lining it with fresh bed-

learn on our farm, but there was very little interest at the time. We’ve

ding, clearing the ground of invasive mallow (with a quick lesson

been waiting for a program like Escoffier’s and are very glad it’s finally

on the dangers and nuisance that attend a “monocrop”), turning the

here. Restaurant patrons rely on chefs to be their food stewards, and

compost piles, spreading seed, moving and rehabbing the shelters

this program ensures chefs make informed choices.”

provided for the farm’s herd of pastured hogs or clearing the fields of

The founders of the Escoffier School understand the long-term

last season’s eggplant plants. The hands go up: “I want to work with

benefits of a deep knowledge of local food systems and sustainable

animals!” “I want to work on fixing things!”

food production practices. Carla Williams, director of career ser-

These students, along with their instructor, award-winning chef

vices and Farm To Table Experience coordinator at the Austin cam-

Paul Peterson, are here to learn firsthand what goes into producing the

pus, worked tirelessly to develop the opportunity. “We want our stu-

ingredients that make up the recipes they’re learning to create. The

dents to learn about, and respect, where ingredients come from,” she

program is unique to this culinary arts school and offered at both the

says. “Understanding local sourcing and having a deeper knowledge

Austin and Boulder, Colorado, campuses. Flynn was surprised to dis-

of sustainable and ethical cooking teaches them to be more creative

cover that not all culinary programs share the Escoffier School’s com-

and deeper culinary thinkers. With this knowledge, they are inspired

mitment to teaching their students where food comes from. “We be-

to think and connect rather than just read recipes.”

lieve there’s no better place to learn about food than where it grows,”

When Paul Ryan, president of the Escoffier Schools and of the EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

25

“Understanding local sourcing and having a deeper knowledge of sustainable and ethical cooking teaches them to be more creative and deeper culinary thinkers. With this knowledge, they are inspired

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than just read recipes.”

Triumph Higher Education Group, acquired the Culinary School of the Rockies in Boulder, the mission was to create a curriculum that adhered to a commitment to quality at every level of food produc-

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tion embodied by the industry-proclaimed “king of chefs,” Auguste Escoffier. Escoffier’s great-grandson, Michel Escoffier, president of the Escoffier Foundation and Museum of Culinary Arts and standard-bearer for these values, sits on the board of the educational group that owns the schools and fully recognizes the value of the Farm To Table Experience. In an initial phone conversation to discuss development of the program, Williams remembers a student asking Michel, “What would Auguste Escoffier say about the fact that a McDonald’s Happy Meal is cheaper than an organic apple?”

Escoffier sat in stunned silence for a moment before recalling that, in addition to cooking for royalty, his great-grandfather was also a hunter, a forager and a master pickler and preserver. This commitment to quality, local ingredients might be a so-called movement now, but in Escoffier’s day, it was just called cooking. A return to this commitment to community and quality ingredients is perfectly in line with

sip local

the values and mission of the Escoffier Foundation.

In its seed form, the Farm To Table Experience existed at the Boulder campus when the school was purchased by the Triumph Group. That school’s founder, Joan Brett, organized a student trip to small farms to get a taste of sustainable food production. At first,

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they had to travel to farms in the South of France—until recently,

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

and North Fork Valley in Colorado. Ken Hause, the current campus director of the Boulder campus explains, “The students would go out to the valley and stay together in a rustic inn. They’d go out to

area farms and spend days working there—doing whatever needed to be done: digging postholes, spreading manure, pulling weeds…just whatever the farmer needed. We wanted our students to understand the incredible amount of human energy that goes into every morsel of food that crosses the table. Along with that, there was intense interaction with the farmers, and they were great about educating students about all aspects of food production, from organic methods to complementary planting to raising animals.”

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Eventually, the local food system began to blossom closer to home and the students no longer had to travel long distances to get a taste of life on a farm. Brett nurtured relationships with small family farms near Boulder and the program began to look much like it does today, with students rotating hours at a wide variety of farms in their local community. “We buy from all these farms for our campus,” notes Hause. “So by the time our students get out there, they’ve already been cooking with ingredients from the farm and can’t wait to see

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where they are grown.”

Making the connection even stronger, the Boulder campus has a booth at the farmers market every week—to entice prospective stu-

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When the Triumph Group bought the school and planned on expanding the brand to Austin by purchasing the Culinary Academy of Austin, Ryan knew that this initiative was vital to the educational

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mission of the schools. Williams came on board in 2010 and became committed to its creation. When she moved to Austin and saw the community’s commitment to the local food movement, she knew the program could be successful. Brett came down to help her begin nurturing relationships with local farmers, and the two used the experience of the Boulder campus to craft a plan that would work in the Austin community.

Williams understands the time commitment required of the partner farms and food producers, and wants to make sure they feel the

Real Cooking

value of turning out graduates who value local food and the work that goes into it. Renee and Cookie Rangel, of RRR Farm, were some of the first farmers to sign on with the program. Renee says they did have some initial concerns about opening their farm to students.

Mon-Thurs: 7 am-3 pm Fri-Sun: 7 am-5 pm

“We were worried that this might be just another class in their curriculum,” she says, “but the students have expressed genuine interest in the process and they’ve been hard workers. It has been great having the extra hands; we are a small family operation and cannot yet afford to hire any help. The students have been a blessing.”

In creating the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, the Triumph Group wanted to offer a smaller, more boutique environment with a local, sustainable focus, and this indeed resonates with students making a decision about where to go to culinary school. Recent graduate Jascha Killinger was in the first cohort of students participating in the program and says the Farm To Table Experience was definitely the deciding factor in making his school choice. “I worked in the corporate food world for years before deciding to go back to culinary school,” Killinger says. “I finally realized corporations only care about the bottom line. I was raised with strong sustainable values, and I knew I needed to figure out how to bring those in to what

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I’m doing every day. This experience is close to my heart—knowing where my food comes from and who’s producing it, I can really put my whole heart into my work.” Killinger loved working at RRR Farm and was inspired by the sheer variety of different things there are to do in a day’s work. He is also fully aware of the impact a commitment to local food systems and sustainable practices can have on a community. “Before I went through the Farm To Table Experience, I was focused on opening my own place, and I still am. But now I want my own garden when I have a restaurant; I want relationships with pig farmers and ranchers; I want to give back to my community.”

Hause acknowledges that the Farm To Table Experience offers graduates an extra edge. “Joan Brett recognized that the farm-to-table movement was more than just a fad,” he notes. “She had the foresight to know that our larger community would realize that these choices are about what’s morally right, ethically right. That it’s a required experience in the program actually helps the school be selective. Students who don’t share our values are just not going to be interested in working a hundred and twenty-five hours on a farm.”

Green Gate’s Flynn couldn’t be more pleased with what the school has created. “We’re delighted that Escoffier is helping their students get their hands in the dirt. When chefs do more than buy local food, when they understand the obstacles farmers struggle with—the lack of affordable water, meat-processing facilities, access to capital—we find common ground for working together to provide the highest quality food to our communities. Where’s a better place to learn about food than where it grows? Here’s to more farm-based education!”

For more information on the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts or the Farm To Table Experience, visit escoffier.edu

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Edible Endeavors

100th Monkey Mushroom Farm

by Cari Marshall

A

t six years old, Sophia

quickly to the research of how

Stack knows more about

mushrooms were being investi-

g row i n g

mus hro o m s

gated as possible ‘remediators’ of

than the average kindergartner.

environmental damage, such as

She dexterously mists a blossom

denaturing toxins in soil, filter-

of oyster mushrooms while pon-

ing harmful bacteria in water and

dering their appearance and fla-

restoring barren land. I began to

vor. “I like seeing what color they

grow my own oyster mushrooms

are,” she says. “Certain kinds are

on straw and continued to many

different colors. And you can re-

other species. The passion and

ally taste the difference of each

experience continued so we de-

one.”

cided to make it our career.”

Sophia’s precocious knowl-

Since shiitake, oyster and

edge of edible fungi is a natural

pioppino mushrooms grow nat-

byproduct of her upbringing—

urally in the Austin terrain, the

she lives at the 100th Monkey

kits are developed with local my-

Mushroom Farm, a recent addi-

celia (mushroom root or stock)

tion to Austin’s back-to-basics

from natural and homegrown

DIY food movement. The “farm”

species that are perfectly suited

is actually the Barton Hills home

to this climate. For Stack, this

Sophia shares with her parents,

is extremely important. “We’re

Heather Ralston and Jimm Stack.

working on a new kit of the high-

The trio moved to Austin from

ly medicinal reishi mushroom

Boulder, Colorado in 2011 and

that’s grown from the mycelium

settled into a Greenbelt-backed

of reishi found in the Barton

d we l l i n g we l l - s i t u a t e d f o r

Creek Greenbelt,” he says. “The

Ralston and Stack’s gastronomic endeavor: transforming Austin’s

genetics of this mushroom are not only adapted to Austin’s climate

wild shiitake, oyster and pioppino mushrooms into grow-your-

but have survived the extreme drought.”

The kits themselves are beautifully simple: encased in a com-

own kits.

Through their new business—named after the purported 100th

postable cardboard box roughly the size of a loaf of bread sits a

monkey effect where, essentially, a behavior, thought or ability can

plastic-wrapped brick of what appears to be dirt but is actually a

spread through a community once it’s repeated enough times—

delicate mix of mycelia and sawdust from oak trees in East Tex-

the couple hopes to propel and spread the health-conscious and

as. To activate the kit, a slit is cut in the plastic and the opening

earth-friendly food movement. “In the late nineties, I began reading

spritzed daily with a little water. The brick is covered with the

about the medicinal effects of mushrooms,” Stack says, “which led

included plastic tent (to retain moisture) and within a few days, a

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Old-school baking with a twist!

Meet us at @ SFC Farmers’ Market Downtown and Sunset Valley

Booming Granny Apple Pie Cookies Tito’s a Big Hunk Peanut Butter Marshmallows Toots MaGhoots Key Lime Pie Gramma Rosie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies Sex In a Bowl AND SO MUCH MORE!

512-417-9847 • pmstreats.com • follow us @pmstreats Opposite page: Sofia Stack mists blue oyster mushrooms in the mushroom kit box (detail above).

gorgeous, almost ceramic-looking bouquet of about a dozen mushrooms appears—ready for harvesting by simply cutting them off at the base. The kits usually produce two or three rounds of superb gourmet mushrooms filled with vital nutrients, complex vitamins and powerful antioxidants, and completely free of additives, dyes, hormones, pesticides, genetically modified organisms or anything else not intended for human consumption.

Since launching in August of 2012, 100th Monkey Mushroom Farm has grown faster than fungus in a rain forest, selling hundreds of kits at the SFC Farmers’ Market–Downtown and from orders via the Web and phone. Stack says the long-term vision includes eventually moving into grocery stores, garden centers and other retail outlets.

“The reception has been phenomenal,” he says. “It seems most people know ‘someone who would love this,’ whether because they’re a gourmet cook, a gardener or interested in science.”

As former schoolteachers, Stack and Ralston felt that creating an educational component to the company was vital. They’ve developed activity books for children—focusing on the environment, fungus, regeneration, sustainability, food, plants and interdependence—plus a curriculum and activities for educators. “I wanted to design the learning so that it is meaningful and thoughtful and challenging,” Ralston says. The educational tools are available on the company’s website, and Ralston and Stack hope to reach out to schools and other organizations to integrate the lessons into their curricula.

In light of the farm’s growth and success, Stack and Ralston agree that Austin was the perfect place to begin. “We came to Austin because it has such an amazing community of support for locally produced food,” says Stack. “The large number of CSA [programs], farmers markets, gardening groups, foodies, permaculturists and sustainable-living projects that exist here make it an ideal location for us.”

For more information about 100th Monkey Mushroom Farm’s kits, visit 100thmonkeymushrooms.com

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The responsibility of sustainability.

We believe in using locally sourced ingredients in our Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts Programs.

We provide individualized hands-on instruction with the classic Escoffier foundation, The Farm To Table速 Experience, and a focus on sustainability.

Visit our campus and learn more about our professional programs today.

6020-B Dillard Circle Austin, Texas 78752 Ph: 512-451-5743 farm2tableaustin.com / facebook.com/escoffierschool For more information about our graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program, and other important information, please visit www.escoffier.edu/disclosures.

Learn to Cook Online Anytime, Anywhere Join food enthusiasts from around the world.

The Escoffier Online International Culinary Academy makes it possible.

Our 100% online, chef-led culinary training program is self-paced and can be done in the comfort and convenience of your home.

Learn more today by visiting us online at escoffieronline.com or call 224.698.2100.

Edible ED

Reshaping Our Future Through Food

Photography courtesy of HISD

by Kristi Willis

A student from HISD’s Carnegie Vanguard High School selects from the colorful, fresh choices at their “Fresh Express” Salad Bar.

T

he statistics are staggering and the word epidemic is bandied about frequently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 32 percent of high school students in Texas were overweight or obese in 2011. Obese children are more likely to have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both risk factors

for cardiovascular disease. They are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, breathing problems and asthma, joint problems and fatty liver disease, as well as low self-esteem and social and psychological problems. And tragically, for the first time in two centuries, today’s children may have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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33

The search for a remedy has led to much finger-pointing and

Lady Michelle Obama brought national focus to the issue through

blame. School-food professionals have been demonized, the restau-

her Let’s Move! campaign, an initiative launched in 2010 to help

rant industry has been vilified and parents have been shamed about

children and families make healthy choices around diet and exer-

the contents of their pantries. One thing is certain: the solution

cise. From the beginning, it was clear that people were ready to

is complex and requires comprehensive change. At the Healthy

take on the challenge. “The country’s response to the initiative has

Flavors, Healthy Kids conference hosted at the Culinary Institute

been overwhelming and showed us that people are ready to get in-

of America’s San Antonio campus last spring, nutrition writer

volved and be agents for positive change,” says Marissa N. Duswalt,

and teacher Sanna Delmonico reminded a room full of educators,

associate director of policy and events for Let’s Move! “We’ve seen

school-lunch professionals and nutritionists that making chang-

everyone from CEOs to pastors to parents take action to champion

es in America’s food culture will take time. “We’re talking about

our children’s health, from improving healthy menu and grocery

changing our culture, not just changing our food. It takes a long

choices to growing gardens to walking more as a family.”

time to see results, just as it took a long time to get to the place we

One of the program’s first targets was making healthful food more available at school. The National School Lunch Program,

are today.”

While many have been working on the problem for years, First

which serves meals to over 31 million children daily, provides the

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34

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

210.930.0841 • thunderheartbison.com

Photography by Bianca Bidiuc

Katie Kraemer of Tecolote Farm sampling her produce to students during a Meet the Farmer program on Food Day 2012 at Andrews Elementary School.

“School food is the solution, not the problem.”

Good Fun + Great Gadgets = Healthy Habits

—Chef Kate Adamick, cofounder of Cook for America greatest opportunity to introduce healthful food to a majority of children. The Let’s Move! campaign worked with other coalition partners to make vast changes to the program in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The new legislation requires that schools change the meals they serve to include more fruits, vegetables and whole grains by the fall of 2012. Currently, schools are required to offer fruits and vegetables as two separate components of each meal and to limit the quantity of starchy vegetables, like french

Family Owned & Operated

fries or mashed potatoes, throughout the week. Whole grains must be used for at least half of the grain-based products and only whole grains will be used by 2014. In addition, meals can no longer contain trans fats and sodium content will gradually be reduced over the next 10 years. In some districts, the new rules seemed drastic and caused panic about meeting the mandate without busting budgets. There was also concern about getting the kids to accept the new foods. But other schools were prepared for the new law—hav-

General Store

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ing started the conversation about how to get more fresh food on the plate years before.

Getting Fresh Chef Kate Adamick, cofounder of Cook for America, works with districts across the country to assess existing food-service operations and create plans to incorporate more from-scratch cooking into menus. Armed with the motto: “School food is the solution, not the problem,” Adamick looks for opportunities to create economies of scale and more efficiently use the existing resources of the district. “Kitchens are often busy from six a.m. to one or two p.m., Monday through Friday,” says Adamick. “That isn’t necessarily the most efficient way to use the kitchen. Sometimes it works better to have some of the employees come in later in the day—like right before lunch service—to help serve and then do prep into the afternoon. You have fewer people working in the kitchen and, if you have limited oven space, you can stretch out the time ovens are available.” Ultimately, Adamick sees school-food professionals as teachers and believes their role is an extension of the classroom.

“Kids don’t stop learning just because they walked into the cafeteria,” she says. During Cook for America’s Lunch Teachers Culinary Boot Camp, school-food professionals receive the same kind of culinary training as chefs—giving them the ability to creatively approach their menus and maximize the available resources.

In California, the department of public health has teamed up with schools to introduce in-season fruits and vegetables to kids through the Harvest of the Month program. Each month, a new fruit and vegetable are introduced to the cafeteria menu, as well as in the classroom, where kids learn about the nutritional value, hisEDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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tory and culture of the produce. Parents receive a newsletter with

Making your home a healthy haven.

house. yard. planet.

nutritional information and a recipe, while teachers also receive tips on taste-testing the produce in the classroom and ideas for student activities. In addition, a community newsletter is available to retail stores to help reinforce the learning and promote the produce in grocery-store aisles. Delmonico cites the program as a great success at helping kids and families adopt new foods into their diets.

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“Having the food introduced in the classroom made the kids much more likely to take it at lunch because it wasn’t brand-new anymore. And, if they see that same food at home and their parents are eating it, they’re even more likely to accept it.”

Helping districts across the country find ways to bring more fresh, local produce into the kitchens is the mission of School Food Focus, a collaborative of over 30 large school districts that includes the Austin, Houston and Dallas Independent School Districts. By providing technical assistance and collaboration tools, School Food FOCUS works with schools to identify partners in their area with whom they can build long-term relationships. For example, the program recently partnered with Chicago Public Schools—where the growing season doesn’t coincide with the school year—to find a way to preserve locally grown produce so that it could be used throughout the school year. Utilizing a defunct frozen-vegetable processing plant in the area, the team was able to flash-freeze fresh vegetables for school-meal enjoyment year-round.

Also in Chicago, the district was struggling to find a cost-effective solution to replacing processed chicken nuggets with whole-muscle chicken. Using School Food FOCUS’s Learning Lab, the district was able to find not one, but two suppliers. The first supplier was a local producer who was selling organic chicken to a national retailer who wanted everything but the drumsticks. The farmer now sells the drumsticks directly to the Chicago Public Schools.

The second supplier was a conventional producer who was selling dark meat, like legs and thighs, overseas because they didn’t have a domestic market for the less popular cuts. Not only did the

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Chicago schools start ordering from the supplier, but they worked with USDA Foods to add the supplier to their national list so that any school in the country could order the chicken.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, schools wanted flavored milk with a lower sugar content, and worked with School Food FOCUS to develop a request for proposals for a new milk product. Their current vendor was more than happy to provide the lower-sugar milk, and also made it available to any other district in their customer base. All it took

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the policy program manager and stakeholder liaison for School Food FOCUS, explains that their work is about giving school-food procreatively. “The folks we work with are very solution oriented,” says Davidson. “We help them to share information with each other so that they aren’t having to reinvent the wheel all over the country.”

Farm to Lunch Tray In Central Texas, School Food FOCUS helped the Austin Independent School District (AISD) and the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) partner to create Farm to School—a program that brings food from local farms into cafeterias and reinforces its importance with

Cook for America Mobile Chef Supervisor Pamela Nance Lee instructs at Newport High School

hands-on classroom and after-school training about gardening, cooking and healthful-food concepts. Local foods are identified in the cafeteria line, and “meet the farmer” activities bring local growers into the schools for face-to-face interaction. The pilot program worked with six schools. After an evaluation with the University of Texas School of Public Health, it was enhanced further at the predominantly lower-income schools to include parent-led wellness teams to reinforce the importance of healthful foods at home.

This enhanced program added targeted outreach to parents to get them engaged in SFC’s cooking and gardening classes and to promote the farmers markets. Recognizing that one aspect was still missing from the wellness equation, though, the program was expanded once again to include a partnership with Marathon Kids, a local nonprofit that focuses on children’s fitness, and the creation of parent-led school wellness teams. Parent teams assess what works best at their individual schools and ask SFC and Marathon Kids to help them implement changes. The wellness teams have begun taking on more of the leadership role and the full-service program has morphed into Cultivating Healthy Communities. SFC currently works with 22 primarily lower-income schools through Cultivating Healthy Communities, and almost 30 schools through Photography by Kate Adamick courtesy of Cook for America

Farm to School, to incorporate local food into their cafeteria menus.

It Takes a Village In addition to the Farm to School and Cultivating Healthy Communities programs, AISD has embraced a comprehensive wellness agenda that not only revamps school food, but also includes a health and wellness focus for all faculty and staff. Based on the CDC’s coordinated school health model, the wellness program targets eight key areas: health education, physical education and activity, nutrition services, environmental health, staff wellness, mental and behavioral health, health services and parent and community involvement. “The benefits we are hoping to see are students and staff making the healthy choice the easy choice, and that translating to their home and community environments,” says Tracy Diggs Lunoff, administrative supervisor of health services at AISD. From removing the junk food in vending machines to adding Weight

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Watchers points to school menus, the focus on health and well-being is evident throughout the schools. In the classroom, teachers

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work with kids on how to make good food choices using the Texas Education Agency’s food-scoring concept, Go, Slow, Whoa, which teaches kids which foods are okay to eat any time, those that should

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ing school meals in high schools through fresher, build-your-own menu options and implementing breakfast in elementary and middle schools to help kids start the day off right. “Overwhelmingly, our First Class Breakfast program has had the biggest impact on student health,” says Brian Giles, senior administrator of food services at HISD. “National studies show students who eat healthy school breakfasts each day make more nutritious meal choices throughout the day. Eating nutrient-dense school breakfasts will help satisfy midmorning hunger pangs, provide students’ energy needs for the morning classroom day and help students avoid overeating throughout the remainder of the day.”

Navigating Obstacles Even the most successful programs face hurdles. Bettina Elias Siegel, food advocate and author of The Lunch Tray blog, shared that CAKES | SCULPTED CAKES | CAKE BARS | CUPCAKES | SMALL BITES

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early on in HISD’s breakfast program, they tried to introduce oatmeal and the kids wouldn’t eat it. “Unfortunately, oatmeal was not a common part of the diet for many of the kids, so the program tanked,” says Siegel. “Kids weren’t familiar with it and it didn’t look appealing.” The district went back to the drawing board to find more palatable options and also started introducing foods in the classroom before they showed up on the breakfast tray.

SFC also ran into problems when they expanded their Farm to School program because farmers didn’t have the capacity to deliver to 18 or more campuses. As the program grew, they turned to a local distributor, Farm to Table, to help with fulfillment. These types of challenges also occur when trying to apply a solution across districts. Unique resources and regulations in each area mean that an innovative solution in one place won’t necessarily work in another.

Things like state reimbursement rates, funds from school foundations and the number of students who pay for lunch make a significant difference in the success of reform programs.

“When you see a success story, people often ask why that isn’t happening in their district. You really have to look at all the moving parts,” explains Siegel. “School food is incredibly complex. There are so many different factors: labor costs, are campuses open or closed, how affluent is the community, do the schools have facilities for cooking, is there outside funding supporting that effort? There is no one-size-fits-all answer.”

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Modeling Good Health at Home To integrate healthful choices as an ongoing habit, children need to see and hear the same messages at home. Delmonico reminds parents that kids watch their actions and do what they see. “You can’t expect kids to eat better than we do,” she cautions. “You can’t

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expect them to eat breakfast if you aren’t. You can’t expect them to try new things if you won’t.” Delmonico recommends that par-

ents not put pressure on kids, as that usually backfires, and instead, make foods emotionally neutral. “There is this assumption by parents that kids aren’t going to like vegetables and are going to like sweets,” says Delmonico. “When we make that assumption, we set them up to anticipate that something isn’t going to taste good. The goal is to make all food emotionally equal. There are some different health considerations around eggplant versus fudge, but emotionally they are the same. Prepared well, they can both be delicious.”

Duswalt encourages families involved in the Let’s Move! program to remember three keys as they build healthful habits. First, start small. For example, start by serving juice mixed with water to cut down on the sugar, and then transition to just drinking water.

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healthful habits regularly in order to instill them over a lifetime.

Next, involve the family. Model healthful choices and make those

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es like taking a family walk or letting your child pick out a new vegetable for dinner are hard at first, but they add up over time. If something doesn’t seem to work the first time, keep trying. You’ll land on the right ideas to make nutritious food and an active lifestyle the norm for the family.

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Lisa Leake, mom and blogger at 100 Days of Real Food, decided to adopt a diet that didn’t include processed foods after reading Michael Pollan’s book In Defense of Food. She wanted to change everything overnight, but her husband preferred a slower approach to overhauling the family pantry. “It can take months, even years, to see transfor-

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mation in diet,” says Leake. “You have to be persistent, without being overbearing. You don’t want huge conflict at the dinner table, but you have to keep trying different ways of preparing things.” When presenting new foods, Leake often starts with a kid-friendly preparation like whole-wheat zucchini bread as a way to introduce the squash.

If the kids like that, then she’ll make sautéed or roasted squash the next time. She also suggests involving kids in dinner and their food choices. Having them help with the shopping, picking recipes and cooking together are easy ways to pique their interest in food.

Helping this generation of kids live healthy lives will require changes at school and home and support for comprehensive, community-driven programs, the results of which will bring wellness to lunch trays and family tables across the nation and pay off in ways more significant than a reduced waistline.

Resources Austin Independent School District Wellness Initiative 512-414-9778 austinisd.org/wellness Let’s Move! letsmove.gov The Lunch Tray thelunchtray.com Sustainable Food Center 512-236-0074 sustainablefoodcenter.org EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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2012 Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids recipes courtesy of Culinary Institute of America

Roasted Beet Salad with Blueberry Vinaigrette Serves 8 For the vinaigrette: 1 T. finely diced shallot ½ c. blueberry vinegar 1 t. finely chopped fresh thyme Juice of 1 lemon 1 c. extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Sugar, to taste

For the salad: 1 celery root, sliced paper-thin 4 bunches baby golden beets, roasted, peeled and cut into halves or quarters 4 bunches baby Chioggia beets, roasted, peeled and cut into halves or quarters 3 oranges, peeled and segmented ½ c. blueberries ½ c. chervil leaves 4 bunches baby red beets, roasted, peeled and cut into halves or quarters 2 T. candied orange zest

In a glass bowl, mix the shallots with the blueberry vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add the thyme and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and sugar.

Toss the sliced celery root with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat each piece. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes.

Combine the golden and chiogga beets, orange segments, blueberries and chervil. Add the red beets at the last minute. Mix with vinaigrette.

To serve, place the thinly sliced celery root on a serving plate, overlapping the pieces, until the plate is completely covered in a thin layer. Place a small mound of the beet mixture in the center. Drizzle the celery root with a bit of the vinaigrette. Garnish with candied orange zest.

Dinosaur Kale and Sweet Potato Soup with Olive Oil and Tomatoes Makes 2 quarts ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil 10 oz. onion, diced 5 oz. carrot, diced 5 oz. celery, diced 1 bay leaf ½ t. dried oregano ½ t. dried basil 10 oz. sweet potato, peeled and diced 10 oz. tomato, chopped 6 c. vegetable stock 4 oz. kale, chopped 6 oz. cooked farro ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil 1½ t. kosher salt ½ t. black pepper

In a large pot, add the first ¼ cup of olive or canola oil and cook the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf and dried herbs for 10 minutes over medium heat, or until the vegetables start to brown. Add the sweet potatoes and cook another 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning.

Add the tomatoes and cook another 4 minutes, then add the stock and kale and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Stir in the cooked farro and the olive oil, salt and pepper.

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Broccoli with Garlic Oil Serves 4 4 c. broccoli, cut into bite-size pieces 2 t. olive or canola oil 1½ T. finely minced garlic ¼ t. salt Ice water, to chill as needed

Bring a 2-quart pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the broccoli, return to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Drain and let the broccoli cool in the ice water. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, taking care not to brown it. Add the broccoli and toss in the garlic oil; season with the salt.

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Edible kitchen

Culture Club

by Elif Selvili • Photography by Whitney Arostegui

W

hat happens when good-natured bacteria meets warm milk? Yogurt! Or yoghurt, yoghourt, yogourt or yoˇgurt (based on the archaic Turkish verb yoˇgmak meaning “to thicken or coagulate”). No matter how you spell it, when it comes to making this creamy, tangy delight, there’s one simple and foolproof method that requires little more than a food thermometer and a lukewarm location.

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Yogurt’s origins remain somewhat mysterious, but most his-

cially in its unadulterated form without artificial flavors, syrupy sweet

torians think that it was probably created by nomadic Turks who

fruit or thickeners added. Like milk, it’s full of protein, calcium, potas-

accidentally fermented milk by storing it in goatskin bags, where

sium, B vitamins and vitamin D. Where it differs from milk is in the

it became contaminated by bacteria. Although this process sounds

benefits produced by fermentation. Yogurt’s fermenting agents produce

thoroughly unappetizing, the resulting product is nothing short of

bacteriocins (protein assassins that kill other bacterial strains), which

delicious, versatile and extremely healthful.

are beneficial for intestinal flora. Many lactose-intolerant people can

Yogurt’s rapid spread through Europe and the rest of the world is

tolerate yogurt better than milk because the lactose in the milk is con-

also shrouded in myth. One version of the story includes the French

verted to glucose and galactose, and partially fermented by the bacte-

monarch Francis I, who suffered from a gastrointestinal illness that

ria. Probiotics (live microorganisms that restore the balance between

no French doctor could ease. His Ottoman contemporary, Süleyman

beneficial and non-beneficial intestinal bacteria) found in yogurt have

the Magnificent, heard of his ally’s ailment and sent his personal

been thought by many to help with a variety of problems ranging from

doctor, who cured the king by prescribing yogurt. However the jour-

the offset of antibiotic side effects to the prevention of food poisoning.

ney began, yogurt quickly moved across continents and oceans—ap-

Making yogurt at home is easy, adaptable and a great project to

pearing in many diverse cuisines, from the Russian Empire to Cen-

do with kids—let them choose their own flavor combinations and

tral and Western Asia, the Balkans, Central Europe and India, and

favorite add-ins. It’s also a tasty way to introduce the magic of fer-

finally on American tables around the 1910s.

mentation, the importance of choosing healthful foods and the idea

Nutritionally speaking, yogurt is a good friend to the body—espe-

that foods that are good for us can taste good too.

Lemon Cheesecake Using yogurt cheese (see recipe on next page) instead of cream cheese adds an interesting tangy dimension to this dessert. Some of the butter in the crust is replaced with olive oil to reduce the saturated fat. Pureed or whole berries can be substituted for the lemon zest and lemon juice to create different flavors.

For the crust: 12 graham crackers ½ c. chopped pecans (optional) 4 T. butter, melted 2 T. olive oil

For the filling: 2 c. yogurt cheese 3 eggs ½ c. sugar Juice of half a lemon 1 T. lemon zest ½ t. salt

Place the crackers and pecans (if using) into a food processor and grind to a fine consistency. Pour in the melted butter and olive oil and blend well. Pat onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cheesecake pan and chill for about 1 hour before baking. Preheat the oven to 375°. Place all of the filling ingredients into a food processor and blend thoroughly. Pour into the crust and bake for 35 minutes. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature and place in the refrigerator to chill for 3 to 4 hours.

Frozen Yogurt A kid favorite! This frozen treat made with yogurt cheese has a very similar consistency to ice cream but doesn’t need to be churned constantly and requires no special equipment. Experiment with different flavors to create your own version.

8 oz. frozen fruit 5 T. sugar (optional, depending on the sweetness of the fruit) 1½ c. yogurt cheese (made from 4 c. of yogurt)

Puree the frozen fruit in a food processor or blender with the sugar. Add the yogurt cheese and blend thoroughly. Divide into 4 to 5 bowls and place in the freezer for about 3 hours, or until desired consistency is reached.

How to Make Yogurt at Home You’ll need a food thermometer, a lidded glass or ceramic bowl large enough to hold two cups of liquid comfortably and a warm oven, around 100 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (most gas ovens with a pilot light or an electric oven with a lightbulb will be warm enough). If you don’t want to give up your oven for five to seven hours, use a small, well-insulated cooler and several dish towels to wrap the bowl to make it sit snugly in the cooler.

Yogurt can be made from raw or pasteurized milk, but either type will need to be sterilized with heat just before culturing.

Also, heating the milk denatures the milk proteins and weakens the cell membranes, which helps the protein molecules stick to one another and make thicker yogurt.

Place three tablespoons of fresh yogurt into the bowl you’re going to use to make the yogurt and allow it to come to room temperature. (Counterintuitively, using a lot of the yogurt starter

Haydari

(Herb Yogurt Spread)

will not make richer yogurt because the culture will compete

Try this spread as an appetizer served with bread and olives. It can

for food in the milk and use up the food before the yogurt is

also be used as a garnish for meat or chicken dishes.

completely set.) Heat two cups of milk (whole milk produces richer results than low-fat or nonfat milk) to 180 degrees and set it aside until it cools down to 110 to 115 degrees. Immediately pour a little of the milk into the bowl with the yogurt and mix thoroughly. Continue pouring in the rest of the milk while stirring. Work quickly to avoid the milk cooling below 106 degrees.

Cover the bowl and place it in the warm oven. If using a cooler

2 c. yogurt cheese (made from 5 c. of yogurt) 3 garlic cloves, crushed ½ c. chopped walnuts 1 t. Turkish red pepper (or substitute red pepper flakes)

2 T. chopped fresh dill Salt, to taste 2 T. olive oil 2 t. dried mint

rather than the oven, wrap the bowl with dish towels to insu-

Place the yogurt cheese in a large bowl and add the garlic, walnuts,

late it before placing it in the cooler. Please note that yogurt is

pepper, dill and salt and mix gently. Cover and chill in the refrigerator

extremely cranky during the fermentation process and hates

for at least 20 minutes. To serve, drizzle the olive oil over the spread

to be jostled. Check after five hours to see if the yogurt has

and sprinkle with the dried mint. Serve with assorted olives and bread.

thickened to a custard-like consistency. After that, check every half hour to make sure it doesn’t get watery and sour. Once the yogurt has set, refrigerate it immediately. It’s best to stir in any

Cacık

flavorings just before serving to avoid separating the whey and

A treat on a warm spring or summer day. The soup should be pre-

solids. Yogurt will keep two to three weeks in the refrigerator.

Be sure to save at least three tablespoons of the yogurt to make your next batch.

Yogurt Cheese When strained, yogurt can mimic the consistency and mouthfeel of cream cheese while retaining its tangy flavor. Line a wire-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a loosely woven cotton or linen napkin. Place the strainer on top of a bowl to catch the whey. (The whey drained from the yogurt is quite nutritious and can be used for cooking or drinking.) Spoon the yogurt

(Cold Yogurt Soup with Cucumber)

pared in advance and served very cold. This recipe has half the garlic of the original version.

5 c. yogurt 1 c. cold water 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 t. salt

2–3 seedless cucumbers 3 T. dried mint Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Mix the yogurt, water, garlic and salt until smooth. Peel and dice the cucumbers into tiny cubes, discarding the seeds. Squeeze out the excess water from the cucumbers before adding them to the yogurt mixture. Mix in the dried mint and decorate with mint leaves. Chill for 1 hour before serving.

into the strainer and cover with a plate or foil to prevent the yogurt from drying out. Place in the refrigerator overnight (at

Note: If buying yogurt to use for your starter, or as an alternative to

least six to eight hours) to drain. Five cups of yogurt will make

making it at home, try these local dairies (at area farmer markets) and

about two cups of yogurt cheese. In a tightly sealed container,

vendors who make superb yogurt without artificial flavors or thickeners:

the cheese will stay good for about a week in the refrigerator.

Watch a video of Elif Selvili making yogurt at edibleaustin.com

Full Quiver Farms: fullquiverfarmtx.com Mill-King Market & Creamery: mill-kingmarket.com Swede Farm: swedefarm.com White Mountain Pure Foods Company: whitemountainfoods.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Daughter Nati gathering eggs

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Farmers Diary

Four String Farm

by MM Pack • Photography by JUSTIN BUTTS

E

ven for a farm dog, Bando

“I saw people farming under

has a complicated job de-

the most extreme conditions.

scription and he takes his

I thought, ‘If they can grow

work seriously. He’s responsible

all their food for a year in five

for nightly patrols here at Four

months under these conditions,

String Farm, guarding chickens

I can do it in Rockport, Texas.’”

and ducks from predators, ex-

So Butts began clearing gar-

terminating gophers, running off

den plots and amending the

deer, herding frisky pigs home

saline beach sand that passed

if they escape and alerting farm

for soil. Eventually, he left his

owner Justin Butts with special-

corporate job for good to farm

ized barks about problems he

full-time—supplementing

encounters like snakes, hawks,

income by playing music at

wild hogs and alligators (yes,

night. Today, farming is his sole

alligators). He’s the farm’s offi-

occupation, assisted by his nu-

cial greeter, as well—dispens-

tritionist wife, Kayla Butts, his

ing wags, licks and gentle head bumps to visiting humans. “I couldn’t make farming work here without my dog,” says Butts.

his

daughter Nati and Bando the multitasking dog.

Butts practices what he calls “successive, intensive companion

Bando isn’t the only hardworking body on the farm, though. Four

planting,” and the pastured pigs and chickens he raises are thorough-

String Farm (named for Butts’s stand-up bass) is located near Rock-

ly integrated into the system. He’s developed large garden plots with

port on the sandy, windswept Live Oak Peninsula between the Aran-

the same dimensions as his mobile pig and chicken pens. Once a

sas and Copano Bays on the South Texas Gulf Coast. Less than a mile

plot is harvested, he sets up the fences. The enclosed chickens get

from bay waters, the 39-acre site is a place of wild beauty and ma-

first dibs—scratching up and eating remaining vegetation and bugs

jor challenges to raising food crops. A small freshwater lake stocked

for a couple of weeks. Then he moves the chickens out and installs

with catfish, bass and perch bisects the property. Farmland occupies

the Berkshire-Yorkshire pigs. “You want to see pure pig joy?” asks

one side of the lake; on the other, Butts maintains a wildlife preserve

Butts. “Watch when I let them into a garden plot.” The pigs snuffle

that’s home to coyotes, raccoons, opossums, skunks, hawks, ospreys,

down 12 to 16 inches into the loose dirt—turning the soil, consuming

falcons, deer and “every kind of snake that lives in South Texas,” he

roots and nematodes and contributing rich fertilizer. After the pigs’

says. This forest tract abuts a former dairy farm that, for decades,

processing phase, the plot is ready for its next planting.

dumped manure and dairy waste that fertilized the trees. Now it’s

Butts plants vegetables in five-foot-wide rows, covering every

the tallest stand of oaks on the peninsula, inhabited by a colony of

inch of ground. Winter plots include broccoli, kale, spinach, radish-

great blue herons and another of sandhill cranes.

es, lettuce, mustard, chard and cabbage—all densely mixed together,

Butts purchased the land in 2000. “Originally, I just wanted seclu-

the way he observed in the Himalayas. “This confuses predators,” he

sion in the woods,” he says. “My interest in growing food developed

says. Spring and summer crops are densely planted successive cycles

gradually over time.” He was a sales executive for Coca-Cola, a job that

of interspersed beans, squashes, corn, tomatoes and melons. Partial

took him across the country and around the globe 25 days a month.

shade protects the plots from harsh sunlight and 20-foot-tall sun-

“Wherever I went, I started visiting farms, asking, ‘How do you grow

flower hedges shield them from drying coastal winds. Butts is proud

vegetables without chemicals?’ By talking to farmers, I learned so

to say that the farm has produce available 365 days a year.

much and saw so many cool, interesting methods and practices.”

“Except for cut ants [an invasive species from South America with

A life-changing experience was a monthlong hiking trip in north-

no local natural enemies], all my pest control is using native predators,”

ern India, stopping at Himalayan farms. “These were places where

says Butts. “Cut ants are the most devastating pest here. The best rem-

you could get frostbite and sunburn at the same time,” says Butts.

edy I’ve found is molasses and water poured into the nests. Anything EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Kayla Butts with a summer harvest; Right: pastured turkeys eating eggplant greens 48

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“Farming is a hard life because of factors you can’t control, like hawks, drought and cut ants. It takes a certain temperament: patience, determination and balance. We’re usually hardworking people who like to have our hands in the dirt.”

weekly, local prix-fixe menu • family owned

1807 South First Street 512-215-9778 lenoirrestaurant.com

—Justin Butts you can do with a chemical, you can do with a heritage method for less money. Besides the health and environmental implications, gardening with chemicals is inefficient, expensive and ineffective.”

Four String Farm has loyal customers for its produce, pork, broiler chickens, ducks, eggs and seasonal turkeys. “The number one reason people know us is because of taste,” Butts says. “We’ve developed our market one customer at a time, but we’re becoming a known brand in the area.” Butts sells his products to Glow Restaurant and Coastal Bend Health Foods in Rockport. Edelen Farms, in Alice, purveys Four String pork along with their own grassfed beef at several South Texas farmers markets.

“Farming is a hard life because of factors you can’t control, like hawks, drought and cut ants,” Butts says. “It takes a certain temperament: patience, determination and balance. We’re usually hardworking people who like to have our hands in the dirt.”

For more about Four String Farm, visit fourstring farm.me

•

Time for a slice of Homemade Heaven!

Alejandra Ray Chef & Owner of Bevers Kitchen & Gifts

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“I want to maintain my creative, playful way of cooking while making well-made, fresh, approachable food.”

—Chef Brandon Fuller

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Cooking fresh

Brandon Fuller’s Spring Menu

by Layne Lynch • Photography by Jody Horton

I

nconspicuously hidden on the corner of West Sixth and Blanco

Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Windy Hill Organics, Texas Quail Farms

Streets, Café Josie has long been one of Austin’s secret dining

and Wateroak Farms. “I want to maintain my creative, playful way of

gems—serving flavorful, worldly cuisine since 1997. But if new

cooking while making well-made, fresh, approachable food,” Fuller

co-owner and executive chef Brandon Fuller has anything to do with

says. “I think spring is the perfect season for Café Josie to really start

it, all that anonymity will soon be stripped away. “We’re shifting to-

pushing the envelope.”

wards a more local, organic, seasonal approach to food,” says Fuller.

“I’ve already changed up about eighty-five percent of the menu. The responses to the changes we’ve initiated have been overwhelmingly positive and supportive.”

The kudos shouldn’t come as that much of a surprise. Hailing from first-class kitchens like Uchi, Wink, Parkside and Olive & June, Fuller has working with seasonal, local ingredients down to an art.

But the chef ’s initial exposure to farm-fresh food began long before his enviable circuit around the Austin dining scene. “My mom did a great job of taking me to the farmers market every weekend when I was growing up in Dallas,” he says. “She’d buy local ingredients and make Southern dishes like taco salad, sausage rolls and steamed proteins and vegetables. When my dad introduced me to sushi at eight years old, though, that’s when my whole view on food changed.

I remember the texture, the flavor and how creative a dish like raw fish seemed to me at that time.”

Though he relished feasting on international fare and hosting friends over home-cooked meals, Fuller never seriously considered working in a professional kitchen until he became a bored IT employee. “I spent two years staring at a computer screen after graduating from Texas A&M University and realized I didn’t want to do that for the rest of my life,” he says. “I appreciated food enough to give it a fair shot, and I’m glad I never looked back.”

Throughout his culinary career, Fuller always envisioned one day owning and operating his own restaurant. Thus, when his friend Cody Taylor, general manager of Café Josie, approached him about buying into the restaurant, Fuller simply couldn’t resist. He left his sous-chef job at Olive & June and took over the reins at Café Josie last October. “I knew I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to [co-]own a restaurant that already commands such respect,” he says.

For Café Josie’s revamped spring menu, Fuller has used seasonal treasures from places like Springdale Farm, Boggy Creek Farm,

Café Josie co-owner and general manager Cody Taylor lighting candles at the bar for the evening service

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Chilled Turnip Soup with Turnip Green-Pesto and Poppy-Seed Crisp Serves 4 Turnips have a natural sweetness, and the poppy-seed crisp gives the soup a nice texture. Some people don’t like turnips because they’ve only tried them canned, but turnips are incredible when fresh from the garden.

For the soup: 2 T. olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 lb. turnips, diced ½ lb. russet potatoes, peeled and diced 3 c. vegetable stock Salt and black pepper, to taste For the pesto: ¼ lb. turnip greens 1 clove garlic, finely grated Extra-virgin olive oil Parmesan cheese (optional) Pine nuts (optional) Lemon juice Salt and black pepper, to taste For the poppy-seed crisp: 2 T. all-purpose flour 2 egg whites ¼ c. butter, melted Poppy seeds Pinch of salt

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil, and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onion begins to turn translucent. Add the turnips and potatoes and sauté for 2 minutes longer. Pour in the vegetable stock, bring to a boil then reduce the

Blue Crab Crepes with CarrotGinger Coulis and Cucumber Salad Serves 4

heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the turnips and potatoes are tender. Transfer the soup contents to a blender and puree until com-

I wanted to do a play on crab cakes in this dish. I juiced the carrot

pletely smooth. Refrigerate to chill the soup completely and adjust the

and ginger together and reduced them down a bit to add a bright

consistency with more stock or water. Add salt and black pepper.

color and clean flavor. The cucumber salad with basil and cilantro

Make the pesto. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the greens in the water for 10 seconds then transfer to an ice-water bath to cool. Place the greens into a clean towel and wring them to extract as much liquid as possible. Coarsely chop the greens then add to a food processor or blender with the grated garlic and enough oil to get it moving. Add cheese and nuts, if using. Process to a paste, then season with lemon juice and salt and black pepper.

Make the crisp. Whisk together the flour and egg whites until smooth.

Drizzle the melted butter into the flour and egg white mixture while whisking. Allow the batter to sit for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the batter thinly and evenly onto a nonstick baking sheet.

Sprinkle with poppy seeds and salt. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To serve, ladle the soup into chilled bowls, drizzle pesto over the top and finish with a chunk of the poppy-seed crisp.

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adds a nice finishing touch to the crepes.

For the crepes: ¾ c. coconut milk 2 large eggs ½ c. all-purpose flour, packed 1 t. salt 1 T. butter 1½ t. yellow curry powder For the filling: 1 medium shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 3 green onions, thinly sliced 1 Thai chilies, thinly sliced ¼ c. mascarpone 1 t. salt 8 oz. cooked crabmeat

For the coulis: 2 medium carrots, juiced ½-in. piece of ginger, juiced 1 t. sugar ½ t. salt For the salad: 1 cucumber, thinly sliced 1 T. rice vinegar 1 t. sugar 1 t. salt Thai basil leaves, torn Cilantro leaves

Balsamic-Glazed Goat Ribs with Brown-Butter Potato Salad and Chicories Serves 4 I used Windy Hill goat products to do a riff on barbecued ribs and traditional potato salad. To change things up a bit, I added aged balsamic vinegar from Con’ Olio Oils & Vinegars along with a brown-butter sauce. The chicories add a nice counterbalance to the balsamic flavor.

For the ribs: 2 lb. goat ribs Salt and pepper, to taste ½ c. aged balsamic vinegar For the potato salad: 1 lb. russet potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces 2 T. butter 1 t. lemon juice, plus more to taste ½ c. homemade aioli or store-bought mayonnaise Salt and black pepper, to taste Fresh baby chicories, to garnish Shaved radish, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 275°. Season the ribs with salt and pepper, then sear them in a skillet or on a grill. Place into a roasting pan with a

balsamic vinegar to the pot and reduce to a glaze consistency. Brush the glaze onto the ribs—reserving any extra glaze to sauce the plate.

Add the potatoes to a saucepan and cover with cold, salted water.

Bring the potatoes to a simmer and cook until tender—approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove them from the water and allow to cool to room temperature. Brown the butter in a skillet and add the lemon juice to help stop cooking. Cool slightly, then whisk the brown butter into the aioli or mayonnaise—being careful not to break the emulsion. Fold the potatoes into the aioli and season with lemon juice and salt and pepper. Chill completely in the refrigerator.

small amount of water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 2 to

To serve, reheat the ribs in the glaze, if necessary. Place the potato salad

4 hours, until meltingly tender. Remove from the oven. Pour off the

on a plate and scatter the chicories around it. Lean the ribs over the pota-

juice collected in the pan into a saucepan and reduce to ¼ cup. Add the

to salad—spooning extra glaze over the top. Garnish with shaved radish.

In a bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients to combine. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the curry powder and toast until fragrant—approximately 2 minutes. Pour the melted butter and curry powder into the batter mixture and whisk to combine.

Cook the crepes in a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

For each crepe, pour enough batter into the skillet to coat the bottom, swirling the pan as the batter is poured to produce a thin, even crepe. (This recipe makes 8 crepes.) Cook on one side until the crepe releases from the pan, then flip and cook for 30 seconds more. Set the crepes aside to cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the filling except the crabmeat and mix well. Fold in the crabmeat. Fill one half of each crepe with approximately 2 tablespoons of the crab mixture then fold the other side over, to make a half-moon shape.

Combine the coulis ingredients in a saucepan and reduce until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Combine all the salad ingredients in a bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.

Reheat the crepes in a small amount of butter in a nonstick skillet until they are crispy and the crab mixture is heated through. Spoon some of the coulis onto a plate, place a crepe over the sauce and top with some of the cucumber salad.

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Mesquite-Grilled Quail with Butternut Squash Curry, Coconut Rice and Parsnip Chips Serves 4 I got the quail from Texas Quail Farms in Lockhart and topped it off with a sweet-and-sour glaze. A lot of people think butternut squash is only a fall vegetable, but it actually has a long growing season in Texas that extends into the spring. The coconut rice really soaks up the curry, and the lime wedges, fresh basil and cilantro garnishes give the dish a great brightness.

For the quail: 4 semi-boneless quail Salt and black pepper, to taste For the curry: 1 medium shallot, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Thai chili, thinly sliced 2 T. coconut oil 2 t. yellow curry powder 1 lb. butternut squash, peeled and seeded and diced 1 14-oz. can coconut milk Water (if needed) 2 t. brown sugar Thai basil leaves, torn Juice of 1 lime Salt and black pepper, to taste Cilantro leaves and lime wedges, to garnish For the rice: 1½ c. jasmine rice 1 14 oz. can coconut milk ½ c. water 1 t. salt ¼ c. unsweetened coconut flakes For the chips: 2 c. neutral-flavored oil 1 parsnip, peeled Salt, to taste

Preheat a grill to 350°. Season the quail with salt and black pepper and

Rinse the rice in strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.

grill them, turning once, until just pink in the middle—approximately

Combine with the remaining ingredients for the rice in a medium

4 minutes per side. Alternatively, cook the quail on the stove top by

saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook over low

searing them over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes per side,

heat until done—approximately 15 minutes. Remove the rice from

or roast them in the oven at 450° for approximately 10 minutes.

the heat and fluff with a fork.

Make the curry. In a medium saucepan, sweat the shallot, garlic and

Make the parsnip chips. Heat the oil in a pot on the stove top to 300°.

Thai chili in the coconut oil until the shallots are translucent—ap-

Using a vegetable peeler, peel the parsnip into thin strips. Drop the

proximately 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and cook until fra-

strips into the oil and cook until golden brown and very few bubbles

grant—approximately 2 minutes. Add the butternut squash and stir

form. Remove from the oil and season with salt.

to coat. Add the coconut milk and water (if needed) to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook until the squash is tender—about 20 to 25 minutes. Finish the curry with the brown sugar, torn Thai basil leaves, lime juice and salt and black pepper.

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To serve, spoon some of the rice onto a plate and ladle some of the curry over the top. Cut the quail into quarters and place on top of the curry. Garnish with the parsnip chips and additional Thai basil leaves, cilantro and lime wedges.

Chocolate Beet Cake with Strawberries and Goat-Yogurt Crème Fraîche Serves 4 The beets add a nice earthiness and moistness to the cake. I use Wateroak Farms goat yogurt and mix it with cream in a yogurt maker to create a tangy crème fraîche. The strawberries add a subtle sweetness

Hilmy Cellars.

to the cake, and I love how all of the ingredients play off of each other.

For the cake: 1 lb. beets 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate ½ c. all-purpose flour ½ t. baking soda ¾ c. sugar 1 large egg 6 T. neutral-flavored oil 1 t. vanilla extract Strawberries and fresh mint, to garnish

For the crème fraîche: 1 c. goat yogurt 2 c. heavy cream For the sauce: ½ c. strawberries ¼ c. reserved beet puree Lemon juice Sugar

Wrap the beets individually in foil and roast in a 350° oven until tender—approximately 2 hours. Leave the oven on. Let the beets cool then peel, cut into chunks, place in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Reserve ½ cup of the beet puree for the cake and ¼ cup for the sauce, and save the rest for another use. Microwave the chocolate in 30-second increments—stirring between each one—until melted. Whisk the flour and baking soda together in a bowl. In a standing

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mixer, whisk the sugar, egg and oil on medium-high for approximately 2 minutes. While the mixer is running, add the vanilla extract, then the dry ingredients, then the chocolate and finally the ½ cup of beet puree.

Pour into a 9-inch square baking pan greased with butter or oil and bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean—ap-

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For the crème fraîche , mix the yogurt and cream together, cover and let sit out overnight in a warm place. Refrigerate to thicken.

Make the sauce. In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries with the beet puree. Season to taste with lemon juice and sugar.

Adjust the consistency with water, if needed.

To serve, spoon the strawberry-beet sauce onto a plate. Place a slice of cake on the sauce and drizzle with the crème fraîche. Garnish with fresh strawberries and mint.

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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55

People

Colby Smith

by Meredith Bethune • Photography by Jo Ann Santangelo

A

pickup truck carrying coolers full of eggs pulls up to a homeless shelter. The driver, Colby Smith, imagines the staff hollering, “Not that egg guy again! Lock the doors, turn out the

lights!” As founder of Smith & Smith Farms, he will only sell eggs fewer than three days old, illustrating a firm commitment to providing a superiorly fresh product—something customers can’t buy in grocery stores. But in 2009, as a new farmer represented at only one farmers market, this ethos resulted in so many leftover eggs that the shelter started refusing his donations.

Smith eventually found an enthusiastic customer base for his pas-

If you take good care of your animals, Colby’s grandfather says, they’ll always take good care of you.

tured, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats and fresh eggs. Now, at several Austin markets, the farm and its signature cream-and-brown barbed-wire signs stand out in the sea of tents, as does Smith’s warm

time, but he still cares for the laying hens and occasionally works at

smile and approachable manner when customers stop by his booth

the markets. Other family members also contribute to the farm’s vi-

for a chat and to ask questions. As the expert on his farming prac-

ability: the twins’ mother, Angela, looks after the sheep and works

tices, he welcomes these opportunities to build “a relationship with

at the Cedar Park Farmers Market on Saturdays. Colby’s wife, Katie,

customers based on honesty,” he says.

her mother, Lisa, and her grandfather Frank also participate in the

Unforeseen circumstances led Smith to farming. Laid off from a

markets. Even Colby and Katie’s nine-month-old daughter, Paisley,

job working in a countertop factory, he periodically returned to his

pitches in. “She loves the market,” says Smith. “She loves seeing the

former workplace to sell eggs from his backyard chickens. “I couldn’t

customers.”

keep up with the product,” he says, “and I thought maybe there was a

Smith’s eyes light up while talking about his daughter, but he

demand for it.” A month later, he was farming full-time alongside his

insists his dog Ruger, a border collie and black Lab mix, is his first-

identical twin brother, Cory—expanding his flocks to include sheep

born. “No offense, Paisley,” he says with a chuckle. Each morning,

and more than a thousand chickens.

Smith, Paisley and Ruger release the laying hens onto the pasture

Smith grew up in the agricultural community of Belton, outside

and pen them up at night to keep them safe. Smith says that when

Temple. His grandfather, veteran farmer Daryl Daniel, told him to

Paisley was a bit younger, the roosters would crow and she would

avoid farming in favor of more stable employment “because you

shake. “But now she just giggles,” he says. Ruger herds the birds

work seven days a week with no benefits, no retirement.” Yet his

into the chicken tractors—capturing escaped birds and even eggs

grandfather is his inspiration—watching him raise cattle and goats

in his mouth and faithfully returning them, unharmed, to his owner.

in Briggs (in northeastern Burnet County) is “the main reason I got started,” Smith confesses.

From the Great Pyrenees dogs that guard the sheep, to the layers, to the new Red Wattle hogs, there’s a deep respect for animals

Like his grandfather predicted, Smith has faced several setbacks.

on the Smith farm. “We couldn’t do anything without our animals,”

Predators like coyotes and hawks regularly threaten his livelihood,

Smith says. Thus he continues to embrace his grandfather’s words

but his biggest enemy is the weather. The summer of 2011 was par-

and raise them “the right way, on pasture.” If you take good care

ticularly burdensome for pasture-based farms like Smith & Smith.

of your animals, his grandfather also says, they’ll always take good

“The feed costs went up so high,” Smith recalls. “We pumped our

care of you.

water and drained our tank dry, and then just watched the grass die.” He has since invested in more robust heritage breeds, includ-

Smith & Smith Farms sells pastured meats and fresh eggs that are

ing Red Wattle hogs—animals that are less vulnerable to weath-

hormone- and antibiotic-free at the SFC Farmers’ Markets (Down-

er extremes. “Regardless if it’s snowing or one hundred and six,

town and Triangle), Cedar Park Farmers Market, Barton Creek

they’re gonna do their thing,” he says.

Farmers Market and Mueller Farmers’ Market.

The drought unfortunately forced Cory to leave farming full-

For more information, visit smithandsmithfarms.webs.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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57

Edible kitchen Garden

Haute Herbs

by Jim Long

C

reative chefs are always on the lookout for unique and un-

syrups. The cooked berries have a fla-

usual herbs and plants to complement and flavor their dish-

vor reminiscent of blueberries, while

es. Here are a few gastronomic darlings that have recently

the flowers—often used in fritters or

moved to the forefront. Consider adding them to your herb garden

to make wine—have a delightfully flo-

or purchasing them locally and experimenting with some exciting,

ral rose flavor. While native elderber-

cutting-edge flavor sensations.

ries grow throughout Texas, cultivated varieties actually produce better and

Anise Hyssop

larger berries in our area. Elderberries can be grown in any average

Ron Zimmerman, co-owner of the award-winning The Herbfarm

garden soil in full sun or even partial shade. They require some mois-

restaurant in Woodinville, Washington, says his chefs have been us-

ture in the summer months but no more than other garden crops.

ing the herb anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum). With a mild anise

The plants grow four to six feet tall and begin blooming in early sum-

or licorice flavor, it combines well with fruit and tea. The flowers can

mer and continue until fall. It’s common to see clusters of flowers

be used fresh or dried, and offer the best flavor when made into a

along with green and already-ripe berries on the plant at the same

strong tea or decoction to be used in sauces, syrups and ice creams.

time, although the primary crop of berries comes in late summer.

It also works well as a colorful addition to salads and seafood or poultry dishes. Anise hyssop is an easy-to-grow herb—enjoying av-

Fennel Pollen

erage garden soil with all-day sunlight. It grows about 24 inches tall

Referred to as “culinary fairy dust” by many in the food industry,

with delightful tufts of purple flowers.

fennel pollen has exploded in popularity in this country over the last few years—in fact, in the book Cook Like a Rock Star, author

Black Garlic

and chef Anne Burrell even calls it her “super-secret flavor weapon.”

Also garnering deserved second glances is

Fennel pollen can be very expensive to purchase, but it’s easy to har-

black garlic. Long used in Korean cuisine,

vest on your own if you have access to fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

the herb hasn’t quite saturated mainstream

plants. As the umbels, or flower clusters, on the plant begin to open

cooking, but it will. To make black garlic, bulbs

and bloom in spring and summer, collect the pollen by shaking the

undergo a special fermentation and heat pro-

flowers upside down over a paper bag. Use the pollen fresh or dried

cess that produces melanoidin (the substance responsible for the

in a myriad of ways, from egg dishes to roasted meats to salads. The

change in color), although the exact centuries-old method is a close-

flavor is mildly anise-like, complexly rounded and sweet, but since

ly held secret kept by those who produce the delicacy. What makes

it’s also delicate, avoid overpowering it with strong ingredients such

this herbal ingredient so appealing is its molasses-like richness, un-

as garlic or black pepper. Fennel plants are perennial—dying down

derstated savory garlic flavor and hints of balsamic vinegar and tam-

in the fall and resurrecting in the spring—and grow well in Austin,

arind that combine surprisingly well with everything from Tex-Mex

provided they receive plenty of sunlight.

flavors to Italian dishes—even chocolate ice cream!

Lovage Elderberry

Zimmerman’s chefs also use the herb

Even though most might not think of elderberry (Sambucus sp.) as

lovage (Levisticum officinale), which

an herb, it was recently designated the official 2013 Herb of the Year

tastes vaguely of celery, but milder. The

by the International Herb Association for its outstanding health ben-

young leaves are used fresh in dishes like

efits and culinary uses. The shrub-like plants are easy to grow, and

tuna salad, cooked in shellfish dishes or infused

they produce edible berries and flowers that are only eaten when

in oils. The roots as well as the stalks and leaves

cooked. Dana Boyle, a member of Slow Food Atlanta, says Atlanta

are used as both a flavoring and a vegetable, and in the UK, a lovage

chefs are featuring elderberries in dishes such as pulled pork with

brandy is a favorite winter beverage. In New Orleans, some bars serve

elderberry barbecue sauce and in elderberry-infused butters and

a bloody mary featuring a hollow lovage stem instead of a straw. The

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

plant is perennial and the flavor is best during the first year of growth.

During the second year, the plant sends up flower shoots and the flavor diminishes greatly. Lovage will grow in any average garden soil in a sunny location and is quite hardy in the Austin area, where it will

Goat Cheese with Fennel Pollen

Oyster Leaf

¹⁄8 t. dried and ground lavender flowers 1 t. fresh (or ½ t. dried) fennel pollen 1 lb. bulk container goat cheese (such as CKC Farms plain chèvre)

Tucker Taylor, head gardener at The French Laundry restaurant in

Baguette or crackers

reach three to four feet in height. It may even reseed itself, although it’s not an aggressive plant.

Yountville, California, calls oyster leaf (Mertensia maritima) the hottest item for his chefs this year. Native to the shores of Scotland, the plant is coveted for its pleasantly briny oyster-like flavor, and is used to add depth and richness to vegetarian and seafood dishes alike. It requires a cool greenhouse and moist conditions similar to its native

Mix the lavender and fennel pollen together and coat the cheese log evenly. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave for 3 days, unrefrigerated, for the flavors to permeate the cheese. Serve with baguette or locally made crackers.

seashore setting, and it is harvested, like most herbs, before flowering begins. Eaten raw, oyster leaf ’s flavor is of salt and sea, but it shines best when used in sauces or vegetable dishes that benefit from a complex seafood flavor backdrop.

Scorzonera The root scorzonera (Scorzonera hispanica), or black salsify, is cropping up on restaurant menus from Austin to the Pacific Northwest.

About the size of a medium slender carrot, the root is valued for its faint oyster-parsnip flavor. Carol Ann Sayle,

Easy Chocolate and Black Garlic Ice Cream 20–25 cloves black garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 T. coarsely chopped toasted almonds ½ gal. Dutch chocolate or mocha almond fudge ice cream, softened Strawberries, to garnish Whipped cream or crème fraîche, to garnish

co-owner of Austin’s Boggy Creek Farm, began to grow and exper-

Stir the chopped black garlic and almonds into the ice cream

iment with scorzonera a few years ago. She now likes it peeled and

and mix well. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours.

cooked with spring onions and snow peas. Chef Chris Weber of The

To serve, scoop the ice cream into dessert cups and top with

Herbfarm uses the root as a puree, served with a parsley-lovage sauce.

fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream or crème

Scorzonera is perennial and, if left in the ground, will continue to grow

fraîche.

larger, but such growth doesn’t diminish its culinary quality. Plant it in late fall or very early spring for fall harvesting.

Sweet Goldenrod

Jim’s Elderberry Cordial

A rare and delightful herb that is current-

Use only elderberries, or mix in other berries such as blackber-

ly gaining attention is sweet goldenrod

ries or blueberries. On cold winter evenings, this is a perfect

(Solidago odora), also known as Texas

after-dinner cordial. In the summer, add a bit to lemonade or

goldenrod. Native to the East Coast, yet

drizzle over ice cream.

found all the way down into the Southwest, the plant is seldom noticed in the wild because of its visual similarity to other less palatable goldenrods. The flowers and leaves of the plant are both used in cooking, but the sweet honey-anise-flavored flowers lend themselves best to custards, cookies, cakes and ice creams. The leaves go well with chicken or fish and are often used like a strongly flavored French tarragon. Both the leaves and the flowers are used to round out the sweet and savory balance in certain sauces. The plant is perennial, and the new leaves in the spring and the flowers in the fall have the best flavor. In Central Texas, plants do best in sandy soil and in sunny to partly sunny areas.

There’s a world of exciting herb and plant flavors to be discovered. Chefs experiment and you can, too. Grow your own, or look for new culinary challenges at the farmers markets.

Find sources for these culinary herbs at edibleaustin.com

1 qt. fresh elderberries, most of the stems removed Zest of one lemon 1-in. piece cinnamon stick 2 allspice berries 2 c. sugar 1 qt. vodka 1 t. vegetable glycerin (optional; it produces a smoother cordial)

In a half-gallon glass container with a lid, combine the berries, lemon zest, cinnamon, allspice and sugar. Pour in the vodka, cover the container with plastic wrap and screw on the lid. Set aside in a cool, dark place for 2 months—gently shaking the jar once a week. Strain and discard the berries and spices. Add the vegetable glycerin (if using), stir and decant into a decorative storage bottle. The cordial is best when aged an additional 3 to 4 months before drinking.

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59

Edible gardens

Hügelkultur

by Laura McKissack

kitchen scraps and compost must be added

freshly moved into a new place, I

periodically until the bed is established—

didn’t have the money to purchase

this is the reason for placing the sod, if using it, facedown over the wood.

new soil for a garden. Instead, I piled sticks and leaves onto a raised bed and covered it

In the first year, large-leaf vine fruits

with some soil and compost I’d transport-

and vegetables like melons, potatoes,

ed in coolers from my old garden. I had a

squash and cucumbers work well in the

great garden that year!

garden; they’ll hold the soil together as it

I didn’t know it then, but people have

settles, and the plants will benefit from the

been making garden beds like mine for

space. Eventually, the bed will flatten out,

years, and the method even has a name:

and can be kept that way or built back up

hügelkultur. A typical hügelkultur garden

again with more wood.

bed consists of logs and sticks, loose sod

I spoke with Lauren Welker, store man-

(green-side down, over the logs) and soil.

ager at in.gredients, about their Hügelkul-

As the wood rots, it becomes spongelike—

tur beds. Since the soil in East Austin is

retaining moisture and nutrients and re-

high-quality and easy to work, they dug a

leasing heat, thereby extending the growing

trench about a foot and a half deep for the

season and eventually reducing or eliminat-

wood to rest in, then built it up about an-

ing the need to feed or water. Beds are, ide-

other foot and a half above ground. Welker

ally, three or more feet tall, and can be fully

notes that since April of 2012, the bed had already settled significantly, but the har-

above ground or partially buried. They can be built up six feet or more, adding to the ease of harvest time. The

vests have continued to be plentiful. “Throughout July and August, I

height additionally allows for a larger growing space in a smaller area.

was watering about once a week, and the garden thrived,” says Welk-

It takes about two years for a hügelkultur bed to become fully

er. But she cut down to watering twice a month in the winter. “One

established and begin to produce its own nitrogen, but planting can

of the best things we did was to plant melons,” she adds. “They had

be done right away. Pockets of air allow wiggle room for roots and

tons of room to grow and the leaves kept the soil cool and moist.

moisture retention, and as the soil settles into the pockets, it tills

[Hügelkultur has] worked really, really well. It’s perfect for Central

itself—keeping it fluffy. Hügelkultur is great in swampy areas of the

Texas.”

yard as it will absorb the moisture and hold it, making it available to plant roots but not sitting on the surface.

Many local organizations offer classes on water conserving garden techniques like hügelkultur. Austin EcoNetwork’s EcoCalendar

The type of wood used in the bed will affect how long it takes to

and the Austin Permaculture Guild’s Yahoo Group are excellent re-

break down. Some acceptable woods to choose are those from oak,

sources for finding all manner of organic gardening and permacul-

ash, elm, pecan and dogwood. Fresh wood is fine but will take longer

ture classes. Hügelkultur is one of many great ways to get more out

to rot, and some varieties of trees decompose slower than others—

of the world around you while preserving space and resources at the

black locust can take 70 years to rot, for example. Since allelopathic

same time.

trees like cedar and pine produce certain biochemicals that can harm other organisms, they’re also a poor choice, though some gardeners have used them successfully. It may help to leave these types of wood exposed for a year or more before burying them. Other types of wood, such as black walnut and chinaberry, are toxic and will prevent germination of many plants; they should not be used for a food garden. No matter what type of wood is used, nitrogen-producing grass clippings, 60

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Resources urbanpatchwork.org in.gredients.com austineconetwork.com/calendar richsoil.com/hugelkultur austinperm.com permies.com

Photography of hügelkultur beds at in.gredients by Whitney Arostegui

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61

Perfect Flourless Chocolate Torte My quest for the perfect flourless chocolate cake is an unwavering one. There are several versions I love, but this one is rich, packed with wonderful grains and a snap to make. It’s a simple recipe that looks quite elegant.

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate (70–75% cacao content) 6 T. butter 3 eggs 1 c. sugar Pinch salt

1 t. vanilla ¼ c. almond flour 2 T. sorghum flour ¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg 1 t. powdered sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch pie pan with foil. Place the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat to melt. Stir frequently—do not allow to burn. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with a whisk or handheld mixer until frothy. Gently whisk in the warm chocolate and butter. Fold in the almond and sorghum flours. Pour the batter into the pie pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes and then invert the torte onto a serving dish. Remove the foil gently. Sprinkle the nutmeg and powdered sugar over the top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Baked Polenta Squares with Melted Spring Onions and Fresh Mushrooms Serves 10 as an appetizer, 4 as dinner This is an easy-to-get-on-the-table meal, yet it is elegant and full of spring flavors. I like to use coarse-ground cornmeal for this dish (local Richardson Farms cornmeal is a favorite). You can find locally grown mushrooms (Kitchen Pride) and sweet spring onions at many of the farmers markets around town. And, if you’re feeling adventurous, grab some semi-hard raw cheese from Dos Lunas Artisan Cheese to grate over this dish as well.

4½ c. water 1½ c. coarse- or mediumground cornmeal ¼ c. olive oil, divided

3 bunches spring onions 1½ lb. quartered fresh mushrooms (about 5 c.)

Pinch salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375° and grease a 9- by 11-inch baking dish. To make the polenta, bring the water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a large pot. Whisking constantly, add the cornmeal in a slow and steady stream. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and cook the polenta, stirring constantly, until thick—about 20 min-

Spiced Bundt Cake with Chunky Strawberry Compote Be forgiving while making this Bundt cake, or working with gluten-free flours for the first time. The batter might look different from anything you’re used to. Sweet rice flour and glutinous rice flour are the same but make sure not to get regular white rice flour.

For the cake: 2¼ c. sorghum flour ¼ c. plus 2 T. sweet rice flour ½ c. extra-fine (stone-ground) brown rice flour ¼ c. extra-fine millet flour ¼ c. tapioca flour 3 t. baking powder 3 t. guar gum ½ t. salt ½ t. fresh-ground nutmeg ½ t. finely minced fresh ginger ½ t. ground cardamom

½ t. cinnamon 5 eggs ½ c. sugar ½ c. unsweetened applesauce ½ c. sour cream or Greek yogurt 1 c. extra-virgin olive oil For the compote: 2 c. hulled and quartered strawberries, divided 1–2 T. sugar Juice of ½ a lemon 1 T. kirsch (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350° and liberally butter a Bundt pan. In a large bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, guar gum, salt and spices.

In another large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar and applesauce to the eggs and beat with a whisk or a fork. Add the sour cream and olive oil and beat well. Slowly pour the dry ingredients into the egg mixture while whisking until just incorporated. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45 minutes. The cake is done when it is slightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes then turn it out onto

utes. Meanwhile, remove the root ends of the spring onions and slice

a rack.

both the white and green parts. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1½ cups of the strawber-

the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and stir until soft and translucent—about 12 to 14 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Sauté until the mushrooms are a bit golden, about 5 to 8 minutes—stirring occasionally. Spread the polenta in the baking dish and top with the onion and mushroom mixture. Sprinkle salt and fresh pepper over the top and bake for about 20 minutes.

ries and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Stir until the juices are released.

Cover and lower the heat to a simmer until the strawberry quarters begin to collapse. Add the remaining strawberries and kirsch, if using, and cook until just heated through. Taste for sugar and add the lemon juice (a few drops at a time) to taste.

Cut the polenta into squares and serve hot, topped with some of the

Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with the chunky straw-

cheese or chopped parsley, if desired.

berry compote.

62

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

What I Eat and Why

My Gluten-Free Life

by Rebecca Saltsman • photography by Jenna Noel

I

love cooking, eating and talking

While the number of individuals

about food, and I’m constant-

diagnosed with celiac disease and

ly thinking about my next meal

gluten sensitivity has steadily risen

even while enjoying the current one.

over the last few years, the market for

Finding and preparing new foods

gluten-free products has completely

and serving other people dishes

exploded. Fortunately, this surge has

they’ve never tried before are my

also brought new attention to an-

passions. I also enjoy disproving

cient grains and certain lesser-known

preconceived notions about certain

flours, because when it comes to

foods and what it means to eat well,

baked goods, the gluten-free route

healthfully…and with dietary restric-

can be a bit more challenging. Some

tions. It’s true—I’m one of more than

of these flours have familiar names

20 million people in America living

like rice flour, tapioca starch and corn

with gluten sensitivity, but it doesn’t

flour; some might be new acquain-

define me or how I eat. Sometimes

tances like sorghum flour, millet flour,

it’s challenging, but most of the time

teff and buckwheat. Luckily, many of

it’s very easy.

them can be found locally produced,

Is it possible to have a rich, glu-

organic and fresh-ground at our farm-

ten-free food life without much sac-

ers markets. When combined togeth-

rifice? Yes. The key to my diet is

er in clever ways, these secret weap-

simple: unprocessed foods, whole

ons create dishes so wonderful that

grains, whole foods and fresh-from-

no one would ever guess they were

the-farmers-market fruits and veg-

gluten-free.

etables. For example, some favorite

Of course, there are still days when

dishes include hearty polenta with

I really want a bagel—a real New York

sweet spring onions and mushrooms, creamy risotto studded with

bagel. Then I remember the spiced Bundt cake with fresh strawberry

leeks and fresh peas, and decadent flourless chocolate cake—main-

compote I have waiting for me at home and the pride I feel while intro-

stream foods that also happen to be naturally gluten-free and incred-

ducing new foods to my friends and gently dismissing any preconceived

ibly delicious with no hidden ingredients and no sacrifice!

notions about gluten-free foods at the same time, and all is well.

eat well.

11th & lamar 512-482-8868

winkrestaurant.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

63

Edible play

FUNNY FOOD a conversation with authors Bill and Claire Wurtzel, by Jessica Dupuy

M

ost of us were raised not to play with our food. But Bill and

communities, as well. Looking at the statistics on childhood obesity

Claire Wurtzel contend that sometimes playing with your

and diabetes, we decided that we wanted to go into the different com-

food is exactly what’s needed to enjoy the simple, beautiful

munities and help try to educate about healthy eating.

things in life—in fact, they wrote the book on it. Or rather, photographed a book about it. In Funny Food, Bill, a former advertising creative director-turned-jazz-musician, and Claire, a New York City special education teacher, reveal how the lighter side of breakfast has kept them and their marriage not only youthful, but healthy too.

Edible Austin: When did you start playing with your food?

Bill Wurtzel: I’ve made these breakfasts for Claire ever since we were married, but it was just for fun. Being creative with food on the spur of the moment came easily to me. So, I started taking pictures of the breakfasts and snacks I’d make for her, and I shared them with friends and family. The next thing we knew, we were publishing a book of these photos.

Claire Wurtzel: Not that he’s a cook, mind you. But he is a great photographer.

EA: You’re not trained culinary professionals, so what led you to

care about healthful foods?

BW: When we first got married, my idea of a healthy breakfast was a Coca-Cola and a brownie. But Claire changed my ways pretty quickly and since then, everything that we eat is healthy. All of the ingredients in Funny Food are healthy and the portions are measured.

EA: Is this something you also did with your family? It’s obviously something that was fun for you as a couple.

BW: Yes, we have two daughters and three grandchildren. Starting when they were about two, if they were going to be finicky about eating, just by having some play and a little pretend, they would get involved and eat the food. As they grew older, they started making the foods themselves. We’re all very adept now. And the best part is that they eat their fruits and vegetables.

BW: As soon as we show the images of these funny foods, the kids are immediately enthralled. And I tell everyone that we’re going to play with our food today as long as you can keep from throwing it around the room. With a pancake, I demonstrate how I make a funny food and ask them what we should make and what ingredients we should use to make that. So I then bring them to a table where there are a bunch of ingredients set up, and I encourage them to make their own picture and tell them that the key is to use different food groups to create a healthy meal. And they come up with the most beautiful ideas like Cyclops and boats and monsters. We take pictures and then they get to eat them. And they just love it.

CW: We’ve seen in the workshops we hold that if the kids make it, they’ll eat it. Do they live this out once they go home? I don’t know.

EA: How did you get involved with children with autism?

CW: A co-worker’s daughter who works at a school for children with autism asked if we’d go to the school to do a workshop. Bill had never worked with [children with] autism before, and even though I had worked in special education, I had never actually worked with children with autism. But we thought, what’s the worst thing that could happen? The kids were about ten, and to everyone’s absolute astonishment, it was the most powerful experience. Bill began by playing a song for his kids about eating funny food. The kids were riveted and learned the song. Even kids who were nonverbal sang.

BW: It’s interesting to realize how impaired these children were and you can really see the reaction they had to the music and the food. Kids who don’t talk were communicating to me and they were so focused on what I was doing and wanted to participate.

CW: We would love to keep doing this. One boy, who was only

EA: What inspired you to bring your food play to inner-city kids?

able to communicate using a language board, was so excited to make

CW: When I was a child, we lived in Manhattan in a poor neighbor-

nected to the whole experience. We really would love to continue

hood where a local community house offered free classes to mothers to learn about making healthy meals on a small budget. My mother used to take these classes and was very proud of learning that, and as a result my siblings and I all grew up eating healthy, raw foods. Having had that background, and looking at how my mother could learn and make changes, Bill and I thought we could help make a change within 64

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

a boat with his food. It was so amazing how he immediately conworking with children in this way.

EA: You did this for your wife more than 50 years ago having no idea you’d be able to impact kids in this way.

BW: Food and play, what else is there?

The following are excerpts from Funny Food, by Bill & Claire Wurtzel. © 2012 Welcome Enterprises, Inc., www.funnyfood.us

Wacky is good The imaginations of children are boundless, and allowing them to create without imposing judgments is essential to their development. They may see odd things in the shape of a piece of cheese or an egg that you could never have fathomed. Give them the positive reinforcement they need to let their imaginations run wild.

It’s a balancing act Balance is the key word. Combining various food groups is the heart of good nutrition. An assortment of foods on the plate is also a natural way to teach portion control. Instead of three pancakes, one pancake and some fruit and protein provide a more balanced mixture of needed nutrients with a healthy amount of calories, fat and sugar.

Free birds!

Scrambled, poached, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, fried, or in an omelet, frittata or quiche, eggs are a healthy way to start the day. Contrary to previous beliefs, new research shows that moderate consumption of eggs does not have a negative impact on cholesterol. Eggs are versatile, easy to cook, affordable, delicious and highly nutritious. When possible, always opt for organic, free-range eggs. They’re higher in omega-3 fatty acids, are free of antibiotic and pesticide residues and contain no arsenic, which is added to factory-farmed chicken feed to prevent infections and accelerate growth. .

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

65

From the bestselling author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone,

debor ah madison

“Vegetable Literacy is Deborah Madison’s latest tour de force, a massive well of knowledge that makes you want to read and learn as well as cook.”

—yotam

ottolenghi, author of Jerusalem and Plenty

“Filled with fascinating botanical notes and inspired recipes that really explore vegetables from the ground up—Vegetable Literacy is a pleasure to read.”

—david

tanis, author of Heart of the Artichoke

“Using this book has felt like a missing puzzle piece snapping into place—inspiring, intimate, informative, and beautifully illustrated.”

—heidi swanson, author of Super Natural Every Day

and Other Kitchen Journeys

Available everywhere books are sold.

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department of organic YOUTH

My Chicken Farm

by Emma Mayers • PHotography by HOlly Henderson

W

hen my family first be-

had different personalities, but were

gan to think about getting

very tight and did not stray too far

chickens I was dubious. I

from one another. Sussex, a Speckled

thought of the birds as messy, greedy

Sussex, is a very bold chicken—defi-

and unfriendly…and some are. How-

nitely the leader of the three. She is

ever, when my friend Isabella got

always the first to be at the door in

some hens, they were so fluffy, warm

the morning waiting for her food.

and cute that my family decided we

Persephone, an Easter Egger, is the

needed a small flock of our own.

sweetest of them all. She is always

On Christmas Eve, my dad se-

willing to be held and comes into

cretly visited Callahan’s General

the house. She loves to follow Sussex

Store in southeast Austin. My par-

wherever she goes and she produces

ents had decided it would be fun

amazing green and blue eggs. Hestia,

to hide four tiny chicks in the spare

also an Easter Egger, is very shy and

room and surprise me in the morn-

enjoys pecking our fingers when she

ing. I shrieked in delight when I

can. She follows Sussex wherever

saw what was in the box. For some

she goes, and, like Persephone, she

strange reason, I decided to name

produces green and blue eggs.

most of them after Greek gods, and

Introducing the younger chick-

chose Selene, Athena, Pan and Pig.

ens to the older ones was interest-

I spent that whole winter break

ing; we had heard stories of older

watching them eat, sleep and chirp

chickens harming new ones very

in their box full of hay beneath the

severely. After some research, we

warmth of a heat lamp.

decided that the best method was to place them into the coop during the

To my amazement, each chicken developed its own personality as it grew. Selene, a dark Australorp,

night when the others were asleep, and hope for the best. Thankfully,

was very assertive when she was small; she was the first to discover

the introduction went well and we did not hear any squawks from

how to flutter up and out of the box. Now, though, she is very cau-

outside. In the morning, the older chickens hopped out of the coop

tious unless we have food. And if we do, she is one of the first to en-

as if nothing was the matter and ignored the others. Thank goodness

joy it—which is why she has become as big as a tank. Athena, also an

it worked.

Australorp, was very sweet when little, but now she’s always slightly

Our six chickens usually stay in groups of three: Selene, Athena

disconnected from the rest of the flock. She never seems to know

and Pig in one, and Sussex, Persephone and Hestia in the other. I

when we’re putting down food, and goes into the coop at least 15

think of our flock as a typical high school—like the ones you see on

minutes early at night. Pan, a Barred Plymouth Rock, was a very calm

TV. Selene and Athena are the cheerleaders, Pig is the bully, Sussex

and collected chick and grew up to be the most friendly of them all. I

is the student body president and Persephone and Hestia are Sus-

always thought of her as our pet because she would come inside our

sex’s helpers. The way they strut around then run to you when you

kitchen and ask for food. Sadly, she died of heat exhaustion during

enter the garden makes me laugh every day, and I’m not exactly sure

the hot summer of 2010. And Pig, also a Barred Plymouth Rock, was

how our yard will look in a year, but I know our six chickens will be

named because of her habits: All she did when she was little was eat

there. Hopefully the trend of raising backyard chickens in Austin will

large amounts of food and sleep.

grow even stronger as the years pass.

After a year, we decided that our flock was too small, so we or-

Thirteen-year-old Emma Mayers enjoys reading, writing, gardening

dered three more chicks online. They arrived early one morning in

and tending her flock of chickens. She attends the Ann Richards

a small box at the post office and were soon growing fast. These also

School for Young Women Leaders..

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

67

Social Cooking

Cottage Cooking

by Claire Cella

B

arely audible amid the gregarious

classes are their first opportunity in years

chatter of teenaged girls and the

to step back into a kitchen as cooks them-

more resounding squeals of tod-

selves. Lindsay Contreras, the executive as-

dlers, is something not often heard in the

sistant at the shelter, says strict legal guide-

cottage of the Teen Mother’s Program at

lines prevent residents from cooking their

the Austin Children’s Shelter: the rhyth-

own food at the facility. An on-site chef pre-

mic sounds of a knife meeting a cutting

pares three meals daily, but the girls confess

board. The knife, held by the silver-ringed

they have an appetite for something else.

right hand of 17-year-old Vera, slides

“[The food here] is based on cafeteria

through olive-colored stalks of fresh rose-

or facility food,” Vera says. “It’s not home-

mary—perfuming the little kitchen as

made; it’s not that home-based food. It

other young mothers cluster at the edge

comes from a box, a can. It lacks flavor; it

and look on with apparent, but hesitant,

lacks, you know…the time, the care.”

intrigue. One girl wanders in, enticed by

Ash, a 17-year-old mother of two, vi-

the sight of marinating pork tenderloin—a

brantly recalls her mother making home-

cut of meat she’s never seen before—as

made tortillas. “All day, every day!” she

she munches on take-out pizza crust.

cries. “Homemade by her. That’s the best

Instructors Amber Santa Cruz and Holley Ford, both managers at the local

food: homemade. And especially, especially when it comes from Mom.”

restaurant group comprised of Galaxy

Using the girls’ evident heartfelt nos-

Cafe, Zocalo Cafe and Top Notch Ham-

talgia for home cooking and whole in-

burgers, don’t let the shy behavior con-

gredients, Ford and Santa Cruz want to

tinue, however. They quickly corral the

impress upon them the important respon-

girls into doing other tasks like snapping green beans, quartering

sibilities they have to re-create this homemade experience for their

potatoes and slathering pork with salt, pepper, garlic and balsamic

own children. They fear the lower cost, as well as the convenience,

vinaigrette, all while engaging them in a convivial dialogue about

of processed and fast foods have made the girls complacent and de-

food and cooking.

velop a palate for less healthful meal options. The cooking classes

“I think one of the best ways to cook is to use whole, local foods,” Ford says—supervising as one girl stirs a pot of boiling red pota-

are designed to be an occasion to become more involved and familiar with food again…real food.

toes on the stove. “Ideally, if you could get all your produce locally,

“People are very conscious of what the food problems in Amer-

it would be a lot more nutrient dense. But realistically—and I know

ica are,” Santa Cruz says. “But not many people talk about the gen-

because I have two kids myself—it’s all a balance.”

uine ways to fix it locally and at the source. And I feel one of the

Santa Cruz and Ford began hosting these monthly cooking class-

biggest ways to do this is helping people to cook their own food.

es at the shelter for young mothers and other interested teenagers

We’re not going to be able to change the laws, or change what’s on

in June of 2012. Their goal has always been to instill the adoles-

every shelf of the supermarket, but we can teach them how to pick

cents—whose former lives might have included abuse, abandon-

out a vegetable, how to chop it, how to healthfully prepare it.”

ment and neglect—with knowledge of healthful lifestyle choices

“We want them to realize the potato they’re eating came from

through exposure to whole foods and the values of home cooking.

the ground and that it isn’t automatically a french fry,” Ford chimes

It’s an opportunity to introduce the girls to kitchen experiences

in. “That a potato is a food, instead of thinking that food is just

they can use when they transition from the facility directly into life

chicken nuggets, hamburgers, pizza.”

on their own.

And it only takes one girl’s display of ardent zest about cook-

For many of the mothers—who range in age from 17 to 22—the 68

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

ing and food to make Ford and Santa Cruz know they’re engaging

in something positive. Vera, for example, can hardly restrain her enthusiasm—energetically moving from one cutting board to another on the crowded counter littered with a rainbow of plastic baby bottles. Before she moved to the shelter, she worked with her grandfather at his Mexican restaurant, and her rekindled excitement about food is unmistakable as she dexterously grips the tiny cloves of garlic and slices them with ease. “I just gotta get my hands on something; I just gotta be in the kitchen,” she says, smiling. “It feels good. Even if I have experience already.”

When the meal is finished, the girls, their children, the cottage staff and Ford and Santa Cruz gather around the dining-room table to eat as a family. As rounded spoonfuls of mashed potatoes move gently toward the tiny mouths of eager toddlers and crisp green beans are grasped by small fingers, it’s the final shot that Santa Cruz and Ford hoped for. “It’s nice to give [the girls] attention, to just be with them in a kitchen,” Ford says.

Relax...

& Do Nothing.

“More than anything,” Santa Cruz adds, “it’s about sharing the experience of cooking with younger people, instead of sharing an experience at a fast-food restaurant.”

For more information on the Teen Mother’s Program cooking classes, e-mail Amber Santa Cruz at intergalactic.amber@ gmail.com, or visit austinchildrenshelter.org/volunteer to find out how to volunteer. Note: Names of teen mothers in this story have been changed to protect confidentiality.

www.VisitBrownwood.com

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

69

Edible Nation

Healing Health CarE

by Oran B. Hesterman, Ph.D. President and CEO of the Fair Food Network

U

p close and personal. That was my experience with the health-

of 2015, that number is expected to grow to 20 percent. This means

care system when I was 36 years old and lying in a hospital

that locally grown fruits and vegetables are now being served in pa-

bed with IV lines running into my veins. The doctors warned

tient meals at more than 30 hospitals and medical facilities. In 2011,

me that if my ulcerative colitis did not improve, they would need to

this translated into more than 190 tons of produce!

remove my colon. A few days later they wanted me to try eating some-

Another group working in this arena is Health Care Without

thing and sent in a tray of food—a plate of roast beef with a mound of

Harm, an international network of more than 450 public health, nurs-

mashed potatoes and a big piece of yellow cake with chocolate icing. I

ing, environmental, labor and health-care organizations. It was start-

politely declined the offering and called a friend and asked, “Can you

ed by health-care workers and activists who were concerned about

save my life today?” She rushed over to the hospital, bringing me a

the lack of healthful food choices in health-care institutions as well

wonderful dinner of tofu, steamed greens and brown rice.

as the life-threatening and environmentally dangerous unintended

The good news is that I recovered and am today completely

consequences of current health-care practices.

healthy with the help of a conscious diet that nourishes my body and

The organization’s Healthy Food in Health Care program seeks to

soul. That experience made me newly aware of the healing power of

transform the system of food sourcing to promote sustainable agricul-

food and the lack of choices available to people who don’t have the

tural practices and to encourage changes in institutional and public

knowledge and/or opportunity to access the healing food they need,

policy that lead to a healthier food system. More than 300 hospitals

both inside and outside a medical setting. But it is particularly criti-

in the United States and Canada have already signed the program’s

cal for our health-care system to support a healthful and healing diet.

Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge to purchase foods that are both grown in an ecological manner and follow principles of social justice.

Healthful Food in Health-Care Institutions If hospitals are supposed to make us well, why does much of the food found in them seem unhealthful? By one estimate, hospitals account for approximately $12 billion of annual food purchasing power.

To accomplish this proposed shift in purchasing priorities, the organization provides model contracts for hospitals. Most of the larger health care systems have signed the pledge, and attention is now turning to third-party certification, such as that of the Food Alliance.

This figure includes meals for patients and for visitors and healthcare workers in cafeterias. Though it represents only a small frac-

How You Can Create Change

tion of our total food system, it offers a huge opportunity to demon-

How can you get involved? First, you can advocate for better food

strate the connection between personal health, healthful eating and a

from food service directors in health-care institutions, taking a bot-

healthy food system. By shifting how health-care institutions source

tom-up approach. If you are a health-care worker, you can choose more

food, we can make an immediate difference and demonstrate a more

nutritious and sustainable foods when you buy catered meals for meet-

integrated approach to health in the long run.

ings and maybe even create a farmers market at your local facility—and

Consider the efforts of Dr. Preston Maring, who works in Cali-

then patronize it and encourage your colleagues to do the same.

fornia at Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health-care institu-

Want to have a broader impact on the area of health care? Write

tions in the country. I have long respected his leadership efforts to

to your local newspaper and galvanize your community into collec-

provide more healthful, locally sourced food through the creation of

tive action around this issue. Urge your local health-care facility to

farmers markets on hospital property, as well as his tireless work to

purchase local, sustainable food and increase the types of healthful

use more locally and regionally produced organic foods in hospital

choices available in their facilities. Physicians can collectively encour-

meals. Starting with a single farmers market in the hospital parking

age hospitals to sign the Healthy Food in Health Care Pledge. Patients

lot at Kaiser Permanente’s facility in Oakland, the program has now

and families can write letters praising positive food choices and sug-

grown to include 40 farmers markets in six states, either at Kaiser

gesting changes in food options that do not support this healthful ap-

Permanente hospitals or at locations it sponsors.

proach to eating. Finally, as recommended by Healthy Food in Health

Kaiser Permanente now spends approximately 15 percent of its

Care leaders, administrators and hospital leaders need to call for a

overall food budget on locally grown sustainable food, nearly two

national leadership conference focused on changes to the food system,

times as much as most other hospital systems of its size. By the end

both in public policy and in institutional procurement.

70

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Central Texas INitiatives

T

he idea of offering locally sourced food is gaining traction

ture-raised goats and other specialty items at the on-site farm-

among some health-care providers in Central Texas. Below

ers market. “It’s just a way to skip the supermarket crowds and

is a sampling of institutions working to improve the quality of

buy locally grown, farm-fresh produce and products,” says Alex

food they make available to their patients and community.

Hainzinger, the hospital’s wellness program specialist. “We really just wanted not only to support our staff and the community

Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas

in ways to eat healthier, but also to support our farmers.” Scott

In Austin, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas,

Round Rock campuses, with a fourth market planned for Killeen.

which is part of the Seton Family of Hospitals, has been im-

& White also offers summer farmers markets at their Waco and

sustainably grown food to its patients. Fresh produce is often

Texas Diabetes Institute—University Health System

sourced locally for hospital meals, and quarterly farmers mar-

In San Antonio, Texas Diabetes Institute patients not only get to

kets are held inside the cafeteria to promote local farms and to

learn how to prepare recipes using fresh herbs and seasonal pro-

encourage people to sign up for their community-supported ag-

duce, they also get to see how they grow at the institute’s on-site

riculture (CSA) programs. Menu items are being redesigned to

vegetable garden. “Sometimes people don’t think growing fruits

promote and even discount healthier fare. In addition, there are

and vegetables would be associated with a clinic, but they’ve

plans for an on-campus vegetable garden. “We’re committed to

been very successful with it,” said Sandra Jackson, the general

the health of our patients, both in the clinic and in the commu-

manager for nutrition services for University Health System,

nities to which they return,” says Dr. Stephen Pont, the medical

the umbrella organization of the institute. Through dietician-led

director for the Texas Center for the Prevention and Treatment

cooking classes, patients learn to prepare healthful dishes, such

of Childhood Obesity. “Wherever we can try to have a positive

as tangy nopales with habanero peppers and eggplant with whole

impact for them, we work for that.” Last year, the hospital also

bay leaf, mint and fresh tomatoes. Even better, the ingredients are

received donor-funded CSA program shares for produce from

grown just steps away in the institute’s 15- by 45-foot garden. “The

Green Gate Farms, which they used as part of a 10-week pro-

patients have been very receptive to the program,” Jackson says.

gram featuring cooking classes, food tastings and recipes for

“It teaches them healthy eating habits, and they’re more aware of

families with obese or overweight children.

locally grown foods, like fruits, vegetables and herbs—and how

plementing a number of initiatives to offer more nutritious,

to incorporate them into different recipes.” —Nicole Lessin

People’s Community Clinic Last year, dozens of expectant mothers who were patients at the People’s Community Clinic in Austin received a prescription for free local produce from the SFC Farmers’ Market–East in the form of vouchers. The goal of this pilot project, done in partnership with St. David’s Foundation and East Coast-based nonprofit Wholesome Wave, was to prevent childhood obesity, says Bianca Flores, the director of health promotion at the clinic. “Pregnancy often affords a valuable opportunity to encourage women to make behavior changes that improve immediate health outcomes and reduce the risk of future chronic disease in both mother and child,” Flores says. “Also, because mothers play a critical role in influencing a family’s nutrition and health habits, promoting and expanding the availability and consumption of fruits and vegetables through these prescriptions is a worthwhile intervention with the potential to benefit the entire family.”

ScotT & White Healthcare On Wednesday mornings in the summer, it can be a disorienting scene outside Scott & White Healthcare’s hospital in Temple.

Live music and people chatting are likely to be heard as folks connect with area growers to buy fresh honey, cheese from pas-

Dr. Stephen Pont, medical director of the Texas Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity at Dell Children’s Medical Center

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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71

Edible crops

Soy what?

by Allison Reyna

O

ver the past two decades, the

The soybean is processed into two separate

consumption of products de-

products: soy protein and soybean oil, which

rived from soybeans has in-

is commonly used in packaged food since it is cheap to manufacture and can be used

creased dramatically in the United States.

as a preservative. It’s also marketed as

According to the Soyfoods Association of North America, sales of soy food products increased from $1

a healthier alternative to other oils be-

billion in 1996 to over $5.2 billion in 2011. Before the early

cause of its low saturated fat content.

The protein is heavily manufactured and

’90s, it was difficult to find any soy products in the American grocery store, but today, our grocery stores are brimming with

turned into a variety of other products that are commonly

soy milk, soy cheese, soy yogurt, soy burgers, soy nuts and soy ice

found in processed foods: soy protein isolate, soy protein powder,

cream. Soy is also found in less obvious products such as crackers,

soy lecithin and more. These ingredients are often used as stabiliz-

energy bars, soups, salad dressings and chocolate. In fact, over 60

ers and preservatives in packaged, boxed and canned foods, leading

percent of the products sold in supermarkets contain at least one

those who are sensitive or allergic to soy to scour nutrition labels

soy ingredient. How did soy go from virtual anonymity to ubiquity

with a critical eye.

In fact, soy is one of the top allergenic foods, along with milk,

so quickly?

According to the Mayo Clinic, soy foods have been in the Asian

eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish and wheat. Food allergies,

diet for at least 5,000 years. Miso, soy sauce and tempeh (all fermented

especially those affecting young children, have become a growing

soy products) were the most prevalent soy foods, while tofu, which

concern in the health world. Last year, the journal Pediatrics report-

appeared later, was used sparingly in things like miso soup and fish

ed that childhood food allergies have risen 50 percent since 2007,

stock. Today, soy is consumed in Asia in many of the same traditional

affecting 1 in every 13 children. One theory about food allergies is

ways—in small amounts, mostly in its natural or fermented state.

that people become allergic to those foods that they consume most

According to the book Eat Your Food by Aaron Brachfeld and Mary

often. Others believe that soy allergies are more common among

Choate, soybeans were first introduced to America when a sailor

Westerners because soy is not native to our ancestral diet. And even

brought them home after visiting China in 1765. Large-scale manufac-

if consumers are painstakingly avoiding the typical processed soy

turing didn’t begin until World War II, when soybeans were ground

products and closely examining ingredient labels for soy protein iso-

up and became a key ingredient in the animal feed given to chickens

late or soybean oil, they still might be consuming soy through meat

and pigs. It wasn’t until late in the 20th century that food manufactur-

products, since soy is a key ingredient in animal feed.

ers increased the diversity of soy products—from soy cheese to soy

Soy formula has also been a popular alternative for babies with

meats to soy ice cream—and began investing heavily in the marketing

dairy allergies and is often recommended as a replacement for cow’s

of soy.

milk. In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated that

Soy is high in protein, cholesterol-free and contains no animal fat.

soy-based formulas accounted for 20 to 25 percent of the formula

Fermented soy products have the added bonus of containing natural

market. However, like other processed soy products, concerns have

probiotics, which keep the gut healthy. For these reasons, soy was

been raised about soy formula by health and medical professionals.

an easy product to promote—it was cheap, versatile and easy to pre-

Dr. William Sears, pediatrician and coauthor of several best-selling

pare. Because of this, soy became the health panacea to most major

baby books, including The Baby Book, warns that feeding a baby

illnesses, including cancer and heart disease. According to the Mayo

soy formula before intestinal closure may increase the risk of a soy

Clinic’s website, it can reduce the risk of arthritis, increase brain

allergy later in life. Additionally, soy naturally contains isoflavones,

function and reduce menopausal symptoms; however, large stud-

also referred to as phytoestrogens because of their ability to mimic

ies to prove such claims have had conflicting results. Other studies

estrogen in the body. According to the National Institutes of Health,

have shown a relationship between high soy consumption and an in-

animal studies indicate that this may contribute to the early onset

creased risk of osteoarthritis, breast cancer and thyroid impairment.

of puberty in girls.

Today, soy is one of the top four crops grown in the United States.

72

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Farmers Diary

Cliff Bingham Has A FaRM

by Jessica Dupuy • PHotography by Amanda Grace

I

f you’re a fan of Texas wine, you’ve probably heard of grape grower

Tech University, where he met his wife, Betty. Just out of college, the

Cliff Bingham. There’s a decent chance you’ve at least tasted wines

two married and immediately jumped into farming life—renting and

made from his grapes. Bingham Family Vineyards & Farm is one of

leasing cotton farms to work while they saved money for their own

the largest grape-growing establishments in the state, nestled com-

property. The rented property usually involved sharing a percentage

fortably among other grand vineyards that are led by producers Vijay

of their crop profits with the landowner, while the leased property

Reddy, Neal Newsom, Jet Wilmoth and Andy Timmons. Located in

was a straightforward cash lease arrangement, where the Binghams

the High Plains, near Lubbock, these vineyards supply more than 75

were able to retain all crop profits.

percent of the grapes used by wineries throughout the state of Texas.

Of course, experience had taught Bingham that cotton crops put

But grapes aren’t the only crop at Bingham’s farm. In fact, grapes

very little back into the soil in the way of nutrients. Many successful

didn’t come into play until about nine years ago. For four generations

High Plains cotton farmers had successfully incorporated some sort

(five, including the newest wave of Bingham children just entering

of alternative rotation crop to help regenerate the soil. Bingham fol-

the business), his family has grown cotton—one of the key crops in

lowed suit and chose peanuts.

the region for more than 100 years.

“Ever since I was a kid, I have loved farming,” says Bingham. “The

The Binghams’ ability to yield successful cotton and peanut crops on leased and rented land grew from year to year, and soon

whole process of tilling the soil and pampering these little plants until they take on and do what they’re supposed to do despite nature’s pressure is really rewarding.”

Bingham pursued a degree in business and entomology at Texas

Bingham family members: (Front row left to right) Alexis and Clint, Betty and Cliff, Peggy and Eddie, Kyle and Gracie, Blake, Savannah (Middle row) Marissa, Brianna, Emilee, Nathan. (Back row) Sierra EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

75

Three generations of Binghams walking the crop rows before planting (left to right): Nathan, Kyle, Clint, Blake, Cliff and Eddie

the niche market of organics began to appeal to them. “We were

Whole Foods Market is sourced from the High Plains).

using a minimal amount of chemicals for pesticides, anyway,” says

But with more than 30 years of successful row-crop farming under

Bingham. “On the High Plains it’s very dry, so insect and fungus

Bingham’s belt, how did he end up tackling grapes? Despite the roman-

pressure is pretty minimal.”

ticism that managing a vineyard might entail, when it came down to it,

They officially made the switch to organic methods, and by 1993

a lot of it had to do with economics. About 10 years ago, a number of

their entire cotton and peanut operation was certified as organic. In

farmers in the High Plains began to notice that the availability of water

1999, they finally purchased land and, while keeping their rented and

was becoming a challenge. Their primary source of water, the Ogallala

leased properties, expanded their organic cotton and peanut empire.

Aquifer, had been progressively depleting with little to no sign of re-

Since then, the family farming operation has evolved to become one

plenishing, causing many cotton farms to, literally, dry up.

of the largest independent certified organic cotton and peanut grow-

Following the lead of farming friends Jet Wilmoth and Neal Newsom, who had each successfully jumped into the grape-growing in-

ers in the country.

“I wouldn’t exactly call myself an environmentalist,” Bingham

dustry in the late 1990s, Bingham did some investigating. With the

says. “I’d say I’m more of a conservationist. I’m concerned with the

help of well-known High Plains wine-growing consultant Bobby

health of the soil. I want my land to be in better shape when I’m

Cox, Bingham took the leap into the Texas wine industry in 2004

finished with it than when I found it. It’s for my kids and grandkids.”

and planted five acres of viognier, a white French varietal from the

Today, the Binghams farm about 2,000 acres and rotate their

northern Rhône. By the time the viognier was ready to market, Cox

crops almost fifty-fifty between organic cotton and peanuts. Annu-

had helped Bingham secure a promising buyer: Richard Becker of

ally—when Texas isn’t in a drought—they can yield around 1,000

Becker Vineyards, one of Texas’s most respected wineries.

bales of cotton and 3,500 pounds of peanuts. It’s given Bingham an

“Bobby Cox was an absolute godsend and at just the right time,”

opportunity as a partner in the organic-cotton community through

says Bingham. “He knew I didn’t know a thing about grapes, and

the Texas Organic Cotton Marketing Cooperative, which is made up

that’s just what he was looking for—someone who could be coached

of about 30 organic-cotton growers in the High Plains—a number of

by him and just get the vineyards planted.”

whom also rotate their crops with peanuts. The co-op pools the an-

Originally, Bingham started his vineyards under the same organic

nual cotton crop together and sells its product to buyers. More than

requirements as his row crops. But a few years ago, conditions were

a third of the yield currently goes to Disney, with the rest headed to

just too challenging to maintain the vineyards without minimal chem-

the likes of Patagonia, Nike, Billabong and a few Japanese and South

ical use. “Our vineyards are still very sustainable; we use compost for

Korean companies. Bingham sells his peanuts directly to two differ-

fertilizer, and the vast majority of our fungicide is sulfur,” he says.

ent companies who use them primarily for organic peanut butter

What started as five acres and one winery purchasing fruit has

(in fact, much of the organic peanut butter you see in stores such as

fast developed into more than 225 acres and more than 20 wineries

76

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

“I wouldn’t exactly call myself an environmentalist. I’d say I’m more of a conservationist. I’m concerned with the health of the soil. I want my land to be in better shape when I’m finished with it than when I found it. It’s for my kids and grandkids.”

The Best Texas Wine is created with

The Best Texas Grapes Awarded “Top Texas Wine” at the 2013 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition

—Cliff Bingham

contracted to receive Bingham’s annual yield. Over the course of the vineyard’s growth, Bingham has found that farming about 1,000 acres of irrigated cotton uses about as much water as 50 acres of grapes. “I can make the same living on 50 acres of grapes, which means I’m using about 20 times less water,” he says. “In the end, the cost is about the same to put money into fifty acres of grapes, but as our water shortage increases, it’s a more efficient use of our resources overall.”

Bingham estimates that, with grapes, he’s able to make about 10 times the profit using the same amount of water that he has to use for his other crops. In recent years, the demand for his grapes has skyrocketed, but he’s committed to growing only what his farming operation can handle—which includes the modest planting of only eight additional acres in 2013 and turning down countless wineries who would like to contract him to plant more. “We have to maintain what we’re doing now and still do a good job at it,” he says.

This philosophy is setting an example for the generation just moving into the business. Cliff and Betty have 11 children, ages 9 to 28, all homeschooled and three of whom are married and living close by to work the farm. Each has shares of the family corporation with the option to join the family business when and if they’re ready. So far, six of the oldest have chosen the family business. Cliff ’s eldest son, Clint, has planted vineyards of his own under the Bingham Family Vineyards name and now serves as the general manager for the entire operation—giving the elder Bingham the opportunity to focus less on administrative tasks and more on farming, what he loves most.

When asked about that passion, Bingham admits he has a soft spot for his vineyards. “I’m really glad that it’s the direction we’re heading.

There’s just something romantic about the grapes,” he says. “But I still love cotton and peanuts. I have to remind my kids that cotton and peanuts is where we got the money to invest in the grapes to begin with.

We’re just thankful to have been blessed every step along the way.”

Pedernales Cellars wines are available in our tasting room in Stonewall in the Texas Hill Country, online at www.pedernalescellars.com, and at The Austin Wine Merchant, East End Wines, Spec’s, Twin Liquors, Urban Wine and Liquor, and Whole Foods Market.

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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77

Behind the Vines

Flat Creek Estate

By Terry Thompson-Anderson • PHotography By Sandy Wilson

A

leisurely day trip

duce their wines. Park-

through the sce-

er established a fine list

nic

of wines for Flat Creek

Texas

Hill

Country to Flat Creek Es-

during

tate Winery culminates at

cluding the Super Texan

a delicious destination.

sangiovese blend, which

The

growth

won a double gold medal

and expansion of the win-

for the young winery in

ery since its opening on

2005 from the San Fran-

Valentine’s Day in 2002

cisco International Wine

closely mirrors the evolu-

Competition. It was one of

tion of the modern Texas

the first of the Super Tus-

wine industry. Founders

can-style blends for which

Rick and Madelyn Naber

Texas is now well known.

moved to the Hill Coun-

Tim Drake, Flat Creek’s

try near Lake Travis af-

current winemaker, origi-

successful

his

tenure,

in-

nally hails from Washing-

ter Rick retired from his career as an engineer for a large industrial construction company.

ton State, where he worked at Columbia Crest Winery and Chateau

During Rick’s corporate years, the couple lived in several regions of

Ste. Michelle. In 2005, he went to work as cellar master at Matthews

the U.S., becoming familiar with the cultures of regional America.

Cellars, a Washington State producer of high-end wines. In 2009,

For several years before retiring, the Nabers resided in California,

after 39 years of Seattle rain and gloom, Drake moved his family to

where they became great fans of the local wines.

Texas knowing that good wines were being produced here. He met

After the couple moved to the Hill Country, they began to notice

Rick at a meeting of the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association

that the pace of housing development was accelerating drastically.

and took over as winemaker at Flat Creek in 2011, in the middle of the

Developers were buying up parcels of property at an amazing rate to

grape harvest. Drake says that it was a mad scramble to find records,

build condominium projects and gated communities. The pair had

and to learn the ins and outs of the winery’s production facilities

been watching an 80-acre parcel of property that was for sale in their

during the harvest—a true initiation by fire. Drake is committed to

area. Knowing that it was the last piece of agricultural property in

Flat Creek’s blended-wines program, and has produced a stellar line-

the region, they feared it would be purchased for development. The

up of exciting wines.

Nabers bought the parcel with a commitment to maintain its use as a sustainable agricultural endeavor.

In 2008, the Nabers opened a bistro at the winery. The large, open space of the Tuscan-inspired dining room overlooks the sloping vine-

They considered and rejected several options for the land, from

yards and provides a relaxing ambiance for enjoying fine foods paired

growing peaches, pecans and mushrooms to raising frogs, before

with fine wines to while away an afternoon before returning to the

they settled on planting a vineyard and building a winery. To grow

real world. The bistro concept was originally developed with an Ital-

the best grapes possible, Rick consulted with a couple of pioneer

ian menu of pasta dishes and panini, but as the Flat Creek wines have

winemakers in the Texas wine industry. Ed Auler, co-owner with his

evolved, so has the menu. The Nabers hired Sean Fulford in 2010 as the

wife, Susan, of Fall Creek Vineyards, told them of the ups and downs

executive chef. They added a wood-fired oven to the well-equipped

of the Texas industry, ending with, “Can’t say that you’ll make it, but

kitchen, and Fulford developed a full menu of innovative dishes to

I can’t tell you that you won’t.” Edward and Madeleine Manigold,

pair with the wine list. Born in Canada, his family’s move to Houston

founders of Spicewood Vineyards, and Gary Gilstrap of Texas Hills

made a Texan out of him. After graduating from The University of

Vineyard suggested they plant warm-weather varietals.

Texas with a degree in literature, he moved to Colorado, where he

The Nabers hired Australian winemaker Craig Parker to pro78

SPRING 2013

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

learned the craft of cooking by working in restaurants. He eventually

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A Celebration Of Texas

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Seared duck breast with ginger/orange glaze.

Tender steaks. And very naughty desserts. All complemented by award-winning cabernets, tempranillos, viogniers and rieslings from our numerous vineyards and wineries.

Incidentally, “Zauber” is the German word for “magic.” Guten Appetit. H V i s i t F re d e r i c k s b u r g T X . c o m

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returned to Houston, where he became executive chef for noted restaurateur Tony Vallone’s catering company, but it was at Zin Bistro, in Austin, where he first learned the serious art of wine and food pairing.

Currently, the Bistro at Flat Creek serves a wide variety of dishes ranging from a menu of small plates from the wood-fired oven to cheese plates, sandwiches, salads, soups and entrees that include game meats and quail, as well as exquisite desserts. Each menu item has a suggested wine pairing from Flat Creek’s extensive wine list.

The winery’s new tasting room and barrel facility, designed around wood and stone, is state-of-theart. The tasting room is accessed by a breathtaking stairway, with elevator service available. The large tasting bar is front and center, with cozy and inviting tables positioned around the large space for enjoying a glass or bottle of wine. There’s also a private tasting room available.

Flat Creek Estate is truly a destination winery: a place to spend the day immersed in the pleasures of exceptional wine and food in a bucolic setting in the Texas Hill Country.

Flat Creek Estate Vineyard and Winery 24912 Singleton Bend East, Marble Falls • 512-267-6310

Noteworthy Vintages Super Texan 2010: This beautiful sangiovese blend is one of Flat Creek’s signature wines—highlighting the balance that all winemakers strive for in a blend. It has notes of dark cherry, plum, earthy spiciness and a thread of underlying smokiness. It’s medium-bodied with supple tannins and a nice acid core that make it a great food wine. It’s the perfect pairing for pasta dishes with tomato-based sauces.

Blanco Brio 2012: A slight effervescence in this wine dances across the palate with beautiful aromatics of jasmine blossoms, orange zest and pear. The acid backbone combined with the effervescence lightens the perception of the 3 percent residual sweetness into a refreshing summertime sipper. The wine is a great blend of muscat canelli and muscat blanc from Flat Creek Estate Vineyard and some orange muscat from Newsom Vineyards in the High Plains. It’s perfect for the sultry days of Texas summer!

Cuvée Blanc 2012: A delightful blend of pinot blanc and pinot grigio from Flat Creek Estate Vineyard, along with chenin blanc from Lepard Vineyards and a bit of viognier from Bingham Family Vineyards, both in the High Plains. The wine shows nice acidity and minerality balanced out by tropical fruit notes of pineapple, guava and melon. Refreshingly bright with a slight hint of creamy vanilla from the small percentage that was barrel fermented.

It’s an easy-drinking wine that pairs splendidly with light tapas or cheeses and is fabulous with seafood.

Uptown Blanco Restaurant It’s in the middle of everywhere.

Visit us for a unique

Texas Wine Experience • Brennan Vineyards • Lost Oak Winery • McPherson Cellars 10354 E. US Highway 290, Fredericksburg • Toll-free: 855-480-9463

fourpointwine.com • facebook.com/fourpointwine • @fourpointwine

The Leaning Pear Cafe` & Eatery Whether you live in Austin, San Antonio or just a short drive away

Serving the Texas Hill Country Fresh &

Seasonal Favorites Using Local Ingredients

leaningpear.com Wednesday to Monday ~ 11:00 am-3:00 pm Friday and Saturday ~ 11:00 am-8:00 pm

111 RiveR Road • WimbeRley, Texas • 512-847-PeaR

in the Hill Country you’ll enjoy our daily specials, expertly prepared using many of the local ingredients grown and produced throughout south Texas.

On the Town Square in Blanco 317 Main Street 830 833-1579

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Blanco, Texas

www.UptownBlanco.com

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Sustainable Food Center

Healing Nutrition

3

by Candyce Rusk

9,

201

SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER

Ma

y

O

ne of the difficult aspects of cancer is the mystery of its origination. The list of edible and drinkable substances possibly leading to the disease is endless and, frankly,

terrifying. Was it the junk-food-fueled college years? Twenty-odd years of eating pesticide-tainted produce? And while diet is rightfully hailed as a fundamental aspect of disease’s cause and prevention, many cancer veterans had already been eating well for years prior to diagnosis—regularly consuming vegetables and fruits and limiting harmful fats. Adding insult to injury, when all sense of the

Sixth Annual

world is being turned inside out during cancer diagnosis and treat-

Benefit for

ment, one rarely has the energy or will to think about reinventing a diet.

Since the late 1990s, Sustainable Food Center (SFC) has been

6:30pm - 9:30pm at Barr Mansion, 10463 Sprinkle Road

offering theory-based, cost-effective cooking and nutrition classes

Eat, Drink and Be Local

to Central Texans through The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre

SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER

Starring over 25 of Austin’s top chefs, including Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due, Sonya Coté of Hillside Farmacy and Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo, Central Texas farmers, grazers and breweries, as well as biodynamic wine...and our first...

Sustainable Food Changemakers Award ceremony, honoring Tom and Lynn Meredith and Will Meredith

(THK) program. In 2008, SFC began offering the program to cancer patients and survivors who are at least four months post-treatment.

Chopping ingredients and tasting recipes alongside other cancer vets builds community while teaching basic meal-preparation skills. Participants are introduced to seasonal foods as well as to money- and time-saving skills like menu planning. After each class, participants are given the ingredients for a featured recipe and encouraged to re-create it in their own kitchens.

As an extension of these special cooking classes, THK facilitators Anne Winckler and I, along with natural-foods chef Amy Ramm, will introduce a new SFC cooking curriculum designed specifically for cancer survivors. The new courses will spotlight cancer-fighting foods, herbs, spices and food combinations, to assist in maintaining health and a continued enjoyment of food.

Ramm’s work in the natural-foods field as a chef, teacher and manufacturer (she created NadaMoo! coconut milk ice cream in 2004), and her recent Food As Medicine training through the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, will influence the course’s develop-

®

men as will the experiences Winckler and I had facilitating the THK cooking classes for cancer survivors. In addition, segments

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of the coursework will be based, in part, on Rebecca Katz’s The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen. Look for the classes to debut at the new SFC building in 2013.

For more information on Sustainable Food Center, available classes or the new cooking curriculum, visit sustainablefoodcenter.org

Tickets and tables at sustainablefoodcenter.org

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SPRING 2013

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La Casita de Buen Sabor

FROM Garden to Salad Plate

by Lucinda Hutson

E

ach bite of salade

heat arrives. Throughout

Lyonnaise celebrates

the fall and early spring,

the senses! Frilly

I grow a variety of lettuc-

curls of frisée keep their

es including butterheads,

sharp, chicory-like bite

oak leaf and curly red-

even when tossed in a

tipped Lolla Rossa. Lots

tangy shallot-and-Dijon

of arugula (including the

vinaigrette

while

the

smaller-leafed variety Aru-

yolk of a gently poached egg spreads like a cozy golden blanket

gula rustica that has little yellow flowers that spill over the sides

atop the mound—a subtle comfort from the other intense flavors,

of the bed), baby spinach and a variety of Asian greens are also

yet melding them harmoniously. Salty, crispy strips of fried lardons

included. Exotic blood sorrel, with its pretty, small, deep-green

(salt-cured pork fat, though bacon will do in a pinch) become the

leaves ribbed with bright-red veins and a mouth-puckering bite,

crowning jewels. No wonder the French adore this salad—serving

add flavor and color to salads and the garden.

it with toasted croissants or brioche.

A few salad burnet plants, which thrive in the cooler spring

One chilly spring eve, I picked some garden greens to make a sal-

weather, are found along the border—growing like a fountain with

ad for my neighbor Nancy and myself. I longed for something warm

long, cascading stems sporting small, serrated leaves with an unmis-

and nostalgic like salade Lyonnaise, but we lacked some of the crucial

takable cucumber essence. Lemon thyme, with its dainty variegated

ingredients and Nancy doesn’t eat lardons. She mentioned one of her

green-and-yellow leaves, is another salad favorite—citrusy and fresh.

grandmother’s favorite comfort foods (which my grandmother loved,

Plant this low-growing, mounding herb along the edges of the bed

too) was shirred eggs on toast: eggs baked in a ramekin with a dollop

as part of the border, along with bunches of chives or society garlic,

of cream, butter, grated cheese and perhaps a few savory garnishes and

whose star-shaped lilac flowers make a great garnish. And don’t for-

served on toast. So we decided that shirred eggs (called oeufs en cocotte

get to add a marjoram plant or two along the border edging. Its ten-

in French) would become the topping for our Lyonnaise-like salad.

der sprigs bring sweet perfume to pungent garden greens. Purchase

I dressed the spring greens in a snappy Dijon-anchovy vinai-

these herbs as nursery transplants.

grette. You’ll find that shirred eggs are well-suited when making this

Groupings of small Johnny-jump-ups or pansies, with painted fac-

salad for a gathering because baking eggs in ramekins is easier than

es in vivid hues of purple, yellow, magenta or pastels add color to the

poaching them individually. Now let’s talk about some of my favorite

bed and to the salad as edible garnishes. Mounds of cooler-weather

salad fixin’s fresh from the spring garden.

nasturtiums spill over the raised bed laden with brilliant sunset-colored blossoms that make gorgeous (and tasty!) edible garnishes.

My “Salad Bar”

Their peppery and pungent miniature lily-pad-like leaves taste de-

A raised five-by-ten-foot bed made from stacked antique bricks and filled with rich, organic soil and compost serves as my “salad

licious mixed with other salad greens. Sprinkle sunny golden or orange petals from calendulas on salads, too.

bar,” where I pick glorious spring greens, fragrant herbs and ed-

Plant taller herbs like Italian parsley, dill and tarragon in the center

ible flowers for salads. It flourishes best in the spring before the

of the bed. These are must-haves for tasty vinaigrettes and garnishes.

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ree tastings daily 4220 Duval Street (512) 531-9610

Tues-Sat:11-7; Sun:12-5

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But now more people than ever are able to enjoy Brooklyn beers all over the world.

Throughout the years, some of the friends we’ve made have risen to artistic fame. We could think of no better way to celebrate our 25th anniversar y than to partner with Fred Tomaselli, Roxy Paine, Joe Amrhein and Elizabeth Crawford, all of whom agreed to contribute art to grace the labels of a Silver Anniversar y Lager. Our celebrated Brewmaster Garrett Oliver crafted a double bock version of our first beer, Brooklyn Lager, to commemorate the anniversar y. We can’t show you the paintings now, but we’ll be rolling out the four labels throughout 2013.

Hang tight… the paint’s dr ying.

Steve Hindy co-founder and president

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85

Making the Salad Pick an assortment of spring salad greens of various hues and textures. Add a big handful of tender sprigs of the fragrant herbs mentioned above, and don’t forget salad burnet. Rinse and spin the greens, dry then chill while preparing the other ingredients.

Preparing the Eggs Now for the fun part! Make shirred eggs simply, like our grandmothers did, or partially fill the bottom of buttered ramekins with whatever suits your fancy: crumbled bacon, a thin slice of prosciutto, smoked salmon or trout, a few spoonfuls of roasted veggies, sautéed asparagus, caramelized shallots or onions. Whether the salad is served as a first course or a main dish may determine whether one or two eggs per serving are used. Adjust ingredients and cooking times accordingly.

Preheat the oven to 350° and place a rack in the middle. Crack the egg(s) into the ramekins over the other ingredients without disturbing the yolks and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne. Top with a tablespoon of half-and-half or cream and a sprinkling of grated cheese, if you wish (I like Gruyère, shredded Parmesan or a bit of chèvre).

Sprinkle with snippets of thyme, chives or parsley and a pinch of paprika, and bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks still runny—about 15 to 20 minutes. Check often, though, and rotate the ramekins as needed. Some may prefer to prepare a water bath instead, which prevents overcooking and a rubbery egg texture. Do this by setting the ramekins inside a larger casserole dish and adding just enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins before baking.

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Preparing the Vinaigrette While the eggs are cooking, whip up this tangy vinaigrette. Use a good, fruity olive oil and high-quality white or Champagne vinegar.

You can leave out the anchovies if you’re not a fan—just use a little less lemon juice.

2 cloves garlic 3 anchovies, mashed 3 T. white or Champagne vinegar 2 T. fresh lemon juice, and some of the zest 2 t. Dijon mustard 1 T. fresh lemon thyme, tarragon and/or marjoram, chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Pinch of cayenne Scant ½ c. olive oil Sliced red or green onions, to garnish

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Crush the garlic and add to the anchovies. Add the remaining ingredients—whisking in the olive oil at the end to emulsify. Lightly toss the greens with the vinaigrette and mound on chilled salad plates. Sprinkle with chopped green onions or thin slices of red onion.

If the eggs are just out of the oven, let them set for a minute, then scoop them out of the ramekins and place atop each salad. Garnish with one or more kinds of edible flowers and fragrant, tender herb sprigs. Serve with crostini, toast points or croissants, or pile the ingredients between slices of toasted bread for a noteworthy sandwich. And, of course, shirred eggs taste delicious when eaten right out of the ramekin.

“Dos Lunas IS Austin— fresh, artisanal and family.”

Photo by Alice Rabbit

—Chef Sonya Coté, Hillside Farmacy

Ask for Dos Lunas Artisan cheeses at your favorite markets, restaurants or order online.

doslunascheese.com • 512-963-5357

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For Karen’s recipe, visit Tito’s Stardust Blog at titosvodka.com/ blog and find the October 18 entry.

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10/19/12 1:29 PM

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Capital Area Food bank

Feeding Hungry Children

by John Turner

H

ere at the Capital Area Food Bank, I see many faces of hunger. But there’s always one face that especially disturbs me: that of a hungry child. Of the 48,000 Central Texans we

serve every week, 20,000 are children. And sadly, more than one in four Texas children currently lives in a household that struggles to put food on the table.

Many health experts and pediatricians agree that a child’s educational development and well-being are threatened by hunger, so helping to nourish hungry children is a priority for the food bank. Last year, our after-school food program, Kids Cafe, provided 35,000 nutritious meals to more than 3,000 children every month during the school year, and throughout the summer our Summer Food Service Program filled the lunch gap—serving more than 31,000 meals to children. Currently, in classrooms across Central Texas, our outreach team of nutrition educators works every day, teaching children about healthful eating and providing nutritious recipes for home.

We work very hard to ensure that no child has to worry about his or her next meal. If you believe hunger is unacceptable, please join us to put a smile on the youngest faces of hunger.

Photography by Tri-D Photography

For more information, visit austinfoodbank.org

Smiles from Joel, a young diner at the Summer Food Service Program Kick Off, 2012

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DISCOVER BASTROPTX A WORLD APART...NOT FAR AWAY

Visit Bastrop, nestled in the Lost Pines of Central Texas -- a perfect getaway with a scenic landscape and river, beautifully preserved historic sites and charming shops and restaurants.

Bastrop Special Events and Festivals

Yesterfest April 26-27 • Pet & Pal Parade, Patriotic Festival July 6 • Homecoming & Rodeo July 31 - Aug 3 Halloweenfest Oct 31 • Veterans Weekend Car Show Nov 8-9 • Lost Pines Christmas Dec 12-15 EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM SPRING 2013 VisitBastrop.com or call the Bastrop Visitor Center at 512-303-0904

89

On A Roll

by Kate Payne • Photography by Jo Ann Santangelo

F

or many years, my income map has included caring for chil-

and place parchment paper directly on the round screen—poking

dren—from the just-months-old to the too-cool-for-school

out the center with a knife to accommodate the upraised hole in the

teenager. Last year, when I handed a birthday present to the

tray. Use the 135-degree setting for the first hour, and then raise the

five-year-old I care for, he squealed with delight, tore off the lime-

heat to 145 degrees for another 45 minutes, or until the leather is no

green wrapping paper, lifted the quilted jelly jar high in the air and

longer tacky.

asked his mom, “Can I eat one now, please?” His mother pulled out

Don’t leave fruit leather in the oven or in the dehydrator un-

two little fruit leather rolls from the jar and handed one to him and

checked. If life gets in the way and it’s not yet finished, turn off the

one to his nearly three-year-old sister. Between bites he told me this

heat and return to drying when someone is there to monitor it. Over-

is his favorite thing that I make.

cooked leather becomes crunchy (a still-tasty, but sort of depressing,

I perfected my fruit leather methodology last year when one of

end to leathering labors).

my canning class students brought me about 80 pounds of pears

Homemade fruit rolls are a perfect gift for all ages and make great

from her mother’s tree. The heaving grocery bags and boxes amassed

travel snacks. Now that the season for strawberries and loquats is

on my porch beckoned to my food mill, and soon we were swimming

here, consider reserving some of the bounty for this project.

in pear puree. I froze the fruit puree in quart-size freezer bags for future batches of leather.

As much or as little kitchen equipment may be used for success-

Strawberry Leather

ful fruit leather projects. A food mill isn’t essential, but it does save

Yields 1 cookie sheet of leather, approximately 8 to 12 small individual

time with fruit preparation, and the milling can be a good project for

fruit rolls

kids to help with. Using a food processor is fine, too, but requires peeling and pitting certain fruits. I’ve used the fine screen of my mill for a smooth strawberry puree and I’ve milled unpeeled loquats twice—first through the medium screen and then again through the

1 pt. strawberries, stems trimmed 4½ t. sugar (may be omitted, but it helps preserve color and characteristic texture)

fine screen. Each fruit requires a little different handling to end up

If using an oven, preheat to 175° (or 200°, if necessary). Chop the

with a smooth puree.

strawberries into small pieces and combine with the sugar in a me-

I’ve had success making fruit leather using both a basic food de-

dium saucepan. Warm over low heat until the sugar granules are dis-

hydrator and an oven. It helps to have an oven that goes below 200

solved. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer—mashing

degrees, but I’ve found that a carefully watched tray at 200 degrees

the fruit as it softens to release more of the juice. Remove from the

still works out fine. When using a dehydrator, I do one tray at a time

heat, allow the mixture to cool, then press through a fine sieve or run

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through a food mill. Cover an 11- by 17-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour the pureed fruit onto the parchment and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly into a ¼-inch layer. Bake for 2 to 3 hours—until the puree no longer comes up on a finger when dabbed.

It should still feel sticky to the touch, though. Peeking into the oven

Boggy Creek Farm

Market Days: Wednesday and Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM www.boggycreekfarm.com

during the course of baking will actually help drop the temperature to where it might be if using a food dehydrator, so check on the leather often. Once the leather is ready, keep the parchment paper backing on and, using kitchen shears, cut the leather into strips. Roll up each strip, tie with kitchen twine and store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Loquat Leather Yields 1 cookie sheet of leather, approximately 8 to 12 small individual fruit rolls 1 lb. loquats 2 T. sugar Pinch cinnamon, to taste (optional) Pinch nutmeg, to taste (optional)

If using an oven, preheat to 175° (or 200°, if necessary). Halve the loquats from pole to pole, then seed, peel (if not using a food mill) and place the halves into a large saucepan. Cover with just enough water to completely submerge, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook at a low boil for about 15 minutes. After cooking, the fruit should still be intact but feel tender and soft. Drain and discard the liquid, then press the fruit through a fine sieve or run through a food mill. Place 1 cup of the puree into a medium saucepan and add the sugar. Bring to a simmer and remove the pan from the heat. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg, if using. Cover an 11- by 17-inch rimmed cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour the pureed fruit onto the parchment and use an offset spatula to spread it evenly into a ¼-inch layer. Bake for 2 to 3 hours—until the puree no longer comes up on a finger when dabbed. It should still feel sticky to the touch, though.

Peeking into the oven during the course of baking will actually help drop the temperature to where it might be if using a food dehydrator, so check on the leather often. Once the leather is ready, keep the parchment paper backing on and, using kitchen shears, cut the leather into strips. Roll up each strip, tie with kitchen twine and store in

STRAWBERRY SIPPER 1½ oz. Paula’s Texas Lemon 1½ oz. vodka 1 Tbsp. lime juice 3 fresh, ripe strawberries Muddle strawberries in mixer glass. Add Paula’s Texas Lemon, vodka, lime juice and ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.

an airtight container for up to 2 months.

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Green Corn Project

Lending a Hand

by David Huebel

O

ne of the greatest pleasures in introducing people to gardening comes from working with kids. One especially rewarding experience for me occurred recently at Helping Hand Home

for Children—a haven since 1893 that provides a nurturing and therapeutic home for children who have suffered extreme abuse and neglect. Green Corn Project (GCP) installed a garden for Helping Hand Home a few years ago, and I had the pleasure of working with a group of volunteers to clean up and replant the garden in October.

Two volunteers from Texas State University, Lauryn Ott and Amber Kahla, accompanied me at Helping Hand Home for the GCP fall Dig-Ins. We worked with a group of kids to weed the beds, pull out what was left of the summer crop and plant vegetables like kale, chard, carrots and cabbage for the fall. The kids were thrilled to learn about the plants and discuss their favorites. “It was such a great experience,” Lauryn notes, “because we got to be a part of not only helping out GCP but also getting to teach these kids about gardening.”

About a month after the Dig-In, Veronica Meewes, the volunteer coordinator at Helping Hand Home, contacted me about teaching the kids more about plant growth and identification, and composting and why it’s important. “I know the kids love planting and visiting the garden,” she said, “but I’m not quite sure if the education piece really sinks in.” She also wanted the kids to learn how the kitchen uses some of the veggies and herbs from the garden. So in December, I brought in a few supplies like a single-burner camp stove, a mortar and pestle and a few basics like olive oil, garlic and honey. I also brought a five-gallon bucket with leaves and finished compost.

Given the limited time, I prepared vegetable soup ahead of time with the plan of adding to it from the garden.

At Veronica’s suggestion, we divided the kids into two groups and spent about an hour with each. The first group had 16 six- to nine-year-olds and the second had eight kids ranging in age from 10 to 13. We discussed the basics of plants and how they’re all different—some good for us and some not. I passed around a variety of seeds to show how they’re different in size and texture. I also explained how nature creates compost to replenish the soil and how we make it and use it in the garden. We then walked out to the garden and harvested carrots, greens and parsley and went back inside to prepare them for our lunch. While the soup was simmering, I demonstrated how to clean the veggies and put the trimmings into the compost bucket. I then sautéed the carrots with a bit of honey and made a pistou by grinding parsley and garlic with some salt and olive oil. The kids helped count out bowls and added carrots, soup and a pistou topper to each—many happy diners even came back for seconds! greencornproject.org • helpinghandhome.org

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Picture the children

children and their Food

P revious page: Farmer Ethan, Green Gate Farm by Bill Albrecht.

Opposite page: Alexandrea’s blueberry pick by Al Braden. Boy with rosemary by Bear Guerra. A toddler’s snacktime by Aimee Wenske. Tomato sorting by Max Elliott.

This page: Monday 11:48 a.m. by Pauline Stevens. Hugging a Spring piglet by Jody Horton. Dominic Pratt trellising by Max Elliott.

A selection of photos courtesy of the Children’s Environmental Health Institute’s Picture the Children Program: Children and Their Food Photo Exhibit (Sponsored by Whole Kids Foundation)

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The Directory

Bakeries Blue Note Bakery

Lone Star Foodservice

ARTISANAL FOODS Antonelli’s Cheese Shop We love cheese & everything that goes with it. Taste cut-to-order artisanal cheese for free in our shop, take a class, or host an event in our Cheese House.

512-531-9610 4220 Duval St. antonellischeese.com

Blue Baker Blue Baker is a local artisan bakery cafe featuring hand-crafted breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads and stone-oven pizzas.

512-346-2583 10000 Research Blvd.

979-268-3096 800 University Dr., College Station 979-696-5055 201 Dominik Dr., College Station bluebaker.com

Lone Star Foodservice is a family-owned wholesale meat company, whose mission is to source and deliver the finest cuts of natural beef, pork and lamb to tables across Texas.

512-646-6218 1403 E. 6th St. lonestarfood.com

Noble Pig Sandwiches Local sandwich shop featuring housecured meats, made-from-scratch breads, condiments and pickles.

512-382-6248 11815 620 N., Ste. 4 noblepigaustin.com

Texas Hill Country Olive Company Olive orchard, wine bar, bistro, wedding and meeting venue.

512-607-6512 2530 W. Fitzhugh Rd., Dripping Springs texashillcountryoliveco.com

Texas Olive Ranch

Broken Arrow Ranch We field harvest truly wild animals for high-quality free-range venison, antelope and wild boar meat. Diamond H Ranch Quail from Bandera also available.

830-367-5875 3296 Junction Hwy., Ingram brokenarrowranch.com

Fresh Texas-grown extra virgin olive oil from Carrizo Springs, infused olive oil & balsamic vinegar at farmers markets in Austin, SA, NB, Houston, Dallas.

877-461-4708 texasoliveranch.com

Con ‘Olio Oils & Vinegars

Thunder Heart Bison

A tasting bar & importer of the finest, freshest Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars from around the world.

512-342-2344 10000 Research Blvd., Ste. 130 512-495-1559 215 Lavaca St. conolios.com

We raise grassfed, free range Bison on our ranch in Dimmit County Texas outside Carrizo Springs. Our animals are raised and harvested with respect.

210-394-3977 1104 E. 6th St. thunderheartbison.com

Dos Lunas Artisan Cheese

Tom’s Tabooley

Dos Lunas is a specially aged raw cow’s milk cheese. Our milk comes from grassfed, free-roaming cows in Schulenburg, Texas. We age our cheese in Austin.

512-963-5357 doslunascheese.com

Fresh Mediterranean Cafe since 1977.

Vegan to carnivore delights: falafels, gyros, hand-rolled dolmas, beer & wine. Live music. Open 7 days a week.

Family friendly.

512-479-7337 2928 Guadalupe St. tomstabooley.com

Blue Note Bakery is Austin’s premier custom cake shop, meticulously creating one-of-a-kind desserts for your special occasion.

512-797-7367 4201 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 101 bluenotebakery.com

Princess & Moose’s Sister Bakery Old school baking with a twist. We use as much local produce as possible.

We do small batch baking to keep the integrity of the product.

512-417-9847

Red Oak Bakery 100% gluten free bakery using local, sustainable and organic ingredients.

Handmade and house-made artisanal sweets and savories.

830-214-6911 596 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels redoakbakery.com

Hilmy Cellars Vineyards, winery & tasting room.

830-644-2482 12346 E. US Hwy 290, Fredericksburg hilmywine.com

Paula’s Texas Spirits We handcraft Paula’s Texas Orange and Paula’s Texas Lemon liqueurs in Austin.

Delicious as a zesty sipper or versatile cocktail component. paulastexasspirits.com

Pedernales Cellars Pedernales Cellars is a family-owned winery in the Texas Hill Country where one can enjoy delectable Spanish style wines and fabulous views.

830-644-2037 2916 Upper Albert Rd., Stonewall pedernalescellars.com

Beverages 4.0 Cellars 4.0 Cellars is a tasting room and event venue serving the wines of Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery and McPherson Cellars.

830-997-7470 10354 E. US Hwy. 290 fourpointwine.com

Austin Homebrew Supply Since 1991, Austin Homebrew Supply has been helping people craft their own beer, wine and cheese. Come by or visit us online.

512-300-2739 9129 Metric Blvd. austinhomebrew.com

Locally owned and operated since 1991 - Courteous and Professional Services - Careful selection - Competitive pricing - Gift wrap - Delivery within Austin.

512-499-0512 512 W. 6th St. theaustinwinemerchant.com

True to Texas. Our commitment and passion is to handcraft fine wines using only 100% Texas-grown fruit, most of which is Estate Grown.

512-820-2950 7214 Park Rd. 4 W., Burnet perissosvineyards.com

Spec’s Wine Spirits and Finer Foods Family-owned since 1962, Spec’s offers expert service and Texas’s largest selection of wines, spirits and beers along with gourmet foods and more!

512-366-8260; 4978 W. US Hwy. 290 512-342-6893; 10515 N. MoPac Hwy. 512-280-7400 ; 9900 S. I-35 512-263-9981; 13015 Shops Pkwy.

512-366-8300; 5775 Airport Blvd. specsonline.com

Texas Coffee Traders East Austin’s artisanal coffee roaster and one-stop shop offering a wide selection of certified organic and Fair Trade options for wholesale and retail.

512-476-2279; 1400 E. 4th St. texascoffeetraders.com

Becker Vineyards

Lick Ice Creams Artisan ice creams celebrating the finest ingredients Texas has to offer!

Handmade in small batches in our shop, locally sourced and seasonally inspired.

512-363-5622 2032 S. Lamar Blvd. ilikelick.com SPRING 2013

Leading the world in beers made in Brooklyn.

718-486-7422 brooklynbrewery.com

Perissos Vineyards

The Austin Wine Merchant

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Brooklyn Brewery

White Mountain Foods Local, family-owned and operated, vegan-vegetarian food manufacturer.

Products include Premium and Non-Fat Bulgarian Yogurt, Vegan Tamales and Wheat Roast.

512-385-4711 whitemountainfoods.com

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Award-winning, premier Texas Hill Country winery located 11 miles east of Fredericksburg. Annual Lavender Fest, Wine Tasting, Events and Reception Hall.

830-644-2681 464 Becker Farms Rd. beckervineyards.com

Texas Hills Vineyard Winemaking, wine sales, tasting room, patio for picnics, gifts, award-winning wines, fun-loving staff and a beautiful place to visit.

830-868-2321 878 RR 2766, Johnson City texashillsvineyard.com

Thanks to all our supporters who helped us raise over $55,000 for Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots!

December 1–8

Edible Austin Eat Drink Local Week, Austin’s premier local food event,

celebrates local seasonal food and food makers in Central Texas while raising money for nonprofits Sustainable Food Center and Urban Roots. Thanks to the generous support from our community, our participating restaurants (listed below), all of our event participants and major sponsors, 2012 Eat Drink Local Week was the most successful to date!

Restaurants:

Sponsors:

ThirdCoastActivist.org Third Coast Activist Resource Center

ASTI Trattoria Black Star Co-op Buenos Aires Café Café Josie The Carillon Restaurant Chez Nous Congress Contigo Austin East Side Pies East Side Showroom Eastside Cafe El Naranjo FABI+ROSI FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar Hillside Farmacy Home Slice Pizza Hoover’s Cooking Jack Allen’s Kitchen Judges’ Hill Restaurant & Bar Kerbey Lane Cafe (All Locations) La Condesa The Leaning Pear

LENOIR MAX’s Wine Dive Maxine’s Cafe Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill Noble Pig Olive & June Olivia Peoples Rx (S. Lamar) Second Bar + Kitchen Snack Bar Southwest Bistro Swift’s Attic Tacodeli Texas French Bread Thai Fresh Trace Urban, An American Grill Wholly Cow Burgers Markets Farmhouse Delivery Greenling in.gredients

Special thanks to our Chef Dinner Auction chefs: Sibby Barrett, David Bull, Shawn Cirkiel, Mat Clouser, Tim Dornon and Philip Speer, Jesse Griffiths, Paul Qui and Will Packwood, and to our Live Auction sponsors: Confituras, Dos Lunas Artisan Cheese, Dishalicious, Kevin McCormick, Pâté Letelier, Paula’s Texas Spirits, Princess and Moose’s Sister Bakery, Walt Roberts and Anne Elizabeth Wynn

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Spoon & Co. Catering

Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest

SFC Farmers‘ Markets

Still handmade, distilled 6 times in old-fashioned copper potstills right here in Austin by Tito Beveridge. Made from 100% corn and naturally gluten free.

512-389-9011 titosvodka.com

It’s our business to delight you with the details, memorable events with mindfully chosen, prepared and presented food and a caring crew!

512-912-6784; spoonandco.com

October 26, 2013! A grand celebration of Texas wine and food. Anticipating over 25 Texas wineries and 50 Texas-made specialty partners.

830-997-8515 100 West Main St., Fredericksburg fbgfoodandwinefest.com

Real farms. Real food. Live music. Kids’ areas. Weekly tastings. Summer festivals. Free parking. Double dollars Tues. for SNAP/WIC. 512-236-0074 422 W. 4th St. 3200 Jones Rd. Sunset Valley Hwy. 183 and 51st St. 46th St. and Lamar sfcfarmersmarket.org

Wedding Oak Winery Located in the northern Hill Country, Wedding Oak Winery creates Texas wines from 100% Texas-grown warm weather varietals. Our Texas roots run deep!

325-372-4050 316 E. Wallace, San Saba weddingoakwinery.com

Zhi Tea Indulge! Over 80 rare organic teas and dozens of hand-blended signatures.

Retail gallery with table service and food menu. Plus, wi-fi and free tastings!

4607 Bolm Rd. 512-539-0717 zhitea.com

Veggytopia For health smart people who crave fresh meals. Plant based, chef prepared and delivered to your doorstep. The menu changes weekly. Order online now.

512-843-7700 1310 Kirkham Circle, Ste. A, Kyle veggytopia.com

Culinary Education Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is teaching the next generation of chefs and pastry chefs the importance of sustainable and ethical choices.

512-451-5743 6020-B Dillard Cir. escoffier.edu

The Natural Epicurean

Bookseller BookPeople Texas’s leading independent bookstore since 1970. Located in the heart of downtown, BookPeople has been voted best bookstore in Austin for over 15 years!

512-472-5050 603 N. Lamar Blvd. bookpeople.com

University of Texas Press Our mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge through the publication of books and journals, and through electronic media.

512-471-7233 utexaspress.com

Catering and Meal Delivery Dishalicious Restaurant-quality prepared meals made from scratch, inspired by seasonal produce and delivered to your door.

512-940-9662 dishalicious.com

Pink Avocado Catering A custom catering company specializing in tailored menus, incredible food & surprisingly personal service.

512-656-4348 401 Sabine St. Ste. B pinkavocadocatering.com

The place to go for a plant-based, comprehensive professional services training, plus public events and classes.

Learn here: change your kitchen; change your life.

512-476-2276; 1700 S. Lamar Blvd. naturalepicurean.com

Design And Construction Texas Oven Co. Experts in designing and building wood-burning ovens: Our handcrafted ovens are fire-breathing works of art.

We are also a Forno Bravo pizza oven dealer.

512-222-6836 texasovenco.com

Events Austin FOOD & WINE Festival The Austin FOOD & WINE Festival is a three-day celebration of food, wine and spirits in The Live Music Capital of the World! April 26-28, 2013 512-478-7211 Auditorium Shores Republic Square Park austinfoodandwinefestival.com

Farm to Plate Sustainable Food Center presents our 6th Annual Farm to Plate Fundraiser on May 9 with over 25 Central Texas chefs, local breweries, spirits artisans, wineries.

512-236-0074 Ext. 111 Barr Mansion; 10463 Sprinkle Rd. sustainablefoodcenter.org

Funky Chicken Coop Tour Providing support, training and guidance in an effort to promote urban poultry.

The Funky Chicken Coop Tour® is a UPAT event on March 30. austincooptour.org

Farms Boggy Creek Farm

Where whole living meets art, Lucky Star is sleepaway camp for women. October 9-13, 2013 in Hunt, Texas. It’s a retreat for mind, body and soul.

361-944-7860; luckystarartcamp.com

One of the first Urban Farms in the USA, BCF offers hyper-fresh vegetables at the on-farm stand, Wed and Sat, 9-1. Stroll the farm and visit the Hen House!

512-926-4650 3414 Lyons Rd. boggycreekfarm.com

Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair

Hello Honey

Lucky Star

April 24–28. Located just 15 minutes from Houston, it boasts multiple tastings, dinner and cooking demonstrations. A rollicking good time with the best wine and food around!

713-747-9463 sugarlandwineandfoodaffair.com

Texas VegFest Saturday April 6th, 2013 from 11 am to 6 pm at Fiesta Gardens. Texas VegFest will host a variety of different sponsors, vendors, music, youth activities, speakers and demos.

512-650-8343, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St. texasvegfest.com

Farmers Markets

Offering beekeeping workshops and lessons. Bees, honey and supplies sold.

512-213-2261; hellohoney.be

Richardson Farms Our cattle are strictly grassfed. The hogs and chickens are pastured and are never given any growth hormones or antibiotics.

512-446-2306 richardsonfarms.com

Twin County Lamb We are ranchers embracing stewardship of the land providing premium quality all natural, free range lamb raised in the Texas Hill Country.

830-864-4717 30881 Ranch Rd 385, Harper TX twincountydorpers.com

Cedar Park Farmers Market North Austin’s Saturday market.

Located in the parking lot of Lakeline Mall. Local farmers and ranchers, food artisans, seafood and live, local music.

512-743-0678 11200 Lakeline Mall Blvd., Cedar Park texasfarmersmarket.org

HOPE Farmers Market at Plaza Saltillo Sundays 11-3. Come celebrate local food, art and live music every Sunday at our unique East Austin market! We accept SNAP/WIC. Free parking.

512-553-1832 401 Comal St. hopefarmersmarket.org

Lone Star Farmers Marketplace An Online Farmers Marketplace focused on providing you with the best local quality products, while cultivating a sustainable local economy.

512-924-7503 lonestarfarmersmarketplace.com

Vital Farms Bringing ethically produced food to the table. Pasture-raised organic eggs & chicken sold & served at retail, restaurants & the Barton Creek Farmers Market 877-455-3063; 4507 Brandt Rd. vitalfarms.com

Grocers Farmhouse Delivery We bring the farm to your door, offering home or office delivery of local produce, meat, dairy, eggs and local, artisanal products.

512-529-8569 farmhousedelivery.com

Greenling Greenling is a home delivery service of organic & sustainably produced local food!

512-440-8449 greenling.com

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in.gredients

Sunset Canyon Pottery

Andy Sams Photography

in.gredients is a zero-waste, package-free microgrocer selling local foods with pure ingredients.

512-275-6357 2610 Manor Rd. in.gredients.com

The place to go for handmade fine craft specializing in stoneware pottery for table and kitchen. Visit the Gallery, working studio, and take a class.

512-894-0938 4002 E. Hwy. 290, Dripping Springs sunsetcanyonpottery.com

We love creating artistic, vibrant images that capture our subjects’ personalities.

We pride ourselves on providing topnotch service from start to finish.

512-694-6311 908 E. 5th St., Ste. 112 andysams.com

Landscape and Environmental

Blanton Museum of Art

Royal Blue Grocery Downtown Austin’s Neighborhood Grocer with dairy, prepared foods, beer and wine - Royal Blue has it all, in a convenient and compact format. Catering too!

512-499-3993 247 W. 3rd St. 512-476-5700 360 Nueces St. 512-469-5888 609 Congress Ave. royalbluegrocery.com

Wheatsville Food Co-op Serving up local, organic, sustainable and humanely raised food since 1976. Full Service Deli, Hot Bar, Salad Bar, Espresso Bar and eating area with wi-fi.

512-478-2667 3101 Guadalupe St. wheatsville.coop

Whole Foods Market Selling the highest quality natural & organic products.

512-542-2200 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

512-345-5003 9607 Research Blvd.

512-206-2730 12601 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave 512-358-2460 4301 W. William Cannon wholefoodsmarket.com

Housewares and Gifts Callahan’s General Store Austin’s real general store! From hardware to western wear, from feed to seed...and a whole lot more!

512-385-3452; 501 Bastrop Hwy. callahansgeneralstore.com

Der Küchen Laden Der Küchen Laden is for the little chef in all of us. We have gourmet kitchen ware, tools, gadgets, coffees and teas (just to name a few). Come check us out!

830-997-4937 258 E. Main St., Fredericksburg littlechef.com

The Herb Bar Best place to cure what ails you and a healing resource center since 1986.

Our Optimal Health Advisers are highly trained, knowledgeable and compassionate.

512-444-6251; 200 W. Mary St. theherbbar.com

Barton Springs Nursery Locally grown Texas native plants.

Organic pest management.

Environmentally friendly soil amendments. Beautiful gifts.

512-328-6655 3601 Bee Caves Rd. bartonspringsnursery.net

It’s About Thyme Garden Center Top quality culinary herbs for chefs, and native plants for gardeners. A nursery with expert staff and pocket-friendly prices. Free lectures most Sundays.

512-280-1192; 11726 Manchaca Rd. itsaboutthyme.com

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The Wildflower Center is a native plant botanic garden, a university research center and one of the 1,000 places to see before you die.

512-232-0100; 4801 La Crosse Ave. wildflower.org

The Blanton Museum of Art, one of the foremost university art museums in the country, offers all visitors engaging experiences that connect art and ideas.

512-471-7324 200 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. blantonmuseum.org

AMOA-Arthouse The museum provides rich environments for a wide range of audiences to investigate and experience excellence in modern and contemporary art.

512-453-5312 700 Congress Ave. 512-458-8191 3809 W. 35th St. amoa-arthouse.org

Ten Speed press is a nonfiction imprint under Crown Publishing with Random House.

510-285-2942 tenspeed.com

18 Oaks at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

Marta Stafford Fine Art A pairing of art and antiques. The collection includes sculpture, representational works and contemporary expressionism in a charming vintage 1930s home.

830-693-9999; 112 Main St., Marble Falls martastaffordfineart.com

Professional Services Austin Label Company

Austin Subaru

Photography and Art

Ten Speed Press

Restaurants

lodging

Cooking school, private dinners, luxury cabin rentals.

830-833-0910 5818 RR 165, Dripping Springs juniperhillsfarm.com

Shearer Publishing is an award-winning regional book publisher established in 1980, specializing in cookbooks.

830-997-6529 406 Post Oak Rd., Fredericksburg shearerpub.com

Commercial and editorial photography, specializing in food, travel and lifestyle.

512-694-6649 jodyhorton.com

We are a garden center and teaching facility dedicated to promoting organic time-tested gardening practices.

512-288-6113 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd. naturalgardeneraustin.com

Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm

Shearer Publishing

Jody Horton Photography

Custom Labels up to 10 x 20 on paper, foil, synthetics, multiple adhesives, embossing, hot foil, UV coatings.

Proud members of GoTexan, FTA and TWGGA. 512-302-0204 1834 Ferguson Ln., Ste. 201 austinlabel.com

Natural Gardener

Publications and Blogs

Continental Automotive Group’s Austin Subaru - Locally Owned and Operated, We’re All About Austin!

512-323-2837; 200 W. Huntland Dr. austinsubaru.co

18 Oaks is a new-style steakhouse with emphasis on local sourcing of beef, cheeses, and produce and featuring dishes from the resort’s own organic gardens.

210-491-5825 23808 Resort Pkwy., San Antonio jwsanantonio.com

Beets Living Food Cafe Freshly prepared dishes made of only organic, vegan, gluten-free ingredients. Buying locally first and using local providers. We recycle, reuse and compost.

512-477-2338 1611 W. 5th St., Ste. 165 beetscafe.com

Buenos Aires Cafe Austin grown Argentine restaurant.

We use only the freshest ingredients available and make an effort to support local farmers. Food made with love daily.

512-382-1189 1201 E. 6th St. 512-441-9000 13500 Galleria Cir., Bee Cave buenosairescafe.com

Chez Nous

Eco-friendly housekeeping, eco yard care, and personal assistant services in the Austin area. Detail oriented, reliable and trustworthy.

512-368-2268 hummingbirdecocleaning.com

A casual French bistro, serving Austin since 1982, Chez Nous offers a delectable selection of regional French cuisine and wines in a relaxed, convivial and intimate atmosphere.

512-473-2413 510 Neches St. cheznousaustin.com

The Purple Fig Cleaning Co.

Cipollina West Austin Bistro

We are a local company providing green cleaning services, producing green cleaning products and offering green living workshops to adults and children.

512-351-1405 cleanfig.com

Join us for lunch, dinner, or brunch to sample our Mediterranean inspired, locally sourced food.

512-477-5211 1213 West Lynn St. cipollina-austin.com

Hummingbird EcoCleaning

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Edible Communities is proud to present the Edible Recipe Guide.

Covering local food-loving regions across North America, James Beard Award-winning Edible Communities has forever changed the way we think about sustainability and the importance of being connected to your local food community, wherever you live. In this delicious new app, we present the very best of Edible Communities recipes — a must-have collection of local, sustainable dishes that feature delectable meals to warm and wow, from luscious soups to divine desserts and everything in between, including tips and menus, Edible Radio podcasts, and links to all Edible Communities publications.

Also included with your purchase of the app is a 6-issue, 1 year, subscription to Organic Gardening Magazine.

See offer inside the app for details.

Purchase now to get the very best that Edible Communities and Organic Gardening have to offer.

www.ediblecommunities.com

East Side Pies

The Leaning Pear Café & Eatery

TNT / Tacos and Tequila

VOM FASS

We’ve got homemade, thin crust pizzas with local veggies and meats. Gluten-free options, too! Three locations: Eastside, Airport and now Crestview.

512-524-0933 1401 Rosewood Ave. 512-454-7437 5312 Airport Blvd., Ste. G 512-467-8900 1809-1 W. Anderson Ln. eastsidepies.com

Serving the Texas Hill Country fresh and seasonal favorites using local ingredients.

512-847-7327 111 River Rd., Wimberley leaningpear.com

Fresh, handmade & local describe this southwestern grill and Tequila Bar. Margaritas made with hand-squeezed juice, organic agave nectar & premium tequila.

512-436-8226; 507 Pressler St. tacos-and-tequila.com

VOM FASS is the premier specialty retailer of the world’s finest gourmet oils, fruit and balsamic vinegars, spirits, liqueurs and wines. Come in and taste!

512-637-9545 3663 Bee Cave Rd., Ste. 4-H vomfassaustin.com

Lenoir

The Turtle Restaurant

Lenoir is an intimate, family-run restaurant offering a weekly, local prix-fixe menu, great wine and friendly service.

512-215-9778 1807 S. 1st St. lenoirrestaurant.com

Your destination for food prepared from locally available, seasonal ingredients.

325-646-8200 514 Center Ave., Brownwood theturtlerestaurant.com

El Meson Tequileria Regional Home style Mexican food.

Comida Mexicana for Aficionados.

512-442-4441; 2038 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-416-0749; 5808 Burleson Rd.

FABI+ROSI FABI+ROSI serves classic European dishes with a young and modern twist.

Sourcing locally grown and sustainably raised provisions is our top priority.

512-236-0642; 509 Hearn St. fabiandrosi.com

FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar Modern Mediterranean. Tapas - Small Plates - Paella. Eclectic Wine List & Signature Cocktails. One of Austin’s Best Patios. Easy Parking.

512-474-2905; 2905 San Gabriel St. finoaustin.com

Green Pastures

Magnolia Cafe Come to Magnolia Cafe! Fresh food cooked with passion in a comfortable setting, kind of like your favorite aunt’s giant kitchen, if she had one. Open 24/8 512-478-8645 2304 Lake Austin Blvd.

512-445-0000 1920 S. Congress Ave. themagnoliacafe.com

Papi Tino’s

Specialty Market

Jack Allen’s Kitchen

Snack Bar

Kerbey Lane Cafe has proudly served comfortable food at a reasonable price since 1980. Come into any of our 5 Austin locations for a taste!

512-451-1436 3704 Kerbey Ln. 512-445-4451 3003 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-258-7757 13435 Hwy. 183, Ste. 415 512-477-5717 2606 Guadalupe St. 512-899-1500 4301 W. William Cannon kerbeylanecafe.com

Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar The daily menu is based on local artisans. Wink happily embraces omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, pescetarians and special dietary issues.

512-482-8868 1014 N. Lamar Blvd. winkrestaurant.com

With a simple and elegant interior Mexican menu, and a tree canopy covered front porch, this genuine Mexican Cantina’s atmosphere is simply quite perfect.

512-479-1306 1306 E. 6th St. papitinos.com

Kerbey Lane Cafe

Open for lunch daily and dinner Thurs. Sun. Chef Nathan creates culinary specials daily using many local ingredients.

Ballroom and courtyard are available for private groups.

830-833-0738 317 Main St., Blanco uptownblanco.com

A unique dining establishment nestled deep in the heart of where historic Fredericksburg lies.

830-990-8289 803 E. Main St., Fredericksburg navajogrill.com

Navajo Grill

Located in old South Austin a mile and a half south of the river on 5 acres. Offering lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Catering and events on and offsite.

512-444-4747; 811 W. Live Oak St. greenpasturesrestaurant.com

Texan in spirit and local in source, Jack Allen’s Kitchen serves up Texas-inspired cuisine, fresh cocktails, cold beers and good times daily.

512-852-8558; 7720 Hwy. 71 W. 2500 Hoppe Tr., Round Rock jackallenskitchen.com

Uptown Blanco Restaurant

Chef-driven, globally inspired & locally sourced menu with eco-vineyard wine, craft beer, artisan coffee and tea in a stylish relaxed space. Bring the dog.

512-445-2626 1224 S. Congress Ave. snackbaraustin.com

Texas French Bread We are a bakery & bistro serving freshly baked breads, pastries & desserts, as well as hot breakfast, delicious sandwiches & locally sourced dinners.

512-499-0544 2900 Rio Grande St. texasfrenchbread.com

ThunderCloud Subs For fresh, fast and healthy, head on over to your neighborhood ThunderCloud Subs, Austin’s original sub shop. Now with 30 locations in Central Texas.

512-479-8805 thundercloud.com

For Goodness Sake Natural Foods Family owned and operated health food store featuring high quality supplements, all natural and organic bodycare plus unique grocery items. Peace & Love!

830-606-1900 1306 E. Common St., New Braunfels fgsnb.com

Make It Sweet At Make It Sweet, you can find tools, supplies and ingredients to make cakes, cookies and candies and learn fun, new techniques in the classes offered.

512-371-3401 9070 Research Blvd. makeitsweet.com

Mission Restaurant Supply We are the premier foodservice equipment & supply dealer in Central & South Texas. We’re open to the public!

Sales-Leasing-Service 512-389-1705 6509 N. Lamar 210-354-0690 1126 S. St. Mary’s St., San Antonio 361-289-5255 1737 N. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi 956-467-1295 3422 N. 10th St., McAllen missionrs.com

Tourism Bastrop Downtown Business Alliance Producing wonderful events in historic downtown Bastrop for visitors and residents to enjoy. Make Bastrop a destination for all your event fun this year!

512-303-0904 visitbastrop.com

Brenham/Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau Brenham/Washington County is the perfect location to enjoy affordable events at historic sites, wineries and lush gardens! Great shopping, dining, lodging.

979-836-3696 visitbrenhamtexas.com

City of San Marcos Main Street Program Downtown revitalization program.

512-393-8430 202 E. Hopkins, San Marcos sanmarcostx.gov

Comanche Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture Nestled in the hills of Central Texas, Comanche boasts of antique and gift shops, great restaurants and lodging facilities, an art gallery, plus lots more.

325-356-3233 304 S. Austin St., Comanche comanchechamber.org

Fredericksburg Conference and Visitors Bureau Visit Fredericksburg, a small gem nestled in the Texas Hill Country. Enjoy eclectic shops, diverse lodging, amazing restaurants and Texas wines.

866-997-3600 visitfredericksburgtx.com

French Legation Museum Built in 1841 as a private home for the French chargé d’affaires Alphonse Dubois, the French Legation Museum now operates as an historic house museum.

512-472-8180 802 San Marcos St. frenchlegationmuseum.org

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edible institute 2013 March 16 & 17 Santa Barbara, California Join us for a weekend of talks, presentations, workshops, and local food & wine tastings with some of the food movement’s most influential thinkers, writers, and producers.

Keynote Speaker:

Topics, Panels and Workshops:

Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., is the

• Food Safety • Sustainable Meat • Hacking the Food System

Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health at New York University. She is the author of numerous book and articles in professional publications.

• Ocean Acidification • Food Writing & Blogging

Edible Food & Drink Gala Celebrating the Best of Santa Barbara Local Food and Drink

For the latest information about the speakers, topics, conference details and how to purchase tickets, go to EdibleInstitute.com or scan the code below:

ediblecommunities.com • facebook.com/edibleinstitute • info@ediblecommunities.com • 805 845-9800

The Living Clay Co.

La Grange is nestled along the Colorado River and features history, beauty, festivals, museums, concerts, antiques, feasts and an annual county fair.

979-968-8701 cityoflg.com

Makers of a full line of natural wellness products that have become the choice for health advocates seeking a safe and natural way to maximize their health 800-915-2529 12209 Twin Creek Rd., Unit G livingclayco.com

Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce

Peoples Rx

Aquasana

Austin Waldorf School Celebrating 32 years of educational excellence, a private non-denominational K-12 school nestled in 19 acres of the beautiful Texas Hill Country.

512-288-5942 8700 South View Rd. austinwaldorf.org

Bicycle Sport Shop

Springdale Farm Paula and Glenn Foore

ocal Her edible

We have over 200 bulk herbs, teas, essential oils, body care, extracts, incense, books, jewelry, crystals and classes. A Hill Country Holistic Healing Oasis.

512-858-7305 305 Mercer St., Dripping Springs sacredmoonherbs.com

L

Sacred Moon Herbs

Communities

CH

NT

Chefs Todd Duplechan and Jessica Maher, Lenoir

URBANherbal Family owned. Selling natural, organic products that have been locally grown and produced with no pesticides!

Knowledgeable staff.

830-456-9667 407 Whitney St., Fredericksburg urbanherbal.com

ocal Her edible Communities FOO

D SHOP

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop

The Wellness Box The Wellness Box provides holistic nutrition coaching to those who want to break free of the complicated and confusing diet matrix.

858-337-4217 thewellnessbox.com

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Want to have your business listed in this directory?

Please contact info@edibleaustin.com for more information.

O D A RT I S A N

Dai Due

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L We are a good place to come if you are uninsured or have a high deductible and you or your family need medical care, acupuncture or skin care services.

512-371-9260 801 W. 34th St., Ste. 102 centralfamily.com

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Central Family Practice

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Bicycle Sport Shop has been selling bicycles and cycling equipment in Austin since 1983. Our goal is to get more people on bikes more often.

512-477-3472 517 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-345-7460 10947 Research Blvd.

512-637-6890 9900 W. Parmer Ln. bicyclesportshop.com

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Healthy living starts with healthy water!

Aquasana manufactures and sells high performance water filtration systems for home and commercial use.

866-662-6885 aquasana.com

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Messina Hof Winery & Resort features world class award-winning wines and hospitality in their Fredericksburg and Bryan tasting rooms, B&Bs and Restaurant.

979-778-9463 4545 Old Reliance Rd. Bryan 830-990-4653 9996 US Hwy 290, Fredericksburg messinahof.com

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Messina Hof Winery & Resort

Austin’s favorite pharmacy for more than 30 years, Peoples integrates nutrition, supplements and medicine with natural remedies and custom Rx compounding.

512-219-9499 13860 Hwy. 183 N., Ste. C 512-459-9090 4018 N. Lamar Blvd.

512-444-8866 3801 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-327-8877 4201 Westbank Dr. peoplesrx.com

Last fall, we asked readers to vote for the farm, restaurant, food artisan and nonprofit who, they felt, are making a major contribution to our local food community. Here we proudly present the winners and salute their outstanding achievements.

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Marble Falls is the gateway to exciting Hill Country day trips - wineries, lakes and caves, just to name a few. Come stay with us and see for yourself.

830-693-2815 marblefalls.org

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La Grange Main Street

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PROFIT

SUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER

Sustainable Food Center EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

SPRING 2013

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Temporary Insanity Presented by AMOA-Arthouse | The Jones Center On view April 20–June 30, 2013

Insanely Good Lunch: A High Thai Experience Saturday, May 4 | 1–3 pm | The Jones Center Join us for a roof deck celebration with special guest artist Pinaree Sanpitak featuring locally-prepared Thai fare inspired by her sculptures in the gallery. Tickets $15 / $10 members at amoa-arthouse.org/insanely-good-lunch Co-presented by Edible Austin.

Sponsored by Jim Thompson, The Thai Silk Company.

Laguna Gloria 3809 West 35th Street 512.458.8191

The Jones Center 700 Congress Avenue 512.453.5312

Aroon Permpoonsopol, Courtesy of the artist and Tyler Rollins Fine Art.

Center, Bangkok, 2004), Silk, synthetic fiber, battery, motor, propeller, sound device. Photo by

Pinaree Sanpitak, Temporary Insanity, 2004, (installation detail taken at Jim Thompson Art

art de terroir

A GLASS A DAY

KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY

PRO P RI E TO RS ’ N O T E

À Votre Santé, S'Gelt, Proost, Prost, Prosit, Zum Wohl, Saúde, Salut, Salute, Cin Cin, Na Zdrowie, Gan Bei, Gesondheid, Sei Gesund, L'Chaim, and last but not least, Cheers!

In whatever language this near universal toast may roll most easily off your tongue, may your choice of wine be of service to your better health and well-being!

We're here to help you make the best selection from a better world of fine wines right here in beautiful downtown Austin, Texas!

21 years

Locally Owned and Operated

Courteous, Professional Service

512 West Sixth Street, Austin, Texas 78701 | Monday - Saturday 10am - 6:30pm | 512.499.0512

www.TheAustinWineMerchant.com

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s e r h F wholefoodsmarket.com

Bee Cave 12601 hill country blvd. 206-2730 Downtown 525 north lamar 476-1203

Arbor Trails 4301 west william cannon 358-2460 Gateway 9607 research blvd 345-5003