edible
Austin No. 29 Travel 2013
Celebrating Central Texas food culture, season by season
The
TRAVEL Issue Chef Monica Pope Memb e r of Edible Communities
速
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 TableÂŽ 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.
CULINARY ADVENTURES Team-building exercises, hands-on cooking lessons and fully catered events for food enthusiasts utilizing the school’s 9,000 square foot garden, commercial kitchens, and dining room.
For more information, contact: Special Events Manager, Nancy Marr 512-451-5743 / nmarr @ escoffier.edu
6020-B Dillard Circle Austin, Texas 78752 / escoffier.edu
People are talking .
Hilmy
Cellars
.
12346 E US Hwy 290, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 . 830-644-2482 . www.hilmywine.com
CONTents travel issue 6
Publisher’s Note
8
Notable Mentions
12
Notable Edibles
4th Tap Brewing Co-op, Austin Food and Wine Alliance Grants, Wiseman Family Practice, Michael Angelo’s, W Austin Hotel.
24
Edible Destination
Agri-newal in Brenham.
28
Farmers Diary
Simmons Family Farm.
30
Edible Excerpt
Everything Thai Cookbook.
36
People
Bryan Caswell.
38
Edible Destination
Houston goes local.
43
Edible Destination
Bastrop bounces back.
46
Edible Endeavors
On being Pieous.
48
Edible Destination
Small town renaissance in Hill Country North.
57
People
Pat Brennan.
61
Edible Endeavors
On the road to quality with direct trade.
82
La Casita de Buen Sabor
Autumn peppers.
84
Hip Girl’s Guide To Homemaking
Pickled pumpkin.
88
The Directory
Cover: C hef Monica Pope of Sparrow Bar + Cookshop by Jenna Noel (page 38).
PASSPORT to local 21 Future of Foodways Learning from the Aymara food traditions.
32 From Street to Beach Discovering tantalizing Thai street food.
58 Pontotoc New beginnings for this small town in Texas.
64
Syria-sly Delicious Sampling Syria’s unique culinary treasures.
66
A Little Bite of Culture Join us for an Italian aperitivo.
69
Stone Barns Exporing destination farms for vacations.
72
The Wilds of Hawaii Feasting on an open-air salad bar.
76
Old Delhi Spice Market Visiting a culinary mecca.
78
On Cuban Time Leaving schedules behind.
Publisher’s Note
Bringing it ALL home
Publisher Marla Camp
L
ast year we answered the question of why a local food
Associate PUBLISHER
magazine is producing a Travel Issue with the following:
Jenna Noel
Travel allows us the time and space to feel more deeply,
EDITOR
think more broadly and taste more fully. We find our common
Kim Lane
ground as we celebrate our differences and expand our horizons. What we learn from other cultures, global cuisines and new experiences enriches our lives and our community at home. In this issue, we explore what we can take away from a trip to Bolivia to better understand the future of foodways. Amid all the turmoil in the Middle East, we take
Advertising Director Dawn Jordan
Production Assistant Whitney Arostegui
a moment to celebrate the riches of Syrian cuisine. A work trip to Hawaii might
Copy Editor
find us hunting ferns and other wild things. Did you know that you can find key in-
Christine Whalen
gredients to Thai street food growing right here in Central Texas on the Simmons Family Farm? And when planning your next family vacation, consider staying on a working farm—we’ll give you some tips on where to find them. This issue also highlights some places closer to home that we might not fully appreciate in our quests to “get away.” Learn about Houston’s tempting and vibrant local food scene; the “agri-culture” emerging in Brenham and Washington County;
Editorial Assistants Dena Garcia, Marie Franki Hanan, Cari Marshall, Michelle Moore, Lauren Walz
Advertising Sales Curah Beard, Laurie Cochran, Lis Riley
the renewed focus on local food and businesses in Bastrop since the disastrous
Distribution Manager
year of fires and a small-town renaissance blooming in San Saba and Brownwood.
Greg Rose
Visit Pontotoc, in the far reaches of Mason County—a town reimagining itself around a local vineyard and winery. These are all reasons why our annual Edible Escape event, on Sunday, September 29, will celebrate the tastes of Central Texas— most notably north and northwest of Austin. Come to Marble Falls for this event and explore the Hill Country with us and find reasons to return time and again (details at edibleaustin.com/edibleescape). Consider spending the weekend! Apparently, our magazine has been globe-trotting this year as well. Below (left to right) are photos of our issues visiting the BioMarché Rospail, the largest organic farmers market in Paris; Maybelle from Bluff, North Eleuthera, the Bahamas and Dona Mini, a restaurateur and produce shop owner in the Dominican Republic— and overseeing making butter on a farm in Switzerland.
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 bimonthly 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.
Safe travels!
6
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7
Ina Garten The Barefoot Contessa
notable Mentions Austin PRIDE Festival The Austin PRIDE Festival—the highlight of PRIDE week—will be held on Saturday, September 7, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Fiesta Gardens. Edible Austin is helping to source local food for the VIP Lounge, including fare from Celtic Seafare, Snack Bar, Kerbey Lane Cafe, Zhi Tea and Dos Lunas Cheese. Visit austinpride.org for details.
Farm and Food Leadership Conference The 7th Annual Farm and Food Leadership Conference, presented by the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, will be held on Sunday, September 22 and Monday, September 23 in Bastrop. The conference focuses on the policies and regulation affecting farms and food, and topics include genetically engineered foods, the politics of organics, urban farming, raw milk, the 2013 Farm Bill and hands-on activism workshops. A special banquet on Sunday and lunch on Monday will include local foods prepared by Chef Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due. Visit farmandranchfreedom.org to register.
Pearl Dive at the Plant Austin’s food community is preparing a feast in support of Rude Mechs, the theatre company that keeps Austin on its cultural toes. The Pearl Dive will be held Sunday, September 29, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at The Plant, a dramatic architectural landmark in Kyle. Curated by Austin fishmonger Roberto San Miguel of San Miguel Seafood (and forthcoming Mongers Fish House, slated to open in early 2014 in East Austin), the event will feature Austin chefs preparing an unforgettable feast of seafood procured from the Gulf. Chefs Brandon Fuller of Café Josie, Shane Stark of Kenichi (and also part of the Mongers Fish House team), Paul Hargrove, Jason Stude of Second Bar + Kitchen, Alex Jackson and Josh Jones of Salt & Time Butcher photo: Quentin Bacon
A conversation with Patricia Sharpe Executive Editor/Food Writer Texas Monthly
September 12, 2013 Bass Concert Hall | 8 PM TickeTs aT TexasperformingarTs.org >> $10 sTudenT TickeTs Presented in partnership with Texas Monthly 2013-2014
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Shop and Salumeria and Ruston Richardson of Paggi House will create a menu including oysters every way, grilled and boiled shrimp, fresh fish and farmers market-inspired side salads, as well as fabulous drinks and desserts. Visit rudemechs.com for tickets.
Edible Escape! Edible Austin and the City of Marble Falls proudly present Edible Escape 2013, celebrating the Travel Issue, on Sunday, September 29, from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Lakeside Pavilion in Marble Falls. The event will highlight regional chefs, food artisans and winemakers from areas north and northwest of Austin. You’ll also enjoy stunning views of the Hill Country and Lake Marble Falls at this casual, Texas-style artisanal picnic by the water. Cowboy boots and Texan flare encour-
edible ESCAPE Presented by
aged! The line-up includes a special guest Chef Demonstration by Jack Gilmore of Jack Allen’s Kitchen; a Food Artisan Demonstration by Sebastien Caillabet of Celtic Seafare; a Winemaker Panel moderated by Russell Kane; food, wine and beverage tastings from the finest Central Texas chefs, wineries and food artisans; a Tipsy Texan cocktail bar; a music stage featuring the Marshall Ford Swing Band—including professional swing dance lessons! Along with the food tastings, drinks and music, guests can also vie for exciting travel packages at our Destination Texas raffle table and enter our cowboy boot contest (with prizes from Harry’s in San Saba). Tickets are $35 and a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit The Helping Center food bank
Sunday, September 29 4:00 - 8:00 PM
in Marble Falls. Visit edibleaustin.com/edibleescape for tickets, information on special weekend hotel rates and updates.
Dripping with Taste The 6th Annual Dripping with Taste Wine, Food and Arts Festival will be held on Saturday, September 14, from noon to 7 p.m. on the
Lakeside Pavilion in Marble Falls Music by Marshall Ford Swing Band
grounds of the brand-new Dripping Springs Ranch Park Event Center. The event will showcase Texas wineries, restaurants, chefs, artisans and musicians, and for the first time will include a juried professional art show from the Artists Alliance of the Hill Country. Dripping with Taste is presented by, and proceeds benefit, the Dripping Springs
Roadtrip to Marble Falls to explore the tastes of Central Texas with restaurants, food artisans, wineries and more!
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Visit drippingwithtaste. com for more information and tickets.
Chef Demonstration
Wildflower Center Fall Plant Sale and Fest The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center presents its annual Fall Plant Sale and Gardening Festival on Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, with a Members Only Sale on Friday, October 4. Browse nearly 300 species of hardy Texas native plants bred to flourish in Central Texas. Native seeds will also be available for purchase. Visit wildflower.org/plantsale for a plant list and additional information.
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Jack Gilmore of Jack Allen’s Kitchen
Artisan Demonstration
Sebastien Caillabet of Celtic Seafare
A Texas Winemakers Panel Russell Kane, moderator
Cocktails
by David Alan, the Tipsy Texan
Sponsored by:
Tickets & Info at edibleaustin.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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German Beer Tasting at the Blanton The Blanton Museum of Art will host a German Beer Tasting in connection with its exhibition Imperial Augsburg on Saturday, October 19 from 1 to 2:30 p.m., with support from Edible Austin. Enjoy the exhibition while tasting beers from featured local craft brewers, including Hops & Grain Craft Brewing, Live Oak Brewing Company and Austin Beerworks, who have drawn on the styles and brewing traditions from the past 500 years of German beer culture. Learn about flavor profiles, the beer-making process and the connection of German regional beer styles and German history, all the while enjoying some delicious Central Texas brews. Visit blantonmuseum.org for details.
Gruene MUSIC & WINE FESTIVAL Don’t miss the Gruene Music & Wine Festival in the Gruene Historic District in New Braunfels from Thursday, October 10 through Sunday, October 15. This four-day festival featuring four distinct events benefits the United Way of Comal County. Visit gruenemusicandwinefest.org for more.
La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival La Dolce Vita Food & Wine Festival presented by The Contemporary Austin (formerly AMOA-Arthouse) and Merrill Lynch, is coming to Laguna Gloria on Thursday, October 24 from 6 to 9 p.m. featuring special tastings from top restaurants, wineries and spirit distillers. Proceeds benefit The Contemporary’s popular visual arts education programs. Visit thecontemporaryaustin.org for tickets and updates.
Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest The 23rd Annual Fredericksburg Food & Wine Fest, a celebration of Texas food, wine, music and fun sponsored by the City of Fredericksburg, will be held in historic downtown Fredericksburg on Saturday, October 26 from noon to 7 p.m. Visit fbgfoodandwinefest.com for details.
Green Corn Project Fall Festival Join us for Green Corn Project’s 15th Annual Fall Festival at Boggy Creek Farm on Sunday, October 27, from noon to 3 p.m. Enjoy tastings from Austin’s top restaurants, chef demonstrations, live music and more. Go to greencornproject.org for tickets.
Diana Kennedy at BookPeople Edible Austin presents Diana Kennedy talking about the new edition of her classic book, My Mexico: A Culinary Odyssey with Recipes at BookPeople on Wednesday, October 30 at 7 p.m. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear the tales behind this highly personal book about the Mexico Kennedy has called home for over 50 years. With tastings, of course!
The Contemporary Picnic The Contemporary Austin presents a fall picnic with Edible Austin on Sunday, November 3 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., as part of a quarterly series connecting art and food. Shop for seasonal provisions at your local farmers market and then gather with friends to practice the fine art of a picnic brunch! Discover newly commissioned sculptures by artists Liam Gillick and Marianne Vitale while exploring the picturesque grounds of Laguna Gloria. Drinks and sweets will be provided. Visit thecontemporaryaustin.org/programs for tickets. 10
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This exhibition is organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington. Workshops of Michel Wolgemut and Wilhelm Pleydenwurff. The City of Augsburg (detail), from Hartmann Schedel’s Liber Chronicarum (Nuremberg Chronicle), 1493. Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin
Blanton Museum of Art / The University of Texas at Austin / MLK at Congress / 512.471.7324 / www.blantonmuseum.org
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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notable EDIBLES Going Fourth
I
n a traditional business model, the quest for profit might be the only bottom line. However, in a work-
er-owned cooperative, there are three equally important factors that must be considered with every business decision. “The triple bottom line means, yes, we are concerned with profits,” says Jimmie Lundie, one of the founders of 4th Tap Brewing Co-op, a new worker-owned brewery slated to open early next year. “But there is also the well-being of the workers and the well-being of the community and environment, as well.” The seven-member group also like to call themselves “the Wedding Brewers,” since they began brewing together several years ago for a seemingly endless parade of friends’ nuptials. “I guess when you get
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into your late twenties,” says 4th Tap worker-owner Dariush Griffin, “there’s a period when you just go to wedding after wedding—like every weekend. And all of our friends were asking us to brew, and we were constantly meeting up. Finally, we just formed a club and we thought, why don’t we just make it into a business, since we were investing so much time and money into it.” Thanks to the suggestion of Chris Hamje—the assistant brewer for Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery and the future head brewer at 4th Tap— the group became interested in forming a cooperative. “We tried to do it ourselves, and we tried printing out bylaws, but we realized we were just very ignorant,” Griffin says. Luckily, last spring the team found the Business Institute’s start-up course offered by Cooperation Texas, a nonprofit organization based at the Third Coast Activist Resource Center in East Austin that works to create sustainable jobs through developing and supporting worker-owned cooperatives. “The course really runs the gamut from the basics of what a worker-owned co-op is to the more technical side of things, such as writing a business plan and seeking out sources of financing,” says Cooperation Texas Executive Director Carlos Perez de Alejo. “We walk groups through that process, and then once they’ve graduated, we have an ongoing relationship with them where we provide training, technical assistance and education on a variety of issues.” Since graduating, 4th Tap worker-owners have been in the process of raising capital and developing prototypes for a range of innovative new beers with influences from different regions—including an American pale ale with Belgian-inspired coriander and orange peel paired with English malts and yeasts, and a honey saison with fresh Texas basil and Czech hops. They chose the name 4th Tap as a nod to the fourth, special-selection tap in many breweries where seasonal or experimental ales are debuted, as opposed to the blondes, IPAs, ambers or pale ales that are traditionally offered in the first three taps. “We’re trying to make all our beers that special beer that gets you excited,” Griffin explains. While the beers 4th Tap is producing may be distinctive, the group also thinks their unique business model will further set their brewery apart. “Worker co-ops are more sustainable, the structures are more democratic and they lead to more workplace satisfaction,” Griffin says. “I think 4th Tap is going to be a much better place, being a cooperative.” —Nicole Lessin For more information, visit 4thtap.coop
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Following the Money
L
ast December, the Austin Food and Wine Alliance (AFWA) awarded
Most of Tecolote Farm’s subsidized CSA
a total of $20,000 in grant funds to Argus Cidery, Tecolote Farm
program baskets are distributed in partner-
and the Connally High School culinary arts program to help them de-
ship with the Fresh Chefs Society—a non-
velop projects that give back to the community.
profit that teaches youth transitioning out of
Over the last several months, the grantees have been honored guests
foster care how to cook, source local ingredi-
at various AFWA culinary fund-raising events—connecting directly
ents and “make smart food choices that are meaningful to them,” says
with the food and wine community as speakers or by serving hand-
program founder Shaleiah Fox. The CSA program model “expands peo-
crafted food and drinks to the crowds. “The folks that are doing these
ple’s cooking horizons,” says Pitre. The kids getting the baskets are hav-
things…we want to embrace them,” says Cathy Cochran-Lewis, AFWA’s
ing fun learning to work with the produce, even sending photos of the
president. “It’s not just signing a check. It’s so much more than that.”
meals they’ve prepared using “kohlrabi and Treviso radicchio and curly
Of course those checks are important, though. So how is the grant money being used?
cress and endive—all this strange, Italian Old World stuff we grow.” Pitre explains that having fresh food and the security to choose what to
At Argus Cidery in Dripping Springs, the state’s first hard cider
cook and eat from the abundant baskets gives the families a “grounded
producer using Texas-grown apples, owner Wes Mickel is preparing
peace in their lives.” A foster family with eight boys recently attended
to plant an organic test orchard. Growing apples in Texas is a tricky
Tecolote Farm’s CSA program potluck and “they were amazing,” she
business, according to Mickel, and with only a few
says. “All these boys saying, I can’t believe all this
growers in the state and no new orchards coming
stuff grows here!”
in, “there’s going to come a day when we have to have [apple] trees.”
And finally, Chef Mike Erickson and students in his James Beard-recognized culinary arts pro-
“Literally starting from the ground up,” as
gram at Connally High in Pflugerville have used
Mickel says, he’s learning to care for trees in
the grant money to team up with multimedia
our hot, dry climate and gaining knowledge
producer David Barrow to make TRUE BEEF: From Pasture to Plate—a
as he goes. But he isn’t without help; Central Texas fruit growers
documentary about raising pastured beef in Texas. The film, soon to
Dan Rohrer of Rocky Hill Orchards, Baxter Adams of Love Creek
be released, is shot through the eyes of the culinary students, pro-
Orchards and Cal Brints of Apple Country Hi Plains Orchards are
fessionals, chefs, agriculture students and the Texans who work with
all offering advice on tree care, soil amending and critter-control
beef every day. It chronicles the agricultural arts of Texas ranches and
practices. So far, Mickel has learned that our hot climate is “one of
stockyards both past and present, and sheds new light on livestock
the reasons why we get this super-sugar-dense fruit,” and that deer
shows, feed lots, the origins of this precious protein and the industry
find baby apple trees to be quite the delicacy. Tall fencing may be in
built around it. Visit truebeefthefilm.com for release updates.
the orchard’s future.
AFWA’s 2012 grants have helped three local food heroes bring their
Tecolote Farm’s grant is funding two projects: sourcing rare, heri-
new culinary programs to fruition. According to Cochran-Lewis, grants
tage-breed hogs and providing subsidized community-supported ag-
will be given out annually each December, and the alliance hopes to
riculture (CSA) program baskets to low-income youth and families.
raise even more money this year. “These folks are embraced [by] our
“We’re super excited because these are projects we’ve wanted to do
community, and we want them to continue to be highlighted year after
forever,” says farmer Katie Kraemer Pitre. The farm is home to 20 happy
year.,” she says. “And it just makes the alliance truly live up to its name—
Large Black Hogs, who root and forage crops planted for them and feast
aligning people and bringing them together to help support Austin as a
on produce culled from the organic farm, spent brewing grain from
food community.” —Christine Whalen
Hops & Grain and unsold bread and produce from local shops.
For more information, visit austinfoodwinealliance.org
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An Ounce of Prevention
W
hen Dr. Jeremy Wiseman tells his primary-care patients at Wiseman Family Practice that they should know where
their food comes from, it isn’t just lip service. In fact, instead of going to the grocery store to purchase grassfed beef, Wiseman picks
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each year, transports them to a small, family-run meat-processing
New clients receive 10% off first visit
facility and then personally oversees their slaughter to make sure it’s done humanely. And instead of doling out prescriptions, Wiseman says his clinic—which takes an integrative approach to medicine and combines the best of both alternative and conventional treatments—is more
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interested in prevention and education. “We are trying to change the primary care system,” he says. “We are trying to get people educated and have them understand that a large part of maintain-
become a
ing your health has to do with these proper food decisions, understanding where food comes from and how it’s grown.” It should come as no surprise, then, that Wiseman Family Prac-
900 Hour Professional Training
velopment organization that provides paid internships to area teens
Learn the 5 essential healing cuisines
who spend 25 weeks learning how to grow sustainably raised fruits
• Macrobiotics • Raw and Living food • Ayurveda • Classic Vegetarian • Vegan
and vegetables on a three-and-a-half acre farm in East Austin. Urban Roots produces about 30,000 pounds of produce each year—40 percent of which is donated to area food pantries and soup kitch-
t ar ew St r n now u r yo ree ca
tice recently partnered with Urban Roots—a nonprofit youth-de-
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ens, and the rest sold at farmers markets, through the Urban Roots community supported agriculture (CSA) program and wholesale. “[Wiseman] reached out to us and said, ‘Hey, how can we sup-
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port you?’” says Urban Roots executive director Max Elliott. “‘Your
Call now for more information
mission is really in line with what we are doing in creating a health-
Public Classes for the Health-Oriented Home Chef
ier Austin community.’” As a result, Wiseman Family Practice now offers Urban Roots staff members free medical care at their Cedar Park-based clinic, and plans to offer free physical exams to the interns on-site at the farm for the 2014 program. “Some of the youth don’t have great access to transportation or there could be a cost associated with getting a physical, so that could be difficult for some families with limited means,” Elliott says.
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This series of classes will give you the experience and teaching skills to bring healing cuisine into your home.
Call or visit the website. We’re adding classes regularly.
In addition, last spring Wiseman Family Practice spent more than $2,000 buying 15 seats (or a table and a half ) at the annual Urban Roots fund-raiser Tour de Farm, which featured an intern-led
www.naturalepicurean.com
tour of Urban Roots and a meal prepared by chefs using the farm’s produce. “It was a big sponsorship,” Elliott says. “They really wanted their staff to understand that this is this great organization they are excited about.”
Get your paddles up!
Indeed, Wiseman says not only does Urban Roots provide the Austin area with the kind of real food his practice advocates, it also gives youth a solid understanding of where their food comes from—something he feels everyone should know as a foundation for good health. “The cornerstone of what a primary-care doctor should be doing is prevention,” Wiseman says. “And the cornerstone of that, of course, is eating clean food.” —Nicole Lessin For more information, visit wisemanfamilypractice.com and
Chef Dinner Auction Chefs announced Sept. 1 at
EdibleAustin.com/auction
urbanrootsatx.org EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Austin Chill
M
eals prepared in small batches from Mom’s recipes, made with
was very surprising when we moved here,” says Renna. “It’s shocking
only the highest-quality ingredients, locally sourced when
that it’s been twenty years…I can’t believe we just turned thirty as a
possible, with no preservatives. You might expect all of this in a restaurant, but a frozen food company? Yet, that’s the way family-run Michael Angelo’s has been doing business for the last 30 years.
business! We’ve all grown up here…my kids, the business.” Though his company might be nationally renowned, Renna continues to immerse himself in our community. He’s been involved in
Though buying fresh ingredients as needed to fill orders and get-
the local chapters of Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Italy-America
ting products out as quickly as possible might sound like a pitch
Chamber of Commerce, which, he says with a laugh, is “bringing a
crafted for foodies, company founder Michael Angelo Renna light-
little Italian culture to Austin, Texas.” And he’s started working with
heartedly admits the business model was actually born of necessity.
local start-up food companies to help give them a boost. “That, to
“When we were first starting out,” he confesses, “I had to hurry up
me, is so rewarding,” he says. “An entrepreneur starting something
and get paid before I could pay my supplier.”
from scratch…they’re so wide-eyed and everything is blue sky. I like
Now well beyond humble beginnings, Michael Angelo’s products can be found on shelves in every major supermarket chain in the
to give them a little of what my experiences have been and save them a bit of the trouble.”
country, yet the company still follows the same process as in the
Currently, Renna is working with several new companies, in-
beginning—not out of necessity this time, but because it makes for
cluding Boomerang’s Pies, which leases production space from his
a superior product. “That flavor and texture…you can’t duplicate by
company. “We’re helping them scale up,” says Renna. “I think they’re
just worrying about the most efficient process,” says Renna. “You
going to grow so quickly they’re going to need their own kitch-
really have to cultivate it and protect those ingredients.”
ens within a year.” And he’s teaching these start-ups something he
Founded in California, the company is now very much an Austin
learned a long time ago: offer the highest-quality products available
establishment, with facilities and employees located in the Austin
but also keep an eye out for what customers want and be ready and
area on a property straddling the line between North Austin and
willing to adapt—a philosophy evident in his company’s new line of
Round Rock, since 1993. Though the company may have moved to
products that features antibiotic-free meats, non-GMO organic pas-
Texas for logistical reasons (their business model called for quick
ta, organic vegetables and wheat-free meals. Very Austin, sure, but
shipping all over North America and a central location just made
also very timely. —Lauren Walz
sense) they’ve found a true home here. “Austin is an oasis—it really
For more information, visit michaelangelos.com
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Buzz at the W
I
t wasn’t out of character for Stratus Properties to have an apiary filled with up to one million bees placed on the rooftop of Block 21, a down-
town high-rise development that’s home to the W Austin Hotel. In fact, ever since Valerie Broussard began working as the food and beverage buyer and forager for the hotel and its on-site restaurant Trace, she says she has seen a genuine commitment to environmental stewardship from both Stratus, the owner of the property, and the hotel’s management. For example, the 37-story building has a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. Since Broussard’s job description emphasizes sourcing with sustainably grown, local ingredients, her request for an herb garden was quickly granted and she gets to brainstorm each month with a committee about how to divert more
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While the new digs may be providing a safe haven for the bees, the new residents are certainly earning their keep by pollinating the hotel’s organic culinary garden. “We’ve had a borage plant that produces these little, edible purple flowers with a cucumber flavor to them,” Broussard says. “I’ve never picked so many borage flowers…and then the next day, I could go back there, and more [are] already open and ready to be picked.” There’s also the six hundred pounds of raw, mineral-rich honey that the bees are providing per spin, as the honey extraction process is known. (The timeline for spinning varies each year.) “It obviously doesn’t get more local than that,” says Candice Betz, director of the hotel’s AWAY Spa, who notes that they’re using the honey for everything from the signature “body honey” massage and body scrub to an antioxidant-rich sugar-and-honey lipstick rub. Lawrence Kocurek, chef de cuisine for Trace, says he and his team have also been developing new menu items using the honey as an ingredient for different kinds of shrubs (also known as drinking vinegars), housemade ice creams and even in a cure for bacon. “It’s great and really fascinating as a chef to have this at your disposal,” Kocurek says. “It’s kind of the sky is the limit as to how we can incorporate the honey into more things.” While it’s exciting to make use of the bounty, Broussard is also aware of the pressing need to protect these critically important insects. “We need bees,” she says. “We need them for our food crops and the health of the environment. They are just a good thing to have.” —Nicole Lessin For more information, visit traceaustin.com/honey
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Photo courtesy of W Austin
Broken Arrow Ranch
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Passport to local
Future of Foodways by Kandace Vallejo
A
s we approached our seats, a table with a small mountain of dried coca leaves atop a brightly woven blanket came into focus. I was among a group of North Americans invited to a
native foods fair in a large open space amid the dense city of El Alto, Bolivia, a higher-altitude neighbor of La Paz. An Aymara elder rose and offered coca leaves and alcohol to the Pachamama (Mother Earth or Mother World). As if in response, wind swirled dust off the street, lifted the coca from the table and sent the leaves spiraling to the ground. The moment was indicative of the week to come, as the dual themes of cultural tradition and historical narrative reverberated throughout our food-driven visit to Bolivia. As participants in a Food Sovereignty Tour organized by Food
Photography by Tanya Kerssen
First, a U.S.-based organization that does research and advocacy around global food issues, our tour was part history lesson, part cultural adventure and part Andean buffet that would include copious amounts of potato, quinoa, coca, llama and alpaca. Our group was whisked about the food fair—meeting proud agricultural families eager to show us traditional Aymara foodways. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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“Certain constellations tell us when to plant,” said an older man in an intricately woven alpaca scarf and chuspa (ceremonial bag) as he walked us through a hand-drawn agricultural calendar, complete with detailed representations of crops and animals. “When the vicuña cries in May, we know it will be a good harvest. We watch where the foxes gather in August to know if the rains will come. These are our ancestors’ foods. This is our cosmovisión [worldview], how we understand our world.” He pointed with a stick at Aymara words and interpreted an organic clock that many of us have forgotten how to read, and ended on the significance of his clothing. “The woven lines on this chuspa tell the story of cooperation between man, woman and families—a necessity for our agricultural ways,” he said. “The coca we carry in it is an offering to the Pachamama.” “This is good for your complexion, good for your kidneys,” one woman explained as she passed a bowl of cold gray liquid made of a mixture of phasa (Andean clay), water and salt to dip my marbled potato in. As my trip-mates sampled alpaca soup, I washed down my clay tasting with a cold glass of agua de cebada, a golden, cinnamon-sweet beverage made from boiled barley. We closed out the day with a traditional Andean apthapi—a part-potluck, part-picnic celebration with pre-Columbian roots—where families within a community would come together to share their harvest and celebrate guests or the return of loved ones. The concurrent themes of food as a cultural and historical connective tissue followed us as we ventured over to Santiago de Okola, a small farming community on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Upon arrival, when we were greeted with the apthapi, our hosts sat on the ground a few meters away and ate communally off shared blankets while our
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group perched on tree stumps and benches
way for thousands of years,” our guide said. “It
around a large wooden table teeming with an
is also very good for the kidneys and overall
impressive spread of various quinoa dishes,
health.”
more potatoes, alpaca and soft farmer’s cheese creamier than brie. When we respectfully asked about the
on the foods we’d come to know in our short
dining differences at the apthapi, one guide
stay. In many ways, these crops have Bolivian
pointed to the history of indigenous resis-
and Aymara history written into their genetic
tance to colonialism in Bolivia which, she
codes. The initial export of the potato along-
explained, caused understandable hesitancy
side many other precious resources during the
around welcoming and sharing with foreign-
process of colonization is perhaps being retold
ers. Add to this some general shyness and a
through quinoa. The modern-day challenges
language barrier and it manifested in a slight-
of the global demand for quinoa are reshaping
ly socially awkward situation.
the Bolivian agricultural landscape as well as
After the apthapi, we hiked a path between magenta fields of quinoa, pausing between a
Photography by Abigail Rogosheske
As our group dozed that evening, cozy beneath layers of thick alpaca blankets, I reflected
the nation’s economy, and are a driving force in shaping the nation’s history.
tall plot of ripe fava beans and an expansive
I pondered how Aymara food traditions
field of potato rows. While an elderly Aymara
have kept root over time—wondering what
woman in traditional dress caught our eye as
made them durable. And as I admired the way
she herded a large group of fuzzy sheep, our guide explained. “Here
in which Bolivian and Aymara history was writ small within their food
in the Andes, we have thousands of types of potatoes. The potato was
traditions, I wondered what examples of this we have in the United
first cultivated here, and the conquistadors sent it back to Europe
States. What histories do I locate among my own Mexican-Ameri-
along with many other of our resources.” He went on to describe the
can foodways? What stories might become audible once we ask such
particular process of open-air freeze-drying a certain type of pota-
questions of ourselves? What challenges might we be facing similar to
to—a method that predates the Incan empire and produces chuño.
those facing modern-day indigenous Bolivians if we had an eye toward
The preserved food remains good for several years and was even used
preservation of such valuable bodies of knowledge? Overall, what is at
in the past as a staple of the Incan army. “We have eaten the chuño this
stake if we lose these ways of knowing our world?
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Edible Destination
Agri-newal in Brenham by Nicole Lessin • Photography by Nuri Vallbona
Regular customer Ann Standhardt shops at Home Sweet Farm Market in Brenham.
I
n spring, when Mother Nature rolls out her indigo-and-orange-hued
in these rural areas and trying to prove to folks that by doing it, you
coverlet of bluebonnets and Indian paintbrushes, visitors flock to Bren-
can start to make a living through farming again.”
ham-area bed-and-breakfasts for a weekend of winery visits, Blue Bell
Located in a late-1800s railroad warehouse with exposed-brick
ice cream and Texas history. But Brad and Jenny Stufflebeam, founders
walls, Home Sweet Farm Market features a large assortment of the
of the organic Home Sweet Farm and a new retail market in Brenham’s
family’s organic fruits and vegetables grown just outside Brenham,
historic district, where most growers and producers are limited to those
as well as those from Finca Pura Vida in Fayetteville, Yellow Prairie
within a 50-mile radius of Brenham, are working tirelessly with area
Farm in Caldwell and even backyard growers. “We have got a lot of
chefs, growers and food artisans to put the city on the map for yet anoth-
old-timers out here that have some big gardens, and we can supple-
er reason. “The vision I have for this place is that Brenham starts to be
ment their income,” Brad says. The year-round market, which the
known again as a local food destination,” says Brad. “We’re literally on
Stufflebeams have been offering on Wednesdays and Sundays since
the local food front lines, here where it’s actually being grown.”
they opened last April, also features meats and eggs from pastured
While the Stufflebeams’ farm and nine-year-old community-sup-
animals, handmade local bath and body products and cut flowers. In
ported agriculture program were initially geared more toward sell-
addition, the family sells an array of artisanal foods, such as Redneck
ing to the Houston metroplex, the focus of Home Sweet Farm has
Cheddar soaked in Texas beer from Veldhuizen Family Farm in Dublin
expanded in recent years to include their local community as well.
and pickled wild grapes from Dai Due. On Wednesday evenings from
“We’ve got food deserts right here in rural areas where food is being
5 to 6 p.m., the market hosts a free get-together featuring samples
grown,” Brad says. “And we’re trying to put value back into local food
of cheeses and wines from such local purveyors as Saddlehorn Winery
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“What I want to prove [is] that supporting local agriculture has this whole ripple effect across the local economy.” —Brad Stufflebeam
some basil, and oh, it’s going to be beautiful.” Briscoe says it has been amazing to be able to work with the Stufflebeams, who even deliver fresh produce to her door and then brainstorm with her about possible menus. “Brad and his family are just beautiful,” she says. “They give me a lot to play with and a lot of ideas.” In a historic former blacksmith shop in the heart of the city’s downtown, Chef Elizabeth McColgin recently began offering weekly farm-to-plate specials at Funky Art Café, a popular tourist spot. On a recent Wednesday, her market-inspired menu featured a lemon and summer squash bisque with lavender crème frâiche, pattypan squash Clockwise from top: Kay Briscoe, owner of Kay’s Cuisine; basket of patty pan squash from Home Sweet Farm Market; Jackson Leard (left) and Greg Lincoln, of Houston, share secrets at Funky Art Café.
stuffed with grassfed ground beef and a roasted heirloom tomato gazpacho she topped with feta from Blue Heron Farm. “This has been fantastic,” says McColgin, who honed her craft at the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin. She also uses seasonally available fruits to prepare
and Pleasant Hill Winery, or craft beers from area microbreweries.
handmade sorbets that are for sale at the café and the market.
Currently, the Stufflebeams are working on expanding to another
Nearby, at Mobius Coffeehouse, owner Patty Dalrymple has uti-
building downtown where they will offer weekly workshops on every-
lized the local market as well, and is now offering a new organic
thing from home canning to raising cattle for grassfed beef. They are
juice bar featuring Home Sweet Farm carrots, greens and strawber-
also planning to host monthly farm-to-table dinners prepared by local
ries. Brad notes that Dalrymple’s business has expanded because she
chefs tasked with using only products from the market in Brenham.
was able to get the produce needed for the juice bar. “That’s what I
Just around the corner, in an elegantly restored 1870s-era home with shiplap walls and vintage light fixtures, Kay Briscoe, owner of
want to prove,” says Brad “That supporting local agriculture has this whole ripple effect across the local economy.”
Kay’s Cuisine for the Soul, has been more than happy to incorpo-
While much remains to be done, Stufflebeam says the small busi-
rate fresh, seasonal ingredients from the market into her Asian-fu-
nesses of this town will continue to work together to make Brenham
sion cooking. “I smell like garlic, basil and tomatoes right now,” she
and the Brazos Valley region—historically considered to be the birth-
says with a laugh from her sunlit kitchen. “I bought [Home Sweet
place and breadbasket of Texas—a food destination once more. “That’s
Farm’s] heirloom tomatoes, and I roasted them and made a torte this
why our whole vision is local people supporting local agriculture,” he
morning. Right now, I’m rolling them in some fresh mozzarella and
says. “Because we really want to celebrate our agricultural heritage.”
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Farmers Diary
When Harry Met Maew by Claire Cella • Photography by Pauline Stevens
I
t was one of the last places
stretch of land that is Sim-
I expected to see a papa-
mons Family Farms in Nie-
ya—especially since the
derwald. Although Harry’s
previous time I’d encoun-
name is behind the six-year-
tered the tropical fruit was
old business, a vast majority
on a food vendor’s reed table
of the farm’s inspiration and
shaded by coconut palms on
incentive comes from Maew’s
the whitewashed shore of
keen agricultural flair and
Koh Samet, an island off the
the experience and practical
coast of Thailand. Yet there
knowledge she gained work-
it was, suspended from a
ing on farms in rural Thai-
flowering tree deeply rooted
land as a young adult.
in the dry clay soil of Central
Agricultural acumen aside,
Texas where, I later learned,
Maew’s actual physical pres-
it thrives year-round.
ence is an indispensable key
The oblong fruit was clutched
in
the
petite,
to the daily operations. A neck injury from a college rugby
bronzed hands of Maew Simmons—the co-owner, along with hus-
match left Harry paralyzed from the waist down and unable to perform
band Harry—of Simmons Family Farms. And on that unseasonably
the physical field work he used to enjoy. “Maew does all the big work,”
chilly and overcast April day, it served as a fitting metaphor for the
Harry confesses with a chuckle. She coordinates the planting and caring
weather, the farm, and even Harry and Maew’s relationship as a
for the produce while Harry manages the bills, deliveries and ordering.
pleasant encounter with the unexpected.
They both run the weekly farm stand at the SFC Farmers’ Market Down-
The couple first met in September 2005 at a hole-in-the-wall
town. Maew also contributes a distinct style and integrity to the farming
restaurant tucked down one of Bangkok’s many narrow side streets.
practice—the quintessentially Thai mai bpen rai attitude (roughly trans-
Harry had moved to Thailand to study tropical horticulture and bam-
lated as, “it’s okay,” “don’t worry” or “never mind”). For instance, Harry
boo cultivation at Kasetsart University, one of the top agricultur-
says, if they have a freeze and lose their entire tomato crop, Maew will
al universities in the country. Maew was a server and cook in the
simply say, “It’s okay; we have more in the greenhouse.”
restaurant, and the two were introduced through mutual friends. As
Originally, the couple planned only to grow vegetables for their fam-
a result of Harry’s frequent visits to the restaurant, the two soon
ily. But they soon realized that others appreciate and desire the type of
found themselves dating. And although Maew knew little English
food they grow: chemical-free, fresh and, often, distinctly foreign. And
and Harry’s Thai was still intermediate, a deep connection was
though not certified organic, the farm operates under the same princi-
formed. “It was pretty close to instant,” Harry says, “but also not
ples and standards of organic farms, using only plant-derived orange
foreseen and very unexpected.”
and neem oils to control pests—a hugely significant choice because
Maew fell quickly for Harry, too—partly because of his overt kindness but also, she says with a wide smile and a giggle, out of
when Maew was just three years old, her mother died, allegedly as a result of pesticide exposure from working in Thai cotton fields.
a strong desire to take care of him. Harry proposed within a year
The couple devotes plenty of soil space to classic Texas crops like
and the two married in Thailand in December 2006, following Har-
kale, arugula, broccoli, green onions, spinach, tomatoes, okra and gar-
ry’s graduation from Kasetsart. Afterward, they returned to the U.S.,
lic, but Maew and Harry pride themselves on their diverse and strik-
along with Maew’s teenage daughter, Chutima, to settle in Austin.
ing range of produce that hails from Thailand. A stroll through the
Together, Harry and Maew founded and now operate the 130-acre
farm’s greenhouses and plots reveals rows of young papaya (malagaw) EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible Excerpt
Everything Thai Cookbook Excerpts from The Everything Thai Cookbook, by Jam Sanitchat (Copyright © 2012 and 2013 by F+W Media, Inc.
Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
Green Curry Paste (Kaeng Kiew Wan)
Serves 2
Makes ½ cup
This salad is the number one street food in Thailand. This is the
This paste is the base for the dish green curry, considered one of the
simplest version of the salad, but you can dress it up by adding a
spiciest coconut-milk based curries. It is a great curry for all kinds
few grilled shrimp to the mix. In Thailand, fermented fish or salted
of meat and seafood.
crab is often added. Green papayas are picked when they are young and green. Shred papaya using a mandoline or a small handheld shredder that you can purchase at Asian grocery stores. When papayas are not in season, you may use shredded carrots, julienned cucumbers, or mixed fruits like apples, peaches and mangoes. 3 garlic cloves, peeled Pinch of salt 4–6 Thai chilies, to taste 2 T. dried shrimp 1 T. coarsely chopped roasted peanuts 4 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 snake beans* (optional) 2 T. palm sugar 1 T. water 2–3 c. shredded green papaya 1 T. lime juice 1 T. tamarind water 1–2 T. fish sauce
Pound garlic, salt and chilies using a mortar and pestle. Add dried
15 green Thai chilies 1 t. roasted coriander seeds 1 t. roasted cumin seeds 1 t. white peppercorn 1 T. finely chopped galangal 1 T. finely chopped lemongrass (about 1 stalk)
1 t. chopped cilantro roots or stems 3 shallots, coarsely chopped 9 garlic cloves ½ t. kaffir lime zest (optional) 1 t. shrimp paste 1 t. salt
Make a paste using a mortar and pestle by adding ingredients one at a time in the order given. Pound one ingredient until it’s broken up in small pieces before adding the next one. When all ingredients are added, continue pounding until it forms a fine paste. Alternatively, place coarsely chopped ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding water as needed.
shrimp and pound until dried shrimp is broken. Add peanuts, tomatoes and snake beans (if using) and the paste to a medium bowl and mix well. Set aside. Place sugar in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Heat for 45 seconds to make a syrup. Set aside. Place
Lemongrass Soup with Shrimp (Tom Yum Kung)
shredded green papaya in the bowl with the shrimp paste/peanut
Serves 4
mixture. Add palm sugar syrup, lime juice, tamarind water and
Sometimes milk is added to this soup to make it thicker. Chili jam can
fish sauce. Toss to coat the papaya and serve.
also be added for a more complex flavor and color.
* Also known as Chinese longbeans
For the Sauce: 4 T. lime juice 2 or 3 Thai chilies, minced (about 1–2 t. minced chilies) 3 T. fish sauce ½ t. sugar Handful of cilantro For the Soup: 10 uncooked medium shrimp, unpeeled
4 c. water 1 stalk lemongrass, chopped and bruised 6 slices galangal, sliced and bruised 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn 1 T. fish sauce ¾ c. wild mushrooms 13 / c. chopped tomatoes
Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Peel and devein the shrimp. Save the shells to make stock. Bring water to boil and add shrimp shells. Boil for about 3 minutes and strain the stock. Add lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves to the stock and bring it back to boil. Season with fish sauce. Add mushrooms, and 3 to 4 minutes later,
VIDEO: Watch Jam Sanitchat make Sriracha Sauce from scratch at edibleaustin.com 30
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add shrimp and simmer over low heat until shrimp just change color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer for another minute. Add the sauce to the hot soup and check seasoning. It should be salty, sour and spicy.
trees, crates of Thai eggplant seedlings (makhua phro and makhua phuang), pots of holy basil (grapow) and beds of delicate, fiery Thai chilies (prik kee noo and prik kiao). The fall harvest is expected to include much of the same, with the addition of lemongrass (darkrai), red shallots (hawm daeng), kaffir limes and lime leaves (magrood). Harry also devotes a portion of his time and acreage to cultivating specialty bamboo species from all over the world, including Thailand, China and Japan. “Anything different or difficult to grow, I’ve found that people really appreciate it,” says Harry. People will call and ask if we’ll have certain Thai things, or come to the market specifically to find us for an ingredient. Some of our stuff you can’t even find in stores here in Austin.” The couple also provides produce to Austin restaurants like Thai Fresh, Barley Swine, Texas French Bread, Trace at the W and Dai Due, and supplies to Greenling and Farmhouse Delivery. If there’s ever any confusion from buyers about how to use the more exotic produce, Maew is more than happy to share tips and ideas. One of her favorite Thai dishes is tom yum, a spicy, hot and sour soup with a broth that encompasses a range of their ingredients including lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice and crushed chili peppers. When making Thai soups and curries, Maew suggests using dried kaffir lime leaves like bay leaves to infuse flavor into dishes. The lime’s peel can provide the foundational essence for many curries, such as the commonly recognized green curry paste (kaeng kiew wan). She suggests using diced Thai chilies to make fiery dipping sauces or chunky pastes and scattering them for decorative zest and bite. Red shallots can be roasted for a smoky flavor
Garden
EmbEllish your
or fried to sprinkle on top of salads. Green or unripe papayas are shredded into long strips to make an array of Thai sweet, spicy and sour salads, including som tum. And holy basil is used to flavor gai pad grapow, a well-known stir-fry dish made with chicken, chilies, holy basil and fish and soy sauces. Although Harry and Maew’s beginning may have been rife with the challenges of physical disability, language barriers and different religions, cultures and familial backgrounds, the couple has persevered to build a successful life and business that hum along with cooperation and harmony. Harry even says their partnership has been
find it at
easier than some might have projected—yet another of the many pleasant surprises that surround the duo. For more information, visit simmonsfamilyfarms.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Passport to Local
FROM Street to Beach by Rebecca Persons
I
n the small village of
haps from hovering over vats
Tung La Korn, Thailand,
of boiling broths and steam-
I watch a gray-haired pig
ing meat for who knows how
with black spots nose his
many years. But her talents
way into an outdoor kitchen.
belied her age as she deftly
A few seconds later, shrills
moved around the trailer at
and gasps of surprise stir
lightning speed.
the air as the two cooks have
In front of the giant
undoubtedly spotted their
cauldron were three or four
hungry friend. A woman
slabs of raw meat, and when
forcefully backs the animal
I approached to order, she
out of the kitchen by waving
waved her hand at me and
a ladle at him, then gives him
said, “No!” My heart sank.
an endearing smile. As she
“Please,” I pleaded. “We’ll
catches my eye, she gives
take anything.” But we didn’t
me a knowing wink, then
get just anything; we got
returns to the food. It’s near
mastery: bowls of kuay tiao
the end of my journey in this country, and I’ve grown to understand
neua, or noodles drenched in broth and mixed with garlic, shallots,
that the smells and food in Thailand are just too tempting for anyone,
bean sprouts, green onions and chunks of beef—a delicate balance of
or any animal, to resist.
savory broth and crunch. Over the course of the trip we would encoun-
The trip began weeks ago in Bangkok, where my traveling partner,
ter myriad variations of these noodle soups—some featuring fish broth,
Dustin, and I had strategically booked our hostel on Sukhumvit Road
fish balls, boiled duck blood, crispy wontons, crab, chicken and chilies.
Soi 38, known for some of Thailand’s best street food. I was literally
Almost all were served with chili sauces to help perfect the distinctive
salivating during the cab ride from the airport at 2 in the morning over
balance of sweet, spicy, sour, bitter, salty and heat that makes Thai food
the lighted street vendors’ stalls that still crowded the roads and em-
famous.
anated endless clouds of steam that hung over their patrons’ heads.
Our next leg of the trip took us south to the islands in Krabi. Getting
As I watched the stands flow by, my father’s warning about avoiding
there is no easy task, though, and after a journey that included a tuk tuk
“Bangkok belly”—common food poisoning—slowly melted away with
(auto-rickshaw) ride, 14 hours on a train, five hours on a bus, a cab ride
each waft of spice, dried fish and meat that seeped through the cracked
and a boat excursion, we finally made it to our destination on Railay Bay
windows of the car.
and Ton Sai Beach. We met a local named Tom who took us on a boat
A Taiwanese chef once told me that the best restaurants are filled
ride around Krabi’s staggering islands, where giant rock formations jut
mostly with locals, but also with a sprinkling of tourists; that proves
out of the ocean and beautiful stalactites hang over deep waters forming
they serve food good enough to draw in outsiders. Therefore, the next
a cliff jumper’s and rock climber’s paradise. For lunch, Tom cut fresh
morning, we wandered down an alley in search of such a place. The
pineapple and made salty fried rice covered in chilies and fish sauce.
odor of dirty socks and dried fish infiltrated my nostrils and reminded
We were unable to savor his freshly grilled corn on the cob, though,
me of the less than appealing stinky tofu I tried in Beijing, but we were
thanks to a pack of fiendish monkeys that tugged on our ankles until we
undeterred and driven to discover gold.
relinquished the cobs.
We came upon a group of locals, and one or two Australians, gath-
Despite the splendor and beauty of Thailand’s southern islands, I
ered around a trailer—success! Inside, a one-woman show was prepar-
was eager to make my way back north to Chiang Mai Province and back
ing the food. She was older, with a face deeply etched with lines, per-
to the crush of tantalizing food vendors. Once there, the market’s end-
32
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less rows of stalls—covered by a jumble of umbrellas to provide a bit of
cious bowl of noodle soup—this time with dried shrimp, green onions,
reprieve from the unforgiving heat—lured us with delicacies like fried
tamarind and crispy wontons. The village seemed almost deserted save
chicken heads, meat on a stick, freshly squeezed saowarot (Thai passion
for us, the workers and our hungry kitchen-trespassing pig friend. We
fruit) and orange juice and enormous durian fruit that looked more like
finished the last good meal we’d have for at least the next 48 hours and
giant sea urchins than produce.
climbed, bareback and full-bellied, onto a beautiful Thai elephant that
Our last day in Thailand found us in Tung La Korn, about an hour and a half outside of Chiang Mai, where we indulged in our last deli-
carried us off into the jungle and away from the glorious smell of that beloved food as a light rain began to fall.
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People
Chef Bryan Caswell by Kristi Willis • Photography by Jenna Noel
H
“they’ll be willing to make that choice.”
ouston Chef Bryan Caswell has lived all over the world—New York, Bar-
This fall, Caswell is teaming up with Jim
celona, Hong Kong, Bangkok and the
Gossen of Louisiana Foods—a seafood pur-
Bahamas—but his heart is firmly anchored
veyor based in Houston that services restau-
on the Gulf Coast. And more often than not,
rants and markets across Texas—to help
when Caswell’s not in one of his restaurants—
other chefs become more connected to Gulf
the widely acclaimed seafood haven Reef, the
seafood. The pair is hosting an outreach pro-
burger joint Little Bigs or El Real Tex-Mex—
gram with 10 chefs and 10 fishermen, leaving
he’s gone fishing. This chef is an avid, some
out the middlemen, to discuss the challenges
might say master, fisherman, often planning
they face sourcing from the Gulf.
his day so that he can fish from one of his boats
Caswell’s exploration with ingredients
in Galveston, Matagorda Bay or Surfside Beach
extends beyond the shoreline, too, to local
before he heads in to prepare for dinner service
produce—some of which he forages him-
at Reef in Houston’s Midtown neighborhood.
self. “During loquat season,” Caswell says,
“I’ll fish on a bridge…I don’t really care,”
“I have fifteen to twenty people who will let
Caswell says. “I just love to be out there. It’s
me come pick [loquats] in their backyards.
a sense of freedom that I don’t get anywhere
There’s even a bank next to my parents’
else. I actually turn my phone off, and, not to
house with a great tree that they never har-
be too sappy, there’s that one with nature thing
vest. I just back up my truck and load it up.” Caswell and his business partner Bill
that happens. For me, fishing is all I need.”
Floyd are definitely making their culinary
Caswell even fishes when he travels. On a recent trip to Vietnam organized by Red Boat fish sauce, he
mark across Houston, most recently with their 3rd Bar Oyster & Eat-
explored the cuisine and all that goes into making fish sauce with
ing House in Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Chefs Edward Lee, Stuart Brioza and Austin’s own Paul Qui. They
But as a rabid Astros fan, Caswell’s favorite project may be his part-
fished several times during the trip, including an expedition at night
nership with the Astros and Minute Maid Park, developing the con-
for anchovies.
cept for The FiveSeven Grille and opening small versions of Little
“Wherever I go, there is usually a fishing trip,” says Caswell. “I can be halfway around the world and worried about the restaurants, but as soon as I get on the boat everything fades away.” His passion for fishing has translated into unique finds on the menu at Reef. Caswell was one of the first Texas chefs to feature
Bigs and El Real at the park. “I grew up with the Astros and I’m like a little kid out there,” Caswell says as he beams from ear to ear. “Any job that makes me go to the stadium is pretty cool. The only job I can think of that could be better is if someone paid me to fish.”
appellation oysters, and he regularly runs specials of less commonly
Fortunately for Houston diners, Caswell hasn’t found that fishing
known fish from the Gulf—more than 87 species since opening Reef.
gig just yet and is still on the lookout for new ways to share great
“We still have snapper and grouper,” he says, “but we try to serve as
food with people—making each dining spot, even at the airport, a
much of the other fish as we can to give them a break.”
place where customers will want to return.
Introducing unfamiliar items to diners was difficult in the begin-
“At the end of the day I want someone to walk out of the [restau-
ning, but the trust Caswell has developed with customers made it
rant] and say, ‘That was a good time,’” Caswell says. “Life’s too short
possible. “If you give people something that tastes great,” he says,
not to have fun.”
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible Destination
Houston Goes Local by LaYne LYnch
A
lthough Austin might be recognized as one of the premier, up-and-coming, local food-celebrating cities in the country, Houston continues to garner more and more of that same
spotlight. In the last handful of years, many forward-thinking Houston chefs have embraced the importance of local foods, and they’ve received more than simple mentions in local print newspapers— they’ve been attracting attention from the likes of The New York Times, Bon Appétit and the James Beard Foundation. Perhaps one of the most identifiable pioneers in the Bayou City’s move toward local is Monica Pope, chef and owner of Sparrow Bar + Cookshop. Not only is she a James Beard-nominated chef, she’s also appeared on Top Chef Masters. As a Houston native, Pope knew at a young age that she would influence the way her hometown’s culinary scene matured through the years. “I always believed I was going to change the way Houston eats,” Pope says. It took venturing away from Houston for a young Pope to hone her craft as a tip-to-tail chef and local-food revolutionary. On her first stop, she retreated to her grandmother’s farm to learn the recipes that encompassed her family’s signature Czech baked goods. “Food is my language,” says Pope. “I felt like it was important for me to learn my family’s story. That’s how I see food today: I tell stories through my food.” By the late 80s, years of working in both European and San Francisco kitchens had given Pope the assurance that it was time to return to Photography by Jenna Noel
Houston to bring her teenage goal to fruition. She started with Quilted Toque and later opened places like Boulevard Bistro, t’afia and Beaver’s. During those years, Pope became one of the first Houston chefs to develop a local culinary scene—starting with purchasing produce from farmers at the back doors of her restaurants, then pioneering something no one at the time could have imagined: reliable, resourceful, urban farmers markets. “People thought I was some crazed hippie at the time,” she says. “But I understood how much change could take place by sourcing local.” In mid-2012, Pope shuttered t’afia but promised to return with a reimagined concept that reflected both herself and Houston’s metamorphosis. Two weeks later, she reopened with new handcrafted furniture, new menu items and a new name: Sparrow Bar + Cookshop—a Fourth Ward neighborhood restaurant that showcases locally sourced dishes that are both affordable and approachable. “There is something very wrong with a restaurant you feel you can’t visit more than once a year,” Pope says. “I was ready to let t’afia die, and I think the city was, too. Sparrow Bar is a reflection of where I am in my life now. I’m more approachable and open than I have ever been in the past fifty years.” 38
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“People thought I was some crazed hippie at the time. But I understood how much change could take place by sourcing local.” —Monica Pope, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop
Photography of Chef Justin Yu by Paul Sedillo
“I think there definitely needs to be more of a dialogue between our producers Photography of Oxheart interior by Jenna Noel
and restaurants, and when that happens, One chef who credits Pope for breaking ground for young guns like himself is Justin Yu, the chef and owner of Oxheart. Eating in family-owned Asian restaurants in his youth introduced Yu to the cooking bug, but it wasn’t until he began training in New York, Chi-
I think we’ll see even more of a local shift in dining.” —Justin Yu, Oxheart
cago, Napa, Belgium and Denmark at restaurants like In De Wulf and Geranium that Yu honed his now well-noted art for creating unexpectedly flavorful, vegetable-centric dishes. “Through those experiences, I learned that vegetables really can carry a meal,” Yu says. “Oxheart is the type of food I feel most challenged and creative in making. Our food is inflected with Asian influences, herbaceousness and a sense of acidity. That’s my style of cooking.”
“It’s challenging because you don’t know what a producer will be able to provide you with,” Yu says. “I think there definitely needs to be more of a dialogue between our producers and restaurants, and when that happens, I think we’ll see even more of a local shift in dining.” Another Houston restaurant that’s earning a lot of national discussion lately is Underbelly—its cuisine creator’s mission is to tell “the
Before Yu opened Oxheart, he’d never even been a sous-chef. Rather,
story of Houston food.” Given that Houston is a smorgasbord of Viet-
he had moved from restaurant to restaurant, city to city, learning what
namese, Thai, Tex-Mex and Gulf Coast cuisines, and that Underbelly
he could from his chef mentors. It was during this time that Yu be-
has quite the story to tell, it’s a blessing that Executive Chef Chris
gan to cultivate an appreciation for local farmers, artisans and bycatch
Shepherd is a fluid narrator.
fishermen.
Shepherd grew up in Oklahoma, and studied at the Art Institute
Alongside his equally talented wife, Karen Man, pastry chef of Ox-
of Houston—working in popular restaurants like Brennan’s and Cat-
heart, Yu opened his 31-seat space in March 2012. In the months since,
alan. When he tried to source locally at Catalan, though, Shepherd
Oxheart has been recognized as one of the best new restaurants in the
was surprised by the lack of options available to him. Thus, like any
nation by publications including the New York Times, Food & Wine,
committed locavore, Shepherd drove to the green-acre outskirts of
Bon Appétit and GQ.
town, searching for the hand-painted wooden and cardboard signs
Unlike many upscale restaurants, Oxheart isn’t lavished
that would direct him to small family farms and ranches.
with over-the-top interior decor and unpronounceable foreign
It took some mileage, but eventually Shepherd cultivated a list of
dishes. Decorated with spray-painted murals, DIY canvases, worn
producers for both staple and exotic ingredients like whole hogs, heir-
brick walls, a library of well-used cookbooks, vinyl records and a
loom tomatoes, wild blackberries and rabbit hearts. In fact, the ma-
collection of 50-plus Asian fortune charms known as money cats,
jority of the meats and other ingredients Underbelly purchases come
the restaurant exudes a new direction only a handful of Houston
from within a 120-mile radius of the city. “Local is the only responsible
and Austin restaurants are finally embracing: creating cuisine that’s
way to run a restaurant,” he says. “It’s respectful to our farmers, our
sourced responsibly and housed in homey spaces.
diners, our animals and our city.”
Season to season, Yu adds and subtracts producers—consistently
Underbelly looks like a modern ranch house, complete with nostal-
working with Utility Research Garden for produce, PJ Stoops for Gulf
gic touches like pale wood tables, tasting menus tucked into vintage
Coast seafood and Three Sisters Farm for eggs and vegetables. On any
book covers and mason jar preserves. There’s a dark curing room with
given day, a menu might feature ingredients like flower petals, beets,
salted, succulent meats dangling from the ceiling, and a full-time butch-
carrots, okra, tomatoes, dried peaches and eggplant. And because of
er breaking down hog, lamb, goat, bovine and seafood just one room
Yu’s commitment to seasonality, Oxheart’s ingredients and dishes
over. The best feature of the restaurant, though, is the menu, with its
must change daily.
Thai, Chinese, Korean, American, Tex-Mex and Vietnamese influences. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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39
Photography by Julie Soefer Photography
Grand Opening September 6!
“Local is the only responsible way to run a restaurant. It’s respectful to our farmers, our diners, our animals and
SMART
FOOD
our city.” —Chris Shepherd, Underbelly Despite earning both a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best Chef: Southwest and a Food & Wine Best New Chef award this
Austin’s only
GLUTEN-FREE
year, Shepherd says he hasn’t hit his stride. “I won’t be satisfied until I hear the word ‘perfect’ come out of my mouth, and that almost never happens in this business.” A trip to Houston wouldn’t be complete without a stop at The Pass & Provisions, a two-in-one restaurant pioneered by chefs and co-owners Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan. The Pass is
commercial kitchen
the fine-dining arm of the establishment and features a daily tasting
“We appreciate that your kitchen has helped our business grow and expand.” —Hearty Vegan
mal lighting and comfy, plush lounge chairs.
Rental Rates: $8.50-12.50/hr Commissary Usage $60/month foodsmarty@gmail.com | 512-657-2727
menu that’s sending critics and diners alike into a praising frenzy. The space embodies classic elegance, with white linen tablecloths, miniProvisions, on the other hand, is more relaxed and communal, with a mostly staple menu of brick-oven pizzas, hearty sandwiches, rustic pastas, bread and cheese pairings, artisan meats and seasonal vegetable dishes. “We know what we like to eat,” Gallivan says, “and we put a lot of consideration into that process when we’re creating our two menus.” Siegel-Gardner and Gallivan both have their own prestigious culinary pedigrees, but crossed paths while working in Gordon Ramsay’s New York restaurant, Maze, in 2005. Since then, they’ve become both business partners and best friends. “We admired and respected each
40
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Photography by Jenna Noel
Chefs and co-owners Seth Siegel-Gardner and Terrence Gallivan brainstorm in The Pass (above). The more informal setting of Provisions (left) features a sociable bar and Julia Child voice recordings that play in the unisex bathroom.
other’s work ethic,” Siegel-Gardner says, and then adds with a laugh, “I think we understood that there is a collaborative process that must take place in the kitchen, and luckily we agree with each other on ideas nine out of ten times. The other ten percent of the time, we have to trust each other or resort to a fistfight.” In terms of the space, the chefs settled on a Taft Street warehouse that previously housed institutions like Gravitas and the Antone’s Po’ Boy Deli and Import Company. Together, they’ve breathed new life into the 1950s-era building—adding small but meaningful touches like exposed brick, Julia Child voice recordings that play in the unisex bathroom, a sociable bar and one wall that divides cozy Provisions from the ever-elegant Pass. “These are our first restaurants and we respect the time it takes to develop both of them,” Gallivan says. “We take that process as each day comes, and invite people from Austin to come in and let us know how we’re doing on that journey.” Now, traveling to Houston isn’t just something to do to catch the latest Picasso exhibit or see the Texans play in the flesh. And though some might rely on local blogs, Urbanspoon or Yelp to identify the best restaurants in unfamiliar territories, it’s always better to let a native point you in the right direction. Just don’t be surprised if they lead you to one of these five dining gems. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible Destination
Bastrop Bounces Back by Nicole Lessin • Photography by Nuri Vallbona
Kristin Appel gives her son, Benjamin, a taste of bread baked by Chris McEwan of Tough Cookie Bakery at the Bastrop 1832 Farmer’s Market.
I
n June 2008, Jacque Gates and her husband Jim McCracken opened
highest-quality local ingredients for the hotel’s culinary team at its
the six-days-a-week Bastrop Producers Market with the goal of
restaurant Trace. “It was a great evening,” recalls Bastrop resident Libby
making it “easier to be a locavore in Bastrop.” Their business model
Pulley, a passionate advocate for area farmers, who helped organize
was unique because they sold local foods for area farmers and ranch-
the event. “Lots of talk, lots of buzz, everybody inspired. Then every-
ers while providing access to it for their customers. “We consider both
body went home…and there was nothing.”
our producers and our customers to be our customers,” says Gates.
Six months later, the most catastrophic wildfire in Texas histo-
The buzz about the importance of buying and eating local wasn’t
ry tore through Bastrop County, destroying more than 1,600 homes
yet fully established in the area, but the duo remained passionate about
and decimating the land and the community. Understandably, the
pursuing their dream. Then, on a Monday night in April of 2011, about
local-food conversation moved further and further down the ladder
twenty-five area farmers, ranchers and restaurateurs gathered with
of priorities while the area tried to heal and rebuild.
other community members at the restaurant Baxter’s on Main, located
Yet, while hugely devastating, the fire miraculously spared the
in a historic, late-19th-century building in downtown Bastrop. With a
historic business district and mobilized an outpouring of support
respectful nod to the Bastrop Producers Market, the group sought to
from the community. “Since the fire, people are interested in shop-
make additional connections and to begin an even more realized and
ping local, buying local,” explains Nancy Wood, the director of Bas-
committed conversation about local food.
trop Main Street Program, a city-run effort to revitalize the down-
The evening’s meal featured an array of locally sourced produce
town area through economic development and the preservation of
and meats prepared by Barley Swine’s sous-chef, Sam Hellman-Mass.
its heritage buildings. In fact, many believe the attention to local
Also on hand was Valerie Broussard, food and beverage buyer and
foods and products has not only re-emerged in Bastrop, but now has
forager for W Austin Hotel, who discussed her work sourcing the
a stronger, more intense focus. Wood, herself a fire survivor, replaced EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
TRAVEL 2013
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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
“Since the fire, people are interested in shopping local, buying local.” —Nancy Wood, director of Bastrop Main Street
Right: Bastrop Brewhouse owner Michael Candelario and son, Aiden; Top: favorite fare at the Brewhouse includes the Reuben Egg Rolls in the foreground, the Bangers and Mash and a flight of beers featuring brews made at the restaurant’s own brewery.
nearly everything she owned by shopping in the county. Currently, Wood—along with Pulley and a team of volunteers—is
that, I was like, OK, I can do whatever I want.” In fact, to keep pace with demand, Peters says he has had to increase the size of the brewing tanks.
working with elected officials to create a culinary district in downtown
Another business that has been working to source ingredients local-
Bastrop to spotlight and strengthen its 20-plus restaurants and food-re-
ly is Tough Cookie Bakery, which specializes in handmade German-style
lated businesses, in part by connecting them with area growers and
pretzels, pretzel breads, sourdoughs and other artisanal baked goods.
ranchers and then marketing any subsequent farm-to-table efforts.
On a recent day at Bastrop 1832 Farmers Market, across from City Hall,
In addition, on the one-year anniversary of the fire, Bastrop Brew-
owners Chris and Jennie McEwan were offering a pay-what-you-can
house opened its doors and began offering a menu emphasizing season-
day for their fare, which included homemade pizza topped with Texas
al ingredients and craft beers. Housed in The Crossing, a once mostly
goat cheese and herbs as well as tromboncino squash from Pelham Lane
empty property overlooking the Colorado River, the Brewhouse is part
Farm. “We want to keep it local and keep it from Texas,” Chris says. “We
of a now-thriving multi-business development with everything from
need to work with the local businesses, and pull everyone up and make
kayak rentals to handcrafted jewelry. The property’s owner, Michael
this a culinary destination.”
Candelario, says the Brewhouse offers live music as well as food made
The McEwans, who lost most of their business equipment in the
with a range of locally produced ingredients, like burgers featuring
fire, currently operate out of a food trailer at the twice-a-week market,
Bastrop County-raised beef and bangers processed by Smithville Food
but they’re planning to open a new brick-and-mortar retail store at The
Lockers. “We’ve got pub food with a Texas twist,” Candelario says.
Crossing, thanks in large part to the enthusiastic response from the peo-
“People give us a lot of credit for being a catalyst for locally sourced
ple of Bastrop. “People in the community are ready for good food made
food in Bastrop.” In addition, the venue offers a great lineup of craft
with local ingredients,” Jennie says. “They’re excited and can’t wait, and
beers, many of which are brewed on-site, such as their year-round St.
they’re going to back us no matter what.”
Camilla’s Honey Brown, an English-style brown ale brewed with local honey from Spotted Goat Farm in Red Rock.
Meanwhile, Pulley has organized a 34-member Locavore Supper Club to celebrate farms and seasonal foods, and she and Wood are also helping
Head Brewer Edward Peters, one of the founders and original board
to plan another meal for this fall, likely to be held at Bastrop Brewhouse,
members of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, says he learned early on that
to reconnect the area’s food producers with restaurant owners. This
the people of Bastrop were eager for craft beer and open to uncommon
time around, though, Wood says the local food conversation is sure to
flavors. For example, when he tried offering two beers out of Austin that
continue. “The difference between 2011 and today is like night and day,”
were brewed with smoked grains, he was surprised by the community’s
she says. “Two years ago, it was new [or] it was status quo. But now,
response. “People loved it,” he recalls. “That’s one of the more challenging
we’ve been through the fire. Community has supported community.”
beers you can give to people in a small town, and to have them respond like EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible Endeavors
On Being Pieous by Meredith Bethune • PHotography by Dustin Meyer
“M
om, I think people really like our restaurant,” declares
well-meaning family and friends, the couple ditched their stable careers
five-year-old Daisy after another busy day at Pieous, the
as an attorney and an accountant to pursue the dream of owning a restau-
new pizzeria operating out of an old barbecue joint on
rant—a dream that, in many ways, had been fermenting for over 12 years.
Highway 290 West. Owners Josh and Paige Kaner’s three children are
While still in Los Angeles, Josh made a sourdough starter using Napa
fixtures at the new eatery, and sometimes Daisy and her three-year-old
Valley grapes. Today, the same starter is used at Pieous for their extraor-
brother, Casper, will “sit at the bar and order when we’re most busy,”
dinarily soft and chewy sourdough bread and pizza doughs. Deciding on
Paige says with a laugh. “They’re little ambassadors of the restaurant,”
“Pieous” as the name for the new venture came easily to Josh and seemed
boasts Josh.
fated—and not just because of the obvious wordplay. “We’re devoted to
The Kaners first met as coworkers at a record label in Los Angeles,
food,” he says. “Food is our religion.”
where they immediately connected over food. “Food is really a huge bond
Pieous’s exterior still exudes the rustic Texas charm that first attracted
between us,” says Paige. “Seeing it, smelling it, touching it, tasting it, learn-
the Kaners to the property, but Josh painstakingly gutted and redesigned
ing about it…every single thing about it.” A few years later, they left Los
the interior himself. According to Paige, “there’s nothing Josh does that
Angeles for a more relaxed lifestyle. “We were ready for change,” she says,
he doesn’t put his entire being into. He’s one of the few people who has
“and Austin just spoke to us because of the food, music and the country.”
a dream and will do anything to make it happen.” In fact, she thinks it’s
Several years after settling in Texas, and despite advice from 46
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a big reason why Josh has succeeded as a self-taught pizzaiolo. “I’m a
perfectionist,” Josh admits. “As long as you’re trying for perfection, you’re
onds is the undisputed star of the restaurant’s bright interior. A bread bak-
Fall Plant Sale & Gardening Festival
er at heart, Josh considers his preferred Neapolitan style of pizza making
at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
going to get something great.” The glowing wood-burning oven that bakes pies in less than 90 sec-
akin to old-fashioned bread baking. “It’s pizza in its simplest, purest form,”
Sat. & Sun., October 5 & 6
he says. “It consists simply of flour, water, salt and our starter.” The dough
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
is stirred, kneaded and rolled by hand, and then topped with the highest quality ingredients—including local meats and veggies, when available. “We have no packaged mozzarella,” Josh adds. “Instead we make it fresh every morning.” Josh feels blissfully unplugged from the world while busy at Pieous— only dipping into the Internet to check the weather and alter his pizza
www.wildflower.org
4801 La Crosse Avenue • 512.232.0100
dough as needed. Heat, humidity and even rain can affect the starter, which only adds to the mystique of the Neapolitan style. “Every pizza is different,” he says. “Even if you make two Margheritas back-to-back, they won’t be the same. It could be the heat of the oven in different spots, or
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the different ways the flame kisses the cheese.” Because the Kaners are dedicated to cooking from scratch, their menu is limited. Yet customers don’t seem to mind the practice of doing fewer things but doing them very well. Some of the more popular offerings are the House-Smoked Italian Sausage pie and the Bacon Bleu pie topped with homemade caramelized onion and bacon marmalade, Gorgonzola and fresh arugula. The Margherita and the Marinara pies follow traditional Neapolitan topping recipes, and all of the pies have the characteristics and toasted-marshmallow quality found in a good Neapolitan pizza: a thin crust circled by a pillowy edge dotted with singe marks.
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There is one completely unexpected item on the menu, though: housemade pastrami. It seemed like such a waste to get rid of the old smoker left on the property by the previous owners, that Josh, in true perfectionist style, added pastrami to his palette of new talents. The rosy meat is thinly sliced and served as a sandwich or on a platter with pickles, mustard and sourdough bread. “It’s so weird that it works,” says Josh. “I can’t say why, but it does.” Paige’s specialties like fresh salads with homemade dressings and pies, cookies and brownies round out the menu. Managing a fledgling business while raising three children would be more than enough for most couples, but the Kaners’ dedication to quality food fuels their work. “I don’t care that I’m tired because I love what I do,” Paige says. Actually, the couple is already brimming with ideas for the future. They hope to eventually offer breakfast and daily specials, and they’d like to sell fresh tacos out of the other building on their property. “Pieous is our laboratory,” Josh says. “It’s our foot in the door to the restaurant business, and hopefully there will be many more things to come.” For more information visit facebook.com/Pieous
512.222.OVEN texasovenco.com handcrafted wood-burning ovens & pizza oven kits EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible DestinationS
Small Town
Renaissance in hill country NORth
Photography by Buddy Whitley
by Jessica Dupuy
Guests on the patio of the Wedding Oak Winery tasting room in San Saba.
W
hen it comes to Hill Country getaways, the Fredericksburg
throughout the far reaches of Central Texas as well. Down the maze of
area—with its welcoming German heritage, myriad bed-
winding roads, a rich fabric of soul and character waits to be discovered
and-breakfasts, restaurants and wineries—has long taken
in some of these less-trafficked yet blossoming small Texas towns.
the lion’s share of attention. While other spots like Marble Falls and
At the far northern ceiling of what can officially be called the Hill
Boerne have also lured a loyal following, there’s still much to be found
Country, along Texas Route 190, sits San Saba—a town in the midst
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HEAD FOR THE HILLS... AND LAKES.
Why wait for the weekend to start having fun? Go for a hike, do some fishing, take in a wine tasting or find that missing piece of art in your life. plan your vacation at marblefalls.org.
Upcoming Events September Market Day
October Citywide Garage Sale Sculpture on Main/Paint the Town Moonlight Madness
November–January Christmas Light-Up Parade Walkway of Lights
m a r b l e fa l l s .o r g
Mark Stewart, The Century Tree at Texas A&M, watercolor, 14”x21”
Upcoming Events 9–28 Kathleen Cook, Pastel Artist 11–2 Maggie Booth, “Day of the Dead”
Showcasing work by national and regional artists.
Legendary Stetson hat collection at Harry’s in downtown San Saba.
11–18 Fran Patterson, Contemporary Folk Art 11–30 Marilyn Huston, Christmas Santa’s
of a renaissance. For much of its history, San Saba has been a ranching and agricultural town in an area considered Comanche territory throughout the 1800s. Most of the downtown area was built in the ear-
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ly 1900s, but in recent years, San Saba has seen an uptick in popularity from out-of-town visitors—credited, in large part, to an astonishing growth in farms, wineries and purveyors in the agritourism industry. Which is where Mike McHenry comes in. After retiring in 2000, in search of a slower-paced life, he and his wife moved to a plot of land near San Saba where they had already been growing grapes as a hobby. It wasn’t long, though, before McHenry’s productive nature drove him to become a vineyard-management consultant to a number of vineyards throughout the Hill Country. He sold most of his grapes to nearby Alamosa Wine Cellars and joined his wife, Lynn, working in the tasting room there for something fun to do. If asked 10 years ago if he’d be starting up a winery, McHenry would have laughed. But there was something about San Saba and the prospect of starting something new that piqued his interest. With input from trusted friends like Jim Johnson of Alamosa Wine Cellars, Rick Naber of Flat Creek Estate, Gary Gilstrap of Texas Hills Vineyard and Seth Martin of Perissos Vineyard and Winery, McHenry spent the better part of a year forging partnerships for a business and laying out a design for a midsize winery in the heart of the historic downtown district. Finally, he brought aboard master winemaker Penny Adams (one of only a few females in the trade) and now Wedding Oak Winery, named for the 400-year-old oak tree in town, is one of the newest additions to the list of more than 250 bonded wineries in the state. Their tasting room is
Orchard Fresh Pecans from the Grower to You.
ly anything here was open on Sundays,” says McHenry. “But a lot of
Homemade Artisan Candies * Chocolates * Glazed Jalapeno Pecan Brittle * Pecan Beer Brittle Pecan Honey Butter * Pies * Fudge
shops and restaurants see the benefit that weekend travelers bring to
1402 W. Wallace St., San Saba, TX 76877
Saba landmark recently undertook a major facelift on the two early-1900s
800-657-9291 • oliverpecan.com 50
open on a daily schedule, including Sundays. “Before we opened, hard-
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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
this town and are now opening with us on Sundays.” Harry’s is a classic example. Originally established in 1939, the San buildings it encompasses. Today, it’s one of the most popular San Saba
W orld C lass W ine With
t exas r oots
Wedding Oak Winery owners Lynn and Mike McHenry.
stops—specializing in a wide range of western wear, hats and boots. While plans are in the works to develop a 50-plus-room hotel in downtown San Saba, a weekend stay at Burnham’s Lodging is a refreshing down-home experience right across from the courthouse, and the hotel offers a modest array of comfortable rooms built within old storefronts along Wallace Street (U.S. Route 190). For recreation, the nearby San Saba River Golf Course and the San Saba River Nature Park both offer excellent ways to enjoy the outdoors. In addition, San Saba is known as the “Pecan Capital of the World,” with multiple pecan orchards throughout the area that attract a steady flow of visitors in the fall. There are at least five pecan companies along Wallace Street, and a few, including The Great San Saba River Pecan Company, a few miles outside of the main district. All offer a variety of products from raw and spiced pecans to pies, fudge and other confections. And the recent addition of the San Saba Olive Oil Company offers visitors yet another opportunity to sample the region’s local treasures. The rekindled spirit of San Saba as a center point along the main Dallas and Austin thoroughfares of Texas Route 16 and U.S. Route 190 prompted McHenry to collaborate with seven other area wineries to create the Top of the Hill Country Wine Trail, consisting of Wedding Oak Winery, Alamosa Wine Cellars, Pilot Knob Vineyard, Pillar Bluff Vineyards, Perissos Vineyard and Winery, Fiesta Winery and Texas Legato Winery. While most of these wineries are technically part of the sprawling Texas Hill Country Wine Trails, as well as the Way Out Wineries trail, this core group draws a focus for visitors to this particular northern part of the Hill Country. Wedding Oak Winery isn’t the only one in the area ramping up to welcome more visitors, though. Seth and Laura Martin of Perissos Vineyard and Winery near Inks Lake have spent the past few years making a name in quality, estate-grown wines. A fraction of their grapes come from the High Plains; everything else is grown on-site.
PEDERNALES CELLARS is run by a sixth generation Texas family located in the Hill Country. JOIN OUR TRADITION Visit the winery in Stonewall, just an hour west of Austin. Buy our wines at a local Whole Foods Market or your speciality wine store DRINK TEXAS. pedernalescellars.com
“The problem is,” Seth notes, “we’ve been running out of space.” EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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. 830 833-1579
“I like a slower pace to life. Our food specializes in not specializing. Our only commitment is to sourcing our ingredients locally. We make everything from scratch and let the seasons tell us what we should do next.” — Mary Stanley, Turtle Restaurant This summer, the Martins completed an expansive tasting room and event space handcrafted in classic barn assembly style with a 40-foot barrel-vaulted ceiling using Douglas fir, cypress and other hardwoods to complete an old-school, artisan feel. In back, they added a storage room that will allow for about 280 barrels and 10,000 cases of finished wine. “It became clear to all of us that this could easily be the Sonoma of the Hill Country to Fredericksburg’s Napa,” says McHenry. “And so far, it’s proving to be true. We’ve seen a tremendous increase in agritourism to this part of the region, and our projections for Wedding Oak have exceeded our expectations in less than a year.” McHenry has wasted no time in fostering the winery’s momen-
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512-280-1192
11726 Manchaca
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tum with a calendar of events that include a weekly Thursday women’s wine group (Les Dames du Vin) and Lagniappe Tuesdays, which celebrates customers with a gift of appetizers along with their wine tasting. He’s also partnered with different area chefs to host a series of seasonal dinners that feature the local farmers, purveyors and businesses in this part of Texas. Last July, with the help of notable local, organic farmers Jimma and John Byrd, Wedding Oak hosted a farm-to-table dinner spotlighting produce and beef from area farmers with an Italian-inspired menu of dry-cured olives with fava beans, Caprese salad, rump roast with chimichurri, eggplant salad and ciambotta, an Italian dish similar to ratatouille. Dessert featured a fresh apricot tart with local lavender honey and San Saba pecans. In August, Wedding Oak joined with Mary Stanley of the popular Turtle Restaurant in Brownwood, 50 miles down the road from San Saba. Sharing a similar passion to revitalize small Texas towns, Stanley and McHenry paired up for a special Top of the Hill Country dinner. Celebrating the east-to-west progression of the full moon that evening, Turtle chef Stephen “Bubba” Frank presented a menu of Thai curry soup with Gulf shrimp, warm Greek spinach salad with Dorper lamb from nearby Goldthwaite, an Italian housemade pasta and a dessert of chocolate ganache tarts with pears poached in Wedding Oak Winery Bridal Blush rosé. Like McHenry, Stanley and her husband, David, have worked tirelessly for the last 10 years to revitalize their small town of Brownwood. And at their restaurant, visitors can find anything from burgers to curried pumpkin soup, to cranberry-mustard-crusted lamb, to Chinese cold noodles—the vast majority made using local products. “I like a slower pace to life,” says Stanley, with a nod to the name of her 53
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Stanley’s next project will be housed in the 1929 Montgomery Ward building.
restaurant. “Our food specializes in not specializing. Our only commitment is to sourcing our ingredients locally. We make everything from scratch and let the seasons tell us what we should do next.” This concept also applies to the Stanleys’ full-scale gelateria just next door to the Turtle—offering more than a dozen different handcrafted gelatos, including traditional Italian flavors like hazelnut and lemon as well as locally grown honey-lavender or syrah-gorgonzola-pear. Stanley has also harnessed her love of European-style wines and, drawing upon her philosophy of supporting local producers, next opened Turtle Enoteca, which spotlights a healthy balance of Italian and Texas wines and a fine selection of pizzas and small plates. But much like what’s happening in San Saba, visitors to Brownwood
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soon learn that Stanley’s ventures aren’t the only appeal to the town. Brownwood’s selection of shops and eateries stake a claim—including Hamilton’s gift and home decor store, the Runaway Train burger joint and the well-appointed antique stores Serendipity and Ricochet Old-
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Stanley says that soon she’ll be adding two more ventures: a downtown bakery serving a host of fresh assorted breads and pastries, and a funky bar and bowling alley concept called Monty’s 1930 Social Club. Housed in a 1929 Montgomery Ward department-store building next to the restaurant, the venue will have a ’30s-style four-lane bowling alley, Skee-Ball and stadium seating for competitions. A grand bar on
from the heart of the hillcountry—
the first floor will serve refined bar food and craft cocktails designed by Tipsy Texan cocktail guru David Alan. The three-story building will eventually have two theaters on the second floor and a formal ballroom on the third for special events.
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“There is a raised relief on the top frieze that depicts The Spirit of Progress statue, which was the symbol for the [Montgomery Ward] company,” Stanley says. The depiction of the symbolic figure, dressed in robes with a lit torch in her right hand and the caduceus staff of commerce and negotiation in her left, is a fitting one for Stanley, McHenry and others like them in this northern part of the Hill Country. Brownwood is a nottoo-distant vision of what San Saba can look forward to in its future. Perhaps the old adage is true after all: build it and they will come.
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People
PAT BRENNAN by Terri Taylor • Photography by Carole Topalian Reprinted with permission from Edible Dallas & Fort Worth: The Cookbook ©2012 by Edible Communities, Sterling Epicure, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
T
exas vineyard owner Pat
limestone cottage in the little
Brennan believes viog-
town of Comanche, two hours
nier will soon become
southwest of their home in Fort
known as the white wine of
Worth. Located in the Cross
Texas. At Brennan Vineyards
Timbers region of Central Tex-
in Comanche, it is his signature
as, Comanche sits at the junc-
wine, and there are other Texas
tion of two of the state’s best-
producers—McPherson Cellars,
known wine regions: the Hill
Becker Vineyards, Grape Creek
Country and the High Plains.
Vineyards, among others—that
“It was a place to get away,”
are creating viogniers worthy of
says Brennan. “Then one thing
notice.
led to another. Thirty adjacent
“We describe it as a white
acres were available on Indi-
wine for red wine lovers,” says
an Creek, and we bought it. A
Brennan. “It has a thick mouth-
friend, Dr. Richard Becker, has
feel, and it’s aromatic with the
a successful winery in Freder-
scents of peach, apricot, and
icksburg, and his story is much
honey.”
the same. There was extra prop-
Sommelier Hunter Ham-
erty and he decided ‘Why not?’
mett, wine director at the
We tested our soil and water.
Fairmont Dallas hotel, agrees:
It looked good, so Trellise and
“Viognier and Texas, in both
I bought a tractor and began
the culinary and viticulture
clearing.” They gathered friends and
aspects, are right for each oth-
family and planted fifty-four
er. The grape is an excellent partner for spicy and creamy foods due to its fruit-first and full-bodied
hundred vines—viognier, cabernet, and syrah—in four days. The inten-
nature. These vines require a relatively warm climate and are thankfully
tion was to sell grapes to other winemakers, but the quality of their
drought resistant.”
2003 and 2004 harvests was so good, they soon decided to take the
Hammett was introduced to Brennan’s viognier several years ago when judging a regional competition. “I was so impressed with the
plunge and create their own wines. Today Brennan and his winemaker, Todd Webster, produce eleven varieties.
quality and character of it that I requested the name of the producer
Recently, Brennan wrote a piece for the Tarrant County Medical So-
after the judging was complete,” says Hammett. “I was ecstatic that it
ciety entitled “Combining Art and Science Outside of Medicine.” Statis-
was not only from Texas but from Comanche. It has been a staple on my
tics show that physicians compared to other professionals are involved
wine list ever since.”
in the wine industry in proportionally high numbers.
Brennan Vineyard’s rising profile parallels that of the entire Texas wine
“Doctors aren’t intimidated by chemistry, which is a big part of mak-
industry, which in the last decade has been rapidly expanding and receiv-
ing a great wine,” says Brennan. “But like practicing medicine, wine-
ing increasingly good reviews. In 2001, there were only 46 vineyards in
making is both a science and an art. You can measure it every step of
the state. By the beginning of 2011, that number had jumped to 220.
the way, but ultimately you have to ask, ‘How does it taste, look, smell?’
In 1997, with no thought of becoming winemakers, Pat Brennan, then a practicing physician, and his wife, Trellise, purchased a historic 1879
That’s when it becomes art.” For more information, visit brennanvineyards.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Edible Destination
Pontotoc by TerrY Thompson-Anderson
Photography of Pontotoc Vineyards by Josh Hailey
T
he story of Pontotoc, in Mason County, is the tale of a small town established in the mid-1800s that struggled to become a viable community. According to the records at the Texas State Historical Association, the town’s first merchant, Mr. M. Robert Kidd, named the town and the nearby creek after his hometown of the same name in Mississippi. The economy around Pontotoc was primarily based on cotton, cattle, wool and pecans, and at the peak of the town’s growth, local vendors included a blacksmith, saddleries, a newspaper, two doctors, a hotel, a general store, hardware store, barber shop and a movie theater. In 1872, the German Immigration Company founded a farm and built a large house to service German immigrant families seeking a new beginning in the Texas Hill Country. A post office was opened in 1880, and in 1882, Pontotoc seemed poised on the brink of a boom. The San Fernando Academy was established in a grand sandstone structure in the center of the town and drew students from all over Texas in pursuit of teaching certificates. At its largest capacity, the school boasted 200 students and was the pride of the town. Then, in 1887, tragedy struck when a typhoid epidemic nearly decimated the town. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Left to right: Donnie, Carl and Ronnie Money
The local cemetery filled and
and Estate Tempranillo 2011, a
a second one was created. Suf-
100 percent estate-grown tem-
fering from low enrollment, the
pranillo—have been embraced
beloved San Fernando Academy
by the wine drinkers of Texas
was shuttered shortly thereafter.
and beyond. The 2011 San Fer-
Efforts were made to quickly
nando Academy was listed in
bolster the town’s economy, in-
Texas Monthly’s Top 10 Texas
cluding an unsuccessful attempt
Red Wines of 2012, and it won
in 1890 to form a new county called Mineral County from por-
“I envision [Pontotoc] as the
establish Pontotoc as the county seat. Many attempts were made to bring the railroad through Pontotoc, but the town was al-
Rodeo International Wine Competition and the San Francisco
tions of Mason, McCullough, San Saba and Llano counties and
bronze at both the 2013 Houston
kind of place where I want to hang out.” — Carl Money
Chronicle
International
Wine
Competition and a silver medal at the 2013 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Money, now with wife, Frances, and kids Harper, Ella and
ways bypassed. And even though a mica-mining operation was established in 1920 that gave the town a
one on the way, hopes to establish Pontotoc as an agricultural tour-
small economic boost, the population never grew beyond 300. Then, in
ism destination. He’s restored the historic German house into a bed-
August 1947, tragedy struck again when a disastrous fire ripped through
and-breakfast and also purchased the remaining downtown proper-
the movie theater and burned most of the downtown area, including the
ties—including the ruins of the San Fernando Academy. The original
abandoned academy.
Pontotoc grocery/general store and hardware store became the tasting
When Carl Money first saw Pontotoc in 2003, it was little more than
hall and winery for Pontotoc Vineyard, and like the bodegas of Spain,
ruins—albeit haunting and impressive ruins. Money, an attorney and an
they’re family friendly. The exposed sandstone walls and arched door-
Army major who serves as deputy regional supervising counsel of the
way that opens into the winery provide an intimate atmosphere. The
Office of Soldiers’ Council that represents Wounded Warriors, found
tasting bar is from the interior of an old pharmacy in Austria, and
the town and its possibilities compelling. He envisioned establishing a
there’s a long wooden table from the Bexar County law library that
farm so that his future family could enjoy an agricultural lifestyle much
graces the center of the hall and is flanked by stately benches from a
like he enjoyed as a child in Greenville, the sixth generation of a family
railroad station in England.
of East Texas cotton farmers. In 2003, he purchased the historic German estate and its surrounding five acres.
The space originally occupied by the old post office will eventually become the Dotson-Cervantes Winery, owned by former Oakland
Having traveled much of Europe for years while pursing an ed-
Raider Alphonse Dotson and his wife, Martha Cervantes. The pair has
ucation, Money developed a great interest in wine. Years later, while
been growing grapes for years at their large vineyard in Voca. Most of
teaching law in Spain, he became enamored with the tempranillo grape
their production is sold to Fall Creek Vineyards, where the couple’s own
and the fabulous wines produced from it. After purchasing the original
wine, Gotas de Oro, is produced and bottled. And in the former barber
property in Pontotoc, Money began to study the best use of the land.
shop, Don Pullum will set up an Akashic Vineyard winery and tasting
The unique terroir of the Llano Uplift in the northern Hill Country with
area. Money anticipates these restorations to be complete by October
its mineral-rich Hickory Sandstone soil promised to be a perfect venue
2013, just in time for Texas Wine Month.
for growing grapes. And, interestingly, the word “Pontotoc,” Money dis-
Money also intends to restore the old theater, providing a venue for
covered, actually means “land of the hanging grapes.” With help from
film screenings, live music and perhaps even a theater troupe. Eventu-
his father, Donnie, his uncle, Ronnie, and a handful of friends, Mon-
ally, he’ll work with engineers to shore up the soaring walls of the San
ey created a five-acre vineyard planted with tempranillo grapes. Uncle
Fernando Academy ruins to create a large pavilion for events under the
Ronnie is currently the vineyard manager, working in conjunction with
Hill Country stars.
winemaker Don Pullum, owner of Akashic Vineyard in Mason.
With a vision to revitalize the community of Pontotoc as a cultur-
The first vintage of Pontotoc wines from the 2011 harvest has
al and agricultural destination, Money is off to a great start. As the
already made quite a name for the winery, and the three wines—
project moves forward, new life is being breathed into the town and
San Fernando Academy, a blend of eight Mediterranean varietals;
economic opportunities are opening to the 200-plus residents who
Smoothing Iron Mountain, a tempranillo-cabernet sauvignon blend;
never gave up hope that Pontotoc could rise from tragedy and ashes.
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Edible Endeavors
On the Road to Quality
M
by Kristi Willis
ost craft producers will go to great lengths to acquire the
of coffee from [fewer] people we can secure our long-term supply of
finest ingredients possible for their customers, and those
really high-quality coffee.”
that practice direct trade go that extra mile—often literally.
For Joel Shuler of Casa Brasil, the attraction to direct trade was
Direct-trade businesses buy straight from the farmers, minimizing—if
an extension of his love of Brazilian culture. Shuler lived in Brazil for
not eliminating—the middleman from the equation. In this model, the
three years playing competitive soccer as a teenager. As an adult run-
grower gets paid a higher percentage of the sale, the buyer knows that
ning a Brazilian cultural center in Austin, he happened into the coffee
the product is being produced under a particular set of standards and
business while on a mission to prove that there was better Brazilian
the customer gets a high-quality product from a trusted source. Austin
coffee out there than what was being sold in the United States.
has a number of businesses that have chosen the more challenging
“I went to a local roaster and asked for some good Brazilian coffee. His
path of direct trade—among them are coffee roasters Cuvée Coffee
response was, ‘There is no such thing,’” recalls Shuler. “I knew that wasn’t
and Casa Brasil and tea importer Zhi Tea.
true.” To prove the point, Shuler spent over six months in Brazil doing
When Cuvée Coffee opened in 1998, they offered a laundry list of
internships and getting his Q Grader certification—a rigorous exam con-
coffees from a variety of producers, most of whom they’d never met.
ducted by the Coffee Quality Institute. He developed relationships with
Eight years ago, though, owner Mike McKim changed their business
producers, and because he is fluent in Portuguese, he was able to easily
model to include buying more coffee directly from fewer people. He
connect with some of the best coffee growers.
felt the change could improve quality, build stronger relationships
Shuler now buys from a dozen farms and visits Brazil about four times
and have a bigger impact on the individual farms. Cuvée now works
a year, sometimes staying over a month. In the interim, he stays in touch
with growers in over a half dozen Central and South American coun-
by e-mail and social media to keep up with how the crops are doing.
tries. McKim visits each grower at least once, and up to three times,
Jeffrey Lorien of Zhi Tea has traded with growers from Taiwan for
a year and brings their partners to Austin every other year so that
years and recently added China to his direct-trade routes. For him, one
customers can meet them personally.
of the keys to successful direct trade is taking advantage of opportuni-
“At the end of the day it’s all about quality,” says McKim. “Without
ties when they present themselves. Through connections via a friend,
the quality, everything else is irrelevant, and by buying larger volumes
Lorien began selling Pu-erh, a fermented tea from the Huangshan EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Photography of Joel Shuler by Jo Ann Santangelo
Joel Shuler buys from a dozen farms and visits Brazil about four times a year, sometimes staying over a month. mountain range in eastern China. When the new contact offered him
rituals. McKim says that he’s belted out Bon Jovi songs during karaoke
a seat in his car for an upcoming trip through the region where Pu-erh
in Costa Rica and cooked out on the beach in El Salvador to get to
is produced, Lorien jumped at the chance to travel with someone who
know his trade partners better. And one day on the way to a farm in
knew the area and could introduce him to the best producers.
Honduras, he and his hosts came upon a man on the road selling meat
“People say it’s great for your brand to show that you are direct
to passersby. A drunk driver had hit a cow and the farmer, not willing
sourcing,” says Lorien. “But to be able to make the connection…that’s
to let it go to waste, had started a roadside butcher shop. “There is
what is important. To say I picked the leaves, to know what they feel
always something interesting happening,” McKim says.
like, what they look like. Only in person do you learn the fine point between very good and excellent.”
Lorien learned the hard way on his most recent trip that the road to remote destinations can be harrowing. His group hired a driver to
That personal experience is a major component in building strong
take them to a village in the mountains. After four grueling hours on
relationships with partners. When meeting a potential supplier for the
a bumpy dirt road, they happened upon an accident—a truck hadn’t
first time, McKim says it’s important to be watchful for information
quite made the turn and was hanging off the side of the mountain.
that doesn’t quite mesh. “If I get in a car and there is chicken poop on
With no way to get around, they had to back down the mountain for a
the dashboard, then they probably don’t take really good care of their
mile before they found a place wide enough to turn around. “It was the
farm,” says McKim.
most terrifying experience of my life,” says Lorien.
Shuler looks for things like the size of the patios where the beans
Of course, as much as McKim, Shuler and Lorien all say they enjoy
are dried because it’s the type of detail that’s difficult to assess in pic-
the cultural aspects and connections associated with direct trade, in
tures. “One of the keys to coffee is you need to dry a homogenous lot
the end, it’s really about good business, not social causes or adventures.
together so that you get the same maturation level,” explains Shuler.
“Everything revolves around commerce,” says McKim. “None of this is
“If they have a huge farm and a small patio you know there is no way
charity. The people that we work with are going to get paid a premium
they can properly dry the coffee.”
for their good product and they can take that money and reinvest back
All say that the trips to visit their suppliers have provided interesting memories while navigating the various rural areas and cultural 62
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into the community, whether it’s helping build a medical facility, soccer field or garden. Through good commerce good things will happen.”
“To say I picked the leaves, to know what they feel like.... Only in person do you learn the fine point between very good and excellent.” —Jeffrey Lorien
“The people that we work with are going to get paid a premium for
Photography of Mike McKim (above left) and Jeffrey Lorien (above right by Jo Ann Santangelo
their good product and they can take that money and reinvest back into the community.... Through good commerce good things will happen.” —Mike McKim
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Passport to Local
Syria-sly Delicious by Emily Smith
in Jordan and Palestine. And
you must go to
the sweets that typically
Syria,” my clos-
feature nuts—baklava, bird’s
est friend, Ala’, said with
nests, shredded ballorieh
a dreamy smile. “The best
and toasted mabroomeh—
food in the world is there.”
were studded with pinkand-green pistachios.
It was 2010, and I’d been living in Jordan for some
Syrians have adopted
months, studying Arabic
certain European flavors
at a small university in the
and fashions, but they have
desert. Ala’ and I ate lunch
also
on campus every day, and
immune to globalization’s
he forever reminisced about
homogeneity. In other Ara-
his home country.
bic-speaking countries, En-
remained
somewhat
“You know,” he said, “when-
glish and French are used
ever I visit my family there, I
for educational instruction.
always come back a little fat.”
In Syria, however, students
Given the amount of food
learn either (or both) of
I was served in Jordan, this
these languages, but all ed-
wasn’t difficult to believe.
ucation—from kindergarten
A “light” meal in the Levant
to medical school—is con-
typically included a stack of
ducted in Arabic. Further-
fresh bread, cucumber and
more, U.S. sanctions have
tomato salad, an array of
prevented certain American
dips and spreads like hum-
mainstays (McDonald’s, Star-
mus, baba ghanoush and
bucks, Apple, Coca-Cola)
ful (stewed fava beans), tiny
from saturating daily life.
bowls of salt, hot chili and
One
za’atar (a blend of thyme,
an-brand cola and black-mar-
sumac and, sesame, among
ket iPhones, but overall, the
other countless variations),
country feels refreshingly
find
Canadi-
different from our own.
a plate of olive oil, falafel and french fries. Everything was served family-style with no individ-
might
In the coastal port of Latakia, where old men in tweed suits sat along cobblestone streets and sipped tiny cups of Arabic coffee, Eu-
ual plates or silverware. When I finally made it to Syria, the first thing I discovered was
ropean cuisines mixed with the Middle Eastern offerings. Pizza and
that the cultural dishes and portions were similar to those found in
pasta parlors sat beside shawarma (spit-roasted meats) stands, and
Jordan, yet with their own unique flavors and shapes. Baba ghanoush,
traditional French pastries like pain au chocolat glistened alongside
for example, was sprinkled with fresh pomegranate arils—an ingre-
za’atar-stuffed croissants. All were tempting but, at that time, my
dient difficult to find in more arid regions. Falafel were fried in the
friends and I were looking for a heartier breakfast and locals directed
shape of mini-doughnuts as opposed to the disks or fingers common
us to their favorite spot.
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Photography of sha’ebiyyat bil fostuq (a type of baklawa) by Jacob Arem
“I
f you like this food,
Jamal Abu Suez’s Café was a modest-looking restaurant at the end of a light-strung alleyway. Barrel-size drums of hummus and ful occupied the kitchen, and dozens of hungry customers filled the dining room each morning. Not knowing what to order, we surveyed the tables around us and pointed to what we’d like to try (essentially, one of everything). Minutes later, our table was filled with tiny plates and a stack of fresh bread. One server would appear with a bowl of qudsiyya (hummus and ful swimming in a pool of olive and flaxseed oils); another with fatteh (a mixture of yogurt, hummus, clarified butter, pita chips and tahini, topped with olive oil and pine nuts)—the food just seemed to keep coming. And though our bellies were ballooning, we did not stop eating. Just an hour or so south of the Turkish border is the Syrian city of Aleppo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world (second only to Damascus). Known not only for its history and age, Aleppo is famous for its covered markets, medieval castle and Great Mosque, and for its pistachios and olive oil soap industry—all of which have been damaged during the current political unrest in the area. In Photography of Muhammara by Whitney Arostegui
2010, though, I found Aleppo to be the most beautiful, welcoming city I’d ever laid eyes upon. There, I feasted on eggplant-lamb kebabs drizzled with a sweet cherry sauce, and berries and blood oranges pressed into fresh juices or muddled with ice for a naturally flavored slush. Muhammara—a blend of roasted red peppers, walnuts, bread crumbs, pomegranate molasses and lemon juice—was as commonplace a dip as hummus. My favorite Syrian dish, it’s chunkier than other spreads and the perfect balance of flavors: slightly sweet, yet tart and salty all at once. Of course, a journey through Syria wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the capital, Damascus. Before I’d ever set foot in the country, everyone who knew I was coming to Syria mentioned the Bakdash ice cream parlor located in the Al Hamidiyah Souk, just paces away from the Umayyad Mosque. The shop was opened in the 1880s, and the cluster of newspaper clippings, autographed photos of international celebrities and plaques occupying the walls paid tribute
Muhammara
to its fame. There, standard ice-cream ingredients were mixed with
Makes about 2 cups
mastic and sahleb (a flour made from the roots of a Turkish orchid) to give the dessert a melted taffy-like texture. Workers in paper hats and crisp aprons pounded the ice cream in stainless-steel drums before pulling, stretching and slapping it on marble countertops. It was then rolled into a ball, spun in a mixture of pistachios and cashews and slid into a glass bowl or waffle cone. There were only four flavors to choose from—milk, chocolate, mango and berry—but it was clear the best choice was to order the “cocktail” that featured a bit of them all.
1 large jar (12–16 oz.) roasted red peppers, drained (reserve liquid) ½ c. bread crumbs 2 /3 c. toasted and chopped walnuts 4 cloves garlic 2 T. fresh lemon juice 1–2 T. pomegranate molasses (available at Middle Eastern markets) ½ t. salt (or to taste) 1 t. cumin 1–3 t. Aleppo pepper flakes, to taste
It’s been said that the Prophet Muhammad never set foot in Damascus—that, just before descending the mountains and walking
In a food processor or blender, pulse all the ingredients to combine.
through the city’s gates, he refused to proceed and turned around. His
The consistency should be thick and chunky but slightly wet. Add a
reasoning was that “man should only enter paradise once.” I find the
bit of the reserved pepper liquid to thin, or more walnuts or bread
comparison to paradise true, at least in a culinary sense, not only for
to thicken if necessary. The dip should be tangy, sweet, salty and
Damascus, but for the better part of Syria. I returned to Jordan, possi-
slightly spicy. Adjust spices to taste. Garnish with additional Aleppo
bly a little chubbier, but certainly well fed.
pepper flakes, and serve with pita. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Passport to Local
A Little Bite of Culture by Lisa Masé
I
n Italy, the term aperitivo signals much more than simply happy
tailored pinstripes argue elbow-to-elbow with bookish college stu-
hour. It means the marriage of colorful cocktails and artful appetiz-
dents; coiffed women in skintight dresses laugh with tousled farmers
ers, where, every afternoon, Italians gather at a bar to recount the
on their way home from the dairy. Every facet of the local culture is
day’s stories and savor the free hours before dinner. Yet, in contrast
welcomed and cared for in exactly the same way.
to the discounted drink prices found at American happy hours, Italy’s
At aperitivo, the emphasis is placed strongly on the food. Low-al-
bars actually raise drink prices before the dinner hour. Rest assured,
cohol cocktails, such as Campari and soda or Aperol with prosecco,
though, that the 10-Euro investment is well worth the price to gain un-
are very popular during this time because they enhance the food with
limited access to the vast selection of each bar’s edible delights known
which they are consumed and they’re not strong enough to dull the
as stuzzichini (appetizers).
senses and distract from eating. Actually, it’s difficult—and expensive—
These alluring, carefully crafted buffets offer something to stuzzi-
to overdrink during aperitivo; rather than leaving happy hour with a
care (tantalize) anyone’s palate: delicate pasta ai ceci (savory flatbread
light-headed buzz and an empty stomach, Italians are much more likely
pizza squares made from chickpea dough); lightly oiled and crunchy
to leave wondering if they’ll have any appetite for dinner. In fact, food
bruschetta; braised endive with garlic; various salumi and cheeses;
and alcohol are so firmly linked that ordering an alcoholic drink at any
roasted zucchini; caper and basil salads; cannellini beans marinated in
time of day elicits anything from a small bowl of supplemental pea-
parsley, olive oil and balsamic vinegar; seeded breadsticks and tender
nuts to a platter of focaccia and prosciutto. Drinking without at least a
grilled meat on skewers. It’s a bounteous sight to behold, and each
small snack is practically unheard of, unless you’re having a digestivo
neighborhood bar scene matches the culinary variety: men in finely
(a digestive tonic like amari or bitters) after you’ve already eaten.
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Even after 20 years of living in the United States, I always return home to northern Italy with elation and make immediate plans with friends and cousins to meet for aperitivo. My best friend from childhood recently introduced me to an Aperol Spritz during a visit to my hometown of Ferrara. As we sipped our fizzy orange drinks, we returned to the counter again and again for more bruschetta and salumi, savored the outdoor bar scene on the cobblestone piazza and stayed long enough to see the sun set between medieval castle towers. To me, the ritual and pace of aperitivo perfectly illuminate the stark differences between the American and Italian attitudes toward making a bar hour (or longer) happy. To replicate the Italian aperitivo experience at home, strive for a variety of simple stuzzichini and refreshing, light drinks.
Aperitivi (Cocktails)
1213 West Lynn | 512.477.5211 | cipollina-austin.com
weekly, local prix-fixe menu • family owned
Negroni: one part Campari, one part gin, one part sweet vermouth. Serve over ice with an orange wedge.
Aperol Spritz: one part club soda, two parts Aperol, three parts prosecco. Serve over ice with a slice of lime.
Sanguinello: one part limoncello, two parts Campari, 2 parts blood-orange juice. Serve over ice with a twist of blood-orange rind. Note: Use Paula’s Texas Lemon for a locally produced limoncello!
1807 South First Street 512-215-9778 lenoirrestaurant.com
Stuzzichini (Appetizers) Classic Caprese Salad: sliced and salted tomatoes served with basil and high-quality mozzarella cheese and drizzled with olive oil.
Salumi Misti: assorted sliced meats like prosciutto, bresaola, speck, capocollo, coppa or cotechino.
Bruschetta: slices of sourdough ciabatta that have been broiled for two minutes, rubbed with a garlic clove and drizzled with high-quality olive oil.
Frittata: sautĂŠed vegetables (try zucchini and garlic) mixed with whipped eggs then baked until firm.
eat well. 11th & lamar 512-482-8868
winkrestaurant.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Marinated Cannellini Bean Salad This salad gains flavor and depth when prepared a day in advance. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Casual French Bistro Since 1982 510 Neches St. 473-2413 LUNCH Tues.–Fri. DINNER Tues.–Sun.
www.cheznousaustin.com
NO ARTIFICIAL INGREDIENTS!
.
11190 Circle Dr., Ste. 350 512-350-2271 betterbitesbakery.com
1 c. dry cannellini beans (white kidney beans) or one 12-oz. can cooked beans (If using canned beans, choose organic ones with no salt added. Rinse before using.) 3 c. water, plus extra for soaking dry beans 1 c. minced fresh parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced Sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste 4 T. high-quality olive oil 2 T. balsamic vinegar
If using dry beans, place the beans in a large bowl, cover by 1 inch with water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. Afterward, strain and allow to drain, then rinse with water until the liquid runs clear through a strainer. Pour the beans into a stockpot with 3 cups of water, cover, turn the heat to high and bring to a boil—watching carefully to make sure that the beans do not boil over. Once boiling, remove the lid and reduce the heat to medium. Use a spoon to skim
also found at:
off any foam that floats to the top. Repeat this step periodically as
Whole Foods Market Peoples Rx and more!
more foam forms. Cook for 1 hour or until tender. Strain and rinse once more and allow to cool. If using canned beans, skip cooking and
retail . wholesale . special events
begin here. Combine the parsley and garlic in a serving bowl with the salt, pepper, olive oil and vinegar. Toss the beans together with the other ingredients and refrigerate.
Walnut Pâté This delicious spread works well as a pasta sauce or polenta topping. 5 T. olive oil, divided 2 large yellow onions, chopped 2 T. red or white wine (or substitute with apple cider vinegar) 1½ t. dried thyme or 1 T. fresh, chopped ½ t. salt ½ t. black pepper ½ c. walnut halves and pieces
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet with a lid. When the oil is hot, add the onions, stir briefly with spatula and turn the heat to medium-low. Add the wine (or vinegar), cover the skillet and sim-
WE KNOW WHAT YOU WANT
mer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme, salt and
Austin-style pizza with a thin crust, local veggies, and homemade sauces.
let.) While the onions are cooking, place the walnut pieces in a dry
black pepper and simmer for 15 more minutes, until onions start to brown. (Add water if the onion is sticking to the bottom of the skilskillet and toast on low heat—tossing often with a spatula, for about 14 01 B ROSEWOOD AVE. 7870 2
3 minutes, until fragrant. Once the onions and walnuts are cooked, place them in a food processor and add the remaining olive oil. Blend
MENU 5 31 2 A IRPORT BLVD. S TE G 78751
4 67 8 9 0 0 18 0 9 -1 W. ANDERSON LN. 78757
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for 2 minutes, taste and adjust the salt, if needed. Note: For a Texas twist, substitute Texas-grown pecans for the walnuts.
Passport to Local
Stone Barns
Photography by Nicole Franzen
by Elizabeth Winslow
L
ast summer, my family and I set out to see for ourselves what
ing green farm fields and pastures situated in the fertile Hudson River
and how America eats, in the only way to really get the whole
Valley. The historic 1930s barns and courtyard were designed by noted
story: by car. Along the way, we saw and learned more about
architect Grosvenor Atterbury and originally built as a dairy farm by
a patchwork of small family farms—bright spots of hope in the vast
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. His son David later inherited the buildings and
acres of industrial agriculture and struggling farm towns, for certain.
surrounding property. In 2004, to honor the memory of his late wife,
But nothing quite prepared us for the heroic, bucolic splendor of Stone
Peggy, who had been a strong advocate for the preservation of Amer-
Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York—a
ican farmland, David and his daughter Peggy Dulany established the
magical oasis of vegetable, livestock and soil-building experimentation
Stone Barns Center as a nonprofit on 80 acres of the property.
and demonstration that marries the best of the past and future of our agricultural American dream.
In an introduction to the center, Rockefeller and Dulany note that, until the mid-20th century, small and midsize family farms could be
An easy drive just 25 miles north of Manhattan, the Stone Barns
found in communities across the United States—defining the landscape
property includes a cluster of weathered stone buildings nestled in roll-
and very often the culture and economy of rural America. But in the EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Photography of Hands on Gardening class by Catherine Yrisarri; of boy gathering eggs by Peter Zander
1960s, the rise of industrial-scale agriculture initiated the decline of
animals on the property are heirloom breeds—the traditional livestock
small-scale food production. Vast monocrops replaced farm diversity,
breeds that were raised before industrial agriculture and that were care-
and independently owned family farms struggled to remain relevant
fully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them well
and profitable. This shift toward reliance on industrial-scale farming
adapted to the local environment.
methods exacted a heavy environmental and socioeconomic toll on our
Visitors to the farm and center are welcome to wander about the
communities and had a negative impact on human health. The farm and
property, meet the farmers and animals and blaze their own paths. Al-
agricultural center were founded in an effort to reinvent the way food is
ternately, they can download the Stone Barns Center iPhone app to help
grown and consumed, as well as to develop methods that benefit human
guide their visit or stop by the Farm Store to pick up a self-guided tour
health and that are more in harmony with the land, water and wildlife.
(we chose the Follow the Frittata tour, making stops around the farm at
Currently, the farm’s cultivated fields, rolling pastures, barnyards and
all the crucial ingredients—hens for the eggs, the field for the tomatoes,
woodlands are a four-season, produce-and-livestock establishment now
etc.—for the frittata recipe on the back of the card). Staff tours are also
in its ninth season of experimentation and demonstration. Using a resil-
available, like the Insider’s Tour—an in-depth look at the farm and deep-
ient, self-renewing system that doesn’t rely on synthetic fertilizers, pes-
er insight into growing practices, as well as an overview of the center’s
ticides or other inputs, and that works to build the health of the soil and
work to improve the way America eats and farms. Also available are
its ability to produce nutritious food, farm managers (or property stew-
farm-to-table cooking classes and hands-on instruction like the Grow
ards) refer to the farm as “beyond organic.” Stone Barns raises laying
Your Own class which highlights all the wonderful things that plants
hens, broiler chickens, turkeys, geese, sheep, pigs and bees on 23 acres
can become—one month it may be baby food; the next it could be beer.
of pasture and 40 acres of woodlands. In addition, they grow more than
Since capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation is vital
200 varieties of produce year-round on six and a half acres of outdoor
to our agricultural future, programs for kids abound, making a farm
fields and gardens and in a 22,000-square-foot minimally heated green-
visit ideal for families. The Hands On: Egg Collecting program is one
house. Animals on the farm are raised humanely—pigs root around in
of the most popular programs at the center. “Participants learn about
the shade of the forest and sheep rotate to fresh pasture every few days
the life of our hens and then help with the all-important job of egg
followed by geese, laying hens, broilers, turkeys and pigs. Many of the
collecting,” says Jennifer Rothman, programs director at Stone Barns.
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Selection of Destination Farms In Texas Agarita Creek Farms Fredericksburg agaritacreek.com
On a bluff overlooking the farm near Frederickburg, Texas, Beverly and Tom Carnes have built two beautiful log cabin guest houses, which offer guests an up close look at life on a farm, as well as opportunities for exploring the Texas Hill Country and hunting for white tail and axis deer.
Inn at Dos Brisas Originally purchased as a ranch retreat, this luxurious Relais & Chateaux property in the Texas Hill Country presents a five star dining experience created with organic produce from the property’s extensive gardens and greenhouse.
Photography of carrots by Jonathan Young
lidify the connection between farm and food.” And every Saturday and Sunday, there’s Story Time on the Farm in a shady spot on the property—featuring favorite books about farms, animals and nature, and a free Farm Bingo game in the Visitors Center helps kids keep their eyes peeled for farm items both big and small.
Montesino Ranch Wimberley montesinoranch.com
Nestled under 100-year-old pecan trees and overlooking a patchwork of farm and grazing fields, Montesino Ranch boasts modern and comfortable accommodations as well as trails for hiking on and around “little mountain.”
Also available are intensive courses like Break it Down, that teach skills in traditional food arts like animal butchering. Participants get
In the U.S.
familiar with the different cuts of meat, learn about cooking with less-
Appleton Farms
er-known cuts and become better informed about cost and sustainability when choosing meat. Paired with tours of the farm’s animal husbandry operations, this is a chance for a truly deep understanding of how our food could be produced. Most of the farm’s produce and meat is sold on-site via the casual, self-serve Blue Hill Café, the award-winning Blue Hill at Stone Barns restaurant helmed by Chef Dan Barber and at the Farm Market. The rest is used in educational programs that allow children and other visitors to cook with, and taste, what’s grown in the fields. Rothman hopes to inspire people to think about eating in a new way and that after a visit, a better understanding of sustainable farming and its importance will be built—always keeping the plant, the animal, the earth and our bodies in mind. “Our goal is to improve the way America eats and farms,” says Rothman. “It’s an ambitious one, but it’s also delicious! We’ve found that when people take an active role in their food—whether that’s visiting a farm, knowing a farmer, growing a garden, raising chickens or committing to cook at least one meal at home a week—they begin to see all the fun that can be had with fresh food. We want to inspire people to be active food citizens so everyone can help to create a healthy food system.” Stone Barns makes an excellent day trip from New York City, or even a longer weekend trip to include the area hiking, gallery visits, antiquing and quaint nearby cafés. The farm is open to the public Wednesday through Sunday year-round, but since programs change seasonally, check the website for trip planning and to reserve spots in hands-on classes and farm tours. Plan to sign up for a program or two, but leave plenty of time to wander around the farm and breathe in a renewed sense of purpose and hope for the future of food in America.
Harborside, ME fourseasonfarm.com
Four Season Farm is an experimental market garden owned and operated by writers Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman. The farm produces vegetables year-round and has become a nationally recognized model of small-scale sustainable agriculture. Visitors are always welcome to tour the farm or stop by the farm stand.
Monticello
Washington dosbrisas.com
“Plus, everyone gets to take home a four-pack of eggs—helping to so-
Four Season Farm
Charlottesville, VA monticello.org Thomas Jefferson’s gardens at Monticello were a botanic laboratory of ornamental and useful plants from around the world. Jefferson grew 330 vegetable varieties in Monticello’s 1000-foot-long garden terrace, and 170 fruit varieties of apples, peaches, grapes and more grew in Monticello’s orchards. The new two-hour, experiential tour of Thomas Jefferson’s vegetable and fruit gardens—his Revolutionary Garden—includes an in-depth guided walk followed by a Meet the Gardener segment with Monticello’s professional staff. Visitors participate in seasonal gardening activities, such as planting, harvesting and sampling spring crops ranging from asparagus to baby root vegetables.
Philo Apple Farm
Ipswich, MA thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/ northeast-ma/appleton-farms.html Now owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations, Appleton Farms has been in operation since the 18th century. Over six miles of hiking trails crisscross the property, and the historic farm buildings, dairy barns, verdant fields, sweet-eyed Jerseys and cheesemaking operation make this a fascinating and lovely place to spend an afternoon (or two).
Blackberry Farm
Philo, CA philoapplefarm.com
Family-run Philo Apple Farm is nestled in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, California. Guests are invited to “stay and cook” on the farm, learning lost culinary traditions of homesteading with the bounty of the orchards, hoophouses, flocks of sheep and goats, chickens and dairy from Cora, the farm’s Jersey cow. Accommodation-only options are available as well, or simply stop by the farm stand and mercantile on your drive between San Francisco and Mendocino.
Pie Ranch
Walland, TN blackberryfarm.com
Set in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Blackberry Farm is perhaps more luxurious than others on this list, but the 4,200 acres of pastoral beauty and the impeccable heirloom produce will nevertheless invoke reverence for what can be produced on this rolling landscape. Available activities include farm tours and gardening talks as well as hands-on culinary classes, cooking demos and A Day in the Life of a Chef courses.
Featherdown Farm Days various locations featherdown.com
Fancy a farm stay with sweeping views of rolling green fields? Featherdown Farm Days partners with working farms across the U.S. Guests bunk in custom tents with wood-burning stoves and everything needed to cook up incredible meals with the farms’ bounty. Kids can enjoy tending animals while grown-ups enjoy a comprehensive look at a full day (or several) in the life of a farm.
Pescadero, CA pieranch.org On California’s San Mateo coast, Pie Ranch partners with youth around food and farming. Educational programming for area youth (and some from farther afield) supports the production of ingredients for pies (wheat for crusts, eggs and fruits for filling, dairy for milk and butter from both goats and cows) and vegetables for healthy meals. Take a farm tour, visit the farm stand and follow the farm produce to Companion Bakeshop.
Polyface, Inc.
Swoope, VA polyfacefarms.com Polyface Farms is a family-owned, multigenerational, pasture-based, organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Visitors can see farming guru Joel Salatin and family at work, walk on the “salad bar” pastures, see the mobile chicken tractors and the “pigerators” close up and shop in the well-stocked farm store.
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passport to local
The Wilds of Hawaii by logan cooper
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T
he dog was one ugly son of a bitch. I was crouched by a vine-slung banyan tree watching the thing’s massive chest heave in and out. Water dripped from the canopy, leaving little dark splotches down the length of its seven-foot body. My lip curled involuntarily to match the dog’s own unsettling rictus as I craned sideways to get a better look at the massive bone spikes jutting from its back and neck. Its thick, ragged claws led down to two sets of tiny wheels, somewhat ruining the menacing effect. The beast was an amazingly detailed animatronic, built for the film Predators by the wonderfolks from KNB EFX Group. We were shooting on location in Hawaii and this was part of the final payoff for the couple of months I had spent scouting and securing filming spots on the Big Island. Before the 200 crew members showed up, before we started building roads and pads for our semitrailers, before the ex-
plosions, the pitfalls, the freaky dogs and the alien spacecraft, I had spent weeks tearing around in four-wheel drive vehicles, rappelling down waterfalls, squeezing through lava tubes and getting completely lost in the eerie haze of eucalyptus groves. Some films just have better perks than others. Everywhere I went, it was like being immersed in a lush, open-air salad bar—in which food is aggressively inescapable. Literally. One afternoon I was attacked by an avocado. I was on Kauai at the time, minding my own business, snapping some pictures of an interesting rock formation. With barely a rustle of warning, I was walloped by a huge, black-skinned Linda the size of a grapefruit. A bed of yellow guava broke my fall and I was able to console myself with a restorative impromptu picnic. That delicious avocado learned a valuable lesson about the repercussions of assault.
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Another time, I was tracking a small bosky river near Mount
and home to many early Hawaiian kings. It’s still considered sacred
Waialeale. I stopped to retie my boot and looked up to see a cyborg
in those parts and any work there requires a light touch…and appar-
of doom barreling toward me at full speed. After a mouth-drying sec-
ently dinner.
ond, my brain resolved the blur into a slobbery dog. Unlike the film
During negotiations, I was invited to visit one of the supervising
set’s hellhound, though, this one was built on a much smaller scale
tribe members. His kids had gone out and collected a small sack of
and outfitted with GPS tracking equipment, a Kevlar vest and a steel
kukui nuts from a huge tree behind his house. His wife roasted the
collar-slash-sternum guard. A sharp whistle pulled mecha-Cujo up
fat, tricorne-shaped delicacies, then scooped out the mocha flesh
short and I noticed more dogs, as well as two young locals, nearby.
and mixed it with salt to make a condiment called ‘inamona.
Turns out, that much like Texas, Hawaii has a feral hog problem
The ‘inamona was tossed with ruby cubes of tuna, shaved onion,
and these gentlemen and their dogs were trying to rectify it. It was
limu seaweed and a bit of chili to bring together a batch of poke, the
the end of the day, and having had no luck in pigville, they let me tag
memory of which has me contemplating a quick round of airline tick-
along while they wrangled some less tusk-y edibles. We headed to
ets. They served the poke with poi made from a locally grown taro root
an area where one of the guys had earlier spotted a trove of young
that was pounded to a smooth lilac paste and left to briefly ferment.
fiddlehead ferns, but on the way, his friend got really excited about a
After that meal I probably would have agreed to an embarrassing list
mess of wild watercress. It grows in little rafts in pools in the river,
of demands, but fortunately everyone proved to be quite reasonable.
and my companions waded in hip-deep to scoop up several armfuls
I’m just scratching the culinary surface of the place, too. There were
of it. The cress was thinner and longer than what I’m used to seeing
wild bitter melon vines stewed with chicken and creamy hearts of palm
here, but it had a similar grassy, peppery bite.
lopped straight from the tops of swaying peach palms, and ‘opihi (limpets)
We got back on the trail of the ferns, or ho‘i‘o, as they’re known
pried from the rocks during low tide, grilled and finished with a little
there. These curled and feathery treats turned out to be one of my
sweet butter. There’s the pungent fragrance of lilikoi that lends cre-
favorite finds on the islands. The plants themselves can be quite
dence to the passion fruit name, and the enchanting white pineapple
large, but you just snap off the tender nautilus tips for eating. They’re
that’s so delicate it can’t be shipped off the island. Hawaii is without
great steamed, blanched or stir-fried, but you can also eat them raw;
doubt an archipelago of milk and honey.
the shoots are crisp, sweet and salty, with a flavor not unlike a pear
I should point out that I had permission to forage whenever I did so. As you might imagine, some landowners can get a little prickly
crossed with seaweed. Executing production contracts on the islands was a lot more fun
about passing tourists trampling potentially delicate flora to sack up
than in other places I’ve worked. I’ve reached deals over coffee, beer
a bunch of their lumpy lemons and poha berries. While the island
and even freshly baked chocolate-chip cookies, but that all seemed
is a wonderland of abundance, it’s a good idea to check for property
to fall short compared to working out filming details at the Big Is-
lines before any scavenging adventures. Lest you have mechanical
land’s iconic Waipio Valley. The valley was the seat of government
dogs unleashed on you.
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Brooklyn Silver Anniversary Lager 1988-2013
It’s been a long and, at times, bumpy road. 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 anniversary 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 Anniversary Lager. Our celebrated Brewmaster Garrett Oliver crafted a double bock version of our first beer, Brooklyn Lager, to commemorate the anniversar y. This third label features Roxy Paine’s piece, Ver tical Sequence. We’ll be rolling out the final label at the close of 2013. Cheers!
Steve Hindy, co-founder and president The Brooklyn Brewery 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249 • BrooklynBrewery.com • Facebook.com/TheBrooklynBrewery • @BrooklynBrewery • BrooklynBloggery.com
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passport to local
Old Delhi Spice Market by Wes Marshall e’ve imagined being here for most of
W
We soon discover that Raj has two agendas.
our adult lives, but even our dreams
First, he wants us to taste the wonderful food,
understate the reality. The mass of
but second, he wants to check whether we’re
humanity is breathtaking and the senses stag-
game enough to withstand a little excitement,
ger. Neon-hued saris pale next to the explosive
because our next step is into an area few out-
rainbow of produce, herbs and spices while the
siders ever see. Raj asks if we wonder where all
aromas of cardamom, cinnamon, garam masa-
of the spices come from. Frankly, we have been
la, cloves, nutmeg and cumin hit as hard as the
so wrapped up in the experience that we hadn’t
audio of a third-row seat at an AC/DC concert.
thought about it. Raj has us follow him down a
My wife, Emily, and I are at the Old Delhi spice
snaking alleyway. We wander past dozens of tiny
market in India, the center of the universe for
shops and land just to the left of a tight stair-
Mughlai cuisine—a style of cooking prevalent
case. We start up and when we emerge, we are
in northern India (especially Uttar Pradesh and
at the top of a huge courtyard of a grand old
Delhi), Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Indian city
home. Since squatters have long ago taken over
of Hyderabad, and often associated with the dis-
this place, there’s really no discernible title to the
tinctive aroma and the taste of ground and whole
property—people just move in and take a slot.
spices. If the supreme Mughal leader Shãh Jãhan
We have arrived at the wholesale area of Khari
should look down from the highest garden of
Baoli—the heart behind India’s spice trade.
paradise, he would be pleased.
Short, skinny porters lumber by, carrying 100-
Khari Baoli street, where the market is lo-
kilo burlap bags filled with mystery spices and
cated, is the soul of our trip, a gustatory Eden,
aromas sufficient to take the breath away. Two
a panoply of penetrating tastes and a variety
barbers busy themselves in makeshift shops set
of heady aromas that would be impossible to
up on the walkway while a young couple settle
replicate anywhere else in the world. The foot
into one of the beautiful old bedrooms, soon to
traffic is so heavy that most wheeled vehicles
be their family’s home. Walking around, we no-
don’t dare enter the area, and the people are so
tice that each room is a specialty store offering
inured to the tight quarters that they even have
a single item. Peppers are grouped into one area,
a polite way of touching another person’s back
while sticky fruits and intoxicating powders are
to let them know they want to pass.
in another. Out on the street, the individual stalls
Along with us is our guide, Srinivasan “Raj” Rajendran. He takes us
vie for attention—each an intense concentration of its specialty item,
places where the folks look as amazed to see us as we are to see the
forcing a buyer to attend to the minute variations in skin texture and col-
treasures of their twisted passageways. Raj stops now and then at street
or, but also allowing the deep attention to singular aromas.
vendors, the best of which features a man making kela ka paratha—un-
We leave our adventure in India struck by a few thoughts: despite
leavened bread stuffed with plantains that have been hyper-spiced with
the fact that the country has poor public health and safety utilities,
coriander, ginger and turmeric.
the private sectors of the spice market are clean—we never once had
After a few hours of wandering from stall to stall, Raj takes us to lunch
a problem eating street food and we’re stunned by the monomaniacal
near Jama Masjid, the principal mosque in the area. He chooses Karim’s,
pursuit of food perfection. We’ve traveled the world’s great food mar-
the legendary 100-year-old place known for its heavenly Mughlai cuisine,
kets on all the continents save Africa, and the only one that comes close
and orders a spread that includes seekh kebab (minced lamb with cilantro,
to Old Delhi’s spice market is the Tsukiji market in Tokyo, where they
garlic, ginger, cumin and chaat masala), chicken and mutton burra (mari-
pursue fish with the same singular vision that the people of Delhi pur-
nated meat with curds and balsamic vinegar), mutton keema (spicy fried
sue spices. For anyone with an interest in food—not just Indian food,
minced lamb), roomali roti (whisper-thin flatbread), biryani (fried rice with
but any food—the Old Delhi spice market must be considered an essen-
meat, eggs and vegetables) and kheer (sweet spiced rice pudding).
tial pilgrimage to a culinary mecca.
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Passport to Local
On Cuban Time by Whitney Arostegui
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T
ime is a tricky thing in Cuba. It reveals itself to be untrustworthy, able to speed up or slow down on its own whims. Without working cell phones or easily accessible Internet, it’s easy to feel vul-
nerable or overwhelmed. But then the country’s charisma takes hold, and the senses can’t help but succumb to the smiling, conversational faces walking the streets and the seductive music emanating from every crevice of every dilapidated building. It feels simultaneously confusing, exhilarating and utterly charming. I was in the colonial town of Trinidad when I realized how notably my awareness of time had been altered to suit the island’s schedule. Earlier that morning, on a bus from Havana, I’d decided upon my day’s plans: to wander about, take in the notable architecture, walk by a well-known Santeria temple and hike up to an area high above the town’s center. By midafternoon, I’d settled into my casa particular (a common Cuban alternative to a hotel that functions similarly to a bed-and-breakfast), and, perhaps because I was nearly delirious from heat and hunger, I could hear the balcony outside my room whispering my name. Instead of venturing out, I poured myself a chilled beer and watched people go about their day from my mezzanine viewpoint. Soon, another traveler also staying in the casa introduced himself. After he sat down, friends I’d met in Havana shouted up from below and joined us, as well. Before we knew it, the sun was setting and our outdoor patio table was covered with empty beer cans, bottles of rum, the occasional escaped mint leaf, sticky splatters of sugary sodas and the crumbs of devoured plantain chips. Our party had grown to encompass a number of friends and strangers, including the casa owner, Natalia.
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Discussions in multiple languages about politics and art crisscrossed over the table like tennis balls. Voices were raised but no one was upset, and fits of laughter frequently distracted from any disagreements at hand. When the live band at the restaurant next door started up, we had no choice but to move our attention to the thunderous melody bellowing from the singer. And then, somehow, I was suddenly being spun around a balcony floor to the cadence of drums while waves crashed onto a notso-distant shore. Before I went to Cuba, I knew about the cigars, the old cars, the fraught political history. I knew that my father had been born there, left when he was five, and never had a chance to go back before he died. What I learned from Cuba is how to slow everything down, how to leave behind schedules and unnecessary obligations, how to talk to anyone in the street and dismiss small fears. I still had to be aware of my surroundings and my belongings, but I could let go of almost everything else and replace it with the vibrant energy swarming that island. Growing up, my father always told me that eating and drinking with family and friends should be of the highest priority. And yet, it’s an easy thing to forget. In Cuba, it was our only priority. And though excursions to Santeria temples and other guidebook sights were often lost to lazy afternoon mojitos, my days there were filled with spontaneous adventures, unexpected companions, passionate conversations and a sense that my father was proud.
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La Casita de Buen Sabor
Autumn Peppers
I
t’s warm and steamy in my
the seeds and veins and fill
kitchen—a glorious re-
them with my Mo’ Better
minder that I’ve survived
than Pimento Cheese spread
another summer in Central
(recipe follows). These pep-
Texas. Autumn has arrived,
per “bowls” look so beautiful
bringing with it my reclama-
on the fall table interspersed
tion of kitchen and hearth.
among baby pumpkins and
Mysterious and alluring aro-
ornamental squash, whole po-
mas permeate the room: a
blanos and Hatch chiles, long
charred scent mingles with
stems of aromatic rosemary,
the sweet perfume of peppers
whole garlic heads and other
roasting close to the flame.
seasonal produce arranged as
I’m making one of my favorite
a runner or centerpiece.
recipes: roasted then marinat-
Guests can also spread the
ed tricolor pepper strips (red,
pimento cheese on crostini or
yellow and orange bell pep-
stuff it into celery stalks or bell
pers) with a few green pobla-
pepper wedges. Set the remain-
nos for added piquancy and
ing dish of marinated pepper strips on the table for addition-
color. They’re fragrant with garlic and garden fresh snippets of marjoram and basil, bathed in Med-
al garnishing. Chunks of rustic bread or small cornbread muffins served
iterranean (or Texas) olive oil and splashed with sherry and balsamic
in a basket alongside bowls of the cheese spread accompany hearty au-
vinegars for a slight sweetness and depth of flavor.
tumn soups and stews, Texas chili or frijoles. Are y’all hungry, yet?
I am already conjuring up all the ways in which I will devour this colorful medley. I’ll make bruschetta—mounding the peppers atop chèvre, roasted meats, cheese and thick slices of rustic bread. If I’m in a hurry,
MO’ Better than Pimento Cheese Spread
I’ll order a gourmet pizza for my guests, and scatter on some marinated
Makes about 6 cups
crumbled feta or creamy ricotta—or sandwich them between layers of
peppers along with handfuls of baby arugula. Or I’ll add a colorful cap of zesty peppers atop a bowl of home-style hummus. Perhaps I’ll lightly pound and season a butterflied pork tenderloin, top it with tangy peppers and some long sprigs of sweet marjoram, roll it up and rub it with olive oil and a generous dusting of paprika before roasting. Cut into medallions to showcase the colorful centers, they’ll taste delicious served hot or cold. Maybe I’ll tuck the peppers inside a golden omelet made with farmers market eggs, or add a lovin’ spoonful to soups and stews, or toss them with pasta, dabs of chèvre and freshly grated Parmesan, or stuff them into mushroom caps with chopped green onions and soft cheese and broil. And there’s always the chance I’ll just simply puree the pepper strips with toasted walnuts and bread crumbs to make a thick and hearty spread.
½ red onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 lb. extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (or sharp, if preferred), grated ½ lb. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated (for creaminess) 1 heaping c. Colorful Autumn Pepper Medley, drained and chopped 3 T. (or more) marinade from above peppers 3–4 T. good quality mayonnaise ½ t. paprika Chopped jalapeños or serranos to taste (optional) ¼–½ t. crushed cayenne (optional) ¼–½ t. smoked paprika (optional) 1 bunch green onions with tops, chopped (optional) 3–4 T. crisp, crumbled bacon (optional)
While shopping for the ingredients to make this versatile base dish
Using a fork, mix the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add only
of marinated peppers, I had another inspiration. Upon seeing the plump
enough mayonnaise to bind the ingredients. Add more peppers or
and colorful bell peppers, I decided to cut off their stem tops, remove
marinade, if needed. Do not over-blend! Texture is vital.
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Photography by John Pozdro
by Lucinda Hutson
Colorful Autumn Pepper Medley Makes about 3 cups 2 each medium-size red, yellow and orange bell peppers 2–3 poblano peppers (or 3–4 Hatch chiles) 4 or more garlic cloves, minced 4–5 T. extra-virgin olive oil 3 T. oregano, basil or complementary herb vinegar (see Summer 2008 issue of Edible Austin) or red wine vinegar 3 T. sherry vinegar 2 T. balsamic vinegar ¼ t. brown sugar, or to taste Salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste ¼ t. dried cayenne 2 T. loosely chopped fresh marjoram, including some tender stems left intact 2 T. basil, cut into ribbons 3 fresh bay leaves, optional
To roast the bell peppers and poblanos, poke the whole chilies
Texas Grown, Estate-Bottled Extra Virgin Varietal Olive Oil Texas Flavor-Infused Olive Oil: Roasted Garlic, Mesquite, Sweet Basil, Herb Garden, Meyer Lemon, Rattlesnake Pepper, Rosemary, Orange Texas Flavor Infused Balsamic Vinegars: Blackberry, Rio Orange, Figalicious Fig, Black Cherry, Pomegranate, Blueberry, Pecan, Peach AUSTIN AREA
Whole Foods Market, Wheatsville Co-Op, Central Market HEB Grocery, Greenling.com, Farmhouse Delivery, SFC Downtown Farmers Market, Sunset Valley Farmers Market, Barton Creek Farmers Mkt NEW BRAUNFELS
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with a fork to keep them from bursting, place them on a bak-
SAN ANTONIO
ing sheet and roast 4 to 6 inches from the flame of a preheated
Whole Foods Market Central Market, HEB Lone Star Mercantile RIPE Market The Rim Farmers Mkt Olmos Basin Farmers Mkt
broiler or directly over the open flame of a grill or on a hot comal—turning occasionally—until evenly blistered and lightly charred. Place the charred chilies in a large bowl, cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Carefully peel away the charred skin, but don’t rinse the chilies under running water or you’ll lose flavor! Remove the seeds and stems and cut the peppers
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into 3-by- 3/8-inch strips. Toss the pepper strips with the minced garlic. Mix together the oil, vinegars and sugar in a small saucepan and heat. When near boiling, remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly, then pour over the peppers. Add salt and pepper to taste, toss with the cayenne and fresh herbs and refrigerate for several hours. Serve at room temperature.
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SATURDAY NATURAL TALKS Always free! Always empowering! Find our schedule for talks on our website or pick up a copy at the store. Mon–Sat. 10–6:30
theherbbar.com 200 West Mary 512.444.6251 EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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Pickled Pumpkin by Kate Payne • Photography by Jo Ann Santangelo
I
’m a sucker for fall—the season signaling a renewed love of pies,
Linda Ziedrich, author of The Joy of Pickling, mentored me in my
an influx of cinnamon-laden treats, the much-anticipated fare-
early days of writing about food preservation, and her book remains
well to summer’s endless heat and, of course, pumpkin-flavored
one of my go-to preserving resources. Linda has two recipes for pickled pumpkin in her book; I modified the savory one to suit our palates’
everything. I turned my pumpkin paradigm upside down last year after I’d
pickle preferences.
exhausted all other applications for our garden’s volunteer-pumpkin
While it’s true that starting with small, flavorful pumpkins will
harvest. I’d souped, buttered and baked myself insane. Then I froze
yield an intensely pumpkin-y pickle, ultimately the pumpkin variety
the remainder when the thought of consuming any more pumpkin, in
doesn’t really matter for this project. Feel free to save those treasured
any form, was too much to bear. Yet, I still had another large pumpkin
pie pumpkins for what nature intended (making pie, of course). Sub-
staring me down on the counter.
stitute winter squash for the pumpkin, if desired.
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This recipe only requires an eighth to a quarter of a medium-size pumpkin, but can also be scaled up to preserve a whole pumpkin. See the recipe modifications below to safely process in a water-bath canner. If sealing the jars, be sure to use vinegar with at least 5 percent acidity (check the label) and cut the pumpkin into cubes no larger than ¾ inch.
We’re jammin’ more than just jelly in these jars!
Since this pickle has more savory notes, it goes well with snacks and appetizers like cheese plates, in grains or green salads with roasted beets and pepitas or, alternately, over meats like pork or lamb.
Pickled Pumpkin Makes 1 quart 2 lb. pumpkin, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces 1 T. pickling salt, or 1½ T. kosher salt 1¼ c. apple cider vinegar 2 /3 c. sugar 4 thumb-size, thinly sliced slivers of ginger 1 large clove garlic, smashed 4 black peppercorns, smashed 4 cloves 1 bay leaf
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Combine the pumpkin pieces and salt in a glass bowl. Cover and let sit for at least 1 hour, and up to 3. Prepare the brine by combining the remaining ingredients in a large, nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel, enameled cast iron, glass). Dissolve the sugar over low heat, then raise the heat to medium-high—stirring periodically. Once boiling, reduce
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501 Bastrop Hwy, Austin 512-385-3452 Monday-Saturday 8am to 6pm
the heat and allow the brine to simmer gently for 10 minutes. While the brine simmers, rinse the salt from and drain the pumpkin pieces. Add the pumpkin pieces to the brine and raise the heat to medium. Allow the pumpkin to boil in the brine for 5 minutes. Ladle the pumpkin pieces into a quart-size jar and pour in the unstrained hot brine to cover. Let the jar sit on the counter to cool for 30 minutes then place in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 1 month. If sealing in a water-bath canner, increase the sugar to 1 cup and the vinegar to 1¾ cups, but omit cooking the pumpkin pieces in the brine. Instead, heat the vinegar and sugar until dissolved, pack the rinsed pumpkin directly into the jar (if using pint jars, distribute the pumpkin pieces and spices evenly between them) then pour in the hot sugar and vinegar mixture—leaving ½-inch headspace. Process pint jars for 10 minutes and quarts for 20.
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Sustainable Food Center
outreach at the New Center by Bianca Bidiuc
I
mmediately following Sustainable Food Center’s (SFC) long-anticipated move to its new home in East Austin, we held our second annual
Program Replication Training. In all, 22 individuals representing 10 different entities from Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas gathered to learn how to implement one or more of SFC’s programs: Grow Local community and school gardening; Farm Direct farm-to-institution and markets; Sprouting Healthy Kids farm-to-school and food-systems education; and The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre cooking classes. Throughout the sessions, participants engaged in planning sessions and hands-on activities and tours, and spoke with program partners. The training prepares these organizations to replicate program components in their own communities, so that more children and adults can grow, share and prepare healthy food. For The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre cooking classes, attendees learned and experienced what it’s like to facilitate a cooking class series from start to finish. Not only did they sharpen their skills in the kitchen and create tasty recipes on a budget, they also learned how to effectively lead classes on nutrition and food systems education to prevent chronic diet-related diseases. One participant later tested the roasted kale chip recipe on her young daughter, who is a picky eater, and to her delight, it was a hit! Our Grow Local staff offered training on ways the program provides adults and children with the skills to grow their own healthy food. Participants learned about Spread the Harvest community and school gardens and toured locations where they met local gardeners in action. And an East Austin elementary school teacher came by to tell her story of starting a school garden because she believed it would help her students’ emotional, behavioral and academic learning. A visit to the SFC Farmers’ Market–East, located adjacent to our new center, gave the group a chance to speak with local farmers and vendors and see, firsthand, how the Double Dollar Incentive Program functions to increase access to fresh, healthy food by doubling dollars spent on fruits and vegetables for customers using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. In fact, the topic of doubling the spending power at farmers markets was so popular that we created a lunchtime discussion group to further explore the topic. The energy from the group was contagious. “Hearing from those who actually run these programs—everyone from SFC staff and interns to food directors, farmers and coordinators—was the most valuable portion of this training,” one participant noted. As SFC staff, we were thrilled to host this training in our new center, and we look forward to continuing to be a valuable community resource for growing, sharing and preparing healthy food. For more information, visit sustainablefoodcenter.org
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The Directory ARTISANAL FOODS
Smart Food Kitchen
Alamo Pecan & Coffee Company, Inc. Unique gift baskets, gift tins, and an assortment of gourmet pecan products. Freshly shelled pecans, candied pecans and a variety of pecan coffees. 877-618-9089 601 E. Wallace St., San Saba alamopecan.com
Antonelli’s Cheese Shop We love cut-to-order artisanal cheese and all that goes with it. Order a picnic platter, take a class, or host a private guided event. Free tastings daily. 512-531-9610; 4220 Duval St. antonellischeese.com
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
Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc. From the farm to your family table, we have been creating exciting, delicious, and award-winning gourmet products for over 40 years in Fredericksburg! 830-997-8969 1406 S. US Hwy. 87, Fredericksburg 830-990-8490 315 E. Main St., Fredericksburg 800-369-9257 411 S. Lincoln St., Fredericksburg jelly.com
Lick Honest 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
Lone Star Foodservice 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
An gluten-free eco-friendly space where food producers can afford to do all their food production and use their profits to maximize their growth. 512-657-2727 2002 Southern Oaks Dr.
Spiral Horn Apiary
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Pedernales Cellars
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
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
Saddlehorn Winery
4.0 Cellars
Where millions of honey bees call home. The finest raw, unfiltered honey, handcrafted all natural soap, body lotions, hand cream. Tours Available. 325-792-6818 8247 FM 502, Rochelle spiralhornapiary.com
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
Texas Olive Ranch 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
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
Virginia Cocktail Peanuts
The Austin Wine Merchant
Austin Homebrew Supply
Elevating the fabulous Virginia peanut to its rightful place in the pantheon of gourmet foods, VCP offers a catalogue of sweet and savoury selections. 877-872-1957 virginiacocktailpeanuts.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
VOM FASS
Bonterra
VOM FASS is the premier specialty retailer of the world’s finest gourmet oils, vinegars, spirits, liqueurs, and wines. 512-637-9545; 3663 Bee Cave Rd. vomfassaustin.com
Bakeries Better Bites Bakery We are a gluten-free certified kitchen that bakes up tasty, delightful treats with special dietary needs and high food standards in mind. 512-350-2271 11190 Circle Dr., Ste. 350 betterbitesbakery.com
Blue Note Bakery 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
Oliver Pecan Family owned pecan company in San Saba. Orchard fresh pecans, handmade chocolates, fresh baked pies, honey butters, pecan brittles, pralines, fudge & more. 800-657-9291 1402 W. Wallace, San Saba oliverpecan.com
Red Oak Bakery
This certified organic winery in Mendocino County, California, produces world-class wines, including sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon. bonterra.com
Brooklyn Brewery Leading the world in beers made in Brooklyn. 718-486-7422 brooklynbrewery.com
Cuvée Coffee Cuvée is a specialty coffee roaster nestled in the Texas Hill Country with a coffee bar on E. 7th street. All coffee is directly sourced & roasted to order. 512-264-1479; 1912 E. 7th St. cuveecoffee.com
Hilmy Cellars Vineyards, winery & tasting room. 830-644-2482 12346 E. US Hwy. 290, Fredericksburg hilmywine.com
Princess & Moose’s Sister Bakery
Paula’s Texas Spirits
Old school baking with a twist. We use as much local produce as possible. We do small batch baking to keep the intregrity of the product. 512-417-9847
Paula’s Texas Orange Liqueur and Paula’s Texas Lemon Liqueur-all natural and handmade in Austin since 2006. Available throughout Texas. paulastexasspirits.com
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM EDIBLE AUSTIN
Sample our wines in our Texas-Chic tasting room & discover the fascinating transformation of grapes into wine. Relax indoors or out with a glass or bottle. 979-289-3858; 958 FM 1948, Burton saddlehornwinery.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
Tito’s Handmade Vodka Tito’s Handmade Vodka is handcrafted from 100% corn & distilled 6 times by Tito Beveridge in Austin, TX at America’s Original Microdistillery. Gluten-free! 512-389-9011 titosvodka.com
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
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
Grow Locally, Cook Globally 15 th A nnuAl F All F estivAl
This is the surprising face of hunger. The hungry in Central Texas today may surprise you. They are our friends and neighbors, recently laid-off adults, the elderly couple on the next block living on a fixed income. And, of the 48,000 clients we serve every week, more than 1 in 3 are children. Hunger is unacceptable, especially in our own backyard. We can end hunger, but we can’t do it alone.
Sunday, October 27 Gates open from noon to 3pm Boggy Creek Farm - Food from Austin’s top restaurants - Chef demonstrations - Live music
Tickets available online
www.greencornproject.org $35 in advance, $40 at the door, children under 12 free
You can help. Advocate . Donate . Volunteer austinfoodbank.org . HungerIsUNacceptable.com
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edible Marketplace
Sunday – Friday, 11 am to 3 pm 610 Broadway, Marble Falls 830-798-2347 • noonspooncafe.com
Boggy Creek Farm
Market Days: Wednesday and Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM www.boggycreekfarm.com
A Day On The River Is Worth A Month In Town
We make our wine from TEXAS fruit. TexasHillsVineyard.com 1 mile east of Johnson City 830-868-2321 Tasting room open daily!
Cabins ~ RV Spaces ~ Gift Shop 830-833-5115
www.blancosettlement.com
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handcrafted honeywines www.RohanMeadery.com
inTThhee JJooin Vegolution! 4601 N. Lamar Blvd. Austin, TX 78751 TEL. 512.323.2259 World’s Best Falafel
doslunascheese.com • 512-963-5357
www.maozusa.com
Madagascar Black Pepper Gourmet Sea Salts Culinary Herbs and Spices
specialty food & wine shop
Wholesale and Retail
Largest selection of Texas Wines in the Hill Country!
Private Party Catering!
13904 Ranch Road 12
Wimberley
512-847-7771 TxTasteBuds.com
oldstonemarket.com • 830-864-5060
as french bread te x
Bringing nature back to civilization • Locally grown herbs and native plants • Greenhouse, labyrinth, gardens • Classes on herbs, gardening and cooking • Handmade comestibles, gifts 407 Whitney St., Fredericksburg • 830-456-9667
URBANherbal.com
BAKERY
BISTRO
supporting local food with FARM TO TABLE DINNERS TUES. THROUGH SAT.
2900 rio grande . 512-499-0544 texasfrenchbread.com
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Spoon & Co. Catering
Edible Escape
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
Celebrate our current issue and regional, Texan travel with Edible Austin! Food, wine, cocktails, chef demos and live music on the picturesque lake in Marble Falls. Spend the weekend and we’ll point you in the direction of fun things to do and see! 512-441-3971 307 Buena Vista, Marble Falls edibleaustin.com/edibleescape
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 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
Farm and Food Leadership Conference Come to the Farm and Food Leadership Conference to get the latest information on the issues affecting local farms and your access to healthy foods. 254-697-2661 1408 Chestnut St., Bastrop farmandranchfreedom.org
Gruene Music & Wine Festival
Design And Construction
Join us for a weekend full of Texas music, wine and food, all to benefit the United Way of Comal County. Tickets go on sale Tuesday, September 3, 2013 at 1 pm. 830-629-5077 1281 Gruene Rd., New Braunfels gruenemusicandwinefest.org
Parrish & Company
Pinot’s Palette - North Austin
For over 40 years, Parrish & Company has served Texas as a leading distributor of fine home products. Family owned and operated. 512-835-0937 3600 E. Old Settlers, Round Rock 830-980-9595 26995 Hwy. 281 N., San Antonio 210-255-1125 2500 N. Main Ave., San Antonio 956-797-9555 400 E. Expwy 83 - La Feria/Corpus parrishandcompany.com
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
Wimberley Glassworks Wimberley Glassworks is world renown for beautiful hand blown glass art and lighting. Our reputation has been founded on high standards and quality craftmanship. 800-929-6686 wgw.com
Pinot’s Palette is the upscale “Paint. Drink. Have Fun.” destination in North Austin where anyone can be a Picasso. No art experience required! 512-249-9672 13435 N. Hwy. 183, Ste. 306 pinotspalette.com/northaustin
Texas Performing Arts Texas Performing Arts presents an international season of fine arts performances, as well as the best in touring Broadway and concert attractions. 512-471-2787 texasperformingarts.org
Vuka Vuka is a transformed warehouse used for event rentals and coworking, and serves as a community hub in South Austin. 512-761-3842; 411 W. Monroe St. vukaaustin.com
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
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
River Valley Farmers Market Every Saturday from 9am to 1pm in historic downtown Elgin, just 19 miles east of Austin. Freshest local produce, eggs, meats, and specialty products, Certified farmers market. 817-929-2789 ; 109 Depot St. rivervalleyfarmersmarket.com
SFC Farmers’ Markets Real farms. Real food. Live music. Kids’ areas. Weekly tastings. Summer festivals. Free parking. Double dollars Tues. for SNAP/WIC. 512-236-0074 400 W. Guadalupe St. 3200 Jones Rd., Sunset Valley 2835 E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 4600 Lamar Blvd. sfcfarmersmarket.org
Farms Boggy Creek Farm One of the first urban farms in the USA, BCF offers hyper-fresh vegetables at the on-farm stand, Wed. and Sat, 9 am–1 pm. Stroll the farm and visit the hen house! 512-926-4650; 3414 Lyons Rd. boggycreekfarm.com
Twin County Lamb
Farmers Markets Burton Farmer’s & Artisan’s Market
Grocers
Events Dripping with Taste
Cedar Park Farmers Market
Annual foodie-tainment event in the TX Hill Country. Tastings from local wineries, breweries and chefs, treasures from artisans, trendy togs and accessories. 512-858-4740 29401 RR 12 N., Dripping Springs drippingwithtaste.com
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
in.gredients is a zero-waste, package-free microgrocer selling local foods with pure ingredients. 512-275-6357 2610 Manor Rd. in.gredients.com
Royal Blue Grocery Lone Star Farmers Marketplace
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 twincountydorpers.com
Held the first Saturday of the month in downtown Burton. You’ll find unique & beautiful artisan wares, garden fresh produce, grass fed beef and more. burtontexas.org
in.gredients
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
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 westernwear, 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 kitchenware, 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
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Landscape and Environmental
lodging
Barton Springs Nursery
Historic charm with modern conveniences in downtown Brenham. Fifteen beautifully decorated rooms with private baths, high speed internet, cable and full breakfast. 800-481-1951 107 West Commerce St., Brenham antstreetinn.com
Locally grown Texas native plants. Organic pest management. Environmentally friendly soil amendments. Beautiful gifts. 512-328-6655 3601 Bee Caves Rd. bartonspringsnursery.net
Countryside Nursery & Landscape Specializing in Texas native plants with the largest selection of shade trees. Find everything for organic gardening plus gift shop and bonsai trees. 512-249-0100 13292 Pond Springs Rd. countrysideaustin.com
Garden-Ville Organic gardening products, including soils, herbicides and plants. Seven locations throughout Central Texas. 512-329-4900 3606 FM 1327, Creedmoor 512-754-0060 2212 Old Ranch Rd. 12, San Marcos 512-930-8282 250 W.L. Walden Dr, Georgetown garden-ville.com
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
Ant Street Inn
Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm Cooking school, private dinners, luxury cabin rentals. 830-833-0910 5818 Ranch Rd. 165, Dripping Springs juniperhillsfarm.com
Texas Ranch Life Peaceful 1800-acre working cattle ranch features eight luxurious historic homes. Romantic getaways, corporate retreats & weddings, plus ranch activities. 979-885-8338 Tottenham Rd. at Cactus Ln., Chappell Hill texasranchlife.com
Photography and Art Andy Sams Photography 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
Blanton Museum of Art 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
The Contemporary Austin
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 200 Main St., Marble Falls martastaffordfineart.com
TASTE Wine + Art Offering a stunning art collection by 40+ established TX artists with a wide range of styles. Worldwide and Texas wines sold by the taste, glass, bottle or case. 830-868-9290 213 N. Nugent Ave., Johnson City tastewineart.com
Professional Services
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 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
Austin Label Company 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
Austin Resource Recovery Austin Resource Recovery provides a wide range of services designed to transform waste into resources while keeping our community clean. 311 austinrecycles.com
The Purple Fig Cleaning Co. 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
Time Warner Cable Business Class Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a full suite of business communication tools to small and medium businesses and enterprise-sized companies. 877-824-8314; 12012 N. MoPac Expy. twcbc.com/tx
REAL ESTATE
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
The Contemporary Austin reflects the spectrum of contemporary art through exhibitions, commissions, education, and the collections. 512-453-5312 700 Congress Ave. 512-458-8191 3809 W. 35 St. thecontemporaryaustin.org
YardFarm
The Gallery at Round Top
ISO Commercial
Cultivate your urban homestead! YardFarm designs & constructs edible, native & waterwise landscapes that reflect their owners’ organic lifestyle. 512-961-7117 7204 Shelton Rd. yardfarmaustin.com
Best gallery in Texas’ South Central Plains, representing national artists. Fine art and crafts for collecting and gift giving. 979-249-4119 201 East Austin St., Round Top thegalleryatroundtop.com
ISO Commercial is a brokerage firm specializing in restaurant, bar, and retail spaces in Austin and the surrounding markets. 512-799-3448 311 W. 5th St., Ste. 100 isocommercial.com
Natural Gardener
Restaurants
Atria at the Arboretum Atria at the Arboretum offers exceptional senior living with luxury services and amenities for Austin’s most fascinating older adults. 512-346-4900 9306 Great Hills Trail atria-arboretum.com
Cipollina West Austin Bistro Join us for lunch, dinner, or brunch to sample our Mediterranean inspired, locally sourced food. 512-477-5211; 1213 W. Lynn St. cipollina-austin.com
El Naranjo Traditional Mexican cuisine. We cook everything from scratch, using local and organic ingredients as much as possible. 512-474-2776 85 Rainey St. elnaranjo-restaurant.com
East Side Pies 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
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
Funky Art Cafe Serving an eclectic menu of fresh salads, handcrafted soups, great sandwiches & wraps, decadent desserts & daily specials. Upscale catering available. 979-836-5220 202 West Commerce St, Brenham funkyartcafe.com
Green Pastures 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
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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
Jack Allen’s Kitchen
ThunderCloud Subs
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. 512-215-0372; 2500 Hoppe Tr., Round Rock jackallenskitchen.com
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
Kerbey Lane Cafe 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
The Leaning Pear Café & Eatery Serving the Texas Hill Country fresh and seasonal favorites using local ingredients. 512-847-7327 111 River Rd., Wimberley leaningpear.com
Lenoir 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
Must Be Heaven A 30-year downtown Brenham tradition offering sandwiches, soups, quiche, salads, homemade pies & Blue Bell ice cream! Combinations for every size appetite. 979-830-8536 107 West Alamo St., Brenham mustbeheaven.com
Navajo Grill A unique dining establishment nestled deep in the heart of where historic Fredericksburg lies. 830-990-8289 803 E. Main St., Fredericksburg navajogrill.com
Snack Bar 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
Roadhouse Bastrop Roadhouse has been voted Best Burger in Bastrop County for the past 10 years! Serving burgers, chicken sandwiches, huge salads and homemade desserts! 512-321-1803 2804 Hwy. 21 E., Bastrop roadhousebastrop.com
TRACE Austin TRACE Austin is a sleek and sophisticated restaurant featuring the finest flavors of Central Texas sourced directly from the region’s surrounding farms. 512-542-3660; 200 Lavaca St. traceaustin.com
The Turtle Restaurant Your destination for food prepared from locally available, seasonal ingredients. 325-646-8200 514 Center Ave., Brownwood theturtlerestaurant.com
Uptown Blanco Restaurant Open for lunch daily. Dinner Thurs.–Sun. Unique culinary specials using local hill country ingredients. Ballroom & Courtyard available for private groups. 830-833-0738; 317 Main St., Blanco uptownblanco.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
Specialty Market Harry’s Largest selection of boots and most unique hat store in Texas! 325-372-3636 403 E. Wallace St., San Saba harrysboots.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, San Antonio 361-289-5255 1737 N. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi 956-467-1295 3422 N. 10th St., McAllen missionrs.com
Tourism
Bicycle Sport Shop
Bastrop Chamber of Commerce Our Patriotic Holiday events are fun to share with the whole family. Visit Bastrop on July 6 and share in the celebrations! 512-303-0558; 927 Main St., Bastrop bastropchamber.com
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
Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce & CVB Visit Marble Falls, adventure by day, romance by night and an array of activities in between—wineries, lakes and caves, golf, shopping and more! 830-693-2815 100 Avenue G,, Marble Falls marblefalls.org
Messina Hof Winery & Resort 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
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
Integrity Academy Our goal is to offer Austin families an experiential education, plant-based nutrition and community in a sustainable manner which supports the whole-child. 1701 Tomey Rd. integrityacademy.org
Mend Spa My specialties include structural analysis, deep tissue, sports, and most recently John Barnes, Myofascial Release Approach. Location: Unwind.Austin.Center 512-968-0234 1908 Koenig Ln. mendspa.com
Peoples Rx 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 Want to have your business listed in this directory? Please contact info@edibleaustin.com for more information.
Unity Theatre A professional, 125-seat intimate theatre located in a restored warehouse in downtown Brenham. Offers a variety of plays & musicals throughout the year. 979-830-8358 300 Church St., Brenham unitybrenham.org
Wellness Aquasana 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 EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
TRAVEL 2013 SPRING 2013
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UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS
Liam Gillick September 21, 2013 – January 5, 2014 Marianne Vitale September 21, 2013 – January 5, 2014 FALL PROGRAM
Contemporary Picnic Sunday, November 3, 11A – 2P at Laguna Gloria Tickets: thecontemporaryaustin.org/programs Co-presented by Edible Austin
Jones Center 700 Congress Avenue Austin, Texas 78701 thecontemporaryaustin.org
Laguna Gloria 3809 West 35th Street Austin, Texas 78703
We search the world over for more and better wines, from everyday drinking value to the finest of the fine. We have them shipped carefully and cooly back our way, then we keep 'em cool, so that you can find them in perfect condition right here at home in beautiful downtown Austin, Texas. So, for a mere scurry on downtown, you can travel the world vicariously through the delicious bottles of wine you may pluck from our shelves.
Elegant gift wrap & local delivery available Locally Owned and Operated
www.TheAustinWineMerchant.com
Courteous, Professional Service
512 West Sixth Street, Austin, Texas 78701 | Monday - Saturday 10am - 6:30pm | 512.499.0512
Savor the
SEASON North
GATEwAy ShOppiNG CENTEr
Downtown 6Th ANd lAmAr
South
williAm CANNON ANd mOpAC
West
hill COuNTry GAllEriA
FOllOw uS @ wholefoodsATX