Edible Austin Fresh 2017 by Edible Austin

No. 50 Jan/Feb | Fresh 2017

Cel eb ra ti n g Cen tra l Texa s fo o d cu lt u re, sea so n by sea so n

the

Fresh issue

bento boxes food trends & more

Let me help you

make a

fresh start

in a new home this year.

Barbara Van Dyke RealtorÂŽ Associate, GRI

512.431.2552 o 512.327.4800 barbara.vandyke@sothebysrealty.com barbaravandyke.kuperrealty.com c

CONTENTS fresh issue 8 notable MENTIONS 13 notable EDIBLES

Kokonut Yogurt, Urban Roots’ Food & Leadership

Fellowship, Sensitive Beekeeping.

34 WHAT WE’RE drinking

with Fresh.

36 cooks at HOME

Rachel and Matthew Buchanan of The Leaning Pear.

40 farmers DIARY

42 edible TRIPS

Cuba’s farm-to-table paladar movement.

46 edible GARDENS

G and S Groves.

FRESH features 17 Seven Things to Watch Trends for the year to come.

Planting a winter gardening bed.

22 Ali Bouzari 51 hip girl’s guide to HOMEMAKING

The eight Capital-I ingredients.

The marmalady chronicles.

26 School Lunch Gets Real 54 The Directory 58 edible INK

The honeybee.

COVER: Bento Box photography by Knoxy (page 29).

Introducing farm-fresh options, salad bars and food truck-fare.

29 The Art of Washoku Balanced cooking with room for creativity.

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

FRESH START

PUBLISHER Marla Camp

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER ast year, for our first “Fresh” issue, our editor, Kim Lane, wrote a beautiful and provocative Editor’s Note. I invit-

ed her to write a Note for our kick-off issue for 2017 again

Jenna Northcutt

EDITOR Kim Lane

this year, but she demurred, saying that as this will be the beginning of our 10th year of publishing Edible Austin, I, as

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR

founder, should author it. She then offered instead this quote

Dawn Weston

for inspiration: “After you’ve done a thing the same way for two years, look it over carefully. After five years, look at it with suspicion. And after ten years, throw it away and start all over.” —Alfred Edward Perlman, New York Times, 3 July 1958 Wise words. Hard to fully appreciate and even harder to live by. But the truth is that staying relevant to our readers and our times while being true to our mission is our chosen formula for creating authentic change and continues to be our guiding light. This relationship has changed over time—10 years and 50 issues, to be precise—but it is honoring the relationship that matters above all. Here’s the challenge: It’s easy to take cover and comfort in the familiar, but nothing stays familiar for long. “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in,” says the recently departed Leonard Cohen. That feels so meaningful now. We want to create content that inspires, connects and elevates us all. A tall order in a topsy-turvy world fraught with uncertainties. Here’s the challenge: Print is dead or dying, they say, but we continue to believe in and publish a print magazine. Here’s the challenge: We’re 10 years old. Happy New Year, and I’ll leave us with another gift from Kim: “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.” —Chinese Proverb Here’s a toast to new beginnings, loving relationships and building windmills.

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COPY EDITOR Anne Marie Hampshire

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Claire Cella, Dena Garcia, Cari Marshall, Michelle Moore

EVENTS COORDINATOR Susanna Cassady

MARKETING SPECIALISTS Christine Andrews, Amy Young

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Grayson Oheim

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Darby Kendall

ADVISORY GROUP Terry Thompson-Anderson, Paula Angerstein, Dorsey Barger, Jim Hightower, Toni Tipton-Martin, Mary Sanger, Carol Ann Sayle

CONTACT US Edible Austin 1411A Newning Ave., 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. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. ©2017. 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.

learn alongside austin experts

5 Classes

plus a year subscription and edible Market Bag getting to know texas wine

Beyond the Basics with Whole Foods Market in February

Taste Your Way Through Texas

An Exploration of Local Cheese & Pairings with Antonelli’s in May

Methods of Madness

Coffee Techniques with Texas Coffee Traders in June

Crack Open a Cold One

with Live Oak Brewing in September

Breaking Bread

with David Norman of Easy Tiger in November Presented by

limited seating—tickets at edibleAustin.com/edl

notable MENTIONS

“It is here that the world’s creative forces assemble every March to network, showcase and share ideas.” –Scotland Herald

Learn more: sxsw.com/assemble2017

AUSTIN BACON AND BEER FESTIVAL BENEFITS CENTRAL TEXAS FOOD BANK The fourth annual Austin Bacon and Beer Festival, co-presented by Edible Austin and Eat Boston, will be held Saturday, January 28 at Brazos Hall (204 E. 4th St.) in downtown Austin, from 1–4 p.m. The festival brings together dozens of area restaurants and breweries for an afternoon of bacon-centric bites and delicious brews for an import-

SXSW Conference & Festivals March 10−19, 2017 Austin, TX

ant cause. Austin Bacon and Beer Festival once again benefits Central Texas Food Bank, the largest hunger relief organization in the region, which has received over $28,000 in the last three years from the festival. Participating craft brewers include Live Oak Brewing Company and Saint Arnold Brewing Company, along with Austin area eateries Fukumoto Sushi & Yakitori Izakaya, No Va Kitchen & Bar, Frank, Forthright, Amy’s Ice Creams and many more! Supporting this event for the second year as Bacon Sponsors are the multi-generational, family-run and operated Beeler’s Pure Pork, and US Foods, one of the country’s leading foodservice distributors. Defend Bacon tickets, which include a 30-minute advance entry, a festival T-shirt and commemorative tasting glass, go for $100. General admission tickets are $47. Enthusiasts can find us on social @edibleaustin using #austinbaconandbeer, and visit edibleaustin.com/baconandbeer for ticket information and more.

2017 TOFGA CONFERENCE TICKETS AVAILABLE! Register now for the 2017 Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (TOFGA) Conference to be held at the Mesquite Convention Center in Mesquite, January 12–14. The conference aims to support the hard work and dedication of sustainable and organic farmers, ranchers and gardeners across the state through its presentations and educational outreach. The three-day gathering

will include a day of pre-conference workshops and farm tours and two days of learning sessions that will cover diverse

MNPV

topics including pest management techniques, marketing and distribution strategies, livestock and crop management and food policy. On Friday night, a locally sourced banquet will feature Mark

Super Sponsors

Kastel, co-founder of the Cornucopia Institute, a populist farm policy research group based in Wisconsin. Kastel acts as the group’s senior farm policy analyst and directs its Organic Integrity Project Major Music Sponsor

(extra ticket price). Visit tofga.org for more information and to purchase tickets. (Note: TOFGA members receive a $50 discount off of full conference tickets.)

FRESH 2017

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Photography by Andy Sams

YOUR DESTINATION FOR UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY

Restaurants

Breweries unlimited fun Presented by Edible Austin and Eat Boston

Benefiting Central Texas Food Bank

Brazos Hall With Support From

January 28 1-4 pm

edibleaustin.com

EAT DRINK LOCAL MEMBERSHIPS! To celebrate our 10th year of publishing, Edible Austin invites you to join us in 2017 on a journey with local connoisseurs to deepen your culinary knowledge. Eat Drink Local membership includes the following five exclusive, hands-on workshops and a year subscription to Edible Austin: Getting to Know Texas Wine: Beyond the Basics with Devon Broglie, at Whole Foods Market; Crack Open a Cold One with Chip McElroy, at Live Oak

Pasta & Co 3502 Kerbey Lane

512-453-0633

www.austinpasta.com

Brewing; Taste Your Way Through Texas: An Exploration of Local Cheese and Pairings, at Antonelli’s Cheese Shop; Breaking Bread with David Norman of Easy Tiger; and Methods of

authentic | creative | contemporary

Madness: Coffee Techniques, at Texas Coffee Traders. Visit edibleaustin.com/EDL for more information, workshop dates and 9/23/15 5:36 PM to

P&C VDay edible austin ad_F 092315.indd 1

purchase memberships.

FONDA SAN MIGUEL: 40 YEARS OF FOOD AND ART On Friday, February 24 (rescheduled from the original December date), Edible Austin and BookPeople will celebrate four decades of Fonda San Miguel’s dedication to authentic interior Mexican food and world-class Mexican art. Fonda San Miguel co-founders Tom Gilliland and Miguel Ravago will take us through the journey via stories that inspired “Fonda San Miguel,” their updated and reissued book. Taste the authenticity yourself with bites that accompany the talk, which begins at 7 p.m. Visit bookpeople.com for more information.

“One of the best bagel shops outside of New York City.”

“One of the best bagel shops in America.”

HENS AS ZERO-WASTE HEROES It’s that time of year again to ruffle your feathers for the ninth annual Austin Funky Chicken Coop Tour. This popular event is a self-guided tour that encourages Austinites to raise chickens and educates them on how to do it. The tour will be held on Saturday, April 15, and is currently accepting applications to show off your backyard coop innovations; the deadline to apply is January 24. Visit austincooptour.org for more information.

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SXSW FOOD TRACK FEATURES INNOVATION The 2017 SXSW Food Track brings together the food community’s most inspired entrepreneurs, chefs, data scientists, investors, filmmakers and enthusiasts to connect and explore ways in which technology can be leveraged to transform the industry. The track runs from March 11–13 at The Driskill Hotel and is open to all badge types. This year’s topics include food waste, funding, food policy, clean meat, marketing and more. Edible Austin publisher, Marla Camp, will moderate a panel called “Hunter, Gatherer, Chef: Going Beyond Farm to Table” on Saturday, March 11, exploring how today’s chefs are making food personal again—

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primal ingredients to what we serve our customers, friends and

movement to begin with. Chefs Zakary Pelaccio of Fish & Game author Susan Ebert, will get to the heart and soul of connecting family. Visit sxsw.com/schedule to view the full schedule.

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notable EDIBLES COCO-SENSE

actose intolerance be damned, Erin Asaad just couldn’t quit yogurt. Yet the dairy-free varieties she tried all came over-

loaded with sweetness—making them useless for the Middle Eastern food she liked to cook. “You can’t make a savory dish with an ingredient that has twenty grams of refined sugar,” she says. A long-time cook and food blogger, Asaad took matters into her own fermenting bowl to find a substitute. She discovered that coconut milk, a favorite of hers, happened to have the perfect neutrality for a light and tart yogurt—the nuttiness never overwhelmed the fruit, curry or anything else she threw at it. Coconut is also rich in vitamins and minerals and nourishes skin and hair. And as an added bonus, coconuts are naturally organic; there’s no need to douse the shells in pesticides, because what bug’s going to bust in? Asaad knew she was onto something when friends of friends started offering to buy her yogurt. By late 2015, she made it all official by launching Kokonut, a name designed to plant a flag in people’s minds. “I wanted to have fun with the word, but I also wanted us to be THE coconut yogurt,” she says. Tweaking traditional yogurt flavors, Kokonut comes in straw-

berry rose, blueberry lavender and bourbon vanilla. For bolder taste buds, Asaad has developed a ginger-lemongrass yogurt and a seasonal pumpkin-spice version. She has other adventurous varieties in the works, and ideas beyond straight-up yogurt in a cup, such as a coconut-yogurt ranch dressing that her husband “drinks by the gallon.” “We want to expand into areas that don’t have a lot of dairy-free options,” she says. Asaad started selling Kokonut at Texas Farmers Market at Lakeline and Mueller and soon expanded to the Barton Creek and SFC farmers markets. She also has a growing list of stores carrying her products, including Juice Society, Mañana Coffee & Juice and Royal Blue Grocery. So far, she’s been able to make every batch herself in an industrial kitchen, and she uses only ethically farmed coconuts from Thailand and the Philippines. But there’s one stage of production she’s had to outsource: breaking the shells. “It can be labor-intensive,” she says. —Steve Wilson For more information, visit kokonutyogurt.com or call 512-348-8582.

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DEEPER ROOTS

t’s good to talk about the problem of food access and race, but even

what reflective, anti-racist leadership looks like when it comes to

better when you can do something about it, firsthand. A diverse

food work,” says Jones, an Urban Roots alumna.

group of 16 college students recently got the chance to do both during a six-week internship called the “Food & Leadership Fellowship.”

Thomas says the program has been a chance to “engage, inform and imagine” with the next generation of food visionaries, a sen-

The program was co-founded by Urban Roots—which teaches

timent Hunter-Crawford shares. “Every time we sat down with

high school students about growing food on its 3.5 acres and em-

these students, they brought a really fresh perspective that helped

powers them to become leaders—and Food for Black Thought,

us think about the work we’re doing in a different way,” he says.

a food-justice education initiative. Ian Hunter-Crawford, the pro-

One of the interns, Malcom Harvin-Conner, a recent Southwest-

grams and operations director at Urban Roots, says the partner-

ern University graduate, says he applied for the program to learn

ship has been a chance for the nonprofit to expand its pool of

how teaching people to farm can create better access to sustainable

talent and bring in people from different walks of life. “This gives

food in low-income neighborhoods. “After having been given this

us more room for new voices,” he says.

opportunity,” he says, “I’ve found this whole new world of both

Paid through a city grant, the program employed interns from Austin Community College, The University of Texas (UT) and

activism and education that I thoroughly enjoy, and I’m incredibly excited to try and delve deeper and see where it takes me.”

other schools to mentor younger students on the Urban Roots

Urban Roots has hired six of the interns to come back to the

farm from mid-October through late November. Meanwhile, they

farm this spring and summer to mentor the next crop of high

explored food-justice issues in workshops based on the course

school students, who tend to respond well to supervision from

“Exploring Food and Urban Change” that Food for Black Thought

people closer to their own age. “I’m hopeful that this group will

co-founders Dr. Naya Armendarez Jones and Dr. Kevin Thomas

be inspired by this experience and move on to engage with this

teach at UT. Workshop themes included “How Food Injustice

work in a lot of different ways,” says Hunter-Crawford. “Who

Happens” and “The Austin Food Landscape.” “We focused more

knows what will emerge?” —Steve Wilson

on what it means to farm this land in East Austin as well as on

Visit urbanrootsatx.org or foodforblackthought.org for more.

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threatened with disappearing forever, and and environmental stresses that are likely causing bee colony collapse, we’ll no doubt see more bee species added to the list in the future. In the meantime, we can all help make the lives of bees a little better by following these tips from Jack Bresette-Mills, local bee expert and author of the 2016 book, “Sensitive Beekeeping: Practicing Vulnerability and Nonviolence with Your Backyard Beehive.” Think Pollination, Not Poison: The pesticides and weed killers that Americans dump on their lawns and shrubs can be just as deadly to bees as they are to the unwanted bugs and plants. “We employ people whose job it is to keep bugs off plants,” says Bresette-Mills. “And it works too well.” Embrace Flower Power: Plant sage and flowering rosemary in your yard and bees will come back to these perpetual bloomers again and again throughout the year. Bresette-Mills also suggests planting native wildflowers and whatever well-adapted plants your local nursery may recommend. Or, simply walk around your neighborhood and note the flowers that bees prefer. “If you figure out a plant they like, then plant it in your yard to encourage them to come,” he says.

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Go Organic: Switch to organic foods grown without pesticides. “Spending a few pennies more for organic produce can make a difference,” says Bresette-Mills. “You won’t just be helping the bees in your area, but bees everywhere.”

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

Pay More for Honey: Bresette-Mills says that inexpensive honey found at the store was likely gathered from bees raised in poor conditions. “You can’t produce honey for the pennies that people produce it for without being mean to the bees,” he says. Until a watch-

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dog group comes along to monitor honey production with the same scrutiny as afforded the meat and dairy industries, it’s up to us to discourage unethical beekeeping. Show a Little Respect: Consumers may have embraced the more humane treatment of cows, poultry, pigs and other livestock, but they may be slower to embrace it with bees because few think of

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them as fellow animals, says Bresette-Mills. “If we don’t think of them as animals, we don’t think of them as suffering, and we don’t wake up to the problem.” Host a Hive or Two: Bresette-Mills recommends setting up at least two hives in your yard. “Most hives don’t live that long, so having just one colony that dies out is depressing,” he says. “Start with two or three colonies and you won’t even notice the difference.” Don’t Bee Afraid: Thinking better of bees begins with addressing

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edible FUTURE

SEVEN THINGS TO WATCH BY M I C H E L E J AC O BSO N • P H OTO G R A P H Y BY DA R BY K E N DA L L

he public’s palate is a fickle force, and food trends can fluctuate with the seasons. What makes one stick? These days, the focus seems to be on items with certain desired health benefits

or those that are deliciously addictive. Here are seven things we’re watching that you’ll probably see a lot more of in the coming year. Traditional dietary fats, such as butter, lard, tallow and ghee, were unfairly maligned and vilified in the 1950s as disease-causing and bad for our health. Decades later though, new insight into diet and nutrition has spawned a near 180-degree turnaround for these proud staples of the American diet (now in their more natural, non-hydrogenated, often organic forms) and they are now being heralded by some as “superfoods” with new uses and applications. Local producer EPIC, for instance, offers a line of smallbatch, handcrafted, shelf-stable and non-hydrogenated fats available at most larger stores like H-E-B. Butter coffee, also known by the branded name “Bulletproof Coffee,” is a blended concoction of coffee, MCT oil (a supplement-strength extract of coconut oil) and butter produced from

minimize toxins via roasting and wet-processing. Dave Asprey, the

the milk of grassfed cows. While Bulletproof Coffee promotes its

creator of the Bulletproof Coffee recipe, claims the drink stabilizes

own brand of upgraded beans low in “performance-robbing mold

energy levels, promotes fat loss, curbs appetite and enhances cogni-

toxins,” many quality coffee purveyors have also found ways to

tive function. Millions of people worldwide agree and are hooked. Austin’s paleo-friendly café, Picnik, has been doing big business in butter coffee since opening in 2013. Owner Naomi Seifter was an early adopter and fervent believer, and created a butter coffee-based menu using beans from Austin’s Third Coast Coffee and featuring 10 innovative flavor variations. Local producer Ladybird Provisions has had success with butter coffee “bombs”—individual servings made from a form of butter coffee that uses organic virgin coconut oil and collagen. Find the bombs at various coffee shops around town and at most locations of People’s Pharmacy. Collard greens are now being touted as “the new kale,” and with three times the calcium, twice the iron and protein and similar deliciousness and versatility as its green cousin, it’s not surprising. Collards’ anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, cholesterol-lowering and anti-cancer properties also surpass those of other trendy greens. Of course, down south, collards have always been popular; traditional recipes often include smoked meat and a side of cornbread to soak up the “potlikker” (the nutrient-rich broth or pot liquor, for you Yanks). A pot of collard greens is sure to cure whatever ails you, even if it’s just the blues. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

FRESH 2017

Coconut milk and its counterpart, coconut water, are enjoying their time in the sun. What’s the difference? Potassium-rich coconut water is the clear liquid from young, green coconuts and mostly used for thirst-quenching hydration. Coconut milk is extracted from the meat of the mature brown fruit. As a popular nondairy alternative, coconut milk is also used in cooking, mainly for South Asian curries and Caribbean cuisine. You can also find it in tropical drinks, such as refreshing Mexican horchata. Grain-free tortillas are currently in the spotlight, and sombreros off to Austin-based Siete Family Foods for producing some of the most popular around. When a family member needed a grain-free option for a tortilla, they developed three delicious

BUTTER COFFEE Makes 2 cups 12 oz. filtered water 2½ t. (heaping) freshly ground coffee 2 T. room-temperature unsalted butter made from the milk of grassfed cows 1–2 T. MCT oil Bring the water to a boil, then combine the coffee and water in a French press and brew as usual. Pour the brewed coffee into a blender and add the butter and oil. (Begin with 1 teaspoon of oil and work up to the recommended amount.) Blend for 20 to 30 seconds until frothy.

ones: almond; cassava and chia seed; and cassava and coconut. They’re great for paleo, gluten- or grain-free diets, and two varieties are vegan while the third is prepared with lard, that traditional fat now gaining new popularity. Options for everyone! Siete’s grain-free tortillas are lighter than corn or flour tortillas and meld beautifully with other ingredients while still holding their shape and texture. “Pepitas” is Spanish for “little seeds of squash” and is most often used to describe pumpkin seeds. The cultivar on the market has no hard white shell and is harvested from Styrian or oilseed pumpkins. Pepitas are one of the best plant sources of zinc, and also contain protein, iron, vitamin E and other micronutrients. Long a staple in Mexican, Greek and Eastern European cuisines, pepitas were once just a seasonal snack in the U.S. Now, they’re

COCONUT MILK HORCHATA Makes 2 drinks ½ c. sliced almonds, lightly toasted ¼ c. white rice ¼ t. ground cinnamon 1½ c. hot water ½ c. sugar 1 13½-oz. can coconut milk ½ t. vanilla extract Cinnamon stick, for garnish

found in everything from salads to salsa. Keep them on hand for a quick and easy nut-free pesto.

Combine the almonds, rice and cinnamon in a blender and process until very fine. Add the hot water, cover, and allow to soak, unrefrigerated, overnight or for approximately 8 hours. Add the sugar, coconut milk and vanilla, blend again and pour through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Chill the horchata, then serve over ice and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

PEPITA PESTO Makes 1 cup

Spiralized veggies once conjured images of a few bright crimson beet and orange carrot spirals garnishing a nouveau dish. Now, they’ve taken center stage as the country continues to eschew pasta in favor of low-carb options. Zucchini spirals (or “zoodles” as they’re commonly referred to) are the most popular pasta noodle replacement because zucchini works best with handheld spiralizers. But once you upgrade to a countertop model spiralizer, your refrigerator crisper knows no bounds—broccoli stems, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes all work! Spiralized veggies can help you cut down on calories and add nutrition to your diet; however, they don’t merely need to be a substitute for pasta. Go half and half with spaghetti, or even use a medley as layers for a fabulous lasagna. Creativity is key for a nearly endless palette of color on your plate. 18

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Use this versatile pesto on pizza, tacos or as a healthy dip for crudités. When mixing with pasta, set some pasta water aside to loosen the pesto. ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil ¼ c. unsalted pepitas 3 garlic cloves ½ t. freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ t. salt 2 handfuls fresh basil leaves ¼ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Add the first 5 ingredients to a food processor and process to a thick paste. Add the basil leaves and cheese to the mix and blend completely—scraping down sides. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. Variations: For Mexican pesto, substitute 2 cups cilantro and ½ teaspoon of lime for the basil and lemon. For vegan pesto, substitute nutritional yeast for the cheese.

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COLLARD GREENS WITH SMOKED TURKEY, “POTLIKKER” AND MAPLE CORNBREAD DUMPLINGS Serves 4–6 1–2 smoked turkey legs, approximately 1½ lbs. (substitute with a ham hock, if you like) 3 qt. water or chicken broth 1 t. sea salt (omit if using broth) 2 medium bunches collard greens, well-washed, destemmed, roughly chopped In a large pot, cook the turkey legs in broth or water and salt over medium heat for approximately 90 minutes, or until tender. When the meat is cooked through, transfer it to a dish to cool. Do not discard the broth. Add the collards to the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes. While the collards simmer, pull the turkey meat off the bone, shred into bite-size pieces and set aside. For the dumplings: 1 c. stone-ground cornmeal 2 T. flour 1 t. baking powder

½ t. salt ½ c. water 2 t. maple syrup

Prepare the dumpling mixture by stirring together the cornmeal and dry ingredients, then mix with the water and maple syrup. Bring the pot of collards to a medium boil and, with wet hands, form golf ball-size dumplings from the cornmeal mixture. Flatten each one slightly prior to placing it gently into the pot of greens.

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Lower the heat until the broth is just simmering and cook, covered, for another 20 minutes. Add the meat back to the pot and heat for 10 minutes more. Serve each bowl with collards, turkey, dumplings and broth.

VEGETARIAN VERSION 3 qt. water 2 t. extra-virgin olive oil 1 t. sea salt 1 t. smoked paprika 1 t. San Francisco Salt Co. Whiskey Smoked Irish Sea Salt (or substitute another smoked salt) Freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 medium bunches collard greens, well-washed, destemmed, roughly chopped Add all of the ingredients to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, proceed with making the dumplings and continue the recipe from there.

GRAIN-FREE MEXICAN PIE

ZUCCHINI “ZOODLES”

Serves 6

WITH LEMON VINAIGRETTE

1½ c. salsa, divided 1 13½-oz. can kidney beans, drained, rinsed 1 13½-oz. can black beans, drained, rinsed 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 bell pepper, finely chopped ½ ear fresh corn kernels 2 scallions, chopped 1 t. finely diced jalapeños ½ t. cumin ½ t. chipotle pepper flakes 1 /8 t. chili powder

Salt and pepper, to taste Chopped fresh cilantro 9 Siete grain-free tortillas, any variety 3 oz. greens (baby spinach, baby kale, arugula, etc.) 8 oz. shredded cheddar or jack cheese Black olive slices, jalapeño slices, chopped fresh cilantro, for topping Salsa, guacamole, sour cream, for serving

Heat the oven to 400°. Spray the bottom of an 11-inch round baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the salsa with the beans, onion, bell pepper, corn, scallions, jalapeños, cumin, pepper flakes, chili powder and salt and pepper. Add chopped cilantro, to taste, and set aside. Spread the remaining ½ cup of salsa on the bottom of the baking dish. Lay 3 tortillas on top of salsa, overlapping if necessary. Cover with 1/³ of the bean and vegetable mixture, followed by ½ of the greens. Sprinkle with 1/³ of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers one more time, then finish with tortillas, bean mixture and the rest of the cheese. Top with olives, jalapeños and more cilantro, if desired, then cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until bubbly. For serving, cut into pie slices and serve with additional salsa, guacamole and sour cream, if desired.

Serves 2 1 garlic clove, smashed and minced 1 t. lemon zest 1 /8 c. fresh lemon juice ¼ t. salt ½ t. white wine vinegar 1 /8 c. water ½ t. sugar ½ t. dried mint ½ t. dried basil ½ t. fresh thyme leaves Freshly ground pepper, to taste ½ c. + 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided Zoodles from 2 medium spiralized zucchini 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons pine nuts, for garnish Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish Prepare the vinaigrette by whisking together the first 11 ingredients with ½ cup of the olive oil and set aside. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan and add the zoodles. Sauté over medium-high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, using tongs to toss. (Zucchini zoodles should be crisp or al dente, never soggy!) Using tongs, transfer to a serving bowl and drain away any excess liquid. Rinse and dry the pan, then lightly toast the pine nuts over medium heat. Just prior to serving, dress the zoodles with the vinaigrette and garnish with toasted pine nuts and cheese.

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edible SCIENCE

ALI BOUZARI AND THE EIGHT CAPITAL-I INGREDIENTS BY M M PAC K • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY JASO N JA AC KS

“P

eople worry that science in the kitchen will jeopardize

each with distinct characteristics and behaviors—that separately,

the soulful parts of cooking,” says Austin native Ali

and together, help us recognize and work with immutable, univer-

Bouzari. In his work as a culinary scientist and ed-

sal patterns in cooking. The point is that when we understand the

ucator, and in his new book, “Ingredient: Unveiling the Essential

rules of what these ingredients are and how they behave, we can

Elements of Food” (Ecco, 2016), he aims to prove that the opposite

cook with greater skill, confidence, control and creative freedom.

is true.

Bouzari’s “Capital-I Ingredients” are water, sugars, carbohydrates,

This beautifully produced volume—a rock-and-roll ensemble of

lipids, proteins, minerals, gases and heat, and each commands its own

accessible text (“humanspeak”), photos and gorgeously comic illus-

chapter in the book, where he dives deep into its “personality,” how

trations—charts new territory for better understanding what phys-

to manipulate it, where it’s found in foods and how it interacts with

ically happens when we prepare food. It’s not about recipes—the

other elements. In the sugars chapter, for example, he explains that

book contains none—rather, it teaches us how to think, observe and

browning in food occurs “when sugars get so hot that they start to vi-

react as we cook. “[The book] was designed,” Bouzari says, “to help

brate with energy. When they vibrate hard enough, they explode. Each

you see the handful of simple patterns at play behind the vast uni-

microscopic piece of sugar shrapnel then explodes again, and those

verse of dishes that we cook and eat in kitchens all over the world.”

shards start smacking into one another, forming new compounds.

He explains that there are ingredients, such as butter, chicken

This rippling cascade of reactions transforms sweet, colorless, odor-

and Brussels sprouts, and then there are what he calls “Capital-I In-

less sugar into some of the deepest, most complex mixtures of taste,

gredients,” eight fundamental building blocks of food elements—

color and aroma in existence. Browning is a sugar supernova.”

While translating complex scientific concepts into lay language, Bouzari frequently employs metaphors. He sees the “Ingredients” as an “ensemble cast of actors to tell the story of any dish. Heat is the director, water is the stage.” Or, they’re “the gears that turn inside everything we eat, and heat is the energy that moves them.” This book will be useful to home cooks who want

experience in his kit, and his local connections played no small

to improve their game and understand why recipes work and why

part in his culinary journey. He was born in Austin into a multi-

they don’t, as well as to professional chefs seeking consistency,

lingual, food-obsessed family; his Texan mother, an ESL instruc-

reliability and efficient solutions in creating something new. It

tor, and his father, an Iranian-immigrant entrepreneur, met as

can be particularly helpful for those cooking for segmented diets

University of Texas (UT) students in the 1970s when both were

(gluten-free, paleo, vegan, etc.) or who aim to achieve particular

working at a local Night Hawk restaurant. The family moved to

flavors and mouthfeel using alternate ingredients.

Denver when Bouzari was a child, but he later returned to Austin

For someone not yet 30 years old, Bouzari has packed a lot of

to earn an undergraduate degree in biochemistry at UT. Since

Tastings.

Platters. Gifts.

high school, he’d worked in restaurants and catering operations and, as a student, he became the first intern at Antonelli’s Cheese Shop. “The most valuable thing I learned from the Antonellis was training my palate,” he says. “I was able to make neural connections that I’ve used ever after. I was doing the job of selling people on cheese based on describing all of the different sensory experiences that each one had to offer. Over time, I started to realize that noticing the apricot aroma in a Swiss alpine cheese was no different than noticing bell pepper aroma in wine or coriander in

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a sauce. The neural connections were really just…learning a new skill; matching memories to what’s going on in your mouth is all there is to this fancy concept of a ‘good palate.’” While an undergraduate, Bouzari played percussion in Austin jazz and blues bands, and he was also a salsa dance instructor. He spent a year in Madrid participating in the Trans-Atlantic Science Student Exchange Program (TASSEP)—studying science in Spanish, immersing himself in innovative cooking and talking his way into some of Spain’s best restaurant kitchens, such as El Celler de Can Roca in Girona. Later, when these Spanish chefs visited the U.S., he served as interpreter and translator. Bouzari credits cognitive patterns in music and language translation as interconnected to his understanding culinary science and explaining it in context to lay audiences. He emphasizes that eating can’t be separated from our emotions, memories and cultural influences. And he honors the collective and intuitive knowledge that cooks have developed over the centuries. “Scientists need to learn to respect chefs more,” he says. “Chefs need to pay more attention to science.” Bouzari went on to earn a Ph.D. in food biochemistry at the University of California at Davis; his dissertation was on sous-vide vegetables. He collaborated in writing the food science curriculum for the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Napa and he’s a co-founder of Pilot R+D, a food innovation and development enterprise that works with such notable restaurants as The French Laundry, Noma, Eleven Madison Park and Benu. He’s given two TEDx talks: one on how flavor influences and is influenced by our memories and overall interaction with the world, and one on the system of ingredients.

once s’ more

a happy ending

Since his book came out in September 2016, Bouzari’s conducted more than 50 workshops for chefs and restaurants across the U.S.

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In Austin, he’s worked with Uchi/Uchiko, Barley Swine/Odd Duck, Emmer & Rye, Antonelli’s Cheese Shop and Franklin Barbecue. Although now a resident of Northern California, he returns to Austin several times a year and finds the culinary scene vibrant and innovative. “The average restaurant cook in Austin is excited, knowledgeable and hungry to learn,” he says. “What’s going on here is as interesting as anywhere in the country.”

ALI BOUZARI’S TEDx TALKS: Flavor: The ultimate status update | Ali Bouzari | TEDxKish, 2015 The elemental ingredients: Chef Ali Bouzari at TEDxUCDavis, 2014 24

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edible ED

SCHOOL FOOD GETS REAL BY A N N E M A R I E H A M PS H I R E • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY A N DY SA M S

With the support of Sustainable Food Center, the Farm Fresh Fridays program brings local produce to AISD’s salad bars, strengthening the connection between healthy food and the local farms that grow it.

f the thought of school cafeteria food conjures memories of

Garden to Café

cooked-’til-they’re-slimy green beans, grease-soaked pizza and

Getting hands in the dirt during the school day is becoming

gravy-covered mystery meat, here’s some news to savor. Kids in

the new normal for many kids in Central Texas, and the Whole

Austin today are enjoying an entirely different school-lunch experi-

Kids Foundation and AISD are doing everything they can to sup-

ence. Thanks to the strategic vision of Austin Independent School

port the habit. School gardens are sprouting up all over the city,

District (AISD) and the financial and moral support of nonprofit

many of them started or enhanced by grants from Whole Kids. In

Whole Kids Foundation, lunch in the cafeteria is evolving to be

fact, over the past five years, the foundation has awarded garden

more nutritious, more locally sourced and far more hip than what

grants to more than 40 schools in AISD and around 60 in Cen-

most of us remember. Here are some of the innovative ways the

tral Texas. For the 2016–2017 school year, the foundation accepted

two organizations are working together to ensure Austin’s young-

more than 1,200 U.S. and Canadian applications and anticipates

est generation has access to not only healthy food, but delicious

awarding more than 500 $2,000 grants.

food they’re excited about eating—and growing. 26

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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

For its part, AISD recently launched the “Garden to Café” pro-

gram to deepen the connection between these school gardening efforts and the food that students consume at school. The program allows the schools to grow produce that can be served in the cafeterias of all schools, not just those with gardens. But how do you source enough of one vegetable to make it on the menu for the whole district? “When we’re doing Garden to Café, one of our biggest challenges is the volume,” says Anneliese Tanner, nutrition and food services director for AISD. “We serve 45,000 lunches a day, and when we have a program like this, we want to do it for all students. We don’t do local and organic and Garden to Café only at schools where a parent has asked for it. We want to make healthy, tasty food accessible to everybody.” Tanner and her team found an ingenious way to meet the required volume by putting out a “Call to Plant” to every school at the beginning of the 2016–2017 school year, encouraging them to plant any variety of greens to be used in a recipe for the whole district. Salad Bars Another new AISD initiative that the Whole Kids Foundation is helping to fund is the introduction of entrée salad bars in each of the 80 elementary schools in Austin. Two or three new salad bars are being rolled out every week, so by Spring Break, every student can opt for fresh, seasonal veggies and fruits—many of them locally sourced from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, local distributor Farm to Table or, thanks to the Garden to Café program, their own school garden. And lest you think kids are turning their noses up at all that green, Nona Evans, executive director of the

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Whole Kids Foundation, says that they’re already seeing gratifying results: When 138 entrée salads are chosen on Pizza Day in just one school, you know you’re doing something right. “And that’s just a reinforcement of what we’ve seen all over the country,” says Evans. “When you give kids good choices, they make good choices. I’ve seen it thousands of times and it will excite me every time.” Recent research from the Pew Charitable Trusts supports Evans’ observations, with studies showing that salad bars are the number one way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption at school. To make the salad bars even more popular, the schools rotate four themes (Chef, Asian, Fiesta and Mediterranean) every two weeks to expose students to new veggies and new combinations in different seasons, such as different colors and kinds of peppers, rainbow carrots, bok choy, etc. “Salad bars put a lot of color on the line,” says Tanner. “We’ve paid attention to our presentation to make sure it looks like a restaurant experience and that it’s very colorful and fun.” Food Trucks Elementary students aren’t the only kids benefiting from these kinds of forward-thinking initiatives. Lunch at high school is about to get more “lit” (current teenspeak for “cool”) with the addition of a mobile food truck that will travel to the city’s high schools on a rotating basis. AISD piloted its first food truck, “Nacho Average Food Truck,” on the Anderson High School campus in 2015. Anderson students not only named it; they also did all the branding and painting themselves and voted on the first menu: EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

FRESH 2017

food truck in Austin that’s doing those two things.” The food was so well-received that AISD put the same menu on the cafeteria line at other high schools. “When we first opened the food truck, some of the feedback we got from students was, ‘This is great. This is like Torchy’s,’” Tanner recalls. “I think it’s one of the best compliments, because people don’t think of school food as good, but kids are comparing it to a really successful chain.” A new food truck—kicking off in the 2016–17 school year with funding from Whole Kids Foundation and help from Tien Ho, the global vice president of culinary and hospitality for Whole Foods Market—will feature Ho’s recipes for a Vietnamese menu, such as lemongrass chicken and lemongrass tofu banh mi sandwiches, ginger sesame spinach, and banana tapioca. Aside from being undoubtedly tasty, the new menus will offer opportunities for students at every high school in AISD to explore different cultural foodways that they might not have experienced otherwise. Clearly, times are-a-changin’ for AISD students, and the evolution of their school food scene has become a model to follow for other districts around the country. “AISD is doing so much to energize our kids and honor the flexibility and curiosity they have street tacos that included barbacoa, carnitas, veggie and fish op-

around food,” explains Evans. “One of the reasons Whole Kids is

tions, with sides like escabeche and chili-lime watermelon. “Hon-

involved is that we have to help our community understand the

estly, I think they did a great job naming it, because we’re not your

new brand of school food, because so many adults have that ste-

average food truck,” says Tanner. “We have to meet all the nutri-

reotype. It’s just as important for us to help parents understand

tion regulations and we make our food available to all students,

that it’s not your mom’s cafeteria anymore or the fast food envi-

regardless of their ability to pay for the meals. There’s no other

ronment it might have been a long time ago.”

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cooking FRESH

THE ART OF WASHOKU BY L E A N N E VA L E N T I • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY K N OXY

id you know that the bento boxes served at sushi restau-

I played with this theory of balanced cooking and was astonished

rants are just one of many types of bento traditionally of-

that even the simplest ingredients became ridiculously delicious

fered in Japan? Their common characteristic isn’t the raw

and strikingly satisfying when prepared as part of a complete sym-

fish or the cute compartments they are served in, but the way they

phony of flavor, texture and color.

are packed. Every bento is created according to a deep cultural

I’ve been using washoku principles in my cooking for six years

principle known as washoku—literally “harmony food”—the an-

and it’s at the heart of our menu design at my business Bento Pic-

cient practice of balancing five colors, five tastes and five elements

nic. The comment I hear most frequently is, “I’ve never liked this

in every meal.

vegetable or that vegetable, but I LOVE all of yours! How do you

I first learned of this Japanese art in culinary school when I discovered the cookbook, “Washoku,” by Elizabeth Andoh. Intrigued,

do it?” I’d like to say it’s magic, but it’s simply about balance. Here’s how it works:

These bento boxes illustrate three different ways of arranging the same food dishes to achieve washoku. Chopsticks and brass chopstick rest from Kettle & Brine.

STEP-BY-STEP WASHOKU Start with organic, wholesome ingredients.

You have no doubt seen washoku principles in practice in

Think vegetables, grains, legumes and pasture-raised proteins.

sushi restaurant bentos, where raw fish might be nestled next to

They are rich in nutrients and are easier for our bodies to rec-

Japanese-style toasted nori, steamed white rice, tempura-fried

ognize and absorb than processed foods.

vegetables and fermented soy sauce. But it’s just as easy to achieve washoku with homestyle bento combinations,

Choose a wide range of colorful ingredients.

such as chicken meatball skewers with soba noodle salad,

Aim to get five major color groups in each meal: Black, White,

kinpira-sautéed carrots and burdock, quick-pickled sesa-

Green, Yellow and Red. Each color corresponds with a unique

me cucumbers and ripe cherry tomatoes. The possibilities

nutritional profile to maximize your intake of nutrients and

are truly limitless—I’ve even had success using washoku to

antioxidants.

make the one-dimensional recipes from my childhood more well-rounded and appetizing; my grandma’s beef stroganoff

Pair ingredients to incorporate all the five major tastes

came to life once I accentuated the slow-braised beef and

in each meal.

egg noodles in gravy with horseradish-beet relish, crème

When sweet, salty, sour, pungent and bitter elements are pres-

fraîche and fresh scallions.

ent, it maximizes the flavor dimensions of a meal without the need to add excessive amounts of fat and salt.

Practicing balanced cooking through washoku has made me more present and tuned-in to the process of nurturing my body with food. With each meal, cooking has become a

Prepare ingredients using a variety of cooking methods.

more fun, intuitive and creative process.

Cooking methods can be grouped into five elemental categories as well and combined to create a rich depth of textures

To find out more about Chef Leanne Valenti and washoku,

and flavors:

visit balancedcooking.com and bentopicnic.com

Water (blanch, boil, steam, poach) Tree (raw) Fire (open-air dry methods, e.g., sauté, grill) Earth (preserve, pickle, ferment) Metal (enclosed dry methods, e.g., bake, roast, fry) 30

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A CENTRAL TEXAS WINTER-MARKET BENTO Serves 6

Use these recipes to make a wholesome, delicious supper and then pack the rest in bento boxes to bring to work or school the next day.

SPINACH GOMAAE 2 bunches spinach, washed well, tough stems removed 6 T. toasted sesame seeds 2 T. tamari 2 T. sugar 1 t. sake 1 t. mirin Blanch the spinach in boiling water for 30 seconds, then shock in ice water, strain and squeeze out the excess water with your hands. Chop the spinach into 2-inch pieces and set aside. Pulse the toasted seeds in a food processor until partially ground. Combine the sesame seeds with the tamari, sugar, sake and mirin and toss with the spinach. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH FUKUJINZUKE PICKLES AND QUINOA RICE Fukujinzuke is a traditional Japanese pickle with a soy sauce-based brine typically served as a relish alongside rice and curry. Fresh lotus root can be found in most Asian markets. For the chicken: 3½ lb. whole organic chicken Kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste Heat the oven to 400°. Dry the bird thoroughly inside and out, then season the cavity and the skin with salt and pepper. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a baking dish, then place in the oven for 50 minutes. Using tongs, flip the bird over, reduce the heat to 350° and bake for another 45 minutes (until the internal temperature reaches 165° to 180°). Let the chicken cool before carving. For the pickles: 1 3-inch piece fresh lotus root, peeled, halved, sliced thinly ¼ lb. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, quartered 1 T. kosher salt ½ c. sugar ½ c. soy sauce or tamari ½ c. sake ½ c. mirin ¼ c. rice vinegar 1 6-inch strip kombu 1½-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled, julienned Combine the lotus root and mushrooms in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and use your hands to gently toss until evenly distributed. Set aside for 10 minutes while you prepare the brine. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar, soy sauce, sake, mirin and rice vinegar. Cook over medium heat for about 3 to 5 minutes—stirring until the sugar dissolves. Squeeze the excess moisture from the vegetables and add them to the soy sauce mixture, along with the kombu and ginger. Let it come all the way to a boil, then use a fine-mesh spider skimmer or slotted spoon to remove the vegetables to a sealable container. Let the soy sauce mixture continue boiling until it is reduced by about half, then let cool. Pour the brine over the vegetables, cover and refrigerate. The pickles can be used right away, but they’ll be better if you let them marinate in the brine for 2 to 3 days. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to a month. For the quinoa rice: 2 c. medium rice 2 T. quinoa 4 c. water 1 t. salt Add the rice, quinoa, water and salt to a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the liquid evaporates—about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let steam with the lid on for 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or rice paddle to fluff before serving. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

FRESH 2017

MEYER LEMON-MISO SLAW

TEX RATED: GRAPEFRUIT FOR GROWN-UPS

1 T. Meyer lemon juice 1 T. white miso Salt, to taste ½ lb. green or Napa cabbage, sliced thinly 1 watermelon radish, julienned 1 t. chopped scallion ½ t. Meyer lemon zest Whisk together the lemon juice and miso to make a creamy dressing. Add salt, to taste, then toss the dressing with the cabbage and radish. Garnish with the scallions and lemon zest. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

HONEY-GINGER CARROTS 1 bunch carrots ¼ t. sea salt ¼ c. sherry vinegar, divided 2 T. honey 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated

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Trim away the carrot tops and scrub the skins. Place the carrots in a single layer across the bottom of a large shallow pot. Add the salt and a splash of the sherry vinegar, then add water to the pot to reach halfway up the side of the carrots. Cut a piece of parchment paper so that it will fit inside the pot and cut several slits in the middle of the paper. (This is known as a cartouche and it serves as a cover for the surface of a stew, soup, stock or sauce to slow evaporation, prevent a skin from forming and keep ingredients submerged.) Place the cartouche in the pot, completely covering the carrots. Put the pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Let the carrots simmer until the liquid evaporates, then check the carrots with a fork or cake tester. If they are still hard, add a bit more water, cover back up and let continue to simmer until they are tender enough to pierce. Once tender, remove the cartouche and deglaze the pan with the rest of the sherry vinegar. Drizzle on the honey and sprinkle the ginger evenly across the carrots. Adjust the salt, if needed, then move the carrots to a sheet pan to cool. Once cool, cut the carrots as desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled. To assemble: Spread the quinoa rice across the bottom of half of a bento box and place the carved chicken along with a thick pinch of fukujinzuke pickles atop the rice. In the other half of the bento, snuggle the slaw, carrots and spinach side by side. If your bento has multiple compartments, use your creativity to pack the components however they fit best with your bento design.

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WHAT WE’RE DRINKING

WITH FRESH BY T E R RY T H O M PSO N -A N D E RSO N

inter offers our tables an abundance of

while maintaining a nice degree of acidity. One of the

opulent flavors ranging from an array of

best is Perrisos Vineyard’s 2014 Aglianico. It’s a me-

rich root vegetables to vibrant and tasty win-

dium-bodied red that shows intense fruit and a crisp,

ter greens. Recipes found in this issue will ignite your

acidic finish with nuances of spice and fine tannins to

desire for meals that fill the kitchen with nostalgic aro-

match the bold, spicy flavors of the dish.

mas and whet the palate for beverages to match them. Zucchini “Zoodles” with Lemon Vinaigrette (page 21). This innovative dish calls for a beverage with enough acidity to stand up to the tart vinaigrette without overpowering the dish’s delicate flavors and textures. A white wine such as Fall Creek Vineyards’ Sauvignon Blanc 2015—made from 100-percent Texas-grown fruit from the mineral rich soil of Pecos County—makes a perfect pairing. It has a full, rounded mouthfeel to balance the concentrated flavors of the dried herbs, plus great zest and fruit characteristics to complement the dish.

Roasted Golden Beets, Carrots and Butternut Squash with Maple-Citrus Glaze (page 48). There are wonderful vegetable and citrus flavors going on in this dish, as well as a little shot of sweetness, so you wouldn’t want a beverage to overpower any of those great flavors. A traditional Southern sweet iced tea would be a terrific pairing to blend with—yet contrast—the nuances of the maple-citrus glaze. To make an excellent pitcher of Southern sweet tea, place 1½ tablespoons of Texas-grown Lost Pines Light Roast Yaupon Tea (the only natural caffeine source native to the U.S.) in a medium saucepan.

Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey, “Potlikker”

Pour 1 quart of boiling water over the tea leaves. Cover

and Maple Cornbread Dumplings (page 20). If ever

and steep for about 10 minutes, then strain into 3-quart

there were a dish that begged for a rustic, farmhouse-style

glass pitcher. Stir in 1 quart of ice cubes until melted,

beverage, it’s this Southern-inspired, down-home creation.

then stir in 1¼ cups of simple syrup (equal parts water

The very definition of a saison-style beer is a brew that’s

and sugar, dissolved in a pan). Serve the tea over ice.

rustic, brewed in farmhouse style with wild yeast-driven fruity notes. A good choice for this dish is Oddwood Ales’ Saison, which has garnered widespread praise even before the brewery’s East Austin/ Manor Road facility has officially opened. On the nose, it’s mostly citrus-centric, white-wine aromas with a touch of farmhouse funk that ends with tannic notes. Oddwood’s brew imparts a woodsy taste that will work fabulously with the smoky notes of the turkey.

A Central-Texas Winter-Market Bento (page 29). Such a delightfully creative meal should be paired with a beverage of equally stellar quality based on the protein component: a roasted chicken. The side dishes are complementary to each other and to the roasted chicken, so a well-matched beverage will bring the meal together in nice harmony. Although the subject of chardonnay produced in Texas often elicits a firestorm of protest, chardonnay is an impecca-

Ropa Vieja (page 45). This national dish of Cuba—similar in

ble pairing for roast chicken. And in the last few years, some excel-

many aspects to Texas’ beloved carne guisada—supports a variety

lent chardonnays have been grown and produced in Texas. One is

of beverage pairings, but the options need to be as full-bodied as

Compass Rose Cellars’ 2015 Texas Chardonnay, which would be

the variety of Spanish-inspired spices and ingredients. While wine

a stunning match for this meal. The fruit was grown by Robert Clay

has not been widely available in Cuba in many years, rum has been

Vineyards in a rare plot of Texas Hill Country chardonnay vines in

the beverage of choice. A classic rum cocktail, therefore, would be

Mason, Texas. The wine was barrel-aged for 13 months before its

an appropriate pairing for this dish. To create one, fill a tall glass

release in the fall of 2016. Coming in at 13.2-percent alcohol, the

with ice, add the desired amount of Austin’s Treaty Oak rum, fill

wine’s level of ripeness is a fine match for 100-percent new French

with equal parts of orange and pineapple juice, add a splash of lem-

oak, which rounded off and supported the green apple and ripe pear

on-lime soda and end with a dash of grenadine. Stir well and garnish

flavors, and gave a more substantial presence to the wine without

with a lime twist. This dish also offers a nice opportunity for a wine

burdening it with the overtly buttery characteristics found in many

pairing. Aglianico, a red grape of Italian origin, is gaining a foothold

domestic chardonnays. The wine’s medium body will enhance the

in Texas vineyards. It’s a varietal that does well in the Texas heat

myriad flavors in this meal without overpowering it.

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COOKS at home

RACHEL AND MATTHEW BUCHANAN BY K AT H L E E N T H O R N B E R RY • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY M E L A N I E G R I Z Z E L

decade ago, Rachel and Matthew (“Matt”) Buchanan

to the boys who have begun racing around the room. “Quintin!

opened The Leaning Pear—an ambitious farm-to-table

Oliver! I have Parmesan!” The boys rush over to the cutting board

café in Wimberley, Texas. Despite the long odds of open-

to grab slices before racing off again.

ing a successful restaurant in a small town, not only did theirs

“The place we lived when we studied abroad was this former

work, it has become a culinary destination. And in 2013, “The

monastery,” continues Matt. “Margarita and her assistant were

Pear,” as it’s affectionately referred to by locals, grew out of its

feeding…gosh…probably forty-five college students a day—all big

original location in an old historic home and into a sleek, new, en-

bowls of family-style pasta. Pasta Bolognese was definitely in the

vironmentally friendly glass and rustic wood building on a bluff

rotation. I usually make a big ol’ batch, then I vacuum-freeze it

overlooking Cypress Creek.

for quick dinners. It’s especially great when the grandparents are

During the years the Buchanans were building their business,

watching [the kids], or babysitters…you know, one less thing to

they were also starting a family—their eldest, Quintin, is nearly 8;

think about.” Rachel interrupts and laughs as she gathers vegeta-

Oliver is 6; and baby sister Clara is 2 ½. All of those years working

bles from the refrigerator. “Since he got that sous-vide [machine]

the line and managing a restaurant seem to have made Rachel and

he’s been sealing everything!”

Matt completely unflappable, which is good, because a weeknight

While the sauce is warming slowly on the stovetop, the pasta

meal at the Buchanan house could be a study in love-filled chaos

machine waits on the huge kitchen-counter island ready to go. All

management…a graduate study. With three children under 8, the

of a sudden, all three children are on the island, too—vying for

couple usually gets the kids involved in making dinner so they

the honor of helping to make the pasta. Both boys are old hands at

can keep an eye on them. Fortunately, the kids love to help.

feeding the increasingly thin sheets of fresh pasta through the roll-

Tonight’s dinner is pasta Bolognese, a dish Rachel and Matt

ers, Oliver being especially fond of looping the pasta sheets so that

encountered often during their studies abroad in Italy. Both

they feed themselves through. When all the pasta is made, the kids

were attending Texas A&M at the time, and both independently

slide back down to the floor to continue on with their business.

signed up for a scholastic trip to Italy where they met and became

“We’re going to have an ‘Oliver Chopped Salad,’” Rachel an-

friends. “We were just friends throughout the trip,” Rachel says as

nounces—looking toward the 6-year-old. “Honey, can you tell us

she checks on the bread baking in the oven. “Only at the end did it

about it?” she asks. “It’s got CARROTS and GRAPE TOMATOES

become something more. Matt left a few weeks before I did…and I

and ARUGULA,” he says with the intensity of a scientist, then he

realized…I MISSED HIM! He surprised me by proposing on New

abruptly changes his mind and says, “I think I need to wilt the

Year’s. We wanted to go back to Italy after graduation to teach

arugula.” Matt hands him a pan and he goes for it while Rachel

English, so we got married before we went back.”

gets Clara settled in her high chair.

“This was before cellphones,” Matt interjects. “It was nice, be-

Soon, silky fresh pasta is tossed with rich, meaty Bolognese

cause you’d have a weekly phone call with your parents, just to

sauce and topped with Parmesan. Oliver’s simple wilted arugula

let them know you were okay. Otherwise, we were totally out of

is served on the side and warm garlic bread rounds out the meal.

touch; there wasn’t even email back then! We were just complete-

It’s no struggle to get these kids to sit down and eat, and five min-

ly cut off from our normal lives, exploring Italy. I feel sorry for

utes later, bowls are clean and the love-filled chaos relocates to

my kids, because I guess they’ll never experience that.” He turns

the backyard, laughing and yelling.

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RACHEL AND MATTHEW BUCHANAN’S “BIG OL’ BATCH OF LOVE AND CHAOS” BOLOGNESE SAUCE Makes about 12–15 servings 3 T. olive oil 8 oz. pancetta, diced 2 lb. ground beef 2 lb. ground pork 2 lb. ground lamb 4 carrots, chopped or grated 3 yellow onions, chopped 7 stalks celery 6 garlic cloves, minced 3 c. red wine 6 sage leaves ½ t. fennel seed 5–6 sprigs fresh thyme 1 32-oz. can chopped tomatoes 3 bay leaves 3 c. red wine 2 c. milk 1 c. chicken stock Salt, to taste Crushed red pepper, to taste Cooked pasta, for serving Parmesan, for serving

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In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil and add the pancetta. Cook until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and set aside. Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until browned. Remove the beef to the bowl with the pancetta, then brown the pork the same way. Once the pork is browned, remove to the bowl and brown the lamb the same way (if crispy bits begin to form in the pan between brownings, deglaze with a little red wine). Once the lamb is browned, remove to the bowl. Add the carrots, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the red wine and meats to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce (the pasta and Parmesan are for serving), then let the sauce simmer for at least 3, but up to 6, hours (longer is better). Just before serving, cook the desired amount of pasta according to package directions. For serving, toss the cooked pasta with the amount of sauce desired, separate into bowls and top with grated Parmesan. Freeze any leftover sauce in individual zip-top sandwich bags or pint-size mason jars for single servings.

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farmers DIARY

he sunrise over the Strohmeyer

crops: cotton, beets and turnips. The “S”

family’s citrus groves in McAl-

in the name stands for “sons” and, later,

len tinges the tiny white blos-

a grandson and great-grandchildren. The

soms with pink and gold. Between the

seventh of George’s nine children, David

trees, the air is thick with the fragrance

Strohmeyer, 76, lives on the farm today

of the blooms: sweet and bright, like

in the same house where he was born.

the grapefruits and oranges that will

A military career took him around the

soon replace them. It was the same

world, and when he contemplated retire-

heady aroma that convinced George and

ment, he and his wife, Beverly, decided

Elizabeth Strohmeyer to stay in the Rio

to return to the family’s roots. David had

Grande Valley in the 1930s and plant a

purchased the farm from his father in the

citrus grove. And today, their descen-

1960s, and he and Beverly planted the

dants sell more than 100,000 bushels of organic avocados, mangoes, limes, lemons, oranges, tangerines and grapefruits each year to customers across the country.

first trees of today’s groves in 1994. The trees began to produce a few years later, and in the early 2000s, David and his then-business partner decided to sell citrus

The business is named “G and S Groves” and the “G” stands for

online. They had a ready consultant in David’s son Dave, who was

“George,” who was not able to realize his dream of successful citrus

working in Austin’s tech industry. Dave nudged his father toward

farming. When a late-’30s drought followed by a freeze wiped out his

developing a website that would accept credit card payments,

original grove, he instead began a dairy operation and planted row

allowing them to sell to customers as far away as Maine. “At first,

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Top photo courtesy of G and S Groves, photography of fruit by Scott David Gordon

BY RO BY N ROSS

my dad was totally convinced people were going to write checks,” Dave says wryly. Soon, the two generations decided to run the company together. Contracts with Austin metro’s Johnson’s Backyard Garden and Greenling (now Farmhouse Delivery) helped the business expand, and G and S also began selling wholesale to juicing companies and grocery stores. While David and Beverly currently live full-time on the family land, Dave and his wife, Bonnie, split their time between Austin and the farm in McAllen. Together, the two generations oversee the maintenance and pollination of the trees and the harvesting and packing of the fruit—a year-round job that sometimes demands 16-hour days. Dave and Bonnie’s four college-age children help out on school breaks and have indicated they want to continue the family business, too. G and S Groves has always been an organic farm, so the Strohmeyers eschew conventional pesticides and herbicides. Their biggest headache is weed growth, which they address by spraying soybean oil on weeds and grass when the weather is hot and the plants are already under stress. Once coated with soybean oil, the weeds heat up even more in the sun and start to die. Then the Strohmeyers can cut and mulch the weeds with a disc—turning them back into the soil. To control insects that affect the skin of the fruit, a spray of organic sulfur and water is used on the canopy of the trees. “Organic farming is like farming in the 1930s,” David says. “It’s not farming like people do today. You don’t use all the chemicals and fertilizers.” Like every Texas farmer, the Strohmeyers contend with the caprices of the weather—droughts are often followed by floods and hailstorms. In July 2008, Hurricane Dolly passed right over

eat well.

the farm, stripping the trees and flooding the groves with at least four feet of water. But Dave remembers one weather event that appeared disastrous at first but actually had a fortuitous twist. One

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holiday season when his children were young, the family traveled from Austin, where the forecast included snow, to McAllen, where

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the kids’ dreams of a white Christmas faded. But the snow—more than six inches of it—skipped Austin and fell on the Valley instead. “My kids were super happy, building snowmen in front of the trees,” Dave says. “And all I could think about was that we just lost everything. But it turned out we didn’t lose any fruit! The snow actually helped us because it killed the bugs that chew on the rinds of the fruit, so we had a really good crop the next year.”

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Mother Nature, the complexities of the organic certification process and the increase in theft, of both equipment and fruit, across the Valley be damned—the Strohmeyers wouldn’t have it any other way. Things like the annual ambrosia of the blooms are a constant comfort. Of course, there’s also one perk of the job that will never change: “If you’re driving along and you see an orange,” David says, “you can get off the tractor and eat the orange. That’s my favorite thing about farming.” Find out more at gandsgroves.com or call 512-246-0778. Visit the G and S Groves roadside stand: 8221 North Ware Rd., McAllen November 25 to mid-March or mid-April (or until the fruit is gone) 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 1–5 p.m. Sunday EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

FRESH 2017

Long off the radar, Cuba has recently opened up to U.S. travelers. As of now, visitors can travel with a planned itinerary that falls under one of 12 categories agreed upon by both the U.S. and Cuban governments. Individuals can go on their own but for first-timers, it’s recommended to travel with a small group and guide. It’s also now easier to get there—U.S. airlines began service in late 2016. And visitors are allowed to bring back any amount of rum and cigars for personal use, subject to customs regulations. However, while U.S. relations with Cuba have eased in recent years, this could change following the results of the U.S. presidential election followed by the death of Fidel Castro. Also, President Raúl Castro will step down in 2018, so leadership in Cuba will change for the first time in 60 years. Safe to say that today’s Cuba is for travelers, not tourists. The most important things to bring right now are an open mind and flexibility.

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edible TRIPS

CUBA’S FARM-TO-TABLE PALADAR MOVEMENT BY J E A N WA R N E K E

magine a Caribbean island with rich soil, regular rainfall and

their main customer for sugar exports, Cuba’s cane fields were

plenty of sun—perfect growing conditions by all accounts—

converted to grow fruits and vegetables instead. The food system

and yet, this same island is forced to import fruits and veg-

quickly began to rally, farmers markets sprouted up and a wave

etables. That was Cuba under the restrictive, controlling thumb

of skilled home cooks began utilizing the abundance from their

of the Soviet Union. And in the early ’90s, things got worse when

gardens and markets to prepare and sell meals from their own

Russia cut off their $4–5 billion annual subsidy, thus beginning a

homes to lucky travelers.

challenging time of ration booklets, limited food and long lines for Cubans.

A private home restaurant in Cuba is known as a paladar (Spanish for “palate”), and these establishments were very

Anyone with a piece of land, or even a bare rooftop, began

much illegal under the still-strong Communist rule. But when

planting food crops for their family to survive. Organic methods

Raúl Castro took over the presidency in 2008, one of his goals

were adopted, mainly due to lack of pesticides and fertilizers

was to allow private enterprise. A decade later, paladares now

made from oil derivatives—another Soviet import. Having lost

represent a large part of Cuba’s new entrepreneurship, and most EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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FIGHT HUNGER TODAY

are still farm-to-table by nature and necessity. Originally permitted in homes with no more than 12 seats, today’s paladares also include stand-alone restaurants. There are more than 2,000 paladares in Havana alone, and government-run restaurants are said to be upping their game to compete. Here are two examples of a classic paladar that travelers to Cuba would be fortunate to visit. The westernmost province of Cuba is Pinar del Río, and many think it has the most beautiful scenery on the island. Pinar is known for verdant rolling hills and mogotes, or limestone mountains. Cigar aficionados know Pinar as a prime tobacco-growing region, specifically for the cigar wrapper. In the town of Viñales, about 2.5 hours west of Havana, is a small finca (estate farm) and paladar known as Finca Agroecologica El Paraiso. Sitting on the wraparound porch of the farmhouse restaurant surrounded by terraced vegetable and herb gardens, lunch begins with a drink known as “the anti-stress cocktail,” a smoothie made with coconut milk, pineapple, anise, basil, yerba buena (Cuban mint), cin-

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namon, lemongrass, peppermint, honey and more. A bottle of Havana Club rum is left on the table for each diner to add the amount desired. Everything is served family-style, and starters include housemade favorites such as fried plantain chips, taro stuffed with ground pork and a delicious squash and curry soup.

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Then plate after plate of fresh vegetables arrive featuring lettuc-

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chicken—and of course, rice and beans. All but the fish is from

es, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, yuca, boniato and cassava, followed by the meats—slow-roasted pulled pork, fish, lamb, the farm. Desserts are simple: a small slice of flan or quince and a cortadita, a shot of strong espresso. Back in the suburbs of Havana is Finca la Yoandra—an urban organic fruit orchard—and Il Divino, its elegant paladar. Comprising a mere five acres, the finca grows more than 120 varieties

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of fruits (including criollo lemons, from which they make their

AMPLIFY AUSTIN

flowers. The terraces offer a pleasing setting for a meal—they

Mark your calendar for the annual city-wide day of giving!

signature limoncello), as well as herbs, vegetables and beautiful overlook the gardens and small ranchitos spread throughout the grounds where visitors can also dine. The food and service are divine—a rare but increasingly more common combination in Cuba. The meal starts with traditional Cuban appetizers, such as fried

March 2-3, 2017

chickpeas or pumpkin soup, and main dishes include lamb shoul-

Schedule your gift at amplifyatx.org/foodbank

herbs and cooked in an open kitchen. The desserts are as clever as

der and roast chicken, prepared in a simple way with garlic and they are tasty: coconut ice cream in a scooped-out coconut shell, topped with chocolate and nuts and then frozen, or pineapple sorbet in a carved-out pineapple. As relations between Cuba and the U.S. thaw, people wonder if Cuba will change. Change is inevitable, but Cubans are a proud,

There are many ways to help your neighbors in need all year long!

grounded people and change will be gradual. Already the number of travelers from the U.S. has increased dramatically, but the infrastructure will take a while to catch up. And even though it was born during an intensely challenging time in Cuba’s history, the paladar movement seems to have come at just the right time for

Find more ways to get involved at centraltexasfoodbank.org 44

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travelers interested in experiencing Cuba and its unique culinary abundance.

ROPA VIEJA (“OLD CLOTHES”) Serves 6-8 This is a version of the dish many consider to be the national dish of Cuba. It would be very common to find ropa vieja on the menu at a paladar. 1 15-oz.can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 T. vinegar 1 finely diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce 2 T. adobo sauce 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 bay leaf 2 t. ground cumin 1 t. salt 1 t. freshly ground pepper 1½ lb. flank steak, cut into chunks 2 red bell peppers, seeded, sliced 2 green bell peppers, seeded, sliced 1 onion, sliced 4 T. chopped pimiento-stuffed olives In a slow cooker or Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes, vinegar, diced chipotle, adobo sauce, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the flank steak, bell peppers and onions and cook on low, or over low heat, for 4 to 6 hours. Once cooked, shred the meat with two forks, sprinkle with the olives and serve with rice.

CUBAN SOPA DE CALABAZA (PUMPKIN SOUP) Serves 4-6 A variety of squash soups are often found on the menu at finca paladares. ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil 1 onion, minced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 t. cumin 4 lbs. pumpkin, peeled, cubed 6 c. chicken stock Salt, to taste ½ c. heavy cream or half-and-half 3–4 T. butter Heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and stir until caramelized. Add the cumin and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the pumpkin and stock. Season with salt, raise the heat to high, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and cover the pan. Allow the soup to simmer until the pumpkin is tender—about 20 to 25 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender or in small batches in a food processor. Return to a low simmer and add the cream or halfand-half and butter.

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edible GARDEN

A WINTER GARDENING BED BY SA RA H J. N I E LS E N • I L LUST RAT I O N BY CAT H Y M AT US I C KY

n a relatively small amount of space, home gardeners can cre-

Green or purple fall/winter* cabbage—1 plant

ate a vegetable garden productive enough to provide delicious

The number of cabbage varieties (and planting/harvesting times)

sides or even main courses during our winters in Central Texas.

are nearly endless! They fall mainly into two groups: summer/fall

Year-round gardening is an excellent means of sustainability and

and winter/spring cabbages. The main head is harvested when

self-sufficiency through food production, and expert guides, such

ripe, but they will continue to put out loose spring leaves for later

as “Four-Season Harvest” by the inimitable Eliot Coleman, prove

harvests. Some varieties grow more quickly than others, so dili-

that even the frigid northernmost regions of the United States can

gence in research is recommended.

produce garden-fresh ingredients in every season, provided they receive enough sunshine. We here in comfortable Zone 8 don’t even require heat retention of any kind for our beds to provide us with plenty of greens, roots and ingredients to store (think: hardshell squash, onions, garlic) throughout the “cold” season. And

Radishes—36 seeds total, sown 2 inches apart Radishes are sown throughout the year and harvested as needed. Sow a row or two at a time in weekly intervals and check for readiness at three weeks from seeding.

luckily, local home and garden retail shops and boutiques have

Collards—1 plant

raised-garden-bed kits and specialty soil blends to make setting

In Central Texas, sow transplants in January/February or September/

up a complete winter garden easy and possible for less than $50.

October.

For my winter bed, I used a pre-made kit for a simple 3.5 x 3.5 square-foot plot. Keep in mind that vegetable varieties mature at different

Beets—48 seeds total, sown 1.5 inches apart (thin to 3 inches apart as needed)

times; one seed strain may take weeks or a month longer than

Carrots—36 seeds total, sown 2 inches apart

others to grow. And it’s wise to research varieties for disease-

Beets and carrots can be planted in winter and harvested young

and pest-resistance according to your region. For the location

or mature. (Plant in rotation for harvest at regular intervals.)

of your plot, choose one that receives full sun, preferably with a northern windbreak either from a fence or a wall. Compost that is fully decomposed can be blended into soil during crop rotation at a rate of 1 square inch spread evenly across the top

Microgreens—250 seeds total per square foot These can be seeded in small amounts so that you have a regular production of fresh microgreens.

and then forked in. I also recommend mulching with straw, grass

Garlic—4 plants

clippings (kept well away from the stems of sensitive vegeta-

Garlic is planted in fall and winter and harvested at the end of

bles) or leaf litter.

winter and during spring season, but you can use the greens for

Planting for all seeds and seedlings takes place between September and November or January and March. Remember that raised beds warm faster than in-ground gardens, but they also have less insulation to withstand chill. If we receive especially hard early or late frosts, cover the bed with a sheet at night to protect any tender buds. If you’re feeling extra DIY, you can also build an inexpensive frame cover for the bed. Insect netting can

garnish and flavor throughout the growing season. White onions—36 plants total, sown 2 inches apart Onions, of the same family as garlic, can be planted in fall and winter, and are harvested in spring and summer. Their greens are useful throughout the growing season, and they can be harvested young for aesthetics and variation in flavor.

be useful as temperatures warm up in early spring for pests like

Basil—1 plant

carrot flies, and a ring of sand or grit around the base of slug- and

Basil can be harvested on an ongoing basis and extras can be fro-

snail-prone greens can help protect the harvest.

zen, prepared and stored, or dried. Basil is particularly sensitive

I divided my winter garden bed into nine quadrants by pinning (or taping or nailing) string or twine crosswise on the top of the

to cold weather, however, so be mindful to cover the plant if temperatures dip into the 40s.

sides. Each quadrant in the grid holds one of the following, either in seed or transplant form:

* For an explanation of which months fit seasons categories, visit edibleaustin.com

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Now that all the hard work has been done, consider these culinary ideas to enjoy your cool-weather harvest!

VEGETARIAN COLLARD GREENS Serves 2–4

ROASTED GOLDEN BEETS, CARROTS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH MAPLE-CITRUS GLAZE Serves 4–6 This is an excellent side dish to complement a traditional roast or to bring as part of a vegetarian potluck. 1 bunch golden beets (3–4 medium beets) 1 medium butternut squash 1 bunch young purple carrots ¼ c. maple syrup 2 T. orange juice Pinch of grated orange zest 2 T. melted butter ¼ t. salt Freshly grated nutmeg Toasted pecans, optional Heat the oven to 425°. Wash all the vegetables. Peel the beets and squash. Dice the squash into roughly 1-inch pieces. Cut the beets into quarters and slice the carrots into 1-inch pieces on the bias. In a small bowl, mix together the maple syrup, orange juice and orange zest and set aside. Spread the vegetables on an oiled cookie sheet, brush with the melted butter and sprinkle with the salt. Bake for 30 minutes, then flip the vegetables to brown evenly. Brush with the glaze and cook for another 25 minutes. When vegetables are nicely golden and browned, remove the tray and grate a small amount of fresh nutmeg over the vegetables. Sprinkle with toasted pecans, if using, and serve on a tray or platter.

Collards and other greens are sweeter after a freeze, so leave those long tough leaves on the plant until after a cold shock and they’ll be more palatable. I recommend using a 12-inch cast-iron frying pan for this dish. Instead of bacon, this recipe calls for toasted sourdough, which adds a similar fatty, chewy, crispy texture and smoky flavor. Of course, you can also just use bacon. 2 T. peanut oil, divided 1 T. butter 2 pinches salt, divided Pinch black pepper ½ t. smoked paprika 1 c. chopped sourdough bread (day-old end of a bâtard or similar, chopped into 1-inch pieces) 1 garlic clove, minced 1 small white onion, diced 1 bunch collard greens, stripped from the thickest part of the stems and roughly chopped Heat half of the oil and all of the butter in a pan until smoking. Add the spices and stir, then add the bread—stirring regularly and cooking until the bread is crispy and golden brown. Remove the bread and spread across a baking sheet (so it doesn’t get soggy in a bowl). Add the remaining oil to the pan over medium-high heat and add a pinch of salt. Add the garlic, stirring rapidly, then immediately add the onion and let it heat until glistening. Add the collards and cook for a few minutes, until the greens are bright and wilted. Taste for texture—it shouldn’t be as soft as canned spinach, but it shouldn’t be hard to chew or bitter, either. Remove the greens to a serving bowl, add the bread, gently combine and serve.

WARM GOLDEN BEET, GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL PESTO SALAD Serves 4 For the pesto: 1 c. fresh basil leaves 2 T. pine nuts or pecans 3 garlic cloves, roasted 3 T. olive oil ¼ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese For the salad: 1 bunch (3–4) medium golden beets ½ c. crumbled goat cheese ½ c. pesto Basil leaves, for garnish

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For the pesto: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. For the salad: Heat the oven to 450°. Wash the beets, trim the tops and bottoms, then place them whole in a covered roasting pan or on a baking sheet (cover the beets with foil). Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork. Peel the beets while they’re still warm (but not hot) by running under cool water and gently sliding off their skins. Slice the beets into ¼-inch-thick slices and layer on the diagonal across a serving tray. Top with the crumbled goat cheese, then use a pastry tube or sandwich baggie with a small hole cut across one corner to pipe the pesto around the beets. Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

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QUICK COOKING TIPS FOR 2017 BY J OY CAS N OVS KY

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tionship with food. In May, my husband and I celebrated one year of marriage. Also in May, I began a graduate program. While continuing to work full-time at Sustainable Food Center (SFC), attend school and find time to be with my husband, I suddenly found myself in an unfamiliar situation: I had no time to cook! My job as the program director for SFC’s The Happy Kitchen/ La Cocina Alegre doesn’t stop when I leave the building and go home. I am an avid cook—not only because I enjoy it, but because of the health and economic benefits it brings to my family. We eat more healthfully at home when we meal-plan, and we save money when we’re not eating out. This lack of time for cooking, however, is all too familiar for many American families. After all, the average American spends 35 minutes per day preparing, and cleaning up after, meals. (For comparison, the average American also spends 168 minutes watching television daily.) SFC’s The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre offers classes on how to prepare time-sensitive and culturally appropriate recipes using inexpensive, healthy and seasonal ingredients. Now more than ever before, I am relating to the concerns that many of our class participants share: struggling to balance life obligations, cooking and eating. It’s tempting to fall into the convenience warp of eating on-the-go by picking up takeout or relying on frozen dinners. But my challenge is this: What is possible with so little time? Here are some ideas for your busy 2017: • Make a hearty pot of soup for your week’s go-to lunch. • Buy an inexpensive cut of humanely-raised meat, such as pork shoulder, and cook it in a slow cooker on Sunday evening for the week’s dinners. • Make sure your pantry and refrigerator are well stocked and that staples such as yogurt, oatmeal, honey, salsa, beans, rice, tortillas, cheese, greens and fruit are on hand to make a quick bite. • Clean and chop a bunch of veggies over the weekend and put in containers in the refrigerator. In the morning, sauté a handful or two with eggs and wrap in a tortilla for breakfast. • Turn social activities into cooking get-togethers where you and a few friends prepare a couple of dishes in large quantities so that everyone gets to take home a portion of each for the week. • And the last tip? Keep it simple. I am not ashamed to share that

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THE MARMALADY CHRONICLES BY KATE PAYNE • PHOTOGRAPHY BY JO ANN SANTANGELO

rior to making my first batch of marmalade, I had

a marinade for a pork chop, a good marmalade is a versatile

actually never tasted the stuff. But thankfully, my

way to add flavor and pizzazz to dishes without the limited

grandma requested orange marmalade after learning

notes of a standard sweet spread.

of my new canning habit. I’m glad she did, because now I see what I’ve been missing my whole life!

This admittedly time-consuming project only involves a couple of kitchen feats that anyone with some patience and a sharp

The common textural definition of marmalade is a jelly

knife can manage. The first act of “marmalading” involves cut-

with bits of citrus rind suspended in the gel. Though this is

ting up whole citrus fruits, rind and all, into tiny bits that people

still a sweet preserve, it does not match the profile of oth-

will not mind encountering on toast. The second feat is facili-

er jams or jellies. Citrus rinds add a balancing bitter note

tating magic via ordinary fruit pectin—where a chemical reac-

to this fruit preserve and give marmalade so many culinary

tion urges what was once liquid to gel, bringing the citrus rinds

opportunities to shine. From an English tea party staple to

into suspension thanks to heat and two essential ingredients.

Pectin is a molecule that is found in fruits (and other produce) in highest concentration in the skin, peel and seeds. Pectin is the network that helps keep fruit cell walls together. When we cut up this network, these molecular bonds are severed and cast about, where they free-float in the mixture. The mixture needs help at this stage in order for the pectin bonds to find each other again and form that perfect wiggly, spreadable gel. When attempting to get a mixture of citrus pulp and peel, water and sugar to gel, those pectin bonds rely on three things happening. First, sugar, used in proportion so that it is no less than 65 percent volume ratio with the entire mixture, binds up water molecules and allows the pectin bonds to get closer together. Second, heat helps some of the water molecules evaporate so that the pectin bonds are able to get even closer together. Third, added acidity, usually lemon juice, helps neutralize the negative electrical charge of the pectin bonds to help them rebond to each other. I’m including a recipe for my wife’s favorite marmalade— grapefruit and chile—the one I make every year and wrap up for her as a Christmas present like it’s a surprise. She doesn’t care for any of the sweet preserves I make except for this one. This preserve got its name thanks to a blog-reader who submitted the winning suggestion: “Maude Ellen Marmalade.” “Bitter, smoky, slightly spicy…I had a great-aunt Maude Ellen who was exactly that!” she wrote. I sent her a jar in thanks because that’s exactly what this marmalade is. Other marmalades I love to make during winter months include Meyer lemon marmalade and tangerine cranberry marmalade—both are slightly simpler than the following recipe because the peels of tangerines and Meyer lemons are not as bitter as those of a grapefruit, but they still require an overnight in the fridge so that the pectin severed from slicing up rinds can find its way into the added water mixture. Try not to agitate the jars after canning them; it can take up to five or six days for this delicate set to really firm up. If a syrup remains after the wait, make cocktails, marinades and see what’s been missing from the weekend pancake game all these years.

“MAUDE ELLEN” MARMALADE Yields approximately 4–5 half-pint jars 2 organic Rio Star or red grapefruits 4 c. filtered water 3–4 c. white sugar, depending on measured volume 3 T. lemon juice ½ t. ground cinnamon 2 dried puya chiles (for medium heat) or guajillo chiles (for mild heat), minced finely, including seeds Day 1: Prepare the grapefruits by slicing into the rind fully through the peels without cutting through the flesh of the fruit. Slice the rinds into quarters and peel each quarter from the fruit, reserving the peeled fruit. Place the rinds into a stainless steel pot and cover with tap water (not the filtered water). Bring to a boil, cover the pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the simmered peels, and repeat this process 2 more times. Drain the peels for the final time and allow them to cool. Remove as much pith from the peeled grapefruit as possible, then use a very sharp knife to slice each fruit into 2 halves from pole to pole. Slit a ‘v’ in the inside of each half to remove what’s called the “rag” and use a finger to feel along the v-cut section to remove seeds. Do this over a cutting board with grooves to catch the juice. Slice into 3 or 4 smaller sections and chop the fruit into thin sections or use a food processor to pulse (not liquefy) the fruit. Remove any excess pith from inside the nowcooled peels and slice each peel into thin shreds. Combine the pulp and sliced peels in a large nonreactive pot and add the filtered water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat, allow to cool to room temperature and place the pot (or mixture poured into a glass bowl) into the refrigerator overnight. Day 2: Measure the volume of the mixture in the bowl or pot. Add equal part sugar to match the volume of the mixture. For a more bitter marmalade, reduce the sugar by no more than 1 cup. Add the lemon juice, cinnamon and chiles. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat until the sugar granules dissolve, then raise the heat to medium-high until the frozen spoon test (explained below) results show a set. Skim the foam from the top of the mixture as it cooks. It usually takes about 30 minutes for a mixture to reach a set, but look for the bubbles to have spaced out throughout the pot and the mixture to be slightly darker. Stir occasionally to make sure the mixture isn’t scorching where it meets the bottom of the pan. Once cooked to the set point, remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. Ladle the hot marmalade into hot jars and follow water-bath canning procedures with a half–inch headspace and using a 10-minute processing time. If not canning the jars, place in the refrigerator after the marmalade has cooled to room temperature and use within 6 months. Frozen Spoon Test: Since marmalades firm up and gel as they cool, this test is a simple, effective way to tangibly assess how the mixture will gel once cooled. To perform the test, stick 4 or 5 metal teaspoons in the freezer on a plate before cooking the marmalade on day 2. When it looks like the marmalade might be finished, remove the pot from the stove entirely and grab the plate of spoons from the freezer. Dip 1 of them into the pot to scoop up some of the marmalade. Place the spoon back on plate and set the plate back in the freezer for a few minutes. Remove the plate again and notice the texture of the marmalade when you tip the spoon over. This will be the consistency of the marmalade at room temperature and in the fridge after opening. If it’s still runny or syrupy, return the pot to the heat and continue to cook. Retest by repeating these steps.

FRESH 2017

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THE DIRECTORY ARTISANAL FOODS

BAKERIES

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop

Blue Note Bakery

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

Delysia Chocolatier Handcrafted in Austin. Our products are handmade using fine quality, sustainable chocolate and only the freshest ingredients. 512-413-4701 2000 Windy Terrace, Suite 2C delysia.com

Lick Honest Ice Creams Artisan ice creams celebrating the finest ingredients Texas has to offer! Handmade in small batches in our Austin kitchen. Natural, local and seasonal. 512-363-5622 1100 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 35 512-609-8029 6555 Burnet Rd. ilikelick.com

Lone Star Meats Delivering high-quality products chefs desire with a meticulous eye on consistency. 512-646-6220 1403 E. 6th St. lonestarmeats.com

Austin’s only fresh pasta manufacturer serving the greater Austin area’s retail and wholesale pasta needs since 1983. 512-453-0633 3502 Kerbey Lane austinpasta.com

Sweet Ritual Artisanal microcreamery featuring 17 flavors of alternative ice cream - made with cashew, almond and coconut bases. Gluten-free options. Dairy and egg free. 512-666-8346 4500 Duval St. sweetritual.com

Wholy Bagel Wholy Bagel prepares scratch-made New York style bagels daily. 512-899-0200 4404 W. William Cannon Dr. wholybagelatx.com FRESH 2017

Small-batch cider made in south Austin from 100% apples. Available in stores, bars, and restaurants throughout Austin, Houston, and DFW areas. 512-910-3409 12521 Twin Creeks Rd. texaskeeper.com

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

BEVERAGES

Tito’s Handmade Vodka is handcrafted from 100% corn and distilled six times by Tito Beveridge in Austin, TX at America’s original microdistillery. Gluten-free! 512-389-9011 titosvodka.com

Becker Vineyards

Twin Liquors

Winery, vineyards, and tasting room with wines for tasting and for sale. Lavender fields, lavender products and annual Lavender Fest. 830-644-2681 464 Becker Farms Rd., Stonewall beckervineyards.com

Lost Draw Cellars Lost Draw Cellars produces stellar Texas wines from our vineyards in the Texas High Plains, sourcing grapes from some of the best wineries in the state. 830-992-3251 113 E. Park St., Fredericksburg lostdrawcellars.com

Paula’s Texas Spirits Paula’s Texas Orange Liqueur & Paula’s Texas Lemon Liqueur—all natural and handmade in Austin since 2006. Available throughout Texas. paulastexasspirits.com

Spec’s Wine Spirits and Finer Foods

Pasta & Co.

Blue Note Bakery is Austin’s premier custom cake shop, meticulously creating one-of-a-kind desserts for your special occasions. 512-797-7367 4201 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 101 bluenotebakery.com

Texas Keeper Ciders

Family-owned since 1962, Spec’s offers expert service and Texas’ largest selection of wines, spirits and beers along with gourmet foods and more! 512-366-8260 4970 W. US Hwy. 290 512-342-6893 10515 N. MoPac Hwy. 512-280-7400 9900 S. I-35 512-263-9981 13015 Shops Pkwy., Bee Cave 512-366-8300 5775 Airport Blvd. specsonline.com

Family owned and Authentically Austin™ since 1937, Twin Liquors helps customers match wine and spirits to every occasion. 75 Central Texas locations. 1-855-350-TWIN (8946) 512-451-7400 1000 E. 41st St. #810 512-402-0060 3525 Market St., Bee Cave 512-872-4220 210 University Blvd, Ste. 120, Round Rock twinliquors.com

Twisted X Brewing Craft brewery nestled at the foot of the Hill Country. Our tap room is open weekly with 13 locally brewed beers on tap, it’s a great place for a party or to simply enjoy a pint. 512-829-5323 23455 W. RR 150, Dripping Springs texmexbeer.com

CATERING AND MEAL DELIVERY Bespoke Food Full-service caterer creating menus exclusive to each event for corporate and private parties. Truly bespoke. 512-323-0272 bespokeaustin.com

Pink Avocado A custom catering company specializing in tailored menus, incredible food, and surprisingly good professional service. 512-656-4348 401 Sabine St., Ste. B pinkavocadocatering.com

Texas Coffee Traders East Austin’s artisinal 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

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Spoon & Co. Catering 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

EVENTS Whim Hospitality The Whim Hospitality family of services includes catering, event and tent rentals and florals. Separately, or as a package of services, we help make your next event memorable. 512-858-9446 2001 W. Hwy. 290, Ste. 107 Dripping Springs whimhospitality.com

FARMERS MARKETS Sustainable Food Center SFC cultivates a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food. 512-236-0074 400 W. Guadalupe St. 3200 Jones Rd., Sunset Valley 4600 Lamar Blvd. 2921 E. 17 St., Bldg C (Office) sustainablefoodcenter.org

FARMS 44 Farms Founded and Family-owned since 1909 in Cameron, 44 Farms is the U.S. premier producer of ethically raised Angus beef. Our ranchers produce beef with no added hormones, antibiotics or artificial ingredients. 963 PR 44, Cameron 254-697-4401 44farms.com

Capra Premium Dorper Lamb Locally raised, All Natural, Premium Dorper Lamb. 325-648-2418 1110 E. Front St., Goldthwaite caprafoods.com

GROCERS Royal Blue Grocery Downtown Austin’s neighborhood grocer—with dairy, prepared foods, beer and wine, Royal Blue has it all, in a convenient and compact format. Catering too! 512-499-3993 247 W. 3rd St. 512-476-5700 360 Nueces St. 512-469-5888 609 Congress Ave. 512-386-1617 301 Brazos St., Ste. 110 512-480-0061 51 Rainey St. 512-524-0740 1645 E. 6th St. royalbluegrocery.com

Whole Foods Market

The Herb Bar

Selling the highest quality natural and 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

Best place to cure what ails you and a resource center since 1986. Our Optimal Health Advisers are highly trained, knowledgeable and compassionate. 512-444-6251 200 W. Mary St. theherbbar.com

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Kiss the Cook Gourmet kitchen store. 512-847-1553 201 Wimberley Square, Wimberley kissthecookwimberley.com

Peoples Rx Pharmacy and Deli Since 1980, Austin’s favorite pharmacy keeps locals healthy through Rx compounding, supplements and prescriptions, holistic practitioners and natural foods. 512-459-9090; 4018 N. Lamar Blvd. 512-444-8866; 3801 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-327-8877; 4201 Westbank Dr. 512-219-9499; 13860 Hwy 183 N. peoplesrx.com

LANDSCAPE AND GARDENING Barton Springs Nursery Locally grown Texas native plants. Organic pest management. Environmentally friendly soil amendments. Beautiful gifts. 512-328-6655 3601 Bee Cave Rd. bartonspringsnursery.net

Wiseman Family Practice Wiseman Family Practice is an integrative medical practice in Austin, Tx that focuses on health education and natural approaches to wellness. 512-345-8970 2500 S. Lakeline Blvd. Ste. 100, Cedar Park 300 Medical Arts St. 3801 S. Lamar Blvd. wisemanfamilypractice.com

It’s About Thyme Garden Center Top quality 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

YMCA of Austin

Natural Gardener

Building programs for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility that promote strong families, character values, youth leadership, and community development. 8 Austin Area Locations 512-322-9622 austinymca.org

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

LODGING AND TOURISM HOUSEWARES AND GIFTS Callahan’s General Store Austin’s real general store…hardware to western wear, from feed to seed! 512-385-3452 501 S. Hwy. 183 callahansgeneralstore.com

Copenhagen Imports Contemporary furniture and accessories for home and office. 512-451-1233 2236 W. Braker Ln. copenhagenliving.com

Der Küchen Laden Retail gourmet kitchen shop, featuring cookware, cutlery, bakeware, small electrics, textiles and kitchen gadgets. 830-997-4937 258 E. Main St., Fredericksburg littlechef.com

Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm Cooking classes, beautiful dining room venue for private events, hill country cabin rental. 830-833-0910 5818 RR 165, Dripping Springs juniperhillsfarm.com

NONPROFIT Central Texas Food Bank The Central Texas Food Bank is on the front line of hunger relief in a 21-county area, helping nearly 46,000 Central Texans each week access nutritious food when they need it the most. 512-282-2111 6500 Metropolis Dr. centraltexasfoodbank.org

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Barlata Tapas Bar

Austin Label Company Custom labels up to 10 x 20 on paper, foil, synthetics, multiple adhesives, embossing, hot foil and UV coatings. Proud members of Go Texan, FTA and TWGGA. 512-302-0204 1610 Dungan Ln. austinlabel.com

Austin Resource Recovery Austin Resource Recovery provides a range of services designed to transform waste into resources while keeping our community clean. Our goal is to reach Zero Waste by 2040. P.O. Box 1088 512-974-9727 AustinRecycles.com

REAL ESTATE

Located in the heart of South Lamar. Barlata offers a variety of tapas, paellas, regional Spanish wines and cavas. Come and enjoy a bit of Spain with us. 512-473-2211 1500 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 150 barlataaustin.com

Bistro Vonish Elevated vegan cuisine, showcasing the freshest flavors of Central Texas. 203-982-7762 facebook.com/bistrovonish

Cannon + Belle Cannon + Belle is a dynamic, multi-station open kitchen restaurant featuring a delicious Texas-fresh menu plus specialty tap wine and cocktail program. 512-482-8000 500 E. 4th St, cannonandbelle.com

Audrey Row — Keller Williams Realtor assisting residential selling or buying clients in the Austin/Dripping Springs and surrounding areas. Land and Residential market. 512-789-1633 1801 S. Mopac, Suite 100 austinanddrippinghomes.com

Barbara Van Dyke Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty RealtorHelping buyers and sellers move to the next chapter of their lives. 512-431-2552 4301 Westbank Dr. B-100 barbaravandyke.kuperrealty.com

Judd Waggoman — Christie’s International Real Estate

Crepe Crazy Offering succulent savory and sweet crepes with a modern European twist using the highest quality authentic European recipes with a focus on the best & freshest ingredients. 512-387-2442 3103 S. Lamar Blvd. crepecrazy.com

East Side Pies 512-524-0933; 1401B Rosewood Ave. 512-454-7437; 5312 G Airport Blvd. 512-467-8900; 1809-1 W. Anderson Ln. eastsidepies.com

Hut’s Hamburgers

Beach living is closer than you think! Paradise Properties can help you discover your perfect piece of paradise. 530-751-6797 judcaborealestate.com

An Austin tradition since 1939 featuring grassfed Longhorn beef and bison burgers. 512-472-0693 807 W. 6th St. hutsfrankandangies.com

The Marye Company Full service real estate firm in Austin, Texas. Where you live is a lifestyle. Let us help you define yours. 512-444-7171 5608 Parkcrest, Suite 300 themaryecompany.com

Jobell Cafe & Bistro

RESTAURANTS

We offer a carefully selected and prepared take on French bistro fare with wonderful wines all served amidst the intimacy and charm of Texas Hill Country. 512-847-5700 16920 RR 12, Wimberley jobellcafe.com

Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.

Kerbey Lane Cafe

Locally-sourced lunch and dinner. Craft brewery, live music, good people, dog friendly, creative community. #beermakesitbetter #ouratx 512-298-2242 1305 W. Oltorf St. theabgb.com

Kerbey Lane Cafe is a local Austin haunt serving up tasty, healthy food (mostly) 24/7. Stop by any of our 6 locations for a delicious stack of pancakes! 512-451-1436 kerbeylanecafe.com

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communities publications Get to know the farmers in the Finger Lakes, the artisans of Michiana, the vintners in Vancouver and more as we serve up the best local food stories from the fields and kitchens of Edible Communities. edible BLUE RIDGE

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Quicks Hole Tavern â&#x2014;? CBIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Farm Manager Joshua Schiff â&#x2014;? Cape Cod ARK â&#x2014;? R.A.â&#x20AC;&#x2C6;Ribbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Custom Clam Rakes

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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

The Turtle Restaurant Your destination for food prepared from locally available, seasonal ingredients. 325-646-8200 514 Center Ave. Brownwood theturtlerestaurant.com

Vinaigrette A farm-to-table restaurant serving entrée salads and botany-inspired drinks/cocktails. Patio dining and parking available. Open daily for lunch and dinner. 512-852-8791 2201 College Ave. 505-820-9205 709 Don Cubero Alley, Santa Fey, NM 505-842-5507 1828 Central Ave. SW, Albuquerque, NM vinaigretteonline.com

VOX Table New-American restaurant serving chef-crafted small plates that highlight farm-to-table ingredients and a lively craft cocktail bar. The perfect restaurant to wine and dine Austin-Style. 512-375-4869 1100 S. Lamar Blvd., Ste. 2140 voxtableaustin.com

Whip In Beer & wine bars with restaurant. Gujarati (Indian) style food. Huge selection of beer & wine retail. Fill growlers with 72 draft beers. 512-442-5337 1950 S. I-35 whipin.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 MARKETS 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

H e r l o a c

The Leaning Pear Café & Eatery

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THE Honeybee

BY BAMBI EDLUND

Honeybees are ƒe only insect ƒat produces food for humans WHEREVER

The smallest bee is the size of a fruit fly, the largest is the size of a plum.

One pound of honey = up to 10 million blossoms

If kept free of moisture, honey will never spoil.

FLOWERS GROW, THERE ARE BEES; WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ANTARCTIC, THEY ARE PRESENT ON EVERY CONTINENT.

One foraging honeybee will only produce about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime

Not sure if that’s a bee in your begonias? Bees have four wings, flies have two

on a typical day, a queen honeybee lays 1,500 eggs

To evaporate any moist�re, bees fan nectar with their wings, which creates honey

Honeybees are originally native to Africa, the Middle East, and Western Europe

A honeybee’s wings beat 200 times per second

Apis mellifera honeybee

THE U.S. PRODUCES 145–165 MILLION POUNDS OF

Bees gather propolis from the leaves and bark of trees and use it to seal holes in their hives. Propolis is antiseptic, and makes a beehive one of nature’s most sterile environments.

HONEY PER YEAR

When the god Re wept and his tears hit the g�ound, they t�r�ed into honeybees. —Eg��tian my�h

One third of all the food we eat exists as a result of honeybee pollination

A typical hive produces up to 130 pounds of honey per year bambiedlund.com

Get Together Over Something Better

DOMAIN: Just off Mopac, North of Braker | NORTH: Highway 183 & 360 | DOWNTOWN: 6th & Lamar SOUTH: William Cannon & Mopac | WEST: Hill Country Galleria