edible
No. 57 March/April | Outdoor 2018
Austin
Celebrating Central Texas food culture, season by season
ÂŽ
where good times and great meals
bring people together We deliver the finest all-natural Angus steaks from our farm to your home. Quality is bred into everything we do, and you’ll be able to taste the difference.
44farms.com
@44FAR MS
Tito’s
STAR GAZER
★ 1½ oz. Tito’s Handmade Vodka ★ 4 oz. lemonade ★ ½ oz. elderflower liqueur ★ ¼ oz. honey (optional) ★ A few fresh blueberries or
blackberries
Add the Tito’s Handmade Vodka, lemonade, elderflower liqueur, honey and fresh berries to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, pour and serve. Best enjoyed underneath a blanket of stars. Check out more stellar recipes at TitosVodka.com
Woodrow’s Porch Addition, 78703
We design and build around you so you feel right, at home. CGSDB.COM/Woodrow | 512.444.1580
Day at the Derby Dinner May 1, 2018
Get your tickets today www.camplucy.com supperclub@camplucy.com
LIVE MUSIC | CRAFT COCKTAILS FROM TREATY OAK DISTILLING CO. | CHEF SPECIALTIES 4
MARCH/APRIL 2018
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
CONTENTS 8 on the COUNTER 10 notable EDIBLES ATXmakers, Bananarchy.
18 PEOPLE
Renda Graham.
14
26 cooks AT HOME
Kim and Whit Hanks.
30 edible Education
Cafeteria classroom.
40 edible DIY
Pot stickers.
32
37
features 14 Bee Tree Farm & Dairy
42 embracing LOCAL
What’s in a bin?
A growing herd.
22 Food Labeling and the
Conscious Consumer Guide to deciphering food labels.
47 The Directory
32 Cooking with Cheese Kendall Antonelli’s magic.
50 edible INK
The goat.
COVER: Jenna Kelly-Landes of Bee Tree Farm & Dairy with Sgt. Pepper the goat (page 14). Photography by Andy Sams.
37 Front-of-the-House Heroes Turning a meal into an experience.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE WHILE WE CAN
PUBLISHER Jenna Northcutt
EDITOR Kim Lane
W
hen I got the news a month ago that Springda-
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
le Farm was closing, I was heartbroken. Like
Dawn Weston
Austin’s other local farms, it was a place I went to escape the city. I always felt like I was home when I arrived—with Ellie Mae’s tail wagging and immedi-
COPY EDITOR Anne Marie Hampshire
ate hugs from Glenn, Paula and Carla. It was always
DIGITAL CONTENT COORDINATOR
a place to feel grounded and catch up. But as I re-
Darby Kendall
flected more on the news, I completely understood why Glenn and Paula decided to make this difficult choice. Farming is hard work, and it’s often underappreciated and under-supported. As we mourn this loss, let’s dedicate time to get out and show support for our re-
EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Claire Cella, Dena Garcia, Cari Marshall
MARKETING SPECIALIST Rachel Davis
maining urban-farm family. Get your tickets to the East Austin Urban Farm Tour on
INTERN
April 15. Tour them all—Boggy Creek Farm, HausBar Urban Farm, Rain Lily Farm—
Jennifer Lawrence
and take the opportunity to a say goodbye to beloved Springdale Farm. While you’re there, sample food from restaurants that regularly buy from these farms (and find a full list of locally sourcing restaurants at edibleaustin.com/restaurants). And to further celebrate the unsung heroes of our local food community, consider making a weekly pilgrimage to Boggy Creek Farm, Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; buying your produce from Rain Lily Farm via their delivery service, Farmhouse Delivery; and visiting one of our amazing farmers markets (and find a complete listing at edibleaustin.com/farmersmarkets). For our part, we’re excited about our newly launched Eat Drink Local series of classes where we (and you!) get to learn from local experts about things like sausage making and craft ice cream (more info at edibleaustin.com/edl). These suggestions are just the beginning of the myriad ways we can make a commitment to the farms and businesses that make our community truly unique. Springdale Farm reminds us of the value of our local treasures and how fragile they are. We owe it to ourselves—and to them—not to take them for granted.
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DISTRIBUTION Craig Fisher, Flying Fish
FOUNDER Marla Camp
ADVISORY GROUP Terry Thompson-Anderson, Paula Angerstein, Dorsey Barger, Jim Hightower, Toni Tipton-Martin, Mary Sanger, Carol Ann Sayle
CONTACT US 1101 Navasota St., Suite. 1, Austin, TX 78702 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. ©2018. 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.
presents the sixth annual
CHILDREN’S PICNIC
A REAL FOOD FAIR Rosewood Park • 2300 Rosewood Ave.
Sunday, April 8 . 1-5 pm play games • sample tasty local food • meet farmers and local nonprofits buy a picnic or bring your own • enjoy music and more! Some of our Vendors: Austin Bees • Austin ISD Nutrition & Food Services • Austin Public Library • Austin Resource Recovery • Bliss Kid Yoga • Buddha’s Brew • Central Texas Food Bank • Farmhouse Delivery • Flyrite • Fresh Chefs Society • Green Corn Project • Green Ninja Cooks • Integrity Academy at Casa de Luz, Center for Integral Studies • Lick Honest Ice Creams • mmmpanadas • Peoples RX • Urban Roots • and more to come!
Thanks to our
Sponsors:
ON OUR COUNTER BY DA R BY K E N DA L L • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY N AT H A N B E E LS
We’re always trying new local products. Take a look at what our staff is enjoying this month.
TEDDY V. COOKIES We can’t get enough of these chocolate-chip cookies. Not only are they a commanding size, but they’re shockingly soft on the inside. Made by local baker Elisia Velasquez, their unique shape was inspired by her visit to the Levain Bakery in New York City, known for its mountainous desserts. The cookies are made with fresh, local eggs, and are available with walnuts if you want a little crunch. To grab a dozen or six, visit Teddy V. Pâtisserie at the Texas Farmers Market at Mueller, or order online. teddyvpatisserie.com
YELLOWBIRD Yellowbird sauce brings the smokin’ hot party dress to our favorite dishes. What started as a small operation selling a popular habanero sauce at the farmers markets has now expanded to include a variety of flavors, such as serrano, blue agave Sriracha and ghost pepper. Fun fact: The name of the sauce was inspired by birds, because they can’t feel the heat of chili peppers while chowing down—just like us southern spice lovers! Find the sauces around town at Wheatsville Coop, Whole Foods Market and Royal Blue Grocery. 512-838-3300 yellowbirdsauce.com
HOPS & GRAIN CROWLER It’s always a treat to visit the Hops & Grain taproom in East Austin, and especially now, because we can take some crowlers home with us! Thanks to the brewery’s new canning machine, visitors can go to their taproom and sample some (or all) or their beers, pick their favorites and take them to go. The crowler holds two pints of beer and, once opened, will last a couple days in the fridge. We recommend trying their Zoe Pale Ale, 78702 Kolsch and Haze County Double IPA. Cheers to good beer! 512-914-2467 507 Calles St. hopsandgrain.com
TINY PIES Tiny Pies is a popular local spot for sweet treats, but did you know they make savory pies as well? Their Farmers Market Pot Pie is filled with a mix of fresh, seasonal vegetables from local growers like Johnson’s Backyard Garden and Oak Hill Farms. Pie fillings vary from week to week based on what’s harvested right then, but over the past few months, we’ve enjoyed combos such as hearty potatoes and mushrooms, bright squash, bell peppers, kale, carrots and more! Tiny pies, big comfort. 512-460-9697; 2032 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-916-0184; 5035 Burnet Rd. tinypies.com
notable EDIBLES MAKERS UNITE!
W
hen Tara Miko Grayless started Happy Hemp to sell
spare or extra space on a refrigerator truck bound for Houston.
roasted and raw hempseed snacks, being asked, “Are
Even seeming competitors in the group get along. Grayless
you a drug dealer?” wasn’t the worst question she had
says the ice cream outfits in ATXmakers help each other out,
to deal with. As her company grew and she got picked up by
while companies such as vegan bakery Skull & Cakebones and
Whole Foods Market, she felt overwhelmed and a little clueless
nondairy ice creamer NadaMoo have teamed up to make products
when it came to distributors, insurance, permitting, FDA regula-
together. Skull & Cakebones has even shared its Dripping Springs
tions and on and on. “The major decisions that affect the failure
industrial kitchen space with other members of ATXmakers.
and success of a business…you can’t Google them,” Grayless says. “You have to have a network.”
Last year, when Grayless retired Happy Hemp to start FNCH, a marketing and PR firm, she also let ATXmakers evolve into a
To find answers, she started ATXmakers in 2014 as an
self-sustaining group. Members don’t meet for happy hour as
“I-need-some-help” move for entrepreneurs who’d reached a new
much as they used to, but they’ve shown up for the important
level but needed a boost getting to the next. Meeting for monthly
stuff. Some of Grayless’ closest buds in ATXmakers were her first
happy hours and trading tips online, the group soon grew from
hospital visitors when she had a baby, and several more dropped
four to 40—a hefty sampling tray of Austin’s homegrown maker
off especially good food at her house once she got out. “Not to
businesses. Members include Bearded Brothers Energy Bars, Tiny
sound super cheesy, but we’re kind of a family and help each oth-
Pies, Pure Spoon, Pretty Thai, The Natural Citizen and more.
er out personally as well as work-wise,” she says. “Isn’t that what
Topics on the group’s private Facebook page have ranged from
Austin is?” —Steve Wilson
existential dilemmas about whether or not to seek investors and what kind of capital to pursue, to who has some bulk almonds to
ORDERING ONLINE NOW!
For more information, visit atxmakers.org or call 323-513-5812.
weekly, local prix-fixe menu • family owned
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• Artisan thin crust pizza • Homemade sauces & premium cheese • Locally sourced meats & produce offerings
www.EastSidePies.com Our New Downtown Location is Open at the Fareground
Visit AntonellisCheese.com to reserve your picnic basket
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4220 Duval St. | 111 Congress Ave. | (512) 531-9610 MARCH/APRIL 2018
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
1807 South First Street 512-215-9778 lenoirrestaurant.com
TATSU AIKAWA NYESHA ARRINGTON LIDIA BASTIANICH JAMIE BISSONNETTE DEVON BROGLIE TYSON COLE CRAIG COLLINS SONYA COTÉ DREW CURREN MARY CATHERINE CURREN CASSIDEE DABNEY JASON DADY TODD DUPLECHAN BILLY DURNEY KEVIN FINK MICHAEL FOJTASEK AMANDA FREITAG DIEGO GALICIA RAY GARCIA STEPHANIE IZARD HELEN JOHANNESEN PAUL KAHAN TIM LOVE JUNE RODIL RODNEY SCOTT RICO TORRES BRYAN VOLTAGGIO MICHAEL WHITE ANDREW WISEHEART & MANY MORE!
T I C K E T S O N S A L E N O W AT A U S T I N F O O D W I N E . C O M
NETFLIX AND CHILL-ED BANANAS
B
inge-watching shows on Netflix normally yields only tired eyes and a stomach full of popcorn. But for Bananarchy’s Laura Anderson, an evening of too much television led
to a unique business idea. “At some point in the middle of the night while watching Arrested Development, I thought it would be a great idea to open a frozen-banana stand in Austin—like the one on the show,” Anderson says. “It was just a joke between my friends and I at first, but I was really excited about it. All I could think about for the next few months was opening a stand.” Just a year after this influential Arrested Development marathon, Anderson and housemate Anna Notario opened the first
8TH ANNUAL
Bananarchy stand on North Lamar in May 2009. The months of
Derby Day Extravaganza
planning between concept and creation were spent testing topping varieties on other housemates to decide the stand’s menu. “We were living in a community house with about thirty people,” Anderson says. “So we would experiment on them with different
Saturday, May 5, 2018 | 1-6 p.m.
flavors all the time.” When the duo first began the business, frozen bananas weren’t exactly a commonly known food-trailer treat, so it took some time
142 Lindner Branch Trail | Comfort, Texas 78013
for the idea to gain popularity. “We had to create the demand for
Awarded TOP TEXAS WINERY 2018 Houston Rodeo Uncorked!
plains. “Monetarily and literally, we starved for a couple of years
www.bendingbranchwinery.com
a product that previously didn’t exist in Austin,” Anderson exuntil the idea of frozen bananas really caught on.” A few years ago, partner Notario moved on, and Anderson moved the stand to new digs at the South First Food Court where it continues to add
Contemporary Italian, focused on using “whole” local ingredients Happy Hour specials, dinner, & late night dining Vegetarian & gluten-free friendly Private dining room available
2612 E Cesar Chavez 512.599.4052 interorestaurant.com
to its fan base. In 2015, Anderson appealed to the community via Kickstarter to help open a second stand at the 53rd Street food-trailer court. The newer, larger stand serves both as a storefront and as the prep hub for catering and large event vending. To prepare for big festivals like Austin City Limits, Anderson and her crew have to freeze hundreds of bananas ahead of time. “It’s a lot of work, but I really love the energy of the large events,” she says. “Most of the time working at Bananarchy can be kind of solitary because it’s just one person at the stand, but at these events, we get to come together and work as a team.” Bananarchy currently offers four dips—including fair-trade and vegan chocolate—and more than 11 toppings, including graham crackers, coconut, sprinkles and granola. Anderson says her favorite combos are the weekly specials inspired by tasty treats like pecan pie, banana pudding and frozen hot chocolate—flavors chosen from the dozens she and her employees have thought up over the years. After regularly eating frozen bananas for nearly a decade, Anderson says that “it’s nice to have something new and different.” —Darby Kendall For more information, visit bananarchy.net or call 512-522-9316.
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FARMERS diary
BEE TREE FARM & DAIRY 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
A
golf cart ambles down the hill toward a big, red, open-sid-
mals that aren’t producing.” She expects about 80 kids, and with
ed barn, where three effusively friendly Great Pyrenees
two (human) kids of her own, nearly-3-year-old twins Cora and
dogs are keeping watch over a herd of goats (and any vis-
Cormac, she’ll have a lot on her plate come spring. Her sense of
itors that come their way). The driver is Jenna Kelly-Landes, and
humor about it all, however, belies any stress. “I’m a full-time
the property is Bee Tree Farm & Dairy in Manor—65 acres of roll-
working mom with help. People have this notion that I have a
ing land Kelley-Landes and her husband, Jeremy Crawley, named
baby on each hip while I’m milking. Umm. No.”
after a large colony of bees they discovered in a tree and relocated
Due to her “girls” being in the family way, there’s no milking
just after purchasing the property. The colony left behind gallons
today—or at all during the five-month gestation—and these goats
of delicious honey—something the new residents considered a
sure do miss it. When Loretta Lynn and her best friend Patsy Cline,
good omen and a suiting name.
who appear to be the goatyard ringleaders, see Kelly-Landes near
On this chilly December morning, Kelly-Landes has chores to
the milking station, they start bleating and running to her with joy.
do and some stuff to say. As she breaks up the alfalfa and fills the
In fact, the whole herd gathers around, anticipating the bucket of
feeding troughs for around 30 goats eager for their breakfast and
grain they’ll receive while being milked, not to mention the fresh
the attention of their biggest fan, she gives a quick introduction of
alfalfa they’ll snack on right after, a trick Kelly-Landes learned
the herd—a mix of Nubians, Alpines and the recently acquired La-
from Amelia Sweethardt of Pure Luck Farm & Dairy. The alfalfa
Manchas. The mix of breeds allows for a combination of milks, each
lagniappe keeps the goats standing while their teats have time to
with their own chemistry, fat content and yield, which, after some
naturally close after being milked, thus helping to prevent mastitis
labor-intensive processes, makes for some tasty, tasty cheeses.
or other infections. It’s just one of countless tips Kelly-Landes has
What’s also remarkable about this herd is that all of them are
learned from Sweethardt, who she calls her “dairy godmother.”
pregnant—except the one buck in there (“the one with the tes-
“Amelia is my biggest mentor and I’m extremely lucky. She’s
ticles”). “In breeding season,” Kelly-Landes explains, “if I have
taught me almost everything I know.” Another of her mentors
concerns that any of my girls didn’t get bred, I put a buck in there.
owns a raw milk dairy in Elgin. “She’s my goat husbandry guru,”
We call them ‘clean-up bucks.’ It’s necessary for me, because it’s
Kelly-Landes explains. “You can’t do this without those kinds of
really hard to catch a heat sometimes. It’s expensive to keep ani-
people. I always attribute anything that’s gone well to them.” EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2018
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At the end of the farm’s second full season of dairy and cheesemaking operations, it’s astonishing how much has gone very, very well, especially considering the requirements of such a highly regulated industry. “It was probably the most shocking thing for me—and I think probably for most consumers,” she says. “Dairy is the most highly regulated agricultural product. It’s literally treated like a narcotic.” Now in the dairy building, which includes the milking station, milk room and closed-off “make room” (where the cheese magic happens), Kelly-Landes walks through the precise milk- and air-temperature requirements, sanitation standards, pasteurization processes and the complicated mechanics of getting the milk from the milking station to the milk room, and from the milk room to the make room. “I wanted to show you all this,” she says as she points to her expensive stainless-steel, stateof-the-art equipment, “because I think when people think about dairy, they have that romantic notion of the little wooden stool and the pigtails. That is not commercial dairy.” She further explains that some regulations were originally enacted for cow dairies, not goat dairies, and include surprise visits from the state department every month. Milk samples are pulled
Let’s toast to
BRUNCH S U N D A Y S | 10am-2pm
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and analyzed for all manner of things, including somatic cell count (the amount of white blood cells an animal has shed, which is an indicator of poor herd health in cows, especially). “Goats are very different,” she notes. “Goats shed somatic cells for a variety of reasons, one of which can be that there’s an infection. Or that it was a really hot day. Or that she came into heat. Or that she got into a fight with her best friend…I am not kidding!” But regulations are regulations, so on her climb up this unexpectedly steep learning curve, Kelly-Landes has become a selftaught chemist, as well—growing weekly cell cultures on every
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tower. This entrée into the restaurant world excites Kelly-Landes, who wants to grow the business toward more wholesale orders and rely less on farmers markets sales, where attendance is so variable during prime farmstead cheesemaking season. As with most details inherent in making farmstead cheese (cheese produced from milk collected on the same farm), penetrating the restaurant market has been tougher than she expected, but again, the Central Texas food community has supported her along the way. “Boggy Creek and Farmhouse Delivery were my first customers, and they helped me pay the bills that first year— their support was so strong,” she says. In fact, the chefs who first bought her cheeses found them at Boggy Creek Farm, tried them and then contacted the farm to order. Already hosting events with Antonelli’s Cheese Shop, Two Hives Honey and various supper clubs—in addition to teaching goat-husbandry classes and leading “goat walks” on the farm—Kelsingle teat, which she stores in an incubator at home. If she sees
ly-Landes hopes to eventually hold even more events to take the
something awry, she can pull that goat off the milking line. “This
financial pressure off the dairy side of operations. In the future,
wasn’t part of my business plan,” she says with a laugh. “I just
she may even build a pavilion on the hillside where visitors can do
wanna make cheese!”
yoga among the happy, grazing herd. Because, really, that’s what
Speaking of cheese, which is, after all, the farm’s bread-and-
it’s all about for her, where it all began. “I only do this because I
butter, current products include Mi Corazon, a plain chèvre in the
love goats!” she says. “My passion is the animals. This is just what
shape of a heart; Diablito, that same chèvre topped with chipotle
makes it possible for me to make working with the goats my job.”
powder and local honey; creamy, brined Bulgarian-style feta; and halloumi, a grillable cheese especially popular among local chefs at restaurants such as Lenoir, Epicérie, Drink.Well. and The High-
For more information about where to find Bee Tree Farm & Dairy’s cheese, visit txbeetree.com or call 512-470-8824.
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PEOPLE
RENDA GRAHAM BY A DA M B O L ES • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY N AT H A N B E E LS
O
n a gray, windy afternoon 10 days before Christmas and a
hustles from her smoker back inside. “I don’t even know if I’ll
week after the most spectacular snow in the memory of
have enough brisket to open tomorrow!”
most Central Texans, I’m heading across the flat ranch-
Graham is a tiny lady, wiry and strong as hell. A native of Rock-
land east of the Balcones Fault to Rockdale, Texas. I’m looking
dale, she’s spent most of her 63 years training and riding horses
for Renda Graham, owner and operator of Bad Girl BBQ , a pink
for barrel racing. Since May of 2015, almost exactly three years
flamingo-adorned food truck open for business most Thursdays
after her husband Bob passed away, Graham has been dishing up
and Fridays in the parking lot of Stoney’s Liquor.
her own unique take on Texas barbecue. On this day—instead of
The only thing rarer than snow in these parts is a 3A State
her best spurs (engraved with her teenage nickname, “Rowdy”)—
Championship title for the local high school team. It’s been 41
she wears a red shorty apron and colorful leggings covered with
years since the Rockdale Tigers won it all, but as I get closer to
big-bulb Christmas lights. She speaks with a homey twang, and
town, the quantity of pickups dressed up in blue and gold window
despite her Bad Girl nom de guerre, she’s warm and easy to laugh.
paint speaks of a collective hope. “This is gonna be the year!” the
After serving her waiting guests—all of whom she appears
windows say, each sporting the numbers and nicknames of the
to know by name—she sets me up at an oilcloth-covered fold-
boys who are trying to bring it home.
ing table behind an adjacent icehouse. She brings out a cardboard
Hometown spirit seems to flow easily; pulling into the liquor
beer flat that’s lined with paper towels and loaded with a small
store lot to find Bad Girl BBQ , it’s clear that the frosty weather
mountain of food. “The meatloaf was my mother’s recipe,” she
hasn’t discouraged Graham’s supporters. Even near closing time,
says of the Bucking Bull—a moist slab of smoked meatloaf served
there are half a dozen people lined up outside the trailer, shiv-
alongside homemade mashed potatoes and topped with jalapeño
ering in their once-a-year winter hoodies, with more arriving.
creamed corn. Next to that was an impossibly full basket of brisket
“This is the best Thursday I’ve ever had!” Graham says as she
and queso-smothered tortilla chips. “The name for the nachos…
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university of texas press Marfa
As Far as You Can See
The Transformation of a West Texas Town
Picturing Texas BY KENN Y BR AUN
B Y K AT H L E E N SHAFER
208 pages | 5.5 x 8.5 inches 27 b&w photos $24.95 hardcover
This inviting book explores how small-town Marfa, Texas, has become a landmark arts destination and tourist attraction, despite— and because of—its remote location in the immense Chihuahuan desert.
One of the few photography books that portrays the full range of Texas’s natural landscapes, this volume presents fresh, often unexpected views of the state’s scenic beauty by one of its leading outdoor photographers. 200 pages | 9.5 x 12.75 inches 104 color and b&w photos $45.00 hardcover
utexaspress.com | 800.252.3206 | EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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19
with Alzheimer’s two months later. My husband and then my dad, within eighteen months. But it’s not tragic. I mean it was hard, it was so hard I can’t tell you, but you know, the background. I have had truly a blessed life, not financially, just love and faith, and I’m telling you, you get up and go on.” Graham’s story and that of Rockdale are inextricable. An Alcoa town since the 1950s, that industry left in 2008. In October of this my mother had this Dalmatian that was her best friend, who she called Nacho, so I called the nachos Nacho Mama’s Nachos…and I rodeoed all my life, so we went with that theme for most everything else. The name, Bad Girl BBQ , that’s my husband’s [cattle] brand—the little BG connected. That’s on our gate, and since this was all because of my husband, I wanted to go with that. And I loved the show ‘Cops’! Bad boys, bad boys…” she sings. Beyond family, horses were Graham’s life up until a few years ago. “I had ridden a few outside horses for people, training them for barrels, and so I worked really hard and rode a lot of horses for a couple of years and then turned sixty and thought: ‘Can’t keep doing this; I’m gonna get hurt.’ ’Cause, you know, you get some broncs…and some outlaws.” Other than some assistance from her friend Frank Bruford and her older sister Shelley Eanes, who runs the Midway Grocery down the street, Graham does all the work herself—cooking, smoking and running the window at the truck—not an easy feat for anyone, much less someone in their 60s. So why now? “I love to cook,” she says, “and I didn’t have anyone to cook for anymore.” “My husband was dying of sinus cancer that was very rare,” she continues. “I had to go to work because he had to quit. We own our place, our forty acres, little house and horse barn, but he wasn’t old enough for Medicare. So I went to work riding horses for people in Stephenville. I lost my little sister when she was fifty with diabetes that year; my mother who fought nineteen years 20
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year, Luminant, operators of the last working mine in the area, announced its upcoming departure. “It’s devastating for our little town,” she says. But despite the downturn and her own personal losses—and because of a deep-rooted sense of faith and community—Graham remains hopeful for Rockdale. “People from here, they’ll stay here. Whoever, husbands and wives, they’ll drive wherever they have to to work, but they’ll stay here.” Maybe just as improbable as Graham’s rise to local barbecue hero is the success of this year’s Rockdale Tigers. Like most other little Texas towns, the high school football team is the ironclad tie that binds, and Graham is excited for the future. “We’re going to State playoffs hopefully after tomorrow night!” she says. “We’re gonna be state champs, 3A State champs! Blue and gold Tigers all the way!” And lo and behold, she was right. The Tigers beat the Brock Eagles to end a 41-year title drought. “I told you they were going to be state champs!” she excitedly says in a text that night. If you should find yourself driving through Rockdale on a Thursday or Friday, not only will you find comfort in Renda Graham’s cooking, but you’ll find a town of friendly people ready and waiting to accept you and brag about their 3A title, even if for just an afternoon. “There’s been some big rocks in the road,” Graham tells me, “but you just gotta count your blessings, kick the rocks out of the way and keep on going.” Find Bad Girl BBQ at 1529 W. Cameron Ave., Rockdale, or call 512-760-5664.
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edible CONSUMERISM
FOOD LABELING AND THE CONSCIOUS CONSUMER BY K E N DA L L A N TO N E L L I • I L LUST RAT I O N BY W I L L H E RO N
N
atural. Grassfed. Pasture Raised. Organic. These are only
yet withdrew its standard in January 2016 and no longer provides
a few of the marketing stamps, seals and buzzwords
verification. The result is that USDA beef is commonly labeled
jumping off food labels strategically placed to catch the
“grassfed” without any clear definition of what that means and,
eye of would-be conscious consumers. While these potentially
more disturbing, there’s the possibility that the animal may have
exclusionary options might not be for everyone (partly due to
never been fed any grass. In response, independent groups, such
food accessibility and equity), the marketing world of messaging
as the American Grassfed Association (AGA), have created their
can be a tricky landscape to navigate for those seeking to make
own certifications so that a stamp or seal bears with it a specific
food purchases that align with their values of humane animal
connotation of standards by a producer. Additionally, the AGA
treatment, sustainable and regenerative practices, ethical and
is a self-policing group, so when consumers see the AGA label,
fair sourcing and/or health concerns, to name a few. According
they know it means the animal was only fed grass and forage
to Daisy Freund of the ASPCA, “Well-meaning people are making
from weaning until harvest; was raised on pasture without con-
choices that don’t actually support their values.” The problem is
finement to feedlot; was never treated with antibiotics or growth
three-fold: misleading descriptors, undefined terms and lack of
hormones; and originated in the U.S.
accountability.
While some certifying groups have helped create definitions
Aware of the rise in conscious consumerism, many marketing
for those companies that choose to adhere to them, even this
teams use misleading buzzwords as the hook. For instance, some
realm is a slippery slope, and the certification itself can’t be taken
labels say “hormone-free” on pork and chicken products; howev-
as a given for all production standards. For instance, the Ameri-
er, the law requires that these be hormone-free. And while those
can Humane Association says its label of American Humane Cer-
companies aren’t doing anything illegal, different or extra than
tified (AHC) means a product has “met rigorous, science-based
what is already mandated, they appear to be manipulating the fact
welfare standards and the animals in the program were humanely
that “hormone-free” has become a priority for many consumers
raised.” Other animal welfare organizations argue that the AHC
and applying the descriptor to lure them in. Similarly, the “cage-
standards are minimal, because they allow for caged egg-produc-
free” label on turkey or chicken meat products is misleading—
tion and feedlot-finishing, among other practices. When shopping
birds raised for meat aren’t generally kept in cages. Many savvy
by certification, know what is being certified and what isn’t.
consumers know about the caging of egg-laying hens, though,
A final piece of the puzzle is the lack of accountability and
which leads them to seek out the “cage-free” label for meat with-
enforcement; that is, how can consumers confidently know that
out realizing the descriptor only adds value to eggs.
a producer adheres to practices in line with their values? The
A second, yet equally problematic, concern is that few of these
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is our govern-
labels have legal definitions. For example, “natural,” “humane”
ment agency in charge of overseeing labels. Greg Gunthorp, a
and “sustainably farmed” are terms commonly found on food la-
pig farmer in Indiana, regularly advocates for small farmers at
bels to sway consumers, yet none of these has a legally binding
a quarterly USDA stakeholder meeting with small processors.
or agreed-upon definition. Marketers can use these words indis-
Speaking about labeling standards at last summer’s Slow Food
criminately with no ramifications, and we, as consumers, insert
Nations festival in Denver, Gunthorp noted that there are only
our own perceived notions of what each means. Even the word
16 employees at FSIS to review more than 400,000 labels annu-
“grassfed” has no regulated definition. The USDA Agricultural
ally. Clearly, there’s little chance that each of those production
Marketing Service previously defined the standards for “grass-
sites is inspected for compliance of what they say they do. While
fed” as meaning the animal was fed grass at some point in its life,
some certifications help verify a producer’s standards, they have EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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rg, Texas 78624 ∙ info@littlechef.com 97.4937
different application requirements and third-party audit requirements. Moreover, some certifications that require audits lack the follow-up enforcement to ensure the audits are carried out. Where does this leave the intentional shopper aiming to make purchases that support specific values? Between misleading, undefined descriptors and a lack of transparency, we can hardly expect to pull out our phones and research every label and certification stamp we see. Unless we know what all the labels mean, and which words have legal and binding definitions, we can’t rely on them or be swayed by buzz-marketing. An immediate action step is to buy from someone who knows what they’re talking about, Der Küchen Laden ∙ 258 E. Main St. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830.997.4937 info@littlechef.com www.littlechef.com
if possible. In other words, ask the person selling the food to tell you about it. Many food producers work hard to acquire certifications and support organizations that share their values. However, keep in mind that a lot of responsibly produced food bears no labels at all. Research what applies to each industry—for instance, animal needs and standards vary greatly from the dairy to the meat industry. And again, if possible, develop relationships with the people who make and sell your food. People who truly believe in what they do will always be ready to tell you how they do it and why that makes their food worthy of your purchasing dollar.
QUESTIONS TO ASK FOOD PRODUCERS While an answer one way or another doesn’t necessarily mean a food is “good” or “bad,” these questions will help inform your decision to buy: • Where does the item come from? • Did you raise it? Grow it? Process it? •W as the animal on pasture? For how much of its life? How do you define that? • What was the animal’s diet? • Are you the farmer? • What is your antibiotic policy? •D o you have any certifications? What did you have to do to become certified and how often do you have to reapply?
Also, check out these resources to discover what labels actually mean: • ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/beef/grassfed • agreenerworld.org/solutions-and-certificates/whatfood-labels-really-mean • greenerchoices.org/labels
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COOKS at home
KIM AND WHIT HANKS BY C L AY C O P P E D G E • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY M E L A N I E G R I Z Z E L
W
hen asked to prepare a meal with special meaning, Kim
consistency that feels like pebbles under the water; that’s how a
and Whit Hanks choose the classic Spanish dish pael-
paella aficionado once explained it to the Hankses. “That’s very
la—not only because it’s delicious, but because prepar-
Spanish, very romantic,” Kim says, repeating the phrase. “But it
ing it can be, should be, a team effort. The Hankses should know
is a little bit like that—it has a little bit of weight, like when you
from team efforts, too—married co-founders and owners of Whim
kick a pebble under water, it has a heaviness to it.” Whit asks a
Hospitality, they share a passion for hard work, hospitality and
visitor to stir the rice and offer his opinion on whether or not
celebrating happiness in all its forms, business and personal.
it feels like pebbles under the water. The visitor agrees that it
Making paella is a centuries-old tradition in Spain. It’s even
might, so Kim and Whit begin adding the meats and seafood.
been called the national dish, though it originates and flourishes
“This is where you start designing it,” Kim says. “This is where
in the country’s Valencian region. It takes about two-and-a-half
you make it pretty.”
hours to prepare, including prep time, but that’s part of the at-
The story behind the couple’s appreciation of paella comes
traction for Kim and Whit. “It’s Spain’s version of the Fourth of
from Whit, a sixth-generation Austinite whose antique business
July cookout,” Kim says as she pours rice into the oiled bottom
sometimes takes him to Europe. Over the years, he developed a
of their paella pan. Rice is crucial to the making of paella, as is
fondness for European foods, especially Spanish dishes. He took
the right kind of pan. In fact, the name of the dish comes from
the company’s catering chef to Spain in 2015 and took a side trip
the Old French word, paelle, for pan.
to Valencia for a meal at La Riuà restaurant, where paella is a
On this day, Kim and Whit—along with a couple of their kids
specialty. It was love at first bite.
and a half-dozen of Whim’s 180 employees—come together to
Indeed, love in various forms is what makes Kim’s and Whit’s
make and eat paella on the patio at the Hanks’ Dripping Springs
world go ’round. They founded Whim Hospitality in 2012 and
home. Kim, Whit and the crew have already done a considerable
turned Camp Lucy—located on Whit’s family ranch and named
amount of prep work to make sure the final production comes
for Whit’s mother—into a popular site for many a Hill Country
off without a hitch. While Kim toasts the rice in the pan, others
wedding, including their own four years ago. In October of last
are in the house making broth, preparing appetizers and gather-
year, the Austin Business Journal named Kim the Best CEO of
ing wine and bottled water. Everybody’s busy but relaxed, except
2017 in the small company category, the only woman so honored.
perhaps the family’s bulldog, Beau, who grunts directions and
But the Hankses say they’re not even close to done. A restau-
waits—not always patiently—for scraps of paella fixings to hit
rant at Camp Lucy is in the construction phase now, and paella
the ground. “Making paella is perfect if you like to fidget, be-
will be a featured dish there. Adam Cormany, Whim’s director of
cause there’s always something to do,” Kim says, stirring the rice
food and beverage, says the restaurant will be a place where peo-
while Whit and son Cole fidget to make sure the pan is perfectly
ple can linger over a good meal and where the paella pans will be
level. “It’s very social; you can get everybody involved and say
a prominent feature. “We want people to see how it’s made,” he
your whole family made it.”
says. “It’s going to be a place where you can have a really good
The secret to making authentic paella is the rice, Kim ex-
time in a nice, family atmosphere.” Today, on the Hanks’ patio,
plains, as Whit pours boiling broth into the pan as she stirs. “It’s
on a gorgeous afternoon with friends and family savoring the
called bomba rice…it’s a dry, short-grain pearl rice, like Japanese
taste and textures of the couple’s…the family’s…paella, it’s easy
rice but not sticky.” Instead, she says, the rice should achieve a
to see, feel and taste what he’s talking about.
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KIM AND WHIT HANKS’ “ALL IN THE FAMILY” PAELLA Feeds 18–20 Special equipment: 22-inch paella pan
art & local vendors
live music
1½ c. olive oil, divided 1 lb. Spanish chorizo links, chopped 2 lb. boneless chicken thighs, cubed 2 lb. pork loin or rabbit, cubed 8 c. chicken broth Couple pinches saffron threads 1 large onion, chopped Coarse salt, to taste 1 head garlic, peeled, chopped 4 c. Calasparra, bomba or cebolla rice 2 lb. shrimp, peeled 2 lb. live clams in shell 1 lb. chopped clams 1 8-oz. jar piquillo peppers, drained, sliced 1 8-oz. jar artichoke hearts, drained, halved or quartered Smoked paprika (optional) French green beans (optional) Mussels (optional) Begin by seasoning the paella pan with olive oil. Bring the pan to high heat, then drizzle in a dash of olive oil and add in the chopped chorizo. Quickly sear until it “bleeds” (the oil turns red). The meat should be warmed but not cooked entirely. Remove the chorizo from the pan and place in a large bowl. Add more olive oil to the pan and add the diced chicken. Quickly brown, but do not cook all the way through. Remove the chicken and place into the bowl with the chorizo. Add the pork or rabbit to the pan, sear and remove to the bowl, as well. Reduce the heat to medium. Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring the broth and saffron to a boil. Back at the hot pan, add the onions and salt, to taste. Cook for roughly 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Continue to cook until the onions are translucent—approximately 6 minutes. Remove the onions and garlic to another separate bowl. Raise the heat to medium high. Add more oil to the pan, pour in the dry rice and toast for 3 minutes—stirring to make sure all grains are covered with oil. Add the boiling broth to the rice and bring the mixture to a slow boil. Once the rice mixture is at a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and begin to add in the meats—placing them evenly around the pan. Arrange the remaining ingredients around the pan—making sure to place the clams and mussels (if using) downward to steam open. Cover the pan with foil, keeping a tight seal to hold in the steam. Cook for 25 minutes on medium-low heat. Turn the pan ¼ clockwise every 5 minutes or so to cook evenly and prevent hot spots. After 25 minutes, gather your guests around and peel off the foil for “the reveal,” then cover the dish with a large dry cloth to absorb any excess steam. Leave covered for 10 minutes, remove any clams or mussels that didn’t open, then serve.
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GOOD FOOD SMART PEOPLE for
28 locations in Central Texas
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edible EDUCATION
CAFETERIA CLASSROOM 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 K E L LY ST EV E N S
“Y
our diet is like a fingerprint,” says Dan Marek,
previously thought. “It can make a world of difference if a teacher
school programs manager and chef for Whole
is walking around the classroom peeling an orange,” Marek says.
Kids Foundation. “No single diet is going to work
“That smell fills the room, and you’re going to have a kid the next
for every single one of us.” Marek is standing in front of a group
day show up with an orange, because they had their teacher as an
of teachers in the Williams Elementary school cafeteria in South
influence.”
Austin, leading a healthy-eating workshop/cooking demo—part
As participants sip just-prepared mini-smoothies made with
of the foundation’s Healthy Teachers Program. And despite his
mixed berries, kale and almond milk, Marek covers the founda-
soft-spoken and gentle demeanor, he means business. He’s not
tion’s three simple healthy eating principles to promote optimal
here to school teachers on what they should or shouldn’t be eat-
health: Eat a rainbow; eat leafy vegetables first; and eat as close to
ing or to tell them what products to buy (“I work for a foundation
nature as possible. He moves on to the history of the questionable
that’s sponsored by an organic grocery store, and I can’t even af-
USDA food pyramid (“In 2005, all they really said was that you
ford to buy organic 100 percent of the time.”) Instead, Marek’s
need to eat food”) and follows up with how to spot marketing
mission is to arm the educators with both data and inspiration,
buzzwords (“Natural” Cheetos, anyone?), read nutrition labels
so they can make their own informed choices about how to eat.
and decipher serving sizes. (Who knew that the serving size for
First presented as a pilot program to a couple hundred Austin Independent School District (AISD) teachers in 2011, the free
“zero-calorie, fat-free” cooking-oil spray is a spray that lasts onethird of a second?)
two-hour class has now made it into the cafeterias of more than
Marek’s “students” are attentive during his information-packed
1,500 AISD teachers and more than 15,000 teachers across the U.S.
presentation—taking notes, asking questions and occasionally
and Canada. The program is a way to give back to these dedicated
throwing out zingers. In a lively discussion about healthy fats,
professionals, who arguably work some of the longest hours for
for example, one teacher yells from the back, “On Thanksgiving,
some of the lowest wages. But it also comes back around to their
I’m using butter!” And when Marek says he’s moving on to the
students, too. Studies have shown that teachers modeling healthy
cooking demo part of the class, the cafeteria erupts in cheers and
food choices have a far greater impact on kids’ food choices than
applause. He walks the class through the steps of making roasted
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red pepper hummus, oil-free caramelized onions, Buddha bowls with cauliflower rice and fresh veggies, and chocolate pudding made with avocados, date paste and bananas—all of which is passed around the room in sample cups to eager hands. He also demonstrates some sharp knife skills on onions, peppers, avocados and kale, and while he chops, he offers up some practical tips for meal planning for the upcoming school week. These tips—and the easily adaptable recipe handouts—are like gold to the busy professionals. “I don’t have time to experiment in the kitchen,” says Lauren Fritz, a special-education teacher. “I have to have time before I go to the store to Pinterest recipes.” Afterschool Coordinator Nikki Estrada reflects on the challenge to eat more leafy greens. “For me, the key is going to be not to go too big,” she says. “Just do it a little at a time.” At the end of the workshop, Marek gives the teachers an impromptu trivia quiz about what’s been covered in the last two hours, and as a reward, he offers the leftover veggies and groceries used in the cooking demo. They answer the questions handily, and as they claim their bounty, it’s clear that the teachers are leaving with more than bags of free produce. Marek says he guarantees that the inspiration gained will benefit their students, too. “We know that teachers are mentors to kids seven to eight hours a day—well beyond their regular lesson plans,” he says. “They’re not just teaching them reading, writing, math and science. They’re teaching them how to be whole, healthy human beings.”
A holistic private school for children ages 3-18
www.IntegrityAcademy.org HEALTHY FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM Teachers aren’t the only lucky recipients of these free nutrition/cooking classes. In 2017, Whole Kids Foundation partnered with AISD to offer a similar program to more than 600 AISD food-service managers and workers—teaching many of the same principles as the Healthy Teachers Program but adding relevant food-service-related topics, such as kitchen sanitation methods and how to wash produce. AISD’s recent, almost revolutionary move to get back to scratch cooking can be challenging for many food-service workers, some of whom have worked in the district’s kitchens for 15 or 20 years. “Some of them have seen the change from scratch cooking to processed foods, and [at the time] were told those foods had all the nutrients kids needed,” says Marek. “And now they’re being told that the processed foods aren’t as good for you.” These classes are a way to clear up the confusion, and also to reignite pride in the food-service profession. “When they make lasagna from scratch from a recipe AISD Chef Louis [Ortiz] gave them, they can be proud of it,” says Marek. “The definition of a chef is someone who prepares food for a living. Every single one of the food-service workers is a chef.” For more information about the Healthy Teachers Program, visit wholekidsfoundation.org EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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cooking FRESH
COOKING WITH CHEESE BY K E N DA L L A N TO N E L L I • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY CAS EY WO O DS
C
heese, glorious cheese! It’s “milk’s leap toward immor-
tended purpose: Do you want to melt, grate, crumble, grill, fry,
tality,” according to writer Clifton Fadiman. With earli-
marinate or simply plate it? Keep in mind that the longer a cheese
est known origins that date back to 5500 B.C., cheese has
has aged, the less moisture it retains, which decreases the melt
long been a source of protein in the human diet. Indeed, when
factor. Whether used as the hero of the dish or a supporting char-
eaten alongside fruits and vegetables, cheese is often touted as
acter, incorporating cheese into a recipe adds both health and fla-
a “near-perfect food” for providing a concentration of healthy
vor benefits.
fats, protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. Numerous
While I admit that I opened a cheese and pairings shop because
independent studies have purported the health benefits of eat-
I wanted food I could put out on a table and eat (with little prepa-
ing cheese. Strengthening bones and cartilage, assisting in weight
ration), I do often bring cheese home to cook with. (Although it’s
loss, decreasing chances of cardiovascular disease and diabetes,
usually consumed on the ride home, whether by me or ravenous
preventing tooth decay, potentially preventing liver cancer, elon-
toddlers.) I reached out to our team of Antonelli’s cheesemon-
gating life expectancy and benefiting intelligence are a handful of
gers, who also eat, live and love cheese most hours of the day, to
the findings from research into moderate consumption of various
ask for some of their favorite recipes. (Yes, we cheesemongers
types of cheeses (noting that processed cheeses do not fall in this
still eat cheese outside of work and no, we don’t get sick of it!)
category). And for those potentially plagued by lactose intoler-
Too often folks think of cheese as only suitable for heavy, hearty
ance, fear not. The process of making cheese involves converting
cheese dishes to serve in the fall and winter months, like a goo-
the milk sugars (or lactose) into lactic acid. While some fresh or
ey melted raclette scraped onto a plate of potatoes, cured meats
younger cheeses may retain some lactose, most aged cheeses have
and cornichon pickles. And while I’ll eat that year-round, we also
little—if any—lactose present at all. Stick with the firm to hard
love celebrating the spring with some of our Hill Country’s first
varietals. The moral of the story? Most of us, if we want, can have
seasonal goat cheeses and other fresh cheeses. Here’s our mon-
our cheese and eat it, too.
ger-choice lineup for a nice spring brunch. Long live the cheese!
But what is truly magical about cheese is that a few simple ingredients of milk, salt and cultures can be combined to create diverse styles of cheese, resulting in an incredible array of fla-
MAJOR STYLES OF CHEESE
vors. The flavor of the milk (and what it will later develop in the
Cow milk cheeses tend to be the most diverse, yet they are
cheese) is most influenced by the animal species, breed, diet and
often known for their grassy and buttery flavors. Goat milk
seasonality. From there, flavors in cheese are a result of the style
cheeses are characterized by tangy minerality and citrus
of cheese—that is, the recipe, cultures, any additions (like herbs)
notes. Sheep milk cheeses develop a rich and nutty texture,
and the degree of affinage (or cheese maturation) used to develop
and water buffalo milk often lends a wet-hay flavor to cheese.
those flavors. To exemplify the flavor complexity in one wheel of
Fresh cheeses, best eaten immediately to a couple weeks
cheese, one need look no further than Comté, a traditional French
after production, are lactic; bloomy-rinded cheeses have a thin
mountain cheese in which over 83 descriptors have been identi-
white rind (think Brie and its cousins) and are known for their
fied in the following six families: spicy, fruity, vegetal, roasted,
vegetal flavors such as cauliflower or mushrooms.
lactic and animal. If we think of eating as the discovery and en-
Washed-rind cheeses develop a stinky aroma and meaty fla-
joyment of flavors (beyond simply feeding our bodies), then the
vor. The diverse flavors in semi-soft, firm and hard cheeses are
vast array of textures and flavors that cheese provides is limitless.
mostly a result of the animal species, breed, diet and season.
In meal preparation, cheese can be used as a principal ingre-
These affect the flavor in all cheeses but become more pro-
dient to serve as the main protein and add umami and a depth of
nounced and developed under good cheese maturation, during
flavor, like in a classic grilled cheese or cheese soufflé. Alterna-
which secondary fermentation often occurs.
tively, cheese is often used as a garnish to provide salt and acid, like goat cheese on a salad or freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on pasta. When choosing a cheese for a recipe, consider its in32
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Finally, blue cheeses are distinguishable often by their salty flavor (in addition to the obvious blue veining in the cheese).
BURRATA WITH PEA PESTO AND BLISTERED TOMATOES Courtesy of Antonelli’s cheesemonger, Andrea Fazio Serves 4 as an appetizer 1½ c. fresh-shelled peas 2 garlic cloves 2 oz. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 t. salt ¼ t. black pepper ½ c. olive oil, divided 6 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes 8 oz. burrata ball Sliced and toasted baguette
PICKLED BEETS WITH MARINATED FETA Courtesy of Antonelli’s cheesemonger, Nicholas DeCarmine Serves 4 as a side dish
Heat the oven to 425°. Boil the peas in water for 1 minute then chill in an ice bath. Drain the peas and process in a food processor with the garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper and about ¹/³ cup of the olive oil. Toss the tomatoes in the remaining olive oil and roast in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until blistered and about to pop. Place the burrata on a plate, cover with the pea pesto and place the blistered tomatoes all around the cheese. Serve with the toasted baguette for spreading.
For the beets: 2 large beets, peeled, sliced across the grain into ¹/16 -inch rounds (we prefer Chioggia beets for this recipe) ¼ c. apple cider vinegar ¼ c. water 4 T. sugar 4 t. pickling spices 1 bay leaf Place the sliced beets in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, spices and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved completely, remove from heat. Drain the beets and place into glass jars. Cover with the vinegar mixture, seal the jars, cool completely and refrigerate overnight. For the feta: 1 lb. feta (we love Pure Luck Farm & Dairy feta) 3–4 sprigs fresh rosemary 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme Red chili flakes, to taste Zest of ½ lemon Cracked pepper, to taste High-quality olive oil Break the feta into ½-inch chunks. In a large jar, begin stacking layers of the feta, alternating with the fresh herbs, chili flakes, zest and a few turns of the pepper. Cover the entire mixture in good-quality olive oil, seal the jar, place in the fridge and let the mixture marinate overnight. To assemble: On a serving plate, arrange the pickled beets and crumble the marinated feta on top. Add torn mint leaves and serve. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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RICOTTA GNUDI WITH SPINACH AND MUSHROOMS Courtesy of Antonelli’s cheesemonger, Nicholas DeCarmine Serves 6–8 For the gnudi: 1 lb. ricotta (we love Calabro whole-milk, hand-dipped ricotta) ¼ c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving 1 egg, lightly beaten Zest of 1 lemon Salt, to taste 1 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
GRILLED HALLOUMI AND LAMB SKEWERS WITH GREEK CHIMICHURRI Courtesy of Antonelli’s cheesemonger, Lina Biancamano Serves 6–8 For the skewers: 1 small boneless leg of lamb (about 5 lb.) 1½ lb. halloumi cheese (we love Bee Tree Farm & Dairy halloumi) 1½ lb. cherry tomatoes ¼c . freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ c. red wine vinegar 1 c. olive oil 2 T. kosher salt 1 T. freshly cracked black pepper 5 garlic cloves, chopped ¹/3 c. chopped fresh oregano ¹/3 c. chopped fresh parsley ¹/3 c. chopped fresh rosemary
Clean the lamb of any residual fat or sinew and cut into 1½-inch chunks. Set aside. Cut the halloumi into 1½-inch chunks and set aside. Wash the cherry tomatoes and set aside. Combine the next 9 ingredients in a large plastic bag or casserole dish. Place the lamb, halloumi and cherry tomatoes in the bag or dish, toss to coat and allow to rest for 12 to 24 hours. For the chimichurri: ¼ c. white wine vinegar ¼ c. red wine vinegar 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1 large shallot, chopped ½ t. red pepper flakes ½ t. kosher salt
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper ½ c. chopped fresh parsley ½ c. chopped fresh oregano ½ c. chopped fresh basil ¼ c. chopped fresh thyme 1 c. high-quality olive oil
Combine all ingredients except for the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until well incorporated. Do not overmix—a smooth texture here isn’t ideal. Pour the contents into a bowl and pour the olive oil over the herb mixture. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for up to 4 hours. Before serving, whisk the oil and herb mixture together. It will not completely emulsify, but that’s okay. Once the cheese, tomatoes and lamb have marinated, thread them onto either metal or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water—alternating pieces of cheese, tomatoes and lamb. Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Place the skewers on the grill and cook until the cheese and lamb are slightly charred and the lamb is medium rare—about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness is achieved. Serve immediately drizzled with the chimichurri. 34
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Combine the ricotta, parm, egg, lemon zest and salt in a bowl. Add the flour and gently fold in until just combined. Dust with more flour, shape into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Working in small sections, roll out the dough into a rope approximately ¾-inch thick. Using a knife or bench scraper, cut the rope into 1¼-inch pieces. Reserve on a lightly floured baking sheet and repeat until all the gnudi have been formed. For the sauce: 2 T. butter or oil 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, cut into large slices Salt and pepper, to taste 2–3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 lb. fresh spinach, washed Melt the butter or oil in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms, season well with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, toss lightly and cook until fragrant—about 30 seconds. Add the spinach, toss to coat and cook until just wilted. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in batches, drop the gnudi into the water and cook at a high simmer until cooked through and tender—about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain well and add to the sauce—tossing to coat. Cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, then spoon directly into serving bowls. Garnish with a little olive oil, grated Parmesan and cracked pepper.
CHÈVRE PANNA COTTA WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB COMPOTE Courtesy of Tabatha Stephens and Antonelli’s cheesemonger, Lina Biancamano Serves 4 For the panna cotta: 2 T. cold water 2 t. powdered gelatin 2 c. heavy cream ½ c. plus 1 T. cane sugar 6 oz. chèvre, room temperature (we used CKC Farms chèvre)
1 t. vanilla extract ½ c. sheep yogurt or nonfat Greek yogurt ½ c. whole milk
In a small bowl, soften the gelatin by sprinkling it slowly over the cold water. Set aside. In a saucepan, gently heat the cream and sugar to a scald (not boiling)—stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Add the softened gelatin to the cream and whisk until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Pour the mixture over the goat cheese and whisk until all the ingredients are combined thoroughly. Add the vanilla, yogurt and milk and whisk well. Pour this mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup or a bowl with a spout. Pour the panna cotta into glass jars or ramekins and allow it to set in the refrigerator for 4 hours. The finished panna cotta will be set but jiggly. For the compote: 2 c. fresh strawberries, de-stemmed 1½ lb. rhubarb stalks, cut into 2-inch pieces 1 c. cane sugar
1 t. vanilla extract ½ t. ground cardamom 2 star anise pods ¼ t. fine sea salt Sliced, toasted almonds
In a sauce pot, combine all the ingredients except the almonds and stir together. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the strawberries and rhubarb are very soft but still intact. Stir often to avoid scorching. Keep in the refrigerator until cold. Remove the star anise pods and serve the compote over the panna cotta topped with sliced, toasted almonds, if desired. Save any leftover compote for ice cream or French toast. EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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35
Your Baking Headquarters Tools & Supplies
for making cakes, cookies and candies
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beginner to advanced 9070 Research Blvd. (512) 371-3401 www.MakeItSweet.com
NEW TO OUR MENU: Pan Seared Salmon with basil mashed potatoes & crispy Brussels sprouts. Check out more new items at kerbeylanecafe.com
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edible HOSPITALITY
FRONT-OF-THE-HOUSE HEROES BY K R I ST I W I L L I S • P H OTO G RA P H Y BY D UST I N M EY E R
A
great server can transform a remarkable meal into the
an early dinner of Abita beers, fried catfish and shrimp on Fat
dining experience of a lifetime—making you feel welcome
Tuesday. “It was swamped and, as crazy as it was, it looked like a
and special with well-timed and light-handed expertise.
fun type of crazy,” says Andrews.
Exhibiting equal parts grace, humility, heart and charm, they
He went back to the restaurant a few days later to visit with
know what you need before you need it. These front-of-the-house
Curtis Clarke, the owner, and asked if he had any openings. “We
stars are some of the unsung heroes of the restaurant world and
talked for an hour and a half about everything but the restaurant,”
are an integral part of turning first-time customers into regulars.
he says. “Curtis told me they weren’t hiring, but he’d call me if something came up. About twenty-four hours later, he called, and
ROB ANDREWS, EVANGELINE CAFÉ Towering above the tiny four-seat bar tucked in the back of
I’ve been there every day since. It feels like home; the bayou off Brodie Lane.”
Evangeline Café, Rob Andrews is holding court—pouring beers
Ten years later, Andrews is still excited about every shift—
and listening intently with a genuine, beaming smile. From the
smile at the ready and looking forward to catching up with his
first hello, it’s clear that this South Austin Cajun café isn’t just
regulars. He has his lighter on standby for customers in need and
where this bartender works; it’s also a big part of his heart.
a stash of candy behind the bar in case one of his co-workers is
A native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Andrews discovered Evangeline Café while visiting a friend in Austin—showing up for
having a bad day. He wants to do whatever he can to make folks happy. “This is my fellowship; it’s my church.” EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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37
CAMERON BARBER, CHEZ NOUS At a first job as a part-time server at a gelateria and espresso bar in Corpus Christi, Cameron Barber learned quickly that there was something immensely gratifying about serving food. “Customers come in hungry and I get to feed them,” he says. “So much in our world is abstract, and it’s wonderful to provide something that can satisfy a customer in that moment.” After 28 years in the service industry—with 18 years at Chez Nous—Barber has mastered the art of pleasing customers. He deftly slips between tables in the cozy downtown bistro as he delivers enticing plates of traditional French cuisine—helping customers navigate unfamiliar dishes and whisking away empty plates without ever rushing diners. “So much effort has gone into the making of the meal…years of effort for the recipes and the wine,” says Barber. “As the server, you are the conductor for the customer. You should be able to glory in it and make it extraordinary for them.” He approaches every table from the customer’s point of view—focusing not only on what they’re telling him, but also on their gestures and body language to ensure he is providing what they need. “When you’re a server, it’s not about you,” says Barber. “Sometimes I see a server who seems to be performing, or they’re very into the idea of being a server. They seem to be more concerned with culinary sophistication. For me, service is about the human connection.” 38
MARCH/APRIL 2018
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
THE LEANING PEAR H ill Country -inspired C uisine
Unique. Well Crafted. Delicious.
111 river road, Wimberley, texas 512-847-pear | leaningpear.Com
SHARON BRIGHT, UCHIKO Sharon Bright is often introduced as the magical unicorn of Uchiko, but she just wants to help diners have a memorable evening. As one of the original members of the restaurant’s opening team, she’s helped countless customers have a life-changing food experience. “That’s why we do what we do,” says Bright. “We’re a marker for the celebrations in people’s lives. We want every meal to be special.” Bright, who started her service career in 1989 at the Olive Garden in Amarillo, has served in some of Austin’s most iconic restaurants, from Good Eats in the early ’90s to 15 years at Castle Hill Cafe. When Castle Hill transitioned to Corazon, Bright moved to the Steeping Room as a manager. After a few months, she realized she missed serving customers every day. When a friend told her that Uchiko was hosting a hiring fair at Mercury Hall, she threw on a dress and hustled down there with some cookies for the interviewers. She interviewed two days in a row and had the most genuine conversations with everyone. She knew she’d found the right place. The new program was intense—requiring extensive studying and training for a cuisine that was new to her, professionally. “You have to be devoted, because it takes weeks of training before you’re ready,” she says. “You have to put passion and pride into your work every time you come in the door.” EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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39
edible DIY
POT STICKERS BY RACHEL JOHNSON
I
remember the first time
wrappers flat on a work
I ate a dumpling. I was
surface an inch or so apart.
visiting New York City
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the
on a school trip and our
filling into the center of
chaperone took us to the
each wrapper. Using your
iconic
in
finger, lightly rub the edges
for
of the wrappers with water
dim sum. We were seated
and fold the dough over to
at a large, round table next
create a half-moon shape—
to a foggy fish tank, and we
ribboning the edges around
ordered what seemed like
the filling, if desired. Pinch
everything on the menu.
the edges to seal.
Joe’s
midtown
Shanghai
Manhattan
Stacks of bamboo steamers
To cook the pot stickers,
soon appeared in front of us,
heat a tablespoon of veg-
revealing perfectly round
etable oil in a skillet over
and plump pockets of dough
medium-high heat. Add the
filled with ground pork and
pot stickers in a single layer
scallions on beds of wilted cabbage. I remember feeling so clumsy
(being careful not to overcrowd the pan) and cook until the bot-
and silly trying to fit the whole dumpling into my mouth—drip-
toms are golden and crisp—about 2 to 3 minutes. Working quick-
ping soy sauce all over myself and noticing the waiters smirking
ly, add about ¼ cup of water to the pan and immediately cover. Let
at my novice awkwardness. But I was completely hooked on the
the dumplings steam for 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are wrinkled
texture of the soft, pillowy dough and the silky, savory filling and
and the dough is cooked through. Remove the lid and allow all the
gestured for yet another round. More chili oil, please!
water to evaporate. Cook another minute, or until the bottoms are
I may not have mastered the art of graceful dumpling con-
crispy and the dumplings are cooked through—shaking the pan to
sumption that day, but I have since attempted to make dumplings
release the dumplings. Serve with soy sauce, sweet chili sauce or
at home with relative success. I’ve had the best luck with pot
other dipping sauces, if desired.
stickers, and conveniently, the precut circular wrappers can be purchased at most grocery stores. And even if you make too many, they freeze beautifully. The great thing about making your own is that the dough is fairly forgiving, and you can get creative with fillings depending on what’s in season. If you can fold a towel, you can fold a dumpling. Seriously. Dumplings are a perfect project to get the kitchen-shy involved with the process. And even if the dumplings turn out slightly wonky, they’ll still taste just as delicious. True dumpling masters can fold their pot stickers into beautifully pleated masterpieces—ribboning the dough into perfect little pouches with ease and charm. But in reality, all you need to make your own pot stickers is a few fingers, a little bit of patience and a good, hot pan. Pot stickers are pan-fried in a bit of cooking oil until crisp, quickly steamed in the pan and then cooked back to a crisp after the water evaporates. To assemble the pot stickers, place circular 40
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EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
SPICY SQUASH POT STICKER FILLING Makes about 36 dumplings 1 package pot sticker wrappers 1 lb. cubed butternut squash ½ c. finely diced sweet onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 small jalapeño pepper, diced 1 T. finely minced fresh ginger 2 t. sweet chili sauce Place the squash cubes in a large pan of water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cubes are just softened (the cubes should still have texture)—about 5 minutes. Drain the squash and let cool slightly. Add the rest of the ingredients to the squash cubes and stir to combine—breaking up the squash to form a rough filling. Fill the pot stickers and cook.
“The Ultimate Nursery for Herbs” Austin Chronicle
Culinary herbs for chefs— and fruit trees, veggies and native plants for gardeners
Sign up for free gardeners tips newsletter at
itsaboutthyme.com
512-280-1192
“Best place to cure what ails you.”
CLASSIC PORK AND SCALLION POT STICKER FILLING
SATURDAY NATURAL TALKS
10:30 AM—ALWAYS FREE! ALWAYS EMPOWERING!
Makes about 36 dumplings 1 package pot sticker wrappers 1 lb. ground pork ½ c. chopped green onions 3 oz. shiitake mushrooms, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 T. finely minced fresh ginger 1 T. hoisin sauce 2 t. sesame oil
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Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and get wrapping!
COLLARDS, CREAM CHEESE AND MUSHROOM POT STICKER FILLING Makes about 36 dumplings 1 package pot sticker wrappers 1 lb. collard greens, stems removed 8 oz. cream cheese, softened 3 oz. white mushrooms, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 t. kosher salt In a food processor, pulse the collard greens into small pieces—about 30 seconds. In a bowl, combine the greens, cream cheese, mushrooms, garlic and salt, and stir to combine. Fill the pot stickers and cook.
CHICKEN AND HARISSA POT STICKER FILLING Makes about 36 dumplings 1 package pot sticker wrappers 1 lb. ground chicken ¹/3 c. finely diced red onion 3 green onions, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 t. ground cumin 1 T. harissa paste Combine all the ingredients, fill the pot stickers and cook.
20th Annual
Lavender Festival May 5 & 6
Lavender Vendors ~ Lavender Luncheons Live Music ~ Lavender Cooking Demos Concessions ~ Wine Tasting Parking Fee: $5 Admission: Complimentary Hours: Saturday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday, Noon – 6 p.m.
www.beckervineyards.com 830-644-2681 Directions: 11 miles east of Fredericksburg, 3 miles west of Stonewall, off US Hwy 290 at Jenschke Lane.
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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41
embracing LOCAL
WHAT’S IN A BIN? BY ST EV E W I LSO N
R
emember that time you felt so proud of yourself for put-
even angry. Program participants we spoke to questioned their
ting your empty pizza box in the recycling bin, only to
commitment to yet another bin in their lives, griped about pests
have some know-it-all lecture you about how greasy pizza
and odors, wondered why there’s no opt-out option available—
boxes don’t belong there? Don’t let that moment of soul-crushing
and you don’t even want to hear what they said about the pet
humiliation scare you away from the curbside composting collec-
poop that has mysteriously appeared in their bins.
tion program brought to us by Austin Resource Recovery (ARR).
Slagle has heard these concerns and then some. Here are some
A crucial part of Austin’s Zero Waste initiative to keep 90 per-
tips she and ARR offer to customers confused about composting.
cent of the city’s trash out of landfills by 2040, the composting program has already rolled out to 52,000 homes since the pilot
DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL SCRAPS
launched in 2013, and the City plans to raise that total to 90,000
As long as it’s food, they’ll take it. Anyone who’s composted
by this summer. That would add up to almost half of the city’s
at home may be surprised to learn that the City will accept meat,
residential garbage becoming nutrient-rich fertilizer instead of
bones, dairy products and other gunk usually discouraged in
methane in a toxic junk heap. Since the City estimates that nearly
backyard piles. That’s because ARR has contracted with commer-
half of a household’s waste can be composted, the program has
cial composter Organics “By Gosh,” which has the space to make
the potential to make a big impact. “Food trash is a resource we
mountains of compost materials so big they heat up like chemical
can get out of the landfills to help Austin get toward zero-waste
furnaces, breaking down most anything. However, they can’t han-
goals,” says Amy Slagle, who heads up the program as an ARR
dle cooking grease, so you’ll still have to dump that off at ARR’s
assistant division manager.
Recycle & Reuse Drop-Off Center.
The rules of city composting really aren’t that tricky: Once you get the 32-gallon green bin, you stuff it with any and all food
STASH YOUR GRASS
scraps, yard trimmings and soiled paper and roll it to the curb
Unless you hold regular Henry VIII-style feasts, your bin will
every week with your garbage and recycling. Sounds simple
likely have plenty of room for leaves, grass and small branches. The
enough, but as the program expands throughout the city, the new
City will still take your leaf bags, too (just try to fill the bin first).
garbage routine has left some people befuddled and sometimes 42
MARCH/APRIL 2018
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
Weddings, Receptions, Gatherings
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order at Any or online at PeoplesRx.com/Cleanse EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
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43
JON TAFFER AND HARBORTOUCH ARE CREATING A
Smart POS System
GET YOUR PAPERS IN ORDER It may be traumatic to bring up pizza boxes again, but they represent a handy way to remember how to treat paper: Recycle the clean tops and
No Up-Front Cost! 30-day Trial Low Monthly Fee Lifetime Warranty
compost the greasy bottoms. Recycling companies have no use for food-stained paper, but to composters, it’s gold.
HarbortouchGeorgetown.com
631-754-2977
THROW A COMPOST PARTY The City has expanded the program by rolling out composting in neighborhoods adjacent to other neighborhoods that already have it. Make the most of your service by inviting a friend in a compost-free neighborhood to dump scraps in your bin.
QUELL THE SMELL The biggest source of anxiety Slagle has encountered from customers new to composting is the stench. Here’s what she recommends: • Line the bucket, or keep scraps in the house, using a BPI-certified compostable bag. • Store the container in the freezer until it’s time to dump it in the bin. • Layer leaves and/or cardboard over the scraps in your bin. • Sprinkle the whole shebang with baking soda. • Store your bin in the shade. • Even if it’s not full, take your bin to the curb every week.
DOWNSIZE YOUR GARBAGE Composting only costs you an extra buck a month. And though
The best lemonade is from the lemons you grew yourself.
that charge goes up $4 more by 2020, that’s hardly anything to gripe about. If the cost or presence of another bin is really bothersome, consider switching to a smaller garbage bin. ARR offers four trash cart sizes, each costing less as they go down in size. Switching from the 64-gallon to the 24-gallon, for example, saves $76 a year.
COMPOSTING’S HERE TO STAY The pilot phase of ARR’s composting program saved more than 15,000 tons of compostable trash from landfills. The organization hopes to have composting bins in the driveways of all its 190,000 customers by 2020. If you’re still not sold on the idea, call 3-1-1 and the City will come retrieve your bin, but you’ll still be charged that extra buck a month, so…may as well join the composting party. 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd. | 512.288.6113 | www.naturalgardeneraustin.com
FOLLOW US! 44
MARCH/APRIL 2018
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
For more information, visit austinrecycles.com or call 3-1-1.
Boggy Creek Farm Fresh Produce Stand
8 AM to 1 PM Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday! www.boggycreekfarm.com
TWO AWARD-WINNING WINERIES
j us t 1
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perissosvineyards.com
7055 W State Hwy 29, just 6.5 miles west of Burnet OPEN Thurs. Fri. & Sun. 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm & Sat. 1:00 pm - 6:00 pm
7214 Park Road 4 W, Burnet, Texas OPEN Thursday - Sunday from 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm
(512) 766-0555
(512) 820-2950
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edible austin MARKETPLACE
YOUR LOCAL WINERY
featuring artisan, hand-crafted wines from the best of Texas and California vinyards.
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MARCH/APRIL 2018
Every Saturday 9 to 1 in the back parking lot of Barton Creek Square Mall overlooking the city.
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
limited seating tickets at edibleAustin.com/edl
THE DIRECTORY ARTISANAL FOODS Antonelli’s Cheese Shop We love cut-to-order artisanal cheese and all that goes with it. Order a picnic platter, take a class or host a private guided event. Free tastings daily. 512-531-9610 4220 Duval St. 111 Congress Ave. antonellischeese.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. 1135 512-609-8029 6555 Burnet Rd., Ste. 200 512-502-5949 1905 Aldrich St., Ste. 150 ilikelick.com
BEVERAGES Becker Vineyards 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 307 E. Main St., Fredericksburg beckervineyards.com
Bending Branch Winery Bending Branch Winery is a premier Hill Country winery with award-winning wines, including our signature Texas Tannat. Visit us Thursday through Sunday. 830-995-2948 142 Lindner Branch Trl., Comfort 830-995-3394 704 High St., Comfort bendingbranchwinery.com
Bent Oak Winery Bent Oak Winery is a local winery and tasting room bringing you fine wine with grapes sourced from Texas and California. 512-551-1189 2000 Windy Terrace, Ste. 2B bentoakwinery.com
Craft Pride A Texas-only craft beer bar serving up the highest quality beer from regional breweries. With 54 taps and a knowledgeable staff, it’s an inviting space for dedicated beer lovers and casual drinkers alike. 512-428-5571 61 Rainey St. craftprideaustin.com
Messina Hof Est. in 1977. Messina Hof is a family-owned winery based on the three cornerstones of family, tradition & romance. 979-778-9463 4545 Old Reliance Rd., Bryan 830-990-4653 9996 U.S. 290, Fredericksburg 817-442-8463 201 S Main St., Grapevine messinahof.com
Perrisos Vineyards Only one hour west of Austin, Perissos Vineyards is passionate about using only Texas-grown fruit to produce exceptional wines. Casual atmosphere. 512-820-2950 7214 Park Rd. 4, Burnet perrisosvineyards.com
Republic Whiskey Republic Whiskey has notes of rich oak and vanilla bean fading into dark cherry, with a bold finish like a West Texas sunset. Barreled and bottled in Austin, Texas at Texacello LLC. 512-291-7797 2905 San Gabriel St., Ste. 309 republictxwhiskey.com
Spec’s Wine Spirits and Finer Foods 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. 512-366-8300; 5775 Airport Blvd. specsonline.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
Texas Keeper Ciders 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 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
Thirsty Planet Brewing Co.
Palm Door
Thirsty Planet Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Austin, TX. Now available in twelve packs! Brewed with passion, committed to the planet. New tasting room opening on South Congress. 512-579-0679 8201 S. Congress Ave. thirstyplanet.beer
Our facilities boast a total square footage of 7255 versatile indoor and outdoor space available for private events for groups up to 1000. Each section can be customized to suit the needs of creative and functional events. 512-386-1295 508 E. 6th St. 512-391-1994 401 Sabine St. palmdoor.com
BOOKSELLERS BookPeople Texas’ leading independent bookstore since 1970. Located in the heart of downtown, BookPeople has been voted best bookstore in Austin for over 15 years! 512-472-5050 603 N. Lamar Blvd. bookpeople.com
University of Texas Press Our mission is to advance and disseminate knowledge through the publication of books and journals and through electronic media. 800-252-3206 utexaspress.com
BUILDING AND ARCHITECTURE CG&S Design-Build CG&S Design-Build is a high-end Austin residential remodeling firm specializing in full-service design and construction services. 512-444-1580 402 Corral Ln. cgsdb.com
CATERING AND MEAL DELIVERY 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
EDUCATION The Integrity Academy The Integrity Academy at Casa de Luz, Center for Integral Studies is a small, secular, private, year-round school serving families and children ages 3-18. 512-535-1277 1701 Toomey Rd. integrityacademy.org
EVENTS Austin Food + Wine Festival Join chefs from Texas and beyond as they spice up the weekend in the culinary capital April 27-29! Get tickets for a feast over a huge fire pit, nightlife events and much more. 888-512-7469 austinfoodwine.com
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 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. New retail store open in Cameron, TX. 254-697-4401 963 PR 44, Cameron 1509 S. Hwy 36, Cameron 44farms.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
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Whole Foods Market
It’s About Thyme Garden Center
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 Dr. 512-690-2605 5001 183 Toll Rd., Bldg. A, Ste. 100 wholefoodsmarket.com
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
HEALTH AND WELLNESS 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
Wiseman Family Practice Wiseman Family Practice is an integrative medical practice in Austin that focuses on health education and natural approaches to wellness. 512-345-8970 2500 S. Lakeline Blvd., Ste. 100 300 Medical Arts St. 3010 Bee Cave Rd., Ste. 200 wisemanfamilypractice.com
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center The Wildflower Center is a native plant botanic garden, a university research center and one of the 1,000 places to see before you die. 512-232-0100 4801 La Crosse Ave. wildflower.org
Natural Gardener 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 Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau Visit Fredericksburg, a small gem nestled in the Texas Hill Country. Enjoy eclectic shops, diverse lodging, amazing restaurants and Texas wines. 888-997-3600 visitfredericksburgtx.com
HOUSEWARES AND GIFTS
Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm
Der Küchen Laden
Cooking classes, beautiful dining room venue for private events, Hill Country cabin rental. 830-833-0910 5818 RR 165, Dripping Springs juniperhillsfarm.com
Retail gourmet kitchen shop, featuring cookware, cutlery, bakeware, small electrics, textiles and kitchen gadgets. 830-997-4937 258 E. Main St., Fredericksburg littlechef.com
The Herb Bar 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
LANDSCAPE AND GARDENING
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES 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
Barton Springs Nursery
Merchant Cafe Inc.
Locally grown Texas native plants. Organic pest management. Environmentally friendly soil amendments. Beautiful gifts. 512-328-6655 3601 Bee Caves Rd. bartonspringsnursery.net
Harbortouch is a leading national supplier of point of sale (POS) systems, credit card processing equipment and a full range of merchant services. 866-973-9988 9901 Brodie Ln., Ste. 160, #712 harbortouchgeorgetown.com
REAL ESTATE
G’Raj Mahal
Judd Waggoman — Christie’s International Real Estate Your ultimate source for luxury real estate in Los Cabos. Ranked #1 Realtor in Los Cabos, Mexico by InMexico Magazine. 530-751-6797 judcaborealestate.com
RESTAURANTS Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co. 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
Barlata Tapas Bar 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
G’Raj Mahal offers the best of Austin’s atmosphere with a combination of traditional and innovative Indian comfort food coupled with local music. 512-480-2255 73 Rainey St. grajmahalaustin.com
Jobell Cafe & Bistro 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
Kerbey Lane Cafe 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
The Leaning Pear Café & Eatery Serving the Texas Hill Country fresh and seasonal favorites using local ingredients. 512-847-7327 111 River Rd., Wimberley leaningpear.com
Lenoir
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
East Side Pies Fresh, local thin crust pizza - we know what you want. 512-524-0933 1401B Rosewood Ave. 512-454-7437 5312 G Airport Blvd. 512-467-8900 1809-1 W. Anderson Ln. eastsidepies.com
Flyrite Chicken At Flyrite, we believe fast food should be real food. Our delicious sandwiches, wraps and shakes are fresh and made to order. Drive Thru. Eat Well! 512-284-8014 2129 E. 7th St. 512-243-6258 6539 Burnet Rd. flyritechicken.com
Fonda San Miguel Distinctive interior Mexican cuisine and fine art. 512-459-4121 2330 W. North Loop fondasanmiguel.com
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
ThunderCloud Subs For fresh, fast and healthy, head on over to your neighborhood ThunderCloud Subs, Austin’s original sub shop. Now with 30 locations in Central Texas. 512-479-8805 thundercloud.com
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 Fe, NM 505-842-5507 1828 Central Ave. SW, Albuquerque, NM vinaigretteonline.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
EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM
MARCH/APRIL 2018
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Goat
Both male and female goats can have horns.
Goats’ horns are used for self-defence, but also act as a radiator to keep the animal cool in hot weather
GOATS HAVE SQUARE PUPILS, WHICH MAY IMPROVE DEPTH PERCEPTION REQUIRED FOR CLIMBING STEEP, ROCKY CRAGS
worldwide, the most-consumed milk comes from goats
Caper: a playful romp. From the Latin caper, goat.
Goat cheese is called chèvre, which is the French word for goat
MOHAIR and CASHMERE ARE BOTH SPUN FROM GOAT HAIR
Legend has it that coffee was discovered when goatherds noticed their flocks becoming energetic after eating the berries of the coffee plant.
A group of goats is called a trip... A BABY GOAT IS A KID
The Greek god Pan, the god of shepherds and flocks, had the hindquarters, legs, and horns of a goat. He was also the god of theatrical criticism, which is why critics are said to pan a poor performance.
Goats live an average of 15–18 years GOAT’S MILK IS NATURALLY SELFHOMOGENIZED
bambiedlund.com
The Yule Goat, made of straw or wood, is one of the oldest Christmas symbols in Scandinavia (which, oddly enough, is one of the original habitats of the reindeer).
WFM.COM
