Edible Houston Summer 2024

PUBLISHER

Monique Threadgill monique@atxpublications.com

When thinking about summer in Houston, it’s hard not to think of the syrupy heat and humidity, the constant hum of air conditioners and the needling mosquitos. But there is much more to summer in the Bayou City. There are rows of sunrise yellow okra flowers blooming in gardens and the many hues of eggplants radiating from tables at farmers markets: deep royal purple, light canary yellow, olive green and the pale purple of a July sunset. There are warm evenings picnicking on the lawn at Miller Outdoor Theater, listening to music; cherry raspa dripping down your chin; those initial few shivers as you take the first bite of chocolate ice cream on a late August afternoon. Okay, I’ll admit that when it’s still 98° in mid-September, even nostalgia, vibrant colors and poetic prose won’t be enough to distract from the relentless heat. But they’ll help, as will the articles you’ll find in our Summer issue.

Shubhra Ramineni serves up some tips and recipes for turning an overabundance of okra into delicious meals. Colin James Sturdevant dishes the scoop about his favorite ice creams in Houston. If you’re looking for some restaurants to try this summer, I tell the story behind a restaurant in Spring that is cooking some of the best food in the Houston area and chat about some of my other current favorites. There are deep dives into a favorite summer fruit and an exciting, but lesser-known wine varietal being produced in Texas. You’ll also find suggestions for new things to add to your pantry and a beautiful book to read when the heat keeps you inside.

And let’s face it, at some point the summer heat probably will keep you inside — but you’ll now have some good reading material to enjoy, new dishes to cook, restaurants to try, wines to savor and ice creams to keep you cool.

Here’s to good reading and even better eating this summer!

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ralph Yznaga ralph@atxpublications.com

EDITOR

David Leftwich david@ediblehouston.com

COPY EDITORS

Claire Cella

Stacey Ingram Kaleh

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ashley Brown

Stacey Ingram Kaleh

Shubhra Ramineni

Pauline Stevens

Colin James Sturdevant

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Pauline Stevens

ADVERTISING SALES

Grace McCormick grace@atxpublications.com

DISTRIBUTION

Nathan Simmons tmem23@gmail.com

CONTACT US

5524 Bee Caves Rd., Ste. J-4 Austin, TX 78746 512-441-3971 info@ediblehouston.com ediblehouston.com

NOTABLE EDIBLES

Accidental Sisters

At first glance, Accidental Sisters: Refugee Women Struggling Together for a New American Dream may not seem related to Houston food. But it’s no accident that the book’s opening chapter starts with a litany of international restaurants and groceries the author, Kimberly Meyer, passes as she rides through Southwest Houston with co-author Alia Altikrity, a refugee from Iraq who co-founded the Amaanah Refugee Services’ Transformed Program. Before the demographic studies, one of the earliest indicators of Houston’s growing diversity was the array of immigrant- and refugee-owned food businesses opening in strip centers around the city. The first businesses immigrants and refugees establish are often places to buy and eat the food of their homelands, because they provide needed sustenance and connections to the cultures they left behind.

That’s something Meyer understands well as co-founder and manager of Shamba Ya Amani, the Farm for Peace, a program run by FAM Houston that is working with resettled refugees and immigrants to operate a commercial farm in Houston’s Alief neighborhood. Meyer’s work with the women at the farm, including a co-founder who is featured in her writing, was one inspiration for this beautifully written book.

Craft Pita Olive Oil

Sometimes the line between a good meal and a great meal is a drizzle of high-quality olive oil. My current go-to to elevate pan-seared fish, a bowl of pasta or a good steak is the Lebanese olive oil from Craft Pita, the highly acclaimed Mediterranean restaurant that has locations in Briar Grove and West University. The fast-casual eatery was founded in 2019 by Rafael Nasr, a first-generation Lebanese American who was born and raised in Houston. In the summers, he would visit his grandmother and other family in Lebanon and spend time at their family farm. Now, he imports olive oil made from olives grown by his family in the mountains of Lebanon’s Koura District. The initial taste of the golden-hued olive oil is redolent of dewy spring grass laced with hints of coffee. It finishes smooth with a sharp-yet-mild spiciness and no bitter notes, which makes it great for pestos, vinaigrettes and finishing dishes. You can purchase it, as well as other Craft Pita products, at the restaurants, at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market or online at craftpita.com

Accidental Sisters follows five women from war-torn countries — Syria, Iraq, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — as they navigate the challenges of establishing new lives in a foreign country. Though each of their compelling stories are unique, together they give us insights into the lives of the refugees and immigrants that have been profoundly shaping foodways in the Bayou City for years. Accidental Sisters is a must read for anyone who wants to better understand Houston, our fellow Houstonians, and the way we eat.

FROM FARMERS MARKETS TO EMA

Farmers markets serve many purposes from the obvious, providing folks locally grown produce, to the more inconspicuous, serving as incubators for highly acclaimed restaurants. Four of Houston’s 11 2024 James Beard Award semifinalists have been vendors at farmers markets, including Stephanie Velasquez. She turned her years vending at the Urban Harvest Farmers Market into a James Beard Semifinalist nod for Outstanding Pastry Chef and, along with partners chef Nicolas Vera and coffee expert Marlén Mendoza, into the brick-and-mortar Ema, one of the best new eateries in Houston.

There you will find an array of Velasquez’s innovative Mexican pastries such as a volovan that perfectly combines the spice of chorizo, the subtle sugariness of sweet potato and perfectly crisp pastry into a beautifully balanced bite; a crispy blueberry-lime pop tart that lets the ingredients natural tartness dance across your palate; pillowy conchas; and decadent corn cake donas. They pair well with Mendoza’s coffee, which she roasts and then transforms into flavorful drinks such as café de olla and horchata latte.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. on weekends, Vera fires up the kitchen and begins serving stellar dishes such as taco de zanahoria that combines a succulent roasted and confited carrot with an inhouse nixtamalized, heirloom blue corn tortilla and rich pumpkin seed salsa. My current favorite is the mushroom tetela, a triangle of blue corn masa stuffed with mushroom carrot tinga floating in a warm, tangy symphonic salsa verde that will have you licking the plate and singing its praises for days. Do yourself a favor, go soon.

Visit at 5307 N Main St. | emahtx.com

BAHEL ETHIOPIAN MART AND KITCHEN IS A HIDDEN GEM

Some of my favorite restaurants are tucked into small, strip-center grocery stores — Street Food Thai Market, Zamani Grill and now, Bahel Ethiopian Mart and Kitchen on Chimney Rock. From the outside, it looks like just another parking -forward, beige retail strip, but as many Houstonians know, that’s where you often find the best food, which is the case with Bahel. As soon as you enter, you’re greeted by the warm scents of berbere spice. To the right, there is a small shop stocked with Ethiopian staples and to the left an inviting, wood-lined dining room. The menu is large but the friendly server recommended one of the meat and vegetable combo platters, which we supplemented with an order of flakey, meat-filled sambusas, which are similar to samosas. The platter came with a rich, spice-laced lentil stew, spicy yet wellbalanced chicken, and more, which we scooped up with spongy, pleasantly sour injera, a traditional Ethiopian flat bread made with a teff-flour dough that is usually fermented for at least three hours. I’ll be back to try more.

Visit Bahel at 6509 Chimney Rock Rd. | bahelmart.com

NAVY BLUE OFFERS INNOVATIVE SEAFOOD MENU

For a port city, Houston’s seafood offerings have at times been surprisingly limited to fried, blackened or smothered in cream-based jumbo lump crab. There have, of course, been exceptions such as creative approaches to raw and cooked oysters and Latin American-influenced ceviches. But over the last couple of years several innovative

seafood restaurants have opened, from Katami to Navy Blue, the Rice Village eatery from the team behind the James Beard Award-semifinalist Bludorn: Aaron and Victoria Bludorn and Cherif Mbodji.

Bludorn and his kitchen team, which includes executive chef Jerrod Zifchak (and included chef Alexandra Peña until she was tapped to helm the kitchen of the team’s newest venture Bar Bludorn, which just opened in Memorial) regularly refines the menu to optimize seafood’s seasonal freshness. They offer classics such as a pillowy crab cake loaded with crabmeat served on a bed of vibrant celeriac remoulade to new seasonal creations like charred octopus served with a black garlic and paprika aioli and eggplant tossed with Urfa chili. The rest of the menu primarily features seafood from raw oysters and linguine vongole, with littleneck clams and sea urchin, to swordfish au poivre. They even do excellent fried fish (I didn’t say fried wasn’t good): a lofty fried grouper sandwich — if you order it, don’t skip the fries. Combine that with the well-curated wine list and top-notch desserts like the tangy, creamy key lime pie, and you get an excellent spot for a special occasion or a casual, yet elegant, lunch. Visit Navy Blue at 2445 Times Blvd. | navybluerestaurant.com

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DAVID LEFTWICH

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY DAVID LEFTWICH

Left: Taco de Zanahoria at Ema Middle: Bahel Ethiopian

Right: Charred Octopus at Navy Blue photo by Duc Hoang

Belly

of The Beast

HOW THOMAS AND ELIZABETH BILLE ARE SHAPING THE FUTURE OF FOOD

WORDS BY DAVID LEFTWICH

Igrew up literally smelling kimchi on one side of my house and fish sauce on the other,” says Thomas Bille, chef at Belly of The Beast, which he owns with his wife Elizabeth. Growing up in Los Angeles, his next-door neighbors were Korean and Vietnamese, while the other neighbors on his block included Ecuadorians, Filipinos, Japanese and Mexicans, like himself.

“I would see their kids,” says Thomas, “my friends that I grew up with, eating something and I'd ask, ‘Can I have some of that?’ They'd say, ‘I don't think you're going to like it.’ I'd reply, ‘Man, I like everything.’”

T hat inclusive and curious attitude toward food now informs Thomas’s globally inspired, Mexicanrooted cooking at his and Elizabeth’s cozy, well-appointed restaurant in Spring — cooking that earned him a 2024 James Beard semifinalist nod for Best Chef: Texas. But neither he nor Elizabeth began their professional careers in hospitality.

T homas was introduced to restaurant life by his father, who was a chef at a French bistro. “He used to take me to the restaurant when I was a kid,” he says. “I'd sit there at the counter and just watch the cooks work. One of them would pass me some lobster thermidor or a slice of filet mignon, I'd be like, oh, this is so good.”

I nspired by those experiences, Thomas often asked his dad to teach him to cook, diving into the endeavor wholeheartedly. His dad would show him how to make something such as French toast. The following weekend, Thomas would wake up early and make his whole family a meal centered around that dish.

He didn’t just learn from his dad, but also his mom, who he says is a great cook. “She raised three boys, worked a full-time job, came home and cooked for us. If Mom was making something, I tried to help and make sure I learned how to do that,” says Thomas. She cooked many things, but her specialties were traditional Mexican dishes such as menudo, pozole and Michoacán-style barbacoa with red sauce and garbanzos.

D espite his years learning from his parents, Thomas initially didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps. But at 27, as an assistant manager at an inkjet toner warehouse, he began thinking it was time for a change. “I was lifting 80-pound boxes all day. After doing that

for a few years, I was like, man, I got to do something else in my life,” says Thomas.

D uring this time, he occasionally dined at Michelin-starred restaurants, and thought, “I could make this.” He started trying to recreate the dishes, leading him to begin formal culinary education at the Cordon Bleu of Hollywood. But Thomas wasn’t satisfied with just classroom learning. Within three weeks of starting culinary school, he was working at the Korean-owned Food Court L.A. making Pan-Asian-fusion dishes such as cheeseburger spring rolls and bulgogi tacos, before Korean tacos became popular.

A fter several years working in Los Angeles-area kitchens, including a five-year stint with The Ritz-Carlton, where Thomas learned a lot about service, he finally had an opportunity to develop his own dishes as executive sous chef at Otium, a restaurant helmed by James Beard Awardwinning, French Laundryalum Tim Hollingsworth. This experience gave

Thomas a taste of what he really wanted to do: open his own restaurant. Other than working six months at hot dog chain Wienerschnitzel while in high school, Elizabeth, who grew up in Southern California, didn’t have any restaurant experience before she and Thomas launched the first iteration of Belly of the Beast five weeks before the pandemic. However, her mom, who emigrated from Mexico, had extensive hospitality experience as a flight attendant, which inspired Elizabeth to pursue a career in another service sector — public service.

Following that path, Elizabeth graduated from the University of Houston, where she studied history and political science. She then moved to Washington D.C. to work as a Mickey Leland Fellow for Dallas-area United States Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson. She went on to hold high-level positions at Latino-focused, communityoriented organizations in Los Angeles and Houston.

“I always knew my calling was service, to give back to my community,” says Elizabeth. “So, I went into public service, which is where I've spent most of my professional career. Now, I see that magic happen when connecting with our guests … educating them about our food and culture in a very eloquent and elevated way.”

Looking for a better work-life balance, a more affordable place to raise their children and for Thomas to open his own restaurant, the couple moved from Los Angeles to the Houston area in 2018.

“I wanted to create my own business. And I didn't see it being feasible in Los Angeles. It was just too expensive," says Thomas.

“Let's be honest, it’s unattainable for most first-generation Mexican Americans,” adds Elizabeth. “Our parents didn't come from business backgrounds. They're not wealthy. They have been working for 40, 50 years … just hard workers that wanted to provide a better life for us. The same as we're trying to do for our little ones.”

When they arrived in Houston, Elizabeth began working at an education nonprofit, Thomas started a gig at Hugo Ortega’s Xochi, and they began looking at potential restaurant spaces.

A year later, following a growing trend for chef-driven restaurants, they found a space in the suburbs, close to where they were living. Just weeks before COVID-19 shut down indoor dining, they opened the first version of Belly of the Beast, a casual, counter-service eatery.

Despite shifting business models to navigate the pandemic, Elizabeth working at her full-time job and at the restaurant when she could, and Thomas’s father butchering and his mother making tortillas, the couple made the difficult decision to close in the summer of 2021.

While contemplating their next move, Thomas signed on as chef of the now-closed Chivos, a high-profile project inside the Loop, which he hoped would raise his profile in his new hometown. It worked, as his food received high praise from diners and the media. But Thomas still wanted to operate his own restaurant, so the couple began looking for a new space.

Commercial real estate in Houston city limits, especially inside the Loop, proved too expensive, so they began looking again in Spring where they already had a loyal customer base. The couple eventually found a suitable location in a soon-to-close breakfast joint nestled in a prairie-style strip center on FM 2920 in Spring.

And it’s paying off. Not only did Thomas receive James Beard recognition within months of reopening, but the restaurant is also receiving high praise from diners. Which isn’t surprising. Belly of the Beast melds Thomas’s and Elizabeth’s passion for food and service and is currently producing, based on my recent visit, some of the best and most exciting food in Houston — seasonal dishes such as perfectly cooked duck breast and a fluffy masa cake paired with an operatic strawberry mole that sings with flavors, tortillas made by Thomas’s mom with in-house nixtamalized masa, and striped bass served with tomatillo curry. “I was highly influenced by other cultures' food,” says Thomas. “It’s hard to say I'm only cooking this type of food … If I want a curry, I want a curry. If I want mole, I want mole. But I make it make sense to me by using Mexican ingredients. Our curry on the menu right now is a Thai-based tomatillo curry. I use Mexican chilies such as chili de árbol, serrano, jalapeño and manzano. But I also use galangal, ginger, lemongrass and shrimp paste … I try to make things that are unique. But I also want to educate people that Mexican food isn’t just beans and rice. It's so complex from the influx of cultures that have meshed into the fabric which is Mexico.”

Thomas and Elizabeth are succeeding in this endeavor. They are fusing the multi-ethnic influences of Thomas’s youth, their families’ Mexican heritages, his father’s professional French cooking, his years cooking in Los Angeles and Houston, and their shared passion for service into

After six months of building out the space, primarily on their own, and navigating the bureaucratic maze of permitting, Thomas and Elizabeth opened the new full-service Belly of the Beast in November 2023. That same month Elizabeth left her full-time job to dedicate her time to the restaurant and her family. The couple are now all in.

Left Page

Left: Crispy Pork Belly Tacos photo by David Leftwich

Right: Carne Asada photo by Foodie Cinematics

Right Page

Thomas and Liz Bille photo by Victoria Chrystal Photography

David Leftwich is editor of Edible Houston and loves to cook with locally grown vegetables and hang out with his daughter, wife, dog, cat and a few too many books.

Lady's Fingers

HOW TO ENJOY SUMMER’S OVERABUNDANCE OF OKRA

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY SHUBHRA RAMINENI

Growing up in Houston, my mom, who is originally from India, grew okra plants taller than me. Their large, pale-yellow flowers magically untwisted to form a five-petal funnel with a reddish-brown throat. They resembled a hibiscus flower, which is a close relative. They’d open for a day, and then fall, leaving behind an okra pod that grew quickly enough that we could harvest them in a few days. I can still feel the prickly, itchy sting of the plant’s small sharp hairs as I inadvertently played tug of war with a tall plant while trying to pluck ripe okra. My mom was not too happy about this either. She insisted I use scissors to gently cut off the pods, rather than struggle with her cherished plants.

My mom's garden is still full of okra. Why, and what does she do with it all? Our long, hot Houston summers are ideal for okra to thrive. Okra, which is easy to grow, is a popular vegetable in Indian cuisine, and it travels quite well. Okra is called bhindi in Hindi, the main Indian language of India. In British English, okra is referred to as lady's fingers, a descriptive name derived from its long, elegant, tapered shape reminiscent of a woman’s fingers.

If you are familiar with Indian cuisine, you may have heard of okra dishes such as bhindi pyaz, which is okra and onions, and bharwa bhindi, okra slit lengthwise and stuffed with spices, then sautéed with slices of onion. Both recipes are respectively in my first and second cookbooks, which would have been incomplete if they lacked an okra recipe.

Every time my family travels, my mom gets up early and makes sada paratha, which is a hot, soft and flaky plain Indian flatbread. She then places a stuffed okra in each one, adds a slice of achaar (mango pickle), rolls it into an Indian burrito, then wraps them in foil. She insists on bringing them on all of our travels since they taste good at room temperature and stay good for a couple of days.

We have almost missed a flight as we enjoyed these Indian roti's at an airport food court, after spending time telling curious TSA agents

about the Indian food I had packed in my carry-on. Imagine our astonishment as we heard our names on the loudspeaker announcements for last call, while we were sitting there enjoying okra stuffed flatbreads. We have enjoyed these okra flatbreads while waiting in our car to drive onto the Bolivar Island ferry in Galveston; inside the gates of Disney World after a Disney cast member told me to bring him some next time we did a bag check; as a quick snack in our hotel room before seeing Multnomah Falls in Portland, Oregon; while watching Old Faithful erupt at Yellowstone National Park; and on so many more of our travels around the United States.

Okra most likely originated in East Africa and has been there for over 4,000 years. It’s thought that around that same time, Africa’s Bantu people brought okra to India. Enslaved Africans introduced okra to the Americas likely in the late 1600s or early 1700s. It became common throughout the southern United States by the early 1800s. Over time and across regions, okra has taken on different characteristics. American okra tends to be a bit longer and straighter, while Indian okra is often shorter with a slight curl at the tail end, though some Indian varieties are straight, but much shorter. The taste and texture of the different okra varieties are not significant enough to worry about which one to cook with.

When buying fresh okra, which will be in abundance at farmers markets and grocery stores throughout the summer, avoid the flimsy, flexible ones. Look for crisp pods in which the tail end can be snapped off. Avoid very hard okra that are over ripe with brown seeds instead of the ideal white seeds.

Okra has a noticeable amount of a slimly substance known as mucilage, which are long chains of carbohydrates found in many plants and are important for seed germination and water and food storage. It’s released when the okra is cut and washed. The first time I cooked okra, I washed it after I chopped it and had slime everywhere! This mucilage is desirable when making stews such as gumbo because it thickens the dish. In many cuisines, especially Indian cuisine, the slime in okra is not wanted. That is why it is important to wash it and pat dry before chopping, which helps reduce the release of the sticky material.

Drying okra makes an excellent toddler activity and teaches them that okra is a good thing while they are young and impressionable. I would let my little girl rinse whole okra pods in water, and then lay them out on a towel and pat each one dry. It cut my kitchen prep work in half, taught my girl good life skills and ensured that minimal or no slime appeared. Cooking okra with lime juice also helps reduce the slime. I also never cover okra when cooking because doing so will darken its color.

Okra is best enjoyed with whole wheat Indian flatbreads called chapati. We tear off a piece and grab pieces of sautéed okra and sliced onion and savor it. A perfect pairing to balance out consistencies, texture and taste is a small, hot bowl of dal. My favorite to pair with okra is yellow moong lentil stew.

I leave you with one of my easiest and most flavorful Indian okra recipes that you can make with fresh okra or frozen okra. Frozen okra? But wait, we just talked about how bountiful fresh okra will be in the summer months, and how we will see beautiful lady's fingers at our farmers markets and stores, and how to first wash and then thoroughly dry the okra before cutting it to avoid the goo. So why talk about frozen okra? Because I am certain after you try cooking okra Indian style, you will crave this dish when not in season, and having a bag of cut, frozen okra in your freezer will not only save you prep time but will also allow you to enjoy this dish year round. You could also cook a good amount of fresh okra in the summer, and then freeze it so you can have it on hand.

There is one trick you must learn if cooking with frozen okra: do not allow it to thaw, or you will have a big slimy mess of flimsy, sticky, gooey okra. Simply put the frozen okra into hot oil and add lime juice to help cut the slime, which will quickly cook off. Visit spicegirlkichen.com to find more recipes.

Bhindi Pyaz: Sautéed Okra with Onions

Prep time: 5 minutes (15 minutes if using fresh whole okra)

Cook time: 35 minutes

Refrigerator Life: 3 days

Freezer Life: 1 month

Reheating Method: Place the refrigerated or defrosted okra in a microwave and stir periodically. Or place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and stir periodically.

1 lb (500 g) fresh okra or frozen, precut okra

3 T. vegetable oil

Juice of ½ lime

1 small onion, thickly sliced into half-moons

½ t. ground turmeric

¼ t. ground red pepper (cayenne)

1 t. salt

½ t. ground black pepper

½ t. ground coriander

PREPARATION

If you’re using frozen okra, do not defrost. If you’re using fresh okra, wash the okra and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Trim the tip and head and discard. Slice each okra into ¼-inch pieces. Pour the oil into a large nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. (Place over high heat if using frozen okra.) When the oil is heated, add the okra and lime juice. Sauté for 5 minutes and stir frequently. Any slimy substance will eventually get cooked away. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, turmeric, red pepper, salt, black pepper and coriander.

Shubhra Ramineni is a first-generation Indian American raised in Houston. She is the author of two award-winning Indian cookbooks Entice with Spice, Easy and Quick Indian Recipes for Beginners, and Healthy Indian Vegetarian Cooking that are available at local bookstores, and online.

Okra with Sauteed Onions

Okra Flower photo by David Leftwich

Stir to combine. Sauté until the okra is tender and the onion becomes translucent, stirring frequently, about 25 to 30 minutes. Enjoy now or let cool to room temperature and refrigerate or freeze for later!

ATEXAS oussanne

THIS VERSATILE VARIETAL CAPTIVATES WINE LOVERS ACROSS THE STATE

re you adventurous? Do you seek the complex and layered over the straightforward and familiar? If so, roussanne might be a wine with the qualities to romance you. It’s a radiant goldenwhite wine with both aromatic intensity and textural richness that offers a lot to explore for the wine drinker and the winemaker. Here in Texas, roussanne still seems like a less familiar varietal. Yet it’s one that is attracting the attention of local winemakers who aren’t afraid to introduce us to this dynamic varietal and add it to their menus. In several Texas tasting rooms, roussanne has been described to me as a red-wine-lover’s white wine. So, Texas red lovers, rejoice! This is a wine that can be chilled and remains refreshing in the scorching summer months, while still offering a robust mouthfeel.

R oussanne can delight with aromas of ripe stone fruits such as pear and apricot and floral notes like honeysuckle and jasmine on the nose, and then indulge you with notes like honey, almond, apple, brioche, black tea and thyme on the palate. It typically has a medium weight and balanced acidity that allows for freshness and lift — aka easy drinking — and has great potential for aging.

Roussanne comes from the northern part of the Rhône Valley in France. It’s a centuries-old grape that’s one of the key varieties used in the production of white wines coming from Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph AOCs (designated geographic regions of origin with controlled and certified quality standards), and is often blended with marsanne, another white grape variety native to the region. In the southern Rhône, roussanne is a primary component in the white wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. While relatively rare outside of France, roussanne is now grown in regions across the world, from Tuscany to Texas — and Texas may be poised to become one of the largest producers of the varietal outside of France, according to some of the Hill Country-based winemakers I spoke with.

Since roussanne shines on its own, plays well with other white varietals in blends and is delicious aged in oak barrels, steel tanks or a combination of the two, numerous expressions can be found at Texas wineries. All three winemakers I interviewed for this story —

Jon Leahy at Becker Vineyards in Fredericksburg, Claire Richardson from Uplift Vineyards in Burnet and Benjamin Calais of French Connection Wines in Hye — highlighted this versatility as a quality that makes roussanne appealing to work with.

“ Roussanne, I absolutely love. It does extremely well here … We make three different roussannes. They all taste like roussanne but they are three completely different roussannes,” says Leahy, who was recruited by Becker Vineyards in 2012 to make their wines after working in Napa and Sonoma counties in California. He feels he’s found a great home in the Texas Hill Country and is excited about the possibilities for Texas wine. “The fruit is just wonderful here, the grapes and the people, everything,” he says. “And I love, beyond anything, that Texans love to support Texans … People will support you if you make a great product.”

L eahy aims to make high quality wines with high quality Texas fruit. “You can make really bad wine from great fruit, but you can never make great wine from bad fruit, and there’s very little bad fruit in this state,” he says.

B ecker Vineyards currently offers three roussannes — two with grapes sourced from the High Plains and one from the Hill Country — and an award-winning and super refreshing “RVM” roussanneviognier-marsanne blend. They also have plans to plant roussanne on the Becker estate.

L eahy’s approach to roussanne requires intention and patience. He ages the wine in oak barrels for at least 24 months to capture the flavor of the grapes. Some roussannes are also aged in steel tanks as part of their development. The team at Becker leaves the wine on its lees for the entirety of its life, which gives it antioxidant protection. That creates a “reductive atmosphere” without oxygen, which preserves

roussanne’s floral notes and positions the wine for long-term preservation

in the bottle. You can store it for 10 or more years and still enjoy its innate qualities.

Becker is in the process of expanding its 66-acre Fredericksburg vineyard through a six-year planting initiative. While they already have an extensive and highly regarded portfolio of 44 different wines, they’re committed to doing what works well while continuing to challenge the status quo. “Life would be so boring if you didn’t keep experimenting. You never know where the next ‘Aha!’ moment is going to come from,” Leahy says. This planting initiative puts Becker Vineyards on track to become the largest producer of estate wines in Texas.

“Wine is not a spectator sport or an individual sport,” Leahy emphasizes as he talks about the dedication of Becker’s partners and large team, from the assistant winemaker to the cellar master, from outreach staff to the farmers around the state. Leahy recalls an article he read that estimated it takes an average of 33 people to deliver a glass of wine to you. It’s a statistic that has stuck with him. He emphasizes that when you support Texas wine, you support Texas farmers and their families, and a lot of other neighbors, too.

Rhône variety-focused French Connection Wines in Hye is another winery that champions Texas farmers and grapes. Winemaker and co-owner Benjamin Calais, who also owns Calais Wines, began making roussanne in the early 2000s. He prefers sourcing roussanne made from Tablas Creek clones (Tablas Creek Vineyards in Paso Robles, California brought high-quality roussanne clones to the U.S.) grown in highelevation (3,200 feet-plus) vineyards like those in West Texas mountains, High Plains and Dell City. The climate in those regions contributes to slower maturation of the grapes, which helps preserve their acid and makes for a delightfully complex palate.

This complexity is part of what makes roussanne so versatile and allows it to really showcase a winemaker’s mark. “It’s an interesting variety to work with. It’s a tricky variety. And it’s a blank canvas for winemakers,” Calais explains. His roussanne at French Connection is distinct from Leahy’s at Becker, especially when it comes to mouthfeel.

“We’re going to try to keep as much texture as possible,” says Calais. French Connection Wines has been making roussanne for 15 years and makes a roussanne Reserve every five years or so. They currently offer a 2020 roussanne Reserve and use the varietal as the lead in their signature La Connection white blend. Calais prefers a heavier-style roussanne, closer to what he calls its “home style,” and ages roussanne on its lees for 12 to 18 months in neutral French oak barrels. The Reserve roussanne sits in French oak for about three years. “We don’t always make roussanne the same way, because we understand there’s a lot of different ways we can execute,” says Calais, who believes in adapting his winemaking approach to the grape and its particular yield.

Calais, who moved from France to the U.S. for a job in computer engineering, refers to his winemaking journey as a “weekend project that got out of hand.” But now he is in it for the long-haul and envisions building wineries that make some of the best wines around. “We make wines we like to drink and that are age-worthy. And we take our time doing it,” he shares. Unfettered by many of the obstacles wine makers

and growers face and unafraid of the time-consuming winemaking processes, he’s focused on a “practice-makes-perfect” approach. “It’s very important to make wine every year … If you want to get better at it and make the best wine you can, you have to make it every year,” Calais explains. His team will hone in on a varietal and fosters long-term relationships with growers. That laser-focus allows them to work with a grape again and again until they “get it perfect,” making roussanne a varietal that is ideal for Calais and his team. It is reliable, with vines consistently producing great grapes. It allows them a “shot at making the wine every year,” which is part of its appeal. It’s a variety that Calais believes will be produced and enjoyed in Texas for years.

Claire Richardson, winemaker at Uplift Vineyards in Burnet, part of the William Chris Vineyards family of brands, also appreciates roussanne’s reliability. She says that roussanne thrives in our heat and abundance of sunshine. “Climate and weather patterns are two of the biggest challenges of growing grapes in Texas, so to have a grape that can flourish in the conditions we have is a win-win for growers and drinkers,” she says.

According to Richardson, the team at Uplift take a unique approach to growing roussanne. Half of the acreage she works with is situated on a hillside and the other half is on flat ground at the bottom of the hill. The two sections are usually harvested at different times. “The hillside fruit ripens faster and will often be harvested at a higher Brix level [which is a measure of sugar content],” she explains. “The finished wine is characterized by the riper roussanne aromatics of honeycomb and brioche and has a more viscous mouthfeel. Contrary to that, the flat portion of the block produces fruit that is more nuanced, with slightly higher acidity and more delicate aromatics.”

Richardson likes the opportunities for personal expression that this approach provides. “The beauty of harvesting this block in two sections is that I end up having multiple components to work with … The two sections of the block are harvested, fermented, and aged separately until it comes time for blending,” she shares.

Photo courtesy of Uplift Vineyards

WORDS BY STACEY INGRAM KALEH

Claire Richardson photo by Dave Capote

Like Leahy and Calais, Richardson is attracted to the chameleon-like quality of roussanne. In the cellar, she employs a variety of fermentation and aging vessels, yeast strains, and winemaking techniques to steer the grape’s versatility into exciting vintages. She primarily ferments and ages roussanne in oak barrels, with the use of 5 to 10 percent new French oak. This July, Uplift Vineyards plans to release a 2023 roussanne and 2023 Lou Adah, a roussanneMarsanne blend.

Roussanne seems to be gaining traction with Texas wine enthusiasts as more people are trying it when they visit local wineries. “People are gravitating toward roussanne, and they are getting to try it and know it here in Texas,” says Leahy, who points out that we have more single-varietal roussanne offerings in Texas than you can find on the West Coast.

“In the last few years, roussanne has gained popularity among consumers in Texas for its texture, complexity, and availability,” says Richardson. “As a lesser-known varietal, it is our job as growers and winemakers to educate our consumers about varieties like roussanne that are well-adapted to our climate and that are delicious, too.”

If it’s your first time trying roussanne, make it a Texas roussanne. There’s no better place to figure out what you like. The laid-back culture of Texas tasting rooms allows you to feel at home and the staff are happy to share their expertise in a way that’s fun and welcoming.

“Wine should not be an intimidating thing,” says Leahy, who encourages us to view wine not as a luxury item but as a way to celebrate life’s daily victories. He says the only two questions we need to answer when it comes to the wine we drink are “Do you like it?” and “Would you have another glass?”

When it comes to Texas roussanne, my own answers are yes and a resounding yes.

PERFECT PAIRINGS: Try a Texas roussanne with these bites and entrées

Becker Vineyards winemaker Jon Leahy loves pairing roussanne with Mediterranean-style grilled chicken and veggies, lobster bisque and wood-fired mushroom pizza. Becker’s marketing director Nichole Bendele, who is WSET Level 2 Certified, recommends sipping on roussanne as a companion to sauteed scallops and wild rice or Peruvian-style ceviche. If you’re looking for something lighter to snack on, you can’t go wrong with a crudité and hummus spread. Add roussanne, and you’re ready for a vibrant and refreshing summer picnic!

Sip on a glass or pick up a bottle of Roussanne or a blend at these Texas wineries and others:

Ab Astris

320 Klein Road Stonewall, 78671 abastriswinery.com

Becker Vineyards

464 Becker Farms Rd. Fredericksburg, 78624 beckervineyards.com

Duchman Family Winery

13308 Ranch to Market Rd. 150 Driftwood, 78619 duchmanwinery.com

French Connection Wines 1197 Hye-Albert Rd. Hye, 78635 frenchconnectionhye.com

Haak Vineyards & Winery 6310 Avenue T. Santa Fe, 77510 haakwines.com

Hilmy Cellars

12346 E. US Hwy 290 Fredericksburg, 78624 hilmywine.com

Hye Meadow Winery 10257 W. US Hwy 290 Hye, 78635 hyemeadow.com

Kuhlman Cellars

18421 E. US Hwy 290 Stonewall, 78671 kuhlmancellars.com

Llano Estacado Winery 3426 E. FM 1585 Lubbock, 79404 llanowine.com

McPherson Cellars 1615 Texas Avenue Lubbock, 79401 mcphersoncellars.com

Pedernales Cellars

2916 Upper Albert Road Stonewall, 78671 pedernalescellars.com

Perissos Vineyard and Winery

7214 Park Rd. 4 W. Burnet, 78611 perissosvineyards.org

Siboney Cellars 3427 US 290 Johnson City, 78636 siboneycellars.com

Signor Vineyards 362 Livesay Lane Fredericksburg, 78624 Signorvineyards.com

Texas Heritage Vineyard

3245 US 290 E. Fredericksburg, 78624 texasheritagevineyard.com

Texas Wine Collective

10354 US 290 Fredericksburg, 78624 texaswinecollective.com

Torr Na Lochs Vineyard & Winery

7055 TX-29 Burnet, 78611 Torrnalochs.com

Uplift Vineyard

William Chris Wine Co. 1411 Co. Rd. 119 Burnet, 78611 upliftvineyard.com

Wedding Oak Winery

316 E. Wallace Street San Saba, 76877

6009B US 290 E. Fredericksburg, 78624

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Stacey Ingram Kaleh is a native of the Texas Hill Country. Born and raised in Austin, she lives in Spicewood with her husband, two young daughters and fluffy dog Zeus. She’s been exploring Texas wineries for more than a decade, enjoying great wine, stellar company and scenic views as she learns from local winemakers. Follow her wine adventures on Instagram @TXWineGirl.

Meierstone Vineyards 573 Meier-Stone Rd. Stonewall, 78671 meierstonevineyards.com

229 S. Pierce Burnet, 78611 weddingoakwinery.com

What's In Season

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS

This Summer

Summer may be sweltering hot but delicious sun-kissed fruits and colorful vegetables are begging to be bagged at your local farmers market even at the height of the heat. Summer is for different varieties of eggplant, not to mention okra and, of course, bountiful hot, hot peppers.

Fig Peach

Watermelon

Cantaloupe & Other Melons

Corn

Eggplant

Okra

Hot Peppers

From the Gulf Brown Shrimp (from mid-July)

For more information on farmers markets, seasonal recipes and what’s in season, visit ediblehouston.com

Fig, Balsamic and Feta Pizza

Recipe and photos by Pauline Stevens

PIZZA DOUGH

1 T. dry yeast

¼ t. caster sugar

3/4 c lukewarm water

1½ c. flour

1 t. sea salt flakes

PREPARATION

Place yeast, sugar and water in a bowl and set aside for 5 minutes. Place flour and salt in a separate bowl and make a well in the center. Add yeast mixture, and with well-floured hands, form a dough.

On a floured surface, knead the mixture for 4 minutes until smooth and elastic.

Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Set aside in a warm place for 30 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

FIG, BALSAMIC AND FETA PIZZA

10 medium size figs cut in half

1 T. olive oil

3 garlic cloves mashed into a paste

2/3 c. crumbled feta

¼ c. coarsely chopped walnuts

2 T. balsamic vinegar

½ c. arugula

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 475°. Cut dough in two. Using your hands make two round disks that are about 8 inches in diameter. Add olive oil and garlic paste to taste. Add sliced figs, 4 to 5 depending on the size. Add crumbled feta and chopped walnuts. Bake pizza at 475° for 10 to 15 minutes. Add arugula and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Beside her passion for photography, Pauline Stevens enjoys traveling and baking. She also visits every possible farmers market, even between frequent visits to NYC where her quadruplet sons live. Follow her store on IG @redbirdshouse.

Serves 4

2 c. frozen sliced peaches or 3 medium ripe peaches, sliced

3 T. brown sugar

½ t. cinnamon

3 thyme sprigs

½ c. soft cream cheese

1 pie crust dough

1 beaten egg, for a wash

1 t. coarse crystal sugar

Powdered sugar (optional)

PREPARATION

Preheat the oven to 350°. If using frozen, place frozen peaches in a bowl until defrosted. Add to defrosted or fresh peaches brown sugar, cinnamon and leaves of two sprigs of thyme, and let stand for 5 minutes. Roll the pie crust into the shape of a rectangle, about 9 inches by 12 inches. Place on a baking sheet, then spread the cream cheese over most of the rectangle, leaving a 2-inch space around the edges. Arrange peaches on top of the cream cheese layer. Fold the edges of the pastry around the peaches, leaving an opening in the middle. Brush pastry edges with egg wash. Add the final sprig of thyme and coarse sugar crystals to the top of the galette. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden. Serve warm and with a sprinkle of powdered sugar for decoration.

Lone Star Summer

NOTHING IS MORE TEXAS THAN EATING HOME-GROWN WATERMELON

WORDS BY ASHLEY BROWN

Few foods are more symbolic of summer than watermelons. Ranking third or fourth in the nation for watermelon production, depending on the year, Texas has a hot, sunny climate that is good for growing this luscious, refreshing and versatile fruit. We even have a Watermelon Queen, crowned annually by the Texas Watermelon Association, whose responsibility it is to travel around the state and encourage production and consumption of the fruit.

From the Rolling Plains area, with plenty of sunlight, to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, with its fertile soil, an estimated 42,000 acres across the state are devoted to growing watermelons. Harvests start in April in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. In June and July, it moves to the Winter Garden and East Texas areas, then progresses in August and early fall to the Rolling Plains, Cross Timbers/DeLeon and southern High Plains. Small farms often sell their harvest at roadside stands, while larger farms ship these fresh, juicy melons to cities all over the state such as Houston, San Antonio, Austin and beyond.

I n Luling, watermelons are so popular that the town celebrates with an annual Watermelon Thump Festival. For four days, residents and visitors can partake in watermelon-based games and activities like seed spitting, watermelon eating, and a contest for the largest Black Diamond watermelon grown that year. Watermelon “thumping” involves tapping a melon quickly and forcefully with a finger or two a few times in a row. If the watermelon sounds hollow and not high-pitched, that means it should be ripe. A thud or less distinct sound indicates it may not be ready. Throughout the summer, many other Texas towns host watermelon festivals and contests, so if you’re craving some fun based around this refreshing and unique fruit, do a quick online search to find one near you.

Growing watermelons organically can be challenging, because they are susceptible to broadleaf weeds, powdery mildew, fusarium wilt and, of course, pests. Despite these difficulties, many Texas farmers that grow watermelons prioritize sustainability and organic practices. Due to watermelons’ thick rind, pesticides can’t get to

the flesh that you eat, so it is safe to consume non-organic melons; however, the potential health benefits to us and the earth of organic farming in general may encourage you to seek out organic options when possible. Either way, watermelons are not just a sweet and delightful summertime treat — they’re a guilt-free option with many health benefits. Ninety-two percent water, they’re a great source of hydration as well as vitamins and the antioxidant, lycopene.

T he seeds, whether white or black, are safe to consume, despite the old wives’ tale that a watermelon will grow in your stomach. Black watermelon seeds are mature, fertile seeds, which you could plant to grow watermelon. The thinner, more translucent white seeds are immature seeds that are not yet fertile.

S eedless watermelons add to the convenience of taking them on the go as a snack and using it in a wide variety of recipes. They were invented more than 50 years ago. This was achieved by crossing watermelon plants with different numbers of chromosomes, resulting in a sterile (seedless) hybrid.

Left Page:

Left and Right: Photos by Shane Watts of Watts Farm

Top: Photo by Ralph Yznaga

Right Page:

Photo by Ralph Yznaga

M ost of us just think of watermelons as watermelons, but there are a number of varieties grown in Texas. Look for these at your local markets or grocery stores, or if you have your own garden, you might want to plant some seeds and try your hand at producing your very own melons:

Allsweet: A uniquely flavorful watermelon with a mild sweetness and crisp texture, this variety is juicy and makes a great addition to salads.

Black Diamond: Very popular with Texas farmers, Black Diamond watermelons are relatively easy to grow in large numbers. They’re big and bold in size, flavor, and color with their bright red flesh and deep black-green rinds.

Crimson Sweet: Naturally resistant to fusarium wilt, this variety is also relatively easy to grow in the Texas climate. The dark green rind is striped with a lighter green and may be what many picture when they think of watermelons, though the shape is more round than oblong. As the name indicates, this variety has a particularly high sugar content, making it a refreshing yet satisfying dessert or snack.

Jubilee: The Jubilee is a popular melon with firm, crisp, and brilliant bright red flesh. It has an oblong shape and a light green color with dark green stripes. This variety weighs a whopping 25 pounds or more when mature! Its wilt-resistant properties and impressive size make this variety an appealing choice for gardeners.

Royal Sweet: Royal Sweet watermelons have a rich sweet flavor and juicy texture. While watermelons are sometimes used in salads and savory dishes, some varieties such as this one make for a delightful dessert or refreshing addition to a picnic.

Sugar Baby: This variety is also a great option for satisfying your sweet tooth with a healthy snack. These smaller watermelons are also a bit easier to cut and manage.

A handful of Texas Farms that grow watermelons:

Atkinson Farms 3217 Spring Cypress Road Spring, 77388 @atkinsonfamily_farm

Boggy Creek Farm 3414 Lyons Road Austin, 78702 boggycreekfarm.com

Engel Farms 9885 U.S. Highway 290, Fredericksburg, 78624 @engel-farms

Watts Farm 700 E. Davis Street Luling, TX 78648

Search Watts Farm Luling TX on Facebook

Writer and editor Ashley Brown lives in Wimberley with her family of rescues: a dog, two cats, and two donkeys. In addition to animal welfare, her passion is exploring the Hill Country's natural beauty, small farms, eateries and drinkeries.

Photo by Ralph Yznaga

Exploring the Natural Beauty of Wimberley

Kn own affectionately by locals as “a little bit of heaven,” Wimberley is a charming and popular destination for Texans seeking a fun getaway. With its shops, eateries and drinkeries, the Wimberley Square is often hopping, particularly on the weekends. But the town is also a beautiful “playground” for nature lovers, with ample opportunities to walk or hike, swim, take in gorgeous Hill Country views and even zipline!

One of the most magical elements of Wimberley is the water — from Jacob’s Well and Blue Hole to Cypress Creek and the Blanco River. While there aren’t too many access points for the general public, the beautiful Blanco and its warm, inviting waters are the perfect place to chill out. It’s quite shallow in most spots, so you can enjoy a lazy afternoon just sitting in the water and chatting with friends. If you’re staying in Wimberley, there are countless rental properties along the river with private access; otherwise, you can pay to park at the famous 7A Ranch and head into the river from there. For those seeking a little more action, the 7A also offers kayak rentals.

Cypress Creek, which runs right through downtown, is a slightly more refreshing option. Fed by deep natural springs, the creek’s waters are much colder and deeper. Visitors can opt to simply enjoy the serenity of the creek shore while sipping on a cocktail or fueling up with a delicious meal from places in town such as Creekhouse Restaurant or Chill’z On The Creek (formerly Ino’z).

But if you prefer to get wet, Cypress Falls Swimming Hole is the spot. It’s located on the largest part of the creek surrounded by cliffs and a

waterfall. The swimming hole is owned by Cypress Falls Lodge, whose website includes the interesting fact that when the creek was dredged in 1949, to create a wider swimming area, many Native American artifacts were discovered as this had been a sacred ceremonial site. Wristbands to enjoy the swimming hole for the day range between $6–10, and they also offer boat and tube rentals.

Jacob’s Well is a natural artesian spring that has long attracted visitors for its beauty, uniqueness and geologic significance. Typically releasing thousands of gallons of water a day, the spring serves as the headwaters of Cypress Creek. There’s a sizable parking area and a network of walking/hiking trails, one leading to the 140-foot-deep well — the second largest underwater cave system in Texas. There’s no fee to park, hike or view the well, but reservations and a fee are required to swim when the spring is open for swimming, which is both seasonal and dependent on drought conditions. Historically low water levels — to the point that the water actually stopped flowing — kept the well closed to swimmers in 2023. The actual swimming area is quite small despite its depth, and the water is a constant 68 degrees, so this experience might be more attractive to the more adventurous.

Another highly popular destination is Blue Hole Regional Park. Blue Hole is a natural, spring-fed swimming hole lined and shaded with towering Cypress trees. The whole family can enjoy swimming in crystal-clear water, sunbathing on the grassy lawn and swinging on the famous rope swings. These waters are also quite chilly, which visitors tend to find most refreshing on a summer day. Reservations are required to swim, but the other amenities of the park can be enjoyed for free. The park features well-maintained, dog-friendly hiking trails, sports fields and plenty of quiet spaces for picnics. It’s a great place to walk or jog.

Speaking of walking, if you’re not afraid of walking up steps — 218 to be exact — Old Baldy is a must. Located two-and-a-half miles from the Wimberley Square, in the middle of the neighborhood of Woodcreek, Old Baldy is a hill with an elevation of 1,182 feet. Once you make it to the top, you’ll experience breath-taking 360-degree views of Wimberley Valley. There’s a small flat area of stone at the peak where you can sit and recover from your walk up, enjoying the peace

and quiet looking out over all the activity below.

Another fun way to take in the Hill Country views is ziplining. Wimberley Zipline Adventures is located on 30 acres of open land right in town. Each of the 10 lines — a few with some brief hikes in between — offers a unique experience, including 15-mile views. Some lines are as short as 150 feet, and the longest is 900. On the most exciting one you take a running start, leap off a platform, and soar over the hills. By the sixth or seventh line, gliding through the trees lower to the ground, the feeling is more peaceful than exhilarating. After all, you get to experience the sensation of flying like a bird through the air knowing you’re 100% percent safe and secure (the adventure begins with “flight school,” where you learn all you need to know and are reminded that the equipment you’re using could hold 40,000 pounds of weight).

All of these natural areas offer the chance to observe the local flora and fauna. But if you’re an avid bird watcher, you may want to check out the Patsy Glenn Refuge — a bird sanctuary in the heart of Wimberley.

Next to the Community Center, the refuge features trails, bird feeders, wildflower areas, a chimney swift tower and butterfly garden.

Whether you spend the day bird watching, strolling the banks of the creek, swimming, hiking or zipping over the hills, you may be ready to relax with a glass of wine as the day winds down. There are plenty of places where you can sit and sip while continuing to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Driftwood Estate Winery, a few miles north of Wimberley on Elder Hill Road just off of Ranch Road 12, will trick you into thinking you’re in Tuscany. You can opt for a wine tasting inside and/or get a glass or bottle and choose your spot on the grassy hillside overlooking the vineyards and pastures. An amazingly peaceful location, you really will feel like you’re in another world.

They close at 6 p.m. so from there, you can head to The Shady Llama, open until 8 p.m. on weekdays and 9 p.m. on weekends. This is an outdoor-only beer garden just north of Wimberley also on Ranch Road 12, serving up a variety of Texas beers and wines. Picnic tables, seating areas and a playground for the kids are scattered about the shaded property that is also home to eight llamas who often show up to check out the goings-on. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a beautiful sunset and close out a well-spent day in the Texas Hill Country.

Must-See Farmers Markets

$32,500

TOTAL IN CASH PRIZES AWARDED TO MARKETS

2,435 MARKETS PARTICIPATED IN 2023

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE MARKET

Galveston’s Own Farmer’s Market

Sundays, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. 3304 Market, Galveston, 77550 Instagram: @gofarmersmarket

Memorial Villages Farmers market

Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 10840 Beinhorn Rd Facebook: @mvfm024

Houston Farmers Market

Daily, 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. 2520 Airline Dr Instagram: @houstonfarmersmarket

Urban Harvest

Farmers Market

Sundays, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

2752 Buffalo Speedway Instagram: @urbanharvesthouston

Rice University Farmers Market

Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

5600 Greenbriar Dr Facebook: @ricefarmersmarket

East End

Street Market

Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

2600 Navigation Boulevard

The Esplanade on Navigation Instagram: @eastendhou

Freedmen’s Town Farmers Market

Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1108 Victor St Facebook: @FreedmensTownFarmersMarket Heights Mercantile Farmers Market

2nd & 4th

Sundays,

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Heights Mercantile, 714 Yale St Instagram: @heightsmercantile Kingwood Farmers Market

Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 2814 Town Center Circle E, Kingwood, 77339 Instagram: @kingwoodfarmersmarket

American Farmland Trust (AFT) launched the conservation agriculture movement in 1980 and since then has protected nearly 7.8 million acres across the country. Today, AFT is the leading conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland and ranchland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices, and keeping farmers and ranchers on the land.

AFT helped start several farmers markets and founded the America’s Farmers Market CelebrationTM (AFMC), which honors farmers markets and raises awareness of the role of farmers markets across the nation.

Now in its 16th year, AFMC encourages people to vote for their favorite farmers markets and celebrate local food throughout the summer. AFT supports markets and market managers with free resources and houses the largest database of farmers markets across the US – now with more than 7,000 market listings - with a fun, interactive map.

Learn more at markets.farmland.org.

Sw e et D r e a m s

COOL OFF THIS SUMMER WITH TWO OF HOUSTON’S BEST ICE CREAM PURVEYORS

Ice cream and I go way back. My mother claims it’s one of the few foods I would eat as a child. It’s creamy, cold and the flavors can be bold. Sometimes, it’s a bad relationship, a rocky road in my diet. I’m either all in or all out. It was there for me in the absence of what

I can only assume is love. It had my back when I was laid off from my first job after college. It helps me keep cool in the summer. If I close my eyes, I can remember ice cream being made at home or where I used to work. The whisk scraping the side of a tub, 50-pound bags of sugar releasing a sweet, floral scent when poured and the crisp, clean smell of milk and cream. Humble ingredients transformed into a symphony of solos, choruses and harmonies. I grew up eating Hank’s. I’ve slung scoops at local mom-andpop shops. It was something I could sell, learning to cater to people’s tastes. I was often mistaken for the owner because of my passion for ice cream. During those years, I learned a lot about this frozen dessert.

With temps soon reaching 90° and beyond and local parlors soon having lines out at the door, I wanted to talk about two of my current favorites: Underground Creamery, which only offers weekly limited editions, and Honeychild’s Sweet Creams, which is turning local ingredients into delectable frozen custards.

While I was working at SweetCup Gelato, I exchanged a few words with Josh Deleon, the creative genius behind Underground Creamery, who emigrated from the Philippines when he was 10. He’s as passionate about ice cream as I am and wanted to talk shop. I made the mistake of not trying his creations then, out of loyalty to SweetCup, despite my-then girlfriend raving about them. I wish I’d fallen in love with it sooner. It’s now my favorite Houston ice cream. Deleon, who has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Houston, is creating true artisan products, combining both tease and temptation with flavor profiles that expertly surf your palate.

I received a drop, what Deleon calls his weekly releases, from early March 2024. This would probably be a good time to explain how Underground works. It doesn’t have a traditional storefront, instead you receive a weekly text with a link to preorder pints of the two or three flavors offered that week. You then pick up your order at a window next to Pudgy’s Fine Cookies on Shepherd.

Now back to the ice cream. I’ve been in a bind lately due to an apartment fire, moving and other ordeals, so Edible Houston’s editor snagged me some pints of Underground’s Cinna-Shawtea and Choc-a-Lil’. Days later, I skipped dinner, since the kitchen in my new apartment wasn’t fully up and running, and scooped into the Choc-a-Lil’, a salted oreo ice cream with Valrhona Jivara stracciatella. I was hooked by the first bite. The mouthfeel of the cocoa and butter fat was perfect, and the Oreos were crunchy, not soggy.

But the other flavor, Cinna-Shawtea, is the best I’ve ever had. No question about it. Cinna-Shawtea is an epic adventure. It’s loaded with varying flavors. The cream, reminiscent of Biscoff ice cream, allows the cinnamon to open up on the tongue. It’s imbued with a sauce that perfectly marries the sweetness of jam-like caramel with the herbal notes of Earl Grey tea. And the chunks of impeccable shortbread cookies revolutionize the mouthfeel. It’s an excursion that takes me through a lavender field because of the bergamot, which I know is a citrus oil but it reminds me of lavender. Holy hell, this flavor is beyond perfect.

Pints currently cost $14 but hot damn, are they worth it. I will pay money for good food without batting an eye — most of the time. It’s worth the splurge if you want something life changing. Trust me.

Number two, Honeychild’s Sweet Creams is not technically (at least according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture) serving ice cream — but frozen custard, which is the first product I slung out of high school at the now-closed Sugar Mountain, which was in Meyerland’s Braeswood Square.

What’s the difference between ice cream and frozen custard? Egg yolks. The base for ice cream is milk, cream and sugar, while frozen custard’s base is milk, cream, sugar and egg yolks (officially 1.4 percent or more by weight). The addition of egg yolks tends to give custard a richer mouthfeel and flavor.

Honeychild’s Sweet Creams frozen custards are way better than what I was slinging as a teen. That’s due in large part to the care Kathleen Morgan, who has a degree in animal and food science from Texas A&M, puts into crafting her creations. Since founding Honeychild’s in 2014, originally as a pop-up, she has focused on using high-quality local ingredients such as dairy from Mill-King Creamery and produce from Plant It Forward, Lightsey Farms and Atkinson Farms. After several years of selling her tantalizing custards at area farmers markets and coffee shops, she opened a brick-and-mortar location in November 2021 in the M-K-T Heights development. I ordered two standard cups with a total of four flavors. The two that grabbed me the most were a brown caramel and Mexican vanilla, though I did like the Texas Sheet Cake as well.

The vanilla is tinted a soft, faint yellow by a floral vanilla from Mexico that blossoms on the taste buds. It expresses hints of Chamomile tea and hay, while also reminding me of the pleasant scents of talc powder, gifted notebooks sprayed with perfume and summer romance. The essence of love is ice cream, and this one takes me to summer breaks spent at my grandfather’s farm in Blue, Texas, and the calming coastal waters of Corpus Christi, where I’d visit with family and indulge in ice cream nightly — so much peace and nostalgia.

My second favorite was a caramel-based flavor. I am not a caramel fan, because some taste like pure sugar. But this custard tempered what could be cloying sweetness into gentle notes of sugarcane and molasses that curved around the palate. It was caramelized divinity with a heavenly, well-balanced mouthfeel. There’s more I wish I could say about these two purveyors and about ice cream. But I have reached my word limit, so I have gone off to buy some vanilla ice cream to put atop the summer cobbler I plan to make.

To order Underground Creamery visit undergroundcreamery.com. Visit Honeychild’s Sweet Creams at 600 N. Shepherd Drive and honeychildssweetcreams.com.

Colin James Sturdevant is a poet and writer based in Houston. He is the founder and managing editor of table//FEAST Literary Magazine. He enjoys trying craft cocktails around town, foolishness and at-home cookery.

WORDS BY COLIN JAMES STURDEVANT | PHOTOS BY DAVID LEFTWICH

Honeychild's Frozen Custard

Underground Creamery

Bottom: Honeychild's

Discover the Hill Country in Every Sip –Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits: Where Flavor Meets Tradition.

Visit Our Tasting Room in the Village of Wimberley Today for Unforgettable Tastes and Memories. Open 7 Days a Week!

Join us in the village of Wimberley at 13619 Ranch Road 12, TX 78676.

What we offer:

• Premium Fine Wines

• Artisanal Handcrafted Spirits

• Full Cocktail Menu

• Extensive Wine Tasting & Retail

• Freshly Prepared Tapas

• Kid-Friendly Mocktails

Open 7 days a week, Ranch Brand is your destination for quality drinks and memorable moments.