Edible San Antonio Fall 2023

SAN ANTONIO

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As the Alamo City begins to hope for a cool autumn breeze to weave its way through the air, we are delighted to bring you a captivating lineup of articles in the fall issue of our beloved culinary magazine. Our team has been, fervently as ever, exploring the culinary landscape to unearth special gems that will undoubtedly tantalize your taste buds and ignite a renewed passion for the art of dining. We invite you to immerse yourselves in the rich history and delectable flavors of two historically significant, reinvigorated establishments: the Grey Moss Inn and the Fig Tree Restaurant.

In “Local Legends,” we visit with one of the new owners of the Grey Moss Inn, a haven of Texas tradition nestled amidst the sprawling oak trees in the Helotes area. Although it’s said that ghosts walk among the diners and kitchen crew late at night, certainly reminiscing of bygone eras and generations past, guests can still indulge in the rustic charm that has made this inn a steadfast monument to culinary tradition. The type of cuisine now served may have changed, but the heart remains, from the enchanting ambiance to the refined dishes that remind us of home. The only battles fought here now are over who gets the last bite!

In “Edible Endeavor,” our adventure takes us to the Fig Tree in historic La Villita, where we delve into the new chapter of this revered fine dining French powerhouse that lost its footing during the pandemic. The Fig Tree now beckons with its contemporary continental fare, enviable wine list and ever-charming 1913 Craftsman bungalow. Prepare to be transported on a gastronomic journey that pays homage to the past while embracing the culinary innovation of the present.

Furthermore, I am personally beyond the moon to share my dining experience at Restaurant Claudine. This one hits close to home, because it’s about a grandmother’s legacy, and there are few things I value more. This restaurant’s modern homage to Southern and French cuisine is inspired by treasured recipes of the owner's grandmother and the chef’s family. This piece invites you to savor the flavors and warm, cultured ambiance that once graced family gatherings and celebrations.

As always, we hope to introduce you to something new in "What's On Our Counter,” where we curate a collection of delights that are sure to enthrall your senses, not to mention your love of shopping. I’m happy to direct you to an unparalleled grass-fed Akaushi beef, and some other creative gift ideas for the food lover in all of us.

In "Notable Edibles," the vibrant culinary scene of San Antonio takes center stage once again. Allow us to introduce you to chef Robert Cantu's latest venture, Nomad Chef, where culinary boundaries are pushed and new horizons discovered.

As the seasons change, so do the flavors that grace our tables. Try something you never thought you would and relish every bite as you share stories and embrace the culinary wonders that surround you. Get ready, San Antonio, for a fall feast that promises to be nothing short of extraordinary!

PUBLISHER

Monique Threadgill monique@atxpublications.com

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Ralph Yznaga ralph@atxpublications.com

EDITOR

Kimberly Suta kimberly@ediblesanantonio.com

COPY EDITORS

Claire Cella

Stacey Ingram Kaleh

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Olivier J. Bourgoin

Ashley Brown

Stacey Ingram Kaleh

Nathan Mattise

Eileen Pace

Pauline Stevens

Layne Van Vranken

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Pauline Stevens

ADVERTISING SALES

Grace McCormick grace@atxpublications.com

CONTACT US: 512-441-3971 info@ediblesanantonio.com ediblesanantonio.com

5524 Bee Caves Rd., Ste. J-4 Austin, TX 78746

Edible San Antonio is published by ATX Publications LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. ©2023. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and notify us. Edible San Antonio is a member of Edible Communities.

Sprinkles & Spoons GF Bakery

If you’re ready for some indulgent, 100 percent gluten-free treats — then get ready to crumble!

After being diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2009, Sprinkles & Spoons owner, creator and head baker, Amber Goulden, began working as a professional recipe developer. Eventually, she started baking commercially with one goal in mind: to recreate the textures and flavors patrons with Celiac remember from before they began needing to adhere to their gluten-free diets.

Sprinkles & Spoons has a rotating menu with weekly specials as well as limited-time and seasonal flavors. Their staple items include croissants, biscuits, cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, scones and toaster pastries.

Goulden’s baking business was born at her home as a cottageindustry startup. Now two years into it, she is operating out of a commercial kitchen at Local Sprout Food Hub with plans to start shipping products nationwide, thanks to the increased production capacity. Although Sprinkles & Spoons doesn’t have a storefront, you can follow them online for updates on weekly pop-ups held at different shops around town. You can also order from the daily menu for delivery or pick-up Tuesday through Saturday; or you can sign up for 'The Sprinkle Squad,’ a themed subscription box that includes five different baked items every month. sprinklesandspoons.com

Pasture-Raised Beef from 529 Meats

529 Meats offers healthy and flavorful Texas-raised, grass-fed Akaushi goodness from “P to P” — pasture to plate.

“Quality beef comes from quality cattle,” says 529 Meats' website. This one sentence alone sums up Misty and Roger Parkers’ philosophy on their business. The pair truly has made it their mission to responsibly raise quality, pasture-fed cattle that are half-blood Akaushi. The majority of their cows are 100 percent grass-fed while the rest are grass-fed and grain-finished.

About 12 years ago, the Parkers introduced the Akaushi breed into their breeding program, with the goal to improve marbling, flavor and taste of their finished product. Their grass-fed steers graze on native pastures and improved grasses, as well as on homegrown oats, triticale, turnips and wheat, supplemented in the winter by coastal bermuda and Sudan sorghum, all of which is also homegrown. The meat is known for being buttery and heart-healthy. The beef from their grainfinished steers is highly marbled and juicier, as they are fed for 300 to 400 days on an all-natural, distillers’ grain feed ration.

Only you can decide which one is better. As for their business’ name? The Parkers save a portion of all sales to fund their kids’ 529 college fund. Buy online or in retail stores such as For Goodness Sake in New Braunfels or The Cornucopia in San Marcos and occasionally at the Garden Ridge Farmers Market. 529meats.com

Red Bird’s House Towels & Totes

The kitchen and tea towels from Red Bird’s House are each handprinted on cotton flour sacks with their own striking motifs from original photographs taken by owner and Mexico City native, Pauline Stevens (who also writes and shoots content for Edible publications). Long before Stevens had a towel printing business, she was a professional photographer, working for places like H.E.B. as a food placement and package photographer. For her, Red Bird’s House was a natural progression. The name of the company comes from a memory of her father — one of the last times she saw him before he passed. When visiting him a few years ago, she says they talked about the symbolism of seeing a cardinal as a reminder or message from departed loved ones. Stevens says she named her business in his honor and as a reminder of him. redbirdshouse.com

WORDS BY OLIVIER J. BOURGOIN (AKA. OLIVIER THE WINE GUY)

Left Page Top: photo by 529 Meats

Left Page Bottom: Photo by Sprinkles & Spoons GF Bakery

Right Page Top: Photo by Pauline Stevens

Olivier J. Bourgoin has been a wine broker and consultant, as well as a freelance writer, who has been involved in these industries in and around the greater San Antonio area for more than 25 years. A native of France with family

WORDS BY EILEEN PACE

LOCAL HOME COOK SHARES RECIPES

San Antonio resident and seasoned home chef, Ramona Werst, who has worked with favorite local chefs to develop her own unique recipes, has announced the launch of her new website, Digital Recipe Genie.

OMG IT’S SO OMAKASE!

It’s happening at your minka, or casa — or wherever you want The Nomad Chef to show up to create a mouth-watering, exclusive menu that your family and guests will love.

You may have seen or heard of Chef Robert Cantu, or The Nomad Chef, from his time preparing omakase experiences at The Moon’s Daughters atop The Thompson Hotel Riverwalk, before he broke out on his own. Now, whether you’re planning a unique housewarming party or just need a break from the kitchen, Cantu is ready to introduce you to his unique private chef experience.

"The idea is to bring to San Antonio an omakase-style experience in the privacy of their own homes, that is, until I get a brick and mortar," Cantu says.

According to Michelin, omakase “is a form of Japanese dining in which guests leave themselves in the hands of a chef and receive a meal which is seasonal, elegant, artistic and uses the finest ingredients available … The truth of omakase lies in the word itself — directly translated, it means, ‘I leave it up to you.”

Cantu studied at the Texas Culinary Academy in Austin before working at Barton Creek Hill Country Resort. Cantu then moved to working at Mansion on Turtle Creek, under the “father of Southwestern cuisine,” Dean Fearing, and at the only AAA and Exxon Mobil five-star, five-diamondrated restaurant in Texas. Cantu credits Fearing’s tutelage for helping him become the chef he is today.

“My passion is teaching home cooks, stepby-step, how to prepare a gourmet recipe from your own kitchen,” explains Werst. Werst promises a variety of cultural experiences through her recipes, including recipes from her home country of Vietnam. Not only is she turning out impressive recipes on the site but also cooking tips, gadget reviews and more, all geared to the success of the home cook.

“San Antonio is a fantastic multi-cultural city with a large Latino population. One former home economics teacher made our huevos rancheros and said ‘My husband said it’s the best thing I have ever cooked,’” Werst shares. “Our chicken fried steak with jalapeño cream gravy is to die for.”

WINGS SO TASTY THEY COULD START A REVOLUTION

What happens when a fine dining chef starts a wing restaurant? You end up with some seriously revolutionary wings, which is why the once-gourmet food truck, Revolutionary Wings, has recently transitioned into a brick and mortar by the same name.

But back to the wings. Did we mention they have signature RevWings? They’ve got “Flaming Hot Cheetos” with a Buffalo lime sauce, “PB&J,” made with a chipotle raspberry sauce, then there’s the “Chicken and Belgian Waffle,” made with sous vide wings dipped in Belgian waffle batter, fried to a golden brown and topped with maple syrup and powdered sugar, and also smoked wings, with new flavors on the way.

It’s also nice to know that RevWings are prepared fresh using no-additive local chicken. Female Foodie blogger, Katie Harper, declared, “Goodness gracious y’all … it’s good.” And we couldn’t agree more!

Visit this new dining spot at 427 E Ramsey San Antonio, TX 78216 or online at revolutionarywings.com

already enticing designs of exquisite artisan cheeses and meats, they add their signature nut mix of the highest quality, low salt tree nuts and pumpkin seeds along with other decadent accompaniments like house-made raisins, dark chocolate walnuts and honey balsamic figs, to create boards that are nothing short of edible art.

Their menu at both locations now features sandwiches, too — going beyond the usual with a “Fig and Pig,” a pear melt and a Spanish-Italian fusion, each served on a French baguette and delivered melty and hot, the way a great sandwich should be.

Their dessert presentations are equally delightful, with cheesecake tarts, Sicilian cookies and cannolis made from a recipe given to them by their Sicilian nonna (grandmother).

Through the years and his travels, Cantu has had the opportunity to develop his skills in a vast number of global cuisines, including Thai, French, Southwestern, Cajun, Italian and modern American. Eventually, he was drawn back to his beloved hometown of San Antonio.

As The Nomad Chef, Cantu is ready to prepare an elevated, customized tasting dinner for your group that will be truly unforgettable.

Published offerings include menus such as the Turkish Tasting, Roberto’s Tasting — which features seafood with quail and caviar —San Antonio Favorites — yes, puffy tacos are included — and even a Moderno Tasting — with, and I won’t say this twice, s’mores. If you’re looking to book an event or a dinner, reach out to Cantu at nomadcheftx.com.

We look forward to becoming great athome cooks, too, through Werst’s step-by-step videos that will soon span the gamut, from bouillabaisse and patty pan squash-stuffed with couscous and beef to mango orange and green jasmine tea cheesecake.

To learn more, visit digitalrecipegenie.com

The new restaurant, located near the San Antonio Airport, has quickly become a neighborhood go-to for not only their fingerlickin’-good chicken wings that come in a myriad flavors like garlic honey sriracha and sticky Thai coconut, and so much more.

They make flatbreads with scratch-made dough topped with both classic and Texastrue ingredients, like smoked brisket and chipotle BBQ sauce. They’ve got burgers made with a sirloin-brisket blend, sandwiches, salads, hand-cut steak fries, curly fries and house-made aged Parmesan chips. The desserts are also made in-house, which can sometimes be a rare find even in upscale restaurants.

THE BOARD COUPLE OPENS SECOND LOCATION IN COMFORT

Summer of 2023 finds The Board Couple celebrating five years of designing custom luxe charcuterie boards with the exciting announcement that they are opening up a second location in Comfort, Texas — just up the road from Fredericksburg.

Owners Monica Nino and Bryan Gonzales have developed a charc-loving cult following by

Both Monica and Bryan are advancedlevel WSET (Wine Spirit and Education Trust) certified, having trained with Master Court of Sommeliers. A 1,000-bottle wine library is offered for diners, who can also choose from a variety of craft beers and wine cocktails. And thanks to the heat we had this summer, their Italian sodas have been a big hit.

When you’re bored with the same ole’, it’s time to visit The Board Couple for scrumptious inspiration for everything from a date night to a birthday party.

Visit the new location at 804 High St.,Suite B, Comfort, TX 78013. TheBoardCouple.com

Top Left: Photo by Ramona Werst

Middle Right: Photo by The Board Couple

Bottom Right: Photo by Revolutionary Wings

Top: Chef Robert Cantu by Nomad Chef Middle RIght: Photo by Nomad Chef

Bottom: Photo by Ramona Werst

2023 PAWS FOR CELEBRATION DINNER

San Antonio Pets Alive is once again hosting a night of compassionate celebration to help continue their mission to rescue dogs and cats from the streets of San Antonio. Here at Edible San Antonio, we just love it when our love for food and our furry friends come together! This year’s event takes place on Friday, October 6, from 6–9 p.m. at Magnolia Halle, and will feature a “yappy hour,” dinner, a silent auction and, as you might have guessed, adorable puppies and kittens to snuggle and pet.

NEW BRAUNFELS FARMERS MARKET

WORDS BY LAYNE VAN VRANKEN | PHOTOS BY NEW BRAUNFELS FARMERS MARKET

For the past 13 years, the New Braunfels Farmers Market has been a go-to culinary staple for locals. The bustling weekend market, which features around 70 vendors on any given Saturday, is more than just a novel weekend outing to grab a coffee and breakfast taco while listening to live music. The attending vendors and customers have formed such a tight bond that even a rainstorm or record-setting Texas heat won’t deter attendance.

for a week, she’ll likely hear about it. “It’s a good problem to have,” she notes.

Seguin-based Braune Farms is a fixture in several markets across Texas, including the Pearl Farmers Market in San Antonio and the Memorial Villages Farmers Market in Houston, and the family-owned and operated farm has become a major produce provider at the New Braunfels Farmers Market with items like their uber-popular sweet corn.

them, so to be right there face-to-face with them every week is an amazing experience.”

One big project that is in the early stages for the New Braunfels Farmers Market this year is a relocation down the street to the old co-op building, as well as an expansion into an indoor market. The project is currently pending approval by the city but, if approved, will double the amount of space the market offers for its vendors.

SA FREDERICKSBURGERS GETS NEW HOME

I knew I would like this guy when I saw the specialty burgers he was serving from his customized food trailer, Fredericksburgers.

The burgers caught my eye on social media, not only because of the beautiful, classic burgers but also because of the hyper-local hometown marketing — all of the burgers turned out by Stephen “They Call Me Chavo” Chavez are named for the streets that cross Fredericksburg Road.

“People asked if we were from Fredericksburg, Texas. But no, we’re from here, and the Fredericksburg Road area is our home,” Chavez says.

“The ‘410 Bacon Cheeseburger’ is made with onion rings in the burger and also comes with fries. The ‘1604,’ well, we have two ‘loops,’ so the ‘1604’ is like the ‘410 BCB’ but with two patties,” he explains.

There’s also the “Zarzamora,” a cheeseburger with ham, avocado and all the trimmings, the “Huebner,” a mushroom and Swiss burger, and the “Hildebrand,” a classic cheeseburger, among others.

Chavo and his wife, Christine Chavez, bought their food trailer after successful pop-ups at markets up and down Fredericksburg Road and sell-outs at Fiesta parades last year. This year, they made the move to a professional kitchen, complete with a drive-thru window.

Chavo shares that they are making plans for a full-blown restaurant once they find the right location in the “Fred” neighborhood.

“It’s where we live and raise our children, and where people know us. Because of that, we haven’t had any trouble getting customers.”

And, know this: “‘All the way’ for us means mayo, lettuce, pickles and onions, but we’ll add whatever you want,” Chavez says, and now you know what we know.

Visit at 2730 Hillcrest Drive or Instagram @safredericksburgers

We invite you to enjoy a special night in honor of our local fur babies. Make sure to get your tickets before they sell out!

Visit sanantoniopetsalive.org for more information and to purchase tickets.

EDIBLE WRITER RELEASES A TAIL OF GRACE

While we are on the subject of animals, we wanted to share a new book from our Edible writer, Ashley Brown. In her newly released book, A Tail of Grace, Brown eloquently captures the heartbreak that anyone who has suffered the loss of a cherished pet (or person) will relate to deeply. To read more about it or purchase a copy, visit ashleyauthor.com

“I’m always surprised to see how many people show up here, even on the worst weather days of the year. Rain or shine, there’s always vendors and there’s always customers,” says Vanessa Simpson, the market’s manager. “This is something that everyone looks forward to and depends on every week, and we’re really proud of that.”

Walking into the energetic, crowded market, customers are met with a plethora of fragrant and fresh local produce, pastureraised meats, worldly prepared foods, pantry staples and unique goods and provisions to choose from, such as pecans from Seguin-based Comal Pecan Farm, fresh-baked crispy breads from German bakery, Uwe’s, and sweet and spicy jams and jellies from ABJ Farms, just to name a few. The market is the lifeblood of the community and it shows.

Simpson, the market’s first full-time manager, has worked for the past two years to bring new life and energy into the market. One particular goal of Simpson’s is promoting and championing the market’s vendors, whom she has profound respect and admiration for. “I put a lot of energy into making this a great market, not just for the customers, but also for the vendors because they’ve made the market what it is today,” she says.

Vendors come as far as 150 miles away to sell their goods every weekend, and it seems every one of them has cultivated a loyal following. Simpson even notes that if a vendor moves to a different space or doesn’t show up

The farm returned to the market in April 2023 after a hiatus and co-owner, Julie Braune, says they’ve felt the love from both new and returning customers. “We have a lot of customers who have known us for years, and even make the trip out to our farm stand to see us, and that’s not lost on us.”

There will also be the opportunity for vendors to have a full-time presence at the indoor market– something Simpson is particularly excited to see come to fruition. “It’s a project that is still in the early stages right now, but we’ve got some amazing things ahead of us.”

One vendor that has gained quite the fanfare in their short time at the market is Taco Temple. The business has been at the market since early 2022 and has brought what co-owner Al Reynosa calls a certain “Tex-Mex flair to the market.”

Customers can choose from some amazing options on the menu, including big-ticket, fail-safe items like the breakfast chalupa — a beautiful melody of beans, cheese, eggs, bacon and homemade salsa — and “the world’s smallest bean and cheese tacos,” which are no more than two inches in diameter but pack a flavorful punch. Reynosa and his wife, Monica, are thrilled at the response they’ve received from the market: “In a restaurant, you don’t always get to see a customer and interact with

New Braunfels Farmers Market 186 S Castell Ave New Braunfels, TX 78130

Saturdays 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Dog-friendly Nbfarmersmarket.com

@newbraunfelsfarmersmarket

Layne Van Vranken is Houston-born and Houston-raised and seeks out culinary adventures whenever and wherever they present themselves, often documenting her curiosities and discoveries in various publications.

Top Left: Photo by SA Fredericks Burgers

Top Right: Photo by San Antonio Pets Alive

Eileen Pace is a lifelong broadcast journalist with multiple awards for her stories that aired on radio stations around the state and NPR affiliates across the country. She lives in San Antonio with her Schnoodle, Argentina, and volunteers as a canine foster mom, and is working toward certification as a tour guide to show off San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country to out-of-town visitors.

SEASONAL HIGHLIGHTS This Fall

Fall is all about colors, all the reds, purples, and greens you can think of!

Reds and purples in roselle (hibiscus calyx), prickly pears, fall tomatoes, pomegranates

Orange hues in winter squash such as butternut, spaghetti and cushaw but also in sweet fruits like persimmon

Beautiful shades of green in chards, mustards, kales, spinach and sweet potato greens

Year round mushrooms!

Oysters, shitake, lion's mane pippino and many more

Nutella Scones

Recipe and photos by Pauline Stevens

2 ½ c. flour

½ c. sugar

1 T. baking powder

1 ¼ stick unsalted butter, sliced

1 c. buttermilk

Nutella

Course sugar crystals

Sliced almonds

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. Add butter and mix with a fork without overdoing it. It must stay crumbly and dry. Incorporate buttermilk until the mixture stays together. With your hands, make 2-inch balls of batter. Flatten balls in the center. Add 1/2 T. nutella (or more if you like them sweeter). Close balls, and don’t worry if they stay uneven. Decorate with sliced almonds and sugar crystals. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

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

Avocado with Sauteed Mushrooms

Recipe and photos by Pauline Stevens Serves 4

1 jalapeño pepper, chopped with seeds removed

¼ small red onion, chopped 1 c. of your favorite fresh mushrooms

1 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 large avocado

Cilantro

Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

Sauté peppers, onion and mushrooms in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cut avocado in half and place on a plate. Leave it unpeeled to keep it in place. Top the avocado with mushrooms. Add cilantro and parmesan cheese to taste.

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.

Grey Moss Inn COCINA

MEXICANA

LEGENDARY HELOTES RESTAURANT IS REOPENED AND REIMAGINED

WORDS BY KIMBERLY SUTA PHOTOS BY GREY MOSS INN

If you haven’t heard of Grey Moss Inn, perhaps you are not from around here. This famous restaurant has been around a long, long time — so long, in fact, that stagecoaches, a bygone form of travel, used to stop for food and lodging here.

“I think the history is so interesting,” says Martha Valadez, the new co-owner of Grey Moss Inn. The restaurant originally opened in 1929 and has passed through four owners since. Mary Howell, the first owner, sold homestyle country cuisine like fried chicken, but she was really known for her homemade candy that she sold out of the restaurant, Valadez says.

At some point in history, the restaurant changed to a steakhouse and was continually open up until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It closed and sat in silence for three years, until two sisters, Valadez and Marisol Mendoza of the catering company, Got It Covered Events, decided they just had to re-open this historic gem.

“We knew it was a massive undertaking, but we just fell in love with the property and the history,” says Valadez. “It was appealing to take up the mantle and open a new chapter. It just seemed so sad to have such a beautiful property close down.”

Located in the Helotes area, technically called Grey Forest, the scenery, historic stone building and gorgeous expansive patio of the historic Grey Moss Inn were not aspects the sisters wanted to change. They did, however, take a risk in doing away with the steakhouse concept and transitioning to upscale, authentic Mexican cuisine.

Their milanesa dish, Valadez’s personal favorite, is a perfect example of the refined elements they’ve incorporated to elevate the restaurant to the level that guests have come to expect at the Grey Moss Inn. Instead of the more common sirloin steak, chef Mendoza makes the dish using crispy filet mignon with salsa ranchera on the side.

“I love it! It’s so tender you don’t need a knife. You can cut it with your fork,” Mendoza moons.

The menu is filled with other recognizable Mexican favorites, from fideo and mole de pollo to flautas and chile relleno. Most dishes are served with Spanish rice and refried beans, although Valadez notes that her sister also makes a yummy cilantro rice “We thought it was best to do something we felt we were good at,”

explained Valadez. She says that while they aimed for the food to taste homemade, they also take pride in ensuring it lacks none of the quality of upscale dining in terms of ingredients and presentation. Some other menu favorites include Chicharrón De Ribeye and Queso Fundido, served flaming. Both sell like crazy.

Besides dinner during the week, the restaurant is open all day on the weekends and serves up some delectable breakfast options until 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday.

Breakfast options include buttermilk pancakes, huevos rancheros, machacado and migas, as well as barbacoa and chilaquiles, served two ways.

The signature Chilaquiles Grey Moss is made with crispy housemade tostadas, bacon, pico de Gallo, melted quesadilla cheese, two eggs and refried beans. It’s a meal hearty enough to still satisfy a Southern cowboy or cowgirl, to be sure.

“Marisol genuinely enjoys cooking for people” says Valadez of her sister. “She takes it very personally and gets a lot of joy out of it. That’s why the people like the food because the person making it really likes to cook.”

Just one bite of her milanesas de filet mignon and you won’t miss the old era of the Grey Moss Inn, not one tiny bit.

For more information, visit greymossinn.com

Kimberly A. Suta is editor of Edible San Antonio, a filmmaker, food writer, event planner, culinary tour guide and has a media company called Homegrown Chef. She loves nothing more than sharing the phenomenal food, chefs and restaurants that San Antonio and Texas have to offer.

Left Page: Garnachas de Guisados

Top Left: Tacos Callejeros

Top Right: Queso Flameado

Middle Right: Shrimp Crostini

Bottom Left: Cilantro Lime Salmon

wimber ey Walking the Arts of

WORDS BY ASHLEY BROWN

Ma ny people visit Wimberley to leisurely shop the boutiques, taste local wines, or enjoy the area’s natural beauty, particularly Cypress Creek and the Blanco River. They may not know, however, that this “little piece of heaven” is also a hub for the arts. Over the years, Wimberley has attracted creatives like an artistic magnet. Musicians such as Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Edie Brickell and Paul Simon have joined four-time Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz, an area native, in calling the town home. World-renowned painters and sculptors make their creations in their Wimberley studios and writers flourish here. From visual art to music to the famous boots all over town, the possibilities are endless for a visitor craving a taste of the creative life.

Let’s start with the giant 6-foot-tall painted boots you see all over town. In 2014, the Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance launched the Bootiful project to celebrate the arts. Initially 32 boots, each uniquely designed and painted, were installed at the locations of local sponsors. Because of their popularity, there are now over 50 boots, and the project will be capped at 60. If you want to visit them all, you can find a map at bootifulwimberley.com or grab a printed version at the Visitor’s Center in town.

Wimberley is home to nine art galleries, seven of which are within walking distance from one another, right in the town’s main square. You can just feel the artsy vibes flowing through as you mosey

around — and you can find everything from glass art at Wimberley Glassworks and Silo Gallery & Glass Studio, to collectibles, fine art, installation pieces at Art on 12 and photography. What’s more, many other shops proudly display and sell the work of local artists such as the beautifully designed Casa V Wine on RR12 on your way into town from Austin. Two of the newer galleries to town are Wild Life: Rodney Bursiel Gallery and 220 Fine Art Gallery, which is located in the Texas Historic Landmark property The Danforth/Kerbow House, and is owned and curated by Suzanne Oliver. Representing premier artists from central Texas, the gallery offers a unique collection of emerging talent from across mediums and styles. Viewing in this gallery is fun and free, and Oliver will often have a lovely bottle of wine open for visitors to enjoy while perusing the art. According to Oliver, the mission of her gallery is to “represent some of the finest talents in Wimberley, and also to introduce Wimberley to artists from other parts of the region.”

This fall, 220 will host monthly receptions, informative talks and artist demonstrations from 4–7 p.m. Visit 220gallery.com

At Wild Life, across RR12 from Ranch Brand Wine & Spirits — a delightful bistro and tasting room — you’ll find the work of Rodney Bursiel, an amazingly talented photographer of all things wild from sharks and whales to leopards and elephants … and musicians such as Billy Gibbons, Willie Nelson and Ryan Bingham. The gallery features four rooms, each with their own theme: horses, Africa, music and underwater creatures.

These stunning photographs reflect Bursiel’s adventurous spirit and extensive travel. He’s been to France five times to photograph the wild horses of Camargue and has traveled all over the (sea)world to photograph sharks, orcas, great whites, rays and whatever else he comes face-to-face with down below. He’s traveled to Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda, and will soon travel to Africa again to add Morocco to the list. When he first ventured to Africa, he was there to see the elephants but he fell in love with it all — lions, giraffes and especially rhinos. After learning about the near-extinction of northern white rhinos, he was inspired to become involved in conservation efforts to save the species. Back home, he held a fundraiser, and the money was donated to Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Those funds also made it possible to adopt a baby southern white rhino, now named Wimberley. Proceeds from the gallery’s merchandise go back to Ol Pejeta to help with their conservation and research efforts.

When he’s not traveling the world, you can find Bursiel at the gallery Thursdays through Sundays or in Austin photographing the local latenight music scene. The “red room,” or music room at Wild Life is a cool addition to all the animals and international trinkets, and is fitting for this musical town. In 2022, Wimberley was certified as a Texas Music Friendly Community.

“Our community is exceptional in the quality of musicians who live here, the well-known names who play here and the number and variety of great music venues here,” says Deirdre Taylor, past president of the

Wimberley Valley Arts and Cultural Alliance. Wimberley is home to the world-class Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio as well as other excellent independent production facilities. On any given weekend, you can find live music playing all over town, and Wimberley is also host to a number of annual concert series. The Stars Over Wimberley Benefit Concert Series, for example, is a collaboration between WVACA and the Wimberley Players, the local live theater group. The series showcases Texas musical artists, “shining stars,” and supports the Robert Moreman Memorial Scholarships for creative Wimberley graduating high school seniors. Recent performers include Ruthie Foster, Alejandro Escovedo and Slaid Cleaves, and Sarah Jarosz will be playing on November 22. You can get your tickets (which sell out fast!) online at starsoverwimberley.org.

Finally, Wimberley has also been certified as a Texas Film Friendly community (and happens to be where some episodes of The Walking Dead were filmed). As mentioned earlier, writers of all types thrive there. And the town annually hosts the Wimberley StoryFest, featuring the stories, songs, culture, history and cuisine of the Wimberley Valley. This year, the StoryFest will be held October 12–14. You can learn more at wimberleystoryfest.org.

So if you’re thirsting for culture in addition to, or instead of, a little wine, Wimberley is sure to satisfy!

Left Page Top: Camarones

Left Page Bottom: Dining Room

Right Page: Tacos De Birria

Left Page: Photo by 220 Fine Arts Gallery

Right: Wild Life, photo by Ralph Yznaga

French Twist

RESTAURANT CLAUDINE

WORDS BY KIMBERLY SUTA | PHOTOS BY RESTAURANT CLAUDINE

As a food writer who is blessed to eat a lot of incredible food, it’s always a delight when a restaurant far exceeds my expectations, as Restaurant Claudine did recently.

Nestled in the increasingly popular-withfoodies Government Hill neighborhood, Claudine is situated in a building that was a residential home in the ‘40s. A significant renovation has transformed the home into something you wouldn’t believe. In a word, it’s stunning, with hand-painted wallpaper, vintage chandeliers and oversized crown molding.

Restaurateurs and power couple, Houston and Emily Carpenter of Carpenter Carpenter Hospitality, designed this restaurant — the third in their collection — to be an homage to Houston’s grandmother who grew up in Lafayette, Louisiana.

“Restaurant Claudine is focused on Southern comfort food with an elevated French twist,” explains Delia Flores, director of communications for the restaurant group. “It’s really a labor of love. When it comes to Houston and Emily, they never take on a project that they don’t put their whole heart into.”

Suffice it to say, I was utterly charmed from the moment I walked in — you could just feel the love and attention to detail that went into every aspect of the restaurant from Claudine’s cabinet filled with antique tea cups to the extraordinary cuisine.

Cassie Ramsay is the chef de cuisine and it’s fair to say she’s successfully honed her craft at one of San Antonio’s most lauded restaurants, Mixtli (a progressive fine dining Mexican restaurant), for more than 10 years.

The first thing to come out of the kitchen was “Grandma’s Corn Bread,” served with the most divine and beautiful smoked wallflower butter. The warm bread was almost like cake — rich, dense and moist on the inside but with a toasty, crunchy crust on the outside — and soaked up

the melted butter, making it a satisfying starter to the meal to come.

“It’s a recipe that took a bunch of tries to perfect it. We took inspiration from classic recipes in all regions of the South to create ours that is both savory and sweet. Next, we added smoke and some floral presence by smoking our butter and decorating it to resemble the wallpaper in the restaurant,” says Ramsay, hitting on yet another finely-curated touch.

For those who are familiar with the Carpenters, who also own Little Em’s Oyster Bar in Southtown, it will come as no surprise that they have some incredible oysters on the menu, and they did not disappoint.

(with a roasted apple au poivre and limoncello haricot vert). It was a hard call, with so many thoughtful dishes on the list, including the fried chicken with fermented hot honey and pommel puree.

According to Flores the fried chicken has been a standout star since the restaurant’s opening, as well as the beignets.

I was impressed that Ramsay makes her own black garlic, which can take months to do, making Restaurant Claudine a truly scratch kitchen. Open for lunch and dinner daily, as well as brunch on the weekends, there’s a variety of options for you to choose from with varied dishes on each menu.

Brunch, for example, showcases a bacon, kale, tomato and parm quiche, shrimp and grits, hot chicken and waffles as well as “Houston’s Hot Cakes” with mixed berry compote, another special tribute to grandma Claudine, who used to make Houston hot cakes in the morning as a kid.

“The recipes are also inspired by Chef Ramsay’s father and grandfather, who were passionate about cooking and made their own gumbo and crawfish during the week,” noted Flores.

The charbroiled oysters made with petiot butter and parmesan panko and served with charred lemon are so scrumptious it made me regret not ordering a dozen. The “Petit Bouchées” also include their signature blue crab beignets with a champagne vinegar gastrique and escargot champignon with oyster mushrooms, brie and baguette.

Next, I dug into the blackened shrimp salad with maque choux and housemade ranch. It was so refreshing and savory that I hardly needed more but I pressed on.

For our entrées, we chose the short rib (with a black garlic BBQ sauce, collard greens, confit potatoes and fried shallots) and the pork chop

I was also thrilled to discover they offer a classic Tea Time menu on weekdays from 2 to 5 p.m. that includes a plethora of tree towerdisplayed delicacies such as finger sandwiches, scones, biscuits with brie and jam, tarts and macarons.

“It’s our nod to grandma’s house and what that feels like,” shares Flores. “I love seeing people bring in their daughter and being so excited to get dressed up, wearing gloves. It’s so fun!”

Claudine also recently announced a Happy Hour with $7 signature cocktails and four special edible dishes as well. I honestly can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be right now for happy hour … or lunch, or dinner, or any other time, for that matter. For more information visit restaurantclaudine.com

Kimberly A. Suta is editor of Edible San Antonio a filmmaker, food writer, event planner, culinary tour guide and has a media company called Homegrown Chef. She loves nothing more than sharing the phenomenal food, chefs and restaurants that San Antonio and Texas have to offer.

Right Page:

Top Left: Smoked WIldflower Butter

Middle Left: Ruby Red Trout

Middle Right: Grandma's Corn Bread by Kimberly Suta

Bottom Left: Pork Chop by Kimberly Suta

Bottom Right: Charbroiled Oysters

More Mourvèdre

WITH ITS BEAUTIFUL AND DYNAMIC EXPRESSION OF TEXAS TERROIR, MOURVÈDRE STANDS OUT AT WINERIES ACROSS THE STATE

WORDS BY STACEY INGRAM KALEH

Sw irling a glass of Mourvèdre, deep red with a tinge of indigo, emboldens aromas of violet, dark fruit and pepper. Complex and layered, a sip of this medium-bodied wine holds notes of berries and iron and piques the imagination. Pronounced “more-VEDD,” with almost no one articulating it precisely the same way, this gorgeous and dynamic varietal stands out here in Texas.

Some local winemakers call it “the soldier grape,” others are calling it the “Pinot of Texas.” What if Mourvèdre could stand on its own as the Mourvèdre of Texas?

I spoke with several Texas vintners as they prepared for harvest who emphasized this grape’s resilience to Texas’ weather extremes, its versatility in expressions, its pairings with the foods Texans love — especially barbeque — and its impressive ability to capture Texas’ unique terroir. Mourvèdre seems to be on track to become one of our state’s most reliable varietals, increasingly entwined with Texas’ identity in the wine market.

Mourvèdre is thought to be an ancient varietal, with roots in Valencia, Spain, where it is called “Monastrell” and could be found as long ago as 500 B.C.E. By at least the 16th century, it could be found in the Roussillon, Provence and Rhône regions of France where it became widely used in Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre (GMS) blends like Côtes du Rhône or Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The grape eventually made its way to Australia, where it’s called “Mataro,” to California in the 1860s and is now grown across the Texas Hill Country and High Plains.

Texas vineyards have been growing Mourvèdre since the early 2000s.

Chris Brundrett, co-founder and winemaker at William Chris Vineyards in Hye, was one of the early champions of the grape. “I had really fallen in love with some of the wines I was drinking from Spain and the southern part of France. I had done all of the research and was like, ‘This grape could be great for Texas, so I was kind of on this mission to get some of it planted in Texas. There were maybe two blocks in the state before then, but I wasn’t aware of them at the time.” Around 2006, Brundrett started conversations with Lost Draw Vineyard owner and operator Andy Timmons, who he considers a mentor. When Brundrett and Bill Blackmon established William Chris Vineyards in 2008, they planted their first block of Mourvèdre at Lost Draw. After the vines started producing fruit, the winery released the first Mourvèdre under the William Chris label in 2010.

“We call it the ‘soldier grape,’ because Mourvèdre… grows straight up,” says Brundrett. “And even in some of our most challenging years, Mourvèdre just loved the heat and it did fine through the freezes.”

Brundrett pinpoints several benefits to a varietal that is resilient to Texas weather. “Our goal is to grow and produce sustainably, and Mourvèdre helps achieve that goal,” says Brundrett. “It’s important to grow and make things that want to be here.” A bedrock of William Chris’s philosophy is a commitment to sustainable and regenerative practices.

“The fruit quality is just incredible,” says Brundrett. He appreciates the varietal for its consistent quality, which he views as a key aspect of sustainability.

“Sustainability is seeing great quality year-in and year-out or nine out of ten

years and being able to produce a high quality wine that is delicious and soulful and that people want to enjoy,” he says. What gives Mourvèdre an edge in Texas?

According to Brundrett, our state’s size can be an advantage.

“Texas is a huge state … It can be seen as a blessing and a curse, but I see it as more of a blessing. It creates a lot of opportunity for us to experiment with different varieties and learn about different varieties in different regions.”

He is enthusiastic about the community of wine producers in the Hill Country and hopes that more and more people will try Mourvèdre and come to enjoy it as much as he does. “I want to encourage your readers to look at some of the best producers and start there, and then not be afraid to wander off the beaten path and try some of the younger producers because so many of our neighbors are doing such a great job,” he says.

William Chris now produces Mourvèdre at its Hill Country Estate, at Lost Draw vineyards in the High Plains, and at other Texas vineyards. It offers at least six different Mourvèdres, available at the winery and online. Brundrett also travels to international wine conferences, choosing to pour Mourvèdre as a representation of Texas wine. “Very few places in the world can grow Mourvèdre like Texas grows Mourvèdre,” he states.

Salt Lick Cellars in Driftwood is another Texas vineyard that has deeply invested in Mourvèdre. It accounts for approximately a quarter of its 50-acre vineyard. Garrett Strickler, vineyard manager, has a background in horticulture and farming and has been with Salt Lick for eight years helping its vines to thrive. He shares Brundrett’s enthusiasm for the varietal, “I have a personal affinity bordering on the evangelical for Mourvèdre.”

Strickler explains, “Mourvèdre is reliable. From a vineyard perspective, it’s so easy to manage compared to the other varieties. It’s late-budding so it misses most of the freeze damage and it really benefits from and enjoys our hotter climate. Some of these varieties might be described as ‘tolerating’ our drought, whereas Mourvèdre seems to thrive in it.”

Switching from vineyard manager to avid Texas-wine drinker, he adds, “It’s really rare to come across a winery or a tasting room where they say, ‘Yeah, you know our Mourvèdre is OK but it’s not really my favorite.’” Strickler shares that when he’s come across Mourvèdre in Texas tasting rooms, whether it is a rosé, a fruit-forward High Plains expression or a bold, oak-aged Hill Country expression, he feels it’s been consistently high quality. “I think it would be beneficial for us as a region to embrace a variety like Mourvèdre that is telling us over and over, ‘You can trust me,’” Strickler encourages, “Every year is a Mourvèdre year.”

While Salt Lick Cellars cares for extensive vineyards, it does not make wine onsite. It partners with neighboring Driftwood winemakers like Duchman Family Winery and Fall Creek Vineyards, and others, to produce the wines for Salt Lick Cellars. Those wines can be enjoyed at the Salt Lick Cellars tasting room, which is tucked under a shady oak grove next to the infamous barbeque restaurant.

Mourvèdre has traditionally been known as a great blending grape, and Salt Lick first planted the varietal for that purpose. Though it makes a GSM that features its Mourvèdre, Stickler says it stands out “as a single varietal.”

The 2018 Salt Lick Cellars Mourvèdre I tasted was a knock-out. It was both earthy and mouth-wateringly jammy with a hint of oak and a layered, lasting finish. “It’s a best-selling wine for us and 100 percent from our site,” Strickler tells me.

At Salt Lick Cellars, the wine showcases the vineyard’s limestone and nutrient-rich alluvial soil, a benefit being in the Onion Creek floodplain.

Another thing that makes this varietal a go-to for Strickler is its “broad spectrum of expression.” It can be used to make wines ranging from a light rosé to an elegant blend to a big, bold red. Stickler says more than 12 winemakers source their Mourvèdre fruit from Salt Lick’s vineyards, and that he enjoys all of the distinctive expressions that originated from the site.

Partnerships are a characteristic of the Texas Hill Country wine community.

One of the winemakers who sources Mourvèdre from the Salt Lick is Joshua Fritsche, owner/winemaker at Tatum Cellars. Fritsche started Tatum Cellars in 2012, the year his daughter, Tatum Rose, was born. He began making Provence-style rosé wines while working at William Chris, where he would sell it upon request without a tasting room or online presence.

As he built a cult following and expanded his wine portfolio, he opened a tasting room in the Johnson City town square this year.

Fritsche ages his Mourvèdre sur lie (This translates to “on the lees.” Lees are leftover yeast particles created by the fermentation process, which can add unique textures to the wine) in neutral oak barrels for 18–22 months. When you sip his wine, its reminiscent of Old World styles — earthy with notes of ripe plum, red meat and chalky herbs.

He’s more than a fan of Rhône varieties, and appreciates Mourvèdre’s resilience and versatility. “My experience with Mourvèdre from all across the state showed me that the grape does really well here,” says Fritsche. “It's late budding and cold hardy so it misses the late spring freezes. It just makes sense from a grower standpoint. It's very happy here.”

He sees a promising future for Mourvèdre in Texas. “This is a large state with vineyards spread all over and we're just starting to really focus on what varieties make sense in specific areas. Mourvèdre has proven itself to grow well pretty much anywhere here.”

In Houston, Decant Urban Winery is introducing its customers to Mourvèdre. In 2017, Winemaker Kristina Olivarez Tucker and her husband co-founded this city-based winery that produces wines in a warehouse using low-intervention techniques. They source their Mourvèdre from the Texas High Plains and age it in neutral French oak barrels to maximize the expression of the fruit and the vineyard. “Our Mourvèdre is lighter and brighter. It looks like cranberry juice in the glass,” says Olivarez Tucker. “You get the characteristic smoky, gamey/meatiness, and then a lot of tart raspberry, orange, and spice.”

She prefers to serve it chilled and with barbeque. “When it’s 105° and you want a red, it’s perfect,” she shares. “It goes really well with brisket, ribs and fajitas, and it’s high acid so it helps cut through any fat.”

What influenced Olivarez Tucker’s decision to make and serve Mourvèdre? “Well, it probably goes without saying but we try to make wines and varietals we like!”

Brundrett, Strickler, Fritsche and Olivarez Tucker all share a personal passion for the varietal. It’s a wine they love to drink themselves and that pairs well with the Texas foods they love, from barbacoa tacos to barbeque. Mourvèdre and Texas seem destined for each other.

WHERE TO ENJOY

If you haven’t yet ventured out for a glass of Texas Mourvèdre, there’s no better time to try it. And, if you’ve had it before, the range of expressions in the wine found at different Texas wineries leaves room for discovery and adventure. Mourvèdre’s medium-bodied complexity makes it enjoyable for porch-sipping throughout the fall. Be sure to ask for it in tasting rooms during Texas Wine Month this October and pick up a bottle to pair with your Thanksgiving dinner. Your friends and family will thank you!

Stacey Ingram Kaleh is a native Texan and writer and editor for Edible publications When she’s not eating at local restaurants and drinking Texas wine, she’s spending time outdoors in the Hill Country with her husband and two young daughters and soaking up as much live music and art as possible.

Left Page: William Chris photo by Jerri Ann Yznaga

Right Page: Photo by Decant Urban Winery

Sip on a glass or pick up a bottle of Mourvèdre at these Texas Wineries and others:

Ab Astris

320 Klein Road Stonewall, TX 78671 abastriswinery.com

@abastriswinery

Augusta Vin 140 Augusta Vin Ln. Fredericksburg, TX 78624 augustavin.com

@augustavinwinery

Decant Urban Winery 948 Wakefield Dr. Houston, TX 77018 decantwinery.com

@decantwinery

Fall Creek Vineyards 1820 County Rd. 222 Tow, TX 78627 and 18059 FM 1826 Driftwood, TX 78619 Fcv.com

@fallcreekvineyards

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

@frenchconnectionwines

Hilmy Cellars 12346 E. US Hwy 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 hilmywine.com @hilmywine

Kuhlman Cellars 18421 E. US Hwy 290 Stonewall, TX 78671 visit.kuhlmancellars.com

@kuhlmancellars

Messina Hof Bryan Estate Winery 4545 Old Reliance Rd. Bryan, TX 77808

Harvest Green 8921 Harlem Rd. Richmond, TX 77406

Hill Country 9996 US Hwy. 290 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 messinahof.com

@messina_hof

Nice Winery 1220 Lumpkin Rd. Houston, TX 77043 nicewines.com

Pedernales Cellars 2916 Upper Albert Road Stonewall, TX 78671 pedernalescellars.com @pedernalescellars

Perissos Vineyard and Winery 7214 Park Rd. 4 W. Burnet, TX 78611 perissosvineyards.org

@officialperissosvineyards

Salt Lick Cellars & Wine Garden 18300 FM 1826 Driftwood, TX 78619 saltlickcellars.com

@saltlickcellars

The Burg Wine Company Fredericksburg, TX theburg.wine

@theburgwineco

William Chris Vineyards 10352 US Hwy 290 Hye, TX 78635 williamchriswines.com

@williamchrisvineyards

Buzzing Texas Honey Harvest is

WORDS BY ASHLEY BROWN | PHOTOS BY PAULINE STEVENS

Over the last decade or so, more and more Texans are going wild about bees and honey, and for good reason. It’s easy to quickly become fascinated by these creatures, their role in our ecosystem and, of course, the delicious and nutritious honey they provide.

There are about 20,000 different species of bees on the planet, with about 1,000 native to Texas. Bees are integral to our global ecosystem, pollinating fruits, crops, flowers and vegetables — in fact, about onethird of the food we eat. But the bee population has declined over the years due to climate change, pesticides and parasites, making it necessary for us to consciously support the bee population. One way to do that is to plant native bee-friendly plants and trees such as mesquite, vitex, crepe myrtles and Texas mountain laurels. Also, it’s a great help to provide a water source for wildlife and to avoid the use of chemicals on your lawn and garden. If you have to use pesticides or herbicides, it’s best to do it at night because bees usually don’t forage at night.

THE HIVE HIERARCHY

Honeybees live in colonies, also known as hives. According to Tanya Phillips of Texas Honey Bee Farm, a honeybee colony works like a family unit — each bee working to do what’s in the best interest of the colony as a whole. In any hive, there are three types of bees — with the most important being the queen bee, who lives about five years. All activity in a hive is centered around her and without her, everything falls apart. The queen goes on one mating trip during her lifetime, during which she mates with five to 45 drones (or male bees), and then stores a lifetime supply of sperm. Drones die after mating with the queen — this is their only purpose.

The third type of bee is the worker bees, all female, and they have different jobs based on their age. They forage, nurse baby bees, clean the hive, pollinate, use their vibrations to regulate the temperature of the hive for the queen and defend against predators. They communicate primarily through pheromones. Bees’ sense of smell is 50 times more powerful than that of dogs. Worker bees are the only ones with stingers. They can only sting once, as their stinger stays behind when they fly

away, pulling out their intestines. Living an average of six to eight weeks, a worker bee flies amazing distances during that short lifespan — visiting 50–100 flowers in every foraging trip. A single bee, however, will only produce about a half teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, but together, a hive can produce up to 100 pounds of honey annually.

HONEY: NATURE’S MIRACLE FOOD

Honeybees make honey by regurgitating digested nectar into honeycomb cells and then fanning it with their wings. They bring as much nectar as they can find into the hive. This typically allows them to save up more honey than they need, so beekeepers can remove some of the extra honey to eat and sell. This surplus, though, doesn’t exist in times of drought or cold temperatures.

The variety in color and flavor of honey — which is 80 percent sugar and 20 percent water — is determined by the flowers and plants from which the bees collect nectar. The darker the honey, the more antioxidants it has. “Not only is honey tasty but it should have its own spot in your household medicine cabinet,” says Sandi Murray of HIVE Bee Farm. She says honey is a great alternative to refined sugars due to its lower glycemic index, plus its beneficial enzymes can have positive health impacts.“Honey is a great option for those looking to improve their environmental allergies. One spoon a day can have a big impact,” she says. Honey also has antibacterial properties and can be used to treat wounds. A final fun fact about honey: it never goes bad. It was used in ancient Egypt for embalming, and thousands of years later, offerings left in tombs that were cured or embalmed with honey are still preserved.

BEEKEEPING

Despite a growing interest in bees, beekeeping (or apiculture) is not something one can just decide to do without some prior research or experience. To keep bees safe and happy requires a lot of knowledge, time and care. They need to be near a reliable water source, and hives should be inspected regularly. At times, bees may need to be fed to keep them from swarming (or leaving in search of food or water).

Most beekeepers will tell you that they learned early on that protective equipment is necessary to handle the hives — or that they had to accept getting stung. Bees are defensive and aggressive, driven by their desire to protect the queen. A sting or two may not be a big deal for some, but for those with allergies, even just a few stings can be fatal.

Ironically, bee venom actually has many healthful properties. For centuries, it’s been used as a remedy for inflammation, arthritis, skin disease, immunity problems and pain.

If you’re craving some honey or seeking inspiration to dive into beekeeping yourself, check out these local Texans who are passionate about supporting the bee population and serving up their syrupy, sweet goodness in jar.

DUNSMORE HONEY (NEW BRAUNFELS)

Dunsmore Honey is a family-owned small farm with a mission to raise healthy bees and produce raw honey. The family is driven by a love for nature, caring for the earth and a desire for homegrown, healthy food. Committed to improving the overall health of their environment, their farmland is dedicated to native Texas plants and wildlife. The bees that produce their honey are on their property, getting nourishment from the local pasture and forest land.

In 2014, Jason Dunsmore began beekeeping on their 12 acres in New Braunfels. He learned a lot — particularly about managing an apiary without chemical treatments and how to leave enough honey for the bees to eat themselves — from the local bee club, the San Marcos Bee Wranglers. Amy Dunsmore’s background is in environmental advocacy, animal behavior and ecology. The two met at The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston before attending graduate school together at University of California, Los Angeles. With the kitchen and garden as their current laboratories, the duo continues their scientific research, which nurtures their respect for the environment and guides their farming and honey-making methods.

“We minimally process the honey so that it contains every bit of pollen, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, propolis and aromatics that bees collect from plants endemic to Edwards Plateau and the Blackland Prairie in the Balcones Canyonlands,” says Amy. This preserves the flavor and medicinal benefits of their raw honey. In addition to honey, they offer herbal elixirs, beeswax salves and balms, and honey blended with herbs and spices — all handmade at the farm. dunsmorehoney.com

TEXAS HONEY BEE FARM (AUSTIN)

“Our beekeeping journey started in the fall of 2012 when we took a beekeeping class at a local meadery. We were hooked!” says Tanya Phillips, master beekeeper and owner of Texas Honey Bee Farm. Phillips was particularly interested in the output from beehives that can be used for making skin care and health products. The current store, Texas Honey Bee Farm, opened in southwest Austin in 2019. The farm is home to up to 150 colonies that are for tours, classes, beeswax, pollen, honey and pollination of their garden and fruit tree They also have larger honeyproducing colonies around Southwest and East Austin.

“Honey is a perfect food,” says Phillips. “When you buy local wildflower honey, you are also getting a taste of the local pollen from the nearby flowers, which a lot of people say helps lessen their allergy symptoms. Besides honey, you can also buy a few other special things we, or the bees, make … like candles, raw beeswax, propolis tincture, raw pollen, lip balms, lotion bars, beeswax wraps and more.”

Texas Honey Bee Farm also offers educational opportunities, including beginning and hands-on beekeeping classes and occasional classes on honey harvesting and making products with beeswax. texashoneybeefarm.com

HONEY I'M HOME (WIMBERLEY)

Chris and Kayla Anderson are making their property in Wimberley a wildlife-friendly environment. They’re early in their beekeeping endeavor, with six hives (that’s still about 200,000 bees). After acquiring their bees, they noticed almost immediately how healthy the plants and trees on the property became and that an abundance of wildflowers began popping up. They point to a grove of crepe myrtles that are blossoming in midAugust after a summer of record-breaking heat and almost no rain. Those conditions haven’t made it easy to keep the bees healthy. The couple had to skip the summer harvest because the bees needed the honey to survive. If their bees remain healthy, they expect to harvest about 10 gallons of honey from their small number of hives. For them, packaging 100+ jars is for now more than enough to offer friends and family and to supply a local restaurant or two. Chris has enjoyed learning about bees and honey, including the relatively simple process of getting the honey from the hive to the jar. “You pull the frames and take a fork to break the wax that caps the honey,” he explains. “But first you inspect to make sure there are no babies, and certainly not the queen, on the frame! And then you put it in [a device that] is like an old-fashioned ice cream maker. You put the frames in, turn the crank, and the honey slides to the bottom. You open the spigot and pour it into the jar.”

HIVE BEE FARM (MONTGOMERY)

At the heart of the HIVE Bee Farm is Sandi Murray’s enjoyment of gardening and nature as well as her commitment to local, sustainable farming and food production. Before acquiring her first two hives in 2016, she did her homework. “It’s hard to really know what to expect and the commitment it takes until you’ve been around 60,000 stinging insects, in a bee suit, in 100+ degrees in the Texas summer,” says Murray. She recommends that anyone interested in beekeeping take a hands-on class, shadow an expert for a season and join their local beekeeping association. Her operation grew from two hives to over 200, spanning Montgomery, Harris and Fort Bend counties. Murray and partner Cyrus Nasr’s acreage in Montgomery is home to some of those hives as well as the workshop where they process the honeycomb and honey. The success of the different colonies is varied. “Each year is different and that variability in the weather, foraging opportunities and other pressures make it very challenging to predict what may impact the bees,” says Murray. “Unlike larger commercial bee companies that move bees across states to focus on specific commercial crops, our bees stay on a location permanently, enjoying the biodiversity of that environment.”

HIVE Bee Farm is committed to sustainable apiculture, which means they support hives that have a strong ability to adapt and forage effectively where they are. They do not provide supplemental feed or use any chemicals or antibiotics. Being in an urban environment, where properties are close to one another and chemical use is common, can make that challenging. “When a honey or native bee lands on a bloom that’s been sprayed, they take those chemicals back to their colonies with them and it can have disastrous effects — perhaps immediately killing the hive. And even cumulative exposure gradually impacts the health and genetics of the bees over time. As gardeners ourselves, I fully understand the reason behind reaching for the chemicals but know that those choices lead to long term challenges,” says Murray.

Murray finds beekeeping fascinating and rewarding, and she loves the honey! “Right now, we are big into using honey in our watermelon salad and in our homemade ice cream instead of sugar. Both are a great boost on these hot Texas days.”

hivebeefarm.com

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.

Top Left, Middle and Bottom Dunsmore Honey Far Right: Texas Honey Bee Farm Queen photo by Ralph Yznaga

Top Left: Hive photo by Rodney Bursiel

Top Right: Dunsmore Honey

Bottom Right: Tanya Philips by Ralph Yznaga

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