Hill Country Culture April 2017 "Culinary" issue

HILL COUNTRY

CELEBRITY CHEFS

MARK BOHANAN

JOHNNY HERNANDEZ

STEVE McHUGH

FOOD TRENDS

ARTISANAL IN

THE HILL COUNTRY

FRESH IS BEST

WHERE TO EAT, DRINK

Photo Credits:

Photo by Aaron Yates

Photo

CERTIFIED DEALER

FOR 24 YEARS, FITCH HAS PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH A COMPASSIONATE & PROFITABLE SOLUTION FOR DEALING WITH THE CONTENTS OF THEIR ESTATE. WE ENJOY SELLING EVERYTHING FROM TIFFANY TO TUPPERWARE. CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

FOR 24 YEARS, FITCH HAS PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH A COMPASSIONATE & PROFITABLE SOLUTION FOR DEALING WITH THE CONTENTS OF THEIR ESTATE. WE ENJOY SELLING

YEARS, FITCH HAS PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH A COMPASSIONATE & PROFITABLE SOLUTION FOR DEALING

CONTENTS OF THEIR ESTATE. WE ENJOY SELLING

LEARN MORE FitchEstateSales.com | 8 30.25 7 . 8482

We serve the Texas Hill Country.

EVERYTHING FROM TIFFANY TO TUPPERWARE. CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION.

WE BUY GOLD, SILVER, ESTATE JEWELRY, COINS, SILVER FLATWARE AND OTHER PRECIOUS METALS. BRING YOUR PIECES INTO OUR FITCH STORE FOR A FAIR AND FRIENDLY CASH EXCHANGE.

FEATURES

29 DOWN HOME CHEFS

Interviews with chefs and restaurateurs who are Hill Country loyalists with global recognition: Mark Bohanan, Johnny Hernandez and Steve McHugh.

38 CULINARY INSIGHTS

Food trends, restaurant picks, our directory of regional Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries, and Ingram’s Broken Arrow Ranch.

43 MIKE CAMERON’S SECOND ACT

This month’s launch of Devils River Whiskey is an homage to the beauty, legend and lore of the Hill Country.

46 HILL COUNTRY DISTILLERS

It’s all about the inherently Texas flavors and finding Comfort for John and Cayce Kovacs.

ENCORE

49 LEADERSHIP

Walt Koenig’s global experience may lead Kerr County beyond expectations.

53 STAYCATION

Go classic and local and revisit some updated legends.

59 FOLKS

CHARM celebrates with Schreiner Goods, Ferrari of SA, Davidoff Cigars & Devils River Whiskey.

60 LEGACY

Francisco’s in Kerrville is modern cuisine meets historic settings.

62 SIGN OFF

Earl Abel’s beckoning neon may be gone but the pies remain.

64 PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Symphony of theHills

PRESENTS

APRIL 27, 2017

Thursday 7:30

Wine Reception 6:30

CAILLOUX THEATER

910 Main Street, Kerrville, TX

Sponsored By

Evening’s Performances

Symphony No. 25 in G Minor Mozart

Concerto for Flute and Harp Mozart

Symphony No. 41 in C Major, Jupiter Mozart Overture to The Magic Flute Mozart

Papageno and Papagena

duet from The Magic Flute Mozart

“Voi che sapete” from Marriage of Figaro Mozart

Lacrimosa and Dies Irae from Requiem Mass in D Minor Mozart

Libiamo from La Traviata Verdi

Tickets Starting at $24

FOR TICKETS: Visit www.symphonyofthehills.org/tickets call 830-792-7469 or The Cailloux Box Office 830-896-9393

Peterson Health Foundation Presents

The Legacy Gala

Saturday, April 29, 2017 6:30pm

Hill Country Youth Events Center 3785 TX-27

Kerrville, Texas 78028

For tickets and/or information, contact us at 830.258.7411 or foundation@petersonrmc.com

One of a kind custom home built by George Hager! Quality construction throughout with many unique features. Massive beams, crown moulding, Mexican tile, old wooden doors, built-ins & storage galore. Stained concrete floors in living areas & native stone floors in the spacious master bath. Kitchen has stainless steel countertops and features a 10x3 island with a solid mesquite wood top. Windows above the kitchen farm sink provide a fabulous view of the hills. Wood window casings & automatic sun shades. Enjoy outdoor living on the covered & screened 36x12 back patio which features a large stone fireplace & fabulous views. 27x4 covered front porch. 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths on 3.23 acres in the gated community of Saddlewood Estates. HOA river access.

MLS #92359 $620,000

Please call Kitty Cowden for a personal tour. (830) 459-0045

April 2017 - Volume 2 - Issue 4

Ceslie J. Armstrong editor-in-chief

EDITORIAL

Dean Heep associate art director

Lisa Walter copy chief

Lori Heiss associate editor

Taylor Heep editorial assistant

contributing writers

Bill & Lisle Drake

Nancy Foster

Donna Gable Hatch

Jacob Karre

Judith Pannebaker

Kathy Simmons

Mindy Wendele

Lisa Winters

Tom Holden chief photographer

contributing photographers

Frank Castro, Traci Dennis, Kellie Finch, Lucy Riggs, Leah Thomason, Aaron Yates

Neice Bell

Publisher

ADVERTISING

Jennifer McCullough advertising director

account executives

Halsey Bascom, John Doran, Shea Kelton

PUBLISHED BY Southern Newspapers, Inc., doing business as The Kerrville Daily Times, is published mornings Monday-Saturday. Periodicals postage is paid at Kerrville, Texas.

for general inquiries

email: info@ texashillcountryculture.com

for advertising inquiries

email: advertising@ texashillcountryculture.com for subscription inquiries call: 830-896-7000

for editorial inquiries

email: editorial@ texashillcountryculture.com

for back issue orders call: 830-896-7000

MAILING ADDRESS 429

Kitty Cowden Broker/owner

1835 Sidney Baker Kerrville, Texas 78028 830-895-7771

Each Office Independently Owned and Operated

Welcome to the inaugural annual Culinary issue. This month marks my first full issue as the new editorin-chief and I really felt like it was the right time to produce a culinarythemed issue to focus a spotlight and give a platform to the burgeoning–some say exploding–culinary scene throughout the Hill Country. People are talking about this “new” industry to our region as though it popped up recently; however, as you will see in this issue, the leaders in this movement have dedicated an immense amount of time, capital, knowledge, and expertise to take risks and fulfill their passion for their discipline in the culinary arts. You will find a nod to all things culinary throughout the issue and our features begin on page 29 with interviews I did with three chefs I respect immensely: Mark Bohanan, Johnny Hernandez and Steve McHugh and continue with features on culinarians who are innovators and employers economically impacting our region greatly. Their loyalty and love of the Hill Country and dedication to striving daily to maintain its authenticity through their food and service is pretty remarkable.

The difficulty in composing this issue was reducing the enormity and breadth of the culinary industry leaders into a few pages. We could have filled at least three issues with features on wineries alone. I do look forward to our number of pages growing through advertising support and the day my publisher tells me I have more editorial pages to fill featuring the incredible people, organizations and businesses that make up our beloved Hill Country. I am also very much looking forward to the launch of charmhc.com. Our new website, social media platforms and newsletters are going to be a really fantastic addition where we can showcase even more premium content about the Texas Hill Country and communicate with our readership more directly. Please stay tuned and reach out to me if you want more information about our growth.

I must say thank you to so many of you who have reached out and given me a warm welcome and encouraging words over that last month, and, thank you to the sponsors and guests at our March issue release event at Schreiner Goods in Kerrville featuring Ferrari of San Antonio, Davidoff Cigars and Devils River Whiskey. You will see some pictures from the event here.

Until next time, @ceslie

a

Such

professional and creative experience working with the Peggy’s and Bohanan’s team. My crew was so talented, including Anne Marie Photography, and it wasn’t so bad having to taste the food we shot afterward. Yum!

With Chef Mark Bohanan at his restaurant Peggy’s on the Green in Boerne

Hill Country Culture March issue launch at Schreiner Goods with Davidoff Cigars, Devils River Whiskey & Ferrari of San Antonio

Sherry Cameron of Devils River Whiskey & Lori Heiss of Hill Country Culture

Everyone loves Diamond H Quail & beer at Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon

To die for crab cakes at POTG

Anne Marie Photography began documenting love stories in 2006 and the subject matter of their content has grown to include capturing architecture, products, interiors, and portraiture for editorial and commercial clients. Kellie Finch and Traci Denis, the New Braunfels-based duo behind the cameras, fell in love with creating tangible memories from intimate moments in time and their wedding photography has been featured many times in publications such as Southern Weddings magazine and The Knot as well as on wedding blogs, such as Style Me Pretty, Southern Weddings and 100 Layer Cake. They have also been featured for their lifestyle work on Domino Magazine’s blog and School House Electric’s blog. Denis and Finch’s documentary and editorial-style of shooting have made them a sought after team not only by top editors but by businesses and organizations looking for professional yet stylish commercial images to help brand their businesses and extend their brand messaging through visual storytelling. As recurring contributors to Hill Country Culture, in March their photography of Camp Comfort appeared in the Staycation feature and this month they captured Chef Mark Bohanan for our cover and interior features including Chef Steve McHugh and Chef Johnny Hernandez.

Writer and editor Nancy Foster is a recurring contributor to Hill Country Culture and is a contributing travel writer for Sunseeker, the inflight magazine of Allegiant Airlines. She has enjoyed a 30-year career in tourism as a destination marketer. She has serviced clients in the hospitality industry for the last ten years through her own company, Foster Tourism Marketing. She and her husband Raymond have lived in Kerrville for six years. This month, read our “5 Musts” about Fredericksburg by Foster.

For more than 20 years, Lori Heiss has been an expert and content-creator in the entertainment industry with a focus on children’s education; animated and live action TV and films; food and fitness-themed entertainment and has written on these topics for a variety of publications including national consumer magazines and leading trade publications. She has also served as an editor and contributor to an online luxury lifestyle concierge dedicated to travel, excursions, restaurants and clubs in the world’s most stylish cities including London, Paris, LA and New York. A native New Yorker now living in London, she brings together the best of Europe and the USA with a special love of the Texas Hill Country and the convergence between Western heritage and pop culture. She purchased her first authentic pair of cowboy boots and hat years ago in Bandera, Texas - the official Cowboy Capital of the World. She serves as associate editor for Hill Country Culture and writes the monthly entertainment Notables feature and others. This month, Heiss writes the Be Well feature and lends her expertise from attending many domestic and international food shows for the food trend feature.

Bob McCullough lives with his wife and two daughters at Camp Verde nestled in the Texas Hill Country and likes to contribute to regional and national magazines. He’s also communications director for Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, the world’s first theme park designed with special-needs individuals of all ages in mind. During his full-time business career, he served on the team that opened SeaWorld San Antonio, and he headed corporate communications at CPS Energy, Greater San Antonio’s energy provider. In addition, he logged 30 years of active and reserve duty as an Air Force public affairs officer and served on the staff of the Air Force’s official magazine, AIRMAN. This month, McCullough logged some mileage walking while reporting on Volksmarching for Hill Country Culture Motion feature.

Kellie Finch & Traci Denis

Bob McCullough

Lori Heiss

Nancy Foster

April Events of Note

ENTERTAINMENT TO QUENCH YOUR SPRING FEVER BY LORI HEISS

AND THE WINNER IS…

Country music’s biggest night will be broadcast live from Las Vegas, when Luke Bryan and Dierks Bentley return to host the 52nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards–with Dierks potentially doing double duty as a winner with three nominations on the night. Keith Urban is leading the pack with seven this year, with Miranda Lambert and Maren Morris hot on his heels with six noms each. We’ll be watching for favorite and 16-time ACM award winner Tim McGraw to take home a gong for one of his five nominations including Song of the Year and Video of the Year. With all the pre-show red carpet action live streaming on Twitter, you’ll want to be ready early so you don’t miss the fashion hits–and misses!

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The legendary Willie Nelson will be gracing the stage at the Whitewater Amphitheatre with his Family band for two nights this April. Continuing his nationwide tour, you can expect an evening to remember with the man himself performing all his greatest hits and a few iconic covers to boot. Former Austinite and CMA awardwinning artist Kacey Musgraves will join Willie as his special guest. Friday April 21st and Saturday April 22nd at 7pm. Tickets from $59.12 include a copy of his forthcoming album. whitewaterrocks.com

ART ATTACK

The Arts Fest returns in a new location alongside the Blanco River in Wimberley. The two-day festival will be a feast for the senses, with over 100 artists showcasing their work, food trucks, beer & wine and picnic fare available on site and live music throughout the day. Add in a Vintage Car show and an animal adoption group taking part, there really is something for everyone. With cabins on site you can make a weekend of it, or just go for the day. Saturday April 22nd, 10am to 6pm, Sunday April 23rd, 11am to 5pm. Free admission. wimberleyartsfest.com

HOP TO IT

FIESTA FEVER

Over 100 years ago, Fiesta San Antonio began as a way to honor the heroes of battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. This event has grown to include over 100 events spanning 11 days as a celebration of San Antonio’s diverse culture and rich heritage. Explore the city and enjoy music, great food, colorful parades…and lots of confetti! Over half of the events are free, and the ticketed events help support local causes. Highlights include the Fiesta Carnival, Battle of Flowers Parade, Oyster Bake. April 20th to 30th, various locations in San Antonio. fiesta-sa.org

Hop on over to Flatrock Park in Kerrville for the annual EasterFest & Cookoff on April 15th. The festivities kick off at 10am with Colors presented by the Hill Country Honor Guard, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for the little ones in the afternoon. Plan to spend the day browsing, shopping or checking out the car & bike show, eating & drinking and listening to live music while enjoying games & rides in a fairground atmosphere. The highlight of the day will be a Chili & BBQ Cookoff including entries for salsa, ribs, brisket and chili–no pre-registration needed, so just turn up if you think you’ve got what it takes to win! Saturday April 15th, 10am to 5pm. Free admission. kerrvilletx.com

Photo Credits: Easter basket Thinkstock, All other images courtesy photos

The All New 2017

At 32 mpg combined, the 2017 Subaru Impreza is one of the most fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive vehicles sold in the U.S.

Joseph Hennigan

Sharon Goodwyn

Lance Lidiak

Monica Cannon

Pam Boynton

Fredericksburg, Texas

OUR 5 MUST-DO DESTINATIONS TO EXPERIENCE FREDERICKSBURG BY NANCY FOSTER

From its founding in 1846 by a German nobleman to its modern day hub of activity for Gillespie County, Fredericksburg has always been a distinctive community. Today, visitors from around the globe flock to enjoy natural beauty, German influence, vibrant downtown, charming B&Bs, distinctive Texas wines and these five standout things to do:

WHAT: Enchanted Rock

WHERE: 19 miles north of Fredericksburg via RR 965

WHY: Rising an impressive 425’ above the base with a dome that covers 640 acres, this towering precipice of pink granite attracts visitors from around the globe with its raw natural beauty. The park is on the National Register of Historic Places as an Archaeological District and is a magnet for outdoor lovers who go there to camp, hike, rock climb, picnic or bird watch.

Multiple trails offer hikers choices from easy to challenging and lead past canyons, scenic overviews, Moss Lake and the 1823’ high summit. Tote in plenty of water to stay hydrated, wear appropriate attire and slather on the sunscreen.

For adventurists seeking to rock climb, strict regulations must be adhered to at this designated State Natural Area. The park’s website lists five reputable ompanies that provide half-day and full day tours. Have youngsters? Ask at the ranger station for a loaner Junior Ranger Explorer Pack, a fun learning tool for bird and reptile ID that leads to receiving a Jr. Ranger Badge.

Nighttime is especially magical, since Enchanted Rock holds the designation as an International Dark Sky Park.

2WHAT: Fredericksburg Theater Company

WHERE: Two miles south of downtown at 1668 S. US Hwy 87

WHY: Quality productions! Executive Director Steve Reily of the Fredericksburg Theater Company notes that 60% of their audience resides outside of Gillespie County. A proud member of the Texas Commission on the Arts, the theater’s reputation for superb dramas, comedies and musicals is the reason they’ve enjoyed twenty years of success, a season which will end with an April 13-30 run of Alfred Uhry’s Driving Miss Daisy.

The theater runs seven shows and seven special events per season in their 250-seat Steve W. Shepherd Theater. Adding to the theater’s success is a dedicated group of 145 volunteers who contribute countless hours to every aspect of the production and operation. As for the performers, a legion of talented thespians from around the Hill Country provides a rich talent pool to ensure stellar performances for each production.

FTC’s mission, says Mr. Reily, is “to provide superior theatrical programs for regional participation which entertain, educate, enrich and inspire.”

Photo Credits: Top photo by Lisa Walter, Middle left phto by Todd W. Gordon, Middle right photo courtesy Fredericksburg Theater Company, Peach photo Thinkstock/Maksym Narodenko

WHAT: Wildseed Farms

WHERE: 100 Legacy Drive on US Hwy 290

WHY: The explosion of color is so vibrant it takes your breath away during blooming season from March to November, when a profusion of wildflowers blankets the 200-acre operation. Self-dubbed as the “world’s largest working wildflower farm,” it attracts 350,000 visitors a year.

Wildseed Farms grew from a vision of John Thomas in 1983. Then a proprietor of a turf seeding business, he saw the need for a commercial farm and developed machines to plant the tiny seeds and harvest them. Today the farm has three divisions: bulk seed, mail order and agritourism.

The fields change throughout the season beginning with early crops of Texas bluebonnets, red corn poppies and phlox. Visit the beautiful butterfly garden, stroll walking trails, and browse the main shopping area for unique gifts, home décor, jewelry and apparel. Gardeners will want to linger in the seed area, where over 80 varieties of wildflower, grasses, and herb seed can be purchased. Their Lantana Nursery is one of the largest in central Texas and pause for a snack at the Brewbonnet Biergarten, where soft drinks, beer, overstuffed sandwiches and ice cream hit the spot.

Wildseed Farms is now the second location for award-winning Wedding Oak Winery from San Saba where one can sample wine varieties inside the biergarten. Their Sweet Alyssum was awarded eleven medals including a Best of Class at the 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition –the largest wine contest of solely American wines in the world. As they like to say, “wine and wildflowers” make a beautiful combination.

WHAT: National Museum of the Pacific War

WHERE: 340 East Austin Street

WHY: It’s a world-class museum in a small Texas town, and this year it celebrates its 50th year. The National Museum of the Pacific War, a designated Texas Historical Site, has had a significant presence in the heart of Fredericksburg since 1967 when area business members first envisioned a museum to honor Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the war hero who grew up in Fredericksburg.

Brandon Vinyard, PR Director for the museum, says that many visitors discover them while exploring Fredericksburg and adds, “many of our museum attendees visit because a family member was involved in the Pacific War. They come here to learn, see and appreciate the heroic efforts of all those who served during the Pacific Theater from Pearl Harbor to the Japanese surrender.”

Explore the Memorial Courtyard where a touching display of over 1800 individual plaques pays tribute to those who served in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Stop at the Plaza of the Presidents, a prominent display of monuments honoring each U.S. President who served during WWII, then enjoy the serene beauty of the Japanese Garden of Peace, a “gift from the people of Japan that honors all that Fleet Admiral Nimitz did to improve post-war U.S./Japanese relations”.

Inside the George H. W. Bush Gallery are numerous galleries and displays that accurately depict this benchmark period in America’s history. Launching this year as part of their 50th anniversary is the Pacific Combat Zone, a Living History Reenactment and Amphitheatre a few blocks away from the main complex.

5

WHAT: Peach Season Preparation WHERE: Fredericksburg between May and September

WHY: Thousands of people make the trek to get their fill of the coveted treeripened Texas peaches during teh famous Fredericksburg peach season.

A dozen or more orchards in Gillespie County harvest the tasty crop, and most have their own country-style fruit stand or store selling everything peach related including jams, jellies and salsas. Familiar names dot the areas roadways including Jenschke Orchards, Vogel Orchards and Studebaker Farm all with long-standing operations. Some offer U-pick operations for those who relish the experience.

The peach-growing industry is an important one for Texas, says Monte Nesbitt, M.S., Extension Program Specialist with Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. “Texas peaches are the fourth largest fruit crop behind pecans, citrus and wine grapes,” he adds, “The demand for any fruit grown in Texas may be as high right now as it has ever been.” Texas peaches must ripen on the tree and be handpicked, which accounts for their natural goodness and fragility and should be eaten within a week.

Mark Wieser, Chairman of the Board of Fischer & Wieser’s Das Peach Haus, has been growing peaches since 1969 and currently plants 28 varieties on 8.3 acres, from early crops of Flavorich and Regal to season-ending crops of Big Red and Autumn Prince. Das Peach Haus attracts a loyal following of “very satisfied customers who try our fresh peaches and then return each year.” His successful operation has now expanded to include gourmet jams, jellies and sauces. Nothing better than Texas peaches!

Lip Color Democracy

FROM CLASSIC RED TO SUBTLE HUES, HERE, OUR SPRING 2017 LIP COLOR PICKS

BY TAYLOR HEEP

Photo Credits: Photo Thinkstock/shumskaya, Background Thinkstock/ Karma15381

ALSO TRY:

NYX COSMETICS

Bright Red

REVLON

Super Lustrous Lipstick, Cherries In The Snow, $8.49, Walmart

Matte Lipstick, Indie Flick, $5.99, ULTA

Laura Mercier

Velour Lovers Lip Colour, Addiction- Tomato Red, $28, Sephora

CHANEL

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Lipshine, Histoire, $37, Neiman Marcus

Peach

BOBBI BROWN

Luxe Lip Color, M.O.D, $35, Saks Fifth Avenue

“I think trends are meant to inspire. One of the spring 2017 trends I can get behind and think everyone can wear is the Bright Red lip. A red lip is always in style.

In 2017, the trend we are seeing is the ‘no make-up makeup look’ finished with a bold red lip and this is a great way to make a statement while keeping it fresh and youthful. It is a great look at any age. Wear it to the ballet or to a pool party, you can’t go wrong!”

Teri Apanasewicz celebrity make-up artist

Fuschia

LORAC

Alter Ego Lipstick, Vixen (fuchsia), $18, ULTA

ALSO TRY:

MAYBELLINE

Color Sensational®, The Loaded Bolds, Rebel Pink, $7.49, Walgreens

LANCÔME

L’Absolu Rouge Hydrating Shaping Lipcolor, 325 Impertinente, $32, Belk TOM FORD

Lip Color, Violet Fatale, $53, Sephora

ALSO TRY:

RIMMEL LONDON

Moisture Renew Lipstick, Lets Get Naked, $6.99, H-E-B e.l.f. MOISTURIZING LIPSTICK

Party in the Buff, $3, Target

DIOR

Rouge Dior Limited Edition, 380 Cloudy Matte, $35, Sephora

CHC

Nude

RIMMEL LONDON

Lasting Finish, “Nude By Kate Moss”

$9.50, Walgreen’s

ALSO TRY:

COVER GIRL

Continuous Color Lipstick, Bronzed Peach 015, $5.74, Walmart

HOURGLASS

Femme Nude Lip Stylo, Nude No 3., $32, Sephora

GIORGIO ARMANI BEAUTY

Rouge Ecstasy Express Moisture Rich Lipcolor, $37, Neiman Marcus

Mauve

NARS

Audacious Lipstick Anna, Dusty Mauve, $34, Macy’s

ALSO TRY:

NYX

Pin-Up Pout Lipstick, Almost Famous, $7.99, CVS NO7

Stay Perfect Lipstick, Dark Berry, $12.99, Target MAC

MAC Lipstick, Del Rio (Satin), $17, Belk

Texas Wildflowers

TEXANS GO WILD FOR BLUEBONNETS EVERY SPRING

BY JACOB KARRE

Magic exists deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country and it sits in plain sight dotting the landscape in vibrant hues: Texas wildflowers. Each spring the flowers greet us with dazzling displays revealing the magic within their delicate petals. The most notable of these is the Texas bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis). Although scientists have studied these flowers for over 100 years, we still do not know everything about them. There are thousands of different species and some that scientists believe still elude us.

15 things you may not know about Texas wildflowers:

ONE. There is a red hued bluebonnet called the “Alamo Fire Bonnet” or simply the “Maroon Bonnet” that Texas A&M scientists created for a deeper maroon and more consistent flower.

TWO. Bluebonnets were the first vegetation to appear alongside newly built highways in the gouges left by construction workers. Due to their resilience, the flower continues to grow and appear in places that no other vegetation can.

THREE. In 1997 State Legislature named Ennis, Texas the “Official Bluebonnet City of Texas.” The city celebrates with an annual festival and the “Trail of Bluebonnets” that is the “Official Home of the Bluebonnet Trail” with over 40 miles of bonnets to see.

FOUR. The prickly pear cactus (Opuntia) is a wildflower. The flower can bloom from shades of yellow to red across the vast range of Texas. Many people also take the meaty portion of the cactus to make various jellies or jams.

FIVE. The Indian Paint brush(Castilleja indivisa) are actually edible. American Indians used the flowers as condiments but they were eaten in moderation due to the selenium the flowers absorb.

SIX. After being established in 1917 officials from the Texas Department of Transportation noted that wildflowers were the first to grow in cuts and gouges in the ground. TXDOT has worked to preserve these flowers planting nearly 30,000 seeds a year.

SEVEN. Due to the immense size of the state the Texas, Department of Transportation maintains and cares for over 800,000 acres of right-of-way land.

EIGHT. More than 20 percent of wildflowers in Texas belong to the sunflower family.

NINE. San Antonio artist Julian Onderdonk (1882 - 1922) helped immortalize bluebonnets in Texas history. His work often depicted vast seas of the blue rolling hills of Central Texas giving outsiders and Texans a clear vision of the beauty of the state.

ELEVEN. Most people don’t know that the race for the title of official flower of Texas wasn’t easy. Cotton was a favorite because of its economic value at the time. After debate by politicians in Austin the bluebonnet was named king. The flower won with four co-winners. There are five recognized variations of the bluebonnet that hold official titles as the state flower.

TWELVE. Kerrville is often cited as one of the top five places to see the wildflowers and referred to visitors for it’s “rugged beauty.” The city is in proximity to Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Center, Ennis and the whole of Central Texas.

THIRTEEN. The Native Plant Society of Texas was founded in 1981 with the purpose of protecting and spreading knowledge about wildflowers to fellow Texans. The program was initially started by Texas native Carroll Abbott, a lifelong advocate for Texas wildflowers. There are now over 30 Chapters throughout the state. (Abbott was also a writer for the Kerrville Daily Times in 1955.)

FOURTEEN. There are over 5,000 species of wildflowers in the state of Texas.

FIFTEEN. Across all 50 states, Central Texas is often cited as one of the top 10 places to see wildflowers in the United States.

The Lady Bird Johnson Center has helped collect over 6 million seeds for the Millennium Seed Bank Project based in the United Kingdom.

Why do we advertise in Hill Country Charm?

Hill Country Charm is seen by more of our “would be” clients.

It is a higher end magazine with beautiful pictures, ad designs and overall layout. I really like that Hill Country Charm is delivered into so many peoples’ hands. This magazine is the perfect place to promote our business. As a reader, I enjoy the local stories and seeing attractions from different towns and restaurants from all over the Hill Country.

– Debbie Wilson

I like the feel of the cover and features like Hill Country Dining. I enjoy the entertainment. I am impressed that there are so many businesses advertising in Hill Country Charm. I look forward to the Hill Country Camera Club pictures and seeing new works by artists. They are the works of many of our friends and clients.

– Mike Wilson

Debbie & Mike Wilson, owners Rivers Edge Gallery – Framing – Printing

FARMACY

An avid horticulturist, Mark Veeder knew that he had spotted something special when he saw an unusual green flowering plant on his upstate New York property–and he was right. He had discovered a new strain of the Echinacea plant with a very high concentration of the phytochemical Cichoric Acid, a potent natural antioxidant which helps protect and firm the skin by inhibiting the enzymes that break down collagen and also normalizes the skin pigmentation process to promote a more evenly toned complexion. He went on to patent the variant, dubbing it GreenEnvy™ and used it to form the basis of his plant-based beauty line Farmacy. The range uses Farm-grown botanicals to create their products which are a “synthesis of nature and science.”

FROM FARM TO FACE

Mark Veeder, founder of Farmacy Beauty with his discovery, Echinacea GreenEnvy™

Forget about the farm-tofork-food movement, these companies are all about bringing the benefits found down on the farm straight to your face and body. Utilize the best that nature has to offer to create simple, wholesome products that will make you shine.

BY LORI HEISS

BEAUTY & THE BEES

Honey is one of nature’s greatest gifts and honey-based products are great for your skin as they tap into the ingredient’s healing powers and other natural benefits.

MOISTURIZING & HYDRATING

UHoney is naturally moisturizing and soothing, creating a glow and providing you with soft skin. Try Farmacy’s Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask Honey Potion $56 farmacybeauty.com

Z’s Bees lanolin-free formula Boobie Balm is great for those nursing moms with allergies. Their formula is all natural and chemical-free. Z’s Bees has other great items for Baby and Mama. $5.99 zshoneybeefarm.com

HEALING

The Naked Bee Hand & Cuticle Healing Salve gives relief for dry, rough or cracking skin. Orange Blossom Honey scent. Made from organic sunflower seed oil, Beeswax, Shea butter, cocoa butter. No propylene glycol or petrolatum. Paraben-free. No animal testing. $5.35 walkerhoneyfarm.com

Used since ancient times for wound care, it has a natural healing power and a load of other benefits. Try Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm to heal cracked lips $3.30 burtsbees.com

ANTI-AGING

Lush’s Brazened Honey cleansing mask is full of herbs and spices used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine to give you a healthy glow. At the same time, lime oil brightens, honey moisturizes and ground almonds give a thorough exfoliation, all in a deep-cleansing kaolin clay base. $8.99 lushusa.com

See its benefits for yourself with their Skincare Discovery Kit with a selection of skin treatments all powered by Echinacea GreenEnvy™ $45 farmacybeauty.com

Packed with amino acids & vitamins and a natural exfoliant, honey helps hold off the aging of skin. Try Bee Friendly’s Organic Exfoliating Scrub for smooth, younger looking skin. $39.99 beefriendlyskincare.com

Photo Credits: Photos courtesy of Farmacy Beauty, Illustratioins Thnkstock/ Margarita_Tkachenko, Background Thinkstock/M-image

Calvin Holland

Devotion to Motion

OUR OWN VERSION OF KEEP MOVING –VOLKSMARCHING

BY BOB MCCULLOUGH

The title of 91-year-old actorcomedian-dancer Dick Van Dyke’s most-recent book–“Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging”–definitely resonates with a Kerrville organization that’s been around for almost four decades.

At 8 o’clock every Saturday morning, rain or shine, members of the Kerrville Trailblazers volksmarching club gather in the parking lot of the Cailloux Theater in downtown Kerrville to write the latest chapter in their own version of “Keep Moving.” Volksmarching comes from a German term that means “people’s walk.” The assembled walkers huddle around the “trail boss,” Ed Ejzak, and other club volunteers, who distribute maps and review the morning’s mission–to explore another beautiful slice of the Hill Country on foot in the Trailblazers’ ongoing pursuit of fitness and friendship.

“We have 65 to 70 walking routes of approximately 3 to 6 miles to choose from,” says Ejzak, the trail boss since 2014. “They’re no more than an hour from Kerrville. Some routes are more interesting than others, and the really neat thing is that you visit places you’re not likely to go on your own.”

On a recent misty morning, the Trailblazers carpooled to Wildseed Farms east of Fredericksburg to join with members of other regional walking groups for an American Volkssport Association (AVA) sanctioned walk. Most people walk for recreation, but other more-serious walkers like to cover prescribed distances and qualify for AVA patches and medals.

Volksmarching became popular with American military members stationed

“When people ask my secret to staying young at an age when getting up and down from your chair on your own is considered an accomplishment, you know what I tell them? ‘Keep moving.”

– DICK VAN DYKE

“Keep Moving: And Other Tips and Truths About Aging” (Weinstein Books, 2015)

Manufacturers have shoes specific to walking in a variety of price ranges.

ASICS GEL QUICKWALK 2

Shoe tips from fitness expert Kathy Sears Hall of Kerrville’s The Fitness Center:

• Wear shoes that are appropriate for the activity

• The outer shoe may look good but the support and inner shoe may break down

• Keep mileage of the shoe whenever it’s worn

• NIKE has a shoe recycling program nikegrind.com

in Europe, so they imported the non-competitive fitness activity when they returned stateside beginning in the l970s. New Trailblazer member, Mary Frances Going, contracted the volksmarching bug as a teacher of U. S. servicemembers’ children in France and Germany.

“Two of my teacher friends and I got tired of sightseeing, so we started volksmarching,” she says. “At first, we were really tired at the end of a volksmarch, but soon we were volksmarching every weekend. It was a great way to unwind after a busy week.”

Last June, Fredericksburg hosted the 40th anniversary of volksmarching in America, while the Trailblazers recently celebrated their 35th anniversary. Marge Peters, formerly superintendent of the Hunt Independent School District, founded the Trailblazers, says Art Bell, a member since the early 1980s and twice president of the organization.

“I liked running when I lived in Houston,” he says, “so I became a Trailblazer because I wanted to continue exercising on a regular basis. What I enjoy most is the camaraderie. The Trailblazers are salt-of-the-earth people; they’re great people to be around.”

President Carol Talpey says “the Trailblazers’ membership list is 65 active volksmarchers, but more walkers of all ages are invited to join by simply showing up at a Saturday morning walk for fitness, fellowship, fun and food.”

NEXT STEPS

walktx.org/KerrvilleTrailblazers/ (830) 201-0808; ktrailboss@gmail.com. American Volksport Association (headquartered near San Antonio) atava.org Texas Volkssport Association’s walktexas.org.

Destination: Cooks

CULINARY SHOPPING OF HISTORICAL PROPORTIONS

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

Historical Texas locations throughout the Hill Country are becoming the destination for serious culinary tools, classes, products, food items, recipe-sharing and story-telling. These reborn historic gems serve as markets for locals and attract carloads of shoppers who make a day of

FREDERICKSBURG

Historic Keidel Memorial Hospital Building

Der Kuchen Laden

258 E Main Street

Phone: (830) 997-4937

littlechef.com

BOERNE

Historical Downtown Hill Country Mile

Boerne Epicure Gourmet Market

210 S Main Street

(830) 331-9355

fidllcit.net/BEGM/

shopping for their home kitchens while enjoying many uniquely crafted Texas-made and hard-tofind items that reflect the heritage of each town’s landmark destination. Here, four locations that will bring out your inner kid in a culinary candy store.

CENTER POINT

Established 1857, The Banks of Verde Creek Camp Verde General Store

285 Camp Verde Road East (830) 634-7722

campverdegeneralstore.com

COMFORT

1890’s Historic Home, Comfort Historic District

Miss Giddy’s

817 High Street

(830) 995-3550

missgiddys.com

Photo Credit: Photo by Taylor Heep

Immerse yourself in fascinating lands and cultures, both in port and aboard your comfortable, mid-size ship. Discover new passions. Learn new things. Celebrate new beginnings. Make memories to last a lifetime on a Holland America Line cruise.

FOODIES AND OENOPHIILES REJOICE!

If “food” is your middle name and wine is your game, then the Cabernet Grill is your match made in heaven. Chef Ross Burtwell, author of Texas Hill Country Cuisine; Flavors from the Cabernet Grill Texas Wine Country Restaurant, not only serves up some of the most spectacular cuisine,

but also has the largest Texas wine list in the country with the knowledgeable waitstaff to go with it. Fresh ingredients sourced from local and regional growers. An elegant yet casual dining atmosphere. A deep-rooted passion for food and wine flowing from the kitchen. Welcome home!

the taste home with Chef Ross Burtwell’s new book Texas Hill Country Cuisine.

Texas’RegionCulinary is HillAuthentically Country

The Texas Hill Country’s burgeoning culinary industry has grown based on authenticity, talent and the can-do spirit of farmers, chefs, entrepreneurs, scientists and risk-takers. Here, we celebrate all things good to eat and drink with culinarians throughout our region.

Photo Credits: Photos by Anne Marie Photography

Hill Country Chefs with a Purpose

Don’t expect special treatment at one of Mark Bohanan’s restaurants. You’ll just have to make do with the same friendly and impeccable service that the staff strives to give to everyone. It is Chef Mark Bohanan’s belief that that if they are trying to impress a critic or any particular client, then they’re not doing things the right way. They bring their A-game for everyone who walks through their doors. “It makes it easier on us if we’re perfect all the time or as close as we can get,” said the proprietor of the recently opened Peggy’s on the Green in Boerne and venerable Bohanan’s in downtown San Antonio. This ethos is something brought forth from his childhood growing up in Jourdanton, Texas in

In 1994, Chef Johnny Hernandez returned home to San Antonio as an alumni of the Culinary Institute

lessons taught from his mother who taught home economics to troubled students. She treated everyone the same regardless of their troubles, and brought a passion to her work and cooking in their kitchen at home. It is his mother that has inspired his cooking from the start.

Passion is something that is important to Bohanan. “If you don’t have it in your heart, this is the wrong business to be in,” said Bohanan. It is his desire to inspire this passion in his staff, but also in his patrons as well. In the first few months, Peggy’s on the Green has been a resounding success.

There is no doubt that this restaurant means something special to Bohanan, who has already found success in San Antonio with

of America, (the Hyde Park, New York campus), and founded his catering company True Flavors.

– CHEF JOHNNY HERNANDEZ Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon

For Chef Steve McHugh, creating a successful and popular restaurant is a marathon, not a sprint. This realistic, long-term approach has served him well at his awardwinning San Antonio-based restaurant, Cured at Pearl. Not one for jumping on bandwagons or chasing the latest trends, his straight-forward approach to cooking was born out of his upbringing as one of seven boys on a farm where he learned to use the bounty around him to its fullest. When teaching new students about this 360-degree approach to food sourcing and his penchant for using an entire animal for his menu, he is quick to point out that this is not a trend, but a way of life. “The first thing I tell them is this was survival for

people, we didn’t invent this, this isn’t molecular, this isn’t the new rage in cuisine,” said McHugh.

Inspired by the way his parents would provide food for their large family from their own land, he knows that a lot of folks today would slap a fancy label on it. But for them, that was just survival. “We didn’t call that farm-totable cuisine, we just called that eating,” said McHugh.

It was these early lessons that have made him the chef he is today, and it’s important to McHugh that he supports not only other farmers but also the animals they raise which, when treated the right way, ultimately produce better quality food for his kitchen. “I’ve raised animals, so I understand what it takes to

“ Over the years I have supported the Texas wine growing initiative, and I have always wanted to do something in the Hill Country especially with the Texas wine boom that continues to do well, grow and gain respect. We have been growing into the area, it’s always been on my radar and now we are so excited to be at Tejas Rodeo.”

It wasn’t until 2010 that he opened La Gloria at the Pearl just steps from the CIA San Antonio campus (one of only three of the heralded institutions). By that time, Chef Johnny had a huge following and celebrity chef status in the media. In 2016, he accepted the invitation from the

his eponymous landmark and as the founder of the San Antonio Cocktail Conference that benefits children’s charities, but bringing his brand back out to where he and his family lives is, “a labor of love” and “inspired from those sensory memories and experiences” of being in his mother’s kitchen, tasting produce right out of their own garden and those of their farmer friends. “We would get the

corn on the cob, it might be 50 dozen, and then we would shuck it and cut it off the cob. My mom and grandmother would do the cream corn, and that was the beginning of the lobster cream corn at the other restaurant just like we have the Mexican street corn here.”

It is these family traditions, passion and recipes that Bohanan shares through his restaurants. “You can tell the difference when somebody is cooking out of love, whether it’s your grandmother baking a pie for Christmas or your mom making a turkey for Thanksgiving,” said Bohanan, “there’s a lot of feeling. Food is emotional.” His food is certainly filled with emotion, and an authenticity that comes from learning and memories and family.

“Every person has a memory from the kitchen table,” he said, and he translated his into his food.

His business is like a family and he speaks proudly of the team he has built, and of the people that have been with him from the very beginning. It is this family feeling that fits in particularly well in the Hill Country, which is such a family-oriented place and where people appreciate a legacy and in bringing a story.

Bohanan wants to build on legacy and create a new chapter in the Hill Country, “Now we have a tie to the Hill Country that is more like planting roots,” he continues, “we’ve got a real investment out here, and we love it, and we’re here to stay. We come into the community, and we

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

White House to cook for President Obama’s Cinco de Mayo dinner.

“We have been so busy at our company and the excitement everyday is motivating,” said Hernandez. Busy indeed. As a very hands-on leader, Hernandez has overseen all aspects of launching his restaurants La Gloria, The Frutería, El Machito, airport cafes bearing his brands, operating True Flavors catering while consulting and developing new brands and concepts stateside and in the UK with Prezzo who has engaged the expert chef to consult on their Mexican restaurants across Europe called MEXIco.

“One of the most exciting new ventures for all of us is Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon and the catering for the grounds and

the beautiful new Western Sky venue,” continued Hernandez, “we are always catering weddings and events in the Hill Country and La Gloria is near the Dominion and Boerne, but we have been looking to expand further into the Hill Country. It’s an area that we’ve wanted to be in and we’ve considered for a while. It’s not necessarily new territory for us and it feels like the right fit with Tejas Rodeo Company.”

Putting his Johnny Hernandez multi-tasking touch on the existing Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon meant that, “Every detail was examined and elevated to make the customers know that they are going to get what they expect when they visit Tejas Rodeo,” said Hernandez.

Maintaining the favorite menu items during the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Tejas Rodeo was important to Hernandez and his team at True Flavors. “What we’re doing is adding quality to everything that we present. There’s a lot of new plate presentations. We want people to notice the difference but not for it to be totally different,” said Hernandez. Their famous KC Steak is so delicious and we have also created created a new cocktail menu that has some Hill Country chic in it. In a sense, we’re doing things that complement the steak and whiskey scene. We’ve got some local bourbons that were incorporated into the cocktail program,” and of course a fabulous Margarita

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

raise a hog or a lamb or even a steer,” continued McHugh, “with a dedication to ethical farming we want to be good stewards, we want to make sure that our farmers are able to survive, and we want to work with farmers that are doing it the right way, that are treating the animals with respect.”

Chef McHugh has a simple philosophy: “the food has to be the star.” At Cured, it is: you won’t find fanciness or frills, just interesting and delicious food that is honest, well-sourced and presented in a simple yet striking way. On a Steve McHugh plate, the food speaks for itself. He says, “We’re not trying to trick anyone. We’re having fun. We’re not taking ourselves too seriously. We’re exploring, we’re trying new things.” Like his current favorite dish on the lunch menu: a catfish baloney sandwich. A new twist on a childhood classic, he takes a traditional recipe for baloney and adds catfish instead of beef and pork. After emulsifying and poaching it like a normal sausage, they slice it right on a grill for a warm, delicious treat. It’s this fun, fresh approach to

food that makes McHugh unique. And while he does take inspiration

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

“

I thank God that I opened in Boerne because I wanted to and because I enjoy it. This thing out here is a labor of love, if you will, for me.”

– CHEF MARK BOHANAN Peggy’s on the Green/ Bohanan’s

“

When people ask me to describe our food, I just say, ‘we cook honestly’ that’s the best way I can describe it. At Cured we purposefully wanted the plates to be plain, no rims, no frills, because I said the food and building have to be the stars. We can’t have fancy servers, fancy table cloths, we can’t have pretentious hostesses, I want everybody to just be super down-home.”

–

CHEF STEVE McHUGH

Cured at Pearl

Photo Credits: Photos by Anne Marie Photography

Chef Mark Bohanan

try to do what’s best always for our customer, but at some point, whether that be in the first month or the first year, we always try to start doing something that helps the community.” This help has started already, with a pie sale charity event they ran to benefit the Boerne Education Foundation in their first couple of months, and it is set to continue with more events planned in the future.

But it’s really about the food, and the inviting atmosphere that he wants to cultivate for brunch, lunch and dinner in a space that he describes as “casual but elegant.” He has created a place where he wants people local to the Hill Country to be able to have a dining experience, a good time in their hometown.

“What I wanted here at Peggy’s was for people to feel that they actually went out and had a night out, and they could’ve been sitting in a bigger city somewhere, San Antonio, Dallas, wherever,” continues Bohanan, “but without all the fuss and having to get all fixed up. Here, they can get that same thing, but they can walk in with their blue jeans or their shirt or even dust on their boots.”

It’s seems this homey approach to fine dining has struck a nerve, with his brand of comfort food bringing in good crowds who seem to be enjoying the food to the fullest and if the customers are happy, so are Bohanan and his team. Describing the proud feeling they had after their first brunch service he says, “That’s

a real, real shot in the arm for me and for the employees here as well, because I told them what I saw. People were enjoying it, and it wasn’t just because it was brunch. The weather wasn’t absolutely perfect that day, but he food was,” beams Bohanan.

“It all goes back to my mother Peggy’s lessons about always putting your best foot forward,” Chef Bohanan continues, “we are trying to be perfect every day, it’s chasing an imaginary thing, but if you are striving to do that, you’ve got to think that what you can end up with will be acceptable.” At Peggy’s on the Green he has created something so much more than acceptable, and there is no doubt that his mother would be proud.

Chef Steve McHugh

from other chefs, referencing the dogged determination of the likes of John Besh (his former mentor), Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, Michel Richard and Jose Andres, it’s not that he wishes to emulate their style of cooking. It’s more the dedication to their craft and desire to always evolve their food and create something new that he seems to admire most. Not one to rest on his laurels, he is also man who knows his own mind. But he also knows when to listen to his gut and the opinions of others, even if it means changing course; sometimes dramatically. In an industry hooked on the almighty “concept,” he acknowledges that “concept is only going to get me so far.” And true to that sentiment, McHugh reveals

that he walked away from the original concept for Cured after walking into the impressive building that now houses the restaurant for the first time and allowing himself to be inspired by what was in front of him rather than sticking stubbornly to the original idea. It was out of this inspiration that the idea for Cured was born. He says, “It’s evolved and turned into what it is now, which we let happen organically.” For McHugh, it has to be authentic, not just a gimmick, or something that has caught on somewhere else. “I want that to be what they crave, not some wacky caviar with smoking and foam.”

He is the first to admit that if he hadn’t listened to his instinct–and that of the team around him,

including his wife and partner Sylvia–he’s not sure if it would have worked. And work it did, with a second consecutive James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest nomination this year for him and his team.

And while he admits that he is pleased by the recognition not only for him but also for his team, he says that for him, that’s not what it’s all about. It’s about believing in what they are doing and in creating food that will keep people coming back. “Look, if we can get an award and we can still run a restaurant, that means our customers are also believing in what we’re doing,” continued McHugh, “it doesn’t matter if I get all the awards. If I can’t keep the restaurant open, then what’s it matter.”

Chef Johnny Hernandez

adds Hernandez. All the local spirits are a key part of the new beverage program and then Hernandez is expanding the wine program.

Known for his laser-focus on authenticity, Chef Johnny Hernandez is marrying his deep knowledge and use of Mexican spices and putting a Tejas-spin on things. “Instead of calling it an adobo, which is a chili spice rub mixture that typically wet in Mexico, we’re calling it a rub. To me, Tejas has to represent more of what’s Texas local,” said Hernandez. He feels it is very important that the menu and catering items blend well with the theme of Tejas Rodeo. “The name is something we want to keep as a beacon of direction for us in terms of creativity. The style in which we grill

our meats is very traditional northern Mexico and south Texas. A lot of grilled meat and a lot of protein. We’re going to keep the same selection of steak, and we’ll experiment more with some wild game,” said Hernandez.

Fans and loyalists to Hernandez’s other restaurants will be thrilled to know that they can take in a rodeo, country music and dance while eating Hernandez’s street tacos and even the same ribs that they serve at Machito on the weekends at Tejas, “because people love the ribs at Machito,” said Hernandez.

True Flavors is a fitting name for Hernandez’s growing catering company. His menus are known for incorporating the flavors and styles that are more representative of the

interior Mexico. “What I am doing now, is taking a northern Mexican approach to what we’re going to put on the new Tejas menu, moving forward and really showcasing Texas ingredients,” said Hernandez.

Among his growing restaurant empire–a burger concept, seafood concept and more–Hernandez is also focusing on food products like his own non-GMO corn, a tequila, and a line of salsas and moles.

Chef Hernandez shared that, “someday at Tejas Rodeo, you may see a Charro (a traditional Mexican horseman) in the arena.

�ood �rends to �atch

BY LORI HEISS

TICKING THE BOXES: HOME DELIVERY SERVICES

Boxed delivery services have been steadily gaining in popularity over the past few years, making home cooking easy, fun and fresh. We love Hello Fresh and Blue Apron, for a number of reasons:

It’s convenient: you don’t have to worry about food shopping or decisions for a couple of nights of the week.

It’s simple: step-by-step instructions are easy to follow, and does not take more than 45 minutes to make

It’s efficient: They give you everything you need, to exact measurements including spices and veg, so you don’t have to buy anything extra, and there is no waste (double trend alert: see Trend #3!)

It’s adventurous: it introduces lots of recipes and foods from world cuisines you might not usually choose yourself

It’s delicious: The recipes are scrumptious; all really flavorful and filling.

hellofresh.com or blueapron.com

BUGGING OUT: INSECTS & BUGS

Bugs are big business, and it turns out they’re good for you too. Packed with protein, flour made from crickets boast more per 100 grams than sirloin. ExoProtein protein bars are packed with the stuff, and its founders have raised more than $5.6 million in funding to finance their dream of taking crickets mainstream. Restaurants are getting into the bug game, too, with upscale Hugo’s in Houston featuring pan-sautéed grasshoppers served with guacamole, tortillas and chipotle tomatillo salsa on their Mexican menu, and Trailer Treasure is serving up Asian spiced cricket tacos from their trailer on 6th Street in Austin.

exoprotein.com

hugosrestaurant.net

trailer-treasure.com

A QUESTION OF ETHICS: HAPPY MEAT, HAPPY FOOD

The trend for free-range has been around for a while, and the way meat is raised and sourced by restaurants and supermarkets is one which isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s not only about living conditions of animals with large chains like Panera Bread confirming that it will change the way it sources to adhere to the Global Animal Partnership’s Broiler Chicken Standard, but also about taste. Field harvesting at long range used by ranches including the Broken Arrow Ranch in the Texas Hill Country ensures the animals are never under any stress and the resulting meat

quality is the highest possible–tastier, more tender and longer lasting. Read more about the Broken Arrow Ranch in this issue on the next page.

panerabread.com

brokenarrowranch.com

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: ZERO WASTE

Cutting down on food waste is a trend for good. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization reports that an estimated one-third of the food produced worldwide for human consumption is wasted annually. The nose-to-tail movement, in which chefs use every part of the animal, is one way chefs help to cut down on food waste. In his restaurant Cured at the Pearl, Chef Steve McHugh is a proponent of not wasting anything, curing everything from an animal including shoulder and tongue, and also through preserving fresh fruit and veg–buying lots of it whenever it is available and using it later. Read about Cured on Page 30. curedatpearl.com

READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP: INSTA -READY FOOD

Rainbow Bagels, cookie dough served up like ice cream and pretty much anything at the Sugar Factory in NYC took #foodporn to new levels in 2016, and the trend for restaurants dreaming up dishes with how photogenic they’ll be in mind will continue into 2017. The 2016 BBC Good Food Nation Survey found that 40% of millennials have posted photos of their food on social media channels, and we bet you have too. Our picks for some of the most Instagrammable spots in the Texas Hill Country? San Antonio’s Bohanan’s for its beautiful cocktails and array of steaks, and the Floore's Country Store in Helotes for its old school BBQ and décor.

bohanans.com • liveatfloores.com

OUR ROUNDUP OF THE HOTTEST FOOD TRENDS OF 2017 HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, FROM WAYS TO ELIMINATE WASTE, TO HOTSPOTS WITH THE MOST POST-WORTHY GRUB.

CURED MEAT LOCKER Located in the Cured at the Pearl Restaurant

Photo Credits: Meat photo by Anne Marie Photography, Wood photo Thinkstock/vreilly, Grayscale images Thinkstock

�roken �rrow �anch

BY ALEXANDRIA RANDOLPH

ARTISANAL PURVEYORS OF HIGH QUALITY FREE-RANGE MEAT FROM TRULY WILD ANIMALS

Mention Ingram or Bandera, Texas to any top chef in Texas–or throughout America–and they will identify both places with Broken Arrow and Diamond H Ranch as one of their highest quality vendors. Increasingly, diners at restaurants like the worldrenown chef Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City and The French Laundry in Napa, California know that the quail they are dining on originated in Bandera, Texas.

Broken Arrow Ranch harvests wild game meats, including axis deer, south Texas antelope and wild hog, for commercial culinary and personal use across the nation. Its sister property, Diamond H Ranch, raises all-natural coturnix quail for the table. Central and south Texas restaurants featuring their products are numerous and include restaurants of the three featured chefs in this month’s issue: Bohanan’s Prime Steaks & Seafood and Peggy’s on the Green, under the guiding hand of executive chef Mark Bohanan; chef Steve McHugh’s charcuterie and salumi dining, Cured restaurant; and chef Johnny Hernandez’s True Flavors Catering and multiple restaurants including La Gloria and Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon.

The Hughes family began the business in 1983 and stated that their intention was to make use of a resource that had developed in Central Texas that was a nonnative deer and

antelope that had been introduced to the area a half century before. Populations of these animals had grown to potentially “out compete” the native deer species. The ranch staff built the first government approved mobile processing facility allowing a crew to harvest and process

describe its game meats as an allnatural product.

The game animals on Broken Arrow Ranch range freely on open land and choose what they eat from many species of grasses, bushes, herbs, trees, berries and nuts, and grow naturally without artificial stimulation.

There is a common misconception that it is illegal to sell meat from wild animals, however, it is only illegal to sell meat from animals that have not passed inspection by a government meat inspector.

Diamond H Ranch raises two species of quail; the bobwhite, and the coturnix, also called pharaoh quail. The bobwhite is raised to sell to Texas ranchers, who use the bird to repopulate their lands, and the coturnix is raised for dining as it holds moisture in the meat.

immediately, under full supervision of a government inspector. After processing, the meat is quickly frozen—minimizing the tissue damage that occurs during a slower freezing process. This humane method of harvest and processing is what maintains the high quality. Catching and then transporting live deer and game animals to a slaughter house before processing causes high stress to the animal, which releases adrenaline and lactic acid into the muscles, affecting the quality of the meat.

Broken Arrow Ranch prefers to

Coturnix, a naturally white-feathered bird which lays beautifully spotted eggs, are nested and hatched in a 38,400 square-foot hatchery on the ranch, and are raised on an all natural diet with space to roam.

While the birds are housed in a secured environment, they are provided with five times the space typically given to free range chickens, ranch officials said.

The quail are raised, harvested and processed under government inspection on-site, just as with game on the sister ranch.

“ Quail is something on the menu that is quite popular. As chefs, we’re always looking for consistency in the product and Broken Arrow Ranch has a reputation for quality and consistency.”

– CHEF JOHNNY HERNANDEZ Tejas Steakhouse & Saloon

“Originally, we did not realize that we were actually developing an important procedure for harvesting what we would later come to appreciate as a sustainable food source.”

– THE HUGHS FAMILY

Photo Credits: Eggs photo by Ceslie Armstrong, Bottom photo by Anne Marie Photography

THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY REGION IS CRUSHING, BUBBLING AND BREWING WITH MORE THAN 150 WINERIES, BREWERIES AND DISTILLERS AND THERE ARE MORE ON THE WAY. JOIN US IN TOASTING THESE MAGNIFICENT TEXANS.

1851 Vineyards

Fredericksburg

4.0 Cellars

Fredericksburg

Armadillo’s Leap Winery

Fredericksburg

Becker Vineyards

Stonewall

Bell Springs Winery

Dripping Springs

Bending Branch Winery Comfort

Bent Oak Winery

Cedar Park

Branch On High Comfort

THE CRAFT PROCESS AND PASSION OF THESE VINTNER’S, BREWER’S AND DISTILLER’S ARE WORTHY OF A VISIT AND A PURCHASE IF FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN TO INVEST IN THE EXCITING AND DELICIOUS PRODUCTS MAKING THEIR WAY FROM THE HILL COUNTRY TO YOUR PALATE.

�ineries c �reweries [] �istilleries 2

Photo Credits: Corn Thinkstock/kurmyshov,Hops Thinkstock/aaron007, Grapes Thinkstock/Delpixart

Chisholm Trail Winery

Fredericksburg

Compass Rose Cellars

Hye

Driftwood Estate

Winery

Driftwood

Dry Comal Creek

Vineyards

New Braunfels

Duchman Family Winery

Driftwood

Fall Creek Vineyards

Tow

Fiesta Winery

Fredericksburg

Fiesta Winery

Lometa Texas

Aqua Brew

San Marcos

5 Stones Artisan Brewing

Cibolo

(512) Brewing

Austin

Adelbert’s Brewery

Austin

Alamo Beer

San Antonio

Austin Beerworks

Austin

Aqua Brew

San Marcos

Flat Creek Enoteca

Marble Falls

Flat Creek Estate

Marble Falls

Fredericksburg Winery

Fredericksburg

Grape Creek Vineyards

Fredericksburg

Hawk’s Shadow

Winery

Dripping Springs

Hye Meadow Winery

Hye

Inwood Estates

Winery & Bistro

Fredericksburg

Kerrville Hills Winery

Kerrville

BS Brewing Company Seguin

Busted Sandal Brewing San Antonio

Circle Brewing Austin

Dorcol Distilling and Brewing

San Antonio

Faust Brewing Co. New Braunfels

Fredericksburg Brewing Co

Fredericksburg

Friends and Allies Brewing

Austin

Kuhlman Cellars

Stonewall

Lewis Wines Johnson City

Lost Draw Cellars

Fredericksburg

Lost Maples Winery

Vanderpool Texas

Mcreynolds Winery

Cypress Mill

Messina Hof Hill Country

Fredericksburg

Old Man Scary Cellars

San Saba

Pedernales Cellars

Stonewall

Guadalupe Brewing Co. New Braunfels

Hi Sign Brewing Austin

Hops & Grain Brewing Austin

Independence Brewing Austin

Infamous Brewing Austin

Jester King Brewery Austin

Last Stand Brewing Austin

Live Oak Brewing Austin

Perissos Vineyards And Winery

Burnet

Pillar Bluff Vineyards

Lampasas

Pontotoc Vineyard

Weingarten

Fredericksburg

Rancho Ponte Vineyard

Fredericksburg

Ron Yates

Johnson City

Singing Water Vineyards

Comfort

Sister Creek Vineyards

Sisterdale

Solaro Estate Dripping Springs

Middleton Brewing San Marcos

New Braunfels Brewing Co. New Braunfels

Orf Brewing LLC Austin

Oskar Blues Brewery Austin

Pecan Street Brewing Johnson City

Pedernales Brewing Co.

Fredericksburg

Pint & Plow Brewing Kerrville

Spicewood Vineyards

Spicewood

Stone House Vineyard

Spicewood

Texas Hills Vineyard

Johnson City

Texas Legato Winery

Lampasas

Torr Na Lochs

Vineyard & Winery

Burnet

Torre Di Pietra Vineyards

Fredericksburg

Wedding Oak Winery

San Saba

Wedding Oak Winery

Fredericksburg

Westcave Cellars Winery Round Mountain

William Chris Vineyards Hye

Wimberley Valley

Winery

Driftwood

Woodrose Winery

Stonewall

Azar Distilling San Antonio

Balcones Distilling

Waco

BJ Hooker’s Handmade Premium Vodka

Houston

Cat Tequila & Cat Mezcal Austin, Texas

Cypress Creek Reserve

Wimberley

Deep Eddy Vodka

Distillery

Dripping Springs

Devils River Whiskey Dallas

Dripping Springs Vodka

Dripping Springs

Firestone & Robertson Distilling Co. Fort Worth

Garrison Brothers Distillery

Hye

Gulf Coast Distillers

Houston

Hill Country Distillers LLC Comfort

Ironroot Republic Distilling

Denison

Railean San Leon

Rebecca Creek Distillery San Antonio

Revolution Spirits Austin

Rio Brazos Distillery College Station

Spirit of Texas Independent Distillery Pflugerville

Still Austin Whiskey Co.

Austin

Texacello Austin

Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling San Antonio

Real Ale Brewing Co.Blanco

Rugged Man New Braunfels

Seguin Brewing Company

Seguin

St. Elmo Brewing

Austin

Strange Land Brewery Austin

Thirsty Planet Austin

Twisted X Brewing Dripping Springs

Wimberley Brewing Co. San Marcos

Zilker Brewing Austin

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Austin

Treaty Oak Distilling Dripping Springs

Western Son Distillery Pilot Point

Witherspoon Distillery Lewisville

Yellow Rose Distilling Houston

DEVILS RIVER WHISKEY C

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

Mike Cameron, the founder of Devils River Whiskey and president of the Texas Distilled Spirits Association spoke with CHARM Hill Country shortly after he returned from yet another excursion to the legendary body of water at the 37,000acre Devils River State Natural Area in Val Verde County north of Del Rio. “When you're in the air, looking down on the water, it's like the Caribbean,” continued Cameron, “the water is just an incredible aqua blue marine color.”

The environmental and historical significance of Devils River; the storied Colonel John Coffee Hays; and the pristine waters of Dolan Falls serve as inspiration for the new Texas-based 90 proof whiskey Mike Cameron is launching this month. Dolan Falls

Preserve is located at the intersection of three biological regions: the Edwards Plateau, Chihuahuan Desert and Rio Grande Plain brushland and is supported by the pristine waters of Dolan Springs, Dolan Creek and the Devils River.

Cameron was the co-founder of Rebecca Creek Distillery in San Antonio, (produces Rebecca Creek Whiskey and Enchanted Rock Vodka), and still maintains an ownership stake in that company. Cameron and his partners have now developed and launched Devils River Whiskey. “My grandfather first introduced me to bourbon so that's where it all started. I've always had an affinity for good bourbon and we've been bourbon drinkers in our family for a long time,” said Cameron.

Devils River Whiskey mash bill is 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. Most of the American bourbons are not as high in rye content. Cameron wanted a higher rye profile and according to the bourbon aficionado, “Rye gives flavor and complexity to the actual bourbon as far as the nose on it, continues Cameron, “it has a sweet slight peppery smell, so when you first sample it, you'll notice immediately the higher rye content it gives you that warm feeling

on the the sides of your tongue and in the back of your throat and then it will open up into some nice full notes of caramel, honey and butterscotch and then it has a nice clean finish with no residual alcohol carry over. It's just a very clean finish and very flavorful with a very nice bouquet and I think it’s very smooth for being a ninety proof whiskey.”

Cameron has done a lot of research about bourbon drinkers and states that the millennial consumer, (the number one consumer in the adult beverage industry), might want to drink their granddad’s bourbon but not their dad's bourbon and there is also a lot more women drinking whiskey who want a smooth whiskey without harsh alcohol overtones. “Thanks to our proprietary chill filtration process, we have a nice smooth profile that any whiskey enthusiast will enjoy,” stated Cameron. “We've priced Devils River at $29.99 for retail–the sweet spot where ninety percent of all the whiskey is being sold–whiskey sales in Texas are up forty-two percent in the last five years and specifically bourbon sales are up over sixty percent. It's where all the growth is. Here's a product that's been around for hundreds of years and it's really all of a sudden taking off and you have trends in spirits, like back in “Sex and the City” days, the vodka trend was so popular and now it's a whiskey trend. There's more women drinking whiskey. The millennials love

DOLAN FALLS PRESERVE

COLONEL JOHN COFFEE HAYS

BOURBON AFICIONADO MIKE CAMERON INTRODUCES

A TEXAS BOURBON WHISKEY INSPIRED BY TEXAS LEGENDS

Photo Credits: Bottom photo courtesy photo, Nature photos courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife

whiskey. We're shipping out our first shipment to Republic National at the end of March and it will start popping up on the shelves. In April, you'll see it in all the major retailers,” said Cameron.

THE WATER

“In reality, it doesn't actually take that much water to make our whiskey so it's a big misconception that it takes a ton of water to blend down the whiskey. We are making the whiskey with water from the area but not from the Devils River itself. To ensure that we do our part to maintain and protect the natural state of the river, we are actually getting our water from a commercial well that's on private property. It comes from a ranch near the end of the Devils River so the water we are using is not coming out of the river,” explains Cameron.

Cameron says the reason they chose to use water from the area is because it's very high in mineral content with no iron and that is perfect for making good whiskey, he adds, “The water down there tastes fabulous!”

“In addition, we are taking a portion of the proceeds of the sale of each bottle of the whiskey and donating it back to the Devils River. These donations will go to help with ongoing river clean-up efforts, river management and environmental awareness.”

THE LABEL

Former captain in the Texas Rangers, a military officer of the Republic of Texas and sheriff of San Francisco John Coffee Hays, a.k.a. Captain Jack, was born in 1817 in Little Cedar Lick, Tennessee, (Nashville), and died on San Jacinto Day in 1883. The eponymous county in Texas, (home to San Marcos), and the ranch, (willed to the University of California at Berkeley), carry on the name of Captain Jack, who at his death was said to be one of the wealthiest men in California. According to historians, Devils River got its name from Hays

who was also the nephew of President Andrew Jackson. “Hays died fairly young at 66 and was a very intelligent, tough and adventurous type of guy and he's who we dedicated this project to,” said Cameron, “I've always loved Texas history, especially Texas Ranger history and Captain Jack also had a major role in settling the west.”

In researching Hays Online, Cameron found a personal pistol, “It was his Colt Walker and he had it engraved with his signature on the handle, on the metal portion of the handle, so I grabbed his signature and I put it on our label so his signature is on our label. I got permission to use it, his likeness, his image, his story and his signature and that's a big part of the story of Devils River and that's on our bottle along with an image of Dolan Falls.” explained Cameron.

TEXAS DISTILLERIES

According to Cameron, the president of the Texas Distilled Spirits Association, there are currently 104 licensed DSP's, (distilled spirits permits), in the state to date. “Not all are craft producers but each one of us has our own unique story to tell and that is what makes our industry great,” continues Cameron, “craft distilleries in Texas employ thousands of people and pay millions in tax dollars to the federal and state government.”

MIKE CAMERON

Fonder of Devils River Whiskey and President of the Texas Distilled Spirits Association

“ Whiskey sales in Texas are up 42 percent in the last five years and, specifically, bourbon sales are up over 60 percent.”

– MIKE CAMERON

BURGERS

The Apple Store

14024 State Hwy 16 North Medina

Burger Burger

209 E Main Street

Fredericksburg

Willies Grill and Ice House

24200 IH10 Frontage Rd

Leon Springs

TACOS

Hilda's Tortillas

149 FM2093

Fredericksburg

Mi Pueblo

706 Main Street Bandera

Mary's Tacos

1616 Broadway Kerrville

BAR-B-QUE

Cranky Franks Barbeque Co 1679 US-87

Fredericksburg

Fritze’s 926 N Main Street

Boerne 702 7th Street Comfort

Old 300 BBQ 318 4th Street Blanco

HILL COUNTRY DISTILLERS

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

QUALITY CACTUS SPIRITS AT A FLAVORFUL DESTINATION IN COMFORT, TEXAS

For John and Cayce Kovacs, the founders of Hill Country Distillers in Comfort, Texas, launching a distillery in a former winery was purely a business venture–at first. “Really, I didn't have any passion for making alcohol, but I saw that distilling was a newly approved industry in Texas and I thought it would be interesting to see it grow, kind of like the wine industry did,” said John Kovacs. The Kovacs created their first business prior to the state of Texas passing a new law in 2013 that, “allowed us a lot more freedom than we had, not enough, but a lot more than we had. I literally tore up the business plan and started all over because now that a distillery can have a bar and sell drinks and sell some bottles, not an unlimited number, but we can sell two bottles per person per month, it allows us to have a business where we can stay smaller and survive,” explained Kovacs.

Hill Country Distillers’ core spirits are distilled from prickly pear cactus pads known as nopales in a madeto-order copper still, (a work of art), at the distillery on the large property that houses a barrel room, mash room, and a main house with a tasting bar and cocktail service bar with an extensive and interesting

menu. The Kovacs have detailed each room with elements evocative of a distillery and copper is a decorative element throughout the property.

The single distillation process for the Cactus Spirits produces an earthy, lemon grass, and organic note similar to vodka but the flavor of the prickly pear cactus–not a lingering alcohol taste–comes through as does the smoothness of the drink that mixes with almost anything for a refreshingly different cocktail experience. “And then along came the jalapeno product, which is a very unique product, and I don't think there's anybody in the country, that we know of, that actually makes a product from the jalapeno pepper,” said Kovacs, “they will infuse an alcohol with it, for flavor, but they won't actually make it from the pepper. And once we started off in that left field position, we just decided to stay out there. So everything that we're doing is a little bit off-kilter.”

For the business guy who was not passionate about making spirits, now says the passion for making the full product line is driven by their Texas roots. “It's all about local for us, ever since we started. We bought this old winery and started fixing it up. We had our own little mantra, and it was: ‘Comfort. Texas. USA.’ We want to buy in Comfort if we can, Texas if we can, and USA if we can, and only outside of that if we must.” said Kovacs, “we've been pretty successful with that and we use local ingredients, locally made, local everything. We're real proud of that. That's a big part for us. And that's more my passion than almost than the making alcohol itself.”

An avid wine drinker and member of many wine clubs, Kovacs took his cue from the industry he is surrounded

Photo Credit: Photos by Frank Castro

by in the Hill Country and began to build a business that mimicked a winery to include a tasting room where people can have a cocktail; enjoy a tasting; do a tour, and visit often. “I wasn't passionate about making spirits. I haven't been making moonshine in my backyard for 20 years. I don't come from the beer world. I don't have a home brew,” continues Kovacs, “the passion grew from the odd fact that we started doing things differently. We started off with this crazy cactus-based product when almost everything in the alcohol and distilled spirits world is corn and grain-based. Our cactus-based product allows us to be different.”

A pioneer in the rapidly growing regional distillery trade, the Kovacs have followed their mantra to proudly be a local business tied the local community and the wine world. “When we moved in to Comfort, there were some empty buildings in these couple blocks and three years later there are no empty buildings,” continues Kovacs, “we are part of a growing community and we're proud of to be part of that.”

Kovacs is also proud that small-town family-owned retailers took a risk on them before any of the big chains did but their distribution is growing steadily and you will find their various spirits, gin and moonshine products in Total Wine among other retailers throughout the state of Texas.

Development and expansion of the product line for the Kovacs has always begun with the flavor profiles. Their Texas Dulce liqueur’s begin with the Prickly Pear Cactus Spirits and then are infused with the zest of Texas Valley fruits without using any chemicals, extracts nor colorings. The result is an intense lemon, orange, lime or Ruby Red grapefruit sip of smooth deliciousness. The recently launched coffee flavor version is a runaway hit.

Another flavor-centric process currently underway at Hill Country Distillers is a result of partnering with

Texas wineries to create brandies and ports. According to Kovacs, “we are continually trying to find unique offerings for our growing customer-base.”

“We make a gin product that is also out in left field. I've never been a gin drinker. I didn't plan on making gin, but some friends wanted me to try to make it for a party. And we made a small batch, and everybody loved it,” said Kovacs. He combined two quintessential Hill Country natives: the cedar tree, (Ashe juniper) berries and cactus, and for obvious reasons–if you have ever had the dreaded Texas Cedar Fever–named it "Texas Revenge."

Quality flavorful ingredients and being true to the spirit of Texas are the tenets of Hill Country Distillers business model. “Everything we do is all about the customer and the relationship–being family. We try and keep everything simple. Our tours are not two times a day. We'll do them at the drop of a hat. Anytime somebody wants to go see the distillery, it's only 40 steps away. We want everybody to enjoy themselves. We want them to be first acquaintances, then friends, then family,” continues Kovacs, “that's what we want to continue to build in Comfort, Texas.”

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

June 2009. Walt working with the Army to restore businesses in Doura Market, Baghdad.

The recently appointed president & CEO of the Kerr County Area Chamber of Commerce Walter “Walt” Koenig III and his wife Maria Giovanna “MG” Balestrucci made their way to the Texas Hill Country from Italy via the Middle East and Asia. Formerly a senior economic advisor for the U.S. Department of State in both Afghanistan and Iraq, Koenig has also held senior positions with companies stateside and abroad as well as prestigious boards both as chairman and member. Specializing in turn-arounds, strategic planning and organizational growth, Koenig saw the opportunity during a search for a location in the U.S. to settle in to that met the criteria he and his beloved wife Maria set forth for their dream future. Kerrville is that place. CHARM Hill Country editor-in-chief Ceslie Armstrong sat down with the Koenig’s after Walt had only spent a few weeks on the new job. Please share with our readers why you made the move from Italy to Kerrville.

learned overseas. We visited a number of communities and by the time we got here, we found very quickly that this was our home.

It seems like a whole new adventure–and you two strike me as adventurous type souls. I look at where you’ve lived and the type of work that you’ve done, and certainly there’s not a fear factor there for you. Am I right?

Getting to Know Walt Koenig

We’ve lived overseas for many years, and after we finished our service in Afghanistan, we spent a year in Italy. We have a home there. I do consulting and we decided that we wanted to move back to the US for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is that my wife wants to become a dual citizen. We decided it’s time to come back. We did a nation-wide search of communities and jobs. When we actually had the opportunity to come to Kerrville just prior to the Christmas holiday we had six active searches on, everywhere from northern Ohio, southern Idaho, northern Alabama, all around the US. So you had certain criteria you were looking for in a community?

We wanted a small, mediumsized community in the proximity of a larger city with an international airport. Obviously, interesting and challenging work using my skills in either economic development or organizing chambers which I

No, there’s not a fear factor there for us at all. There’s a real comfort here. Within a day, we felt like this was home. The people were very nice, the businesses and the personality of the town is very welcoming to outsiders. You don’t see that everywhere universally in the United States. It’s going to be interesting for me to learn about the local culture, the local politics, the local relationships, and how we can work the Chamber’s agenda to be very supportive of this community that we’re a part of. That’ll be a challenge, but it’s certainly not a fear factor at all. It’s an excitement factor, frankly.

Engaging you has created a whole new opportunity to bring a skill-set from a global perspective and apply it to one of the most burgeoning, exciting, high-growth areas in the United States and certainly in Texas.

During what is, by the way, probably the most interesting historical period that I’ve seen in my lifetime for business. A new administration with radically new outlooks and ideas in terms of how to take policy forward on a number of fronts. If small businesses believe that they’re immune to that, they really need to look at things, because if your business needs banking, finance, it’s going to affect you. If your business imports products from overseas, it’s going to affect you. If you’re a consumeroriented business that relies on the purchasing power of the consumer, it’s going to affect you. Not always good, not always bad, but there’s going to be pluses and minuses.

PRESIDENT & CEO KERRVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

WALT KOENIG

And obviously in a community like this where small business is really king, the Chamber has got to have a very important role in terms of getting those businesses aligned with the realities and the opportunities that the new reality, the ‘new normal’ that we’re going to see will bring.

With the incredible growth trajectory happening in the Hill Country, it’s really quite remarkable that was once considered a sleepy little area is not so sleepy. Kerr County is comprised of so many interesting people with incredible backgrounds and stories to tell.

There’s a lot going on beneath the surface here that we’re just beginning to scratch the surface of in terms of understanding, and that’s a good thing. This is a vibrant community with a lot of interests, a lot of capacity, a lot of wherewithal. The other thing that is a driver here is a philanthropy within the very fabric of the society that you don’t see in most places.

Most people I know serve on boards, volunteerism here is very high. I have had a chance to read the citizen survey for the city that was done by the city comparing Kerrville to like cities around, of same size and shape to other cities around the country. Volunteerism is one of the things that really spike up in terms of identity for this city, and I think that’s a really wonderful thing. There is a real pride in the city, and that comes through. To an outsider particularly, it’s nice.

MG:The pride and the warmth to me was felt like home. Italians sometimes don’t appear so warm and welcoming, because we have so many tourists, especially in some areas like Rome, or a large city like Milan or Florence. But yet, we have that specific prideful attitude and we have that here. This feels like home. And the landscapes--I was born in Sardinia, which is an island outside of the continent--and it looks like that home.

So this is a new chapter but seems familiar?

I think this is my fourth career, which is kind of cool, but they all have kind of, like you said, all have been related. I went international in 1990 with Harris Corporation out of Florida after graduating from the University of Illinois in ‘84. I went to Saudi Arabia first in 1990, and that started a career in telecommunications, where I worked my way up to the executive level positions in AT&T and Lucent Technologies and Avaya Communications. They’re all kind of spinoffs from the same company, very, very large corporations.

Is this around the time you met each other?

Well, we met each other when I became the managing director and VP of Italy for Lucent Technologies. My job in the company was as a corporate turnaround specialist. I was sent to the high potential but underperforming branches. I had just come from Eastern Europe where I’d done that in Russia, and I did it in Poland, and Hungary, and Czech Republic. They sent me to Italy, and the assignment there was: be there for two years, re-engineer the organization, train your successor, hand over to the local leadership, and then go on to the next one. We met in 1998, we were professional colleagues for two years, but we became friends. Just friends and colleagues for a number of years, and we kept in touch. We worked together in the telecommunications industry another time, when I became CEO of a company in Hungary, LaserBit Communications. I built a team of people that I’d worked with over the years. I brought a marketing person from Dubai. She was on my team in Dubai. And I brought MG on board because she was the best customer service person that I had worked with, and the best channel development person that I had. I put together this team. So we worked together twice, and romantic involvement followed some time later. We’ve been together for quite a long time.

OPPOSITE PHOTO: May 2009. Walt as Senior Economic Advisor for the 1st Brigade Combat Team of the 4th Infantry Division at Forward Operating Base Falcon in Baghdad

Photo Credit: Coliseum Thinkstock/zokru, Camo background Thinkstock/MariaArefyeva, Lemon Thinkstock/Tata_Pikulina, Top photo by Tom Holden, Military photos courtesy of Walt Koenig, Opposite photo by Ceslie Armstrong

What was the longest stint when you were on your turnaround tours? How long were you in Dubai?

It was two years. Two years in Eastern Europe, two years in Italy, two years in Dubai. Then I was headhunted to be CEO of the company in Hungary. I was there for three years. The company was owned by a venture capitalist. It was sold through a European conglomerate. Then that was pretty much it. Shortly after that, because of the relationships that I had in the Middle East and in Central Asia, I was asked to join a team during the civilian surge into Iraq in 2008. We were losing and President Bush pushed a military surge under Petraeus, and that was followed shortly by a civilian surge. They assembled a team of specialists in various areas. There were medical personnel, there were educators, there were farmers and agriculture specialists, and I was recruited as a business and economic development guy, because I had the knowledge of the region, and I had a lot of contacts. You were a good select for that and also you speak Arabic, correct?

Yes, and I was willing to go. So I was asked to serve--and it sounds corny in some places but it doesn’t sound corny in Texas--if your country asks you to serve and you can, you serve, right? It was a privilege and an honor. I went, it was 2008, it was the Sunni Triangle, it was southwest Baghdad. I was embedded with the Army. I’d never served. I was 46 years old. It was an eye-opener for me. We lost a lot of guys, it was sad. But we did a lot of good, and that was better. I went for a year and ended up staying for almost four years.

After the time in Baghdad I was asked to become senior economic advisor for the State

Department in southern Iraq, out of Basrah. Their mission was to help all the international oil companies and services companies mobilize into the oil fields in Iraq to get them up and running again, because that was obviously the engine of the economy. We had to do that as a really high national priority. I speak Russian, so the Lukoil oil company was there and I could be helpful.

Then after success there, I was asked by the Commerce Department to be the senior commercial officer in Afghanistan, and I did that for four years. Out of the last nearly two of which, my lovely wife was able to join me, and she worked in the consular section. With the diplomacy side of what you’ve been involved in combined with the metrics of turning a business around, and all the protocols that have to be put in place. First, you do your due diligence and your fact-finding, and then the turnaround starts, and it’s very painful, and then it becomes happy, usually. Those really are kind of criteria for coming into a growing market that needs an injection to take its assets and intellectual property and put it all together to make something really amazing happen.

The thing I said during my interview is, there are a lot of the skills I learned overseas in business, as well as serving the government, that will be applicable here. Some won’t, but they’re relevant to me as a person. I have to say that I believe, as a market development challenge, and as a Chamber development challenge, Kerrville’s opportunities are immense. We asked ourselves: If we move back to the states, what do we want to do? Where do we want to do it? How do we want to do it? We wanted as one of the key objectives of this move is to simplify our lives in a way. I don’t like to say “relax,” because we’re busier now than I think we were even at the embassy, or when I was in the private sector, but it’s a different kind of engagement. It’s communitylevel service, it’s a place where efforts can be shown in terms of progress on a fairly rapid basis. It’s not high-level strategic stuff. It’s all pretty much person-to-person relationship-building.

It’s exactly what you’re seeing, I’m sure. And in that regard, we’re sleeping great, we’re happy.

What’s your strategy for growth?

For me it’s pretty simple, and again, I’m starting my third week, but my thinking hasn’t evolved that much. I was involved in starting a chamber up in Afghanistan. I was involved in starting a chamber up in Iraq, and I was on the board of the American Chamber in Italy. So I have experience in those environments. This is similar in some ways, different in others, and that’s the way it should be. This particular chamber is a turnaround story in and of itself. Thankfully it’s a chamber that has a very active board, which is why I’m here. It cared enough to actually go through the effort to find somebody who was willing to do this turnaround.

I have spent the last two weeks talking to members, ex-members, former members, current members, because that’s what you do in business or elsewhere to try to figure out how you get better. What I’ve told the team and what I’ve told the board, there’s two things we’re going to focus on for the near term here at this Chamber: It’s responsiveness, and it’s relevance. We’re going to be the most responsive organization that our membership base has ever seen, and we’re going to become ever more relevant.

There are a whole world of programs that the federal government has through the Department of Commerce Small Business Administration and others, that are designed to help businesses in general, small medium enterprise is obviously a focus because of what you said before about that being the engine of the economy. Womenowned businesses, minority-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, there’s dozens of programs for finance, for training, for market access, and others. There’s preferential bidding on government contracts for certain companies. The Chamber is going start to become a source of information and contacts to help our community avail themselves of these kinds of programs.

We sure spent a lot of money overseas to develop economies in Iraq and Afghanistan, but there are programs here in the US that our membership needs to know about.

Taste the Romance of The Grey Moss Inn

Mesquite-grilled Choice steaks, lamb, pork, chicken, lobster and salmon! Largest and most reasonably priced wine-list in the San Antonio-Hill Country area!

19010 Scenic Loop Road • Grey Forest, Texas 78023

210-695-8301 • www.greymossinn.com

Open Easter Sunday & Mother’s Day from 12 noon!

201 Honor Dr., Kerrville in the gated community-The Horizon. Open floor plan for entertaining. 4 bedrooms and 3 baths all on one level with attached 2 car garage. No steps to access garage or home. Brick/rock exterior with large front & back porches to view sunrise & sunsets. Wood & stained concrete floors, bedrooms have large walk-in closets and high ceilings. The kitchen with a bar area opens directly to the great room where one can enjoy warmth from the fireplace while oversized windows view the 3+ acres of native landscape, hills and valleys. Plus…30 x 80 building for RV or storage or workshop…all on 3.74 acres!

MUST SEE! $574,000 MLS#92751

1700 Sidney Baker North, Suite 320 Kerrville, TX 78028

Office: 830-895-1800

Cell: 970-630-7832

buchanan_karin@hotmail.com ✪ www.KerrvilleHomeListings.com

Karin K. Buchanan Realtor®

Go Classic in SA

THREE SAN ANTONIO CLASSIC DESTINATIONS CELEBRATE THEIR LONGEVITY DUE TO QUALITY, CONSISTENCY AND ALWAYS RE-INVENTING THEMSELVES. IT’S TIME TO REVISIT THE WITTE MUSEUM, ST. ANTHONY HOTEL & BIGA ON THE BANKS AND STAY AWHILE.

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

TheWitte Museum

After two years of a multi-tiered $100 million renovation project that included new event and gallery areas; innovative permanent and visiting exhibits; and a spectacular new entryway where a huge dinosaur exhibit will greet visitors, Texas’ beloved Witte Museum in San Antonio deserves a new visit. If you haven’t been in awhile, you will marvel at the changes amongst the familiarity of the location. Plan to visit the grounds on the banks of the San Antonio River behind the museum and rent a bike for a ride through adjacent Brackenridge Park. 3801 Broadway Street • 210-357-1900

The St. Anthony Hotel

The first fully air conditioned hotel in the world and the first luxury hotel in San Antonio opened in 1909 and extended its south Texas hospitality to notables including presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Texas’ own Lyndon B. Johnson as well as European and Hollywood royalty including Princess Grace, Lucille Ball, and more recently, George Clooney. In 2015, the grand dame of downtown San Antonio was reborn after a two-year renovation that removed layers to reveal and restore some of the most beautiful Venetiantile mosaics and architectural elements that had been hidden for years. Don’t miss the meeting rooms and St. Anthony Club (a fabulous bar) that were redesigned in the 1950’s by renowned New York decorator Dorothy Draper. The 1927 Steinway that had gone missing for many years was located in New York, repurchased by the new owners, given a facelift and now is position in her rightful place in Peacock Alley.

The opulent lobby and luxury classification of the hotel may stand but the feeling is definitely old school San Antonio meets modern luxury. The designated national historic landmark’s renovation included a redux of the adjacent Travis Park and with a short three block walk to the Alamo (also under renovations itself) and River Walk, the St. Anthony is a great homebase for your “Classic SA Staycation.”

300 East Travis Street 210-227-4392

Rebelle & Haunt

Chef Stefan Bowers’ Rebelle restaurant is a gem of a destination within the St. Anthony Hotel. Part of the rebirth of the hotel, the owners tapped the chef along with restaurateur Andrew Goodman to create a dining destination unlike any in the region. The deliciously interesting menu is composed of the highest-quality ingredients and bursts with flavor and color–as does the dining room. There is a nod to the original character of the structure and repurposing of architectural elements that are now more artistically relevant including many of the 1920s chandeliers dotted throughout the space. From steaks to seafood and decadent desserts, Rebelle is a perfect staycation location and you can take the elevator “home” after sampling the cocktail menu at Rebelle that is based on the seven temptations or visit the adjacent bar Haunt where the spirits are flowing and possibly seated next to you.

210-352-3171

Biga on the Banks

A native Londoner, San Antonio’s multiple James Beard Award nominated chef and restaurateur Bruce Auden has been an incredibly respected chef by San Antonio locals since in 1985 and known nationally as a heralded and innovated culinarian. Bringing whimsy and elegance to the plate, Auden’s food never disappoints and his ability to take south Texas favorites like chicken-fried oysters and quail to a heightened level was astounding in 2000 at the opening of Biga on the Banks and he manages to continue to astound today. The notion that the River Walk is a must for tourists but not necessarily locals is easily debunked when the riverside dining rooms at Biga on the Banks are filled with the who’s who of the region time and time again. Don’t miss the artisanal breads, deliciously inventive desserts and whatever Perny suggests you try for the evening.

203 S. St. Mary's at Market 210.225.0722

Photo Credit: Photos courtesy of Biga on the Banks

Chef Auden and Biga partner Perny Shea, director of special events and private dining

Lemon Dill Potato Salad

PrepTime:25minutes•ChillTime:2hours

Makes10-12Servings

5lb.redpotatoes

4stalkscelery,chopped

1smallredonion,choppedsmall

4hardboiledeggs

1cupmayonnaise

H

1jarRobertsReserveLemonDillCaperDip

H

2TBSP Adams Reserve House Rub ¼cupchoppedparsley

HLocatedattheH-E-BCookingConnection

Cutpotatoesintobitesizepieces.Puttheminastockpot andfillpotwithwater.Bringtoaboilandcookpotatoes about20-25minutesuntiltender.Drain.Letcool10minutes whileyouchopremainingingredients.Foldingredientsin withpotatoesgently.Turnoutmixtureintoservingdish. Coverwithfoilandchillatleast2hours.ServeatyournextBBQ!

LUXE HILL COUNTRY at SCHREINER GOODS

1.Beth Warren, Mia Kaba & Ceslie Armstrong 2.MG & Walt Koenig 3.Cayce & John Kovacs 4.Heidi Davis & Diane Treusdell 5.James & Jo Billingsly 6.Phil Tomlinson , Brenda Burdock & Mary Tomlinson 7.Lori Heiss & Sylvia Fritz 8.Sherry Cameron pours Devils River Whiskey 9.Sue Tiemann & Neice Bell 10. Mary Fritze & Rodeana Reynolds 11.Neice Bell & Mindy Wendele 12.Mike Cameron & Ceslie Armstrong 13.Keri Kropp of Schreiner Goods, Neice Bell, publisher Kerrville Daily Times & Enver Kaba of Ferrari of San Antonio 14.Davidoff of Geneva Cigars 15.Rachel Fitch with family & friends 16. Kevin Sutherlin & Justin Poe - of Davidoff of Geneva

FERRARI OF SAN ANTONIO, DEVILS RIVER WHISKEY & DAVIDOFF OF GENEVA AT CHARM MARCH ISSUE LAUNCH

FRANCISCO’S, OF COURSE

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

Lunching on the historic corner of Water Street and Earl Garrett in Kerrville at Francisco’s Restaurant is not only a recurring “must have the Chicken Salad Nachos” fix for locals but is a much lauded destination for visitors. Nestled in the circa 1890 Weston Building in Kerrville’s Historic District and adjacent to the banks of the Guadalupe River, the truly eclectic yet stylish surroundings include beautifully prepared food and historic rock walls replete with owner Paco Espinoza’s curated collection of art that fills the massive walls. Sidewalk dining is people-watching paradise under umbrellas where one can easily spend an afternoon over steak, seafood, and whatever the fresh available ingredients of the day have made their way from the expert kitchen to your well-appointed plate.

Your constant dining companion is the historic building constructed by Charles Weston. It originally was a mercantile store, and later a community bank. According to Francisco’s staff, after the turn of the century, it became known as “the most popular place in town” when the Ranchman’s Saloon, (complete with upstairs bordello), was located on the premises. Other businesses that were operated in the building included a pool hall, a sporting goods merchant, and a shoe store. Since 1995, Francisco’s Restaurant has operated on the venerable spot and our prediction is that Espinoza has achieved legacy status for Francisco’s Restaurant.

Photo Credit: Photo by Tom Holden

BYE-BYE PIE

BY CESLIE ARMSTRONG

Adults living in the Hill Country and around the region have sensory culinary memories of the delicious pies and homestyle cooking at Earl Abel’s on Broadway in San Antonio. Earl Abel opened his restaurant in 1933, and his namesake neon sign beckoned his diverse clientele who notoriously disagreed on the politics and pop culture subjects of the day; but, could absolutely agree on the sumptuous German chocolate cake, meringue-topped pies, fried chicken, and a myriad of menu items that became legendary. Attracting and serving customers from affluent nearby Alamo Heights to U.S. Army personnel at nearby Fort Sam Houston to Hill Country residents visiting the Witte Museum, (or who just made the trek to the pie-mecca), the landmark sign was a constant for everyone. That is until 2005 when Abel’s son Jerry sold the property to a San Antonio development firm to build highrise condominiums.

The original restaurant closed its doors for good in March 2006 and Earl Abel’s re-opened under new ownership at a new San Antonio location on Austin Highway at Seidel Road.

Photo

Credit:

Photo by Ceslie Armstrong

Tobin Tilley,

The long-term solution for smile lines and acne scars

Bellafill® is the only filler FDA approved to treat both acne scars and wrinkles. Bellafill® has been proven safe and effective in rigorously conducted clinical studies, including the largest and longest safety study ever conducted on dermal fillers.1

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Important Safety Information

Bellafill® is indicated for the correction of nasolabial folds and moderate to severe, atrophic, distensible facial acne scars on

cheek in patients over the age of 21 years. Patients who have had a positive reaction to the Bellafill® Skin Test, have a history of severe allergies, have known bovine collagen allergies, are allergic to lidocaine, have bleeding disorders or are prone to thick scar formation and/or excessive scarring should not receive Bellafill.® The safety of Bellafill® for use during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or in patients under 21 has not been established. You may experience temporary swelling, redness, pain, bruising, lumps/bumps, itching, and discoloration at the treatment site. These side effects are usually transient and typically resolve within 1–7 days. You may experience lumps/ bumps/papules that may occur more than one month after injection and that may persist. Less common side effects include rash and itching more than 48 hours after treatment, persistent swelling or redness, lumps/bumps, acne, and increased sensitivity at treatment sites. Infrequently, granulomas may occur and may be treated by your licensed physician provider. Be sure to call your licensed provider immediately if you notice any unusual skin reactions around the treatment area. Based on the 5-year Post Approval Study on nasolabial folds with 1008 patients, long term safety of Bellafill® for up to 5 years has been established.

For more safety information, please consult with your physician and the patient labeling that can be found by visiting our website www.bellafill.com

REFERENCES: 1. Data on file. Suneva Medical, Inc.

www.bellafill.com www.odeyoungmd.com 218 SIDNEY BAKER N • KERRVILLE, TEXAS • 830-315-5005

One of the cool things about my job as publisher of The Kerrville Daily Times is that I get invited to some truly great local events.

I try very hard to go to everything I’m invited to, but sometimes I have to turn down an invitation due to other work or travel commitments.

A few months ago, believe it or not, my managing editor, Lisa Walter, and myself were invited to milk a goat as part of the fun at the community’s Cowboy Breakfast kicking off the annual livestock show. It was a first for both of us and we had such a good time.

A recent function I also had the pleasure of attending was a recognition banquet for volunteers and donors hosted by Schreiner University.

I absolutely love going to anything they have at Schreiner, mainly due to the fact that it is where I attended college. Every time I get on campus I have to point out to my husband, Jeff, where my dorm was, where the old gym used to be and where the old swimming pool was.

I have particularly fond memories of the pool because, during my spring semesters, I would make sure all my classes where in the morning so I could hang out at the pool all afternoon and work on my tan.

Recently, I also attended the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Hill Country Economic Summit. If you didn’t attend you really missed out on a fantastic, fact-filled event and you need to plan to attend next year.

I was given more statistics about Kerrville and Kerr County in a four-hour period than I had been given in the 27 years that I have lived here. From what I gleaned, it looks like Kerrville’s economic future looks bright.

I love Kerrville. I love the people, the scenic beauty and the quality of life that Kerrville allows us to live. There is no other place I would rather be and I am fortunate that I get to experience all that Kerrville has to offer.

So keep sending me those invites to all those banquets, fundraisers and gatherings. I will always do my best to get to them all.

Lost Maples Winery at Polvadeau Vineyards

Neice Bell Publisher neice.bell@dailytimes.com

Whether you’re in the hill country visiting the Lost Maples Natural Area or another local attraction, we hope you’ll stop by and join us for some Texas hospitality and a tasting of some of our award-winning wines. The scenery is gorgeous, the conversation is good and the wines are even better! We think we’ve got a winning combination but, even more important, is what our guests think!

“This winery was amazing! The owners are friendly and readily offer up info about the grapes and wine, which enhance your tasting. Seriously, you can’t beat getting a glass of wine from someone who loves the grapes at every stage…” —Trip Advisor 4

“…The wines were spectacular….some of the best sipping we had in Texas and we’ve pretty extensively tasted in TX!” —Trip Advisor 4

“You’re in for a treat when you come to visit this place both in scenery and wines.” — Yelp 4

“Very personable owners who care about their customers and making the best experience for you! Highly recommend!”—Google

Tasting Room Hours: Wednesdays–Sundays 1 p.m. –7 p.m.

34986 Ranch Road 187 • Vanderpool, TX 78885 (830) 966-5131

lostmapleswinery.com

Enjoying the recent Schreiner University volunteer and donor recognition banquet are (from left): me, my husband, Jeff Bell, and Lane Tate, of Schreiner University.

Lisa Walter, right, and myself doing our best in the goat-milking contest.

Come Home to the Hill Country

Luxury Living. Endless Activities. Unmatched Value.

COMANCHE TRACE - A TEXAS TREASURE AS RELAXING AS THE HILL COUNTRY ITSELF. Here, along the banks of the Guadalupe River an exclusive golf oasis awaits. Comanche Trace is a private, 1,300 acre master-planned community boasting 27-holes of the best course conditions in the state. Our homes range in price from $260 thousand to over $1 million and are all built to accentuate outdoor living, taking advantage of the mild climate and elevated vistas of the Texas Hill Country. Homesites up to 1 acre, on or off golf, are also available to personalize your custom or planned home.

Call 1-877-467-6282 or visit comanchetrace.com

TM

Comanche Trace releases one of the most anticipated areas for development. Presales May 2017