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The Winter Issue

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Issue No. 32

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The Winter Issue 2019 - Issue No. 32

CONTENTS

Above: “Cooking Classic Paella with Chef James Canter” (Photo by Jarvis Ely) Cover: “Deconstructed Paella” (Photo by Jarvis Ely)

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Awesome SA and FABMOSA

CLASSIC TRADITION 2019 Paella Challenge

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ADVISORY COUNCIL

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LITTLE BITES

SWEET TALKER Candied Edible Flowers

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NEWS YOU CAN USE H-E-B Quest and more

MIMI'S HEIRLOOM RECIPES Post-Harvest Pecans

FARMERS JOURNAL Farming Isn’t Easy

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FEEDING HOPE SAFB partners with MealConnect

EDIBLE INK Rethinking Food Waste

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LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS Where and When

GLOBAL TRADITION Once Upon a Kitchen

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CREATIVE CITIES SA in Chengdu

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SOMMELIER SAYS Tricentennial Hangover LOCAL PINTS The Pigpen Neighborhood Bar

EDIBLE DREAM TEAM Meet the Von Bargens

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EDIBLE SOURCES Sponsor Directory

LOCAL DINING GUIDE Eat Local with Us

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THE LAST BITE WHY, Revisited

RANCH LIFE Speculaas

ediblesanantonio.com

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food for thought

THANK YOU, AWESOME SA!

edible

San Antonio® PUBLISHER Frederic C. Covo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Angela Covo MANAGING EDITOR Delia Covo CREATIVE DIRECTOR Sophie Covo Gonzales BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Christopher Covo CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Marianne Odom, Amanda Covo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jenn Beckmann, Bettina Covo, Marcy Epperson, Mimi Faubert, V. Finster, Michael Guerra, Suzanne Johnson, J.E. Jordan, Travis Krause, Jill Lightner, Noi Mahoney, Jenn Riesman, Lara Rotharmel, Michael Sohocki, Susan Sypesteyn, Dave Terrazas DESIGN & LAYOUT

Awesome SA Trustees awarded the first grant of the year to team Edible SA to start their next big community project, FABMOSA, the Food and Beverage Museum of San Antonio.

From L to R, back row: Nathan Felix, Norma Gomez, Uche Ogba and Christian Ogba, James Fashing, Judy Free, Felipe Barrera, Alyssa Long, Kyle Sharp, Ryan Cox. From L to R, front row: Debra Maltz, Angela and Freddie Covo, Claudia Loya Duran. (Photo by Raymond Tijerina)

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n January 22, a group of San Antonio aficionados gathered at Playland on Houston St. for Awesome SA’s first pitch party of 2019.

Awesome SA, the San Antonio chapter of the Awesome Foundation, gathers and reviews applications every month to award a $1000 grant for one great idea that could make our city more awesome.

“Our goal is just to highlight all the awesome people doing awesome things in San Antonio with our monthly $1000 grants,” Dean of Awesome SA Claudia Loya Duran said.

That night, three great ideas were pitched – a program to expand bicycle lanes on the N. St. Mary’s strip, a workshop to repair toys for kids, and FABMOSA, the Food and Beverage Museum of San Antonio.

The idea for FABMOSA is to highlight the culinary arts in SA and underscore our city’s UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation. It was a tough choice for the trustees, but FABMOSA won.

“They loved the idea of highlighting the diversity of culinary arts in San Antonio,” Ms. Duran explained.

Edible SA is grateful for the seed money to start FABMOSA and for the terrific vote of confidence from the trustees. This is just the beginning, but the project is explained on the Awesome SA website.

If you have a project or idea you’d like the organization to consider, visit awesomefoundation.org, click on the San Antonio chapter and apply. The next pitch party takes place on March 27.

“Anyone and everyone can apply – that’s what makes us AWESOME!” Ms. Duran added.

Florence Edwards, Pixel Power Graphics Cover photo by Jarvis Ely CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Elizabeth Carroll, Shannon Douglas, Jarvis Ely, Mandy Krause, Matthew E. Smith, Raymond Tijerina and Kristina Zhao

FINANCE MANAGER Louis Gonzales

Our heartfelt thanks to the friends and businesses who make this magazine possible.

Remember to like us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EdibleSanAntonio LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please call 210-274-6572 or email angela@ediblesanantonio.com ADVERTISING Please call 210-365-8046 or email fred@ediblesanantonio.com Homegrown Media LLC publishes Edible San Antonio every eight weeks.

Distribution is throughout South Central Texas and nationally by subscription.

Your annual subscriptions support the mission and cost only $35 per year.

Please order online at www.EdibleSA.com or call (210) 365-8046 to order by phone.

We make every effort to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our apologies and let us know.

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a special thank you EDIBLE SAN ANTONIO

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ADVISORY COUNCIL

Chef Michael Sohocki

Leslie Komet Ausburn

Darryl Byrd

Sandy Winokur, Ph. D

Roberta Churchin

Marianne Odom

Chef Stephen Paprocki

Adam Rocha

Di-Anna Arias

Chef Johnny Hernandez

Bob Webster

Chef Jeff White

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little bites The team from Paramour serves up outof-this-world “Ribbon Cutting” cocktails at SACC’s Waldorf on the Prairie at the St. Anthony Hotel.

(Photo by Frederic Covo)

IMPRESSIONS

THE 2019 SAN ANTONIO COCTAIL CONFERENCE

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an Antonio’s fast-growing food and beverage scene headlined at the 2019 San Antonio Cocktail Conference (SACC), the annual event that brings thousands together with the promise of networking, free-flowing booze and a chance to ponder the future of the cocktail industry.

Attendees said the conference, which took place Jan. 14-20, was a one-of-a-kind opportunity to mingle with fellow mixologists, meet cocktail legends, taste every kind of spirit, sample mouth-watering tastes from San Antonio’s best restaurants and get together at nightly parties.

“This is a great conference, I got my money’s worth coming here,” Jonathan Stanyard, a bartender from Seattle, said.

Mr. Stanyard said this was his first visit to SACC and he attended as many seminars and parties as he could. He signed up for a one-onone mentor session with Jonathan Pogash, known as the industry’s “The Cocktail Guru.” Mr. Stanyard was looking for ideas on how to launch and expand his line of cocktail bitters, The Bitter Gringo.

“It was a great mentoring session. I asked ‘What would you do?

What are the steps to growing the cocktail line?’ and he told me to create what I could replicate,” Mr. Stanyard said. “In Seattle, the cocktail/bar scene is so competitive with so many openings, you can’t keep up.”

Crystal Thompson, also attending SACC for the first time, said she enjoyed the events. The mixologist at The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch in Boerne found some seminars were better than others, but several truly hit the mark.

“I loved the woman’s Path to Your Passion workshop. The Ice, Ice,

Baby: Ice 101 seminar, the Burn Baby Burn! Whiskey Inferno and the essential oils seminars were the best,” she added.

The cocktail conference isn’t just for industry folk looking to gain more insight. Social media influencers also flocked here. The sisters of “Let’s Binge” (@Letsbinge), a cocktail-centric Instagram account, told us SACC gets better every year.

“Every year, there’s more parties, more pop-ups, more seminars,” Binge co-founder Libby Castillo said. “Waldorf on the Prairie is a great and really fun event and Tasting Suites is always good. The cocktail conference is all about dressing up, having a good time and highlighting the cocktail.”

Jessica Elizarraras, chief engagement officer for local distillery Dorćol Distilling + Brewing Co., said the cocktail conference is a great way to promote brand awareness.

“SACC made it easy for us to get in front of spirit lovers as volunteer party partners, as exhibitors during the Women Shaking It Up event and especially during Tasting Suites, which pairs all levels of fans directly with our operation,” Ms. Elizarraras explained.

Founded in 2012 by Chef Mark Bohanan and the late Sasha Petraske, the well-known New York bartender credited with kick-starting the cocktail revival, SACC raises money for children’s charities and celebrates the craft cocktail movement. So far, SACC has donated more than $600,000 to ChildSafe, the Children’s Shelter, HeartGift San Antonio and Transplants for Children.

“A lot of people put a lot of time and hard work into the conference, but it’s all for a good cause,” Chef Bohanan said. ~ Noi Mahoney ediblesanantonio.com

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STRIVING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE Susan Sypesteyn shares how she and husband Chef Pieter plan to leverage their success and hard work with their restaurants Cookhouse, Bud’s Southern Rotisserie and Nola Brunch and Beignets to reach their neighbors and help those less fortunate.

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17 Th, 2019 ¡Free EntRy! SunDay FebRuary ¡faMily fun!

1pM-7pM LocAl Eats by

CooKhOuse SinGhs chIsme soUtherLeigh atTagirL

¡VenDors! ¡ConTests!

Beer daIquirieS & More

and putting food on the table, we hope Third Coast Charities can step in when our District office can’t.

“And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.”

Titus 2:7

P r es en te d by Third coast charities 2019 an Antonio is one of the bY ruMble & ¡Live MusIc! visit ELMARDIGRAS.ORG for more info fastest-growpapeR tigeR By zyDeco BlancO PapEr TigEr 2410 N. st. maryS st. ing cities in aLl proceeds go to benefit third coast charities a 501(C)3 public charity KEEP IT LOCAL the U.S. and we’ve been very fortuJoin us from 1 p.m. nate to participate in to 7 p.m. on Sunday, that growth. San Antonio also has one of the highest poverty rates Feb. 17, at El Mardi Gras at Paper Tiger, where we’ll kick off our in the country and that disparity is a call to action. effort to celebrate community and raise funds for this endeavor District 1, which encompasses Tobin Hill where our restau- – 80 percent of the proceeds from El Mardi Gras will help fund rants are located, has seen huge growth in development – and with requests the District 1 office receives but can’t fulfill. The fundthat growth come rising costs. So, we started Third Coast Char- raiser is open to everyone and will feature live zydeco music, food ities to help facilitate change through action and build relation- from local restaurants, art and a kids area. ships between the businesses and residents that live and operate This year, enjoy chef-driven bites from locally renowned chefs in our district. like our own Pieter Sypesteyn of Third Coast Kitchen restaurant The city’s District 1 office fields many requests from residents, group, Jeff Balfour of Southerleigh, Chris Cullum of Attagirl, from utility assistance to roof repair, that cannot be fulfilled. Louis Singh of Singhs and others.

While the City of San Antonio is very gracious and offers proGeneral admission for the third annual El Mardi Gras is free, grams to help assist residents in need, their funding only goes or you can party like a VIP. The VIP tickets include a private so far. bar and lounge inside Rumble, complimentary specialty drinks, We have successfully operated our businesses in the district and chef-curated eats, a free swag bag, beads and masks, and an autoit’s hard to know that our neighbors aren’t experiencing the same matic entry to the VIP only ‘Staycation’ raffle. success. We can’t solve the inevitability of gentrification in our rapFunds raised at El Mardi Gras stay in the neighborhood. Your idly growing urban areas, but we can help mitigate the burden our support will help provide education, financial relief and physineighbors experience. cal assistance to neighbors in need within the community. Visit So when a neighbor has to decide between paying a light bill www.elmardigras.org to learn more. ~ Susan Sypesteyn

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind.

Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching.” – Titus 2:7 6

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Kimberly and Trey Azar launch Seersucker Southern Grapefruit Gin in January 2019. (Photo by Noi Mahoney)

SIPPIN’ ON LOCAL GIN AND JUICE, SA STYLE

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zar Family Brands, a local company that makes Seersucker Gin and Cinco Vodka, returned to the San Antonio Cocktail Conference (SACC) in 2019 to launch a new spirit – Southern Style Grapefruit.

Owners Trey and Kimberly Azar debuted the new grapefruit gin at an official 2019 SACC tasting at the recently renovated Tucker’s Kozy Korner on Jan. 18.

“The inspiration for all the flavors is to create shortcuts for cocktails,” Mr. Azar explained. “The idea behind our new grapefruit gin is that when you buy a bottle, go home and mix it with some cranberry juice, you have a great drink. It’s all about simplicity. You don’t have to be a mixologist or have a bunch of different liquors and ingredients to have a great drink.”

Mr. Azar said it took around a year to come up with the new recipe for Southern Style Grapefruit.

“You start with what you think you want, then you work your way in,” he said. “The tricky part is not just making what I like, but making a product that will be something everyone would want.”

Southern Style Grapefruit is distilled and bottled at the 5,000-square-foot Seersucker distillery and bottling plant near Calaveras Lake, around 15 minutes southeast of downtown on six acres at 8501 Cover Road in San Antonio.

MAGICAL INFLUENCES

The Azars explained the distillery and tasting room design was

inspired by the Harry Potter amusement park at Universal Studios.

The campus includes the Grand Lawn, an expansive outdoor area that provides event space, a bocce ball court and areas for horseshoes and washers.

Ms. Azar said the distillery and tasting room has been a hit with guests.

“We get people from all over the world – we just had people from England come visit,” she said.

The Azars launched in 2010 with Cinco Vodka. In 2016, the husband-and-wife team decided to add gin to the company’s repertoire and opened this distillery about a year ago. The set up allows guests to visit the distillery and watch the process, from distilling to bottling.

Mr. Azar said the company is already putting out about 6,000 to 7,000 bottles of gin a month. Seersucker Southern Style Gin is available in 13 states across the U.S. The new grapefruit gin is the third new flavor Seersucker has debuted in the last two years. During the 2018 cocktail conference, Seersucker introduced lime- and lemon-flavored gins.

Mr. Azar, also the company’s master distiller, said the goal for Seersucker Southern Style Gin is “world domination.”

“Vodka is good – we love it. But with gin, I think people are a little intimidated … and we want to change that,” he said. “We want to do for gin what Deep Eddy Vodka has done for vodka.”

To learn more, visit www.seersuckergin.com. ~ Noi Mahoney

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MEYER LEMONS

SA’S WINTER HARVEST

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any in San Antonio are lucky enough to have a Meyer lemon tree (or a friendly neighbor willing to share the season’s bounty). Feature these organic beauties in lemon syrup, use them to infuse olive oil or make vinaigrettes, freeze the juice in ice cubes, candy the lemon peels and make marmalade with a taste reminiscent of breakfast in Italy.

Meyer Lemons were introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900s by agricultural explorer Frank Meyer, who brought the citrus from China. The skin is thinner and yellow-orange in color when fully ripe and the juice is sweeter than the Lisbon or Eureka lemons we find in the grocery store.

Unlike other varieties, Meyer lemons do not ripen once picked from the tree, so to get the beautiful lemon-orange fragrance from the skin and sweetness from the juice, the fruit must fully ripen on the tree. As a hybrid of lemon and Mandarin orange, Meyer lemons are less acidic but still possess all the health benefits of a lemon. One whole Meyer lemon contains more than half the daily vitamin C requirement and packs in loads of antioxidants that tend to keep us healthy. Many extol the virtues of a daily glass of lemon water to keep weight gain, colds and flu at bay.

San Antonio has the perfect climate for Meyers to thrive. The trees are extremely hardy and can grow wherever temperatures rarely fall below 20 degrees. And so prolific! A medium-sized tree can produce hundreds of lemons once it has taken root.

Citrus trees are best planted in January and February when it is cold enough for the leaves to lie dormant and the roots to develop before springtime. Fertilize with nitrogen fertilizer when trees have first growth, usually in February, and continue through October as Texas soil usually lacks enough nitrogen to get lemon trees started properly. Your reward will be beautiful fragrant spring and summer blossoms and a bountiful winter harvest of Meyer Lemons! ~ Susan Johnson 8

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Just-harvested Meyer lemons (Photo by Susan Johnson)

RECIPE

MEYER LEMON VINAIGRETTE

By Susan Johnson This recipe for “purist vinaigrette” may be used on greens or vegetables as a healthy dressing. It works well as a dressing for chicken or tuna salad as a substitute for or in addition to mayonnaise and also makes an excellent marinade for roasted chicken.

INGREDIENTS Zest of one Meyer lemon (only zest as white pith can be bitter) ¼ cup Meyer lemon juice Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil Optional – minced garlic clove, honey, thyme or other herbs

DIRECTIONS Add zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper and mustard to a halfpint jar. Shake to dissolve spices. Add olive oil and shake well. Vinaigrette will emulsify if enough Dijon mustard is added. (When making vinaigrettes, remember honey, mustard and water act as emulsifiers, and keeps the acid and oil from separating when shaken.)

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San Antonio College President Robert Vela leads the charge to help his school fight hunger with “The Store.” (Photo by V. Finster)

THE STORE AT SAC

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Hope Lab survey conducted at San Antonio College (SAC) in late 2016 showed more than 40 percent of student participants identified as being food insecure.

With SAC President Robert Vela, the administration responded with an on-campus food pantry, part of a comprehensive student advocacy center.

The center’s director, Lisa Black, said the survey challenged the college to act. Within three months of the survey results, a food pantry titled “The Store” was in full production.

“It was a battle cry for us and our administration,” Ms. Black said. “People don’t realize you can be food insecure in the U.S., and it’s an alarming number.”

Indeed. During the summer, the center was relocated to a larger facility on campus to accommodate its quick growth.

Ms. Black explained Dr. Vela recognized the need and found space to give the center room to operate. That decision was essential to The Store’s success.

“The college could have put anything in the space, but chose to invest in its students,” Ms. Black said.

Dr. Vela believes it’s hard to expect students to learn when they’re worried about where their next meal will come from.

“When there’s an issue prohibiting students from succeeding, you’re going to do whatever it takes to get them through,” he said.

The Store served nearly 1,500 recurring shoppers last semester, at least 40 percent more customers than last year. The center also added a “Grab and Go” section by the center’s entrance to address daily hunger.

The Store’s staff members noticed students burning through their bimonthly visits to the center for a snack to address present hunger. Three weeks into its first semester, the Grab and Go area was already being accessed by 72 students daily.

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Adding the private, accessible space allows students to be in-andout of the center quickly while addressing immediate food needs.

“It’s so incredibly valuable to be able to get a simple snack and something to drink when you have no money and a test to take,” Ms. Black explained.

While tutoring and coursework labs are important, retention rates hinge on more than just classroom efforts – the center’s approach is welcoming. The Grab and Go area is not supervised and simply posts a guideline with a daily suggestion.

“Everything comes after food, shelter and clothing,” Ms. Black said. “If someone needs more than the guideline suggests, it’s not a problem – it’s an opportunity for us to serve our students.”

Eggs, beans, bread, dry pasta like vermicelli, onions and potatoes are always in stock in the pantry, along with apples, bananas and water for the Grab and Go. The quick snacks are available to all faculty, staff and students.

Dr. Vela explained The Store should reflect the respect it has for its clients.

With rolling carts, a book-nook area with table and chairs to occupy little ones while parents shop, and staffers bagging groceries in discreetly-designed reusable totes during checkout, a visit to the center can certainly feel like a trip to the neighborhood grocery store, which makes all the difference.

“We’re family here and family helps family,” Dr. Vela added. ~ V. Finster Editor’s note: The second SAC Fiesta Brunch on April 24 at the Pearl Stable is a fundraiser created by Dr. Vela and his staff to directly fund emergency needs for students. Please consider supporting the fabulous event, which features Ms. Rita Moreno this year! Visit alamo.edu/sac/fiestabrunch to learn more.

The Multicultural Conference presents …

SAC FIESTA BRUNCH WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2019 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Pearl Stable, 307 Pearl Pkwy, San Antonio, Texas 78215

Rita

o n e Mor

BECOME A SPONSOR TODAY!

The SAC Fiesta Brunch is a fundraiser benefitting the students of San Antonio College.

alamo.edu/sac/FiestaBrunch

210-486-0960

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Texas Pecan Truffles (Photo by Matthew E. Smith - USDA & Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension, University of Florida)

TEXAS PECAN TRUFFLES

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ruffles, those enigmatic culinary darlings that fetch dizzying prices, grow wild right here in Texas. The first documented sighting of a Texas pecan truffle was in 1958.

The Pecan Truffle or Tuber Lyonii, a fungus native to Texas, is found throughout the southern and eastern United States. The pecan tree, after all, is our official state tree and grows wild along river banks and in neat rows in orchards on thousands of cultivated acres throughout Texas.

In 2012, researchers at Texas Tech University in Lubbock reported that pecan orchards could be “an ideal habitat for pecan truffles, which can sell in local markets for approximately $150200 per pound (1lb = 454g).” With the proper conditions, it’s possible pecan truffles could grow here by the thousands and help augment income for Texas farmers.

Truffles, part of the mushroom family, have a symbiotic relationship with a host tree’s roots. For centuries, European chefs valued the ectomycorrhizal fungi for its unique flavor and pungent, earthy aroma. In France, the rare truffle is almost sacred, and freshly foraged truffles fetch hundreds of dollars per pound.

Most are harvested from wild forested areas, but some are harvested from cultivated groves.

Harvesting is done with the help of animals, who distinguish ripe truffles from those that aren’t quite ready for prime time.

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When a truffle matures, it produces a strong fragrance to encourage animals to eat it and spread its spores. Pigs are naturals at truffle hunting but prefer to eat their prize instead of sharing it. Dogs, with their keen sense of smell, can be trained to search for the delicacy and will usually relinquish the morsel for a doggy treat.

Researchers at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, in 2012 set out to find Pecan Truffles and document their location. A professional truffle dog and handler were brought from Oregon to help in the search. Truffles were found in five orchards across Texas as well as at a residential location.

Recently Mark Friesenhahn, owner of Comal Pecan Farm near New Braunfels, recalled a visit from a researcher.

“They came out from the university some years back with a dog and searched the orchard, but didn’t come up with anything,” Mr. Friesenhahn said. “It may have been the wrong time of the year for truffles. They said they would be back – but never did.”

The good news – you don’t need a pig, dog or researcher to find a truffle – humans have a nose for truffles, too. Take a look and rake around your pecan tree and see what might pop out of the ground. With all the cold and rainy weather, you might just be in luck. A word of caution, as with all mushroom hunting, be sure you know it is not a toxic relative before consuming. ~ Lara Rotharmel

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SUSTAINABLE BARELY BARLEY

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he alchemists at Grain4Grain figured out how to transform barley spent from beer brewing into pancakes. The no-guilt pancakes are pretty good, too.

It turns out that barley, the principal grain used to produce beer, gets “mashed” during the process, removing all the starch (and a lot of the gluten, too). What’s left is a high protein, low-carb grain that can be milled into flour … or thrown away.

Not only is Grain4Grain helping the environment by reusing the spent grain, the mashed barley, with vastly reduced carbs and gluten, is a product that requires a lot less guilt to use.

The process they use ensures that the flour is fresh. The team mills the flour the same day they pick it up from local breweries and they report that they add no chemicals whatsoever.

And no worries, there’s absolutely no alcohol in the flour, because the mash is picked up long before the fermentation process begins.

While there is no alcohol in the resulting flour, the new ingredi-ent, called Barely Barley, will certainly be a welcome addition to our pantries.

partner for the group and has been developing recipes using the flour. She is originally from the Czech Republic.

“In my country, we call beer ‘liquid bread,’” Chef Mazal explained. “You can make pasta, pancakes and, of course, bread – the flour has almost no carbs, is very low in gluten and high in protein.”

She’s very enthusiastic about the quality and potential of the new ingredient.

“We’d like to teach other chefs how to use this product, too, because we think everyone should be using it,” she added.

While Barely Barley flour cannot be substituted for flour in every case, the founders explain it can supplement any recipe that calls for flour by substituting 20 to 30 percent with Barely Barley. Additionally, Chef Mazal has several recipes to make pancakes, biscuits and pasta from scratch using Barely Barley on the company user-friendly website at grain4grain.com.

So far, they have two products available online, the Barely Barley flour and the Pancake and Waffle Mix.

POUND FOR POUND DONATIONS

Every weekend at the Pearl Farmers Market, you can meet the folks from Grain4Grain and get a free taste of the pancakes.

If you love brunch, you can dig into Grain4Grain pancakes at Little Gretel’s on Sunday mornings and even pick up a box of Grain4Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix. Just add water and you can be an alchemist, too.

And the best part? The young start-up company donates a pound of their premium low-carb, high protein flour to the San Antonio Food Bank and Hill Country Daily Bread Ministries for every pound they sell. Their motto is “Fight the carbs. Feed the Hungry.”

Chef Denise Mazal of Little Gretel in Boerne is the culinary

TRY IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT

Barely Barley flour sandwich bread made from recipe developed by Chef Denise Mazal. (Photo courtesy)

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Fingerling potatoes and soft egg with feta, leeks and caviar-mustard vinaigrette is a delicious first-course option at SAVOR. (Photo by Angela Covo)

CIA OPENS SAVOR

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he Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio recently debuted the latest culinary addition to the Pearl, SAVOR. The new restaurant serves seasonal Modern American cuisine based on the CIA’s carefully planned curriculum.

“We are thrilled to have Savor join the Pearl community,” Shelley Grieshaber, culinary director for Pearl, said. “As a graduate of the CIA, I understand the hard work these students put in to make this a special experience for the guests and I am excited the restaurant will bring flavors from all across the globe to our city.”

The college’s world-class chefs and hospitality instructors lead the students in their work at SAVOR, where they prepare and serve dinner as part of their studies. SAVOR is the newest member of the CIA Restaurant Group and most menu items are locally sourced from farmers and producers to create an array of fresh dishes.

Guests can order customized three or four-course meals, with options like honey-chili roasted chicken with fat rice and Asian lime, grilled Gulf shrimp with polenta, olives and tomato or the Berkshire pork schnitzel with a sunny egg, chamomile apple and red sauerkraut. The goal is to educate students and patrons on various cuisines. CIA faculty Chef Uyen Pham and service instructor Samantha Fletcher oversee the operation.

The bar and lounge area feature a menu of small plates like caviar, potato and soft egg with leeks and pumpkin seeds. The beverage program includes cocktail classics and New World and Old World wines as well as local favorite craft brews.

“We are curating a menu with seasonal ingredients and global cooking techniques we admire,” Chef Pham explained. “The menu

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The new entrance for SAVOR just before the official opening. (Photo by Frederic Covo)

at Savor will encourage our guests to try unfamiliar flavors.”

Savor’s 2,500 square feet and 62-seat layout ensures the ingredients, learning and great food are the focal points of the restaurant. Clayton & Little were the lead architects on this project and designed the modern industrial interior to highlight the open kitchen.

Savor is more than a new eatery at the Pearl, it is both a restaurant and a classroom.

“The new restaurant will improve the education of our students and meet the evolved tastes of the San Antonio dining community,” CIA Food and Beverage Director Waldy Malouf shared.

Savor is located at 200 E Grayson St., Suite #117 at the Pearl, taking over the space where Sandbar. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday. To learn more, visit savorcia.com.

little bites DON STRANGE OF TEXAS

WE HELP YOU

Celebrate

CIA BAKERY CAFÉ POPS UP AT SAVOR

It’s back! The Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio’s (CIA) wildly popular Bakery Café at the Pearl is open at SAVOR from now until April 11. CIA students in the college’s Baking and Pastry Arts program will showcase their skills in the school’s new restaurant, SAVOR, during breakfast and lunch.

Expect to enjoy a variety of signature sweet and savory bak-ery items and new creations, fresh pressed coffee or nitro brew and scratch-made pastries. Breakfast offerings include Sylvia’s brioche French toast with macerated berries and whipped crème fraiche or pressed egg sandwiches with spinach, mush-room, prosciutto and gruyere. For lunch, students whip up homemade soups, salads and sandwiches like the Fried Chicken Cubano or comfort food like chicken and dumplings or potato gnocchi with porcini mushroom ragu.

But all our old favorites will still have a strong presence at the café, including the Chocolate XS Cake, Opera Cake, Ar-gentine signature cookies known as Alfajores and White Choc-olate Banana Tarts.

Chef Alain Dubernard, CIA’s dedicated chair for the department of baking and pastry arts, is excited to be able to offer this hands-on training to his students.

The pop-up bakery café creates a unique dining experi-ence for patrons while providing students familiarity with the daily operations of a bakery. The entire experience is a capstone course for CIA baking and pastry arts majors graduating in April.

Takeout is available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday or enjoy café dining from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

CATERING | VENUES | EVENT MANAGEMENT info@donstrange.com • 210.434.2331 donstrange.com

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Tasting Room Hours: Thu - Sat 11-6pm, Sun 12-5pm, Mon 12-5pm Appointments Recommended 512-920-2675 or appointments@kuhlmancellars.com

KuhlmanCellars.com | Stonewall, Texas

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little bites

The San Antonio Commanders scrimmage at the Alamodome. (Photo courtesy AAF)

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS

F

ootball may be over for some, but not for us in San Antonio.

With the introduction of the Alliance of American Football League (AAF), our fair city finally got its own pro-football team – the San Antonio Commanders. The eight-team league is divided into Eastern and Western conferences.

With a 10-week regular season (not including the play-offs and championship game) PLUS a television network to back the league up, this could get serious.

So, we got in touch with the league, and being Edible San Antonio we asked about what our champions would be eating (because, of course, the San Antonio Commanders will now always be OUR champions).

We were so happy to chat with Amy Goodson, AAF’s Director of Nutrition, who explained the most important meal of the day for our 52-man team is breakfast.

“Nutrition can be a competitive edge for athletes if they are willing to do it right,” she explained. “Food for their bodies is like fuel for a car.”

In other words, top quality food is imperative for top quality athletic performance.

“It’s hard to outperform a bad diet – you need to use a holistic approach,” she added. “And one of the keys to get to the next level is the fuel you put in your body.”

FUEL, HYDRATE, REFUEL For our champs, breakfast is served buffet-style, starting with a

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yogurt-fruit-oatmeal bar which provides carbs for energy. Scrambled eggs, lean sausage and yogurt give our athletes protein, which takes longer to digest but helps them sustain energy and rebuild muscle. Finally, Ms. Goodson encourages everyone to eat their fruits rather than drink them, to get the maximum benefit (hydration plus electrolytes, minerals and potassium).

She also works with players who might need to increase or decrease their weight and gives them tips to be successful with their goal-oriented diets.

PLAYER FIRST LEAGUE

The AAF logo is a reminder that this league is about more than the game … the three stars stand for the players, the fans and the league.

Ms. Goodson, who’s been a registered dietitian for 18 years, is particularly pleased to be working with AAF. She explained the new league cares about the athletes on and off the field and aims to strike a perfect balance. They’re invested in providing the players with access to nutrition, proper athletic training (including men-tal health and sports psychology) and special attention to strength training and conditioning.

Let’s show our new football team solid support at their next home game at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 at the Alamodome.

Visit aaf.com to buy tickets to the games, keep up with the teams and learn more about the league.

DIANA KENNEDY DOC

PREMIERES AT SXSW

A

Please call 210-365-8046 or email fred@ediblesanantonio.com

At Pearl

edible SAN ANTONIO

MARKETPLACE

Diana Kennedy driving outside her home in Michoacán, Mexico (2017). (Photo by Elizabeth Carroll)

t 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, at the Alamo Ritz Theatre in Austin, SXSW Film Festival will screen the world premiere of “Nothing Fancy: Diana Kennedy” directed by Elizabeth Carroll.

Ms. Kennedy is an international icon for Mexican cuisine and an honorary Dame of the San Antonio chapter of Les Dames D’Escoffier. Ms. Carroll, who directed the film, writes that “at five feet tall and 95 years old, Diana Kennedy is larger than life – a foul-mouthed fireball feistier and more energetic than her age and petite frame let on. A British ex-pat and the author of nine Mexican cookbooks, Diana has spent more than 60 years researching and documenting the regional cuisines of Mexico on her own. She's lived ‘off-the-grid’ on an eight-acre ranch outside Zitácuaro, Michoacán since the 70s, composting, growing her own crops and using solar power to run her home. Aware of her own mortality, she is working tirelessly to solidify the legacy of her life’s efforts, with the hope of turning her home into a foundation for culinary education in Mexico.”

The film has been years in the making and will certainly give Ms. Kennedy’s fans a special glimpse of her epicurious, sustainable approach to life. To learn more, visit SXSW.com.

lick

in San Antonio

ilikelick.com

Cheese Classes at River Whey

Hands On Cheesemaking Classes

Give the gift of Edible Please call 210-365-8046 or email

Tickets Available Now! Check out our Current Classes at:

fred@ediblesanantonio.com

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17

news you can use

Cibolo Moon’s Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita (Photo Courtesy)

CELEBRATE THE MARGARITA

I

t’s always Margarita day in San Antonio, but on February 22 … be ready to celebrate National Margarita Day. While the iconic cocktail is puro San Antonio, it’s nice to know the delicious tequila-based beverage will be celebrated and appreciated across the country.

In that spirit, we thought you’d enjoy this special recipe from Cibolo Moon at The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. The restaurant created their own version of a margarita with a bit of sweet and zing blended with synergistic energy – the Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita. Made with strawberries, jalapeños, agave and of course, tequila, it’s a great way to warm up in the winter, spring or summer. Enjoy!

CIBOLO MOON STRAWBERRY JALAPEÑO MARGARITA INGREDIENTS 1½ oz. Strawberry Jalapeño Tequila ½ oz. Patron Citronage 1 oz. lime juice 1 oz. agave

DIRECTIONS In a mixing tin, combine Tequila, Citronage, lime juice and agave. Rim a 12-ounce margarita glass with salt and fill with ice. Pour the mix through a strainer over ice.

Garnish with wedge of lime, strawberry and jalapeño. Enjoy!

SPRING INTO THESE WORKSHOPS

S

andy Oaks Olive Orchard regularly hosts great workshops to make the most of every season. Coming up in March are two of our favorites. Call the orchard at (210) 621-0044 to reserve your spot!

March 9, 2019 – Pruning Workshop. Spring is the best time to prune trees, encourage new growth and pollination for the coming year.

Bring your own pruning shears for this FREE hands-on workshop.

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March 23, 2019 – Cooking Class using harvest from the Spring Garden. Learn how to prepare fabulous recipes using veggies and herbs replete in spring gardens. This hands-on cooking class will teach you how to prepare unusual salads, vegetable pitas, stuffed vegetables and grilled vegetables and fruit. The program includes sauces for marinating and dipping. BONUS! You get to take home one of the dipping sauces. $20 supply fee.

QUEST FOR TEXAS

BEST BEGINS

THE 2018 OLIO NUOVO IS AVAILABLE! H-E-B is ready for its 6th Quest for Texas Best – their annual pursuit for the best local products made by Texans. Their Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best is an open call for locally owned, small food and beverage suppliers to have their items considered for placement on HEB shelves and more.

If you have the next best Texas made product, H-E-B wants to know about it! Those interested can submit their product details online at heb.com/quest from February 27 through April 5.

According to organizers, the Quest for Texas Best competition is a signature program for H-E-B’s Primo Picks brand, which labels best-in-store products that are judged to be unique, delicious and new. Since its inception in 2014, Quest for Texas Best has yielded more than 432 new products on H-E-B’s grocery, bakery, deli and market shelves across the state.

The H-E-B Primo Picks Quest for Texas Best team will visit cities across Texas throughout February and March to meet local food and beverage creators who want to learn more about the 2019 statewide competition. HEB leaders will share insight about the process and give advice about product development and best practices for submitting entries.

Two meetings are already scheduled for San Antonio. The first takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 14 at Launch SA at Central Library, 600 Soledad. The second meeting takes place from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursday, March 21 at the Maestro Entrepreneur center, 1811 S. Laredo. While participants find attending the meetings very helpful, it is not a requirement for entry. H-E-B will start accepting entries on Feb 27. Visit heb.com/quest to learn more and to register for the meetings. Good luck!

FLAVOR MARCH 28 The San Antonio Current presents their annual foodie event on March 28 at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Organizers expect to showcase bites from 35+ local restaurants, Shiner beer, cocktails, the Culinaria Wine Garden, beats from Sound-Cream Airstream, CAM art installations, and a sizzling Zas! Culinary Showdown. For tickets and more information, visit bit.ly/ FLAVOR2019.

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19

farmers journal

FARMING ISN’T EASY

Jack Krause enjoys the bright side of farming as he splashes in the trough at Parker Creek Ranch.

(Photo by Mandy Krause)

BY TRAVIS KRAUSE Travis and Mandy Krause own and operate Parker Creek Ranch near D’Hanis and their farm is multigenerational, pasture-based and sustainable. Mr. Krause shares a farmer’s perspective with our readers in every issue with this column. Stop by the Pearl Farmers Market to meet the Krauses or visit them online at ParkerCreekRanch.com.

I

’ll be blunt with you – our farm is going through some hard times right now. We’re working hard for very little money and we’re emotionally drained.

When Mandy and I first started this adventure in 2010, it was like a dream come true. I was leaving the corporate world behind with an idealist mindset that farming would simplify my life.

Our first years were easy. We lived frugally in the old red ranch house built in 1891. The first three years we toughed it through the summers of South Texas with no A/C, a house full of kissing bugs, scorpions falling on the bed at night and volunteers from around the world sleeping in the bedroom next door. We loved every minute.

We had no debt, one of the most beautiful gardens you’ve ever seen, livestock dotting the landscape, produced almost all our own food, paid $157 per month for our health insurance and life was good. Our farm grew naturally with demand for our products ever increasing. We produced pork, beef, chicken, eggs, turkey and culinary herbs in those early years.

What’s happened since then is a bit foggy in my mind.

We transitioned from a homestead to a farm business. We grew big, producing almost ten thousand broilers a year, one thousand turkeys, three thousand hens and over a hundred head of cattle.

For a direct-market farm, we are not small.

We marketed our products through farmers markets, buying clubs, restaurants, grocery stores and more recently a home delivery service.

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But the costs to provide our customers this convenience grew right along with normal farm expenses – margins are tighter than ever.

With all that growth we thought the money would be better, that we would improve our quality of life and that just hasn’t been the case.

It’s a seven-day-a-week job that never stops. We haven’t had a real vacation in more than three years and before that it was almost four years. My wife and I also have two young boys that are growing fast, and we dearly want to spend more time with them.

You will work long hours, you won’t have time for yourself, family or friends, and there will be attention-demanding disasters natural and man-made. You will not make much money in comparison to other professions and it will be hard.

This is the reality of farming.

The good is that I can look back on what we accomplished and feel proud that we designed a management system that is ecologically and financially sound. We provided countless customers and their families with clean, nutritious products.

We’ll continue to farm because it’s what we love, but we will scale back and change up our strategy.

Over the coming months, I’ll share how we started the farm, the lessons learned, our successes and failures and what the future holds. I’m going to invest time and energy into transferring all the knowledge and experience we’ve acquired to anyone who wants to listen. I hope if you’re a farmer you take time to read it because surely some of the information will be invaluable. It’s the knowledge I wish someone had shared with me in those early years. If you’re a consumer of farm products, which we all are, I hope you read it, too, for insight about farming and the lifestyle that surrounds it. ~ Between issues, read updates about farm life at thepastoralist.blog.

feeding hope

MEALCONNECT LAUNCHES

IN SAN ANTONIO

DONATING FOOD? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT …

BY MICHAEL GUERRA

I

n the big scheme of food waste and food rescue, large food companies (retail grocery stores, wholesale food distribution companies, manufacturers, produce vendors, and farmers) have had a capable and effective partner in regional food banks. The Feeding America network of food banks, 205 regional food banks covering every county in the United States, has been helping large-format food companies like these safely and efficiently donate their food waste since the 1970s to help those facing hunger. Locally, the San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) is on a path to rescue 75M lbs of food from large-format food companies like this in its current fiscal year that will end June 30.

Smaller-format food companies (a restaurant, hotel, caterer, convenience store, or even a smaller independent grocer) partnering with a food rescue organization like SAFB that donate smaller amounts of food have been a challenge. Allocating one of the Food Bank’s large, refrigerated trucks to visit a bakery or restaurant generally has not proven cost effective when considering the cost to secure a pound of rescued food. But that is all changing in 2019 with the launch of MealConnect.

APP EXPANDS FOOD RESCUE

The San Antonio Food Bank is launching MealConnect in 2019 to serve small-format food companies, particularly restau-rants and caterers. In its simplest form, MealConnect is a mobile app that food donors can launch on a smartphone to notify a local food pantry or shelter that it has a donation available for pick-up. The app notifies enrolled pantries and shelters near the donor about the donation posted for pick-up.

The enrolled agency then deploys staff or volunteers to pick-up the donation and the app notifies the Food Bank of the transaction for inventory and ac-counting tracking.

FULL ROLL-OUT THIS SUMMER

During the first half of 2019, the Food Bank will pilot MealConnect with volunteers in a kind of Uber Eats/Door Dash manner. When the Food Bank is notified of a donation via the MealConnect app, it locates an available food pantry or shelter that can

San Antonio Food Bank will roll out MealConnect.

(Photo courtesy San Antonio Food Bank)

receive the donation and simultaneously notifies a cadre of oncall volunteers across the city that a donation is available for pick-up. Volunteer drivers receive a text notification of the donation oppor-tunity and can reply yes/no to the pick-up. If they choose “yes,” the food donor and receiving agency are notified of the match and the volunteer driver completes the transaction in a food-safe, efficient manner.

DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS

The San Antonio Food Bank will fully launch MealConnect to all local restaurants, hotels, caterers, convenience stores, bakeries, and independent grocery stores in the second half of 2019, as it completes the pilot with on-call volunteer drivers. To learn more about MealConnect, as a possible food donor or as a possible volunteer driver for MealConnect, please contact me at my San Antonio Food Bank office: miguerra@safoodbank.org or 210-431-8303.

Editor’s note: Mr. Michael Guerra of the San Antonio Food Bank writes the Feeding Hope column in every issue of Edible San Antonio. His goal is to spotlight the food economy from different perspectives, particularly that of those in need.

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global traditions

Chef Massimo Bottura

ONCE UPON A KITCHEN FOOD AS ART

STORY BY BETTINA COVO, PHOTOS COURTESY GR8 GROUP

I

n the Oxford Dictionary, food is defined as “any nutritious substance that people or animals eat or drink or that plants absorb in order to maintain life and growth.” True, but in today’s culinary world, food has become far more than mere sustenance. The creative, expressive, inventive aspect of food aligns more with the Merriam-Webster’s definition of art: “something created with imagination and skill, that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings.”

Based on that definition, food is art.

At the recent fundraiser, Once Upon a Kitchen, the definition of food as art prevailed. The extraordinary event, advertised as a oncein-a-lifetime culinary experience, brought together four globally acclaimed chefs – Massimo Bottura, Joan Roca, Mauro Colagreco and Christina Tosi – at New York’s magnificent landmark building, Gotham Hall. Together with award-winning winemaker Roberto Cipresso, the world renown chefs shared their time and talents to prepare a magnificent repast based on an overarching philosophy: food is art that has the power to change the world.

Ragout of Baby Potatoes by Chef Colagreco

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Once Upon A Kitchen was created to benefit the nonprofit God’s Love We Deliver, the leading provider of nutritious, individually-tailored meals to people across New York City, Westchester and Nassau Counties, and Hudson County, New Jersey. Event organizers explained the nonprofit started with a singular act of kindness in 1985, when one woman began delivering food on her bicycle to a man dying from AIDS. Today, God’s Love cooks and delivers more than 7,000 meals daily to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves.

ARTISTIC INSPIRATION

Chefs Bottura, Roca and Colagreco, whose restaurants are ranked number 1, 2 and 3 respectively on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list, each prepared two main dishes paired with wines thoughtfully chosen by Mr. Cipresso, culminating in an inspired dessert by Chef Tosi, named James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2015. As guests enjoyed the sumptuous meal, preparations and plating were streamed live on a large screen at the front of the massive Roman style hall – truly a spectacle for all the senses.

The seven-course meal began with Chef Colagreco’s “a Crapaudine,” a stunning creation of beetroot cooked in salt crust and finished with “Ossetra” Caviar Sauce. Inspired by the work and knowledge of agriculturalist Annie Bertin from the small French town Vende, Chef Colagreco (Restaurant Mirazur) paid tribute to “artists of the future” – the farmers who cultivate the soil and work to develop sustainable agriculture.

His second dish, “Ragout of Baby Potatoes Cods Tripe, Bottarga,” was a perfect marriage of earth and sea, an homage to Menton on the Cote D’Azur between Southern France and Italy, with Andean highland potatoes combined with bottarga, a fish roe that once cooked, released a particularly earthy taste.

Osteria Francescana’s famed Chef Bottura presented “Never Stop Planting,” a tribute to Joseph Beuys’ installation of oak trees and granite columns in locations from Abruzzo, Italy to New York City. The dish was a foie gras custard served with seasonal woodland flavors from truffles to mushrooms in a mineral broth.

He followed with “Psychedelic Spin-Painted Veil” honoring British artist Damien Hirst’s spin-painted canvases. The

Chef Christina Tosi plates the dessert

Never Stop Planting

“Beauty, no doubt, does not make revolutions. But a day will come when revolutions will have need of beauty.”

~ Albert Camus Prawn Marinated with Rice Vinegar

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meat, marinated in milk and brushed with vegetable charcoal, was spectacularly plated with creamy potatoes, a puree of orange and yellow peppers with a red beet reduction and extra old Villa Manodori Artigianale balsamic vinegar from his hometown, Modena.

With artistic spontaneity, Chef Bottura fashioned his signature Psychedelic Spin-Painted motif onto a tablecloth, an unexpected one-of-a-kind piece auctioned to the guests to benefit the nonprofit.

Inspired by Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory,” Chef Roca’s exquisite cuisine featured prawn marinated with rice vinegar drawing on Mediterranean flavors, a distinct taste that lingers long into memory.

The chef ’s second course, Truffle Soufflé with Veal Oyster Blade, captured Gaudi’s modernist architecture, with cylinders constructed of sheets made from the last white truffles and the first black truffles of the season. Chef Ro ca (El Celler de Can Ro ca) cooked the veal for 70 hours, highlighting the concept of time slowly passing. The meat’s texture paired with the soufflé melted in your mouth – a reflection of Mr. Dali’s “Melting Watches.”

Last, but never least, was dessert. Chef Tosi, founder and CEO of Milk Bar, presented a different take on traditional American pie with “Apple Pie-ish,” a confection topped with miso butterscotch, brown butter and sour whipped cream.

GIVING BACK, ARTFULLY All four chefs rank among the world’s greatest, but their artistry and passion reaches beyond their work in the kitchen. These are warriors of change, using their talent and celebrity to give back to the world by responding to the battle against hunger. About 33.3 percent of the world’s food goes to waste while millions go hungry each day. These chefs want to change that.

As messengers of change, they crusade to support organizations like Gods Love We Deliver and feed the hungry. In the process, they force us to redefine the word “food” as more than what we simply consume. Their collective works validate the notion that food is art and the power of its beauty can, indeed, change the world.

In that spirit, Chef Bottura created the first Refettorio (or Food for Soul) project as a pop-up for the Milan World Expo in 2015. With a makeshift kitchen in Milan’s central station, chefs prepared gourmet meals for the homeless and refugee population from food deemed unsuitable to sell in supermarkets.

The successful endeavor created an entirely new model to feed the hungry, purposefully conceived to be much more than a mere reinvention of the soup kitchen.

“Do we need another soup kitchen?” he asked. “I think not. I think we need more places that revive neighborhoods and make a difference in the food offered and the idea of hospitality.”

At the Refettorio Ambrosiano in Greco, Italy, Chef Bottura converted an old dilapidated church occupied by rats and drug dealers into a magical place filled with light, laughter, music and beautiful food. It ultimately transformed the entire neighborhood into a thriving destination.

The revelation reinforced the concept and later this year, Chef Bottura is preparing to bring Refettorios to American neighbor-hoods in want of revitalization, transforming discarded food into quality meals for the impoverished. Together with his wife, Lara Gilmore, Chef Bottura created Food for Soul, a foundation to fund more Refettorios worldwide and in 2017, The Rockefeller Foundation granted the organization $650,000 to help create these special kitchens in the U.S. The chef was inspired by Albert Camus, who wrote “Beauty, no doubt, does not make revolutions. But a day will come when revolu-tions will have need of beauty,” in The Rebel: An Essay on Man in Revolt. The celebrated chefs all agree that food is art and creates positive change.

“Beauty can change the world and God’s Love We Deliver stands for beauty. A beautiful table, an amazing place with beau-tiful service and a wonderful meal can really make a difference in the lives of people that don’t have anything,” Chef Bottura said. “My friends and I are all here because we want to be here. We are dedicating our time to create beautiful food to rebuild the dignity of people.”

Psychedelic, Spin-Painted Veal

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Truffle Souffle with Veal Oyster Blade

creative cities

Chef Dave Terrazas, restaurateur Kristina Zhao and international culinary icon Chef Martin Yan in Chengdu. (Photo courtesy)

GLOBALLY LOCAL SAN ANTONIO VISITS CHINA

A

BY CHEF DAVE TERRAZAS

fter a whirlwind year of joyful culinary experiences – serving thousands of people, preparing tons of food and making countless new personal connections – the last thing I expected was to cap the year off with the trip of a lifetime. I was preparing to settle quietly into the holiday season when I got the call.

In December, the city’s World Heritage Office called to ask if I would travel to Chengdu, China in Sichuan Province to represent San Antonio as a member UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy for a sister city event.

Represent the city in China for a gastronomy festival? Sure!

Get a visa in a couple of weeks? Impossible! But it wasn’t.

In 2010, Chengdu, the “Capital of Pandas,” became the first Asian Creative City of Gastronomy designated by the United 26

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Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). They conduct an annual food festival that celebrates its foodways, focusing on local and sustainable methods, and the craft of its culinarians.

And with a cultural history thousands of years old, there is much to celebrate. In all, 18 Creative Cities answered Chengdu’s invitation, and together with Kristina Zhao of San Antonio’s Sichuan House, I represented San Antonio and the United States at the 15th International Food Festival of Chengdu. My fellow representative not only made an already amazing opportunity more fantastic, she made the experience unforgettable for the entire contingent of visitors.

Ms. Zhao, who co-owns the hip Sichuan House on Wurzbach Road with her father, gives San Antonians the opportunity to ex-

Chef Terrazas works with his team to make the award-winning taco. (Photo by Kristina Zhao)

perience authentic classical and contemporary Sichuan cuisine every day.

With a team of three adept chefs who prepare perfectly executed dishes that extend in range and depth beyond the over-dramatized “spicy” sensations of Sichuanese fare, everyone here can experience an accurate representation of the amazing culinary delights that we were privileged to enjoy 6,000 miles away from home.

While representing San Antonio gastronomy was the focus of our journey, we also enjoyed a visit to the country’s Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, watching the roly-poly national treasures play in the rain. But it was the opportunity to share ourselves, our culture and a taco recipe with our gracious hosts and fellow travelers that will remain in memory for a long, long time.

We toured the city and festival for an entire week, enjoyed celebrity treatment and competed (unbeknownst to us before we arrived) against other delegations during the festival. Along with Shangri-La Hotel’s four dozen-or-so chefs who served up a daily feast of Asian and non-Asian culinary delights, each visiting city presented an original dish representing their city in a competition judged by festival goers.

Deciding to showcase San Antonio’s evolving “Tex-Next” culinary perspective, I prepared a Mayan-style pork shoulder carne guisada, spiced with Chef Terrazas and Ms. Zhao brought home the beautiful Celebrity Star Chef award from Chengdu for the Chef’s award-winning tacos. (Photo by Dave Terrazas) ediblesanantonio.com

27

ginger, clove, cumin and chilies on an orange-infused wheat and corn tortilla, topped with Peruvian-style salsa criollo – a citrus marinated slaw of julienned onion, chilies, and vegetables.

Never underestimate the diplomatic, gastronomic power of the taco – San Antonio won the competition!

Our victory allowed us to be the only visiting team to present a dish at the main culinary event of the festival, truly an honor. But our dish was just one of the elegant, sophisticated and downright scrumptious dishes that filled the ubiquitous tabletop Lazy Susans. Guests were immersed in endless color, texture, aroma and flavor.

While the expected exotic and aggressive Kung Pao Chicken, Twice Cooked Pork, various “hot pot” set ups, Fuqi Feipan (sliced beef and tripe in chili oil with peanuts) and Mapo Doufu (the flagship Sichuan tofu dish that exemplifies the spicy and numbing one-two punch of Sichuan chilies and peppercorns) were present, contrastingly delicate dishes like humble but beautiful freshwater fish broth with blanched turnip, minimally cooked local vegetables and mushroom stir fries, famously fiery “dan dan” noodles (treacherously resembling spaghetti Bolognese) and turtle, rabbit and duck dishes graced the table with savory bean thread ‘glass’ noodles with crab and chilies.

As is customary in Chinese fine dining, diners took turns making toasts, continuously celebrating each other while sipping wine, or baijiu, a potent and uniquely flowery rice-based spirit.

The diners included festival organizers and attendees, government officials and Creative City delegations, as well as accomplished local chefs who volunteered to serve as sous and personal stewards to the

delegations. Several competitions took place throughout the week, including one for the chef-volunteers.

We were delighted to have the good fortune to watch these talented chefs prepare and present their dishes at the Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine, China’s largest culinary school. That competition, like most of the festival headliners, was co-hosted by the celebrated Master Chef Martin Yan, one of my own culinary heroes growing up (and I got to tell him that). Each day, these amazing local chefs also took us to their own restaurants to treat us to banquets that left me humbled and inspired.

Throughout, Kristina, an impressive restaurateur in her own right and of Sichuanese heritage, masterfully bridged cultural and linguistic gaps with my team (though many spoke English) and helped the entire contingent of visiting delegations communicate with our hosts.

She effectively gave us her own culinary tour, explaining what was being served, what each dish represented and how it was made. By the time we said our goodbyes in Chengdu, in no small part due to Kristina, we knew we’d made new friends, bonded through culture, craft, respect, and at risk of sounding gushy, happiness.

Along with fuzzy stuffed pandas wedged into every pocket of my suitcase, I carried deep gratitude in my heart and soul for the privilege of representing our fair city, for my dear new friend Kristina, for Chef Yan and new friends around the world, for Chengdu and the heavy glass trophy they sent back home with us, assuring me China loves tacos.

Typical Sichuan fare in Chengdu.

(Photo by Kristina Zhao)

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dream teams

Chef Ming Qian von Bargen and Chef Hinnerk von Bargen share a few moments with Edible San Antonio in front of Ming’s Noodle Shop. (Photo by Angela Covo)

MEET THE VON BARGENS

Editor's Note: We hope our readers will enjoy this new column that highlights San Antonio’s top culinary dream teams in every issue.

C

hef Ming Qian von Bargen is probably best known for co-founding Ming’s Thing and Ming’s Noodle Bar with her spouse, Chef Hinnerk von Bargen, professor and faculty team lead at The Culinary Institute of America-San Antonio. The professional chefs share many things, but what first brought them together is their passion for the culinary arts.

Growing up in Beijing, Chef Ming loved to help her mom prepare food for the family. Besides enjoying great memories with her family, she clearly remembers her mother’s ability to transform humble ingredients into memorable meals.

Chef Hinnerk was raised in a small town in Northern Germany, where he enjoyed a different, but still foodfocused, experience. Growing up in his family’s hotel and restaurant, he discovered his chosen professional path very early. After graduating, he worked his way up the ranks at hotels and restaurants in Germany, South Africa and China.

Chef Ming’s career also led her to the hospitality industry.

They met when both were working at the Kempinski Hotel in Beijing. In addition to working at five-star business hotels, Chef Ming and two partners opened a restaurant featuring Chinese noodles and the classic Sichuan Hot Pot. She successfully operated the business for more than three years before she moved

to Germany with Chef Hinnerk, now her husband, to help run his family’s hotel and restaurant business.

In 1999, the chefs and their 8-week-old daughter, Melina, moved to Hyde Park in New York where Chef Hinnerk started teaching at the Culinary Institute of America. In 2009, the family moved to San Antonio so Chef Hinnerk could help establish the CIA’s new campus. By 2011, they decided to kick off Ming’s Thing at the Pearl farmers Market.

In short order, Ming’s Thing’s creative interpretations of Chinese street food classics and the guiding principle and motto, Great Natural Food with No Compromise on Taste and Flavor, and attracted a growing list of loyal customers. Their appreciation for the imaginative noodle dishes, inspired stuffed Baos and other favorites quickly made Ming’s Thing one of the market’s most popular vendors.

Ming’s Thing, now also available daily at their brick and mortar shop at 5249 McCullough, also offers customized catering for small in-home parties or cocktail receptions for up to 300 people.

By 2016, the entrepreneurial couple expanded the enterprise and opened the award-winning Ming’s Noodle Bar (5253 McCullough), a casual dining concept focused on contemporary and innovative East Asian noodle dishes and small plates.

Their love for all things culinary is still the fuel that drives their work and business endeavors. Even though their views differ vastly from time to time, the resulting ideas leave a positive lasting impact on their guests and on San Antonio’s diverse culinary landscape.

To learn more, visit www.mingsthing.com. ediblesanantonio.com

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Bacon Tres Leches Pancakes at Chisme Brunch (Photo by Sophie Covo Gonzales)

THE LOCAL DINING GUIDE

Welcome to the Edible San Antonio Local Dining Guide ~ your guide to great food in San Antonio. Enjoy!

Special thanks to our growing list of sponsors, all local and independently-owned establishments that support Edible SA’s mission. Restaurants are selected for their commitment to using local and seasonal ingredients as much as possible and for their partnerships with local farmers and food artisans.

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COMING SOON!

Stylish and hip, South Alamode makes authentic gelato fresh daily using the finest ingredients.

The Southtown eatery at Blue Star offers specialty Italian sandwiches and outstanding coffee.

Generous portions are the rule Open Wednesday through Sunday Noon – 10 PM

NEIGHBORHOOD PIZZA AND CRAFT COCKTAIL BAR LUNCH | DINNER | WEEKEND BRUNCH LATE NIGHT DINING HAPPY HOUR 3 PM TO 6 PM EVERY DAY PIZZA MONDAY | $10 PIZZAS OPEN SEVEN DAYS

JOIN US FOR OUR SPECIAL PRE-OPENING PARTY VISIT US ONLINE FOR DETAILS AND UPDATES

1420 S Alamo St, SATX 78210 210.788.8000 | southalamode.com

2720 McCullough Ave, SATX 78212 210.320.2261 | barbarosanantonio.com

6106 Broadway, SATX 78209 210.245.8156 | bistr09.com

AT BIG TEX

LIVE FIRE MEXICAN KITCHEN AND PATIO BAR

MEXICO INSPIRED BURGERS MENTION EDIBLE SA FOR A FREE PALETA MONDAY – THURSDAY 11 AM – 10 PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 11 AM – 11 PM SUNDAY 11 AM – 8 PM

HAPPY HOUR 5-7 PM FREE CHIPS & QUESO | DELICIOUS DRINK SPECIALS

FAMILY-OWNED NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT SERVING UP SEASONAL SOUTHERN AND AMERICAN EATS IN A CASUAL SETTING

DINNER | SUN–THU 5-10 PM | FRI & SAT 5-11 PM BRUNCH | SAT & SUN 11 AM – 4 PM

LUNCH | TUE–FRI 11:30-2 PM DINNER | TUE–THU 5-9 PM | FRI–SAT 5-10 PM

403 Blue Star, SATX 78204 210.635.0016 | burgerteca.com

2403 N St Mary’s St, SATX 78212 210.530.4236 | eatchisme.com

2195 NW Military Hwy, SATX 78213 210.503.5121 | clementine-sa.com

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BEYOND JUST CAJUN OR CREOLE THERE’S MORE TO NEW ORLEANS CUISINE WELCOME TO THE COOKHOUSE OPEN TUE–SAT 5-10 PM HAPPY HOUR TUE–FRI 5-7 PM RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER!

BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT 2017 & 2018 ASIAN FUSION | HAPPY HOUR | TAPAS & PIZZA BAR LOCALLY OWNED | LOCALLY SOURCED CATERING

AUTHENTIC EUROPEAN RESTAURANT DUCK | PORK | GOULASH | SCHNITZELS | APPLE STRUDEL CZECH WINES | PILSNER URQUELL BEER KOLACHE EGGS BENEDICT BREAKFAST AND LUNCH DAILY DINNER WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

720 E Mistletoe Ave, SATX 78212 210.320.8211 | cookhouserestaurant.com

14439 NW Military Hwy #100, SATX 78231 210.888.1500 | fredericksbistro.com

518 River Road, Boerne TX 78006 830.331.1368 | littlegretel.com

AT FREIGHT ART GALLERY SERVING RAMEN TUESDAY – THURSDAY 5-10 PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5-11 PM LUNCH COMING SOON

Old World Methods, Extraordinary Results Locally Sourced, Sustainably Prepared Lunch | Tue–Fri 11-1:30 PM Dinner | Tue–Thur 5:30-9 PM | Fri–Sat 5:30-10 PM Reservations Recommended

1913 S Flores St, SATX 78204 210.332.5005 | kimurasa.com

152 E Pecan #100, SATX 78205 210.222.1849 | restaurantgwendolyn.com

GLUTEN FREE | VEGAN KETO-FRIENDLY | AYURVEDIC OPEN DAILY 11 AM TO 3 PM BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY ACROSS FROM THE TOBIN CENTER

SAN ANTONIO’S PREMIER ROOFTOP BAR ROOFTOP OASIS | SOARING CITY VIEWS COFFEE BAR | CRAFT COCKTAILS BREAKFAST | HORS D’OEUVRES OPEN SEVEN DAYS 102 9th St Suite 400, SATX 78215 210.340.9880 | paramourbar.com

eat chinese

SICHUAN HOUSE ENJOY A GREAT LUNCH AT THE ORCHARD WITH CULINARY DELIGHTS FRESH FROM OUR GARDENS

赵

四 savor sichuan 川 食在中国味在四川 府

DOG-FRIENDLY PATIO | OPEN SEATING

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 11 AM – 3 PM

WE ARE EXCITED TO SHARE OUR CULTURE AND HOMETOWN EATS WITH OUR BELOVED SA COMMUNITY COOK-TO-ORDER MENU FOR SHARING SPICY AND NON-SPICY OFFERINGS OPEN SEVEN DAYS | LUNCH AND DINNER

106 Auditorium Circle, SATX 78205 210.802.1860 | pharmtable.com

25195 Mathis Rd, Elmendorf TX 78112 210.621.0044 | sandyoaks.com

3505 Wurzbach Rd #102, SATX 78238 210.509.9999 | facebook.com/sichuaneats

SUSTAINABLE FARM-TO-TABLE RESTAURANT 15 MINUTES SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO

Tonkatsu Ramen at Kimura at Freight (Photo by Frederic Covo)

ediblesanantonio.com

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classic tradition

Chef Johnny Hernandez presents award to Chef James Canter and his team from Guerilla Gourmet at the 2018 Paella Challenge.

(Photo by Frederic Covo)

TENTH PAELLA CHALLENGE BENEFITS KITCHEN CAMPUS

T

BY ANGELA AND FREDERIC COVO

he spirit of joy at every Corona Paella Challenge is palpable – and the aromas divine. More than 30 teams of chefs from San Antonio, across the country and around the world will work side-by-side in a friendly competition to see who will make this season’s award-winning paellas – and they do it for a great cause.

Join Chef Johnny Hernandez from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, at Mission County Park for the Tenth Corona Paella Challenge. Funds raised at the event support culinary scholarships through Chef Johnny’s foundation, Kitchen Campus.

Even ten years later, the wildly popular event, which takes place once again this year at Mission County Park, continues to grow.

“Mission Reach is the perfect backdrop for the Paella Challenge.

Where better to celebrate our Spanish food heritage than next to our historical missions?” Chef Hernandez, part of the team who spearheaded the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy effort, said.

Paella, a succulent combination of rice, vegetables, meats and mariscos, is classically seasoned with saffron. Considered the culi32

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nary union of Spanish, Roman and Arab cultures, it may well have been the dish that helped introduce rice to Spain.

Founded and hosted by Chef Hernandez, a strong education advocate, Paella Challenge is a culinary celebration that brings the community together every year. Since the beginning, Paella Challenge has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for education by benefiting Kitchen Campus.

Chef Johnny Hernandez founded Kitchen Campus in 2014.

The nonprofit organization’s mission is to connect youth to culinary opportunities through education and advocacy. The program provides secondary school students with an opportunity to learn about food, nutrition and cooking while exploring careers in the culinary industry. Activities include hands-on cooking classes, lectures, field trips and guest chef workshops. Kitchen Campus works on behalf of local students who may not otherwise have the funds, resources or mentors to help guide them to financial success through the culinary arts.

“We have such overwhelming support from the local chef community and that makes all the difference – that’s what makes Paella Challenge so special,” Chef Hernandez added.

NEW THIS YEAR

Patrons will not only enjoy the jubilant drama of top chefs preparing their best renditions of the iconic dish from scratch, they’ll also enjoy great Spanish wines and sangria, Corona Refresca (a premium spiked refresher), a new 360 Michelada Bar from Modelo, delicious dessert from Bakery Lorraine and live entertainment from Bombasta.

All tickets include all you can eat and drink.

And this year, event organizers will introduce a new VIP Area sponsored by El Jimador Tequila – the VIP ticket option for those who want to party like VIPs and support Chef Johnny’s great cause.

LOCAL STUDENTS COMPETE FOR NY TRIP

High school culinary students also participate, gathering around paella pans and burners, proudly wearing chef whites and school colors while working alongside star chefs from across the city, the country and Mexico.

Chef Hernandez started including students in the program in 2012, introducing the High School Paella Challenge. In 2015, he expanded the program even more by inviting local and surrounding-area high school culinary programs to participate in their own version of the Paella Challenge competition. Each school gets a chance to put their culinary skills to the test – but only one school team will win an all-expense-paid trip to the Culinary Institute of America campus in Hyde Park, New York.

The pros compete, too, and Paella Challenge has a tough jury who will name winners in the Classical Paella category and the Contemporary Paella category. Guests and patrons will vote to select the winner for the People’s Choice Award.

San Antonio’s now-iconic Paella Challenge will be filled with live music, dancing and the unique opportunity to enjoy dozens of fabulous interpretations of paella in all its glory. It’s worth the price of a ticket just to enjoy the great sense of community, what promises to be a gorgeous day by the river and, of course, all the amazing food.

For tickets and event updates, visit www.paellachallenge.com. And hurry, because this event does get sold out!

In the meantime, enjoy this recipe from Chef James Canter of Guerilla Gourmet, a 2018 Paella Challenge award winner.

THE RECIPE

CLASSIC PAELLA INGREDIENTS 6 cups clam or seafood broth 1 teaspoon saffron 1½ pounds firm-fleshed fish, bite-size pieces 1 dozen mussels 1 dozen small clams 12 large shrimp in shells 2 tablespoons parsley, minced 8 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon fresh thyme 2 teaspoons smoked paprika 1 pack of sliced Aurelia’s chorizo 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 medium onion, chopped 6 scallions, chopped 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped 1 large tomato, chopped 2 cups Bomba or Calasparra paella rice Lemon wedges and garlic mayonnaise (aioli)

DIRECTIONS Heat broth in a large pot. Stir in saffron.

Pat fish and shrimp dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and let sit 10 minutes.

Use a mortar and pestle to mash parsley, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt into a paste; stir in paprika. Add a little water if necessary, to form a paste.

Heat 6 tablespoons of oil in a 15-inch paella pan over medium high heat. Quickly brown the fish for 1-2 minutes, but don’t fully cook. Remove to warm platter.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, onion, scallions and bell pepper to the now empty paella pan and cook until the vegetables slightly soften. Raise heat, add tomato and cook until it becomes sauce-like, 2 to 5 minutes.

Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil. Sprinkle the rice evenly across the pan. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring rice and rotating pan occasionally. Add all reserved fish (but not the shrimp). Stir in parsley paste. Taste for salt. Do not stir after this point.

Lower the heat, continue to simmer until rice is no longer soupy but enough liquid remains to continue cooking the rice (about 10 min.). Add extra liquid if necessary.

East Central High School culinary students win First Place for the 2018 Student Paella Challenge and the New York trip. (Photo by Frederic Covo)

Arrange shrimp, clams and mussels over rice, placing edges of mussel and clam shells so they open facing up. Cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes until rice is almost done.

Remove pan from the heat and cover with foil. Let sit 10 minutes. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh aioli (garlic mayonnaise).

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sweet talker

CANDIED EDIBLE FLOWERS STORY AND PHOTOS

BY JENN RIESMAN Chef Jenn Riesman joins our ranks as our resident pastry and baking expert. She’ll share her ideas, tips and maybe even a recipe or two as Edible San Antonio’s Sweet Talker. To learn more about her work, follow her on Instagram @jennriesmancakes.

Well, we made it through the holidays. I would breathe a sigh of relief, but I’m a pastry chef and by New Year’s Day, my calendar is reminding me that Valentine’s day is six weeks away. Don’t get me wrong … I love to love. I love it so much that even though the reality of making 800 or more desserts makes my eye twitch, I’ve got multiple Pinterest pages set aside on cookie, cupcake and cake ideas.

And St. Patrick’s Day, Easter and spring are right around the corner, too. Every day is pastry day.

When you bake for a living, everyone seems to think you have lovely baked goods ready for tasting in your pocket. To be fair, I do like to give away cookies while drinking whiskey at my favorite bar (Francis Bogside). My friends call them purse cookies.

I also get a lot of last-minute requests. Something simple but special … “whatever you can whip up!” But with warmer weather on the way, there’s a great solution on the horizon. One of my go-to garnishes are candied edible flowers and herbs. They keep for a good while, they’re pretty, they add that special flair and they’re tasty, too.

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Candied edible flowers are a classic. They can transform a simple cake or baked good and really make it special. Just sprinkle candied flowers on the icing or still-wet glaze of something you made or even purchased.

No judgement here – I’ve gussied up plenty of pies and sweets I didn’t personally make.

Sometimes you’re invited to dinner or you find out about a birthday an hour before you’re supposed to meet up. With this great garnish, you can make magic.

So, let’s get down to business.

NEVER, EVER eat flowers from a florist or from anywhere you’re not absolutely sure where they came from. Some flowers are toxic, like daffodils. Some flowers are sprayed with pesticides, glitter or artificial colors. Only flowers that are specifically labeled and packaged as organic and suitable for human consumption should be candied or served as food.

If you are especially brave and just so happen to have a flower garden in your backyard, do your research before picking those beauties. Make absolutely sure the flowers you harvest are not toxic and cannot harm anyone. Central Market, Whole Foods and other specialty grocery stores usually have packages of edible flowers for sale. If not, ask someone in the produce section – they should be able to order some for you. You can buy edible flowers online, too, just make sure you are using a reputable seller. If all else fails, you can also buy pre-made candied flowers.

Remember, herbs can also be candied.

Thyme, basil, rosemary and mint are some good ones. They look pretty on desserts, plates or as drink garnishes. I use the same method for both herbs and flowers.

BONUS PRO TIP Add a few drops of edible flavorings like rose water, orange blossom water or your favorite extract to the egg whites to give more dimension and flavor. If I’m candying rose petals, I always add a few drops of rose water to really make them pop. Keep in mind less is more when working with powerful, flavored extracts.

HOW TO CANDY EDIBLE FLOWERS OR HERBS

INGREDIENTS You may already have many of these ingredients in your cupboard.

Here’s what you need to candy about a cup of flowers, petals or herbs.

1 cup white sugar ¼ teaspoon salt A pinch of citric acid, to taste (Citric acid is widely available. It’s an awesome ingredient used for candy-making or balancing out sweet drinks. It’s worth an online search to see all the different uses.)

Vanilla extract, to taste 1 ultra-pasteurized egg white (If you’re scared of raw eggs, use meringue powder. Just follow the manufacturer’s directions.)

A pinch of orange and lemon zest

DIRECTIONS This isn’t an exact recipe – more like a method. Basically you are seasoning your sugar with the salt, citric acid, vanilla and citrus zest. Mix those ingredients by hand and re-season based on the flavor. Too sweet? Add a pinch of salt. Too bland?

Add small amounts of citric acid at a time to achieve a sweet/tart flavor. The citrus zest makes it interesting but is not necessary.

In a separate bowl, whisk your egg white until slightly frothy. Either gently dip the petals/herbs individually into the whites or use a soft paint brush to gently coat.

Use only a thin coating of egg whites, just enough so seasoned sugar will stick.

Once the petals are coated, gently toss them in the seasoned sugar. Try not to let the sugar build up too thick. Place the sparkly creations either on the rack of a food dehydrator or on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Spray parchment lightly with a nonstick cooking oil spray and wipe away excess with a paper towel.

Edible flowers should dehydrate low and slow. If using a dehydrator, a medium setting is best. If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use your oven.

Set oven to 150°-200° depending on how low your oven will set. I use my convection oven set to 175°. Bake or dehydrate from 30 minutes to an hour, until everything is dry and crunchy.

Check candied flowers every half hour and remove when dry so they will not burn. Larger or thicker pieces take longer to dry and small thin pieces will dry very quickly. If you notice they are dry underneath, flip them over to finish once the tops are dry.

When dry, let your new favorite garnish cool off to room temperature.

They will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Keep in your cupboard or a dark place so they won’t fade under the light.

There you go. Your friends will be so impressed. Even just topping a dozen store bought cupcakes with a candied petal or two makes a difference. Just remember to stow the bakery box at the bottom of the recycling bin and enjoy!

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mimi’s heirloom recipes

POST-HARVEST

PECANS

STORY AND PHOTOS

BY MIMI FAUBERT

T

o the 24,000 some odd newcomers to San Antonio, be it via birth or automobile, understand that your new city is intrinsically kind. Although a sprawling urban dwelling, this is also a region with longstanding agricultural roots in subsistence farming. Struggle, compassion and pride are generationally yielded alongside the physical fruits of labor. I love that San Antonio is a big city with a small-town feel.

We love to eat and when we have extra, we share wholeheartedly. I’ll take the city’s ranking as one of the nation’s “fattest” as both a compliment and a testament to our status as the Happy Buddha of the south. Food-based kindness is simply a fact of life.

You can say everyone here is used to “paying it forward” because we may not be able to pay a friend’s utility bill, but we can (and do) make sure they don’t go hungry. Examples of what I’ve experienced over the years include gifts of bags filled with loquats or citrus fruit from someone’s yard or plates of food from a family cookout – at plate sales to help someone down on their luck, friends often buy more than one to share with work buddies who forgot their lunch.

It’s not unusual for co-workers to show up with breakfast tacos or boxes of kolaches and donuts for everyone, or to share the fruits of hunting trips with baggies of custom-spiced sausage or some

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processed meat for the freezer. Add to this list of generous gestures gifts of jars of homemade pickles from homegrown cucumbers or foraged agarita berry jam shared with wonderfully wise harvesting advice.

Local pecans are a personal favorite. We have a gazillion trees around the great County of Bexar, like at Brackenridge Park, the parking lot at my local H-E-B (it used to be a farm) and in neighborhood yards. It isn’t the harvesting season right now, but I have pecans stashed in my freezer like a good squirrelly-girly. I’ve received them in the shell, cracked and sometimes hulled. (There are still a handful of cracking and hulling companies around town if you are not in the mood for a CrossFit session for your hands.)

The same couple that make the Christmas pickles shared pecans from three different varietals they have growing, all adeptly labeled in little baggies so I could see and taste the difference. On a couple of occasions, a wonderful customer brought me pecans she collected from her trees and had cracked. I put my kids to work with the “you clean ‘em, I cook ‘em” rationale. That created a nice catharsis, Zen-fun happening among them that didn’t involve any apps, smartphones or arguing.

Then, the delicious, buttery morsels found their way into baked goods and some were even candied. Candied pecans are superb, easy to make and great to give. Obviously, you can easily find Texas pecans in the store, too. Just make sure you maintain our San Antonio vibe by making enough to share.

RECIPE ~ CANDIED TEXAS PECANS INGREDIENTS

Raw, shelled Texas pecan halves Maple syrup Options: delicious fat (think cultured butter or rendered fat from a top-notch bacon); spices (like flaked sea salt, smoked salt, vanilla bean paste or ancho chile powder); a different sweet-ener (honey, date syrup, brown sugar, agave nectar, et cetera)

DIRECTIONS

Pre-heat oven to 225°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place pecans you want to candy on the lined sheet pan.

Gently shake to distribute the pecans into a single layer.

Drizzle pecans with an even amount of maple syrup (or other sweetener). You can go light or heavy depending on your sweet tooth – I used about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup for 1½ cups of pecans.

I didn’t add any fat to the batch I made, but if you choose to, make sure it is warmed until viscous and drizzle over the pecans as well. If adding a salt or seasoning, go light. I use about two small pinches (approx. 1/8 tsp) of Maldon Sea Salt.

Place pan of pecans in the oven – low and slow is the trick.

After 45 minutes, remove pan from the oven and gently stir, then redistribute with a silicone spatula or fork. Take care to not burn yourself. You may need to carefully hold the parchment paper to keep it from shifting as you stir. Remove a pecan and let it cool so you can check for seasoning.

Add another light layer if it suits your palate, then bake another 45 minutes or so.

Your kitchen should be perfumed with a rich, buttery fragrance of the pecans when ready. To test, stir the pecans again. The pecans should be deeper in color without looking burnt. Allow pecans to cool completely then enjoy or store in an airtight con-tainer or a sealable bag. ~ Mimi Faubert

Candied Texas pecans are easy to make and make a great gift or snack year-round.

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ranch life

SPECULAAS STORY AND PHOTOS BY MARCY EPPERSON Marcy Epperson lives with her family near Rocksprings where they raise grass finished beef, sheep, goats and horses. See what’s going on at the ranch on Instagram @heritagebeef or @marcy_epperson and follow on Facebook @Heritage Beef to learn more about ranch life.

I

love cookies.

Soft, crunchy, chewy, crumbly – it doesn’t matter, I will rarely turn down the offer of a cookie. Their portability makes them easy to share, pack in lunches, stuff in the pockets of a cowboy’s leggings, or tote to a book club party or other gathering.

Speculaas cookies are absolutely a favorite. A Dutch tradition, legend has it that workers spread butter between speculaas cookies as a sandwich for lunch. The particular spice mixtures for speculaas (there are several variations) date back centuries.

Speculaas are never wrong with a steaming, fragrant cup of coffee in the afternoon, year-round. If it’s too hot for coffee, they’re a fantastic pick-me-up with freshly made limonada, and I dare say,

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smashing with a Texas wine or whiskey. They never fail as a great little conversation piece.

There are beautiful cookie molds for every season and holiday.

I use springerle molds, which can be purchased online or in many cooking stores. I am smitten with all things burro, and the little mold for the cookies in this article is probably my favorite.

While mixing speculaas dough is not particularly different than it would be for any other cookie, molding them – and getting them out of the molds – can be a challenge. There is a definite learning curve and it requires patience and the good portion of a day to master. These are perfect for a rainy-day, stuck in the house project.

The result is well worth it in my opinion, and these darling spicy cookies are lots of fun to share with foodie friends.

Note: I’ve tried a number of recipes through the years and the recipes that hold the shapes the best during baking are generally not the tastiest. Here, I adapted several recipes seeking the best balance between the shape and the flavor.

THE RECIPE~SPECULAAS INGREDIENTS For the spice mixture

2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon white pepper 2 teaspoons ginger ½ teaspoon cardamom

For the dough

3½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1½ stick unsalted butter (6 oz.)

1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup white sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/4–1/3 cup water

EQUIPMENT Confectioners’ sugar or flour for dusting molds Springerle or speculaas cookie molds Pastry brush Small spatula Parchment paper Toothpick for cleaning molds

INSTRUCTIONS In a large bowl, whisk together spice mixture, flour, soda and salt. Set aside.

Combine butter, sugars and vanilla in mixing bowl and beat just until fluffy. Add half the dry mixture, mixing until combined, then alternately add water and remaining dry mixture until a stiff dough is formed. Remove dough from bowl, divide into two-three portions, form disks, wrap tightly and refrigerate until chilled, 2-3 hours or overnight.

MOLD THE COOKIES Using one disk at a time, roll until dough is about 1/4” thick.

Dough should not be too thin so that it will fill the deepest portions of the molds.

Press mold firmly into dough, rocking gently around the edges.

Use a knife to cut around the mold. With small spatula, gently lift cookie, mold still attached. Then, gently press by hand into the deepest part of the mold.

Very carefully, remove the dough from the mold and place onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. After each cookie imprint, check molds for stuck pieces of dough and remove with a skewer or toothpick. Brush molds before each imprint with a light dusting of flour or confectioners’ sugar. When cookie sheet is full, chill in freezer for about one hour until cookies are firm.

Bake until golden brown, at 350°F, about 15 minutes.

knives sharp. tables set. have you slept?

Addiction recovery & sobriety support meetings for members of the restaurant and bar industry.

Come to talk, or just listen.

heard. iheardyou.org

Visit iheardyou.org for times and locations.

A Saint City Culinary Foundation Program

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edible ink

STALE BREAD IS A STAPLE RETHINKING FOOD WASTE

BY JILL LIGHTNER, PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON DOUGLAS A SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM SCRAPS, PEELS, AND STEMS Learning to use those extra broccoli stems might not change the world, but considering that we each waste more than 18 pounds of food per month – it’s worth rethinking what we do with our scraps. In her new cookbook “Scraps, Peels, and Stems,” food journalist Jill Lightner offers new ways to use everything from turkey bones and bruised apples to restaurant leftovers with more than 70 recipes and easy suggestions to reduce food waste, including guides for smarter food shopping.

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M

aking use of stale bread is easy – people have been developing ways to do this for centuries – but it can get a little boring if all that occurs to you is bread pudding or French toast.

If you have a food processor, one of the easiest things to do is make bread crumbs. While the bread is still only slightly stale, tear or cut it into pieces about the size of an apricot or (if it’s sliced) a piece of beef jerky. Keep it on the counter in a paper bag for a few more days until it’s completely dry, then whirl up the pieces in a food processor until they’re no larger than one-quarter inch; some might be as small as a grain of sand. If you don’t have a food processor, place the bread in a plastic bag and crush it with a rolling pin; the crumbs will be a little more coarse but still usable interchangeably in recipes.

Freeze these crumbs in labeled freezer bags where they will keep seemingly forever and use in recipes like cassoulet or meatballs or sprinkle them on soups or salads in place of croutons.

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SPAGHETTI WITH CRUMBS The inspiration for this dish comes via Sicily, where something similar was traditionally made for San Giuseppe’s Day; the crumbs are meant to represent sawdust from the ancient carpenter’s workshop. While cooking with sawdust seems almost too appropriate when talking about food waste, the seasoned, butter-toasted bread crumbs bear only the vaguest visual resem-blance to wood shavings. You can customize this dish easily to taste using different cheeses or green vegetables. Roasted leftover asparagus or Broccolini are excellent choices. If you like anchovies, add one with the garlic and red pepper flakes.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 servings) 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs Salt and freshly ground black pepper 8 ounces spaghetti 2 to 4 handfuls baby spinach, arugula, mizuna, or other tender greens 2 tablespoons butter Red pepper flakes Grated Parmesan or other cheese, for serving

SAVORY FRENCH TOAST WITH FRIED EGGS Originally, French toast was one of the best-known ways to use up yesterday’s scraps in a whole new meal. Since the mid-1990s, it has slowly turned into dessert for breakfast using soft, enriched breads like challah or brioche and fillings that combine jam and cream cheese, all specially purchased for a specific recipe. This may be delicious, but buying all these ingredients won’t help reduce the stale bread and odds and ends you might already have on hand, as French toast was created to do. Not everyone wants a sweet breakfast – plus, stale rye bread needs to be used up just like stale brioche. Any type of thick-cut rye or crust whole-wheat bread will work here. For that matter, sourdough or, yes, challah will also be delicious. If you have cooked vegetables on hand, or even some pasta sauce, you could add that as a topping, too.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 2 servings) 4 large eggs, divided 1 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 one-inch-thick slices day-old bread, crusts removed 3 to 4 teaspoons butter or olive oil, for frying Salad greens, for serving (optional) Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS Heat the oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Once it’s warm, add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds, until it is pale gold. Stir in the bread crumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toast the crumbs, stirring regularly, until they are evenly golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat.

Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions (usually 8 to 10 minutes). While the spaghetti cooks, put the spinach in a colander and set the colander in the sink. When the spaghetti is cooked, pour it into the colander to drain; the greens should wilt instantly.

Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Once it sizzles and begins to brown, stir in the spaghetti and greens. Toss with tongs to coat the spaghetti in the butter and season to taste with red pepper flakes and additional black pepper. Divide the pasta and greens between two pasta bowls and top each with the seasoned bread crumbs and Parmesan. Serve hot.

Excerpted with permission from Scraps, Peels, and Stems: Reci-pes and Tips for Rethinking Food Waste at Home (Skipstone, October 2018) by Jill Lightner. To learn more about this new cookbook, visit bit.ly/ScrapsPeelsStems.

DIRECTIONS In a 9-by-13-inch pan, whisk together 2 eggs, milk, mustard, paprika, pepper and salt until no streaks of yolk or white remain. Dip one side of each piece of bread in the egg mixture, then flip the bread, leaving it in the pan. Put the pan in the refrigerator and leave the bread in the mixture to soak for at least 30 minutes.

Remove bread from the fridge and preheat a large skillet set over medium heat. Put a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 225°F. Add about 1 teaspoon butter to the pan and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add as many slices of bread as can fit comfortably in the pan without overcrowding. Cook for 4 minutes, until they are deep golden brown, flip, and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the exterior is crisp. Move the finished toast to the warm baking sheet in the oven while you finish toasting the bread.

Once all the bread has been toasted, add another teaspoon of butter to the skillet and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Gently crack the remaining 2 eggs into the skillet and fry without stirring for 1 minute, until the edges of the whites are opaque and set. Cover the pan and cook for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, depending on whether you prefer a runny yolk, a medium yolk, or a firm yolk. While the eggs are cooking, remove the warm toast from the oven and divide between two plates. Place salad greens on top of the toast if you want them crisp; place under toast to soften them more. Top with a fried egg and sprinkle with Parmesan. Serve immediately. ediblesanantonio.com

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BROWN BETTY This old-fashioned baked dessert uses up a lot of bread crumbs, but it’s fine to mix and match types of bread. You can even use sweet breads, like cinnamon raisin or Hawaiian, to make these crumbs. For the fruit, this is an anything-goes sort of recipe, like crisp or trifle. Whatever you choose, core, pit, and peel it and dice it into bite-sized pieces. If you’re using frozen fruit, don’t thaw it before baking.

INGREDIENTS (Makes 6 to 9 servings) 1/3 cup butter, melted, plus more for the pan 3 cups bread crumbs 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 3 cups bite-sized fruit pieces 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or tapioca starch 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ground ginger

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DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan.

In a small bowl, combine the butter and bread crumbs, stirring to coat the crumbs.

Sprinkle on the sugar and stir briefly.

Sprinkle 1 cup of the bread-crumb mixture on the bottom of the baking pan.

In a medium bowl, toss the fruit with the lemon juice, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Spread half of the mixture on top of the bread crumbs in the baking pan, then sprinkle another cup of crumbs on top.

Spread the remaining fruit on top of this layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup crumbs. Gently press down on the layers. Cover with foil and bake for about 25 min-utes, until the fruit is bubbling, then remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes, until the top layer of crumbs is crisp and deep golden brown. Serve warm.

Brown Betty is best eaten the same day it’s made, but it can be reheated (uncovered) at 300°F until hot through.

THE EDIBLE SA GUIDE TO

SAN ANTONIO FARMERS MARKETS MOBILE MARKET Alamo Ranch Farmers Market

210-446-0099 www.alamoranchfarm.market Call or visit website for more information.

MONDAY

SA Food Bank Farmers Market

Palo Alto College 1400 W. Villaret Blvd 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

4th Monday of month

TUESDAY

SA Food Bank Farmers Market

Main Plaza 115 Main Avenue 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Opening market – March 19 San Antonio Farmers Market

Olmos Basin 100 Jackson Keller Road 8 a.m – 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

San Antonio Farmers Market

Leon Valley Community Center 6427 Evers Road 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

THURSDAY

4 City Farmers Market

Journey Fellowship Church 16847 IH-35 N Selma, TX 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Cibolo Grange Farmers and Artisans Market

Pearl Night Market

Pearl Brewery 312 Pearl Parkway 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.

1st Thursday of month

FRIDAY

Blanco Farmers Market

Shrine Auditorium 901 North Loop 1604 W 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Kerrville Farmers Market

Downtown 529 Water Street Kerrville, TX 3 p.m. till dark 1st Fri of month

San Antonio Farmers Market

St. Matthews Recreation Center 11121 Wurzbach Road 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

SATURDAY

Deerfield Farmers Market

16607 Huebner Road 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Farmers Market at the Cibolo

Herff Farm 33 Herff Road Boerne, TX 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Opening market – March 2 Four Seasons Market

Goliad Market Days

231 S. Market Street Goliad, TX 9 a.m. – 4 p.m 2nd Saturday of month Legacy Farmers Market

Legacy Shopping Center 18402 US Hwy 281 N 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes

14391 Riggs Road Helotes, TX 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

1st Saturday of month

New Braunfels Farmers Market

186 S. Castell Avenue New Braunfels, TX 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pearl Farmers Market

Pearl Brewery 312 Pearl Parkway 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

SA Food Bank Farmers Market

Mission Marquee Plaza 3100 Roosevelt Avenue 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

1st & 3rd Sat of month Opening market – March 2

SUNDAY

Alamo Heights Farmers Market

Alamo Quarry Market 255 E. Basse Road 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Boardwalk on Broadway Farmers Market

4001 Broadway 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Legacy Farmers Market

Legacy Shopping Center 18402 US Hwy 281 N 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

New Braunfels Farmers Market

186 S. Castell Avenue New Braunfels, TX 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Pearl Farmers Market

Pearl Brewery 312 Pearl Parkway 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Please email Freddie Covo at fred@ediblesanantonio.com to add your farmers market to the Edible SA Guide to Farmers Markets. There is no cost to list local Farmers Markets in the Guide.

San Antonio Farmers Market

Olmos Basin 100 Jackson Keller Road 8 a.m. – 1 p.m

Huebner Oaks Shopping Center 11745 IH-10 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

413 N. Main Street Cibolo, TX 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

ediblesanantonio.com

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sommelier says

TRICENTENNIAL

HANGOVER

BY JENNIFER BECKMANN, CERTIFIED SOMMELIER, CSW, CWE Editor’s note: Please take a moment and raise a glass to Ms. Beckmann, who has achieved the rank of Certified Wine Educator, one of less than a thousand individuals in the world to have earned this certification. Congratulations!

S

tarting a new year inspires hope for new beginnings, resolutions of self-betterment and personal introspection of past endeavors and future success. For San Antonio, 2019 also means the end of a yearlong Tricentennial celebration, highlighting the rich Spanish influence on our humble city with events, festivals and exhibits. The city also hosted King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain during a two-day visit to honor the distinct cultural imprint left by Spanish settlers three hundred years ago.

But the Spanish influence didn’t end, or even begin, with the historic five missions. As early as 1662, Franciscan priests plant-ed the first grape vineyards in Texas, beginning a rich and tumul-tuous vinous history for the lone star state. As we continue our celebration into the next century, explore the growing acu-men of the Texas wine industry and discover Spanish varieties that continue to produce wines fit for a king.

SPANISH GRAPES IN TEXAS ALBARIÑO, also known as Alvarinho, is a white grape best expressed in Northwestern Spain along the Galician Coast. Predominantly grown in the five sub-regions of the Riax Baixus, this has come to be known as the ‘quintessential’ white wine of Spain. With bracing acidity, notes of melon and citrus and a predilection for the floral aromatic compound terpenes, this is a wine suited for both sipping and seafood.

Notable Texas Producers: Ron Yates Winery (Hye, Texas), McPherson Cellars (Lubbock, Texas), Wedding Oak Winery (Stonewall, Texas) Sommelier Recommended: 2016 Ron Yates Winery, Albariño, Bingham Family Vineyards – $19.99 RonYatesWines.com TEMPRANILLO, also known as Cencibel, Tinta Del Pais, Aragonez and Tinta Rorizis, this grape is the undisputed king of the Iberian Peninsula, with the most acclaim in the Spanish regions of Rioja and Ribera Del Duero. For connoisseurs that crave the intense tannin structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with spice-driven body, Tempranillo is the grape of choice. Notes of tobacco, leather, earth and black fruit are common aspects 44

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of this oak-happy grape and can satiate most ‘red-loving’ palates.

Notable Texas Producers: Pedernales Cellars in Stonewall, Lewis Wines in Johnson City and Lost Draw Cellars in Fredericksburg.

Sommelier Recommended: 2015 Pedernales Cellars, Tempranillo Reserve – $60.00 PedernalesCellars.com MOURVÈDRE, also known as Mataro, Monastrell or Cot, is often first associated with Southern France, but is voraciously cultivated throughout Spain, most successfully in the Alicante and Jumilla regions.

The grape is known for its meaty mouthfeel and inky rich color. Growing popularity in Texas can be attributed to its late bud break, hearty resistance to freeze, structured body and aromatic floral nose. Few wineries have championed this grape as well as William Chris Vineyards, featuring examples grown statewide.

Notable Texas Producers: William Chris Vineyards (Hye, Texas), Tatum Cellars (Hye, Texas) Sommelier Recommended: 2016 William Chris Vineyards, Mourvèdre, Texas High Plains – Limited availability WilliamChrisWines. com CARIGNAN, also known as Cariñena, Mazuela or Carignane, has traditionally been known for its ‘quantity over quality’ tendencies in French Languedoc-Roussillon and Northern Spain. However, after being treated with care and attention in the vineyard, the reinvigorated reputation of this grape is soaring worldwide. A soft and supple tannin structure with rich and vibrant fruits, spiced aromas and a versatility allows both red and rosé expressions to thrive in warm climate growing regions.

Notable Texas Producers: Kuhlman Cellars (Stonewall, Texas), Bingham Family Vineyards (Stonewall, Texas), Llano Estacado (Lubbock, Texas) Sommelier Recommended: 2017 Kuhlmanation Rosé, Carignan, Estate Grown – Limited Availability KuhlmanCellars.com TINTA CÃO AND TOURIGA NACIONAL have been grown in the Douro Region of Portugal since the sixteenth century and are most at home in the heart of Port country. Seldom found as single variety wines, they are now growing in popularity as both single variety and in blended wines in Texas. With intensity of structure, complex depth and brilliant fruit forward notes, these wines scintillate the most adventurous palates.

Notable Texas Producers: Lewis Wines (Johnson City, Texas), Haak Vineyards & Winery (Santa Fe, Texas), Red Caboose Winery (Meridian, Texas) Sommelier Recommended: 2014 Lewis Wines, Tinta Cão, Round Mountain Vineyards, Texas Hill Country – $36.00 LewisWines.com

local pints

Kate and Chris Conger and family, owners of The Pigpen. (Photo Courtesy)

LOCAL BEER, FOOD, MUSIC AT THE PIGPEN

F

BY J.E. JORDAN

inding something you like is a snap at The Pigpen Neighborhood Bar – you can choose from a broad selection of 14 tap beers, eight bottled beers, 14 canned brews, six specialty bar drinks, nine wines and five non-alcoholic thirst-quenchers.

They try to keep it local, too, with at least eight Texas breweries on tap.

It was a pleasure to find the legendary Celis White created by the renowned Belgian brewer Pierre Celis, the Father of Witbier. Daughter Christine Celis and granddaughter Daytona Camps carry on his legacy in Austin brewing the Cascade, Saaz and Cascade-hopped Witbier, with a zing of coriander and orange peel.

The Pigpen is part of the Smoke Shack family of venues, owned

by Chris and Kate Conger, which includes San Antonio’s Southern Kitchen BBQ, The Smoke Shack Food Truck and the Smoke Shack Meat Market. The Congers source 90 percent of the local meat market’s offerings from Texas farmers, not including the cheese and wines.

Once you’ve whetted your appetite with a beverage at The Pigpen, aromas from the Smoke Shack Food Truck will no doubt draw you out the back door through the beer garden to grab a snack. So, while you can snack on pretzels with dipping sauces, you can also easily upgrade to locally sourced brisket grilled cheese or cheeseburger sliders.

Kids can choose from grilled cheese sandwiches or chicken tenders served with fries because, after all, this is a family and dog-friendly neighborhood bar. The beer garden also features a children’s play area.

Unlike bars or restaurants where music is nothing more than background noise, patrons come to the Pigpen to listen. The Congers con-

sider the space a live music venue … and respect for the music and the performers makes The Pigpen particularly enjoyable for music lovers.

In the tap room, trestle tables and benches fill up early on Tuesday evenings for “Tunesday” – an open mic night founded by local folk musician, John Whipple. New and not-so-new artists sign up to take their turn at the mic for a few tunes, often of their own composition.

New performers can count on onstage help from more experienced musicians who happily play along.

Established singer-songwriters and guitar virtuosos like Jack Pledge, with his “I Love Texas” tunes, ballads of the Texas revolution and a sampling of Australian songs from his sojourn in the land down under, make frequent appearances. There’s no cover charge for Tunesday or for any of their regular monthly shows.

A sign at the Pigpen proclaims, “No Music, No Life.” True to form, they kicked off the new year on a musical note, filling the taproom to capacity with its annual Townes Van Zandt tribute the first of the year. To keep up the tempo, there’s always a live band at their weekly Soul Full Sunday all-you-can-eat Brunch Buffet (10 a.m. to 2 p.m., $16), including five special brunch drinks to choose from like the Brisket Bloody Mary.

Steak Night, a monthly event, debuts on February 20. This event will feature hand cut steaks from the Smoke Shack Meat Market, along with twice-baked potato and salad. More food and fun will follow.

Manager Zac Teegerstrom says the annual Crawfish Boil is coming up in the spring. And these days, they offer half-price Nacho Mondays.

To learn more about the bar located at 106 Pershing, visit thepigpensa.com. ediblesanantonio.com

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Edible Sources

These purveyors offer some of the finest local, seasonal and sustainable products in the region. They also advertise in Edible San Antonio ~ please support them and drop by to pick up your complimentary copy and shop, dine, explore and enjoy!

Alamo Ranch Farmers Market Click. Order. Receive. Enjoy.

PO Box 380058 San Antonio, TX 78268 210-446-0099 www.alamoranchfarm.market

Earth Day 2019 April 13, 2019 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Woodlawn Lake Park San Antonio, TX 210-501-0192 westsidedevcorp.com

Lick Honest Ice Creams Scoops full of Texas goodness at the Pearl 312 Pearl Parkway Bldg 2, Suite 2101 San Antonio, TX 78215 ilikelick.com

SAC Fiesta Brunch April 24, 2019 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Pearl Stable San Antonio, TX 210-486-0960 alamo.edu/sac/fiestabrunch

Aurelia’s Spanish Chorizo Artisan Spanish Chorizo aureliaschorizo.com

Fredericksburg Convention & Visitor Bureau The Texas Hill Country Texas Heart. German Soul.

866-997-3600 visitfredericksburgtx.com

Ms. Chocolatier Handmade Confections & Artisan Chocolates Pearl Farmers Market 312 Pearl Parkway San Antonio, TX 78215 facebook.com/mschocolatiertx

Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard Olives with a Texas accent 25195 Mathis Road Elmendorf, TX 78112 210-621-0044 sandyoaks.com

HI! Happy Inside Are you truly happy inside?

Cereal for digestive wellness gethappyinside.com

10th Annual Paella Challenge March 24, 2019 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Mission County Park San Antonio, TX paellachallenge.com

Austin Label Company Quality that sticks.

1610 Dungan Lane, Suite A Austin, TX 78754 512-302-0204 austinlabel.com Cotton Gin Village More than a Bed & Breakfast 2805 S. State Highway 16 Fredericksburg, TX 78624 830-990-5734 cottonginvillage.com Don Strange of Texas Catering | Venues | Event Management 1551 Bandera Road San Antonio, TX 78228 210-434-2331 donstrange.com

Humble House Foods Honest Food. Honest People.

Pearl Farmers Market 312 Pearl Parkway San Antonio, TX 78215 210-706-0067 humblehousefoods.com Kuhlman Cellars Old World Terroir …

New World Cuisine 18421 E. US 290 Stonewall, TX 78671 512-920-2675 kuhlmancellars.com

River Whey Creamery Artisanal Cheese 17361 Bell N. Drive, #115 Schertz, TX 78154 210-326-1342 riverwheycreamery.com

Spec’s Wines, Spirits & Finer Foods Locations across Texas specsonline.com Tracey Maurer Photography Some of the best things happen in the kitchen.

San Antonio, TX 210-325-4550 tmaurerphoto.com

Saint City Culinary Foundation If you need support, come be heard. iheardyou.org

ediblesanantonio.com

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the last bite

A chef and his tools. (Photo by Sophie Covo Gonzales)

WHY, REVISITED

A

BY MICHAEL SOHOCKI

fter almost a decade, I have not reached enough people with this message. Not nearly enough.

When I started Restaurant Gwendolyn nine years ago, I had a vision. I was awake for three days. My breakthrough was that our limitations formed us.

When we were Ashkenazi Jews shivering in what would become Russia or Hungary or Ukraine, or burning under the desert skies of the Middle East, or following the gnarled buffalo across the great American plains – the plants and animals we found (or could be compelled to grow there) became our diet.

Our clothing came to reflect the hair or fur or fiber we had to work with and our houses took form from what stone or tree or ice block we could get our hands on. The wok was heated by the fire of brown swamp grass, the masonry oven by oak, the tajine by camel dung. We dried our fish in the winds of the ocean and sewed with needles made from their bones.

As we learned to make do with our environment, our identities took shape around us. We became who we were. Our strongest bonds of gratitude, appreciation and value in the having were formed in contrast to suffering its absence – no one can know the sweetness of fresh water like one who is thirsty.

Surviving limitations was always hard work. Life is ultimately a competition for resources: to the most efficient go the spoils. He who invents a rabbit trap has a competitive advantage over a neighbor with a stick – and this success is born out through the genes of his more plentiful children.

She who fermented the vegetables beneath the ground in fall fared better in the winter and watched her competitor die.

The motion carries.

And so, as humans, it is in our nature that the moment we touch the ground we begin to hack away at our limitations: to streamline, dovetail and eventually remove any limitation we can. The conservation of energy

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– to get more and do less – is our hardwired default mode. The human is a brilliant creature, and the longer you give us, the more of these limitations we will find a way to conquer. But even as these improvements have sweetened and increased our lives, almost insidiously a quiet trade was taking place beneath the waves. Our spiritual moorings were being cut.

The hand that forgets the seed does not know the plant. Lose the consciousness and the appreciation and the perception of its taste goes with it. And so, we have given away our relationship with the stones, the grass, the water. We have climbed so high into the leaves of our tree of control and convenience that we can no longer see the roots, the ground, the earth – for what it is, what it was. We become narcissistic, ungrateful, detached. With the expectation of plenty, the water is no longer sweet.

Grown too far from the elements, we have forgotten their sting and their joy. We mock them from our heated beds as we flick through a thousand channels of junk.

Gwendolyn was an attempt at storytelling, a reversal of convenience, a re-imposition of limitations. I took away the electricity, bought only whole animals (as they occur), made everything by hand, and limited the perishable food to what came from within 150 miles to recreate the stories we were formed in and the identity those stories bestowed. Keep the money with our people, draw away from industry. Find our ancestors and look through their eyes.

It was a romantic dream. And you know what? We did find them. We have the stories now, thousands of them. We feel what they felt.

Looking back, I have to laugh at the naivete it required to even build it. To mean these things. Almost ten years, and still kicking. I have to laugh because I can’t believe I’m still here. We’ve taken direct hits and lost large pieces of the ship, crashing through the storm of commercial reality. There have been compromises, wrong turns, explosions. But to make it this far and still mean something … man, not many people can say that.

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rocker, the stone fireplace, the courtyard waterfalls and the gourmet breakfast pastries prepared by the adjoining Cabernet Grill. And it’s just minutes from Main Street! Book now. They’ll thank you later.

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6/18/12 11:08 AM

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The Winter Issue

SPRING IS COMING

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NEW PRICES. NEW PRODUCTS. NEW WEBSITE.

CLICK - ORDER - RECEIVE - ENJOY

FRUITS, VEGETABLES & MEATS DELIVERED TO YOU

www.alamoranchfarm.market

Issue No. 32

2019 2019 PAELLA PAELLA CHALLENGE CHALLENGE