Edible San Antonio Autumn 2021

edible San Antonio

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eat. drink. think.

The 2021 Autumn Issue Issue No. 39

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2021 Autumn Issue - Issue No. 39

CONTENTS

Above: Playing the game. (Photo by Tracey Maurer) Cover: Foodie Loteria ~ a new San Antonio tradition. (Photo by Tracey Maurer)

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

CLASSIC TRADITION Not Your Bubbe's Latkes

ADVISORY COUNCIL Special thanks to our Board

LATIN ROOTS Start Your Own Tamalada Tradition

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LITTLE BITES News You Can Use

MIMI’S HEIRLOOM RECIPES Sweet Potato Yuan

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS Where and When

RANCH LIFE Doves

26 FOOD FOR THE SOUL Cultural Confluence at Stixs and Stone

WHAT'S IN SEASON Mostly Seasonal Veggies

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LOCAL RECIPE Bison with Berries and Pecans

THE LAST BITE First Cake

SAN ANTONIO TRADICIONES Tracey Maurer's Loteria

NEW TRADITION Chef Michael Sohocki's New Digs

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food for thought

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EDIBLE SA!

Our 2022 New Year's resolution is to shorten our food chain, always emphasizing local and homegrown foods. Here's a look at what you can do, too.

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 Di-Anna Arias, John Bloodsworth, Gloria Camarillo-Vasquez, Jeannette Davies, Marcy Epperson, Mimi Faubert, Valerie Grant, Robin Johnson, Bonnie Osterhage, Simone Rathle, Michael Sohocki, Kimberly Suta, Dave Terrazas, Lea Thompson DESIGN & LAYOUT Florence Edwards, Pixel Power Graphics and Angela Covo, Edible San Antonio COVER PHOTO by Tracey Maurer CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Ana Flores, Melissa Huntsman, Tracey Maurer, Fernando Ortega, Clint Patterson, Whitney Schrader, Werner Segarra, Stachoo FINANCE MANAGER Louis Gonzales WEB DIRECTOR Michael Lorenzana ~ Southtown Designs Our heartfelt thanks to the friends and businesses who make this magazine possible.

Remember to like us on Facebook! www.Facebook.com/EdibleSanAntonio or follow us on Instagram @ediblesa LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please call 210-274-6572 or email angela.covo@gmail.com

ADVERTISING

Please call 210-365-8046 or email fred.covo@gmail.com Homegrown Media LLC publishes Edible San Antonio quarterly, every season.

Distribution is throughout South Central Texas and nationally by subscription.

Your annual subscriptions support the mission and are $35 annually.

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 sincere apologies and let us know.

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© 2021. All rights reserved.

Member of Edible Communities

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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

Lainey Berkus

Roberta Churchin

Marianne Odom

Chef Stephen Paprocki

Adam Rocha

Di-Anna Arias

Chef Johnny Hernandez

Bob Webster

Chef Jeff White

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MORE TREASURES AT UTSA

LIBRARIES SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Diana Kennedy works in her kitchen. (Photo courtesy ) UTSA Libraries Special Collections recently added six more boxes of original material to their new collection of rare cookbooks and archives from Ms. Diana Kennedy, the “Grand Dame of Mexican Cookery.” In spring 2019, at 96 years young, Ms. Kennedy traveled 892 miles from her home in Michoacán, Mexico to San Antonio to hand-deliver a large part of her personal collection to the UTSA Libraries.

In 1972, the chef released the first of nine important books that would blaze the trail for a revolutionary shift in America’s perspective of Mexican gastronomy. Her life’s work, including the off-the-grid ranch and study center in Michoacán, which she built from the ground up, helps preserve the techniques and ingredients that make up the flavorful and nutritious dishes from every region of Mexico. Ms. Kennedy's frank views reflect the depth of her passion for the people and traditions of the nation she has called home since the late 1950s.

Ms. Kennedy’s archives include 11 Mexican cookbooks from the 19th century and eight linear feet of personal papers documenting her life’s work. The new material adds Ms. Kennedy’s working library and research papers.

The entire acquisition complements UTSA Libraries Special Collections’ existing 1,900-volume Mexican cookbook collection, one of the largest of its kind in the nation. The university now preserves Ms. Kennedy’s rare books and archives, and will foster the scholarly use of its rich, personal and original contents. The collection will open for research once cataloging and preservation work is complete.

“I think it seems to be a natural bridge between Mexico and the U.S.,” Ms. Kennedy explained when she selected UTSA to house her collection. “San Antonio has always been a good crossing point and I think it would be used here.”

The renowned author’s personal papers include her culinary and botanical research notes from each state in Mexico and

document the culinary traditions, cooking techniques and ingredients. The diary-like written observations and accounts of her travels and interactions with residents and cooks across Mexico adds great depth to the archive, which will house photographs, scrapbooks, menus and original correspondence with prominent chefs such as Julia Child, Paula Wolfert and Daniel Maye. Ms. Kennedy’s 19th century Mexican cookbooks also include a copy of the 1828 “Arte Nuevo de Cocina y Reposteria Acomodado al Uso Mexicano,” possibly the only existing copy.

“The acquisition of Diana Kennedy’s archives further advances the UTSA Libraries in the direction of being the national model for Latinx-serving libraries,” UTSA Dean of Libraries Dean Hendrix said. “We thank Diana for her generosity and entrusting UTSA to bring her passion for Mexico and its food to the rest of the world. The UTSA community and San Antonio will have the opportunity to study and deeply understand the ever-evolving foodways of Mexico and make connections to our region of the world.”

A native of Britain, Ms. Kennedy built her expertise in Mexican cuisine through 50 years of documented travel, leading to the Order of the Aztec Eagle – the highest honor awarded by the Mexican government to foreign nationals, and the Order of the British Empire. She is also an Honorary Member of the San Antonio chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International.

“It's a perfect fit for San Antonio and its distinction as a (UNESCO) Creative City of Gastronomy," Assistant Dean for Special Collections Amy Rushing added.

The UTSA Libraries Special Collections preserves and provides access to the legacies of UTSA, San Antonio and South Texas through a rich array of rare books, photographs and primary sources. To learn more about UTSA Special Collections, visit bit.ly/UTSAcollection. ~ Robin Johnson ediblesanantonio.com

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CELEBRATE LOCAL AT LANDRACE

Chef Steve McHugh experienced farm-to-table cooking every day growing up and developed a formidable passion and respect for the purity of what comes directly from the earth.

It’s no surprise then that the five-time James Beard Award finalist and owner of gastropub Cured decided to honor his personal culinary philosophy as the cornerstone of his second venture, Landrace at the Thompson Hotel.

Placing the pastoral beauty of foods front and center, Chef McHugh and the team at Landrace work with heritage growers close to home – sourcing from twenty local producers and farmers who cultivate the earliest indigenous ingredients of the region.

To start, the Spiced Bandera Sausage with sweet strawberry mostarda and savory butter pecan granola features quail sourced from the Broken Arrow Ranch. The family-owned ranch works with wildlife ecologists to identify over-populated herds on private land across Texas, using selective harvesting to improve the health of the herd and land – an approach consistent with Chef McHugh’s own high standards and commitment to respecting the environment.

Landrace features a wood burning, stainless-steel grill by Grillworks and time-honored Argentine techniques that highlight a bounty of perfectly cooked meats from around the region.

Chef McHugh is mindful to utilize underrated cuts of meat in unexpected ways, and the 16-ounce New York Strip is one that stands out as both bold and beefy. It’s served with chile 6

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pequin au poivre – growing in Northern Mexico and Central Texas, the pequin pepper is thought to be 13 times hotter than a jalapeño – with a flavor that is citrusy, smoky and nutty – all at once. And, cooked to precise specifications over open flames, the juicy Berkshire Pork Chop is accompanied

by Peychaud pear butter, which enchants the tastebuds as it delicately enhances the sweetness of the meat.

Desserts include scrumptious Strawberry Crémeux, with white chocolate and locally grown strawberries, and a nutty toasted malt almond torte topped with fresh basil gelato from OroBianco Italian Creamery, the first water buffalo dairy and creamery in the state of Texas. The Carrot Cake, with icing flavored and brightened by local prickly pears and butterscotch, is prepared in-house with single malt Scotch.

Even the craft cocktail menu was built from the ground up using local ingredients. The Sin and Smoke, made with Maker’s Mark, is house-infused with mesquite (a Texas original used before the arrival of Spanish settlers), perfectly paired with Angostura bitters and simple syrup. And the Bittersweet Symphony is also a deep, layered beverage with a masterful mix of Beefeater gin, Texas Arbequina olive oil, olive and tomato infused Campari and Carpano Antica.

Landrace describes plants and animals that have evolved, adapting to their current environment to thrive – and for Chef McHugh, the term captures the spirit and direction of this from-scratch focused restaurant.

Visit landracetx.com to learn more. ~ Simone Rathle

TEA SERVICE BY APPT FROM SNUG TEA

Snug Tea, nestled in at 7718 Broadway, #107, is a private tearoom already open for sales and tastings by appointment only.

The new locally-owned company curates a rotating selection of premium full leaf teas, primarily from Taiwan, Japan and China.

The setting is casual, comfy and snug. Up to three guests can be accommodated for tea tastings, which are selected from the menu and are priced per person.

Just want some tea to take home? Available teas are priced for sale by the gram and sustainably packaged in compostable pouches. Cold brewed tea in bottles (750 ml) are also available and can be procured via custom order.

For now, schedule your tea tasting by direct message on Instagram @snugtea or just email do.it.snugtea@gmail.com.

The tearoom at Snug Tea. (Photo Courtesy)

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FREE ONLINE COOKING CLASSES Striving for perfect pavlovas, gorgeous grill marks and tasty Texas tacos, San Antonio Public Library (SAPL) foodies, Jeannette Davies and Carlos Loera, slice, spice and stir up food concoctions during Noon Time Helping of Cooking in SAPL’s Virtual Kitchen. Understanding food helps connect people, and these foodies found the secret sauce with their online cooking show – a way to break bread with library patrons and food enthusiasts.

Ms. Davies conceptualized the program during the pandemic to assist library patrons who are spending more time in their kitchens than ever before. Guests are invited to spend lunchtime (via Zoom) exploring recipes from global cuisines.

The self-proclaimed foodie manages the Brook Hollow Library and has master’s degrees in Library and Information Science from the University of North Texas and Communication Arts from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

She writes and produces Noon Time Helping of Cooking, which offers food demonstrations, pre-recorded videos (available on SAPL’s YouTube page) and a combination of hybrid formats that always conclude with a bibliography of food-related library resources, cookbooks and ebooks. Bonus: featured recipes are also emailed to participants. Mr. Loera, the co-host, earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin, teaches art appreciation at San Antonio College (SAC) and co-founded Voces Cósmicas Poetry Group.

Twice a month, Ms. Davies dishes tales of baking with her mother in the cold winters of Minnesota, recalling pressure cooker scars on the wall above her grandmother’s stove, while Mr. Loera offers barbecue tips in search of gorgeous grill marks and shares stories of successfully wrangling family recipes from siblings. Each episode is supported by a team of library professionals, including Mr. Loera from Collins Garden Library, 8

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Thousand Oaks Librarian Brooke Mjolsness and Bibliographer Karen Sebesta from the Landa Library.

Inspired by Julia Child’s French cooking, English chef Gordon Ramsey’s technique, and local chef Johnny Hernandez’s Hispanic flare, the duo’s enthusiasm for cooking is evident as they prepare foods from seasonal harvests, discuss healthy options and, of course, celebratory desserts. Log in and watch as Ms. Davies borrows Chef Child’s signature phrase, “Bon Appetit!" as she encourages everyone to step into their kitchens with confidence and try new recipes.

In the future, the team plans to take SAPL’s Virtual Kitchen on the road to explore the nooks and crannies of San Antonio’s food scene. Future program ideas include sporting an apron to cook with local firefighters who are often seen shopping together at local grocery stores grabbing ingredients for cooking back at the firehouse. The possibilities are endless, including putting on a hairnet and gloves to prepare school lunches, a tour of San Antonio’s food trucks or even visiting the city’s distinctly unique restaurants.

Dueling Tacos are on the menu for Noon Time Helping of Cooking to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Later, look for autumn recipes on the program that will include pumpkin spice, apples, Halloween madness and holiday favorites in November and December. Both November shows will highlight Thanksgiving Day dishes.

Noon Time Helping of Cooking in SAPL’s Virtual Kitchen provides an opportunity to connect with the San Antonio Public Library in a new way. Reaching far beyond its local service area, participants are from as far away as Abu Dhabi.

To register for Noon Time Helping of Cooking in SAPL’s Virtual Kitchen (Thursdays at noon, twice a month), visit bit.ly/SAPLcooking or call 210-207-2500 for more info.

DISCOVER FAIRY DUST GIFT When Paulina Tascon moved with her family to San Antonio two years ago, she decided to give up her career in mechanical engineering and dedicate herself to her passions, baking and creating. They moved from Abilene to accommodate a promotion for her engineer husband, Mauricio, and she also seized the opportunity to spend more time with her children, Martin, 10, and Maria Antonia, 7.

She started her cottage industry baking her favorite cookies, alfajores, as they make them in Columbia ... "not too sweet," she explained. We can attest they are delicious and addictive, with or without the nuts.

It took more than a year for Ms. Tascon to develop her cake and buttercream recipes and it was well worth it. The cakes are not only beautiful to look at, but the flavors and textures are perfectly balanced.

Dramatic designs distinguish Fairy Dust Gift cakes, which are veritable museum-quality art (you can see many of her creations at FairyDustGift.com), and she even designs beautiful gift boxes for her creations.

It takes about 2 weeks to design custom-order cakes, which range in price from $80 to $150, depending on the size, flavors and decoration. Soon she will also be offering artsy cheese boards with handmade charcuterie.

Learn more about the creative and engineer-minded baker at www.FairyDustGift.com, where you can view her stunning offerings and order online, as well.

This gorgeous cake in one of Paulina's signature gift boxes tastes as fantastic as it looks. (Photo courtesy) These delicious Columbian-style alfajores are bespoke and handmade. (Photo courtesy)

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GET A RIDE ... with MAIN STREET DRIVERS James Hirtenstein looks for a ride in NYC. (Photo courtesy)

An innovative transportation company just opened here to serve San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country – Main Street Drivers pulled into town with a unique “your car/ their driver” concept – unveiling a new, carefree way to visit our Texas wine trails and more.

With prices starting at $42 an hour, they seem to have figured out how to blend a high-quality driving service with a low cost price tag.

“Take a look under the hood and see for yourself, there are no hidden fees,” owner and founder James Hirtenstein said. “If you own your own vehicle, it makes total sense.”

As we all know, spending a day visiting vineyards and breweries in the Texas Hill Country with friends or family is practically a tradition, and now everybody can enjoy the trip without the need for a designated (deprived?) driver.

“As a seasoned tourism and wine trail veteran, I hate seeing people spend a small fortune on a limo or car service when we can deliver the same service, or better, at a fraction of the cost,” Mr. Hirtenstein said.

Main Street Drivers (designated drivers and wine tours) has an established history of delivering amazing service and low prices since 2011, with outposts in Walla Walla, WA, Willamette Valley, OR and the Finger Lakes and North Fork regions of New York. They finally figured out where the action is and expanded to San Antonio, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, and the Texas Hill Country region.

“We were all set to launch in Texas two years ago when the pandemic shut the world down, so please excuse our 10

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tardiness to the party,” Mr. Hirtenstein shared. “We are fully operational and ready to party like it’s any year but 2021.”

Who will be driving your car? The company’s drivers are carefully selected and screened before ever hitting the road. Mr. Hirtenstein explained each driver is also covered under the company’s corporate insurance policy, so no need to worry about adding them to yours.

“Many of our drivers are already involved in the local wine and spirits industry, which really makes for a nice tour when you aren’t familiar with the local scene. There’s nothing better than showing clients the endless beauty the area has to offer while delivering them to some of the finest local wine, spirit and beer producers in the country. No two tours are ever alike, and each day is a new adventure,” he added.

BESPOKE TOURS

The company’s unique business model delivers that personal touch, too, so if you’re new to wine tasting rooms and vineyards or you just want to discover our treasure trove of great local breweries and distilleries, this is a great option.

The friendly folks at Main Street Drivers have a depth of knowledge to pull from and arrange tours perfectly suited to you that can include local wine tastings, beer breweries or distilleries in San Antonio, Fredericksburg and the surrounding Texas Hill Country. They keep up with all the latest news and will help guide you or even set up the entire tour based on your preferences.

For more information, visit them at mainstreetdrivers.com or call them at (888) 327-4460.

CULTURE, COCKTAILS AND COMMUNITY

BY LEA THOMPSON Amid the hustle and bustle of what locals know as Loop 410 lies an unexpected treasure. The Paseo Bar at Estancia del Norte is like an Old World oasis in the middle of the urban sprawl.

Just walking into the vast, open 3,400-square-foot space feels like an exhale at the end of a long day. Here, the toughest decision you’ll make is whether to sink into a buttery, leather lounge chair or belly up to the slate-topped bar ... all while reveling in an atmosphere that blends culture and community as effortlessly as their master bartenders blend signature cocktails.

“The overriding theme at Estancia del Norte is ‘where San Antonio celebrates,’ and we’ve made sure that every detail is in line with that mission,” General Manager Austin Vandevate explained. “There were endless hours of thought put into every aspect from the décor to the seating and the menu at Paseo Bar, creating an atmosphere that you don’t typically find in a traditional hotel bar.”

The Leddy is one example of how Paseo puts a spin on a perennial favorite. Taking its cue from an “Old Fashioned,” this updated version combines bourbon, rye and pecan-infused Amaro.

The Leddy is just a sample of the gorgeous and delicious cocktails served at Paseo Bar. (Photo courtesy)

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Charcuterie at The Esquire (Photo courtesy)

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By Werner Segarra ©2011 Pepe Nicanor Acuña Galaz., La Cega Huásabas (Photo courtesy Briscoe Western Art Museum)

COWBOYS' MEXICAN LEGACY There’s nothing more Texan than a cowboy, right?

Not quite.

That cowhand sitting high in the saddle, rounding up cattle with his chaps and spurs on, his hat low, shading him from the sun? Everything from his hat to how he cooks on the trail was influenced by Mexican vaqueros.

Much of what we identify as cowboy culture has Mexican roots. Even the word “buckaroo” comes from vaquero, after all. When cowboys strap on chaps (from “chaparreras” – Spanish for leather leggings) or compete in rodeos (from “rodear” – meaning to surround) or eat simple foods cooked over an open flame, they are tapping the roots of vaquero tradition. Even cattle branding migrated north from Mexico, then traildriving Texans carried the techniques across the West.

Vaquero heritage is on full display at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in its latest exhibition, “Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy.”

Making its U.S. debut in San Antonio, the exhibition features almost 60 photographs from celebrated photographer Werner Segarra, who spent more than 30 years getting to know the vaqueros and their community.

The exhibit showcases the people, the work and landscape of a remote area in Sonora, Mexico. “Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo” or “Cowboys of the Devil’s Cross” refers to a mountain that defines the rugged landscape.

The photographs illustrate the unique, passionate and

strenuous life the vaqueros lead.

“The customs and traditions of these vaqueros – and the singular, real, passionate, hard life they lead – reflect a way of life that is disappearing in the modern age,” Mr. Segarra said. “Sharing that true essence of the Sonoran vaqueros and using photography to capture the authentic feeling, thinking and lives of the vaqueros, that’s what inspired me. The skill and artistry of their lives, the opportunity to ride with them, to be a part of their lives and share that is an honor.”

Family is an essential component of the vaquero’s world.

Mr. Segarra showcases that through intimate images of the family home, a place that, though modest, is always welcoming. And like any family, their gatherings are centered around the kitchen and the region’s food.

Simple but proud kitchens. Vaqueros savoring morning coffee. Huevos and flour tortillas, waiting to be served. Meat being cured in the sun. Refried beans, teparis, chard, pipián, quelites, boiled beef, roasted meat, machaca, fresh cheese, taternado chiles, menudo, pozole, gallina pinta, pan de vieja, pumpkin empanadas – all beloved, hearty meals filled with tradition.

Expect to view more than photographs. Video clips bring the images to life, while original Norteño music created for the exhibition transports you to Sonora.

“Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo” is on display through January 24, 2022, at the Briscoe Western Art Museum. Visit www.briscoemuseum.org to learn more about the Vaqueros exhibition and future presentations. ~ Valerie Grant ediblesanantonio.com

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little bites Soparano Sundays Italian Sausage Sandwich at Gigi's Deli, a new food truck on the St. Mary's strip.

(Photo courtesy)

Below: The classic Eggplant Parm gets freshly grated parmesan.

(Photo courtesy)

GIGI'S DELI ON THE STRIP Gigi's Deli cofounders Matt Garcia and Harrison Civick have landed on a winning formula ... and they are executing it very well. You'll find them every weekend in front of Little Death on the St. Mary's strip.

Mr. Garcia, who's worked for award-winning Chef Pieter Sypesteyn as well as the Empty Stomach Group, describes the operation as a 70's New York deli-inspired sandwich shop with a San Antonio twist.

"Part of what we want to do is to be fun and playful, like the Spaghetti Sando. We are not trying to reinvent anything," Mr. Garcia explained. "When it comes to the classics, we make them as correctly as we can."

The classics include the BLT, the Chicken Parm and the Eggplant Parm sandwiches. Word on the street is that a Pastrami sandwich is coming soon, certainly fitting for their Soprano Sundays.

The team at Gigi's Deli already has a slew of fans, including restaurateur Chad Carey, who is thrilled to have Gigi's Deli truck in front of Little Death on the weekends.

"Matt Garcia ran Barbaro’s kitchen at a very high level for a little over a year ... and when I heard he was working on this idea I twisted his arm to bring it to Little Death," Mr. Carey 16

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said. "I knew the food would be awesome, and Matt is such a positive and enthusiastic person, his energy would be a perfect addition. Plus, he’s a blossoming wine lover, so that helps."

"I couldn’t be more thrilled to watch him work ... and to get to eat his food," he added.

Gigi's Deli is open Fridays and Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. in front of Little Death at 2327 N. St. Mary's Street. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook @eatgigis.

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THE ORIGINAL ASIA SUPERMARKET mon. tue. wed. fri. sat.

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market days thurs.

9 am to 10:30 pm sun.

10 am - 8 pm

5732 Evers Road San Antonio, Texas 78238 asiamarketsatx@gmail.com

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POLLO WITH A PURPOSE When it comes to shaking up the fast-food world, Lucas Bradbury means business. The vegan entrepreneur set a lofty goal of opening 100 Project Pollo vegan chicken restaurants by 2024.

He’s off to a strong start with 14 restaurants set to open by year's end. Mr. Bradbury’s goal is to provide access to plant-based fast-food options that are affordable, convenient and so delicious it can convert the carnivore crowd.

Only 20 percent of Project Pollo customers identify as vegan or vegetarian. The other 80 percent are “plant curious” and it’s that segment that is helping Mr. Bradbury move the needle to a more sustainable way of mass consumption.

With so much research about the benefits of plantbased food, even McDonald’s has added plant-based burgers to their existing menus, but the Project Pollo king is the first to create an entire fast-food concept around plant-based chicken.

Originally envisioned as one restaurant, Mr. Bradbury hatched the idea after Roadmap Brewing Co. approached him about putting a food truck on their site. For the brewery, it was a way to meet CDC guidelines for reopening during COVID-19. For Mr. Bradbury, it was a chance to test the market. The great response was just the nudge he needed to snap up several fast-food buildings left vacant by the pandemic.

Everything from the Original Project Sandwich to the Loaded Papas smothered in Credo Cashew Queso is made to order from scratch. Project Pollo’s proprietary vegan 18

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chicken uses a non-GMO soy patty and all-natural spices to achieve flavor that tastes so much like the real deal, it’s easy to forget it’s not chicken.

Project Pollo is built on bold flavors and bolder principles, including fair wages, sustainability and people over profit. The scratch-made menu offers delicious vegan chicken sandwiches, wraps and strips, as well as plenty of mouthwatering sides, including crispy Papas, smothered in cashew queso, and Mac N Cheese.

Not a chicken lover? Mr. Bradbury recently added a plantbased burger to the menu per customer request. With a mix of in-house dining, drive-through options and curbside online ordering, guests can choose how to enjoy lunch, dinner, or a weekend breakfast.

A Pollo Perks rewards program keeps guests coming back for more – and of course, everything from bags to containers and cups is compostable.

Changing the face of the fast-food industry takes more than changing the menu – it requires changing the entire model. Providing affordable access to plant-based food and “putting people over profits” is at the heart of Project Pollo, and that starts with the employees, all who are paid double the minimum wage and offered benefits packages.

“The future is in sustainability and there is absolutely no way that the fast-food model can continue offering animal protein as the core source of its menu," Mr. Bradbury said. "The future of consumption in fast-food is plant-based. Period."

Visit projectpollo.com to learn more or follow them on social media @project_pollo. ~ Valerie Grant

SAN ANTONIO TREASURE The Clementine Crunch Bar

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

edible SAN ANTONIO

MARKETPLACE

On the Clementine menu, there is a brief description for the Clementine Crunch Bar. It reads simply "chocolate mousse, toasted hazelnuts, clementine sherbet." But the Clementine Crunch Bar is much more than that. It is, hands down, the BEST DESSERT EVER. We discovered this treasure recently when Chefs John and Elise Russ of Clementine kindly sent over dinner while I recovered from an illness. The perfect meal was perfectly balanced with this luxurious dessert.

We were so taken with the explosion of textures and flavors, we ordered a dozen to enjoy with the family and their reaction was also extraordinary. It was so over the top with the oohs and the aahs, we were sure they were making fun of us. But their reaction was sincere and every one felt the same way ... this was an amazing culinary accomplishment.

Compliments to Chef Elise Russ for this exquisite treat we just had to share with our readers. Eat it there or order it to go, you can thank us later. ~ Angela and Freddie Covo

(Photo by Ana Flores)

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INTRODUCING

SAN ANTONIO'S NEW

CHEF AMBASSADORS

Lilla Bernal (Culinary Institute of America), John Brand (Hotel Emma), David Caceres (La Panaderia), Kelly Daughety (SA Food Bank), Jesse Kuykendall (Hotel Havana), Stephen Paprocki (Chef Cooperatives)

This past summer, a group of six local chefs, including Lilla Bernal of the Culinary Institute of America, John Brand of Hotel Emma, David Caceres of La Panaderia, Kelly Daughety of the San Antonio Food Bank, Jesse “Chef Kirk” Kuykendall of Hotel Havana and Milpa, and Stephen Paprocki of Texas Black Gold Garlic, The CO-OP and the Chef Cooperatives, were selected to represent our United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative City of Gastronomy as chef ambassadors through 2023.

Part of San Antonio’s programming to implement the objectives listed in the UNESCO application includes engaging in culinary diplomacy and actively participating in the Creative Cities Network.

“San Antonio’s culinary community and the local food traditions they uphold are increasingly more recognized on national and international levels – and the UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation plays a significant role in that increased awareness,” World Heritage Office Director Colleen Swain explained. “The City of San Antonio congratulates these six selected chef ambassadors who will share San Antonio’s unique food culture and heritage and showcase the authenticity that our city is known for.”

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The selection committee rotates and is drawn from members of the San Antonio UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy Advisory Group and City of San Antonio staff. They evaluated proposals in accordance with selection criteria in the official chef ambassador application and the San Antonio UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy Guiding Principles.

This year, the committee included Chef Johnny Hernandez (Grupo La Gloria), Chef Frank Salinas (St. Philip’s College), Chef Elizabeth Johnson (PharmTable), Chef Jose Frade (Culinary Institute of America), Dave Krupinski (Visit San Antonio), Shanon Miller (Office of Historic Preservation) and Colleen Swain (World Heritage Office).

“In reviewing the applications, the selection committee looked for individuals who displayed a commitment to the culinary field, innovation and sustainability, and the overall San Antonio community, in addition to experience and expertise,” Dean Jose Frade of the Culinary Institute of America said. “Representing our city at national and international events is an honor that should not be taken lightly and we sought individuals who will rise to the challenge.”

Chef ambassadors will present their artistry through local culinary traditions, cooking techniques and original recipes at opportunities within the UNESCO Creative Cities Network through 2023. Frequently, the culinary gatherings can be competitive and San Antonio has already brought home several awards. Previous chef ambassadors include Blanca Aldaco of Aldaco’s Mexican Cuisine, Esaul Ramos of 2M Smokehouse, Hinnerk von Bargen of the Culinary Institute of America, Pieter Sypesteyn, Dave Terrazas, Kristina Zhao and others. In 2022, the selection process will begin anew.

On Oct. 31, 2017, UNESCO announced San Antonio as a designated Creative City of Gastronomy for our culinary legacy as a confluence of cultures and the scope and breadth of our current culinary innovations. From our city’s indigenous roots to the traditions and tastes introduced by Spanish colonists in the 1700s, to the European, Asian and African influences that came with settlers in the 1800s, San Antonio's complex fusion of cuisines distinguishes us from cities across the globe.

As a UNESCO Creative City, San Antonio is part of a distinct group of international cities committed to sharing best practices, developing partnerships that promote creativity and sustainability, strengthen participation in cultural life and integrate culture in urban development plans. The City’s World Heritage Office currently oversees the designation for San Antonio.

Visit the World Heritage Office YouTube channel for more information about the Chef Ambassador program.

To learn more about San Antonio as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, our designation and a community calendar of gastronomy-related events, visit www.sacityofgastronomy.org. ediblesanantonio.com

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little bites

A TASTE OF

SAN ANTONIO'S

CULINARY HERITAGE

Chef John Brand of Hotel Emma. (Photo courtesy)

The world is about to get a taste of San Antonio’s unique heritage. South Texas quail, Mustang grapes, maize from Mission San Juan farm and locally grown hoja santa are just a few ingredients that will come together in a signature dish by Chef John Brand – and it recreates San Antonio’s unique confluence of cultures in every bite.

One of six local chefs selected to serve as a chef ambassador, Chef Brand will represent San Antonio’s designation as a Creative City of Gastronomy for the next two years. As culinary director of Hotel Emma, he oversees three epicurean properties that include the hotel 22

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restaurant Supper, the in-house market and café Larder, and the Hotel Emma bar Sternewirth.

“San Antonio’s chef ambassadors represent a wide array of culinary expertise and diverse backgrounds. We are excited for them to show the world why San Antonio’s cuisine is more than just food – it’s also about history and heritage,” World Heritage Office Director Colleen Swain explained.

Chef Brand’s first trip in the new role takes him to the international Alba White Truffle Fair in Italy in November. Fellow Chef Ambassador Kelly Daughety, chef and nutrition education coordinator for the San Antonio Food Bank, will join Chef Brand in Alba as his commis chef.

Their work there will salute our city’s cultural heritage and indigenous roots with ingredients found throughout South Texas, including maize sourced from the farm at Mission San Juan, one of the historic San Antonio Missions.

Texas’s first and only UNESCO World Heritage Site inspired Chef Brand’s dish – South Texas quail with Mustang grapes, sweet potato gnocchi and dulce de batata, hoja santa, pecan ricotta and Indian popping corn polenta.

“In creating this recipe, it was important for me to show San Antonio’s culinary history and traditions so that people from other parts of the world could experience the many influences that have come together over centuries to create the confluence of cultures that San Antonio is known for today,” Chef Brand explained.

The international event hosted by the Italian cities of Parma, Bergamo and Alba – all UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy – includes top chefs from around the world who will also participate in an exclusive cooking show called “Foodie Moments,” showcasing creative dishes made with Alba White Truffles. Other Creative Cities of Gastronomy represented throughout the festival (Oct. 9 to Dec. 5) include chefs from Burgos, Spain; Popayan, Colombia; Belém, Brazil; Hataj, Turkey; and Tsuruoka, Japan.

The San Antonio Chef Ambassador program is an initiative of the San Antonio UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation work plan – part of our program’s plan is to foster culinary diplomacy, share local cuisines and engage in international discussions about best practices. This past summer, six local chefs were selected as chef ambassadors to represent San Antonio in local, national and international events through 2023 (see page 20).

To learn more about the Alba White Truffle Fair, visit www.fieradeltartufo.org.

little bites

"SLEIGH" YOUR

Holiday Shopping Whataburger fans, rejoice! This holiday season, they have plenty of options to deck the halls and wear Whataburger pride with a new line-up of seasonal items. They're ready to help knock out your holiday gift list at their online Whatastore.

Break out the newest Whataburger holiday sweater with a design featuring Santa in his sleigh gliding over a Whataburger winter landscape. Need to bundle up even more? Whataburger fans can elevate their holiday look with matching socks and his-and-hers beanies to complete the outfit.

Sip the limited-edition Chocolate Mint shake, pop in your favorite holiday movie and gather the family around the tree in the new Whataburger pajama and loungewear set. New designs include a holiday family pajama set in a diamond flying W design, featuring matching pajama tops and bottoms in both adult and youth sizes. And for ladies, the new Day Dot Sleep Shorts are a fun new addition to the line – with a splash of color – a fan-favorite pattern of dot stickers often spotted on Whataburger orders.

If you’re working out or need a good pair of pants for all that holiday feasting, you've found the perfect pair. The new signature jogger sweatpants pair perfectly with the Tumbleweed TexStyles tees in Day Dot Christmas Tree, All I Want For Christmas and Merry and Bright designs.

And don’t forget the new orange-and-white checkered fuzzy socks for the ultimate in comfort. To help quench your thirst while doing all that holiday shopping, they also offer Whataburger-branded Yetis now available in a 30-ounce size in a new orange color.

DECK THE HALLS Once you’ve decked out the fam, it’s time to get decorating.

The new Whataburger inflatables for this year include a Snowman and Santa – both ready to adorn your yard. The seven-foot Snowman will bring joy to your neighborhood and the 7.5-foot Santa in a Whataburger cup is sure to earn you a top spot in your neighborhood “Best Decorated.” Add a little Whataburger holiday spirit to your home with a Whataburger A-Frame snow globe and a few of the famous Christmas greeting Table Tents to really celebrate the spirit of the season.

Bonus! These festive holiday retail items are in stock and ready to ship.

Order by December 10 to make sure your items arrive in time for Christmas Day. Shipping is free on orders over $100.

Take care of the Whataburger fans on your list at Whataburger’s online store, the Whatastore. Find it online at shop.whataburger.com. ediblesanantonio.com

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SAN ANTONIO

FARMERS MARKETS GUIDE

TUESDAY

San Antonio Farmers Market Olmos Basin 100 Jackson Keller Road 8 a.m – 1 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

Dripping Springs Farmers Market Veterans Memorial Park Hwy 290 & RR 12 Dripping Springs, TX 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.

San Antonio Farmers Market Leon Valley Public Library 6427 Evers Road 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

SA Food Bank Farmers Market New Braunfels Food Bank 1620 S Seguin Avenue New Braunfels, TX 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

6/02, 7/07, 8/04, 9/01, 10/06

THURSDAY

Cibolo Grange Farmers and Artisans Market 413 N Main Street Cibolo, TX 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

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FRIDAY Kerrville Farmers Market 529 Water Street Kerrville, TX 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Legacy Farmers Market 16101 Henderson Pass (Behind the YMCA) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

SA Food Bank Farmers Market Pica Pica Plaza 910 SE Military Drive 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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

SATURDAY

Deerfield Farmers Market 16607 Huebner Road 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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

Farmers Market at the Cibolo Herff Farm 33 Herff Road Boerne, TX 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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

3rd Saturday of month

Huebner Oaks Farmers Market Huebner Oaks Shopping Center 11745 IH-10 W 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

SA Food Bank Farmers Market Najim Pavilion 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Pkwy 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

6/05, 7/10, 8/07, 9/11, 10/02

MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes 14391 Riggs Road Helotes, TX 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

1st Saturday of month

San Antonio Farmers Market Olmos Basin 100 Jackson Keller Road 8 a.m. – 1 p.m

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

SUNDAY Alamo Heights Farmers Market Alamo Quarry Market 255 E Basse Road 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Legacy Farmers Market 16101 Henderson Pass (Behind the YMCA) 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Live Oak Farmers Market 8151 Pat Booker Road 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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

For schedules and information about the San Antonio Food Bank WIC Farmers Markets, visit safoodbank.org

book the margarita truck for your next event! margaritas@lagloria.com follow us:

La Gloria Margarita Truck

lagloriamargaritas

www.LABONNEVIERANCH.com (830) 998-7601 ediblesanantonio.com

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FLORENCE PLEASE REPLACE THIS PIC AND CAPTION with photo of sandy AS INDICATED IN FOLDER

STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVE TERRAZAS Charred corn on the cob resting atop a spoonful of Green Goddess sauce.

Vibrant, zesty, aromatic, delicious – probably the most appropriate words to describe Mexican and Chinese cuisines and the respective culinary traditions that classically showcase the fresh flavors and aromas of chiles, cilantro, garlic, ginger and more.

Born in El Paso to a family that includes Mexican and Chinese roots, I appreciated this cultural richness as it manifested night after night on the dinner table, which in no small part influenced my decision to pursue a culinary career. I attended Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando about eleven years ago, but my home today is The Art Institute of San Antonio (AI). Six months ago, I started teaching culinary arts as an adjunct instructor at AI while running a personal chef business.

It’s common for chefs to work and teach concurrently. Soon after joining the faculty, I reconnected with an acquaintance who also teaches at the campus and works at his own place – and enjoys the same Chinese-Mexican-American heritage.

Chef Leo Davila, owner of Stixs and Stone at 5718 Wurzbach Road, leads a culinary team that enjoys even greater richness and makes the relatively new eatery a hidden gem that serves as a quintessential example of why San Antonio earned its designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy.

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Intrigued by his story, I stopped in a few weeks ago to chat with him and members of his team. As he told his story, I was immediately taken by the serendipitous way his team came together. At some point or another, each member of the team was a student at the San Antonio AI campus. They ended up working together in food manufacturing, at least until Chef Davila’s unspoken desires prompted him to launch the immediately successful Catch the Wave.

The new food truck certainly (forgive the pun) made waves with its award-winning tacos.

A metaphor for the action Chef Davila took at the urging of friends and family to pursue his culinary dreams, Catch the Wave was poised to transition to brick and mortar in St. Paul’s Square when the COVID-19 pandemic halted plans.

In what speaks to Chef Davila’s resiliency, the chef took the county-enforced quiet time to reinvent his offerings, showcasing the ethnic and cultural diversity of his growing team in ways that added layers of perspective, whimsy and even a little mischief to an unmistakable Latin, Asian and Southern base.

Chef Davila and his sister Michelle, both born and raised ediblesanantonio.com

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meet for thethe farmer food soul in San Antonio, have roots in Southern California. And their culinary passion is in the blood – their aunt was a well known restaurateur whose inventory of eateries included Four Seas on Bandera.

Sous Chef Hunter McCall is from Hobbs, New Mexico. His influence is unmistakable considering the inclusion of green chiles on the menu that come by way of Hobbs. Adriana Lupercio is originally from Chicago, but made her way down to the Alamo City. And Kendra Billinghurst, of Filipino descent, was raised culturally in Okinawa before a military transfer brought her family here.

As we chatted into the night, the team brought out dish after dish, as much to show off their work as to earnestly feed me.

THE MENU

The culturally rich team puts out beautifully vibrant, somewhat eclectic and often asymmetrically-plated dishes that celebrate their collective deep well of heritage.

Stixs refers to their penchant for the Asian skewer, while Stone equally nods to the the grinding of corn that figures prominently on the menu, as well as the bowls they use for service.

In my bowls that night, I found roasted and strategically charred corn on the cob resting atop a spoonful of a Green Goddess sauce, adorned with pink ribbons of pickled onion, queso fresco and a very Texan pecan pesto.

The signature dish started a parade that included Big Redbraised barbacoa served on cheesy grits flanked by roasted broccolini and more pickled onion and fresh micro greens.

Next, they served a plate of cauliflower florets made to look and texturally feel like breaded and fried chicken drummettes, coated in a tangy, slightly hot red glaze, offset by savory sesame seeds and scallions.

Thinking swollen belly was off the hook at that point, Chef Lupercio anchored the race as the concept’s pastry chef, bringing out her own version of a petite multi-layered tres leches cake and a churro-inspired bread pudding, topped with cinnamonsprinkled whipped cream and caramel swirls.

Churro-inspired bread pudding topped with cinnamon-sprinkled whipped cream and caramel swirls at Stixs and Stone.

THE SPACE

At some point, I may have panicked and eyeballed the front door for a quick exit, when I noticed the intentionally irregular pattern painted on the wall – patches of blue and white held together by a web of seemingly random gold strands.

Noting my attention on the design, Chef Davila explained it was a nod to the Japanese art of kintsugi – the fixing of cracks of a broken vase using gold and resin, meant to beautify and honor so-called flaws, rather than to hide them.

Practiced in Chinese culture, I immediately understood what Chef Davila was trying to convey. For many chefs, the career is a journey fraught with danger, failure and change, but also, inspiration for at least one more try.

The gold in this team is clearly the mutual respect each has for the others and their respective cultural narratives.

When combined, each beautiful piece comes together in a way that doesn’t forget history, but creates something new to be celebrated, something that resonates with me deeply.

In this way, the Stixs and Stone team creates food from the soul ... for the soul.

Big Red-braised barbacoa served on cheesy grits flanked by roasted broccolini.

Above: Cauliflower florets in a tangy hot red glaze with sesame seeds. ediblesanantonio.com ediblesanantonio.com

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san antonio tradiciones

PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD STORY BY BONNIE OSTERHAGE | PHOTOS BY TRACEY MAURER

C

ontrary to popular belief, you CAN play with your food at the table – if you are playing Lotería de Comida™.

Created by award-winning culinary photographer Tracey Maurer, the adaptation of the classic game of chance features her interpretation of San Antonio food culture with a nod to the traditional and varied cultural roots of the game. Using customized photography techniques, her richly saturated and textured images bring the most iconic and classic Mexican foods to life.

“There are many versions of Lotería, and the art is what distinguishes each individual game,” Ms. Maurer said, adding that artists throughout the centuries have created their own series of unique and culturally significant illustrations that feature their artistic styles.

“My version is designed to capture two distinct facets of our local lifestyle – a familiar cuisine and a beloved social pastime.”

FOOD AS ART

Inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. For Ms. Maurer, it sprang from the ground as a “perfect heartshaped Heirloom tomato” discovered at a San Francisco farmers market. Enamored with its beauty, she lovingly

wrapped it up and transported it home to San Antonio where she used her expert artist’s eye to digitally capture the fruit in all its plump, ripe glory. Little did she know that one “perfect” tomato would offer her a way to survive the restaurant closures of COVID that threatened her livelihood.

As a sought-after culinary photographer, she brought food to life on the pages of cookbooks, magazines, and menus for local restaurateurs who also looked to her to create mouthwatering images they used in advertising. ediblesanantonio.com

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When restaurants were forced to shut down in 2020, Ms. Maurer, like many others during the pandemic, realized she needed to get creative to stay relevant. She turned her attention to a years-long fascination with the historical significance of food and Loterías in San Antonio.

“What I’ve witnessed is that the emotional connection for Lotería enthusiasts is as profound as the connection we all have to food,” she explained. “The thread that ties the two together is the social interaction reminiscent of families or friends making a meal together.”

The original version of Ms. Maurer’s Lotería emerged first as a series of large images on canvas. Each food item was carefully chosen for its cultural, and sometimes personal, significance from a range of sources including local farmers markets, panaderias, taquerias and even her own kitchen.

Her collection of decorative coffee mugs from a Mexican artist were the inspiration for El Café, while the Patas de Pollo came from her Hispanic mother-in-law's favorite snack. Ms. Maurer developed and perfected a variety of techniques over her more than 30-year career as a food photographer – techniques she used to create and shoot each mixed media image. The bold, bright canvases were later reimagined into the 54 gorgeous playing cards and 10-page tablets that make up Lotería de Comida™.

A STORIED PAST

Although many call it “Mexican Bingo” because of the way it is played, Loterías can be traced back to 15th century Italy and have cultural roots that extend throughout Europe and Central America as well as Mexico. Players race to be the first to match a row of numbers or images on their “tabla” to those depicted on the cards turned over by the “caller” or “dealer.” Traditionally, the cards bear a proverb or verse read by the caller that is of cultural significance. The first playerwho completes the designated pattern yells “Lotería!” and wins.

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Once played in public forums or private parlors, people now enjoy playing Lotería anywhere, even online. But the game’s roots are firmly planted in family gatherings, often associated with happy times spent around a dinner table with family and friends. Through her images, and the playful, food-centric verses that accompany each card, Ms. Maurer strives to capture those memories while helping to create new ones.

“I love hearing the stories people tell me about their own experiences when they look at my Lotería images,” she said happily.

“Their personal relationship with a familiar food transcends the image and the conversation shifts to a snapshot in time that they associate with a fond memory.”

For centuries, artists from all over the world created their own interpretations of the game of chance, imbuing their personal spin on the time-honored tradition.

Ms. Maurer’s version combines her passions for photography, food and storytelling so beautifully, the great-granddaughter of José María Evia Griñé, creator of Lotería Campechana©, one of the earliest versions of the game created in Mexico in the late 1800s, endorsed it.

Her edition was also recently added to the “Mexican Cookbook Collection” at the University of Texas-San Antonio library and is used by educators to teach bilingual skills.

A COLORFUL FUTURE

A native Texan, Ms. Maurer studied acting at the University of Texas-Austin before attending the graduate program at Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. Her love of both art forms can be seen throughout her work. Her theater background inspires the lighting and set design, allowing her images to tell the story. Her keen eye and creative edge have made Ms. Maurer a star in the world of culinary photography. And now, with Lotería de Comida™, she is taking her art to a whole new level.

The game, canvases and postcards are already available at the Regalo gift shop at Estancia del Norte Hotel, as well as online. These will make great holiday gifts for hosts, teachers, family and friends, and the local artist plans to add a coffee table book to the line in the future.

For now, she’s happy to bring a little joy and happiness to the community through events like the Lotería de Comida™ Game Nights at Estancia del Norte. The first one in September was such a success that it will become a regularly scheduled event.

“There’s no time like the present to add a little color back into our lives,” Ms. Maurer said. “It’s time to bring back the fun!”

Visit loteriadecomida.com to get updates, learn more about the history of the game and how to get your own set.

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new tradition

T

REST, GWEN.

STORY BY MICHAEL SOHOCKI

here is a picture of me from a local newspaper hanging above the bar at Gwendolyn that has irked me for a decade. There stands a thirtyyear-old chef full of piss and vinegar, dressed in a white jacket and wrapped with a floor length apron, a handmade knife in a handmade scabbard on my hip, leaning awkwardly (trying to look cool) on the railing of my beautiful patio over the Riverwalk. I have this kind of “That’s Right, Come Get Me” look on my face.

Because you see, Gwendolyn was meant to be a revolution – and I mean that in the most classical sense – a revolt.

The whole reason it ever started was because, as a reasonably educated and strong young cook, I was grossed out by the industry and food system I was helping. All those things you saw on TV about the mad cows and CAFOs, exploiting immigrant labor, squandering fresh water, polluting the streams and retarding the fish with agricultural runoff, strip-mining topsoil, spewing petroleum derivatives into the sky – that was all me. I voted for them every time I cranked the fire on a sauté pan.

I lay awake at night (sleeping on the floor as I did back then) trying to think of a way to do something with my career that would stop adding to this growing reality. Then one night, it came to me … I would go backwards in time.

Because before the industrial revolution, there WERE no gas guzzling eighteen wheelers or tractors or international railroad lines or meat cutting plants or artificial fertilizers, let alone artificial flavors or GMOs or preservatives and a whole host of other things I didn’t want to see in the world.

I set out to recreate the past, a past in which everything was made by hand, without electric machines, that only came from local farms, that cooked with the seasons, that used classic cooking techniques to keep the food honest and straight and benefit those things I wanted to see in the world.

|

PHOTOS BY ANGELA COVO

We learned to use every piece of an animal, we learned to ferment and smoke and preserve in many ways. The idea was to find our identity again, to reach out for all those things we had culturally forgotten. And we did.

Now I can make my own pepperoni, bleu cheese and Camembert, and if I put a little thought into it, a decent bottle of wine. We’ve foraged wild everything. We’ve tasted everything that was edible and used almost everything somewhere. The idea was to find our identity again, to reach out for all those things we had culturally forgotten. Hand-crank everything and damn the torpedoes.

But my concept was born with two cracks in it that we never really healed from.

The first was that, to save the world, I opened a restaurant as a vehicle for education. I believed that thing we say, “if I build it, they will come” (and then by derivation, that people would try the food and be changed and we would overhaul our corner of the world for sustainability and the resurrection of food culture).

And the second was that, as embarrassing as it sounds to say out loud, I had no intention (or any real knowledge of how) to make money.

As for the first, we quickly discovered there was no secret untapped army of devoted locavores waiting for us to arrive. We were immediately in direct competition with everything from fried chicken to barbecue, didn’t matter what it was. We had to fight to gain a foothold in a tough market not by doing ethical purchasing or philosophical menu development, but by winning the basic value perception of food for price. (This took years.)

The education part of my magnum opus trailed alongside the boat most of its life as the realities of running a restaurant took precedence, which as a teacher, broke my heart.

The second problem is just math. A fancy restaurant that breaks even at ten people is starving at four – and we’ve served four more often than we’ve served thirty. We scraped by and saved for many years and were able to open Kimura Ramen, which was Chef Michael Sohocki pauses at the entrance to the new craft cocktail bar on the second floor at 1701 N. Flores. Kimura and the new restaurant will occupy the ground floor and will open in early January.

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Kimura's new space at 1701 N. Flores is being transformed now and will be open in January. Below: Chef Sohocki surveys the front patio at N. Flores.

an instant money maker the day it hit the ground, and that child (and later Il Forno, too) carried Gwendolyn through many a bad season that we would never have made it through without.

A fancy restaurant needs to consistently hit those numbers (100 percent capacity, or 200 percent, and some even higher) to pay for all that darned china and crystal, not to mention the highly skilled and wonderful people who make it what it is.

I could keep Gwendolyn going if I wanted to. It’s always a little up, a little down, bits and crumbs – but it’s unfair to my devoted staff who deserved raises four years ago, raises we just couldn’t pay because the seats weren’t full. And no retirement ... and well, frankly ... my arms are tired.

So as my lease is ending downtown, I am moving Kimura to my new location, but I am leaving my beloved Gwendolyn behind. In its place, I will open a restaurant that is more relaxed and hopefully more relatable, that does more of the stuff you’d expect a restaurant to do – that still supports those causes that I champion wherever I can.

But this time, I’m doing it for me.

Editor’s Note: Chef Sohocki will house two restaurants and a craft cocktail bar, Dash, at the new space at 1017 N. Flores (formerly Lisa Asvestas’ 5 Points Local). Kimura 34

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will occupy half of the ground floor and the lovely side patio.

The new restaurant, Five Points Food and Wine, will occupy the back half (with its own entrance) and the large back patio. Upstairs, the new craft cocktail bar called Dash will overlook the patios and already has the "Sohocki" touch.

Don’t stress – your ramen addiction is safe – Kimura will stay open until Dec. 24 and will reopen at the N. Flores location in early January.

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DECEMBER 2014/JANUARY 2015

classic traditions

NOT YOUR BUBBE’S

LATKES VARIATIONS ON A CLASSIC

BY JOHN BLOODSWORTH AND ANGELA COVO

T

he potato pancake is a delicious hallmark of the Hanukkah celebration – but the honor has little to do with the fact that latkes are made from potatoes.

The Festival of Lights, which starts at sunset on Nov. 28 this year, celebrates all fried foods to commemorate the miracle of a little bottle of olive oil.

Sometime before 165 BC, the Greek king of Syria, Antiochus, banned all Jewish practices and forced the people to accept and worship Greek Gods. His soldiers desecrated the Temple in Jerusalem, and finally, a small band of Jewish rebels, the Maccabees, fought back. And they won.

The people cleaned and restored the Temple, but to Latke Benedict with smoked salmon rededicate it, they needed to light and crème fraiche. the Menorah, which was supposed (Photo courtesy Don Strange of Texas) to burn all night, every night.

It took eight days to make enough oil to keep the Menorah lit, but all they had was one little bottle, just enough for one day.

They lit the Menorah anyway, and miraculously, the oil in that one little bottle lasted for EIGHT days. Those in charge declared an eight-day festival to celebrate the miraculous oil. So Hanukkah is a happy holiday because it celebrates a triumph – not the military one, but the triumph of that little bottle of oil that lit up the Temple for eight days, more than 2000 years ago.

Di-Anna Arias cooked and styled this root vegetable latke for Edible San Antonio.

(Photo by Whitney Kelly Schrader) ediblesanantonio.com

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Mexican Wedding Cookies on a holiday plate.

(Photo by Melissa Huntsman)

CELEBRATE! WITH MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES an exclusive excerpt from

CAMILLA LA MAGICA MAKES TAMALES Amazon, or better yet, pick it up locally from Feliz Modern or Rancho Diaz. Visit www.camillalamagica.com to learn more and enjoy the free downloadable activities. Make sure to follow them on Instagram @CamillaLaMagica for updates.

DIRECTIONS

RECIPE ~ MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and ¾ cup of powdered sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and mix for 15 seconds until combined. Add the flour and cinnamon slowly (half a cup at a time) until all absorbed. Lastly, add the crushed pecans and mix until incorporated.

Our family’s tamalada often began with something sweet to eat and drink. Paloma was never one for the savory part of tamaladas, but her greatest contribution were these cookies and Mexican hot chocolate.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup pecan pieces 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature ¾ cup powdered sugar, sifted 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons Mexican cinnamon ¼ teaspoon salt 1¼ cups powdered sugar to roll the cookies

In a sauté pan on the stove, toast the nuts until they are slightly fragrant, 1 or 2 minutes only. Place them in a Ziploc bag and crush twith a rolling pin or something of the like.

Place the finished dough in plastic wrap and cool in the refrigerator for about 1 hour, then form into 1-inch balls and place on lined cookie sheets. Bake for 17 to 19 minutes until the tops turn a golden brown. When you take them out, cool slightly for 5 to 7 minutes.

While they are still warm, roll them in a shallow bowl with the additional 1¼ cups of powdered sugar.

Enjoy! Provecho! ediblesanantonio.com

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sommelier Mimi’s heirloom says recipes

YUAN TO RING IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER STORY AND PHOTOS BY MIMI FAUBERT

This quintessential foodie is also a Food Hero at our local Central Market. Ms. Faubert is not professionally trained – she is one of those rare talents with a superior palate and natural skills.

You’ll typically find her in a kitchen, whipping up something extraordinary at home for her family or at work. And her tips (and stories) are always spot-on.

F

or many cultures around the world, New Year celebrations are a time to spend with family while enjoying foods that symbolize renewal and rebirth, good fortune, prosperity, sweetness in life, love and completeness.

The Chinese New Year is no different, except for the fact that it takes place on February 1 and kicks off the Year of the Tiger. Traditional, symbolic foods abound, like the little chewy, filled dessert dumplings known as tangyuan, which are typical.

Thanks to the stickiness of the sweet rice, the full round shape and the sugariness of the filling and/or syrup, tangyuan represents family cohesiveness and harmony.

The filled variety are readily available in the frozen section of many Asian grocers. When eating filled tangyuan, my method is to ladle a few tangyuan into a small bowl along with some of the opaque cooking liquid and break each one in half as I eat them. The filling starts to flow out and it becomes an eating game for me: catch the lava and eat it! Any lava that escapes my spoon flavors the cooking water.

But I digress …

When my Amà moved from Taiwan to stay with us for a while, she opened a gateway to foods I had only heard stories about. No matter what she cooked, I rarely asked about what I was eating. The few times I did, the translated names were fascinating (I totally ate “dragon eggs”). Amà’s cooking pig’s feet? Okay. Is this stuff sweet or salty? Both? Okay. Wow, this stinks, but tastes so good on rice!

One weekend, nine-year-old me sat in the kitchen watching her interact with some Taiwanese students as she mashed sweet potatoes, mixed in sweet rice flour, laughed and grated ginger. When it was ready, I was presented with a magical bowl containing little orange orbs sitting in a dark pool of brown sugar syrup.

The base of yuan is a short-grain sweet rice, a.k.a. “sticky” or “gluti-

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nous” rice – there is no gluten. Sweet rice is just very sticky and glue-like. Archeological research shows that sweet rice was so sticky, it was used as an ingredient for the mortar made to construct the Great Wall.

Steamed sweet rice, smashed or pounded into a sort of dough, is what the Taiwanese call muaji and the Japanese call mochi. The traditional method of making tangyuan from scratch involves a two-day soaking, grinding and straining process of sweet rice before the dough is wrapped around the filling.

A cheat for home and industrial kitchens alike is the use of sweet rice flour. I picked up a box of mochiko sweet rice flour from the store, the same kind we had in the house growing up.

Similar recipes I researched on the internet use a 50/50 mixture of tapioca starch and sweet rice flour. Blending the flours gives it a gummier chew.

The addition of sweet potato and taro in yuan are quite common in Taiwan. Sweet potatoes are to the Taiwanese as regular potatoes are to the Irish in the sense that not only is it a common food staple, it is a part of their identity. Neither tuber originated on either island, but they definitely rooted. There are about 90 different Irish words involving the potato and probably just as many Taiwanese sayings involving sweet potatoes. My mom told me that because Taiwan is shaped like a sweet potato, many Taiwanese refer to themselves as “sweet potato people.”

For my sweet potato yuan, the mashed sweet potato gives it a comparatively fluffy texture. I feel as if my Amà added a touch of fresh ginger to the dough, but my mom and internet lean towards the idea of spicing the syrup with it. Like rosemary, I think a little goes a long way with ginger, and it can easily overwhelm the sweet potato in this.

However, if you want a big ginger flavor, by all means, grate plenty.

Don’t like ginger? Maybe come up with another spice or flavor you would like to experiment with and give it your own twist. I've even seen Osmanthus and jasmine flowers used as a syrup flavoring. If you’re like my dad and don’t like any sort of mochi-like texture, it is still fun to make for someone who does.

Either way, I hope you share this or another dish and spark memories. The Chinese New Year is a time for good tidings, good food and the good company of family and friends ... Xin Nian Kuai Le!

MIMI’S SWEET POTATO YUAN Servings: 4 or 6 (makes approximately 36 pieces)

INGREDIENTS 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into large chunks (any variety) Sweet glutinous rice flour (Koda Farms Mochiko) Fresh ginger root 1 cup brown sugar Water Flavoring ideas: orange peel, cinnamon stick, fresh slices of ginger

DIRECTIONS Make the brown sugar syrup first by boiling the sugar with 1 cup of water and optional flavorings in a saucepan for one to two minutes.

Reduce to lowest heat setting, cover and keep warm.

Place the sweet potato chunks into a large saucepan or pot and add enough water to cover. Gently boil until tender. Drain and allow to cool on a plate lined with paper towels.

Finely grate about 2-3 teaspoons of fresh ginger root. Use a coffee filter or a piece of kitchen muslin to squeeze the ginger juice into a mixing bowl. When the sweet potato is cool enough, transfer to the bowl with the ginger juice and use a clean hand(s) to squeeze and mash the potatoes until smooth.

Sprinkle in about ¼ cup of the rice flour at a time, massaging it in, until the dough resembles sticky PlayDoh. Dust a surface (clean counter, cutting board, sheet pan, et cetera) with some of the rice flour. Pull the dough into marble-sized pieces, then gently roll each one between your palms until the surface is smooth.

Arrange them on the dusted surface as you go.

Try to make sure you have multiples of Chinese lucky numbers 6, 8 or 9 per guest.

Bring a pot of water to boil. In small batches, drop the yuan into the water. They will sink to the bottom (don’t worry if they stick) and when they float to the surface, cook a few minutes longer.

Use a slotted spoon and transfer to the pot of brown sugar syrup while you boil the rest of the yuan.

Once all are boiled and soaking in their brown sugar bath, they will keep until dinner is finished or can be served right away by ladling into small bowls with some of the syrup. You might even consider making sweet potato yuan as a creative Thanksgiving Day dessert, too. Enjoy!

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wild things as they make late evening appearances. Sitting as still as possible, as a light breeze rustles grasses and leaves while scores of songbirds flit about, hunt their evening meals and sing nonstop, is a perfect and soothing end to the day.

Whitetail deer browse in the distance as clouds drift above, ever changing in form and brilliant colors as the sun dips minute by minute. The horizon becomes dusky with pink, then purple as the light fades. Above me, nighthawks soar and swoop. As far as I am concerned, the hunt portion is fun, but anyone can and should partake of that last hour of daylight in nature, when possible, whether hunting or not.

In dry years, when that whinny of a Mourning Dove is heard as it flies, I stand quickly, aim, and shoot. Success. And success again and again as scores of birds darken the sky. Sunset marks the legal end of the hunt, and when the evening is finished, I have made my limit on birds. We clean the birds and prepare them to be refrigerated for cooking the next day or frozen for later use.

Finally, the time arrives to make dove jalapeño poppers. Dove meat is rich and dark, with incomparable flavor. We love it both chicken fried and as part of jalapeño poppers, but there are many, many other delicious recipes to be researched and enjoyed, from stews to gumbos to grilling the birds whole. Dark chicken meat may be substituted for the recipe.

There are many, many variations to this recipe, some people even include spices in the cream cheese or sprinkled on top – I prefer simplicity to allow each individual flavor to shine through in the finished product.

Visit bit.ly/TXDOVERULES to learn about dove hunting regulations in Texas.

RANCH RECIPE ~ BACON WRAPPED DOVE POPPERS INGREDIENTS 10 doves, breasted (or thinly sliced chicken thighs) 10 jalapeños, halved and deseeded 5 bacon strips, halved 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened Toothpicks

DIRECTIONS Lay jalapeño halves on a cookie sheet. Place 1 dove breast on each half. Place cream cheese in a freezer-style Ziplock bag and snip a small hole at the corner of the bag.

Squeeze/pipe cream cheese onto dove/jalapeño.

Wrap tightly with a half slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Grill or bake at 375°F until bacon is golden and crispy (about 45 minutes). More or less time may be necessary – it's hard to set a definite time thanks to varying amounts of liquid in ingredients and the thickness of bacon. Enjoy!

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 follow on Facebook @HeritageBeef to learn more about ranch life.

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and ans! pec

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Bison! Ms. Gloria Camarillo-Vasquez prepared a Native American meal, Bison with Berries, at Mission San Juan in San Antonio, while assisting with the research effort for the UNESCO Creative Cities application. (Photo by Angela Covo)

Gloria Camarillo-Vasquez, a member of the Native American Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan community in San Antonio, created this recipe using local ancestral and indigenous ingredients. An expert home cook, she is also a member of the nonprofit organization American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AIT-SCM).

Typically, the bison was cooked in the ground, but the recipe is adapted here for use in our modern kitchens.

BONUS! Don't forget to join AIT-SCM for their Sixth Pecan Harvest Gala at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 4, at Progreso Hall at 1306 Guadalupe Street. Your ticket includes access to a savory buffet of pecanthemed foods and beverages, a presentation of the AIT-SCM Dance Theater and the Mission Heritage Awards. Tickets are $27 to celebrate AIT-SCM's 27 years of service and can be purchased online at e.givesmart.com/events/onx.

INGREDIENTS (This recipe yields enough to serve four people.)

1 pound ground bison meat ½ cup water ½ tablespoon agave nectar ¼ cup pecan pieces plus a few whole or half pieces for garnish 1 cup medium or large blackberries Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS In a saucepan, add the water, agave nectar and bison and bring to a boil. Cook for 3 minutes. Add half the blackberries and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring until the berries become soft, then integrate into the bison meat. Add the pecan pieces and cook an additional 5 minutes until the meat is fully cooked. Salt to taste.

Garnish with remaining blackberries and pecans. Enjoy! ediblesanantonio.com

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the last bite

Baking. (Photo by Clint Patterson)

I

FIRST CAKE

BY MICHAEL SOHOCKI

had to have been all of four years old.

It was a Sunday, and I can tell you it was a Sunday because my father was home, and that was remarkable. For all the years I lived with him, he was gone before the sun rose. Every day except Sunday.

I was up at three or four in the morning, as was typical of my childhood. I did not sleep well. Out of thin air, I decided to make my parents a cake.

I went downstairs and opened the fridge, and I found a bag of rock-hard peaches. I got them onto the kitchen counter and used a knife to carve the flesh off the pits.

In a separate bowl, I poured milk or orange juice, I can't remember which, and both seem equally plausible. I added what I thought was flour, but turned out to be cornmeal.

I knew that to make a cake I needed sugar, but (unable to read) I was unaware that the package I found was granulated salt. About three cups.

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I mixed these all together in a bowl, poured it into a cast iron skillet and put it in the oven. Cold.

I dimly understood which knob operated the oven, and I turned it to the first click, which in retrospect must have been "200" or "warm" or something like that. (Thank God that, unlike floor fans, low comes first on the dial.)

I waited for what to a four-year-old seemed like a lifetime.

Eventually it solidified into a block ... a solid turd of hot cornmeal, salt and (probably) juice. And peaches you could kill a vampire with.

I cut a big fat slice of my creation. I ran up the stairs giddy with anticipation, jumped into bed between my parents and yelled into their bleary-eyed faces, "LOOK! I MADE YOU CAKE!" It was still dark outside.

They took turns taking bites, complimenting how delicious it was. And ... they ate ... the whole thing.

I look back on that memory and know beyond the shadow of a doubt that my parents love me.

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The 2021 Autumn Issue Issue No. 39

A UNESCO CREATIVE CITY OF GASTRONOMY