Edible San Antonio

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edible San Antonio

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san antonioÂŽ

The Late Summer Issue

Issue No. 29

SUNSET DINNER

@ MISSION SAN JUAN FARM

ENJOY

a picnic-style dinner at sunset adjacent to the historic farm at Mission San Juan. Join us for hay-ride tours of the farm, mission tours, music, appetizers, beer, wine, cocktails and more!

The event begins at 6:30 PM with picnic baskets available for pick-up at 7:15 PM. Pearl celebrates Olé, San Antonio with a full line-up of culinary happenings all summer long. The entire Pearl campus comes together—from Tapas Tuesdays, Spanish Sipping Thursdays, and chef collaboration dinners to Spanish gastronomy workshops at Hotel Emma and classes at the Culinary Institute of America. Come to Pearl and experience the food and flavors of Spain.

Visit atpearl.com for more information and tickets

Download the Olé at Pearl app TODAY!

ADULT MEALS = $ 75 CHILD MEALS = $ 15

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 9101 GRAF RD. SAN ANTONIO, TX 78214

Picnic dinners will be offered from a handful of San Antonio’s finest restaurants including: - Bohanan’s - Clementine - Tim The Girl - Botika - Restaurant - Tre Trattoria at - Catalyst Catering Gwendolyn SAMA

Register and view the menu’s at www.safoodbank.org/sunset.

edible

san antonio®

The Late Summer Issue 2018 - Issue No. 29

CONTENTS

Above: National Farmers Market Week is August 5 to August 11, 2018 Cover: “Summer Breakfast at Cibolo Moon” by Angela Covo 34

RANCH LIFE Fresh Catch

36

FEEDING HOPE Food Rescue for a Food-Secure City

NEWS YOU CAN USE

37

NEW TRADITIONS Local Texas Adventure

GUEST CHEF Clementine’s Smothered Squash

38

EDIBLE MILESTONES Do Try Not to Cry in Front of Diana Kennedy

SUMMER GRILLING Capturing Summer’s Bounty

39

LOCAL DINING GUIDE Eat Local with Us

SUMMER COOKING Guilt Free Grilling

40

FARMERS MARKET GUIDE Where and When

THE COFFEE LADY Blossoms to Beans

42

SOMMELIER SAYS Vintage Farm-to-Table Equation

FARMERS JOURNAL A Systems Approach

45

LOCAL PINTS The Beer Whisperer

FROM THE GARDEN Summer’s Harvest

47

EDIBLE SOURCES The Directory

EDIBLE EXPERTISE Creating Culinary Spaces

48

THE LAST BITE A Proper Scolding from Diana Kennedy

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

ADVISORY COUNCIL

LITTLE BITES

ediblesanantonio.com

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food for thought

NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK AUGUST 5 - AUGUST 11, 2018 Why Farmers Markets?

AN INFOGRAPHIC BY fARMERS MARKET COALITION

Number of markets in the USDA Farmers Market Directory.

7,864 8,144 2,863

3,706

2000

8,735

San Antonio® PUBLISHER Frederic C. Covo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Angela Covo

MANAGING EDITOR

Delia Covo

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Sophie Covo Gonzales

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

4,685

2004 2008

edible

Christopher Covo

2012

2013

2017

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Marianne Odom, Amanda Covo CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Stimulate Local Economies Growers selling locally create 13 full time jobs per $1 million in revenue earned. Those not selling locally create 3.

local$

Locally-owned retailers, such as farmers markets, return more than three times as much of their sales to the local economy compared to chain competitors.

Chain

Preserve Farmland + Rural Livelihoods

$

The U.S. loses an acre of farmland a minute to development.

DESIGN & LAYOUT

Florence Edwards, Pixel Power Graphics Cover photo by Angela Covo CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

25% of vendors

derive their sole source of income from the market.

Locally-owned

Chris Adams, Jenn Beckmann, J. Bloodsworth, Linda Brewster, Marcy Epperson, Melissa Guerra, Michael Guerra, Carol Jeske, J.E. Jordan, Diana Kennedy, Travis Krause, Noi Mahoney, John Russ, Michael Sohocki, Dave Terrazas, S. Taranto Etheredge, Lea Thompson, Cheri White

Marcello Correa, Sean Encino, Joseph Gonzalez, HILMY, Mike McCune, Betsy McNair, B. Navez, Jason Risner, Philip Thomas, Ray Tijerina

FINANCE MANAGER Louis Gonzales WEB DEVELOPMENT Alex Navarro III

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Please call 210-274-6572 or email angela@ediblesanantonio.com

Increase Access to Fresh Food

$22.4 million

in SNAP benefits (food stamps) were spent at farmers markets in 2017.

That’s fresh food for low-income Americans and increased revenue for local farmers.

60% of farmers market shoppers in low-income neighborhoods say their market had better prices than the grocery store.

Markets bring fresh food to the neighborhoods that need it most.

Support Healthy Communities People who shop at farmers markets have 15-20 social interactions per visit.

They would have only 1-2 per visit to the grocery store.

Proximity to farmers markets is associated with lower body mass index.

SUPPORT FARMERS MARKETS 2

edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

ADVERTISING Please call 210-365-8046 or email fred@ediblesanantonio.com Our heartfelt thanks to the friends, businesses and sponsors who make this magazine possible.

Remember to like us on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EdibleSanAntonio Homegrown Media LLC publishes Edible San Antonio every eight weeks.

Distribution is throughout South Central Texas and nationally by subscription.

Subscriptions 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, a n error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and let us know.

No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission from the publisher. soy_ink.pdf

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4/21/15

4:03 PM

© 2018. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

FROM

25195 MATHIS ROAD, ELMENDORF, TX I-37 SOUTH - EXIT 122

SHOP OUR SKIN CARE LINE AND CULINARY PRODUCTS AT THE ORCHARD OR ONLINE AT

WWW. SANDYOAKS.COM

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The orchard is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

DON STRANGE OF TEXAS Old World Terroir...

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

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a special thank you EDIBLE SAN ANTONIO

4

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

edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

little bites

Eat local and capture the joys of Restaurant Week. (Photo by Joseph Gonzalez)

CULINARIA

C

RESTAURANT WEEK

STAY COOL AND ENJOY

ulinaria hosts many events throughout the year and two opportunities to celebrate our creative culinary scene are coming up in the month of August.

Next on the calendar is Rambling Rosé on Saturday, August 4, when all shades of pink will be highlighted at Becker Vineyards. Enjoy the opportunity to experience a blind tasting with a panel of wine experts who will share the good, the bad and the tasty, answer questions and encourage audience participation. The day offers two session options ($25 per ticket) and includes admission to the event, the wine tasting and light bites served by Chef John Brand of Hotel Emma.

Rambling Rosé is one of Culinaria’s longest running events and sells out every year with a limited number of seats, so to avoid disappointment, make sure to purchase tickets as soon as possible at CulinariaSA.org.

Rambling Rosé may be one of Culinaria’s smaller events, but it’s followed by the nonprofit’s largest event the very next week. The city’s largest biannual celebration of dining is a favorite known as San Antonio Restaurant Week, August 11-25, 2018. More than 100 restaurants in San Antonio, Boerne and New Braunfels will roll out special menus featuring guest favorites and new showstoppers with special prix-fixe three-course lunches and dinners.

Participating restaurants will offer $ 25 b reakfast/brunch, $15 lunch and $35/$45 dinner options on their menu just for Restaurant Week. Besides the three courses, guests can expect restaurants to offer additional course options as well as wine, cocktail and beer pairings. It’s the perfect opportunity to try out a restaurant that has been top of mind as well as a chance to reconnect with friends, family or co-workers.

The best advice to enjoy Restaurant Week would be to plan and make reservations well ahead of time. Culinaria posts the participating restaurants, the menus and handy contact information for making reservations (as those become available from the restaurants) on the CulinariaSA.org website. Reservations are not required but are certainly encouraged – restaurants fill up quickly and walk-in service can’t be guaranteed.

As a nonprofit, Culinaria p romotes San Antonio a s a premier destination for culinary, beverage and hospitality, while also serving as a resource for educational opportunities in those fields. Culinaria events include Restaurant Week, the 5k Wine & Beer Run, the Wine + Food Festival, the Hallowine Run, a few smaller events and several community partner events.

To join in the fun of Culinaria in some capacity, visit CulinariaSA.org or call the office at (210) 822-9555. For updates, follow @CulinariaSA on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. ~ Suzanne Taranto Etheredge, President/CEO Culinaria ediblesanantonio.com

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JUMP-STARTING YOUNG FARMERS

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ny farmer or small food entrepreneur will tell you if you want to break into the business, the first thing you need is money. For those starting out, that’s the hardest thing to get.

That’s where agtech incubators like Austin Foodshed Investors (AFI) and Iroquois Valley Farmland Real Estate Investment Trust step in. These companies help startups develop with management training, legal advice and in some cases, funding.

“We think we have a pretty good thing going with Austin Foodshed Investors,” Jarred Maxwell said.

As co-founder of AFI and the local network leader for Slow Money, Mr. Maxwell is intent on breaking down the most challenging barriers for fledgling businesses.

“We have a great network of what we call technical assistance providers, folks that can provide business resources from financial coaching to business planning,” Mr. Maxwell said.

“Then we have financial resources, a whole group of banks and community development institutions and our own investor network. We put together these very robust ecosystems of companies and institutions to support local small food businesses.”

Many young people get into farming, food entrepreneurship and agriculture by becoming a part of the family operation. It’s been that way for farmers for generations. But today, according to the National Young Farmer’s Coalition, farmers older than 65 outnumber farmers younger than 35 by a margin of six to one. And an alarming statistic from the U.S. Labor Department shows the median age for farmers and ranchers is about 56.

Based in Evanston, IL, the Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT invests in farmers, particularly young organic farmers, who often find it difficult to access financing.

“The problem is not a lack of farmers willing to farm sustainably, nor a lack of good land to farm, instead it is the scarcity of capital currently available to invest in sustainable agriculture,” David Miller, founder of the Iroquois Valley Farmland REIT, explained. “This is about to change.”

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To connect with local farmers and food entrepreneurs around Texas, AFI has been touring the state with its Rolling Roadshow – Funding our Foodshed program. They are looking for agriculture and food entrepreneurs who want to learn more about getting their businesses funded.

“The event is free, and we hope to have small food entrepreneurs, that could be folks anywhere from farmers, ranchers, cheese makers, dairy, restaurant owners, and everything else – anything that has to do with food systems, at the event,” Mr. Maxwell added.

In partnership with Capital Farm Credit and Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, AFI’s Rolling Roadshow aims to support local small businesses or individuals working as farmers and ranchers, processors, shared commercial kitchen operators, co-packers, distributors, beverage retailers, water technology developers and entrepreneurs addressing food security and waste management/recycling.

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension-Gillespie County will host the next Rolling Roadshow – Funding our Foodshed event from 8:30 a.m. to noon on September 13 in Brenham, 307 S. Park St., Brenham, TX 77833.

The Rolling Roadshow presents an overview of the funding and lending landscape for start-ups, growing and mature businesses. Topics include funding sources available to small business owners and how to get started.

“The Rolling Roadshow is our chance to get out of Austin, get out of our little pocket and get around central Texas … and tell them about the things we do,” Mr. Maxwell said. “Anyone that comes should leave with a workbook, put together by Austin Foodshed Investors, with a lot of information and financial forms. If you fill out all these forms, you can walk into any lender anywhere in the state and say, ‘Here you go, I would like to apply for a loan.’”

To learn more about AFI and the Rolling Roadshow – Funding our Foodshed program, call (512) 571-0100 or visit www. austinfoodshedinvestors.com. ~ Noi Mahoney

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little bites

GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURES WITH CHEF THIERRY BURKLE

M

Chef Thierry prepares the Carrots, Curry, Coconut Bisque with Crab Fritters for the first course of the May Gastronomy Dinner. (Photo by Angela Covo)

aster Chef Thierry Burkle will present a culinary feast for the senses the third Wednesday of almost every month, a new series he dubbed the Gastronomy Dinner.

During the Gastronomy events, the celebrated chef will share his thoughts on the art of selecting, pairing and put-ting together an excellent meal. The three to five-course menu, chef’s choice, will focus on the exquisite and bountiful flavors of the season, taking advantage of local ingredients at their peak.

“This is a voyage for the culinary senses,” Chef Burkle said. “In France, when we use the term gastro or gastronomy, we mean the height of the culinary arts – the practice of eating gourmet food.”

The Chef is modeling the dinners after the epic gastronomy dinners in France, where guests enjoy anywhere from 12 to 18 courses by top chefs for upwards of $350. His smaller scale events are far more affordable ($45) and provide the opportunity to experience the flavors and joy of great cuisine, on par with their European cousins.

The July dinner sold out almost immediately, and Chef Burkle added a second seating on July 19. Future dinners will be announced on the website (www.leonspringsgrill. com) and on their Facebook page @TheGrillatLeonSprings.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The second course of Chef Thierry Burkle’s Gastronomy Dinner in May – Scallops, Broccoli, Pistachio, Trumpet Royal, China Tea Smoked Trout with lemon Confit and Verdolaga Micro. (Photo by Frederic Covo)

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Chef Burkle’s culinary career began in Paris, where he was born. He later moved to Washington D.C. to master his craft alongside French Chef Michel Laudier at the Rive Gauche. He continued his culinary career in that city as part-owner of Place Vendôme, recognized as one of the 50 Best Restaurants by both The Washingtonian and Esquire Magazine. In 1984, he opened L’Etoile in San Antonio, a celebrated progressive French restaurant and popular dining establishment until 2009, when he and his partners closed the tony restaurant to pursue other culinary projects. With the late Armande Obadia, his very dear friend, Chef Burkle opened The Grill at Leon Springs.

He still travels to France frequently.

To participate in future dinners, follow on Facebook @TheGrillatLeonSprings. ~ Delia Covo

SEE FOR YOURSELF OUR

strokes of genius eclectic art galleries | over 40 wineries & tasting rooms | museums & historic sites | peaches & wildflowers German heritage | golf | sophisticated shopping | festivals & events | cycling | Hill Country cuisine | live Texas music

VisitFredericksburgTX.com | 866 997 3600 ediblesanantonio.com

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little bites

NATIONAL

FARM DINNER RETURNS TO SA

O

utstanding in the Field (OITF), the pioneer of pop-up farm dinners, returns to San Antonio for a second time during its 2018 North American Tour. The first dinner featured Chef Steve McHugh at Peeler Farms in Floresville

in 2015.

Hotel Emma’s Chef John Brand will be the guest chef for the 2018 San Antonio dinner at 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 13, once again hosted by Marianna and Steven Peeler at the beautiful Peeler Family Ranch.

Last October, Chef Brand attended an OITF event at Cat Spring Yaupon. He was introduced by the host farmer during the dinner and the rest is history. Organizers were delighted to include the celebrated chef in their 2018 lineup of farm dinner pop-ups.

As a champion of the local food movement who celebrates locally grown ingredients at Supper, Chef Brand is a perfect fit.

“I was thrilled to connect again with Peeler Farms, we’ve had a longstanding relationship with Marianna and her wonderful family,” Chef Brand said. “Preparing this meal is very gratifying – it’s truly aligned with what we do at Supper and we’re already planning it.”

This year, OITF will organize nearly 90 farm feasts prepared by top regional chefs. More than 35 new chefs and 20 new farm venues were added this season.

The season kicked off in May from OITF’s home state, California. With their vintage bus leading the caravan, OITF will head north to Washington, Oregon and British Columbia, east across the top of the U.S. to Quebec, then zigzag down the eastern seaboard before wending their way back home across the south and southwest.

Chef Jim Denevan, who is also an artist, came up with the idea of open-air meals on farms in 1999. His goal was to celebrate farmers and the gifts of the land.

“Our mission is to get folks out to the farm and honor the people whose good work brings nourishment to the table,” the founder explained.

OITF has connected more than 120,000 people to places where their food comes from, in every U.S. state and 15 countries around the world. Tickets for the San Antonio dinner are already on sale. For the full schedule and to buy tickets, visit www.outstandinginthefield.com.

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little bites

Rafael Flores sits in front of his natural food facilitator, a half-mile ride from the farm. (Photo by Chris Adams)

FARM-TO-FOOD TRUCK

I

n Del Rio, the term farm-to-market has been modified and adapted to reflect contemporary conventions. It’s now more accurate to utter the hip phrase “farm-tofood truck.” And for good reason – there are more food trucks than markets in the Del Rio area.

As it turns out, Del Rio resident Rafael Flores’ backyard is one of the most prolific. There, produce is organically grown to supply his food truck business, affectionately known as the Armpit of Texas.

The fully-automated truck’s signature menu item is the burger. Mr. Flores explained the burger’s flavor profile consists of organic lean meats coupled with fatty meats, creating a succulent patty. He also grinds his own meats the same day or the day prior to sale.

“Believe it or not, you do taste the difference when it’s freshly ground,” he said.

Add a homemade bun, seasonal veggies, such as buckwheat (in lieu of lettuce, which doesn’t grow in Del Rio soil) and heirloom tomatoes, and the taste pleasantly expands.

Back on the farm, Mr. Flores utilizes drip tape, which he said brings the water straight to the root. During the summer, the plants also require overhead watering to remain cool – a necessity in the desert heat of Del Rio. “During the summer you need cooling, the plant will get stressed out. Stress will cause bitter flavors, especially your greens, Swiss chard, your cilantro,” he explained.

Everything in the farmyard is organically grown. He does not use insecticides and naturally fertilizes with fish fertilizer.

While Del Rio soil is not exactly conducive to farming, Mr. Flores has sweetened his into top-grade dirt, reducing the need

for fertilizers or mineral supplements.

“We sent a sample of our dirt to Austin and it was off the charts. It had all the nutrients,” he proudly exclaimed.

Drip irrigation lines stretch along the length of his crop rows. When the lines are full, the water flows back into a tank and rises, initiating a return flow into the lines.

Additionally, the irrigation is “smart” – set up through WiFi, allowing him to monitor the crops without being onsite. He said the plants basically feed themselves.

SUCCESSFUL FARMING TECHNIQUES

Mr. Flores, a 19-year civilian employee at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, attempted to harvest corn several years ago and failed miserably. After applying critical thought to the failed venture, a question formed. Ultimately, how are we going to survive without the knowledge and skill set to grow our own food?

The quest began, albeit with trial and error, leading to the formation of the Armpit of Texas. This season he is growing Amish paste, cherry and heirloom tomatoes and an array of herbs – sage, rosemary, chives and oregano. “[It was] a progression of ideas on how to bring food to the community, to our families. In this part of the world … we took on the challenge,” he said. “For the most part, we’re trying to grow anything we can use in our recipes.”

The summer menu features juice-dripping craft burgers, Huli-Huli chicken, a variety of sausage cuts with cheeses and that delicious homemade bread.

Armpit of Texas will be part of a three-truck Del Rio food court this summer. To learn more, follow Mr. Flores on Facebook @Thearmpitoftexascookingshow. ~ Chris Adams ediblesanantonio.com

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little bites

New program with hands-on approach teaches kids about local produce and cooking.

(Photo by Lea Thompson)

CHEF BITES: GARDEN-TO-TABLE FOR KIDS

A

CHEF Teaching Kitchen and new garden at the Mays Branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio (BGCSA) are signs of the city’s shift in food culture and opportunities. The club, at 123 Ralph St., serves nearly 4,000 children a day during the academic school year.

“We primarily serve kids in low income neighborhoods, so most of them haven’t had access to these foods or this information before,” BGCSA CEO Angie Mock explained. “Most of the kids are here every weekday, so it’s special for this program to happen in a space like this.”

Funded by a Goldsbury Foundation grant and developed in partnership through CHEF (Culinary Health Education for Families), the kitchen teaches students how to shop for nutritional and affordable foods, develop basic kitchen skills, and prepare healthy snacks and meals.

Since the kitchen opened in 2017, more than 270 San Antonio-area club members have graduated from the CHEF Bites program. In addition to programming, CHEF provides class curriculum and specialized training for the club’s dieticians and staffers to use during classes.

Arikka Villarreal, M.S., who works as the branch’s kitchen assistant, has seen club members develop confidence. Dozens of children, ages 8 to 13, listen and learn from Ms. Villarreal during weekly kitchen and garden classes.

“We want them to know about how their local produce is grown, what they can look for and what they can find at farmers 12

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markets,” Ms. Villarreal said. “The idea is to educate them on the food process [through the programs] from garden to table.”

The club’s community garden, recently built by a local Boy Scout troop, features six raised beds with herbs, peppers, pumpkins, cantaloupe and flowering plants – all potential materials and ingredients for the students to use in their classes.

While the club received generous plant and seed donations from Texas A&M AgriLife and Trader Joe’s in the Quarry, they still need seasonal plant donations, Ms. Villarreal said. She, along with Rachel Kurita, M.S., R.D., the CHEF Teaching Kitchen Lead & Community Dietitian, expects to introduce a garden-to-table focused module of the CHEF curriculum later this month.

Slots for the CHEF program are limited, so serious candidates who can attend most classes during the 12-week program are encouraged to apply for lottery selection.

The team is planning community kitchen events such as chef demos to showcase local talent, affordable produce and exciting healthy dishes. Staffers also hope to develop a cooking competition among the club members.

“This is not just happening within these four walls, it’s happening for entire families,” Ms. Mock said, adding that parents and caregivers often request class recipes to recreate the dishes at home.

“We didn’t expect that demand,” she said. “Now we leave copies of recipes at the front desk – the kids are just so excited to share.”

To make plant donations or volunteer in the club garden, contact Rachel Kurita at Boys & Girls Clubs of San Antonio by email at rkurita@begreatsa.org. ~ Lea Thompson

Chef Yasmine Jones (Photo by Carol Jeske)

SONG OF “THE SOUTH”

I

literally bumped into The South Chicken & Waffles at 5739 Callaghan Road while running errands, and the timing couldn’t have been better. With hunger raging, I waltzed right in. And then I hit the jackpot – they offer brunch and breakfast all day.

Having missed breakfast, I went big and ordered the Bama Benedict Waffles topped with ham, poached eggs, hollandaise and candied bacon. I was taking a chance … in the wrong hands this dish could turn into a hot mess. But each element was prepared from scratch and perfectly executed.

Of course it was. Owner Josh Green joined forces with friends Chef Yasmine Jones and John Belvin (a one-time student of his) to bring this mix of Creole, Southern and Soul Food flavors to San Antonio. He explained he was ready to take the plunge – it was time to test his entrepreneurial skills.

“After a life of teaching, coaching and selling cars, I wanted to start some kind of business,” Mr. Green said. “I stumbled upon a promising restaurant space for rent and made a decision.”

Chef Jones, who hails from Baton Rouge, arrived in San Antonio about a year ago. She started her San Antonio adventure working as a personal chef for Ms. Julianna Holt, an owner of the San Antonio Spurs. Before coming to San Antonio, the chef had her own restaurant and also created meals for special diets.

Everything she cooks up is scratch-made.

In addition to French toast, omelets and classic biscuits and gravy, you’ll find house specialties like the unusual blueberry and cream cheese filled “Carolina Blue Hotcakes” and “Kiss My Grits” with bacon or sausage and buttermilk biscuits. The stoneground grits need an hour of cooking, but the results are creamy and smooth.

Other temptations include Shrimp and Grits, Catfish and Grits, Pork Chop and Eggs, Stacked Buttermilk Waffles with Eggs, Bacon and Cheddar Grits, and great lunches, too. Did I mention the mimosas?

For hours of operation and to learn more, visit thesouthchickenandwaffles.com. ~ Carol Jeske

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. i h e a rdyou . org

Visit iheardyou.org for times and locations.

A Saint City Culinary Foundation Program

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s d’ Escoffier San Antonio Chapte r Les Dame

presents

N G A E H R C L E U T N A C L H P E E O N H L W A I O T M N T E E N U L AT INF THE TABL ATING R B E E L E C Past, Present, and Future

"Chili Queens at the Alamo" by Julian Onderdonk (Special thanks to The Witte Museum)

AN OFFICIAL TRICENTENNIAL EVENT – FUNDING THE ASPIRATIONS GRANT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN IN THE CULINARY ARTS

Marriott Riverwalk Friday, September 21, 2018 11:30AM - 1:30PM PlateChanger.org for Sponsorship and Individual Ticket Information 14

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

LDEISA is a 501(c)3 organization

little bites

Actors Jesse Borrego and wife Valeria Hernandez champion healthy eating at Collins Garden Park Farmers Market. (Photo by Sean Encino) Below: Sr. Martha A. Kirk, Jesse and Tonatzin Borrego celebrateTonatzin’s graduation from the University of the Incarnate Word in 2017. Father and daughter share the same Alma Mater. (Photo courtesy Sr. Kirk)

JESSE BORREGO WINS LEGACY AWARD

P

roducer, director and actor of the stage and screen, Jesse Borrego, will be presented with the prestigious SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival 2018 LEGACY AWARD on August 4 at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts.

“We are so proud and excited to have the opportunity to honor our homegrown star during San Antonio’s Tricentennial and our 24th year,” SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival Director Adam Rocha said. “Jessie is so talented and skilled, without a doubt, one of the most versatile actors in the world. Despite his great talent and tremendous accolades, he is kind, humble and dedicated to the arts and the San Antonio community.”

SAFILM will be screening five of Mr. Borrego’s films, a selection curated by Mr. Borrego and Mr. Rocha, during the film festival. This Legacy Award is just one of many garnered by the actor, but Mr. Borrego said he is so proud to receive this recognition here in his hometown. He is particularly thrilled about the timing.

“It’s appropriate for the legacy the San Antonio Film Festival created and the legacy of my film career to be celebrated in this honored time of San Antonio’s Tricentennial,” he said.

The movie star studied dance and drama at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) before he was snatched away for a major role in FAME. He performed in 71 episodes of the successful television series, alongside Debbie Allen and guest stars like Janet Jackson.

Sr. Martha A. Kirk, a professor at the university since 1972, remembers the actor’s early days well. She spotted young Jesse Borrego as a great talent and often asked him to participate in

special presentations on and off campus. “Jesse did not need to perform or practice with me for these special projects, but he always generously shared his free time for whatever performance project I had going on at the moment,” she explained.

That generous and kind spirit Mr. Borrego displayed years ago is still part of him today, Sr. Martha noted.

“The TV and film industry saw the same creative spark I saw in him, but he is also deeply spiritual and continues to share his talents with so many young people,” she added. “The university was so happy he helped us celebrate the Tricentennial at the Blue Hole and cast light on the importance of the Native American community.”

Don’t miss a minute of this year’s film festival at the Tobin Center. Visit SAFILM.com for all the info and tickets. ediblesanantonio.com

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NEWS YOU CAN USE

(Photo courtesy H-E-B)

ONE HOUR BEER DELIVERY FROM H-E-B H-E-B teamed up with Favor at the end of June to offer onehour delivery service for beer and wine. The new service, exclusively from H-E-B stores, rolled out in more than 30 cities with free delivery for beer and wine orders this summer through Labor Day. Even though H-E-B acquired Austin-based Favor in February 2018, the on-demand delivery company will still offer one-hour delivery service for just about anything, even from Whole Foods. The company, with 50,000 Runners, has already delivered more than 9 million Favors in more than 50 cities across Texas.

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Flavor will offer the entire line of H-E-B’s beer and wine selection at the grocer’s typically competitive prices with no order minimum. As the largest craft beer and wine retailer in Texas, H-E-B’s robust offerings include award-winning wines from Texas and around the world plus craft brews from more than 100 Texas breweries.

To enjoy the new service, download the Favor app and tap on the “H-E-B Beer & Wine” banner, or visit favordelivery.com.

Beer and wine deliveries will be free through Labor Day, but orders will require a Runner tip (minimum $2).

SWIM WITH THIS FISH

DAB HEMP CAFÉ

Keep your belongings dry as you brave the waterpark or tube down the river. A Texas dad and his son discovered this water-resistant bag, developed in Switzerland. Already wildly popular for water activities across Europe, the fun bags are made of lightweight, durable ripstop nylon and have a folding seal system and a carrying strap for an easy roll-and-go operation! You can get it in two sizes: small or large and in several colors. The bags can also be customized. To learn more, visit wickelfischusa.com.

(Erika de la Rosa, 34, and Gabriel Garza, 36, felt something was missing in our foodie town. The pair, who met in preschool, grew up together in SA and just opened the city’s first h emp c afé, DAB, at 105 Warren Street. Their mission is to be helpful and create a great neighborhood spot where people can learn about the benefits of hemp CBD. They p artnered w ith P uro N itro a nd Panaderia La Popular to offer coffee and pastries (try the Hempanada), and they also offer j uices a nd C BD h ealth a nd wellness products. Keep up with them on Facebook for updates and to learn about classes and new products.

edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

(Photo courtesy DAB)

FROZEN TREATS MAKE HISTORY

These Frozen Treats from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) might not be the most effective way to cool off, but they certainly will put a smile on your face. The Post Office dedicated the new Frozen Treats Forever stamps on Wednesday, June 20, at the Thinkery children’s museum in Austin.

Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamps with Leslie Badani, which feature illustrations of colorful, icy pops on a stick. The tasty, sweet confections come in a variety of shapes and flavors … and aromas!

The new stamps are historic – they are the very first Scratch-n-Sniff stamps ever offered by the USPS. “The Frozen Treats stamps offer the latest innovation in stamp design, which means you can add the sweet scent of summer to your cards and letters,” U.S. Postal Service Vice President of Finance and Planning Luke Grossmann said. “It’s a fun way to enjoy the stamps, but it’s even more fun to share the experience with your friends and family.”

The booklet of 20 stamps showcases the work of Margaret Berg of Santa Monica, CA, depicting whimsical watercolor illustrations of the frozen treats. Each of the 10 stamp designs includes two different treats. The words “FOREVER” and “USA” appear along the bottom of each stamp.

Frozen Treats are First Class Mail Forever stamps that will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. You can buy them at the post office or online at bit.ly/FROZENTREATS.

TRANS FATS BANNED IN U.S. In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that food labels should include the amount of trans fat content to help consumers choose heart-healthy foods. That was the first time the FDA imposed a significant change to the Nutrition Facts Panel on foods since 1993, when nutrition labeling became mandatory. The ruling became the law of the land in January 2006.

More and more studies emerged linking heart disease to man-made trans fats, which are partially hydrogenated oils found in vegetable shortenings, cake frosting, some margarines, crackers, cookies and other foods. The ingredient was ubiquitous because hydrogenation increased the shelf life and flavor stability of foods. By 2013, the Obama administration pushed hard to get trans fats banned, and companies were given five years to prepare for the complete eradication of the nasty stuff. The order does not apply to naturally occurring trans fats, found in animal fat and dairy products.

Last month, on June 18, the trans fats ban officially went into effect, so for the most part, the ingredient won’t be hiding out in fine print on food labels anymore. In fact, technically the trans fats won’t be in any foods anymore, although there may be some inventory on the shelf here and there. So, while you’re shopping, be mindful and scan the label for partially hydrogenated anything.

According to the FDA, that will eliminate up to 8 billion pounds of partially hydrogenated oils that was used every year in the U.S. ediblesanantonio.com

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new traditions

YOUR LOCAL

SUMMER ADVENTURE JWMSA River Bluff Cabana Twilight (Photo courtesy)

BY ANGELA COVO AND FREDERIC COVO

T

he perfect staycation truly does feel like a getaway at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. And it’s no wonder, with 600 acres of rolling hills, the resort offers a true Texas experience, from the local culinary offerings to the summer activities and scenic Hill Country views.

Wake up to a breakfast buffet fit for a cowboy, then spend the day in the hotel’s recently updated River Bluff Water Experience with rapid river rides, giant slides, an array of pools and the lovely 1,100-foot lazy river spread over nine acres. You might also want to play one of the two 18-hole championship golf courses, designed by golf legends Greg Norman and Pete Dye. Wrap it up at the resort’s 18 Oaks restaurant, where Chef Glass and Chef Larcom strive to use local ingredients, including honey from beehives right on the property (thanks to our friends at Gretchen Bee Ranch).

After dinner, enjoy the Texas night sky with a stroll around the resort and stargaze using telescopes provided by the San Antonio Astronomers’ Club or admire the stars while roasting marshmal-lows around an old-fashioned campfire. Keep an eye out for vis-iting wildlife, too.

A TASTE OF TEXAS

Chef Bethany explains that Hoja de Santa is great in mole.

(Photo by Angela Covo)

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edible San Antonio

Local Texas ingredients abound here, especially at Cibolo Moon, the resort’s main restaurant. Pancakes (see cover) will never be the same once you’ve tasted the Treaty Oaks-infused maple syrup or biscuits with Rebecca Creek Whiskey Pecan Butter and house-made jalapeño strawberry jam.

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

Cibolo Moon is home to one of the few bars in Texas that is “T” certified by the Tequila Regulatory Commission, a designation awarded to establishments that showcase and educate the public about tequila. The staff goes through training, tasting and testing to achieve the certification.

The 1 8 O aks s teakhouse o ffers ex traordinary dr y-aged st eaks from nearby Windy Bar Ranch. We sampled a Wagyu ribeye rated A8 that was incomparable, but that was just the beginning. From the double-cut house bacon with red peppers to the house-made cured pickles and smoked jerky, the spotlight on local food was delightful.

Even the craft cocktails are made with local spirits. One of our favorites, the Jalapeño Campfire Sour, is made with Garrison Brothers Bourbon, using ingredients gathered from the resort’s garden. We were lucky to get the recipe to share with our readers.

The motto at the resort is that the freshest culinary ingredients are measured by the distance from farm to table. (We agree.) And we found that not only do the resort’s restaurants source a variety of meats, cheeses and produce from nearby farms and ranches, they are also working on a 3,000-square-foot onsite organic garden.

Chef Bethany Willtse-Emick is the culinary gardener, and she uses a holistic, organic approach. We arrived at the height of the current heat wave and plenty of herbs and the Hoja Santa were flourishing. The culinary team at the resort is also tackling food waste by regularly delivering 1000-1500 lettuce claws to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation.

“The greens from our kitchen provide for 80 percent of the monkeys’ hydration needs for the day,” Chef WilltseEmick explained. “And the hotel is also committed to a soap recycling pro-gram that provides soap to those in need.”

THE SECRET OF THE CURANDEROS

If you just want to relax, the Lantana Spa, which we are told is the largest spa facility in Texas, embraces Native American traditions. According to JW Marriott, “For more than 500 years, village healers known as curanderos cared for people along the Texas-Mexico border by capturing the curative properties of indigenous plants and herbs … The resort’s spa embraces the spirit of these traditions with a unique Seven Knots Ritual, or Los Siete Nudos.” You’ll also find a complete menu of services, from fullbody massages to seasonal ingredient body scrubs and treatments that blend historical rituals with holistic therapeutic practices.

Visit bit.ly/JWMSANTA to learn more about a special promotion for holiday bookings at the resort though July 29.

Biscuits served with Rebecca Creek Whiskey Pecan Butter (Photo by Frederic Covo)

JALAPEÑO CAMPFIRE SOUR

INGREDIENTS 1.5 oz. Maple Syrup 0.75 oz. Lemon Juice 2 oz. Garrison Brothers Bourbon

DIRECTIONS Shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Garnish with a Rosemary Sprig.

Light Rosemary on fire at end, allow to burn briefly, then blow out.

Insert one half of a fresh sliced jalapeño into the side of the glass.

Aged ribeye at 18 Oaks (Photo by Frederic Covo)

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edible milestone

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edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

Diana Kennedy at La Quinta Diana in Zitacuaro, Michoacรกn.

(Photo by Betsy McNair)

DO TRY NOT TO CRY IN FRONT OF DIANA KENNEDY

I

BY MICHAEL SOHOCKI

ask the driver if he’s going to stay with me. No, he stammers. I go into fight or flight and step out onto the shattered streets of Zitacuaro, entirely sure I am about to be murdered.

Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in

person.

I call Diana’s house. An assistant picks up and I fumble through an introduction in Spanish. She’s not here. She’ll be here tomorrow.

Oh ...

I climbed the mountain to meet the sage. And I must admit, it went poorly.

There were several false starts. I thought I was getting picked up that very night. I don’t know why, but I had it set up in my brain that I was going to make a nest on the couch, sweep the floor, clean out the garage, you know. I guess I had pictured a weekend at my mother’s house. I don’t know where the hell I got that.

Sleep came hard, with engines roaring down the street into the night, and what could have been backfires – but might have been gunshots.

The next morning there was a plan of Diana taking me to the market, she would call at eleven. We would make carnitas for lunch. Phone numbers got mixed up or times missed, and later I found out she showed up at the hotel while I was walking the busy streets. In a second or third arrangement I was to take a taxi to the Rancho San Cayetano, an exquisite guest house that her dear friend Lisette owns and operates. I was afraid and said so.

“I’m sorry Michael, but you’re just going to have to take a risk,” Diana replied.

Lisette, with a powerful French accent and dappled light flittering through a straw sunbonnet, is a timeless person from whom sunshine seemed to emanate. She led me around the grounds, showing me this bromeliad and that fruit tree, doting on the Monarch butterflies that congregate in this region (along with throngs of their human friends) every year.

“Is this huge thing a holly?” I gawked at a strange tree about eight feet tall with a trunk as big around as my leg.

“It is holly.”

She introduced me to the staff as a “famous chef from Texas.”

Stairs leading to the greenhouse. (Photo Courtesy)

As I tried to explain in complete Spanish sentences the premise of my business model in San Antonio to half a dozen young men and women de la cocina, a scratchy white truck rolled up. And a stream of vitriol issued from the driver’s side window.

It was Diana.

In that first moment, I was shredded for inviting myself, for not having been invited, for showing up at the wrong time, can’t do this, can’t do that, can’t even show up when he’s supposed to.

I wished I could just curl up and die.

Instead Lisette led us to a little couch on a leafy patio and ordered us a round of mescal. (I don’t drink, but you better believe I drank it.) Smooth, smoky. Very calming. A round of talk about the superiority of its taste and purity, its natural process, how it exceeds tequila in every possible way.

Diana wore, I think, the same cracked shoes she had on when I met her in my restaurant in San Antonio more than a year ago.

Her clothing is heavily worn. The older holes in her gray shirt were stitched shut and new ones appeared beside them. A memory flashed through my mind of the knife handles of the ageless ediblesanantonio.com

21

fishmongers in Tsukiji. Those had been worn down to the bone, still in constant uninterrupted use. It was not seen as a fault or mark of poverty, but a revered quality. A dignity that new things cannot own. The well-made and cared for tool is almost deathless.

We talked about the old days, and wars, stupid presidents.

Well, they talked. I mostly listened. I was like the young, tender reed growing between two great oaks. It was hard to keep up. No, it was impossible.

Naïve as I am I hadn’t realized that at least half the time spent with Diana Kennedy (et al.) would be conducted in fast, native Spanish. They switched freely and fluidly between the two, while it would take me seven or ten words just to jolt back to thinking in the other. It was white knuckles trying to keep up with context and verb declensions I hadn’t performed since eighth grade. Getting the -aron mixed up with the -ais, swallowing pride in quantities that exceed surgeon general recommendation. Stop counting your fumbles and just try to hang on.

They caught up on old times – who died, who married. How many kids. Who’s out of country. The ongoing condition of Lisette’s husband Pablo’s left hand. Comings and goings of employees. Wars long fought. Wars ongoing. Disagreements over whether Trump choosing Jerusalem was a good idea. Would it be a path to eternal peace or eternal war. And do you think he’s started World War Three. Books recommended. The American Priestess – the modern conflict in Jerusalem was instigated by a group of Americans who traveled there and started an upheaval.

The stupid, stupid waste – waste of life, waste of water, waste of resources. The blindness of people. There’s just too many people.

Too damned many people. Irresponsibility. How many kids do you have?

“Three …”

Two. Not more. Someone’s got to teach responsibility.

They talk about the jicama on the table and how it is prepared. And isn’t it good. No, it needs a little salt. I am sharply corrected on my pronunciation of Zitacuaro.

It all comes down to education. Nobody is educating these people. Especially, especially the women. (This is both talking now.) Teenage girls getting pregnant at age thirteen, they don’t know it then, because nobody’s told them – their lives are over.

It’s all decided. And then how can they possibly go forward? They take whatever comes. It decides their lives in an instant. It’s gone.

Diana continued.

I lay much of the blame at the feet of the Catholic Church.

They encourage as many children as the body can possibly produce. It’s just so irresponsible! The culture they promote. And this machismo culture, the men. If a woman doesn’t produce offspring every year, they’re no good. That’s what they’re hearing, and that’s what’s happening.

I can’t stand hearing that the American middle class is “upset.”

What could they possibly be upset about? They have everything.

Look anywhere else in the world and people have less. Less water, less food, poorer living conditions. They throw it away. They waste it all. What could they be upset about?

People made fun of him, but Winston Churchill was a real leader. He saved us from that war. Back then, leaders really were leaders. Lord Halifax. Chamberlain. Further books recommend22

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ed. Five Days in May, something like that, can’t quite think of it.

Look at your leaders now. You ought to be ashamed.

It’s hard to read the books about it, and the movies don’t do it justice. To them it’s just a story – but we lived through it. The ration for cheese was 30 grams a person. And butter like so much.

Sometimes we got lucky: Ireland was neutral you see, and if they could get the ship past the U-boats you could get it (the cheese, or other things Ireland had). They had both lived through it, and Lisette’s parents emigrated from Russia, to France, into this – a terrible story left untold.

Books! I grabbed the ball and ran. Maybe this was my chance to distinguish myself from a clod.

I love books, I blurted. I spend at least two hours a day reading; it is far and away the way I bond with the human race.

“But it has to be good writing,” Diana cut in.

“Oh yes, certainly, completely agree. Have you read Michael Pollan?” Thinking I had finally found a life raft here. I think the exact words were that Michael Pollan can be a bit of a pain in the ass, which left me dog-paddling and gulping for air.

I offered my theory that limitations shape us and give us meaning: that having lived through those things, like having had limitations in a region back when there were no railroads or 18-wheelers, your limitations shaped you. That your hardships, memories of “30 grams,” living through a war, or suffering a pain or injustice, or being forced by circumstance into loss or discomfort, that these things shave away the flab and define you.

Michelangelo was said to have sat and stared at a cube of stone for hours or even days, staring into its heart and soul, until he at last knew beyond any doubt “who” was inside – then took it as his mission to free that form from the stone it was trapped in. In this way, I propose that Michelangelo did not even conceive of himself as an artist. Rather, I think he would tell you that he was hardly involved, that it was the rock who spoke. Without challenges we hang around undefined, overstuffed, over-expectant, whiny and unthinking with padding covering our extremities.

But I didn’t say any of this. We veered sharply back to politics.

And with that (strong expletive) president of yours! Doing his best to disassemble the EPA, and the CIA, and I don’t know what all. It’s simply disastrous. People today have no sense of responsibility. Today they elect these officials, they elect them and then they exert so little control over them. Idiotas! They elect them, and then they don’t tell them what to do. It’s just madness.

We finished the mescal. A beautiful, homey table under the trees on the lawn had been set for us. We took our seats, and Diana said, “I don’t remember talking to you about sustainability.”

Cue record skip.

“Uh. Well. I …” (Do try not to cry in front of Diana Kennedy.)

I didn’t know what to say. I mumbled that we spoke about sustainability when she came to visit the restaurant. (I hoped to God it was true. Her memory is razor sharp, mine is not. Any little whiff of bulls- - and you will be caught, I guarantee it.)

“Didn’t you listen to my speech at the conference in Copenhagen?”

I gritted my teeth. Fearing a test, I had to admit that I hadn’t.

“Well then you haven’t done your homework – and you haven’t read Nothing Fancy either, have you?”

I DID read Nothing Fancy. I own it. Actually, (dare I say it?)

you gave it to me.

From her plate she packed the remains of her steak and potato to take home, nothing should be wasted. Diana looked me in the eye, and it became clear I would be walking back.

“As you leave by the driveway, put a few stones in your pocket. They do not inoculate the dogs here.”

END INTERVIEW ONE I had tried months ago to sum up what it was I was going to ask. To put it all in bullet points, nice and neat. Surely most people approach Diana Kennedy with tortillas on their mind, or the traits of an heirloom corn species. But I wasn’t here to bother Diana for tips on masa. What was I here to get? It’s a perfectly reasonable question, isn’t it? Well, come on – hack it open and be done with it. But I hesitate.

A thousand partial reflections stare up at me from slivers and shards of this broken mirror on the ground. I struggle to get it together. We know the problems – my God, by now we all know the problems: the pollution in water and land and air, the population explosion, totalitarian agriculture (including destruction of wild species), loss of genetic diversity across all categories, industrialization and nutritional bleaching of our food supply, the loss of culture and heritage, sicker fatter dumber people. Does anybody really need to hear this again? Aren’t you tired of it yet?

My teachers are many. All their work comes before me, and I stand on their shoulders to reach for the fire. Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser, Bill Mollison, Sir Albert Howard, Masanobu Fukuoka, Daniel Quinn. (It’s not enough to say I “steal” from Daniel Quinn. I wallow in it like a pig covering himself with mud to protect his delicate skin from the violent sun.)

Our policy of wiping out competing species. You are what you eat, eats too. (Thank you, Mr. Pollan.) Our tangential explosion away from Darwinian evolution. How we fit in. Do we fit in?

I am here to construct a functional syllabus that lays out (A) the problems, followed by (B) tangible actions to solve them, and hardest and most importantly (C) how to get people to get off their asses to do it.

“Must have an earnest desire to save the world. Apply in person,” Quinn wrote across my heart. (sigh.)

That was it, I guess. By compiling 95 years of wisdom with personally researched knowledge of (disappearing) anthropological culture, Diana amassed a unique study of human behavior, unusually deep and detailed in a shallow era. I wanted to take any message this yielded, and pass it forward, if I could.

BEGIN INTERVIEW TWO I took a taxi to a church where I was told to wait. A funeral was taking place. The congregation stood and sang as the casket was carried out by six men, three not a day over sixteen, then a priest read from a book. The hearse doors were shut, and the mustachioed driver slept behind the wheel until someone woke him up. Little boys zoomed their bicycles up and down the embankments of a basketball court. Stray dogs climbed into the trash cans and retrieved bits of tinfoil, licking the oil drips off the insides.

I kept thinking of the quote by Francis Moore-Lappe, “Why are we creating a world that nobody wants?”

¿Estás, Michael?

Sí.

Ven.

I was led to Diana’s home on foot. There would be no intermediary. If I pissed her off this time, there would be no offcamera cushion to break my fall.

To her credit, she apologized for the raking I got the day be-fore (although it was all earned as far as I could tell) and explained this time of year she is terribly busy. She is working on her will and organizing papers all over the house.

“When you’ve had 95 years, that’s an unimaginable amount of paper. It takes time to decide, a lot of time to decide, what’s getting refiled and what’s going in the trash. It’s not an easy thing.”

(I can only imagine.)

Diana asked me if I would like something to drink. She was sure she had a beer around here somewhere if I liked. Just water, thanks, I said. The trouble with ignorance is we have no idea it’s sticking out.

Diana poured the water from a stone pitcher into a glass and set it on the table in front of me.

“The girls with long hair, when they come here for the boot camp, I tell them to wash their hair back home, don’t wash it here. This i s a n u nusual h ouse. I h ad t wo l arge t anks b uilt t o collect rainwater during the rainy season. People really don’t understand this is the only water we have. For the year, that’s all of it.

You have to be careful. When it’s gone, that’s it,” she said.

I glance at the empty glass in front of me. I try after the fact to impart significance to the taste of the water that I had paid no attention to, the experience I hadn’t really had. I wished I had left some to think about, to engage with, but I was guilty even at that moment of exactly the global crime being described here, whacking back without thinking. Personally, socially, globally.

“I’ve seen people, chefs even, rinsing dishes under running water. I ask, ‘What are you doing?’ To wash the dishes, I make two basins of water, one for scrubbing, one for rinsing. And I’m not dead from it. We wash everything with soap. Soap. There is no “waste water,” Diana said. “Every drop that goes down the drain is collected somewhere, for something. Waste nothing. People come here and I tell them three minutes of water to bathe, no more. The cold water that runs first we catch in a bucket and do something else with it. So, take your long hair back home with you.”

I wince as I consider the shower I took before coming here, that must have been – God help me – at least twenty. It is no accident that Diana’s hair is trimmed short. Or that her shoes are cracked. Not just in every bite, but with every movement, Diana literally consults a hundred-year view. She is one of the few people walking her talk, choosing to live universal truth while the rest of us scarf mass market popcorn and watch television from our air-conditioned living rooms.

Talk is cheap. Flash and dazzle on plastic is our culture’s calling card. Often in our social discourse, I am reminded of seagulls fighting over an open bag of Cheetos: we clamor for the microphone and are wafted away by the next gust of boastful wind, the next hot new thing.

Diana is different. There is a gravity to someone who wears her clothes until they literally fall off her back that deserves a ediblesanantonio.com

23

different kind of listening. It should – if there was anything right with the world – shut the seagulls up and draw us into a calm, respectful silence.

I think about how different the world would be if we all used every item until its last thread was utterly spent. The world would change. It would have to. So much of our economics and consumption for the Me and the Now – based on the gratification of impulses and excesses and flattery – would collapse under its own impossible weight. What if we all only took what we needed?

It all boils down to money, Diana restarted. Those damned Koch brothers. The microplastics piling up in the ocean, the fish disappearing. The solar industry getting screwed (I am paraphrasing here) from rebates they are forced to honor, creating economic disadvantage the petroleum industry can easily outcompete.

We talk at length about lobbyists and how distorted and dysfunctional our regulatory system is. The influence of the petroleum producers. Drilling in the oceans. The drug companies.

I consider interjecting what I have learned from Michael Pollan about lobbying groups in the food industry, but thought better of it.

I explain my “movement” had seemingly been downgraded to “trend,” one that was now rapidly losing steam – how the people outside my walls seem to have lost interest in the (once trendy) subject that I preach – staying local, sustainable, supporting producers in our land, and … well, how do we turn it around? And how the hell do you reach them now? How do you make anyone change their mind in a world where people don’t talk to people?

When neighbors don’t know (or care to know) their neighbors?

“You just have to keep talking,” she repeated.

You say education, Diana, but they don’t listen to me. It’s deeper than that, I’m not saying this right: they cannot hear me.

Their world experience is curated by their cell phones.

I explain my position on the megaphone principle, that whoever has the bigger bullhorn gets heard, that large powerful companies have an agenda and budget to foster and indoctrinate consumers in a calculated way, with marketing campaigns to get it into position and crunch it firmly into the human mind. The Big Players simply have the bigger bullhorn. Their war machines are built to maximize dollars, and ours … well, ours aren’t.

Spanish Chef José Andrés came up several times: someone Diana clearly likes. A frequent visitor to this house, he is actively charitable, such as cooking for thousands in Puerto Rico after the hurricane decimated everything. As part of the Solar for Hope team, he helped distribute parabolic solar ovens and trained people how to use them in Haiti. One of these ovens stands in Diana’s yard. I guess what strikes Diana about Chef Andrés is that he gets off his ass and does something: a quality few embody to the degree that Diana has.

Diana is getting tired. I’m trying to wind it up.

“We, who support you, understand and agree with the things you’re saying here. The need to preserve original cultures, hold on to traditional species and food ways, conserve resources. We know this, but …”

“Well you’ve heard it all, haven’t you,” she cut in. I bit my tongue.

“Again, it all boils down to education. And I told you before 24

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THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

Diana Kennedy in the greenhouse at La Quinta Diana. (Photo courtesy)

you have to speak THEIR language, not the other way around,” she said. “The educational center that you are building … who will be your audience? Your constituency?”

“I have no idea. No idea at all. That’s assuming it becomes an educational center, what with all the problems we face …”

“Problems?” Diana asked. I didn’t quite get the next part, but it had to do with some sort of local political pushback.

“So, those of us who believe this way … who are our allies?”

I asked.

“There aren’t any.”

I lost my breath for a moment.

“An organization that I think has really done some measurable good is the Sierra Club. You have to have the cumulative strength to fight these fights, and Sierra Club is one of the few organizations who do and does,” she added. “Every generation has its own method of getting information. You want to reach them? It must be on the Internet. The Internet is real. Nothing else is. You must talk to them the way they speak. So, stop bitching. Do it or don’t. Keep educating. Do it ‘til you’re blue in the face. How they take information, that’s where it must go.

There is no alternative.”

Like, that’s it. Get the 'net. My training is over.

Don’t drink the water: an admonition to an American tourist – a joke of sorts – that belies our culture’s tendency to refuse to own the damage we cause. Don’t put your hands in that nasty. We cannot in good conscience use the word ignorance to describe our behavior – while we play happy music and squirt air freshener and hang a picture over the termites in our world view.

Diana told me to educate. So, while there is breath left in me, I will try. (In addition to writing and teaching, I will speak at the American Culinary Federation’s National Convention in 2019.)

Diana drank the water. She owns her impact on the world and chooses every step with care. She wishes we all had the guts to do the same.

We drink the same water. Change cannot begin until we own that.

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Simple Summer Salads with Cheese!

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Cool off with real Italian gelato made fresh every day at South Alamode.

(Photo by Delia Covo and Ray Tijerina)

THE LOCAL DINING GUIDE

Welcome to our newest section, the Edible San Antonio Local Dining Guide.

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. Enjoy!

Candlelight Wine Bar s Coffee House

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

TAKE A BIG BITE OF LOCAL! DISCOVER GREAT COFFEES, CRAFT BEERS AND SIGNATURE WINES IN OUR RELAXED ATMOSPHERE. WINE DOWN WEDNESDAY (ALL WINES ½ PRICE WITH FOOD) HAPPY HOUR | TUE – FRI 4-7 PM WEEKEND MIMOSA BRUNCH | 10 AM – 2 PM

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

2720 McCullough Ave, SATX 78212 210.320.2261 | barbarosanantonio.com

3011 N St Mary’s St, SATX 78212 210.738.0099 | candlelightsatx.com

LIVE FIRE MEXICAN KITCHEN AND PATIO BAR

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

BEYOND JUST CAJUN OR CREOLE THERE’S MORE TO NEW ORLEANS CUISINE WELCOME TO THE COOKHOUSE OPEN TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY HAPPY HOUR 5-7 PM | DINNER 5:30-10 PM RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

HAPPY HOUR (FREE CHIPS & QUESO | DELICIOUS DRINK SPECIALS)

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DINNER | WED – SAT 5-11 PM HAPPY HOUR | WED – SAT 5-7 PM BRUNCH | SAT 10 AM – 4 PM | SUN 10 AM – 8 PM

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

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

edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER! 720 E Mistletoe Ave, SATX 78212 210.320.8211 | cookhouserestaurant.com

AT BIG TEX 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

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

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

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

403 Blue Star, SATX 78204 210.635.0016 | burgerteca.com

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

SAN ANTONIO’S PREMIER ROOFTOP BAR ROOFTOP OASIS | SOARING CITY VIEWS COFFEE BAR | CRAFT COCKTAILS BREAKFAST | HORS D’OEUVRES

GLUTEN FREE | VEGAN KETO-FRIENDLY | AYURVEDIC

AT BIG TEX

OPEN DAILY 11 AM TO 3 PM BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY ACROSS FROM THE TOBIN CENTER

OPEN SEVEN DAYS

MENTION EDIBLE SA FOR A FREE PALETA TUESDAY – THURSDAY 5 PM – 10 PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5 PM – 11 PM SUNDAY 10 AM – 4 PM

DOG-FRIENDLY PATIO | OPEN SEATING

102 9th St Suite 400, SATX 78215 210.340.9880 | paramourbar.com

403 Blue Star, SATX 78204 210.635.0036 | villaricasa.com

106 Auditorium Circle, SATX 78205 210.802.1860 | pharmtable.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

SAN ANTONIO’S HISTORIC EAST SIDE BAR AND GRILL SOUTHERN COMFORT FOOD

WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 11 AM – 3 PM

LUNCH | DINNER | WEEKEND BRUNCH LIVE MUSIC OPEN SEVEN DAYS

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

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

1338 E Houston St, SATX 78205 210.320.2192 | facebook.com/tuckerskozykorner1948

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

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

Watermelon gazpacho from Restaurant Gwendolyn (Photo by Sophie Covo Gonzales)

ediblesanantonio.com

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GUIDE TO SAN ANTONIO FARMERS MARKETS MOBILE MARKET Alamo Ranch Farmers Market 210-446-0099 www.alamoranchfarm.market Call or visit website for information

MONDAY

SA Food Bank Farmers Market Palo Alto College 1400 W. Villaret Blvd 4th Mon of month 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

TUESDAY

Blanco Farmers Market Shrine Auditorium 901 North Loop 1604 W 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

SA Food Bank Farmers Market Main Plaza 115 Main Avenue 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY

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

Fredericksburg Farmers Market Marktplatz 126 W. Main Street Fredericksburg, TX 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

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

1st Thurs of month

FRIDAY

Blanco Farmers Market Shrine Auditorium 901 North Loop 1604 W 2 p.m. – 7 p.m.

LocalSprout MidWeek Market LocalSprout Food Hub 503 Chestnut Street 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

San Antonio Farmers Market St. Matthews Recreation Center 11121 Wurzbach Road 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Rustic Roots Market 1116 Angelo Street Castroville, TX 3 p.m. – 7 p.m.

SATURDAY

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

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

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

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

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THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

Highland Park Neighborhood Farmers Market 901 Rigsby Avenue 2nd Sat of month 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

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

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

Truckin’ Tomato Local Food Market 10511 Wetmore Road 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

MarketPlace at Old Town Helotes 14391 Riggs Road Helotes, TX 1st Sat of month 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

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

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

Boardwalk on Broadway Farmers Market 4001 Broadway 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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

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

SA Food Bank Farmers Market Mission Marquee Plaza 3100 Roosevelt Avenue 1st & 3rd Sat of month 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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

SA Food Bank Farmers Market San Antonio Food Bank 5200 Enrique M. Barrera Pkwy 4th Sat of month 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Salado Creek Market Los Patios 2015 NE Loop 410 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Weekend Market 2nd weekend of month San Antonio Farmers Market Olmos Basin 100 Jackson Keller Road 8 a.m. – 1 p.m

SUNDAY

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

Salado Creek Market Los Patios 2015 NE Loop 410 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Weekend Market 2nd weekend of month For schedules and information about the San Antonio Food Bank Mobile Mercado, WIC and Senior Farmers Markets, visit bit.ly/SAFB2018.

farmer’s journal

Much of the produce at the Pearl Farmers Market comes from farmers using sustainable methods – a systems approach. (Photo by A. Covo)

A SYSTEMS APPROACH REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, CONTINUED Travis and Mandy Krause own and operate Parker Creek Ranch near D’Hanis, Texas. Their farm is family-owned, multigenerational, pasture-based and sustainable. Mr. Krause shares a farmer’s perspective with our readers in every issue with his column, Farmer’s Journal. Stop by the Pearl Farmers Market to meet the Krauses or visit ParkerCreekRanch.com to learn more.

M

ost farmers like to think that they are good problem solvers. Historically, farmers have invented technologies and techniques to solve the woes of farming. They created machines to move the earth, chemicals to kill insects and unwanted weeds, precision technologies for fertilization and irrigation and even driverless tractors.

And throughout most of history, problem solving is usually framed in terms of linear progress. Conventional agriculture is absolutely a linear process. The farmer follows a step by step process to produce a product. They plow the field, plant the seed, fertilize, irrigate, apply chemicals for weed and insect control, harvest and do it all over again. This is the generalized story of crop production since the early 1900s.

Thanks to successes with the linear process over the past few centuries, we are now operating our economies and societies at a scale that’s colliding with natural systems. The exploitation of natural resources is a constant threat to societies and economies around the world.

Where does farming fit into this equation?

Look all around and you’ll discover conventional farms that function only on a linear path. More often than not, there is little or no regard for the surrounding environment or communities.

The systems approach to thinking about farming and long-term sustainability is long-sighted and will deliver continual economic

growth. The linear approach is simply misguided progress.

A systems approach is fundamental to regenerative agriculture. By designing animal and crop systems that mimic natural patterns, the agriculture industry can give back more than they take away from the soil and the overall ecosystem. During the process, farmers constantly look for feedback loops, positive or negative, to better understand our decision-making processes.

The goal is to create positive feedbacks to learn how to maximize the regenerative impact.

The earth is the largest scale example we have of a self-regulating organism which is subject to feedback controls, like global warming. Regenerative agriculture improves the land using techniques and technologies that regenerate and revitalize the soil and the overall environment. Monitoring the feedbacks allows us to learn and implement activities that lead to healthier soil that produces quality, nutritious food while simultaneously improving the land. Ultimately, adopting the systems approach leads to productive agricultural systems, healthy communities and thriving economies.

To make systems thinking the norm, I believe we need to understand that the premise that our society and environment exist outside of the natural world is completely flawed. We need to re-establish ourselves as part of that natural system. When we “see” ourselves as part of the greater ecosystem rather than separate from it, the whole dynamic changes.

Farmers understand that every decision they make is connected to these natural processes. To make the most productive progress, it’s our responsibility to use farming practices that regenerate natural processes, such as building soil. The positive impact of implementing this thoughtful approach is impressive – it helps build community, brings people back to the clean, healthy land and forms the foundation for truly sustainable farms of the future. ediblesanantonio.com

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from the garden

Garden Salad (Photo

by Chef Dave Terrazas)

SUMMER’S HARVEST

S

BY CHEF DAVE TERRAZAS

an Antonio’s sweltering summer has its perks – months-long harvests of culinary herbs, tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers (salsa heaven!) and all kinds of squash. Across Texas, stone fruits like peaches, plums and pluots fill produce stands at farmers markets. At the San Antonio Botanical Garden (SABG), we love to pair our fresh, savory, seasonal herbs to these fantastic fruits, reimagining old creations and creating new sweet-savory recipes all together.

This year is turning out to be phenomenal for herb cultivation. Our planting schedules are designed to grow divergent cultivars of select species and this season the garden proudly displays seven cultivars of green and purple basil, four of mint, two of oregano, two of rosemary and dozens of other culinary gems, like lemongrass, marjoram, lemon balm and thyme. Given the delicious range of each available this year, the summer program naturally highlights combinations of stone fruits and basil. Of course, as the garden’s resident chef, certain cultivars are more personally enjoyable than others; partly for the novelty, partly for the aesthetics, and certainly for the flavors and aromas. Our anthocyanin-rich purple basil cultivars, the elegant Purple Ruffles, the strongly flavored Opal, and beautiful red 30

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THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

and black plums emerged as perfect plate fellows.

All bias aside, there is much to celebrate in the garden throughout the summer and we’re doing that by expanding our course offerings. Our standards include the date night-driven “Foodie Cinema” nights, which continue to surprise guests with recipes right out of popular movies served on cue, and the wildly popular Cocktail Scavenger Hunt, which pairs cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with common ingredients allowing us to drive programming along an immersive, multi-sensory line.

Our newest series include the upcoming vegan “Green Plate” and “The Blue Zones” – a celebration of the cuisines from areas of the world where people live the healthiest and longest, both bridge the gap between eating for pleasure and eating for health.

The programming flanks our Culinary Health Education for Families (CHEF) backbone, a hugely popular series that sells out consistently thanks to the fun, nutritious, affordable and educational experience of cooking fresh food as a family. As one of six teaching kitchens in the city under the Goldsbury Foundation-funded CHEF program, the botanical garden’s central location is easy to get to by the 6 p.m. start time for these culi-

nary workshops.

Each CHEF kitchen plays to its strengths, and with plans for each to have a garden, the SABG kitchen will help build up the CHEF recipe book with exciting new recipes inspired by all those amazing herbs, fruits and vegetables, including our poblanos, Hungarian hot wax and sweet banana peppers growing prolifically in the Texas sun.

Week-long CHEF kids’ cooking camps that teach kids kitchen basics and some state-of-the-art techniques are scheduled all the way through August at SABG. The kids create culinary projects (meals) with curious specimens including bright orange Turkish eggplants, striking molten lava red amaranth leaves (which I served to hungry diners at The Witte’s Salud event in June) and green Italian honey figs to take home to their families. And if this year’s bounty is anything like last year’s, we’ll be serving up our Black Vernissage deep red and green zebra striped cherry tomatoes, chocolate mint, edible flowers and Genovese sweet basil through December.

Don’t curse the relentless Texas heat – with a little planning, the summer bounty from our edible garden will lead to great culinary adventures all year long. To learn more about the culinary programming at SABG, visit www.sabot.org.

GARDEN SALAD

Basil, Plum and Gnocchi Salad with Plum Vinaigrette INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD

½ cup gnocchi, precooked, dried, and chilled ¼ cup baby spinach ¼ cup red amaranth, leaves only ¼ cup cinnamon basil, leaves only ¼ cup purple basil, leaves only ¼ cup goat cheese, crumbled ¼ cup pecan halves 4 figs, sliced into quarters 1 black plum, thinly sliced 1 radish, thinly sliced

WORLD LOUC:1

INGREDIENTS FOR DRESSING ½ cup extra virgin olive oil 1 lemon, juice and zest 1 small red plum 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 tablespoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard Sea salt and pepper to taste

Join us for this year's epic and historic Junior Chef Competition!

Free to the Public.

()Ill.JR SPtltJS(lRS

DIRECTIONS

In a blender, add all dressing ingredients and blend on high for two minutes, until smooth and creamy. Reserve. In a large mixing bowl, combine and toss the leafy ingredients together. Transfer contents of bowl to four salad plates and arrange neatly. Distribute and layer the gnocchi, plums, figs, goat geese, pecans and radishes evenly over the leafy bases of each plate. Drizzle vinaigrette dressing on each salad and serve.

edible

SAN ANTONIO®

July 21, 2018 10am-2pm KAREN WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL 3000 N. FOSTER ROAD, SA TX 78244

For more i nforn1ation call Mi las \Vi II iams 21 0-569-9092 ediblesanantonio.com

31

edible expertise

Monterey (Photo by Philip Thomas)

CREATING CULINARY SPACES

BY JOHN G. BLOODSWORTH

P

The custom steel and leather wine rack at Jason Dady’s Range in the heart of downtown San Antonio. (Photo by HILMY)

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late presentation is essential to the culinary experience – we visually explore our dishes before consuming a morsel. But the experience really begins when we physically approach the restaurant, anticipating what is to come.

In San Antonio, we’ve got that covered. One of the brightest stars in hospitality design is Kristin Hefty of the Dado Group, a small, local design/build architecture firm with offices on the edge of downtown.

And the architect’s restaurant resume is certainly eclectic and burgeoning.

Her list of completed projects includes the original Rosella Coffee Co., the contemporary urban café housed in a former plumbing supply warehouse, and The Granary, Chef Tim Rattray’s barbecue and brew pub that evokes Texas spirit. (The century old Victorian dwelling was once the home of the Pearl Brewing Company’s chief barrel maker.)

“We do residential and commercial design, but I feel that hospitality work has become one of our specialties,” Ms. Hefty shared.

Indeed, her portfolio of culinary spaces is extensive and growing.

Ms. Hefty designed High Street Wine Co., an upscale wine bar at Pearl with the urban feel of a basement speakeasy, and she also shaped the look of Signature, a Texas take on a classy French bistro at La Cantera. She gave Jason Dady’s latest restaurant Range its custom steel and leather wine rack and banquette

seating design, and most recently managed to create a European bistro with Texas flair for Dough Pizzeria’s second location, which just opened at Hemisfair. Dado also is currently overseeing the renovation of the beloved Chris Madrid’s burger joint on Blanco Road.

Ms. Hefty co-founded Dado Group in 2013 with husband Clay Hefty, who handles the construction end.

“The restaurant industry is volatile and for the owner it can be very stressful,” Ms. Hefty explained. “Being a design/build firm, we are able to handle the design throughout the process, from the drawings to the finished construction, and hopefully alleviate a little of that tension. There’s a lot of hand-holding involved.”

Dado’s trademark is efficient, functional design that expresses reverence for local building traditions and natural materials, from repurposed wood to leather, stone and steel. At Signature, which was a golf pro shop in its previous life, bracing timbers came from an old barn, while floors and ceiling decking were done in 1880s Louisiana longleaf pine salvaged from the old Joske’s department store.

“As an architect, I think it’s important to reflect the region that we live in, no matter what the project,” she said.

Working with existing old buildings, the task is not just to wedge a modern restaurant, with all its codes of building compliance, into what may have been an old home or office building or gas station, but to make a space memorable.

“You have to take into account all the elements – the concept, the budget, the building codes, the surroundings,” she emphasized. “You have to find design solutions for what makes sense for all those things, but in the end a restaurant has to feel good. It has to be interesting, something new and different. You have to give people something to talk about on the way home.”

The young architect envisions at least one element in a restaurant design that will stick in a customer’s mind.

For Signature, she and her team designed a mezzanine that encircles the soaring entry area. At High Street there are actually two elements: a massive steel door punctuated by glass panes that opens up like a garage door onto a courtyard, and a wine “cellar” at the end of a long steel bar in the same materials as the door that patrons and employees call the “Rubik’s Cube.” It holds 1,700 bottles and has become a conversation piece.

“You want to create a wow factor, but still maintain a sense of intimacy and excitement, while remaining true to the owner’s vision,” Ms. Hefty explained. “It can be tricky.”

Sometimes, tricky problems are solved with smart, functional solutions that also please the eye, as in the case of Dough Southtown, a redesign of the OK Bar building at the northeast corner of Alamo Street and Cesar Chavez.

“It’s a historic building, so we couldn’t just punch a bunch of holes in the walls for the electrical, so we used copper conduit attached to the walls, and that became a design element,” Ms. Hefty recalled. “Restaurant design often forces you to be creative.”

Her first restaurant design, in the early 2010s, was the now defunct, much-missed and iconic Monterey. The project called for her to transform an old Sun-Glo gas station in Southtown into a modern gastro bar with a mid-century modern aesthetic, warmed by a textual and handcrafted feel.

“Kristin is the catalyst,” Mr. Hefty said. “It all starts with her design, and that carries throughout every project that we build.”

Their work at Monterey led to the Granary project at the Pearl – and the restaurant jobs just kept coming.

“I guess the best thing about restaurant design is you have to design for people to enjoy,” Ms. Hefty said. “We love to go to restaurants we’ve worked on. You walk up and see the lights on inside and go in and experience all the people enjoying themselves.

Knowing that you’ve contributed to that is very rewarding.”

Signature (Photo by Jason Risner) ediblesanantonio.com

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ranch life

Marcy Epperson catches a fish in the Pecos River.

(Photo courtesy)

FRESH CATCH

BY MARCY EPPERSON

I cast into the wind, but my lure hung in the carrizo break. Silently cursing my sloppiness, I fished it loose and cast again and wham!

Reeling in a frenzy, I realized I was the one hanging on.

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Marcy and William Epperson raise heritage Corriente cattle on their ranch, the first cattle brought to the Americas. Most of their foundation herd stock was directly imported from the Sierra de Durango, Mexico.

They typically sell steers for roping and heifers for their natural beef program, Heritage Lean Beef, LLC. Ms. Epperson shares a glimpse of her life on the ranch in every issue of Edible San Antonio. To learn more, follow on Facebook at Heritage Beef.

S

ummers for me are all about water. Rivers, lakes, beaches, dirt stock tanks or the large concrete or stone windmill pilas in ranch country have been my go-to since childhood. When the temperature reaches about 90, I start looking for water. Growing up, we had a long, winding dirt stock pond at the edge

of our backyard. It probably wasn’t very clean, cows and horses waded in the same pond as we did, but my younger sister and I didn’t care one whit. My dad built us a rope swing in a giant oak tree and a raft, which we poled, paddled and kicked up and down the length of the large pond playing Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn.

Every summer, I also had a lengthy visit with my cousin on his ranch on the Middle Concho near San Angelo. With the river just a few hundred yards from the house, we’d help his dad horseback in the mornings and spend the searing afternoons swimming. Inevitably, the rods and reels appeared, and fishing was a regular feature of our river and pond play.

By the time I was 10, I could catch, clean and cook my own fish, although I do remember my mother and aunt cooking our catches. So, this summer, when our family had a chance to visit and paddle a remote part of the Pecos River, I had one thing in mind – frying up a fresh catch in a cast iron skillet on the spot.

A TEXAS SUMMER CHALLENGE

The plan was to paddle a stretch of river that would take about two-and-a-half days and spend two nights camping on the river. We packed accordingly, and the family agreed we’d eat our catch for supper the second night and go hungry if we didn’t. We laughed and said even if we didn’t catch any fish, we’d just have to toughen up. We wouldn’t starve to death.

I packed canned smoked oysters, just in case.

When it was time to get going, our plans were thwarted by low river levels and high winds. A cousin who planned to shuttle us at the end of the paddle wouldn’t be able to launch his river boat to get us, so we’d have to paddle back long stretches against 20-mile-per-hour winds. We decided to stay put instead and make day paddles from base camp. We would not be deterred.

Each day we ventured in a different direction, alternately

angling and exploring areas along the river. The first day the fish weren’t biting, and only small bass would nip at my offering.

The second day was more promising. We paddled upstream with a strong wind at our backs. The crystal clear water revealed needle nose gar swimming in a fast current. The kids snorkeled and discovered a turtle and catfish, side by side, under a large boulder. They spent a good amount of time trying to see if they could “noodle” him by tickling his chin and catching him barehanded. This was not at all successful, but they relished the adventure.

The Pecos, noted for its salty, alkaline water, severely abrasive rocks and up to Class IV rapids, is, undoubtedly, an extremely harsh environment. With the mercury soaring to around 108 each afternoon, we were wiped out by day’s end. Everyone slept well.

The final afternoon, I paddled back to camp alone, staying at the edge in the carrizo, fighting to make headway against winds which caused the river to whitecap. As I reached a large boulder where I thought I’d catch my breath, I glimpsed dark figures darting underwater.

Fish!

I cast into the wind, but my lure hung in the carrizo break.

Silently cursing my sloppiness, I fished it loose and cast again and wham! Reeling in a frenzy, I realized I was the one hanging on. My kayak was actually being pulled by this fish! It swam under the boulder, but the line held and I reeled in a beauty of a largemouth bass (without capsizing).

Later at camp, everyone managed to meet the challenge, and we cleaned, cooked and enjoyed the fresh catch. As we enjoyed the best fish dinner ever, the sun slid silently, softening the walls of the bluffs with a golden glow, while the rippling songs of canyon wrens echoed through the river canyon.

Happy and satisfied, we broke camp, knowing the next morning we’d be heading home.

(Photo courtesy)

ediblesanantonio.com

35

feeding hope

FOOD RESCUE FOR A FOOD-SECURE CITY

BY MICHAEL GUERRA 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.

A

growing body of research across many fields in the U.S. suggests that ensuring a food-secure country is a problem of food rescue, not one of food availability. We have enough to feed everyone and nourish them fairly well. What we don’t have is a system for food rescue that can capture 100 percent of available resources and efficiently deliver them to people facing hunger.

THE FOOD RESCUE COST CURVE

Without a doubt, rescuing food from restaurants, hotels and caterers gets the most attention from the general public. Chefs, servers and restaurateurs embrace opportunities to donate the day’s surplus food but are often at a loss about how to get it to a distribution point safely.

In the graph below, an overview of food rescue in today’s food economy demonstrates that the yield is greatest when rescuing food from the farm and smallest when rescuing prepared food from a restaurant. It also costs much more to rescue a pound of food from a restaurant than from a farm.

FOOD RESCUE PYRAMID

COST TO RESCUE A POUND OF FOOD

OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

HIGH MODERATELY HIGH MODERATELY LOW

HIGH

HOSPITALITY Restaurants, Caterers

RETAILERS

MODERATELY HIGH

MANUFACTURERS

MODERATELY LOW

FARMERS

LOW

Grocery Distributors

Consumer Retail Product Producers

LOW

Crops, Orchards, Vineyards, Poultry or Livestock

FOOD YIELD & AVAILABILITY

Courtesy Michael Guerra, SAFB

The San Antonio Food Bank (SAFB) already deploys a key ingredient to help bend this food rescue cost curve – the alignment of volunteers and food donors. The high cost of 36

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rescuing food from restaurants, hotels, caterers and other food donors becomes manageable thanks to volunteers who bridge the gap by delivering the donations to a Food Bank outlet.

NATIONAL PARTNERS ARE ESSENTIAL

Comprehensive food rescue means focusing on all channels of the food chain from hyper-local to national levels. One of the Food Bank’s national partners, Amazon, now also the owner of Whole Foods, is an active participant in our local food rescue operations. “Amazon is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities where our employees work and live,” Eli Pabon, general manager for Amazon’s fulfillment center in the region, explained.

Howard Schulz, the innovative founder of Starbucks, another national partner, recognized the importance of food rescue years ago. He implemented a solution to help the company’s front-line team members eliminate food waste by getting surplus food to individuals in need. To mitigate the high cost of food rescue and to create a sustainable program, Mr. Schulz used the tax benefit from the company’s food donations to help cover the expense.

Rather than putting the tax savings back into the company, Starbucks supports local food banks, like SAFB, with funds to employ drivers who pick up daily donations and deliver them to Haven for Hope, providing meals to the homeless.

Mr. Schulz shared why it’s important for Starbucks to lead the field in food rescue.

“It has been about building a great enduring company, which has always meant striking a balance between profit and social conscience,” he said.

Bertha Gonzaba, who leads the Starbucks team in this region, agrees.

“Here, locally, we recognize that the needs of our homeless community are endless,” she said. “Our partnership with the San Antonio Food Bank in assisting to provide a meal to those in need is one way we strive to strike that balance.”

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Later this summer, SAFB will launch MealConnect™, an app created by Feeding America to help local food donors link with nonprofits and their network of agencies. The new app was designed to simplify food recovery and provide cost-effective ways for donors with surplus food to get to zero food waste.

Partners like Door Dash will help in the pick-up and delivery of the product through the app. We’ll be sharing more information about MealConnect™ in the next issue. To learn more about the Food Bank, visit www.safoodbank.org.

guest chef

Clementine’s Smothered Squash (Photo by Frederic Covo)

CLEMENTINE SMOTHERED SQUASH

C

lementine, the new site for San Antonio power lunches and family-style dinners, is bright, airy and busy. Recently established by Chefs John and Elise Russ in Castle Hills, the wildly popular restaurant consistently garners great reviews, so it’s a good idea to call ahead.

THE LATEST

The Clementine team will join forces with Faith Armstrong of Onward + Farmstrong Wines for a delicious five-course dinner with wine pairings. Guests will learn about the latest trends in contemporary winemaking at this special event at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24, at Clementine (2195 NW Military Highway). To learn more about Clementine, visit www.clementine-sa.com.

Chef John Russ takes full advantage of local bounty and developed this seasonal recipe for our readers.

It’s so delicious, it is now on Clementine’s summer menu. BONUS: You’ll also learn about smothering, a quintessential Cajun cooking technique.

“SMOTHERED” SQUASH

By John Russ – Executive Chef, Clementine INGREDIENTS 2 zucchini (cut into bite size pieces) 2 summer squash (cut into bite size pieces) 1 cup cherry tomatoes (cut in half ) 1 tablespoon minced shallots 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons pepper jelly 1 tablespoon minced parsley 1 tablespoon butter 2 oz. chicken stock 4 tablespoons cotija 4 tablespoons spiced pepitas Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS Heat olive oil in a skillet, bring to high heat. Add squash and zucchini, allow to sear on one side.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add garlic, shallots and tomatoes.

Lower the heat and cook until tender.

Add butter, parsley, chicken stock and pepper jelly. Bring back to a simmer.

Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into a serving bowl and top with crumbled cotija and spiced pepitas. Enjoy!

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summer grilling

CAPTURING

SUMMER’S BOUNTY

Grilling peaches (Photo by Mike McCune)

BY CHERI WHITE Using local seasonal ingredients is very rewarding, not only because it’s sustainable and supports our farmers and the local economy, but because it’s the best way to capture flavors at their peak. And this time of year, taking advantage of the grill and smoking meats imparts great flavor. For those who missed out on this year’s delicious crop of Fredericksburg peaches, no worries – we bottled it up for you to use all summer long with Deep River Specialty Foods Figgy Peach Barbecue Sauce. Enjoy!

FIGGY PEACH SMOKED BEEF SHORT RIBS Figgy Peach Barbecue Sauce and Bronco Rub (Photo by Cheri White)

INGREDIENTS (serves 4) 3 ½ pounds beef short ribs, most of the fat removed 4 cups beef broth Deep River Specialty Foods Bronco Rub Pecan wood or chips for smoking ½ Bottle Deep River Specialty Foods Figgy Peach Barbecue Sauce DIRECTIONS Braise short ribs in beef broth on high for 4 hours in a crockpot, or at 350°F for 2 hours in the oven in a covered Dutch oven.

While ribs are braising, prepare your grill or smoker. If using a grill, fill a smoke box with wood chips or pellets and a heat proof container with a 50/50 apple juice/water mix.

When ribs are fork tender, remove from crockpot or Dutch oven and pat dry. Rub Bronco Rub over all sides of each rib.

Heat grill or smoker to 220 degrees. Place water on

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cooler side of grill or on the rack in smoker according to manufacturers directions. Fill wood chip container and place near water.

Place ribs on rack in smoker/grill and smoke for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Remove from smoker and lightly brush Figgy Peach Barbecue Sauce over each rib.

Place on grill on medium high heat, grilling just until you see grill marks. Brush with more sauce.

Pairs well with potato salad or watermelon salad and baked beans.

GRILLED PEACHES FOR DESSERT Try grilling peach halves over medium heat grill, then drizzle with honey or pair with warmed Deep River Specialty Foods Lemon Verbena Jelly for a delicious twist on a classic. Top with fresh whipped cream.

TIP: Spray the grill with coconut oil cooking spray before heating it up or drag a paper towel with coconut oil across the grate (use tongs).

summer cooking

GUILT-FREE GRILLING

T

BY MELISSA GUERRA

exas is brutal in the summertime with temperatures spiking into triple digits, but the real challenge Texans face is getting to all those backyard barbecues.

How many barbecues can y’all attend?

Many of us wish we could barbecue every day, and maybe twice a day on the weekends. As sure as the sun rises daily in Texas, our barbecue pits smolder and crackle.

And where there are barbecues, there are swimsuits, which explains why so many Texas barbecues are staged next to a swimming pool or at one of our beautiful Texas Gulf Coast beaches. Such cruel irony. How can we gorge ourselves on succulent, mesquite roasted pork ribs or chicken legs if we’re expected to keep our bellies from rolling over our waistbands and Speedos?

It’s a Texas cultural conundrum.

I decided to try to unravel that one by examining my relationship with sugar. I’d go so far to say I had a sugar addiction. You know you have a sugar addiction when your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack all have a dessert component. Yeah, I had it bad.

And since I’m not a fan of supermarket sauces, I tend to make every single sauce my table requires. I make my own mayo, my own fruit preserves, salad dressings and barbecue sauce. For years, I followed my go-to barbecue sauce recipe – but it was ketchup-based and loaded with brown sugar.

THE SUGARLESS BARBECUE SAUCE

Because I’d made my own barbecue sauce for years, I learned that pureed celery and onions are sweet enough on their own, especially when sautéed and roasted before used in a sauce. Plump, ripe, natural tomatoes replace sugary ketchup quite easily. It’s amazing what we taste when we take sugar out of the recipe.

As with any sauce, the flavor is much better when made a day ahead because the spices and seasonings get to marry and mingle. As a tip, don’t add too much salt to your barbecue sauce. Wait until the next day and taste the sauce, adding the necessary salt at that time.

I always feel sauces are “confused” for the first 24 hours, as each ingredient is vying for your attention. No amount of cooking or stirring can replace the natural blending that happens after a full 24 hours of settling after the ingredients are combined.

Brush the sauce onto your meats after they are roasted and serve a dish of sauce on the side at the table. This sugarless sauce works well on vegetables also, such as grilled Portobello mushrooms, or slices of zucchini.

This sugarless recipe is my new go-to barbecue sauce, and I am very happy to share it with you. Combined with the wood smoke flavor that a good Texas barbecue adds, you won’t miss the sugar at all. Your waistline will avoid the abuse that it usually experiences at yet another Texas barbecue, and you can enjoy your family cook-out free of guilt. Your Speedo will thank you.

Make your own barbecue sauce without sugar and enjoy guilt-free grilling.

(Photo by Melissa Guerra)

CHUNKY SUGAR FREE BARBECUE SAUCE (YIELDS 4 CUPS) Note: Make sure the mustard you purchase doesn’t include sugar in its ingredient list. And, as with all sauces, this barbecue sauce will taste much better when made at least a day before serving.

INGREDIENTS ½ cup olive oil (120ml) 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 onion, peeled and chopped 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 1 lb. tomatoes, chopped (500g) 2 tablespoons TABASCO® (30ml) ½ cup apple cider vinegar (60ml) ¼ cup stone ground prepared mustard (60ml) 2 cloves garlic 2 tablespoons chile powder (16g) Juice of one lemon Salt and pepper to taste DIRECTIONS In a 2 qt (2 lt.) saucepan, heat the olive oil.

Add the celery, onions and bell pepper, and sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and allow them to cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly.

Add TABASCO®, vinegar, mustard, garlic and chile powder to the container of a blender or food processor.

Add cooked vegetables and pulse until the mixture is pureed, but still has texture.

Add the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

Return the mixture to the pot, and simmer over a low heat for about 10 minutes.

For more great recipes, visit Melissa Guerra’s blog at www.KitchenWrangler.com.

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the coffee lady LINDA BREWSTER

Coffea arabica flowers on Réunion Island.

(Photo by B. Navez)

BLOSSOMS TO BEANS Linda Brewster knows coffee – the passionate coffee enthusiast founded the San Antonio Coffee Festival in 2011. Thanks to San Antonio’s growing number of outstanding local coffee roasters, brewers and coffeehouses, Ms. Brewster will share her insights on SA’s local coffee culture in this column.

DID YOU KNOW? The magnificent mahogany-hued roasted coffee bean we savor each morning originates from a delicate, highly-fragrant, white flower? The blossom gives way to a green fruit that turns a radiant red or purple color as it ripens. This fruit is called a cherry, and the coffee bean is the seed.

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AFTER THE HARVEST

It’s well known the taste of coffee is affected by its species and cultivar and the region in which it’s grown. The way coffee is processed at the farm is also critically important.

Two main techniques farmers use to process ripe coffee cherries into green coffee are Natural and Washed. Farmers apply the methods best suited for their climate, proximity to water and local customs. Flavor profiles shift significantly based on the nuances of the processing methods crafted by the farmers, so understanding them will enable you to appreciate your cup of coffee even more.

Natural processing involves spreading the whole coffee cherry on patios, mats or raised beds – and dried in the sun. The cherries are carefully turned to avoid fermentation and usually covered at night to prevent moisture. After a few weeks of drying, they are hulled, removing the outer skin and the inner parchment – leaving

the two seeds. This ancestral process was used when coffee was first grown in Ethiopia and Yemen and preferred for very dry and hot environments.

The beans absorb the essences of the cherries as they dry, yielding spectacular fruit notes with flavors like blueberry and strawberry exploding in the cup – an unforgettable flavor experience. I still remember the first time I enjoyed the intense experience of a naturally processed coffee.

Wet processing, often called washed, is used for most of the coffee we drink, and is more reliable and considerably quicker than the natural (or unwashed) process. First, a special machine squeezes off the outer skin. Then, the seeds are soaked in large tanks of water and stirred regularly for about 24 hours.

The pulp eventually detaches from the seed and fermentation follows. The seeds remain in the water from a few hours to a couple of days, are rinsed thoroughly and dried in a mechanical dryer or outdoors in the sun for a day or two.

Some countries have combined different parts of these two processing methods. Brazil is known for pulped natural (or Honey) processing, which entails removing the skin as in the washed method, then spreading seeds out to dry with pulp as in the natural method, instead of soaking in water.

Many Sumatran farmers apply a unique method called Wet Hulling, and in Kenya, many farmers extend the fermenting time. Each defines taste profiles we’ve come to expect – from

the hallmark earthiness of a Sumatran coffee, to the bright acidity of a Kenyan coffee and the creamy balance of a Brazilian coffee.

These different approaches to processing the harvested coffee bean are truly artful.

Many local San Antonio coffee roasters offer naturally processed coffees – check out the labels on the package or ask your barista for a recommendation.

To explore the different flavor profiles resulting from different processing methods, make your way over to the Broadway corridor. The growing enthusiasm for coffee in our city seems to be particularly concentrated in this hotspot, which could become the backbone of a San Antonio “Coffee Trail” in our recently designated Creative City of Gastronomy. Joining many of San Antonio’s favorite coffee houses in this area are a few newcomers – please visit them and support the growing coffee passion in our community.

Berry to Bean Coffeehouse features cold-pressed juices and health-conscious foods. Fremonti Coffee Cart parks most nights right by Still Golden Social House. Press Coffee returns soon to its new home along Broadway and is planning a summer re-opening. Keep an eye out.

Please let us know if you discover great coffee or just tell us about your favorite coffee experience at Linda@SACoffeeFest. com. We’d love to hear from you.

Coffee cherries in Matipó City, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

(Photo by Marcelo Corrêa)

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sommelier says

Unique tasting room – Farmhouse Vineyards’ Tasting Trailer, Tipsy, is a restored 1978 Airstream on Highway 290. (Photo courtesy)

A VINTAGE FARM-TO-TABLE EQUATION

BY JENNIFER BECKMANN, CERTIFIED SOMMELIER & CERTIFIED SPECIALIST OF WINE

T

he phrase farm-to-table mindfully connects the food we enjoy to the concept of place, but the mantra for local food has become ubiquitous and somewhat routine in the hospitality industry. Has overuse of this term diluted the sentiment of knowing where your food comes from?

Maybe for some, but local food is championed in our local wine industry.

Recently, a farm-to-table dinner in Johnson City celebrated the release of Farmhouse Vineyards’ wines, with each course skillfully set in multiple stages. While I could wax poetic about the impeccable presentation and soulfully sourced ingredients from local farms, it was one simple and inedible detail that left me speechless – a single vial of dirt placed upon my plate.

HUMUS (EARTH)

The vial of dirt was from Farmhouse Vineyards’ property in Terry County, the Texas High Planes American Viticultural Area (AVA) in West Texas. Near Lubbock, Farmhouse grows for their 42

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own wines as well as many other esteemed Texas Brands. An estimated 80 to 85 percent of the grapes used to produce Texas wines are grown in the High Planes, the product of a full season of careful planning, nurturing and execution.

No word is more synonymous with farming than humility. Humility stems from the Latin noun, humilitas, which means humble or grounded. The root word is ‘humus’ – Latin for from the earth. The artfully crafted wines which we voraciously sip, swirl and savor are firstly from the earth. The romantic notion that all wineries have acres of pristine rolling vineyards yields to the reality of a far more complicated equation involving vineyard growers, winemakers and winemaking facilities that may or may not be geographically congruous.

In Texas, July marks the beginning of the long grape harvest season. Growing quality grapes requires dedication, foresight and strong will, especially in the difficult Texas terroir. The difficulty lies in the fact that climate determines what grapes to plant

Farmhouse Vineyards’ Tasting Trailer, Tipsy, is a restored 1978 Airstream on Highway 290. (Photo courtesy)

where. Many grape varieties that thrive in Mediterranean regions also do well in Texas. But ultimately, the weather in any given year will dictate the quality and quantity of vintage.

Growers must also manage intricacies of soil type, elevation levels and irrigation to produce a desirable yield and appropriate levels of sugar and acidity in the fruit. In other words, the numbers count. An average acre of grapes can produce upwards of 20 tons of grapes, but not all will be considered quality fruit.

THE GRAPE EQUATION

A ton of grapes (2,000 pounds) will produce roughly 2 barrels (60 gallons each) of wine.

Each barrel will yield 25 cases of wine, 12 bottles a case or 300 bottles to a barrel or about 3,000 glasses of wine (depending on who’s pouring). How many bottles of wine will be produced from one acre of land that produces 4 tons of grapes? About 2,400 bottles or 12,000 glasses of wine!

COLLIGO (TO GATHER)

As West Texas grows in planted acreage, its expansive, rural farming attributes lack one necessary commodity – people. An average winery with producing acreage needs a dozen workers just to maintain vines throughout the year. Texas has about 400+ winery licenses statewide, with the heart of Texas wine tourism firmly anchored in the Texas Hill Country AVA, west of Austin and north of San Antonio. A vineyard that offers tastings requires separate staff from the vineyard crew for marketing and to keep the property presentable for guests. This AVA is the second largest in the nation and encompasses nearly 9 million acres, though just a fraction of that number is under vine.

Visitors will find estates that range from small to large and

bottles that price from $10 to $100, but the best experiences and most honest products are found in the least likely places. Several of the state’s most prestigious growers opened tasting rooms far from their High Planes vineyards to showcase their vintages in the Hill Country.

But few tasting rooms are as unique and charming as Farmhouse Vineyards’ Tasting Trailer, Tipsy. The restored 1978 Airstream trailer serves wines produced from the red dirt of the High Planes Thursday through Sunday with Texas humility and Southern hospitality – while supporting local farms. The Farmhouse Vineyards Tasting Trailer is located at 304 W. Main Street in Johnson City.

TASTING SUGGESTIONS

2017 Farmhouse Vineyards House Wife Made with Malvasia Bianca, this semisweet white beguiles the palate with notes of fresh melon, ripe Asian pear and confederate jasmine. Bright acidity balances the sweetness, leaving the palate feeling refreshed. Best with spicy dishes or cheese board.

2017 Farmhouse Vineyards Farmers Wife The bone-dry version of the flagship Malvasia Bianca pairs nicely with a porch, friends and a Texas sunset. Harmoniously balanced notes of white peach, Meyer lemon and earthy minerality make this complex and refreshing, a fantastic alternative for lovers of chardonnay or viognier.

2017 Farmhouse Vineyards Revolution (Sparkling) The Rhône Valley native grape, Counoise, flirts with complexity and frivolity. Concentrated aromatics boast of summer flowers and freshly baked biscuits while the palate offers layers of depth. Notes of macerated black cherry and sweet cassis are balanced with clove, cola and white pepper spice. Bright acidity, vibrant perlage and rounded mouthfeel create a refreshing finish. To learn more, visit FarmhouseVineyard.com.

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MARKET DAY AT BARBERRY HILL FARM • YUMI ECO SOLUTIONS SUMMER RECIPES • HOW CONNECTICUT RAISED THE MODERN CHICKEN

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Santa Barbara Celebrating the Local Food and Wine Culture of Santa Barbara County

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THE BEER WHISPERER Charlie Jordan stands in front of the pilot brewery he and Joey Villarreal used from 1993 - 1995 at Joey’s Bar on N. St. Mary’s. The equipment is on display at the “Brewing Up Texas” exhibit at the Institute of Texan Cultures. (Photo by J.E. Jordan)

BY J.E. JORDAN

C

harlie Jordan says he’s a retired master brewer and considering he’s 81 years old, you might be inclined to believe him.

But don’t be fooled. He’s a constant adventurer.

I should know. He’s been my best friend for more than 50 years (probably why I married him). And I’ve grown used to his signature refrain, “Well, old girl, looks like we’re off on a new adventure.”

His brewing adventure, like charity, began at home.

And since Charlie never does anything by halves, I watched uneasily as the linen closet was taken over by brewing gear – kettles, sacks of grain, scales, flasks, potions, powders, copper coils, plastic tubing, a grain mill and bottles with wire bail stoppers. Bookshelves filled and then overflowed with brewing books.

The kitchen was next – the home brewery required a multitude of flasks germinating yeast, which stood quietly on my counter with only the occasional blow-out. Miniature gardens of bacteria sprouted in Petrie dishes on the windowsill. Waves of sweet barley wort-flavored steam wafted about. And when he added hops, pungent vapors escaped into the neighborhood. Six-gallon carboys occupied a corner of the kitchen, rhythmically burping through an airlock as the yeast did its work.

Then beer happened! Glorious, amber colored, flavorful, thirst-satisfying ales poured out of contraptions in my kitchen.

Charlie’s enthusiasm and expertise grew, as did the time spent participating in brewing clubs and many conversations at homebrew supply shops and pubs. He soon built a reputation among other home brewers for not only producing great beer, but for somehow entering the very heart and soul of malt beverages – a veritable beer whisperer.

He was simply fascinated with the process of brewing beer.

“It’s alive,” he said. “And yet it’s something you make. It’s hard to get it right, but it’s great to drink a good beer and know that it’s something you made.”

Anyone who talks to Charlie for any length of time will probably hear about the magic of the fermentation process.

“The bacteria in the yeast take starch and sugar and change the chemical composition so it becomes something else,” he’ll explain. “It’s all about organic chemistry – microbiology. It’s magic made by God.” In 1993, the Texas Legislature decided bars and pubs could start brewing beer – and I was ready for Charlie.

Joey Villarreal, owner of Joey’s Bar on N. St. Mary’s strip and founder of Blue Star Brewing Company, was eager to get in on the brewing revolution.

And one night under the stars on the upper deck at Joey’s bar, Joey and Charlie mapped out a plan.

For the next two years, with advice from his brewing mentor, Dr. Paul Farnsworth at the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA), Charlie worked over a ten-gallon pilot brewery housed in a shed on the upper deck.

They turned out English and Scottish style ales, and the occasional stout, twenty gallons at a time, to serve in the bar.

Small as it was, the “little brewery that could” attracted attention. Famed Belgian brewer Pierre Celis sampled the wares and wanted to see the brewing system. Charlie and Joey stood nervously by while Mr. Celis clambered about examining the system.

“This is the way to brew!” he declared. They smiled.

The late beer guru Michael Jackson, host of TV show Beer Hunter and best-selling beer author, also took note and stopped by. Charlie and Joey happily deferred to Mr. Jackson, who was just in time to sample the first taste of the first stout and christened the new brew Spire Stout for the spire atop the brew shed.

By 1996, the dynamic duo’s craft beer dream manifested with the opening of Joey’s Blue Star Brewing Company on South Alamo. It took no time for Charlie to retire from our electrical contracting business to take his place as Blue Star Brewing Company’s first brewer.

Charlie and Joey made a great team, because, as they said, the third member of their brewing team was God. God made fermentation, fermentation made the beer. Blue Star Brewing Company flourished. Charlie was inducted into the Master Brewers Association of America.

In 1998, Charlie retired from professional brewing to write a few more chapters.

These days, Charlie and God are still partners as he pastors a small nondenominational congregation. He teaches classes about electrical power at a trade college and throws in a lesson or two on how to live a good life.

His motto, which shared with his grandsons, hangs on the wall at the trade school. It says, “Do the right thing and be free.”

The pilot brewery no longer operates at Joey’s Bar. It’s on display at the Institute of Texan Cultures as part of the “Brewing Up Texas” exhibit which runs until October 2018. Visitors can stroll through a history of beer in Texas from 1840 to the craft beer boom.

In the meantime, the beer whisperer still takes time out to play the guitar, read books and embark on new adventures.

A few weeks ago, we visited a beautiful new distillery. A few days later, a book about distillation appeared in our mail. I expect any day now I’ll be hearing that familiar phrase again, “Well, old girl, looks like we’re off on a new adventure.” ediblesanantonio.com

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edible San Antonio

THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

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 drop by for a free copy and shop, dine, explore and enjoy!

Aguillon Por El Rey Feo Catwalk, Comida, Cocktails & Confetti August 1, 2018 UIW Rosenberg Skyroom San Antonio, TX reyfeoaguillon.com

Fredericksburg Convention and Visitor Bureau The Texas Hill Country Texas heart. German soul.

866-997-3600 visitfredericksburgtx.com

Pearl Olé, San Antonio Experience the food and flavors of Spain June 15 – September 16 atpearl.com

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

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

Humble House Foods Honest Food. Honest People.

Pearl Farmers Market 312 Pearl Parkway San Antonio, TX 78215 210-706-0067 humblehousefoods.com

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

Amniotic Fluid Embolism Foundation Tango of the Vines November 2, 2018 Witte Museum San Antonio, TX tangoofthevines.com

Kuhlman Cellars Old World Terroir …

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

Austin Label Company Quality that sticks 1610 Dungan Lane, Suite A Austin, TX 78754 512-302-0204 austinlabel.com

LDEI-San Antonio The Plate Changer Luncheon September 21, 2018 Marriott Riverwalk San Antonio, TX platechanger.org

Don Strange of Texas catering | venues | event management 1551 Bandera Road San Antonio, TX 78228 210-434-2331 donstrange.com

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

Dress for Success A Taste of Success Casino Night October 19, 2018 Witte Museum San Antonio, TX successfulconnections.org

Melissa Guerra Latin Kitchen Market melissaguerra.com

SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival August 1-5, 2018 Tobin Center San Antonio, TX safilm.com Saint City Culinary Foundation If you need support, come be heard iheardyou.org San Antonio Food Bank Sunset Dinner at Mission San Juan Farm September 6, 2018 9101 Graf Road San Antonio, TX safoodbank.org/sunset

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 Utility Research Garden 100 varieties of bamboo 1737 CR 2800 Colmesneil, TX 75938 512-626-9825 utilityresearchgarden.com World Lolei Incorporation First Annual Junior Chef Competition July 21, 2018 Karen Wagner High School San Antonio, TX 210-569-9092

Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard Olives with a Texas accent 25195 Mathis Road PO Box 869 Elmendorf, TX 78112 210-621-0044 sandyoaks.com

ediblesanantonio.com

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the last bite

Diana Kennedy in her kitchen at La Quinta Diana in San Francisco Coatepec de Morelos, Michoacán, Mexico. (Photo courtesy)

A PROPER SCOLDING

BY DIANA KENNEDY Chef Michael Sohocki went to visit Ms. Kennedy in Michoacán earlier this summer, and she kindly agreed to share her insights into kitchen waste, recycling and sustainability.

W

e are, every one of us, responsible for the contamination of our unique and wonderful planet.

In the supermarket, do we really need that plastic bag with that one banana and another for that one apple? (Men are worse.)

And what do you do with your plastic bags?

Throw them in the garbage? NOOOO! Wash and dry, then re-use (as I do) when you go to buy other fruits or veggies.

And do you really need to throw that once-used foil into the garbage?

You shouldn’t be using foil directly on your food anyway – wash and re-use it. Ok, it looks a bit wrinkled, but as Julia Child used to say, remember you are alone in the kitchen!

Kids, you as well, think of what horrible garbage you are leaving behind for your children.

How about the future drinking water for your kids or grandkids? Do you have to put all those chemicals into your washing machine just to make underwear and undershirts FLUFFY? Do you have to have your teacloths and napkins whiter than white???

All that chlorine kills anything it touches in YOUR rivers.

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THE LATE SUMMER ISSUE

And please re-read what I said at René Redzepi’s wonderful food conference in Copenhagen three years ago.

“Chef, if you invite me into your kitchen, don’t think I will first look at your wonderful food – I will be poking my nose into your garbage bin.”

Wow! That remark certainly caused a furor.

So “get with it” with your suppliers, especially if you work in the kitchen of a big institution.

Yes, I am a scold – but have you been reading about the plastics responsible for the destruction of our coral reefs that house hundreds of fish life and mollusks?

OK, it makes for sad, sad reading, but DO IT! Editor’s note: British-born Diana Kennedy, 95, has lived, cooked and studied in Mexico since October 13, 1957. She went to join her husband, Patrick Kennedy, a correspondent for the New York Times, and fell in love with the country, its food and terroir. The celebrated author of at least nine books released her first tome, Cuisines of Mexico, in 1972 after extensive study, travel and research. Firmly established as an authority of Mexican foods and cooking, the “Julia Child of Mexico” was awarded the Order of the Aztec Eagle by the Mexican government and is an inductee in the James Beard Hall of Fame. Her life’s work, preserving the flavor, traditional home recipes and local ancestral ingredients of Mexico, is beautifully captured on a website created by the Mexican government, www.biodiversidad.gob.mx/usos/dk. She is currently transforming La Quinta Diana into the Diana Kennedy Center (DKC), an educational center for cooking instruction, sustainable practices and the preservation of traditional Mexican cuisine, which was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010.

SUNSET DINNER

@ MISSION SAN JUAN FARM

ENJOY

a picnic-style dinner at sunset adjacent to the historic farm at Mission San Juan. Join us for hay-ride tours of the farm, mission tours, music, appetizers, beer, wine, cocktails and more!

The event begins at 6:30 PM with picnic baskets available for pick-up at 7:15 PM. Pearl celebrates Olé, San Antonio with a full line-up of culinary happenings all summer long. The entire Pearl campus comes together—from Tapas Tuesdays, Spanish Sipping Thursdays, and chef collaboration dinners to Spanish gastronomy workshops at Hotel Emma and classes at the Culinary Institute of America. Come to Pearl and experience the food and flavors of Spain.

Visit atpearl.com for more information and tickets

Download the Olé at Pearl app TODAY!

ADULT MEALS = $ 75 CHILD MEALS = $ 15

SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM 9101 GRAF RD. SAN ANTONIO, TX 78214

Picnic dinners will be offered from a handful of San Antonio’s finest restaurants including: - Bohanan’s - Clementine - Tim The Girl - Botika - Restaurant - Tre Trattoria at - Catalyst Catering Gwendolyn SAMA

Register and view the menu’s at www.safoodbank.org/sunset.

edible

san antonio®

eat. drink. think.

edible San Antonio

edible

san antonioÂŽ

The Late Summer Issue

Issue No. 29