Edible Austin Cooks 2012

No. 25

速

Cooks!

Memb er of Ed ib le Communi t i e s

ENUM OPORET W ARB NO THE

IN

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LOCAL. ORGANIC. DELIVERED.

CONTENTS 20 at home DINING

Taking it Outdoors Backyard kitchens expand gastronomic horizons.

24 Cooks toolbox

Must-Have Kitchen Tools Culinary couple whittles down their favorites.

44 Eco yardkeeping

Sustainable Lawn Care Tips to maintain your private oasis.

50 Hip Girl’s Guide

to homemaking Making ginger beer.

68 edible COOKBOOK Salt Lick Cookbook

&A with Scott Roberts on the influence Q of the women behind the Salt Lick, with recipes.

82 Texas Wine

Holiday Gift Guide Choose Texas wine for your holiday gift-giving.

90 Pan to print Resources for creating personalized cookbooks.

92 Directory Welcome to our third annual edition of Edible Austin COOKS! We hope you enjoy reading it with as much pleasure as we had in its creation. We’d like to thank our contributors as well as our story subjects for their hard work and talents shared.

You can find full bios and contact information for our contributors, plus many additional recipes and resources online at edibleaustin.com. And please support our advertisers, who make this all possible. — Marla Camp, publisher

Cooks at home 10 12 14 16 74 76 78 80

Paul Qui and Deana Saukam Ray Wylie Hubbard Tim and Karrie League Drew and Mary Catherine Curren Tyson Cole Wally Workman Peter Bay Carol Huntsberger

cooking basics 28 32 34 38

Piecrust Potato Gnocchi Fats and Oils The Mother Sauces

SOCIAL cooking 54 61 65

DIY Cocktail Bar Cheese + Beer A Forager’s Tasting Party

Cover: Photograph of Kate Payne and ginger beer by Jo Ann Santangelo.

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Publisher Marla Camp

Associate PUBLISHER Jenna Noel December 1–8

EDITOR Kim Lane

presents

Copy Editor Christine Whalen

An Evening with

Editorial Assistants Whitney Arostegui, Melinda Barsales, Claire Cella, Dena Garcia, Cari Marshall Michelle Moore, Lauren Walz

Raj Patel and Generation Food

Advertising Sales Curah Beard, Laurie Cochran, Lis Riley, Janey Rives

SUNDAY

December 2 • 8 PM

Distribution Manager

STATESIDE AT THE PARAMOUNT

Greg Rose

Join us at Stateside at the Paramount for an unforgettable evening featuring best-selling author, academic and activist Raj Patel.

Full listing, bios and contact information online at edibleaustin.com

Contributors

Author of Stuffed and Starved and current New York Times bestseller The Value of Nothing, Raj Patel is currently embarked on a new multimedia project called Generation Food with documentary-making legend and award-winning director Steve James, of Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters. Through a documentary film, a book and talks, Generation Food will show how ordinary women and men around the world are overcoming obstacles and "setting the table" for themselves, their communities and generations to come—giving us better, SMARTER ways of growing food and feeding the world, now.

VIP tickets include preferred seating and a pre-event reception with Raj Patel at 6 pm featuring seasonal tastings from top Austin-area chefs and beverage makers: $103. Regular seating tickets: $28.

MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM:

“Generation Food is more than just a film or a book, it is a community of people who want to make lasting change, here and abroad, now and for generations to come.”

—Jake Gyllenhaal, actor “Raj Patel offers us a whole new way to think…showing us a path out of the darkness of the economic woods.”

—Michael Pollan, author

Edible Austin is published quarterly by Edible Austin L.L.C. All rights reserved. Subscription rate is $35 annually. No part of this publication may be used without written permission of the publisher. © 2012. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions.

If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

ThirdCoastActivist.org Third Coast Activist Resource Center

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Advisory Group Terry Thompson-Anderson, Dorsey Barger, Cathryn Dorsey, Jim Hightower, Toni Tipton-Martin, Mary Sanger, Suzanne Santos, Carol Ann Sayle

CONTACT US Edible Austin 1415 Newning Avenue Austin, TX 78704-2532 512-441-3971 info@edibleaustin.com edibleaustin.com

Announcing...

Chef Dinner Auction Bid on a private dinner for eight with one of these amazing chefs: David Bull (Second Bar + Kitchen & Congress); Tim Dornon and Philip Speer (Uchiko); Shawn Cirkiel (Parkside, Olive & June); Will Packwood (La Tavola); Jesse Griffiths (Dai Due); Sibby Barrett (Onion Creek Kitchens); Paul Qui (Qui); Mat Clouser (Swift’s Attic)

December 1–8

edibleaustin.com/auction

Benefitting Urban Roots & Sustainable Food Center

Mark your Calendar!

Sponsors

Dec. 1 Urban Farm Bicycle Tour Bicycle Sport Shop presents a self-guided tour of Austin’s local farms and community gardens with farm tours and chef demos and tastings.

Dec. 2 An Evening with Raj Patel Best-selling author Raj Patel presents his latest project, Generation Food, at Stateside at the Paramount. With support from Wheatsville Food Co-op.

Dec. 3 Alamo Benefeast: Sideways Enjoy this hit movie with an 5-course pairing dinner inspired by the film.

Participating Restaurants Visit participating restaurants all week long. More coming soon!

ASTI Trattoria Buenos Aires Café Café Josie Chez Nous Contigo Austin Eastside Cafe FABI + ROSI Farmhouse Delivery FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar Greenling Hillside Farmacy Jack Allen’s Kitchen Kerbey Lane Café La Condesa

Lenoir Manuel’s MAX’s Wine Dive Moonshine Patio Bar & Grill Noble Pig Olive & June Snack Bar Southwest Bistro Swift’s Attic Tacodeli Texas French Bread The Leaning Pear TRACE Urban, An American Grill

Start planning your week at edibleaustin.com

ThirdCoastActivist.org Third Coast Activist Resource Center

Stir up a good time & feed your Soul!

•

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Paul Qui’s Bedroom Adobo 1 c. finely diced pork-jowl bacon 1 small whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces 1 t. rough-cracked black peppercorns Salt, to taste 1 head garlic, smashed

1 shallot, finely diced 1 c. white vinegar 2 bay leaves ½ c. water 1 T. Red Boat Fish Sauce 50°N

Render the bacon in a medium-size stewing pot on low heat until the pieces are crispy. Remove and reserve the bacon bits. Season the chicken with the black peppercorns and salt. Raise the temperature to medium-high and brown the chicken thighs, legs and wings in the bacon fat until the skin is crispy. Remove from the pot and let rest. Brown the chicken breast, skin side only, until the skin is crispy. Remove from the pot and reserve. Lower the heat and sweat the garlic and shallots in the fat until translucent. Raise the heat and deglaze the pot with the vinegar. Once the liquid has reduced by half, add the chicken (except the breasts), bay leaf, water and fish sauce. Simmer until the meat is just about to fall off the bone, then add the breasts and cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes, or until the breasts are cooked and tender. Add the bacon bits. The total time should be about 40 minutes. Serve over Ginger Rice (see recipe on edibleaustin.com), or in warm tortillas.

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COOKS at home

Paul Qui and Deana Saukam b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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he new apartment is exactly right: a view of downtown from the 19th floor, skulls and antlers on the 10-foot walls, fresh flowers, antique typewriters in the studio. At 32 and 30, respectively, Paul Qui and Deana Saukam are the epitome of Austin hip.

In the last year, Paul took time off from his executive chef duties at Uchiko to compete in Bravo’s Top Chef, while Saukam— Qui’s personal manager and publicist as well as his girlfriend— kept his East Side King trailers going and his name in the press.

When he won the show’s ninth season, personal appearance offers flooded in, and the travel began—New York, Las Vegas, Europe and Japan, among others—and sometimes more than once.

During short stops at home, Qui and Saukam worked on adding two East Side King locations and brainstormed ideas for the eponymous Qui, a 50-seat restaurant set to open in spring 2013.

Qui resigned from his official job at Uchiko, but continues to do special events there and at Uchi. Somehow the couple found time to get engaged and began planning a wedding. In Iceland.

In the summer, when the natural color palette will complement Saukam’s dress, which will be neither white nor predictable, but that shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Meanwhile, there hasn’t been much time to unpack at the apartment, beyond the objets d’art and the kitchen gadgets that Qui collects from supermarkets all over the world. The vacuum cleaner’s still in its box, and though they ordered a dining table, it turned out to be too big for the building’s elevator. But the new bed arrived last week, and when it comes to vegging out there in front of the TV with a home-cooked meal, Qui and Saukam are refreshingly human.

“All these years cooking, I sometimes feel like that’s the only time I get to eat something I cooked myself,” Qui admits. “Since the finale aired, we’ve been traveling nonstop.” Eating that way, too. In Denmark for the MAD2 food symposium, they rode rented bikes between restaurants big and small. “We’ll check out the Michelin-rated places anywhere we are,” Qui says. “It’s great, but there’s only so much you can take. You end up wanting something comforting.” For the couple, back in Austin with just three days between trips, it’s Asian comfort food—a genre big enough to encompass Qui’s Filipino roots and the Cambodian street food Saukam was raised on.

“I’m making chicken adobo,” Qui says. “Tweaking my grandmother’s recipe a little…or a lot, because no one really has a recipe for adobo.”

Yesterday, at the farmers market, they scooped up a “fancy Parisian chicken” from Qui’s buddy Sebastien Bonneu of Countryside Farm, just-picked cherry tomatoes, handfuls of basil and a big slab of jowl bacon, now diced and rendering in a cast-iron pan. “My mom’s mom always cooked with pork fat,” Qui says.

“I’d be running by, snacking on little crispy bits.”

Soon, the chicken’s back and neck are sizzling away in jowl fat, on the way to becoming today’s crispy-bit starter—the aroma mixing with garlic, bay leaves, vinegar and ginger. Qui hovers by the stove; Saukam doesn’t.

“I cooked for Paul at first,” she says. “We tried to impress each other. I made him caramelized pork with eggs and fish sauce. But I don’t cook anymore. Would you?”

“I love people to cook for me!” he says. “I’d rather eat than cook. Well…maybe.” In fact, after a few days of being served, he’s usually driven to produce a meal on his own, never mind the logistics. “In Japan,” he recalls, “I found some Wagyu beef in a grocery store and cooked it shabu-shabu style in the hotel room coffeemaker, with some instant ramen.”

Compared to that, Qui’s partly unpacked home kitchen is luxurious. And his idea of a vacation from cooking is more cooking. Maybe there’s time to try out a new ice cream recipe before the next transatlantic flight, but for now, it’s all about the adobo, which they end up not eating much of—not yet, anyway. Later, they’ll retreat to that new piece of furniture for adobo round two.

“It’s one of those Tempur-Pedic beds where you can sit all the way up to eat.” Saukam says. “When I realized that, I was like, SOLD! I’ll take it!”

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Ray’s Hell Hot Sauce 1 (½ oz.) package dried chili pequins 1 large tomato, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped

1 12 oz. can tomato juice 1 handful cilantro, chopped Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Crush the chili pequins with a hammer and add half of them to ½ cup of boiling water. Boil for 4 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain the water into a bowl and throw away the boiled pequins. Put all of the other ingredients, including the remaining chili pequins and water, into a blender and blend. Add coarse kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper. Let the sauce sit in the fridge overnight before serving.

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COOKS at home

Ray Wylie Hubbard b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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he first step to making Ray Wylie Hubbard’s Ray’s Hell hot sauce is to get some dried chili pequins and bang them up with a hammer. “First covering the head with a plastic bag,” Hubbard notes, “because no tellin’ where the hammer’s been. I might have been hammering a nail into a doghouse. Then boil them in some water—say about a shot glass full.”

The Hubbard family’s shot glass is noticeably large. “Well, we used to really drink,” he explains. “Those were our kind of shots.”

He and his wife and manager, Judy, quit drinking long ago, but the glasses are nice to have around for making Ray’s Hell, which he cans, gives away at Christmas and takes with him on tour—a little personal heat to cut through insipid truck-stop food. “Eating on the road is just horrible,” he says, but his tone is affectionate.

How a musician feeds himself—or doesn’t—is inextricably tied up in the story of how he makes it or doesn’t. From where he is now, Hubbard can look back at his hungry, younger self and see both humor and continuity. As a boy in Hugo, Oklahoma, he ate what his farming and ranching relatives produced: “bacon and eggs, pork and biscuits, pretty much, and all that stuff I hated, which now I love, like vegetables.”

During college summers, on road trips through New Mexico, he played to eat. “My buddy Rick Fowler and I would walk into some bar saying, ‘We’re the Texas Twosome! Perhaps we could play some music for a hamburger?’ I learned about real Mexican food. I went to Taos for the Hatch chiles. That’s when I became a connoisseur of hot.”

Other enthusiasms he developed during this impressionable period include acting in gunfight shows for tourists and the music of his high-school friends Michael Martin Murphy, Stevie Ray Vaughan and BW Stephenson. “My band was called Ray Wylie Hubbard and The Cowboy Twinkies,” he remembers.

“When the whole ‘outlaw country’ thing hit, we were doing all kinds of music mashed together, but suddenly we were playing honkytonks.”

In the mid-1970s, Warner Bros. brought Hubbard to Nashville, not just to record him, but to squeeze his wildly original songs and cosmic cowboy sound into a mainstream country radio mold. It must have seemed like a good idea at the time, but when Hubbard experienced the resulting LP, complete with “lady singers and rope letters on the cover,” he sat in his driveway and cried. “I was just flabbergasted,” he remembers. “I called the lawyer who’d put this deal together and asked him what to do. He

said ‘I suggest you start drinking,’ and that’s what I did, for about the next 20 years.” Notable meals during this little descent into hell included a dozen pork tamales and a six-pack of Dos Equis, consumed on someone else’s couch. “That, to me, was euphoria,” he says.

Today’s Hubbard hasn’t eaten a pork tamale, or any red meat, in several decades—having sobered up in his 40s and embraced a number of unlikely things, such as: vegetables, family life (his son Lucas, 18, plays guitar with him on breaks from Texas State University and his wife, Judy, in addition to being his manager is head honcho at Wylie World Music) and God (possibly the most recurring character in the Ray Wylie Hubbard songbook). “We’re Buddhists,” Judy says, as she sits before the wall of crucifixes in the couple’s dining room. “Go figure.”

There’s still euphoria, too—the kind that comes from struggling to find a rhyme for “want” and suddenly getting “debutante.” Or from coming to that realization while seated on your own couch, in your beautiful house in Wimberley near the river, preparing to head back out on the road in a few days and finishing up a batch of your own hot sauce to bring along.

“You strain out the chili pequins,” Hubbard says, “and you throw all the rest of the stuff in the blender and you let it set overnight. Hopefully it’s hot enough. It’s a different hot sauce.

It’s just not regular.”

Good. That wouldn’t make sense at all.

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Crispy Lengua Tacos Serves 6–8 1 cow tongue 1 can chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped

2 T. olive oil Corn tortillas Chopped onion and cilantro, to garnish

Cook the tongue sous-vide style according to manufacturer's recommendation for weight, time and temperature (Karrie cooks hers for 24 hours at 140 degrees). Remove the tongue to a plate and reserve any cooking juices.

Peel, dice and sautĂŠ the tongue in the olive oil until slightly crispy and browned. Add the reserved juices and the chilies in their sauce to the pan and heat. Serve the meat on corn tortillas with chopped onion and cilantro.

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COOKS at home

Tim and Karrie League b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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assidy and Calliope, 11-month-old twins, cruise around the kitchen island—staggering a little, smiling a lot— still needing an adult hand to hold as they learn to walk.

“One of us does the chopping, one of us wrangles the children and that’s how we do dinner,” says their mother, Karrie League, who is taking, as she puts it, a nice, long maternity leave. “What you’re seeing here is just like real life,” she says, “except I’m usually wearing sweatpants and a soiled T-shirt.”

Tim League, her husband, still works at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, the company they formed 15 years ago—growing it from one movie house into a conglomerate of theaters in Texas and six other states, a genre film festival, several restaurants and bars and a film-distribution division, among many other ventures. It’s the perfect business model for a workaholic. Either League could be busy 24/7, but they choose not to be. Tim often works and lunches at home, and he makes a point of leaving the office by six. “Oh, it’s so Leave It to Beaver,” Karrie says.

Maybe, but Ward and June never bathed their infants in the prep sink. To the Leagues, however, it made perfect sense.

A culinary vein seems to run through most of their ventures, business and otherwise, and there’s lots of crossover. (Mason jars filled with infused gin line the top of their stove—an experiment left over from brainstorming sessions for The Highball cocktail menu.) Food may not have been what brought them together—they met as engineering students at Rice University—but it quickly became a focus. “Our first date was a picnic,” Karrie remembers. “Tim made it—nice breads, cheeses, pasta.”

“It wasn’t cooked, because I didn’t cook back then,” he says. “It was…curated.”

They began cooking in earnest only to save money. Having quit engineering jobs to buy and run their first movie theater, they didn’t have much choice. “We lived in the theater, behind the screen,” Karrie says. “We had a Crock-Pot and a rice cooker and our dinner would stew all day. We ate a lot of ramen.”

“Five years ago, I discovered ramen was an actual food,” Tim adds, but his Twitter and Facebook followers already know about that particular obsession, as well as the “agave-centered spirits” bar at the new Drafthouse on Slaughter Lane, the recent milk-shake contest and the very detailed Austin restaurant guide associated with Fantastic Fest. It’s hard to believe League’s early menus consisted of “food that’s fast to make and easy to eat in the dark.” Now, with chefs in his employ and menus constantly

in development, he never misses a chance to “spitball, taste, refine…yeah,” he says, “I’ll definitely give my sage advice.”

Tonight’s main course has zero chance of being produced in a Drafthouse kitchen. The Crock-Pot’s long gone, replaced by a sous-vide machine that someone gave the couple. (The sous-vide method cooks food sealed in airtight bags in a water bath at a low temperature for long periods of time, preserving juiciness and flavor.) “[It’s] something we wouldn’t necessarily buy for ourselves,” Tim says. “And now we cook with it all the time.”

Perfect poached eggs, for instance, from their own yard hens, and the “strange, cheap beef parts” Karrie likes to find at Fiesta.

Tonight, a whole beef tongue has just emerged from the machine, on its way to becoming the lengua tacos that fascinated her as a child, when she saw street vendors making them in Tijuana.

No sooner has she sliced the tongue than it’s time for a few more laps around the kitchen island. Tim takes over—crisping the meat in adobo sauce and feeding masa into the tortilla press.

Karrie’s parents are on their way and high chairs are waiting in the dining room. That’s where the Leagues dine, after all—at least when they’re not at one of the Alamos. The twins won’t be eating in the dark at the movies anytime soon, though.

“No movies while you eat…not yet,” Karrie says to the toddlers. “You’re not old enough.”

Oh, it’s so Leave It to Beaver.

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“Honestly, if I have a day off, pretty soon it’s, ‘Can we have some people over?’” —Drew Curren

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COOKS at home

Drew and Mary Catherine Curren b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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uch accomplished chefs, such big careers, such a tiny kitchen! Nothing but a sink, a teeny oven and a few cabinets lined up in the hall next to the back door.

“The oven is ridiculous,” admits Mary Catherine Curren. As an executive pastry chef, she prefers the kitchen equipment on the job at Easy Tiger, but her husband, Drew, executive chef and partner at Easy Tiger, 24 Diner and Arro (opening early 2013), likes the challenge. “The first thing a home chef should do is disable the smoke alarm,” he advises.

That’s what the couple did when they moved into this condo four years ago. Then they stored their wedding china in the bedroom, crammed in a wine fridge next to the dining table and began to perfect the art of having people over. “It’s what we bring to the restaurants,” Mary Catherine says. “We try to entertain people the way we do at home.”

Texas natives, the Currens met at culinary school in Hyde Park, New York, married, moved to Brooklyn and eventually came back to Austin. She found work immediately, at Zoot, but Drew, who began to see himself as both uniquely under- and overqualified, couldn’t get hired anywhere. “So he started doing Friday happy hours,” Mary Catherine remembers. “Anyone could come—they just had to bring a drink and a friend. Anytime after four p.m.”

“Some stayed till four a.m.,” Drew adds. “They were in it for the long haul. I’d put out fifty tacos, a crawfish boil ….” Guests overflowed into the yard, even during one memorable night of freezing rain. The Currens rustled up a pop-up tent and a basket of gloves and hats and the party continued on, perhaps in a higher gear. Then, after a year of happy hours, Drew went to work on the 24 Diner concept—putting in long hours developing a chef-driven menu, unearthing local ingredients, recycling and composting and, as he puts it, being part of a cool team.

“I caught the tail end of the chefs who throw pans and burn people,” he says. “I never wanted to be that way. They say it’s the customer first, but it’s not. It’s your employees.”

The approach appears to have worked. Drew and his partners seem to open a new restaurant every couple of years, and Mary Catherine now plays a crucial part at each place. Drew says there’s just one drawback: “The more successful you get, the less you cook.” Rather than let this happen, they, and particularly he, take up the slack at home—firing up the tiny stove, taking long, meticulous trips to Central Market and calling up a few friends. “Honestly,” he says, “if I have a day off, pretty soon it’s, ‘Can we have some people over?’”

Most often, those people end up being three fellow condo dwellers known collectively as “The Family”—dear friends who work in the wine business, and who are not averse to trading great wine for great food. A Family New Year’s celebration might go on for two or three days, with birth-year vintages and over-the-top culinary feats. Last year on January 3, Mary Catherine woke up early to prepare a brunch of toasted homemade nine-grain bread, smoked salmon, caviar and “perfectly creamy scrambled eggs.”

One recent summer afternoon, the Currens prepared two meals for company, beginning with red snapper caught on a recent Gulf fishing trip. Sometime around two in the afternoon, the fish came out crusted in quinoa flakes and bedecked in salsa Veracruz, with cumin-scented quinoa and grilled local okra on the side. Served with several glasses of northern Italian white and followed by Mary Catherine’s “simple” homemade dessert of berries with a walnut crumble and an intensely zesty lemon curd, the lunch caused two guests to embrace the concept of double zest in all things.

Meanwhile, the Currens were already halfway through executing the next meal: an intimate dinner for five sous-chefs from 24 Diner and Easy Tiger. It featured all-natural pork ribs—special-ordered from Iowa and hand-smoked by the Currens—potato salad and quick-pickled vegetables. And a lot of beer, Drew says, because lately he’d been fascinated with the complexities of beer—especially beer pairings. Indeed, it’s hard to resist an interesting pair.

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Quinoa Crusted Snapper Veracruz Serves 4 For the sauce: 2 T. olive oil 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ½ t. red chili flakes 2 oz. capers 1 red onion, julienned 1 jalapeño, seeded and sliced 2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, diced 1 bay leaf ¾ c. white wine 1 c. briny green olives (Drew likes Cerignolas that he pits himself) 1 t. sugar For the fish: 4 5–6 oz. snapper fillets (skin removed) Salt and pepper ¾ c. quinoa flakes (found in the hot cereal aisle) 2–3 T. olive oil 1 T. butter

Heat a pan over medium heat and add the oil, garlic and red chili flakes. As soon as the garlic becomes aromatic and lightly sautéed (prior to any color), add the capers. After 1 to 2 minutes, add the red onion and jalapeño. Sweat the onions until tender, then add the tomatoes, bay leaf, wine, olives and sugar. Cook the mixture over high heat in order to reduce the liquid. The sauce should be thick and chunky with just a hint of liquid. The olives and capers should add enough salt without needing to add kosher salt, but check the seasoning once the appropriate consistency is reached.

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Season both sides of the fillets with salt and pepper. Dredge the sides that had the skin on them in the quinoa flakes. In a hot sauté pan, add the olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan), swirl it gently and lay the snapper, quinoa side down, in the hot oil. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, gently flip over the fish and add the butter. Tilt the pan toward you and baste the quinoa flakes with the melted butter. After 2 to 3 minutes, the fish should be firm.

Remove the fish from the pan, let the fillets rest for 3 to 5 minutes then serve with the sauce. The fish can also be placed directly into the sauce after sautéing on the first side—the hot sauce will finish cooking the fish.

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at home Dining

Taking it Outdoors

Courtesy of Southern Outdoor Appeal

b y KRiS T I W I LL I S

E

xtending the entertainment space of a home with an outdoor kitchen is a more affordable option for many than adding a room to the house. Alfresco kitchens give homeowners a space to cook without heating up the house, and they incorporate the grill and smoker into the home decor rather than cast them off to the side of the lawn. When combined with a dining or living area, the outdoor kitchen becomes part of a backyard oasis.

Austinite Cris DiRuggiero and his family recently added an outdoor kitchen and living room to their home. “After nine years in the house,” DiRuggiero says, “we decided it was time to build a covered patio and space we could use for entertaining. On Labor Day, instead of going to Galveston or the beach, we had a ‘staycation’ in our backyard.”

Having a place to easily entertain a group of 25 to 30 people motivated local artist and builder Peter Struble and his wife to add an outdoor kitchen. “It works well if there are a lot of people

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milling around,” he says. “And we can have multiple people cooking at the same time.”

Dorsey Barger and Susan Hausmann of HausBar Farms planned the space for their new outdoor entertainment area as part of the construction on their new dream house. Initially thought of as a space to house fund-raising dinners for the nonprofits they support, the kitchen has transitioned into an educational space used to demonstrate how the farm works and connects people to their food. “We can show guests the garden,” Barger explains, “where the chicken is raised, how it is slaughtered and then how it is cooked. The importance of the kitchen became greater and greater.”

Outdoor kitchens vary significantly in price depending on the size, appliances and amenities. A smaller kitchen might include a smoker, power burner, small grill and counter space for prep work, while more elaborate spaces might also include a backsplash with

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A wood-burning oven can cook a wide range of foods outdoors.

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outlets, wood-burning oven, refrigerator, ice maker, dishwasher and bar where people can sit.

Each appliance presents a range of options for the homeowner.

In addition to traditional gas grills, Southern Outdoor Appeal—a Texas company that builds outdoor entertainment spaces—has been installing a number of BeefEater grills from Australia that have convertible tops that can be taken off for open-faced grilling or replaced with a pizza-oven attachment.

The smoker options range from the popular Big Green Egg to a large smoker on a trailer. “It’s really about customizing it to your needs and your lifestyle,” says Matt Channel of Southern Outdoor Appeal. “We have customers with big smokers that have been in the family for generations and we build the kitchen around the smoker—making it removable if they want to take it out to the tailgate or family reunion.”

A wood-burning oven—while requiring an up-front investment of at least $10,000—can cook a wide range of foods outdoors. Dave Eberhardt of Texas Oven Company explains that while a traditional oven limits the temperature to 500 degrees, a wood-burning oven can reach 700 to 800 degrees. The radiant heat cooks the food from all angles—caramelizing the outside of meats, for example, while leaving the inside juicy and moist.

Initially interested in cooking pizzas, Barger and Hausmann were sold on the wood-burning oven after they learned that they could cook for several days off of a single fire—picking dishes based on the intensity of the heat: pizzas on the first day, meats and vegetables as the temperature drops down in the 400-degree range and then fish or other foods requiring lower temperatures on the final day.

When planning an outdoor kitchen, there are a number of variables to contemplate. Channel suggests researching the de-

Photography of Chef Jack Gilmore’s oven courtesy of Texas Oven Company; Photography of Peter Struble by Andy Sams

“It works well if there are a lot of people milling around. And we can have multiple people cooking at the same time.”

—Peter Struble

tails of your existing home before finalizing the wish list. “Know where your gas line is or whether you are willing to pay to run the gas line where you want. Also, cover is important. You don’t want to be standing out in the rain to grill. If you don’t have cover now, you’ll want to add that to the budget.”

If planning for a wood-burning oven, Eberhardt suggests that you have a 6- by 6-foot space to accommodate the standard 40inch oven, which holds the fire and three to four 10- to 12-inch pizzas. “Too often customers have already planned the space without understanding how much room they need for the oven,” Eberhardt adds.

Making room for storage is another key consideration. Southern Outdoor Appeal offers a cabinet with plenty of room for grilling and cooking equipment. Struble used their vertical hanging racks directly above the cooking area, with hooks for pots, pans, flippers and tongs.

Many homeowners initially plan to include a sink, refrigerator, ice maker or dishwasher without realizing the substantial costs involved in obtaining the proper permits and running water and electricity to the area. Extending lines while the house is under construction is much easier than doing so on an existing home.

Channel suggests building the outdoor kitchen near the existing kitchen, instead, to provide easy access to water and wastewater. A built-in ice chest or cooler box is a less expensive alternative for keeping beverages and prep items cool.

Certain conveniences might be worth the cost to preserve privacy in the main house. Barger notes, “We added a dishwasher, sink and a refrigerator because we want to use our kitchen as an entertaining space. For our own use, we can walk back into the house, but if we are having outside guests we want that space to be self-contained for them.”

And like the house, the outdoor area should be an extension of your style. Channel encourages clients to express themselves through their kitchen design whether they prefer contemporary or rustic decor. “Some people want to match the granite from the inside of the house, while others want a more casual option outdoors.”

The Strubles installed art in their side yard as part of the entertainment area, while the DiRuggieros invested in landscaping to transform their space. “We spent more on landscaping than we anticipated, and it was worth it,” DiRuggerio says. “If you don’t have the landscaping, it can look a little flat.”

Regardless of the amenities, the outdoor kitchen serves as an enticing place to bring friends and family. Eberhardt shares that one client was so excited to include his neighbors in the new space that he was getting a flag to put in the front yard so they would know when he was firing up the oven and could come join him.

DiRuggiero says their new outdoor room has become the favored space for their 15-year-old son to bring his friends without feeling like Mom and Dad are hovering nearby. “It’s nice to have your kids close to home, particularly when they become teenagers,” says DiRuggiero.

Building an outdoor kitchen not only offers more options for how to prepare meals, but also affords more opportunities to share them with family and friends—an investment well worth the time, effort and money.

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Cooks toolbox

HIS and Hers Must-Have Kitchen Tools b y And r ew a nd M a ry C athe r ine C u r r en

Andrew Curren is executive chef and partner at Easy Tiger, 24 Diner and Arro.

Mary Catherine Curren is executive pastry chef at Easy Tiger.

M

y wife, Mary Catherine, is a pastry chef—I am a savory chef—and we share a common desire for every tool, machine, mold, pan or tagine on the market to make our next exciting creation. But with a 500-square-foot condo and a 75-square-foot kitchen, space is a hot commodity in our house. Between the coffeemaker, espresso machine, juicer and Cuisinart Mini-Prep, our counter space is limited, so certain frequent-use items are prioritized and kept as handy as pos-

sible: a knife block for sharp knives, a drawer for spatulas, wooden spoons, tongs, ring molds, wine keys, Microplanes, bench knives, ladles, tweezers, chopsticks, bottle openers, thermometers, timers, etc. Whittling it all down to a few kitchen must-haves, though, wasn’t easy, but we were up for the challenge. And to make this assignment a little more interesting, I picked my wife’s must-haves and she picked mine.

Let’s see how we did.

HERS

1.

Mini Offset spatula. The number-one tool in my wife’s arsenal would have to be her mini offset spatula (a spatula with the paddle lower than the handle), made by Ateco. The reason I know this is because I frequently borrow it and she is quick to remind me to return it immediately. This little guy is worth every penny. For between $5 and $15, this small spatula can get in between, under and on top of just about everything.

Definitely a must-have for a pastry novice or expert, and might I suggest buying two in case someone decides to borrow it since it is quite versatile?

2.

DIGITAL SCALE. Number two is a digital scale—preferably a gram scale. When baking, measuring is key; just like a carpenter measures twice and cuts once, a pastry chef must do the same. The Escali Pico is a great household scale for under $30. I would suggest purchasing a couple of extra batteries, though. I’ve run to the store more than once while Mary Catherine’s hands were covered in flour!

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3.

PROPANE Torch. Number three would be her propane torch. The regulator hooks onto a one-pound propane cylinder, found at all hardware stores, and costs about $75. The difference between this and the $50 butane model is that this one will last a lifetime, and the cylinders ($20 a piece) provide hours of torching. (The pastry-specific butane models tend to break halfway through their first use). From crème brûlée to brûléed bananas, peaches, figs—just about anything you can dust with sugar—everything turns out fun, crunchy and always tasty. Her Dawn Kwik Torch DT1000 also comes in handy when trying to unmold cakes and tarts that have cooled tightly to their pans.

4.

JUICER. Number four would have to be the Breville JE95XL Two-Speed Juice Fountain Plus. These range from $200 to $400, but are well worth the money. I must say I don’t need an alarm clock anymore because my wife is up at 7:30 in the morning whirring beets, kale, lemons, carrots and anything else she can get her hands on to kick off our day with a nutritious start. Cleanup is easier than people admit to, as well.

HIS

W

ell, now that my husband has expertly chosen and examined some of my favorite kitchen tools, it’s my turn to give it a go. It certainly is a challenge to limit my choices to just four, but there does seem to be a quartet of gear that sees a bit more use than the rest.

1.

FRENCH OVEN. Number one for him is a classic. The Le Creuset Signature 6¾-Quart Oval French Oven is ideal for stovetop cooking and finishing in the oven. In addition to conducting heat expertly for even cooking, it’s also beautiful enough for serving. Andrew prefers the 6¾-quart over our smaller 5-quart option, as he has a tendency to cook for 10 to 12 people regardless of it being just the two of us for dinner. The entire Le Creuset collection is durable enough to last a lifetime and be passed on to future generations.

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2.

COFFEE AND SPICE GRINDER. Number two is the Braun coffee and spice grinder. There really is no substitute for freshly ground spices, and Andrew uses ours almost every time he cooks a meal. When I worked for local coffee roaster Texas Coffee Traders, I would get phone calls monthly requesting that I please buy one while at work to bring home because ours was, once again, lost to the kitchens of our restaurants. On those occasions when our grinder went MIA, one of our mortar and pestles would get dusted off and put to use—reminding us how much we really do love our spice grinder.

3.

Food Processor. Number three is one of our kitchen’s newest additions. The 4-cup Cuisinart Mini-Prep has quickly become one of Andrew’s favorite little helpers. Anyone who cooks frequently understands the benefits of a good food processor. We have always had the traditional larger models, but because we now have such limited space, we’ve had to keep our 14-cup Cuisinart stored away in an awkwardly accessed corner of a closet. When we discovered the Mini-Prep, we realized that, most of the time, four cups is plenty of capacity.

And it’s small enough to live on the counter, which makes for convenient and fast access.

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4.

OFFSET Serrated knife. Number four is Andrew’s Wüsthof Gourmet offset serrated bread knife. Most people are familiar with a traditional serrated knife and typically use it only for slicing bread. There’s no doubt that the only way to slice bread is with a serrated knife, and an offset handle helps you avoid jamming your knuckles into the cutting board. But he doesn’t just use the knife for bread; he also uses if for ingredients a bit more delicate as the teeth on the knife gently saw through the flesh of a tomato or a ripe peach.

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cooking Basics

Making PieCrust

©iStockphoto.com/ Robert Linton

b y T e r ry T h o m p s o n - Ande r s o n

I

attended a culinary school that, at the time, taught a classic French curriculum. That meant no food processors, no stand mixers, no blenders, no Microplanes, no immersion blenders; just our two hands, big spoons and knives.

Upon graduating, I vowed that I would re-create the wonderful French classics I had learned using modern American kitchen gadgetry so that ev-

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eryday cooks could prepare them easily. The first thing I tackled was simple pie pastry.

Since then, I’ve taught cooking classes all over the U.S. to untold numbers of people, and one consistent thread I’ve noticed is the level of intimidation that even skilled home cooks have about making pastry. I guess that’s why there are many brands of ready-made frozen pastries, pastry

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All that’s required to make a tender, flaky piecrust…is a food processor, a rolling pin desserts made from scratch daily, with love!

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sticks and ready-to-bake piecrusts. Yet, homemade pastry is such an easy thing to make and is far superior to any of the store-bought varieties.

All that’s required to make a tender, flaky piecrust, for example, is a food processor, a rolling pin and adherence to a few simple rules. Number one: don’t overwork the dough. If you do, it will activate the protein in the flour and the pastry will be very tough and elastic. Number two: when adding the fat to the flour, don’t over-process it. After the fat is blended with the flour, there should still be pea-size chunks of it visible in the dough. (Those little bits of fat will melt into the pastry when it’s baked, leaving little pockets of air where they were.

The dozens of air pockets will expand with the heat and make layers of flaky baked pastry!)

Once you get the hang of making pastry in the food processor, experiment with other pastry recipes. Just remember that the flour and fat must be blended first. Liquids are then added and the dough is processed very briefly—only until it’s crumbly and moist (as opposed to ball-like) or it will become overworked. It’s better to have the dough be a bit on the sticky side than too dry; you can always add more flour to the work surface when rolling out the dough.

This recipe is for an all-purpose dough that’s good for both savory and sweet uses. If you’re using it for a sweet filling, leave in the sugar; if it’s for a savory dish, omit it. For either use, always include the salt.

If the recipe calls for the pastry to be baked before the filling is added, fit the rolled-out pastry into the pie pan and prick the bottom all over with the tines of a fork. Line the pastry with a double layer of foil up to the rim of the pie pan—leaving a surplus of about two inches of foil. Fill the foil-lined pastry with raw rice or dried beans up to the brim of the pan. Put the pan in a preheated 375-degree oven for 20 minutes, then remove it and quickly lift out the foil with the rice or beans. Return the pastry to the oven for an additional

©iStockphoto.com/ DNY59

10 to 15 minutes to brown the bottom and sides. Reserve the used rice or beans for future pie use.

Okay, let’s make some pastry! This recipe makes a single pastry for a 9-inch pie pan, or a 10-inch tart tin and can easily be doubled.

All-Purpose Piecrust ¼. lb. frozen, unsalted butter, cut into ½-in. cubes 1 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting ½ t. salt 1 t. sugar, if making a sweet pie 3–4 T. ice-cold water

Combine the frozen butter cubes, flour, salt and sugar (if using) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse the mixture until the butter is broken up into pea-size bits. With the machine running, pour 3 T. of the water through the feed tube.

Stop the machine and pulse 3 to 4 times. Check the consistency of the dough. It should form a ball when a bit is squeezed in your palm. If additional water is needed, add it a teaspoon at a time and pulse to blend.

When the dough is the right consistency, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Using your hands, bring the dough together and knead it gently until it forms a cohesive dough (don’t overwork it!). Pat the dough into a round disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

After the dough has chilled, roll it out on a moderately floured work surface to slightly less than ¼-inch thick. Roll in only one direction—from the center out—rotating the pastry 90 degrees after every roll. Check often to be sure the pastry isn’t sticking on the bottom—adding additional flour as needed. Then, starting at one side, roll the dough around the rolling pin and unroll over the pie pan.

Lift up the edges of the pastry and allow the dough to slide into the bottom of the pan. Don’t stretch it, or it will shrink when baked. Pat the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan and cut off the excess dough—leaving a 1-inch overhang at the rim of the pan. Tuck the overhanging dough under the dough’s outside edge and pat down gently all around. Flute the edges as desired, or crimp it down with the tines of a fork. Bake according to pie recipe directions.

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cooking Basics

Potato Gnocchi b y w i l l pa c k w o o d • P h o t o g r a p h y b y J e n n a N o e l

A

little over a decade ago, gnocchi was an unpronounceable word with an even more confusing meaning. Today, gnocchi is no stranger to restaurant menus and can even be found on most supermarket shelves. Though the word gnocchi in Italian refers to any dumpling—from potato to semolina to bread, cheese, even pumpkin—here in the U.S. potato is king.

The best potato readily available in most markets is the russet. Russet potatoes have the ideal ratio of starch to moisture, ensuring that the gnocchi will hold together without requiring too much flour, which makes the dumplings tough and dense. The finished gnocchi should resemble light, pillowy potato clouds.

Traditionally, cooked potato is mashed and mixed with flour, a small amount of beaten egg, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. The dough is rolled into cigar-shaped logs, cut into half-inch to one-inch pieces and shaped using a riga gnocchi (a small wooden paddle that has grooves cut in one side), forming a dimple in one side and ridges on the opposite, which help to hold onto the right amount of sauce. After being shaped, the gnocchi are poached, not boiled, in lightly simmering water. (If the gnocchi dough is made correctly, the finished product would be too delicate to handle being thrown around in a boiling pot.) When the gnocchi float to the surface, they are removed and lightly dressed with sauce and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Gnocchi is intended to be served as a primo—the first course—and is often dressed with the sugo, the braising liquid or pan drippings from the main entrée. If the gnocchi precedes an entrée that doesn’t involve a sugo, it is usually dressed with a sauce that will complement the entrée—ragù alla Bolognese, pesto, marinara and butter with sage are common. Potato gnocchi dumplings are not intended to be—nor traditionally served—panfried, deep-fried, seared or “toasted.”

These techniques are sometimes done to distract from the fact that the gnocchi are dense and poorly made.

Making great gnocchi doesn’t have to be difficult, but a few things have to be considered, and experience helps. I remember

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years ago when I called my mother from the kitchen phone to get her recipe for gnocchi. I should have known the response I was going to get.

“Well… I don’t know,” she said.

“You cook the potatoes, rice them, mix in an egg and a little salt and nutmeg, then enough flour until it feels right.”

“Feels right” is a common expression when it comes to preparing many foods.

After that conversation, I spent time remembering the Sunday afternoons making gnocchi with my family and all the little details: the doneness of the potatoes before ricing, the temperature of the potatoes when we mixed the dough, the amount of flour, the texture of the dough, the level of simmer on the water and many more. In time, I adjusted a few things to account for how a restaurant operates as compared to how a home kitchen works, and eventually I had a recipe, or at least a ratio. But, I still had to train one guy—the gnocchi guy. He was the one who made the gnocchi every day at the restaurant and ensured that it felt right.

If you’ve never made gnocchi before, keep these things in mind: • Cooking is fun and the reason you are making gnocchi is because you love gnocchi and love cooking even more • Potatoes are cheap • Every time you make gnocchi they’ll be even better than the last time • Even bad gnocchi dumplings are pretty tasty The recipe that follows should be thought of as a work-in-90 progress, and there will be slight variations every time you make gnocchi. Potatoes change throughout the year; most are harvested around the same time and stored in large hangars to be shipped out as needed. Potatoes used right after being harvested will have a higher water content than potatoes left to age for a few months. Starch content also changes slightly throughout the aging process. Eggs may vary slightly in volume, water and fat content, as well. All of these things are manageable, especially when you learn when the dough feels right.

Potato Gnocchi Serves 4 2 large russet potatoes 1 large egg, whisked in a small bowl Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste 1 c. (roughly) unbleached flour

Preheat the oven to 350°. Wash, dry and pierce the potatoes in several places with a fork or paring knife. Place the potatoes on a baking tray and bake until very soft, about 1½ to 2 hours. When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven, cut a slit lengthwise in each and pinch them to open—allowing the steam to escape. This is an important step because it helps to eliminate a lot of unwanted moisture. Using a large spoon, remove the flesh of the potatoes from the jackets and put it through a potato ricer or food mill.

On a clean work surface, form the processed potatoes into a mound with a large well in the center and pour the beaten egg into the well.

Season the potatoes with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Evenly distribute the flour over the egg and potato and slowly start mixing the flour into

the egg while gradually pulling potato into the mix. Start gently kneading all of the ingredients together. The dough is done once all of the ingredients are combined and streaks of yellow egg running through the mass are no longer visible. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring a generous amount of salted water to a low simmer. Clean the work surface used to make the dough and lightly dust it with flour. Divide the dough into 4 even pieces. Using one quarter of the dough, roll out a long, inch-thick cigar-shaped log. Using a pastry scraper or knife, cut the log into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. Lightly dust a gnocchi paddle or fork with flour. Using your thumb, gently roll each piece over the paddle or fork—forming the ridges and dimple. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Once the gnocchi are shaped and the water is simmering, poach them in small batches. When they float to the top of the simmering water, skim them off using a strainer. Do not pour the gnocchi off into a colander as you would for cooking pasta; this would crush them. Transfer the gnocchi to a serving bowl and dress with desired sauce and grated Parmigiano.

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cooking Basics

Fats and Oils

O

f all of Julia Child’s words of culinary wisdom, my favorite edict is perhaps: “Fat gives things flavor.” In her inimitable way, with one simple phrase, she waved away the low-fat decades of puritanical gastronomic deprivation. While we heartily agree and applaud the return of fat and flavor to cooking, her wisdom still leaves questions unanswered.

Fat gives things flavor by carrying the flavor compounds of food to our taste receptors—allowing them to linger on the tongue in the most satisfying way and providing a luxurious texture or mouthfeel to foods. In addition, fat helps foods brown and caramelize, creates emulsions in dressings and sauces, transfers heat into the food we’re cooking, makes baked goods tender and flaky and delivers the fatsoluble vitamins A, E, D and K to our cells. But, now that we’ve embraced it, what kind of fat should we eat? How do we use the right fats and oils to get the most benefits from them?

Types of Fats Scientists at the Mayo Clinic explain that fats and oils are either saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and mostly derived from animals (butter, lard), but are sometimes plant-derived (coconut and palm oils). Unsaturated fats are mostly derived from plants and come in three forms: Monounsaturated fats come from nuts and seeds (olive, peanut and canola oils) and are liquid at room temperature.

Polyunsaturated fats are derived from vegetables, seeds or nuts (corn, safflower, sunflower, soybean, cottonseed and sesame oils) and are liquid at room temperature.

Trans fats are produced when a liquid oil is transformed into a solid (margarine, shortening); doctors consider these fats the worst kind. Trans fats raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol, which increases the risk of heart disease.

Refined versus unrefined: According to the Livestrong Foundation, oils are refined to prolong their shelf life and raise their “smoke points” 34

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(the temperature at which oils give off smoke and begins the process of nutritional and flavor degradation). The refining process may reduce allergic reactions to some oils such as peanut oil, but unrefined oils typically have more pronounced flavors. In addition, the refining process often involves the use of chemicals and can remove some of the healthy compounds present in the oil. For example, refining removes the antioxidant polyphenols present in large quantities in coconut oil, lessening the potential benefits of reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

When choosing an oil or fat for cooking, it’s best to take into account how hot it’s going to get in the process. The Weston A. Price Foundation has conducted extensive research on how smoke point and rancidity affect the nutritional benefits and flavors of oils and fats, and has specific recommendations for the best oils to choose for different cooking needs. Heating an oil beyond its smoke point can lead to off-putting flavors, the release of unhealthy compounds and even fire.

For sautéing or pan-frying, the best bets are lards from grassfed, pastured animals (beef, pork, duck) or olive, coconut, grapeseed, palm, safflower, avocado and canola oils. For deep-frying, use lard or peanut, canola or grapeseed oils. The best oils for drizzling and for salads are those with more pronounced flavors and lower smoke points, such as olive, sesame, walnut, peanut and flaxseed oils.

Trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils are best avoided. Oils with high smoke points can always be used at lower temperatures, as well.

Fats and oils are best stored in a cool, dark area. Since both light and heat break down oils and cause rancidity, which affects both flavor and nutritional benefits, it is important to store properly and buy often.

S ources: The Weston A. Price Foundation, The Mayo Clinic, livestrong.com, webmd.com

©iStockphoto.com/ Robyn Mackenzie

b y E l i z a beth W in s l o w

Basic Vinaigrette In just about the time it takes to open a bottle of store-bought salad dressing, you can whip up your own from scratch. Your salads will be transformed.

1 shallot, minced 3 T. vinegar (sherry, Champagne, white balsamic, red or white wine) 1 t. Dijon mustard ¹/³–½ c. olive oil

In a medium bowl, combine the shallot and vinegar. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the Dijon mustard. Slowly trickle in the olive oil while whisking constantly until emulsified. Whisk in any additional herbs as desired.

Basic Aioli

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Aioli, a rich and creamy garlic-laden mayonnaise-like sauce from the south of France, is a versatile accompaniment to vegetables, fish, meats, sandwiches and crudités.

2 cloves garlic, sliced ½ t. kosher salt 1 egg yolk ¼ c. grapeseed or other neutral oil ¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil ½ t. very cold water 1 t. lemon juice Paprika, cayenne, black pepper, etc. (optional)

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Place the garlic cloves and salt into a mortar and grind them into a paste with the pestle. Add the egg yolk and continue mashing and grinding until the egg and garlic are thoroughly combined. Combine the two oils and very slowly (drop by drop) dribble into the egg and garlic mixture while continuously mashing and grinding to emulsify. Once all of the oil is incorporated, add the water and lemon juice and stir to blend. Add seasonings. If the emulsion “breaks,” or separates, place an egg yolk in a stainless steel bowl and slowly (drop by drop) whisk in the broken aioli.

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1 large bunch Swiss chard 1 t. toasted sesame oil 2 T. coconut oil 1-in. piece fresh ginger, grated Pinch red pepper flakes 1 t. soy sauce or tamari 1 t. sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Chop the chard, cutting the stems from the leaves and keeping them separate. Wash the leaves and stems separately in a colander and drain, allowing some water to cling to leaves. In a large skillet or wok, combine the sesame oil and coconut oil. When smoking hot, add the ginger and chili flakes and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Chop and add the chard stems and stir-fry for 1 minute—until they are beginning to get tender. Add the chard leaves, stir-fry for another few minutes, then cover and cook until they are wilted and tender. Remove the lid, stir in the soy sauce or tamari, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

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OIl OR Fat

SMoke POint

Best for

Health Benefits*

Almond oil

420°

salads

high in vitamin E and antioxidants

Avocado oil

375–400°, 520° **

salads, frying, sautéing

loaded with protein, lecithin, beta-carotene and vitamins A, D and E.

Butter

250–300°

baking, sautéing

high in omega-3s when sourced from grassfed animals; cultured butter is high in probiotics

Butter, clarified (butter with milk solids removed)

485°

frying, sautéing

rich in antioxidants, aids in the absorption of vitamins and minerals

Canola oil

375–400° **

frying, sautéing

omega-3 fatty acids can reduce risk of heart disease; high in vitamin E

Coconut oil

350–450° **

baking, frying, sautéing

health benefits include antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial properties; may aid in brain function and in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

Corn oil

450°

frying, sautéing

high level of polyunsaturated fat can reduce risk of heart disease

Flaxseed oil

225°

salads

high in omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and cancer, and provide other health benefits

Grapeseed oil

420°

baking, frying, salads, sautéing

fights free-radicals, which may strengthen the immune system and reduce the risk of developing cancer

Lard

370°

baking, frying

high in omega-3s when sourced from grassfed animals; also a good source of vitamin D

Olive oil, extra-virgin

375°

frying, salads, sautéing

rich in antioxidants

Peanut oil

320–450° **

baking, frying, sautéing

rich source of monounstaurated fat, which can help to lower cholesterol

Vegetable shortening, margarine

360–320–400° **

not recommended

contain trans fats; best avoided completely

Walnut oil

320–400° **

salads

rich in omega-3s, vitamins B1, B2, B3 (niacin), vitamin E

* Benefits may be reduced in certain refined oils. ** Range depends on whether the oil is expeller pressed, high oleic, refined or unrefined

Adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite

This cake is tender and moist, with a pronounced olive oil flavor that’s complemented by the citrus. It’s delicious with oranges, Ruby Red grapefruit or Meyer lemon.

2 oranges, zested and supremed (cut into segments with peel, pith and seeds removed) and chopped 1 c. sugar ½ c. buttermilk 3 eggs 2 /³ c. extra-virgin olive oil 1¾ c. all-purpose flour 1½ t. baking powder ¼ t. baking soda ¼ t. salt

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Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter a 9” x 5” loaf pan. In a medium bowl, combine the orange zest and sugar and, using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until the sugar is orange and fragrant. Add the buttermilk, eggs and olive oil to the sugar and whisk to combine. In a larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Fold the liquid ingredients into the dry, then fold in the chopped orange. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes—until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the cake for 10 minutes, then unmold and cool on a rack to room temperature. The cake will keep, well wrapped, for several days.

©iStockphoto.com/ Alex van de Hoef

Citrus Olive Oil Cake

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cooking Basics

The Mother Sauces

by Jen Jackson • Photography by Jenna noel

W

hen I was in culinary school, once we had an adequate understanding of mirepoix (sautéed onions, carrots and celery), making stock and clarifying butter, we were taught the mother sauces: velouté, béchamel, espagnole, tomato and hollandaise. To make the sauces successfully, we were taught to choose the freshest, highestquality ingredients and to use them properly, and that from these fundamental sauces we could make any number of derivative sauces in classic French cuisine.

In Mastering the Art of French Cooking, beloved chef and author Julia Child suggests, “sauces are the

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splendor and glory of French cooking, yet there is nothing serious or mysterious about making them.

These are indispensable to the home cook.”

With Child’s encouragement, we start with velouté. This sauce—as well as two of the other mother sauces—requires stock, and if you make your own, you’ll have more control over the flavor.

Bones that are perfect for making stock are available at both Whole Foods Market and Wheatsville Food Co-op, but local butcher shops Dai Due and Salt & Time carry high-quality, ready-made stocks, as well. Avoid packaged stocks or bouillon cubes because they can make a sauce salty or chalky.

Velouté

Béchamel

This sauce has only four main ingredients, and any kind of stock can be used to flavor it. Velouté also employs another mother sauce basic: a roux of butter and flour. Use unsalted butter and unbleached, all-purpose flour for the roux, and avoid burning—burnt flour will not thicken properly and burnt butter will taste bitter. I usually make my roux in a pot and then slowly whisk in cold stock. Whisking slowly is important to avoid a lumpy sauce, but if lumps happen, try an immersion blender or strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer— pushing the lumps through with the back of a spoon or ladle. Afterward, simmer the sauce in the pot for five more minutes.

Always use high-quality milk for béchamel because the taste of the milk will be the taste of your sauce. And be sure to slowly whisk the milk into the roux to avoid lumps. This one takes practice and you might scald the milk and have to start over. But taste the milk first—if it tastes like milk, change out pots and continue. If it tastes burnt, start over.

Velouté also requires a bouquet garni of fresh parsley, thyme and bay leaf rolled with celery and tied in a leek top—kind of fancy.

I believe whatever fresh herbs are available will taste best; just use discretion when choosing. For example, too much rosemary could overpower, and fresh basil added too early won’t stand up to long cooking times.

2 T. unsalted butter ¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1 qt. milk ½ yellow onion, peeled 2 whole cloves, inserted into onion half Salt, pepper and nutmeg, to taste

Follow the same method as velouté, substituting milk for stock. Skip cooking the roux for 3 minutes, though, and add the milk as soon as the flour is completely incorporated into the butter. Add the onion after reducing the milk to a simmer.

Stir frequently to avoid burning the milk, and strain through a fine-mesh strainer once slightly thickened. Season as desired with salt, pepper and nutmeg and serve. Sauce can be cooled and refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for up to a month.

You can make a delicious béchamel using “corn milk” to bake in a gratin with potatoes and fennel, topped with bread crumbs. I save corncobs in my freezer all summer, and in November, I drop them into some milk and slowly simmer for a few hours.

2 T. unsalted butter ¼ c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1 qt. stock (vegetable, poultry, fish or meat) 1 bouquet garni (or a sachet of fresh herbs) Salt and pepper, to taste

In a thick-bottomed saucepan that holds at least 2 quarts, slowly melt the butter. When the butter melts completely, stir in the flour with a wooden spoon. Continue to move the roux around the pot until it just begins to turn a darker gold color—about 3 minutes.

Slowly whisk in the cold stock to first form a paste that will gradually get looser as the rest of the stock is added. Once all of the stock is incorporated, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the bouquet garni. Simmer the sauce until it thickens and just coats the back of the wooden spoon—about 30 minutes. Stir frequently and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer and adjust the salt and pepper.

The sauce is ready to serve, but if you choose to serve it later, stir it frequently as it cools to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the sauce for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Every year after Thanksgiving, I make a stock with my picked-clean turkey carcass and some vegetables and herbs. Simmering it a few hours produces a stock perfect for a turkey velouté. Grab the leftover turkey, cook the vegetables that never made it into the stuffing and you have turkey gravy over biscuits, rice or maybe potatoes.

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Tomato For this sauce, canned tomatoes provide more flavor, but choose one with few additives, like San Marzano tomatoes from Italy. The stock also matters. I generally want the tomatoes to stand out, so I choose the stock (meat, poultry, fish or vegetable) based on what I intend to serve with the sauce. Be sure to stir this sauce frequently to avoid burning the tomatoes at the bottom of the pot.

2 T. unsalted butter ½ c. onion ¼ c. carrot ¼ c. celery 2 cloves garlic, sliced 2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour 1 28 oz. can tomatoes 1 pt. stock or water Bouquet garni or herb sachet Salt and pepper, to taste

Follow the same method as espagnole, except add the garlic just before adding the flour, and only cook the floured mirepoix for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and then the stock and cook the sauce for about 45 minutes—stirring frequently. Run the sauce through a food mill or mash with a whisk and pass through a colander. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Tomato sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to two months.

Espagnole This sauce employs a little different roux because of the mirepoix.

Since I like my mirepoix to reflect the season, if there are no yellow onions, I use shallots or leeks; for carrots, try parsnips and for celery, maybe celery root or stash a little celery seed in your bouquet garni. I like to slightly caramelize the mirepoix, but be careful not to burn it.

If that happens, take out the burnt pieces or start over—don’t worry; you’re at the beginning!

2 T. unsalted butter 1 c. chopped onion ½ c. chopped carrot ½ c. chopped celery 3 T. unbleached all-purpose flour 2 T. tomato paste 1 qt. meat stock Bouquet garni or herb sachet Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter and add the vegetables for the mirepoix. Sauté to just golden, then add the flour. Stir the coated mirepoix until the flour smells slightly nutty and the mirepoix has just started to caramelize—about 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, then slowly whisk in the stock. Bring to a boil, add the bouquet garni and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Espagnole can be kept for a week in the refrigerator or up to two months in the freezer.

Espagnole makes a delicious accompaniment to many meat dishes, especially pot roast. Make an even better sauce by adding fresh mushrooms, which turns espagnole into sauce duxelles.

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For an alternative that makes a delicious tomato sauce, try using unripe green tomatoes in place of canned tomatoes. They have an interesting flavor, are less watery than ripe tomatoes and pair well with white beans, squash and bacon for a fun side dish for turkey or pot roast.

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Hollandaise The final mother sauce tastes best with fresh, high-quality eggs.

Because butter is equally important to the hollandaise, use an unsalted, quality butter like Plugrå or Organic Valley. In classic French cooking, we clarify the butter for hollandaise—which means cooking the butter until the milk solids separate and can be skimmed and discarded. But I often skip this step and just melt the butter in exchange for baking fresh English muffins for eggs Benedict. No one ever complains.

2 T. white wine vinegar 3 black peppercorns 8 oz. butter, clarified

2 egg yolks Salt, to taste Lemon juice, to taste

Put the vinegar and peppercorns in a small pan and reduce to about a half-tablespoon. Strain out peppercorns and let the liquid cool. Clarify the butter by putting chunks of the cold butter in a saucepan on medium heat. As the butter melts, the water in the butter will evaporate and the white milk solids will sink to the bottom of the pot.

When this happens, turn off the heat, ladle off or pour out the yellow butterfat into another pot and keep warm. Discard the milk solids.

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off the heat. Put the egg yolks in a stainless steel mixing bowl that fits on top of the saucepan.

Whisk the cooled vinegar into the yolks and put the mixing bowl on the hot water saucepan. Whisk the yolks until they thicken to foamy and frothy but not scrambled—about 1 minute. Take the bowl off of the heat and, drop by drop at first, add the clarified butter while whisking the yolks. As the sauce thickens, slightly increase the rate

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to a few drops at a time. Once the sauce is at the desired consistency (not all of the butter may be needed), adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice. Hollandaise is best served fresh and warm.

Hollandaise may break or separate into an oily, chunky liquid if the butter is added too fast. This happens all of the time in professional kitchens, too, so just grab a clean, stainless steel mixing bowl and, off of the heat, add a couple of teaspoons of cold water to the bowl. Then slowly (drop by drop at first), whisk in the broken hollandaise. Breaking and fixing a hollandaise becomes a rite of passage for most professional cooks, but if you fix the sauce and it tastes delicious, we can start talking about making those English muffins.

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ECO yardkeeping b y J e r e m y Wa lt h e r • I l l u s t r at i o n b y H i l l a ry W e b e r - G a l e

S

ustainability in the home landscape is more than just a set calendar of seasonal tasks, especially in variable-draped Central Texas, where some years see total rainfall measure below 20 inches followed by years with almost 60. This unpredictability might be nature’s hint to us that large monocultures of nonnative turfgrass lawns just aren’t the way to go. The hottest, sunniest areas of a lawn are better used for plants that do more than just drink water and look green, which explains the trend of larger vegetable gardens, wildlife-loving native plant beds and shrinking lawns.

Still, nobody should be faulted for wanting that little patch of soft green lawn (especially if it’s watered with rain collected from runoff). Choose a turfgrass best suited to the site. For example, native grass mixes like Native Sun and Thunder Turf from Native American Seed are great for low-traffic sites in full sun with weedfree and thin or rocky soils. Zoysia can be a good choice for areas with a mix of sun and shade if the soil drains fairly well and has enough fertility. Regardless of what your green spot contains, here's a chemical-free affirmation and a few suggestions for maintaining a healthy and sustainable lawn and landscape based on, however contradictory the term may be, a “normal year” in Central Texas.

Water Automated sprinkler systems are convenient, but they are horribly inefficient. Even a well-designed, fully functional pop44

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up spray-head system is only 50 percent efficient—for every gallon of water that makes its way to plant roots, one gallon is lost to evaporation or runoff. To reduce water usage by as much as 30 percent, swap the traditional spray nozzles for multi-stream rotary nozzles like MP Rotators (Hunter brand) or MultiStream PRN Nozzles (Toro brand), available at local irrigation suppliers like Ewing, Horizon and John Deere Landscapes.

For those without automatic sprinkler systems, try to match a patterned hose-end sprinkler with the shape of the area you wish to water. Or even better, find a hose-end sprinkler that is adjustable to areas of different sizes and shapes. Local hardware stores like Breed and Co. are good sources for these. Of course, drip irrigation systems in beds are always a good way to increase water efficiency while delivering water exactly where it needs to be.

Keep it simple and follow the basic rule of thumb of a oneinch watering once each week during the hot months. For most systems, this means running sprinklers for a total of 30 to 45 minutes, or however long it takes to add 1 inch of water to the lawn. (A simple way to measure water application in inches is to place flat-bottom shallow dishes, like empty tuna cans, in different places on the lawn while watering and wait for them to fill.)

And space watering times on different lawn zones over several hours—each time running one zone for only 10 to 15 minutes.

This will help the water penetrate deep into the ground instead of running off our clay and rocky soils.

MOWING Regular mowing helps discourage annual weeds that rely on seeds to proliferate, keeps woody species from developing and encourages grassy species that typically spread by runners. It’s best to avoid mowing too often, though, which can lead to soil compaction. During the vigorous growing season, this could mean weekly mowing. But during the deep winter or driest summer months, consider mowing only once a month and only mulching fallen leaves, which helps accelerate their decomposition and add nutrients.

Mow on the highest setting, and try to avoid removing more than one-third of the grass blades at one time. Longer grass helps shade soil, regulate moisture content and protect turf roots. For a greener process, consider using a quality electric mower like the cordless Black and Decker 19” Self-Propelled Rechargeable Mower with Removable Battery, available for around $400. The battery lasts about 30 to 40 minutes on a single charge, but extra batteries (to cut larger yards without waiting for a recharge) are available for about $150 each. Or try a human-powered reel mower, though they are high maintenance and not for everyone.

FEEDING Be thoughtful when it comes to fertilizing. City of Austin studies have linked even organic fertilizers to water pollution in relatively pristine creeks in the Austin watershed. For established lawns, the only feeding required might be simply the free nitrogen supplied by the presence of post-mow grass clippings on the surface.

For lawns in transition, a little more input might be needed.

Topdressing the lawn with a quarter of an inch of compost in late April can be an effective treatment in many ways. Compost serves not only as a fertilizer, but as a soil amender because of its ability to break up clays and improve water retention in soils.

It also inoculates soil by introducing beneficial microbes. Consider going with a quality compost from a reputable soil yard.

Compost as a topdressing is especially effective if an aerator is used to remove plugs of soil just before or right after the compost treatment—allowing the compost to penetrate deeper into the soil. Since handheld devices do not easily penetrate compacted soil, the best way to ensure deep plug removal is with a mechanical aerator, available for half- and full-day rental from most tool-rental shops, like Top Gunn. Be sure to give the lawn a good soaking the night before aerating, to allow the machine to do its job effectively. Depending on your lawn, it might be cheaper to have a local landscape-maintenance company handle this annual task—most will charge roughly the same as what it costs to rent the machine. Round Rock’s Douglas Landscapes, for example, offers this kind of service starting at around $90 for a typical lawn.

Beyond annual compost topdressing, consider a monthly application of this liquid fertilizer: a blend of one gallon of compost tea (available at Microbial Earth, the Natural Gardener or Geo Growers), three to four tablespoons of seaweed,

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fish emulsion and humic acid mixture (John Dromgroole’s Recipe from the Natural Gardener or Medina HastaGro are both excellent), one to two tablespoons of liquid molasses and one gallon of water. This is a great soil stimulator. One gallon usually covers about 5,000 square feet, requires only a one- or two-gallon pump sprayer to apply and costs about six dollars per treatment.

tents of their chippers for no charge. The only downside to this type of mulch is that it has not been aged, so it will not be uniform in size and texture. For a professionally blended mulch, Organics by Gosh carries some of the cheapest mulch in town—$17 per cubic yard for their double-processed mulch, which is not too fine so as to become compacted, and still has a dark brown color and consistent texture.

TREES AND MULCH Although xeriscaping is the current poster child for sustainable landscaping, it just doesn’t work for every landscape in Austin. Gravel and cactus do very well in years when we receive 15 inches of rain and experience a mild winter. But just as likely are years that get 60 inches of rain and winters with eight-degree arctic blasts. During those years, the wet summers cause weed infestations that are nearly impossible to control in gravel beds and the cold winters kill off most of the succulents that can survive the hot summers.

Trees, on the other hand, are relatively easy to care for and the shade they provide helps understory vegetation survive our extreme seasons. They also reduce what’s known as the heat island effect, when urban temperatures are several degrees higher than those in surrounding rural areas.

Maintain a healthy layer of mulch in beds and around trees.

The best mulch is the kind you can get for free, like dead leaves.

And most tree-trimming companies will gladly deliver the con-

LOVE YOUR WEEDS Most annual weeds are pioneer species. These are nature’s frontline soldiers that live short but heroic lives by growing quickly only to perish when the weather changes—adding nutrients to the soil and paving the way for the more long-lived grass species. With some exceptions, the weather and later-succession grasses will take care of most weeds on their own, as long as they’re given the proper inputs at the right time.

Home Grown Tastes Better!

There are no easy answers when it comes to gardening and landscape maintenance in Central Texas—a fact that can be both frustrating and liberating at the same time. But with the proper perspective, sustainable landscape maintenance is easier than most people think. or a chart on landscape maintenance schedule for typical F Austin yards and a list of resources, go to edibleaustin.com.

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navajo grill — dinner service nightly from 5:30 — 803 E. Main Street | Fredericksburg TX 830.990.8289 | navajogrill.com

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(Cooks 2012)

334 West Main

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Culinary “Zauber” that goes far beyond Bier und Brats.

If you come to Fredericksburg anticipating authentic German cuisine, we will not disappoint. But further exploration will reveal restaurateurs that offer decidedly more diverse menus. Escolar and lobster.

Seared duck breast with ginger/orange glaze.

Tender steaks. And very naughty desserts. All complemented by award-winning cabernets, tempranillos, viogniers and rieslings from our numerous vineyards and wineries.

Incidentally, “Zauber” is the German word for “magic.” Guten Appetit. H V i s i t F re d e r i c k s b u r g T X . c o m

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Come for a visit, and we’ll capture your heart!

Live Music. Local Cuisine.

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Tuesday thru Friday 11:00-2:30 lunch 5:00-9:00 dinner Happy Hour 4:00-6:30 Saturday 5:00-9:00 dinner

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919 Main Street, Bastrop, TX (512) 321-3577

905 Main Street, Bastrop, TX (512) 303-0919 www.MaxinesOnMain.com Order your holiday pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas Thanksgiving Dinner 11-3pm | Reservations Encouraged

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Making GInger Beer b y K at e Pay n e • P h o t o g r a p h y b y J o A n n S a n ta n g e l o

M

y love of bubbly water began overseas with the confusion over how to answer a waiter when asked frizzante? or naturale? A bottle of bubbling mineral water arrived after I ventured a guess.

Since then, I’ve grown to believe real, effervescent mineral water to be superior, digestively, to flat water, and it has taken the place of sodas in my life in an all-ofthe-fun-but-none-of-the-sugar kind of way.

It turns out that carbonated soft drinks have origins in traditional lightly fermented, mildly alcoholic or nonalcoholic brews made from grains, barks, roots and

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spices. Cultures all around the globe have produced myriad and distinctly flavored sodas unique to their surroundings—the most familiar to us, of course, being root beer (which uses any combination of sassafras, sarsaparilla, ginger, licorice and burdock roots) and ginger beer. Regardless of the flavor or alcohol content, though, there are two ways to get those beverages fizzing: by forced carbonation or by the natural carbonation created when microorganisms ingest sugars and produce carbon dioxide in an enclosed space.

Naturally carbonated ginger beer is not only relatively

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512-280-1192 simple to make, but delicious. And true fermented ginger beer, as described below, is a probiotic—perhaps the best reason for making it at home. The enzymes, live cultures (lactobacilli) and lactic acid present promote metabolism and digestion, enhance immune function and build our oft-deprived intestinal microbiota. And fermented soft drinks—to use the term in its original sense and not the high-fructosecorn-syrup-laden meaning we associate with it now—supply electrolytes, which are mineral ions that get depleted through perspiration. A delicious homemade beverage with tangible health benefits!

This fermented soda method involves using a ginger “bug” to get things going. Ginger is rich with lactic acid, bacteria and wild yeasts (which make the ginger bug an ideal sourdough starter, as well). Using organic ginger is essential, as conventionally grown, imported produce is irradiated— which kills the bacteria and yeasts necessary for fermentation.

For my recipe, keep in mind that two teaspoons of grated ginger equals a piece of the root about the size of a thumb from the tip to the first joint. The amount of ginger in my recipe produces a very zingy ginger beer, but use less or more based on personal flavor preference.

While researching the different ways of making ginger beer, I learned that letting it ferment in an open crock for a few days speeds up the process and makes the carbonation time shorter.

This drink is not typically an alcoholic beer, though it can be if left to ferment beyond the point when the bubbling subsides in the open crock (longer than three to five days). The bottling process is the same regardless of alcohol content.

Safe carbonation and bottling practice is key; use sealable bottles—Grolsch-style swing-top bottles, mason jars with newer lids or repurposed screw-cap plastic soda bottles—and be sure at least one of the bottles is plastic in order to properly gauge carbonation. Plastic is the safest bet because it is easy to feel the amount of pressure that has built up inside. When the bottle no longer gives when gently squeezed, the carbonation process is complete. Yeast fermentation takes place at different speeds in varying temperatures, faster in warmer environments. Bottling the ginger beer in all plastic bottles is the safest way to ensure carbonation for beginning soda makers.

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Ginger Beer Makes about 1 gallon 1 c. plus 4 qt. filtered water, divided 2 T. plus 2 c. sugar, divided 4 T. tightly packed grated organic ginger, divided Juice of 1 lemon, strained (optional)

Start the ginger bug by filling a pint-size mason jar with one cup of the room-temperature water and 2 teaspoons of the sugar. Stir to dissolve and add 2 teaspoons of the grated ginger. Cover the jar with cheesecloth or a flour-sack towel and secure with a rubber band. Let sit for 24 hours. Stir in 2 teaspoons each of the ginger and sugar and let sit for another 24 hours. Then stir in another 2 teaspoons each of the ginger and sugar and let sit for another 24 hours. Bubbles should begin to form after the second day.

When the ginger bug starter is foamy, make the ginger beer decoction by bringing 2 quarts of the water to a boil with the remaining 2 tablespoons of grated ginger. Boil for 15 minutes. Strain out the ginger and pour the hot liquid into a gallon-size jar or crock. Dissolve the remaining sugar in the hot liquid, then add the remaining room-temperature or cold water. Check the temperature of the mixture; when the jar is no longer warm to the touch, strain and add the ginger bug starter. Add the strained lemon juice, if using, and secure cheesecloth over the jar or crock.

Allow the ginger beer to ferment in the jar for up to 3 days. Stir well to incorporate the live cultures evenly and decant the ginger beer into seal-

able bottles (using at least one plastic bottle). To avoid the possibility of over-carbonation causing a glass jar to shatter, use all plastic bottles.

Allow the sealed bottles to ferment at room temperature for 12 to 36 hours. Check the carbonation periodically by gently squeezing the plastic bottle. When it no longer gives when gently squeezed, the process is complete. Once carbonated, place the bottles in the refrigerator and drink within 3 weeks.

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Hill Country?

More like lake Country, wine Country and art Country.

Sure, we’re known for our hills. But take a look between them

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and that’s where you’ll find historic antiques, world-class wineries, inspiring art galleries and some pretty inviting waters. Find the latest deals and plan your overnight stay at marblefalls.org.

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SOCIAL cooking

DIY COCKTAIL BAR b y Pa u l a A n g e r s t e i n • p h o t o g r a p h y b y D u s t i n M e y e r

W

hen planning the beverages for a party, the urge to go with wine and beer can be almost insurmountable—it’s easy to set out bottles, there’s variety and they don’t need tending during party time. But what if you could have these same benefits while delighting your guests with craft cocktails? Time for the DIY cocktail bar, and we’re not talking booze and soda.

First, consider making your bar a pretty and entertaining centerpiece for the party. Pick a theme and use items from around the house to support it. Or use it as an excuse to troll thrift shops for unique glassware. Don’t be afraid to mix and match. In our elegant yet informal cocktail bar, we’ve put together a languorous backdrop of flowers and used silver and cut-glass accents.

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Keep the ingredients simple and use the same spirit in more than one cocktail to keep your shopping list hassle-free.

Next, choose a set of cocktails that guests can make by following easy recipes. Keep the ingredients simple and use the same spirit in more than one cocktail to keep your shopping list hassle-free. We started with a sophisticated French 75, then used the same spirit (gin) in a Martinez (the precursor to the martini), transitioned the red vermouth to the Mazatlán (our version of a Manhattan) and finally used the tequila again in a margarita.

Kick-start the party by showing off some of your own mixologist moves— perhaps your best shaker face—to make the first round. Then, simply make sure the ice bucket stays full and enjoy the party while sipping a delicious cocktail.

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TI TO ’S H A N D MA D E V O D K A HANDCRAFTED IN AUSTIN, TEXAS,

BY TITO BEVERIDGE No matter how you mix it, my handmade vodka beats those giant “imports” every day.

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spiced pear tito’s with Honeyed Rosé Spritz

Created by JUSTIN ELLIOT Volstead Lounge

Spiced Pear Tito’s:

• ½ Tahitian vanilla bean • fill remainder with Tito’s In large glass jar place: • one ripening Bartlett pear In a ½-cup mason jar place: and one ripening Bosc pear per liter of Tito’s • 4 tbsp dried orange peel jar In a 2-cup mason • 1 pinch gentian place: • 1 pinch wormwood • 2 tbsp juniper • fill remainder with Tito’s • 1 tsp grains of paradise Let all steep for a week, • 4 tsp inner regularly agitating. Strain cardamom seed all through cheesecloth.

• 4 tbsp green Blend infusions to taste. cardamom pods We used 7L Tito’s for the • 5 dried hibiscus flowers pear infusion, about ¾ of the spiced infusion, and • 4 cinnamon sticks all of the bitter orange infusion.

Photo ©2011, Elizabeth Bellanti

Honeyed Rosé:

Slowly simmer 1 ¹⁄8 lbs Texas wildflower honey into 1L Tuscan Rosé until dissolved.

build the cocktail:

• 1oz Spiced Pear Tito’s • 1oz Honeyed Rosé Blend Spiced Pear Tito’s and Honeyed Rosé over ice, top with soda water, and garnish with a lemon peel.

Fifth Generation, Inc., Austin, Texas. 40% alcohol by volume. ©2011 Tito’s Handmade Vodka.

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11/1/11 3:17 PM

DIY Cocktail PARTY DRINK MENU

French 75

Martinez

1 oz. Paula’s Texas Lemon 1 oz. gin Ice-cold Champagne

Mazatlán

2 oz. gin 1½ oz. sweet (red) vermouth ¼ oz. Paula’s Texas Orange 2 dashes bitters

Mix Paula’s Texas Lemon and gin in a tall Champagne flute. Fill the glass with Champagne.

1½ oz. añejo tequila ½ oz. Paula’s Texas Orange ½ oz. dry (white) vermouth

Pour all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir for a few seconds then strain into a cocktail glass.

½ oz. sweet (red) vermouth 2 dashes bitters

Pour the ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Stir for a few seconds then strain into a cocktail glass.

Shopping List Champagne Gin Paula’s Texas Lemon Sweet (red) vermouth Angostura bitters Añejo tequila Paula’s Texas Orange Dry (white) vermouth Limes Garnishes

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

Margarita 1 oz. añejo tequila 1 oz. Paula’s Texas Orange 2 oz. lime mixture (we suggest equal parts lime juice and water with, if you prefer more sweetness, a dash of agave nectar)

Fill a cocktail glass with ice then pour the ingredients into the glass and stir.

Mixing glass Strainer Jiggers (mini OXO measurers are fun) Barspoon Bar towels Ice bucket and tongs or scoops Champagne bucket Dump bucket

Download recipe cards for these cocktails at edibleaustin.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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WE’RE WINE AND CHEESE

Matchmakers.

At Spec’s, wine meets cheese! Let our experts provide you with the perfect pairing. With lower prices on all your favorite fine wines, unique spirits, and hard-to-find craft beers, Spec’s is your on-the-way, less-to-pay for everyday store!

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Tips for Success Notes on the Liquor •D on’t waste money on fine Champagne, as it will be mixed with strong ingredients. Prosecco and cava work, too.

•G in should be a good-quality London-dry style.

•V ermouths vary greatly in flavor; taste your selection ahead of time to make sure you like the flavors.

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•T he Mazatlán is distinctive because of the añejo tequila, but blanco or reposado tequila can be substituted for the margarita.

Notes on the cocktail bar • To elevate the look beyond a basic bar, we presented the spirits in decanters and mini carafes (purchased at a craft store)—also making it easier for guests to pour small amounts.

• Offer a selection of glassware to give a unique look to each drink. We used flutes for the French 75, tumblers for the Martinez, repurposed sherbet coupes for the Mazatlán and short-stemmed glasses for the margarita.

• Group together all of

the ingredients, equipment and glassware for each drink, along with a printed recipe in an easy-to-read, spill-proof format.

Innovative cuisine in a majestic Texas setting

•F or the French 75, make sure all of the ingredients stay chilled.

We used mini carafes on ice for the gin and Paula’s Texas Lemon.

•M ake sure there are several ice scoops, mixing glasses, jiggers, barspoons and strainers handy to prevent bottlenecks, along with plenty of bar towels and a dump bucket for used ice.

•U se your imagination for garnishes: herbs from the garden, fruits in season, edible flowers.

811 West Live Oak 512-444-4747 greenpasturesrestaurant.com

•W e made a pitcher of margaritas as a backup for those not in the mood for mixology.

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“I thought it only appropriate to put the best cheese in town with the best burger in town.”

Ask for Dos Lunas Artisan cheeses at your favorite markets, restaurants or order online.

doslunascheese.com • 512-963-5357 60

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Photo by Alice Rabbit

—Chef Thomas Reeh, Snack Bar

SOCIAL cooking

Cheese + Beer = Low Stress Cheer! b y V e r o n i c a M e e w e s • p h o t o g r a p h y b y W h i t n e y Ar o s t e g u i

From left: John Antonelli, Veronica Meewes, Courtney Schwamb, Kendall Antonelli, Ben Guyton, Chris Oglesby and Jordan Weeks toast a pairing at Antonelli’s Cheese House.

A

t my house, dinner parties have been known to take on a life of their own; a verbal whim between a couple of friends could quickly morph into planning a fullfledged, multicourse meal. Suddenly, I’m running around town to different grocery stores for specific ingredients, and you can bet I’m still chopping or whisking when guests start arriving. As much as I love hosting friends, cooking and eating, too much multitasking is typically involved when the three come together.

John and Kendall Antonelli of Antonelli’s Cheese Shop have an easy solution for an effortless get-together: host a beer and cheese tasting! With little preparation or cleanup, guests are treated to a sensory experience just as delicious and even more interactive than a typical food gathering. Additionally, guests

can come and go throughout the evening, as there’s no formal seating or specific dinnertime.

“What’s great about beer and cheese is that they naturally go so well together,” says John. “The effervescence of [the beer] blends beautifully with the fat molecules of the cheese and it helps encourage the olfactory [sense] to become involved.” The best part is that there’s really no wrong way to do pairings.

“If it’s a well-made beer and a well-made cheese, you’re going to find something beautiful about it,” he assures. “And when you’re throwing a party, you’re not exactly looking for the alltime greatest pairings. What you’re looking for is an experience.

And the fun part about a tasting is getting together with friends and sharing what you’re finding.”

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Cheese and Beer Pairing MENU Curated by John Antonelli, owner, and Courtney Schwamb, cheesemonger, of Antonelli’s Cheese Shop and Darcy Sacks, manager of The Austin Wine Merchant Dos Lunas Seco and Real Ale Firemans #4 The 8-month-aged raw cow’s milk Seco pulls the orange undertones from the Firemans #4, while the creaminess of the semisoft cheese settles on the tongue and the effervescence of the beer cuts right into it.

Pure Luck Farm Sainte Maure and South Austin Brewing Company Saison D'Austin South Austin Brewery Company’s fruit-heavy saison brings out the nuttiness in this soft-ripened, French-style pasteurized goat’s milk cheese. The Sainte Maure is rolled in vegetable ash and its buttery mouthfeel washes down nicely with the floral Belgian ale.

“Our neighboring ranchers, farmers and cheese artisans have enjoyed a renaissance over the past few years…. It is nice to see that support flowing over to the craft breweries.”

—Darcy Sacks, The Austin Wine Merchant Avalanche Cheese Company Goat Cheddar and North Coast Brewing Company Brother Thelonious This clothwrapped goat Cheddar from Colorado has a noticeably nutty tang when paired with the smooth and creamy dark Belgian abbey ale. Brother Thelonious brings out the caramel and spice that are normally much subtler in this sharp, raw-milk cheese.

Star Thrower Farm Blue and Brooklyn Local 2

Cato Corner Farm Drunk Monk and Austin Beerworks Peacemaker This raw cow’s milk cheese from Connecticut gets its name from the brown ale its rind is rubbed with. Pungent and salty, it pairs surprisingly well with the grassy, hoppy notes of the Peacemaker pale ale. The bitterness in each surprisingly cancels the other out momentarily and comes back on the finish.

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This very intense pasteurized sheep’s milk blue stands up boldly against Brooklyn Brewery’s dark, full-bodied abbey ale. Undertones of molasses and chocolate emerge when they meet the piquant flavor of the cheese, which would also pair well with a dollop of clover or wildflower honey.

Tips for Success

eat well.

John and Kendall Antonelli’s Tips for Hosting

11th & lamar 512-482-8868

• Keep it simple. Choose about five pairings. Any more, and the palate will start to get overwhelmed. Plan on at least one ounce of each cheese per person.

• Choose a wide variety of flavor profiles. For the cheese, choose from various styles (fresh, bloomy rind, washed rind, semisoft, firm, hard, blue) and mix milk types (cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo). For the beer, try selecting a pilsner, a hefeweizen, a pale ale, a porter and a lambic.

• Taste beforehand if you can! Try pairing cheeses and beers based on flavors that complement each other—either by marrying similar notes (like an earthy cheese with a piney, hoppy beer) or by contrasting flavors (such as a sweet and savory pairing of a chocolaty stout with a salty blue cheese).

• Taste according to a progression of flavors (much like a wine tasting)—starting with the lighter, more nuanced flavors and ending with the bigger, bolder flavors that are more likely to linger on the palate.

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• Provide palate cleansers like water and bread, and other small-bite items like Marcona almonds, Lucques olives and Peppadew sweet peppers. Honey and caramel are also wonderful paired with cheese.

• Let both the beer and the cheese sit out for 30 minutes to an hour before tasting, so the flavors are not masked by the cold.

Start with the cheese and follow it with the beer.

Variations on the Pairings • Lead a guided tasting. Create suggested pairings (such as the ones on previous page) and let all the guests move through them together before moving into a more free-form tasting.

•C hange one variable at a time and notice which flavors emerge and subside. For example, taste each type of cheese with the same type of beer before moving on to the next beer.

C h eCk www.AustinGourmetImports.com for upcoming events!

•H ighlight a style by choosing five different Cheddars and then pair a beer with each one. Or pick a style of beer to pair with different types of cheeses.

• Highlight a specific producer by choosing beers from one brewery and picking different cheese pairings. Alternatively, choose a cheese producer and pair multiple beers with the various cheeses.

At t he A la m o Dra f t hous e we’ re m ore than just m ov ies a nd food. We cook f rom s cratch e ach day, m a king s a uces , pizza dough, dressi ngs and dess er t s in hous e! hor m one-f ree beef so you can enj oy one of t he best burgers i n Austi n a longs ide t he fi nest fi lm s on t he pla net.

Watch a video of our Cheese and Beer Pairing Party at Antonelli’s Cheese House at edibleaustin.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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It’s never been easier to build a home in the Hill Country.

Texas Casual Cottages by Trendmaker.

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Featuring: raised floor construction; metal roofs; giant porches; and all-wooden interiors (walls, ceilings, and floors).

Two fully decorated models at our Model Home Park in Wimberley, Texas. (see map at right) From Trendmaker — one of Houston’s premier luxury home builders for over 40 years.

Great selection of plans and options to fit your lifestyle.

Call Robert Moreman at: 512-392-6591 Located 8 miles west of I-35 on RR 12 next door to Wimberley Glassworks

TEXAS CASUALCOTTAGES.COM 64

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SOCIAL cooking

A Forager’s Tasting Party b y Am y C r o w e l l • p h o t o g r a p h y b y H o l ly H e n d e r s o n

F

oraging for wild edible plants is about a lot more than simply eating. It’s about getting to know a place and the plants and animals that cycle through the seasons.

It’s about a whole new way to understand food and about sharing that experience of eating wild with family and friends. Honestly, though, finding enough of anything wild to eat in large quantities—or enough for mass sharing—can be daunting, especially in our ever-present drought years.

So instead of on-the-spot gathering and noshing, I decided to throw a Forager’s Tasting Party for my friends and family, to share the wild abundance I’d reaped and stored over the last several months and seasons.

Luckily, I had some agarita berries, elderberries, Texas persimmons, sliced prickly pear cactus pads (nopales), prickly pears (tunas), mesquite beans and dried chili pequins from past harvests—plenty to highlight in various dips, sauces and drinks for the party. I also encouraged my food-loving friends to bring a potluck item that was at least partly wild.

My friend Colleen brought tiny wild cucumbers that she found growing in her garden and Jessica shared the wild coho Salmon she caught in Alaska this summer. Paul grilled the salmon, Chris threw together a wild-rice dish garnished with prairie tea, the Aziz family showed up ready to forage and harvest off our land and the under-six crowd did a great job of mashing the Texas persimmons. The party that evolved was so much fun that it was better than I ever could have imagined.

Remember to start by collecting and storing wild things to eat whenever and wherever you find them. Fill your freezer with bags of wild berries in the spring and fill your pantry with nuts and mesquite beans in the fall. Include any garden bounty of the season (my tasting included okra, onions and key limes grown in our garden) and always garnish with fresh wild herbs. Don’t worry about menus—just collect things on the spot and create a menu later based on what’s stored or growing in your front yard right at the moment.

Place settings courtesy of Breed & Co. For a full list of items used, perfect for outdoor entertaining, visit EdibleAustin.com

The Forager’s Party Menu • Agarita-ritas • Prickly pear punch with key lime and lemon • Mesquite crackers • Texas persimmon spread • Elderberry sauce • Balsamic greens with sliced nopalitos • Grilled wild coho salmon • Wild rice garnished with prairie tea • Pure Luck chèvre with wild herbs

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Agarita-rita Makes 1 drink Agarita berries can be difficult to harvest, but their deliciously tart flavor is hard to resist. (For tips on the harvesting process, visit my blog at www.wildedibletexas.com.) I harvested the agaritas for this recipe in late April, and I only had about a cup left in my freezer—just enough to eke out about a cup of juice. Since we had to ration the agarita juice at the tasting, I mixed individual margarita glasses following this recipe.

1 T. agarita juice 1 T. fresh-squeezed key lime juice 1 T. agave nectar 2 T. tequila Ice Lime wedges and salt, to garnish

Mix all ingredients together in a cocktail shaker or a jar with a tight lid and shake vigorously. Rub a lime wedge on the edge of an 8-ounce glass, dip the rim into the salt to coat and fill with ice. Pour the drink and serve. May be batched.

Prickly Pear Punch with Key Lime or Lemon Makes 2 cups I always have some prickly pear fruits (tuna) or juice in my freezer (I throw the whole fruit—thorns and all—into the freezer bag) to create colorful sauces and drinks throughout the year. The magenta color of the prickly pear is fabulous, and the fruit is super easy to find and harvest from August to November in and around Central Texas. Our key lime tree produced nearly 100 limes this year and the harvest was in tune with prickly pear season on our farm. Since I needed to concoct a few virgin drinks for the under-21 set, I figured lemon juice would pair with prickly pear juice, too, and the yellow wedge of lemon looked gorgeous against the magenta-colored prickly pear punch.

1 c. prickly pear juice ½ c. agave nectar or simple syrup ½ c. fresh-squeezed key lime juice or lemon juice Lime or lemon wedges, to garnish

Harvest the tunas and process the prickly pear juice. Using tongs, pick off the ripe fruits from the plants (ripe fruits will twist off easily) and throw them into a bucket or bag. Wash the fruits—but don’t touch them with bare hands because they are covered with tiny thorns. Throw the entire fruits—thorns and all—into a pot and cover with water.

Bring the pot to a boil and then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the fruit has softened. Mash the fruit with a potato masher occasionally while simmering. Let the juice cool and then strain through a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth. Measure out 1 cup for the punch.

Make the punch. Mix the juice, sweetener and citrus juice in a pitcher.

Pour individual servings over ice and garnish with lime or lemon wedges. Or, if guests prefer the consistency of a slushy, pour the juice mixture into a blender, fill with ice and blend for a wildly tasty smoothie!

For more forager tasting party recipes and a list of resources, visit edibleaustin.com 66

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Amy’s Mesquite Crackers

weekly, local prix-fixe menu • family owned

Makes about 2 dozen crackers These were one of the biggest hits at the party. Folks were impressed by the sweetness of the mesquite meal* and enjoyed tasting it raw. I thought the best crackers were generously sprinkled with the coarse mesquite meal—it allowed the distinct, earthy-sweet taste of the mesquite to really present itself and gave the crackers a lovely rustic look and feel. Mesquite is truly the hidden gem of wild Texas edibles.

1¼ c. all-purpose flour ½ c. whole wheat flour ¼ c. mesquite meal* 1 t. salt ½ t. baking powder ¼ c. cold butter, cut into small pieces ½ c. milk, cream or half-and-half 1 egg Kosher salt and mesquite meal to sprinkle on top of crackers (optional)

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Preheat the oven to 400°. Mix the flours, mesquite meal, salt and baking powder in a bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the butter pieces are the size of peas. Mix in the milk and egg to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until very thin.

Cut into standard cracker sizes. (This is where you can get creative and come up with your own unique shapes and sizes.) Place the crackers, slightly spread apart, on a nonstick baking sheet and sprinkle the tops with mesquite meal and salt. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the crackers are lightly browned around the edges.

Offer an array of snacks and crudités.

Five pieces of Vietnamese ceramics rest neatly in hand-woven smoked bamboo basket with lid. Neutral crackle glaze is a natural in any decor.

Potters blend artistic skill with time-honored techniques in the famous ceramics village of Bat Trang.

*Mesquite meal might be a little tricky to find or process, but you can always order these foraged foods online. Instructions on how to process mesquite beans can be found on my blog at www.wildedibletexas.com

Texas Persimmon Spread I don’t really know what to say about this spread—it’s really just pulped Texas persimmons. Absolutely nothing needs to be added to it; it stands on its own and tastes wonderful and sweetly complex. It also has a perfect, smooth texture and spreads well on crackers and bread.

Simply gather as many Texas persimmons as possible, wash and stem them, then press them through a food mill or a potato ricer.

Balsamic Greens with Sliced Nopalitos

Crackle Glaze Five-Piece Tray, Vietnam, $54

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Most any kind of green works in this recipe. I think purslane would be fabulous and is easy to find from August to November (or until the first serious freeze).

1 large bunch watercress 1 large bunch mustard greens 1 large bunch spinach 1 large bunch arugula 1 red onion, chopped 3 T. olive oil 2 c. sliced nopalitos Balsamic vinegar

Wash and roughly chop the greens. Caramelize the red onion in the olive oil for 7 to 9 minutes. Add the nopalitos to the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Toss in the greens and cook down for 2 to 4 minutes.

Sprinkle the vinegar over the greens as they cook. Serve warm.

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“In order to make good barbecue, you have to be committed to a long process, you have to pay attention to small details and you’ve just really got to want

Photography of the Salt Lick barbecue pit by Carole Topalian

to be in heat and smoke. ” — Scott Roberts

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Edible cookbook

SCOTT ROBERTS I N T E RV I E W B Y J E SS I C A D UPUY

T

his November, The Salt Lick barbecue restaurant releases its first ever cookbook—revealing not only some of the key secrets to its great barbecue, but the culinary story behind the iconic landmark as well. Having spent six months uncovering old stories and family recipes while driving the back roads of Driftwood with Salt Lick owner Scott Roberts, cookbook author Jessica Dupuy visits with Roberts once again about pride, passion and pits.

Jessica Dupuy: The book is called The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family, and Love. When readers start to flip through the pages, they’ll find there’s a lot more in it than just barbecue. Why isn’t the whole thing about barbecue?

Scott Roberts: Because there’s more to the Salt Lick than barbecue.

Without the history and everything else that you see in the book, there would be no Salt Lick. The rest of it is the foundation of the Salt Lick.

It’s the roots. It is everything and everyone that taught me and my family about quality, about caring about where you come from and about how to be friendly.

JD: Your dedication at the beginning of the book is to women who have played a key role in your life. What made you want to dedicate this particular book to them?

SR: Once we got to the end of writing this book, it dawned on me that I’m really just a messenger for the past, present and even future people who have been involved in this story. Without these unsung, heroic people—not just the ones in my life, but throughout Texas history—there wouldn’t be Texas as we know it today. There are thousands of women throughout our state’s history that have helped create the backbone for what this state is all about. The women in my life have played an integral role in the development of myself and my family. And it came to my mind that no one else had ever said thank you.

This book is my “thank you” to them.

JD: When you started thinking of recipes you wanted to include from your grandmother, Roxie, and your mother, Hisako, which were some of the ones you absolutely had to have in the book?

SR: Fried chicken, biscuits and homemade sausage. The homemade sausage is one of the first stories I shared when we started this book.

So many memories are wrapped up in the process my aunts and uncles took in spending almost an entire day to prepare a whole hog and use some of it to make sausage. I can remember the colors, the temperature, the air. I can remember the smells of the fall season. And though I can’t remember the exact words, I can still hear the talking. Once we

finally got to sit down and eat, we weren’t just full on food—we were full on the whole experience of being together with family.

JD: You helped build the Salt Lick from the ground up, starting with the pit. How has your experience with the growth of the restaurant informed you about Texas barbecue as a cultural cuisine in Texas?

SR: Barbecue is not just about the flavor; it’s about the memories that are created through the process. That’s barbecue. When you decide to host a barbecue at home, it takes time…and during that time, people socialize. They don’t text, they don’t e-mail. They play with the fire, they cook and they tell stories together. That time draws people to interaction and, at the end, you get to enjoy that food as part of a community of friends or family. That’s what people really like about Texas barbecue.

And that’s what we try to share at the Salt Lick.

JD: Is there a best barbecue in Texas or is that just an impossible statement?

SR: I don’t know how you could ever find one barbecue that millions of people all thought was best. The term best is subjective. Barbecue is such a personal thing. Some people will love what you do, and others aren’t going to like it at all. It doesn’t matter how many smokefilled tears you put into it, that’s just how it is.

There’s good barbecue, and there’s not-good barbecue. But, of the good that’s out there, I’m not sure that there’s really ever a best. My thoughts on what I like change all the time. Sometimes I like it one way; some days I like it a different way. Sometimes with sauce, sometimes longer on more direct heat. Given how my own personal tastes change, how can there be a best for everyone?

JD: What did you learn in making this book that you didn’t expect?

SR: All of these stories came up that I hadn’t thought of in years.

I learned that I had more history behind me than I knew; that there were more people who deserve credit for what the Salt Lick is today. I also learned that everyone has vision but in order to get quality, it takes twice as much work as you envisioned it was going to.

JD: In the introduction of the book, you say that people always ask you what the key ingredient to good barbecue is. What is it?

SR: In order to make good barbecue, you have to be committed to a long process, you have to pay attention to small details and you’ve just really got to want to be in heat and smoke. So the key ingredient to barbecue is you and the passion you have for making it great.

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DRIFtWOOD: A FAMILY HISTORY An excerpt and recipes from The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family, and Love by Scott Roberts and Jessica Dupuy.

Published by Salt Lick Press. Distributed by UT Press. Designed and Produced by Pentagram.

W

hat does it take to make a great dish? Many might say the secret is in the ingredients, the technique, or a heralded recipe passed on from generation to generation. Those elements are all important. But the true answer is in the land and the people who care for it. It’s the land that inspires the people. That’s what my family taught me while growing up on our acreage in Driftwood. In the center of the land is a family restaurant, recognized more for its food—juicy brisket and ribs, fresh potato salad and coleslaw, signature barbecue sauce made from a century-old secret recipe, and peach cobbler that will send your eyes rolling to the back of your head—than for the story behind the food.

The restaurant is the Salt Lick. And though it’s certainly a place that reveals a story about great Texas barbecue, it’s really more about a love affair. If it weren’t for my family’s love for Driftwood, it would never have existed.

The roots of the Salt Lick restaurant run deep, but they didn’t begin in Texas. They began in North Carolina in 1847, with the birth of my great-grandfather, James A. Howard. He served a brief time in the Confederate War and ended up as a surveyor in Desoto, Miss., long before the original open pit was ever built in Driftwood. In October 1874 Howard married a young but determined 20-year-old orphan, Sarah Madora Mitchel, whom most people called Bettie. (Most of the family called her Mammie.) She told him that she couldn’t promise to ever love him, but that if he would marry her and take her to Texas, she would raise his kids and be good to him. Howard took her up on it. Within a week of their wedding day, the two left a land that they loved in search of a place they could love even more.

They weren’t alone. After the Civil War, a wave of Southerners from the Carolinas, Georgia, and Mississippi headed for the wild frontier of Texas. James and Bettie joined friends John A. Garrison and his wife and two sons, as well as Bettie’s brother John, on November 2, 1874, on a boat across the Gulf from Biloxi to Indianola, Texas. From there, they spent a few days assembling a wagon before heading west to find a place to settle.

Together they began a journey that would spark a family tradition and love for the land passed on through stories, family recipes, and the countless plates served at the Salt Lick restaurant today.

TRAIL COOKING Along the way, James and Bettie camped beneath the stars and cooked meals based on what little supplies and natural resources they had. Texas was largely unsettled at the time. Fresh water and outposts for garden-fresh produce were few and far between, leaving the best options for food in potatoes, onions, cabbage, vinegar, and spices, all of which kept longer than most other vegetables. The quick and easy cabbage salad, or slaw with vinegar and spices, as well as the warm potato salad mixed with onion, salt, pepper, and vinegar were simple, flavorful, and sustainable for the settlers. The recipes my family used then have

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Bettie “Mammie” Howard with granddaughter Nana V. Howard, ca. 1895

been preserved for generations and are virtually the same that we serve at the Salt Lick today. There was no mayonnaise; there was no celery or pimento. They used what would last and kept recipes simple.

For meat, they hunted along the way or cooked beef they would buy at market. Cooking over an open campfire wasn’t always easy, and there was little time and few resources to brine or marinate meat to tenderize it. They relied on an age-old method of cooking developed

by Native Americans. “Earth berm,” “earth hearth,” “burned-rock middens,” and “pit cooking” all refer to the method of cooking slowly over indirect heat to tenderize, cure, and flavor meat. The method included seasoning and then searing meat on an open flame to seal in the juices. Oftentimes the cooks would use a metal grate that they carried in the wagon as a grill surface held up by small makeshift rock walls. If the wind was blowing wrong, they would build an earth berm to hold in the heat and smoke. They could keep the fire going while moving hot coals to one side of the grate. The meats were set along the wall of the pit and left to cook for an extended period of time. As the settlers moved throughout Texas, they used different woods available along the way. Eventually, they began using live oak, which ultimately became their wood of choice for its density and smoke flavor.

That is how much of Texas barbecue originated. Though indigenous people around the world have used similar methods for cooking, barbecue as we know it in Texas is a conglomeration of Native American berm cooking from the Northeastern coast all along the Southern barbecue belt into Texas. Mexican vaquero cooking, richly influenced by bolder spices, was brought to Texas with the onset of Spanish exploration and later cattle ranching. To this day, the Salt Lick relies on the same open pit method used by its original settlers in conjunction with the modern and more commonly used cast-iron pits. We still feel the open pit is more traditional. As my father would say, “There weren’t any bumper hitches on the wagons to haul around closed smoker pits.” Our barbecue and the sides we serve reflect the methods and resources my great-grandparents used on their journey to Driftwood. As you’ll soon find, the legacy of their journey to this part of Texas is revealed every day at the Salt Lick restaurant.

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PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS WHISKEY TEQUILA VODKA RUM GIN STRAWBERRY SIPPER 1½ oz. Paula’s Texas Lemon 1½ oz. vodka 1 Tbsp. lime juice 3 fresh, ripe strawberries

Premium Lemon Liqueur

Muddle strawberries in mixer glass. Add Paula’s Texas Lemon, vodka, lime juice, and ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.

MAZATLAN 1 ½ oz. anejo tequila 1 oz. red (sweet) vermouth ½ oz. Paula’s Texas Orange 2 dashes Angostura bitters Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass.

Premium Orange Liqueur

Recipes at PaulasTexasSpirits.com EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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Hisako’s Biscuits While Roxie made large flat biscuits, Hisako made light fluffy ones.

Having spent so much time between their two houses, I find it difficult to say which were my favorite, but these were pretty hard to beat, smeared with butter and my mother’s homemade jams.

Sift dry ingredients together, then cut in shortening. Dissolve yeast in warm water, and add to buttermilk. Then add to dry ingredients. Cover and refrigerate (will keep several weeks). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll amount to be baked to 1 inch thick on slightly floured board. Cut and place on greased sheet pan; grease biscuit tops. Let stand 1 to 2 hours to rise. Bake for 15 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

Roxie’s Pan Gravy Roxie made this gravy in the pan after she finished frying different meats. It is very versatile. In the mornings you can crumble sausage into it and serve over biscuits. At lunch and dinner it is great over chicken-fried steak or venison. On Sunday, when it is made in the fried chicken pan, it is good with hot buttery mashed potatoes.

For 1 cup: 2 tablespoons fat (meat drippings) 1½ tablespoons Gold Medal Wondra flour 1 cup cold water or milk Salt and pepper to taste BOOK SIGNING AND INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT ROBERTS AND JESSICA DUPUY! Join Edible Austin at BookPeople on Thursday, November 1 at 7 p.m. for an evening with authors Scott Roberts and Jessica Dupuy, featuring tastings from The Salt Lick Cookbook and Saint Arnold Brewery beer!

Remove frying pan from heat and pour off fat (do not clean pan); measure amount needed and add back to pan. Add flour, and stir into fat. Pour in cold liquid. Stir to blend thoroughly. Return to heat, and while stirring constantly bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Season to taste and serve.

Pan gravy tip: When you make cream gravy, the best way to keep from forming clumps is to use very cold water or milk and to stir vigorously.

You may have to try it a few times to get it just right. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Enjoy our wholesome farm products!

• Grassfed Angus beef • Pecan granola (including gluten-free) • Seasonal, chemical-free produce and nuts

indianhillsfarmtx.com SFC Downtown and Sunset Valley Farmers’ Markets • 512-237-4792 72

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Photography of biscuits by Kenny Braun; photography of Scott Roberts by Bill Albrecht

5 cups unsifted flour ¼ cup sugar 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1½ teaspoon salt 1 cup shortening 1 package dry yeast 2 tablespoons warm water 2 cups buttermilk

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COOKS at home

Tyson Cole b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

W

ith a chef ’s knife and five spare minutes, Tyson Cole can make a bunch of green grapes look like a handful of gemstones. That transformation is particularly important today because he’s cooking for his three daughters, ages 2, 5 and 8. And, unlike his customers at Uchi (in Austin and Houston) and Uchiko, they tend to be suspicious when green things are piled on a plate. “The eight-year-old eats earth tones, breaded things,” Cole says. “The five-year-old eats fruits and primary colors. The two-year-old’s somewhere in between.

But,” he says, his concentration building as he hovers over the cutting board, “I’m going to cook something all three will like.”

To repeat, the recipient of the James Beard Foundation’s 2011 Best Chef: Southwest award is cooking for three consumers who, by his own admission, “never want to eat. The key word is snack.” Not exactly high stakes, but as Cole stares down at the grapes, his body language evokes an Olympic diver in the moment before he bends his knees and flies into the air. (Meanwhile, a steelhead trout fillet, well oiled, is already on the grill, skin-side down.)

As a kid, he says, he was something of a picky eater himself.

“I liked my mother’s spaghetti sauce with pork chops, creamed chipped beef on toast, tuna casserole,” he says. “I wasn’t very adventurous. I never tried any of this Uchi stuff till I was twenty-two.” And then only because, while studying architecture at the University of Texas, he found work washing dishes at a Japanese restaurant and gradually became obsessed with Japanese culinary culture. He would eventually apprentice under Chef Takehiko Fuse at Austin’s legendary Musashino Sushi Dokoro, learn Japanese and study the art of sushi in Japan.

It’s not a craft you forget, he says, even when you no longer spend most of your working life behind the sushi bar. He enjoys the varied responsibilities of owning and operating restaurants and wouldn’t go back to his old day job. “But do I miss working with the knife? I miss the knife every day,” he says. “Malcolm Gladwell says you need ten thousand hours doing something to be a badass at it. I definitely have at least that much. Well, the good thing is, we have three restaurants, so I can jump back in when I want to.”

At home, where his line-cook position is secure for the foreseeable future, he jumps in four or five nights a week—taking up the slack for his wife, Rebekkah, a culinary-school graduate currently devoting her time to raising and shuttling kids.

Sometime between five and six in the evening, Tyson usually

produces a healthy meal—often fish, fruit and vegetables, plus aromatics and citrus he grows himself.

“I have a screamingly high metabolism,” Cole observes. “I eat four or five times a day. In Japan, eating rice, fish and miso for breakfast was a revelation. I realized all that stuff we call comfort food is really un-comfort food.”

Tyson uses the base of his knife to peel a single grape into a ribbon of fruit. “I have pictures of my daughter when I first started cutting grapes this way…she had grapes all over her body.”

The steelhead fillet emerges from the grill, its skin crackling.

Cole deposits it on a raised bed of chopped strawberries. Fish and fruit glow with thin coats of olive oil. “Olive oil on everything,” he confirms. “And my favorite: white balsamic,” he says, producing a pocket-size bottle and squirting it liberally over the plate.

“Acid. Acid is the key to all good food. Don’t be afraid of acid.”

Tyson Cole’s Grilled Steelhead Trout with Strawberries, Grapes, Olive Oil and White Balsamic 1 whole fillet of steelhead trout, skin on Sea salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste 4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling Fresh lemon juice, to taste 1 pt. fresh strawberries, cut into bite-size pieces 4 oz. green grapes, cut into quarters 1 oz. aged white balsamic vinegar

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Remove the pin bones from the trout fillet and season it well with sea salt and pepper. Generously brush the trout with olive oil—making sure to rub in the oil on the skin side. Place the fillet, skin-side down, onto the medium-hot part of the grill. Let the fish cook for 2 minutes without moving it. Place a fish spatula under the fish, gently lift and move it—still skin-side down—to a cooler part of the grill. Continue to let the fish cook for 5 more minutes—checking periodically for charring on the skin.

Remove the fish from the grill and let rest for 2 minutes. Finish the fish with lemon juice and olive oil. Season the berries and grapes with sea salt and drizzle with olive oil and white balsamic. Serve the trout with the berries and grapes. Serves 2 adults and 3 small grape lovers.

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From left: Tom Vinson, Mary Johnson, Wally Workman, Deborah Vinson and Tom Herern

Wally’s Margarita: One, one, one…. One part tequila, one part Paula’s Texas Orange, one part fresh lime juice

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Wally Workman b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

S

ure, you could call it a soiree, but local art gallery owner Wally Workman would consider that a pretty fancy word for her regular Thursday night dinner party. The tradition started, after all, with a TV show “so trashy I won’t even tell you what it is,” she says. The point is, a group of Workman’s friends came over one Thursday three years ago for mindless TV and ended up more interested in each other. They quit watching the show and the emphasis shifted to food and fraternizing…or sororitizing, because there’s usually a nice balance of men and women.

Tonight’s margarita also has a pleasant symmetry to it.

“One, one, one,” Workman explains. “One part tequila, one part Paula’s Texas Orange, one part fresh lime juice.” Served icecold, no rocks, it goes down, as we Texans say, mighty easy on a hot night. But when her old friend Tom Vinson shows up, he heads straight for the bottle of Treaty Oak rum in Workman’s sideboard, then for the authentic Mexican Coke in her fridge— knowing she keeps these things on hand for him. It’s a civilized arrangement.

Vinson and Workman have known each other for 30 years— ever since the day he walked into her gallery and began “giving me a bunch of crap,” she recalls. “He kept saying ‘you call this art?’ It turned out he was actually quite the artist himself.”

Next to arrive are Tom’s sister, Deborah, recently transplanted from Washington, D.C.; Mary, a pediatrician; and a second Tom, who says he’s about to move to eastern Europe “possibly to escape prosecution,” so we should all take one last look at him, and yes, he’d like a cocktail.

Workman entertains with ease, not just at her Allandale home, but at her longtime West 6th Street gallery located in a 120-yearold house whose kitchen was removed long ago to make more room for displaying art. Her monthly openings are legendary, not just for the breadth of work she manages to find—and sell!— but because of her all-out hospitality. A recent Saturday night opening featured Priscilla Robinson’s handmade paper creations, poached salmon and crisp vinho verde wine. Workman seemed to be everywhere at once—serving drinks, snacks and stories of the art, the artists and the people in the room. She likes to mix things together and see what happens.

Tonight, for instance, she’s assembled squares of watermelon, feta and basil into a summer hors d’oeuvre. The presentation was sophisticated; the attitude was oh, this old thing? Dinner was

a sit-down candlelit affair with vintage linen napkins, spirited political riffing, pulled pork, H-E-B tortillas (hot off the in-store machine), queso fresco, smoky black beans, Greek yogurt, homemade pico de gallo and a side of Workman’s tangy coleslaw.

Everyone had seconds of everything.

“I love to cook and have people over,” Workman says. “I just get in the mood. Cooking for one? Not as much fun. Nowhere near.”

This Old Thing Hors d’oeuvre 1 small watermelon, seeds removed, cut into 1-in. squares 1 bunch fresh basil leaves, cut into 1-in. pieces 1 block feta cheese, cut into 1-in. squares Kalamata olives Toothpicks, for serving

Skewer 1 square of watermelon, 1 piece of basil, 1 square of feta and 1 kalamata olive each on toothpicks.

Wally’s Coleslaw 2½ heaping spoonfuls Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise Juice of ½ large lemon About the same amount of red wine vinegar 1 small head cabbage, finely grated 3 carrots, grated Seasoning salt Paprika

In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice and vinegar.

Add the cabbage and carrots. Season to taste with the seasoning salt and paprika.

Pico de Gallo 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, red and yellow, quartered 2–3 jalapeños, seeded (Use a melon baller. It works great!)

Chopped cilantro, to taste Fresh lime juice, to taste Salt, to taste

Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl.

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COOKS at home

Peter Bay b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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n his 13th year with the Austin Symphony, conductor Peter Bay hasn’t forgotten the buzz he felt when he first came to town. “I knew Austin was eclectic and hip,” he says, “but when I got here, I just went nuts. It’s a stunning place! It has big-city offerings in a small-town setting. And small-town friendliness! And record stores! I was stunned by the wide variety of things one can do, or eat.”

About that last part—Bay eats out a lot. “It’s why there’s not much in my bank account,” he says, a little sheepishly.

“I don’t cook. I boil water or microwave things.” This morning, he poured cereal for his 4-year-old son Colin, but that, he realizes, doesn’t make him a cook. His wife, the soprano Mela Sarajane Dailey, has been known to bake or scramble eggs, but theirs is not a household of regular family meals.

The yearly cycle of rehearsals, performances and auditions—in Austin and elsewhere, as both tour regularly and Bay directs the Britt Classical Festival in Oregon—leaves little time for that. On the bright side, not cooking frees him up for frequent dinners at the Alamo Drafthouse— "I'm a big movie music buff "—and happy hours at Uchi, just one of the many eateries he can walk to from the Long Center.

“Lots of conductors love to cook, but I’d rather have someone cook for me.”

— Peter Bay

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Again, Bay apologizes—he can’t offer a recipe. At one time he knew how to cook vegetarian chili with wheat germ, which tasted better than it sounds, but he hasn’t made it in years. Family recipes from his childhood in D.C.? No. “My father was from the Philippines, which meant I’d be hauled to a lot of dinners of roast pig with an apple jammed in its mouth.” Bay shudders. “The skin was crispy but you’d have to chisel off the fat underneath. And the fish sauce…it just smelled. He also cooked liver. I don’t know what kind of liver, but I still can’t stand it.” As a boy, the flavors he responded to were mostly musical. “I must have been born with a keen sensitivity to it,” he says. “My father had a tin ear, but he was a stereo buff. He had a huge hi-fi system and it played everything, from classical to Mantovani to Broadway.”

At 16, Bay sought fatherly advice from the famed conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein, who’d agreed to see him during intermission at a National Symphony Orchestra concert. “I had all his records,” Bay remembers. “He was wearing a Japanese robe and offered me a cigarette and a coffee—neither of which I took. He said ‘Why do you want to be a conductor? The world is filthy with conductors.’”

Inspired rather than discouraged, Bay went on to the University of Maryland and the Peabody Institute and from there to long-term gigs with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Erie Philharmonic, among others. Now, with a full schedule of opera, ballet and orchestra concerts, he lives, works and eats contentedly in Austin.

But unlike many other conductors, he never waits until after a performance to eat. “The clear majority do, but I don’t know where they get their energy. Conducting is aerobic exercise.” So, while other performers surrender to nerves on concert nights, Bay fuels up at Whole Foods Market, which gets more of his business than his own kitchen does. “The tagliatelle with arrabiata sauce, or a nice hunk of salmon with chipotle broccoli and mashed yams. Lots of conductors love to cook,” he decides, “but I’d rather have someone cook for me.”

PASTA WITH Arrabiata (Angry) Sauce Courtesy of Michael Frei of Whole Foods Market 1 lb. package pasta 3 T. plus 2 t. 365 organic extra-virgin olive oil, divided 2 oz. good-quality pancetta (bacon may be substituted), diced 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 t. red chili flakes. ž c. dry white wine 1 28 oz. can organic diced tomatoes 1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce 1 T. chopped fresh oregano (dried may not be substituted) 2 T. cold butter Salt and pepper, to taste Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if desired

Any good pasta will work with this sauce; pick your favorite and cook until al dente, toss with 2 teaspoons olive oil and reserve.

In a two-quart sauce pan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-

low heat until it shimmers and has the appearance of the texture of an orange peel.

Add the pancetta. When it starts to crisp, tilt the pan so that all the fat moves into the corner of the pan. Add the garlic to the oil and stir while the oil is pooled together. Spread the oil and garlic back over the surface of the pan, stirring frequently. When the garlic starts to turn golden brown, add the chili flakes. Count to 20 and add the white wine, turn the heat to high and reduce to au sec (almost dry). Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, sauce and oregano and continue to stir and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

At this point the sauce may be cooled, uncovered, in the refrigerator.

Then it can be covered and reserved for later use in the week.

When you are ready to eat, get a large sautĂŠ pan and heat to low and add as much pasta as you wish for yourself and your dining partner. Add just enough sauce to coat the pasta, approximately 1 cup for two people. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce and pasta are piping hot. Plate in pasta bowls and garnish with the cheese, if desired.

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Carol Huntsberger’s Why Not? Shrimp Migas Serves 4 to 6 For the shrimp: 1 lb. medium shrimp (whole, unpeeled) ¼ c. olive oil ¼ c. lemon juice ¼ c. fresh parsley ¹/³ c. fresh cilantro 2 t. minced garlic 1½ t. paprika 1 t. ground cumin 3½ t. crushed red pepper flakes ½ t. salt ¼ t. ground black pepper Special equipment: wooden skewers, soaked in water

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For the migas: 8 large eggs 2 T. water ¼ t. salt Fresh-ground pepper 2 T. butter 1 small white onion, chopped 1 medium tomato, seeded, chopped and drained 1 c. grated Oaxaca cheese (or a semi-soft white cow’s milk cheese) 1 c. tortilla chips, broken into large bite-size pieces Hot sauce, to taste

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Thaw the shrimp, if frozen. Shell, devein and set aside. Place all of the ingredients except the shrimp into a blender and process to a fine puree. Place the shrimp and the puree in large glass bowl, cover and marinate, chilled, for 30 minutes. Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Drain the shrimp, reserving the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto the soaked skewers and grill (or broil in the oven) until pink, turning frequently and brushing with the reserved marinade— about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, remove the shrimp from the skewers and set aside.

Add the eggs, water, salt and pepper to taste to a mixing bowl and whisk. Melt the butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat, tilting the pan to swirl the butter around. When the butter foams, add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the egg mixture and let set for 20 seconds. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, or until almost set, then add the prepared shrimp and the tomato and cheese. Continue stirring and cooking until mixed well and the cheese melts. Add the chips and stir to combine. Sprinkle hot sauce over the top if desired and serve.

COOKS at home

Carol Huntsberger b y R o b i n C h o t z i n o f f • P h o t o g r a p h y b y M a rc Br o w n

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ike a lot of moms, Carol Huntsberger likes to send her daughter back to college with a little something to eat. But Huntsberger is a fishmonger—we’re not talking homemade cookies. “Certainly not. A two-pound bag of Texas Gold shrimp, individually flash-frozen,” she says. “Audrey cooks them all the time at school. They’re so easy.”

Not just easy to prepare, sautéed and mixed with a little pesto, for instance, but also to acquire. Huntsberger owns and runs Quality Seafood Market, and she really likes connecting people and fish. Seafood, she likes to say, is “the fittest fast food.”

She entertains herself and friends by bringing some home and throwing it on the grill. (A cookbook, coauthored with good friend Lori Brix, should be out in 2013.) Huntsberger’s kids got swept up in her enthusiasm, even though they were teenagers when it began. “It is possible to get sick of P. Terry’s,” says her son, Aaron. “In high school, all our friends wanted to go to Quality Seafood and we brought people home all the time. It was that kind of house.”

This morning, it still is. With Audrey home from Texas A&M University and Aaron just in from Chapman University in Southern California, they’re making shrimp migas—a favorite recipe for a favorite time of day. “When they were little, their dad traveled all the time, and somehow breakfast became our meal, even if it was cheesecake with caramel sauce. And one time, it was. Because…why not?”

Why not was often Huntsberger’s impetus in those days. “I was always throwing a party, trying new recipes, new themes.

Sometimes I had massive flops. One year for Thanksgiving, with the whole family out at the lake house, I was trying to impress them with this gigantic bird. It was raining and we were crampacked into that house and temperatures rose, but the turkey never did get done.”

Food was a hobby, a break from her job as a Mary Kay sales director closing in on pink-Cadillac status. Then came 9/11 and the resulting financial meltdown. Her then-husband, Paul, lost his financial-services job and decided, on a whim, to buy Quality Seafood, then a 65-year-old Austin institution. “I had no interest and I wanted nothing to do with it,” Huntsberger says. “But at the end of the first year, we’d lost money. So I went to work and cracked down.”

Mary Kay hadn’t prepared her for a computerless office at

the back of a modest storefront restaurant that closed early and didn’t bother to open at all on Sundays or Mondays. “I looked around and saw nothing but a roomful of men eating fried fish with plastic forks,” she remembers. “I thought there had to be a way to get something on the menu a woman might want to eat.”

Thus began a self-directed apprenticeship—learning “all the jobs: how to buy the fish, sell the fish, cook the fish, cut the fish. We put in two-dollar fish tacos and beer on Tuesdays, plus kids’ meals, crab cakes and an oyster bar.” By the end of the second year, Quality Seafood was only $3,000—as opposed to $200,000—in the hole. By 2010, divorced from Paul, who was back in the banking world, Huntsberger had become the market’s sole owner. She added culinary-school-trained chefs, instituted health insurance and 401(k)s for her employees and started the process of buying the Quality Seafood building and expanding the restaurant.

Early on, she had a shocking realization. “I had fallen in love. I remember the weekend it hit me—I was up at Quality Seafood for Good Friday. Every Christian in town was there eating fish. Saturday morning I ordered fried chicken for the staff—I always bought a staff meal on the busiest day. I was standing over a trash can full of salmon heads, eating my chicken, and I thought my life has changed.”

Nearly 10 years after that morning, she prepares to share another unorthodox breakfast—this time with her adult children.

Aaron, who calls himself “an accomplished microwaver,” but is actually quite adept in the kitchen, keeps his eye on the shrimp while his mom whisks eggs and crumbles cheese. “They cook; I organize things on the plate,” Audrey says. “It’s what we do. It’s how we hang out.”

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Texas WIne holiday gift guide b y te r ry T h o m p s o n - Ande r s o n

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s the Texas wine industry continues to expand, the wines keep getting better and better. It seems that increased competition within the industry is, indeed, raising the bar of excellence for Texas wines. And Texas winemakers are finally realizing that they must concentrate on growing varietals—like those from the Mediterranean—that thrive best in our Texas terroir. In fact, Dr. Russell Kane, author of the Vintage Texas wine blog and the recently published book, The

Kiepersol Estates Winery 2009 Barrel No. 33 Texas Wish Pierre de Wet and his two daughters immigrated to the U.S. from Mpumalanga, South Africa in 1984 and established Kiepersol Estates south of Tyler. De Wet started with 14 acres of grapes planted in 1998, and produced the first vintage in 2000. Additional plantings have brought the total acreage to 68, making it one of the largest vineyards in Texas. The vineyards grow 14 different grape varietals. Each year just prior to harvest, the de Wets scout the vineyards and select those vines that have the perfect balance of fruit, flavor and color to produce the Barrel No. 33 vintage. In 2009, because their syrah was head and shoulders better than any of their other grapes, that year’s Barrel No. 33 turned out to be 92 percent syrah. They added 8 percent of other varieties to achieve a balance of tannins and acids. Aged for 32 months in 80 percent American oak and 20 percent neutral French oak, the wine is bitter-free, has supple, strong tannins and great up-front fruit. The aroma is of black currants, which could almost be confused with vanilla. The medium body of the wine provides the perfect mouthfeel for a truly enjoyable wine experience.

On the palate, the wine is chocolate-covered strawberries with a delightful black cherry-taffy finish. De Wet calls this wine a “keeper,” with aging potential of 10 years. Enjoy it with a braised shoulder of lamb during holiday feasting.

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Wineslinger Chronicles, actually proclaims our state as the “Texas Mediterranean.”

Here’s a selection of some of the best, and certainly the most interesting, wines in Texas. Since many of the best are produced by small boutique wineries, the wines may be hard to find. You can always order them from the wineries; they are delighted to ship their wines to you within the state.

And talk to your favorite wine shop about stocking more of the good Texas wines from smaller wineries.

Haak Vineyards and Winery 2010 Blanc du Bois Madeira In 2000, when Raymond and Gladys Haak first announced that they would open Haak Vineyards and Winery in Santa Fe, Texas about 20 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, wine critics said they were crazy.

Skeptics were sure that wine grapes wouldn’t grow in such heat, humidity and proximity to the coast—they’d be susceptible to every disease and pest that could possibly befall wine grapes. Everything changed, though, when wine writer Michael Lonsford went to the winery and tasted their wines made from the blanc du bois grape.

Lonsford was so impressed that he wrote a glowing review in his weekly column in the Houston Chronicle—extolling the virtues of the grape and Raymond’s skill in creating wines from it. Over the years Raymond has won national and international acclaim for his winemaking success with this grape—a hybrid varietal that’s resistant to many of the diseases and pests that blight other grapes.

Haak makes seven distinctly different wines using the grape, but one of his greatest achievements was the Madeira. After a trip to Portugal and the island of Madeira, he became interested in, and researched, the traditional estufagem methods for making Madeira. Determined to master it back home, he built a traditional estufa (a room used to heat-age the wine) at his winery and decided to make his first Madeira from the Jacquez (Lenoir/ black Spanish) grape. The wine won immediate acclaim—beating out Madeiras from some of the top Mediterranean producers in competitions. He then made a vintage of Madeira from the blanc du bois grape, which has also won numerous awards and acclaim. Noted wine authority Jancis Robinson scored the 2006 (blanc du bois) vintage at 15.5. The 2010 Blanc du Bois Madeira opens up in the glass with delightful aromas of dried apricots and peaches doused with caramel. On the palate, notes of soft, buttery caramel-coated apricots and peaches follow, with a soft hint of green tea and fresh lemons. The finish is bracing and zesty as the 18-percent alcohol content makes its presence known as a pleasantly warming sensation in the throat. Raymond’s Madeira is the perfect end to a holiday evening relaxing in front of a crackling fire. 409-925-1401, haakwine.com

Savor the Taste of Texas Gold Winner at the 2012 San Francisco International Wine Competition

Pedernales Cellars wines are available in our tasting room in Stonewall in the Texas Hill Country, online at www.pedernalescellars.com, and at The Austin Wine Merchant, East End Wines, Spec’s, Twin Liquors, Urban Wine and Liquor, and Whole Foods Market.

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Real Cooking Mon-Thurs: 6 am-3 pm Fri-Sun: 6 am-5 pm

512-382-6248 11815 620 N. Suite 4

noblepigaustin.com 84

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Bending Branch Winery 2010 Picpoul Blanc, 1840 Bending Branch Winery, in Comfort, is a relatively new winery.

However, owner and winemaker Bob Young, along with son-inlaw and operations manager John Rivenburgh, hit the ground running—planting varietals that had never before been grown in Texas.

The wines made from these unique grapes have been racking up critical acclaim and awards all over the country ever since. I was delighted to see that one of their first wines was produced from my favorite white wine grape, picpoul—rarely seen in the U.S. They planted a small acreage of the grapes at their estate vineyard (the 2011 harvest did not produce enough wine to make it available to the public), but the grapes for this 1840-label vintage came from Hall Ranch Vineyards in Paso Robles, California. Bending Branch hand-harvested the grapes and began processing the fruit while there to have complete control over the quality of the winemaking process.

The picpoul grape is an ancient French varietal from the Languedoc region where it’s produced as a delightful vin du pays, or table wine.

Picpoul—known as “lip stinger” because of its bright acidity—offers flavors of tropical fruits, and is known as one of the gems of the southern Rhône for its ability to boost the bouquet of Rhône-style blends. It’s a white wine that red wine drinkers like, and is a great wine to pair with food as it’s the white equivalent of a full-bodied red. The wine provides great lift and movement across the palate, boasting the varietal-typical tropical fruits and sweet citrus notes.

It’s multilayered with hints of clove, honey, vanilla and cream, and is perfect for pairing with one of my favorite holiday foods: oysters, especially on the half shell. The brine and salt components of the oysters are somewhat neutralized by high-acid wines, and picpoul is the mother ship of acidity. It’s also a great wine for sushi—neutralizing even a giant dollop of wasabi—or with rich, oily fish like salmon.

The Picpoul Blanc, 1840 won a gold medal at the 2011 Lone Star International Wine Competition.

830-995-2948, bendingbranchwinery.com

Llano Estacado Winery 2008 Viviano Llano Estacado Winery is the secondoldest winery in Texas. Vice President and Executive Winemaker Greg Bruni joined the winery in 1993 after 20 years as a winemaker in California, and has drastically improved the quality of Llano Estacado’s wines. Bruni produced the first vintage of Viviano in 1996— marking a milestone for European-style wine blends in Texas. Viviano is Llano Estacado’s highest quality wine and is only produced in those years when Bruni deems the grapes to be of superior quality. As of 2012, the Viviano has walked away with a prestigious Grand Award as Texas’s Best Red Wine five times at the Lone Star International Wine Competition. In 2012, the 2008 vintage won the double gold medal as well as the Grand Star for red wine. The 2008 Viviano was aged 879 days in both French and American oak and is a blend of 73.2 percent cabernet sauvignon from the vineyards of Rising Star, 19.7 percent sangiovese from Newsom Vineyards and small amounts of syrah, malbec, petite verdot, cabernet franc and others. Because of the extensive barrel aging, the aromatics are complex. The tannins are well balanced and make the wine exceptional for pairing with Texas beef tenderloin, rib-eye or rib roast. Look for layers of mocha, dried cherries and a nuance of cedar. The finish is smooth and lingering. 806-745-2258, llanoestacadowine.com

TASTE THE TERROIR of Mason County Award-winning wines As seen in Food and Wine

winery and wine bar

Th–Sat 11–10; Sun 11–2 SE corner of the town square in Mason

325-347-WINE • sandstonecellarswinery.com

Eat Fresh...

Uptown Blanco Restaurant

Our chef creates exciting culinary specials daily using many of the local ingredients found throughout the Hill Country. These include cheeses, olive oil, produce and meats. Our private dining room is available for any festive or intimate gathering.

Sandstone Cellars Winery Cider Dessert Wine 2010

On the Town Square in Blanco www.UptownBlanco.com . 830 833-1579

Sandstone Cellars Winery is a small boutique winery established in 2004 in Mason. It’s become known for its big, bold, Mediterranean red wine blends, and for an outstanding 100 percent touriga vintage in 2009. For their 2012 release, however, owners Scott Haupert and Manny Silerio, along with winemaker Don Pullum, wanted to try their hands at making a superb dessert wine. They turned Jo-Issue Nov 2012.indd UB AD Edible Austinto Cooks nagold apples from the far northern edge of the Texas Panhandle.

This marked a radical move for a winery whose great red blends are featured on the wine lists at some of Texas’s most elite restaurants.

Pullum fortified the cider with a smooth apple brandy from Oregon.

The wine’s bouquet is like cutting into a sweet Golden Delicious apple: light spice and a hint of honey. It’s the full tantalizing experi-

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ence of apple pie with subtle sweetness, tart apple, nutmeg, allspice and a bit of cardamom. On the finish, there’s a light, hot dinner roll yeastiness. Haupert mentions that one of his favorite ways to enjoy the wine is on the rocks. After trying it, I agree. It’s also nice as an after-dinner quaff served in chilled shooter glasses. In any vessel, the wine should be served quite cold: 40 to 45 degrees.

325-347-9463, sandstonecellarswinery.com

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Texas Hills Vineyard Toro de Tejas 2010 Texas Hills Vineyard is located in Johnson City. Owners Gary and Kathy Gilstrap brought their careers as pharmacists to the winemaking industry and introduced many innovations inspired by their scientific backgrounds. Over the years, their wines have won many awards and have been embraced by wine drinkers around the state and country. While Gary’s initial focus was on Italian-style wines, he’s branched out into other varietals, including tempranillo. Many in the industry, including Gary, believe that the tempranillo grape will play an important role in the future of the Texas wine industry as it seems ideally suited for the Texas terroir. Grapes for the Toro de Tejas 2010 came from Newsom Vineyards in the Texas High Plains—growers of some of Texas’s highest quality grapes. These are old vines that produce wines with full, lush bodies and rich, complex flavors.

The tannins are soft and understated—allowing for the flavors of dark berries and plums to blossom, with a hint of spice towards the finish. This wine is a great pairing for the foods we love in Texas: smoked and well-seasoned red meat and game, as well as grilled, boldly seasoned shrimp and quail. When firing up the pit to smoke a juicy brisket or some venison backstrap for the holidays, look no further for a wine match.

830-868-2321, texashillsvineyard.com

The Leaning Pear Cafe` & Eatery Serving the Texas Hill Country Fresh &

Seasonal Favorites Using Local Ingredients

leaningpear.com Wednesday to Monday ~ 11:00 am-3:00 pm Friday and Saturday ~ 11:00 am-8:00 pm

111 RiveR Road • WimbeRley, Texas • 512-847-PeaR

Broken Arrow Ranch An artisanal purveyor of high quality, free-range venison, antelope and wild boar meat from truly wild animals.

Enjoy meat as Mother Nature makes it!

• Free-ranging animals humanely field-harvested on local ranches • Extremely low in fat; hormone- and antibiotics-free • The finest, most natural game meat available • Acclaimed nationally, available locally • Order online or visit our store in Ingram 3296 Junction Hwy., Ingram, TX 78025

800-962-4263 • brokenarrowranch.com

time-saving meals, cooking tips + more @ dishalicious.com coupon code: EDIBLE EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

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PAN to print b y K r i s ti W i l l i s

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reating personal cookbooks is an age-old tradition that used to require not only publishing prowess but hour upon hour of labor spent compiling and formatting recipes. But thanks to new online tools and desktop software, now anyone can easily create an eyecatching cookbook. Authors can choose from four types of applications:

• Online cookbook-specific tools with highly stylized preset templates that have the finished look of a professionally published cookbook • Online self-publishing programs that offer control over the format of the book and how it’s bound but require the creator to do the design • Photo-sharing sites that offer the ability to print books containing text and pictures using stylish formats • Desktop recipe storage and organizing software with the capability to print a basic book or export a document to be formatted further in a word processing or desktop publishing tool Picking the right tool depends on the desired level of control over the design, the number of recipes for the book and the price point.

TasteBook (tastebook.com): Create a hardcover cookbook of up to 100 recipes by adding personal recipes and photos or choosing from its online collection. Authors can personalize the cover, dedication and chapter pages in the online studio software, and the program creates the table of contents for the book. The binder format and complimentary plastic sleeves make it easy to add recipes over time. Cost: $39.95 for the first book. Platform: online, iPhone app for recipe searching.

Create My Cookbook (createmycookbook.com): This web-based cookbook tool provides the ability to pick the binding style and customize each page of the cookbook, up to 100 pages. Cost: $19.95 for spiral bound and $34.95 for hardcover.

Special pricing is available for nonprofit fund-raising books. Platform: online.

Lulu (lulu.com): While not exclusively for cookbooks, this self-publishing site offers a cookbook template in three sizes— square, compact and wallet—with a choice of hardcover or paperback binding. The site’s Cookbook Wizard guides users through picking a theme with predefined page layouts. For more choices in size and layout, the standard Book Wizard offers additional flexibility but requires users to do the design work. Cost: $9.99 for a 20-page paperback cookbook (additional pages $1.00 each). Standard books start at $6.04 for a black-and-white paperback book. Platform: online.

Blurb (blurb.com): Blurb presents users with three different bookmaking options based on how much assistance or control is desired. Choose from the online Bookify program that provides predefined templates, the BookSmart downloadable software with fully customizable layouts and designs or the Adobe InDesign plug-in that makes it easy to apply the book formats in the desktop publishing software. None of the templates are specific to a cookbook layout, though. The final product can be bound in hardcover or paperback. Cost: $19.95 for a 20-page soft-cover book. Platform: online and desktop.

Shutterfly (shutterfly.com): This photo-sharing site offers the ability to print books using predesigned, lively layouts that include the My Recipes and Favorite Recipes templates. Users can add optional embellishments to the pages, but have little ability to customize other design elements. The layouts can be difficult to manage for long recipes. Cost: $29.99 for a 20-page book. Platform: online.

Snapfish (snapfish.com): Also selling personalized photo books, this photo-printing service partners with Flickr, an online photo-sharing site, to make it easy to upload your online food photos. Users can choose from a number of designs, but the selection does not include any cookbook or recipe-specific templates. Like Shutterfly, the layouts do not accommodate lengthy recipes. Cost: $29.99 for a 20-page book. Platform: online.

Living Cookbook (livingcookbook.com): This award-winning recipe-management software gives users the ability to add recipes to a cookbook, then the program creates an index based on the recipe ingredients. The book, produced in a 5.5” by 8.5” booklet size, can be printed directly from the program or exported to Microsoft Word for additional editing. Publishing and binding the book are up to the customer. Cost: $34.95. Platform: desktop, Windows only.

Cook'n Recipe Organizer (dvo.com): This desktop software organizes recipes and photos into chapters that can be used to create a cookbook with a customizable title page and auto-generated table of contents and index. What the program lacks in design features, it makes up for with an easy-to-use interface for easy cookbook production. Publishing and binding the book are up to the customer. Cost: $79.95. Platform: desktop (Mac and Windows), iPhone, iPad and Android apps.

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Lone Star Foodservice sources and delivers the finest cuts of natural beef, pork and lamb to tables across Texas. We are committed to promoting sustainable agriculture and humanely raised livestock through our partnerships with local farms, ranches and chefs.

CEO and third generation butcher

Windy Bar Ranch Stonewall, Texas

Austin | Dallas | Fort Worth | Houston | San Antonio

1403 East 6th Street, Austin, TX 512-646-6218 LoneStarFood.com NaturalMeats@LoneStarFood.com

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The Directory ARTISANAL FOODS

Lone Star Foodservice

Antonelli’s Cheese Shop

We love cheese & everything that goes with it. Taste cut-to-order artisanal cheese for free in our shop, take a class, or host an event in our Cheese House.

512-531-9610 4220 Duval St. antonellischeese.com

Noble Pig Sandwiches

Austin Gourmet Imports, LLC

We are an importer of many rare specialty Dutch-flavored Gouda-style cheeses made of wholesome natural ingredients.

Unique in flavor and appearance.

512-465-2265 5212 Cypress Ranch Blvd., Spicewood austingourmetimports.com Blue Baker is a local artisan bakery cafe featuring hand-crafted breads, pastries, sandwiches, soups, salads and stoneoven pizzas.

512-346-2583 10000 Research Blvd.

979-268-3096 800 University Dr., College Station 979-696-5055 201 Dominik Dr., College Station bluebaker.com

Broken Arrow Ranch

We field harvest truly wild animals for high-quality free-range venison, antelope and wild boar meat. Diamond H Ranch Quail from Bandera also available.

830-367-5875 3296 Junction Hwy., Ingram brokenarrowranch.com

Con ‘Olio Oils & Vinegars

A tasting bar & importer of the finest, freshest Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars from around the world.

512-342-2344 10000 Research Blvd., Ste. 130 512-495-1559 215 Lavaca St. conolios.com

Dos Lunas Artisan Cheese

Dos Lunas is a specially aged raw cow’s milk cheese. Our milk comes from grassfed, free-roaming cows in Schulenburg, Texas. We age our cheese in Austin.

512-963-5357 doslunascheese.com Artisan ice creams celebrating the finest ingredients Texas has to offer! Handmade in small batches in our shop, locally sourced and seasonally inspired.

512-363-5622 2032 S. Lamar Blvd. ilikelick.com 92

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Local sandwich shop featuring housecured meats, made-from-scratch breads, condiments and pickles.

512-382-6248 11815 620 N., Ste. 4 noblepigaustin.com

Old Stone Market

Blue Baker

Lick Ice Creams

Lone Star Foodservice is a family-owned wholesale meat company, whose mission is to source and deliver the finest cuts of natural beef, pork and lamb to tables across Texas.

512-646-6218 1403 E. 6th St. lonestarfood.com

Purveyors of black peppercorns from Madagascar, the finest most aromatic pepper in the world. Also gourmet sea salts, fine herbs and spices and chef services.

830-864-5060 176 KC 433, Harper oldstonemarket.com

Taste Buds Food & Wine Shop

A specialty food & wine shop featuring Texas products and offering free samples every day. Give a taste of Texas with a beautiful gift basket.

512-847-7771 13904 Ranch Road 12, Wimberley txtastebuds.com

Texas Olive Ranch

Fresh Texas-grown extra virgin olive oil from Carrizo Springs, infused olive oil & balsamic vinegar at farmers markets in Austin, SA, NB, Houston, Dallas.

877-461-4708 texasoliveranch.com

Treasured Earth Foods

Sinfully Scrumptious, Heavenly Healthy sweets that only taste decadent. Indulge your cravings for chocolate, cakes, pies, & cookies and forget the guilt!

512-646-1146 treasuredearthfoods.com

Bakeries 2tarts Bakery & Catering

Baked goods, specialty cakes and catering all made from scratch. Locally sourced coffee and tea brewed with love. Located in Downtown New Braunfels.

830-387-4606 139 N. Castell, Ste. 300, New Braunfels 2tarts.com

Blue Note Bakery

Blue Note Bakery is Austin’s premier custom cake shop, meticulously creating one-of-a-kind desserts for your special occasion.

512-797-7367 4201 S. Congress Ave., Ste. 101 bluenotebakery.com

Edis Chocolates

Chocolate Shop & Bakery.

512-795-9285 3808 Spicewood Springs Rd. edischocolates.com

Red Oak Bakery

100% gluten free bakery using local, sustainable and organic ingredients.

Handmade and house-made artisanal sweets and savories.

830-214-6911 596 S. Castell Ave., New Braunfels redoakbakery.com

Tom’s Tabooley

Fresh Mediterranean Cafe since 1977.

Vegan to carnivore delights: falafels, gyros, hand rolled dolmas, beer & wine. Live music. Open 7 days a week.

Family friendly.

512-479-7337 2928 Guadalupe St. tomstabooley.com

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

Locally owned and operated since 1991 - Courteous and Professional Services - Careful selection - Competitive pricing Gift wrap - Delivery within Austin.

512-499-0512 512 W. 6th St. theaustinwinemerchant.com

Paula’s Texas Spirits

We handcraft Paula’s Texas Orange and Paula’s Texas Lemon liqueurs in Austin.

Delicious as a zesty sipper or versatile cocktail component. paulastexasspirits.com

Pedernales Cellars

Pedernales Cellars is a family-owned winery in the Texas Hill Country where one can enjoy delectable Spanish style wines and fabulous views.

830-644-2037 2916 Upper Albert Rd., Stonewall pedernalescellars.com

Perissos Vineyards

True to Texas. Our commitment and passion is to handcraft fine wines using only 100% Texas-grown fruit, most of which is Estate Grown.

512-820-2950 7214 Park Rd. 4 W., Burnet perissosvineyards.com

Real Ale Brewing Company

Handcrafted Ales and Lagers from the Texas Hill Country.

830-833-2534 231 San Saba Ct., Blanco realalebrewing.com

Sugar Mama’s Bakeshop

Austin’s sweetest dessert bakery. Serving fresh baked-from-scratch cupcakes, cakes, dessert bars, pies and more.

512-448-3727 1905 S. 1st St. sugarmamasbakeshop.com

Thunder Heart Bison

We raise grassfed, free range Bison on our ranch in Dimmit County Texas outside Carrizo Springs. Our animals are raised and harvested with respect.

210-394-3977 1104 E. 6th St. thunderheartbison.com

The Austin Wine Merchant

Sandstone Cellars Winery

Boutique winery featuring wine made from Mason County grapes plus an art gallery and upscale wine bar.

325-347-9463 211 San Antonio St., Mason sandstonecellarswinery.com

Beverages 4.0 Cellars

4.0 Cellars is a tasting room and event venue serving the wines of Brennan Vineyards, Lost Oak Winery and McPherson Cellars.

830-997-7470 10354 E. US Hwy. 290 fourpointwine.com

Austin Homebrew Supply

Since 1991, Austin Homebrew Supply has been helping people craft their own beer, wine and cheese. Come by or visit us online.

512-300-2739 9129 Metric Blvd. austinhomebrew.com

Spec’s Wine Spirits and Finer Foods

Family-owned since 1962, Spec’s offers expert service and Texas’s largest selection of wines, spirits and beers along with gourmet foods and more!

512-366-8260 4978 W. US Hwy. 290 512-342-6893 10515 N. MoPac Hwy. 512-280-7400 9900 S. I-35 512-263-9981 13015 Shops Pkwy.

512-366-8300 5775 Airport Blvd. specsonline.com

Texas Coffee Traders

East Austin’s artisanal coffee roaster and one-stop shop offering a wide selection of certified organic and Fair Trade options for wholesale and retail.

512-476-2279 1400 E. 4th St. texascoffeetraders.com

Texas Hills Vineyard

Winemaking, wine sales, tasting room, patio for picnics, gifts, award-winning wines, fun-loving staff and a beautiful place to visit.

830-868-2321 878 RR 2766, Johnson City texashillsvineyard.com

Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Still handmade, distilled 6 times in old-fashioned copper potstills right here in Austin by Tito Beveridge. Made from 100% corn and naturally gluten free.

512-389-9011 titosvodka.com

Catering and Meal Delivery Dishalicious

Restaurant-quality prepared meals made from scratch, inspired by seasonal produce and delivered to your door.

512-940-9662 dishalicious.com

Pink Avocado Catering

A custom catering company specializing in tailored menus, incredible food & surprisingly personal service.

512-656-4348 401 Sabine St. Ste. B pinkavocadocatering.com

Spoon & Co. Catering

It’s our business to delight you with the details, memorable events with mindfully chosen, prepared and presented food and a caring crew!

512-912-6784 spoonandco.com

Culinary Education Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts

The Natural Epicurean

The place to go for a plant-based, comprehensive professional services training, plus public events and classes. Learn here: change your kitchen; change your life.

512-476-2276; 1700 S. Lamar Blvd. naturalepicurean.com

Design And Construction Texas Casual Cottages

by Trendmaker

512-392-6591 6555 Ranch Rd. 12, San Marcos 979-278-3015 580 S Hwy 237, Carmine texascasualcottages.com

Texas Oven Co.

The Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts is teaching the next generation of chefs and pastry chefs the importance of sustainable and ethical choices.

512-451-5743 6020-B Dillard Cir. escoffier.edu

Experts in designing and building woodburning ovens: Our handcrafted ovens are fire-breathing works of art. We are also a Forno Bravo pizza oven dealer.

512-222-6836 texasovenco.com

Cook, Learn, Grow

Your dream kitchen awaits. Visit Wilson AC & Appliance for custom kitchens, appliances, cabinetry, HVAC and factoryauthorized service.

512-894-0907 4205 East Highway 290, Dripping Springs wilsonappliance.com

Cooking/food literacy classes, afterschool programs & summer camps, specializing in little foodies, picky eaters & hands-on learning. Birthday Parties also.

512-592-0636 cooklearngrow.com

Wilson AC & Appliance

Events Austin Empty Bowl Project

November 18 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. austinemptybowl.org

Bastrop Downtown Business Alliance

This nonprofit organization produces some of the biggest events in Bastrop.

Attend the fantastic Veterans Day Weekend Classic Car Show and be WOWed! 512-303-0558 bastropdba.org/vets

Sugar Land Wine and Food Affair

The area’s largest and most delicious food and wine festival. Award Winning Chefs prepare tastings alongside mouthwatering wines.

713-747-9463 sugarlandwineandfoodaffair.com

Farmers Markets F2M Texas

Cedar Park (Saturdays,9a-1p, Lakeline Mall) & Mueller Farmers Markets (Sundays, 10a-2p, the historic Mueller Hangar). Open year round, rain or shine.

512-363-5700 11200 Lakeline Mall Dr., Cedar Park 4550 Mueller Blvd. texasfarmersmarket.org

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HOPE Farmers Market

Sundays 11-3 (Summer 10-2). A weekly community gathering space in East Austin for local farmers, artisans, community groups, families and urban consumers.

512-814-6736 414 Waller St. hopefarmersmarket.org

Lakeway Commons Farmers Market The Lakeway Commons Farmers Market is focused on providing the surrounding neighborhoods with local, healthy, affordable food for children and adults.

512-924-7503 900 RR 620 S., Lakeway lakewayfarmersmarket.com

New Braunfels Farm to Market

The New Braunfels Farm To Market is open 9 am–1 pm each Saturday, yearround. Located in historic downtown New Braunfels, accessible from I-35.

830-629-2223 S. Castell next to Friesenhaus nbfarmersmarket.com

SFC Farmers‘ Markets

Real farms. Real food. Live music. Kids’ areas. Weekly tastings. Summer festivals. Free parking. Double dollars Tues. for SNAP/WIC. 512-236-0074 422 W. 4th St. 3200 Jones Rd., Sunset Valley Hwy. 183 and 51st St. 46th St. and Lamar sfcfarmersmarket.org

Farms Boggy Creek Farm

One of the first Urban Farms in the USA, BCF offers hyper-fresh vegetables at the on-farm stand, Wed and Sat, 9-1. Stroll the farm and visit the Hen House!

512-926-4650 3414 Lyons Rd. boggycreekfarm.com

Indian Hills Farm

Family owned farm for nearly three decades, we offer quality pasture-raised and grassfed beef, chemical-free fruits and vegetables and signature granola.

512-237-4792 indianhillsfarmtx.com

Grocers Farmhouse Delivery

We bring the farm to your door, offering home or office delivery of local produce, meat, dairy, eggs and local, artisanal products.

512-529-8569 farmhousedelivery.com

Greenling

Greenling is a home delivery service of organic & sustainably produced local food!

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Royal Blue Grocery

Downtown Austin’s Neighborhood Grocer with dairy, prepared foods, beer and wine - Royal Blue has it all, in a convenient and compact format. Catering too!

512-499-3993 247 W. 3rd St. 512-476-5700 360 Nueces St. 512-469-5888 609 Congress Ave. royalbluegrocery.com

Wheatsville Food Co-op

Serving up local, organic, sustainable and humanely raised food since 1976. Full Service Deli, Hot Bar, Salad Bar, Espresso Bar and eating area with wi-fi.

512-478-2667 3101 Guadalupe St. wheatsville.coop

Whole Foods Market

Selling the highest quality natural & organic products.

512-542-2200 525 N. Lamar Blvd.

512-345-5003 9607 Research Blvd.

512-206-2730 12601 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave 512-358-2460 4301 W. William Cannon wholefoodsmarket.com

Housewares and Gifts Barbeque Mercantile

Barbeque Mercantile is a store dedicated to the love of outdoor cooking.

Featuring grills, smokers, wood, sauces, rubs, bbq tools and expert advice.

512-371-3748 5003 Burnet Rd. bbqmercantile.com

Breed & Co.

This locally owned business sells everything from French cookware and fine china to plants and paint. All you need is Breed!

512-474-6679; 718 W. 29th St. 512-328-3960; 3663 Bee Cave Rd. breedandco.com

Callahan’s General Store

Austin’s real general store! From hardware to western wear, from feed to seed...and a whole lot more!

512-385-3452; 501 Bastrop Hwy. callahansgeneralstore.com

Der Küchen Laden

Der Küchen Laden is for the little chef in all of us. We have gourmet kitchen ware, tools, gadgets, coffees and teas (just to name a few). Come check us out!

830-997-4937 258 E. Main St., Fredericksburg littlechef.com

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

The Herb Bar

Best place to cure what ails you and a healing resource center since 1986.

Our Optimal Health Advisers are highly trained, knowledgeable and compassionate.

512-444-6251 200 W. Mary St. theherbbar.com

House+Earth

Large selection of renewable, sustainable green building materials, from nontoxic paints to reclaimed wood flooring, supported by a knowledgeable and friendly staff.

512-300-0484 1214 W. 6th St., Ste. 120 houseandearth.com

Sunset Canyon Pottery

The place to go for handmade fine craft specializing in stoneware pottery for table and kitchen. Visit the Gallery, working studio, and take a class.

512-894-0938 4002 E. Hwy. 290, Dripping Springs sunsetcanyonpottery.com

Ten Thousand Villages

Austin’s only 100% fair trade shop!

Nonprofit & volunteer-run, featuring sustainable home decor, fabulous jewelry & organic edibles from around the world.

512-440-0440 1317 S. Congress austin.tenthousandvillages.com

Landscape and Environmental The Great Outdoors Nursery

The best of everything for your garden.

Best plants, best selection and the best staff to help you. Come see what we offer! On SoCo. 512-448-2992 2730 S. Congress Ave. gonursery.com

It’s About Thyme Garden Center

lodging Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm Cooking school, private dinners, luxury cabin rentals.

830-833-0910 5818 RR 165, Dripping Springs juniperhillsfarm.com

Photography and Art AMOA-Arthouse

The museum provides rich environments for a wide range of audiences to investigate and experience excellence in modern and contemporary art.

512-453-5312 700 Congress Ave. 512-458-8191 3809 W. 35th St. amoa-arthouse.org

Andy Sams Photography

We love creating artistic, vibrant images that capture our subjects’ personalities.

We pride ourselves on providing topnotch service from start to finish.

512-694-6311 908 E. 5th St., Ste. 112 andysams.com

Jody Horton Photography

Commercial and editorial photography, specializing in food, travel and lifestyle.

512-694-6649 jodyhorton.com

Marta Stafford Fine Art A pairing of art and antiques. The collection includes sculpture, representational works and contemporary expressionism in a charming vintage 1930s home.

830-693-9999 112 Main St., Marble Falls martastaffordfineart.com

Professional Services Austin Label Company

Top quality culinary herbs for chefs, and native plants for gardeners. A nursery with expert staff and pocket-friendly prices. Free lectures most Sundays.

512-280-1192 11726 Manchaca Rd. itsaboutthyme.com

Custom Labels up to 10 x 20 on paper, foil, synthetics, multiple adhesives, embossing, hot foil, UV coatings.

Proud members of GoTexan, FTA and TWGGA. 512-302-0204 1834 Ferguson Ln., Ste. 201 austinlabel.com

Natural Gardener

Austin Subaru

We are a garden center and teaching facility dedicated to promoting organic time-tested gardening practices.

512-288-6113 8648 Old Bee Caves Rd. naturalgardeneraustin.com

Continental Automotive Group’s Austin Subaru - Locally Owned and Operated, We’re All About Austin!

512-323-2837 200 W. Huntland Dr. austinsubaru.co

Ditch the Box

Learn to eat fresh and cook from scratch with our unique coaching services: pantry makeovers, grocery store & farmers market tours and easy cooking tips.

512-294-2447 ditchthebox.com

Hummingbird EcoCleaning

Eco-friendly housekeeping, eco yard care, and personal assistant services in the Austin area. Detail oriented, reliable and trustworthy.

512-368-2268 hummingbirdecocleaning.com

Publications and Blogs Shearer Publishing

Shearer Publishing is an award-winning regional book publisher established in 1980, specializing in cookbooks.

830-997-6529 406 Post Oak Rd., Fredericksburg shearerpub.com

Texas Wine and Food Gourmet

Come share Texas with us and celebrate the bounty of food, drink and lore the state has to offer. thetexasfoodandwinegourmet.com

Real Estate Green Mango Real Estate

Central Real Estate Austin expert since 1987. Specializing in 78704 where they have sold more homes than any other broker in Austin.

512-923-6648; 905 Avondale Rd. greenmangorealestate.com

Restaurants 18 Oaks at JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa

18 Oaks is a new-style steakhouse with emphasis on local sourcing of beef, cheeses, and produce and featuring dishes from the resort’s own organic gardens.

210-491-5825 23808 Resort Pkwy., San Antonio jwsanantonio.com

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Locally owned, Austin’s best place for dinner and a movie. Full bar, local food sourcing, locations in Austin, San Antonio and Houston.

512-476-1320; 1120 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-476-1320; 5701 W. Slaughter Ln. 512-476-1320; 320 E. 6th St. 512-476-1320; 2700 W. Anderson Ln. 512-219-5408; 13729 Research Blvd. drafthouse.com

Bastrop Brewhouse

Live Music. Local Cuisine. Handcrafted Ales. All at the Bastrop Brewhouse located on the beautiful Colorado River. Great view of the bridge so come enjoy!

512-321-1144 601 Chestnut St., Bastrop bastropbrewhouse.com

Baxters on Main

Step back in time amid raw brick walls, soaring ceilings and 1920s decor for a fine dining experience that will please all your senses!

512-321-3577 919 Main St., Bastrop baxtersonmain.com

Buenos Aires Cafe

Austin grown Argentine restaurant.

We use only the freshest ingredients available and make an effort to support local farmers. Food made with love daily.

512-382-1189 1201 E. 6th St. 512-441-9000 13500 Galleria Cir., Bee Cave buenosairecafe.com

East Side Pies

We’ve got homemade, thin crust pizzas with local veggies and meats.

Gluten-free options, too! Three locations: Eastside, Airport and now Crestview.

512-524-0933 1401 Rosewood Ave. 512-454-7437 5312 Airport Blvd., Ste. G 512-467-8900 1809-1 W. Anderson Ln. eastsidepies.com

FABI+ROSI

FABI+ROSI serves classic European dishes with a young and modern twist.

Sourcing locally grown and sustainably raised provisions is our top priority.

512-236-0642 509 Hearn St. fabiandrosi.com

FINO Restaurant Patio & Bar

Modern Mediterranean. Tapas - Small Plates - Paella. Eclectic Wine List & Signature Cocktails. One of Austin’s Best Patios. Easy Parking.

512-474-2905 2905 San Gabriel St. finoaustin.com

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Fonda San Miguel

Offering hand-crafted traditional interior Mexican recipes in an unparalleled atmosphere; a full wine list; classic and signature cocktails.

512-459-4121 2330 W. North Loop fondasanmiguel.com

Green Pastures

Located in old South Austin a mile and a half south of the river on 5 acres. Offering lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch. Catering and events on and offsite.

512-444-4747 811 W. Live Oak St. greenpasturesrestaurant.com

Hasler Brothers Steakhouse

Magnolia Cafe

Come to Magnolia Cafe! Fresh food cooked with passion in a comfortable setting, kind of like your favorite aunt’s giant kitchen, if she had one. Open 24/8 512-478-8645 2304 Lake Austin Blvd.

512-445-0000 1920 S. Congress Ave. themagnoliacafe.com

Maxine’s on Main

One of Texas’s top 40 small town cafes, a visit to Maxine’s is a must! Enjoy giant pancakes for breakfast or a burger for lunch; stop by and visit with us!

512-303-0919 905 Main St., Bastrop

Hasler Brothers Steakhouse exceeds your expectations with quality wines, meats, seafood and more. After dinner, linger in the piano bar for music and fun!

512-321-1171 703 Chestnut St., Bastrop cghw.com

Navajo Grill

Jack Allen’s Kitchen

Olive & June

A unique dining establishment nestled deep in the heart of where historic Fredericksburg lies.

830-990-8289 803 E. Main St., Fredericksburg navajogrill.com

Texan in spirit and local in source, Jack Allen’s Kitchen serves up Texas-inspired cuisine, fresh cocktails, cold beers and good times daily.

512-852-8558 7720 Hwy. 71 W. 2500 Hoppe Tr., Round Rock jackallenskitchen.com

With Olive & June, Chef Shawn Cirkiel offers handmade pastas & dishes that play on well-loved Italian flavors, highlighting local & seasonal ingredients!

512-467-9898 3411 Glenview Ave. oliveandjune-austin.com

Kerbey Lane Cafe

With a simple and elegant interior Mexican menu, and a tree canopy covered front porch, this genuine Mexican Cantina’s atmosphere is simply quite perfect.

512-479-1306 1306 E. 6th St. papitinos.com

Kerbey Lane Cafe has proudly served comfortable food at a reasonable price since 1980. Come into any of our 5 Austin locations for a taste!

512-451-1436 3704 Kerbey Ln. 512-445-4451 3003 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-258-7757 13435 Hwy. 183, Ste. 415 512-477-5717 2606 Guadalupe St. 512-899-1500 4301 W. William Cannon kerbeylanecafe.com

The Leaning Pear Café & Eatery

Papi Tino’s

Roadhouse

Home of one of the 50 best burgers in Texas! Come sit on the porch and indulge in fantastic burgers with all the fixin’s, great milkshakes and much more.

512-321-1803 2804 Hwy. 21 E., Bastrop roadhousebastrop.com

Texas French Bread

Serving the Texas Hill Country fresh and seasonal favorites using local ingredients.

512-847-7327 111 River Rd., Wimberley leaningpear.com

We are a bakery & bistro serving freshly baked breads, pastries & desserts, as well as hot breakfast, delicious sandwiches & locally sourced dinners.

512-499-0544 2900 Rio Grande St. texasfrenchbread.com

Lenoir

TNT / Tacos and Tequila

Lenoir is an intimate, family-run restaurant offering a weekly, local prix-fixe menu, great wine and friendly service.

512-215-9778 1807 S. 1st St. lenoirrestaurant.com 96

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Fresh, handmade & local describe this southwestern grill and Tequila Bar. Margaritas made with hand-squeezed juice, organic agave nectar & premium tequila.

512-436-8226 507 Pressler St. tacos-and-tequila.com

EDIBLEAUSTIN.COM

The Turtle Restaurant

Your destination for food prepared from locally available, seasonal ingredients.

325-646-8200 514 Center Ave., Brownwood theturtlerestaurant.com

Uptown Blanco Restaurant

Open for lunch daily and dinner Thurs.

- Sun. Chef Nathan creates culinary specials daily using many local ingredients.

Ballroom and courtyard are available for private groups.

830-833-0738 317 Main St., Blanco uptownblanco.com

Wink Restaurant & Wine Bar

The daily menu is based on local artisans. Wink happily embraces omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, pescetarians and special dietary issues.

512-482-8868 1014 N. Lamar Blvd. winkrestaurant.com

Specialty Market

Fredericksburg Conference and Visitors Bureau

Visit Fredericksburg, a small gem nestled in the Texas Hill Country. Enjoy eclectic shops, diverse lodging, amazing restaurants and Texas wines.

866-997-3600 visitfredericksburgtx.com

Marble Falls Chamber of Commerce Marble Falls is the gateway to exciting Hill Country day trips - wineries, lakes and caves, just to name a few. Come stay with us and see for yourself.

830-693-2815 marblefalls.org

Wellness The Living Clay Co.

Makers of a full line of natural wellness products that have become the choice for health advocates seeking a safe and natural way to maximize their health.

512-804-5909 12209 Twin Creek Rd., Ste. G livingclayco.com

Make It Sweet

Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop

At Make It Sweet, you can find tools, supplies and ingredients to make cakes, cookies and candies and learn fun, new techniques in the classes offered.

512-371-3401 9070 Research Blvd. makeitsweet.com

The retail mecca offers bikes, equipment, apparel, service and training, but more importantly, its mission is to promote two-wheeled living.

512-473-0222 400 Nueces St. mellowjohnnys.com

Mission Restaurant Supply

Peoples Rx

We are the premier foodservice equipment & supply dealer in Central & South Texas. We’re open to the public! SalesLeasing-Service 512-389-1705 6509 N. Lamar 210-354-0690 1126 S. St. Mary’s St., San Antonio 361-289-5255 1737 N. Padre Island Dr., Corpus Christi 956-467-1295 3422 N. 10th St., McAllen missionrs.com

Austin’s favorite pharmacy for more than 30 years, Peoples integrates nutrition, supplements and medicine with natural remedies and custom Rx compounding.

512-219-9499 13860 Hwy. 183 N., Ste. C 512-459-9090 4018 N. Lamar Blvd.

512-444-8866 3801 S. Lamar Blvd.

512-327-8877 4201 Westbank Dr. peoplesrx.com

Peach Basket

Peach Basket Natural Foods & Supplements is the place to buy natural and organic foods in Fredericksburg.

800-701-9099 334 W. Main St., Fredericksburg peachbasketonline.com

Tourism Brenham/Washington County Convention & Visitors Bureau

Brenham/Washington County is the perfect location to enjoy affordable events at historic sites, wineries and lush gardens! Great shopping, dining, lodging.

979-836-3696 visitbrenhamtexas.com

Want to have your business listed in this directory?

Please contact info@edibleaustin.com for more information.

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Photography by Matthew Fuller and Michael Moran

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ONE MUSEUM: TWO DISTINCT LOCATIONS AMOA-Arthouse provides rich environments for a wide range of audiences to investigate and experience excellence in modern and contemporary art. The museum accomplishes this through innovative exhibitions, education, interpretive programs and direct access to the creative process.

Laguna Gloria’s 12-acre site includes the restored 1916 Italianate-style Driscoll Villa, Gatehouse Gallery, and The Art School. The Jones Center, a recently renovated and architecturally significant space, is the museum’s downtown location.

For information about viewing exhibitions, enrolling in a class, or participating in our quarterly foodie events, visit amoa-arthouse.org.

Laguna Gloria 3809 West 35th St. 512.458.8191

The Jones Center 700 Congress Avenue 512.453.5312