Delectable

Delectable austin, one bite at a time

The Story Behind the Counter -page 6 Food Trucks: The New Face of Food -page 12 The Lives of Dessert Shop Owners -page 18 Community-Supported Agriculture -page 24

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Table of Contents

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Letters from the Editors

The Story Behind What Goes into a the Counter Taco

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18

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Austin Food Trucks

Food Truck Poll

Austin Desserts

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Beer Ingredients Fresh Home Map Delivery

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Map of Austin Resturaunts

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Letters from the Editors Dawson Phillips Layout Editor

My name is Dawson Phillips. I am a freshman at LASA High School in Austin, Texas. I have lived in Austin my entire life, and one of my favorite things to do is to explore the vivid and diverse restaurants all around the city. Because of this, I was naturally drawn to the idea of creating a magazine on the food in Austin. When figuring out what to base my article around, I was especially curious about fresh produce and where Austinites can find available, fresh food. Through my research into local farms and Community-Supported Agriculture programs, I discovered an entire community of people that I previously had no knowledge of. The experience of creating a magazine has taught me skills that I am sure I will use for the rest of my life.

Carl Friesenhahn Copy & Content Editor

I am Carl Friesenhahn, a LASA freshman and the Copy and Content editor for “Delectable�. I am an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. As a native Austinite, I was constantly being captivated by the food scene of this city, with a variety of restaurants that channel the taste buds. This inspired me to take a major role in the creation of this magazine on Austin food. I wrote my feature article on dessert shop owners to connect the craft of dessert with the overall human experience. I learned many things from the process of magazine creation; InDesign and AP Style are just two. Uniquely, though, I peered deep into the lives of dessert shop owners. The creation of Delectable has been a great ride, and I cannot wait for you to dive into the work of me and my friends.

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Lisa Hendrix Photo & Graphics Editor I am Lisa Hendrix, a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy. I live with my family and two dogs. In my free time I enjoy swimming, hanging out with friends, and coaching at my local gymnastics gym. For the “Delectable” magazine, I chose to write about local Austin food trucks because I believes they are the future of trendy, alternative food distribution. I was inspired by my love of food and the work of several established food trailers here in Austin. The food trucks featured are two of my favorites because they demonstrate part of Austin’s distinctive culture, and are delicious. Throughout this experience, I learned more about some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of owning a business and gained a unique perspective about food trucks.

Lily Lavier Fact Check & Features Editor I am Lily Lavier, a freshman at the Liberal Arts and Science Academy.

I have a cat named Yoshi and a horse named Reina. I live with my parents and have an older brother in college. I have a love for tacos and will always be loyal to Austin Tex-Mex. This is why I decided to write about two establishments that make some of my favorite tacos.

I have lived in Austin my entire life and I truly think that Austin is an inspiration to young people everywhere as one of the fastest-growing cities and weirdest places to live in the country. My story shows an in-depth view of what it is like to eat tacos in Austin. I have learned many things about both tacos and the magazine process during my time in Ezine.

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The Story Behind the Counter

By Lily Lavier

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n a city like Austin, Texas, where the food and culture has been so heavily influenced by Mexican traditions, it is important to understand the values, people, and stories behind the counter of a favorite taco place.

Tinga de Pollo taquero at Vaquero Taquero, March 25, 2018. Photo by Lily Lavier

Veracruz All Natural, established in 2008 and Vaquero Taquero, which opened in 2016, are both authentic Mexican food trucks started in Austin. The owners of Veracruz All Natural, Reyna and Maritza, moved to Austin from Veracruz, Mexico after finishing high school and started their business using recipes from home. Veracruz All Natural now has two food trucks and one restaurant in Austin and another brick-and-mortar in Round Rock, Texas.

Miguel and Dani Cobos started in the business by selling their tacos out of a cart downtown, and in 2017 they moved their business into a food truck in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

Both Veracruz All Natural and Vaquero Taquero continue to spread their culture and stories throughout Austin.

Bistec taquero at the Vaquero Taquero food truck March 25, 2018.

Photo by Lily Lavier

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The authenticity of these two restaurants is what puts the whole meal together so successfully. Reyna and Maritza said, “We bring a little bit of Veracruz to them. We want them to feel like they are at my mother’s home eating when they sit down and eat our food.” Maritza added how all of their recipes have a special sentimental value that makes the experience for the customer more than worthwhile.

“We grew up in a family of extraordinary cooks and lovers of the make-everything-yourself

Customers enjoy tacos at the Veracruz All Natural food truck on Manchaca Road, March 30, 2018. Photo by Lily Lavier

“I think our customers love the fact that we have been able to bring that to the them, and a little of our culture to the table” -Reyna and Maritza

ranch life, our grandmother Conchita made her own chorizo, and many other things, and sold it to the entire neighborhood, she influenced every other Cobos that came after her, we all try and make things from scratch like her -- it just tastes better and is the coolest knowledge you can have in our family.”

Both of these restaurants and food trucks have become popular, well-known, and commonly reviewed places to eat in Austin. Remarking on how the city of Austin loves their food so much, Reyna and Maritza said, “Austin is a really healthy city, people love organic fresh ingredients and I think our customers love the fact the have been able to bring that to the them, and a little of our culture to the table.”

“With the ongoing gentrification issues Austin faces, Dani and I like to think we are contributing to what we call ‘Gentefication’ (Gente = People)”, explains Cobos, “[we] sell tacos in the heart of Hyde Park, a majority ethnically white neighborhood and ensure our marketing appeals to the Hispanic community in efforts of getting

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Maritza and Reyna said, “We definitely value the freshness that we bring and the authenticity of our food.

Staying true to our roots,” said the owners of Veracruz All Natural.

Miguel and Dani Cobos have a similar take on the matter of values. What makes these two restaurants so different is that instead of modernizing and changing their food to match the growing population demand Veracruz All Natural food truck in South Austin, March 30, for alternate and intricate 2018. Photo by Lily Lavier recipes, these two businesses continue to stick to their origins and honor them to come over here. We are very happy their culture. to see Hispanics show up in central Hyde Park searching for us. Our humor, our music One thing people are also curious about and all of our interactions through Vaquero is where their food came from before it Taqueros voice is simply us acting within was wrapped up in a warm tortilla. Both our culture. We grew very bicultural like establishments mentioned above make anyone at the border and we try and make almost everything from scratch, including the business’ voice bicultural too.” the tortillas.

Cobos brings up the issue of gentrification Vaquero Taquero is even working on and the growing border that it puts up begrowing their very own vegetables to tween races in neighborhoods. The atmoensure the freshest most flavorful food, sphere, culture, and clients that Vaquero “We are currently working on growing food Taquero possesses helps to break down these in the neighborhood, we will be growing social and economic borders with great food some right by our food truck in raised beds,” and culture.“We had to make tacos for oursaid Cobos. “I’m currently germinating selves because we couldn’t find many that squash seeds to be able to have at least a we liked. There were a few though, but the small supply of Flor de Calabaza (squash Pulga on riverside closed due to gentrificablossoms) to make as quesadillas this tion so that’s that. We really like our culture summer. We hope to have a network of and want to preserve and share it,” said yard growers in a few years within the Cobos. neighborhood who we can trade with.” Like Cobos, Veracruz All Natural also gets all of These are the values and ideas that the their fresh ingredients from local shops and owners keep in mind while building their markets around Austin. brand and menu. “The brand we are trying to build is one that respects the culture by If a customer was wondering what meal simply showcasing what it is,” said Cobos. was most recommended by the owners One of the many things they keep close to themselves, Cobos from Vaquero Taquero, heart when making their taqueros is keeping said that his favorite by far is the chorizo everything as it has always been within their breakfast taco. “I used to wake up at 4:30 culture. a.m. to make the tortillas and tacos when

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I used to sell them off of a push-cart downtown at 7:30 a.m. and I kid you not, with the cool winds of an early morning I would end up eating five to seven delicious and warm chorizo tacos,” said Cobos. “Mr. Wilson, the security guard from the Charles Schwab building, would get so upset that I would finish all the chorizo tacos because he loved them too. I just couldn’t resist, it was either sell them or eat them and I would always choose to eat them. I’m sorry, Mr. Wilson.”

Maritza said, “I love all the ingredients it comes with, love the flavor the poblano pepper brings to the taco. It’s the perfect combination of ingredients and flavors,” she said as she described the Migas Poblanos taco, a popular item on the menu.

Austin is known as a weird and quickly developing city with a lot of different cultures expressed all at once, one of the most

“I love all the ingredients it comes with, love the flavor the poblano pepper brings to the taco. It’s the perfect combination of ingredients and flavors” -Maritza common being Mexican culture. When visiting food establishments, people should take time to look around at what other cultures are represented around Austin and notice how food is used to express the city’s diversity and the stories of its inhabitants.

Vaquero Taquero food truck in Hyde Park, March 25, 2018. Photo by Lily Lavier

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Let’s TACO ‘bout Favorites Tacos, like all people and cultures, are unique. In order to help you find and make your favorite taco, this step by step guide has been created to help you out!

Picking your Protein

All tacos need a flavorful base. Luckily, there is an abundance of options for the vegetarian or the omnivore. Some common taco meats include chicken, beef, and pork. Some authentic local restaurants in Austin even take the meats a step further by slicing pieces off of a giant rotating cooker, Greek-style, or even barbecue. Some tasty vegetarian options include fried or grilled avacado or refried or black beans.

Let’s Get Saucy

As you may know, what really combobulates any good meal is the sauce. For tacos, it is recommended to add sauces for spice, such as pico de gallo or a mild salsa. For a more Texan feel, top it off with some barbeque sauce.

Common dips also go well with your taco, such guacamole and queso. If feeling experimental, try something new!

Add Some Spice

An essential element of any taco is the spice to add flavor. There are many spices that add hotness to your taco such as chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, or paprika. If spicy isn’t your style, good, old-fashioned salt and black pepper always does the trick. More mild spices also include oregano, onion powder, adobo, and garlic powder. Cilantro and other “green spices” can also provide a fresh flavor while sprucing up the appearance of your taco as well.

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Public Domain Pictures

That’s a Wrap!

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Inside Austin’s

Food Trucks

By Lisa Hendrix

A view of the Coat and Thai food truck outside its location on Barton Springs Road. Photo by Lisa Hen-

Austin has always been a unique, vibrant city, now more than ever. The food scene is just one of the many places in Austin people can go to to get a taste of the local life.

Though they originated in Los Angeles, food trucks are gaining popularity across the country as an alternative to sit down style restaurants.

In more recent years, Austin has become one of many U.S. cities embracing the trailer trend.

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Not only that, but the unmistakable “Keep Austin Weird” slogan has only propelled the just as distinctive trailer movement forward, as food trucks are not quite as traditional in the sense of what one might think of as a restaurant.

“People in Austin are a lot more accepting of people who are just trying to get things started and make things work.” said local owner of Holla Mode: Thai Style Ice Cream Zach Stanke.

As a particularly trendy spot in Austin, Holla Mode was recently voted favorite food truck from a poll of Liberal Arts and Science Academy students. It specializes in ice cream inspired by the Thai custom of rolling sweet cream into rolls on a cold plate and has become increasingly popular in the last few years.

Stanke, who founded the hot spot in 2014, talks about why Austin has become known for its spread of food trailers by a combination of contributing factors that all happen to come together in one city. In the same way that food trucks are big in cities like Portland and Los Angeles, there are two main reasons, he says, essential behind a food truck’s success in a city.

“One, you know, property is pretty expensive and people just want to test out their new ideas in the cheapest way possible,” said Stanke. As for other big cities in the U.S. with high property costs, like Houston or Dallas, the answer gets a little more complicated. “I think it’s people in Austin are a lot more accepting of people who are just trying to get things started and make things work, as opposed to people in Dallas or Houston who might want a more refined, finished product.” Not that Austin isn’t all about the finished product, but Austin has always been a more laid-back city that appreciates the finer things in life, like good quality Thai food from a truck.

“I like the the thing in Austin–they support local people,” said Chef Ninrat, owner and head chef at Coat and Thai, a food truck in Barton Hills.

“You know, I think that’s why it I wanted to open the food trailer because I’m sure Austin people, they support for me. I want to start my own business for the local, for the small person like me,” Ninrat said.

Stanke and Ninrat’s style of food are both inspired by Thai culture, but Ninrat’s story is a bit different. She grew up in Thailand, and after coming to Austin, began working in a Thai restaurant elsewhere, before starting her

food trucks provide, Stanke said, “Austin embraces the crazy a little bit.”

He’s not wrong. Austin is known for generally going against the norms, and that seems to also be the case in other U.S. cities with a large food truck population. Cities that have a big market for trendy, alternative, and healthy foods are the ones more likely to embrace food trailers as perfectly acceptable methods of food distribution.

The Holla Mode food truck outside its location on Barton Springs Road.

Photo by Lisa Hendrix.

own. “I decided I wanted to get my own business because back then, like 2010, they didn’t have the food trailers like start to get popular yet.” After seeing her friend open a Thai food truck, she decided it was time to open Coat and Thai.

When speaking of why Austin is so fond of the unique features

“I think people often see a trailer serving food and think ‘oh that’s cool’ where as like before food trailers existed, someone might think that’s kind of crazy,” said Stanke.

His story is similar to so many young entrepreneurs who want to start a business. On a trip to Thailand, he learned from

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Three staff members hard at work preparing fresh food from scratch inside the Coat and Thai trailer. Photo

by Lisa Hendrix.

natives how their style of ice cream was made and brought the technique back to Austin.

Four years later, it is hard to find the trailer without a line of people waiting outside the window.

There are plenty of benefits to owning a food truck that people may not realize at their first glance. The small space inside might be the first thing some-

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one would think of as a problem, but the reality is it can create a closer environment for employees to communicate with each other and their customers.

know, you can sell it.� This also supports the idea behind food trucks being more affordable than a restaurant with a permanent location.

Not to mention the flexibility the owner has with location, as Ninrat said, “In a trailer, you know, if you fail this location, you can move to another location. If you give up, you

Food trucks are more economically practical because they do not take up much space, as the average size can range anywhere between 14 and 16 feet long. That being said, many food

Above: The chicken pad Thai and fried rice with tofu at Coat and Thai.

Below: The Oreo and Thai coffee with hot fudge rolled ice cream from Holla Mode. Photos by Lisa Hendrix.

An employee making ice cream at Holla Mode. Photo by Lisa Hendrix.

trucks decide to include an outdoor eating area where their customers can sit down and enjoy their meals.

Some will also choose to be a part of a food truck park where multiple food trucks can be parked with a eating area in the center.

To spread the word about a new business, food trucks can create a large social atmosphere over social media platforms like Instagram. At Holla Mode’s Instagram handle @hollamode, other users or people who are simply curious can find a collage of colorful pictures of their ice cream, the truck, and customers enjoying their product. It is a free, advantageous way to advertise utilized by new and older businesses alike. With over 5,000 followers on their main page and the ability for anyone to tag their handle in pictures,

social media is an extremely effective way to spread word-of-mouth referrals for a small restaurants looking to advertise, especially in the local Austin scene.

Since food trailers are generally more affordable when starting out in the foodservice industry, they are preferable to young entrepreneurs just starting out, which Austin has a large population of. As food trucks continue to grow as an alternative to traditional restaurants, Austin will continue to be a part of the food trailer scene for a long time.

Coat and Thai is located at 1720 Barton Springs Road and Holla Mode can be found at 1800 Barton Springs Road, both in Austin, Texas.

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Austin’s Favorite

Food

By Lisa Hendrix

8% 16%

16%

12% 18%

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The Mighty Cone

Churro Co.

Holla Mode: Thai Style Ice Cream

Micklethwait BBQ

East Side King

Valentina’s Tex Mex

Gourdough’s

Coat and Thai

Hey Cupcake!

I Don’t Eat at Food Trucks

Veracruz All Natural

Sno Beach

Arlos’s

Bananarchy

Trucks According to Local High School Students

From a poll of nearly over 50 LASA students, the results are in. It seems desserts food trucks are quite popular, seeing that three of the top five spots (including number one) are designated to cupcakes, doughnuts, and ice cream. The Mighty Cone, a food truck famous for serving delicaces like fried chicken and avacado in paper “cones”

comes in at number three, while Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, the family owned favorite comes in at number four. More sweet spots include Sno Beach, which serves up any kind of snow cone you can imagine; and Churro Co. where you can order any churro a-la-mode.

WINNER The trendy Austin food truck is a big hit among high schoolers. Holla Mode specializes in Thai style ice cream that is rolled on a cold plate into pretty spirals using local dairy products and absolutely no artificial colors or powders. What makes the ice cream so memorable?

The unique rolled technique that makes a great photo aesthetic. Feel free to add your favorite toppings like hot fudge or whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Or sub in coconut milk as a dairy-free alternative. You can find them at their trailer on Barton Springs Road or on West 45th Street March-September.

Sources LASA student survey, conducted Feb. 14-15, 2018. @atxinstafood post from April 9, 2017

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Dessertation

The Lives of Dessert Owners

By Carl Friesenhahn

Soraiya Nagree, owner of La Patisserie, squeezes out filling to make her signature treat, macarons. She has previously made 3,000 macarons in one day. Photo courtesy of La Patisserie

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harles Davis smiles with glee every time he hears the line, “That’s what I like about Texas!” in his restaurant. As the owner of a Texas Dairy Queen location who has been working in the dessert business since 1975, his heart fills with pride when he hears their famous slogan. He lives by the business model “a story and a smile,” understanding that his business has been built on stories. Along with many other dessert businesses, these special moments can create smiles on the faces of creators and clients alike.

From national chains to food trucks, dessert plays a tremendous role in Austin’s food culture. Dessert shop owners all over Austin face both rewards and challenges.

There are many of these shops in the Austin area specializing in multitudinous areas of the craft. Many locals and visitors visit Austin dessert shops, unknowing of what goes on behind the scenes or in the minds of the owners.

The Life Before Whether they have been in the business many years or just a few months, dessert creators can tell someone vivid tales of their lives before their creation of sweets. Soraiya Nagree, owner of La Patisserie (LP), a French-themed pastry shop in Austin, used to work as a urethane engineer for a bowling ball company.

Nagree said, “I had no idea the bowling world was so she

Leo Mendoza (left) and David Martinez, co-owners of the food truck Churro Co., look out the windows of their churreria.

Photo courtesy of Andrew Joseph, Lyda Ham, and Carlos Reyes

complicated! I always tell people that I went from mixing poisonous chemicals to edible chemicals.”

“All my products are made fresh from scratch from my recipes.”

-Juan Leon

Unlike owners such as Soraiya, some have been involved in the creation of dessert for almost their entire lives. Davis got his start in the business in 1975, when his mother, Kim, bought a dessert shop named Mr. Swift’s the previous year. After Mr. Swift’s went out of business,

became manager of Dairy Queen and was later offered the store. She still serves customers at that store as owner.

The Meaning Dessert place owners find a plethora of meaning in their businesses. Juan Leon, a former military mechanic who got his start recently by opening Cafe 1 by Chef Juan, which makes a variety of desserts, says that his business is a representation of the “strength, hard work and pride” that for which he yearningly aims.

David Martinez and Leo Mendoza, co-owners of the food truck Churro Co., love telling the story of dinner at home in Mexico: churros and dessert being at the center of the meal.

When Martinez first came to Austin, he was saddened by a lack of availability of good churros around the city.

According to Martinez, “The idea was born out of a craving for good churros, and no availability of good churros around. We then starting

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discussing the idea of filling that void in the market.”

He then founded a food truck that sells drinks and churros a la mode. Because the city is so open to new designs and dessert creations, he also put an “Austin” spin on his works by adding new twists and flavor combinations to the humble Mexican classic.

such as Nagree’s story with her grandmother, others can come in the humdrum of daily work life.

Davis remembers a unique cake design: dolphins. For “two or three years,” Davis said, a customer “wanted dolphins drawn on the cake.” Even things such as a customer having a conversation with the business Churro Co.’s Rico Suave churro owner can truly spice up the day shines in its splendor. for both parties.

Photo courtesy of Lyda Ham

Challenging Ventures

Charles Davis gives a grin to the camera lens.

Photo by Carl Friesenhahn

The meaning that the creators of sweets gain through their businesses can also be found and strengthened in the many memories they gain during their time in the creation of desserts.

Nagree fondly remembers the time when her grandmother was visiting in the aftermath of an article about her new store opening. “We drove up to show her the store and there was a line out the door! It was so rewarding for me to be able to show her that!” Nagree said.

Making Memories While some memories come in the special, triumphant state,

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Like any calling, dessert creation does not come without challenges. Davis recalls sales lagging on products such as Orange Julius and DQ Bakes because the national level had focused their advertising on the five dollar lunch menu. Dilemmas such as this show that national chains can be dragged around by decisions that were unwanted by the local franchise.

the decision of the business, and when the shop begins to falter, the business alone will have to make the tough decisions.

Community and Dedication Local community enriches local business, and local business enriches local community. “We host events to bring together our LP fans and the people around us. Each summer we have a Back to School bash where we have a

However, even though local stores do not have to deal with that, they do not have national backing and usually have small workforces.

In contrast to a national chain with a reputation of quality where the worst a local business could do is close their location, Delicious flower-themed cupcakes made by Chef everything in a Juan Leon rest on a platter waiting to be devoured. small business such as Leon’s is Photo courtesy of Juan Leon

party on the patio and give away freebies. We have a Santa event each year which is awesome to the community!” Nagree said.

Local business loves to see the community flourish, especially in the area of schooling. Because it is located nearby, Davis has a close affiliation with Lanier High School. He also enjoys donating to local elementary schools and Catholic schools.

Not only are dessert shop owners dedicated to their communities, they are dedicated to their businesses and clients. On a normal day, Leon checks in to Cafe 1 at 5 a.m. Sometimes he Satisfied customers show off their Orange Float (left) and Texas Comfort enters his shop at the early hour Churro. The churro includes cardamom sugar, apple pie, and salted caramel. of 2 a.m., usually staying until 8 Photo courtesy of Lyda Ham and Carlos Reyes p.m.

Davis has put years into Dairy Leon also takes considerably Queen. Nagree has made 3,000 more time putting quality into macarons, her signature product, Every owner has dreams for the his recipes. “All my products are in one single day. Nagree and future of their business. It takes made fresh and from scratch other owners, in the words of years of hard and smart work from my recipes,” Leon said.

Nagree, are to reach these goals, however. more than Martinez would love a brick-andwilling to mortar operation instead of his put in the current limited space. Leon is dedication aiming to have more locations so “to keep he can create even more smiles. giving Nagree is looking forward to the Austin creation of more recipes that amazing Austinites will love. treats and making Dessert owners can find customers tremendous support from the happy!” people who love their creations.

Even through the challenges, they and their sweets prevail.

Their meaning can leave memories in the hearts of customers that can last a lifetime.

How can the owners get so much support, reach higher places and build up the community? In the words of Leon, “one cake and dessert at a time.”

Macarons galore at La Patisserie. Flavors include Vanilla,

Futurebound

Wild Strawberry, Toasted Almond, and Lavender.

Photo courtesy of Soraiya Nagree

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Beer ingr

Around the World Hops and Yeast: Britain

The Strange Land Brewery uses British hops and yeast to concoct a 18th-century style English pub beer. This beer, called the Entire, is a robust porter. This bold and strong table beer includes chocolate to round out the Old British flavor.

Wildflower Honey: U.S.

Strange Land loves using ingredients around the world, but sometimes it realizes that the best ingredients are right at home. It uses the Hill Country Wildflower Honey in the Atholl Brose ale.

Conquering ingredients from around the globe gives this beer a victorious taste.

Oranges: Italy

Guajillo Chiles: Mexico

(512) Brewing uses over 20 pounds of Guajillo Chiles each batch of the Cascabel Cream Stout beer. This adds some spice to the dark beer after fermentation. Using organic ingerdients, this beer is smooth and roasty.

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Austin BeerWorks’ Blood Orange IPA infuses Sicilian Oranges into each batch to increase citrus flavor. The oranges are added during fermentation and heighten the fruity taste of the beer.

Pineapple: Brazil

The Strange Land Brewery incorporates pineapple into their original India Pale Ale with high hop content. This, combined with malt, hops, melon, and other flavors, creates a beer that gives the appearance of a historic world voyage.

redients

By Carl Friesenhahn

Malt: Czech Republic

The Strange Land Brewery uses Czech-grown malt for their Austinite Pilz beer, a modern take on the pilsner.

The Czech malt gives the beer much maltiness to satisfy Bohemians and Americans alike.

A map of the world showing how different ingredients from different parts of the world get to Austin beers. There are boxes giving information about the ingredient from the different countries. An arrow is pointing from the box to the country.

Clove: India

Even though this may seem like pure German beer at first, Indian clove plays a huge role in the Heisenberg, a German-style beer. Austin BeerWorks uses clove to create a light, finished flavor.Available as a summer seasonal, this beer can warm up 100-degree days with memories of clove fields in India.

Sources: • realalebrewing.com • strangelandbrewery.com • thrillist.com • Image: commons.wikimedia.org

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A Johnson’s Backyard Garden worker washes freshly-harvested carrots. (Photo by Scott Gordon)

CommunitySupported Agriculture

Exploring Fresh Produce Delivery Services in Austin by Dawson Phillips 26

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t the end of a long gravel driveway just outside downtown Austin, an assembly line of busy workers are sorting freshly-harvested vegetables into various boxes. These Johnson’s Backyard Garden employees are loading boxes that will be delivered to their customers — a process designed to get fresh, organic produce to people in urban areas.

Austinites are known for living healthy lifestyles. Thousands of Austin families have joined Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs of local farms. These farms grow and deliver fresh produce directly to the doors of their customers. Companies based in Austin, like Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Tecolote Farm, and Blessing Falls Family Farm, run CSA programs as a way to fund their businesses and connect with their customers.

“Community-Supported Agriculture is often the only way that modern small farms like ours can survive,” said Emily Latham, the Manager of the Blessing Falls Family Farm CSA Program. “For us, farmers market sales were unpredictable and a lot of food would go to waste each week.” Their CSA helped make sure that every bit of produce was used.

Farms throughout Austin use CSA programs as a way to raise money for the next growing season.

Before a farmer has any product to sell, they must first pay for fertilizer, seeds, soil, and other additional costs. “By getting customers to pay up front for their vegetables, that gives the farmers what they need to actually grow the vegetables,” Johnson’s Backyard Garden marketing manager Ada Broussard said.

Not only does buying from a CSA program support the company, but buying directly from a farm makes consumers think about where their food comes from and the challenges of farming.

“I’d say nearly every part of farming is challenging,” Latham said. “It’s very unpredictable. You never know what the weather will be like, if customers will sign up, or if you’ll profit enough to support your family.”

The unpredictable nature of farming is something that Austinites are not always aware of.

In fact, farmers must begin preparing for the

challenges of farming well before the growing season.

“We have to think about these problems months and months before we ever have a crop to sell,” Broussard said. “So when we’re trying to figure out how many tomatoes to grow this summer, we already have to start thinking about that in December when we’re ordering our tomato seeds.” Farmers deal with many difficulties when farming, such as unpredictable weather, but many farms also spend much of their time figuring out how to minimize their footprint and farm organically.

“I can’t imagine doing this in any other city.”

-Ada Broussard “We want to be sure that the garden is a safe place, by keeping it free of toxic herbicides and pesticides. As a mom, I also want to be sure that the produce they eat will be nutritious and not harmful to their short term or long-term health,” Latham said.

These farms grow organic produce as a way to stay physically healthy, but they are also very aware of the impact growing organic produce has on the environment. They always strive to be as ecologically sustainable as they can.

“We are kind of a center for sustainability,” said co-owner of Tecolote Farm Katie Kraemer. “We’re all powered by solar energy as well, and we collect rainwater for much of what we do.”

Having sustainable, clean farms is a luxury that

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Austin is lucky to have. Some chain grocery stores that source their produce from farms outside of Austin sometimes sacrifice the quality of their food for cheaper vegetables.

“Every time vegetables sit in storage, as those cellular walls break down, so do the nutrients.

So when you’re eating a tomato that’s right off the farm it’s better for you and it tastes better,” Broussard said. Fresh vegetables are better for the consumer, but personal health is not the only reason one should eat produce from local farms.

“In addition to health, it’s important to support a local economy. The closer we keep our businesses, the more jobs we are creating for the local area,” said Kraemer. “The money is staying closer to home, so it creates a more cohesive local economy.”

Supporting the local economy through CSA programs also encourages a better relationship between the farm and the consumer. This relationship is unique to farms with a CSA program.

“The coolest thing about having CSA is having

that relationship directly with the farmer. Not to mention, you’re getting your vegetables at the peak of their ripeness,” said Broussard.

The relationship between the customer and the farm also helps people understand the story behind every piece of produce they buy. Also, the consumer can be sure of the morality of the business.

“In our case, our CSA customers, they know all about all of our employees,” Broussard said.

“They can be assured that our employees are being paid fair wages. They know how we are protecting our particular farm land and how we are being stewards to our farmland.”

By thinking about where food comes from, Austinites can open their minds to a whole community of people who grow food. “When you start to buy from us, you start to maybe think a little deeper about your food,” Broussard said.

“Think about how maybe it’s more difficult at times to grow certain crops or think about when the weather’s bad, what effect it might have on farmers.”

Johnson’s Backyard Garden workers lay radishes, carrots and beets on drying racks. (Photo by Scott Gordon)

David Pitre (left) and Katie Kraemer relax on the front porch of their house on Tecolote Farm. (Photo by Andy Sams)

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A Johnson’s Backyard Garden worker harvests radishes. (Photo by Scott Gordon)

Ada Broussard smiles at the camera. (Photo by Scott Gordon)

Having an understanding of the hardships farmers go through can change someone’s view of the world. “It enhances their experience of the world to know about the challenges faced by people growing their food,” said Kraemer.

said.

By buying from a CSA, Austinites are joining a community of people who all have similar interests. The success of CSA programs around Austin reflects upon these communities and the culture of the city.

“I can’t imagine doing this in any other city,” Broussard said.

“As a company, we feel really really lucky to be growing food in a town like Austin, because I don’t think that every organic farmer could have such success without such an awesome community,” said Broussard. “You know, people who are willing to go to the farmers’ markets or willing to give the CSA a try.”

The willingness of people to try buying produce from these companies makes it possible for local farms to remain in Austin.

“I think that JBG as well as all the other small farms here are such a unique part of Austin’s food scene. I mean, not so many cities have this many farms right outside of town,” Broussard

Austinites are well-known for being conscientious of their health and open minded to the idea of buying fresh produce.

Although CSAs in Austin have been a large success, the spread of large chains that can sell cheap produce has begun to affect these local businesses.

“It’s becoming more difficult to compete with Walmart and other stores that can offer produce at a fraction of the cost that it takes for us to grow it,” Latham said.

As large chains continue to expand and sell cheap produce, more pressure is put on local businesses like farms. Through the community-supported agriculture programs of farms like Tecolote Farm, Johnson Backyard Garden and Blessing Falls Family Farm, Austinites work to support these local businesses while enjoying fresh, organic produce.

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austin’s

eating destinations A collection of Austin’s most popular resturaunts

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1

Hopdoddy Burger Bar

2

Amy’s Ice Cream

4

Franklin Barbeque

3

Torchy’s Tacos

5

Uchi

A guide to Austin’s most well-known resturaunts and food destinations.

Find resturaunts on the map of Austin by using their corresponding numbers.

1400 South Congress Avenue Hopdoddy’s is a resturaunt based in Austin, and is well-known for its burgers, shakes, and fries.

The resturaunt has expanded significantly, with locations around Texas and in Arizona, Tennesee, and Colorado.

1012 West 6th Street Established in 1984, Amy’s has over 350 unique flavors of ice cream in rotation, ensuring that each visit will be a new experience. The store has over 12 locations in Austin, and even more all around Texas.

3005 South Lamar Blvd Torchy’s began as a food truck on South 1st at Bouldin Creek, but has since expanded to locations in 16 different cities. It serves a variety of tacos everyday, with an extensive menu that is sure to please any visitor.

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900 East 11th Street Aaron Franklin held backyard barbeques with his family, which lead him to create his own resturaunt. Franklin BBQ has drawn people from around the world, including Barack Obama, Jimmy Kimmel, and Anthony Bourdain.

801 South Lamar Blvd Uchi, which means “house” in Japanese, is in a refurbished home in South Austin. Its nontraditional take on Japanese food attracts Austin’s diverse population as well as people from all around the country.

2

4

5 1 3

Sources: - https://www.hopdoddy.com - http://amysicecreams.com - https://torchystacos.com - https://franklinbbq.com - https://uchiaustin.com

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food  is our

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-James Beard 32

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Love when customers dream up e v c i o t n a coction... e r c e m so I like it when customers open my eyes to new things.

-Zach Stanke, Owner of Holla Mode Spring 2018

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