ATX, TX October 2022

Delicious...

IT'S THE FOOD AND DRINK ISSUE

LI F E + C U LTU R E

CO O KIN G WITH COU RAGE: TH E TA STE O F CH EF TAV EL O C TO B E R 2 022

WOMEN’S & MEN’S CLOTHING | SHOES | ACCESSORIES

ESTILOBOUTIQUE.COM (512) 236-0488 2 7 2 7 E XP O S I T I O N B LVD # 1 2 1 AUSTIN, TEXAS 78703

The TheHuxley HuxleyHouse House by byLevel Level44Studio Studio Modernism is a break from traditional.

What Whatisismodernism? modernism?

AAthe break break from fromthe the traditional.

ToToLevel Level 4 4Studio Studio translates translates Totraditional.

Level 4 Studio that translates tothat athat thoughtful to toa athoughtful thoughtful balance balance between between beauty and and balance between beauty and efficiencybeauty by means e ciency e ciency by by means means of of purposeful purposeful design. design. of purposeful design. At 5111 Rob Scott, Level 4 has At At5111 5111Rob RobScott, Scott,Level Level4 4has hascreated createda a created a triptych project; a multi-level dwelling triptych triptychproject; project;a amulti-level multi-leveldwelling dwelling enhanced by the site’s unique topography. enhanced enhancedbybythe thesite's site'sunique uniquetopography. topography.

Thoughtful spaces, multi-levels and use of natural Thoughtful Thoughtful spaces, spaces, multimulti-levels levels and and use useofof materials add character and contribute to the natural naturalmaterials materialsadd addcharacter characterand and homes modern aesthetic. contribute thehomes homesmodern modernaesthetic. contribute totothe aesthetic.

Laurel LaurelPrats Prats Team Team Lead, Lead, The The Private Private Collective Collective Austin Austin The Private Collective RE Group 512.

512.

636.

636.

7579 7579 laurel.prats@compass.com laurel.prats@compass.com www.theprivatecollectiveaustin.com www.theprivatecollectiveaustin.com

October 2022 PUBLISHER

Joe Kerby | joe.kerby@citylifestyle.com EDITOR

Sarah Ivens | sarah.ivens@citylifestyle.com

LIFESTYLE LETTER

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD (AND DRINK!)

CONTR IBUTING WR ITER

Jennifer Birn | jennifer.birn@citylifestyle.com ACCOUNT MANAGER S

Shana Gerald | shana.gerald@citylifestyle.com David Harlan | david.harlan@citylifestyle.com AD DESIGNER

Mary Albers LAYOUT DESIGNER

Some people eat to live. I am not one of those people. I live to eat...and to find good coffee shops.

It’s the thought of a good cappuccino that gets me out of a bed on a grey morning, a picnic basket loaded with sandwiches and scones that makes my summer days even sunnier, and a catch up with friends over delicious platters of sushi or spaghetti, with perhaps a cocktail in hand, that makes a tough week bearable. I never understand people who tell me they simply forget to eat. I’m always excited about some dish or delicacy in my near future – even if it’s just a cup of tea after a long work meeting.

If you’re the same as me you undoubtedly feel lucky to live in Austin, a city where all cultures and cuisines are served up for every taste, in every price range, 24/7… and often in uniquely beautiful spots, like Taquero Mucho – a fun place for queso and photos, and where I’m pictured in my Editor’s Letter photo this month!

It’s the people of Austin who give us these options, devoting hours in hot, loud kitchens to come up with exciting menus and new ideas. And in this issue, we celebrate those who are making our world taste better every day, with pages filled with chefs and innovators who create everything from chocolate treats to a smooth sotol, and three course meals using locally-sourced organic products.

Let’s toast those locals who make our world a sweeter place – and toast ourselves while we’re at it!

Happy reading!

Emily Lisenbee CONTR IBUTING WR ITER

Stephanie Coultress O'Neill CONTR IBUTING PHOTOGR APHER S

Jenna McElroy, Doug Still, Andrew Joseph Woomer

Corporate Team CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Randy Radosevich DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

SARAH IVENS, EDITOR @AUSTINLIFEST YLEMAGAZINE

Learn how to start your own publication at: citylifestyle.com//franchise

Scan QR code to visit our Instagram CIT YLIFEST YLE.COM/AUSTINT X |

Proverbs 3:5-6 ATX Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Austin area’s most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in ATX Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the

4

L I F E ST Y LE LE T T E R

accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

O C TO B E R 2 0 2 2

inside the issue The Food & Drink Issue

08

32

22

F E ATU R E D

D E PA RTM E NTS

08 Taste of The Wild

4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Chef ’s Selection

12

Must See

22

Inspired By

24

Culinary Creations

26

Hot Spot

30

Local Limelight

32

Our Town

34

Locals Only

Desert Door Sotol is bringing the history of Texas to your glass

22 Food for Thought

Dai Due's Executive Chef stays challenged creating inventive dishes from seasonal and local ingredients

32 Sweet like Chocolate

The Chocolatier and co-owner of Intero talks to us about all things cacao

O N T H E C OV E R

Photography: Jenna McElroy THE TASTE OF TAVEL The Chef who is making Austin even more delicious

6

ENT ERTA I NM E N T

LI FE + C U LT U R E FO O D + B EV ER AGE FO O D + B E V E R AG E

FO O D + B EV ER AGE ENT ERTA I NM E N T

FO O D + B EV ER AGE ST YLE + B EAU T Y

AUSTIN, TX | SINCE 1998 | Ao5GALLERY.COM

CARRIE GRABER

Drifting Through Light, Stahl House inquir ies@ao5galler y.com 512-481-1111

Perfect sunset cocktail - wherever you are!

DESERT DOOR FOUNDING PARTNER, JUDSON KAUFFMAN, TELLS ATX LIFESTYLE ALL ABOUT SOTOL, THE DRINK THAT BRINGS THE HISTORY OF TEXAS TO YOUR GLASS Judson, center, with co-founders Ryan (left) and Brent (right)

8

C HE F ’S SE LE CT ION | ENTE RTAI NME NT

TASTE OF THE WILD

JUDSON, HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA TO LAUNCH DESERT DOOR? The seed was planted when I was a young boy on a hunting trip in West Texas; my uncle, a West Texas native, told stories about locals moonshining sotol. I thought it was really neat!

Fast forward 20 years and two classmates in business school and I decided it would make for a fun business plan project to do some sort of alcohol company. These memories of sotol distillation converged with the project idea, and it was a real “aha” moment. The class project soon got us so excited that we decided to turn it into a real business.

WHAT DID YOU ALL DO BEFORE THIS AND HOW DID YOU MEET? All three of us owners, me, Brent Looby and Ryan Campbell, were in the military prior to meeting at McCombs business school in 2016.

HOW IS SOTOL DIFFERENT FROM TEQUILA OR MEZCAL? IN TASTE, GROWTH, LOOK, APPEAL… Both tequila and mezcal come from the agave plant and they are cultivated. Sotol comes from the sotol plant, which is in the same plant family as agave but different genus. Both are desert succulents, but agave plants have much wider leaves than sotol

plants, and the sotol leaves are sort of serrated on both sides.

When distilled, these plants take on very distinct flavor profiles. Texas sotol tends to be a little sweeter, smoother, and gassier than both tequila and mezcal. What appealed to us most about sotol is that it grows much more abundantly in Texas than does agave, and therefore has a much richer history here. The sotol plant that grows in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas is slightly different that the southern plant found in Mexico, so these are different categories as well.

Additionally, we came up with our own processing methods which are very different from traditional ways of making tequila, mezcal, or Mexican sotol.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES THE BRAND AND ITS STORY UNIQUE? From day zero we identified our set of values and have not diverted from them since we are a purpose driven team. Our top value is connection - we strive to help connect people to nature, art, music, history, and most importantly each other. We value authenticity; we are not afraid to be who we are. Furthermore, we embrace the history of this plant and its relationship with humans dating back 13,000 CONTINUED >

ARTICLE BY SARAH IVENS PHOTOGRAPHY BY TWO HOYLES PHOTOGRAPHY OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

9

For the love of the Texas landscape

Bottled in blue.

10

C HE F ’S SE LE CT ION | ENTE RTAI NME NT

years. The native people who lived in and around the Chihuahuan desert depended on the sotol plant for food and material to make tools; then, around 800 years ago, began to ferment the plant to make some sort of alcohol.

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM MANY OF THE OTHER ALCOHOL COMPANIES THAT HAVE SPRUNG UP AROUND AUSTIN IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? We make our spirit from scratch; the vast majority of spirits you’ll find at the liquor store are made from an industrially sourced spirit, then finished at XYZ distillery. There are a lot of great spirits made this way, but few brands are very straightforward about their process. Also, we’re doing something that is authentic and unique, so the story resonates strongly with folks and that makes a big difference.

TELL US ABOUT THE LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE AROUND YOUR DISTILLERY, AND HOW IT PULLS AT YOUR TEXAN HEARTSTRINGS? Our tasting room is in the hill country, and is surrounded by the natural beauty of this region. Our ranch, and the other ranches we wild harvest from, are in West Texas in the high desert. Both of these parts of Texas are distinct and beautiful, and we revere them for different reasons.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO ENJOY A GLASS OF DESERT DOOR? I like to drink it neat or with grapefruit juice.

WHERE DO YOU SEE IT BEING IN TEN YEARS TIME? We think the category will grow tremendously; I would bet that it outpaces mezcal. We’ll see more brands in both the Mexican sotol category and the Texas sotol category. Our hope is that Desert Door is a household name in Texas by that point.

To book a distillery tour or find out more, go to desertdoor.com

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

11

ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNA MCELROY

THE EMMER & RYE HOSPITALITY GROUP PARTNER SHARES HIS RECIPE FOR LIFE: HOPE, CHOICE & HARD WORK

12

M UST SE E | L IFE + CU LTURE

Tavel Bristol-Joseph

If you’ve ever been to Emmer & Rye, Hestia, Kalimatxo, TLV, Henbit, Canje, Ladino, the restaurants under the Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group (ERHG) umbrella, you’ve tasted a bit of what Tavel Bristol-Joseph has created. If you’ve had the good fortune to spend time with him, you’ve learned his story is one fueled by hope, optimism and the certainty he was meant for more.

We caught up with Tavel, ERHG’s Director of Hospitality, at the Austin home he shares with his wife Brittany and dog Gus Gus. After he whipped up a delicious Ambrosia we dug in for a chat.

Here’s some of our conversation in his own words.

HIS HISTORY, AND HIS WHY My mother left Guyana when I was nine months and came to the US. I grew up with my father and his mom, uncles and aunts in a two-bedroom house with seven people. We struggled, sleeping on the floor, sometimes with no running water or electricity.

My father got killed when I was sevenyears-old and I grew up moving from house to house. Everyone said, ‘Yeah, we’ll take T in,’ but you’re not their child, so you’re always going to be second, and you’re treated that way. I don’t want anyone to ever feel like they’re not enough or they’re not at the same level.

I know how that feels and I know what that can do to someone.

TIMELINE OF AN INSPIRATIONAL CAREER I wasn’t the best kid. I would get out of school and play basketball with my friends, then get home at 6pm and my aunt

would be mad and tell me I had to bake with her for Sunday school. I took the punishment and pretty much every Saturday I was in the kitchen with her making cheese rolls, tarts and beef patties.

I came to the US at 17 (after his mom returned to Guyana and took him to the embassy and successfully got him papers to travel). I went to restaurant school in New York and started working at River Café (where an internship turned into a job). Then I went to Blue Fin in the W Hotel in Times Square. I was the pastry/sous chef there for two years, my first management job. After that, I went to Arizona (for a girl) and ended up working with my current partner Kevin Fink.

We both worked for his dad’s restaurant group, he was Director of Operations and I came in as Corporate Pastry Chef. We became friends and when the corporate chef left I slid into the role and worked there for seven years!

Kevin and I realized we worked well together and nourished each other’s ideas. Kevin had the idea to branch out and do our own thing. We were rockin’ with the group, but we wanted more.

He said ‘I think Austin is where it’s at and I’m looking for a business partner, join me on this.’ Honestly, it wasn’t about business or thinking we’re going to be successful; it was, ‘My friend, you have an idea and I’m going to help you get to where you need to be.’ In that same conversation I said when I’m ready to open my own place, I’m expecting you to do the same, and he said, ‘Absolutely!’ So, we came out here to open Emmer & Rye. CONTINUED >

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

13

AUSTIN AND EMMER… Emmer’s opening kept getting pushed back. We ran out of money so both started working for Uber. We would be planning the restaurant during the day, picking out colors, aprons, everything - and then at night I’d come home, take a shower, talk to the lady for a bit and then get in the car around 10pm and drive Uber until 2:30am. It was a great way for me to learn the city and in one early review we had, the first comment was, ‘I think that’s my Uber driver.’

It was a stress to come from out of town and say we’re cooking local food and representing Austin, but the city opened its arms because it realized we were being real and trying to uplift the community and work with local farmers. We were asking them, ‘What do you grow well here?’ and telling them we’ll buy that and whenever it changes, we’ll change our menu. We didn’t want the farms to grow anything for us, whatever they grew we would use. That changed the narrative and that’s why Emmer is now a staple.

We were nerds about how we were going to change the system with an open kitchen, the cooks not just in the kitchen but coming out to serve you, doing fine dining food, but fast. We did fresh milled grains, fermentation and make our own vinegars, all of our spices, break down whole animals to do our butchering, work with 40-50 different farms, and change the menu every single day.

CREATING CAKES (AND MORE) VIA COLLABORATION When I was the pastry chef that was my sanctuary, now it’s more about ‘how do I share?’ I believe that’s what success is.

It’s how much you can give, not what you can take. If I can give my corporate

pastry chef and pastry team a glimpse into how my brain works then I’m giving something to them, a lesson they can learn and pass down to somebody else.

For the Bristol-Joseph Scholarship we pay for school, but more important than that is the mentorship. You have access to me; I have friends everywhere if you need a job. I wanted to do it because I was tired of hearing, ‘There are no good chefs in the industry.” I said, ‘You’re right, and I’m going to do something about it.’ I’m not going to do it so they can work for me, they legally can’t, I’m going to do it so they can work and better our community. I started it two years ago, after I won Food & Wine Best New Pastry Chef. We were in the middle of a pandemic and I wanted to do something with this platform I’d been given.

MOTIVATION TO KEEP OPENING RESTAURANTS… It’s about all of us as a collective.

There are five partners and none of our concepts are the same. It’s doing whatever we’re passionate about, not about trying to make the most money.

Emmer was Kevin’s passion project and we came together and did it and that’s how we’ve continued. Mine is Canje.

We’re constantly growing in that way that’s very natural, we’re not just putting together a concept.

CHEF IN THE KITCHEN… EXEC OUT FRONT I like both roles equally… at different times. When I can change someone’s life, when I can hire someone and inspire someone, it’s the greatest thing ever.

When I’m in the kitchen and can think of an idea and create it, it’s the best thing ever, to see what you have in your mind out on a plate, because we’re storytelling.

CONTINUED >

14

M UST SE E | L IFE + CU LTURE

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

15

Tavel and his canine buddy, Gus Gus, sporting a gold chain from Korman Fine Jewelry

16

M UST SE E | L IFE + CU LTURE

Tavel and his wife Brittany in their Austin home

CONTINUED >

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

17

When you see that story come out and someone gets it, it’s the best thing. When you say that story and someone doesn’t appreciate it, it’s the worst thing in the world.

As a chef, as a hospitality person, we crave approval. Every chef is insecure. They act like they’re tough, but that’s a shield.

They’re all faking it, they’re all insecure.

Because, what do we do? We make stuff and ask if you like it. That’s what we do, we need that. If the restaurant is empty, we’re having a terrible day. That’s why front and back of house to me, I treat it all the same. You’re just working with different ingredients.

what I went through, but the focus should always be about how to overcome. To me, that’s more interesting than what you’ve been through because it has to be about hope. We all have sad stories, everyone does, but what you don’t hear a lot about is how people got through it.

RAPID FIRE FAVORITE QUOTE: Why did you wake up this morning and why should anyone care?

GETTING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES I grew up without the opportunity to choose. I was at the mercy of others and not permitted to ask ‘why?’ The first time I was given a choice is when I came to America and was asked, ‘What do you want to do, and how do you want to do it?’ That changes you.

That was hope for me because I never had it.

What kept me going in Guyana with everything I was going through was knowing that I was bigger and better than any situation I was in. I’ve known since I was a kid that I was destined for something else and this was not it. I had every opportunity to make bad decisions, I had all the tools for that, but when you know you’re better than where you are and you’re destined for something, that’s what keeps you going during those hard times.

ON SUCCESS Now that things are flowing for myself, for our business, I’m still in shock about the level of success and recognition that we’ve gotten. It shows that it’s not a myth that with hard work, focus and dedication you can gain success.

I never want my story to be about this guy who came from hard times. I always want my story to be about progression and positivity. Yes, there are references to

18

M UST SE E | L IFE + CU LTURE

FAVORITE BOOK: What’s Cooking in Guyana.

It’s the first cookbook I ever read and it really inspired me to take risks and chances.

FAVORITE RESTAURANTS OTHER THAN YOUR OWN? I love Nixta, The Garrison, and for barbecue I love Valentina’s.

FAVORITE CUISINE: A tie between Indian and Thai food. They both love rice and I love rice.

FAVORITE THING ABOUT AUSTIN: The chef community is one of the most welcoming and collaborative communities I’ve ever been a part of.

IF YOU COULD HAVE A MEAL WITH ONE PERSON LIVING OR DEAD: My father.

FAVORITE KITCHEN GADGET: A spoon, I love spoons (even his wedding invitation was a spoon!)

IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPERPOWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Make people love me.

Editor’s note: To know Tavel is to love him, so I think it’s safe to say he’s already got that superpower in the bag.

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

19

MAKE THE TO CARE FOR

Choice Yourself

We often neglect the most important thing - our health.

Make the choice to care for yourself again.

Schedule your mammogram today!

AUSTIN BREAST IMAGING-NORTH 12319 N. MoPac Expressway Plaza North, Bldg C, Ste 320, Austin, TX 78758 O: 512.776.1000 AUSTIN BREAST IMAGING-SOUTH 5815 W. William Cannon Dr. Austin, Texas 78749 O: 512.595.7300

SCHEDULE

DO YOU REALLY HAVE TO CHOOSE? Franchising with us means making money and time for your life.

Ins p i re d Hom e D e cor B E YOU R OW N B OS S

SE T YOUR SCHE DULE

LOW F RANCHISE F E E

WO R K-L IF E BA L A NCE

Cu ra te d w i t h T h ou ght f u l S tyl e M i d - ce nt u r y M od e rn Conte m p orar y

«

START YOUR OWN PUBLICATION CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/FRANCHISE

S t a ge ha u s | A R e s i d e nt i a l S t a gi n g Co m pany www.t h e s t a ge ha u s .com OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

21

Chef Janie Ramirez

RIGHT ON TIME Dai Due's Executive Chef stays challenged creating inventive dishes from seasonal & local ingredients ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG STILL

Chef Janie Ramirez has been with highly acclaimed restaurant Dai Due since nearly the beginning of its days as a restaurant, (it was a supper club and farmers market stand beforehand) starting out in a prep position. Within two months this superstar of the kitchen escalated to sous chef, becoming Chef de Cuisine in 2016, and then Executive Chef in 2018.

22

I NSP IR E D BY | FOOD + BE VE RAGE

YOU’VE HAD A JOURNEY WITH DAI DUE… I started in September 2014, about a month after the restaurant opened. As soon as I got the job, I felt I had found my home. Everything about it was what I had been looking for: the sourcing, connection to community, seasonality, and the amazing products we were working with. I even loved the challenges all these

things brought - the creative, ever-changing menu, and the work environment. Many cooks struggle to find the perfect place for them, but Dai Due was right for me. I’ve been there for almost eight years now.

WOMEN ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF CHEFS IN THE US. DID YOU FEEL LIKE WORKING IN A RESTAURANT WAS CHALLENGING FOR YOU PROFESSIONALLY, BEING A WOMAN IN A MALE-DOMINATED FIELD? For a long time, I tried not to think about myself as a woman in the kitchen, I just wanted to be the best, learn everything and be seen for my work, not my gender.

I still feel this way most of the time and this is how I run my kitchen. Looking back now, there were definitely moments where being a woman made things more difficult.

There was sexual harassment that I just accepted as part of working in kitchens.

There was not being taken seriously as a cook and not being considered someone who would not be worth moving up. I worked harder and didn’t ask for help so I would be taken seriously and not be dismissed “as a girl”.

But this wasn’t everywhere. In my heart I think if you work hard, you can do anything. If someone doesn’t see that, move on. When I came to Dai Due, I was shocked at how many women worked there. The culture was so different from anywhere else I had worked before. It was kind and it made me kinder. I don’t purposely hire women; I look at a cook for their ability to do the job.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB? I love making relationships with farmers and working with great products. It might seem difficult to be restricted by the seasons - Central Texas seasons at that - but I find it makes my job much easier. You don’t have a lot of choices. It’s like a game. Here are the few things you can work with, what are you going to make? I love, love, love to cook but working in restaurants can be high pressure much of the time. Yet just when I feel a little burned out, we will get

As soon as I got the job, I felt I had found my home. Everything about it was what I had been looking for: the sourcing, connection to community, seasonality, and the amazing products we were working with. something new and exciting in, like cherries, and I’m back to being excited about cooking and making menus.

WHAT’S THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF YOUR JOB? Making sure everyone is happy. I joke about this often, but I wish I had studied counseling. Managing people is tough.

Finding the right people to work in a stressful, often unpredictable, job can be hard. Keeping them happy and challenged is even harder.

WHAT ARE YOUR THREE FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOLS OR APPLIANCES? A CHEF KNIFE. is the most obvious one.

THE VITAMIX. I finally broke down and bought one for my house. You can’t go back to a life before the Vitamix.

TONGS. My first serious chef at my first serious cooking job didn’t allow tongs in the kitchen. What? I think that most cooks gravitate towards sautéing or grilling and I’m a grill cook at heart. Tongs are life.

Can you survive without them? Sure, but everything is easier with them.

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

23

ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG STILL

FROM DA I DU E

Dai Due is known for its locally sourced ingredients, from fresh meats to seasonal farm-picked veggies. Here, Chef Janie Ramirez shares one of her favorite sides. She says, “I chose this dish because I love okra and okra is very versatile. It’s delicious grilled, fried, pickled, sliced thin raw in salads, hard sauteed and stewed.”

24

C ULIN A RY C R E AT ION S | F OOD + BE VE RAGE

CHEF JANIE SHARES A POPULAR SIDE FROM DAI DUE'S MENU OF NEARLY ENTIRELY LOCALLY SOURCED FOOD

STEWED OKRA

ingredients: • 4oz bacon, cut into lardons • 1 cup onions, thinly sliced • ¼ cup garlic, thinly sliced • 2 Tablespoons blackening spice • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved • 1 cup tomato, pureed • ½ cup white wine • 1 pound okra, cut into 1-inch pieces • 1 ¼ cup bone broth • Salt to taste

makes:

four servings as a side dish

prep time: 20 minutes

cook time: 30 minutes

total time:

“When making this dish, it is important to take your time with each step,” says Janie. “Give your bacon the time it needs to render to crispy. Give the onions time to cook down. Toast the garlic and spices until almost too far. Reduce the wine enough. Get the tomatoes until almost jammy and season in layers. Taking care at each step will make this simple recipe out of this world. At Dai Due we serve our stewed okra with fried chicken mashed potatoes, gravy, a biscuit and bread and butter pickles.”

directions: 1. In a wide pot, cook the bacon on low heat until just crisp.

2. Add onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté the onion until almost translucent then add the garlic and blackening spice. Continue to sauté until the garlic and spices just begin to toast.

3. Add the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get any little browned bits.

4. When the wine is reduced by half add the tomatoes and the pureed tomatoes. Turn the heat up. Cook until the halved tomatoes begin to break down. Stir often.

5. Add the bone broth. Bring to a boil and immediately add the okra. Season with salt. Bring to a boil again then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer until the okra goes from bright green (or purple) to an army green. This will take 10-20 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

50 minutes

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

25

CLUB CECCONI'S

26

H OT SP OT | FOOD + BEV E RAGE

Internationally lauded restaurant finds a home at the Austin outpost of Soho House ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW JOSEPH WOOMER

Cecconi’s has been serving up Northern Italian fare since it was opened by Enzo Ceccoi in 1978. Acquired by Soho House in 2004, Cecconi’s is now tucked inside select Soho House locations around the world, providing members and their guests with a seasonal menu of pizzas, plant-based options like green minestrone

soup and handmade pastas, including fan favorite spaghetti with Maine lobster. Guests at the Austin Soho House can enjoy the full Cecconi’s experience on white tablecloth-covered tables in the dining room and may also order from the menu at any location in the house where food is available for purchase.

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

27

Home Automation

|

Home Theater

Networking

|

|

Lighting Control

Security

|

|

Motorized Shades

Surveillance

Visit Us Online to Get Star ted With Your Next Project cordonconnec t.com 512-745-2922

BOUTIQUE MED SPA IN NORTH CENTRAL AUSTIN Hydrafacial Microneedling Laser Hair Removal Cosmetic and Paramedical Tattooing IPL ALL BODIES WELCOME 737.610.5000 Moonage-Daydream-Esthetics.com

V Moonage.daydream.esthetics 9415 Burnet Rd, suite 105, Austin, TX 78758

28

LIGH TS FANTASTIC

I F YO U A R E READING THIS...

S O I S YO U R B E S T C L I E N T.

WE BRING OUR EXPERTISE, IDEAS, AND U N I Q U E P R O D U CT S TO S H O W YO U W H AT

2 OU T O F 3

I N WAYS T H AT YO U N E V E R I M AG I N E D

LIGHTING CAN DO

of our readers regularly purchase from our ads.

ADVERTISE WITH US. LEARN MORE AT CITYLIFESTYLE.COM/AUSTINTX

CALL TO SCHEDULE A COMPLIMENTARY DESIGN CONSULTATION

5 1 2 -4 5 2 -9 5 1 1 L I GH TS FA N TA ST I C.COM OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

29

ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN

meet...mama duke ABOUT: Native Texan Mama Duke has been writing music since the age of 14. “That is the age I remember starting to express myself creatively. Poetry turned into lyrics, which turned into song,” she says. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve indirectly pursued music, even though when I was growing up, I never knew music was something people could pursue in real life. I thought it was exclusively for people inside televisions and on the pages of magazines. I never connected that musicians were real people, and it was something I could obtain.

In a weird way, looking back — I wanted it to be my career since I was 14. That was the golden age for me.”

Her work is shining now, and after calling Austin home for nearly a decade, she will be taking the stage during Weekend One of Austin City Limits. “I’m geeked,” she says, “This changes everything. Yesterday’s price is not today’s price.

Lol. But all jokes aside — you gotta respect me in a different way now. Respectfully.”

She claims she doesn’t get nervous before shows anymore – although she suffered from stage fright early on in her career realizing what she used to perceive as nerves is just adrenaline.

“It’s like a fighter before they fight. It’s like get me in the ring so I can fight already. I need all this energy to go somewhere!” Still, she preps properly before performing, making show days selfcare days. “I get a massage, facial, lounge. I don’t talk to too many people, make sure my Sound Engineer has everything he needs… then coast all day until showtime,” she admits.

Mama Duke caught her lucky break opening for Naughty

by Nature - in what was only her third live show. “That was a dream,” she says. “I like telling this story because you always hear horror stories about how artists have to hear a million people say no before they get that one yes. I feel like I was embraced in a weird way when I first started to touch the stage. That Naughty by Nature show wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for Lolo! She goes by YellaStud. She made that show happen for me.”

“There’s a lot of magic happening with this new album,” Mama Duke says of her next release, which is slated to be out before her ACL appearance. “It’s a pop/rap album and it’s going to blow people’s minds when they hear the transition I’ve made as a singer/songwriter. I’m not just one thing.”

SOCIAL: INSTAGRAM @mama.duke | TWITTER: @MamaDukeTV CURRE NT OBSE SSIONS:

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“You get to choose.” -JLH

1. My nephew Prynce.

PEOPLE WHO INFLUE NCE YOUR MUSIC

AC TS YOU’ RE E XCITE D TO SE E AT ACL?

1. Drake - for all four of my answers but let me give you a little range…

1. SZA 2. Tobe Nwigwe

2. Missy Elliot

2. I’m performing with in-ears now so I’m obsessed with sound in a new way.

3. I’m super obsessed with my own happiness lately. Unlocking different levels of self-love is my passion right now. It’s beautiful.

3. Lil Nas X 3. Anderson Paak 4. Pink’s acrobatics 4. Billie Eilish

30

LOCA L LIM E LIGH T | EN T E RTAI NME NT

See Mama Duke perform Weekend 1 on the Barton Springs stage. 12:00-12:45pm – and that evening she’ll be on top of the Barton Springs Juiceland’s roof! “Imagine! All that traffic leaving Zilker Park will be met with a Mama Duke rooftop set.”

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

31

ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BIRN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY DOUG STILL

Caramel, coconut and peanut butter truffles

IN THE KITCHEN WITH KRYSTAL CRAIG THE CHOCOLATIER AND CO-OWNER OF INTERO TALKS TO US ABOUT CHOCOLATE WHILE TRUFFLE-MAKING

32

O UR TOWN | FOOD + BEVE RAGE

Krystal likes to clarify that a chocolatier doesn’t ‘make chocolate,’ a chocolatier ‘works with chocolate,’ explaining,“A quick way to think of it is a paint maker and a painter.”

Always a chocolate fanatic, Krystal says her parents, who also own a restaurant, “were very good at encouraging a positive work ethic and never hindered my creative side, which were helpful attributes to my unknown future in chocolate work.” She always knew she wanted to do something on her own.

Cut to the winter of 2018 when Krystal and her husband Ian opened Intero. “It came from our mutual love for Italian cuisine and the idea behind it in utilizing regionally available ingredients. Sustainability is very important

Happy place!

OCTOBER 2 0 2 2 | C I TYL I FE STYL E . C OM / AUST I N T X

KRYSTAL CR AIG

to us, and the concept of Italian cooking naturally incorporates that focus.”

People matter, too. “We knew we wanted to create a place that allowed us to spread our creative wings and challenge us in new ways while dually giving us the opportunity to foster meaningful relationships with others who enjoy sharing good food together.”

Ian’s career as a chef began at an Italian restaurant and Italy is where Krystal’s love of chocolate work was nurtured. “Italy is where I was first inspired in the real possibilities of artisan chocolate work and I was enamored by how “real” tasting all the chocolate products and desserts were there compared to anywhere I’d traveled in the US at the time,” she says.

Krystal’s personal favorite is dark chocolate and she primarily works with Luker chocolate from a fair-trade, organic, sustainable cacao farm out of Columbia. The day of our visit she used it to make her staple truffles – caramel (that won’t stick to your teeth!), peanut butter (with honey!) and coconut.

“Working with chocolate encompasses everything I love,” Krystal says, ”It provides the opportunity to continually learn and develop a creative skill I still feel so passionate about. On top of that, seeing other people happy is a great joy to me, and chocolate certainly helps to get mouths smiling. That’s almost the best part!”

Krystal says they’d like to open one or two additional concepts and invest in others towards their career goals in bigger ways. She and Ian are very hands on, ‘DIY-type people,’ but while Krystal develops the main dessert concepts and recipes based on seasonal ingredient changes and holiday inspirations, she’s grateful for their Pastry Sous Chef Kat Sees. “It takes a team of people in your corner to accomplish big dreams, and I’m grateful for everyone who believed in me enough to offer their support, time and talents towards what I was doing,” she says. “I want to pay it forward.”

Find Intero at 2612 E Cesar Chavez St Suite 105, Austin, TX 78702

33

01

Austin

FC P r ide

02

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR AUSTIN’S FAVORITE SOCCER TEAM

BY TURNING YOUR WARDROBE BLACK AND GREEN

03

05

04 06 As Austin FC wraps up regular season play and heads into the playoffs, I selected some pieces to help you get into the spirit in team colors black and green. 1. THE OFFICIAL AUSTIN FC JERSEY, like the ones my girls are wearing in this game day photo with Austin FC’s indomitable goalie Brad Stuver.

2. KENDRA SCOTT’S GOLD THREADED CAMRY STATEMENT EARRINGS in Emerald. 3. CUSTOM GREEN STITCHED BY CICI HAT made by one of employees at Estilo! 4. AND 5. SAMPLES OF POSSIBLE GAME DAY ENSEMBLES available at Estilo. 6. KENDRA SCOTT’S CADE BEADED BRACELET in Verde.

1. Brad Stuver & the O’Neill kids 2. Kendra Scott’s Gold Threaded Camry Statement Earrings 3. Stitched by Cici hat 4. & 5. Sporty look from Estilo 6. Kendra Scott’s Cade Beaded Bracelet

ARTICLE BY STEPHANIE COULTRESS O'NEILL

34

LOCA LS ON LY | STY L E + BE AUTY

The Art of Beauty.

Barbarino Surgical Arts

Maybe She’s Born With It, Maybe She’s Seeing Dr. Barbarino.

Your one stop for all things beauty.

Sheila Barbarino, MD, FACS is an award-winning, highly skilled oculofacial and full body cosmetic surgeon.

Our new UltraSlim!

Lose at least 2 inches of fat in one hour, guaranteed!

Get 10% off a package of 6 sessions ($300 value).

Buy your package with a friend and you both receive 15% off! ($900 value) Ultraslim is the only device for immediate non-invasive fat reduction at each treatment session, with an average of 3.5" reduction combined from the waist, hips, and thighs.

No Dieting | No Exercise | No Drugs No Surgery | No Pain | No Discomfort

512.732.7001 | barbarinosurgicalarts.com @barbarinosurgicalarts

Fire up your ba ckyard cookin g experien ce with our in credibly versatile lin eup.

S ave 10 % off ent i re o rder with any g ri l l , gri ddl e or pi z z a oven p urchase.

U se code atxfuego at ch eckout .

Bas e d in Au s tin, Texas | www. f uegolivin g.com | 888 . 8 8 3. 8 346