This winter, we invite you to dig a firepit and cook a seasonal dish of grassfed ground lamb, fresh mint, onion and parsnips over an open fire (see Homegrown Gourmet). Celebrate Edible Austin Eat Local Week with us at local markets and restaurants. And if, like us, you plan to experiment more with chocolate, try this recipe, which was handed to me surreptitiously at a recent farmers market by chocolatier Tom Pedersen. According to chef Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due supper club who created it, this Italian-style frozen custard is great for three reasons: it's easy, it doesn't require an ice cream machine and it's perfect for improvisation.

It's also the perfect finish to a celebratory meal.

CONTENTS

Publisher’s note

Contributors

Notable Edibles
IgnaFire Chocolates. Foodies. Challah for Hunger. Little BlueStem Bakery. Reliable Organics. Dishalicious. Real Ale Coffee Porter.

Newsworthy
Farm-direct foods at Seton and UT.

Roots
Tex-Czech and the History of Kolaches.

Edible Education
The greening of Garza High School.

La Casita de Buen Sabor
Lucinda Hutson’s guide to roasted vegetables.

People
The Gospel of Living Soil
Betsy Ross explains the difference between dirt and soil.

Farmer’s Diary
Part One: Bitter Harvest
Skip Connett’s cautionary tale.

Edible Nation
Praise the Lard
The Food Sleuth on the triumphant return of lard.

Cooking Fresh
Cooking with Chocolate
Mole Method
Independence Bootlegger Brown Ale Cake with Cocoa Dots

Department of Organic Kids
Johnny Els, 13, shares his love of food.
Chocolate Ginger Ganache Truffles

Chocolate: Dark and Light
Louise Ducote on chocolate.

People
Chocolatier Tom Pedersen’s sweet success.

Tools
Shaping history, one cookie at a time.

Drinks
Holiday Cocktails
Apples 'n' Oranges
Hot Rumba
Light and Breezy
Angelita
SAVVY Martini
Eggnog Martini

Marketplace
Shopping with Chef Alma Alcocer-Thomas.

Musical Plate
Darden Smith procures his dinner.

Road Trip
Jesse Griffiths finds Cajun-restaurant heaven in Port O’Connor.

Melting Pot
History, heart and soul in a potjie.
Danie's Kalahari Lamb Shank Potjie

Eat Wild
Amy Crowell on venison.
Pork-Venison Sausage

In Your Own Backyard
Planning your spring food garden.
Arugula-Spinach Pesto
Mole Verde

Homegrown Gourmet
Bridget Weiss cooks over fire.

How I Eat and Why
Bernadette Noll’s memories of mom.

Herbal Wisdom
Echinacea: the root of all good.

What’s in Season

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Art de Terroir
By Ginger Fox.