David Bull

By Robin Chotzinoff
Photography by Marc Brown

Chef David Bull definitely knows his way around a kitchen. But with a job supervising restaurants in San Antonio and Dallas for that town's La Corsha group AND three new restaurants—Second, Congress and Bar Congress—slated for downtown Austin, Bull seems right at home on the other side of the line, as well. Already under his belt are a 2003 Best New Chef award from Food & Wine, a nomination for a James Beard award and a spot as an Iron Chef contender.

Home Sweet Farm

By Elizabeth Winslow
Photography by Andy Sams

In 1787, Thomas Jefferson wrote to George Washington: “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness.” Brad Stufflebeam is a man who knows his history and shares Jefferson’s values. His 22-acre Home Sweet Farm in Washington County, near Brenham, is not only a model of sustainability, but proof of the rewards available to those who are willing to do things the old-fashioned way while chasing the “wisest pursuit.”

Pedernales Cellars

By Terry Thompson-Anderson  
Photography by Sandy Wilson 

There’s no question that the Texas wine industry is growing at an amazing pace—Texas now boasts over 200 wineries. Our wineries have become so popular that many of those located in remote areas are opening separate tasting rooms in the Hill Country or other metropolitan areas. But the true marker of a strong and enduring industry is when the second generation steps in and takes the reins at the older firms.

Tamales y Tradicion

By Laura Cottam Sajbel 

Photography by Nuri Vallbona

Steaming pork, chiles, beans and masa (dough) permeate the humid air with the distinctive aroma of Mexican cooking while animated chatter and the clatter of many spoons and bowls play backdrop. Welcome to the tamalada—a gathering of family and friends to make tamales that is ubiquitous in Central Texas, the Southwest and, of course, Mexico. The custom of assembling tamales, a time- and resource-intensive task, stretches back for centuries.

Middlemen on a Mission

By Samuel Fromartz    
Photography by N. Scott Trimble

It might be hard to believe that this cold, dank, 27,000-square-foot warehouse in Eugene, Oregon, across the road from several natural gas storage tanks and a giant commercial composting operation, represents a distant ideal of food distribution. But it just might. The cement loading docks of Organically Grown Company are quiet at 8 a.m., but earlier in the morning, well before dawn, workers here and at another facility twice as big in Portland were pushing pallets of organic produce into waiting trucks.

An Authentic Gig

Any non-famous musician knows the tune. Austin drummer Joe Humel was very busy playing in five different bands, working out of town on weekends and bouncing at Momo’s. But then… (Cue epiphany score.)

“I realized my jobs were seasonal, that I was 35 years old and broke, with no money and no investments,” Joe recalls.  Yet that was nothing compared to his biggest problem

Summertime One-Two Punch

By Lucinda Hutson
Photography by Lucinda Hutson

Summertime and the livin’ is easy—even easier with a cool drink in hand! Join me in the garden where upside-down tequila bottles line garden beds and the multihued glass of a “bottle tree” glistens in the sunlight. A trio of rusty mariachis, ingeniously crafted from old oil drums, plays lifelike musical instruments, while whiskey barrel cocktail tables invite guests to lounge and linger. Overhead, a sign says it all: “La Lucinda Cantina: Tequila, Music, and Dancing!” Here is where I serve my legendary libations: party punches.

Salt Lick Cellars

By Terry Thompson-Anderson
Photography by Andy Sams

Scott Roberts is proud to carry on the tradition of sustainable living that was begun by his ancestors who settled in the area now known as Driftwood in 1867. Ranchers and farmers by trade, they cared for the land and helped establish the small town named for the logjams of driftwood that piled up in the narrows of Onion Creek each year from early-spring floodwaters upstream.

La Condesa

La Condesa Pastry Chef Laura Sawicki presents Buñuelos de Requeson: Dos Lunas Ricotta Fritters, caramelized white chocolate, poached pear (Davis Orchard, Fredericksburg), honey and thyme braised grapes, cape gooseberries (Ottmer Family Farm, Stonewall) and nasturtium (Bluebonnet Farms, Schertz)

David Kogan

By Soll Sussman
Photography by Aimee Wenske

Running just a few minutes late because of a kosher Parmesan cheese emergency, David Kogan settles into a comfortable chair at Texas Hillel to reflect on his life and work as a kosher chef and caterer. In his third year as general manager, executive chef and director of catering and kosher operations for Ecstatic Cuisine, Kogan heads a full-service catering operation out of the commercial kitchen at the Texas Hillel Foundation.

Lauren Fensterstock and Steve Wiman

Two Takes on One Space: Lauren Fensterstock and Steve Wiman

On view at Laguna Gloria

December 15, 2011 – February 19, 2012

Laguna Gloria
3809 West 35th St.
512.458.8191
www.amoa.org

The Jones Center
700 Congress Avenue
512.453.5312
www.arthousetexas.org

Crop Cycles

By Carol Ann Sayle

At seven o’clock on an already-warm, humid, drought-suffering mid-June day, sweat dripped from my face as I leaned on the spading fork and pushed its tines easily into the moist soil. I bent down and flipped its teeth upward—jerking up a dense load of soil, compost, minerals and menacing nut-grass families. The idea was to mix the nutrient additions into the upper inches and extract the nut-grass chains (with roots intact) at the same time, once the soil was moist.

Fats and Oils

By Elizabeth Winslow
Photography ©iStockphoto.com/ Robyn Mackenzie

Of 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. 

Spring 2013 Notable Mentions

TIS THE SEASON FOR WINE AND FOOD FESTS

Spring kicks off with a flurry of wine-and-food (and food-and-wine) festivals, so why not indulge in every one? First up is La Grange Uncorked on Saturday, March 16, taking place in the historic Fayette Courthouse Square. For updates on participating food and wine vendors, visit lguncorked.com or call 979-968-5756. While you’re in the area, visit the lovely Rohan Meadery (rohanmeadery.com) and stick around for a musical treat at The Bugle Boy (thebugleboy.org).

Next up is the 10th annual Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair that runs from April 24–28 in Sugar Land in Fort Bend County, located 18 miles southwest of Houston (sugarlandwineandfoodaffair.com). Attracting foodies from around the state, this five-day festival offers chef workshops and wine tastings galore. And while you’re there, visit the Farmers Market at Imperial at the former site of the Imperial Sugar Factory, the oldest continuously operating business in the state of Texas which processed sugar there for more than 160 years. Open every Saturday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m.

Looking for a festival with food at the forefront? Experience the 2013 Austin Food & Wine Festival, presented by Food & Wine Magazine on April 26–28. This year’s festival features Chefs David Bull, Tyson Cole, Graham Elliot, Susan Feniger, Aaron Franklin, Bryce Gilmore, Jack Gilmore, Tim Love, Paul Qui, Rene Ortiz, Laura Sawicki, Barton Seaver, Christina Tosi, Jonathan Waxman, Jamie Zelko and Andrew Zimmern among others. Visit austinfoodandwinefestival.com for schedule and ticket options.

For a festival with an all-Texas focus, join us for the Hill Country Wine and Music Festival, benefiting and promoting the establishment of the Texas Center for Wine and Culinary Arts in Fredericksburg (see more below). The festival takes place on April 26–27 at the Wildseed Farms located on U.S. Hwy 290, seven miles east of Fredericksburg. The festival features some of Central Texas’s hottest wineries and food artisans, while the Texas music stage will feature Flamenco Jazz with Jose Tejeda and the A’lante Flamenco Dance Ensemble, John Arthur Martinez, Charles Thibodeaux and the Austin Cajun Aces and The Almost Patsy Cline Band. See hillcountrywineandmusic.com for tickets and more.

FUNKY BY BIKE

Artwork by Lauren Scheuer

It’s that time again! The annual Funky Chicken Coop Tour (FCCT) is coming up on Saturday, March 30. This marks the fifth year that Austinites have opened their backyards and chicken coops to fellow chicken lovers. Only this year, there’s a twist: Why not ride the tour on two wheels? FCCT is partnering with the Austin cycling community to prepare the tour route, provide guides to lead participants from coop to coop, set up rest stops and perform minor bicycle repairs along the way. Visit austincooptour.org for volunteer and tour information.

EAST AUSTIN URBAN FARM TOUR FOR A CAUSE

Spend Sunday afternoon on April 14 strolling vibrant fields of produce and visiting with chickens, donkeys and goats on four neighboring urban farms. At each farm, chefs will provide tastes of their art using farm-fresh ingredients while local brewers, wine merchants and mixologists will offer sips along with your farmer-led farm tours.This event will change the way you look at local food and the people you buy from as well as offering the perfect opportunity to get your most pressing gardening questions answered! The East Austin Urban Farm Tour benefits Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, a national organization based in Texas that supports independent family farmers and protects a healthful food supply for American consumers. See eastaustinurbanfarmtour.com for details and tickets.

CELEBRATE VEGGIES AT TEXAS VEGFEST

We’re pleased to announce the return of Texas VegFest on April 6, at Fiesta Gardens. The festival is an opportunity to celebrate all the benefits of a plant-based diet—from improving health and protecting the environment to strengthening our relationship with animals and our connection to the food grown in our community. Enjoy the  food, entertainment, children’s activities, speakers, cooking demos and interactive events that will get you excited about the produce on your plate. Visit texasvegfest.com for more information.

TEXAS CENTER FOR WINE AND CULINARY ARTS

Here’s a first peek at phase one of the schematic design for the Texas Center for Wine and Culinary Arts, just completed by Overland Partners of San Antonio. The center will be located adjacent to Barons Creek in downtown Fredericksburg, and its mission is “dedicated to the awareness, understanding and celebration of Texas food, wine and agriculture through educational programming and hands-on experiences.” The 30,000 square-foot facility will include a hands-on kitchen, a theater and demo kitchen, two permanent classrooms, a board room, a restaurant, a wine tasting area, wine-and-food-related retail, a patio with an outdoor teaching kitchen and BBQ center, approximately 10,500 square feet of indoor event space and an outdoor event lawn. The center will be built three blocks off of historic Main Street and an easy walk from 300 hotel and motel rooms and Fredericksburg’s numerous B&Bs and guesthouses. A challenge grant of $1.2 million to purchase the property for the center has been received from the Don L. and Julie Holden Foundation. The center is organized as a 501(c)(3) so donations to the project are tax deductible. Visit texascenterforwineandculinaryarts.com for updates.

AUSTIN FOOD BLOGGERS ARE COOKING!

In a jump from its home on the Web to the world of print, the nonprofit Austin Food Blogger Alliance (AFBA) is releasing its first-ever cookbook in April. History Press is publishing the sizable cookbook, which includes more than 100 recipes—including fried egg tacos, avocado margaritas, carrot cake bouchons and Texas coffee ribs—along with stories, photos and vignettes culled from AFBA’s members around Central Texas. Proceeds from the sale of the cookbooks will benefit AFBA’s efforts to support food writers throughout the region. Visit austinfoodbloggers.org for details and pre-orders.

AUSTIN CULTUREMAP TASTEMAKER AWARDS

Last year’s inaugural Tastemaker Awards, presented by Austin CultureMap, was a huge success, and this year promises to be just as delicious. The Tastemaker Awards recognize the culinary achievements of individuals and restaurants in the Austin area. Categories for recognition include restaurant, chef, pastry chef, brewery, craft bartender and sommelier/beverage director. The nominees are in, and the awards will be announced live on April 11 at the Driskill Hotel. See austin.culturemap.com for a full list of nominees in each category, and further information about attending this event.

CHILDREN'S PICNIC AND REAL FOOD FAIR

Edible Austin, The SANDE Youth Project and the Children’s Environmental Health Institute are copresenting a Children’s Picnic and Real Food Fair on Sunday, April 7, from 1–5 p.m. on the grounds of the French Legation Museum. Bring the whole family to this free community event, and enjoy a picnic brought from home or buy picnic fixings from an array of local farmers market food vendors. There will be interactive workshops and demos on square-foot gardening, cooking, beekeeping and more as well as a youth music stage, movies and opportunities to visit with a multitude of representatives from health and wellness professions. Free!

TASTY KIDS' MENU AT SNACK BAR

There are many reasons to visit Snack Bar—not the least of which is the dog-friendly patio, one of the best spots for people-watching on South Congress Avenue. But it’s Chef Thomas Reeh’s thoughtful menu that’s the real draw, and it’s no exception for kids. Not only is the children’s menu full of tasty, healthful options—like a scrambled farm egg with fruit, and quinoa with pineapple and avocado—it also doubles as a coloring sheet, giving the grown-ups more time for happy hour. See snackbaraustin.com for menus and more.

RELAX AND SMELL THE LAVENDER!

While Becker Vineyards is most noted for its wine, the property near Fredericksburg also includes three acres of beautifully perfumed lavender. Becker will host its 15th Annual Lavender Festival on April 27–28, with lavender fields in bloom as the backdrop for wine tasting and tours, live music, vintner luncheons, vendors selling lavender products and plants and more. Visit beckervineyards.com for details.

FARM TO PLATE BENEFIT FOR SFC


BRINGS OUT THE FOODIES

On May 9, celebrate the bounty of spring with Sustainable Food Center (SFC) at their annual fundraiser at the beautiful, historic Barr Mansion, showcasing food by over 25 leading Central Texas chefs dedicated to sourcing locally. The 2013 featured chefs are Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due, Sonya Coté of Hillside Farmacy and The Homegrown Revival and Andrew Wiseheart of Contigo. Farm to Plate also features handmade cocktails, biodynamic wines and local microbrews. Tickets available March 1 at sustainablefoodcenter.org

SAVING THE RAINFOREST,


ONE SHORT FILM AT A TIME

Austin-based nonprofit Rainforest Partnership is a positive force in the fight to save the ever-dwindling tropical rainforests. They have made headway in communities in Ecuador and Peru, teaching locals how to develop environmentally sustainable economies—both to protect what remains and rejuvenate what has been lost. Some of these efforts will be showcased at SXSW Film Festival Community Screenings in their 4th annual Films for the Forest Challenge. The short films feature innovative approaches to issues facing rainforests and their surrounding communities. The screening will be during the week of March 8-16, location and times to be announced.  See sxsw.com for complete schedule and updates.

ROSEWOOD GETS A NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET

Austin’s East Side neighborhood of Rosewood has witnessed dramatic change in recent years, but until recently it was still sorely lacking in nutritional resources. The opening of Rosewood Community Market at 1819 Rosewood Ave. has changed that. Owner Allen Rogers opened the market in an area designated as a “USDA food desert” because of its lack of healthful food options. It’s likely that designation won’t last for long. With just two aisles and no shopping carts, the compact space is brimming with fresh local produce and other grab-and-go items. Visit rosewoodfood.com for more information.

OLIVE FESTIVAL DEBUTS IN DRIPPING SPRINGS

The First Annual Texas Olive Festival will be held on Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. at the Texas Hill Country Olive Oil Company orchard in Dripping Springs, with live music, local gourmet food, cooking demos, tastings and book signings. Special guests include Carol Drinkwater, actor and author, discussing her books, documentaries and life at her orchard, and Micki Sannar, chef and author, serving up delicious desserts. Visit texashillcountryoliveco.com

TEXAS NATURAL AND WESTERN SWING TURNS 21

San Marcos is gearing up for the 21st annual Texas Natural and Western Swing Festival on Saturday, May 18 on the historic Courthouse Square, featuring live music and a food and farmers market from 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. The always enjoyable Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame Show will be under starry skies from 7:30 p.m. to midnight on the banks of the San Marcos River. Visit sanmarcostx.gov

Spring Pugilists

By David Alan
Photography by Jenna Noel

If you’ve picked up a cooking or lifestyle magazine in the last few years, you’re probably aware that apparently we’re in the middle of a “cocktail revolution.” Food and Wine magazine declared 2006 the “year of the cocktail,” and numerous other publications have made similar, if less official, declarations. However, if you look around, the heads of bad cocktails are not rolling in the streets.   Alas, mediocrity reigns supreme in the drinking temples of downtown Austin, from the college bars of Sixth Street to the overpriced lounges of the warehouse district.

Saving Green Grace

By Carol Ann Sayle

While a fresh, juicy, sun-ripened red tomato is the “gold standard” of taste for that particular fruit, around tomato-time each year, folks inquire at our farm stand as to the availability of green tomatoes. Not the heirloom Green Zebra, which is green and yellow-striped at full term, but regular tomatoes like Early Girls or Celebrities, in the immature, green state.

Mark Spedale's Seasonal Plate

Photography by Jody Horton

Primizie Osteria’s Lamb and Quail Duet by Chef Mark Spedale features rosemary-grilled lamb loin (Loncito’s Lamb) and black olive goat cheese stuffed quail (Texas Quail Farms and Pure Luck Goat Dairy Farm) with cherry Israeli couscous.

Handiwork: Mozzarella

Story and Photography by Lisa Fain

Haak Vineyards and Winery

By Terry Thompson-Anderson
Photography by Marla Camp

Raymond Haak, a former electrical engineer, and his wife, Gladys, a former accountant, worked their way toward the mutual dream of owning their own business. They eventually established themselves in the mini-storage warehouse business and also purchased a large, busy convenience store. But during the time spent building enterprises, a shared hobby emerged that would one day lead to the Haaks’ greatest achievement: growing grapes and winemaking. 

Edible Radio presents Lynne Rossetto Kasper

LYNNE ROSSETTO KASPER ON


EDIBLE RADIO'S GROWING HOME

Growing Home host Marla Camp visits with Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host and cocreator of the American Public Media radio show The Splendid Table, about Lynne’s latest book, The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Weekends. On this episode, Lynne talks about why we love cookbooks, the alchemy that turns groceries into meals and how to prepare a sumptuous vegan holiday dinner. Plus she gives us a tip on what to do with Franklin Barbecue leftovers (if there is such a thing). Listen at edibleradio.com.