Living Local: What Does Eating Local Mean?

What does eating local mean?  Well, it depends on who you ask.

For the Sustainable Food Center, the nonprofit that runs the Downtown, Triangle and Sunset Valley Farmers markets in Austin, it means that the food is being brought by the person who raised/grew it or created the product from within a 150 mile radius of Austin. According to Wikipedia, locavore means someone who eats locally produced food within 50, 100 or 150 miles of their home.  Barbara Kingsolver and her family, in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, challenged themselves to a year of eating only things produced within 100 miles of home, thus inspiring the 100 mile diet.


For me, I lean toward SFC's definition since I shop at their markets most often.  I get a CSA basket from Farmhouse Delivery every other week and I supplement that with more produce and meat from the local markets. I'm growing a bunch of herbs and few vegetables on my patio.  I buy staples from the grocery store, almost always H-E-B or Central Market as they are a Texas-based retailer that gives back to the community in a big way.


Whenever it's an option, I buy an Austin or Texas brand because I like to support local businesses. About once a month, I treat myself and shop at Antonelli's Cheese and buy lovely cheeses from Texas and around the world while visiting with one of the most charming couples in Austin.  Whenever I eat out, I try to pick a place that sources some of their products locally.   This works for me.  It's not "perfect," but then I'm not perfect.  It's good and I feel good about it.

You need to decide what local means for you.  I can't tell you what is best for you, your life and your situation.  And, I'm not going to tell you what you are doing is wrong.  I admire my friend Carla for her Year with No Grocery Store Challenge, but I couldn't do it.  It's right for her, but not for me.

So, why I am on this rant?  Because I want to tell you what's NOT local.

Recently, a friend asked me if I was going to cover the new farmers market in NW Austin.  I told her I had already covered the Cedar Park market opening this weekend (March 27th), which is when she told me she meant the Sprouts Farmers Market near the Arboretum.  Ugh!

It's understandable that my friend was confused, after all the sign at Sprouts says Farmers Market on it.  But let's be clear - SPROUTS IS NOT A FARMERS MARKET.  A farmers market has farmers at it.  Those farmers are from the surrounding area.  The only Texas produce that I could find at Sprouts were microgreens from Keller, TX and herbs from Rice, TX.  None of the meat is local.  None of the cheese is local. They don't even carry Mozzarella Co. cheese from Dallas.   I'm sure the dairy farmers in Wisconsin are lovely people, but they aren't coming to our farmers markets and defining Wisconsin as our "surrounding area" would be stretch for anyone.

But I'm not just picking on Sprouts.  Newflower Farmers Market on Manchaca isn't a farmers market either, it's a grocery store.  I like grocery stores, I may even love my H-E-B, but I don't like grocery stores that pretend to be farmers markets. As it turns out Walmart is probably carrying more local produce than the Sprouts or Newflower "farmers markets."

Real farmers markets can be confusing as well.  In addition to allowing vendors from different distances, some markets allow vendors to resell produce from other farms.  The reselling at the Dallas Farmers Market was obvious (pineapples? really?), but it won't always be that clear. Only producer or grower markets require that all the product be from the seller's farm.

Restaurants bring their own set of problems.  One local restaurant, who has recently changed at least their online menu, listed a Farmers Market salad for many months.  That's great except the salad had green peas and endive in it. In August.  In Austin.  It might have been a farmers market salad, but not from our farmers market.  They also had salmon on the Farm to Table menu.  Again, there's no salmon swimming up stream in the Colorado.  I'm fine with non-local items on a menu, but don't call it farmers market or farm to table when it's not.

Another family of restaurants bought from a local farm for years and advertised as such.  The problem?  When they stopped buying from the farm, they didn't change their ads.  

So, what's a consumer to do?  Ask questions.  Ask lots and lots of questions. 

If you are shopping at a new farmers market, go to the information booth and ask them about the type of vendors and the distances they travel. At the booths, ask the farmers where they are from and how the produce their food. At a new grocery store, ask if they carry local products in the produce and meat departments.

At a restaurant that says they work with local farms, ask which dishes include local ingredients.  No restaurant in Austin uses 100% local products, but many are adding more and more local items to the menu because people are asking for them.  

I recently visited 24 Diner for breakfast.  When I walked in, I saw the sticker on the door saying they work with Farm to Table, a purveyor who connects restaurants with farms (they are not affiliated with this blog), and I saw the list of local produce on the blackboard.  I reviewed the menu and found a dish that looked like it contained some of the items from the board, but, before I ordered, I asked the waitress if the frittata was made with local vegetables.  She confirmed that it was.

It wasn't hard to ask and the waitress didn't seem to mind that I was asking. She actually seemed pleased that someone was bothering to read the board.  It was worth "bothering" her.

Maybe if we let more restaurants, farmers markets and grocery stores know that we are paying attention, they'll pay more attention too. It's at least worth asking.

Call to Action: Tell City Council You Want Hot Food at the Markets

Thriving farmers markets have diversity, offering a little something for everyone. For many of us, the markets serve as our Saturday morning breakfast joint, community centers, meeting places and our grocery store. Personally, I've come to depend on the market as a place where I can grab a quick meal while I take care of my shopping for the week, which is why I was so upset to learn that the City of Austin has changed their minds about vendors being able to serve hot food at the markets.

Most Saturdays, the line for hot biscuits and gravy and duck egg tortas at Dai Due, a charcuterie vendor selling hot food at the Downtown Austin Farmers Market, winds around their booth and down the market aisle.  The list of the charcuterie they are selling that day is littered with scratch out marks from the items they no longer have.  They make great product and it shows, but the City doesn't want them to be able to sell hot food at the market anymore.  

The City says that state law prohibits a permit for a temporary food establishment and that Dai Due is trying to run a restaurant from the market.  That's interesting since MesAlegre in San Antonio runs a chef's table at the Pearl Farmer's Market.  MesAlegre isn't even selling other product, just the chef's table, and it's been a fabulous draw for Pearl.

But for me, this issue is bigger than any one vendor;  it's about the markets.  Hot food adds another element that attracts new customers. The biscuits and gravy might be the hook for the casual shopper, but it gets them in the market to buy carrots, lettuce and bison.  When I visited the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, they were selling hot food at the market.  Pike's Place Market in Seattle sells hot food at the market. Even the Cherry Creek Farmers Market in Denver has hot food.  Our markets need that hook, that diversity, to thrive.  

  

This Thursday, March 25th, council members Sheryl Cole, Mike Martinez and Chris Riley are asking the council to consider Resolution 54 asking the city manager and staff to research how other markets around the state are serving hot or cooked food and to create a solution that will work with Austin's regulations AND support the markets.  

If you agree that serving hot food helps our farmers markets thrive, you can sign in supporting Resolution 54 at  the electronic kiosk in the lobby of City Hall at  301 W. 2nd Street. You don't have to speak, you can just affirm the resolution. You can also donate your 3 minutes of time to someone else. Registrations are accepted until the Mayor calls for the vote on the item (sometime after 10 am on Thursday)  or a vote to close the public hearing is taken.

If you can't make it to City Hall before Thursday, you can e-mail the council members as a group by clicking here. You can also e-mail council members individually by going to their profile page: council member sites.

I know calls to action aren't very fun, but I'm asking you to do this for the future of all our markets - not just the Downtown market and not just for Dai Due.  Thanks for supporting Resolution 54.  I've got some letters to write!

Road Trip! Exploring Dallas

All photos by the incomparable Jenna Noel.

At the beginning of the year, I decided to explore the sustainable food scene in other cities.  After going to San Francisco last fall, my curiosity was piqued about how people around the country are living locally. For my first adventure, I picked a place close to home - Dallas.

Maybe it's the Amarillo girl in me, but when I think of Dallas, I think of the big city and of a more sophisticated set of choices. Needless to say, I was a little surprised when I started researching sustainable food in Dallas and I didn't come up with much. Hmmm....

Luckily, my friend Jenna at Edible Austin called Nanci Taylor, one of the the publishers of Edible Dallas & Fort Worth, who gave us her recommendations of places to visit. (Thanks Nanci!)  Jenna and I reviewed the list and formulated a plan. We decided to focus this trip on central Dallas rather than trying to cover the suburban areas and picked three restaurants that source locally for our adventure. We packed up the car and headed north on I-35.

When we arrived Friday night, we were famished so we headed to Smoke, a barbecue restaurant near the remodeled Belmont Hotel. Locally-sourced barbecue is one of the missing links in the Austin restaurant scene and I was excited to try some sustainable 'cue. When we arrived, we were greeted by the warm, eclectic decor (modern art meets hunting lodge), festive atmosphere, and the inscription over the back room "Raising Hell from Scratch."  I immediately knew we were in the right place.  

We ordered Foie Gras & Chicken Liver Pate and a Pickled Beet Carpaccio and Crudite salad to start.  The pate was terrific served with lovely brioche toast that melted in your mouth. As good as the pate was, the beet carpaccio was the star. The vegetables were bright and fresh and the horseradish vinaigrette gave it a nice kick without overwhelming the flavor of the vegetables.

For dinner, we ordered off the barbecue menu - a 1/2 pound of Andouille hot links and a 1/2 pound of brisket with sides of Potato Salad and Hominy Casserole. The Andouille was delicious, spicy with little pieces of onion sprinkled in the meat.  Even Jenna, a Louisiana native, gave it high praise.  The brisket and potato salad were solid, but didn't have the same Wow factor as the Andouille.

We had fun playing with the four homemade sauces at the table.  I loved the horseradish mustard and Jenna's favorite was the Tomato Molasses. We both felt the hominy casserole was flat and one note in flavor, surprising since it had green chiles in it.  It didn't matter though as we had plenty of good food at the table. I will definitely be visiting Smoke again and I hope that we have someplace similar in Austin some day.  (Hint! Hint!)

After dinner, we popped next door to the Belmont Hotel to check out the much lauded skyline view. It was a little chilly that evening, but it would be a great place to visit with friends on a warm spring night.

We got up bright and early Saturday morning to explore the farmers market. We had been cautioned that the Dallas Farmers Market was very different than the Austin markets, but I couldn't wait to visit. Open seven days a week, the market houses three large sheds filled with produce, most of which is brought in from the Texas Valley or other states to be resold at market. The pineapples featured at several booths were a dead giveaway that the produce wasn't local.

One shed, however, is reserved for local farmers and vendors. Buoyed from our great experience the night before, we marched to Shed 1 (the local shed) with high hopes. As we rounded the corner, I'm pretty sure my face fell like a kid who just had a hole poked in their balloon. Where were the local vendors? 

The first four booths were "grandfathered" reseller booths packed with obviously non-local produce (pineapples, avocados, mangos, etc.). Then we spotted the local vendors - all 8 of them - two ranchers selling meat, Texas Honeybee Guild, 2 farmers selling eggs, Wackym's Kitchen cookies, and a few other folks selling jams, jellies and canned items. No produce. Not even hydroponic greens. Nothing. Hmmm...

I had been warned that the group of local vendors would be small.  I was told to manage my expectations, but no produce? I was crestfallen. I kept making Jenna walk around the small loop with me thinking we'd missed something or that we were just early and that someone else would show up. We even walked through the other two sheds hoping to bump into a local coffee roaster or someone selling native plants. Nope.

The morning wasn't a complete loss. We had a delightful conversation with Brandon the Bee Guy from Texas Honeybee Guild and I bought some whipped honey that is perfect for toast and sandwiches because it is so easy to spread. We also tasted and bought some terrific cookies from Wackym's Kitchen. The Salted Caramel cookies are a tasty mix of savory and sweet and were terrific for me and my limited sweet tooth. Jenna's favorites were the Lemon Butter with a little tartness to balance out the sweet cookie.

Determined to salvage the day, Jenna and I headed next to the East Dallas, home to the most unique "farmers market" I've ever visited. Tom Spicer, brother of New Orleans chef Susan Spicer, is a unique breed of farmer and urban forager. Frustrated by the lack of locally sourced food, Tom decided to take matters into his own hands, opening Spiceman's FM 1410, a store front farmers market with local and regional produce.

Tom sells produce from his own farm just outside of Dallas, his urban garden behind the shop and other area farms. In addition to selling to the public, Tom has become a critical resource to restaurants who are looking for local produce. As it turned out, Bolsa, the restaurant we were having dinner at that night, called in their produce order while we were there.

I told Tom about our experience at the Dallas Farmers Market and he responded, "Well, people in Dallas are about comfort and convenience. The farmers market isn't either of those things." He did share that some of the suburban farmers markets are growing and that a number of CSA programs in the area were building strong foundations. I was encouraged by his comments that little by little, the local food scene is gaining ground in Dallas.

For lunch, we strayed off the locally sourced path to pay homage to a Dallas treasure, Jimmy's Food Store, located in the small strip center down from Spiceman's. Jimmy's is a small Italian market with everything from produce (some local), meats, handmade pastas and all the supplies you could ever need to make a great Italian meal. 

We were told to try out their sandwiches and we were not disappointed. We split a small (this is a relative term) Muffuletta and a Cuban sandwich and couldn't finish them. Again, Jenna found herself praising the Dallas version of one of her Louisiana favorites saying it was the best Muffuletta she'd had outside New Orleans.

We spent the afternoon walking off lunch while shopping in the Bishop Arts District in the Oak Cliff area. Several people had recommended it to us as a very "Austin" area. We had a great time poking around the boutique shops which ranged from clothing to housewares. We couldn't resist grabbing two obscure sodas at The Soda Gallery - I got a Ting (grapefruit soda from Jamaica) and Jenna got a ginger beer.

We needed some chocolate to go with our sodas so we headed over to Dude, Sweet Chocolate. Their handmade chocolates incorporate unusual ingredients including beets, Texas Olive Oil, raz al hanout, and African curry. Katherine Clapner, owner and chocolatier, explained with enthusiasm the different products and how they made each. Her passion definitely comes through in the delicious products. I got a box of the Dude Chocolates and loved the unusual flavors in this great collection.  

We finally tore ourselves away from the aroma of the hot chocolate brewing in the back before we ruined our appetites completely. We were saving ourselves for Bolsa.

Bolsa, the sister restaurant to Smoke, is a hip, new American restaurant in the Bishops Art District that specializes in locally-sourced fare with a menu that changes daily.  Nanci Taylor of Edible DFW and Marie Tedie of Eden's Organic Garden Center  joined us for dinner which we kicked off with the Bruschetta tasting.  The platter featured  four flavors to sample - Butternut Squash, Prosciutto, Smoked Salmon and Fuji Apple.  The Butternut Squash was my favorite with a lovely Dallas goat cheese and basil.

As we reviewed our mixed experiences from the day, we talked about the sustainable food scene in Dallas. Marie shared the challenges of building a strong membership base with their CSA program in a community that was still learning the value of eating close to home.  I noted that I've always been surprised that some of my favorite farmers and food artisans are closer to Dallas than Austin, but they come to the Austin markets instead. I'm happy to be the beneficiary of that windfall, but I hope it won't be long before Dallas earns their attention.

Unfortunately, our hit and miss day continued at Bolsa. While my carpaccio was fantastic, Jenna's quail and Marie's chicken were overcooked. The food was good, but not great and we really wanted it to be great for Bolsa and Dallas' sake. 

The excitement of Bolsa being profiled on the local news that night couldn't make up for the inconsistencies from the kitchen. A friend of mine often says, "I don't care if it's local if the food isn't good." He's right and my hope is that Bolsa can work out the kinks so that they can deliver excellent local food consistently. It was good enough that I'll give them a second chance the next time I'm in the area.

Sunday morning, we headed to Park for brunch before our drive home. The charming restaurant in the Henderson Avenue shopping area has the ambiance of a picnic in the park and offers a number of locally sourced options, some of them coming from their own rooftop herb garden. They even give their compost to Tom Spicer for his urban garden.  Jenna had the Breakfast Flatbread and I had Green Eggs and Ham (couldn't resist). It was a nice brunch and a good way to end our road trip adventure.

The trip to Dallas was eye-opening. It reminded me of the Austin local food scene six or seven years ago, growing slowly but surely into a viable and thriving effort.  It made me realize that I've gotten a little spoiled in Austin. Because we are striving for so much more, we lose sight of the fact that we have many, many options for sourcing locally in Central Texas. I found myself quietly thanking all the people who work so hard here to help our community grow - the Sustainable Food Center, Urban Roots, Edible Austin, all of our local farmers and the chefs who work with them. 

I look forward to watching the Dallas sustainable food community grow.  The promise is there, and, with the hard work of people like Nanci, Marie, Tom and all the other great folks we met that weekend, I believe Dallas will make good on that promise. And, I can't wait to taste it! 

Other Dallas Area Restaurant Who Source Locally

As it was a short trip, we didn't get to try everything Dallas has to offer. Also, I have not included Fort Worth as I consider that a separate city/trip.  Following are some other restaurants who are sourcing their food locally that you might want to try:

Celebration Restaurant and Market

Green Spot Market 

Restaurant Ava (in Rockwall, just outside of Dallas)

York Street

Grab a Pencil and Start Filling Up Your Calendar with Sustainable Food Events

It's Austin event season and the calendar is filling up with great opportunities to celebrate local, fresh food.  There is something for everyone so grab your pencil and start filling in those dates!

I've focused on four organizations: Slow Food Austin, The Sustainable Food Center, Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival and Slow Money Alliance.  If you know of other events, please post them to the comments to share with everyone else.  Also, follow Austin Food Lover's Companion's Austin Foodie Bits each Monday for a weekly update of upcoming food events in Austin.

I look forward to seeing you at plenty of events this spring!

Slow Food Austin focuses on reconnecting us with our food.  They do that through three main types of events every month: local farm tours, happy hours and Slow Food Sessions that highlight different aspects of home cooking.  Take your pick and join in the fun.

Farm Tours: The tours will be scheduled periodically throughout the year.  The next two tours are at Stryk Dairy on March 27th and Springdale Farms on April 10th.

Happy Hours: Scheduled for the 3rd Thursday of every month, Slow Food Happy Hours highlight local restaurants and area farms:  4/15 at Olivia, 5/17 at Green Gate Farms, 6/17 at Boggy Creek
Slow Sessions: These educational sessions are scheduled for the 1st Thursday of each month and have highlighted everything from making cheese to how to cure bacon.  Monitor the website for the next session topic.

Sustainable Food Center in addition to bringing us three terrific farmers markets (Downtown, Sunset Valley and the Triangle), the Sustainable Food Center has two upcoming events to help you celebrate farm fresh food in Austin.

On Sunday, April 11th at 6:00 pm, La Condesa will host another Chef Series dinner with a  multi-course tasting menu featuring fresh meats and produce from the Austin Farmers’ Market.  Participating chefs include: Rene Ortiz, executive chef at La Condesa; James Holmes, executive chef and owner of Olivia; Tyson Cole, executive chef at Uchi; Shawn Cirkiel, executive chef at Parkside; Todd Duplechan, executive chef at Trio; Jesse Griffiths of Dai Due Supper Club; and Laura Sawicki, pastry chef at La Condesa.  Tickets are $100 per person, and all proceeds benefit the Sustainable Food Center. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.sfcchefseries.eventbrite.com.

SFC's annual fundraiser, Farm to Plate,  is Thursday May 6th, 6:30-9:30 pm at The Barr Mansion.  The event features tastings from over 20 local chefs, 10 wineries and several local breweries.  It is a great way to explore the restaurants who are sourcing locally and you get to visit with the chefs!  Early Bird tickets go on sale on Tuesday 3/24.

Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year with a stellar line up of events Thursday 4/15-Sunday 4/18.  Many of the events include chefs and restaurants from around the state who source locally including our very own Trio, Jeffrey's, Parkside, Fino, La Condesa and Zoot.  I also noticed Bin 555 from San Antonio, a wine bar and restaurant that offers several local options daily on their menu, on the list.

Some events with the potential for local sourcing that caught my eye include the Culinary Masters Dinner on Thursday night hosted by Chef Elmar Prambs of Trio, the Stars Across Texas event on Friday night with tastings from restaurants around the state, the Texas Wine & Cheese Pairing hosted by Whole Foods and their goddess of cheese Cathy Strange, and the Sunday Fair at the Salt Lick which will feature a number of local food vendors organized by Edible Austin.

Some of the tickets are pricey (Culinary Masters dinner is $150), but my previous experience with the festival is that the price is worth the experience.  Events do sell out (John Best cooking class is already full) so if you have your heart set on something, buy early.

Slow Money Austin is a new nonprofit focused on increasing investment in sustainable, local food enterprises.  I heard about Slow Money for the first time at the Texas Book Festival last fall and have been devouring all the resources I can find about it ever since.  I am thankful to Mason Arnold of Greenling and everyone who has helped him get our local organization up and running.

You can find out more about Slow Money and how it can help our growing sustainable food industry grow exponentially at two upcoming events.  

On April 21st, they are hosting a Slow Money Showcase from 12:30-5:00 pm at Austin's City Hall.  The conference will feature Slow Money Alliance founder Woody Tasch as the keynote speaker and include  panels of local experts on sustainable food in Central Texas.

The next evening April 22nd, you can help Slow Money Austin celebrate Earth Day at the Slow Money Dinner, at 6:00 pm at Barr Mansion.  The incomparable Dai Due Supper Club will be preparing a delightful dinner while participants continue the Slow Money conversation with presentations from Bastrop Cattle Company, Coyote Creek Feed Mill and Greenling.  It is guaranteed to be a thought-provoking evening.

A Birthday Cooking Battle: The Shrimp Throwdown

Kitchen challenges are the newest spectator sport and I got thrown in to the gladiator pit recently by my sister. She decided that for her birthday she wanted to pit two of her favorite people against one another in her very own Iron Chef style throwdown. Never shirking from competition, her husband, Shane, and I willing accepted the challenge of making two dishes each with the key ingredient, shrimp.

Shane and I often cook together during Sunday night dinners, and we have very different cooking styles which can be a little funny to watch - I'm a list maker; he likes to wing it. We decided that I would buy the shrimp from San Miguel Seafood at the Downtown Austin Farmers Market and then we'd buy our other ingredients separately so that our dishes were a secret.

I wanted my recipes to be locally sourced to show off to my sister's friends what I could create with my weekly farmers market and CSA goodies. But what would I pair with the shrimp?

I headed to kitchen to dig through the fridge. As I took inventory, a plan started to form. I had just been given some delicious Rio Star Grapefruit from Texas Sweet that I wanted to incorporate. My CSA box that week contained several key limes, 2 avocados, spring onions and green garlic. I also had bacon from one of our charcuterie vendors and one Meyer lemon left from a previous market visit.

I was starting to see the dishes I wanted to make, but I needed one more key ingredient. I reviewed the list of market vendors for that week. I quickly determined that I could get sharp cheddar from Full Quiver.

Eureka! I had the perfect ingredients for a Shrimp & Grapefruit Ceviche and Shrimp & Grits.

I only had to supplement with four items from the grocery store: cilantro (I had a little bit in my garden, but not enough to garnish all the ceviche), jalapenos, grits and a bell pepper. I was pretty pleased with myself for coming up with two dishes that only needed a few non-local ingredients.

The day of the party, we prepped like crazy. I shelled and deveined all the shrimp. We chopped and sauteed, juiced and peeled. Rarely, has that kitchen seen such intense focus and concentration.

Shane made shrimp and lobster stuffed mushroom caps and a shrimp stuffed chile relleno. He also made some fried shrimp as a non-official entry. The ceviche and shrimp and grits were big hits. My sister's friends were amazed that I was able to make such great dishes from almost all local ingredients. 

Either because she loved everything or to keep the peace, my sister never officially voted. I'd say from all the clean plates though that we were both winners.

A few notes about the prep work: I don't like to waste things and try to use what you might normally consider waste. When you peel the shrimp, save the shells in a freezer bag. You can use them for making a seafood broth for paella, risotto or soups. Also, you can save the grapefruit peels and make candied grapefruit.

Previously posted Shrimp & Grits recipe.

Shrimp & Grapefruit Ceviche

1 pound shrimp
4 grapefruit
5 key limes or 2 regular limes, juiced
1/2 cup onion, peeled and chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
2 avocados, peeled, seeded and diced
3 tbsps of chopped cilantro

Peel and devein the shrimp. Chop it into bite sized pieces and then set it aside.

Juice two of the grapefruits and set the juice aside. Cut the other two grapefruits in half. Carefully separate the fruit from the pith and peel with a sharp knife. Scoop each grapefruit slice into a bowl and set aside.

Combine the shrimp, grapefruit slices, onion, avocado, jalapeno and cilantro in a bowl. Add the grapefruit and lime juice and gently toss the ingredients.

Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerate to marinate for one hour.

Serve with tostada chips.

Note: You can make the ceviche with raw shrimp, but if you or your guests don't care for raw fish, then boil the shrimp for a few minutes before you make the ceviche. Cook them until they are just pink and be careful to not over cook them. You don't want them to get mealy in the citrus juice. Only marinate the cooked shrimp for 30 minutes.

Market Update: A Bounty of Saturday Farmers Markets in Austin

Vegetables and produce aren't the only things sprouting up this spring - farmers markets are popping up everywhere.  Hopefully, you've had a chance to check out the delightful new format at the Market in the Park at the Downtown Austin Farmers Market.  I've really enjoyed the expanded layout and the variety of vendors.

If you don't feel like trekking downtown on a Saturday, you still have plenty of choices.  Starting this week there are now two markets in Southwest Austin and Cedar Park launches its first market on March 27th.

One of Austin's longest running markets which started in Westlake then moved to Sunset Valley is rebranding once again as the Barton Creek Farmers Market.  The market will now be  located in the northeast corner of the Barton Creek Square mall parking lot and will continue to be open from 9am-1pm every Saturday morning. This weekend, March 20th, they will be featuring a South By Barton Creek festival with bands from Italy, Scotland, New York, Texas.

If you're in the Sunset Valley area, don't despair.  The Sustainable Food Center, the nonprofit that operates the Downtown Austin Farmers Market and the Triangle Farmers Market, is opening the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley beginning this Saturday, Marth 20th from 9 am to 1 pm. The market will be located in the Toney Burger Center area and adjacent Pillow Street (3200 Jones Rd.). The market features about 50 vendors to start, with a majority of them farmers, but will also inlcude quality ready-to-eat and value added vendors, as well as a small group of artisans.


Cedar Park Farms to Market, opening on Saturday March 27th, rounds out the new Saturday farmers markets.  Carla Jenkins, the market founder, has attracted a variety of local and statewide vendors to serve the NW Austin/Cedar Park/Leander market.  Vendors include some familiar names like Amador Farms (hydroponic lettuces and greens) and Sweetish Hill (breads and baked goods).  Rockin B will be selling grassfed beef and goat and she'll even have yak meat available once each month (yes, yak meat) from a ranch outside of Weatherford.  The market is every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm and will be located in the 1890 Ranch Shopping Center, Cedar Park at 183A and FM 1431.

With this many markets on Saturday, it's sure going to be easy to fill up that veggie drawer.  See you at the farmers market!

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Slow Money & Johnson's Backyard Garden

I love participating in Slow Food Austin events and this spring they have organized tours of area farms to help us all learn more about where our food comes from.  I joined Slow Food Austin for a farm tour at Johnson's Backyard Garden where we spent the morning visiting with Brenton Johnson and touring the smaller of their two farms.

The Johnson's literally started their farm in the backyard of their East Austin home. When they realized that they had planted so many crops that there was no place for the kids to play in the yard, they looked for a "real farm" and found a 20 acre property off of 183 near the airport.

Over the last three years, they have grown their relatively small farm into the largest CSA in the southern US. They are currently feeding 50 people per acre, but it feels like a drop in the bucket to the Johnson's.  He told us that they are only feeding 1/2 of a percent of the Austin population and that it would take 213 farms their size just to provide veggies to everyone in the city. The Johnson's decided to approach this challenge by acquiring more acres. They have recently secured another 50 acres in East Austin on the Colorado river with plenty of water for their thirsty crops.

I found it particularly interesting to hear Mr. Johnson discuss the different challenges that they have faced during their various phases of growth. As backyard gardeners, he could collect leaves from neighbors to produce sufficient compost for his plants. On a small farm (20 acres), they can't afford to sacrifice acreage to grow enough cover crop for compost so they end up having to resort to using mulch that isn't as sustainable as they'd like.

Now with more acres, as a medium-sized farm they can afford to grow cover crop for compost on half the acreage while growing crops for market on the other half. The farm's goal is to be able to support 1,000 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) members per week.


Of course to grow, they need money. They have been able to get favorable loans to support most of their growth because they have a smart, innovative business plan. However, they have struggled to purchase all of the new equipment they need ($300,000) to work the new acreage. They were able to secure a loan if they could come up with a $90,000 down payment. That seemed like a daunting number until they learned about the Slow Money efforts happening around the country.

Slow Money is an effort to create investment around local, organic and sustainable small food businesses. The Johnson's are using this model to raise the money for their down payment, asking people to invest $5,000 for 4 years and paying them back at 4% interest rate.  As an investor, you get a reasonable rate of return and know that you are contributing to growing Austin's bread basket. The Johnson's were overwhelmed by the initial response to their request for help and are excited about the opportunity for growth.   

I had a great time touring the farm and was deeply impressed with Mr. Johnson's conscientiousness.  He is very focused on building a bright sustainable future not only for his farm, but for the other small and mid-sized farms in Central Texas.  They are even starting a nonprofit to teach the next generation of farmers how to grow crops responsibly.  It was impossible to not be infected by Brenton Johnson's optimism and enthusiasm; I definitely left the farm inspired.

If you are equally inspired about helping farms like Johnson's Backyard Garden grow, you can learn  more about investing in local sustainable businesses at Slow Money Austin's upcoming event on April 21st at City Hall.  Woody Tasch, one of the founders of the Slow Money movement, will keynote and there are a variety of informative panels about their effort. After all, doesn't it make sense to put your money where your mouth is?

Head West(lake) Shopper: Truck Farm Farmers Market Opens in Westlake

Ever since what was the Westlake Farmers Market transitioned to Sunset Valley, West Austinites have had a bit of commute to get fresh, local produce and meats. Luckily, the Truck Farm Farmers Market at Flamingo Corner has come to the rescue.  The market is open on Thursdays from 3-7 pm and is located at the Pots & Plants Garden Center at 5902 Bee Cave Rd. (Bee Cave and Loop 360), otherwise known as Flamingo Corner because of the "flock" of plastic pink flamingos in front of the shop.  

Pat Swanson, the owner of Pots & Plants Garden Center, built a lovely wood deck under the shade of the garden center's trees and a band plays while you wander the booths looking for goodies.  I shopped the first week of the market and was delighted to see some of my favorite vendors like CKC Farms (goat cheese), Jake's Granola, and Kocurek Family Artisanal Charcuterie at the market.    

Some of other vendors who have committed to the market include: Hillside Farms (produce), Green Valley (produce), 6J Ranch (Grass fed Beef, Pork, Chicken, eggs), Blue House Flower (cut flowers, seasonal produce), Renee Hillse Orchids, Texas Lavender, Watson Farms Organic Nursery, Design Your Dine Entrees (Canned goods, Seasonal produce),  Me Myself & Pie Pie,  Taco Deli, Kelly Jo Salsa,  Piece of Cake (Cupcakes),  McReynolds Winery, Texas French Bread,  and Leon Caldwell Produce.  You can definitely fill up a market bag with your discoveries.

I would love it if Austin had a farmers market every day of the week, and the Truck Farm Farmers Market promises to be another great mid-week market for filling the larder in between the larger weekend markets.  I hope you'll stop by the next time you are in the neighborhood on a Thursday afternoon. 

Facing my Fears of French Cooking with Pork Cassoulet

I love French food, but for some reason, am intimidated to cook it.  One of the dishes that has simultaneously fascinated and intimidated me for years is Cassoulet.  I adore this rich, luscious French casserole and was terrified to cook it.  I collected different Cassoulet recipes for years and, as I read through them, I would think to myself that they were too complicated and I couldn't make this fabulous dish at home.

As I wandered through Austin's Downtown Farmers Market a few weeks ago, I was delighted to see all the outstanding pork products.  Dai Due was selling beautiful Chaurice sausage, Kocurek Family Artisanal Charcuterie had maple bacon and duck stock, and Full Quiver was selling beautiful pork roasts.  As I loaded up my bag, I realized that I had acquired the ingredients for a pork version of  Cassoulet.  It was clearly time to face my fears and start cooking.

As it turns out, the only hard thing about making Cassoulet is that it's time consuming.  Like Paella, you cook everything separately then throw it all together.  Because my time was limited that week, I cooked the beans and pork roast one day, then assembled and cooked the Cassoulet the next.  This would be the perfect dish to make when you find yourself with leftover beans or roast, which is probably how it originated - a way to make leftovers delicious.

A few caveats: This recipe makes about 15 servings.  Invite your friends to dinner or invest in freezer containers before you make it. (Of course, you could also 1/2 the proportions.)

I used Chaurice sausage and maple bacon because that is what was available at our market.  You can substitute with whatever sausage and bacon is available to you.  You can also substitute the duck stock that I used with beef stock/broth.  I would not suggest using chicken stock for this dish; you'll get a very different flavor.

Pork Cassoulet
2 lbs great northern white beans
2 onions

1/2 head of garlic, peeled

4 cups stock - either beef or duck

2 cups water

3 bay leaves

2.5 lb pork shoulder roast

3 cups red wine

1/4 lb bacon
1 lb sausage
2 tbsps tomato paste
1/2 tbsp salt

4 sprigs of rosemary

Pepper

olive oil

1 cup bread crumbs

Soak the beans overnight.  Drain them, rinse them and drain again.

Place beans in pot with onions, bay leaves, garlic, rosemary, stock and water.  Simmer until beans are tender, about an hour.

Drain and reserve the cooking liquid.  Remove the onions and bay leaves and set the beans aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Salt and pepper the pork shoulder.   In a skillet brown the pork on all sides.  Put the pork shoulder in a roasting pan an add 2 cups of wine.  Place the roast in the oven and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, basting often, until the roast is fork tender (pulls away from the bone with a fork.) Drain the meat, reserving the cooking liquid.  When cooled, cut the meat into 2 inch cubes, trimming any fat.

Cook the sausages in a skillet over medium heat until just cooked through.  Cut the sausage into bit sized pieces and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the reserved liquid from the beans and meat, tomato paste, salt and 1 cup wine.

In a casserole dish, place a layer of 1/3 of the beans, half the pork roast, half the sausage and the rosemary.

Cover with another third of the beans, the remaining pork, the bacon and the remaining sausages. Although the bacon cooks down, if you don't like large pieces of bacon in your food, you can cut it into smaller pieces.

Top with the remaining beans.  Slowly pour the broth mixture over the beans until the liquid just covers the top of the beans.  Top with ground pepper.

Combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over the top of the Cassoulet.  Place the Cassoulet in the oven and bake for about an hour until it is bubbling and the bread crumbs are browned.

As you serve, be certain to remove the rosemary sprigs.  You don't want to serve your guest little trees.

Dining Out Sustainably: SXSW Edition

SXSW is just around the corner - that special time of year when Austin is turned upside down by the onslaught of techies, film stars and musicians.  As I prepare for the Interactive conference, I was contemplating how I could eat locally while dashing between sessions and events.  So, like I do with most things in my world, I made a list.

I've compiled the restaurants who source from local farms by area of town near SXSW venues and I've included some basic details to help you narrow down your choices.  Of course, I have some favorites in the list:

• I love grabbing a cup of coffee and a breakfast taco at Coffee Divine when I'm downtown.  Jennifer, the book store manager has transformed the coffee shop into a local food haven.
• There may not be a better bargain in town than the Happy Hour menu at Trio.  All of their incredible appetizers are 1/2 off from 5-8 pm so you get to eat some of the best food in town for the price of a hamburger. 
• Manuel's also has a great Happy Hour deal and I have been a fan of their regional Mexican food since I ate their the first time back in college (I am not telling you how long ago that was.)
• If you are near Lamar and 6th, the Counter Cafe is a great stop for breakfast or lunch.  Their Eggs Benedict are delicious and their burger is lip-smacking good.
• In South Austin, I can not get enough of Odd Duck Farm-to-Trailer.  Bryce Gilmore is serving up some of the best food in town - from a trailer.  
• Thai Fresh offers some of my favorite comfort food.  I always ask what they recommend that day and it is always delicious.
• I love sharing tartines and a cheese plate with friends at the Blue Dahlia Bistro in East Austin.
• Eastside Pies is my favorite pizza in town.  One of the owners is a baker and their crust is outstanding.
• Fino and Asti are part of the same restaurant family and I adore them both. At Fino, I like sharing small plates or sitting on the patio for one of Austin's best brunches.  Asti offers up some of my favorite Italian food in town with great care in every dish.
• Vino Vino is a wine bar, but they also have great food.  You can share small plates or enjoy one of their locally-sourced entrees.  On Sunday nights, they serve up two kinds of flavorful paella - a great way to end any week.  

6th Street/Convention Center
Chez Nous, 510 Neches, French Bistro, lunch and dinner, 3 course prix fixe menu $25.50, average dinner entree $25
Coffee Divine, 301 E. 8th St. in St. David's Episcopal Church, coffee shop with locally roasted coffee, Torchy's breakfast tacos, Rock Star Bagels, Green Cart sandwiches and Love Puppies brownies.
Manuel's, 310 Congress Ave., Mexican, lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch, average dinner entree $20
Parkside, 301 E. 6th, New American, dinner,  average dinner entree $23
Trio, at the Four Seasons, 98 San Jacinto, New American, breakfast, lunch, dinner, average dinner entree $25

Warehouse District/West Downtown
Aquarelle, 606 Rio Grande, French, dinner, 3 course prix fixe menu $45, average dinner entree $33
La Condesa, 400 W. 2nd St., Mexican, dinner and Sunday brunch, average dinner entree $26
Leaf Salad, 419 W. 2nd St., Salads, lunch, average entree $10
Peche, 208 W. 4th St., New American, dinner, average entree $22

Central West Austin
24 Diner, 600 N. Lamar, American diner fare, 24 hours, average entree $10
Borboleta Gourmet, 1221 W. 6th St., American focused on healthy choices and special diets (vegan, vegetarian, raw, wheat-free, etc.), lunch and dinner, average entree $10

Cippolina, 1213 West Lynn, Bistro menu, specializing in pizza, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $15

Counter Cafe, 626 N. Lamar, American, breakfast and lunch, average entree $10

Fabi & Rosi, 509 Hearn St., New American, dinner, average entree $20
Fete Accompli, 917 W. 12th St., American, cafe and take-out counter, lunch and dinner, average entree $8

Jeffrey's, West Lynn at West 12th, New American, dinner, average entree $30

Magnolia Cafe, 2304 Lake Austin Blvd. (also 1920 S. Congress Ave.), American, 24 hour, average entree $8 

Wink, 1014 N. Lamar, New American, dinner, average entree $25 (the wine bar has a separate less expensive menu)

South Austin
Enoteca Vespaio, 1610 S. Congress, Italian, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, average dinner entree $15
Hyatt, 208 Barton Springs Rd., Southwestern, breakfast, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $18
La Boite Cafe, 1700 S. Lamar Blvd., baked goods & sandwiches, sandwich du jour $6
Magnolia Cafe,   1920 S. Congress Ave. (also 2304 Lake Austin Blvd.), American, 24 hour, average entree $8
Odd Duck Farm-to-Trailer, 1219 S. Lamar, New American, dinner, average dish $6
Olivia, 2043 S. Lamar, New American, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, average dinner entree $30
Perla's, 1400 S. Congress, Seafood, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, average dinner entree $25
Somnio's Cafe, 1807 S. 1st St., Eccletic (some of everything) - vegetarian friendly, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, average dinner entree $12
Thai Fresh, 909 W. Mary, Thai, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $10
Vespaio, 1610 S. Congress Ave., Italian, dinner, average entree $25
Whip-In Parlour Cafe & Market, 1950 S. IH-35, Indian, breakfast, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $11

East Austin
Blue Dahlia Bistro, 1115 E. 11th St., French Bistro, breakfast, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $11
East Side Show Room, 1100 E. 6th St., Bistro, dinner, average dinner entree $20
Eastside Cafe, 2113 Manor Rd., American,  lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, average dinner entree $18
Eastside Pies, 1401B Rosewood Ave., Pizza, lunch and dinner, large pizza averages $20

Campus/Central
Asti Trattoria, 408-C E. 43rd St., Italian, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $20
Chango's Taqueria, 3023 Guadalupe, Mexican, lunch and dinner, average cost for 2 tacos $6
Fino, 2905 San Gabriel, Mediterranean/Spanish, lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch, average dinner entree $22
Get Sum Dim Sum, 4400 N. Lamar, Asian, lunch and dinner, average cost of 3 items $10
Judge's Hill Restaurant & Bar, 1900 Rio Grande, New American, breakfast and dinner, average dinner entree $25
Kerbey Lane Cafe, 2606 Guadalupe and 3704 Kerbey Lane, American, 24 hours, average entree $10
Texas French Bread, 2900 Rio Grande, American, breakfast, lunch and dinner, average dinner entree $20
Vino Vino, 4119 Guadalupe, New American, dinner, average dinner entree $18

Big Happenings at Austin Farm to Table

Lots of incredible things have been happening at Austin Farm to Table! 

I was recently interviewed by the fabulous Cecilia Nasti for her show Growing Concerns on KUT.  She included clips of the interview on two different shows and you can listen to them online if you missed them when they aired:

Farmers Market 101

The Earth Box

And if that wasn't exciting enough, I was recently accepted as a contributor to a national blog about sustainable food, Farm to Table Online. If you care about sustainable food, the site is a great resource of what is happening around the country to bring us closer to our food.  I hope you'll add the site to your list of blogs to follow.

Thanks to everyone for making these accomplishments possible with your constant encouragement, coaching and good wishes.

See you at the market!

Pearl Farmers Market & A Bitchin' Camaro

Last weekend, I was fortunate enough to be invited by Chevy to join a small group of bloggers for a road trip to the Pearl Farmers Market in San Antonio.  As I rarely turn down a trip to a farmers market, I accepted, although a bit skeptical as I have always been a little biased against American-made cars.

Call it left-over stereotyping from the 80's, but in my mind American cars are rattly messes that don't get good gas mileage.  Well, needless to say, after driving four different vehicles that day, I will admit that I was wrong. (You might want to bookmark this page as you won't see this type of admission often.)  Chevy's little road trip worked it's magic because I fell in love with a car - the Camaro.

Big fun!  Very big fun!  Of course, it's completely impractical, I will never own one and I was forever grateful that I was driving the Malibu (which is surprisingly comfortable and posh) and not the Camaro when we got stuck in traffic on the way home.  But man - was it a fun way to arrive at the Pearl Farmers Market.

I was pleasantly surprised to see how much the Pearl Farmers Market has grown since my visit in September.  You can really fill a market bag now with everything from fresh produce to proteins to olive oil to cheeses.

Since Farmhouse Delivery just dropped off  my CSA share of veggies, I focused on the non-produce booths.  I bought chevre from CKC Farms, a goat cheese vendor who has amazing products and is now coming to Austin for the Thursday Westlake market and the Downtown Austin Farmers Market.

L & M Beef tempted me with soup bones at the bargain basement price of $2/lb - could not pass that up.  I bought a ham steak from Menzies Farm, who suggested that I pan fry it with salt and pepper, a great way to bring out the flavor of the lamb.

I was a little stunned when I saw a booth with farm-raised tilapia.  R. Scott Enterprises, Inc operates an aquaponics farm where they grow lettuces hydroponically and raise healthy tilapia without antibiotics, something rarely accomplished for farm-raised fish.  For the second time that day, I was skeptical, so I did the only thing I could do, I bought some.

The HGD Foods booth a few stalls down was selling Gourmet Gluten Free Fish Fry mix so I finished my purchases with all the supplies for a great fish fry.  I made the fish this week and it was fantastic - flaky, light and tasted great.  I never would have guessed that it was farm-raised.

Chevy bought us lunch at the Texas Farm to Table Cafe before we headed back to Austin. The cafe serves sandwiches, salads and breakfast items that are sourced from Texas farms whenever possible. The Deep Ellum Blue salad very tasty and a the cafe was a pleasant place to refuel before we headed home.

The road trip to San Antonio was fun and I was reminded twice that day about being open-minded.  Life's a lot more fun when you try new things!