Austin TX

Austin Texas: American Craft Beer Week 2013 Part Five

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:49:00 -0700

Austin will be awakening from a drunken, craft beer-induced stupor come Monday morning wondering what in the hell just happened. Nightly bacchanals have been thrown across the city as our town's bars all clamored for a finite drinking dollar. We celebrated, as is our custom, on the front porch. Day 5 looks especially promising. Whip In, down on southbound I-35, is tapping a cask of Lupulus, a hoppy Belgian Tripel, from Independence Brewing at 420 pm. The man on the phone wasn't sure if it would be 3-4 dollars. Either way. 1950 Hwy 35 S Grab a six pack of Fireman #4 for $6.99 at E.1st Grocery 1811 E. Cesar Chavez and hit Micklethwait Craft Meats for their 5 month anniversary party 1309 Rosewood Ave

One Year Ago Today: Murder In Williamson County

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:00 -0700

When we were conceptualizing this blog 5 years ago, we volleyed a lot of ideas back and forth. One of the earliest renditions, which got voted out, was a website devoted to crime and food. RL loved the idea, everybody else hated it. It got voted down. But every now and again, we'll author an article about the death and destruction that surrounds our fair city on a daily basis.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: WuWu Sushi, Fried Baloney, Stubb's BBQ, Teji's, Fabio Viviani

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:07:00 -0700

That was a wild one. This weekly round-up of the finest Austin food blogs has been a real pleasure. This week's edition could've been a top 20 as our town's writers swung into overdrive with dozens of high quality posts. Spring fever? We're not sure.

Best Breakfast Taco In Austin. Thrillist: Tamale House East,Taco Joint, Mi Madre's,Juan In A Million

Fri, 17 May 2013 11:26:00 -0700

Thrillist is hosting an Austin, Texas breakfast taco battle on their website. The combatants: Tamale House East, Taco Joint, Mi Madre's and Juan In A Million.

Crimes Against Texas Barbecue: Top 5 Smoked Meat Joints That Missed The 2013 Texas Monthly Top 50

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:56:00 -0700

The hue and cry of Smitty's in Lockhart, Texas being left off the Texas Monthly Top 50 is baffling. If you eat with your eyes then yes, the old smokehouse would be in the number one position. There is none finer. But the meat is routinely tough, underseasoned and rushed off the pit before it even approaches being servable. Dodging the big fire on the floor in the meat room is easily the best part of the experience at Smitty's.

2013 Texas Monthly BBQ Top Fifty: Franklin Barbecue Is Number One

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:16:00 -0700

We expect Alto Shaam sales to skyrocket in the wake of Franklin Barbecue's victory in the battle for ascendancy in the world of Texas barbecue. You got to keep the meat hot for service, and there is no finer way to accomplish this than through the use of the almighty kitchen appliance, the Alto Shaam. Put to good use each day at Franklin.

Austin Texas: American Craft Beer Week 2013 Part Four

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:41:00 -0700

We've been celebrating Craft Beer Week on the front porch on a nightly basis of late. Electric Wizard good and loud, fresh kettle of chili on the stovetop, plenty Anderson's Coffee to help us power through the malaise. It's been a lot of fun. But, most folks like the camaraderie of drinking in taverns and pubs so we've been hard at work finding the best beer events in Austin every single day.

Austin Texas Pop Up Restaurants: Peruvian Food Party Sat May 18th 2013 At Tamale House East

Thu, 16 May 2013 11:15:00 -0700

Austin, Texas and Lima Peru are officially sister cities. There must be a whale of a Peruvian diaspora in Austin, as the turnout for Tamale House East's 1st Peruvian pop up food party back in January was enormous. A good 200 people crowded into the restaurant to decimate the cuisine trotted out by the Peruvian chefs who had commandeered the kitchen for the night.

Could Larry McGuire Shepherd Lambert's Barbecue Into The Number One Spot On Texas Monthly BBQ List

Wed, 15 May 2013 14:15:00 -0700

Weathered old pit boss Larry McGuire's Lambert's Barbecue's inclusion on the Texas Monthly BBQ Top 50 list comes as a surprise to no one. The little smoke shack down on Guadalupe is the destination of barbecue pilgrims from around the globe, and you'll find McGuire down there 16 hours a day, 7 days a week, doing what he does best: quietly tending the fires, reading old Louis L'amour novels and wallowing an old cud of Redman around amidst the ruined pegs of what were once perfect teeth.

Austin Texas: American Craft Beer Week 2013 Part Three

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:22:00 -0700

This daily post has involved way more work than we bargained for. Yes, there are a lot of bars in Austin trying to make money off craft beer; trouble is, most of them are cocktail bars that saw a trend and swooped in to see if they could line their coffers off the work of the brewmasters as well as distillers. Tried and true, genuine craft beer bars are scarce as hen's teeth around these parts. With that being said, we did manage to locate a couple good beer parties for y'all. Down at Craft Pride you won't find any booze unless it's in a flask in somebody's hip pocket, but you will find a fresh keg of Austin Beerworks Heisenberg Kristalweizen. Grab a 20oz pint and walk out back and get a plate of Schnitzel off the Bacon food truck parked in the courtyard. 61 Rainey. Meanwhile, all the college kids will be crowding into Hopfields near the UT campus to quaff big glasses of dry hopped Lost Gold IPA from Real Ale. No booze, no rules, run in there and let your devil dogs run free and tell em Scrumptious sent ya! 3110 Guadalupe.

2013 Texas Monthly Top 50 Barbecue Joints In The World

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:16:00 -0700

Some of the omissions on the list are so glaring we wonder if the authors have ever even broken bread in Texas. We'll have a more detailed analysis up later. For now, here's the list: Alamo The Original Willie's Amarillo Tyler's Austin Franklin, John Mueller, LA Barbecue, Lamberts, Stiles Switch. Google map of all 50 after the jump

Austin Daily Photo: Texas State Record Alligator!

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:53:00 -0700

Photo credit James Daughtrey. Article about the kill http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/5/15/Captured-And-Killed-Texas-Teenager-Braxton-Bielski-Takes-Down-Texas-State-Record-Alligator

Captured And Killed! Texas Teenager Braxton Bielski Takes Down Texas State Record Alligator!

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:24:00 -0700

I have a long and rich history with alligators. I first sampled this treasured meat via the timeless "alligator on a stick" cuisine offered up at fairs and carnivals in the great state of Kentucky. It's absolutely delicious, and like most foods, it just tastes better due to the fact that a gator can prove to be quite a formidable foe in the wild. All foods taste better if they have the potential of also being a potent adversary.

Spoiler Alert: Busy Bee Says It's Micklethwait Craft Meats Astride The Texas Monthly BBQ Top 50

Tue, 14 May 2013 22:42:00 -0700

Busy Bee, East Austin's most famous bookie has seen it all in his 40+ years on the East Side. We sat down with him for a few minutes recently at the Cesar Chavez watering hole where he plies his trade, taking bets on everything under the sun. The Bee had called us up on the phone, and wanted to let us know he's taking book on the big Texas Monthly top 50 barbecue list. Then he dropped a bombshell.

Recipe: Vietnamese Bison Meatloaf

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:36:00 -0700

We've been on a Vietnamese jag of late. This used to mean multiple trips to Tam Deli and Baguette House, but nowadays we content ourselves with hitting the test kitchen to develop formulae for our recipe binder. After the runaway success of our Vietnamese Collard Greens article, we realized that we needed to be cooking and writing about more southeast Asia cuisine. Enter the Vietnamese Bison meatloaf:

Austin Texas: American Craft Beer Week 2013 Part Two

Tue, 14 May 2013 11:33:00 -0700

After an exhaustive morning calling a bunch of "craft beer" bars who were blissfully unaware of any sort of American Craft Beer Week promotion, we finally managed to wrangle a special to help fuel y'alls celebrations. At Dog n Duck Pub, the venerable west Capital drinking institution all Austin craft beer pints range from $3-$3.50 tonight. We're still recuperating from the shell shocking we took at their powerhouse Aussie music night a few years ago when the Saints and HooDoo Gurus levelled the joint, so we'll probably sit this one out. Given the prime hunk of land the bar sits on, we're predicting the bulldozers will be revving up soon enough, so get by while you can. 406 w.17th st. And that's about it. With an imprimatur of only featuring non-liquor serving bars that are featuring Texas-only draft beer that wraps today's edition up. Back with more tomorrow. Part One http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/5/13/Austin-Texas-American-Craft-Beer-Week-2013-Part-One?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: May Is National Barbecue Month

Mon, 13 May 2013 22:11:00 -0700

We're celebrating National BBQ month by rifling through old smoked meat archives, and reading about the famously combative Taylor, Texas pit boss John Mueller. Will he emerge as the consensus number one on the highly anticipated Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ list? http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/the-redemption-of-john-mueller/

Austin Texas: American Craft Beer Week 2013 Part One

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:31:00 -0700

It starts today. American Craft Beer Week is going off all over Austin as our town's explosive craft beer scene is celebrated nightly in bars and taverns across town. Watch out for all the drunks on fixies around 2am each night. Really, really missing Lovejoys right now.

Origins Of The American Hamburger Part 2: Hamburger Charlie Nagreen (1885)

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:13:00 -0700

We're paying homage to the origins of the American hamburger at our next pop up restaurant (number 11) as we prepare spot-on copies of the four best claimants to being the inventor of the archetype. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Charlie Nagreen was only 15 years old when he invented the hamburger. And he did so from an ox-drawn food cart in Seymour, Wisconsin. It's 1885, and Nagreen is hard at work selling meatballs at the Outagamie County Fair. Trouble is, a lot of folks don't like the inconvenience of walking and eating the cumbersome food stuffs, so Nagreen's business is suffering.

Happy Mother's Day Texas!

Sun, 12 May 2013 10:08:00 -0700

Happy Mother's Day Y'all. Take your mom to Four Seasons and celebrate this august day in style.

Austin Texas: 2013 Pachanga Festival At Fiesta Gardens

Sat, 11 May 2013 11:35:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: School House Pub

Fri, 10 May 2013 13:37:00 -0700

more info coming

2 Years Ago Today: Best Hamburger In Austin Part One

Fri, 10 May 2013 00:16:00 -0700

We began our epic quest to find the best hamburger in Austin 2 years ago today with a visit to West 6th Street. "I eat way too many burgers. I like the thin, flat griddled patties at Sandy's Custard. I like the charcoal burgers at Top Notch up on Burnet Road. I like the old timey burgers at Mike's Pub in downtown. I used to love to ride my bike down to Del Rio and eat wood fired burgers at TB's." more http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/5/10/Austin-Daily-Photo-Austins-Best-Burger-Tuesday-May-10th-2011?adminview=true

Austin Texas Breastaurant Twin Peaks To Host Bikini Contest: We Propose Some Able Judges

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:25:00 -0700

Our night at Twin Peaks was not a fruitful one. Years back, one of the Scrumptious crew decided we needed to visit the sexy lumberjack-themed Twin Peaks in south Austin for a night of merriment and cage fight-watching. The joint was absolutely packed on a Saturday night so we retired to the patio where I had a once in a lifetime restaurant experience. The waitress did not want to accept US currency.

Get Rich Or Die Trying: Katharine Shilcutt Makes Her Move

Thu, 09 May 2013 11:22:00 -0700

Leaving the Houston Press for a rumored low 7 figure contract with Houstonia was a no brainer for Katharine Shilcutt, Texas' preeminent woman of food letters. But with her departure comes an intriguing job opportunity for somebody who can author 300+ food articles per annum-without breaking a sweat. We never get to Houston unless it's in the dead of night on our way to New Orleans, yet Shilcutt's prose was always so tightly wound that we read her anyway. The list of food writers we read daily is a short one, and Shilcutt was on it. Over here in the food writing desert known as Austin we're lucky to get 1 restaurant review per quarter out of our daily, and the Chronicle? Dust blowing in the desert wind. Looking to pull stumps and head over to Houston to get to writing? http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2013/05/food_criticblogger_opening_at.php

This Week In Austin TX Food Blogs: Foreign and Domestic,Verde's Mexican Parilla,Pieous,3 Little Pigs

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:45:00 -0700

This is consistently one of our most entertaining, weekly projects. Surveying the Austin food blog scene is something we do daily, but once a week we really hunker down and give it what for. Some weeks it's nothing but sweat-neck research and sometimes we emerge with a fresh appreciation of all the hard working bloggers in town.

Austin Daily Photo: Mr. Catfish

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:41:00 -0700

We were navigating down Airport Blvd after a nacho breakfast at La Fruta Feliz last week when we noticed that the space that formerly held Springhill Restaurant has a new tenant. Mr. Catfish has pulled stumps from his old spot on Springdale Road, and migrated westward into the big shopping complex at the corner of Airport and Oak Springs. We were stunned when Springhill couldn't make a go of selling fried fish in East Austin. The fried fish culture of Central Texas has always been scant, but all you can eat catfish parlors are few and far between, and this part of Austin is hungry for good restaurants. With almost 2 decades in the industry, we predict Mr Catfish owner David Lott will be able to make a go of it where his predecessor failed. Plus he's got gizzards. postscript: The Texas State Record for blue catfish is held by Cody Mullenix who landed a 121 lb 5 oz fish from Lake Texoma back in 2004. The fish was right at 5 feet long.

2 Years Ago Today: Recipe: Barbecue Pork Stuffed Hush Puppies

Wed, 08 May 2013 10:54:00 -0700

2 years ago today we published our recipe for Barbecue Pork Stuffed Hush Puppies: "In the fish camps of west Alabama, the good citizens eat like country kings with endless platters of corn meal crusted catfish being trotted out in little, rough-hewn buildings that dot the forests surrounding the Tombigbee River as it makes its way to the Port of Mobile. As you move eastward in the great state, the focus of eating shifts from catfish to barbecue. Particularly, the eating of the pig." more http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/5/8/Barbecue-Pork-Stuffed-Hush-Puppies?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Tawny Villain And Sweet Heat Meat

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:30:00 -0700

With breastaurant acolytes Andrea Grimes, Matthew Odam, and Virginia B Wood sitting in judgement, local cook Tawny Villain emerged victorious as the winner of ATX Brands Trailer Truck Off. Ms. Villain walked away with the victory via a concoction dubbed Sweet Heat Meat. She now has a 6 month contract vending food at the Zorro Food Truck parked at East Austin's Scoot Inn. photo credit http://johansonphotography.wordpress.com/tag/tawny-villain/ all Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Sallie's Down Home Cooking

Mon, 06 May 2013 11:51:00 -0700

Sallie's Down Home Cooking was one of the few places in Austin where you could get a big plastic tumbler filled with green Kool-Aid to wash down your fried chicken and collards.

Happy National Enchilada Day Texas!

Sun, 05 May 2013 18:04:00 -0700

1831. That was the year that enchiladas were first mentioned in print in Mexico. The book was a landmark in Mexican cuisine titled: "El Cocinero Mexicano" (The Mexican Cook.) There is no author credit but it was published by Mariano Galván Rivera. Of course many Texas eaters consider enchiladas to be the epitome of Tex Mex with no roots in old-school Mexican cuisine. They would be wrong.

Happy Cinco de Mayo Austin Texas!

Sun, 05 May 2013 12:57:00 -0700

Preamble: After a languorous breakfast of fluffy bolillos stuffed with braised carnitas, and a dessert of bolillos slathered with cow's butter and mayhaw jelly, we got to thinking about how some of the best breads and pastries in Austin come out of Mexican bakeries. ------------------------------------------------------

Austin Daily Photo: Bacon

Sun, 05 May 2013 10:12:00 -0700

If you don't have the time or inclination to drive to Madisonville, Tennessee to buy the best commercial bacon in the USA (Benton's) then you may as well hit the kitchen and rig up a de facto curing shed in your fridge and make your own. Homemade, Mexican-style bacon http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/19/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Bacon-Our-Mexican-Pork-Belly-Project Homemade Turkish-style bacon http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/11/3/Show-And-Prove-RL-Reeves-Jr-Tackles-Pork-Belly-2-In-Home-Curing-Turkish-Bacon-Project and yes there are plenty Turkish Muslims who eat pork. Homemade New Mexico-chile style bacon http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/10/9/Hatch-Chile-Hickory-Smoked-Bacon-Project-Part-Three-Recipe-Technique-Smoking-Slicing-And-Eating Please report back. You will never eat the washed-out, grocery store bacon that's fueled you thusly, again.

Breastaurant Experts? Andrea Grimes, Virginia B Wood And Matthew Odam Judge Trailer Truck Off

Sat, 04 May 2013 10:56:00 -0700

Free lunch?

Austin Daily Photo: King Ranch Casserole

Fri, 03 May 2013 12:07:00 -0700

A full week's worth of life-sustaining King Ranch Casserole. Please obey the rules http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/2/10/The-Rules-of-King-Ranch-Casserole and only then should you tackle the classic http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/2/23/Cut-and-Shoot-Texas-King-Ranch-Casserole-Recipe

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: QC Meat Market, Fino, Butchery, Hamburgers, Ramen Tatsu Ya

Thu, 02 May 2013 17:33:00 -0700

Bone dry. Sometimes these pastures are nothing but brown grass blowing in the wind. But, after a solid hour of sweat neck research, 5 absolute gems were discovered. Presented for your amusement.

Recipe: Texas White Chili

Thu, 02 May 2013 12:27:00 -0700

We waded into battle with 120 lbs of Peeler Farm's chicken recently at our big, East Austin food party. 36 young hens received a variety of treatments, but our personal favorite was a riff on Texas Red Chili where we substituted chicken for beef, and ended up with a competition-caliber kettle of some of the finest Texas chili we ever had the pleasure of eating. It's not everyday you get to enter a recipe into the culinary canon of the Great State. Texas White Chili (recipe number 100 in the archive)

One Year Ago Today: Shep's Barbecue

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:22:00 -0700

Has it really been a full year since we gassed up the Econoline and hit Shep's Barbecue for some of the best pork ribs in Texas? http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/5/2/Austin-Daily-Photo-Sheps-Barbecue-in-Palestine-Texas?adminview=true

Austin Texas Cinco De Quatro Pig Roast Party At Tamale House East

Wed, 01 May 2013 12:39:00 -0700

Chef Cariño Cortez (alumnus of Jean Georges in NYC and Rick Bayless' Topolobampo in Chicago) is throwing a Cinco de Mayo eve party this Saturday May 4th 2013 at Tamale House East. Cortez was raised in the kitchen of San Antonio legend Mi Tierra (est.1941,) where her father had her elbow deep in the prep room once she was old enough to walk. The restaurant industry is in this girl's blood. Expect whole hog cuisine done Mexico-style with a battery of fresh salsas, deep fried chicharrones, pickled purple onions, charro beans, poblano rice and a salad of fresh organic goodies just plucked from Johnson's Backyard Garden. 7pm $20 http://pigpachanga-efbnend.eventbrite.com/

RIP: Rest In Peace: Lee Hays Chambers Of Luling Bar-B-Q Is Dead

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:41:00 -0700

Born February 18, 1932 Died April 28, 2013 Lee Hays Chambers opened Chambers Grocery and Market in downtown Luling, Texas in 1969. He would remain open, vending green groceries, meats, and sundries til retirement in 1994. After 8 years of wool-gathering, Mr. Chambers stepped back into the meat world by opening Luling Bar-B-Que in 2002. His smokehouse was recognized by Texas Monthly as being one of the top 50 in the great state. Quite the accomplishment considering there are 1000s of pit rooms across Texas. Hico native Chambers had previously operated Chambers Bar-B-Que in Wimberly, Texas. Sadly, we have written dozens of obituaries for this site http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/RIP-Rest-In-Peace

Origins Of The American Hamburger Part 1: Kaelin's Of Louisville Kentucky

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:50:00 -0700

6 weeks is a long time, but it goes by in about 20 minutes nowadays. Our Scrumptious Chef cook team should be well rested by mid-June 2013, when we swing back into motion with our latest pop up restaurant (number 11.) "Origins Of The American Hamburger" will be a fun event.

One Year Ago Today: Alison Cook Stomps A Mudhole In Torchy's Tacos

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:31:00 -0700

Has it really been a year since Alison Cook stomped a mudhole in Torchy's Taco...and walked it dry? http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/29/Pile-Driver-Alison-Cook-Takes-On-AustinBred-Torchys-Tacos-As-They-Open-Houston-Location?adminview=true

Recipe: Funky Hot Vietnamese Collard Greens With Fried Green Onions

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:20:00 -0700

Growing up on a farm in the Cumberland Highlands means you have easy access to fresh vegetables year-round. What vegetables our family didn't eat at-the-moment-of-ripeness were canned or vacuum-sealed via a magical apparatus known as the seal-a-meal. Collard greens are one of the South's epic brassicae. Most southern, soul food chefs put them on the stove-top early in the morning with a ham hock, and a cup of bacon fat, and let them cook for 3-4 hours before they're finally served as a glorious "mess of greens."

Willie Nelson Birthday Party And Pot Luck At Sam's Town Point

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:01:00 -0700

When we lived down in South Austin, Sam's Town Point saw a bunch of our beer money vanish into their coffers. It's a friendly, little neighborhood dive bar that's been around for a solid coon's age. Old timers would show up with crockpots filled with chili, and like as not a wandering musician would get up on the stage. Saw the Gourds, and affiliate members there plenty times. This Tuesday, April 30th Sam's is hosting a Willie Nelson Birthday party and pot luck. Who knows; you might get lucky, and ol Willie himself might show up. Brand new Scrumptious Chef Pop Up restaurant (hamburgers, cheeseburgers and a full blast of American history) http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/4/30/Origins-Of-The-American-Hamburger-Part-1-Kaelins-Of-Louisville-Kentucky

Brilliant Piece From The Austin Chronicle On LA Barbecue

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:37:00 -0700

This is article number 2000 on the Scrumptious Chef site. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Just when we'd given up hope on the Austin Chronicle, the old dowager reaches deep into her battered purse and issues an excellent article from the pen of Kenny Pailes. We have no idea who Pailes is, but he's crafted a very fine example of barbecue journalism with his "La Barbecue Turns Up the Heat With Secret Pit Technology" John Lewis is one of the top young gun pit bosses in Central Texas, and he's also a part-time welder who has constructed a brand new pit for his south Austin meat joint. Read the narrative http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/food/2013-04-26/la-barbecue-turns-ups-the-heat-with-secret-pit-technology/ and please hire Kenny Pailes full time so we won't have to put up with the over hyped and breathless prose from Virginia "fangirl" Wood http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/4/22/Read-Virginia-Woods-Over-Hyped-And-Breathless-Press-Release-For-Doug-Gullers-Trailer-TruckOff

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Real Ale, Little Woodrow's, Parkside, Hops n Grain, Earth Day

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:12:00 -0700

Back to the fray. Our current workload is right at a metric ton so surveying the length and breadth of Austin's in-the-red, food-blogging scene is nearly impossible. We did manage to garner a few gems from a cursory analysis of the local blogosphere:

Recipe: Sweet Potato Mash With Texas Sorghum Molasses

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:13:00 -0700

When your eaters come in giant waves you have to be locked and loaded in the kitchen. At our most recent pop up restaurant event we prepared a mammoth batch of Johnson's Backyard Garden organic sweet potatoes in hopes of being able to feed the crowd. Mission accomplished. This was the recipe that was the most requested as the event wore on. Folks repeatedly walked up to the counter proclaiming that they "normally don't like sweet potatoes" then begged for the formula.

Austin Daily Photo: Michi Ramen

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 08:33:00 -0700

Read Virginia Woods Over Hyped And Breathless Press Release For Doug Guller's Trailer Truck-Off

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 17:30:00 -0700

Shameless. We just finished reading Virginia B Wood's overhyped and breathless blog post on Doug Guller of ATX Brands' Trailer Truck Off Challenge, and are stunned that this is what's passing for journalism these days over at the Chronicle. Wood has been phoning it in for years, but her latest work is pitiable even by her own low standards Issuing background on the man behind the promotion, Wood proclaims that: "Guller is the mastermind behind the Bikini's Sports Bar franchise..."

The Kentucky Kitchen Part 7: How To Make Fred K. Schmidt's Hot Brown

Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:03:00 -0700

Kentucky Derby season is in full swing as natives of the Commonwealth lay in big supplies of bourbon for mint juleps; cured meats for biscuit-stuffing; sacks of walnuts for Derby Pie-making, and critters from the hardwood forests to construct mammoth kettles of Burgoo. There are plenty iconic dishes in Kentucky but perhaps none more so than the Hot Brown. Putatively, a simple sandwich consisting of only a handful of ingredients, the dish has taken on a mythos over the near century since its invention, and now food pilgrims travel from all over the globe to sample this delicacy.

Moto GP Party In Austin Texas: The One Show From Portland!

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:30:00 -0700

Big motorbike party set to go off at Pine Street Station in East Austin. I ride 365 days a year and have since 1997. Wore out 11 bikes during that era and currently power an absolute beast of a Kawasaki. The One Show is an annual Portland motorbike party that is branching out for the first time this year and coming to Austin. Expect food trucks, dozens of gorgeous custom machines, and live music from Leo Rondeau, The Texas Tycoons, Possessed by Paul James, Mockingbird Loyals and Joshua Bain. Date and Time Friday, April 19 6 p.m. – Midnight Saturday, April 20 Noon – Midnight Free & open to the public. dozens of Austin food truck articles http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Food-Trucks

Austin Daily Photo: Craft Coffee In Austin Texas

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:14:00 -0700

We were sitting on the front porch in the rainstorm this morning daydreaming about the Mocha coffee steaming out of our old, chipped coffee mugs. Last week we ran smooth out of our stash of Tanzanian Peaberry, so we had to make a run to Anderson's Coffee to re-up. Wise move. After explaining to Cyrus, the resident coffee guru on the staff, that we wanted something funky and dirty he resolutely suggested their Mocha Java. It's sublime. Once the beans are ground the whole house smells like an ancient Yemeni cafe. It's an unbelievable brew. We still drink the Hell out of our Cuvee but Anderson's is seeing a good, heavy rotation through the old timey stove-top percolator these days. Austin craft coffee scene coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Coffee

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Pretty Thai For A White Guy, Daruma Ramen, Hipster Pitmasters

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:49:00 -0700

We took last week off as we were pulling ten hour shifts in the commissary kitchen to get ready for our food party. A huge thanks to the 150 people who came to our event, we'll see you again in 8 weeks. Now, we've garnered the cream of the crop of Austin's food blogging scene:

Austin Daily Photo: Boggy Creek Farm's Strawberry Cobbler

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:14:00 -0700

We notched another sell-out dish Saturday night at our most recent pop up restaurant event with our rendition of Ruby Lee Adam's cobbler recipe. We veered off the original formula slightly by using self-rising flour but otherwise remained true. the formula http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/4/15/Strawberry-Cobbler-Recipe-From-The-Kitchen-Of-Ruby-Lee-Adams?adminview=true

Strawberry Cobbler Recipe From The Kitchen Of Ruby Lee Adams

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:03:00 -0700

We met Ryan Adams of Nose To Tail At Home the way we've made friends with lots of folks: through the internet. Adams was at the center of a food-based media firestorm last year (detailed here http://www.nosetotailathome.com/2012/10/08/when-life-gives-you-wild-game/) so we inquired as to whether he was game for an interview. He was. We've been friends ever since.

Field Report: Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10: Farm To Turntable

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:21:00 -0700

East Austin's longest running pop up restaurant series put another one in the books Saturday night at Tamale House East. Our normal Scrumptious Chef events are wild and wooly affairs, but when we put the Smiling Tiger designation on one of our food fetes, things can get out of hand quickly.

Field Report: East Austin Salsa Shootout

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:15:00 -0700

While Austin's mainstream corporate food-media lapdogs were breathlessly (and endlessly) reporting on the same 5 Austin chefs and bartenders that they always blather about, we were quietly organizing the East side's first hot sauce competition last week.

Austin Daily Photo: Tonkotsu Broth

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:03:00 -0700

20lbs of heritage pork bones from Legend Meats prior to their denouement via an 18 hour session over a good hot flame. Making pork stock from scratch is in our blood but this is the first time we'd used Legend Meats out of Gorman Texas to source our bones via the good men at Salt and Time Butcher Shop. Knocked out. It ain't tonkotsu but our most popular recipe we ever wrote was a formula for pork stock http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/3/4/How-To-Make-Pork-Stock

Austin Daily Photo: Sun Noodle

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 12:56:00 -0700

We took inspiration from Sun Noodle's Ramen Lab for our Smiling Tiger pop up restaurant event. Hidehito Uki, founded Sun Noodle in Hawaii in 1981 but it wasn't until 2012 that the Ramen Lab was founded. In the lab, determined cooks experiment with a wide variety of styles, all relating to ramen and its consumption. We're introducing Texas Hot Beef (Wagyu fr.Heartbrand in Yoakum) sausage ramen into the canon tonight. We're calling it the perfect marriage of Japanese cuisine and the Texas barbecue tradition. Be part of history tonight Sat April 13th at Tamale House East http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/4/11/Smiling-Tiger-Restaurant-Pop-Up-10-Farm-To-Turntable

Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10: Farm To Turntable

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:29:00 -0700

Here's the menu. Hope y'all can make it out. If carrying cash on your person's not your thing we're taking cc through Eventbrite til the day of the affair. John Wesley Coleman and Eric Static will be spinning plenty Willie, Waylon and Doug, along with dozens of other pure Texas bands, on 2 turntables, and as always, we'll have a keg of Texas craft beer; Independence Pale Ale in this instance. Miss the brews from Lovejoy's Taproom? Todd Henry, their brewmaster, is all over the wort down at Independence these days. the menu:

Austin Daily Photo: Oyama Food Truck

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:31:00 -0700

Alumni of Uchiko and Chilantro BBQ have opened Oyama food truck, a '63 Ford vending sous vide-fired Japanese/Mexican-influenced fusion cuisine. Luncheon finds them at Velvet Ends Salon just south of Star Seeds Cafe, a stone's throw from People Community Health while evening service is at The Belmont on West 6th Street. We stumbled upon the 2 chefs shortly after eating at Michi Ramen so we had no room for more chow, but were intrigued by beer-dashi braised carnitas, chicken yakitori, and soba noodles. As near as we can tell this is the only Japanese/Mexican food truck in Travis County, Texas. They're on Twitter https://twitter.com/oyama512

Austin Daily Photo: Boggy Creek Farm

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:32:00 -0700

Brace up Austin, Texas. We ran by Boggy Creek Farm this morning and picked up a few pints of strawberries to convert into a nice, plump cobbler come this Saturday night at Tamale House East. Things will never be the same.

Name This Texas Pitboss And Dinner's On Us Saturday Night At Our Farm To Turntable Pop Up

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:50:00 -0700

Reprising one of our favorite gimmicks. This is the 3rd installment of our popular "name this" feature and we're venturing into the world of Texas barbecue for the second time. We still owe Ryan of Foie Gras Hotdog, a margarita over at El Azteca for his correct answer of Sam's on our last contest, and we have not forgotten but it's time to wade back into the fray. Name this Texas pitboss and dinner's on us Saturday night at our Smiling Tiger pop up restaurant! Details on the event http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/4/7/Smiling-Tiger-Restaurant-Pop-Up-10-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-8-Peeler-Farms

Rib-O-Rama: Barbecue Benefit For Robert Grubb At Giddy Ups

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:15:00 -0700

One of our favorite Austin honkytonks, Giddy Ups down near Manchaca, is hosting a barbecue party/benefit for Robert Grubb this Saturday at 2pm. It's a combination bake sale, barbecue and cheap beer party to raise money for one of their patrons who is ill. The poster has all the details. Giddy Ups is one of the last of the old timey Central Texas honky tonks and is our all time favorite bar to watch the Kentucky Derby in in Austin. It's called Giddy Ups for a reason y'all.

The Locavore Dilemma: Texas Finishes 51st Out Of 50 States

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 23:14:00 -0700

How did Texas finish in the 51st slot when there are only 50 states? Because Washington, DC was included in the survey that determined what states exhibited the most dedication to the locavore movement. The locavore index uses "census and U.S. Department of Agriculture data, along with a per capita comparison of farmers' markets, consumer supported agriculture operations (CSAs) and food hubs in ranking the states."

Austin Daily Photo: Barbacoa At El Tacorrido

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:54:00 -0700

Part of the lifeblood of any die hard Texas barbecue lover has to be barbacoa. I'll never forget my first taco way back in the early 90s when I ventured up to a little barbacoa cart on North Lamar near where T&S Seafood is now. My life has not been the same since. An altered existence via one taco.

East Austin Salsa Shootout! Sat April 13th. Winner Gets Dinner For Two At Four Seasons

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:18:00 -0700

When we put the Smiling Tiger designation on one of our pop up restaurant events, it means it's going to a little more over the top than our normal bacchanals. The keg will be a little colder, the sous vides will see a little heavier action, there will be live djs spinning fat slabs of Texas vinyl, and there will be a shootout.

Austin Texas: Trader Joe's Preparing To Open In Former Sak's 5th Avenue

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:02:00 -0700

Gary Dinges, over on the Statesman site is reporting that Trader Joe's, the controversial small box grocery from Pasadena California is going to be taking over the space vacated by Sak's 5th Avenue in Northwest Austin.

Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10: Meet Our Purveyors Part 8: Peeler Farms

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 23:11:00 -0700

Marianna Peeler is running a tight ship down in Floresville, Texas. When we began ruminating on what the backbone of our latest pop up restaurant would be we didn't have to think for long.

Austin Daily Photo: The Stallion

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 19:41:00 -0700

The pic belies the nature of what we're calling "the worst brisket" in Austin, Texas http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/3/31/Austin-Texas-Brisket-Wars-Part-2-The-Stallion-vs-Stiles-Switch

I Need To Purchase A Laptop

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 12:03:00 -0700

It's time to buy a new or used laptop. Please hit that tipster button if you have one you want to sell. PC only please, prefer Acer. RL

Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10: Meet Our Purveyors Part 7:John Wesley Coleman III + Eric Static

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 10:42:00 -0700

Afrika Bambaataa was busy so we had to think fast. We got word to Eric Static that we needed a dj for the Smiling Tiger pop up restaurant we booked at Tamale House East, and he came through in a big way. John Wesley Coleman will be spinning pure Texas vinyl along with Eric Static at the biggest Spring feast East Austin has ever seen. If eating big plates of chow whilst listening to Doug Sahm, Ernest Tubb and Willie Nelson is amenable to you then come on out. Here's a bio of the men who will be manning the turntables on Saturday April 13th at 7pm:

Austin Daily Photo: Txoko Texas The Only Basque Gastronomic Society In The Great State

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:12:00 -0700

Texas' only Basque gastronomic society recently held Txoko Number 12 in an ongoing series of food orgies held quarterly in the Austin metro area. A few notes on the food and wine enjoyed by the gastronomes present

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Daruma Ramen, Hops n Grain, Chisos, BBQ Sauce, Fabi + Rosi

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 13:28:00 -0700

Another week where this feature could've easily had 20 entries. Austin food bloggers have risen from dormancy, and are posting daily, and sometimes hourly! Great to see so many active bloggers taking a break from the color TV to actually get some work done.

Austin Daily Photo: Tamale House East

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:47:00 -0700

The food always tastes better if you have to cross a set of railroad tracks to get at it. One of our all time favorite barbecue houses was in Leeds, Alabama, and to even think about getting there you had to motor down gravel roads and cross at least 3 sets of railroad tracks.

Austin Daily Photo: Foodways Texas Presents: Our Barbecue Ourselves

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:18:00 -0700

Probably sold out. We clicked on the purchase tickets button on the website of Foodways Texas like we were playing Defender at Lost World Arcade and were met with naught. Apparently plenty folks in Austin have an extra $280 for barbecue symposiums. Wonder how tough their door staff will be? It's been a good while since we gorilla rolled a doorman to get into a hot venue. Might be worth it. Partial list of meat-y luminaries to be doing symposium stuff:

Smiling Tiger Restaurant Pop Up #10: Meet Our Purveyors Part 6: Anderle Family Farm

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 11:17:00 -0700

Nationally respected farmers Judy and Kenneth Anderle down in Mt. Olive Texas are known to put out the finest molasses in USA. We became aware of their 114 acre operation from Foodways Texas (Marvin Bendele,) and the documentary "Good, Better, Best" via the lens of young filmmaker Keeley Steenson. It's a tour de force. It takes 4 months of hard work to get a crop of sorghum turned into molasses, but it's a task that the Anderles gladly accept to keep this important tradition alive.

Birth Notice: New Bar on Rainey Street From White House Charity Bar's Wendy Gay Thomas

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 12:58:00 -0700

Rainey Street's White House Charity Bar shuttered recently after Lustre Pearl general manager Christian Hawkins complained to TABC that there had been an increase of drunk people due to the bar's presence on the busy entertainment corridor.

Dateline Atascosa County Texas: Poteet Strawberry Festival April 12th,13th,14th 2013 est. 1948

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:55:00 -0700

The most famous strawberry in Texas, and therefore the USA is preparing to take the main stage in the garden spot of Atascosa County: Poteet, Texas on the second weekend of April . Established way back in 1948 as an incentive for Texas servicemen to return to their lives as farmers after mustering out of the military, the strawberry party sees 1000s of people turn out pumping an estimated 10 million dollars into the south Texas economy!

Austin Daily Photo: Salt And Time Butcher Shop

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 23:44:00 -0700

A plump, sustainably raised chuck steak from Salt and Time in East Austin.

Hornswoggled! Flim Flam Man Michael Angelo Carrion Outwits Wholly Cow And Ruby Thai Kitchen

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 15:42:00 -0700

Reading on the KHOU website they're reporting that confidence man Michael Angelo Carrion is using the old "pretend to be a fire safety equipment inspector and hustle the manager on duty out of a few hundred bucks" trick. Works every time. Carrion strolled into Wholly Cow on Congress Avenue and straight pulled the wool over the manager's eyes before walking out almost two hundred dollars richer. He also hornswoggled Ruby Thai Kitchen out of nearly $600. Smooth talker. Apparently Carrion is on a multi-state fire inspector confidence scam spree and needs to be stopped before slow-witted managers can be fooled again. He's also wanted in Atlanta among other states. If you spot the corpulent con man get in touch with law enforcement but do not engage the silver tongued devil as he's apparently quite fluid for a big man. KHOU piece http://www.khou.com/news/texas-news?fId=200918961&fPath=/news/local/&fDomain=10232

Austin Texas Brisket Wars Part 2: The Stallion vs Stiles Switch

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 14:55:00 -0700

When was the last time you had brisket so bad it threatened to put you off barbecue for a minimum of one year and potentially a lifetime? If you want to relive that feeling, motor on up to The Stallion, the venerable Airport Blvd meat n 3 that recently served me a brisket sandwich so bad I wanted to bring in Terry Funk from Amarillo to wipe the floors with their sorry excuse for a pit boss.

Austin Daily Photo: Happy Easter Texas

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 10:07:00 -0700

Hope somebody cares enough to bust a cascarone on your noggin on this blessed day. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo nearly 1000 in all!

Austin Daily Photo: Name This Austin Landmark And We'll Buy You A Margarita At El Azteca

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 23:15:00 -0700

Rebooting our contest gimmick. Rasheel, winner of " Name This Austin Landmark And We'll Buy You A Margarita At El Gallo" with his guess of El Taco Rico never came forward to claim his prize. You know you run with a rough bunch when a promise of free booze isn't enough to accomplish the hang. Round 2 is now upon us. Name This Austin Landmark And We'll Buy You A Margarita At El Azteca. Title says it all. Tell us where this famous Austin landmark is located and we'll meet up with you and buy you a margarita at one of the few places in Austin we've ever been thrown the fuck out of. Story's on the internet btw. Rasheel guessed correctly. Can you? No cheating http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/3/17/Austin-Daily-Photo-Name-This-Austin-Landmark-And-Well-Buy-You-A-Margarita-At-El-Gallo?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Team Version 1.0

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:32:00 -0700

We're coming up on a year now. An early photo of our Summer 2012 Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant team. Photo credit: RL Reeves Jr

One Year Ago Today: Yassine Brothers Austin Texas Nightclub Scandal Exploded

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:46:00 -0700

Has it really been a year since the biggest nightclub scandal in the history of Austin, Texas broke wide open? All the details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/27/BREAKING-NEWS-Mike-Yassine-Of-Yassine-Enterprises-In-Austin-Texas-Nightclub-Scandal?adminview=true

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Texadelphia, Bunny Chow, Homesick Texan, Sausage Party, Poteet

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:29:00 -0700

It comes in waves. Last week's edition of the best Austin food blogs took a solid 2 hours of research. This week took 15 minutes as Austin food bloggers went buck wild with heavy posting all around, save the dormant Tasty Touring blog. We could've made this article 20 posts long such was the fecund state of Austin's blogosphere.

Shuttered Zed's Restaurant Executive Chef Jacob Hilbert Arrested by Lone Star Fugitive Task Force

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:31:00 -0700

The plot thickens at Zed's, the awful, shuttered North Austin restaurant that had a multi-year run in spite of routinely putting out food that beggared the imagination. Lone Star Fugitive Task Force swooped in on Jacob Hilbert and wife Lynda Kaye Hilbert in North Austin last night. The Hilbert's had been on the run from North Carolina where they stand accused of embezzling over 100k from Ends Meat LLC (Manna Restaurant.) Jacob Hilbert had been celebrated in Wilmington, first at Tango du Chat, and Santa Fe New Mexico at A La Mesa restaurant prior to his "mysterious disappearance" more http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/2013/03/29/north_carolina_chef_wife_arres.html/ an obituary for Zed's http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/2/20/RIP-Rest-In-Peace-Zeds-Restaurant and Jacob Hilbert's blog http://jacobhilbert.wordpress.com/

Birth Notice: Goldis Sausage Company

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:50:00 -0700

Big sausage party coming next week: April 4th from Goldis Sausage Company, a new food cart on east 6th street. It's their grand opening Thug Passion, with Alize® liqueur and Champagne will be served along-side a wide variety of handmade sausages. -The Goldis (formerly known as the Mustardy Beef) -Honey-Orange-Mango -Green Curry w/ Peanut -Blueberry-Balsamic-Maple -The Mac-n-Cheese Sausage! -A Duck Fat Surprise! Sounds a mite fancy for our old school taste buds but could be a good time. 907 e 6th st, Austin, Texas 78702 7:30 pm dozens of Austin birth notices http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Birth-Notice photo credit: Keenan Goldis

Snappy Snacks Tom Ramsey Has A Contest For Potential Austin Texas Food Truck Entrepreneurs

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:25:00 -0700

Tom Ramsey's back in the news. We've been covering the Snappy Snacks food truck magnate's maneuverings for years and now he's back in the headlines with his attempt to launch a new food truck court in Pflugerville. Tom Ramsey we hardly knew ye....but we did; all too well.

Austin Daily Photo: Williamson County Texas

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:43:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Pambazos At La Fruta Feliz

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 11:38:00 -0700

Two recent visits to La Fruta Feliz reconfirmed what we've known for years. This is the brick and mortar apogee of authentic Mexican cooking in Austin, Texas. A breakfast trip netted some very fine chivo (goat barbacoa) as well as carnitas tacos on splendid, hand-rolled corn tortillas, while a repeat afternoon visit found us on the business end of a glorious Pambazo, a Mexican hoagie, dipped in chile sauce then griddled to a luscious turn.

Birth Notice: Whistlers From Lustre Pearl Veteran Scranton Twohey

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 10:59:00 -0700

We've been wondering about the transformation of Rabbit's Lounge on East 6th street for awhile now so we decided to drop in and talk with the construction crew to see if they'd be willing to let us in on the project. They were.

Austin Daily Photo: Dawn Orsak Of The Svacina Project

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 23:05:00 -0700

Dawn Orsak and Lori Najvar are traveling across Texas to accrue material for a multi-media exhibit on Texas Czech culture. This past weekend found the two ladies in Halletsville for the big South Texas Polka & Sausage Fest.

Spider House Goes Into The Cabaret Business With Lex Land And Antonelli's Cheese

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:36:00 -0700

North campus mainstay Spider House is hosting a Lex Land dinner cabaret with foods from Antonelli's Cheese Shop. We were ignorant of Lex Land but a quick jaunt down the Tumblr rabbit hole proved that this gal has some serious pipes. Apparently there's a TV show called The Voice where she acquitted herself admirably prior to being ousted. If a night of wine, cheese and sultry vocals is your bag, gas up the Fiero, coax your ol lady into that dusty Dior gown she never gets to wear and act like it's Saturday night in a proper city. Prices range from $30 to $150. With the cabaret life of the Weimar Republic nearly a century in the rear view mirror perhaps Austin is on the threshold of a re-imagining of this genre? details http://spiderhouseballroom.do512.com/event/2013/03/30/lextravaganza-dinner-cabaret-with-lex-land

Birth Notice: The Rebirth Of Quickie Pickie

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 09:11:00 -0700

In keeping with the modern state of foodways in East Austin, the renaissance of long running curb store Quickie Pickie will feature local foods in the cafe, local beers on the tap wall and perhaps an aviary off to one side featuring only the finest local chickens? A month or so ago we were motoring toward Rosewood Avenue when we spotted a gang of construction workers descending on the corner of East 11th and Lydia. Always curious, we popped into the old time quick mart to see what was going on with the hubbub.

Austin Daily Photo: Jack Gilmore

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 23:26:00 -0700

Nothing but admiration for Jack Gilmore. Read about how a white man from Brownsville won an entry in our Best Tex Mex Mex restaurant in Austin Texas series http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/7/29/Best-Tex-Mex-Restaurant-In-Austin-Part-Four-Jack-Allens-Kitchen-Friday-July-29th-2011 Sous vide Tex Mex? An idea whose time has come.

TABC To Defang The Tigress Of Rainey Street? Bridget Dunlap Fights To Retain Lustre Pearl License

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 15:19:00 -0700

Madeline Rackley stands charged with intoxication manslaughter in the death of Jarrett Ryan Whittington. Last Summer, two Austin police officers were in the Rainey Street area and witnessed Rackley drive her Honda Civic into Lady Bird Lake in the early morning hours of Sunday July 1st 2012. Rackley, who reportedly had been drinking at Lustre Pearl, managed to escape the vehicle as it sank into the lake, but Whittington, the backseat passenger drowned.

Tiffany Harelik's Trailer Food Tuesday Returns To The Long Center March 26, 2013

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:15:00 -0700

Dogs and children and their acolytes take note. Trailer Food Tuesdays is back! Tiffany Harelik's uber-successful gathering of food trucks and trailers will be held this Tuesday at the Long Center on Barton Springs Road.

Juan In A Million Beats The Mont! University Texas Bests Oklahoma In Cooking Channel Battle

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:13:00 -0700

Update: round 2 is underway and the Don Juan is on the business end of a good old fashioned dry gulching! Vote now,vote often. -------------------------------------------------------------- Austin Texas' Juan In A Million's Don Juan breakfast taco emerged victorious in a Cooking Channel battle with Norman Oklahoma's The Mont and their queso. The East side taqueria garnered 54.36% (1,714 votes) vs 45.64% (1,439 votes) for the Oklahoma outfit. The road's looking rocky for Juan Meza's overrated taco however as the next combatant is Top Dog Frankfurter of UC Berkeley. It's been a solid coon's age since we last ate in Berkeley CA and we didn't trouble ourselves with hot dogs opting instead for a curbside plate of ribs at Flint's Barbecue and a long night at the Starry Plough. An eye opening experience to put it mildly. Vote for Austin, the University of Texas and state pride-right this way http://blog.cookingchanneltv.com/2013/03/22/cooking-channel-march-madness-best-college-eats/ previous coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/3/16/Juan-In-A-Million-Vs-The-Mont-University-Texas-Squares-Off-Vs-Oklahoma-in-Cooking-Channel-Battle

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Josephine House, Lilly's, Valentina's, El Puesto, Pink Pig

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 22:37:00 -0700

Tough week. SXSW must've really wrung all the sap out of y'all as it took an inordinate amount of research to come up with a solid 5 entries in our weekly "best of" from the Austin food blog scene. Forks Up blog ate at Josephine House http://forksupblog.com/3/post/2013/03/josephine-house.html those room temperature salads gave us pause but to each his own

Get Paid To Blog. Austinist Is Hiring An Editor.

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:02:00 -0700

Gothamist LLC is hiring an editor for the Austin outlet of their national "ist" blogging network. Should you be hired, you'll be sequestered to company headquarters, reportedly atop the Four Season's condo tower on Cesar Chavez, where monkey waiters will bring you $100 margaritas from 9am-6pm Monday through Friday. The booze is contingent upon your ability to produce 6-9 posts per day...every day. That's a lot of blogging folks. Feel up to the task? Apply here http://austinist.com/2013/03/21/help_wanted_looking_for_an_editor.php Good luck and tell 'em Scrumptious Chef sent ya.

Robert Sietsema Spanked Like A Fussy Toddler By Daniel Vaughn. Sent To Bed Without His Brisket

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:17:00 -0700

Lots of blather coming out of New York City. Robert Sietsema had clown suit makers scrambling across the USA last week when his issued a broadside claiming that NYC barbecue is easily on par with traditional centers of smoked meat like Kansas City, Memphis and Central Texas.

Glenn Bell's Taco Bell + Dan Foley's Taco Tico Do Land Office Business:It's National Crispy Taco Day

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:53:00 -0700

Love him or hate him, and there are plenty people in both camps, Glenn Bell was the man responsible for bringing crispy tacos to the great unwashed masses of rural USA. In 1962 Mr. Bell opened his first Taco Bell in Downey, California (tacos 19c!) and began building one of the largest fast food companies on planet earth.

Brand New Austin Texas Pop Up Restaurant Ronin Cooking Set To Debut At Tamale House East

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:29:00 -0700

Austin Texas pop up restaurants are starting to flower. Ronin Cooking's chef Brian Light, a former understudy to Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, is taking over the kitchen at Tamale House East this Saturday March 23rd 2013 for a one night only food party. Theme is Foods of Southeast Asia. Information is scant but we did manage to locate the menu which reads like an umami-based assault on the senses. The concern's website and Facebook uses the ancient method of jpeg display so we'll mention the highlights with Tamarind crab, Vietnamese crepes and Avocado ice cream being the most appealing. Reserve a seat as the last few pop ups at Tamale House East have been jammed, wall to wall with late comers routinely being left to scrap, Lord of the Flies-style for stray tamales and the occasional totopo vacuumed up out of a dusty corner. http://www.eateast.eventbrite.com/

Beer Party Tonight: Austin Beer Guide Launches Their Spring 2013 Issue At Pinthouse Pizza

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:05:00 -0700

A few months ago we made our way to the Draughthouse in Central Austin for the Austin Beer Guide Winter release party. It was a glorious affair save for the poor beleaguered barkeeps who were in no way prepared for the mammoth crowd. Once the wait for a fresh brew stretched past a half hour we left for greener pastures. We documented the fete here ( http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Austin-Daily-Photo-Austin-Beer-Guide-Party-At-The-Draught-House )

Austin Daily Photo: Texas Hot Guts

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:15:00 -0700

Mise en place for yet another batch in our Texas Hot Guts sausage project. At the 18 month mark we've achieved world beating status; as is evidenced by our link of the day invariably winning "best in show" at our ongoing Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant series. birthplace of the genre http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/central-texas-hot-guts-project-part-one-southside-market-in-elgin-texas/

Austin Daily Photo: East Avenue Lounge Goes Into The Barbecue Business

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:43:00 -0700

It was only a matter of time. The red hot Rainey Street district has everything you could want or need-except barbecue. Sure Iron Works is right near but let's face it; the glory days of that old shed are long gone. Enter East Avenue Lounge. The friendly, no frills bar has carved itself a nice little niche (http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-daily-photo-east-avenue-lounge-in-downtown-austin/) and that niche is about to get a lot more prosperous with the addition of smoked meats to go with the cold beer. We were on non-barbecue business when we snapped this photo but will venture down that way soon and report back. a staggering multitude of Texas BBQ articles http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

South Texas Polka & Sausage Fest In Hallettsville Texas: March 22nd, 23rd, & 24th, 2013

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:17:00 -0700

We religiously read Dawn Orsak (https://twitter.com/svacinaproject) to keep up with what's going on in the Czech diaspora of Central Texas. We love the food (Kolaches!) the music (Polka!) and the womenfolk (gorgeous!)-Czech culture offers plenty to anyone with even a middling interest in the above pursuits. Ms Orsak recently broadcast a party happening this weekend down in Halletsville that sounds like a must attend: South Texas Polka & Sausage Fest is about to blow up in the garden spot of Lavaca county. Czechs and Czechophiles will be wolfing down sausages, fried fish and chicken platters, bowls of Czech chicken noodle soup and obviously metric tons of kolaches. When it comes time, there will be a multitude of polka bands taking the stage at the Knights of Columbus Hall (est. 1922) where the fete is being held. With a tagline of "Always a Good Time in Hallettsville" how could you not attend? http://www.kchall.com/polkafest/index.html

Austin Texas Happy Hour Specials Part 1: The Simple Pleasures of Taco Cabana

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:57:00 -0700

In a city filled with lazy ass taqueras and taqueros who can't be troubled with making their own tortillas, Taco Cabana continues taking that simple, extra step that defines next-level Mexican food. They do so with little fanfare, but one imagines a monstrous work load, as the San Antonio-based company has 15 Austin area locations.

Austin Daily Photo: SLAB BBQ: Slow Low And Bangin Barbecue Food Truck At Paul Qui's SXSW Court

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 22:31:00 -0700

No website. One tweet. But here's physical proof that SLAB: Slow, Low and Bangin BBQ food truck does exist. We were on an ice cream mission at the time and did not have one moment to spare so we neglected their meat. Any readers get a chance to sample SLAB? Please comment below. full Texas BBQ coverage with full color photos! http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/

SXSW 2013 Meant Big Business For Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 13:49:00 -0700

Not bad. SXSW 2013 acquitted itself quite admirably as Austin Travis County Emergency Medical Services is reporting 381 calls for assistance during the 8 day bacchanal. Let's hope that translates to lots of billable services, as in 2012, it's estimated that the organization faced spending overruns of almost a million dollars. Study up http://www.austintexas.gov/news/atcems-wraps-sxsw-music-festival

Austin Daily Photo: Name This Austin Landmark And We'll Buy You A Margarita At El Gallo

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 23:35:00 -0700

Title says it all. Name this Austin landmark and the wiry crew at Scrumptious Chef will take you out for a fancy margarita at El Gallo.

Austin Daily Photo: Austin Craft Coffee Blogs

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:01:00 -0700

Extensive coverage of the Austin Texas craft coffee scene http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Coffee

Juan In A Million Vs The Mont: University Texas Squares Off Vs Oklahoma in Cooking Channel Battle

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 14:55:00 -0700

Someone really needs to get in touch with the cooking channel and let them know that Juan In A Million is in no way a University of Texas haunt. For one thing it's nearly 4 miles away from the 40 acres. To cash in on March Madness, the TV channel has designed a bracket of campus eateries going head to head in online voting to determine an eventual "Best College Eats" victor.

One Year Ago Today: Stumptown Coffee Invaded Austin Texas

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 14:45:00 -0700

That year went by fast. Our piece titled "Wall Street Big Boy TSG Consumer Partners And Lapdog Stumptown Coffee Roasters Invade Austin" right this way http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/16/Wall-Street-Big-Boy-TSG-Consumer-Partners-And-Lapdog-Stumptown-Coffee-Roasters-Invade-Austin

Austin Texas Brisket Wars Part 1: Sam's Barbecue vs Hoover's Texa Mexi Que BBQ Trailer

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 11:37:00 -0700

Preface: New series on the Scrumptious site; we're fanning out across Austin and pitting rival barbecue establishments against one another in the most humble of categories: the brisket sandwich. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Texas ain't the South. Walk up to a meat man at a barbecue counter in Alabama, and ask for an outside slice sandwich, and he will nod sagely and begin expertly slicing the charred, outer-zone of a pork butt, then assemble your sandwich. Ask the same thing at Sam's Barbecue and you'll get a "huh?"

Austin Daily Photo: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:20:00 -0700

We strolled headlong, deep into the vortex of SXSW madness to sample Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at the Paul Qui curated food truck pod on the northern end of Rainey Street yesterday. Jeni Britton Bauer is something of a wunderkind in the world of frozen butterfat. The Wall Street Journal called her New York Times best-selling "Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home" the "homemade-ice cream-making Bible" Her Ohio-based herd of cows only feeds on grasses, which led Food & Wine to say "No one makes ice cream like Jeni Britton Bauer." Her Whiskey Pecan confection was top flight on yesterday's visit. Blink and you'll miss her y'all. She's packing up camp and headed back to Ohio Sun Mar 17th. Pictured: Jessica, the girl who was kind enough to make sure our cup was a well packed bowl of fatty deliciousness.

Austin Daily Photo: Captain TJ's

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 22:27:00 -0700

Gone but in no way forgotten. Captain TJ's was our favorite seafood joint in a town rightfully never known for its fish restaurants. $5 oyster platters? Gone. $3.50 catfish plates? Gone. A kitchen fire took the building down, the business was sold and relocated to North Austin where it still exists, a shell of its former self.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Craft Beer Bills,Iron Maiden,Soul Food Lit,Lockhart BBQ,Pudding

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 18:49:00 -0700

Freetail Brewing provides an excellent encapsulation of the beer bills making their way through the Texas lege http://blog.freetailbrewing.com/2013/03/14/on-deals-and-disagreements-beer-bills-move-forward/ Not Austin, but very, very important news from the Iron Maiden camp on their beer http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/03/13/174203043/the-ale-that-men-brew-iron-maiden-serves-up-a-beer?ft=1&f=1053&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

Austin Daily Photo: Pete's Bar

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:06:00 -0700

Robert Sietsema Shits The Bed: Texans Hail The New King Of USA Barbecue- New York City

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:04:00 -0700

Robert Sietsema spent his college years in Texas and he has some late breaking news for all of us: "Laugh if You Like, Texas, but New York is Now a BBQ Capital." Brooklyn is the new Lockhart. The Bronx is the new Taylor and we should all probably consider moving to Manhattan; cause that's where the real deal barbecue is nowadays. the piece: good for a few laughs and that's about it http://www.villagevoice.com/2013-03-13/restaurants/fat-and-happy/ Mssrs White and DeLaney, y'all got yr ears on? Please comment Texas barbecue, down a dirt road, cooked by Texans http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/

Austin Daily Photo: Boudin And Fried Eggs

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:00:00 -0700

Breakfast at the Scrumptious House: 3 eggs from a hen out in Garfield and a batch of smoked then fried handmade boudin. Occasionally we take a break from our hot guts project and bang out a few coils of boudin. A guide to making the best boudin you will ever put in your mouth http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/21/A-Guide-To-Making-The-Best-Boudin-You-Will-Ever-Put-In-Your-Mouth

Raise The Prices! Austin Bars And Restaurants Profits Skyrocket From SXSW

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:59:00 -0700

Why wouldn't they? Of course Austin bars and restaurants should jack up their prices for SXSW. This is America dammit. We just noted a topic on the Austin branch of the national Eater blog wherein blogger Grimes posits the question: Should Austin Bars & Restaurants Raise Prices For SXSW? Apparently, a New York based pizza blogger named Adam Kuban has a beef with Hoek's Pizza requesting $30 for one of their enormous, hand-tossed pizzas.

Austin Daily Photo: Habesha Restaurant And Bar

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:53:00 -0700

Lidiya, one of a trio of waitresses at Habesha Restaurant who sprinted about the facility during the entirety of our recent visit. If top flight customer service is an important part of your dining equation, then put Habesha on your short list as the gals running the place have made their mark via this tradition. Field report: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/2/7/Field-Report-Habesha-Restaurant-And-Bar-Ethiopian-Cuisine-In-Austin-Texas

Rise Of The Bearded One: Jester King's Joshua Cockrell Wins Multiple Awards For Beer Label Design

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:14:00 -0700

My father always chastened people to "never trust a man with a beard," he did so with a wink and a nod as his chest length beard fluttered in the breeze. I've grown out multiple beards in my life, mostly of the Hezekiah variety, where you keep your face baby-bottom smooth, and let the neck fur grow to your waist. It's biblical. Joshua Cockrell, the Aesthetic Czar of Jester King, brought home the bacon at the recent World Beer Championships Packaging Competition. No word on whether he's one of the beardos who compete at the prestigious beard growing competitions that take place around Austin and other, lesser, cities around the USA. Cockrell speaks http://jesterkingbrewery.com/world-beer-championships-packaging-competition-wins

Austin Daily Photo: Cafe 't Smalle (est.1786)

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:30:00 -0700

Happy hour at Cafe 't Smalle means bitterballen and kaas jonge en oude (meaty croquettes and young and old cheeses) with plenty cool tap beer to go with your snacks. On our annual pilgrimage to Amsterdam, Cafe 't Smalle is always on the short list of must visits. Once in a great while we feature a non-Austin daily photo. Thus our homage to one of the great old bars of northern Europe.

Austin Daily Photo: Micklethwait Craft Meats

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 00:18:00 -0700

It's good to see young cats like Tom Micklethwait carrying on the ancient Texas tradition of grinding animals up and stuffing the meat into hog intestines. It's an art form and it's fading fast. Field report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/10/Field-Report-Micklethwait-Craft-Meats-In-East-Austins-Brisket-Is-The-Real-Deal?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Johnny T's Barbecue

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 18:48:00 -0700

We made plans to have a business lunch at the North Austin Trailer Yard earlier this week. Foiled. After discovering all the attendant trailers to be closed we looked at the website for the concern and read that weather conditions were "too windy". To eat food. Johnny T's food truck is the Austin location of the Round Rock brick and mortar. BBQ coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Finally!A National Food Writer Gets Texas BBQ Right.Tim Walker (The Independent) On Black's Barbecue

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:10:00 -0700

Brilliant history piece on Lockhart barbecue from Mr.Walker, the LA correspondent for the venerable Independent. Dozens of national writers descend on Central Texas annually to write about our smoked meat houses and inevitably fuck it up. Hot link http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/the-barbecue-grill-seekers-8525297.html Now go to Black's Barbecue and report back.

Austin Texas: Taco Meet Up 2013

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 12:51:00 -0700

That $1595 you shelled out for your SXSW platinum badge will also allow you, for an additional charge, to buy a ticket for Taco Meet Up 2013. The landed gentry love tacos just as much as the rabble. Event details on the poster. Please report back. Alternately, stage your own taco meet up with this handy guide http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/the-state-of-barbacoa-in-austin-texas/

Austin Daily Photo: Changing Of The Guard At East 12th Kafe

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 12:33:00 -0700

A tipster informed us that East 12th Kafe is no longer under the stewardship of Mama Sugar aka Susie Clark. This is a giant loss for East Austin's soul food scene as Ms.Clark was one of the finest cooks in town. No word on who has replaced her but we reckon those to be some mighty big shoes to fill. Field report http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/intelligentsia-coffee-fried-catfish-and-collards-east-austins-got-a-brand-new-bag/

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Vegan Date Night, Kolaches, Best Hamburger, Taco Guide, Jews

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:05:00 -0700

Has there ever been a more depressing title in a "City Guide" than Vegan Date Night? The very thought of two emaciated, would-be lovers staggering around town in a burlesque of amour; vainly seeking a bowl of Bermuda or alfalfa grass while robust omnivores have the run of the delights of a city's restaurants is quite frankly depressing. But who are we to judge?

Best Hamburger In Austin Part 18: Hill-Bert's Burgers

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:14:00 -0700

That $5.61 I'll never get back Hill-Bert's Burgers website trumpets accolades from Texas Monthly, Austin Chronicle and KXAN. "...Mmmmm, a few bites of burger heaven"....and "...a legend" so when business carried us to north Austin recently we decided to forego a visit to Top Notch and take the measure of "the legend." Legends fall.

Austin Daily Photo: Akaushi Beef From Heartbrand Out Of Yoakum Texas

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 11:26:00 -0700

Proper sourcing is one of the most important steps you can take when it comes time to hit the kitchen. Commodity meat is cheap, and if treated properly can certainly be delicious, but there is no substitute for high grade protein that came off a well-tended steer. At our most recent Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant event, we went all-in and ordered the finest beef available in the great state of Texas; Akaushi via Heartbrand located down in Yoakum. Y'all responded in a big way, and we fed a monstrous crowd of hungry eaters who gathered at Tamale House East to celebrate our good lives in the Great State.

Two Years Ago Today: How To Make A Fried Catfish Po Boy

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 23:46:00 -0700

Every so often we rifle through our vast archive and glean an old article to resubmit to our readers. This is one of those times. With Lent in full swing y'all may be eating more fish than usual so this piece is particularly relevant. Two years ago today we authored an incredible take on the humble fried catfish po boy.

Austin Daily Photo: Gourmand's Neighborhood Pub

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 16:14:00 -0700

There's very little tap beer in East Austin. I-35 serves as a sort of hops and grain-based neutral ground/line of demarcation, as Austin's draft beer selection dwindles as you migrate eastward from downtown. Then there's Gourmand's; a sweet, neighborhood bar with plump sandwiches, not so plump waitresses/bartenders, and a healthy selection of local beers available by the pour. We had a Scrumptious Chef cook's meeting there recently to hammer out some future pop up menus and partook in the pub's new-ish patio. previously http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/31/Austin-Daily-Photo-Gourmands-Neighborhood-Pub-On-Webberville-Road-In-East-Austin?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Anderson's Coffee and Tea

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 10:44:00 -0700

Alfred Peet started a revolution way back in 1966. A Dutchman, Peet was a world traveler who fueled his coffee obsession via stops in England and Indonesia before settling down in wild and wooly San Francisco just before the Summer of Love. Starbucks? Peet trained their staff and supplied their beans when they opened up in Seattle in 1971. He was a lion of the industry.

Austin Daily Photo: Hope Farmers Market In Plaza Saltillo

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:07:00 -0700

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant Number 9: Big Beef Bonanza

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 11:51:00 -0700

Warts and all. When we document our own events we believe it to be of the utmost importance to provide an honest accounting of the affair. Even if it hurts. We had a disastrous beginning to Scrumptious Chef's Big Beef Bonanza and this is what must be addressed right off the bat. But first a little background.

Happy Texas Independence Day Austin

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 09:32:00 -0700

Ordinarily we'd be kicked back on the front porch with the hi fi blasting Lefty, Ernest, Waylon and Doug-alternately. But when we heard Austin wanted the best Texas Independence Day party this town has ever seen, we swung into motion, ordered a tractor trailer load of Texas Wagyu beef out of Yoakum, and hit the commissary kitchen running full tilt.

Austin Daily Photo: Friends For Dinner

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 00:29:00 -0700

It's been a long road. The genesis of the Scrumptious Chef pop up series, in part anyway, came from a long run of crazy back yard cooking competitions we had starting at the beginning of the aughts. We called the parties Texas Top Cook, and we'd challenge a half a dozen other Austin cooks to a throwdown in our backyard, schedule a date then get down to the business at hand.

Words From The Pit Boss: John Avila X-Franklin Barbecue Meat Man Responds To Scrumptious Chef

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:12:00 -0700

Howdy, thank you kindly Mr Reeves for mentioning me in your article. I am a proud Texan and hope to represent well, our state, and its culture. Having grown up in my grandparent's restaurant in Bryan, Texas: A.C. Saenz Tamales and BBQ, I also hope to carry on the tradition of proudly serving rustic, handmade Texas recipes in the way my Grandfather did until his 93rd Birthday.

Field Report: Franklin Barbecue

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 12:00:00 -0700

Back in the arms of an old lover. When Franklin Barbecue fled French Place, I was left out of sorts and spent a couple months moping around and hopping into the sack with whatever pit boss I could round up for roll in the smoker. Our love was dashed on the rocks of commerce. But Franklin's move to a big, nice brick and mortar also mean the lines, barely tenable, would quickly simulate the times when Waylon would hand out free sheets of acid outside the men's room at the Armadillo.

Austin Daily Photo: Favorite Liquor & Wine

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:13:00 -0700

Scrumptious Chef Restaurant Pop Up #9: Big Beef Bonanza At Tamale House East Saturday March 2nd

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 13:50:00 -0700

Here's the menu. Hope y'all can come out celebrate Texas Independence Day with us. We'll have plenty Texas beef and ice cold Live Oak draft beer. Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant #9

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Craft Beer Bar Guide, Pinkberry, East Side King, BBQ Guide

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 23:10:00 -0700

It's getting denser by the minute. While it's true that there's a vast graveyard of Austin food blogs (haven't updated in weeks) there are new ones springing to life daily. We toggle across the landscape regularly to glean the finest content; now offered to you, the most discerning readers in Austin.

Austin Daily Photo: Cuvée Coffee Opens For Business Inside Austin's Finest Butchery: Salt And Time

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:51:00 -0700

The Prague Spring-like renaissance of East Austin continues apace with bona fide craft coffee superstar Cuvée opening for business this morning at Salt And Time Butcher Shop. We ran by for a moment at lunch to take a couple photos and get the lay of the land. More details to come as we are under a major time crunch due to the pop up event this weekend. Back at it.

Franklin Barbecue's John Avila Sets Up Shop In Park Slope Brooklyn NYC

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:57:00 -0700

John Avila, a Franklin Barbecue alumnus, has migrated to New York City to open a Texas BBQ joint on Flatbush Avenue. Avila had previously toiled under legendary Austin baker Melissa Brinkman of Cake & Spoon. New York's barbecue world in in blazes right now with Daniel Delaney anchoring BrisketTown and native Texan Ari White running the kitchen of Hakadosh BBQ. That's alright, we've still got it good in Texas. Texas BBQ http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/ celebrate Texas Independence Day http://bigbeefpopup.eventbrite.com/

Austin Daily Photo: Handmade Porchetta From The Scrumptious Chef Test Kitchen

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 22:16:00 -0700

Pictured: Large Black heritage breed pork belly from Eden's Cove Farm in Cedar Creek Texas, and a pound of ground pork shoulder which has been given the chorizo treatment. Photo taken moments before we rolled it, twined it and roasted it. celebrate Texas Independence Day http://bigbeefpopup.eventbrite.com/

Scrumptious Chef Restaurant Pop Up #9: Meet Our Purveyors Part 5: HeartBrand Beef

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 20:37:00 -0700

Judo, Mazda, Fuji and Rueshaw; Four Japanese Wagyu bulls that made the long trip from Japan to USA on March 31, 1976. Folklore has it that these super specimens were discovered gone-missing and the Japanese government scrambled fighter jets to intercept the plane the creatures were on. Wagyu cows and bulls are regarded as national treasures in Japan.

Austin Daily Photo:New Barbecue Alert! John Mueller Meat Company Is Open For Business In East Austin

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 13:25:00 -0700

John Mueller is back! John Mueller Meat Company is open and serving brisket, beef ribs, Texas hot guts, pork ribs and side dishes for people interested in that sort of thing. Yesterday was the grand opening and we noted block long lines at Kellee's Place, the bar where his new food truck is parked at the corner of E.6th and Pedernales. Unfortunately we had other affairs to attend to so we were not able to brave the 2 hour wait for a plate of meat. Read the thread on Shaggybevo http://www.shaggybevo.com/board/showthread.php/126184-John-Mueller-Meat-Co-update-To-open-Feb-23rd The Redemption of John Mueller http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/the-redemption-of-john-mueller/ celebrate Texas Independence Day http://bigbeefpopup.eventbrite.com/

Austin Daily Photo: Via 313 Detroit-Style Pizza In East Austin

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 13:21:00 -0700

We have yet to go but featured Blog Mad Betty, who visited Via 313, in one of our top Austin blogger round-ups http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/11/21/This-Week-In-Austin-Texas-Food-Blogs-Trader-Joes-Recipes-Spin-Modern-Thai-Russells-Via-313 This is Austin Daily Photo number 770 celebrate Texas Independence Day http://bigbeefpopup.eventbrite.com/

Austin Texas Guide To Pop Up Restaurants Part 5: Tamale House East And Franklin Barbecue

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:43:00 -0700

Lots more pop up restaurants to report on in Austin Texas as the concept/trend appears to be taking hold nicely. This Saturday Feb 23rd 2013 Tamale House East & Tapas Bravas Present: Night in Valencia, a Paella Pop Up event. There will be massive piles of scratch cooked paella, buckets of gazpacho, stuffed chiles and tons of other Spanish small plate-style foods. Grab a ticket as they are nearing a sell-out http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5513723696/es2 Sunday Feb 24th 2013 Franklin Barbecue will be hosting L'oca D'oro, a rock n roll themed one off supper party featuring music from the Stooges http://www.locadoroaustin.com/ and Sat March 2nd 2013 The Scrumptious Chef cooking team will be taking over the Tamale House East kitchen for our Big Beef Bonanza food party. We'll be getting in tons of Akaushi Japanese Wagyu beef for this, our 9th pop up since last July. We're still hammering out the menu but will be offering plenty Texas via Japan beef as well as local produce from Johnson's Backyard Garden, Easy Tiger bread and an ice cold keg of beer. Hope y'all can make it out and as always our menu will be a la carte with prices starting at 5 bucks. Jeffrey's alumnus Chris Chism will be popping up at Donn's Depot during the heart of SXSW: March 13th-14th. 5 Course prix-fixe menu with plenty goat, duck and rabbit reservations@halfcircleeleven.com. you know if he came out of the Jeffrey's kitchen he can cook, check him out and report back please

RIP: Rest In Peace: Rabbit's Lounge

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:30:00 -0700

Rabbit's Lounge was one of our favorite spots to visit when it came time for El Tri to step onto the pitch. The old timers and young bucks alike would line up along the bar and holler out gritos whenever Mexico threatened to score or played some hard-nosed defense. Heaven help us if our southern neighbor put one in the net as the place would absolutely erupt. Rosalio "Rabbit" Duran's e. 6th street Chicano hot spot will be sorely missed. Obituaries http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/RIP-Rest-In-Peace celebrate Texas Independence Day http://bigbeefpopup.eventbrite.com/

Finally. National Writer Andy Staples Eats At Barbecue Legend Snow's In Lexington And Gets It Right

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 11:32:00 -0700

We had just about given up. Non-Texas based writers routinely come to the Great State to eat their way across the Republic and file reports for publications like Bon Appetit, New York Times and/or others of their ilk. They invariably get it wrong.

Daniel Delaney Wins! Declared Brisket King Of NYC. Brutal Reign Of Meat Set To Begin

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:21:00 -0700

John Brown Smokehouse failed to defend their Brisket King title in New York City last night as surging powerhouse BrisketTown (Daniel Delaney) took home the prize: a Cartier encrusted Akaushi brisket dripping with gold leaf infused beef tallow. Wonder if any of the pitbosses rolled out brisket "shabu shabu" style like Richter's joint last year? And we would've loved to mow down on a plate of El Paso native Ari White's barbecue that saw block long crowds lined up in the Bronx last summer.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Kiefer's Cafe,Louie Mueller BBQ,Sway,Jester King, Magic Cookies

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:35:00 -0700

Another big week in Austin food blogs. We scan dozens of entries from scores of bloggers to bring y'all the best of the best. Without further ado, the cream of the crop, right this way:

RIP: Rest In Peace: Zed's Restaurant

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 12:31:00 -0700

Rarely have we seen such a disconnect between interior design and quality of food. Zed's went all in when they hired their architect team but failed miserably when it came time to land a top flight kitchen and management staff. We hate writing obituaries even when it's for a place that offered very little in the way of a high quality dining experience. Rest in peace Zed's Restaurant. This is obituary number 78 in our series http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/RIP-Rest-In-Peace update via Eater. Zed's is claiming their shutter is "temporary" http://austin.eater.com/archives/2013/02/20/zeds-closes-temporarily-for-next-phase-expansion.php Maybe they're going to start at the top, hire a competent GM then sweep on through the kitchen with fresh cooks and what have you?

Austin Daily Photo: East 12th Kafe Brings New Life To Soul Food In East Austin

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 11:45:00 -0700

Best service we've had in quite some time. Sisters Tonia and Coretha are vending some of the best plates of fried catfish and fried chicken in Austin Texas at their spanking new restaurant: East 12th Kafe. all the details http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/tag/east-12th-kafe/

Austin Daily Photo: Tamale House East

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 23:29:00 -0700

A big birthday party took over Tamale House East's mafia table in the side-room for the most recent incarnation of the Scrumptious Chef Pop Up restaurant series. The gang were there to eat massive pork steaks, quaff St Arnold's Belgian red beer and relish their good lives in Austin, Texas. Got a big group of people you want to take out for a one night only food party? Tamale House East may be able to satisfy you. http://www.facebook.com/tamalehouse.east?group_id=0 field report from pop up restaurant #8: Heritage Pork http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/2/11/Field-Report-Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-Restaurant-8-Farm-To-Table-Heritage-Pork-Party

Foodways Texas Symposium April 4-6 2013 Meat Party: “Our Barbecue, Ourselves” At University Texas

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 17:56:00 -0700

Got an extra 280 bucks in your pocket? Foodways Texas is coming to town and throwing a meat party April 4-6th. Join the gentry as they "eat, think and talk our way from pasture to pit to plate." Sounds like a good time, but we're having a hard time reconciling that the list of pit masters and chefs:

Shark Tank Features Austin Texas Restaurant How Do You Roll

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 00:42:00 -0700

We open with a panorama of Austin's soaring skyline as a voice over from Yin and Peter (brothers and owners of How Do You Roll) explain that they are starting a sushi revolution the likes of which has not been seen since Texas wrestled itself free from old Mexico to become a sovereign nation. The brothers go onto explain that their parents had several Chinese restaurants when the lads were young and selling Asian food is "in their blood"

Austin Daily Photo: Rural Pit Boss

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 23:54:00 -0700

Ran across this ol country hoss up in Bosque County Texas last fall. He was participating in the invitation-only National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off 25th Anniversary Celebration in Meridian, Texas. Texas BBQ coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Austin Daily Photo: Txoko: Texas' Only Basque Gastronomic Society

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:54:00 -0700

Just another night at our quarterly Txoko; Texas only Basque gastronomic society. We roll through 15-20 bottles of wine during our 15 course extravaganza. Details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Txoko-A-Basque-Tradition

I Cover The War: Food Blogs Worthy of Your Time #12: Austin Beer Guide

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:51:00 -0700

Providing extensive coverage of Austin's full blown gone nuclear craft beer scene is a daunting task but one that Austin Beer Guide tackles with aplomb. They also know how to throw a very fine party as was witnessed by their epic blowout at Draught House a couple months ago.

Craft Beer Party In New Braunfels Texas! Guadalupe Brewing Company Open House

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 11:04:00 -0700

Time to make plans for a craft beer roadtrip down to New Braunfels Texas. Guadalupe Brewing Company, makers of: Texas Honey Ale Rye IPA Scotch Ale Americano Wheat Ale Texas Honey Sour and Guadalupe IPA

Austin Daily Photo: Icey Ike The Ice-illated Drink

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:32:00 -0700

Icey Ike Sales of Pikeville, Kentucky filed for incorporation in February of 1969. By 1970, Icey Ike had spread like a pandemic all over the Cumberland Highlands. The Slush Puppie-esque beverage was in all the quick marts, convenience, and department stores, and the future looked very bright for the company and its hillbilly mascot. Havacupacool was the company's slogan and it was used in rural newspapers of the day to good effect. Shoppers were admonished to get out there and start buying stuff, and have some Icey Ike to fuel their frenzy.

Austin Daily Photo: Mexitas

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:34:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Chase Palmer At Blue Ox Barbecue

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 02:35:00 -0700

We missed our midnight deadline for our Austin Daily Photo last night by 90 minutes. Broke into the beer cellar while we were crying our eyes out over Valentine's Day, and lost track of time. Young pit boss Chase Palmer's doing good work down in southeast Austin at his Blue Ox barbecue trailer. Here's our field report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/25/Field-Report-Blue-Ox-Barbecue-In-Southeast-Austin-Texas Hundreds of "breathlessly over-hyped" Texas barbecue articles right this way http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue we don't need cardio paddles to breathe life into our prose-it just comes natural. and read our feature on Virginia Wood's erroneous Texas barbecue article http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/2/14/Virginia-Wood-Gets-It-All-Wrong-As-John-Mueller-Meat-Company-Prepares-To-Open-In-East-Austin

Happy Valentine's Day Austin Texas!

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:53:00 -0700

Here at Scrumptious HQ we'll be watching old Cary Grant movies and firing up the smoker in the backyard to celebrate. Hope you and yours are celebrating in high style.

Virginia Wood Gets It All Wrong As John Mueller Meat Company Prepares To Open In East Austin

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 12:20:00 -0700

Scanning the morning Austin Chronicle for articles from Mick Vann and MM Pack, the two headed hydra that keeps the local alt weekly relevant in these busy times, we noticed the following statement from Ms. Virginia Wood: "The Feb. 20 opening of the John Mueller Meat Company was announced in an official press release rather than a breathlessly overhyped blog post" Laughably wrong.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Delysia Chocolatier,Dock & Roll,Uncorked,Mercury Pizza,Whip In

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:36:00 -0700

It was another one of those week's where we had to dig and dig to come up with a reasonable top 5 for the week in Austin food blogs. Earning a hard living. But, after sifting through unfathomable amounts of pure dreck we managed to locate these gems

Austin Daily Photo: Robert Shaw

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 23:18:00 -0700

Old school barrel house piano player: Robert Shaw pictured at the East Austin chitlin circuit joint Victory Grill. I found his Ma Grinder Lp when I was kid searching through an ad hoc record shop set up in a concrete block building on a dirt road outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Wore the grooves off of it. Any old timers remember when John Mueller Barbecue on Manor Road was Shaw's old joint the 'Stop and Swat?' That was mite before my time but I'd love to hear from you if that was the spot that kept you in beans and greens. Rumor has it there was more than just goods and sundries being vended out of there too.

Austinist Article On Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant Series

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:41:00 -0700

We've been running our Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant series under the radar, for the most part, since July of 2012. We've had a couple mentions here and there but have mainly existed to feed the hard core eaters that constantly hunt for the most obscure, intensely delicious foods. Not anymore. Austinist published http://austinist.com/2013/02/13/food_scrumptious_chef_pops_up_at_ta.php this feature this morning and now we're adding chefs and trying to figure out how we're going to feed everybody. Next event: Big Beef Bonanza featuring the Akaushi Wagyu Japanese breed strain stay tuned for more details

Dust Up! Bitch Beer Takes On South Austin Brewing Company Over Sexy Craft Beer Ad

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:06:00 -0700

Great article this morning on the Bitch Beer site on the intersection of craft beer and sexual imagery in advertising. Author Caroline attended a roller derby event where South Austin Brewing had purchased some ad space in the program and utilized that hoary old cliche of a sexy looking woman to sell their beer. Win.

Austin Daily Photo: Octavio The Tamale Man

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:59:00 -0700

Bon Appetit: 21 Most Important Restaurants In USA: Uchi, Uchiko And Franklin Barbecue

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:24:00 -0700

Bon Appetit loves Franklin Barbecue. Way back in 2011 writer Andrew Knowlton ignited the world of US barbecue claiming that Franklin was "the best." The firestorm was predictable as defenders of the old lions of Taylor, Texas and Lockhart, Texas sprang to the defense of the old timey legends of the world of smoked meat.

Austin Daily Photo: World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off In Brady Texas

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:26:00 -0700

The finest barbecue party thrown all year long in Texas. This is how the good folks of Brady Texas get down on Labor Day Weekend each year. Texas Barbecue coverage. Strong style http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Happy National Peppermint Patty Day + Recipe: York Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:35:00 -0700

Each day in a calendar year has a national food holiday attached to it. We ignore 99% of them but every so often we spring up out of the Lazy Boy when a particularly appealing one appears. Today is such a day. It's National Peppermint Patty Day y'all. There are few pleasures so simple that provide such glory as the humble peppermint patty. Henry C. Kessler invented this treat way back in 1940. 35 years passed before it became nationally prominent via Peter Paul, the maker of the incomparably delicious Almond Joy candy bar. We hit the test kitchen like a runaway truck a couple months ago and penned the following recipe: York Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. You can bang this recipe out in well under one hour. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/12/23/Austin-Daily-Photo-Recipe-York-Peppermint-Patty-Stuffed-Chocolate-Chip-Cookies?adminview=true

Winner Announced! Top 5 Barbecue Beef Chuck Rib Joints In The State Of Texas

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:12:00 -0700

To many people the grand champion of Texas Barbecue is the beef chuck rib. It's also a vanishing menu items as many people are loathe to pay between 15-20 dollars for a single rib no matter how much meat is clinging to it. Man Up Texas BBQ released their Top 5 Barbecue Beef Chuck Rib Joints In The State Of Texas this morning and it's disappointingly brief. Only 5 restaurants made the list. 20 years ago we would've had, at minimum, a dozen.

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 8: Farm To Table Heritage Pork Party

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 01:14:00 -0700

Truth be told, Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant #8 is all a bit of a haze. After four 12 hour shifts in the commissary followed by a 3am - 10pm shift cooking and hustling out food to over 200 people; memories are hard to come by. We've stepped up our game considerably now that we've begun to find our kitchen rhythm.

Austin Daily Photo: George Washington Carver Museum Soul Food Party

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 00:51:00 -0700

Jane and Dorette were in charge of crowd control at the George Washington Carver Museum Soul Food Party last year. Angela Shelf Medearis held the crowd in the palm of her hand as she led us through a discussion on African foodways. Brilliant. Visit Medearis site http://www.medearis.com/

Round Rock Happenings: PR Over Coffee Food Writers’ Panel at Art Institute February 13, 2013

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 17:33:00 -0700

Did Austin lasso annex part of Round Rock? The Art Institute of Austin which is located on Louis Henna Blvd in Round Rock is hosting a food writer's panel this Wednesday that sounds interesting. PR Over Coffee is inviting would be food entrepreneurs to show up and pitch their business ideas to: Kristi Willis of Kristi's Farm To Table food blog.

Through The Past: Looking At The Art And Science Of King Ranch Casserole

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:11:00 -0700

Three years ago today I turned the world of Texas food letters upside down with this tome on King Ranch casserole. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/2/10/The-Rules-of-King-Ranch-Casserole?adminview=true The world has never been the same

Austin Daily Photo: McDonald's

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:56:00 -0700

Like any American adolescent, McDonald's played a large role in my childhood. When I traveled with my soccer squad the coach gave us a $5 per diem for expenses. This outlandish sum of money was carefully hoarded til me and my mates saw a Golden Arches off Interstate 75, at which point we'd immediately begin hollering for coach to pull off the freeway.

Austin Daily Photo: The Pickle Queen Of Budapest Hungary

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 23:27:00 -0700

Once in a great while we'll post a non-Austin picture for our daily photo series. Tonight is one of those nights. Walking East out of Josef Town (District 8) in Budapest you'll encounter a mammoth indoor market (not the famous "Nagycsarnok" or Great Market Hall) that hosts dozens of food vendors. There's Mangalitsa Heritage Breed pork for sale, countless pastries, street food sellers and this lovely woman who we immediately dubbed The Pickle Queen of Budapest. With a kilo of Mangalitsa to be cooked in the tiny kitchen of our pied-à-terre, we knew we'd need something really acidic to cut through all the rich pork fat. This gal sold us a big bag of the best pickles we've ever eaten. Not that bread n butter bullshit either. These cucumbers were the real deal. Lots of vinegar, and the pickle queen left the sugar where it belonged; in the cupboard til it comes time to bake a cake or pie. Budapest is one of the loveliest cities on earth. The architecture is breathtaking, the food unparalleled and the dour Hungarians quite charming in their own gruff manner. The city is dotted with wonderful restaurants a few of which serve Szalonnasütés (bacon barbecue!) Our journeys have carried us across the globe and Budapest is one of the best towns in this world to hang your hat for a couple weeks.

Field Report: Brew Exchange On West 6th Street

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 13:10:00 -0700

Brew Exchange could have a great gimmick but in their headlong rush to worship the almighty dollar they missed the mark. As you may know, the business prices their beer according to current demand in the bar. If everybody's drinking Great Divide the value goes up and up. If everybody's ignoring Live Oak, the price inches downward.

Austin Food Blogger Alliance Cookbook

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 12:06:00 -0700

Don't cross 'em. The wiry gang over at the Austin Food Blogger Alliance play hard ball, and now they're getting in the cookbook business. We can only imagine the smoke-filled backroom where the negotiations with their publisher took place. Ringleader Addie Broyles chomping on a giant cigar "here's how it's gonna play out-see"-sounding just like a young Edward G Robinson. Publishing execs cowering, wondering at life choices they'd made that led them to this juncture. We recommend you buy several of these books. And if you run into an alliance member just look at the ground and keep right on walking. It'll keep you safe. http://austinfoodbloggers.org/2013/01/austin-food-blogger-alliance-cookbook-release-date-pre-sales-campaign/

John Mueller Invades Houston Texas: Eat For A Cause Barbecue Party At Cottonwood

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:43:00 -0700

Love him or hate him (and there are plenty people in both camps) John Mueller will be doing some good work this weekend in Houston, Texas. Details: February 9, from 12:00 to 4:00 PM Cottonwood - 3422 N. Shepherd Dr., Houston, Texas 77018 Benefiting Housing Houston's Heroes, a charity for homeless veterans. Live music: The Palisades. All proceeds from the event will be donated to Housing Houston's Heroes, a local agency that assists homeless veterans in finding permanent housing. I spoke to Mueller a couple days ago about the food party and he informed me that he will be manning 5 massive smokers filled with 1,000 pounds of meat! more Texas bbq coverage http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/

Johnson's Backyard Garden

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 13:39:00 -0700

Field Report: Habesha Restaurant And Bar (Ethiopian Cuisine In Austin Texas)

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:17:00 -0700

One easy, easy way to set your restaurant apart in the crowded field of Austin food is to provide good service. It's a rarity, and always has been. There are too many nuclear engineers in town who've been thrown to the wolves of waiting tables for it to ever get better. That waitress with a sneer on her face? She has an undergrad degree from UT and would rather be anywhere else in this world than where she is; hustling out pancakes to a packed house at Magnolia Cafe.

Austin Daily Photo: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant #8: Farm To Table Heritage Pork Food Party

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 00:13:00 -0700

Here's the menu and the event poster. Hope y'all can make it out: Bacon Steak (cured heritage pork belly, confit w/duck fat) pork demi glace, chicharron gremolata (hog dust,parsley, garlic,lemon zest) sweet potato mash w/Vermont maple, brussels sprouts w/caramelized Texas sweet onion, Easy Tiger bread

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Blue Ox BBQ, Pieous Pizza, Longhouse Revival, Ramen Tatsu-Ya

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:47:00 -0700

We're taking a 15 minute break from the grinder/extruder to hammer out an article. This writing project is a cruel taskmaster and we have no taste for its whip hand. On to our weekly scan across the Austin blogging world.

Winner Announced! Top 12 Barbecue Hot Guts Sausage Joints In The State Of Texas

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 12:06:00 -0700

Man Up Texas Barbecue polled their readers on the topic of Texas Hot Guts Sausage recently. We eat a lot of hot guts at the Scrumptious house. While there are plenty good sources in Central Texas we've been making our own for a year and a half and we've got the formula down pat.

Free Beer! Party At Buzz Mill Coffee And Blue Ox Barbecue In Southeast Austin Texas

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 11:46:00 -0700

An idea whose time has come. Buzz Mill Coffee and Blue Ox Barbecue are throwing a party tomorrow: Thursday Feb 7th 2013, and they're giving away free beer to go with pit boss Chase Palmer's smoked meat-hot off the pit that used to call Franklin BBQ home. The barbecue ain't free but the beer is. 5-9pm Alaskan Amber beer. 2k people read our article on Chase Palmer http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/25/Field-Report-Blue-Ox-Barbecue-In-Southeast-Austin-Texas?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Bryan Butler At Salt And Time Butchershop and Salumeria

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:56:00 -0700

A man's gotta know his limitations. It's one of my favorite Eastwood lines of all times and I've had the point driven home from time to time when I've decided to venture, Icarus-like, into territory better left uncharted. I'm handy in a kitchen but butchery is a talent that I leave in the hands of the masters. Our crew took delivery this morning on a mammoth shipment of Large Black heritage breed pork from Eden's Cove Farm down in Cedar Creek.

John Mueller Meat Company Prepares To Open Brand New Barbecue Food Trailer In Austin Texas

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 11:11:00 -0700

The old bull of Texas barbecue, John Mueller, is set to open John Mueller Meat Co. in East Austin, Texas. We've been running by Kellee's Place for the past few weeks to notate the progress taking place at the trim and tidy drinkery at the corner of east 6th and Pedernales. This past weekend smoke was rolling out of the iron pit in the food trailer so we decided to venture inside, and see if the fiery tempered pit boss was up for some conversation. He was.

Austin Daily Photo: LongHouse Food Revival

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 23:44:00 -0700

Friday night a big crowd of food lovers gathered in East Austin at the Pine Street Station for a pop up magazine slash barbacoa party. Movers and shakers like Gustavo Arellano, Elissa Altman, Melissa Guerra, and Rachel and Logan Cooper led a panel discussion on the Mexican diaspora while goats sizzled atop mesquite coals. We didn't have the funds to attend but it sure did sound like a fun event. Going across our Tumblr. feed we spotted this very fetching photo from the lens of http://www.bootsintheoven.com/ Vicarious enjoyment to be sure but nonetheless...

Scrumptious Chef Restaurant Pop Up #8: Meet Our Purveyors Part 3: Eden's Cove Farm

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:12:00 -0700

We spent a wonderful afternoon touring the verdant grounds of one of Texas' prime heritage breed pork farms a couple weeks ago. Eden's Cove Farm specializes in the ancient British hog strain "Large Black"; this breed is famous for its bacon. The bellies that come off the pig are prized for their excellence. No less a luminary than Winston Churchill raised these pigs. The great man loved bacon and needed a daily rasher so he could attend to the affairs of the state. The Large Black pork belly fueled him in his pursuits.

New Bull In The Pen. Salt And Time Ushers In New Meat Culture Appreciation Era In East Austin

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:50:00 -0700

Salt and Time Butchershop and Salumeria is doing business the right way. Ancient curing methods are being honored; old school meat-aging techniques are being employed, and a reverence for tradition permeates their spanking-new East 7th street meat house. Sunday afternoon, owner Ben Runkle peeled himself away from the crowds herded into the shop, for a few minutes to discuss his new business. Our talk ranged broadly as a steady line of people moved through the salumeria, eager to mow down on thick steaks, big bottles of Jester King beer and cases packed with both fresh, and salt-cured meats.

Austin Daily Photo: Cooper's Bar-B-Q In Mason, Texas

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 23:20:00 -0700

The original Cooper's Barbecue in Mason, Texas. Pictured: beef rib, slab of brisket and goat sausage. Out on the Edward's Plateau part of Mason County you start to run into the lip of the biggest goat farming area of the United States: McCulloch County; hence the hot guts featuring goat instead of beef. The old boys working in the frac sand plants out that way need sustenance and Cooper's is more than happy to oblige. Quality-wise they're coasting on past glory. The beef chuck rib is chewy and needing more time on the smoker; the brisket would make a nice companion for the trip, it's tough. There are not a lot of smoke houses in the region so Cooper's does steady business vending barbecue that would get the boots put to you in Travis County.

I Cover The War: Food Blogs Worthy of Your Time #11: Austin Food Carts (Food Trailers,Food Trucks)

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 14:58:00 -0700

Austin Food Carts is a great resource for people trying, most likely in vain, to keep up with Austin's food truck, food trailer and food cart scene. Good luck y'all. With just under 1300 mobile restaurants in town you could eat at almost 4 per day for a year without repeating a single visit.

Austin Daily Photo: Old Hickory Bourbon

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 18:14:00 -0700

When we were kids we had to get handles and FCC licenses so we could jump on our dad's cb radio and talk to strangers. It was a sort of rural internet back then. I went with Old Hickory. When my mom inquired as to how I came up with that monicker I responded "cause I'm hard mom, like Old Hickory"...it's still a source of amusement in the family.

Austin Daily Photo: How To Cook A Ribeye Steak

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 23:06:00 -0700

I believe this to be the oldest cast iron in my collection. It can be traced directly back through Alabama, Kentucky and the Virginia of the 1800s. A deep love of cast iron cooking runs through the Sullivan side of my family. Want to learn how to best utilize your cast iron to turn out a pluperfect ribeye steak?

Winner Announced! Top 12 Barbecue Brisket Joints In The State Of Texas

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:52:00 -0700

In a stunner, Franklin Barbecue, the obscure East Austin smoke shack that's been flying under the radar for years, has been deemed best brisket in Texas by the readers over at Man Up Texas Barbecue. Way back in 2009, the men at the Man Up site discovered Franklin and began ranting and raving over Aaron Franklin's smoked meat output. I could throw a rock from my French Place manse and hit the food trailer that Franklin then called home.

Austin Daily Photo: Recipe: Sour Dough Bread

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:11:00 -0700

We frenzied on this fresh loaf of bread that we scored at a Scrumptious Chef cook's meeting this past weekend. Hope to have the recipe, and possibly a back story, up later today. Ok, it's later today and we can post this formula from our buddy Paul, the newest member of our cook team:

Attention Austin Texas Food Writers And Bloggers: Austinist Is Seeking Your Services

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:37:00 -0700

Austinist posted a call for food writers this morning on Twitter http://austinist.com/2013/01/31/austinist_writer_call_food_film_new.php?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter This is one of the best sites in Austin for entertainment news and what have you. Looks like they're trying to beef up their food coverage as the Austin scene is an exploding supernova with national media, hat in hand, routinely coming to town to report on our barbecue, Tex Mex and ramen kitchens.

Get In Touch With The Scrumptious Chef Crew Directly

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 09:34:00 -0700

Right here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm Tell us about that new barbecue truck only you know about. Where you got the best Dark n Stormy you've ever had. That pre-1940 dive bar that only a handful of the leatheriest old south Austinites know about. Tell us what's on your mind.

Austin Daily Spy Photo: The Goat Queen And Her Court

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 00:39:00 -0700

Raymond Tatum's 3 Little Pigs Anniversary Party! Get Down At East End Wines With Austin's Top Chef

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:44:00 -0700

We were first in line. When word got around town back in Winter of 2011, that former Jeffrey's chef Ray Tatum was back in the game, and about to open his own pig-based food truck, we started foaming at the mouth at the chance to sit down once again at the table of the legend. Game changer.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Bar Mirabeau,Winflo Osteria,2nd Bar + Kitchen,Longhouse Pop Up

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:22:00 -0700

That was a relief. We'd started to lose faith. After parsing a few dozen Austin food blogs 2 weeks ago and noting that many hadn't been updated in a year or so, we'd begun to wonder if we were going to be able to find sustenance in the bleak land of Austin food writers. We perked up considerably when we began scouring the internet for this week's "best of" Austin blogs feature. Lots of good reading, right this way

Austin Daily Photo: RIP: Rest In Peace: Coy Terrell

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:02:00 -0700

I've never felt compelled to pull over on the side of the road to take a picture of a stranger sitting at a bus stop before. Til I saw Coy Terrell at JR's BBQ last summer. Then I noted on a site gadget that Mr. Terrell drove a lot of traffic our way as multiple people from around the country regularly typed his name into google to land on Scrumptious Chef. Then we received this comment on the article:

Texas Takeover! El Paso Pit Boss Ari White Prepares To Do Battle In NYC For Title Of Brisket King

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:15:00 -0700

Brisket is enjoying a sustained moment in the sun in New York City. While it's true that the glorious cut has been a life force for the Jewish community for decades, it's only been in the past couple years that the Texas tradition of barbecuing the breast of the steer has come into the spotlight.

Jester King Wins! Rated Top Beer For Mikkeller Beer Geek Rodeo As Well As Top Brewer In Texas

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 11:16:00 -0700

When we threw our Wild Foods Of Texas Pop Up restaurant party at Tamale House East, Jester King was our beer purveyor. It was a natural fit. After all, the boys down in Southwest Austin are known for being the wildest, most experimental brewery in the state of Texas.

Happy National Corn Chip Day aka National Fritos Day Austin Texas

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:44:00 -0700

Each of the 365 days in a regular calendar year has a food holiday attached to it. There's National Brisket Day, National Hot Dog Day etc etc. We normally ignore them for what they are; an industry's endeavor to shine a little light on whatever food group need some marketing to boost revenue. But we got real excited this morning when we noted that it was National Corn Chip Day. Not sure why they didn't just call it what it is; National Fritos Day. Is there even a corn chip that's not made by Frito Lay?

Austin Daily Photo: Wild Bubba's Wild Game Grill In Elroy Texas

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:32:00 -0700

Doing a little research on Wild Bubba's Wild Game Grill I ran across an old piece I authored about 5 years ago; back when it was Elroy Sausage Company, a smoked meat concern run by Wyman Gilliam and John Brunson. The boys have turned over a new leaf, eschewing barbecue for wild game. Thank God. That barbecue was tied with all-time worse with a place in Alabama called The Hickory Pit. I'm still haunted by both places. Out of the past: A review of Elroy Sausage Company:

Austin Guide To Pop Up Restaurants 5:Longhouse Revival,L’oca D’oro Via Franklin BBQ,Scrumptiouschef

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:41:00 -0700

Austin Texas pop up restaurants are starting to catch on. We can't attest to how the Swoop House events went this past weekend, but 150 Peruvian food lovers packed the Tamale House East for their inaugural, in-house, pop up restaurant affair. Long lines formed at the venue before the staff could even get the doors open, then a rush of people barreled up to the counter once the gates swung open. It was a wild scene. It's looking like this whole pop up restaurant trend that's been firmly entrenched in New Orleans, San Francisco and other urbane cities might just catch hold in Austin too.

Austin Daily Photo: Kavezo A Torok Szultanhoz

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 01:11:00 -0700

Walking north along the Danube on the Pest side of Budapest you'll encounter Margit Hid or Margaret Bridge. Just prior to entering the bridge in a westerly direction, there is a row of shops on the north side of Szent Istvan Krt, a boulevard that connect Pest to Buda. Tucked away in this zone is Kavezo A Torok Szultanhoz, a very fine Turkish coffee shop. I was tantalizingly close to Istanbul during my Hungary stay but had not mapped out enough time and money to be able to venture to my beloved land. Kavezo A Torok Szultanhoz provided a little slice of Turkish cafe life in Budapest, a city that prides itself in that cultural pursuit.

Two Years Ago Today: How To Make The Best Popcorn On Earth

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 14:17:00 -0700

http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/1/27/A-Guide-To-Making-The-Best-Popcorn-You-Will-Ever-Put-In-Your-Mouth?adminview=true Buried deep, deep in our mammoth archive: Simply put, the best popcorn recipe ever written.

Austin Daily Photo: Recipe: Kellog's Cocoa Krispies Logs Courtesy Of Yogi Bear

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:24:00 -0700

We were always in the plain Rice Krispies camp. Versatility rules when you're a young, cold breakfast cereal gourmand, and once you commit to the cocoa there's no going back. The "chocolate" suffuses the flavor profile of the whole bowl, and add-ons are next to impossible to integrate into the dish.

Birth Notice: Infamous Brewing Company

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 12:10:00 -0700

Infamous Brewing Company has a skeleton website http://www.infamousbrewing.com/ here. They just landed their TABC license so one imagines they'll be up brewing and selling soon. Hope to get more info for y'all soon.

Mike Yassine,Hadi Yassine,Steve Yassine Sentenced To Federal Prison For Money Laundering,Narcotics

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 17:24:00 -0700

The long and sordid tale of the Yassine brothers (and associates) is finally winding down. Sentence were announced today. U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks sentenced Mike Yassine to 12 years 7 months in federal prison. He also sentenced Hadi Yassine to 5 years. Steve Yassine will serve 1 year and 1 day. Get caught up with all the Yassines here

Field Report: Blue Ox Barbecue In Southeast Austin Texas

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:20:00 -0700

Forward: Last year when we were making our barbecue predictions for 2012 we spoke of the rise of the young pit bosses in Austin who had yet to be turned loose on the commercial front. This is the second in a series on these young bucks: Blue Ox Barbecue pit boss Chase Palmer estimates he was 6 years old the first time he ever struck a match. The John Mueller alumnus comes by his art naturally; his granddaddy LeRoy Palmer is a celebrated barbecue man who's fed thousands of people at the Canton Texas First Monday Trade Days. In business since the 1800s, this festival is considered the largest flea market in the United States.

Austin Daily Photo: Celebrating National Peanut Butter Day At In.gredients

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 23:39:00 -0700

Party on the patio. As soon as I rolled up, I sensed that National Peanut Butter Day party people had gathered strong at In.gredients, the new-ish East Austin grocery store. The yard in front of the market was jammed, the music was blasting and cougars and bobcats were afoot.

One Year Ago Today: Stabbing At Mi Palacio

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:03:00 -0700

We can find no record of the disposition of the case where Fernando Posado-Mireles allegedly stabbed a worker at Mi Palacio. One minute you're sitting at the bar having a drink with a couple ladies, next minute you're in a fight for your life http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/1/24/Austin-Daily-PhotoStabbing-At-Mi-Palacio-Tex-Mex-Restaurant-On-Manor-Road?adminview=true click thru for photo of the perp, one scary looking man. Occasionally we stroll back through our archives to look at old articles from the past.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Michi Ramen,Hill's Cafe,Lucky Robot,Micklethwait,Pancake Recipe

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:15:00 -0700

Week 13. We sifted through almost zero chaff for this edition of our weekly feature. Got lucky right off the bat and vectored in on some very fine writing/blogging from 5 of Austin's best. Submitted for your approval, and please show them some love for their hard work.

Death Of A Rural Texas Taco Truck

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 11:47:00 -0700

Sad day in unincorporated Travis County, Texas. We made a run down fm 812 yesterday to reconnoiter the rural taco truck scene and see if some of our old favorites had stood the test of time. El Asadero has gone silent. Years back, I did a lengthy series on the food carts of unincorporated Travis County. I'd been on some long bike runs down fm 812 and fm 973 and noted that there was a mysterious abundance of taco trucks littering the side of the highways.

Austin Daily Photo: Brady Texas Goat Cook Off

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:45:00 -0700

Picture taken right before this Texas pit boss started passing around a jar of moonshine and firing off a Civil War-era cannon. High times in Brady Texas. more on the cook off plus Andy Cook of Cook n Company. Super Bowl Champ! http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-barbecue-photos-world-championship-bbq-goat-cook-off-in-brady-texas/

Texas Pit Boss Ari White Is Smoking Meat In New York City: Hakadosh BBQ

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:48:00 -0700

Last summer 2 New York City pit bosses sent waves through that town's smoked meat community; Daniel Delaney and Ari White brought Texas-style brisket to a city that historically had sought sustenance from a multitude of gas-powered cookers at places like Hill Country. Delaney and White were operating without a net. Running big smokers, both of Texas provenance, and neither hooked up to Con Edison utilities. This was barbecue the old fashioned way: hunks of wooden embers, salt, pepper, brisket, and that's about it. Delaney's social media savvy led to a frenzy at his sold-out Brisketlab parties while White's kosher meats were met with long lines at his Texas Smokehouse BBQ pop up events.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Amado “Mayo” Pardo Of Jovita's Restaurant

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:22:00 -0700

Amado "Mayo" Pardo is dead at 64 years of age. We all leave a legacy. This is his: Takedown! The Feds Stun South Austin With Four Sonic Booms-Raid Jovita's Cantina And Arrest 15 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/21/Takedown-The-Feds-Stun-South-Austin-With-Four-Sonic-BoomsRaid-Jovitas-Cantina-And-Arrest-15?adminview=true Austin Texas:Jovita's Heroin Ring Suspects In Muerte Negra FBI Takedown Set To Appear In Court http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/22/Austin-TexasJovitas-Heroin-Ring-Suspects-In-Muerte-Negra-FBI-Takedown-Set-To-Appear-In-Court?adminview=true Austin Texas: Accused Mexican Heroin Drug Gang Ringleader Amado "Mayo" Pardo Out On Bail http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/14/Austin-Texas-Accused-Mexican-Heroin-Drug-Gang-Ringleader-Amado-Mayo-Pardo-Out-On-Bail?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Skip

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:53:00 -0700

We met this old country hoss when we were judging a barbecue cook off up in Leander Texas last year. Skip was in charge of the affair and reckoned that he wouldn't be competing due to the fact that his brisket cooking was so advanced that it wouldn't be fair to the other pit bosses. Ringer. We had a good time up in Leander that day, ate a few pounds of brisket, checked out an ad hoc car show that sprung up on the grounds and got into a bidding war (and lost) on a Radio Flyer wagon stacked high with bottles of booze.

Austin Texas Guide To Pop Up Restaurants And Cafes Part 4: Swoop House, Tamale House East

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 23:40:00 -0700

UPDATE TUE JAN 29TH 2013: On Sat Feb 9th, The Scrumptious Chef crew, which has swollen to 6 chefs for this event, will be back at the Tamale House East presenting a Heritage Pork-based menu featuring the British Hog breed; Large Black via Eden's Cove Farm, Cedar Creek Texas. We run our pop ups a little different as we always offer our food a la carte. $5-25 dollars. Beer/wine. Details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm ---------------------------------------------------------------- A year from now this series will probably be a weekly installment with accounts of a dozen or so pop ups for the coming weekend. But til we usher in that halcyon era we'll content ourselves with the 2 that are currently on the books for January 2013.

Russian River Brewing Company's Pliny The Younger Featured In Documentary

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 17:05:00 -0700

Brewmaster Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River is at the top of the heap of USA's burgeoning craft beer movement. We don't use the appellation master lightly, either. You could read a thousand articles from us on barbecue and never see the word pitmaster...and you could read another thousand before we gave the designation brewmaster to a man who makes beer.

Taking A Hard Look At Brad Newman's "Reviewer Card" As The End Times Loom Upon Us All

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:20:00 -0700

Is this really what it has come to? Yes. Reviewer Card, from Brad Newman, is the most obvious end sum to the plague that has infested restaurants since 2004 when Yelp opened their doors for business. It's hard to believe it's been 9 years since "Yelpers" began rattling the cage of the internet with made up bullshit words like "sammich" "yumtastic" "listicle" and "amaze-balls." We wondered at first look if the website was some sort of therapeutic forum for folks who'd suffered closed-head brain trauma.

Austin Daily Photo: Dart Bowl Steakhouse

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:43:00 -0700

They're legendary for a reason (even if they won't garnish a burger with an enchilada.) Previous coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/8/Best-Hamburger-In-Austin-Part-13-The-Dart-Bowl-Steakhouse

Three Years Ago Today: The Best Lasagna Recipe We Ever Ate

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:32:00 -0700

Back when I lived in Alabama I became friends with a girl whose grandmother, Agata was from Sicily. We'd ride out to the sleepy little town of Alabaster on Sunday afternoons where the granny would be busying herself in the kitchen-dealing out culinary trump cards of pure deliciousness. The piece, authored this very day 3 years ago http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/1/21/SlowDifficult-Recipes-Part-I-Agatas-Lasagna?adminview=true Occasionally we rifle through our archives via a site gadget and post a link to an old article like this one.

The History Of The Large Black Hog Breed aka Devon, Cornwall And Lop Eared Black

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:34:00 -0700

Eat heritage pork Sat Feb 9th at Tamale House East for our 8th Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant event. We're proudly serving Eden's Cove "Large Black" British hog breed. The history of this vaunted strain below. Sign up via Event Brite http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5402663512/es2002/?rank=178 The History Of The Large Black Hog Breed aka Devon, Cornwall And Lop Eared Black: The origins of the Large Black strain have been traced to Devon, Cornwall, Suffolk and Essex with historical antecedents stretching back to the Old English Hog of the 16th and 17th centuries. Merry old England has a long and storied history of bacon love and this breed is famous for producing some of the best.

Landmark Austin Texas Blues Nightclub Antone's Set To Leave Downtown Location

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:21:00 -0700

More later but for now http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/290090/antone-s-night-club-to-close-its-downtown-doors and Culturemap has more information on the punk-ish club Project Infest that is set to take over the space that Antone's will vacate. http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/01-21-13-14-06-antones-closure-makes-way-for-the-infest-artmusic-space/?utm_source=Austin+Alerts&utm_campaign=83e0923af3-Austin_news_alert_Antone_s_closing1_21_2013&utm_medium=email

Tell Scrumptious Chef What's On Your Mind

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 11:58:00 -0700

We love hearing from y'all. Tell us what's happening. Openings. Closings... Breathless reports from that new barbacoa food truck that only you know about...that sweet draft beer wall that you've been suckling at the teat of...the hot guts parlor where they're really pouring on the cayenne. We're always curious about what's happening in your corner of Central Texas. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm and a huge thank you to our readership. We're putting up about 90 articles every 30 days right now and the reception is insane. We've quadrupled our daily views over the last 3 months.

Austin Daily Photo: The Old Pit Room At Eureste's Grocery In Waelder, Texas

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 23:23:00 -0700

Gone but not forgotten. Dan Eureste had a multi-decade run down in Waelder, Texas where he oversaw the grocery and smoked meat needs of the community. Spent many an afternoon down here eating handmade hot guts sausages and wool gathering with Dan on a bench on the front porch.

Austin Daily Photo: Dolly Parton's Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 16:13:00 -0700

I first got turned on to Dolly Parton when I was a little kid growing up in rural Kentucky. We got our TV signal out of Knoxville, Tennessee where Dolly was a guest performer on the Cas Walker Farm and Home Hour. Cas Walker was a giant of a man. An absolute legend in the Smoky Mountains. He was the political boss of a formidable machine that launched him deep into Knoxville politics eventually landing him the mayor-ship of that city.

Happy National Gourmet Coffee Day Austin Texas: Picacho Coffee Las Cruces New Mexico

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:59:00 -0700

We drink a lot of coffee in Austin, Texas. Until recently, 90% of that drinking took place at a wide range of coffee shops scattered all over town. But now that we've gotten access to Picacho Coffee out of Las Cruces, New Mexico we've found ourselves camped out on the front porch for our morning cup a lot more frequently Picacho is a solar-powered roaster that specializes in small, hand-crafted batches of coffee that most suppliers have no access to. They work in micro-lots in some instances where a tiny farm in the Americas or some far flung tropical island grows a few dozen bags of some hopelessly rare bean strain.

Austin Daily Spy Photo: John Mueller Barbecue At Kellee's Place In East Austin

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:25:00 -0700

Rolling through East Austin on a hot tip from an old school barbecue hound who lives on Pedernales Street. He swore up and down that he'd seen John Mueller at Kellee's Place, the ramshackle old tavern at the corner of East 6th and Pedernales. Only one thing left to do. Jump on the bike and see if this could be verified.

Austin Daily Photo: A New Life For Aaron Franklin's Barbecue Smoker At Buzz Mill Coffee/ Blue Ox BBQ

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:36:00 -0700

We ran down to Buzz Mill Coffee and Blue Ox BBQ in southeast Austin this morning to see if they'd flung the doors open yet. We had no luck but the crew running the joint could not be nicer and gave us a quick tour of the joint.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Woodpile BBQ Austin Texas FoodTrailer

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 16:19:00 -0700

Hot off the Woodpile BBQ food trailer website comes some sad news. They're shutting down the food trailer to reform the business into a 3 pronged barbecue model Mail order Supper Club Private lessons We never made it out there.

South Texas Heritage Pork Farm Presents: Fine Swine Cook-Off 2013 In Floresville Texas

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 14:00:00 -0700

We're working overtime right now trying to get our heritage pork allotment lined out for our next pop up restaurant (number 8) To accomplish this we've been in contact with a multitude of hog farmers in Central Texas that are doing business the right way. Cultivating ancient breeds and feeding them nothing but whole foods and rainwater.

Addie Broyles: Beyond Texas Red: What’s your secret to a really good pot of chili?

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:28:00 -0700

We love writing about chili. We love reading about chili. We love cooking and eating chili. While it's inalterably true that Texas Red is the heavyweight chili champ of all time, there are lots of other, lesser, but still delicious, chilis out there. Over on the Austin 360 site, local food writer Addie Broyles ponders secret weapons you may use in your chili. Our ultimate, not so secret, weapon, is handmade stock. You may take a lot of time and effort with your chili, but if you're not making your stock from scratch, you're pissing up a rope. It's how you create depth of flavor. Yes, bouillon can aid and assist you but nothing beats scratch stock.

Austin Daily Photo: Terranova Brothers Superette

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:03:00 -0700

I had flown into New Orleans for Ponderosa Stomp and not rented any wheels to get around town. I knew I needed to make my way to Terranova Brothers Superette to flesh out a hog's head cheese article I was writing but had no way of getting there.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Evangeline,ESK At Hole In The Wall,HausBar Farms,Hooters,Kome

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:35:00 -0700

Week 12. Our weekly survey of the Austin Texas food blogging landscape is consistently one of our most popular regular articles. Last week we were deep in the prep work for our 7th pop up restaurant so we had to scramble to even get it up. This week we're moving at a more languorous pace. We're running off Addie Broyles Relish Austin resource this time. She lists a few dozen blogs on the site. The following is the graveyard, old sites that have fallen into neglect and disrepair. Followed by the good stuff

2013 Austin Specialty Beer Festival benefiting Boys & Girl's Club of the Austin Area

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 12:30:00 -0700

Is it beer festival season already? Apparently. A cursory tour across the internet yields little info on the 2013 Austin Specialty Beer Festival benefiting Boys & Girl's Club of the Austin Area (Sat Feb 23 2013) Even their website offers little in the way of real information. The organizers trumpet the fact they'll have "Lagers, Ales, IPA's, Stouts, Porters, and Hefes" but no mention is made of what brands will be offered. Russian River? Lost Abbey? Blue Moon? Maybe they don't even know.

Austin Daily Photo: Three Little Pigs Food Trailer

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 00:16:00 -0700

A candid shot of Chef Raymond Tatum winner of Austin Texas food trailer of the year award. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/12/26/2012-Year-End-Review-Food-Trailer-Of-The-Year-Raymond-Tatums-3-Little-Pigs?adminview=true In a city that has long since reached full capacity on food trailers and trucks there can be only one king.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Hill's BBQ Market

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:53:00 -0700

Via Mike Sutter of Fedman Walking. Hill's BBQ Market has shuttered. As fate would have it I was driving through the north MOPAC region a few months ago when I heard that Hill's BBQ Market was about to open so I swung off the highway to take a picture for our Birth Notice section. Couldn't find the joint. Passing back through the area again a couple hours later I hopped back off the roadway. Couldn't find it. A couple weeks later I happened to be back in the same neighborhood and no, I never managed to spot the (fabled) restaurant. I did manage to read a couple reviews so I know that the business existed (if briefly) Hill's BBQ Market never generated any sort of buzz. No late night, excited phone calls were exchanged, no fevered tweet ups emanated from the smokehouse, no harried groups of sweaty barbecue tourists vectored in on the location. Nobody cared. And in the end what is worse than an ignominious death after a brief and unheralded life? This is Austin restaurant/bar obituary number 73. Got a death notice you'd like to send in? Let us know. Our RIP archive http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/RIP-Rest-In-Peace

Pit Boss John Mueller Set To Bring His Barbecue To Houston Texas

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:17:00 -0700

Via national food site Eater's Houston page: John Mueller barbecue is to be served on Sat Feb 9th 2013 at Cottonwood. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Housing Houston's Heroes, a charity for homeless veterans. 12:00pm until 4:00pm Menu: Ribs, Brisket and sausage Could this be a possible spring board toward Mueller opening a Houston location?

Austin Daily Photo: Meridian TX National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off 25th Aniversary Celebration

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 01:48:00 -0700

Pitboss.

Austin Texas: Accused Mexican Heroin Drug Gang Ringleader Amado “Mayo” Pardo Out On Bail

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 23:51:00 -0700

He's out. Amado "Mayo" Pardo, reportedly terminally ill, has been released on bond by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane. The Jovita's restaurant boss is suffering from liver cancer, hepatitis and Parkinson's disease. He is a sick man. read our previous coverage Takedown! The Feds Stun South Austin With Four Sonic Booms-Raid Jovita's Cantina And Arrest 15 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/21/Takedown-The-Feds-Stun-South-Austin-With-Four-Sonic-BoomsRaid-Jovitas-Cantina-And-Arrest-15 Austin Texas:Jovita's Heroin Ring Suspects In Muerte Negra FBI Takedown Set To Appear In Court http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/22/Austin-TexasJovitas-Heroin-Ring-Suspects-In-Muerte-Negra-FBI-Takedown-Set-To-Appear-In-Court Guns! Heroin! Tex Mex! Did Amado "Mayo" Pardo's Nephew Christopher Mier Earn 54K As GM At Jovita's http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/28/Guns-Heroin-Tex-Mex-Did-Amado-Mayo-Pardos-Nephew-Christopher-Mier-Earn-54K-As-GM-At-Jovitas Update: Amado "Mayo" Pardo, Two Time Killer, Texas Syndicate Member And Founder Of Jovita's Cantina http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/update-amado-mayo-pardo-two-time-killer-texas-syndicate-member-and-founder-of-jovitas-cantina/ credit https://twitter.com/jazmineulloa

The History Of The Duroc Hog Breed

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:34:00 -0700

We're mapping out Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant number eight. The theme is Heritage Pork. We'll be trying to make sainted Granddaddy Big Jim Sullivan proud as he was an old school-born at the beginning of the 20th century-hog farmer and rural charcuterie man.

Birth Notice: Wheatsville Co-op Brand New South Austin Location

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 13:01:00 -0700

For the hard partying school girls at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders life is about to get a lot easier. Wheatsville Co-op will be selling beer and wine at their new S. Lamar Boulevard location, opening in June 2013. The Austin City Council recently voted unanimously in favor of the alcohol sales waiver that the hippies running the joint had been fight tooth and nail for. Expect backpacks to be filled with Lagunitas starting in June for the poor young gals stuck in summer school.

Two Years Ago Today: Our Austin Daily Photo Featured Chef Alon Shaya Of Domenica in New Orleans

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:10:00 -0700

The good chef Alon Shaya showing some serious love to a freshly decapitated heritage hog head. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/1/13/Austin-Daily-Photo-Chef-Alon-Shaya-of-Domenica-Thursday-January-13th-2011

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 7: The Wild Foods Of Texas

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:40:00 -0700

Sold out in 2.5 hours. Apparently Austin, Texas is hungry as Hell for wild boar hog, antelope and alligator. We're still experimenting. Refining the pop up restaurant experience for our guests. One thing we've really wanted to do since our very first pop up in summer of 2012 was to improve the quality of our sourcing. Yes, everybody has basically freaked out over how good the chow is but we're always looking for an edge. To accomplish this we've begun sourcing from high dollar vendors like Broken Arrow Ranch. There's a reason exotic game meats are hard to find on Austin menus. They're bloody expensive as Hell. We don't come close to matching industry pricing margins or nobody would come to our events except fat cats who pull down a hundred K+.

Austin Daily Photo: The Reintroduction Of Elk To Eastern Kentucky

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 19:13:00 -0700

Elk have been spotted on our family farm in Eastern Kentucky's Cumberland Highlands region. The Kentucky Elk Herd was brought into the state in 1997 and, by any measure, the reintroduction has been a huge success. With the minor quibble of motorist running over some of the dumber, slower moving ones on regional roadways. In a bit of rural, elk-ish Darwinism more than 100 of the creatures have been killed in collisions with vehicles since 2005

One Year Ago Today: The Death Of Dublin Dr Pepper

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 00:26:00 -0700

The years go faster and faster. It's unfathomable that we wrote the obituary for Dublin Dr Pepper one year ago today. From the piece: Let's pass the mic to Dublin Bottling Works vice president Jeff Kloster who had this to say ""We want to thank our many customers for their support of our family-owned business during the past 120 years, and we want them to know that Dr Pepper is still a big part of Dublin,we hope customers will continue to visit our town, the W.P. Kloster Museum and Old Doc's Soda Shop, where they can still enjoy Dr Pepper sweetened with cane sugar." Classy. The raw avarice of the Snapple Group brought its full bear-ish power down on a small Texas town. And Dr Pepper has not crossed our lips since. previous Out Of The Past http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/One-Year-Ago-Today

Austin Daily Spy Photo: Brand New Restaurant From East Side King Paul Qui

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:08:00 -0700

Workers are hammering along with steady progress at Paul Qui's brand new East Austin brick and mortar. We like that Qui elected to go cozy instead of building a monument to excess. We hear that the restaurant is simply to be called "Qui"-nice touch there. A bit of brand building. Austin's East Side is on fire with the 6th street corridor lined with freshly minted businesses. Some will succeed, others will fail. We reckon Qui to be in the former category. And with 3 mobile food labs (East Side Kings food trailers) he can work out all the kinks on his new dishes before folks have to shell out for his pending brick and mortar concept. We've never had anything less than jaw-droppingly delicious food from this cook so we'll be panting like coon hounds when he finally gets this new joint up and rocking. Dozens of Paul Qui articles right this way http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/search.cfm?search=paul%20qui

Scrumptious Chef And Tamale House East Present: Wild Foods Of Texas Restaurant Pop Up 7

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:25:00 -0700

after the party...the field report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/13/Field-Report-Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-Restaurant-7-The-Wild-Foods-Of-Texas -------------------------------------------------------------------- This was one of the toughest menus we've ever attempted to develop. There are so many different directions you can take when you're working with wild game meat that we spent a lot of long contemplative moment staring off toward Sonora. After slowly whittling our options down, we finally knocked one out of the park; our best, most completely delicious menu we've ever penned.

Austin Daily Photo: Make Your Own Bacon At Home

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:10:00 -0700

Make your own bacon. It could be the best you ever tried. Our series of tutorials http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Bacon

Emeril Lagasse Speaks On Broken Arrow Ranch In Ingram, Texas

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 23:37:00 -0700

We only use Broken Arrow Ranch for our Wild Game meat. As does Emeril Lagasse, one of the top chefs in New Orleans.

Field Report: Micklethwait Craft Meats In East Austin. The Brisket Is The Real Deal

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 18:21:00 -0700

I abhor take-out. I never, ever get food to-go. It defeats the purpose of dining out; getting out of the house and enjoying a nice meal in a nice restaurant or even (most of the time) sitting on a diesel fuel-stained blacktop curb and eating a taco off a greasy wrapping paper. Some of the greatest conversations I've ever had were with rank strangers eating in weird places that nobody else considered dine-worthy. I take my pleasures where I find them.

7th Annual Chili Cold Blood Chili Cook-Off Saturday, February 9, 2013 at The White Horse

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:04:00 -0700

Wonder if there will be any Texas Red at this chili cook-off? We've been to plenty of these and they're usually a fun affair. Til the part comes where the rubber meets the road. We always dream of eating multiple, mammoth bowls of Texas Red til the cows arrive safely at home but sadly we're rarely fulfilled.

One Year Ago Today: Jake Camozzi Walks Into The Best Mexican Restaurant In Austin: El Taco Rico

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:39:00 -0700

Has it really been a year? We regularly pursue guest writers to step into the bright lights of penning editorial for the Scrumptious Chef site. Most decline as we can't match the $5 per word that's the going rate for Austin's top scribes. It's understandable. So we were beside ourselves when Jake Camozzi of http://leavemetheoink.wordpress.com/ one of the best charcuterie blogs in USA, agreed to pen a field report from El Taco Rico. Austin's chock a block with Mexican cooks but there can only be one queen. And her name is Yolanda Sanchez Cornejo. The article: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/1/9/A-Neophyte-Gringo-Enters-Taco-Nirvana-By-Jake-Camozzi?adminview=true more appropriately the title of this article should've been Jake Camozzi Walks Underneath The Overhang Of The Laundrymat That Adjoins The Best Mexican Food Truck In Austin Texas. but that title would not fit.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: La Bastide de Moustiers, Polvo's, Caffe Medici, Pao's Mandarin

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 20:49:00 -0700

Week 11. Here it is: Our weekly recap of the best of Austin Texas food blogs.

Austin Daily Photo: 64lbs Of Wild Game Meat From Broken Arrow Ranch In Ingram Texas

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 12:05:00 -0700

We took delivery yesterday on a mammoth crate filled with wild game meat from Broken Arrow Ranch out in Ingram, Texas. Pictured: All the wild boar hog, antelope and antelope bones we'll need to execute our Wild Foods Of Texas Pop Up Restaurant Jan 12th 2013 at Tamale House East. This is our 7th pop up restaurant event and the first one of 2013. Hope y'all can make it out. Wild Foods Of Texas Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant Sat Jan 12 2013 6pm Tamale House will be serving Jester King's Das Wunderkind beer to go with the feast. Easy Tiger have been contracted to bake plenty loaves of bread featuring wild yeast. We're in a wrestling match right now over the dessert but will have one figured out prior to the event. Read about Broken Arrow Ranch http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-1-Broken-Arrow-Ranch-Texas-Antelope#more and Jester King Craft Brewery http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/7/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-2-Jester-King-Craft-Brewery?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Margarita's Tortilla Factory

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:49:00 -0700

I love having my mind blown. It might be a Gaspar Noe movie, Bechard Smith sawing on a fiddle and playing it hot, or even the simple pleasure of a divine tortilla. Like the kind from Margarita's Tortilla Factory down in Manchaca Texas. I was in a bind last week and didn't have time to run down to Bouldin Creek and pick up my weekly stash of handmade tortillas I buy off an old pensioner who supplements her income by selling tortillas out of her back door off 2nd street.

Austin Texas Craft Beer News: Hops And Grain Edition

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:33:00 -0700

We've got news coming out of the Hops and Grain camp. Via Josh Hare's blog: 2013 is looking like a breakout year for the East 6th Street brewery.

One Year Ago Today: Terlingua Texas Chili Champ Divulged His Ultimate Secret Weapon

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 01:15:00 -0700

We take chili very,very seriously. So does Larry Walton; Terlingua Texas chili champion, and a man secure enough in his own cooking to offer his secret weapon to the population at large. One year ago today we did the big reveal. It's a stunner http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/1/8/Terlingua-Texas-Chili-Festival-Winner-Reveals-All-In-Recipe-Stunner-Mexene-Took-Him-To-The-Top?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Blue Ribbon Barbecue

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:38:00 -0700

Scrumptious Chef Restaurant Pop Up #7: Meet Our Purveyors Part 2: Jester King Craft Brewery

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 18:48:00 -0700

When we began developing the theme of our latest Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant we bandied about a multitude of ideas before settling on The Wild Foods Of Texas. Once we got Broken Arrow Ranch on board we next turned our gaze toward who would be the best fit for our beer purveyor. Enter the wild beer kings of Texas: Jester King Craft Brewery.

Austin Texas Craft Beer Lovers: Raise Your Voices

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 13:13:00 -0700

We religiously read http://craftbeeraustin.com/ to stay on top of what's happening in Austin's craft beer community. It's a great resource.

Austin Daily Photo: Craft Pride On Rainey Street

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 22:21:00 -0700

Craft Pride is a brand new bar preparing to open on Rainey Street in downtown Austin. It's on the southern end of the nightlife district due east of the Mexican American Cultural Center. The owners are exhibiting some serious savvy via their resolve to only sell Texas brew. Word has it that there will be 53 taps, all flowing with some of the finest beer in the USA: Texas beer. You've got to have an angle.

Finally A National Resource For Pop Up Restaurants Has Launched: Pop Up Republic

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:01:00 -0700

Could 2013 be the year of the pop up restaurant in Austin, Texas? We're about to find out. One prediction that we're making for the year ahead is that we're going to see a lot more such events going off in our city. Austin's playing catch-up.

Austin Daily Photo: John Haig And Company Blended Scotch Whisky

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 16:55:00 -0700

Growing up in Kentucky means you're weaned on whiskey. The sweet elixir is omnipresent. It goes in all manners of baked goods, it's incorporated in a wide variety of candies, finishing sauces get a splash of it and of course the stuff is drunk with abandon. I was drinking it before I started first grade.

Austin Texas Chowhound Power Poster "Tom In Austin" Speaks On Where To Find The Best Barbacoa

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 12:28:00 -0700

We had to retire our "Chowhound Junior" feature due to the Austin food board's dormancy. But once a week we still like to spend a good 30-45 seconds going over the ol gal to see if anything of relevance is posted. One of their best writers "Tom In Austin" weighed in this morning on barbacoa...and a few other topics. It'll be gone by the end of the day, moderated into oblivion. So we're sharing it here: "My favorite barbacoa is Tacos Rico. Give it a shot. I don't think this is a very controversial opinion.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Agora Sports Bar And Grill

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 10:12:00 -0700

Wild Game Pop UP Restaurant At Tamale House East Sat Jan 12 2013 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-1-Broken-Arrow-Ranch-Texas-Antelope Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant #7 and the first one of 2013! ------------------------------------------------------------------- Our first obituary of 2013. Agora never managed to find traction in the hyper-competitive Rainey Street district. From the outside, the establishment appeared to be bursting at the seams with strippers and brocaded booths featuring bottle service.

Austin Daily Photo: Adelbert's Brewery

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 23:15:00 -0700

Birth Notice: The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co.

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:01:00 -0700

Big news breaking out of South Austin. The Austin Beer Garden Brewing Co has secured the location of their brew house; it's to be located at 1305 West Oltorf near the intersection of Lamar Blvd. Here's what's coming: 10 taps, all in-house brewed beers Pizza, thin crust, New York-style

Taking A Hard Look At Austin Chronicle's Top 10 Austin Food Blogs

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 13:08:00 -0700

For our weekly feature "This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs" (http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Texas-Food-Blogs) we compile a week's worth of scouring the local food blogging scene into one handy resource for our readers. It's part and parcel of our 365 day per year writing project. There are dozens of food blogs in Austin Texas. Some good, some bad, some ugly; many authored by folks who might toss up a fresh post once every 3-4 months. Let's look at the bona fides of this Top 10 Austin Food Blogs list.

Austin Daily Photo: Austin Beer Guide Party At The Draught House

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:53:00 -0700

We had a great time at Austin Beer Guide's Winter Issue release party a couple week's ago at the Draught House Pub on Medical Parkway. We've long marveled at folks who turn the name of the pub into drought, as in the bone-dry, arid condition of Texas for roughly 9 months out of the year. As we ramped up toward attending, this regional, phonetic corruption repeatedly reared its head.

Scrumptious Chef Restaurant Pop Up #7: Meet Our Purveyors Part 1: Broken Arrow Ranch Texas Antelope

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:55:00 -0700

Our minds were blown when we ventured down to Swifts Attic way back in 2012 and happened upon a plate of perfectly seared Texas antelope hot out of the kitchen of chefs Matt Clouser and Zack Northcutt. As we're wont to do, we immediately began dreaming of how we could use the purveyor; Broken Arrow Ranch located out in Ingram, Texas. After a series of fits and starts that would try the patience of a saint, we finally got locked and loaded on a pop up restaurant event where we can showcase "The Wild Foods Of Texas" Broken Arrow Ranch contracts with over a hundred Texas ranchers holding over a MILLION acres of prime hunting territory. They only harvest creatures that are genuinely wild, as in free ranging, not held behind fences or captured in pens.

One Year Ago Today: Field Report From Lucy's Fried Chicken

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 12:49:00 -0700

http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/1/3/Field-Report-Lucys-Fried-Chicken-New-Restaurant-From-Chef-James-Holmes-Of-Olivia?adminview=true We coaxed one of the top food writers in Austin into penning a restaurant review for the Scrumptious site. Behold the powerful pen of Travis Willman. https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Uchi, Uchiko, Bar Mirabeau, Thirsty Planet

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 22:56:00 -0700

Week 10. This feature really resonates. There are dozens of food bloggers working in Austin, Texas and we're having a good time cherry picking the best ones for y'all. We took a week off from this column to let things stack up a little-with the holidays we noted that many writers output was a mite low. But now we're back. We worked our way through a giant mess to get this week's column up. We'll start the feature off with an "avoid at all costs" list.

Austin Daily Photo: Neuvo Leon

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 15:49:00 -0700

700+ Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo get in touch http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Scrumptious Chef's New All Time Most Popular Article: The Death Of The Austin Chowhound Board

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:30:00 -0700

With nearly 2,000 articles in our archives, there's a lot of bumping and jostling among the posts to decide what the all-time most popular article will be. We have a new number one. After three years and one month in the top spot; Scrumptious Chef Visit http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2009/11/4/Scrumptious-Chef-Visit has been deposed. Its popularity was always mystifying to me. After all, it was written by infrequent contributor and site admin; Chuck, and it did little other than describe a meal cooked by editor RL Reeves Jr. It's a fine piece, but it's been knocked off its lofty perch by an article we wrote on the sad, sorry decline of the Austin Texas Chowhound board. It's here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/8/1/The-Death-Of-The-Austin-Chowhound-Board The article was inspired by a Chowhound poster who remarked that the local board was extremely quiet for a city with such a thriving food scene. Of course the article was quickly removed by the moderators who've wrung every ounce of life out of the once bustling forum. Are you a Chowhound in Austin? What forum are you using to discuss Austin restaurants and bars? Reddit? Roadfood? Some other board? https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr get in touch http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm

Austin Daily Photo: Peter's Barbecue In Ellinger Texas

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:34:00 -0700

It's important to have traditions. When I'm coming home to Texas from such far flung locales as New Orleans, Cincinnati or Tuscaloosa, I always point my bike toward Ellinger, Texas so I can dust off my taste buds at Peter's Barbecue. It's a quintessential roadside shack-style smoked meat joint.

One Year Ago Today: El Taco Rico Featured On Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:45:00 -0700

Yolanda Sanchez Cornejo had her moment in the sun when Tony Bourdain hunkered down under the overhang at the laundrymat where her taco cart parks in the Montopolis neighborhood. We featured Cornejo in our Austin Daily Photo one year ago today. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/1/1/Austin-Daily-Photo-Yolanda-Sanchez-Cornejo-of-El-Taco-Rico-In-Montopolis-Neighborhood?adminview=true We eat a lot of Mexican food in Austin and this is the finest representation of the form we've found locally. get in touch http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm

Omnibus: 2012 Year End Reviews Round-Up: Food Trucks,Food Bloggers,Recipes,Salsa,Tamales,Pupusa

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 14:40:00 -0700

We've created an omnibus of all of our 2012 year-end review critiques and analyses. We spend countless hour scouring Austin for the best tacos, pupusas, food trucks and what have you so that at the end of the year we can offer a learned opinion on what the true greats are. We don't care if you've hired a great interior designer and have a chef who's mastered the art of self promotion. We'd just as soon be sitting cross legged on a blacktop curb eating a link of hot guts off a paper towel.

Introducing A Brand New Category On Scrumptious Chef: The Art And Science Of Chili

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:34:00 -0700

Time to pay the devil his due. The gods of Chili making must be appeased so we've given Chili its own category. We're introducing our latest addition with an omnibus of all our Chili articles gleaned from our nearly 2,000 article-strong archive. Submitted for your cooking and eating pleasure: The Art and Science of Chili

2012 Year End Review: Top 5 Austin Daily Photos

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:23:00 -0700

The most notable photo we took all year long wasn't even in Austin. It was in Thorndale Texas and it brought us all sorts of unwanted attention from the local constabulary. The owner of Barron's Hamburger Haven found our picture taking to go against community standards so she phoned in the police who intercepted us in the parking lot. The hair raising tale is told here

2012 Year End Review: Top 5 Most Viewed Obituaries We Penned This Year

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 12:21:00 -0700

We wrote a staggering number of restaurant and bar obituaries in 2012. Reasons for closure in a city as bustling as Austin are manifold: 1) Bulldozers. Rampant development in Austin means there will always be plenty closures relevant to increased property value. Old businesses scraping by on cheap rent are being shown the door for new, deep pocketed interests. 2) Owners that aren't highly reactive. In Travis County, with over 3600 restaurants/bars it's a dogfight on a daily basis. If you're not savvy and fast moving you can go from success to failure in a matter of months. That $23 cheeseburger that used to fly out of the kitchen might need to be re-scaled.

Austin Daily Photo: Hillside Farmacy

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:57:00 -0700

RIP: Rest In Peace: Nuevo Leon

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 23:12:00 -0700

Update: Nuevo Leon has not closed. www.nuevoleoninaustin.com Monday-Tuesday, 11am-9pm; Wednesday-Friday, 11am-10pm Saturday, 10am-11pm; Sunday, 10am-9pm The original article: 1981. That's the year Nuevo Leon opened for business in Austin, Texas. Republican Bill Clements oversaw the state's affairs from the governor's office just a few blocks away from the little wooden house on East 7th Street when Rachel Davila hung up her shingle and set to cooking #1 Tex Mex platters.

2012 Year End Review: Best Commercial Salsa In Austin Texas? La Michoacana Meat Market

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 14:03:00 -0700

Austin is awash in salsa. Every self-respecting Tex Mex and Mexican restaurant in town brings you a bowl of the goods the moment you're seated-and if they're doing business the right way-it's gratis. But what about the commercial salsa that you buy for your home refrigerator? Walk down the sauce aisle at your local market and you'll see dozens of packaged blends from Texas, California and plenty states that have no business manufacturing the nectar.

Authentic Tex Mex Part Nineteen: How To Make Green Mexican Chili

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 13:12:00 -0700

We make chili year round in Texas. It's what sustains us. 110 degrees in the dead of summer? Time to make chili. Leaves a falling in East Austin? Time to make chili. There is simply no food that nourishes the soul and feeds the spirit like a kettle of chili. We make all kinds: Texas Red, Kentucky White, Mexican brown...you name it. If it involves chile peppers and few hours on the stovetop we'll tackle it and wrestle it around til it turns into food. It's alchemy. Texas style.

One Year Ago Today: Our Austin Daily Photo Featured Tony White Of Louie Mueller Barbecue

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 17:37:00 -0700

As we prepared to close out 2011, one year ago, we featured Tony White, one of the top young talents in the central Texas barbecue world. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/29/Austin-Daily-Photo-Tony-White-Young-Gun-Pit-Boss-At-Louie-Mueller-Barbecue-In-Taylor-Texas?adminview=true We caught White out back behind Louie Mueller's in downtown Taylor Texas and he took a quick break from splitting a cord of oak to answer a few questions.

Learn The Art And Science Of Cooking Texas Barbecue: John Lewis Of LA Barbecue Is Hiring

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 15:50:00 -0700

Interested in learning the art and science of cooking Texas barbecue with wood fires? Pit boss John Lewis is hiring a cook. Lewis was at the center of a firestorm earlier this year when he (famously) migrated from Franklin Barbecue, the nationally prominent meat house on East 11th street to (then) JMueller BBQ.

Austin Daily Photo: The Controversial Saga Of Restaurant Chain Sambo's + A Pancake Recipe!

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 14:14:00 -0700

Opened On June 17, 1957 in Santa Barbara California, Sam Battistone Sr and Newell Bohnett conceptualized the portmanteau Sambo's by combining parts of their first and last names. The restaurant got famous by serving giant pancakes so big the eggs and meat that came on the combo platters had to be served on separate plates. What would now be called Race Art festooned the walls. The art was inspired by the children's book "Little Black Sambo" by Helen Bannerman.

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant Number 7: The Wild Foods Of Texas

Sat, 29 Dec 2012 13:35:00 -0700

We're writing the menu for our next pop up restaurant event: The Wild Foods Of Texas. We'll be smoking wild boar hogs and grinding up venison harvested by Broken Arrow Ranch out in Ingram, Texas to make sausage. If you've ever eaten at Swift's Attic, you've probably eaten meat from these purveyors. Broken Arrow, operating under full government inspection, harvest wild boars that are the direct descendants of fearsome Russian Boar Hogs. They also happen to be delicious. After generations spent in Texas this strain of wild animal is only lacking a long slow cook over Post Oak to be put to its rightful use. More details in the next week as we secure the venue, finish writing the menu and get ready to start 2013 off with a bang with the biggest, best pop restaurant we've ever produced. all the details on our Sat Jan 12 2013 Wild Foods Of Texas Pop Up Restaurant At Tamale House East http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-1-Broken-Arrow-Ranch-Texas-Antelope

One Year Ago Today: We Issued A Sprawling Opus On 2011: The Year In Barbecue

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 22:20:00 -0700

That year went by a mite fast. One year ago today we looked at the top 21 articles we'd written on Texas barbecue in 2011. It was article number 1000. Not a stone was left unturned as we examined: Aaron Franklin, Randall Stockton, Taylor Cafe, Louie Mueller, Davis Grocery, Black's Barbecue, Gidding's Meat Market, Vrazel's, John Mueller, R&G, Amber King and Lance Kirkpatrick. All for the love of meat.

Austin Daily Photo: Mesquites Barbecue In Lubbock Texas

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:09:00 -0700

Wild times in Lubbock. We loaded up the Econoline earlier this year and headed west to do a catering at a big fancy party out on the plains of West Texas. After a long day of grocery shopping and prep we hit the town for a night of drinking, barbecue eating and frivolity.

2012 Year End Review: 5 Great Food Stories And The Writers That Told Them

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:24:00 -0700

We've never had it so good. Writers that formerly would've confined themselves to film or theater or investigative journalism are now typing furiously over charcoal grilled mutton, hammering out columns on salted cod and blogging wildly about cheese from the Caucasus. There is no keeping up. But via the magic of Twitter and Tumblr we can at least, crusty prospector-like, pan out a few grams of pure writerly gold. This is not a best of, it's more of a "these are some of the really good ones that somehow stuck in our memory bank from 2012"-list.

2012 Year End Review: The 5 Hottest Recipes Of The Year

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 14:10:00 -0700

This site began its life as a recipe database. Friends and family encouraged me to start Scrumptious Chef so they could rifle through an online resource from time to time when it came time to marshal their reserves and hit the kitchen. Little did they (or I) realize that Scrumptious Chef would take on a life of its own and turn into the media empire that it is today. Five of the ten most popular articles in the history of the site are all recipes. These are the five most popular recipes we posted in 2012:

2012 Year End Review: The Hottest Scrumptious Chef Article Of The Year

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:26:00 -0700

Gazing back over our site analytics for 2012, one thing quickly stands out: nobody moves the needle like firebrand pit boss John Mueller. The old barbecue cook from Taylor, Texas was the subject of the hottest story we penned this year (and we wrote over 700 articles in 2012) In a media world where the word "pitmaster" is routinely ascribed to anyone who's ever put a hamburger patty on a Weber grill-Mueller noisily put out barbecue that had local scribe Mike Sutter of Fedman Walking saying "Put the fatty brisket in the next Voyager space probe to show how the Earthlings do brisket in Texas, with the fat in a pearled state of suspension between liquid and solid, held together by a crusted layer of salt and black pepper that crunches like hard beef candy."

Austin Daily Photo: Easy Tiger

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 00:25:00 -0700

When your ace in the hole is one of the most talented bakers working in the United States the rest of the menu is all gravy. David Norman, the old dough puncher, spends his days up to his elbows in flour and yeast down on 6th street at Easy Tiger, easily the finest commercial bakery in Austin if not the whole of Texas. We'd be perfectly content just eating hunks of bread and washing them down with ice cold Live Oak beer on the restaurant's very fine patio but there's more: in-house charcuterie program, local cheeses and a staff that stands among the finest in town. Austin is blessed to have a national caliber eatery of this magnitude. more Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

2012 Year End Review: Food Trailer Of The Year: Raymond Tatum's 3 Little Pigs

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:13:00 -0700

UPDATE 12/27/2012 Three Little Pigs Burglarized! Chef Tatum got cleaned out on Christmas night. Brigands battered the door to the food truck down and stole all his meat and his cash register. There's an especially hot circle in Hell for people who behave this way. We know where we're having supper tonight. Grab some chow from 3 Little Pigs and help a veteran chef rebuild his business y'all. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Forty years in the restaurant kitchens of Austin, Texas is a long time. Raymond Tatum's been on the range since 1972. It shows. After all, it takes a few decades to be able to coalesce all the skills the chef displays at his nose to tail pork truck: Three Little Pigs, which (famously) sits just behind East End Wines in burgeoning East Austin.

Merry Christmas Texas!

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 11:57:00 -0700

Hope y'all have a safe and joyous holiday. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm

Austin Daily Photo: La Moreliana Number 1

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 23:49:00 -0700

We have deep love for small Mexican grocery stores. Austin's chock a block with them and La Moreliana is one of the finest. While their dry goods and sundries are certainly worth a visit, do not skip the diner in the back where a bevy of cooks are putting out some of the finest Mexican plate lunches in town. Love desebrada? So do we. La Moreliana is right at the top of the heap in Austin, Texas for finest in town. Succulent, moist shreds of beef are slowly rendered and served in either plate or taco format. Outstanding.

2012 Year End Review: Best Tamales In Central Texas

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 17:02:00 -0700

We can't give up our secret source, but our number 2 is so good and so much better than 99% of tamales commercially available in the Austin area we could be put up on charges if we failed to share. MarLira Creations of Coupland, Texas puts out long, fat, machine-extruded tamales packed with pork and genuine chile heat, and we always add bonus points if we buy anything out of the back of a pick-up truck on a wind-swept county road. Which is how we came to find MarLira Creations. On a day trip out of Austin, hammering up 95 north of Elgin, on a hard roll toward Palestine to score a plate of ribs from Shep's Barbecue. The company website http://marlira.com/index.aspx and our original piece on MarLira http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/3/20/Austin-Daily-Photo--Roadtrip-Edition---MarLira-Creations-Saturday-March-19th-2011

2012 Year End Review: Texas Food Writer Of The Year Is Katherine Shilcutt

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 13:31:00 -0700

Errata: Updated 12/26/2012. She's prolific. She can write. She has an intense love for Texas food and craft beer and she's the only reason we stay abreast of the Houston food scene. She's James Beard nominated writer and blogger Katherine Shilcutt and she's our Texas food writer of the year. Now can we please get her to move to Austin? From her throne chair at Houston Press, Ms. Shilcutt, typing (we imagine) 115 words per minute, authors dozens of articles per month on what is one of USA's hottest food scenes. Ingesting mammoth quantities of barbecue, enchiladas and craft beer she relentlessly fans out across Mutt City visiting both well-known, and hopelessly obscure restaurants, diners and food trucks.

One Year Ago Today: A Row Of Briskets On The Smoker Of John Mueller

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 13:24:00 -0700

We're about to crest 2,000 articles on the Scrumptious Chef site. As we near this august moment we're peering backwards in time and looking at favored posts from our 3 year history. Behold, a row of mammoth briskets smouldering over American hardwoods on the smoker of John Mueller, Texan. Legend. Pit boss. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/24/Austin-Daily-Photo-Texas-Barbecue-Legend-John-Mueller-Briskets-On-The-Smoker-In-Bouldin-Creek?adminview=true

2012 Year End Review: The Best Taco Trailer In South Austin Is La Flor

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:52:00 -0700

When John T. Edge comes a calling to your food truck, can fame and fortune be far behind? In the case of La Flor the jury appears to still be out. We're nonplussed that Angela and Christian, the potent mother and son team that power this Mexican restaurant on wheels, have yet to string up a banner trumpeting their placement in the paper of record: The New York Times. We go here for pluperfect, made per order tortillas, then we go all in on the desebrada and taco meat. Each rendition stands at the top of the Austin, Texas taco pecking order. Order either salsa; red or green provide good fire and the requisite complexity that defines high skill level in the kitchen. Now that there's a band practice rental space across South First Street from the trailer we've noticed crowds in line that were formerly simply not there. Starving, broke-ass musicians have a knack for finding delicious cheap eats. Have you been to La Flor? Tell us about your favorites.

2012 Year End Review: Five Austin Food Blogs That Left Us Panting For More

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 23:23:00 -0700

We survey the Austin blogging landscape on a daily basis. It's part and parcel of the job. Some might call it nasty, brutish work but we beg to differ. It's not particularly brutish. While the vast majority of Austin food blogs are authored by lazy, indifferent writers who can scarcely be troubled to put up one post per month; many are whirlwinds of creativity with good writing and top flight photography. This article will concern itself with the these. Five Austin Food Blogs That Left Us Panting For More In 2012

One Year Ago Today: The Best Goat Tacos From A Food Trailer In Austin Texas

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 15:01:00 -0700

One year ago today we took a look at our favorite source for goat tacos in Travis County, Texas http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/23/Austin-Daily-PhotoChivo-Brincado-Chivo-Pagado-The-Goat-Jumped-The-Goat-Paid?adminview=true It's been a lot of fun rolling back through our archives for this series. If Scrumptious Chef was a proper book it would be over 1000 pages long and would contain over 1500 photographs.

Austin Daily Photo: Recipe: York Peppermint Patty Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 14:09:00 -0700

I no longer earn my living as a baker but I still absolutely love the process of baking. You can't freestyle if you want to achieve consistency in your baked goods. There are rules and precepts that must be adhered to if you're going to be successful. I find it oddly liberating to have to rigidly follow a recipe. It's the opposite of how I normally cook where I just fling myself all over the kitchen wildly chopping and sauteing everything in sight. This is one of my favorite holiday baking recipes. These cookies stand about 2" tall and are stuffed with one of the great commercial candy bars: York Peppermint Patties. Obviously you may substitute any number of other bars if you're some kind of commie who doesn't like peppermint patties. Zero bars work really well as do Clark and Zagnut. I wish I could lay my hands on some Goldenberg Peanut Chews. Now that was a candy bar.

2012 Year End Review: The Most Popular Recipe In The History Of Our Site

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 11:50:00 -0700

The backbone of the Scrumptious Chef test kitchen: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/3/4/How-To-Make-Pork-Stock

Austin Daily Photo: Butter Nut Coffee

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 13:23:00 -0700

Today, we don't necessarily think of Nebraska as being a center of commerce in the coffee industry. But, once upon a time, the Cornhusker State was just that; one of the dominant players in the world of coffee. In 1879, Omaha money man (and native Kentuckian) William A. Paxton and Benjamin Gallagher went into business together opening an eponymous wholesaler out of a warehouse in Nebraska's largest city. Their fame grew across the wild, wild west as they purveyed high quality spices, teas, elixirs and-coffee from all over the globe. Butter Nut Coffee was born in 1913. Gilbert and Clark Swanson (of Swanson TV dinner fame) bought the company in 1958, and named the entire operation the Butter-Nut Foods Company. The company grew and combined forces with Duncan Coffee Co. of Houston which was then merged into the Coca Cola Company. In 1989, Proctor and Gamble (owner of Folgers) bought Maryland Club Foods, a subsidiary of Coca Cola which was the then parent of Butter Nut. Got a hankering for some Butter Nut Coffee? We've never seen it on a shelf in Austin but you can purchase it off Amazon. Interested in coffee? http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Coffee

Is Micklethwait Craft Meats Banned From Austin Texas Chowhound Board?

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 12:56:00 -0700

Gone with the wind. We were rambling around the internet yesterday reading up on Micklethwait Craft Meats when we noticed there had been an Austin Chowhound report posted. Gone with the wind. Clicking on the link led us to the infamous "that page does not exist" message from the puritans who run the moribund local extension of Chow. Some things never change. Chow uses local members of each respective town's boards to do their internet policing. Who knows what was contained in what was certainly a wildly offensive field report of a new barbecue trailer that had the audacity to try to earn a living in Austin, Texas? Looking for an alternate food board to post on regarding Austin's food scene? We recommend www.roadfood.com and read our field report on Micklethwait Craft Meats right here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/12/21/2012-Year-End-Review-The-Best-Austin-Texas-Barbecue-You-Never-Heard-Of-Micklethwait-Craft-Meats?adminview=true

The Most Popular Post Ever Written On This Site

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 15:40:00 -0700

We continue with our 2012 year end review with a look back at the hottest article ever written on the site: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2009/11/4/Scrumptious-Chef-Visit

2012 Year End Review: The Best Austin Texas Barbecue You Never Heard Of: Micklethwait Craft Meats

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:20:00 -0700

What started as a roving outlaw barbecue food party has settled into a food trailer home on Austin's East Side: Micklethwait Craft Meats is the best barbecue in Austin you never heard of. Owner and pit boss Tom Micklethwait is doing Texas barbecue the old fashioned way: hand grinding and stuffing his sausage, building post oak fires and slowly smouldering his meats til they're good and ready. Micklethwait makes everything from scratch. We ran by earlier today and had sliced pork shoulder and kielbasa hot links (the brisket wasn't going to be ready til 4pm)

2012 Year End Review: Our Biggest Flops: Top 5 Least Viewed Posts Of 2012

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:55:00 -0700

When you write a few hundred articles per year there are bound to be some that are met with shrugs, sighs and disinterest. It's the nature of the beast. Not every article is solid gold, no matter how wonderful we thought it was, sometimes y'all could not care less. It hurts.

Austin Daily Photo: Steven Raichlen

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:49:00 -0700

One Year Ago Today: Davila's Barbecue

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 16:25:00 -0700

Our Austin Daily Photo one year ago today:Davila's Barbecue http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/20/Austin-Daily-Photo-Davilas-Barbecue-In-Seguin-Texas?adminview=true This is article number 1700. Thanks for bearing with us y'all.

Field Report: Austin Texas Basque Gastronomic Society Txoko Eleven Edition

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 14:24:00 -0700

We recently celebrated our 11th Txoko (Basque gastronomic society) For the uninitiated, a Txoko is a culinary-based gathering of men who collectively prepare an enormous meal and drink copious amounts of wine, beer and liquor. We're the only Txoko in the state of Texas. As with any good society, there are rules that must be followed: no women, no politics and no religion. We model our Txoko off the ancient social groups of Basque country and these rules must not be breeched. Our most recent gathering saw a modest 7 courses trotted out of the kitchen. We've been known to go upwards of 15 but forbearance was the order of this day. At least we did manage to consume 18 bottles of wine amid the cocktails and beer drinking. Below is the menu along with the wine pairings and intermezzo. All the men in the group pride themselves on being superb home cooks. We often ponder as to whether any group of people dine as well as we do during our quarterly gatherings. I'm still haunted by that spit roasted chicken of all things. Sometimes the simplest dish of the entire evening wins out.

Austin Beer Guide's Throwing A Beer Party Tonight At The Draught House

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 13:44:00 -0700

Beer blast at the Draught House tonight: Thursday December 20th 2012 Austin Beer Guide's Winter issue releases tonight at the Draught House. Here's the list of special beers to be drunk for the party.

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Hops & Grain,Hillside Farmacy,Gourdough's Public House,Chen Z

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 21:03:00 -0700

Week 9. This weeks edition took a little longer than normal due to the holidays forcing many local bloggers off line and into other, non-blogging endeavors. Still, we scoured and scoured til we found 5 top flight posts on what's going on in the Austin Texas food world.

2012 Year End Review: The Best Salvadoran Restaurant In Austin Is El Zunzal

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:46:00 -0700

We have a long and storied history with El Zunzal. It began roughly a decade ago. It was March Madness, which means the UK Wildcats were rampaging through another series of college hoops teams as they made their way, inexorably, to yet another national title. It wasn't on the mammoth television at El Zunzal however. That wrong was quickly righted and we settled in at the little Salvadoran restaurant for a couple hours of pupusa eating, lager drinking and camaraderie with the staff who quickly were hollering out loud for "Azul Grande!"

CitySprout Opens In Austin: Company Provides Resource For Austin Eaters To Connect With Local Food

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 15:25:00 -0700

This is a great idea. CitySprout is a resource portal. Are you interested in eating local eggs, meat, pies, cheese etc? We are. CitySprout offers community-based connections to Austin purveyors of all of the above and more. Here's how it works: Go to their website and join the communities that are located closest to your home.

One Year Ago Today: Our Recipe For Homemade Mexican Bacon

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:31:00 -0700

We're having a good time rifling through our archives and sharing these ancient posts. Recipes for bacon are timeless and this Mexican pork belly treatment is solid gold. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/19/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Bacon-Our-Mexican-Pork-Belly-Project?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Vintage Heart Coffee

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 13:36:00 -0700

If our barista's not dressed up like a Greek immigrant bartender circa 1915 we always go for the drip coffee. Nothing says highly skilled like a waxy mustache, sleeve garters, starchy white shirt and vintage pantaloons. So if that's missing from the equation, we reckon we've got a novice behind the espresso machine and need to order accordingly.

Scrumptious Chef Wants To Hear From Y'all

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 11:55:00 -0700

http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm Tell us what's on your mind.

Austin Daily Photo: The Lafayette Burger

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:34:00 -0700

I'll never forget my first Louis Armstrong burger. I was a pre-teen visiting New Orleans with my family when I first discovered it. The name of the restaurant is lost to the sands of time, but I like to think it was the Ground Pat'i, a Kenner restaurant that I adored as a kid mainly due to the fact they served giant flagons of rootbeer. To the uninitiated, a Louis Armstrong burger is a beef patty crowned with a link of Andouille sausage. It's one of the finest pleasures you're ever likely to encounter. I haven't seen it on a menu in New Orleans in years and it very well may be a "lost classic." Enter the Lafayette Burger.

2012 Year End Review: The Best Mexican Restaurant In Austin Is El Taco Rico

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:19:00 -0700

In anticipation of our sweeping, year-end review of Austin dining we've been revisiting the cream of the crop from years past to affirm or deny their place in the pantheon. El Taco Rico continues to put out the best Mexican platters in town. Yolanda Sanchez Cornejo is still the queen.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Voodoo BBQ

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:30:00 -0700

Writing restaurant obituaries is one of the hardest parts of this job. It doesn't matter whether we're philosophically opposed to the nature of the business, a closure means there are people who were trying to put food on the family table who are now out of work. We never made it to Voodoo BBQ up in Round Rock. We vote with our wallets and very few corporate food outlets (save Popeye's) see even a penny of our money. We eat from local owned businesses, drink craft beer from Austin breweries and if we're going to buy non-food we try to make sure the business is locally owned. It's how we were raised. Voodoo BBQ had a stacked deck against them before they'd even crossed the border from Louisiana. Texans know and love barbecue and regional variations are usually looked upon askance. Louisiana barbecue had a tough row to hoe in the great state. This is why you don't see many red beans and rice joints rise up out of Lubbock and march into New Orleans to set up shop. Authenticity. Our original article speculating on the potential success of Voodoo BBQ in Texas (spoiler:we didn't like their chances) http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/8/16/New-Orleans-Comes-To-Austin-Voodoo-BBQ-And-Grill-Plans-Texas-Expansion-Austin-Yawns?adminview=true

Happy Birthday Stiles Switch BBQ:Shane Stiles & Louie Mueller Alumnus Lance Kirkpatrick's Joint Is 1

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:01:00 -0700

And then there were 3. Austin's always had good barbecue. Old timer's had The Shanty, which is still spoken of in hallowed terms, while new bucks queue up at Live Oak down on 2nd street for Saturday afternoon specials off the pit of Tom Spaulding. Debate rages on a daily basis in our fair city over who's putting out the finest smoked meat in town. Folks with time to kill like to stand in line for a few hours at Franklin to eat what many reckon is the best barbecue in the nation.

Autumn in Vermont, Young Fresh Fellows And National Maple Syrup Day

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:21:00 -0700

I was 18 and in love. At the one year mark of the torrid affair, I visited a Books A Million in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama and bought the latest edition of Roadfood by Jane and Michael Stern along with a guide to the bed and breakfasts of rural New England. Time to plan a roadtrip. We saved our money from our supermarket and bagel shop jobs, and hit the blue highways for a week exploring New England.

Eddie Nimibutr Ousted At Thai Noodle House Over Racist Facebook Screed?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:21:00 -0700

May I speak to Eddie? Eddie no work here no more But he's the owner No, he the chef, and he no here no more, owner in Houston Where's Eddie working I no know but he here no more Ok

Two Years Ago Today: Elderly Taquera

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:11:00 -0700

I found Blanca in a parking lot in East Austin. She consented, warily, to having her photo taken http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/12/16/Austin-Daily-Photo-Blanca-of-El-Zunzal-Thursday-December-16th-2010?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Black Sheep Lodge

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 00:06:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Lard

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 23:50:00 -0700

The pleasures of lard are manifold; I grew up on the stuff. My granddaddy, Big Jim Sullivan raised Duroc hogs and my grandma rendered lard the old fashioned way: in a cast iron cauldron over a wood fire in the backyard under a peach tree. We never went wanting for hog fat. Lard went into everything. Nellie Sullivan made pie crust out of it, she fried our nightly kettle of popcorn in it, pan-fried chicken got the lard treatment as did the country fried steak (not chicken fried-big difference)-biscuits had plenty buttermilk (from Blackie, our milk cow) and of course- lots of lard.

One Year Ago Today: Louie Mueller Trained Pit Boss Opens BBQ Joint In Japan

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 17:25:00 -0700

Former Austinite and University Texas grad Craig White recently flung the doors of his Texas smokehouse; White Smoke, open in Tokyo Japan. We've been wanting to get over that way for awhile and it's looking like we've got a good excuse now. the piece http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/15/Trained-At-Louis-Mueller-Barbecue-In-Taylor-Texas-Craig-White-Opens-White-Smoke-In-Tokyo-Japan?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Daisie's Cafe

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:04:00 -0700

Birth Notice: Freedmen's

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:33:00 -0700

We had a great time at the friends and family, soft opening at Freedmen's in West Campus last night. No matter that we are neither, there were plenty folks who were none the wiser. Freedmen's is a barbecue restaurant and craft cocktail bar. Let's hope University Texas students are thirsty for well made pre and post-prohibition cocktails as that is the slant of the drinkery part of the establishment.

Two Years Ago Today: Rio Rita

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:38:00 -0700

Two years ago today we took a look at Rio Rita's trusty steed, long since departed from the back parking lot. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/12/13/Austin-Daily-Photo-Rio-Rita-Monday-December-13th-2010?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Capitol Grounds Cafe

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 23:22:00 -0700

In a particularly savvy bit of marketing, the owners of Capitol Grounds Cafe recently stationed a gas powered griddle about 6" from the sidewalk abutting Lavaca Street. Pictured is Chef Kevin, a native Austinite who runs the kitchen at the restaurant. The chef was flinging shrimp onto the plancha and searing them in puddles of butter before hitting the entire affair with a pungent sauce from a squeeze bottle that had the entire state capitol zone descending on the cafe. Savvy. Capitol Grounds is a Mexican restaurant. The menu runs towards enchiladas, tacos, salads and wraps. We had an estimable bowl of chili there recently; Texas chili, no beans, just big hunks of meat in a rich, brown gravy served with Saltine crackers. It was fine. We've seen a number of restaurants in this room over the years, most recently Chez Moi. If that bowl of chili is any indicator Capitol Grounds has a nice long run ahead of them.

Birth Notice: Buzz Mill Coffee

Thu, 13 Dec 2012 10:20:00 -0700

More details soon on this southeast Austin coffee shop

Austin Daily Photo: Jim's Restaurant

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 23:43:00 -0700

In my latest piece for Culturemap I take a quick jaunt down the Texas chili trail. http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/12-11-12-12-06-notes-from-the-texas-chili-trail-where-to-find-the-best-chili-in-austin/

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Sway, Swift's Attic, Ramen Tatsu-Ya, Jester King,Beer Snobbery

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:34:00 -0700

Week 8. Another week in the whirlwind of Austin Texas food blogs. Blogger battles, blogger pajama parties, blogger camp-outs, blogathons-lots happening in the world of Austin food letters. We remain serene. On to our favorite of this week's output from 5 of Austin's top flight food and beer writers:

Birth Notice: Get A Rope. Southern Hospitality Barbecue via Justin Timberlake Is Coming To Austin

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:02:00 -0700

We broke the news of Justin Timberlake's plans to set up a barbecue shop in Austin way back in August of 2011. A snippet of our original article: Round up the posse. We just got wind of more corporate barbecue coming to our fair city. This time we wonder if it's just a bad joke. An outfit from New York City called "Southern Hospitality" has announced an Austin invasion. These days we're feeling a mite prickly.

Birth Notice: JuiceLand At SpiderHouse

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:55:00 -0700

Today is the day. Juiceland opens for business, just underneath the giant tattoo sign in SpiderHouse's courtyard. We predict plenty people will roll in, get completely drunk at the bar at SpiderHouse, then finish the night off with a celery smoothie to clean out all the devil rum. Dozens of birth notices http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Birth-Notice

Austin Daily Photo: Mike's Pub

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:36:00 -0700

Gone but not forgotten. What we wouldn't give to have congress with a basket of house cut fries dipped in ranch and a misshapen hamburger off that ancient flat top griddle; paired with an ice cold schooner of Michelob and a leisurely romp through the latest Spy magazine. That's how we spent many an afternoon at Mike's Pub. the obituary http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/10/24/RIP-Rest-In-Peace-Mikes-Pub?adminview=true

RIP: Rest In Peace: An Obituary For Felix Stehling Creator Of The Beanburger And Taco Cabana

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 13:13:00 -0700

Writing an obituary for Felix Stehling of Taco Cabana fame fills me with sadness. He was a lion in the Texas food service industry. The great man's restaurants and clubs were legion: Crystal Pistol, Bombay Bicycle Club, Tequila Charlie's, Lyndy's Great Indoors Poco Loco Club Taco Cabana

One Year Ago Today: Vera's Backyard Bar-B-Que

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 12:14:00 -0700

This feature has grown serious legs. We're enjoying mammoth site traffic growth this year and with that we've also seen a multitude of new readers who don't necessarily have the time to explore our 2,000 article archive. Just like one of our heroes; Robert Mitchum, we enjoy exploring our past so we can be better in the future. Here's our piece on the best barbacoa house in the state of Texas http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/11/Austin-Daily-Photo-Veras-Backyard-Barbecue-In-Brownsville-Texas?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Fonda San Miguel

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:04:00 -0700

Pay a bunch of money for Mexican food? It's enough to make a cat laugh. While Fonda San Miguel is to be congratulated for possessing a remarkable amount of sang froid when it comes to menu pricing; at the end of the day it's Mexican food-which by our account should always be both dirt cheap and delicious.

12 Days Of Smoked Meat: Animal Consumption Festival Begins At Stiles Switch Barbecue

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:28:00 -0700

Nothing says the Holidays like hoisting a wide variety of animals onto wood burning barbecue pits. The good folks up at Stiles Switch are throwing animal consumption parties during the 12 days of Christmas this year. Austin is awash in bad barbecue. The number of outlets where you can eat smoked meat has quadrupled in the last couple years but most range in quality from terrible to barely edible. Masters of wood fire based cooking are few and far between. John Lewis, Aaron Franklin and Lance Kirkpatrick are leading the charge in Austin proper with x-urb pitbosses like Scott Morales and Tony White doing good work outside our city limits.

3 Years Ago Today: An Essay on Austin,Texas Food:From Sugar's to Justine's and Everything in Between

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:49:00 -0700

We were just finding our footing. The Scrumptious Chef site was just a tyke 3 years ago but we were still confident enough in our abilities to post an essay on the Austin Texas food scene that was staggering in breadth and scope. It's here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2009/12/10/An-Essay-on-AustinTexas-Food-in-2009From-Sugars-to-Justines-and-Everything-in-Between?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Sugar Mama's Bakeshop

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:09:00 -0700

Our favorite bakeshop in Austin. While Sugar Mama got famous off her cupcakes, in-the-know eaters claim that it's her dessert bars that are actually the star of the show at her Bouldin Creek redoubt. We don't disagree. Her lemon bar is one of the finest sweet treats in the whole of Austin. And whatever you do, don't forget to get a frosting shooter. We'd rather do a shot of Sugar Mama's frosting than all but the finest of whiskeys. Our hat's off to the louche mastermind who came up with the concept. Frosting shooter.

One Year Ago Today: Birth Notice For El Tacorrido

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:45:00 -0700

El Tacorrido has slowly become one of our favorite South Austin taco sources. One year ago we penned this birth notice http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/12/9/Austin-Daily-Photo-El-Tacorrido-From-The-Man-Behind-Takoba-Is-Open-For-Business-On-South-First-St?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: How To Make Your Own Bacon

Sat, 08 Dec 2012 13:50:00 -0700

Bacon's moment in the sun will pass. But for now the humble belly off a hog is enjoying a long, sustained turn in the spotlight brought on by a combination of deliciousness and savvy marketing. Profiteers are always willing to cash in on the meat of the moment. There's no reason to buy commercial bacon when you can easily make your own. If you're reasonably adept in the kitchen and have 7 days worth of patience you can have 8-9 pounds of bacon for your freezer. It will be better than 90% of what you can buy in a proper grocery store. Our series on how to make bacon: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Bacon prior Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Shane Bordeau Of Twisted X Brewing Company

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 11:45:00 -0700

I had a great conversation with Shane Bordeau at an Austin craft beer summit held earlier this year at Red's Porch in South Austin. Bordeau had put his money where his mouth is by investing 200k of his own money (along with Jim Sampson) to launch Twisted X Brewing Company out in Cedar Park back in 2009. Austin beer lovers landed on the brewery's Tex Mex beer concept hard and the company became a big success.

Austin Daily Photo: Sneak Peek Inside Épicerie Café and Market In Rosedale

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 23:40:00 -0700

The foreman on the work crew informed us that Épicerie Café and Market is about 2 weeks out from opening. Back in the Spring of this year the Rosedale neighborhood was roiled by controversy as the restaurant made formal its plans to open.

Austin Daily Photo: Trappistes Rochefort

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:43:00 -0700

I have many weaknesses, but it's safe to say my love of the Trappist beers of Belgium ranks near the top of the list. I've slowly nurtured this enthusiasm during multiple trips to Europe over the past 15 years. Drinking a cool Stift Engelszell, La Trappe or Rochefort at Cafe Gollem (est. 1974) in Amsterdam is such an unreserved pleasure that I've been known to work 7 days a week for months on end so I can plan out a week of imbibing the hard work of the monks of Austria, Holland and Belgium. On a visit earlier this year, Gollem came through in a big way. Their buyers had made the trip to the Trappist Abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren! Beer lovers across the globe know these beers to stand at the top of the 1000s of breweries on earth. Sitting at the ancient bar on Overtoom, slowly sipping a Westvleteren 12, is one of my favorite memories of 2012. Approached by my hunt for, and subsequent capture of the legendary Crna kraljica or Black Queen Porter of Zagreb, Croatia. Behold my cache of Trappistes Rochefort, unearthed this very day after 13 months in my beer cellar. I'm hopeful that a special occasion is going to arise in the next month or so that will warrant cracking these open. We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs:Pinthouse Pizza,Phatso's Cheesesteaks,Verts Kebap,Elizabeth St.

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 22:48:00 -0700

Week 7. Another giant week in the world of Austin Texas food (and beer) blogs. We peered at a couple dozen sites this week, many were fully mothballed (not updated since October) but there were some crazy, reckless bloggers that had posted MORE THAN ONCE IN THE LAST WEEK. Maybe the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance broke out the bullwhip we keep hearing they use on recalcitrant members?

Comprehensive List Of Austin Texas-Based Micro-Breweries

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:20:00 -0700

I get asked for this a lot. With Austin in a full-fledged craft beer renaissance, we're seeing a level of interest unmatched in 20+ years of drinking local brew in town. With new breweries popping up, seemingly on a weekly basis, it's high time to publish a (hopefully) comprehensive list of Austin brew houses (breweries and brew pubs.) Austin's not alone in seeing this revival. Asheville, North Carolina; New Orleans, Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama and plenty other towns are experiencing a sort of Prague Spring of craft beer right now.

Attention Austin Craft Beer Aficionados: Beer School At Black Star Co-Op

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 13:33:00 -0700

Black Star Co-Op is hosting a 101 level beer class for home brewers and folks who just want to improve their beer knowledge. Learn the building blocks of beer as the brewer shows the class raw ingredients and explains the basics of making delicious craft brew. There is also a tasting so by the end of class when you're slobbering all over yourself you'll get to sample some micro-brew. Class is December 8th from 1pm-4pm and is held at Black Star. Tickets are $35 with proceeds being donated to Texas Craft Brewers Guild. Hot link http://www.blackstar.coop/blogs/workers-assembly/brew-blog/brewing-and-flavor-analysis-101/ We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Beef Marrow Bones

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:38:00 -0700

Beef marrow bones prior to a vigorous roasting at our most recent Txoko (Basque Gastronomic Society) gathering. Read about Texas only Txoko: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Txoko-A-Basque-Tradition

Birth Notice: Hi Hat Public House

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:11:00 -0700

Austin musician Steve Schrader's going into the pub business. He's set to open Hi Hat Public House in the former Braise on East 6th street. Expect a wall filled with two dozen taps of hi-grade craft beer and a kitchen putting out careful takes on classic pub cuisine. East Austin's hungry right now. While the neighborhood is well served with long time classic restaurants like Joe's and Dario's, til now there hasn't been a place that is mining the same territory as a Hopfield's or Drink.Well. We expect land office business to descend upon Hi Hat Public House when Schrader flings the doors open in the next week or two. Welcome to the neighborhood. all birth notices of Austin bars and restaurants http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Birth-Notice website of the establishment http://www.hihatpublichouse.com/ We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Taylor Cafe

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:06:00 -0700

Business carried us to Taylor, Texas last week. As we hammered up 973 from Austin we began fantasizing about what we were going to eat and where we were going to eat it. Ferrari's for a plate of lasagna; Ed's Place for a hamburger; Davis Grocery for pork ribs; Moe's Lounge for a sandwich; Lafayette for a bowl of gumbo-the options are endless in the garden spot of Williamson County. We went to Vencil's joint down near the railroad tracks. Best $1.50 lunch in Taylor. Walking in to the old beer joint on a sun-drenched afternoon Vencil Mares is holding court, as is his custom, in his roost at the end of the bar. A few drinkers are sitting around swapping lies while some Johnny Bush is playing in the background. Time is precious so we ask for a link of Bohunk sausage and set back to soak in the scene.

X University Texas Footballer Colt McCoy To Take On Mrs Johnson's Donuts With Coffee Action West

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:53:00 -0700

We don't like this one damn bit. Former UT Longhorn Colt McCoy has partnered up with Coffee Action West to open 2 dozen Dunkin Donuts outlets in Austin, Texas. Every donut not eaten at Mrs Johnson's when you're standing on Austin soil is a shame-filled one. Mrs Johnson's swung her doors open in 1948 and has been serving Austinites some of the finest donuts in North America, 7 days a week, ever since. Inferior Massachusetts donuts are set to metastasize across our fair city morphing from their present 2 locations to 24 over the coming months. the report http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/blog/retail/2012/12/colt-mccoy-becomes-dunkin-donut.html?ana=twt We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Birth Notice: Schmidt Family Barbecue From Owners Of Kreuz Market And Smitty's In Lockhart

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 13:02:00 -0700

Brace up Bee Cave Texas. 512 Foodie is reporting that Schmidt Family Barbecue will be opening at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave in summer 2013. No mention of how big the restaurant will be but we'll be stunned if it seats less than a 1000 people. Kreuz Market arches upward toward a cap of 700 in tiny Lockhart Texas so we expect the new venture to dwarf that operation. hot link right this way http://impactnews.com/articles/schmidt-family-barbecue-to-open-in-hill-country-galleria/?utm_source=Community+Impact+Newsletter,+Fri+Nov.+30&utm_campaign=Nov+30,+2012+NL&utm_medium=email premium Texas barbecue coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Team 6 Pack Winner Of The Brady Texas World Championship BBQ Goat Cook Off

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:20:00 -0700

Team 6 Pack in fine form after emerging from over 200 teams as best in show at The Brady Texas World Championship BBQ Goat Cook Off in 2011. We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 6 At Tamale House East

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 12:59:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Cary Grant's Barbecue Chicken Recipe

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 09:40:00 -0700

Our efforts to create a rudimentary time machine were met with failure. Please pretend like it's Saturday December 1st 2012 as we missed the midnight deadline for our Austin Daily Photo feature by a good 8 hours. Deepest apologies. It's called "daily" photo for a reason. It's a whip cracker on the Scrumptious crew to ensure that the section gets tended to "daily." But even the best trained monkeys sometimes go into business for themselves, and yesterday was a brute with multiple activities all over town warranting our attention. We'll double down later today. For now feast your eyes on this brilliant barbecue sauce recipe endorsed by Cary Grant. Now clean the slobber off your keyboard and hit the kitchen. That's what we're going to do. this is Austin Daily Photo number 700 prior http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Tamale House East

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:29:00 -0700

One of the better renditions of chicken tortilla soup in Austin, Texas. Field report http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-29-12-21-55-the-best-chicken-tortilla-soup-in-austin/ We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Prause Meat Market

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 00:37:00 -0700

One of the greats. We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant Event Number 6 At Tamale House East:Brisket-Pork Belly And Wine

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:21:00 -0700

all the details on our Sat Jan 12 2013 Wild Foods Of Texas Pop Up Restaurant At Tamale House East http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-1-Broken-Arrow-Ranch-Texas-AntelopeFriday November 30th 2012 5pm Number 6 in our pop up restaurant series and our first brick and mortar. When we started this project in the paleo era of July 2012 we weren't sure how it would be received. The people have spoken. We're opening the dining rooms at Tamale House East, or if you prefer there will be patio seating available. Here's the menu: With an enormous kitchen we're able to be slightly more ambitious than usual. Hope y'all can come out. Brisket, Post Oak, Salt, Pepper Crispy Pork belly w/Momofuku Tare . Creamy Polenta,Green Onions Sweet Corn,Green Chiles Russell's Sprouts,Basil,Lemon,Chile Cabbage,Sesame,Umami . Chile Con Queso,Totopos Shrimp Poached In Tomato Broth,Totopos . Hickory Smoked Chicken Posole . Mrs Johnson's Chocolate Bourbon Bread Pudding Banh Mi Kong,Confituras Butter and we brought in the big gun aka Sam Hovland at East End Wines-he wrote the wine list so expect achingly delicious vino at prices that beggar the imagination. We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Jorge's Restaurant

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 00:29:00 -0700

You'll probably read about Jorge's Restaurant's pending closure in another week or two in the traditional, hide-bound, moss-backed media sources that are wrestling around in the tar pits of Austin journalism as we speak. December 22nd 2012 is the final day of business for one of our favorite enchilada sources in Travis County. Previous coverage including an impromptu obituary and a field report: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/11/28/RIP-Rest-In-Peace-Jorges-Restaurant Pic: the mural outside the bar described as "filled with people shrieking and laughing in a scene befitting Hubert Selby." We're on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Texas Barbecue,Texas Cookies,Eat Drink Local,Jewish Soul Food

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 17:14:00 -0700

Week 6 We're hard at work. Staying up late. Practicing what Grandma Sullivan taught us. We knew that crocheting would come in handy. We're weaving a giant bloggers blanket-big enough to snuggle with all the other bloggers in Travis County, Texas. But til we can get that project finished we'll continue with our weekly feature. Top 5 Austin food blog posts of the week right this way.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Jorge's Restaurant

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:29:00 -0700

Shocked and saddened. Jorge's, the old timey Mexican restaurant on Hancock Drive is set to shutter on December 22nd. The property is set to be developed for an unnamed business. Long time manager Gilbert is hopeful to get his own place opened and is looking for investors. Any Scrumptious readers with deep pockets? Give the restaurant a call (512) 454-1980 A recent field report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/6/Field-Report-Jorges-Restaurant?adminview=true

Austin Daily Photo: Azul Tequila

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:33:00 -0700

One of the few restaurants in town that tackles both Mexican and Tex Mex out of the same kitchen. When we lived in south Austin, Azul Tequila was one of our favorite spots to get a big bowl of tortilla soup washed down with a molten plate of queso fundido cradled with deep swathes of deliciously greasy chorizo sausage. Back then they fried the totopos per order but somewhere along the way they decided to just start sandbagging them. No matter. A recent visit found the kitchen to still be in good form with a particularly nice rendition of that soup we so fondly recalled. more on that soup right this way http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-29-12-21-55-the-best-chicken-tortilla-soup-in-austin/

Field Report: Shiner Restaurant And Bar With Pit Boss John Mueller

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 14:14:00 -0700

I can only speak from experience. Years ago, a very hung over, wallet-forgotten, and anonymous me-was well fed by John Mueller at his barbecue shop on Manor Road-no questions asked. Until his departure, his particular hospitality at his food trailer on South First Street seemed to center primarily on the business at hand, and included an occasional free beer. Despite Mr. Mueller's brusque reputation for directness, the only shiner I received on a visit to his new Saturday-only residency in Shiner, Texas was a Bock, in a bottle, and crafted at the Spoetzl Brewery right down the road.

Austin Daily Photo: Scrumptious Chef Brick And Mortar Pop Up At Tamale House East

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 17:40:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Hopfield's

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 23:00:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Pepsi Cola

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 16:15:00 -0700

Pepsi is dominant. For reasons unknown to man, Pepsi is the dominant soft drink of Appalachia. I can no longer recall the first time I tried a Pepsi, but I still remember my first Coke. Telling. In Kentucky, it's not uncommon to see toddlers toddling about with a sippy cup filled with Pepsi, that same toddler could easily be approaching manhood before sampling his first Coke. I know I was.

Birth Notice: Shiner Restaurant And Bar Welcomes John Mueller On The Pit

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 11:31:00 -0700

Rumors came floating on the Texas wind last weekend. Our buddy Duane who lives down in Yoakum, Texas made an auspicious claim. He'd eaten a fresh plate of brisket from the pit of John Mueller. We didn't know what to make of it. A conflagration in the world of Texas barbecue erupted {http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/31/Explosion-In-The-World-Of-Austin-Texas-Barbecue-John-Mueller-Out-Of-JMueller-BBQ?adminview=true}when Mueller was ousted at his eponymous barbecue trailer in South Austin.

Austin Daily Photo: El Agazajo After The Fire

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 23:38:00 -0700

In December of 2011, El Agasajo, the legendary East Austin nightclub, burned to the ground. Rumors swirled as to the fire's origin with street buzz reckoning that an arsonist's hand had played a role. Riding out US 183 last weekend I spotted a new tenant in the old Iron Horse Bar and Grill. El Agazajo has been reborn.

East Austin: Shangri La {formerly Bravo's Nightclub} Is Turning 4 And Throwing A Party

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 15:18:00 -0700

We still have fond memories of Bravo's Nightclub on east 6th street. Particularly that star-crossed night that saw us take a friend who'd relocated to Austin from Montana there for his birthday. He was unfamiliar with the old east Austin nightclub trope of buy a beauty a beer at an inflated price and get a dance for free.

Recipe: Spaghetti With Sweet Onion Brisket Ragu

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 12:57:00 -0700

When in the presence of a superior cook, I like to focus, laser-like, on the subject at hand, take notes and give proper deference to the higher authority. Such was the case on many trips to Agata's kitchen in Alabaster, Alabama. There is an enormous Italian diaspora in central Alabama. For decades, immigrants from the Boot have traveled to Dixie to settle into the fertile blacklands, and begin their new lives among the country folk of Chilton, Shelby and Jefferson counties.

Austin Daily Photo: Feast Of The Pies

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:48:00 -0700

Haus frau Cindy was hard at work yesterday. Her German roots always come to bear at the holidays as she routinely knocks out a wide variety of scratch pies. Pictured: Pecan, cherry, apple, coconut and lemon chess. Each was more delicious than the last with pecan taking the prize as star of show.

Happy Thanksgiving Austin, Istanbul, New Orleans, Amsterdam, Kentucky, Zagreb and Budapest

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 11:14:00 -0700

Hope y'all and yours have a happy and joyous Thanksgiving

Austin Daily Photo: Storm's Drive In Lampasas Texas {est. 1974}

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 22:35:00 -0700

Much love for Storm's Drive In in Lampasas, Texas. A true classic and a family endeavor with roots running a half century back in time. Field report http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-daily-photo-storms/

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs: Trader Joe's, Recipes, Spin Modern Thai, Russell's, Via 313

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 21:27:00 -0700

Week 5. Vegans, barbecue addicts, gluten free nut jobs, banh mi maniacs, ramen tatterdemalions, farm to table acolytes-the list goes on and on and on. If there's a subset of food, you can rest assured there's a blog in Austin, Texas devoted to it.

Party With The Turks! Raindrop Turkish House To Show Austin How To Get Down On Sat Dec 1 2012

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:12:00 -0700

Nobody parties like the Turks. I learned this on my first visit to Istanbul, when I sat outside the Blue Mosque at 4 am drinking a cold beer and soaking in the scene. I'd just flown 6,000 miles and had a head full of nervous energy that I wanted to tame down a mite. Half the people outside the mosque were praying, the other half were drinking beer and chatting amongst themselves. I had asked the shopkeep at the nearby quick mart if drinking in public was permitted and he replied yes, and looked at me as though I was crazy.

Austin Daily Photo: The Nine Streets aka De Negen Straatjes In Amsterdam Noord Holland

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:58:00 -0700

Walking through the Nine Streets aka De Negen Straatjes section of Amsterdam I spotted this waitress outside a little nameless Italian restaurant.

Recipe: Bulleit Bourbon Bundt Cake With Buttermilk Praline Sauce

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:14:00 -0700

Rifling through my albums, comic books and old hot rod magazines, I stumbled upon some vintage index cards filled with a curious scrawl. I'm not sure of their provenance-I'd like to think they're my grandmother's, she was a professional cook-but their origin is a mystery. They're recipe cards, yellowed with age, and feature all sorts of delicious, old timey dishes like flitter cakes, friendship fruit, shoo-fly pie, hummingbird cake-that sort of thing. But the one dish that really intrigued me was bourbon cake.

Austin Daily Photo: Rosewood Community Market From Allen Edgar Rogers

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:53:00 -0700

There's not a lot of information out there on East Austin's newest, yet to open, market. If ever there was a food desert on the east side, it would be the Rosewood neighborhood and the Rosewood Courts public housing development. There's nary a proper grocery store in sight and only a weathered quick mart with the requisite sodas, candy bars and snack chips nearby. Allen Edgar Rogers seeks to change that.

Austin Daily Photo: The Ebony Club

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Big plans are being implemented on Chicon Street between 12th and 14th in East Austin. We rolled by the former Fresh Up Club yesterday and workmen had knocked the facade off the old sign to reveal the above picture: The Ebony Club at 1309 Chicon. What prithee was that?

Austin Daily Photo: The Death Of Hostess Brand Snack Cakes

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:47:00 -0700

I made sure not a single nun was looking. Carefully peeling the wrapper open, I removed the Twinkie, pulled a very sharp knife out of my backpack and carefully sliced the end off the snack cake. Using a straw I quickly sucked all the creme filling out of the treat to better prepare my friend for his denouement. I took the bottle of Plochman's mustard, filled the Twinkie's gaping-formerly creme filled hole-and carefully replaced the "lid."

Fire In East Austin: La Michoacana In Late Night Blaze

Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:19:00 -0700

One of our agents has been tearing up our message system with word of a fire at La Michoacana in East Austin. Apparently fire trucks are all over the taqueria, grocery store, carniceria-fruteria. We'll roll by there in the morning and assess damage and flesh out this report. After a particularly good chicken tortilla soup recently, we can't comprehend the magnitude of what this market's loss would mean to our community. Let's hope the damage is minimal and we can all get back to our lives pre-fire.

Austin Daily Photo: Central Texas Chili Cook Off At Giddy Ups With Terlingua Champion George Odom

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 01:12:00 -0700

Update! Bill Center from San Antonio won. Kerry Wier from Buda got 2nd. George Odom got 3rd chili and 3rd in beans. Linda Odom was 11th. 28 chili cooks competed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday November 17th 2012 Giddy Ups, the little honky tonk in far south Austin {Manchaca} will be hosting a chili cook-off titled Thanksgiving at Giddy Ups. It's their 8th one. There will be live music on Friday and Saturday nights as well as camping. You won't meet a nicer group of people than the crowd that hangs out down that way. When we lived in south Austin Giddy Ups was one of our favorite hang outs.

Austin Daily Photo: Daniel DeLaney Prepares To Open BrisketTown Barbecue In New York City

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:26:00 -0700

Tomorrow, November 16th 2012 New York City will welcome a new and major player in the city's barbecue game. Daniel DeLaney of BrisketLab will fling the doors open of BrisketTown. The world will never be the same. An American flag from Louie Mueller Barbecue in Taylor, Texas will fly sentry over the affair giving inestimable street cred to the operation.

Hate The Idea Of People Making 16k Per Annum Having Health Care?Buy A Papa John's Pizza Fri Nov 16th

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 01:20:00 -0700

Other than Popeye's Fried Chicken, which is demonstrably delicious, we don't eat fast food. No soapbox involved. We live and breathe the Austin food scene and since the only vote that matters these days is via our wallets, we strive to keep our food money in local tills whenever possible. So we don't eat Papa John's or any other chain pizza {or even lousy local pizza like Pinthouse.} There's just too much good pie in Austin to worry about eating the bad stuff. So the movement to eat/not eat at Papa John's on Fri Nov 16th leaves us unperturbed either way.

Austin Daily Photo: Josh Watkins Of The Carillon Restaurant

Thu, 15 Nov 2012 00:11:00 -0700

We'd love to see Josh Watkins get out of the fine dining game and throw his hat in the smoked meat world full time. He's nowhere near leathery enough to pull off the look of a seasoned pit boss, but the man's barbecue is other-wordly. Pictured: A rack of pork ribs sitting on the grill of the good chef. Absolutely delicious. If he hung up a barbecue shingle in Austin.... Like Texas barbecue? Step right this way http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 23:28:00 -0700

Week 4. How many hundreds of food blogs are centered in Austin, Texas? We'd be frightened to guess, but once you issue the imprimatur of active ones the number would shrink down to a very manageable "in the dozens." Further regulations limiting these to high quality ones would see that number's margin shrink even more dramatically. But we've got our favorites and there are several doing good work these days. Right this way.

Birth Notice: Sway, South Austin Thai Restaurant From La Condesa's Rene Ortiz

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:52:00 -0700

We still miss the old Video X-press store that used to sit on the lot where Sway, the new Thai restaurant from Rene Ortiz is preparing to open. Hot off Addie Broyles, food editor at the Statesman's, Twitter feed we just read that the long awaited opening of Sway has finally been announced for December 9th 2012. Previous birth notices http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Birth-Notice

Austin Daily Photo: W.T. Brookshire Of Brookshire Grocery Company

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:05:00 -0700

Established in 1928 are words that will always sets my mouth to watering. I have a deep love for old. Old people, old businesses, old motorbikes, old rib joints-if it's old my curiosity is always going to be piqued. Brookshire Grocery company was founded in 1928 by Wood T. and Louise Brookshire on the town square in Tyler, Texas. The business was a splinter off the original Brookshire Brothers which sprung to life in Lufkin{!} in 1921. W.T broke Brookshire Grocery Company off from the family in 1939 {opening East Texas' first air conditioned market} and never looked back.

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 5: The Foods Of Terlingua Texas

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:36:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Nicha's Comida Mexicana {formerly Minit Taco} est.1977

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 00:18:00 -0700

One of San Antonio's finest. Nicha's Comida Mexicana began its life as Minit Taco, a tiny taqueria still spoken of in hallowed terms by San Antonians of a certain age. Gene and Dionisia ("Nicha") Garcia opened the original in 1977 in south San Antonio and lovers of hand rolled flour tortillas and carefully rendered barbacoa rejoiced.

Austin Daily Photo: Supermercado El Rancho

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 00:11:00 -0700

Potential competitor for Fiesta Mart? Probably not, but first a little backstory. When we're ramping up for our pop up restaurant series we navigate through all our favorite markets so we can hand select the finest provisions for our menu. Obviously Fiesta, as the finest grocery store in Austin, gets the lion's share of our money, but we also like to branch out and visit Wheatsville, La Michoacana and {gasp}HEB. We'll go wherever the best goods are.

Austin Daily Photo: Betty Crocker

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 23:39:00 -0700

Betty Crocker was a friend of mine. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/3/Austin-Daily-Photo-Betty-Crocker-Was-A-Friend-Of-Mine?adminview=true previous http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Chef Jason Dady Of San Antonio

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 23:54:00 -0700

On our too infrequent trips to San Antonio we've got a long list of old favorite taquerias and barbacoa parlors tucked away on the south and west sides of the city that we simply must visit. So we've never been to any of Jason Dady's 5 restaurants. He's running an empire in the city where the citizens proudly sport t-shirts saying "Keep San Antonio Lame." We beg to differ on that assessment as we have deep love for our southern neighbor. If you like heavy metal,the best Mexican food in the state of Texas and gorgeous women who apparently put high heels on as teens as don't take them off til they're interred in sweet mother earth-then San Antonio is one of the USA's great towns. http://jasondady.com/

Austin Texas Guide To Pop Up Restaurants And Cafes Part 3

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:56:00 -0700

Austin Texas pop up restaurant scene is tiny but growing. The nationwide trend has found steady footing in New Orleans, New York and other cosmopolitan cities but we're still struggling to find an identity for what will surely be a phenomenon one day.

Austin Daily Photo: Bud Royer of Royer's Round Top Cafe

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:36:00 -0700

One of USA's best restaurants http://www.royersroundtopcafe.com/

Scrumptious Chef Hits The Big Time: Called Out On Shaggybevo

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 21:45:00 -0700

We love reading local food blogs and Shaggybevo is one of the best. From the past: 1} We wrote a mash note to their GM Steakhouse Board titled "Surveying The Wild and Wooly World of Shaggybevo's GM Steakhouse. An Austin Texas Food Board" "Off the charts. When we were removed from the Austin Chowhound board by a top ranking official at CBS corporation who'd deemed us a threat to the corporation's weal, we immediately began looking across the Austin Texas food media scene to find sustenance. Score.

Celebrate The Foods Of Terlingua Texas: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 5 Three Little Pigs East End Wines

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:50:00 -0700

Tasty Touring's Jodi Bart Dethroned.Lockhart Steele's NYC-based Eater Wins Best Austin Food Blog

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 11:00:00 -0700

The times they are a changing. Austin Chronicle just announced their Best of Austin winners and Jodi Bart/Tasty Touring has been knocked off her cushy perch as Best Local Food Blog by New York City's Eater outfit. Manhattan was stunned as Lockhart Steele, owner of Eater, Curbed and Racked strolled into the middle of Times Square and popped the cork on a big bottle of Armand de Brignac Midas Champagne.

Austin Daily Photo: Austin Daily Press Is Open For Business In East Austin

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:04:00 -0700

They arise well before dawn, quietly grinding the beans, brewing the coffee and getting the Danish ready for the hard working East Austinites who have to have a hot mug of coffee and a sweet roll before beginning their work day. Come 11am, Austin Daily Press flings their doors open so the folks rushing to get to work by noon can get their morning started right at East Austin's newest coffee shop. Hours 11am-10pm Tue-Sat 11am-9pm Sun

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 23:07:00 -0700

Week 3. This feature has some serious legs. Thanks for embracing it as we spend a lot of time checking out other food bloggers in Austin and there's some damn good ones out there right now. Yes you have to sift through a lot of bullshit lol cats and other horrors that pollute the web but we're in it for the long haul. Sort of like Papillon.

Results 46th Annual Terlingua International Frank X Tolbert Wick Fowler Memorial Chili Championship

Wed, 07 Nov 2012 11:03:00 -0700

Year 46 of the legendary Terlingua Texas chili cook-off saw Dallas-area dentist Ted Hume take home the trophy. Mr. Hume won previously in 2003. The Chihuahua desert comes alive each Autumn as thousands of chili fanatics descend on Terlingua to party in the Texas badlands. Drunkenness, nudity, and the sort of out and out outlaw behavior that would get you thrown in the hoosegow in Austin is not only tolerated but outright encouraged at the 3 day bacchanal.

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 5:Terlingua Edition Sunday November 11th At Three Little Pigs/East End Wines

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 16:11:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Toni Tipton Martin Of The Jemima Code And Sande Youth Project

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 15:05:00 -0700

Taking a cooking class from Toni Tipton Martin is a journey. Yes, you learn how to cook, but you're also given entree into Martin's vast knowledge of culinary history. She can teach you how to dice an onion, but more importantly she can explain that onion's importance to the world in culinary terms. A little background: Toni Tipton Martin is the founder of the Sande Youth Project. The acronym stands for "Spirit, Attitude, Nutrition, Deeds, and Emotions." This non-profit program teaches healthy living for young people through cooking and education about the importance of nutrition in daily living.

Birth Notice: East End Wines Hits The Big Time! East Austin's Only Winery + Launching Wine Garden

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 13:42:00 -0700

East End Wines just secured their winery license making them the only winery in East Austin. After a monumental struggle with red tape, the little wine store in East Austin can now blend their own wines, make vermouth, falernum and brandy. They're purchasing a still to accomplish these goals. I rolled by this morning to take a look at their brand new patio, situated mere steps away from Three Little Pigs, the nationally acclaimed food trailer. Here's the scoop from Sam Hovland, their wine buyer and sommelier.

Austin Daily Photo: Austin Food and Wine Alliance's Wine & Swine At Pioneer Farms

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 12:57:00 -0700

The time I ate 18 plates of food in one afternoon: http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/11-05-12-15-43-wine-swine/

Austin Daily Photo: Marty Marak Declared Grand Champion Of National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 23:22:00 -0700

Pit boss Marty Marak capped a stunning year on the competitive barbecue circuit in the great state of Texas by winning the National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off in Meridian Texas recently. It was the 25th year of the competition. Full coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/30/Austin-Daily-Photo-2012-Results-National-Championship-Barbecue-CookOff-In-Meridian-Texas and last year Texas crowned a lady http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/10/23/Results-Are-InAmber-King-Is-Grand-Champion-2011-National-Championship-Barbecue-Cookoff-In-Meridian

Wild Stripper Brawl In South Austin:Hot Bodies Dancer Victoria Perez Charged With Aggravated Assault

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 23:03:00 -0700

These things never turn out well. 17 women in a wild melee in a strip club dressing room is a recipe for nothing less than disaster. Victoria Perez, a stripper at Hot Bodies in Southeast Austin, stands accused of nearly blinding a man with her stiletto heel during a donnybrook backstage at the notorious cabaret just south of the industrial zone off Hwy 71. Closed circuit cameras caught the dust-up on tape. Perez has been charged with aggravated assault with a bail set at 50k. We hope "Dollar Menu" made it out safe. That girl can flat truck it when need be so we have no doubt she's halfway to Victoria by now.

Austin Daily Photo: Gil's Bar-B-Que Shack

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:35:00 -0700

Field report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/7/27/Austin-Daily-Photo-Gil-Vrazels-Czech-Barbecue-Shack-Wednesday-July-27th-2011

Austin Daily Photo: International Sandwich Day

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 23:02:00 -0700

It's International Sandwich Day y'all. In East Austin when we get the craving we go straight to Gourmand's Neighborhood Pub. Field Report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/23/Field-Report-Gourmands-Neighborhood-Pub

Happy Birthday Scrumptious Chef: It's Our 3 Year Anniversary

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 21:37:00 -0700

November 3, 1839 First opium war-2 British frigates engage several Chinese junks November 3, 1868 Ulysses Grant (R) wins presidential election over Horatio Seymour (D) November 3, 1921 Actor Charles Bronson born November 3, 1928 Turkey switches from Arabic to Roman alphabet

Meet The New Boss: X Franklin Barbecue Pit Boss John Lewis Takes The Main Stage At LA Barbecue

Sat, 03 Nov 2012 12:23:00 -0700

The line was 75 fanatics deep. The brisket quivered under a mantle of a heavy dose of cracked black pepper and the hot guts sausage glowed like the Texas sun. It's day one at LA Barbecue, LeAnn Mueller's new outfit in the former south Austin home of JMueller BBQ. Bloodlines.

Austin Daily Photo: Spin Modern Thai

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:05:00 -0700

Noted Asian food scholar Shawn Li visits Spin Modern Thai and offers his perspective http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/spin-modern-thai-in-the-suburban-wilds-of-northwest-austin/ twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Birth Notice: Brand New South Austin Barbecue From LeAnn Mueller With John Lewis On The Pit

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:36:00 -0700

I sat down at lunchtime today with LeAnn Mueller, daugher of Texas barbecue icon Bobby {RIP} and sister of John Mueller, the pit boss ousted from JMueller BBQ earlier this week. Ms. Mueller was busy, busy, busy as she prepares to re-open the barbecue business that has been shuttered for the past 48 hours. The name of the new venture is still up in the air but Mueller Barbecue and 78704 Barbecue are both being considered. UPDATE-The name of the new venture is LA Barbecue. Austin-Texas-the United States'-and the world's barbecue community have all been in a state of turmoil since Wednesday's earth shaking announcement that John Mueller would no longer be part of the food trailer that was the epicenter of central Texas barbecue.

Pre Order The Prophets Of Smoked Meat By Bbq Snob Daniel Vaughn On Bourdain's Ecco Imprint

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:26:00 -0700

Finally some good news from the world of Texas barbecue. Daniel Vaughn, the Dallas architect who moonlights as the BBQ Snob-traveling across the state of Texas and ingesting mammoth quantities of smoked meat-has a brand new book coming out that you can pre-order via Amazon. Looks like a must read for those interested in Texas barbecue. http://www.amazon.com/Prophets-Smoked-Meat-Daniel-Vaughn/dp/0062202928/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351870027&sr=1-1 Texas bbq coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Archives: Austin's Chowhound Board Bans John Mueller

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:37:00 -0700

Through the past. With all the controversy over the past 36 hours {http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/31/Explosion-In-The-World-Of-Austin-Texas-Barbecue-John-Mueller-Out-Of-JMueller-BBQ#more} I've been going over some old articles I've written in the past about John Mueller and his ramp up/re-entry into the world of Texas barbecue. I'd almost forgotten about this one:

Austin Daily Photo: Chicken Tortilla Soup At La Michoacana

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 23:26:00 -0700

The tale of the best chicken tortilla soup in Austin is right this way http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-29-12-21-55-the-best-chicken-tortilla-soup-in-austin/ twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Texas Monthly's Katy Vines Weighs In With Gravitas On JMueller BBQ Saga

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 16:03:00 -0700

Katy Vine got famous earlier this year with her magnum opus on John Mueller Barbecue and Franklin Barbecue titled "The Greatest Barbecue Story Ever Told," the article garnered wide acclaim across the US as being a splendid example of long form journalism. Now, Ms. Vine has spoken on the Mueller scandal {http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/31/Explosion-In-The-World-Of-Austin-Texas-Barbecue-John-Mueller-Out-Of-JMueller-BBQ} that has gripped the world of Austin, Texas smoked meat for the past 24 hours.

New York Times' Alex Witchel Takes A Look At Daniel DeLaney's Brooklyn Barbecue Outfit BrisketTown

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:22:00 -0700

Finally some good news to report from the world of barbecue. Daniel DeLaney, burgeoning pit boss of Brisketlab and now BrisketTown, made the paper of record this morning. One of our all time favorite writers Alex Witchel got caught up with DeLaney as he prepares to open a brick n mortar bbq joint in Brooklyn.

RIP: Rest In Peace: JMueller BBQ

Thu, 01 Nov 2012 13:11:00 -0700

Just got back from JMueller BBQ. The giant, custom-built smoker has gone cold. This is an obituary that we never envisioned penning in a hundred years. The barbecue joint of the moment-for the past year-has shuttered. John Mueller, the polarizing son of Texas icon Bobby Mueller {RIP}, is out at the restaurant that bore his name. Signs indicate that the business will be back in operation this Saturday November 3rd 2012. Young pit boss John Lewis is reportedly going to be manning the massive pit. Lewis made his name as the man putting out world class briskets at Franklin Barbecue before migrating to John Mueller's joint in South Austin in September of this year. We broke the scandal down when it erupted yesterday; changing the face of Texas barbecue forever. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/31/Explosion-In-The-World-Of-Austin-Texas-Barbecue-John-Mueller-Out-Of-JMueller-BBQ Rest In Peace JMueller BBQ twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Ruth At JP's Java

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:13:00 -0700

One of the best baristas in Austin; Ruth at Jp's Java. This girl can grind, dose, tamp, and pour with the best of them. Jp's has been usurped in the Austin coffee hierarchy as young buck brewers like Once Over down on South First Street and Caffe Medici have sprung up since Jp's first opened a decade ago. But out of all the north campus area coffee houses this is easily the best source for proper shots and pulls. previous http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 21:54:00 -0700

Week 2 of this new feature. Last week's debut synopsis drew some heavy traffic. We were heartened. We were also struck by a few things as we took the measure of Austin's blogosphere this week: there was very little high-level content out there. We sifted through a lot of dreadful posts to get to the good stuff {hot links below}. Also, a lot of writers on the sites we read are lazy as Hell. There are a few Austin blogs we perused for this feature who hadn't updated since SEPTEMBER.

Explosion In The World Of Austin Texas Barbecue: John Mueller Out Of JMueller BBQ

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 10:24:00 -0700

This is hard. I just got off the phone with LeAnn Mueller, daughter of the icon Bobby Mueller {RIP} and sister of legendary Texas pit boss; John Mueller. John is no longer part of the business that bears his name.

Austin Daily Photo: 2012 Results National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off In Meridian Texas

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:30:00 -0700

The garden spot of Bosque County, Meridian, Texas, hosted the 25th annual National Championship Barbecue Cook-Off this past weekend. As is our custom we took the 2 hour drive up from Austin for the event. 200+ teams converged on the Bosque Bottoms fairgrounds for the preeminent barbecue battle in the United States. Unlike barbecue cook-offs in other, lesser-states, the competing teams are more than happy to feed you as you make your way around the grounds. 20k is on the line for these dueling teams.

Dangerous Alliance: RL Reeves Jr Teams Up With CultureMap Austin

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 11:07:00 -0700

Check it out y'all. http://austin.culturemap.com/newsdetail/10-29-12-21-55-the-best-chicken-tortilla-soup-in-austin/ Best chicken tortilla soup in Austin? Thought you'd never ask. follow me to the end of the earth on Twitter https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr and don't leave Tamale House East out of the fun https://twitter.com/TamaleHouseEast

Austin Daily Photo: The Goat Queen Of Brady Texas World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 23:15:00 -0700

As pretty as a late summer Texas day; the goat queen of Brady, Texas prepares to award the mystery meat championship to Hobo Goat Cookers. more on this bbq party http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-barbecue-photos-world-championship-bbq-goat-cook-off-in-brady-texas/

Recipe: Tres Leche Pumpkin Bread Pudding With Salted Pecan Praline Sauce

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:04:00 -0700

I run as close to a zero waste kitchen as is possible. It's been ingrained in me from years of working in places where rubber spatulas are referred to as million dollar tools due to their ability to deglaze every last ounce of useable goods from the crannies of cans, vessels and bottles. At the end of a busy year it's untelling how much much money a busy kitchen can save with one of these tools. Enter bread pudding. I became a slave to this dessert as a child when my family vacationed in New Orleans. Thousands of baguettes make their way from busy bakeries like Leidenheimer's through the Creole kitchens of the Crescent City, and if they get stale before they make the bread service part of the meal? They get chopped up, submerged in a variety of sugars and milks then baked ,sauced and served.

Austin Daily Photo: Cochinita Pibil Taco At Tamale House East

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 23:17:00 -0700

I came for the soup. I stayed for the tacos. I heard through the grapevine that Tamale House East was going to be running a chicken tortilla soup special this weekend so I made my way with great haste down to 6th street this morning to get in on some before the hordes had their way with it.

6 Questions: Ryan Adams Of Nose To Tail At Home Food Blog

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 14:58:00 -0700

The perils of Reddit. To outsiders Reddit appears to be little more than a haven for people obsessed with housecats, fantasy football and other perils of modern life. To hard-nosed, old school reporters like Joe Gomez of CBS up in Dallas Fort Worth it's a great place to troll for news stories on a slow day. And if you have to make the news then so be it. Gomez noticed Pflugerville blogger Ryan Adams' upload of a photo of a white wing dove that had committed suicide by plowing itself into a window at Adams' home. Adams authors a food blog wherein he's cooking through Fergus Henderson's landmark "The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating" cookbook.

Austin Daily Photo: Reddi Bacon

Sat, 27 Oct 2012 21:38:00 -0700

Trumpeting characteristics that included: 1}Pre-broiled 2}Fully cooked 3}Sugar cured and 4}Smoked ...we still can't figure out how this product never took off. It allowed the eaters of 1964 to "pop a foil package of completely pre-cooked bacon into a toaster, warm it just long enough to reach serving temperature, then eat it without ever soiling a fryer pan." Brought to consumers via test markets by the makers of Reddi-Whip, and manufactured by Arbogast and Bastian, a Pennsylvania slaughterhouse and meat processor, founded in 1887 by Wilson Arbogast, a school teacher, and Morris Clinton Bastian, who had formerly operated a general store. A&B, as it was known, had humble beginnings as a smokehouse but it quickly grew to include both slaughtering and processing. At its peak 3,200 to 3,400 hogs a day were brought in the front door, processed, then shipped out the back door to accounts all over the Eastern United States. By 1984 the company was in chapter 11. Had this miracle bacon taken off, perhaps A&B would still be in business today. Image courtesty tumblr.

Austin Daily Photo: Town n Country

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 14:20:00 -0700

Every so often we like to hit the gay bar. Town n Country, down in south Austin, is lodged in one of our former favorite dive bars: The Saloon. We're not sure what happened to The Saloon, but it's defunct and has been taken over by the good folks of Rainbow Cattle Company.

Recipe: How To Make Porridge

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 13:48:00 -0700

Lo those many years ago. Before we entered the pop up restaurant business we got famous via a backyard cooking series we called "Explore The Classic Cuisine..." We tackled a host of countries {Mexico, Vietnam, Korea, Argentina, Cuba et al} before rolling back into our wheelhouse and giving Texas the treatment. We scheduled a Texas Roadhouse party and started smoking the briskets, frying the chicken fried steaks and simmering a giant kettle of Texas Red chili-then the shit hit the fan. December, normally one of Austin's prettiest months, turned surly when a north'r blew in and we had to figure out how to lodge a few dozen people in our old wood frame house in French Place.

Austin Daily Photo:Odd Duck Brick & Mortar-Bryce and Dylan Gilmore,Sam Mass,Jason James,Mark Buley

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 22:14:00 -0700

Odd Duck Farm To Trailer's rebirth is upon us. We're coming up on a full year without the little trailer that helped spark the modern food truck renaissance in Austin and it's been a tough row to hoe. Yes, Barley Swine from Chef Bryce Gilmore is fine, but there was a certain magic to Odd Duck that did not make the trip down south Lamar when Gilmore opened up in the old Pie Slice location.

Austin Daily Photo: East Side Showroom

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:36:00 -0700

This Week In Austin Texas Food Blogs

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 22:46:00 -0700

New site feature. We spend a lot of time browsing the landscape of Austin, Texas food blogs, and there are plenty doing work that bears mentioning. We sorted through the boring-ass, same ol same ol and garnered these gems:

Finally. Camp Brisket

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 16:13:00 -0700

Got $550 burning a hole in your pocket? Foodways Texas, in partnership with the Meat Science Section in the Department of Animal Science at Texas A&M University, will hold a 2 day brisket symposium in January of 2013. What does the tariff get you in return? * Access to debates over which grade beef makes for the best brisket * What type of smoker you should be using * Butcher paper wrapping of brisket advisability * Presumably more Professors and pit bosses will be delivering the lectures at the symposium dubbed "Camp Brisket" Sounds like a lot of money to us but there are plenty well heeled folks who'll regard this as a sound investment. Tickets go on sale on December 1st to the general public. Link to the Foodways Texas website http://foodwaystexas.com/

RIP: Rest In Peace: 11th Street Station In East Austin

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 13:30:00 -0700

East Austin's soul food scene took a hit recently with 11th Street Station's closure. I went by for a quick fried catfish lunch and there was non-payment notice from the gas company on the door indicating their utility had been shut off. Peering inside, a young gentleman behind the bar took his thumb and slowly dragged it across his throat. A gesture worth a thousand words.

Austin Daily Photo: Houndstooth Coffee In Frost Tower in Downtown Austin

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 23:54:00 -0700

Coming in 2013; Houndstooth Coffee is setting up shop in the Frost Tower, a stone's throw from Caffe Medici in the Austonian. A caffeinated line in the sand has been drawn in the world of Austin, Texas craft coffee. Things will never be the same. previous Austin coffee scene coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Coffee

Austin, Texas: Mystery Woman Who Survived Hail Of Bullets From Officer Robert Krummel Not Charged

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 14:30:00 -0700

Hot news out of Austin Texas. This past weekend we reported on an unnamed female motorist who burned 2am rubber on 6th street in the heart of Austin's entertainment district provoking officer Robert Krummel to open fire. She was not struck by any of the bullets.

Austin Daily Photo: Los Comales

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:38:00 -0700

Originally named "Los Comales Taqueria Carnes Al Carbon Mexican Restaurant" this East Austin joint managed to successfully weather the storm of the endless East 7th street renovation. With the project finished, crowds are starting to descend once again on Graciella Benitez' restaurant.

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Cajun Pop Up Restaurant At Three Little Pigs In East Austin

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:37:00 -0700

As problems go, long lines and worrying about running out of food, are the sort that all restaurateurs dream of. We knew going in that the latest edition of the Scrumptious Chef pop up restaurant series was going to be big due to the heavy traffic the articles breaking down the nature of the event received. We lock and load on a regular basis so it's just another day at the office for our crew.

A Guide To Making The Best Boudin You Will Ever Put In Your Mouth

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 01:23:00 -0700

Any time spent on the grinder/extruder is time well spent. We've been working on our handmade sausage recipes and techniques for almost a year now. We've made Texas hot guts, pure pork, Sweet Italian, Polish and a few experimental-style sausages during this time. The subject of boudin has come up periodically when we've been wool gathering and/or bragging amongst ourselves about how good a job we're doing, but we'd never tackled the legend. Til now.

Austin Daily Photo: RIP Rest In Peace Big Tex

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 11:41:00 -0700

We believe we found the culprits.

Magnum Force!Police Officer's Guns Blazing On 6th Street In The Heart Of Austin's Nightlife District

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 10:44:00 -0700

Gone in Sixty Seconds. An unnamed female driver peeled out in her Pontiac on 6th street in the wee hours of October 20th 2012 taking out 2 pedestrians and scattering a crowd of revelers before an Austin police officer opened fire on her vehicle bringing her evening to a grinding halt. Austin police chief Art Acevedo, at an impromptu, street-side news conference, referred to San Jacinto street as San Jack. Keeping it real in the white hot glare of media.

Austin Daily Photo: Top Chef Texas Winner Paul Qui's East Austin Brick And Mortar Under Construction

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:32:00 -0700

Rolling through the alleys of East Austin this morning we spotted Paul Qui's brand new brick and mortar restaurant under construction. Qui's set to take over the kitchen at Hole In The Wall on University Texas' campus, adding to his 3 food truck empire as well as his pending south Austin brick and mortar. Can Texas-wide expansion be far behind? And after that a national roll-out of the East Side King concept? Followed by locations in Istanbul, Amsterdam and Shanghai? When's he going to have time left to cook?

Austin Daily Photo: George Washington Carver Museum Soul Food Party

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:18:00 -0700

Hungry gal about to tear up some grits. Photo taken at the Food For Black Thought symposium held at the George Washington Carver Museum recently. Keep an eye out for Ms. Naya Jones {not pictured} the organizer of the event, she's a force of positivity and an agent for change. Her spirit is infectious. More on Jones http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/15/Interview-Ms-Naya-Jones-Of-Food-For-Black-Thought-And-The-East-Austin-Food-Project-Part-2

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 4. The Foods Of Acadiana Sun Oct 21st At Three Little Pigs East End Wines

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 08:04:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Paul Qui's Eastside King Expands Westward Into UT's Legendary Hole In The Wall

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 23:40:00 -0700

Paul Qui's slow, octopus-like takeover of Austin, Texas continues apace. With food truck sentries at Austin bars: The Grackle, Liberty Bar and Shangri-La, Qui has established a strong foothold on the East side of I-35. So he went west. Hole in the Wall has never been known for its food. We've seen Cajun food, barbecue, pizza, and southern food doled out of the kitchen by a number of entrepreneurs over the years, but other than a club sandwich somewhere around '93, they made little impression. The Hole's angle has been more along the lines of see a decent band, get drunk, make out with a stranger then walk next door to Jack in the Box for sustenance-that kind of place. Chef Qui's about to change that. A banner heralds Qui's arrival "soon" in "2012" and there's still plenty time left in the year for him to pull it off. This will be the first of 3 brick and mortars to be opened by the Top Chef Texas victor, and it's the one closest to our house so we are gnashing our teeth with anticipation. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/16/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-4-Cajun-Edition-Three-Little-PigsEast-End-Wines-Sunday-October-21st-11am

Man Up Texas BBQ’s 3rd Annual Gettin' Sauced! Festival October 27th 2012 At Hops & Grain Brewing

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 15:40:00 -0700

A don't miss for Texas barbecue fans, Man Up Texas BBQ is about to roll out the 3rd edition of their monstrously popular barbecue sauce competition/party. 150 sauces from the United States, Canada, and Australia will be available for sampling along with food from Louie Mueller, Opies, and Black's and plenty cold micro brew from Hops and Grains brewing.

Austin Daily Photo: The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas In LaGrange

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 17:30:00 -0700

Walking out of Prause Meat Market down in LaGrange we decided to stroll around a bit and soak in some of the small town hospitality that Texas is famous for. We wandered into a little building nearby that was a bit of an ad hoc museum. This is where we spotted a Best Little Whorehouse in Texas diorama.

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 4: Cajun Edition. Three Little Pigs/East End Wines Sunday October 21st 11am

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:52:00 -0700

all the details on our Sat Jan 12 2013 Wild Foods Of Texas Pop Up Restaurant At Tamale House East http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/3/Scrumptious-Chef-Restaurant-Pop-Up-7-Meet-Our-Purveyors-Part-1-Broken-Arrow-Ranch-Texas-Antelope Cajun food. ".....stout provisions, cooked up with a lusty flair and smacking of salt air and hickory smoke..." thus wrote Mary Land in her groundbreaking book: Louisiana Cookery, published way back in 1954 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I have a love of many cuisines but few stir my heart like Cajun cookery. The foodways of Acadiana encompass multiple states and countries as the rural prairies and swamps have embraced diasporas from France, Africa, Appalachia, New Jersey, Canada and lord knows where else. Ground zero is Lafayette, Louisiana where men like Wallace Johnson of Johnson's Boucaniere continue practicing the prairie arts of smoking meat and stuffing hog gut casings with offal and rice.

Austin Daily Photo: Charlie's Steakhouse

Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:05:00 -0700

Gone but not forgotten. The old north Travis County icon has been shuttered for almost a year now but the memory still burns bright for hundreds of Central Texas eaters. We take a look at the final night of service http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/the-death-of-a-texas-steakhouse/

Interview: Ms. Naya Jones Of Food For Black Thought And The East Austin Food Project Part 2

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 15:16:00 -0700

When I met Ms. Naya Jones at her Food For Black Thought symposium at the George Washington Carver Museum 2 weeks ago, I was taken with how charged up and full of energy she was. This gal was raring to go and her enthusiasm was infectious. In part 1 of our interview, Ms. Jones explained her background and how she came to spearhead the project. You can read that portion of the interview here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/4/Interview-Ms-Naya-Jones-Of-Food-For-Black-Thought-And-The-East-Austin-Food-Project Naya Jones had a lot more on her mind so it's with great pleasure that I now bring you the second portion of our discussion.

The Queen Is Dead: South Austin Tex Mex Icon La Reyna Has Been Deposed, Kingdom Dispersed

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:39:00 -0700

This is a hard one. Writing obituaries is my least favorite part of this job but penning this one is gut wrenching. La Reyna, one of Austin's longest running Tex Mex diners, has shuttered. Established in 1974 by the Fernandez family, the old gal had a nigh 4 decade-long run before being purchased by Marisela Godinez of El Meson fame in 2011. Unfortunately, Godinez' Midas touch did not take hold and La Reyna has passed on into the Austin folklore of places like El Carnivore and Jaime's Spanish Village.

Show And Prove: Texas Beers Bring Home The Hardware At Great American Beer Fest

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 22:31:00 -0700

We're in the middle of a full fledged Texas craft beer renaissance. It's hard to believe that it's been twenty years since Pierre Celis set up shop in Austin and ignited an interest in fine beer that's still spreading like wildfire across the region. Central Texas is now home to a dazzling array of breweries putting out some of the best beer in the entire USA. Real Ale, Live Oak and 512 Brewing could set up shop in Oregon, Colorado or Pennsylvania and earn a good living.

Austin Daily Photo: Justine's

Sun, 14 Oct 2012 12:43:00 -0700

Like a lot of my favorite restaurants Justine's exists in an old, broken down part of town where it's a roll of the dice as to whether your stereo will still be in the dash of the Econoline after your meal. Over near the burned down Tejano bar, down the road from the brewery and around the corner from the brothel, Justine's sits; the kind of humble, delicious cafe that every city should rightly have.

Austin Daily Photo: Sugar Pie DeSanto At Ponderosa Stomp Performing At House Of Blues in New Orleans

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 23:48:00 -0700

The legendary Sugar Pie DeSanto getting nasty onstage during her performance at House Of Blues in New Orleans for the Ponderosa Stomp. This is Austin Daily Photo number 655.

Austin Daily Photo: La Michoacana

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 22:41:00 -0700

Food deserts would spring up all over Austin if the various La Michoacanas were to shutter tomorrow. The Houston company is the largest independent Hispanic grocery store chain in the United States with over a hundred outlets scattered about Texas and Oklahoma. They have a fairly modest presence in Austin but if you look closely, they wisely open up in areas that are under-served by dominant chain HEB. They went hard into San Antonio, opening up thirteen stores in HEB's backyard. Even Fiesta Mart hasn't had the balls to try to butt heads with Mr. Butt's dominance down in the Alamo City.

Austin Texas Nightclub Scandal: Yassine Enterprises Verdicts Announced In Money Laundering Case

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 14:41:00 -0700

Guilty as charged verdicts were rendered today, Friday October 12th 2012, against Hussein Ali "Mike" Yassine and Hadi Yassine in their money laundering trial in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks.

Austin Daily Photo: Picture Of Congress Avenue In 1900

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 22:43:00 -0700

Ladies and gentleman we have been gypped. Modern day Austinites don't have it anywhere near as good as folks did at the dawn of the 20th century. I took this picture of a picture at the Dairy Queen on Manor Road recently. Think about a few of the amenities that Austinites enjoyed back in 1900. Ten cent cigars. Multiple street car lines. Everybody's wearing cool hats. Turkish baths. You could get a room at the Driskill for less than $5. We're living in the wrong time. Nowadays a decent cigar's going to set you back $15. The only streetcar takes you straight to Cedar Park. The only hats are baseball and they're worn backwards. The Turks and their baths got run out of town decades ago and a room at the Driskill's $367. Gypped.

Happy Southern Food Heritage Day Austin Texas

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 12:43:00 -0700

Texas food vs Southern Food. What's the difference? Out here in the great state we've got chicken fried steak. Over in Alabama they've got country fried steak. Out here in Texas we've got chile con queso. Over in Kentucky they've got beer cheese spread. Out here in Texas we've got smoked pork ribs. Over in Mississippi they've got baked ribs simmered in barbecue sauce. Out here in Texas we've got Texas Red Chili. Over in Dixie there are dozens of variations on the form with nobody ready to whup your ass if you throw a bean in the kettle.

I Cover The War: Food Blogs Worthy of Your Time #10: Nose To Tail At Home

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 11:42:00 -0700

From CBS Radio website: "Update October 12, 2012 – Captain Scott Jurk, a Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden, says, "Texas Parks and Wildlife will not be pursuing any charges against Ryan Adams in this case." We've been reading Austin blogger Ryan Adam's Nose To Tail At Home food blog for awhile now. It popped up in our newsfeed due to Adam's allegiance to the offal cooking of Fergus Henderson, head chef at St. John in Smithfield, London. Adams is attempting to cook his way through "The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating" a landmark work in the field of consuming an animal in its entirety: balls, brains, spleen, kidney's, liver, tongue etc.

Best Hamburger In Austin Part 15: Driskill Hotel's 1886 Cafe And Bakery

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 11:46:00 -0700

Walking into the grand old dame of Austin hotels you can feel the history. More appropriately, it should be stated, you can smell the history. We quickly ask for patio seating as the mildew odor inside is reminiscent of old aunt Hazel whose basement was given to flooding. Outside, hard-up against 6th street, the veranda is pleasant. RL Burnside is blasting out of the speakers from Wild About Music across the way, cougars and sabre-tooths are afoot-toddling down the sidewalk in strappy sandals, and a nice Autumn breeze is lilting its way down the canyons formed by the skyscrapers.

Austin Daily Photo: Driskill Hotel's 1886 Cafe And Bakery

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 22:22:00 -0700

An absolute beast of a salad that could easily feed 4 hungry eaters. Picture taken moments before it was doused with a balsamic vinegar dressing, thereby rendering it inedible. I wish I could dig up the quote from Anton Lavey who ruminated on the likelihood of a person's sexual proclivities via their choice of salad dressings. If memory serves Lavey was in the dairy-based camp and he threw lightning bolts at those who walked the sour path of vinegar.

East Side King: Paul Qui & Moto Utsunomiya Run It,Peelander-Z Painted It & Christian Remde Filmed It

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 12:33:00 -0700

We just got finished watching the new Christian Remde short film on the renaissance of East Side King's Grackle food truck in East Austin. Paul Qui and Moto Utsunomiya bought a new food truck and commissioned Yellow, a member of Peelander-Z, to paint it up Japanese monster movie style. It looked great on film so that meant one thing. Time to load up in the Econoline and head down to see the work first hand.

Austin Daily Photo: Galaxy Moviehouse And Eatery In Austin's Four Points Neighborhood

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 23:22:00 -0700

The 900lb gorilla of Austin's dinner and a movie scene; Alamo Drafthouse, has a new and formidable opponent. Galaxie Moviehouse and Eatery is preparing to open in Northwest Austin. Galaxy Moviehouse and Eatery is a partnership between Galaxy Theaters and Trails Cinema Partners. They're building a palace of a theater with eleven screens, reclining lounge style seats, waitrons, full service kitchen and bar, concessions, and D-Box seating. We have no idea what D-box seating is.

Out Of The Past: A Year In The Life Of John Mueller Barbecue

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:43:00 -0700

When he dies he probably wants to be crusted over with kosher salt and coarse black pepper, loaded on his big iron smoker, cooked through the night, then fed to the crew over at Shaggybevo's GM Steakhouse. It will be a fitting end for a man who has given his life to Texas barbecue. He's got enough brimstone in him that you won't need to apply any cayenne. Today is the 1 year anniversary of John Mueller opening his eponymous food trailer down in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood of South Austin, so we thought we'd take a look back at the man who's once again left a giant, fist-shaped imprint on the world of Texas smoked meat.

Austin Daily Photo: Taco Joint Makes The Finest Flour Tortillas In Austin

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 21:51:00 -0700

The list is short. Superb, San Antonio-level flour tortillas are hard to come by in Austin. You've got Don Marcelino, La Reyna and Taco Joint bringing hard charges toward the top of the scrum while a handful of other taqueras around town wield their rolling pins as they flail backwards down the rankings.

Austin Daily Photo: Tom And Bingo's Barbecue In Lubbock Texas

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 00:09:00 -0700

As good a reason as any to pay a visit to Lubbock, Texas: Tom and Bingo's Barbecue, bright and early in the morning under the glare of the headlights of the Econoline van. We have no doubt that owner and pit boss Tom Clanton was out back, loading hickory wood onto the smoker but we were absolutely starving after the long drive from Austin and couldn't wait for him to fling the doors open. A visit to Josie's Burritos #4 quickly remedied that. We're spoiled for Tex Mex in Austin and Josie's could not open around these parts and keep beans and greens on the table. Our review http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-daily-photo-josies-burritos-4-in-lubbock-texas/ And more on Tom and Bingo's http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-daily-photo-tom-and-bingos-barbecue-in-lubbock-texas-est-1952/

The Kentucky Kitchen Part 6: How To Make Chocolate Gravy

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 14:38:00 -0700

Kentucky is gravy country. Alabama is gravy country. Texas is gravy country. As you traverse the upper end of the South, make your way down into Dixie and then head out West to the Great State, you'll find dozens of regional variations on this simple, humble sauce. We pour it over our chicken fried steak, we fry up Jimmy Dean sausage and make a gravy that's perfect for our biscuits; and a bowl of mashed potatoes served without gravy? That might just find the cook on the business end of a rusty shank.

Austin Daily Photo: Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 13:09:00 -0700

There are certainly better ways to use Bulleit Bourbon {it makes a very fine Old Fashioned} but the added gusto it gives to a pan of dessert bars takes a good dessert and shoots it straight to the moon. Earlier this week I rifled through my Maida Heatter cookbooks seeking inspiration for a sojourn in the kitchen. I found it. As usual. The doyenne of sweets is pushing a hundred years old but is still able to give guidance through her printed work which will be pored over for the next millenia. How to make Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/3/Recipe-How-To-Make-Chocolate-Bourbon-Pecan-Bars

Interview: Ms. Naya Jones Of Food For Black Thought And The East Austin Food Project

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:26:00 -0700

I have a long history with rural soul food. I grew up eating from the Kentucky table of my grandmother Nellie Sullivan, a professional cook who grew vast gardens filled with corn, tomatoes, greens, peppers, potatoes and a multitude of other vegetables. My grandfather Big Jim Sullivan, raised hogs and steers for slaughter so there was always plenty meat on the family table as well. The Sullivan family farm has been producing food for our family for over a hundred years in the Cumberland Highlands region of Eastern Kentucky. My interest was piqued when I read about a symposium called Food For Black Thought held at the Carver Museum in East Austin last week. The weekend-long affair featured films, guest lecturers and of course plenty soul food with the added bonus being that it was from the kitchen of Hoover Alexander.

Austin Daily Photo: East End Wines

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 23:03:00 -0700

Patio construction at East End Wines has begun. Sometime in the near future we'll all be able to waltz out of the wine shop and park on the patio with a glass of Brut and contemplate what we're going to order from Three Little Pigs. The potent combination of bubbles and pork belly taken under a brilliant Texas sky should be a boon companion to East Austin eaters. More details soon. rifle through hundreds of Austin restaurant and bar photos right this way http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Frito Pie

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 22:20:00 -0700

One of the great contributions of the state of Texas to world cuisine: The Frito Pie. Picture taken at the state wrestling championships held each year in Austin. Vended from the snack bar. Further exploration. Consumed By Fritos: The Life of Charles Elmer Doolin http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/5/31/Consumed-By-Fritos-The-Life-of-Charles-Elmer-Doolin?adminview=true Authentic Tex Mex Part Ten: The Ultimate Frito Pie Recipe http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/6/2/Authentic-Tex-Mex-Part-Ten-The-Ultimate-Frito-Pie-Recipe?adminview=true That is all. This is Austin Daily Photo number 645. archive: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

KLRU And Franklin Barbecue Team Up In Indiegogo Funded YouTube Barbecue Series

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:30:00 -0700

KLRU-TV, Austin PBS and Aaron Franklin are teaming up. They've started a fund raiser on Indiegogo to raise money for a web series on how to cook Texas barbecue. Sounds like it could be a Prague Spring for burgeoning pit bosses. Head on over to http://www.indiegogo.com/bbqwithfranklin to learn how you can help. They're looking to raise 16k which sounds pretty modest by current standards. We'd love to see Franklin offer "stroll to the front of the line for one year" as a donor reward for a contribution of the full 16k. With the stroke of a pen the whole fundraiser could be realized for one lucky, deep pocketed meat lover. previous Franklin BBQ http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/22/Seismic-Shift-In-Texas-Franklin-Barbecue-Pit-Boss-John-Lewis-Joins-Forces-With-John-Mueller-BBQ

Recipe: How To Make Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Bars

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 10:30:00 -0700

I still fondly reflect back on one of my first jobs in a professional kitchen. I worked the graveyard shift as a baker/pastry chef making cakes, pies, tarts, tortes, cookies and tea breads. I'd roll into the kitchen around midnight, often after tying one on at a nearby bar, crank up some Beasts of Bourbon and set about my tasks. An ancient Black man came in around 3am to knock out the baguettes and he'd regale me with stories of what it was like when he was a young man growing up in rural Alabama. It wasn't pretty but it was certainly compelling. He kept an old harp in the glovebox of his car and sometimes when he needed a break, he'd go out back and roll up a cigarette and start blowing lonesome from the front seat of his old Buick. He got a kick out it when I'd discover a "new" musician like Big Boy Crudup or Slim Harpo.

Austin Daily Photo: Hoover Alexander

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 23:27:00 -0700

The lion of soul food in Austin, Texas. Hoover Alexander could retire tomorrow and leave a giant, pork chop-shaped imprint on the food scene in Austin that would last for a millennia. Mr. Alexander began his career at the legendary Nighthawk-founded in 1932 by Harry Akin, a man who would go onto become Mayor of Austin. Alexander washed dishes, bussed tables, tended bar and cooked at the iconic restaurant before eventually moving on and opening his own place; Toulouse on 6th street, still spoken of in reverential tones by Austinites of a certain age. After closing Toulouse, Alexander had a journeyman's career of sorts for a few years before opening Hoover's Home Cooking on Manor Road in 1998. Fourteen years later, the East Austin soul food cafe is still going strong. About the photo: We attended a soul food brunch at the Carver Museum last weekend as part of the Food For Black Thought symposium. Hoover Alexander provided the food for the event and it was absolutely delicious. Creamy cheesy grits, scrambled eggs, Elgin sausage and biscuits and gravy were heaped up on attendees plates as we got ready for a full day of lectures and films. read more about the symposium here: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/29/Austin-Daily-Photo-Ingredients

A Big Bowl Of Red Awaits: Central Texas Chili Cook Offs Fall 2012

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 13:43:00 -0700

It's chili season y'all. My mom reminded me of the fact when she was breaking down the supper she made last night for the family. Her chili is delicious but she'd be escorted to the Texas border quick if she tried to pull a stunt like that in the Great State. Ground beef, tomatoes and red kidneys are her prime ingredients. It's also a thin, soup-like chili. A couple times a year I run by El Milagro and buy her a dozen packets of their premium, pure chili powders. They have the housewife, all in one, blends but I like to buy the 100% Guajillo{dried Marisol}, Ancho {dried Poblano}, Pasilla{dried chilaca} etc and then mix and match with other seasonings.

Austin Daily Photo: Dairy Queen

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 22:44:00 -0700

The business lady is frayed. She's just gotten off work and her world-weary self settles into the booth next to mine with a barely audible sigh. Pulling out her laptop she carefully scoots her buster parfait to the edge of the table. Acer defense mode engaged. "Does Dairy Queen have wi fi?" I offer. "Ain't no wi fi in the ghetto!" a nearby gentleman proclaims. The business gal begs to differ and explains that indeed, Dairy Queen is a hip company that's wise to the ways of the contemporary world.

Austin Daily Photo: Java Jive Serves Starbucks Coffee

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 11:13:00 -0700

Too late. By the time the barista had handed me my morning cup it was too late. I was all in on a cup of Starbucks coffee. A "pleasure" I'd not known in well over a decade. I first discovered "good" coffee back in the 90s. By good I mean beans that had been roasted locally and dispensed via a La Marzocco espresso machine by a barista who'd actually been trained to operate the infernal device.

Austin Daily Photo: In.gredients

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 22:37:00 -0700

I just returned from the Carver Theater where I saw the premiere of "East Side Food Stories" a documentary with Directors Charles Easley, Kayla Holman, and Isaiah Stewart in attendance. They're high school kids but you'd never know it. The film is a fine one and In.gredients has a role in the documentary. The kids visit the market then ruminate on the role that this nouveau grocer is playing in historically Black and Latino East Austin.

Austin Daily Photo: Tombstone Texas Bar and Grill Liberty Hill

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 22:58:00 -0700

Perched on the edge of the Hill Country in Liberty Hill, Texas {my map feature demanded I type in Georgetown, the bar is actually 12 miles west of the city} Tombstone Texas Bar and Grill is a palace of a bar with future plans toward becoming a music venue accommodating almost 4k people. The interior is pure Texana with exposed wood and natural rock being the primary features. They could open this establishment in downtown Austin and it would be one of the nicest bars in the city. Apparently the owners have some deep pockets as the build-out is one of the finest I've seen anywhere.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Maria Maria

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 20:16:00 -0700

Austin's running out of places to get a $9 bowl of guacamole. Carlos Santana's joint down on Colorado, along with Zandunga on the East Side, led the charge on putting the pedal to the metal on avocado pricing. Avarice is a funny thing. They're both shuttered.

Casino El Camino Out! Doug Guller Of Bikinis Takes Over Scoot Inn

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 23:26:00 -0700

That was quick. We first reported that Paul Eighmey aka Casino Of Casino El Camino was preparing to take over the Scoot Inn back on August 23rd 2012. That has now changed. Gary Dinges over at the Statesman, penned an article in the daily paper this evening that Doug Guller of Bikini's fame is now the new owner and is set to take control of the property this Friday. Who knows what the inner machinations of that deal were as Eighmey was all systems go just a month ago. We covered the story here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/23/Paul-Eighmey-aka-Casino-Of-Casino-El-Camino-Set-To-Take-Over-The-Scoot-Inn?adminview=true as it broke across Austin. We'll update this article as more details emerge. Hot link to the Dinges piece http://www.statesman.com/news/business/new-owner-takes-over-east-austins-scoot-inn/nSNgb/

Austin Daily Photo: Joe's Bakery 50th Anniversary Party

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 23:14:00 -0700

When we said the crowd at the Joe's Bakery 50th anniversary party was diverse we meant it. Full report http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/25/Field-Report-Joes-Bakery-50th-Anniversary-Party

Field Report: Austin Texas Basque Gastronomic Society Txoko Ten Edition

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 12:30:00 -0700

We recently celebrated a milestone: the tenth gathering of our Basque Gastronomic Society, known as a txoko {choco}. Our guild was formed in September of 2010 in a backyard in North Austin, about as far away from the Basque Autonomous Community in Spain as you can get, yet we still strive for authenticity.

Austin Daily Photo: King Ranch Casserole

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:52:00 -0700

A nice plump King Ranch Casserole adorned with plenty rajas, stuffed with corn tortillas and roasted chicken and bound together with heavy cream and mountains of shredded cheese. It's the Texas housewife classic and is one of the Great State's primary contributions to American cuisine. We break down the legend: The Rules of King Ranch Casserole http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/2/10/The-Rules-of-King-Ranch-Casserole if you can't follow the rules don't tackle the formula. and once you've memorized the rules and signed all documents promising to obey them, you're ready to tackle the recipe http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/2/23/Cut-and-Shoot-Texas-King-Ranch-Casserole-Recipe No shortcuts on this recipe either. We don't go in for opening up a few cans of soup and dumping them in a baking dish and calling it a day {although truth be told, we've had some very good King Ranches that were done in this fashion} Casserole season is upon us y'all. Please report back with tales of your casserole cookery as Autumn progresses.

Authentic Tex Mex Part Eighteen: How To Make Carne Molida

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 17:05:00 -0700

I was raised on chili. My mom regularly made a batch using red kidneys and ground beef. My grandma had an oddly wonderful take that featured white beans and green tomatoes. My aunts and uncles all knocked out kettles of the stuff and my dad? He made a version at the house for the wife and kids, but he saved the evil for his buddies at the volunteer fire department where he concocted a fierce, witches brew that would singe the brass stays off your Wranglers.

2012 Texas Craft Brewers Festival: Austin, Texas Fiesta Gardens Saturday October 6th 2012

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:14:00 -0700

We attended a media party for the Texas Craft Brewers Festival a couple weeks ago at Red's Porch down in South Austin. It was a fruitful gathering of drunks, beer lovers, beer bitches, beer journalists, craft brewers and the occasional outsider who managed to get past security into our cordoned off wonderland of free beer and bar snacks.

Best Hamburger In Austin Part 14: Workhorse Bar

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 11:48:00 -0700

We love the Workhorse Bar, let's get that out of the way right now. Just sitting in the space brings back many, many pleasant memories of being falling down drunk and watching Scott H. Biram tear down the joint at his Monday night residency a million or so years ago when the building housed The Parlor. Workhorse must have some serious brain power backing up the concept too. They've shoehorned a maddening amount of beer taps on a wall the size of a typical kitchen cabinet. And they're not your typical bullshit draws that pollute most tap walls in Austin either. They went heavy Texas on the selection with all the local brewers from Adelbert to Live Oak to Real Ale. Not a dud in the bunch.

Field Report: Joe's Bakery 50th Anniversary Party

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:15:00 -0700

When you walk into a party in Austin, Texas and Los Texas Wranglers are banging out Augie Meyer's "Hey Baby Que Paso" you know you're in a good place. Joe's Bakery, the east Austin institute of Tex Mex, rented out Fiesta Gardens last night and put on a Hell of a 50th anniversary party with plenty loud music, paletas, carne molida, birthday cake and of course several gallons of chips and queso. Austin, Texas was quite a bit different in 1962. The city hosted a little over 200k people, Lester Palmer was smoking like a chimney in the mayor's office while trying to figure out how he was going to get MOPAC built, the Jetsons was debuting on local TV sets and 33 year old Joe Avila was busy converting Sun Bakery into the eponymous Joe's- and thus birthing a legend.

Austin Daily Photo: Thai Thani

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 22:42:00 -0700

Brand new food trailer on Manor Road directly across from Hoover's Home Cooking. As is my custom, I visited when they were closed. A man had crawled up underneath the trailer and was repairing something so I stuck my head underneath to badger a few details out of him.

Austin Tex Mex Legend Joe's Bakery Is 50. Party w/ The Estradas, Avilas And Maciels At Fiesta Garden

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:00:00 -0700

Joe's Bakery, one of our top picks for sit-down carne guisada in Austin, is turning 50 and throwing a party at Fiesta Gardens tonight to celebrate. Time: 6-9 pm Place: Fiesta Gardens 2101 Bergman Avenue Austin, TX 78702 Event: Joe's Bakery Birthday Party Free food and drink and since this is an Austin party; LIVE MUSIC! https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Danielle Dimovski Jack Daniels World Barbecue Champ Releases Sizzle Reel Featuring John Mueller BBQ

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 12:37:00 -0700

We love Danielle Dimovski, the Jack Daniels World Barbecue Champion is loud, bawdy and as talented a pit boss as you're ever likely to meet. After a recent visit to Austin, Texas her production team released a sizzle reel of some of the highlights of her barbecue trek across our fair city. 11 states, 32 cities, 5 barbecue competitions and visits to countless smokehouses must have made for some interesting times. Check out the highlight reel in advance of her TV show set to debut in the Spring of 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lGMrEQPF1D4 and how in the world did John Mueller coax Franklin BBQ's pit boss to switch camps? http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/22/Seismic-Shift-In-Texas-Franklin-Barbecue-Pit-Boss-John-Lewis-Joins-Forces-With-John-Mueller-BBQ https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr This is barbecue article number 250

RIP: Rest In Peace: Arkie's Grill

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 23:01:00 -0700

Local writer Alan Sudo is reporting that Arkie's Grill has permanently shuttered. A "closed for remodeling" sign went up a few weeks ago and apparently this was just a ruse as the property has changed hands. Sudo goes on to mention that the folks behind East Side Showroom and Hillside Farmacy are the force behind the restaurant coming to the space. Back in the winter of last year Arkie's briefly entered the barbecue business. They installed a smoker, bought a cord of hickory wood and took a crack at drawing in some brisket money.

Austin Daily Photo: Franklin Barbecue Line Standers Raise Their Voices In Song

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 17:05:00 -0700

The scene from outside the Long Center For The Performing Arts as Franklin Barbecue line-standers experience a long, slow, thunderclap of a line-standing orgasm. After a week of no line-standing due to Franklin's vacation, the experience of a good two hour wait for a plate of barbecue had to be sweet relief. Full report coming on the Texas Monthly Barbecue Festival where the above photo was taken. Part One: A Modest Proposal Concerning Franklin Barbecue http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/6/18/Part-One-A-Modest-Proposal-Concerning-Franklin-Barbecue Part Two: A Modest Proposal Concerning Franklin Barbecue. Line Standers Edition http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/9/17/Part-Two-A-Modest-Proposal-Concerning-Franklin-Barbecue-Line-Standers-Edition https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Seismic Shift In Texas: Franklin Barbecue Pit Boss John Lewis Joins Forces With John Mueller BBQ

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:59:00 -0700

Preface. John Mueller is out at JMueller BBQ. Details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/11/3/Meet-The-New-Boss-X-Franklin-Barbecue-Pit-Boss-John-Lewis-Takes-The-Main-Stage-At--LA-Barbecue ----------------------------------------------------------------- Stunner. Ran by John Mueller Barbecue this morning to grab a link of hot guts for breakfast and damn near went apoplectic. John Lewis, former pit boss at Franklin Barbecue and national competition bbq cook has joined forces with the fiery Taylor, Texas native. Unbelievable.

Austin Daily Photo: K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 20:19:00 -0700

One of the first nice restaurants I ever dined in was K-Paul's, the cafe credited with bringing the art of blackening to New Orleans. Back then the restaurant was quite a bit different than it is today. It held about fifty people, the lines to get in stretched down the block and seating was largely communal to feed the crowds. There was a small grocery upstairs above the cafe where you could buy freshly butchered meats to cook in your home kitchen as well as po boys and meat n 3 style lunches. That part of the business has long since shuttered.

Austin Daily Photo: Henderson's Family Restaurant In Killeen Texas

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:11:00 -0700

The puritans have not made their way to Henderson's Family Restaurant in Killeen, Texas. A thick haze of tobacco smoke hangs in the air, blending with the aroma of coffee and frying bacon. Little old granny women are sipping on cracked porcelain mugs with Pall Malls hanging off their lips while scanning the Killeen Daily Herald. It's a fine scene. I'm passing through town and as is my custom have vectored in on a spot that looks likely to have biscuits, gravy and fried eggs. They do. I get honey-lambed by the waitress and sugar dumpling-ed by the cashier when I pay and prepare to leave. Henderson's Family Restaurant will not make you forget that diner in Alabama or North Carolina that put out the best blue plate breakfast you ever had in your life but as a traveling meal it will suit just fine. https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Killing On 6th Street In Austin Texas: Preston Joe Sharpnack Stands Accused In Death Of Matt Casey

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 12:05:00 -0700

It's getting rougher by the minute. Austin, Texas' playground: 6th Street, has been a rough and tumble zone for decades with fights, brawls, stabbings and the occasional riot going on to make sure you step lively and watch your back whilst slamming back flaming Dr Pepper shots. Murder can once more be added to the equation. Preston Joe Sharpnack has been charged with manslaughter, the technical, legal term for his alleged killing of Austin architect Matt Casey. We're not barristers and when one man kills another we generally refer it as murder.

Austin Daily Photo: Alphonse Dotson Of Certenberg Vineyards

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 22:33:00 -0700

Out in Voca, Texas {pop.50} Alphonse Dotson holds sway over 29 acres of prime Texas wine growing real estate at his Certenburg Vineyard near the bustling community of Brady. The former Oakland Raider and resident of Mexico is putting out some of the best wines in the Great State with a Gotas de Oro Muscat Canelli being particularly delicious. Back when Dotson played pro ball the rules were a mite different. He likened the NFL in those days to being "an organized street fight." Nowadays, his life is slightly more genteel as his vineyard has gained him international recognition for producing superior grapes.

Austin Texas Coffee:Thursday Night Throwdowns Determine Ruler Of Barista Kingdom Part 2

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 14:57:00 -0700

Druid-like they move quietly through the dark alleys of Austin, Texas long after normal, God-fearing people have given the night to slumber. They arrive at the pre-ordained location and begin preparing for an illicit contest which will determine, for 2 fortnights, the ruler of their forbidden kingdom. They are Austin, Texas baristas, and once per month, through black magick and subterfuge, coax bizarre potions out of ancient, rattling machines spirited in from continents away before a group of their peers and acolytes. Eschewing the powers of Twitter and Facebook they relay word of their competition via highly trained, papyrus-carrying, cane rats that scutter through the labyrinthine sewer system that exists far beneath the placid streets of Austin.

The Kentucky Kitchen Part 5: Brains And Eggs

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:36:00 -0700

Growing up in the Cumberland Highlands region of Eastern Kentucky our family practiced nose to tail cooking before Fergus Henderson had unlatched his mouth from his mother's breast, and long before it became chic for line cooks to blow a week's pay on pig tattoos for their forearms. We didn't like letting good meat go to waste. Durog hogs were the breed of choice on our family's farm. The big beasts are gorgeous creatures, notoriously hardy and grow to unfathomable sizes ranging upwards of a half a ton on the hoof. They are also delicious.

Daniel Delaney To Open Brick And Mortar In Williamsburg Brooklyn: The Rise Of BrisketTown

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 15:08:00 -0700

Florence Fabricant is reporting that Daniel Delaney, who famously transported one of Aaron Franklin's smokers to New York City, is moving forward from his Brisketlab concept to open BrisketTown, a brick and mortar in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood. Projected date is October 31st 2012. Every report we've read on Mr. Delaney's brisket claims that it's full Texas quality, so we have no doubt that this restaurant will be a major player in New York City's smoked meat game. Previous Daniel Delaney coverage: We interviewed the pit boss here http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/daniel-delaney-of-brisketlab-sits-down-with-rl-reeves-jr/ and breaking down the BrisketLab http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/7/5/Brisketlab-Debuts-A-New-Life-For-Aaron-Franklins-Smoker-In-The-Bright-Lights-Of-New-York-City https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Happy National Cheeseburger Day Austin Texas!

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:07:00 -0700

The delicate nature of the common, delicious hamburger can be upset by the application of cheese, therefore we normally take our burgers sans fromage. But occasionally we've been known to go all in when we place our order at our favorite burger shop, and tell the waitress to bring on the queso. We're still haunted by the memory of Capitol Brasserie, the short-lived redoubt of cheeseburger greatness on Colorado Street in downtown Austin. They put out a Stilton Bacon burger that still gives us fever dreams years after the cafe's closure. Looking to celebrate National Cheeseburger Day in Austin, Texas? We've been documenting some of the best places in town for the past couple years. Here's a hot link to the series. Now get out there and eat a cheeseburger then come back and tell us all about it. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Best-Hamburger-In-Austin?1&startrow=11 https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Great Food Truck Race Competitor Austin Daily Press To Open Behind Wet Whistle In East Austin

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:42:00 -0700

We're not sure what the open date will be as Austin Daily Press website domain has expired, but signage is up on the building directly behind The Wet Whistle at the intersection of E. MLK and Chicon. With Adam Bryan's tiny cocktail bar Motel slated to open on the same block, East Austin is getting more interesting by the minute. More on Adam Bryan http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/28/TexasAdam-Bryans-Cocktail-Bar-Motel-Behind-Wet-Whistle-In-East-Austin-Gains-Crucial-Permit More on Wet Whistle http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/7/31/Birth-Notice-Wet-Whistle-Is-Open-For-Business Vast, sprawling, comprehensive Austin food truck coverage right this way http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Food-Trucks https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

RIP: Rest In Peace: Barron's Hamburger Haven

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:00:00 -0700

In an article titled "Dust-up In Milam County: RL Reeves Jr Eats At Barron's Hamburger Haven In Thorndale. Avoids Jail time" I related a tale of how trying to get a hot plate lunch up in Thorndale, Texas almost resulted in a visit to the Milam County hoosegow.

Austin Daily Photo: Norma's Grocery In East Austin

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 23:33:00 -0700

We'd love to know the history behind Norma's Grocery in East Austin. The sign is located, roughly, at 2421 Webberville Road. Who was Norma? What happened to her grocery store? The elements are slowly taking their toll and the display will be a ghost sign soon. Any grocery store historians reading? https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Part Two: A Modest Proposal Concerning Franklin Barbecue. Line Standers Edition

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 20:03:00 -0700

The simple pleasures of standing in a line are not to be easily dismissed. New iphone? Form a queue. Comic book turned into a motion picture? The line starts here. Band you've never heard of booked into the Parish at SXSW. Happy to attend as long as there's at least a 2 hour wait. Humans love lines and the simple pleasures wrought by standing in them. There is no denying it. The hard reality of this simple truism came crashing down years back at a Mexican cannibal movie being screened at midnight during SXSW at the old Drafthouse. Colorado Street was under attack. Lightning crashing, driving sheets of rain and booming thunderclaps with the end times clearly upon Austin, Texas.

Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Tex Mex Pop Up Three Little Pigs East End Wines

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:59:00 -0700

Austin Daily Photo: Burger Tex

Sun, 16 Sep 2012 22:14:00 -0700

"Burger Tex" and "The Original Burger Tex" are registered trademark with United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Registered Number 2736706 and Registered Number 2926838 respectively. We are not affiliated any one of imitators around Austin and Houston."

Austin Daily Photo: Rowdy AKA Jessica From Lovejoy's

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 18:31:00 -0700

Ran into one of my favorite bartenders who ever slung a drink in Austin, Texas. Rowdy is currently retired from the game but took a moment out of her busy day to straddle her sweet Ducati and pose for a quick photo. Hopefully this will be photo one in a brand new series where I track down the staff at Lovejoy's and feature them in their current environment. Tips, leads and suggestions always welcome http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm more Lovejoys http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/6/2/Best-Dive-Bar-In-Austin-Part-Two-Lovejoys-Tap-Room-Thursday-June-2nd-2011

Austin Daily Photo: Caroline And Shaun Of Bitch Beer

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 11:31:00 -0700

Met these 2 charming ladies, self-proclaimed founding bitches of the all-female squad over at http://bitchbeer.org/ at Red's Porch a couple nights ago. We were there for a media party for The Texas Craft Brewers Festival that's taking over Fiesta Gardens on October 6th 2012. We had ourselves a time drinking micro brew from Real Ale and chatting with a horde of local beer hounds. Their website is a treasure trove of craft beer news and information with a decided Central Texas slant. If you love beer and reading about Austin's exploding microbrewery scene then head over to their website and check these ladies out.

Austin Daily Photo: Scrumptious Chef Diez y Seis Tex Mex Pop Up At Three Little Pigs East End Wines

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 11:53:00 -0700

Brand new pop up this Sunday October 21st 2012 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/18/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-4-The-Foods-Of-Acadiana-Sun-Oct-21st-At-Three-Little-Pigs-East-End-Wines The best part of the Scrumptious Chef Pop Up series we started over the summer is the run up. We sit on the front porch with legal pads and cold beers and start volleying menu ideas back and forth til we hammer out our entree's, apps, side dishes, and plan of attack once we hit the commissary kitchen. We always blast genre-appropriate music to fuel us on our journey. Since Tex Mex is the theme for this event we pulled out a couple dozen Doug Sahm LPs to spur us on to greater heights. He was the greatest live performer we ever saw and if his name is so much as mentioned, we immediately remove our cowboy hats and observe a moment of silence out of respect for this Texas lion.

Austin Daily Photo-Spy Photo Edition: New Paul Qui Joint In East Austin

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 15:10:00 -0700

Rumors swirling over here in East Austin that one of the flock of new restaurants Paul Qui will be opening over the next few months will be at 1600 e. 6th street diagonally across from Cisco's, the land of microwaved biscuits. We ran by to gather intel and the man working the steam shovel/track hoe indicated that "....I don't know...supposed to be some Japanese place..." If that's not hard and fast proof we don't know what is. Further details as warranted. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Texas Guide To Pop Up Restaurants-Grocery Stores And Cafes Part 2

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 11:50:00 -0700

Brand new pop up this Sunday October 21st 2012 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/18/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-4-The-Foods-Of-Acadiana-Sun-Oct-21st-At-Three-Little-Pigs-East-End-Wines While the pop up restaurant phenomenon is huge in cities like New York, Chicago and New Orleans, Austin Texas is still in its infancy. We predict this will change over the course of the next year. Way back in 2010 Ben Runkle and his Salt and Time Charcuterie crew threw the first pop up we ever attended at the historic Victory Grill {http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/salt-and-time-new-kids-on-austin-meat-block/} and we figured that event would usher in the rise of the concept. We were wrong.

Austin Daily Photo: Whatever Happened To Fruit Brute Monster Cereal

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 23:01:00 -0700

As pre-teens, my colleagues and I belonged to several different factions, warring camps if you will, when it came to our favorite breakfast cereal. King Vitaman had it's adherents, Cookie Crisp its acolytes and Sugar Bear its disciples, but none brought out the impassioned oratory as passionately as did Fruit Brute. I championed this cereal. Something about that cartoon werewolf really brought out the Abe Lincoln in me when the debate started over which of the cereals was the finest. I'd kill to still have my glow in the dark light switch cover featuring the smiling lycanthrope. A bowl of Fruit Brute, a thick stack of Roman Meal toast slathered with butter and Defenders of the Earth on the Magnavox TV made for some very fine Saturday mornings. What was your favorite cereal when you were a kid? What cartoon did you watch while you ate a mammoth bowl of it? previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 3: Tex Mex Edition. Three Little Pigs/East End Wines Sunday Sept 16th 11am

Tue, 11 Sep 2012 11:15:00 -0700

Brand new pop up this Sunday October 21st 2012 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/18/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-4-The-Foods-Of-Acadiana-Sun-Oct-21st-At-Three-Little-Pigs-East-End-Wines We can't leave the house without being peppered with "When's the next pop up?" The hue and cry grew so loud and insistent that we've answered the call. Details Event: Scrumptious Chef Tex Mex Pop Up Place: Three Little Pigs/East End Wines Time: 11am Date: Sunday September 16th 2012 We'll be hitting the commissary kitchen later in the week for a series of massive prep shifts in order to feed the crowd. We've bumped up the start time to 11am due to having to turn away carloads of people at the previous pop ups. Lots of folks like to get an early lunch in before kicking into full Sunday Funday mode. Expect lots of Doug Sahm blasting out of a vintage boombox sitting on a tree stump near the food trailer. And we're recruiting one of the top talents in Austin to join the Scrumptious cooking team. Hope to have a big announcement later in the week when we release the menu. Thanks for making these infrequent parties such a success y'all. We appreciate you. Oh, we got messaged via Twitter last night asking if there will be vegetarian food available. Yes, we can't go vegan due to the heavy amounts of cheese in our Tex Mex platters but we will definitely be able to put together a nice vegetarian plate for whoever's interested. Go behind the scenes at a Scrumptious Chef pop up http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/3/Update-The-Inner-Workings-Of-Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-20-Soul-Food-Party-At-Three-Little-Pigs

Austin Daily Photo: La Fogata

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 23:20:00 -0700

Enchiladas Potosinas are the star of the menu. Ground chiles are massaged into the masa which is then converted into tortillas, fried until lightly crisp then drenched in either red or green sauce. At this point the plate is garnished with pork skins, grated cheese and avocado slices. It's one of the best plates of food in town.

Austin Daily Photo: Sweet Corn And Hatch Chiles

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 23:21:00 -0700

Sweet corn fried in a skillet with cow's butter and finished with a dose of heavy cream is country food filled with nuance. Up in the Cumberland Mountains of Eastern Kentucky the topsoil is almost 2 feet deep with the black loam giving rise to corn stalks twice as high as a tall man's head. The corn that issues from the land is the finest in all of the Americas. It's God's country up in those parts. Recipe after the jump

Traditional Baristas In Austin Texas Prepare To Bow To Their Robot Overlords

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 19:47:00 -0700

Gary Dinges over at the Statesman has a great article up on a robotic coffee kiosk that has popped up on the University of Texas campus. Briggo Coffee, undoubtedly hatched in a dank, airless basement on the outskirts of town, is a new concept offered by Kevin Nater and Charles Studor. The machine, located in the Flawn Academic Center, is the company's sole outlet. Briggo has raised 7.8 million dollars in capital for the venture in which you download an app for your smartphone, start mashing some buttons and prepare to receive your morning jolt from a box of nuts and bolts.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Zandunga Bistro

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 13:10:00 -0700

We're late finding out about high dollar, East Austin Mexican outfit Zandunga Bistro's closure. Apparently they went quietly into the night a couple weeks ago. We never made it by. Generally, when a new restaurant opens up we try to view a menu online or get some first hand accounts before paying a visit. Somebody sent us a pdf of the Zandunga menu and our hearts sank. We're not afraid to pay Four Season's money for food as a once in a blue moon splurge but the pricing at Zandunga was outrageous.

Austin Texas Barbecue: Pit Boss Aaron Franklin Wins Grand Champion At New York City's Meatopia

Sun, 09 Sep 2012 10:50:00 -0700

Details are trickling in as New York City carnists recover from a protein overload courtesy of Josh Ozersky's Meatopia event yesterday. Congratulations to Aaron Franklin who was crowned Grand Champion of the affair. He bested a murderers row of some of the top talent in the country. Under threatening skies, the meat lover nation united under de facto ruler Josh Ozersky as dozens of the top chefs in USA manned big fires and cranked out thousands of pounds of animal flesh cooked over open flames on Randall's Island in New York City. Then the rain came.

Austin Daily Photo: Tom And Bingo's Barbecue In Lubbock Texas

Fri, 07 Sep 2012 11:44:00 -0700

Out of all the West Texas barbecue we sampled on our trip out to Lubbock a few months ago, Tom and Bingo's was the only one selling brisket of the caliber you routinely get in Austin, Texas. Juicy, well seasoned and rich with hickory smoke, it was easily our favorite joint we visited. a report http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/texas-daily-photo-tom-and-bingos-barbecue-in-lubbock-texas-est-1952/

Austin Daily Photo: The Physiology of Taste: Or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 23:14:00 -0700

Continuing education. Always reading. Always studying. Always researching. And in the end: still ignorant. There's just not enough time to get it all in. Too much Jim Thompson. Too much Iceberg Slim. Too much Jesse Stuart. There will never be enough time to wedge all the greats in before we run out of time. A dear friend just gave me this book as a gift. As famous and crucial as it is, I've never read it. Too busy reading Clementine Paddleford and E.B White and a laundry list of other writers. But now I finally get to immerse myself in the great Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin with translation by M.F.K Fisher. Maybe when I'm finished it'll be just like the old days at St. Camillus and I'll stand up and give a book report while Sister Catherine Regina is lashing Jerry Parsons to a chair with a jump rope. Just like the old days.

Field Report: Jorge's Restaurant

Thu, 06 Sep 2012 16:02:00 -0700

We're discussing the level of satisfaction we can get from a good plate of Mexican food vs the tariff that plate's going to levy, as we ride through the Violet Crown neighborhood of Austin. It's supper time and my companion is peppering me with queries about where we can go and what she can expect once we get there. I trot out all the normal metrics of eating within a 2 mile radius: Arandas on Burnet, Dart Bowl on Grover, Fonda San Miguel on Hancock, El Caribe on Lamar etc. til we finally get it narrowed down to Jorge's vs Fonda San Miguel.

Hard Day In Bastrop:Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. To Hand Out 100 Free Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 13:26:00 -0700

Bastrop is one of the most scenic towns in all of Texas. There's a lovely opera house, an historic downtown area, a thriving American Legion post that is also a live music venue, a riverwalk along the Colorado, a museum stuffed to the rafters with historic artifacts and numerous parks where one can camp, fish, swim or just relax under the starry Texas skies.

Austin Daily Photo: Costco

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 23:25:00 -0700

I'm really glad I don't have easy access to Costco and its endless bounty of deliciousness. Perhaps once or twice a year, a friend of mine who pulls down serious bank in the computer sector spirits me past the highly suspicious bouncer/doorman and I begin loading up one of their Plymouth sized grocery carts before the staff catch on and the whole house of cards comes tumbling down.

Drinking Moonshine And Firing Cannons At Brady Texas 39th World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:03:00 -0700

It was a hundred and three degrees in the shade out in Brady, Texas Labor Day weekend as thousands of cabrito lovers gathered in the garden spot of McCulloch County; Richards Park. Barbecue cook-off teams from all over the country competed in the 39th Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off as thousands of people ate smoked meat, drank beer and socialized at the best barbecue party held all year long in the great state. It was a typically wild affair. Tarzan yells rang out as judging began and shortly thereafter cries for a medic erupted as one poor attendee found the heady combination of cold beer and hot park to be altogether too much. For the first time in the history of the cook-off, the organizers auctioned off an "11th Place" banner and one high roller walked off with it after paying a cool thousand bucks.

Meat Fight! Dallas Pit Bosses Set For Barbecue Battle With Aaron Franklin and Daniel Vaughn Judging

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 13:37:00 -0700

Update: The Daniel Vaughn/Aaron Franklin connection paid off as Meat Fight is SOLD OUT. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Multiple Schlerosis has a new and formidable foe. Alice Laussade, The Dallas Observer's "Cheap Bastard" food columnist, is organizing a barbecue battle featuring area pit bosses who will be competing against one another with proceeds going to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The competition has been dubbed Meat Fight. Battlers:

Austin Daily Photo: Tamale King In Buchanan Dam

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 23:49:00 -0700

Beguiling roadside signs like the big Tamale King in Buchanan Dam Texas hold powerful sway over travelers. There is no better investment. Unfortunately, we don't have the time to break bread in the restaurant, we've got the hammer down and are pressing back toward Austin for a morning meeting. It's a sorry state of affairs when roadfood has to be passed up for other obligations. Fortunately the restaurant has a website http://tamalekingrestaurant.com/TKOurHistory.html so in lieu of a formal review we offer that.

Authentic Tex Mex Part Seventeen: Smoked Alligator Enchiladas With Roasted Hatch Chiles

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:07:00 -0700

We eat a lot of alligator. The state of Louisiana is our source and with a gator population north of 1.5 million there's plenty to be had in the meat markets that dot the western prairies of the Pelican State. Louisiana has had a controlled wild harvest in place since 1972. Back when the harvest got started, it was limited to the southwestern part of the state and only twelve hundred creatures were taken. Nowadays the hunt is statewide and skilled woodsmen take over thirty two thousand of the ornery beasts per annum. Pole hunting is prohibited and the majority of the animals are taken via the time-honored line catching technique.

Threadgill's Signs New Lease On Riverside Drive

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 11:00:00 -0700

Great quote from Threadgill's owner Eddie Wilson " "Low rent, cold beer and cheap pot may have built this town, but it takes a different formula to make it these days." www.roadfood.com is reporting that Threadgill's south Austin location has signed a new lease. Manufacturers of tin cans and tin can openers are rejoicing. Previous Threadgill's coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/5/19/Best-Comfort-Food-In-AustinInstitutional-Food-ServiceThreadgills-And-The-Art-Of-Fooling-The-Public

Gasping And Wheezing In Final Bid For Relevance Chowhound's Corporate Master Issues Austin BBQ List

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:20:00 -0700

In an article titled "Austin's Best Barbecue: Chowhound Lists," writer David Pistrang has peered through the dusty, cobweb laden corners of the dormant Austin Chowhound food board and scavenged up a list of "Austin's" best barbecue. Of course this being a Chow/Chowhound production the list is riddled with inaccuracies. While the prim maiden aunts who run Chowhound will never be known for their intellectual vigor, this article is especially pitiable.

Austin Daily Photo:Ross Farms Wins Best Rig At 39th Brady Texas World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 23:49:00 -0700

Brady, Texas was the center of the barbecue universe this weekend as the 39th Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off took place in verdant Richards Park on the outskirts of town. We'll be providing much more coverage as the week progresses but we'll get things started with a quick photo of the winner of the much coveted "Best Rig" title: Ross Farms. In the foreground is one of 3 local beauty queens who competed in the cabrito cookoff beauty pageant. previous http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/30/39th-Annual-World-Championship-BBQ-Goat-CookOff-Saturday-Sept-1st-2012-Brady-Texas

Austin Daily Photo: Breakfast Tacos With Hatch Chiles And Boudin

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 22:46:00 -0700

Hatch harvest is in full swing. From the backfiles: Boudin from NuNu's in Youngsville Louisiana, Hatch peppers from New Mexico and hen eggs from Garfield Texas. Non-traditional breakfast tacos from Scrumptious Chef. more on NuNu's http://www.cajunboudintrail.com/NuNus_Fresh_Market_4.html

Danielle Bennett Dimovski Jack Daniels World Barbecue Champion Visits Austin's John Mueller Barbecue

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 14:43:00 -0700

Danielle Bennett Dimovski aka Diva Q is down in Austin's Bouldin Creek neighborhood hanging out at John Mueller Barbecue and losing her mind over the Taylor, Texas native's smoked meat. Choice quotes:

Austin Daily Photo: Los Altos

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 23:49:00 -0700

A good front of the house manager is worth his weight in gold. When Los Altos had Vicente they were an upper-tier Jalisco house with a hard working crew, putting out carefully rendered versions of classic taqueria food. Vicente is gone. You can certainly still get a good plate of food from the tiny, wood-frame restaurant but the quality is no longer dead certain. It's a roll of the dice. Recent visits have been a roller coaster ride with incredible carne guisada tussling with garden variety al pastor wrestling with upper level, weekend-only posole. Consistency is the bane of every restaurant on earth and Los Altos is not immune. Now if only we could find out where Vicente is plying his trade.

39th Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off Saturday Sept 1st 2012 Brady Texas

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 14:31:00 -0700

Duty calls. We'll be loading up the bike this Saturday morning to ride out and judge the 39th Annual World Championship BBQ Goat Cook-Off in verdant Brady Texas just twenty miles from Mercury, the geographical center of the great state. We go to a lot of barbecue cook-offs over the course of a year in Texas but there is none finer than the cabrito party thrown by the Brady Chamber of Commerce. Two hundred and six teams from all over the United States will be competing this year in Richards Park with attendance in the thousands.

RIP: Rest In Peace: Pancho and Lefty's

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:26:00 -0700

Bad news coming off the tipster button. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm is how folks contact us through the site with news they want to share about taco finds, burger scores, restaurant openings and sadly, dive bars that have shut down. Like Pancho and Lefty's, one of our absolute favorites. When Central Texas loses a joint with nearly a century of history we grieve the only way we know how; by hoisting a cold Lone Star beer. Field report: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/10/21/Best-Dive-Bar-In-Austin-Part-Eight-Pancho-And-Leftys-Friday-October-21st-2011

Austin Daily Photo: Taco Desebrada

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 23:31:00 -0700

It will change you forever. The power of desebrada is not to be underestimated. This rare, exotic taco filling is like no other. I traversed the length and breadth of Austin to find the best version and published the results in a 7 part series. Which is here http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/the-state-of-desebrada-in-austin-texas/

Ramen Tatsu-ya Is Open In Austin And Looking For Super Machines

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:55:00 -0700

We've read reports from a few Austin power bloggers who are freaking out over Ramen Tatsu ya and their superb noodle renderings up in north Austin. They're still in soft opening so we'll give them a little more room to develop their game before we swing by. In the meantime please be aware that they are hiring. But they're not just looking for food service workers. They want: "super-machines that can wash dishes, prep, bus tables, wait, and be personable; an all-in-one preferably"

RIP: Rest In Peace: Jr's Texas Style Barbeque

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 13:35:00 -0700

Sometimes this job hurts. Back in the summer of 2006 Ben Dukes, father of Dawnna Dukes, lent a helping hand to Katrina refugee Joseph Rogers and the two of them combined forces to open VII J's, a soul food haven housed at the corner of Rosewood Avenue and Chicon in East Austin.

Know Nothing Website Serious Eats Issues: College Tours: Where to Eat Near the University of Texas

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:20:00 -0700

We're consistently baffled at the pitiable coverage national websites offer when it comes time to vector in on Austin's food scene. For example: We received a twitter alert this morning that Serious Eats, the laughable national website had penned a "College Tours: Where to Eat Near the University of Texas at Austin" claiming that "Several subpar taco joints are the only thing distinguishing the food around UT-Austin."

Video: Anthony Bourdain Freaking The Fuck Out Over John Mueller Barbecue

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:11:00 -0700

Here's a sneak peek of Tony Bourdain, hanging out with Daniel Vaughn at John Mueller Barbecue in South Austin. Premium beef chuck rib porn alert: http://www.travelchannel.com/video/austins-jmueller-bbq Vaughn's Texas bbq site http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/ and even more Texas barbecue http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress It's pronounced Meller, by the way y'all.

Texas:Adam Bryan's Cocktail Bar Motel, Behind Wet Whistle In East Austin, Gains Crucial Permit

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:49:00 -0700

Breaking news: Conditional Use Permit for Motel approved on consent. The cocktail bar from local liquor man Adam Bryan has officially moved one step closer to opening. We need more places to drink in East Austin and Motel will be a quick ten minute stagger from our house in French Place so we approve. Welcome to the neighborhood Mr. Bryan. We look forward to drinking a refreshing Captain's Blood at your joint soon. related http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/11/Austin-Daily-Photo-Sneak-Peek-Inside-The-Wet-Whistle-At-MLK-and-Chicon

Austin Daily Photo: Kermit Ruffins Joint Sidney's Saloon In The Treme {7th Ward}

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 23:21:00 -0700

While New Orleans is getting rocked with high winds and torrential rains from Hurricane Isaac, I figured tonight would be a good night to check in with a picture of Sidney's Saloon in The Treme. One of the classic, old school neighborhood bars in New Orleans, Kermit's joint is a fine place to while away an afternoon. Dark, cold and smoky. Full report http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/sidneys-saloon-kermit-ruffins-joint-in-the-treme/

Austin Daily Photo: La Mexicana Bakery

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 23:36:00 -0700

The slow, sad decline of La Mexicana has been narrated across many channels. The once proud Mexican bakery stands before us a haphazard mess. Tiny, chewy carnitas tacos being, perhaps the least of the sins. The once mighty breakfast platters are now a wreck of poorly prepared eggs and half cooked potatoes with upcharges tacked on willy-nilly for even the most modest of requests. I half expect the service staff to notate my use of napkins and adjust my bill accordingly. When I lived in Bouldin Creek La Mexicana was at the peak of her powers with achingly fresh baked goods and plump tacos served on pillowy tortillas but each time I visit now I vow to never return. One saving grace. The giant stone bowl of housemade salsa that eaters are granted access to for their tacos. Not the standard tomato based Tex Mex one. The other one: a brilliant blood red version with thousands of tiny seeds laced throughout. It's one of the finest in Austin.

The Leading Lights Of Texas Food Twitter Part Three: A List Of Who We Follow

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:07:00 -0700

It has been nearly a year since we last visited this topic. The Texas food scene is on fire as national media have finally discovered that there is no better state in our glorious union for eating high on the hog. Austin and San Antonio alone have a typical state's worth of great restaurants. We were late to the Twitter party but once we got our foot in the door, no matter how hard the host slammed and shoulder butted us, we weren't going anywhere.

Breaking News! Austin Texas Independence Brewing Co. Welcomes Todd Henry Of Lovejoys Aboard

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 10:42:00 -0700

One of Austin's top young gun brewers Todd Henry,formerly of Lovejoy's, is now at Independence Brewing Company. Huge score for Independence as Mr. Henry is revered for his outrageously delicious beers. Can't wait to see Brown Chicken Brown Cow available by the bottle in local grocery stores. story: http://www.independencebrewing.com/fairwell-lovejoys-welcome-aboard-todd-henry/ Lovejoy's coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/search.cfm?search=lovejoy%27s

Austin Daily Photo: Fatima At El Tacorrido

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 23:18:00 -0700

We're in the latter stages of a big barbacoa project so we've been revisiting taquerias scattered around Austin to make sure all of our data are up to date and still valid. While El Tacorrido is not upper echelon in the barbacoa realm they do put out a credible version. We've seen a number of businesses come and go out of the tiny building at the corner of Oltorf and South First Street but something tells us Jose De Loera {Takoba} will be there as long as he wants. The guy knows how to make money. We like to grab our tacos to go at El Tacorrido and spirit them into nearby Once Over Coffee Bar where we can enjoy them over steaming mugs of Cuvee coffee chased by ice cold Topo Chico. Later that night you might just find over in East Austin eating ceviche and drinking mezcal at de Loera's Takoba. The guy's got a mini empire and he's going about it the right way by shipping good chow out of his kitchens at a price that doesn't make eating at his joints a special occasion.

Top 10 Austin Texas Food Trucks

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 10:23:00 -0700

Sifting through the mammoth back files on the Scrumptious Chef site it became obvious that we've written quite a bit about Austin Texas food trucks, but much of the coverage is buried and/or spread across numerous categories. Your prayers have been answered. Brand new category is up now. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Food-Trucks In the coming months we'll be visiting a raft of our town's finest food trucks and documenting the results in the above category. Once the dust settles we'll pen an article detailing: Top 10 Austin Texas food trucks

Austin Daily Photo: JR Cajun Sausage & Boudin At Ana's Mart

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 23:43:00 -0700

I was already good and mad when I saw the sign for a link of boudin for .99 or I would've bought one on principle alone. But after paying north of a dollar for a couple Tootsie Pops at Ana's Mart, I was about to do my bull in a china shop routine. Hot. JR Cajun Sausage & Boudin started over in Cottonport, Louisiana before moving the operation to Houston, Texas. The company produces an exceedingly rare and exotic chicken boudin which I can honestly say I've never even heard of. They're not in the boudin link database which does not bode well but at .99 a link you can throw caution to the wind every once in awhile. We're so far from the heavenly prairies of western Louisiana that we've got to take what we can get when it comes to Acadiana's most famous export. Even if it means eating chicken boudin from a microwave in an overpriced quick mart off an alley in downtown Austin. further Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo. Recipe: White Bean Soup with Roasted Hatch Chiles and Andouille Sausage

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 23:20:00 -0700

One of the highlights of Austin living comes each year when the Hatch chile peppers make their way to town on the dusty backroads from the Hatch Valley in southern New Mexico. Veteran food writers at the Austin Chronicle used to record this passage when the form of transit was burro or donkey but that's a discussion left for another time.

Video: Anthony Bourdain Freaking The Fuck Out Over Franklin Barbecue

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 16:02:00 -0700

Here's a sneak peek of Tony Bourdain, hanging out with Daniel Vaughn at Franklin Barbecue in East Austin. Premium brisket porn alert: http://www.travelchannel.com/video/austins-franklin-barbecue Vaughn's Texas bbq site http://fcg-bbq.blogspot.com/ and even more Texas barbecue http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/

Austin Daily Photo: Vintage Heart Coffee

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 23:55:00 -0700

After hanging out at Vintage Heart Coffee for a half hour or so earlier this week it dawned on us that we were sitting in the former home of El Rey, a mediocre Mexican restaurant that shuttered at least ten years ago. Memories fade. Sips on 7th was also a tenant but with the 900 pound gorilla that is Rio Rita nearby Sips could never gain traction and entered into the lore of failed Austin coffee shops. Enter Vintage Heart.

Paul Eighmey aka Casino Of Casino El Camino Set To Take Over The Scoot Inn

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 16:19:00 -0700

In the 90's we felt like we were walking on the wild side hanging out at Red's Scoot Inn. Back then barkeep/owner Vera held court at the end of the bar underneath a sign that read "if mama ain't happy ain't nobody happy" We'd call her Red and she'd smile at our nonsense and crack us open a couple Miller Lite long necks. We always did our drinking during the daytime when the bar would be busy with Mexican cats in cowboy hats shooting pool while Little Joe Y La Familia played on the hi fi. Everybody put up with us.

The Best And The Worst Of Austin Texas Burgeoning Coffee Scene

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 11:17:00 -0700

Time to give the Devil his due. Looking back over the Scrumptious Chef site last night we realized we have a fair amount of Austin Texas coffee coverage but it's buried in our prodigious output without the benefit of having its own section. We've rectified that situation. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Coffee Coffee now has its own category. If you like reading about Austin's top coffee shops and roasters, your life just got a lot easier. Look for scene reports from the finest cafes in town like Once Over Coffee Bar, Caffe Medici, Houndstooth and other fine caffeine dispensaries over the coming months.

Bastrop Cattle Company, Windy Hill Farm, Dewberry Hill Farm and Richardson Farms Launch Meat Club

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:28:00 -0700

How big's your meat budget? Got an extra thousand bucks for 6 months worth of Central Texas meat? Not just any meat either. This is the good stuff. All meat is raised in local pastures by family farmers and ranchers. All meat is hormone-free and antibiotic-free. All meat is humanely processed. This sounds like the real deal. I grew up eating meat that our family raised on our farm. The steers ate silage, timothy, fescue, red clover and alfalfa. They drank from our ponds that were filled via rain water or cold springs. We treated them like family til it was time to take them to the slaughterhouse so they could be enjoyed on our family table.

Man Up Texas BBQ And Stiles Switch Are Throwing An Aurora Colorado Shooting Victims Benefit

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 22:14:00 -0700

Tomorrow, Thursday August 23rd 2012, Stiles Switch Barbecue will be hosting a benefit for the Aurora Colorado Batman movie massacre victims. A madman went crazy in a suburban movie theater and shot the place up, killing and wounding dozens before being captured by the police. 100% of the proceeds will be donated to the victims and their families. Details on the benefit Thursday August 23rd 5:30 pm Stiles Switch Barbecue 6610 N. Lamar Blvd Austin, Texas St. Arnold's Brewery will be there with plenty cold beer and Shane Stiles will be serving up hot barbecue from one of the top smokehouses in central Texas. Man Up Texas Barbecue put this event together http://manuptexasbbq.blogspot.com/2012/08/aurora-benefit-at-stiles-switch-bbq.html

Austin Daily Photo: Sabre Tooths, Cougars And Corporate Coffee: My Morning At Dunn Bros

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:07:00 -0700

The dull roar of West 5th street and its thousands of exhaust belching automobiles fills the confines of Dunn Bros Coffee's street-side patio. There is little pleasure in my treasured morning cup. Austin, Texas has an inordinate amount of coffee shops with quality ranging from phenomenal {Once Over Coffee Bar, Caffe Medici} to dreadful {any number of local joints with sticky tables,listless baristas and cups going for north of $2.}

Austin Daily Photo: Drink.Well American Pub On North Loop

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:50:00 -0700

One of the best hamburgers in Austin, Texas can be found at Drink.Well American Pub in north Austin. North Loop {53rd st.} being a sort of localized Mason Dixon line. The tiny little, pitch black bar is always busy, cranking out good cocktails, bloody burgers and house fried potato chips.

Best Agua Fresca In Austin Texas: La Fruta Feliz

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:42:00 -0700

Austin, Texas is chock-a-block with agua fresca shops with quality ranging from abysmal to sublime. This post concerns itself with the sublime. La Fruta Feliz began its life as a juice shop but quickly transformed into the best brick and mortar Mexican restaurant in East Austin. Thankfully, they did not forget their roots. You haven't lived til you've had a sandia agua fresca from this tiny taqueria.

Congrats:New Braunfels Texas' Ernest Servantes Wins Food Network’s “Chopped Grill Masters”

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:44:00 -0700

Ernest Servantes is the executive chef at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin Texas. We treasure our visits to Seguin because the town hosts two of the best sources of Texas Hot Guts in the nation: Davila's Barbecue. Servantes was not without fame prior to his winning performance on the Food Network's Chopped. As the pitboss of Burnt Bean Co. he regularly competes on the Texas barbecue circuit with the motto "If you think you can beat me, think again."

Birth Notice: Stein And Stem Prepares To Open In Former European Bistro

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 22:41:00 -0700

Two weeks ago we penned an obituary for European Bistro, the erratic, charming cafe in Pflugerville that enjoyed a decade-plus run til one of the owners decided to move back to Hungary. The report: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/5/RIP-Rest-In-Peace-European-Bistro The space won't be vacant long.

Austin Daily Photo: John Mueller Barbecue

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 15:32:00 -0700

We can't keep track of all the national media crews that have descended on John Mueller Barbecue down in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood in South Austin recently. Bourdain, Zimmern, Richman, Raichlen et al have all stopped in at Mueller's barbecue trailer to eat from the table of the foul tempered Taylor, Texas native. Surprisingly enough Mueller has yet to launch a missile dropkick out of the order window but we've got faith he's just biding his time for now.

Austin Daily Photo: Profiteroles At Inci Pastanesi In Istanbul Turkiye

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 22:40:00 -0700

Bear with me. Once or twice a year, I'll put up an Austin Daily Photo that has nothing to do with Austin. Like today, it's the beginning of Bayram and to mark this occasion I'm running a photo of profiteroles from the most legendary sweet shop in Istanbul: Inci Pastanesi.

Ten Austin Texas Food Blogs You Should Be Reading Right Now Part Two

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 14:21:00 -0700

It's been a long time since we last visited this subject. Worthwhile, Austin, Texas food blogs are tough to come by. Yes, there are hundreds, if not thousands in town, but most are run by indifferent bloggers {updated bi-monthly} or worse, writers who are the blogging equivalent of a mammoth dose of Ambien. But there are plenty shining stars out there too. Here's our list of blogs we repeatedly visit to stay abreast of the Austin Texas food scene.

Austin Daily Photo: Gonzo Juice

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 21:43:00 -0700

This guy's got a smoothie he wants to sell you. More later

RIP: Rest In Peace: Ana Janelle's Smokehouse

Sat, 18 Aug 2012 15:33:00 -0700

That was quick. Ana Janelle's Smokehouse, which opened in March of this year, has shuttered. Our field report from our sole visit: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/26/Austin-Daily-Photo-Ana-Janelles-Smokehouse-Has-Opened-In-The-Former-Nuernberg-Brauhaus

Austin Daily Photo: The Victory Grill

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 23:04:00 -0700

It appears as though the Purple Bean Cafe has taken over operations at the historic Victory Grill in East Austin. We dashed in last week to visit Austin's final remaining link to the old chitlin circuit, have a cup of coffee and take their wi fi for a spin. Everybody was real nice and acted like they were glad to see us. Coffee had a good jolt to it and we always relish any excuse to sit in ancient buildings where you can feel the history easing out of the timbers and joists.

Austin Daily Photo: Dahlia Cafe In Liberty Hill

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:49:00 -0700

It's getting hard to find a good chicken fried steak in Austin, Texas. Much like a bowl of Texas Red, the cfs has vanished from local menus and when you do find it, it's often a pale shadow of what used to be both delicious and commonplace. Not so out in Liberty Hill at Dahlia Cafe.

Elvis Presley's Favorite Sandwich And The History Of Knoxville Tennessee's JFG Company

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:38:00 -0700

My mother, June Sullivan, was a voracious collector of vinyl record albums. Her focus was Elvis Presley but she also honed in on Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard and Boots Randolph. We'd hit flea markets and yard sales in the Cumberland Highlands region of Appalachia and often have a foot race to see who'd get to the always-present box of lps. My collection, sixty linear feet strong, can be attributed to this remarkable woman.

Austin Daily Photo: Eleven Plates And Wine

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 23:40:00 -0700

This year was the first Tales Of The Cocktail that we've missed since way back at the dawn of the double aughts. Just couldn't pull it off. That won't stop us from hoisting a glass to Travis Tober, a bartender at Eleven Plates who won the people's choice award at this years fete. His category? The Bacardi 150th Anniversary Hand-shaken Daquiri Competition. Anyone who's been to New Orleans Tales Of The Cocktail knows that it's the premiere cocktail conference in the USA and anyone who emerges victorious from one of their numerous competitions is world class. We can't wait to head out to the rough and tumble western end of Austin to sample Tober's winning entry; the "Ode To Hemingway" https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

WGU Texas Online University Launches Tour of Texas BBQ For Students And Alumni

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 12:31:00 -0700

In spite of boasting three thousand students scattered across Texas, Western Governor's University still tolls anonymously in the halls of higher learning. That's about to change. The raw, unflinching power of Texas barbecue has been enlisted by WGU and we expect attendance to skyrocket. The school has begun sponsoring barbecue tours for students and alumni and has visited Dallas, San Antonio and most recently Houston. If that doesn't boost enrollment we don't know what will. Of course it is a bit mystifying that the brain trust in charge of the promotion would leave Austin out of the barbecue touring business but maybe that's why the institution is online instead of residing on a leafy campus near Lockhart or maybe Taylor? Feel like beefing up your education? Here's their website http://texas.wgu.edu/ https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

International Chefs Congress In NYC: Paul Qui Continues Nationwide Takeover W/ Star Chefs Appearance

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 10:18:00 -0700

Paul Qui joins twenty nine of the top cooks in the United States September 30th through October 2nd 2012 in New York City at the International Chefs Congress EAT@ICC event. He's keeping good company: Alex Stupak Empellón – New York, NY Andy Ricker Pok Pok Ny – New York, NY Bill Dorrler Osteria Morini – New York, NY

USBG Bombay Sapphire Competition At Malverde: Tacy Of Drink.Well Emerges With Victory

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 09:38:00 -0700

Tacy Rowland of Drink.Well, the Austin bar/restaurant on North Loop, won the Bombay Sapphire competition last night at Malverde in downtown Austin. Hope to gather more details later today. Follow Ms. Rowland on Twitter at https://twitter.com/taceoddity https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: El Meson

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 22:51:00 -0700

It's hard to believe it's been a decade since Austin was gifted with the cuisine of Marisela Godinez of El Meson. We've spent our lives prowling around warehouse districts of cities from Cincinnati to Lubbock and that's how we found the little wood frame building on Burleson Road that set Austin's taco hounds on their ears way back in 2001.

Birth Notice: Barbecue Mercantile

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:15:00 -0700

We haven't made it by the brand new barbecue outfitter shop that just opened up on Burnet Road but Man Up Texas has a photo gallery and plenty info. http://manuptexasbbq.blogspot.com/2012/08/barbeque-mercantile-opens-in-austin.html https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Death Wish Coffee Company

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 23:24:00 -0700

Boasting 200% more caffeine than your typical coffee shop's offering, we are intrigued by Death Wish Coffee Company to put it mildly. The soothing, balm that we apply to our synapses on a daily basis via our morning jolt could use a booster. We are growing immune. Any coffee experts reading who can enlighten us. Who's tried Death Wish? http://www.deathwishcoffee.com/ further Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

The Rebirth Of An Austin, Texas Legend: Midtown Live Has Reopened

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 16:09:00 -0700

Racist cops. That was the charge hurled at Austin Police Department 7 years ago when, during a conflagration that destroyed Midtown Live, a worker at the club noticed "Burn Baby Burn" on an officer's computer screen in a squad car parked at the scene of the fire. Austin City Council immediately tried to patch things up with a "forgivable" loan of 750k to the owners of the club but they couldn't even get that right and the offer was eventually withdrawn by then-city manager Toby Futrell.

El Mariachi 20th Anniversary Party With Robert Rodriguez At The Paramount Theater

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 15:37:00 -0700

Has it really been twenty years since El Mariachi came out? The film represented a seismic shift in how Austin movie makers were perceived nationwide. Director Robert Rodriguez was a 23 year old punk kid on a shoestring budget who would go onto to use El Mariachi as a launching pad for a full tilt career as a major mover-shaker in Hollywood. And it's a pretty good movie too.

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:41:00 -0700

Lots of jobs for enterprising food service industry workers in Austin, Texas. A full time, front of the house worker can look forward to a wage of roughly 5k per annum, while certain back of the house toilers may earn 15k. Of course any employer offering a cook $15 per hour {31k} will have folks parachuting into the parking lot of the restaurant ready to put his life on the line for such an astronomical wage.

Jack Gilmore Of Jack Allen's Kitchen Brings Home The Bronze In New Orleans Seafood Competition

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:24:00 -0700

The fall of the once mighty Times-Picayune, the daily newspaper of New Orleans, has been well documented, but when you're five hundred miles from the Big Easy, it's still the best way to stay abreast of the day to day news of the city. Like how Texas chef Jack Gilmore of Jack Allen's kitchen fared in the Great American Seafood Competition Saturday afternoon at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. It's hard to fathom Gilmore doing anything but winning but there it is in black and white. Gilmore finished 3rd.

Austin Daily Photo: Fran's Hamburgers

Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:27:00 -0700

Fran's is perhaps the only place in Austin where you can get a 2 oz burger. In Texas, a patty this diminutive is a rarity as excess is writ in the genetic code of the Great State. Of course you can also get a 6 oz and tell them to make it a double which is much more in keeping with the eating mores of the Republic.

Austin Daily Photo: Cafe Amelie In New Orleans

Sat, 11 Aug 2012 12:18:00 -0700

more later. It's later. I was staring down the barrel of a 13 hour shift so I could barely get the Austin Daily Photo feature up before reporting for duty. Cafe Amelie has one of the most alluring patios in the entire city of New Orleans. It's semi-hidden, lush with flora and is one of the best places in the city to bring in a Sunday morning. The food's another matter entirely.

The World Of Austin Texas Coffee: Thursday Night Throwdowns Determine Ruler Of Barista Kingdom

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:45:00 -0700

I first got wind of the Austin, Texas barista competitions called Thursday Night Throwdowns via the Twitter feed of Lorenzo Perkins, the SCRBC 2012 champion and man in charge of wholesale customer support and training at Cuvee Coffee out in Spicewood,Texas. Follow him here: https://twitter.com/LorenzoPerkins I was curious so I asked Mr. Perkins if he'd care to elaborate on what goes on at these events. He responded with the following: Thursday Night Throwdown

Austin Daily Photo: Old School vs New School At Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 2: Soul Food

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:04:00 -0700

Modern Austin writ small. A recycler filled with Lone Star with one shining example of our town in 2012. A bottle of Trappist beer that made its way from Belgium to be consumed at a soul food party in East Austin Texas. We've determined that the Scrumptious Chef Pop Up restaurants are viable so we're in the planning stages for pop up number 3: Tex Mex party. We'll be honoring the Chili Queens of San Antonio and spending many late nights hunkered down over our Robb Walsh Tex Mex cookbook collection. Look for lots of queso, chili, handmade flour tortillas, fresh fried totopos, guacamole and salsa fresca. Any ideas or suggestions are most welcome and we want to thank everybody who did such a tremendous job spreading the word on our first 2 outings. We were stunned at the size and hunger of the crowds. previous pop up coverage: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/6/Quick-Field-Report-Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-2-Soul-Food-Party-At-Three-Little-Pigs-East-End-Wines Know your beer: http://www.whitebeertravels.co.uk/rochefort.html previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

A Challenger Strides Forth: Daniel Delaney's Ascension To Throne Of NYC BBQ Challenged By Ari White

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 16:14:00 -0700

update 8/13/12:Reports trickling in from New York on Texas pit boss Ari White's pop up restaurant last week in NYC. Long lines, packed events, meat sell-outs daily. Congrats Mr. White. ---------------------------------------- That didn't take long. Daniel Delaney's mind-bogglingly rapid rise to the peak of the NYC barbecue world is being met with a challenge. By a Texan. From El Paso.

Zagat Continues To Fuck Up With Best Cheap Eats In Austin Texas List

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 10:53:00 -0700

I remember when Zagat was relevant. Back in the Paleolithic era of searching for good food, the narrow, oblong Zagat guides were pure gold. You could walk into a B. Dalton's, buy a Zagat guide and Michael Stern's latest Roadfood book, and set out for your destination knowing you'd have your bases covered. The three hundred mile journey from Alabama to New Orleans would go by in a flash as your co-pilot reconnoitered through the guides, put little stars on the paper maps and the conversation flowed like sweet tea as you prepared to eat your way through the finest dining city on earth.

Austin Daily Photo: In.gredients. East Austin's Newest Grocery Store

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 23:45:00 -0700

Zero waste is stretching things a mite. I had a wild fantasy during the run-up to In.gredients flinging their doors open. I pictured a draught delivery system with endless streams of ice cold, delicious cow's milk issuing forth from a tap handle with a bossy the cow emblazoned on it. Fantasy denied. In.gredients has plenty milk to buy but it's in the same old stodgy packaging it's always been sold in. Maybe they'll eventually replace one of their beer kegs with milk but for now it's a no go.

RL Reeves Jr Looks At Austin's Top Ten Barbecue By Mike Sutter Of Fed Man Walking

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:54:00 -0700

Like an orchid kept in the closet, it took Mike Sutter taking his leave from his food critic's post at the Statesman to flourish. The brass at Austin's daily did a terrific job of keeping his best work bottled up as is evidenced by his post-daily newspaper output. He's blossomed.

Attention Barbecue Historians: Steve Raichlen Set To Speak At Bob Bullock Museum

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 08:52:00 -0700

I wear the man's gloves. Steve Raichlen will sell you a nice pair of brisket gloves for less than $20. When you're on the pit and handling a hundred pounds of brisket, a pair of thick, thermal brisket gloves are like manna from heaven. You can reach into a hot, smoky pit and grab ahold of all the meat and scoot it around without worrying about tearing the flesh or singing the fur off your forearms. Definitely a worthy investment. Apparently Raichlen is an author too. He's touring the US right now to support his latest book "Best Ribs Ever: 100 Killer Recipes Including Slaws, Baked Beans & Finger-Lickin' Sauces." Hence his appearance at Bob Bullock Museum, Tuesday August 14th at 7pm. Event is free. credit http://www.austin360.com/food-drink/steven-raichlen-to-give-free-lecture-at-bob-2430147.html

Austin Daily Photo: Barbacoa At La Hacienda Market

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 23:36:00 -0700

La Hacienda Markets are scattered all over Austin providing competition for the dominance of La Michoacana, the biggest Mexican small-grocer in the state of Texas. La Hacienda does business the right way. They'll fill you up a big bag of groceries without getting so deep in your pocket that you can't pay a visit to the in-store taquerias that each location features.

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 13:57:00 -0700

Lots of restaurants and bars purportedly hiring in the Austin metro area right now. Many offer wages of a little over $2 per hour for front of house and $7.25 per hour for cooks who are almost certain to be big network food stars in the nearly immediate future. These are the rewards reaped during the "food era" that we are now living in.

St. Arnold Brewery:Low & Slow: An Evening of Smoked Food & Film w/Keeley Steenson and Foodways Texas

Tue, 07 Aug 2012 10:10:00 -0700

By now we're all familiar with Keeley Steenson from her documentary "Good Better Best" which details the lives of the Anderle family down in Mt. Olive Texas. They're earning a living the old fashioned way, raising cane and converting it into molasses. We detailed Steenson's film here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/10/4/Foodways-Texas-Film-Good-Better-Best-Short-Doc-By-Keeley-Steenson-On-Texas-Sorghum-Family and y'all went buck wild. The article was one of our most popular way back in the Fall of 2011. Foodways Texas, St. Arnold's Brewery and Ms Steenson have teamed up to throw a party tomorrow night {Thursday August 9th, 2012} from 7-10 pm at the brewery over in Houston. This is a Texas party so expect plenty barbecue-esque foods from Down House, Haven, Himalaya, Hugo's, The Grateful Bread, The Pass & Provisions, Reef and Revival Market. That's a full team of Houston heavy hitters. Keeley Steenson will be on hand, signing autographs and presenting her latest works documenting the foodways of Texas barbecue. Tickets http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e66gwol353735d2b&llr=fhrfcudab

Austin Daily Photo: Coy Terrell At Jr's Barbecue In East Austin

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 22:54:00 -0700

It's rare but sometimes a man just looks so damn good you wheel off the roadway and walk up and start taking pictures. Such was the case this morning as I was rolling through East Austin when I spotted Coy Terrell sitting at Jr's Barbecue. Mr. Terrell was waiting on the bus to carry him to the hospital downtown. A long time Safeway employee, Terrell is now retired and spending his golden years in East Austin after a lifetime of work in Houston. more Texas bbq http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/ another photo of Coy Terrell, taken on that same fateful morning http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2013/1/30/Austin-Daily-Photo-RIP-Rest-In-Peace-Coy-Terrell?adminview=true

Quick Field Report: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 2: Soul Food Party At Three Little Pigs East End Wines

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:34:00 -0700

6th Street Slasher Busted As Violence Continues To Plague Austin's Downtown Entertainment District

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 18:11:00 -0700

One hundred stitches. That's what it took to close the wound. Today, Robert Bradshaw stands accused of violently attacking an unnamed man who sprang to the defense of his girlfriend when Bradshaw allegedly attempted a purse snatching on Thursday evening in downtown Austin's west 6th street entertainment district. The couple were walking along near 6th and Lavaca when Bradshaw, according to witness accounts, grabbed the woman's purse and headed for the high country. The ladies boyfriend set out after the brigand, tracked him down and tackled him.

RIP: Rest In Peace: European Bistro

Sun, 05 Aug 2012 07:45:00 -0700

European Bistro, the Pflugerville restaurant that features several different European countries cuisines, is shuttering at the end of this month. More later when I have time to write a proper obit. Finally got a few minutes to look back on European Bistro. They started with a bang. My first few visits to the small, quaintly appointed cafe showed a strong hand in the kitchen. The two little old ladies running the joint were there to show and prove and the proof was in the pudding. Dynamite, old-world European cuisine was their strong suit and it was all aces and eights from the get go. Then the decline came. A review of my final visit:

Heaven Smiles On New Orleans: Leon Galatoire Pens Recipe Utilizing Hubig's Pies

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:53:00 -0700

By now we're all aware that Hubig's Pies burned to the ground last week in New Orleans. Multiple fundraisers are underway to ensure that the pie factory will be rebuilt and the legend can continue putting out the finest pastry in Lousiana. From Hubig's Facebook page. This recipe is by Leon Galatoire of the famous restaurant Hubig Pie Lemon Bread Pudding

Birth Notice: Donn's Barbecue

Sat, 04 Aug 2012 13:14:00 -0700

Temporary sign up in the parking lot and construction underway on the building that formerly housed a Kettle Restaurant on I-35 frontage near Oltorf. This is where I found out that Princess Diana died. I lived right behind the restaurant and walked over there for my Sunday morning fried eggs and bacon only to see the screaming headline on that morning's Statesman.

Austin Daily Photo: Maria, Pit Boss At Fiesta Mart

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 22:09:00 -0700

The past few days have been odd. 99% of my grocery money goes to Fiesta Mart as it's the finest source I've found in Austin for what does a body good {fresh meats and produce.} But with a staggering list of provisions for the soul food pop up, I've had to branch out and visit some of their competitors. Which has really made me appreciate Fiesta Mart.

Birth Notice: It's All Good Barbecue In Spicewood Texas

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:37:00 -0700

We'll gather more information as warranted but for now It's All Good Barbecue is open for business out in Spicewood Texas. I just realized this business is located inside the former RO's Outpost who shuttered back in the Spring of this year. http://www.itsallgoodbarbq.com/

Update: The Inner Workings Of Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 2.0. Soul Food Party At Three Little Pigs

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:01:00 -0700

Brand new pop up this Sunday October 21st 2012 http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/10/18/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-4-The-Foods-Of-Acadiana-Sun-Oct-21st-At-Three-Little-Pigs-East-End-Wines It's unbelievable how much work goes into throwing a pop up restaurant. Grocery stores visited: Central Market Fiesta Mart Wheatsville HEB La Michoacana To source the finest groceries in Austin, there is no one-stop market where you can lay your hands on everything at one time. I've got 3 kettles rolling right now. A smoked turkey wing stock for the wilted greens, a chicken stock for the chicken gravy and a pork stock for the hoppin john/black eyed peas. If you want your food to be the best you have to make your stock from scratch. Period. We knocked out fifteen pounds of pork belly, roasted hatch chile sausage last night. It was batch number 7 of our Central Texas Hot Guts project and it's dynamite. We dropped over fifty pounds of chicken and pork ribs in an icy brine yesterday. There are naysayers to the brining method but we've always utilized the technique to good effect. Tomorrow night will be an all-nighter as we cook the greens, bake the cornbread, make the banana pudding and simmer the black eyes all night long. Sunday morning it'll be fire up the smoker to roast the meats-time. Hopefully the timing will be right and we'll wrestle the kettle of grits off the range right as we go to service. Pictured is the team that made the first Scrumptious Chef Pop Up such a success. Robyn's an Austin restaurant veteran who just started her career in graphic design. Harrington worked in the best kitchens in New Orleans, Paris, New York, Vermont and San Francisco before finally attaining a 3rd Michelin star at Meadowood, one of the greatest kitchens in the USA. The party could not happen without their labor. I spent the last week poring over my Edna Lewis and Sylvia Wood's cookbooks to make sure the Adrian Miller {soul food scholar} menu would be honored properly. Details on the party: Place: 3 Little Pigs and East End Wines Date: Sunday August 5th 2012 Time: Noon Event: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 1209 Rosewood Avenue Austin Texas 78702 cash follow this party on Twitter with the hashtag #soulfoodpopup https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr previous http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/1/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-20-Soul-Food-Edition-Three-Little-Pigs-Sunday-August-5th-At-Noon

Austin's First Voluntarily Not For Profit Food Truck Hits The Streets

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 09:44:00 -0700

While there are plenty non-profit food trucks in Austin, they haven't reached that status voluntarily. They're trying as hard as they can to be for-profit, they're just not making any money. One of our most "popular" ones shuttered at the beginning of summer to move away from Texas. The owner told me the decision was easy. He worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week and never netted more than 20k in his 3 years of work.

Austin Daily Photo: Debra McAdoo At The Wet Whistle In East Austin

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:59:00 -0700

We dashed into the Wet Whistle at the corner of Chicon and MLK in East Austin yesterday to take a couple pictures and see how the build-out looks. It's gorgeous, unlike your typical quick mart with beautiful shelving and lots of punk rock poster art covering the walls. Debra McAdoo of D. Sweetpea's Floral Design was in the house, sipping on an ice cold homemade hibiscus tea after delivering the day's fresh flowers. It's great to see another homegrown business spring up in the historic Blackland neighborhood. These nice folks are going to see plenty of our beer and pork skin money. But if you need fresh produce and baked goods they've got that covered too. Can't wait til they swing their mini farmer's market into motion. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Sushi: The Global Catch By Mark S. Hall Will Screen At Alamo Drafthouse Village

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 14:39:00 -0700

Sushi: The Global Catch By Mark S. Hall, winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Seattle International Film Festival, is set to screen at Alamo Drafthouse Village Wednesday August 8th 2012 at 7pm.

Scrumptious Chef Pop Up 2.0: Soul Food Edition. Three Little Pigs Sunday August 5th At Noon

Wed, 01 Aug 2012 12:23:00 -0700

Back at the dawn of the double aughts, we started a series of backyard supper clubs called Texas Top Cooks. We gathered together a team of local cooks, developed a theme and hosted a series of cooking competitions that went down in the French Place neighborhood. We'd put out a tip jar for a reward, print out a bunch of ballots and throw down til the dust settled and the winner would be declared. We did barbecue battles, gumbo fights, casserole beatdowns and a variety of other themes til we reached a crescendo with a Soups of Southeast Asia war that's still discussed in certain quarters in Austin. We miss those old days of gathering together people who would all unite to drink, eat and socialize. After Scrumptious Chef Pop Up #1, barbecue edition we took the lay of the land and decided to wade back into the fray with Pop Up #2. This time we're tackling soul food. Adrian Miller, the soul food scholar{whom you may be familiar with via Southern Foodways Alliance and/or CNN} was kind enough to create a menu and it's solid country gold. He's a pro and has written a book on soul food to be published next year. https://twitter.com/soulfoodscholar Since this is an Austin party, we needed guidance on how to source our groceries locally so we reached out to Kristi Wills https://twitter.com/kristifarm2tbl who had many helpful suggestions. Rachelle King https://twitter.com/BlindedBite also consulted with us to make sure that we'd be able to offer some menu items to the gluten free crowd. We always go meat heavy so that was pretty easy. We'll be cooking Adrian Miller's menu of chicken,wilted greens, black eyed peas with rice, corn bread and banana pudding as well as some Texas favorites like brisket,pork ribs,grits and sausage. You won't leave hungry. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We look forward to serving y'all. Place: 3 Little Pigs and East End Wines Date: Sunday August 5th 2012 Time: Noon Event: Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Restaurant 1209 Rosewood Avenue Austin Texas 78702 cash follow this party on Twitter with the hashtag #soulfoodpopup https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

I Cover The War: 1000 Days Documenting The Austin Texas Food Scene By RL Reeves Jr

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 22:37:00 -0700

I just glanced at my admin page and noted that today {July 31st 2012} marks day one thousand since this experiment, the Scrumptious Chef food blog, began. It's been a wild ride. I didn't even write the first article that ever appeared on the site. That honor goes to my administrator who authored a tale of a meal I cooked for him and his family in Cincinnati Ohio years back. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2009/11/4/Scrumptious-Chef-Visit it's still the most popular article ever posted in this forum. That stings.

Austin Daily Photo:Attention Austin Texas Vegetarians:Banger's Sausage House And Beer Garden Is Open

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 14:06:00 -0700

Taking their cue from Bacon, the restaurant with the meat-y name that vectored in on the Austin vegetarian crowd; Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden is in the vegetarian sausage business. We finally got a look at the menu this morning and were pleasantly chuffed at the array of bangers that are assembled from non-meats.

Austin Texas' Whole Foods Is Working Hard For The Children: Happy Birthday Whole Kids Foundation

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 11:21:00 -0700

There are plenty things to dislike about Austin's meganaut of a grocery store; Whole Foods, but they're doing some good work too. Their Whole Kids Foundation just turned 1 and they racked up some impressive numbers over the past year. * They funded eight hundred and eighty six school garden grants via a partnership with Foodcorps.

Birth Notice: Wet Whistle Is Open For Business

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:29:00 -0700

I just rode by Wet Whistle, the new East Austin quick mart on the northeast corner of Chicon and MLK and they have an "open" sign up taped to a chair in the parking lot. More later today 1900 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd Austin, TX 78722 (512) 524-3480 Mon-Fri 7 am - 12 am Sat-Sun 10 am - 12 am and a peak inside the new hot spot http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/11/Austin-Daily-Photo-Sneak-Peek-Inside-The-Wet-Whistle-At-MLK-and-Chicon

Austin Daily Photo: Lovejoy's

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:30:00 -0700

Kevin Jackson hard at work back in the day. Pouring me one for the road before I clamber aboard my bike and point toward the house. Lovejoy's consistently hired the best bartenders in all of Austin and Kevin was one of the best of the bunch. He's been gone for awhile now but the company soldiered along without him. Til August 5th 2012 when they will shut their doors forever.

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:02:00 -0700

This post consistently draws heavy traffic so we'll continue writing a new one each Monday. We had a great conversation this past weekend with a kitchen manager of a local Tex Mex food chain who was baffled at the high turn-over in his kitchen. He seemed like a really good guy so we began with our normal line of queries which ended really abruptly at pay. They offer 15k per annum for forty hours of work per week. Some of his workers have been there for 3 or 4 years and they have been bumped up to $15,600. I'll do the math for you. You start at minimum and after a few years of service they give you an extra .25 per hour so that's an extra $600 clams in your pocket at the end of the year.

Ride Along With Daniel Vaughn: The Barbecue Snob Rips Into New York City Barbecue

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 11:27:00 -0700

Vicarious thrills. This past weekend, Dallas architect and smoked meat lover Daniel Vaughn ventured into the no man's land that is the New York City barbecue circuit. His appetites are enormous so he was able to eat at nineteen joints in 3 boroughs during his weekend feeding frenzy. We followed his adventures on Twitter as he bravely ate off the pits of countless gassers before finally reaching the pure fire nirvana of Brisketlab, the brainchild of Daniel Delaney. Arcane New York City laws apparently forbid honoring the Texas tradition of utilizing pure wood fires without the assistance of a gas fired cooker. Hitch up your smoker to a municipal gas line and everything's cool. Build an honest fire to cook your meat and somebody's going to jail. Just another reason to live in the Great State. No idea how Brisketlab gets away with their old school technique but we hear Mayor Bloomberg is in Aaron Franklin's pocket. The East Austin pit boss says jump and little Mike starts doing his best impersonation of a New York Knick trying to grab a rebound. That's the word on the street over here in East Austin. Here's a link to a re-telling of the Barbecue Snob's tour across New York City. Lots of brisket porn for y'all: http://storify.com/helencho/bbqsnob-aka-daniel-vaughn-s-nyc-bbq-tour?awesm=sfy.co_e17N&utm_content=storify-pingback&utm_campaign=&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=sfy.co-twitter and plenty more tales from the Texas bbq trail http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Austin Daily Photo: Black's Barbecue Is The Finest Smokehouse In Lockhart Texas

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 23:43:00 -0700

Black's supremacy has not been disputed in these quarters for some time. Yes, you can get good barbecue from Smitty's...on occasion. Kreuz has its acolytes but the enormity of the building stands as testament to many things, least of which being the desire to put out top flight Texas barbecue.

RAID! San Antonio's Sushi Zushi Shuttered After Immigration and Customs Enforcement Audit

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 22:07:00 -0700

We were sitting in a Mexican restaurant outside Huntsville, Alabama over a decade ago when the raid went down. A pack of charcoal gray Ford Crown Victorias comes tearing into the restaurant parking lot. I look up from my taco plate just as my friend starts laughing and pointing out the window.

Austin Daily Photo: Gerard At Texas Sausage Company

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 00:26:00 -0700

After reading Mick Vann's portrait of the current commercial Texas sausage scene in the Chronicle recently I pored over the archives til I found a good photo of Gerard, one of the lynchpin meat men over at Texas Sausage Company. We'll be hitting the commissary kitchen later this week to knock out a batch of handmade sausage for the soul food pop up and we'll be channeling the spirit of lifers in the industry like Gerard. Here's a link to Vann's piece http://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2012-07-27/tubular-tradition/ if you haven't read it yet, it's well worth your time. Further Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Texas Guide To Pop Up Restaurants-Grocery Stores And Cafes

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 14:54:00 -0700

The first time we attended a pop up restaurant, it was hosted by Ben Runkle and his Salt and Time Charcuterie crew at the historic Victory Grill. Young Ben took over the restaurant for the evening, roasted a Red Wattle hog and served the meat with veggies from Finca Pura and Springdale Farm along with cheese from Pure Luck Dairy out in Dripping Springs. Here's a narration of this meal, which is one of the finest we've had in the past 2 years: http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/salt-and-time-new-kids-on-austin-meat-block/

Austin Daily Photo: Hubig's Pies In New Orleans Louisiana Has Burned To The Ground

Sat, 28 Jul 2012 08:55:00 -0700

I could be wrong, but I believe this is the first time I've ever used an outside source for an Austin Daily Photo feature. I reached out to photographer Dave Rhodes over in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans to secure permission to utilize this stunning photograph of a fully involved Hubig's Pies. By now everyone with even a passing interest in New Orleans is aware of this tremendous loss. Here's a link to Dave Rhode's website: http://www.rhodesart.com/ And a full obituary of Hubig's Pies http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/melancholia-settles-over-new-orleans-hubigs-pies-has-burned-to-the-ground/

Birth Notice: Back Porch BBQ In LaGrange Texas

Fri, 27 Jul 2012 10:07:00 -0700

We haven't made it down there yet but Back Porch BBQ has opened down in LaGrange Texas. They've got some stiff competition in the century-old Prause Meat Market but Fayette county is growing and there's a huge traffic count that rolls through by the hour on Hwy 71.

Austin Daily Photo: East Side King At The Grackle

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 23:38:00 -0700

Austin is awash in fine foods coming out of food trucks these days. We've got the first wave loncheras like La Flor down on South First Street, the bad ass old school Austin fine dining guys like Three Little Pigs and the glorious melange of Asian cuisine that is East Side King. We are rich.

Holy Shit! Franklin Barbecue Is Hiring A Meat Cutter!

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:41:00 -0700

Aaron Franklin is hiring a meat slicer y'all! Huge, huge news coming out of East Austin. This would be a perfect opportunity for someone who wants to work at one of USA's best barbecue outfits. Details: "Looking for someone who has skills slicing smokey meats. This is a very FAST paced environment and this person would be dealing directly with customers.

The Rise Of The Landed Gentry: VIP Barbecue Passes At Texas Monthly BBQ Festival Are SOLD OUT

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 13:02:00 -0700

That was quick. Yesterday we predicted that the tickets for the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival would sell out quick but we didn't realize it would be THAT quick. The VIP, the cattle barons, Chupacabra bartenders, Dell execs and Austin Chronicle brass have descended upon the Long Center's website and snapped up every single seat at the meat festival.

Austin Daily Photo: Turf N Surf Po Boy

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 22:24:00 -0700

Somebody could make a million bucks if they could isolate the cooking gene that the Gilmore family {Jack, Ralph and Bryce} share. Those men flat get it in the kitchen. Jack's flagship; Jack Allen's Kitchen is a note perfect take on Texas comfort and Tex Mex cuisine. Bryce's outfit; Barley Swine, gets national recognition as one of the best, new school restaurants in the US and Ralph's shipping container cum food truck; Turf N Surf Po Boys is the best place in town to get a fried fish sandwich.

Birth Notice. Brand New West Austin Barbecue: Hill's Barbecue Market

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:13:00 -0700

Fresh off the tipster button: there is a brand new West Austin barbecue house preparing to open on Steck Avenue called Hill's Barbecue Market. The email did not contain any other information but we'll post more information as it becomes available. more Texas bbq http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

The Best Barbecue Party In The USA Is The Texas Monthly BBQ Festival In Austin Texas

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 12:23:00 -0700

Brace up y'all. It's going to take some serious diligence to get in on this event. Tickets for the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival go on sale tomorrow and you better have some hot ass wi fi and or good speed dialing ability or you will be left in the dust. Looks like the best value is in the VIP ticket due to the booty that comes with the stub: From the website:

Austin Daily Photo: Central Texas Hot Guts Project

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 22:50:00 -0700

The lions of Texas sausage making are our heroes. When we first began exploring the world of Central Texas Hot Guts back in 1991 we were nonplussed. We grew up on sausage, raised our own hogs and had them slaughtered and ground at Roark Meats, but we'd never had forcemeat like that. Virginity taken by Black's Barbecue. When you bite into a hot link at Black's be aware that you're going to spray yourself and everyone within a 5 foot range with hot beef fat. You'll come a gusher if you're not careful. It's delicious. Crosstown Market {RIP} in Elgin also made an estimable version but pit boss Laron Morgan passed, the business closed and one of the cornerstones of the tradition was lost forever.

Brick By Brick The Walls Of Western Commerce Are Dismantled:Split Bread Cafe Will Not Accept Cash

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 15:43:00 -0700

The unrelenting assholes at Mixt Greens, an "eco gourmet" California salad chain" have developed a new concept restaurant titled Split Bread. It's the same ol same ol as far as the fresh...local...seasonal...gimmick that every cafe on earth is trying to milk right now with one big difference. That US currency you have wadded up in your pocket from a hard night tending bar? It's no good here. That US currency that your grandfather busted his ass for hawking newspapers on the street corner during the Great Depression? No good at Split Bread.

Kolaches Come To New York City. Austin Texas Native Autumn Stanford Opens Brooklyn Kolache Company

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 14:11:00 -0700

First Daniel Delaney brought New Yorkers Texas brisket, now Autumn Stanford is bringing kolaches to Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy. We predict Live Oak Brewing will have a tap bar in Williamsburg before the end of the year. Then John Kelso will take over the Maureen Dowd column at the Times. Then what? After the failure of the short lived Kolache Mama a few years back, New Yorkers have been bereft of one of the most common breakfast treats of Central Texas. Til Autumn Stanford came along. The Austin native recently opened the Brooklyn Kolache Company and reportedly has been doing land office business in Bed-Stuy.

Saigon Street Food Truck On Extended Hiatus

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 08:28:00 -0700

September 22nd 2012 is a long ways off. That's when Saigon Street announced they will re-open for business. But after seeing numerous other food trailers "go on hiatus" we've noticed one common factor: they never manage to re-open. It's a tough game to begin with. Competition is fierce with well over a thousand trucks vying for your dollar. Weather holds you hostage on a daily basis, the food trucks are cramped and you're relying on the notoriously fickle public to earn your living. It's tough. We've enjoyed our meals at Saigon Street. The folks running the joint are friendly and the banh mi are good. It seems like they chose a good location as there are few other food trailers in their zone to compete with. Summer comes to a grinding halt the third week of September this year. We'll head up to Airport Blvd and report back on whether Saigon Street managed to re-open or not. https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Looking Back At A Texas Legend; Charlies Steakhouse

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:02:00 -0700

After forty years in the game, Charlie Parker decided to call it a day last year and shutter his iconic steakhouse in North Travis County. The citizens of Pflugerville had to think quick if they were going to find a source for chicken fried steak and old school Tex Mex enchiladas. We rolled up there for the last night of business and there was not a dry eye in the house. The joint was rocking with a big crew of regulars as well as a couple dozen former workers that had gathered to pay homage to Mr. Parker, the much revered patriarch of the restaurant. Long form on the last night http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/the-death-of-a-texas-steakhouse/ https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 17:42:00 -0700

This weekly article has grown some serious legs. I'm not sure if it's due to our readers actually looking for work or just folks who get a vicarious thrill knowing that there are tons of culinary school grads who pull down under 17k for forty hours of work per week. You read that right. As I've crawled the ads for this weekly post I've noticed lots of restaurants requiring a culinary degree then offering these workers $8 per hour. Enough of that for the time being. Here are the most intriguing sounding food service industry jobs currently being offered in Austin.

Authentic Tex Mex Part Sixteen: Smoked Brisket And Hatch Chile Stew

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:25:00 -0700

I had no intention of posting this recipe but it came out so good it would be a crime to not share it. Confession. I'm a Hatch Chile pepper hoarder. Every August, when the Hatch Chiles come in season, I eat them every single day til near the end of availability. Then, right when they're about to vanish, I buy fifteen to twenty pounds and roast them to store in the freezer.

Meatopia And Josh Ozersky Prepare To Host Whole Food's Nationwide Butcher Competition Finals

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:58:00 -0700

Update:September 9th 2012 Armand "The Arm" Ferrante (East Coast Champion from the Northeast region) won in the butcher finals yesterday at Meatopia. He is the champion. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Austin, Texas based Whole Foods, known locally as "whole paycheck", has been holding an intra-store butcher battle among its meat cutters for the past few months. The tournament comes to a head September 8th in New York City at this years edition of Josh Ozersky's Meatopia festival. This is one of USA's biggest and best food parties of the entire year. Doing battle are: John "Kabali" Kalabolas (West Coast champion from the Northern California region) Andy "The Animal" Alcorn (Central U.S. champion from the Rocky Mountain region) Armand "The Arm" Ferrante (East Coast Champion from the Northeast region) A Texan won last year! http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/7/25/Texan-Wins-Best-Butcher-In-Whole-Foods-Competition-At-Meatopia https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

After Disastrous Top 5 Austin Tex Mex List, Zagat Turns Toward Austin Texas Bars And Nightclubs

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:37:00 -0700

Zagat is hurting. From time to time the Google-owned company issues an Austin-based "best of" list that is invariably woefully off target. Their Top 5 Austin Tex Mex list made me wonder if anyone at the company had ever set foot in the city. It was pitiable. Now they're turning their gaze toward our bar and nightclub scene. To help mitigate what will surely be a disaster I'm providing a hot link so y'all can lend them a hand. Austin's much vaunted nightlife culture can hold its own with cities twice its size. Cast your vote and let's make sure some of our town's treasures are reflected in the pending list. Hopefully this will ensure that this: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/7/19/Buffoonery-Zagat-Ranks-Austin-Texas-Top-5-Tex-Mex-Restaurants doesn't happen again. Vote now http://www.zagat.com/nightlifeAustin?utm_source=promo_twi20120723&utm_medium=socmed&utm_campaign=atxn_sm https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Real Ale Beer Dinner At Easy Tiger

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:16:00 -0700

Tomorrow night, Tuesday July 24th from 6-10 pm, Easy Tiger Beer Garden will host a 6 course dinner with each course paired with an offering from Real Ale of Blanco, Texas. Cost is $55 and reservations are required. 512-614-4972

Get Your Degree From Kentucky Fried Chicken! Via De Monfort University In Leicester United Kingdom

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:49:00 -0700

In Corbin, Kentucky, the birthplace of Kentucky Fried Chicken, there is a cabal of millionaires who wisely invested in the company when it was just another roadside restaurant in a small Appalachian town. Colonel Harlan Sanders was a larger than life figure in the community when I was a child. He made his way around town in a mammoth white convertible and was a regular player in any public event where he could promote his business.

Austin Daily Photo: Buche Taco At Tacos Selene

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 22:34:00 -0700

Buche is pig stomach. If that sounds appealing to you then continue reading. If you're a less aggressive eater of offal and "the nasty bits" then turn the page to something less earthy. Buche is not a particularly common ingredient at taco stands in Austin. When you do find it you often have to coax the taquera into selling you one {if you're a gabacho}as they generally figure you're not going to like it and they want your repeat visits-not easy to pull off if they sell you a taco that's not to your liking.

Shootings. Stabbings. Has 6th Street In Austin, Texas Finally Earned The Sobriquet "Dirty 6th"

Sun, 22 Jul 2012 11:48:00 -0700

The 2 beefy Mexican hoss cats are going to war. It's 1999 and 6th street in downtown Austin Texas is about to host a good old fashioned riot. We're standing outside the Ritz when two young gentlemen take umbrage at what one or the other has just said. Fisticuffs quickly break out and both cats are swinging some pretty wild haymakers. It's a small brawl between 2 men with a good crowd of drunks gathered closely to watch the battle. Then the cops get involved.

Austin Daily Photo: Golden Flake Sour Cream And Onion Potato Chips

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 18:39:00 -0700

Bad news coming out of Birmingham. Golden Enterprises, the parent company of Golden Flake, the iconic Southern snack maker recently reported that net income plummeted 52.6 percent to $463,007 in the quarter ending June 1 from $977,993 in the same quarter of 2011. Stunner. In the Deep South, Golden Flake has stood on the mountain top of salty snacks for a long, long time. Since 1923, the Birmingham-based company has been the dominant purveyor of fried potato chips, pork skins and Dorito-type snacks.

Horseshit! HEB Rolls Out Line Of Cheapo German Made Candy Bars At Cut Rate Prices

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 17:04:00 -0700

HEB, the mammoth Texas-based grocer is preparing to roll out a line of dirt cheap candy bars in its US stores. A buck will get you two which means they're roughly half what you would pay for a boutique brand like Zero or 5th Avenue. But what's the real cost? Sounds like they've hired some hippie love weed smoking ad agency to come up with their copy for the advertising campaign. We just got a p.r release and it's a treasure.

Austin Texas Cheese Heavyweights Square Off At The Mohawk In Quesoff

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 13:30:00 -0700

Conventional wisdom holds that food blogging is a Monday - Friday gig with 5 pm marking the end of the cycle til you sit down in front of your computer once more come 10-ish Monday morning. Balderdash! We're in it to win it and that means 7 days a week. For the people. We just got wind of Quesoff tonight at the Mohawk on Red River in downtown Austin. Here are the details should you wish to attend:

Stephens Family Benefit Dinner At FINO Restaurant Is Sold Out But Donations Are Still Needed

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 10:53:00 -0700

Tomorrow night's {7/22/2012} benefit dinner for Tabatha (Dai Due Sous Chef) and Bobby Stephens is sold out but the family still needs your help. Their son Holden passed away at just ten weeks of age due to a rare genetic disease and the hospital bills are astronomical. Here's a link to a page where you can donate to help the family through these hard times. http://www.winefoodfoundation.org/events/details/522-Stephens%20Family%20Benefit%20Dinner and a link to their website http://weheartholden.wordpress.com/

Welcome Home Rachel And Logan Cooper Of Boots In The Oven

Sat, 21 Jul 2012 09:09:00 -0700

After 14 months and 28 countries the couple who author the Boots In The Oven food blog have returned safely to Austin, Texas. They didn't spend their time away idly snapping pics at famous tourist locations, they rolled up their sleeves and got down and dirty on this vacation that was more of a fact finding mission than anything else.

Austin Daily Photo: Jack Allen's Kitchen In Round Rock Texas

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 22:44:00 -0700

Update: Today, Monday October 1st 2012 is the grand opening of Jack Allen's Kitchen Round Rock Texas location. Williamson County residents will go full rabid for a Sloppy Jack-the new Round Rock-only menu item;a mountain of carne molida topped with fried onions,jalapenos and cheese and served in the time honored sandwich format. Press on. --------------------------------- Dry run to Round Rock {why does it seem like that sentence has been written a few thousand times before?} We knew it would be tight making it to Round Rock by 6 pm when we left Austin at 4 pm but we didn't figure it would take 2 hours and 5 minutes. Such are the vagaries of leaving the warm bosom of Travis county and wandering abroad deep into the heart of Wilco.

Austin Daily Photo: Crawfish Shack And Oyster Bar

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:55:00 -0700

It's not likely to make you forget Verti Marte anytime soon but as an Austin-based crawfish joint it'll do. We go here for crawfish by the pound, oysters on the half shell and King Crab legs sitting in pools of butter. Crawfish Shack keeps the fat in the fryers changed out, they'll sell you a link of boudin to go with your fried catfish and if you ask for more hush puppies they bring you a nice tray without hitting you with an up charge.

Buffoonery! Zagat Ranks Austin Texas Top 5 Tex Mex Restaurants

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:08:00 -0700

Google's purchase of Zagat in September of 2011 has apparently done little to improve the rating service's credibility. How else can you explain "The 5 Best Places For Tex Mex In Austin, Texas", a list the service just issued. 1} Vivo. We actually kind of like Vivo. They do fry their own totopos and their green sauce is good but are they in the top 5 Tex Mex restaurants in Austin? Not by a long shot.

D Magazine Awards Best Blog In Dallas Title To Daniel Vaughn Of Full Custom Gospel BBQ

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 14:37:00 -0700

D Magazine just announced their winners in the Best of Big D "top picks from the worlds of entertainment, arts, and media in Dallas." Architect, meat lover and blogger/writer Daniel Vaughn emerged with the victory for Best Blog for his Full Custom Gospel BBQ website. Bear in mind that the man won while being two hundred miles north of the most fertile ground of barbecue in the United States: Central Texas.

Goodbye Stodgy Old Bankersmith Hello Bikinis, Texas!

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 09:01:00 -0700

Bankersmith, Texas, a ghost town, has been purchased by Doug Guller, the owner of the Austin based Bikinis sports bar chain. Bankersmith had fallen on hard times in 1930 when its population dipped to around 10. This stands in stark contrast to its heyday back in the roaring 20s when nigh onto fifty people called the little community home. That's all about to change. Guller's going to oversee a renaissance of the once bustling village saying "Bikinis, Texas, will be a world-class destination, and I am thrilled to expand the Bikinis brand to include town ownership."

The Rebirth Of Berts Bar-B-Q In West Campus

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:07:00 -0700

Bert's Barbecue, est. 1970, is primed for a University of Texas comeback. The old school Texas barbecue house's original location burned down back in January of 2007 due to the gross incompetence of a 911 operator who responded to a concerned citizen's emergency call thusly: "Dispatch: Yeah, yeah it's probably from their smoker, like where they cook the brisket." Then a second caller rang 911.

Austin Daily Photo: Trento

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 23:38:00 -0700

We love the local boy made good story of chef/owner Alex Kahn of Trento, the new-ish Italian restaurant in the former Chilis out on 360 in West Austin. The Westlake native graduated from the CIA and began a cooking journey that took him through several well regarded kitchens before he decided to hunker down back in Central Texas and start cooking for a living out in cedar chopper country.

Louie Mueller Barbecue's Wayne Mueller Hits The Big Time!In New York w Daniel Delaney's Brisketlab

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 11:45:00 -0700

Novice pit boss Daniel Delaney has a guest from Taylor, Texas in town up in New York for a few days. Wayne Mueller of Louie Mueller Barbecue is in the city and "Preaching the gospel of beef & smoke." Despite his beginner status, Delaney is knocking 'em dead with Texas-style briskets via his Brisketlab meat company. Maybe some of the ju ju from the smoker he purchased from Aaron Franklin has found its way into his briskets as they are, by all accounts, first rate. We'll see if we can get any first hand reports from our moles scattered about the Big Apple. These are interesting times in the world of smoked meat. Brisketlab, as near as we can tell, is the only barbecue business in the whole of New York City cooking with a 100% wood-fired pit. Interesting times. an interview with Daniel Delaney http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/daniel-delaney-of-brisketlab-sits-down-with-rl-reeves-jr/

Hearts Are Heavy In East Austin. Rest In Peace: Pachamama's Peruvian Creole Cuisine Food Trailer

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 22:22:00 -0700

While Chef Victor Polanco will continue to do catering functions, his star chef caliber food trailer; Pachamama's Peruvian Creole Cuisine operation has ceased. This is a loss on par with the closure of Odd Duck Farm To Trailer and hits with the same magnitude as when Arancini shuttered down in Bouldin Creek. It's unfathomable that such a delicious, beast of a food trailer could close in a town as hungry for good food as Austin, Texas. Unfathomable.

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 15:02:00 -0700

By all accounts the food service sector of Austin's economy is absolutely booming with new restaurants, food trailers and pubs opening by the dozen. When a business shutters it seems like it's mere moments before a saloon or cafe has sprung up with lines edging out the door. Looking for work in this industry? We cherry picked a few local ads that seemed intriguing

The End Of Austin Texas As We Know It: Lovejoy's Is Closing

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 10:23:00 -0700

More later, but after a weekend filled with rumors that Lovejoy's Taproom is closing, the word came down from on high. Owner, Eric Wolf, confirmed that the beloved, iconic bar is indeed to shutter on August 5th 2012. Now it's later: I was there for the full ride. Back when a night on the town in Austin meant a 1000 mile motorbike ride, I didn't think too much of it. I'd head to New Orleans for a couple nights then punch through the haze and kill the final 540 miles so I could hit Lovejoys before last call.

Austin Daily Photo: Quick Field Report:Scrumptious Chef Pop Up Three Little Pigs And East End Wines

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:17:00 -0700

Of all my harebrained schemes, I'd have to say breaking in a new {to me} smoker by throwing a hundred pounds of meat on it, and going for broke ranks right near the top. As one might expect, some of the briskets came out like beefy butter and others, well, they did not come out like beefy butter. I noticed while I was slicing that some were just gorgeous and juicing like Hell when I was wielding my knife hand. Others, particularly the parts that folks who like the lean/dry side of the brisket, were less fortunate/wet.

Austin Daily Photo: The Mobile Barbecue Pit That Toured With Willie Nelson And ZZ Top

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:43:00 -0700

The commissary kitchen looks like an abattoir with giant briskets and pork shoulders laying all over the gleaming prep counters. 12 quarts of smoked pigs feet pork stock are boiling and we've got enough cabbage chopped up to feed the crowd at DKR on a busy Fall Saturday. We're getting ready y'all. Hope to see everybody out at- The Barbecue Pop-Up Restaurant at Three Little Pigs tomorrow.

Happy National French Fry Day Austin! Peter's Barbecue In Ellinger Texas

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 23:18:00 -0700

Barely made it in under the wire. I'm celebrating National French Fry Day by peering all the way back to June of this year when I rejoiced over my return to Texas {after 3 weeks on the road} by eating brisket and french fries at Peter's Barbecue down in Ellinger, Texas. It was a hard earned meal. The normal 8-9 hour trip from New Orleans to Central Texas took 23 due to some hand of God level rainfall that had me biking it at 5 mph on I-10.

Austin Daily Photo: Lard Have Mercy

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 16:20:00 -0700

I like the gimmick. Fill up a couple fryolators {hopefully with leaf lard} then wrap all sorts of things in bacon and submerge everything you can get your hands on in boiling oil. Lard Have Mercy cooks deep fried Oreos, Twinkies, Pickle chips, Chili Balls and banana flavored corn dogs among other items. Prudery is not the forte of the folks behind this business.

Austin Daily Photo: Brisket Party! Barbecue Pop Up At Three Little Pigs + East End Wines Sun July 15

Thu, 12 Jul 2012 09:02:00 -0700

Brand new pop up restaurant Sunday August 5th 2012. details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/1/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-20-Soul-Food-Edition-Three-Little-Pigs-Sunday-August-5th-At-Noon -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We received some stunning news yesterday. We'd planned on using the ancient brick pit at Three Little Pigs to smoke the briskets for the party on Sunday, but we got a better offer. Back when Home Grown Catering had the touring contracts with ZZ Top and Willie Nelson, they had to be able to cook large amounts of brisket, sausage and ribs for the hungry musicians. They carted along a giant mobile pit so they could cook Texas-style barbecue for Willie, Billy Gibbons and the rest of the crew{s}.

Austin Breakfast Taco Debate Ignited!Overpriced Tacos May Spell The End Of Austin's Tortilla Economy

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 11:34:00 -0700

Bright and early one morning, years back, I was walking along 6th street in front of the Driskill Hotel when I nearly fell over in an apoplexy. The sandwich board in front of the restaurant trumpeted a $9 breakfast taco. I thought about calling John Kelso but I did not want him falling over dead on my conscience.

Austin Texas Barbecue Reigns Supreme In USA! Man Up Texas BBQ Blog Poll Results Are In

Wed, 11 Jul 2012 10:52:00 -0700

The results of Man Up Texas BBQ's NCAA-style barbecue brackets are in, and now that the dust has settled, what we knew all along has been confirmed: Austin, Texas is the king of USA barbecue towns. Our sentimental favorite; Northport, Alabama was not the victor. Anyone who's ever eaten at George Archibald's table might dispute this poll. If you're ever near Tuscaloosa it would definitely behoove you to pay the man a visit. His joint seats 6 and Mr. Archibald has logged over a half a century on the mammoth pit that dwarfs his child's playhouse sized restaurant. Read the poll results on one of the best barbecue blogs in Texas http://manuptexasbbq.blogspot.com/2012/07/usa-bbq-bracket-champion-austin-texas.html real deal Austin food news and reviews: https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Scrumptious Chef Barbecue Pop-Up At Three Little Pigs In The Parking Lot of East End Wines

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 12:42:00 -0700

Brand new pop up restaurant. Sun Aug 5th 2012 details http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/8/1/Scrumptious-Chef-Pop-Up-20-Soul-Food-Edition-Three-Little-Pigs-Sunday-August-5th-At-Noon ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More details to come, but this Sunday July 15th 2012 the scrumptious chef crew will be hosting a barbecue pop-up at Three Little Pigs in the parking lot of East End Wines. While Chef Raymond Tatum is resting and relaxing, we'll have our team in the trailer vending brisket plates and peach cobbler.

Austin Daily Photo: Happy Birthday Wallace Johnson Of Johnson Boucaniere In Lafayette,, Louisiana

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 08:44:00 -0700

We're not sure how old legendary Louisiana meat man Wallace Johnson is, but we do know he's been around long enough to cement his status as the boudin king of Acadiana. We first read about Johnson's Boucaniere a few years back on the Roadfood site. The little meat market in Lafayette had cleaned house at the big boudin competition, and we took notes so we could veer off I-10 on our next pass toward New Orleans to see what all the fuss was about.

Austin Daily Photo: Takoba

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 23:46:00 -0700

A recent visit to Takoba found the kitchen to be sputtering, but the bar to be firing on all cylinders. Such has been the case at the East Austin Mexican restaurant for some time now. The margaritas were right at perfect but the carnitas had gone bone dry in the time between preparation and service. Totopos were outstanding, both salsas were good and we enjoyed the non committal service that is a hallmark of restaurants across our city.

Paul Qui Is Coming Live To A Computer Screen Near You. Watch Chef Qui's Cooking Demo On The Internet

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 16:22:00 -0700

You can digitally interact with Chef Paul Qui, this Thursday July 12th at 5pm Central Standard Time. Chef Qui will be on a live stream via the internet and he will be cooking "his favorite dishes." By the way. Don't go to asking the chef about his time on Top Chef Texas. This topic is taboo per Qui's agreement with Bravo TV. Everything else under the sun is golden. Just no Top Chef talking. Here's all the info you'll need to be part of this event http://www.facebook.com/events/443604699012507/ real deal Austin food news and reviews: https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:36:00 -0700

Looking for work in Austin, Texas' burgeoning food service industry? There are a multitude of places hiring right now. The sleepy old Austin of the early 90s is long gone. It's been replaced by a fast-paced, voracious city that has new bars and restaurants opening daily. Rental vacancies are not measured in days-they're measured in hours as competing interests vie for the most choice properties. A quick perusal across the internet yielded some intriguing employment options. Are you an owner/manager? Send us your listing and we'll publish it for you.

John Mueller Barbecue Is NOT Closed

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:04:00 -0700

After a week at the beach, the old pit boss was a mite peaked, but please ignore reports that John Mueller Barbecue is closed. Monday and Tuesday are always days given to other pursuits and JMueller BBQ will honor normal hours this Wednesday from 10:30 am til the meat runs out. Can't get enough John Mueller?

Austin Daily Photo: Bananarchy's Revolutionary Dessert Cart In Bouldin Creek

Sun, 08 Jul 2012 21:49:00 -0700

The tale of Bananarchy has been narrated ably in such national publications as Huffington Post, The Onion and Serious Eats. The tie-in to Arrested Development, the long gone TV show, garnered the business some heavy publicity after local bloggers gave the business its first exposure. In an Austin that's steadily losing its quirky appeal, it's good to see Bananarchy thriving.

Austin Daily Photo: Fresh Salmon On The Smoker

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 16:23:00 -0700

Browsing the archives today I stumbled upon this photo of a big slab of salmon I purchased at Fiesta Mart. I can even remember that it smelled like fresh watermelon when I purchased it. I always ask for a sniff. The salmon was cooked for a friend's birthday celebration and the remainder was utilized for one of the most viewed recipes in the history of this site: Smoked Salmon Enchiladas In Chile Verde Sauce. Here's the recipe http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/5/1/Smoked-Salmon-Enchiladas-in-Chile-Verde-Sauce previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo real deal Austin food news and reviews: https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

A Year On Twitter: RL Reeves Jr

Sat, 07 Jul 2012 12:22:00 -0700

As year one on Twitter draws to a close, I thought I'd take a look back at this weird universe I've found myself in for the past 12 months. I resisted joining for the longest time due to how annoying the whole thing seemed. "Tweeting" just seemed ridiculous. Still does. But, looking back, the effects are obvious. Twitter is a prime mover when it comes to letting your voice be heard. Immediately after joining, I received a late night phone call from the boys in the Cold Fusion lab in Ohio who administrate the site. "What's going on out there, the traffic has suddenly doubled?"

Austin Daily Photo: Marcelino Pan Y Vino

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 23:48:00 -0700

One of the best sources for flour tortillas in Austin. They'll sell them to you as wraps for tacos to be devoured in-house or you can get a 12 pack hot off the comal to take back home. Formerly Abarrotes Mexicanos, this tiny storefront still puts out some excellent, Mexican meat n 3 style plate lunches. If you ever see them running their Pork Chops Divorceados special, stop drop and roll. One chop smothered in green sauce, the other chop smothered in red sauce. Each, equally delicious and vying for control of your palate with a no man's land in the middle of the plate covered with lard-y refried beans and rice. Utilize their top flight flour tortillas as edible spoons to attack your plate. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo real deal Austin food news and reviews: https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Birth Notice: VooDoo BBQ & Grill Prepares To Open In Round Rock Texas

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 15:45:00 -0700

Voodoo BBQ & Grill has invaded our northern neighbor Round Rock. Remember this guy y'all? Voodoo BBQ & Grill's Tony Avila? Take it away Mr. Avila. "It's great for us because at a lot of barbecue places you walk in and there's pigs on the wall, a Texas-style country western feel. There's nothing wrong with that, but we just wanted to separate and have a different-style feel than those. The ambiance has a New Orleans feel," Avila said. "We have said we're a New Orleans-style barbecue. There's a little extra spice and flavor to our food and extra emphasis on side items."

Happy National Fried Chicken Day Austin, Texas

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:57:00 -0700

Like any good Kentuckian I have a long and storied history with fried chicken. When I was just a sprout, Colonel Sanders would come to my grandma's house to break bread with my grandfather; Big Jim Sullivan. Big Jim raised Duroc hogs and cured their hams in a smokehouse in my grandma's back yard. Over the decades he became known as one of the best sources for cured meats in the Cumberland Highlands region of southeastern Kentucky. When I started my bacon curing project last year I wondered if I had gotten his gene that allowed him to put out pluperfect hams and pork bellies.

Party At Takoba! 2 Year Anniversary Party Saturday July 14th 2012

Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:11:00 -0700

We're all over this. Takoba is having a 2 year anniversary party next weekend featuring: * Free Beer * Free Tacos * Music by DJ Manolo Black * Perpetual Happy Hour * $5 Frozen Jamaica and Sotol

Austin Daily Photo: Robert Reid, Pit Boss At Miller's Barbecue In Belton Texas

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 22:44:00 -0700

Casting a wary eye. Robert Reid is in the kitchen at Miller's Smokehouse in Belton, Texas. Top Fifty barbecue in the Great State? You better believe it, and from where we sit, a strong contender for a lofty ranking in next year's Texas Monthly's much vaunted barbecue issue's rankings.

Dust-up! In Houston Texas They Allow People Wearing Flip Flops Inside Restaurants

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:54:00 -0700

What? People in flip flops are allowed inside restaurants in Houston? The unthinkable has finally happened. Before long this disturbing trend will spread to Austin, where I've never seen a pair of flip flops except on televison, and next thing you know I'll be forced to eat in a restaurant where someone is dressing less like a gentleman or lady and more like a common road tramp.

Sorry Y'all. Had To Turn Comment Moderation On

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:30:00 -0700

Somebody who's fixated on selling Lebron shoes to people who read foodblogs is all over the scrumptious chef site right now. When he moves on to easier pickings I'll turn off the moderator. I post every comment: good, bad or ugly as long as you're not trying to sell sneakers or condo shares.

Brisketlab Debuts: A New Life For Aaron Franklin's Smoker In The Bright Lights Of New York City

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:42:00 -0700

By the time we read that the smoker from Aaron Franklin's barbecue joint in East Austin had been bought by a yankee and was being towed to New York City for some kind of yankee brisket party, it was too late to round up the posse and see if we could head em off around Cincinnati or some shit. There's bound to be some sort of law against it, but we'll be damned if we know what it is. This past Friday night, Franklin's old smoker was pressed into service for a new fangled way they've got of selling barbecue in New York City; it's a subscription service called Brisketlab. You buy your meat in advance and are then notified when and where the barbecue will be made available. It's the inevitable, and unholy, marriage of social media and smoked meat. It had to happen eventually.

Austin Daily Photo: Sausage From Southside Market + Boudin From Johnson's Boucaniere

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:49:00 -0700

Modest. Unlike some of my previous, gigantic 4th of July fetes where the smoker is groaning under the weight of a plenitude of brisket, ribs, mutton, chicken, pork and anything else I can lay my hands on-this year's fete was confined to a few pounds of spicy beef sausage from Elgin and boudin from Lafayette Louisiana. Hope y'all's 4th of July meat intake was good and hearty. Johnson's Boucaniere http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/1/15/Austin-Daily-Photo-Road-Trip-Edition-Johnsons-Boucaniere-Saturday-January-15th-2010

64th Annual McDade Texas Watermelon Festival

Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:10:00 -0700

As soon as I saw the Watermelon Queen wielding a scepter with a watermelon slice attached to the end of it, I knew I was going all in. A reader sent us a tip about the following: Next weekend {July 13th and 14th} McDade, Texas, 30 minutes east of Austin on hwy 290, hosts the 64th edition of their Watermelon Festival. It promises to be a beauty. There will be a Watermelon Queen coronation, a street dance with the music of the Crop Dusters, prizes for heaviest melons, mobile taco carts, and barbecue plate lunches for sale. We're suckers for small town events like these so expect to see us out there posing for pictures with the watermelon princesses, begging for rides in the conestoga wagons, and hefting melons left and right. website for the event http://www.mcdadetexas.com/index.html https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Bangers Sausage House And Beer Garden on Rainey Street

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 22:54:00 -0700

The enormous project that is Banger's Sausage House and Beer Garden is near fruition. The murmurs of an impending opening have turned into a roar so we headed down to Rainey Street a couple days ago to see if we could get some photos and see the source of the hubbub. The most impressive part of the building is the walk-in cooler on the southern flank. One imagines this will be the keg room, and to accommodate enough barrels for a hundred plus taps, it's appropriately epic in size.

Rocket Man! Austin Texas Chef Paul Qui Of East Side King Teams Up With City Grit Of New York City

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:02:00 -0700

He's taking over. Austin, Texas hometown hero Paul Qui is leaving other, lesser, chefs in the dust as he prepares to conquer New York city culinary salon; City Grit. He will be breathing in some rarefied air. Other chefs cooking in the same venue are TIEN HO, CHRIS JAECKLE, APRIL BLOOMFIELD & BILL TELEPAN, and MARC VETRI AND MARK LADNER That's a who's who y'all.

Austin Daily Photo: Iliana de la Vega's Oaxacan Restaurant El Naranjo On Rainey Street

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:32:00 -0700

While it's true you can scarcely walk into a restaurant in Austin without someone heaving a basket of totopos in your general direction, the sad fact of the matter is that most are barely edible. Then there's El Naranjo, the brand new Oaxacan restaurant on Rainey Street from world famous chef Iliana de la Vega. Ms. de la Vega has taken totopos to a new level in our town. Of course the fact that she's starting with scratch tortillas produced via her very own molino {mill} in the kitchen doesn't hurt.

Austin Texas Food Service Industry Jobs

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 11:24:00 -0700

Austin's food service industry, along with the tech sector, is the fastest growing driver of our community's economy. A quick perusal of Craigslist shows there are a multitude of gigs all over Travis County. We cherry picked a few that sounded particularly promising. Are you a restaurant owner or manager? Get in touch with us and we'll post your job. http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm

Four Seasons Austin And Chef Grant Macdonald Tackle Texas Barbecue:Independence Beer + Brisket

Mon, 02 Jul 2012 09:29:00 -0700

Texas barbecue hoedown at Four Seasons Hotel? Canadian Chef Grant Macdonald is set to show and prove that you don't have to be a leathery old Texas pit boss to put out top flight brisket. Macdonald has probably been out back of the hotel since late last night, carefully tending the fires in the old brick pit that first put Four Seasons on the central Texas barbecue map decades ago. We'll bet the good chef will have worked his way through most of a case of Pearl beer and damn near finished a Louis L'amour novel by the time the party goes down at 6:30 tonight.

Austin Daily Photo: New Barbecue Joint At Intersection Of Airport And Manor Road In East Austin

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 23:51:00 -0700

We're not sure if they're affiliated with Reggie's, their nearest neighbor, but there is a brand new barbecue outfit located on the southwest corner of Airport and Manor Road. They're touting brisket and sausage and the appeal of the broke down, gone to ruin, setting is undeniable. Will report back with further intel soon. more barbecue coverage http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/category/texas-barbecue/ https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Happy 15th Anniversary Chowhound! A Birthday Wish And An Obituary by RL Reeves Jr

Sun, 01 Jul 2012 12:45:00 -0700

I was late to the party. Chowhound was birthed on this day in 1997 by Jim Leff and Bob Okumura but it wasn't until 1999 that I began regularly {and voraciously} reading it on a daily basis. Back then it was the wild, wild west of food boards with free wheeling exchanges between devout lifers as well as people who were just figuring out that food could be more than just calories to keep you alive while you worked, watched television or participated in other life activities {if there are any.}

Austin Daily Photo: Beef Marrow Bones From The Smoker Of John Mueller Barbecue

Sat, 30 Jun 2012 18:23:00 -0700

Fergus Henderson was nowhere in sight and St. John, his infamous house of offal in the UK, may as well have been a million miles away, but there we were; eating a giant tray of beef marrow bones, hot off the smoker at John Mueller Barbecue last week. We had no toast points, no parsley shallot salad and no capers, but we still managed to get by quite nicely. There we were standing in the dirt, hoisting hot steer bones and suckling the marrow from within-washing everything down with ice cold St. Arnold's beer.

Austin Daily Photo: Phara's Mediterranean Cuisine and Christopher's Casbah

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 23:33:00 -0700

The belly dancer was the highlight. The bad part is that the belly dancer wasn't that good-just better than the food. We went on a North Loop crawl last week to break out of our normal routine of hovering around East Austin, outflanking the hookers and dealers and basking in places like White Horse, Three Little Pigs, Weatherup and Hot Mama's. It was a largely successful outing save for our time at Phara's.

Hussein Ali "Mike" Yassine And Mohammed Ali "Steve" Yassine Agree To Pay Cheated Workers 685k

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:24:00 -0700

Scandal sells. Looking back over site metrics from the past year the biggest stories have revolved around high drama-not tacos or ramen. The brisket bandits that ensnared Sam's Barbecue, Willie's Barbecue and La Morenita had our readership enthralled. The saga of people smuggling meat out of HEB and hawking it out of their pants to restaurants in East Austin was an endless source of fascination to our readers. That tale reached its pinnacle when USA Today came calling

Smithsonian Magazine, Noted Chronicler Of Food Truck Culture,Recognizes Paul Qui's East Side King

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 15:34:00 -0700

How did this escape our scrutiny? Smithsonian, the magazine, website, art museum and now-documenter of food trucks, hailed Paul Qui's East Side King as one of USA's twenty best way back in February of this year. We're a mite late but it still bears mentioning. The long form piece is authored by 2 {!} writers and at 3+ paragraphs it's easy to see why. Neither Megan Gambino nor Aviva Shen could have carried such a heavy load. Best to divide the responsibilities so neither scribe would get knuckled under by the effort. Of course they pass most of the heavy lifting off to a writer for Serious Eats who gushes quite profoundly about the beet fries {creamy....soft!}. We love East Side King. Here's an old piece we unearthed via the wayback machine http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2011/11/12/Austin-Daily-Photo-Paul-Qui-Is-The-Eastside-King-And-Very-Well-Could-Win-Top-Chef-Texas and the Smithsonian piece http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/The-20-Best-Food-Trucks-in-the-United-States.html?c=y&page=11&navigation=next#IMAGES

Guns! Heroin! Tex Mex! Did Amado "Mayo" Pardo's Nephew Christopher Mier Earn 54K As GM At Jovita's

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:03:00 -0700

Christopher Mier was in a bind. He needed a place to crash at night, a stash house for his allegedly burgeoning heroin business and a place to kick back when the black tar kicked in and the chasing of the dragon commenced. In the open court of U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Lane, a few more details emerged in the Operation Muerte Negra heroin case that took down the popular south Austin Tex Mex restaurant Jovita's Cantina.

Bastille Day Party - The French Legation By Alliance Francaise d'Austin:Christine Albert French Show

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 10:39:00 -0700

Details are scant. Date: July 14th 2012 Place: French Legation Museum Time: 7-11 pm Cost: $8 advance $10 at door Kids under 12 free Food: Unsure, perhaps Central Market? We'll post more details as warranted

Austin Daily Photo: El Guero

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 23:38:00 -0700

Rifling through the backfiles tonight. El Guero is a taco school bus on Cameron Road near Nomad Bar. They specialize in tortas estillo distrito federal. In other words: sandwiches done in the style of the taqueras in Mexico City. An interesting aside is that this bus will also add some chopped up hot dogs as garnishes on anything on the menu. No, this is not the much celebrated "Sonoran hot dog" that's gotten so much acclaim in the past year. These hot dogs are just the good old fashioned, non-descript wieners that you grew up eating at swimming pools and baseball parks. We've never had our minds blown by the food at this truck, but the taquero is as nice as he can be, he's open late at night and you're eating from a public school bus rigged out with flat tops and fryolators. We take our pleasures where we find them. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Gonzo Juice

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:44:00 -0700

It must be humbling to be a food trailer parked this close to John Mueller Barbecue. I've noticed the workers across the street at the taco trailer sitting on folding chairs on a patch of dirt reading the newspaper while a hundred or so people queued up for a plate of brisket-praying that the meat wouldn't run out before they made it to the window.

Jovita's Boss Amado "Mayo" Pardo Facing Heroin Charges In Operation Muerte Negra Has Hearing Delayed

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 17:50:00 -0700

Explosions rocked south Austin last Thursday morning as a host of law enforcement descended on Jovita's Cantina, as well as a number of private homes in the drug bust operation dubbed Muerte Negra. Some of the structures were known to be barricaded so the lawmen utilized explosive devices to gain entry. A friend who lives in Bouldin Creek said the explosions sounded like people firing shotguns. During the raid 18 people were arrested on a variety of charges with the unifying factor being heroin. Twice convicted of murder, Amado "Mayo" Pardo owner/operator of Jovita's, stands to do some serious time if he's actually convicted of the fresh charges he's now facing.

Hot And Bored? Want To Buy A Food Truck Book? John T. Edge Is Coming To BookPeople In Austin

Tue, 26 Jun 2012 14:14:00 -0700

Well known eater John T. Edge is slowly making his way to Austin on an eating, book-selling tour of the United States. His new volume: The Truck Food Cookbook is out, on shelves and hopefully raking in some serious money for the Mississippi author. Mr. Edge had this to say about Austin food trucks { in an interview conducted by Andrea Weigl in the Raleigh New and Observer}

Austin Daily Photo: John Mueller Conjures Texas Barbecue From 1890

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 21:27:00 -0700

A 104 degree afternoon in south Austin proved to be the perfect setting for another John Mueller / Shaggybevo food party. A big crowd of cooks and eaters showed up at this semi-private event to celebrate our good lives here in the great state of Texas. Ice cold Saint Arnold's Beer and Deep Eddy Vodka flowed like water till the crowd got rowdied up and ready for the coup de grace: an enormous steer that had been gutted and split, then splayed out over an open fire since bright and early this morning.

It's National Catfish Day Austin! Get Out There And Eat Some Catfish

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 15:02:00 -0700

Hot off the tipster button, we just found out that today, June 25th, is National Catfish Day. The great communicator, Ronald Reagan, established this holiday all the way back in 1987. We have a long and storied history with this fish. An intriguing part of the coal industry in eastern Kentucky is that multiple ponds have to be built near the mines themselves. These ponds are dug out to accommodate the silt that runs off the sides of the mountains during rain fall. A traditional part of the building of the ponds is the stocking of said ponds with Bluegill and Catfish, two very good eating fish. Once a year the coal operator will throw a party, toss a few blasting caps in the ponds and retrieve the fish for a fry-out on the banks of the silt ponds. Fires are built, big lard cans are heated up, and the fish are gutted, battered and fried right there on the side of the mountain.

Tip Line Gets A Mite Heated From Time To Time

Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:29:00 -0700

Some of our best story ideas have come from our tip line http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/contact.cfm We're all ears when you're overheated about that plate of fried catfish you got a hold of or enamored with that stripper you want to tell the world about over at Chicas Bonitas {we're going to have to go see what all the fuss is over that new girl calling herself "Dollar Menu"}. Fried rice and shaved ice cart sprung up down the street from your flat? Hostess in a tutu with a signature vapid expression that's particularly intriguing? Suspect a queso and margarita joint is really a front for a black tar heroin ring? We're all ears. Tell us what's on your mind y'all.

Austin Daily Photo: George Washington Carver Museum Soul Food Party

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 23:00:00 -0700

You can't have a soul food party without good help. Pictured: the 2 young men tasked with taking care of the big hungry crowd at the Angela Shelf Medearis book party last week at the George Washington Carver Museum. Ms. Medearis had some very able bodied help in these two youngsters. My strawberry iced tea never dipped below half full before one of these lads was at the table with pitcher in hand. I can think of plenty Austin restaurants where these two young men could sign on and immediately step the service game up a full notch. field report from the party http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/19/Field-Report-Juneteenth-Soul-Food-Party-W-Angela-Shelf-Medearis-At-George-Washington-Carver-Museum

Book Review: Barbecue Lovers Guide To Austin by Gloria Corral

Sun, 24 Jun 2012 12:46:00 -0700

This is the first book review I've ever penned for the scrumptious chef site. I've written a lot about writers and bloggers and their words, but I've never actually reviewed a book. If you are a writer and want your book reviewed you'd probably do well to send it elsewhere. Unless it's truly great, in which case go ahead and sent it in so I can leaf through it, take a year to review it and eventually sell it to Half Price Books. When that hell-hole goes out of business I'm going to let my devil dogs run free and throw a party unlike anything Austin has ever seen.

Austin Daily Photo: Workhorse Bar

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 23:46:00 -0700

I have a rich history with this room from years of patronage at the Parlor. The Parlor would never win any awards for their thick, dough bomb pizzas, but their live music booking was superb. Particularly, their recognition of the future stardom of Scott Biram when he was just getting started with his dirty ol one man band gimmick.

Gold Rush! Round Rock Texas Looks Toward Cashing In On The Nationwide Food Truck Movement

Sat, 23 Jun 2012 13:44:00 -0700

Update October 1st 2012 The food trailer park is now open with thirteen food trailers up and running. Update 9/14/2012 Round Rock city council approved a measure allowing a food trailer court in their downtown. Update 9/13/2012: Shawn Faulk, owner of Starcorp, Inc is putting his money where his mouth is. He's willing to invest up to 20k if Round Rock city council gives the ok to his proposed food trailer court in the downtown area. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I suspect the disdain Austinites feel toward Round Rock is largely based on the faceless sprawl that is the signature of our northern neighbor. Blasting through the city on I-35 you would be excused if you thought the city offered little more than an endless array of fast food chains, muffler repair shops and the occasional hundred acre asphalt parking lot. It's an ugly-ass town, there's no getting around it.

Austin Texas:Jovita's Heroin Ring Suspects In Muerte Negra FBI Takedown Set To Appear In Court

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 12:09:00 -0700

Suspected heroin ring kingpin and Texas Syndicate member, Amado "Mayo" Pardo, along with ten of the other alleged drug ring collaborators are due to appear in court today {Friday June 22nd} at 2:30 pm. Austin exploded, literally, yesterday morning as a host of law enforcement officers detonated explosive devices to gain entry into at least 2 homes in the Bouldin Creek neighborhood of South Austin. Fifteen of the alleged heroin sales conspirators were named in a federal indictment that was unsealed yesterday. As news broke we loaded up and hit south Austin to visit the restaurant, take some pictures and hopefully interview employees of Jovita's over the charges. Picture 1: http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/?p=2585 a shuttered Jovita's. Picture 2: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/21/Takedown-The-Feds-Stun-South-Austin-With-Four-Sonic-BoomsRaid-Jovitas-Cantina-And-Arrest-15 the marquee of the show that never happened. Would love to hear from Austin band "The Cold Irons" and get their take on the affair. We'll be all over this story so stay tuned. https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr thanks go to http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/local/austin/jovita-suspects-to-appear-in-court

Austin Daily Photo: The Tigress Pub On North Loop

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 22:12:00 -0700

The Tigress Pub is growing up. The tiny cocktail bar {we're strict constructionists when it comes to the appellation "pub"} on North Loop is rumored to be undergoing some major changes in the next couple months. An expansion is said to be on the near horizon via establishing a portal into the empty room next door, as well as the building of a patio out back. When they take over the vacant business that's adjacent they will double their crowd capacity.

Takedown! The Feds Stun South Austin With Four Sonic Booms-Raid Jovita's Cantina And Arrest 15

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:41:00 -0700

Ever since Danny Roy Young passed away back in 2008, Mayo Pardo, owner of Jovita's Cantina, has served as the unofficial "mayor" of south Austin. The pony-tailed enchilada magnate is behind bars today as the FBI, along with a host of other law enforcement agencies, raided the iconic Tex Mex restaurant bright and early this morning.

Austin Texas Trailer Food Tuesdays:Long Center,Tiffany Harelik,Peached Tortilla & Royal Fig Team-up

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:23:00 -0700

An idea whose time has come. On the final Tuesday of each month, starting in July, the Long Center for the Performing Arts will host an Austin Texas food truck party on their grounds. It'll be interesting to see which food trucks will be selected for this affair. Obviously, Peached Tortilla and the Seedling truck will be at the events, since they're members of the team throwing the affair but who else will be vending?

Austin Daily Photo: Patrick,Pit Boss At Wiley's Old Fashioned Bar-B-Que And Burgers In Lubbock Texas

Wed, 20 Jun 2012 23:31:00 -0700

Wiley's Old Fashioned Bar-B-Que and Burgers is a relative youngster in the world of Texas smoked meat at not even twenty years of age. But with some of owner Buford Wiley's pits clocking in with thirty plus years of service, you'd never know it. It takes decades for a pit to attain the proper patina of soot, smoke and grime, and Wiley's collection {there are 5 of them} is good and seasoned.

Austin Texas Restaurants, Nightclubs And Bloggers On Tumblr: RL Reeves Jr

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:54:00 -0700

Tumblr now has 50 million blogs and 20 billion posts. It has almost doubled in size since last fall. Back in September 2011, the blogging service hosted 28 million blogs containing a total of 10 billion blog posts. Today, Tumblr has passed 50 million blogs, and its users have produced more than 20 billion blog posts {from http://royal.pingdom.com/}-bear in mind this is from April of 2012- a million years ago in our modern, frenetic world. But when you type in Austin,Texas there's barely any movement. It's kind of pitiful. We're on Wordpress, Pinterest, Cold fusion, Twitter etc. but when it comes to the pure enjoyment of the form-nothing compares to Tumblr. It's the king of the micro-blogging, social media scene. Check out Tumblr y'all. It's a blast, easy to use and there are a multitude of accounts that are riveting. If this post gains traction we'll start putting up some of our favorites. And if you're on Tumblr let us know. We're always looking for new folks to follow and interact with. http://rlreevesjr.tumblr.com/ https://twitter.com/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Dan's Hamburgers On Airport Blvd In East Austin

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:05:00 -0700

We're still waiting on Dan to patch things up with Fran so they can unite their hamburger restaurants and form a Texas beef coalition that could overpower the national chains like 5 Guys that keep popping up in Austin. For non-Austin based readers: Austin has two burger outfits run by formerly married people; Dan and Fran. The debate is endless over who puts out better burgers and what went down in their marriage that caused it to hit the skids lo those many years ago.

Field Report: Juneteenth Soul Food Party W/ Angela Shelf Medearis At George Washington Carver Museum

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 13:55:00 -0700

Earlier today, George Washington Carver Museum on Austin's East Side played host to a packed house of soul food aficionados who gathered together to celebrate Juneteenth. Angela Shelf Medearis, the noted cookbook author and Bobby Flay ass-beater {Jerk Chicken throwdown} was in fine form.

Austin Daily Photo: Boudin From Kirk Martin Slaughter House In Carencro Louisiana

Mon, 18 Jun 2012 22:26:00 -0700

I'm dreading crossing the bridge. On the eastern edge of the Atchafalaya river basin, dark's coming and the rain is pouring out of the sky. "Honey, you stay here as long as you want, we're closing but that don't mean you got to get out in this weather." The country quick mart where I've taken refuge is closing down for the evening and my options are dwindling. I picture a non-fatal crash, half-way across the twenty mile long bridge, and it dawns on me that I could starve to death before anybody found me or my bike.

Happy Father's Day Austin.We Look At The Appalachia Staple: Soup Beans

Sun, 17 Jun 2012 09:56:00 -0700

My daddy can cook. He was doing farm to table way before it was a catch phrase of cooks and menu writers across the United States. Of course, farm to table meant walking out the back door of the house to the garden that was halfway down the driveway on our farm in Eastern Kentucky. In addition to a vast garden that yielded green beans {greasy as well as shuck} sweet corn, zucchini, tomatoes, plum grannies, potatoes, cabbage, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins, and sweet onions, there was always a field filled with tobacco-til the government buyouts of the 90s.

Austin Daily Photo: Ruby's Barbecue On The Drag. The Kings Of Blues Have Eaten Here.

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 15:25:00 -0700

An Austin treasure, Ruby's Barbecue has been quietly putting out some of the best smoked meat in town since the 1980s. Take a look at all the framed, autographed photos the next time you visit. The kings of blues have broken bread in this old rib joint. Unlike most barbecue houses, Ruby's pays careful attention to their side dishes. The salad dressings {!} are all made from scratch, the beans have genuine fire in them and even a vegetarian can get well fed in this venerable meat house.

Surveying The Wild and Wooly World of Shaggybevo's GM Steakhouse. An Austin Texas Food Board Part 2

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 14:00:00 -0700

What a great resource Shaggybevo's GM Steakhouse is for Austin beer and food lovers. We've covered them quite a bit these past few months, and are having a ball over that way posting and reading tons of informative, food related musings from a group of men who seeming do little more than eat and drink their way across Austin on a daily basis. If you're unfamiliar with the board you may want to visit, scout through a few threads and see about signing up. It's wild and wooly with plenty profanity and highly opinionated writing, but it's easily the most active food board in Austin and there's lots of good info over that way. Some recent gems:

Austin Tx Juneteenth Party:Angela Shelf Medearis aka "The Kitchen Diva" at George Washington Carver

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 09:37:00 -0700

This Tuesday June 19th 2012, Angela Shelf Medearis will be cooking from her newest book "The Kitchen Diva's Diabetic Cookbook," at the George Washington Carver Museum from 12:30 - 1:30 pm. Expect a good old timey groaning board filled with favorites of the south like black eye peas, watermelon and sweet potatoes. Space is limited so call to get them to hold a chair for you. 512-974-4926 We're all over this event so come on out and say howdy. Happy Juneteenth in advance y'all more on this august day http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Juneteenth-moving-from-Texas-stage-to-national-3638382.php and check out Ms. Medearis' website http://www.medearis.com/

Austin Daily Photo: Blackened Catfish With Creamy Grits

Sat, 16 Jun 2012 00:42:00 -0700

I'll never forget the first time I had a piece of blackened fish. It was in New Orleans and my old-school chowhound daddy had decided we needed to investigate this K-Paul's restaurant everybody was talking about. I've never been the same. K-Paul's wasn't terribly fancy but it had created a buzz in the city that was palpable when you {tried} to walk in. Even in the hot of summer, when New Orleans is typically not all that crowded, the room was packed and on a wait. So wait we did.

Austin Daily Photo: June 14th Is National Bourbon Day. A Brief Primer For Bourbon Novices.

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 23:16:00 -0700

In Kentucky, National Bourbon Day is much like any other day. You get up, pour yourself a glass of bourbon and go about your day's affairs much like people in the rest of the country have their morning coffee. Bourbon pairs really well with donuts too, oddly enough. I've been slowly sipping on this bottle of Pappy Van Winkle for the past few years. I'll pull it out for a special occasion {Hank 3 comes to town, a friend births a child, a particularly nice brisket comes off the smoker in the backyard...things of that nature.}

Trio Restaurant At Four Seasons Austin Kicks Off 3 Course $36 Summer Deal-I Live Here I Give Here

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 13:33:00 -0700

Hot off the grill, the Bandera quail is one of the best bites of food I've put in my mouth this year. The charred crispy skin gives way to juicy, just-cooked inner flesh. Daubs of prickly pear barbecue sauce are completely unnecessary but also utterly delicious.

Sentenced! Steven Lawrence Keller, Thug Who Sucker Punched Girl At Liberty Bar Gets 45 Years

Thu, 14 Jun 2012 00:49:00 -0700

Will a 75 year old Steven Lawrence Keller still be able to pack enough punch to knock out a girl trying to get an order of beet fries from an Austin food cart like East Side King? Perhaps a blogger in 2057 will be able to report on Mr. Keller's punching power, cause that's when he'll be breathing free air again. Travis county jurors are notoriously lenient but not in the case of Keller. The Austin community was outraged last year when Keller, in a vicious blind-side attack, cold-cocked Merri Gale Hieger as she made her way to Paul Qui's East Side King food trailer for a plate of the notoriously delicious beet fries. Full details on the dust-up here http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/6/12/Steven-Lawrence-Keller-Convicted-Punched-A-Girl-Trying-To-Eat-At-Paul-Quis-East-Side-King-Trailer?adminview=true and the sentencing piece in the Statesman http://www.statesman.com/news/local/purse-snatcher-gets-45-years-for-punching-robbing-2399019.html https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Cindy's Gone Hog Wild Biker Bar On Hwy 71

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 16:59:00 -0700

I wonder how many of the other bikers have ridden 4k miles in the past 3 weeks? I've just wheeled into Cindy's Gone Hog Wild, the biker bar near Little Thailand in Garfield, Texas and the parking lot is packed with shiny new Harleys. I've seen dozens of trailer queens [nice bikes on trailers being pulled by late model Chevy pick-up trucks] over the past few hundred miles and I reckoned they were being dragged into town so the operators could ride around Austin during the ROT biker rally.

Steven Lawrence Keller Convicted! Punched A Girl Trying To Eat At Paul Qui's East Side King Trailer

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 16:57:00 -0700

Justice was served today in Travis County, Texas. Steven Lawrence Keller was convicted of aggravated robbery in his assault of Merri Gale Hieger, in front of Liberty Bar on east 6th street in Spring of 2011. Local media were all over the case last year as Liberty Bar had just installed security cameras that recorded the brutal, blind-side, knock-out punch.

Celebrity Chef Pie Auction To Benefit Colleen Sommers At Pies And Pigs Party At Springdale Farms

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:26:00 -0700

An A-list of Austin food celebrities is baking pies in their kitchens to donate to an auction benefiting Colleen Sommers of Pie Fixes Everything. As has been documented here before, Ms. Sommers has cancer and all monies collected at this event will go toward treatment. This pie auction is in tandem with the Pies and Pigs party to be held at Springdale Farms this Thursday June 14th {full coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=9E44E3F9-CDF7-ED23-AF2241DAF511C193#cD061CDCA-9F9E-1803-A010D6510EFC328D}

RL Reeves Jr Taken To Task By Austin Scribe Alan Sudo Over East Austin Weatherup Cocktail Bar Review

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 12:18:00 -0700

We visited Kathryn Weatherup's eponymous cocktail bar in the Cesar Chavez barrio on Sunday afternoon and filed a report {http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/kathryn-weatherups-new-east-austin-bar-is-dead-serious-about-your-cocktails-and-the-ice-that-keeps-them-cold/} that was met with the following response by Alan Sudo, a long time Austin food lover whom we've had numerous exchanges with over the years: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Hey Scrumptious, remember Nov 8, 2010?

Austin Daily Photo: Peter's Barbecue In Ellinger Texas

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 22:52:00 -0700

Coming off almost 3 weeks without a bite of Texas barbecue, I knew I needed to make the most of being re-baptized in brisket, fat, salt and smoke. After a long hard slog out of Louisiana {it took 21 hours to get to Fayette County, Texas} I was utterly famished, but I punched through one final thunderstorm and wheeled into Peter's Barbecue a half hour before they closed.

Salt And Time Steps Into The Ring With Three Little Pigs:Springdale Farms Hosts Hog Showdown Benefit

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 12:22:00 -0700

Ben Runkle of Salt and Time Butchershop and Salumeria has got his work cut out for him. He's facing off with Raymond Tatum of Three Little Pigs in an epic pork battle at Springdale Farms, with the proceeds going to Colleen Sommers of Pie Fixes Everything. Ms. Sommers is battling cancer and Austin's food community is rallying the troops to aid this talented baker in her battle with the disease.

Win A Free Louie Mueller Brisket. The Icon Of Taylor, Texas Barbecue Joins Forces With Roadfood

Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:22:00 -0700

The superb food website Roadfood is holding a contest and the prize is an entire Louie Mueller brisket delivered to your doorstep! Details: For the past 4 years Michael Stern, one of the preeminent men of American food letters, has hosted a festival in New Orleans celebrating the culinary backroads of USA. He cajoles numerous, off-the-beaten-path restaurants to come to Louisiana for a food party unlike any other. But he has a problem.

Austin Daily Photo: Weather Up Is The Real Deal For Craft Cocktails And Ice Fetishism

Sun, 10 Jun 2012 23:30:00 -0700

We're ice fetishists, let's get that out there in advance. We keep a variety of moulds in the freezer to shape ice to our whims and fancies. After all, it really makes a difference when it comes down to extracting the maximum amount of flavor out of a beverage. But Kathryn Weatherup's eponymous entry in the westernization of the {former} Cesar Chavez barrio, takes the precept that ice holds grave importance in the construction of a cocktail, to a whole 'nother level.

Austin Daily Photo: Quartermaster Deli In The French Quarter In New Orleans Louisiana

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 22:48:00 -0700

Every trip to New Orleans is different than the one that preceded it. Some visits I eat nothing but raw oysters washed down with Barq's rootbeer. Other visits I vector in on soft shell crab and little else. This trip {that is now sadly over} all I wanted were po boys. Giant, fried seafood stuffed po boys, all under $10 and all big enough to easily feed two normal eaters.

Austin Daily Photo: Captain Sal's On St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans Louisiana

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 08:07:00 -0700

Even the most humble po boy, soul food, Chinese take-out stand in New Orleans can stand among the finest in USA, when it comes to vending fresh, fried seafood. A giant fried oyster po boy at Captain Sal's will set you back just north of $7. It could easily feed 2 hungry eaters. Captain Sal's sells all types of fresh fish by the pound, mixed plates of Chinese fried rice, frozen family packs of soft shell crabs, fried chicken dinners as well as some of the best, cheapest po boys in the Crescent City. Need a gigantic beer to go with your feast? Captain Sal's has got you covered on that front too with a big cooler filled with enormous bottles of ice cold, dirt cheap brew. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Starbucks Coffee Run Goes Awry In Georgetown, Texas. Demetria Williams, 32, Charged

Wed, 06 Jun 2012 07:47:00 -0700

Don't come between Demetria Williams and her Starbucks Coffee. Police in Georgetown, Texas are alleging that Ms. Williams was in such dire need of a caffeine fix that she tore through our northern neighbor's village, ramming automobiles along the way, all to get to her beloved coffee shop. Best quote? Ms Williams told a police officer her name was ""honey mother-(expletive) cocaine," during the subsequent investigation. read the full piece in the morning Statesman http://www.statesman.com/news/local/police-woman-hit-2-cars-during-quest-for-2392800.html https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo:Straight Stick Ranch Burger Company at Rock ‘n’ Bowl In New Orleans

Tue, 05 Jun 2012 10:11:00 -0700

We had ourselves a time yesterday afternoon at the "Save The Times Pic" rally at Rock 'n' Bowl in New Orleans. For those uninformed, the Times Picayune, after 175 years of publication, is going to a 3 day a week schedule in the fall of this year. New Orleanians are not going to let this naked aggression stand without a fight. Local heavy hitters Allen Toussaint and Kermit Ruffins performed for a crowd of several hundred people as the parking lot baked and turned into a dance sauna.

It's National Bleu Cheese Day! Get Out There And Eat Some Bleu Cheese Austin

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 21:44:00 -0700

Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton...whatever Pure Luck Dairy is putting out right now-there are countless versions of good, ripe, funky bleu cheeses and we can't get enough of them at the scrumptious house. The more down and dirty the bleu, the better we like it. Never found one too ripe and we always scheme for ways to incorporate it in dishes in the test kitchen. It's National Bleu Cheese Day in the United States, so we went rooting through the back files to dig up a world class bleu cheese recipe. Here it is, a primer on making scratch bleu cheese dressing: http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/3/10/How-To-Make-Bleu-Cheese-Dressing https://twitter.com/#!/RLReevesJr

Austin Daily Photo: Evelyn's Place In New Orleans, Louisiana

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 08:25:00 -0700

Here's an old report I penned on Evelyn's Place in New Orleans. In a city filled with great drinkeries, this little joint stands at the top of the class. Just wrapped up a great hang with Frank {owner} who, at 87 years old, is still quite the raffish young man. "100 years ago this place was hoppin with all the Merchant Marines coming in here on leave.We didn't have stools then cause the lads would get so drunk we were afraid they'd hurt themselves when they fell off.We'd just drag em out in the morning and leave em on the curb for the garbage collectors.Now we're here for the service industry folks. They gotta have a place they can come to when they get off so they can gripe about how tough they got it."

Austin Daily Photo: Pat Hill, Cook At Peace's Grocery In Siler, Kentucky

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 23:07:00 -0700

The scene could not have been more classic. A cock was scratching in the dirt, an open fire was burning fifteen feet from the front door, and an old man was sitting on a steel chair in the shade whittling. Such was the tableau at Peace's Grocery in Siler, Kentucky on a recent visit. After a meal of chili buns and Grippos potato chips, we had a moment to chat with Pat Hill, the lady who had prepared our food. Ms. Hill was real busy, her 4 burner range was groaning under the weight of several big stock and soup kettles though lunch was still a full two hours away. Like thousands of cooks across Kentucky, Hill was hard at work getting the menu for the day knocked out for what promised to be a hell of a rush.

Austin Daily Photo:The Beer Trappe In Lexington Kentucky-Saison Farmhouse Ale From Bluegrass Brewing

Sun, 03 Jun 2012 17:50:00 -0700

Lexington, Kentucky has come a long ways since the days of my youth when a visit to the city featured a long afternoon at Aladdin's Castle {Vanguard, Defender, Robotron!}, kielbasa, baked potato and the signature orange drink from Orange Julius, then a trip to the move theater to see what was hot way back when [Brazil, Commando!] Back then, Lexington was a two horse town {Keeneland and the UK Wildcats} and offered little else. But now the state's 2nd biggest city is all grown up. I'm openly pining for a place to sit back and have a pint of beer, a couple nights ago at my sister's house near Woodland Park, when she announces that a brand new beer bar has opened near her house and she'd be happy to check it out with me.

Happy National Donut Day Texas! We Look At Iconic Southern Donut Maker: Spalding's Bakery

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 11:14:00 -0700

Where's a donut lassie when you need one? National Donut Day was created by The Salvation Army to honor the gals, nicknamed donut lassies {can't believe there wasn't a riot girl band named that}, who fed the sweet treats to soldiers during World War I. Apparently the wheels of honorifics turn slowly, as the holiday was not established until 1938. World War I ended in 1919, as best we recall.

Austin Daily Photo: Texas Best Smokehouse

Thu, 31 May 2012 22:14:00 -0700

I'm an hour or so south of Dallas and looking at a long road ahead with no Texas barbecue so I pull into the Texas Best Smokehouse parking lot to see if there's even a shred of hope. Hope free. The look of the place is pure Cracker Barrel with all manners of redneck paraphernalia littering the aisles, retro "country living" arcana tacked up all over the walls and a general feeling of despair emanating from the workers. I expect to see a knock kneed hound dog staggering vainly about looking for a place to collapse and die, but I'm on my bike and out of the parking lot as fast as possible. One of the best sights of the Spring so far was Texas Best Smokehouse in the rear view mirror and a blessedly empty belly guiding me onward to better places up ahead. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Consider The Rutabaga. A Recipe For A Nourishing Root Vegetable Mash

Wed, 30 May 2012 23:29:00 -0700

When we see rutabaga in the local {or far-flung} markets, we pounce on them. They are absolutely delicious and just rare enough to give them added, mystery vegetable appeal. Why is the rutabaga not on every American's plates, each night of the week? We'll never know. Probably just poor marketing, as many people blanch when you reply "rutabaga" when they ask "what's for supper?" Perhaps, one day, rutabaga will have its moment in the sun just like beets. Beets used to be either reviled or ignored til a few years ago when they entered the spotlight. Once they got there we wondered if they would ever leave, as even modestly talented kitchens were all of a sudden, touting them.

Austin Daily Photo: Breakfast At Holly Lake Ranch Golf Club Deep In The Piney Woods Of East Texas

Tue, 29 May 2012 20:55:00 -0700

When I sell out I really sell out. Breakfast at the country club with the landed gentry? Just another facet to go with the thousands of facets I already feature. Generally speaking, country club food tends to run towards the inedible end of the spectrum. Except when it doesn't. I still have nightmares of a wedding function hosted at a country club years ago where dijon mustard was apparently the only seasoning weapon in the poor chef's arsenal. Still cannot eat the stuff.

Austin Daily Photo: Another Roadside Attraction In Northern Tennessee

Mon, 28 May 2012 21:24:00 -0700

I spent a good part of a day last week running around northern Alabama and the length of Tennessee, seeking the kind of sustenance you can only find if you're a local or a committed chowhound. Snake eyes. Due to a poor combination of timing and errant directions from teenage barbecue joint workers, I ended up at a Hardee's where I reflected on my youth in Appalachia and the life of poor decisions that had inexorably led me to a fast food meal-all while thunderheads raced toward me from the West.

Austin Daily Photo: RL Reeves Jr Ventures Into A Hardee's In White House Tennessee

Sun, 27 May 2012 18:52:00 -0700

Has it really been 4 years since Wilbur Hardee died? Small towns across the Deep South owe this man a debt of thanks, as Hardees was a sort of pioneer of fast food in the rural hamlets that larger chains avoided. I grew up fast food free but this was not by choice. Every kid wants to eat whoppers and big macs and brazier burgers, but I grew up in an area that was so rural, no fast food companies could carve out enough market to produce profits. Then Hardee's came to Appalachia.

Austin Daily Photo: How To Make Your Own Bacon

Sat, 26 May 2012 23:06:00 -0700

Bacon project continues apace. Due to the mammoth rock slide in northern Tennessee our yearly visit to Benton's Country Hams in Madisonville is not happening so the homemade pork belly projects take on added import. Pictured: Utilizing the electric slicer at work to make sure the bacon is perfectly sliced. 10 slices per pound. Industry standard is 20. Yep, we like it thick. previous articles about our homemade bacon http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/How-To-Make-Your-Own-Bacon previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Public Service Announcement: John Mueller Barbecue To Be Closed For The Day-Sunday May 27th 2012

Sat, 26 May 2012 21:43:00 -0700

Regular hours will resume this Wednesday May 30th { 10:30am- til meat is gone} but please be aware that John Mueller Barbecue Will Be Closed For The Day-Sunday May 27th 2012. Read about the potential clash of the titans between John Mueller and former disciple Aaron Franklin http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/3/9/John-Mueller-Throws-Down-The-GauntletChallenges-Aaron-Franklin-To-Battle-For-Barbecue-Supremacy

The Towering Oak Of Austin Fine Dining Celebrates His Birthday + Colleen Sommers Benefit

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:28:00 -0700

It's Raymond Tatum's birthday party tonight at the Three Little Pigs food trailer in the parking lot of East End Wines in East Austin, Texas. That's plenty reason to break out of the house and eat a plate of food from one of the heaviest hitting kitchens in Texas but it's also a benefit for Colleen Sommers of Pie Fixes Everything, one of the most talented bakers in Austin. Sommers is battling cancer so every penny counts as she's facing astronomical medical bills. Chef Tatum's selling plates of high level cuisine that would go for $60-$70 dollars at a traditional brick and mortar restaurant for twenty bucks. He's in the trailer as we speak knocking out a long list of prep before service tonight. Event goes down at 5 pm and runs til 10-ish. Austin's famous for taking care of its own so let's band together and all get the word out for this fundraiser. hotlink http://www.facebook.com/events/314512748630387/ previous "can't be categorized" http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Cant-Be-Categorized

Austin Daily Photo: Tamale House #3. The Occasional Strawberry Cupcake

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:01:00 -0700

Once in a blue moon, Tamale House #3 puts out a tray of strawberry cupcakes on the counter. Do not even attempt to resist these delicacies, your fate is not your own. It belongs to the cupcake lady. I offered one of these to a friend who immediately dove in and ended up with half the cupcake all over her face. A grown woman with a schmear of strawberry icing on her face as she hurtles down Airport Blvd is rather amusing. previous Austin Daily Photo http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Roark Meats In Knox County Kentucky

Fri, 25 May 2012 08:19:00 -0700

Crowbar the butcher is breaking a hog down into saleable parts. His pace and precision are exceptional. Earlier, I watched the process of a hog being brought into the kill room, dispatched, bled out, then broken into primals. The whole process took less than 20 minutes. I stop into Roark Meats perhaps once a year when I'm visiting friends and family in Eastern Kentucky. I love to take a peek behind the scenes and watch the butchery in motion as it is a sight to behold. Crowbar is a real talent and a dying breed. The old timey country butchers are fading fast and when their kind is gone they won't be coming back. Roark Meats is a slaughterhouse, meat packer and meat retail seller. I utilize them for pork chops, ribeyes, briskets, pork shoulders and bacon. They sell a wide variety of other meats, but these are the items I've honed in on over the years, and they're as good a quality as what you would find in a major American city. the google map feature is not working for this business, here's a link to an accurate map http://www.citysearch.com/profile/map/656457790/gray_ky/roark_meats_llc.html previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Meatpaper Issues Stark Reminder Of Why We No Longer Contribute To Other Sites

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:58:00 -0700

Dear RL, Thank you for submitting to Meat Up! There were many fine submissions this quarter. Your piece was not selected for inclusion, but we very much appreciate your work, and your interest in Meatpaper. Best wishes, The Editors

Austin Daily Photo: A Belated Obituary For Constantine "Gus" Koutroulakis Dead At 81 Years Of Age

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:22:00 -0700

Snapper throats at the Bright Star, broiled oysters at Lovoy's, a slice of coconut cream pie at Johnny Ray's, a hot dog all the way with a bottle of wine [Grapico] at Pete's Famous-Birmingham, Alabama has plenty iconic dishes but one went missing last year when Constantine "Gus" Koutroulakis passed away at the age of 81. As fate would have it I managed to wedge in one last visit to Gus' legendary hot dog shop just a couple months before he died.

Gustavo Arellano Left His Belly Deep In The Heart Of Texas.Pleas For A Tex-Mex California Migration

Tue, 22 May 2012 20:09:00 -0700

The majesty of Tex-Mex cuisine is not lost on noted author and Mexican food culture expert Gustavo Arellano. He was recently in Texas on a tour to promote his new book "Taco USA" and he must have eaten quite well on his visit. In a column for OC Weekly titled "Five Tex-Mex Food Specialties That Should Go Nationwide--Or At Least to California" Arellano pleads for some of our glorious regional food specialties to migrate to the Golden State. Who can blame him? We've got it good in Texas. We can eat real deal Mexican food like the kind mujeres puts on the table for the family in Puebla or we can eat real deal Tex-Mex food, the kind mujeres puts on the table for the family in Harlingen.

Austin Daily Photo: Pit Stop Barbecue In Temple Texas

Tue, 22 May 2012 11:21:00 -0700

We've written about the meat wizardry of Hyun Sun [Kim], the lady pit boss at Pit Stop Barbecue in Temple, Texas, before. You know you've reached a certain level of mastery when you become an instructor. Sun teaches classes on the art of smoking meat. One imagines she's quite the maestra. In the photo, Hyun Sun is placing the Kalbi beef ribs on a red hot bed of pecan wood coals. This is the first barbecue restaurant we've ever visited where the ribs were cooked per-order. Thankfully, Pit Stop is a small enough operation to actually be able to pull this off. If you want "fresh aromas", Kim maintains, you have to cook the Kalbi per order. We're not arguing. Her beef ribs are divine. Previous Texas Barbecue coverage http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue Previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Texas Ladies State Championship Chili Cook-Off In Seguin Texas

Mon, 21 May 2012 23:56:00 -0700

Light on the hospitality. We dutifully returned our judges form through the USPS and showed up ready to perform our duties down in Seguin, Texas for the Texas ladies state championship chili cook-off. It all went down hill from there. No point in detailing the comedy of errors that followed, but suffice to say, this will be the last time we go to this particular affair. We left hungry. And were actually scolded by one woman when we queued up at a table that was groaning under the weight of several hundred pounds of food. We're still trying to imagine the lack of graciousness that we experienced at this cook-off happening at a barbecue competition. You can't walk ten feet at a barbecue cook-off without somebody trying to give you a beer and a plate of brisket or ribs. Thankfully Tejano Taco sprang to our rescue with some of the best flour tortillas and barbacoa this side of San Antonio. If you're ever in Seguin, check 'em out. They put 99% of Austin's taquerias to shame. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: SALTY SOW NOW OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:06:00 -0700

I felt like Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places, when he's standing there in his filthy, bedraggled Santa Claus suit looking in the window of a fancy restaurant, where everybody's drinking champagne and smoking big cigars. Night after night, I'd press my nose against the glass at Salty Sow, while they were in their soft opening run up toward opening their doors to the general public.

Austin Daily Photo: Brady Texas Goat Cook Off

Thu, 17 May 2012 23:44:00 -0700

From our archives. We attend, and judge, a lot of barbecue cook offs in Texas each year but only one is the ruler of our heart. The grande dame of them all: The Brady Texas Goat Cook Off. Hundreds of cook teams vector in on Brady on Labor Day week-end each year to compete, do a lot of drinking, and renew old bonds from the year before. We wouldn't miss it for the world. Poring over some old photos via our brand new software, we stumbled upon this old gem: A Texas girl hovering over the carcass of well-smoked goat. This was from 2009. If you love barbecue and camaraderie, then pencil in Brady, Texas on your calendar for Labor Day week-end; it's one of the best barbecue parties you could ever hope to attend. previous goat party tales http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/?p=464 Texas Barbecue http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Barbecue

Excellent Journalism: Yassine Enterprises Scandal Detailed By Richard Whittaker Of Austin Chronicle

Thu, 17 May 2012 15:44:00 -0700

We've been all over the Yassine Enterprises scandal since before the contretemps exploded into the public consciousness. It's an incredibly juicy story with the Yassine family being implicated in murder, tax evasion, cocaine dealing, terrorism ties, rape allegations, money laundering, marine mammal abuse, indentured servitude, and just about any other foul behavior that humans choose to indulge in.

Ambush! Raul Vizueth Torres Killers Drop Dime, Cop Plea, Get Long Jail Terms In Bobby Burks Jr Case

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:09:00 -0700

Justice was dispensed yesterday in Williamson County. How many times has that sentence been written? Thousands. Down a dark, county road northeast of Austin on April 17th of 2010, an ambush was set. Three thugs: Bobby Burks Jr, Veronica Evonne Ortiz, and Isabel Michelle Gonzales had hatched a plan to send the women into an Austin nightclub, choose a victim, lure him into the county, and rob him. As these plans often do, the robbery turned into a murder.

Austin Daily Photo: New York Strips Hot Off The Grill

Wed, 16 May 2012 23:51:00 -0700

My friend and Scrumptiouschef contributor, Ron, is the biggest meat lover I know. He collects the stuff. Which means that every once in awhile we have to prowl through his vast freezer, sort through his custom cryo-vacced meat pouches and figure out what absolutely needs to be cooked. Which meant that last night was steak night. Pictured: 3 big New York Strip steaks, hot off a red-hot grill. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, and rubbed with a little oil before flash cooking on a hot fire.

SceneTap's Facial Detection Tentacles Take Hold In Austin-Spread To San Francisco

Wed, 16 May 2012 20:33:00 -0700

SF Weekly has a great article about SceneTap, the now Austin-based company's spread to the Bay Area. Writer Erin Sherber, in an article titled "San Francisco Bars to Install Creepy Facial Detection Cameras Inside Venues", discusses the outfit's entrance into the city. It's not coming without controversy.

Gunned Down!Houston's Enchilada Queen Sylvia Casares To Return To Work At Sylvia's Enchilada Kitchen

Wed, 16 May 2012 13:40:00 -0700

Tex-Mex cooking empress Sylvia Casares is nearly healed up after being gunned down in March of this year, allegedly by boyfriend Michael Warren. After shooting Casares, Warren reportedly stole Casares SUV and made a dead run for the Louisiana border, apparently successfully returning to his hometown of Lafayette, before returning to Texas with the aid of family. Bad move.

Features That You Love On Your iphone And Android Restaurant Apps

Wed, 16 May 2012 11:09:00 -0700

We're down to the wire on our first app for iphone and android. It's titled "Austin Texas Barbacoa Taco Trail." The heavy lifting, visiting a ton of barbacoa joints in the Austin area, is largely done. Now we're in research mode on features that should be built into the app. One reader posited that he loves users to be able to post comments and add content to the app. Check, it shall be done. The same reader loves free updates to be added to the app as warranted. Check, this too shall be done. What are your favorite features on your restaurant apps you have loaded onto your smartphone?

Austin Daily Photo: Cherry Creek Catfish On Manchaca Road in South Austin

Tue, 15 May 2012 13:05:00 -0700

Old stand-by. Cherry Creek has been running strong down in South Austin since way back in the 90s, and they've come by their popularity honestly. They give you a heavy plate of chow, cooked to order, and usury is not part of their business model. We discovered them around '96 or '97 when we were having a love affair with El Real, then, the best taqueria in Austin, now, a used car dealership. We had run by the little taco joint to get our fix of shrimp cocktail and they were closed. At loose ends, we wondered into Cherry Creek and were blown away that they offered fried green tomatoes. New lover, same zipcode.

Austin Daily Photo: Tuna Salad On Fresh Bolillo Garnished With Preservation Bacon

Mon, 14 May 2012 13:16:00 -0700

While there is nothing I'd rather do than spend an entire day in the kitchen crafting a recipe into being, sometimes I have to bang out a quick lunch and get back to the affairs of the day. Like today. Multiple writing projects are bowing me to the ground right now so I barely have time to wolf down a sandwich and get back to the Underwood. But I still have to eat well. I can knock out a tuna sandwich in no time flat so I hit the kitchen running full bore and 10 or so minutes later I was on the business end of the beauty in the picture. Standard sides: Grippo Potato Chips, ice cold dill pickle and bottle of Topo Chico. recipe: the best tuna salad you'll ever put in your mouth http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2010/8/30/What-Chefs-Eat-When-We-Cook-at-Home-Part-1

Shaggybevo Is Now On Board RL Reeves Jr's Austin, Texas Barbacoa Project

Mon, 14 May 2012 09:05:00 -0700

I've enlisted the aid of the gentlemen over at Shaggybevo for my barbacoa project. Should be interesting, to put it mildly. Shaggybevo has been well documented in these pages before. It's Austin's dominant food forum with thousands of posters covering hundreds of topics. If anybody remembers the old Austin Chowhound board [RIP] in its heyday, well, this one's even better. Here's the hot link to the discussion titled "Best Barbacoa In Austin, Texas"

Austin Daily Photo: Live Oak Barbecue In East Austin, Texas

Sun, 13 May 2012 22:59:00 -0700

They're starting to get the smoker dialed in down at Live Oak Barbecue on e. 2nd street. The barbecue on our first few visits was unlikely to divert anyone from making runs to Taylor or Lockhart, but as of late, the meat coming off the pit is showing some real gains. Particularly the brisket.

Sometimes The Bad Guys Win:Corporate Louisiana Mexican Chain Bests Austin Favorite Mellizoz Tacos

Sun, 13 May 2012 16:58:00 -0700

Entering a crowded, hyper-competitive market in any segment of the business world is always going to be fraught with peril. When you announce your entrance by filing a lawsuit on a popular player in that market, well, you've given yourself a tough row to hoe. Welcome to Austin, K & F Restaurant Management Limited Liability Corporation dba Izzo's Illegal Burrito. Hope you like the Texas weather out this way. We predict it's going to be a hot summer this year.

Austin Daily Photo: Cenote Cafe In East Austin

Sat, 12 May 2012 23:03:00 -0700

We're in love with Cenote Cafe. The new kids in East Austin's coffee game have come hard out of the chute. We come here for ice-cold, Texas micro-brews, fresh brewed Cuvee coffee and some of the best pastries in Austin. Whoever's providing their baked goods is near the top of the pastry game in town. Special note must be made of the brownie, normally a throwaway at most cafes, this one is reminiscent of mom's version-an Eastern Kentucky legend known as the "chocolate embolism."

Austin Daily Photo: Salty Sow In Soft Opening Run-Up Toward Full Service In East Austin

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:51:00 -0700

We received some strong intel off the tipster button yesterday afternoon that Salty Sow was going soft last night, so we figured it was as good a time as any to walk a block and a half from the homestead, work our way through the menu and issue a report. Didn't work out. Walking into the old Red House Pizza, the building is unrecognizable. The rehab is incredible with soft lighting, low ceilings and a general feeling of good ambiance.

Austin Daily Photo: Train Ride From Amsterdam's Centraal Station To Schiphol Airport

Thu, 10 May 2012 13:53:00 -0700

One of the saddest sights you're ever likely to see: View from the train window as you leave Amsterdam's Centraal Station and race towad Schiphol Airport. Sad because it means that your Amsterdam Netherlands vacation is over and you have to get back on a plane to USA. It's not a good feeling. I've been visiting Noord Holland since the 90s. It's a magical place filled with the friendliest, most pragmatic people you could ever hope to meet; the Dutch. The food scene is sensational, the nightlife unmatched and the architecture, breathtaking. These are the three things I seek when I travel and Amsterdam is aces high in all three respects. More words on Amsterdam: Partying with the X- Porn Star Collective http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/30/How-To-Make-A-Dutch-Baby-Eating-Pancakes-In-Amsterdam-Netherlands Eating the finest Dutch barbecue: http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/?p=2235

Austin Daily Photo: Hickory Smoked Brisket

Wed, 09 May 2012 23:50:00 -0700

Sometimes if you want your brisket done right you got to do it yourself. Pictured: Roughly half of a 12 pound brisket, hot off a big hickory fire built out back. The other half of the brisket is off camera, in the fridge, waiting to be seasoned, ground and converted into brisket sausage. Brisket sausage.

Field Report: Pachamama's Peruvian Creole Cuisine Food Trailer Is Killing It In East Austin

Wed, 09 May 2012 18:00:00 -0700

There's some serious culinary witchcraft happening down on Cesar Chavez in the little, secluded courtyard of East Side Food Park. For the past few weeks, we've been working our way through the menu at Pachamama's Peruvian Creole Cuisine, probing for a weak link, drinking lots of wine smuggled in [http://www.eastendwinesatx.com/] and celebrating the potato-the shoulders of which the menu rests upon.

Disgraced Corporation Dr Pepper Snapple Group Forges Alliance With University Texas' McCombs School

Tue, 08 May 2012 16:45:00 -0700

Texans have long memories. As we gaze back to January of this year one of the hottest stories of this young century erupted out of the Great State. Dr Pepper Snapple Group [DPS] crushed Dublin Dr Pepper Bottling Company by rescinding their right to manufacture cane sugar powered Dr Pepper. The immediate result was that 14 hard working Texans in Dublin were sent to the unemployment line by the global behemoth. The long term result was that millions of people across the United States joined boycott groups to ensure that Dr Pepper Snapple Group would see no more of their soda money.

Austin Daily Photo: Death Of A Texas Quick Mart

Tue, 08 May 2012 09:04:00 -0700

The bulldozers are due to arrive any day now. The Fast Stop on Airport Blvd at 53rd street is soon to be consigned to the pages of history. I never spent a lot of time in the Fast Stop. It was off my path and a little too grimy for my liking. Friends who utilized it as their corner store report that the men behind the counter were extremely nice and adept at keeping the old shed pieced together with duct tape and bailing wire. It looked as though if you gave it a good shove, you could send the whole of the structure crashing to the earth. As a last ditch effort, Fast Stop acted as home to Barbecue Heaven, an itinerant food trailer that briefly set up shop in the convenience store parking lot. Countdown to brand new Walgreens starts right now. previous obituaries http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/RIP-Rest-In-Peace

Food & Wine Honors Texas Barbecue Pit Bosses:John Mueller,Aaron Franklin,Tim Love & Nicole Davenport

Mon, 07 May 2012 15:56:00 -0700

It's barbecue season year-round in the great state of Texas but national media deem late spring and early summer to be the time of year they roll out all their meat-y weapons in a never-ending pursuit of eyeballs and subscribers. Who can blame them? The death of print media has been well noted and if paper magazines can keep their lights turned on and reporters fed via smoked meat then more power to them.

Austin Daily Photo: Hot Mama's In East Austin

Mon, 07 May 2012 09:24:00 -0700

Couture shoot at Hot Mama's coffee shop in East Austin last week. Every so often, a camera crew will show up here to utilize the courtyard for a modelling shoot. Such was the case on a recent morning when a team of attendees were all hovering about the woman in the picture. Hot Mama's has been through some ownership changes over the years but has really settled into itself of late. They have a friendly crew of baristas, Ararat Cafe's foods being served out of the kitchen, and one of the biggest, plushest sofas in town for lounging. First Saturday of each month the cafe throws an Ararat party where they bring in belly dancers, serve a special dish from the legendary Ararat menu and set up the courtyard as an impromptu food party venue. It's byob as an added bonus. previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo

Austin Daily Photo: Happy Cinco De Mayo Texas! Tacorama Is Today At The MACC

Sat, 05 May 2012 08:58:00 -0700

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone. May 5th is traditionally the day that Americans celebrate as though it was Mexican Independence day. With all the major beer companies getting on board years ago you would think that today is a major Mexican holiday. It's not.

Austin Daily Photo: Torchy's Tacos In The Bouldin Creek Neighborhood Of Austin, Texas

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:45:00 -0700

I'm doing a lot of legwork right now on the "Barbacoa Trail Of Austin Texas" app for iphone and android. Winnowing the list down from 50 or so places in Travis County down to a manageable ten has been part of my daily routine for the past few weeks. With all the recent controversy over Torchy's Tacos, I figured it would be a good idea to run by there and see about including them in the project.

Austin Daily Photo: Spy Edition! Salty Sow In Former Red House Pizza On Manor Road

Thu, 03 May 2012 12:12:00 -0700

We had to duck into Vivo today to grab a quick margarita and talk shop with a couple fellow writers today at lunchtime. Walking into the parking lot we noted that signage has went up on the Salty Sow building and a staff meeting [?] was in progress. Looks like East Austin's newest, and probable major, player in the game, is drawing closer to opening. We can't wait to get at Chef Harold Marmulstein's pig-based menu as we are certain it's going to be an assault on our sensibilities. Just like we like it. Welcome to the neighborhood Salty Sow. take a peek inside the restaurant http://chowpapi.com/wordpress/wordpress-2.8.6/wordpress/?p=2243 previous Austin Daily Photos http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/Austin-Daily-Photo more Salty Sow http://www.scrumptiouschef.com/food/index.cfm/2012/4/2/Austin-Daily-Photo-Sneak-Peek-Inside-Salty-Sow-New-Restaurant-Inside-Former-Red-House-Pizza?adminview=true

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