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Fresh Texas Honey Lemonade

What’s the buzz all about, Charlie Bee?

You may have met Charlie Agar and his wife Kaye behind a table laden with local honey at the farmer’s market in New Braunfels.  Charlie is the proverbially smiling, friendly face, supported by his sweet wife, behind the Charlie Bee brand of honey.  

But Charlie has been more than a simple beekeeper.  He stares fear in the face and removes unwanted bee hives from inside urban attics, barns, and buildings, safely relocating them to a rural setting. He is the “who you gonna call” of the bee hive world!  

He has honed this enviable craft to the point of starring in his own Public Television Show called “Charlie Bee Company”.  It has aired all over the world – Australia, Eastern Europe, France and Germany.  Season two is queued up and ready to go – stay tuned! Every episode finds Charlie in the unenviable position of figuring out how to remove dangerous giant buzzing hives from unwanted situations.  You can’t imagine the places bees will decide to domicile!

What started as a business to relocate unwanted Africanized bees and literally to save them, is now evolving into a full agri-tourism destination dedicated to the love of beekeeping.  I visited Charlie at his farm in New Berlin to see what he was up to and learn about his newest bee adventure.

A brand new fully outfitted store which houses all things beekeeping greeted me upon arrival.  The grounds approaching are laid out for a future hexagon shaped garden featuring bee-attracting plants and landscape.  Brand new in the store is a full hive where you can safely view the intricate lives of a bee colony.  

With free beekeeping classes on  Saturday mornings, Charlie is currently focused on helping the backyard beekeeper learn the intricacies of this popular hobby.  

After the bee season (through July) he will focus on programs for children and adults that spread the knowledge about the importance of these little pollinators to our ecosystem.  So for the “bee curious”, Charlie’s farm will be your one-stop destination!

And if you’re wondering – YES, I did suit up in a bee suit and visited his 40 plus hives located on the property.  We went on a seek and search mission to find the queen in one of the hives – a tricky and important aspect of bee-keeping. Every hive has one queen.  We found her, but she slipped away – ahhh, once again the intricacies of  this craft.

So, of course in true Texicureans fashion we will prepare a Texas recipe together.  What could be more cooling than a glass of lemonade after a morning in a bee suit?  We used Charlie’s honey – full of nutrition,  and created a beautiful pitcher fit for a queen.  

I squeezed lemons and Charlie shared his dreams for God’s little important creatures in New Berlin.  As with all things, Charlie – the adventure continues!  You can find out more at his website: www.charliebee.com or take a family drive out to 694 Smith Falor Road in New Berlin  to snag some local honey and learn about all things bees and beekeeping!

Honey Lemonade

Chill Pill for the Summer
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/3 - 1/2 cup Texas honey
  • 5 cups water
  • ice

Instructions
 

  • Squeeze enough lemons to make 1 cup juice. Add in honey and stir vigorously. Add in 5 cups water and pour over ice in glasses. Enjoy!

Video

Keyword lemonade, lemons, honey

Germans in Texas; Texans in Germany

Germans immigrated to Texas as early settlers, cementing a strong cultural presence. That’s why October + fest are words that go together like coffee and cream around here. But before you gear up to Prost! and chicken dance your dirndls off at Wurstfest, let’s deepen your Oktoberfest bona fides. Texicureans is giving you festival history straight from a Texan living in Germany, a list of festivals in Texas, and an asparagus soup recipe from Black Forest resident, Barbara Laner.    

History of Wies’n

Oktoberfest in Bavaria began on October 12, 1810, as a celebration of the wedding of Bavarian King Ludwig 1 and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on the outskirts of Munich.  It was essentially a way to let the poor people celebrate the nuptials.

The following year in 1811, the Bavarian Agricultural Association decided to continue the celebration as a showcase of farming achievements.  A few years later a merry-go-round and swings are added, beginning the long tradition of carnival rides.

In 1885, the next significant addition in the “now traditional” event was the introduction of a chicken roastery.  Currently over 1 million half-chickens are consumed at the Wies’n (locals name for Oktoberfest). In 1913, a 12,000-seat tent is added – the largest of its kind.

1935 saw the beginning of the Procession of the Oktoberfest innkeepers:  All breweries walk through the city to their tents with staff, beer wagons and brass bands led by a “Munchner Kindl” – a girl dressed in a black and yellow monk’s habit. Currently, 6 million people attend Oktoberfest annually!

Perspective from Germany

Brian Hooser (5th generation Texan) and his wife Bridgett have lived in Munich for 22 years and are Oktoberfest regulars.

“Pageantry, tradition, Gemütlich.  Originally a wedding celebration in a field, 187 years later the celebration continues as a global event. The fun begins with preparing for Oktoberfest long before with the selection of your Leiderhosen or Dirndl.  Once you have traditional clothes on, you meet your friends at the Teresianwiess for rides, Bavarian food and of course beer!

The experience in the tents is driven by the band, driving their 5000 guests to a crescendo of singing, dancing, and great moods.  The band uses their extensive set of songs to draw from, starting from ‘Ein Prosit’ to ‘Country Roads’ to ‘New York New York’ ending with ‘Angels’. For sure, I will be joining the 6 million other guest for this year’s Oktoberfest!”

 – Brian Hooser

Bridget adds, “You need to start thinking “Tracht” (German word for traditional clothing) during the summer. Even when it is hot and sweaty – you need to make sure you still have that bod to get into the Dirndl (the women’s dress) and the Lederhosen (the man’s leather pants).  Unfortunately, neither of these are forgiving.  The styles change from year to year, there are more traditional calico prints that some wear, then there are the latest in fashion with the silk aprons and the lace tops.  None of these items come cheap, a full Dirndl with blouse will probably cost you around 200Euros (around $200) and can run up to 1000Euros.  Lederhosen is the same with the more traditional and good leather costing up to 800Euros or even 1200Euros as our friend from Austin found out last week. However, there are bargains to be found.

We have been living here in Munich since September 1st, 2000, we of course went to the opening day while we were still living in our temporary housing.  We donned our jeans and raincoats and headed to one of the tents.  It was easy to get in at that time and we sat down with a very nice table of elderly Germans.  Since then, we have never missed an opening day!

Oktoberfest is more than just beer, it is a huge festival for the whole family; There are tons of rides and outdoor eating venues, they even have the “Oide Wiese” which is the Old Wies’n and the rides all cost 1Euro and are very nostalgic.  We always attend at least one day as a family to ride rides and eat some good food. The traditional food at the Wies’n is the half a chicken.  These chickens are bred specifically for the Oktoberfest and there is nothing else like it.  No biergarten can match how good the Wies’n Hendl is.

For the whole 2 weeks there are many reservations and friends who invite you, our company (Motorola & the reason we are here) has had a standing reservation since 1985.  All employees come along to spend some time together and you get off work at lunchtime to be there for the reservation at 2pm until close at 11pm.

We love being here and there is nothing else like it in the world, it has been quite sad that the last couple years they canceled it due to the pandemic.  We are looking forward once again to meeting our friends at the Wies’n, singing the songs, and standing on the benches. It is a see and be seen kind of place where you can tout your wares with a nice reservation at an exclusive tent.  Each tent has a different personality holding up to 5000 or even 8000 (Hofbrau tent) people.

Although we are very very happy for our livers and our wallets that it is only 2 weeks out of the year!  At least until Starkbier rolls around during lent.”

Wurstfest and Beyond

Our state is the bedrock of German Festivals with roots from across the Atlantic. Below are a few we know of, but we are sure there are more to be found! In addition to official festivals, check with your local favorite breweries and plan to raise your stein or don your lederhosen.

Wurstfest: November 4-13, 2022

New Braunfels

Austin Oktoberfest: October 8, 2022

German Texan Heritage Society

The German Free School

11:00 am – 7:00 pm

Oktoberfest Dallas: October 1, 2022

Exchange Club of Lake Highlands Neighborhood

Oktoberfest Fredericksburg: September 30 – October 2, 2022

Marketplatz in downtown

Oktoberfest Galveston Island: October 21-22, 2022

First Lutheran Church of Galveston, 2415 Winnie, Galveston, TX

Oktoberfest Granbury: October 7 – 9, 2022

Grandbury Square Plaza and Pavilion

Oktoberfest San Antonio: October 7-8 and October 14-15, 2022

Beethoven Männerchor – 422 Pereida St.

Oktoberfest Muenster: October 7-9, 2022

Heritage Park Pavilion

301 N. Ash Street

Oktoberfest La Grange: October 1, 2022 (3:00-7:00 pm)

La Grange Main Street and La Grange Rotary Club

Surftoberfest Beer Festival Corpus Christi – October 22, 2022

Water Street Market

Marina Arts District

 

Texas Trails: Diez y Seis de Septiembre & Texas: Celebrating Independence

Think you know everything about Texas, Mexico, and our interwoven history? Maybe not. The holiday on September 16th isn’t simply for margaritas and street tacos. It is about independence; specially, independence from Spain. This month, we invite you to reach beyond typical tex-mex and into food with deep tradition and visit one of Texas’s multiple Mexican cultural centers.

Diez y Seis de Septiembre is a significant Mexican national holiday celebrated across Texas.
We dug deep into the history this time on the Texicureans Trail. So, if you’re reading for the recipe, you may want to skip to the end. But we think it’s more fun on the journey. Read on for some celebration destinations and an authentic recipe for home.

The Holiday

In 1803, French Emperor Napoleon sold the Louisiana Territory to the American President Thomas Jefferson to raise war funds. With these raised funds, in 1808, Napoleon invaded Spain and put his little brother, Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte, on the Spanish throne as King José I. Of course, this did not set well with Spain or Spaniards in the New World.
The fever of freedom from French kings and Spanish overlords ignited into rebellion, and a priest, Miguel Hidalgo, is credited with starting the Mexican War of Independence. He issued his “Cry of Dolores,” on September 16, 1810 calling for an end to 300 years of Spanish rule in Mexico. He also championed a redistribution of land and racial equality for thousands of Indian and Mestizo peasants. Father Hidalgo’s cause was so popular that the letters of his name were rearranged to name the new Texas town of Goliad.
Spain defeated Napoleon in 1813 and seized back the throne. The Mexican War of Independence continued, inspiring Texans to seize the opportunity to free themselves from Spain and Mexico as well.

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center – Austin

The Emma S. Barrientos Mexican-American Cultural Center hosts “Viva Mexico”, Yoga, Dance and other events and programs. Housed in downtown Austin on the Colorado river in what has become known as the Rainey District. This annual event showcases visual art, dance, and musical performances that explore Mexico’s history through cultural art traditions. Viva México celebration will be on Saturday, September 17th from 5-9pm and tickets are free.

I caught up with Michelle Rojas, the Culture and Arts Education Manager and walked through the beautiful Sam Coronado Gallery. Michelle gave the historical background of the 15-year-old center. Currently showcasing San Antonio artist Blas Lopez, exhibits change out every few months. Embarking on a multi-million-dollar expansion, the center will close in a few months for approximately 2 years, and will be taking their exhibits on the road to underserved communities.

Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center
600 River St.
Austin, TX 78701

Instituto Cultural de Mexico – San Antonio

Instituto Cultural de Mexico was created for the purpose of enhancing the friendship between the peoples of Mexico and of the United States of America through a better understanding of their cultural values. Located in Hemisfair Plaza in San Antonio, 2 galleries showcase art and culture on a rotating basis. Admission is free!

A fun plan is to arrive close to opening time of 10:00 (paid parking is at the corner of S. Alamo and Nueva). Enjoy the exhibits and then trot across the street to Box St. All Day “a glow up from their popular food truck and catering company The Box Street Social”. Choose from their variety of espresso bar, craft cocktails, local beer and then order up from their “brunch all day menu”. I loved their team encouraged lingering conversations.

https://www.theboxstreetsocial.com/

CLICK HERE for Mexican Cultural Institute (Instituto Cultural De Mexico)
600 Hemisfair Plaza Way, San Antonio, TX 78205

Chiles en Nogada – Celebrate at Home!

Chiles en Nogada (Poblano Chile Peppers in Pecan Sauce) is the perfect dish to prepare at home to celebrate Diez Y Seis de Septiembre. Colorful and rich with meaning, this dish has both the history and the presentation. This is a traditional recipe in Mexico and if you ask around in Texas, everyone’s Grandma makes the best one.

Helen Hovestadt grew up in Mexico City and is sharing her version of Chiles en Nogada with Texicureans! Food lovers looking for a different experience will enjoy these heavenly flavors. This recipe is from Helen’s mother, with a few tweaks of her own. Isn’t that how we all do it?

Presentation. This dish honors the Mexican Flag with the three colors, green (poblano pepper), white (nutty creamy sauce) and red (bright pomegranate seeds). There are many ways to prepare this dish, but it always must always have these signature ingredients: chile poblano pepper, meat stuffing picadillo, nut cream sauce and pomegranate seeds. This is a rich mixture of tasty flavors that can be spicy hot, salty, tart, and semi-sweet. Yum!

History. General Agustin de Iturbide (later emperor of Mexico) asked the Augustinians nuns of the Convent of Santa Monica, in Puebla, Mexico, to prepare Chiles en Nogada for a banquet in celebration of the Treaty of Cordoba with last Spanish Mexican viceroy Juan O’Dnajou. The treaty was the triumph result of the Trigarante Army (Army of the Three Guarantees) for the total Mexican Independence from Spain.

Adventure Ready

Texas is a plethora of adventures waiting to be explored. Rivers, lakes, hills, forests, and trails all await our discovery. Being physically ready to tackle a hike, navigate a river in a kayak or enjoy a day walking the beach, simply makes it more enjoyable.

Below  Jessi Oehler shares with you some key exercises that you can do in your own home for a few minutes a day thereby developing muscles ready to tackle a fun outing.

5 Rounds

10 – 15 squats to bench or chair

5 – 10 push ups to bench or chair

10 -20 Alternating Lunges

10 – 15 Knee Raises

View the video below for a demonstration

Meal Prepping

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Chicken Breasts - Number dictated by # of Meals
  • Whole Pork Butt or Shoulder
  • Low Sodium Canned Black beans and corn
  • HEB prepared Pico
  • 2 - 3 Veggies of choice

Instructions
 

  • Baked Chicken: Dice raw chicken breast, season with your favorite seasonings and place in oven on 375 for 20-25 minutes.
  • Crockpot Pulled Pork: Place pork butt or shoulder in crockpot with 1/2 bottle of BBQ sauce. Cook on high for about 4 hours
  • Pico: Combine low sodium canned black beans and corn with HEB prepared pico. Salt and Pepper to taste.
  • Roasted Veggies: Chop veggies of choice and place on a baking sheet. Season with your favorite herbs. Can toss with a little EVOO if desired. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Video

 

RV Kitchen Essentials

Being prepared makes hitting the trail so much easier and faster.  Whether you are a tent camper or RV’er, having a list of basic items assures you’ll be ready to take off for adventure!

Megan Traeger shares her list of staples she keeps in her RV.  If you are a tent camper – you might keep a plastic box  stocked with essentials.

Happy Exploring!

Must pack in the kitchen of the airstream:

  • S’mores ingredients (if you want to skip out on extra packing, buy the Keebler’s fudge stripe cookies. Chocolate and graham crackers in one.)
  • Kreutz Pancake mix (with mixin’s like fruit or pecans or chocolate chips)
  • H‑E‑B trail Mix (everybody can grab their flavor of choice and they come in resealable bags!)
  • Pasta (probably the most versatile thing I carry. I can add red sauce or just olive oil, or I can add cheese and taco seasoning. I can cook a cup of it or cook the whole bag and save the rest for leftovers.)
  • Cereal (for those mornings that we need to quickly pack up. Our kids will typically pour cereal into a cup, and some milk and a spoon and take it to the truck for on the go breakfast.)
  • Hot sauce and Tortilla chips (no further explanation needed. We do love grabbing salsas or queso when we stop at different places to try their stuff.)
  • Tortillas (another versatile item. I can make breakfast tacos, or quesadillas with leftover chicken or beef from the night before. Or I can heat them up, add some butter and sugar and call it dessert.)
  • Bread (I don’t skimp on my bread so I always buy Dave’s Killer Bread. I have yet to NOT find it when traveling!)
  • Fritos and bean dip (this is a don’t ask don’t tell snack.)
  • PB/J (sometimes you make sandwiches for your kids. Sometimes you just make them for yourself. I’m also a huge fan of packing Justin’s peanut butter packets for hiking snacks. And jelly will be used at breakfast sometimes too)
  • Granola (we buy the Bear Naked cacao and Cashew butter bag. I can eat this for breakfast, snack, or dessert. I typically will toss it with some Greek yogurt.)
  • Dried fruits (hours in the car can lead to useless snacking. Might as well eat some dried mango or banana chips!)
  • Pita chips (clearly can be used with some hummus. But the other day I had tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic vinegar. I used the pita chips as my base for all of it and they were perfect bite sized bruschettas.)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper grinders
  • Coffee (we love that when we travel we can find some really great and unique roasters throughout the country.)
Fridge:
  • Milk (for cereal and kids)
  • Creamer (for coffee to deal with kids)
  • Eggs (I usually only pack half a dozen for space saving.)
  • Peppered Bacon from Granzins (sometimes I’ll make this to go with pancakes, or in breakfast tacos. One time I threw it in cabbages that we were taking to a potluck. Or I can smear some Nutella on it for dessert. Best bacon I’ve ever eaten!)
  • Butter
  • Sandwich condiments 
  • Lunch meat and cheeses
  • Fruits (we eat a ton of fruits so this is a revolving door. It’s especially fun to get local produce that is native to an area.)
  • Hummus
  • Bell peppers (slice them up to throw in a omelet. Slice them up to dip in hummus. Or slice them up to sauté for dinner.)
  • Sparkling waters
  • Pound of ground beef 
  • Shredded Cheese (another thing that can be added to a ton of things.)
  • Sausage (use it for breakfast, snacks, or dinner.)
  • Large Greek Yogurt (at home I hardly buy the big containers of yogurt but on the road we always have one in the fridge.

Quick and fun breakfast
Banana split breakfast
Cut banana in half, scoop in yogurt instead of ice cream
Top with fresh fruits and granola
Sometimes I’ll add some chocolate chips or sprinkles to the girls.

On the run lunch hack
I always buy paper food boats. That way if we are in a pinch, I can throw a sandwich and some goldfish and some fruit gummies in a tray and call it lunch for the kids. In the adults trays I may cut up some bell peppers and scoop in some hummus to take in the car. Easy clean up.

Dinner suggestion
When planning your dinners be mindful of how many dishes you are getting dirty. I like to simplify and try to stick to one pot meals if possible. I’ll load the ingredients into a paper bag to keep them all together in the fridge. This then becomes my trash bag as I cook.

After dinner space saver
If I know I’m making chicken or beef and may possibly have extras, I’ll cook all of it and then put the remainder of the cooked meat in single compartment meal prep containers (from H‑E‑B) to keep in the fridge. I can reheat the meat the next day and add it to lunch as a quesadilla or to top a salad.

 



 

Texas French Legation

Perched on a hill in east Austin, with a laser view of the State capitol, lies the adopted center of current French culture in Texas. The oldest documented home in the former “Waterloo” township, was built as the home and diplomatic outpost for the French charge d’affaires to the Republic of Texas – Alphonse Dubois. France was one of the first countries to recognize the Republic of Texas as a sovereign nation.

Open 11 am to 4:30 pm, Tuesday – Saturday, the museum grounds are an ethereal retreat from bustling downtown Austin. A fun Saturday outing would be to arrive after 11:00 AM, grab lunch at the newly opened café, and then enjoy a stroll around the grounds and home. Newly restored, the home’s interior offers significant historical context in the form of maps, written history, and pictures.

Texicureans caught up with Kyle Walker, Outreach Specialist for the Texas Historical Commission at the French Legation to get the skinny on colorful Dubois and his infamous “Pig War”. (read more at Texicureans.com) Ultimately he washed his hands of this frontier town and headed back home to France, never actually living in the home he designed.

A few Texans with a French heritage have a regular Wednesday afternoon Petanque play date on a gravel court in the Legation’s garden. Resembling Bocce, but played with steel balls, the goal is to throw them as close as possible to the target jack.

If you would like to create your own French lunch, Cindi Anthony of Dallas, shares recipes from the region of France where she spends a portion of each year.

Garlic Soup, inspired by the pink garlic of Lautrec, is yummy and has healing qualities as well. This is not a soup you would find in Paris or other large cities, but in the countryside where the famed pink garlic of Lautrec is raised.

The legend surrounding garlic soup is that it has the ability to cure hangovers and provide energy. Thus it is traditionally served the morning after banquets with heavy drinking, and to newlyweds the night of their wedding, as well as to grape pickers during the harvest season.

An ancient rural tradition in southwest France is to “faire chabrol” as you reach the bottom of a bowl of soup. The translation of “faire chabrol” is literally “drink like a goat.” This involves pouring a little red wine to the remains of your soup and drinking it straight from the bowl. Today it is performed mostly by older folks living in rural areas, but it is still sometimes done elsewhere in a spirit of conviviality and friendship.

This recipe is for 6 and uses ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Give the “fair chabrol” a try!

Salad of Endive and Roquefort perfectly compliments Garlic Soup and stars the “King of Cheese” – Roquefort.

Find both recipes at texicureans.com and scroll down to watch a short video of our tour!

 



Fredericksburg Day Date

Dooley’s 5, 10 & 25 Cent Store

Children laughing and giving toys a squeeze, adults taking a relaxing stroll down aisles, and a time honored 50 year veteran employee asking, “can I help you?” are the sights and sounds of Dooleys 5, 10, and 25 Cent store. Owned by the Dooley Family since 1923, it is a veritable treasure chest of finds. From unique children’s toys and games to gifts and oddities – you’ll find it here.

I even found a “belly button duster” in the gag gift section. We laughed our way down the aisles! And it popped into our shopping cart.

We ran into owner, Tim Dooley, who besides giving a brief history of his family’s store, proudly showed us “Blue Waltz Perfume” – a scent with a history! Blankets, hats, and even dinner ware are part of the wide selection of items that might pop into your shopping cart as well. Take a stroll through Dooleys in this video and check it out for yourself.



Slate Theory

From the moment you walk through the Hobbit-style door of the Slate Theory Winery, you are embarking on a singular experience. The concrete cellar boasts five-foot thick ceiling and walls.Private tasting rooms open to a central broad hallway allowing for intimate conversation but give you the feeling of being part of a larger celebration. Bottling only 100 % Texas grapes, the family-owned winery uses fruit from their estate and carefully selected Texas growers.

Enjoy a closeup tour of their magnificent cellar with the winemaker himself – Tyler Woltz! You’ll discover living walls, large entertaining areas, and romantic nooks – all designed for the ultimate wine tasting experience. It’s always a treat to know the background of a winery – the “whys and how’s”. Chase Jones, owner gives insight into his family’s learning curve from the oil and gas industry to winemakers. Texas ingenuity is alive and well in the Jones family!


Hill and Vine

It’s an old friend, with a completely new makeover. I always loved the Peach Tree Tearoom in Fredericksburg. How wonderful is it when a place with such a great memory of friends and family gatherings has a new vibe, but with the same Texas warmth and authenticity.

Welcome to Hill and Vine. The beautiful renovation of the former Peach Tree Tearoom provides the perfect urban background for the owner’s passion of all things Texas.

“We grew up on the best Texas flavors,” said Jesse Barter, who along with his wife Sarah runs the popular restaurant. “From tender cuts to queso to fresh fish. Nothing but the best of Texas!

Although they don’t accept reservations, you can get on their online waitlist and grab a beer, wine, mimosa, and/or margarita directly from Das Bar Bus while you wait to be seated. After many miles on the open road, the converted VW Bus now has a new life and home at the Hill & Vine patio as a full-service bar.

Grab a quick tour of Hill and Vine in this video, and if you go there – here’s a secret: the onion rings are a “must” to order!


Texicureans’ Trails: Date Night

It’s a great evening out to celebrate your relationship whether you are on a first date or have been married for 50+ years.  Here’s the Thursday night recommendation only a few minutes’ drive that gives the feel of a true get away.

The reason for Thursday is the iconic Cabernet Grill – so popular that reservations are harder to obtain on the weekends, but a tad easier on a Thursday evening. Toasting the tagline: “The largest selection of Texas wines makes for an unparalleled dining experience” has given it recognition as a top restaurant by Texas Monthly, Trip Advisor, Wine Enthusiast and USA Today.

The dishes are chef prepared from the freshest ingredients, and we were delightfully satisfied with our selections. The ambience with soft lights is a perfect place for an intimate rendezvous. I always love when the chef welcome to you with a surprise aperitif – ours was delightful with a melon theme and crumbles of Texas pecans.  Steaks, fowl, pork, and seafood populate the diverse menu, and, of course, your waiter can help pair the perfect wine.

We handily began our evening with a glass of wine at Augusta Vin which is across the highway.  Since the tasting room closes at six, we coordinated our dining time to follow conveniently close.  Whether you are seeking a quiet evening out with your significant other, or just would like a special evening out with friends, Augusta Vin and Cabernet grill make a great paring!

Austrian Apple Strudel

What began as a Rotary exchange student/host family relationship has turned into an “adopted” mother/daughter love.  Barbara and I have retained close contact, visiting each other for special occasions, and thus creating a close bond.  Recently accepted into the University of Frieburg’s Doctoral Program, she also has raised an outstanding son, and she loves to cook! 

Here’s Barbara on Austrians and their strudel:

“So there is not really a special occasion for Strudel. It’s something you will eat as a desert with your afternoon coffee (you know most Austrians have a coffee break in the afternoon and that’s the time they usually eat der Strudel) BUT you can also eat it as a dish for lunch (warm + often with vanilla sauce). They often serve it at coffee places and also at little snack places in skiing areas – so when people take a break from skiing they can eat a warm apple strudel inside (but also restaurants that serve traditional Austrian food will have it as a desert).”

Actual strudel dough is typically not available in Texas, but puff pastry makes a suitable substitute. 

Austrians in Texas:

According to Texas State Historical Association – In 1990 approximately 2,500 Austrians lived in Texas.  Currently the Dallas area boasts an Austrian Dallas – Ft Worth Club to retain traditional food, culture, and language.  Among notable Austrians who contributed to Texas are:

George Erath (1813-1891)– Fought in the Texas Revolution and became a Texas Legislator who played large role in the Annexation of Texas to the United States

George Dullnig (1846 – 1908)– helped establish the San Antonio and Gulf Railroad

Anthony Lucas (1855-1921) – mining engineer, educated in Graz Austria, discovered fabled Spindletop.

Austrian Apple Struedel with a Texas Twist

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine German

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup raisins or currants
  • 2 organic Granny Smith apples
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp additional sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • ⅓ cup pecans
  • ⅓ cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tsp rum (if desired)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2.5 tbsp butter
  • 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 small lemon
  • 1 egg

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 360F, with the baking sheet inside
  • Core apples, cut into quarters and loosely chop (1” -2” thin pieces)
  • Combine the apple pieces, 1/4 cup sugar, rum, lime juice, chopped pecans, vanilla extract, and raisins or currants in a small bowl
  • Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and 1 Tbsp sugar. Stir for 1 minute
  • Add half of the graham cracker crumbs, mixture to the apple slices
  • Sprinkle flour on your work surface (I use a silpat mat). Unfold the puff pastry sheet and roll the pastry sheet int a 16 x 12-inch rectangle. With the long side facing you, spread the rest of the graham cracker crumb mixture even onto the middle this of the puff pastry sheet, leaving 2 inches all around the edge.
  • Spoon the apple mixture in the middle 4 - 5 inches all down the length. Fold the lower half of pastry over the apple mixture picking up the silpat from the bottom. Repeat with the top 1/2 crossing over about 1 - 2 inches. Tuck the ends under to seal.
  • Pick up with silpat and transfer to hot pan, with the strudel seam on the bottom.
  • Make 5 -6 slits with a serrated knife across the top and brush with the egg. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until the apple strudel is golden brown.

Notes

  • 1. Silpat makes this very easy, but a a towel can be used as well.
  • 2. Freezes well - I typically make at least 4 at a time. Then the kitchen is a “floury” mess with 4 times the apple joy. And speaking of joy - take 1/2 of one to a friend 🙂

A chance meeting that lead to love!

It was a chance meeting that lead to love. HEB had an endcap display that caught my eye: “Voted Texas Best” Homemade Vanilla Wafers. So, into my cart they went – if they are voted Texas best, then they must be good, right? True confession – I opened the bag on my way home – light, crispy, and full of vanilla flavor – you can’t stop at just one.

The Wilson family has been making this cookie along with many other confections at their bakery in Slaton, Texas for three generations. In fact, the grandparents met at the bakery and it’s their photo on the package. Dubbed one of the oldest bakeries in Texas – founded in 1923, the Wilson legacy began in 1943.

The Slaton Bakery holds a place in history as introducing sliced hamburger and hotdog buns to the state of Texas. Another point of pride for the bakery is making 50th anniversary cakes for the same couples that they made their wedding cake.

Slaton, Texas is located in the South Plains – close to Lubbock. Hence, the other cookie they sell: “Texas Tech Wreck Ems”. You can order from them, but if you live close to an HEB, you can snag some.

Of course, vanilla wafers call for banana pudding. Slaton Vanilla Wafers will definitely “up” your pudding experience with their light crunchiness. Here’s a recipe that leaves you with enough cookies in the bag to enjoy as a snack.

Print

Slaton Vanilla Wafer Banana Pudding

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook time:15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Yield: 8 Servings

Materials

  • 1 1/2 Cup Imperial Sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Texas Flour
  • 4 Large Eggs, lightly whisked
  • 4 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1/4 Cup Falfurrias Butter
  • 1 TBSP Adams Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Bag Slaton Vanilla Wafers
  • 4 Bananas, sliced

Instructions

  • In a large saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Whisk in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.
  • In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk a small amount of hot mixture into eggs; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter Cool 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • In an ungreased 9 x 13 baking dish, layer approximately 25 vanilla wafers, top with the banana slices. Pour pudding evenly over bananas and wafers. 4. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pudding. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  • If desired, serve with a dallop of whipped cream.