FOODtop <strong>10</strong>s continued from p.31honorable<strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> <strong>Austin</strong> Food Blogs by Kate t hornberryIt takes a lot of talent, dedication, ability, and endurance to successfully keep a blog going, especially as, the vastmajority of the time, it’s a labor of love (read: working for free). Nevertheless, <strong>Austin</strong> has more than <strong>10</strong>0 active foodblogs covering all aspects of our collective culinary life. Here are the ones I found most outstanding in 2012.(Note: I considered all the members of the <strong>Austin</strong> Food Blogger Alliance, plus any nonmember blogs that came to myattention one way or another. If you have a food blog and aren’t a member of the alliance, email me and I’ll be sure toconsider your blog next time.)1) Love and Lemons (www.loveandlemons.com)Although all of these blogs are marvelous, and alldemonstrate the three major attributes of a greatblog (regular posting, personality, and useful information),what lifts Love and Lemons into first placeis how beautifully designed it is – both a wellspringof great information and a joy to look upon.2) hiLah Cooking (www.hilahcooking.com) ThisInternet cooking show produced by Hilah Johnsonand Christopher Sharpe is slowly clawing its way tothe top of the heap. Begun with a handheld camerain 20<strong>10</strong>, it is now pretty darn slick, hilarious, andawesome. Special kudos for tackling really interestingtopics, such as how to butterfly meat.3) LoCaL savour (www.localsavour.com) Selfadmitted“food geek” Elizabeth Van Huffel createdthis site to promote a lifestyle of 80-90% locallygrown food, and in the process became one of themost notable (and prolific) bloggers in town. Thisblog has attracted national recognition for yearsand is one of the best of the best.4) way out west austin(www.wayoutwestaustin.com) “South <strong>Austin</strong> is cool,and East <strong>Austin</strong> may be chill, but it’s time we fansshowed some love for West <strong>Austin</strong>!” is the motto,and it is more than fulfilled. WOW <strong>Austin</strong> coversBee Cave, Cedar Park, Dripping Springs, andSpicewood (along with the rest of West <strong>Austin</strong>) likean adrenalin-addicted 1940s reporter.5) bitCh beer (www.bitchbeer.org) A blog dedicatedto kicking the sexism out of “Beer Culture” withwriting by the 20% of serious beer drinkers who arewomen. As often happens, those overachievingwomen end up creating a wittier, more comprehensive,and more engaging blog than those whocame before.6) edibLe aria (www.ediblearia.com) I was happy to seethat my former No. 1 <strong>Austin</strong> food blog (Jan. 1, 20<strong>10</strong>) is stillin the game, though no longer posting daily. But to counterthis, Edible Aria has widened its scope, now addressingfood politics, food activism, kitchenware, and other topicsalong with the original mission of sharing “recipes for aninteresting, healthy diet on a reasonable budget.”7) austin urban gardens (www.austinurbangardens.wordpress.com) <strong>Austin</strong> Urban Gardens covers a lot more groundthan the name suggests; although there are indeed postsabout building and working urban gardens, there are alsoposts on a score of other food-related topics, like what to dowith what you grow, local chefs, cookbooks, farmers’ markets,local food businesses, and, honestly, just about everything an<strong>Austin</strong> foodie is interested in. Great reading, and very professionallydone.8) ginny’s austin (www.ginnysaustin.com) Ginny’s <strong>Austin</strong>describes itself as “one girl’s take on everything happeningaround <strong>Austin</strong>,” but I’d make that, “one very energeticgirl’s extremely comprehensive take on everything happeningaround <strong>Austin</strong>.” Covering not only food, but also musicand events, it’s a great resource to find out what’s goingon around town.9) an avenue (www.anavenue.blogspot.com) <strong>The</strong> beer blogsare really up and coming this year! An Avenue is an ongoing“beer culture” discussion from the standpoint of reviewinga beer a day – an excellent resource for brewpub, smallbrewery, and even large brewery aficionados.<strong>10</strong>) gourmet veggie mama(www.gourmetveggiemama.com) It was a tough choice betweenthis and Aneelee, as both address the world of vegetarianmoms doing their best to make rewarding food the ankle-biterswill eat. I ended up going with GVM, due to its greatercomprehensiveness and absolute ton of recipes. A wonderfulresource and fun to read.p h o t o s b y j o h n a n d e r s o nhilah Johnson ofhilah Cookingmentions: aneelee (www.aneelee.wordpress.com) andsarah eats austin (www.saraheatsaustin.blogspot.com)<strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> Grab Bagby Claudia a larC ónSome of my favorite places, dishes,drinks, and events of 2012.1) swiFt’s attiC From décor andatmosphere to service and food, I loveeverything about Swift’s Attic. Hard topick a favorite dish, but Mat Clouserand Zack Northcutt are plating the best(and prettiest) octopus I’ve ever had.2) Lenoir Affordable, beautiful,friendly Lenoir holds a special place inmy heart – and palate. Exciting flavorson perfectly executed dishes, a killerwine list, and, oh, that brown butterpecan cake!3) eL naranjo With its mix of modernand classic Mexican dishes, and itssleek contemporary setting, El Naranjotransports me back to Mexico Cityevery time I dine there. New Year’s resolution:I’m eating there at least once amonth; plane tickets are expensive.swift’s attic4) whiP in Yes, I’m a diehardregular customer, butthere’s something new andexciting going on everytime I stop by. Whether it’snew menu items, NamasteBrewing offerings, or outstandingselections at thewine bar, Whip In never sitsstill. Can’t wait to seewhat’s next.5) ‘Come in, we’re CLosed’staFF meaL at uChi AuthorsChristine Carroll and Jody Eddywrote the book on restaurant staffmeals, and Uchi invited us toshare theirs. I’ve had plenty ofstaff meals, but this one wasunbelievable. Those guys eat betterbefore work than most of usdo on special evenings.6) austin Food & wineaLLianCe’s annuaLevents <strong>The</strong> Alliance justkeeps knocking it out of thepark: promoting our culinaryscene, giving back to our community,and showcasing localtalent and products. Live Fire!and Wine & Swine are the bestgastronomic events in <strong>Austin</strong>,hands down.7) LiCk iCe Creams Ice cream is my dessertweakness, and Lick just made it worse. Iabsolutely love everything about Lick, fromthe owners’ story to the locally sourced ingredientsand unique, delicious flavors.8) goat dinner at oLivia On chef AndrewFrancisco’s last night at Olivia, he and ownerJames Holmes put on a show with a sevencoursegoat dinner, featuring an incrediblegoat tartare with cajeta drizzle and caramelizedBrussels sprouts. Can’t wait to see whathe does at Mettle.9) mezCaL Fest at takoba Takoba’sfirst Mezcal Fest attracted a varied crowd,proving that the most iconic Mexican spiritis gaining popularity. To keep the partygoing year-round, their bar menu featuresmany varieties, as well as clever and wellcraftedmezcal-based cocktails.<strong>10</strong>) austin taCo exPeriment I absolutelyloved the return of <strong>The</strong>o Peck’s Food Exper i-ments, this time featuring an all-out battle forthe title of best taco in <strong>Austin</strong>. Every singleentry was worthy of a prize, Brooklyn Beerwas flowing, and a great time was had by all!32 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E JANUARY 4, 2013 a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m
<strong>10</strong> Best Bites of Local Charcuterie and Salumiby mm p a CK1) saLt & time’sCoFFee Lomo <strong>The</strong>salumerians first butchera pig and thenshape, season, andslowly cure the cutsinto various deliciousEuropean-style products.<strong>The</strong> unusual coffeelomo is pork loincured with coffee, chile,and cumin.2) saLt & time’sPorChetta di testaI’m also smitten by thisporchetta: deboned pighead, seasoned, rolled,and poached. (You’dnever know. Really.)3) stuFFed Cajun meat market’sandouiLLe sausage This little Cedar Parkjoint prepares all things Cajun, from gumboto boudin balls, but they especially shine inthe sausage department. <strong>The</strong>ir andouille isthe best I’ve had outside of Louisiana.4) dai due wiLd boar Chorizo JesseGriffiths and crew rock it in all kinds of culinarydirections, but I can’t get enough of hisversion of Mexican-style bulk chorizo sausagemade from wild and domestic pig.5) nobLe Pig ChiCken Liver PâtÉ JohnBates and Brandon Martinez are famous forlovingly built sandwiches of handmade everything,but they should be equally known fortheir stellar pâtés and terrines. Good thingthis one comes in a tiny jar; it’s irresistible.6) nobLe Pig duCk Pastrami I frequentlydisagree with Guy Fieri, but we wholly concurthat this smoked duck pastrami is one ofthe best bites in the ATX, on a sandwich orall by itself.bryan butler and ben runkle of salt & time7) Countryside FamiLy Farm’s rabbitsaus age La mexiCaine French transplantSebastien Bonneu raises and processes smalledible farm animals; now he’s incorporatinghis chef roots to transform them into charcuterie.France meets Mexico in this delicioussausage, flavored by cilantro and green salsa.8) PâtÉ LeteLier’s PâtÉ de CamPagneI enjoy all the classic pâtés that Jackie Letelierprepares, but this country-style concoction withpistachios and brandy is particularly fine.9) PâtÉ LeteLier’s bison, Fig, andmaPLe syruP PâtÉ Socks were knockedoff by this unorthodox spread. It’s not assweet as it sounds, just deeply, mysteriouslyflavorful, with a texture as smooth as aninfant’s posterior.<strong>10</strong>) aureLia’s Chorizo Leslie Horne hasbeen making traditional Spanish-style drycuredchorizo sausage for many years. Redolentwith smoked pimentón (paprika), it’sequal to any chorizo imported from España,yet it’s made right here in Central Texas.p h o t o s b y j o h n a n d e r s o n<strong>Top</strong> <strong>10</strong> AfterschoolSnacks (for Kidsand Parents)by m elanie h aupt1) iCed bennu Bennu Coffeeiced bennu at bennu Coffee2) PoPCorn toFu Wheatsville Co-op3) oatmeaL Cookie sandwiCh Capital City Bakery4) the Funky meter (carrot, apple, ginger) JuiceLand5) $2 smaLL geLato on tuesdays Tèo6) saLted CarameL Cake baLL <strong>Austin</strong> Cake Ball7) Fresh Fruits and veggies Triangle Farmers’ Market8) kids’ bag oF movie mix PoPCorn Cornucopia9) PretzeL with beer Cheese Easy Tiger<strong>10</strong>) Cookies ’n’ Cream and ChoCoLate swirL Frozen yogurt toPPed withgummy bears, brownie Chunks, and tiny m&ms Yogurt Planetcontinued on p.34a u s t i n c h r o n i c l e . c o m JANUARY 4, 2013 T H E A U S T I N C H R O N I C L E 33
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