The season is winding down

I have been enjoying this year's farmers markets, I can tell from the lack of sun and warmth that this season's bounty should be lacking in areas, but I have found that as the season is winding down that some of the best produce has come to the market. I for one will miss the FM's that shutter for the winter and will of course cherish the ones that continue through the weather. Support them as you can, I know it isn't as much fun getting up in the cold winter days to do what a city forager does. Just think of the growers, the market workers and all the supporting staff that brave the elements so we can have our fun in the kitchen and health in the winter.

Looking around and what you see is a kaleidoscope of colors and I don't mean fall colors. The last two weekends I made the effort to go to the University District Farmers Market. Big, full of wonderful things, but all I wanted was a couple of items. We got cranberry beans, multicolored carrots, peppers, some of the youngest baby bok choy I have ever seen at market and of course tomatoes. If you have the time it is worth the effort to get some tomatoes, I took advantage of one growers bulk sell off of second heirlooms and used them for tomato sauce, roasted some and kept the good looking ones for raw applications. Granted they were not the prettiest, but tasty all the same. 

And you thought summer was gone

Ok! so it wasn't quite summer weather, it might have been a little cool today but it was sunny and warm in Freemont.  Dropping in,  just in time for a snack at one of Seattle's newest food trucks. Fusion on the Run was parked at EVO's in Fremont today providing some wonderful food for the people enjoying what might be our Indian summer.



Fusion has a short menu, but big tastes, from little tacos packing a big punch, I had the 3 for $5. One Ono Kalua pork with mango salsa and surfer sauce. Two KV Fusions with marinated beef, cilantro and onions, of course it had the cilantro lime cream on top. They also have sandwiches with marinated short ribs, pickled veggies, cucumber, cilantro with a cilantro lime cream all on a soft French bread. Sliders with the same fillings are 3 for $3, what a deal for the hungry crowd. They haven't forgotten the vegetarians,  a wrap with home made fire roasted red pepper hummus, slaw, feta, cilantro on a tortilla.




I can't wait to try the rest and see if the menu will expand, in the mean time they do EVO every Tuesday, SODO on Thursday.  Follow them on Twitter and Facebook! All you need now is a morning session with some waves.

Texas Hill Country

I just got back from attending my nephew's wedding and I have to say it was Big Skies and BBQ. We had so good a time that I forgot to take any pictures of food, pretty crazy but true. We went on a whirlwind tour that took us to Austin so we could drive to the Hill Country, those of you that have not been need to put this on your bucket list and figure it all out.






After landing, we headed south on I 35 to Kyle, which is a getting off place for the trip into Wimberley where all of us would be staying at different places around the Hill Country. We stayed on the Blanco River and had a great house with the river right in the back yard. It was nice to have something cool to dip in as the weather bounced up and down around 95 degrees and the humidity must have been in the 80's.

That evening we headed into Wimberley for food and found out Thursday night rolls up at 8,  so we were directed to a road house a ways out of town and I was disappointed that they were not a BBQ joint and had nothing that resembled it. So I settled for a steak, how could you go wrong in Texas with beef? I had two sides of Collards and Green Beans. The steak was good and the sides better, over cooked served in their Pot likker. Only problem was it was the smallest sides I have ever seen.

 The next morning I needed to find something that resembled some Texas food, so we went into town and sat down for an early lunch at the Wimberley Cafe. 

I had the Chicken Fried Steak with fries, corn on the cob, Pepper gravy with a tall glass of ice tea.  I have to admit I don't get the Chicken Fried Steak thing, as many times as I have tried it, and I love fried food, I just don't know? But the Gravy was to die for and if you ate enough of it you will die young.  Peppery hot and savory, not sweet or salty but artery clogging good. Great dipping sauce for your fries. As for the corn, I think it must have been in the pot since the day before.

Later in the day we went up river about 6 miles and inner tubed it down, a little shallow in areas but a great time just floating along and seeing the sights. Turkey buzzards and blue herons going back and forth. The river was just stunningly beautiful and the water refreshing.

 Tex-Mex in Texas, for those of you that love Mexican Food, there has got to be a place in your heart for this.

That evening we had the rehearsal dinner at a place call Milagro's Hill Country Tex Mex it was big portions of Tex-Mex and some good flavors with plenty to drink, margaritas, Shiner Bock beer. You don't don't often see this beer outside of Texas but we just saw a sign outside Laredos Grill on lower QA, we are told that they have Shiner on Tap.

The best was yet to happen, the next day we sent some more people down the river and just hung out on the water building dams and rock sculptures. Later it was time for the evening wedding at the Red Corral Ranch about 20 minutes away on the other side of Wimberley from us. As it turned out it had the feel and look of a completely different part of the Hill Country, dryer with more rolling hills.

We had a beautiful wedding outside the James Pavillion and then had a hay ride to the Red Party Barn for what turned out to be the best meal of the trip. Real, fork tender BBQ. With all the fixings.

For such a short trip, it was Texas at it's best, doing what it does. Truth be told, I was hoping to check out the Austin food scene but everything is Bigger in Texas and not the easiest place to get around. Next time Austin City Lights.