duck duck...odd duck!

If you were to judge a book by its cover with Odd Duck Farm to Trailer, you would miss out on some world class food from one of the best new chefs in America, Bryce Gilmore. On the outside, Odd Duck isn't much to look at. It's a trailer in a gravel parking lot with a bunch of picnic tables. Food trailers is the new fad in Austin right now. If trailers in Austin were Mean Girls, they would be so fetch. Odd Duck happened to be one of the first food trailers to pop up in Austin, but it remains one of the best.

All kidding aside, Odd Duck Farm to Trailer lives up to its reputation as a world class trailer serving up local and sustainable gourmet food. From the grits to the pork belly slider, everything here is spot-on. Check out the menu. Small menu = quality food.

The great thing about Odd Duck is the 'Small Plate Offerings' mentality. These portions are not meant to get you full. Instead, they are meant to satisfy you and nourish your well-being as a foodie. Trust me when I say some of these small plates will transform you to another place. You could be talking to somebody but once you take your first bite of the pork belly slider, you're a goner.

The tomato and spicy melon 'salad' was deliciously light and fresh, with just a hint of spice from the chili pepper. I want you to look at something though. Look at that bread. Just an ordinary piece of grilled bread, right? Nope. It's grilled perfection. Such a simple product, yet it was transformed into something amazing with great technique.

The cheddar grits were creamy, salty, and delicious. Something took this plate over the top though. The soft boiled egg lent its creamy interior to an already creamy dish. However, the yolk's rich flavor cut through that saltiness and gave the dish a layer of flavor it would have lacked without it.

This next dish was my personal favorite. 1/2 quail over texmati rice with cheddar, julienned apples, and arugula. Let me first start off by saying the quail was cooked to a juicy perfection, and the skin was amazingly crispy and salty. Screw bags of chips, give me a bag of that skin and I'll be a happy man. The texmati rice mix was a light mixture with a lot of flavor, especially with the crisp apple flavor and the peppery arugula. Combine the salty quail and the bright texmati mix and I guarentee you'll have a flavorgasm.

Last, but definitely not least, was the pulled pork on a baguette with pickled onion and a mustard aioli. The pulled pork was perfect, with little bits of charred bark. There was a brightness to the seasoning I couldn't quite pinpoint, but it really did add to the overall flavor profile. The baguette was again crispy and perfectly grilled. The pickled onions were acidic and delicious, and the mustard aioli was tangy, garlic-y and creamy. Add all of those together and you have one hell of a 'sandwich.'

You owe it to yourself to go check out Odd Duck Farm to Trailer. I dare you not to like it.

mushroom risotto

Risotto. Rice cooked in stock to a creamy consistency.

It's one of those dishes that is so simple in concept, yet so difficult in execution. You see it time and time again. If you watched the most recent The Next Food Network Star, you probably saw Jill attempt to make risotto and fail miserably. Through utter embarrassment, Wolfgang Puck gave her a personal demonstration on how to make proper risotto. It's one of those dishes that, if made wrong, can make professional chefs cringe. However, if done right, it can make professional chefs sing your praises.

This was my first attempt at making a risotto, so I know it didn't come out perfect by any means. It did come out really good though, especially for a first attempt. I think I should have cooked it for a little longer with a little more broth to make it creamier, but oh well, can't take it back now!

First, pour yourself a beer. I poured myself a Le Merle saison. Oh, and I used it in the risotto, replacing white wine.

Slice up some portobella mushrooms and saute with some olive oil, salt and pepper.

Bring a small pot of chicken stock to a boil. When it has come to a boil, take that cat off the heat and add some dried mushrooms to re-hydrate. They're dry, they're thirsty, so give 'em some liquid. You could add some beer to this mixture too so the mushrooms soak in some of that beer flavor. Beer soaked mushrooms = happy mushrooms. The package of dried mushrooms I had included portobella, cremini, porcini, and one other I can't remember. I couldn't find a package of JUST porcini, but this worked just fine.

Happy mushrooms

When the mushrooms are almost done, add some onions and garlic. Can you smell the amazing aromas through your computer?? When the onions are translucent, put the mushroom mixture on a plate and let it sit until its later use.

Italian parsley and parmesan cheese

With a non stick skillet, add some onions and beer and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer until the beer has evaporated to about a tablespoon. When that's done, add the arborio rice to the pan.

This is an important step. Over medium heat, stir the rice constantly. Do this for only a couple of minutes. This will prevent the rice from sticking to each other.

Now the fun part. Add a little stock at a time and stir. When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add more.

Stir.
Add liquid.
Repeat.

You'll do this for awhile. You'll just have to keep tasting the rice to see when it has gotten to a creamy texture, with a tiny bit of bite to it. Once that has happened, add some of the stock you used for the mushrooms since it has a ton of mushroom flavor at this point.

When you've reached the desired consistency, add all of the mushrooms to the risotto.

Add a couple tablespoons of butter.

Spoon onto a plate and add chopped parsley and shredded parmasen. Prepare for a flavorgasm.

Have you made risotto before? What's your favorite recipe? How does mine look (be honest)?

wholly cow - damn good burger

You want a damn good burger in a damn nice convenience store that caters to offering local organic produce and fruits? Head on over to the Star Grill Food Mart Convenience Store, home of Wholly Cow Burgers. Here, you will be welcomed with friendly owners and friendly cashiers ready to take your order ('Welcome to Good Burger home of the Good Burger can I take your order??'). You'll find no corn fed beef here ladies and gents. No, these locally raised cows are grass fed, the way it should be. Nothing crazy is done here either.

Burger patty.
Hot griddle.
Pickles.
Onions.
Mayo.
Lettuce.
Buns.
Done.

Pair that with a Fredericksburg Peach Tea and you've got yourself a damn good meal. The fries are nothing to write to home about, but oh well. The burgers are a little pricey too, but it's worth it. Go check out Wholly Cow Burgers sometime, you won't regret it!

belgian quad braised chuck roast

Tired of the same 'ol boring slow cooked pot roast? Tired of using the same 'ol red wine for braising. I'll take your wide eyed enthusiastic looks as a yes! So put away that electric slow cooker, and put away that dull red wine. Don't get me wrong, I cook with wine too. However, everyone sees it coming. It's a fastball, straight down the middle.

Change it up a little! Instead, use a Belgian quadrupel for the braising liquid. Trust me, it'll make you want to dance after tasting it.

'What the hell is a Belgian quadrupel?' you may be asking. Belgian quads are strong dark ales, usually showcasing the aromas and flavors of dark fruits such as dates and cherries. Quads are big, bold, and complex (dare I say more complex than red wine?) and perfect for braising. Not only that, it makes for a hell of a sauce at the end too.

I began the day by heading to the Barton Creek Farmer's Market. I picked up some organic onions, carrots, and Yukon gold potatoes.

After that, I went to Central Market and picked up some Beef Stock and a nice organic grass fed chuck roast. Oh, don't forget the beer of course! This time, I went with an Ommegang Three Philosophers, which actually has a cherry lambic added for even more complexity. However, any Belgian quad will get the job done (Ranger Creek La Bestia Aimable, St. Bernardus Abt 12, Avery The Reverend). Just make sure to get a big bottle or two (or three) because you'll want to drink some too!

Cute vase with flower not included with beer

The first thing you'll want to do is get some oil heating up in a large cast iron pot. Screaming hot. Seriously, you wanna hear that oil scream like Marilyn Burns. I got my oil from rendering the fat from bacon, but you can use olive oil too. But seriously, why use olive oil if you can use bacon grease? Oh, you'll also want to preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Salt and pepper the hell out of that chunk of meat. Don't be shy, it's a big piece of meat. Once you do that, add it to the pot and listen to it sizzle. I need to get that sound as a ringtone. As your meat is browning, roughly chop your veggies.

You're not looking to cook the meat here. You just want to sear the outside to enhance the flavor. Once both sides are browned, take the meat out and add your chopped veggies.

Cook the veggies in that bacon and beef infused oil over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Once the veggies are happy, create a big hole in the middle for the beef. Add enough of the Belgian Quad and beef stock until the liquid comes a little more than halfway up the beef. Don't drown the poor guy, otherwise you're not braising, you're stewing.

Here's the really easy part. Remember that heated oven? Well now you cover the pot, set it in the oven, and walk away. You could sit there if you wanted to, but I guarantee you'll get bored since you'd be sitting there for hours! After six hours, this is what heaven looks like.

Heaven in a pot

See that braising liquid? We're not wasting that. We're going to reduce it down to a sauce even vegetarians would bathe in. In a small pan on high heat, add the remainder of the beef stock.

Spoon the braising liquid into a gravy separator. When the fat has separated, pour the braising liquid into the boiling beef stock. Let this reduce reduce reduce, pretty much until it's looking like a sauce consistency.

Once it's reduced to your liking, take it off the heat. Take a few tablespoons of creamy gold, also known as butter, and slowly whisk it into the liquid. The butter will add obvious flavor and a nice viscus look as well.

Spoon some of the veggies onto the middle of the plate. Spoon a piece of the meat on top of the veggies, and slowly drizzle the sauce over the meat. Pair with the same Belgian quad and you've got yourself one hell of a meal. Enjoy!

hank's garage tasting - the food

Hank's Garage, a new Belgian gastropub in downtown Austin, held a media tasting event recently that Meggie and I were thankfully invited to. Armed with a great concept and an old 1940's garage, executive chef Jeffrey Kuhn decided to take the old garage, sledgehammer in hand, and build a new restaurant out of it. Hank's Garage claims to be a relaxed dining environment that focuses on the comfort food and ales of Belgium. Meggie and I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxed feel that Hank's had to offer, and I especially enjoyed the Belgian ales.

If you're familiar with my beer blog You Stay Hoppy Austin, then you might have recently seen a similar post to this, just more focused on the beer that was served. This post will focus on the food, with a little emphasis on the food and beer pairings as well.

Check out the menu below.

Now check out the menu AFTER the tasting. I went a little crazy with taking notes.

You see that, your eyes are not deceiving you. Those are in fact duck fat fries, and it's exactly what it sounds like. Big, thick-cut fries that are fried in duck fat. Fries are good enough on their own, but when they're fried in liquid gold, they transcend to a higher level of 'pommes frites.' These things were perfectly fried. They had an excellent crispy and salty exterior, and a fluffy interior. Oh, and don't bother with boring 'ol ketchup to dip these into. With choices like smoked paprika mayo, french ranch, Sriracha mayo, and wasabi mayo, you'll be asking yourself 'What's ketchup?' They had to keep bringing out fresh bowls of this because they were so popular with the crowd. Give me a beer and a bowl of this and you will see one big smile.

Duck Fat Fries

The first thing off the menu that we were given was the Chicken Tikka Masala Fries. Those same duck fat fries were drenched in an Indian inspired curry sauce. Supposedly this is a staple among Belgians, which I did not know. We thoroughly enjoyed this one as well. This was paired with the Stella Artois, which I was not a big fan of. I thought the Duchesse de Bourgogne would have paired perfectly with this. Duchesse has a tart vinegar flavor and would have shined after having the strong curry flavors.

Chicken Tikka Masala Fries

Next off was, unfortunately, a bit of a disappointment. Meggie and I usually go crazy over fried calamari (fried squid). However, even a perfectly coated and seasoned piece of calamari won't disguise the fact that it's rubbery. Maybe we got a bad basket? I don't know, but we could not get over how chewy the calamari was. I will say though that the coating and seasoning was spot-on. If they are able to get a more tender piece of calamari under that crispy coating, this appetizer will be wonderful.

Calamari

Oh my, what happens when you take tender lobster, and put it in between two pieces of sweet brioche bread from Moonlight Bakery? You get the lobster club of course. I will say the lobster was cooked perfectly. However, the sandwich would have been even even better with just a little bit of salt, as it was a little bland. They paired this one with the Saison Dupont, a perfect combination if I do say so myself. The bright lemon flavors of the saison really helped brighten up the sandwich.

Lobster Club

I was excited for the next one, which was mussels. Oh how I love mussels! They brought out our little bowls, and holy tomato! The mussels were drowning in a sea of tomatoes. I really missed the sea of an herbed butter sauce with this one, as my piece of bread was quite lonely without its favorite companion. The beer they paired this with was the Ommegang Hennepin saison, another great combination. I would love to see them make an herbed butter sauce for the mussels using the Hennepin saison. The pairing would really shine then!

Moules

The best dish of the night came next, the beef carbonnade. Beef carbonnade is similar to beef bourguignon in the sense that it's a slow braised beef stew. This one just happens to be made with St. Bernardus Abt 12, a Belgian strong dark ale with dark fruit qualities, and Duchesse de Bourgogne, a Belgian sour ale. Not only did they make the stew with the St. Bernardus Abt. 12, but they also paired the two together. The two stood great alone, but really sang when paired together. There's something poetic about perfectly slow braised meats. It brings you back to your childhood, running through Grandma's house with the perfume of beef burgundy following your every step. I loved this dish, and I know you will too.

Oh, and there were fluffy mashed potatoes underneath the beef. Need I say more? I didn't think so.

Beef Carbonnade

A happy cup

Last, and definitely not least, dessert. A sample sized glass of Lindeman's Framboise, a raspberry lambic beer (last minute substitution from the Unibroue Maudite) paired absolutely harmoniously with their chocolate mousse. Their mousse was creamy, delicate, and absolutely perfect. A lot of people don't like raspberries and chocolate, but I do, so the pairing was perfect.

Chocolate Cointreau Mousse

So besides a couple of misfires, we were very happy with the offerings that Hank's Garage provided us. If you're in the neighborhood looking for a relaxed environment and a different take on down home comfort food, Hank's Garage might just be your best bet. With a great selection of Belgian beers and a dog friendly outdoor patio, Hank's could become your new favorite hangout.

a lockhart bbq pilgrimage

This past weekend, I took my cousin Colby, my uncle Glenn, and my friend Wes to Lockhart, TX for a day filled with authentic Texas style barbecue. None of them had ever been to Lockhart, so I warned them of potential spontaneous outbursts of tears when tasting the barbecue. My cousin and uncle are from Georgia, so they're used to pulled pork and vinegar based sauces. Needless to say, they were not disappointed with Texas style barbecue.

There are three major barbecue joints in the small town of Lockhart, those being Smitty's Market, Kreuz Market, and Black's Barbecue. There is another one by the name of Chisholm Trail, but we decided to focus on the main three. I told them about the family feud between Smitty's and Kreuz, which just made them even more excited. They got a real kick with the playful signs from Black's, claiming to be the oldest SAME family owned barbecue joint in Texas (poking fun at the fact that Smitty's and Kreuz split off).

We went to Smitty's first, then Black's, then Kreuz. We ordered brisket, pork ribs, and sausage at each place. No sides, just meat. At the end, we all decided which ones were our favorites, and here they are:

Best Brisket - Black's Barbecue
Best Pork Ribs - Smitty's Market
Best Sausage - Tie between Smitty's Market and Kreuz Market
Best Atmosphere - Smitty's Market
Best Overall - Smitty's Market


Check out the pictures of our adventure below. Have you had these places before? What are your opinions on the barbecue here?

Smitty's Market

Don't fall into the fire

Pile 'O Meat

Mmmm, sausage!

Wes chowing on a rib

Colby having a moment with his brisket

Black's Barbecue

A monster beef rib

Kreuz Market

'We have salad, we just don't have forks!'

One ginormous pit room

A yummy Shiner to end the day