What a day...

I have a couple of seriously dear friends whose gastronomical coattails we’ve been riding lately. Met Logan and Rachel, of boots in the oven fame, while in college. After graduation we went our separate ways- well, I guess technically they went the same way since they were getting hitched and all, but we managed to keep up with each other’s adventures via our blogs. It was in this forum that I saw our parallel love of food and drink develop. Now I’m super excited to find myself back in the same town with these guys and I’m very appreciative of them bringing Andy and I into the foodie fold in Austin.

It was through these guys that I scored an invitation to a stellar day of wine, food and friends a couple of weeks ago (unfortunately Andy was out of town photographing a wedding near Savannah, Georgia). We started off at a food blogger potluck. I didn’t expect the turn out to be so high or the buffet to be so long. Wow! I proffered up a wild mushroom and blue cheese galette which turned out surprisingly well considering I had very little in my kitchen to work with and had to borrow a frying pan and a plate for transportation/presentation. (Apparently I’m a better cook than photographer. Working at improving on both of these thangs.) Logan and Rachel made strawberry and pea shoot sandwiches that embodied one of those odd little combos that work out refreshingly well. There were yummy Thai ribs, soft and fluffy gougeres (a savory French pastry with cheese) stuffed with mozzerella, tomato and basil...
...vibrant edamame pesto bruschetta, blackberry pasta salad, enchiladas, pretty flatbread pizza...

...delicious duck confit sausages (that tasted a lot like chicken bog, which no one here has ever heard of, in a casing. I'm definitely going to parlay nanny's recipe into the centerpiece of a meal soon). One attendee hand-delivered Louisiana boneless chickens stuffed with all sorts of creole/bayou goodness like spicy crawfish and shrimp... ...and even a whole ham that a food blogger had brined forever and then boiled with hay (yep, like for the farm or your hamster’s cage). There was a whole slew of desserts too…margarita cupcakes, cookies shaped like texas…of which I neglected to really check out or photograph. I’m blaming that oversight on the lack of sweet teeth in my head. Thanks to the soup peddler for graciously lending his place for the shindig.

We left the potluck full and happy which didn’t preclude us from heading straight to another interesting event centered around food. Logan and Rachel had received an invite to a Cuban-style pig pickin’ that was as much a feast for the eyes as for the belly.

They had built this fire pit just for the occasion and put it to good use with a pig named Oreo that had been raised at Green Gate farms, about 8 miles east of Austin, using sustainable and healthy methods. Although there is something off-putting about knowing the name of the delicious pork you’re chomping on, there was also something really satisfying about realizing that he had been raised well, butchered responsibly and was being savored by a group that earnestly cared about his origins and lifestyle. Adam and Shelby have a beautiful house that's great for entertaining and they were really warm welcoming me, a complete stranger, into their home. Or perhaps it was just all the wine. Either way, this all bodes so well for our new adventures in Austin.