FoodFash

Adventure Begins in the Kitchen

Steak & Eggs {& Arugula}

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Steak & Eggs

One gazillion things.  That’s an approximation of what I was able to accomplish this weekend.  One gazillion.  And it all started with heading to yoga straight from work on Friday, followed by a trip to the grocery store.

Poached Eggs

I picked up a 4 ounce filet with a Saturday breakfast in mind.  You see, I knew if I didn’t have anything in the fridge I’d be on immediate hunt for a brunch partner upon waking.  Having fancy breakfast components on hand allowed for three loads of laundry and a 5-mile Greenbelt hike before 1pm.  I’m not above tricking myself.

Cast Iron Grill Pan

I attribute having such a productive weekend to starting off my day with a meal like this.  One with lots of protein and greens.  One with a bed of fresh arugula and a stack of medium-rare filet {seasoned with salt and pepper} and two poached eggs {using these instructions}, garnished with freeze-dried green onions.

Pickled Green Beans & Asparagus

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Canned Green Beans & Asparagus

Was anyone else’s Instagram feed filled with beefed up bloody marys this weekend?  Every time I scrolled down, I was reminded how much I love bloody garnishes.  Particularly pickled okra.  But since I learned that okra is way out of season, I stuck to not-in-season-but-still-in-stock green beans and asparagus.

Sterilizing Mason Jars

I chopped the greenest greens and followed this Alton Brown recipe.

Vegetables for Canning

I’m looking forward to seeing what these veggies are all about in two weeks! Until then, I’ll be hunting for the perfect bloody mary recipe.  If you have one, please share!

So. Much. Food.

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This past weekend, a few of us gathered at Green Pastures here in Austin for Lauren‘s babyshower.  I had never heard of Green Pastures and, in a very un-me fashion, I didn’t even look the place up before heading that way.  But as I pulled through the gravel parking lot and saw a beautiful early 1900s home with a lush lawn and wraparound porch, I knew that this brunch was going to be something special.

We gathered in a semi-private dining room and caught up on Lauren’s latest pregnancy news.  Some of us heard the baby’s name for the first time.  Some of us learned a thing or two about birthing centers.  But mostly, we sat around the table in our Sunday finest anticipating the all-you-can-eat buffet.  Oh and milk punch.  We slurped up milk punch, a divine mixture of ice cream, bourbon, brandy, and rum, before heading into the main dining hall.

When we set eyes on how extensive the buffet actually was, we were overwhelmed.  Big time.  They had everything from quiche to gaspacho to ahi tuna to kale salad to chocolate covered bacon to eggs benedict.  I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say there must have been 200-ish dishes to choose from.  And then the sneaky servers that filled up your milk punch while you weren’t looking.  It was glutton to the max, but it was wonderful glutton.  This was the kind of brunch you left feeling happy full, spoiled full, not why-did-I-eat-that full.

And then we sat our full-bellied selves around the table and watched miss Lauren open up presents that she and Matt will soon share with their precious little boy.  A little boy who is already so loved and who all of us are so excited to finally meet!

La Brunch

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Wade and I have been talking about creating a restaurant to-do list for quite some time and last week we finally started the email version of putting pen to paper.  La Condesa was mentioned and reservations for four immediately followed.  AG and Tut were coming along for this ride.

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We started with a round of grapefruit mimosas and quickly changed to regular ol’ orange when we realized they were on special for $2.  Truth be told, I wasn’t expecting drink specials at a place that has no problem filling itself to the brim of restaurant fullness at any given time.  So thank you for that, La Condesa!

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Following our drink order, guacamole and salsa arrived.  I wouldn’t typically order chips at brunch, but I remembered these flavors from my last visit and needed that salsa right then.  Badly.

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And then our serious brunch arrived.  Chilangos for Wade, hamburguesa for Tut, huevos condesa for AG, and the B.L.A.T. for muah.  Our entire table oohed and ahhed at each other’s selections and picked at one another’s plates.  Stories of our legendary weekend were replaced with food talk.  I ate slices of tomato, on purpose, for the second time and felt like a grown up.  I can’t tell you of a better brunch.

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I can tell you, however, that La Condesa is my third, first favorite brunch.  Just like my other favorites, the food was wonderful, the service was top notch, and the natural light was a blazing overall design of the place drew my interest.  All things that any successful restaurant in a town full of restaurants must have, but only the La Condesas of this town do it oh so perfectly!