Big Bend Texas Galleries & Artists 2014 | Page 42

TASTE OF THE BIG BEND

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It may be remote out here in West Texas , but it ' s far from barren . And the following brewers , roasters , and farmers are proving it . This is an arts publication , and we believe these men and women are practicing an art form of the highest level by creating some of the best food and drink in the Big Bend Region .
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1 / BIG BEND COFFEE
Joe Williams , the founder of Big Bend Coffee Roasters , likes his coffee smooth . " I don ' t want my espressos bitter ," he said . Which is why the company manually roasts their beans to have low acidity for a smooth , flavorful cup .
Big Bend Coffee Roaster ' s advertising is almost exclusively word of mouth between satisfied customers . If you ' re a coffee drinker , it ' s impossible to live in the Big Bend region and not have a cup brewed with beans from BBCR . Their 100 % organic and fair trade coffee can be found at almost any retailer in the region . But it didn ' t take long for their beans to impress more than the locals . " Marfa is the best exposure ," explained Williams . Visitors from all over the country filter through Marfa and the region every year , taste the coffee , and want to take it back to wherever they came from .
Even though Big Bend Coffee Roasters ships beans around the country , they are heavily involved in their own community through their give back programs . The staff regularly selects different roasts of coffee and donates a percentage of its sales to a variety of community organizations .
Big Bend Coffee Roaster ' s is bound to impress you with their exceptional coffee . Try some when you ' re in the region and arrange a tour of their Marfa roasting facility , or check out their website bigbendcoffee . com for shipping and wholesale information .
2 / FORT DAVIS NUTS Gus and David Billing started The Fort Davis Nut Company in their home kitchen over 16 years ago . Today , they ' re still hand making what they claim
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to be the best tasting pecans in the world ( they ' ll send you samples to prove it ).
The Billing ' s pecans are unique . Marinating the pecans in different syrups before any roasting occurs creates a delicious flavor you won ' t find anywhere else . After roasting , the brothers lightly coat small batches of pecans with one of their signature toppings . This process of moderation prevents the nuts from being drowned in excessive flavoring , and preserves the taste and texture of the original nut .
Cinnamon , Chocolate , Key-Lime , and their original Vanilla-Almond are just some of the addicting options available . Visit their website allpecans . com to get your mouth watering sample , and be sure to stop by their retail store when you ' re in Fort Davis .
The Fort Davis Nut Company is open Monday - Saturday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm . Learn more at allpecans . com .
3 / BIG BEND BREWERY
The Big Bend Brewery cares about two things : beer and you , the person drinking it . If you don ' t feel special yet , you should , because they brew the best beer in West Texas .
The Big Bend Brewery is led by Steve Anderson , an iconic figure in the world
of Texas craft beer . After 32 years of making his mark in Austin , Texas , Steve packed up and moved to Alpine . And we ' re glad he did .
Their commitment to craftsmanship and using fine ingredients results in a brew that can ' t be described as just another beer . One sip is all it takes to remind you what ' s so satisfying about the fisss pop of opening a beer this good after a long day .
If you don ' t try some while you ' re out here , shame on you . Visit their website bigbendbrewing . com to find out where to buy some for yourself .
4 / GOAT CHEESE
Several years ago Malinda Beeman and Allan McClane started the Marfa Maid Dairy and began producing delicious goat cheese . All the milk comes from goats they raise themselves to make aged and semi-soft cheeses .
Cheese making classes are available at the dairy . In a day-long class , you could learn to make several types of cheese from different kinds of milk . After your hard work , there ' s a cheese tasting .
For more information about their dairy and cheese , or for a schedule of upcoming classes , email marfamaid . dairy @ gmail . com , visit their website marfamaid . com , or call ( 432 ) 729-3987 .
5 / MESA VINEYARDS When you think of fine wine , you might visualize French Villas , ancient oak barrels , or perhaps the California coastline . You probably didn ' t think of West Texas , but you will after tasting some of the wine Mesa Vineyard ' s been crafting .
Mesa Vineyards is located about 30
miles east of Fort Stockton , Texas , in the Escondido Valley , which has a surprisingly ideal grape growing climate . The founders planted their first vines in 1981 and haven ' t stopped since . Now , 25 years later , they have over 500 acres and the largest vineyard in Texas .
The temperate climate has helped enable some of their success . The bright West Texas sun nourishes the vines by day , and the gentle drop in temperature at night causes the grapes to mature at a slower-than-normal rate and produce a greater variety of flavors and achieve an exquisite balance .
The vineyard also utilizes the mineral rich topsoil and excellent natural drainage . These topographical features allow the wine makers to precisely measure the water intake of individual vines , which increases the quality and abundance of grapes they produce .
You can ' t tour Mesa Vineyards but you can , and should , visit their tasting room at The Grey Mule Saloon in Fort Stockton . Drop in to taste a wide variety of their offerings , purchase wine , including their famous Ste . Genevieve , and learn more about the joys and travails of grape growing . The historic saloon at 101 E . Callaghan in Fort Stockton is open Wednesday - Saturday from 1:30 pm to 7:00 pm and closed Monday - Tuesday .
For more information visit SteGenWines . com . You can also call ( 432 ) 336-9463 with any questions .
- David Stephens
18 BIG BEND GALLERIES AND ARTISTS / 2013-2014