River City September/October 2014

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BEHIND THE RICHMOND FOLK FESTIVALVolunteers & Fundraising Keep the Festival Free

THE “COMEBACK” OF VIRGINIA SPIRITS Great Cocktails Utilizing Virginia Spirits

BRUX’L CAFE A Taste of Brussels in the Fan

VIRGINIA’S FALL FESTIVALS Fun Within a Two-hour Radius of Home

HE SAID HISTORY & WINE, SHE SAID BEER & OUTDOORS Two Travelers’ Views of Fredericksburg, Texas

At Richmond’s new Brux’l Café, diners experi-ence Belgian ales and cuisine, like their Truffle Burger, ground filet mignon mixed with truffle mushroom mix and served with homemade truffle mayonnaise.

Cover Photo by Rick Bancroft.

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16 CONTENTSSeptember/October 2014

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE STATE FAIR OF VIRGINIA

RichmondNavigator.com 5September/October 2014

VOLUNTEER POWER

Behind the

FOLKFESTIVAL

VOLUNTEERS & FUNDRAISING KEEP THE FESTIVAL FREEBy Jody Rathgeb

WHILE CORPORATE SPONSORS pick up the tab on the lion’s share of the event expenses, one way the Richmond Folk Festival remains a free event is through volunteer workers. They are a part of nearly every aspect of the festival, from picking up recycling and helping to set up and tear down stages to selling goods and beverages to keeping performers safe and happy. In 2013, more than 1,300 volunteers fueled the festival.

In fact, one volunteer’s work is managing the schedules of all the other volunteers. George Cain has been providing that service since the very f irst festival, matching the volunteers’ time, place, and activity preferences with the event’s needs. Working far ahead of the festival dates, he deals with volunteer applications and works with Jamie Thomas, the volunteer coordinator, on group shifts.

Cain came to the festival after taking an early retirement and was im-mediately welcomed for his computer skills and commitment to the event. He says that in addition to his off ice work, he usually signs himself up for a volunteer shift as well. “This is one of the premier events in Richmond. I’m very fortunate and proud to be a part of it,” he says. “There’s such a diversity of music, and it’s all free! ”

Among the most visible of the volunteers are those who serve in the “Bucket Brigade,” soliciting donations that help keep the festival free. Dressed in neon orange T-shirts and carrying large buckets, they give donors stickers that announce, “I made a drop in the bucket.”

“It’s fun to walk around and engage with the audiences, and it really does help to cover the costs of operation,” says Laura Napky, Bucket Brigade team leader for seven years. About 300 volunteers daily fan out around the stages, each working an average shift of three to four hours. Good cheer and fun are emphasized, with the “sales pitch” only

EACH OCTOBER SINCE 2005, Richmond has been taking a whirlwind tour of the globe, sampling music, dance, and art from many cultures. The National Folk Festival, held on the downtown riverfront from 2005-2007, was such a good time that we continued the tradition: the event became the Richmond Folk Festival, scheduled this year for October 10-12, the 10th year of the festival in our city.

The long-standing gig has been popular and successful, but the free festival produced by Venture Richmond, featuring more than 30 perfor-mance groups on seven live stages for three days, requires a lot of work. Like any tour, backstage at the folk festival involves the efforts of many “roadies” – and they do much more than move equipment and set up lights. Before the show opens, much must be done to market, staff, and fund the event. Here’s a peek behind the curtain.

Folk Festival volunteers enthusiastically remind guests that they could be paying much more than just a drop in the bucket to see great performances. Photos by Skip Rowland.6 River Ci ty Magaz ine

a reminder that one could be paying much more than a drop in the bucket to hear and see such good performances.

“The majority response is positive,” Napky says. “Each stage costs about a million dollars to run… Many are eager to drop a twenty [dollar bill] in the bucket.”

Local clubs and organizations often volunteer as a group at the festival, adding to the fun. The Parrot Head Club of Richmond, for example, has sent 10 of its members each year since 2009 to staff one of the beer sale booths. “It’s purely a give thing, but we have a good time doing it,” says Ron Hudson, the group’s current president. “We can enjoy some of the music and contribute at the same time.”

LAST YEAR, another plan to keep the festival free was cooked up: the Folk Feast, a fundraising tasting experience that echoes the festival’s emphasis on culture and tradition. Held on the Tuesday before the festival (this year’s will be October 7), the feast brings together chefs from area restaurants providing samples of their signature and iconic dishes. In addition to the tasting tables, the event at the upper portion of Historic Tredegar will offer samples of Wild Wolf Brewing’s 2014 Folktoberfest beer, wine by Tap 26, and music by The Green Boys.

Beyond the fabulous food, a $100 ticket gives each donor free park-ing for all days of the Richmond Folk Festival and a pin exempting them from Bucket Brigade solicitations. The donations are considered tax-deductible contributions.

“This is our only fundraiser besides the Bucket Brigade,” notes Kira Siddall, one of the feast’s two coordinating volunteers, along with Thomas Arrington. She says it drew 250 participants last year, a mix of people who mostly “ just love the folk festival and want to contribute to it.”

The same goes for the participating restaurants and chefs, who donate all their food and work for the Folk Feast. Carena Ives of Jamaica House and Carena’s Jamaican Grille has had food booths at the festival for several

years and is looking forward to the “give back” of her donation to the feast.“The festival, with its interest in culture and tradition, marries well

with our food,” she says, which is the traditional comfort food of her native Jamaica. “If it weren’t for the Richmond community, [the festival] would not have grown to what it is. Here you get to see all these fantastic performers, and it’s free to the public! As a business person, I want to be a part of something that special.”

Ives’s menu for the Folk Feast will likely include a pumpkin soup with the addition of some locally sourced ingredients, and, of course, one or more jerked meats that promise to carry samplers directly to the Caribbean island.

Other restaurants at the Folk Feast will be Pasture, Comfort, The Magpie, Heritage, Julep’s, Rappahannock, Secco Wine Bar, The Roo-sevelt, Mama J’s, Metzger’s Bar & Butchery, The Rogue Gentlemen, Toast/Estilo, and Lemaire.

Siddall points out that the fundraiser not only fits in with the festival’s cultural diversity, but also with Richmond’s growing reputation as a food destination. “I’m excited that Richmond has embraced this event,” she says. “It brings together a wide range of people, from Richmond foodies to people who simply want to help the folk festival.”

TASTY CONTRIBUTIONS photos by Dave Parrish

The inaugural Folk Feast in 2013 featured samplings of signature dishes from

local Richmond restaurants, live entertainment, and a great opportunity to help

support the Richmond Folk Festival and keep it free for visitors.

Laura Napky, Bucket Brigade team leader. Photo by Skip Rowland.


O n a recent edition of River City Flavor (better known as The Flave, the River City’s only food, beverage, and restaurant radio show),* we asked a couple of the area’s premier bartenders to tell us what was trending on the

local bar scene. They agreed that Virginia-produced spirits are currently quite popular.

Now, obviously, Virginia wines as well as locally brewed craft beers have been popular for quite some time, but I can’t honestly say I knew much about the resurgence in Virginia whiskey distillation, at least the kind that the revenuers aren’t searching for up in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

I spoke with a few other bartenders and bar managers around town, and, sure enough, Virginia spirits are making a comeback. I say “comeback” because, if you go back a few years, like to Colonial times, you’ ll discover that whiskey distillation was once big business here in the state.

In fact, unless you’re quite the history buff, I’m willing to bet that you’ll never guess who once owned the largest whiskey distillery in the United States, right here in Virginia. Okay, I’ll tell you.

It was George Washington. The production of whiskey was one of his most successful business ventures. In 1799, it was estimated

that Washington’s distillery was producing 11,000 gallons per year.Some of that whiskey went to the troops. Early records reveal

that our first president, in order to boost the morale of the Continental Army, made sure that they had “moderate supplies” of whiskey.

Washington also sold his whiskey in stores, in both Alexandria and in Richmond. But, lest you think that George Washington was a moonshiner, let me make it clear: He paid tax on the liquor he produced.

Although George Washington’s distillery burned 200 years ago, in 2007 a two-year reconstruction of that distillery was completed and today can be visited at Mount Vernon. For more information, go to MountVernon.org.

But enough history. Let’s move to the present and spotlight some of the great cocktails utilizing Virginia spirits that are currently being served around town.

*The Flave airs Thursdays at noon on WHAN Radio at 102.9 FM or WHANradio.com and is available worldwide on the web at Rich-mondNavigator.com/river-city-radio and via free podcast available at the iTunes Store or at iTunes.com. The show is produced by Richmond Navigator, the publishers of River City.

THE “COMEBACK” OF VIRGINIA SPIRITS

by Steve Cook


HERITAGE

MATTIAS HAGGLUND at Heritage is among the city’s leading mixologists in his use of state-distilled products. “These local distilleries are popular because they’re doing really great work,” he says. “Vir-ginia’s distilleries make me proud in how much they try to be a present, public face.”

He praises Commonwealth Gin and Belle Isle Moonshine, both produced in Richmond, for their support and in-volvement in the community.

Hagglund, who has loaned his sup-port to the owners of the new James River Distillery in both tasting and helping to perfect the recipe for their Commonwealth Gin, says of the product, “It is a really beau-tiful, standout gin. It works very well in a gin and tonic but also lends a unique fla-vor profile to more complicated cocktails. Unlike other gins, it has melon and hops (Citra and Amarillo) in its recipe, and that makes it really fun to play with in the bar.”

The Heritage mixologist has intro-duced a drink called the Southside, using Commonwealth Gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup, garnished with mint leaves. “In Prohibition-era Chicago,” he tells me, “you had the Northside gang, run by Al Capone, and they had access to the best booze. Then there was the Southside gang, run by Frankie McErlane. McErlane, a former bartender, came up with this drink to help sell his homemade hooch and it took off from there.”

For pairing with the Southside, Hagglund suggests their small plate of lightly salted watermelon, barrel-aged feta, aged balsamic, basil, and olive oil.

Heritage’s happy hour runs from 5-7 p.m. and features a rotating red and white wine at $5 each; a rotating draft for $4; and a daily cocktail special for $6. Highballs with house spirits as well as small plates are also offered at a dollar off.

KEEP GOING > > >

1627 W. Main St. | 804-353-4060 | HeritageRVA.com

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ALTHOUGH IT’S BRAND NEW to the Rich-mond area, Southerly Restaurant at Southern Season was a first choice for our feature spotlighting Virginia-pro-duced distilled spirits. Local products are a mainstay at this small Chapel Hill-based gourmet grocery/cooking school/foodie’s paradise.

“Here at Southerly, we believe in a casual yet refined take on classic Southern dishes with modern nu-ances,” says front-of-house manager Justin Johnson. “We believe in being a champion of local farmers, brewers, artisans and giving them a place to show their products to the community and try to utilize these products when and wherever possible.”

Behind the bar, you’ll discover craft beers from a number of local breweries. They also feature spirits from both Bowman Brothers bourbon out of Fredericksburg

and Belle Isle Moonshine, based right here in Richmond.

“The drink we prepared for you,” says Johnson, “is the Southerly Cup, our play on a Pimms Cup. It’s made by muddling cucumber in our simple syrup, adding Pimms and Belle Isle Moon-shine, and topping with our homemade basil lemonade.”

In speaking about Southerly’s broader craft program, Johnson adds, “We want to feature classic cocktails in their pre-Prohibition style. We want to make everything in house that we can and rely on the flavor and quality of the products as opposed to adding unnecessary ingredients.”

The new restaurant is currently of-fering different happy hour specials each evening to gauge customer response. Check out their specials and be part of the response.

RICHMOND ON THE NILE? Well, not ex-actly, but the folks at Portrait House restaurant in Carytown seem to be do-ing a fine job of combining authentic Ethiopian cuisine with Virginia spirits.

Following a recent merger (in early July) with the Nile Restaurant, a Fan-area staple for the past nine years, beverage manager Shannon Hood has done an amazing job in putting together a bar program that meshes well with the new cuisine.

“That begins with a heavy focus on craft beer,” she says. “Daniel Koen is our sole beer buyer and he is the best in the business. We have 24 beers on draft and a constant rotation of craft cans. About six lines are always dedicated to Virginia beers.”

And, while most of the liquors are obviously not distilled in Virginia, Hood has brought in some Virginia products that

are proving to be quite popular. Based on our sampling, I can understand why. Her selection, pictured here (and which we sampled for research purposes only, of course), is the Lovingston, named for the small Nelson County town near which it is produced.

The Lovingston features Virginia Highland, which Hood describes as an earthy scotch-style whiskey aged in Virginia wine barrels. “The gin-ger,” she says, a key ingredient in this delightfully spicy concoction, “adds a dry heat that balances the sweetness in both the whiskey and tonic syrup well.”

It’s that heat that makes this a very sippable drink, perfect for sitting at the bar or on the patio and people-watching, a Carytown pastime.

Happy hour specials (check with the restaurant for times) include $4 pints, $3 rails, $4 wine, and $8 flights.

SOUTHERLY RESTAURANT AND PATIO AT SOUTHERN SEASON PORTRAIT HOUSE

2250 Staples Mill Rd. | 804-292-3447 | SouthernSeason.com/Restaurant/Richmond 2907 W. Cary St. | 804-278-9800 | Portrait-House.com

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THE SAVORY GRAIN SOCIAL52 KITCHEN AND CRAFT BAR

WHEN WE STOPPED IN at Social52 Kitchen and Craft Bar in the Fan to see what they were doing with local spirits, we didn’t expect them to be so sociable. Marketing director Jordan Hunter brought us a variety of drinks and shareable appetizers.

The beverages included a couple of what Hunter called “social pair-ings.” In other words, your bartender provides the ingredients and you pair them. First, we sampled a delightful concoction called the RVA. The drink features Jameson Irish whiskey, simple syrup, and orange juice. We paired that with the Virginia-produced Bold Rock Cider. Even before the pairing, you had the makings for a couple of great drinks.

We also sampled the socially paired sangria, which features a sweet red Virginia wine and a sauvignon blanc.

The third beverage pays tribute to the bar’s 10 taps that feature Virginia brews exclusively. We sampled Saison from Ardent.

I must say, the “shareables” that Hunter shared with us were quite tasty as well. She served up the crispy duck rolls and the Campfire Wings, half of which had been tossed in ghost pepper, the other half in a delicious sriracha-honey glaze. Both the rolls and the wings were delightful, but my very favorite was the Firecracker Shrimp, sriracha-honey glazed and stir fried with snow peas and carrots.

Things get even more sociable during happy hour (4-7, Monday through Saturday) at Social52, when you can take advantage of discounts on the beers, wine, and the well drinks. Plus, for the starters and shareables, when you buy one, you get a second one at half price.

ONE OF THE LEADERS on the Richmond dining scene in the farm-to-table movement is The Savory Grain, lo-cated across from Pleasant’s Hard-ware on West Broad Street. General manager Arthur Merritt describes the restaurant’s concept as offering “American comfort food, but a little more upscale.”

“We are very beer forward,” he says. “We use a lot of beer in our recipes in the kitchen. Beer is heavily featured behind the bar as wel l. Half of our 23 taps feature Virginia beers.”

The Savory Grain is also a lead-er in the use of Virginia l iquors . “ We have c lose to 10 different Virginia-dist i l led spir its which we use,” Merritt says. The drink he prepared for us, dubbed the GRTC, features Bowman Brothers

bourbon as wel l as Hard Rock Cider, both produced in the Old Dominion. Other ingredients in-clude two types of bitters plus one other local ly produced ingredient: “We make our own honey syrup,” Merrit t says, “using honey that comes from our owner’s father’s property in Powhatan.”

The Savory Grain offers one of the simplest happy hours in town (from 4 to 7 daily.) Basical ly, everything is four bucks. That goes for the beers and the well drinks, and there are also a red, a white, and a spark ling wine that are four bucks a glass.

2043 W. Broad St. | 804-592-4000 | TheSavoryGrain.com 2619 W. Main St. | 804-353-9709 | Social52rva.com


HE BRUX’L CAFÉ in Richmond’s Fan just may be a microcosm of the nation it honors, in its name, its colors, its hospitality, and, most importantly, its food.

Think about it. The café is small. It seats just over 50 very satisfied diners at a time. “Belgium is small,” says Stephanie Danis Meers, who owns the café, along with her husband, Xavier Meers, also executive chef; her brother, Yves Danis; and her sister-in-law, Karine Vidal Danis, who serves as the pastry chef.

Continuing, Stephanie explains, “Here [in Richmond], you drive for two hours and you’re in Virginia Beach. In Belgium, you drive for two hours and you’re in a new country.”

Back to the analogy: Belgium is hospitable. And with this Belgian foursome at the helm, so is the café.

“The people of Belgium are very friendly,” Stephanie says, quickly adding that Richmonders are as well. “It’s easy to meet people and to become friends.”

She tells me that it rains a lot there. But, she doesn’t say that as a complaint. Rather, the rain offers an excuse to go into the cafés, to visit with one another and to enjoy the food.

Oh yes, the food. I bet you thought I’d never get to that. The Brux’l Café serves up the most authentic Belgian cuisine on this side of the Atlantic. One of the highlights on the menu is Les Moules & Frites. As you multi-linguists may know, that translates to mussels and fries.

“Mussels are almost the national dish,” she explains. “You can only get them for four months each year, September through December. When September comes, we celebrate. It’s time for mussels.”

As for the fries, Stephanie opened my eyes to a fact with which I was unfamiliar. “French fries are a Belgian creation” she says.

So, why are they called “French fries”?“During World War II,” she explains, “American and British troops serving

in Belgium enjoyed the fried potatoes. Since most of the soldiers in the Belgian

A TASTE OF BRUSSELS IN THE FAN

by Steve Cook // Photos by Rick Bancroft

army spoke French, the troops began calling these tasty treats ‘French fries.’ They really ought to be called ‘Belgian fries.’”

Whatever you choose to call them, make sure you call for them when you order. “If you want homemade frites, this is the place to come,” Stephanie assures me. “We cook them the Belgian way – crispy. It’s in our blood.”

Stephanie describes Belgian cuisine as similar to French, but rather than cooking with French wine, the people of Belgium, including the folks who own and operate the Brux’l Café, make good use of Belgian ale.

I take it from my conversation with this charming, hospitable native of Brussels, Belgium, that the Belgians love their ales. “There are over 400 ales in Belgium,” Stephanie tells me. “We serve about 30 varieties here, with six on tap.” She says that the taps are continually rotating, with something new every week.

If you’re a fan of the food and drink of Belgium, this can be your spot in the River City area for enjoying the authentic tastes of this tiny, hospitable Western European nation, which is wedged between France to its west and Germany and the Netherlands to its east. You’ll note that even the colors on the wall of this cozy, comfortable restaurant are representative of the nation’s flag.

If you’re not yet a fan, check out the Brux’l Café. I have a feeling that you will become one in short order. The café is open Tuesday through Sunday. Happy hour runs from 4 to 6:30 p.m. each day (except Sunday). They also offer a brunch on the weekends. And yes, as a matter of fact, they do serve Belgian waffles at brunch.

You may never get to Brussels, Belgium. But the next best thing just may be a trip to the Brux’l Café, no passport needed. Stephanie Danis Meers sums it up best: “We are Belgian. We know what Belgian food is, and we love to share.”

1731 W. Main St. // 804-355-3683 // www.BruxlCafe.com

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Chef Xavier Meers, Executive Chef of Brux’l Café


TASTETHE MENU

LES MOULES & FRITESFresh mussels cooked in the Belgian way, with vegetable broth and seven different flavors, served in a traditional

mussels pot, with homemade French fries on the side

TRUFFLE BURGERGround filet mignon mixed with truffle mushroom mix

and served with homemade truffle mayonnaise

SPECULOOS TIRAMISUHomemade tiramisu made with Belgian speculoos cookie,

a traditional Belgian gingerbread cookie

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through Open Table

Catering for up to200 people

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Fall Festivals

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 28Beast Feast Beaverdam | Near Patrick Henry’s Scotchtown in Hanover, enjoy some open-fire cooking showcasing meats from Belmont Butchery, plus veggies, wine, and brews. Facebook.com/events/504821769645428/

WITH A NEW CHILL IN THE AIR and multicolored leaves falling to the ground, fall festivals conjure up some of my fondest “f irst” memories of being a mother. It was there that my son Sam f irst discovered apple doughnuts, took a hayride, toddled into a bouncy house, and learned to play cornhole. Then, on the way home, he’d pass out with his mouth agape, drooling at a strange angle. Daddy Mac and I would zip up our f leeces and savor the silence, drinking in the pastoral setting with its rolling hills and green f ields. With

a bag full of apples in the trunk, the f irst thing on my list when we arrived home was making an apple pie.

Fall 2014 is a perfect time for us all to build new memories, new “firsts” in our lives. For us, perhaps this will be the year of our first steeplechase race, first fiber festival and sheepdog trials, and first Oktoberfest. Virginia is well known for its many fall festivals, and this year’s promise to be especially diverse. Within a two-hour radius of home, here are some of your best bets for fun, frivolity, and foliage along the way. Hope we see you there!

By Libby McNamee

Sept. 26-30Sesquicentennial of the 1864 Battles of Fort Harrison and New Market HeightsRichmond | Richmond National Battlefield Park will commemorate the 150th anniversary of two local Civil War battles. Ranger-led pro-grams at Fort Harrison will explore the fierce fighting and describe the courageous acts of African-American soldiers that earned them 14 medals of honor. NPS.gov/Rich

Sept. 26-Oct. 5State Fair of Virginia at Meadow Event ParkDoswell | Enjoy the huge offering of rides and attractions, animals, exhibits, contests, and concerts. Where else can you enjoy turkey legs, deep-fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and cotton candy? StateFairVA.org

Sept. 27-28, Oct. 18-19Apple Harvest and Apple Butter Festival Lovingston | Head over to Drumheller’s Orchard for apples, apple butter, cider, honey, country hams, pumpkins, and baskets. Kids will love the apple slingshot, bouncy houses, hayrides, and corn maze. DrumhellersOrchard.com

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Virginia’s Fabulous

Sept. 25-28Crooked Road Music FestivalAbingdon | In partnership with Town of Abing-don, The Crooked Road will have its own festi-val devoted to telling that story of The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. Abingdon-CrookedRoadMusicFest.com

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

Oct. 3-4 Franklin Fall Festival Franklin | Covering ten downtown blocks, this festival will include a classic car show, fireworks, crafts, food, shopping, and educational exhibits. DowntownFranklinVA.org

Oct. 4-5 Fall Fiber Festival and Montpelier Sheepdog TrialsMontpelier Station | Enjoy the scenic grounds of James Madison’s Montpelier, while taking in demonstrations, animal exhibits, competitions, fiber/craft vendors, music, food, and the exciting sheepdog trials. FallFiberFestival.org

Oct. 4 Hanover Ruritan Bluegrass FestivalMechanicsville | Head east to enjoy some live bluegrass with multiple bands perform-ing. “Vendor Row” will feature a variety of Hanover- and Virginia-made items.HanoverRuritan.org

Oct. 25 Powhatan's Festival of the Grape Powhatan | In historic Courthouse Square, enjoy the fruits of 30 wineries at one of Virginia’s best wine festivals. Also centered on family fun, there will be delicious food, live music, and arts and crafts.PowhatanWineFestival.com

Oct. 11 Beaverdam Heritage Days FestivalBeaverdam | In western Hanover County, check out Civil War encampments, Pop’s Country Store Museum, and the historic Train Depot. Along with musical events, there will be a rich array of foods.Beaverdam-Heritage.org

Nov. 1 Ashland Train Day Beaverdam | Head north to this railroad-themed event for some wholesome family fun. AshlandTrainDay.com

Nov. 2 Chili Cookoff & Cornhole Competition Nellysford | Taste chili at Wild Wolf Brewing and show off your cornhole skills. WildWolfBeer.com

For more Richmond events, see our calendar of events page in West End’s Best.

Nov. 1 Montpelier Hunt Races Montpelier | Experience the thrill of steeple-chase horse racing at the home of our fourth president, James Madison. Now in its 80th year, the event allows visitors to participate in archaeology, stroll the grounds, and enjoy a tour of the estate. MontpelierRaces.com

COURTESY OF MONTPELIER HUNT RACES

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Visitors exploring the area’s history at Enchanted Rock.Photo by Annie Tobey


He Said History & Wine, She Said Beer & Outdoors:

Two Travelers’ Views of Fredericksburg, TexasBy Steve Cook & Annie Tobey

If you’ve never heard of Fredericksburg, Texas, don’t apologize. Until very recently, neither had Steve Cook or Annie Tobey. But since they both had

the opportunity to go, they’ll tell you about it in their own words: He Said, She Said.

Fredericksburg Herb Farm resort and spaPhoto Courtesy of Dick Estenson


YES, VIRGINIA, there is another Fredericksburg. This one’s in Texas. And it’s named for Prince Frederick of Prussia, not the Prince of Wales (as in the case of “our” Fredericksburg).

Picture this: You’re riding through the Hill Country, about 70 miles northwest of San Antonio. Your drive has been through peach and pecan orchards, past vineyards and lavender farms. It’s a beautiful rural, scenic drive, and then, suddenly, you come upon this quaint little city. Turn on to Main Street (it’s been dubbed the widest street in Texas – and you know that everything in Texas is BIG, Annie interjects) and you’ve arrived at what they call the “Magic Mile”: art galleries, boutiques, and jewelry and fashion stores, plus cozy little restaurants, coffee shops, and wine bars – and a brewpub, too. In what you might mistake for a sleepy little Texas town, you’ll discover that they don’t roll the sidewalks up when the sun goes down. Late into the night, the sounds of music waft through town as various eateries offer live entertainment out on the patio.

The story of how this Texas town got to be named after Prince Fred-erick of Prussia begins in the middle of the 19th century when German businessman, John Meusebach, sold German villagers on the idea of moving to America. He also sold each investor ten acres of farmland plus a small lot in the new town, Fredericksburg, which was designed

even from the outset to be the shopping center, called “Marketplatz.”Today, that German influence is still evident, as in the names of

nearby towns, including New Braunfels and Luckenbach – yes, as in Willie and Waylon and the boys. After hearing singer Todd Snider’s tale of Luckenbach, Texas, I was anxious to experience this legendary hole in the wall. Though Todd never made it there, I did, and was happy to kick back with some friendly folks and live music.

Until recent years, there were second and third generation residents who refused to speak English. The residents don’t speak the mother language like they used to – a sad historical side note based on American suspicion of all things German during the great wars. When you do meet a local who speaks German, it’s often an antiquated version of the mother tongue, stuck in time. But the German influence manifests itself in two of my favorite aspects of any trip: the food and the beer.

The first beer to be brewed commercially in Fredericksburg was at the Nimitz Hotel in 1855 by Charles Nimitz – grandfather of Admiral Chester W. Nimitz of World War II fame.

Clockwise from top left: An aerial view of the Hangar Hotel located on the runway at Gillespie County Airport; the Farm House Bistro Restaurant located at Herb Farm resort and spa; the clock tower at Grape Creek Vineyards.

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Today, Fredericksburg Brewing Co. lays claim as “the oldest and most acclaimed brewpub in Texas.” Though the menu is primarily Texas-American brewpub fare, they do have several schnitzel and wurst. The beers similarly are made for American tastebuds, with a few German styles like maibock, hefeweizen, and helles lager.

The best selection of authentic German food and imported German beer is at the Ausländer restaurant, a Fredericksburg landmark for over 20 years.

The new “ kindern” on the block, Pedernales Brewing Co., focuses on traditional beer styles, easy on the palate, with a touch of German and a hint of the Texan Spanish influence: Lobo Lager, a pre-Prohibition style American lager; Lobo Negro, a German dunkel; Classic Hefe-weizen; and Lobo Lito, pilsner style made following the Reinheitsgebot (German purity laws) with Saaz hops.

And of course, Fredericksburg, Texas, holds an Oktoberfest the first week-end in October as well as other German events, like the summer Schützenfest shooting competition.

While I don’t have Annie’s knowledge or her sophisticated palate, I did enjoy our visit to the brewery. But I was more into our wine tast-ings, and, believe me, there are plenty of wineries offering plenty of tastings. In fact, there are 42 wineries in the Hill Country. Just along Route 290, known as Wine Road 290, there are 13 wineries featuring delightful Texas wines.

Two of my favorite stops along 290 were Grape Creek Vine-yards and 4.0 Cellars. As you approach Grape Creek ’s beautiful villa-styled tasting room and retail operation, you notice the sign, “Tuscany in Texas.” Owners Brian and Jennifer Heath have created a beautiful winery. Their Bellisimo Super Tuscan-style wine was, well, it was bellisimo.

4.0 Cellars is a cool concept. The name is inspired by the three wineries that came together to form a fourth winery and encompasses their collaborative goal of striving for 4.0 perfection.

One of the highlights of my trip was meeting Dick Estenson, who owns one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever visited: the Hangar Hotel, located right on the runway at the Gillespie County Airport. The hotel looks like a ’40s-era airplane hangar, but don’t let the curved metal exterior fool you. “It is understated from the outside,” Estenson

says, so when guests enter, they are amazed at the sophistication, the detailed representation of the 1940s, the local artisan handcrafted woods, and the Officer’s Club, with a full bar, grand piano, pool table, and briefing room.

“We are known for our distinctive architecture and unique styling in the hotel, the diner, and the grounds,” Estenson adds.

Estenson also owns Fredericksburg Brewing as well as the beautiful Fredericksburg Herb Farm resort and spa, which offers 14 Sunday House cottages, patterned in the historic styling of old Fredericksburg, a beautiful 5,000 square-foot spa, the Farm House Bistro Restaurant, the Poet’s Haus gift shop, and gardens.

As the Sunday House cottages indicate, history’s important to the people of Fredericksburg. Two of its most notable venues are the Pioneer Museum and the National Museum of the Pacific War.

And don’t forget the nearby LBJ Ranch. The home is furnished very much as it was when Lyndon Johnson was president. The kitchen has been restored to reflect that fateful afternoon, November 23, 1963, when the Johnsons’ staff was baking pies and preparing for special visitors: John and Jackie Kennedy were going to be the Johnsons’ guests following their brief stop in Dallas.

I especially enjoyed experiencing the area’s ancient history, as seen at Enchanted Rock. The massive pink dome rising above the Central Texas plains seems otherworldly, the smooth granite rock beckoning visitors to explore. Humans have, in fact, explored the dome for 12,000 years, evidenced by 400 archaeological sites and numerous myths and legends.

This Texas state park is open to hiking, camping, rock climbing, picnick-ing, and birding. As an official Dark Sky Park, it would be an amazing venue for stargazing!

Biking’s a popular outdoor activity, too, traversing the rolling hills and panoramic views. The area is considered by many to be the cycling capital of Texas.

No matter your viewpoint, Fredericksburg, Texas, is a surprising des-tination with a lot to offer. And, while I’m not a craft beer connoisseur, I must add that a cold Lone Star and some good fiddle picking in the old Luckenbach country store is a great way to top off your visit.

Clockwise from top left: The interior of Fredericksburg Brewing Co.; interior of the Luckenbach country store.

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PHOTO BY ANNIE TOBEY


Documents

River City September/October 2014