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Celebrate Austin Food: Edible Austin's Eat Local Week
Tonight's preview event will be followed up with an impressive calendar of events highlighting our local abundance. Throughout the week, area restaurants will be serving locally sourced dishes with a percentage of the sales of these menu items donated to Urban Roots. The full list of participating eateries includes restaurants and markets, and features tasty offerings from Chango's to La Condesa, and everything in between.
In addition to a great excuse for eating out all week long, Eat Local Week provides opportunities for foodies of all sorts to experience our local bounty. On Saturday at 10am, Mayor Leffingwell will be at the downtown Farmer's Market to make an official proclamation - complete with a 24-carrot salute. Riders on the Urban Farm Bicycle Tour will stop by the market and ride to Boggy Creek Farm, visiting community gardens and other farms along the way. Presented by the Bicycle Sport Shop, the bike tour will have three official starting points accommodating families with a 10 mile ride leaving from the Farmer's Market, a 14 mile ride leaving from the Bicycle Sport Shop, and a 24 mile ride leaving from the Sunset Valley Farmer's market. Registration for the Urban Farm Bicycle Tour can be completed online.
On Saturday night, the Paramount Theatre is presenting a special screening of FRESH with director Ana Sofia Joanes in attendance. Joanes will be joined for a Q&A by holistic farmer Joel Salatin who is featured in the film. A more uplifting counterpart to this year's Food Inc., FRESH focuses on the farmers, business people, and thinkers who are re-inventing our food system.
Follow this post after the jump to see the trailer for FRESH and to read about the rest of this weekend's Eat Local Week events, including festivals focusing on tea, coffee, and alcohol (oh my!).
FRESH Trailer
There are many more great events being held to celebrate Edible Austin's Eat Local Week. Here are the other ones taking place this weekend:
Edible Austin Tea Festival
Saturday, December 5th, 10am-2pm
at Zhi Tea Gallery (4607 Bolm Rd.)
Free or $10 for tea and food pairing
Austin's finest tea purveyors will get together to offer samples and discuss their love of tea. Participants include Jade Leaves, Sesa Tea, the Steeping Room, Sweet Leaf Tea, Tea Embassy, and more. Stop by and enjoy samples for free or purchase a tea-paired plate of food from Ecstatic Cuisine for $10.
Drink Local Coffee Festival
Sunday, December 6th, 11am-2pm
at Owl Tree Roasting (3421 North IH-35)
$5 suggested donation
Sample coffees from local roasters including Texas Coffee Traders, Little City, Third Coast, Kohana, and more. Stay to enjoy the Barista Showdown between some of our cities best cappuccino dealers. Enjoy a preview of the offerings from the new Franklin BBQ - cuz nothing goes together better on a cold Texas December day like coffee and smoked meats (seriously - what do you think all those cowpoke enjoyed on the range?).
Tipsy Texan's Drink Local Night
Sunday, December 6th, 6-9pm
at the Palm Door (401 Sabine)
Start the week off right with a celebration of locally made libations including Paula's Texas Spirits, Tito's, Treaty Oak Rum, Tennyson Absinthe, and more. Tipsy Texan will host the second Drink Local Cocktail Contest featuring mixologist from regional restaurants all attempting to make the best seasonal cocktail. Pink Avocado Catering will be providing hors d'oeuvers and the suggested donation at the door benefits Urban Roots.
Stay tuned for more Eat Local Week coverage, you hungry locavore, you!
