Austin Weird Wed. Archives

Local Austin Eats

July 1, 2015

It’s hard to keep up with the many local restaurants that pop up at a rapid-fire pace in our city, but as we continue our Austin Eats segment we want to remind our readers of the importance (and fun) of supporting local businesses really is. From entrepreneurial spirits to culinary masterminds, Austin has the cream of the crop. Speaking of cream, we have THREE local ice cream vendors that are sure to help you beat the heat this summer. We (Crave Catering) scream, you scream, we ALL scream for ICE CREAM!

Sweet Ritual

Sweet Ritual is nestled inside the Juiceland on on Duval Street in the middle of a bustling Hyde Park. Perfect for ice cream lovers of all kinds, this artisanal ice cream is dairy free! (Lactose intolerants unite!) Some of their classic flavors include Toasted Coconut and Cubano Coffee

(Photo credit: Sweet Ritual/Austin, TX)

Nada Moo!

Another local and dairy-free favorite is sold by the pint and the flavors are nothing short of coconut creamy goodness. These are available at Whole Foods, Wheatsville Co-op and a variety of other local grocery stores.

(Photo credit: Nada Moo!)

Be sure to beat the heat with a classic ice cream cone, with an Austin twist— no milk involved!

Flash Back Friday: Director’s Circle- Blanton Museum of Art

June 19, 2015

Today’s Flash Back Friday goes back just about a week to an event hosted at the Blanton Museum of Art. We wanted to match the exact feel and ambiance of the room, which was exhibiting the works of artist Francisco Oller. Aptly named, “Impressionism and the Caribbean: Francisco Oller and his Transatlantic World,” the exhibit features the inspiration that artists from around the world drew from one another. Oller was deeply inspired by his Puerto Rican roots as well as the likes of 19th-century masters Paul Cézanne, Winslow Homer, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Frederic Edwin Church and others who traveled to the Caribbean or whose artistic style had a profound influence on Oller and his peers, and vice versa.

This Caribbean theme was where we drew our inspiration for out catering menu for the Director’s circle complete with exotic and delightful fruits like papaya, horned melon, dragon fruit and plantains. For dessert we had macaroons and mini key lime tartlettes. Take a look at the colorful display, a work of art in itself!

Father’s Day Ideas for an Austin Dad

June 18, 2015

Living in Austin lends itself to being weird, kooky and just plain out of the ordinary, so why do something “regular” for your Pops when you could easily take it up a notch? Here are a couple of ideas any dad in Austin could really get behind.

Dad’s Appreciation Day at Independence Brewing Co.

What’s not to like about a brewing company that devotes a day purely for dads to enjoy themselves? With hours of hops, live music and even a free tour of the brewery, the festival is a great way for the whole family to enjoy Dad’s day.

New Trinkets at The Distillery Fine Goods

This Austin boutique has novelty items that can make any dad feel like a million bucks. Browse the website for ideas, from leather wallets to vintage feeling hats and belts. Show your dad how to dress in style, he might not know what’s “hip” these days!

If these ideas don’t appeal to you, we know any Austin dad would enjoy a trip to the local watering hole like Barton Springs or Deep Eddy Pool. Whatever you may choose to do, to all the Austin Dad’s out there- Happy Father’s day!

Harvest Lunch- UMLAUF Sculpture Garden

June 11, 2015

The UMLAUF Sculpture Garden is a wonderfully lush space nicely hidden next to Zilker Park. Immersed with native plants and shrubbery, you will find babbling brooks and dozens of bronze and stone pieces given to the city of Austin by noted 20th century American sculptor, Charles Umlauf.

History

Originally containing small ponds used by soldiers to practice fly casting during the late 1930s and 1940s, the four acres of what is now the UMLAUF Sculpture Garden were then forgotten for the forty years, lost under vines, brush and illicit dumping from neighbors. Flash forward to 2015, and you have dug out paths along garden beds creating a wonderful space to hold small events.

Crave Catering was able to join in on their annual Farm to Table Harvest Lunch, a corporate lunch and learn with Guest Speaker, Thom Singer. There was great food, beautiful scenery and an informative lecture on how to make connections at conferences and networking events. We served up our special strawberry rhubarb pie!

Make sure to keep an eye on their calendar for other great events, and check out the pictures below.Do you have any secret spots around Austin we should know about? Comment and let us know about your sweet escapes!

Taco Art Show

June 1, 2015

There is a deep rooted love for tacos in this town. The evidence is everywhere—arguments on which taco joint reigns supreme, how-to build-a-taco guides, and even national articles naming places in Austin as some of the best tacos around. This Friday, June 5th, our love of tacos will be expressed through art.

A group of 15 talented local artists have transformed the way we look at tacos by putting pencil to paper, brush to canvas and other creative ways in-between. Along with appetizers and non-alcoholic drinks, anyone attending is encouraged to BYOB (if you’re 21+ of course) and enjoy some taco art!

All pieces will be for sale and thanks to the host venue, 100% of sales will go directly to the artists in the show. After tonight’s opening party, the show runs until the end of June.

Let’s go taco ‘bout art on June 5th! Check out more information about the exhibition here.

A little sneak peek from artist Anissa Bryant is below!

(Photo credit: Annisa Bryant)

Austin Local: Tapas and Tequila

May 14, 2015

(photo credit: Austin do512)

An alliteration that goes so well together is bound to be a good time. As Austin has become rather famous for the “Mexican Martini”, we have jumped right into the search for the best Tequila. We have made our fair share of specialty cocktails for our guests using tequila; from Palomas to Tequila Sunrises and of course, the classic Margarita.

This event will feature an assortment of specialty tequilas from local distilleries as well as from the larger more well-known variety from our neighbor to the south. There will also be an assortment of tapas from some local Austin favorites.

Just another fun tasting event to do in Austin!

When: Friday, May 23rd
5:00pm-9:00pm
Where: Brazos Hall
204 E. 4th Street
Austin, TX 78701
$20.00

Austin Food and Wine Festival 2015

April 24, 2015

(Photo credit: AF+WF)

Another year, another Austin Food and Wine Festival for the books. The fourth annual event spanned four days and featured some of 2015’s best culinary feats. From demonstrations to samples and beverages galore, festival go-ers experienced some scrumptious eats.

A “Feast Under the Stars” was the first event that kicked off Thursday night with a 5-course meal served at the green and open Auditorium Shores, overlooking the Austin skyline. This year, guests from all over enjoyed dishes featuring some of the most prominent names in the food industry—from Tyson Cole, Jason Dady, Erica Waksmunski, Tim Love and Matt McAllister. Be sure to follow Austin Food and Wine’s Instagram for some great snapshots of the event.

We absolutely love the culinary culture the city of Austin has honed, and are very lucky to be able to draw inspiration from great culinary minds like the ones who attend and make the Food and Wine Festival possible. We are off to brainstorm some more creative dishes for our next clients! Give us a call to create a menu of your dreams for your next event or request a consultation here.

You can also watch the whole 2015 recap here: Austin Food and Wine Festival 2015 recap

April: National Soft Pretzel Month

April 21, 2015

Let’s talk about pretzels. Some are salty, some are sweet, and April is the month we celebrate a particular kind of pretzel— the soft kind!

Some centuries ago, the first pretzels were created by Catholic monks. Using all the leftover scraps of dough not used when baking loaves of bread, the unique knotted shape came to fruition as a symbol for the Holy Trinity. This symbol has since evolved to have other meanings over the course of history. The phrase “tying the knot” originated from the same basic pretzel shape during the 17th century signifying the bond of marriage. Today, we see soft pretzels anywhere from sporting events to festivals and even weddings that we’ve catered!

Crave has been able to incorporate the soft pretzel into many of our dishes whether they are main courses or mini versions served as passed appetizers. They are extremely versatile and can be presented as a snack with salt and mustard or a sweet treat when rolled in sugar and cinnamon.

These soft pretzels are stuffed with philly cheesteak and topped with sea salt and mustard, a perfect snack at a reception or event!

Flash Back Friday: SXSWi Event with Pearl Events

March 27, 2015

We’re only flashing back this Friday because we already miss SXSW so much. We had such a wonderful time catering for events during the Interactive portion of the festival, and of course catching some of the live music at the end of the week.

Pearl Events and Crave executed a great event for out client at the lovely Jones Center, where the balcony views were a sight for sore eyes of our wonderful city. Our focus was a sweet spread of desserts, ranging from cake pops with the clients signature apricot color. We also made some chocolate cupcakes with various icings as well as our french macarons.

Join us in the nostalgia as we flash back! Thanks to everyone that joined us in creating the event, and Jerry Hayes Photography for allowing us to remember it so vividly through the wonderful snapshots.

Comment below if you have any great memories from this year’s SXSW 2015!

St. Patricks Day in Austin. SXSW2015

March 17, 2015

The title says it all. Celebrate St. Patricks Day the only way Austin knows how and join the rest of us downtown at any bar with great friends and enjoy a green beer or two. This year will be an exceptionally good time due to the overlap of SXSW, which brings in about 35,000 people from around the world.

Below are some fun events to celebrate our wonderful ties with The Emerald Isle, so check them out courtesy of do512.com!

Patricks Day at Haymaker– 3/17

Green beer and Guiness, no cover!

St. Patricks Day Austin Fest– 3/17 3:00 pm- 9:00 pm

Adults $12 & Kids $3 ADV | Adults $15 $ Kids $5 GATE
A commitment to authentic Irish culture. No leprechauns and our beer is the color God and Arthur Guinness intended. Fierce Irish tradition and fun! FREE abundant parking and no downtown hassles! Check out the Saint Patrick’s Day Fest website for the full lineup.

St. Paddy’s at Peckerheads– 3/17 Free w/ RSVP

Koke FM Texas/ Red Dirt Showcase featuring Bart Crow, Sam Riggs, William Clark Green and more.

Let us know in the comments what your plans are for Paddy’s Day. Slainte from the Crave Catering Team!