Media

Martin in the Narthex - Released October, 2011

Click here for full press kit: http://martininthenarthex.com/Martin_in_the_Narthex_press_kit.pdf

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Kathy Shearer 800-458-3808
shearer@shearerpub.com

THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY: A FOOD AND WINE LOVER’S PARADISE
By Terry Thompson-Anderson
Photography by Sandy Wilson

Pick a road – any road, a county road, a ranch road. Chances are good that somewhere down that undulating ribbon of road, you’ll come upon some remarkable Texas Hill Country food finds: a farm stand selling fresh, homegrown produce; a goat farmer selling hand-crafted goat cheeses; ranchers selling sausages made from game meats; a brewery producing fine beer in the European style of the region’s founders; a winery creating world-class wines from grapes grown in Texas; honey processors selling honey from bees who feast on the region’s largesse of richly hued wildflowers; peach orchards with roadside stands selling fresh peaches, peach ice cream, peach cobbler, and anything else that can be made from a peach; apple orchards where you can purchase many varieties of fresh apples, apple cider, and apple pies as big as washtubs.

This is the Texas Hill Country where folks are creating ways to turn the Hill Country into what is often referred to as an “agricultural tourism” region. Visitors are coming to the Hill Country to follow the lavender trails, pick peaches and apples, buy fresh-pressed olive oil, and visit the wineries. In fact, the Hill Country was listed in a recent survey by Internet travel giant Orbitz as second only to the Napa Valley as an agricultural tourism destination!

Chef Terry Thompson-Anderson, author of Texas on the Plate and Cajun-Creole Cooking and photographer Sandy Wilson traveled many of the roads in this scenic area, searching for food- and drink-related products. They found a bounty of venues, but also met some wonderful proprietors along the way – some born and raised in this area, and others transplanted. In The Texas Hill Country: A Food and Wine Lover’s Paradise (Shearer Publishing, Fredericksburg, TX, $19.95), you’ll learn not only about what is produced in this region, but also about the people who produce the products – how they came to be grape producers, cheese makers or restaurant owners. And the stories are inspirational!

In addition, the book contains over 65 recipes gathered from proprietors or developed by the author to highlight the local food products – from “Ancho Chili and Honey-Basted Quail” from Mac & Ernie’s Roadside Eatery in Tarpley, to “Lavender-Infused Sangria” from Onion Creek Kitchens at Juniper Hills Farm in Dripping Springs, to “Mama’s Apple Turnovers” from The Deutsch Apple Bakery in Blanco. These are recipes you’ll want to make at home to enjoy the locally grown products.

We are now much more conscious about the food we eat (is it organic or not), and where it is grown (was it grown locally or did it travel by truck or plane over 1,500 miles). The Texas Hill Country: A Food and Wine Lover’s Paradise makes it so easy to make a trip to the Texas Hill Country, and prepare and enjoy its bounty.


Images are copyrighted by Sandy Wilson and may be reproduced in articles or reviews concerning this book. Please credit Sandy Wilson when a photo is used.

	Terry Thompson-Anderson, CCP Terry Thompson-Anderson is a professional chef, cookbook author, culinary instructor, and restaurant consultant. She has written three previous cookbooks, including the award-winning Texas on the Plate. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Southern Foodways Alliance, and Les Dames D'Escoffier International. Terry's passion for great flavors and fresh foods was the impetus for compiling this adventurous romp through the culinary offerings of the Texas Hill Country. Terry is also owner of www.thetexasfoodandwinegourmet.com web site. She lives in Fredericksburg with her husband, Roger. Together they tend an herb garden and grow a wide variety of chilies and tomatoes.
	Sandy Wilson, Photographer Sandy Wilson is a Texas photographer whose work ranges from the boardroom to the barn. A longtime corporate photographer and member of the American Society of Media Photographers, she has been featured in Working Cowboys with Mark Kohler, in Texas photography exhibits, and in many corporate annual reports. Her personal photos of the West stand to remind many Texas of a not so distant personal past. Sandy regularly travels to France to photograph its people and places, and lives in Houston with her husband Steve. She enjoys cooking, carpentry, gardening and travel.