Megg's Cafe in Temple, Texas

I arrived in Belton on a Thursday night and surprised my girlie as she was coming out of work at school.  She was headed up to practice her music for a lesson for Friday so we made a plan to meet after her morning classes.  I told her I would bring a muffin and coffee.  Once the plan was made I headed back off to stay with friends for the night.  They live in Temple.  Temple is about a 10 minute drive from the school from where I was staying.  

When our family came to bring Em to school we heard several of the students who had been there more than a year or two mention a place called Megg's Cafe.  I took note of that and did a little research in between dropping her at school and visiting this past weekend.  I decided to give them a try for the muffins and coffee because I had noticed that they had an in house bakery called Hamilton Bread Company and they made gluten free items also.  I just "googled" and set my Google Maps to work and found them very quickly.

This place did not disappoint!  The baked goods were fabulous and I was in and out in about 10 minutes with a gluten free peach muffin as well as a chocolate chunk muffin for my girlie and two coffees.  I also purchased a gluten free cinnamon roll and a loaf of gluten free bread for later in the weekend.  It was all amazing!  The cinnamon roll and bread were great even a day or two later. 

I am sad that we ran out of time in our crazy weekend schedule to go and enjoy breakfast there together but we will definitely be doing that another time.

You can click on the link above to see more about them and their menu or go to their facebook page for all of the latest news.

Food Travels - The Dead Fish Grill in Belton, TX

Check out the website for more info and menu.

I went to Belton, TX last weekend to spend the weekend with my lovely daughter for a college family weekend.  We attended all the festivities including the ballgame on Saturday but by the end of the game we were ready for some girl time.... just the two of us.  I took her over to get her a haircut at the local Supercuts and while we were there we asked the hairdresser what she would recommend as a local.  She immediately started raving on this little gem on Lake Belton.  We headed there as soon as we were done with the haircut.

We opted to sit outside on the open air patio and were not disappointed.  The temperature was perfect for dinner al fresco.  It was beautiful!

The restaurant has a large variety of seafood, surf/turf, and Cajun options and there are a few traditional things on the menu for the burger crowd.  

They even offered quite a few gluten free options.

We started with the coconut shrimp!  It was amazing.  As a matter of fact it was so good I almost forgot to take a photo before we ate the whole plateful.

My daughter got the PoBoy with shrimp and waffle fries.  That sandwich was as long as her forearm.  She actually took half of it back to the dorm for the next day.  She loved it!

I had a grilled catfish taco and a grilled shrimp taco on gluten free flatbread.  There was a spicy yummy sauce on the side and it came with dirty rice and red beans.

We will definitely be going again when I am back in town.  The food was amazing, the view was spectacular and the service was excellent.  It is worth searching it out and going if you are ever in the area.

On the River...

When we were in Wimberley we stayed in one of the cabins on the river.  We had a little porch area that looked out onto the River Road and every morning we would sit out on the porch and drink coffee.  There were ducks and whole variety of other birds.  If we were up early enough there were lots of deer grazing in the area with their new fawns alongside.  Some were so young they still had their spots.  They were so beautiful!  It was often too dark still to really snap a good picture but the ducks were out as the sun was higher in the sky.

The last morning we were there was a Sunday morning.  Just the day before there were crowds of people all up and down the river with their coolers and inner tubes and trash.  It was a pretty big mess but Sunday morning... this... was so peaceful and lovely.

The water was still and as I stood on the bridge that crossed over into a housing area I could see fish rise and turtles and all sorts of quiet little wildlife that could not be found the day before.

The sun peeked over the trees and the water was rippling softly over the rocks.  In the desert we don't get this little pleasure... even on the Rio Grande.  This was such a nice treat.

This is the Blanco River... in Wimberley, Texas.

For more information about the area and the waterways you can go here.

I always enjoy my time here... I hope, if you ever get to the San Antonio/Austin area that you will find this little treasure and spend some time here.  Wimberley is a family tradition with us that I always look forward to each year.

The Leaning Pear

I have been meaning to go to this restaurant called The Leaning Pear for several years.  

We take a trip to Wimberley every year and I have been seeing the sign as we passed up on River Road and wondering... 

I finally saw another blogger (Sara at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly) write about their experience there and I knew... I MUST try it.

This is the lovely sign you will see as you start your drive down River Road in Wimberley, Texas.

It is a small bistro type establishment tucked just off the Main Street and River Road intersection

  and is among clusters of small home type businesses in the area.

I just found out that in a little over a week they will be moving into a NEW LARGER FACILITY and expanding their hours.  Take a look at their website for updates on all of this

There is a menu posted just outside the door as you go in.  It is a simple menu that is made with as many seasonal and local ingredients as they can get their hands on.  The owner is a great chef and he and his wife have chosen to focus on local flavors and ingredients.  That part is also very appealing to me.

The decor is simple and inviting.  It keeps the pear theme throughout the indoor and outdoor dining areas.  It was hopping from the minute we walked in.  It opens at 11:00 am and quickly fills up with locals and travelers alike.  It is certainly not a chick place because there were plenty of men who did not blink an eye at dining at such an establishment.  I am suspicious that the BBLT was a real draw.  (Bacon, Brie, Lettuce, Tomato on Sourdough)

The service and kitchen areas were fronted with a rustic tin roof material.  I loved the rustic atmosphere of the place.

This is a shot from my seat to the outdoor patio area and bar.

There were two types of soup on the menu for the day... a chilled Tomatillo soup and a warm sweet potato spiced soup.  My Mom got the sweet potato and Em and I got the Tomatillo.  I tried both... they were FABULOUS!

I chose the Leaning Pear House Salad... with mixed greens, candied pecans, fresh pears and goat cheese all from local vendors.

Em got the BBLT!  YUM!!! 

We opted out of dessert that day but they certainly had a lovely chocolate cake that was pretty enticing.  Not a great picture but there is that cake atop the rustic service shield.

This post would not be complete without mentioning the fabulous wait staff!  We had a waitress named Hailey and she was so professional, friendly, helpful and prompt in her service.  She made everything even more lovely than it already was.

I will go back!  If you are in the area... check it out. They have lunch served everyday except Tuesdays and they are open for dinner on weekends.

More Hill Country Travels

Bella Vista Ranch

This little ranch is tucked nicely into the Wimberley, Texas community.  They grow olive trees in an orchard and a small vegetable and flower garden.  They also have a grape vineyard.

See those little olives?

They produce fresh first press virgin olive oil and infuse it with a variety of herbs and garlic.  They also produce balsamic vinegar varieties, bath and body products, jellies, jams, etc...

They sell trees, too.

This particular shot is a bed of asparagus plants they were growing along the fence area.

A lovely hibiscus plant...

As you go into the tasting area they will let you try the different infused oils and such.  They have a nice fragrance and a little bite at the end which is a bit peppery.

Here is one of their product shelves.

Their soaps are pretty pricey but they are lovely!  They have three wonderful fragrances and they are so nice to your skin.  I wish I knew how to make soap!  I may have to learn this skill soon.

Here is a shot of the vineyard.

Another shot of the vineyard.

My little tree that I brought home... now we will be babying it until next March and then it goes into the ground.  They are drought resistant, self pollinating and grow well in the sandy soil of the desert.

I brought a little treasure home with me, too...

If you get to Wimberley I highly recommend that make a trip out to this orchard and vineyard for one of their tours and sample the oil and wine.

Check out the website link at the top for more details and pictures of this lovely place.

Road Trip Food Adventures... Texas Hill Country

We recently made a trip to the Hill Country of Texas.  We make the trek annually for my family reunion and there is always a stop in Fredericksburg, Texas when we go.

We stopped into our favorite Fredericksburg Bakery on Main Street.  We stopped to grab a German pastry for everyone and to take a look around.

It is a lovely bakery with lots of yummy treats and a shop full of fun kitchen stuff including coffee mugs, dinnerware, aprons, and a whole slew of other gifty gadget items.  

When you go through the Hill Country during the June-August time of year there are always farmer stands along the roadside and it is typically FULL of peaches.  This year there was a huge freeze that killed a great deal of the peaches in the area but they had stored peaches in the freezer from the previous year and were still baking lots of goodies.  We stopped to buy a pie and some peach bread to take to the reunion to share. 

We stopped at Gold Orchard

Oh goodness gracious... THIS was delicious!

This was just the trip in... stay tuned for more food adventures we enjoyed 

while we were there for the long weekend.

On the Road... Wimberley, Texas

We recently spent the weekend in a little town in the hill country of Texas called Wimberley.  We have been going to Wimberley for as long as I can remember for our annual family reunion.  It is a charming little town full of good eats, charming shops and antiques.  We stay out at the 7A Ranch each year because they have lodges large enough to house a large family reunion.  My Daddy is the youngest of 12 children and so there are TONS of aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family.  The location is right on the river with lots of opportunities for inner tubing, fishing, swimming or just relaxing as you watch the water wash by.  

(the picture above is my parents with all the grandkiddos)

I want to share a few little favorites of mine that you might enjoy if you get down to that area.  

If you are looking for coffee.... and who isn't, right?  Check out the Maui Wowi Hawaiian Coffee Shop.  This is a delicious little stop.  Em and I popped in for an iced coffee while we were in town running some errands on Saturday morning.  We were there during the day but they have a hopping little night scene going with concerts and open mic nights.  It is very youthy and trendy with a plethora of surfing and Hawaiian decor all around.  The service was great and the coffee was delicious!

If you are in the mood for pie then I have the perfect stop for you.... The Wimberley Pie Company!  I had the chocolate chip pecan pie when I was there and could not resist picking up a little cap for work with their logo on it.  Em had the chocolate cheesecake and it was TO DIE for!  You can buy by the slice or by the pie and they have sweet pies of all kinds, cheesecake, savory pies like pot pies and quiches and they serve sandwiches for their lunch service.  The seating room is small but there is an outside dining area, too.  They offer service with a smile.  It was a real treat!

A favorite of our family each year is eating at The Wimberley Cafe on our way out on Sunday morning.  If you have a large group there is a bit of a wait but it never disappoints.  There is something to please even the youngest pallets and the prices are just right.  It is right in the very center of the action surrounded by antique and clothing shops so you can park, eat and take a walk around to see all the shops.  

If you happen to be in the area on the first Saturday of the month between March and December then the Market Days might be just what you are looking for.  It is a giant flea market with some very charming collectibles, antiques, crafts and goodies.  

Three other charming places that I have yet to try but they are on my list for next year include...

The Leaning Pear - it has been there for several years and gets rave reviews.  My timing has just not been right to fit it in but it is on the list to try now.  It is owned by a professionally trained chef who has taken the local ingredients and fashioned an amazing menu of local, organic and sometimes vegetarian and vegan treats for your enjoyment.  Check out the website for menus and information.

Want to catch a show while you are in the area?  Check out The EmilyAnn Theatre.  I have to admit I was drawn to this because it is my daughter's name!  LOL  It has things going on all the time.  Check their calendar of events and shows when you are in the area to book your adventure.  

One more... has got to be the Blair House Inn.  It is a bed and breakfast, a spa, an evening dining restaurant, an art gallery and if all of that is not enough for you it is also a cooking school!  Dreamy sounding isn't it?  Dan and I are going to have to make an anniversary time of it without the children sometime.  It is steeped in hill country charm, amazing menus and relaxing atmosphere.  

Another blogger of note on all things Hill Country of Texas has some great reviews and information, too.  Here is Roaming the Hills page on Wimberley

Silver City, New Mexico...

I love Silver City!  There is an historic district where there are lots of great little shops.  My favorite places to stop are the Herb Shop and the Cooperative.  We were there recently but we were only able to get into town on a Sunday morning.  Most everything is closed on Sundays with the exception of a little bakery that we visited and a few other little restaurant and dine in places so go during the week or on a Saturday to get the full effect.  I did manage to get a few photos while we were there that you might enjoy and when you get to Silver City you must stop into their historic district for an afternoon of shopping, eating and discovering this little treasure of a town in the lower Gila Wilderness area.  

 Enjoying pastries for our "second breakfast" of the day

 Lots of fresh loaves for sale so we took a few home... see the bottom for the ones we took home...

 The pastry window

 The Coop... great goodies inside... a must see

 Bear Creek Herbs is also a must see!

Looking for a cup of coffee???  This is your stop!

 Blake's LottaBurger is a New Mexico tradition

Three delicious loaves to remember the trip... YUM!!!  

A Multigrain Honey, a Black Olive and Feta and a Cranberry and Walnut

One more stop that I love there is a little used bookstore.  It is also on the historic street area.  There is always a little treasure that I find when I go in.  Hope you get to go and discover this great little treasure for yourself someday.  Tell 'em Chef Leann sent you!  LOL