Getting ready for the family feed, 2023. This morning, as we’ve done since Kristin took me into her family, we’ll head to the homestead, a historic Hill Country ranch where about 60-70 folks ranging from newborns to ninety year olds will break bread. Her family’s been in Texas since the 1830s, and as you would expect the tribe’s spread and political beliefs span the spectrum, fringe to fringe and everything in between. But on this day, we’re bound by blood and tradition and the shared sense of being rooted, of standing on common ground. We hope all of y’all are connecting in a similar spirit. Few things bring folks together quite like good food, and here’s what we’re bringing to the table for the feast. CHANGING SEASONS We shouldn’t still be getting okra at Thanksgiving but here we are, with temperatures in the 80s and ten-foot plants still pushing out blooms. We’ve been pickling, creating the perfect winter compliment to a heavy dinner. Here’s simple recipe that takes about 30 minutes. The Quart Jar 1 tablespoon Dill 1 tablespoon Red Pepper Flakes 2-3 fresh garlic cloves 1 Teaspoon peppercorns. The Brine 1 cup vinegar 2 cups water 2 tablespoons pickling salt The Process Put the dry ingredients in the bottom of the jar, then loosely pack the fresh okra. In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water and salt. Stir on low to medium heat until the salt dissolves. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the tops of the jars, and bring to a boil. Once the water’s boiling, use canning tongs to gently place the jars. Let them sit for 10 minutes, then pull and allow to cool. At some point in that process you should hear the lid click. Press on the middle, if it doesn’t click you have a seal. Give the mixture at least a couple weeks to marinate before opening. Simple except for one thing….. Breakage Nothing’s more frustrating than hearing the jar crack and then watching my precious produce and spice mix contaminate the boil. There’s no fool proof technique, but these tips will help minimize the potential. — Put a rack in the bottom of the pot so the jars don’t sit directly on the heat. — Avoid dramatic temperature swings. If the okra’s been in the fridge, let it come to room temperature. Also let it sit a bit once you add the brine, which will slowly raise the heat in the jar. — Leave at least a finger’s width worth of space from the top of the brine to the lid so air can escape. — Screw on the lid until it stops, then back it off a quarter turn. This allows the top to move enough for air to escape. You should see occasional bubbles during the sanitizing bath. MAC & CHEESE, AUSTIN STYLE. This straightforward, simple recipe, is about an hour’s work plus 30-45 minutes in the oven. Pro tip — make two trays, freeze one for later. The packaging above is perfect for a double batch, the right amount of everything, ie the large tins of cheese are two cups. This makes for less mess since the ingredients can be combined without having to measure. Enjoy, and trust me, this will be a hit anywhere it’s served. THE FAMILY RECIPE Two 16 oz bags of pasta. I like large macaronis or a penne — something to catch and hold the sauce. 8 tablespoons butter. 5 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese. 6 eggs. 1 cup sour cream. 1 teaspoon salt. 2 cups whole milk. 2 jars of queso, whatever tickles your fancy. Since I’m doubling the recipe I use two large pasta pots. On the second burner, I start heating my pasta water as I mix the sauce. Sauce Start with the butter, let it melt. Low and slow on the heat so it doesn’t burn. Add the queso, sour cream, milk and cheese. Just dump it in, stirring as you go. Whip the eggs, then fold them into the sauce, still low to medium heat, before the mixture begins to bubble. If it’s too hot, you run the risk of the eggs starting to cook as soon as they hit. Add salt if you wish, I usually skip, but will throw in a bit of ground black pepper. The mixture should start gelling into a thick cheesy, slightly soupy mix. Keep stirring so nothing sticks and burns on the bottom of the pot. Macaroni About this time the pasta water should be ready. Add a few drops of oil and a bit of salt once it comes to a boil, then drop in the pasta, cooking to directions on the package. While the pasta’s boiling (make sure to stir everything occasionally) grab a stick of butter like a crayon and slick the inside of the casserole trays. This will give you a browned outer crisp. Cook the pasta al dente — better a little less than a little more — so it’s not mushy. Drain pasta, add to cheese mixture, mix in, then fill casserole pan. Before putting in the oven, top with a thin layer of shredded cheddar. For added decadence, sub a light coat of panko crumbs in butter — but not too much, as it pulls moisture from the mac. To prep the panko, melt one stick of butter in the microwave, then stir in about a cup of crumbs before topping the casserole. If possible let everything sit for a day in the fridge so the ingredients come together more fully. On eatin’ day pull out for at least 30 minutes to warm to room temp before putting in the oven. Oven’s at 350 for 30-45 minutes. I pull off the foil cover for the last 15-20 minutes so the top can brown. Bottom line — start eyeballing it at 30, watch for little boil bubbles around the edge from the butter. That tells you it’s ready. See the butter bubble? Ready to eat! AUSTIN’S ORIGINAL FRIENDSGIVING Doug Sahm and Jerry Garcia … check out the pocket doc here. Before “Friendsgiving” had a name, the Armadillo World Headquarters was hosting holiday feeds that are now the stuff of legends. Auspop’s Maddie McVey explains . ‘Twas the day before Thanksgiving 1972, and the Grateful Dead were set to play Municipal Auditorium on their third trip to Austin. Sam Cutler, the Dead’s tour manager, had called Eddie Wilson, co-founder of the Armadillo, to arrange a pre-show feast for the band: Tenderloins, plus bowls of joints, which made very pretty centerpieces. Seated beside his pal Doug Sahm, Jerry Garcia surveyed the ‘Dillo and mused, “I’d like to play here.” Eddie shot back, “When?” Garcia replied, “We’re not doing anything tomorrow.” Later that night, Garcia asked Leon Russell backstage at the Dead show if he wanted to stop by the Armadillo and play some piano. Maddie McVey, Auspop auspopatx A post shared by @auspopatx Dip into the current culture Sunday at the South Congress Hotel Armadillo World pop up, there’s a pretty cool pocket show happening at 6. her.mana.music A post shared by @her.mana.music Enjoy the season, the weather’s shifting and while the sustained cool temps will take out the okra, the winter greens are just coming in. The natural rhythm that keeps use fed. The arugula’s ready for thinning, the dill’s producing, beets and spinach starting to sprout. Back next week with a dive into hippie mercantilism. Until then, on we go. Happy Thanksgiving. Alan Berg, Publisher. *quotes and interviews occasionally edited for clarity. How are we doing? We want to hear from you. Take this quick survey and help us make Happy Heat better. Go see something, tell us about it, we’ll share more stories next week. Let’s build something together. We’d be forever grateful for your help, and an easy way to do so is by subscribing to the Happy Heat Substack. What comes in goes right back out in artist commissions and live shows. To which you’ll get to come! For the first 100 subscribers, we are offering 20% off forever. Get 20% off forever