Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.
- Hermann Hesse, from ‘Wandering’

When I was still a child, my maternal grandfather gave me the biggest gift anyone has ever bestowed upon me. He taught me how to love trees. I learned how to respect and appreciate these perennial woody plants through his lessons and his stories, most often as we walked close to the very trees he loved so much. He explained how they provided shade, food, shelter and oxygen to both animals and humans alike, as well as great beauty for anyone who cared to notice. I was also taught that trees served as a very popular building material. Life is rarely without its ironies. He had spent his career as a consultant to lumber mills all over the world, assisting them in achieving maximum yield from their harvested wood. He left out any references to the ancient symbolic use of trees in spirituality and mythology, I suppose figuring that such concepts were beyond the grasp of a six year old girl. As I have grown to be an adult and my relationship with trees has evolved to become more complex, trees are now my grounding, my deity, my unofficial religion and my place of worship. What brought such richness and meaning to Grandpa L. has, in turn, given me the same.

Therefore, it has always seemed nothing short of a miracle for me to see exotic food actually growing on trees….lemons in San Francisco, papayas in Bali, coconuts in Mexico. Such sights always fill me with giddiness and childlike glee.

The grand, sweeping canopy of green that is the tree in Kenneth’s backyard in Austin, Texas not only provides shade and inviting habitat for birds and squirrels….it actually grows real, live pecans (see above photos)….with shells thin enough to crack open with the light lean of my heel against the wooden back porch, revealing their soft, fresh nutty flesh which can, in turn, be used to create….

Pecan & Arugula Pesto

With its bright green colour and peppery flavour, this quick pesto is a great addition to pasta, salad dressing, pizza, bruscetta or sandwiches.

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh arugula
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Place all ingredients in a food processor except for the olive oil and puree until smooth. With the food processor still running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until pesto thickens. Yields 2 cups of pesto, which can be stored in the fridge in a sealed container.

A few more tree quotes…..

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.
- Basil

God is the experience of looking at a tree and saying, “Ah!”
- Joseph Campbell

And see the peaceful trees extend their myriad leaves in leisured dance—
they bear the weight of sky and cloud upon the fountain of their veins.
- Kathleen Raine, from ‘Envoi’

Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees,
then names the streets after them.
- Bill Vaughan

Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience.
Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.
- Hal Borland, from ‘Countryman: A Summary of Belief’

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider,
every green tree is far more glorious
than if it were made of gold and silver.
- Martin Luther

A tree never hits an automobile except in self-defense.
- Author Unknown

Menu board at Lambert’s Downtown Barbeque.

We finally did end up at one from my list, on the last night of my visit. Lambert’s Downtown Barbeque had appealed to me because it is a beautifully designed room (I’d seen it in a few magazines) and it serves a diverse clientele; from construction workers to state senators. They do what I’d call hip ‘que….traditional barbeque, but with a twist. The sides created to accompany the meat-only mains brilliantly compliment the protein-heavy menu….Pan Seared French Beans, Lemony Sauteed Spinach, Buttermilk Potato Salad, Spicy Ranch Style Beans,…. I couldn’t resist, and ordered two sides (Collard Greens with Bacon and a Peas, Squash & Mushroom Gratin) plus a Broiled Gulf Oysters appetizer as my main. Kenneth, having more appreciation than I for the context of our chosen dining establishment, ordered the ribs. (I did try one….it was good, but plenty.)

Side Bar: During my week dining with K, it quickly became apparent that I loved vegetables, while he really had no use for them at all. Any veggies served with his meal were automatically pushed over onto my plate in an action I started referring to as ‘flickin me his yard clippins’.

While enroute home to Vancouver, I picked up the June issue of Gourmet Magazine. What story do you think is on page 26? If you guessed Where to Find the Best Texas ‘Cue you would be correct. And, of the five places I had on my list, Gourmet listed three of them: Smitty’s Market, Black’s, and Kreuz Market. This informative article taught me that it was over a century ago that Texas barbeque first began, as a way for the meat market to make use of unsold (and unwanted) cuts. Writers Jane and Michael Stern reflected on their first visit to Kreuz Market back in the 70s when “….the benches were outfitted every ten feet or so with sharp knives attached by chains so that the diners could use the blades to cut their meat but not steal them or stab anyone.” I was also reminded of all that I had missed, and how lacking I can be when it comes to follow through. Sigh. Anyhoo, it would seem that, these days, barbeque is hotter than ever….if you are a committed meat eater, that is.

Photos by Leslie Nowlin

One of the best ways to elevate an already beautiful meal is to eat it outside (assuming that the elements are cooperating, of course). Dining alfresco is an opportunity to honour our good fortune with those we care about, as well as those we have just met. To enjoy our daily bread in a natural environment connects us to where many of our meal’s ingredients came from in the first place and also adds greatly to the sensual, communal experience of dining well.

So I was super keen to learn about Austin’s monthly ‘Dai Due Supper Club‘…. and equally bummed to realize that none of its outdoor dates lined up with the window of my visit. Started two years ago by chef Jesse Griffiths and Tamara Mayfield, Dai Due’s menus focus on fresh ingredients from local farmers and vendors, with Griffith doing most of the cooking on an outside grill. These ‘travelling dinner parties’ change venues each month. A meal served at settings such as Rain Lily Farm or Boggy Creek Farm would include many ingredients fresh from its own garden, trees or hen house. Dinners are $75 per person, B.Y.O.B. and, as in so many places in Austin, play live music!

Dai Due also offers some interesting looking seasonal classes “for people who are ready for a more in-depth look at our local food possibilities. We offer hog butchering classes in the Fall; guided tours of local chicken farms; and fishing trips to local rivers, where you will learn how to catch and prepare fish.” For those looking for a less ‘in-depth’ experience, they also provide catering services and will deliver prepared dinners for up to 8 people. To learn more about Dai Due Supper Club check out this article written by Jessica Dupuy for the May issue of Tribeza magazine.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the only thing hotter than Steve McQueen in his prime would be a Texas heat wave. My week-long visit to Austin saw the mercury reach the high 90s two days in a row. Not that I was complaining….so what does Steve have to do with my recent getaway? My fabulous host, Kenneth, just so happens to have a motorcycle that is a replica of a Triumph ‘Scrambler’ McQueen used to ride out in the desert in the late 60s. (K’s blue model looks like this- plus, it has paniers on the back which are perfect for storing sunscreen, towels, wet bathing suits and tequila.) I am not normally a tire biter, but driving around town on its black leather bitch pad all week, zooming from swimming hole to cocktail bar to Tex-Mex eatery to barbeque joint to dance hall to roadhouse made me feel….like I was on vacation. Carpe diem, baby.

I’ve been freezing in Vancouver for what seems like forever. Early May and it’s still colder than a witch’s tit out there. Enough already. So when my friend, Kenneth, offered to host me in his new home town- Austin, Texas – I didn’t need to be asked twice. With its plentiful live music, cheap + yummy food, not to mention its balmy climate/ outdoor lifestyle all making for an incredibly appealing getaway option….today I’m off for 1 week, promising to return with tales to tell and pics to post.