In case it hasn't been on your radar, we publish this fabulous staff-favorite-centric post every first Friday of the month! We thought it deserved a highlight since it's one of our long-time favorites and definitely a skim-worthy feature if you're in the market for new ideas and inspiration. Ever wonder what your local farmers do off the fields? Cue: FIRST FRIDAY STAFF PICKS!

We think that our staff is the best in the business (okay, okay, we are a little biased), but the JBG family hails from all over the place and covers the gamut in talents and interests. We love sharing events, adventures, and side projects that inspire and excite our JBG-ers (food-related or not) with the community. Check out the staff-curated list of favorites below!

THE FARM Check it out! Farmer Brenton was on the news!

MACKENZIE I am super excited about citrus season here in Texas! My friend has a big old Meyer Lemon tree in East Austin and she gave me 20lbs of those juicy things last week. So far, I have made a big batch of preserved lemons , a super refreshing lemon turmeric tonic with black pepper and honey, and a double batch of whole lemon salsa verde. Thinking about making whole lemon curd (yeah, you use the whole lemon!!) with the rest of these little balls of sunshine.

Mackenzie's preserved meyer lemons. Photo by Mackenzie, of course.

JOYCE PlowBao will be opening on Dec 7th at 5pm! Come check us out at Buzzmill Shady! We are sandwiched between Buzzmill and Infinite Monkey Theorem, so there's a great selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks available. I'm really excited to be opening, and my 3 helpers are from JBG too! (Angie, Ginger and Adam)

Also! On Dec. 14th from 11am-2pm, PlowBao will be hosting a dog adoption event at Buzzmill Shady. We will be raffling off baskets with lots of great stuff (almost all local, hot sauces, sweets, gift cards, dog stuff, wine, etc). There will also be several vendors there including a pet portrait photographer. Last, but certainly not least, there will be some great dogs who need good homes. The main goal of the event will be to find Oscar, a 13 yr old dog, his forever home. Oscar has been with us for 3 years, and he has had very few inquiries :( I really want to find him a home by the holiday season so he can spend the new year with a family who will cherish him for the rest of his sunshine days.

ANGIE I am super excited about this sandwich that I ordered at The Beer Plant last weekend. It is entirely vegan and is one of the best sandwiches I have ever had! I can't wait to go back and get another one. It perfectly captures the essence of Nashville hot chicken and I think I enjoyed the fried mushrooms even more than I enjoy chicken (which is quite a lot). The icing on the cake is that they order loads of produce from us as well.

NASHVILLE HOT & CRISPY | 14.5 battered king oyster mushroom, pickled celery, purple cabbage, remoulade, pretzel bun

Yes, please.

FAITH I'm reading Underland by Robert MacFarlane, and it's like taking tiny journeys into fascinating crevices of the world. In one chapter, he visits a dark matter laboratory snuggled inside a salt mine 3000 feet below the earth's surface. The vehicles they use in the salt mine have to be constructed from pieces carried down miles of underground tunnels to the active site. Once they can't be used anymore, the vehicles are parked at the end of an abandoned tunnel and left to be slowly encased by the collapsing salt structure. What a tragically beautiful and confounding thing that will be stumble upon generations from now. And that's all before he even starts talking about dark matter! It's a good book.

MEGAN Busting out my Christmas records!! I just got the Molly Burch Christmas Album and I really love her take on the classics like Auld Lang Syne. A Very Kacey Christmas by Kacey Musgraves is a forever favorite, and I cannot wait to dive into her new Christmas Special on Amazon. It looks so retro and campy! And I can't forget the classics that frequent the turntable the most this time of year like Bing Crosby's White Christmas and Once Upon a Christmas by country music legends Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.



ADAM My staff pick this month goes to Fukumoto on East 6th (right across the street from Shangri La). It’s a super under-rated local spot for sushi, yakitori, and other more adventurous offerings if that’s your style. Don’t leave without experiencing the grilled salmon skewer (my favorite thing on the menu) smoky, tender, and pairs perfectly with a cold glass of sake. Overall awesome quality food and a comfortable atmosphere. Pro tip- be sure to ask the chef about any off-menu specials!

ADA Zaza is my new favorite Instagram influencer (@redcarpetgirlz). Also, I wrote a piece for Edible Austin about the good folks at Roam Ranch! Check it out! Spoiler alert: there is a picture of a baby bison!

HEYDON My pick this month is my momma’s dark chocolate bourbon pecan pie. I’ve been making it the past couple of years when I’ve not been in Alabama for the holidays. It’s an attempt to summon some sliver of my mother’s inimitable cooking from afar. I love it so and think it’s a beautiful and drool-worthy addition to any holiday party. I’m not even a pie person and I crave it during the winter months. Pair with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream for maximum enjoyment. Follow this recipe.

Heydon's Mama's Dark Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie. Photo by Heydon.

SCOTT Check out Scott’s latest Austin Art Talk podcast episode where he speaks with four different people to learn more about Art From The Streets. And don’t miss their annual show and sale this weekend!

"The mission of Art From The Streets is to provide a safe and encouraging environment where the positive spirit of homeless and at-risk people is nurtured through artistic expression, offering them a pathway to self-determination as a source of pride, achievement, social connection, and income through the creation and sale of their work.