2022 wrap up

It is easy to get lost in the day to day grind, but looking back on 2022 as whole makes me realize what an amazing year it has been. We have once again been fortunate enough to travel to some amazing places, some new, and some more familiar. We have seen gorgeous scenery, and have ate some amazing food along the way. We have camped, Airbnb-ed, adults only resorts, and luxury hotels. We took a trip to Texas hill country just the two of us, met family high in the San Juan mountains of Colorado, and went with some dear friends to Rocky Mountain National Park.

2022s best places we stayed in no particular order…

The Imogene Hotel, Ouray Colorado. The Imogene is located on downtown Main Street, within walking distance of bars, restaurants, and shopping. We stayed in the mountain queen room and it was spectacular. https://theimogene.com
Stonebrook resort, Estes Park Colorado. Stonebrook resort is adults only located on Fall River just outside of downtown Estes Park. We stayed in cabin 15, a two bedroom cabin with kitchen, fireplace, and private hot tub. https://www.stonebrookresort.com
Agave nest cottage, Fredericksburg Texas. We found the Agave Nest cabin on Airbnb. It was one block off of Main Street, it was quaint, had a kitchenette, one bedroom with a bonus sitting area.
Loews Hotel, Kansas City Missouri. We visit Kansas City several times a year and have stayed at many different hotels, but none compare to the Loews. It is a luxury hotel located in the crossroads district, just blocks away from the T-mobile Center. We were lucky enough to stay there during our favorite time of year, Christmas and it was spectacular. https://www.loewshotels.com/kansas-city-hotel

2022s best meals (in no particular order)…

Franklin Barbecue, Austin Texas. Franklins is probably the most well Barbecue restaurant in the world, people come from all over the globe to try Franklins brisket. https://franklinbbq.com
Secret Stash Pizza, Crested Butte Colorado. Secret Stash is located on Elk Avenue in the heart of Crested Butte. It is one of the more popular restaurants in town so the wait can be long, but it is worth it. http://www.secretstash.com
Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, Austin Texas. We were at Valentina’s for breakfast and it was amazing. If I had to choose a last meal the breakfast taco I had that morning at Valentina’s would be on the menu. https://www.valentinastexmexbbq.com
Coffee on the Rocks, Estes Park Colorado. Coffee on the Rocks is a top notch spot to grab a cup of coffee, but what makes special is the ambiance. Get your coffee, head to the pond, feed the ducks, watch the elk, and enjoy the mountain surrounding. https://coffeeontherocks.co/?fbclid=IwAR3xzK_Zm4yrbFVmJOFOXt1XJnR0QY7c4rcaZ9cquFRHGsxE1AC-qWFH6Lg
Hitchin’ Post Steakhouse, Fredericksburg Texas. After a day of wine tasting the steak fingers at the Hitchin’ post really hit the spot for dinner. https://www.hitchinpoststeakhousefbg.com

There are many things to look forward to in 2023 and some planning has already begun. A trip to three national parks has been booked. A few shorter trips to Kansas City are on the calendar. A fall winter trip is currently being discussed, but of all I want to enjoy the day to day. I want be more consistent with posting blogs, cook more, make more videos, focus on a healthier lifestyle, be more present everyday and not get lost in the daily grind of work. I hope everyone makes 2023 a year to remember.

travelingbbqer

January 8, 2023 0

Texas Hill Country

Texas Hill Country is located in central/south Texas. Major spots include San Marcos, New Braunfels, Wimberly, Luckenbach, and Fredericksburg to name a few. In Fredericksburg you will find, shopping, restaurants, breweries, live music, and wineries by the dozen. Texas hill country has over 100 different wineries, with over 50 of them located in the Fredericksburg area.

Fredericksburg is rich with small town charm. Main street is mixed with old charm, restaurants, upscale shopping, and little dives to grab a drink and hear a local musician sing. Also it is the clear the financial investments that have been made in the wineries and breweries around town. I was amazed at what has been done around this small central Texas town.

For our three day stay the wife found the perfect little Airbnb right off of Main Street. It was a short walk to all of what Fredericksburg’s downtown had to offer. Which meant day drinking wasn’t a problem. No driving, and a short walk to take an afternoon nap lol.

The decor of this cottage perfectly matched the feel of Fredericksburg, old charm with an upscale feel. This is offered by Agave Cottages, who is a super host on Airbnb and was around $150 a night when we visited at the end of March. There are so many unique and funky places to stay in and around Fredericksburg it can be overwhelming. Planning what activities and where they are located can help you narrow down where you might want to stay. Luckily for me my wife is amazing at planning, so I leave these details up to her and she always does an amazing job.

The Texas sun and day drinking looks good on her.

The highlight of our vineyard stops for me was our tour at Slate Theory Vineyard. It’s a chic facility that offered amazing Texas wines. Touring the facility and listening to the staff talk about their history and plans for the future made you feel their passion for what they were doing. I have always admired people that are passionate about their crafts, whether be a wine maker, furniture builder, finance person, artist, or anyone in-between. The enthusiasm at Slate Theory is portrayed in their wines. We loaded up more than one bottle before we left.

Selecting what vineyards you are going to visit is a tall task in Fredericksburg, with so many in the area you might want to check into tours that have predetermined stops. It will take some the stress of selecting vineyards, and finding a sober driver away. Agave Cottages offered a tour you could book through them. I will warn you bachelorette parties are everywhere you look around town, and be prepared to wait for a table at dinner time. The restaurants are usually small on the inside and that leads to longer wait times. Don’t wait until you are starving to get something to eat.

This short trip to Fredericksburg was perfect. The temps in late march were more favorable than when summer sets in in Texas. The sun shined bright in the Texas sky, and the wine was flowed everywhere you looked. From where I am located in south-central Kansas it is about a 9 hour drive. To be transported to such a devoted wine scene that close to home was astonishing. I have never been to Napa Valley, but the feel has to be similar. I am not a wine connoisseur I just enjoy seeing people live out there passions. Keep it up Texas hill country we will be back. For me it is a trip I would make a long weekend out of. Wine country isn’t enough for me to make a destination out of, it is more of a stop along the way of what else Texas has to offer.

travelingbbqer

August 21, 2022 0

Kreuz Market, Lockhart TX

When planning our central Texas road trip we knew a stop in Lockhart needed to be on the agenda, and Kreuz Market was our destination. Kreuz is a staple of the central Texas barbecue scene. The name Kreuz Market first appeared in 1900 and has been operating in Lockhart in a couple of different buildings ever since.

The setup inside Kreuz is unlike anything this Kansas boy has witnessed.

We arrived in Lockhart right at 11 on a Monday. There were a few other patrons already there, but no line that early in the day. Walking in the smell surrounds you, and taking in a deep breath you know you are in the right place for BBQ. I had been in Texas for a few days and hadn’t had a beef rib yet, it was time for that to change.

We ordered at the counter and dug in. We got half a chicken, sausage, brisket, and a beef rib, along with a couple of sides. I dove into the beef rib first, and it was my favorite item on the tray. It was very tender, and moist with a good smokey flavor. It had that traditional central Texas bark. The half chicken had good crispy skin, moist on the inside. The overall flavor of the chicken was a bit salty for my taste, but overall it was good. The sausage was typical for what we had in Texas, good smokey flavor but I wanted something different in the texture. The brisket was a little disappointing if I am honest. It was overcooked slightly which made it dry and crumbly. It had more of a pot roast flavor than I like in brisket. Kreuz was my least favorite brisket of the trip. If I had not ordered the beef rib I would have been disappointed in their beef offerings that day.

For sides we got beans, Mac and cheese, and green beans. The Mac and cheese and green beans were both good. Nothing outstanding about either one, but solid options if you stop there for meal. The beans were by far and away the best side we had there. They had a Mexican flavor, with a hint of smoke, and were delicious. I would definitely recommend getting an order of them.

Overall Kreuz Market was a good meal, but my least favorite overall of the places we sampled while in Texas. They where competing with some of the best so being last on this particular list isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Would I eat there again? Probably, but if I was back in Lockhart I would want try some of the other places before making my way back to Kreuz. Check out their website here: https://www.kreuzmarket.com

Traveling BBQer

August 15, 2022 0

La Barbecue, Austin Texas

Our second stop on our central Texas road trip was La Barbecue. What started as a food truck in 2012 has found a home at 2401 E Cesar Chavez where they have created something special. We arrived on a Sunday morning about 10:45 and joined the line that had wrapped around the corner of the building already.

The smell of the smokers filled the air and everyone in line was eager to eat. It took about an hour from our place in line to the time we got our food. The atmosphere is fun, the Mrs. was digging the music selections, and the decor was unique.

We ordered at the counter, they cut the meat as you order (and pass out a bite of brisket or two while they prepare your order) and we went outside to eat. The weather was gorgeous that day. We ordered sausage, ribs, and brisket. With beans, onions, pickles, and bread to fill out the platter.

Lets start with the sausage. It is a German style sausage like most are in central Texas. It was smokey, flavorful, moist and very good. The ribs were absolutely dynamite. We got the end of the slab which tends to be not as good, but they were still fantastic. The seasoning was perfectly complimented by the glaze. It was a little sweet, a little tangy, with a little heat.

La Barbecue was my first real central Texas brisket experience. Just look at that bark! The bark on a brisket in Texas is sacred. Dark color, moist, and a little sticky to the touch. That bark lets you know the pitmaster put in the time and effort to cook it to perfection. The kind of bark I have only ever seen accomplished by a well ran offset pit. The flavor was outstanding, the fat was well rendered, and was very moist. There were a few sauces on the table to try, but the brisket didn’t need anything, it was great. The beans were different than what I am use to getting at BBQ restaurants, and they were delicious. I would say more of a Mexican style baked bean. We loved them.

It was easy to see why La Barbecue is considered one of the best in Austin by locals and barbecue tourist like myself. Waiting in line smelling the smoke and meat cooking while you anxiously wait your turn to order somehow adds to the experience. The food is incredible, the service was great and people were very friendly. I can see why people say Texas barbecue is the best. I like a lot of spots in my little hometown of Wichita KS, but La Barbecue is on another level. We have nothing that compares to it here. I cannot recommend enough adding La Barbecue to the top of your list of places to eat in Austin if you ever find yourself in central Texas.

June 1, 2022 0

Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, Austin Tx

I have heard about Valentinas Tex Mex BBQ for a few years so when we started looking at taking a trip to central Texas I saw my opportunity to try their famous breakfast tacos.

One of the breakfast features that morning was The Knockout Taco and after reading the description that is what I decided on. The wife chose the other feature the Manchaca Taco. We ordered, grabbed our drinks out the cooler and sat down outside in the sun to enjoy the spring Texas morning.

The smell coming from the smokers was heavenly

The Knockout Taco is creamy refried beans, potatoes, fried egg, crispy bacon, smoked chorizo, and mesquite smoked brisket, topped with queso and their “gangster salsa”on house-made tortillas.

I will be honest when I first saw this thing I got up and grabbed a fork because I thought there was no way that tortilla was holding up, but it did all the way to last bite. I honestly cannot say enough good things about this. It has a lot going on in that delicious tortilla but it all works! Nothing got overshadowed. The mesquite smoked brisket was tender, and juicy, with great flavor. The chorizo was perfect paired with the brisket, and the egg was a nice over easy with a runny yoke. The potatoes, refried beans, and bacon where all delicious. The queso and gangster salsa topped everything off perfectly. This is hands down the best breakfast taco I have ever had.

I snagged a small bite of sausage off the wifes’ Manchaca Taco, and it was delicious. She was very happy with her choice as well, but I still think she wishes she would have gotten the Knockout, lol. Overall our breakfast at Valentina’s will not be forgotten anytime soon. Do not pass this place by when you are in Austin. It is the real deal. I have two regrets about Valentina’s, 1- we did not go back a second time before leaving Texas. 2 – not trying the barbecue by itself. I would have like to sample more of their of the menu. Please do yourself a favor and go to Valentina’s Tex Mex BBQ, it truly was amazing.

The Traveling BBQer

Spotted these two Mill Scale 1000 gallon offsets outback of Valentina’s

April 3, 2022 0