News and notes from the San Antonio food scene
Invite your dirt doctor to compost tea
The annual Festival of Flowers garden show takes place Saturday, May 28, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Alzafar Shrine, 901 North Loop 1604 West. Author and organic expert Howard Garrett, also known as the Dirt Doctor, is the keynote speaker for an organic gardening roundtable that starts at 1 p.m. This year's festival also includes garden and plant displays, a recycled container garden contest, an "ask the expert" booth featuring Dr. Jerry Parsons, and other garden related attractions. Fresh-brewed compost tea will be available free while supplies last, so bring your own quart or gallon container. For information see safestivalofflowers.com. Admission is $4, children free.
The Little Café that can
The Little Café on Broadway, 8238 Broadway, opened its doors for breakfast and lunch in mid-February. Former Silo chef Ben Pickett has transformed the former Dunkin' Donuts into a cozy, country-kitchen-style café. The menu features a popular meatloaf special on Mondays, fresh soups, and a variety of dishes prepared the way mama made them, from scratch. We sampled the Santa Fe chicken sandwich with fresh potato chips and the broccoli and cheese soup. The sandwich was average and the chips provided a nice treat, but the pièce de résistance was the soup, which, with all fresh ingredients, was a hearty explosion of flavor uncommon in many restaurant soups.
Chili for a hot day
The return of the Chili Queens Festival runs from Saturday, May 28 through Monday, May 30 at El Mercado, 514 W. Commerce, from noon until 11 p.m. The festival returns to a colorful period in San Antonio history, when lovely ladies known as the chili queens served market shoppers fiery chili con carne. This year's festival will include Tejano and conjunto music and food and beverage booths. For more information call 207-8600.
Compiled by Nicole Chavez and Heather Holmes
