family-friendly food

Trailer Food Tuesday returns to the Long Center Terrace for a back-to-schoolcelebration

Family-friendly fun on the Long Center Terrace
Trailer Food Tuesdays take place on the last Tuesday of the month at the LongCenter

Summer is coming to an end, kids are officially back in school and Labor Day is just around the corner. But that doesn't mean that we have to say goodbye to casual nights filled with food and fun.

On Tuesday, August 28, Trailer Food Tuesday returns to the Long Center City Terrace for its second installment, a back-to-school themed evening that will gather 10 of Austin's tastiest food trucks to serve up signature dishes and family-friendly entertainment.

This month's event features unique fare from 10 trailers, offering everything from downhome barbecue and deep-fried gorditas to traditional Japanese Takoyaki.

Established by Tiffany Harelik (Trailer Food Diaries), Eric Silverstein (Peached Tortilla) and Kristen Stacy (Royal Fig Catering), Trailer Food Tuesdays is a series that brings a new selection of food trucks to the Long Center on the last Tuesday of each month for a night that will please any tastebuds (from the pickiest kid to the most refined adult palate).

"We are excited to welcome all back to schoolers to a fun family event in the shade of the Long Center's City Terrace," says organizer Tiffany Harelik of the series, which has become an anticipated affair after its successful launch in late July.

This month's event features unique fare from 10 trailers, offering everything from downhome barbecue and deep-fried gorditas to traditional Japanese Takoyaki. Featured trailers include:

Woodpile BBQ
The Peached Tortilla
Lucky J's Chicken and Waffles
Bahn Bahn
Kebabalicious
Chi'Lantro
Dock and Roll Diner
The Seedling Truck
Little Fattys
Loveballs Bus

In addition to local fare, foodie lovers will enjoy a mixture of music from local DJs to live music. "Not only do you get some great food," says Harelik, "it's a fun photo op for families starting the school year with the food trailers and the city skyline in the background."

Trailer Food Tuesday is held from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Tuesday, August 28 at the Long Center. All you need to bring is a picnic blanket, a couple of chairs and a healthy appetite.

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For more information on the series, visit the Trailer Food Tuesdays website or Facebook page.

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Back to the Plow

Homey Austin jam and bake shop closing and returning to farmers market

Confituras/Instagram

Confituras Little Kitchen is closing its brick-and-mortar store, but feeling optimistic about the future.

A famers market find is returning to its natural environment after six years in a brick-and-mortar location. Confituras Little Kitchen, which specializes in locally sourced preserves, is closing its jam and biscuit shop after service on Sunday, December 22. However, it will continue selling goods at the Barton Creek Farmers Market and via retailers.

Confituras announced the change in a newsletter to its customers in December. The letter called the news "bittersweet."

"Although the brick and mortar will no longer be, the good news is that this will be a fresh new start for us – we are bursting with energy and creativity at the thought of being back out in the community where it all started for confituras," it said.

The kitchen is closing because the lease is up, and the team has decided to "give up the chase." The newsletter emphasized the ups-and-downs of business over the past several years — ones that were chaotic for just about any business, let alone a small, fairly niche food operation.

"So much has happened since we decided to open a brick + mortar – a wonderful kickstarter fundraiser, THE PANDEMIC, the AFTER-EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC, and an ever growing city," the letter says. "We tried so very hard but never really got our footing. We know we are not alone, many small business are in the same boat. We renewed our lease during the pandemic because we were hopeful we could make it work - the changing times had other ideas."

Finally, it shared how customers could keep enjoying Confituras creations:

The Barton Creek Farmers Market is open at 2901 S. Capital of Texas Hwy. every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm.
A list on confituras.net compiles retailers including Royal Blue Grocery, Farmhouse Delivery, and Antonelli's Cheese Shop.
Jam share and Table22 subscription customers will have more instructions coming soon about picking up their goods in January at the same space, 2129 Goodrich Ave.
Customers may also reach out to inquire about continuing to order meals directly.

The kitchen also hosted frequent events and workshops, but the letter did not address this aspect of the business.

A shorter message shared on Instagram has inspired 63 comments so far, five days later. Customers eulogized the shop for its community feel and providing a sense of regularity during the height of the pandemic thanks to weekend pick-ups.