What food trends are you inspired by looking forward in 2019?
Peggy’s is based on what my mother served, the freshest, local ingredients available. I love seeing more of that on restaurant menus, and healthier options overall. My wife and daughter eat gluten-free, so that’s a trend we appreciate and there seems to be more options than ever. I also appreciate that you can enjoy more tasting paired dinners. Having a chef match the flavor profile of a meal to the flavors of a winery or distillery truly brings out the best in both food and drink. We’re looking forward to continuing our wine series this year.
Any plans to incorporate something new on your plate for 2019?
With two years under our belt in Boerne, we’re looking forward to continuing to grow and serve the Hill Country community. Tradition, hospitality and simple foods made exquisite are the hallmarks of Peggy’s. We update our menu seasonally, but want to expand and update our from-scratch meals made with the freshest local bounty. Don’t worry: your favorites aren’t going anywhere. We also want to expand our catering. We’ve worked with a number of private events, hosting dinners both at Peggy’s and in Kendall Hall here at our home in Ye Kendall Inn. And we want to host more people on our patio. Drinks and dinner along the banks of the Cibolo Creek is something everyone should enjoy.
Top 3 ingredients you can’t live without?
I can’t imagine being in the kitchen without having olive oil, heavy cream or mesquite for beef. Those three items form the base flavors for so many dishes. You really can build almost anything from those three simple ingredients. And in Texas, you absolutely can’t do beef without mesquite. I think that might need to be a state law.
What community organization are you inspired by or plan to be involved in for 2019?
Supporting the community and being active in local efforts is part of who we are. We believe in giving back to help our community thrive. It goes back to my small-town roots: you help neighbors. It’s part of what spurred me to found the San Antonio Cocktail Conference and Houston Street Charities, the nonprofit that produces the conference each year. All of the funds raised benefit children’s charities. In Boerne, we’ve become an active partner with the Boerne Education Foundation, donating funds to provide opportunities for excellence in education, promote innovation in teaching and partner with the community to enhance the quality of education. Through Peggy’s Pie in the Sky campaign, during special holidays, we pick a pie to support the foundation. For every slice or whole pie purchased, we donate half of the proceeds to the foundation. My mother was a teacher, so the importance of education is another lesson I learned from her.