The Culinary side of Fredericksburg:

There are many excellent restaurants; there are 53 listed on the Chamber website, and Caterers (9).   There are 11 listings in the Specialty Foods section of the website, some of which have been distributing their products far and wide for many years (Opa's Smoked Meats and Fischer and Wieser come to mind), some for fewer years (Fredericksburg Farms), and some are new in the marketplace (Allison's Specialty Foods).

Cooking Schools:

Runnymede Country Inn offers cooking classes by Molly Fowler, the Dining Diva.   www.runnymedecountryinn.com. 

Leslie Washburne at Hoffman Haus runs The Natural Palate Cooking School, which was mentioned in D Magazine (Travel, March) www.hoffmanhaus.com . 

Jacque Rudman, Culinary Artist and Chef (formerly of Cottage Cafe) now brings her talents to you as a private personal chef and caterer, and offers a 7 course chef's tasting each Wednesday athomejackque@hotmail.com. 

Janet Degonhard of Cheers to the Cook brings a new concept in home-cooked meals; she will help you prepare healthy and tasty meals in her kitchen to take home to be served or frozen for later (as little as $3.29 per serving www.cheerstothecook.com . 

Rebecca Rather of Rather Sweet and Cynthia Pedregon of Peach Tree Tea Room have published numerous cook books, but did you know that Carol Seminara and Joe Houde of Cottages at Limestone on Main have just published their favorite and most-requested recipes in Breakfast on a Silver Tray?  Available from them or at Berkman Books www.cottagesatlimestone.com .

People come by the busload to see Lecia Duke at Chocolat (the Queen of Free Publicity) making their chocolate confections, and now Chocolat will be mentioned on The Food Network (first showing April 30 at 7PM).  Becker Vineyards and Tin Star Ranch also will be mentioned.

Ernie Loeffler at the CVB is working on the concept of a Culinary Center of Excellence in Fredericksburg.  Greg Snelgrove at EDC put tremendous effort into snaring the Texas A&M Pierce's Disease Research Center for Fredericksburg - we now have 11 wineries as members, and wine is expected to be a major factor in the growth of tourism in the Hill Country.

Lavender is growing in popularity.  Recently Karen Roets of Miller Creek Lavender Farm in Johnson City dropped off some of their Lavender Margarita Mix at the Chamber offices.  Reports were that once you got your mind wrapped around the lavender color, it was light, refreshing, and utterly delicious.  www.millercreeklavender.com (also available in Villa Texas).