(Craig Hartley) Houston’s booming food-truck community also will be well-represented at the festival:
Bernie’s Burger Bus

We’re waiting for the day when the upcoming Free Press Summer Festival is as known for its food and beverage programming as it is for its music schedule. And while it’s not quite there yet, Houston’s hottest music festival is steadily adding to its culinary offerings each year.

This time around, Houston’s own Saint Arnold Brewing Company is creating a craft beer inspired by FPSF. White Noise will be available on the festival grounds at Eleanor Tinsley Park June 1-2 and in limited quantities around town.

Organizers call White Noise “the liquid equivalent of sunshine in a glass, unfiltered and bursting with the fragrant blend of orange peel and coriander.”

Also new this year is an exclusive multicourse breakfast with Uchi Houston chef Philip Speer and rapper Bun B on June 1. Just 20 tickets — $175 each — will be sold, and ticket buyers must also be holders of Fancy Pants or High Roller FPSF tickets. Tickets will be released at noon Monday, May 27 via e-mail blast to qualified ticket holders.

(Greg Morago) Anvil returns to Summer Fest this year with a new lineup of innovative cocktails exclusively for Fancy Pants ticket holders. No details yet on the menu.

The breakfast, which will benefit the Blaffer Art Museum, is part of the museum’s fundraising dinner series, “Feast: Radical Hospitality in Contemporary Art,” which pairs chefs and artists for a unique meal served in an intimate setting, allowing diners to interact with the creative team.

So, if you’re a Fancy Pants or High Roller ticket holder, watch your inbox.

Anvil returns to Summer Fest this year with a new lineup of innovative cocktails exclusively for Fancy Pants ticket holders. No details yet on the menu, but we’re keeping fingers crossed that Philly Fish House Punch returns.

Not a Fancy Pants ticket holder? Keep your eye out for the four julep stations that will be serving bourbon-based cocktails created by Anvil’s Alba Huerta.

Foodies will recognize many of the names topping the food booths: Beaver’s, Fluff Bake Bar, Kim Son, Sammy’s Wild Game Grill and Pink’s Pizza. Houston’s booming food-truck community also will be well-represented at the festival. Trucks scheduled to work the fest: MuSuBi, Golden Grill, Bare Bowls Kitchen, Chi’Lantro and Bernie’s Burger Bus.

Sign up at www.houstonchronicle.com/contests for a chance to win VIP tickets to the sold out FPSF.

http://blog.chron.com/29-95/2013/05/the-food-of-free-press-summer-fest-2013/#12496-6

Bill Ryan/The Gazette
Todd Blakaitis of Germantown gets lunch from Linda Jo Kushner of Silver Spring on Thursday at her lunch truck outside an office building in Rockville.

Silver Spring resident Linda Jo Kushner has always loved to cook.

Now in her 50s — after more than 20 years working as an interior designer — she is following her dream and taking her down-home cooking to the streets of Montgomery County.

Linda’s Luncheonette, a brightly colored food truck that travels to different parts of the county every day, serves up a few of Kushner’s favorite recipes.

“We came right back to comfort food because that’s how I cook,” Kushner said, noting that she doesn’t deviate from being herself. “I cook every day what I cook for the family and enjoy it.”

Her daughter, Sara Kushner — a junior studying hospitality management at Ohio State University — has helped out on the truck five to 10 times. She said she is glad her mom has pursued this new venture, though she wasn’t too surprised.

“She’s been saying she is going to make a cookbook for my entire life,” Sara Kushner said. “I know she’s good at cooking because I’ve been eating her food for 20 years now.”

Linda’s Luncheonette serves up a baked five-cheese macaroni and cheese, a turkey meatloaf, a chopped salad certified as diabetic friendly and a trio of egg salad, chicken salad and tuna salad sliders. For dessert: chocolate chunk brownies.

Linda’s Luncheonette took off after 85 backers donated $20,265 between Jan. 9 and Feb. 6 through Kickstarter, an online fundraising website, surpassing her $20,000 goal. Through Kickstarter, Kushner could give gifts based on the amounts donors pledged.

For pledges ranging from $10 to more than $2,500, backers received free lunches, Linda’s Luncheonette window decals, T-shirts, mugs and lunchboxes, a Linda’s Luncheonette office party or a private party.

One gift from the fundraising campaign was an invitation to the Linda’s Luncheonette opening party, which Kushner said was attended by about 70 people. Attendees could tour the truck and try the food before the truck hit the road.

Bill Ryan/The Gazette
Linda Jo Kushner of Silver Spring smiles in her lunch truck Thursday outside an office building in Rockville.

“A lot of people see food trucks, but it’s still new and novel for a lot of people, especially out in the suburbs,” Kushner said.

Kushner said she got her hands on a retired FedEx truck, which she brought to East Coast Custom Coaches in Manassas, Va., to have built up. The truck is equipped with a full gas range oven, prep tables for salads and subs, and a warming area for the food.

So far, Kushner said, she has been requested for neighborhood parties, horse shows and pool functions, in addition to visiting industrial parks and other office spots in the county that lack food options for lunch.

Last week, Kushner was joined on the truck by her sister-in-law, Sheri Rothstein of Potomac.

“It’s a dream of hers. She was just so motivated and excited, and it spilled over in everything she did,” Rothstein said. “I think it’s great. Linda’s Luncheonette is going to be a great success.”

After about a month of business, Kushner said the people pleaser in her is most excited about customers coming back for more. She is ready to make some changes to the menu.

While thinking about starting the new business venture, Kushner said, she took to the streets. She said the food truck community was “warm and welcoming” — people handed her a business card, should she ever need help or advice.

“We all do better if we all help each other,” Kushner said. “… There’s enough to go around for all of us.”

The food truck has allowed Kushner to draw on some of the creativity she channeled as an interior designer. Though there was a “learning curve” in her first couple weeks, Kushner said she has fun at the truck window interacting with patrons.

This business venture is just another chapter in the experience of life beginning again at 50 years old, she said.

“When I started this business, I picked something that I think would be fun and make me happy at the same time,” Kushner said. “That’s important to me: to not lose sight of the basics.”

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130522/NEWS/130529734/1081/home-cooked-meals-on-wheels&template=gazette

Bill Wisser
Celebrate the burger at Magic City Casino.

If you haven’t yet found time to celebrate National Burger Month, Burger Beast invites you to attend his burger-themed food truck roundup this Saturday, May 18, at Magic City Casino.

From 5 to 10 p.m., this special edition of the Wheelin’ Dealin’ Street Food Festival will feature 20 different trucks — each highlighting a special burger for the occasion (even non-burger specific food trucks). It’s also the third annual celebration of the burger, no surprise considering Sef Gonzalez is coordinating the affair.

The burger listing is:

Two Jive Turkeys: Hula Burger, a deep fried turkey burger with grilled pineapple and smoked applewood bacon, topped with a Polynesian BBQ Polynesian Sauce made with Pineapple & Papaya, served between a Butter Toasted Bun.

Bite Gastrotruck: The BAMF, a burger with American cheese, bacon Jam, and chipotle mayo. Also offered is an apple pie milkshake for dessert.

Che Grill: The Gaucho Burger, an 8-oz. beef burger topped with mozzarella cheese, ham, egg, and bacon on a fresh bun.

Cheeseburger Baby: The Bacon-Egginator, a lightly toasted buttered bun stuffed with crispy honey smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, a certified Angus beef half-pound burger, topped with a fried egg, and grilled yellow onions.

Da Burger Shack: The Bomb Burger

Daddy’s Grill: Bono Bacon Cheese Burger, a ground beef burger with provolone cheese and bacon on pan de Bono.

El Rey De Las Fritas: Frita La Criolla, an original frita a caballo with a sweet tostone.

Friar Tuck: The Angry Scotsman, a sweet and spicy chorizo cheeseburger with crispy bacon and an “angrily fried” egg.

Grill Master Cafe: The Master Burger with mozzarella cheese, caramelized onions, Julienne fries, and “GM” sauce.

Jefe’s Original Fish Taco & Burgers: Pinche Cholo, a grilled Angus beef patty with deli-style American cheese, smothered with slow roasted pork carnitas, pepper Jack cheese, grilled onions; stacked with thick-cut pastrami, yellow mustard, chipotle tamarind ketchup, and tangy pickles on a buttered, toasted bun.

Loaded Burger: The signature “Loaded Mac and Cheese Burger”.

Monster Burgers: The Monster Burger, an 8 oz. beef burger with bacon, extra mozzarella cheese, onions, & “Monster” sauces.

Ms. Cheezious: The Southern Belle, an organic tempeh burger with fried green tomatoes & house-made pimento cheese on a toasted bun.

Mr. Good Stuff: The Godfather, Italian sausage & black Angus patties stuffed with mozzarella & basil, then smothered with provolone cheese and topped with fresh bruschetta on a brioche bun.

Mushaboom: The Black Bean Burger, served with romaine lettuce, tomato, and spicy chipotle mayo.​

Pescados Unidos: El Chupacabra, a 12-oz. sirloin/chuck blend with peppered bacon, cheddar cheese, roasted poblano pepper, lettuce, tomato, onion, and chive aioli on a brioche bun.

Purple People Eatery: The Succubus, an all-natural grass-fed beef burger with Foie gras, caramelized shallots, quail egg, aged English cheddar, and truffle aoili.

The Rolling Stove: The Chipotle Bacon Burger with crispy fried onions, pepper Jack cheese, and jalapeño jelly.

Taco Fresh: The Santo Burger with queso Chihuahua, topped with salsa borracha on a soft Mexican bun, with and a slice of avocado.

Top Fries: Burger bites over fries with signature pink sauce.

Desserts will be available from Cold Stone Creamery; Fireman Derek’s World Famous Pies; HipPOP’s Handcrafted Gelato Bars; Marlie’s Delights; and Sweet Sensations.

Free parking is available.

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/shortorder/2013/05/burger_beasts_food_truck_round.php

We recently reported about a couple of Boston-area food trucks deciding to open brick-and-mortar restaurants, and now we have learned that yet another truck will soon have a permanent spot as well.

According to a post on its Facebook page, the people behind the Pennypackers Food Truck will be opening a brick-and-mortar eatery in Somerville, with the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals approving their plans to open a restaurant in the Magoun Square section of the city. The post indicates that the new spot could be open sometime this summer.

Roxy’s Grilled Cheese and Mei Mei are also going to be opening permanent dining spots, with Roxy’s being in Allston and Mei Mei’s being in the Audubon Circle section of Boston.

Pennypackers, which debuted its truck in the summer of 2011, offers soups, salads, and sandwiches, and the owners now have two trucks–one stationed by the Marine Industrial Park in South Boston, and the other by Boston University. Their website can be found at http://www.pennypackersfoodtruck.com/

http://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2013/05/pennypackers-food-truck-to-open-brick.html

Curbside Cuisine had a soft opening Wednesday with only three food trucks ready for business. The grand opening will be next month.

Curbside Cuisine, a gathering place for food trucks downtown at 225 N. Nevada Ave., opened Wednesday with The Local, The Crepe Crusaders and High Grade Catering and Food Truck.

Creole Kitchen is scheduled to open Monday and Za Pizza and Shuga’s Portable are set to open next month in the former service station at East Platte and North Nevada avenues. John Olson, chair of Colorado Springs Urban Intervention, sponsor of Curbside Cuisine, sadi the group hopes to have eight trucks operating by the grand opening in June. “It is still a work in progress,” he said.

Curbside Cuisine will operate 6:30 a.ml. to 8 p.m. daily with vendors selling meals priced between $5 and $8. To read more about Curbside Cuisine, read my previous story on the organization.

Sylvia Sedrak, left, and Kasi Carter, buy lunch from The Local, a food truck at Curbside Cuisine, a collection of mobile eateries that opened Wendesday

http://blogs.gazette.com/insidetrack/2013/05/16/curbside-cuisine-opens-for-diners/

Open for business. (Syd Kearney photos / Chronicle)

Downtown just got a little sweeter.

Popular food truck Porch Swing Desserts has opened a store in the tunnel at 801 Louisiana St. It’s tucked in an out-the-way corner between Pennzoil Plaza and Two Shell Center, in a space formerly occupied by a Treebeards satellite. (The Cajun cafeteria moved to bigger digs in Pennzoil Plaza in January.)

On opening day, May 16, the bakery was offering monkey bread muffins, its signature petite lemon meringue and strawberry pies, an assortment of cookies and Katz coffee.

I scored a banana pudding with caramelized bananas for breakfast. What a delicious way to start the day.

Porch Swing Desserts: 801 Louisaina St., 713-429–1338. Open 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Get a look at the big board.

http://blog.chron.com/29-95/2013/05/now-open-porch-swing-desserts-sans-wheels/

The Kinetic Kitchen from Gig Harbor
Credit Michelle Smith

• WHAT: Public hearing on whether to allow food trucks in Gig Harbor
• WHEN: Gig Harbor City Council meeting, 5:30 p.m., Monday
• WHERE: Gig Harbor Civic Center, 3510 Grandview St.

Mobile food trucks might soon be parking in Gig Harbor.

The city’s planning commission is recommending adopting an interim set of regulations that would allow for food trucks. The rules would last through this year, giving the city some time to study whether mobile dining – which in the South Sound ranges from Korean cuisine to burgers to Mexican food to desserts – should be allowed permanently.

The Gig Harbor City Council is scheduled to conduct a public hearing on the proposed food truck rules Monday.

The proposed rules include requiring food trucks to:

• remain out of fire lanes and other areas that need to remain empty
• offer walk-up service only, not driver-through
• adhere to certain sign regulations
• provide secured trash containers
• adhere to state and Pierce County food requirements.

http://gigharbor.patch.com/articles/gig-harbor-city-council-to-hold-public-hearing-on-food-trucks-monday

COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. – When you think of food on the go, you probably aren’t thinking about healthy eating. But there’s a movement in Colorado Springs and other cities around the country making “food on wheels” another option to be fed well.

The hustle and bustle of a busy restaurant.

“We love food,” said Jo Marini, co-owner of The Local. ”We love sitting around a table and having those relationships with people.”

Except this restaurant is on the move.

via facebook

“Food has always been a big part of our lives as far as our family backgrounds ethnically, so we decided to do a food truck.”

Jo Marini and her partner Sara Crowell are the co-owners and founders of The Local.

“It was very important to Sara and I when we started this that we were going to work hard and save what we had and work with what we can afford. This truck is that,” said Marini.

A business built from the ground up by two friends and former classmates at the Air Force Academy who wanted to do something different.

“I was a C-130 pilot and got stationed at the Academy to work with the women’s basketball team, we had no idea what we were doing,” said Crowell.

These ladies knew about food…but they weren’t so sure about a 1971 Chevy step side van…otherwise known as “their” food truck.

“It’s given us its share of problems being that it’s very vintage, but we love it and it’s good to us.”

“So Sara, you flew a C-130 and now you have to drive this thing. Tell me what’s harder? The truck…by far…by far.”

While the truck may be vintage, the food is anything but.

Jo, Sara and their partner Philip Petty make it a point to create entrees from local organic and naturally raised food.

“In the past, they were called roach coaches. You know? Whenever someone looked at a truck, they would think ‘I’m probably going to enjoy it, but I’ll be sick for the next week.’”

“We started with the ‘Local Burger.’ We wanted something to appeal to everyone whether you’re into local food or not,” says Marini.

A fan favorite at Spectranetics, one of the many places you’ll see “The Local”..this burger is a 100 percent grass fed, grass finished burger.

“When you do source locally and when you do support the people who are growing and farming in your community and they are doing it well and naturally, it’s actually a more sustainable and affordable practice.”

And what about the jam?

“Oh and we make a bacon jam. How can I forget the shining star of the burger.”

Besides the “burger,” The Local serves up authentic Korean tacos and specialty drinks.

The food truck movement is growing and when this truck gathers with others in one spot, people come from all over to try the different healthy options.

“They were able to say, ‘I want a hot cocoa from her. But I want to get a hot dog over here.’ It’s a really nice experience. Something a little different,” says Crowell.

You can find out where The Local will be on their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter @TheLocalTruckCO.

Starting May 15, Curbside Cuisine will set up at Nevada and Platte where several food trucks will gather to offer different types of food for all tastes.

http://www.fox21news.com/news/story.aspx?id=894136#.UYhkbaJmiSo

This spring’s round of Fancy Food Truck Friday just keeps getting better.

Hosts Webster’s Community Pharmacy and Webster’s Wine & Spirits have announced that there’ll be music along with the food trucks:  the fifth grade “McKinley Rock Stars” from McKinley Elementary School, led by teacher Raimer Rojas, will be performing.  The entertainers are part of a program called “Little Kids Rock,” a non-profit that provides instruments and music classes to schools where music programs were victims of budget cuts.  Performances start at 6:45 PM.

They have also announced which food trucks will be at the event:

• Greenz on Wheelz
• Me So Hungry
• Bool BBQ
• The Fry Girl
• Lurdo
• My Delight Cupcakery

Fancy Food Truck Friday runs from 4-9 PM, and caps off a full day of fundraising for sponsor Danny’s Farm, whose mobile petting farm will also be at the event. Fancy Food Truck Friday wll be held at the Webster’s complex parking lot, 2450 N. Lake Avenue.  Parking is available in the lot and on the street.

Here’s the McKinley Rock Stars in action:

http://www.altadenablog.com/2013/05/mckinleys-musical-rock-stars-added-to-fancy-food-truck-friday.html

Curry-chicken “baco”

Unite two food truck owners sans trucks, and the result is not a new food truck, but rather a restaurant by the name of Saucy Porka. Open today, it is a joint effort by Amy Lee and Rafael Lopez. Lee owns the Duck ‘N’ Roll truck, which has been off the road since January. Lopez was a chef on the Waygu Wagon. Together, they have a wealth of family recipes rooted in Asian and Latin cuisine, and decided to open a fusion restaurant in the Financial District.

The menu is similar to a food truck’s (if the City of Chicago didn’t make it so difficult for them) – appetizers, sandwiches, rice bowls and sweet bites. Also, similar to many of the food trucks, the restaurant specializes in lunch, though, it is open from 8 AM to 4 PM. For breakfast, it serves banana nutella or Azuki cinnamon donut holes as well as chorizo or queso fresco egg banh mi.

The star of the lunch menu is something called a “baco” – or bao taco. Steamed Asian buns are filled with Latin-style fillings such as pork carnitas topped with pineapple salsa as well as sofrito-marinated shrimp topped with Asian slaw and avocado aioli. Fusions make a second appearance is umami nachos and chorizo egg rolls. Overall, Lee and Lopez wanted to menu to transform comfort food with bold flavors and modern techniques.

One more food truck has its hand in the new space. Flirty Cupcakes provides four specialty cupcakes for the restaurant. The Spicy Pork exclusive cupcake is a ginger cupcake with lemon center and buttercream. Sticking to the Asian-Latin fusion theme, a pineapple cream cheese and chocolate-cinnamon with chili powder are also on the dessert menu.

400 S. Financial Pl.; 773-417-6013

http://blog.zagat.com/2013/05/two-food-truck-chefs-open-saucy-porka.html