Salado

henapple

What a great time. I'm sure every fest is fun and I've been told they all have their own personality but it's hard for me to imagine any being better.

Thumbs up to.
Salado. Nice people, quiet and laid back, beautiful.
Getting to meet and hang out with everyone but special thanks to Nola, Travis and his friend John, Mickey, Cen Tex, sancho and vi. Not only are they great folks but their families as well. Trying to talk Cen Tex's wife to join the forum to share her baking secrets. Travis, you have a beautiful family and appreciate your service. Thanks for making me feel at home.
Watching John on Friday lusting over a lbge and then pulling the trigger on Saturday. Like a kid Christmas morning.
Will's hospitality at Inn on the Creek.
Mickey...pretty sure he eats white crosses for breakfast. Hardest working man in eggdom.

Thumbs down
I injured myself twice Thursday before getting to Salado. Hit my head on a steel pipe and about knocked myself out. Got racked and the southern hemisphere looks like Rocky Balboa after the Apollo Creed fight. Friday woke up with a sinus infection..felt like **** the whole time...nothing Guinness, robitussin and Advil couldn't cure i guess.
That it's over.

Mickey

I thank you. Where do I send the friggin check for hours worked. My friends, this guy worked. Will go get your lights and cord. Hold them at the house. Tony thank you.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

what a great dude (Henapple- I guess Mickey is OK too, TRAVIS...not so much). awesome time had Centex and TFJ (which means I probably owe several people an apology)

henapple

Tell janelle I've downloaded the book she suggested on bread making. As soon as i get home it's brisket and artisan bread.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

10-4. call me and i'll hook you up with the brisket tips. you'll nail it first time and be the brisket king of TN. . thats kind of like being the smartest guy on the short bus )

The Cen-Tex Smoker

TFJ says start with the Saturday bread. and use Caputo "00" flour

nolaegghead

I didn't know what to expect meeting henapple, since he can be so freaky online (I kid! I kid!) but let me say rarely have I met a nicer guy and he's probably thinking I'm a total freak (which I am)   Thanks for sharing your cooking area - Travis, you too.  I moved a truckload of cooking gear, coolers, sous vide stuff and booze and jointed their corner.  We had the ghetto blaster, good music, good company and of course, cigars, courtesy hennapple. 

Chubbs

Man I am a little jealous of this bromance going on. What has VI been up to??

nolaegghead

VI came rolling in Friday night dragging a huge trailer with a monogrammed Vespa and one additional scooter.  He was headed into his room, and I headed up the hill from the party.  "Excuse me!  Are you Gary Wilson?"....he turns to me - "yeah, I am".  I'm walking towards him.  I yell out, "I'm Tweeve".  For about 5 seconds, VI was speechless (probably first time ever as he was thinking about which weapon would be most appropriate to draw).  Recognizing the mortal danger of my situation (not just for him, SWMBO was backing me up), I followed that up with, "Actually, I'm nola!"  (Insert cussing here).  Gave him a big hug, talked for a while, then he hooked me up with some home made Vanilla extract and Worcestershire sauce.   Great guy.

Village Idiot

nolaegghead said:

VI came rolling in Friday night dragging a huge trailer with a monogrammed Vespa and one additional scooter.  He was headed into his room, and I headed up the hill from the party.  "Excuse me!  Are you Gary Wilson?"....he turns to me - "yeah, I am".  I'm walking towards him.  I yell out, "I'm Tweeve".  For about 5 seconds, VI was speechless (probably first time ever as he was thinking about which weapon would be most appropriate to draw).  Recognizing the mortal danger of my situation (not just for him, SWMBO was backing me up), I followed that up with, "Actually, I'm nola!"  (Insert cussing here).  Gave him a big hug, talked for a while, then he hooked me up with some home made Vanilla extract and Worcestershire sauce.   Great guy.

This morning at church, I told my preacher that I saved a life in those brief moments by not making swiss cheese out of him.

Folks, Nola is a wild man !!!  Be very afraid !  However, he pales compared to that Amazon warrior he carries around with him.

nolaegghead

Hornhonk had a Vietnam flashback when he thought I was Tweeve.  We kissed and made up later on.  Might have to go to Plano, as he's described that fest like Shangri La.

FleurdeLirious

What a great time! So good to meet all the people who have been tolerating NOLA's frequent posts about all things Egg and then some. Thanks to Mickey for the Inn at the Creek recommendation; the rooms were lovely. And thanks to Will the innkeeper for graciously allowing the pre and post parties to be held on his grounds. @Village Idiot, thanks for noticing my superiority to NOLA. Wish we could have eaten some of everything, but everything we did have was amazing. Kudos to all the cooks! Special mention to Henapple's stuffed poblano and stuffed grilled pears, Travis' venison meatloaf, Foghorn's grilled pineapple shrimp, and the amazing crab dip and jalapeno cheese ball! Hoping to see some recipes soon.

Village Idiot

FleurdeLirious said:

@Village Idiot, thanks for noticing my superiority to NOLA.

Thanks, but that's not a real big compliment.  I'll come up with something better.

henapple

@FleurdeLirious

I want to party with you cowboy.

Y'all were a blast. Great to meet all of you and hope to see you soon. I'm a little freaked out over your sexual obsession with the Beamer...but that's Nola's problem. I guess if it were mine I'd sleep with...er, in it.

Foghorn

"Folks, Nola is a wild man !!! Be very afraid ! However, he pales compared to that Amazon warrior he carries around with him."

 

She struck me as kinda normal-sized... unlike most of the rest of you.

 

 

henapple

@Foghorn. It was great to see you and your son cooking together. Very courteous and a hard worker. Your pineapple shrimp was a hit.

FleurdeLirious

@henapple Just because I like to drive the Bimmer with no pants on doesn't mean it's a sexual obsession... I just like the way the motor purrs.

nolaegghead

Village Idiot said:

FleurdeLirious said:

@Village Idiot, thanks for noticing my superiority to NOLA.

Thanks, but that's not a real big compliment.  I'll come up with something better.

I think the years of inhaling Vespa fumes (they run on Sterno, right?) are taking their toll.

henapple

It's a beautiful ride...glad Nola could buy it for you.

nolaegghead

henapple said:

It's a beautiful ride...glad Nola could buy it for you.

Oh, you're stirring the pot....

Foghorn

Thanks to henapple and others for their compliments of my son on multiple threads.  He's a great kid who makes me feel like the luckiest dad alive... which means I'm 1 for 2 as his sister give me a different feeling.

Also, henapple, I've thanked Mickey and Spring Chicken for all the work they did to make the fest possible, but thank you as well. Mickey has made it clear that you put in a lot of man-hours making things work for the rest of us.

FleurdeLirious

@henapple Still waiting for NOLA's check to clear....

The Cen-Tex Smoker

FleurdeLirious said:

@henapple Still waiting for NOLA's check to clear....

get in line...........

henapple

Mickey is far too kind. The only heavy lifting i did was that 72oz mug of Guinness.

nolaegghead

haha muthaflippahs.
:bz :ar!

caliking

It was a hoot to meet so many folks from the forum. The drive from Houston was beautiful, the weather was great, and not much more could be asked for the weekend.  I'm all in for cooking next year! Met some great people and really enjoyed myself.

A couple of pics:

The scene of the bash. Great venue!

 

Sunday morning, Stillhouse Hollow Lake in Union Grove. Great campsite if anyone is interested. Stupid air mattress gave out again on the second night, so its going in the trash.

Austin Egghead

It was wonderful putting faces to all the names.  Mickey puts on a great event..  Spring Chicken and Spring Hen tireless workers also

VI thanks for the present, will let it age a while before using.  

Cen-Tex that was the best SxSW brisket I have ever tasted.  We will see yall at the Austin fest...If you wind up traveling tell TFJ I will be her sous chef and she can be mine.

I don't know the cigar's brand, but this was the first time I sat ever down wind and didn't have an asthmas attack...What was in those cigars?

Travis it was great to see you and your family...that young man is getting big.  Sorry your dad didn't make it this year. 

Nola you are a great DJ with a mean boom box.  Fleur you are a hoot put Plano on your calendar and be sure and bring Nola with you .....Stay at the hotel...makes crawling to the room so much easier.

Henapple it was nice meeting you. Sorry you and Spring Hen were not felling well.

We all had a great time party'n tasting and cooking.  Hope to see yall at the next fest.

I wonder how much Mickey and Will paid the guy next door for our late night festivities?  (He was a good neighbor)

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Thanks Joan! What a great time.

nolaegghead

Joan, it was a pleasure meeting you!  This was our first fest and it's definitely not going to be our last.  Since we can consolidate egg fests with visiting family, the Texas area is on our radar for next time....also, great company der.

Chubbs

I don't see any kilts

nolaegghead

The embarrassing photo's are sure to be forthcoming.