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The other is Whole Foods, which was born here and whose flagship store is so big that one longs for a global positioning device just to buy some (organic) milk. THE NEW YORK TIMES 6\/22\/11 Out Here | Austin, Tex. Group Blends Music and Food in a Town That Reveres Both By KIM SEVERSON This town likes to brag about a couple of things. One is an abundance of music, as manifested by statues of guitars set along the main \u2026 Continue reading
\nSo it only makes sense that Austin would produce\u00a0the Beat Divas<\/a>, three ladies in their 50s and 60s who make a living singing original songs like \u201cHog Fat\u201d and \u201cTomato Blues\u201d as a warm-up for their cooking classes. The three \u2014 Mady Kaye, Beth Ullman and Dianne Donovan \u2014 began as a respectable jazz trio that spent a lot of rehearsal time talking food. In 2004, they started teaching cooking classes at Central Market.\u00a0 Someone suggested starting the classes with a song Ms. Kaye had written in support of eating a little bit of chocolate every day. They mixed in some other food standards, like \u201cFrim Fram Sauce\u201d by Nat King Cole. Of all their tunes, perhaps \u201cBetter Not Drink the Water\u201d is a favorite. It combines an environmental message with the suggestion that drinking wine is a much better option. One thing led to another, and now they play food conferences and other events around town. Recently, that included an early morning gig at the International Association of Culinary Professionals. They looked a lot like the nutritionists and cooking teachers that peppered the audience. They sounded a little like the Andrews Sisters. And they were perkier than anyone has a right to be at 8 a.m. in Austin. With a guitarist who plays regularly with Lyle Lovett (and is married to Ms. Donovan), a drummer, a piano player and an upright bass, the Beat Divas woke up even the most hung-over culinarians. \u201cI was impressed with how attentive they were,\u201d Ms. Kaye said. \u201cThey applauded even at some of the solos.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"