This summer, it’s been devastating to watch wildfires scorch beautiful Bastrop, Texas. The wildfires, located about 30-minutes outside of Austin, have destroyed over 1,500 homes and 95% of the historic Bastrop State Park.

As I sympathize for the people who lost their homes, I also mourn Bastrop State Park. I’ve always had a soft spot for the park, with it’s lost pine trees and New Deal era buildings. About ten years ago I had the honor of staying in one of its lovely vintage cabins. I visited with a friend who was filming a documentary on the federal Civilian Conservation Corps workers of the late 1930s. As part of FDR’s New Deal, the CCC created the state and national parks we love and enjoy. The story of the CCC is truly fascinating, as seen in Ken Burn’s PBS documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. (And no, my friend isn’t Ken Burns. How kickass would that be, though?)

While filming my friend’s documentary, we had the great pleasure of meeting several of the CCC men who built Bastrop State Park. They told us wonderful stories of hard work, conservation, Eleanor Roosevelt, and how the money they received from the CCC literally meant the difference between their families eating or starving. Bastrop State Park is a wonderful example of America, and Texas, at it’s finest. It breaks my heart most of it has been destroyed.

So, I’m more than excited to offer my boozy gelatin molds in support of the Central Texas Wildfire Fund. Austin Bakes for Bastrop is a collection of some amazing Austin food bloggers donating goodies for sale. The sale occurs October 1st all over Austin (see locations below) from 10 AM to 2 PM.

I’ll be selling a few dozen of my individual strawberry margarita gelatin molds (see right) from noon to 2PM at Foreign & Domestic, 306 E. 53rd Street, 78751. I hope to see you there!

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