Homesick Texan

Tomato jam recipe

Published on 2010-08-19 16:50:00

One of my favorite guilty pleasures when I was in preschool was ketchup on biscuits. I’m not sure how I got into the habit of doing this, but a bit of that old, strange love lingers on today when I eat barbecue: I won’t put sauce on the meat but I’ll dip those soft, spongy slices of white bread in a bucket of a tomato-based sauce if given the chance.I realize this isn’t the most sophisticated thing to eat, heck, some of y’all might even say it’s downright gross. Well, fortunately, a

Cantaloupe ice cream

Published on 2010-08-11 12:55:00

I didn’t think I liked cantaloupe.I know, I know, how can this be? Texas is famous for its cantaloupes, especially Pecos cantaloupes, which hail from this West Texas town situated between Odessa and El Paso.The soil around Pecos is salty and sandy. And even though cantaloupes aren’t native to Texas, in the early 1900’s farmers started planting them there and they realized that special soil produced especially juicy and sweet fruit. A Texan fruit star was born.Pecos cantaloupe is in season

Fried pickles

Published on 2010-08-02 14:14:00

Last week, everyone was talking about fried pickles. Sure, fried pickles are good but why all the sudden interest? Well, apparently a popular TV show about New Jersey beaches (or something like that) had some of its characters eating this Southern delicacy for the very first time.“Eating fried pickles was a life-changing experience,” said “Jersey Shore” cast member Snooki upon her introduction to said pickles.Life changing? That’s quite a statement. Now, I enjoy a basket of fried pickl

Purple hull pea salad

Published on 2010-07-26 12:22:00

I’ve been working on the pickle section of my book, and I’ve concluded that just about anything can be brined and preserved. Fruit, vegetables, meat, and eggs—it’s a rare food that doesn’t get a flavor boost from vinegar, spices, aromatics, salt and (sometimes) sugar. So when I was trying to come up with new ways to serve the pounds of purple hull peas I brought back with me from Texas, my decision was simple: I’d pickle my purple hull peas.If you’ve never had the pleasure of eatin

Blueberry peach cornmeal cobbler

Published on 2010-07-18 16:56:00

I stayed with a friend in Austin this past week. When I arrived at her house, I handed her a Fredericksburg peach that I’d picked up in the Hill Country. And before I even had a chance to sit down, she had sliced the peach in half and shared it with her daughter.Later that night, I offered to pick up the tab at dinner to thank my friends for letting me sleep at their place. “Are you kidding?” said my friend. “You brought us peaches. You’ve already repaid us more than enough!”Earlier

Summer squash enchiladas

Published on 2010-07-08 08:19:00

For the past few years, my family has decided that Tex-Mex is the way to go on Christmas. We don’t get too fancy as my mom’s working at church, but there will be chili, guisada, guacamole, tortillas, salsas, beans, rice and Uncle Austin’s squash enchiladas.Of course, it’s July and nowhere near Christmas. But if you have zucchini in your garden, you’re well aware of the bounty these plants produce—it can be staggering. And right about now, you’re probably begging friends and neighbo

Roasted chicken with chipotle

Published on 2010-06-30 09:06:00

It’s no secret that I love mayonnaise, much to my mustard-loving family’s dismay. But when I was going through my collection of Great-Grandma Blanche’s handwritten recipes, I came across a dish called chicken mayonnaise and realized that this love had just skipped a few generations.Chicken mayonnaise, as my great-grandma made it, was a concoction that involved, of course, lots of mayonnaise. But it also called for gelatin, nuts and a whole mess of other ingredients that when combined could

Grilled stuffed peppers

Published on 2010-06-22 06:56:00

A couple of weeks ago, my mom told me she was going on vacation and I kindly volunteered to house sit for her in Houston. My initial plan was to take advantage of her spacious air-conditioned kitchen that not only has counters but also a dishwasher and an in-sink disposal. (These are all luxuries not found in my NYC apartment.) Not to mention she’s within driving distance of my two favorite grocery stores: Central Market and Fiesta. Cooking at my mom’s place in Houston was going to be a drea

Honey lavender ice cream

Published on 2010-06-09 08:47:00

I missed the bluebonnets this year. This makes me sad as I understand it was a banner year for our state flower. But I do have a few trips to Texas planned this summer, so I hope to see some color, such as the fields of lavender found in the Hill Country this time of year. Yep, in that part of Texas as bluebonnets are to spring, lavender is to summer. And while nothing can compare to a blanket of wildflowers, I’d say that the lavender is still pretty stunning.Lavender is now in season, and if

Deviled ham salad

Published on 2010-06-02 06:56:00

After a full day in the kitchen, I like to take a walk to clear my head. On a recent stroll, I spotted a friend holding court in a neighborhood Southern restaurant. He had just moved to New York and as I hadn’t seen him in a while, I popped inside and said howdy. We decided to order some light snacks and saw deviled tasso listed on the menu. What’s that, we wondered? We ordered it and after one bite, I realized it was nothing more than a variation on my old favorite, deviled ham.Deviled ham

Texas pulled pork

Published on 2010-05-25 07:42:00

We don’t eat pulled pork in Texas. This isn’t to say that pulled pork isn’t delicious, but when you go to a Texas barbecue joint you order beef—be it brisket, shoulder, sausage or ribs. And if you do see pulled pork at a Texas barbecue joint you might inquire about the provenance of the pit master as pulled pork is just not found in our usual repertoire of smoked meat.Yep, Texas is cow country and that’s why our barbecue is based on beef. But we certainly do eat pork—tender pork ribs

Strawberry sheet cake

Published on 2010-05-18 06:21:00

I have to say that it’s good to be in charge. Sure, I’m awfully busy—waking up at the crack of dawn and cooking until the sun sets. But as the boss I get to do anything I want, including making executive decisions. And when faced with the question recently of either pie or cake, I chose cake—strawberry cake to be exact.Last week, the first local strawberries appeared at the farmer’s market and I went nuts. We have one farmer who sells strawberries that are jewels—each one loaded with

The Homesick Texan Cookbook, an introduction

Published on 2010-05-11 08:35:00

Here's my recipe on how to make a cookbook, The Homesick Texan Cookbook to be exact:1. Be born in Dallas, the newest member of a long line of Texans that have been living in the state since the mid 1800s. But do you care about your esteemed Texan heritage? Heck no! You tell your parents at a very young age that you want to live in New York City. They take you to Herrera’s, order you tamales and pray for the best.2. Now, how does a young Texan become enamored with New York City? Let’s blame M

Frito pie with one-hour Texas chili

Published on 2010-05-05 09:07:00

When my grandparents were in graduate school at the University of Kentucky, they were—of course—homesick Texans. But they soon figured out that they could feel a lot closer to home if they indulged in that Texan classic, Frito pie.Frito pie—if you are a deprived soul that has never eaten one—is simply a pile of Fritos topped with chili, cheese, diced onions and sometimes, if you're feeling flush, pickled jalapenos and sour cream. In Texas, it’s a mainstay at Friday-night football games

Horchata, a refreshing rice and almond beverage

Published on 2010-04-22 06:56:00

I have to admit that the first time I had horchata was not in Texas. Nope, I had it at here in my New York City neighborhood, at a local Mexican-food cart I frequent on Sundays. Now, this cart doesn’t sell it year round—when it’s cold they have champurrado instead. But recently, when the sun was shining and you didn’t need more than a light jacket to keep the breezes at bay, my vendor beckoned to me and said in Spanish, “At last, I have horchata!”Horchata is one of those drinks I nev

Mexican hot dogs with pineapple salsa and chipotle mayonnaise

Published on 2010-04-14 09:06:00

When I was a young Texan, all the other kids teased me mercilessly at birthday parties and backyard barbecues because I liked to put mayonnaise on my hot dogs. I know, right—who does that? My family certainly didn’t teach me this as I come from a long line of mustard eaters and obviously, none of my friends put mayonnaise on their hot dogs either. Imagine my shame when I had to ask the hostess for a jar of mayo so I could dress my hot dog. It was terrible. But on my last trip home, however,

Cowboy cookies

Published on 2010-04-06 09:45:00

My plan had been to write about baseball this week. But then the Astros didn’t do so well on Opening Day and I got word about an award this blog won so, well, I decided to bake cowboy cookies instead. I hope you don’t mind.Cowboy cookies probably have very little to do with cowboys, but this doesn’t mean they’re not good. Typically, a cowboy cookie is defined by the presence of brown sugar, cinnamon, oats, chocolate and nuts. And some people doll them up even more by throwing in some coc

How to cure a ham

Published on 2010-03-31 07:30:00

A recent trip to the store presented me with a beautiful selection of hams, recently brought in by a local pig farmer. As I picked out the one I wanted, the butcher said, “You realize that these hams have not been cured.” No, I did not. I asked for him to explain.He told me that most of the hams that you buy have already been both cured and cooked—so they’re ready to eat. But he was selling leg joints—the part of the pig from where we get our hams—which had not been cured, let alone

Green chile chowder

Published on 2010-03-24 06:35:00

“We know people will buy the book for this recipe alone,” was noted on an entry for a green-chile chowder in Seasoned with Sun, the El Paso Junior League’s cookbook. Despite such high praise, this green chowder recipe—Maxon’s green chile chowder, to be exact—was not the reason why I had bought the book. Nope, I had purchased this cookbook to satisfy a burgeoning obsession with Junior League cookbooks, which began when I was home at Christmas.My mom had put me on kitchen duty, but in

Capirotada, Mexican bread pudding traditional for lent

Published on 2010-03-17 10:35:00

I did not grow up eating capirotada. Truth be told, I had never even heard of it until a few years ago when I was at a Mexican restaurant on a Lenten Friday. “Hay capirotada,” was written on a chalkboard and curious what it was, I ordered some. The waitress brought me a small plate with a dessert made of toasted bread slices drenched in a sweet and spicy syrup. It was soft and sticky, but there were crunchy almonds, chewy raisins and a creamy tang to keep it from becoming cloying. Capirotada

Ranch style beans recipe

Published on 2010-03-10 13:10:00

Fifteen years ago, I was on my way to the Austin airport to catch a flight to New York City when the friend I’d be staying with called and said that we’d be attending a dance performance that evening in the East Village. Admission was free, she said, but the organizers requested a donation of two canned goods for a food pantry. So before walking out the door, I grabbed a couple of Ranch Style Beans as my offering.Ranch Style Beans are a Texan staple and they’ve been satisfying people since

Tacos al carbon

Published on 2010-03-04 09:47:00

If you were in Houston in the 1980’s, it was hard to escape the ubiquitous tacos al carbon. Ninfa Laurenzo—of the eponymous Ninfa’s—made them her signature dish and as with her green sauce, many Houston Mexican restaurants soon added these tacos to their menus as well. Tacos al carbon became a defining characteristic of Houston Tex-MexBut what exactly are tacos al carbon?The term al carbon is the Spanish phrase for cooking over coal, so you should expect grilled meats inside a tortilla.

Chipotle macaroni and cheese with bacon

Published on 2010-02-24 10:07:00

I’m roasting chiles and frying up bacon. What am I making, you might ask? What everybody wants to eat after being ill for a few days: chipotle macaroni and cheese. With bacon, of course.OK, so this might seem a bit heavy for a re-entry into the land of the normal eating, but let me tell you—I’m hungry! And while the best thing I can say about not feeling well is that your skinny jeans are suddenly a viable option in your wardrobe, in the end I’d rather be well than ill. Though who would

Uncle Austin's Mexican pancakes with coconut

Published on 2010-02-15 10:38:00

The day before Ash Wednesday? Yep, I’m a pancake eater. I grew up in an Episcopalian family and that’s how we rolled—in warm griddlecakes and cold glasses of milk. And even though most of my friends prepare for Lent in a more colorful style, old traditions are hard to shake and I still enjoy a tall stack of pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.Pancakes might not be shiny beads, feathered costumes, fevered dancing or boisterous singing, but they don’t have to be completely boring. I’ve been known

Mexican chocolate pralines

Published on 2010-02-10 10:25:00

When I was invited to a party where Southern pork dishes were being celebrated, the decision on what to bring was a no-brainer: Mexican chocolate pralines. Now before you call my contribution a little odd, let me explain myself.My first (and more obvious) choice was to make cookies with lard. I didn’t have any lard on hand, however, so I went to the Union Square farmers’ market to pick up a tub. But a snowstorm had threatened to blanket the city and my preferred lard vendor wasn’t there; c