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NEW
1935
Professional Baseball Pitcher, R.S. Maceo, Sr., Says It’s All in the Olive Salad
by Bill Cherry 11-15-09
What separates the authentic muffaletta from the copy is the recipe for the sandwich
spread that we afficionados refer to as “olive salad.” It’s one of those things
you either make right or it’s wrong. There’s no such thing as reasonably OK olive
salad. And the muffaletta has to be made with a muffa roll...
Old-timers'
tales - true or not by Delbert Trew
11-3-09
When
old-timers gather and talk about the good old days, you never know whether the
story is the real truth or exaggerated nonsense. Here are a few samples I remember
or have heard lately...
Chinkapins:
Country Kids Love'em by N. Ray Maxie 8-1-09
The
burley little nut actually resembles a small chestnut, and rightly so, it is of
the chestnut family...
Hitting
the Marc by Byron Browne
7-1-09
The wine industry in Texas is
blooming. The Texas Agriculture Department lists almost 120 wineries in the state
and reports that as of 2007, Texas is this country’s 5th largest producer of grapes
and wine. For anyone who has traveled to west Texas or the Hill Country...
Rio
Grande Valley, Winter Texans and Texas BBQ by Ken Rudine
5-1-09
Every winter, starting about 1950
many so-called “Winter Texans” have come to enjoy the Valley’s South Texas weather.
I wouldn’t want them to leave Texas without enjoying BBQ. When you find a place
with smoke coming from a pit, burning mesquite, with beef brisket cooking that
means you have found a genuine location...
Pear
preserves always worth the work by Delbert Trew
11-19-08
Each year in late September or early October, if Mother
Nature allows, the Trews "put up pear preserves." As long as I can remember this
annual routine has taken place...
Nothing
to Fear But Thanksgiving by Maggie Van Ostrand 11-7-08
Since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, Thanksgiving has always been a day
of gratitude for our many blessings, a day of family, friends, and mashed potatoes.
But now the government is interfering in our lives yet again. They have decided
to add yet another fear to the long list of things they tell us to be scared of:
holiday food.
Peaches by
Mike Cox 8-21-08
The peach
tree outside the old stone structure in Burnet at the site of Fort Croghan and
Mrs. Ross’ Croghan Cobbler recipe...
Fresh
beef top concern for settlers by Delbert Trew 7-3-08
Before refrigeration arrived in rural areas, a system called "meat clubs" allowed
families to keep fresh meat all year.
"Watermelons
Fresh and Fine. Watermelons Right off the Vine." by N. Ray Maxie
7-3-08
Truck farming in the Ark-La-Tex
during the Great Depression was a very necessary way of life. Everyone that was
able to work cultivated a pretty large garden and some even had larger “truck
patches” of watermelons...
Mayhaws:
A spring delicacy by Bob Bowman 4-7-08
"In case you haven't lived in East Texas for a long time, mayhaws are to
East Texans what blueberries are to Maine. The trouble is they don't grow in convenient
places like fields and roadside bar ditches. Most mayhaws are found in swamps,
river bottoms and other places where large snakes, giant mosquitoes and other
varmits make their home..." |
Food
& BeveragesPeaches
by Mike Cox 8-21-08
The
peach tree outside the old stone structure in Burnet at the site of Fort Croghan
and
Mrs. Ross’ Croghan Cobbler recipe...Biscuits
Mike Cox 11-17-07
"...Back
when or now, cooking biscuits involves more than combining the ingredients and
baking the result. As the “McLintock” scene suggests, good biscuits almost do
seem divinely inspired..." Fascinated
by food facts
by Delbert Trew
About ketchup, pinto beans and chiliThe
Great Blackeyed Pea Hoax
by C. F. Eckhardt
Did you eat blackeyed peas for good luck on New Year's Day?
Did you do so because it's a 'great ante-bellum Southern tradition?' If so, congratulations.
You have been scammed by one of the most likeable con-artists in Texas history...
In
Praise of Texas Corn
by Clay Coppedge
While it might be a stretch to think of corn as a native
Texas plant, it comes close... National
Dish of Texas
by C. F. Eckhardt
Chili con carne is the national dish of Texas. It was invented
in Texas by Texas natives-literally-and it's made right only in Texas...Churros
by Maggie Van Ostrand
Don Churrero - "The churro cannot be 'made,' it can only be created. Further,
the churro's creator must be touched by the hand of God himself, for to partake
of the delights of a churro is to know heaven on earth."
Salt
of the South
by Clay Coppedge
"The Confederate Salt Works
at Lometa operated in a manner common to France and Germany but almost unheard
of in the south."
Metheglin
by Clay Coppedge
Metheglin, the brew,
has fared well in the intervening years. From being the drink-of-choice for intemperate
settlers, it's now bottled and rhapsodized over like fine wine. Spicing appears
to be the key to quality metheglin. Butter
- All types of things happened when making butter by Delbert Trew
Chili
by Mike Cox
How chili came to be, canning chili, chili con carne, “Chili Queens”
...Pumpkins
by Mike Cox
Potatoes
- Once lowly fare, potatoes enjoy popularity by Delbert TrewThe
hog, the whole hog, nothin' but the hog by Delbert Trew
Hushpuppies
by Bob Bowman
The annual Southern Hushpuppy Cookoffs in LufkinBison:
It's not just for Native Americans anymore. by Brewster HudspethThe
Naming of Chili by Luke Warm
Texas
Onions by John Troesser
"The Mother of All Sweet Onions": the Texas
Grano 502, and the Vidalia onion
Milk
- Got sweet, skim, sour, butter or scalded milk? by Delbert TrewBiscuits,
even the 'whomp' kind, make world a better place by Delbert Trew
All
biscuits talked about so far have been "made from scratch" using mostly flour,
baking powder, soda, shortening, a pinch of salt and milk or water. This mix has
to be rolled flat, cut or formed and allowed to rise in a warm place, leaving
a big mess in the kitchen. In the end, seldom did a batch of biscuits turn out
exactly like the last effort, although the same measurements were used.
Cornbread
- 'My mama's cornbread' discussion gets hot by Delbert Trew
Caffeine
- Want to know how much a caffeine addict you are?
by Dr. C. K. Wong,
M.D.
Coffee, tea, CocaCola, chocolate .....
Tortilla
- "It Takes a Tortilla…" Mexicans Turn to an Ancient Reliable Snack
by Sheila Mayne
Tacos are categorized and labeled according to both their
mode of preparation and according to their filling. Taco stands usually have a
sign indicating which type of taco, by preparation and/or filling, they sell.
Hamburger
- Inventing the Hamburger by Bob Bowman
When Hamburger University, the
McDonald's training school and research group, went looking for the origin of
the hamburger some years ago, they concluded that it was introduced at the 1904
St Louis World's Fair by an anonymous food vender. But it wasn¹t until the 1980s
that it was discovered that the vendor was from East Texas.
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Food Preparation,
Traditions & History 1935
Professional Baseball Pitcher, R.S. Maceo, Sr., Says It’s All in the Olive Salad
by Bill Cherry 11-15-09
What separates the authentic muffaletta from the copy is the recipe for the sandwich
spread that we afficionados refer to as “olive salad.” It’s one of those things
you either make right or it’s wrong. There’s no such thing as reasonably OK olive
salad. And the muffaletta has to be made with a muffa roll... Old-timers'
tales - true or not by Delbert Trew
11-3-09
When
old-timers gather and talk about the good old days, you never know whether the
story is the real truth or exaggerated nonsense. Here are a few samples I remember
or have heard lately... Chicken
Fried Steak: An Unbiased Recommendation by Britt Towery 10-4-09
One
thing I have tired to do through the years is to visit Underwood's Bar-B-Q when
near Brownwood. Pity the poor traveler who is in Brownwood on a Wednesday... Chinkapins:
Country Kids Love'em by N. Ray Maxie 8-1-09
The
burley little nut actually resembles a small chestnut, and rightly so, it is of
the chestnut family... Hitting
the Marc by Byron Browne
7-1-09
The wine industry in Texas is
blooming. The Texas Agriculture Department lists almost 120 wineries in the state
and reports that as of 2007, Texas is this country’s 5th largest producer of grapes
and wine. For anyone who has traveled to west Texas or the Hill Country... Rio
Grande Valley, Winter Texans and Texas BBQ by Ken Rudine
5-1-09
When you find a place with smoke
coming from a pit, burning mesquite, with beef brisket cooking that means you
have found a genuine location for BBQ...
Indian Stories by
Mike Cox 2-19-09
A family were
just about to sit down to supper when a Comanche Indian burst into their residence
and wolfed down all their food...Bright
and Early Coffee and Tea by Bob Bowman 2-16-09
Once
upon a time, Bright & Early Coffee and Tea signs, usually painted on the sides
of barns and country stores, could be found in most Southern states, including
Texas.
Pear
preserves always worth the work by Delbert Trew 11-19-08
Each
year in late September or early October, if Mother Nature allows, the Trews "put
up pear preserves." As long as I can remember this annual routine has taken place...Nothing
to Fear But Thanksgiving by Maggie Van Ostrand 11-7-08
The government is interfering in our lives yet again. They have decided to add
yet another fear to the long list of things they tell us to be scared of: holiday
food. Fresh
beef top concern for settlers by Delbert Trew 7-1-08
Before refrigeration arrived in rural areas, a system called "meat clubs" allowed
families to keep fresh meat all year."Watermelons
Fresh and Fine. Watermelons Right off the Vine." by N. Ray Maxie 7-1-08
Truck farming in the Ark-La-Tex during the Great Depression was a very necessary
way of life. Everyone that was able to work cultivated a pretty large garden and
some even had larger “truck patches” of watermelons... Mayhaws:
A spring delicacy
by Bob Bowman 4-7-08
"In case you
haven't lived in East Texas for a long time, mayhaws are to East Texans what blueberries
are to Maine. The trouble is they don't grow in convenient places like fields
and roadside bar ditches. Most mayhaws are found in swamps, river bottoms and
other places where large snakes, giant mosquitoes and other varmits make their
home..."Coffee
Drinkers by Mike Cox 2-28-08
Since
practically forever, Texans all across the state have practiced this little-known
daily routine of coffee and conversation. Though more common in small towns, no-dues,
no officers coffee clubs occasionally develop in the bigger cities...
Preserving Meat on
the Frontier C. F. Eckhardt 2-21-08
According to DR. CHASE'S RECIPES OR INFORMATION FOR EVERYBODY, the thirty-sixth
edition of which came out in 1866, here are some recipes for preservation of meat
without refrigeration... This
Little Piggy Stayed Home by Linda Kirkpatrick 1-5-08
This story is about the important but disgusting details of butchering the ill
fated little pig and preparing the meat for the table. It is not for the faint
of heart... Staple
Shopping Mike Cox
Need a loaf of bread? Unless you live in a particularly
remote area, a plastic bag of sliced sandwich covers and gravy soppers rests on
the shelf only a few minutes away at a nearby and aptly named convenience store.
But in the 19th century Texans did not get to enjoy all that much convenience,
especially when it came to shopping... One
Time a Kitten Named Elijah Came to the Passover Seder Table to Bring Wisdom
by Bill Cherry
The most important holy day to Jews is the 14th day of Nisan.
It marks Passover. Passover's purpose is to celebrate God's deliverance of His
people from the bondage of sin. This historical event is contemplated by Jews
at an evening family meal known as the Seder... An irony of Christianity is that
Jesus' last supper was a Passover Seder... Water
supply not to be taken for granted
by Delbert Trew
Today we think nothing of turning on a faucet to get
water. Daily, millions of gallons of water are used, saved, wasted, discussed,
bought and sold without raising an eyebrow. Well, folks, it hasn't always been
that way...Annual
pear event preserves the past by Delbert Trew
One annual event that comes
as regularly as sunrise at the Trew house is the making of pear preserves... White
Lightning by Clay
Coppedge
"Moonshining, in Texas and elsewhere, reached its peak during
prohibition, from 1919 to 1933. Prohibition made it illegal to manufacture or
consume alcoholic beverages, but moonshiners viewed more often as folk heroes
as outlaws..."Can
you please pass the salt? by Delbert Trew
Many of the elements we take
for granted today have incredible histories. The most outstanding of these is
table salt... Home
canning was a high-pressure job by Delbert Trew
There was a time between
root cellars and refrigeration when pressure cookers were used to preserve food.
The Great Depression and Dust Bowl were blowing full force, home gardens were
feeding the populace and preservation of meat and produce was an absolute necessity
to survive. Interestingly, steam pressure canning dates back to Napoleon, the
French general who offered a cash prize to anyone who could invent a process to
preserve food for his traveling armies.Sam's
Mother-in-Law by Mike Cox
"Despite the rocky beginning of their relationship,
Sam Houston treated Mrs. Nancy Lea, his mother-in-law, with all due respect. He
must have learned to accept her eccentricities as well, like the lard incident..."
Priddy
Good Sandwiches by Mike Cox
Here's the recipe, with a caution that even
by using all the ingredients Mrs. Hohertz does, the sandwich won't be nearly as
good the ones she makes...
The
Possum Dinner by
Bob Bowman
While most East Texans were planning Thanksgiving dinners in 1929,
four old friends in Frankston were sitting down for a meal of possum and sweet
potatoes... Haphazard
biscuits now memories by Delbert Trew
Watching Aunt Ruby Wilkinson make
biscuits provided more entertainment than seeing a three-ring circus... East
Texas Savior of the French Wine Industry by Archie P. McDonald
Those who
favor a glass of wine, especially French wine, may not be aware of the debt they
and the French owe to Dr. Thomas Volney Munson of Denison, TexasCrocks:
The Tupperware of their day by Delbert Trew
"As a little boy I can
remember crocks, and crock-type bowls that were in everyday use in the Trew homes.
My favorite crock story tells of chuck wagon cooks who kept their sourdough batch
growing in a small crock with a lid...."Canning
remains popular throughout time by Delbert TrewGrease
by George Lester
"Our farm was a featureless plain except for the creek
bottom with its tall trees and cool shady areas along the sparse stream. Down
there, we discovered the delicacy of crawdad tails..."
How
Sweet It Was by George Lester
"I may have this wrong, but the best
I can remember it, my father had a unique way of deciding where to have our vegetable
garden each year..."Adventures
in Egg Gathering by Neal Crausbay
McAdoo, Texas, 1948
Hunger
Pains by George Lester'Waste
not, want not' was law at supper by Delbert Trew
Living close to food
source, working to prepare it instilled appreciationThe
Smorgasbord by Geroge Lester
A school lunch storyIce
Scream! by George LesterOyster
Stew by George LesterSausage
Biscuits by George LesterDrug
Store Centennial by Bob Bowman
The San Augustine Drug Store will in May
(2004) celebrate a hundred years of doing business at the same location in downtown
San Augustine; and a fountain drink known as "The Grapefruit Highball."The
Murchison Hotel by Bob Bowman
"There are some things about the East
Texas Plate Lunch that are sacred and should not be messed with by either the
cook or the customer." The
Corn Crib by Bob Bowman
"In early East Texas, corn cribs were as
essential to farmers as their plows and mules. Used to store corn on the floor
and peanuts in the rafters, the cribs enabled families to store food for themselves
and their livestock for the winter months."
Dinner
on the Grounds by Bob Bowman
It was an annual feast we remembered for
a year -- and a place where we often found rare and out-of-season delicacies.
The
East Texas Plate Lunch by Bob Bowman
The real culinary treasure of Texas.
It is a savory, although unsung, pleasure that comes only from caring country
cooks who have mastered the magic of bacon drippings and cornbread baking.
Poke
Sallet by Bob Bowman
"There isn't a better country dish in East Texas."Pie
Suppers by Bob Bowman
But here in East Texas, I've always felt that some
of our folks devised an ingenious way to deprive politicians of money right when
they need it the most. It's called the pie supper. And it works this way... Barbecue
Bust by Mike Cox
With more than 20,000 chanting anti-war protestors headed
downtown from UT, the governor decided he was hungry for barbecue...They
don’t sell for money at any price (1864)A
Salt Lake near El Paso
by Delbert Trew
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Food
Humor & Opinion
Pickle
Intervention by Elizabeth Bussey Sowdal 10-1-08
It
is a sad day when a young adult child is confronted with the realization that
her parents are not super-heroes, that they are not members of some omnipotent,
omniscient, immortal race of superior beings...
Vegetable
Abuse by Peary Perry 4-17-08
"... It seems to me that each and every day gets shorter and shorter and
I have more and more to accomplish. I envy people who seem to have extra time
on their hands. Like a group of people who have formed an organization to prevent
abuse to vegetables..." Crawfish
and Cats by N. Ray Maxie
3-3-08The
Dreaded Friendship Bread by Elizabeth Bussey Sowdal
Maybe you have an
acquaintance who is domestic. One who likes to decorate and sew and hot glue things
to other things with fabulous results. Maybe you have one who cooks. If you do,
you have probably been the recipient of a bag of Friendship Bread Starter...Say
Bartender, Make Mine Tuna on the Rocks
by Maggie Van Ostrand
In the Bible, Jesus turns water into wine and multiplies
two fishes into enough to feed 12,000 people, including women and children. Can
China top that? Seems as though they're going to try.
The
Budget by
George Lester
Have you ever been desperately hungry? I don't mean missing lunch because of a
busy schedule or running out of provisions on a camping trip. That is nothing
compared to the kind of hunger I endured in the mid fifties... The
Corn is as High as an Elephant's Eye by Maggie Van Ostrand
Is it unreasonable
to think that the Mexican people should be able to have their customary corn tortillas
at mealtime? It seems so. Politics has again reared its ugly head, and this time,
the platform is "Corn produces ethanol and ethanol fuels automobiles!"... Finger
Lickin’ Good by Elizabeth Bussey Sowdal
"It must be awfully hard
to be the youngest child. I have been missing my brother who moved recently to
Arizona, and that has made me remember all kinds of things about growing up with
him..."Pet
Peeves: Coffee, Stereos and Thermostat
by Peary Perry
Food
and Diet by Peary
Perry
"This year I’ve decided to get a head
start on my annual pilgrimage towards the torture of exercise and caloric reduction.
No more pie, no more cake, no more anything that remotely tastes good...."The
Ten Years Are Up. It's Time to Clean the Refrigerator by Maggie Van Ostrand
The
Texas Pudding Solution or Are We Having Flan, yet?
by John Troesser
"If no good deed goes unpunished, and every silver lining needs a dark cloud,
then every solution needs a problem. In this case the solution is pudding - the
problem is chili..." I
Can't Believe We Are Not Butter by John TroesserThe
Masked, Mystery Gourmet - Aida Lott by John Troesser
Chef
Boyardee, Julia Child, Uncle Ben, Betty Crocker, Mrs. Baird, ‘Little Debbie',
The Green Giant and General Mills. |
Food
Mysteries
Poisoned
Supper by Bob Bowman
A tragic, unthinkable incident in the spring of 1847,
frequently associated with the Regulator-Moderator War, remains after 157 years
one of East Texas’ worst mass murders -- if it was murder. |
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