Who says cooking is for homebodies?
Veteran Texas food writer Robb Walsh served as a judge at a chuck wagon cook-off, worked as a deckhand on a shrimp boat, and went mayhaw-picking in the Big Thicket–for seven years, he drove the length and breadth of the state looking for the best in barbecue, burgers, kolaches, and tacos; while scouring museums, libraries, and public archives unearthing vintage photos, culinary stories, and nearly-forgotten dishes. Then he headed home to Houston to test the recipes he’d collected back in his own kitchen. The result is Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook, a colorful and deeply personal blend of history, anecdotes, and recipes from all over the Lone Star State.
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The Best Texas Cookbook Ever! I have read, cooked, and salivated my way through Rob Walsh’s books on Tex-Mex, BBQ, and Cowboy cooking. And I could hardly wait to get this, his newest book, in my hands. This time, Walsh covers the regional food from all over Texas. He divides Texas into regions: West Texas, East Texas, Central/ Hill Country, South Texas and Coastal Bend. Then he covers some of the best food to be found in each region. His recipes are spot-on, and the photographs are beautiful. Besides just recording authentic recipes though, Walsh tells the story of the foods of Texas. From the Tamale stands in San Antonio, to the arrival of the Cajuns and Germans. I had forgotten that pirate Jean Lafitte had his headquarters on Galveston Island. It is fascinating and gives the reader a much greater appreciation for the history of the food. Texas is huge, and the food so diverse, it really does take a lifetime of living and eating here to fully appreciate all it has to offer. Thankfully, unlike some authors of Texas cookbooks, Walsh has done just that.From the Coastal Bend, we have many seafood recipes including many for oysters, fish, crab, and shrimp. Texas has a huge coastline (367 miles), and the wonderful seafood from its shores is often neglected by other Texas cookbook authors. The Galveston Crab Cakes sound wonderful, and I know my husband will love Hattie’s Shrimp and Grits with Tabasco Bacon Pan Sauce. Texas also has its own fair share of Cajuns living here, and there are recipes from them such as Grandma Gossen’s Shrimp Stew.East Texas has typically southern food, such as cornbread, biscuits, and stewed chicken. A section on Juneteenth has wonderful soul food, like fried chicken, fried catfish, chicken and dumplings, and stewed okra. Not to mention Sweet Potato cobbler.South Texas brings us all the Tex-Mex delights that make me swoon, and are the reason I would never be able to live outside of Texas. We have Classic Chili Con Carne, Chile Con Queso, Cheese Enchiladas, and even the crock-pot chile con queso that I believe every Texas simply must eat during the Super Bowl. My husband will love the Stacked Enchiladas with Pork and Red Chile, as well as the Carne Guisada. If you have never had Charro Beans, you simply must, and here is a recipe for them that will be hard for anyone to pass up.The Hill Country traditionally had many settlers from Germany, and in this section we see this influence with the German Potato Salad and Red Cabbage. From the Czech settlers, we have Claudia Matchek’s Poppy Seed Kolaches. We simply must stop for Kolaches on our way back from Houston to Austin, or there would be a family rebellion! And of course French recipes, since the French flew the first of the six flags that flew over Texas.From West Texas, we have traditional cowboy pleasing food, such as Chicken Fried Steak and King Ranch Casserole. And of course some fabulous BBQ recipes, as well as recipes for sauces and rubs such as Chipotle BBQ Sauce. There is a recipe for Pulled Pork, Beef Links, and Brisket. There is even a recipe for Brisket Breakfast Tacos, something my husband makes whenever we have leftover brisket.There are also Jalapeno Cheeseburgers, Onion Rings, and Cheese Fries. And even a dessert section that includes Texas favorites, such as Butter Pecan Ice Cream, Peach Cobbler, and German Chocolate Cake. And tucked into the back are even sections on Vietnamese-Texas dishes, and Indian (from India) Texas influenced recipes.If we ever HAD to move out of state, you can bet this will be the first book that I pack! I will enjoy reading it and cooking from it for years to come. The only thing `missing’ is a large section on breakfast tacos… I do hope that Walsh will come out with a book devoted to this favorite south and central Texas breakfast food!
History and Heat Make it Delicious Texas Eats:The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook with More than 200 RecipesBy Robb WalshPhotography by Laurie SmithA review by Marty Martindale, Editor, FoodsiteMagazine.comThis is a good cookbook to keep for a long time. Robb Walsh knows his Texas and its regional pockets of who’s cooking what. And, along with recipes, is his generous, personal recollections with a bit of colorful storytelling. Walsh is a three-time James Beard award winner, author of five earlier Texas cookbooks, a former Houston Express restaurant reviewer and restaurant owner in Houston.The book begins with “Tartar Sauce and Hurricane,” a look at Texas’ Coastal Bend, then he weaves his way across-state with stops like “Boardinghouse Fare,” “Juneteenth,” “Chicken-Fried Steak in Paradise,” “Shade Tree Barbecue,” “The Green Chile Line,” and on and on through “Banh Mi on the Bayou,” to the end of the line at “Indian Cowboys.”Here’s some of the recipes we found:SAGE BREAKFAST SAUSAGECalls for pork loin, bacon, brown sugar, fresh sage, rosemary, paprika, jalapeno chili and cayenne.BUTTERMILK MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH HOMEGROWN TOMATOESButter, macaroni, buttermilk, half-and-half, dry mustard, Cheddar cheese, jack cheese, bread crumbs and sliced tomatoGRAMMY’S CREAMY COLESLAWSlightly cooked eggs, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, dry mustard and cabbageCOUNTRTY MEAT LOAFSausage, ground sirloin, onion, bread crumbs, eggs, cream, garlic, thyme, chili powder, jalapeno chili and baconMAMA SUGAR’S MARGARITA RIBSRibs, tequila, Mr. and Mrs. T’s Margarita Mix and BBQ RubPICKLED WATERMELON RINDWater, rind pieces, white vinegar, sugar, cinnamon sticks, mustard seeds, clove and allspice berriesGREEN RICEButter, onion, garlic, rice, bay leaves, Mexican oregano, cilantro and waterPECAN PARLINESBrown sugar, white sugar, corn syrup, butter, water and pecansSAUERKRAUT GRAVYFat, onions, sauerkraut, broth, oil, flour and mashed potatoesFRANKLIN’S ESPRESSO BBQ SAUCEKetchup, water, cider vinegar, white vinegar, brewed espresso, Worcestershire sauce and chili powerREBECCA RATHER’S ANCHO BROWNIESSemisweet chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, flour, ancho chili powder, chocolate chips, pine nuts or pecans and vanilla ice creamNOAH BARTOS’ BUTTERMILK PIEButter, sugar, flour, eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and nutmeg in a pie shellFAUX PHOFilet mignon, gingerroot, shallot, soy sauce, star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, broth, jalapeno chili, fish sauce, rice noodles, fresh herbs, green onions, fresh limes and Sriracha sauceMINT CHUTNEYYellow onions, mint leaves, Serrano chili, lime juice and cayenne pepper
History and recipes in “Texas Eats” by Robb Walsh With the subtitle The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook With More Than 200 Recipes it is clear that this cookbook is devoted to Texas food. Texas Eats, broken into several food based parts, is for folk foods and not haute cruise. It also is a history book providing lessons in the history and culture of Texas.After an acknowledgement page and a two page introduction, the book begins with “Part 1 Lone Star Seafood.” After a brief introduction to “The Coastal Bend” on page 1 it is onto various chapters relating to seafood. Along with large sections of history about the region that includes historic pictures, there are the recipes based on Texas history and culture. This is where recipes from “Baffin Bay Seafood Sauce” (page 8), “Grilled Oysters On The Half Shell” (page 21), “Stingaree Barbecued Crabs” (page 41) among others are found. While there are plenty of interesting pictures documenting the history, there are very few pictures of any of the dishes. Nutritional information beyond the number of serving is also lacking. This same format continues throughout the book.Starting on page 60 “Part II East Texas Southern” continues the same format as it works through various biscuits, cornbread and other dishes. “Sage Breakfast Sausage” (page 72) is here as is “Country Meat Loaf” (Page 79), “Mama Sugar’s Sweet Potato Cobbler” (page 91), “Mayhaw Jelly” (page 96), and “Pickled Watermelon Rind” (page 100) among others.It is on to San Antonio and points south and westward in “Part III: Vintage Tex-Mex.” Beginning on page 102 and reflecting the deep Spanish history in the state are recipes for “Classic Chili Con Carne” (page 111), “Green Rice” (page 115) “Charro Beans with Bacon” (page 133) and various types of taco among other dishes.A bit north of section III is the Hill Country and Central Texas which is famous for among other things, its old world heritage. “Part IV: Old World Flavors begins on page 144 and is devoted to that history and culture. Whether it be “Hill Country Goulash” (page 154), “Claudia Matcek’s Poppy Seed Kolaches” (page 165), or the “Turtle Soup” (pages 174-175) made famous by the Menger Hotel in the late 1800′s there is something to try here.”Part V County and Western” takes in far Southwest Texas, the Panhandle, and parts of North Texas from Fort Worth north and west. Not only do you look in this section for a chicken fried steak recipe (includes various gravies), but this is also where you look for “Shade Tree Ribs” (pages 212-213), “Lolo’s Brisket Tacos” (page 218), and “Gary Beam’s Stuffed Burgers” (page 230) among others. This is also where you learn to make the mandatory burger staple “Onion Rings” (page 234) or “Cheese Fries” (page 235) along with a number of dessert recipes.One can always tell a newcomer to Texas by the way they mispronounce things. They may be able to say “Paris, Texas” right, but will always mispronounce “Mexia.” That is the subject of “Part VI New Texas Creole” with recipes based on cities and towns named for places immigrants left behind when they came to Texas. “Fran Mancuso’s Texas Sugo” on page 258 kicks things off and is quickly followed by various recipes such as “Sicilian Cauliflower Salad” (page 259), “Texas Pho” (Pages 265-266) and “Kaiser’s Steak Tikka” (page 276).The nearly 300 page book closes with a resource page, a photo credit page, a two page bibliography, and a six page index.Definite drawbacks with the book are a lack of photographs of the finished dishes as well as a lack of nutritional information. While there are plenty of suggestions on how to make the variations of various dishes there are no suggestion about how to make healthy versions.Texas Eats: The New Lone Star Heritage Cookbook With More Than 200 Recipes is a good book that is more of a history textbook than a cook book. The definition of the various regions is somewhat arbitrary, but the explanation of the history of each area and the state as a whole is extensive and detailed. Sure to please natives and newcomers alike, the book is a valuable resource not just to kitchen cooks.Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library system.Kevin R. Tipple ©2012