It isn’t often that I take a serious interest in a cookbook. There are very few that pique my interest these days, and most times, if I want to pick up a cookbook – I do it on my iPad or iPhone 6 Plus. I got a copy of Texas on the Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State, and it’s one of the few books I’d love to lug around with me. I’ve lived in Texas for nearly my entire life, so I’ve seen a ton of it. I’ve stopped in West for The Little Czech Bakery. I’ve been to probably every Buccee’s in Texas. I’ve sipped at Haak Winery. I love Sunday lunches at Revival Market. As I kid, I toured the Blue Bell creamery factory and I’ve been lucky enough to have fresh crab straight from The Gulf. I’ve waited my entire life to have enough time to wait hours to try Franklin’s BBQ…and I’m still waiting.
Cooking and eating are huge adventures, and Texas on the Table reminded me of places that I love, places that I HAVE to travel to, and places that I need to add to my food bucket list. The stories of farmers, ranchers, cheese makers, winemakers, fishermen and chefs inspired me to think about the entire landscape of Texas food – from farm to table. Terry Thompson-Anderson and Sandy Wilson share story of Texas foods, and how our region does food right.
Our state is made for a variety of foods. Because of the array of climates and soils, the diverse ethnic cultures and the bounty of resources, Texas is a unique place where there are hundreds of available cuisines for everyone.
Something that I admired from this book was that it isn’t just a 448 page book of recipes. Some of my favorite pages were about the rich history of food in Texas. For me, there was a deep interest in learning about the revival of the Texas Wine Industry in the 1970s, or the story of what it takes to catch the perfect turtle for a hearty turtle soup. To me, Texas food is special; it’s different and these stories amplified the care and deep love that all the artisans put into making sure we enjoy the food we make for our families. One thing I wished I could use this book for is a guide when I travel across the state. It would have been a bonus for me to find some of these artisans by their addresses, phone numbers, or websites.
If nothing else, this book taught me one thing – Texas is the perfect place to live when you have a GIANT food bucket list.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be creating some of these recipes with ingredients I sourced from around the state. I’ve tested some of them, and loved them – I can’t wait to share them with family and friends. If you want to pick up a copy of Texas on the Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State, you can find it here for around $45.
Texas on the Table: People, Places, and Recipes Celebrating the Flavors of the Lone Star State was provided to me free of charge. All opinions written in this blog are my own.
