Jaymes

Vegetarian Chili Chili recipe, anyone? I've used a couple recipes through the years for meat-bird-aversioned friends. I've had good success with one that contains tofu (not really sure where it is, but could probably find it). And this one, with bulghar: 2-1/2 c dried kidney beans 6 c water to cover 1 c V-8 Juice 1 C raw bulghar 3 T olive oil 4 cloves garlic, smashed, chopped 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp basil 1 T chile powder 1 dash cayenne (or hot sauce) to taste 1 c chopped celery 1 c chopped carrots 1-1/2 c chopped onion 1/2 c chopped bell peppers 1/2 c chopped mild green chiles 2 c chopped tomatoes juice of small lemon, or 1/2 large one 3 T dry red wine 3 T tomato paste salt & pepper to taste Wash beans and pick through, removing any that float, and other debris like rocks, etc. Put into stockpot or Dutch oven. Cover to about 3" with cold water (about 6 cups). Add 1 t salt. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender (about 1 hour). Heat V-8 to boiling. Pour over bulghar and set aside. Allow to stand at least 15-20 minutes. In olive oil saute garlic and spices until they begin to release their scent. Add celery, carrots and saute til veggies are almost tender. Add onions, chiles, tomatoes and cook until tender. Add vegetables, V-8/bulghar, lemon juice to beans. Cook to heat through and blend flavors (about 20-30 minutes). Remove from heat and add wine and tomato paste and stir well to thoroughly blend. Correct seasonings. Allow to set for a few minutes to allow flavors to come together. Ladle into bowls and pass condiments: grated mild cheddar cheese, chopped onions, pico de gallo, crackers, sour cream, etc. Really good served with cornbread alongside. Keywords: Vegetarian, Vegetables, American, Tex-Mex ( RG230 )

Had a Korean friend that refused to buy soy sauce. She always made her own from soybean paste and red chile paste. As for me, I very much prefer to buy soy sauce made in whatever country the dish that I am preparing is native to: Thai for Thai dishes, Chinese for Chinese dishes - I do buy Kikkoman for Japanese. But, I make a LOT of bulgogi. And I buy Korean soy sauce to make it. Edit: Thinking back (some 20 years), I think she made soy sauce AND soybean paste and red chile paste (rather than "FROM" soybean paste). I just recall that at her house, during "precooking season" as she called it, there would be big jars of many kinds of kimchee and soy sauce fermenting. And also, soybean paste and red chile paste.

Or some people refer to it as "light cream." Light cream and half & half are different products. Yep. But if Wilfrid has never heard of Half & Half, thought perhaps the term "light cream" might be more descriptive. And, at the time, remembered that he is a Brit, but forgot that he lives in the States. So the thought had crossed my mind that perhaps Half & Half is an American product that he can't get over there. And, if he is making something that calls for Half & Half, figured light cream would probably work.

Is pico de gallo the same as salsa, or a specific type of salsa. Well - if you use "salsa" to mean "sauce," then pico de gallo (gah-yo) is a kind of "sauce," I guess. But really, it's more of a relish or garnish. Like - would you call pickle relish a sauce? Pico is usually not cooked. It's raw vegetables chopped up. It's crunchy. It sometimes has no additional seasoning. Most people - when they first start out making pico - they're disappointed. They want it to be a salsa and be good on chips. Often what they make isn't much good on chips, but it's still great as a garnish/relish on tacos, hamburgers, that kind of thing, where you'd want to put some chopped up fresh onions, tomatoes, peppers. Salsa is often (okay, usually) cooked - with a runnier base. When you get the grilled southwestern meats to which I referred, it's wonderful to pull off some meat, put it in a tortilla, add some crunchy "Mexican relish" (pico). To this, you might well add some salsa also. The taste (and especially) texture of pico are usually different from salsa, and it's quite common to combine the two at the table. I've posted my recipe for pico de gallo somewhere here on eGullet (I think it's in the carnitas thread).

Okay - here ya' go - quick and easy. My kids' favorite. Jiffy Corn Pudding 1 stick butter or margarine, melted 8 oz sour cream 1 large (or 2 small) eggs, beaten slightly 1 can creamed corn 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix 1 can whole corn, drained In bottom of large mixing bowl, melt butter. Add sour cream and combine. Add eggs and beat. Add all remaining ingredients and combine well. Pour into greased 10"x10" casserole and bake, uncovered, at 350º 45 minutes, or until golden and cracking. Yuuuummmm. So good. AND so good for you!

Or some people refer to it as "light cream." With Southwestern-style (not sweet) grilled meats, I love charro beans. And some kind of hot sauce, like Tapatia or Tobasco or Marie Sharp's or Louisiana hot sauce. Or tortillas and pico de gallo. If you're doing the Southeastern sweet-BBQ thing, then like sweet baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw - you know - the "regular."

Sorry, I tend to forget which forum I'm in - YYZ,YVR are IATA (Int. Air Transport Assoc.) Airport-City codes for Toronto and Vancouver. "Forget which forum" you're in? Is the other one a site for foodie travel agents? Headquartered, I'm sure, in FAT?

Yeah - and around midnight, we sneak out and go TP someone's house. And then, at 2am, the boys come over and catch us in our nighties and we all squeal in mock horror. And then a few wussies fall asleep. Whereupon they get their bra put into the freezer. And their hand laid ever so gently into a bowl of warm water. Ah - the good ole' days.

Another vote for R&G. The last time I was there, I was in the company of (among others) two Chinese, one of whom is the son of a well-known Chinese master chef. Love R&G.

I suspect you're having a hard time finding an exact definition because what you do is just sorta order whatever you like on the platter. I usually get a couple eggs, sausage, toast (my typical breakfast order). Then you dump chili overall. Garnish with cheese & onions. Ergo, the only "exact definition" part is that you dump chili over.

For the quintessential St. Louis experience, you MUST go to one of the city's diners and order a "St. Louis Slinger." This breakfast is best taken at 2 or 3am, when one is still a little loopy, not yet into full-blown hangover mode. Go to Courtesy Diner, or Goody Goody Diner. Or to OT Hodge's Chili Parlor. For Italian, I really like Rigazzi's. On "the Hill." Sports oriented, family-owned place. Lots of St. Louis Blues players eat here, along with members of various other teams in this sports-mad city. The St. Louis Chapter of the Italian American Club meets here, as well. So you'd think they'd know something.

music smokers ill-mannered children (here's a tip - NEVER sit close to the ubiquitous fish tank in Chinese restaurants - they are brat magnets) adjacent diners hollering into cell phones

Here in Texas there are three or four very famous caterers that do BBQ anywhere in the world. Most notably, they have done it for high-profile politicians here in the States and abroad. I think that one recently did a Texas-style cowboy BBQ at a U.S. embassy in Europe. One did a BBQ for Bush's inauguration in DC. That kind of thing. If your friend is interested in authenticity, let me know and I can get you names and contact information.

Coincidence?

That's more like it. Oh, Chef Spencer dear....Do Not Mess with Jaymes! To know her is to fear and adore! I kinda got that impression. Thank you for the concern... Well - in that case - I feel compelled to explain myself.... About dearest Tyler - it's not that he's my absolute all time fave that can do no wrong - I just think he's a cutie. Men should have no trouble whatsoever understanding that concept. They've adored and elevated to Goddess status the absolute stupidest, most incompetent actresses for YEARS based on nothing more than appearance. And Tyler certainly doesn't care about or need my support - he's doing quite well without it. And truth to tell, I don't really give a rat's patooty what CWSpencer or anyone else thinks about him..... pretty low on my radar screen of concern and indignation. It was that condescending "housewife" crack that got my spatula in a twist. Because, after all, even if I were the most "housey" of "wives," I think I should still be able to express my opinion without someone telling me that I was just a worthless drudge that should shut my mouth. And get back down upon the kitchen floor and finish up my scrubbing. And stop disturbing the sophisticates that are trying to have an educated conversation out in the living room.

Okay - been thinking about this. Dallas is about 220 miles or so to Lockhart (take 183 South out of Austin). If you leave early enough, you should have no trouble getting to Lockhart by lunchtime. The "big three" in Lockhart are Black's, Smitty, Kreuz's. Kreuz's has long been considered one of the best in the state. But, as you may know, it recently moved to new digs. I think it's lost a great deal, at least so far as quality of the brisket goes. The last few times I've been there (most recently, a matter of days ago), it's been dry and tough and I've been greatly disappointed. And, I've heard the same thing from other folks. If you've never been to Lockhart, Smitty's (in the old Kreuz Meat Market building) is really something to see. Absolutely remarkable atmosphere. And I think the brisket beats Kreuz's by a mile. But, for brisket, I enjoy Black's more than both of them. I just don't think it gets any better. Castroville is called the "Little Alsace of Texas." It's a wonderful town, great restaurants, several B&B's, little shops and shoppes, and antique stores. But, it's only about 15 miles west of San Antonio, and I don't know how you can work it in with your trip. Unless you stop and get some BBQ "to go" in Lockhart (and save that for your dinner that evening), and then drive to Castroville to actually eat lunch. You can make it to Laredo fairly easily from lunch at either Castroville (there's info about it on the web) or Lockhart. My favorite food places there are the Alsatian Restaurant, in a historic old cottage (dating from the early days when Castroville was settled by the Alsace), typical of Europeans. The restaurant specializes in Alsatian and German food, with homemade noodles and red cabbage. Also good is the Haby's Alsatian Bakery - with strudels and other European-German baked goods. You probably don't want to stay the night there, but there are several charming B&Bs. Nuevo Laredo is a big, bustling, busy border city. It is the number one port of entry for U.S. commerce into Mexico, and vice versa with trucks crossing constantly. I do go there quite often and enjoy it, so I'm not trying to scare you away, but it's dirty and can be dangerous. When I'm there, I do try to stay "on my guard." There are several good restaurants in the "tourist" areas. A block or two north (on a side street) from the main street is "El Rincon" which is legendary for cabrito. It's pretty, too - an interior patio with reflecting pools. Most of the Mexican restaurants in NL are quite good. But, it's not my favorite border town, so if you can only visit one Mexican town, I'd suggest you wait until later in your trip, and visit Progresso. Progresso is small, clean, safe, and offers everything a visitor might want. The prices are better than other border towns, but the selection is just as good. Progresso is located just over the Mexican border, at Weslaco TX, about half-way between McAllen and Harlingen. There's a really nice (and affordable) Best Western in Weslaco where most folks stay. There's also a small hotel (Pitayo's Inn) right in Progresso. It's clean, and they have a small guarded parking lot. I usually drive over, leave my car in their parking lot, and explore the town. But, this hotel IS in a third-world country. Sometimes the air conditioning or water or whatever goes out. People that are not accustomed to staying in third-world countries would probably not like it at all. I, on the other hand, really enjoy it. Progresso has at least four very good restaurants. Arturo's, Garcia's, La Fogata, and the restaurant in the Pitayo Inn. If you're just visiting Progresso for the day, the usual routine is to drive to Arturo's (about a 1/4 mile into Progresso on the main street, on the left-hand side) and pull into their guarded parking lot. Park and go in. Use the clean restrooms (take a peso or two to tip the attendant), order something. Shop. Come back, use the bathrooms again. Get into your car and go home. At Arturo's, you must try the Seafood Cocktail Campechana, and the Sangria. Everything is good. At La Fogata, get the Queso Fundido, charro beans, and some sort of grilled meat. I usually have breakfast at Pitayo's, and get the chilequiles in their restaurant. Garcia's is more upscale. It's upstairs over one of the very best stores in town. I don't really like it as well as the other three. If you're interested in information regarding Pitayo's Inn, let me know. The rates are not as good as one might hope. It's usually $50 a night. Used to be $30. But now, they're always full, so they've raised their rates. Darn capitalists. Heading home (I gather from your post, you're going from Houston back north to DFW), I'd suggest you go through Huntsville, and sit a spell at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church & Barbeque. They're not open all the time, so you'll want to figure out what day you'll be in the area and check in advance. Good luck. Wish you had more time. Certainly looks like you'll be driving right through Austin, and there is a small but very enthusiastic and lively cadre of Austin eGulleteers that would love to meet you.

Carrots. Carrots & red & green peppers. Carrots & onions and red & green peppers.

That's more like it.

I wonder (certainly don't know - am just speculating) if it is similar to the reason why one has a such difficult time finding good chili in restaurants in Texas. None of us locals order it at restaurants. We all think ours is better. We all make it at home. Often. I've heard many furners and other tourists marvel at how you can't get good chili in restaurants here. They are truly mystified. They determine that "the reason why" must be that good Texas chili is a myth.

The "housewife" contingent? What the hell does THAT mean? Because he's popular with the ladies has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with "housewives." Is that supposed to be a slam of some kind? Some sort of dismissal in general of women's opinions? Llisten here Pal, I ain't been a "housewife" for some thirty years. And I think he's as pretty as black caviar on cream cheese.

Great review, Trish! I've been waiting to hear how it went. I especially liked your overall summation. I am positive that even in the world's greatest restaurants, so long as they are staffed with fallible human beings, and serve food that has been grown via nature's sometimes uneven methods, there will be high spots and low spots. But your overall and unbiased conclusion that this is a really good restaurant and that your steak was absolutely fabulous is remarkably enjoyable.

Well, that was just for the first two or three days. They called in the National Guard, or someone else (been a long time ago, so have kind of forgotten, it may have just been local cops), and when order was restored, and generators were set up, and emergency lights were installed in the stores, and methods for taking in payment, etc., were re-established, things got much better on that score. And then there was, indeed, a sort of "espirit de corps" and everyone became much more accomodating, with only a few instances of price-gouging. BUT - the water from the taps was not safe to drink for about two weeks. And there was just so much bottled water to go around. After that, whenever a hurricane threatened, in addition to laying in a supply of bottled water, we filled all the bathtubs, and anything else large that would hold potable water. It isn't just what you drink, you know - it's also what you bathe in, and brush your teeth with, and wash your hands with, etc.

Wonderful post, StellaB. The Bebidas sound kind of like the "Batidas" we got when I lived in Panama. Fresh fruit, evap milk, little sugar, crushed ice, whipped around in a blender. The Batida bars were everywhere. You'd just go in and point to, say, the fresh mangoes, and 60 seconds later you were sipping this wonderful frothy confection.

Dear Jaymes, Sounds rough. But look what a character you turned out to be! May we all confront adversity with such munificent results. Golly, thanks.

Well, I've been in the aftermath of two hurricanes. Both times, we evacuated, and then came back home after the storm had passed. Water was certainly readily available (it was everywhere), but it was contaminated. The first time, we hadn't stocked up at all. I had two small children. The electricity was completely out throughout the entire area. Trees blocked the roads, many of which were also six inches deep in water. Emergency and repair crews had a very difficult time getting through and the electricity remained out for the better part of a week. Stores didn't want to open because there was no electricity and it was dark back in the stores, even in broad daylight. One store close to us opened up for a very few people (including me) because we had small children. No refrigeration meant no milk for the kids. Powdered milk was no good because you didn't have any non-contaminated water to mix it with. Our stoves were electric, so you couldn't cook anything. At the store, two employees with flashlights accompanied each customer that could prove they had small children back into the cavernous store to get some formula/baby food, etc. We were wading in several inches of water. We had to pay with cash, exact change, because the registers were down. At the store, I bought the three gallons of water that they were letting each person get, canned milk, some other canned goods, matches and a small hibachi that I could use to cook some food and boil water. Even though I boiled water, we all got giardia. The workers at the store were nervous and on edge. They were afraid of things getting out of hand, and of people rushing the store if they could see that anyone was being let in. They were concerned about rioting and looting. They really didn't want to let anyone in, and were down there replacing the window boards that had blown off when I and a couple of others came upon them. They had hired armed guards, but they weren't there yet. Broken glass was everywhere, and there was stuff in the aisles as we waded along in the dark. I almost tripped a couple of times. It was absolutely horrible in every aspect you can think of. Several years later, we were again in hurricaine country, and this time, I didn't wait for even a HINT of a storm. I did indeed keep canned tuna, water, etc., on hand. Sure enough, a big storm came in and again we evacuated. But because I had stuff on hand, I didn't need to make the mad dash to the grocery store. I could concentrate on moving furniture to the 2nd floor, boarding up windows, packing up the kids and getting us out of there. But this time, when we came back home, we were prepared. We did have a mess as far as our property went, but we were just fine where food and water and light and warmth were concerned. All I've got to say is that if you have never experienced a large, wide-spread disaster hitting your region, you will be absolutely astounded at how far-reaching its effects are should that happen. Far beyond what you can imagine. I'm by myself now, no small children to worry about. And I don't think I'm in a high-threat area (although it's no secret to anyone that Austin is the capital of Texas which is Bush's home state). I skipped the duct tape and plastic. But I did buy a couple gallons of water, non-electric can opener, and a few more canned goods than usual. Just in case. After all, as we say in Texas, "What could it hoit?"