Morgan_Weber

Don't you eat the wonderful crispy skin? When I'm about to eat my confited (or braised) pork belly, I fry it in a pan starting with the skin side down. Crisps up really easy. ← Now don't go thinking I let the skin go to waste... ...I cut it off and fried it by itself. I mean I grew up in the South-ish (Texas), where cracklins are still a wonderful and sacred thing. I guess I shoulda been clearer to avoid being crucified. lol.

Morgan, do you have a source for the Laird's 7 yr in Houston? I can't even seem to get the Bottled in Bond anymore. What's happening here? ← I picked up the Laird's Brandy a week or so ago at the Downtown Spec's. Most of the Spec's around here, even the small ones are carrying the Bonded Apple Jack. Spec's went through about a 2 month period where they weren't carrying it though which is dissapointing because I like it so much better than the regular Applejack. A friend of mine who lives in Waco said he picked up a bottle of the Bonded at Dicorte's. Definitely call before you go though, just in case.

Ok, I had three of these last night. My wife also dug it. 2 oz. Laird's Apple Brandy (7 1/2 year) 1/2 oz. Benedictine 1/2 oz. Vya Sweet Vermouth 1/2 oz. Fee's West Indies Falernum 1 Dash of Boyajian Maple Extract. I ordered the Citrus Oil Sampler from Boyajian and they threw in a bottle of their new maple flavor extract. It is very intense and added that nice maple flavor without adding sweetness or volume to the drink. I'm looking forward to trying out their citrus oils next. -Morgan

I recently cooked the pork belly confit recipe from Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie book. After it had confit'ed in duck fat, I finished it in the deep fryer--adding insult to injury you might say? I think not. It turned out very, very well. The pork belly that I purchased, came from our local Vietnamese market in Houston. I have limited sources from which to acquire fresh, uncured pork belly, and although it was far from the high quality, pasture-raised, hormone-free, organic pig that I would have preferred (lol), it sufficed and ended up tasting really nice. My belly came with the skin on, and I opted to cut the skin off after it had been cooked. It was MUCH easier then.

Bruce, you can tell Cindy that I said to contact her. She is a good friend of the family and my folks actually go to the same church as she in Yoakum. Call the day before and she'll make sure everything is ready to go when you pick it up. All of the meat is frozen in cryovac, but you can still take a look at it to make sure it is good. I only say this because once I received a flat-iron that was too marbled to eat. One might not think that is really a problem, but the fat never rendered out during the cooking process. I told Cindy about it next time I was in town and on my next order she threw in an extra steak to make it right. My mom picked up my initial order with the faulty flat-iron and she wasn't completely sure what to look for. If you briefly look the steaks over when you pick them up, it is really easy to see if something is too fatty. Isn't it great to have to check for meat that is actually over-marbled in these "lean" days of beef--it is a 'problem' that I don't mind having... I hope everything works out well for you. Eddy Pack is near the Yoakum "Airport". They are indeed the manufacturer's of sausage, brisket, etc. Another fine Yoakum meat company is Yoakum Pack. They do a lot of international trade. As far as a route to Yoakum goes: Instead of heading down 59 from Houston, I prefer to take Spur 10 off of Hwy 59 to Hwy 90 and go to Yoakum through Eagle Lake and Halletsville. If you have time to stop for lunch at Austin's BBQ in Eagle Lake or Novosad's in Halletsville, it should be worth it. They are both mentioned in Robb Walsh's BBQ book. Go straight at the first stop light in Halletsville, merging onto 77A to Yoakum. As you head out of Halletsville, on your way to Yoakum, you will pass Janak's Sausage Co. It is also worth a stop--they have great Czech-style sausage...some of the better representation of Czech sausage in the area, unless you're going to Shiner. Shiner will just give you more options in sausage, though it is not necessarily better than Janak's. You can't miss it, it is on the right and the sign reads, "If It Ain't Janak's, It Ain't Sausage." Good luck. I look forward to hearing about your excursions and your findings. Edited to add: If you're not in the mood for a hamburger and want some of the best beef enchilidas known to man (at least that I've come across), go past Dairy Treat and into the "downtown" section where the street becomes one-way. Take a left at the first stop sign and proceed until you see a restaurant called Mi Casa, on the right. Hopefully they'll be open. They kind of open and close the restaurant when they feel like it. The salsa sucks, I'll get that out of the way, but the enchiladas...oh man...yeah.

So imagine my surprise when I open the Texas thread this morning and mentioned is the Dairy Treat from my hometown. I ate at this place countless times growing up and although I haven't been in a while, my parents say the burgers are quite good. I had a discussion a while back with John Scarborough about Heartbrand Beef and that they are putting out a great product. If you happen by Eddy Pack Co. (the distributor for Heartbrand), in Yoakum, you can pick up their meat for a substantially lower price. Call ahead and ask for Cindy Martin. Place the order and you're good to go. Personally, I have found the skirt steak and flat-iron's to be consistently delicious. Always check the meat before you leave though--occasionally, a cluncker might find it's way into the stash. They are really good about making things right though. I've also had a chuck roast which turned out really well after smoking it on low heat for about 3 hours. Of course the ribeyes are great too. $28.50 at the distributor versus $45.00 on the internet. On another note, and for what it is worth, a good friend of mine's family raises Akaushi cattle for Heartbrand. She told me that they actually have Texas Rangers that patrol the property and keep the security extremely tight to make sure nothing happens to the herd. These are some mucho $$$$ cattle. I've gone through close to 10lbs of their hamburger meat and really enjoy it. Since the fat is mono-unsaturated, it is a healthier hamburger than is typical. My only complaint is that IMHO, they grind it too finely, which can result in a bit of a mealy texture. But you might not think that. Anyway, thanks for giving the Dairy Treat some good press. When growing up in Yoakum, the hamburgers weren't such the big deal as it was the only place in a 20 mile area to get hand dipped Blue Bell ice cream.

Not sure if this is current, but according to Google: Vera's Backyard BBQ 2404 Southmost Rd Brownsville, TX (956) 546-4159

I'll second that.

As far as BBQ goes, Robb Walsh mentions Vera's backyard bbq in his book, "Legends of Texas BBQ". I don't have any first-hand experience in that neck of the woods, but that might be a place to start. Good luck. Report back if you have a chance.

I wanted to congratulate Chef Link on being honored in Ruhlman & Bourdain's Golden Clog Awards: THE CRAZY BASTARD SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD For the chef/operator who did the most insanely wonderful or heroic fucking thing in recent memory This year's honoree: Chef Donald Link of Cochon in New Orleans. Full Link here ******************** My wife and I ate at Cochon last September and it was one of the best and most memorable meals we had in 2007. Cochon alone, would be reason enough for me to move to NO.

John, I will definitely have to hit this place up. I passed by Roznoski's over the weekend and wanted to go in. It is no good anymore? Did you like the Burger Barn more than Bubba's on Westpark? I think I'm going to do a burger hunt soon, in the same manor as my BBQ one back in December.

For what its worth, Central Market in Houston now has some Iberico ham. They have two different cuts of it. Supposedly, some time during the summer, they will get an entire leg. Currently, it is $119/lb. I took home six slice for...err...$9. It is pretty amazing stuff. I'm not sure I think it is worth $100/lb more than traditional Spanish ham, but it IS really good. I forgot to mention that they will give you samples...

I just wanted to give this thread a bump. The owner of Raindrop Chocolates is extremely passionate about his products and the ingredients that he uses in them. Drop in when you have a chance. He is an extremely nice person and will be happy to give you the background on how he makes his gelato and chocolates. Enjoy

Hi, thanks for the response. Actually, I had been looking at the regular BBQ sauce bottle. Aghhhh!!! ← So, based on that taxonomy, where does the Stubbs Moppin' Sauce fit in? According to the ingredient list posted above it contains no tomato. It is unclear to me whether "spices" can encompass mustard: I have never seen the stuff, so can someone clarify? If it contains neither mustard nor tomato, then is it an Alabama "vinegar and pepper base"? ← Having been to Stubb's in Austin (not the best bbq in the area by a long shot, but tasty nonetheless), and judging by the bottle of Stubb's sauce that I have, it is a good example of typical Central Texas-style sauce. I'm not sure if the Stubbs Moppin' sauce is the same thing in my refrigerator, but their "original" sauce is terrific, considering it is pre-bottled. http://www.stubbsbbq.com/product/5/6 Any time I buy stuff like that, I try to turn a blind eye to the ingredient list. I really don't want to know how they got it to taste good while still allowing it to sit in one's refrigerator for an infinite amount of time before it goes bad...

* Texas – tomato-based with hot chiles, cumin, less sweet Aghhhh!!! ← Depending on what part of Texas you're in, the sauce isn't necessarily going to fall into the above guidelines. Central Texas sauce IS usually tomato-based and less sweet with some vinegar--although the City Meat Market in Luling, TX (one of the most famous places in teh state) has a mustard base sauce that is delicious. It doesn't have to have cumin in it though. This traditional Central Texas-style is seen at the more notable places such as the Lockhart establishments, on up to Austin, Elgin and Taylor. East Texas sauce, which is what we have a majority of in Houston, is from a more African American tradition. I love this sauce, even though it is sweeter. One great place in Houston that heralds the East-Texas style is called Thelma's. Her sauce is not only sweet, but also has some Jamaican/Island type spices--cinnamon, allspice, etc. Down South, near the border, I would assume that a lot of chiles and cumin are used in the BBQ and BBQ sauce. It has been a long time since I've been down there, and I definitely am not as familiar with that style as I am the Central & East Texas styles.

This might be a local Texas thing, but I also love Rudy's Sause. You can get it at various Rudy's bbq stands, around the state.

I just got a bottle of Stubb's bbq sauce. My dad gave it to me after raving about it for a couple of weeks. I had my doubts, but I'm really enjoying it--you know, for store-bought sauce... What is your favorite?

Really? didn't know about the Selma's relationship. I haven't been here but have had a strong hankerin for an awesome torta lately. ← Went there on Monday and had a torta Cubano. It was delicious. The bread was amazing--will definitely be back.

This has happened to me as well...TWICE. I've had two of the round end-cut Boos blocks and they have both ended up splitting. My current one is also warped, in spite of the fact that I am careful to never soak it in water, or even use much water to clean it. The first one I took back to Sur La Table without a problem which is what I'll end up doing with this one. I have another rectangular end-cut Boos that has had no problems at all. Keep us up to date if you find out anything.

The Grove Restaurant, in the new Discovery Green development near the George R. Brown Convention Center is, to my knowledge, the first new fine-ish dining restaurant that Schiller-del Grande has done since Cafe Annie--of course, they've had Cafe Express, Taco Milagro, and Rio Ranch to keep them busy in the mean-time. Last night after work, a friend of mine and I dropped by. My first impression of the restaurant is that it is an absolutely beautiful space. We didn't have time to get a full meal, so we sat at the bar and ordered some drinks and appetizers to get a feel of the place. The guys at the bar were friendly, with a slightly above-average knowledge of cocktails. I started off with my usual Sidecar and he got it mostly right...a little more sugar than I'm used to, but mostly right--at least all the right ingredients. I moved on to their specials list and ordered a Maple Manhattan and a Ginger Margarita. The Maple Manhattan was tasty, but again quite a bit sweeter than I prefer. The Margarita on the other hand, uses fresh ginger, muddled with simple syrup--nicley refreshing and tasty. I guess my confusion about the place as a whole, lies in the menu. I don't think I really understand what they are going after. To start with, the menu is huge; broken up into three columns. Under the appetizers, there is everything from Chile con Queso and chicken wings, to more upscale apps like duck meatballs. In the entrees section are six or seven fine-dining-type items ranging in price from $24-$30 or so dollars (I don't have the menu in front of me so I'm working from my memory). They seem to fit the look of the place. The second column starts with salads, maybe eight of them--three or four side salads and then larger, meal-type salads. Under that section is the 'You-Call-It' menu consisting of proteins (hangar steak, flounder, salmon, chicken, etc.) that, I assume are prepared any way you wish. The top of the third column starts off with a cheese plate selection. Following that, I believe, are the a la carte sides. Then the Burgers, Sandwiches, and Pizzas list. And under that is a selection from the rotisserie... Our food and drinks were tasty...granted they were just appetizers, but my interest was definitely piqued enough to warrant a second or third visit to have a full meal. My only question is regarding the menu. I don't quite understand what they were going for with such a wide selection of styles and prices. It seems to me that they would have to move an extremely large amount of food to keep fresh, a menu of that size. A complete meal at The Grove could cost you under $20 if you were eating burgers and pizzas, while other people sitting at the same table could easily drop $100 plus. My first impression is that it is a restaurant with four or five sub-restaurants inside...except it is all really just one restaurant. Again, maybe I'm missing something, but the concept came across to me as a bit schizophrenic. If someone knows anything behind the concept, please enlighten me. Again, the food, although I didn't really understand it, was good and worth a try.

Really? didn't know about the Selma's relationship. I haven't been here but have had a strong hankerin for an awesome torta lately.

Any follow up on this? Is he going somewhere else? Retiring?

After my wife's begging, we stopped in there a couple of weeks ago, right before closing. We ordered a couple of cupcakes--gingerbread and carot cake. They ended up sending us home with about a half-dozen cupcakes and didn't charge us. They were all really good and everyone was extremely friendly. They've done a great job with the interior, like you said. I really wish them the best. According to the manager, the concept seems to be catching on.

I wanted to post these pictures of our Limoncello-making evening a week or two ago. This is the second batch I have made. The first was with Meyer Lemons. They were from the same producer in California--California Citrus Specialties. This batch is made from the Italian lemons that, as far as I know are only grown by California Citrus Specialties in the U.S. I ended up with a couple of liters of the most delicious lemon juice that I've ever had. It has a really clean sour flavor and finish. I never realized how most of the commercial lemons that we get are not only sour, but also quite bitter. This variety of lemons are known as Feminello St. Teresa. Before I go on, here are some pictures: Since we had an abundance of lemons, my wife and I ended up making a double batch of limoncello. We started off with the zest from 26 lemons that went into a big glass jug, along with two bottles of 100 proof Smirnoff Vodka. Since the 100 proof will be cut with a couple of bottles of 80 proof vodka, I decided to take the zest of another dozen lemons and mascerate it in one of the 80 proof bottles. I didn't want to dilute the lemon flavor with un-infused vodka--and well, I had plenty of lemons to spare... So the plan in a month or so is to cut the two bottles of 100 proof Smirnoff with one bottle of infused 80 proof vodka and one more un-infused bottle, if necessary. I still haven't quite decided how I will get the final product to 60-ish proof...but I've got a month to think about it. Any input would, as always, be greatly appreciated. I will be extremely careful with the sugar addition to this batch. The last batch ended up a little sweeter than I had originally intended--live and learn. The good news is that in a month or so, I will hopefully have as close of a representation as possible to the Italian Limoncello from the Amalfi Coast. Please give these lemons a try. Again, with shipping for twenty pounds of the most delicious lemons that I've ever had, was $44. We've made the lemon ice cream, granita, and buttermilk lemon sherbert from Dave Lebovitz's Perfect Scoop book (a Christmas present from my wife), that were all amazing. Now all we're wishing was that it was summer. I guess it is nature's cruel trick to make ripe all of this great summer citrus in the dead of winter... One more thing...California Citrus Specialties also is one of the only producers of Bergamots in the U.S. Has anyone ever tasted these things straight? My only reference to the flavor is Earl Gray tea. I'm really tempted to order some of those and see what happens--bergamotcello???