eG Foodblog: tupac17616 - Barbecue & Foie Gras

[tupac17616]

Two foods, both alike in dignity

In my fair foodblog, where we lay our scene…

The picture on the left is from Kreuz Market, located in the small town of Lockhart (often called the “BBQ Capital of Texas,” and for good reason). This place serves up what to me is the best meat (NO sauce) in the state. And notice the beautiful brown butcher paper that serves as the canvas for all that bovine goodness. Nothing but the finest, you see.

The picture on the right is from a small restaurant in New York City. Some of you may have heard of it. It’s called Per Se. And that little square of foie gras just happens to be the single best thing I have ever eaten. The full description of my recent meal there can be seen here. Suffice it to say, this place is, um, not bad .

Both mouth-watering images, no doubt. But is one of these foods necessarily better than the other? Well, like a parent asked to choose a favorite child, I’ve got to say they are each special in their own way. Sure, the meat on the left is meant to be eaten with the two utensils God gave you (your hands), while the foie gras sits like artwork on a plate whose cost probably exceeds the per capita GDP of many small countries, but I’d happily pull up a chair to either table with a big smile on my face.

“But wait a minute… What the heck does all this have to do with his Foodblog?” you may ask.

Well, just about everything. You see, my life consists of a beautiful dichotomy. I go to college in New York City, home to some of the best restaurants in the country. Yet when summer rolls around, I find myself right back here at home in warm (well, hot) San Antonio, Texas, cooking for my family and friends pretty much every night of the week. And I wouldn’t choose to have it any other way. Texas and NYC are about as different as could be, but I would be lying if I said they each haven’t had an equally large role in shaping who I am (and how I cook, and how I eat…). They have both molded my culinary identity, so to speak, each in their own way.

Over the course of my blog, I will try to provide a small glimpse into life here in Texas, seen through my eyes (and my stomach). As the week goes on, many of the wonderful Texan delicacies like you may have seen in my posts in the Dinner! thread will probably make an appearance. Think chicken-fried steak, corn bread, pecan pie, and the like. There will be the requisite kitchen, refrigerator, and pantry photos for all you voyeuristic food-lovers out there. I’ll hopefully have some photos of my favorite food market, and maybe even take y’all along for a meal out somewhere. Of course, you’ll also come to know all about my eating habits, my food philosophy, how I learned to cook, and all that. But for now, let me just say welcome to my foodblog, and I hope you enjoy it!

[little ms foodie]

FANTASTIC!!! you are the king of hotplate cooking and now we get to experience the full family senarios also! NICE!!!

[dockhl]

Hooray, tupac~

I am SO looking forward to it!

Kathy

[BryanZ]

This may not be the right place to ask, but how did you get a foodblog? I want to do one but have never been invited. Hook me up with info, tupac.

With that said, I look foward to your work. We need to cross paths in NYC somehow, sometime.

[The Old Foodie]

Over the course of my blog, I will try to provide a small glimpse into life here in Texas, seen through my eyes (and my stomach).  As the week goes on, many of the wonderful Texan delicacies like you may have seen in my posts in the Dinner! thread will probably make an appearance.  Think chicken-fried steak, corn bread, pecan pie, and the like.  There will be the requisite kitchen, refrigerator, and pantry photos for all you voyeuristic food-lovers out there.  I’ll hopefully have some photos of my favorite food market, and maybe even take y’all along for a meal out somewhere.  Of course, you’ll also come to know all about my eating habits, my food philosophy, how I learned to cook, and all that.  But for now, let me just say welcome to my foodblog, and I hope you enjoy it!

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..... chicken-fried steak ... now THAT is a mystery in this part of the world. I will eagerly await your words and pictures. The dish has been mentioned to me by returned travellers from YOUR part of the world, but not in the same tone of breathless anticipation ....

In the interests of international culinary education, do I rush out now and buy a chicken, or a steak, or both, in anticipation of you supplying the definitive recipe?

[Pan]

tupac17616, enjoy your week of blogging. I plan on checking in here as time allows and I'm certain this will be a fun journey.

[Chufi]

What fun! I love your posts in the Dinner thread and I'm looking forward to a more detailed description of your Texan foodlife!

Edited June 13, 2006 by Chufi (log)

[Susan in FL]

Bryan, not tupac here, but I can hook you up with the info... Read about it here. I'll look forward to hearing from you!

We have continued great foodblogging in store for us. Stay tuned.

[FabulousFoodBabe]

Tupac! I'm looking forward to this, so very much. Care to tell us the history of the moniker, and where you go to school?

[Ann_T]

OOh perfect timing. I've just started to read the food blogs and I' m really looking forward to reading yours Tupac. I really enjoy your posts to the Dinner thread.

Ann

[Megan Blocker]

I KNEW IT!!!

Go, Tupac! Can't wait to see what this week has in store for all of us...

[tupac17616]

Here it is, ladies and gentlemen, the breakfast of champions

Well, actually more like the breakfast of someone who is notoriously UNpunctual. Work, class, wedding, funerals. No event, regardless of its importance, is spared the wrath of my wanton tardiness. Which explains why I set aside the spread you see above every night before work, so I can have a very quick breakfast in the morning. It may not look like much, but it gets the job done. And this picture also introduces you to my biggest eating habit:

I LOVE fruit. And I eat A LOT of it.

I eat, on average, probably around 8-10 servings of fruit a day. I can't get enough of the stuff. I like pretty much every fruit there is, with the exception of melon and cantaloupe. I like to have as much of a variety of fruit as possible, to keep things interesting. The only three I have every single day are an apple, an orange, and a banana, all of which I find keep me going with my other daily activity: exercise. But more on that later. In the meantime, I've got another exciting work day ahead of me.

P.S. Thanks everyone for all the encouragement and the questions/comments! I will definitely take the time to address each and every one of them after work. See y'all later!

[Pam R]

That's perfection. I'd be happy with that breakfast any (and every) day - in fact I often do that for breakfast (see my blogs).

I haven't been to Texas in many years - can't wait to see more!

[MarketStEl]

Well, since you hail from one of the country's other barbecue capitals, I would like to engage you on the relative merits of Texas brisket vs., say, Kansas City burnt ends or ribs.

(That was a delish-looking photo you put up as a teaser!)

And maybe you could indulge me with a little historical background by way of answering this question:

In most of America's other barbecue hotbeds, it's the descendants of slaves or the Scots/Irish Southerners who owned them who mastered the technique, passed on the traditions and continue to spread the Gospel of 'Cue. How is it that in Texas, it's the descendants of German immigrants who are the keepers of the flame?

(I don't think I need to poll you on your opinions about banning foie gras.)

Blog on...

[bavila]

Woo hoo! Chicken fried steak!

I once had a craving for it here in the Free State, soon after we'd moved here, and called up the local Double T diner (a small chain owned by a Greek family and partners):

"Do you serve chicken fried steak?"

"You mean fried chicken?"

"Never mind. Thanks."

Where exactly in Texas will we be following you? We always like to have ideas for spots in Dallas when we visit hubby's family there. Edited to add: oops! San Antonio. I can read, really.

Edited June 13, 2006 by bavila (log)

[MarketStEl]

..... chicken-fried steak ... now THAT is a mystery in this part of the world. I will eagerly await your words and pictures. The dish has been mentioned to me by returned travellers from YOUR part of the world, but not in the same tone of breathless anticipation ....

In the interests of international culinary education, do I rush out now and buy a chicken, or a steak, or both, in anticipation of you supplying the definitive recipe?

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While awaiting a more authoritative answer from Tupac, I will note that as I have seen "chicken fried chicken" on the menu of at least one restaurant that specializes in this type of "down home" cooking, the answer may well be, Both.

(I suspect the logic behind "chicken fried chicken" is the same as that underlying the chicken cheesesteak.)

[Megan Blocker]

I like pretty much every fruit there is, with the exception of melon and cantaloupe.

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Yay! I love fruit, too! Especially berries, grapes, watermelon and apples.

But, wait! You don't like melon at all? Not canteloupe? Not honeydew? Not watermelon?

Huh?

[tupac17616]

This may not be the right place to ask, but how did you get a foodblog?  I want to do one but have never been invited.  Hook me up with info, tupac.

With that said, I look foward to your work.  We need to cross paths in NYC somehow, sometime.

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Glad Susan was able to get you some info. I, along with many other eG'ers, would love to see you do a blog one of these days. Your cooking is awesome.

And I definitely agree on the NYC connection. It's a must.

[Shaya]

I like pretty much every fruit there is, with the exception of melon and cantaloupe.

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Yay! I love fruit, too! Especially berries, grapes, watermelon and apples.

But, wait! You don't like melon at all? Not canteloupe? Not honeydew? Not watermelon?

Huh?

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Tupac, look forward to seeing your culinary life close up.

By the way I think I've found my fruit soul-mate...love pretty much all of it except melon and cantaloupe. My Mom tells me I even rejected them as an infant.

[tryska]

That's perfection. I'd be happy with that breakfast any (and every) day - in fact I often do that for breakfast (see my blogs).

I haven't been to Texas in many years - can't wait to see more!

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ok - a couple questions - what are those horsepills?

what's with the 3s and 7s?

3s i can understand - but 7? why not 6? or better yet 8?

either way you're fruit look yummy.

right now my rotation is strawberries, cherries, pineapple, watermelon and lychee.

edit - one more question - why did the raspberries qulaify for a 3 but not a 7?

Edited June 13, 2006 by tryska (log)

[Megan Blocker]

I like pretty much every fruit there is, with the exception of melon and cantaloupe.

←

Yay! I love fruit, too! Especially berries, grapes, watermelon and apples.

But, wait! You don't like melon at all? Not canteloupe? Not honeydew? Not watermelon?

Huh?

←

Tupac, look forward to seeing your culinary life close up.

By the way I think I've found my fruit soul-mate...love pretty much all of it except melon and cantaloupe. My Mom tells me I even rejected them as an infant.

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I'll take yours!!!!

[lexy]

Ah, another fruit fiend! It's at least an apple and an orange a day for me.

[tupac17616]

..... chicken-fried steak ... now THAT is a mystery in this part of the world. I will eagerly await your words and pictures. The dish has been mentioned to me by returned travellers from YOUR part of the world, but not in the same tone of breathless anticipation ....

In the interests of international culinary education, do I rush out now and buy a chicken, or a steak, or both, in anticipation of you supplying the definitive recipe?

←

Well, sounds to me like dinner for tonight may have already been decided on. I'm thinking chicken-fried steak (with copious amounts of cream gravy), some applewood smoked bacon & jalapeno cornbread, and some okra on the side. Maybe a slice of homegrown tomato or two thrown in there for good measure.

I definitely won't even begin to claim to have the definitive recipe. I don't really follow one, in fact. I suppose I learned to cook it by watching my mom make it for years and eating a few (hundred) over the course of my life. In fact, I can remember when I was probably around 4-5 years old living in the tiny east TX town of Rusk and my babysitter at the time would make us chicken-fried steak frequently, along with other wonderful stuff like chicken n' dumplins (note the absence of the 'g' in dumplins...very crucial to proper pronuciation ). Ah, good times. I used to eat like there was no tomorrow. Oh, wait. I still do. And I guess that whole "he's a growing boy" justification doesn't quite work anymore either. Darn!

Anyhoo, I'd be happy to document the chicken-fried steak making process in some pictures tonight, though. For those following along at home, to get the full experience, I highly recommend that we keep it more traditional and make chicken-fried steak. So hie thee to the supermarket for some top round steaks, post haste! Either that, or, uh, just enjoy the pictures and make it on your own some time soon.

[tupac17616]

Tupac!  I'm looking forward to this, so very much.  Care to tell us the history of the moniker, and where you go to school?

Sure thing. The moniker has been around for a while, long before my eGullet days. Over the years, it's become my ID for pretty much anything and everything on the internet. Tupac Shakur is my all-time favorite music icon, and I have every CD/movie/book of his that has probably ever graced the shelves of a store. The numbers are his birthday, 6-16-71, backwards.

As far as school goes, I have been a math nerd from the day I was born. I go to school at Columbia University, where I major in Mechanical Engineering and Minor in Applied Math. I almost ended up at MIT in Boston, as there and Columbia were the top two on my list. But after a long drawn-out decision making process (I am the most indecisive person EVER, by the way. Ask anyone who knows me.), the allure of NYC won out and I was on my way to the big apple. Best decision I ever made.

For the summer, I'm working as a student engineer at Southwest Research Institute here in San Antonio. My days are spent doing 3D CAD models of different components of space vehicles for various NASA missions. Good times, good times.

I guess to keep this post somewhat food-related, I'll say that I am eating a pink lady apple here at my desk as we speak. And it's good.

[judiu]

..... chicken-fried steak ... now THAT is a mystery in this part of the world. I will eagerly await your words and pictures. The dish has been mentioned to me by returned travellers from YOUR part of the world, but not in the same tone of breathless anticipation ....

In the interests of international culinary education, do I rush out now and buy a chicken, or a steak, or both, in anticipation of you supplying the definitive recipe?

←

(SNIP) Ah, good times. I used to eat like there was no tomorrow. Oh, wait. I still do. And I guess that whole "he's a growing boy" justification doesn't quite work anymore either. Darn! (/SNIP)

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Sure it does, just means around, rather than up! Welcome to the world of the horizontally enhanced! (Ducks and runs)