Country sausage ranchero tacos
The first time you order a country ranchero taco in San Antonio, if you’re from North Texas, you may be surprised to discover that the country, which refers to sausage,…
Tex-Mex recipes
Crawfish queso fundido
Last week was one of adjustments. With limited electricity, water, heat, and other necessities because of the winter storm across Texas, like most, I had to make do with what…
Cheese enchiladas: the essence of Tex-Mex
Tex-Mex is not Mexican food. That’s right, even though many of the restaurants you see across Texas often call themselves Mexican they’re not. But that’s OK. When Diana Kennedy said…
Chili Queens chili
The first time I heard about the San Antonio Chili Queens, I was on a plane. A friend wanted to make a documentary about Tex-Mex, and she showed me her…
Green chile pork posole
Last week, I lost my sense of smell. Thankfully, my sense of taste was still functioning, so eating wasn’t completely strange. But everything had only the basic essence of salt,…
Tamale breakfast casserole
The other day, a friend and I were discussing Texan holiday traditions. We agreed that fruit cake, cookies, party mix, and homemade candies were always around. And for the main…
South Texas mole
One fall day, I was making enchiladas at my uncle’s house. As I prepared a tomato-based chile gravy, he suggested that I stir in some cocoa powder. “If you do…
King Ranch bean casserole
The first time I cooked King Ranch casserole, I wasn’t sure if I’d ever had it before. While it’s a classic Texan standby, I’d been gone from the state for…
Classic crispy tacos
If you think of iconic American tacos, the crispy taco what most often comes to mind. This style, which also goes by the name of hard-shell tacos or crunchy tacos,…
Hatch green chile chicken enchiladas
In most regions of Texas, when one orders enchiladas verdes, the green salsa that drapes the dish will be made with tart tomatillos and green peppers such as jalapeños or…
