Fried crawfish tails
Fried seafood has a longstanding tradition along the Gulf Coast. From Beaumont to Brownsville, there are an array of joints close to the…
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,…
Red lentils with jalapeños and lime
One of my dearest friends recently gave up eating meat. As we were talking about her new lifestyle, I asked if she was…
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.…
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…
Jalapeño dill pickle dip
When a friend set out some snacks for us to enjoy, she pointed to a bowl loaded with chopped pickles and speckled with…
Rice pudding with grapefruit and pecans
In Mary Koock Faulk’s The Texas Cookbook, I came across a side dish that cooked rice with the juice and zest from an…
Cabbage with bacon
One day while visiting a friend, we sat in her kitchen and discussed the importance of family recipes. Like me, she has a…
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…
Black-eyed peas for New Year’s Day
My first New Year’s Day in New York City, I was panic struck: where was I going to find my annual dose of…