What makes food American? Well, it’s not the same as what makes food Texan, that’s for sure.
I grew up with easy access to abundant, greasy, and sugary food: BBQ, drive thrus, apple pies with extra Blue Bell ice cream. Yet, the food culture was something I continually repelled; and often weaponized against myself.
I wanted to take some time to experience and reflect on the places in my hometown, but also around the state in general. I have my own biases but I am raising my right-hand in promising to give you my honest review of these sectors of TX food through a new lens; because we all know there’s no place like home.
Especially when you’ve finally found it in yourself.
I once viewed my hometown with tainted resentment. Not just for my once thick accent and deeply rooted misogynistic subconscious, but for the way it taught me to consume food.
Not as nourishment, but as overly saturated consumption or entertainment. Deep fried Friday night football corny dogs, six tablespoons of sugar in your 1 liter plastic cup of sweet tea… It was so much. So stout. So loud (you could say the politics of the state also follow these guidelines), and I found that none of the products of this environment were ever cultivated- they were simply handed-down and accepted. Never crafted. Never rebutted and questioned, and I've never been one to blindly accept things.
Living in LA; the land of kale, adaptogenic lattes and more meat alternatives than you can name, for the beginning of my adult life, I really resented the fact that I grew up somewhere that didn’t value functional wellness. I once critiqued everyone and everything Texas produced. Myself included. But it wasn’t until recently I realized that you are where you come from. And learning to love yourself requires learning to love those around you, within you and beside you. Texans values aren’t something you can write in a recipe. Southern hospitality cannot be sold, bottled or transplanted; even when you yourself choose to be.
In my journey of recovery of anorexia, I have chosen to love my body and the place it came from. Because who would I be without where I’m from? With that, comes tasting, trying and seeing what I actually enjoy (and actually don’t) about the cuisine of my country (because, we all know Texas is a small country). Tacos, collard greens, peach cobblers… have led me to create a template of the 4 sacred Southern Food Groups:
Tex-Mex
BBQ
Homestyle
Store bought classics
Tex-Mex
You might be asking what this small bowl of melted yellow liquid is. To that I answer, our Tex-Mex staple:
Queso
(Which literally just means: melted cheese. Sometimes with Rotel tomatoes and onion… but not always necessary.) This cup is from my favorite place to stop after a long flight, Pappasito’s Cantina.
Jokingly, most dishes under the umbrella are made of the same ingredients, just incorporated differently. But I think that’s what I love about this food. Texans are known for their creativity when it comes to cooking. This is evident in the variety of dishes that can be made under the umbrella of Mexican food. For example, enchiladas are made with cheese, beans, and tortillas, all of which can be found in other dishes as well. However, they’re combined differently to make unique dishes. Something I think Texans are great at… making everything their own.
BBQ
Texas’ state food is actually chili, but in accordance with any Texan I know, BBQ is what we know best.
It’s not glamorous.
It’s slow.
It’s tender.
I am primarily a chopped brisket girl, but traditional variations include sausage, chicken, turkey… And to be honest, red meat has never equated well with my body. But learning to enjoy the delicacy of my hometown favorite Bodacious BBQ on special occasions has given me an appreciation for the Lone Star State more than any other dish. Bodacious’ sweet sauce compliments the tender cut of beef like no other condiment I’ve had in the world.
Homestyle
Here we have a perfect example of homestyle restaurant dining: Red Neck Bar & Grill.
I opted for a Chicken Salad Sandwich on Texas Toast with grilled yellow squash, tomato and lettuce. I must say- I was shocked and elated to taste the poppy seeds incorporated into the chicken salad. Eating lunch here with my family, everyone went in a different direction. My mom ordered a hearty cold weather classic we often made growing up: baked potato soup. Not an ounce extra of pepper, salt was needed upon serving, though a side of the kitchen’s spicy seasoning was added by the kind waitress. Nothing like knowing the neighborhood staff.
Ahh. This marvelous pot brewing over a hole in the ground is the totem of where I come from. Introducing:
The community of Sulphur Springs has been making variations of this recipe since the early 1900s. Every fall a competition ensues in light of the tradition; businesses and individuals alike. This is a photograph of City National Bank’s famous pot. The base recipe includes corn, chicken, tomatoes, potatoes onion, and spices incorporated slowly in a large pot over a fire or stove. Hundreds of applicants gather and compete to see whose stew is “best” (though every cook I asked, the credentials seem to be unclear… maybe love is truly the key ingredient).
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a reason to come back home before Christmas.
Store Bought Classics
And how could I forget the shockingly famous gas station gone franchise: Buc-ees
Here you will see a dried beef stick. Spicy. Stout. A perfect snack for your roadtrip across the 773 miles Texas is from east to west. Buc-ees isn’t just a place to stop for gas, but an experience. Clothing, snacks, souvenirs, and fountain drinks… you could spend hours in there.
And believe me: the more you go, the more you want to come back.