“I’m not crazy about chiles,” says chef Gerard Bahon, in a formidable French accent that has successfully resisted Americanization for more than twenty years. So at his Arlington restaurant, Bistro Bagatelle (406 W. Abrams), the native of Brittany eschews the potent ingredients of Texas’ Southwestern cuisine in favor of the
Larry Peterman is a revisionist where suckers are concerned. His new tequila lollipop con gusano (complete with the worm) is his take on making hard liquor palatable: “We tried using mescal,” he says, “but it tasted so bad—kind of like burned dirt with rubbing alcohol—that nobody would eat it.”
Beyond Beef blames cattle for the decline of civilization—not to mention famine, pestilence, destruction, and death.
The latest news in Houston’s booming Italian restaurant scene is the savory cuisine of Tuscany.
Charm and know-how got Runnels a spot on Ronald’s team.
New guides to Houston and Metroplex eateries hash it out.
We cleaned our plate at restaurants across Texas. Here are the results: 66 irresistible specialties of the house.
The habanero chile stokes the burning desire of pepper lovers everywhere.
Summertime is warm-and-fuzzy season for fans of Texas’ favorite fruit.
Three trend-setting Mexico City restaurants defy tradition by blending native and European cuisines.
An aficionado of (gasp!) canned chili accepts an impossible mission.
In tiny Sabine Pass, two restaurants battle to see which will be the barbecued-crab master of the universe.
A crop of small ready-to-eat food companies in Austin take a fresh look at what’s for dinner.
Love at first bite: Valentine messages that are in good taste.
A recipe from Parigi, in Dallas.
4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 tablespoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 cup shortening 2 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup caraway seeds 1 egg yolk 4 tablespoons milkPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and soda. Cut in shortening, add buttermilk, and mix until
Houston pastry chef and bakery owner Marilyn Descours suggests making her easy sandwich cookies for parent-child assembly-line fun: Dab your favorite seedless raspberry jam between wafers, and dip the sandwiches halfway in 6 to 8 ounces of melted semisweet chocolate. Chill on waxed paper until the chocolate sets.Marilyn Descours’ Raspberry
1 medium yellow onion, diced1 tablespoon each of butter and flour1 can (32 ounces) low-salt chicken stock1 small bunch leeks (green and white parts), washed, trimmed, and sliced2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced3/4 tablespoon dried thymeSalt and black pepper, to taste1 medium bunch fresh sorrel1 large bunch fresh watercress1/2
2 quarts tomato juice (Sacramento) 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins) 6 tablespoons chopped horseradish, or to taste 2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, and dried dill 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon each of ground white pepper, celery salt, and garlic salt
3 cups grated fresh coconut (from about 5-inch-diameter coconut) or unsweetened packaged coconut1 1/2 cups sugar1 cup milk1/4 cup peanut oil25 green cardamoms, peeled and seeds crushed, or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamomMini-sized paper baking cupsIf using fresh coconut, break shell with hammer. Pry meat from shell with knife tip.
4 large cucumbers 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves 3 teaspoons sugar Juice of 2 lemons or limes 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 3 or 4 serrano chiles (optional), seeded and slivered 1/2 cup raw peanuts, oven-roasted and coarsely chopped Salt,
4 tablespoons peanut oil 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced 3 serrano chiles, minced 1 teaspoon cumin seed 2 small Japanese eggplants or 1 small purple eggplant; 2 medium red new potatoes; and 2 carrots – all cut into 1/2 -inch cubes 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets, broken into 1/2
1 cup garbanzo beans1 cup black-eyed peas1 cup chana dal (split yellow peas may be substituted)1 cup mung beans5 medium red new potatoes8 scallions (with some green), finely sliced4 serrano chiles, seeded and minced 2 tablesppons chaat masala seasoning mix6 tablespoons chopped cilantroSalt, to tasteJuice of 2 large lemons or
2 cups sifted flour plus 4 tablespoons flour 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting Zest of 3 lemons, 3 limes, and 2 oranges 1/2 pound butter, chilled 4 large eggs 3 cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons each of lemon, lime, and orange juice 2 teaspoons baking powder 2
1 to 1 1/2 cups olive oil 2 cups each of diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, and diced white onion 6 cups diced eggplant 1 cup canned diced tomato in juice 2 tablespoons capers 1/4 cup each of red wine vinegar and sugar 1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup chopped garlic 1/2 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus 1 1/4 cup cut in julienne 18 ounces fresh tricolored
Recipe from executive chef Michael Thomson, of Epicure in the Park, Dallas.
9 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnut pieces 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs 4 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 32 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons flour 3 whole eggs, at room temperature 2 egg yolks, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla
64 ounces plain lowfat yogurt 2 cans (28 ounces each) mango pulp 12 cups crushed iceWhip half of ingredients at a time in blender until frothy. Pour into glasses. Serves 10 To 12.From Savoring Summer, featured in Domain, May 1990
Lone Star cuisine is all the rage in Paris—France, that is.
Drew Allen, a co-owner of San Antonio’s Liberty Bar, came across this custardy buttermilk pie recipe in an out-of-print forties cookbook. The pie was powerfully sweet for modern taste buds, so Allen halved the sugar to come up with his restaurant’s most popular dessert.4 ounces frozen butter 1 ounce cold
Carnivores have their steakhouses, herbivores their sprout spots. Now insectivores can munch their way through the Aztec menus in Mexico City.
Traditional Holiday Buffet with Southwestern flavors and produce.
A festive Christmas family breakfast.
East meets West (and New Southwest and ancient Mexican) at Houston’s oh-so-trendy Palacio Tzintzuntzan.
Peanut patties are red, raspas are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are pralines, pecan pie, kolaches, and seven other great Texas desserts.
Three Texas caterers turn the tables on the ordinary holiday gathering–they roll out the red carpet and bring on the food, but you feel like it’s still your party.
Thanks to adventurous chef Michel Bernard Platz, the flowers at Dallas’ L’Entrecôte are as likely to be on the menu as in a vase.
Taco Cabana pioneered patio dining—a winning formula of Tex-Mex food and margaritas in the open air. When competitor Two Pesos introduced its look-alike layout, the lawsuits started to fly.
For years Jamail’s was the queen of Houston grocery stores. Now the Jamail family is at odds, and two rival chains are getting ready for a major food fight.
The Mansion chef’s most redolent recipe came from Sunday suppers at his grandmother’s house.
Where there’s smoke, there’s chef Robert McGrath’s smokebox that works wonders on Southwestern dishes.
From Cooking: “I, Piscivore” by Gary Cartwright, in the September 1987 issue of Texas Monthly.4 large eggs¾ cup whole milk¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted¼ cup finely grated Italian Parmesan cheese¼ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives, chopped basil, or chopped parsley2 tablespoons unsalted sweet butter (for
Meet Bruce Auden of San Antonio, the fairest of the Fairmount.
From smoked chicken salad to Kahlua s’mores, our summer picnic sampler has a spread for you.
Want to eat fast and cheap? Fast-food kiosks are the answer. Here’s how these diminutive drive-throughs stake up.
The world’s hottest restaurant chain turns into Texas’ hottest restaurant feud.
Admit it. The first courses always seem more interesting than the entrées. Why not make a meal of them?
Recipe from Castle Hill Cafe, Austin10 cups flour 1 cup sugar 6 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 pound margarine cubed 4 cups cold milkThese are bite-size muffins; use a small-muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix
ONE OF THE FEW COMPLAINTS we have ever heard about Castle Hill Cafe is that it is too loud—which is true. But the acoustics in this former grocery store built in 1896 are only partly at fault. Blame instead the multitude of loyal customers who flock to this low-key and
