BBQ
October 29, 2020
BBQ News: A Very Bad Take About Barbecue in America
Plus, our very own BBQ Fest culminates in a virtual backyard barbecue this Sunday.
Austin
Food & Drink
October 29, 2020
The Hidden History of Peri Peri Chicken
Originally from South Africa and Portugal, the peppery, lemony dish is now beloved by Texas Muslims. To understand why, you have to go back four hundred years.
Being Texan
October 28, 2020
I’m Not Ashamed of My Stutter
Stuttering is finally in the spotlight, thanks to Joe Biden’s campaign and the announcement of a groundbreaking new University of Texas research center. But it’s always been part of my life.
Libations
October 26, 2020
Comfort Yourself With German Food Across Texas This Fall
Schnitzel, steins, and social distancing through Oktoberfest and beyond.
Music
October 24, 2020
Jerry Jeff Walker, a Trailblazer of the Cosmic Cowboy Sound, Dies at 78
The country icon was, as fellow musician Lucinda Williams put it, an “American treasure.”
Politics & Policy
October 23, 2020
Can Chip Roy Hold Off the Democratic Shift in Suburban San Antonio and Austin?
The conservative incumbent has alienated members of his own party, leaving room for challenger Wendy Davis to pick off centrist voters in Texas’s Twenty-first Congressional District.
Tacos
October 22, 2020
Taco News Roundup: Dallas’s Taco Scene Is Booming
Plus, we raise our eyebrows at Ina Garten's enchilada recipe.
Best Thing In Texas
October 19, 2020
The Best Thing in Texas: An Austin Teen Is One of the First Girls in the Nation to Earn the Rank of Eagle Scout
Abby Winkelman, 14, says she hopes her achievement will inspire other girls.
Where To Stay Now
October 16, 2020
Texas Monthly Recommends: A Cozy, Retro Stay in Terlingua
Plus, a new art exhibit about the borderlands, a music compilation by many Texas artists, and Casa Colombia.
Sports
October 16, 2020
Why UT’s Administration Is Digging in Its Heels on ‘The Eyes of Texas’
After the football team’s latest loss, the coach and most of his players are at odds with the athletics director and many fans and supporters over the university’s controversial spirit song.
Sports
October 15, 2020
Why the University of Texas Shouldn’t Fire Tom Herman
The eyes of Texas are upon him indeed, but yet another pricey coaching change won’t fix what ails the Longhorns.
BBQ
October 15, 2020
I’ll Be Missing ’Cue: Saluting Joints That Are Gone but Not Forgotten
The connections we make with some barbecue restaurants go way beyond brisket and chopped beef sandwiches.
Politics & Policy
October 14, 2020
Texas Will Be Turning Blue Any Second Now
A short history of overoptimistic predictions about the always-imminent liberal takeover of the Lone Star State.
Politics & Policy
October 14, 2020
Can a Bernie-Style Democrat Unseat Longtime Republican Representative Michael McCaul in TX-10?
The incumbent rarely faced competitive races before labor lawyer Mike Siegel’s challenge in 2018. Now, winning a rematch is no sure thing for McCaul.
Books
October 14, 2020
Six Good Texas Book Festival Reads
This year’s festival is all-virtual, but its lineup is still all-star, as demonstrated by this trio of recent books from Texas authors.
Film & TV
October 12, 2020
As ‘Dazed and Confused’ Gets Older, the Spirit of the Film Stays the Same
During a live reading on Sunday night, many of the original actors brought the same chemistry that has made the film such a joy to rewatch for 27 years.
Politics & Policy
October 10, 2020
Wendy Davis Is a Feminist Icon. Chip Roy Is a Ted Cruz Protégé. What’s a Swing District to Do?
He’s as red as a rose; she’s as blue as the state flower. And now the two congressional candidates are locked in a throwdown in a district that is neither.
Film & TV
October 9, 2020
Hollywood, Texas: ‘Dazed and Confused’ Cast to Reunite Online, Online, Online
Plus, Kacey Musgraves meets Scooby Doo, Borat meets Sid Miller, and Austin meets ‘Walker, Texas Ranger.’
Tacos
October 8, 2020
Taco News Roundup: Pumpkin Spice Margaritas May Be the Scariest Thing This Halloween
Taco Cabana has gone too far.
Recipes
October 8, 2020
Recipe: Thai Omelet Breakfast Tacos From ‘Thai Fresh: The Cookbook’
Chef Jam Sanitchat's first recipe collection is based on her many years of teaching Thai cooking and running a South Austin staple.
Politics & Policy
October 7, 2020
A New Manifesto for Texas Conservatives
As a lifelong Republican—and, more recently, dedicated Never Trumper—it’s clear to me that the state GOP desperately needs to enter the twenty-first century.
Tex-Mexplainer
October 6, 2020
Tex-Mexplainer: Pan de Muerto Is a Cross-cultural Taste of History
Ancient, colonial, and contemporary traditions are woven together in Dia de Los Muertos—and baked into the holiday's signature bread.
BBQ
October 1, 2020
BBQ News Roundup: A Fort Worth Restaurant’s New Online “Meat Locker” Sells Brisket to Smoke at Home
Plus: Texas A&M scientists used eye-tracking tech to help 1775 BBQ in College Station design a new menu.
Tacos
September 29, 2020
Gather Your Friends and Try a Two-Foot-Long Machete Quesadilla at These Four Austin Trailers
The Mexico City dish remains rare in Texas, but it's starting to take off in Austin.
Border & Immigration
September 28, 2020
A Refugee’s First Day in Texas
An exclusive excerpt from Jessica Goudeau’s ‘After the Last Border: Two Families and the Story of Refuge in America.'
Books
September 16, 2020
The Late, Great Bud Shrake’s Last, Great Novel
The funny and brutal ‘Hollywood Mad Dogs’ was inspired by the Texas writer's experience working in Hollywood with the legendary—and very demanding—Steve McQueen.
Tacos
August 31, 2020
Tex-Mexplainer: The History Behind Mexico’s Most Patriotic Meal, Chile en Nogada
Plus, our recipe for the celebratory dish.
Tacos
August 24, 2020
The Dirty Reason Why a San Antonio Tortilla Company Has “Sanitary” in its Name
For decades, many Texans accepted racist stereotypes that Mexican food was unsafe. Businesses had to emphasize their cleanliness to survive.
The Stand Up Desk
August 19, 2020
From the Editor, September 2020: “Knives Out”
The team behind this month's well-red cover story.
The Texanist
August 17, 2020
The Texanist: Why Are People Putting Cilantro in Everything?
A Texas transplant to California is unhappy about the ubiquity of the “nasty and repugnant weed."
Tacos
August 13, 2020
Taco News Roundup: Birria Bao, Carnitas Pizza, and the “One-Chip Challenge”
Plus: actor Danny Trejo urges struggling restaurant owners to “stay strong.”
Libations
August 6, 2020
How to Pair Wine and Tacos: Advice From a Sommelier
It’s time to think beyond beer and margaritas, says Suerte wine director Celia Pellegrini.
Recipes
July 31, 2020
TM Happy Hour: A Classic Gin Cocktail
Bill Norris, of Alamo Drafthouse and Midnight Cowboy, pours one out for the Pegu Club, the beloved New York cocktail mecca that has permanently closed in the wake of COVID-19.
Politics & Policy
July 30, 2020
Texas Chefs: If Bill Doesn’t Pass, Many Restaurants Will Close for Good
Kevin Fink, Chris Shepherd, and others are lobbying lawmakers to pass the $120 billion grant program that has bipartisan support.
Music
July 30, 2020
On Texas Time: David Ramirez, a Prolific and Heartrending Austin Musician
The songwriter on creativity in a time of crisis and how he’s seeking camaraderie in isolation.
Tacos
July 30, 2020
Taco News Roundup: Ghost Kitchens and Birthday Taco Platters
Plus: a bizarre Trump campaign ad accuses Democrats of "taking away tacos."
News & Politics
July 29, 2020
Austin Police Just Revealed Who Shot Levi Ayala. One Online Sleuth Had Already Figured It Out.
Pressed by Texas Monthly, the department confirmed that Nicholas Gebhart was the officer who fired a beanbag round at the 16-year-old, leaving him with brain damage.
Business
July 29, 2020
How Tesla Was Lured to Austin
Travis County offered the electric car giant a package of tax incentives worth about $1,200 a year for each of the five thousand jobs it promises to create at its new factory.
Tex-Mexplainer
July 29, 2020
Tex-Mexplainer: Huitlacoche Is Misunderstood, but It Should Be Prized
The truffle of Mexico, this culinary delicacy—sometimes called "black gold"—is treasured by taqueros and chefs.
Music
July 24, 2020
Vanilla Ice to Stop, Collaborate on Movie About His Dallas Years
Plus, Beyoncé’s "Black is King" drops celebrity-filled trailer, a new doc on reopening Texas restaurants, and Post Malone’s “dark times” album.
Music
July 23, 2020
“This Is Exactly What’s Wrong With Austin”: A White Band’s Digitally Altered Photo of an Iconic Black-Owned BBQ Joint Infuriates Locals
The musicians in Midland, a popular country band, have entered the conversation about gentrification in the worst possible way.
BBQ
July 23, 2020
BBQ News Roundup: Meat-Cutting Robots and 3D-Printed Steak
Plus: Cananda misunderstands Texas barbecue.
The Stand Up Desk
July 22, 2020
From the Editor, August 2020: “The Annas in Our Engine Room”
Behind the scenes, two staffers with the same first name keep Texas Monthly running smoothly.
Texas History
July 22, 2020
Meet the Unruly Clan That Once Ruled the Hill Country
Living hard and free, cedar choppers clashed with respectable townsfolk in the mid-20th century.
Style & Design
July 20, 2020
“Hi, How Are You” Is the Exact Message a Face Mask Should Send
Daniel Johnston's famous friendly frog is the perfect COVID accessory for a man like myself.
The Texanist
July 17, 2020
The Texanist: What’s the Strangest Thing You’ve Eaten in Texas?
A Texan deployed overseas wants to know if there’s any foodstuff weirder than armadillo tail with gravy. (There is.)
News & Politics
July 16, 2020
“Black Austin Matters” Is an Artistic Challenge to the City
Activists say the city can’t yet claim that “Black Austin Matters,” given its record, and that’s why they painted the street installation.
Politics & Policy
July 16, 2020
“Your Butt Is Perfect”: Those Austin Police Department Thank-you Cards Are Even Stranger Than You Thought
An APD tweet went viral after internet sleuths theorized that the cards were a police stunt. We got ahold of documents to find the truth.
Health
July 16, 2020
How Robots Are Revolutionizing Nursing
Automated helpers, like Diligent Robotics’ Moxi, could reduce the risks to frontline medical workers.
Politics & Policy
July 14, 2020
Facing a Tough Runoff Election, Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore Discusses Her Record on Race and Police Brutality
After running second in the Democratic primary to a progressive challenger, Moore argues that her critics haven’t done their homework.