Black’s Barbecue seems to own the town of Lockhart. There are signs pointing you directly to Black’s from far away, and all around the restaurant are parking lots which sternly warn that they are only for customer’s of Black’s. When you get up to Black’s, it looks like an old Texas roadhouse. It has an…
Archives for 2014
Smitty’s Market in Lockhart, TX
Oh boy, was Smitty’s fun. It’s like going over to Grandma’s house for lunch, if Grandma made barbecue. You walk in through a pair of old clacking wooden screen doors, and walk down a long, dark, and somewhat smoky hallway to the dimly lit pit room. The first thing you see when you enter the…
City Market in Luling, TX
Sitting right in the old downtown of Luling, among the hardware stores and other family business, City Market has tons of character. This place feels like you stepped back in time 50 years. (Which it should, since it was opened in 1958.) It has the look and feel of an old general store, but is…
The Colonial Pancake & Waffle House in Hot Springs, AR
There’s something special about a good country diner. The jingle jingle of the door as you enter, the comfortable booths and half-hoop backed wooden chairs and tables, the milk glass bric-a-brac and old flags on the walls. The Colonial is one of those special places.
“O” is for Cookie
Continuing on my oatmeal theme, if traditional breakfast oatmeal is not your thing, I offer these: Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies.
On Oatmeal
I love the chewy and nutty taste of oatmeal. My mom made it a lot when I was a kid, using the stuff in the round container from the grocery store. When I was older and moved to Vermont for school, I discovered “real oatmeal” of two types— the first was steel cut oats, made…
Quick and Easy Vegetarian Butternut Squash/Sweet Potato Soup
It’s been cold and rainy recently here in Arkansas, but summer is coming. So it’s the perfect time for a warming, but lo-cal vegetarian soup. The combination of root vegetables makes the soup sweet, and it is creamy and satisfying from a touch of butter in the base, although it has no cream itself. You’ll still fit in…
Quick Cook: Grilled Black Bean Burgers with Guacamole and Oaxacan Street-Style Corn
It’s Memorial Day, which is always a good time for gathering with family and friends to celebrate freedom and enjoy some good food. In Arkansas it’s already in the 90s, so firing up the kitchen is just too much. Let’s take it outside. Here’s a quick cook grilling meal that is vegetarian-friendly. To keep it quick,…
Smoked Salt
There’s something very nice about adding smoked salt to a dish. An hour in the smoker gives it a background hint of smoke which adds complexity, without being overbearing. Think of this as a finishing salt, adding just another layer of complexity to your favorite grilled or smoked dish. I like to use smoking woods that…
How to Smoke Real BBQ Ribs: The Master Class
I smoke ribs, pork shoulders, turkeys or chickens just about every weekend. I love tinkering with the recipes, the techniques, and shoot, I like building a fire and providing for my family (including my dog family. That’s Farrah eating a raw turkey neck). I would have made a great caveman.
My Favorite Cherry Pie
If you read my Mustang Sally’s review, you know that I love cherry pie. Seriously, if I had to pick one fruit pie, this would be it. Now, in the old days, you had to wait until cherries were in season, but today, a couple three of cans of tart cherries, some flour, butter, and…
Mustang Sally’s in Perryville, AR
There’s a winding highway that wends its way out of west Little Rock, up through the slow foothills of central Arkansas. It’s a beautiful ride, even more so when the leaves are falling. There’s even a certain turn in the road, where you crest a hill and the eastern side looks exactly like Napa. It’s…