As Texans are fond of reminding folks, they live in a big state with as many climates and ethnic groups and food stuffs as you'll find in most nations. Some will even boast about the state's regional menus and compare their culinary expressions to regions of Italy and France.
"For a state whose culinary ancestry lies in the greasy, smoky mysteries of the cowboy chuckwagon, claiming to have regional cuisines in the manner of Tuscany or Provence is hefty bragging indeed," note authors John DeMers and Rhonda K. Findley, who then provide proof for those boasts in this guide to the state's food producers and purveyors.
In addition to writing guidebooks and cookbooks, DeMers and Findley co-host a food-and-wine radio show, "Delicious Mischief," which airs on KRTS 92.1 FM in Houston. Their guide breaks down the state into six regions and offers brief sketches of Texas food producers, specialty food shops, farmers' markets, farm stands, landmark eateries and special events in each of them, from Houston & The Gulf Coast to El Paso & West Texas.
Among the food events featured in the book are the Texas Citrus Fiesta in Mission (January), the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest in Houston (February), the Fulton Oysterfest (March), the Noonday Onion Festival in Tyler (June), the Knox City Watermelon Festival (July), Grapefest in Grapevine (September), and the Texas Renaissance Festival in Plantersville (October-November).
Dallas boast the largest farmers' market in Texas, but San Antonio supports 15 separate farmers' markets full of not only fresh local produce but also "exotic fruits and vegetables that haven't yet made it onto the radar of huge food distributors," the authors point out.
Austin and the Rio Grande Valley also support an abundance of farmers' markets. "The Rio Grande Valley is to Texas what the Tigris-Euphrates was to ancient Babylon," DeMers and Findley explain. "Agriculture goes on year-round in the valley -- from citrus in the winter to sweet melons and berries in the summer."
Spiced with recipes and recommendations for dining out, Food Lovers' Guide to Texas is a compact compendium of the state's comestibles.
Recipes
Barbecue Corn Salad
Caldo de Polla with Chorizo
Caldwell Dried Apricot Kolaches
Corpus Christi Shrimp Gazpacho
Crawfish Tacos
Dr. Pepper Fudge
Galveston Bay Oyster Gumbo
Hot German Potato Salad
Mission Orange Pound Cake
North Texas Biscuits
Pecan Pie
Pinto Bean Soup
Pork Picado
Port Aransas Flounder
Reata Tortilla Soup
Semillon Herb Pie
Sicilian Sausage and Peppers
Venison Stew