Texas Musings

Life is starting to get busy busy down here in Texas. Rehearsals for La Cenerentola with Fort Worth Opera have been going well and Dead Man Walking rehearsals start on Friday, meaning this little ol' assistant director will soon be pulling double duty. That said, I still have some lofty eating goals.

Texas Monthly is a treasure trove of good food information. I learned of the publication when its journalists were nominated last month for a James Beard Award for its thorough research on the best barbecue in Texas.

The number one spot for BBQ in Texas? Snow's BBQ in Lexington. It's one of those places that's only open one day a week, Saturday, and is only open till the meat runs out, typically around 12:30. These are some of my favorite places to eat, where the point of cooking isn't about turning around a fast dollar; it's about the food. And Snow's is a two 1/2 hour drive from Ft. Worth, just past Waco.

Roadtrip, anyone?

More locally, Texas Monthly also pointed me in the direction of some good eats in Fort Worth, specific dishes that are delicious and under $10. It's a good representation of the diversity of food you'll find around here:

• Thai Tina's Chicken in Peanut Sauce
• Esperanza's Cafe's Caldo de Pollo
• The Fried Pork Chop Plate at Drew's Place
  

Since arriving last week, I've done a bit of good eating: beef brisket enchiladas with a side of queso at La Playa Maya, a delicious Italian meal at La Piazza during a FWO donor dinner and multiple margaritas at Blue Mesa.

Now when most people think of hard liquor in Texas, the first thought is typically tequila. But apparently this state has a lot of good vodka flowing. I am more of a gin drinker, but the 20+ times that Dripping Springs distills its vodka intrigues me. Apparently, the distillery (outside of Austin) burned down recently, meaning its been even harder to find in liquor stores than usual. I'll see what I can make happen...

The other big name in Texas vodka is Tito's Handmade Vodka, also from Austin. It's distilled six times and comes in big plastic jugs for next to nothing.

Texas just might make a vodka tonic woman out of me.