Beautiful Texas Cooking
The latest edition of the award-winning and vastly popular
Beautiful Cookbook series has just arrived. Texas, The Beautiful
Cookbook (Collins, $45 hard) by San Antonio food writers Patsy Swendson and
June Hayes presents the cultural diversity of the Texas table. Many popular
Texas chefs contributed recipes to the impressive collection, including Terry
Conlan of Lake Austin Resort, Jay McCarthy of Cascabel in San Antonio, and
Stephan Pyles of Star Canyon in Dallas. While I would never think of actually
taking this large, elegant book into the kitchen, the food and scenic
photography (by E.J. Armstrong) are luscious.
Fonda Takes Manhattan
On Wednesday, March 24, 50 lucky Austinites got a preview
of the exciting menu that the owners of Fonda San Miguel will serve at the
James Beard House in New York City this Monday, June 5. Co-owners Tom Gilliland
and Miguel Ravago will present a selection of dishes from interior and coastal
Mexico complemented with a selection of drink recipes personally prepared by
Lucinda Hutson. An invitation to present a dinner at the Beard House is a
highly coveted prize among American chefs, and this is the second time that
Fonda San Miguel has been awarded that accolade.
At the Austin preview dinner, Hutson’s delightful drinks
were paired with an interesting array of appetizers and tamales that preceded
the Squash Blossom Soup and salad of Stuffed Ancho Chiles. The excellent
entrees were Pescado al Vapor (filet of fish steamed in banana leaves)
and Pato en Mole Verde (breast of duck in green mole sauce). Desserts of
almond sponge cake and coconut-filled limes were served with coffee and Licor
Damiana. The elegant and delicious meal should be very well received in New
York.
A Two-Step Back in Time
Old Coupland Inn
Off Hwy 95 between Taylor and Elgin, 25 minutes from Austin,
512/856-2226
Open Friday & Saturday, 5-9pm
Barbara and Tim Worthy want everyone to know that the Old
Coupland Inn is back in the barbecue business! They purchased the original mop
sauce recipe from the previous owners, restored and repaired the restaurant,
and re-opened the Central Texas landmark in mid-May. They also operate the
adjoining Coupland Dancehall, one of several Texas dancehalls profiled in a
recent Texas Monthly article. If you’re like me and have fond memories
of pleasant drives through the verdant, rolling blacklands east of Austin to
the tiny town of Coupland for excellent barbecue in a quaint country setting,
the rebirth of the Coupland Inn is really good news. The Worthys now offer a
unique combination of good Texas BBQ, antique furnishings, and live country
music every weekend. – Virginia B. Wood
Candied Lammes
If you’ve ever been entranced by the pert, pointy-footed
ewe hovering over Lammes Candies on Airport (and who hasn’t?), now’s your
chance to see what lies beyond the happy hoof. To celebrate its 110th
anniversary, the Lammes Candy Kitchen will be open to the public this weekend.
Locally based and family owned, the longstanding decadence
dispensary has a rich and innovative history. Lammes Candies originally
operated on Congress Avenue under the charmingly pre-McCarthyite “Red Front
Candy Factory” moniker. In 1885, the business was lost briefly in a poker game,
repurchased by a family member, and, with the introduction of its Texas Chewie
praline in 1892, expanded nationally with its mail-order business. The company
introduced the first neon sign to Austin and the first soda fountain to Texas,
and made everyone crazy with its Chocolate Covered Strawberries in 1977.
Despite international renown, Lammes retains its homegrown flavor; its Chewies
still use only Texas pecans and the Strawberries are still only available four
times a year.
The kitchen at 5330 Airport will be open to visitors
Friday, June 2, 11am-4pm, and Saturday & Sunday, June 3-4, 10am-4pm. Tours
will offer up-close views of the Chewie- and taffy-making processes, a preview
of Texas Chewie Dessert Topping, and the chance to “view nuts being enrobed in
milk chocolate,” according to Lammes sources. As long as nothing’s being
disrobed, it’s probably okay to bring the kids. – Cindy
Widner
This article appears in June 2 • 1995 and June 2 • 1995 (Cover).