This Year We are Thankful for Smoked Meats

Kreuz Market
619 North Colorado Street
Lockhart, Texas

Somehow, in the midst of planning our Thanksgiving road trip, Hubby had a brilliant idea. Like most of his brilliant ideas, it involved barbecue. After spending the holiday in Hubby's hometown of Temple, we were headed to San Antonio for the annual Christmas parade. It just so happened that we could route ourselves to San Antonio by driving along the Barbecue Trail. The only question was where to stop. We pondered. We debated. We read an old Texas Monthly article from the 1970s. But, after much discussion, we decided there was only one place to go -- Kreuz Market in Lockhart.

Kreuz Market needs no introduction. Founded in 1900, Kreuz has a simple philosophy, "No Barbecue Sauce (nothing to hide), No Forks (nothing to hide), No Kidding (nothing to hide)." It's Texas barbecue at its finest and it's all about the meat.

On the day after Thanksgiving, we pulled into the Kreuz parking lot around lunch time. I exited the car and was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of smoked meat. There was a chain link fence adjacent to the restaurant protecting enormous stacks of wood. There was no doubt that we were in for a treat.

My daughter, the inexplicable 4 year old vegetarian, makes an exception for 2 meats -- brisket (her Texas heritage) and ham (her Virginia heritage). So, we were quite pleased to see brisket and smoked ham on the menu. We decided to order both as well as an order of sausage. Kreuz is like most Texas barbecue establishments. You order your meat at the counter and then take your butcher paper wrapped barnyard (along with some slices of white break and Saltines) back to your table. There's also a separate counter where you can order sides (we opted for mac n' cheese, beans, and German potato salad), fix'ns (pickles, hunks of cheese, onions), and drinks (beer, Dr Pepper, and Big Red are really the only acceptable choices in my opinion).

Our meat and fix'ns secured, we settled down at a table in the very large, airy dining room. The setting was pleasantly rustic and clean. We were all starving and we didn't waste time tucking into the barbecue. Overall, the meal was great. But, I've become a bit of a barbecue snob after many years of quality briskets smoked at home by Hubby. We didn't get the best cut of brisket and it was a bit fatty. The cut can make all the difference. I did, however, really enjoy the smoked ham and the sausage. Paired with Saltine crackers, pickles, and a big slab of cheddar, I was pretty much in heaven.

When nothing but gristle and grease-stained butcher paper remained, we wiped our hands with the paper towels provided and hit the road for San Antonio. Our first family trip to the Barbecue Trail had been a success. En route to San Antonio Hubby and I evaluated the meal and planned our next trip back to the Trail, which won't be too far in the future, I'm sure. After all, there's always time for barbecue.

Texas forever.

B is for Brick and Mortar

Melange Creperie

403 Westheimer Road, Houston

There are many momentous firsts in the life of a child -- the first steps, the first words, and, of course, the first time you take your kids to eat at a food truck. On a beautiful, warm Sunday in mid-November, I decided it was time to indoctrinate my children into the ways of urban eating. En route to Melange Creperie, I attempted to prepare my four year old daughter for the experience. I explained the concept of "brick and mortar" versus food truck (and taught her the phrase "brick and mortar" of course). I explained that there would not be seats at this restaurant. She seemed to embrace the concept and maintained she had seen something similar on the PBS show "Wild Krats." Really, pretty much everything my kid's have learned they've learned from Wild Krats.

Melange Creperie is located in the parking lot of Mangos.

We could smell the crepes almost as soon as we exited our car. The smell of butter and melted cheese wafted through the air. This was going to be good.

Melange Creperie is a small food cart located in the parking lot of Mango's in the Montrose neighborhood of Houston. A single chef prepared the crepes and took orders from his tiny stand. We arrived during a bit of a lull. He had about 4 crepe orders in front of us. As soon as we arrived, he asked our order (even though he was in the process of making other crepes). He never wrote it down. He just remembered it, which was quite impressive considering how quickly the crowd started to build. As he assembled the crepes, he engaged in pleasant conversation with all awaiting the crepes, including my kids. He seemed to have a few regular customers. I asked him if he always had a crowd, and he said it was usually pretty steady, except when the Texans were playing.

There were four primary crepe offerings on the menu: Nutella and Banana, Migas, Ham and Cheese, and Pumpkin Pie. As we waited, he also told us that there was a secret "off menu" item called the Wolverine which featured pumpkin pie filling, chocolate chips, bananas, and graham crackers. My kids ordered Nutella and a Nutella and Banana crepe. I ordered the Migas and Hubby ordered Ham and Cheese with spinach and Texas hot salsa. The crepe chef was conscious of his crepe making strategy. Since he could only make two crepes at a time, he wanted to ensure that our kid's orders were ready first. I was very impressed by how considerate he was of all of his customers. His friendly banter made the wait pass quickly.

Migas Crepe

Once my son's order was done, I walked him over to a far corner of the parking lot and sat him down on a curb. He tucked into the Nutella and Banana like he'd been eating crepes his whole life. My daughter was also thrilled to eat her Nutella crepe. Of course, she considers Nutella one of the major food groups and probably eats more Nutella than any non-European kid in the world, so perhaps this wasn't a surprise.

The Migas crepe was amazing. A layer of egg and cheese was tucked between the folded crepe. The center of the crepe was stuffed with a homemade pico style salsa and homemade tortilla chip strips provided the perfect crunch to offset the soft egg and cheese. Even my 3 year old son, loved the Migas despite the slight kick to the salsa. This kid is a Texan. Hubby was also very satisfied with his crepe and finished it quickly -- so quickly that he also had time to help my son finish his Nutella and Banana.

Our crepes finished, we thanked the chef and returned to our car. This was easily one of the best foodie experiences we've had to date in H-town, and I cannot wait to return (maybe as soon as next weekend). My only concern is that when I return to Melange Creperie, I will be craving the heavenly Migas crepe and it may not be on the menu. Oh well. First world problems.

Texas Forever.

Road Trip 2: Date Night in Austin

Longhorn located behind the University Co'op
keeping watch over a parking lot of food trucks

I wasn't sure I could recall our last date night (not true, our last night was February 22, 2014 and was ruined by the fact that I finally succumbed to the stomach virus that had been making its way around our family shortly after finishing dinner). But, since my birthday was on the horizon, Hubby and I thought it might be nice to take a trip to Austin for an overnight get away this past weekend. Having deposited the children and our crazy dog with my inlaws and BIL and SIL in Temple (thank you, thank you, thank you!) and our guinea pigs left in the care of my SIL/BIL and our nieces in Houston (thank you, thank you, thank you!), we hit the road to the Bat City on a dreary, Scottish November day.

Hubby is Austin savvy, having grown up only an hour away and also having attended the University of Texas for his graduate degree. But, the city has changed quite a bit since he lived there, and finding a good lunch spot took some time. Fortunately, Mother's Cafe is still serving great vegetarian cuisine as they have been since 1980. Mother's Cafe is sort of a Texified Moosewood Restaurant. The atmosphere is comfortable and casual. We happened to hit Saturday brunch, so there was a harpist. Seated next to the restaurant's indoor water feature and munching on chips and some pretty tasty salsa, we were very content. Hubby ordered migas and the daily pancake (mixed berry). I opted for the guacamole salad, which was limey and refreshing, and a bowl of the soup of the day, which happened to be Mexican Rice. Mother's is proof that vegetarian food need not be boring or flavorless. The Mexican Rice soup was filled with flavorful veggies which the waitress said had been marinated or roasted (depending on the veggie in question) before being added to a homemade vegetable stock. I look forward to returning to this vegetarian haven on future trips to Austin.

After lunch, we drove to the Harry Ransom Center on the UT campus to see a temporary exhibit, "Producing Gone with the Wind." If you happen to be in Austin between now and January 4, 2015, this free exhibit is well worth a visit to the Harry Ransom Center. Several original costumes were on display. The museum is also screening some of the original screen tests for the movie. And, what trip to a Gone With the Wind museum exhibit would be complete without some GWTW merchandise including coffee mugs, magnets, trivia books, and tee shirts with catch phrases from the movie. Frankly my dear...

After a quick stop by the University Co'op to pick up a few stuffed longhorns for the kiddos and a quick break at our hotel to change into dinner clothes, Hubby and I drove to South Congress to do some window shopping. We stopped by Heritage Boot to check out the impressive selection of fancy cowboy boots. I spotted a really cute pair embroidered with cacti for a mere $1250. Yes, these boots were definitely out of our price range. But, it was still fun to look and admire. We also checked out The Turquoise Door, which specializes in Native American jewelry and Latin American folk art -- think awesome Dia De Los Muertos sculptures and Mexican tin Christmas ornaments. I could have spent quite a bit of time in the Turquoise Door, but it was almost time for dinner. 

Steak Tartare at Henri's

Since it was my birthday weekend, I was given total dinner venue selection authority. I knew I didn't want anything too fancy, since we planned to go dancing after dinner. So, after a bit of research, we made reservations at Henri's. 

Henri's specializes in two of my favorite things -- cheese and wine. It's a cozy restaurant with seating space for maybe 30 people at the most (if you include the tiny bar). Each table has a little glass jar filled with Trivial Pursuit cards so that you can quiz your dining partner while you await your cheese board. Overall, the atmosphere was cozy and casual -- exactly what I wanted. Hubby and I ordered steak tartare as a starter. Really, is there anything in this world better than raw beef with a raw egg on top? I've eaten more than my share of tartare through the years, but I've not had one better than Henri's. The beef was flavorful and perfectly seasoned. We followed the tartare with a "Monger's Board." The Monger's Board is a charcuterie board. You can opt for either 2 cheese and 1 meat or 3 cheeses and 2 meats. The cheese chef will personalize your Monger's Board with your wine selection for the evening. Accouterments such as homemade mustard, dried figs, and persimmon jam round out the plate. I should have taken a photo of the board. But, Hubby and I were so focused on eating a meal and actually having an adult conversation, that it didn't occur to me to photograph the board until the next day.

The night was still young when we left Henri's. Even though I really wanted to go back to the hotel for 12 hours of uninterrupted sleep, I rallied and we headed to The Broken Spoke. The Broken Spoke is a Texas dance hall. For 50 years (it celebrated it's birthday this month), the Broken Spoke has offered great live music to enthusiastic Two Steppers. Hubby and I happened to be there on the night that The Derailers were playing (one of Hubby's favorites). The Broken Spoke is exactly as I imagined it. The building is a little shabby (parts of the ceiling are held up by plywood and the ladies' room stalls have curtains instead of doors). But, it certainly doesn't lack ambiance. We arrived early and watched the end of the nightly "dance lesson" before hitting the floor ourselves. If I do say so myself, we held our own given that we haven't actually danced in years and given that I'm not Texan. We weren't the worst dancers and we enjoyed watching the best. We didn't make it to last call (not even close), but we stayed out way past our usual bedtime.

Sunday morning started as all Sundays in Austin must, with breakfast tacos. There are so many great breakfast taco spots, but we stuck with one of Hubby's favorites, Taco Shack, home of the Shack Taco. Taco Shack has many locations, but we ate at the downtown shack, which was less of a shack and more of a restaurant in the lowest level of an office building. The menu features many different types of tacos as well as migas and burritos. But, for us, there was only one choice -- The Shack Taco. Filled with chorizo (because we hadn't had enough nitrates the night before), potatoes, eggs and cheese and served in a warm tortilla, it's hard to beat The Shack Taco. Hubby was quick to point out that Taco Shack is superior because they cook the potatoes separately from the eggs, which means that the final potato product is crispy rather than mushy. Yes, Taco Shack was the perfect ending to our perfect Austin date night. 

There's a lot to explore for a foodie couple in Austin. We only just tipped the iceberg this past weekend. But, we made notes of spots to hit on our next visit and also established a few favorites. And, hopefully our next date night won't be that far away. 

Texas Forever.

On DMV Anxiety and Becoming Officially Texan

"You don't need to be so nervous. It's just the DMV," said Hubby for at least the third time in the 35 minutes we had been waiting.

I have a pretty significant anxiety disorder. So, of course there's always a "need" to be nervous. I feel like I'm about to give a speech in front of 300 people at almost all times. But, I also have a bit of PTSD when it comes to all things DMV. So, of course I was going to be nervous. What bad DMV experiences could possibly have lead to this anxiety? Hmmm. Well there was the time I failed the eye test when I tried to pass it without glasses (thankfully, the lady gave me an immediate retest).  There was the time I didn't have my social security card and the DMV rep flat out refused to consider any other form of identification, including my birth certificate, as proof of my citizenship. There was the time that a disgruntled Maryland DMV employee decided sua sponte to give me 4 names instead of 3 when I attempted to obtain a new license after getting married, never mind that the Social Security Administration had already permitted me to drop my pre-marriage middle name. You see, at the DMV, all logic disappears at the door. It doesn't matter how poignant your arguments or how sweet your tone. The employees behind the desk are the gatekeepers and if your documentation doesn't exactly comport with the stringent DMV lists of supporting documents, that dog won't hunt.

Adding to my DMV PTSD anxiety (I'm sure that's a condition in the DSM V), was the fact that my out-of-state license was set to expire in (gulp) 9 calendar days. So, everything had to go smoothly or I would be unable to drive. Living in a town where there's no public transportation, being unable to drive is just not an option. Also, if my out-of-state license expired, I might have to retake the driver's test ... in a state that requires one to be able to [insert dramatic music here] parallel park. 

Having grown up in a state that didn't require parallel parking in order to obtain a license, I've never learned to do it. As they say in Clueless, "What's the point? Everywhere you go has valet." In my defense, I did actually attempt to learn to parallel park from my driving instructor.. Since my instructor didn't have cones in the car the night I asked to learn to parallel park, he required another student in the car to act as a cone. Shockingly, this didn't work out so well. So, I never learned to parallel park despite having lived in a pretty urban area for the past 8 years.

Sitting in the Texas DMV, I tried to calm down and remind myself that this was going to be just fine. My glasses prescription wouldn't fail me. I had every document I could possibly need to identify myself: out of state license, proof of residency, passport, birth certificate, social security card, military identification, proof of out-of-state insurance, proof of Texas insurance, my newly obtained (from a different government office) vehicle registration, and my certified marriage license. Short of providing a DNA sample, there wasn't anything else I could possibly need. I was prepared to become a Texan.

Finally, it was my turn to approach the counter. The DMV employee started asking for documentation, and I proudly provided everything requested. I passed that eye test with flying colors. I could distinguish between red and green lights (not that this was ever a concern). I only blinked once during the attempts at taking the photograph. And then, much to my delight, it was official. I was handed my...wait what? What? I don't get my actual license today. It's going to arrive in the mail in 7 days? Oh, you're given me a piece of paper to use as a temporary license...Well, okay. 

And that is how, on a rainy day in early November, I officially became a Texan. Texas forever.

Together Let Us Seek the Heights

The Heights, Houston

Having resided in Houston for almost two months, we decided we would take a Saturday to explore potential future neighborhoods. Perhaps I should actually say explore a potential future neighborhood since this particular trip was a targeted strike. Prior to moving to Houston, I started to focus on the Heights. Located inside the 610 Loop, the Heights is close to downtown H-town. It's an old neighborhood comprised of beautiful Victorian homes and, much more to my taste, adorable bungalows! So, on a beautiful November Saturday, Hubby, the kids, and I headed to the Heights to check out the neighborhood's offerings with an eye towards making the Heights our home.

We started our day with lunch at Jus Mac. At Jus Mac the menu, as you might guess, features mac n' cheese (technically, they also serve paninis and salads, but if you want a panini or a salad, why are you eating at Jus Mac?). Since our kids consider mac n' cheese to be one of their major food groups, we decided we couldn't go wrong with Jus Mac. Jus Mac offers a wide variety of gourmet mac n' cheese dishes such as Buffalo Mac and a Big Easy Mac (filled with andouille sausage). You can also create your own custom mac n' cheese by selecting from specialty cheeses, such as goat cheese, and other unusual toppings, such as a fried egg. Our kids have a minimalist mac philosophy, so they shared a serving of the basic mac. I was feeling more adventurous and opted for the Chicken Tikka Mac. Hubby had the Hamburger Mac. As soon as the waiter placed my Tikka Mac in front of me, I was immediately overwhelmed by the smell of garam masala. This was not a bad thing.

Tikka Mac

The Tikka Mac was super spicy since it featured pepper jack cheese as well as a plethora of Indian spices. It was delicious, but I couldn't eat more than a few bites before my mouth was on fire. Since Hubby ordered a large portion of the Hamburger Mac, we decided to switch dishes. The Hamburger Mac was full of ground beef, onions and creamy cheese, topped with crispy breadcrumbs. It tasted quite a bit like beef stroganoff, and was a comforting dish on a day that felt almost chilly. Overall, I enjoyed Jus Mac. I think we will probably return to try other mac varieties. 

After stuffing ourselves with mac n' cheese, we decided to drive around the Heights a bit to get a sense of the neighborhood. En route to the Love Park playground, we drove down Heights Blvd. and noticed a plethora of quarky sculpture art pieces in the median strip. Among our favorites were two large lawn chairs. We just had to get out of our car and snap some photos of the kids seated on the big chairs. Several other families were doing the same, and the chairs seemed to be the most popular of the Heights Blvd. art pieces. Once home, I researched the chairs, and learned that all of the Heights Blvd. art is part of a nine month installation known as True North by artist Gus Kopriva. Apparently, climbing on the chairs is not permitted. Oops. Good thing we didn't post any photographic evidence of that on social media...oh wait.

As the afternoon passed, we found ourselves in "need" of a snack. I pulled out my trusty "My Table" book and located the Fat Cat Creamery. This former food cart turned brick and mortar ice cream parlor serves a wide variety of small batch frozen treats utilizing local ingredients. We happened to hit Fat Cat on a day that they were featuring several fall flavors including Bourbon Pecan Pie (Hubby's choice) and Spiced Pear Sorbet (my choice). The texture of the ice cream and sorbet were both perfect. The Spiced Pear was filled with intense, not overly sweet pear flavor with a subtle hint of fall spices. Living in a city that's considered tropical, a good ice cream place is essential. I think Fat Cat Creamery will be our go-to ice cream shop in the future. Delish.

After Fat Cat, we decided to visit a few specialty shops I'd heard about in the area. We first stopped in at Penzeys Spices. Penzeys is a national chain, but I was unfamiliar with it prior to moving to Houston. The shop is entirely dedicated to selling fresh spices, dried herbs, vanillas, extracts, and fancy salts and peppers. There's an entire shelf dedicated to chili spices. Penzeys also carries a variety of specialty blends such as their zatar spice (a Middle Eastern spice blend) and the Sunny Spain spice, which is a lemon pepper blend. The entire store smells heavenly and they encourage smelling the merchandise (there are special sample jars to smell, so this is more hygienic than it sounds). The Indian spice selection is nothing short of impressive (rogan josh!). I found several great Christmas ideas and purchased a few spice blends for myself. As I stood at the checkout counter, I explained that this was my first time in the shop. An elderly patron next to me touched my shoulder and said,"Oh honey, this is just the best place." I had to agree.

Leaving Penzeys, we had time for just one more stop -- Tulips and Tutus, a children's toy and clothing boutique. This charming store is filled with lovely children's books, beautiful hair bows, and unique toys. In speaking to the cashier, I learned that all of the hair bows are made by a local Houstonian. The shop definitely keeps up with the times as they had quite a bit of space dedicated to Frozen-themed toys and activity books. I picked up a few Frozen items for stocking stuffers, including a very cute Elsa hair bow. If you have little ones in your life and you live in the Houston area, I would recommend a stop by Tulips and Tutus. 

With our two kids asleep in their car seats and our car filled with an odd combination of spices and Frozen merchandise, we headed home. It had been the perfect afternoon in the Heights. We felt at home here in this urban, hipster, retro part of Houston. There were so many restaurants to explore, so many parks to visit. This felt like it might be the perfect place to call home. We merged onto the freeway, leaving the Heights behind...for now. I think it's time to start searching those real estate sites in earnest.