Tim Byres' Favorite Cheap Eats

I always make a New Years resolution to try new spots here in town.  But given the state of my economy (just call me Greece), I can't quite afford places on the various Best New Restaurant lists.  Too many stars, too many dollars.

So I was excited to run across a feature in the November Southern Living that listed Tim Byres' favorite places for cheap eats.  Byres is the chef at Smoke, the great restaurant out in Oak Cliff (great view of the Dallas skyline, by the way) that features house-smoked meats, housemade pickles and Southern treats like pimiento cheese croquettes.  I love the place, so I trust Byres.

Here's his take on cheap eats that can't be missed:

• Edelweiss German Restaurant in Fort Worth:  Looks like I'm headed here for sausage, sauerkraut and an accordion-accompanied polka soon.  
• Wingfield's Breakfast and Burger:  I checked out the reviews on this one.  Sounds like the double cheeseburger could feed a small family.  Byres calls it a "hamburger-grease-down-your-arm, iced-tea-on-a-bench kind of meal."
• Kalachandji's: I've been there, but this reminds me to go back.  The buffet option means you can check out the vegetarian options to your heart's content.
• Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant: I've been here also, and I concur with Byres' thumbs up.  It's as authentic as you can get this side of Saigon.  The only question is which to try first...the pho or the clay pot.
• El Ranchito: We would have taken Byres' Texas card away if he hadn't included a Tex-Mex place...and I look forward to trying this one.  He suggests the Cabrito.  Sounds good to me.

What cheap eats places can you add to my list?  Post in the comments below...

A Halloween Hunting Guide....

OK...so Halloween is upon us.  That holiday where we (ok...our kids or neighbors' kids as surrogates) go out with roomy containers to collect sugar-laced, fat-filled nuggets of goodness.




But, wait, everyone is on a health kick these days, so what to do....

Cooking Light comes to the rescue with a New York magazine-style quadrant map "Halloween Treat Picker."  The bad corner maxes out on saturated fat and sugar while the opposite (what we should aspire to) section offers "healthier" options. 

The results?

Of course, my favorites are in the bad corner.  Reese's.  Twix.  M&M's.

Only a little better...3 Musketeers.  And Hershey's Miniatures.

But here are the ones you need to have your tykes set on "search"...  Laffy Taffy.  Smarties.  Tootsie Roll. Starburst.

I agree...ignore this post.

Leaves!

For most of us, it's time to get out there and see the leaves.  They are turning...it's not yet clear what kind of color show we'll get here in Texas, but I am hoping there are a few still on the branches when I head to North Carolina in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, I'm taking every opportunity to wander around the neighborhood and local parks to take a look.  Did you know there are more than 750 tree species native to North America?  If you can't figure out what you're looking at, snap a photo of a leaf with your iPhone and use the Leafsnap app to identify it.  You'll know your Shumards from your water oaks in no time at all.

Hamburger Heaven

We've been eating quite healthily lately, so a hamburger or two over the weekend's not gonna kill me, right?

And who cares if they're burgers from the two fantastic joints I've tried for the first times over the last two weeks. One here in Big D and one our west in Fort Worth.

First, the local discovery. I'd heard about Twisted Root Burger Co. for a while, but hadn't made it there yet. Located in Deep Ellum, this is a no frills kind of place. You're likely to find a line out the door, but don't give up...it's worth the wait. By the time I got to the order counter, I'd settled on a "make your own burger" with bacon, blue cheese, and Buffalo sauce. And a side of onion strings. The burger was great. Squishy bun. Beef perfectly cooked to medium. And my toppings made it a tangy, spicy smoky party for my tastebuds.

And don't miss the homemade pickles that you can scoop into little plastic cup at the counter. Delicious dills and spicy pickles as well. My favorite was a perfectly balanced bread and butter pickle. I might have to go back by to see if I can buy those to take home.

The next weekend, after a day of museums in Fort Worth, we headed to the Stockyards to check out Love Shack, chef Tim Love's similarly no-frills joint. The menu is small...with just a few choices. And have cash on hand; no credit cards accepted. I decided to have a Dirty Burger. And it did indeed make me feel deliciously dirty. (You can see it pre-chowdown in the photo above.) It's a pretty straight-ahead burger. Fresh bun, beef, bacon, tomatoes, lettuce and good ol' American cheese. There are two bonuses, however. A tangy Love sauce kicked up with curry powder. And, wait for it... a fried quail egg. While tiny, it adds a wonderful richness. The bites with it in them were even better than the ones without. Definitely worth a trip.

Ill be eating celery sticks and rice cakes all this week so I can visit one (or, heck, both of them) again VERY soon.

Farmer's Market in December

An article on locavore cooking the other day got me to thinking. What options were there at our local farmer's market during the "off" season. Sure, I hit the place weekly during the growing season to get tomatoes, squash, green beans and more. And I've been intrigued by the increasing variety of non-fruit/non-vegetable options that have begun to show up. But what about December?

So I decided to trek downtown this past weekend and see what was going on. The atmosphere was perfect for my hunt. Mid-thirties, cloudy and blustery. I knew I wasn't going to find many growing green things this time.

But I DID find a cornucopia of locally-produced items that were quite satisfying. Here's my scouting report:

• Olive oil and garlic-stuffed olives from Texas Olive Ranch. The oil is yellowy-green and viscous and puts a tickle at the back of your throat when you taste it. I can't wait to try the garlic-stuffed olives in a martini made with Tito's Vodka, another Texas find.


• Bison chili and stuffed jalapenos from Chapman Chile Kitchen, recently named one of the best new restaurants in Dallas by D Magazine. The chili (no beans, we got the mild version) has a nice heat and a bit of sweetness. The stuffed peppers, baked not fried, keep a nice crunch when you reheat them. I'm definitely going to have to head to their place for lunch soon. Can't wait to try the blue cheese bison burger.


• Wheat bread from Mennonite bakers Rosey Ridge Farms. The cinnamon rolls also looked awfully tempting.


• I usually buy my eggs from JUHA Ranch's booth, but she was out. She sent me "next door" and I bought a couple of dozen from Busy B's Market. Scrambled up Sunday morning, they were rich and the most beautiful orange-yellow you've ever seen.


• I also replenished my stock of cookies from Wackym's Kitchen. (Strangely enough, I first found these little goodies at a local car wash!) The crisp wafers come in all sorts of interesting flavors. I love the salted caramel and margarita versions for the tough of salt you get in every bite.

Lesson learned. There's still plenty to discover even when the tomatoes are long gone. As a matter of fact, it's opened my eyes up to a lot more local possibilities. I'm thinking of experimenting sometime in the spring by going completely local for a week. It's clear there's plenty out there to help me do it.

A Hatch Chile Pepper-orama

I was in Santa Fe, New Mexico a couple of weekends ago. The place has really grown on me in the last couple of years. It's a perfect place to escape Dallas heat in August...and a wonderfully relaxing place. There's not much to do except walk around and check out the stores and galleries.

Oh, and eat.

I had some delicious meals over my long weekend. Stacked enchiladas. Tapas. Pupusas. Guacamole. Posole. Chile rellenos. I came back home culinarily inspired. What perfect timing then that it was Hatch Chile Festival time at Central Market. Armed with advice from other more experienced chile heads, I set out to tame the Hatch beast.

I knew I wanted to have plenty. I had several recipes to try, plus wanted to dice some and freeze them for other uses (omelettes, casseroles, etc.) later on. The little devils are only available at this time of the year...and the Anaheims you can get year-round are poor substitutes.

Rather than pay the $25 a box to have them roasted for me, I loaded up a couple of grocery bags with about 10 pounds of peppers and went to work. Turned the gas grill on full-blast and dumped a single layer of peppers on and closed the lid. The thermometer said it was about 450° in there. I let them go for 5 or 6 minutes and then turned them. You want them to blister and blacken so that you can peel them easily.


Took them off the grill and put them in a large bowl and covered them tightly with foil. Let them steam for about 20 minutes...until they were cool enough to handle. Then went to work. Folks suggest using rubber gloves for this step, but I found that I lost to much dexterity when I put them on. I had taken my contacts out as a precaution and didn't seem to get too much chile on my hands.


Peeled the papery skin off the peppers...some more easily than others. The ones that emerged whole were set aside to become chile rellenos. Others went into a pile for slicing and dicing.


Experts say don't rinse them, but I did. I found it much easier to get last bits of peel and seeds out that way. The whole ones went onto a cookie sheet for the first freeze. (That way, they won't stick together in the bag.) Others were diced and packaged in 1/2 cup measures. (Hint: One pound of fresh peppers yields about one cup of roasted product.)


I started using them immediately. That very night, I made green chile sauce for stacked enchiladas and fried up some chile rellenos. Stay tuned for those reports in the very near future.

The Farmer's Market Rules!!!

OK...it's not quite summer here in Dallas. (Thank goodness...the humidity and 100° temperatures will come soon enough.) But it feels like it after one of my errands yesterday.

While downtown, I decided to stop by and see what early season veggies were in the farmer's shed. (Shed 1. Dallasite locavores...don't shop anywhere else.) I hit the mother lode. First and foremost, there are already East Texas tomatoes in. Both big beefy slicers and smaller heirloom types. The are sitting on a windowsill waiting to be sliced and topped with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

But that's not all....

Tiny baby beets perfect for roasting with thyme and Balsamic vinegar. Then sprinkled with good-quality goat cheese while still warm.

Turnips. I'll boil them and mash them with a little butter and salt to make my other half incredibly happy. Now, if I can just come with an interesting recipe for the greens.

Green beans that I'll simmer with bacon and chopped onion until meltingly tender. And new potatoes that will go in the green bean bath for the last hour or so of cooking.

And to gild the lily, wonderfully sweet spring red and white onions. They'll go on top of the tomatoes, in the green beans and are good enough to eat out of hand.

Also found some handmade pasta and the most wonderful farm-raised eggs. (They were perfect this morning in my Mother's Day Eggs Benedict.)

This is only the beginning. I'll be there almost every weekend. And my $20 or so will continue to yield a cornucopia of goodies. I already have my eyes on jalapeno peppers. Yellow squash. Cucumbers. And of course, more and more tomatoes.

Maybe I'll see you down there?

Sushi Etiquette

I've been eating lots of sushi these days. It's perfect as I work to lose some of this extra weight. Of course, I have to stay away from the decadently fried rolls that we Americans call sushi. And, more often than not, I'm ordering sashimi (sans rice) since I'm avoiding the dreaded "bad carbs."

So I was interested to read some tips on sushi etiquette in a recent issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I learned a few things...and it's been great conversation fodder with me and my sushi-eating companions.

• When you can, sit at the sushi bar. Get to know the sushi and become a "regular." You'll be most likely to get the best and freshest fish. And perhaps an extra treat or two along the way.
• It's OK to use your fingers for sushi or rolls. The loosely packed rice is likely to fall apart when you use chopsticks anyway. Just make sure you DO use chopsticks for sashimi.
• Don't overdo it on the soy sauce or wasabi. After all, the purpose is tasting the freshness of the fish. Nigiri sushi (with rice) has a dab of wasabi under the fish anyway.
• When you dip the sushi in the soy sauce, dip it in fish side first; the rice will soak up more soy sauce than you need. And place it in your mouth so the fish is the first thing to touch your tongue. Again, THAT's what you're there to taste.

Enjoy!

A Field Trip to the Asian Market

I love going to the grocery store. Especially when they're "exotic." Whenever I travel internationally, the grocery is one of my favorite stops. Spain for saffron and paella rice. London for curry ingredients and tea biscuits. And even "international" stops here in the U.S. like New York's or San Francisco's Chinatowns for spices and sauces. (And, of course it's important to eat the local specialties when you travel also...seafood on the shore. Steak in the Midwest. And so on.)


We, of course, have wonderful "exotic" markets here in the Dallas area. Central Market for gourmet ingredients, beautiful seafood and fresh-baked breads. And Whole Foods for all of the above and more with an even more organic slant.


But we do well with international groceries as well. There is a new Indian market in our neighborhood which I am looking forward to perusing. And I wouldn't dream of buying avocados, peppers, tortillas and other Mexican ingredients anyplace but the Fiesta down the street.


The latest on my list is the Asian World Market in Plano. With a stack of recipes like this and this and my grocery list in hand, I headed north. It was incredible...


The produce was fully stocked with a seemingly never-ending variety of bok choys. More mushrooms than at any other grocery I have seen. And Chinese long beans which I used in a delicious recipe.


And I guess it's time for me to learn to like tofu. They have scores of brands and varieties. As well as miso, the other soy-based ingredient so important in Asian cooking.


The meat and seafood section included more basic things like ground pork and shrimp, but also exotic ingredients like jellyfish. There are aisles and aisles of sauces needed for Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Korean, Japanese and Chinese cuisine. And things quite "foreign" to many of us like dried shrimp.


There are many more culinary adventures to be had after future visits. Maybe I'll run into some of you there!

Summer is Sherry Time...

I had tapas with a friend last night at Sangria's--a new tapas place here in Dallas. (For those of you in the area, it's worth a visit. Well-prepared traditional tapas in a great setting. Don't miss the wonderful scalloped potato concoction layered with Serrano ham and Manchego cheese. Decadent...)

Knowing it was a tapas evening, I had my heart (and palate) set on a bracing glass of Spanish sherry. I was unimpressed with the list though, so we had some of their quite tasty red sangria. My craving has not been fulfilled though, so I am eyeing a couple of bottles I have in my bar. Sherry will be my drink of choice soon.

I won't be drinking my favorite though. Hidalgo's La Gitana Manzanlla. It comes in a 375 ml bottle with a painting of a gypsy (gitana) on the label. Unfortunately, I can't find a wine store in the area that stocks it. I'm forced to resort to mail-order. And will be doing that soon. A well-chilled glass of that with almonds, Manchego and some Serrano ham is all I need to imagine that I'm on the Spanish shore. It is so tangily delicious that you can almost taste the salty seaside air in each sip.

I have a couple of good alternatives standing by though. Both were recently featured in Wine Spectator.

Emilio Lustau Manzanilla Jerez Papirusa Solera Reserva NV. At $14 dollars a bottle and 90 points from WS, it should be a good one. The tasting notes include aromas and flavors of olive, apple and ocean brine. If it delivers, I'll be happy. Maybe it will be an easier-to-get alternative to the La Gitana.

Bodegas Osborne Fino Jerez Pale Dry NV (87 WS, $10) I must admit I've not always been a fan of Osborne sherries; I like them tangier and drier than what they usually produce. I'm going to try this one though: notes say that it will "leave a tingling around the gums."

If you haven't had sherry in a while, try a glass soon. Well-chilled and with salty snacks, its the perfect summer sip.

Top Ten List: Dallas Farmers Market

In D magazine's June issue, they do a great job adding voice (including the wonderful Nancy Nichols') to the organic vs. local food debate. I talked about it a couple of days ago. Certainly, they (and I) would encourage you to head to the Dallas Farmers Market (although I also plan to check out the markets in Coppell and McKinney in the next several weeks) and stock up. For a twenty spot, you can buy more fruits and vegetables than your family can eat in a week. (Just make sure you're in the yellow shed and buying from stalls marked "Farmer.")

When I did my shopping last weekend, I had my D magazine in hand and hit a few (new to me)stalls they suggested in their "10 Things You Must Taste." Certainly, I already knew about the tomatoes at Carolyn and J.T Lemley's stall. They've been my go-to source for years now. (Hint: Check out the "uglies" on the concrete floor under the tables. The tomatoes stashed down there aren't perfectly photogenic, but taste just as wonderful. And they're cheap too. They're perfect to make the tomato jam recipe in this post.)

But there were other products I wasn't familiar with, including several in covered Shed 2 (which is due a makeover over the next several months; it will be converted into a space dedicated to natural, organic and farmstead products like cheeses, meat and breads). Here's my tasting report:

• Farmstead cheese from Debbie and Michael Sams' cows at Full Quiver Farm just outside of Kemp, Texas. I picked up a ball of their mozzarella. It was wonderful with (Lemley's) tomatoes and basil from my garden, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. A wonderfully clean cheese with a hint of what almost seemed like smoke. Although I hate to say it, it gave Paula Lambert's WONDERFUL mozzarella a run for its money.



• Stuffed Italian bread from Philomena Food Company. I arrived it thinking I'd buy the one with Italian sausage and caramelized onion, but simply couldn't pass up the fig, prosicutto and gorgonzola version. With a green salad and a nice fruity Zinfandel, it's destined for a summer supper here at mi casa.



• Don't miss the honey from Round Rock Honey. It's raw wildflower honey (although they do filter it, thank goodness, so there are no bee wings involved), and it's delicious. Full-flavored and rich, it's great in recipes or just drizzled on whatever you have on hand to drizzle it onto. (Quite frankly, a finger will do!)



• And regardless of where your bread is buttered...it should be buttered with the rich goodness that comes from the grass-fed cows at Wagon Creek Creamery. It's a beautiful yellow, lightly salted, and fills your mouth with the wonderfully herby taste of the grass the cows ate before milking. I've never churned butter, but I can only hope THIS is what it would taste like if I ever did.
  

And I have to go back for the spices at Kurry King. Even in their plastic bags, the wonderful aromas attacked me. And the beef, lamb and chicken from Rehoboth Ranch. Apparently, they're so popular that most of the cuts were sold out by noon on the Saturday I went.

Check it out. Hopefully, we won't be competing for the ribeyes on the day you go...

A Trip to the Mile-High City

Several weeks ago, my partner and I took a long weekend vacation and travelled to Denver, Colorado. It was a perfect time to go--warmer weather showing itself, but still plenty of snow on the mountains (and at lower altitudes too, but more on that in a minute!). There's lots to see and do (and eat and drink).

Highlights of the trip included:

• A tour of the Coors Brewery in the Denver suburb of Golden. It was an interesting look at the history and techniques of one of the world's great brews. In the tasting room, I actually discovered that I like beer better than I thought I did. But my preference was Coors Classic...much richer than it's tinnier Coors Light sibling. Also liked Blue Moon and Killian's Irish Red. Might even try some of the recipes on the Coors website for the Killian's. (Hmm...maybe a beer dinner matching beers to a variety of course is in the future.)


• A walking tour through the Capitol Hill neighborhood of downtown Denver. It was interesting to see the State Capitol with its golden dome. Had lunch at the Brown Palace Hotel. Explored the Denver Mint. And we took a tour of the historic Molly Brown House. Made us regretful that here in Dallas we don't have the same opportunity to visit a home of one of the city's great early residents and see how they lived at the turn of the century. Too bad we've lost so much of our history (especially architecturally) in this country. Maybe we can reverse that trend in the years to come.


• A great meal at Buckhorn Exchange, the oldest restaurant in Denver...and the first to get a liquor license after Prohibition. It's a steakhouse, but I had a great Colorado-inspired meal of elk, bison tenderloin and lamb. The elk had a bit of the traditional "gamy" taste that I'm not too fond of, but the bison and lamb were delicious. Bison is becoming more and more popular these days...I've even noticed it at the butcher's counter in the grocery store. I've heard it's better for you than beef. Will have to research it some more for a future post.


• But the highlight was our trip one hour south to Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak region to experience the natural glory of the Colorado terrain. We walked through the Cave of the Winds and took the cog railroad up Pikes Peak. We marveled at the beauty of the river running long the tracks, the aspen and pine trees, the huge rocks precariously balanced on top of each other and the gasp-inducing views back down the valley. When we reached the summit, it was 10 degrees with a whipping wind and heavy snow. Quite a brisk wake-up for these Texas boys. The snow "followed" us back down the mountain, so as we descended, the same beautiful terrain we had seen going up was now dusted with snow. Breathtaking.

It was a perfect "Life Should Be Beautiful" vacation. The opportunity to taste, smell, feel and history and beauty everywhere...at the dinner table, in the cocktail glass, and most importantly, in the glory of nature.

AFI DALLAS International Film Festival

Sorry that posts have been few and far between, but I've been working with the inaugural AFI DALLAS International Film Festival. Opening Weekend was wildly successful with packed houses, appearances by Hollywood royalty like Lauren Bacall and Sidney Pollack, and hoi polloi like David Lynch, Bill Paxton, and Chris Klein. Lots of wonderfully quirky movies, excellent documentaries and family films. A highlight of last night was a screening at the magnificent Meyerson Symphony Center of classic Harold Lloyd silent films with live organ accompaniment. Wow!

And there's still much more this week, including hockey movie The Rocket, the wonderful film Bella, appearances by Marvin Hamlisch and Ricki Lake and...well, check out afidallas.com for all the scoop. Sign up for their mailing list and you'll receive daily updates throughout the Festival.

See you at the movies!

SAVOR Dallas: A Wine and Food Paradise

For me and other foodie/winos in the Dallas area, this weekend is Christmas, birthday and whatever other holiday you can think of wrapped up into one. It's SAVOR Dallas time. A weekend of food and wine tasting that only comes to North Texas once a year. It's the closest thing we get to the legendary food and wine festivals in South Beach and Aspen.

I discovered it last year, and, despite an icy weekend here in Dallas, spent two days in tastings and seminars. Learned about sparkling wines from Andrea Immer, mixed cocktails with Dale DeGroff and sat in on a panel which compared (rather competitively sometimes...) Texas and California wineries. Topped it all off with an evening of wines from around the world and foods from the best chefs in Dallas at the International Grand Tasting.

This weekend is the third annual event. I've had the opportunity to get to know founder Jim White over the last several months, and he uses his longtime passion for food and wine to pack the weekend with the best of the best. Friday night will be the Wine Stroll. The opportunity to taste wines in the Arts District and Victory Park. And, excitingly, the chance to taste things from the new restaurants which are working to transform the area adjacent to American Airlines Center into our own version of Times Square.

Saturday brings a series of wine and cocktail seminars with well-known names like Doug Frost, the wine diva Christine Ansbacher and Tony Abou-Ganim. Plus the cooking demos which include gastronomic rock star Rocco DiSpirito. And the debut of Victory Park's HUMONGOUS LCD screens with a showing of Babette's Feast.

Then join me at the International Grand Tasting. A two or three football field size space filled with scores of wineries and other producers serving over five hundred wines, spirits and imported beers. Pair those sips with tastes from chefs like Kevin Maxey from Craft, Stephan Pyles and cheeses from Paula Lambert's Mozzarella Company and you've got an evening to remember. (Go ahead and reserve a room at the Hilton Anatole...you'll be in no condition to drive.)

See you this weekend as we SAVOR Dallas!

A Walk in the Woods

I love this time of year. Like spring, it's a season when things change. Here in Dallas, summer is unbearably hot and winter is unbearably boring. But at this time of year, things are in constant flux. So, I decided to take a walk over the weekend and check it out.

There is a wooded park with a nice paved path not too far from our house. Yesterday, I set out in mid-afternoon with senses attuned. I wanted to see, hear, feel and smell what was happening out in nature (or as close to it as we get in the big city). So, I tried to turn off my brain and just take it all in.

It's not been a "fiery" fall here as far as trees are concerned. There is a complicated scientific explanation for why our trees here in Texas turn beautiful colors or simply drop their dead leaves. Has to do with moisture, temperature, and the like. I'm jealous of people in other parts of the country and world who don't have to cross their fingers for the right voodoo and karma to be in place for a brilliant display. (Our recent trip to North Carolina opened my eyes--literally--to the stunning beauty that is what they call "foliage season.")

However, there is still much to see here. Crepe myrtles turned a brilliant red. Oak trees starting their transition from green to gold to maroon--in mosaic fashion depending on where the sun hits their leaves. Other trees and plants beginning, continuing, and even ending their colorful metamorphosis. The wildflowers (and weedflowers) making their final stand before a freeze shrivels them to brown. If you look carefully, you can find brilliant pinpoints of berries on vines and bushes.

And if you watch attentively, things change before your eyes. A gust of wind grabs leaves already on their way to obsolescence and send them fluttering to the ground. (It's great to hear the wind hit the leaves, then to hear the falling ones bounce through the branches and hit the ground. If you listen, you really can hear all that.)

You can also hear the crunching leaves underfoot where previously there was only grass. Every now and then, there's a rustle in the trees or on the ground. I always stop and try and see who's causing the ruckus. Usually it's a bird or a squirrel. They're sometimes hard to track but it's fun to spot them.

Try and make a minute to stop and sit down. Drill down to an even smaller level. Ants. Other bugs. Rocks. Individual leaves and plants. It's like taking in a large masterpiece and then leaning in to focus on the particular brushstrokes. The light is even different these days. The sun is lower on the horizon so the light is "flatter" and less intense. And there are fewer leaves for it to fight through, so there's more of it to enjoy.

I ended my jaunt refreshed and amazed at what is out there for us to see. Hope you'll get out on your own adventure. In a park. In your neighborhood. Or even in your back yard. Turn "off" other distractions (including that never-ending "I should be" to do list in your mind) and take in what Mother Nature has to offer. She's working hard to make our lives beautiful. We just have to take the time and effort to appreciate it.

God Save the Queen....

...and all bow (and/or curtsy) before Helen Mirren. In The Queen, now in theatres, she wears the royal mantle with aplomb. Her recent turn as Elizabeth I on HBO (If you haven't seen it, rent it!) earned her an Emmy; no doubt, the awards will come calling again for her turn as Great Britain's currently reigning monarch. I saw it yesterday and was amazed.

The film begins on the day of Tony Blair's election as Prime Minister in the summer of 1997. Soon after, "people's princess" Diana is killed in a Paris car accident and Her Majesty Elizabeth II and her Prime Minister are thrust together and their relationship formed in the unexpected aftermath of Diana's death. As history (though obviously painted in broad brushes), the film is interesting. Where it becomes truly masterful is the way it examines the relationships and lives of the individuals involved.

The Queen is a fascinating look at the day-to-day lives of the members of the longest-reigning monarchy in Europe. Certainly, it is interesting to observe their actions and reactions at this historic time, but even more compelling is the detail brought to the royals and their bizarrely mundane existence. Yes, Queen Elizabeth wears her double-strand pearl necklace and dynastic diamond brooches, but she also sports a pink robe that can only be described as "fuzzy." Prince Philip affectionately calls her "cabbage." Her Majesty drives her own battered LandRover (Prince Charles asks her at one point when she is going to get rid of the tired old thing) and brings Tupperware containers of lamb stew to a picnic lunch on the grounds of Balmoral Estate.

It is through these details that we learn more about the royal family and their relationships. In a profound way, the movie is about family. The royals are compared to the younger and populist Blair clan. The Queen, as matriarch of the empire, struggles with how to comfort her larger national family while simultaneously working to help her grandsons through the loss of their mother. Prince Charles pointedly contrasts Diana's warm physical relationship to the one he has with his own parents--a point underscored in one scene when Charles stands next to his father. Philip grumpily acknowledges his existence and promptly crosses his arms. (This is, after all, the man who works to help his grandsons grieve by organizing hunting outings for them every day in the week after Diana's death.) And the Queen Mother is an old-fashioned (almost doddering) character that the Queen still turns to when she needs advice on her royal duties from "Mummy."

The Blair family stands in contrast to the Windsors. Tony and Cheri Blair trade differing opinions and bicker affectionately while the royals unifiedly tow the party line. The palace interiors with their meticulously maintained antiques and priceless art are set against the family chaos and kids' drawings hung on refrigerators at 10 Downing Street. Ultimately, it is the intersection of these different generations and family styles in the person of the Queen and the Prime Minister that makes the film what it is. In this collision, interesting alliances are formed. A surprisingly sympathetic Prince Charles, devastated at the loss of Diana, stresses his "modernity" to the Prime Minister, and with the Queen's Private Secretary, they work subtly (and not so subtly) to convince the Queen to abandon her stoicism and connect with her people. While Blair favors the modernization of England, he also betrays his traditionalism in lashing out at staff members who fail to recognize the sacrifices Her Majesty has made for the nation.

And, it is, despite Princess Diana's very real presence in news footage, a movie about these two people. Queen Elizabeth and Tony Blair. A monarch who has reigned almost as long as the politician has been alive. Diana's death becomes the prism through which they observe and learn about each other. And both are portrayed brilliantly. Michael Sheen captures Blair's youth and optimism (at one point, he wears a rugby shirt as he speaks to Her Majesty by phone), but also his admiration for and loyalty to the Queen. He is both worthy foil and honorable opponent to the Queen's reliance on traditions which ultimately undercut her effectiveness. Remarkably, it is the damaging poll numbers he delivers that finally help to sway Elizabeth--she who maintains that she best knows the temperament of her subjects.

Helen Mirren is simply spectacular. By the time the last twenty minutes of the movie arrive and Queen Elizabeth delivers her tardy tribute to Diana on live national television, she has so assumed the character that it almost appears to be actual footage of the actual speech. Mirren captures all sides of an iconic figure and at the same time makes her flesh-and-blood. Her seemingly genuine concern for her grandsons. Her stiff upper lip in public and her private soul searching. This Queen is hardy enough to drive herself around the estate, but fragile enough to weep softly in solitude. Although the Queen serves as the ultimate symbol of the royal family, Mirren's portrayal of the woman (and her evolution into something somehow more "modern") sets her apart from the rest of the caricatures with crowns. It's a performance which dramatically shows the limits (traditional and self-imposed) that surround Elizabeth, but it is also ultimately a sympathetic portrayal that fascinates throughout the length of the movie.

It's a film not to be missed. This look at a particular week in history becomes a rich examination of the monarchy and modernity, and how families--and ultimately the individuals within them --deal with the inevitable "progress" that confronts them.

North Carolina Barbecue

I always believe the old "when in Rome" philosophy. You simply can't travel across the country (or around the world) and miss out on the chance to sample some of the local fare. I've never made it to the Far East, but have my favorite Chinese food restaurants in the Chinatowns of New York and San Francisco. (Nothing like the bland take-out most of us are forced to have at home) The best Indian food I've ever had was in Oxford, England. (India WAS of course a part of the British Empire don't you know.) And fish is always better when your table looks out the window at the ocean from which it was caught. Like the stone crab I had recently in Miami. So, while I'm here in North Carolina, I had to sample the barbecue.

Of course, depending on where you are in these United States, barbecue means very different things. Here in my home state of Texas, it's heavily-smoked brisket and ribs, with heavy tomato-based sauces slathered on top. In North Carolina, it means pork. Whole hogs (or just the pork shoulder) are slow-cooked and then "pulled" into tender strings and chunks. It's melt in your mouth moist and the smoke flavor is sweeter and less prevalent. The sauce is more vinegar-based and not nearly as thick...almost a cole slaw dressing here in Texas. Another option is a spicy mustard-based sauce. Wonderful sides of beans (again not as brown-sugary sweet as what I'm used to) and corn and spicy cornbread rounded out the meal. And, of course, sweet tea. In North Carolina, that's the standard. If you want it without sugar, better ask for it that way; otherwise, your tastebuds are in for a surprise.

The regional meal that we were treated to in Asheville was from a place called 12 Bones. It was on a list of several that I had found named "best" in the city; I had done my research on several others and had the rest of my list ready. We simply ran out of time; the barbecue marathon and comparison will have to wait for another trip. Stay tuned for that.

So, when you're traveling, get out there and sample the local cuisine. Where are you? What is the area known for? Who fixes it the best? Skip the chain restaurants and find the family-owned "dives." No trips planned soon? Then, explore your own hometown and its cultural diversity. Hit a taco stand. Have dim sum in any Asian-American neighborhoods that might be around. Whatever the destination, take a taste trip. You won't regret the adventure.

The Biltmore Estate

So, I am in Asheville, North Carolina this weekend for my brother's wedding. Of course, while I was here, I couldn't miss the biggest tourist draw in western North Carolina. The Biltmore Estate, constructed in the very last years of the 19th century by George Washington Vanderbilt, grandson of family patriarch and railroad magnate "Commodore" Vanderbilt, was then, and still is, the largest private residence in the United States.

We started our tour by driving through the gabled Lodge Gate, adjacent to the train depot that Vanderbilt had constructed to welcome his special guests and their (in many cases) private railcars. We took the winding road past ponds and plantings, with new things around every corner. This was the intent of New York's Central Parks designer Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed the Biltmore Estates gardens and landscapes as one of the last projects in his life. (He didn't even live to see it finished.)

The idea was that the anticipation for guests arriving in carriages would build as they rounded each lushly planted and wooded curve. As we drove up over a century later, the effect was much the same. We didn't see the house until the last minute and that initial view was breathtaking. A large esplanade, ringed by gravel drives, gave a great view of the house itself, reminiscent of the finest of French chateaus. As we got closer and closer, the decorations and details became more evident, including wonderful gargoyles around the roof edges and knights standing guard around the stair tower.

The interior was no less breathtaking. Still in the hands of Vanderbilt descendants, it has been preserved as it was in George Vanderbilt's day, and is still furnished as it was at the turn of the century. Textiles owned by Cardinal Richelieu. A chess table and set used by Napoleon. Countless antique tables, chairs, and decorative objects. And beautiful works of art, including paintings by Renoir, Whistler, and John Singer Sargent. (A Sargent portrait of landscape architect Olmsted was stunning, far and away my favorite piece.)

I won't get into all the details here. Not nearly enough space, and I couldn't possibly capture it in proper detail and description. It took us almost three hours to walk the house itself, including public grand rooms like the Banquet Hall with its pipe organ and 70 foot high barrel-vaulted ceiling. The separate bedrooms of the master and mistress of the castle and several of the many guestrooms made available to family and friends. Even the "working" portions of the building--servants' bedrooms and sitting areas, kitchens, pantries and storerooms. (We had lunch in a cafe in the old stables...our booth was set into one of the stalls, feeding trough still intact.) It was a fascinating look at privileged life in the Gilded Age.

And, somehow, despite its grandness, there was a warmness I didn't expect. Perhaps because it is still owned by the Vanderbilt family. Maybe because, on the very informative audio tour, there was such a emphasis placed on the day-to-day life of the aristocracy who lived there. Or even because the entire staff was just so darned friendly. I certainly was dazzled, but not put off as I expected I might be in such a grand environment. (While there, I purchased Lady on the Hill, a book on how the Vanderbilt family struggled to keep as much of the estate intact as possible and make it financially self-sufficient--something George Washington Vanderbilt never was able to do.)

After a quick tour of some of the adjacent gardens, we made the several mile drive to the Biltmore Estate winery. (In a brilliant (and commercial) move, the estate folks force visitors to drive by before they exit the estate.) And it was worth a stop. It is located in the former dairy, with wine tasting room in the former milking barn. (there has to be a joke there somewhere.) As a part of the mission of the Estate to be a financially viable operation, the Biltmore Company began producing wines (some from grapes grown on the estate) in 1985. We tasted several that were wonderful: an unoaked Chardonnay, a Reserve Chardonnay, a Sangiovese, and a red Zinfandel. Despite the fact that they couldn't ship to Texas (Curses to stupid wine laws!), we ended up with several bottles to schlep back.

All in all, a great day. And one I recommend to anyone headed to western North Carolina. It was beautiful to see the trees in full autumn splendor. And the holiday decorating already underway was clear indication that Biltmore is as glorious over the Christmas season as the stories tell. Check it out.

Friday Night Lights

I grew up here in Texas. So, I have always been familiar with the "religion" that is Texas high school football. The NBC series Friday Night Lights, has, in the last couple of weeks, given the rest of the country a peek into what it's about. In the last couple of years, I have been reintroduced first-hand to the end-of-the-week ritual that so many students, their parents, friends and neighbors go through. My brother in-law is a head football coach of a high school in town, so I've been putting on my school colors, packing up my stadium seat and joining in the fun.

There is much to take in. Of course, the game itself. Gangly kids trying to hold the line against their larger counterparts. Break-out runs that go from end zone. And, the game itself is surrounded by a circus atmosphere. Hand-painted signs with their rather aggressive spirit messages. Stomp the Patriots. Shoot down the Eagles. The cheeleaders and their (sometimes futile) attempts to get the crowd into the game. And, of course, the big half-time show. I am amazed at both the size of most marching bands these days...and at the complexity of their marching routines. With costumes for the flag corps, huge props and asymmetrical formations, it's big-time serious. So serious that a band can spend the ENTIRE season playing the same program over and over in its quest for perfection.

And of course there are the drill teams. With sequined hats and ridiculously huge crinoline-lined mini-skirts, they are an amazingly Texas creation. From the moment the officers "strut" onto the field to their final "jump splits" (which make me cringe in empathetic pain), it's great fun to watch.

So, get thee to a stadium. It's a great adventure. Find a local team and go watch. (If it's in a small town, all the better--those are the kind of games where EVERYONE in town goes. And where the stakes are even higher and the attitude even more intense.) You'll get a special bonus if you can get to a Homecoming game. You'll see the crowning of the Homecoming Queen, and, in this gender-equal world, the Homecoming King. And you can check out the back-breaking, big-as-a-plate mums that the girls wear. They can run into the hundreds of dollars and the more bells, bows and accesories, the better.

And have a hot dog or nachos while you're at it. It's a great unusual night out on the town that you won't soon forget.

The Great State Fair of Texas

I grew up here in the Dallas area, so a trip to the State Fair of Texas was a yearly tradition for my family. As I approach 40, it's still a big deal for me and I get there--no matter what--at least once during its three week run. It's been great fun over the last couple of years to introduce our niece and nephew to that same experience. My sister and I had plans on Wednesday to take my four-year-old nephew for his yearly corny dog fix. At the last minute, they couldn't make it, but I decided I couldn't miss it.

So I went by myself. That ended up being an OK thing. Gave me the chance to set my own agenda, and since I wasn't talking to anyone, I could observe and take in even more of the things around me. And the Texas State Fair is nothing if not a feast for the senses.

Obviously, there's much to see. The grounds themselves, with buildings constructed for the Texas Centennial Exposition in1936, are an Art Deco masterpiece. Fortunately, there has been wonderful restoration work done in the last several years, so the sculptures, murals and buildings themselves are more glorious than ever. It's also fun to see the amalgam of people who come to the Fair...all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages. People from every walk of life. Retirees taking their time ambling around. Young professionals playing obvious hooky from work. Families with their young children. Grown-up children like myself.

As I walked around and took in Beg Tex, the life-size butter sculpture of Marilyn Monroe, and the prize-winning jams, jellies, and pickles lined up in rows, I could hear a symphony of Texas. Country and western and mariachi bands. The thumping music of the midway rides battling with the old-fashioned calliope of the carousel. Those annoying barkers trying to get me to "try my luck" and win a stuffed Dora the Explorer the size of a farm animal.

My nose was assaulted as well. Cotton candy. Yum. The new carpet smell of the car shows. The funkiness of the livestock barns. And you must not miss the livestock barns. It's one of the main reasons the fair exists. Just like in Charlotte's Web, 4-H students from across the state still bring their cows, goats and pigs to the fair to see who can become Grand Champion. When I would go to the fair as a child, we always parked right by those barns, so it was the first thing we saw. Still today, I stop by for a few minutes and watch whatever judging is going on.

And I go by the petting zoo. After an insurance-prompted e coli scare last year, it's back. So, I went in, bought my paper cup of grain and fed the camel, the goats and the emu. And had the chance to see a lamb being born. It was amazing to stand there and watch not only this amazing thing, but also the faces of the kids around surprisedto take it in. After the big event, most people moved on, but I stayed for a while to watch the little guy take his first awkward steps.

So, there's much to see, smell and hear. But, of course, a raison d'etre for the Texas State Fair is the food. If it can be fried and/or put on a stick, it's available for a few tickets. (A couple of years ago, a group of friends I went with actually had a contest to see who could collect the most sticks.) On this trip, I, of course, started with a Fletcher's corny dog. It was just like I remembered; crunchy and lightly sweet with the tang of yeloow mustard. I also explored a couple of the new fried delicacies up for purchase. The fried macaroni and cheese was fantastic. Creamy with herbed bread crumbs and Ranch dressing to dip in. I have to figure out how to replicate it at home. I also tried the concotion deemed this year's "Most Creative" by a panel of judges: Fried Coke. It's described in the official fair guide as "smooth spheres of Coca-Cola-flavored batter that are deep fried, drizzled with pure Coke fountain syrup, topped with whipped cream, cinnamon sugar, and a cherry." So I took the plunge. The whipped cream was great and the first couple of bites of the "spheres" weren't bad; they were like slightly sweeter spice cake donuts. As I got deeper into the glass though, the Coke syrup started to make everything sickenly sweet and overly soggy. I finally gave up and bought myself a Dr Pepper to wash the taste out of my mouth. (This is Texas after all.)

So, I headed home full. Full of carbs and full of great sensory memories of a uniquely Texas experience. When I went to the Fair as a child, my siblings and I always had the chance to pick one souvenir to take home. Back then, it was a pirate flag or a ball. This year, I bypassed the inflatable unicorns and the tiara-bedecked pink cowboy hats. I was satisfied enough with what I was taking home. Get yourself out there. And don't forget your memento. Even if it's just a slight case of indigestion.