Texas farm & home nov 2015 by Texas Farm & Home

TEXAS FARM & HOME

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

VOLUME 6

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NUMBER 2

NOVEMBER 2015

SECTIONS

Marshall’s Wonderland of Lights

Historic Corsicana building opens doors for all to enjoy

8 Rural Ramblings 32 History & Heritage 65 Texas Travels 70 Gardening Basics

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Hop on the Historic Jefferson Railway for some Christmas cheer

IN EVERY ISSUE

Experience a Holiday celebration unlike any other in Texas

35 Dining guide 55 Cafés Across Texas 57 Gift Guide 75 Texas Events 78 Country As Cornbread

NOVEMBER 2015

Set the table for a delectable Thanksgiving Feast

ON THE COVER

The deliciously easy CaramelPecan cake.

Photo by Christina Stewart

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editor’s welcome

Christina Cutler Stewart

‘Praise God from whom all blessings flow’ Thanksgiving is nearly here, and what a wonderful

time of year it is. Even as an adult, I find something magical about the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade held in New York every year. I enjoy seeing the big balloons and all the floats, and the best part is I don’t have to be there among the millions of people calling that city home. Crowds have never been that attractive to me, and the older I get the less I want to be around large numbers of people as I have to start looking for an exit or I feel like I will not be able to breath. That’s neither here nor there, back to Thanksgiving; my daughter Claire, much like me, enjoys watching the parade, as for Sam, if it doesn’t have John Wayne in it, he doesn’t care much to see it. Even as a 2-year-old with a limited vocabulary, he will walk around the house saying, “John Wayne; John Wayne; John Wayne,” when he wants to watch something on TV — I guess he inherited that from Wayne. As for me, I am just grateful to have such a loving family. It’s easy to be thankful for things like family; a house to live in and food to eat — but what about other things? The Bible tells us to be thankful for all things, but how do we be thankful for troublesome and worrisome things life throws at us on a daily basis? Matthew Henry wrote, “We should be thankful in every condition, even in adversity as well as prosperity. It is never so bad with us but it might be worse.” There may be tough times out there, but many of them may be of our own making; some may not, but abandoning our own

wants, desires and machinations to God’s wisdom allows us to get through these problems facing us — even as great as they may seem at the time. While we may not rejoice in our sorrows, we can give thanks for them because they should bring us closer to God through prayer and supplication. We humans are finite, our understanding of the workings of the world are finite, the veil of time covers our faces so that we cannot see beyond the present — yet we have an eternal God, who says He sees the end from the beginning, a God so great He lives beyond our understanding of time and space; knowing this should be our eternal fountain of gratitude knowing the Creator of all things loves us and desires an intimate relationship with us. That is a true call for thanksgiving. So as we sit around a table adorned with gobs of food with which we are destined to stuff into our bellies, definitely give thanks for God’s provisions. We also must give thanks for a time and a place — time to worship Him and a place in which to do it. Give thanks for lessons learned, give thanks for trials that breed a closeness with God; give thanks for those we have lost and know they are spending eternity in the presence of God because of their faith in Jesus Christ — which is a far better place than a table full of food. When we respond to God with ingratitude or indifference we are telling God “is that all you got,” or we may even be telling Him, “We don’t want what you are offering, we think we can do better.” I hope every one out there has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving, and to sum up the great Doxology, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” TFH

TEXAS

FARM & HOME MANAGING EDITORS

936-687-2424

www.texasfarmandhome.com

Christina Cutler Stewart, cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com Wayne Stewart, wstewart@texasfarmandhome.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Barbara Cook, Jolene Renfro, Karon Lecompte, Lois Marie Guymer, Marilyn Jones, Randy Rollo

PROMOTIONS MANAGER/ ADVERTISING SALES

Linda Moffett, lmoffett@texasfarmandhome.com 512-966-9426

ADVERTISING SALES

DISTRIBUTION SUBSCRIPTIONS

Ansel Bradshaw, ab@texasfarmandhome.com 936-546-6707 Lacy Reed, lreed@texasfarmandhome.com 903-641-8942 Randy Rollo, rrollo@texasfarmandhome.com Wayne Stewart, wstewart@texasfarmandhome.com 936-687-2424 or Texas Farm & Home, P.O. Box 130, Grapeland TX, 75844

EDITORIAL/SALES OFFICES: 202 South Main St., Grapeland, TX 75844. TEXAS FARM & HOME is published monthly by Nicol Publishing Company L.L.C., Copyright 2014. Subscription price: $24.95 a year (12 issues). Reproduction without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited.

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NOVEMBER 2015

TALKIN’ TEXAS

Reader Mail H Reader Stories H Reader Opinions

800 MILES FROM HOME A Reader’s Letter

I enjoyed reading your editors welcome “there’s no place like home’. Born ,raised, and living in north east Texas . In 1952 I was drafted, I asked the sergeant if after training I could go home on leave. He said son your home will be where the air force sends you. After three months of training i was assigned to El Paso, Texas. Several of my fellow trainees were upset that i was assigned to my home state. I asked them how far from their home they had been assigned. One said 200 miles, one said 300 miles and one said 150 miles. I said that i would be 800 miles from my home and I have never been to El Paso before in my life. Texas is a big state. James L. Bellah Georgetown

NOT OUR FINAL HOME A Reader’s Letter

I just read your editorial in the September, 2015, Texas Farm and Home. It drew me in, sentence by sentence, as we were returning from our sixth trip to Scottsdale, AZ this year. My Brother-in-law has had medical issues, and we needed to be there. I was agreeing with your words as I read, even though we have traveled a great deal over the years. Our 7 grandchildren now live in Nashville TN, which is a 12 hour drive from Fort Worth. Then when your wonderful testimony unfolded, it was a great encouragement to me. We had come from a less than ideal situation, and your words were a reminder that, even as good as home is, this is not our final home. Thank you for your being bold in sharing your faith. May the blessings of a loving family be upon you and yours as you continue on your journey. Sincerely, Donald P. (Don) Rexer Fort Worth

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rural ramblings

Wayne Stewart

The greatest guarantee A couple of months ago

Christina wrote a column about how good it is to be home, that no matter how grand a place is you visit, the best part of the trip is always getting home. The same is true with this journey of life. For the Christian, the best part of the journey is when we finally are called to be home with Jesus. As you hopefully read in a reader letter, the reader has been travelling from Fort Worth to Scottsdale, Ariz. to visit a sick relative while also having seven grandchildren living 12 hours away in Nashville, Tenn. They said they were encouraged because Christina said the place we call home is not our final dwelling, as that is with Christ. In early October my stepfather — I just called him Pops — with whom I was very close, ended his life’s journey and now he is at home with the Lord. This is a fact I know, and for which I am grateful as it makes his passing a bit more bearable. In this life I have been blessed with four loving parents; and I also am blessed in knowing where each of them will spend eternity, and that through our faith in Jesus I will be reunited with them in glory. If life progresses as we all think it should, they will get to Jesus before I will, but of course we have no guarantees. There are no guarantees for our life, but God did make a guarantee to us; a covenant signed in His own blood that tells us He paid all the penalty for our sins and that we can sign the covenant if only we believe on Him, and in essence turn

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our life over to Him. So many don’t want to do that. I can’t but help wonder why, but Jesus told us it would be that way when in Matthew 7:14 he said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” That is heartbreaking, to know people ignore the pleadings of the Creator of the Universe, and miss out on life with Christ. It truly is sorrowful, then I stop and think of the nine men and women who recently were killed in Oregon because of their faith in Jesus Christ, killed by a man so filled with anger at God he would choose to kill others. It hurts to know people on American soil were killed because of their faith in Jesus; yet now those nine are in His presence at a special table prepared for those who lost their lives in Jesus’ name. Even in the darkest of hours there is hope in Christ Jesus. The tyrannies of this life will not break upon His eternal protection of us as He speaks out and silences the roaring waves. The worst the world can do is kill the body, but Christ Jesus has our eternal soul. Now as for that homecoming with Him, it is a promise Jesus made to His disciples, He also made that promise to us when He said in John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Over the years some have railed against my stance for Christ, but most readers have been supportive. My hope for all is they come to know Jesus, because what I am about to say, only a true Christian will understand, “Come quickly Lord Jesus. Even so, come.” Dear readers, I am sorry for the long sermon this month, but thank you for bearing with me as I tried to honor my Lord through a bit of loss and pain. TFH

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A Corsicana Relic 10

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Former grocery warehouse becomes a community entertainment destination Text by WAYNE STEWART, Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART Performance Photography courtesy CORSICANA OPRY

When Carolyn McCombs first saw the old Central Texas Grocery Supply Co. building in downtown Corsicana, she said it told her it would be perfect for an Opry-style venue — so was born the Corsicana Opry.

“This really wasn’t a dream,” McCombs explained. “It was just something that happened.” An ailing parent prompted McCombs to move back to Texas. After taking care of her Mom and helping her to recuperate, McCombs said, “I knew we had to find something to do.” One day she drove by the old grocery warehouse and saw a for sale sign. “I just had to look in the building,” McCombs recalled. “I looked in it and saw it, and said, ‘That’s an opry.’ That was two years ago.” NOVEMBER 2015

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A Corsicana Relic

ABOVE: A handmade oil derrick surrounds the staircase headed up to the second-floor balcony. RIGHT: A service area can serve people food or other refreshments during a function at the Corsican Opry. PREVIOUS PAGES: The Corsican Opryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main floor is able to seat more than 400 people for concerts or other events. It is housed in an old grocery warehouse and has been painstakingly restored by Carolyn McCombs.

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A Corsicana Relic

One of the ideas behind the Corsicana Opry was an event venue capable of featuring local talent. Now they have a venue to feature their talents, plus the Corsicana Opry also brings in big-name acts to perform for the people of Corsicana, as it recently featured country-music legend Gene Watson. The 20,000 square-foot venue also is quickly becoming a community gathering place for the people of Corsicana. Once every month the Corsicana Opry features a Dinner Show. The Dinner Show features a guest performer, performing not on stage, but nearer the audience for a more intimate setting, it also features a catered meal. A talent show is scheduled at the Opry for this month. The talent show, according to McCombs, will feature artists competing in different age groups, enabling them to have the opportunity to earn some stage experience. Also, during the spring and fall months, the Corsicana Opry plays home to Vendor Days, a vendors market where people can sell their handcrafted items in an indoor setting.

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A Corsicana Relic

“We feature more than 30 vendors selling everything from woodworking items, to candles, to jewelry and just about anything else you can imagine,” McCombs explained. For the upcoming months the Vendor

Days will be held the third Saturday in November and also the third Saturday in December from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. All of these events are held in a building more than 100 years old, located on East Fifth Avenue in down-

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town Corsicana. The old building features an ample amount of open floor space. On the main floor there is a large main stage with a barn-front background, which once served as dock doors in the old warehouse. The old building also features a balcony level where visitors can get a bird’s eye view of the old event center. A hand-made wooden oil derrick surrounds the staircase headed up to the balcony. The main floor seats more than 400 guests while the balcony can accommodate extra people. Work on the old building has been ongoing for a couple of years now, with some improvements always taking place. Along with the shows, the Corsicana Opry also serves as an event venue able to host weddings, reunions and other functions where ample space is needed. ——— To learn more about the Corsicana Opry and its upcoming events visit its website at www.corsicanaopry.com. TFH

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All aboard for 18

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Christimas NOVEMBER 2015

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RAIL OF LIGHTS &

CANDLELIGHT TOUR OF HOMES

HIGHLIGHT A HOLIDAY SEASON IN JEFFERSON

etween Thanksgiving and the New Year, a 4-mile railroad in Jefferson takes riders on a magical journey through a variety of Christmas scenes along Big Cypress Bayou along the Historic Jefferson Railway. “We invite people to come here and step back in time,” explained Melissa Moit with the Historic Jefferson Railway. “When they come here they can embrace an old fashioned Christmas in the country.” This year the train travels through 25 different Christmas scenes from around the world. “We did a lot of research to see what Christmas is like in Alaska, or Australia, and we recreate those scenes here,” Moit explained. The scenes include a Nativity scene, the German Markets, Jerusalem and the Angel Tree. Other scenes depict Santa Fe, Alaska, Russia, China and Australia. Enjoy an authentic life-sized 90-year old Christmas card as well as the post card sent by soldiers during World War II and other favorites: the aluminum tree, reminiscent of the 1960’s; a whimsical Teddy Bear tree; and Charlie Brown’s forlorn

little Christmas tree. Through each of the different scenes a narrator tells the story behind each vignette all while the train travels along the picturesque Big Cypress Bayou, connecting Jefferson with beautiful Caddo Lake. Thousands of lights line the tracks of the Historic Jefferson Railway, helping set the scene and mood for Christmas.

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“We will have the steam train back this year for the Railway of Lights,” Moit said. “It just makes it a more fun thing to do.” The train ride normally takes about 45 minutes to get through the Christmas scenes. For those who may want to ride in a bit of comfort on a cold winter evening, then Moit said there is a first-class climate controlled car available for those who do

Spend Your Holiday Season in Jefferson, Texas

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Rail of Lights

not want to sit in the elements. The narrow-gauge steam train, the Robert E. Lee, will pull the train through the countryside and visitors back in time — at least for a little while. Back at the depot, Santa Claus will be there to make an appearance for pictures and last-minute Christmas wishes for the children. There also is a patio area with Christmas scenes and movies being played. “We do all we can to get the kids in the Christmas spirit,” Moit said. The fun is not over when Christmas is over, as the train will run through New Year’s Eve, with a special event for New Year’s on Dec. 31. “We will have a fireworks display for every train ride,” Moit noted. “We even have a Civil War cannon with dragon’s breath, and when you see it fired, you know why it is called dragon’s breath.” There is more going on in Jefferson during the Christmas season than just the Historic Jefferson Railway Rail of Lights. ………………………

Christmas in Jefferson Anyone who has been to Jefferson knows it is a special and unique place. Couple that with the beauty of Christmas, and Jefferson becomes a place not to be missed. One of the Christmas traditions around Jefferson is the Candlelight Tour of Homes. this year marks the 33rd installment of this special celebration. This year the First Baptist Church of Jefferson hosts the Candlelight Christmas Concerts for 2015. The performances will feature classically trained community choirs, hand bell choirs featuring secular and gospel Christmas favorites. Performances at the church are set for Thursday, Dec. 3 and 10; and Fridays and Saturdays Dec. 4, 5, 11 and 12. Admission to the concert is free. The Candlelight Tour of Homes is set for Dec. 3-5 and Dec. 10-12. This year’s tour features classic examples of Texas Greek Revival Architecture. The houses on the tour this year include: • Eanbeorht House — located at 410 Walnut Street. The house is modern, but is built in the Reconstruction-era style of post-civil war Texas. • Dotson-King House — Built in 1863 and located on 312 North Walnut Street the original house consisted of three rooms and an outside kitchen. The house was enlarged over the decades to its current grand size. • Singleton Home — This special home is located in the old

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Spend Your Holiday Season in Jefferson, Texas

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Rail of Lights section of Jefferson at the corner of Soda and Orleans streets, was built in 1859. The house is a fine example of Texas Greek Revival architecture patterned after the 18th century Virginia houses of the cross plan. â&#x20AC;˘ LaFayette Street Vintage Car Museum (Dr. A.J. Woods Building) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; This year a downtown building has been added to the special Candlelight Tour of Homes roster. The building is located at 112 W. LaFayette St. The building was built in 1920 and has housed several prominent Jefferson businesses over the years. Today the building is home to the Vintage Car Museum. Cars in the museum are from the collection of Jimmy Moore and feature and 1923 Model T Touring Car; 1929 Model A Touring Car; 1931 Model A Roadster; 1931 Chrysler CD-8; 1933 Buick; 1936 Ford Cabriolet; 1938 Dodge Bros. Pickup Truck; 1938 Chevrolet Master Deluxe; 1939 Ford Deluxe; 1940 Buick Eight; 1940 Cadillac Fleetwood. There are plenty of other things to do in Jefferson during the Christmas holidays including the Enchanted Forest with more than 100 lighted and decorated Christmas Trees. There will be carriage rides around historic downtown Jefferson, riverboat tours, shopping opportunities, museums, gourmet restaurants, bed and breakfasts and much more. To learn more about all the things going on in Jefferson visit jeffersoncandlelight. com; VisitJeffersonTexas.com or JeffersonTexas.com. TFH

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A Winter Wonderland Marshall’s historic downtown comes alive with anticipation of Christmas

hristmas is a special time of year, and no place brings the spirit of the season alive quite like the beautiful East Texas town of Marshall.

This year marks the 29th edition of Marshall’s now famous “Wonderland of Lights” holiday event; a month-long celebration that turns historic downtown Marshall into a winter wonderland. Everything this year begins on Wednesday, Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m. when Santa Claus comes to town, with a little help from the Texas & Pacific Railroad.

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Wonderland of Lights

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“Marshall is known around the country for the wonderful holiday festivities associated with the Wonderland, and this year will not disappoint,” noted Marshall Tourism & Promotions Director Sarah O’Brien. Of course the lights always are a big draw, but there is so much more going on in this special place. Some of the special events happening in the course of the overall Wonderland of Lights celebration include the birth of a new tradition for Marshall, the first-ever Wassail Fest, held on Saturday, Nov. 28. Wassail, a spiced apple drink that serves as a Christmas drink tradition, is celebrated and served at many local shops, stores and restaurants around downtown Marshall. This special occasion also is a part of Small Business Saturday, a celebration of the backbone of the American economy. Merchants serving Wassail will be competing on the best Wassail recipe and battle for the People’s Choice award, which will be judged by shoppers and visitors. To learn more about the Wassail Fest, visit the Marshall Visitors Center website at www.marshalltexas.net. Other special events throughout the festival include the Fa La La Downtown Progressive Dinner on Dec. 1; Lighted Christmas Parade on Dec. 5, beginning at 6:30 p.m.; East Texas Baptist University’s Music of the Season at Baker Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Dec. 11; On Dec. 12 don’t miss the Second Saturday Car Show; on Dec. 18-20 take part in Cumberland Presbyterian Church’s Walk to Bethlehem at 6-8 p.m. during those nights. Also coming up is the Wonderland of Sites on Dec. 19; the Community Christmas Carol on Dec. 19; and on Dec. 26 the live reindeer photo opportunity. That’s just a sampling of all the things happening around Marshall, but the center of the celebration has been and will again be this year the historic Harrison County Courthouse, as Sarah O’Brien called it, “the shining star of the festival.” The historic Harrison County Courthouse has few rivals in the state, and is one of famed architect J. Riely Gordon’s most famous courtNOVEMBER 2015

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Wonderland of Lights For something else to do on Saturday, Dec. 12, don’t miss the Wonderland of Cars, a classic car show in downtown Marshall. The weeks before Christmas are full in Marshall, and if definitely is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

——— To learn more about all the happenings around Marshall and the Wonderland of Lights, visit the Marshall Convention and Visitors Bureau website at www.marshalltexas.net, or visit them on Facebook.

house jewels. The old courthouse is adorned with hundreds of thousands of lights. There are some new attractions around the courthouse including train rides and carousel rides for eager children. Of course there will be the traditional carriage rides, outdoor ice skating, children’s activities and the traditional stop at Santa’s Workshop. All of this will be accompanied by live music and entertainment. On the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the Wonderland of Lights take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. To help add to the tradition of the Wonderland of Lights, Sarah O’Brien explained the Downtown Development Corporation will bring back some holiday displays, giving visitors a chance to see more Christmas lights at different settings. “We are excited to partner with the Greater Marshall Chamber of Commerce to work with local neighborhoods to enhance the Wonderland of Lights driving trail this year,” O’Brien noted. A special part of the Wonderland of Lights Celebration this year is the Wonderland of Sites, set for Saturday, Dec. 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. This special event takes people on a tour of some of the historic and notable sites around Marshall, which includes the Art History and Steeple tour; Starr Family Home State Historic Site tours; tours of Bethesda Baptist Church; Historic Courthouse & Museum; the Gingko Leaf Gallery; Michelson Museum of Art; Texas & Pacific Railway Depot & Museum; and Trinity Episcopal Church. Docents at each of the special locations for the Wonderland of Sites explain the history of each location and its historic connection with Marshall. NOVEMBER 2015

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TEXAS HISTORY + HERITAGE

In the Footsteps of Legends

East Texas Park Offers a Walk Along Paths of Unique History.

here were a lot of things happening in 1690. The clarinet was invented in France; Massachusetts issued the first paper money in the American colonies; England was putting itself back together after the Glorious Revolution swept the Catholics out of the country and firmly established Parliament as the ruler of England and not the crown. Also during that year Massachusetts Puritans besieged Quebec; the planet Uranus was first seen by John Flamsteed; French physicist Denis Papin patented the first steam engine; and life was generally just getting started in what would become the colonies in the continent’s Atlantic coast. Something else was happening as well near the community of Augusta in northeast Houston County. On June 1, 1690 a few

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Franciscan priests and some Spanish soldiers made their way up from Mexico, through the virgin forests of East Texas and came upon a clearing in the woods near what came to be known as San Pedro Creek. They found their spot. Texas Parks & Wildlife Ranger Gary Coker noted, “That was the first mission established in Texas — I guess you could say that is where Texas was born.” The trail they blazed eventually came to be known as the El Camino Real, but what that small band of priests established was the first European outpost in Texas, a place known as Mission San Francisco de los Tejas, named after Saint Francis of Assisi. Even the name “Texas” is believed to have come from this small mission. The word “Tejas,” legend has it, was the area’s indigenous Indian nation’s name for friend. So, along with the help of

the Nabedache Indians, a tribe of the Caddo, Texas officially began. “Tejas is how the Spanish priests interpreted what the Caddoes said,” Mr. Coker added. The French explorer LaSalle discovered the mouth of the Mississippi River in the 1680s and claimed all the lands that drained into it for France. He left and came back some time later, but through faulty navigation he overshot where he was going by a few hundred miles and ended up in Matagorda. After trying to establish a settlement there, he decided he would head out on foot for the Mississippi River. The Spanish discovered his presence, and to stop any French expansion into what they believed to be their land west of the Sabine River the Spanish set out to settle East Texas. “I guess you could say if it wasn’t for some bad maps LaSalle had, Texas wouldn’t be what it is today,” Mr. Coker joked. Life wasn’t easy for the priests and Spanish soldiers deep inside the East Texas forest, neither was the trip from inside Mexico and across Texas on foot and by oxcart. “Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, the Spanish decided to use the trails that were already there,” Mr. Coker said. “That was how the El Camino Real was born and it eventually connected Natchitoches, La. all the way down into Mexico.” The once friendly welcome by the native population became strained as diseases brought by the missionaries and soldiers took a toll on the population. A smallpox outbreak in late 1690 and early 1691 killed an estimated 3,300 people around the mission. A drought followed later that year further hurting the Spanish efforts in the area. Three years after the mission was founded the priests and soldiers set fire to the mission and left the area in October of 1693. Another expedition returned to the area in 1716 and re-established the mission on the east side of the Neches River. Three years later it too was abandoned. It was rebuilt again in 1721 and was disbanded, never to return, in 1731. Mission San Franciso de los Tejas’ history in Houston County was brief and tumultuous, but it was critical in establishing the major artery through Texas that brought trade and eventually colonization from America into Spanish and later Mexi-

co-controlled Texas. Today, Mission Tejas State Park serves as a reminder of the importance of the original mission. El Camino Real, the old highway that brought settlers streaming into Texas from the United States, runs through Mission Tejas State Park. Signs in

the park mark the old trail and visitors can walk the same path Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin and David Crockett walked when they entered Texas. “If it’s a famous name from Texas history, then they passed through here,” Mr. Coker said. TFH

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TEXAS DINING FROM THE STATEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MOST TRUSTED CHEFS

here is no denying Texas has some unique and fantastic places to eat. Over the past couple of years Texas Farm & Homeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Randy Rollo has uncovered some of these wonderful eateries. The food is as varied as the owners and chefs putting their heart and soul into what they prepare for their customers on a daily basis. Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays are nearly upon us so the staff here at Texas Farm & Home thought it would be a great idea for some of

these restaurants to share a recipe that helps make them special or a family recipe they love and are willing to share that may not be featured in their restaurant. On the backside of each recipe is information about the restaurant providing it, this also allows the reader to cut the recipe out of the magazine and not worry about clipping out a favorite story or photograph, or just pull this whole section out of your magazine. We hope all of our readers have a happy Thanksgiving.

Crab Cakes by RiverBend Restaurant on Caddo Lake NOVEMBER 2015

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Black’s Barbecue

The Black family has been actively serving the barbecue community for over four generations, making a name for themselves since 1932 at the Black’s BBQ family-owned restaurant in Lockhart, “The barbecue capital of Texas.” Black’s offers beef brisket, pork spare ribs, smoked turkey breast, chopped beef brisket, giant beef ribs, pork bay back ribs, barbecue chicken, pork chops and homemade sausage. Black’s ships barbecue nationwide, order through the website. 10 am - 8 pm Sun-Thurs, 10 am-8:30 pm Fri-Sat

215 N. Main St. H Lockhart, TX H 512-398-2712 blacksbbq.com H facebook: Black’s BBQ

The Cork Yard restaurant

The Cork Yard is a great restaurant in Jefferson where you can relax and have a great lunch or dinner and you can also enjoy your favorite adult beverages such as wines and craft beers plus we have a full bar. Menu includes brunch, lunch & burgers, pizza, soups, salads, dinner and desserts. Live music entertainment is featured Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 11 am - 10 pm Sun-Thurs, 11am-midnight Fri-Sat, Closed Tuesday

122 East Austin Street H Jefferson, TX H 903-686-2003 www.jeffersoncorkyard.com H facebook: The Cork Yard

Ernie’s Pharm

Barbecue, Steaks and Fried Fish Ernie’s offers “Good Ol’ Home Cooking with a friendly atmosphere.” Located in the old Ernie’s Pharmacy building, the restaurant has been remodeled and is now home to one of the area’s best diners. The café features steaks, barbecue, fish, burgers and more. Visit Ernie’s as a stranger and leave as a friend. Thurs 11am - 9 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-10 pm

520 W. Commerce St. H Buffalo, TX H 903-322-2229 Find us on facebook and instagram

Farm House

One Bite and You’re Hooked Farm House is the premier family steak and seafood restaurant in Mexia. They specialize in food prepared from scratch! The menu features catfish, steaks, salads, quail, gumbo and more with something for everyone at a competitive price. Banquet and Party Rooms and Catering available. Dine in or call in your orders. 11 am- 9 pm Mon-Sat, 11 am- 3 pm Sunday

1401 E. Milam H Mexia, TX H 254-472-0512 farm-house-restaurant.com H Like us on facebook

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CORN CASSEROLE 1 Can Whole Corn (drained) 1 Can Cream Corn 1 Stick Butter 1 Beaten Egg

4 ounce Sour Cream 1 Box Jiffy Cornbread Mix Cheddar Cheese

Blend all ingredients and bake in a 2 quart casserole dish at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY BLACK’S BARBECUE (LOCKHART) - 512-398-2712

BAKED BRIE IN PUFF PASTRY Puff pastry dough 3 ounces brie cheese 1 jar Blackburns apricot jam 4 tablespoons candied pecans Cut puff pastry dough sheet in half, place 3 ounces of brie cheese in center of puff pastry dough, top with 1/4 cup of jam and 2 tablespoons of candied pecans. Draw up the corners of the puff pastry dough, pinch together 9 inches

1 apple 1 stick butter 2 ounces apricot brandy below the top edges and twist, this will make a pretty flower like shape on the top. Put in oven and bake a 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. Brie sauce - 3/4 cups Blackburn apricot jam, 1 stick butter and 1-2 ounces

apricot brandy. Melt butter add to jam and add brandy, stir til mixed. Once brie comes out of oven, top with the brie sauce, sprinkle with remaining pecans and add sliced apples to the plate. Enjoy!

RECIPE PROVIDED BY THE CORK YARD RESTAURANT (JEFFERSON) - 903-686-2003

ERNIE’S BREAD PUDDING AND BRANDIED PECAN SAUCE 15-20 yeast rolls or other bread 1 stick real butter 2 cups sugar 3 cups whole milk

1 can eagle brand milk 8 eggs 2 tbsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp..almond extract

Tear bread into bite size pieces and place in 13X9 baking dish. In separate bowl add melted butter, sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, salt and almond extract. Mix well and pour over bread in baking dish. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees. While bread is baking, melt butter in a sauce pan. Once

1/4 tsp. sat Topping: 1 stick real butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla 1/4 cup brandy 1 cup pecans pieces 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

melted add sugars and continue to cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved, then add brandy and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and pecan pieces. Pour over hot bread pudding and sprinkle with chocolate pieces if desired. Get ready for a sugar overload! Enjoy.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY ERNIE’S PHARM (BUFFALO) - 903-322-2229

HONEY GLAZED CARROTS 31/2 cups of baby carrots 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon parsley flakes kosher salt freshly ground black pepper

Place carrots in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer, covered, 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain, add butter, honey, salt and pepper to taste, and parsley. Stir to coat with honey and parsley.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY FARM HOUSE (MEXIA) - 254-472-0512

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Frank’s restaurant

Frank’s menu features over 60 dishes to choose from that are sure to please anyone including country-style luncheon specials and homemade pies and breads. Franks’ has the home cooking and combination of good food, great service, and good atmosphere that has proven to be a winner for almost 85 years. Tours and large groups are welcome, plus a gift shop is available. Open 7 days a week, 7 am- 8:30 pm

I-10 and Hwy 77 H Schulenburg, TX H 979-743-3555

Ino’z

Brew & Chew Nestled in the beautiful Hill Country village of Wimberley and overlooking Cypress Creek, Ino’z is an eatery loaded with character and full of stories. With more than 50 items on the menu, they have something for the entire family. Ino’z offers many different types of sandwiches, including Ba-chic-ado featuring bacon, chicken and avocado. Also, not to be missed is the deliciously sloppy White Queso Burger. Open 7 days a week, 11 am-9 pm and 10 pm Thurs, Fri & Sat

14004 Ranch Road 12 H Wimberley, TX 512-847-6060 H www.inozwimberley.com

JW’S Steakhouse JW’s Steakhouse features Certified Angus Beef available in several cuts including porterhouse, top sirloin and filet. The menu offers over 50 items including fresh top quality, homecooked wholesome food such as sandwiches, seafood and salads for the non-meat eaters. JW’s has lunch specials that change daily, available Tuesday through Friday. Try the Ribeye cooked on an open mesquite grill, its great flavor embodies the spirit and the taste of Texas. Tues-Thurs 11 am- 9 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am-10 pm

122 S. Haupstrasse St. H Carmine, TX 979-278-4240 H www.jw-steakhouse.com

Kreuz Market Taste real Texas barbecue at Kreuz Market born in Lockhart. The meat is cooked low and slow in signature brick pits. Kreuz Market has been serving customers the best Texas barbecue since 1900. You don’t have to live near the “Barbecue Belt” of Lockhart to enjoy Kreuz Market’s smoked meats. They ship barbecue beef, sausage, pork, and turkey by FedEx in specially designed thermal boxes. Also located at 768 N. Earl Rudder Fwy in Bryan - 979-704-6147 10:30 am - 8 pm Mon-Sun

619 N. Colorado St. H Lockhart, TX H 512-398-2361 www.kreuzmarket.com

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

HEAVENLY FROSTED SALAD 20 ounce can crushed pineapple 3 ounce package lemon jello 3 ounce package lime jello 2 cups boiling water 1 1/2 cup cold water

3 bananas, peel and chopped 1 cup chopped pecans 2 tablespoons flour 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg, well beaten

1 1/2 ounce envelope whipped topping mix 8 ounce cream cheese, softened

Drain pineapple, reserving 1/2 cup juice; set aside. Combine jello in 13x9x2 pan. Add boiling water, stir till dissolved. Stir in cold water. Add bananas, pineapple and pecans. Chill

until firm. Combine flour and sugar in medium saucepan, mix well; stir in egg and reserved pineapple juice. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened;

cool. Prepare whipped topping mix according to package directions; add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Fold in cooked mixture; spread over jello mixture. Chill.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY FRANK’S RESTAURANT (SCHULENBURG) - 979-743-3555

SWEET POTATO PIE 1/3 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 cups mashed potatoes, mashed 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs; mix well. Add milk, sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; mix well. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees; bake 3540 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. Store in refrigerator. Top with homemade whip cream or your

favorite whipped topping before serving. Yield: 6-8 servings.

1 unbaked pie shell ( 9 inch)

RECIPE PROVIDED BY INO’Z BREW & CHEW (WIMBERLEY) - 512-847-6060

CATFISH (OR CHICKEN) STEW 1/2 cup chopped bacon 1 cup chopped onion 1 (15-ounce) chopped tomatoes 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with green chilies

2 cups diced potatoes 1 cup water 1/4 cup catsup 2 tablespoons chili powder 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 chicken bouillon cube 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/4 teaspoon thyme leaves 1 pound catfish fillets or chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

Fry bacon until transparent; add onion and sauté until bacon is brown and onion is tender. Add tomatoes, tomatoes with green chilies, potatoes, water, catsup, chili powder, Worcestershire, bouillon cube, pepper and thyme. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add fish, cover and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. If using chicken, add with onions.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY JW’S STEAKHOUSE (CARMINE) - 979-278-4240

PUMPKIN ROLL

3 eggs, separated 1 cup sugar, divided 2/3 cup canned pumpkin 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda Line a 15-inch by 10-inch baking pan with waxed paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed until thick and lemoncolored. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar and pumpkin, beating on high until sugar is almost dissolved. In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into egg yolk mixture. Combine

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon salt FILLING: 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; gently fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread into prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 5 minutes. Turn cake onto a kitchen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Gently peel off waxed paper. Roll up cake in the towel jelly-roll style, starting with a short side. Cool completely on a wire rack.

softened 2 tablespoons butter, softened 1 cup confectioners’ sugar 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract Additional confectioners’ sugar, optional In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla until smooth. Unroll cake; spread filling evenly to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up again. Cover and freeze until firm. May be frozen for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before cutting. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY KREUZ MARKET (LOCKHART) - 512-398-2361

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Lakeside restaurant

The best Chicken Fried Steak in Texas can be found at Lakeside Restaurant in Madisonville. Lakeside offers daily plate lunches including dessert and a wide variety of menu items from quail to shrimp to steak. Lakeside is a great place to go for any meal and is a true classic Texas café. Visit Lakeside Restaurant for the best home cooking and friendliest service in Texas. Warm family atmosphere included Open 7 am-8:30 pm 7 days a week

2709 East Main H Madisonville, TX H 936-348-9131

mcKenzie’s Barbecue & Burgers

The McKenzie family has been in business since 1992 and they know their barbecue. Their smoking style is slow and easy, which brings out the flavor in the meat and makes for an exceptional Texas barbecue. Things to look for on the upcoming holiday menu include: turkey, cornbread dressing, turkey breast, ham, brisket, slab of ribs, pork shoulder, pork loin, vegetables and desserts. Let them do the cooking while you enjoy friends and family. A new Mckenzie’s location will be coming soon to Madisonville. 10:30 am- 8 pm Mon-Thurs, 10:30 am - 9 pm Fri & Sat, Closed Sunday

1548 11th St. H Huntsville, TX H 936-291-7347

Pazzeria By Pietro’s Pizza • Pasta • Passion

The aroma of oven fresh baked pizza, breads, pastries and pasta specialties greets you when you enter. The warm and inviting atmosphere ushers you inside…. Welcome to Pazzeria. Over 35 years ago, the Filippazzo family began a tradition of serving delicious pizza and Italian specialties, prepared only with the finest ingredients from time-honored recipes. Today, Pazzeria serves unmatched taste and quality for lunch and dinner. 11 am - 9 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am - 10 pm Fri & Sat

101 W. Austin Street H Marshall, TX 903-472-4555 H pietros.net

RiverBend

restaurant On Caddo Lake RiverBend serves up some the best food in Texas. RiverBend’s specialty is golden fried catfish served with jalapeño hushpuppies, however other menu options include steaks, frog legs, crab cakes, shrimp and alligator. In addition, they feature southern favorites, fried green tomatoes, blackened catfish with Creole crawfish sauce, and baked sweet potatoes. Wed/Thurs 5 pm-9 pm, Friday 5 pm -10 pm, Sat 11 am-10 pm, Sun noon-7 pm

211 PR 2422 H Karnack, TX H 903-679-9000

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

OREO ICEBOX DESSERT ®

1 (15-ounce) package Oreo® Cookies, crumbled 6 tablespoons butter, melted 1 package cream cheese, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar 1 large box instant chocolate pudding, prepared according to package directions

1 (16-ounce) container whipped topping

Set aside 1/4 cup crushed Oreos®. Mix remaining crushed cookies with melted butter. Press into bottom of 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Combine cream cheese and confectioners sugar, mix

well. Fold in half of the whipped topping until well combined. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crushed Oreo® layer. Chill for 20 minutes. Spread chocolate pudding over

cream cheese layer. Chill for 20 minutes. Spread remaining whipped topping over the pudding layer. Sprinkle reserved crushed cookies over the top. Chill overnight before serving.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY LAKESIDE RESTAURANT (MADISONVILLE) - 936-348-9131

MEAL IN A MILK CAN 36 ears of corn, snub the ends and leave in shuck 5 pounds potatoes, washed 15 pounds smoked sausage (use your favorite) 1 10 gallon milk can with lid (drill small hole in lid) Stand the corn end side down in the bottom of the milk can making the first layer. Add cabbage, potatoes, onions and sausage in this order. Pour in the water. Place lid on and put penny over the

4 heads of cabbage, quartered 3 onions, quartered 1 gallon water 1 penny

hole in the lid. Place over a low flame on a butane burner. Cook until penny blows off the hole, approximately 45 minutes. Your nose will let you know that it’s time to turn the fire out.

Let cool for 10-20 minutes. Pour into cooler for serving. Serves 20-25 people. Variations: Substitute seasoned chicken or pork chops for some of the sausage.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY MCKENZIE’S BARBECUE (HUNTSVILLE) - 936-291-7347

PENNE POMODORO 1 (16 ounce) package of penne pasta 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 onion, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups roma (plum) tomatoes, diced 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar crushed red pepper to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente; drain. Pour olive oil in a large deep skillet over high-heat. Saute onions and

garlic until lightly browned. Reduce heat to medium-high and add tomatoes, and vinegar; simmer for about 8 minutes. Stir in red pepper, black pepper,

basil and cooked pasta, tossing thoroughly with sauce. Simmer for about 5 more minutes and serve topped with grated cheese.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY PAZZERIA BY PIETRO’S (MARSHALL) - 903-472-4555

CRAB CAKES

1 medium red bell pepper 1 pound lump crab 1/4 cup Creole mustard 4 slices bacon, diced 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon – Louisiana hot sauce 2 stalks celery, diced 1/4 teaspoon – black pepper 1/2 teaspoon – Old Bay seasoning 1 medium green bell pepper

1/4 teaspoon – garlic powder 1 egg 3 – green onions, diced 1/4 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

Roast and char red bell pepper, sweat, peel, and dice. Fry the bacon in pan. Reserve a small amount of drippings to saute green bell pepper, celery, and green onions. Saute until tender and add red bell pepper.

Drain crab meat and pat dry. In separate bowl, combine crab and remaining ingredients. Add sautéed vegetables and mix. You may need to adjust the bread crumbs for right consistency to form.

Make patties and sear in hot greased skillet until lightly browned on both sides. Place in 425° oven for 8-10 minutes. Serve with remoulade or your favorite sauce.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY RIVERBEND RESTAURANT ON CADDO LAKE - 903-679-9000

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Riverport Bar-B-Que Riverport Bar-B-Que has been serving East Texas Since 1993 and has been named a Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Joint. On the menu are brisket, turkey, sausage, ribs and burgers. Riverport is home of the famous swamp fries. Owners are Stephen and Vanda Joseph. Tues-Thurs 11 am-6 pm, Sat 11 am-7 pm, Sun 11 am-3 pm

201 N. Polk St. H Jefferson, TX 903-665-2341 H vljoseph73@gmail.com

Smitty’s Market, Inc. Authentic Texas barbecue is what you will find at Smitty’s Market, Inc. in Lockhart. Order barbecue, hot sausage or fresh choice meats at Smitty’s. Nina Schmidt Sells established Smitty’s Market in 1999 in the building that housed her father’s Kreuz Market for more than 50 years. The market sits in the same location where barbecue has been sold in Lockhart since the turn of the last century. Smitty’s was voted “Best” Ribs, Brisket, Sausage and Meat Market of Caldwell County. Mon-Fri 7-6 pm, Sat 7-6:30 pm, Sun 9-6:30 pm

208 S. Commerce St. H Lockhart, TX H 512-398-9344

TATA’S TEX-MEX restaurant & Bar

The first thing you notice when you walk into Tata’s is the unique decorations. The food offered at Tata’s is made fresh everyday. Tata’s uses all natural fed chicken, only real gulf shrimp, and only USDA prime beef. They cook on mesquite hardwood, and you can taste the difference. Their menu has over 70 items from which you can choose, including tacos, fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, quail, ribs, and also has several salads and soups. They have one of the best kids menu around. 11 am-10 pm Mon-Thurs, 11 am-11 pm Fri and Sat, 11 am-9 pm Sun Bar open until midnight Sun-Wed and 2 am Thurs-Sat

1155 E. Loop 304 H Crockett, TX H 936-545-8282

Texas legends Steakhouse

Texas Legends offers home cooked favorites, beer, wine and bar service. They cut their own steaks and grind their own hamburger fresh on site, which gives them a distinctive signature. Almost everything is made from scratch and in small batches, such as the onion rings cut fresh daily and battered right before they are fried. Try the signature marinated sirloin, a gigantic chicken fried steak, or a Texas favorite, the tender juicy ribeye. Mon - Thurs 11 am - 9 pm, Fri & Sat 11 am - 10 pm, Closed Sunday

115 South Madison St. H Madisonville, TX 936-348-3927

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

SOUTHERN BUTTERMILK PIE 1 2/3 cups sugar 3 tablespoons flour 3 large eggs 1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup buttermilk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Dash of Nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk eggs into mixture and add remaining ingredients; add dash of nutmeg (optional) pour into an

unbaked Pastry Crust and sprinkle top lightly with nutmeg. (Optional: May also add 1 loose Tbsp. of Lemon zest and 3 Tbsp. lemon juice)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until almost set, shielding edges with aluminum foil after 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool 1 hour before serving.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY RIVERPORT BAR-B-QUE (JEFFERSON) - 903-665-2341

JOHN FULLILOVE’S RIB ROAST Pairs well with Smitty’s Market’s sausage links. 1 (3 1/4 to 4 pound) 3-bone beef rib roast Salt and cracked black pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Let the roast come to room temperature. Combine salt, pepper and cayenne and sprinkle over roast. Set up your smoker for indirect heat. Use wood chips, chunks or logs and keep up a good level of smoke. Maintain a temperature between 325 degrees and 350 degrees. (Do not char the meat!)

Smoke 2 hours, rotating it to expose all sides to heat. Cook, checking and turning every half hour, until roast reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees. Allow roast to rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serves 6 to 8 people.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY SMITTY’S MARKET, INC. (LOCKHART) - 512-398-9344

GULF SHRIMP QUESADILLAS 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 green bell pepper, sliced 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

1 lime, juiced 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, or as needed 6 large flour tortillas 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper in the hot oil, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and peppers are soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir salt, cumin, and chili powder into onion and bell peppers. Stir shrimp into onion

and bell peppers and cook until shrimp are opaque and no longer pink in the center, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir jalapeno pepper and lime juice into shrimp mixture. Heat a skillet over medium heat and brush with about 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Place a tortilla in the hot oil. Spoon about

some of shrimp filling and 1/2 cup Mexican cheese blend on one side of tortilla. Fold tortilla in half. Cook until bottom of tortilla is lightly browned, about 5 minutes; flip and cook other side until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY TATA’S TEX-MEX RESTAURANT & BAR (CROCKETT) - 936-545-8282

SHRIMP ÉTOUFFÉE 1/4 pound infused garlic butter 2 large red bell peppers 2 large green bell peppers

1 large yellow onion 1/4 stalk celery 2 tomatoes - diced 3 pounds beautiful shrimp of your liking

1 pint heavy cream 1 pint milk 1 pint water 1/2 pound butter 1 1/2 - 2 cups flour 1 Tbs. Tony Chachere’s

In a large stock pot on medium/high heat. The first objective to this dish is to keep the lid on it! Every step of this dish is to make its own stock! Cut bell peppers, on-

ions and celery in one inch chunks, sauté in infused butter until al denté. Add shrimp and cook for 8-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and reduce for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, 1 tablespoon Old Bay Seafood Seasoning, 1 tablespoon Oregano, 1 teaspoon Cayenne and 2 bay leaves Add milk, heavy cream,

Creole Seasoning 1 Tbs. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper 1 Tbs. Crushed Oregano 2 Bay Leaves water and bring to boil. Add 1/2 of Roux and turn off. Allow to thicken for 5 minutes Add extra Roux as needed to thicken as desired. Don’t forget to stir often

Roux 1/2 lb. butter 1 1/2 - 2 cups flour small skillet Cook slowly until the color of peanut butter (about an hour) - stirring often.

and be patient! It will feed 5-6 people. Serve with rice and french baguettes.

RECIPE PROVIDED BY TEXAS LEGENDS STEAKHOUSE (MADISONVILLE) - 936-348-3927 TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Sam’s Original Restaurant & BBQ

Sam’s has an extensive buffet that is always fresh and delicious. Some signature items include, country fried chicken, smoked sausage, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy. They serve fresh baked homemade bread with butter at every table. Stop by and try one of their homemade pies or reserve one today by visiting their website. Available flavors are apple, coconut cream, apple crumb, pecan, peach, pineapple, peach crumb, pineapple cream, chocolate cream, pumpkin, chocolate pecan cream, butter milk and lemon. Open 7 days a week

390 East I-45 H Fairfield, TX 903-389-SAMS H www.samsoriginal.com

BREAD PUDDING 10 Biscuits (Not canned) 1/2 gallon milk 3 cups sugar 4 eggs 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1 ounce vanilla Egg food color to suit Combine all ingredients and place in a pan prepared with food release spray. Bake in 350 degree oven approximately 45 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.

SAUCE 1 Quart Milk 1/2 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Raisins to suit Egg food color to suit

Combine all ingredients in sauce pan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Cook until desired thickness is reached. Cool slightly and pour over top of bread pudding.

SAM’S ORIGINAL BREAD 1 cup crisco 1 cup Kellogg’s all-bran 1 cup boiling water 2 packages dry yeast

1 cup warm water 2 eggs beaten 3/4 cup sugar 6 cups flour

Combine crisco, all-bran, and boiling water. Mix and set aside. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add eggs, sugar, and salt to dissolved yeast. Add All-Bran mixture. Mix and

knead into flour. Let rise 1 hour. Knead. Put into 1 small and 2 large loaf pans. Let rise again 1 hour. Bake approximately 45 minutes at 300 degrees or until done.

RECIPES PROVIDED BY SAM’S ORIGINAL RESTAURANT & BBQ (FAIRFIELD) - 903-389-SAMS NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

FARM & HOME

Thanksgiving Recipes

In All Things Give Thanks

Recipes by WAYNE STEWART Photography by CHRISTINA STEWART

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

here is no holiday that celebrates the American fascination with the abundance of food quite like Thanksgiving. Hopefully we all know the story behind it, as the Pilgrims left their homes in Europe to come here and forge a new life for themselves where they could worship God as they saw fit in a land unmarred by human hands. They struggled and with the help of some friendly Native Americans, many of them survived the first year and they held a three-day festival of Thanksgiving, giving God the glory for their endeavor. Here we are today nearly 400 years later. The holiday has changed somewhat and has turned into more of an extended holiday and a celebration of food, football and shopping; but we should look back at its roots and offer thanks to God for his provisions for another year. With that said, there are some tasty treats offered up from the Texas Farm & Home kitchen this year. What would Thanksgiving be without a turkey? Well, this year we covered a turkey in bacon then roasted it in the oven. We also put together some delicious loaded baked potatoes sure to please all the potato lovers out there. And, for everybodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favorite part we have dessert. This year we are featuring a pralineapple cake, sure to make every good Texan happy; we also offer up a classic pecan pie recipe and for those want something a bit different, a sweet potato pie and a caramel pecan cake. So from the Texas Farm & Home family, have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Bacon-baked turkey 1 medium-sized turkey 1 pound bacon 1 large onion, quartered 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and quartered Several sprigs Rosemary Grease roasting, or broiling pan. Stuff turkey with the onion, apple and Rosemary. Thoroughly coat outside of turkey with bacon strips, making sure top of turkey is covered with bacon. Bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour, remove turkey from oven and pull off bacon. Return turkey to oven and bake another hour to 1 1/2 hours, basting ever 20 to 30 minutes with melted butter or bacon drippings. Should make a beautifully browned turkey infused with the wonderful flavor of bacon.

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

On The Menu Bacon-baked Turkey Loaded Mashed Potatoes Compromise Dressing Sweet Potato Pie Traditional Pecan Pie Praline Apple Cake

It is the duty of nations as well as of men to owe their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope and genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Abraham Lincoln Thanksgiving Proclamation 1863

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

FARM & HOME

Thanksgiving Recipes 1 2 2 2

teaspoon salt eggs, beaten tablespoons corn oil cups buttermilk

Pour oil into skillet and place cast iron skillet in oven while it is heating to 450 degrees. Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal with the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the eggs and buttermilk and mix thoroughly. Remove skillet from oven and pour hot oil into cornbread mixture, stir slightly and return cornbread batter to skillet. Bake in 450-degree oven about 25 minutes.

Great Compromise Dressing (Southerners love cornbread dressing and Yankees like bread stuffing, here is a recipe that combines both.) 1 pan cornbread cooked and crumbled (see recipe below) 1 loaf French bread torn into pieces 5 cups chicken broth 2 stalks celery 1 large onion, chopped 2 tablespoons butter 3 teaspoons poultry seasoning 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper 4 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) In a large cooking pan combine the cornbread and bread pieces. Pour

chicken broth over the bread mixture and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and add chopped onion and celery. SautĂŠ over medium heat until celery is tender and onions begin to brown. Add the onions to the bread mixture, along with the poultry seasoning and salt and pepper. Add the four eggs and mix thoroughly. Pat down in pan and cut stick of butter into thin slices and dot over top of dressing. Bake in 350 degree oven about 45 minutes. If a more complete meal is needed, boil up a whole chicken, tear into pieces and add to the dressing mixture before baking.

Cornbread 2 cups cornmeal 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Loaded Mashed Potatoes 3 pounds red potatoes 1/2 cup buttermilk 1 package cream cheese, softened 1 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons dried parsley 1 teaspoon garlic salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 8 slices crispy cooked bacon, crumbled Peel and boil potatoes about 15 or 20 minutes or until soft. Drain potatoes and beat with a mixer until smooth. Add milk, cream cheese, sour cream, parsley, garlic salt and pepper. Beat at medium speed until creamy. Add salt to taste. Place into greased baking dish, top with cheddar cheese and bacon. Bake for 30 minutes covered with foil; after 30 minutes, uncover and cook another 10 minutes.

salt. Add gradually to butter and sugar mixture alternating with the buttermilk until combined. Fold in chopped pecans. In another bowl combine brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter and mix well, add in whipping cream and stir until smooth. Pour brown sugar mixture into bottom of 9-inch round cake pan. Arrange pecan halves according to your design choice. Gently pour cake batter over the pecan halves. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Using a plastic knife, run around the edges of the cake pan and then turn over to remove cake to a serving plate.

Caramel Pecan Cake 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 3 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 3.4 cup buttermilk 1 cup pecans, chopped 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup pecan halves Beat 1/2 cup butter and sugar until fluffy, add vanilla, and then eggs one at a time, beating after each egg. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

FARM & HOME

Thanksgiving Recipes

Praline Apple Cake 2 cups sugar 4 eggs 1 cup butter, softened (2 sticks) 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 cup buttermilk 3 cups thinly sliced apples

1 cup pecans, chopped Caramel Topping 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick) 1 cup sweetened condensed milk 1 teaspoon vanilla For the cake, lightly grease and flour a 13 by 9-inch baking pan. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar until

fluffy. Continue to beat, adding one egg at a time, mixing thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to butter and sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk to form a batter. Fold in apples and pecans, stirring just until mixed, do not over stir. Pour into baking pan and bake in 350-degree oven for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. For the caramel topping, combine sugars, butter and sweetened condensed milk and bring to a boil. Cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes, stir in vanilla. Pour hot topping over cake and cut into squares.

Traditional Pecan Pie This recipe makes two 9-inch pies

4 large eggs 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon flour 1 1/4 Karo syrup (light corn syrup) Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 1/2 cup pecans 2 9-inch pie crusts Beat eggs well. Mix flour with sugar and add to eggs. Add other ingredients. Pour into uncooked pie shell. Cook at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, then at 300 degrees for about 50 minutes, or until pie is firm.

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

Topping 1 egg 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1/2 teaspoon maple extract 1 cup chopped pecans Boil sweet potatoes in peeling about 45 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water then remove peeling. Place in mixing bowl and mix until smooth. Add melted butter and beat until well mixed. Continue mixing and add sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, salt and egg. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Cover edge of pie crust with foil, then bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. While pie is baking combine the egg, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, maple extract and chopped pecans. Remove pie from oven after 20 minutes, sprinkle pecan mixture on top, return to oven and bake an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. TFH

Before you go out into the world, wash your face in the clear crystal of praise. Bury each yesterday in the fine linen and spices of thankfulness . â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Charles Spurgeon

Sweet Potato Pie 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (2 medium sized tubers) 1/4 cup butter 1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg Single pie crust NOVEMBER 2015

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TFH

Cafés Across Texas

Story By Randy Rollo

RiverBend

A Beautiful View and Great Texas Cuisine

eep in east Texas near the Texas-Louisiana border, you will find Harrison County. Harrison County was created in 1839 and named after Jonas Harrison a lawyer and Texas revolutionary. Located near Caddo Lake, which is the only natural lake in the state, is the small town of Karnack. The Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, formally the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant is located in Karnack. A former First Lady of the United States, Lady Bird Johnson, was born and raised in Karnack. Visitors to this area enjoy some great views along the bayous and lake, and one of the best restaurants in Texas resides in Karnack. RiverBend Restaurant is located on the banks of Big Cypress River, which feeds, into Caddo Lake. Despite its remote location, the restaurant serves up some the best food in Texas. RiverBend Restaurant is owned and operated by Debbi and Johnny Wisdom. They bought a house, remodeled it, and opened the RiverBend Restaurant for business in 2010. RiverBend has a glass-enclosed dining room looking out onto banks of the Big Cypress Creek, an arm of Caddo Lake, it has two outdoor decks (one which is enclosed by screen), and a separate dining room for private parties. During the cold months, guests can enjoy dining close to the fireplace in the corner while viewing Big Cypress Creek and Caddo Lake. RiverBend’s specialty is golden fried catfish served with jalapeño hushpuppies, however other menu options include steaks, frog legs, crab cakes, shrimp, and alligator. In addition, they feature southern favorites like fried green tomatoes, blackened catfish with Creole crawfish sauce, and baked sweet potatoes.

TOP LEFT: Grilled red fish topped with crab meat, pico de gallo and a lemon dill cream sauce TOP RIGHT: Blackened catfish with Creole crawfish sauce ABOVE: A glass of tea glistens on the deck late in the evening as the sun begins to set.

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TFH

Cafés Across Texas

Whole catfish

Domestic catfish

RiverBend’s menu is divided into several groups I sampled catfish “From the Bayou” and redfish “from the Grill.” All items selected “From the Bayou” are served with the RiverBend setup which is beans, coleslaw, and jalapeño hush puppies. Menu items “from the Grill” are served with a salad and choice of a side. I started with the grilled redfish topped with crabmeat, pico de gallo

Debbi and Johnny Wisdom

and a lemon dill cream sauce served up on a bed of rice and it is outstanding. Next, I sampled the RiverBend Special, a blackened catfish fillet topped with Creole crawfish sauce served over a bed of rice. The RiverBend Special was very tasty and perfect for the person that wants catfish but does not like fried foods. I was then on to the house specialty, fried catfish from which I

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sampled two different types. First I tasted the Whole Catfish and it comes with the tail and is fried to perfection. Next, I tried the Domestic Catfish Fillets and I found to be the best catfish I have ever eaten. This dish was cooked to perfection, golden fried, crispy on the outside yet tender and tasty on the inside. This dish was served with beans that were fresh and flavorful, the coleslaw was the Caddo area traditional style, and the hush puppies were delicious. The hush puppies are an unusual shape that are extremely crispy and have that jalapeño flavor that kicks in a moment after you eat them. Take my word, the catfish and hush puppies at RiverBend are as good as any in Texas. RiverBend makes all of their dishes fresh everyday, everything is made from scratch and you can taste the difference. Manager Anthony Grainer does a great job of preparation and presentation. All the dishes have great visual appeal as well as outstanding taste. RiverBend offers seasonal specials that change often. Their menu has several intriguing appetizers including Alligator, Crab Cakes, and Fried Green Tomatoes. They have a children’s menu that includes chicken strips, mini corn dogs, and other favorites for the kids. If you prefer salads, they offer fresh salads with several choices of dressing. They also offer a variety of beer and wines from which you can chose. This time of the year everyone is looking for a location to have a holiday or a company party and RiverBend offers a separate room for groups. RiverBend Restaurant’s address is 211 Private Road 2422, Karnack, Texas 75661. They are open Wednesday-Friday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., Saturday’s from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., and Sunday’s hours are noon until 7 p.m. You can call RiverBend Restaurant for party reservations or for more information at (903) 679-9000. RiverBend is a destination restaurant that is definitely worth the trip, you can come by land or water to enjoy a beautiful view, savor the delicious food, and experience the outstanding ambiance that is RiverBend Restaurant on Caddo Lake. TFH

TEXAS GIFT GUIDE FROM THE STATEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MANY SMALL BUSINESSES

veryone knows about Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when, as the media might distort as a time, when every American heads to the local big box store, camps out, tramples everyone in their path just to get $20 off a $600 television. The truth, of course, is a bit different. Truthfully, some of the best gifts, the best deals and the best service and shortest lines come from all the small business retailers out there. Over the course of this countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history it has

been the small businesses out there that have proven to be the economic backbone of America. To celebrate these entrepreneurs out there head out for Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. By shopping small, the money spent in the community stays in the community. It creates jobs, saves jobs and works to improve the lives of everybody involved. Visit and shop with the businesses on the next few pages and help small town Texas in the process.

Shop local this Christmas Season by visiting Texas businesses, such as, BELLA GIFTS FROM THE HEART, located in downtown Crockett. Photo courtesy of Bella Gifts from the Heart. NOVEMBER 2015

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TEXAS GIFT GUIDE

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TEXAS GIFT GUIDE

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TEXAS

Christmas Celebrations

EMILY ANN THEATRE

TEXAS LIGHTS UP FOR CHRISTMAS

he holiday season is nearly upon us and kids and adults alike are making their lists and getting ready for Christmas — that most wonderful time of the year. Most towns have a special Christmas celebration and each is unique to the individual towns, but there are a few special ones out there everyone should know about and make a point to attend. • Heritage Village Christmas Twilight Tour — On the first Saturday in December, Dec. 5 this year, beginning at 5:30 p.m., right around dark, guests can tour Woodville’s Heritage Village by oil lamps and lanterns, and experience what Christmas was like in the late 1800s. For this special celebration natural greenery adorns the old restored buildings of the museum. Guests also get treated to cookies, hot apple cider and even a visit from Santa Claus. Live, period music is a welcome part of the festivities surrounding Christmas at Heritage Village. In a corner of Heritage Village is the old Cherokee Church. A special Christmas service will be held in the church during the Christmas Twilight Tour. Admission to the event at Heritage Village is free. • Lights of Tejas — Camp Tejas, near Giddings, puts on a brilliant display of lights every year in an ef-

fort to reinvigorate the hope of the Christmas season. The entire grounds of the camp are transformed into a Christmas wonderland. The display features more than a million lights. The light show is a ministry of Camp Tejas, to tell the world what Christmas is really about — that Christ came into the world to save the world from its sins. The lights are available for viewing on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 27-28; Friday and Saturday, Dec. 4-5; Friday through Sunday, Dec. 11-13; Friday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Dec. 18-23; and Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 26-29. Some of the activities at Lights of Tejas includes a scavenger hunt to seek out the stars; a hayride; midway games; climbing tower and zip line. Also, don’t miss the coffee lounge, enjoy cupcakes and other treats and enjoy a new indoor light show with the retelling of the true story of Christmas. To learn more about this special Christmas event, visit the Camp Tejas website at camptejas.org. • Emily Ann Theatre Trail of Lights — There is no more beautiful setting for a Christmas celebration than the Texas Hill Country, and every year the Emily Ann Theatre puts on a dazzling display for the holidays. This year’s festival begins Saturday, Nov. 28 and runs NOVEMBER 2015

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Christmas Celebrations

through Dec. 29. It is open from 6-9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and from 6-10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Some of the displays at the Trail of Lights includes the Yule Log, Christmas settings and a menorah. Volunteers from Wimberley and the surrounding area work to build the displays, hang lights and prepare the beautiful gardens of the Emily Ann. • Christmas at Old Fort Concho — See what Christmas was like on the Texas frontier at San Angelo’s Fort Concho during this three-day event set for Friday-Sunday, Dec. 4-6. This special event helps spread Christmas cheer, allows folks to do some shopping, see living history displays with plenty of live entertainment, all in keeping with the period, and other happenings to make the celebration of Christmas a bit more special. One of the major parts of this special event is the Fort Concho Winter Rendezvous. This special display features hundreds of re-enactors and period traders bring the spirit of the

pioneer days alive. Fort Concho still has many of its original buildings and they will be filled with merchants and artisans from across the Southwest. Bring the young ones to the event as there will be free crafts and activities for them, workshops and other special happenings to help them experience life at the edge of civilization. Other special events at the event include the Gingerbread House Contest and a Decorated Cookie Contest. To learn more about all the happenings at Christmas at Old Fort Concho, visit their website at www. fortconcho.com. • George Ranch Park Campfire Christmas — Come to George Ranch Park near Richmond on Friday, Dec. 11 for a Christmas celebration unlike any other. This celebration features a multi-era holiday meal, a Christmas Even log cabin, harkening the visitor back to life in Texas in 1825, all while listening to tales about the frontiers and Christmas in a young

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Texas. Afterward sit around an 1869 cowboy camp and visit with some sharecroppers and learn what life was like in post-Civil War Texas. Not to be missed is the Davis Mansion, which will be fully decorated in 1888 regalia for Christmas, to experience a true Victorian Christmas. Reservations for this event are required. Tickets for the event are $50 for adults and $45 for children and seniors. To learn more about the special events at George Ranch Park visit www.georgeranch.org. • Boerne Christmas Events — Want to get in the Christmas spirit, then head to Boerne as this special Hill Country Town has events scheduled from Thanksgiving weekend through the Christmas Holiday, sure to bring out the kid in everybody. Everything kicks off on FridaySaturday, Nov. 27-28 with Dickens on Main, as the historic downtown Boerne comes alive with horse drawn carriages, carolers and street per-

VISIT CHRISTMAS IN CROCKETT, NOVEMBER 21, 2015

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Christmas Celebrations

formers decked out in Dickensonian garb. The unique shops of Boerne provide ample shopping opportunities, which includes a Dickens Market filled with handcrafted gift items. There is plenty for the children as there will be snow, theatrical plays and a visit from Santa Claus, along with a petting zoo and train rides. That’s just the beginning as the festivities continue the following weekend with Oma’s Christmas Craft Fair. Browse through hand-made wood items, gourmet foods, clothing and wall hangings, all made by hand, just like grandma (Oma in this case) used to make. This special event is held at the Kendall County Fair Association Grounds. Also on Dec. 5 is the Weihnachts Parade — a Boerne tradition. The parade begins at 6 p.m. and travels down Frederick Street ending at River Road. It features 100 lit entries with this year’s theme being “Christmas Stories.) TFH

CHRISTMAS AT FORT CONCHO

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TEXAS TRAVELS

The Excelsior House Hotel is a Jefferson Treasure Story and Photography by MARILYN JONES

f you like history and antiques, then a tour of Excelsior House Hotel will offer you an entertaining and educational adventure when you visit Jefferson. The hotel— the oldest continuously operating hotel in the state—has been welcoming guests since the late 1850s. When I visit, I am greeted by Jenny Butler, the front desk clerk and sometimes tour guide. She expertly explains the hotel’s rich history and shows me around. The hotel “Ulysses S. Grant, Oscar features an Wilde, Rutherford B. Hayes outdoor garden and Lady Bird Johnson were all for its guests guests here,” she says as she (above) and an guides me to a long display case ornate ballroom in the lobby with hotel artifacts (right).

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TEXAS TRAVELS including hotel registries more than a century old. The room is filled with antiques including a particularly beautiful chandelier made of Vaseline glass. Built by riverboat captain William Perry, Butler explains too that the operation of the 15 guest room hotel and preservation of its contents is the responsibility of the Jesse Allen Wise Garden Club. Although improvements and modernization has been made over the history of the hotel, “every effort has been made to keep everything period style.” Next we walk into the expansive ballroom. “Sotheby’s said if this chandelier were up for auction, the opening bid would be $1.5 million,” she says pointing at an ornate light fixture hanging above a dining table before guiding me toward the Italian marble fireplace in another area of the room.

TOP: The Grant Presidential Room. ABOVE: Sotheby’s Auction House estimates the chandelier in the ball room is worth at least $1.5 million. Two pianos and lovely oil painting add to the richness of the space. Also of interest is a bird’s nest table. “One just like it is featured in the White House,” she says.

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The Excelsior House offers an entertaining and educational adventure when you visit Jefferson.

The Hayes Presidential Room.

Ornate furnishings decorate the hotel’s public rooms.

3 Decorative details fill the public rooms of the hotel. 4 The lobby chandelier is made of “Vaseline” glass.

The lobby contains remnants from the hotels storied past.

A staircase leads off the hotel lobby.

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TEXAS TRAVELS From here we head upstairs to the historic wing of the hotel to take a look at two guest rooms — the Ulysses S. Grant Room and Rutherford B. Hays Room. Along the way she shows me other antiques including a Meeks sofa from the 1850s. Butler explains that in addition to overnight guests the hotel is popular for special events including weddings. She says breakfast is the only meal served in the hotel and that reservations for guests and non-guests can be made one day in advance. All too soon my tour ends, but I linger awhile to appreciate the atmosphere and beauty of the hotel; a true treasure for Jefferson and Texas. For more information: www.theexcelsiorhouse.com. TFH

What’s Online GLOBETROTTING

TEXAN

Two Writers Hit the Minnesota and Wisconsin Roadways in Search of Adventure By Marilyn Jones What could be better than a road trip with a friend in an awesome car? Not much in my book. And so I set off to Minneapolis and Door County, Wisconsin with my friend David Walton in a 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport AWD 2.0T provided by DriveShop. I am an online and print travel journalist, and David is a blogger specializing in genealogy (www.ancestorsleuthhound.com). Our two interests and need for research is a varied mix of attractions, cemeteries and hotel reviews; interesting to say the least. David and I arrive at the airport (he from Kentucky and me from Texas) and pick up the car. Our first destination is The Com-

The Excelsior House is the longest continuously operating hotel in the state of Texas.

mons Hotel on the University of Minnesota campus. I drive and David navigates by setting the SUV’s GPS with its large screen in the center of the dash and we head down the interstate toward the heart of Minneapolis. Right away I notice as I pass someone or they pass me a light blinks on the side view mirror. If I put on my blinker and someone is beside me it makes a warning sound; an excellent safety feature. Acceleration is great, handling superb. Because of the hotel’s location, designers carry the academic theme throughout the hotel. Globes line the wall behind the reception desk, lobby seating areas resemble libraries and biology labs, chandelier globes are actually lab beakers and the rooms are decorated with plaid wallpaper and argyle carpeting. This industrial schoolhouse chic—of geek chic—is fun. During our stay I discover even more touches winking at its campus location. Another wonderful fea-

ture is its location. The METRO Green Line runs in front of the hotel. For a nominal fee you can ride to downtown St. Paul or downtown Minneapolis. Genealogy Research David writes a weekly column on cemeteries in addition to other genealogy subjects so we head for Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Established in 1939, more than 213,000 veterans and their family members are buried at this 436-acre cemetery. We respectfully drive to different locations to take photos of grave markers stretching toward the horizon. In the distance we can hear the reports of gun salutes and the haunting strains of “Amazing Grace” played by a bagpiper. We also visit Lakewood Cemetery; park-like with gently rolling hills, monuments and varying headstones, and ornate mausoleums. David wants to find the burial sites of three men. With the help of a computer kiosk and cemetery map,

we first find the final resting place of Hubert Humphrey who served as Vice President under President Lyndon B. Johnson. He was also mayor of Minneapolis and served for three terms in the U.S. Senate. Next is the mausoleum of Franklin Mars, creator of the Mars and Milky Way candy bars. The last grave is of Herbert Buckingham Khaury, better known as “Tiny Tim” and best remembered for his ukulele playing and 1968 rendition of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips.” Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Minneapolis Sculpture

Garden, an 11-acre park, opened in 1988 and has more than 40 sculptures. It is one of the country’s largest urban sculpture parks. We start with Cowles Conservatory filled with ornamental plants and sculptures including Frank Gehry’s Standing Glass Fish. Outside we head for the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry and wander through the park past other works of art. We also decide to visit the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge; more than 14,000-acres of land and water stretching nearly 70 miles along the Minnesota River.

To view full story and more photographs visit WWW.TEXASFARMANDHOME.COM

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

IF YOU GO:

Dining Opportunities in Jefferson Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club Restaurant & Bar 107 W. Austin, Jefferson, TX 75657 Phone: 903-665-7121

The Cork Yard

122 E. Austin, Jefferson, TX 75657 Phone: 903-686-2003

The Franchise

The Franchise Cajun Restaurant & Sports Bar 124 E Austin St, Jefferson, Texas Phone: (903) 665-9200

Joseph’s Riverport Barbecue

Joseph’s Riverport Barbecue 201 N. Polk St., Jefferson, TX 75657 Phone: 903-665-2341

Kitt’s Kornbread Sandwich & Pie Bar

125 N. Polk, Jefferson, TX 75657 Phone: 903-665-0505

Jefferson General Store

113 E Austin St, Jefferson, TX 75657 Phone: (903) 665-8481

Also, available:

Austin Street Bistro Bayou Bakery & Cafe Bulldog Pizza Don Juan’s Mexican Restaurant Jefferson’s Old Fashion Hamburger Store Lamache’s Italian Restaurant Memories and More Stillwater Inn Visit www.visitjeffersontexas.com or www. jefferson-texas.com for more information NOVEMBER 2015

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GARDENING BASICS

let’s get growing — tips for November

Shasta Daisies LEFT: When grown in full sun, Little Ruby alternanthera, the newest Texas Superstar selection, shows rich burgundy and green foliage. Little Ruby is related to older alternantheras, referred to as Joseph’s Coat, but grows to about a third of the height of older selections, said David Rodriguez, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for horticulture in Bexar County. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Dr. Mike Arnold RIGHT: In trials conducted by Texas A&M AgriLife horticulturists across the state, Lobularia White Stream, an alyssum, not only survived the Texas heat but was still looking fresh in August, according to Dr. Brent Pemberton, Texas A&M AgriLife Research ornamental horticulturist, Overton. (Texas A&M AgriLife Research photo by Will Roberson)

Texas Superstars Story By Barbara Cook & Jolene Renfro

Crockett Garden Club & Davy Crockett Master Gardeners

very year you Sow, Hoe, and Grow the same old things. Meanwhile the TAMU AgrilLife researchers Crossbreed, get new Seed, and offer new plants that fit your need. They call these plants Texas Superstars. Texas Superstars are plants that have been through extensive growing trials to be sure they are beautiful, productive, and tough as Texas--- taking everything the Texas climate throws at them and flourishing despite heat, lack of rain etc. They must also be easy to propagate to ensure that the plants will be widely available throughout Texas and reasonably priced as well. This year the researchers have released for your growing pleasure a hybrid alyssum, a satsuma mandarin orange and an alternanthera (commonly called Joseph’s coat). These plants have undergone years of testing at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton. Here is a description of each of these plants and why they should be part of your garden: Lobularia White Stream, a hybrid alyssum, is one of the newly crowned Superstars. Dr. Brent Pemberton, Texas A&M AgriLife Research ornamental horticulturist and head of the Texas Superstar board at Overton, is enthusiastic about the merits of White Stream alyssum. He notes that alyssum has traditionally been a cool-season plant,

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planted in the fall and winter and surviving the winter in a protected location. However, White Stream is a whole new thing, not tolerating freezing temperatures at all but, instead, surviving the August heat.

The newest Texas Superstar, Arctic Frost, is the most cold-hardy satsuma hybrid tested so far, having survived temperatures as low as 9 degrees, according to Dr. Brent Pemberton, Texas A&M AgriLife Research horticulturist. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Dr. Larry Stein)

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GARDENING BASICS

let’s get growing — tips for November

White Stream is a spreading annual that makes a great ground cover and produces its fragrant flowers all summer in the full sun. It can also be grown in large pots as a patio plant. Unlike the cool-season alyssums that are grown from seed, the heat-tolerant alyssums are vegetatively propagated

— grown from cuttings. Plant them about 1-foot apart after the last freeze and treat as you would any other bedding plant. The small plants will fill in and form a good mat in about three to four weeks. Though water use is moderate, they have limited tolerance to drought. No significant

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problems have been noted for insect or disease damage. Another good ground cover plant, Little Ruby alternanthera, part of the group of plants old-timers know as “Joseph’s Coat”, has been named a Texas Superstar according to David Rodriguez, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent for horticulture in Bexar County and member of the Texas Superstar selection board. According to Mr. Rodriguez this plant is a smaller, compact, thicker, fuller type of a seasonal ground cover than the old fashioned Joseph’s Coat. It can be planted in late winter or spring, but can also be planted throughout the summer and fall. This long planting season is one of the reasons it was selected as a Texas Superstar. Little Ruby does well both in landscapes or container, and its deep burgundy color is great to use to contrast with plants that have yellow or gold blooms. The same planting instructions given for planting alyssums apply to this plant. You should consider Little Ruby an annual, because it will freeze back to the ground unless the winter is mild. In case of a mild winter, then the gardener need only prune back the killed off plant tops and it will come back, behaving like a perennial. The third new Superstar is Artic Frost satsuma mandarin orange. It is the most cold-hardy satsuma hybrid tested so far, surviving temperatures as low as 9 degrees at the Overton test site. It produces a relatively tall tree with white flowers that give off a strong orange fragrance, followed in the late fall by fruit that is juicy, sweet and tart, nearly seedless and easy to peel. It will grow 12 feet tall in the ground or 6 feet tall in a patio container in about 5 to 6 years. If planted in the ground, protect from cold by wrapping with a frost cloth the first year or two and plant in a site protected from the north wind. So this year buy, try, and see if these superstars satisfy. Information on these new hybrids came from articles written by Robert Burns in AgriLife Today. For more information contact him at rd-burns@ tamu.edu or go to http//texassuperstar. com/. Texas Superstar is a registered trademark owned by AgriLife Research, a state agency that is part of the Texas A&M University System. TFH

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TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS EVENTS NOVEMBER

5-7 — TERLINGUA: Terlingua International Chili Championship Each year on the first Saturday of November, CASI holds the ultimate celebration of chili. The event includes cook-offs of barbecue, beans, salsa and more through the week, with the Championship Chili Cook-Off event on Saturday. Also enjoy live music, parties, a parade and games. Rancho de los CASI on F.M. 170. www.casichili.net 432/371-2595 BIG BEND COUNTRY 6 — CROCKETT: Crockett Garden Club Fall Flower Sale Held on the corner of Goliad and 7th across from First United Methodist Church of Crockett. The sale features bedding plants for fall planting and always has unique items in addition to the plants. All proceeds from the sale go to area beautification projects and to support the Plants of the Bible Garden maintained by the club. FOREST COUNTRY 6-15 — NEW BRAUNFELS: Wurstfest Join the fun at this 10day celebration to sausage and beer, which includes live music on multiple stages, dancing, a carnival and lots of German-Texan hospitality. Wurstfest Grounds, 120 Landa St. www.wurstfest.com 830/625-9167 HILL COUNTRY 7 — LAKE JACKSON: Abner Jackson Plantation Site Tour The historic archaeological site of Major Abner Jackson, the namesake of the city of Lake Jackson, was once a prosperous sugar plantation until it was destroyed by the hurricane of 1900. Discover the sugar-making process of the 1840s and how convict labor replaced slave labor during the 1870s. Abner Jackson Planation Site, Texas 332 at F.M. 2004. www.lakejacksonmuseum. org 979/297-1570 GULF COAST 7-8 — FORT WORTH: Funky Finds Holiday Shopping Experience Held at the Will Rogers

Memorial Center in Fort Worth. This free indoor event provides

shoppers with the unique opportunity to keep their home decor, fashion, and gift giving purchases on point by providing stylish, original items created by over 100 independent artists, crafters, designers, & food makers. www.funkyfinds.com/fall PRAIRIES AND LAKES 7 — NAVASOTA: Veterans Day Memorial The parade begins at 10:30 a.m. at Brosig Avenue and 10th Street. Food is served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at VFW Post 4006 located at 1575 W. Washington Ave. Barbecue plates with all the fixings are $10 each. Also at 11 a.m., an Army helicopter will land, weather permitting, at the VFW. Live music begins at noon. A silent auction also will be held with winners announced at 3 p.m. the VA2 Vets Mobile Vet Center will be in the VFW parking lot from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to help veterans with benefit queries. This special Veterans Day event helps to raise money for scholarships and youth activities. PRAIRIES AND LAKES 7-Dec. 20 — SPRING: Home for the Holidays This 35th annual festival features a spectacular display of thousands of twinkling holiday lights, entertainment, family-friendly activities and photos with Santa each Saturday and Sunday through the season. Old Town Spring. oldtownspring.com 281/353-9310. GULF COAST 8 — PALESTINE: Fall Foliage Brunch Train The first cold snap triggers the changing of the seasons in the East Texas Forest country, and nature lovers can see the year’s show on a ride through the trees on a vintage train. Tickets are required and include a meal. Departs at 10:15 a.m. and returns around 2:45 p.m. Palestine Depot. www. TexasStateRR.com 903/683-3451 FOREST COUNTRY 11 — FREDERICKSBURG: Veterans Day Observance On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, this ceremony honors all veterans of all con- flicts. Me-

morial Courtyard at the National Museum of the Pacific War. www. pacificwarmuseum.org 830/9978600 ext. 205 HILL COUNTRY 13, 14, 20-22, 27-29 — PALESTINE: Polar Express Train Ride The classic children’s tale comes to life aboard a real vintage train. Palestine Depot. www.texasstaterr.com 903/683-3451 FOREST COUNTRY 14 — CORSICANA: Junk In The Trunk This is a fun community-wide resale event in historic downtown Corsicana. Rent a parking space or two for the day and sell your “junk” from your “trunk.” Parking spaces are $20 each, with a limit of two per person. No vehicles larger than a pick-up-truck allowed. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. in downtown Corsicana. For additional information or to sign up, contact the Main Street Program at 903/654-4850 or visit www.corsicanamainstreet.org. PRAIRIES AND LAKES 14 — HENDERSON: Heritage Syrup Festival This 27th annual festival features the old-fashioned cane syrup making process using mule-driven equipment to grind sugar. Also enjoy folk artists, antique tractors, storytelling, musical entertainment and food in a village of 11 historic structures. Depot Museum and downtown, 514 N. High St. www.visithendersontx.com 866/650-5529 FOREST COUNTRY 19-21 — SEGUIN: Pecan Show and Museum Dedication See the pecans this part of Texas is famous for, along with a working farm, equipment displays and other “nutty” items. Texas Agricultural Education and Heritage Center, 390 Cordova Road. www. texagedu. org 830/379-1122 PRAIRIES AND LAKES 20 — CROCKETT: Charlie Daniels Band in Concert See this musical legend perform at the Crockett Civic Center, 1100 Edminston Dr. pwfaa.org 936/5444276 FOREST COUNTRY 20-22 — NEW BRAUNFELS: Weinachtsmarkt Browse a

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Christmas market and book fair. New Braunfels Civic and Convention Center, 375 S. Castell Ave. www.sophienburg.com 830/6252385 HILL COUNTRY 20-Jan. 1 — MARBLE FALLS: Walkway of Lights Enjoy a self-paced walk through a winter wonderland with more than 250 lighted displays on the banks of Lake Marble Falls. The walk is approximately a quar- ter-mile long and is handicap friendly. Open from 6–10 p.m. nightly, weather permitting. Santa is available for pictures on the weekends. Lakeside Park. www.walkwayoflightstx.com 830/693-2815 HILL COUNTRY 21 — BRENHAM: Holiday Home Tour and Trunk Show Heritage Belles in period costume guide guests through homes of historic or architectural note, all beautifully decorated for the holidays. Tickets required. Giddings Stone Mansion, 2203 Century Circle. www.giddingsstonemansion.com 979/836-1690 PRAIRIES AND LAKES 21 — CROCKETT: Christmas in Crockett Enjoy the Christmas spirit with more than 200 arts-and-crafts booths, children’s activities, entertainment, classic car show, a quilt show and food. Downtown, 401 E. Houston Ave. www.crockettareachamber.org

TEXAS EVENTS

is a list of festivals and happenings occurring around the state. We recommend that you call before traveling to an event to verify the time and date as sometimes dates change. If you would like to submit an event to the calendar, please send to P.O. Box 130, Grapeland, TX 75844 or e-mail to cstewart@texasfarmandhome.com. Please submit information at least two to three full months before the first of the month in which the event will take place.

TEXAS FARM & HOME

TEXAS EVENTS 936/544-2359 FOREST COUNTRY 21 — WASHINGTON: Living History Saturdays at Independence Hall Travel back in time to when a nation was born in 1836. People dressed in period clothing bring to life the residents and events of Old Washington, providing a unique opportunity to discover various aspects of life surrounding the birth of the Republic of Texas. Try writing with a quill pen and sign- ing a copy of the Texas Declaration of Independence, visiting with militia soldiers travelling through town or playing some early Texas games. Hours are 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Independence Hall at Washington on the Brazos State Park. www.wheretexasbecametexas.org 936/8782214 PRAIRIES AND LAKES 25-Dec. 31 — MARSHALL: Wonderland of Lights Tuesday through Sunday from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve. The city of Marshall invites everybody to come out and rediscover the spirit of Christmas. Enjoy and ice skating rink, carousel, Santa’s Workshop, carriage and train rides and lots of live entertainment. Several special events will be held throughout the Holiday season. Visit www.visitmarshalltexas.org or call 903/702-7777 for more information. FOREST COUNTRY

26-28 — JEFFERSON: Rail of Lights Christmas Train Enjoy a ride aboard an old-fashioned antique train and enjoy lighted vignettes along the Big Cypress Bayou while listening to the Christmas Story. Jefferson Railway. www.jeffersonrailway. com 866/398-2038 FOREST COUNTRY 28 — JOHNSON CITY: Christmas at the LBJ Boyhood Home National Park Rangers offer an open house of the historic home where President Lyndon B. Johnson grew up as it’s decked out for a 1920s-style Christmas celebration. Hours are 6–9 p.m. LBJ National Historical Park, 200 E. Elm St. www.nps.gov/lyjo 830/868-7128 HILL COUNTRY

DECEMBER

4 — CORSICANA: City of Corsicana Downtown Lighting Ceremony Thousands of holiday lights will illuminate historic Downtown Corsicana as the annual Lighting Ceremony takes place from 5 – 6:30 p.m. The public is invited for snacks, beverages, entertainment, live music, fireworks, and more, as they light up the town as well as the beautiful 40 foot Christmas tree. Downtown shops will remain open for some late shopping. Santa will also be there passing out treats. Contact the Main Street Program at (903) 654-4850 or visit www.corsciana-

Monthly Events JEWETT: Jewett Flea Market Open every month on the second Saturday weekend; Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Over 300 vendor spaces 903-536-7689 FOREST COUNTRY CROCKETT: Crockett Trade Days & Flea Market Open the first and third full weekend monthly, year round; free parking, free admission, vendors welcome, fun for the whole family; 764 Hwy 21 West. Call Mike 702-2040731 FOREST COUNTRY MADISONVILLE: Small Town Friday Night Shop & Stroll Downtown retail shops will keep their doors open until 9 p.m. on the final Friday of each month. live music, explore the unique boutique shops for clothing, jewelry, home items, gifts, plants, yard decor and more; These various shops will have special treats, sales or featured products. FOREST COUNTRY

mainstreet.org PRAIRIES AND LAKES 4, 5, 11, 12 — SALADO: 23rd Annual Performance of A Christmas Carol Adapted for the stage by Harry Sweet, this Dickens Yuletide play is sure to get anybody in the spirirt for the Lord’s birthday. Show begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and $3 for children 12 and under. Tickets are sold at the gate the night of the performance. Tickets also can be purchased in advance at www. tablerock.org or 254/947-9205. PRAIRIES AND LAKES 5 — CORSICANA: Winter Wonderland Historic Downtown Corsicana is transformed into a holiday wonderland, complete with ice skating. There will also be slides, sing-a-longs, snacks,

and more. Admission is free and skates will be provided. Located near Pocket Park, 118 N. Beaton. For more information, please contact the Main Street Program at (903) 654-4850 or visit www. corsicanamainstreet.org PRAIRIES AND LAKES 5 — ROUND TOP: Hansel and Gretel by Carranza Puppets Festival Hill Institute presents the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale followed by the annual open house. Tickets are $25 for adults and $10 for students. Visit festivalhill.org or call 979/249-3129 for more information. PRAIRIES AND LAKES 12 — FAYETTEVILLE: Country Christmas & Homes Tour Head to Fayetteville for the 19th Annual

Country Christmas & Homes Tour. Featuring kids’ activities, tours of area homes and B&B’s, entertainment, arts and crafts, exhibits, residential lighting contest, open houses, food, horse and carriage rides, beer, wine, hot and cold drinks, music, visit with Santa, a Night at the Museum, and a Pet Parade. Sponsored by Fayetteville’s Chamber of Commerce. 979/877-5290 or www.fayettevilletxchamber.org. PRAIRIES AND LAKES 12 — ROUND TOP: Festival Hill Institute presents The Nutcracker Ballet This annual event is danced by children for children of any age. Call 979/249-3129 or visit festivalhill.org for ticket information. Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students. PRAIRIES AND LAKES TFH

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

marketplace

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

COUNTRY AS CORNBREAD H By LOIS MARIE GUYMER

The flavor and feel of fall

ave you noticed there is a touch of fall in the air? I can almost feel the season changing, as Indian summer lazes into shorter days and darkness begins to lower a tad earlier each evening. Seems like just a few days ago it was daylight ’til nine, and now it’s dark at eight. Some years autumn just sort of sneaks up on a body – you go to bed one hot summer night and wake up to discover that a norther blew through while you snoozed! Fall has always been my favorite time of year, just as it was my mother’s. She and I used to love to share the joys of discovery that cooler weather brought. From the first hint of pink color to show in a sweetgum leaf to the marvelous smell of wood smoke drifting up from someone’s chimney, we reveled in it all. And I will always remember how, as a child, Mama would tell us the same stories each season until they became ingrained in our souls. Back when my mother was a girl, she and her family lived way out down a wagon-rut road on a black-land, white-rock cotton farm. Rarely did the family make a trip into town, though every couple of weeks Grandpa would saddle up their old mule and ride over to the nearby community of Maypearl for essentials they didn’t grow like tea, coffee, sugar and flour.

While there he would catch up on the news about their neighbors, collect the mail, and spend a little time swapping views on the weather and world events. Sometime in the early fall, Grandpa would return from such a trip loaded down with a huge stalk of mostly green bananas – the banana peddler had come! Being kids, Mama and her sister and brothers looked forward to this event with greedy glee, for back then exotic fruits like oranges and bananas were rare commodities they didn’t get very often. In fact, the only time they ever had bananas was in the fall. Apparently, at some point during Indian summer an industrious peddler from old Mexico would load up his wagon with stalks of barely ripe fruit, fresh off a boat, then head up through Texas peddling the produce. Every year when he came through their area, Grandpa would buy a large stalk for the family. Once home, he and Grandma would hang the heavy bulk of bananas from a hook in the corner of a back room, and everyone was welcome to help themselves as often as they liked. Due to the size of the stalk, my mother spoke of enjoying it’s bounties for quite a while. In the beginning they couldn’t wait to peel back the crisp greenish-yellow skins and savor the firm, white goodness inside. However, as

the days passed by the banana’s ripening aroma would begin to permeate the whole house. It was then that they all began to liberally partake of the bounties, knowing they wouldn’t last. To a kid who rarely got one, a really ripe banana tasted like candy from Heaven and the longer time went on, the riper they got. Hungry for this treat, most of the stalk was consumed before any of the fruit began to over-ripen, but when it did Grandma would simply stir them into cream pies and puddings. None was ever wasted, and when the stalk was finally picked clean Mama and the others breathed a heavy sigh. Sated with sweetness, everyone was content but still sorry to see the bananas end! Now-a-days, when fruit abounds all the year round, it seems strange to imagine viewing bananas as a luxury to be anticipated and appreciated. But to my mother as a child, each season held its own special flavors and as she grew older, fall was remembered as one of her favorites. Therefore, quite often on a crisp autumn day when I sit outside in the swing, I close my eyes and once more listen to her voice echoing stories from the past of how it was back then. And once in a while I even take out a banana to sample as I remember her story, sigh, and savor the flavor and feel of fall! TFH

You may purchase a copy of Mrs. Guymer’s book, Country As Cornbread, for $12. Please send payment to Lois Guymer, 362 CR 4401, Jacksonville, TX 75766 and specify for whom you’d like the book autographed.

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015

NOVEMBER 2015

TEXAS FARM & HOME

TEXAS FARM & HOME NOVEMBER 2015