Homesick Texan

2 weeks ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

A few years ago, it was declared that Dallas’s most iconic dish is strawberry butter. It cited that it had long graced tables at The Zodiac Room, a restaurant in Neiman Marcus's flagship department store downtown. For many, that was the only spot to find this creamy blend of tart berries and sweetened butter. Thirty years ago, however, strawberry butter appeared on other Dallas restaurant tables, too. For instance, in the 1990s a place called Key West offered it with zucchini . . .

1 month ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

My addiction to frozen pizza (I know…) has introduced me to a variety of pies, with some not always being the platonic ideal of the form. Fortunately, bad pizza can be easily remedied. This is how my pizza ranch dressing came into existence. The pairing of a creamy, tangy condiment with cheesy, crusty pizza is not new. While I was unable to pinpoint its exact birth, I found no formal documentation. Though my earliest experiences with dipping pizza slices into salad . . .

1 month ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

In James Michener’s epic novel Texas, he has a scene where two discuss why beans are not included in Texas chili. The characters conclude that it's because beans and beef cook at different speeds. For balance, it's better to prepare them separately. Cubed beef, such as chuck roast, can be tough cut and does indeed take longer than dried pinto beans to become tender. Perhaps the book spoke the truth. Cubed pork shoulder, however, is a less dense . . .

2 months ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

One of the ways I learned to cook was by preparing the recipes presented to me in my daily media consumption. Thirty years ago, this included reading a paper version of the New York Times every day. When I compare how I found recipes today versus 30 years ago, not much has changed. I still read newspapers, for instance. Though now this activity is usually done in front of my laptop. Back in the 1990s, the Times' Sunday magazine's food column was by Molly O’Neill.

2 months ago | homesicktexan.com | Lisa Fain

My grandma’s last meal was a bran muffin. This was apt, since eating a warm one was her favorite way to begin the day. She liked to share, and she'd offer you one whenever you visited. Whether they were fresh out of the oven or pulled from her stash in the freezer, my grandma was never without a bran muffin. Even after she retired from the kitchen, she didn't need to worry about her supply. My uncle had taken over the baking duties and would bring her a batch every week. With . . .