Southeast Texas a Culinary Smorgasbord



From the time I was a baby I spent on my mother's hip watching her create fabulous dishes from the world over, I was bound to be a chef. Houston, Texas has a very diverse population including influences from Mexico, Louisiana, France, Italy, Greece, Asia, The Mediterranian, Africa, not to mention the old west. It was not uncommon to eat a dish influenced by different cultures every night of the week. Some of the various dishes are etouffée, sauce piquant, gumbo, fried okra, pecan-smoked shrimp, mesquite-smoked fish, pecan pie, chop suey, tender to the bone BBQ spareribs, ring of fire BBQ sauce, collard greens, green beans with ham hocks and almonds, Chappell Hill pinto beans, homemade potato salad, cracker pie, pot roast, fried chicken, whole fried turkey, boiled crawfish, tacos, enchiladas, tamales, burritos, fajitas, pico de gallo, smoked brisket, bbq'd corn on the cob, chili, just to rattle off some of my favorites.

Houston, Texas has some of the finest restaurants in the world. The fact Houston is a cultural melting pot provides for a very diverse culinary experience. The Bayou City has just about anything you want in the food department. Native Houstonians know what they like!

Through the years I have created hundreds of recipes skewed to my pallet. I do not think I have ever cooked anything without modification. The ability to modify the chemistry of a dish and the ability to foresee the outcome is the mark of a great chef. Another mark of a great chef is the ability to recognize the perfect chemistry. Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. The Japanese tempura batter recipe is a fine example of simplistic ingredients brought together for a perfect outcome. There is no need to change what is perfect.

The exposure to such a diverse culinary world tends to make for a demanding consumer. With the gulf only 50 miles away from Houston, fresh seafood is always available. Some dishes are seasonal, for example fresh soft-shelled crabs. Talk about delicious! Fried, smoked, sauteed, you name it, the only way to hurt a soft-shelled crab is to over cook it. I think I need to call my shrimper! : )

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