The Homesick Texan By Lisa Fain
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Today, I am reviewing a classic of sorts. I have some very special memories attached with The Homesick Texan.
This cookbook was given to me as a wedding gift back in 2011. It was like a first friend that I made after marriage. It supported me as I tried to find my way in the kitchen as a young married woman all of 21 years.
The Homesick Texan
Since then, I have owned many cookbooks, and honestly some have collected dust over time. But The Homesick Texan has more food marks on it.
Written by Lisa Fain, famed owner of the blog of the same name, the book is essentially all about rediscovering Texan cuisine. Describing her childhood, Fain talks about how she took Texan flavors for granted, and the food was just what âwe ateâ.
When she moved to New York, little did she know that the longing and love for Texan food would leave her feeling unattached and at edge. She searched for familiar ingredients that reminded her of home but in vain. Fain then decided to take matters into her own hands and went into the kitchen in an attempt to introduce the Tex-Mex cuisine to her New Yorker friends.
What resulted was, a delightful assembly of recipes created and perfected over the years that Lisa fain lived in New York.
The contents of the book are varied and diverse just like the Lone Star State itself. With over 10 sections, that includes salsas, soups, chilies, pickles, sweets and breads there is something promised for everyone in The Homesick Texan.
The book starts with a narration of how the writer landed up in New York and started a blog of the same name to document pictures, stories and recipes that she experienced while living there.The very first recipe in the book is her grandmotherâs favorite and famous, Mustard Pickles.
It is very endearing to read about how Blanche and Lisa got along, The latter learning the tips and tricks of the trade from the former. Nostalgic photographs of her grandmother's recipe cards give us a sense of realness and belonging.
How Are The Recipes?
The salad section has a signature twist on the shredded beef salad Found in El Paso, the Salpicon. As the recipes move on, you will discover tastes of Texas that we all have enjoyed growing up, re-created by Fain. There is a whole range of salsas, my preferred one-the Houston style green, a refreshing avocado and tomatillo salsa.
In the gravies section is the mouthwatering Chicken fried steak (which she admits âis a violent,messy and dangerous affairâ) served with cream gravy and the Gooey cheese Enchiladas drowning in chili gravy.
Fain makes Tacos, Posole, Chile con queso and Carnitas accessible, not shying from the intricacy of it, but turning them into something very doable. A recurring theme in her recipes is âheatâ. Chipotle, adobo, cayenne and ancho, Fain sure loves her heat. The West Texas Enchiladas that are stacked like flapjacks sure packed a punch! I loved them! There are some big pots of fiery chili made âwithoutâ beans as instructed, stewing away in the comfort of Texan homes. A Texas sheet cake with ancho chile powder?! Brave!
There are classics aslo, like the Coffee Chipotle oven brisket, Guajillo- Chile fish tacos and the Ancho cream corn. All are given a delightful new twist in The Homesick Texan. You will find plenty of pork, beef and chicken dishes made with a Tex-Mex turn. Dr. Pepper Ribs are next on my list of recipes to try out! Tomato Cobbler, you have my attention too!
What About The Desserts In Homesick Texan?
The sweet endings have me craving each time I go through the book. The Coconut tres leches cake is my all-time favorite. Lisa Fainâs take on Mexican Chocolate Chewies makes them even more tempting! The Sweet Potato Muffins promise flavors of fall and thatâs exactly what they deliver.
Sides and bites include Mexican Corn (Elotes in Vaso), Chipotle Pimento Cheese and Tomatillo Jalapeno Jam.
The pictures in this book are so tempting. For me, I need to have good pictures of the food that I am making. The book is written very clearly, with short snippets of narrations before the start of the recipes.
These snippets give the food a whole new dimension, taking you to the time when the recipe was designed and the dish, invented. Itâs all about those fond memories of her childhood that Lisa wants to share with the readers.
Final Say
With more than 125 recipes, this cookbook will have one for every mood that swings by you. The fact is it will serve as a go-to source for tasty and vibrant food.
Blogger written books are growing rapidly, and Lisa Fainâs book is among the best out there. She talks with much passion about Texan food in all its incarnations. Her recipes are warm and very comforting to other homesick Texans. Or just those like me, who find themselves at the brink of a new beginning.
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