One down, two hundred and fifty-three to go.

OK, after getting off to a great start I hit kind of a “blogger’s block,” or something.  At any rate, making it all the way up I-35 to Georgetown (for those of you not familiar with central Texas, Georgetown is so close to Round Rock that they almost merge) just didn’t happen for a while.

 Today, all that changed.  My mother graciously accompanied me and we descended on the town square of Georgetown, TX on a lovely gray February afternoon.

The Georgetown courthouse is lovely.  A local lady informed me that it recently cost $7 million to restore it after it was “improved” in the 1950s.

Friendly and I decided not to go in, because we prefer antique hunting.  Well, I prefer antique shopping, and he’s a stuffed armadillo. 

As we strolled around the square I noticed a place called Handcrafts Unlimited.  It is a non-profit store selling all handmade items made from local people who are over 50.  They had lovely quilts, handmade hats and scarves, stoneware, jewelry, baskets, and any number of other things.  Mama got a necklace and a cute little handmade bag that creates “perfect baked potatoes” in the microwave.  We also each got raffle tickets for a lovely Alabama Star quilt – the drawing’s on July 4th, so wish us luck!  Everyone in the store was lovely, and I had some fun knitting and crochet-related conversations with two of the ladies working that day.

Next, we toured a few of the local antique malls.  As I was walking in to one I heard the first Soundbite of the Day.  The owner was having a telephone conversation and said “no one wants a partially-clothed Elvis.”  I never did find out if she was explaining why she didn’t stock such a thing or lamenting that she couldn’t sell it.  As we were leaving the second antique store of the day I spotted some old handmade wool combs – a tool for preparing sheep fleece for spinning.  They were marked way down, so of course I snatched them up and bought them without delay.  And yes, I do realize that they look like medieval torture instuments.

 Bet you’re jealous!  Mama and I were by now exhausted from our labors, so returned to the car, which was parked next to a status called “Watering the Work Mules.”  I remembered that when I was little I always liked to ride the mechanical pony outside the grocery store, so Friendly got to go for a little ride of his own.  He’s a very good armadillo, really. 

As we approached the Monument Cafe, my mother pointed out that there were “ladies in costumes!” 

 They turned out to be from the recently formed shooting club known as “The ‘Bad Girls’ Posse.”  The lovely costumes were occasioned by a visit to a local historical society.   Not only did they look fabulous, they agreed to let Friendly have a photo-op! 

Instead of putting Friendly back into my handbag, I just carried him into the diner under my arm.  Mama suggested I should put him away, and just as I responded “It’s not like anyone will think he’s real!” the hostess said “Oh!  I thought that was a real animal!”  For future reference, live armadillos are not permitted inside the Monument Cafe.  They were very nice to Friendly, however.

Monument Cafe is really, really well done.  It’s clearly a “diner” atmosphere, but a really classy diner.  The servers are friendly and informal, but also extremely efficient and professional.  We both had sweet potato fries.  Sweet potato fries might seem like a health-concious compromise, but they aren’t.  I mean, they may well be healthier than regular fries, but that’s not why you eat them.  You eat them because they are deee-lee-shus.

Chili (with recipe!)

One of the easiest ways to start a fight is to try to define chili.  Heated arguments between friends and family have been known to arise over the inclusion of beans.  I will go ahead and state my own definitions, which are based on long observation.  Just bear in mind, if you are from a non-chili part of the world, that this is a Serious Issue.

Chili – a thick stew consisting of beef between ground and small pieces, with a spice mix dominated by chilies (may contain tomato)

Chili With Beans – a thick stew consisting of beef between ground and small pieces, with a spice mix dominated by chilies (may contain tomato), with beans in it

Authentic Texas Chili – must be so thick that a spoon stands up in it, consists of pieces of beef, pork, and/or venison cut to the size of a pinky toe, seasoned according to a mix with a cool story attached to it that is predominately chilis and probably contains cumin, and has no tomatoes or beans, although it may contain flour.

I recently ordered some grass-fed chili meat from my local organic delivery service, and they sent me two pounds instead of the one pound I paid for.  Luckily, I have devoted parents nearby willing to help me eat a batch of chili.  I had a mix from a place in Blanco, TX to use for seasonings, but the recipe on the package called for both tomato paste and beans.  In search of a more authentic recipe I looked up a National Public Radio “Hidden Kitchens” piece I remembered from 2004 about the Chili Queens of San Antonio.  There is a very authentic recipe available with this story, and I used it to create my own version that was a bit safer for family members with high cholesterol.

Emily’s Fairly Authentic Chili

2 lbs chili meat

1 package chili spice mix (mine was from Blanco Family Farms)

2 medium yellow onions

6 cloves of fresh garlic

flour

water

2 TB olive oil (warning: not authentic)

Chop the onions and garlic and set aside.  Use the olive oil to coat the pot you will use for the chili – a deep skillet is best but saucepans work fine.  If you want to be more authentic you can use leftover bacon grease, lard, or suet in place of olive oil.  Your chili meat, if at all possible, should be in larger pieces than standard ground beef.  The traditional standard, according to my North Texas parents, is that it be cut to the size of a pinky toe.  If this is too creepy you can just as easily use the end of your little finger for comparison.  Because chili is cooked in liquid it is a good way to use tougher beef.  Heat the olive oil, lightly flour the meat, and add it to the skillet.  A metal or silicon spatula is very useful to allow the meat to brown      evenly without burning.  Once the meat is brown add the onion and garlic.  Continue cooking until the onion is transparant and flexible.  At this point add enough water to just cover the meat mixture and bring to a simmer.  Add the spices and simmer, stirring frequently, for at least an hour and a half.  If your chili cooks down before then add more water.  Chili does not have broth – there should be no liquid.  If you are using olive oil it may be harder to achieve a sludge-like consistancy, and you may wish to add more flour.  Your chili is ready when a spoon stands up in the bowl.

Spinning Wheels and Barbeque

Well, Paige is not a county seat.  In fact the only person at work who knew where it was said, “isn’t that the place where the tractor store is?”  However, I spent most of Saturday in Paige, TX, and can’t remember when I had more fun.  Yesterday morning I loaded up my new spinning wheel and carpooled with a new friend over to Yarnorama.  There’s a spin-in there every month, and I was hoping to learn more about my new obsession and watch others spin.

We had a lovely time, there were spinners as new as me and people who have been spinning for decades.  Susan, the owner, is a lovely host and natural teacher.  Plus, of course, the whole event takes place in the fiber enthusiast’s equivalent of a giant toy/candy store.  There are yarns, needles, hooks, looms, wheels, and nearly every kind of spinning fiber imaginable.  (Seriously.  She even has yak.)

  A lovely time was had by all.  My wheel is the reddish one in the bottom left corner.

On the way back we stopped at Meyer’s Elgin Smokehouse in Elgin.  Gosh I love this place.  I always seem to get the Garlic Pork Wrap, which is literally a slice of white bread with a divine pork sausage on it, next to a pile of white onion pieces and pickles.  The first time I went there I ordered beans, and the lady delighted me by handing me a styrofoam bowl, pointing, and saying “the beans are over there in the big black pot.”  Now, as we all know, the very best beans come from big black pots.  Overall it was a Saturday’s worth of activities lovely enough to make up for the bizarre cold, and that’s saying something.

Next Post:  Chili (with a recipe!)

Absentee Blogger

OK, so the trip to Georgetown didn’t go down as planned.  But not to despair!  It is still there, and will not escape my camera for long.

This is a sad day for many in the Austin area – University of Texas at Austin lost to Alabama last night.  I consider the fact that I teared up a kind of proof that my Texas transplant is taking.  However, the team played very well under overwhelming odds, and that is the most important thing.  It is.  Really.  ::sniff:: 

Tomorrow I will travel to Paige, TX.  Paige is not a county seat, but it is the home of Yarnorama, which is sort of a giant candy store for people who knit, crochet, weave, or spin yarn.  I will be bringing my new spinning wheel, Traveller.

Not so Friendly?

OK, after an evening of sketching and sampling, it is possible that my intrepid armadillo sidekick will come from a toy store, rather than my sewing machine.  Which is a shame, because I have the perfect buttons for eyes.  If he is ready-made I suppose I can still make him accessories.  I almost wish I’d gone with a giraffe – I’m pretty good at giraffes.  They just don’t seem as “Texas-y,” somehow.  Luckily my senior travel mascot, Nuts the Adventurous Squirrel, is available in case of emergencies.  He was planning to tag along to advise the armadillo in any case.

Meanwhile, there is a wonderful Central Texas phenomenon known as “cedar fever” which is currently rendering all things delightful.  It’s very similar to hay fever with the addition of migraines and a general lack of spring in one’s step.  Luckily I have plenty of allergy medicine, so the March on Georgetown should take place as planned tomorrow.

The Big Idea

My family, on both sides, is from Texas.  I, however, was born in Iowa.  I did not move to Texas until I was 26.  My parents had moved back a few years earlier, and I had grown up hearing their nostalgic descriptions of the state.  Their Christmas photographs featuring the palm trees in the front lawn were an admitted factor in my decision to move down myself.

I’ve lived here two years now, and recently realized that I don’t get very far out of town.  I blame this on living so close to Austin.  In addition to being the state capital (and formerly capital of the Republic of Texas); Austin is also the Live Music Capital of the World and the home of the largest urban bat colony in North America. 

Round Rock, where I live, is a small city rapidly expanding under the influence of Dell Computers, which is headquartered here.  It’s named after a round rock.  Really.  The rock marked the best spot to ford Brushy Creek on the way to the Chisholm Trail.

At any rate, to remedy my lack of attention to the other parts of the state, I had a marvelous idea.  I would visit every single city and town in all of Texas.  Upon reflection, I realized that this was insane.  So I compromised on a more rational goal.  Beginning in January of 2010 I will visit every county seat in all of Texas.  There are 254 of them.  I shall attempt to visit at least two each month.  On the way I will stop, experience, and photograph the assorted wonders of the Texas countryside, with my intrepid armadillo sidekick, Friendly.  The first project, of course, will be designing and making Friendly.  My first destination is Georgetown, TX, my own county seat.  Please send suggestions and requests for places to visit!