EXCLUSIVE It was 6 p.m. in downtown Austin. Traffic was humming, and responsible adults were bustling, which is to say it was absolutely the wrong time to eat Whataburger. Whataburger is 2 a.m. food. Eating it while the sun is still up feels like seeing a teacher at the grocery store: technically allowed, but unsettling. […]
Category: Food
The Barbed Wire food coverage, sponsored by 1953 Tequila.
Posted inCulture
From ‘Kung Flu’ to the Matcha Craze, Asian American Business Owners Say It’s Been a Whiplash Six Years Since Covid
Walk into Hannah Foy’s specialty coffee shop LauLau in Central Austin, and there’s a good chance her father is washing dishes in the kitchen. Her mother — whom the cafe is named after — is usually at the register taking orders for their signature Mala Latte with Sichuan peppercorn or Black Sesame Hot Chocolate. The […]
Posted inBig & Bright
‘Barbecue Saved My Life’: Meet Waco’s Antifascist Transgender Pitmaster
A TikTok video with more than 100,000 views showed Kaleb Blain, a 35-year old trans man and pitmaster, standing at a folding table gesturing to a plate of freshly prepared chickens, ready for the BBQ smoker. The caption read “politics and cooking don’t mix.” But then the video cut away to a series of photos […]
Posted inFood
Texan Visits Maine, Immediately Becomes Insufferable About Lobster
If you live in or have just heard of Texas, you know about our barbecue — particularly brisket. It’s one of the foods most strongly associated with the state. Heck, it may as well be on our flag. And of all the other states with a strong identification with a particular food (Wisconsin and cheese […]
Posted inCulture
Finally Texas A&M Wins Something! Buc-ee’s Will Sell Its Goods on Campus
Finally, a win! Texas Aggies don’t have a lot of exciting things to talk about (yes, I’m a Longhorn), so when they start selling Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets at their campus student marketplaces, you better believe it’s going to be a big deal. Texas A&M University announced Wednesday that they’re the first university in the country […]
Posted inPolitics
Texas Bans Lab-Grown Meat, Declares Freedom Only Counts If It Mooed First
It’s official: Texas has lassoed itself another big win for freedom — by banning it. Yes, in a bold stand for liberty, small government, and the God-given right to eat things that once mooed, the Texas Legislature has banned the sale of lab-grown meat. If you were hoping to celebrate your next tailgate — or […]
Posted inFood
Hunting for the Perfect Italian Cookies in Houston — Like My Mom and Grandma Made
It seems like my mom is always making cookies when we talk on the phone. Over a thousand miles away, I imagine the buttery first bite of her thumbprint cookies, with their signature chocolate center hugged by perfectly squishy dough. This past Christmas season, when she told me about all the types of cookies she […]
Posted inCulture
How H-E-B Became a Full-Blown Cultural institution in Northeastern México
MONTERREY, MÉXICO—For many Americans, a trip to México might bring up images of walking on the beach, exploring picturesque towns, hiking mountains, enjoying agave fields, and the chance to taste the incredible food. But for Mexicans, a beloved Texas grocery store is the new dream destination. In fact, H-E-B has become a cultural phenomenon synonymous […]
Posted inCulture
Farms are Disappearing in Central Texas. Can Chefs Save Them Before It’s Too Late?
The Austin restaurant scene was rocked by a recent announcement that sent chefs panicking while most diners obliviously continued their meals. The couple behind Steelbow Farms, a five-acre urban farm near Manor, announced that they would be moving to upstate New York. The organic, sustainable farm, run by Finegan Ferreboeuf and Jason Gold, was revered […]
Posted inNews
KFC Moves to Texas, Changes Motto to ‘Don’t Mess with Drumsticks’
Folks, it’s official: Kentucky Fried Chicken is Kentucky Fried no more. The finger-lickin’ giant just announced it’s packing up its 11 herbs and spices and heading to Texas, leaving behind a heartbroken Kentucky and one very confused Colonel Sanders (who, if he were alive, would probably be shaking his drumstick at this betrayal). The chain’s […]