Tastes of the Town

Denice and Dennis Morgan enjoying impossible coconut pie. (Linda Dwyer)

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Impossibly easy pies are magic in the kitchen

Linda Dwyer

Saturday, December 24, 2022

Recently, I learned about depression-era water pies. During tough times, people were desperate to treat their families to something sweet. Referred to in a cookbook as Hard Times Pie, the desert was made with water, flour, butter and sugar.

Aurora’s Family Kitchen is serving tamales again this season. (Photo by Linda Dwyer)

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It's Christmas tamale time

Linda Dwyer

Monday, December 19, 2022

Some folks dream of a white Christmas, but visions of tamales dance in my head. It’s tamale season. Tamales date back to the Aztecs, Mayans and Incans. The word “tamale” comes from the Aztec word for wrap. Tamales, made from corn, were sent out with hunters, travelers and soldiers.

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Get figgy with Christmas Pudding

Linda Dwyer

Thursday, December 8, 2022

In the United Kingdom, Christmas Pudding — also referred to as Figgy or Plum Pudding — is traditionally served as the finale to a proper British Christmas dinner.

Chris Poulos owns The Spice Agent. PHOTOS BY LINDA DWYER

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Spicing up the holidays after a road trip

News Staff

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Tastes of the Town by Linda Dwyer Road trips should always include culinary discoveries. Recently, on the way to Chicago, we discovered The Spice Agent in the lovely town of Branson, Missouri. Owner Chris Poulos opened the shop in 2011.

Bringing the taste of home back to Texas

News Staff

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

My recent road trip to Chicago was a memorable hometown visit. It’s always nice to return for something like a wedding rather than a funeral. We haven’t lived in the Windy City for 40 plus years, but in some ways it’s still home. Our first stop upon arriving was to get an Italian beef sandwich.

Linda Dwyer

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Butter boards and more

News Staff

Friday, November 11, 2022

A growing trend on social media is to replace the charcuterie board with a butter board. Restaurant developer Justine Doiron’s Tik Tok video sparked interest, but Ms. Doiron acknowledges butter boards were first created by chef and cookbook author Joshua McFadden.

Intermittent fasting a recent dieting trend

News Staff

Monday, November 7, 2022

Let the hunger games begin! Intermittent fasting is a popular health and fitness trend. It turns out you might not have to change what you eat, just when you eat. I’m not sure if it’s helpful or painful to learn about fasting with the holidays approaching. I just hope it doesn't make me hangry.

Payton Gamble, 7, working hard to place a big pumpkin, was one of the volunteers helping unload over 2,000 pumpkins at Taylor’s First United Methodist Church October 8. ANDY SHARP

Why do we carve pumpkins and call them jack-o'-lanterns?

Tastes Of

Saturday, October 29, 2022

The centuries old Halloween practice of creating jack-o’-lanterns originated from an Irish myth about a deal with the devil. Stingy Jack invited the devil to a pub and then convinced the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for their drinks. Jack kept the money.

Jo Gatlin speaks from her family ranch. LINDA DWYER

Sister ranchers from Liberty Hill open bed and breakfast

Tastes Of

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Jo and Meagan Gatlin are sisters who grew up in a ranching family in Liberty Hill. When their father retired a few years back the sisters took over, transforming the ranch with regenerative practices that prioritize soil health and treat animals respectfully.

Try beans on toast

Tastes Of

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Anglophiles are fascinated with all things British Princess Diana and the royal family, to Beatlemania, James Bond,DowntonAbbey, Harry Potter, William Shakespeare and tea time. Beans and toast, however, are one tradition we haven’t fully embraced yet.

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