With Respect To Barbecue, You Can’t Always Trust What The Sign Says

Despite the fact that it markets itself on the restaurant signs as having the “Worst Bar-B-Q in Texas,” there is absolutely no doubt that Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q has anything but that. Rudy’s tongue in cheek marketing is, of course, playful and very much insincere. Rudy’s knows the quality of its food, and it’s darn good.

While Rudy’s has a few locations in Oklahoma and New Mexico, most of its places are in Texas. And, while some people may think that a chain restaurant could not possibly have the quality of barbecue that is found at a small family operation, at least with respect to Rudy’s, those people would be wrong.

Like eating at most great barbecue places, the experience begins before you even enter the door. The smell of the burning wood and smoking meat welcomes the visitor the minute the car door swings open in the parking lot. Unlike a lot of hill country barbecue joints, Rudy’s uses oak, and not mesquite, to cook its meat. Without debating the merits of what cooking wood is best, I will say that Rudy’s uses the oak to its advantage in producing high quality meats to serve. That point is not subject to debate at all.

With respect to the meats offered, Rudy’s seemingly has all the correct choices for a barbecue restaurant in the hill country. Offering brisket, chicken, chopped beef, pork loin, pork ribs, sausage, and turkey, Rudy’s covers it all. The meats are complimented with excellent sides, which, like the meats, are always fresh. Beans, cole slaw, cream corn, and potatoes are just but a few of them. And, of course, for dessert lovers, there are many choices, including, banana pudding.

Eating at Rudy’s, however, is not just about the good barbecue and sides. Equally important, is the experience of dining at a Rudy’s. Ordering the food, and eating it on the premises, is as delightful as savoring the delicious food.

After moving through an extremely fast moving line which wraps around ice chests filled with ice, beer, soft drinks and water, you come face to face with a refrigerated display case with little packets of cheese, servings of cole slaw, and desserts. If you want any of those, you need to grab them quick, because what comes next is the row of ordering and paying stations. “Next in line, please,” is what you’ll hear, and that is quickly followed by a “have you ever been to Rudy’s before?” If not, your personal cashier will explain to you how the ordering process works, and, of course, will patiently answer any questions you may have.

The ordering station is the place to order your meats and hot sides. With respect to the brisket, for example, you order it by the half pound. So you need to determine the appetite of your eating companions before you order. If in doubt, the cashier will help you sort it all out. During the ordering process, your cashier will throw in a half a loaf, or whole loaf of bread, depending upon the size of your party and a sheet of white butcher paper for each person. There are no plates at Rudy’s, so, in traditional fashion, you eat everything off the paper, sides included.

Once you’ve collected your order and paid for it, you visit the condiment station for onions, pickles, mustard, and plastic table service. Then, you head to either an indoor or outdoor picnic table to enjoy your meal. On the table is the “Bar-B-Q Sause,” as it is called at Rudy’s. All that’s left after sitting down at a table is spreading the butcher paper out, shoveling the food onto it, then devouring it. It’s always a lot of fun, especially when bringing guests who have never visited a Rudy’s before.

If you happen to be passing by a Rudy’s in Texas, Oklahoma or New Mexico, and see that sign which reads, “Worst Bar-B-Q in Texas,” don’t believe a word of it. As Rudy’s loyal employees and everyone else who has ever eaten there know full well, it’s exactly the opposite.

Bratwurst In Lampasas

Given the wonderful German heritage of the hill country of Texas, finding good German food is never a problem. Such was the case when my wife and I found ourselves in Lampasas, Texas, yesterday. It was a dreary, overcast, and foggy day, and we were looking to eat a small lunch.

Despite the gloomy weather, we found a bright and cheery spot to eat right on the town square, across from the county courthouse. Festooned with holiday lights and decorations, Eve’s Cafe on the Square, looked to be the perfect place to escape the less than perfect weather.

You could tell that Eve’s Cafe was serious about its German food, because just after we were seated, the waitress informed us that hamburgers were not available. Apparently, they are only sold on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This left nothing but German selections to choose from, and this was just fine with us, as we were not looking to eat hamburgers anyway.

The restaurant is known for its schnitzel, and the schnitzel is served up, along with spatzle, in many different menu combinations. We finally decided on the bratwurst, covered in sautéed onions and gravy, and served with a small salad, a slice of buttered rye bread, brown mustard, and some fries. It was a delightfully delicious and inexpensive lunch, and it was served in the warm, cozy, casual, and friendly environment of the cafe.

We sat in the restaurant for quite some time after we had eaten our lunch, due to the fact that we enjoyed the atmosphere so much. And to top it all off, the restaurant staff was very gracious as we left. They sincerely thanked us for coming, and wished us well during the upcoming holiday season. It could not have been a better lunch for us. We enjoyed great food, and the German (and Texas) hospitality.

Gravy Crazy Texans

Here in Texas, gravy is a way of life.

A lot of people around the country have gravy not more than a couple times of year I bet, and, in most cases, over mashed potatoes. There is, of course, the obligatory mashed potatoes and turkey gravy during the Thanksgiving meal. Beyond that, it might be something you occasionally get with a couple pieces of chicken as you grab something at a fast food chicken outlet, and again, always with mashed potatoes.

Talk about being in a rut.

Texans, however, are “out of the box” thinkers, who do not believe gravy should be relegated to holidays, fast food, or mashed potatoes.

Texas white cream gravy requires few ingredients and is quickly prepared. With flour, whole milk, pepper, salt and some bacon (or other meat) drippings, you’ve got all you need to make this Texas staple. Now, what shall we pour the gravy over? If you live anywhere but Texas, the answer is quite simple; pour it over mashed potatoes. How many times has that been done?

Down here, with respect to gravy, the huge Texas sky is the limit. Of course, chicken-fried chicken, chicken-fried steaks, and sausage are favorites to receive a gravy dousing. But, in truth, any and all meats will do, wild game and snakes included. If its meat of any kind, just pour gravy over it, and it will taste better. And, it is a well-known fact here in the hill country that both biscuits and Texas toast need a gravy bath to be fully appreciated. The egg is another favorite target which is enjoyed with gravy.

Any type of vegetable is agreeable to getting the gravy soak, and this is especially true for those vegetables which you may find personally disagreeable. It’s all very simple really, gravy makes everything taste good.

A chicken gizzard is the chicken’s organ that grinds up the food it eats. That does not sound too appetizing on its face, but add a little Texas white cream gravy, and all is right with the world. Now, where are my fried chicken gizzards and the gravy ladle?

Cheddar Pour Burger

I’ve been eating hamburgers all my life, and I’ve eaten them all over the world. Whether here in the United States, in Europe, or in Asia, I've enjoyed some excellent burgers.

The hamburger sandwich is unique, because you can eat it as plain or ostentatious as you want, and still call it a hamburger. I have a very good friend who wants nothing more than the meat inside a bun. No ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, pickles, onions, or anything else is required by him. When he orders it, he simply states, “I’d like a hamburger, plain.” He’s always questioned after he gives the order, and always has to repeat, in different words, that he wants the bun and the beef, and nothing more.

The traditional “American Diner” hamburger of the 1940’s was a patty of ground beef on a toasted or grilled buttered bun, topped with onions. Perhaps pickles or relish were added, and maybe, if ordered and available, tomato and lettuce. Condiments of mustard and ketchup in plastic squirt containers were on the counter to be added by the customer.

Other variations appeared during the 1900’s. Small and inexpensive hamburgers on buns the size of dinner rolls, steamed, in and around onions, became popular. In the 1960’s, the chain hamburger restaurants grew to unbelievable fame and fortune. Along the way, there were regional specialties like the Springfield, Illinois, “Horseshoe” and the Midwest “Loose Meat” sandwich.

“Garbage Burgers,” beef patties topped with literally everything you can imagine eventually came on the scene, and then later, those “Yuppie Burgers,” vegetable “hamburgers,” covered with guacamole, avocado, and who knows what other things that are supposed to be healthy for you.

I’ve seen it all with respect to hamburgers. But, I have to tell you, in all honesty, I’ve never seen anything like the “Cheddar Pour Burger” in my entire life. While the burger itself is hiding just beneath the bun, the fried cheese spreads out far and wide. This sandwich is, as far as I can tell, only available at J&J Barbeque and Burgers, in Cedar Park, Texas. If it's available elsewhere, I've never seen nor heard about it.

I don’t know how it is cooked, because it is prepared by grill cooks out of sight of the customers. But, speculating as I often do, it looks like they add a large amount of cheddar cheese over the hamburger, allowing it to spill way over onto the hot grill, where it fries into a crispy and chewy topping. When served, it looks like a derby hat, or a flying saucer with french fries on the side. You can order it in several sizes and get whatever toppings you want with it. I got the smallest size, and at least for me, it was almost too much to eat.

This is one distinctive and delicious burger, and if you find yourself in Cedar Park, it's worth giving it a try.

Pastel de Tres Leches (Three Milk Cake)

Three milk cake, or in Spanish, pastel de tres leches, is a delicious treat found in abundance in Texas. In fact, it is so good, that many countries are fighting about where it originated. Everyone, it seems, claims to be an expert on the matter. According to most so-called “experts,” the top two contenders for this honor are Mexico and Nicaragua. But others stridently disagree, asserting the cake’s origin is in Costa Rica, Cuba, or a lot of other Central and South American countries.

Since no one really knows, and anyone can be a self-professed “expert,” I would think that Fargo, North Dakota, or, Baraga, Michigan may want to chime in and claim credit. In fact, any village, town, city, county, or state hoping to increase tourism should claim credit. Think of the additional visitors the Upper Peninsula of Michigan would get for being famous for both this milk cake and the pasty. If you don’t know what a pasty is, you need to check out a blog site of someone extolling the virtues of great food in the Copper Country of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I would give you an overview of the pasty myself, but I’m a little busy with this blog here in Texas.

All kidding aside, there is no doubt that the cake had its beginning south of the United States border. But beyond that, all bets are off. I prefer to favor Mexico, because it is close, and Texas is heavily populated with wonderful Mexican-Americans. But, just like all the other “experts” who weigh in on this important subject matter, I have no proof to support my opinion.

Whatever its origins, everyone can agree that this is one outstanding cake. I’m a great cook, in my “expert” opinion, but I’m not a baker by any means, so I’m going to simplify things just a bit, well okay, quite a bit. I’m talking about radical cake making directions here. Bake a sponge cake, punch holes in it gently with a fork or tooth-pick, and then pour three types of milk into it so it soaks through the cake. The types of milk must include a mixture of condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. Refrigerate it, then frost the cake with a mixture of whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla. Then, place some cherries or strawberries on top. I can see professional bakers rolling their eyes (repeatedly). Do yourself a favor and get a detailed recipe or find a store selling these cakes. In either case, it’s worth the effort and expense.

When all is said and done, once this cake is thoroughly chilled, it is wonderfully milky, creamy, moist, sweet, and satisfying. It is no wonder so many countries south of the border want to claim a piece of this “pie.” Well, maybe it's not a pie, but it is a cake, and an excellent one indeed!