Hankering For Some Catfish

I don’t think about eating catfish all that often, but, every month or so, I do get a certain hankering for it. And, if I don’t immediately feed my hunger for the fish, it gnaws at me until I do.

The nagging craving for catfish appears suddenly, and without warning, and when it does, I immediately start thinking about all of the places nearby where I can go to get my fried catfish “fix.” I avoid the chain restaurants at all costs, unless, of course, I’m really desperate. Fortunately, there are quite a few places in the hill country which make a living off the fish, and know how to prepare it correctly.

When the catfish mood hit me this past week, I jumped into the car and headed over to Marble Falls. As I drove over the winding road through the hill country of Texas, I knew that at the end of my journey there would be fried catfish filets with my name on them. My destination, of course, was Ken’s Catfish & BBQ.

The restaurant is a small white concrete block building right on Marble Fall’s main drag. When I arrived, as is usual at the noon hour, the parking lot in front of the place was crowded with oversized pickup trucks. Despite the clutter of trucks outside, I knew that there would be a seat for me inside. There always is, as the locals will gladly seat you at their table if you have no other place to sit.

The kind folk at Ken’s, like nearly everywhere else in the hill country, are friendly and sincerely appreciate your business. They say “thank you” with a special emphasis after you order, and they really mean it. But, once the catfish is delivered to the table, it’s time to say “thank you” back to them.

The thin catfish filets, breaded in cornmeal, were hot and delicious. A choice of sides was available, including fries, beets, slaw, green beans and potato salad. I went with the coleslaw and green beans. In addition to the catfish and the sides, my order was also served with hush puppies. On top of the great food, I have to tell you, the ice tea was something special.

While I was enjoying the catfish, I looked over to the table next to me, and saw two good old boys eating a couple of impressive-looking overstuffed barbecue sandwiches. Under normal circumstances, I might have regretted my decision to get the catfish, but not that day. I was on a mission to satisfy my catfish craving, and not even those delicious looking beef sandwiches could deter me.

After having devoured those wonderful fried catfish filets at Ken’s Catfish & BBQ, with the accompanying sides, I felt so much better and headed home. It will be a month or so before I get a hankering for catfish again, but, when I do, I know that I will be able to find respite in one of the many places in the Texas Hill Country that know how to fry them up properly.

Dead Man’s Hole: Civil War And Reconstruction Violence In The Texas Hill Country

When the guns of the American Civil War finally fell silent in 1865, the violence in the South did not end.

Reconstruction brought about its own form of cruelty and bloodshed as the South sought to redefine itself, after having its institutions, economy, and the traditional lifestyle of its people destroyed. Many Southerners, resentful and bitter about the conditions which the war, and its conclusion, had brought about, lashed out.

Nowhere was this violent passion more evident than in Texas. The target of this violence was most often those Texans who had not supported the Confederate cause, occupying federal soldiers enforcing military rule, and the newly enfranchised freedmen. In Texas, during the Civil War and its aftermath, intimidation, fear, physical assaults, murder, and blood-feuds were common, and many famous killers and gunmen, like John Wesley Hardin, were able to ply their murderous trade against the backdrop of a sympathetic or intimidated local populace. In many cases, crimes against those who had not supported secession, federal soldiers, and freedmen were not taken seriously and were hidden, covered-up, ignored, or produced “Not Guilty” verdicts in counties throughout Texas.

Burnet County, in the Texas Hill Country, was no exception. But, extreme partisans of the South in this county had their own unique way of disposing of those with whom they disagreed. A few miles south of Marble Falls, on Shovel Mountain Road, is an opening in the earth’s surface. The hole, first discovered in 1821, has a depth of at least 155 feet.

During the Civil War, John R. Scott, Burnet County’s Chief Justice, and a Union supporter, was murdered and thrown into the hole. Before the war’s end, others accused of not being sympathetic to the Confederacy met the same fate, including a young worker named Adolph Hoppe. After the war, the hole continued filling up with bodies, as local government officials responsible for administering Reconstruction policies were targeted. One of the last men to enter the hole was a man named Ben McKeever. After a dispute with some freedmen, he was murdered and then dumped into the hole. It is thought that about 17 men ended up in the hole before the violence came to an end. At one time, an oak tree grew next to the opening, and its limbs were scarred with rope marks from hangings.

Exploration of the hole did not begin in any substantive way until the 1950’s, because of noxious gases found inside. The hole was later sealed with a grate, and in 1999, the land around it was given to the county by its owner for use as an historical park. The hole, located at the very end of a dirt road, is identified by a Texas Historical Commission marker. Not surprisingly, given the violent events which took place at the hole, it remains an eerie and haunting place, even in the daylight. It is also a grim reminder of a tragic and bloody time in the history of Texas.

The Very Slow Death Of A Hill Country "Mountain"

Granite Mountain, located on the western edge of the Texas Hill Country town of Marble Falls, is a large monolith of red and pink granite which has been gracing the skyline for many millions of years. With each passing day and week, however, it disappears a little bit more, as the demand for granite worldwide ensures it’s extremely slow, but inevitable destruction.

Since the late 1800’s, the mountain has been quarried for its high quality granite. And, this has both supplied jobs and helped create impressive Texas structures like the State Capitol Building and the seawall in Galveston. But, someday, well into the future, long after my lifetime and yours, the quarrying of the mountain, if it continues at its present pace, will eventually cause its demise.

After a fire destroyed the previous capitol building in Austin, plans for a new building were drawn up, and construction began in the 1880’s. Originally, the capitol building was supposed to be built using limestone local to the area. That plan was scrapped when it was determined that the limestone would discolor over time. As a result, a series of events took place which would hasten the end of Granite Mountain, at least as it had remained for those many millions of years.

A bargain of sorts was struck between the owners of the quarry at Granite Mountain and the state. In exchange for the state constructing a short rail line from the quarry to an existing rail line leading to Austin, the owners of the quarry provided the granite which was used in building the capitol building. In a controversial decision, the state agreed to provide prisoners to help with the project, at far less than what it would have cost to pay skilled union labor.

While state prisoners were used to build the short rail line and to provide the painstaking work necessary to quarry the granite from the mountain, they did not have the talents to perform the more delicate cutting and finishing work necessary to complete the project. The use of prison labor horrified most regular workers and labor organizations in and around Austin, so they essentially boycotted the project, and refused to take part in any work connected with the construction of the capitol building. As a result, skilled stone craftsmen were brought from Scotland to help complete the project.

The new Texas State Capitol was completed in 1888, and opened that very same year. The result of using granite from Granite Mountain was fortuitous, in that it produced a magnificent building in which all Texans still take pride. But, there is another legacy of the project. While it is true that the quarrying of Granite Mountain was taking place prior to the capitol construction project, the lack of rail transportation to the quarry limited the amount of granite which could, as a practical matter, be utilized. This, of course, changed with the construction of the rail line, which had been facilitated by the project. Additionally, the notoriety of the project, along with its spectacular end result, brought even more interest in the granite found in Marble Falls. This led to greater demand for the granite, and consequently, more quarrying.

The quarrying still continues today. And with every kitchen countertop produced, a little bit more of Granite Mountain disappears, as the granite is chipped away. There is still a lot of the mountain left, of course, and barring some extraordinary event, it will still be something striking to view for a very long time to come. But, it is also remarkable how much 130 years of quarrying can change the face of something that has been around for millions of years before recorded time.

Having Turkey Sausage At Billy Inman’s Place



Billy Inman

When I pulled up in front of Inman’s Ranch House in Marble Falls, and saw all the pickup trucks, I suspected I was on to something very good. Workers don’t waste their time or money on food which doesn’t deliver, and Inman’s has been around since 1964. Nevertheless, I was a little hesitant as I approached the old wood and screen entry door. Even though it was the only entrance I could see, it felt like I was entering someone’s private home, and with good reason.

Despite the fact that the owner, Billy Inman, doesn’t actually live in the place anymore, the building is, indeed, an old house. And, although I was a stranger, I was warmly greeted the minute I opened the door from a voice somewhere in the back of the place. I walked past two small rooms filled with a couple of tables and chairs (just like you’d see in a million homes across the country) to the friendly voice which had welcomed me. In the kitchen of this "house," I found Billy.

Billy Inman has a big smile and an engaging personality which only adds to the wonderful experience of his somewhat unique eatery. The man in line ahead of me asked Billy how he was doing, and Billy quickly replied, “If I was doing any better, I’d be fishing.” You really have to admire somebody like that. He’s got life all figured out, and he knows it.

The Inman family food story is well-known around these parts, so I won’t repeat it here in great detail, except to say that the Inman family got things going making turkey sausage in Llano, Texas in the early 1960's, with one of the Inman brothers eventually opening a place in Marble Falls in 1964. That brother was the father of Billy, and like any dutiful son, Billy learned the business at his father’s side.

Texas Hill Country foods are not well-known for turkey, perhaps, but the Inman family has perfected the art of making sausage from turkey, and the result is unbelievably good. The sausage, along with the homemade sauce, slaw, and bean offering, is made from scratch. This is down home food in a down home place at a very inexpensive price. And, although many hill country barbecue joints cook their food with mesquite, Billy is a big fan of oak, and his choice of wood produces an excellent result. He obviously knows what he’s doing.

Eating in the small and laid-back atmosphere in either one of his two “dining rooms,” you feel like a family guest invited over for lunch. Sitting among Billy’s regulars, you hear every word of every conversation, and it doesn’t take long before you know what’s going on in the town that day.


Turkey Sausage and all the Fixin's

Locally owned family restaurants are an important part of American history, and, unfortunately, they are quickly disappearing. Fortunately, however, for residents of the hill country, Billy Inman’s place is still around. And, just like the friendly greeting which I received when I entered, I got a nice good-bye and thanks when I left, just like you would expect to get as you depart someone’s personal residence. Given the character of the place, and the way he treats his guests, Billy must view the restaurant as an extension of his own home. And, that makes all the difference in the world, or, as the sign hanging on his kitchen wall states, "On Earth As It Is In Texas."

The Cowboy Song Composer

If Texas is famous for creating the cowboy, then Oscar J. Fox is famous for creating cowboy songs. And, Oscar Fox, the cowboy song composer, was born in the Texas Hill Country.

Born in Burnet County, Texas, in 1879, to Bennie and Emma Fuchs, he attended school at a very young age in Marble Falls after his mother died. His family, of German heritage, must have had some significant money, because he left to study music in Switzerland when he was still in his teens. He ultimately came back to the United States, where he lived in New York for a couple of years before returning to Texas.

Eventually settling in San Antonio, he wrote some of the most famous cowboy compositions, which include, “The Hills of Home,” “The Old Chisholm Trail,” “The Cowboy’s Lament,” and that popular “Git Along Little Dogie’s” song.

“The Hills of Home” is probably the most well-known song Fox wrote, and many speculate that he wrote it in remembrance of his early years around Marble Falls, Texas, and the surrounding hill country. And, if he did, who could blame him? Marble Falls and the enveloping hills around it are a national treasure. And, Fox, a treasure of the Texas Hill Country, died in 1961, and was buried in San Antonio.

Castle In The Hill Country

The first time you see it, you do a double take. I am almost certain that thousands of other people, upon first seeing it, had the same verbal reaction I did. “That looks like a castle…is that a castle?”

Castles are common in the United Kingdom and throughout Europe, but not in the United States, and certainly not in Texas. That’s why it is so startling to see it for the very first time.

But, there is, in fact, a castle of sorts in the Texas Hill Country. And, once you get over the amazement of the first view, it looks right at home. If you were dropped into the area with a blindfold over your eyes, and you did not know better, you might just believe you were somewhere other than Texas, or the United States. Perhaps, you might just believe you were across the Atlantic Ocean.

The Falkenstein Castle is located in the hill country southwest of Burnet and northwest of Marble Falls. The owners, Terry and Kim Young, live in a portion of the castle, and host weddings throughout parts of the rest of the massive structure. How this castle came to be, squarely in the hill country is quite a story.

To make a long and a much more interesting story very short, Terry and Kim Young, were residents of Burnet, Texas, when they went on a vacation to Germany. They brought back a copy of plans for a historic castle, and more or less, built it on a very large hill. Sitting on over 100 acres of scenic land, the castle itself, along with its inner grounds, is over 174,000 square feet.

I certainly understand why couples choose the location for their weddings. It’s much cheaper than flying a wedding party to a castle in the British Isles or Europe for a wedding, and is just as scenic.

And, how appropriate that the Texas Hill Country, with its heritage of German immigration, would be the site of Falkenstein Castle, first imagined by Germany’s King Ludwig II, in the 1800’s.

Taking My Parents To The Blue Bonnet Cafe

No visit to the Texas Hill Country would be complete without a stop in Marble Falls. And, no stop in Marble Falls would be complete without enjoying a meal at the Blue Bonnet Cafe. Since 1929, the Blue Bonnet Cafe has been serving both locals and tourists with great food and service.

Since my parents are visiting this week, we decided to drive them over to Marble Falls and treat them to a Blue Bonnet lunch. As it turned out, we did drive them over today, but they ended up treating us to the lunch.

In my mind, there are several reasons why the Blue Bonnet has been around so long and why it has received all the well-deserved notoriety.

First, the wide variety of food means that there is always something for everyone, it’s all delicious, and the portions shall we say, are extremely generous. The Blue Bonnet has eggs, omelettes, plate size hot cakes, grits, hash browns, sausage, salads, hamburgers, sandwiches, steaks, chicken and chicken livers, catfish, Mexican food, pot roast, ribs, a whole bunch of excellent side dishes, and homemade hot rolls and cornbread. The cafe is also famous for its huge pies which you can purchase by the slice, the whole pie, or both. They even have a “Pie Happy Hour.” If you're a pie lover, you have to love a place like that.

Next, the owners and employees are extremely friendly, courteous, and provide quick service even when the place is crowded, and it nearly always is.

Finally, the atmosphere you find is what you would expect from a traditional cafe. It’s unpretentious, and the diners and employees alike are always enjoying themselves. Despite its success, it has not ruined the charm that made it what it is. It’s always fun to go there.

We arrived at the beginning of the noon hour, and despite the number of cars in the parking lot, we were immediately seated at a booth. Making a food choice with all the available selections is always a daunting task, even though I must admit, I only go through the motions of being interested in something other than my usual order; eight ounces of chicken fried steak. Each dinner comes with three sides, and I took pinto beans, green beans, and something new today, macaroni and cheese vegetable soup. My Dad also decided on the chicken fried steak, my Mom ordered a hamburger, and my wife got a sirloin steak.

Despite his usual comment that he ate too much, after we finished lunch, my Dad ordered a whole lemon meringue pie to go. My Mom had asked him if he wanted a slice of pie, and he said, “No, I want the whole pie.” Apparently, the pie cabinet near the entrance had not gone unnoticed by his keen eye as we walked in. I don’t know what he’ll be having for dinner tonight, but I am absolutely certain I know what his dessert will be.