A Classic Thanksgiving Restaurant

 Imagine having a Thanksgiivng meal every day.If you;re in Texas you can thanks to a chain called Luby's/ This century year old family festaurant is known for its' Southern and American classics

Priya Krishna wrote about this staple of Texas life in today's New York Times Food section. The chain is famed throughout Texas, with locations throughout San Antonio, Dallas , Houston and Corpus Christi,They were founded in 1929 when WilliamLuby opend the first one  in Dallas on Thanksgiving Day..it has had a huge following ,ranking next to other beloved Texas chanisn like BBQ and Whataburger.Yet it almost didn't make it through the pandemic. In 2020, the company closed several locations and announced plans to liquidate and dissolve it's assets. fans were devastated ,placing on line eulogies about its' most favorite dish the Lu Ann Platter (a select entree, two sides and a roll).Thankfully Chicago entrepreneur Calvin Gin bought it a year later  He was going to do some changes, including cutting back on the famed tear round holiday meal. Employees told him not to do it. He didn't after seeing its' popularity.

What makes a Luby's turkey dinner so special?It does taste like a home cooked meal. Theyre are mounds of fluffy mashed potatoes next to even fluffier dinner rolls. Their pecan pie is  as  customer and fan Janie Garza, is not too sweet or too soggy. Every Thanksgiving she buys a take out meal for her family form the restaurant. Other fans like San Antonio's Sam Kinsey, who is eighty-six has beign going to the San Antonio Luby's since 1940's. They recognize him as one of th e old timers and sneak him in in the beginning of the line. He even eats a double meal on Thanksgiving Day, One at wherever he's invited and another on at the restaurant. Luby's however has other Southern specialties. They have the old fashioned and rarely eaten nowadays grilled liver and onions along with fried fish  and chicken fried steak. There's also pot pies and jumbo pork chops. The sides are down home too , with fried okra and baked mac and cheese.

If you want Thanksgiving everyday head to Luby's. They have turkey and stuffking along with cranberrie sauce and yamsn whenever you want them. It can be any time of the year.

A Boozy Thanksgiving

 Alcohols seems to make everyting and everyone feel better. Imagine adding it to your Thanksgiving menu . A basting or a cup of bourbon, whiskey or whatever can add to the recipe. It can liven up dinner or dessert.

Bourbon is  perfect for any Thanksgiving dish. Thanks to its' sweet and spicy flavor it can be used in both main and dessert recipes. A bourbon maple glaze is a great addition to  a turkey and will make for a memorable bite.It's taking aquarter cup of the drink and mixing it with a quarter cup of maple syrup. The glaze is cooked with a stick of unsalted butter and ahalf cup of apple juice along with a quarter teaspoon of ground black pepper. it'sten brished on the cooked turkey slices . You  can also sub in whiskey for the bourbon. Another idea is a cognac gravy This is combining veggies like leeks, onions and celery witflour and  four cups of chicken broth. A cup of cognac is added to this and the already cooked turkey parts are added to this.If you feel that a bourbon or whiskey glazed tur

key may be too much, then simply add the alcohol to the gravy.It 's mixing a cup of Sauvignon Blamc with a quarter cup of bourbon and then stirring it into heavy cream based roux .This will alsohave turkey giblets, neck and drippings. it whisked together to form a tasty gravy that would also be good over mashed potatoes.

What about those sides? Can they get boozed up too? Yes . Sweet potatoes are another great pairing with bourbon. Both have a sweetness that can bounce off each other. Think a sweet potato casserole made with warm fall spices like cinnamon, and clove. Vanilla and light brown sugar also compliment the yam's flavor.Eggs give it body and texture. It's topped with a sweety crunchy crumble of, raw pecans, brown sugar,c cinnamon and melted butter. You could also makea brown butter bourbon cauliflower side too. This is roasting cauliflower florets in olive oil. While this is roasting make the butter sauce.It's cooking the butter until it's brown. Two tablespoons of bourbon and one tablespoon of maple syrup are added to this along with half a cup of walnuts. Of course bourbon is a great addition to pecan pie.It's almost mandatory in this Southern classic. It's a simple recipe that also involves bot light and dark corn syrup mixed with three eggs and half a cup fo melted butter. One and three quarter cups of pecans gives the pie its' nuttiness and crunch.

Add some das to your holiday meal. A few tablespoons of bourbon, whiskey or cognac can elevate any dish. Try it for a fun , boozy Thanksgiving Day.

Twealing And Perking

 Sometimes even storebought foods need a perk or a tweak to make them more palable. If that sauce is not quite tasty enough - add something? Or the pie crust that needs a little something extra. Add to it. It makes for a tastuer bite.

One of the easiest items to zing up is sauce and gravy. Jarred tomato sauce is tasty but it can be made to taste almost like mom's. Add olive oil to give the sauce some body. This gives it a smoother texture to it which makes for  a silky bite . Sliced green or red peppers are always a good plus to any tomato sauce. Both kinds add sweetness and depth to the flavor. Mushrooms give a chewiness to the sauce as added in sausage. THis could be vegan or non vegan for a more heartier sauce.For a vodka sauce splash in a quarter cup of vodka and half a cup of heavy cream. Frozen pizza can also benefit from some tweaks and perks too. A good sprinkling of oregano helps improve the taste  along with a liberal drizzle of oil. Most frozen pizza have just the usua; topping but you cna perk up a plan 9one with artichi]oke hears, greena dn black olives alogn with vegan susage and even bacon. Scatter pineapple chunks on it as well if you want to . You can apply this idealogy to Thanksgiving foods too, You could add some steamed chestnut to that Stovetop Suffing or add a drop of cognac to jarred gravy.

Baked goods can also get some tweaks and zings. Croissants are good on their own but add some almond butter mixed with cinnamon to create a tasty breakfast or brunch treat.You could also split them, warm them and add apple butter as well.  Since this is pie season, premade pie crusts can always get a boost. Brush them with melted butter for a more homemade taste. You could also brush heavy cream on and then dust the edges with granulated sugar. Zing up that store bought pumpkin pie with some fin homemade toppings. You can make a pecan streusel. Use toasted pecan pieces, oats melted butter , brown sugar and salt. Pop into the oven fro ten minutes to get the streusel crunchy.You could also drizzle on homemade or store bought caramel sauce. As for that other Thanksgiving staple pecan pie. think of serving it with a dollop of bourbon whipped cream. This is combining heavy cream with confectioner's sugar and adding one tablespoon of bourbon along with a teaspoon of vanilla.  Bought shortbread cookies, a favorite winter treat can be elevated a notch when dipped in melted dark chocolate.

Turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Add some zing to every day ingredients or store bought foods. Giving them some oomph wikk make a difference.

Bourbon The Fire Of Kentucky

Today is the annual Kentucky Derby and with it comes toasts  made with - what else- Kentucky bourbon.It is  a fiery drink that sworks in everything from cocktails, to mains dishes to desserts.Of course if's excellent straight up neat, that is if you can handle its' potent kick.

How the liquor was name is somewhat of a controversy.It could have been from the Kentucky county or from Bourbon Street in New Orleans. It's not really associated with the French dynasty of the same name although the county and the street probably are. Its' orgiins are also shrouded in a bit of mystery.Bourbon's invention is attributed to Baptist minister and distiller Elijah Craig.That honor  could also go to James C Crow who came up with the sour mash fermentation, a process where each new fermentation is conditioned with spent mash (sort of like sourdough).The brew is a mixture of rye, and malted barley.The fermented mash has to be 51  per  cent  corn in order to be considered bourbon,It is then put through a continuous still which are two stills placed side by side. However this doens't always produce the best tasting spirits so one of the most traditional methods , the alembic or pot still,a giant copper bell shaped still,  that is heated to 172 degrees Farenheit. The resulting clear spirit is then placed in newly charred American oak barrels for aging. This give bourbon its' color and flavor from the carmelized sugars in the wood. After maturing, it is then withdrawn from the barrel and usually filtered and diluted with water.it is then bottled , ready for distribution.

Bourbon is famously known for being the key ingredient in a mint julep, the official drink of the Derby. This is not only perfect to sip while watching the race , it also makes a cool summer cocktail.It is bourbon  with fresh mint leaves  that have been muddled with sugar and water. Manhattans also have the spirit as the lead ingredient.along with sweet vermouth and bitters. Bourbon can also be used in maing whiskey sours,, a grown up version of lemonade  and Old Fashioneds, a mix of bourbon with bitters.Bourbon can also be used in both savory and sweet recipes. Try a ham with a sweet bourbon glaze or a pork tenderloin with a spirit infused gravy.  Bourbon adds zing and depth to any barbecue sauce and you can also use it to glaze chicken wings .Some affectionados will even add it to chili to give the dish another dimension. It's also used in many Southern dessert recipes.It cuts the overwhelming sweetness of pecan pie when it's added to the filling.Bread  pudding takes on a smokier, earthier flavor when the liquor is mixed into it. Then there is bourbon balls and bourbon fudge. These are easy to whip up and make great gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

Bourbon is definitely the fire and lifeblood of Kentucky. Have it neat as a bracing drink at a party or in a summery mint julep. Add it to barbecue sauce for a new twist on classic ribs and wings or make traditional Southern desserts with it. Discover this fascinating brew and get creative with it.

A Good Old Southern Picnic

Now that the weather is warmer, it's time to think about picnics. One of the best cuisines suited to this is Southern style cooking.There is so much that would go well in a picnic basket.The foods and drinks are rich in flavor and texture and are perfect for enjoying under a shady tree. expect to nap in the soft grass afterwards. Fried chicken is a Southern staple as well as a picnic one.You can make the coating with any kind of crumb or batter. An old fashioned buttermilk batter is always the best.Some cooks add paprika and a pinch of cayenne pepper for bite.Panko crumbs, usually used in tempura, can also be used for a lighter, crunchier crust.Fresh roasted ham is another good meat to bring to a Southern style outing can be sliced into thick rounds and sandwiched between homemade biscuits.You could also make a ham salad by cubing it and adding mayo along with celery to it.Macaroni and potato salads make good sides.Forget the low calorie dressings.This is the South where calorie rich foods abound.You can make simple mayo dressing with the addition of oil and vinegar.Cole slaw can be made this way as well.If you're a tad more ambitious ,then try making bread and butter pickles as an extra treat.Another idea is deep fried pickles.Use the left over chicken batter for these as well as the oil or fat. What caps off a good Southern picnic?A good Southern dessert.Pecan pie is always good and it's easy to make.For an even easier sweet ending ,try an icebox cake.You can use Nabisco's Nilla wafers and vanilla pudding or mix it up with chocolate wafers and chocolate pudding. Another yummy treat is a strawberry or peach shortcAke.Use those buttermilk biscuits,split them in half and ladle on sliced fresh fruit.Finish with either Cool Whip or fresh whipped cream (which you can bring along in a cooler)Banana pudding is another nice bring along dessert and a cinch to make.What to drink on this jaunt? Sweet Southern tea.This is not the instant kind but one using actual tea bags.The best ones would be Orange Pekoe or Earl Grey.These are full bodied brews that would lose their taste when ice is added.For a true Dixie touch serve in mason jars. A true Southern picnic is.perfect for this time of year.Settle under your favorite tree with a plate of fried chicken and potato salad.Finish with a sweet treat and sweet tea.Lie back under the warm May sun and savor true Mason Dixon picnic flavors.

Putting Chocolate In Thanksgiving

Chocolate is not your usual Thanksgiving ingredient, unless you count those foil wrapped chocolate turkeys kids receive. However it adds punch to some very sedate traditional desserts.The pies and cakes are no longer boring. They're fun.

The dash of chocolate was Melissa Clark's subject to yesterday's A Good Appetite  in yesterday's Dining section of The New York Times. She decides to create some fun desserts that are part Thanksgiving, part celebration. What is so different is that she takes traditional pies like pecan and adds  chocolate and coconut, It makes this decadent dish even more decadent, with a taste like a candy bar. She also adds bourbon which is standard in Southern pecan pie recipes and rich Dutch chocolate along plus the flaked coconut for chew.

There are other ideas too. Ms. Clark creates a rich custard using rum and bitter dark chocolate .To tie it in to the day she adds rum soaked dried cranberries.For a more G rated version add orange juice or zest so the kids can appreciate it as well.She adds a chocolate souffle cake to the menu as well. She jazzes it up with creme fraiche and for a really big surprise candied cinnamon scented butternut squash.If that's a bit too wild add some salted pecans or walnuts to offset the sweetness.

Chocolate on Thanksgiving? Yes, it does work. The sweet adds richness and fun to traditional yet staid desserts. It livens up a turkey day like nothing else