Go WEST Young Man!

So I did; to the town of West near Waco, Texas. This is normally a little country town known for its Czech population and kolaches, but it made the headlines in 2013 due to the horrendous explosion and fire at a Fertilizer Plant in town. Suzanne and I decided to make a pilgrimage to West and compare their kolaches and klobasnikys (Czech name for sausage kolaches or pig-in-a-blanket) to the ones we like in the Houston area.

Driving around town, things look to have settled down and returned to its “sleepy” status. We walked around the downtown area stopping in at various stores. One of our favorites was an antique store, Olde Czech Corner Antiques. I guess when you’re my age, antique stores are interesting because many of the items in the store are things I grew up with or remember. Of course, Suzanne is too young to know about these old things and is amazed that I can even remember that far back. It must be the effects of eating kolaches and klobasnikys all my life! Growing up with a Czech mom who made these delicacies at home all the time kinda makes me an expert in the subject. At least that’s what I tell myself as I bite off another piece of a jalapeno cheese sausage klobasniky.

Our favorite Kolache Shoppe turned out to be Slovacek’s on the outskirts of town off I-35. I don’t know if it’s the kissing pigs on their logo, or the tasty kolaches/klobasnikys, or the new clean store that makes it better than the rest but we enjoyed the experience.  Suzanne thinks I just like the little pigs. So if you like kolaches and klobasnikys as much as I do, stop in West and eat one for me, while seeing Texas Thru My Back Door!

Homestead Heritage – A Link to the Past

On a trip to the Waco area, Suzanne and I visited Homestead Heritage, a community that embraces the pioneer way of doing things. Their handcrafted Texas items are sold on the premise and through their catalog. With a walking tour of the farm, one can view craftsmen and craftswomen creating pottery vases, bowls and dinnerware sets; building wood furniture, wood carvings and other wood projects; grinding corn, wheat and oats; making yarn and creating quilts, rugs, blankets and clothes; and a forging wrought iron items such as bed frames, tables and ornate gates.

We found that the best part of the experience was watching the craftsmen at work. Suzanne was fascinated with the fiber crafts shop. Here, we watched one lady create yarn, while another worked the yarn into cloth on a loom. The ladies were friendly and willing to answer any question. I enjoyed the Gristmill. Water is channeled from a nearby well to turn a wooden waterwheel connected by gears and pulleys to a grinding wheel. Inside an adjacent room, you can purchase their products and ask questions of the workers. In the woodshop, samples of their furniture, guitars and carvings lined the walls of the building. We also toured the herb farm and pottery shop.

After finishing our tour of the craft buildings, we ventured into the General store where you can see more of their products and purchase your favorites. The two story building was stocked full of things of interest to both Suzanne and I. My favorites were the carved wildlife. These life-like carvings of wood were phenomenal! Suzanne admired the beautiful quilts.

All this walking and shopping made us thirsty and hungry. Lucky for us, on the premise is a highly regarded café. We had read about this café and its wonderful home-style foods and desserts. Having already made reservations, we couldn’t wait to eat. The food was fresh and seasonal and tasty. What more could you ask for? The staff was courteous and attentitive to our every need. This is a must do if you visit Homestead Heritage. Just remember to call for reservations beforehand as the place is packed on weekends.

 

Spending an afternoon at the Homestead Heritage community is a great way to spend time in Texas Thru My Back Door!

B-52 and Conroe Art, Too!

One recent Saturday, Suzanne and I were contemplating what we might do locally for a fun day in the sun. Suzanne was thinking something artsy and I was thinking something outdoors. So we compromised and decided to do both!

First we settled on checking out the Conroe Art League exhibit in downtown historic Conroe. As someone who has driven up and down Interstate 45 north of Houston for decades, I have never slipped off the highway to see what Conroe has to offer in its downtown area. On our way to our destination, we saw lots of refurbished old buildings with old style street lighting guiding our way. Signs and billboards boasted of various venues for dining, live music, theater and shopping.

Our goal was finding the Madeley Building Gallery. With the sweet voice of our onboard map locator’s help, we headed straight to the spot. This part of Conroe was quite busy for a Saturday morning, a good sign of vitality for the historic area.  

As we pulled into a parking spot, Suzanne quickly noticed the painted benches along the walkway. We enjoyed looking at the miniature murals that covered every side and top of the benches. Eventually, we made it to the Gallery. Housed in the historic Conroe Telephone Exchange Building, the art gallery brought a breath of fresh air to the newly refurbished building. With expansive ceilings and stained wood moldings, this building provides a wonderful ambiance for the well planned out art gallery.

Walking around the gallery we looked at paintings, pottery, photography and jewelry by local artists and artisans.  Two friendly hosts eagerly provided information about the Conroe Art League and the featured artists. We were impressed with the quality art work for sale.

With Suzanne’s appetite for art quenched, it was time to quench my thirst. My choice was a new brewery out west of Conroe on Highway 105 named B-52 Brewing Company. What a great name for a brewery. With a noon to 3:30 tour/sampling event every Saturday, I couldn’t wait to wet my whistle.

The brewery is tucked back in the woods with a campground-like tone. Picnic tables with benches dotted the landscape. A food truck served great Bar-B-Q sandwiches while live music played in the background. The Brewery grounds are child and dog friendly.

My focus was on the cold fresh brewed beer. One can buy either a half-pint glass for $8 or a pint glass for $12 with three fills each. Of course, I chose the $12 pint glass with the cool B-52 plane logo like any boy of my age would! The three different brews were all good but Suzanne and I both liked the Wheat IPA. We met and talked to some nice folks out enjoying beer underneath the shade trees. Suzanne and I had such a good time that we ended up staying to the end!

Driving back home, Suzanne and I recapped our fun day with the new people we met and new things we learned. I count my lucky stars as I look back into the rearview mirror and see all the fun we had today as we bring you Texas Thru My Back Door!

The Beauty of Chocolate

There’s a new indulgence in the city of Houston, handmade chocolates that are as beautiful and interesting as the young entrepreneur who makes them.  I’m never one to pass up an opportunity to try fine chocolate, so when Al agreed to go with me to check out this new addition to the Houston food scene, I jumped at the chance.  Down to the Galleria area we went to visit Cacao & Cardamom.

Walking in the door, the rich wooden shelves and shining glass cases communicated a dedication to quality as well as an atmosphere of decadence. Dazzling like diamonds in a jewelry case, the beauty of these chocolate creations immediately caught our attention. If you could sculpt chocolate into gems, this would be the result.

Annie Rupani, the chocolatier and proprietor of Cacao & Cardamom, was standing behind the counter as we surveyed her goods.  With a friendly smile and confidence in her work, she eagerly introduced us to these chocolate creations. Using spices like Szechuan peppercorn, cardamom, rose water, black sesame, ginger or sweet basil and infusing them into guava, pineapple, coconut, strawberry and blueberry combined with the finest chocolates, Annie has created unique flavors that warm your spirit while delighting your taste buds.  

So glowingly beautiful that you almost don’t want to eat them, these handmade chocolate treats are both exotic and delicious. She uses a variety of colors and shapes to create a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.  Even the packaging, which displays each creation to perfection, adds to the overall experience.

Annie’s story is as interesting as her creations.  This young lady started her love affair with creating chocolates while still in college.  During her time at Boston University, she won the Miss Pakistan World contest, interned at the United Nations, and worked in the offices of Senator Ted Poe and the Texas Governor. Annie completed her degree in anthropology and took some time off from school before continuing on with a plan to attend law school.  During this break, she studied for the LSAT 6 days a week and with her one free day created chocolate treats.  Along the way she traveled to Pakistan to do volunteer work and attended a pastry school in Malaysia where she learned even more about chocolate.

Abandoning her plans to go to law school to pursue her passion, Annie worked as a chocolatier for a chef at a private club in Houston.  Her creations received immense recognition, including awards from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. With encouragement from these accomplishments, Annie decided to start her own business.  After success of selling chocolates over the internet for a year and a half, she opened her store front at the corner of Westheimer and Post Oak.

Following a pleasant conversation with Annie and purchasing a selection of chocolates, Al and I hurried home to try more of these chocolate gems.   We loved the blueberry lime and the garam masala pistachio flavors and are looking forward to sampling more of our treasured treats as we travel Texas Thru My Back Door!