When I first came to Texas in 2018, I asked Whataburger if I could modify my order protein style and hold the sauce. They had no idea what this meant. See, I’m a spoiled Londoner, who’s only lived in New York City and Tokyo, so I swore I’d never relocate to my husband’s drab and dusty home turf. We argued over the heat, the guns, the amateur entertainment scene, and, above all, the food. He told me I behaved like the cast of Schitt’s Creek. I told him he behaved like Kelly Clarkson. I eventually kicked and screamed all the way to Austin, trading our shoebox Brooklyn apartment for a surprisingly nice Austin condo with amenities-and a working elevator!. Things did get better…because I learned to adapt.
The first thing I embraced was Texas-size portions. (It’s true, everything is bigger in Texas.) Blue Bell became my saviour, especially during the pandemic; I mean, six bucks for half-gallon of ultra-sweet ice cream? Screw the Halo Top vegan, I’m addicted to cow now. Speaking of cow, that’s one protein source you really have to like in Texas, because if not, you go hungry half the time you step out with pals.
And now? I do things like glamping in Wimberley with coolers of H-E-B grub, and I voluntarily holiday in Galveston with in-laws to eat deep-fried catfish like any good Southern boy. I totally don’t complain about the butter content on the corn, not to their faces.
If you’re one of the millions of newbies in Texas keen to acclimate to this wonderfully indulgent space, there are a bunch of grocery items you’ll need to swot up on-this vital intel took me years to acquire. My best advice? Don’t ever look at the ingredients label.
Venison Jerky There’s a ton of deer in Texas, and what do Texans like to do with excess-anything? Eat it of course (that’s why we spend so much time at Kroger’s “Oops, We Baked Too Much” racks). Venison jerky is not what you think. It’s not as tough as beef jerky, and I actually find that it’s soft and packed with flavour. Try Central Market’s Smoked Venison Jerky, which is crafted by the pit masters of family-owned Texas smokehouses. It’s always delicious and tender and makes for a great high-protein snack on the go.
Cowboy Caviar Quite the opposite of the decent fish eggs, cowboy caviar is cheap, rarely paired with champagne, and has had zero contact with a fish. Also known as Texas caviar, it’s actually a salad that doubles as a dip: black-eyes peas, corn, bell peppers, tomatoes, black beans and avocado. Folks down here just shove them in their mouths by the spoonful or on a tortilla chip. We go down the chip route and get it all from Whole Foods (founded in Austin, FYI).
Barbecue Sandwiches I’ll say it once and I’ll say it again. Whether you’re at a party, a festival, or a gas station, there will be cow. Cow in the form of dairy or meat, that is. Beef brisket sandwiches can be found all over the state, and they’re a convenient way to scratch that barbecue itch without the effort. We often stop at Rudy’s when driving out to a getaway in the Hill Country, and go for the half pound of moist brisket (which can get a lil’ messy!). Pulled pork is another popular barbecue sandwich option.
Whole Pickled Cucumbers If you love slices of pickles on hamburgers, then come to Texas and go the whole hog! Here, we stock, sell, and eat whole-picked cucumbers like they’re churros. You can find them not only on supermarket shelves but even in movie theaters and school cafeterias. Next time you go and see a film, why not switch popcorn for a couple of tangy cucumbers? A little crunch and a little zest will keep you focused. Better still, have your pickle thrown into your bucket of popcorn: also known as the “popcorn pickle.”
Chips and Guac I love guac, so I was delighted that every time we visited friends, a big bowl of chips and guac automatically hit the table. The guac, made of smashed avocado, is mixed with a bunch of chopped veggies and seasonings. Some people make it, but it’s easier just to buy a big tub from H-E-B or Costco. Texans never go to Target for guac because they only have small packaged varieties. Remember, everything needs to be bigger here. Likewise, you’ll need to pick up large bags of chips while at the store; H-E-B’s own brand of Sea Salt Tortilla Chips are great because they’re even tasty on their own when you’ve run out of dip. Game day, sorted.
Peanut Brittle No family reunion is complete without my partner’s Aunt Treena and her famous homemade peanut brittle. Since that is harder to come by for the masses, well, there’s always Central Market’s! Peanut Brittle is a sweet treat that’s made of flat, jagged pieces of hard sugar candy, mixed with nuts. When in Texas, though, you’ll want brittle made with local pecans. The famous roadside gas station and market chain, Buc-ee’s, has you covered with its pecan brittle.
Jarred Jams and Jellies All of the South, and Texas especially, is heavy on fruit jam or jelly consumption. We have a major sweet addiction down here. Thanks to the bountiful peach and berry crops, farm-to-can jams are staple pantry items. I like local brands like Austin Jam Company, but you’ll find roadside sellers all over the state. Spread on your toast, glaze it on some meat, or simply add to your choice of kolache.
Kolaches Kolaches are a traditional “Tex-Czech” breakfast pastry, and a nod to the state’s history of immigration. They date back to the 1800s when Czechoslovakian immigrants moved to Texas and brought the pastry with them. Today kolache shops are still thriving. You’ll find them at every family gathering too. My favorite is the Poppy Seed Kolache, and the best place to buy them is The Czech Stop Bakery in West, Texas (note: the town is called “West”, it’s not actually in the western side of Texas).
Sweet Tea When I first landed, I was terribly confused that chilled sweet tea was what I’d get served when I simply asked for ‘tea’ in restaurants. Down here, tea is made of Lipton and sugar. This needs to be emphasized in ALL CAPS: A LOT OF SUGAR. My husband grew up with gallons of the stuff from Chicken Express, and I’m surprised he doesn’t have diabetes. Today we prefer varieties that use brown sugar, agave, or stevia. Moonshine has half’n’half Lemonade Tea which you can buy in packs of 12.
Peach Cobbler Texas is nearly as famous as Georgia when it comes to peaches (we just don’t have a Justin Bieber song). This baked, casserole-style dessert is peach fruit filling covered with batter, and served piping hot. Sprinkle on some powdered sugar, top with whipped cream or side with ice cream. This is a really easy dessert to make, but most Southern-style or comfort food chains, like Cracker Barrel, sell it to-go.
These Texan treats can be found in all the big supermarkets, such as H-E-B, Walmart, and Kroger. You’ll find the local brands stocked in carefully curated market retailers like Whole Foods, Central Market, and Royal Blue Grocery, as well as Farmer’s Markets, where you can buy from them directly. On a road trip? Well, you simply must stop at Buc-ee’s gas station convenience stores. They are huge and have awesome barbecue to-go items, snacks, drinks and souvenirs. The New Braunfels branch even holds the world record as the largest convenience store in the world.
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James Wong is a Libra who spends his time pretending to be a vegan, watching wildlife clips, and booking plane tickets. Born in London, lived in Tokyo, and now residing in Austin, his greatest achievement is giving Posh Spice a hug in 2016.
Despite the fact that they were first introduced to the world in 3500 BC, chia seeds became “trendy” around 2012. Wellness blogs everywhere touted the ancient superfood for its innumerable health benefits, and we found a way to sneak them into just about any recipe that could do with a little more fibre. But if you read the back of an average pouch, it was likely the brand had zero connection to the seed’s Aztec and Mayan origins.
Luckily things are changing, and we’re starting to see more and more members of the Latinx community take ownership of the superfoods that have long-fueled their cultures-from chocho and nopales to quinoa, and amaranth. Take, for example, The Pinole Project, a family-run oatmeal brand specializing in the Aztec superfood that is pinole, a ground heirloom corn sourced from Oaxaca, Mexico. The Mexican-American Jacquez family founded The Pinole Project to honour their grandmother, Adela, who would add pinole to many of her dishes-specifically avena, or slow-cooked oatmeal. “Adela had a lot on her plate and looked to high-quality food to help push through her physically and mentally exhausting days raising a family and working on her and my grandfather’s humble ranch in Chihuahua, Mexico,” says Bella Jacquez, head of marketing for The Pinole Project.
Pinole offers sustained, plant-based energy, with high levels of fibre and protein. “It has a low glycemic index and is a complex carbohydrate, so it’s digested slowly, providing slow-burning energy which keeps you full for longer,” Jacquez says. That also means no spike or crash. “Many of our customers comment that they’ll eat a serving before or after an intense workout and will feel full for hours.”
It’s no wonder that pinole is a popular food among the Tarahumara, an indigenous community residing in the Sierra Madre region of Chihuahua. They’re renowned for their long-distance running ability, calling themselves the Rarámuri, which, in their native language, means “light feet” or “runners on foot.”Jacquez’s grandfather, Arsenio, learned the language of the Tarahumana as a young child, and over the course of his 85 years of life, developed lasting bonds with them. “He used to go to the mountains with his father to trade with the Tarahumara, often serving as an interpreter,” Jacquez explains. “My grandparents would welcome Tarahumara into their home to provide shelter when needed, and to share stories. They were able to learn about the culture of running and pinole’s role as a nutritious pre-running meal.”
But beyond the health benefits and reverence to tradition, pinole tastes good. The brand’s oatmeal is a rethinking of your average Quaker Oats, with subtle hints of corn that add a welcome nuttiness.
Most important to the company, however, is its mission to tell the stories of their ancestors. “We believe we’re messengers trying to connect the past, present, and future-inspiring more people to connect with pinole, Mexican history, and food culture,” Jacquez says.
To incorporate more ancestral foods into everyday meals, check out these Latinx superfood brands:
A packet of Pinole Chia Oatmeal includes non-GMO heirloom corn, chia seeds, cinnamon, raw vegan cane sugar, and gluten-free oats, offering gut-friendly prebiotics that can aid in digestion. Each serving has 10 grams of fibre and 8-14 grams of protein depending on flavour. You can enjoy the corn-sugar-cinnamon combo on its own, or opt for the Banana Cinnamon and PB & Cacao flavours. A chuck in the microwave makes for a great, steamy bowl of oats in the morning, but you can also incorporate the mix into baked oats, overnight oats, waffles, pancakes, and muffins. “I find that when I’m craving something sweet, I’ll swap out the flour in cookie recipes with our original flavoured product and bake some delicious protein and fibre pinole cookies,” Jacquez says.
This single-source, plant-based protein powder was founded by fifth-generation Ecuadorian farmer and former professional athlete, Ricky Echanique. It’s made from chocho, a powerful lupin that has been harvested for thousands of years by indigenous farmers. The protein grows in the Andes Mountains and contains plant fibre, vitamin E, magnesium, all nine essential amino acids, and as much calcium per serving as a glass of milk. Plus, it’s naturally regenerative, thriving on rain water alone and pulling nitrogen deep into the soil as it grows, making it more fertile for future crops. There are three varieties available-pure chocho, vanilla, and cacao-which each blend seamlessly into anything from smoothies to veggie burgers.
These crunchy snacks are made from nopales, the fiber-packed cactus pads that are a staple of Mexican cuisine (they’re on the flag, symbolizing the time when the Aztecs founded Mexico City, after seeing an eagle on top of a nopal). Nopales are rich in vitamin E, calcium, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals. When she moved to Chicago from Mexico City, founder Regina Trillo noticed a scarcity of nutritious, Latinx-owned food brands in the “ethnic aisle.” So she developed the Cheeto-like Nemi Snacks, which feature, in addition to nopal, some other Aztec superfoods, like amaranth, an ancient grain similar to quinoa, and spirulina, a blue-green algae that acts as a powerful antioxidant. The sticks come in four Latin-inspired flavors-Chile Turmeric, Churro, Mexican Lime, and Smoky Chipotle.
Born in Ecuador to a banana farmer and agricultural entrepreneur, Saskia Sorrosa founded Fresh Bellies, a family snack brand designed for preschoolers and their parents. Sorroso believes these snacks-made with the ancient whole grain sorghum-can train palates to crave savory flavors instead of sugars or extra saltiness. Sorghum is gluten-free, low in fat, rich in antioxidants, vitamins, has 22 grams of protein in one cup, and is a great source of fibre. The Groovies line features puffs that get their flavouring from actual vegetables, seasoned with spices inspired by Sorrosa’s heritage that you rarely find in kid food, like sage and garlic.
LiveKuna works directly with farmers in Ecuador to supply superfoods that are distributed worldwide. Friends Carlos Gutiérrez and Santiago Stacey launched with chia seeds, eventually incorporating other locally grown superfoods, like quinoa and amaranth, into cereals, pastas, and snack puffs. “We started this company out of curiosity and frustration knowing that 99% of chia seeds grown in our own country were being exported, and our own people who produced, were not taking advantage of this amazing seed. LiveKuna was then created to promote and bring superfood consumption back to its roots,” Santiago says on the brand’s website.
Husband-and-wife duo Lisa and Ismael Petrozzi founded Llamaland with the intent to celebrate Peru, home of some of the most nutritious superfoods in the world. Their cereals and spreads feature lesser-known superfood ingredients like arracacha, the “white carrot” of the Andes, sacha inchi, known as the “nut of the Incas,” and camu camu, one of the world’s most abundant sources of natural vitamin C. The brand’s best-selling Lucuma Superfruit Spread is made of the ancient superfruit lucuma, or the “gold of the Incas.” You can smear this caramel-like spread on pancakes, or use it to top off ice cream.
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Jessica Sulima is a staff writer on the Food & Drink team at Thrillist. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.