Our Adventures in Good
Eating
Part 2 in a series of 3
“A Few Culinary
Surprises in South Texas”
by Meta Newell West
We expected lots of BBQ, Mexican and
regional food on our month long stay in south Texas and we found it, but we
were also treated to home cooked meals by fellow condo dwellers in New
Braunfels, TX.
After a long drive, we were in the
process of unpacking our car when a neighbor stopped with an invitation to a supper
party. Joe and Dorine are long-time winter Texans, part of a group that spends
a lot of time socializing in their home away from home. Dorine’s
Minnesota-style homemade chicken soup was the best welcome ever and a fun way to
reacquaint ourselves with many of the people we met last year during a week
long stay in the area.
That was just the beginning. Wednesday morning
was coffee and doughnut time in the clubhouse. If and when it was warm enough
(it was unseasonable cold in south Texas in January), we met at the pool in
late afternoons for drinks. There were football gatherings, with snacks of
course, Bloody Mary Sunday following breakfast tacos at Los Gallos, and a Minnesota-style ham and scalloped potato dinner at the Reynolds. People in
the area just enjoy getting together, and food and drink are usually involved.
Another interesting get-together was a crepe party hosted by a Canadian couple. Rudy made stacks and stacks of
crepes that guests filled with all kinds of fresh fruit, nuts, whipped cream
and maple syrup. But, the crowning glory was Sandy’s vanilla sauce, a perfect
accompaniment to a fun brunch, and they even shared the recipe!
CREPES — GERMAN
PANCAKES Makes 10 crepes.
Although we usually
think of crepes as a French culinary delight, the Germans also prepare a very
thin pancake as well. That's fitting since these crepes were served in New Braunsfels, TX, a
community founded by German settlers in 1845.
Recipe courtesy of
Rudy Froese, Winnipeg, Canada.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 ½ cups whole or 2%
milk, divided use
½ teaspoon white vanilla
1. Make
a well in the flour and add salt, unbeaten eggs, and 1 cup milk.
2. Beat
with mixer or by hand until free from lumps. Add remainder of milk and vanilla,
continue beating to make a very thin batter. Do not over beat, no foam.
3. Let
batter rest in refrigerator over night. This removes the air bubbles.
4. Next
day, before using, stir batter and add an additional ½ cup of milk, stir.
5. Bake
in heavy iron skillet—heating until it begins to smoke when butter is brushed
on; pour approximately ⅓ cup of batter into hot skillet, tilt the skillet so a
thin layer covers entire bottom of pan. Bake on medium heat until dough is set
and starts to curl on the edge, then flip the crepe. The second side only takes
20 seconds to brown.
Rudy stacks crepes on a plate and stores any leftovers in
the refrigerator. They also freeze well but you might one to separate them with
sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap for easy separation.
VANILLA WHITE SAUCE
FOR CREPES Makes enough sauce for 8
people
Serve this warm over crepes, pancakes, waffles or even bread
pudding for a real treat.
Recipe courtesy of Sandy
Froese, Winnipeg, Canada.
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups whole or 2% milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 ½ tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. In
a 1-quart glass bowl, stir sugar and cornstarch together.
2. Gradually
add enough of the milk to make a smooth paste.
3. Stir
in the remainder of the milk.
4. Microwave,
uncovered on medium high for 5 to 6 minutes until sauce is bubbly and
thickened. Stir in butter and vanilla.
5. Serve
warm or chilled. When making big batches of this sauce for a crepe party, Sandy
keeps the sauce warm in a slow cooker set on low.
EATING GERMAN CREPES MADE BY A CANADIAN IN SOUTH TEXAS—Sandy's
delicious vanilla sauce oozes out of Rudy's fruit & nut filled crepe topped
with whipped cream.
1st article in the series: “Independent Eating (and drinking) Establishments in South Texas— Our Adventures in Good Eating
3rd article in the series: “Condo Cooking with Duncan Hines” — Our Adventures in Good Eating and in Good Cooking, part 3 |
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