A Memorable Lunch

I met a girl friend for lunch to catch up on things and bring her a delivery of product at the local Los Gallitos.  We chatted about her upcoming trip to Ireland, her daughter starting her second year of college, my recent job layoff and how energized I am now to be free of the burden of that daily dragon to concentrate on my ideas and future.  I spoke to my favorite bus girl I that has kept my table clean and bowls of chips and salsa full for years.  Her son, so beautifully named America, had just started pre-K this week.  She glowed with excitement to share her joy of the beginning of his education.  I politely asked her if he was learning English in school and with a big smile,  she said yes.

My friend had to leave to return to work.  I made my way to the outdoor patio to finish my margarita and enjoy our first arid day in months.  A Chevy Camaro had pulled in and parked.  A woman got out of the passenger side with an attractive messenger bag, put in on the trunk and seemingly retrieved a wheelchair from no where and took it directly to the driver's side.  I thought it odd that they did not take one of the many available handicap parking spots.   The driver's door was just opening and I could see the driver begin his solo struggle to move from the car seat to the wheel chair as his companion stood by and did not assist him.  Within that same moment, I saw the license plate on that Camaro and realized what was taking place.  

My first thought was to take out my camera and capture this moment of his struggle to do what we do everyday without effort to reflect what he has sacrificed for our Freedom.  With immediate second thought, he and his companion deserved privacy.  With my better judgment, I turned my head so not to stare at his endeavor to move from the car to the wheel chair and contemplated a words I could say that might let him know that I was thankful and that I cared.  As the two passed by the patio where I sat, the words I spoke along with a slight wave brought a turn of the head and a smile from his companion and a smile and a wave from the young man.  I hope he knows how sincere were my words and how timely his visit was in prologue to a lunch that is now a celebration of our Freedom.

Thank you, sir.  Thank you sir for protecting our Freedom.

All I am going to say about this post is I don't care where your sit on current issues.  Just remember that these men and women are taking a job, just like you or I do.  They may want to further their education, to seek promotion or just to simply provide for their family.  While their job is much more difficult than we can ever imagine, they truly want the same for their future as we do, maybe even more so and with great pride, they serve.

Beth in Texas

A Visit To Tabasco At Avery Island

While in Louisiana in June, 2010 for a little vacation and to spend a few tourist dollars in my neighbor state, I knew I had to pay a little visit to Avery Island, after all, I had not been there since the early 90's.  They were closed on the first visit and a very rainy day on this recent visit.  

The rain did not hamper the free tour, which was nice, a little sterile, but well worth it if you are in the area.  I mean, you can't miss this piece of American history.  As you enter the small theater to view short films (one being a big promotion for the Tabasco Brand Chipotle Sauce) they give each visitor 3 of their famous little mini bottles of sauce.  Great souvenirs!  

After the film viewing, you then travel down a glassed corridor to view the bottling of the sauce, that day it was their Green Sauce.  I can't imagine that this would be THE bottling line for their worldwide production but it was a nice view of seemingly happy employees and lots of bottles of Tabasco Brand sauces scooting about on conveyor belts.

The end of the corridor leads you to a small museum room with bits of history of Tabasco Brand and Avery Island, the salt dome, the infamous oak barrels and such. 

From there, you are "invited" to shop the Tabasco Country Store.  Many more items than what you find in their print catalog or online store, lots of local snacks, Tabasco Logo wearables and kitchen gear.  They did have an excellent sampling bar with almost all of their sauces and salsas, even their jalapeno ice cream available to sample.  If only they had samples of Tabasco Bloody Mary, I could then say it was the perfect Bar Buffet.  I was very fond of the Tabasco Steak Sauce I had never found on store shelves and purchased a bottle.

I know there are so many unique and tasty hot sauces out there but, for some reason, I have this addiction to Tabasco Brand Chipotle Sauce.  After pondering for just a short while, I decided to purchase the one gallon size.  The fact that the storekeepers said that it would last five years on the counter and in the Country Store, I found what was probaby the cheapest thing you could purchase at $2.95 and the most useful tool for using that gallon of sauce, the Basting Topper that fits right on the 5 OZ bottle of sauce.  I did have to ask if they had a pump top for the jug but none were available.  As you can see, I have already put a dent in the jug, so I don't think I will have to worry about the 5 year shelf life.

You can see more photos of my visit to Tabasco at Avery Island here.  So sorry, the rainy day does not do justice to this American Landmark, the area is truly beautiful.

On the subject of Tabasco Brand, Peppermania has a retired collection of Tabasco Brand Ties At Cheap Prices And Free Shipping.

See ya later alligator!

Beth in Texas

The Heat Beat

At least that is what I call the hot sauce blog recap at Matters.com.  I like this!  Check it out and see if you see anybody, blogs or products that you know and vote.  Lots of News and Reviews all on one page.

The Heat Beat

While your at it check out other topics, if you are like me, you will find the Food and Drink topics lots of appetizing fun.

I can tell Peppermania Texas is a long way from making Matters but I'm gonna work on it.  Please Email anything you would like to see here while I search the highways and byways for worthy stoof to post.

In the meantime, you can email photos of your hot sauce, other products of heat or your harvest along with a description and we will get it posted on Peppermania's Hall of Flame.  I know you're out there, chances are you ordered woozie bottles or seeds from Peppermania!  Show us what you got!

See ya later alligator!

Beth in Texas

My New Grill Favorite

This grill season I accidentally found a new favorite to put on the grill.  Yes, those yummy Hash Brown Patties that you pick up with your McD breakfast but never think to purchase in the freezer section.  I took a pack I had in the freezer for ages on my Road Ranch Trip to Louisiana thinking I would toaster oven them for breakfast.  I was grilling some beef filet, and being a meat 'n potato chica, I realized I needed some 'taters.  Since I had no Idaho's, I dug into the freezer and found those Hash Brown Patties, seasoned them up and slapped them on the grill.  Boy howdy, I am so glad I thought to "pack those patties"!

This was not just a one time trial.  I have tried this on 3 of my grills and it works every time.  You don't even have to thaw them first, just be sure you pre-oil their surface and set off from the flame.

And lucky me!  I found the bottle of Intensity Academy's Chai Chipotle Chup I brought back from NOLA.  I don't like ketchup but this is good stuff!  Perfect for the Patties!

See ya later alligator!
Beth in Texas

A Preview of Season 2011 Chiles For Seed

 Scarlet Lantern
View Peppermania Texas 2010 Chiles

It has been a fantastic chile season in Peppermania Texas.  Lots of new varieties and the return of old favorites!
The Baccatums are Back!  The Super Hots are coming on!  The return of the Chilhuacles of Oaxaca.
We will be posting a list of the coming availability very soon at Peppermania.com.  Sign Up for our coming E-Newsletter for the latest updates and specials.

See ya later alligator!
Beth in Texas

Chile Pepper Word Find Puzzle

I found this in a Word Find Puzzle Book I bought for a friend.  I knew she would never miss Puzzle No. 109 so I tore it out thinking it might be a fun thing some day.  I still haven't found them all, I want to make it last!

How long has it been since you played a Word Find Puzzle.  Well, that't too long!

Remember, answers are forwards, backwards, vertical, horizontal and on the diagonal.

And, if you print this, you just may find the answers, backward in a shadow ;-)

Have fun!

Brown Box Crackers: Mini Meat Loaves With Brown Beer Gravy

I love comfort food, especially when it makes leftovers that taste better the day after.  Meatloaf is one of those comfort foods and I like mine with rich, brown gravy...not with that tomato-y, ketchup-y topping some folks use.  I want mine with rice and some kind of fresh vegatable to make it a heathly thing.  Thank you, Mom, for putting me on the right path to meatloaf.

Since I have the Brown Box Cracker gig going on, what could be a better filler.  Yeppers, spicy crackers will do it and do it well.  And why not try some brown beer in that brown gravy?

B.B.C. Mini Meat Loaves With Brown Beer Gravy

Mini Meat Loaves
Ingredients
1 Lbs    Lean Hamburger
2    *Onion (Medium, Of Choice, Peeled)
1    *Jalapeno (or more to taste)
3    *Clove Garlic (or more to taste)
1    Egg, large
½ Tsp Black Pepper (or more to taste)
½ Tsp Salt (or more to taste)
1/2 C     Worchestershire sauce
2 C    Brown Box Cracker Crumbs

Los Gallitos Revisited

I took advantage of my Friday afternoon off yesterday and met a friend at one of my fave Tex-Mex restaurants, Los Gallitos, for a late lunch and margies.  I really do love this place.  I remember when it was a Red Lobster.  They still have the Red Lobster booths which actually fits seeing as they have many seafood items on the menu.  Extensive menu, too many choices for me, but I have enjoyed everything I have ordered.  My co-diners are usually more open to exploring the menu but am just a diehard for nachos.

Yesterday's visit on a coolish afternoon reminded me of my last visit on the evening of January 8th. It was so very cold, one of our coldest nights of this long winter.  Los Gallitos' fountain was running and had created wonderful icicles over a foot long.  Granted this may not be a rare sight to many above I10 but this is H-Town and a sight like this is a treat.

I don't care if I see icicles again for a long, long time, this photo will suffice just fine.

Friends & Foes In Training

I got Friends and Foes; Foes in training for the upcoming season.  Pest control at it's best!

Friend vs Foe Spider Game

Yeppers! Peppers! I am ready for Spring, tired of this "global warming", frozen tundra Winter  and I'm finding attraction to goofy online game pages.  I gotta say, I really like this mindless yet production game.  Make foe, eat foe.  Friends are the best, make them and keep them!

Oh Stuck! My Seed Cap Won't Let Go!

After years of starting chiles seeds and countless stuck seed caps there is one thing I have learned to be certain, leave that soldier to his own accord and he will take care of matters on his own.  There is a much better rate of survival of that little seedling just letting it grow out of that fearful constraint of a stuck seed cap than if you decide to become the "Hawkeye" of seedling surgery.  Chances are that if you take it upon yourself to tweeze and squeeze, tug and toil, you are going to put that little guy to an unmerciful death.  No matter how tempting it may be to get that seed cap off, leave it alone.  Just give it a little nursing assist and spritz with water or swab with spit to moisten.  In just a little bit of time those cotyledon leaves will overcome and kick that cap to the dirt and spread his wings.  Trust me in this truth.

Please pardon the cat hair!  As you can see, even the true leaves have come to join this battle.  Resist all temptation to become a seedling surgeon!