Skip to main content

United Tastes of Texas: Authentic Recipes From All Corners of the Lone Star State

texasIn Texas, everything is big. The state is big, the hair is big, and of course, the food is big. If you’ve ever been to the Lone Star State you know just how appetizing the food is. Tex-Mex is something all its own — that ooey gooey queso, or Frito pie. Then there are the steak houses with every kind of cut you can imagine. And the barbecue! You can’t go to Texas without having brisket, ribs and pulled pork.

Jessica Dupuy, a fourth-generation Texan, decided to take us on a culinary tour of Texas through her new book United Tastes of Texas: Authentic Recipes From All Corners of the Lone Star State. Each chapter explores a different region of Texas, thoroughly going through Central, Coastal, East, South, and West Texas. The book also talks about the influences on Texan cuisine, brought to the Lone Star State from immigrants from Czechoslovakia, Germany, Mexico, and Spain. First Dupuy starts out with the history of each area, then she goes into the chefs and restaurants that made the food in Texas what it is today.

Recommended Videos

The book also features 125 recipes — Black-Eyed Peas, Skillet Cornbread, Shrimp Creole, Smoked Brisket, Smoked Tortilla Soup, and Chicken Fried Steak. So whether you’ve visited the state or not, are a native or recently relocated there, this book will tell you everything you need to know about the ingredients, the personalities, the regions and the dishes that make Texan cuisine one of the tastiest regional cuisines in the United States.

United Tastes of Texas: Authentic Recipes From All Corners of the Lone Star State, $17.11 at amazon.com.

Ann Binlot
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Ann Binlot is a New York-based freelance writer who contributes to publications like The Economist, Wallpaper*, Monocle…
These dive bars don’t care about trends—and that’s exactly why we love them
Top dive bars
Dark bar with three empty barstools

Here's to the lowbrow watering hole. These practical establishments don't need bells and whistles like house-made tinctures and custom light fixtures. No, they've given us enough as it is, from that Cheers-like hospitality to that vintage dive bar smell.

Here's to the dive bar. The temple for regulars where a jukebox is preferred to a playlist, a sticker-covered bathroom is the norm, and a regular spoon, not a bar spoon, will do just fine for mixing drinks. Oh, and the drinks tend to be strong.

Read more
I tested Hestan’s ProBond Luxe line — why it’s a smart investment for everyday cooking
Hestan ProBond

After using Hestan's NanoBond cookware for a few months, I've found myself cooking almost exclusively with stainless steel pans. Why? It was the brand’s durability and performance that quickly won me over. So when the new ProBond Luxe line launched, I was curious to see how it would stack up, especially as a more accessible alternative to Hestan's higher-end collections.

Released earlier this month, the ProBond Luxe cookware is made from tri-ply stainless steel and was designed in collaboration with professional chefs. I tested one of the pans in my home kitchen to see how it handled everyday cooking — from weeknight meals to weekend experiments.

Read more
Beyond burgers: The underrated steak cuts perfect for tailgating
The cuts that turn a parking lot grill into a five-star pregame
Grilling at a tailgating party.

Tailgates are supposed to be a party. Friends circled around a cooler, the smell of charcoal in the air, someone balancing a too-full plate on the hood of a car. But too often the food feels like an afterthought — burgers, dogs, maybe a bag of chips if someone remembered. Fine, sure, but not exactly memorable.

If you’re firing up a grill in a parking lot, you might as well make it worth the trouble. This year, skip the sad burger patties and show up with beef that makes people stop mid-conversation. Tri-tip, hanger steak, flap steak — cuts with actual personality. They’re flavorful, affordable, and cook up beautifully without requiring you to be an award-winning pitmaster. Trust me, once you serve steak at a tailgate, there’s no going back.

Read more