Texas State “Star Mushroom” and a Chef Inspired Risotto

What do the Bluebonnet and the Pecan tree have in common? Well, if you grew up here you know they are official Texas state symbols. Bonus points if you also know the Mockingbird is the official state bird. Like many of you, I have known about these since I was “knee high to a grasshopper”. 

 

But did you know Texas has a state mushroom? The “Texas Star Mushroom” is  the shape of — you guessed it — a star. Perfect for the Lone Star State! While this mushroom isn’t recommended for consumption, fungi is emerging as a new ingredient in the culinary world. We are going to talk about the history of the state mushroom and then give you a chef level fungi recipe to cook at home. Texicureans are always looking to learn and share in the kitchen! 

 

The Texas Star Mushroom actually grows on decaying Cedar Elm stumps.  It is also known as the “Devil’s Cigar” due to its shape before bursting with a hissing sound and small puff of smoke into a star.  

 

So where can you find this rare mushroom?  First known identification was  well over 100 years ago in Austin in 1893.  As late as 2021,  it was spotted on a farm in Round Top, Texas and so began the push to acclaim it as the official Texas fungi.  Scientifically known as Chorioactis, it most commonly grows in central and north Texas.  

 

Chorioactis is new on the Texas scene as a state icon. After passing the House and Senate, Gov. Greg Abbott declared it as the Official Texas mushroom in June 2021. 

 

While not considered poisonous, its rarity – one of the rarest in the world, and the lack of research concerning  its health effects, consuming it is not recommended. Fungi as a culinary ingredient have recently become extremely popular due to their health benefits and tastiness.  For our recipe this month – I was so fortunate to prepare an amazing tasty fungi dish with a Certified Executive Chef – Clifton Dickerson.  

 

With over two decades of experience in the culinary industry, Clifton is Lead Chef Instructor at the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Austin.  He is dedicated to shaping the next generation of chefs through a hands-on, mentorship-driven approach.  

 

We jumped into the kitchen together and prepared his personal creation:  Creamy Risotto and  Sauteed Wild Mushrooms.  Just that little touch of whiskey and lard render a flavor that will make your heart sing!

 

So look out Taco Tuesday – Mushroom Monday may be on the horizon!

A Soup for the Soul 

 

Here comes Fall! The illusive cooler breeze, evening fires, and hearty recipes we look forward to every year. October also signals that more family time is near as we approach the holiday season. As Texans, the only thing that can come close to matching our state pride is our individual family heritage. Case and point, Amy Jurica’s dedication to curating the history of the Czech founders in Caldwell, TX.

 

Since 1999, October has been celebrated as Czech Heritage Month in Texas. As Texicureans, we celebrate the stories of the many different cultures that helped settle Texas. And we always give you a recipe to boot. By mentioning the Czechs, I may have just tingled your taste buds with thoughts of kolaches – but I’m here to expand your palate for one of the largest cultures that settled Texas. Step back in time with my friend Amy and I as we cook warm and time tested sauerkraut soup at the Czech Museum in Caldwell. But first, some history. 

 

Like many early immigrants to Texas, the Czechs were drawn to less expensive farmland and the promise of a stronger economic future.  They are a Slavic group that traces roots in Texas to Rev. Josef Arnošt Bergmann.  He brought a small group on the several months long arduous trip, arriving in Galveston in March of 1850. He subsequently wrote back to his friends detailing the opportunities Texas held for them. And now Texas boasts the largest Czech population of any state in the United States.  

 

Although most Czechs brought their Catholic Denomination with them, a large constituency were protestant and established the Evangelical Unity of the Bohemian-Moravian Brethren in North America.  You also may have seen SPJST or  Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas halls in rural Texas towns.   SPJST membership is open to everyone, but the organization promotes Czech heritage and culture.

 

If all this doesn’t make you want to polka, just don your apron and get in the kitchen to make an authentic Czech recipe with us. Bonus points if you turn on some polka music or visit a festival. 

 

Hailing from Caldwell, Texas, Amy knowledgeably shared the influence and history of her Czech ancestors. You see, Amy’s mother co-founded the Burleson County Czech Heritage Museum. The museum and people like Amy are entrusted with carrying on the Czech stories and traditions for future generations. Full of artifacts used by the early Czechs, it is a glimpse into the lives of this hardy group. I felt honored to listen and learn from Amy. I couldn’t help but think of all of the individual cultures that have contributed to Texas in this same way. That’s why we take y’all on the Texicureans Trail with us! 

 

And of course, at Texicureans, the conversation always goes back to food.  Here’s where that first bowl of warm soup comes in – have you ever tried Sauerkraut Soup?  A tradition brought from the old country that relied on readily available ingredients, Amy shared her family’s recipe. Soups were an inexpensive way to feed a family and in the Czech Republic, a way to stay warm. But it was clearly a labor of love as we pulled out an antique mandolin kitchen tool they used to shred the cabbage – the star ingredient. 

Practicality aside, this soup will warm your heart. Invite some friends, greet them with Jak se mas? (“How are you?”) and enjoy this age-old soup

Nutrition – it is a broad subject that encompasses numerous ideologies and beliefs.  Our culture and heritage dictate many of these customs,while others are formed from intensive research.  

My personal story was distinctly formed by my Mother’s lifelong interest in nutrition.  A Registered Nurse by vocation, she had a deep belief in the positive effects of quality foods on our overall health.  Fueled by my Dad’s discovery of high-blood pressure at a young age, she avidly explored breaking research on what foods made positive impacts on our health.  

So, what did this look like for our family?  While my friends’ had white bread and whole milk for lunch, I had whole wheat turkey breast sandwiches with skim milk and no sugary desserts.   She shopped “with the hippies” at Wheatsville grocery and brought home fresh fish weekly from Quality Seafood in Austin.  And we had oatmeal every morning!  

Did I mention that we are now planning my Dad’s 100th birthday?  He is a centenarian with clarity of mind, an intense interest in life-long learning, and good friends.  So, although genetics clearly play a huge part in longevity – our fuel, in the form of food can make a difference!

An area of nutrition that I am less schooled in is that of the Vegan, Vegetarian, and Plant-based world.  So, enter in my good friend Victoria Sears to demystify and demonstrate some of this subject matter!  An Attorney by trade, Victoria’s interest was piqued by her Mother’s discovery of dementia at a way too young age.  She has used her legal research skills to delve into this subject which changed her eating style.  

“Plant-based is no animal protein or derivative of an animal of any kind.  But plant-based also tends to mean no refined oils of any kind.  So, the distinction between veganism and plant-based is that vegans are very concerned about the ethical reasons that someone would not eat meat, or a derivative of meat – meaning dairy. Plant-based subscribers are typically more focused on health,” explains Victoria.  She further explains that she is about 90% plant-based and occasionally incorporates fish and oils into her diet.  

Although I personally love meat of all kinds, I constantly learn from Victoria ways to tweak our diet by incorporating some of these concepts into our meals.  

So, of course here at Texicureans, we are about recipes that have been formed by our varied Texas experiences.  Victoria and I prepared an Asian inspired dish using plant-based sausage which is a pea protein base.  Before I lose you on the pea protein base subject – she explains that pea protein (or tofu) has no taste of its own, so it’s the flavoring and preparation techniques in the recipe that makes the difference. 

We began preparing “Chunky Dumpling Salsa” to be used as a dip for steamed dumplings. And the intensity of flavor in this salsa is, well, indescribably amazing!  Can those of us who are meat eaters learn from this recipe?  Yes!  Simply substitute the pea protein with shredded pork, chicken, or shrimp in the dumplings.  Or branch out and try pea protein or tofu!

 

This pie brings back great memories for me!  My mom made it quite often – she always had fresh mint on hand.  I literally thought the recipe had become lost, but I found it at the very back of her card file.

When I made it for my family, it was an immediate success!  The rice cereal crust is light and goes so well with the mint cream filling.  All in all, it’s a summer delight.

Once you make this, it will become a favorite – I promise!  It only requires 30 minutes to set in the fridge.  So, truly a quick make-ahead dessert.

I’d love to hear your feedback!

Watch Video

Elegant, rich, and definitely fit for a special occasion: This recipe was passed down through the Sam and Margaret Houston family.  It has been published many times – the first thought to be in the 1941 Blue Bird Circle Cookbook.  The Texas Imperial Sugar Company also featured it in several of its publications.

A layer cake can really create the “WOW” factor to end a special meal.  Time-wise, it takes little more than a sheet cake and once you set it on a pedestal cake stand – well, it’s a knock out.  I served it at a family gathering a few weeks ago and received “ooh’s and aah’s!

You can fill it with either the Margaret Lea Houston chocolate icing or a lemon curd.  The Shiny Chocolate Icing completes the yummy desert.  I literally just spooned it on the top and let it run down the sides for a natural look.

Give it a try, and go for the adventure!  After all, that is what cooking is all about!

View the “how-to” video here:

Are you headed on a road trip this Spring Break?

Here’s an easy snack to keep the kids happy or the “kid in you” happy!  Pinwheels have been around for quite some time, but we generally think of them as an appetizer.

Throw them into a soft-sider ice chest that you keep handy and they also provide a snack on the road.

In this video, we show you both the protein version using turkey and the veggie version using cucumbers and fresh dill.

How to change it up?  Add arugula, baby spinach leaves, or even shredded carrots.  This is a snack you can truly use your creativity.

“Happy Trails to you!”  

And on that note – did you know Dale Evans was born in Uvalde, Texas on October 31, 1912?

 

 

Celebrating Texas Independence Day

Many people have attempted to identify what exactly makes Texas, well Texas?

At Texicureans, we celebrate all of the unique cultures that contribute to our state’s culinary pallet. We like to say Texas is much more than BBQ and Tex-Mex. But this month, we are going to honor the Texas trait that transcends the differences any of us may have – independence. And how fitting, because this month we celebrate Texas Independence Day.

In search of the origin of that signature Texas independent spirit, we enlisted Justice Ken Wise. As a Judge, Texas historian, and podcast host of “Wise about Texas”, he was the perfect person to make this month’s recipe – Sam Houston’s BBQ sauce. So, tether your horse and come in for a while for a history lesson with Justice Wise as we roll up our sleeves and set about recreating Texas’ Father Sam’s BBQ Sauce.

Texas Independent Spirit

Justice Wise explains, “Texas has the most unique and interesting history of any state in the Union in my judgment and the judgment of many others. Texas has existed in several different conditions. It was unexplored for the longest time, we had a large indigenous population, we have international borderlands and all of that always combines to make the history very interesting.”

“It took a special kind of person to make a life here in Texas. That’s why you get so many fascinating characters and an independent spirit that survives to this day. And that’s why people want to come to Texas.” – Justice Ken Wise

About Sam Houston

Bigger than life, intelligent, adventurous, wild, and a natural-born statesman. Sam Houston is known as the Father of Texas with the distinction of being the first President of the Republic of Texas and the 7th Governor of the State of Texas.

Born in Virginia on March 2nd, 1793 (does that date ring a bell?) he is the only individual to serve as governor of two states – Tennessee and Texas.

As a teenager, he ran away from home to live with the Cherokee for three years. After divorcing his first wife, he moved to Texas in 1832, quickly rising to be a top-ranking official in the Texian Army. He led the Texians to victory at San Jacinto – a decisive win for the Texas war for independence against Mexico in 1836.

Fast forward to 1839 when 46-year-old Houston attended a garden party in Mobile Alabama, meeting 20-year-old Margaret Lea. They were wed a year later, subsequently moving to Galveston. Although the couple was separated for long periods due to Sam’s travel, they wrote frequent letters to show their love and devotion to one another.

Justice Wise and I spent a few minutes chatting about lesser-known facts concerning Sam Houston.

As mentioned above – he was born on Texas Independence Day – March 2nd. “He was a diplomat to the Cherokee and other Native American tribes. He had a wealth of experience as a Statesman before he got to Texas and he was invited to come to Texas by some individuals who recognized that something was going to happen – they weren’t sure what. So, they needed a Statesman – someone with political experience to help guide them through the situation. That’s how he got to Texas.” shares Justice Wise. An interesting side note to this is that “statesmanship or political leadership and the wisdom that comes with the experience was really its own craft and was not very common at the time.”

Justice Wise continues, “Sam Houston liked to party. Period. Yes, he was well known for that. He was a big guy (obviously liked to eat) and the way you would put your best foot forward would be to cook BBQ for people. He married Margaret Lea, First Lady of the Republic of Texas when he was in his late forties and she was 21, from Alabama. She got him to quit drinking, and be baptized in the Baptist church in Independence Texas. Their love for each other is evident in their letters which survived and you can read to this day.”

On that note, we asked Justice Wise about some of the historical factors that set Texas women apart in their strength and character. Justice Wise, “Many of the Texans I talk about on my podcast, are individuals who did heroic things, they just happen to be women. For the longest time, I don’t think that was focused on and I still don’t think it’s focused on as much as it should be.”

“If you think about this, Texas was created out of revolution. And if you have a revolution and the men go off to fight, you had to fight off any hostiles, you had to grow your own food, you had to do all of that. If the men went off to fight, guess who had to do it all? The women. And they did.”

“One interesting fact related to the legal world in Texas, we had an all-female supreme court in 1925. There was a case where pretty much every judge in Texas would be recused from it so the Governor decided to appoint three women to the Texas Supreme Court to hear that case. That had never happened in United States History. There are fascinating stories like that throughout Texas history.”

Hear and learn more about Texas History from Ken Wise on his podcast “Wise About Texas” which “presents Texas history in an engaging, scholarly and interesting way. You’ll learn more about the Texas history you know, and a lot of Texas history you don’t know” according to Wise.

We found the recipe for Sam Houston’s BBQ sauce in “Early American Cookbook” by D. Kristie Lynn and Robert W. Pelton. Like many old recipes handed down, we can’t be sure of the exactness, but I think you’ll be very pleased adding this to your BBQ repertoire. You can find the recipe below and on www.texicureans.com. Go to YouTube for a demonstration and join our email list for weekly recipes – historical and otherwise!

March is Texas’ birthday month – and now you know – Sam Houston’s birthday month!