Published Titles
The Wines of Southwest U.S.A.
The vast, arid plains of New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona and the mountainous peaks of Colorado do not immediately suggest prime wine growing territory. However, it was in this part of the country, in 1629, that missionaries planted the United States' first Vitis vinifera vines. Over the ensuing centuries wine production grew, before being brought to a stuttering halt in the 1930s by Prohibition. Following repeal, recovery was slow, and the modern wine era only really began with the new pioneers of the 1960s and 1970s.
All four of these southwestern states can boast growing wine industries, each with its own distinct identity. Although home to those first wine grapes, New Mexico may be the least experienced player, with a few major producers and many smaller, new arrivals (including one winemaker literally working out of his garage). The Texas industry is bigger, more developed and more polished, with at least 350 wineries operating and plenty of room for growth. Arizona has perhaps made the most progress in the shortest time; some impressive growing conditions, educational initiatives, and a tight-knit band of producers have led to promising quality wines. Colorado, long known for its fruit orchards, is now home to vineyards too, with many producers also farming other fruit and creating wines from both.
United Tastes of the South
From the Gullah-Geechee rice pirlaus of coastal South Carolina to Delta Hot Tamales from Mississippi's alluvial plains, the food of the South is a multicultural melting pot. The dishes of the Lowcountry are far different from what's cooking in the rolling hills of Appalachia or served in the heart of the Delta. In United Tastes of the South, food writer Jessica Dupuy, author of United Tastes Of Texas, looks beyond the Lonestar State to focus on the diverse cuisines of the American South. Her exploration of the regional dishes, cultural traditions, and nuances of cooking styles, spotlights why the South is considered one of the richest destinations on the American culinary landscape.
United Tastes of Texas
There are many things that are big in Texas: Wide open spaces, personalities, hair, but above all, there's flavor! United Tastes of Texas is your geographical guide to Texas cuisine based on five distinct culinary regions: Central, Coastal, East, South, and West Texas; as well as the culinary influences brought by settlers from countries including Czechoslovakia, Germany, Mexico, and Spain.
Each chapter starts with a brief history of the region, as well as plenty of interesting facts and bits of history including notes on cooking equipment, stories on local chefs and restaurants that have helped shape each of the regions, and pages of beautiful photography and imagery. But foremost is the food: 125 recipes featuring traditional and regional-specific dishes and cooking methods including Texan takes on Black-Eyed Peas, Skillet Cornbread, Shrimp Creole, Smoked Brisket, Smoked Tortilla Soup, and one of the most classically Texan dishes - Chicken Fried Steak, just to name a few.
Whether you're a native Texan in need of recipe inspiration, a Texas ex-pat longing for a taste of home, or a culinary adventurer ready to explore the Lone Star State, United Tastes of Texas packs plenty of history, travel, and food into one book.
Jack Allen’s Kitchen: Celebrating the
Tastes of Texas
The focus at Jack Allen's Kitchen is on three things—Southern hospitality, quality local ingredients, and great value. As a longtime chef in Central Texas, Jack Gilmore knows a thing or two about relationships: treat your customers like family; foster relationships with your staff to help them grow; and create meaningful connections with local farmers.
This commitment shines through in the soulful, Southern comfort food at Jack Allen's Kitchen. Take one bite of a Jack Allen's dish, and you can feel his love for fresh, local food. In Jack's first cookbook, you'll find recipes that feature the bounty of each season, engaging profiles of Central Texas farmers and purveyors, and an open invitation to pull up a chair at Jack Allen's Kitchen, relax, and have a good time.
The Salt Lick Cookbook:
A Story of Land, Family,
and Love
In Texas and throughout the South, myriad barbecue joints claim the title of “best barbecue.” Many barbecue enthusiasts would nearly fight to the death to defend their favorite, and the Salt Lick is certainly a contender. But Salt Lick owner Scott Roberts doesn’t care about that. He’s more interested in the smiles on his customers’ faces as they leave the restaurant. With more than 600,000 customers served each year, he may be onto something.
That’s because Roberts is building on the foundation his family laid down more than 130 years ago, as his great-grandparents made their long journey to Texas. On the trail, they prepared food and cooked meat in ways that preserved it. Roberts keeps those techniques because they are simple and proven. His great-grandparents settled in Driftwood in the 1870s, and his grandparents farmed the land and were sustained by its bounty. They helped raise Roberts and instilled in him a love of the rural way of life.
This is not a book just about Salt Lick barbecue. It’s about how the barbecue came to be: a story of respect for the land, its history, and the family that planted its roots in Driftwood and cultivated a well-deserved reputation.
Uchi: The Cookbook
For chef Tyson Cole, sushi has always been more than just food; it's an expression of his love and respect for Japanese culture. Having now devoted more than a decade of his life to the skill, art, and discipline of being a sushi chef, Cole's sole purpose is simple: to create the perfect bite.
Cole delivers that perfect bite every day at Uchi, his Austin restaurant. Since 2003, Uchi has received national acclaim for stretching beyond the borders of traditional Japanese sushi. "Ingredients and flavors from all over the world are easily accessible now," Cole says. "The cuisine I create is playfully multicultural, mixing the Japanese tradition with tastes that inspire me." Uchi's prominence in the evolution of Japanese cuisine has garnered the restaurant four James Beard Award nominations, as well as a spot for Cole on Food and Wine magazine's list of "Best New Chefs."
With their first cookbook, the team at Uchi invites sushi lovers and novices alike to explore their gastronomic boundaries with some of the restaurant's most celebrated recipes: a crisp melon gazpacho adorned with luscious morsels of poached lobster, for instance, or the polenta custard, corn sorbet, and corn milk dessert—a blissful homage to summer corn. Uchi: The Cookbook also presents the story of Tyson Cole, from dishwasher to restaurant owner; an account of the current state of American sushi; and a primer on the ins and outs of this sophisticated, yet artful cuisine.
Tex-Mex: Traditions, Innovations, and Comfort Foods from Both Sides of the Border
Tex-Mex is more than just a flavor-packed cookbook of tried and true recipes for comfort-food favorites like nachos, fajitas, and chili—it’s a way of life.
“A revelatory book that will make you want to heartily wander the border.”—Hugh Acheson
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It was born in the 1940s when traditional Northern Mexican cuisine collided with the robust flavors of Texas ranchers’ kitchens. Now, chef and restaurateur Ford Fry presents the definitive book on the topic with craveable recipes that are heavy on flavor and light on fuss. Peppered throughout are jump-off-the-page photographs, helpful ingredient explainers, playful histories, and important cooking tips. These melty, crispy, hot-as-heck classics include Dirty Breakfast Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Diablo, Cheese Enchiladas Con Chili Gravy, Sopaipillas with Local Honey, and more salsas than you can imagine. Pour yourself a Classic Margarita on the Rocks—don’t forget to salt the rim—and get ready to satisfy the rumble in your stomach.
Praise for Tex-Mex
“Fry puts his passion into [this] approachable cookbook. . . . [Tex-Mex] offers recipes for all-time favorites like nachos, fajitas, and enchiladas, with lesser-known dishes like albondigas, and staples such as migas and campechana de mariscos.” —The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Ford Fry’s food is warm, inviting, and soulful, and his passion for all things Tex-Mex—from queso to combo plates—is contagious. If you love refried beans, salsa, enchiladas, and tacos, you’ll want to cook everything in this beautiful and lively new book. I know I’ll be referring to it time and time again.”—Lisa Fain
“These authors make the perfect team to capture the crave-ability of Tex-Mex. This fantastic book will lead you to discover the soul of Texas’s ultimate comfort food.”—Tyson Cole