"texas" news and stories

Don't be fooled by the name; there's more to Clear River Pecan Company than nuts. Sure, owner John Dubea started out selling the rich, buttery bounty of the Texas state tree, but that was twenty-one years ago. Today, his business is a multifaceted dessert emporium, offering ice cream, pastries, fudge and whatever else your sweet tooth aches for, all made fresh daily. But this evolution hasn't altered Clear River's decidedly small town feel. From its 50's soda shoppe decor to its Main Street address, John Dubea has created a delicious sliver of bygone Americana deep in the heart of Texas.

Read on about John Zubea and his time warp treats after the jump.

A weekly look at the draft selections in beer-friendly bars across the country.

How does a business go from a "straight up, honest-to-goodness, white trash convenience store" to one of the best beer destinations in the state of Texas? Well, bringing in a little outside perspective and a personal touch never hurt.

When Austin's Whip-In opened up back in 1986, now General Manager Dipak Topiwala would have used the quote above to describe his family store -- selling "crappy foods" and gasoline, competing for business with the Texaco across the street.

During those early days, though, one major deal helped seal Whip-In's fate. "Gas wasn't doing us any good," explained Topiwala. So his family made an agreement with their cross-street rival: "We'll give up gas, but you don't sell any beer."

Read on about Whip-In and find their recent draft list, after the jump...

Foodies or not, Americans are as defensively proud of their beloved burger joints as they are of their hometowns -- and In-N-Out Burger has attracted a notoriously cult following. The staunchly West Coast chain announced on Wednesday that it will be expanding from California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona to the Lone Star State, some 1,500 miles east, an announcement greeted by varying degrees of anticipation and outrage alike.

"The blog post I put up breaking the news that In-N-Out Burger was coming to Dallas basically shut down our entire server because of the traffic," marveled Dallas restaurant reporter Nancy Nichols. "Dallas is a burger-crazy town full of transplanted Californians."

A weekly look at the draft selections in beer-friendly bars across the country.

Growth in the craft beer market has naturally increased interest in the process of brewing beer, and recently, more and more people are making their own brews at home. New homebrew shops are popping up and existing homebrew mainstays are seeing new customers.

For the past 10 years, San Antonio, Texas has been home to one of the country's more unique brewing supply shops -- the aptly-named San Antonio Homebrew Supply and Bar. Those last two words are what give this store its character.

"When we moved to this space it had a long bar already in it," said owner Todd Huntress describing the former restaurant that became his homebrew store. "It just seemed like the perfect fit."

Two venerated Texas culinary traditions – oversized food and chicken-fried steak – have come together on a 10,000-calorie plate at a new Fort Worth restaurant.

Cowtown Diner's ten-pound chicken-fried steak, recently certified as the world's biggest by the Guinness World Records crew, sells for $69.95. But diners can sidestep the fee by polishing off the gravy-laden plate, which includes six pounds of mashed potatoes and a loaf of Texas Toast. "I did research, and no one else was doing this," owner Scott Jones explains. "I wanted to have the bragging rights."

Jones may be the only person involved with the chicken-fried challenge who has reason to brag: While successful eaters get a free meal and an "I Left Full of Bull" T-shirt, every competitor thus far has ended up with a bill and a bellyache.