Feliz Navidad de Leakey

 

      We spend our first Christmas at our new place in Texas.  The temps are of course warmer and there will be no snow, but the holiday spirit remains.  This holiday is a bit more diverse than what we have known.  Christmas Eve within itself occupies just as much customs and traditions as the next morning and we were anxious to experience both.  This area with the diverse blending of Latino, White, and Texas cultures is rich with traditions and experiences that we have never seen.  We are excited to embrace them all. 

      Christmas Eve is a celebration equally important as the next morning.  Close families gather for large meals consisting of many different type of tamales, sides of beans/chiles, tortillas, cheese, beef, Pico de Gallo, and Queso.  So we jumped into the deep end.  The beans and Hatch Green Chile Dip were delicious, but my tamales still need a bit of work.  So hard to warm back up.  

Charro Beans

Pico de Gallo & Hatch Green Queso Dips

Chicken Poblano Tamales w/Oaxaca Cheese

      Christmas Day is the same world wide.  Large family gatherings and a mountain of food are on the near horizon.  We have traditionally done a crockpot ham the past 7 years since retirement.  Simple and delicious.  This year we will use a Dearborn Ham.  We tried this two years ago during our winter exile in Monroe, MI and it was very tasty.  We accompany it with praline glazed sweet taters, our farm sweet corn, deviled eggs, and Apple or Pecan Pie ala mode.

Crockpot Dearborn Ham

Sweet Taters w/Praline Top & Cream Sweet Corn

Deviled Eggs, Rolls, Pies, and Ice Cream

      We do not normally exchange presents at this point in our lives.  We usually buy what we want or need when we want it anyways.  We figure that the life we live is in itself a gift of enormous value.  I can't speak for Barb, but I am grateful for the best friend and lover I could possibly have in my life as well as a retirement that we could only dream of, let alone experience.  Life is a gift, enjoy it.  Merry Christmas to you all.   

   "Obviously people in Texas have big hearts"

Katie Couric

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Rome Wasn't Built In A Day.......Ranch Projects Update

 

      So by now we've become knee deep after the investigative process and begun the list of what needs fixed and/or improved.  What we know so far:  the well is kaput, but we are hooked up to city water and running fine.  There is a small cabin size hot water heater in the main cabin so there is hot water for showers, etc.  We are going to have another small water heater installed next to the sink in the cookshack for on demand use.. 

      Barb did a beautiful job staining the deck connecting the two cabins.  She has further outfitted the cabin with some floor area rugs, a new heater and bedding.  There is also now a TV with DVD player.  She has further plans to paint the cabin blue, but that is still in serious negotiations (not happening). 

      The cook shack has all the necessary utensils, pots, pans, hot plate, microwave, toaster oven, Mr. Coffee, space heater, and a small refrigerator/freezer.  I also brought down a very good John Boos Cutting Block and several very good knives for smoking, butchering, etc.  Barb did discover today that there are no plates or silverware as of yet.  We have begun to stock the cook shack cupboards with extra canned goods, staples, paper towels, etc.  We also store some of our perishables in that fridge as well.  We are investigating several different type of solar lighting to keep the cabins, deck, and flag pole illuminated even when we're not here.  

      I have set up a nice fire pit area with plenty of stacked, seasoned oak as well as an adjustable fire pit grill and an AusSpit https://auspit.com  This is a battery powered rotisserie setup that will handle 20 pounds of meat and operates on 2 D Cell batteries for up to 90 hours.  I've had it for 8 years now; works wonderfully.  There is also a propane shore cooker set up for deep frying anything and everything.  To date we've done clams, shrimp, and fish beautifully.  We have two benches as well as two Adirondack chairs under the live oak trees at the pit.   For now this area also serves as our pallet storage and corn/alfalfa storage bins.  In the next couple of weeks the new wood pit should arrive and the outdoor cooking area will be complete.  Briskets, ribs, sausages, chops, chicken, and pork belly, oh my!

Texas Longhorn Smokers TL-96

            The fencing project finally completed with the entire front of our property fenced with welded pipe, t-posts and field fencing as well as a new lockable gate installed.  It is just a presence.  We had the fence run to the inside of both the telephone junction box and the water meter for the utility folks.  The electric has a 'smart meter' so it is read telemetrically online.  

There was plenty of brush and small trees to remove before sinking pipe and t-poles

Voile' the finished fence and gates

      Which brings us to this year's coup de grace.  We do have septic, but it has one central tank and a single hookup (50 feet away) from the RV.  It is not run to the cabin.  The cabin has a compostable toilet.  Ecologically sound, but not convenient.  This entails us dumping the RV black tank into our 40 gallon portable Rhino Boy and towing over to the tank inlet to dump.  This happens once each two weeks.  In fact as I type this the tank is nearly full and needs pumped.  There is a bright light on the horizon as the City of Leakey informed us there is a federal grant to provide free access for rural areas.  So, we're on the list and should be hooked up to city sewage by the time of our departure next spring. 

     Little by little it's happening.  Some projects were our choice and some were unexpected and surprisingly accomplished with little or no cost to us.  It does hamper our ability to host guests this trip, but by next year we'll be nearly Air BnB ready....lol.  You're still welcome to visit this winter, we'll just arrange for a 'porta-potty'.   By the end of this month we should be in a place to just relax and enjoy good food, good neighbors, a couple of day trips, and good health.  Joie de Vivre, my friends. 

 

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true"  

Leon J. Suenes

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Mama Chole's Leakey, TX

 

      When we arrived here and began to look around the town for this and that, it didn't take long to figure out that Mama Chole's was the most popular hometown Mexican eatery.  We stopped in several times to visit with our realtor and each time restaurant next door was full.       

Cook it and they will come, especially in the summer

      There is a surprisingly good size dining area, but there is also a large outdoor covered picnic area that is popular with the lunch crowd.  Take out is also offered.  The menu is pretty simple and straightforward, but lacking nothing.  I've heard the wait can at times be long, but the food is worth it.  YELP rated this restaurant 4.5 out of 5 stars.  Trip Advisor reviews it as "Our go to Tex Mex in Leakey" 

      

http://places.singleplatform.com/mama-choles/menu?ref=google

      Barb and I checked in during the dinner crowd even though later in the week.  Like I said, dinner CROWD.  Apparently in the summer after a day cooling off in the Rio Frio, the line can be out the door here.  We got a bit luckier in December.  We chose to sit outside on such a beautiful evening.  The menu is of average size for offerings, both appetizers and entrees.  

      Barb is not very adventurous when it comes to Mexican food but she did stretch herself a bit this evening and decided on the Care Quisada while I chose the Mama Chole's Plate.  Both came with beans, rice, warm homemade tortillas, and salad as well as Carne.  We got the traditional appetizers of homemade tortilla chips and Pico and I got some extra Guacamole.  

Delicious chunky Guacamole

Carne Guisada

Mama Chole's Plate

      The food came hot and ready.  You get plenty of food.  The service was excellent with two different waitresses checking on us every couple of minutes.  Barb loved her entire meal and even liked the bit of Guacamole she had.  She thought the Carne was a bit spicy, but not bad.  She cleaned her plate.  I loved the Guacamole, very chunky and tasty.  The Pico was very good as well, just the right amount of spice.  I thoroughly enjoyed my enchilada, taco, and chalupa.  We both love the beans as well.  The meal was well worth it.  Our meal totaled $26.  We certainly tipped the waitresses.   On a scale of 1 to 5 we rated this place a ....

"I've seen zero evidence of any nation on Earth other than Mexico having even the slightest clue to what Mexican food is about or even come close to reproducing it.  It is perhaps the most misunderstood country and cuisine on Earth"

Anthony Bourdain 

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Cooper's Old Time BBQ Junction, TX

 

      The first of our new winter haven reviews.  I have eaten at Coopers Old Time BBQ several times before both in Llano and New Braunfels and can easily give it my highest recommendation.  Now that we winter so close to the one just north of us in Junction I decided to give this chain the whole gambit.  coopersbbqjunction.com Upon arrival we did discover this is not part of the original Coopers Old Time BBQ restaurants.  We decided to give it a try nonetheless.  

      We chose to visit this on a Saturday after a road trip to Lowe's and Harbor Freight in Kerrville and then a short drive NW for a good Sunday dinner.  Advertising true Texas style BBQ, they are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 7 days a week.  There is a selection of dining from indoor to outdoor to take out.  Always versatile with the COVID situation.  

      

      As is the normal with Texas BBQ they offer all meat prices per pound.....brisket, beef ribs, pork ribs, pork sausage, half chicken, and turkey breasts.  You can order meat by the pound, as well as plates and sandwiches. The plate meals offer meats and sides as well as combo plates 2 meats, and super combo plates 3 meats as well as sides.  Sides include potato salad, chips, beans, and coleslaw.  Of course bread, pickles, onions, and jalapeno peppers are offered as sides.  Deserts include either peach or blackberry cobbler.  

      We arrived mid afternoon Saturday to a nearly full restaurant.  We were served immediately.  The  venue is cafeteria style and then seat yourself either inside or out.  There is no tipping.  I was not offered my choice of type and cut of brisket which is common in TX BBQ.  As it was cool outside we chose indoors well outside of the 6' interval.  Barb ordered the Sausage Plate dinner with Potato Salad and Pinto Beans, while I chose the 2 meat dinner with Brisket and Jalapeno Cheese Sausage and the same sides.  You also get white bread, onions and dill chips.  

      The portions are decent size.  We found the food to be a bit bland although I did enjoy my Pinto Beans.  The brisket was moist, tender and easy to tear with your fingers,  Although the sausage was tasty, it was a bit soft and lacked the desired crispy SNAP when you bit into it.  We both enjoyed the Potato Salad.  The BBQ sauce was our biggest area of concern as it was watery and very tomato based with no spice.  You can see the thinness in the picture above.  I have to admit we were a bit disappointed, probably considering we were expecting the same quality we had come to expect in the "Cooper Old Time BBQ" chain, Texas Style.  Like I said previously this place is not associated with them.  Total price for our meal was pretty standard, $38 for two meals.  On a scale of 1-5 stars I give this one a......

"I'm a foodie.  I enjoy it a lot, and contrary to what it looks like, I eat a lot.  My comfort food, of all things, would be southern soul BBQ"

Zach Johnson

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