The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: ancho powder, picante sauce, green chile sauce, West Texas, South Texas, Wild West (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A Houston native with two James Beard awards, Walsh (Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook) carves Texas up into digestible sections, collecting its juices and leaving lots of contemplative fat. This 10-chapter history reaches as far back as the year 1540, when cattle first came to the area, and examines a multitude of geographic and demographic influences on the Lone Star State's cuisine. It is both a study of rich diversity and a collection of over 100 recipes, though only perhaps a quarter of the meals rise above the commonplace. The liveliest dishes turn up in the section on South Texas and are presented with a Hispanic flair, such as Conejo Colorado (Rabbit Stewed in Red Chile Sauce). There are two intriguing chapters that examine how black slaves transformed into black cowboys and were responsible for the introduction of Texas barbecue, but the accompanying recipes are disappointingly old hat. A fun chapter on Cowgirls in the Kitchen has some of the best of the book's 150 b&w photos as well as a swell Buttermilk-Lemon Pie. Moving into modern times, there is perhaps too much attention paid to the movie Urban Cowboy and the cultural and epicurean importance of Mickey Gilley, but Walsh wraps up his enterprise nicely with entrees such as a Poblano Mac & Cheese and a broiled tenderloin marinated in the black gold of Waco: Dr. Pepper. (Apr.)
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Review

“The Texas cowboy is so central to American culture that even cowboys themselves buy into the mythology. Instead of settling for the usual chuckwagon tales, Robb Walsh has sorted out the facts with a clear eye and passed along the myths with a warm heart. He also serves up lots of the surprisingly tasty fare that Texas cowboys--black and white, Anglo and Hispanic, male and female--really cooked. The result is a cookbook that widens horizons.”

—John Thorne, author of Outlaw Cook and Serious Pig

“A Western saga of a cookbook with wild and delicious stories, photos, and recipes. It feels like a collaboration by John Wayne, Larry McMurtry, and Emiliano Zapata.”

—Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva, NPR's Kitchen Sisters

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Broadway (April 10, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0767921496
• ISBN-13: 978-0767921497
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #236,197 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Texas Cowboy Cookbook: A History in Recipes and Photos, April 12, 2007

By	Lisa Fain "Homesick Texan" (NY, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you have any interest in the history of cowboys, chuck wagons, the state of Texas or just delicious range-life cooking, this is the book for you. This well-written and informative cookbook goes beyond the recipes and provides a detailed history of cowboys in Texas, and how each regional and ethnic group contributed to the category of cowboy cuisine. From sourdough biscuits to "son of a bitch," Walsh walks you through all aspects of preparation, and shows you how you can acclimate the recipes for the home kitchen. This beautifully designed book is also generously illustrated with historical photos and whimsical illustrations. And sprinkled throughout the text are oral histories on cooking from cowboys both old and new, placing the recipes in a delciious context. While the recipes are not fancy (this is, after all, cowboy cuisine, food originally designed to be eaten outdoors on the range), they are meticulous, authentic and tasty. And I challenge anyone to say instruction on how to cook a cow's head is mundane!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cowboys know good food!!, May 17, 2007

By	super shopper (california) - See all my reviews

this is a great cookbook;it has many informative articles and wonderful pictures. i highly recommend the dr. pepper marinade for tri tip to filet roasts.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Boy howdy good time!, October 25, 2008

By	J. Pruitt "opin book" (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Even if you don't like to cook, this is a fun book full of Texas cowboy tales and good eats! Just leafing through the many photos and stories is a delicacy.