I am gonna be so sick...

"Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more Ya know it's true Everything I do - I do it for... bacon."

First course:

Red Headed Stranger - housemade bacon-infused Dripping Springs vodka (used to be Tito's), housemade bloody mary mix, garnished with a chunk of cheddar cheese, a pepperoncini, an olive... oh yeah, and a slice of bacon. It was quite possibly the best Bloody Mary I have ever had in my whole life. And I make a good Bloody Mary.

Second course:

Carolina Pork It - 100% Vienna beef dog, stuffed with cheese, wrapped in bacon and deep fried, topped with grilled slaw and housemade green chile pimento cheese. I thought the slaw was cut a little too thick for hot dog application and I almost forgot it had pimento cheese on it at all, but overall an excellent hot dog by anyone's standards. It was really, really good. Don't be scared of the deep fried part... it's subtle (if anything about deep frying is subtle). I also had a side of Broccoli salad, ya know, to be healthy. It was good, but the leftovers were better. That's right, I didn't eat all of my broccoli! I had to save room for the... wait for it... bacon! Also tried the Potato Salad - it was like a baked potato all mashed up and it was awesome. And not so good left over as it turns out.

Third course:

Chocolate Covered Bacon - Hickory smoked bacon dipped in milk chocolate, sprinkled with turbinado sugar and sea salt. I love salty-sweet things! I thought it was really good, if not too heavy on the chocolate. That really shouldn't surprise you.

Fourth course (because I have no idea what's good for me):

After School Special - this is from memory because 1. the description is not on the website and B. I was on a bacon bender and can not be held responsible for my actions. Vanilla vodka, Bailey's and Godiva Chocolate liquour. It was also rimmed and sprinkled with, what I can only guess, was chile powder. I had no idea how much I inhaled as I take a sip of a drink! I choked... several times mind you... on this thing. It was yummy though once I figured out how not to look like an amatuer.

And I never did feel sick. I can handle my bacon. Just not my chocolate-chile cocktails.

Frank

4th & Colorado

Austin, Texas 78701

512.494.6916

http://hotdogscoldbeer.com/

Coffee Talk: Starbucks

Iced Dark Cherry Mocha

The wrapper and some crumbs from my cranberry scone

Dot, please don't hate me.

Yes, I expect many comments from this post.

That being said, I love Starbucks. I said it. I LOVE STARBUCKS. Let me tell you why. First, it's good coffee, made well. It has great flavor because they roast their beans a little longer (I read that on their website). Seriously, it tastes good.

Secondly, they are fast. They are fast because they have enough darn people working in the shop. I can't tell you how irritating it is to walk in to a coffee shop at 7:00 am to find one person working the counter. Is it me? Am I a jerk? Isn't the peak coffee purchasing time before most people go to work between 7:00-9:00? Shouldn't you have more staff working during that time? Help me, help you.

Thirdly, they have a drive-through. Look, I'm not nice before caffeine - deal with it. The drive-through allows the least amount of interaction with humans before caffeine. Trust me, this is a good thing.

Lastly, Starbucks are everywhere. Dot's hubby can back me on this. When you NEED coffee, you don't have time to find the cute, tiny, one-person manned, not-so-sure-if-the-coffee-is-good, local coffee shop. I was very happy to find one both Texas City and Lufkin (sing hallelujah now) when traveling for work recently.

Don't get me wrong, I love the local coffee shop when I have time to wait 10 minutes for a regular cup of coffee, or just to hang on a weekend. Most days, I'm making my own coffee (set to brew before I get up) or driving through Starbucks for a Venti Caramel Macchiato or some other deliciousness.

Please don't hate me for loving corporate, delicious, fast, readily-available coffee.

Thanks!

Cheetah

Starbucks Coffee

Many locations across everywhere

www.starbucks.com

Before and After

That was before.

This was after.

I absolutely friggin' love Celia's in Amarillo, Texas. I have no idea what they do that makes me love their food. Is it the best I've ever had? Probably not. Is it fancy? Nope. Is it magically delicious? Hell to the yes!

I do know they put oregano in their taco sauce, which to me looked like salsa, but either way was fantastic.

It's the kind of place that has regulars, it's the kind of place that if they say 20 minutes for take-out, it's 40, it's the kind of place that may get a demerit or two on their health inspection.

It's also the kind of place that doesn't make you feel bad for cleaning your plate. And that's my kind of place.

Celia's Cocina

2917 SW 6th Avenue

Amarillo, Texas 79106

806.322.0375

http://www.celiascocina.com/index.html

Fork and Spoon and Pie

Water with True Lemon anyone?

Sorry these shots of the menu are a bit wonky.

There aren't too many iphones in Texas City.

Chicken salad plate

Chocolate meringue pie

So, last week, my co-worker and I had to travel to Texas City to conduct an all-day training. For lunch that day, the local suggested the Fork & Spoon Coffee Shop, "They have fantastic soups, salads, and sandwiches! Oh, and they have great pie." All I heard was pie.

The eatery, which was within walking distance, was in an older, historical-looking (I sure am using lots of hyphens today) building. We sit down and order drinks; me - ice tea, co-worker - water with lemon. The waitress reaches over and pulls out a packet of True Lemon and slaps it down infront of my co-worker. Pause. Look up at each other. Stiffle laugh. Seriously? There aren't lemons in Texas City? Will produce suppliers not deliver lemons to the Coastal regions of Texas?

Next, after perusing the interesting menu, we order. Me - chicken salad plate, co-worker - tuna salad plate. I'm planning on having pie so, you do the math. When I received my salad I had another one of those moments mentioned above. Pause. Look up at co-worker. Stiffle laugh. Seriously? This is your idea of a fantastic salad Ms. Local Lady? The salad wasn't bad, it was edible. It's just that it's something I would have made in my dorm room in college. Finally, pie. Those who know me, at all, know that I LOVE pie and basically every other baked good (should that be hyphenated?). Their chocolate pie, aka chocolate ice box pie, might have been the best I've ever had. It's definitley in the top three which are now Frisco, Blue Bonnet Cafe, Fork & Spoon Coffee Shop. Anyway, it had great flaky crust, rich, creamy chocolate filling that was not too sweet, and delicious, fluffy, perfectly browned meringue. I would definitely go back...for pie.

Fork & Spoon Coffee Shop

902 6th Street North

Texas City, TX 77590

http://www.nowebsite.com/

409-945-9505

Coffee Talk: Pacha

Dearest Pacha,

I love your strong, delicious coffee (Texas Coffee Traders). I also love your fun interior, all your organic offerings, and especially, your scrumptous breakfast tacos with homemade salsa.

I dislike your tiny parking lot and the long, slow lines, in the morning for coffee. These two things prevent me from visiting more often.

Alas, no one is perfect.

Nice Eco Sleeve.

xo,

Cheetah

Pacha

4816 Burnet Road

Austin, TX 78756

512-420-8758

http://www.motherpacha.com/