Eats: Texan tarts

So, Christmas seems like so long ago now. It's almost the end of January and I have been back in London for 2 weeks now, started a new term, moved house, settled back into church life, and adjusting to a long distance relationship with The Boy. This year seems more intentional, in the sense that I'm thinking more (and praying) about what I do, and it's a good feeling. I hope it lasts. Hit the gym last night, and thank God have lost all the Christmas weight I piled on - what with the beckoning of tantalising tacos and hamburgers and chilli dogs and all the wonderful things that make America the world's foremost fast food nation. I've started new love affairs with coleslaw, bbq sauce (in moderation though), breakfast tacos, and apple pie. Things I'm less enamoured with: sweet potato casserole with marshmellow topping, the really dreadful coffee Americans serve in restaurants, half-and-half.


I made so many cherry pies that I bought a cherry pitter from Sur La Table (aka heaven) in Houston. It's The Boy's favourite pie. Also in the offing were apple pies and apple crumbles. I baked and froze one of each for The Boy before I left.


The Boy had a whole menu in the freezer, in fact. Chicken curry, lobak (red braised pork), chicken soup, broccoli beef, duck ragu etc etc. Should last him 6 weeks, I think.

I didn't cook all the time, obviously, being on holiday. We did go out to eat... um, a lot. One of the big hits with the folks in Kansas City was without a doubt Jack Stack, with its famous lamb ribs, bbq sauce and coleslaw, and the coolest onion rings ever. It was so good that my dad even asked the manager whether they had plans to come to Singapore. I hope they do! To London too!! And Houston!!!



Back in Houston, after a long 13 hour drive (phew!) - it takes 6 hours to get to the Texan border alone - I did a bit of exploring with the car while The Boy went back to work. Despite it's monolithic proportions and homogenous concrete blocks, Houston is surprisingly full of interesting little niches and farmers' markets and greenery. Each evening, we would run around Memorial Park, and on the weekends, we would explore together. Houston is never going to be London, let's face it, but I'm glad to say that I think I could be very happy there.

On an excursion to the Contemporary Art Museum (a tiny two-floor affair), and evermore in search of good coffee, I found John Ray and his Tart Cafe. The cream cheese and coconut tart is simply to die for - you must simply try it! It's housed in a grey concrete block on Montrose Blvd, between 59 and the Contemporary Art Museum. There is also a very good Chinese restaurant diagonally opposite which The Boy and I are definitely going back to (if anything, for their fried kuay teow or flat rice noodles). The Tart Cafe also serves decent local coffee, in an artsy backdrop, and I happily wiled away the rest of my afternoon there.


Anyways, that's all for now. I'm kinda hungry after writing this blog and going to find a nice little tea time snack. Happy New Year to one and all!