Hello from Sarah Hepola’s living room, where the above candy cigarettes are on the coffee table, as is a 1995 issue of Playgirl featuring Richard Grieco (it’s in protective plastic so not sure what is going on here) and a pack of “Dallas” (the TV show) bubble gum cards, also in plastic. Did I know 18 hours ago that I would be here? I did not. I woke up Friday morning to New York City being cold and dreary, as well as my weekend plans kiboshed due to several weirdoes lurking around the existential premises (Ed: Not sure about the opaque and haunted reference but will let it stand), and so decided to get on a plane. It would be to someplace warm, and on the water, maybe a last-minute-to-the-Bahamas dealie. Alas, my passport is off being renewed…
“Come to Texas!” said Sarah. And so I flew in Friday night and met her in Fort Worth, where this morning we swam and sat in a hot tub, much better than slogging through than 37-degrees and spitting rain in NYC.
Afterwards, Sarah’s lovely friend Andrea, who grew up in Fort Worth, took me through the Fort Worth Stock Yards, pointing out where, as a 16 year-old, she would meet cowboys come to what they called “the big city” who, as they danced with her, kept open beers in their back pockets. She also took me to both a Wrangler store and M.L. Leddy’s, resulting in my buying a pair of boot-cut jeans and a hat in 15 minutes.
We then stopped at Hookers Grill, for fry bread and green chili burgers for breakfast (hi I’m in Texas). The owner and her mom are Choctaw from Oklahoma, and we had a good talk about how they get their fry bread so light and delicious. For all my baking acumen, I can never get it right; it’s always heavy. Two tips picked up this morning: fry in lard, and don’t push down the frying dough; let it float. Oh, and add a pinch of sugar in the dough (which is just flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and water).
I talk about little tips in this episode of Pie Talk #2. Also, my dad, people who act heroic in order to appear heroic (often with bad results), Alison Roman, and why good work will float to the top (like that fry bread!). With recipes, of course xx
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