Lawrence Wright’s “The Case For Castration” [TM, May 1992] provides an interesting view on the issue of castration, sex offenders, available treatment, and society’s concerns about the best response to such acts of assault and violence. As the article documents, treatment of sex offenders is a recent development. In Texas,
THE PRESIDENT CAN’T RUN THE COUNTRY BY HIMSELF. the people he appoints to key positions can make or break his administration. Here is a possible lineup of Cabinet officials and major appointments. They are able, diverse, and largely nonpolitical. Most of them are people that Perot is known to respect.
William Wegman’s subtle portraits of his weimaraners have elevated the pet photo to high art. But few connoisseurs have known the range of his creativity—until now. The &first retro- spective of the artist’s output, on view at Houston’s Contemporary Arts Museum, offers more of his trademark pups but also plenty
As the sole studio photographer in Granger from 1924 to 1955, John Trlica recorded on film most of the important occasions—public and private—in the Central Texas farming community. Because Trlica kept meticulous records and saved every negative, his shop became the repository for an intensely documented history of a small
“Still ahead of its time, even after twenty years,” says architect Doug Michels about Ant Farm’s futuristic House of the Century, designed and built in 1972. The colony of anti-establishment architects (of whom Michels was one) christened themselves Ant Farm in honor of the toy ant colonies popular in the
“THE KILLER NEXT DOOR” [TM, April 1992]? I thought someone had sent me a copy of True Detective instead of Texas Monthly. The title and cover illustration are definitely out of character for the magazine we subscribed to the last time we lived in Texas. Once the
Photojournalist Jim Cammack was struck by an odd sight at Sweetwater’s annual spring rattlesnake roundup: a man with a tail. No, the man, a Jaycees volunteer, was not participating in a roundup-sanctioned snake-wrestling contest. He was demonstrating one technique for holding the powerful Western diamondback while milking its venom.
Water acts may ebb and flow, but since 1950 the polyester-clad mermaids at San Marcos’ Aquarena Springs have barely had time to keep their heads above water. Their subaquatic dances are a tribute to the popularity of such swimming celebrities as Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller, a testament to
Larry Peterman is a revisionist where suckers are concerned. His new tequila lollipop con gusano (complete with the worm) is his take on making hard liquor palatable: “We tried using mescal,” he says, “but it tasted so bad—kind of like burned dirt with rubbing alcohol—that nobody would eat it.”
As a female member of Texas A&M’s Parsons Mounted Cavalry (“one of the units most determined to remain all male”), I want to clear up some of the misconceptions in Mimi Swartz’s “Love and Hate at Texas A&M” [TM, February 1992]. I have been a Drill and
The grand scenery of the American Southwest draws hordes of tourists bent on capturing calendar-perfect panoramas on film. In “Revealing Territory: Photographs of the Southwest by Mark Klett,” an aptly titled show opening March 14, the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth presents quite different views, ones that the vista-hungry
THE 1992 BUM STEER AWARDS” [TM, January 1992] recognized the Texas Department of Agriculture for fining an aerial pesticide applicator $1,250 for mishandling a chemical. What the piece failed to note were the constraints that bind our enforcement proceedings.The TDA is bound, by legislative action and by
On assignment for Country America magazine, Dallas freelance photographer Danny Turner traveled to Southern California’s Roy Rogers—Dale Evans Museum to snap a portrait of the singing cowboy. Turner just couldn’t resist grabbing the opportunity for a “me and Roy” photo, and it turned out so well that Turner put it
Jan Jarboe’s “Wonder Drug on Trial” [TM, December 1991], on fluoxetine (Prozac), left me disappointed. As an instructor on antidepressant pharmacology for psychiatric residents, I emphasize that antidepressants are neither good nor bad but simply drugs with individual side-effect profiles and efficacies. I am appalled that the article did not
A state breeding program aims to fatten up the trim, pugnacious bass.
An Austin artist makes a stringed instrument of monumental scale.
Artist, 1988
As fans of the CBS Evening News and Dan Rather, we believe that Robert Draper’s “Dan Rather Is a Good Ol’ Boy” [TM, November 1991] is a fair and unbiased account. It is a mystery to us that Mr. Rather provokes such controversy. He seems to make
Photograph by George Krause
I had high expectations when I subscribed to Texas Monthly to use in a reception area of our company. I was very disappointed when I saw the “What a Dish!” cover [TM, October 1991]. If I had wanted to put a half-naked, sleazy female in my reception area, I would
Austinite Rebecca McEntee’s nostalgic view of a Hill Country retreat appears in Texas on a Roll–Images of Texas by Texas Photographers (Thomasson-Grant, $50), a project of the state’s three chapters of the American Society of Magazine Photographers. Members were asked to submit the best of their work. Some 160 photographers
“The Texas 100” [TM, September 1991] refers to my attitude about George Bush and Dresser Industries. Dresser is a fine company with an excellent leader, Jack Murphy. We enjoy extensive business and personal relationships with that company; in fact, on my trip to Iraq we retrieved the Dresser employees and
Paris-based Sebastião Salgado was among the international corps of photographers who converged on Kuwait last February to document the oil-field inferno that the retreating Iraqis left behind. On assignment for the New York Times Magazine, Salgado also captured the crushing weariness of the firefighters, many of whom worked for Texas
Photograph by Michael O’BrienMichael O’Brien put the legendary Heisman trophy winner on the highest available pedestal for this shot. Campbell joins the trio of other famous Texans —Nolan Ryan, George Strait, and former Miss USA Gretchen Polhemus—who have posed looking spiffy for Wrangler’s “Western originals” advertising campaign, created by
A tip of the cap to Texas’ crowning glories.
It was a year of absent anchors, Bush broccoliphobia, contraband clocks, dastardly Dakotas, egad! Elections, foolhardy fig leaves, governor’s grackles, Hussein harmonizing, incoherent Incaviglia, jury junkets, KO kisses, licentious license plates, misunderstood mummies, naughty notebooks, oil-spill oratory, pretentious pyres, quintessential quadraceps, reverential Sakowitz, telephone telepathy, unwise uppercuts, viper volunteers, wildcatting
4 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 tablespoon salt 2 teaspoons baking soda 1/2 cup shortening 2 cups buttermilk 1/4 cup caraway seeds 1 egg yolk 4 tablespoons milkPreheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together flour, sugar, salt, and soda. Cut in shortening, add buttermilk, and mix until
Houston pastry chef and bakery owner Marilyn Descours suggests making her easy sandwich cookies for parent-child assembly-line fun: Dab your favorite seedless raspberry jam between wafers, and dip the sandwiches halfway in 6 to 8 ounces of melted semisweet chocolate. Chill on waxed paper until the chocolate sets.Marilyn Descours’ Raspberry
2 quarts tomato juice (Sacramento) 4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins) 6 tablespoons chopped horseradish, or to taste 2 tablespoons each of chopped fresh garlic, lemon juice, lime juice, and dried dill 2 teaspoons ground black pepper 1 teaspoon each of ground white pepper, celery salt, and garlic salt
4 large cucumbers 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves 3 teaspoons sugar Juice of 2 lemons or limes 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 3 or 4 serrano chiles (optional), seeded and slivered 1/2 cup raw peanuts, oven-roasted and coarsely chopped Salt,
4 tablespoons peanut oil 4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced 3 serrano chiles, minced 1 teaspoon cumin seed 2 small Japanese eggplants or 1 small purple eggplant; 2 medium red new potatoes; and 2 carrots – all cut into 1/2 -inch cubes 1 1/2 cups cauliflower florets, broken into 1/2
1 cup garbanzo beans1 cup black-eyed peas1 cup chana dal (split yellow peas may be substituted)1 cup mung beans5 medium red new potatoes8 scallions (with some green), finely sliced4 serrano chiles, seeded and minced 2 tablesppons chaat masala seasoning mix6 tablespoons chopped cilantroSalt, to tasteJuice of 2 large lemons or
2 cups sifted flour plus 4 tablespoons flour 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for dusting Zest of 3 lemons, 3 limes, and 2 oranges 1/2 pound butter, chilled 4 large eggs 3 cups granulated sugar 4 tablespoons each of lemon, lime, and orange juice 2 teaspoons baking powder 2
1 to 1 1/2 cups olive oil 2 cups each of diced red bell pepper, diced green bell pepper, and diced white onion 6 cups diced eggplant 1 cup canned diced tomato in juice 2 tablespoons capers 1/4 cup each of red wine vinegar and sugar 1/4 cup minced cilantro
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup chopped garlic 1/2 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil, plus 1 1/4 cup cut in julienne 18 ounces fresh tricolored
Recipe from executive chef Michael Thomson, of Epicure in the Park, Dallas.
9 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnut pieces 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs 4 tablespoons plus 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 32 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons flour 3 whole eggs, at room temperature 2 egg yolks, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla
64 ounces plain lowfat yogurt 2 cans (28 ounces each) mango pulp 12 cups crushed iceWhip half of ingredients at a time in blender until frothy. Pour into glasses. Serves 10 To 12.From Savoring Summer, featured in Domain, May 1990
1 medium yellow onion, diced1 tablespoon each of butter and flour1 can (32 ounces) low-salt chicken stock1 small bunch leeks (green and white parts), washed, trimmed, and sliced2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and diced3/4 tablespoon dried thymeSalt and black pepper, to taste1 medium bunch fresh sorrel1 large bunch fresh watercress1/2
3 cups grated fresh coconut (from about 5-inch-diameter coconut) or unsweetened packaged coconut1 1/2 cups sugar1 cup milk1/4 cup peanut oil25 green cardamoms, peeled and seeds crushed, or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamomMini-sized paper baking cupsIf using fresh coconut, break shell with hammer. Pry meat from shell with knife tip.
Drew Allen, a co-owner of San Antonio’s Liberty Bar, came across this custardy buttermilk pie recipe in an out-of-print forties cookbook. The pie was powerfully sweet for modern taste buds, so Allen halved the sugar to come up with his restaurant’s most popular dessert.4 ounces frozen butter 1 ounce cold
A year of antagonistic attorneys, beleaguered Bushes, costumed cacti, dead dogs, espied Elvises, falling Fledermause, garbled grapes, hemline histrionics, imprudent impeachings, journalistic judges, kinky kindling, legislative largesse, mock McMurtrys, novelist’s nooks, overrated Odessas, phantom pharaohs, qualified quail, Ruby’s revolvers, spurious spies, tardy transcribers, U-charistic Uthanasians, vandalized vans, weird wieners, X-onerated
Twenty-five years ago, Texans hoped LBJ would lead them into the promised land. They have the same hopes for the new president, but George H. W. Bush is making no promises.
A year of avaricious Arabs, belligerent bovines, convincing Connallys, dubious degrees, elusive Elvises, furious firefighters, George's goofs, hassled Hunts. Ingenious inmates, jilted judges, knotorious Kneppers, loose locomotives, migrant moose, normative nerds, overcautious orchestras, preposterous pythons, qualmish queens, rampant roaches, Sue Ellen's swimsuits, targeted transvestites, upset umps, vetoed Virgins, wanton Willies,
They don’t use air conditioning, they don’t drive cars, they don’t watch football—yet they dare to call themselves Texans.
A year of clumsy Clements, stupid stickups, ripped-off Rangers, cockeyed cops, agitated alligators, rotund cockroaches, jumpy judges, nitwit newsmen, addled Aggies, naughty newlyweds, randy retirees, and a pestered pontiff.
From Cooking: “I, Piscivore” by Gary Cartwright, in the September 1987 issue of Texas Monthly.4 large eggs¾ cup whole milk¾ cup all-purpose flour, sifted¼ cup finely grated Italian Parmesan cheese¼ teaspoon salt2 tablespoons fresh snipped chives, chopped basil, or chopped parsley2 tablespoons unsalted sweet butter (for
A year of anguished Arabs, bigshot bankrupts, crazy cookbooks, despoiled dinosaurs, exhibitionist editors, foiled fugitives, greens-eating graduates, half-cocked hashish, in flagrante inmates, jolly jailers, kinky kilocycles, late lobsters, moistened mayors, and northbound Nicaraguans.
Recipe from Castle Hill Cafe, Austin10 cups flour 1 cup sugar 6 tablespoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 pound margarine cubed 4 cups cold milkThese are bite-size muffins; use a small-muffin pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix
Recipe from Cappyccino’s 5003 Broadway Alamo Heights
