(Photo: amanderson2)
Tim Love, a Top Chef competitor and native of the blessed nation of Texas, explains in First We Feast what you must do to get a proper eating and drinking experience in Texas. The first is a principle that all visitors to Texas should keep in mind:
You are always going to stand in some sort of line for great BBQ. Otherwise, you need to get up and leave.
Precisely! This is common knowledge in Texas, but may not be elsewhere. The locals know what is good barbecue. If they aren’t waiting for it, you shouldn’t either. There is, however, no waiting at my father-in-law’s handmade barbecue pit, although you must receive an invitation.
I will respectfully disagree with Mr. Love on this one, though:
Margaritas are basically the official drink of Texas. Make sure yours has fresh juices and good tequila (sorry, Jose Cuervo).
This is true only for breakfast. Pearl Beer and whiskey are perfectly acceptable drinks at other times of the day, notwithstanding the banana liqueur I hid in my father-in-law’s liquor cabinet as a joke.