Summary

This post concludes my entries that will be graded for school. However, I plan to continue blogging into the foreseeable future. I plan to stray away from my primary topic of food and restaurant reviews, and expand into new topics of personal interest.

Overall, I found this blog assignment to be very enjoyable and self-rewarding. I believe I gained some skill in the field of photography (though all my photos were taken with an iPhone). More importantly, I know through my blog posts that I have become a better writer. I made a point to proofread my work thoroughly for each post. Both of these skills listed are certain to aid in my professional future.

Some of the tools that I found to be very effective while working on this assignment were: choosing a topic that a broad range of people could find intriguing (food in this case), using unique and well taken photographs as well as finding relevant links. I believe one of the weaknesses of my blog posts was the fact that I often spoke and wrote on subjects based in Louisiana (where my parents are from, and where I lived several years as an adult). A reader in Texas might not fully understand certain dialects and foods described. I know my family in Louisiana did enjoy these posts and I am glad that I included them.

http://www.earlytorise.com/blogging-for-fun-and-profit/

Crawfish

One of my absolute favorite foods in the entire world is spicy-seasoned-boiled crawfish. The delicacy is most common in the state of Louisiana, but is also fairly popular throughout the rest of the Gulf Coast (Including Texas). Every crawfish chef has his/her own unique recipe that is often safe guarded as a family secret. My personal favorites are well seasoned with spice (Zatarain’s Pro Boil being my favorite), lemon, garlic, sausage, potatoes, corn and onion. Other less common but delicious accoutrements include artichokes and boiled eggs. All of which are served on a picnic table covered in newspaper.

The best part of a crawfish boil is that it’s basically a party. The emphasis is equally on hanging out with friends as it is on the food. Great music is often playing in the background, and there tends to be an abundance of cold beer. Most boils consist of several “batches” with each one coming out a little more seasoned then the previous. At the end of the night there is often leftover crawfish, which can later be peeled to make such dishes as ettouffee or crawfish pie.

My favorite places to get crawfish in Louisiana are Cajun Seafood (New Orleans), Schaefer Seafood (New Orleans) and Louisiana Cajun Seafood (Baton Rouge). The best bets for decent crawfish in Austin are: Shoal Creek Saloon, Crawfish Shack, Cypress Grill and Evangeline Cafe.

http://www.mccormick.com/Zatarains/Products/Spices-and-Seasonings/Seafood-Boils/Pro-Boil

Casey Malish Inteview

An interview I conducted with my close friend Casey Malish. We discussed his origin, favorite types of food and restaurants in our home town of Austin Tx.

Dempsey’s In Baton Rouge

The entirety of my posts have pertained to restaurants in the Austin-San Marcos area. However I spent the majority of my post high school years living in the great city of New Orleans. I wanted to shed light on one of my favorite restaurants in Louisiana entitled Dempsey’s.

The menu consists of classic Louisiana dishes with an emphasis on fantastic fried seafood. They also offer two types of gumbo: Seafood with shrimp and crab and chicken with andouille sausage. Both of which are up to par to anyone’s MawMaw or PawPaw’s (Louisiana term for Grandma and Grandpa). The side dishes are absolutely delicious with a personal favorite being the stuffed potato.

If any of yall happen to be in Baton Rouge, I highly recommend a stop at Dempsey’s for either lunch or dinner. The prices are very reasonable and the down-south service is notable.

http://dempseysbr.com/

Cooking at home

We all know that financially it makes much more sense to cook your meals at home (as long as ingredients are reasonably priced.) This is even more critical when an individual is a full time student on a tight budget. I think that being able to cook a few basic dishes is an important skill that all individuals should learn; for their own sake and for that of others.

Some of my favorite dishes to prepare at home are classic Louisiana dishes (Due to my parents origin and the several years I spent living in the particular state myself.) Such as: Red Beans & Rice, Gumbo, Ettouffee, and Jambalaya. I find that each of these dishes can be prepared easily on a Sunday, and are sustainable to be eaten throughout the week. I also enjoy grilling by my apartment pool, as well as making big batches of pasta such as fettuccine alfredo or spaghetti.

There are five staples that I believe every college student should be able to whip up: 1. Omelette 2. Grilled Cheese 3. Pasta 4. Pancakes 5. Salad. The further one expands their abilities in the kitchen the happier they (as well as significant others) tend to be. I say this because no one wants to eat the same foods day in and day out, it simply gets boring. Venison Stew I made last winter.

Spaghetti with Italian sausage.

http://cooking-in-college.com/

https://spoonsandladles.wordpress.com/2014/04/02/cooking-cooking-and-more-cooking/

El Pollo Rico

Being a college student with limited income and time, I am constantly on the search for quick and affordable meals. One of my absolute favorite drive-through restaurants is El Pollo Rico. The focus of El Pollo Rico is excellent quality Mexican food; primarily their “charcoal grilled chicken,” obtained by customers in a fast food setting at a bargain rate.

El Pollo Rico is a fantastic option when trying to feed several people with just one simple order. When I have a friend or two over, we usually opt for the whole chicken dinner; which consists of an entire perfectly cooked chicken (cut in 8 pieces), tortillas, rice, pinto beans, an onion, a lime (which is to be squeezed onto the chicken), and two types of salsa. This meal which runs $16 and some change after tax easily fills up 3-4 people. El Pollo Rico also makes one of the best Quesadillas that I have ever encountered.

Next time you are looking for a great Mexican-inspired meal I highly recommend that you give this local restaurant a try. They currently have 9 locations in the Austin metroplex area. Fingers crossed that a San Marcos location opens in the near future.

http://www.pollosricos.com/

Slideshow

: Marshall Thompson

: Marshall Thompson

: Marshall Thompson

: Marshall Thompson

: Marshall Thompson

Off Topic Post

This blog page has been used solely as a school project. I wanted to expand my posts to express a little more about myself. I have recently started focusing on my arts again, something that I have neglected for the past several years. Primarily I am playing guitar, drawing and writing music. Below is a painting that I did at the age of 16. I am also an avid outdoorsman with a passion for hunting, fishing, hiking and camping.

Taco Radius App

Mi Ranchito Taqueria

Being that I am an Austin native, I have always been partial to breakfast tacos. Every time I move, one of my first priorities is to find a great new restaurant to acquire these delicious breakfast items. I currently live in Austin, right at the border of Buda; off of FM 1626. If you are familiar with the area, you know that FM1626 leads to smaller towns such as: San Leanna, Manchaca and Buda. It is in the town of Manchaca Tx. (5 minutes from my apartment) that I discovered one of the best breakfast tacos that I have ever had.

While working at a pizza shop across the street from my apartment; I overheard two of the cooks speaking of a restaurant in the area by the name of Mi Ranchito Taqueria. I was new to this part of town and had recently moved back from a four-year-long stint (on and off) in New Orleans. I questioned the cooks “How are the breakfast tacos there“? And quickly received the response of “amazing.” I ventured to the restaurant the following day and ordered three bacon, egg, potato and cheese tacos. After the first bite, I was able to conclude that the cooks weren’t lying one bit.

One of the great perks of Mi Ranchito Taqueria is the fresh salsa bar. There are around 6-8 different salsas prepared fresh daily, ranging from mild to burn-your-mouth spicy. Each of the salsas are made to perfection and are unique in flavor. I highly recommend that my readers give Mi Ranchito Taqueria a try.