TEXAS BEST SMOKEHOUSE- I-20, Longview, TX- This is a chocolate fried pie from Mamaw's Fried Pies. This is a great pastry. If you're Cajun and famlier with sweet dough pies, it's similar to that with a few exceptions. The dough is not sweet, it's of course, fried. It is filled and I mean filled with an ample amount of chocolate filing. It's great! I found it … [Read more...]
Seeking Great Food-Unusual Places
Did you know the best cinnamon rolls in Texas can be found in a county jail? You can get Cajun fried shrimp along with crawfish stew to die for in a furniture store in New Iberia, LA. A small hospital in Kaplan, LA has one of the best hamburgers in Acadiana can be found in a 50's style retro grill complete with chrome stools and red upholstery. A gas station outside Fort … [Read more...]
MYSTERY OF THE DESERT
Dragoon, AZ-It's time to start thinking about summer travel. I'm going to share a few quirky places I've visited while working on the Gas Station Gourmet™. These are places you should not miss. Top on my list is a convenience store called The Thing. It's located on Interstate 10 right outside the town of Dragoon, Arizona. You'll know your heading the right way because a series … [Read more...]
It’s Not Always About Size
Sometimes, small is better. Right? I was served this diminutive Diet Coke in restaurant. The flavor was different. I sensed it was better than the same beverage served in a can, plastic bottle or even from the fountain. This small drink, packed a big, good taste. I've not seen these in stores. If you're out and have a chance to try one get back with … [Read more...]
The Tartar Sauce Conundrum
It's Lent. This is the time here in South Louisiana one's thoughts turn to tartar sauce on Friday. Seafood specials abound. Fish is begin fried. Shrimp is being turned into cocktails. Crawfish are boiling. I like tartar sauce on most seafood. Tartar sauce is the fruitcake of the Lenten Season. Half the members of my family do not use tartar sauce. So rather than purchase a … [Read more...]
World Famous Chili Dog
Gulfway Sporting Goods on LA 35, South of Kaplan, Louisiana has a chili dog known throughout the world. A man from Mexico touring America on his Harley heard about it. That's great word of mouth. People will go to great lengths to experience great food. He veered off I-10 and drove south. Gulfway is off the beaten path to say the least. This intrepid hotdog aficionado … [Read more...]
Buccaneer Foods-Nathan’s BBQ & Touchless Restrooms- Yes, touchless
NATHAN'S BBQ / Buccaneer Food Store in Brenham, Texas is doing a lot of things right. Nathan Winkelman designed the barbecue pits to create his signature open-pit barbecue. There's no blowing smoke at you here, this is real barbecue, not smoked meat (of course we love smoked meat too), cooked on a barbecue pit. When you think of fine wine forget the vineyards of France, look … [Read more...]
Stress Free Thanksgiving Dinner
Ideas 2 Go: Talkin’ Turkey - NACS Magazine, October 2012 By Al Hebert Can a convenience store contribute to the mental well being of an entire community? It’s totally possible if the store helps harried customers deal with a stressful, seasonal disorder: Thanksgiving dinner preparation. “Holiday meal planning is a major stressor, especially for women who … [Read more...]
Boomtown C-Store
Simonson Station Store is located in America's boomtown, Williston, ND. A few years ago, this small town was home to 12,000 residents. Then the oil-rich Bakken formation was discovered. Oil field workers converged on the town. The population more than doubled in to about 30,000. Manager, Randy Gira says business booming, but a few changes had to be made. You can read … [Read more...]
