I'm a Bad Texan

And the winner is...

Christina from Dessert For Two! Congratulations, Christina!

 
Email me with your shipping address and the flavors you want, and I'll get it ordered today.

---

Y'all, I'm a bad Texan.

March 2nd was the 175th Anniversary of Texas Independence Day, and there was not one mention of this by me, anywhere on the Internets. I had plans, OH I had big plans to talk about it extensively. And then March 2nd came and went, and I confess: I forgot. I plain ol' forgot what date it was (a hazard of working from home), and not a word was said.

What would I have told you about? I'd have told you that Texas has some of the greenest national parks, some of the most beautiful rivers in the United States. That when you envision Texas, if you envision dust and dry desert, you've got it wrong (until you get to West Texas, at least).

Sam Houston (a Texan hero, legend, and its first president) once said:

"Texas is the finest portion of the globe that has ever blessed my vision"

I couldn't agree more. I've traveled the world and seen many beautiful places. But nothing will ever compare to the visage of the Guadalupe River, at dawn, on a Spring day. The birds are different, the trees are different, than anywhere else in the world.

So much so that one of my most favorite things about that show Friday Night Lights? Because it was filmed near Austin, all of the ambient noises and surrounds - trees, birds, flowers and grass are the sounds and sights of Texas. Hearing the birds in the background sometimes distracts me from the dialogue. Not because they're loud, but because they sound of home.

Texas is the only U.S. state to have officially been its own republic first, and we grow up knowing that. There's a deeper responsibility to being a Texan, I think. We must protect the history with which we fought and bled to become Texas, just as much as we must protect the history surrounding the original 13 colonies' split from England. It was the same sort of fight, the same ideals, and some equally amazing bravery.

The beauty of my favorite area of Texas can be seen in this slide show, by the photographer of the Summit Vacation Resort, where I spent most of my childhood summers.

To make up for this horrendous oversight, I decided I should introduce you to some of the best Texas Barbecue and offer you a chance to taste a bit of it. The next time you're in Texas, you must look up Rudy's BBQ. They've been making barbecue for over 22 years, and started in the back of a general store in Leon Springs, TX, a tiny little town south of San Antonio. I've shared their creamed corn with you before, and it is the stuff of legends.

Truth be told, thoughts of their brisket and smoked turkey sometimes keeps me up at night. They're my standard by which all other barbecue is judged, and everyone else seems to come up lacking: in flavor, in juiciness, in why-aren't-you-serving-me-this-in-a-plastic-soda-case-with-paper-towels-and-an-entire-loaf-of-bread-still-in-the-bag ways.

Their sauce is the best I've ever had. Spicy in all the right ways (I actually prefer the Sissy sause, even though I hate that I'm considered a Sissy for it), just the right consistency for marinade or lathering on brisket and white bread. You see those two big bottles up in the photo? Those came home with us from our trip in February. I ingeniously packed them inside my cowboy boots for the trip home. Talk about Texitude.

They only sell the smaller bottles on the website, and that's what I'm getting to:

If you'd like to win 2 bottles of Rudy's Barbecue Sause (flavors of your choice - 2 Sissy, 2 Regular, or 1 of each), leave a comment telling me where you get your favorite barbecue.

For Extra Entries:

Subscribe to Bluebonnets & Brownies emails. You must confirm the subscription for this to count, and you must leave a separate comment telling me you subscribed.

Follow @BluebonnetBaker on Twitter. Tweet the following:
I just entered to win @RudysBBQ sause from @BluebonnetBaker. Good BBQ makes life worth living. Enter here: http://su.pr/32eUm1

You must leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

Like Bluebonnets & Brownies on Facebook. You must leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

Follow @RudysBBQ on Twitter. You must leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

If you already do any of these things, they DO count! Just leave me a separate comment for each telling me so.

---

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]I'm a Bad Texan - - - [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]