First Look: The Texas Eats Cookbook by Robb Walsh

Was just released by Ten Speed ( buy on Amazon ). A comprehensive look at the foods of the Lone Star state, the book is equal parts history and recipes divided by region, from the Gulf to West Texas to the Panhandle.

And this isn't just about tacos and barbecue — although those are in there, from old fashioned taco truck tacos to the recipe for the brisket at famed Austin barbecue Franklin Barbecue. Walsh explores all facets of Texan cuisine, from the German and Czech parts of the state to Gulf seafood to the new Texas Creole and its Vietnamese and Indian influences. Below, Walsh talks Houston chef Bryan Caswell's family barbecue crab recipe, Galveston Bay oyster culture, and making world class barbecue at home.

The other books are single subject books: a barbecue book, a Tex-Mex book, and so forth. This book is an encyclopedia of Texas cuisine. Another thing that makes it unique is the last section on Texas Creole. Restaurants like Underbelly in Houston are taking the concept of the new Creolization we're seeing in Texas, and that section looks at dishes like fajitas with masala seasoning, or crossover Vietnamese or crossover Indian food. I think it's the first time anyone has talked about this new wave of Creolization Texas is experiencing.

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