Texas Hill Country

Back home in Texas at last! I love my road trips and I love to come home.

I'm on a vacation of sorts, a vacation from shipping merchandise at least. Can't remember ever doing this before, so we'll see how it works out. It's kind of strange not going to the post office every day. No internet or email access the first week of July and now no post office. Will I turn into a slacker?

A getaway to the Texas Hill Country yields the discovery of the coveted 8-ounce bottles of Dublin Dr Pepper (the REAL Dr Pepper, still made with the original formula and pure cane sugar) at a convenience store in Kerrville. Dublin Dr Peppers are made with Imperial Pure Cane Sugar, and they're a special treat not easily found. Even though you could use these in recipes that call for Dr Pepper as an ingredient, I think these are best served ice cold straight from the glass bottles.

It's the end of the peach season in Fredericksburg. I pass by several of the roadside stands of the local orchards and head over to Das Peach Haus, a favorite shop of mine that I visit each time I'm in town. They're the home of Fischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, who started out as a roadside stand themselves back in 1969. They sell locally grown peaches, homegrown tomatoes and a small selection of other fresh fruits and vegetables. They have their own line of Fischer & Wieser brand jams and jellies, grilling sauces and salsas. Peach Butter and 1015 Onion Jelly are favorites of mine.

This visit I opt for bottles of Papaya Lime Serrano Sauce and Sweet 1015 Onion Glaze, a link of dried smoked sausage, plus an oatmeal cookie for the road. I picked up a nice little recipe card folder of their Family Recipes, which has 18 different recipes in it, and a nice early photograph of Main Street, circa 1950 on the front.