Lone Star Menu: Tastes of Texas
In This Exhibit: Chips and Salsa | Surf and Turf: Seafood | Surf and Turf: Beef | On the Side | Something Sweet | Wash it Down | Lone Star Recipes | Take Away | HOME
On the Side
Need cabbage for a side of cole slaw? Squash and corn for a nice casserole? Texas farms produce the greens and onions and peppers and all manner of fresh ingredients to fill out the plate. A classic side dish is a pile of golden fried onion rings, crisp from the fryer. The Texas 1015 will fit the bill.
Texas Produce map, 1991. Texas Department of Agriculture records, 2011/226-31. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
"Texas 1015” brochure, 1988. Texas Department of Agriculture press releases and brochures, 2011/226. Texas Department of Agriculture press releases and brochures, 2011/226. Click or tap on links and images to view larger versions.
A staple of Tex-Mex cuisine, the onion has a place of pride in Texas’ homegrown produce. The Texas 1015 SuperSweet onion, named for its October 15th planting date, is a popular choice in supermarkets around the nation due to its mild flavor and large size.
“Onions—Japanese consumers to sample first shipment of Texas 1015 super-sweet onions- 5-29-92,” May 29, 1992. News and press releases, Texas Department of Agriculture records, 2000/173-04. Click or tap on links and images to view larger versions.
Texas produce often travels far from its native soil before it reaches the supermarket shelves. Texas’s 1015 onion crossed the Pacific to enter Japanese produce stands in 1992.
“Fruits and vegetables market report, February 1, 1952. Reports, Texas Department of Agriculture records, 2002/084-31. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
Wholesale prices affect both farmers and consumers. A crop’s prices and yield one year will influence what gets planted the next year. Although produce sale prices have changed since 1952, farmers today still grow the same crops that populated markets 73 years ago.
“Red Grapefruit – Red Grapefruit Chosen State Fruit of Texas – 8/11/93,” August 11, 1993. News and press releases, Texas Department of Agriculture records, 2000/173-6.
Click or tap on image to view larger version.
As the third largest citrus-producing state in the nation, Texas takes pride in its grapefruit. The red grapefruit began as a mutation discovered on a pink grapefruit tree in 1929. Farmers used the seeds from the distinctive red fruits to create a new type of grapefruit distinct in color and taste from its pink and white versions. In 1993, the Texas legislature recognized the red grapefruit as the state fruit of Texas.
“How to Select a Grapefruit,” December 1977. Texas Department of Agriculture photograph collection, 2001/078-62_77_173. Click or tap on image to view larger version.
From October to April, grapefruit varietals Rio Star, Henderson, Ray, Rio Red, and Ruby Red grow ripe in Texas orchards. The exterior color of a grapefruit varies depending on the point in the season when it was picked, so color cannot be used to determine if a grapefruit is ripe or not. Instead, choose a grapefruit that feels heavy, as that promises a juicier fruit, and avoid fruit that appear lumpy, as that is a sign the fruit is over-ripe.