Since posting a blog about Project 254 last week, I've had the opportunity to answer the question "What is Project 254?" several times.
It's pretty straight forward, I think. Waco businesses — Common Grounds and The Olive Branch being the first to get involved from the restaurant community — designate Project 254 items. When customers buy those items, part of the money goes to fund the fight against poverty in Waco.
That's the easy answer. But it seems to me that, when it comes to the fight against poverty in McLennan County, it's difficult to recognize the problem and identify the answer. I came a little closer, though, to understanding Project 254's plan when I attended a reception on Saturday evening at The Olive Branch.
Guest blogger Holland White writes for the food blog "Come And Bake It."
By Holland White, Special to WacoFork
What About Cupcakes? Tasty question.
I know that cupcakes are considered a trendy bakery item, but really, how can a mini cake ever go out of style? It’s good to know that Waco offers a bakery that focuses all their efforts on cupcakes. The sad part is that I had never even visited What About Cupcakes? before Thursday, but I’ll be sure to go back again.
I consider myself to be a cupcake aficionado — I’ve been baking cupcakes since I could read the directions on the back of a Funfetti cake mix box. Also, I should add that even though it’s not really classy or foodie of me to admit, the frosting is my favorite part, and I think that some cupcake bakers tend to forget about that. If the frosting didn’t matter, I would eat a muffin, for goodness sake. (Please note that I am not a muffin hater. I just made some great sweet potato muffins last week … though I did dip one into some leftover cream cheese frosting that was in the fridge. Arrest me, breakfast police.)
I believe in the greatness of days like Thursday because I believe in shared experience and 75-degree days and ordering pizzas for pick up.
Along with hitting golf balls at the driving range and playing basketball outside in fantastic weather, yesterday included a large-group WacoFork meet up lunch at Captain Billy Whizzbang's and another medium-sized group that came over to my house to watch Steve Carell's final episode on "The Office" (while the NFL Draft played on the television in the other room, obviously). And in order to be the good host and provide delicious sustenance for my guests, I did what I always do in such situations — I picked up pizza.
We can't say enough for our good, sweet WacoFork family. In less than three weeks since we cranked this thing up, you all have surprised us by how well you've participated in this venture, especially by reviewing restaurants.
I definitely had a fun afternoon of work today sorting through some of the 145 reviews submitted so far, looking for my favorite lines.
We have to admit, we were a little nervous about the prospect of vicious, mud-slinging reviews, but that hasn't really happened. At times, some of you have been severely honest, but you've still been fair.
To show my appreciation, I present my Top 10 lines so far. (I tried to keep them anonymous as much as I could, still there's one especially specific and stinging one. I just wanted to note here that we don't necessarily agree with the sentiment, but it still made us laugh.)
Once upon a time, my dad took me for a cheeseburgers, fries and a chocolate shake at Bill & Bob's. In my memory, we went to an old location of Bill & Bob's before it moved into its current location at 3600 N. 19th Street. I think it used to be near Lion's Park, but that was probably close to 30 years ago, so it really could have been anywhere. If anyone out there in WacoFork land can set me straight on this point, then please do. Just email me.
Since then, I've been back to Bill & Bob's once or twice, particularly when I lived in an apartment off of Lake Shore Drive. It's one of Waco's old reliable burger joints, right along with Dubl-R, Captain Billy Whizzbang's, Kitok's, Health Camp, etc.
In the years that have passed since my dad took the toddler version of me to Bill & Bob's, I've eaten a few cheeseburgers. I submit my expansive belly as circumstantial evidence.
One way for any establishment of food and/or drink to earn my allegiance is to hang a picture of Willie Nelson on the wall.
There's actually a certain coffee shop in St. Andrews, Scotland, which hooked me that exact way. It was partially because the photo made me feel at home. Is there another person more synonymous with Texas?
As it happens, Willie is also featured among Sebas Cocina's many paintings that make it one of the most sharply decorated restaurants in town. Colorful likenesses of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Carlos Santana, Tom Landry, Diana Ross and others join Willie in smiling down on the fine Mexican food patrons. My personal favorite painting is an interpretation of the Beatles' "Beatles for Sale" album cover.
In my memory, the best sandwich I eve ate, I ate at former Chicago Cubs' broadcaster Harry Caray's restaurant in Chicago.
It was a prime rib sandwich. Juicy, tender prime rib on a hoagie with mayonnaise.
But that was almost 20 years ago. It's likely I've enjoyed many sandwiches as much or more than that one. It has it's place, though. It's the answer to the question "What is the best sandwich you've ever eaten?" It's true theoretically if not literally.
What makes food taste good?
It's seems like the answer to that question should be obvious. It's kind of the "it is what it is" statement of the cuisine world. Good food tastes good. But there has to be more to it, right?
Is it ingredients? Well, yeah, that's probably it. But it's more than that, too. I'm saying authenticity of ingredients is important. If I eat a cheeseburger, I want real cheese on real beef and fresh vegetables on a bun that didn't come in a package with 1,000 other buns. That sounds good.
That's the draw of Cafe Homestead, where I met with cafe manager Sam Lindsay earlier this week. He showed me around the farm and explained the community's philosophy as we toured their model homestead, gristmill and cafe.
When I'm eating a hamburger at Health Camp, I feel a little bit like it's 1995.
I feel like I'm a junior or senior in high school again and I'm meeting one of my Baylor friends for a burger. I feel like we're about to go over to some dingy college apartment and watch a Baylor football game.
If I were older, I might feel like it's 1985 or 1975 or 1965 …
That's Health Camp's appeal. As the Waco restaurant scene changes from year to year, Health Camp is a place holder. It reminds us of who we were.
Last night, my friend Toph asked me if I cook. He reasoned if I was writing a food blog, then I could cook.
My answer: "No. Not really. But I can order like a champ."
Sometimes I'm simple and quick "I'll have a Whataburger with cheese. Mustard and Mayo. No lettuce, please." Sometimes, like when I recently dined at my folks' country club, I can be much more sophisticated "I'd like the ribeye, but I'd like it prepared steak frites style."
Malcolm Gladwell writes in his book "Outliers" that a person needs 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in any field. I believe I'm getting close to that number in the ordering department. One of the layers of skill is to be able to listen to your dinner companions and learn from their orders. On a recent Sunday trip to El Charro Tapatio, one of my companions seemed well versed in Mexican culture. He ordered a dish that sounded awesome. But I could not pronounce the name of the dish. So I simply said, "I'll have what he ordered."
