SOUTH TEXAS:  Deep Within My Heart Lies A Melody

by Larry Carlson  ( lc13@txstate.edu )

South Texas is a region, and a feel, drenched in history and tradition.  It's long on laid-back, short on hassles and high blood pressure.  It's got big city life in San Antonio, which still feels like the world's largest, friendliest small town.  And it's still home to plenty of quiet two-lane roads made for philosophizing with the windows down.

This writer grew up when Davy Crockett Fever and coonskin caps were the nationwide rage.

And the Alamo, the Cradle of Texas Liberty, was in my hometown.  John Wayne premiered "The Alamo" at our Woodlawn Theatre when I was seven.  I've collected Alamo postcards and books ever since.  

In a dizzying span of scarcely thirty years, South Texas and the entire region went from "Come and take it" to "Remember the Alamo" and "Remember Goliad" to the Republic of Texas to statehood, then our role as part of the Confederacy in The War of Northern Aggression, through the ashes of reconstruction and into the vaunted era of the Wild West.  San Antonio was where the great American trail drives, the Chisolm Trail and the Goodnight-Loving Trail, were born.

Some three decades later, the singular firebrand named Teddy Roosevelt chose the region to recruit the dashing men of the volunteer cavalry men known as the Rough Riders.  They would fight like no other unit in the Spanish-American War.

The South Texas region stretches from the southern fringe of the Hill Country all the way to the Rio Grande Valley, from Laredo over to Corpus Christi and more.  The Spanish and Mexican influences are evident everywhere, as are the bonds and traditions of the Old South plus those of the German, Polish and Czech settlers of the 19th century.

Texas, including South Texas, ushered in the "Black gold, Texas tea" oil boom early in the twentieth century.  As a kid born in the fifties, I was blessed to see and learn about the oil business from my own father.  Daddy, a '47 UT grad who later became an independent oilman, taught me plenty of history and geography, as did my Mom.

By the time I was seven, Daddy would often take me on roadtrips that Mom and my sisters would bypass.  Seeing rigs in South Texas outposts such as Beeville, Kenedy, Yorktown, Weesatche and Victoria was cool, in spite of scorching and humid summers.  Along the way, I learned about places such as Bigfoot (named for legendary Texian Bigfoot Wallace) and Refugio, birthplace of Nolan Ryan and pronounced Re-fury-o, home of the Bobcats.

At night, black velvet skies flickered from flares and the derricks, with all their lights, were called Christmas trees.   The trailer where the little kid sometimes slept on a bunk along with Daddy and other gents working at the site, was nicknamed "the doghouse."  Magical stuff.

South Texas features miles of coastal prairies, the rugged Brush Country, the arid semi-desert area near Laredo, the tropical Valley.  It is traversed by lyrically named rivers such as the Frio, the Guadalupe, the Nueces.  From every Texan's favorite state park, Garner, to the beaches of Port A and South Padre, Matagorda Island, the Laguna Madre, the land's diverse soil specimens encourage pecan trees, palms, massive oaks with sprawling canopies and mesquite trees that sport lacy, chartreuse fronds with the coming of each spring.

Poteet boasts of the Strawberry Festival, Luling, AND Stockdale hosts weighty watermelon celebrations. Floresville is the Peanut Capital, and Popeye has his own statue in Crystal City, the Spinach Capital of the World.

If you had to name a "national dish" for South Texas, it might be barbacoa and Big Red.  Or a standard number two combination plate with enchiladas, tacos, rice, beans and iced tea. The first gentle warnings that I learned from someone other than my parents, came from courteous waiters:  "This plate is hot."

You want native South Texas music?

Hit the juke box.  Or your own playlist.

There's "The King of Country Music," Pearsall's own George Strait, now a San Antonio resident.  Johnny Bush (SA), Johnny Rodriguez (Sabinal) Moe Bandy (SA), Flaco Jimenez (SA) and Emilio Navaira (SA) have all spiced the musical menudo of South Texas, along with Rene and Rene (Laredo), Roy Head (Three Rivers) and Sunny Ozuna (SA).  The latter three all had American Top 40 hits in the 1960s.

Doug Sahm, a westside San Antonio original, fronted the Sir Douglas Quintet, later joining forces with Flaco, Augie Meyers and Freddie Fender to create groundbreaking musica as the Texas Tornados.  Sahm, long a darling of music critics, was featured on Rolling Stone magazine's cover multiple times over four decades. Fender had his own enormous popularity in the mid-'70s and his likeness adorns the San Benito water tower.

Selena, of course, has her own category and is immortalized in a statue by the T-heads of her hometown, Corpus Christi.

And we have to mention that Willie Nelson was a deejay at KBOP in Pleasanton before getting discovered, and Wolfman Jack became the oracle of overnight radio by setting up shop in Del Rio, then blasting a rock'n'roll signal through the stars across the USA on powerful, unregulated XERF in Ciudad Acuna.  That "Li'l 'ol band from Texas," ZZ Top, immortalized the music emanating from nighttime skies with their tune, "Heard it on the X".

Speaking of stars, the "it" girl of the '70s, UT alumna Farrah Fawcett, hailed from Corpus Christi.  And one South Texas city, Uvalde, can brag that four, count 'em, four, Texas-sized personalities were born there or have roots there: Vice-President John "Cactus Jack" Nance Garner, Dale Evans, Governor Dolph Briscoe and UT's self-proclaimed "Minister of Culture," Matthew McConaughey.  Alright, alright, alright.

You know the rest.

So take a few long, long cruises in South Texas.  Tune into some local radio, wherever you are. 

Along with English and Spanish, you might get an hour or two of German or Czech, even now. Check out the Big Dipper.  Pour some peanuts into a Dr. Pepper and dream of the drovers who pushed cattle all the way to Sedalia, MO, and other markets.  Heck, find an old episode of Rawhide when you get back to the ranch.

And remember that South Texas was in the vanguard of Texas independence and gave birth to chili and Fritos, along with all the great trail drives, and now launches SpaceX rockets at Boca Chica.  The region has always inspired a lusty entrepreneurial spirit.  Captain Richard King founded the marvel that is The King Ranch, larger than the state of Rhode Island.  Modern-day, larger-than-life entrepreneurs such as banker Pat Frost and the late great Red McCombs have continued the tradition of rugged individualists excelling in service and business exploration. And now there's the presence of 21st-century maverick Elon Musk.

Tradition and the future, that's South Texas.

It's a splendid place for Longhorns of the four-hooved and fleet-footed.  Darrell Royal, Fred Akers and Mack Brown regularly mined South Texas "oro" in San Antonio and in one-stoplight hamlets.  So, too, will Steve Sarkisian.

For this South Texan, it's the greatest place on earth, and it's always been home.

The good folks here are the friendliest of the friendly.  It seldom gets cold, and it never gets old.  Tradition is a way of life.

And if you're not from here, take one tip: Order the corn tortillas.  The flour ones are for outsiders.

Okay, now you're ready to sample the selections for a Longhorn team of 

South Texas All-Stars. Hook 'em..

Where to Eat in South Texas by Professor Larry Carlson

Alamo City category

Burgers:  Chris Madrid's, Blanco at Hollywood:  Get the Cheddar Cheezy. Awesome, for more than 40 years.  Great patio and full bar.

Frozen Dreams, 6719 Westfield (near Lackland AFB on south side of SA)  Walk up to the window and order yourself some awesome burgers, fries, tots and shakes.  It's still the '50s here.  No frills, all good.

Steaks that don't cost $80:  Barn Door on North New Braunfels, just south of Loop 410 (Nacogdoches exit):  Stellar steaks under $45 and seafood, since 1953.  Filets, fried shrimp and grilled redfish are top choices.  NOT to be confused with puny, leathery vittles from Little Red Barn on Hackberry.  Tip:  Dine in the quiet bar here instead of the more boisterous main dining area.  Michael will take care of your table.

And the cheesecake is SA's best.

Carne Guisada:  El Palmar, Jackson-Keller at Vance Jackson.  Breakfast and lunch only.

Everything here is excellent.  'Nuff said.  

Enchiladas and puffy tacos:  Sylvia's, aka Taco Riendo, 6624 San Pedro.  Breakfast and lunch only.

Get the Vero's (#8 plate) Special.  And CORN tortillas.

Brisket tacos and combination plates:  Garcia's, 842 Fredericksburg Road.  Breakfast and lunch only

Everything in this small restaurant is damned good.  The brisket on Fridays is puro San Antonio.

Margaritas:  La Fogata on Vance Jackson and the original (1932) La Fonda on N. Main.

At La Fonda, get "Steve's margarita," named after a long-time bartender who knew to make 'em the old way...strong and tart, on the rocks.

Happy Hour Dive Bar:  Cootey's, on Chulie, just off Jones-Maltsberger, one-half mile south of Loop 410.

Cheap, stiff drinks and solid nachos.  Tacos on Tuesdays are recommended.  If you go more than once,

Meghan will know your order and a bracing drink will be on the table or bar before you sit down.

All-American:  Good Time Charlie's, on Broadway at Mulberry.   Good burgers, catfish and veggies, plus standout, old-school beefy, cheesy enchiladas that rock.

DeWese's Tip Top Cafe, 2814 Fredericksburg.   A San Antonio institution.  Everything here is good, many senior waitresses still sport beehive hairdos and the pies get star billing.   ESPN even shot a promo here with Tim Duncan.

Breakfast Tacos:  Teka Molino, 7231 San Pedro, just south of North Star Mall

The home-owned business got its start in 1937, not at this location, which was ranch land for another two decades.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all served.  Order at the counter and get complimentary chips with the best red hot sauce in town.  Celeb spotting in downhome place:  I once saw Tim Duncan quietly come in (and out, quickly) for his take-out bag.  He wore flip-flops, shorts & Hawaiian shirt and said "Hi."

Pizza:  Florio's, behind 7701 Broadway.   Real New Yorkers make it and serve it.  If they're surly when you order, you just got the authentic NY treatment.  They're good folks and the pizza is superb, as

are the cold Italian sandwiches.

A FEW FOR SOUTH TEXAS....

The Yardarm, 4310 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi:  Great dining in a cozy hideaway, with a view.  A classic spot for fresh seafood in a setting that's at once laid-back and feels like "old school swanky."

King's Inn, Riviera:  Fresh seafood by the pound, and one-of-a-kind tartar sauce.

Snoopy's, Pier, Corpus Christi:  Casual place for seafood, burgers and sunsets.

Gabriella's, South Padre Island:  Delicious Italian food with a red-checkered table cloth feel and a stellar soundtrack of Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett

Vincek's Smokehouse, East Bernard:  Brisket, sausage, ribs....and kolaches in the morning.

Wiatrek's Meat Market, Poth:  South Texas used to have more places like this.  It's the real deal for take-home meats.

Haby's Bakery, Castroville:  Alsatian bakery with all the tasty treats you want.

GONE (sadly) but not forgotten:

Harbor LIghts, Port A

Mrs. Pete's, Port A

Tortuga Flats, Port A

Ship Ahoy, Corpus Christi

Old Mexico, Corpus Christi

Smolik's Market & Barbecue, Karnes City

Barth's, Kenedy

Joe Cotten's, Robstown