Boots - Part 1, Texas Style

What's a cowgirl to do with only an hour to spare in downtown Fort Worth, Texas? Visit Leddy's Ranch in Sundance Square. The shop, located on the corner of Houston and W. 3rd Street, is where wannabe cowgirls (like me) go when they crave a fancy outfit. Yes, you will find suitable riding gear here but most of the items are over the top and much too nice to ride on the trail or get anywhere near a sweaty horse.

I learned about Leddy's Ranch from a waitress at nearby Reata, an upscale yet rustic cowboy restaurant that serves "calf fries" as an appetizer. I asked my server where I could find a shirt like hers - a fitted black vintage western-style shirt embroidered with yellow roses of Texas on the front and back yolks and mother of pearl snap buttons.

Oy, the selection! I found many options of vintage shirts (like Scully's), as well as gorgeous western jewelry, belts, bedazzled cowgirl leather purses and wallets. I became dizzy when I spied the selection of boots on the other side of the room. Not just any old boots but the most beautiful cowboy boots unlike any I've ever seen before. Sure, there are Luchesses, which are some of the finest factory boots in the world. But the boots from their private line stopped me in my tracks.

Leddy's Ranch is a satellite location of the original family store, M.L. Leddy, located a few miles away at the Fort Worth Stockyards. The family has been making custom boots and saddles for over 75 years. I was professional fitted by Ty, a tall, dapper and slender man. He would have made a believeable, "Slim" with a guitar strapped to his back on his way to the Grand Ole Opry.

Ty explained that a proper fit for boots, unlike a regular shoe, should allow the back of one's heel to slip up and away from the boot. All this time I had mistakenly believed that kind of movement would surely cause blisters but he assured me it wouldn't. He also said that it's a myth that leather boots or shoes need to "break in" over several wearings. While most people believe that leather will stretch from the heat of the foot as you wear them in, in reality if the boots aren't comfortable the first time that you try them on, they won't improve over time.

After he determined my proper boot size, Saundra, a retired banker from Ohio (herself donning a stunning pair of low-heeled glistening boots made from stingray skin) helped me narrow down my choices. I gravitated to the pairs that sported colorful detailed leather inlay. I pity men whose pants cover up the most intricately designed parts, the shaft. I snagged a 3 pairs of boots made from retired lasts, the wooden form used to shape the foot of the boot. I haven't seen anything like them since.

Because they are so comfortable, I find many opportunities to wear them. Whether casual with jeans or with a suit, they have gone to concerts, the board room, dinner out, the hardware store... Otherwise they are prominently displaced on the top closet shelf waiting for their next outing.

Check out more on the art of beautiful boots at http://www.dimlights.com/.

Harry's Asian Tofu

My favorite item on the prepared food bar at Harry's Farmer's Market (now owned by Whole Foods) is the Asian Tofu; firm cubes of tofu baked in a dark sauce with carrots and sesame seeds. Since the grocery store isn't conveniently close to the house, they haven't published the recipe and working parttime in the catering department to obtain the recipe is just a bit obsessive, I attempted to recreate the dish at home. The ingredients are listed on the placard but didn't include measurements. My husband assumed the ingredients are listed in order of measurements. I winged it and eyeballed the measurements.

Here's my first attempt. It turned out about 75% close to the original at Harry's. It had a little less "gravy" and not as dried firm but still tasty enough that I'll be making it again. I suggest serving it with steamed rice (Thai Jasmine, my favorite) or tossed with Chinese-style egg noodles and garlicky stir-fried greens such as Chinese mustard greens, baby Bok Choy, spinach or kale.

15 oz. extra firm tofu (1 package) drained
2 1/2-3 tablespoons tamarind pulp (if unable, substitute about 1 TB sugar or less)
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 carrot, shredded
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 med. red bell pepper, cored, seeded & julienned
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (black or white, or both - your choice)
3 tablespoons peanut butter
1/8 cup sushi or rice vinegar
cilantro (optional)
1 clove garlic
1/2 tablespoon ginger (fresh grated or powdered)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/8 cup lemon juice
3/4 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoon water (and a little more, if needed before baking)

Drain tofu, squeeze out excess water. Cut into 1x2-inch sticks. Set aside.

Pulse the following ingredients in a food processor: tamarind, soy, sesame oil, crushed pepper, peanut butter, vinegar, garlic, ginger, cayenne, lemon juice, sugar, water. Pour into medium bowl.

Stir in green onions, carrots, sesame seeds, and red bell pepper. Add a little more water if needed. Mix well and carefully tip in tofu cubes. Gently stir as to not to break the tofu cubes. Marinate for at least an hour, overnight if possible, rotating once to ensure all sides are covered.

Bake in 9x9-in. casserole dish in preheated oven at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice or Chinese egg noodles and garlicky stir-fried greens such as Chinese mustard greens, baby Bok Choy, spinach or kale.

Lily Pond Baby Shower

When our friends, Mark & Narin, were expecting their first child, they didn't want to know the baby's gender in advance. Daddy Mark would address Mommy Narin's growing belly as "Taddy", short for Tadpole. Thus the motif for their baby shower was spawned.

Guests were greeted at the front door by a large helium-filled bullfrog balloon. The gender neutral theme includes a center piece water lily cake. The 18-inch round bottom "lily pad" is covered in tinted rolled fondant, as is the topper, a 9-inch cake layered in varying shades of lilac-tinted petals.

What’s a lily pad without frogs? Easy cupcakes were baked with extra cake dough. Their eyes are mini marshmallows topped with chocolate chips. The table is set with artificial lilies and folded origami napkins to resemble the aquatic flower. The party plates had to be green, of course, to best mimic lily pads under floating flowers.

The lily pond punch is a combination of green-colored fruit punch stirred in with ginger ale for a touch of sparkly fizz. Sliced starfruit (also known as Carambola) replicate floating water lilies.

Afterwards, I wondered if a few purple grapes could be tossed in to imitate tadpoles (sans their tails). Or… would it freak out the guests too much? For those with a goth sensibility, they could prepare a packet of sweet basil seed (found in Asian markets) and serve separately in a clear pitcher. When mixed with water, a gelatinous film will develop around the tiny black seed and look convincing like frog eggs. It’s a common Thai drink.

My mother used to mix it with water sweetened with honey and added cubed grass jelly for effect. As kids, my siblings and I loved drinking it for the novelty and it tasted pretty good too. When I recently saw a picture of it online, I must admit I had an interesting and unique childhood. OK, maybe the “frog egg” drink is a bit too weird for a baby shower. Maybe I should revisit that for a Halloween blog.

Tomato Bird

Playing with my food. Inspired by a deformed tomato from the garden, I scoured food stuff from the pantry and spice rack and came up with this mother and chicks. The deformed tomato is the base of her body and tail. See the apendage on the left side? Separate tomato for her head. Their wings are mint leaves, nest is dried Chinese egg noodles. Their beaks are star anise, their eyes are sesame seeds. Momma's head crest is fresh red chili pepper. The branch is cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig. Look closely at the "worm" in her beak. It's saffron threads. Everything is edible and all the fresh green items are from our garden.