Archive for June, 2008

If you guessed that you’re not looking at just any bowl of queso, you’d be right.

The Cowboy Queso served at Kerbey Lane Cafe in Austin most definitely qualifies as “not just any queso.” It’s deep, it’s sophisticated. It has layers. You know, like an onion. Or an ogre. Or something.

Layer 1. Guacamole. Wait! Don’t leave! Buried at the bottom of the bowl is 1/2 cup of freshly smashed avocados, onions, and tomatoes. Don’t knock it ’til you try it. I wasn’t so convinced the first time myself but it only took one bite. (Doesn’t it always?)

Layer 2. Wonderful, magical cheese. Cilantro, lightly sauteed onions, and fresh jalapenos are suspended in a delicious queso blanco. You could make a reasonable substitute at home but stay away from the yellow box on this one (though there’s nothing wrong with the yellow box, ‘specially if you’ve got Rotel handy). Grab a package of queso asadero.

Layer 3. Pico de gallo. Rough chopped tomatoes, red and white onions, fresh jalapenos, cilantro, a splash of lime, and some plain ol’ salt sit on top.

It’s not just the guacamole that makes it so unique, it’s the cost. (Okay, so it’s mostly the guacamole.) $7.95 for a cereal bowl full of melty goodness ain’t bad if you live in Austin. We don’t. After two tanks of gas for the round trip, an order of this stuff costs us upwards of $100. And it’s so worth every penny. We have a bowl for lunch and grab an order to go on our way out. We cut the cost per order in half and call it a day. And dinner tonight.

Originally uploaded by Confections of a Foodie Bride.

I love summer; an admission that comes from someone who:

1) Is not a student or a teacher
2) Hates our Seventh-Circle-of-Hell-Hot weather
3) Has had one too many slices of chocolate cake to wear a bikini
4) Cowers in a corner in the fetal position after the electricity bill comes in

Still, even in spite of the heat, we’re far more motivated in the summer to take an impromptu weekend day trip than any other time of the year.

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