Passport to Texas

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Throughout its history, Varner-Hogg Plantation, in Brazoria County, has been home to well-known Texans — including the family of James S. Hogg, the first native-born governor of Texas.

The Hoggs purchased the property in 1901. They bought it and made a cottage, a country home for them to go and retreat to.

Kandy Taylor-Hille, is Varner-Hogg site manager.

James Stephen Hogg also bought it because he very personally felt and thought after his involvement in Beaumont with Spindletop there was oil on the property. And he was right! Never found this out unfortunately in his lifetime, but by the 1920s this land was giving over $40,000 a day up in oil to the Hogg family. That’s where their real riches came from. He made some money in politics, but his children, this three sons and daughter, Miss Ima Hogg, were the ones who really prospered from it. All the wonderful things they did for Houston and for Texas was because of the oil they received from this property and the money from that.

The home remained in the Hogg family until in 1957, at which time Miss Ima Hogg donated the renovated property to the state. It was dedicated and opened for visitation on her father’s birthday in 1958.

And this Saturday Varner-Hogg celebrates Ms. Ima Hogg’s birthday from noon to 2 and you’re invited. Find a link to park information and directions at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…with research and writing help from Loren Seeger…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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July 7, 2007 — Varner-Hogg Plantation SHS — Miss Ima’s Birthday — In recognition of the birthday of Miss Ima Hogg, Houston philanthropist and only daughter of Gov. and Mrs. James Stephen Hogg, we will celebrate with cake and punch on the porch of Miss Ima’s Cottage. Noon-2 p.m. (979) 345-4656.

Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Throughout its history, Varner-Hogg Plantation, in Brazoria County, has been home to well-known Texans — including the family of James S. Hogg, the first native-born governor of Texas.

The Hoggs purchased the property in 1901. They bought it and made a cottage, a country home for them to go and retreat to.

Kandy Taylor-Hille, is Varner-Hogg site manager.

James Stephen Hogg also bought it because he very personally felt and thought after his involvement in Beaumont with Spindletop there was oil on the property. And he was right! Never found this out unfortunately in his lifetime, but by the 1920s this land was giving over $40,000 a day up in oil to the Hogg family. That’s where their real riches came from. He made some money in politics, but his children, this three sons and daughter, Miss Ima Hogg, were the ones who really prospered from it. All the wonderful things they did for Houston and for Texas was because of the oil they received from this property and the money from that.

The home remained in the Hogg family until in 1957, at which time Miss Ima Hogg donated the renovated property to the state. It was dedicated and opened for visitation on her father’s birthday in 1958.

And this Saturday Varner-Hogg celebrates Ms. Ima Hogg’s birthday from noon to 2 and you’re invited. Find a link to park information and directions at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today…with research and writing help from Loren Seeger…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

________________________________________________
________________________________________________

July 7, 2007 — Varner-Hogg Plantation SHS — Miss Ima’s Birthday — In recognition of the birthday of Miss Ima Hogg, Houston philanthropist and only daughter of Gov. and Mrs. James Stephen Hogg, we will celebrate with cake and punch on the porch of Miss Ima’s Cottage. Noon-2 p.m. (979) 345-4656.

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Cast iron Dutch ovens have been around a long time.

You may have seen something that your grandmother had –an old pot that she sat on the stove that was black.

Tim Spice is an education and outreach specialist at Parks and Wildlife. The ovens have changed little since great-grandma’s day, except some now come pre-seasoned.

You know, what’s neat is, in the last couple of years, one of the major manufacturers has come out with a pre-seasoned Dutch oven. And I swore as a purist I wouldn’t buy one, and I did get one, and wow – already seasoned – it was fabulous. Jump right in and start cooking.

If you prefer to season it the old fashioned way – use it.

And after you cook a few times it will be season. And what we mean by ‘seasoned’ is, as you cook, micro-layers of carbon build up on the cast iron, and gives it a non-stick quality.

You don’t have to cook alone. There are groups, such as the Lone Star Dutch Oven Society, dedicated to preserving this kind of cookery.

And, you can just do a search on your favorite engine, and you’ll find lots of different things. Some of these groups have ‘dogs’ is what they call them – Dutch oven gatherings – where they get together and they just all cook their favorite food, and have a grand old time.

Find recipes and links to Dutch oven groups at passporttotexas.org.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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RECIPES FROM TIM SPICE

Hello folks. It is easy to get started with Dutch Ovens cooking. Here are some simple and great recipes! You want to cook these over a 350-degree heat. And to determine that, place your hand six-inches over the hot coals and count — one Mississippi…two Mississippi….three Mississippi…. If you can keep your hand over the coals for three seconds, then you have a temperature of 350-degrees. TS

CHICKEN STEW

Heat your Dutch oven over the coals with 1/8 inch of vegetable oil. When it is hot (not smoking), carefully place a cut up chicken in the oil and brown the chicken on both sides. When the chicken is browned cover the chicken with stock, (I use pre-made stock from the grocery).

Dice half an onion, place in the pot with one Bay leaf and some salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and celery and continue to simmer until the chicken falls off the bone, approximately 45 minutes.

When the chicken is done, you may thicken the stew with flour or cornstarch.

For an added bonus, get some biscuit mix and make dumpling in a plastic baggie. Cut a hole in one corner and squeeze out golf ball sized dough right on the top of the stew. Cover and heat until the dumplings are done in the middle. Add a few more coals to the top for a golden brown dumpling.

NOTE: You can use this same recipe to make beef stew by just substituting beef for the chicken.

COBBLER

Nothing beats a hot cobbler sitting around the campfire!

Start with canned fruit. (Peaches for the traditionalist.) For a 12 inch Dutch, 4 standard size cans will do. I use 2 cans of fruit and two cans of fruit pie filling.

Drain the fruit and reserve the liquid. Place the fruit and a few dabs of butter in the Dutch oven along with brown sugar and cinnamon. (I have a big sweet tooth so I use up to a cup of brown sugar, you may use less or none at all.)

Next, take 1/2 a box of yellow cake mix and place it in a plastic baggie. Mix with the reserved fruit juice and water until it is a little thicker than cake batter. Cut a small hole in one corner and pipe the batter on top of the fruit mixture. Then take a handful of dry mix and sprinkle on top of the cobbler.

Place the Dutch oven on the coals and maintain a 350-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. If the top is not browning after 30 minutes add more coals to the top.

If the fruit filling is not bubbling gently, add more coals to the bottom. Finally, 5 minutes before the cobbler is done sprinkle with pecans. GUARANTEED TO PLEASE!

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Passport to Texas from Texas Parks and Wildlife

Cast iron is a durable metal with an outstanding capacity to hold and transfer heat. No wonder Dutch ovens are made from it.

A Dutch oven is a cast iron pot that pioneers used to cook their meals in over an open fire.

Tim Spice work for Parks and Wildlife in education and outreach. He’s also an accomplished Dutch oven cook.

I’ve done some stuffed Cornish game hens and quiche. Whatever you can bake in your oven you can bake in a Dutch oven.

For the new Dutch oven enthusiast, Spice recommends starting with a foolproof recipe.

Stews are easy. Liquid recipes are forgiving in a Dutch oven. So, I just tell people to start with that. Pick a great beef stew or a chicken stew and go after it. Vegetables, stock and the meat of your choice – and just let it cook away. And you’ll have a great meal in a short period of time.

If you’re worried about using your Dutch oven for the first time in the wide open spaces, Spice recommends, doing a test run indoors.

If I want to try something on a fire, I’ll get my Dutch oven out and I’ll cook it in my oven so I don’t have to worry about temperature control. I can focus on recipe adjustment. Let’s face it, when you’re out in the woods, camping – you’re trying to have a good time –you don’t have a full kitchen behind you. So, that’s what I do. I use it a lot.

Find Dutch oven recipes at http://www.lodgemfg.com/recipe.asp.

That’s our show for today… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti

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