Harris Estate - Southern Cooking

Harris Estate - Southern Cooking

In Oakdale, Texas where our story takes place, Pete and Ruby Barnes have a cafe called Ruby's, that specializes in Southern home-style cooking.  You can see the place in your mind, as one of those joints that had dozens and dozens of pictures with semi-famous people posing with Ruby and Pete. Old country and western singers with their signatures scrawled at the bottom. All of them saying things like “Ruby’s got the best southern fried chicken,” or “Eat the pork ribs – best in the south”. In-between the black and white photos would be license plates from various states and old rusty farm tools hanging from hooks.

Glancing over the seasoned menu, one would see barbecued pork ribs, fried chicken, coleslaw, biscuits with honey or fresh baked cornbread.  Our characters decide to dine on Ruby's specialty of chicken and dumplin's.  You can just picture those plump dumplin's and thick pieces of chicken steaming in front of you getting ready to warm your soul.

Then wash it down with an ice cold Shiner Bock, Lone Star, Dr. Pepper or sweet tea.  Then again there is always whiskey or tequila...