Reata
The Reata crew with U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, center. From left, Kyle Darden, Lauren Miller, Mike Micallef, and Hector Marquez.
Bacon-wrapped quail with jalapeño balsamic reduction is the kind of pork barrel politics we can all get behind.
Finally, something that smells good in Washington, which for as long as it has existed has served up steamed politics on its swampy grounds on the daily, leaving Americans, from coast to coast, with serious indigestion.
The righteous Reata Restaurant made a visit to D.C. to cater a private event for U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, who represents Texas’ District 23, which includes Alpine, the birthplace of Reata.
“Taste of Texas 23” featured the rich flavors and culture of the glorious far reaches of West Texas.
“We were incredibly proud to be a part of this event,” said Mike Micallef, president of Reata Restaurant. “Alpine holds a special place in our story. It’s where Reata first opened its doors back in 1995, and it was meaningful for us to represent that part of Texas in our nation's capital.
Reata served a selection of signature bites that showcased the bold, layered flavors the restaurant has become acclaimed for.
The menu included, yes, bacon-wrapped quail with jalapeño balsamic reduction, beef tenderloin tamales topped with sun-dried tomato cream and pecan pesto, and goat cheese crostinis finished with pecans and hot honey.
Also featured at the event was Desert Door Texas Sotol, a unique distilled spirit crafted from wild-harvested sotol plants found just 60 miles from Reata’s original location in Alpine. Together, Reata and Desert Door offered guests a true taste of West Texas.
In addition to representing Texas flavors, the Reata team had the opportunity to explore Washington, D.C., and connect with other passionate advocates for the culture and cuisine of the Lone Star State.
All of this is reminiscent of Walter Jetton in yesteryear. The Fort Worth native became famous as President Lyndon Johnson's barbecue caterer. His most notable catering event was the Sparerib Summit just a month after JFK's assassination. The Sparerib Summit was in Stonewall, Texas, in the high school gymnasium. LBJ hosted West German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard at his ranch in the Hill Country on the Pedernales River. Weather forced the state dinner, the first official state dinner of barbecue and first held outside of Washington, to Stonewall High School. German potato salad and coleslaw were also on the menu.
Jetton's rise to fame as the "King of Barbecue" began with an invitation from Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn, a fellow Texan from Bonham, to cater the Texas State Society dinner in 1951. I'm pretty sure Cousin's BBQ made at least one trip to cater for President George H.W. Bush. There have almost certainly been others from Fort Worth that I'm forgetting.
District 23 is a vast stretch of more than 800 miles along the southern border. It’s the largest border district in the nation, spanning two time zones and covering more ground than 30 states.
You better bring a water bottle during the summer. The far west portion of the district is the Chihuahuan Desert. It averages 8 to 10 inches of rain annually. The Chisos mountain range, which derives its name from the Castilian word for “enchantment,” is located in Texas’ Big Bend National Park, the only mountain range in the United States to be located entirely within the bounds of a national park.
Gonzales, a San Antonio native serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, is considered a centrist Republican.
He obviously has good taste in food. Not even his opponents can dispute that. And in politics, opponents criticize everything.
Said Micallef: “We’re grateful to Congressman Gonzales for hosting this celebration of his district and for including Reata in such a special gathering.”