Discount framing.

CFS & eggs @ Arkie's Grill, Austin, TX, via iPhone. © Ryan Schierling

"Where have you been, man?"
"I don't know. I don't... I don't know. 
"All I ever see of you is phone pics of food on Facebook? What's up?"
(I push my runny eggs around on the plate, pick up my coffee cup and look down into the blackness.)
"It's just someone else's art in my frame. Sometimes it's easier to make the frame."
"What?"
"Arkie made something beautiful here. And all I did was frame it."
"I'm not even sure Arkie's alive anymore. I think that Mexican line cook 'made' your art."
"Yeah. Maybe. Does our waitress sound Norwegian or Swedish... or Finnish to you?"
"What?"
"Nevermind."

Franklin Barbecue.

Aaron Franklin of Franklin Barbecue. © Ryan Schierling

I went for the fast-becoming legendary barbecue. I came back for portraits. Thank you Aaron, Stacy, John and John for everything. 

(L-R) John, John, Stacy and Aaron. © Ryan Schierling

TGICFS.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white. Trudy's - Austin, Texas. © Ryan Schierling

Over easy like Sunday morning.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white. Jim's Restaurant - Austin, Texas. © Ryan Schierling

On the road - New Braunfels, Texas.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white. Union Street Station. © Ryan Schierling

On the road - Marietta, Oklahoma.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white.

McGehee's Catfish Restaurant and Airport (FAA Identifier: T40). © Ryan Schierling

Five miles of country roads off the beaten path of I-35, in southern Oklahoma, there is a small restaurant overlooking the Red River. While McGehee's Catfish Restaurant (and Airport) is open all day on weekends, they are only open for a few hours each weekday evening, and we were lucky enough to make that window on our drive from Emporia, Kansas back to Austin.

We sat down at a table that had a view of the river valley, and the waitress approached our table.

"What can I get you to drink?"

"Iced tea, please," we both replied.

Long pause.

"...And catfish?" she asked.

J and I slowly looked at each other and said "Uhm...yes, please?"

We were offered no menus, didn't know if there were menus, didn't even know what this catfish would set us back or what it came with. We were at the mercy of McGehee's to be kind and generous with their seemingly singular expertise – we were ordering Oklahoma omakase.

We were given iced tea 30 seconds later. Not a minute passed after the drinks had arrived, when cole slaw, bread-and-butter-pickled green tomatoes and the most transcendent hush puppies I've ever eaten came to the table. Two minutes after that, a platter piled high with cornmeal-crusted catfish and fresh-cut french fries was placed in front of us.

It was the most glorious divinity that bottom-feeding fresh farm-raised fish could ever hope to attain.

On the road - Manor, Texas.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white. © Ryan Schierling

On the road - Driftwood, Texas.

All of my favorite food groups are brown and white. © Ryan Schierling

On the road - Lockhart, Texas.

Post oak, Smitty's Market. Lockhart, Texas. © Ryan Schierling

Now, I really don't want to get into the habit of posting photographs of what I ate for lunch, because for the most part, it's only visually interesting to me. And, I tend not to do food photography in the 'proper' sense, because it seems to be just overly fussy and styled within an inch of its life.

I'm not sure there really is a pretty way to shoot barbecue. And if there is, I don't think I'd want to do it anyway. It's usually a glorious mess.

Ribs, brisket and hot guts. © Ryan Schierling

Since we're in Austin now, it was only a matter of time before I made the inaugural pilgrimage to The Barbecue Capitol of Texas. It is a proper and sanctioned place (which is why I capitalized the "T," the "B" and the "C") only a half-hour's drive south from here. The Texas Legislature, both House and Senate, have passed a resolution that decrees the town of Lockhart to be The Barbecue Capital of Texas, and there was no way I was going to miss out on something that officially tasty, not when it comes to brisket and pork ribs.

I mean, c'mon. It's like, not voting or something.

My favorite food groups are brown and white.

(L) Brisket, sausage, slaw and potato salad at Uncle Billy's barbecue. (R) ATM outside Stubb's barbecue. Austin, Texas. © Ryan Schierling