Terry Thompson-Anderson claims that she didn't learn how to cook until she was married, but we are convinced that she was born with a whisk in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. Cooking belonged to her instinctively, for cooking is an act of generosity, and Thompson-Anderson gives of herself freely.
Thompson-Anderson owes her culinary life, not to her mother, but to her mother-in-law. She claims that she was saved from "culinary deprivation" by this woman who was a great southern cook. Once awakened to cooking Thompson-Anderson began taking classes. At first they were avocational, but everywhere she studied, the teachers noticed her. Soon she was taking professional classes and being mentored by teachers who were already culinary pros.
Thompson-Anderson's career has been eclectic. She has worked in private and in public. She has worked behind the scenes in the recesses of a food developer's laboratory, then stepped before the public to teach in classrooms or stand in the glare of the camera. When living in Louisiana, she delved into the history and art of Cajun-Creole cooking and was one of the trail-blazers who brought Cajun-Creole to a larger awareness. Now living in her home state of Texas, she is eager to bring Texas cuisine to the forefront. With such a diverse career, she has become one of the great culinary treasures of Texas. We first encountered Thompson-Anderson's work when we discovered her cookbooks Cajun-Creole Cooking, and Texas on the Plate. We were impressed by her lucid, workable recipes, her fluid, authoritative writing and her expertise on all things Texan. "I love to write about Texas," says Terry Thompson-Anderson. "I want to share Texas with the world. This includes my new book Lone Star Eats (due out in 2007) which has the same focus as Texas on the Plate, but is more casual. More laid-back. Texas game, grilling, barbecuing, salads, outrageous desserts. "
A woman of enormous energy, one with an eager mind, and a love of challenges, she is indeed sharing Texas. To promote Texas on the Plate, Thompson-Anderson crisscrossed the state. Wherever she went, she prepared food, and everyone who sampled the food said the same thing - "Where can I buy this?" The publisher, Kathy Shearer, was touring with her author and the two began to muse about the fact that our palates are more demanding than ever, but our time more restricted. An idea was born. They spoke with Fischer and Weiser, a respected Fredericksburg manufacturer, and Thompson-Anderson stepped into the kitchen again, this time to develop products based on her own recipes, ones that could be used in conjunction with the recipes. Today there are 21 contemporary products on Fischer and Weiser's shelves.
| But writing books, developing products, going on speaking engagements and teaching classes is not challenge enough. Wanting to bring all things Texan to a larger world, she is currently in partnership with Sue Hamer to develop a web site that will encompass more than just the food of Texas. "Sue and I sat with a bottle of wine and talked about the tours, about our passion for travel, for meeting people, finding more. We wanted to share these great discoveries and the site evolved. " Visit www.texasfoodandwinegourmet.com |
Sue Hamer |
Pairing wine and food is a passion with Thompson-Anderson, and will be one of the main elements of the site, with the focus being on the Texas wines that have recently been developed and are already becoming award-winners. "There are 104 bonded wineries in Texas. We did wine pairing in Texas on the Plate."
We had a chance to speak with Thompson-Anderson. We did not expect the wealth of knowledge that she gave us, but lapped it up eagerly. Please read our pages on Texas cooking to be introduced to her. We thank her for sharing her knowledge and for offering her friendship.
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