From local eats to memorable experiences, find the best ways to savor the region.

Food and Fun

photos by Natalie Marical/Bella Photography

Porch Parties & Summer Evenings

By Beverly Gentry

There is something about a porch in that invites people to slow down.Maybe it is the sound of cicadas humming in the trees. Maybe it is the creak of a rocking chair, the glow of café lights at dusk, or the smell of something good cooking on the grill. Whatever the reason, porches have long been gathering places across the region — spaces where neighbors become friends and simple evenings somehow turn into lasting memories.

While living in a historic home in Mineola, I learned quickly that a “small gathering” rarely stays small for long.

What begins as a casual invitation to a few friends can easily grow into a full porch party with lawn chairs scattered across the yard, tables lined with homemade dishes, children running through the grass, and a crowd gathered near the grill debating the proper way to cook brisket or catfish.That is part of the charm.

Upper East Side Texans have a way of making everyone feel welcome. If someone hears there is food involved, chances are they may show up carrying homemade potato salad, peach cobbler, baked beans, or a gallon of sweet tea. And honestly, those often become the best evenings of all.

Hosting a porch party does not require fancy china, elaborate decorations, or a perfectly styled tablescape. In fact, the best gatherings usually feel relaxed and effortless.

A few folding tables covered in gingham tablecloths, strings of warm lights, fresh-cut flowers in mason jars, and plenty of seating go a long way toward creating the atmosphere. Add ceiling fans spinning overhead and a playlist filled with classic country, blues, or Texas singer-songwriters, and the mood is set.

Food should be simple, plentiful, and easy to serve buffet-style.

Traditional favorites never fail. Grilled burgers, smoked chicken, sausage, catfish, or ribs paired with baked beans, potato salad, watermelon slices, and homemade desserts feel perfectly at home on an East Texas porch.

And no true summer gathering is complete without homemade ice cream or a warm dessert served with cold vanilla ice cream melting over the top. One of the best hosting lessons I ever learned was to stop worrying about perfection. People remember laughter far longer than folded napkins.

They remember sitting outside talking long after sunset. They remember second helpings of homemade cobbler and stories shared around the table. They remember feeling comfortable enough to stay awhile.

That is the real beauty of porch parties in small-town. They are not about impressing anyone. They are all about building a connection.

A welcoming porch has always been part of Southern life, but in The Upper East Side of Texas it still feels woven into the culture. 

Even now, in a world filled with busy schedules and constant distractions, there is something grounding about gathering friends and neighbors outdoors for an evening of food and conversation.

Sometimes all it takes is an invitation.

A Simple East Texas Porch Party Menu

Grilled burgers, sausage, smoked chicken, or brisket

Old-fashioned baked beans

Creamy potato salad

Sliced watermelon or garden tomatoes

Homemade vanilla ice cream with hot fudge sauce (or Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla)

Sweet tea, lemonade, or ice-cold root beer bottles

Old-Fashioned Baked Beans

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 cans pork and beans

1 onion, chopped

½ cup molasses

2 tablespoons mustard

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble. Sauté onion in bacon drippings and butter until softened. Stir in beans, molasses, mustard, brown sugar, and bacon. Pour into a casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30–45 minutes until bubbly.

Creamy Potato Salad

3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

½ cup dill pickles or relish

½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup yellow mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Boil potatoes until tender. Drain and lightly mash a few times for a creamier texture. Combine remaining ingredients, fold into potatoes, garnish with paprika, and chill before serving.

Best Dang Peach Cobbler

(according to my Grandfather when it was made for him)

Cobbler

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup milk

Ground Cinnamon (just a sprinkle or two)

Filling

5 peaches, peeled, cored, and sliced (about 4 cups) * see note for use of canned peaches

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Add the sliced peaches, sugar and salt to a saucepan and stir to combine. *(if using canned peaches, use a small amount of juice from peaches (about 1/8 cup), add sugar and salt as directed above)

Cook on medium heat for just a few minutes or until all sugar is melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and slice butter into pieces and add to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the pan in the oven while it preheats, to allow the butter to melt. Once melted, remove the pan from the oven.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk, just until combined. Pour the mixture into the pan over the melted butter and smooth to a even layer.

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, split and scraped (optional)

Pinch of salt

Whisk together cream, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt until sugar dissolves completely. Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer directions. Freeze until firm and serve with cobbler, brownies, pound cake, or hot fudge sauce.

photos by Hollis Shadden

Where the Bayou's Stories Still Gather

By Beverly Gentry



In a town known for ghost stories, riverboat history, antique treasures and Victorian charm, there is one place where nearly every Jefferson adventure eventually leads.

Maybe it begins after a day of browsing antique stores along Austin Street. Maybe it’s after a riverboat tour, a ghost walk or a weekend spent exploring one of Texas’ most historic small towns. Whatever brings visitors to Jefferson, many eventually find themselves pushing through the doors of Auntie Skinner’s Riverboat Club.

Housed in a historic building dating to the 1850s, Auntie Skinner’s has been part of downtown Jefferson’s character since opening in 1983. Today, the restaurant, bar and live music venue remains one of the most recognizable destinations in East Texas, welcoming everyone from local regulars and motorcycle riders to antique hunters and weekend travelers searching for a taste of Jefferson’s unique personality.

Known as the Queen of the Bayou, Jefferson was once one of the busiest inland ports in Texas. During the mid-1800s, steamboats traveled from New Orleans and St. Louis to Jefferson through the Big Cypress Bayou, helping transform the community into one of the state’s most important commercial centers. While the river traffic has long disappeared, the spirit of that era remains alive in the brick streets, historic storefronts and welcoming atmosphere that continue to draw visitors from across Texas and beyond.

Owned by Stan and Michelle Davis since 2012, the business has grown into more than a restaurant and bar. It serves as a gathering place for community organizations, local celebrations and visitors looking for an authentic East Texas experience. The couple has become deeply involved in community events and charitable efforts, helping establish and grow popular Jefferson traditions such as the East Texas Burn Run and the Outlaw National Car Show, events that attract thousands of visitors to the city each year.

On any given weekend, live music spills from the stage while diners fill tables beneath weathered wood, vintage signs and decades of accumulated memories. The atmosphere feels part honky-tonk, part river town saloon and entirely Jefferson.

Guests can start with favorites such as Boudin Balls, Cowboy Corn Bites or Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip before moving on to hearty entrees, steaks, seafood and oversized burgers. One longtime customer favorite is the Poorman’s Steak, a hand-crafted hamburger steak stuffed with jalapeños and green onions, topped with sautéed onions, melted cheese and brown gravy. It is comfort food with an East Texas attitude.

Auntie Skinner’s has become one of those rare places where locals and visitors naturally gather. During Mardi Gras Upriver, the streets surrounding the restaurant fill with revelers. On ordinary weekends, it’s simply where friends meet, stories are exchanged and another chapter of Jefferson life unfolds.

Perhaps that is why Auntie Skinner’s has endured for more than four decades. In a town built on history and hospitality, it offers both in generous portions.

Bev's Baking Corner

Bebe’s Blueberry Biscuits

Summer is blueberry season across Upper East Side Texas. Whether you enjoy spending a morning at a local pick-your-own blueberry patch, browsing your favorite farmers market, or simply picking up a fresh carton at the grocery store, blueberries are one of the sweetest rewards of the season.

BLUEBERRY BISCUIT RECIPE

2 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup milk or half and half

1/3 cup sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen or chilled

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

3 ounces fresh blueberries

INSTRUCTIONS

Freeze the butter for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. 

Sift salt, sugar, flour, and baking powder in a bowl. 

Grate frozen butter and incorporate into the flour. Add the blueberries and toss to coat with the flour mixture. 

Carefully add the cold milk and using a fork, mix until just combined.

Fold dough and knead slightly and pat into a circle about ½” to ¾” thick. 

Cut with a 2” biscuit cutter. Place on an ungreased baking sheet or cake pan.

Place in the oven and bake for about 10-13 minutes or until lightly golden. 

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and brush over the biscuits when they are removed from the oven.

GLAZE

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 cup of water

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon lemon juice 

¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Allow the biscuits to cool 5 minutes while you mix the glaze ingredients. 

Once slightly cooled, drizzle the glaze over the biscuits and step aside as your family storms the area!