The State of Texas: All about whiskey

What Texas is talking about today No Images? [Click here]( [Kissing Tree - San Marcos, Texas]( [Texas Monthly]( February 20, 2018 QUOTE OF THE DAY "The oozing drips and the smacking lips—the snizzle-dizzle, piggedy-wiggedy buckwild beef, bustin’ straight outta the gate, showin’ its teeth like a flavor stampede! Crispety rings, whoa whoa!" —Texas's own Matthew McConaughey, in a new ad campaign that is, [sadly, not for his home state's Whataburger](. BIG NEWS [The National Podcast of Texas, Episode 7]( MONTE WILLIAMS The National Podcast of Texas hit the road for Texas Monthly's second annual Whiskey Affair, held this week at Houston’s Silver Street Studios. Wine and spirits contributor Jessica Dupuy explains the nuances of whiskey tasting, and representatives from Texas distilleries discuss the history and science behind making whiskey in the Lone Star State. The Texanist puts whiskey in its proper place, so to speak, by offering his unique insights into the creation of this iconic beverage. [Read Story]( [Kissing Tree - San Marcos, Texas]( OUR TOP STORIES [2018’s 10 Best New Restaurants in Texas]( The state’s best chefs are serving up quail egg shooters, smoked chocolate cake, and a sense of adventure. [Read Story]( [Talk Like a Texan: What Do We Mean By “Fair to Middlin'”?]( It’s better than good—at least if you’re talking about cotton quality. [Read Story]( [W]([hat H-E-B's Acquisition of Favor Means for Both Companies]( The venerable grocery chain purchased the food delivery startup for an undisclosed amount. [Read Story]( MEANWHILE, IN TEXAS... No Resignation in Plano “Share if you think Trump should ban Islam in American schools,” read a meme that Plano city council member Tom Harrison shared on his Facebook page last week. The post, which came from a pro-Trump page, [sparked outcry in the city](, as Mayor Harry LaRosiliere called for Harrison’s removal from the council. “I find this Facebook post abhorrent and believe this is a stain on our city and does not represent who we are,” said LaRosiliere. Harrison, who reportedly has shared other anti-Muslim posts, has refused to step down from the council. “I am not a bigot. I am not a racist,” he said. On Sunday, the council voted to publicly admonish him in a seven to one vote (Harrison, unsurprisingly, cast the one dissenting vote). Last year, we wrote about [Muslim Capitol Day](. Shared in the Heart of Texas On Friday, a federal investigation into possible collusion with the 2016 presidential election from Russian nationals [led to an unexpected place](: San Jacinto County. Apparently, Heart of Texas, a Russian-controlled Facebook group advocating for Texan secession, used a photo of Dwayne Wright, chairman of the San Jacinto County Republican Party. According to Wright, the image showed a jail cell with a likeness of Hillary Clinton inside it, as a likeness of Donald Trump stood above her with a sheriff’s badge on, and Wright gave a thumbs-up beside him. “The fact that the Russians would plagiarize our county Republican Party is a testament to what we do,” [Wright told Breitbart Texas](. Read a guest column on [how social media impacts elections](. Pence in the RGV On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence visited the Rio Grande Valley, touring border patrol facilities with Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. [Pence met with local law enforcement]( to discuss potential security threats. The vice president visited the border as the deadline for Dreamers nears: if lawmakers don’t pass an immigration deal by March 5, DACA protections will end for over 100,000 Texans. This fall, we talked to the professor, who has spent his life [researching undocumented youth](, about what happens if DACA ends. TRAVEL & OUTDOORS [Spring Break Itinerary: The Best of West Texas]( LAUREN SMITH FORD What to do, where to eat, and more if you’re heading to Fort Davis, Marfa, Marathon, and/or Big Bend this season. [Read Story]( [Tastemakers: Dallas]( [Tastemakers: Dallas]( Supported by [Kissing Tree]( Find out what attorney Rachel Lindsay, the first African American lead of ABC’s The Bachelorette, has been up to as she takes us on a fun-filled tour of her go-to spots for shopping, sushi, coffee, "healthy" cocktails, and art inspiration. [Watch now]( [Kissing Tree - San Marcos, Texas]( MORE FROM TEXAS MONTHLY [Unveiling Ellsworth Kelly’s Austin]( MICHAEL AGRESTA [Snow’s Pitmaster Tootsie Tomanetz Reacts to Her James Beard Semifinalist Nod ]( DANIEL VAUGHN Does Beto O’Rourke’s Spotify Playlist Support His Punk Rock Credentials? DAN SOLOMON The Texanist: Contemplating the ‘Texas Exit’ DAVID COURTNEY [Subscribe to Texas Monthly and Save!]( Get the best of Texas with Texas Monthly. 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