The 501

COMMENTARYSpice is the variety of life.Culture to culture, spices make the difference.At the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans, the Cajun exhibit was a happening place. Joke told by one of the Cajun musicians: “Dey say we Cajuns will eat anyting. Well, I tell you dis.

Ya gotta love lasagna

CUISINE & CULTURE | ANGELINA@ANGELINALARUE.COMI’ve tried my hand at making pasta dough—nothing complicated, just a very basic dough recipe, rolling it out paper-thin and cutting it into squares to make ravioli— sometimes with success, sometimes not.So that I wouldn’t have to roll it by hand, my...

2026 Community Calendar

Updates?

Early voting in runoffs ends May 22

Early voting in both the Democratic and Republican runoff races ends Friday, May 22, with the election on Tuesday, May 26.On the GOP side, the statewide runoffs are:• U.S. Senate: John Cornyn and Ken Paxton• Texas attorney general: Mayes Middleton and Chip Roy• Texas Railroad Commission: Jim Wright...

Time to grow

C O M M E N T A R Y | SUEJANESULLIVAN@GMAIL.COMThe seed is in the ground / Now may we rest in hope. — Wendell Berry, “Sabbath VII, ” 1982Wendell Berry’s literature (poetry, essays, books) would be a wonderful addition to a classroom or coffee table.The American farmer, poet, and essayist is still...

Mother Road ‘Test’ Drive

Congratulations to our readers of last week’s installment who emailed us with the right answer: Yes, the place where you can find that notorious misspelling of the “Father of the Mother Road” as “Cyrus Acery” is on a plaque at the Donley County, Texas, I-40 Eastbound rest area.HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW...

Family, food and memories

CUISINE & CULTURE | ANGELINA@ANGELINALARUE.COMMore than a few years ago, I recall driving down the road with my 18-year-old son sitting in the front passenger seat.

Where are the spring Blooms?

CUISINE & CULTURESpring blooms open the gardening year—cheerful yellow daffodils, soft orange and white jonquils, rainbow colors of iris, fragrant purple hyacinths, and deep pink peonies.How disappointing it is when healthy green shoots come up and we wait and wait—but no blooms follow, only green...

The 501

COMMENTARYHow many seconds in a microwave does it take for a marshmallow to ignite?I’m asking. It’s a wonder I haven’t found out. I’ve been trying to microwave s’mores.

Texas most at-risk state for hail damage

AUSTIN— Everything is bigger in Texas, including the hail, according to Cotality’s 2026 Severe Convective Storm Risk Report, published in the Statesman.