Recently caught 3 excellent jazz sets at the original Central Market in Austin—trumpet extraordinaire Jeff Lofton’s quintet; superb saxophonist/flautist Alex Coke’s quartet; and fantastic drummer Brannen Temple’s quartet—which reminds me to call your attention to the latest Speaking of Texas in our current September issue. It’s a nice piece (page 15) by Reggie Ugwu about native Texas jazz titan Ornette Coleman. And, there’s an informative sidebar, as well, on a variety of jazz festivals statewide throughout the year—San Antonio’s Jazz’SAlive (September 20-21); the Kemah Boardwalk’s Jazz Festival (September 26-28); Brownsville’s Latin Jazz Festival (October 9-12); Corpus Christi’s Texas Jazz Festival (October 17-19); Addison’s North Texas Jazz Festival (April 16-18, 2009); and the Houston International Jazz Festival (July 29-August 2, 2009).

Perfect old-fashioned chocolate ice cream soda recently at Becki’s Cottage & Soda Fountain on 117 Main in downtown Normangee (”The Deerest Place in Texas”). This place is a winner! Cozy luncheonette/gift shop serves fresh homemade pizza; subs; famous chicken salad; a soup of the day; sandwiches; quesadillas; burgers; chef, grilled chicken, & taco salads; and a variety of classic fountain treats. They’re 14 miles west of I-45 (take exit 156) on OSR. About half way between Dallas and Houston. And, less than an hour northeast of Bryan/College Station. Becki’s is in the historic old Rice Pharmacy building, one block west of FM 39, across from the Normangee State Bank. Call 936/396-5001; http://beckiscottage.com.

In the latest (September 2008) issue of Esquire, their Almanac of Steak feature lists The 20 Best Steaks in America by noted food critic John Mariani. Among his national favorites are the center cut tenderloin laced with spicy chimichurri at Churrascos, 2055 Westheimer @ Shepherd, in Houston (713/527-8300; www.cordua.com). He also gives props to the restaurant’s plantain chip Yuca fries. Mariani’s other Texas star is Fort Worth’s Paris Coffee Shop (700 W. Magnolia Ave.; 817/335-2041) and their chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, and warm custard pie. What’s your Texas steak of choice? Let us know at Talk to TH. And, by all means, check out the Texas Highways online archive for our coverage of superlative steaks throughout the state, like: June Naylor’s Amarillo by Dinner (August 2008); a Top Tables piece by June on Fort Worth’s Old School Steakhouses (January 2007); Dotty Griffith’s (October 2007) Top Tables story about the Four Winds Steakhouse in Wills Point; and John O. Lumpkin’s Texas Steak Out (March 2002), which took him to Joe Allen’s in Abilene, Fort Griffin General Mercantile Co. in Albany, Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap, Lowake Steak House in Rowena, Twin Mountain Steak House in San Angelo, The Corral in Victoria, Ranchman’s Cafe in Ponder, and Shorty’s in Falls City.