A few weeks ago, I wrote about my ritual of stopping by mega-convenience store Buc-ee's on my way to visit family in the Hill Country. Because I visit my folks pretty regularly, I stop at Buc-ee's a lot. It's not really a road trip unless I do.
I listed the top 5 things to eat at Buc-ee's, including Beaver Nuggets, fudge and, of course, beef jerky. I thought it was a pretty good representation of the greatest things Buc-ee's has to offer.
But once the article was posted, comments started pouring in.
"I can't believe you didn't include the potato salad!"
"What, no roasted cashews?"
"This isn't even a list without the banana pudding!"
I hear you, folks. There's just too much awesome stuff at Buc-ee's to include it all. But in the spirit of thoroughness, I returned to Buc-ee's and tried out some of your suggestions. Here's the best of the rest.
5. Kolaches
Buc-ee's bakery makes at least a dozen different kids of kolaches, both sweet and savory. The jalapeño cheese ones are pretty dynamite (see below for some jalapeño cheese love), but I've got a soft spot for the pecan pie. Buc-ee's claims that their kolaches are some of the biggest around, and though I've seen bigger, they're pretty delish. Part of what makes the sweet kolaches so good are the buttery crumbs sprinkled around the edges that make them almost strudel or coffee cake-like. The savory ones are plump and round and filled with sausage, ham or bacon. Grab one (or five) of those and a cup of coffee, and you've got yourself the breakfast of champions!
4. Roasted Nuts
Buc-ee's roasts nuts in house, so not only does the nut/fudge look amazing, it smells amazing too. There are roasted peanuts (not such a novelty) and roasted almonds (definitely delicious), but the roasted cashews are the star nuts in Buc-ee's repertoire. Though oft overlooked, cashews are one of my personal favorite nuts, and I think many people would agree that they deserve at least as much credit for being awesome as peanuts. Buc-ee's treats cashews right, roasting them slowly until they're bursting with that warm, buttery cashew flavor. If you're feeling more like something sweet, Buc-ee's also makes honey roasted cashews covered in sugar and honey. Not quite as fresh tasting as the ones roasted in house and left under a heat lamp for warmth, but still a fine tribute to the cashew nut.