The argument can be made that there are at least three, possibly four acceptable routes to take when one journeys from Houston to Yoakum, Texas.  My favorite is Highway 90.  I typically avoid I-10 at all costs and Highway 59 just puts me in a bad mood—not a good way to start a trip when the whole intention is to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.  During the Fall and into late February, a cruise down 90 takes a person right through the heart of goose and duck country.  One can see thousands of snow geese covering rice field after rice field. Many times in the evenings it is against the backdrop of a fiery red sky that will take your breath away. This is all good and swell, but the real reason I travel this road is because situated smack dab in the middle of Eagle Lake, Texas we find one of the finest chains of convenience stores ever conceived by mankind, Buc-ee’s.

Buc-ee's

They’re always located in the perfect place and they are starting to pop up more and more frequently.  Their flagship store is halfway between Houston and San Antonio on the aforementioned Interstate 10.  For the unprepared, walking into this ‘convenience’ store is the prairie equivalent of one’s first trip to Harrod’s in London (ok…maybe not, but hang with me here). To say that it is an assault on the senses is an understatement. They have jerkey made from just about everything imaginable, jar after jar of pickles and preserves, deer corn, ATV’s, Mesquite furniture, BBQ pits and most importantly, 20 oz. bottles of Dr. Pepper sweetened with not high fructose corn syrup, but Imperial Cane Sugar.

Imperial Sugar Dr. Pepper

I’ll be the first to say that I don’t buy into the “high fructose corn syrup is straight from the sauce pans of Lucifer himself” argument.  I tend to think its just really good marketing by the sugar people to make us think that if we consume loads of the stuff, it will give our grandkids cancer.  I think its generally a matter of taste and preference.  With Dr. Pepper though, in my opinion there is no better incarnation of the product than that which is made from Imperial Cane Sugar.

The first time my eyes landed on this nectar at the Buc-ee’s in Eagle Lake, I threw a shifty glance over my shoulder to see if anyone was about to tackle me, push me out of the way and take off with my not yet purchased loot.  To the innocent bystander, I must have looked like a crack head scoring something sweet at the corner of Elgin and Scott—what, with my arms full of 20oz bottles of the stuff.

During the remainder of my drive back to Houston I thought back to my days at Baylor.  The university was sponsored by Dr. Pepper and every Tuesday from 3:00-4:00pm, an event called Dr. Pepper Hour was held (gotta watch out for those crazy Baptists and their soda parties).  At Dr. Pepper Hour, there were three enormous punch bowls full of a semi-combined mixture of *Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream and Dr. Pepper.  It was somewhere between the consistency of a “Dr. Pepper Float” and a milk shake.  Last night’s beautiful March evening was the perfect setting to enjoy this concoction that immediately took me back to the “Good Ole Days” in the banquet hall of the Student Union Building at Baylor University.

Dr. Pepper Float

Do we really need instructions?

Combine the Ice Cream and the Dr. Pepper in a glass.  Briefly stir to combine.  I feel it is best when there are still chunks of ice cream floating around in the creamy goodness.

*If you live in Texas, there is NO excuse to use anything except Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla.  Keep your fancy Gelato for another occasion. If I find out that you did have this treat and you used something besides Blue Bell, let it be known that we will probably fight.

The One. The Only. Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream