Every weekday, we're highlighting a blogger we think you ought to know about. We can’t be everywhere at once, so we look to these passionate eaters, cooks and writers to keep us tapped into every facet of the food world. Consider this a way to get to know a blog’s taste buds, because, well, you should.

Who: Lisa Fain, of Homesick Texan
Where: New York City, New York
Twitter: @homesicktexan

Fifteen years ago I moved from to Texas to New York City. And while I must admit that I had spent most of my life wanting to live in New York, upon arrival I soon learned that while this town may be the so-called "center of the universe," when it came to the Texan food that I loved, well, New York city was lacking.

Growing up in Texas, food was always a central part of every occasion. We’d eat Frito pies at Friday night football games, cheese enchiladas at Sunday-night church meetings, smoked brisket at weekend barbecues, fiery chili during after-school study sessions and creamy chile con queso after a long night of dancing. But when I got to New York, I couldn’t find these beloved dishes - so I took to my kitchen and began to cook the foods that I had grown up with, the foods that I missed.

After a while, I decided to share these recipes with others via a blog that I called Homesick Texan. And sure, on the surface, my blog is about food. But, I also reckon that it’s a love letter to Texas, which I believe is its greatest appeal ... or so I’ve been told. Homesick Texan has helped me share this love as I’ve cracked the code on chili gravy, figured out that it’s lard that brings refried beans to life, found clues on how Ninfa’s makes its classic green sauce and discovered that tortillas can be made by anyone.

The recipes I cook are things I have known and discovered in Texas, foods that remind me of home. I think that the power of these dishes is that other Texans cherish these foods too, and by making them one can feel closer to the state that we love, whether we’re there or not.

And yet, despite the nostalgic tug, Texan recipes are accessible to anyone, even if they don’t have a relationship with the state, as Texan food is both alive with flavor as well as comfort.

I dearly love Texas. And while I’m currently hanging my hat in New York City, I try to reconnect with home as often as I can. My goal is to help others make this connection as well, and celebrate with me the bounty and joy that is Texan cuisine.

Do you read a local or regional blog that you'd like to see featured? Send 'em our way for a chance in the spotlight.