Johnnie Moët De La Garza – Writer, Reviewer, Influencer
About Johnnie
Hi, my name is Johnnie Moët De La Garza and I am the main voice behind Flicks and Food.
I am a home-grown Texan! Born and raised in Southern Texas in the area known as the Rio Grande Valley (about 6 miles from the Mexico border), I spent much of my childhood in two countries. Today I live in the San Antonio area, an area with diverse cultures and cuisines.
My love of food came about at an early age when I would sit in the kitchen reading both Gourmet Cookbooks & Magazines and Barbecue & Grilling how-to of anything from Javelina to fresh grown vegetables. Growing up in south Texas where hunting was a family ritual and fresh vegetables were plentiful, it was the norm to eat fresh food. But I was also introduced to many different foods and cultures thanks to my Dad and Uncle who both loved to cook and were both excellent chefs in their own right.
Both medical doctors by trade, they used cooking as a way to relax. My Dad loved to hunt, fish and grill, so we would have great parties with grilled venison, quail, pheasant, chicken, Javelina, dove, redfish and cabrito all accompanied by many fresh vegetables and fruits. It reminds me a little of the Brazilian Churrasco style barbecue so popular today.
My Uncle, on the other hand, loved learning about foods from other countries. It was not unusual to eat Escargot, smoked cows tongue, Rocky Mountain Oysters, French pastries or Indian food when visiting him. I even remember him having fresh live Maine lobsters in his refrigerator awaiting their fate for dinner that night. He would actually have them flown in and delivered to his home since this was before most grocery stores and restaurants carried them live.
They also enjoyed fine wines which I’m sure they came by naturally. Their surname (and my maiden name) is Moët, as in the Champagne. Not a birthday, holiday or family get-together went by without a bottle or two of Moët Champagne.
My Dad also loved to grow his own fruits and vegetable so we always had an abundance of any citrus fruit you could name as well as avocados, corn, tomatoes, melons, figs, papayas, grapes… well you get the point. There was nothing he didn’t try to grow and most was a great success. He also raised goats, chicken, ducks and pheasants. We had a cow for fresh milk, cream and butter.
As I grew up, I would watch my Dad & Uncle cook and always sample everything. I learned about tastes and textures, cooking methods and food preparation from the ground up. And as I learned, I always had the thirst to learn more. I wanted to see the world, learn about other cultures and most importantly taste the foods and wines of other places.
I have traveled internationally since I was very young. My parents owned a ranch outside of Saltillo, Mexico, so I spent many summers there watching the ranch cook, Sipreano, making big pots of black bean soup and grilling meat over an open fire. Since that time I have been fortunate to travel many areas of Mexico and discover the varied cuisines in all of them.
I also lived in Germany for almost 5 years where I was able to see, eat and drink my way through most of that country and almost all of Europe. To this day my “hunger” to travel has never stopped and I always have a bag packed and ready to go. I love learning about different cuisines, wines, cultures and destinations!
My quest to learn has taken me to 5 continents so far and I am always searching for the next great meal, be it at a restaurant, street vendor or in someone’s home.
If you have a restaurant, bar, hotel, Bed & Breakfast, tour, or just about anything involving food, wine, and travel that you would like reviewed, email me at johnnie@flicksandfood.com and let’s talk. I would love to see how I can help you get more visibility.