It’s summertime and the livin’ is easy lazy. As I take a little time to unwind, I’ll be sprinkling some reruns into my weekly posting schedule. Today’s rerun is one of my favorite interviews, with Bob Kantor of Memphis Minnie’s barbecue restaurant in San Francisco. Well worth the read if you missed it the first time around: https://bbqjew.com/2010/02/17/bbqampa-bob-kantor/
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Leave a comment »
There is nothing unusual about an accomplished woodworker and set designer being involved in building the set for a theatrical production of Charlotte’s Web. But when the person in question has a day job at Lexington Barbecue #1, I get right curious right quick.
According to an article in the Lexington Dispatch, Keith “Bub” Wright spends his working hours behind the counter at one of the most famous barbecue restaurants in the state, but has many hobbies from baking to furniture making. Wright, who is married to the daughter of the legendary Wayne Monk, owner of Lexington #1, designed the set for the Lexington Charity League’s spring production of E.B. White’s children’s classic. Yes, that would be that Charlotte’s Web, the story about a friendly spider, a little girl and a lovable pig named Wilbur–no relation to Wilber Shirley. (Spider pig, spider pig, does whatever a spider pig does.)
In E.B. White’s story, of course, Wilbur the pig is saved from slaughter. Thus, I am concerned by a long-time barbecue man being given free reign to design a set for a play featuring said pig. Oh, the irony. No word in the Dispatch article as to whether the set included a built-in barbeuce pit or bottles of Lexington-style dip, but this photo from the Interweb of a pig named Wilbur may answer that question.
Filed under: 'Cue Culture | Tagged: Davidson County, Drama, Lexington | 1 Comment »
This video, despite the cheesy Muzak and accompanying voiceover, is actually a fairly good introduction to how to make barbecue on a backyard cooker. Check it out here or below. And if you want to turn it into a drinking game, take a swig every time the video shows something that should make North Carolina BBQ aficionados cringe (drink twice when you see the BBQ plated next to steamed brocolli!).
http://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/xkg3bf
How To Make Carolina Barbecue by Howcast
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Yet another reason to avoid KC Masterpiece and other store-bought mega brands: a kashrut alert from the Orthodox Union.
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KASHRUTH ALERT |
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| August 5, 2011 | KC Masterpiece – Buffalo Marinade | |
| Brand: | KC Masterpiece | |
| Product: | Buffalo Marinade | |
| Company: | HV Food Products – Oakland, CA | |
| Issue: | Not certified This product bears an unauthorized OU symbol. It is not certified by the Orthodox Union and contains dairy. Corrective measures are being implemented. |
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I am intrigued by the “corrective measures… being implemented.” I am picturing Orthodox ninjas crashing through the ceiling at KC Masterpiece’s headquarters in Kansas City… er… Oakland, California… to put a bloody end to the tainted marinade. Whatever the punishment, it is yet another reason to avoid products made in California that have Kansas City in the name. So, BBQ Jews, keep your sauce local and you can be assured your pork will be kosher and your conscience clear.
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tagged: KCBS, Outside NC, Signs of aporkalypse | 2 Comments »
A little over a month ago I posted an article about the strange press releases I receive due to my BBQ blogging. In that post, I poked fun at a drink called ALO, an aloe-based beverage. At the time, I wrote:
Well, I guess my first question would be what the heck does this drink have to do with barbecue? I honestly can’t think of a drink I’d be less likely to consume while tucking into a plate of BBQ than aloe vera juice… unless I burned my tongue on a rib. That said, I am duly impressed that ALO Drink is the “#1 ready-to-drink aloe vera beverage in the U.S.”: I mean, there is more than one such drink? No wonder people think the end times are near…
Well, the company promoting ALO called my bluff and shipped me a case of the stuff. Now that’s good PR. So I tried it. The drink, with chunks of aloe suspended in it and unusual flavor combinations like aloe/mangosteen/mango and aloe/pomelo/pink grapefruit/lemon, is a bit different to say the least. My first sips were not enjoyable, but before long I acquired the taste and was sucking down ALOs like so many bottles of Cheerwine.
The relevant question, of course, is would ALO pair well with barbecue? The answer: never talk about “pairing” and barbecue in the same sentence or I may have to smack you. Oh, and yes. ALO would work fine with barbecue. It’s on the sweet side and the flavors (aside from wheat grass, which goes well with nothing except the drain) would complement pork fairly well. Still, don’t tell anyone if you do it. I’m not sure how the barbecue gods would react to such an affront, but if you close your eyes and imagine you are drinking iced tea they might forgive you… I will.
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As loyal readers may have noticed, I am not the world’s biggest fan of Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, though I am a member of The Yellow Cup Club for research purposes. So when I saw this press release from the Media Machine that is Dickey’s, I threw up a little bit in my mouth (ironically, it tasted a bit like Dickey’s pulled pork… I jest). According to the release, “In the past 8 months, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit launched 34 new stores in cities across the country, fueling employment growth in each community… bring[ing] employment opportunities to struggling communities. With each new franchise that opens we bring dozens of jobs and, while unemployment numbers remain at historic levels, we are looking to expand these efforts. As our franchise expands from coast to coast, we are constantly looking to employ people locally,’ President of Dickey’s Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. Roland Dickey, Jr. said.”
I am pleased that Dickey’s is “constantly looking to employ people locally,” since it would be a poor business model to open a restaurant that employs people who don’t work there. Still, I can’t help but feel like rooting for Dickey’s to grow is like rooting for Wal-Mart, Starbucks or any other number of mega-chains that have taken over for the mom and pop five-and-dimes and the local coffee shops of the country. Worse yet, whereas even the old time five-and-dimes sell the same crap made in China, and coffee is a fairly universal language, barbecue is/should be hyper local. Part of what makes barbecue so appealing to me is its particular heritage, its local flavor (figuratively and literally), and the multi-generational pride in regional, and even town to town, differences between meats, sauces, rubs, and the like.
In short, a barbecue chain is antithetical to everything barbecue is about. Chain barbecue, whether “good” or “bad” in taste, is by definition universal and designed for mass appeal, meaning it is anti-local. That may work for hamburgers, or coffee, or cheap t-shirts, but not for barbecue. I don’t want to be able to eat the same brisket in Cheyenne, Wyoming as I eat in Lockhart, Texas. If I did, I’d eat every meal at Applebees (baby back ribs, anyone?!).
Aside from my philosophical objections to franchising barbecue, I have serious reservations about Dickey’s overall impact on employment. Does each new Dickey’s franchise simply add local jobs, or is the truth a little more complicated? Are there one-of-a-kind local restaurants, whether serving barbecue or otherwise, that lose customers to Dickey’s? Will your favorite local BBQ joint survive Dickey’s aggressive expansion plans? Will the pitmaster who spent his adult life tending the coals at your favorite joint be eager to reheat meat in Dickey’s kitchen?
I know, I know, this is life in a capitalist economy and one can make a similar argument about virtually any chain. And life without chains would have drawbacks too (I own some of those cheap t-shirts and have a Big Mac from time to time). I don’t begrudge Dickey’s for doing what they do well, but I sure hope I’m not the only one who steers clear of The Big Yellow Cup That Could in favor of local joints that show pride in their uniqueness. The barbecue served by chains is something less than, while the barbecue served at your local joint is, well, barbecue.
Filed under: Porky's Pulpit | Tagged: Dickey's BBQ, Signs of aporkalypse | 2 Comments »
When I think of northeast Ohio, my first thought is not, “the Carolina BBQ capital of the rust belt.” Rather, it is, “there’s a northeast Ohio?” Indeed, apparently there is a northeast Ohio and it may very well be the Carolina BBQ capital of the rust belt. The Old Carolina Barbecue Company has four locations in northeast Ohio–Akron, Canton (2), Massillon–and a fifth location is set to open soon. I have frequently wondered about the lack of Carolina-style barbecue joints across the country compared to places serving brisket, ribs and the like. Thus, it is particularly amazing that a restaurant in a part of the country known primarily for Goodyear tires and the Pro Football Hall of Fame would be a hotbed for Carolina barbecue.
The owners of the Old Carolina Barbecue Company seems serious about their commitment to Carolina traditions. According to their website, “Traveling across the country opened our eyes to a great style of food not widely represented in our home state. While Texas, Kansas City and Memphis all have their own claim to the best barbecue, it was the “True Q” of the Carolinas that we appreciated the most.” Old Carolina claims to cook their ‘cue “over hickory wood” (presumably on an electronic cooker with hickory added, but I’ll check into that). They say they also serve brisket and chicken, “to keep the yankees happy,” but their focus is pork.
The pork is served unadorned with sauce, a good sign for a BBQ restaurant, and comes with five sauce choices for seasoning at the table. While NC BBQ fundamentalists (and I am one in most cases) would shudder at the thought of serving more than one sauce, this is Ohio so I recognize it is probably a wise business decision. Vinegar and hot pepper aren’t for everyone. Put another way, not everyone is sophisticated enough to appreciate the vinegar and hot pepper aesthetic. Among the sauces offered are variations on Lexington- and Eastern-style sauces, as well as South Carolina mustard-based sauce and a couple of sauces that pander to non-Carolinians.
The rest of Old Carolina’s menu is pretty typical for a BBQ joint inside or outside of the Carolinas, except that it serves brisket, chicken, ribs, and turkey as well as “pulled pork.” Sides include hush puppies, Brunswick stew, slaw (creamy mayo and vinegar variations offered, notably), french fries and more. Banana pudding is offered for dessert, and sweet tea is available alongside yankee tea. Did I mention they offer Cheerwine too? Huzzah!
If I ever make it to northeast Ohio, I will definitely check this place out. Honestly, I fear that it aspires to be the next Dickey’s, given that franchise opportunities available and they have a virtual stack of slick marketing materials online, but I am holding out hope that it is simply a humble business with an appreciation for Carolina barbecue. Until I make it to the greater Akron/Canton area (a destination that wasn’t previously on my bucket list), I’ll have to rely on reports from loyal readers. I will also be in touch with the owners to see if they are available for a BBQ&A… stay tuned.
Filed under: Restaurants & Reviews | Tagged: Outside NC | 6 Comments »
If you’ve paid any attention to the news lately, you are aware that a major crisis looms for our nation. Indeed, I witnessed the crisis in person when visiting Washington, D.C. recently. In addition to the proliferation of BBQ sub sandwiches in and around our nation’s capital, our federal government faces an imminent disaster of its own creation.
Yes, I am referring to the faux ‘cue that has made its way into the very heart of our nation’s capital. A trip to the Atrium Cafe* at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History revealed a menu with a few barbecue choices, including “Carolina style pulled pork.” At a steep $12.95 for a plate with two sides, I nearly skipped this meal but my thirst for knowledge hunger for pork prevailed.
While the museum’s large collection of prehistoric fossils and other remnants of America’s natural history may be authentic, the Carolina style barbecue is not. Indeed, if I curated a barbecue museum I wouldn’t let the soggy, slow cooker-style swine pictured at left into my building, let alone feature it in my cafeteria. From the taste (no smoke and a half-hearted imitation of NC sauce) to the texture (pulled rather than chopped, as well as soggy), the Atrium Cafe’s barbecue is not fit for inclusion in a hallowed Smithsonian institution.
I dare say that pigs are a more relevant part of America’s natural history than dinosaur bones and other dusty old relics. I wish our nation’s leaders would take action to force the Museum of Natural History to address the current cafeteria situation before it becomes a crisis. I am setting an August 2nd deadline for Congress to take action. If not, I will refuse to eat pork at a federal museum until true Carolina barbecue is served. Better yet, each federally funded cafeteria should serve both Eastern- and Lexington-style barbecue. This would be a true “balanced solution” to the present problem. Please contact your elected officials and urge them to take action.
*Editor’s note: We have heard reports that the Atrium Cafe will soon be renamed the Debt Ceiling and will have its hours cut dramatically.
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tagged: Outside NC, Pork barrel politics, Signs of aporkalypse | 1 Comment »
BBQ Jew 