Locavore?

What the hell is a locavore? It sounds like some crazy Italian low carb diet.

A locavore is someone who will only cook/eat/digest food that is produced locally. So what's locally, you cask? The most common definition of locally is within an one hundred mile radius. This month's Food+Wine magazine had an interesting article about how being a locavore is the latest trend amongst the trendy chefs and foodies out there.

My first thought was, gee that's fine for people living in California, but how would a fire loving guy in the depths of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn survive as locavore in the dead of winter? I'd be dead in a month (Stop your cheering now. I mean it. Stop. Now.)

As I read the article, it started out with some interesting thoughts and recipes from Dede Simpson from, hold on, California. Big Whoop. It's easy eating locally grown produce when the produce is still growing in say, February. But then, it was followed up by recipes from Jeremy Silansky from... VERMONT. Yes, snowy, isolated, lovely Vermont.

So how does Jeremy do it? With some extensive planning and some handy dandy food connections to farmers in the area. He cans and freezes fresh vegetables all through the summer and fall harvest season. He also relies heavily on his network of farmers to feed him. How many farmers do you know who grow watercress in January in a pond behind their house?

So is it possible for a fire loving guy in Brooklyn to survive as a locavore? Not this fire loving guy, thank you very much. It's a very interesting concept, it's way too much work. I have a lot of respect for the people who do this, hell I grill all year long, but it's not for me.

I'll still try to eat seasonal ingredients all year long. (Does that still buy me snaps in the food community?) See you out by the fire pit.

BBQ Spices: The Baron's List

A while back, The Hampton Smoker and I brought Paul Kirk, The Baron of BBQ, to NYC to teach his School of Pitmasters to us crazy Yankees.

The Baron taught us his secrets for developing our own rubs, or what he calls a flavorprint. Paul brought a treasure trove of spices for the class to use and Matt and I dove right in. With the Baron's help we created a new rub for use on pork and ribs. I can't tell you what's in it, but I can tell you that after some initial skepticism, we impressed the good Baron.

Paul Kirk's Barbecue Flavorprint

Here's the barbecue flavorprint, as described in Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces:

allspice barbecue spice bay leaf Cajun spice blend cayenne pepper celery seed chili powder cilantro cinnamon cloves coriander crushed chiles cumin seed curry powder dill weed dry mustard fennel seed garlic ginger

lemon MSG nutmeg onion orange oregano paprika parsley pepper poultry seasoning rosemary sage salt seasoned salt sugar sweet basil tenderizers thyme

2 and a half and counting -

WhiteTrash BBQ has been online for about 2 1/2 years now and re-reading my opening post has made think about my experiences in the world of barbecue and where I am in comparison to my stated goals.

I don't have my own competitive barbecue team yet. I don't have a barbeque restaurant yet. Am I any closer to achieving these goals? Yes and no. Yes on the team but a big no on the restaurant.

Actually I am rethinking the whole idea of opening a restaurant. I'm not sure if that's something I still want to do. Oh I still want to sell BBQ to the public, but the restaurant I originally envisioned is no longer the picture I have in my mind.

As for my competition barbecue team, I'm kicking around a few ideas and people and we'll see what develops by the summer.

I also see some disturbing trends in the barbecue world. (Let's see who I piss off with this thought) It seems that the focus is shifting from cooks and fun to money and politics. It's a shame and hopefully it's just a blurp in the radar, but I don't like the winds that are blowing right now. This sport is becoming a rich man's game.

But as I promised earlier, I'm getting back to barbecue; the cooking, serving and eating barbeque. That's where I'll be focused for a while.

As Judy sang...

"We are stardust, We are golden, We are ten billion year old carbon and we got to get ourselves back to the garden."

Getting back to BBQ

I recently received a very detailed and well thought out email from a reader about the direction of this blog. It seems that he's not happy with the posts about police men eating snoots and bodies found in refrigerators. He wants me to start posting about barbecue again.

You know what he's right. Let's get back to BBQ.

Here's my first post on this blog....

"This Blog is being created to document my feelings, thoughts and creation process in creating the future World Championship BBQ team. White Trash BBQ. I will be creating the best BBQ in the world which will be available exclusively at my restaurant."

It's time to get back to basics.

Hillbilles of the Bronx?

Man, I hate it when a BBQ place opens without my knowing about it. Here's an article from the January 24th edition of The New York Times about a new BBQ place in the Bronx.

HILLBILLIES OF THE BRONX Mo Gridder's barbeque trailer in Hunts Point.

By PETER MEEHAN

Published: January 24, 2007

Don Hogan Charles/The New York Times

To get to Mo Gridder’s BBQ, go to the Bronx, then head to Hunts Point Avenue. Drive east under the Bruckner, through the more residential part of Hunts Point, where I spied a stroller tangled in barbed wire atop a rusted fence, where tied-together sneakers hung slung over tree branches overhead and where a wizened, weathered Chihuahua, loitering outside a bodega, eyed passers-by with suspicion.

Keep going. The street slopes down at Lafayette Avenue, into blocks and blocks of auto repair businesses. If you pass Max A. Million’s Mr. Wedge strip club (where boxing strippers were once an attraction) you’re almost there.

When the weather is good, keep an eye out for the Mo Gridder rig, which will be proudly parked out in front of Hunts Point Auto Sales and Service. (If not, it will be tucked away from the elements on a lot in the back.)

It’s a sight to behold: a 35-foot-long fire-engine-red competition-ready barbecue trailer. Tacked onto one end is a Southern Pride 500 barbecue pit, a piece of equipment fearsome enough to impress even the most casual rib eater. A cartoon mural of a hillbilly, shotgun in hand, in pursuit of a fleeing pig astraddle a cow, is painted on the side.

Fred Donnelly is the man behind Mo Gridder’s. It’s his trailer and his ’cue, and the office of his auto repair business doubles as the dining room. (It’s his name, too — Mo Gridder was a childhood nickname.) “MoGridder’s World Famous Smoked BBQ,” it reads on the big sign out front, below the auto shop’s name, “www.MoGridder.com.”

A television set is in the corner, a fresh bottle of sauce is on each of the few tidy tables and a desk is in the corner where you can inquire about auto insurance claims.

Though the big red machine outside has been smoking only since May, Mr. Donnelly said he has been “doing barbecue” since 1992. It was a good way “to show some customer appreciation” at this location and at his used car lot. He’s gotten serious over the years, becoming a certified barbecue judge, competing around the country and now staking a claim for real barbecue in the Bronx.

His menu is expansive, much like those at other New York barbecue spots. And much like the food at other New York barbecue spots, not everything is magic.

But the ribs: that’s where the getting gets good.

The ribs are St. Louis cut — from the middle of a rack of spareribs — and they are dry-rubbed before a six-hour snooze in the Southern Pride.

Mr. Donnelly said cherry and apple woods are his main smoke makers, that they impart a subtler flavor than hickory, which he sometimes throws into the mix, too. Whatever the fuel, the meat is sweetly and amply imbued with smoky flavor by the time it’s in your hands.

The meat on the ribs — and the ribs are meaty — has a yielding tenderness, but none of the falling-off-the-bone toothlessness of lesser barbecue.

Barbecued ribs are supposed to be meat, not pablum, and the crew at Mo Gridder’s gets that. They paint the ribs with a slick of sauce before reheating them on the charcoal grill inside the rig, which gently intensifies the flavors of the sauce and ever so slightly crisps the outer flesh of the ribs.

Maybe only the most hard-core barbecue fans will trek to Hunts Point to decide whether Mo Gridder’s ribs are among the city’s best.

But with a side of sweet barbecued beans and coleslaw that could double as mayonnaise soup, those ribs make for a mighty fine lunch.

And the place has a charm all its own. I’ll leave the last word to Mr. Donnelly: “It’s a real Bronx thing, you know? That’s about it. And it’s going pretty good.”

Mo Gridder's BBQ

565 Hunts Point Avenue (Randall Avenue), Hunts Point, Bronx; (718) 991-3046.

BEST DISHES Ribs, beans, coleslaw.

PRICE RANGE Sandwiches, $4.95; platters $6.95 to $14.95; sides $2.50.

CREDIT CARDS All major cards.

HOURS Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Closed Sunday.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS All on one level.

A Blog Grows in Brooklyn

Groan. I know it's a stupid title for a blog post. I just couldn't think of anything better. I admit it, I'm not very original.

Here's a list of some of my favorite Brooklyn based blogs. They're in no particular order of preference, some of these are food related, most aren't, not all are Brooklyn exclusive but they're all worth a visit.

Grillin' On The Bay (You knew that was coming didn't you.)
Dope on the Slope
The Gowanus Lounge
Brooklyn Enthusiast
Brit In Brooklyn
Clinton Hill Blog
The Brooklyn Record
Go Brooklyn
Brooklyn Views
Brownstoner
Runs Brooklyn
Coney Island Shortcakes This side of Brooklyn doesn't get enough respect!
Eating For Brooklyn
Bite By Byte
Sunset Parker
A Brooklyn Life
Only The Blog Knows Brooklyn
Clean Plate Club

Ok, that's it for today. I know I'm forgetting about a lot of people. There will be a part two some day.

What's in your refrigerator?

This came across my desk the other day. I've had problems with my landlord, but it was never this bad.

BBQ owner held after landlady found in fridge

SAPPORO (Kyodo) Police arrested the manager of a barbecue restaurant in Sapporo late Tuesday after the body of the woman who owned the land the eatery sits on was found in the restaurant's refrigerator, police said Wednesday.

The body of Hiroko Izawa, 73, who lived next to the restaurant in Sapporo's Chuo Ward, was found Tuesday after a police search. She had been missing for about a week.

The manager, Koji Sugimoto, 28, was arrested on suspicion of concealing the body, police said. They are investigating the case as a probable robbery-murder.

According to police, Sugimoto has told investigators that he stabbed Izawa on Jan. 9 inside the restaurant to take her money and valuables.

The refrigerator is on the ground floor, police said.

According to investigators, Izawa's corpse bore several stab wounds in the chest and abdomen, and bruises on the head. Police said they have found a knife and a blunt object believed to have been used in the assault.

They said they believe Sugimoto had argued with the woman over the way the restaurant's doors were locked.

Izawa's family filed a missing person's report with police Tuesday after she disappeared around Jan. 9.

Her home was locked and showed no signs of a break-in, according to police.

The restaurant was open for business until Monday, police said.

He's got a nose for that

FORCE MEAT Going whole hog

ALL IN THE LINE OF DUTY KC police rookies eat snoot as rite of passage

Eating pig snoot is a rite of initiation for KCMO police rookies.

By ARDIE A. DAVIS

Special to The Star

RICH SUGG The Kansas City Star Brock Farris passed his initiation into the Kansas City Police Department by chowing down on a pig snoot sandwich, which he ate while senior colleagues watched and urged him on.

TAMMY LJUNGBLAD THE KANSAS CITY STAR When Ricardo Herrera bought the Tenderloin Grill, he asked, “Do I have to serve brains?” The reply was, “No, but keep the snoots.” The pig snoot sandwiches from the restaurant have been a KCMO police tradition since 1975.

RICH SUGG THE KANSAS CITY STAR With the deed done, Kansas City police officer Brock Farris could raise his arms in victory. What did the pig snoot sandwich taste like? Fat and bacon, Farris says.

“It’s one of those classic old-time rites of passage.”

CAPT. RICH LOCKHART

On his first night at Central Patrol as a bona-fide police officer, Brock Farris faced down a pig snoot sandwich. At first glimpse, Farris walked away with an “Oh no!” look on his face.

He was broke, so he asked other officers to lend him coins for a can of soda. No one forked up.

Later an officer showed up with a can of cold lemon-lime soda but kept it until Farris ate the whole sandwich — in front of a dozen peers.

Eating a snoot sandwich is a rite of passage for Kansas City police rookies, and they didn’t want Farris to shirk his duty and wash it down with the soda.

Farris started at the back of the sandwich, saving the nostril for last. Sixteen minutes later, after grimaces, “This is gross!” exclamations and a lot of encouragement, the entire sandwich was gone.

Courage trumped fear and repugnance. Officer Farris had earned the applause and cheers that followed.

Pig snoot sandwiches from the Tenderloin Grill, owned and operated by Ricardo Herrera, have been a KCMO police tradition since 1975.

“It’s one of those classic old-time rites of passage,” says Capt. Rich Lockhart, who ate his snoot sandwich at Johnny Agno’s, which was at 12th and Forest but is no longer in business.

Clarence Gibson, an investigator with the KCMO Police Department since 1967 and the go-to person for department history, remembers his. “Yes, I had my pig snoot, and I didn’t go back for seconds,” he says.

Pig snoots and police also share a brief history on the Kansas side of the metro area. In the early 1980s former Kansas City, Kan., police Detective Lee “Boss Hog” Orr operated Lee’s Hog House on North Seventh Street with his wife, Maxine.

Besides tenderloins, burgers and hot dogs, they sold “Rooters,” pig snoot sandwiches, and “Listeners,” pig ear sandwiches, for $1.50 and $1.40, respectively. But Kansas City, Kan., officers do not have a pig snoot sandwich rite of passage.

Nor is there a snoot-eating rite of passage in St. Louis, home of Smoki O’s and other pig snoot purveyors. The crispy pig snoots at Smoki O’s are barrel-smoked, chopped and sauced, and Otis Walker, proprietor, says police detectives, U.S. marshals, firefighters and CIA officers often stop by for a pig snoot/rib tip combo.

For the bold diner and the intrepid chef, pig snoots and other organ meats have always been on the menu. More recently, New York celebrity chef Mario Batali has been serving veal cheeks, although usually they’re tucked into ravioli, so few diners actually recognize them.

Closer to home, the late Jimmy Naben, founder of Kansas City’s Tenderloin Grill, used to get free snoots from the Swift meatpacking plant.

He started his business in 1932. Naben sold snoots, brains, tenderloins and hamburgers from a cart on Southwest Boulevard, across the street from today’s Tenderloin Grill.

When Ricardo Herrera was a kid, he bought tenderloin sandwiches from Naben. When Herrera bought the Tenderloin Grill from Naben’s grandson, he asked, “Do I have to serve brains?” The reply was, “No, but keep the snoots.”

Herrera kept them, but he lets them sell themselves: Cook snoots, and they will come.

They come from all over Kansas City and across the United States. “Don’t tell her that I stop here first!” says a customer from California who had just hit town for his annual mother-in-law visit. A snoot sandwich always comes first.

Seven minutes later he tells Herrera, “I’ll see you next year.” He waves goodbye with a satisfied smile.

Ben Porras, a security consultant with Jade Alarm, orders his pig snoot sandwich “with everything.”

“I’ve been eating snoot sandwiches here since I was 13,” Porras says before he chomps into his sandwich.

Jeff Graves comes to the Tenderloin Grill for a snoot lunch once a week. He started eating snoot sandwiches when he was 8 and liked them at first bite.

“I don’t like the ears,” he says. “Ricardo doesn’t serve the ears.”

Aficionados know, after all, that pig ears are gristly and crunchy.

---

A barbecue expert bellies up to the trough

Kansas City has many famous foods: barbecue, chili, hamburgers, catfish, fried chicken and steaks. We also have some great pig snoot sandwiches.

Pig snoots are revered by many, snubbed by others. Several local food experts and members of the Southern Foodways Alliance contacted won’t go near snoot, and most barbecue pitmasters also said they would never eat snoot.

Pig snoots are cooked a variety of ways — boiled, fried, grilled, roasted and barbecued, or a combination of methods. Ricardo Herrera of the Tenderloin Grill on Southwest Boulevard pressure cooks his snoots but is careful not to overdo the meat. “Do it too long, and they turn to Jell-O.”

Herrera’s snoots are sandwiched in a hamburger bun, garnished with horseradish, mustard, a special made-from-scratch hot sauce, slices of fresh tomato and onions. Just don’t ask for mayonnaise.

“This is a Mexican place,” Herrera says. “We don’t serve mayonnaise!”

Eau de barnyard came to mind with my first bite of snoot. I knew where that snoot had been rooting. It was better past the nostril. I have yet to get past the whiskers, however.

Officer Brock Farris says his sandwich tasted like fat and bacon.

Other Tenderloin Grill customers agree, and many regard Herrera’s horseradish, mustard, hot sauce, onions and tomato garnish as a perfect complement to snoot.

Two famous Kansas City barbecue pitmasters are pig snoot sandwich aficionados.

Chef Paul Kirk, KC Baron of Barbecue, has been eating snoot sandwiches since childhood. Another famous KC pitmaster, Jack Fiorella of Jack Stack Barbecue, comes to the Tenderloin Grill now and then for a snoot sandwich.

---

The art of snoot cookery

Adventurous cooks who want to master snoot cookery can learn from an expert. Chef Paul Kirk will teach snoot cookery in his Grilling 101 class, a charity benefit sponsored by the Great American Barbecue, on April 28 at Community America Ballpark in Kansas City, Kan. Sampling is encouraged. For details, go to thinkbbq.com, or call Tracy Satterfield, (913) 422-9599.

---

Just who’s getting snooty?

If Kansas City is pig snoot heaven, St. Louis may be the pig snoot capital. A 60-pound box of snoots is more than a month’s supply at the Tenderloin Grill on Southwest Boulevard. But Smoki O’s in St. Louis sells at least 400 pounds of pig snoot/rib tip combos a month, and other barbecue houses in the city also sell the popular snoot/rib tip combo.

---

Ardie A. Davis is a freelance writer, a barbecue expert and the author of The Great BBQ Sauce Book (10 Speed Press). He lives in Roeland Park. Ardie A. Davis, Special to The Star

Tupelo Honey

Expert: Tupelo hosted first pork barbecue in Mississippi 1/17/2007 5:46:07 AM Daily Journal

By Carlie Kollath
Daily Journal

TUPELO - Tupelo could make a very good case for the first pork barbecue in Mississippi, according to an archaeologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Sam Brookes, heritage program manager for the National Forests in Mississippi, on Tuesday told a group of about 75 people at the Cellular South Networking at Noon event about the memorable meal started by explorer Hernando DeSoto.

According to Brookes, DeSoto was traveling with 400 Spanish range pigs to feed his troops. In December 1540, he stopped south of Tupelo in the Black Prairie near a Chickasaw village. Brookes said the Native American group was "very fond of pork," an item not found in the area, and often would eat the pork while it was still almost raw. However, this time the Chickasaws and DeSoto rigged up a primitive barbecue cooking apparatus, and the Chickasaws covered the pork with a mixture of tomatoes and peppers, items that were only found in the New World.

The exact site of the event has not been found yet, but Brookes said it would be "just south" of Tupelo.

The story was one of many he told to attendees in the BancorpSouth Conference Center as proof that Northeast Mississippi is rich with cultural events that could draw heritage and cultural tourism to the area. He said the Chickasaw history is a strong contender along with the Tupelo Automobile Museum, Tupelo Hardware Co. and Elvis' birthplace.

"People want to come and see that and spend money on that," Brookes said.

Brooke's comments dovetail with an ongoing effort from the Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance to promote historical, cultural and natural heritage in 30 North Mississippi counties.

A Whiter Shade of Pale

Here's something I didn't know. Even in Los Angeles California, land of eternal sunshine, most people don't barbecue all year round. Isn't it a pity?

Here's a link to a great article by Charles Perry of The Los Angeles Times about how he's jonesing for the Que even in LA's harsh winter. The article's too long to reproduce here, but I've taken his recipe for Roast Pork and reprinted it below.

Winter Roast Rork with Basil Pomegranate Sauce

Total time: About 2 hours, plus 12 to 14 hours brining time

Servings: 10 to 12

Note: Pomegranate molasses is available at Middle Eastern markets, Whole Foods stores and Surfas in Culver City. Use a 2 1/2 -gallon or larger sealable plastic bag for brining.

Basil pomegranate sauce

• 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• Salt

Put the pomegranate molasses, one-fourth cup water, garlic and basil in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Salt to taste. This can be made ahead of time and reheated for serving. Strain into a gravy boat.

Pork loin roast

• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4- to 5-pound tied boneless pork loin roast
• 1 Onion
• 4 large carrots
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Basil pomegranate sauce

1. To brine the roast, dissolve the salt and sugar in 1 gallon of water in a large bowl. Place the pork loin in a large plastic sealable (brining) bag, pour in the liquid and seal. Marinate for 12 to 14 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Cut the onion in eight pieces and purée in a food processor. Place the onion in a fine strainer or double layers of cheesecloth, press out the onion juice and discard the solids. Set the juice aside (to use for basting).

3. Remove the meat from the brine and pat dry. Allow to stand at room temperature for up to 30 minutes. Heat the grill. On a gas grill, heat up half the grill, as the meat should cook over indirect heat. For a charcoal grill, arrange hot coals to either side of the grill. When the grill is hot (400 degrees), oil the rack and place meat onto the rack, not directly above the heat. Cover the grill and cook until an instant-read thermometer reads 137 to 140 degrees, about 20 minutes per pound. (The temperature will rise about 10 degrees, to medium, after it's removed from heat.) Baste with onion juice every 15 minutes. If the outer part of the roast is done before the center comes to temperature, tent with foil to prevent from drying out.

4. Peel the carrots and cut them on the bias in large chunks (about 3 inches). Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. About an hour after the roast has been put on the grill, put the carrots on the grill around the roast.

5. When the meat is done, remove it to a serving dish, cover with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Serve with the carrots and warm pomegranate sauce.

Where fore art thou?

Looking for a listing of barbecue events can be a time consuming job. There's the KCBS circuit, The Memphis In May circuit, the Texas BBQ circuit, The Florida circuit and on and on. There needs to be one place to find out everything. Well, now there is...

Take a look at BBQ-Festivals.com. It's easily the most comprehensive listing of barbeque events I've ever found on the internet. If you know of a contest, festival, restaurant or cook-off they don't list, just drop them an e-mail and they'll include it in their listings.

By the way - speaking of barbecue contests, have you checked out Grillin' On The Bay yet? It's NYC's only sanctioned BBQ contest and it's filling up fast. This year's event should be something special.

BBQ Forums: Canada

Many people think that barbecue is just an American sport. Not so, say I. And so do a lot of dedicated Q-ers up in Canada.

Take some time and check out BBQTalk. It's Canada's largest and most active barbeque discussion forum. It's great for anyone who's into barbecue or those of you who are just starting out.

They have discussion forums for beginners and competition cooks. They have a great recipe section and are just a great bunch of folks. Check 'em out.

BBQ Equipment: The Pits

Most Barbecue guys I know love to show off their equipment. No, that didn't sound right.

Most Barbeque guys I know love to show off their pits. Wait, that's not right either.

OK, get your minds out of the gutter.

Most BBQ guys I know love to show off their cookers. There, that's better. I just found this great website by DATsBBQ from The BBQ-4-U Forum. Check out The BBQ Pit Gallery.

DATsBBQ has collected pictures of barbecue pits from around the world. To the left is a picture of "Big Mike 2", Owned by Michael Greuter, AKA Big Mike BBQ, Triesen, Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein? I bet most people don't even know where that is. I know I had to look it up.

If you're looking for a list of pit builders, check out this old posting on my blog - BBQ Suppliers: The Pit Builders. Most of the pit builders in the United States are listed there. Enjoy!

BBQ Events: The Winter Sizzler

OK. BBQ folks are nuts. Some very brave souls just spent the weekend outside in New Hampshire's winter weather to cook some very good barbecue. Here's the results from the Winter Sizzler, The New England BBQ Society's newest event. Congratulations to everyone.

Posted by YankeeBBQ on The BBQ Forum January 14, 2007 at 15:52:57:

Great contest lots of winter fun even a snowball fight or two !!

Chicken
1 Purple Turtle
2 Q Haven
3 Que Ball
4 Lunchmeat
5 I Smell Smoke

Ribs
1 The Pokey Smokers
2 Boneyard Smokers
3 I Smell Smoke
4 Big Boned BBQ
5 Dr Frank n Swine

Pork
1 Dr Frank n Swine
2 Q Haven
3 I Smell Smoke
4 Big Boned BBQ
5 Que Ball

Brisket
1 I Smell Smoke
2 Porky's Butt Burners
3 Qwannabees
4 Lunchmeat
5 Boneyard Smokers

Chili
1 Porky's Butt Burners
2 I Smell Smoke
3 Boneyard Smokers
4 Lunchmeat
5 Q Haven

People's Choice Pork: I Smell Smoke

Grand Champ: I Smell Smoke !!! Reserve Grand Champion: Q Haven

BBQ Recipes: Grilled chicken salad with black beans and corn

I got this recipe from Garlic Breath - The Blog, who in turn got it from Recipezaar. It's another recipe that can actually be adapted to be cooked over the fire.

According to Riana Lagarde, the author of Garlic Breath, "The recipe is super complicated and time consuming, more for me, because I had to soak the black beans and cook them as well." So I'm going to channel Sandra Lee for a little while and combine some store bought ingredients with home made."

Since it's Sunday, this ingredient heavy recipe may be just the trick.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Black Beans and Corn

Ingredients:

• Peanut oil, for deep-frying
• 12 corn tortillas, cut 1/4-inch strips
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cold water
• 2 3/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 7 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons thinly-sliced scallion tops, and whites
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano(or 1/4 Tsp Dried Oregano)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh basil
• 1 1/3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce
• 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, cored, rinsed, dried, and Cut 1/8-inch wide Strips 1/2 head romaine lettuce leaves, separated, trimmed, rinsed, dried, and Cut 1/8-inch wide Strips
• 12 large fresh basil leaves, cut 1/8-inch strips
• 1lb jicama, cut 1/4 by 1/4 X 3/4-inch strips (I don't have this, but it is soooo good!)
• 2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 cup canned sweet white corn kernels, drained
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2lbs fresh ripe tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice
• 1/2 cup good-quality sweet-&-spicy barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup thinly-sliced scallion tops

Directions:

• To Make the Fried Tortilla Strips: In a deep, heavy frying pan, heat several inches of vegetable oil to a temperature of 375 degrees. Working in batches if necessary to prevent overcrowding, carefully add the tortilla strips to the hot oil, submerging them with a metal skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry the tortilla strips until evenly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully lift them out with the skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer them to paper towels to drain and cool. Set aside, uncovered.
• To Make the Garden Herb Ranch Dressing: In a mixing bowl, use a fork to stir together the mustard and cold water, forming a paste. Set aside for 10 minutes. Add the remaining dressing ingredients to the bowl and, using a handheld electric mixer at low speed or a whisk, blend together just until smooth, taking care not to incorporate too much air into the dressing. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To Make the Grilled Garlic and BBQ Chicken: Preheat a stovetop grill or the broiler. In a mixing bowl, stir together the olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, and salt. Turn the chicken breasts in this marinade and leave to marinate at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Grill or broil the chicken breasts until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes per side. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator. Cut the chicken breasts into 3/4-inch cubes and, in a bowl, toss with the barbecue sauce to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
• To Make the Salad: In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuces, basil, jicama, Monterey Jack cheese, beans, corn, cilantro, dressing, and half of the Fried Tortilla Strips. Transfer the salads to chilled serving plates. Surround each salad with diced tomatoes and the remaining Fried Tortilla Strips. Top each salad with chunks of Grilled Garlic BBQ Chicken and drizzle the chicken with the barbecue sauce. Garnish with the scallion.

4 main-course or 8 appetizer servings.

A day in the lifeof a blogger....

Eccentricity is not, as dull people would have us believe, a form of madness. It is often a kind of innocent pride, and the man of genius and the aristocrat are frequently regarded as eccentrics because genius and aristocrat are entirely unafraid of and uninfluenced by the opinions and vagaries of the crowd.

- Edith Sitwell

BBQ and Politics Don't Mix

Here's a story I don't think I'll ever read in the New York Times. Sounds like the mayor's got some problems down there.

Agency checks mayor's barbecue

by Jake Stump

Daily Mail Staff

Charleston Mayor Danny Jones' signature barbeque ribs may be yummy, but they're not exempt from the scrutiny of county health officials.

Jones, who once operated his own popular rib house, received inquiries about how he prepared his barbeque before serving it to hungry firefighters at the Charleston Firefighter's Ball on New Year's Eve.

County health officials say it's common procedure to check out the food preparation at such events, although this was a private party for firefighters at the Charleston Civic Center.

Jones believes he was politically, or maybe personally, targeted.

The mayor and a few other local officials claim that Dr. Steven Artz, board president of the Kanawha-Charleston Health Department, initiated the crackdown.

"My cooking for them was private," Jones said. "I think it's a personal thing with Dr. Artz. He has a problem with me."

Artz denied he had a rocky relationship with the mayor and said he did not directly order any actions regarding his food preparation.

"We all know the mayor has run a clean shop and this has all been blown out of proportion," Artz said. "I don't have any problems with the mayor. He's a likeable gentleman."

After a newspaper article appeared on the Firefighter's Ball prior to the event, Jones said his city office got a phone call from the health department "demanding" to know where and how he was cooking his ribs.

Jones said they weren't entitled to an answer.

"I can cook wherever I want," the mayor said. "I have smokers and cook them in a variety of places. I can cook in my garage or anyplace there's electricity. We didn't tell them. Quite frankly, they didn't know."

Anita Ray, the health department's environmental health director, made the phone call and defended her department's inquiry.

"I saw the article in the paper and was surprised we hadn't been apprised of the event," Ray said. "We had to make a couple of calls to make sure things were being handled properly."

Ray said she spoke with Artz, who asked her if she was going to the Firefighter's Ball. She said Artz didn't order her to ask about the barbeque, but she figured she needed to check it out.

After being stonewalled by the mayor, Ray talked to workers at Distinctive Gourmet in the Civic Center who would be handling the barbeque before serving it to firefighters.

Jones cooked up a batch of 180 pounds of ribs, but he did not attend the event.

Myron Boggess, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters Union Local 317, which sponsored the event, met with the mayor before the party to transport the ribs.

"I almost didn't get them down there; they were smelling too good," Boggess joked.

Boggess said Jones placed the food in about 10 stainless steel pans with layers of both plastic wrap and aluminum foil fitting snugly over them. The pans were placed into larger transport vats that kept the ribs warm.

Boggess turned the barbeque over to folks at Distinctive Gourmet, who served the food to the firefighters.

Boggess said he also received a phone call from the health department.

"They were asking me about the mayor's ribs," said Boggess, a firefighter at Charleston Fire Department's Station No. 5 in South Hills.

"They said they normally don't allow outside food brought into the Civic Center, but the mayor had worked it out and volunteered to cook us some ribs.

"I don't know what they were thinking, as if he'd put it in some Tupperware and throw it out on a table."

Artz said the health department regularly inspects events at the Civic Center, in addition to events such as Regatta.

Artz also serves as medical director of the Charleston Fire Department. Since becoming mayor, Jones has re-appointed Artz to that position as well as to his health department board spot.

But Jones said he remains convinced Artz is not his biggest fan.

"I know the guy doesn't like me and he never has," Jones said. "I don't think it'd be a good idea for him to show up at my house."

Contact writer Jake Stump at 348-4842.

Fantasy BBQ League

What a great idea! My buddy, blogger and fellow writer for the Well Fed Network, Brian Pearcy has just published the rules for a Fantasy Barbecue League. I'm in.

Here's the rules right off his blog...

"I'm envisioning an Excel spreadsheet to keep the tally from contest to contest and limiting the league to a "Best of Seven" contests will make it more attainable. Unfortunately, I think I'll also have to limit number of participating teams to a maximum of ten.

Scoring for a win in any of the traditional KCBS categories:

First place = 5 points
Second place = 4 points
Third = 3 points
Fourth = 2 points
Fifth = 1 point

Scoring for an overall champion or reserve grand champion victory:

Grand Champion = 2 bonus points
Reserve Grand Champion = 1 bonus point

Points will be recorded according to the order of finish posted at the KCBS web site.

To "enter" your team for a particular contest, bbq team managers will need to submit their picks for a particular contest 24 hours prior to the event. The BBQ Forum's traditional "roll call" discussion can assist in allowing managers to know who's participating at a particular event."

If you'd like to participate in the league, or have suggestions that will help Brian maintain the league, please send him an e-mail or post a comment on his blog by clicking on the comments link here.

BBQ Contests: Grillin' On the Bay

Grillin' On The Bay
March 31, 2007
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn

New York City's Only NEBS Sanctioned Grilling Contest is Back!

Check out our new Website - Grillinonthebay.org

You can sign up here. Space is limited.

Cash prizes and trophies out to third place.
Ribbons will be awarded out to fifth place.

Results count towards NEBS Team of the Year

Questions? Email to info@grillinonthebay.org

See you there.

Vote - Linda Mullane for KCBS Board

Yesterday, I told you that I was backing Linda Mullane for a position on the Kansas City Barbeque Society's Board of Directors. Here's why -- some questions and answers from the woman herself.

Question One: Please describe the skills you possess (which you believe are stronger than the other candidates) which would make you an asset as a board member, in Adealing with the challenges facing KCBS, and give an example of how those skills would serve the KCBS board of Directors and its membership.

Answer: Being a Contest Rep affords me more contact with all members of KCBS, Cooks, Judges and Organizers alike. I feel as a CBJ trainer in many cases I am the first contact with KCBS and believe this to be most important as to how we present our organization, its professionalism and most of all its integrity.

Question Two: If you are a Cook, Judge, Rep or Backyard Cook, please identify the major KCBS issues concerning one of areas in which you are involved. Describe the major issue, your strategies to correct or improve the issue, and what you see as the biggest challenge to the success of your plan.

Answer: As a rep my biggest concern or major issue is qualified judges (CBJ’s). I don’t feel it is right that so many of our contests, especially “Qualifiers” are judged by a large percentage of non-qualified judges. I feel, it is time we put more pressure on Organizers to insure a larger percentage of judges who are properly qualified and not coming for a free lunch, as is the case at many contests. My second major concern is the quality of reps. I feel we need a concise training program with an exact agenda. A RAT who trains under 4 different reps and is then released to do a contest on their own is not qualified. There should be a period of probation as well as testing prior to release.
Question Three: Identify your major short term goal and the major long term goal, if elected to the Board of KCBS and your plan to implement change or improvement in order to carry out each of these goals.

Answer: Short term Goal: Devise and Implement a Contest Reps Training Course – Work with both the technology and contest reps committees to devise an online training course, as well as testing procedures. I feel this is most needed for our organization to grow and prosper in the future. In most cases reps are the Organization lifelines and need to have the answers to provide a good basis for new contests, not just how much stuff should be in the judges goodie bags.
Long term Goal: Retraining Program for CBJ’s – The more contests I rep the more I see judges arrive with personal coolers. I have even been informed of judges approaching teams for extra food. This needs to be addressed and controlled.

Question Four: If elected please explain "your level of commitment, time and energy" for committee projects and monthly reports, board meetings and attendance, as well as representing KCBS to the public and being responsive to our members.

Answer: Being on the East Coast, I do not feel I will be able to attend in person many Board of Director meetings, however, I am always available by phone for meetings. I am currently serving on three committees. Tony Stone's software development committee, Don Harwell's technology committee, and Ed Roith's judge's committee. Along with my husband, and others I currently rep approx 10 – 12 contests per year, have taught 6 – 8 CBJ classes a year. I feel there is a need for town meetings regionally. I would personally help organize and hold 3 per year on the East Coast, Mid Atlantic and New England areas so these areas can voice their opinions and ideas concerning rules, contest appraisals, organizers, etc. I believe that Rules and Regulations should be voted on by all members in good standing and not just a select few. I feel more requirements should be placed on Organizers prior to sanctioning.

Question Five: Please describe your participation in KCBS activities and years of experience.

Answer: For the past 10 years I have been involved in BBQ as a CBJ, Master CBJ, Contest Rep, Contest Organizer, CBJ Master Instructor and even a cook at a few events. I have been and currently am a vendor and restaurateur.

Question Six: Please explain why you want to be a member of the KCBS Board.

Answer: I have felt for a long time as have many of my contemporaries that we need a voice on the East Coast. I have watched and been a part of the growth of approximately 5 contests in New England and The Mid Atlantic to almost 50 this year in our regions. We have had 2 town meetings in our area, both conducted by Ed Roith in 2004, other than that there has been no direct contact with our region except through the Bullsheet and Website, neither of which have been overly informative until recently.

BBQ Politics: KCBS Board of Directors

Let's start the New Year off with a bang...politics. The Kansas City Barbecue Association is holding it's annual elections for the Board of Directors starting tomorrow. If you are a member, please remember to vote.

Here's the slate of candidates for a three year term to the KCBS Board. The following members have accepted nomination and are the Candidates for the 2007 election:

• Joe Ferguson - Sandy, UT
  
• Jack Gibbs, Prairie Village, KS
  
• Gene Goycochea,- Imperial Beach, CA
  
• Phil Hopkins - Kansas City, MO
  
• Larry King, - Lexington, MO
  
• Paul Kirk - Roland Park, KS
  
• Mike Lake - Shannon, IL
  
• Kyle Laval - Lone Jack, MO
  
• Linda Mullane, - Williamstown, NJ
  
• Steve Ownby, - Kodak, TN
  
• Mark Welte - Pueblo, Co

I don't know many of the people who are running, but I heartily support Linda Mullane from Williamstown, NJ for election. The North East needs representation on the board and readers of this blog will be familiar with Linda and her husband Jerry. I can't think of a better person to take our concerns to the board.

I'm also planning on voting for the other folks who live outside of the Kansas City area because I believe that for KCBS to become a truly national organization, it needs to hear and heed a lot more regional voices. In my opinion, it's still to focused on the established contests and teams.

You can read all of the candidates' platforms here. Take a look at them all, but then my barbecue friends, do you duty and vote!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my faithful Blog readers. And a Happy New Year to all you first time visitors too. Everyone's welcome here at WhiteTrash BBQ.

My wish for all of you is that we all have a happy, healthy and prosperous 2007 filled with excitement and joy.

This year, I plan on constantly looking and moving forward, be it in my personal, professional or barbeque life. I will be loosing the things, people, places and habits that tie me down. This year I will try and accomplish new things. On every level.

Hold on, it may be a bumpy ride.

Photograph of New Year's Eve in Times Square courtesy of Uri's Blog.

EDIT: I just read some great thoughts on the New Year from Terry_Jim over at the Lazy Half S Ranch. With the magic of cut and paste, I've republished it here. Be sure to stop by and check out his blog.

It's Always Okay To Begin Again
"The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul." – G.K. Chesterton

Pay Attention to the Little Things
"It is often said that before you die your life passes before your eyes. It is in fact true. It's called living." – Terry Pratchett

"No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently." – Agnes De Mille

Know What You Want
"I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want." – Mark Twain

Don't Think You Know It All

"The more we live by our intellect, the less we understand the meaning of life." – Leo Tolstoy

"And he goes through life, his mouth open, and his mind closed." – Oscar Wilde

Don't Be A Couch Potato
"Literacy is a very hard skill to acquire, and once acquired it brings endless heartache – for the more you read, the more you learn of life's intimidating complexity of confusion. But anyone who can learn to grunt is bright enough to watch TV… which teaches that life is simple, and happy endings come to those whose hearts are in the right place." – Spider Robinson

"If I show up at your house 10 years from now, and find nothing in your living room but Reader's Digests, nothing in your bedroom but the latest Dan Brown novel… I will chase you down to the end of your driveway and back shouting 'Where are the damn books?… Why are you living the mental equivalent of a Kraft Macaroni & Cheese life?'" - Stephen King, to the 2005 graduating class of the University of Maine

You're Going To Have Some Bad Days
"Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful." – Annette Funicello

"Life is like a train. It's bearing down on you and guess what? It's going to hit you. So you can either start running when it's far off in the distance, or you can pull up a chair, crack open a beer, and just watch it come." – Eric Forman, on That 70s Show

"My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened." – Montaigne

Have Courage
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure." – Helen Keller

"Those of us who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life." – Patty Hansen

Love Your Job
"Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life rather than a Monday through Friday sort of dying." – Studs Terkel

Don't Forget to Have Fun
"Do not take life too seriously – you will never get out of it alive." – Elbert Hubbard

"Life is truly a ride. We're all strapped in and no one can stop it…. I think that the most you can hope for at the end of life is that your hair's messed, you're out of breath, and you didn't throw up." – Jerry Seinfeld

"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature." – Tom Robbins, Still Life With Woodpecker

"Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin." – Grace Hansen

Remember the People Who Are Important to You
"There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved." – George Sand

"When you grow up, you have to give yourself away. Sometimes you give your life all in a moment, but mostly you have to give yourself away laboring one minute at a time." – Gaborn Val Orden

"I was fourteen years old the night my daddy died. He had holes in his shoes and a vision that he was able to convey to me even lying in an ambulance, dying, that I as a black girl could do and be anything, that race and gender are shadows, and that character, determination, attitude are the substances of life." – Marian Wright Edelman

Today Is The First Day of The Rest of Your Life
"Life is a journey, and with every step we reach a point of no return." – Gaborn Val Orden

"Many adventures await you upon the road of life. Enter these doors, and take your first step…" – from a placard above The Horn and Hound Pub Happy New Year, Roy H. Williams

"What is life? It is the flash of a firefly in the night. It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime. It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset." - Crowfoot, (1811-1890) a Native American warrior of the Blackfoot tribe.