Wordless Wednesday

New York Brewfest 2010 - June 19, 2010 - Governors Island. See you there.

Pizza in Naples may be baked using coffin wood: report

Pizza in Naples may be baked using coffin wood: report

BBQ Events: Mr. Bobo Plays the Women's Club of Albany

Trust me, this is one you want to check out. Mr. Bobo is a fixture at Brooklyn's own Grillin' On The Bay and one of the more talented NY BBQ cooks out there.

From The Times Union...

Woman’s Club fundraiser to feature Mr. Bobo’s barbecue by Steve Barnes, senior writer

A benefit for the Woman’s Club of Albany, being held 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 6, at Windy Acres Farm in Mariaville, will have as its central attraction food by Mr. Bobo’s Traveling Barbecue Allstars.

The Slingerlands-based barbacue team won best-in-show in the brisket category and ninth place overall, out of 81 teams, at last fall’s Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue, held in Lynchburg, Tenn. Fare will include pulled pork, chicken, beef brisket, slaw, beans, iced tea, dessert and all the fixin’s.

Music by Annie & the Hedonists. The cost is $35 per person. Reserve online.

BBQ Events: BBQ and Ragtime in Queens

This just in from the Queens Gazette....

‘Ragtime’ Composer Joplin To Be Honored At Annual BBQ

On Saturday, May 22, St. Michael’s Cemetery located at 72-02 Astoria Blvd. in East Elmhurst will hold its fifth annual barbecue and celebration of the music of early 20th century composer Scott Joplin. Edward Horn of St. Michael’s will act as host. The event is open to the general public.

The son of former slaves, Joplin wrote more than 50 piano compositions, most in the form of popular music known as ragtime, during the early years of the 20th century. His popularity faded toward the end of his life and he died in obscurity at age 49 in 1917. He is buried at St. Michael’s, with a simple bronze marker bearing the legend which reads: Scott Joplin/American Composer/Nov. 24, 1868/Apr. 2, 1917.

Joplin’s music was adapted for the soundtrack of the 1973 movie “The Sting” and brought about the resurgence in the popularity of ragtime, the early 20th century music form in which Joplin wrote most of his compositions. “The Sting” would go on to win an Academy Award for its musical score. He was awarded a posthumous Pulitzer Prize in 1976. On Apr. 5, 1985, 68 years after Joplin’s interment, the Brooklyn Opera Society honored his last wish by performing his “Maple Leaf Rag” at his grave. The event was broadcast on PBS radio and reported in the New York Times.

For more information, call Edward Horn at 718-278-3240 or e-mailehorn@stmichaelscemetery.com. —Jason D. Antos

Thieves Among Us - Trailer Stolen

Ray Lampe's (aka Dr. BBQ) trailer was stolen last night at a hotel in Wichita Falls, TX. It's a 14ft Wells Cargo with Green Flames on the side, a kitchen and Big GreenEgg in the back. Anybody sees it email him at drbbq@hotmail.com

Wordless Wednesday

4 Dead - 40 Years Ago

Now I know times have changed, and the reasons for the wars have changed, but haven't you had enough of Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and all this "war on terrorism" crap? We should have been gone long ago. President Obama, you promised you'd end this war. I ain't seeing any change. Do what it takes to end this now. Stop wasting our blood and treasure. Keep your promises, Mr. President.

BBQ Events: May is National Barbecue Month

According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), May is National Barbeque Month. And, National Barbecue Month Ignites Americans' Thrill To Grill! Nice idea actually.

“After an especially brutal winter nationwide, people are ready to cook outside and enjoy the outdoors,” said Leslie Wheeler, HPBA’s Director of Communications. “While we are seeing an increase in grilling year round, it still remains the quintessential summer pastime. The warmer months bring people together around the grill for outdoor entertainment and delicious food with the benefits of ease and affordability.”

While grilling is a shared pastime, HPBA’s 2010 National Barbecue Month poll reveals that flavor preferences and grilling styles vary as widely as the people who use them. The nationwide poll shows America’s grilling profile and consumer taste preferences:
Dress up or Strip Down?

When it comes to enjoying a meal from the grill, 65 percent of Americans like to “dress it up” with a sauce, marinade or seasoning, and 21 percent prefer to “strip it down” and enjoy grilled food au natural.

• Some like it hot! Men more than women say they like to turn up the heat with spicy sauce or steak sauce on their grilled meats (42 percent vs. 31 percent).
• When it comes to grill-side manner, most adults report that they are “all about the meat” (29 percent) or “all natural” (24 percent), followed by “spicy or saucy” (19 percent), adventurous (16 percent) and timid (6 percent).

Top Toppings

For hamburgers and other grilled meat or vegetable sandwiches:

• In the battle of the bottles, consumers report they use ketchup most often (66 percent of respondents), with mustard (62 percent of respondents) close behind.
• Two-thirds of Americans say, “add cheese, please!”
• Overall, 74 percent of Americans add lettuce, onion and/or tomato. Women lean towards the veggies more than men (80 percent of respondents vs. 68 percent).
• Seventy percent of adults say they are all about the buns, and prefer a traditional bun to complete their grilled sandwiches.

No matter the preference for mustard or ketchup, bun or none, Americans agree that grilling provides an easy, cost-effective way to get out of the house and enjoy better tasting food during the warmer months. Specifically, Americans say the top pay-offs of grilling versus eating out or oven cooked meals include:

• More flavorful food (81 percent of respondents)
• Inexpensive compared to eating out (76 percent of respondents)
• Easier clean up (67 percent of respondents)
• Healthier (64 percent of respondents)
• Less cooking time (53 percent of respondents)

“Now with more accessories and products for grilling on the go, people are taking the benefits of outdoor cooking beyond the backyard and making any event into a special meal,” adds Wheeler.

The new poll reports that most adults plan to enjoy barbecuing outside of the home this summer:

• 74 percent plan to enjoy grilled food at a friend of relative’s house,
• 42 percent while picnicking
• 39 percent while camping
• 20 percent while tailgating.