After revisiting RUB last week, I’ve reconsidered my ranking of New York barbecue joints. A couple weeks ago, I wrote about Wildwood Barbecue, saying I’d place Wildwood in a three-way tie with Dinosaur and Blue Smoke, all three of them below RUB at No. 2 and Hill Country at a far superior No. 1. That’s going to have to change.
Continue reading “RUB BBQ Chafes A Little”
Category: Food
Wildwood Barbecue Didn’t Suck
Hill Country still sits safely atop the New York City ‘cue hill, but I’ve decided I wouldn’t be terribly embarrassed to be seen eating at Wildwood Barbecue. There’s a lot about Wildwood that cue snobs will want to hate immediately. Its location on Park Avenue. Its jack-of-all cue styles menu. The fact that its owners proudly use restaurant corporate speak on the website and elsewhere. And this tag line: An Urban Twist on Classic American BBQ.
Gag me with an undercooked rib!
But good news. The food is actually good. Continue reading “Wildwood Barbecue Didn’t Suck”
My Easter Debauchery
For the last 40 days I’ve had no alcohol, no candy, no soda and, with the exception of some barbecue extravaganza’s, have kept my calorie intake in the 1,500 to 1,800 range.
So I started off this morning with a chocolate rabbit and a bottle of Jack Daniels.
I kid. I kid.
Much to my own surprise, I haven’t had either booze or candy yet today. This, despite my promises to the contrary. This, despite the Easter basked it–one I purchased with my own two hands–stuffed with chocolate.
Instead, I started off the day with yogurt and Grape Nuts, then went down to Starbucks for a couple of hours to get some writing done.
And then I went to Popeyes.
Oh yeah. Popeyes. Three piece dark with a side of red beans and rice. And a large Coke. To be honest, I don’t know which was better, the Coke or the chicken. But both were damn good. I usually get a Fanta Orange when I go to Popeyes, but since I hadn’t had a soda in so long, I wanted the real thing.
Now, I may nap. But not until after having some sort of candy. Robin Eggs or Cadbury Mini Eggs? These are the type of hard-hitting decisions that a guy like me must face.
And then after the nap, perhaps I’ll go for a drink somewhere.
New York Times Discovers ‘Real’ Cajun
Thanks to another fellow Cajun with a not-so Cajun name, Donald Link, The New York Times clues its readers in to the fact that not only is there no decent Cajun food outside of South Louisiana*, but there’s not much of it in New Orleans. Two things of note: 1) Donald Link has his own sausage closet. 2) Note to New York Times: You’d have more credibility when discussing Louisiana food if you spelled crawfish correctly (as it’s pronounced) rather than as crayfish. (Though it’s cute when you pig-headedly hold on to your own style guide rather than AP Style.)
*Except in my kitchen.
Bread Puddin’ and Jack Daniels Sauce
I don’t make a lot of desserts. Baking, for the most part, is too precise for my style of cooking. Perhaps one day when I move into an apartment with a kitchen that has ample counter space and … ah, who am I kidding. All that measuring and math isn’t for me. Until recently, my best attempt at dessert was “pudding pie” (mix up some instant pudding, slap it in a pre-made pie shell and cover with Cool Whip–now that’s good eats!).
Anyway, I’ve learned how to make Bread Pudding, something I don’t think I ever ate until I was well beyond 25. I’m still futzing with this recipe, which I’ve cobbled together from a few sources.
Why I Won’t Chuck My Canned Peas
Via Instapundit, I came across two pieces advising the home cook on the things they should excommunicate from the kitchen. One is from Mark Bitman (surprise the wife didn’t see this one first) at The New York Times, the other from Megan McArdle at The Atlantic. Both are well worth a read and I have to agree with most of their lists.
But I’m not going to be tossing out canned vegetables or the bottled water just yet. I would never ever use canned red beans to make red beans and rice (perhaps I’ll share that recipe soon), but they do come in handy for chili (another recipe I might share). Further, as a kid who grew up on canned, tender young sweet peas (yes, even in Louisiana), I can’t quite bring myself around to the flavor of frozen peas. Bottled water, I can take or leave in terms of flavor. As McArdle points out, bottle water IS tap water in many cases (Aquafina, for example). And New York City tap water actually beats most bottled water in taste tests.
But I’m holding on to canned goods and bottle water for one good reason: emergencies.
More Squirrel Goodness
Big week for squirrel and squirrel-flavored products. Walkers Crisps (that’s chips to Americans), as part of its Do Us a Flavour (that’s Flavor to Americans), has included a Cajun Squirrel flavor. MMMMMMmm. MM. Good eats.
According to the bloke what came up with the flavor, “This gentle Cajun flavouring will be delicious for the public and although the idea might sound bizarre, it really works. No squirrels were harmed in the making of these crisps!”
Brits Discover the Joys of Squirrel Eating
“With literally millions of squirrels rampaging throughout England, Scotland and Wales at any given time, squirrels need to be controlled by culls.” So begins an article in The New York Times about the Brits adding gray squirrel to the menu. Granted, you have to take such reporting with the Times with a grain of salt as their reporters seem to be particularly gullible when reporting about food trends in strange places.
I don’t have to tell my Louisiana readers that squirrel is still eaten there. Indeed, in Ville Platte, La., the Friday before squirrel season starts (in October), the kids get the day off of school. Before any New Yorkers get any silly ideas about just walking up to one and grabbing it, the squirrel in the wild (as opposed to the one in Manhattan and on college campuses) isn’t exactly easy to find or shoot. In 18 years of living in Louisiana, I managed to shoot exactly one (1). I’ve eaten a lot more, but killed only one. Men will stand in the woods for hours and not see a squirrel … because the squirrels KNOW better than to show their damn faces.
Same goes for the deer. (Comments here are worthy of a chuckle or two)
I’m in My Second Trimester
As part of that whole New Year’s thing, this week I did two things: 1) I started work on my second novel and 2) I went to the gym. While at the gym, I weighed myself. I can’t say that I’m surprised with the results. Last year, I had plenty of excuses for not working out. First, I was having back problems. Then I was getting married. Then I was having back problems again. Then I had surgery on my back. Also, I’m lazy and good with coming up with excuses.
Cheese Log!
At a wee gathering last night, I had the opportunity to sample the cheese log featured here. Good stuff. In general, if you want recipes for real Texas food, I’d say Homesick Texan is the place to start.
KEN WHEATON 