Varmint

I started this thread on Monday, May 5. At that time, I weighed 228 pounds. As of this morning, 11 days later, I weigh 220 pounds. Eight pounds -- cool! And this is without even trying! No major changes. I've had barbecue, hot dogs, burgers (ok, it was a ground chicken burger), pizza, pasta, fried catfish, ice cream, bagels, and everything else that might be bad for you. I've cut out a lot of bread from my routine and some other items that were just fillers. I'm eating less, but I'm getting full more quickly. I'll start exercising again on Monday, which will help out, too. This has been fun, and I'm pretty damn committed to making this a complete lifestyle change (except for when I go to NY in September, of course!). Thanks to everyone for your help so far. By the way, I'm not going to have one of our Friday bagels today, as I made myself a raspberry and banana smoothie this morning. Those suckers are good, easy, and pretty damn filling, too.

What, me cook? Oh no, that's not what I was saying. I was just indicating a preference for hushpuppies over those gawdawful cornsticks. However, as Katie suggested, I'd be glad to whip up a batch of Butterscotch Krimpets. Plenty of room, Katie, though I may be up to my usual tricks and go on an eat-about for a few days afterwards. Glad to get you there at least. Holly, don't worry, as I really would never make corn sticks. They are awful -- akin to sawdust with a touch of Elmer's glue. I like my hushpuppies fairly soft, with a fair amount of wheat flour mixed in with the cornmeal, some onion, a touch of sugar, plopped into super hot oil. We can make 'em, it's just a matter of getting the gear set up. As far as weekends are concerned, I could certainly do it on the Columbus Day weekend. Specifically, Saturday, October 11. For the Northerners out there who get the benefit of a three day weekend, you could have a long weekend. We don't celebrate Columbus Day much around these parts, but I think that would be a good weekend.

Generally, you start a fire in the cooker and a separate fire in a "fire box". You then put the pig on the cooker once the coals start to die down. You shovel in additional hardwood coals as needed. It's a labor intensive job. It's not exactly smoking the meat, as you do cook over direct heat, but if you get a good amount of fairly green wood, it puts out a ton of smoke.

Good idea. What's she going to eat, anyway? I might have to throw a chicken or 7 on the cooker, too!

For beer, pork, and hushpuppies I'll build the firebox and help tend the pig. But what's a "traditional pig cooker" down your way? I'll take all the help I can get! Here's a link to a photo of a traditional pig cooker: Click for da Cooker

Kristen, you'll probably want to check out Tommy's larb thread: Clicky Persnicky I did have larb for lunch. Quite average. Too much palm sugar. I had a fairly small (compared to what I used to eat) plate of pasta with tomatoes, garlic, capers, and feta. I had a small scoop of Ben & Jerry's "One Small Whirled" ice cream for dessert. Mrs. Varmint had her 3 scoops! Mrs. V also is finally aware of the non-diet, but not of this thread. She's not an eGulleteer, so it may be quite a while before she learns of it. Weigh in is still tomorrow! Then it's off to my firm's retreat, where I will probably lose all self control. I guess it's OK to take a step backwards every once in awhile. I doubt I'll post an "I Love You Guys" thread like Suzanne, however (although I do!).

The pressure to cook that perfect pig might be unbearable if that many people come from so many places! Hush puppies are a pain to cook if you don't have the right set-up, but I'll think about how we could do it. I guess I need to start looking for places for people to stay!

Yup, we're gonna have ourselves a down home hootenanny! Slaw. Boiled taters. Brunswick stew. Hush puppies or corn sticks (I prefer the pups). Sweet tea (but something tells me something stronger might be served at this shindig). I'll set a definite date once I run this by Mrs. Varmint. I forgot to consult with her first!

As you can see, there will always be a strong Duke/Carolina/NC State rivalry down here. When it comes to barbecue, however, all allegiances get cast aside. There's something mighty powerful about smoked meat that causes us to be completely blind about any prejudices, including those of our respective alma maters.

You can call me Jimmy, 'cuz I'll take what you gimme! Beans actually aren't a traditional side dish with NC barbecue, but that won't stop us!

Oops, I recall that now, James. Springfield is still quite a haul from Raleigh, North Cackalacky. My house is but a 12 minute drive from the airport, however!

God, I love homemade pits. I'll ultimately rent a traditional pig cooker and set up a separate fire box. Plenty of beer to anyone who helps!

Well, it may not be all "that far" by then. Splain, please.

I am in Raleigh proper -- as locals say, "Inside the Beltline." My goodness, Jaymes, you would win some sort of award to go that far.

Nah, but I might put you to work, as I'm kind of used to being many a Duke grads' boss!

Hell, Klink, we'd need you as our pitman!

If you're interested in a pig pickin', go here: Varmint's Pig Pickin' Thread

Zeb A has been hounding me on this, so it's time I give this its own thread. Simply put, if I were to put on an unofficial eGullet Pig Pickin' here in Raleigh, North Carolina, would any of you come? I'd slow cook a pig over hardwood, make several sides, and have liquid refreshments available. I'd do it on some weekend. I'd give plenty of advance notice. Zeb will pay for it. We're about to hit the ultra-hot season, so it's unlikely that I'd do it before the fall. Early October would be a possibility. I could try and do it in June, but that's not a lot of advance notice, and it could be very, very hot. The bugs will be bad, too. I'd do this on my tennis court, so there's plenty of room to mill around. So, who'd be up for this? I need a good show of interest before I could commit the time (and Zeb's money).

Biscuits. There are few things that are more comforting than a warm, fluffy biscuit that's just come out of the oven. They're also incredibly diverse, served sweet or savory, as the main attraction, a sandwich-like vehicle, a topping for cobbler, or can be re-used in a pudding. I like mine with a slice of country ham, or with bacon, eggs AND grits, fig preserves, or just good butter. Breakfast biscuit sandwiches are now ubiquitous across the country. As a special treat, we melt some good cheese and serve it on split biscuits. A hearty, vegetable-laden chicken or beef stew is improved when poured over biscuits. A good berry cobbler demands a rich patchwork of biscuits atop the bubbling fruit. There are many different ways to make biscuits, but a soft, low-gluten flour is generally preferable. You can make biscuits with lard, butter, vegetable shortening, or any combination. I used to be an advocate of the all butter approach (as lard is unfortunately not a staple in our house), but I've started using a half butter, half shortening approach with great success. Baking powder, salt, a touch of baking soda round out the dry ingredients. The required liquids are buttermilk and cream -- biscuits are not health food, so one should not skimp on the fat. I make my biscuits by hand. I've found the food processor too rough and results in an overly tough biscuit. I gently knead the dough 4 or 5 times to develop discrete layers. Not kneading may result in a lighter, fluffier biscuit, but it's almost too cake like. Many of the biscuits you find in southern chain restaurants have this type of crumb. It's a good biscuit, but it's just not right. I like to crowd the biscuits on my pan, sometimes making them in a greased cast iron skillet. They develop a bit of a crunch on the bottom this way. I'll brush them with melted butter when they come out, to take them really over the top with decadence. They're southern, they're addictive, and the L'il Varmints will ask for them on the weekends, even before they request the Krispy Kreme sugar bombs. We've talked about biscuits before, but let's revive this discussion.

I feel somewhat embarrassed from failing to mention the Richmond Hill Inn. This has been known as the best small inn in Asheville (if not Western NC or the entire state) for years. The cuisine at Gabrielle's is very well recognized as top-notch. I'm headed to the mountains for vacation in July, so it might be a time for Mrs. Varmint and I to get a quiet evening to ourselves!

I find it interesting how this thread started as a question about why we are inundated with questions about barbecue, as if it were the only food worth exploring in the South. Now this hijacked thread has morphed into a question about barbecue, the original issue we were trying to avoid. Please, let's talk about barbecue, and we can do it here. I'll gladly spend an hour or 5 arguing the merits of any type of barbecue. If you ain't from around these here parts, I'll even consider taking time off to show you a few fine establishments across the state of North Carolina. However, let's not lose sight of what this thread is truly about: the overall cuisine of the South, as it is indeed far more than barbecue. Oh, and as far as Allen and Son (not "Sons", as Keith only has 1 son, I guess!) is concerned, Keith Allen does a fine job. He still splits his hickory by hand. His plates are a bit more expensive than you'll find at other places, but to me, it's the best traditional barbecue in the Triangle. Plus, they have a full array of homemade desserts, including homemade ice cream. You don't find that in many barbecue restaurants. Now what about Brunswick Stew . . . ?

That's what's so nice about what I'm trying to accomplish. It's not a fixed regimen from which I can't deviate. It's about making good choices. I didn't eat any hushpuppies because they didn't look appealing. I'm not filling up with rice and potatoes and bread, but if they're an integral part of the meal, I'll eat them. Ultimately, this weblog is helping, as at the very least, I've committed to being ridiculously honest and comprehensive in my reports. Oh, I had a banana last night for a snack. And two slices of toast this morning. I'm eating Thai for lunch, so I will most definitely be having laarb. Maybe some soup, too. WEIGH-IN TOMORROW!!!

Odd eating day today. I had a raspberry and strawberry smoothie for breakfast. It all went downhill from there, as I played in a charity golf event. I had two hot dogs and a cookie. I didn't have any of the side dishes. For dinner I had a plate of barbecue and some slaw. I actually restrained myself, and think that was actually a pretty good accomplishment. It's funny how easy this has been for me, and I'm starting to feel a bit lighter already. My energy level is starting to increase a bit, too. My throat, unfortunately, is still very scratchy, and I have a cough that won't go away. I really want to exercise, but it'd kill me right now.

"Adria's use of foams is mind-boggling," Charles exclaimed elbulliently (sic).

I ended up making burgers with ground chicken. I mixed in some ricotta, garlic and salt. Served on grilled whole wheat buns with sliced tomatoes, some x-sharp cheddar, and good mustard. Roasted cauliflower was the only other thing we had. Damn, that was the finest non-beef burger I've ever had. I think the chicken was particularly fresh.