Varmint

Ah, hell, fly in the week before. I'll cancel my vacation with the L'il Varmints and just have a week-long party with y'all. Mmmm. Maybe not, as I don't want to upset Mrs. Varmint too much!

We'll most definitely get the turkey fryer again. We may need to get you some help making those exquisite hush puppies, as one person can't possibly make them fast enough when they're that good!

I'm too tired to jump into this fascinating discussion, but I do want to ask whether these are farms: The olive grower that produces the world's most exquisite EVOO. The apple grower who has but one type of apples. The Concord grape grower who sells one-third of her crop at the farmer's market, one-third is sold to Welch's for grape juice, and one-third is made into wine. The goat raiser that uses their milk to make ultra-deluxe goat cheese. The Central California grower that grows lettuce, tomatoes, and several other vegetables, all but a small portion of which to be sold to huge corporate conglomerates for nationwide distribution. Frankly, these are all farms to me. And some of them may be the struggling, small, family-owned farms who have a presence at the farmers market. But they're still all farms.

The only problem with showing off is that it creates some pressure to perform every year, or even to outdo your prior efforts. When it comes to functions at my firm where we have a potluck, there's often a buzz regarding what "Dean made this year." Yeah, I try to impress, but I really want to share. Sometimes, the snob that I am, I just want to educate folks how good homemade food can really be.

Last time, we had about 30 eGulleteers attend. Who's coming this time around????

For a casual lunch or breakfast, try Breadmans. You should hit both Crooks Corner (dinner) and Mama Dips (lunch), as both are institutions. For interesting Asian fare, that's a little bit more expensive, go to Lantern. There's no shortage of good Mexican joints in the area. For barbecue, head north on state highway 86 to Allen and Son. I'll try to get you some links to these places.

Nothing says "I love you" more than sharing a heaping pile of pork.

Yes, Heather, I am expecting to have the same level of fellowship as last go-around. The only main difference between the last time and now is the element of fundraising. We also will be trying to get local chefs involved, and having this on a Sunday increases the chances that it might happen. As far as hotels are concerned, we have almost finalized getting a hotel at a group rate. We were concerned that this might be a problem, as the NC State Wolfpack will be playing Virginia Tech in football in Raleigh that Sunday night. However, our crackerjack reservation staff (i.e., Jaymes!) appears to have come through again. Once we get it finalized, we'll post the details. With all that in mind, we'd love for folks to come as early as Friday and stick around until Monday. This is all about fun, and we certainly had plenty of it last time!

Remember, this is a fundraiser for the eGullet Society, so here's the ticket information: Please consider choosing one of the donation amounts above the minimum contribution – the Society relies on donations to carry out its mission. Pig Pickin’ Basic Entry -- $30 per person ($12/meal + $18 donation) Pig Pickin’ “BBQ Lover” Entry -- $50 per person ($12/meal + $38 donation) Pig Pickin’ “Boss Hog” Entry -- $70 per person ($12/meal + $58 donation) If you wish to make a larger donation, an in-kind donation or an offer to match donations, please contact me by PM or e-mail. Payments are not refundable. This event will be held rain or shine.

We need more entries! Be creative. Impress your neighbors or your Mom. C'mon, get to it!

This topic is for discussion of the Second Occasional Varmint's Pig Pickin' in Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday, September 4, 2005.

Kathi Purvis of the Charlotte Observer describes how North Carolina was ahead of the game in its direct shipping laws: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/business/11664409.htm

In North Carolina, all wineries, both in-state and out-of-state, must get a permit to ship their wine directly to consumers. If a winery ships over a thousand cases to North Carolinians, then they must go through a wholesaler IF a wholesaler contacts that winery requesting to sell that wine. Ridiculously, the winery needn't go through the wholesaler that contacted the winery, it just has to go through any wholesaler! Also, a winery can't sell more than 2 cases (9 liters each) of wine to a North Carolina resident each month. Thus, this law stays intact, as it treats NC wineries (and we have a booming wine industry) the same as wineries from outside the state.

There are 4 crucial elements that I focused on when purchasing a hood for my new kitchen. 1. Air movement. How well the hood sucks the air and volatilized grease. 2. Quietness. 3. Ease to clean. Don't overlook this aspect, as you want something that's easy to clean. 4. Aesthetics. After I researched all the options, I went with a 36" wide Vent-a-Hood with dual 300 cfm blowers and halogen lights. I spent about $1,500 for it, delivered. It looks pretty good in my kitchen and isn't horribly noisy. If, however, you want a quiet hood, then you'll want to look at remote blowers. Plus, this thing is easy to clean, as the main parts just get popped in the dishwasher.

Folks, some believe that we can't discuss politics on the eG Forums, and that's not true: we can discuss politics when they're related to food. This issue is a perfect example of "fair game" for discussion. However, where we draw the line is when the eG Forums are used to directly push a certain position. That is, we can't use the eG Forums to initiate a letter-writing campaign to get the law changed, nor can the Forums be used to push any particular agenda. Debate the issues. Explain why the status quo might be so stupid. But don't take the next step on these Forums by posting "what to do next." Thanks for your understanding.

Am I the only one who found some perverse pleasure out of seeing all these dead shrimp scattered across the obituary pages?

Entries are coming in already. FYI, although we'll accept entries from eGullet Society staff and management, the only prizes they're eligible to win would be bragging rights. In such event, the top-finishing non-staff member would get the tangible prizes. Oh, some more information, if you choose to incorporate them in the t-shirt (all at your own discretion). This is the Second pig pickin', but since the last one was in 2003, we can't call it an annual event. That's why we're calling it an "Occasional" event. The date of the Pig Pickin' is Sunday, September 4, 2005. The location of the event is Raleigh, NC. Any questions?

Stove Top Stuffing??? Mmm, I'll be right over!

Varmint, Chopping BBQ just ain't right -- it's like praying in a casino -- BBQ should be pulled. But either way over-saucing has killed more 'Q than any other sin. Kevin ← I won't argue with you on that point other than to say that those who have had really good NC barbecue (including what I served at my pig pickin' in 2003), had no problems with it being chopped.

I think that most of my guests are quite intimidated by my cooking. When it comes to members of the eGullet Society, few would be intimidated or even overly impressed by what I put on the table. When it comes to the vast majority of my friends, however, I'm considered a top-notch cook. And they're afraid to cook for me. It's funny how people get upset by lack of reciprocation. For me, the people who get invited the most are the ones who accept the most frequently!

I'll also note that even though it's never, EVER, expected, those who help a bit with the dishes are more likely to get invited again!

I can't tell you how many times I've informed my dinner guests that there is absolutely no expectation of a return invite. We like to throw dinner parties. It's easy for us to do and is a reasonably inexpensive source of entertainment where we don't have to hire a babysitter.

Heh heh. Look at what's in the top right of my cabinet. Yup, I have 'em and use 'em. I don't drink enough good wine to worry about the majority of the concerns above, but I do remember to break out the stemware when I have a nice barolo.

I stopped for lunch today at a barbecue restaurant that I hadn't visited for years, the A&M Grill in Mebane, NC. This is one of the classic "western"-style barbecue restaurants in the state, slow cooking shoulders over wood. It might be 15 years since I've been there, and seeing it's only a couple of miles off of I-85 between Durham and Greensboro, I really couldn't remember why it's been so long since I visited. I ordered a chopped tray that consists of chopped barbecue, slaw, and hushpuppies. I also ordered the obligatory sweet tea. I was excited, as the wood smell in the parking lot totally overwhelmed any diesel fumes from the passing 18-wheelers. Well, one look at this barbecue, and I remember why I stopped coming: they oversauce this stuff to death. Yes, the barbecue is wonderful -- tender, moist, and plenty smoky. But for once I've reached an agreement with Steven Shaw, who always complained: Yup, the sauce completely overwhelmed this pork. So now I'll remember that I will return to the A&M Grill. I will order barbecue, and I may get the chopped plate (they also offer it sliced, which might not be a bad way to go). But I will absolutely, positively and without hesitation tell them to bring the sauce on the side. So why don't you go to the A&M Grill, and just follow my advice!

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