=Mark

Pizza Sweet Corn

These are large trailer mounted rigs using seasoned logs, often with fan powered air intakes. These rigs are so large and retain so much heat that loss of heat is not as much of an issue compared to the relatively smaller H2O smokers. Loss of heat is especially a problem with the Brinkmann type bullet smokers because the internal temp is maintained by tending a relatively small fire. Heat lost by opening the lid takes time to return. The Weber Smokey Mountain can be loaded with a full firebox of charcoal and wood, and it is a simple matter to open up the intake vents to bring the temp back up, then damp them down to level it out.

So, you’ve grown to enjoy the rituals and flavors afforded by fine wine, and are now considering investing in the proper glassware for drinking it. Which of those expensive hand blown fine crystal glasses should you buy? After years of long and careful experimentation I have found the perfect method for enjoying everything from fine wine to acid plonk. May I present the stainless steel dog dish! The dog dish. Give it a gentle tap and it rings. Raise it, and feel the heft and solidity. No more shattered glass with severed veins and poked out eyes when you’ve had a box or two too many. Almost untippable. No deadly lead leeching into your vintage Mad Dog from sissy lead crystal. Each dog dish is stamped out with the precision that only fine Chinese robotic equipment is capable of. Who are you going to trust, a machine, or some lederhosen clad foreign wino who apprenticed by blowing into breathalyzers on the side of the road? The dog dish’s unique design creates an exceptionally wide evaporation surface that helps to intensify a wine’s bouquet and enhance a silky taste in the mouth. This sturdy item can be yours for only $29.95! But wait! There’s more… To further intensify this effect, a baseball cap will also be provided, although this does require that it be turned in the unnatural position with the brim in front. With enough wine, however, this starts to feel almost natural. Between the wide expanse of surface area of the bowl and the concentration of the vapors with the brim of the cap, even inexpensive wines seem intoxicatingly rich! There is even more to come! The eyedropper, plastic for safety, is the final component in this system to enhance the bouquet, taste, balance, and finish of every wine you swill. Are you going to trust a stupid glass to be responsible for the flow of the wine, and consequently where it touches the various taste zones of the tongue? Yeah, right! I personally have witnessed, on numerous occasions, a cranky glass deliberately toss the wine through the mouth and up the nose of someone who was innocently enjoying a joke! With the eyedropper, the initial contact point, and the order of those following it, depends only on the sobriety of the imbiber. To further enhance the safety of the eyedropper, I suggest tying it securely to a large soft object. If you call in the next 10 minutes a rubber dog bone will be included for free with your order and completes the ensemble. Wine is composed of a balance and harmony of different elements: fruit, acidity, minerals, tannin, and alcohol. It is solely the quantity that is chugged that makes these anal and persnickety details irrelevant, not the mythical qualities of some overpriced, jumped up jelly jar. For the price of a single Riedel glass, you can be the proud owner of service for 12. So twist off the cap of that Thunderbird and throw a party!

Occidental on Pennsylvania Ave. has really come a long way in recent years.

If you go hang out on one of the online BBQ lists you will get to know some folks who compete at contests like this. As a result you can then go say hi at the cookoffs. Once you get on the right side of the counter there is usually more than enough samples being traded around as the contestants generally cook much more than they need so they can pick and choose the best for presentation. One important note: Don't be hanging around trying to chat and otherwise getting in the way in the 30 to 45 minutes prior to the turn-in times. Contestants have likely been up for 24 or more hours including travel, setup and actual prep and cooking. The interval prior to turn in and judging is tense and busy. This is when to wander around checking out the other attractions. Another note, if you plan on attending and don't know any of the contestants but are knowlegable about good BBQ be advised that the vendors cleared to sell BBQ to the public are generally pretty bad. The average home BBQ amatuer can turn out BBQ of better flavor and quality than 95% of the commercial BBQ joints/vendors. General rule of Que: "Quality is inversely proportional to the amount of sauce."

I'm game! put me in for a slot...

I see they have switched Tyler and Cooks Tour. Following Tyler is Bourdain headed to Morocco, not sure if it's a rerun or not...

So, these 16 people were released after they were executed?

I'm referring more to the online experience, vegetarians I know personally are more interested in finding a good place to eat with enough choices and do not tend to call too much attention to their situation. Have you actually looked at this "Fruitarian" website? it is chock full of misleading and potentially dangerous "Information." I think it bears an angry response as there are already a lot of dangerous nutritional practices in western culture. Here is a good quote touting the health benefits of the frutarian practices: WTF?! Last I heard the reduction or elimination of mestrual flow is an indication of malnourishment and is often an indicator of anorexia in women. Would you say they are not adopting an evangelical tone? How about these statements: They then proceed into the standard issue "enzyme" nonsense, using junk science to support their views. What worries me is not so much adults that decide to adopt this lifestyle but the possible harm to unwitting young children who are dragged into it by their parents.

I expect that it involves the holier than thou atitude that many of these restrictive dietary lifestyles adopt. I don't know too many meat & potatoes folks who go out of their way to set up a website claiming that anyone who does not adopt the meat & potatoes lifestyle is dooming themselves to a short life of pain and ill health. The veggie folks often seem to feel compelled to evangelize about their beliefs. Meat & potatoes folk are happy with just a knife and fork.

I got the distinct impression while perusing the website that it is edited by the same group of people that draft owners manuals for Asian produced products as well as producing Chinese restaurant menus...

I'd be tempted to go with it if only for the fact that fruit "does not badly dirt dishes…" I'll go for the goodly dirt dishes every time.

There are elements of humor in Tony Bourdains material, both written and broadcast that seem to lend themselves well to the points being made.

Grilled SALSA On the open flame of a stove on a grill, or on a non-stick griddle on high heat, lightly char: 2 large very ripe tomatoes 2 garlic cloves 1 or 2 small hot peppers (chile verde, jalapeno, serrano, arbol) Let the tomatoes cool a bit and peel. Meanwhile, in a mol- cajete, mash the other ingredients together. Add the tomato and mash that, too. You may have to transfer some to a bowl. Put it into a small bowl and add 1/2 diced sweet onion, and 1/2 cup diced cilantro. Salt to taste. If you don't have a molcajete, or mortar & pestle, mash the ingredients with a fork instead Keywords: Dip, Marinade ( RG304 )

SALSA YUCATECA 1 chile habanero (there is no substitute!), charred and mashed. the juice from one key lime 2 T olive oil 1 garlic clove, roasted and mashed salt to taste Place the ingredients in a small dish or bowl & mix together Try this in chicken soup! P.S. When roasting garlic, do it with the peel on. Remove after roasting! Keywords: Dip, Hot and Spicy ( RG303 )

SALSA FRESCA (fresh salsa) 2 large ripe tomatoes, peeled & diced 1/2 large sweet onion, diced 1 or 2 small hot peppers, finely diced (serrano, jalapeno, or arbol) -juice from 1/2 of a key lime or lime or lemon 1/2 c diced cilantro salt to taste Simply mix all of the above together and use as you would any salsa Keywords: Dip, Hot and Spicy ( RG302 )

Mexican Smoked Chile Marinade 1 c fresh orange juice 1/4 c fresh lime juice 5 canned chipotle chilies, minced plus 1 T of juice (see note) 4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp) 1 tsp freshly grated orange zest 2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 T wine vinegar 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper 1/2 tsp salt Combine the orange juice and lime juice in a saucepan and boil until only 1/2 cup liquid remains. Place this and the remaining ingredients in a blender and purée to a smooth paste. Spread this paste on the food to be marinated. Marinate seafood for 2 hours, poultry for 4 hours, and meat overnight, turning once or twice. Marinated food may be sautéed on the stove top, broiled on a charcoal grille, or roasted or broiled in the oven. Makes 1 cup of marinade, enough for 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of seafood, poultry or meat. Note: Chipotles have a unique smokey flavor and are frequently sold canned in tomato paste, but you may also find them dried. If you use dried chipotle chilies for this recipe, soften them in hot water for a few minutes, drain slightly, and add 2 Tbsp of tomato paste. source: High Flavor Low-Fat Cooking by Steven Raichlen 1992 I've used this to marinate cut up pieces of boneless chick breast, then stir-fried them in a wok and put them in small freezer bags for use in other recipes. (These chipotle chicken pieces even make a wild addition to pizza topping.) Keywords: Marinade, Hot and Spicy ( RG301 )

Tia Maria Coffee Bean Sauce Served Over Lamb Chops or Veal Medallions Serves 4. Sauce: 1 Shallot Finely Diced 1 Lemon Juiced 10-15 Whole Coffee Beans 4 oz Demi Glaze 2 oz Heavy Whipping cream Salt and Pepper To Taste 3 oz Tia Maria Add more or less to Taste Parsley and Fresh Rosemary Sprigs For decoration of plate 4 lamb chops or 12 2 oz. veal medallions sliced Sauté diced shallot until transparent. Add coffee beans and toss about 2 minutes. De-glaze the pan with the 3 oz. of Tia Maria and reduce by 2/3rds. Add the 4oz. of Demi Glaze, cream, and lemon juice and reduce to a desired thickness (not to thin). Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and set aside. Lamb Chops: Season with olive oil and fresh rosemary leaves , salt and pepper to taste and marinate for 30 minutes. Grill to desired temperature. Place warmed sauce in middle of plate, then place grilled chops on top. You can decorate place with parsley and fresh rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately Veal Medallions: Season medallions to taste with salt and pepper. In saucepan, add 3 Tbls. Oil and sear medallions to desired temperature. When done, place warmed sauce in center of plate and medallions on top of sauce.Decorate with parsley and fresh rosemary sprigs. Serve immediately. * Wonderful with a fragrant Merlot or Cabernet Savigion Keywords: Sauce ( RG300 )

Stilton Custards Serves 4. 2 oz Sweet Butter Melted 1 Small Onion diced 12 oz Heavy Cream (Whipping cream is fine) 4 eggs 4 oz Stilton Cheese Scant Salt and Pepper to taste 4 Custard Dishes oven proof 1 oz Sweet Butter to coat custard cups Range/Oven Directions Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees 1) Sauté onion until transparent in 2oz. Sweet butter then let cool. 2) Cream eggs and Stilton Cheese in mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste. 3) Combine the onions and cheese mixture in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. 4) Spoon the custard into buttered ovenproof cups. 5) Bake the custards in a water bath at 350 F. until a blade inserted into center comes out clean. (This will take approximately 10-15 minutes). 6) Unmold onto individual serving plates and serve ( RG299 )

Quinoa Pilaf" Pronounced { Keen-Wah } Serves 6. Quinoa Although Quinoa is new to the American market, it was a staple of the ancient Incas, who called it the "mother grain". Hailed as the "Supergrain of the Future", quinoa contains more protein than any other grain because it comes closer than any other food to supplying all nutrients to sustain life, and in fact is the fruit of an herb. It can be served like rice, in soups, salads, stuffing's, main dishes, stews or even in deserts. These days, Quinoa can be found at any health food market and even at some grocery stores 4 Tbls. Olive Oil 1 Medium Spanish Onion Diced 1 Tbls. Lea and Perrin Seasoning 1/2 c Raisins Any kind (preferably Dark) 1/2 c Cashews Roasted and Salted and Crushed 1-1/2 c Quinoa 1/2 c Thin broken Vermicelli or egg noodles (Any kind is OK) 3 c Boiling Water Range Directions 1) Place 1-Tablespoon olive oil and one Tablespoon Lea and Perrin Seasoning in a nonstick frying pan and sauté onion until they sweat and turn translucent. (This should be stirred constantly to prevent burning) about 4 minutes. Remove to a separate plate. 2) Place 1-Tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick frying pan and sauté raisins until they turn plump. (This should be watched constantly to prevent burning) about 3 minutes. Remove and add to onion plate plate. 3) Place 1-Tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick frying pan and sauté Cashews until they turn lightly toasted. (This should be watched constantly to prevent burning) about 4 minutes. Add to onion and raisin plate. 4) Place 1-Tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick frying pan and sauté vermicelli or egg noodles until they turn lightly tan colored. (This should be watched constantly to prevent burning) about 2 minutes. Remove and add to onion, raisin and cashew plate. 5) Rinse 1.5 cups Quinoa thoroughly in a small strainer or by running fresh water over the quinoa in a pot. 6) Place Quinoa and 3 cups of water in 1 ½ quart saucepan and bring to a boil. 7) Reduce to simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed (about 15 minutes). When almost done, the grain appears transparent and the germ ring will visible. Remove from heat. 8) Add plate with onions, raisins, cashews and egg noodles to Quinoa and let stand with cover on for 10 minutes to absorb all flavors. This dish can be served warm or at room temperature ( RG298 )

Grilled Chicken & Green Chili Soup W/Cilantro Cream 1/2 pound butter 3/4 c flour 1/2 bunch celery -- coarsely chopped 2 large onions -- coarsely chopped 2 c mild green chilies -- diced 6 cloves garlic -- crushed 1 gal chicken stock (preferably homemade) -- heated 2 c grilled chicken -- cubed Plenty of the following seasonings: ground cumin, salt, pepper, white pepper oregano, chopped parsley Cilantro Cream 3/4 c sour cream 1 bunch cilantro 1/4 tsp white pepper 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cumin scallions -- chopped In a large stockpot, saute all vegetables in the butter for about 10 minutes or until wilted. Add flour to make a roux, then add hot chicken stock and remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes. For cilantro cream: Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Put cream in a squeeze bottle or a baggie with one corner snipped off. Put soup in individual serving bowls. Garnish with cilantro cream and chopped scallions Keywords: Soup ( RG297 )

Chipotle Con Queso 1 stick unsalted butter 4 T canola oil 5 T flour 1 huge onion or 2 mediums, chopped 1 whole head roasted garlic chopped 3 cloves fresh garlic crushed 1 can chipotles en adobo puréed 2 fresh or pickled habaneros chopped 1 c half and half 2 c whole milk 2 lbs sharp cheddar cheese 1 lb montery jack 1 bunch scallions chopped In a large pan melt the butter and add the oil over medium heat Add the chopped onion, and sautee until golden Add the crushed garlic and continue sauteeing until onions have nicely browned Add the flour and combine with butter oil onions and garlic until a nice roux develops Cook this onion roux for 2 minutes taking care for it not to get too brown (a little is good) Add the half and half slowly, incorporating it into the onion roux little by little Reduce heat to medium low and add the milk. If you heat the milk first in the microwave this reduces cooking time and can prevent burning. Cook mixture until milk and half and half bubbles, stirring often Lower heat to a simmer and add chopped habaneros and the puréed chipotles, sauce and all Cook on simmer for 5 minutes to bring out the flavor of the chiles stirring occasionally Add the finely chopped roasted garlic cloves Little by little incorporate all of the cheese stirring constantly. When everything is melted and nicely incorporated transfer to fondue pot or chafing dish and keep heat on very low. Garnish with the chopped scallions and serve with good quality chips. Enjoy Keywords: Dip, Hot and Spicy ( RG296 )

Bun Bo Hue (Vietnamese Hot and Spicy Soup) Serves 6 as Appetizer. 4-6 pork feet 1-1 1/2 pounds roast beef 1/2 tsp meat tenderizer 1-3 stems lemongrass, cut into 3" pieces 1 T chili powder 1 T vegetable oil 1 tsp chopped dry onion 1-1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp shrimp paste 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp MSG 1 package rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and drained Boil the pork feet 10 minutes, then drain. Cut the beef into bite size cubes, boil for 10 minutes, then drain. In a deep saucepan half filled with water, add pork feet and meat tenderizer. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the beef cubes and continue to cook over medium heat. In the meantime put oil in a small skillet, heat until very hot, remove from burner and immediately throw in the dried onion and the chli powder. Stir well and pour into soup. Add the shrimp paste and seasonings to taste. Let soup simmer for 30-45 minutes until pig's feet are well cooked. Soup is ready to serve. Fill bowls half full of rice noodles and ladle the soup over them. Serve with chopped green onion, cilantro, sliced peppers, and lime Keywords: Soup, Hot and Spicy, eGCI ( RG295 )

Holy Guacamole! It should be noted that I don’t generally follow a recipe for this, so I’ll approximate as best I can... 4 California avacados (the small bumpy ones. The smooth Florida avacados have no flavor) 1 medium onion 1 red bell pepper juice of 2 limes 1 - 3 jalepenos, finely minced (Choose your amount of heat) 1 tsp.black pepper 1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp chile powder 1 c prepared salsa (homemade, or I’ve used Old Elpaso; choose your degree of heat) 1. Make sure avacados are soft & ripe. Cut in half lenthwise and split apart. Remove pit and scoop pulp into a mixing bowl. Using a glass jar or a ladle, mash the pulp until it is still slightly lumpy, but can be mixed with a spoon. 2. Peel and dice onion and add to avacado. Core and remove seeds from red pepper, dice and add to bowl. 3. Add lime juice and spices to bowl. Note that these spices are to be added to your taste, you may vary them by adding a little at a time and tasting. Remember: if you need more spice it can be added, but if you add to much, you can’t take it back out! 4. Mix all ingredients thouroughly. Serve with tortilla chips. Serving along with a tomato salsa makes a good combination. Makes 3 or 4 cups depending on the size of the avacados. Keywords: Dip, Hot and Spicy ( RG294 )

Grilled Chipotle Brandy Marinated Portobellas 20 Portabella Mushroom Caps 1 c olive oil 1/2 c wine vinegar 2 oz cotija cheese, grated (substitute Romano) 1 clove fresh garlic 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp ground oregano 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp ground coriander 1 14 oz can of chipotles in adobo sauce (Canned or make your own*) 1/3 c brandy salt to taste Chipotles in Adobo Sauce 10 whole Dried Chipotle Chiles 1/3 c Onion sliced 1/2" thick 5 T cider vinegar 2 cloves garlic sliced 4 T ketchup 3 c water 1/4 tsp salt Remove stems from portabellas Mix remaining ingredients and blend in a food processor till smooth. Brush marinade on mushrooms about 10 minutes before grilling Grill on medium heat, flipping occasionally and basting with marinade. Portabellas are done when they start bubbling while the gill sides are up. Slice into quarters and serve with toothpicks. Great picnic side dish. * These measurments are for the Chileheads out there. You might want to add the chipotles in smaller increments to achieve your desired level of heat DirectionsChipotles in Adobo Sauce Combine all ingredients in a pan, cover, and cook over very low heat for 1 to 2 hours, until the chiles are very soft and the liquid has reduced down to about 1 cup. This recipe will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container. For chipotle puree, place cooked chipotles and sauce in a blender and puree. ----- Note: Chipotles are smoked jalapeno peppers. Keywords: Side, Appetizer, Hot and Spicy ( RG293 )