Turtleboy

Unfortunately, it's not like it used to be. All the places I grew up with are gone and have been replaced by the chains that sell the goyisha Asiago Cheese bagels.

I had the pleasure of traveling with my friend Jsmeeker on this BBQ Pilgrimage. I am a Jewish kid from South Florida, and what do I know from BBQ? I've eaten my share of brisket, but I don't think my Bubbie ever made it like that. It was a great trip. I wasn't there for the last day (Blacks, Chisolm Trail) but was for everything else. My favorite was the first place I went, Louie Mueller's. First, I liked the peppery taste of it. Second, I found it moister than anywhere else we went. The purists might say that it was the least smokey, but hey, it was smokey enough.

For a restaurant, I go to Catfish Deweys on Andrews in Fort Lauderdale, for Stone Crabs. For home? I buy them from a guy who sells them out of the back of his truck. $10/lb. Sorry, that info is secret.

Nice write up. Did you have the opportunity to have Dim Sum anywhere?

Smeek, I hope you're taking notes for our next trip.

I have to give props to my good friend Jsmeeker (known to many as "Smeek"). 'Smeek is a goyish Texas Boy who has had never seen or had Matzo Balls before, but is an expert enough cook that he can make them as well as my Bubbie. Smeek, maybe when we go to Vegas in a couple of months I'll take you to the Carnegie Deli in the Mirage.

RIP.

Interesting. I still think it's mostly that there was no dairy. Even people who didn't keep kosher mentally found mixing milk and meat disgusting. I still do, and I love me some pork ribs and shrimp.

I just finished it. And two hours later I wanted to read again! Actually, I mostly liked it. The topic of Jews and Chinese food is one that's close to my heart. I've read Safe Treyf, and other writings on the topic, but I hadn't heard of the great kosher duck scandal. It was mostly a good history of Chinese restaurants. I liked her visit to General Tso's relatives, and how there is no soy in the little packets of soy sauce. The fortune cookie bit went on too long though.

I'm enjoying the book. She goes through the whole "Chop Suey" stories, and travels to China to search for General Tso's descendants, who of course know nothing of his chicken.

Ah, a topic near and dear to my heart. I love Chinese food more than most Jews. I could eat it every day forever. I am currently reading The Fortune Cookie Chronicles by Jennifer 8 Lee (yes, her middle name is 8 ), which is a history of Chinese food in America, and there is a whole chapter on this. The book is great, BTW. A must read for any lover of American Chinese food, Jew or Gentile. See also: Safe Treyf. http://soc.qc.cuny.edu/Staff/levine/SAFE-TREYF.pdf

I vote for Lotus of Siam.

So how was the wine? What did you have?

I was sitting next to my friend Smeek at dinner. The Malbec was awesome.

Pam, what kinds of places did you have in mind when you were referring to places with kosher options? From the responses I've gotten in this thread, it seems like there are only kosher and non-kosher restaurants, and no one seems to know of any restaurants using kosher ingredients. I also wanted to share with you guys a conversation I had with a girl in my food studies class today. She's Jewish and keeps kosher, but she's flexible enough to go to non-kosher restaurants and just order either meat or dairy. I explained my question to her, and it got her scratching her head, too. She has a lot of non-Jewish friends who buy kosher or halal meat at the supermarket to prepare at home because they perceive those labels to mean they're cleaner, more human, whatever. Or lactose intolerant, allergic to dairy, vegan friends who use kosher labelling to guide their selections. So with all the added adjectives to be found on high-end restaurant menus (organic, free-range, hormone-free, heirloom, certified from Timbuktoo! etc.), why wouldn't a chef want to buy kosher, organic, hormone-free meat (which is indeed available) and appeal to these customers? Because let's face it: those very people who are concerned about hormones and animal rights are also often found to be eating at said high-end restaurants. Am I crazy? ← Because Kosher isn't "cleaner." With regards to a cow, kosher mainly has to do with the wy it was slaughtered (let's ignore Glatt for now). In fact, there was a big story a few months ago about how PETA snuck into a kosher slaughterhouse and took a secret video purporting to show how awful it was.

I always enjoyed this story about Kosher Oysters Edit: My favorite part of the story: Bringing back to the OP's question (sorta). It seems to me that the only people complaining about something being labeled "Kosher" that is really treyf is someone who doesn't keep kosher to begin with. Because a truly observant person wouldn't be in the restaurant to begin with, and would already know that it wasn't kosher.

And why to the go..err..um...non Jewish bagel proprietors slice the bagel a second time. It should only be cut once (in half to split it), and not a second time like it were a sandwhich. And oy, don't get me started on the inability to properly toast a bagel.

I bought them yesterday at Norman Brothers on SW 87th Avenue. They were about $14/lb for the medium, $19/lb for the large, and $30/lb for the jumbo (note, my memory is faulty and this may not be accurate). I bought a lb of the medium and a lb of the large, along with their homemade mustard sauce. They cracked them for me there (I knew that I would be eating the immediately). The larges were pretty good, but the mediums were a bit small and mealy. As for the Mustard Sauce? Eh. Next time I'll make my own.

Besides the obvious (Joe's, Monty's), where else can I get Stone Crabs in Miami? Specifically where can I get them to take home? Will Publix sell them?

That's a good start, thanks. And I'm not "officially" in Pinecrest -- I'm on the wrong side of SDHW for that. But I'll probably tell people Pinecrest anyway, it sounds richer. ;)

I am in the process of moving to South Miami (I think). I'll be on the corner of South Dixie Highway (US-1) and SW 104 st, right where the Palmetto ends. So, where should I eat?

Thanks for the suggestions. I guess I have some serious planning to do. :)

I apologize if this has been asked a million times. I did a search but appearently the search doesn't like the term I-95. Next week I'm driving from DC to Ft. Lauderdale. Where are the best places to stop along I-95? BBQ would be my first choice, but I'll stop for anything good.

Dirty little not so secret of the DC KK's: They are not baked on premises, but in Virginia, and trucked in.

Breaking news. . . :(