the g-man

Canada Day Pulled Pork: 8 a.m.: Here is a 6 pound butt, rubbed and ready for the smoker (you can see the barbecue in the background of the photo). after 6 hours of smokey smokerson: After 9 hours of heavy smoking and an hour of rest: nice:

Butts in the oven can be a practical solution if you don't have 12 plus hours to spare. While I almost feel like it is bringing dishonour to the barbecue karma, smoking it for a few hours in a kettle or water smoker and then finishing it the oven for a few hours, wrapped in foil, is a much faster process. The America's Test Kitchen people who do various experiments to find the best recipe recommend this approach in their barbecue cookbook. And if you don't have a smoker and have to do the whole thing in the oven, so be it. You have to make use of what you have. The barbecue gods will forgive us. This weekend I am smoking a "heritage" pork butt. I was recently at a cooking class given by a chef known for local and organic ingredients, and he made a terrine out of pulled pork that had been slow roasted in the oven. He called it "heritage pork". I asked him what it was, and he said that it was natural, locally-raised, better quality pork. I tracked one of these bad boys down and will be smoking his shoulder this weekend. I will take some photos and report back.

You're right. Absurd would be a rather better desriptor. To be clear: I didn't call "her writing" patently false; I called this specific unsubstantiated claim so. Would you agree that all reporters should be accurate in their assertions, especially when unattributed or unexplained? ← I don't mean for this to deteriorate into a debate of the nuances of "wealth" or "extreme wealth", I just considered the "patently false" accusation a harsh criticism in the context of Ms. Gill discussing a family-owned business where one of the family apparently disclosed to the National Post that the corporate revenues are $150 million dollars a year and that their father "prospered hugely" from the A&W franchise. It is a small point, maybe not that important except to the family that may or may not qualify as "extremely" wealthy and the writer under fire.

Working six days a week and dressing yourself is not necessarily incompatible with wealth, or even enormous wealth. It may even be a pre-requisite, unless fortunate enough to be born into an enormously wealthy family. The Earl's franchise probably does just fine compared to the rest of us proletariat. Calling her writing "Patently false" might be a little strong?

The last time I was in Vietnam, I was thinking that the pho in Vancouver is better than a lot of the pho I ate in Vietnam. Pho in Vietnam seemed to be a quickie, thrown together breakfast meal. The quality of the beef here is much better. I have never made pho, but how complicated can it be? A good broth, some rice noodles and fresh herbs. Le Petit Saigon does kick ass though. And some of their non-pho is pretty fine too, like the curry beef and bahn mi.

You put the duck in the potatoes? Sweet.

Kitchen is looking good. You and Daddy-A have done a great job so far. How are you liking the faucet you picked? We picked the same one for our kitchen reno job, which is very much a work in progress. Reading your posts is like deja vu all over again. I also have self-imposed deadlines by scheduling dinner parties in a kitchen that is not even installed yet...

Nice ribs, Arne. A good trick is to wrap them in foil for an hour or so after 3 or 4 hours of smoking, then remove the foil and slather on the sauce at the end. It creates a steaming effect that gets the ribs really tender.

^ thank you.

This is not exactly a food question, but it is a food-related question. I am renovating my kitchen and looking at different backsplash options. Does anyone know a good source to supply and install a plate glass kitchen backsplash? Thanks.

By some freak turn of logistics, I have been to Vegas three times in the last 6 months (stags, work retreat, etc.) There are a lot of restaurants in Vegas. I would recommend one of the places in the Bellagio like Circo (Italian, owned by same family that owns Le Cirque). THe price was not over the top expensive, you could probably get in and out for less than $200. The bonus is when you make a reservation, request a table by the window to watch the fountain show which is pretty stunning even if you are not into kitschy syncronized water fountains.

gracias. thank you all for the suggestions.

^ Slanderous? I noticed that she tactfully omitted the name of the restaurant that was apparently soliciting votes with c-note gift certificates, which is a lot kinder and gentler than outing them in print.

what about Lee instead? I had in mind a wine bar with good, interesting small plates. Someplace to relax and have a good time after walking around the City all day. thanks for your suggestions so far.

I will be visiting Toronto from Vancouver for two days at the end of May. This will mark the first time my wife and I will have a couple of days off from the 6 month-old (he is staying with the grandparents) so we would like to make the most of our time. We are leaning towards dinner at Perigee one night and Jamie Kennedy Wine Bar the other. Does anyone have any recommendations for brunch in the Queen Street E. area? Incidentally, can anyone recommend a good hotel? Thanks in advance.

Reading your blog brings back memories of the Netherlands from an exchange term studying international law at Utrecht University a few years back. I remember buying bikes on the street from shady characters whispering something that sounded like "fitzkoppen" - bikes that were destined to be stolen within a few weeks (by probably the same guy who sold them), riding the bike home from the market with a case of Grolsch strapped to the back, going to the movies and buying beer at the concession stand (like Samuel Jackson in Pulp Fiction), eating rijsttafel at the amazing Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam, the coffeeshops along the Oudegracht canal, the cheeses, the Rotterdam Film Festival, the bars (is the Melkweg still there?). It was a magical few months. I look forward to reading about the rest of your week.

I fold. As for the dog, you are welcome to borrow him and his painting skills, anytime. Warning: He is not a reliable contractor. Good luck with the renos. kilicki, I really like your kitchen. You may remember me emailing you a few months ago asking questions about the renos when you posted about it on another thread. The kitchen that is going into my house is going to have a very similar layout to yours, and I am putting in a pass through to the dining room based on your photos. Thanks for the ideas.

This is what my kitchen looks like right now. Seriously. I will be a lot happier when it becomes a real kitchen. About half of my waking hours spent at home are spent in the kitchen, so I think my general happiness could be directly linked to this room. This is what it looked like a couple of months ago, when I bought the house: You can see why I opted for the renovation. I picked up a lot of tips from previous posts on kitchen renos. It will be cool when it is finished. I have picked out a Caesarstone countertop, there will be an island, a gas range, lots of storage. The rest of the house looks about the same as the kitchen right now. This house is about 100 years old, in the Main Street area of Vancouver, B.C. The renos are underway, but it will take a good two or three months to finish the work. I am training the dog to install the cabinets.

The octopus salad on the appetizer menu is excellent, and the mussels are very good also.

^ I recently bought an old house just a few doors away from Main and 21st and the renovations are in full effect. One of the workers just found a newspaper dated April 3, 1912 behind the old plaster. During the breaks from stripping paint, I am working my way through the local spots. I went to that Vietnamese restaurant at Main and 21st last Sunday. I thought their pho was good, but another 12 blocks south at Au Petit Cafe at Main and 33rd - they make some really outstanding pho. Next up is the hot chocolate at Anona on Main and 20th. Someone (possibly Zuchinni Mama) posted about it a long time ago.

Edited to stay on topic...

Last Saturday night was spent at Rare with a 6 course tasting menu. Everything was good, but the beef tenderloin was amazing. I will be back for some more of that action.

The Globe's Ms. Gill has a hit and run review of Century today. A little kinder and gentler than her recent writing, but she still lands a few punches. She makes a good point that the house music is wrong for the room. She acknowledges the problems of basing a review on a one-time visit but says that she has to work within a fixed budget and can't afford to go back...? She liked the room and the paella. She was not too impressed with the mojito. I had one of their mojitos. A Latin American restaurant needs a good mojito. Mine needed more lime and simple syrup. But the olives were great and I will be back to try the paella and give the mojito a second chance, in the spirit of Che Guevara.

^ wine glasses

In a few hours, I am boarding a flight for LV for the weekend. Tonight we are at Smith and Wollensky's. One of our travelling companions is going to attempt the apparently famous "crackling pig". Friday night we go to Il Mulino in the Forum shops. Saturday is set for Prime at the Bellagio. Many steaks and hands of hold 'em are in store.