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NewYorkTexan

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Everything posted by NewYorkTexan

  1. Leave the pizza stone in the oven during the self-cleaning cycle and that should do the trick. That worked great for me, the stone went from being grease stained and just nasty to looking almost brand new after one cycle.
  2. Unfortunately my wife and I will not be able to make it to the bbq & potluck. We have a family commitment on Staten Island that Sunday that starts at 3:00. I tried to move the time up, but no luck. It is frustrating coming in from Texas and being so close yet still not being able to make it the event. I am sure it will be a lot of fun.
  3. 101 is plastered with billboards advertising Pea Soup Anderson’s. I think it is a waste of time and caters almost exclusively to tourists who do not know any better. There are several bakeries in Solvang, a town that is like a Danish theme park. I found it Solvang a little cheesy, especially when there are some many interesting and beautiful small towns along the Central coast. About 30 minutes north of Solvang there is a great place for breakfast---Jacks Restaurant & Bakery. It is in Orcutt, a small, one light town just past Santa Maria. They make everything from scratch in-house and the owner is a character. An engaging former NFL player who is on wife #5 and is passionate about providing great service and quality food. I think someone mentioned the Hitching Post in Casmalia (sp?) If you go there, they are known for their house Pinot Noir, which is wonderful.
  4. Great post. Any of these places close to West U/Rice? That is the part of Houston I get to most often.
  5. Please share the great burger places in Houston, perhaps even start a new thread. The roaring Fork is not a fast food restaurant. I have been to more than my fair share of fast food and casual restaurants for burgers and none come close to the Roaring Fork. The size and quality remind me of the burger at the S&W grille in NYC. The bar in the Roaring Fork, where the happy hour special is offered is one of Austin’s nicer bars, an upscale yet relaxed setting. It is slowly becoming a personal favorite to meet friends after work. It helps that after enjoying a huge burger you can go upstairs to Steven Fs and smoke a cigar on the balcony over looking Congress Ave
  6. NewYorkTexan

    Smoothies

    This weekend I finally broke down and bought a blender with the intention of mastering smoothies. I started with the basic recipes like strawberry & banana. They came out fine, but I want to start venturing out and become more creative while improving the consistency and taste. Used low-fat milk and orange juice as a base liquid (not at the same time) and assume that almost any liquid could work. I was thinking of unsweetened apple juice or mango juice. Any other suggestions? Is it better to freeze the fruits before using them? If I substitute frozen fruit for ice, would that affect the texture? Yogurt is a wild card. Frozen yogurt would add a creamy element, but would also add calories and fat------partially defeating the purpose of going the smoothie route in the first place. Do most people add frozen yogurt or regular yogurt to their smoothies? Any thoughts would be great.
  7. Another vote for the Wine Cask If you find yourself in Santa Maria, 1 hour north of Santa Barbara on the 101, try Chef Rick’s Fine Foods. It is a wonderful little restaurant where Chef Rick Manson surprises guests with a creative and well executed menu. There are also some great wineries in Paso Robles (about half way between Cambria and Santa Barbara) like Justin.......it is worth going just to check out their tasting room and Tablas Creek.
  8. I have been to every one on the list except Hudson's and Culvers is my favorite. Culvers has a lot to like: Their burger is called a butterburger. Talk about truth in advertising (the name comes from the toasted Kaiser roll style roll buns, I think.) Their fries are my favorite drive through fries. A medium think crinkle cut that has a crisp exterior and creamy interior. I do not know how often they change the frying oil, but the fries always taste like they came out of a fresh batch of oil. They make a fantastic shake, you literally need a spoon to drink it. As far as the big chains go, I do not think there is a close second to Culvers.
  9. I think it is hard to define barbecue without appreciating regional influences on the definition. I tend to use the broad definition of meat slow cooked for hours using an indirect heat method and a hard wood fuel source. For it to be barbecue, it has to involve a large piece of meat. You can smoke a pork chop, but you can not barbecue one. I do not think it has to involve tough pieces of meat to accuracy use the verb barbecue. If you put a rib roast on a smoker with an off-set fire box would the end result be barbecue or smoked prime rib, I vote barbecue. I am going to email this thread to Robb Walsh, author of one of my favorite books, Legends of Texas Barbecue and see if he will offer his insights.
  10. Using the broadest possible definition that barbeque includes any smoked item, then yes I guess you are technically correct. Pastrami is just not usually associated in the barbeque family. I think what makes pastrami such a unique product is the dry rub curing process, not the smoking. If you ask 100 people to name their favorite type of barbeque, what percentage do you think would list pastrami?
  11. but they don't serve pulled pork at Katz's. You are right. How about a nice mock pulled pork sandwich
  12. Pastrami and barbeque are definitely not the not the same. The key element in pastrami is the dry rub cure, and it is not limited just to beef as David Burke made famous. I have seen deli counters advertise “unsmoked” pastrami. Barbeque is all about the long and slow cooking process, often involving no seasoning except salt & pepper and the smoke from the heart source. You can get pastrami that is not smoked, thereby could not be considered barbeque. You can also get barbeque that does not have the distinctive dry rub, thereby excluding it from being considered pastrami. Pastrami and barbeque both make wonderful meals but are two distinct and different products. pastrami A highly seasoned beef made from a cut of plate, BRISKET or ROUND. After the fat is trimmed, the meat's surface is rubbed with salt and a seasoning paste that can include garlic, ground peppercorns, cinnamon, red pepper, cloves, allspice and coriander seeds. The meat is dry-cured, smoked and cooked. barbecue A method of cooking by which meat, poultry or fish (either whole or in pieces) or other food is covered and slowly cooked in a pit or on a spit, using hot coals or hardwood as a heat source. The food is basted, usually with a highly seasoned sauce, to keep it moist. South Carolina and Texas boast two of the most famous American regional barbecue styles. (from epicurious.com)
  13. Nothing like a little hyperbole to start the morning. Pastrami and barbeque are not one and the same. If they were, you could get a nice pulled pork sandwich at Katz’s and Kreuz Market would have to start putting deli mustard on the tables.
  14. Another thought is that they might want to raise there prices. $2 for their generous sized small is like they are almost giving the gelato away. Maybe I will go back tonight to try a few more flavors....
  15. Foodie52, thanks for pointing Babbo's. This place is getting an incredible buzz around town. We went there today and it is hard not to really like this place. The patio was packed and there was a line 6 -7 people deep waiting to order. It was slightly frustrating waiting in line as each person sampled an average of 6-7 different flavors before deciding on their selections. It took us 25 minutes to finally place our order, but well worth the wait. The gelato and sorbetto selection is impressive. They allow you to pick two flavors with the small dish and I went with a combo of Chocolate/hazelnut and zabaglione….I was a happy camper. Sharon had cappuccino and dark chocolate, both flavors were excellent. Can not wait to go back and try different flavors and the coffee products. It will be wonderful in the Fall when Babbo’s fire up the fireplace on the patio.
  16. What great pictures. What is it going to take to have Jason and his camera join us down in Austin for our next event. A free airline ticket is not the correct answer
  17. This is tempting, my wife and I are going to be in the NYC area that weekend. I have an unveiling service on Staten Island that Sunday. It will be frustrating if we are that close and can not make it. If the unveiling is scheduled for the morning we can probably attend the BBQ. It would just involve a lot of driving that day, shuttling between the hotel in the city, to the cemetery on Staten Island, back to the house in Queens and then racing off to Jersey for some quality pig (I hope I remember to take my yarmulke off). Put us down as a maybe.
  18. I think there is a dearth of good bakeries in Austin. Central Market and Bread Alone on South Lamar are my favorite places for bread. What I would do for a true Italian bread bakery..... For cakes and pies, Upper Crust and Ann’s Piece of cake are very good. Ann’s is located on Spicewood and 183, hidden in the back corner of a non-descript strip mall. They sell the most decadent and luscious chocolate cake. Damn, I really want a piece now. I am not a big fan of Sweetish Hill.
  19. Ask for and you shall receive: The menu and wine list
  20. I think Jaymes did a good job of summarizing the Salt Lick. You can get good Q at the Salt Lick, but it never rises to greatness like those in Lockhart, Taylor, Llano, etc. Personally, the salt lick is my choice for large groups of visiting friends and family. Even when there is a long wait for a table, waiting outside on the large patio listening the live music with a cooler of local beer (the salt lick is BYO) is a great way to spend an afternoon If you are truly seeking to sample some of the great Q in central Texas, Smitty’s, Kruetzs and Blacks in Lockhart are key stops. Another hot spot will be the Driskill Hotel. David Bull, the chef in the Driskill Grill was recently named to F&W’s ”best new chef” top ten list and has been doing some exciting things with the menu.
  21. Using some of the ideas from here, I had good results in keeping the temperature within a consistent 250-275 range. Partially closing the top vent helped considerably. For the recent egullet event, I smoked 2 turkey breasts, one with a pastrami cure and one with standard brine and then injected with a butter/chicken stock/Cajun spice mixture. It only took them only a little over 2 hours to reach an internal temperature of 165, both were about 6lbs. I was reasonably happy with the outcome, both were moist and flavorful. Adding some chipolte chile powder to the pastrami dry rub added a nice touch of heat. The only problem is my frig still smells like a deli after having the turkey pastrami curing for 24 hours. I think the weber charcoal grill will just require more attention and adding charcoal at closer intervals that using a WSM.
  22. Smoked road kill......Yum.
  23. Inspired by the Chronicle article and Memesuze’s post, went to the bar at the roaring fork last night…WOW. Roaring Fork They have not changed the décor much from the previous restaurant. They added some southwestern fabrics and a few minor changes, but the layout and main dining room of the restaurant remain the unchanged. We headed straight for the bar to take advantage of the Happy Hour special. Now through the end of the summer they have a $6 menu that offers about 8 different entrée options. The special runs throughout the night, from when the bar opens to it closes, my kind of happy hour. The bar was packed and by the time we left there was a wait for seats. I went with the burger and it was phenomenal. A 12oz burger that comes adorned with grilled onions, bacon, cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. The burger was a perfect medium, as ordered, with a wonderful charred exterior and a juicy center on a Kaiser roll. One of the best burger I have ever had and only $6 bucks! It came with a healthy side of good but not spectacular fries. The fish tacos were very good, but the plate looked empty because it came with no sides. The two tacos looked puny compared to the skyscraper of a burger on the table. The great deal on food offsets the pathetic drinks offering. The do not have any beers on tap and the list of available beers were limited to bud, miller, coors, amstel light, etc. NO SHINER….what the hell are they thinking? The wine list was weak and overpriced. There was a token merlot for $6.50, otherwise everything was $8 -$9 for a glass of mass produced crap. That left the margaritas. As part of the happy hour special, there is $2 off mixed drinks. For $3.50 you get a watered down margarita. I will go back to the Roaring Fork frequently to take advantage of the Happy Hour special and then go to another bar for real drinks. Forgot to mention the beef potato chips at the bar. It is spicy beef jerky that is very, very thin, giving it a crisp texture. I am not normally a jerky fan, but this stuff is addictive.
  24. Threadgills – not worth going to. For that style of cuisine, go to Tony’s on East 6th or Hoovers on Manor. Ironworks – pass on Ironworks and head directly towards Lockhart. I was a regular at Ironworks when I worked downtown, and it was a few blocks away. Convenient to get a quick smoked meat fix, but there are many stronger BBQ options around central Texas. Only go to Ironworks if you want a place that is walking distance from downtown. Salt Lick – great if you want a fun place for a large group, but only average bbq with above average sauce. Curra’s Grill – I have not been there in a while, but was never overwhelmed. My wife was there last week and thought the service was awful and she never is critical of waiters.
  25. What have you tried? I assume you went with smaller amounts of charcoal when you attempted this. Did the temp vacillate wildly or were you unable to maintain the temp? If you're having troubles maintaining 225, here's some advice. Make sure that you have enough air flow, for instance, open all of the vents underneath and then leave the lid cracked open about an inch, directly opposite of where the meat is on the grill. This way you get more air flow (keeping the coals alive) yet you retain the heat (again, keeping the coals alive) with smaller amounts of coals. I use this method when I'm grilling/smoking on a weber and then later when I'm trying to let coals burn to completion so I have less to clean up for the next time. If you're having trouble getting the temp low enough, reduce coals. For long and slow cooking, I put a modest amount of charcoal only on side, placing the vents on the cover opposite of the charcoal. This pulls the smoke across the meat and works well in creating nice pink rings in the food. At 325-350, I only have to add charcoal about every 1.5 hours. That is with the bottom vent all the way open and the top vent ¾ open. I add a single large lump of hardwood (been using hickory) in the beginning on top of the charcoal and then again at the 3 hour mark if I am cooking something big. When I tried using less charcoal for a lower temperature, I can only maintain an even temperature for about 20 minutes, and then the temperature drops quickly to under 200. I have not tried adjusting the lower vent, so I need to try that. I probably also should try to place the cover so the vents are on top of the coals to increase the airflow at the lower temperatures. I also heard that briquettes burn cooler than the lump charcoal I use. Any truth to that or is it another suburban legend?
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