CathyL

The trick is to build a small fire on one side of the kettle and put the meat on the other side - so you're cooking via convection, not radiation. Weber makes a replacement grill for the kettle (the large one, anyway) that has a hinged area on each side. Makes it easier to add coals during a cook.

Sorry, I should have said that maintaining that delta T range matters once the meat approaches collagen-melting internal temps. Before that, you want faster cooking, both to start the meltdown and to get the internal past 140º - the "danger zone" - for safety's sake. Although the interior of a big hunk of meat is essentially sterile.

El Colonel is, of course, correct. A change of phase absorbs enormous amounts of energy. It takes one BTU to raise the temperature of a pound of water 1 degree. Unless the water is at 211.9, in which case it takes over 900 BTUs. The energy required to melt a pound of ice is around 140 BTUs. (If I didn't get this quite right, I hope some smug engineering bastard will speak up.) When the center temp of a hunk o' protein stalls out, it means the internal fat and collagen are changing state from solid to liquid. In my experience that plateau can happen anywhere from 140º to 170º. I keep it there as long as I can. Once the temp starts climbing again, it's time to try the fork test. My Q mentor/S.E.B. insisted I keep records, and out of habit I still tend to jot down center temp and grill temp every 2 hours or so. He also wanted me to track the delta between them, since that's what drives the rate of heat transfer; a "delta T" between 35º and 75º is ideal, he claimed, for ensuring that collagen/fat melt thoroughly without overcooking the meat. Works for me.

It's mostly a question of texture - depending on the cooking temp and time, pullability can happen within a range of meat (center) temperatures from 170º to 210º. Stick in a fork, or tug at the bone. If fork or bone twists easily, it's done. I like to cook a shoulder overnight: bring it up to the point where the meat temp stalls, and let it idle there to render as much fat and collagen as possible. It can take hours before the meat temperature starts rising again, a sign that it's almost done. The whole process takes 20+ hours, usually, at an average grill temp of 210-220º.

No, especially when you're smoking something with a lot of internal fat like a pork shoulder. Over a long cook what matters is the average temperature at grill level. Occasional spikes and dips aren't cause for concern either. When I first started smoking I couldn't resist tweaking the lower vent whenever the temp went below or above my target. That just leads to more fluctuation. Eventually I learned to open another beer and relax.

Off-flavor from newly lit coals is only a problem if you're using briquets, which contain nasty chemicals and filler. Lump charcoal burns clean. What wood are you using for smoke?

I asked the same question, FG. Drew had never encountered macha clams before, and he knows from razors.

I hear the high protein/low carb items are there because Doug is doing Atkins and figures a healthy percentage of customers are doing the same. The boss had lunch there yesterday and liked it very much, especially the raw macha clams with a vibrant parsley/cilantro sauce.

NRN is for tourists.

Try Black's in Lockhart too...excellent brisket.

Baby backs, slathered with John Thorne's rub (garlic, juniper berries, black mustard seeds, black pepper, salt, cider vinegar, peanut oil, brown sugar, chipotle) and smoked over shagbark hickory and applewood. It's spring, goddammit. Coleslaw with, and a very nice (very inexpensive) barbeque-friendly wine brought by guests: Nu Har, 70% cab sauvignon/30% nero d'avola. Dessert: purchased lemon sorbetto & nocciola gelato (both so-so), cornmeal-orange biscotti (from Claudia Fleming's book), and orange sections in a light caramel syrup.

Momo is in a class by himself...which means there's no category for him at present, but the Beardies seem to enjoy inventing new ones.

What Deacon said. It's an excellent piece, FG, within or without the context of your whole trip. The selection committee clearly erred, however, in neglecting to recognize Momo.

A link to the list of all nominees: click.

It's not just a corkscrew, it's a Laguiole. If you're interested in a more modest display of conspicuous consumption, click.

Terrific article, Maggie!

I became disenchanted with the Rabbit. It doesn't work all the well on old or tight corks, in my experience, and isn't great on the synthetics either. I prefer waiters' corkscrews, and have two: a Laguiole, and an old Henckels I found at a collectibles shop.

The Balic be praised. H'ville, if you're not a purist - and have ample oven space - Delia Smith's oven-roasted ratatouille is delicious. Cut the vegetables into 1" pieces (except the cherry tomatoes, which Delia wants you to skin but I don't), toss with oil, chopped garlic and basil, spread out in a shallow pan and roast at 450º for 40-60 minutes. Good served hot or at room temperature.

I'm in the function-over-form camp too, and have a sentimental regard for my old chipped Le Creuset enamel. But recently I got an itch to polish my copper pots (bought years ago from grumpy Fred Bridge), and they do look beautiful. We'll see whether I keep this up...

Rachel, thanks for posting that. I was a regular at Robyn & Leo's store on Amsterdam and 89th, and after that closed I'd seek them out at street fairs because their pickled sweet red peppers were the best, ever, anywhere. I also loved the half-sour cucumbers, pickled tomatoes, mushrooms and turnips. So did my dad; I had some mailed to him in Denver. I didn't realize Leo had died. I'm going to e-mail Robyn and order some red peppers.

Another excellent wine book is Sip by Sip by Michael Bonadies. It's fun to read, irreverent and very informative. Disclosure: This is a shameless shill for my boss, but it really is a great book.

The Robb Walsh book - I have to get that. Chicken or beef bouillon is what's suggested in Smokestack Lightning,, Colonelissimo. (Is there pork bouillon??) Veal demiglace would be good, I bet.

Colonel, which book? A lot of smoked cabbage recipes suggest adding a bouillon cube (!) and a little sugar along with the butter. I've grilled asparagus with smoke and without, and vastly prefer it without. I like smoked peppers and onions, though.