Cook's Tour - BBQ

[=Mark]

Tony Bourdain samples barbecue in three cities.

Prior to that at 9pm there is a Food 911 episode featuring an indoor barbecue with pulled-pork sandwiches, shrimp, grits, and fried green tomatoes.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

I see he conveniently skipped Memphis...sonofagun...

[bilrus]

I see he conveniently skipped Memphis...sonofagun...

"10:00 PM

$40 a Day

Memphis, TN

30 min.

Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion is toured during a trip to Memphis. Also: a restaurant that specializes in pork barbecue."

But Chef/Writer - Rachel Ray was there - doesn't that count for something.

[pixelchef]

Damnit. I can't wait until the second season starts airing in Canada. :(

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

I see he conveniently skipped Memphis...sonofagun...

"10:00 PM

$40 a Day

Memphis, TN

30 min.

Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion is toured during a trip to Memphis. Also: a restaurant that specializes in pork barbecue."

But Chef/Writer - Rachel Ray was there - doesn't that count for something.

You've got to be kiddin' man, seriously. Al Roker and now Rachel light the room up with warm and fuzzies Ray. Be still my pickled heart.

[Varmint]

I know Tony visited Ed Mitchell's joint in Wilson, NC, so this should be a treat. Ed's a hell of a success story, and his food is pretty damn awesome, too!

[bilrus]

I see he conveniently skipped Memphis...sonofagun...

"10:00 PM

$40 a Day

Memphis, TN

30 min.

Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion is toured during a trip to Memphis. Also: a restaurant that specializes in pork barbecue."

But Chef/Writer - Rachel Ray was there - doesn't that count for something.

You've got to be kiddin' man, seriously. Al Roker and now Rachel light the room up with warm and fuzzies Ray. Be still my pickled heart.

Defintely kidding.

[=Mark]

I know Tony visited Ed Mitchell's joint in Wilson, NC, so this should be a treat.  Ed's a hell of a success story, and his food is pretty damn awesome, too!

Tasted his whole hog at the NYC BBQ Fest a couple weeks ago, chopped pig with a drizzle of red pepper flake & vinegar sauce...

[Varmint]

I know Tony visited Ed Mitchell's joint in Wilson, NC, so this should be a treat.  Ed's a hell of a success story, and his food is pretty damn awesome, too!

Tasted his whole hog at the NYC BBQ Fest a couple weeks ago, chopped pig with a drizzle of red pepper flake & vinegar sauce...

It's likely we'll do a road trip to Mitchell's the Thursday or Friday before my pig pickin'. Wilson's about an hour from here.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Hey Tony, the BBQ show should have been a square not a triangle. Memphis? Come on.

Oh fuck, I'm actually defending this city. Maybe I do have a heart. Good show though. I've shared a pit with guys like that many a time.

[Varmint]

C'mon, Tony. Fess up: which barbecue did you really prefer??

[bourdain]

North Carolina--the whole pig.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Yeah, I tell you what. The idea of putting the cracklin' in with the meat was beautiful. Really made me want to come through the tv. I could just taste it. That's the one thing I think Memphis barbeque is missing---texture. Yum.

Edited June 14, 2003 by Chef/Writer Spencer (log)

[bourdain]

Ed Mitchell's. The Best. That Pig Bar was truly a thing of wonder and beauty.

I am definitely in the No Tomato product camp.

By the way, Chris and Shelley (Lydia was in NYC for that episode) started calling themselves "Sticky" and "Smoky" after a few days of shooting over pits and in BBQ kitchens. A solid week of BBQ two three times a day, one sticky, saucy, smoky shoot after another. We all had Original Smokehouse Flavor permeating our pores. The whole hog NC stuff was a relief--really stood out as cleaner, less adulterated...even after a week of eating nothing but BBQ. You could at all times--principally--taste the MEAT in all it's freshness and glory.

But those burnt ends at Oklahoma Joes are pretty Goddamn amazing.

Edited June 14, 2003 by bourdain (log)

[jhlurie]

Hey Tony,  the BBQ show should have been a square not a triangle.  Memphis?  Come on.

Maybe he chose a controversial shape, but to give Tony a little credit, at least he admitted he was leaving out Memphis (and I suppose St. Louis too ).

I suppose one could argue for Korea if you stretched the definitions of BBQ to legnths which would insult the pit-masters.

Me, I love individual items from each locale. For example, I couldn't IMAGINE life without Kansas City style burnt ends, but I can take or leave the pork-based BBQ from KC.

I've got to hit Oklahoma Joes next time I'm in KC. I've had fine burnt ends elsewhere there though, although its been long enough that I'd have to call up my relatives there to dig for names. I'd have remembered a combo gas-station/BBQ joint, although I somehow think I may have seen it and driven past.

Edited June 14, 2003 by jhlurie (log)

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Maybe he chose a controversial shape, but to give Tony a little credit, at least he admitted he was leaving out Memphis (and I suppose St. Louis too ).

I

Mea culpa times two. And you know what? As I was drifting off to sleep last night I realized my square analogy sucked. That ain't no square. Maybe a shizquare?

[pixelchef]

Squizare.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

Squizare.

word

[Varmint]

For what it's worth, Ed Mitchell's style of pig cooking is exactly what I'll be doing in October for the pig pickin'. Although I plan on cooking with half hickory, a quarter apple and a quarter pecan. I won't be cooking with the head, either, so no ears will be served. However, serving it with the cracklin's cut in is essential.

[Rachel Perlow]

Rachel Ray was there - doesn't that count for something.

No, because she spells her name wrong. (She actually spells it Rachael)

[Xanthippe]

By the way, Chris and Shelley (Lydia was in NYC for that episode) started calling themselves "Sticky" and "Smoky" after a few days of shooting over pits and in BBQ kitchens. A solid week of BBQ two three times a day, one sticky, saucy, smoky shoot after another. We all had Original Smokehouse Flavor permeating our pores.

It's the "Sticky & Smoky Show"!!!

[haunted_chef]

Tony,

As I said before, you missed out by not going to Florida's Kitchen in Livingston, Texas.....

[PS]

Is A Cook's Tour ever going to get aired in the UK? I enjoyed the book, but have seen neither hide nor hair of the series on TV. Unless it's languishing on some cable channel somewhere....

[RosieAgrimony]

Just watched the Minneapolis episode. One question? Where can I get a Tony Towel? Not sure what I would do with the Bobble Head, but, who knows?