No Tortillas

This weekend was the 2nd Annual HOA BBQ for my complex.  After last year's success, I had no choice but to go to the animal everyone else strayed from, and to make it awesome.  I decided to braise pork shoulder in salsa verde, which isn't something I'd done previously, but think will work.  Then after braising, I'd pull the shoulder for taco meat, and top with pickled red onions, and cotija cheese.

I already experimented with braising chicken thighs in salsa verde, and it turned out tasty, which is why I think using a superior animal should turn out satisfactory for my neighbors.  The pork fat will richen the salsa/braising liquid, and any leftover will make a good dip for chips.  Since I'm counting on fat to make the dish, I start by picking up a Berkshire's shoulder from Becker Lane Organic, who happens to attend every Green City Market.

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I Hope Tomorrow Is Like Today

It's hard to ask for a better weekend-- got to do a lot of cooking.  My two big gigs involved a condo association BBQ and house warming.  Cooking for a lot of people and then for not a lot of people, but cooking everyday nonetheless.  I could get used to this.

The condo residents are some of the best eaters and party-goers I've met.  I've never been to a place where a HOA meeting can start at 11 AM, grills fire at 1, refire at 9, then people consider turning in at 11:30 PM.  There need to be more marathon BBQs-- personal opinion.

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Cooking For Friends- DY's Brisket and More [pt 2]

Long ago, before the onions ever got fired, there was brisket.  Brisket is the cow's ugly duckling.  Nobody wants it.  However, with time and love, it can grow into a beautiful piece of BBQ- finally able to contribute back to society.  This is the first dish to start cooking for the day.

I look at the recipe, I look at the brisket.  3lbs, 5lbs.  Crap, this is going to require thought.  I start by trimming off excess fat- I'm guessing, maybe a pound.  3lbs, 4lbs- I think.  I'm supposed to cook the beast for 4 hours at 300 Deg.  Add 45 minutes for the extra weight and extra cooking liquid.  No sweat.

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My Precious

It's a cold Saturday morning and I'm venturing into unknown territories.  Could be the last time I wake up at 7 for ultimate.  I arrive at the Argyle stop off the Redline 15 minutes early.  Gotta kill time- and I'm hungry.  In seconds I find my utopia, with great golden packages hanging by their necks in the window.  I press my face, my hands, against the cold glass for further inspection.  I get yelled at.  Didn't understand a word of it.

I've arrived at Sun Wah BBQ, one of the finest Chinese establishments in the city.  There's not enough time to do these birds justice- I vow to return.  Still hungry.  The Chiu Quon bakery across the street will do- fresh steamed BBQ pork buns are delicious and portable.  Game time.

Hours later I return- muddy, bloody, and most importantly hungry.  As the moon begins to chase the sun into hiding, I limp over to the window.  After all, I have a vow to uphold.  I approach the counter, no menu needed.  I point to what I want and order, "That."  How much?  "Half."  No cash.  Darling tells me I can use my credit card on orders of $12 or more, which happens to be the price of a whole duck.  Sacrifices have to be made.

I make my way back home and tear apart the bag (teeth may or may not have been used).  Why did they have to staple it closed?  No time for silverware and certainly no time for napkins.  My precious awaits.  Golden and crispy, Michelangelo could not have captured her beauty.  The inside is perfectly cooked.  Teeming with jus there's no need for dipping sauce.  Could be considered blasphemous.  

There's brown bag confetti on the ground and drippings all over the table.  As I start to chew on a piece of neck, which I'm very glad was included, I realize only five minutes have passed.  The decadent meat and fat has made great ways through my system- feels like the duck is hugging my soul.  I look at the pile of bones and am thankful there's still another half to go through.  

Pulled a negative split- second half didn't take as long.  Most importantly, my calorie deficit is beaten, for now.  I recover the drippings to the best of my ability for later use- most likely an omelet in the morning.  I live alone so cleanup can wait.  I'm tired and the sink is too far away.  Paper towels the same distant dream.  Don't want to get grease on the couch.  Looks like another night on the [hardwood] floor.

Smoque

Smoque is the first restaurant featured on Food Network's Diner's, Drive-Ins, and Dives that I tried to bust.  Food always looks great on TV and tastes great to complete strangers that have no culinary rapport.  Thankfully, Smoque exceeds expectations.

Honestly my mom should be writing this because I don't know anyone who adores Smoque more.  Not too long ago I was hospitalized.  Now imagine these three locations as points on a isosceles triangle- my mom's house at the top point, Smoque, and the hospital.  The legs are roughly 40 miles long.  Since my mom was going to the city, or at least, 'close' to the city, to visit, she had to go to Smoque to pick up lunch.  It took her two hours to show up to my hospital bed- albiet she was bearing Smoque BBQ takeout to save me from the hospitals fare- instead of the 30-45 minutes it should have taken.  If that is not the thinnest, yet greatest excuse for [Smoque] BBQ, I don't know what is.

The menu is written on a chalkboard when you enter.  They do one thing and they do it excellently- BBQ.  Simplicity is a sign of perfection after all.  There are the standard BBQ choices of Ribs, baby back and St Louis, chicken, brisket, and pulled pork.  If you can't make up your mind you're allowed to add 'tastes' of items to your order.  This is how I was finally able to try the BBQ chicken.  Sure the chicken is good, but when you're presented with other choices chicken just never stacks up.  After sampling it I came to the conclusion that ordering chicken is a perfectly respectable decision at Smoque.

If the BBQ wasn't enough there are wonderful scratch sides to accompany the meal.  All sides come in a foil container- which from a production standpoint is quite genius.  Don't be fooled though, the mac and cheese is full of serious flavor and the cornbread is some of the best I've had.  Meals are automatically accompanied by a vinegar based coleslaw, which I much prefer over a mayo-base.  Did I mention that they smoke the baked beans in the smoker with their proteins?  And that there are chunks of brisket in it?  It's easy to make a meal out of all the sides.  I recommend visiting with a group to try them all.

Finally, there's the peach cobbler.  Of course, it is served in a foil cup.  This made me hesistent to order it my first few visits, but it turns out that I made those a visits a waste by not ordering it.  Breaking through the crunchy oatmeal topping into a hot haven of peaches makes for the best peach cobbler I've had- sorry granny.  The only fault I have with the dish is that there is no french vanilla ice cream around to go with.  The cobbler can stand on it's own but it pains me to see it so lonely.  It needs a lover.  It needs ice cream.

Smoque greatly exceeds all of Guy's hype and is a definite crowd pleaser. Just don't wear a white shirt.

Update on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 9:54PM by Stash

Here is the latest meal I had at Smoque.  Check out the thumbnail or go to my gallery.