Few things can be more discouraging on a long trip on I-95 than the prospect of finding a good place to eat. Lots of good places exist, but they rarely are mentioned on the Food-Fuel-Lodging signs along the interstate. (I have heard that restaurants have to be open for three meals in order to qualify for sign placement, and they may have to pay some … Continue reading Malson’s Barbecue, I-95 Exit 3, Kingsland, Georgia
I had a post on 13 “unbeatable” barbecue places in Virginia a couple of weeks ago, https://johntannersbbqblog.wordpress.com/2016/08/10/some-barbecue-possibilities-in-virginia/, and I was finally prodded by my friend, Jon Breul, to take the plunge and drive the two hours to Gordonsville to try the BBQ exchange. Actually, Jon drove, which was really nice of him. I picked the BBQ Exchange because it was closer than the other places, and … Continue reading The BBQ Exchange, Gordonsville, Virginia
My cousin Sinclair Griffin Lee has alerted me to big news in the Bill’s vs. Parker’s rivalry in Wilson, NC. There’s something new at Parker’s, at least on Wednesdays. You can get turkey barbecue. I’m not talking about smoked turkeys, but turkey cooked and served in the manner of Eastern North Carolina barbecue — chopped with vinegar and pepper. The response has been enthusiastic,and … Continue reading Turkey Barbecue: Hot in Eastern North Carolina
Nancy and her Mah Jongg buddies, Nancy Breul, Jean Saillant, and Ellen Buchanan, go to a National Park every year. This year, they dropped me at the Salt Lake City airport to return to the sweatbox that has been Washington, and drove up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to visit Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone. Being selfless, while in Jackson they went to Bubba’s Bar-B-Que, … Continue reading Bubba’s Bar-B-Que, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
A few years ago, Nancy and I went to a cooking school at Casa Gregorio in Castro dei Volsci, a lovely medieval hill town that has been untouched by the last two or three centuries except for the odd bomb or two during World War II, and by the transformation of some houses into the truly lovely Casa Gregorio. It’s in Lazio, about 50-60 miles from … Continue reading Chez Downing, Redmond, Washington
I had high hopes for barbecue in Portland. It’s a big foodie city, and since it rains some, the wood should be pre-soaked. I selected Podnah’s as likely to have the best barbecue in the city, and I was not disappointed. Podnah’s is definitely a Texas-style place. Western music is playing — good — and the decor includes paintings of cowboys and country singers. … Continue reading Podnah’s Pit, Portland, Oregon
Former Baltimore Ravens star Ray Lewis coached Michael Phelps before Phelps’ final race, Phelps’ final gold medal, from a barbecue joint in Alabama. That’s right: Phelps’ gold medal inspiration came from a barbecue joint. Is there anything barbecue can’t do? What a story! But talk about shoddy journalism. Here we have the story of the year, a link between the Olympics and barbecue, and … Continue reading Michael Phelps Won Because of Barbecue
Sometimes I am astounded by my own ignorance, and by my lack of intellectual curiosity. I have known about buttermilk since I was a small child and tasted some at Nana’s. I didn’t like it, but then I was just a kid with kid tastes. And I have purchased buttermilk from time to time for one or another of Nancy’s recipes. In all the 60-odd … Continue reading Recipe Time: Make Your Own Buttermilk and Sour Cream
Speaking of Frank Stitt and eggs, a couple of years ago I took the inimitable Dear to Bottega, one of the Stitt restaurants in Birmingham, and saw on the salad menu a fried oyster and scrambled egg salad. I had never had a salad with scrambled eggs before (nor one with fried oysters), so I ordered it. It was fantastic. The salad part is pretty straightforward. … Continue reading Recipe Time: Fried Oyster with Cornmeal Crust and Scrambled Egg Salad from Bottega
I grill outside all year ’round, and I often grill asparagus. My preparation is simple: I break the ends off the asparagus at the point at which they snap easily, put the asparagus in a casserole dish, drizzle it with olive oil, shake on some Montreal Steak seasoning, and roll the spears around a bit to coat the spears evenly. I then put them all … Continue reading Recipe Time: Grilled Asparagus and Asparagus with Eggs
John Tanner's Barbecue Blog 