Cabana El Rey, Delray, Palm Beach County, Florida

Nancy, Joyce and Willie (whom you met at  Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill), and I took a drive down from Palm Beach Shores to Delray to visit our old (in the sense of long-time) friends Bob Leland and Vicki Duff, who sold Bob’s house down the street and moved to Florida (while maintaining a pied a terre here in the DC area for our cool, crisp … Continue reading Cabana El Rey, Delray, Palm Beach County, Florida

Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill, Juno Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida

Nancy and I have spent a fair amount of time on the east coast of Florida at the Marriott Vacation Club properties on Singer Island, the island north of Palm Beach — the poor section of Palm Beach, I like to call it.  It’s funny that I haven’t posted on more restaurants in the area.  (I have posted reviews of a few places I strongly recommend … Continue reading Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill, Juno Beach, Palm Beach County, Florida

Noble BBQ, Portland, Maine

I’ve mentioned our friends and sometime neighbors John and Nancy Breul.  They’re on assignment this winter as our Senior South Portland Correspondents.  You may ask how in the world I persuaded them to choose this time of year to forsake Washington for Maine. Well, actually I didn’t.  Their daughter Sarah did by giving birth to Charlie Breul Roberge (who is doing famously), thereby transforming Nancy … Continue reading Noble BBQ, Portland, Maine

Rocklands Barbecue, Washington, DC

Let’s cut to the chase.  Rocklands sells the best pork barbecue in the District of Columbia. And there it was, right under my nose for years.  Rocklands is just a few miles away from us, in Glover Park, just north of Georgetown.  I had tried Rocklands a couple of times when it first opened nearly 30 years ago.  I didn’t think much of it.   … Continue reading Rocklands Barbecue, Washington, DC

Rest in Peace, Jimmy Koikos of the Bright Star, Bessemer, Alabama

When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions. Jimmy Koikos of the Bright Star has passed on.  The Bright Star is the oldest restaurant in Alabama, having opened in 1907, and it is known and loved for great seafood (the  Greek red snapper and the gumbo), great desserts (Nick Saban loves the coconut pie), and the warm, friendly presence of Jimmy Koikos … Continue reading Rest in Peace, Jimmy Koikos of the Bright Star, Bessemer, Alabama

Rest in Peace, Melvin Rogers

Huntsville, Alabama, was just a wide place in the road well into the 1950s, but today it’s the second largest city in Alabama, a booming, high-tech city, the home of Redstone Arsenal and the Marshall Space Flight Center (which is coordinating the next moon landing), and lots of associated industries.  They also have a biotech center, and Huntsville just landed a ginormous new Toyota plant. … Continue reading Rest in Peace, Melvin Rogers

The Campaign for Real Barbecue is Coming to the Washington, DC, Area

I have mentioned the Campaign for Real Barbecue from time to time here on the blog.  For those who aren’t familiar with the Campaign, it was founded in 2013 by Dan Levine, and John Shelton Reed two distinguished North Carolinians steeped in barbecue, so to speak.  The Campaign identifies and certifies places that cook Real Barbecue — True ‘Cue.  That is, barbecue that has been cooked … Continue reading The Campaign for Real Barbecue is Coming to the Washington, DC, Area

How to Deep Fry a Turkey

Carefully.  Very carefully. Here’s another Thanksgiving and Christmas recipe for you. My friend, Dan Kenney, has a post at the Coach4aDay on deep frying turkeys, and another one here, updated.  Dan will cook 15(!) turkeys on Thanksgiving this year.  I have no idea how many people he’s hosting, or how many he’s frying up for friends.  I wouldn’t put either past him — Dan is the … Continue reading How to Deep Fry a Turkey

Last Minute Barbecue Sauce Recipe

Let’s say you’re in one of America’s many barbecue deserts and a benign providence presents you with an opportunity to eat some by gosh barbecue.  The catches, you must provide some barbecue sauce.  You rush to the store and see KC Masterpiece and Bone Sucking Sauce and other crimes against humanity, but nothing you’d ever eat without a gun at your head, or maybe even … Continue reading Last Minute Barbecue Sauce Recipe

UPDATE: The Latest on Wilber’s, Goldsboro, North Carolina

Update: Here’s a link to a non-subscription story about the purchase of Wilber’s.  The bottom line is that the new owners will start working on renovations as quickly as possible with an eye to opening next Spring.  The money line: “The investment group plans to carry on Wilber’s legacy and serve the traditional pit-centric menu it’s known for.” We’ll update as news becomes available.   … Continue reading UPDATE: The Latest on Wilber’s, Goldsboro, North Carolina