Kosher ‘Top Chef’ News
A few Top Chef related news items made it into my inbox this week. (If you don’t already know, Top Chef is a reality-show on the Bravo network, where chefs compete for the title of ‘Top Chef’. It’s great fun, in my opinion.)
First, came the article about Ilan Hall (winner of the 2nd season), facing off against the executive chef of the University of Michigan Hillel, Emil Bloch, in a “Dorm Room Challenge“. After a little searching, and I found that this wasn’t Ilan’s first time cooking for a Hillel event. In April 2007, he was at the Fiedler Hillel Center at Northwestern University, cooking for the students. To be honest, I didn’t like him very much as a contestant, but I think that doing these sort of events is a really nice gesture.
Next, the New York Times is reporting that Hung Huynh, the winner of the Top Chef title in the 3rd season, will be doing a one month stint as the executive chef at restaurant Solo in NY, starting March 2nd. You may recall the KosherBlog review of Solo, after KosherFest 2006. I’m making my reservation now….
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Things to come
It’s depressing to only see 3 new posts in the last 2 months. This is an inevitable consequence of our writers having families and full-time jobs. But, you’ve been loyal readers, as the ongoing threads of comments attest. Thanks for that. I wanted to take a second to give you all a heads-up on some upcoming events, and hopefully upcoming posts:
- On February 27th, I’ll be attending (and reporting on) the Manischewitz Simply Kosher Cookoff finals in NYC.
- The deadline for the OU Kosher Essay Contest is March 7th
- The leap-month gives us some extra time to prepare, but Purim is coming! (March 21st) I hope to get at least a few Purim-food posts up.
- Save the date! The 20th Annual ASBEE/Kroger BBQ Competition will be on Sunday, September 7th. Can we get a KosherBlog delegation?
That’s all I have for now. To keep things lively, here’s a question: Hamentashen are the definitive Purim food (IMHO). What foods do you consider integral to the holiday? And I specified “foods” – not “refreshments”. And no “but it’s made from grains” objections. :-)
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Sunday: Ruth’s Kitchen “Renovation Celebration”
Edna Bension has spent the last three months renovating Ruth’s Kitchen — 401 Harvard Street, Brookline — and its menu, which now includes her mouth-watering Persian specialties and a healthy dose of additional Middle Eastern and Sephardic offerings. She will be open for a Renovation Celebration this Sunday, January 27, from 10 AM to 7 PM, with free samples between noon and 3. It’s a chance to think about what you might like for the following Shabbat, or even the Super Bowl. See you there!
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BBQ Brisket at the ASBEE Competition
I had this final bit of coverage of the ASBEE BBQ Competition that I was holding on to, but today seems like a brisket-day, so here it is. The BBQ Railroad team, from the Baron Hirsch Men’s Club were the winners in the brisket category. Here were their responses (through David Schlesinger) to my post-game questionnaire:
Continue reading BBQ Brisket at the ASBEE Competition »
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Milk Street Cafe loses lease at Post Office Square
EXCLUSIVE TO THE KOSHER BLOG
In yet another blow to Boston’s Jewish community, the Kosher Blog learned just moments ago from an anonymous e-mail that Milk Street Cafe has lost the lease for its popular satellite location at Zero Post Office Square. The location is the primary kosher lunch destination in Boston’s Financial District, and is the only source of fleishig food in Boston proper. As of January 1, 2008, it will be replaced by a non-kosher establishment.
The main (dairy) Milk Street location will, thankfully, remain open.
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An Interview with a BBQ Champion
Continuing my follow-up coverage of the ASBEE BBQ, here’s a transcript of an e-mail interview I did with this Barney Abis – the pit-boss of The Meat Machers – this year’s ASBEE/BBQ Grand Champions. Barney and his teammate Steve Pepper came in first in the Ribs category.
Tell us about your team. How long have you been cooking together? Have you won before?
I have entered this contest the last 4 or 5 years. I do it for the fun of it. In fact, some years I have not even entered my meat into the judging. Too many friends coming by to nosh. One year I placed in beans, but I don’t remember if it was 1st or 2nd and I could never duplicate the recipe if I tried. A lot of improvising. My winning entry this year was ribs. This is my first time cooking with Steve Pepper. We have been friends since we were children. Since my partner from last year joined his son’s team, I asked Steve if he wanted to do the BBQ. The rest is now the stuff of legend. Incidentally, my partner from last year placed 2nd in ribs – I taught him everything he knows!
Describe your winning entry. How did you come up with the recipe?
Again, my recipe was improvised. Nothing written down and nothing measured. My method for beef ribs involves first scoring the back lengthwise and removing the membrane and then rubbing down with a dry rub, squeezing a little lemon over them and adding a little vinegar and sealing in a 2 gallon zip lock bag. This is done two or three days before the actual contest. This tenderizes the meat some. I then individually wrap each slab in aluminum foil and put on the BBQ grill for about 3 hours along with some water soaked hickory wood smoking on the coals, rotate them about every 30 to 45 minutes. When they are almost falling off of the bone I take them off of the grill, pitch the foil and fat, and rub them down with a rub that is primarily dark brown sugar with cumin, red pepper or chili powder, garlic powder, and whatever else looks interesting to throw in. The combination of sweet and spicy is good. I then put the ribs directly on the grill to glaze them. After only 5 or 10 minutes I take them off and slather some sauce on them. I use any decent commercial sauce and add the dry rub mentioned above to the sauce. This year we also added some honey. I then let the sauce cook on for a few minutes and they are ready to go. I have made them many times and have never done it the same way twice I am sure.
Does your team BBQ together throughout the year?
I don’t BBQ with friends during the year, however, I make the ribs on most of the traditional American holidays, July 4th, Labor Day, Memorial Day etc. I just enjoy cooking them out by the pool. My friends and mishpachah love these ribs as in Memphis we are in the land of treif and beef ribs are hard to come by. Beef ribs are more Texas style bbq. Memphis is definitely pork.
What does competing at the ASBEE BBQ mean to you?
Competing at the ASBEE means a couple of things to me. Camaraderie, fun, a few L’Chayims, and supporting our shul. It is nice because the entire Jewish community in Memphis comes together.
Any BBQ secrets, tips, advice?
My secret to bbq besides slow cooking is have fun, a few shots of single malt scotch and don’t take it too seriously.
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Photos from the ASBEE BBQ
It has taken me much longer than I had planned to get these photos up, but here they are: My BBQ Photos.
As a bonus, here’s BBQ coverage from other sources:
A quick word on the Weingarts – David and Katherine quietly came from Virginia to ‘observe’ the BBQ. Over Shabbos they were adopted by the ASBEE Community. We became friends, and they became honorary members of my team. You can see the “I (heart) NY” pins I stuck on them. When the BBQ committee was short one judge for the ‘ribs and beans’ category, Katherine got drafted. Aren’t you jealous? They’re planning to come back to compete, next year.
Also, here’s the list of the winning teams at the BBQ:
- Best Beans – The Cattle Menshes
- Best Ribs – The Meat Machers
- Best Brisket – The Baron Hirsch Men’s Club / BBQ Railroad
- Best Booth – Memphis Area Jewish Young Couples / Harry Potroast and the Sorcerer’s Sauce
- Best Name – Kollel Torah Metzion / Abe & Sarah’s Bed & Brisket
- Grand Champion – The Meat Machers
My favorite team name? Beans Make You Sphard.
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Boston’s only kosher Dunkin’ Donuts closes tonight
Staff at the kosher Dunkin’ Donuts in Brookline’s Washington Square informed customers today that they’d be shutting their doors at end of business — no reason given.
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The BBQ is over…
The winners of the 2007 ASBEE-Kroger Kosher BBQ Competition were announced at 3:15pm. I didn’t win. I didn’t place. That’s OK, because I had an amazing time. I made many friends – the ASBEE community is comprised of some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I have ever met. This weekend, I discovered that my self-taught, NY-style BBQ is at least as good as BBQ that you’ll find in Memphis, Tennessee – and I tasted lots of that delicious BBQ today. Hopefully, this won’t be the last they hear of me. Incidentally, my team of one was called ‘I flew in from Brooklyn, NY for this BBQ and boy are my arms tired’. We’re looking for recruits for next year. I’ll be back home tomorrow night, and I’ll work on getting some of my photos up as soon as I can.
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Live-blogging from Memphis
As I write this, teams around me are preparing their briskets, ribs and beans. Luckily, ASBEE has wireless internet. Last minute adjustments are being made, tasting and seasoning is going on all around. The cooking starts at 6:00am tomorrow – don’t expect any live-blogging tomorrow. My beans are done and in the cooler. My rib-glaze is done and in the cooler. I’m eating some of the left-over ingredients (pineapple), in lieu of dinner. Wish me luck….
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