Category Archives: Side Dishes

An ugly condiment’s beautiful cousin

Posted on September 7, 2012 by

HOMEWOOD, Ala. – On my third visit to Saw’s BBQ, I finally accepted my own hypocrisy.

Posted in BBQ, Side Dishes, Sweet Tea, Value | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

From jowl to tail

Posted on July 26, 2012 by

CHICAGO – Even when I’ve eaten whole hog barbecue, I haven’t really eaten the whole hog. Sure, I’ve eaten snout at Petty’s in Starkville, Miss., but most of my swine dining has come from the popular cuts. Wednesday, I set … Continue reading →

Posted in Fancy Pants, Side Dishes | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

My question: Answered

Posted on June 26, 2012 by

WASHINGTON – Restaurant workers, take a lesson from the hardest working bartender inside the Beltway. When I asked Charles to name the best entrée on the Founding Farmers menu Monday night, he didn’t offer either of the following mealy-mouthed answers.

Posted in Bacon, Fancy Pants, Fried Goodness, Side Dishes | Tagged , | 9 Comments

The BBQist Manifesto

Posted on June 13, 2012 by

CHICAGO – Unwritten rules permeate barbecue culture like hickory smoke permeates a hunk of brisket. Don’t drown the meat in sauce. Use spare ribs instead of babybacks. Never sacrifice attention to the meat for attention to side dishes. Everyone seems … Continue reading →

Posted in BBQ, Side Dishes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Barbecue in The Bywater

Posted on April 4, 2012 by

NEW ORLEANS – Even Tom Robbins would admire the way I ate my way through NOLA to keep the leg-humping hunger beast at bay. I consumed Po’ Boys, gumbo, boudin, rabbit, lamb, alligator and the porcine delicacy the French call … Continue reading →

Posted in BBQ, Laissez les bons temps rouler, Side Dishes, Sweet Tea | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

It always knows

Posted on March 30, 2012 by

NEW ORLEANS – It was New Year’s Eve 2009. I had just landed in NOLA, and I needed to find a place to eat. I checked Urbanspoon, but in a city as gastronomically dense as this one, a list of … Continue reading →

Posted in Laissez les bons temps rouler, Late night, Side Dishes, Value | Tagged , | 1 Comment

From pop star to pulled pork star

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

ATLANTA – Barbecue gets pigeonholed as a regional cuisine enjoyed by people with provincial tastes, and that stereotype exists because it is at least partially true. Every time I mention a joint on my Twitter feed, I get responses from … Continue reading →

Posted in BBQ, Side Dishes | Tagged , , | 10 Comments