50 million grills will be fired across America on the 4th of July. On many of them, the breasts of chickens who gave their lives for the event will be cooked long periods at a high heat into chalky oblivion. Burgers that held such promise will be transforming into rocky discs while their cooks chat with party guests over a beer. But on the best barbecues, magic will be happening. And I want that to be yours.
When I contemplate what to grill for Independence Day, my imagination travels the great barbecues of our country. More
My wife, a woman of astute intuition when it comes to gift giving, bestowed me with a new book for Father’s Day: “Pork & Sons,” by French chef Stéphane Reynaud.
Published in 2007, it was at the fore of an entire genre of pig-focused cookbooks such as “The Whole Beast”, “The Complete Book of Pork”, “Pig Perfect” and “Pig”, a trend which culminated in a glut of restaurants with names like Cochon and The Spotted Pig and our own Animal here in Los Angeles. More
Certain flavors were just meant to be together. Such it is with pork and fennel. Add orange, and you’ve got a divine trinity of deliciousness. And here, I share one of my best grilling preparations with you. Make this for your next barbecue, tell your friends you made it up yourself (I don’t mind), and you’ll be revered in the backyards of your neighborhood.
I love pork shoulder. It’s one of the least expensive cuts, it’s usually huge, and it’s got an amazing flavor and meat/fat ratio. Confirming its pedigree, it’s the pork most often used for Mexican carnitas. Now that’s some street cred! More
I wasn’t going to drink New Year’s Day. Coming off our annual New Year’s Eve dinner, several bottles of wine and 4-ish hours of sleep, I felt a bit wracked. But we arrived at a friends’ afternoon party, the girls were drinking proseco, the boys were preparing sausages for the grill… and my wife, a woman of rare insight and remarkable timing, commented on how good a bloody mary would taste.
the Ultimate Bloody Mary with Niman Ranch bacon stir stick
My father — born on the upper peninsula of Michigan — grew up, among other places, in the Chicago suburb of Evanston. I’ve always felt an affinity and paternal loyalty for the Windy City. Plus, they’ve got Wrigley Field, Charlie Trotter and Rick Bayless, and produced my favorite band, Wilco, and the coolest president ever! And then, of course, there’s the Chicago dog.
I grew up with a Chicago-style hot dog joint named Flooky’s down the street. I had a friend who lived right behind it. I sort of took a good hot dog for granted. More
skinny girls & mayonnaise 