Category: Barbecue

You can Inject me with the Flu as long as you give me some Smoked Pork Green Chile Stew!

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Did you know….

The chiltepin, a wild relative of the cultivated chile, did grow in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Northern Mexico prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, and the region’s inhabitants presumably used the plant (though direct evidence of such use is scant for precontact times, early Spanish documents record indigenous collection and use of chiltepin). These small, round, orange-to-red peppers with a spicy kick appear to have been used as a spice rather than as a foodstuff.

Cultivated chiles of the kind we celebrate in the Southwest today don’t seem to have been a major part of the diet north of the Mexican border until about the 1700s, and even then they were used primarily in areas with a substantial colonial presence. Minnis and Whalen argue that chiles may have been slow to gain popularity among indigenous Southwestern populations because they didn’t fit within long-standing culinary traditions that apparently favored bland foods. The spread of chiles seems to be a result of colonization, rather than just a yearning for spice in the diet. Colonization brought changes in the status of different kinds of foods, and colonial policies altered the foods produced and eaten by local populations.

In contrast, on the other side of the globe, chiles spread quite rapidly into Europe and Asia—where other kinds of spicy ingredients were common—after seeds brought back from Columbus’s second journey were cultivated in Spain, setting off what some have called a “minirevolution” in cuisine. The next time you dig into a tasty bowl of posole, pot of red or green chile stew, or green chile cheeseburger, consider the historical circumstances that led these foods to be so essential to New Mexican and Southwestern identity.(archaeologysouthwest.org)

Today’s Restaurant

Armadillo Willy’s – Sunnyvale, Ca

Average Cost

$11-$30

Rating (1-10)

10

Recommended Dishes: 

Smoked Pork Green Chili Stew, Hickory Bacon Burger, All of their BBQ

Everybody loves a good soup on a cold chilly day..

Better than soup is a stew..

And what better than a stew with smoked pork in it!

I tell you ‘Hands Down’ that this Smoke Pork Chili Stew from Armadillo Willy’s is one of the best stews I have ever had in my life on Earth!

Let’s talk about it..

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You must think I’m silly if I could pass on Armadillo Willy’s!

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Bacon Cheeseburger

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Did you know….

Louis Ballast, born in 1910, operated the Humpty Dumpty Barrel Drive-In in Denver and was constantly looking for original ways to improve the simple meal. One day he put a slice of cheese on the burger, heated the cheese, and decided that the taste of the cheese went well with the beef.

Being excited that much he applied for a patent on his invention ‘Cheeseburger’ in March 1935. Anyhow, the word Cheeseburger became a quite usual and generic expression nowadays.

Those who want to pilgrimage to the cultural place of the Cheeseburger can do so by visiting 2776 N. Speer Blvd, Denver, Colorado, which is the historical site of the Humpty Dumpty which burned down completely. Today on this location you will find a quite boring parking lot here. A small memorial reminds of the Humpty Dumpty.

But: some other places in California and Kentucky doubt that this is the place where the the Cheeseburger was invented. however they never applied for the patant, and so Mr. Louis E. Ballast has to be considered the real Cheeseburger inventor. He died in 1975.

In 1900, Mr. Louis Lassen has allegedly invented the basic burger (beef in a bun) in his diner Louis’ Luch, 261-263 Crown Street, New Haven. Until today, you can eat there, since his family is still operating the diner, which has been established in 1895.(magazineusa.com)

Today’s Restaurant

Armadillo Willy’s – Sunnyvale, Ca

Average Cost

$11-$30

Rating (1-10)

10 for the bacon cheeseburger

Recommended Dishes: 

Any of their burgers, Turkey and Avocado Stack

Here in America, we love burgers!!!

I mean absolutely love burgers!!

If you ask an American how often do they eat hamburgers a month, then they may say at least once to twice a week.

If it weren’t for health reasons and gaining weight then I would eat them everyday.

There are all kinds of burgers you can make…

Hamburgers…

Cheeseburgers….

Bacon Burgers…

Barbecue Burgers…

Regardless of what type of this nice greasy dripping mouth watering piece of ground up meat; it makes me quiver inside.  Armadillo Willy’s has one of these mesmerizing masterpieces that just gives me chills.

Let’s talk about it…

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You’ll need a Bib and a Fork to Eat this Pulled Pork!

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Roasted Pulled Pork with house made bbq sauce & celery seed slaw on a burger bun

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Did you know….

The process of smoking pork was created when the Spanish settlers first arrived in the United States. They watched natives building a smoky fire underneath their game, and took notice of how the process kept bugs away and preserved the meat. This is said to be the first known barbecue process. Over time, the process evolved, with the migration of Africans and Europeans to the South. Pigs became a main source of meat for people in the Southern colonies, due to their cheap price tag and easy maintenance.

Paired with a little barbeque sauce, cole slaw, and a bun, pulled pork makes for one of the best sandwiches out there. In Mexican cuisine, pulled pork is refered to as carnitas and is paired with onions, cilantro, beans, and guacamole, and makes for a delicious taco.(thedailymeal.com)

Today’s Restaurant

Flavor – Half Moon Bay, Ca

Average Cost

$11-$30

Rating (1-10)

8

Recommended Dishes: 

Pulled Pork Sandwich(Ask for BBQ Sauce on the side), Any of the burgers(Ask them to add you favorite sauces, mayo, mustard and ketchup)

Something about pork makes most people happy…

Maybe it’s because of the nursery rhyme “This little piggy went to market..”

Maybe it’s because of the great acting a pig did in Charlotte’s Web..

Or maybe it’s because we just love the oink sound a pig makes..

Whatever it is; pork can have people that are fast asleep running to the kitchen for that aroma lingering delicious smell of a this great tasting savory meat of desired sensation!

Let’s talk pork sandwich!

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The BBQ Chef ain’t Doing His Job if there ain’t No Tri Tip Shish Kabobs!

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Tri Tip Shish kabobs

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Who has never heard of shish kebab? In Turkish, shish kebab, literally means “gobbets of meat roasted on a spit or skewers.” Probably the most famous preparation for grilled lamb, there seems to be countless recipes. It is said that shish kebab was born over the open field fires of the soldiers of the Turkic tribes that first invaded Anatolia, who used their swords to grill meat, as they pushed west from their homelands in Central Asia. Given the obvious simplicity of spit-roasting meat over a fire, I suspect its genesis is earlier. There is iconographical evidence of Byzantine Greeks cooking shish kebabs. But surely the descriptions of skewering strips of meat for broiling in Homer’s Odyssey must count for an early shish kebab.

In the Arab world, the same preparation is called shish kabab or lahm mishwy (grilled meat). The true shish kebabs are pieces of marinated lamb affixed to flat or four-sided bladed metal skewers that are grilled over a fire suspended by a skewer holder, without the meat ever touching the grilling grate. The varieties of marinades are wide and could include any combination of olive oil, lemon juice, onion juice, milk, yoghurt, rigani (wild marjoram), crumbled bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, and other spices. Using tomatoes, onion wedges, and green bell pepper to separate the meat on the skewers has been suggested by several food writers to be a modern concoction invented by Turkish restaurateurs to make the skewers look more attractive to customers.(cliffordawright.com)

Today’s Restaurant

St. John’s Bar and Grill – Santa Clara

Average Cost

$9.50 for shish kabob awith salad or fries, $15 for a burger, fries and a soda

Rating (1-10)

10

Recommended Dishes: 

Shish kabobs or any burger or sandwich of your choice!

It’s Friday and the kick off to a 3 day Memorial Day Weekend!

A 3 day weekend makes us all dance for joy but another thing that us Americans look forward to is lots and lots of barbecue!

Barbecue ribs..barbecue chicken, barbecue baked beans, barbecued corn on the cob and last but not least barbecue Shish Kabobs!

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I’ll have a Tantrum like Conniption Fit over some Barbecue Tidbits!!

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Barbecue Tidbits - Sausage, Hotlink, Chicken, Steak, Pork

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Did you know….

Tidbit #1:  In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered… barbecue?  Well, his love for it anyways.  In his log, he noted that a giant “serpent” (speculatively an iguana) was prepared by natives using an outdoor wooden fire device. The Spanish word for these devices, “barbacoa,” was actually the Europeans’ interpretation of the original Taino name.  Oh, and Columbus’ reaction to this crunchy amphibian treat? It simply “taste like chicken.”

Tidbit #2:  George Washington’s barbecue parties were better than yours.  We’re talking 48 bottles of fancy French wine better.  We know, it’s shocking, but Mr. Washington did in fact go hard.  In a diary entry from 1769 (don’t worry, that’s before he was President), he writes that he “Went in to Alexandria to a Barbecue and stayed all Night.”  Translation:  George partied too hard and passed out on the couch.  It’s ok, George, we’ve all been there.

Tidbit #3:  Forget cars and lightbulbs– in the 1920s, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison popularized charcoal. Along with EB Kingsford, they teamed up to create the first wide-spread, commercially manufactured charcoal briquettes the world had ever seen.  Scrapped wood and sawdust from Henry Ford’s auto plants in Detroit were recycled and transformed into easily lit charcoal, which popularized the barbecue for everyone from flappers to rag-a-muffins. It might sound like we’re razzing you, but we swear we’re on the level.(myglassrule.com)

Today’s Restaurant

My Big Brother’s House – San Jose, Ca

Average Cost

A whole lot of brotherly love 🙂

Rating (1-10)

10

Recommended Dishes to BBQ with family: 

Fried Chicken, Pork and Beef Ribs, Hotlinks, Tidbits, Collard Greens, Potato Salad, and Corn!

Favorite Food Celebration Dance:

https://youtu.be/GfPg5LjGYz8

In my Morpheus from the Matrix voice:

“What if I told you that you can eat all of your favorite barbecue meats in one bite without using more than 1 hand?”

“Trev, If you told me this I would definitely listen! My ears are percolating!! What type of sorcery would make this happen?”

“My dear friend living in the unknown, let me display this glorious magnificence upon you..”

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I’ll get Poetic like Charles Dickens for some Barbecue Chicken!

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Did you know….

Dickens was a true Victorian foodie, a man who took serious pleasure in eating and drinking. His culinary interests likely stemmed from surviving meager times during his youth. As the son of a man who often lived beyond his means, young Dickens was saddled with the task of making money for his indebted family. After his father was sentenced to prison for his debts, 12 year-old Dickens was forced to leave school and take a job in a boot-blacking factory. Being a naturally intelligent and creative child, this unpleasant factory work was tantamount to a prison sentence for young Dickens. He only worked in the factory for a few months, but the difficult experience helped to shape his personality. Dickens had a flare for championing the everyman in his stories, a writing style that eventually became known as “Dickensian.” His novels stir compassion for the overworked and underpaid. Having lived through lean times, Dickens equated food and drink with abundance, a feeling made evident in nearly every story he wrote.(pbs.org)

Today’s Restaurant

Mom’s House – Tracy, Ca

Average Cost

Free! It’s mom’s house!

Rating (1-10)

10

Mom’s Recipe: 

Frances Dampier’s TasteBook Recipe – Cabbage Greens

It’s Monday….

Yep.. it’s Monday…..

Aaaaaah man. it’s Monday..

What must I say, for this kind of day, I’m in battle “Touche”..with my food imagination in Anime..

I’m in dismay, feeling hungry like I’m in Castaway..For now I’ll just stay in hopes for a dinner display..

Having a case of the Monday’s sucks so you have to do something to get you excited to be alive again.

Regardless of the hectic work day, cumbersome housework and making lunches for the kids there needs to be a cheer up moment sometime during the day.

Nothing better brightens up my day than barbecue chicken wings with a little rice and cabbage to go with it!

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Nothing better packs a punch..like barbecue for lunch!!

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ombo plate consists of Tri Tip, BBQ chicken, side salad, beef chili, garlic bread, and a 20 oz fountain drink

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Did you know….

In 2007 Israeli scientists at University of Haifa uncovered evidence that early humans living in the area around Carmel, about 200,000 years ago were serious about barbecue. From bone and tool evidence, these early hunters preferred large mature animals and cuts of meat that had plenty of flesh on them. They left heads and hooves in the field. Three of their favorites were an ancestor of cattle, deer, and boars. From burn marks around the joints and scrape marks on the bones, there is evidence that these cave dwellers knew how to cook.

Early barbecue cooking implements will likely never be found because they were probably made of wood. The first meats were probably just tossed into a wood infereno.

They quickly learned that the food tasted better if the food was held above or to the side of the fire. According to barbecue historian Dr. Howard L. Taylor, the first cooking implements were almost certainly “a wooden fork or spit to hold the meat over the fire.

Eventually they built racks of green sticks to hold the food above the flames, and learned that the temperature was easier to regulate and the flavor better if the if they let the logs burn down to coals before the meat was put in place.(amazingribs.com)

Today’s Restaurant

Tasty Subs and Pizza – Santa Clara, Ca

Average Cost

$10 or less  for bbq plate, $7 or less for subs

Rating (1-10)

9

Recommended Dishes: 

BBQ Combo Plate, Pizza, Subs

What better way to enjoy a Friday than barbecue and good company!

My comrade Justin Englehaupt and I decided that today would be a perfect day for some barbecue so we journeyed on over to this mystical restaurant of enlightenment called Tasty Subs!

“Uhh Trevis, a place called Tasty Subs doesn’t sound to me like a BBQ spot. Are you falling off your mark?”

“My dear humble friend, while it may seem like that by the name but don’t judge a book by its cover.You curious little thing you…”

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