I have to combine days three and four as I had a few computer difficulties on the "trail".............I need a tutor.

After we left the visitor center and ventured on thru Arkansas we unfortunately bypassed Little Rock and The Clinton Library; was just too much for Matt to stomach, as he has still not forgiven Bill for the entire Lewinskey affair; some people just won't let things go.  The route to Hot Springs was fairly quick and painless, we quickly made our way to downtown Hot Springs; a town born at the foot of the Ouachita hills and in the Hot Springs National Forest.  The town was built up around the natural hot spring water that flowed from above and the healing powers believed to be in the waters.  Even though it was 105 degrees, we decided to take a docent led tour of the area and to take a few sips of the water.  None of my ailments were healed (nor my mental issues) but the tour was fun and we managed to stay on for a tour of one of the original bath houses on Bath House Row.  These bath houses were originally spas for the ailing that required a doctor's prescription for a visit; in later days were a spot for the wealthy, the mob and whoever could afford the spa-like treatments within.  The bath house we toured has been turned into the National Park visitor center and was quite beautiful and well restored and appointed!  After the bath house tour it was onto a local antique store and Matt found a great looking 1890's clock with a beautiful convex face and deco numbers; this will be difficult to transport on a plane, but not my worry!

The rest of the day was spent perusing Main Street of and taking in the site of old-time Hot Springs-the place was really something back in the day-was a place for gangsters to lay low in the 40's and 50's but fell on hard times in the 60's as many of the bath houses closed and fell into disrepair.

Later that day we went onto day 3 of some fine BBQ.  The local buzz was to hit McClards, a local spot that has been around since the 1920's, but to our chagrin it was closed.  Alas, we had a back-up plan with a mention in the BBQ magazine for Stubby's Hik-Ry Pit Bar-B-Que.  The place was another winner-clearly a family run business most likely in a restored former fast food place.  It was very clean and the counter staff was friendly and welcome to offer so much more than just a plate of food.  We ordered a meal for two that included a half slab, beans, potato salad, cole slaw, mild, hot homemade sauces and LOTS of white bread and butter.  I feel terrible that we took the bread, as I have not eaten that type of bread since my last home-packed PB&J in 1982!!!  Anyway, the ribs were very tasty-a nice rub was clearly slathered on top with the finest barbecue sauce we had tasted so far.  It was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!  Both versions, hot and mild were great, so good that we purchased a bottle and decided to carry it back to Cleveland!  The ribs were more fatty than we had already encountered, not so much like the Memphis style that we had eaten with nearly perfect fat rendering and not much gristle.  The slaw was my least favorite so far, but the potato salad and beans were damn good.  All in all, Stubby's was terrific and the best looking place so far.  A family-run business with lots of Southern charm.

After we were stuffed on barbecue, we were off to "Inception" and a night at The Lookout Inn, a nearby B&B.

Fat and happy once again on some great sights, food and hospitality!

okay, so here is the deal; this blogging thing is all new to me and last night I spent a half hour posting he activities of day 2 and then went to post, but somehow the entire post vanished; oh the ghosts of this so-called internet era.

We made our way from Memphis toward Arkansas early Monday morning after a light breakfast of egg, Tennessee bacon and grits; 'twas truly a stick to your ribs morning meal.  That meal stuck to my ribs until about 4 in the afternoon, was however delicious and a great way to start the trek across 1-40 into Arkansas.

Backtracking a bit, we did have a fabulous BBQ meal on Sunday night at Central BBQ outside downtown Memphis-this was the meal to remember up to this point in the trip:

The food was terrific.  The place was pretty rough around the edges-think the original Grumm's for you hometown folks, but the meal was far better than Rendezvous from Saturday night.  At Central BBQ it seems they are all about the rub and the slightly sauced ribs, something that we are more use to.  The rub was spicy and blended nicely into the succulent meat, did not just sit on top.  I also enjoyed a shoulder sandwich with slaw on top, as well as beans, potato salad and Matt had ribs, beans and a beer.  The fat on the ribs was rendered so well, there was barely a trace in he flavor of the ribs and next to nothing was left on the bone once we dove into the meaty portion of each bone.  We determined that the beans were not as good as Rendezvous, but once again the ribs, sauce, slaw and potato salad were better than the prior night.  That was one hell of a great Sunday night dinner and all for the low price of $40 with beverages included.  Last comment on Central BBQ, they may want to run a damp cloth over the vinyl table cloths and take a mop to the rest rooms, but that's just me wanting a little sanitation when I eat out!

On the road we went to Hot Springs, Arkansas; with a first stop at the Visitor Center just over the Tennessee border, where Matt was able to get his much-loved map of Arkansas, as well as at least 6 books, pamphlets and brochures of things to do.  He loves that crap and has spent a few hours already mapping a drining strategy, as well as activities for the days (why should I complain, as he is a great trip planner and I am lucky to be part of the ride.  Sop we venture on and there is so much more to com.........................

Wow, I cannot believe I have entered the modern media world.  Yesterday, my partner and I left for the official biggest and best trip of the summer. We hit the road for the Barbecue Trail.  We flew via Charlotte to Memphis last night.  It is sweltering hot here, well above 95 degrees.  We settled into our room and then armed with Jane and Michael Stern's "Two for the Road" as well as their "BBQ" magazine and a recent issue of "Cook's Illustrated" we began to plan our first night out for great BBQ fare.  We hit a Memphis favorite, Charles Vergos Rendezvous Charcoal Ribs; the place is in a back alley near the new FedEx Forum and in the heart of downtown Memphis. Now the place is not a study in health code training, but the BBQ was pretty damn good.  I had a half slab and pulled pork; all dinners come with slaw and beans.  Charles Vergos is know for their dry rubbed and charcoal grilled BBQ and that is exactly what we got.  The "other half" had a half slab and brisket; both very good, but we agreed that the dry rub was a bit TOO dry for our northern palettes.  The liberal spicy rub was covering the ribs, but sort of sat on the surface and did not really melt into the meat.  The rubs were actually quite dry, though they separated from the bone quite easily.

Everything was tasty: the ribs, mustardy slaw, pulled pork and brisket.  Their style of BBQ does not include much sauce, however a couple of bottles of sauce were on the table and were a fine condiment.  We agreed that the beans were the best part of the entire meal.

Charles Vergos was hopping.  Their normal hours are until 10 PM, however we discovered a Justin Beiber concert had just let out and a slew of 'tweens in their sparkly finest invaded the place around 9:50, much to the chagrin of many of the bus staff that were milling about, counting their side tips and planning to escape after the last rib bone fell.  The place really filled up and these girls looked hungry.

Charles Vergos was the first stop on the BBQ trail, so I have decided to wait to weigh in and compare until we have a few more joints under our already expanding belts.  I will also posts some pics of the stops along the trail and the great food along the way.

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Pulled Pork

Advance preparation: 3-8 hours for marinating the meat (optional); also, allow yourself 4 to 6 hours cooking time

Special equipment: 6 cups hickory chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in cold water to cover and drained

For the Rub:

1 tablespoon mild paprika

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons hot paprika

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt good quality bay leaves (if using the oven method)

For the Barbecue: 1 Boston butt (bone-in pork shoulder roast; 5 to 6 pounds), covered with a thick (1/2 inch) layer of fat 10 to 12 hamburger buns

Preparation:

1. If using the rub, combine the mild paprika, brown sugar, hot paprika, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, pepper, onion powder, and salt in a bowl and toss with your fingers to mix. Wearing rubber or plastic gloves if desired, rub the spice mixture onto the pork shoulder on all sides, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 3 hours, preferably 8.  If not using the rub, generously season the pork all over with coarse (kosher or sea) salt and freshly ground black pepper; you can start cooking immediately. If using the oven method, skip to step #7 and add the bay leaves, once the pork is prepared and in the pan.

2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and place a drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; when smoke appears, reduce the heat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, preheat the grill to medium-low and adjust the vents to obtain a temperature of 300°F.

3. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1 cup of the wood chips on the coals. Place the pork shoulder, fat side up, on the hot grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and smoke cook the pork shoulder until fall-off-the-bone tender and the internal temperature on an instant-read meat thermometer reaches 195°F, 4 to 6 hours (the cooking time will depend on the size of the pork roast and the heat of the grill). If using charcoal, you'll need to add 10 to 12 fresh coals to each side every hour and toss more wood chips on the fresh coals; add about 1/2 cup per side every time you replenish the coals. With gas, all you need to do is be sure that you start with a full tank of gas. If the pork begins to brown too much, drape a piece of aluminum foil loosely over it or lower the heat.

4. Transfer the pork roast to a cutting board, loosely tent it with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

5. Wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves if desired pull off and discard any skin from the meat, then pull the pork into pieces, discarding any bones or fat. Using your fingertips or a fork, pull each piece of pork into shreds 1 to 2 inches long and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. This requires time and patience, but a human touch is needed to achieve the perfect texture. If patience isn't one of your virtues, you can finely chop the pork with a cleaver (many respected North Carolina barbecue joints serve chopped 'cue). Transfer the shredded pork to a non-reactive roasting pan. Stir in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the vinegar sauce, enough to keep the pork moist, then cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it on the grill for up to 30 minutes to keep warm.

6. To serve, mound the pulled pork on the hamburger buns and top with coleslaw. Let each person add more vinegar sauce to taste.

7. The same finished product can be achieved by skipping the grill and preparing the pork in a very low-temperature oven. Prepare the pork butt as in step #1, then and allow to sit with the rub. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

8. After 8 hours, remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature for one hour before proceeding. Place the pork in a large enough pan for the pork and the juices that will accumulate. (estimate approximately 4 cups of juice from a 5-6 pound butt) Tightly cover the pan with foil and place in the preheated oven for 6-8 hours, the timing will depend on your oven temperature and the actual size of the butt.

9. Remove the pan from the oven and test the pork with a fork; the meat should easily tear away from the pork butt and shred with little effort. Allow to sit until cool enough to handle.

10. When cool enough to handle, tear the pork butt away from the bone and fat with hands and place in a separate pan. Once the pork is shredded, smother your favorite barbecue sauce and reheat before serving. The pork can be made up to 3 days in advance. To reheat, tightly cover pan with foil and reheat the shredded pork in a 300 degree oven until warm to the touch, serve immediately.

Fresh Peach Barbecue Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

4 medium fresh ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and quartered

3 to 4 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ cup red pepper jelly

¼ cup soy sauce

1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (juice of about 2½ medium oranges)

¼ cup red wine vinegar 

slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a blender, process the peaches and water to a smooth puree; set aside until needed.

2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat; add the oil and heat through. Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes; cook just until the aroma is released, about 30 seconds.

3. Whisk in the peach puree, pepper jelly, soy sauce, Dijon, and brown sugar; continue cooking over medium-high heat, whisking often, until the sauce begins to boil. Add the orange juice and vinegar, and bring back to the boil; whisk in the slurry and continue cooking until the mixture is thick and saucy, about 3 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Cool before brushing on ribs or mixing into pulled pork.

Welcome to Bob's Blog, the new blog for Bob Sferra Culinary Occasions.  I will be using this blog to keep you informed about what is going on in NE Ohio in the food world. I'll tell you where you can see me, Chef Bob.  I'll be sharing some of my favorite recipes.  I'll tell you about our upcoming travel adventures, and sharing some photos of events past.  I'll share with you some pictures of some of our events that we are catering and who knows what else!  Be sure to subscribe to get all the news!