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We have been in intense decision mode at the Reed hacienda in recent days. Son is a high school senior, you see, and a fine university in Colorado was one of his options. We decided we needed to see it for ourselves and spring break turned out to be the best time to go. So off we went.
We were only thirty minutes out of Starkville when we faced our first food decision. Short of some travel supplies, I had already planned a quick stop in Columbus. While in the drugstore we ran across the ice cream section, full of intriguing flavors in handy pint size. Son looked at me with some anticipation, reminding me that it wouldn’t be the first road trip we had knocked back a pint of the cold and creamy. I couldn’t argue the point, and I rarely turn down ice cream, but given the lateness of the hour it didn’t seem like a good idea. We chose not to indulge. But lo and behold, as we pointed the truck back towards the highway, a bright red neon light beckoned us, pulling us in like a tractor beam on the Starship Enterprise. You know this light if you are of like mind. It is round, with hieroglyphics that cry out, “Hot Donuts Now”. This one was harder to pass up. (Did I mention the tractor beam? Pulling us unwillingly across the street and into the drive-through?) Our only saving grace was that we didn’t get a dozen hot glazed. Just four. Because when they are hot, they collapse into the mouth so readily that eating two is basically like eating a single that has reached room temperature.
This visit was entirely for Son, but I guess I’ve taught him well: he left the meal planning to me. We could have taken any number of flight combinations to get to Denver, but the best deal happened to give us a little over two hours in the ATL. Usually I’m not crazy about a layover that long, but it would fall at lunchtime and I had a plan. Airport food is not a culinary genre I often crave, but I think the options are improving now. In Birmingham there was a Jim ’N Nick’s and a Good People Brewing company – both have local roots. In Atlanta I spotted a Five Guys Burgers and a branch of The Varsity. I would have easily settled for a chili cheese dog and a Frosted Orange, were it not for another tractor beam that had locked in on us from Terminal E: a place called One Flew South.
Along the way in my association with the Southern Foodways Alliance, I kept hearing about this place in the Atlanta airport that actually induced tolerable layovers. I don’t fly that much anymore so this was my chance. After all, how many opportunities does one get to eat at a fine dining restaurant in the middle of the international terminal? And on top of that Chef Duane Nutter has competed on Iron Chef America and is a part-time comedian. Not to mention that I looked up the menu online – they call it “southernational” cuisine – and was sold even before I knew the chef was funny.
I was especially proud of Son when he ordered the OFS Dirty South: an open-faced meatloaf sandwich with pimento cheese, fried egg, sautéed spinach, Benton’s bacon, and barbecue sauce. Layers and layers of flavor happening on that plate. Son said that the slightly candied Benton’s bacon was the MVP of the dish – I picked the whole team. (Of course I tried his. That’s how it works when I’m buying.) I ordered the Pulled Duck Sandwich: duck confit, fig and peanut relish, and scallions. Pulled Duck Confit. In the airport. I was bordering on giddy.

Pulled Duck Confit. This little piggy went oui, oui, oui all the way home.

OFS Meatloaf Sandwich framed with Benton’s Bacon.

We also tag-teamed on dessert. Banana pudding with vanilla bean flecks, house made whipped cream and a hazelnut crunch sprinkled on top. And Pineapple “Not” Upside Down Cake: grilled pumpkin bread, bourbon-braised pineapple chunks, and more whipped cream. Eventually we had to catch a plane to Denver, or we might have stayed and started over.

Nutter’s Nanner Puddin’ (or that’s what he should call it)

He called it “Not Upside Down” – we called it “Empty Plate”

Dinner in Denver was already settled before we left home. First Cousin Y is married to Chef Ed, who recently took over the kitchen at The Park House in the Bluebird District of Denver. In a previous life, the Park House was a fine French restaurant called The Normandy, serving the likes of Liz Taylor and Elvis. These days they serve a different kind of French food – we know it as Cajun. Chef Ed is not a Cajun himself, but Cousin Y has deep Louisiana roots; as the story goes, when he fell for her he also fell for her food.

The signature item on the menu is The Peacemaker, an oyster po-boy. Neither Son nor I are big fans of that particular mollusk, but there were plenty of other Louisiana staples to pick from. The first plate sent out was Crawfish Cheese toast. I have had similar dishes – in other places – that were okay but not memorable. Chef Ed’s was great. Not overly crawfishy, plenty of cheese, and I’m pretty sure some rendition of the holy trinity of Cajun cooking was in the mix somewhere.

Next out was a big basket of okra (fried as the good Lord intended) with remoulade sauce; Son got a fried shrimp po-boy. I chose beaucoup small plates because I didn’t want to decide. A bowl of gumbo. Red beans and rice (with andouille sausage and pepper jack cheese, a tasty new twist.) Good Cajun food in the Rockies. Who’d a’ thunk? I hated to leave even a bite, but as you might imagine, by this point we were stuffed. Plus Cousin Y had been talking up the buttermilk pie (her own recipe) drizzled with blackberry sauce.  We ate the pie – it was worth the ensuing waddle to the car – then drove on to Golden, where more good eats (oh, and a college) awaited.

Texas Star

I’m going to go ahead and give my visit to the Texas State Fair the adjective it deserves: epic. I know that’s a big word to throw around. But consider all the boxes I got to check off. We found and tried all the Big Texas Choice food finalists. I got to spend the day with two friends that I rarely get to see. And I met the funnel cake lady. Here’s how it happened.
One of the finalists was the Texas Twisted Taco. This masterpiece consisted of a piece of Texas brisket dipped in a barbecue sauce-spiked batter and fried, sharing space in the soft tortilla with a tri-color slaw, Mexican cheese, poblano, sweet pepper corn, and fried okra. There was even a chili-cheesey kind of sauce for dipping. At that point of our day, we all agreed that it was one of the best things we had tried.

Texas Twisted Taco

While we were waiting to order, I happened to overhear a gentleman at a nearby table mention something about a table-mate bringing funnel cakes to the fair. It caught my ear, but we moved on in the line and I focused on what we were about to eat. When we finished, I noticed a set of pictures on the wall and what appeared to be some sort of official document – the kind with a plethora of “whereas’s” and whatnot that city mayors use in proclamations to honor folks. I got up to check it out and began to read about Wanda Winter, who had been honored as the first person to ever serve a funnel cake at the Texas State Fair. I also noticed that the lady in all the pictures bore a striking resemblance to the lady at the table where I had been innocently, accidentally and ever-so-politely eavesdropping.

Wanda Winter, The Famous Funnel Cake Lady

Well, I know an opportunity when I see one, so I promptly made a beeline to her table, introduced myself, and had a little visit with the Famous Funnel Cake Lady. We also noticed that over the years, her little restaurant within the fair had produced several finalists and winners in the Big Texas Choice contest, including the Twisted Texas Taco. As it turned out, it was her daughter, Christi Erpillo, who was the creative mind behind the newest Deep Fried Objects (DFO’s). They got on the phone, found out she was on the way, and we had a nice visit with her, too. She gave us a little tour, told us about some of the previous years’ contest entries, showed us pictures of some of the famous people they had fed, and gave us a preview of a line of unique drinks she was developing. We got the full Twisted Taco Tour.

Christi Erpillo

Speaking of winners, I should get you caught up on the other finalists. One was a chicken fried loaded baked potato. Sort of. It was indeed the insides of a baked potato with butter, bacon and cheddar, dipped in seasoned flour and fried. Around the corner were the Sriracha balls. I was a little nervous, what with my taste buds being tender (as we all know by now). But as hot sauces go, I do like the flavor of Sriracha. There was potential. This was a ball of shredded chicken, corn, green chilies and tomatoes- and of course, Sriracha – that had been rolled in crushed tortilla chips (a unique twist) and fried. Though they were a nudge higher on the spicy scale than I usually choose, I loved the concept.

Chicken-Fried Loaded Baked Potato

Sriracha Balls 

Another finalist was Breakfast for Dinner. I couldn’t wait to try this one – I dig tacos for breakfast, and I dig breakfast at any time, so this was right up my alley. It had everything you could imagine stuffed inside that fried tortilla: bacon, eggs, cheese, sausage, potato, onions, ham, and cinnamon roll bits. My bits of cinnamon roll were undetectable, but it was still a good idea, and a good breakfast taco regardless.
Our first DFO of the day – the gateway DFO – was the Spaghetti and Meatballs: spaghetti noodles, sauce, and meat formed into the shape and size of a baseball, rolled in bread crumbs, fried, then topped with more sauce and parmesan cheese.

Breakfast for Dinner

Deep Fried Spaghetti…Meatball

One of the nice things they did for novices like us was to self-promote. If a particular vendor had won or placed as a finalist in previous years, there were signs – and often they kept some of those prize-winning dishes on the menu. Such was the case with the remainder of our taste tests. After standing in line for the Texas Bluebonnet dessert, we took the opportunity to counter all that sweet with a Cuban Roll: slow-roasted pork, chopped ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, wrapped and – do I even need to say it? Fried. This was one of my favorites of the day, and if you want to know the truth (you do, don’t you?), it was the pickles that made it work.

Cuban Roll

Last and absolutely, positively, undisputedly not least – the chicken-fried bacon. If the deep-fried butter I described in the last post sounded decadent, this may top it. Nothing fancy. Just a strip of thick bacon double-dipped in batter and fried. At this point I was really glad we were sharing – I could have easily eaten the whole basket. (Basket of Bacon. What a nice ring that has to it.)

Basket O’Bacon

Aside from a frozen lemonade (a favorite of The Wife and I) and an ice cold cup of Texas-made root beer, that was pretty much our day. We did all the damage we could do in the few hours we could dedicate to the cause. It’s too bad we were full – another dozen or three DFO’s were out there to be tasted. Now that’s a fair. Put it on your calendar now, and next year we’ll get a bus.

I’ve heard it said often – most recently in a football program ad – that it’s not just the destination, it’s the journey. Lots of truth in that, especially when it comes to road trips.
When I took Son to Ole Alma Mater, the journey north left limited opportunities to stop and smell the proverbial roses. Because we had an appointment at the destination, we only stopped once to exercise another sense, the taste of a breakfast biscuit. The journey home, however, was another matter altogether.
There are certain things Son may need to know should he choose to become an Ole Alumnus, too. He can ride up and down the main drags and see for himself all the eating places with the flashy signs. He can cruise the Square to find the finer dining. He doesn’t need me for all that. But someone needs to give him the inside scoop on the stromboli at Pizza Den, the barbecue and crinkle-cut fries at Handy Andy’s, the hamburger and fried pickle spears at Phillip’s Grocery. That is my responsibility as his father.
After lunch at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, we went on another kind of chicken run, this time for chicken of the salad sort. (Another important lesson to pass on: keep a cooler in the car.) We started at the Chevron just off the Square on North Lamar. This is where my old friend Mr. Mistilis sells his feta cheese salad dressing and chicken salad, which I tend to speak of often. His chicken salad is finely chopped – almost like a spread. Just down the hill a little is James Food Center, where we picked up some pimento cheese and their version of chicken salad (slightly chunkier), which was once listed as one of 100 Southern things to eat before you die.

Prizes from the chicken run

Next we headed south to Water Valley, and the BTC Old-Fashioned Grocery Store. The BTC has received a good bit of press lately, and also published their own cookbook. They carry lots of local produce and harder-to-find items, including – yep – chicken salad. I really didn’t stop for the chicken salad, which was super chunky and included basil and parmesan, but I thought three varieties from three different makers would make a nice taste test. If you are expecting me to pick one over the others, though, you are out of luck. Three different consistencies, three variations of flavor, three great chicken salads. Next time I’m up there and want to buy chicken salad, I’ll buy them all again.

The B.T.C.

BTC gave us more than that, though. The item that had us oohing and aahing the most was ice cream. Actually, it was gelato, but we’ll get to that in a minute. It was made by the Sweet Magnolia Ice Cream company in Clarksdale. There’s only about a dozen places you can get this stuff, and none of them are in Starkville. Something needs to be done about that. I took a look in the freezer, saw what it was, and perused the flavors. Then I sent Son over to check it out, with the instruction that he, too, should pick a flavor and see if it was the same one I picked for us to share. (It’s important to note here that my cooler was not a Yeti. It was designed to keep boudin cool on the way back from Louisiana, and was perfectly sufficient for chicken salad and feta cheese dressing. It was not cold enough for ice cream. We were going to have to eat it immediately. It was a burden we were willing to bear.)
Son is a good ice cream chooser, as it turns out. I think they call that “being teachable”. An essential quality for a future college student, right? He picked the same one I did, Peanut Butter with Cookies-n-Cream Gelato. That’s my boy. It wasn’t excessively sweet, and it had a goodly amount of Oreo-like cookie pieces in it. But those were not the most impressive traits. Son and I also agreed that this was the smoothest ice creamish dessert we had ever put in our mouth. I would go so far as to call it silky. And after a little Googling, I found out why.

I kinda wondered what the difference is between ice cream and gelato. Generally speaking, I learned that gelato has less fat, less air churned into it, and usually less egg yolks (if any at all.) Churn speed can also vary, as does the ideal temperature for consumption. (Gelato is better at a slightly warmer temperature.) Gelato is more dense, more milky, while being less creamy or buttery, according to my source. But enough with the facts. What you need to know is this: if you are heading for the Delta anytime soon, you need to take a good cooler with you. Otherwise, how will you bring any back for me?

Memorize. Purchase. Bring to me.

Despite the fact that we polished off a pint of gelato between Water Valley and Bruce, we still stopped at Buck’s One Stop in Calhoun City for a couple of pieces of caramel cake. If you must know, we did not eat them right away. We waited until we got home and shared them with the family. Most importantly, I wanted Son to know where to find it, and just pointing as we drove by did not seem respectful to the man who makes the cakes.
By the time we got to Walthall it was getting close to dinner time, and I hadn’t had a Real Deal sandwich at the Quick Stop in many moons. So we stopped and saw Ms. Audrey and got ourselves one. Really, it was just one – we shared it. Honest.
So now Son knows the way home, and he won’t go hungry, either. In the meantime, I got a new cookbook and discovered Mississippi gelato. Journey accomplished.

The Real Deal. From the Walthall Quick Stop. Messy but worth it.

I’m just going to put it out there. Food Network has nothing on Starkville.
I will give them credit for fueling the nation’s fascination with competition cooking shows. I’ve watched my fair share. But the only things missing from the Backyard Gourmet Grill Off at the Everything Garden Expo last weekend were a concrete floor and a television camera. Oh, and maybe the ten thousand dollar prize.
Two semi-pro grilling teams faced off just outside the north end of the MS Horse Park arena floor. (Thus, the lack of concrete underfoot.) I say semi-pro because both team leaders are in the restaurant business and have grilled competitively, but this day they were “off the clock”. Matthew Bedwell and Mike Nolan came as Accidental BBQ, though after watching them strategize, I saw nothing accidental about it. The other team, Hoss and Little Joe, are known around these parts as John Lee Peeples and Charlie Hester, though it was never made completely clear which one was Hoss and which was Little Joe.

Accidental BBQ

Hoss and Little Joe

Before the event, both teams knew at minimum they’d be dealing with some part of a chicken, ground meat, and a truly mystery ingredient. Though it was patterned to a large degree after Chopped and Iron Chef America, the focus of the Grill Off was to show novice grillers (like me) what we might do in our own backyards. In other words, the mystery baskets were manageable – no dragon fruit, caviar or Captain Crunch from which they would have to derive a charcoal-grilled entrée. Just basic grillable grub.

Kitchen Stadium at the MS Horse Park

Mr. La La Watching the Show

Behind the teams was a table full of basic kitchenware and several shelves of fruits, vegetables, condiments and other pantry staples, thanks to Vowell’s Marketplace, EMCC, Mark Guyton and a few local farms. Each team had access to an extra-large Big Green Egg and two Weber charcoal grills. Forty-five minutes was the time limit from the moment they opened the baskets until the dinner bell rang and “hands off” was called. Three of the four meats in the basket had to be used in some form or fashion, along with one side dish (sweet or savory), using anything in the pantry. They brought their own knives and grilling utensils, and each had an appointed volunteer to do whatever was needed – chopping, washing, or finding the can opener. Ten points were awarded for taste, because really, that’s what matters the most. Up to five more points could be snared for originality and use of the secret ingredients. And it was decided that presentation and plating would serve as a tie-breaker because let’s face it: in the backyard, that’s not really the point.

Hoss, Little Joe and Hop Sing

Matthew, Mike and Henri Sue

The judges for the day were John Correro (of MSU football sideline fame), Cherri Golden (a self-proclaimed “woman about town” and food writer in Columbus), and Chef Shannon Lindell (from the faculty of EMCC’s Culinary Arts department). The emcee was the infamous Hobie Hobart – thankfully nobody on the teams seemed distracted by his shorts. Wes Shelton (of Bell’s Building Supply, the main sponsor along with sister store, Thyme) was the Green Egg wrangler and charcoal guru, keeping all the fires hot for both teams. And should Wes ever become weary of lumber and nails, he is certain to find work as a producer for Food Network. Or someone’s personal outdoor chef.

Miss Moon Pie, Chef Shannon, and Mr. Correro

Guru of the Green Egg

It was quite interesting to see the techniques of both teams in action. One had a Moleskin notebook with the meal planned out as far as was possible after a pre-contest study of the pantry. The other admitted in a post-contest interview that his ideas were forming as he trimmed the chicken. When the baskets were opened, the teams found ground chuck, ground pork, chicken leg quarters and Beaverdam Farms smoked pork sausage – lots of wonderful grilled possibilities.

Mike Checking the Clock

John Lee Working the Grills

Now to the plates. Hoss and Little Joe mixed the ground pork and ground beef to make burgers, stuffed them with Progress Cheese Barn feta and bits of onion, and layered them with slices of avocado and Beaverdam Farms tomato. All that on a Swiss Zopf roll from Milk and Honey Farms. Next to it on the picnic plate was a seasoned chicken quarter smothered with a pineapple/brown sugar sauce, with a kick most likely provided by our friend Tony Chachere. The side was something they called Backyard Beans. The pantry offered black, red and white beans and they used them all, along with grilled onions, peppers and chunks of the smoked sausage.

Charlie Plating the Burgers

The Final Product from Hoss and Little Joe

Accidental BBQ also created a beef/pork combo burger – a mix that really worked. Theirs was topped with farmer’s cheese, garlic mayo (created on the premises from Bountiful Harvest garlic), and a bacon-onion-balsamic jam cooked in a cast iron skillet directly on top of a charcoal chimney. The chicken was put into action by stir-frying it with rainbow peppers and onions – not something you see done every day on a grill. (Then again, I’ve never made bacon jam on my grill either –maybe I need to spend more time down at Matthew’s house.) For the side, they went for a red bean concoction of a completely different sort, mixed with Lancaster Farms green onion, tomato, and corn that was roasted on the Big Green Egg.

Accidental BBQ’s Offering

Matthew Serving it Up

When it was all over and the judges had made their decision, those of us standing around drooling over what they had left behind also had a decision to make – should we trust them and wonder? Or eat the leftovers? Well, as someone who used to live in a country where we ate with our fingers and double-dipped from a communal dish, the decision was easy. I found a clean fork and dug in. No regrets – it was yummy.

“This is what we call, in the restaurant biz, a towel.”

Post-Grilling Wrap-Up

Hoss and Little Joe took home the very first Backyard Gourmet Grill Off Golden Spatula Award (which was neither gold nor an actual spatula, but a prize nonetheless) and bragging rights for the next year. But here’s my suggestion: if you have a chance to eat in either team’s backyard – take it.

Winners of the Golden Spatula

Hobie Was Everywhere!