we are a year old

and we missed our birthday. of course that would happen. we’ve been so busy blogging, drinking, traveling, eating, working away, that we didn’t even realize that the eats/ktebcdogfoodblog (whichever you are keen to addressing this as) has been around for one whole year. our blog birthday was in june.

i have to say it’s been a crazy year, full of amazing food, good friends, fun events, and amazing memories and this.  thanks to all who support cdog and me. we obviously wouldn’t keep doing this if you weren’t around (actually, we probably would, but we still appreciate ya). thanks for hanging in there when we sometimes go silent, or through our incoherent ramblings on things we love and you know all that stuff.

happy birthday to us and thank you to you! cheers!

to celebrate, i present you with: http://www.cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

and some amazing cakes below:

that's a cake!

i mean seriously. give me now. please?

Recipe Wed: Cdog’s Dry Rub Recipe

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating my BBQ you know there are a few things I take VERY seriously.

One, is the cut of meat that I buy. Here’s a small tip, if you’re at the grocery story and looking for something specific but don’t see it – ASK. Most grocery stores have butcher shops in them and unless you’re grocery shopping at the end of store hours or at the end of a busy weekend, chances are, they will be able to butcher whatever you’d like. (I experienced this last weekend – thanks Danvers Market Basket for being so accommodating with my brisket). My favorite meat choices as of late have been split chicken breasts (bone-in), brisket (duh) and pork butt.

Two, is the dry rub that I use. I like to use a dry rub, even when I know there is going to be sauce involved later. There is just something about the flavors really getting baked into the meat that makes it that much more special. Another great thing I’ve found with dry rubs is that they are really versatile – I can use the same rub for beef that I can for pork – umm yes!

Cdog's ribs - ok not really my ribs, but you know what I mean

Three, is the sauce that I use. Personally my favorite kind of sauce is Carolina style (vinegar based) BBQ sauce. Of course this is best with pork, although I’ve tried it with chicken and still loved the results. For beef, I have found that I actually prefer Texas style BBQ – no sauce needed. Just enjoy the dry rub and the flavors of the smoke and meat.

Now that you know what is important to me and my BBQ – I will give you my tried and true rub recipe. Use this on ribs, pork butt, brisket and even chicken and enjoy! This should be enough for 8-10 pounds of meat, but it also keeps nicely in a jar, so make it and keep some for later or use it up!

Cdog’s BBQ Dry Rub:

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1/8 cup salt
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup cumin
• 1/8 cup chili powder
• 1/8 cup fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 Tbsp of cayenne (optional – you can reduce the amount to your liking)

Mix together in a stainless steel bowl and apply a generous coating on the meat. Allow meat to refrigerate, at least two hours but can be up to 12 hours or more, then prepare however you like best – smoked, grilled, baked, crock pot – you name it. It all works! After cooking, your meat should have an amazing flavorful crust that will surely not disappoint!

Happy BBQ’ing!

~cdog

4th of July is upon us!

The 4th of July weekend is upon us …and you know what that means…it’s cookout time again!!! Hooray! There are so many choices when it comes to eating on this weekend. For me memories of the 4th usually contain your usual suspects:

grilled items – hamburgers, hot dogs, brats

salads galore – cole slaw, potato salad, German potato salad, pasta salad

fruit – hello watermelon seed spitting contest

desserts – can someone say flag cake??

I don’t really need to say it, but of course there is always an ample amount of beer around too!

This weekend won’t be much different except that the Love Muffin and I will be celebrating our first 4th of July in our house (last year we were on vaca in Wisco so it doesn’t count as being here…duh). Of course we’ve invited over our besties (sadly Kteb will be visiting the city of Brotherly Love – I’m sure she will have lots to talk about after this weekend) and will be having a cookout. We have some great stuff on our menu and our friends will all be chipping in. With the success of our Memorial Day cookout still in our minds, we decided to use the smoker again to make ribs and chicken.

Check out the pics from our first attempt with the smoker:

Smoked chicken - whaaaaaaaaaat?

Ribs w/my own dry rub

The spread

I mean it can’t really get any better than smoked meat, fresh summer salads and your favorite people around you to celebrate summer (don’t forget the sparklers and fireworks this weekend too!). I am so excited about the long weekend – oh and bonus my parents are here too! Just for fun I’ve included below some of the great recipes I’ve seen that can totally amp up your 4th of July cookout.

Lobster Boil – yes I may be Midwestern at heart but I have 100% adopted New England life!

Flag Cake – alright I know you may be rolling your eyes at this one, but honestly, how can you turn down fresh fruit, light cake and cream?

Beer Brats – you know they’re a cdog staple

Avocado/tomatillo dip – I haven’t tried this yet, but will be this weekend – will keep you posted!

Grilled corn on the cob – To. Die. For. Seriously.

Pimms Cup (cocktail) – A few years ago this drink was introduced to me and it is incredibly refreshing and perfect for summer

Ina Garten’s Potato Salad – Potato salad is one of those dishes where you can really make it your own – this one has all of the ingredients that remind me of Grandma’s

Those are just some of the recipes that have caught my eye or are tried and true 4th of July cookout options. What are your favorite 4th of July traditions and recipes? I’ll keep you posted after this weekend to let you know what we had, what we liked and what is still on the “to try” list.

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!

~cdog

Boston Bacon Takedown – ktebcdog vs. bacon

the day started like any other day. except this day wasn’t like any other day. this day, cdog and kteb would be attending what seemed like an event created just for them. what is this baconess we speak of? well, thanks to @the_bacon_party for inviting us to this most wonderful event and thanks to The Takedown and the genius mind of Matt Timms for thinking of such a wonderful idea. 20 amateur chefs from around boston prepared their best bacon dish, and we were asked to judge them, what!? (i’m not sure what made them think we were legit, other than the fact that we like love bacon.)

proof that we were part of the judging panel

we carefully but excitedly made our way down the tables filled with baconations (bacon + creations), our emotions and faces being watched intently by each chef as we tried each of their creations – their pride and joy.  we had everything from loaded baked potato soup to maple bacon munchkins to bacon brownies and beyond.  every chef brought their a-game and every attendee brought their e-game (eating game).

judges picks:

the judges pick of the day, the 1st place winner, was the maple bacon munchkin by zak & erica walstein. yes you read that right…maple bacon munchkin. (now if you’re not from new england and have never had a dunkin donuts munchkin we strongly encourage you try them.) this little nugget of awesomeness had the perfect amount of sweet and savory  all mixed into a light and fluffy little munchkin. it was like the best breakfast in one little bite!

the 2nd place winner was bacon confit and holy moly was this pork belly awesome. the chefs cooked it perfectly. and let’s be serious if you don’t like pork belly, there is something wrong with you.

3rd place went to the bacon aranchini with a garlic/olive oil aioli that was well crafted and pleased the taste buds. the kicker with this dish compared to some of the others was the fact that they were frying these little suckers in front of us! ours were steaming hot and made them that much better.

the people’s choice:

the people’s choice award went to the little bao wow… a traditional bao with pork. the simple, yet tasty dish was well executed and even the bread was made from scratch. matt o’shea won 2nd place with his bbq bacon jam – so freakin’ good! 3rd place was awarded to the bacon ginger creme brulee. people ate this stuff up!

little bao wow

kteb’s picks:

my  favorite dish of the day was definitely the bbq bacon jam by matt o’shea. he created the perfect jam (as far as i’m concered). there was just enough spiciness to please and just enough bacon flavor to delight. not to mention he made his own crackers that had bacon inside. what!?

cdog’s picks:

i’m gonna have to agree with kteb here the bbq bacon jam is something that i would literally spend my own hard earned money on. his bacon/cheddar crackers also hit the spot. i also really loved the arancini – but come on, i have a previous love affair with these little rice balls so it is hard for me to separate that affection. and that munchkin…damn, i could eat that every day for breakfast…just sayin.

what a treat (no pun intended) it was to be part of such a wonderful day full of bacon and happiness. i mean when bacon is involved, how could anyone be sad? there is also someone else we have to thank for this entire event – our good friends at Hormel for supplying all of these contestants with 15 pounds of their Black Label bacon – without that there would have been no competition at all!

check out the great gear we got!

aren't we presh?

until next time here are a few pics to hold you over…bacon forever!!!!!!!

"the right to bear bacon"

bacon smores

this is happiness.

all the contestants happy and bacon'd out

matt t, the fearless leader!

this shirt says it all!

plate o' bacon chocolate & maple on a slice of bacon - the guy with the t-shirt up there made these

this waffle pig had a name, but i don't remember

Guest Blog Frizday – The tale of an NYC lobster roll

Sooo ladies and gents, it’s that time again – time for guest blog frizday!!!!!! Today’s guest blog comes from a dear friend of both Kteb and me – Mr. Chris Brook (CBrook as we call him). Here are some things you need to know about him – he LOVES Boston sports, he’s from Maine, he LOVES plaid shirts (as you can see below), he’s a beer snob (like me) and this guy KNOWS a lobster roll…enjoy!

Sometimes you hear the city calling your name and all you can do is follow its beck and call.

Such was the case just last weekend when two friends and I decided to make a weekend trip to New York City. After enduring crippling traffic in Greenwich, Conn. and five long hours in an SUV, we were starving. We parked in Queens and navigated our way through the belly of the beast, taking our appetite to a hole in the wall in East Village: Luke’s Lobster on East 7^th.

Luke’s, a stone’s throw from Tompkins Square Park, was started just a year and a half ago by former lobsterman-turned-restaurateur Luke Holden. The place has made a name for itself quickly with its lobster rolls though: They’ve already got four locations in New York, a newly opened shack in D.C. and one of those oh-so-hip-these-days food trucks.

Hailing from Maine myself, of course I was skeptical. How could a lobster roll from New York stack up against one from my homeland nearly 300 miles away? I was about to find out.

This thing was loaded with meat, which according to a sign on the counter had come from way up there in Maine: Beals Harbor. Do a Google Maps search for it; it’s up there – past Acadia, past Bar Harbor – this critter was caught an hour from Nova Scotia. This was Real Maine.

Anywho, the roll was overflowing with cold, succulent meat. Not processed but in big chunks – this was quality stuff. The lobster was rounded out with a smidge of mayo, some lemon butter and some spices I couldn’t quite put my finger on. As lobster rolls usually come with a sprinkle of paprika, I’d wager there was some mixed in there.

The real kicker? The roll! It was a split-top bun that was from Maine too, made by Country Kitchen, a big bakery out of Auburn, Maine; the sides were buttered and toasted a tasty golden brown. The crispy sides of the roll complemented the meat perfectly. Served with a refreshing Maine Root Mandarin Orange soda – it was a wholly awesome trifecta of Maine-ness.

Lobsterrific

With our stomachs full it only made sense to do a little imbibing and sample some beers we wouldn’t have been able to try in Boston.  At The Ginger Man on East 36^th I was able to throw back two beers from Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa Bay. Their year-round offerings Maduro Oatmeal Brown Ale and Jai Alai IPA were solid takes on their styles. The brown ale was rich and malty while the IPA was a big, fruity hop blast. Adequately hoppy and at 7.5% ABV it had everything I’d normally look for in an American IPA.

It wasn’t until we got to Pony Bar on 10^th Ave. that we made our best beer discovery of the weekend. A bit of a hike from where we were, just above Hell’s Kitchen and three avenues over from Times Square, the walk was worth it. They had some Ballast Point Sculpin IPA on tap – a pleasure to find on draught at any establishment as it’s constantly rated the best IPA in America. While I’d seen it before, this was different – this time it was on cask. As beer nerds can attest, cask ale’s the way beer was meant to be: Unfiltered, sans carbon dioxide and served cool but not cold to let the flavors expand. Even more surprising: The beer somehow had habanero peppers infused. On its own, Sculpin is a great drinkable IPA with a huge citrusy hop flavor but with the habaneros it took on a whole new flavor. Each sip was a blast of West Coast hops that quickly gave way to spiciness, giving our mouths a surprising burn… but in a good way!  It truly was a bizarre beer drinking experience. While it wasn’t something I could’ve ordered a few rounds of (I think I’d be afraid of heartburn sneaking in!) I was pretty happy with the novelty of the whole thing after drinking just one.

Ballast Point Brewing Co.

~CBrook (aka: @brokenfuses)

Beer brats – a staple for any summer party

Since the weather is FINALLY getting warmer, I thought I would share a great summer recipe with you. As you most likely know, I am from Wisconsin and damn proud of it. Something we enjoy for most of the year but especially enjoy in the summertime are beer brats. I can’t remember many C-dog family summer gatherings without this dish. Of course I’m going to brag a little bit, no one will ever make beer brats like my Grandpa (yesterday was his 83rd birthday!). But this recipe does his justice. This dish isn’t hard to make but it will MAKE any summer party.

Here you go! This recipe feeds between 6-8, it just depends on how many brats you put down.

Ingredients:

• 2 package of brats (if you can buy fresh or homemade do it!)
• 2 12oz bottles or cans of beer – just enough to cover the brats (something light usually works best – think PBR)
• 1 medium white/yellow onion
• Prepared sauerkraut
• Brat buns – similar to like a hard roll but in hotdog roll shape (as they’re called in my family – these are NOT hotdog buns – don’t even think about putting a brat on a hotdog bun)
• Mustard

Directions:

Slice the onion. Add all of the brats to a saucepan cover with the beer. Add the onions and turn up the heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until the brats are cooked. While they’re cooking, heat up your grill (charcoal works best, but gas will do too). Once the brats are boiled remove them from the heat and add them to the grill. Grill to desired crispiness. (Personally I love mine blackened!) Remove from the grill and place back into the heated beer mixture. Serve with the onions, sauerkraut and your favorite mustard*.

YUM!

*Editors note: If I find out that you put ketchup on your brat I will disown you. Ketchup belongs NOWHERE near a beer brat. You’ve been warned!

~cdog

calling all foodies… and non-foodies…

alright people listen up. i think i have a new favorite place. it’s not too far away, and for those of you in suburbia or metro-west, this place is perfect. it’s in newton, not too far off of 128. thanks to the Sis and Bro-in-Law for introducing me to this awesomeness. the place you ask? the biltmore. their website reads, “good times, good friends, cold beer.” they are right on all three accounts. one thing they forgot to add… “GOOD FOOD”. they also have an awesome selection of draft and bottle beers. i have been three times now and i can officially say i am hooked.

1st experience:

hog wings. that’s right i said hog wings. they are bbq pork shanks with carolina bbq sauce and served with a bleu cheese dipping sauce. first, i don’t even like bleu cheese, but this was awesome. second, there were 5 huge hog wings and i could have eaten them all, but i really didn’t want to look like a hog myself. i washed it down with a delerium “termens” strong pale ale from melle, belgium.  and beer advocate gives it an A-… i agree, pretty delicious.

my sister had popcorn shrimp that were on the special menu. they came with a hot sauce and it was the perfect hotness.

when we were here, they were having a beer dinner. they were matching all the dishes with tastes of beers. love the idea and will attend soon! http://www.thebiltmoregrill.com/press.php 

2nd experience:

went for brunch. had a great mimoso. for food, i had a pork frittata with roasted potatoes and fruit. other plates on the table were: pigs in a blanket, but not your normal piggies… sausage wrapped in pancakes and served with maple syrup; french toast crunch (with a captain crunch coating); s.s.b.l.t, the most epic of epic blts. not only did we go for brunch, but we went with 11 people including 3 kids. they were as accommodating as could be and did it all with a smile.

3rd experience (most recent):

so there is an item on the menu that has been staring me down the past two times i have been to the biltmore. i said no the past two times, proving to myself that i was strong and awesome… but at last, chicken and waffles won. i gave in to it’s crispy deep fried crunchiness and indulged in it’s sweet belgium-ness with a dip in hot sauce then a dip in maple syrup, i quickly slipped into a realization that i was done for. i couldn’t stop. it all made sense. i will never say no again.

i couldn’t even wait to eat before taking a picture… so that’s half eaten, kinda. this picture doesn’t do it justice.

so i beg you… make the trip. it is sooooo worth it. if you go and need a friend, i’ll be there….

oh and like them on facebook or follow them on twitter…

-kteb

new site alert…

and i think i’m going to love it…

http://www.gilttaste.com/

Here’s the About Us:

We love food.

The thing we love most about food? It’s best when it’s shared.

Gilt Taste is an online market giving you direct access to artisan products and ingredients, many of which have only been available to professional chefs until now.

Here you can connect with the farmers and artisans who make and grow the products, discover where food comes from, learn how to prepare it for the best results and buy it with a single click.

Gilt Taste is also an interactive magazine. We’re creating original recipes and thoughtful stories with writers including Ruth Reichl, Francis Lam, Melissa Clark and Barry Estabrook.  There are unique contributions from chefs, photographers, filmmakers and tastemakers. We aim to de-mystify ingredients and food trends, and inspire you with the confidence to discover, shop, cook and taste.

As a part of the Gilt Groupe, our site is built with the same state-of-the-art technology and seamless shopping experience as our sister sites.

This is just the beginning. While we’re in beta, we want to hear what you love about eating and cooking. We’re always searching for something new to discover and add to Gilt Taste.

Food inspired us to build Gilt Taste. We hope you’ll be inspired to taste something new today.

i am pretty sure that i can speak for cdog and myself, when i say we  whole-heartedly agree with this and umm the more i think about it, why isn’t this us? one day. we will be there. conquering our culinary dreams of writing about food, booze and fun full time. it. will. happen.

i am off to dinner with my cousin tonight. she is leaving for amsterdam (or somewhere around those parts) tomorrow for the WHOLE summer. excited for her, sad for me.

boston.com posted the best wings in new england… and i have a craving for buffalo now… not buffalo the animal, buffalo the flavor!

-kteb out