Memphis in May Tribute - Good Luck to "Too Sauced to Pork"!

Jenn, of Jenn's Food Journey, and I have talked a lot about meeting at Memphis in May - a fabulous festival which boasts the supreme World Championship BBQ Contest (otherwise known as The Super Bowl of Swine!).  It starts tomorrow.

Neil Gallagher, of the prize-winning team Too Sauced to Pork, has offered to keep my name on his booth's guest list for two years now, which would enable me to eat to my little heart's content (since local health regulations prevent teams from feeding attendees, unless they're invited). I'd even planned to become a team member, helping in whatever way I could, even though my primary skills to offer are only sauce stirring and schmoozing with visitors. Neil and his buddies were accepting dishwashers, servers, choppers, and especially barbecue mavens to help with the effort; any skill, as long as it was offered generously, was welcomed. And they also planned to teach willing newbies like li'l ol' me, sharing the secrets to world class barbecue.

I saved and I planned and I dreamt ... but, alas, once again "real life" has intruded upon my little fantasy and has prevented my getting to Memphis for the party. Jenn isn't able to go this year either, although we were in serious negotiations about the trip - and about finally meeting in the real world, not only chatting in cyberspace - just a few months ago.

"Disappointed" is a woefully inadequate word to describe my dejection. The food, the aromas, the fun, the ambience, the festivities, the allure, the friendships ... everything was luring me down there. I scoped out restaurants along the way, and even across the state lines in Mississippi and Arkansas, too, planning my eating adventures and whetting my appetite.

Instead of getting sunburned and feasting gluttonously on pork and other goodies, though, I will be at home where family responsibilities beckon. (And if I seem to be a bit a.w.o.l. - waaaaaay behind on reading, commenting, and staying in touch - this is why. I've been serving as the figurative ham 'n' cheese in the "Sandwich Generation," with duties as both parent and child; and Craig's very sweet dog, Sammi, sadly was put to sleep last week.)

But the holiday of Shavuot [shah-voo-OHT] - which celebrates the bestowing of the Torah - began at sundown last night. I will eat traditional dairy foods, enjoy a few days off (the Jewish holiday in addition to time that I'd taken in anticipation of my trip), and have fun while also trying not to pout too much.

So Jenn and I will be in Memphis, at least in spirit! We have teamed up to offer "good luck" posts today to Neil and the team, as well as to everyone enjoying the party. I'm not a bar-b-cutie by any means - I don't own a smoker, and I don't devote days to injecting, rubbing, and mopping any of my foods. I simply grill, and do so impatiently, too, despite knowing that I should just leave things to cook over the heat without fidgeting and nudging.

But even though I'm not a world-class barbecuer, this simple, flavorful chicken and pineapple meal is a great way to celebrate the start of the grilling season!

(If you'd like to support Too Sauced to Pork, you can buy team-related clothes and other goodies here.)

Pomegranate-Marinated Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup pomegranate vinaigrette
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken breasts into a gallon-sized freezer baggie. Combine remaining ingredients, then pour over chicken. Seal bag, turn to coat, then refrigerate chicken for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove chicken from baggie and discard marinade.

Heat grill to medium-high. Place chicken away from flames and cook 10 minutes per side. For last minute on each side, place over flame to encourage grill marks. Remove chicken from grill and let rest for 5 minutes, then slice.

Makes 4 servings.

Honey-Grilled Pineapple

1 pineapple
1/3 cup honey

Trim top and bottom from pineapple; stand it upright and trim rind from sides. Turn pineapple on its side and cut into 6 slices.

Heat grill to medium-high. Place pineapple slices away from flames, drizzle with some honey, and cook for 6-7 minutes until starting to tenderize. Flip pineapple over, drizzle with the rest of the honey, and cook another 5 minutes or so until tender and slightly caramelized.

Makes 6 slices.

Frugal Floozie Friday - Satchel's BBQ

On a recent rainy, cold, dreary afternoon, Craig and I went in search of some good ol'-fashioned comfort food. And for frugal prices - within our mandatory budget of $5 per person - we found precisely what we sought at Satchel's BBQ.

I decided to try something a bit off the proverbial beaten path, so I ordered Satchel's Stew - "smoked chicken & pork, corn, okra in a tomato broth" - that comes with a large slice of cornbread for $5. I spooned the stew over the cornbread, which made for a very filling meal; I even brought half of the stew home with me, and it made an exceptional breakfast one morning. (Everyone else loves breakfast for dinner; I like that too, but I adore dinner leftovers for breakfast!) Accented with some of the vinegar sauce that's available at each table - there are four different varieties of barbecue sauce to choose from - it was rich and spicy and very good.

Craig went for the classic pulled pork sandwich for exactly $5; the photo doesn't do it justice in showing how generous the portion of meat is. Tender and smoky, the sandwich was so good that Craig - who can be a picky eater, so his favorites should really feel complimented! - commented on how exceptional it was.

There are several frugal options to enjoy, including a pulled chicken sandwich. Side dishes cost $1.25 each; you could easily choose four of the options - cole slaw, potato salad, macaroni and cheese, baked beans, greens, or beans and rice - and make a meal from them. Or you can order a pint of any side dish for only $4, if you want to focus solely on one item.

The service at Satchel's was very friendly, and we were welcomed not only by the staff but also by the amazing aroma when we walked in. So for hearty food at reasonable prices, try Satchel's BBQ soon.


Satchel's BBQ
3035 Washtenaw Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-971-5100
Monday - Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Roy's Squeeze Inn

 

I had driven by Roy's Squeeze Inn so many times, but never managed to stop in. That's too bad, because it offers wonderfully friendly service, good food, and amazing prices. Thus, it is today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature!

Virtually every item - with the exception of a few of the burgers and the family-sized side orders - qualifies for our mandatory budget of $5 per person. So you could share the generous larger servings of fries, if you want to; but you can also get a meal for yourself within the price range.

I ordered the BBQ Pork Sandwich, pictured above, for $3.70. It was the size of a large burger, and - I was very pleased to find out - came topped with the cole slaw so that it wasn't necessary to place an extra order to put this together myself. I also wanted to see how generous the side dishes were, and found that the curly fries were a perfect single serving at $2.15. If you're just in the mood for a salty snack, they're ideal.

Craig chose the Quarter Cheese Squeeze burger that cost $3.70, and paired it with onion rings that also made for a nice-sized single serving, if you were to order them alone, for $2.20.

Roy's is quaint and old-fashioned with a semi-circular counter and cute tchotchkes; but Craig and I were the only ones who chose to eat in the restaurant on the evening that we visited. I was impressed to see at least a half-dozen customers come in for take-out orders, and found the service to be tremendously friendly as well as efficient.

Vegetarians will have to make do with the side dishes, from potato wedges to fried mushrooms, as well as the options listed above. Carnivores, however, will be able to eat very well for very little money. "Sandwiches," as the menu calls them, range from hot dogs to ham sandwiches (with or without cheese) and also a chicken sandwich; prices range from $1.30 to only $4.

And then there are the burgers, from Little Squeeze sliders costing a mere $1.15 each to the half-pound Big Squeeze for $4.95. You can also add toppings - extra cheese, crispy bacon, jalapeno peppers, grilled mushrooms, cole slaw, or chili - for as little as 40 cents and as much as $1.50.

So sort through the various permutations and eat very well at Roy's for less than $5!

Roy's Squeeze Inn
1315 E. Michigan Ave.
Ypsilanti, MI 48198
734-485-3999
Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m.- 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Red Rock Downtown Barbecue

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue came with a tremendous reputation; I had heard nothing but stellar reports about its offerings. Sometimes, when you have such expectations (for a book, a movie, whatever), you can only be disappointed by reality. But I am here to say that Red Rock more than met my hopes, and is deserving of every rave review it's received.

Not only is this Ypsilanti restaurant serving great food, but it offers exceptional Frugal Floozie Friday deals, too. The Boulder sandwich Jeremy ordered - filled with beef brisket, pork, and bacon - is definitely large enough to split, so that it will come in at an even $5 per person. But you might want to save that for another time, because there are other items that cost even less ... I'm serious!

The side dishes cost $3 each, and are generously portioned. The Country Potato Salad pictured above was very good - creamy, zesty, crunchy.

But the star of the show - the star of the entire meal - was the Macaroni and Cheese. What you see above is the small version ordered off the side dish menu; it was enough that I could very well order it for a full meal! And I'd be lucky to finish it ... though it was so exceptionally rich and smoky and luscious that leaving any behind would be unforgivable. Jeremy and I literally scraped the bottom of the dish to make sure we didn't miss any of the goodness!

I also ordered two of the sliders - beef and pork - for $2.50 each. But guess what? During Happy Hour, all appetizers are half-price! So that means each slider is $1.25. One slider + one side order of mac 'n' cheese = $4.25, which is obviously well under our mandatory frugal $5 per person budget. And such amazing food, too, for such a meager amount of money!

Our server was very friendly and helpful, telling us a bit about the history of the restaurant and how recipes were developed, as well as letting us know about each of the four fabulous sauces. The meats are prepared with a dry rub and smoked; then you can mix 'n' match with more flavor to your heart's content. From sweet to spicy, and not neglecting the all important North Carolina vinegar sauce, there is a condiment to suit any taste.

Despite being a shrine to all things carnivorous, Red Rock also offers a number of vegetarian options, from the spectacular macaroni and cheese to a variety of salads and side dishes. A meal could easily be made from all the choices, and would offer an ideal "do it yourself" buffet either for those who don't eat meat or those, like me, who can't decide which fabulous option to choose.

I had heard rumblings that Red Rock could even rival what has become a Detroit institution: Slow's. I was dubious, and yet .... Jeremy and I both agreed that while we adore Slow's, Red Rock - particularly the mac 'n' cheese - wins the showdown.

So, what are you waiting for?  Go eat!

Red Rock Downtown Barbecue
207 W Michigan Ave
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
734-340-2381
Kitchen Hours:
Sunday: 12 - 11 p.m.
Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - midnight
Happy Hour: 3 - 6 p.m., 9 p.m. - close



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Frugal Floozie Friday - Biercamp

Biercamp Artisan Sausage and Jerky offers an excellent 16-hour pulled pork sandwich for $4.99. Since this falls within our mandatory $5 or less per person Frugal Floozie Friday budget, that makes the shop a perfect place to feature today!

As soon as you walk in the door of Biercamp, you are immersed in the fragrance of the barbecue. The pork is spicy and tender, the onions are a perfect sweet and crunchy complement to the sauce, and the pickles are crisp and bright.  Whether you enjoy your sandwich on the picnic benches out front or take some home with you, you must try this!

There is also a wide variety of jerkies and sausage sticks to choose from; prices vary per pound, so you can choose as much or as little as you want to stay within our budget when buying a snack. One each of several varieties would be a great way to sample items.

All of these items are made in-house by the wonderfully friendly owners Walter Hansen and Hannah Cheadle, who told me that they use some family recipes but often just create foods that they, themselves, want to eat.  (And as you listen to them talk about their vocation, Walter's eyes light up with a passion for his work and his products.)  They were offering samples of beef jerky when I was there last, and it was so flavorful and even tender!  It in no way resembled the desiccated leathery meats that we usually think of when we hear the word "jerky."

I highly recommend the rich and creamy Biercamp Jerky Pate, a cream cheese-based spread with lots of flavors shining through; beef jerky, green and red peppers, garlic, lemon, and Dijon mustard all dance in each bite.  At $9.99 per pound, I was able to buy a container of the pate for less than $5.  Thus I still had a bit of a budget to acquire crackers or vegetables to spread this on, though frankly I will admit to simply eating it off a spoon because it's so good.

There is a refrigerated case offering cheeses purchased from local artisans and smoked at Biercamp, a spread featuring corned beef jerky with my favorite Balaton cherries, baked beans and other side dishes.  Products from Ann Arbor's own The Brinery are proudly sold at the store along with other Michigan items, such as Faygo sodas and Better Made potato chips.  And another case offers an assortment of sausages, from Hillbilly breakfast sausage to Italian- and Indian-influenced varieties, that you can bring home to cook with.

So stop by Biercamp, where you can buy hand-crafted sausages and jerkies - and many other delicious items - still within a frugal budget.


Biercamp Artisan Sausage and Jerky
1643 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
734-995-BIER (2437)
Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Closed Sunday


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Hungarian Sour Cream Cookies

These tender, delightful cookies are surprisingly addictive; I found myself eating a couple ... then grabbing just one more ... then sneaking another one.

Sometimes you want a cookie with all the chocolate, nuts, caramel, and other goodies that you can cram into the dough.  Other times, simplicity rules the day.  And the rich flavor of these seemingly plain cookies definitely shines.

These are perfect for picnics, barbecues, afternoon tea, or any other occasion you can think of ... especially "just because" ....


Hungarian Sour Cream Cookies
(slightly adapted from a recipe in The World of Jewish Entertaining by Gil Marks)

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar; stir in egg, sour cream and vanilla extract.  Stir in flour and baking powder.

Form the dough into 1" balls and place 2" apart on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes until cookies are set but still very pale.  Remove to a rack and cool completely.

Makes about 52 cookies.

Moroccan Spiced Carrots

I love Moroccan food, with its vibrant and exotic flavors.  It doesn't have to be complicated to prepare, even if traditional recipes might require special equipment or long cooking; techniques can be adapted and modernized.

But this gorgeous, simple recipe requires nothing fancy or expensive.  And it rewards you with a slightly spicy tingle complementing the sweetness of the carrots, and the ease of being able to serve it at any temperature - it can therefore be prepared right before serving or well ahead of time, whatever suits your schedule.

These spiced carrots can accompany virtually any dish, and are perfect for a picnic or a barbecue.  Try them!  Who knew plain ol' carrots could be so easily transformed into something so delicious?


Moroccan Spiced Carrots
(slightly adapted from a recipe in The International Kosher Cookbook by The 92nd Street Y Cooking School)

1/2 pound carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2" slices
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin seed
generous pinch of kosher salt
generous pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

Place carrots in a medium saucepan and cover generously with water.  Bring to a boil, then cook for 10-15 minutes until tender; drain.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; add the carrots, stir to coat.  Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.

Double BBQ Chicken

This is a ridiculously easy but unbelievably great dish!

I was very happy to have been sent a generous box of goodies to play with, a lovely marketing gift from the Bender Hammerling Group which handles public relations and marketing for several food producers.  This assortment included several bags of Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips.

The Luau BBQ chips just naturally lent themselves - to my mind, anyway - to a chicken dish.  I have a new-to-me grill that I don't know how to use yet; so it seemed to me that I could still get great barbecue flavor if I used some sauce and the crispy, crunchy treats.

So here is just about the easiest recipe I'll ever offer, involving only 3 ingredients!  Schmear some sauce onto chicken, then roll it in crushed potato chips.  Kid-friendly ... aw, who am I kidding?  It was a huge hit with all the adults, too - one of them told me, "This is the best chicken ever!"  Great for a picnic, perfect for a weeknight dinner, ideal any time ....




Double BBQ Chicken

1 cup honey barbecue sauce
6 ounces Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips, Luau BBQ flavor
6 chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place the barbecue sauce into a medium bowl.  Crush the potato chips into crumbs and place into a medium bowl.

One by one, take each piece of chicken and dip it into the barbecue sauce to coat well; dip into the potato chip crumbs to coat thoroughly, then place the chicken into a baking dish.  Bake for 40 minutes until the chicken is crisp and the juices run clear.  Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6.

This would be great served with Cabbage and Fennel Slaw!

Slows To Go

Slows Bar-B-Q is so many, many things to Detroit.  It's a place to eat.  It's a destination for tourists and suburbanites who might not otherwise go into the city.  It's a place that Detroiters take enormous pride in.  It's a part of the city's renaissance.

As an article in The New York Times explains it:

"In this city, a much-heralded emblem of industrial-age decline, and home to a cripplingly bad economy, a troubled school system, racial segregation and sometimes unheeded crime, there is one place where most everyone — black, white, poor, rich, urban, not — will invariably recommend you eat: Slows Bar B Q.

Slows opened in 2005 at the edge of downtown Detroit, in Corktown, across from the long-abandoned central train station, itself a symbol of widespread blight. Hidden behind a stylish wooden door with no discernible handle, it has become a beacon, drawing longtime Detroiters, newly arrived young people and scores of suburbanites, who wait for hours to sample the pulled pork and dry-smoked ribs and coo over the upcycled design. The restaurant and its sleek décor were dreamed up by one of Slows’ owners, Phillip Cooley, who has emerged as a de facto spokesman for the now-hip revitalization of this city."

It's proven to be so popular that Slows To Go was opened as a means to deal with the crowds at the original site, such that hungry folks could simply run in, pick their options, and then take their food elsewhere in order to let the next set of hungry folks satisfy their appetites.  If you've got a couple of hours to spend waiting for a table at the original, eating, luxuriating and loitering ... by all means, you absolutely want to visit the mainstay.

But if you're in a hurry or if you're just too hungry to wait, Slows To Go is your option.  So that's where Jeremy, Stuart and I ended up one recent Saturday, because neither of my companions particularly excels in the patience department.  And there are a few stools available at counters that line the walls; so rather than taking our food with us, we merely perched and ate with giddy, gluttonous abandon.

You can order enormous plates of ribs or pulled pork or brisket or chicken (even "veggie chicken") or wings; these come with your choice of sides and sauces.  There are combo plates.  There are some gluten-free options.  There are soups and even salads ... pfft!  Like you go to a barbecue joint for lettuce!

And then there are sandwiches, served on Zingerman's rolls, which are the most economical way to get your carnivorous fix.  Jeremy and Stuart each ordered the Triple Threat Pork Sandwich pictured above: "Applewood bacon, pulled pork and ham stacked high and mighty.  Heeyah!  Git some!"  Oh, man, this was an unbelievable feast of smoky, tender, pork heaven!  The boys devoured these.

I chose The Reason: "Naturally-Raised Pork butt, smoked slow and pulled, bathed in our NC Sauce and topped with our signature coleslaw and dill pickle strips."  That I love North Carolina vinegary barbecue, that Slows serves Michigan's own McClure's pickles, and that if I ate some cole slaw I could delude myself into thinking there were some health benefits to my lunch ... well, all of these led to my astoundingly flavorful and fabulous meal.  Because we ordered three sandwiches, we were able to choose three different sauces to go with them: Sweet, Mustard Creole (the unanimous favorite), and Apple (even sweeter than Sweet).

Slows is also justifiably noted for its macaroni and cheese, which is utter decadence.  It has absolutely no redeeming nutritional value, but oh, was it good for our souls!  Each of us was sorely tempted to just inhale this greedily, but knew we needed to share.  We did so reluctantly, in that we wanted to selfishly keep it all to ourselves; but we did so generously, as well, because it was just so, so good that we wanted our loved ones to share in the joy.

So come to Detroit!  Eat at Slows!  And if you're in the area, let me know - I'll happily join you ... :)


For today's recipe - Gingered Mango Soup - go to the Food and Grocery page of AnnArbor.com ....


Slows Bar-B-Q
2138 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI 48216


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Slows To Go
4107 Cass Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201


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BBQ Pork Sandwich with Fennel and Onion

I found a pork loin on sale at the grocery store recently, so I simply had to buy it.  I had no idea what I'd make with it, since I hadn't anticipated blundering into such a great deal.  But when one is granted a moment of serendipity, one simply follows along.

The next morning, I cut the roast into 4 portions and seasoned it simply before placing the pieces into my crockpot.  Then I peered into the refrigerator and concocted a sauce for it to linger in throughout the day.  I love crockpots - you come home from work, dinner is ready and waiting, and the house smells amazing as though someone has been cooking all day just for you.

The pork became tender and fragrant, practically dissolving into shreds.  I had many ideas for ways to enjoy it, but was so enticed by temptation that I didn't want to spend a lot of time preparing anything.  I gave very serious consideration to simply standing over the crockpot with a fork, but decided that this was a tad too bachelor-like to suit me.  I'm kinda prissy: I like little details like wine glasses and cloth napkins.

So I simply sauteed some fennel (I'm still on a mission to get others to like it as much as I do!) and red onion - crunchy complements to the tender pork.  A little drizzle of barbecue sauce, and a quick, hearty and delicious dinner was ready!

Saveur is seeking nominees for its 2012 Best Food Blog Awards.  If you know of anyone to nominate in one of the numerous categories, click on this link to submit your favorites ... ;)



BBQ Pork Sandwich with Fennel and Onion

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large head fennel, stems trimmed, halved, sliced thin
1 large red onion, halved, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
generous sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper
4 whole wheat sandwich rolls
3 cups shredded barbecue pork (see recipe below or pre-purchased)
1/3 cup barbecue sauce

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the fennel, onion, salt and pepper; saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized.

Place the bottoms of each roll onto 4 plates.  Divide the vegetable mixture among the rolls, and divide the pork among them as well, placing it on top of the vegetables.  Drizzle the pork with barbecue sauce, then cover with the tops of the rolls.

Serve immediately.  Makes 4 sandwiches.

Crockpot Pork Loin

1 4-pound pork loin roast, cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon white wine
juice of 1 small orange
1 teaspoon harissa or other hot sauce

Season the pork with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.  Place 2 pieces into the crockpot.  Combine the remaining ingredients and pour half of the sauce over the pork.  Place the remaining pork into the crockpot and pour the rest of the sauce over it.  Cover and cook on "low" for a minimum of 8 hours.  Shred the meat with a fork, stirring to incorporate the liquid.

Frugal Floozie Friday -- Ron's Roadside BBQ

You've probably passed Romanoff's, on Pontiac Trail near North Territorial, dozens of times and presumed that the storefront wasn't open or that it only served catering customers. It's very unassuming.

But you'd be wrong, as I was until just recently. Because there is a small restaurant on that corner which does, indeed, handle catering; but it also offers take-out service, as well as a large table for family-style seating if you want to eat in.

And trust me - whether you take your meal home or eat it there, you definitely want to indulge in some fabulous food at today's Frugal Floozie Friday feature, Ron's Roadside BBQ.

Ron Philipp is the proud chef behind the barbecue joint, and he's also the force behind Romanoff's, which is his family's long-time business. My friends Ruth and Helaine invited me to join them at Ron's for lunch recently, and we had a wonderful meal and lots of fun!

I ordered the Trio on Brio for $9, so that I could try each of the meat varieties offered: brisket, pulled chicken and pulled pork sandwiches on freshly prepared brioche rolls. Truly, I wouldn't be able to pick a favorite; the meats are all unbelievably tender, with a sweet/spicy sauce that is really, really good. These are much larger than the standard slider, and the order could easily be split so that each of three people gets a sandwich. Add one $2 side dish per person - those, too, are very generous - and you've got a complete hearty meal for an even $5 per person.

Pulled pork or chicken sandwiches are $6, and are the size of a Big Mac - readily halved for sharing. Pick a couple of side dishes - everything from cucumber salad (which Ron recommended when I asked which was his favorite) to pasta to macaroni and cheese - and you've got yet another qualifying Frugal Floozie Friday meal, this one perfect for two.

I highly recommend that you eat in when you stop by for your barbecue fix, because then you'll get to hear stories of Ron's travels in France (he earned a certificate at the famous La Varenne cooking school) and working with Ina Garten at The Barefoot Contessa gourmet food emporium. Be sure to ask him about Barbra Streisand and Martha Stewart, too - Ron's got lots of stories to tell, and was a fabulous lunch companion when he joined the three of us at the table.

The barbecue joint smelled just divine when we walked in; not only had Ron been cooking the meats, but he was also preparing a batch of exceptional and authentic jambalaya which he offered generous samples of. The roux is dark and rich, there's a zestiness from cayenne pepper, and it's loaded with goodies like sausage and okra.

So whether you eat in or take your food home, whether you order a full family meal or a $5 Frugal Floozie Friday feature, whether you choose the brisket or the chicken or the pork, just be sure to visit Ron at his barbecue joint. The food is exceptional, and your host is a really great guy!



Ron's Roadside BBQ
5850 Pontiac Trail
Ann Arbor, MI
734-665-4967
Winter hours: Thursday - Sunday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.


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