July 4th Menu Ideas: What are our fave Chefs Serving?

Apologies to the original thirteen colonies...only had room for six lines of strawberries!

"It started in the thirteen colonies..." sang my teen son spontaneously when I showed him my invention...  Inspired by the flags and bunting going up around towns and cities the length and breadth of the U.S., I crafted a July 4th cake.  I used a rectangular slab of butter cake, repeated Keri's heavenly whipped cream recipe comprising heavy cream, mascarpone, vanilla essence and icing sugar (almost a dessert unto itself!) and got creative with local Jersey blueberries and strawbs.

July 4th is far and away one of our favorite holidays as everyone goes crazy with the red, white and blue decorations.  Aside from Thanksgiving, it's also the time when people throw open their doors and welcome friends and family to celebrate the holiday through food.  Chefs and amateur enthusiasts make a bee line for the grill, with the emphasis being on fast and easy food that maximizes the time in the sunshine or on the beach.

We asked some of our favorite local chefs what they'll be serving on this quintessentially American celebration, and here's what they said:

Michael Santoro, Exec Chief at Talula's Garden will be grilling ribs for his crowd.  He favors a charcoal/spit arrangement and uses a Memphis-style preparation--a dry rub on the ribs and a vinegar mop.

Chef Bill Beck of Beck's Cajun Cafe is planning a barbecued brisket.  He'll coat the entire brisket with his signature spice blend Devil Dust, and let the meat sit for a day.  After bringing it to room temperature, Bill grills the brisket slowly over indirect heat  at about 220 degrees for several hours.  When the meat is fork tender, it's done.  Don't have a huge crowd or long hours to prep this?  Cheat with a flank steak.  It still needs a slow cook, but not nearly as long as the thick, bulky brisket.

Chef Jack McDavid hasn't committed to a particular dish, but we know it will involve his justifiably famous signature barbecue sauce.

Chef Wallace McIlhenny

Chef Wallace McIlhenny is offering his guests a grilled pork tenderloin topped with peach salsa (below).  We're guessing he'll coat the pork with salt, pepper, and garlic, then wrap it in cellophane for a few hours.  To grill it, we'd bring the meat to room temp, sear it on a hot grill, then lower the temperature or move the meat to the side of the grill on indirect heat for even, thorough cooking.  The pork should be  turned frequently til cooked through--depending on its size, 20-30 minutes.  It should reach an internal temperature of 140 when done.  Let it sit for 5 minutes before slicing to lock in juices.  Slice on a slight diagonal and serve with peach salsa.

For the salsa:
6 peaches, peeled and diced
1 jalapeno, diced fine (include seeds and stem if you want extra heat)
2Tbs red onion, diced
2Tbs lime juice
1Tbs chopped basil
1Tbs chopped mint
1Tbs grated ginger
1Tbs sugar
A little salt and pepper
A  splash of EVOO
Mix all ingredients together and let stand one hour.   For some extra seasonal flair and color, you can also add 1/2 cup pitted chopped cherries.


As for me, I'll be serving Mexican pulled pork.  Ok, it's not exactly traditional American, but it's delicious, economical, simple to prepare, and crowd pleasing.

Mise in place for the Mexican Pulled Pork

Use the same preparation recommended for our Southern pulled pork, but substitute a generous coating of cumin, garlic powder, salt, and ground chipotle or ancho pepper for the seasonings.  Toss a few dried chilis into the pan.  For the braising liquid, squeeze a couple of limes over the meat and add a 1/2 bottle of beer.  After pulling, serve pork in warmed corn or flour tortillas with your choice of salsas if desired.  A simple green salad is really all you need to accompany this, but rice and beans pairs well with this dish.   For a real wow-zer, try this creamy cilantro lime slaw as a side.   (I often substitute red cabbage for the green--the color is beautiful and it really 'pops' on the table.)  I might try Chef McIlhenny's peach salsa with this dish....hmmmm sounds intriguing.

Cilantro-lime slaw.

Your guests will be impressed, I promise.

Happy Fourth of July!

Gas or Charcoal Grill? That is the question!

Gas Grill or Charcoal Grill?   It's a question that is starting to rival "Democrat or Republican?",  "boxers or briefs?",  "Ginger or Maryann?",  "red or white?" and "To be or not to be" in terms of divisiveness.

Grilling is a quintessential summer food ritual.   It is simple, keeps the heat out of the house during the sweltering months, and without tremendous culinary skill, turns out a delicious result.    I, myself, prefer the convenience of a gas grill--it is instantly usable, affords significant heat control, and stays lit as long or as short as you wish.  "Real" grillers (and many men) turn their noses up at this ModCon, favoring at a minimum, charcoal grills, and at most a full pit-and-spit arrangement.

I think it hearkens back to primitive days when men dragged a woolly mammoth back toward the cave and cooked it over an open fire.  I know of very few women (who are not in the grilling industry) who favor charcoal or wood over the convenience and ease of gas.

My husband and I are currently in a domestic Cold War over a new grill.  Our inexpensive Char-Broil from Home Depot is on its last rusty legs, having spent its formative years outside and unprotected through several harsh Philly winters.  (Living in a city, we don't have a garage or much storage space, so our grill lives in the yard--hence my decision not to purchase a top of the line version.)  My husband, who has developed into quite a cook, was perusing grill websites recently and discovered "The Big Green Egg."

This--no doubt impressive--apparatus requires charcoal. Or Woodcoal.  Or Wooden Charcoal.  Or CharWoodCoal.     It no doubt produces delectable dishes.  But I don't do charcoal.  I don't like the unpredictability.  I don't like to wait (I am notorious for not preheating an oven), and I don't like the lack of control.  (Yes, I fully admit to being a control freak.)  It apparently has the capacity to serve as both grill and smoker.  (When it can clean my house as well, I'm in.)

Husband suggested that we acquire this item.  I replied that he was free to do so but that I would never use it.  As the primary cook in the family, even with respect to the grill, I felt that I should have a weighted vote.  He disagreed.  Words flew.  An early mid-life crisis was mentioned.  "It could be a stripper or Porsche" was fired back.  It was ugly.    And remains unresolved.

I have since consulted several grill mavens. Chef Michael Santoro of Talula's Garden, and my brother-in-law Rex, both say that the Egg is "awesome"--direct quote from both.  Jack McDavid, decorated barbecue champion and chef/owner of the Down Home Diner doesn't even consider gas as true grilling.  But I still can't see myself fiddling with charcoal, waiting for the fire to temper, prodding the coals to achieve the perfect temp in order to chuck two burgers on the grill as a quick weeknight dinner for my kids.  And I can't see having two grills in our postage stamp sized back yard.   Another grill guru, Chef Bill Beck of Beck's Cajun Cafe suggested a reasonable compromise:  Buy some wood chips, soak them in water, place them in an open-topped foil pouch and put the pouch on the gas grill while you cook.  When you close the lid, the wood smoke will circulate and infuse flavor into the food.  Hmmmm. I wonder if he's single.

So, advise me Phoodie Phriends.  What's a Cook to do?

And speaking of couples fighting, here's a clip from my favorite show on this topic.  They weren't fighting about a grill, but it's a hoot just the same.  Enjoy.