ITALIAN DELITE

Our friend Jim has been telling us how good the Philly Cheese steak sandwiches are at Italian Delite located in Novato, California. We decided to give this local sandwich shop a try.Italian Delite is located in a small strip mall off the beaten path and possibly only accessible by locals or GPS. Novato is unfamiliar territory for this Mad Meat Genius. Parking Karma was turned off today because possibly Jim drove and the popularity of Italian Delite. A short walk and we had arrived.

We were there at the noon hour. The placed was packed. Italian Delite is a small place with possibly a dozen tables. You place your order at the counter and choose you beverage and choice of various flavored potato chips. The menu had various deli type sandwiches available. I noticed chicken wings and spaghetti too. We were there for the Philly Cheese steaks. You had the choice of one half a sandwich or a whole sandwich. Of course I ordered the whole sandwich because of my usual giant appetite. Despite the full restaurant our sandwiches were made immediately.
  I came to the counter to pick up our order. Three baskets on the counter holding three sandwiches cut in half were in front of me. I told the clerk I had ordered a whole and one half (Ms. Goofy has a petite appetite and would only brave one half an order). The clerk said all three baskets are yours. Wow. A whole sandwich in reality is two huge sandwiches. A bottle of vinegar based hot sauce was given with said order. It was time to eat.

There was a lot to like about this sandwich. The bread was fresh and warm. It was soft but sturdy enough to hold its contents. The steak was very thin strips of some sort of beef. It had a very nice beefy flavor. It was hot being freshly fried on the griddle. It did have a toughness that required some chewing. Roasted sliced bell peppers and griddle fried onions all topped with melted provolone (?) cheese all topped the sliced beef. The bread had a mayonnaise layer which was warmed from all the hot ingredients was a nice and familiar touch.

I did finish three sections of my order. I enjoyed it. All the ingredients were fresh and hot. This was a version of Philly Cheese steak that is popular evident by the crowd. The servers were very friendly and quickly prepared our meal. If we lived in the area this would be on our rotation of food hangouts. Thanks Jim for sharing this spot with us.

Note: I apologize for no money shot of the open sandwich. I took one and it turned out blurry. It may          have blurred for my shaking with anticipation of the meal to come.

CREAMED CORN

Creamed corn, so simple but so satisfying. Sweet corn on the cob is in peak season right now. All the farmers markets, stores and sometimes even my backyard has fresh corn available. I had forgotten how easy this dish  is to make We picked up several ears of corn at our local farmers market and decided to make some creamed corn.

Four tablespoons of butter, 1 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of flour, salt & pepper and 4 ears of corn (We used 2 yellow and 2 white)  are all the ingredients needed. Cut the kernels from the ears of corn and reserve in a bowl. Take a spoon and scrape the cob to get all the remaining corn starch Whisk the flour into the milk. Melt the butter into a saute pan over medium heat. Add the corn and briefly stir. Add the milk and bring to simmer. Add the salt & pepper to taste. Cook for around 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy. I like the corn to still have a little bite. Now wasn't that easy.

We served our creamed corn with some barbequed steak. This dish is so satisfying. A lot of recipes call for a little sugar to be added to this dish. Our corn was so fresh this was not needed. Sometimes simple is so much better.

40th Annual Garlic Festival

It is hard to believe we are at the 40th Annual Garlic Festival. We have been attending this festival for a very long time. Three years ago they have added a KCBS sanctioned bbq contest and we have been very happy attending and judging this stinking rose fueled event. We would like to share a couple of images with you.

The weather was very pleasant with temperatures in the low 80's. This festival has something for every garlic lover. Garlic ice cream? Yes. I have tried it in previous festivals and can attest it is sweet and garlicky. .

 This craft vendor had the most fun ceramic hanging art pieces. There was a section that had lots of arts and crafts for the strolling garlic laced public. There was a tent that had nothing but garlic related food items such as mustard, olive oils, relishes and so much more. Garlic. Garlic. Garlic.

Our good friends, the competition bbq team "Son of Smoke" which features Zack "The Kid" won Grand Championship today. Congratulations to all who competed. If you love garlic this is the festival you should not miss. We cannot wait till next year.

CHURCHILLS STEAKHOUSE

Being at a three day Buck Knife Collectors Club convention can really work up an appetite. I was out of town and asked the locals in Spokane Washington which was the best steakhouse in town. Churchills steakhouse was mentioned several times and I decided to give them a try. Parking was not a problem but brings some quarters for the meter. I would like to mention Churchills is located downtown Spokane and this area has seen better days. I was the first person to be seated at this empty house of steak tonight. Being the first and only customer you would think I would get top notch service.

My meal did not start off very well. I sat and waited for the waiter to show up. Ten minutes went by and I was going to give him five more minutes before I walked out the door. He did show up at the fourteen minute mark. He asked  me if I wanted to see the steak selection. He brought out raw cuts of the various USDA Prime Choice Black Angus corn fed bliss. (lobster too). I chose the sixteen ounce New York. My waiter, though tardy was pleasant enough but this was not the first time I would be sitting alone for extended times.

The steak was cooked in an infra-red broiler at high heat. It was also seasoned with a special spice rub. The rub and the high heat formed a very dark meat crust. The steak was cut open to reveal a perfect medium rare. Drumroll please. This steak will go down in my memory banks as being one of the top ten best steaks ever. Wow, this steak was tender and the meat crust added a texture component that could not be beat. Corn fed prime is so good. The sides of mushrooms peas and mashed potatoes were decent and filling. Churchill is also known for their dessert. Behold the 'Chocolate Sack'.

The Chocolate Sack is not the most imaginative name for this creation but it is impressive. It is huge. The sack is yummy dark chocolate. The filling is of cake, whip cream, chocolate mousse, raspberry, strawberry and more. The waiter, my new waiter (Did I mention my original waiter disappeared for what ever reason, suggested to cut down the center of the sack and dive right in. I did my best but I could not finish this sack. 

In conclusion come to Churchills for one of the best steaks ever but hope you do not get my tardy disappearing waiter. 

TIME

It is always prudent as a bbq judge and competitor to have a trusted time piece to promptly make the appointed turn in times. I have had a pocket watch in my catch all drawer for many a years. It was a gift from my father that was passed down from his father and most likely gifted from his father. I brought it to a jeweler/watch repairman for restoration. He informed me that this was an Elgin 21 jewel pocket watch that dated back from 1895. The jeweler also said this watch should last at least another 100 years.

CHARCOAL CHERRY PICKER

Sometimes you just need to move some charcoal around. I have used sticks, garden trowels and even my hands (heavy gloved hands). Adrenaline Barbecue Company is selling a tool designed to manipulated charcoal briquettes and we have purchased one. It is made of 430 stainless steel and has a rubberwood handle.(Rubberwood is a light-colored medium-density tropical hardwood obtained from the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), usually from trees grown in rubber plantations) The tip of the tong is shaped to easily grip a charcoal briquette.

We lit a fire and gave our Cherry Picker a try. It works just dandy. I highly recommend wearing heavy gloves while using this tool because the fire still is very hot. Charcoal was easily picked up and moved around. The tongs felt comfortable in your hand. I did notice the steel starting to discolor and this is perfectly normal when heat hits metal. Time will tell if this tool will last but for now we have the correct tool to move our hot charcoal safely. .

CLAYTON BBQ COOK OFF

We lead off today's story with the Big Idaho Potato Tour truck. What does a giant potato have to do with a bbq festival? Well it is a lot of fun and that is what we are having today. This giant potato was parked right smack in the middle of the Clayton BBQ Cook Off. This was a festival in Clayton, California that also was a KCBS Pro & Backyard BBQ competition. Come along and have some fun with us.

Mother nature was very kind to us today. The thermometer was in the low 80's which made it very pleasant to stroll the grounds and eat championship barbeque. The public got a chance to see the competitors up close and personal at this venue. They then had the opportunity to purchase bbq from several vendors. A lot of local business and craftsman set up booths to inform and persuade your patronage.

Notice the electronics on top of these two Ugly Drum Smokers. (UDS).Technology is very important and widely used in competition. It adds consistency and convenience to make a superior bbq product. Speaking of superior bbq, this is what we came for. We were privileged to be able to sample and judge some of the best bbq ever.

Pictured  here on the left and in the bright orange is Rob Ryan. He took Grand Championship and first in pork ribs in the Backyard division. Rob is a fixture at competitions. He owns Robs Smokin Rubs. He makes  very excellent bbq rubs and sauces. Congratulations Rob.

Below is Scott and Tracy, two Master Judges who ran the KCBS information booth. They are rock-stars in the judging tent. Congratulations to the team Smokey Hog Island Love for winning Grand Championship in the Pro. Division. This was another great day for barbeque. What fun we have.