Food Product Review: Brownwood Farms Cherry BBQ Sauce

There's a lot of components that make up a good BBQ but the sauce is a deal breaker

There's of course the meat which is the foundation for all of it. Then there's the rub. We use a handmade version with all kinds of goodness but I have learned to use it sparingly (Ha! with ribs that would be a pun!). Of course there is the method of cooking (coals, every time, vs. gas), and then slight variations with what kinds of wood to include.

I do think that without the perfect BBQ sauce this could all be for naught. Over the years, we have tried so many of them. Think traditional store ones such as Open Pit (which we still use for chicken drumsticks) and Baby Ray's, as well as exotic ones such as Cherry Chipolte, Memphis sauce, and variations of brown sugar, vinegar, molasses, and tomato mixtures. We have even make homemade ones of the years with different ratios of all of the important goodness, with additions such bourbon, liquid smoke, and celery seed.

Yes, there is merit in making good BBQ sauce but I still sample all the different ones at grocery stores and specialty stores, as well as restaurants. Most of the time, I'm not a fan. They are either too sweet or too tangy. It has to be the perfect balance. I do prefer, from all my tasting, more of a Hoisin or Tomato base, light on any vinegar.

Well a few weeks ago, I tried a new version of BBQ sauce strictly because of it's appealing label and I have my new winner. I really like Brownwood Cherry BBQ Sauce on our amazing baby back ribs. Yes, it's store bought and you might be asking what sets this one apart? There are generous chunks of cherries in here. The sauce is definitely sweet but it's balanced and there's a nice amount of spice, that is not overpowering (making it extra important to go light on the rub).

In our travels to find more of this product, we have also come across other products in their line, including cherry preserves and the Yankee Bourbon sauce. I haven't tried the Yankee on food yet but I did taste it (because I'm not putting anything on a slab of ribs without tasting it first) and my first impression is that there are a lot of similar undertones to this sauce compared with the cherry but without the fruit. It has some bourbon (okay a lot of bourbon) and some anchovies which could make for a good Asian dish. I know, weird talking about Yankee flavored Asian dishes.

Back to those labels. . . If you look really closely the Cherry  has a little piece of fruit in the Eagle's belly that is replaced with a bourbon cask on the Yankee one.

Try this. It's good.

Food Review: Firecakes Donuts Chicago

So many flavors to choose from!

I didn't know where to start. It may have been sick that I authorized each one of my kids to pick two donuts out to try, knowing full well that we would be eating Chicago Deep Dish pizza soon after this adventure but I wanted to try them all!

My favorite (which I picked myself, thank you) was this little (it was about 1/2 the size of a regular donut) one with maple glaze, grilled pineapple and bacon. Really, you can never go wrong with bacon so it was delicious because of that alone. But truly, it was very soft, had a nice glaze, and was not too greasy.


Other offerings at Firecakes we tried included an Almond Joy which was covered with dark chocolate and almonds but filled with a coconut cream custard. I was much more enamored with it than my kids or husband because it was dark chocolate. It was good dark chocolate I might add. Malted Milk Ball, Old Fashioned Buttermilk and Vanilla Glazed were also tasted.

I recommend the one featured here in the photo. Even if you don't do donuts too often, how can you refuse bacon?

Chess Pie - Just a Pie?

Another Treat from Eastern Market!

Just a Pie? I think not! 

Love Pies is one of those vendors that is routinely at Eastern Market on a Saturday. I finally had the opportunity to try it (there are so many vendors and treats to choose from that I have to ration myself). Love Pies has a lot of other treats - in pie form - to choose from. There is egg custard pies, sweet potato pie, and on this Saturday there were also some banana custard tarts which I have to admit I also purchased. To be fair in my self proclaimed rationing, I then adjusted to purchase a smaller size Chess Pie.

Chess Pie is a custard pie but there is a story to the name that the gentleman was kind enough to share. I think, based on my reading today, I was speaking to Allen Love, Donnie (the baker) Love's husband. Mr. Love explained that Chess Pie is the name the Northerners gave the pie when they brought it from down South. In the South, people often went up to the cook and asked what was going to be for dessert. The cook would respond "Just a Pie" which the Northerners heard as "Chess Pie". He told the store in a much more eloquent way than I can!

Regardless, this pie is the bomb! Dense custard and a crispy sugary top layer this pie is wonderful.

The banana tarts were also delicious. They were a lot like Banana Cream Pie but with a richer filling.

Eastern Market and Reclaim Detroit

Food and Urban Kitchen Adventures

I love Eastern Market in Detroit and have come to see a few items we can purchase there as staples for groceries. This morning was a surprise impromptu trip because my husband had an ulterior motive which necessitated a trip to Detroit. Now the photos will make it look like we were there a long time but in reality it was about 30 minutes. Efficient shopping/tasting and then on to the main event.

Winter shopping at Eastern Market is a little bit different than Flower Day in the summer. You can see Bert's Marketplaces is still grilling BBQ outside but the line that spans for blocks in nonexistent. That is good BBQ if you are interested in some good smokey flavor and in the summer you can also enjoy karaoke as you sit down to chow. It's really an experience as you can see from this video. There is less traffic and easier parking once Christmas tree shopping is done and lots to still see and do as well as taste and eat and buy!

I think Eastern Market is fun for all the seasons. Yes, Flower Day in the Spring is a rejoicing event to welcome upcoming summer. I love buying pumpkins in the fall. Our family tradition is to pick out our Christmas tree and buy other assorted greens and wreaths in November. There is fresh seasonal produce all year and little shops, including antique stores to visit. I love Eastern Market.

Tacos!

El Guapo Grill - Food Truck

All of the vendors today had moved indoors and things had shifted but we found El Guapo so we could enjoy a little Mexican. El Guapo is the first food truck to grace the city of Detroit and has now brought upon a whole renaissance of food truck cuisine. You can find it around town, even in my hometown of Royal Oak, but it's still something I look forward to at Eastern Market. Today we enjoyed Aloha Mr. Hand (pork belly confit, pineapple salsa minus jalapenos), Braised Beef (with cheese, no salsa), Adobe Chicken (no salsa, can you tell husband likes meat and cheese only?), and Korean Beef (Caramelized Marinated Beef with Asian Slaw).  You can see from the photos these soft tacos are not very large but they pack a lot of flavor in their small package. Two of them are perfectly satisfying.

Soft Taco Superstars

During many food festivals and around town, El Guapo is busy. You can order quickly but you will be waiting for your fresh-made-to-order food. Today the lines were minimal and they didn't even have to call out numbers!

Mac and Cheese!

Mac Shack with Bacon

El Guapo has a sister food truck called The Mac Shack. It's a cute little pull trailer that looks kind of like a tiki hut with a thatch roof. It's a tiny little space but they have it down to be an efficient kitchen. My son is a big Mac and Cheese fan and the fact that you can add bacon only sweetens the deal.  Toppings are included in the flat price of $6.00 and he chose "The Bacon Made Me Do It' minus tomatoes and green onions. Yep, you guessed it, he just wanted bacon. Considering how our family often considers bacon as it's own food group, seasoning, main ingredient, complimentary flavor and dessert component, this is no surprise. I count down the days until Baconfest so I am not going to say a word.

Pho!

Beef Pho with Oxtail

The  surprise for me today was that the Mac Shack was also featuring Pho. I had recently read about the wonders of Pho in Hour Magazine. Pho is a Vietnamese street dish with French origins, noodles in a broth with meat, with lots of options. Pho may be a reference to the  French dish pot-au-feau, meaning "beef stew". Apparently locally Madison Heights Michigan is a huge mecca for Pho is all its varieties. This version came with beef and for an extra nominal fee, oxtail. Sprouts, Thai basil, green onions and jalapenos come in the side as additions. It was delicious! A little bit spicy with a sweetness that was both hearty and light if that makes any sense. I think I will be making a little trip to nearby Madison Heights to see what other flavors we can find.

Beignets!

Beignets

Who would think that you could get beignets out of a food truck?!!! At Eastern Market you can! Now, I have never been to New Orleans so I haven't had the originals but these are good. Think of a little fritter deep fried but lighter and more airy than a donut, sprinkled in loads of powdered sugar. For the complete experience you can also have chicory coffee or even a cafe au lait. My son bought the beignets with his own money. That should be a testament to their goodness.

Shopping for Good Stuff!

Zen Dressing and Fresh Kale

Okay so everything above is not exactly health food and surely loaded with calories and fat. So you will probably be surprised to know that I was on a mission to find kale. Kale? I know, you can't believe it but it's true. The local grocery stores, including Trader Joe's have not had Kale in weeks due to some frost in Arizona that killed kale and grapes and just devastated crops. I am happy to report that Easter Market vendors had plenty of kale although one guy did inform me this was a different variety than what they usually sell.

So why do I love kale? Well I love a very specific dressing that we also buy at Eastern Market with tahini in it that is used to make kale salad, which a vendor does sell besides the dressing, along with kale chips. There are two versions of the Zensational Dressing and I go with #2 that is a little sweeter and creamier. It's made by monks and students of the Detroit Zen Center so you know that you will feel more at peace after eating some. Kale salad consists of the kale leaves stripped of the bitter stems and then tossed with the dressing. See I do eat something healthy. I actually keep the dressing at work and bring in a bowl of kale for lunch and toss right before. I think I may have some tonight for dinner.

The Main Event Today 

Reclaim Detroit

Reclaim Detroit is a division of Focus HOPE in Detroit. Think a local Salvage Dogs. They reclaim parts of houses being torn down and you can buy lumber, hard wood floors, windows. . . you name it . . . for repurposing, carpentry or crafts, or for materials in rebuilding your own home. I am now the proud owner of a cutting board that is from end pieces of lumber from an old house in Detroit. 

Awesome Cutting Board

There are lots of reasons why these cutting boards are better, the are self healing because of the ends, keep your knives sharper longer, etc. I am going to go on record that I did not want this for any of those reasons. I wanted it because it was cool and had a history.

The Husband was originally going to surprise me with this for Valentine's Day but decided a tour of the facility was just as important as the gift. He was right! It was a delight to tour the warehouse and see all those remnants of history. I have all kinds of ideas swirling in my brain right now. I have plans!

Black Salt and the Wonderful Finds at Home Goods

Snow Day Monday!

You know why it was a snow day? Because I took the time to pack lunches for all of us, making cabbage and noodles last night for the adults around here. Honestly, the cancellation of school worked out well. . . see the X-Games finished up last night and the kids really wanted to see Shawn White win for the 6th time so they were up very late.

I'm off dinner duty tonight because I have to work this evening - presentation across town. The husband will be in charge for the evening. Tomato Soup and Noodles is scheduled but I'm not betting any money on what he will actually make. I can tell you this - it's always kid friendly and they will all eat it.

Because I can't actually give you a recipe for today I wanted to focus on one of my favorite places for for "food finds". Treasures really. TJ Maxx, Marshalls and Home Goods are all owned by the same company. Whether it's a stand alone store (Home Goods) or the little back corner near housewares, the food section always has unusual and high end little treats for significant discount. I will admit that I will sometimes go into the store for something we need (for example, a pair of sweatpants or gloves for one of us) and actually avoid this special section.  I can do serious damage in matter of minutes.

We were there Friday night for a necessity and I somehow was lured into that section. I bought two beautiful hand made glasses made from recycled materials that are going to lead to a quest to check every one of the stores in the tri county area to make my own complete set.

There was also a vast array of olive oils. As you may know right now I'm completely stocked on olive oil and even have some new Black Truffle Oil but it was hard to resist the hand painted ceramic containers that some of the olive oil came in. They were works of art.

This is the find I wanted to show you today though. It's Hiw Kai Black Lava Sea Salt. I have to say it tempted me for a variety of reasons. Here's the list: 1. I have never had black sea salt before and I have a stock of sea salt here, 2. I think the color of the salt will look really dope in some dishes for contrast. I'm thinking about how this will look in a salad with grapefruit and avocado, 3. Look at the cute little jar. . . it looks great hanging out on a shelf as a decor item rather than a seasoning and 4. I'm already thinking about how to re-purpose this jar at a later date.

I kind of have an obsession (okay maybe it's not "kind of" but truly just that) with spice containers. I like what's in them, of course and believe that they should be showcased. For instance, I have an old wood rack that came with a spice set from McCormick's years ago that I decorated with bottle caps from beers and glass bottles of soda. The spices have changed over time but the rack remains a focal point in our kitchen. All the makeshift ledges on the door casings are "shelves" for an assortment of old spice jars and tins from a variety of manufacturers. The spices are long gone but the jars are a peek into a vintage kitchen.

This is one of my treasured favorites right here.

Griffiths Milk Glass Spice Jars and Metal Rack

They (whoever the "they" are) say that "Variety is the spice of life" and I would have to agree. Herbs and seasonings can make or break a dish that you work hard on. Too much is overpowering but a careful subtle addition can make for a delicate nuance that enhances the flavors.

Frankenmuth. . . It's not just all you can eat chicken dinners

As a family we really like Frankenmuth. A lot of folks will question this, equating the experience with an all you can eat Chicken Dinner at either Zhender's or The Bavarian Inn. Not so! We do go to Zhender's but not for Fried Chicken or an all you can eat buffet. I really like Wiener Schnitzel and my husband enjoys Beef Tips and Noodles. This week happened to be the Annual Snow Festival so we had another reason to visit, but it also meant traffic that impacted the schedule. We missed the lunch menu and therefore it was dinner time which impacted our meal choices but still proved delicious.

Beef Medallions

Paul ordered the Beef Medallions instead, which are whole cuts of meat rather than small beef tips, and a side of buttered noodles to create his favorite dish. The dark gravy with the noodles was a close facsimile to the lunch menu item. He did say that if we go at dinner time again he will order the noodles plain rather than buttered so the gravy will remain the showcase.

Pork Schnitzel with Marsala

There was a special for Pork Schnitzel in Marsala Sauce yesterday which was a slight variation of the Wiener Schnitzel I enjoy. I have to say it was delicious, with nice crispy cutlets of thin pork, topped with a lovely Marsala loaded with fresh mushrooms and sweet onions. Add a side of spaetzle and it made for a great hearty meal that warmed me up after being outside navigating the crowds.

We headed for Zhender's first because of the crowds but I should add that the wait wasn't long. Walk ins seemed to get seated quicker than those with reservations. It's a really large place and they can accommodate a lot of diners. Kids had macaroni and cheese and chicken. What is really great about dinner is that you get a whole lot of extras. Before having our main dishes we had bread (both white and a fruit stollen) with butter and strawberry jam, cranberry relish with bits of oranges and frosty cold, sweet creamy coleslaw, chicken noodle soup, and toasted croutons of bread (buttery) with cheese spread and chicken liver pate. It is a necessity to pace yourself with the spread.

Before and After Dinner Portraits

There seemed to be an underlying theme of hearts during our adventure. . .
Left: Toasted Crouton at Zhender's. Right: Discovered Ice Sculpture Fragment with a Heart

 Frankenmuth Snow Festival

After our hearty meal we went happily went outside to tour the snow and ice sculptures around town, heading into stores to warm up as we walked around. The sculptures were worth seeing; I was amazed at the sheer size of some of the pieces and there were all kinds of themes. It was really a beautiful day, cold enough for the sculptures to stay intact but without any wind to make the event miserable.

So here is one of the wonderful sculptures so I at least acknowledge the weekend's festival. It's an alligator and it's very cool. But this is a food blog for the most part and if you wanted to see this you could go elsewhere I'm sure. Let's move on to the food now!

Glockenspiel Mice

The Bavarian Inn across the street from Zhender's is also famous for chicken dinners as well as typical German Fare. They also have one of the tourist attractions that draw visitors in with the Glockenspiel Tower.  At designated times, the clock opens up with music and animated robotic figures to celebrate the culture. What does this have to do with food? I'm glad you asked because in the basement of the Bavarian Inn are stores and lot of yummy treats (bakery, wine, chocolates and candy. . . ). One of our favorites are the Chocolate Glockenspiel Mice.

Glockenspiel Mice

 Aren't they cute?!!! They come in white or milk chocolate. The head is a Hershey's Kiss, attached to a chocolate covered maraschino cherry and then decorated with little sliced almonds for ears. They are absolutely delicious. If you think you see a very deformed mouse in this pic, it's really a marzipan truffle that managed to sneak into the photo.

River Place Shops: Great Lakes Olive Oil Company

Great Lakes Olive Oil Company

A little bit south of the chicken dinner mecca is a relatively new strip of shops called the River Place Shops with lots of treats (fudge, candy, cupcakes, gelato) and plenty of opportunities to visit specialty stores for souvenirs. You cross over to the shops over a concrete bridge and get an opportunity to see the damn. At this time of year, kids are venturing on the ice (as my own kids did) that cover the river but the waterfall is still going. Once you cross the bridge you are immediately struck by the aroma of fudge. They actually pump the smell outside by the windows where you can watch them forming the loaves. It's heaven and you probably gain 20 pounds just breathing in the wonderful smell. 

Chocolate Covered Bacon at Sugar High Bakery

I typically stop at the Sugar High Bakery but the line was out the door. Apparently they recently were featured and won The Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. I honestly do not go there for cupcakes. Chocolate Covered Bacon and Cinnamon Sugar Bacon. Try it! Seriously, great stuff. I made candied spicy bacon at home but I think it's sometimes easier to buy things and chocolate dipping can be messy! Look at that photo? Doesn't that look divine? It really is, I assure you. I'm sorry I couldn't have any this time.

Black Truffle Oil

We trek over to this side of the town for a primary purpose. The Great Lakes Olive Oil Company has a wonderful assortment of flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars that you GET TO TASTE!!!! Now for regular olive oils I have been known to purchase them locally at Trader Joe's that has some very high quality grassy and peppery offerings for low prices. But for truffle oils I have not found any better than GLOOC. In the past I had the white truffle oil but they had Black Truffle Oil yesterday and it packed quite a kick! Of course I don't have to tell you it's now in my kitchen. I'm already conjuring up images of what I can do with this stuff. Of course Truffled Lobster Risotto comes to mind with this extra indulgence but I'm thinking some simpler dishes with pasta tossed with some green olives, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. I'm also thinking about a vinaigrette dressing as well. I'm still thinking about it! I'll get back to you.

Chicago Flavored Popcorn

So as much as I dream about olive oil, and yes, I really do. The husband and kids have a similar attachment to Chicago Flavored Popcorn that is at Mac's Fudge Kitchen. It's apparently all over town and it's a combination of a trifecta of flavors: Cheddar Cheese, Caramel, and Salted Popcorn. Delicious. No picture but check out the link.

So it's important to note that there are many other food items and treats we could have discussed today but I have to some limits. It's about self control isn't it? I have to at least pretend. . .