chEAT SHEET Memphis: Charles Vergo's Rendezvous Charcoal Ribs

Rendezvous is responsible for Memphis' moveable feasts, all thanks to their world-renowned dry ribs. 

Missing it is close to impossible albeit being juxtaposed in a basement and in an alley downtown.  Just follow your nose.  It's chute emits the most aromatic barbecue scent the South has to offer.

Allow me if I may, humble brag about the fact that I was lucky enough to know a few well-connected people downtown.  We actually got the chance to reserve tables which never happens at Rendezvous.  They don't take reservations any given time of day and this goes without saying, even during the Annual World Barbecue Championships which excite just about every single barbecue expert in the world.

First things first.  Have some sausage...

Then gumbo...

Then have the main thing... a full order of charcoal-broiled ribs (first photo up above) with a side order of slaw and beans.

Magically moist, tasty, and soft to the bite, I want to eat these ribs at least once a month for the rest of my life.  Mmmm... I need a time machine.  

Charles Vergo's Rendezvous Charcoal Ribs

52 South 2nd Street, Memphis

(901) 523 2746

chEAT SHEET Chicago: Longman & Eagle

Gastropubs abound but there are hardly any that have the energy, miles away from anything despondent at that, in Chicago's Logan Square.  The window outside boldly screams what this place is all about...

EAT, SLEEP, WHISKEY

...which pretty much put into words the state I was in at the time I ate there.  I was hungry, jet lagged, and felt like having a stiff drink to help me overcome the long haul flight I endured from Bangkok via Tokyo. 

I was amongst chefs, all of us, tasked to do a week-long research trip in Tennessee; and Chicago somehow fell into my lap as my "get-rid-of-your-jetlag-here" point.  This sort of perk definitely made my business trip worth remembering.  What with a michelin-starred restaurant that looked more like a hipster's joint with an overdose of coolness -- the food was definitely elegant.

Brunch is the name of the game and by no means should this stop you from having a drink or lots of it at night.  The bonus is that, there are several rooms above the pub because the owners probably decided they needed a few rooms up there that would serve as a hotel.  Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

Everything on the brunch menu screamed EAT ME and choosing an array of definitive dishes was quite the battle, so we opted to order what seemed to be more than we could all handle.  Everything was just delightfully delicious, it came to no surprise that we finished it all.  In my perfect world, I can eat lunch twice -- just so I could try everything on the menu.

Their ingenious ability to bring the whole thing together from farm to fork is enough reason to hit town again and again.  And true to form, even the smallest of captions on their menu glared right back at me... 

Longman & Eagle

2657 N. Kedzie Avenue

Chicago, Illinois 60647

chEAT SHEET Mississippi: Huey's Blues, Brews, & Burgers!

Met a motley crew of cool chefs in Mississippi over fried pickles, tamales, kabobs, burgers, nachos, and spirits.  Unpretentious and downright all-American, Huey's was the go-to place around the corner.  Jet-lagged, I actually forgot to take photos of the other items we ordered, but noteworthy for my taste buds were the fried pickles.  

I must confess I didn't know what to expect but that burst of sour, salty, umami goodness made me order another basket!  Why don't we have these in Asia and where have you been all my life?!

Huey's

7090 Malco Blvd. State 101

Southaven, MS

chEAT SHEET Chicago: The Purple Pig

Jet-lagged and pressed for time, The Purple Pig did not disappoint.  It was my last meal in Chicago before heading South for the Memphis in May World Barbecue Contest (more on that later).


Known for their tapas-style fare, their Rabbit Panzanela with Mixed Herb & Lettuce, Crispy Capers, Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns & Black Truffle Vinaigrette was a sure winner (photo on the lower left-hand side).  The Burrata Pugliese with Peas, Radish, Celery, Spring Micro Greens & Aceto Balsamico (lower right-hand side) was also refreshingly brilliant in it's simplicity.  I also enjoyed the Salt-Roasted Beets with Whipped Goat Cheese & Pistachio Vinaigrette, off-setting the flavors from the earlier perfect bites I had.

I skipped the smears part of their menu and went straight into a la Plancha etc. and ordered the Wagyu Sirloin Tip with Fingerling Potatoes, Red Onions, Olives & Bone Marrow Vinaigrette and as cliche as this may sound, it was really "to die for."  Moist, juicy, deliciousness -- I wish my stomach was not on Bangkok time -- which was like eating all this at 1am.  I wanted some seafood and tried the Mussels with Pancetta, Creme Fraiche & Marjoram, and I'll just settle in saying, they were fresh.


I want to go back.  The chefs of this place rock and are insanely talented.


Cheese, Swine, & Wine... Need I say more for the ultimate cure for jet lag? 


The Purple Pig
500 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
more info here


And oh, they don't take reservations.

Mini Garlic Bread

Here's a photo of our pre-dinner snack last night.  We had this tiny (and store-bought) piece of baguette which I lathered with some butter, rubbed with a peeled garlic clove (a trick I learned from a chef named Didier), and seasoned with some dried ground oregano, ground basil, and a dash of salt.  I placed it for about 3 minutes in a pre-heated 180 degree Celcius oven.  Plain goodness for a simple evening.  What more can I ask for?

Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

Since I've started to join the corporate world again, I now have to embrace the idea of having less time in the kitchen.  But that goes without saying, I am not ready to compromise on flavor and quality for my young tongue.

All you have to do is marinate the chicken wings overnight in equal proportions of Dijon mustard (I used the grainy kind) and honey.  Then toss it in a baking dish, drizzle it with a tablespoon of olive oil and some lemon juice, toss in a knob of butter, and sprinkle it with sea salt and black pepper.  Roast at a pre-heated oven, 180 C, for 15 minutes or until golden.

I served this with corn sprinkled with paprika, mashed sweet potatoes, and a side of greens.  

Sauteed Spinach

Dark leafy vegetables are very good for your children because vitamins A, C, K, folate, iron, and calcium are present in these greens.  My mentors have told me that these are high in fat-soluble vitamins, so in order for these to work, you have to cook it in fat like butter or olive oil.

Saute a piece of onion and crushed garlic cloves in olive oil or butter until translucent.

Toss in your washed spinach leaves.  If you're cooking a hefty bunch, try to saute them in batches so that they will all cook evenly.  Then season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

All these ingredients are readily available in any supermarket.

Strawberry, Chocolate Krispies, and Cherry Yogurt

 

Sundays are spent with my folks and siblings over lunch and sometimes, all the way down to merienda.  I always make it a point to eat light for breakfast so that I have "space" for my mom's cooking.  The Young Tongue and I shared this for breakfast: cherry yogurt, milk, choclate rice krispies, and slices of strawberries.  Mmmm...I wonder what's for lunch today? 

Muesli, Bacon, and Eggs

After our morning walk, The Young Tongue started pointing at rice krispies in our pantry.  I obliged by mixing it with apricot yogurt, sliced bananas, pure milk, and muesli.

I, on the other hand, had something that couldn't be considered as healthy like her share of breakfast this morning... Bacon and Eggs!

I didn't fry the bacon because it tends to be greasy.  What I do is line it in a cookie sheet without any oil, and put it in an oven (180 degrees C).  It usually takes less than 10 minutes for it to get crisp, and the best part?  It doesn't get curled!

I like the taste of a slightly burnt top with a runny center for the eggs.  I add about a tablespoon of milk per egg and cook it on a hot teflon pan.  Once the bottom part is cooked and the center runny, I flip and fold.  Last but not the least, I added sliced tomatoes and washed Tomyao leaves, for an Asian twist!

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Cream together:   1 cup butter

                                 1 cup sugar

                                 1 cup brown sugar

Add:                        2 eggs 

                                 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix together:        2.5 cups flour

                                2 cups oatmeal

                                1/2 teaspoon salt

                                1 teaspoon baking powder

                                1 teaspoon baking soda

Then add:              12 oz. Dark Chocolate Chip Morsels 

Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 10 minutes.

Cool in a wire rack.

Makes 5 dozen. 

Carrot Cake

I love carrots as is or as a cake.  Here's a no-fail recipe I learned from the Le Cordon Bleu.

3 pieces            Eggs

250 ml              Vegetable Oil

250 grams       Caster Sugar

250 grams       Plain Flour

2 teaspoons     Cinnamon, ground

2 teaspoons     Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon   Salt

300 grams       Carrots, grated

                           Icing Sugar, for dusting

1.  Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees Celcius.

 2.  Beat eggs then add the vegetable oil and sugar.

 3.  Sift all the dry ingredients and add into the mixture.

 4.  Fold the carrots into the dough.

 5.  Line the baking tin with parchment paper.

6.  Pour the mixture into the baking tin.  Bake for 50-60 minutes or until nothing sticks into the toothpick when you poke through the center.

7.  Remove the cake from the tin and allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack.  Dust with icing sugar.  For variety, you can dust it with flavored sugar (as seen above) or add a cream cheese frosting.

Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken

Tequila Lime Chicken (recipe 3 of 5 for First Officer Diaz's Dinner)

I have a love-hate relationship with Tequila.  As a social drink, it will never be my poison of choice (it has deceived me countless of times) but as a cooking ingredient, my story changes all together.  It makes an excellent addition to flambes and as an agent to remove sediments off your pan.


For grilled chicken, you can combine 2 shots of Tequila with a whole piece of lime (squeezed, of course) along with 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, smoked paprika powder, and black pepper as a marinade and basting sauce.  The lime juice will help soften the chicken and the tequila will give it a kick!  You can also opt to add fresh mint to help accentuate the paprika.

But when pressed for time, I use this spice rub by Bill Baron's found in Whole Foods (my heaven on earth!).  My cousins, Vanessa and Melissa, gave this to me during thanksgiving and it is awesome to have in the pantry (I wish I had more!).  For a kilo of chicken (cut into pieces), I used 3 Tablespoons of it and mixed that with 2 Tablespoons of grainy Dijon Mustard and plopped it in the grill with hot charcoal.  Occasionally brush the chicken with vegetable oil so that it doesn't stick to the grill.  Cheers!  It's that easy!


Want an accompaniment you can also cook in the same grill?  Click here.

Grilled Lamb Chops

Grilled Lamb Chops (2 of 5 recipes for First Officer Diaz's Dinner)

Let me tell you a quick story about a chef named Jim Murray.  We met in 2006 in nippy Chicago, over an ideation session for the biggest fast food chain in the world as he was my counterpart for the North America business.  Jim can easily pass for a rock star (he looks and acts like one without having to try, he even dresses the part).  He was considered our "man of the hour," because he knew everything there was to know about grilled food (which was supposed to be our fearless flavor forecast for our account).  Over a span of a week, several photos of his self-made smokers (contraptions that look like it's ready for take off into space) and recipes that called for tea leaves and molasses to name a few were shared.  And I give him all the credit for everything I know about spice rubs.  Of course, we landed the account and a few months later, I invited Jim to do that same barbie in Thailand in front of 20 other chefs.  I'll never forget the spread.

So to be quite honest, if Chef Jim were reading this post, he would be terribly disappointed, and rightly so.  I didn't make my own spice rub.   I succumbed using a ready-to-use rub without shame because hey, we all have these moments (even Marco Pierre White uses Knorr cubes!).  Honesty is the best policy.  And here it is, my weapon of choice, Texas Jack No. 2, easily found at any Santi's store.  


All you have to do is rub at least a teaspoon or two (depending on the size) per lamb chop and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, plop it on top of a grill with hot charcoal, and wait for it to sizzle to the doneness you like!  I don't even season this with salt and pepper anymore.

This is best served with mint jelly, buttered corn on a cob (sprinkled with paprika), and the roasted capsicums we made for accompaniment.


And Chef Jim, if you're reading this, I promise to share a spice rub, from scratch, just the way you like it, one of these days!  

Chocolate Chip Cookies

As a child, baking chocolate chip cookies was an activity my cousins and I always did with our mom and aunt.  My mom always insisted we use good chocolate.  She would ask Dad to bring home what felt like industrial-sized chocolate blocks from Ghirardelli (larger than a cake!) whenever he visited  my brothers and sisters who were studying abroad.   And although the thought of finishing an entire block in a year was unthinkable, we always managed to deplete all of it in 3 to 4 months!

The recipe I'd like to share is from a diplomat who I met in 2003 (it's always like this with food - you adapt to a better version when you come across one).  It's not that different from my mom's anyway, with the exception of the use of oats. 

Cream equal amounts of butter, white sugar, and brown sugar.

  Add two eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla.

Add equal portions of oats and all-purpose flour along with smaller but equal amounts of baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

Add a pack of semi-sweet chocolate morsels (Ghirardelli can be sourced locally already).

Allow the dough to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

 Bake at 180 degrees Celcius for 18 minutes.

To make this a double chocolate chip cookie, add grated or slivers of chocolate along with the morsels prior to baking.

Cabbage Spud Kids

Today's dish consists of slim pickings -- the humble spud and cabbage! Preparing baby food, in my opinion, should be a no-fuss feat. Consider your young tongue's happiness (judged by an unmistakable smile after eating the meal) as one of your day's laurels.
Cabbage and Potato

1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 onion, chopped finely
1 piece Potato, peeled and sliced into cubes
1 cup Water
1/8 Cabbage, chopped
1 piece Bay Leaf
3 stalks fresh Thyme
Kosher salt, to taste







1. Saute the onions in extra virgin olive oil.
2. Add the potatoes and continue to saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add the water and bring to a boil.
4. Once it's boiling, bring it down to a simmer (bringing it to a boil before simmering is important as this will kill most forms of bacteria) then add the cabbage and bay leaf. Keep cooking until potatoes are soft.
5. With your cooking spoon (I use a silicone le creuset so that it won't destroy my cookware -- stainless steel on stainless steel will shed some particles you wouldn't want your baby to eat), mash some of the potatoes. Keep some whole so that the dish will have some composition.
6. Add the fresh thyme (remove only the green bits and discard the stalk) and season to taste with kosher salt. Potatoes are high in sodium, so season lightly.

Cabbages are rich in Thiamin, Magnesium, Phosphorus, dietary fiber, Vitamins C, K, and B6, as well as Folate, Calcium, Potassium, and Manganese. Potatoes on the other hand, are rich in Potassium, Vitamins C and B6.

We also paired this dish with some mangoes for her dessert. The mangoes were on it's way to ripeness so the sweet-sour note complemented the natural sweetness of the meal.

here you can see The Young Tongue holding her mango

Another laurel!