Where
the fans are as great as the food...
The
first thing that has to be said about New York is that these
are the nicest people in the world. Really. Friendly, helpful,
fun...
And
they can cook. These people take their food seriously, and
they bring out some serious equipment to grill it up.
The
boys from Big Blue BBQ haul out their Smoker-Cooker
that they tow behind a big delivery truck full of tents,
tables, space heaters, refridgerators, and anything they
might need to grill, boil, fry, smoke, mix or serve...
It's
a sight to see. These guys do everything BIG, including
the massive rack of ribs they brought down to the
Taste-off.
While
the morning got off to a slow start (in tailgating terms),
the lot started to fill up by ten. (We suspect that the
bitterly cold winds that whip through
"the Meadowlands" might keep all but the craziest
fans home until closer to gametime!)
But
even while the weather wasn't the warmest, the welcome always
was, even for the Redskins fans brave enough
to show their colors.
As
more tailgaters started to arrive, Jay climbed up on the
rooftop survey the lot and sneak a peek at the NY
skyline in the distance.
Soon,
the lot was full and the winds died down, and the late October
day turned unseasonably warm.
We
found tailgaters all around the lots enjoying the sunshine,
whether out drinking their beer (barefoot!) of the back
of their Saab or while sunbathing on their
own make-shift "beach" (complete
with clam shells, we might add!)
When
it was time for the Taste-off, the entries started to arrive,
and were as diverse as the people we met during our visit.
We tasted chicken and pork, clams and mussels, beef ribs
and burgers, and even Rack o' Lamb a la Beast
(prepared by Michael Rinaldo on his BBQ Beast, with an impressive
presentation and a flavor to please, even if you're not
a lamb fan!)
The
most creative (and thoughtful) entry was submitted by Greg
Friedman as a tribute to the late owner of the Giants, Wellington
Mara.
He
and his Dad prepared individual, sandwhich-sized servings
of Beef Wellington that could be eaten
with your hands.
The
flaky crusts were baked golden brown on their grill in the
lot, proving their is not limit to what you can cook on
the blacktop. Great job, guys!
Surprisingly,
(given the NY sports fan "stereotype") this was
one of the quietest Taste-offs we've had. Aside from
Austin's smack-talk (of which
there was plenty) the crowd waited patiently for the judges
to sample their way through a table-full of food. (Nick
and Luc climbed up on the roof to throw t-shirts and aprons
out to the crowd just to liven things up a bit!)
And
typical of the kind of hospitality and generosity we encountered
from everyone we met during our stay in New York, these
contestants were not stingy with the food. Trays piled high
with tailgating treats tempted the judges to take more than
a taste (and allowed for onlookers to sneak a sample, too!)
In
the end, we came away with some great recipes and a clearer
understanding of the iconic slogan that has come to represent
America's greatest city.
It
is easy to understand why so many people from all over the
world can wholeheartedly say,
I
♥ NY
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