Spying on Judd in class today, I realized he has started a new blog with Fiore concerning the defining culinary delicacy of their homeland, perhaps of this entire country: barbeque. Behold: bbq.isgoodfor.us. For those unaware, barbeque is not technically burgers and hot dogs. That’s grilling. BBQ is slow and low, meat smoked for hours, infused with the smoke of your favorite tree, covered with a dry rub or sauce. It’s big, bold, complex, religious, obsessive, and fundamentally American. Why it hasn’t really caught on in the Bay Area remains a mystery to me, but perhaps our Carolinan iSchool brethren can lead us to the hidden local bastions of tender smoked meat.
Uncle Frank’s in East Palo Alto served the best BBQ I’ve ever had. Not that I’ve been to any BBQ capitals. It took a while to re-open (after being evicted in EPA), but they’re alive and kicking again in Mtn View: http://www.unclefranksbbq.com/