An in Depth Interview with John Markus Executive Producer TLC BBQ Pitmaster Series

I had the distinct pleasure to interview John Markus Executive Producer of the new TLC series BBQ Pitmasters. John is an award winning writer and producer. He has won an Emmy, a Peabody and two Humanitas prizes. His filmography credits include the Cosby Show, The Larry Sanders Show, Taxi, The Facts of Life, The BBQ Championship Series and The All-Star BBQ Showdown. However the award he is most proud of is something given to very few people a- PhB. A PhB is an honorary doctorate of BBQ bestowed upon him by the KCBS (Kansas City Barbecue Society), Ardie Davis alter ego Remus Powers. It is the only award in John’s home that has its own spotlight, the only one on display ,in its own special frame. It has a place of honor. I asked him where his other awards were. He answered well the Emmy is in the closet and I am not sure where the others are. This certainly endeared him to me with this statement.

He has apprenticed with BBQ legends. He can call Chris Lilly a close personal friend and has competed at the Royal with him many times with the Big Bob Gibson team. He has also learned the ropes from the Baron of Barbecue himself Paul Kirk. He has completed a documentary on the legendary 3 time World Champion Myron Mixon and his BBQ family. He even has his own team Central Pork West. He owns a big green egg, a WSM, a Backwoods, Jedmaster 3660, and a head turning gorgeous Jambo pit. He loves cooking on all of them. To him they all have wonderful strengths. He is well thought of by many of these legends for his honest and sincere and respectful approach to BBQ.

In his own words he says If it wasn’t for the quality of the people in BBQ I would not be in it this long. I have met people who are going to be lifelong friends. I am proud to say that I am one of the few Yankees that have been called Bubba.

I had expected to have just a short interview but what evolved was more of an hour long conversation with a BBQ friend. Hearing him describe the show and answering questions was truly inspiring. Just a warning this is the complete and full version of the interview. Just a little over 3600 words. I suggest you get comfortable.

Q How hard was it to pitch the show to the TLC Network since this is such a new concept. This show doesn’t involve redoing a house, having multiples of babies or Jon & Kate.

The show was pitched with 5-10 minutes of the Myron Mixon Documentary I had completed just to show an indepth look at what a BBQ person was. Plus some inspired footage of potential candidates it sold the show very quickly.

This is not a staged competition show. This is a docu drama (that’s what we call it) this looks at the lives of the people who compete almost full time who are entrenched in the world of competitive BBQ. This is a reality show where there is real reality. I have to give a tremendous amount of credit to TLC for being in the market for doing food. That’s how the show came about. TLC was asking how do we do a food show. Their minds were open. Then Original Media (Miami Ink, Stormchasers etc) have brilliant producers who work there - Jay Peterson, Charlie Corwin . They are virtuoso reality producers. They heard my take on the series and got it immediately -and knew where to go with it. They had been talking to some Networks that wanted a food show because they were ready. My first meeting with TLC and Original Media - I just said to them its Man Vs. Meat. That got their ears perked up. Then they were able to go into the world and subculture that is competition BBQ. What had been missing on TV (that TLC and Original Media got) was the idea that this is a passion, an obsession of people who practice something very artisanal. Just like American Chopper was a father & Son show they are building something. They are making something. My passion for this kind of TV is these people have to actually do something and do it well.

Q-How were the candidates chosen

They (the pitmasters Lee Ann Whippen, Johnny Triggs, Myron Mixon, Harry Soo, Paul Petersen, Tuffy Stone, Jamie Geer ) have been chosen as they are highly trained practitioners of this culinary art. To me they are folk heroes.

This is also why I did the documentary about Myron Mixon and his BBQ family . This is someone who lives to create something that pleases people. As Competitive BBQ’ers we understand what it means for people to look at you and say I have never tasted anything like this.

When I cast the show I cast it like I would a drama. I look at my cast as a big jigsaw puzzle. So if you look at the profiles there are 7 totally different types of people. They are different characters. They are comfortable with the cameras. The cameras are with them a week at a time. They are with them at their homes as they prep and then constantly at the competition. You need someone that can be themselves and give us their enthusiasm and eccentric character traits that make them oddball and real at the same time. They all have to be one family. Once I have that- I think I have a show. That’s how I will continue to cast the show. I will be putting lines out after the show hoping we get more. We want every color of the rainbow on the show.

Q- How do you think the TLC Pitmasters Series and the “sport” of competitive BBQ will be received by the general public.

I am sure this will sound a bit ego centric here but this is how I envision this. This is my dream and my hopes for the show are that the phones at the KCBS don’t stop ringing after this show airs. That anyone who sees it - will see it as being incredibly hard and incredibly challenging but so much damn fun. That they will go and spend whatever they have got on BBQ. I want them to understand that they can do it for a couple of hundred dollars. That they can start with a $200. pit and use Sams Club meat because they can possibly win with it. They don’t need to spend $14,000. on a big pit. They can work up to it. That’s my hope that people have the doors and windows opened up to a world they never knew existed. A world that looks enticing, that it looks friendly but looks really highly competitive. Plus at the end of the day they have bragging rights that no one can do this like you. All of our passion for the world of BBQ is going into this show.

TLC (to their credit)said to us as we edited this show please put a priority on explaining this world to the people who have never been in it. They are allowing us (and this is a first) to put the process on an equal level with the characters and story development. This is the direction we have been given.

As a comparison to another "reality" food competition- with all due respect to the Iron chefs it’s all about pyrotechnics. How do they know how to have micro cilantro around?? This show has actual meat inspectors, actual cookers, actual wood, hail, snow rain sometimes. We have blown out tires; we have destruction, we have teammates not getting along. We have people talking smack. We have people stealing ideas. We have a whole shigging explanation in the series. It happens to one of our cast. It happens to one of our cookers and he gets shigged and someone defines it to him.

Q- What are some of the goals for this show:

I want to bring people (both men & Women) in and want them to be there every week with these pitmasters. Plus also those who are in it already – I want them to be able to watch the show and say we got it. I want to hear from them and their comments. If we missed something I want to hear about. This comes from my personal experience as a competition cooker. Every moment we have been doing we have been cautious not to create scenarios.

Q-Were all of the competitions real or were they fabricated?

They were all real competitions except one. The one competition is not sold as a real competition. This is the Johnny Trigg Invitational shoot out. He got to make the rules and set the stakes. We call him the Godfather. The location was a beautiful Ranch house in Mineral Wells Texas. We brought our 7 pitmasters in and they were judged by Master IBCA judges. This was a rib only contest. Baby Backs and Spares. The twist that we gave the show was something really new. We wanted to open the mystique of judges. We also had a couple of rookie judges come in. We taped their judging and encouraged to have them speak freely right after scoring. To talk openly and honestly about the food they ate. Then we brought in all our cooks and sat them in front of the TV set and showed them the tape. All I can say is that there is a lot of bleeping in that scene. There were some cooks that said they liked this and others who said they never want to see this again.

Q- What were some of the conditions of the competitions like?

When we were in Mesquite someone stuck a thermopen in the pavement it was 134 F That’s when they started their cook in that and then it plummeted to 30F and then a huge hail storm rolled in. People were not sleeping, there was massive destruction. There were people pulling off meat at the last minute. Mentally and physically these competitions are really taxing. They require constant focus stamina and attention.

Q- General observations about competitive BBQ’ers

You get to know who is serious. You just need to look around and see who is not drinking. They learn from their mistakes and not personalize the defeat as well as well as their victories. You have a job to do. You can’ be cursing judges. It’s really all about being level headed and realistic about your gifts and how you get better.
This pursuit is a lifelong art. The learning curve is just years long.

Q- When is your next competition with your own team?

I would like to return to the Hudson Valley Ribfest for 2010.

Q- Who is on your team Central Pork West?

Well regularly, we have a Texan Cowgirl - Nicole Davenport plus Carpenter Bob Allan from the Catskills New York. We also have special appearances by various people who just want to come out and see what it is like.

Q- Why are there no pellet cookers in the series?

It’s very simple to explain. The shows primary agenda for me as an exec producer is casting the cooks first and what they cook on second. It’s not like I am saying I don’t have a show unless there is a pellet cooker on it. In fact I have been keeping my eyes open and I want to show that type of BBQ on the show. I would like to say to everyone out there please get as many people to watch. We need to widen the show and include more demographics. I do have a goal to have a pellet cooker on the show. I would also like to have the debate of the pellet vs. other pits debate. There will ultimately be a pellet cooker on the show.

Pellet cookers are out there and they are winning and they are a legitimate part of BBQ.

Q- What was the pace of shooting the show:

As way of an explanation this show came together came at a breakneck pace. I have never worked on a project this fast. It’s very rare in TV that the planets line up as they did for this show.

When I sat in the Man vs. Meat pitch meeting it was only 2 days later when TLC said they wanted this. With Original Medias help 5 camera crews fanned out into America to go meet everybody you see on the show. Two were in Virginia, two in Texas, one in Georgia and one in California. All of it in 6 weeks.

Carolyn Wells brought me Harry Soo and Slap Yo Daddy. Carol and I have had a long friendship since the first show I did. I don’t think I am having a show until I tell Carolyn Wells. She is a very close friend and a very trusted friend and a real good eye about this world. She said John I don’t know if you are done but there is one piece of your puzzle I want to help you with. This was prior to them coming out on the front page of the Bullsheet. They have proven a bounty of scenes and a really inspiring struggle. To be Champs in California and then come into that circuit was a challenge. They come into it still working on their flavour profile still struggling and then they slowly get better and better.

Q-What are some Highlights you can share from the episodes (this is from Episode #2)

We have all of these KCBS cookers come into an MBN contest. Johnny Triggs tok me aside right away and said he wasn’t doing a dog and pony show. He did it though. Murphysboro is an extremely challenging contest. It is tough. Mr Triggs put up a little bit of a fuss in the cooks meeting about the tightness of the schedule. We did have somebody from that meeting who was a bit upset about the people who were new to the MBN who wanted changes to the schedule. One of those people (who was under the influence) confronted Mr. Triggs and it got a bit dicey. It happened on its own but we were lucky to be there to film it.

Q- Did you find since this is not scripted that you had enough interesting moments captured.

You have the comedy and drama built into these shows. When you are writing a script of the show you have to show the choices and the resolutions. Obstacles, choices and resolutions are part of any real drama or comedy show. As a competitive BBQ team I have had the disasters and the fighting with teammates and I have made mistakes. So they naturally occurred. There is a mistake made in Kansas. I was watching the rough cut of the first reel in Kansas and the great Tuffy Stone makes a mistake. I won’t go into more details. Things have naturally unfolded in the show.

It also helps to include a rookie (Paul Petersen) out of Texas. He has gotten a lot of glowing reviews at his steak house and decided with his minimal BBQ experience he could come in and teach these masters a lesson. He is a great chef. I have had a couple of meals at Rick’s Chophouse in McKinney Texas. He can really knock your socks off with a several course meal of steak and a great vegetable and wonderful dessert. He has learned (as Johnny Triggs told him) BBQ is not that. It really exercises a different set of muscles of cooking. We like seeing this happen. People at home may think it’s a simple thing. Thinking that may kick you in the butt.

Q-Unknown facts about the show. Are there any surprises?

John Markus is in the show for every episode.

During an early discussion with the executives with TLC there was a conversation about how to get the world of BBQ across to people who don’t know anything about it. There are so many subtleties to competition bbq as well as the art itself of cooking low and slow. TLC found a couple elements of the show a tad confusing and not properly explained. One of the execs during the conference call said we need somebody with the enthusiasm and the validity to narrate it. That’s when the name John Markus came up. They all agreed it was a good idea to have him explain. None of them knew that I was on the call with the executives.

Looking back from episode #6 we tried to give color and explanations on behaviours and strategies and dilemmas I provided this commentary. I am in every show. I help bring people into the tent and to be their BBQ Ambassador to the world. They were editing me in the show and they asked how would I like to be listed..Award Winning Competition Cook, Certified Judge, but what I really wanted them to list me is that I have received the order of the Magic Mop. They asked to leave that out since no one will know what it means. If we do enough of these shows I will make sure they know what the Order of the Magic Mop is. I also have the dream to show Ardie Davis to confer on some recipient the Order. I explained to them it’s like you are in England and you are knighted. They still want to wait to put it in the shows listing..

Additionally I would like to show is Remus Powers administering the judge’s oath. He is a figure that looms large in competition BBQ.


Q- Which competition was your favourite?

I am a huge fan of the American Royal. I cooked it for many years with the Big Bob Gibson Team. I love the Big Pig Jig in Vienna Georgia. It is truly an old world BBQ contest it brings you back in time. It is not mobbed with people. It is very charming and very traditional.

Truthfully this is going to sound like showbiz prostitution. I like them all. I like them all because when you show up at the contest and you get that tingle when you arrive. When our cameras and tents arrived it was equally exciting every time. They all hold surprises. The traditional ones I love but these new ones I love too. I really like the Murphysborough contest for its daunting challenge, its location and for Amy & Mike Mills. True BBQ Royalty. That in itself captures the spirit of BBQ. The Royal for the spectacle. Dover for its great location. I just liked them all.

Q-What were some challenges for the show-

One of the difficulties of this show is that there are fantastic elements that are not going to be shown. We go in with 150 hours of tape and have to cut it down to 44 minutes. We have to find 44 minutes of story for the show. Some of our cast are not in each show. There will shows where you will go “where is Jamie Geer?” Then there will be a show though of this gorgeous Jambo pit and builder. Then there are people that have shot for us that are unfortunately not going to make it into the show.

Q-Who does the editing for the show?

Brian Catalina co-executive producer (show runner) produced the first season of Deadliest Catch. He really has the credentials of this task. He has marshalled armies of video and audio crew to get the ballet of the shot. Brian is masterful and he is strapped to the wheel. We have teams of editors who he commands. They begin to sift through everything. Bryan and I give them story lines on index cards for them to hunt down and find moments that service the story line. They all come from the world of reality television. (Survivor, Deadliest catch etc) They are really well schooled in finding these moments.

I see things in a rough cut, to a fine cut to a locked in cut. I don’t get to see everything personally I get these great surprises when I see these videos. They are really skilled shooters and audio people to get it. I have become very impressed at the level of skill and resourcefulness that these reality crews have. They are up all night, with garbage bags covering their heads in bad weather continuing to get the shot.... really they are underpaid. They give us their all. I am going to make sure on the day it premieres they will be eating Gourmet BBQ even if I have to cook it myself. I am moved by their commitment to this.

Brian has gone from knowing nothing about this world to bringing a thermal carryon bag and taking home BBQ leftovers. Everyone is getting a true immersion to this world. They all love it. They can’t stop talking about it. Everybody wants to talk about how talented and funny (the pitmasters) they are and how great their food is. That makes me feel so good inside. That a world they knew nothing about 6 weeks ago they now live. I also know some of these people will be competing.

Q- Why do you think at this point BBQ becoming more popular?

I think with the past year and a half the economy and the challenges we all face – BBQ represents a return a visceral comfort and simplicity of our approach to things. It is humble food and it is honest food. It really lands on several levels with people. It is also something you can do with your hands. With all of this falling down around you it is one of the things that can bring you joy. It can be done without a great deal of expense or sacrifice. I think the timing is right. It brings people together.

Q- What does BBQ mean to you personally?

BBQ is the elevation of something simple and humble to greatness. It unites people. It’s community.
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Originally I had thought to cut this interview way down to a much more manageable amount of words however the more I read what John has to say the more I wanted to include it all. I hope you agree.

Much thanks to Dustin Smith Director of Publicity TLC and to John Markus Executive Producer BBQ Pitmasters series for his generosity in doing this interview.
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BBQ for our Troops

I have been asked to post this on the blog for my American friends and readers.
If I lived closer I would certainly be volunteering.

Press Release
Ft. Hood Day of Healing Gets Grilling Help From BBQ For Our Troops
Pit Crews nationwide join in to provide barbeque for 60,000 troops and families during Day of Healing, Dec. 11, 2009
"To honor those who protect our freedoms, and their loved ones, with the hospitality of the uniquely American meal of BBQ." – Del King

Woodbridge, VA, November 23, 2009: BBQ for Our Troops has been asked to return to Ft. Hood for a second barbeque outing in a year for its Day of Healing, Dec. 11, 2009. The special day calls for meals to feed 60,000 troops and family members, said founder and president, Del King, a former Marine and operator of BBQ for Our Troops.
Mr. King started providing BBQ's for troops around the world, when soldiers began tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has been very dedicated to the troops and travels across the country sponsoring BBQ’s, but also creating a network of competitive pit crews to provide BBQ events on bases across the country, including Ft. Hood, TX.; Ft. Irwin, CA; and Camp Pendleton, CA; among others.
“I have been asked to do a BBQ at Fort Hood Texas. It is for the entire base. It will be part of what they are calling A Day Of Healing. I said ‘Yes.’ This is for our service people and they need all of our support,” said Mr. King. “So, I am now asking for help in this process. I need smokers and servers to answer the call to help. Come out and help. I need donations to be able to do this one. It is short notice and I must get the job done.”
“Smokers” are not those in the habit of lighting up tobaccos products, but those men and women who compete in the pit-barbeque business and who have created custom-made grills and meat smokers for high-stakes competition events.
Mike Hedrick, national spokesperson for BBQ For Our Troops, is one of those smokers and said, as part of the Ft. Hood Day of Healing, “We will provide BBQ for the entire base and all family members. We plan on feeding around 60,000 people. This will be Dec. 11th and there is the need for about 40,000 pounds of meat.” The organization is collecting both meat products from donors around the country, as well as financial sponsorships.
The event will require all the sides that come with a good old fashioned BBQ event, as well, said Mr. Hedrick. “That's a big order. We’ll need 2,142 #10 cans of beans, 600 gallons of sauce, and we need at least 75 smokers with a capacity of 400 pounds each.”
The BBQ For Our Troops outreach is privately funded via a national network of BBQ teams to serve the troops. Mr. King said he has spent years developing the network of pit crews that serve bases across the country. “This is a grass roots effort to show support for those men and women who serve in our Armed Forces. What I have done is to try to get people involved from different regions of the United States. BBQ teams come together and cook together for this cause. All the food is donated, as well, the Military doesn't pay a dime for it. It takes time and a lot of effort to get this done.”
BBQ For Our Troops has laid out spreads for up to 18,000 troops – the Ft. Hood Day of Healing BBQ will be the largest event ever for the group.
Nov 21st on the SPEED Channel, Pit Crew Barbeque's own Jeff Hammond took time out to discuss the cause that PCB's Pit Boss, Mike Hedrick will be working on diligently. Jeff is a strong supporter of the military, having supported the troops in Germany, Bosnia, Spain, Kuwait, Qatar, and Iraq.
For more information, to volunteer product and smoker services, or for interview opportunities, contact Mike Hedrick at (703) 470-6197 or visit www.BBQforOurTroops.com.

BBQ Pitmasters: BBQ, Grilling, Competition: TLC

I can't wait for this.

BBQ Pitmasters: BBQ, Grilling, Competition: TLC

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And here is what I saw today here is some seriously great SMACK TALK!

On the Curve hotstove & wine bar Mississauga

Its a rare evening when we can go out with some dear friends in the city without the kids. Our restaurant of choice rarely changes. We like On the Curve. a LOT.
I have had more get togethers in this restaurant that any other. I had my bachelorette (many years ago) evening of debauchery here as well. It is no surprise to me that this restaurant has received many awards for their food, drinks and club.There were 6 of us this evening for our getogether. My beloved husband Vlado, my SIL Mary my BIL Johnny and our dear friends Ken & Jen. All of us have been many times before together.

HIP Restaurants, an acronym for; Hospitality Inspired People was founded in 1999 by Brian Meikle, President and Master Chef Olaf Mertens, Vice President. Since then, along with co-owner and Director of Operations, Mark Williams they have opened up a total of 3 restaurants: On the Curve, Ten, and West50 Pourhouse & Grille
I had not been back to On the Curve since their renovation in August. I wanted to try out some of their new menu items and see what they had done to the interior. I also wanted to be reassured that our favorite place had not gone on to become too high end or too trendy. I personally like they have a dress code and have managed to keep it upscale without feeling like I needed the newest Gucci purse or Louboutins to fit in. On the Curve has always achieved the delicate balance of being an upscale restaurant with a great menu -that seamlessly transitions into an upscale club in the evening.

I have always loved their drink selection. We started the evening with some nice cocktails. I opted for their Sex and the City - Vodka, Triple Sec, Champagne, cranberry juice, and fresh lime. I love any drink that has fresh lime in it. My drink of choice is typically a Vodka tonic with lots of lime. I am not a fan of sugary sweet drinks.

This was a really nice drink. Wasn't too sweet. However throughout the night this drink changed into something more resembling cherry cool aid. Each time (4 times) it was ordered it changed completely. We started joking we wondered what it would look like next. At first it was served with lime slices had a tart edge to it and was pale pale pink. By the end of the night it was served with lots of cherries and was super sweet. Not sure whats going on there.

The menu has a good selection. It is not a huge menu. I don't like places that offer 100 items. I would much rather have a smaller menu where the quality is better.

Our starters for the evening were:
Coconut Shrimp: with orange horseradish marmalade sauce

The big fat shrimp were cooked perfectly. The shrimp were not overly sweet. The texture of the coconut was lovely. The sauce was fine but I wanted to taste the horseradish. There was no kick to it.

Falafel Funnel Cake: chickpea polenta is fried & then topped with chopped tomato salsa,parsley, chili sauce & garlic cream

This is much heavier than a funnel cake. Not the most visually appealing either. To put it bluntly one in our party said it looked like a pile of poop with toppings. So once you throw those comments and expectation of lightness out the window this dish rocks. By far my favorite flavor wise. The chili sauce on this rocks. Great bite to it. The garlic cream is awesome. The balance between the freshness of the tomato salsa, and sauces is heavenly. The texture of the polenta is meaty. I would eat this as a vegetarian entree in a heartbeat. It is very substantial.I think the biggest problem with this dish just lies in the name. It was closer to looking like a pile of Churro versus looking like a funnel cake. Funnel cake also gives the impression it will be light and airy.

Nacho Plate: roasted chicken or smoked beef brisket topped with cheese, jalapeños, green salsa, tomato salsa & sour cream (we opted for the brisket)

This was the guys choice to have. They had enjoyed Nachos here before. Now we think they have improved on them. Everyone agreed these nachos were killer. The brisket was sliced paper thin. My only lament would be I wanted more brisket on it. Considering that I like meat so much this should not come as a shock to anyone.

Charcuterie: House pate, cured meats, & artisan cheese served with burnt
honey & thyme

With my love of meat I was not going to pass up their charcuterie platter. I realize everyone is doing this these days. There is a reason for that. Its all about the meat. Yummy. The house pate has a really lovely layer of delicious fat on top. Cracking into it I was so pleased to see the beautiful pale pink smooth as silk pate. It was divine on the lightly toasted breads. The meats were fine on their own. I think however the waitstaff should know about the meats and cheeses they are serving on the platter. Not knowing where the artisnal cheeses came from I asked. Unfortunately the gentleman could not tell me but it was soon rectified and he returned telling me the locations. As you can see from the picture there was no honey or thyme (there were pickles though) on the platter. I would have loved a drizzle of honey on the platter. They were MIA should have asked for it but the natives were getting restless. I was taking my time enjoying this platter
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I am going to apologize right here for the quality of the pictures. Using a blackberry in the restaurant is not the most ideal. Especially since they dim the lights and use candles everywhere.

Moving on to dinner I knew what I wanted before arriving. I had looked online at their menu and had emailed Olaf about his recommendations. Figured if anyone would steer me in the right direction it would be him. He is a passionate foodie I have had the pleasure of meeting. He also loves BBQ.

Personally my dinner was
Beef Tenderloin: organic beef crusted in peppercorns & served with
Abbot’s Gold cheddar, poached egg & Canadian smoked bacon $37.00





The beef ordered medium rare was cooked perfectly. The flavor of the beef was very nice. However I could not find any peppercorns on it. None. Nada. Zip. If you look at the picture you can see there were none on it. Don't get me wrong it was a well cared for piece of tenderloin but it was lacking in spice. Ugh. I like the bite of peppercorns and tenderloin. Two of us ordered this dish and neither of us had the crust of pepper we were looking for. The poached egg was cooked perfectly. I love eggs. Eggs and beef belong together in my world and bacon well it just makes everything better. I'd like to direct your attention however to the picture once again. That pile of mashed potatoes was the surprise of the night for the entire table. We all LOVED them. Now you would think something as simple as mashed potatoes would not be the talk of the table but it was.The secret to their incredibly delicious potatoes is cheese curds. That beloved ingredient mostly found in poutine has made it into their mashed potatoes. I would go again just for them. They are seriously amazing.

Here were the other dinners of the night that I got to sample. (its a good thing we are close friends everyone was trying each others dishes)
OTC Pot Roast: slow-braised beef chunk & vegetables served in its own juices & topped with horseradish cream & crispy onions with our cheese curd mashed potatoes $21.31





The beef was fall apart tender moist and scrumptious. An awesome dish with a nice cream and crispy onion straws. Great hearty dish.

NY Strip Loin: grilled 10 oz. AAA steak served on our cheese curd mashed potatoes &
signature ragout sauce & then topped with crispy red onions $28.96





The two people who had their steak loved them and I can understand why. The steaks were well cooked and they tasted just like you would expect a top notch steak to taste. The ragout was very flavorful. Lots of texture as well. Once again those yummy mashed potatoes were served and they were excellent with the ragout.

Penne: “Bourbon street” spicy blackened chicken, pork andouille sausage, shrimp & a trilogy of vegetables tossed in a creamy sambuca sauce $18.93





This was one of the best and worst dishes of the night. Let me just begin by saying that we had to send the original version of this dish back. My SIL Mary had ordered this dish. Mary being one of the most polite people I know did not want to but I insisted. It is one thing to forget the peppercorn crust, to forget the honey drizzle and thyme you can still eat ...but her pasta was not cooked. Period. Now before you go thinking that we like our pasta overcooked and mushy let me just say that Mary is Italian. Her mother still makes the absolute best pasta I have ever had al dente as it should be cooked. This pasta was not cooked at all I could not get a picture of the bite we took. It was still white and hard. So off it went back to the kitchen for another round. Many apologies were given. I don't ever think it is wrong to send a dish back. As long as it is done while being polite and being understanding to the time it will take to remake it. It is not the servers fault. This is a kitchen issue. I hate seeing people take things out on the waitstaff for the kitchen. That's just wrong. Period.
So the dish returns and it is great terrific wonderful even. The perfectly cooked sausage, shrimp and chicken each add their own unique flavor to this dish. It has a tangy sweet with a bit of heat flavor profile. The veggies added a nice bit f crunch. The Sambuca sauce is worth the drive alone from Barrie to Mississauga. I wish I had ordered it. So much flavor in one bowl all married together beautifully. I am so glad I got to taste it. WOW!

I enjoyed all of these entrees with Inniskillin ‘Niagara Series’, Reisling – VQA Niagara Peninsula It was a very nice wine. I'll be buying it at the LCBO for sure.






Now on to another favorite part of the meal...dessert we ordered two off the menu for the table
Banana Pecan Egg Rolls: crispy fried bananas rolled in pecans & white chocolate then
topped with a toffee caramel sauce $7.61







Just order it. That would be my advice. I am having a serious love affair with this dessert. Its just so appealing to me. MMMM Caramel. The texture contrast between the creaminess of the bananas and the crispy outer shell along with the pecans just works beautifully. It was also served with a scoop of one of the most delicious vanilla ice creams I have ever had. It was like eating silk. Really really great tasting. What I didn't get was the scattering of fresh blueberries. They were horribly sour. They just don't need to be there. They don't fit. The pecans and the caramel sauce do this wonderful dessert enough justice.

Now as we received this dish I asked for what their home spun ice cream flavour of the week was. Problem was the server did not know. She didn't even offer to find out. She said she thought it was some chocolate and cookie thing she wasn't sure at all and then she admitted to us she didn't pay attention to what the chef had told her. Ugh.

The last dessert was quite the showstopper visually.





Homemade Chocolate Bar: our version of an old favorite – peanut nougat mousse, salted
peanuts, burnt caramel & then covered in dark chocolate $8.73

Once we all hacked into this dish.. it was great. But it takes a lot of work to break into the dark chocolate shell. There is no way to eat this without impailing it with a steak knife to get to the goodness within. Inside you have a decadent but light mousse. The chocolate was of good quality but there was a lot of it. Very thick. Loved the salted peanuts with the caramel. Now I know salted caramels have been done in lots of places but there is once again a reason it tastes good. This was a nice end to the meal. Considering the amount of chocolate the salt and the peanuts balanced everything out wonderfully.

That ended our lovely meal. I really should have asked about the honey, thyme and peppercorns. It would have given the restaurant an opportunity to correct it or to explain it at least. They can't fix what they don't know about. They were really minor blips in the night. The meal overall was great. Other than lack of knowledge the waitstaff were extremely attentive. Not hovering just attentive. From the front of the house (the hostess who took our coats) to the back of the house (security and bar) they aim to please. Even the busboy (who looked like a young Buddy Holly) was incredibly polite and unobtrusive when clearing our table. It is what we expect when we go there. It was a Saturday when we went and as per usual it was PACKED. Wall to wall people. Every single table was full plus two Christmas parties. Thats a lot of covers in one night. Other than that the waitstaff just needs to learn their menu. They may have been new. It is in their best interests.

Now I have to tell you about the inside since their new reno. In the restaurant section it is so comfortable to eat there. The sumptuous booth we shared was awesome. The lighting is beautiful and the ambiance is lovely. The woods are rich and the walls are a variety of deep shades. It was a great reno.
Moving on to the club and bar area the new sound system rocks the house. The multi flat screen tvs are turned off later into the night and the graphics display was great. Everything is understated elegance but none of the stuffiness. It is a big evening for us to go out like this. To come out enjoying it time and time again says something about the ownership. They take utmost care of you when you are there.

We will be back. For sure. You can bet on it.

All hail the king- Plowboys BBQ Success Story

Unless you have been living under a rock (or you just don't follow competitive BBQ really I understand) a while back you would have heard that Plowboys BBQ was the 2009 American Royal Invitational Grand Champion. This is a HUGE deal. Here are two videos where Todd discusses his BBQ succes for 2009.




On another exciting note the Plowboys line of rubs and sauces are coming to CANADA!!!! I am a big fan of their stuff. It is top notch high quality with proven outstanding results. It will be carried at Bass Pro Shops.

Well this was a nice surprise.

Was heading out the door yesterday morning hustling the tiny terrorists into the truck to get them off to school when I received a phone call. Now I knew that whoever was calling did not know me. So I hurried to the phone. It was a lovely gentleman who was booking for the BBQ Christmas class on Dec. 6. I asked where he had heard of us (I alway like to know) and he said the Toronto Star?? I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Jennifer Bain (Food Editor) aka The Saucy Lady from the Toronto Star had included the Diva Q Christmas BBQ Class in the Food section. That was really cool. Thanks so much. It is appreciated. Sadly she will not be able to attend. Wish she could have. I love talking to her about all things food. The picture they ran was the very first professional picture I had taken. I was leaning over a 300F WSM to get the smoke. Our old logo was in the back. It was the first big article written about Diva Q. The article was entitled Chicks in the Pit. Brings back memories of our first year. Wow. We have come a long way since then. I am proud of our accomplishments.

Caplansky's - A gastronomic delight.

You know we all have those days where we wake up craving something or another. Today being Sunday I wasn't feeling the normal pancakes for breakfast routine, the break out the good coffee program (I can't drink Kicking horse everyday) or even the lazy read on the couch for a few hours and hang out with the kids sort of day. I wanted meat. Specifically I wanted smoked meat. Now I know I have an overabundance of great equipment in my backyard and yes it wouldn't have killed me to throw on a brisket or what not. Goodness knows my freezer is always stocked and there is always Hovey's Gourmet meats a short drive away to fill my carnivorous cravings. However none of that would have cut it today. I wanted Caplansky's Smoked Meats.

I had read Corey Mintzes last review of Caplansky's . I figured it was about time I finally went now that the new location settled down.





So the 5 of us (yup the whole entourage 3 kids - 3,5,11 and Hubby)arrived in the early afternoon hours. The place was full but a table large enough to accomodate our brood emptied out shortly. Each waitstaff greeted us warmly. Nice. Its always great to walk into a place with 3 rambunctious children and feel comfortable.

Nice and clean with terrific ambiance. Additionally I got to meet Zane the owner. He is very personable and chats openly about the restaurant. The flooring is original. The light fixtures original and the ceiling is awesome. Just a great feel overall. Not tacky not overdone just a good deli feel.

I knew the menu ahead of time. I knew what I wanted to try which was almost the whole menu. First of all though must make the tiny terrorists happy. Sadly they don't have their beverage of choice milk (why don't you have milk??) yet but they settled for some delicious freshly squeezed orange juice. Then of course they must have Kosher hot dogs. They arrived very quickly however due to a shortage of Hot dog buns it was served on a bun large enough to accomodate 4 wieners. No worries though. Our kids rarely eat the bun. (Zane told me he ran out just after we were served the dogs to buy some more proportionate buns) The hot dog had a nice snap to it. Good flavour. Decent dog for sure.





Then something I wanted to try but I admit was leery of for a couple of reasons.. The smoked meat poutine. I had read on some other forums about the lack of squeaky curds on the poutine. Seriously ?? I have no idea what these people were referring to. As anyone who imbibes in that O so Canadian delightful dish of fresh cheese curds, fries and gravy -- the curds always loosen up and lose their squeak when warm. Ugh... Can't stand BS crap reviewing like that (if the lack of squeaky curds leads you to dislike a place then please do us all a favour and crawl under a rock) . Back to this poutine..... My concern was the level of salt and the ratio or curds fries and gravy. Smoked meat has never been known to be in the reduced salt category. Then with the additional bits of fries and gravy could it be done???





Hell YEAH!

It was damn good. Yup. Damn good. The ratio of curds to perfectly cooked fries to the decadently indulgent gravy (awash with succulent morsels of smoked meat) was in my opinion completely perfect. I personally like the texture of the gravy - it sticks to the fries and the curds. The balance of this humble dish is to be applauded. We finished it off mumbling (after I will admit a bit of a tug of war on who would get the plate next happened) to each other how good it was. I do believe the hubby guy licked part of the plate off in secret. It sure looked clean when we were done.






Next up was our oldest daughters choice - BBQ brisket on a bun. I will fully admit I am a complete brisket snob. Texas brisket is another carnivorous category I crave. There has rarely been a brisket that I have enjoyed near as much as the simplicity of a salt, pepper and garlic brisket from Texas. I also hate sauce on brisket preferring the meat to stand on its own merits. Caplanskys unfortunately (to me and my snobbish attitude) serves theirs with sauce.





The other part that annoys me about brisket is that a lot of so called BBQ joints make it taste like pot roast. Thankfully (even though it has sauce on it) at Caplansky's they do not treat it like potroast. It tastes like BBQ. The sammie was a great combination of the point and the flat. Since they are such distinctive parts of a whole flat of brisket it was great to see them both included. The fat was sublime. Melting in your mout due to the thin slices. (Hand cut or deli sliced I could care less as long as it tastes good) Their Southern Pride Smoker is certainly doing its part of the job well. It is not mushy. It has nice pull and good texture with a light smoke flavour. The addition of the onions is a wonderful accompaniement. It is an extremely generous portion of brisket served with a simple non offensive BBQ sauce on a pleasantly plump onion bun. I still think it should be served without sauce. Or at least give the option. I do believe this BBQ brisket could have stood on its own without the addition of sauce. I always say I am not here for the sauce I am here for the meat. Let me decide about the addition of sauce.

Moving on...

Zane recommended the Smoked meat hash. In his words all his cheffy friends like it and thought I would too. He was right.





I dont think there are enough places that serve a good hash these days. More often than not the hashes arrive soggy with little texture. Thankfully Caplanskys has elevated their hash to a complete delight. Mine was served with some great challah. The eggs were perfectly cooked sunny side up and the resulting ribbons of beautiful golden yolk when impaled by my ready fork added to the incredible texture contrasts to the onions potato and board leftovers. Ahhh now this was a dish you could get lost in. It was like a warm hug on a cold fall day. It was my Grandmother in her kitchen telling me to come try her hash all over again. I think I am in love with this dish. It was lovely. I am sure I could wax poetic even more so about this dish but darn it - just go your self and get it. You won't be disappointed.

You would think that would have been enough but this being a lazy Sunday and a gluttonous one at that we didn't end there. (Ok the fact is we were also on our way to pick up an eliptical machine and somehow in my brain I figured well anything else I eat Ill just work off this week. Yes I know this is fantasy. Ill live with my own reality pfft like I would miss out on trying more meat.)

No we went even further in our taste of Caplansky's we got the Caplansky's Combo Now this is a great assortment of their Smoked Meats (Montreal, Tongue, Chopped liver, Turkey, Salami) and some terrific Rye bread. We also ordered the latkes.










Let me discuss the latkes first. I was disappointed in them. They are served with a decent enough apple sauce and we asked for sour cream as well. They are not offensive in any way - they are just not memorable. For some reason I had high hopes of the ultimate latkes being served. The size is fine, they were cooked properly but they were nothing special. They lacked the oomph. The oomph that the meat is bringing to the place.

The Caplanskys Combo is a great way to try many of their meats. The tongue was melt in your mouth delicious. The texture was akin to a silken beef. Lovely. The Montreal (or should it be Zane) smoke meat was awesome. Truly awesome. The crustiness of the edges gives such a great mouth feel. Zane said he had been working on the consistency and was very pleased with the meat for the day. Once again he was right. The cure is great. Not too salty not to offensive just right. I don't know what other accolades I could heap on it. The same goes for the Chopped Liver. Sheesh all I could think of as we were smearing gobs of it on the rye was how much I wished both my Mother and Grandmother were still alive so I could bring them here. We shared such a love of smoked meats and I remember as a kid going to the original Shopsey's on Spadina. They would adore this place. The Chopped liver has an incredible depth of flavour. It has a gamier edge than most I have had. It works though. I wanted some slices of hard boiled eggs with it . Just the way I always ate it. The rye bread (Silverstein’s) doesn't take anything away from any of the meats. In the end it adds to the overall enjoyment factor with its texture. The salami was really decent with a bit of char and crusting. It and all of the other meats received an additional oomph with the mustard assortment:




I've left out one of the meats from the combo platter-- the smoked turkey. Now I have done loads of smoked turkeys. I know how hard it is to keep it moist at the best of times I have often brined first then smoked to give myself that insurance that it would be moist. This turkey at Caplansky's rocks. I asked Zane how they hold it. He says they simply keep it in their own juices on the steamer. Its a very mildly smoked turkey with great flavour. Turkey can be oversmoked very easily. I was shocked to learn that in his combo of woods he uses Mesquite. I have had lots of spectacularly oversmoked food using mesquite. I was thoroughly impressed with the delicate flavours of the turkey considering the wood used. Kudos to them.

Last but not least we tried some desserts that they do in house.








Bread pudding is one of my all time favorite desserts and since they had a chocolate bread pudding on the menu I had to try. Unfortunately it was one of the last remaining pieces and was not that good. It was burnt on the edges and the texture was gritty. Ill just leave it at that. ugh.

The last item was their fudge chocolate cake. Now this is a dessert I would go back for. It is extremely dense however it is not overly cloying with sweetness. It was a nice end to the meal but I wish we could have ordered a glass of milk or 3 (it was a huge slice and none of us had room for more than a couple of bites) to go with it.

The service we received was just fine. The waitstaff did not make us feel rushed or hurried in any way. Our waters were refilled, additional coffee brought out and everyone was asked more than once if everything was ok. Something to note though- out of the two tables next to us one table was largely ignored (against the window) and the other was visited regularly. Had I been the couple at the table near the window I would have been really ticked. I found it to be good value for the money. Its not cheap its not expensive. Good food deserves fair prices and I think they charge that.

Zane sat with me for a bit at the end of the meal and we discussed the meats and the meal in general. I did not know Zane before we walked in but I am sure I will be getting to see him again in the future. I have promised to bring him a BBQ care package (ribs, ABTS, and I am sure more tidbits of course) the next time I am in town. There are still many other terrific looking dishes I saw being delivered to other tables. (So many I wanted to try - that if I could have come back in a couple of hours I would have LOL) If I lived in this neighborhood I can see how I could eat 3 meals a day there and be content.

It was the perfect way to spend a Sunday as a family. I am so glad we went.

Christmas BBQ Class Sunday December 6, 2009

Its getting to be that time of year already.
Just in time for Christmas we are going to hold a Diva Q BBQ Christmas Class.
We will be giving the class once again at the Traeger Canada Warehouse in Barrie, Ontario from 10am till 3pm. We will be teaching how to brine, spatchcock, inject and BBQ turkey just in time for the holiday season. Hope you can join us for some great BBQ turkey, appetizers and a fun class!!








Cost of class is $50.00 pp, this includes sampling of appetizers, a selection of different turkeys and non alcoholic beverages, please email divaq@rogers.com or call 705-735-0226 to book your reservation.

Click this pic for the larger poster size!

On the road again : Roadtrip to the Jack and Douglas

We are on the road again.

The other night after receiving many many emails and texts from our friends at the Jack we decided on a spur of the moment - can we get there on time for the awards - oh goodness my husband is giving me the shes off her rocker look - road trips. I just could not reconcile sitting at home another moment.

It was worth it.

So that was Friday night. Now fast forward 19.5 hours of driving and with 15 minutes to spare to awards we made it in time. It rocked.

One of the first people to spot us was team Belgium. LOL they were shocked. Then next was Kelly Wertz and he was shocked then on to our friends at House of Q. IT was awesome surprising our friends and worth every minute. And so on and so on. Fun as heck.

You know the Jack is just something special. Truly though the place is just one part. The friends are whats worth it. Its all about the BBQ. But its also all about the people.


Ill post more as we continue on our journey. Right now we have made it to Chattanooga Tennessee and we are trying some local BBQ joints tomorrow. Then on to a few other spots before we end up this week at some point in Douglas Georgia for the Best of the Best.

Its been a blast so far. We are truly blessed to be surrounded by so many people we love to be with.

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Choo Choo BBQ

So we ended up checking out 3 places in the Chattanooga area. The first was Choo Choo BBQ. We had an assortment of everything they have on the menu. We were really disappointed with the quality. The brisket was closer to an overdone pot roast. The chicken had good flavor but it was seriously dry. The pork was ok. IT was tender and flavorful and was moist. The worst however by far were the ribs. They were vile. There was so much oil dripping off of them it just turned your stomach. They were near impossible to pick up as well being mushy. No flavour at all. Now I understand there is a huge difference in comp BBQ vs. Commercial BBQ usually but this was just bad. We went right at lunch time so there should have been some decent quality. There seemed to be a constant stream of customers as well.

Porkers Bar-B-Que

We stopped by Porkers Bar-B-Que. Sadly they were not open. However I was really lucky when I went up to the door to check the hours and the owner was there. We got to talking about BBQ and then he took me and showed me his new pit (Southern Pride) and his restaurant. It was terrific. Great feel to the place. Its somewhere you want to have BBQ. They have fed presidents in the past as well. Then he handed me a rack of ribs all wrapped up for us to take home and enjoy. They were terrific. I wish I had the opportunity to try more of his BBQ. I was impressed. I would recommend this great place any time you are in the area.

Sugars Ribs

The last place was Sugars Ribs. Their billboards claim they were voted best in 2008. Hmm. Gotta wonder about that.
Tried their brisket, pulled pork, banana pudding, chicken, ribs, Texas pinto beans, cornbread, grilled corn and sausage rounds. We went right at dinner time. Once again the brisket tasted like pot roast. It was mushy pot roast. The pulled pork was decent, the chicken was really dry. Sahara desert dry. The ribs were so overdone and mushy you could not even pick them up and had to use a fork. The bones were cracking apart. I enjoyed the Texas Pinto beans a lot. The sausage rounds had really good flavour. However they are precooking them and reheating them on the grill and its drying them out. If they held them in a cambro or even an alto sham they would be terrific. The banana pudding looked really pretty with the nilla wafer and lots of whipped cream. It was a disappointment when you put the spoon in it and the pudding was not a pudding but the consistency of yellow banana milk. Ugh.. The worst though was the burnt cornbread we were served. I don't mean burnt around the edges I mean blacker than a lodge cast iron pan on the bottoms and some of the sides.

The highlight was their Carolina red sauce. It was terrific. Great balance of flavours. Good taste I enjoyed it a lot.

They have this thing at the restaurant. They have three goats in the back and ask any customers who eat their corn on the cob, or cornbread if they have any leftover to go feed it t the goats.

Lets just say the goats get a lot of food and are a happy lot of animals.

I would not go back unless it was just to order their Carolina red sauce.

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Tennessee Aquarium Imax Ruby Falls and some kick a$$ pizza.


Having our two girls with us makes it an interesting trip. We decided to head over to Ruby Falls to check out the mountain and the Lookout Mountain cave system.

I found out just how claustrophobic I am. Not good. It was a fascinating trip going down in a packed elevator 1200 FT down. Then you get to walk for 1/2 mile to the Falls. I will say it is absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous. Incredible limestone, stalactites and stalagmites . But for the love of all things good and decent why does the tour guide have to tell you in the middle of the tour that you are directly under the earthquake fault line. I just about passed out when she said this. The most important thing was that the girls and my husband Vlado really loved it. I think next time I will just stay above ground.

The Tennessee Aquarium is awesome. If you ever get the chance and have your family with you please go. It is terrific from the penguins and the sharks to the operators it was a great experience. Lots and lots of information. We could have spent a couple of days easily.

The IMAX was another terrific venue to take the kids too. This is a true IMAX theatre. We thought the movie was great and so vivid. Another one to take the family to if you are ever in the area.

After the Aquarium and theatre we headed around the corner and went to a great pizze place. Mellow Mushroom. They hand toss all their pies. The crust is fantastic and their salads are terrific.

We had a capri salad with the most flavorful mozzarella and tomatoes. The Mighty Meaty did indeed live up to their name and expectations - fantastic pie with a wicked good crust.. The chicken and cheese calzone was enough to feed 3 people on its own.

They had an excellent selection of beers on tap and bottled. I had a Seadog Wild Blueberry- it was a really nice light and flavorfule pale ale.

If you get the chance go and visit this terrific pizza place. It was wonderful.

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We headed on to Macon after Chattanooga. Did a bit of shopping and looking around. Just a nice relaxing evening. We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites. It was a great hotel. Ate at a place called sonic burger for a change of pace. They have this drink I think I now have an addiction to - Limeade. Its nice and tart and seriously refreshing.

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Jasper Georgia Bub-Ba-Que

It was a very exciting day to be able to go to a BBQ joint I have wanted to go to for the last few years Bub-Ba-Que


It did not disappoint at all.

Anyone who reads this blog knows I dont mince words when it comes to BBQ joints.

This has to be in my top 5 places of all time.

It is exceptional.

The ribs were some of the best I have ever had (and cut beautifully), the pork was tender but still had texture, the brisket was fantastic (so much so our 5 yr old turned to me and said Mommy I wish your brisket tasted like this and then ate 1/4 lb of it. I have to agree with her I wish I did too!). The sides are great too. The Mac n Cheese is creamy goodness. Then of course they had to deep fry it and as well their corn fritters and collard greens are awesome.
However the one that stood out was their deep fried pickles with a side of chipotle ranch. What a nice texture or crunchiness and sourness.

If you are within 2000 (yes I seriously mean 2000) miles of this place GO. Don't pass go, don't stop to do anything else just GO!

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Sitting here in Douglas is fantastic. We are having a great time with all of the Canadian Teams (house of Q, Smoke and Bones, the BBQ effect) and all of the USA teams. There is even the team from Austria and Poland here.









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