Review: Blue Rock BBQ

When you think about great BBQ you most likely envision the south; places like Memphis, Tennessee, and Alabama. But would you ever include San Jose as a city known for great barbecue? Blue Rock BBQ is the brainchild of Owen and Marie Jobson, and they are trying to change that. They have collected time tested family owned recipes and techniques from all of those classic barbecue regions and housed them all in a small but well appointed restaurant in San Jose.

Their menu is a celebration of flavors, aromas, and good times with family and friends, says Jobson. It reflects their motto, "Barbecue without Borders" in that it includes many US regions of barbecue as well as a few countries, like Cuba, Morocco, and Indonesia.

Starting with the menu item most exotic to this area, Alabama-style Chicken; smoked at high temperature then dunked in a white barbecue sauce. The leg-thigh portion was incredibly fall off the bone tender. The skin was nicely seasoned and drizzled with a red sauce as well. If the term “dunked in a white barbecue sauce” leads you to believe this will be a saucy mess, you are misled. This is about the most perfect piece of barbecue chicken I have tasted to date.

The Tennessee Pulled Pork was true to form. First pulled and them chopped the texture was tender and juicy with just the right amount of seasoning. Restraint with the sauce ladle is definitely a lesson taught well at the Blue Rock BBQ, and this dish is no exception. With just a drizzle of sauce to enhance the meat every bit was well balanced. For those of you who like the sauce flowing from the plate there is a squeeze bottle of sweet, tangy and ever so slightly spicy sauce on every table for your slathering pleasure.

Baby Back Ribs it seems are the litmus test for a great barbecue joint in California. Our order came sans sauce per our request. Dry rubbed, tender and moist, these ribs had a nice bark on the outside and were easily peeled clean from the bone with just the right amount of pull from your teeth. The flavors in the rub were complex but not complicated and enhanced the flavor of the ribs enough to be eaten as is, but also melded perfectly with the addition of the table sauce.

What would barbecue be without the sides? Blue Rock BBQ’s potato salad is a must have. Made of red skin potatoes and dressed lightly in a mayo based dressing the addition of crispy bacon elevates these potatoes to new heights. I mean come on, it has bacon!

When you order coleslaw there are two main varieties you will find; vinegar based or mayo based slaw. The slaw at Blue Rock BBQ is like a marriage of the two, tangy and snappy, yet lightly creamy. I found it to be a delightful change to the usually disappointing side, I’m a fan.

We also tried the Mac and Cheese and the BBQ beans. While I found the beans a bit sweet for my taste my dining companion was instantly taken back to her childhood days, and the BBQ beans served at a family barbecue in Kentucky. We’ll say they are authentic Southern cooking. The mac and cheese was a nice surprise, built from rigatoni with layers of creamy sauce and a cheesy topping. Definitely not your garden variety elbow mac n’ cheese and we appreciate that!

Since Jobson confirmed that all his desserts were made in house we felt obligated to work through the fullness and test out his baking skills. The pecan pie, house made from Jobson’s grandmother’s recipe was pure enjoyment. A crisp but tender crust filled with a rich and sweet, sticky custard and topped with pecan halves. The rich and nutty flavor is the perfect ending to a Southern BBQ.

Blue Rock BBQ is conveniently located in the Hacienda Gardens Shopping Center, near the intersection of Meridian and Foxworthy Avenues. You can easily access Blue Rock BBQ from the Willow Glen, Cambrian, Campbell, and Almaden Valley areas of San Jose. Ample parking is available in front of the restaurant.

3001 Meridian Avenue Phone: (408) 978-2583 (978-BLUE)
San Jose, California 95124

Sunday Night Dinner: Schweinshaxe

Across the USA the tradition of Sunday Dinner is well known. The day that families reconnect and come together for a special meal.

Today I cooked our Sunday dinner and I wanted to make sure it would be something special, something that the others in my home had not had the opportunity to enjoy until today. This hearty Bavarian meal is usually served with sauerkraut and potatoes or dumpling(spaetzle). Our dinner sides consisted of braised cabbage and a mock roasted garlic mash potato that uses cauliflower in place of the starchy tuber.

Serves: 2-3 hungry Bavarians

INGREDIENTS
1 lg carrot, diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 leek, chopped
2 stalk celery, diced
1 meaty pork shank
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
salt to taste
ground cumin to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. Place the carrot, onion, leek, celery, and pork shank into a large stockpot. Add the peppercorns, and season with salt to taste. Add enough water to the pot to cover the vegetables. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 hours, or until everything is tender. Remove the shank from the water, and drain. Reserve vegetables and cooking liquid.

2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F ( 220 degrees C). Melt the butter in an enamel coated cast iron baking dish or pan. Place the drained pork shank, cooked vegetables, and 2 cups of the cooking liquid into the pan. Dust lightly with cumin.

3. Bake for 45 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve with potato or dumplings, and sauerkraut . While the pork shank is roasting; strain the reserved cooking liquid and reduce to a dark rich sauce. Serve as an accompanying sauce.

Recipe: Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

This is the time of year for the best heirloom tomatoes around. We brought back a ton from Carmel. Many people have submitted recipes to us but we really liked this simple way to enjoy the freshness of the tomatoes.

Ingredients:
1 green heirloom tomato, sliced thin
1 red heirloom tomato, sliced thin
1 yellow heirloom tomato, sliced thin
4 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced
3 cloves marinated garlic, shaved
2 balsamic marinated shallots, sliced
6-8 slices of french bread
1 clove of garlic, cut in half for rubbing

Directions:
Brush both sides of the french bread with olive oil and toast. Rub both sides of toasted bread with the garlic. Place one piece of cheese on the bread, then place one slice of each color of tomato onto the cheese. Place the shaved marinated garlic on the tomatoes and add the marinated shallot slices on top. Magnifico!

Submit your favorite recipes to "The Last Bite". If we choose your recipe for posting you might find a gourmet treat is on it's way to your mailbox!

For The True Chipotle Fanatic!

With so much chipotle content I decided to split off the blog and create "The Smoky Chipotle". Dedicated to everything chipotle; The Smoky Chipotle will present products, reviews, recipes, and restaurants that glorify the wonderfully pungent smoky chipotle pepper.

Click over to The Smoky Chipotle for the best chipotle content on the net. While you are there share some of your smokin' hot chipotle stuff with all the other chipotle enthusiast. Whether it's the pepper, the restaurant, a product, or a recipe, we want to hear what you have to say!

See you at The Smoky Chipotle

2008 Carmel Heirloom TomatoFest® Report

The 17th annual NatureSweet Carmel TomatoFest® was in all its glory this past Sunday at the spectacular countryside setting of Quail Lodge Resort in Carmel, California.

It all started seventeen years ago as a small get together, Gary Ibsen hosted this tasting event in his backyard for his family and a few of his chef friends for the purpose of celebrating his tomato harvest. Since then this event has grown into an annual fundraiser that attracts chefs, wineries, tomato growers and three thousand tomato lovers from across the United States.

This year’s TomatoFest® was a wondrous feast of delights that included; an unforgettable display of more than 350 heirloom tomato varieties from around the world for the tasting; exceptionally delicious and innovative tomato dishes created by 60 of America's top chefs; a tasting of more than 100 premium wines; an amazing "Salsa Showcase" tasting of 100, commercially available, tomato salsas; the pleasures of an old-fashioned country BBQ; an "International Olive Oil Tasting;" celebrity chef and gardening demonstrations; a tasting of great tomato-related specialty foods; sales of hard-to-find fresh heirloom tomatoes and heirloom tomato seeds; live music and dancing under Carmel Valley's oak covered hillsides.

Ticket price might seem to be a bit steep, starting at $95, however they did included all food, wines and activities. Children under 12, with parent, were admitted free. The net proceeds benefit several youth charities. Thus far the Carmel TomatoFest® has donated more than $210,000.00 to local, regional and national charities to benefit children.

Innuendo Enterprises LLC attended this festival to participate in the country store section featuring Dave’s Gourmet’s line of Organic heirloom Pasta Sauces. The newest flavor in this fabulous line is the Heirloom Spicy Marinara. These sauces were available at the Dave’s Gourmet booth for tasting and purchase.

Founded and operated by Gary Ibsen in 1991, the TomatoFest® has revitalized the appreciation and desire for true heirloom tomatoes over the years. Ibsen’s belief in sustainable farming and organic seed saving has inspired him to develop and grow heirloom tomato varieties for more than 30 years. For the 2008 season, he is currently growing more than 600 varieties of certified organic heirloom tomatoes from seeds originally sourced from family farms around the world. Ibsen’s hands-on production and harvest techniques ensure the highest quality product from harvest to table. For more information visit www.tomatofest.com or call 1-800-965-4827.

Extreme Heat at the Great Divide

Baboon Ass Brand GONE RABID Hot Sauce has made it to new heights; 10,759 feet to be exact. Thanks to Bill Duke of AwardWinningSauces.com our insane simian has now officially traveled farther than we have. Come to think of it This fiery monkey can be found in Germany, The UK, Canada, Australia, and Israel. Someday I would like to visit all the places that the extreme beast has been.

If you have a picture of any Baboon Ass Brand product anywhere cool, and we mean anywhere, send it to innuendofoods@pacbell.net and we will post it. When we get a bunch, we'll figure where to send some great gourmet sauces. Will you be the one to get our gourmet gift?

A Call For Products; We're Looking For A Few Good Sauces!

Are you a gourmet food or specialty sauce maker? Are you located in Northern California? Are you interested in having your products placed in online and Bay Area Stores?

Innuendo Enterprises LLC is looking for some great new products to add to their current offerings. Your products; should they be approved for placement in our network will be presented to our ever growing list of retail clients. Your product will automatically be placed online with their retail affiliate RoJosGourmet.com and may also qualify to be offered to over 40 million shoppers a day on Amazon.com .


The criteria are as follows:

*Your product must be a shelf stable gourmet or specialty food item.

*Your product should be professionally packed in a FDA approved processing facility.

*You must have a professional label which includes ingredient declaration and nutritional facts.

*You should provide a price list of your submitted items which includes both wholesale and distributor price and your suggested list price.

*Your product should be made and stocked in Northern California.

*You acknowledge that any materials that you submit will be done at your own expense and regardless of the outcome your samples and/or materials will not be returned to you.

*All decisions are at the sole discretion of Innuendo Enterprises LLC and its officers.

We are particularly interested in expanding our Rubs and Spices, Salsa, dressings, olives and pickles, wing sauce, and condiments offerings.

If you would like to submit your specialty food items please contact us at INNUENDO CONTACT FORM and provide us with some details of your products.

Is "Everything" Truly Better With Bacon?

It makes me proud to see that creativity is alive and well in Santa Cruz California. At Marini's candy shop at the
Boardwalk amusement park you'll find the ultimate treat; chocolate-coated bacon.“It was kind of a joke to begin with,
" said the owner, Joseph Marini III.

Here are three little words that might give the staunchest snacker pause: Chocolate-covered bacon.
It sounds so wrong. But it tastes just right, says Joseph Marini III, a fourth-generation candy maker who is selling the bacon bonbons at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk seaside amusement park.
“It's not just for breakfast any more,” he says with a grin.

It's hard to tell exactly where the dream of candy-coated breakfast meats started, but for Marini, the inspiration was a trip with some ski buddies a while back.
“One guy came up with, 'Who doesn't love bacon? Who doesn't love chocolate? Let's marry them together.'”

So Marini gave it a shot and after some trial and error — crispness is key, he says, noting that chewy bacon plus chocolate is undelicious — he came up with a product.
“It was kind of a joke to begin with,” he says. “We brought it down to the boardwalk and put it in a case just to see if people would react, and they reacted.”

Take boardwalk visitor Nathan Lopez, who on a recent foggy morning had a quizzical look on his face as he began eating a sample at Marini's at the Beach. But he finished with a smile.
“Interesting combination,” was the verdict. “I didn't think it would be very good but once I tried it; it was good.”

Of course, chocolate-coated bacon is just the latest incarnation of the wackier-the-better fair food philosophy.
Fair food has been shaking up the snack scene for some time, says Ron Whiting, of Whiting's Foods, whose family has been selling food at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk for decades.
“Years ago, I think food tended to be more traditional and less fun,” he says. Then came the corn dog and the era of quick and on-a-stick. “We all talk about the next corn dog,” he says.
Fry, fry again is a persistent theme. Current popular snacks include deep-fried Twinkies and Oreos.

Page, who admits to eating "more than my fair share of fried dough," notes that gourmet chefs have taken to putting food — just about any food — on a stick, coming up with some posh Popsicles. Meanwhile, there's the foie gras-cotton candy matchup, not a stretch flavor-wise since foie gras usually is paired with something sweet, but certainly visually arresting.
“It's the melding of both these worlds, the high end and the low end,” said Page.

Never underestimate the appeal of battered-is-better.

source: Associated Press

Recipe: Classic Barbecued Chicken Simplified

This recipe is an All American Classic. We like to use drumsticks, but you can use your favorite part of the chicken or even a whole bird, cut up for the grill!

I can't think of an easier way to impress your friends and family without having to slave in the kitchen. You can serve this with some grilled corn or baked potatoes done right alongside on your outdoor cooker.

Ingredients:

1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks(legs)
BBQ Rub or Salt & Pepper to taste
1 Jar BBQ Sauce any flavor

Wash thoroughly and pat dry chicken pieces. Season chicken with BBQ rub or salt and pepper. Grill chicken on a medium flame until it reaches and internal temperature of 160 degrees. Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce and continue to cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees. Brush on more sauce during this process to achieve a nice sticky coating.

Visit the recipe archive at RoJosGourmet.com by clicking the Easy Gourmet Recipes link http://www.rojosgourmet.com/category_s/39.htm?click=82

Send In a recipe using one of the products purchased from RoJo's Gourmet. If your recipe is chosen we will post it for all to read. You will also receive a gift from RoJo's Gourmet Foods if your recipe is selected. Thank you all in advance for your great recipes.

Sauce Maker Interview: Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce

I received an email from Al at County Bob’s All Purpose Sauce Company. He explained that they had seen “The Last Bite” and wondered if we would be interested it trying their fine All Purpose Sauce. Seeing as though Country Bob’s is not available in California I was all over that like a tornado on a trailer park.

Country Bob’s is a small company from Centralia, Illinois. One man’s passion for cooking resulted in their original sauce recipe. They formed a corporation and the business exploded. They credit their great success to God and have appointed Christ their CEO. While the CEO was not available for this interview; co-founder Al Malekovic was happy to answer our question:

Q: How did you come to found a gourmet sauce business?
A: Country Bob Edson created the All Purpose Sauce in 1968. He owned a filling station and all the local guys would come around and he would make lunch. He loved to BBQ and he would fix different meats and feed them. He could not find a sauce that suited him so he created Country Bobs All Purpose Sauce.

Q: How long have you been in business?
A: Country Bob was making it to sell locally and in 1982 the four of us Bob, Terry his son, Al Malekovic Terry’s father-in-law and Reed Malekovic, Al’s son created Country Bob Inc. and started on our way. This answers the next question, Al’s wife Eileen, runs the office, also a son-in-law and two grandsons. We have a total of 14 employees.

Q: Do you have business partners? Is it a family business? etc.
A: Didn’t you read the last answer? (us, not their answer)

Q: What kinds of challenges are involved in having a gourmet sauce company, and how do you surmount them?
A: The main challenge was getting people to taste it. We use to do a lot of demos, but due to the high cost we have about quit. Cost has went from $35 a day to about $150 a day, but now we give a lot of coupons for free bottles of Country Bobs away. Mainly over the internet!

Q: Do you use a co-packer? How did you find a good one, and how do you work with them to make sure the product comes out the way you intended?
A: We pack our own and also for several other small companies. We are now making our plastic bottles.

Q: What’s the best thing about your job?
A: Meeting all the great people and see how they react to Country Bobs. Working with our family and way the Lord has blessed us.

Q: What’s the worst thing about your job?
A: Getting told NO!

Q: What was your first sauce?
A: Do you still offer it for sale? Country Bobs All Purpose Sauce was our first and still is!

Q: How do you go about developing a gourmet sauce?
A: We do it ourselves; in fact, we are working on a marinade and two new BBQ sauces.

Q: How do you taste and evaluate gourmet sauce?
A: Our employees help with the taste and we see what the market place is needing.

Q: How has your company evolved over the years? (if applicable)
A: Because of the increased number of chains and the Broker system dissolving; we now use the internet to get people to taste Country Bobs. We send out a coupon for a free bottle if the people register on our web site. We are on a bunch of search engines that give free stuff away. Also we started blogging a couple of months ago and our hits on our web site have doubled. We are redoing our web site to make it more person friendly.

Q: Do you use any unusual ingredients that people might be surprised at? (No Answer)

Q: Do you have a favorite sauce? What do you like about it?
A: Our All Purpose!!

Q: Aside from your own, do you have a favorite commercially available gourmet sauce?
A: NO!

Q: What’s the best way to use your sauce?
A: You name it! From marinating, dipping, steak, BBQ, and the vast ways to cook with it. (you should see our cookbook).

Q: What’s the strangest way you’ve heard of someone using your sauce?
A: Ice Cream

Q: What do you want people to know about your sauce?
A: If they will taste it they will buy it.

Q: What is next for your company?
A: Gourmet BBQ sauces

Q: What trends do you see happening in the specialty food industry in the next several years?
A: Shelf space being a premium and the cost of doing business rising.

Q: Where can we buy your products?
A: Web site, call us, Amazon, most Kroger and Wal-Mart Super Centers, Albertsons, and other independent stores. Country Bobs is sold mostly in the Midwest and the South.

We truly enjoyed the sample of Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce and you can get your FREE bottle by simply signing up for their newsletter. Some restrictions apply, see their site for details: http://www.countrybobs.com/pages/signup.asp

Look for part two where we use Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce in a recipe from the Country Bob's website!

Authentic New York Deli at Saul's In Berkeley

The minute you walk in the door of Saul’s Restaurant and Deli in Berkeley, CA you will know that you have found authentic New York deli. The décor is simple with a checkerboard floor and black and white photos on the wall.

The deli case is stocked full of whitefish, sable and Nova lox and there is a server wandering around the lobby with a tray loaded with little samples of chopped liver on rye. Tuna on rye is available for those less daring.

The short wait for a table can be a mouthwatering yet torturous experience as people get enormous kosher dills from a self serve barrel in the deli and black and white cookies and hamentashen are sold from the bakery. Where’s that boy with the chopped liver?

Peter a co-owner and host extraordinaire hears our conversation with some people in the lobby about a similar establishment is San Diego. The gauntlet was unknowingly thrown down and an order of potato latkes hit the table minutes after we got there ourselves. “These are from Peter” our server tells us. Crispy golden brown on the outside and moist and delicious inside, these super sized latkes are enough for the whole table. They were served with applesauce and sour cream and they lasted about a minute.

I ordered a bowl of the matzo ball soup to share with my son. The broth was dark and rich and very flavorful. There were two large matzo balls in the soup, they were very tender and fluffy and perfectly seasoned. This is a really large bowl of soup so unless you're a big fresser or sharing it, stick to the cup.

For the main course I ordered a personal favorite; corned beef and chopped liver on rye bread. It came nicely stacked with some coleslaw on the side and every table has a great jar of deli mustard brought over from New York for authenticity. The bread is bakery fresh with a crisp thin crust. This sandwich is the epitome of Deli and was perfectly executed. The warm corned beef is very tender and not salty and the portion is not skimpy.

Other items at the table which I was able to sample were the Lox and cream cheese bagel; served with shaved red onion and plenty of delicious capers, and a Pastrami Reuben on buttery grilled rye; crispy and dripping with thousand Island dressing and tangy sauerkraut. All wonderfully fresh, prepared, and presented perfectly.

If you want to experience authentic Deli but you can’t get to New York, Visit Saul’s, It’s the same!

Saul's Restaurant & Deli
1475 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94709

A Perfect Bloody Mary; Twenty Years In The Making!

Big Daddy's bloody Mary mix, James Miller has been a bartender for over 20 years.

James has found that getting a great tasting bloody Mary on a consistent basis is nearly impossible. This led James to formulate his own recipe, which he made at each establishment he worked.

Currently, as a bar owner himself, James makes this mix by the gallons to satisfy the demand of his customers. They come religiously every Sunday (and every other day of the week) for the "Sunday, bloody Sunday" drink special. James takes pride in his great tasting mix and, he hopes you'll agree, this is the best bloody Mary mix you will ever purchase.

Directions to get a perfect Bloody Mary:
Mix one part of your favorite premium vodka to three parts of Big Daddy's Original Recipe Bloody Mary mix. Garnish as desired (celery, lime, olive, pepperoncini) a salted rim adds a touch of flavor and class........ENJOY

Bloody Mary Mix can be enjoyed with or without alcohol and is perfect as a base for gazpacho or as an ingredient in other recipes. Here is a recipe for Bloody Mary Salmon:

Ingredients:

1 cup Big Daddy's Bloody Mary Mix
2 ounces vodka(optional)
Large splash olive oil
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 salmon fillets, 6 oz each

In a shallow pan heat olive oil . Saute celery until it starts to sweat. Push the celery aside and add the salmon to the pan.

Add the Bloody Mary Mix and bring to a gentle simmer. Add in the vodka at this time.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and let salmon poach in the liquid for about 10-12 minutes, until it is just cooked through.

To serve plate the salmon and spoon the sauteed celery and sauce over the salmon.

Send In a recipe using one of the products purchased from RoJo's Gourmet. If your recipe is chosen we will post it for all to read. You will also receive a gift from RoJo's Gourmet Foods if your recipe is selected. Thank you all in advance for your great recipes.

It's on Sale Now at a special introductory price!

Review: Scott's Seafood Jack London Square

Scott's Seafood Restaurant was a nice finish to our busy day. The setting is white tablecloth but there is still a casual feel to the dining room with its calming waterfront view. There was a piano player in the lounge that was enjoyable throughout the dining room although he did tend to get a bit loud at times.

There were several of us foodies at the table so I was able to sample a variety of dishes.

The Boston Clam chowder was excellent; rich and buttery yet not too rich for a warm summer night. The Oysters Rockefeller were tasty, however I felt the breadcrumbs were over toasted and there were a lot of shell fragments in the oysters themselves.

Steamed clams were served in a lidded copper pot and were plentiful as a main course. The broth was buttery with the right amount of garlic and seasoning; a real delight.

I ordered from the Salmon Festival menu; Baked Wild King Salmon Saltimboca- Wild Mushroom Risotto, Sage Beurre Blanc. Three nice sized salmon filets were wrapped in prosciutto and laid out on a bed of risotto, it was very tasty and cooked perfectly. There were lots of flavors working together to make this a memorable dish.

I could not personally taste the Fisherman’s stew due to a scallop allergy but I was told by three other foodies that the broth that accompanied this dish was somewhat over lemoned. The Herb crusted Halibut with lemon caper butter was wonderful. The halibut was cooked perfectly and the sauce elevated the complex flavors of the herbs and fish.

The Dungeness Crab Encrusted Swordfish was in my opinion, not well executed. The crab was mixed with an herbed breading; it was bitter and completely overpowered the swordfish. The lemon butter sauce seemed completely lost.

For dessert we ordered the Crème Brulee, Bread Pudding, and an Apple Gratin with vanilla ice cream. The crème brulee was interesting as it was infused with Harvey’s Bristol Cream, The bread pudding and apple gratin was average but clearly homemade so I give A for effort. Unless there is a chef de patisserie in house I find that dessert is usually not a highlight.

Overall a good meal in a beautiful setting and the service was great! If you are not looking to be blown away by your experience Scott’s on Jack London Square is a decent value for seafood.


Scott's Seafood
Oakland, Jack London Square
2 Broadway
Oakland, California 94607
Phone: (510) 444-3456