Tupelo

We're always on the hunt for some good Southern food. We love Blue Ribbon for its barbecue and really enjoy the more upscale Hungry Mother for it's French/Southern fusion but last week, we decided to try out Tupelo because it served more than just Southern barbecue and it seemed authentic; plus it got good reviews on by a few bloggers.

The atmosphere of Tupelo's is friendly. It has a bar up front as you walk in and then a dozen or so tables. We arrived pretty early (around 6pm) because they don't take reservations. Judging on the crowd I don't think you'd have a problem finding a seat before 7:00 on a Friday. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly and excited about the menu (which is always a good sign). We decided to start off with some pimento cheese and saltine crackers, a classic southern dish, which was good but I've had better.

For our entrees I had the daub of beef brisket ($19). The portion was decent and the beef came nice and tender with a very flavorful gravy and horseradish cream. I actually would have liked more sauce because after I gobbled up the gravy on the first half of the meat, the remaining beef could have used some more to dip in it to add that extra flavor and juiceness. My dish came with mashed potatoes; again, they were good although nothing much to write home about. At this point, I think it's probably best to disclose that I am married to a southerner, have had multiple southern meals, home cooked and out at restaurants down South so I may be more critical than a typical Northerner.

B had the fried chicken. He said it was very good and flavorful and that the breading was seasoned very well and the meat seemed that way too. The chicken came with mac and cheese spiced with jalapeño pepper. B liked it and enjoyed the extra kick that the pepper provided. The collards that the dish came with were cooked well but a bit too vinegary and seasoned a bit strangely to B (a Southerner himself), almost like there was Chinese five-spice in it. B is all for exciting but was in the mood for some traditional collards.

J got the North Carolina pulled pork plate. He writes: "Overall, I was not a huge fan of the North Caroline bbq plate. I was hoping for more of a sauce, regardless of whether it was more vinegar or ketchup-based, and I felt the meat's juiciness was more because it was fatty. The "grilled smoky sausage" on top was somewhat excessive and didn't really fit in my opinion. Meemaw's red beans were well...red beans and not much else. I'd honestly have to say my favorite part was the pickles, especially the pickled cauliflower. All the pickles were somewhat unique in the heavy use of ginger. Regardless, it's hard to turn down a big plate of meat, so I didn't have too much trouble polishing most of it off. I guess I was just hoping for more." J also mentioned that he was very pleased with the beer on tap. It was ale you normally don't see on tap at other places.


C got the pulled pork slider for an appetizer ($3). It was a nice size and tasted very good. For an entree C got the rib special which he felt was a bit too greasy. He wished he had gotten more sliders instead. He did really enjoy the pumpkin beer (Pumpking) saying it was the best one he's ever had.
For dessert we all shared the brown butter pecan pie. It was made by Petsi Pies just down the street. It was sweet and gooey and amazing. The crust was buttery and flaky and excellent. A fantastic way to finish off the meal.

Overall, I think we were all generally pleased with our meals at Tupelo but thought that for the price (most entrees were around $18) the food should have been more spectacular than it was. It's decent southern food though and if you haven't ever tried real southern cooking, Tupelo might be a good place to start.

The Hen House

This past weekend a group of us went to check out The Hen House a "wings'n waffles" house located on Mass Ave . I had never heard of this combination of food before (apparently, it's popular in parts of L.A., Harlem, and now Chicago) but I must admit, it sounded intriguing and delicious! The Hen House is not in the best location. It's on Mass Ave, right next to the UHaul place and on the way to South Bay Plaza. It's easiest to get to by car (or by bus). The establishment looks and is (I think) relatively new. Walking in we were pleasantly surprised to see a bright, cheery open space with good lighting, great smells, and very friendly staff. There are large tables set up that you can share with friends or strangers. It seems that most people order take-out from the restaurant..there was a steady stream of customers but few sat down. We settled into our table and took a look at the chalk board menu. There were a number of options to choose from including ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, and other southern dishes but let's be honest, we were all there for the chicken and waffles so that's what we stuck with. When you go up to order you have a few options (all for under 8 bucks):

Step 1: Choose your waffle: There's buttermilk, multi grain and cornbread
Step 2: Choose the butter: There's homemade whipped, 5 herb and Cajun
Step 3: Choose the syrup: There's straight maple, clove honey, or maple BBQ
Step 4: Choose the chicken: There's fresh tenders, wings, whole pieces (breast, thigh, drum)
Step 5: Choose the sauce: Everything from Buffalo to apricot chipotle to BBQ to General Tso

There are also many side dishes to choose from. We ordered the mac & cheese, sweet potato fries, collard greens and fried cabbage. We all ordered an assortment of different waffle types, syrups and chicken types. The best waffle (in my opinion) by far was the cornbread waffle. It didn't have the texture of cornbread but it still had the taste of it and just the right amount of sweetness. It was excellent. Whether you choose the tenders or whole pieces, I think the amount of meat is about the same but with the whole pieces it looks like you are getting more since there are bones. I must admit, the whole pieces looked better so I would go with them next time even though the tenders were good. As for the sauces, they all were good. They actually have them out in pump containers so you can try a bunch of different ones if you don't like the first. Overall, we were all extremely happy with the chicken and waffles. The sides however, were just okay. Nothing horrible (well, except maybe the fried cabbage....it had a spice in it no one liked) but nothing stood out and with the big waffle and chicken we really didn't need the extra food. The Hen House has beer on tap as well as specialty sodas which are a bit more than a regular coke but it was fun to try a new "craft" brand of pop. For some reason, the chef sent a complimentary plate of ribs over to us and even though we were stuffed, we managed to finish most of them off. They were quite delicious and had a lot of meat on each bone and were slathered with a delicious sauce. I think next time we go, we'll do waffles/chicken and a side of ribs. Overall, we really had a fun time at the Hen House. The staff were very friendly and even remembered some of our names! The atmosphere is clean and has a warmness to it and you can tell the management cares a good deal that this business succeeds.

Red Velvet Cake and Pralines

It seems that I'm in a southern kind of mood.  After a successful attempt at baking a red velvet cake (I used the recipe from the cookbook, Heirloom cooking with the Brass Sisters) I decided to try my hand at pralines from a recipe in a Williams-Sonoma cookbook.  Either I cooked the sugar a bit too long (I wanted to get that nice brown color) or we stirred the mixture too long but my pralines ended up being a hardened mass of pecans.  I was so disappointed but we were still able to salvage the candy coated nuts and will use them as a topping for ice cream or another cake.  If any southerner out there knows of a fantastic praline recipe, send it our way!

Redbones BBQ

Far, far away (well, for most of us) from the white linens and wine lists of the South End, there's a place called Davis Square, and there, nestled among the soy-laden radical coffeehouses and the vegan macrobiotic Indian restaurants is one of the best damn BBQ places you're going to find north of the Mason-Dixon Line - Redbones BBQ.

I grew up in a BBQ culture, and have fond memories of day-long grill-outs, entire tables of just sides, and establishments with names like "Fat Boys," "Woody's," or "Bubbalou's Bodacious BBQ," so it was a bit depressing for me to move to Boston, knowing that the yankee culture wasn't exactly versed in the ancient art of sitting around and smoking meat. Thankfully, this all changed when I found Redbones.

The main dining room is tight, but cozy, and southern/BBQ mementos of yesteryear adorn the walls (admittedly, some of these are just for show, since the restaurant has only been open since 1987), while the open kitchen smokes away for all to see. Don't go to Redbones expecting a fine dining experience - the napkins are piled on the tables, held down with a bottle of McIlhenny Tabasco, and soft drinks are served in mason jars (speaking of which, get the sweet tea - it's the only place in Boston so far that I've found it the way it's supposed to be).

One thing you'll have to prepare yourself for is the menu - it's overwhelming. If you're a BBQ fan, you may well have to put it down and take a breath, as you're going to want to order everything listed (God knows I did). Everything you'd want from a down-home BBQ joint is here - ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, catfish, steak, sausage...on and on.

The first thing to concentrate on is the sides/appetizers. This could be an entire menu in and of itself, with more than thirty items, like fried okra, dirty rice, collard greens, hushpuppies and a house-made sausage of the day.

My only gripe is that for this library of traditional sides, baked beans are nowhere to be found. It's a small complaint, but I've always been a big fan, and each time I've gone, I ask about it to see what the response is. A testament to the fact that most of the servers - while excellent and friendly - are likely from Boston, the answer is usually "Oh, no, we don't, but the entrees all come with black-eyed peas," as if it's an appropriate substitute for a crock of beans smothered in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and pork.

On a recent trip, a friend and I ordered the fried okra, a side which I've never been rabid about, but many people swear by it. If you haven't tried this, it's a green, stalky vegetable that's sliced and fried up, with a taste and consistency of the love child between asparagus and zucchini. Redbones serves it with a tangy salsa zip, which Zach went crazy for, devouring the majority of it, while I had two or three pieces.

I decided to pass on the appetizer, as my entree that day was the full rack of BBQ baby back ribs (right - okra in background). It should be noted that from a ribs perspective, Redbones has it all covered. Their menu includes Memphis (pork), Texas (beef), Arkansas (pork), St. Louis (pork - smaller) and Baby Back (pork - large). Zach chose the full rack of Memphis ribs, which come pre-separated, and are thicker cuts of meat. I should also point out that the service here is lightning-fast. I've eaten at Redbones for both lunch and dinner, and each time the entrees come out just a few minutes after ordering.

I think I sawed through my entire meal in about five minutes flat, with Zach finishing shortly after. My ribs were cooked perfectly - tender, with some sweetness, and literally falling right off the bone. Zach's were also just right - thick, meaty and cooked all the way through.

All rib dishes are served with four sauces - vinegar, sweet, mild and hot (which, for the record, is), though each of the four come in a tiny cup that you're likely going to have to ask for seconds and thirds of if you're going through an entire rack (I used three full cups). While you're at it, make sure you have the napkins at the ready - this is messy food (left), in the best way possible, though you're probably not going to want to bring a first date here. Along those lines - don't bring any vegetarian friends, because they'd likely be horrified. There are vegetarian options - portobello mushroom sandwich, and a veggie burger - but quite honestly you'd have to hang your head in shame to order something like that at this celebration of carnivorousness.

If you're a beer fan, Redbones is heaven for an entirely separate list of reasons - twenty-four of them, to be exact. The restaurant boasts a twenty-four tap system that mixes classics and microbrews, with the beer menu switching up on an almost daily basis.

Whether you grew up on BBQ, or just love great food, Redbones is worth the every step of the trek up to Somerville, but just remember, if you get lost...don't ask for directions from the vegans.
Redbones BBQ is open seven days a week, and is located in Davis Square, at 55 Chester Street (off of Elm) in Somerville, MA. More information, operating hours and a full listing of menu items at www.redbones.com.

(Photos via my crappy camera-phone, with the exception of the pig-pulling, from Redbones.com)

Livermush

If the title of this article makes you want to turn around and run the other way, just calm down. Okay, okay, I know that "livermush" might not be the most appetizing of names, but believe me when I say that it is delicious.  I grew up on the stuff; and, living in Boston now, I miss it quite a lot.

Livermush--and that's pronounced "mush" [ mʌːʃ ] as in 'rush' not "mush" [ mɤːʃ ] as in 'push'--is a delicacy made in the region of North Carolina where I was born and raised. Made of pork liver--and other pork products--spices, and cornmeal, it is cooked together and molded into brick-shaped loaves.
(I just found this on YouTube, and I think this young lady explains it quite well--even though I don't think they really put the tail or the appendix in livermush!)

Basically, it's pâté; but since we Southerners fry everything, when it's served to you, it won't look like the schmanzy-pantsy pâté one might spread on a little piece of pain d'épice. Nosiree! What you'll get is a 3"x5"x0.5" piece of dark and crispy heaven--dark and crispy, that is, on the outside; smooth and delicate on the inside. Smack that sucker on a fresh biscuit, and you're good to go. (I also put mayonnaise, but others are partial to mustard--and apparently grape jelly?! ...cf. video below)

While my absolute favorite is a spicy livermush homemade in Harmony, NC, the city of Shelby, NC probably has the most commercial livermush producers in the state (I don't have the figures in front of me, but I'm pretty sure that's the case), and the Livermush Festival is held there every year. Marion, NC also produces a brand I quite like; but, Neese's out of Greensboro makes the crème de la crème in my opinion. Delivered fresh in their fun little green trucks, the most popular livermush is actually called "Liver Pudding." (I don't know whether you think that name is any better...) Neese's Liver Pudding is somewhat smoother than your standard livermush--I think due to a smaller amount of cornmeal.

Whether you eat yours with mayonnaise, mustard--or grape jelly (?!), the next time you're in North Carolina, stop by your local greasy spoon and order the livermush. You'll be glad you did--even if it was  just for the adventure of it!

Photos courtesy of Google Images.