Fat Man's BBQ Tutorial Part Two: The Hotbox...

Every different kind of wood creates its own particular, smoky flavor. And the key, of course, is indirect heat...

Tenderoni-Fat Man's BBQ Smoke and Mirrors...

When Ben puts his jacket on, you know he means business.
He's won awards in two states for his BBQ Ribs...



Many of you know that I have been writing guides to BBQ and Rib Guys, as well as trucks, stands, and out-of-the-way joints with authentic food, or excellent takes on some great food that lesser mortals just can't seem to get right (like fried shrimp), for about a year, ever since my wife Alex and I closed our Wine and Tapas Bar, Stop Miami. Here's a link to the Herald's beta site http://beta.miami.com/moveable_feasts where I wrote about Roscoe's fried pork chop sandwich, available outside a strip club. Well the other night, I finally got to try Fat Man's BBQ outside the Take One 'Lounge', 333 NE 79th St. He has a major hickory smoker going on, and when I arrived he had just taken everything off the grill and slapped it into the warmer. He marinates, he smokes, and he makes something called Tenderoni, that I'm going to let him explain to you. Tomorrow I'll play part two, where he explains how to smoke a rib. I suggest you pay attention...

Wine. Italians. Amore.

Chef Sandra Stefani of Casa Toscana, and Ysee Gaudel,
formerly of Les Halles in Coral Gables, now a wine importer

Chefs Speak



Designer Holly Brennan (River Oyster Bar),
and Power Studios' Ross Power (his real name)



Graziano Sbroglio, Lincoln Road Major Domo



The Killers...



There are so many immigrants in Miami, that sometimes we forget that many of them don't come here from way down south, but from over there, across the big ocean, Europe. There are lots of French people from France, Spanish people from Spain, and, Italian people, oddly enough, not just from Argentina, but from Italy. Sunday I met some Italians, speaking Italian, in of all places, Homestead.



And tonight I had the pleasure of accompanying some Italian friends to Vinitaly's wine event at the Art Center/South Florida on Lincoln Road, in Miami Beach. The highlight of the evening, other than meeting the gracious Ross Power, of the Design District's Power Studios (coming soon...), and designer Holly Brennan, who created the River Oyster Bar, had to be the amazing Italian hospitality, which is inherent in those crazy Italian genes. The wines were magnificent. From the 'Aries', a white 'Pecorino', which is a grape that grows in Northern Abruzzo, as well as the Southern Marches, which would be beautiful with some Stone Crab claws; to an astounding 2004 Amarone presented by Signore Roland Marcandino, of Sartori Wines, which is in the Veronese style, a “wine to dine with”, as he so eloquently put it, where the grapes are air-dried, “withered”, if you will, for three months or more, to a very grape-y 14.5 % alcohol. 50% Corvina, 40% Rondinella, and 10% Molinara. Not too 'big', as they say, but still pretty damn large, in my opinion.



There was young winemaker Vincenzo Protti, just 33 years old, whose enthusiasm was contagious; and who has been working with esteemed winemaker Franco Bernabei, making Paladin Chianti. This 80% Sangiovese, blended with other grapes including Merlot, is a thyme-scented, herbaceous exemplar of the future of Chianti, a great food wine, now rediscovering its roots. The boysenberry and cherry notes made me understand why this wine has been garnering so many awards in Italy.



And then there were the Liqiores. Squisitezze d'Antore ( gotta love the name), presented a liqueur made from Artichokes. This killer tasted like tobacco, licorice, bitter artichoke leaves, bark, celery tops, and at 17% alcohol, felt almost light on the tongue. The special carciofi are grown in fields that once produced tobacco; apparently giving them a sense memory of the sot-weed that gives one the sensation of smoking a fat cigar without ever lighting up. It seemed to be the hit of the evening.



With the likes of the lanky, bearded, ginger-haired Graziano Sbroglio, owner of Spris, Tiamisu, Le Bon, Van Dyke Cafe, etc., as well the brilliantly orange-topped Ysee Gaudel, formerly of Les Halles, now with Market Wine Importers; and chefs from Quattro and Casa Toscana (both nominated by Bar/Restaurant magazine for Best Regional Italian Cooking, along with Escopazzo, Tiramisu, and others), in attendance, the expectations were high, and the Italians did not disappoint.


Stay tuned for info on Friday's FREE WINE TASTING, to be held at a soon-to-be-disclosed location. That's right. All of the great Italian bottles that have not been drained at this week's trade and press tastings, will be left here in Miami for your drinking and thinking pleasure. Stay tuned...


...and if you're good, Tinkerbell, and these lovely ladies, will come to you when you sleep, and turn all your frightful nightmares into sweet dreams...

Mayor, Commissioners, and Chefs Agree...Shop Local...

Judith's Sasaki Wasabi Spice, one of her hand-crafted creations


Valentina Tea-Black China Tea and Pink Sugar Hearts from World Flavour (They are scheduled to be at the Lincoln Road Market TODAY, Sunday, so stop by for a unique Valentine's Day gift...)


Crostata di Strawberry, Walnuts, and Apples ($3), from Vito, who also had fresh, creamy, burrata ($4), handmade on Friday


Hate to keep mentioning these claws-when I arrived at noon they were selling a little TOO fast...







Be Organic's Strawberry/Banana and Mango Organic Mousse...Homey codfish fritters (more like mini-pancakes), $3 for five. 'Be Organic' head chef, Chad, went organic just a year ago after he found out he had diabetes, then lost many excess pounds while gaining an enormous amount of energy. Here he dresses an organic lunch of baked avocado and blue cheese-topped pear, organic green salad, served with crackers ($5!)
Big Sweet Onion
Come in close for a whiff of hand-crafted 'Florida Fruits' Tea- an aromatic blend of hibiscus flowers with papaya, orange, apple, cornflowers, and rose petals






Judith Williams (right), discussing spices with my constant companion over $8/lb Stone Crab Claws






Still life with grapes, blogger, and Commissioner Sanchez

Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, Chef Sandra Stefani from Casa Toscana,
Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez

Be Organic, baby

Pork sandwich, the two sweetest words in the English language

Tomatoes from Immokalee

If you have not stopped by the Upper East Side Green Market, you have missed some great food from the likes of the upcoming Yi-Ya on NE 79th Street, seving pan con lechon (roast pork sandwiches), plenty of locally grown produce, handmade mozzarella and burrata from Vito, and my new favorites, Judith the 'Etnnic Chic' Spice Lady (maybe you saw her on 'Check, Please' with Michelle Bernstein?), and World Flavours, from Pierre and Francois, an avalanche of hand-crafted spice mixes and teas. My favorite is the Valentina, which is Black Tea and pink sugar hearts, just in time for Valentine's Day. The Tchai mix will brew up the freshest Chai you can imagine, perfect for a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon, and there's a decent kick to it, as well.





Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, and City of Miami Commissioners Joe Sanchez and Marc Sarnoff made their commitment to the Green Market known, by shopping locally, with Commissioner Sanchez sipping from his can of Malta to keep cool. There's more, especially the Be Organic people, with baked pears topped with melted baby blue cheese, and the stuffed baked avocado, in addition to their organic strawberry/banana and mango mousses. Still haven't tried the escargot. But I promise next week...

Speaking of commitments, Chef Kris Wessel and family rode their bicycles to the Green Market, a big commitment on such a hot day. (He's still 2-3 weeks away from opening 'red light'.)


+++++Bonus+++++ Stone Crab Claws $8/lb.++++++++++++++