Calling all North Carolinians!!

[Mistress Muffy]

I know this may not be the appropriate place for this but since most of us are from the Halloween Forum I hope you all will bear with me. Some of us from the Halloween Forum are trying to put together a group that meets & builds projects like Ghostess does w/ her group in Florida!

I noticed on this board there are a few of you from North Carolina but I'm not sure exactly where you are in the state. SO.......if any of you are interested in joining a group that builds together!!!lol Halloween Projects that is!!! Please contact me as we are in the process of trying to set up a date in Dec. that will work for everyone to come over to my place with your family for a greet, meet & eat session & to discuss what we would be looking for in a group of this nature & also what each of us can bring to the table buildingwise!

I'm gonna email Ghostess to see if she will share some of the info on what they do.

Larry is probably gonna move this but the reason I put it here is because....what better way to spend the Xmas season than with a group of your most favorite Haunters where we can talk abot Halloweens to come!!lol


So...it is a Xmas related activity!! Right?? lol


Mistress Muffy

Incidently.....comrades......I live in the middle of the state just outside the famous BBQ capital of the world!!! That be Lexington

[spookineer]

Count me in come spring time, can't make the December meet so let me know what happens.

Presently still in CA where they don't have a clue what real BBQ is... except for mine!

[Mistress Muffy]

Now Spookineer we are very much looking forward to your arrival here in North Carolina!! And as far as BBQ goes it will be fun to see what kind of "Q" you prepare!! It was a shock to say the least when I arrived here & went out w/ honey for my 1st "Q" meal in the state that is suppose to be famous for it!!

The line getting in Lexington BBQ went right pass our table so I was afraid to say anything because the natives would have heard me......but let me tell ya...I was not sure what the heck that was on my plate.....I mean I come from Chicago & lived years out west......so for this kid BBQ means RIBS in any way,shape or form.

The years I lived in Texas man, we chowed down on the big BRISKET!!! We cook'em here for 8-9 hrs.....hahahha smells up the whole neighborhood. Neighbors came over and said>>>>>What is that cook'in? ......We said>>>BBQ! They said BBQ What?? So to come here & find this meat all chopped up with no heavy tomate based bbq sauce in site was something new!

I figured they were just a bit confused because the bbq sauce is in the coleslaw & I mean these people eat slaw on everything!! I never heard of BBQ coleslaw! But the good news is I found a great Polish deli that has pierogies & smoked butts & a guy that opened an Italian deli that imports all kinds of lunch meats along with making their own italian sausage & pasta's. Delicious breads & fresh mozzarella plus imported Olives....really good.

AND they are in Greensboro!!

Yup good vittles Buddy!!

the Muffster

[Mummy deer-est]

so, to summerize....
Muffy+BBQ=:D

right? :)


Wish I could come, or meet some of you all, but alas....no one from my neck of the woods 'round these parts.

[spookineer]

LOL Muffy, as you know, my wife and I love to travel. After seeing one of those "Q" shows on the travel channel or food network, we got a craving to go to Memphis. Asked around as to where the best Q was. Everyone recommended the "Rendezvous" for ribs. What a disappointment, cooked with only a dry rub and when you ask for sauce, they look at you like you asked for ketchup for a Fillet Mignon. We've tried several places in NC so far, not a huge fan of chopped up pork shoulder on a bun, and do not eat slaw. A good slow cooked brisket or tri tip is probably my favorite. I know that Texas claims that as their "style" but for the most part, they don't know the difference between BBQ and grilling. And KC was slow cooking beef when Texas was still part of Mexico.
Geeze, now I'm hungry!

[Mistress Muffy]

Yes Mummy I do like BBQ!! And I sure wish you were closer to us!

Same here Spookineer....thought I was gonna get dynamite ribs in Kansas City, but it was the same thing...Dry Rub.....not really my favorite. I think everybody has a liking to a certain type of BBQ. For sure the BBQ we cooked in our diner is nothing like what they have out here.

We had both Baby Back Ribs & Country Style Ribs on our menu. Use to do the Country Style on special. He would stay up there after we closed and fire up all the BBQ grills, a few of the locals would join him for a few beers while he cooked. He cooked the ribs on the grill for awhile & then they went in roasters & cooked on low heat all night. Pretty good eat'in the next day. We use to cook them in the BBQ sauce but then he started cooking them w/o the sauce & not adding it till they were almost done...just enough time to let it blend with the juice from the ribs.

They use to be really tender after cooking all night...sometimes we would just throw a rack of babies on the charcoal grill in the diner & eat them just w/ garlic salt on them...a bit tougher but we liked them like that.

Muffy

[Sickie Ickie]

Yum Yum Yum! There is supposed to be this place around here in IL called Smoque that does incredible sauced BBQ ribs and briskit.

I hate traveling distances, but this may be worth it. Saw it on the food network on Guy's show.

[Mummy deer-est]

Gotta love diners, drive-in's, and dives!

[Mistress Muffy]

Ickie....I'm gonna give my family the name of that joint! They eat out all the time all over the place. They also live in the suburbs......Aunt in Waukegan & Cousin in Wonder Lake but originally we are from around Midway Airport on the south side, thats where Great-Grandpa built the family house.

Mummy....got any famous dives in your neck of the woods & what is the most famous local food or sandwich that the locals just love?

Muf

[spookineer]

Never miss Guys shows. We've been to most of his showcased places around here and have been to two of his restaurants, he's a local. I think he owns 4 now between Sacramento and Santa Rosa. Looking forward to some of the places he's shown in and around NC.

[Mistress Muffy]

Spookineer....are you familar with Jane & Michael Stern & thier books. They have a web site called, "Roadfood". They have several books out. They venture out on the highways & byways of America look'in for joints that are around 10 miles off the interstate exits.

I always travel w/ my books & when I eat in the joints I get the owners to autograph my book!! Makes for a lotta fun! There is heaps of eatin joints & discussion of food on there web site. The N.C. thread is good. I should mention that we have had some great times finding these places & eating at them. Its always an experience in one way or another & I can say we have never been disappointed with any of the food.

There is a couple in Nebraska that wrote a couple of books like the Sterns...the second book was called "Second Helpings: Eating in Nebraska" , I'm proud to report that my Diner is on page 120 of that book.

What kind of food does Guy serve in his eateries?

I belonged to a Greensboro Supper Club last year.It was great company, good food, and just plain fun.

Muf

[spookineer]

Yes, I've seen one of them, did a road trip years ago with a few of my geezer riding buddies on about 1/2 of the old route 66. One of them had one of those books and that was our flight plan, going to as many of them listed as possible.
The 2 of Guys places I've been to are Johnny Garlics (Pasta Grill) and the Chop House (Standard fare) both in Santa Rosa. Have not yet been to his newest venture "Tex Wasabi's" Sushi & Southern BBQ, sounds interesting.

[Mummy deer-est]

Well, the "gotta have" Maryland food is crab, so when you get to these parts you have to find a place that has crab cake sandwiches, or crab imperial, or even a fried softshell crab.
I don't have any supper famous joints in my area -- but I live in between DC and Baltimore, so there are a bunch there. Actually, in my town there is a well known place called Tom and Rays. They have been there since the town was "born" in some form or another. They have all the usual diner grub - really good fried chicken and crab imperial. But the biggest known joint is Jimmie Cone - the soft serve ice cream place that everyone in the county comes for in the summer!

[Blinky]

So...it is a Xmas related activity!! Right?? lol
Wish I could be there

[spookineer]

I make a mean crab cake if I do say so myself! We don't get Blue crab here on the left coast, so I use fresh dungeness crab which is plentiful here in season. Oh man, now I need a fresh crab sandwich!

[spookineer]

So...it is a Xmas related activity!! Right?? lol
Wish I could be there

Holidays=Food, yep it is...lol

[Blinky]

I make a mean crab cake if I do say so myself! We don't get Blue crab here on the left coast, so I use fresh dungeness crab which is plentiful here in season. Oh man, now I need a fresh crab sandwich!

where is the recipe for it? :confused: :)

[Mummy deer-est]

I know spook...ever since I wrote that post I've peen dieing for some king crab legs! Yum!

[spookineer]

I'll be getting my fill of crab soon, we'll be on a 15 day cruise to Hawaii next month. And maybe some lobster too...

[spookineer]

where is the recipe for it? :confused: :)

A couple of egg whites, a little mayo, a little dry mustard, some soft white bread crumbs, and a LOT of crab! Rolled up into balls, squished down a little, and deep fried....ummm good

[Mummy deer-est]

I'm not huge on lobster - but crab...mmmmm.
My husband took me to philips for my birthday and I ate all you can eat king crab legs like a champ! Your recipe sounds good.

[Mistress Muffy]

I still have found a decent recipe for a crab cake we like.....gonna have to try yours there Spookineer!

Muf

[Sickie Ickie]

Crab with melted butter.....yummmmmmmmm

[B Merry]

Wow, this thread took a turn -- but what can be better than Halloween, Christmas, BBQ and crabs! I am a Maryland girl and just had the privelege to have steamed crabs when I was home for Thanksgiving -- they were amazing! If you are looking for Maryland style crabcakes G&M (www.gandmcrabcakes.com) will overnight them prepared fresh for you and all you have to do is but them in the oven. They really are very good. We didn't frequent them too much when we were in Maryland but when we moved to Florida I tried all kinds of resturants locally and some from Maryland that ship and nothing compared to a real Maryland crabcake. The only problem with G&M is they are a little pricy so we only get them when for a special occassion and we seem to get a craving for them in the middle of a snow storm up north and Fed Ex can't deliver them. We end up making them ourselves but the crab meat available here isn't the same. Which is strange because we have blue crab in Florida but no one here seems to know what to do with them!

[Mummy deer-est]

B, what part of MD are you from?
Where is G & M located? Never heard of em, but I'm always willing to try a new crab place! Can't get enough of it, in case you couldn't tell!

And we tend to do that around here -- take completely "off the thread" kind of turns, don't we!

[Sickie Ickie]

Sometimes we need GPS! LOL

[xmas_wilbret]

I may be in NC by Spring, but we wouldn't move as a family until summer most likely.

Maybe for HW!

[spookineer]

What part of NC Wilbret? We are also moving there in the spring, just south of Greensboro.

[xmas_wilbret]

Wilmington area unless something changes.

[spookineer]

Oh, that's right, we had this discussion. Sorry, the CRS is getting worse...

[B Merry]

B, what part of MD are you from?
Where is G & M located? Never heard of em, but I'm always willing to try a new crab place! Can't get enough of it, in case you couldn't tell!

And we tend to do that around here -- take completely "off the thread" kind of turns, don't we!


Mummy deer-est -
I was born in Baltimore/Pikesville and than moved to Carroll County but my family is now spread all of Maryland. We are a very large crew and they cover ever county from Western MD to St. Mary's. How about you?

Anyway, G&M is in Linthicum by the airport on Hammonds Ferry Road. My DH flys in and out of BWI frequently and sometimes suprises me with crabcakes from G&M that they package in a cooler and dry ice for him to bring home. I could go on an on about a our favorite crab spots in Maryland but I need to let the NC folk plan their get together.

Thanks guys for letting me digress.

[Mummy deer-est]

B-Merry - i'm in Montgomery County, and always have been, save for the 6 or 7 years I went to school and worked in the Towson/Lutherville/Pikesville area. Graduated from TU, then worked in Lutherville and lived in Pikesville. I finally found someone familiar with my turf!

We may need to start a thread about crab...:D

[Sickie Ickie]

Isn't there a cream to get rid of crabs? :eek:

[B Merry]

Mummy deer-est -
I worked in Timonium and Lutherville too. In fact, I met my hubby at Hunt Valley Mall, on my lunch break, when it was still there. We lived in Mt. Washington for several years and I worked near the Inner Harbor.

Sickie Ickie -
eeww! , eew! LOL:eek:

[Mummy deer-est]

Crab :D, not Crabs :eek:

I had no idea the mall wasn't there! lol....guess I may be getting old. Maybe.

[Mistress Muffy]

Greetings B Merry.....oh its fun to see where our threads take us.....I am enjoying reading about the crab cakes & taking notes. Now that I reside in this part of the states I will be frequently attending the big candy conventions up there in Philadelphia & sometimes they have them in Atlantic City. And Yes!!! I'm the kind of person who will drive out of the way to find a good eat'in joint!! I have yet to eat "the Perfect Crab Cake"!

the Muffster

[Mummy deer-est]

Oh, Muffy....they are so good when they are mostly crab, and hardly any filler....big, with mayo and lemon...mmmmm.

Okay. Must stop with the crab. I'm really not this weird, I promise.