How the Highbrow BBQ Cook-Off Was Won

Some of you may have heard certain stories about New York magazine’s Highbrow BBQ last weekend. You may have seen a video about it on Grub Street, and if so, caught an unsightly glimpse of me chewing, or something. You may have even been there yourself, under the clear, blue sky at Solar One’s East River waterfront playground. But in any of these cases, what you probably haven’t seen is an up-close account of the cook-off that took place toward the end of the event. As one of the judges of this amateur grilling competition, I can share the inside story. And as promised, exclusive to Not Eating Out in New York, the winner's homemade recipe.

Plum, Feta and Fresh Mint Panini

Don't hate me because I'm beautiful. Hate me because my sandwich is. Then make one yourself, because it's that easy, and go off and spread envy wherever you eat. This is not eating out in New York, summer 2008-style. Live it.

Carrot Cake Ice Cream with Cream Cheese Sauce

Sometimes, words don't even come close. Sometimes photos don't do the trick. Sometimes, like when dealing with something as delicious as this ice cream, there is no proper justice. But I will try.

Vote for “The Secrets of Successful Food Blogging” SXSW panel

Do you like food blogs? Maybe have thought about starting one yourself? Do you wish someone could tell you everything you always wanted to know about food blogging (but were afraid to ask)? Well, cupcake hero Rachel Kramer Bussel (of Cupcakes Take the Cake) has decided to round up a variety of bloggers to address these questions as a fun, free food-filled panel presentation at the 2009 South by Southwest Interactive Festival. But it can't happen unless the proposal gets enough votes by August 29. So if you'd like to help us out -- as I am so there as a panelist if this gets chosen -- please sign in to the SXSW panel picker site and give 5 stars for "Nom Nom Nom: The Secrets of Successful Food Blogging."

Curried Beet Greens Brunch Platter

I didn't really know what to expect when I lopped these greens off at the rubber band-tied stems, gave them a rough chop, and tossed them in a pan popping with garlic, shallots and olive oil. I didn't expect that their juicy stems would bleed all over the place, staining the aromatics hot pink with every turn of the spatula. I didn't expect the leaves to be as tender as they felt when the knife went through them, since they looked kind of ragged at first glimpse. And I certainly didn't expect them to taste as mild and utterly un-bitter as any light, springy lettuce green might when cooked. Nor that its semi-hollow stems would soak up as much flavor, while retaining a delicate crispness against the elements. Never have I underestimated a vegetable as much as perhaps the shocking beet green.

Brooklyn Takes Down Chili

What you’re looking at is the title card for the first-place judge’s choice chili of the latest Brooklyn Chili Takedown, made by first-time cook-off contestant Zeph Courtney. With a dark, earthy flavor and thick, rich sauce surrounding golf ball-sized hunks of beef, it’s as in-your-face as its name suggests. And below, exclusive to this blog – I think – is the winning recipe for it.

Pomato Ricotta Salad

Here thee, it's another alternative to mayonnaise in one of your favorite summertime side dishes. What have I got against mayonnaise, you might be wondering? Not a whole lot. I like the old may-o. It's one of the mother sauces of French cuisine, so nobody can argue that it deserves respect. But this potato and fresh tomato salad has none of it. Yet it's perplexingly rich and refreshing at the same time. Savory and sweet. Summery and wintery. Potatoey and tomatoey.

10 Questions with Matt Timms, Founder/Host of Chili Takedown

This Sunday marks the fourth installment of the sporadic but spectacular home cooking challenge known as the Chili Takedown. Here’s what the event’s honorable chairman had to say about chili, everyone’s favorite late-summer light meal.

Honey Wasabi Coleslaw

Who remembers their introduction to coleslaw as a sodden, colorless, nearly congealed mess inside a pleated white paper cup? Now, who would like to forget that memory in its entirety? Me, too! Let's hop aboard this pleasure plane and ride into a purple haze of forgetfulness, why don't we? And, do something I'd never dreamed of recommending before about a week ago: don't let your coleslaw sit long before serving it.

BBQ your best (for me!) at Highbrow BBQ

You know that summer is in full swing when there's a barbecue to attend to every other day. But the best ones always seem to roll around just at the cusp of Labor Day. This time, New York Magazine is upping the ante with a waterfront BBQ of unprecedented heights: Announcing the first-ever Highbrow BBQ on August 23 -- an afternoon extravaganza of charred, smoked and spice-rubbed goodness, plenty of beer, and live music by Islands. If the lure of Top Chef contestant CJ Jacobson's highbrow feast isn't enough, there's just one more perk I can't wait to share with you...