Pequod

Tannat is up and coming in Virginia, but most need about 10 years of cellaring. What’s That has tamed it into something more fruity and medium bodied. Good everyday red as a young wine. Really nice pairing with grilled pork, lamb or beef.

The ribs: Spares smoked in the Meathead method The slaw: From a local deli The cornbread: Made with locally stone milled bloody butcher cornmeal The wine: From a local wine incubator — a red blend of Tannat on Vinepair’s top 30 red blends list. The dog (not shown): salivating

Spinning a Huli Huli Chook and Pineapple with Dizzy Pig Pineapple Head on the 32.

I can second Bill’s advice. The 32 is the perfect two-zone grilling machine. The half-grate is a must. Mine came with it.

Spit and forks

Do you use the Billows with it? If so, how do you attach to the KK? Which adapter?

First tri-tip of the season. Also the first run of my fancy new Thermoworks RFX. Always knew Thermoworks would produce a Meater™️ alternative, and when they did it would blow everything else away. RFX can be used during sear, frying, etc. Keeping the probe in during sear is sweeeeet. Smoke indirect over low (225) heat until 110 internal, then sear to about 120. Perfect medium rare. Oh and…the tri-tip was awesome too.

Spinning a cow An hour later…

Spinning a chook.

Desem with 100% Deep Roots Milling Silver AP flour, which is 80% extraction Nueast hard red wheat. Nueast is regional, suited for our mid-Atlantic/southern climate, and also used by Carolina Ground. Nueast has a distinctly nutty flavor.

But does it come with a goat?

Yesterday was market day at Woodson’s Mill, a still functioning 18th century water powered mill here in central VA. Deep Roots Milling mills regional grains once a month and then sells their flours the following weekend. So I hauled my sorry keister down there to bag me some flour. This loaf is 70% Deep Roots Silver Bread Flour (80% extraction) + home milled yecora rojo (15%), spelt (10%) and rye (5%). 80% hydration.

Exhibit A:

Have you tried just straight grits, which happen to make a fine breakfast porridge? Pretty simple: 1 cup grits (stone ground) 4 cups water 3-4 Tablespoons butter 1/2-1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Cook on low until thickened. Add the butter toward the end. Top with a fried egg, drizzle with honey, use some in bread to make grits bread, or whatever floats your boat. If you can’t stomach basic grits then…yep…they aren’t for you.

Yesterday, I attended the Advanced Sourdough Workshop with Tara Jensen (author of Flour Power). It was very informative and fun, and with only 8 “students,” there was plenty of time to talk turkey (red) and various techniques. Came home with a loaf of grits bread which I baked immediately since it proofed on the drive home. The grits are Anson Mill coarse grits, which you can see are VERY coarse. Her website is https://www.tara-jensen.com and she offers virtual as well as in-person workshops.