Issue No 08 - July 2019
I’ve been a lucky judge at quite a few barbecue competitions and have enjoyed the magic of low-and-slow cooking at Ari White’s famous street fairs and Izzy’s Smokehouse in Crown Heights. But barbecue was always reserved for outside the home. Despite conquering my “fears” and starting a small home garden (see how you can too with Melinda Strauss’ guide on pg. 23) and tackling sous vide, smoking was something I was simply too intimidated to undertake. I thought I needed expensive equipment, hard-to-find gadgets, and a lot of time.
I finally had an excuse to get Sruli Eidelman (a.k.a. Izzy himself) into our backyard to demonstrate how to actually smoke at home without investing too much time, money or resources. Read all about how to start smoking at home and the tools you’ll need to get going;it is so much easier (and cheaper) than you’ll ever imagine. We were so into this feature that as a bonus, you can also head to our YouTube channel and watch Sruli demo the process from start to finish.
Beyond smoking, I love summer for the produce, warm weather, chill vibes and especially grilling. I’m definitely using Esty Wolbe’s international marinades as my guide for grilling proteins and Chef Isaac’s slaws will be stocked in my fridge for the perfect cool, crunchy component to richly grilled fare. If you’re a travel junkie, check out our article on Cancun, along with our feature on Mexican salsas, and beers, all perfect accompaniments to your summer gathering.