The B12 (XII) Forum, home of the 'Front Porch, y'all' at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

Yeah pulled pork was rarely on the menus of Texas BBQ places 40 years ago.  We never served it at the one we owned in the 70s/80s.

We did brisket, pork spare ribs, chicken, and sausage every day, and did specials that included beef rib (on Saturdays) and smoked turkey (on Sundays).  We were closed Mondays.

Over the past 30 years or so, pulled pork has crept onto Texas menus, along with lots of other interesting things.  And most Texas BBQ places do pulled pork in the Carolina style, since that's what people seem to expect.

It wasn't until I realized it wasn't the pork I hated, but the seemingly unavoidable vinegary sauce, that I decided to correct the recipe and make an improved version of my own.

The pukked pork here is usually served sans sauce, and you have 4-5 sauce types on the table.  It's often in sandwich form with cole slaw.

As noted, we don't have any unique style here, so we coopt those of others, which works for me.  This city does not seem to be a BBQ haven, nearly as I can tell, most places are "ethnic", which makes some sense I suppose.  

I walked down to Willy's again for lunch.  The couple ahead of me ordered in Spanish, and the three ladies behind me ordered in Spanish.  I guess that's a good sign.  The workers are all Hispanic except the guy at the register.

Do y'all have "Nashville Hot Chicken" yet?  It's quite popular here.

The pukked pork here is usually served sans sauce, and you have 4-5 sauce types on the table.  It's often in sandwich form with cole slaw.

As noted, we don't have any unique style here, so we coopt those of others, which works for me.  This city does not seem to be a BBQ haven, nearly as I can tell, most places are "ethnic", which makes some sense I suppose. 

I walked down to Willy's again for lunch.  The couple ahead of me ordered in Spanish, and the three ladies behind me ordered in Spanish.  I guess that's a good sign.  The workers are all Hispanic except the guy at the register.

Do y'all have "Nashville Hot Chicken" yet?  It's quite popular here.

If they'd leave it unsauced before serving that would be fine, but most places in Carolina, or doing Carolina style, sauce it after pulling it, and before serving to you.  It's one of their ways to make it more moist before serving.

And Nashville Hot Chicken has become a huge trend here in Austin, for sure.  Gus's has at least one location here, and Hattie B's is about to open, plus several local places that are featuring that style.  I like it quite a bit, I have to say.

I like vodka flavored with juniper berries, that's different.

I like vodka flavored with juniper berries, that's different.

It's usually in bottles labeled "Gin".

I think I noted previously that I recognize only two types of distilled spirits, basically clear and brown (aged in wood).  If you distill any fermented alcohol sufficiently well, you basically end up with about 140 proof "white dog" or alcohol and water, and some cogeners in minor quantities.  Then anything done is adding something to flavor it (like barrel aging).  I've been told the "mash" is important, and I suppose it's possible a sufficient amount of "impurity" comes over in the distillation to make a taste difference.

Maybe so.  You can only get to 190 proof (95%) with normal distillation.  There is 200 proof made using a special technique, but when you open the bottle to the air, it fairly quickly drops down to 190 proof.  My understanding is that high quality liquor makers distill 2-10 times taking a selective cut each time.  Woodford, which I like, is distilled 3x, or so they say.  One idea is to get those cogeners, impurities that are generally bad, out of the liquor.  Then you add water to bring the proof down to around 90 and age in in charred barrels (to make bourbon, which has to be made in the US, not just KY).  Paris, KY is the county seat of Bourbon County, KY, which has no distilleries.

New Orleans plays into this story, that city where I couldn't find a really good meal.  (In my defense, my wife claims I do a great job in France where apparently it's rare to stumble across a really good meal ....)

Similarly I don't like pickles, so if someone makes the greatest sandwich of all time, but puts pickles on it, then for me it's impossible for it to be considered the greatest sandwich of all time.  It just tastes like gross pickles to me.

I was in Madison, WI one beautiful fall Saturday morning.. at a tailgate with a few badger fans. (Maybe more than a few)
late in the morning a few VERY attrative young ladies arrived and asked if they could get a decent Bloody Mary.
I went to the bar (a table loaded with bottles) and did my best.  I returned to the very attractive young ladies and handed them the bloody marys.
a little hotty that went by Razorchique looked at the glass and said, "Oh my, you've ruined it!!!"
I inquired to the problem and she stated that the pickle spear had ruined the bloody mary.
I said I was sorry and that I would make things right.
As it was late in the morning, I had used the last of the bloody mary ingredients and couldn't make a different drink.
I turned my back and removed the pickle.  Took the drink back to her and she said, no I saw what you did and it's still got pickle juice in it.

I assured her that I brewed very flavorful drinks and she would not be able to discern any flavor of pickle juice a Tall.  Just try it please.

She reluctantly tried it after I explained it was the last bloody available at the tailgate.

She seemed to enjoy it and a couple weeks later emailed me for the recipe, saying it was the best Bloody Mary she had ever tasted. 
I'm guessing she was just so sweet that she didn't want to hurt my feelings.