Category Archives: Nontraditional

Thanksgiving nachos. For realz.

Posted on November 20, 2012 by

So, this happened: http://pgplate.com/how-to/99-bucking-tradition-with-thanksgiving-nachos It’s that time of year, y’all. Anything is possible. Even Thanksgiving nachos with smoked turkey, gravy, Monterey Jack and a cranberry-roasted tomatillo salsa. A recipe for the salsa: This is what I did. There are obviously … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, holiday, Ingredients, Nontraditional, Recipes, Seasonal | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Oven ribs with chocolate rosemary sauce.

Posted on February 19, 2012 by

Unexpected inspiration is often a good thing. A chocolate party is a perfect example. My friends Gwen and Derrick have a chocolate party every year at their place on the South Side. Chocolate beer, chocolate chili, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Beer, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Recipes, South Side, Strip District, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Franktuary truck.

Posted on October 12, 2011 by

Sure, it’s a hotdog. That’s its heart, its essence. Even hyphenated it remains simple. Call it all-beef or all-beef and grass-fed and remains a humble thing. A Pittsburgh thing, even. As much as wings and fries-and-slaw are stereotypes around this … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Downtown, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Oakland, Presentation, Seasonal, South Side, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Smoke Barbecue Taqueria.

Posted on October 11, 2011 by

Looks like I have tacos on my mind lately. Couldn’t resist another trip to Homestead this week. Why — now that’s easy. Ridiculous, right? Even in a photo taken in a hurry on my semi-crappy phone camera, that pork is … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Cheap eats, Family, Homestead, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Service | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Salt of the Earth, Part II.

Posted on October 10, 2011 by

Pork baguette. Doesn’t sound like much, maybe just menu filler or something to get along a fancy takeout pizza someplace, a pimped-out hoagie. But no. This take on Vietnamese bahn mi the best thing I’ve put in my mouth at … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Garfield, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Seasonal, Service | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Berries in white-wine syrup with mint and jalapeño.

Posted on June 6, 2011 by

One of the most versatile things I tend to make in the summer goes as well with cheesecake or ice cream as it does with grilled or roasted meat like lamb or chicken or turkey. The warm syrup macerates the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Lawrenceville, Nontraditional, Recipes, Seasonal, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pittsburgh Marshmallow Factory.

Posted on May 21, 2011 by

Willy Wonka may have said it best. The snozzberries taste like snozzberries. Get a lemon marshmallow from Chris Momberger at his place in the Pittsburgh Public Market in the Strip District and it tastes like actual lemons. The ones he … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Strip District | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Yinz privileges.

Posted on May 21, 2011 by

Almost seven months in Pittsburgh now. I’m still new. It’s my city but it’s not my city. As much as I have embraced this city and it me, I am not of this place. I still have something to earn, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Family, Meta, Nontraditional, Traditional | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

The deed.

Posted on April 3, 2011 by

Not too long after I moved to Pittsburgh, I started going to D’s Six Pax & Dogz in Regent Square. Good beer, something new on tap with tremendous consistency, solid, flavorful hotdogs and exceptional fries. I’m probably there more often … Continue reading →

Posted in Cheap eats, Ingredients, Meta, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Regent Square | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tim.

Posted on January 21, 2011 by

It seems a lot of things that strike me as interesting come from people trying something new, often on their own. That’s true with Salt of the Earth, Crested Duck Charcuterie, Azul, 21st Street Coffee, etc. It’s also true with … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Ingredients, Nontraditional, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Azul.

Posted on January 3, 2011 by

Oh, hey. Forgot to mention. Some people got it in their heads to pay me to write occasionally about food. Based in part on this-here little site. Good deal. Different working with editors on this stuff, but getting used to … Continue reading →

Posted in Ingredients, Leetsdale, Meta, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Dean Supply.

Posted on November 17, 2010 by

There’s a place, easy to miss, practically underneath an old railroad line at Penn Ave. and 33rd. It’s the kind of place that can make your life easier. Restaurant-supply store. Open to the public. Which not all of them are. … Continue reading →

Posted in Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

More than coffee.

Posted on November 7, 2010 by

It looks like coffee. I get it. Still looks like coffee. Yeah. I — I know. But this is why there are such things as $11,000 Clover coffee machines. And baristas who describe coffee like Jancis Robinson talks about wine, … Continue reading →

Posted in Ambience, Coffee, Neighborhoods, Nontraditional, Presentation, Service, Strip District, Techniques and tools | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

House of 1,000 Beers.

Posted on October 29, 2010 by

Right off, there’s something dishonest about Dave Sagrati’s place in New Kensington. In the best possible way. He doesn’t sell a thousand beers. It’s at least a hundred more than that. With 36 years in the beer-selling business, Dave is … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, New Kensington, Nontraditional | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment