ribs

From Dr Pepper to pork to Philly cheesesteaks, this week's noteworthy nibbles seem to pay homage to time-honored American food traditions. We can't wait for the first ever Great American Food & Music Fest in Silicon Valley, which will feature guests like Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri, as well as famous regional specialties from all across the United States. Know of anything we've left off the list? Please feel free to chime in below!

• Ithaca, NY: Taste of the Nation Ithaca — June 9
• New York, NY: Wine Enthusiast Toast of the Town — June 15
• Emporia, VA: Virginia Pork Festival — June 10
• Lockhart, TX: Chisholm Trail Roundup — June 11-13
• Kapalua, HI: Kapalua Wine & Food Festival — June 11-14
• Winston-Salem, NC: Hot Ribs, Cool Music — June 11-14
• Minneapolis, MN: Taste of the Nation Minneapolis — June 12
• Salem, OR: Wine, Chocolate, and More! — June 12-13
• Las Vegas, NV: Coffee Fest Las Vegas — June 12-14
• Mountain View, CA: Great American Food & Music Festival — June 13

To see the rest, read more

Since all things pig — from chicharrones to bacon everything to whole hog dinners — are the rage right now, it only makes sense that the fast food industry wants a piece of the pork pie. At this week's World Pork Expo, Burger King announced that it's testing out "Fire-Grilled Ribs" in four different markets and hopes to expand by next year.The ribs are now available in Las Vegas, NV, Indianapolis, IN, Greensboro, NC, and Orlando, FL. The St. Louis-style ribs will be portioned into 2-inch pieces, offered in three-, six-, or eight-piece servings, and served with a dipping sauce. The fast food company has spent more than a year developing this new product with the National Pork Board. According to the board's president Steve Weaver, Burger King's goal is to offer the product in nearly half of its US restaurants in 2010.

Source

From the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience to St. Louis's Rib America Festival, take advantage of the three-day weekend with tons of events across the nation. Since I'm a huge fan of deep Southern cuisine, I'm dreaming of teleporting to Mudbug Madness, the Jambalaya Festival, and the Fredericksburg Crawfish Fest and Gumbo Cookoff. Crawfish season is definitely upon us!

What events will you be attending this week? Feel free to chime in below!

• New York, NY: The Cuisine of Queens & Beyond — May 19
• New Orleans, LA: New Orleans Wine & Food Experience — May 19-23
• San Francisco, CA: SF Strawberry Week — May 19-24
• New York, NY: Tel Aviv's 100th Anniversary Dinner — May 20
• New York, NY: Taste of the Nation New York — May 20
• San Francisco, CA: Boudin & Buena Vista Carneros Wine Dinner — May 21
• Shreveport, LA: Mudbug Madness — May 21-24
• Kodiak, AK: Kodiak Crab Festival — May 21-25
• Fredericksburg, TX: Crawfish Festival & Gumbo Cookoff — May 22-23
• Garden Grove, CA: Garden Grove Strawberry Festival — May 22-25
• St. Louis, MO: Rib America Festival — May 22-25
• Cleveland, OH: Marc's Great American Rib Cookoff & Music Festival — May 22-25

To see the rest, read more

On Monday, John McCain took a detour from the typical campaign trail to make his special baby back ribs recipe on Rachael Ray's daytime show. Here are some interesting things I learned from watching him demonstrate his signature dish on TV:

• Apparently, the potential president gets his ribs from Costco. Rachael Ray seemed surprised: "I've been to Costco, [but] I just didn't picture you two with a cart!"
• To my surprise, McCain seemed very confident in his cooking skills. "Is he always this take-charge?" the host and chef asked Cindy McCain. Her answer was a definitive "yes."
• The senator even had some good tips, such as always grilling bone side down, which helps to cook the meat from the inside out.

The segment was a fun way to get to know the candidate outside of his usual element. To check out the clip of McCain cooking with Ray, read more

Labor Day weekend means food-happenings galore. At front and center is Slow Food Nation '08, the country's first ever slow food event, to be held in San Francisco. I'll be in attendance, so I can learn more about eating sustainably. Locals, perhaps I'll see you there! Here's the lineup; enjoy your long (and tasty) weekend.

• Sparks, NV: Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off — Aug. 27
• Millersport, OH: Millersport Sweet Corn Festival — Aug. 27
• Honolulu, HI: Joy of Sake — Aug. 28
• Morgan City, LA: Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival — Aug. 28-Sept. 1
• San Francisco, CA: Slow Food Nation — Aug. 29-Sept. 1

To see the rest, read more

The Olympics are taking place in Beijing, so I plan on serving a dim sum-inspired Chinese menu. Dim sum are small dishes usually consumed at brunch. Since my viewing is in the evening, the recipes aren't necessarily über-traditional; they are, however, divinely delicious. Shrimp shau mai are bite-sized pillows packed with delicate flavors. Chinese spareribs with teriyaki glaze will satiate the hunger of carnivore guests, while sweet and spicy fried cauliflower will tantalize the vegetarian tastebuds. When served in individual take out containers, spicy sesame noodles make an excellent hors d'oeuvre.

If you have a large crowd coming over, supplement this homemade menu with store bought Spring or Summer rolls and pork buns. To check out the recipes, read more

If you think nothing can be made with leftover ribs, think again! Although it takes time to remove the meat from the ribs, it's worth it. The meat can be used in a salad, sandwich, or as in this recipe, a pizza. The dough is topped with a quick tomato barbecue sauce, the rib meat, pepper jack cheese, red onions, and green peppers.

The final dish is smoky, scrumptious, and finger licking good! To check out the recipe, read more

With Memorial Day being the unofficial start of Summer, it's time to step away from the stove, go outside, and get grilling. To encourage just that we've decided to change things up: instead of featuring a complicated Sunday Dinner, we'll be giving you the best barbecue recipes.

Let's start with a crowd-pleasing classic: barbecued ribs. Succulent and smoky, these ribs are seasoned with both a rub and a homemade bbq sauce. Sound delish? Get the recipe now — read more

Yesterday I wrote about the appetizers and several of the side dishes for a 4th of July Barbeque. Today it's time to move onto the classic main course portion of the same menu. Serve guests finger licking good barbequed ribs and grilled corn on the cob with herb butter to pair with a caprese salad and thick cut grilled french fries. Finish the meal with a stunning, cool red white and blue dessert in the form of make ahead ice cream sundaes. Scoop the ice cream in sundae dishes before the barbeque and allow guests to finish them off with their own toppings. To take a look at these perfect 4th of July recipes, read more