Last week I sang the praises of Cornell chicken, but Ithaca isn't the only central New York town that lays claim to its own homegrown grilling tradition—Binghamton is in it to win it with spiedies. So what the hell are these things? Traced back to traditions of Italian immigrants, spiedies are kind of like those skewers of grilled meat you pick up at street fairs and festivals, if they were actually good. The secret? It's all in the marinade.
There's been a lot of talk of New York barbecue coming into its own in the past year. While there are some inventive smoked meats being produced out there that may start to define New York as a style, this mostly means local pitmasters have finally reached a level that's close to, or on par with, some of the greatest barbecue from prime regions across the country. While emulation has made me an incredibly happy eater recently—Hugh Mangum's brisket and pork at Mighty Quinn's is insane—there's neglect that New York as a state has a bit of rich barbecue and grilling history of its own. Sure it's not of the same ilk as the meat counters that dot the hill country in Texas or the whole hogs doused in vinegar in North Carolina, but there are tasty traditions right in my backyard that are worthy of praise, like the tangy and juicy Cornell chicken.
If all has gone well, I'm into my second week of a three-week jaunt around Spain, now enjoying the sights and tastes that Sevilla has to offer. Even on vacation though, the wave of meat shall not cease, and I've done some prep ahead and put the blog on autopilot to continue to fill your eyes and bellies with great grilled treats. Getting giddy by the thoughts of what this trip may have in store, I busted out another Spanish-influenced recipe from the archive with these Spanish spice-rubbed chicken breasts with parsley-mint sauce.
Hell yeah, tomorrow is my birthday! Now solidly in my mid-thirties, I've noticed that each subsequent year, fewer and fewer friends openly celebrate their birthdays, but I'm still all gung-ho about mine. While I'm usually humble and reserved, on my birthday I want to feel special, be the center of attention, get what I want, and not be concerned about the selfishness of it all. I still throw myself a party, and I fill it with all of my favorite people and favorite foods. Among the bar foods that make up my birthday menu, wings take top billing, and the top of top are these Sriracha hot wings—a recipe I devised specifically for my birthday last year.
I've never hidden my general disdain for skinless, boneless chicken breasts since the beginning of this blog. Unless it's being pounded, breaded, and fried into chicken schnitzel, this piece of poultry rarely finds it way into my kitchen since there are so many tastier options available—like chicken thighs. Still, that doesn't mean this dry, tasteless cut can't be fixed. Case in point, take this chicken involtini.
Handpicked items by the Meatmaster to aid in your own barbecue and grilling.
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