birthday party bbq

We attended a 40th birthday party at Smoke N Spice in Windsor, Ontario. Our party of 10, sat on the balcony and enjoyed a special menu designed by Chef Ryan Odette and his wonderful wife Tina.

Appetizers: Beef Brisket, caramelized onion & blue cheese pizza (see below), Grilled vegetable and tomato pizza

Salad: Salad of mixed greens, goat cheese & spiced pecans Entree: Jerked chicken with slaw and grilled sweet potatoes
Alternating desserts: Red velvet torte, Sweet potato cheesecake (see below), Chocolate pecan pie

Even the drinks were fun! Smoke N Spice has an awesome selection of Ontario craft beers. I stuck with Oakville's Cameron’s Cream Ale which I continue to love more and more. It's malty but not overpowering and has a very smooth, tasty finish.

Toward the end of the meal, people got nostalgic and starting drinking Pop Shoppe pop. I don’t know too much about it but apparently there was a Pop Shoppe store in Windsor that was very popular. Smoke N Spice carries the black cherry, root beer, cream soda, and orange flavours. Between the Pop Shoppe and dessert, I’m sure everyone went home with a sugar high! Happy birthday David! And, thanks to Sharon for hosting a great event!

Seder #2

The second night of Passover was spent at Sharon and David's. Sharon isn't afraid to try new recipes and often surprises us with interesting twists on traditional fare. For the second year in a row, she replaced the Gefilte fish course with fishcakes. This makes me very happy!

• Chicken soup with Betty's fresh egg noodles


• Salmon & Whitefish Cakes with homemade tartar sauce


• Bonnie Stern's Brisket in BBQ sauce


• Betty's Kugal


• Carrots with Oranges and Pinenuts


• Chocolate and Caramel Covered Matzoh for dessert


• Plenty of non-Kosher wine!

Post-meal the family enjoyed a Grateful Dead dance party which included a head-banging 4 year old and a private hustle lesson from Bubby.

BONNIE STERN'S PASSOVER BRISKET IN BARBECUE SAUCE

(Recipe was published in the Saturday, April 4, 2009 National Post -- Sharon said that she followed it without substitutions or changes)

My friend and colleague Mitchell Davis likes to carve the brisket after two hours of cooking. Then he reassembles the slices in the pan and continues cooking until tender -- usually about two hours longer.

There are three reasons his technique works: It's easier to carve when undercooked, it cooks faster in thinner pieces, and more surface area is exposed to the flavourful juices. Whatever method you use, it's important to cook the brisket until it is fork tender, no matter how long it takes! Brisket is a great make-ahead dish: Reheat, covered tightly, at 350F (180C), about 40 to 45 minutes. It's also tender and delicious done in a slow cooker. - 7 lb (3.5kg) brisket (approximate weight) - 1 tbsp (15mL) paprika - 1 tbsp (15mL) kosher salt - ½ tsp (2mL) fresh ground black pepper - 3 large onions, sliced - 6 cloves garlic, sliced - 1½ cups (375mL) ketchup, barbecue sauce or tomato puree - 3 tbsp (45mL) brown sugar or honey - 3 tbsp (45mL) vinegar or lemon juice - 1½ cups (375mL) water

1. Rub top side of brisket (fatty side) with paprika, salt and pepper.
2. Place onions and garlic in the bottom of a roasting pan large enough to hold the brisket in a single layer.
3. Combine ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and water. Pour over brisket. Cover tightly with lid or with aluminum foil.
4. Place in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven. Remove meat to a carving board and slice across the grain, into ½" (1cm) thick slices. Discard fat from surface of the juices. Return meat to pan, spooning juices over top. Cover tightly and cook 1½ to 2 hours longer or until meat is very tender. Makes 10 to 12 servings