Third Coast Cuisine

Each year motorcycle enthusiasts from around the country make the "last ride" of the year to tiny Stockton, Alabama to lunch together at the Stagecoach Cafe. I was able to tag along with a group of Third Coast riders from Biloxi to witness this event for myself. They are quite the culture these 21st Century bikers. These easy riders are less Dennis Hopper and more Albert Brooks.  Most of them are professionals but don't call them yuppies.

The predominant motorcycle for these shindigs is the classic Harley but they don't discriminate.  If you prefer a "rice rocket" you're still welcome just be prepared for a little good natured ribbing.  This was the 14th year that the Stagecoach has hosted the annual last ride and it's hard to say just how many made the trip but when we arrived there were better than a hundred motorcycles filling the gravel parking lot.  An impressive site to be sure.

The Stagecoach Cafe is a classic Southern eatery, the type that make living on the Third Coast a treasure.  It's located less than an hour drive north of Gulf Shores and the whole Redneck Riviera and just a mile or so from the site of the Fort Mims Massacre which sparked the Creek Indian War (1813–1814).  It is truly an area steeped in history.  The cafe is known for great Southern comfort food and they are famous for their fried chicken and their fried oysters.

On our visit a special buffet was set up featuring BBQ pulled pork, meatloaf and fried chicken with plenty of country sides and delicious desserts.  The meatloaf was low on filler and high on meat, a welcome relief from typical diner meatloaf which tends to be more breadcrumbs than actual meat.  The pulled pork was tender with a sweet smokey BBQ sauce.  I also sampled the fried okra which was crisp and well seasoned and some very good mashed potatoes and gravy.

I made a point of trying the fried chicken as well.  I mean, they are famous for it.  It was really, really good.  Like most Southerners I love fried chicken but I rarely enjoy fried chicken from restaurants. I prefer Southern Fried (cooked slowly in an iron skillet with just a touch of oil) to deep fried (fully immersed in hot oil).  Restaurants tend to opt for deep frying because it is so much quicker but for some reason they fail to season it properly which is crucial for this method to have flavor.  The Stagecoach gets it right.  Some of the best fried chicken I've ever had.  Worth the 3000 mile ride from Washington State?  Apparently since someone actually made the trip.

The Stagecoach is planning something big for next year's 15th anniversary.  Perhaps adding those famous oysters to the buffet?  Only time will tell.  Of course you can sample the world renowned oysters and chicken on their weekly seafood buffet each weekend.  The Stagecoach Cafe is located at 52860 Hwy 59 in Stockton, AL.  (251) 580-0608.

Iron Chef Bobby Flay is going coastal!  Flay will be swinging through the Third Coast this fall visiting book stores, malls and specialty stores throughout October.  Most of the dates are in Texas but there are also visits to the Birmingham area and South Florida.

SUR LA TABLE #15
5809 PRESTON ROAD SUITE 580
PLANO, TX 75093
10/18/2010 12:00pm

BORDERS BOOK SHOP #032
10720 PRESTON RD., STE.1018
DALLAS, TX 75230
10/18/2010 5:00pm

SUR LA TABLE
1996 WEST GRAY
HOUSTON, TX 77019-0400
10/19/2010 12:00pm
   
B&N # 2200
1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. #3008
The Woodlands, TX 77381
10/19/2010 6pm
    
SUR LA TABLE #68
301 SW 145TH TERRACE
PEMBROKE PINES, FL 33027
10/20/2010 12pm

BOOKS-A-MILLION DBA BOOKS & COMPANY
757 BROOKWOOD VILLAGE
BIRMINGHAM, AL 35209
10/27/2010 6:30pm

National Shrimp Festival, Oct. 7-10, Gulf Shores
Savor fresh gulf seafood at the 38th Annual National Shrimp Festival on the beaches of Gulf Shores. Three-hundred vendors showcase their fine arts and crafts, two musical stages feature major national recording artists as well as local favorites.
 

The Annual National Shrimp Festival  is held each year during the second full weekend in October on the beautiful beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama.  The Festival is one of the nation's premier outdoor festivals featuring over 300 vendors that offer fine art, arts and crafts, a retail marketplace and of course, SHRIMP!!

There is something for everyone at the Festival ... and admission is FREE!!


Celebrating its 39th year in 2010, the Festival attracts over 300,000 people who come to view Fine Arts and Arts & Crafts from over 200 artists during the four day Festival. Two stages offer continuous musical entertainment [view schedule] while the little one's attention is captured in the Children's Activity Village where they create their own "art" and participate in other fun-filled activities.

The four-day event attracts more than 300,000 visitors. Thurs.-Sat., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. 251.968.6904

Starting Friday June 11th the Mobile Bay Area will be hosting Alabama Beer Week - a weekend celebration that would thrill Friar Tuck.  After all it was the mythical warrior monk who stated, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

The first night kicks off with  arguably Mobile's top chef Chakli Diggs hosting a a beer dinner at his popular downtown eatery, NoJa.  Diggs combines culinary tradition and molecular gastronomy for a style that is unique along the Third Coast which makes him the prefect chef to pair five courses with five of Colorado's top brews from Great Divide Brewing Company and Tommyknocker Colorado Mountain Brewery.  The beer dinner is at 6:30 PM.  If you can't make that, Jim Schwab of Tommynkocker will be hosting a "night of beer" at Hopjacks on Dauphin St.

On Saturday the 12th Free the Hops and the South Alabama Film Festival partner to occupy the Fiver Rivers Delta Center for a special one-time showing of the new documentary Beer Wars.  The film takes the viewer behind the scenes of the battle between Big Beer and small artisan beer makers for the hearts of American beer lovers.  The film will be followed by tasting that includes Back Forty Naked Pig American Pale Ale, Back Forty Stop Honey Brown Ale (featuring honey from a local apiary) and Tommyknocker Hop Strike Black-Rye IPA (a recently released limited addition in honor of the state of Alabama's first year anniversary since the passage of the Gourmet Beer Bill which was spearheaded by Free the Hops).  Tickets for this event are $25 and can be purchased online at TicketLeap.

I doubt I can make the beer dinner but you just may see me sampling suds at Hopjack and most assuredly at Five Rivers on Saturday night.  You must be 21 years of age for all events.

I'll leave you with another Tuckism, "This is grain, which any fool can eat, but for which the Lord intended a more divine means of consumption... Beer!"

From AP:

NORMAL, Ala. — Chicken farmers are telling federal officials in Alabama that they lack power and have little ability to deal with the big poultry companies that control the industry.

The farmers testified Friday at Alabama A&M University, where the U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture held a hearing on competition in the chicken industry.

Fifty-seven-year-old Gary Staples of Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. He says farmers are seeing poultry companies demand more but pay less.

Richard Lobb, a spokesman for the National Chicken Council trade group, says the hearing was skewed with testimony from unhappy farmers but many are satisfied with contracts that allow them to sell a steady supply of chickens.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

NORMAL, Ala. (AP) — Alabama chicken farmer Gary Staples told federal officials Friday that there's no open market in the poultry industry.

The 57-year-old farmer from Steele raises birds for Pilgrim's Pride, one of the nation's biggest poultry companies. But like other farmers who raise most of the chickens Americans eat, he doesn't own the birds he raises, nor does he determine what food they eat or medicine they get. Pilgrim's Pride controls that.
Staples joined dozens of other chicken farmers who traveled to Alabama A&M University for a hearing the U.S. Departments of Justice and Agriculture held on competition in the chicken industry. Although they raise birds for different companies, the farmers said they have little power to negotiate with the businesses that control an increasingly consolidated industry.

Staples and other farmers said they have been putting up with more demands and smaller payments from the poultry companies. In some regions, farmers only have one or two potential buyers, so it's hard to make demands. Staples owes more than $1 million on his farm, and he doesn't want to upset Pilgrim's Pride.
"The chicken companies know they don't have to treat you fairly," Staples said.

Help Us Take on Corporate Power in Our Food System


Did you know that only a few multinational corporations control the food chain in America? The lack of competition in agricultural markets is unfair for farmers and consumers. Can you show your support for fair prices for consumers and farmers by joining us at a hearing in Normal, AL next week?

In Alabama, many farmers raise chickens or other poultry. Right now, just a few companies will buy their chickens, which often means the farmer can't get a fair price. Worse yet, some of these companies use unfair contracts that put all of the risk on the farmers. These companies can raise costs and lower prices for farmers and keep the profits for themselves. Now we have a chance to take back fair control of our food supply. The Department of Justice and the USDA are holding hearings across the country on this issue. Can you join us and help spread the word?

Decision makers need to hear from communities that we want fair choice and fair markets for farmers and consumers. The Normal, AL hearing starts at 9:00 a.m., with public comment likely toward the end of the day. We hope you can join us in fighting the corporate control of our food system!

Help us get the word out about the Normal, AL hearing:
http://action.foodandwaterwatch.org/tellafriend.jsp?tell_a_friend_KEY=7058

Thanks for taking action,
Katy Kiefer
Outreach Organizer
Food & Water Watch

Friday, May 21, 2011
Starts at 9:00 a.m.
Alabama A&M University
Knight Reception Center
4900 Meridian Street
Normal, AL 35762
 

The small fishing village of Bayou La Batre, Alabama was made famous in the movie Forrest Gump as the hometown of Forrest's Army buddy Bubba.  After leaving Vietnam Gump ventured down to the Bayou to fulfill Bubba's dream of owning a shrimp boat.  Winston Groom, the author of the book the movie was based on, is a native of Mobile County and picked the tiny town because it was a city built on commercial fishing.

Since 1949 Bayou La Batre has observed the Blessing of the Fleet, both a religious and cultural observance.  The festival has evolved over the years to include arts and crafts displays, hot seafood plates, a court made up of young lasses plus the two biggest draws a gumbo cook-off (more on that next week) and the boat parade.  The Mardi Gras flotilla will parade from the dock at St Margaret's Catholic Church to the mouth of Bayou La Batre and back.

The Blessing Mass will be held at 11:00 AM and is lead by the Archbishop at St. Margaret's who offers the following prayer:

May God in Heaven fulfill abundantly the prayers which are pronounced over you and your boats and equipment on the occasion of the Blessing of the Fleet. God bless your going out and coming in; The Lord be with you at home and on the water. May he accompany you when you start on your many journeys: May he fill your nets abundantly as a reward for your labor; And may he bring you all safely in, when you turn your boats homeward to shore.... Amen

This year they will be raffling off a Fleet Blessing Quilt.  The images on the king-size quilt were hand embroidered by ladies of the parish. Three decorative pillows, each bearing a scene, come with the quilt.  The Blessing of the Fleet takes place Sunday, May 2nd 2010 at St. Margaret's Catholic Church located at 13790 South Wintzell Avenue.  For more information and a schedule of events visit the web site.

Cops are a great resource for cheap, tasty eats. Law enforcement officers (likewise with firefighters) risk the most for the least return. Ask any officer that ever attended the Southwest Alabama Police Academy in Bay Minette and they'll tell you the best place in town is Street's Seafood Restaurant.

I visited Street's a few years ago while working on an article about diners. Though famous for their seafood my assignment called for me to eat the same dish at every diner I visited, hamburger steak with gravy. Recently I found myself in Bay Minette for the first time since then so I decided to try what they are famous for, seafood.

Now, I am not the biggest fan of buffets but a Third Coast restaurant rocking all-you-can-eat seafood is hard to pass up. So I didn't.

Included in the buffet is an inviting salad bar that featured a garden of local produce but alas only iceberg lettuce.  Not a deal breaker for most but for me it is.  So I headed to the hot bar where waiting was a bounty of the sea and not all of it fried.  Boiled crab legs, baked catfish and boiled Gulf shrimp are delicious alternatives but with few exceptions there is seldom a better way to eat seafood than cornmeal battered and deep fried.

I enjoyed a plate of fried catfish, boiled and fried shrimp, cheese grits and fried oysters; a few hush-puppies joined the party as well.  I also sampled the seafood gumbo.  Although I prefer my boiled seafood to be spicy, the shrimp was mild but sweet; quite good in fact.  The fried catfish was perfectly done, crispy but not greasy.  The same can be said of the fried shrimp.  The hush-puppies were also very good; fresh not frozen and littered with bits of green onion.

The gumbo, for me, was too bland and the roux did not taste fully cooked.  It also seemed to be made with chicken stock as opposed to a seafood stock.  There was ample seafood in it it just didn't boast much in the way of flavor.  The oysters are a different story.  They were awesome, both my dinner partners and I returned to the buffet for more oysters.  I skipped the large dessert bar but it featured the usuals, peach cobbler and nanner puddin'.  Both looked good but I managed to abstain.

A large sound approaching Bay Minette on Hwy. 31 proudly proclaims that if you visited and didn't eat at Street's you trip was wasted.  Here, here!  Street's Seafood Restaurant is located at 251 U.S. Hwy.31 in Bay Minette, AL.  Phone (251) 937-2664.

In a state that is a veritable melting pot of BBQ styles there may be a joint that out shines the best in the nation.  The north end of the state has a style similar to Memphis while the east trends towards the high vinegar sauces of the Carolinas.  Of course there is also unique "Alabama White" sauce made famous by Big Bob Gibson.

Now in South Alabama most folks are drawn to the Kansas City style of barbecue imploring well smoked meats with a sweet/smokey tomato based sauce and there is one place that does better than the rest, The Brick Pit.

The "Pit" is just blocks from campus of the University of South Alabama and it looks like a BBQ joint should.  In a word, shabby.  Uneven floor, wobbly tables and the walls, corner posts and even the ceiling is cover with graffiti.  It is a custom to sign the walls whenever you visit.  The walls are also adorned with awards, national right ups and pictures of all the of football players and coaches that frequent the week of the Senior Bowl.

The Brick Pit is on virtually every "Top 100" lists out there and they have been profiled on national TV numerous times.  The menu is simple: pulled pork, brisket, chicken and Mobile's favorite ribs.  They are tender from smoking not from boiling, steaming or roasting.  Low and slow just like they're supposed to be.  The sides are the usual suspects - slaw, potato salad and baked beans.  Que is available dry or with a helping of the classic KC style sauce.  The Brick Pit may not be the best BBQ joint in the country but they are definitely on the short list.

The tiny town of Elberta is famous for two things and oddly enough both are sausage festivals.  Like many German communities across the nation, the folks of Elberta celebrate Oktoberfest.  But one season highlighted by beer and sausage was not enough.

Each Spring they throw the Elberta German Sausage Festival to raise money for the Elberta Volunteer Fire Department. The festival attracts more 30,000 visitors each year.  Not bad for town of around 6,734 residents.  They boast of having over 200 arts and crafts booths and cooking roughly 7,000 pounds of Elberta German Sausage per festival.

Although the recipe has changed somewhat over the years, the original secret recipe for Elberta's famous sausage is credited to Alfred Stucki who managed Elberta's Locker Plant from 1953 until his death in 1973.  The festival is located in the town park, at the intersection of Main St. and State St. (Co. Rd. 83 and US Hwy. 98) and is will be held March 27th from 8am – 5pm.  Watch the moving pictures:




WKRG.com News

In less than a decade Mobile's little BBQ cook-off that could, has.  Now in it's ninth year the BBQ Championship & Hog Wild Festival is a major swing on the Kansas City Barbecue Society.  In the past few years Hog Wild has been featured on a number of cable networks and it's popularity has grown exponentially as was evidenced by the mile long line of cars waiting to get into the festival as I drove by today.  Now teams come from far and near to try their best recipes in front of certified judges and a crowd that is very knowledgeable about barbecue.  For a taste of Hog Wild check out this video from Mobile's WALA Fox10:

NINTH ANNUAL BBQ CHAMPIONSHIP AND HOG WILD FESTIVAL
WHEN: 3-9 p.m. March 12; 9:30 a.m-4:30 p.m. March 13.
WHERE: Greater Gulf State Fairgrounds
WHY: Professional and amateur barbecue teams compete for cash and prizes in a Kansas City Barbecue Society-sanctioned event. Proceeds benefit the local office of United Cerebral Palsy.
TICKETS: Day passes are $10, available at the gate. Kids 12 and younger are free.
INFO: Call the UCP office in Mobile at 251-479-4900; or visit www.bbqmobile.net.

WellThatsCool.com is proud to bring Tuscaloosa "The Suds of The South Beer Fest."

This event will highlight the fine craft breweries of the south. The fest will feature Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. from Kiln MS, Terrapin Beer Co. from Athens GA, Sweetwater Brewery from Atlanta GA, Good People Brewing Co. from Birmingham AL, Back Forty Beer Co. from Birmingham AL, Olde Towne Brewing Co. from Huntsville AL, Abita Brewing Co. from Abit Springs LA and Yazoo Brewing Co. from Nashville TN. Each brewery will have a table set up with reps to explain what makes the south rival any other beer region in the world. All proceeds will benefit Free the Hops to help in the fight to continue modernizing Alabama's beer laws. The cost of the event is $10.00 and will cover unlimited samples, a 3oz sample glass and special discount on Southern Beers at the after party. The fest runs from 4pm to 6pm. We want everyone to have a good time designated drivers will be let in free of charge and Taxis will be on standby.

Free The Hops | Alabamians For Specialty Beer (FTH) is a grassroots, non-profit organization whose mission is to help bring the highest quality beers in the world to Alabama. These beers are commonly referred to as craft beers due to the skill and artistry required to brew them, but they are also appropriately classified as specialty or gourmet. You might think of them as the Mercedes of beers.

Date	From March 13, 2010 4:00 PM Until March 13, 2010 6:00 PM
Location	Little Willies 2209 4th St Tuscaloosa, AL 35401

ORDER TICKETS

This coming Saturday Mobile's Beinville Square will overwhelm with the aroma of chilies and spices.  Once again downtown will host the 21st Annual Chili Cook-Off, Mobile's most popular charitable event.  In 1989 the first Chili Cook Off raised $550 for the American Cancer Society.  In 2009 126 teams combined to raise nearly a quarter of a million dollars.  In addition to chili in every in every conceivable form there will also be plenty of soft drinks, hooch and live entertainment.

The entertainment this year will come from the varied musical stylings of PEEK, local favorite El Cantador, Lee Yankee and the Hellz Yeah and Faulkner State's Sun Chief Sound.  Sponsors like Coca-Cola and Budweiser will provide liquid refreshments to cool the heat from all that chili and hot dogs and french fries are available for the yungins.  Teams with inventive names like Beef and Bean Bandits, Pretty in Pink and Smokin' Butts for Jesus will compete in four different categories: meat only, meat and beans, wild game and vegetarian.

On two occasions I have competed in the Cook-off and I can attest first hand to the fun to be had in this competition.  Although, lugging in the equipment in the pre-dawn quiet is surreal by the time the judges start tasting at 10:30 the very air is a buzz.  Once the gates open to the public at 11 AM it's downright electric.  Usually taking place within a few weeks of the end of Mardi Gras, Mobileans are rested up from Fat Tuesday and ready to party again.  The Chili Cook-off is the start of an amazing Spring of great food festivals which also includes the Hog Wild BBQ Championship, Luck of the Irish Cook-off and the Elberta German Sausage Festival.

The American Cancer Society's 21st Annual Chili Cook-Off takes place on Saturday February 27, 2010 in Beinville Square.  Gates open at 11:00am and the first band goes on at 8:30am.  There will be four entrances to the square located at Dauphin Street and Conception Street, Dauphin Street and Joseph Street, Conception Street and St. Francis Street, and St. Francis and St. Joseph Street.  Tickets are $10.00 in advance, $15.00 day of event.  Children 12 and under are free.  For more information call the ACS office at 251-344-9858, Monday - Friday from 8:30 AM until 4:30 PM or e-mail Heather Bolton.

At the main Interstate exit of the Mobile neighborhood of Tillman's Corner you will find one of those nondescript chain BBQ places.  You know the type - bland food, prefabricated decor and little in the way of originality.  A few blocks over you will find Dick Russell's BBQ, an Alabama Legend.  Dick Russell's does as much business on a typical Friday as that chain joint does in a week.  Why you may ask?  Because Mobileans know good BBQ when they taste it.

Mobile isn't on the same level as Memphis or Kansas City, but it's getting there.  Dick Russell's has been at the forefront of the Mobile Que scene for decades.  It is the very embodiment of the Mobile style, well smoked with a sweet but not too sweet sauce.

But there is a lot more to Dick Russell's than just world class barbecue.  It is also the most popular place in Mobile County for breakfast.  And why not with eggs any way you want them, omelets, hot cakes and waffles all made to order.  The show stealer, however, is the biscuits and sausage gravy.  Just $2.95 will get you an egg, two biscuits and grits or hasbrowns.  There are plenty of breakfast combos for under $2 that will have you so stuffed you'll need to go back to bed.

The seafood is also killer.  In a town with seafood that stacks up against any city in the country, Dick Russell's does it better than most.  The steaks and burgers are epic as well.  But the BBQ is why most people come and it is why I stopped by recently.

I got a sampler plate with baby backs, brisket and pulled pork.  It came with two of those legendary biscuits and bake beans and slaw.  I do not care for slaw so my server was nice enough to let me substitute for some fried dill pickles at no extra charge.  If you have never had fried dill pickles, you just haven't lived.  I have been eating at this place for over 20 years and every time the food is first rate, the service is genuinely welcoming.  This visit was much the same as dozens I have made before, down right good.

I spent most of the 90’s in Nashville, TN and one of the things I have been missing since returning to Alabama is real South of the Border food. As many a Texan can tell you, Mobile’s Mexican scene is poor. Most of the places we think of as being “traditional Mexican” restaurants are actually Tex-Mex, bad Tex-Mex at that. They all have the same menu and their food tastes pretty much the same. They rely mostly on precooked foods that they microwave – even ground beef which comes pre-cooked in one gallon cans. Yes cans.

There are a few chains like Chili’s and El Chico’s but they are actually what is termed “Gringo Mex.” Gringo Mex is a super watered down form of Mexican. Not bad, mind you, but far from authentic. The few shining lights in town have been La Cocina on Airport which is this town’s lone authentic Mexican (ask for the Spanish menu – it’s different) and Armando Rodriguez’s three eateries Aztecas and the two Hacienda San Miguel locations which all put out stellar Tex-Mex.



Now there is a new source for serious Latin flavors, 3 Banderas is classic Central American food. You know, pupusas! You don’t know pupusas? They are kind of like corn flour pancakes that are stuffed with anything from cheese to roasted pork. Top them with a little curtido (Salvadoran vinegar-based slaw) and you are set from some tasty and cheap eats (less than $3). For dessert I recommend the empanada de platanos, from plantain and pudding concoction that is battered and fried. Be sure to wash it down with one of their flavored waters like agua de melon (water and cantelope) or horchata (rice milk with cinnamon and nutmeg). For you iron-clad gringos they do have chips, salsa, and many of the other dishes we mis-associate with Latin cuisine.

3 Banderas Restaurant is located at 7765 Airport Blvd at that dense Schillinger’s Road corner.

In the third enstallment of TLC's new reality series about comepetition BBQ, the crew ventures to Decater, Alabama home of Big Bob Gibson's and the Riverfest BBQ contest.  The constants are treated to a private dinner cooked by Big Bob Gibson's executive chef Chris Lilly, a world champion himself.  Here's what the Alabama Barbecue Association has to say about Riverfest:

Riverfest features over 70 professional and civilian BBQ cooking teams from all over the United States competing for prize money and trophies totaling $20,000.00. The teams will be competing in such categories as beef brisket, pork ribs (loin/spare), chicken, pork (shoulder/butt), and best sauce. Along with the cooking competition, there will be food vendors, live music, children’s activities, and the Ducky Derby.

The show details just how the smallest roadblock can derail even the most seasond pit master.  It also introduces the viewer to some genuine characters, especially Myron Mixon of Jack's Old South BBQ team.  As Myron is quick to say, he's the best on the circuit.  He's also the most cesured person on television.  The man earns more bleeps than Richard Pryor and Gordon Ramsay combined.  But don't take my word for it: