2012 Anticipation

Thanks to all the folks who check out my blog, 2011 has been a great year imho.

The circle of life moves on, made some new friends, some friends moved on, and I strengthened bonds with the inner circle. All good.

Foodwise a fantastic year that started with the blowout trip to New Orleans in January. If there is a better food city than NOLA I have not found it(no disrepect to Chicago, but I think I need to move to Louisiana). Some goo eats in Chicagoland, but the most of the focus and fun has been out of the city in Wisconsin, Iowa, and NW Illinois. Great finds like Johnnies Meat Market in Davenport, IA., etc.

Just ran out of time/warm weather for some of the things I started or wanted to do. I still see a fried shrimp shack crawl in the works as well as a tied house tour, and other historic explorations.

Happy New Year.

Red Gold Ketchup, Sauce and Spares

Grabbed up some fantastic local pork spare ribs from a butcher shop over in Sublette, IL. Perfect opportunity to whip up some ketchup, and then a basic bbq glaze for the ribs using Red Gold whole pealed tomatoes.

Basic ketchup recipe(onion, garlic, cinnamon, vinegar, water, etc). SImmered downa nd run through the food processor. Made a nice base for a sweet and hot bbq sauce(cayenne, black pepper, vinegar, molasses, brown sugar. Used this as glaze for the spares after they came off the WSM.


Red Gold Ketchup:

Spares"

Mopped:

Glazed:

Really simple process, using your own ketchup in your bbq sauce makes a big difference.

Country Village Meats - Sublette, IL.

Part of the joy of just pointing the RL in a direction and driving is the places you discover. Found a magnificent meat market about 35 minutes from my home, just north of Peru in Sublette, IL. Right on route 52, i spied it, and quickly pulled into their parking lot. Nondescript building with animal pens on one side.


Inside I found a clean, well stocked meat market, large processing area, and friendly staff. Prices on a chalk board, and if you dont see it ask. I went with some of their hot dogs, snack sticks and spare ribs.


Spare ribs were in cryo, but from local pigs, the meat was well marbled, and bright pink(thinking it was a duroc or berkshire mix perhaps by the color, fat and flavor). Top notch spares, already trimmed into skirt, tips and spares. Id prefer to do the trimming myself, but these were good. Extemely porky, and juicy. Hot dogs were good as well, some of the beefiest and garlicky dogs i have had. Snack stick were solid as well. Dont you could go wrong with anything from these folks.


The best part about this place is the animal pens on the side of the building, thats where locals bring their livestock and deer to be processed. Fresh, local meat. Cant beat it. They offer whole and 1/2 pigs and beef. 1/2 pig, 115 lbs... $242..... Big difference between going to the source and paying $9/lb at some boutique meat market inChicago.

Spares I smoked, really porky:

Country Village Meats

401 N. Pennsylvania

Sublette, IL.

Star Union Brewery(closed) - Peru, IL.

Illinois history, and breweries have become a facination of mine. The Illinois river Valley was home to many breweries and distilleries back before and some even after Prohibition. Large ammounts of grain, corn, artesian springs, the river, and folks who knew how to make beer and spirits(Germans, Irish, etc.), made for the perfect environemnt.

I previously visited a long shuttered brewery in Morris, IL. I just recently visited 2 brewery sites in Peru, IL. The first is what remains of the Star Union Brewery. The last day beer was produced at this plant was January 9, 1966. All that remains is a portion of the bottling plant a current distribution business. To the east is a wooded area littered with red bricks. That is where the chimney and other buildings of the plant once stood.

Here is a link to a picture from bakc in the day. I parked my truck in front of the closest building and took my photo from across the street and to the far left.

http://www.1964lp.com/nGallery/photos/11/47.aspx

Really amazing to see the before and after shots, and perspective from being on site. The field where the bricks are are private property so I did not venture into the field. Also there had been a cave in recently of some of the tunnels that used to run under the brewery.

Brews produced under the Star Union label were Sepp'l Brau & Star Model starting in the 1920;s and 1930's. The brewery was in operation, besides the Prohibition years, from 1856 - 1966.

Not much of this brewery left, the other brewery site I checked out was in really good shape, and for sale.... :-) More on that to come.

Star Union Neon @ the Water Street Pub - Peru, IL.:


Portion of former bottling plant:

Star Union Brewery bottle:

Star Union Bottle opener:

An ice pick from the White Way Tavern - Peru, IL.

Star Union Brewery

102 Pike Street

Peru, IL.

Wedron Office - a Contender

I am a creature of habit, and Wedron Office has been a regular stop since our first visit a few months ago. Fried chicken is solid on every visit, not to the heights Rip's can reach but very, very good.

My current Illinois Valley Fried Chicken Rankings:

1) Rip's - Ladd, IL.
2) Cherry Suppper Club - CHerry, Il.
3) Wedron Office - Wedron, IL.
4) John's North Star - LaSalle, IL.
5) Verruchi's - Spring Valley, IL.

I have explored more of the menu, steaks are really good, and well, cooked. Plus a bargain price wise. Sundays are ayce chili, cheap drafts and cheap wings. Fish has been ok, but ive decided Im sticking to the fried chicken or a steak from now on.

Chicken is the largest in the area, a 1/2 light is 2 huge breasts and 2 plump wings. Nice coating, juicy interior. Place is always packed come dinner time, we usually go for an early supper and rounds of drinks.

Nightly Specials:

Wings:

Sald bar:

This past Sundays bird:

Wedron Office

Wedron, IL.