Just a few nights ago I was talking to a local chef about how good we’ve got it down here. Truly, most food in the South is tasty. We’re a people who know that if a little more salt won’t do the trick, a little butter likely will. We’re not shy with the seasonings, not afraid to eat pieces of the pig that would make a self-respecting Northerner cringe. And tell me someplace else where you can get cornbread like you can get here. And so on–you get my point. The reason we were talking about this was that she mentioned how insulting it was to go into places in Chicago that advertised Memphis-style ribs, and all it took was one taste to know the ribs were made by someone who’d never come across our bridge.

So when I came across Gael Greene’s review of Justin Timberlake’s new place, I thought I’d share it with you. A couple of questions: How could you even fry a ripe tomato? And while I love mac and cheese–with ribs? Come on, that just ain’t right… And I will spare everyone my thoughts on barbecue nachos, other than to say vomit.

The review was in New York Magazine on Tuesday:

“Probably you Justin Timberlake fans (plus the guys who’d follow you anywhere) will haunt Southern Hospitality hoping to spot your crush sipping Mountain Dew in a back booth of this raffish joint he’s fronting. There’s no sign of that hottie tonight as we brave the tussle and eighties disco throbbing full blast.

Just a clutch of babes pretending to eat, an army of guys sucking beer from the bottle, and a bartender tossing cocktails. A bouncy hostess in cowboy boots trots us to a table in the rear still sticky from its previous gorge, away from the barside clot but not the roar. Cameras emerge from our pockets and start flashing. We’re immortalizing the nachos-a scary swamp (with pulled pork, $4.95 extra). Surprise: It’s edible, almost delicious. Granted, the corn bread could be sugared plastic. Biscuits taste like salty cardboard, fried green tomatoes aren’t even green. Still, I can’t stop myself from eating the stuck-together onion rings. And the crusty fried chicken is juicy and good. I urge my pals to try the smoked Memphis ribs and skip the dried-out baby backs. Everything comes on a hill of soggy French fries. Cold mac ‘n’ cheese is an insult even in junk-food heaven, but a sizzling replacement disappears in minutes. It’s impossible to predict what the kitchen will be doing a week from now. Not this pitiful peach pie, I hope. We leave, exhausted from shouting. Remorse at what I’ve consumed weighs heavily. Or is that just indigestion?”

After an encounter with the most adorable man, I ended up with close to a bushel of green tomatoes from the Agricenter this weekend. I was searching for small green tomatoes for a Lynne Rossetto Kasper recipe and I came upon an outside table.

“You can have everything on the table for $4,” the farmer told me. “This is the end of my harvest. Ain’t had no rain.”

I told him I could hardly turn that down, even though I didn’t know what I’d do with all those green tomatoes. Maybe I’d try to make chow chow, I told him. Good idea, he said. Fry ‘em up, too.

I asked him where he was from. “Tipton County,” he said. “Been there all my life. If my daddy was alive, he’d be 123 years old today.”

“Today’s his birthday?” I asked, and the response made me laugh out loud.

“No, he was born in January.”

Hmm. And my great-grandfather would be 140 today if he were still living!

Anyway, this man had me so charmed that my journalism hat just flew off my head. I didn’t ask his name, didn’t even think to get a picture of him. But I did promise him I’d let him know next year what I did with those green tomatoes.

So far I’ve made one batch of hot chow chow, but it doesn’t taste like my grandfather’s, so I’m going to try again. I took a big bag to my aunt because she makes wonderful fried green tomatoes, and I asked former CA food writer and freelancer Chris Gang to get together a story about freezer preservation. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I didn’t grow up canning and I don’t trust my ability there. I feel confident I could follow the process, but then we’d never eat the fruits of my labor because I’d be scared we’d get food poisoning.

So come on–I’ve got a ton of tomatoes. I know I can wrap them in newspapers and let them ripen, I can make pickles (but again, the canning), or I can fry them, but what else? Has anyone ever had a green tomato pie?

Someone at work asked me if I know of any restaurants that serve simple syrup with unsweetened tea so you can sweeten it to your taste (and not with those packets of sugar that don’t dissolve). The Map Room downtown used to do this (and serve a mean pimiento cheese, too), but I can’t think of any other restaurant offhand that does this. Anyone? (This is how I make tea at home, by the way. Combine equal parts sugar and water and bring to a boil. Boil just until it becomes clear–30 seconds or so–stir, and remove from heat.) I like mine with lemon or lime and with a bit of mint.

While we’re on it, might as well tell me who’s got the best iced tea. I haven’t had REALLY good tea since my grandmother died, but this has less to do with her good cooking than with her bad water. She lived in the country and her tap water tasted a bit off–heavy, mineral-ly–but it made the best tea you’ve ever tasted.

I’m moving to Seattle!!

As much as I love Memphis, the pull of home is strong, especially for my mountain-loving husband. I know this is a blow, believe me it was an agonizing decision.

I’m already tearing up thinking of everything I’ll miss dearly. And, I’m certainly not closing the door on Memphis. I’m talking with the online guys about ways to keep my finger in the pot.

I truly hope that our conversation can continue….

Took a quick trip to that charming town today… and had a spectacular experience at a place called Boulevard Bread Company… run by chef Scott McGehee who used to work at Chez Panisse.

Really cool gourmet goodies and manna from heaven! Baguettes, ciabatta, foccacia, whole wheat sourdough and more… loaded up the car with stuff that smelled so good, including kickin’ jambalaya.

Definitely worth the trip.

Any opinions on Little Rock as a food destination?

… I love it more. There’s just no place like that place.

Worked on the restoration of Willie Mae’s Scotch House — the landmark restaurant in Mid-City — not far from Dookie Chase’s. It’s really coming together, thanks to the diligence of John Currence from Oxfords’ City Grocery, and a whole bunch of volunteers coordinated by the Southern Foodways Alliance, and many New Orleaneans who read about it in the Times-Pic and just showed up.

I painted, caulked, mopped, swept and retailed, buying supplies for Miss Willie Mae’s home, which is on one side of this shotgun duplex. The coolest thing that happened this weekend: we went to a furniture store (Doerr’s on Elysian Fields) to buy a mattress and told the owner about the project. He donated the mattress, along with bedding and pillows. Incredibly generous!

My biggest regret this weekend: I forgot my camera, so no food pics. And there was certainly some gorgeous food on my plate, especially at Restaurant August where a bunch of us passed plates around, so got a taste of a lot of spectacular dishes: housemade gnocchi with truffles, a ravioli with wrapped around an egg yolk and finished with a wild mushroom sauce, a beautiful salad with crab and black-eyed pea “croutons”, redfish topped with caviar and sitting in the richest cream sauce, a filet served with this potato preparation that looked with a bone with marrow, oysters fried three ways, a spread of desserts that strained the waist of my skirt! Mercy!!

Also ate the best oysters on the half shell at Pascal’s Manale and shrimp po-boys and gumbo on the work site. (Thanks again to August, and chef John Besh…) Not to mention the killer brownies from La Spiga and fabulous pig at Couchon!

The city is filling up with visitors… please get down there soon and eat! The next time I go, I’m looking forward to some of that famous fried chicken at Willie Mae’s.

Going down to New Orleans, got my dance card all filled out. Dinners at Herbsaint and August, and with luck and lots of elbow grease, we’ll get Miss Willie Mae Seaton back in her house/restaurant by Thanksgiving.

Here’s your chance to fill in as weekend reviewer… Let’s hear it, critique your last meal out.

Saw Cat Power — and a slew of incredibly talented Memphis musicians — at Young Avenue Deli last night… a great show.

After, wandered over to Beauty Shop and had a bunch of antipasti: a wonderful assortment of meats and cheeses, beets with goat cheese and fried onions.

What a fun night! A Wednesday…

I just love the idea of restaurants being the foundation for a loose-knit community of friends, family who connect with servers making a place feel like home. That’s what happened over the years at Patrick’s.

Customers, former and current employees, and past owners had a reunion last weekend. More than 100 folks showed. Thanks to Lisa for sharing the pics! Looks like fun.

Whitt and Karen Ryan and Carol and Billy Seitz

Chuck Pierotti, Walter Capatino and Billy Pittman

Janie Bell, Pat Scanlon (namesake and former Patrick’s co-owner) and Ron Watkins

Amanda Walls, Geraldine Carter, Gloria Perkins, Kristy Macre and Wendy Macre

Gina Fite and former Patrick’s co-owner Sam Posey

Karen McFarland and Tommy Tolleson

No work til Monday!

I’m feeling the pull of the Islands, especially after an invite from my brother… who lives on Maui. When I was a West Coaster, I went to Hawaii often, been to every Island… absolutely love it!

I’ve noticed a few similarities between the Mid-South and the 50th state… both dig the pig! Cookouts are a huge deal in both places. There’s a big body of water that helps define both places… before moving to Memphis, the only plate lunch I had ever heard of was Hawaiian-style… instead of meat-and-three veggies, it’s more like a meat-and-carb fest.

I’ve been to the new Hawaiian BBQ place in Cordova, and it’s the real deal. Just hope they can make it… it’s a little tricky to find. In the strip mall on G’town Parkway with the Schnuck’s… near the theater. Yeah, I can’t even find the address… will fill in this blank as soon as I can.

Aloha! I’m off to price some airfare…