Jalapeno Poppers

This is a bit of an unusual blog entry, being that there's no restaurant review. I instead wanted to share my experience recreating the famous jalapeno poppers at the Back Behind Restaurant in VT. The thing to know about these poppers in Vermont, is that I haven't been able to stop thinking of them. I knew the only way to satisfy my popper needs were to attempt to make them myself.

Here's how it went down.

I started by halving the jalapeno peppers. I removed some of the seeds, but left most to keep the heat. I then filled each half with a small smear of cream cheese mixed with sharp cheddar. On top of that I filled the poppers with a heaping amount of a sliced turkey mixture involving some thai garlic chili paste, a little mayo and bottled(don't judge) bbq sauce. Side Note: These poppers were made in a late night rush, so there was no time to make a slow roasted pork shoulder to compete with the Back Behind's bbq pulled pork filling. I then wrapped each popper with a slice of bacon, and baked them until the bacon was perfectly cooked. The results...

SUCCESS!!! I repeat, SUCCESS!!!
These came out so delicious. I was very proud and impressed with my first attempt to make poppers. They were creamy, crisp, full of flavor. I wish I had added more chili paste, to get more heat, but there's always next time. And believe me, there will be a next time.

Sweet Cheeks- Boston MA

After having one of the best birthday weekends ever, involving the Harpoon BBQ fest(previously blogged about), I wasn't ready for the celebrations to be over. So, they continued through the next weekend. I headed down to Boston MA to experience a barbeque joint everyone had been telling me about, Sweet Cheeks.

Located on Boylston St in Boston, Sweet Cheeks was opened by Tiffani Faison, who was a contestant on the first season of Top Chef. In the area of Fenway, they serve 'Texas Style' bbq in a extremely trendy and modern, comfortable atmosphere. I loved the ambiance of this place, it made it more of an experience rather than just about the food.

That being said, lets get to the food!








BUCKET OF BISCUITS!!
These biscuits were the things of legends. They were big, beautiful, flaky, buttery. Had a tender crumb. Did I mention they were huge? Like, somewhere between the size of a softball and a basketball! I can say without a doubt they're the best biscuits I've ever had. To go along side them was a delicious honey butter, that was perfect whipped so it was soft and easy to spread. Something which is crucial when eating biscuits. I have to admit this was my favorite thing Sweet Cheeks had to offer! Loved em'!



Fried Chicken-

I went to this place with the thought I'd be having brisket...it's 'Texas style' after all, but then I saw the fried chicken, and immediately needed to order it. It was half a chicken! I may be guessing totally wrong, but I think the breading has corn flakes, panko, maybe a little cornmeal, and regular flour. All together they provided an incredible crunch, with a buttery sweetness to it. The chicken was so juicy, could have been brined. Very happy with my decision, I was told the other bbq was a bit salty anyways.

The Sides- The sides turned out to be a hit or miss. As you can probably see, the mac and cheese was a strong hit! So creamy, no dried out little bits. Topped with a delightful panko + parm topping. Close second to the biscuits. The slaw however, was not my jam. Big square chunks of cabbage. The dressing was nice, sweet with an essence of vinegar. I also got to try the broccoli and cheese side, which was delicious, and I was told by multiple sources that the baked beans were amazing!!










Sweet Cheeks definitely doesn't disappoint. Great food, great atmosphere, strong drinks, and buckets of biscuits! It's a fun, trendy place to get some delicious bbq when you're in the Boston area.