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As a chef, I get to travel to lots of places around the country. All told, I think I've been to 40 states, which has given me a great opportunity to learn about regional American food and see how different the food of each state is.
In April, I visited Kansas for the first time. I'd heard so much about Kansas barbecue, so I was really excited to go there and taste it for myself firsthand. I wasn't disappointed.
I was staying in Wichita, and everyone I talked to said I had to check out a barbecue joint called Julius Rib Cage. It's a simple place, where the barbecue is served on plastic plates in a tiny room, but the food was fantastic. It's exactly the type of local restaurant I always hope to find when I'm traveling. I ordered the pork ribs, and my friend Paul ordered the brisket; we got sides of macaroni and potato salad and cole slaw, and the whole bill totaled less than $20. It was so fantastic that we came back the next day and ordered the same thing.
Barbecue, along with Cajun and Creole cooking, Tex Mex and California cuisine, is one of the foods identified with America. Even before I lived here, I associated barbecue with the American south. Aficionados always debate the merits of Texas, Carolina, and Kansas barbecue. Now that I've had the chance to try all three, I feel like I have a much better understanding:
-Carolina barbecue is pork-based, with a vinegary sauce.
-Texans serve beef at their barbecues.
-And in Kansas, you get both pork and beef, dripping with a thick, molasses-y sauce.
Are you a barbecue fan? What style do you like best? Have you discovered the ultimate barbecue joint near your home? Barbecue lovers, unite, and share your secrets!
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