Another trip the States, and another inch or so added to the waistline.  (More on healthy diet another day…)  We went back to New York and New Jersey to see family again, but also took a few days out to head south to Florida.  Here’s some foodie highlights.

BBQ in Brooklyn: Dan & Dominica took us to the Fette Sau in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (which translates as “fat pig” in German).  They have a giant “gas-and-wood-fired smoker” which can barbeque large amounts of meat at a time – the upshot is that they can char-cook large quantities of big joints of meat for the many hungry punters.  It’s informal with long wooden benches and you just go up to the counter where they cut you what you want from large joints of meat – beef rib, pork belly, brisket and the like, all prepared with distinctive rubs.  The pulled pork shoulder in particular was pretty special.  As was the larger selection of bourbons and rye whisky which Dan and I had to sample.  There is a smokey atmosphere which I thought that added to experience, but after a few hours not everyone agreed!

Conch and Key Lime in the Keys: We spent most of our time in Florida around the Keys.  Conch (the large sea mollusc) – pronounced there as “conk” – used to thrive off the keys and was a food staple even before the Europeans arrived in America, but now it is rare around the Keys.  Saying that you can’t avoid eateries that have conch fritters on the menu – these are imported these days.  Interesting to try but nothing special to be honest.  But what we did overdose on was Key lime pie.  Key limes are a variety particular to the area, yellow in colour.  We had at least a piece of pie each day in the Keys, including at the recommended Kermit’s in Key West and frozen chocolate covered Key lime pie on a stick.  The debate seems to be whether or not to include meringue on a pie – but ether way, the one place we went to where they drizzled some Key lime juice over what was otherwise a very sweet desert seemed to get the balance about right.

Jersey Gems: We were introduced a fast food chain called Elevation Burger.  It isn’t your regular fast food joint – their burgers are made from organic beef, fries cooked in olive oil, and the rest of the menu sounding rather virtuous.  I figure if you’re going to fast food in the US, may as well do it somewhere than cares more about the food than the fast.  Also as part of the last part of our trip, a highlight must be the morning that Ken did a couple of large plates of pancakes – straight out of the pan, light, tasty and perfect with some Vermont maple syrup.