Connecting to local culture and heritage through food.
You’ve seen those signs “will work for food,” but did you know that “will travel for food” represents the fastest growing travel category? World Travel Association reports that 34 percent of tourists choose travel destinations related to cuisine, with spending globally estimated at $11.5 billion in 2023 and a projected growth of 19.9 percent from 2024 to 2030. Why are food experiences driving travel? Consumer spending on travel and tourism in general is growing, for one, plus increasingly travelers see tasting local dishes as a way of connecting with the local population and learning their history and culture through food.
When it comes to traveling for food, Steven Raichlen, dubbed the “Gladiator of Grilling” by Oprah, host of the PBS shows Project Fire and Project Smoke, Primal Grill, Barbecue University, and Planet Grill and author of 32 cookbooks, wrote the book…literally. He journeyed to over six continents and 60 countries for “Planet Barbecue! An Electrifying Journey Around the World’s Barbecue Trail” (Workman $22.95), an ambitious collection of 309 authentic, explosively flavorful recipes. More than a cookbook, “Planet Barbecue!” is a historical and cultural adventure covering every imaginable technique and utensil where fire meets food, starting with homo erectus, who lit the first fire on the Savannahs of Africa 1.9 million years ago, to present-day grill masters the world over. And what grill masters they are from gauchos in Argentina who roast beef ribs on stakes in front of a campfire to Australians who grill lamb on a shovel.
According to Raichlen’s rule: “If something tastes good baked, fried, sautéed, steamed or even raw, it probably tastes even better grilled,” and to prove it the book contains chapters on starters, salads, vegetables and, yes, even desserts, all made on the grill. Even our Jewish sacred cow, brisket, tastes better grilled, he told me. “Long before my indoctrination into barbecue, I ate brisket. So did every other Jewish kid in the neighborhood. Brisket was the ultimate holiday dish, We are probably the only Jewish family in Miami to barbecue its brisket instead of braising it in the oven with dried fruits. We rub it with cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper and smoke it for six hours. It’s amazing barbecue, the way G-d meant for you to eat it!” Raichlen traveled to Montreal for their take on the Texas brisket featured here. “Served at Jewish delicatessens in Montreal, it starts with the same cut of beef and the same process of curing with a spice rub (note the pastrami overtones),” he writes. “The basic principle for cooking brisket can be summed up in a single sentence: you smoke this tough, ornery cut low and slow until it’s tender enough to cut with the side of a fork. Then, you spend the next decade mastering the fine points.”
Raichlen also crisscrossed the country in search of the best barbecue for “BBQ USA” (Workman, $19.95), a delicious compendium of 425 barbecue recipes from every state in the U.S., plus Canada and Puerto Rico. His research took him to over 100 barbecue stops, highlighting the country’s greatest dishes from Memphis Ribs to Maui Rice-Charred Tuna. The closest he came to Orange County was a must-stop at the legendary Walt’s Wharf in Seal Beach, which has had its ups and downs in recent years. The restaurant was an early casualty of the fallout due to COVID-19, as owners Mona and Brenda Babcock, wife and daughter of the late founder, Walt Babcock, stunned patrons with this announcement on their website in March of 2020: “We are living through unprecedented times. It is with great sadness that we are forced to announce the closing of Walt’s Wharf, which has been serving you and Seal Beach for 50 years.” Their Facebook page recorded 530 comments and 709 shares as adoring fans posted their heartbroken reactions.
“My husband and I had our rehearsal dinner there 31 years ago, and we were blessed to have Walter share a toast with us that evening,“ said one devastated diner. Another wrote: “You are my absolute favorite restaurant in all the world. Definitely worth a two-hour drive up from San Diego.”
Then in November Walt’s announced, to the jubilation of so many, that it would soon reopen with outdoor seating on Main Street and indoor seating at 25 percent capacity in compliance with State safety guidelines. All was well until January of this year when a fire caused the restaurant to close yet again. Walt’s website promises that they will reopen when repairs are completed.
Both Walt’s Grilled Caesar Salad and Grilled Artichokes are featured in BBQ USA. “The owners of this popular fish house pass two of the traditional ingredients, romaine lettuce and croutons, over a blazing oak fire for a few minutes, just long enough to singe the lettuce and impart the heavy aroma of wood smoke,” Raichlen writes. “The grilled romaine is served in halves and crowned with the creamy, cheesy, anchovy-spiked dressing that has made the Caesar America’s favorite salad.” But it’s Walt’s legendary grilled artichokes with its creamy Worcestershire sauce that, no matter what else we’re having, we order with every dinner.
Montreal Brisket
Advance preparation: 4 hours to overnight for curing the brisket (optional), then allow 8 to 9 hours for smoking brisket and 1/2 hour for resting.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons sweet or smoked paprika
2 tablespoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons celery seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 beef brisket flat (6-8 pounds) with cap of fat at least 1/4 inch thick.
6 to 8 cups oak or hickory chips or chunks, soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
1. Place sugar and spices in mixing bowl and mix well, breaking up any lumps in brown sugar with fingertips. Sprinkle rub on brisket on all sides, rubbing it onto meat. Wrap brisket in plastic wrap and let cure in refrigerator 6 hours to overnight.
2. To grill: If using a smoker, set it up following manufacturer’s instructions and preheat to 275°F. When ready to cook, place brisket fat side up in smoker. Add chips or chunks to smoker every hour, following manufactures instructions. (Recipe continues at jlifeoc.com.)
Artichokes In the Style of Walt’s Wharf
Walt’s replaces the hollandaise sauce served atop artichokes in days gone by with a tangy Worcestershire cream sauce.
Yield: 6 servings
6 large artichokes
1 lemon, cut in half
Coarse salt (kosher or sea: optional)
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Worcestershire Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
1. Cut off top third of each artichoke and bottom 1/4 inch off end of each stem. Cut off spiny tips; cut each artichoke lengthwise into quarters. Cut out fibrous centers. Rub all cut edges with lemon. Steam artichokes until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes, or cook them in boiling salted water for 6 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain well again.
2. Make garlic butter: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and parsley, if using, and cook until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add wine and bring to a boil.
3. Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Grill artichoke quarters on direct heat until nicely browned and sizzling hot, 3 to 6 minutes per side, basting with garlic butter. To serve, transfer artichokes to a plate and pour remaining garlic butter over them. Serve with Worcestershire cream sauce.
Source: “BBQ USA” by Steven Raichlen
Jlife Food Editor Judy Bart Kancigor is the author of “Cooking Jewish” (Workman) and “The Perfect Passover Cookbook” (an e-book short from Workman), a columnist and feature writer for the Orange County Register and other publications and can be found on the web at www.cookingjewish.com.
