Cleveland Food Rocks BBQ: Or how I gained 10 pounds in 2 hours

First of all, last night I saw the Little House on the Prairie show finale for the first time. What? The only way that ending could get any better is if the priest blew the church up too. I never watched the last seasons, but Laura and Manly had such an obscenely nice house, and she was wearing so much makeup, I can only assume she became a prostitute in her later years. And it's nice Ma was helping out with that. Also, why the hell was Shannon Doherty in the cast?

Today I wisely didn't eat any breakfast, and stumbled sleepy eyed into the Cleveland Food Rocks BBQ over at the Beachland. Basically a whole slew of area restaurants handing out amazing goodies, and Bootsy Collins. It was a good time. Which is why I'm now probably a diabetic, and my stomach looks like I live in Somalia eating flies. I shouldn't say that, that's tasteless.


I feel bad because I don't remember who I got the grilled corn from(edit: the corn was from Momocho, of course. duh), but it was spicy and limey and great. Next was a pulled chicken taco from Crop, and pork belly with pickled watermelon from Boulevard Blue. I apologize. The tent, while being very useful in it's heat seeking missile shielding capabilities, made taking good food photos a little hard. I'm sure I'll see pictures tomorrow that will prove me wrong.


I think Melange definitely wins best in show. They had a clambake, clam chowder, and bags of this awesome popcorn (caramel bacon mixed with peanut butter and jelly popcorn WHAT). I actually made my friend take home another bag of popcorn for me, because I can't stop eating this shit.


Next favorite: Lago's grilled peach with goat cheese ice cream and balsamic. This was the dish everyone was telling everyone else to try. I would have bought a gallon of that ice cream. More than a gallon. One of those crazy huge buckets that you buy the really cheap ice cream in. It might have lasted me a week.




Luxe's beautiful variety of potato salads served in the most appropriate walk around container ever. Spooned up by Cleveland's version of Lenny Kravitz. Cuter though. Raves also went to the salmon done by Marc at the Blue Point Grill, but not by me since I don't eat fish. I tried it, because I was told I would like it despite my habit of not eating slimy ocean dwelling vermin. Sadly, I was not converted. But I remember how much I loved Marc's duck from Capsule, so I'm sure it kicked ass. And Pierre's managed to keep three tubs of ice cream frozen for 4 hours with things that looked like styrofoam peanuts, and they brought Peppermint Stick! So good for them.

Apparently Steve Schimoler from Crop, besides running food empires, organizing charity events, and running my favorite restaurant in Cleveland, also plays the drums. Well. Now he can say he's played with Bootsy Collins. Apparently Bootsy is also a restaurateur in Cincinnati. Maybe they're old friends. Maybe they were in the secret service together. Maybe Bootsy taught Steve how to kill a man with his thumb.


It was a grand ol' time, and I hope they do it again next year. Because I will need more popcorn. Soon. I'm going to go pass out now, again.

Note: you can see much better pictures by my friend Angie at Metromix. Seriously, I don't know why everything is purple...