Alton Brown: 'Feasting on Asphalt,' Town by Town
Alton Brown, host of the Food Network show Good Eats, found regional specialties like "koolickles" during his road trip up the Mississippi River. Jean Claude Dhien hide caption
Alton Brown, host of the Food Network show Good Eats, found regional specialties like "koolickles" during his road trip up the Mississippi River.
Jean Claude Dhien
For food commentator and author Alton Brown, the best roadside food ranges from alligator tail to "koolickles" — dill pickles soaked in cherry Kool-Aid.
Brown found his eclectic picks after he spent 26 days on a motorcycle, tracing the course of the Mississippi River. Along the way, Brown and his crew visited big-city restaurants, small-town diners, barbecue joints and even an alligator farm, where he discovered Louisiana-style grilled alligator tail served with lemon and butter.
His book about the journey, Feasting on Asphalt: The River Run, is a companion to the six-part Food Network series that aired last fall.
Part cookbook, part diary and part memoir, Brown's book features 40 original road-food recipes, along with stories about the people who dish out the flavorful fare. Brown and his crew start the 1,000-mile journey in the Mississippi Delta on the Gulf of Mexico and end near the river's headwaters in Minnesota.
Liane Hansen spoke with Brown about his delicious discoveries as he motored through the country's heartland.
Koolickles - Road Inspired
Make up a jar and keep them on your counter or, better yet, in your fridge. I promise that unless you live in the Delta you'll be the first in your neighborhood to serve them. Strange though they are, these bright pink beauties are extraordinarily refreshing on a hot summer day.
1 gallon jar kosher dill pickles
2 packages unsweetened cherry Kool-Aid
1 pound sugar
Drain the liquid from the pickles into a large container. Add the Kool-Aid mix and the sugar to the liquid and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove the pickles from the jar, slice them in half lengthwise, and return them to the jar. Return the liquid to the jar of pickles. Not all of the liquid will fit, but make sure the pickles are completely covered.
Place in the refrigerator and let sit for 1 week before eating.
Yield: 1 gallon Koolickles
Nana Deane's Pecan Coconut Pie
Courtesy of Ray's Dairy Maid
Barton, Arkansas
10 1/2 ounces sugar
3 large eggs
2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
4 ounces buttermilk
3 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
3 ounces chopped pecans (about 3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Prebaked 9-inch pie crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, butter, buttermilk, coconut, pecans, flour, vanilla, and salt. Pour into the pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the pie is golden brown and the center is barely set.
Let cool for 40 to 45 minutes before serving.
Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie
Fried Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Based on a recipe from Kalmes Store & Restaurant St. Donatus, Iowa
1 (20- to 24-ounce) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 tablespoon Kalmes Steak Seasoning*
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Vegetable oil
6 hoagie rolls
Mayonnaise
Lettuce leaves
Tomato slices
Cut the tenderloin into 4-ounce hunks and tenderize each piece until it is 1/3 inch thick. Place the meat in a large bowl and toss with the seasoning and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and toss to combine. Place a griddle over medium-high heat and brush with a little oil. Once the griddle is hot, add the meat and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve on rolls with mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato.
*Kalmes Steak Seasoning contains salt, sugar, paprika, celery seed, onion, chili powder, curry powder, garlic, papain, MSG, and other spice oils.
Yield: 6 sandwiches
Reprinted by permission from Feasting on Asphalt by Alton Brown. Published by Stewart, Tabori & Chang.
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