Well Fed Network

Posted by Robin Wheeler-Barber on Paper Palate.

The last time Alton Brown did a book signing in St. Louis, it was a small enough affair to fill Left Bank Books. My friend Allison presented Mr. Brown with a pair of flame-printed potholders she’d made.  He saw her to-go box, asked what was in it, to which Allison’s husband replied, “It’s her leftover Reuben from Duff’s across the street. Have you eaten there? They’re great! Here - take it with you!”

Allison had to fight the TV personality for her lunch, but that’s a fair exchange for being able to tell people that Alton Brown tried to steal her Reuben.

When Mr. Brown returned to St. Louis for his most recent book signing on April 27, the crowds far exceeded the small bookstore quarters. They nearly overwhelmed the St. Louis Ethical Society. The sanctuary was filled to standing room capacity with a room of overflow fans in the basement who listened to Mr. Brown’s presentation through the intercom. It was an affair large enough to merit a catered meal by a local culinary school, so Mr. Brown probably didn’t have to battle for boxed leftovers this time.

The Alton Brown who came to St. Louis on that earlier book tour was merely the guy from Good Eats, who’d just released his first book, I’m Just Here for the Food: Food + Heath = Cooking. That was before his hosting gig on Iron Chef America, two successful seasons of Feasting on Asphalt, and the books I’m Just Here for the Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking and Alton Brown’s Gear for Your Kitchen. St. Louis was the only city Alton visited during both seasons of Feasting on Asphalt, so it makes sense that his local following would rival that of a rock star. And yet, in his seersucker suit, he still blushed a deep beet at the wild applause that greeted him from a crowd eager to ask questions and hear his tales from the road.

While watching both seasons of Feasting on Asphalt, where Alton and crew motorcycled the backroads of the U.S., spontaneously eating at whatever mom ‘n’ pop joint caught their attention, I kept hoping for at least a DVD set. It never occurred to me that the show was perfectly suited for book format. As Mr. Brown told the St. Louis crowd, photographer Jean Claude Dhien took so many wonderful photos during the second season that it was a shame for them to not be seen. Thus, the TV show evolved into the book, which not only features those gorgeous photos of the people and food that line the small towns between southern Louisiana  and northern Minnesota, but tales from the road and over 40 recipes.

In the preface Mr. Brown specifies that some of the cooks they met in their travels happily shared their recipes, while others were more secretive. The book gives credit to those generous cooks and indicates which recipes were altered for home cooks or inspired by the trip and developed by Mr. Brown afterwards. In christening my newly autographed copy of the book, I opted for two restaurant original recipes: Nana Deane’s Pecan Coconut Pie from Ray’s Dairy Maid in Barton, Arkansas, and Hot Chick on a Stick from Fast Eddie’s Bon-Air in Alton, Illinois.

Nana Deane’s Pecan Coconut Pie
Courtesy of Ray’s Dairy Maid, Barton, Arkansas.

• 10.5 ounces sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 4 ounces buttermilk
• 3 ounces sweetened shredded coconut
• 3 ounces chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Prebaked 9-inch pie crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. 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.

Hot Chick on a Stick
Courtesy of Fast Eddie’s Bon Air, Alton, Illinois

• 16 chicken drummettes (about 2 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (homemade or Lawry’s)
• 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (like Emeril’s or one of your choice)

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Place the chicken drummettes in a large mixing bowl, add the seasonings, and toss to coat well.  
3. Place the drummettes  on 4 kebob skewers. Lay the skewers on a half sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes. Place the skewers in the refrigerator until cold, at least 1 hour.
4. When ready to serve, preheat a grill to 350 degrees.
5. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and place on the grill. Cook for five minutes per side. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 appetizer servings