Lots of Lox

Bagels and lox are the quintessential Sunday morning treat.  I had forgotten much of the ceremony surrounding this treat until my friend, David, reminded me of it a few summers back.  First start with a parcel of very good smoked Nova Scotia salmon (lox).  I have found the the thinner and paler pink it is, the better it is.  Avoid supermarket specials and go for the hand-cut Nova, if you can find it.

Next the bagels ... I like those that come with everything (a wide variety of seeds).  I slice them at least into thirds lengthwise (for thinner round discs) and toast them until they are brown but not burned.  The guest of honor (or my wife) gets the piece with most of the seeds.  (Here's where it's better to be married to someone with diverticulitis.)

Then the cream cheese ... try to get the kind without the gum agar if you can find it.  Otherwise, I like whipped Philadelphia cream cheese. Spread this thickly on each toasted bagel section (a schmear).

This is followed by at least two pieces of lox and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.  One may substitute thinly-sliced smoked sturgeon or smoked sable for the lox (sometimes I like this even better.)

Now on top place some very finely minced purple onion and some nonpareil capers ... and a sprig of fresh dill.  The tomato slices are really not necessary.

Serve with a cup of good steaming hot coffee and a glass of freshly-squeezed orange juice (Valencia, preferred).

Now do the New York Times crossword puzzle (in ink of course).

Jeanette’s Famous Pulled Pork

This is a great party treat … serves at least ten hungry folks.

For the meat: Get one 5-7 pound pork shoulder (with the bone in). Put it in an oven bag along with 1½ teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 2 tablespoons flour. Shake it to cover and add a good splash of water. Bake in a slow oven (250-300 degrees) for about 4 hours. When fully cooked, remove and let it cool. Then pull all the meat off the bone into shreds, discarding bone and any gristle only … not the fat.

For the BBQ sauce: sauté in a large stainless steel or enameled pot (important, do not use aluminum!), in one cup of canola oil, one chopped large onion and two minced garlic cloves until wilted. Add one cup ketchup, one cup water, one cup good cider vinegar, one cup of white wine, one cup dark brown sugar, 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce, one cup good prepared brown mustard, one tablespoon thyme, one teaspoon liquid smoke (optional, depending on where you are from), 3 tablespoons of salt, 8 grinds of black pepper, and the juice of one lemon. Bring BBQ sauce to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

Add the pulled pork to the sauce and simmer, partially covered for about one hour.

Serve with lots of big hard rolls (Northerners) or big soft rolls (Southerners,) a large bowl of coleslaw (in my mind, a must, to be put on the pulled pork) and the hot sauce of your choice (Tabasco or Frank’s) … and, of course, all the other party goodies like potato salad, french fries, and/or baked beans (including mucho ice-cold beer ... try "Presidente" from Puerto Rico). Enjoy ya’ll!