To stat down the road to porky goodness you need a pork belly. A good friend was at the farmer’s market and picked me up a nice ~6 pound slab. Now it’s time to cure.

I created a simple cure to add sweetness to the meat to counter the pepper coating I planned for later. The recipe is:

1 gallon of water
1/3 – 1 cup sea salt (depending if you’re on a lo-salt diet)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sugar in the raw
1 heaping tbsp of cinnamon
1 tbsp cure no. 1 pink salt

Yeah, this is sweet bacon. Now in the ziplock bag and to the back of the fridge for a week. After a week, pull it out the cure, rinse well, pat dry and coat the meat side with lots of fresh cracked black pepper.

With the bacon out of the cure, rinsed and dried, I start the WSM. Going for a unique flavor profile, I opt for maple and pecan wood. This should produce a much different taste from the standard hickory or apple that I am accustomed to. Once up to temp, a steady 195

Now it’s time for the smoke. Fired up the WSM with apple and maple chucks, got the temp to 200 and place the meat on skin side down.

At the one hour mark it was looking good. I wanted to take the belly to 155 them I would stop the “cooking”. Notice the sugars are coming to the top and mixing with the pepper.

She reached the desired temp in a little over 90 minutes. At that point I pulled and placed in the fridge to cool. After it cooled, I started to cut chunks from freezing and a few slices for a sammich.

Fired up and put on a sandwich. All I can say is wow. I may never buy store bacon again. This is a really simple technique, much better flavor profile and gives me another reason to use the WSM.

We’ve been hinting at it and flirting with the idea for quite some time, but after seeing the ATL & Nashville versions we’re proud to launch DC Cigar Tweetup 2012. Coinciding with the beginning of March Madness and St. Patrick’s Day, the DC Cigar Tweetup promises to be off the chain. Those of you planning to attend should be prepared to arrive in the DC area on March 16th. We will be hosting a kickoff event at Cigar Connection in Arlington featuring their new Sentidos line of cigars. From there, the party will shift to Bailey’s Irish Pub in Ballston Commons Mall fora special RomaCraft Tobac event with Skip Martin featuring CroMagnon Cigars. Saturday promises to be even better with a party bus making stops at both Chesapeake Cigars and Draper’s Bethesda for Room 101 and CAO Cigar events. During the crawl, we will also be promoting CRA membership involvement with drives at both shops to renew and sign new memberships. At each stop, we will be giving away CRA Sampler packs valued at $200 each as well as T-shirts and other possible prizes.

Here’s the skinny on how to be down:

Contact us via email (bandbcigarclub@gmail.com) to secure your spot on the cigar crawl party bus. The cost is $40 and space is limited so it’s “first come, first served”. Even if you can’t grab a space on the bus, that doesn’t preclude you from attending any of the events for the entire weekend.

Accommodations:

Hilton Arlington: King $151, Dbl. $167
Hyatt Arlington: King $119, Dbl. $139
The Westin: Dbl. $109 (ask for The B&B Cigar Club rate) tel:1.888.627.7076

We have set up an event page on Facebook for those wishing to attend the RomaCraft event at Bailey’s. Ideally we need the head count to have Bailey’s provide the necessary waitstaff and to secure any food & drink specials for the group.

If you have other questions, shoot us an email at BandBCigarClub@gmail.com. We have provided the full itinerary of events for the weekend below. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for additional info.

The DC Cigar Tweetup 2012 Itinerary

March 16th

3:00 – 8:00 pm Meet & Greet/Sentidos Event @ Cigar Connection (Arlington)

8:00 pm – until RomaCraft Tobac Event @ Bailey’s Ballston

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March 17th

10:00 am Bus Departs Arlington for Chesapeake Cigar

11:00 am – 3:30 pm Room 101 Event & CRA membership raffle at Chesapeake Cigar

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3:30 pm Bus Departs Chesapeake Cigar for Bethesda

4:30 pm – 9:00 pm General Cigars/CAO OSA Sol Event & CRA membership raffle at Drapers Bethesda

9:00 pm Bus Departs Bethesda for Arlington

Brothers of the Smoke,

It’s been a blessed year, let’s end it with a celebration. The first annual Brothers of the Smoke Christmas Dinner will be held in the Rocky Patel Cigar Bar at Iris Lounge in McLean, Virgina. The date for the event is Saturday, 17 December, with Hor d’ Ourves at 1800 and dinner service at 1830.

Iris Lounge is located at:
1524 Spring Hill Rd
McLean, VA 22102-3005

Significant others are encouraged to attend and access to the dance club after dinner is included. For those not currently members of the Rocky Patel Bar, memberships discounts will be available.

Please RSVP by 5 December via email (info@brothersofthesmoke.com or hit “Reply”) with the following information:

• Name
• Name of Guest
• Entree selection for each

Cost of the event is $125 including appetizer, salad, entree selection, taxes and gratuities. A cash bar will also be available.
Below is the menu for the event.

Passed Hor d’ Ourves
Goat cheese and pepper pastrami pop
Roasted red pepper with green olive paste.
Smoked salmon with capers and cream cheese.
New potatoes with mascarpone and caviar.

Salad
Sweet Potato Salad
Julienne sweet potatoes, mixed greens, candied nuts, Gorgonzola cheese
Maple vinaigrette.

Dinner Entrees Choice of one (1)

Lamb Osso Bucco
Braised-slow roasted served on a bed of mixed greens with creamy polenta.

Chicken with Dijon Cream Sauce with wild mushrooms
Served over a bed of farfalle

Baked Salmon with Roasted Red Bliss Potato
Fall Vegetables

Dessert

Cheese Cake with Strawberries.
Carrot Cake.

Construction:

Ok, the first thing when picking up a $15 cigar is to take a look at how it’s constructed. Looks good, firm but with a fair amount of give. A few veins but overall a good looking stick, a little light in color but otherwise well constructed. Ok, let’s get to clipping and smoking.

Smoking:
Used the trusty xikar punch and put fire to foot. Cigar gave off a nice aroma and lit easily and even. My first thought are, “this is a fairly light cigar”. That’s not a bad thing just not what I expected. After reading reviews online I was expecting a cigar with some umph.

Now, we are at the shop saving the world one stick at a time, so there is a lot of conversation going on. And 20 minutes into the AVO, I’m noticing a theme developing: the cigar is light, has an easy draw and a little bit of sweetness. Not sure if it’s the Pepsi but there is definitely a sweet end to this cigar.

I’ve now realized that its not the Pepsi, as a matter of the soda is somewhat overpowering the cigar. Not in a bad, bland way but I would have to disagree that this is a “full flavored” cigar. Tasty, sure. Spicy, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. This is no DL 700.

Again, that’s not a bad thing. For those who enjoy a good mid-day cigar, the AVO is a winner. Would I have one after a Porterhouse or with a double of Glenfiddich, no.

The finish is just what the rest of the cigar was; good and well mannered. A good burner, never overpowering and smooth.

You know, when you rate something a good rating system would help. Thumbs up or down? too trite. A star system? Overused. How’s this:

Poor – Don’t burn
Decent – Try only if the price is right
Good – Buy a few, smoke one now and put two in your humidor
Great – Buy a box.

That’s way too complicated. This is a good cigar, I’d buy 2 or 3 and let them marinate for a few months and see if that sweet flavor gives way to more full power.

Spatula man

For those who will me making the trek, I will be leaving from OVTC Woodbridge at 1700. Also, if you are considering drinking at all, consider either a designated driver or getting a room in Richmond.

If you have any questions, please contact me at: info@brothersofthesmoke.com

Again – HAVANA 59 (16 North 17th Street, Richmond, VA 23219, (804) 780-2822)) at 1900 (7:00pm) for dinner, cigars and a good time.

The Brothers of the Smoke will being gathering for another dinner at Havana 59 in Richmond, Virginia on 21 May at 7:00pm. The last time was a blast and we are looking forward to doing it up big again, this time on the roof top patio. Bring your sticks because smoking is allowed and bring your appetites (and wallets) because the food is the finest Cuban cuisine in Richmond. Here is there web site for menu and directions…(http://havana59.net)

SIGN UP FOR THE EVENT

Please RSVP by replying to this email by COB 22 April 2011. This will allow us to provide an accurate head count to the restaurant. Email is the ONLY means of being counted so if you want to go, hit reply and let me know you’re in. Look for more updates as we get closer to the event.

Keep ‘em burnin’ slow,

Spatulaman

Carrillo

Merry Christmas to you and yours this holiday season. Keep them burning slow and long ashes to all!!!

“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with lots of pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting that the President (Calvin Coolidge) issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.”

In 1953, an Emporia, Kansas shoe store owner named Alfred King had the idea to expand Armistice Day to celebrate all veterans, not just those who served in World War I. King had been actively involved with the American War Dads during World War II. He began a campaign to turn Armistice Day into “All” Veterans Day. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce took up the cause after determining that 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education supported closing their doors on November 11 to honor veterans. With the help of then-U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, also from Emporia, a bill for the holiday was pushed through Congress. President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law on May 26, 1954.

Congress amended this act on June 1, 1954, replacing “Armistice” with Veterans, and it has been known as Veterans Day since.

Although originally scheduled for celebration on November 11 of every year, starting in 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, Veterans Day was moved to the fourth Monday of October. In 1978 it was moved back to its original celebration on November 11. Since this change, there has been a trend against being closed on the holiday. It began with businesses (excluding banks) and in recent years some schools and local governments have also chosen to remain open.