pepper and a little Old Bay. He cuts the
top half of the roll into triangles so guests
can dip the pieces in the dip. It’s been a
popular shareable item, he says.
BBQ pork rinds are a popular snack most
anywhere, but at The Liberty, a gastropub
in Charlotte, N.C., it’s a good thing guests
love them because the fresh servings are
a great way to help utilize the entire black
Berkshire pigs the gastropub uses in so
many dishes. The naturally raised, high-end
pork is cured and processed in-house, with
nothing going to waste. Chef/owner Tom
Condron fries the rinds to order, tossing
them in his own barbecue seasoning mix.
They come to the table still crackling.
Pimento cheese and crackers might provide
the most “I remember when” reaction from
guests at The Liberty. To help conjure the
memory, Condron serves his version of
pimento cheese spread (made with leftover
cheeses, fresh-made mayonnaise, roasted
pimento peppers and various seasonings)
in a little glass jar on the plate along with
crackers (often sesame seed) and a mound
of slaw made of julienned carrots, celery
and jicama tossed in a creamy coleslaw
dressing. “It’s a build-your-own idea, and it’s
very popular,” he says.
The cult-like following for Melt Bar
and Grilled in Lakewood, Ohio, has
everything to do with the food. Chef/
owner Matt Fish’s sense for what guests
will love leads him to beer-battering
sandwiches and judiciously spreading
herb cream cheese here and there.
Batter and Spread
2½ cups flour
½ t. baking powder
The Liberty, which emphasizes local,
seasonal food with “great crafted American
and European beers,” opened in October
2009. “People said I was crazy to open when
we did, with the economy,” says Condron.
“But it’s affordable and approachable.”
His famous Big Popper sandwich
incorporates both. He also uses the cream
cheese spread on The North Coast Shores
Crab Cake Sandwich and as part of The
Melt Challenge, the mega grilled cheese
sandwich featuring all 14 of the restaurant’s
cheeses. The beer batter also encases
the Monte Cristo Sandwich and the Lake
Erie Monster Walleye Sandwich. In fact,
on request, any sandwich on the menu is
available beer-battered and deep-fried.
Method: Mix eggs, buttermilk and beer in
large measuring cup; blend thoroughly. In
large mixing bowl, combine salt, pepper,
chili powder, flour and baking powder.
Add wet ingredients to dry; whip until
smooth. Store in squeeze bottles in cooler.
HERB CREAM CHEESE
Yield: 2 quarts
SANDWICHED GOODNESS
Other chefs put America’s favorites between
two slices of bread. It’s how Matt Fish, chef/
owner of Melt Bar and Grilled in Lakewood,
Ohio, makes his living. He opened the bar and
grill in 2006 with a gourmet grilled cheese
emphasis, but he has spread his sandwich
wings beyond, including opening a second
location in May in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.
3 lbs. cream cheese, softened
1 T. basil
1 T. oregano
½ t. rosemary
1 t. thyme
1 t. sage
1 t. black pepper
1 t. kosher salt
¼ t. chili powder
1 T. garlic
When working with the classics, he feels
compelled to upgrade. “I’m never satisfied
with any recipe I write. I’m always changing
it. I still like classic grilled cheese, but breads
are astronomically better than the ones I had
as a kid. I like to take sandwiches to a totally
different level, inventing a better mousetrap.”
BEER BATTER
Yield: 2 quarts
6 eggs
½ cup buttermilk
1 cup Guinness draft beer
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. black pepper
½ t. chili powder
Method: In bowl, with wire whip, mix cream
cheese until smooth. Add herbs, pepper,
salt, chili powder and garlic; mix until
smooth and well incorporated. Split into
two 1-quart rounds; cover. Store in cooler.
It’s something he definitely accomplished
with his take on jalapeño-poppers-turned-sandwich. For his Big Poppers, he chops
and sautés jalapeño peppers and combines
them with his own herb cream cheese
mixture, which he slathers on bread. He
adds a slice of cheddar cheese, closes up
