FOODIE QUIZ
You are?
"I am Brian Misko of House of Q Foods Ltd., head pitmaster, owner, grill master and barbecue sauce creator."
We might also find you dining out at:
"Oh boy, we have travelled a lot lately, and our go-to food is comfort, just like we'd have at home. We have had, in the last three weeks, incredible schnitzel sandwiches in Hamilton, asparagus soup in the Muskokas, gyro poutine in Edmonton, and the biggest onion rings ever at Pete's Drive-In in Calgary."
Your dream dinner date (spouses and family don't count):
"I would love to have a 'cook with the chef meal with Emeril Legasse. I love his style of cooking and think it would be a treat to cook a meal with Emeril - maybe some Shrimp Etoufee with Red Beans and Rice."
Last night's dinner:
"We flew in from Toronto yesterday and we cooked up some pot stickers for dinner. The thing is, our Sugar and Spice barbecue sauce was what was motivating us for dinner - that sauce goes really well with pot stickers!"
If you had a date with the electric chair, your last meal order would be:
"A rack of our competition ribs. No side dishes, just napkins to wipe up. They are smokey, sweet, tender, layer upon layer of flavour and quite possibly the best thing I have ever had to eat. It sounds like I eat them all the time, which I don't at all, but competition food is really an experience unlike any other."
You'd be happiest at Happy Hour with:
"You know, a really well done Vodka Caesar is refreshing and definitely a Happy Hour cocktail. Skip the celery and add a pepperoni stick or a strip of beef jerky. Skip the celery salt and use a barbecue rub, hint hint."
Secret treats, when nobody is looking:
"There is something wrong with my pickup truck, honestly. It has a tendency to swerve toward fried chicken restaurants. Honestly, my stomach can't get enough, however my heart needs a break."
You'd take a long flight in economy class for that one meal in:
"It would be a time machine, and I would travel back to being seven years old and recreate the picture I have in my head of my grandmother cooking perogies, cabbage rolls, kielbasa sausage, turkey and all the other incredible stuff she did. When you're seven, you just want to eat - lots of it, too. Years later now, when food is the centre of what you do, I would pay more attention."
Culinary confessions (a particularly disastrous food memory of your own doing):
"We were at Global TV's studio doing a barbecue tip on the news and one of the guests that morning was Rick Hansen. He went and did his interview, and when he passed by us I offered him some of our grilled French Toast. Little did I know the custard we created was too salty and a Canadian hero got a very salty, inedible mouth of embarrassment. I'd love the opportunity to redeem myself."
Menu suggestion for a hassle-free, sit-down dinner party for six:
"Get some fresh Fraser Valley ground pork and add some barbecue rub to it. Form into patties and wrap in bacon. Sear until done and add a quarter-inch of aged cheddar. Serve on fresh, soft buns with coleslaw, beer and smiles."
Five must-have ingredients in your kitchen:
"Ukrainian staples: onion, garlic and butter, followed by chicken stock and cheese."
Pocket 'Iron Chef': The secret ingredient you must use: cinnamon. What's for dinner?
"Love it! Cinnamon Cured Chicken. Brine pieces, or the whole bird, in salt, sugar, cinnamon sticks and water. Season well, smoke and glaze with tangy sauce. Serve with potatoes and sautéed spinach. Yum!"
Look for Surrey resident Misko at Cloverdale Rodeo & Country Fair's third annual Cowboy Cook Off competition, from May 16 to 19, details online at www.cloverdalerodeo.com). His company is on the web at www.HouseofQ.com.