Kevin Pang

Kevin Pang gave me a heads up to his piece in Saveur’s April edition. I want to start a thread just for Kevin because I think his work is that good.

If you have not yet seen "For Grace", or read about his debut documentary with Mark Helenowski, see this thread:
http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?p=507400

“Flight of The Wenchang Chicken” features some great photos and interesting recipes, but it is Kevin’s writing I most love:
“The sole requirement of Wenchang chicken is chicken from Wenchang, bred to taste of its sweet island life…As we walk, I see two-month-old chickens enjoying their lunch recess; coconut flesh, rice, peanut cake, and Chinese yam, which they’ll eat until they hit their final full weight of around three pounds. (American broilers are a comparative four pounds-plus)."

He is touring a farm 30 minutes outside of Wenchang with a government bureaucrat because the farm is not open to the public.

“Back in the farm’s kitchen, cooks insist Wenchang chicken must be prepared with a loving touch. Rather than drop the carcass into the pot in one fell swoop, the bird is dipped in and out of the water several times before full submersion –like testing a hot tub with a single toe to get acclimated.”

I’ve been a fan of Kevin’s writing since the many years he was with the Chicago Tribune. He is an engaging story-teller and I always feel like I’m hearing from a friend when I read his work.

Who knew there was so much to learn about the lowly hot dog?

“The food of the Chicago proletariat, a meal born from scarcity. A modest serving of frankfurter and bread would get bulked up by lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers—whatever was around, and cheap—to better satiate the customer," wrote Kevin Pang in the March 16 Lucky Peach.

Mark Reitman taught the Vienna Beef Company’s 2-day, $699 class. Pang took pages of notes and came away with seven important insights including lesson number 5:

“Squeeze My Peppers :
Most of the Chicago hot dog’s zing comes from the Mississippi sport pepper, a pinky-length chili pepper with vinegar heat and a waxy crunch. Outside a few dishes in the American South, the sport pepper—grown in Mexico—is really only found in Chicago.

Reitman offered a useful tip if your customer’s heat tolerance is low, but would like to maintain the Chicago flavor profile. He called the technique “squeeze my peppers.” Cut off the tip of the pepper’s fat end, then squeeze over the finished hot dog to release drops of spicy brine. It’s like God’s version of those single-use Tabasco bottles.”

http://luckypeach.com/seven-things-i-learned-attending-hot-dog-university/

He should have been named the Tribune's restaurant critic. I love his passion, knowledge and writing style.

He's clearly too good for the Tribune.

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by ronnie_suburban

Yesterday, 11:55 pm

He's clearly too good for the Tribune.

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Clearly.

The Tribune must have been concerned that he'd lift the quality of their Food section beyond the level of the Moline Dispatch .

Kevin Pang is good enough for the New York Times:

My Father, the YouTube Star

...
“Why?” I asked during one of our weekly phone conversations. “Do you want a show on the Food Network or something?”

“You really want to know?” my dad asked in Chinese. “Your mom’s great-grandmother used to cook amazing Shanghainese food for her. She would dream about it. But when your mom was finally old enough to ask for the recipes, her great-grandmother had already developed dementia. She couldn’t even remember cooking those dishes. The only thing your mom had left was the memory of her taste. We’re afraid that if you wanted to eat your childhood dishes, and one day we’re both no longer around, you wouldn’t know how to cook it.”
...

This is pretty much why I encourage the Family Heirloom Recipe contest at State Fairs.

Excellent read!

Regards,
Cathy2

A beautiful story...very resonant.

He should have been the Tribune's restaurant critic. He is a wonderful wordsmith.

As mentioned at the end of the above linked article, and as Louisa Chu mentioned on the Chewing podcast, Kevin now writes for The Onion/AV Club. http://www.avclub.com/author/kevinpang/

Cathy2, thank you for sharing this story from The New York Times:

My Father, the YouTube Star

If it weren't for you, I would have missed it and it made my day.
What a beautiful, poignant story. Thank you Kevin!
Janeyb

excelsior wrote:As mentioned at the end of the above linked article, and as Louisa Chu mentioned on the Chewing podcast, Kevin now writes for The Onion/AV Club. http://www.avclub.com/author/kevinpang/

"It's nice to be out from under the umbrella of food writing. And it's definitely been better for my waistline." (KP as quoted in Chicago this month.)

Did anyone here see Kevin's soft-core romance video starring "Patty," a hamburger, as his love interest? Absolutely, without question, the most hilarious thing I have ever seen! I wonder if it is still available somewhere.

from marmiton:

FEBRUARY 9TH, 2018, 1:54 PM I just read this article in Saveur By ex-tribune writer Kevin Pang:

https://www.saveur.com/chicago-barbecue

I was flipping through my Feb. 8 Saveur issue this weekend and was thrilled to see Kevin Pang's byline on this piece about South Side BBQ. I'm not even a meat-lover, but read every word. I sure miss Kevin's writing.

janeyb wrote:from marmiton:

FEBRUARY 9TH, 2018, 1:54 PM I just read this article in Saveur By ex-tribune writer Kevin Pang:

https://www.saveur.com/chicago-barbecue

I was flipping through my Feb. 8 Saveur issue this weekend and was thrilled to see Kevin Pang's byline on this piece about South Side BBQ. I'm not even a meat-lover, but read every word. I sure miss Kevin's writing.

Excellent article from Kevin Pang. He brings up the primary reason why South Side aquarium smoker barbecue isn't more revered among the larger foodie community in Chicago (and elsewhere): Race. South Side q is food by black people for (often poor and working class) black folks living in Englewood, Roseland and Auburn Gresham. Thus, this style is ignored (if not actively avoided) by white foodies who gladly queue-up at Smoque.

ld111134 wrote:

janeyb wrote:from marmiton:

FEBRUARY 9TH, 2018, 1:54 PM I just read this article in Saveur By ex-tribune writer Kevin Pang:

https://www.saveur.com/chicago-barbecue

I was flipping through my Feb. 8 Saveur issue this weekend and was thrilled to see Kevin Pang's byline on this piece about South Side BBQ. I'm not even a meat-lover, but read every word. I sure miss Kevin's writing.

Excellent article from Kevin Pang. He brings up the primary reason why South Side aquarium smoker barbecue isn't more revered among the larger foodie community in Chicago (and elsewhere): Race. South Side q is food by black people for (often poor and working class) black folks living in Englewood, Roseland and Auburn Gresham. Thus, this style is ignored (if not actively avoided) by white foodies who gladly queue-up at Smoque.

Race? LOL. Real gefilte fish used to be a poor people food too. Do you know what these white racists did to it? Oy vey, but I doubt you tried real gefilte fish. There is no justice for gefilte fish in America anymore. But do you know what they did to real bublik? They turned it into a bagel.

[/quote]quote="Lenny007"]

ld111134 wrote:

janeyb wrote:from marmiton:

FEBRUARY 9TH, 2018, 1:54 PM I just read this article in Saveur By ex-tribune writer Kevin Pang:

https://www.saveur.com/chicago-barbecue

I was flipping through my Feb. 8 Saveur issue this weekend and was thrilled to see Kevin Pang's byline on this piece about South Side BBQ. I'm not even a meat-lover, but read every word. I sure miss Kevin's writing.

Excellent article from Kevin Pang. He brings up the primary reason why South Side aquarium smoker barbecue isn't more revered among the larger foodie community in Chicago (and elsewhere): Race. South Side q is food by bl

Race? LOL. Real gefilte fish used to be a poor people food too. Do you know what these white racists did to it? Oy vey, but I doubt you tried real gefilte fish. There is no justice for gefilte fish in America anymore. But do you know what they did to real bublik? They turned it into a bagel.

Your comparing apples and oranges. Do you not think a lot of white barbecue aficionados either are ignorant of indiginous Chicago barbecue because of the general ignorance of black culture among white people or avoid going to the South Side for barbecue because of a fear of black neighborhoods? Also, I posit that white fooodies may not view South Side barbecue as "prestigious" as Texas, Memphis, KC and Carolina barbecue because of its association with poor black neighborhoods in Chicago.

ld111134 wrote:Also, I posit that white fooodies may not view South Side barbecue as "prestigious" as Texas, Memphis, KC and Carolina barbecue because of its association with poor black neighborhoods in Chicago.

Does any great bbq come from affluent neighborhoods? It's not an association I'd typically make and I suppose it's possible, though nothing I've experienced immediately comes to mind. For me, great bbq has a lot to do with the cuts, which is probably why I've gravitated to Hill Country and North Carolina. Show me a local Chicago place that's doing brisket and whole hog on the same level as even the average places do in those regions (respectively) and I'll be all over it . . . and I don't care what frigging neighborhood it's in. Yes, there's something to be said for a great order of aquarium-cooked tips but at the end of the day, they just don't compare to the bbq being turned out in these other regions.

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ld111134 wrote:

janeyb wrote:from marmiton:

FEBRUARY 9TH, 2018, 1:54 PM I just read this article in Saveur By ex-tribune writer Kevin Pang:

https://www.saveur.com/chicago-barbecue

I was flipping through my Feb. 8 Saveur issue this weekend and was thrilled to see Kevin Pang's byline on this piece about South Side BBQ. I'm not even a meat-lover, but read every word. I sure miss Kevin's writing.

Excellent article from Kevin Pang. He brings up the primary reason why South Side aquarium smoker barbecue isn't more revered among the larger foodie community in Chicago (and elsewhere): Race. South Side q is food by black people for (often poor and working class) black folks living in Englewood, Roseland and Auburn Gresham. Thus, this style is ignored (if not actively avoided) by white foodies who gladly queue-up at Smoque.

yup^

the piece was great

"Do you not think a lot of white barbecue aficionados either are ignorant of indigenous Chicago barbecue because of the general ignorance of black culture among white people or avoid going to the South Side for barbecue because of a fear of black neighborhoods?"

Obviously, many white, black and yellow foodies (and non foodies) could be afraid of being robbed and killed in some South Side neighborhoods. I imagine you are not like them, right?

"Also, I posit that white foodies may not view South Side barbecue as "prestigious" as Texas, Memphis, KC and Carolina barbecue because of its association with poor black neighborhoods in Chicago."

It never stroke me that barbecue is a prestigious food in general... even I admit, I used to have pretty good time in Evanston's Merlie's back in 90s. BBQ is a dangerous category because it requires a strong match between supply and demand.

And if you want me to be absolutely serious, I view the racial divide as a generational problem and, hopefully, young people will be able to solve genetic problems of their parents and grandparents.

Hey, don't call Asian people "yellow." Thanks.

gnarchief wrote:Hey, don't call Asian people "yellow." Thanks.

My apology if I offended you with color, but A P words came from you, not me.

Don't play cute. If you are referring to people, you didn't just pick that color from out of the ether. Otherwise you would have used something like green that isn't a pejorative term.

Ok, let's please let the non-food discussion go. As always, if you deem something inappropriate for the forums, we want you to use the Report feature, not play it out and derail the thread.

Thanks,

=R=
for the Moderators

Hunger Pang: Who wants Chinese BBQ for breakfast?

Editor’s Note: For years, countless people have told me, “Gee, why don’t you call your column Hunger Pang haha.” I’ve been a food writer for a decade and I hear this no less than once a month. My response out loud: “That’s a good one haha!” The response in my head: “Shut up, what a stupid idea.” It’s self-serving.

There’s a Chinese proverb that says a single drop of water bounces off a stone, but a million drips wears it away. Folks, you’ve worn me down. I give up. This week, I’m in Hong Kong and I’m writing about my eating adventures. This is the debut edition of <deep exhale> Hunger Pang.

There is life after food journalism. Former Tribune food reporter and Takeout editor Kevin Pang has directed two videos for Stan’s Donuts that appear on the chain’s website.

https://chicago.eater.com/2020/5/20/212 ... -surcharge

Here's a Kevin Pang story that slipped through the cracks.
https://thetakeout.com/i-am-the-first-i ... 1825639937

CSD