and bacon. The bacon was a hit in both sandwiches; mine also got high marks for its simple bread, and they loved the Brie and goat cheese combo, calling it a “taste explosion” (take that, Stephanie and Miriam). After quite a bit of back-and-forth discussion, the judges had their winner and…these two came down on my side.
The Fishers and I both had excellent versions of the grilled cheese sandwich, and in my mind, it was a tie; I just got lucky this time. Connie and Stink couldn’t have been more gracious to me and my staff, and the audience of their friends and fans made us feel welcome from the moment we stepped into The Pop Shop.
Bobby Flay’s
Grilled Brie and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Green Tomato
SERVES 4
8 (¼-inch-thick) slices center-cut bacon
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 (1-inch-thick) slices Pullman bread
12 ounces really good Brie, thinly sliced with a serrated knife
2 green tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
8 ounces soft goat cheese, such as Bûcheron, cut into 8 slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the bacon in a large skillet or on a griddle and cook, flipping it once, over medium heat until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Break each piece in half and set aside.
2. Heat a cast-iron griddle or cast-iron pan over medium heat.
3. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Flip over 4 of the bread slices and layer each with 3 to 4 slices of Brie, 2 green tomato slices, 2 slices of goat cheese, and 4 slices of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter side up, and cook on the griddle until the bottom is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich over, cover with a heatproof bowl (to melt the cheese), and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown and the Brie has melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Connie and Bill “Stink” Fisher’s
The Calvert
SERVES 2
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 (5-inch) round or square pieces rosemary focaccia, split
Vegetable oil or butter, for the griddle
10 slices Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces sliced oven-roasted turkey
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced
1. Preheat a griddle to 350°F.
2. Combine the mayonnaise and vinegar in a small bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon on each cut side of the focaccia.
3. Add a little oil to the griddle. Place the focaccia, mayonnaise side up, on the griddle. Put 2 slices of cheese on top of each piece of bread, and cover with a heatproof bowl to melt the cheese.
4. Meanwhile, divide the turkey into 2 portions and put on the griddle to warm. Place the bacon slices in an “X” over each portion, and cover with the avocado and remaining cheese. Once the cheese is melted all around, put a mound of turkey on 2 bottom halves, and top with the remaining bread.
5. Add a bit more oil to the griddle and press the sandwiches with a cast-iron pan or other heavy thing, turning once, until the bread is crisp on both sides.
Demo version limitation
Name: Lee Ann Whippen
Establishment: Wood Chick’s BBQ
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Website: www.woodchicksbbq.com
Phone: (757) 549-9290
“I was just glad I cooked the butts all night long not knowing Bobby was coming, because when he showed up they were done. I had no time to be nervous because at that point they were going to be what they were going to be…thank goodness smoky, flavorful, and oh soooo tender!”
—LEE ANN WHIPPEN
I was down in the woods of Virginia to take on decorated pitmaster Lee Ann Whippen and her pulled pork sandwich.
Lee Ann Whippen worked in hotel catering for fifteen years while perfecting her killer dry rub on the state barbecue championship circuit, including earning an almost unheard-of perfect 180 score in competition. She won the Georgia State Championship in 1996, and her pork took first place in the
The Fishers and I both had excellent versions of the grilled cheese sandwich, and in my mind, it was a tie; I just got lucky this time. Connie and Stink couldn’t have been more gracious to me and my staff, and the audience of their friends and fans made us feel welcome from the moment we stepped into The Pop Shop.
Bobby Flay’s
Grilled Brie and Goat Cheese with Bacon and Green Tomato
SERVES 4
8 (¼-inch-thick) slices center-cut bacon
10 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
8 (1-inch-thick) slices Pullman bread
12 ounces really good Brie, thinly sliced with a serrated knife
2 green tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
8 ounces soft goat cheese, such as Bûcheron, cut into 8 slices
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the bacon in a large skillet or on a griddle and cook, flipping it once, over medium heat until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate. Break each piece in half and set aside.
2. Heat a cast-iron griddle or cast-iron pan over medium heat.
3. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Flip over 4 of the bread slices and layer each with 3 to 4 slices of Brie, 2 green tomato slices, 2 slices of goat cheese, and 4 slices of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining bread slices on top, butter side up, and cook on the griddle until the bottom is golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the sandwich over, cover with a heatproof bowl (to melt the cheese), and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown and the Brie has melted, 3 to 4 minutes.
Connie and Bill “Stink” Fisher’s
The Calvert
SERVES 2
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 (5-inch) round or square pieces rosemary focaccia, split
Vegetable oil or butter, for the griddle
10 slices Monterey Jack cheese
8 ounces sliced oven-roasted turkey
4 slices applewood-smoked bacon, cooked until crisp
1 avocado, halved and thinly sliced
1. Preheat a griddle to 350°F.
2. Combine the mayonnaise and vinegar in a small bowl. Spread 1 tablespoon on each cut side of the focaccia.
3. Add a little oil to the griddle. Place the focaccia, mayonnaise side up, on the griddle. Put 2 slices of cheese on top of each piece of bread, and cover with a heatproof bowl to melt the cheese.
4. Meanwhile, divide the turkey into 2 portions and put on the griddle to warm. Place the bacon slices in an “X” over each portion, and cover with the avocado and remaining cheese. Once the cheese is melted all around, put a mound of turkey on 2 bottom halves, and top with the remaining bread.
5. Add a bit more oil to the griddle and press the sandwiches with a cast-iron pan or other heavy thing, turning once, until the bread is crisp on both sides.
Demo version limitation
Name: Lee Ann Whippen
Establishment: Wood Chick’s BBQ
Hometown: Chesapeake, Virginia
Website: www.woodchicksbbq.com
Phone: (757) 549-9290
“I was just glad I cooked the butts all night long not knowing Bobby was coming, because when he showed up they were done. I had no time to be nervous because at that point they were going to be what they were going to be…thank goodness smoky, flavorful, and oh soooo tender!”
—LEE ANN WHIPPEN
I was down in the woods of Virginia to take on decorated pitmaster Lee Ann Whippen and her pulled pork sandwich.
Lee Ann Whippen worked in hotel catering for fifteen years while perfecting her killer dry rub on the state barbecue championship circuit, including earning an almost unheard-of perfect 180 score in competition. She won the Georgia State Championship in 1996, and her pork took first place in the
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