Blue Corn Chips

If you’re paying a lot of attention to these posts and pictures–and I hope you are–you may have noticed something: I mention blue corn chips for the black bean queso dip, yet all the chips on the party pick plate are, well, yellow. Don’t worry, I’m not color blind and neither are Johnny and Jill. True blue corn chips are nearing extinction in Bartow County. The only blue corn chips Johnny can find are yellow corn chips that have been dyed blue. That sounds a bit hinky to me and Johnny doesn’t want to serve dyed corn chips to his customers. So in the absence of naturally blue corn chips, we’re sticking with yellow.

According to Johnny, JMS is committed to avoiding oddly dyed or enhanced foods. They strive to get fresh veggies. They make their own sauces from scratch, rather than just enhancing store-bought products.

I’m pretty sure a bit of blue dye isn’t going to hurt me, but I like knowing that Johnny is very careful about what he puts into the food we eat.

Party Pick

In my mind, Tuesdays are already beginning to mean “yummy food.” I woke up earlier than usual today because–I kid you not–I had a dream about the delicious food of Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse. I was starving when I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep! But I was also pleased because in my dream JMS was packed with happy eaters who had been following my blog. Perhaps an over exaggeration of the popularity of this little writing project but certainly an accurate take on the quality of Johnny’s food.

Last week, I nobly ate half of a brisket quesadilla and brought the other half home. Today, I thought I might need a helping mouth for some of the other larger appetizers. (Plus, why would I have ever brought along an extra person to help me eat my absolute favorite dish- the brisket quesadilla?! I’m a little bit more willing to share some of the other items on the menu, even as I continually realize that everything at Johnny’s is phenomenal and hence un-sharable.)

Today’s delight was the party pick. This is a big, honking appetizer! As willing as I am to attack any dish, I was glad I had brought along an eating buddy. Mom was glad she had volunteered for the job!

The party pick is definitely enough appetizer for four people. It’s a potpourri of four amazing JMS appetizers: black bean queso dip with blue corn chips, rubbed ribs, cheese nibbles, and brisket quesadilla.

I realize I’ve said that the brisket quesadilla is my favorite dish at Johnny’s but I haven’t mentioned that I also have an... understanding with the black bean queso dip. If you count the brisket quesadilla as my favorite entree, it’s safe to say that the black bean queso dip is my favorite appetizer. It is so yummy! I consider black beans to be the single most useful and scrumptious ingredient ever. Johnny’s queso dip is somehow creamy while leaving the delectable black beans intact. I’m running out of synonyms so I will just give it to you straight: chilled in the summer or warm in the winter, this black bean queso dip is probably one of the most amazing things you will ever eat.

See previous posting and above paragraph for my raptures about the brisket quesadilla. (I don’t want to bore you, although I’m happy to discuss and eat brisket quesadillas all day every day.) The party pick comes with half of a brisket quesadilla- four triangles.

The cheese nibbles were a surprise. I expected traditional mozzarella sticks, but ten times better because, after all, this is Johnny’s. Instead, I found part of the plate filled with delightful, lightly-battered white cheddar. Each bite was the perfect mixture of cheese and batter.

Finally we dug into the ribs. I admit, I was saving the ribs for last for a reason. You see, I’m not really a rib person. To me, they’ve always seemed messy and very labor-intensive for such a small amount of meat. Not so at Johnny’s. I guess by now I shouldn’t be surprised that JMS food always surprises me.

Johnny cooks his ribs in house, to competition standards, each and every time. He believes that the mark of a perfect rib is not necessarily for the meat to be falling off the bone. Instead, biting into a rib should leave a perfect semi-circle cutout. He described this to us, Mom took a bite, and I took a picture. Sure enough, as Mom chewed on an amazingly juicy and flavorful morsel, we could see that the meat was missing a semi-circle the exact size of her bite. Emboldened, I put down my camera and picked up a rib, preparing myself to be wowed. I was thrilled that not only were Johnny’s ribs delicious but they were also not as messy as I feared. Johnny explained that he likes the ribs to be moist, but not drowning in sauce. Instead, it was up to me to dip (or not) into the sauces available on our table.

Another amazing tidbit about Johnny’s ribs: you can taste them for a long time. Driving home, I could still feel the ribs on my tongue. It wasn’t just an aftertaste. For about two hours, I swore I could still exactly taste the ribs. It was amazing.

Note: even as two very hungry people, we could not finish off this dish. It’s definitely an appetizer for at least four and a meal for two to three people.

Click here for more pictures of the party pick on Facebook

Vegetarians Welcome

I bet you never would have guessed that Jill used to be a vegetarian. Now she claims to be addicted to meat and must eat brisket every day.

You can still find Jill's vegetarian roots in many dishes unique to Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse.

Don't forget: JMS sides are pure veggie. You won't find any pork chunks lurking in these baked beans!

Brisket Quesadilla

I can pinpoint the exact moment when today went from just good to absolutely amazing: sitting at my favorite table at Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse waiting to begin eating my way through their menu. Over the next several weeks, I’m going to become a JMS expert. Not only am I going to sample every single item on the menu, I am also interviewing Johnny and Jill about their flavors, their recipes, and barbecue cooking in general. I love to learn and I love to eat, so of course I can’t wait to get started.

Starting with my favorite item on the menu seemed like a pretty good idea. Nothing beats a crispy tortilla filled with brisket, cheese, black beans, and yumminess. Add the red, green, and corn salsas served with this eight-piece quesadilla and you have a pleasing appetizer for 3-4 people.

I have a bit of a secret to confess: though I gave it a valiant effort, I couldn’t finish this entire dish. Even after eating my fill (I considered it a very large afternoon snack) I still had quesadilla left to carry out. At home, mixing the leftover green salsa into some rice and stir-fried vegetables was the perfect side dish for the leftovers. If you’re not a fan of leftovers, try ordering the “snack size.” This half-quesadilla is the perfect lunch for one.

That’s my best shot at describing this dish. Now you understand why I’m planning to rely heavily on interviews with Johnny and Jill and pictures of the food. I can’t claim to be any sort of foodie. I like to eat and I can follow a recipe but beyond that I’m clueless. To make up for my lack of discernment when it comes to subtle flavors, I’m putting together this blog. I’m convinced that me telling you that Johnny and Jill’s food is delicious won’t be enough to get you out the door and to Euharlee. Instead, I hope that between the pictures and the interviews, you’ll begin to feel those cravings that can only be satisfied by a meal (or two or ten) at Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse.

Click here to see more pictures of the brisket quesadilla on Flickr

Johnny talks about Brisket!

About Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse

From the JMS Menu:

Jill and Johnny Mitchell bring thirty-two years of experience to their second restaurant, Johnny Mitchell’s Smokehouse. “We believe that food should make sense, should be lovingly prepared, and should be enjoyed with amiable company.”

Jill grew up in California’s San Joaquin Valley, producer of the world’s best fruits and nut, in a family of ranchers and hunters. She understands how quality and freshness of ingredients matter in the thoughtful creation of imaginative dishes.

Johnny says that he’s the last native son born in Atlanta. He hales from a long line of fine southern cooks. His aunt Bea ran her own restaurant in Atlanta for many years. Famous for his real-wood, slow-cooked BBQ, as well as his endearing personality, Johnny is a versatile chef equally able to prepare haute cuisine or low country fare.

Together, Jill, Johnny, and their dedicated, talented staff bring a love for food and for feeding people to Euharlee Georgia, the Covered Bridge City.

Johnny Mitchell's Smokehouse

100 Covered Bridge Road

Euharlee, GA 30145