Buffalo Rising Online

Jul 18th 2007, 10:27am By Adam Fix

Despite the ominous shadow produced by a cluster of rainclouds creeping by, the annual barbecue hosted by Slow Food Buffalo and Flying Bison Brewery went off without a hitch. The threats of fun-spoiling rain didn't dampen the mood, and as the afternoon progressed, the weather soon matched the spirits of the festival participants- bright and warm.

Author's note: the weather was not, however, drunk.

The event took place this past Sunday, when roughly 150 people gathered next to Flying Bison Brewery to relax and enjoy great food and drinks. Almost everyone brought their own lawn chairs, tables, and even tents, and kicked back with a local brew and some slow-cooked culinary delights.

Suzy-Q's Bar-B-Que Shack provided some of their specialties: ribs, pulled pork, sausage, baked beans and coleslaw. The quality of the food can be attested to by the line that quickly formed around their tent, as myself and many others went back again and again for seconds and thirds. “I'll have some of everything, please” must still be ringing in the ears of Suzy-Q's owner Bob Baker.

Avenue Boys Smokehouse, purveyors of hand-crafted fresh and smoked sausage, featured chicken and apple sausage with Flying Bison & cider glaze and apple chutney. It was sweet and flavorful. They have shared with us their apple chutney recipe, which is at the end of the post. It would be an excellent topping on a grilled pork tenderloin.

Saltamonte's Salsa (which can be found at the Broadway Market and the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer's Market) served up a surprising dessert in addition to their excellent chips and salsa. They featured fried flour tortilla strips covered in a black raspberry sauce with powdered sugar and whipped cream topping it all off. It was a tasty after-BBQ treat.

Adventures in Heat made an appearance as well, offering some of their spicy and smoky sauces and seasonings on a variety of grilled veggies.

Of course, four hours of unlimited Flying Bison beer would make almost anyone happy, so it was no wonder everyone enjoyed themselves. The brewery featured three of their most popular selections during the barbecue: Aviator Red, Buffalo Lager, and Dawn Patrol Gold. PJ McNeill's 80 Shilling Scottish Ale (which differs from a Scotch Ale in that it is less than 5% ABV) was also on tap.

Tim Herzog of Flying Bison guided interested parties on a tour of the brewery, which was casual but still quite informative. Beyond the workings of the brewing process, Tim explained the challenges of running the business and also talked about how cooperation is key among craft breweries. If you have any doubts about the superior quality of craft beer as compared to major mainstream beers, Tim will quickly convince you. Understanding the differences in the brewing process (pasteurized vs. unpasteurized, chemical additives vs. all natural ingredients, etcetera) make it easy to see why Flying Bison is a much better choice than that Budweiser that's been on the shelf for 6 months.

This year's barbecue was the largest yet for Slow Food Buffalo and Flying Bison, yet it still had a quaint feeling, like a picnic with neighbors. Hopefully that feeling will remain in future years, as the event will surely grow.

Avenue Boys Smokehouse Apple Chutney


15 tart apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped · 1 yellow onion, quartered · 1 tbsp ground ginger · 1 cup white wine vinegar · 1/2 cup brown sugar · 1/2 tsp cinnamon · 1/2 tsp black pepper · 1/4 rsp ground nutmeng

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender. Add water if necessary, keeping the ingredients moist. Remove the onion before serving.


Flying Bison Brewing Company, 491 Ontario, 14207, 873.1557, www.flyingbisonbrewing.com
Suzy Q's Bar-B-Que Shack, 2829 Niagara, 14207, 873.5981
Avenue Boys Smokehouse, 727 Oliver, 14120, 693.3078
Adventures in Heat, 10189 Main, 14031, 759.HEAT, www.adventuresinheat.com