Frank just called and said I need to post the ingredients on the label of the bottle he picked up on that last day. Note that ingredients are supposed to be listed in order of weight or volume (don't know which). Also, I'll wager a dollar to a Duck Donut that this is not cooked.

Apple cider vinegar, tomato puree (tomato concentrate, salt), prepared mustard (water, distilled vinegar, mustard seed, salt, turmeric oleoresin paprika, spices), sugar, ground red pepper, spices.

Linda

The chipotle powder was an afterthought just in the last year or so, not necessary. I'm sure it wasn't in Bill's. Just reduce the mustard some though I know there is some in Bill's, maybe not as much as I used. I may have adjusted the cayenne lower when I added the chipotle, so you might want to add a little more cayenne if it's not hot enough.

When I made the first batch all those years ago, it was probably closer to the real Bill's. Over the years it's evolved a little. Maybe you'll end up with a batch at some point that you like better than Bill's. <g>

Linda

You would probably be wasting a lot of money if you got a set. If I were starting out, I'd get a good medium sized chef's knife 8" blade), a good santoku (7" blade) and some cheap paring knives. IMO, the best bang for your buck is the Messermeister Meridian Elite line for the first two. The blade angle is 15° rather than the 20-22° edge of most European knives. I have a set of 3 MIU paring knives that came free with something, and other than the paint coming off the wood handle, they've sharpened up nicely (I took them to 15°). This will put you a bit over your budget, but you'll save money in the long run. Cuttleryandmore.com carries many of the Messermeister Meridians. Like all large knife makers, they also carry cheaper lines, but I wouldn't advise fooling with those. One GOOD knife is better than 2 or 3 that won't take a good edge and keep it.

Linda

Phoebe, I agree with you about Carawan. For those who don't know, it's right on the highway in front of Wal-Mart. We have a cottage in Duck that we rent out in the summer and a few weeks in spring and fall, and I won't buy seafood anywhere else even though there's a seafood shop within walking distance of our cottage.

New this year is Josephine's, We've been there once and will be back for sure. She's not new to the OBX, was once owner of Cosmos Pizza. Her menu changes each Tuesday and she keeps the web site menu updated. She makes the bread (complementary), and it's the best I've ever had in a restaurant. Aqua in Duck used to have our fave bread, but they can't hold a candle to Josephine's. Oh, and she plops a bunch of fresh homemade pesto in the middle of a bowl of olive oil for your dipping pleasure. Chicken picatta was delicious as were veal saltimbocca and shrimp scampi. Everything there is from scratch.

Another favorite that you should all try is The Wave Pizza in the little Osprey Landing shopping area. It's right on the boardwalk and they have picnic tables outside on the deck right over the sound. Sunsets are fantastic! Fortunately for us it's just a short walk from our cottage. When you go there, tell them Frank and Linda sent you. We don't have any financial relationship with them, just enjoy seeing them do well. We do think they make the best pizzas (and subs) on the OBX.

Linda

The LSS is actually in the Sanderling. I suspect you were talking about The Left Bank which is indeed on the other side of the road and next to Paper Canoe. I have heard that the Left Bank will be (or is) closed in the near future.

Linda

Hi, Frank's wife Linda here. Well over 10 years ago Frank brought me one of those teeny cups (maybe a tablespoon) of the sauce from Bill's and asked me to copy it. Of course there were no ingredients listed. It's not much fun tasting BBQ sauce over and over attempting to make one match the other. Anyhow, the recipe below is what I came up with. It just happens that Frank went over to Bill's for lunch on their last day, but they had run out of food. However he was able to buy a bottle of their sauce, and I happened to have some of my copycat here at home. I had Frank do a blind taste test, and I can't remember which one he chose as Bill's, but he said that though they were not exactly the same, they were mighty close, and he didn't prefer one over the other.

3/4 c. cider vinegar
15 oz tomato sauce
1/2 c. yellow mustard
1 T. red pepper flakes
1 t. cayenne pepper powder
1/2 t. sugar
1 1/2 t. salt
1 t. MSG
2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 t. chipotle powder

I added the chipotle powder in the last year. I don't remember if I substituted it for part of the cayenne powder or if I simply added it. For that you're on your own.

Linda

I'm sorry to see them go. While I realize that many younger folks did not care for their "barbecue," this was a great place in its heyday.

Over a year ago Costco stopped carrying the good Tuscan EVOO here in the Richmond, VA area. I've been just devastated. However, just a week ago I found that they've started carrying a Spanish EVOO, same bottle, same Kirkland brand. It is TERRIFIC! I've always liked Spanish OOs because they're so fruity. This one is right up there with the best Spanish I've had.

Linda (Frank's wife)

We have a cottage in Duck and one of our favorites is J.K.'s, at mile post 9 in KDH, on the bypass. If you're in the mood for beef, it's cooked on wood burning grills and is wonderful. Consistently good food and service. It's worth the price, IMO.
website: http://www.jksrestaurant.com

I've often wondered why Bill's didn't try bringing back "curb service" at a couple of those still-open locations. When I was young they were always very busy on most nights.

Any discussion of barbecue in Richmond where Bill's is mentioned ALWAYS goes this way. You either love it or hate it. For me, having lived in or near Richmond for most of my 63 years, I enjoy Bill's. And hokie2009 is right, the sauce is unlike any other, IMO. And I agree that the limeades are great along with the pies. The barbecue, well it's really not barbecue I guess....just a pork sandwich. It's an "acquired taste". I like it. I understand the difference as well.

You're thinking of Colington Cafe.

Here are two up to date threads that you might look at for good info:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/787790

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/360805

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Colington Cafe
1029 Colington Rd, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948

Yes, it's not far from Smithfield. It's in Surry Ct.House, on Rt 30, not far from the Jamestown-Scotland ferry.
Surry House is a little bit like the Va. Diner on Rt. 460 in Wakefield, but toned down some and somewhat more "genteel".
Peanut soup, ham biscuits, fried chicken, etc. I happen to like it better than the more touristy Va. Diner.

I'll look again for the Collins Mixer, but I can't remember seeing it in the Richmond area for a long time. Where in NC can you get it?

It's a long list of old products that have been screwed with over the years, with many ruined. The brand names have been sold and re-sold, and then bastardized by the corporate idiots who couldn't leave a good thing alone.

Your description of how you remember Wink sounds to me like a product that I no longer see anymore by Canada Dry called simply Collins Mixer, or something like that. It was very tangy and dry, not "sweet" at all really. I, too, wish that were still around.

Have only seen it in 1ltr plastic bottles. Saw it on the shelf at Martin's in Sycamore Square in Midlothian, VA. yesterday.

I haven't been in several years, but the Smithfield Inn, right in the middle of the old town, is fine dining in an old tavern that's been restored. Beautiful spot.

We finally were able to go to Paper Canoe during the week of July 4th (2011). Reservations are only accepted for groups of 6 or more and we had our daughter , son in law, and two grandsons (ages 13 and 12) with us.
Paper Canoe is located across from, and just south of the Sanderling Inn in north Duck. The building is totally Outer Banks beachy and right on the sound with a great view from all of the windows. Our waitress was genuinely friendly, knowledgable of the offerings, and gave us great service. All of the food that we ordered was excellent. Catch of the day was Mahi, which son in law and I ordered, and was perfect. Linda had a real specialty of the chef, duck lasagne, and was thoroughly impressed. One grandson had the "big bowl of seafood", consisting of shrimp, scollops, mussels, and topped by a big piece of tuna. He had to fight off the rest of us from reaching over and taking some of it. The other grandson had a steak (I think it was porterhouse). He had a choice of 12 oz or 16oz. He chose 16oz and ate every bit of it. Daughter had a salad. The whole meal was great and everyone agreed. Bottom line, the place is great. We will go back often.

Yes. It will be where the bloody mary mixers and other drink mixers are located. The quantity of stock isn't always plentiful, however. Also, you only see it in those pale green plastic 1qt(approx) bottles.

Canada Dry Wink is a grapefruit juice flavored drink that has been around the Richmond, VA area for many years. I think you can find it at Food Lion as well as possibly Martin's and Kroger.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/549458

You have to read this thread about Keaton's, near Statesville. I've been to this place (several years ago) and it's amazing.

A decent local place that we enjoyed last summer (June, 2010) is Pirate's Cove Restaurant, off of Battlefield Blvd in a Food Lion ShoppingCenter.
http://www.piratescoveva.com

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Pirate's Cove Restaurant
109 Gainsborough Sq, Chesapeake, VA 23320

That's good info from genevapics above.

I prefer the smoked ones. One of my favorite brands is R.M. Felts Southampton country hams (from Ivor, Va. on Rt. 460).

We have a cottage in Duck, so we're down there quite a bit (except summer when it's rented). Our favorite restaurant is Blue Moon Beach Grill around MP 13
4104 South Virginia Dare Trl # 16
Nags Head, NC 27959-9282
(252) 261-2583

In Duck, The Wave Pizza (tell Ryan Frank and Linda sent you) at the back of Osprey Landing rivals the best pizza on the OBX. They have tables out back right on the sound, sunsets are terrific.

Roadside Raw Bar and Grill in Duck has excellent food and the service is good. However we've not enjoyed the experience once or twice when our waiter was obviously hopped up on something.

Blue Point, as others have said, is excellent but expensive, and not a place you'd take toddlers.

Red Sky in Duck used to be one of our favorites, but that was back in '07 before they lost their good chef. I think he's at The Pearl now. We haven't been there yet. After a couple bad meals at Red Sky we stopped going there. Went back last weekend and the service was excellent, but the food was just OK, and it was WAY overpriced.

Duck Donuts (several locations including Duck in Osprey Landing) shouldn't be missed....fresh hot doughnuts are scrumptious.

For coffee beans and the best coffee, Front Porch Cafe in KDH and NH do their own roasting. I always go there first thing for a couple pounds of Ethiopian Harrar.

NEVER GO TO Sunset Bar and Grill in Duck. View of the sound is outstanding, service and food are about the worst on the OBX.

Haven't been to Firefly, the redo of Prime Only. Have heard nothing but raves about it from owners, renters, and locals alike.

Slice Pizza, MP 8.5, was our favorite pizza before The Wave opened in Duck. It may be a toss up, but The Wave's prices are better, and it's only 2 blocks from our cottage.

Owens, MP 16.5 on the beach road in Nags head is a favorite of ours, but it's over 20 miles from us.

Kill Devil Grill, MP 9 3/4, has great food and service. The front part is a diner that I think is on the historic diner list. Their key lime pie will slay you after a wonderful meal of fresh seafood.

Avoid ALL BUFFETS! The worst and dirtiest is Jimmy's, Carolina Buffet and Georges has food you can get anywhere in the country.

King crab legs are NOT fresh and NOT local. Wait till you get home to buy them at your local grocer.

Carawan's Seafood in front of Wall Mart just east of the Wright Memorial Bridge is our seafood shop of choice even though there's one spittin' distance from us in Duck. You can always trust that the fish is fresh. If you see Katherine or Christina, tell them Linda Baldwin sent you.

There's a brand new restaurant in Duck on the left just before you get to the Sanderling called Paper Canoe. It's getting rave reviews, and we're going to try it out weekend after next.

The Life Saving Station at the Sanderling is super with wonderful service. It's a little more formal than most restaurants on the OBX, but they won't turn you away. Just wear a nice shirt and some shoes other than flip flops if you have them. It's expensive.

We tried Aqua S in Duck a few times. The service, sound view, and bread are to die for, but I'm not particularly impressed with the food. Last time we were there I ordered fois gras, and they served it with peanut butter and jelly!!! Ugh. Last summer we had their gazpacho and it just wasn't right, not fresh tasting, more like canned soup. I've heard someone say that the sauce they had on something was nothing more than canned cream of chicken soup. Maybe we'll give it another try, but we're not ready to experiment right now given their high prices.

For groceries, stick with Harris-Teeter.

With a little help from some on line friends, I've prepared a mile post guide that should be helpful while you're there: http://chatterboxtoo.com/MilePosts.htm (case sensitive

I also have a list of Charter Cable channels:

Alphabetically:
http://chatterboxtoo.com/charterchannels/CharterStandardSingleColumnAlpha.htm

Numerically:
http://chatterboxtoo.com/charterchannels/CharterStandardSingleColumn.htm

If you find you need the digital/high def channels, email me at linda@thebaldwins.com and I'll send you a link to that list.

If you're into bike riding, or interested in other things to do, I have some links at our site:
http://www.chatterboxtoo.com

Linda Baldwin (Frank's wife)

Yep I expect it's been that long. I haven't bought a bottle of wine in prolly 10 years. I remember so well your party, Frank being so put out that he had to write tasting notes. Now if they'd been martinis, he'd have been happy as a pig in ****. It was a GREAT party though!

I haven't read all your posts about OBX, but Frank says he saw one in which you mentioned the tornado warning. Where were you then? We were asleep here at the cottage (Chatterbox Too) on the street that goes east from Duck Rd at the Wings store to the beach. The tornado hit our house and we knew nothing about it until the fireman banged on the door to see if everybody was OK.....blew all our front windows out, glass covered the whole house. And if you were around Duck the next day or so you might have heard of the trailer that was blown across Christopher Drive, over our dune, and slammed into our house and bounced onto Frank's truck. Each of our vehicles had $7K damage. I can't even add high enough to figure the final damage to the house, but structurally it's fine....now. Oh, and the trailer had a new Harley in it!

Wish I'd known you were going to be here. We pass right by a place in Ivor, VA, that cures and smokes country hams. They're the best of the at least 2 dozen we've tried, and I think we pay less than $2/lb. I'd have gotten you one or at least invited you over for some ham biscuits. We buy about 3 a year.

So good to hear from you! What and who am I missing out there for wine dinners?

Linda

Duck Donuts are good as long as they're hot. I don't like them once they've gotten cold though.

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Duck Donuts
1190 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949

Hey Melanie!

Frank just called me and said you were on the OBX. I'm here at our cottage in Duck. I'm just 2 blocks from Duck Donuts. Are you staying in Duck? If somebody sees this and Melanie doesn't, tell her Linda Baldwin is looking for her!!! I'm at 252-261-7983. I'll see if I can find her email address in my contacts. A link to my email address is at http://chatterboxtoo.com
We MUST get together before you leave!!!

-----
Duck Donuts
1190 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949

I've been going to Bill's Barbecue in Richmond since I was a child. Through the '50's and '60's, they were drive-ins, with car-hops. When I got my driver's license in 1964, I started taking my dates to the drive-in on Broad St near Libbie Ave.
No, the pork is not real barbecue, because it's roasted in an oven, not smoked in a pit over charcoals. It's a minced roasted pork sandwich, with a mild vinegar sauce. And you can add their peppery, vinegary hot sauce at the table if you want.
I happen to still like it. Maybe it's an "acquired taste". Some folks just don't like it; and that's ok. I see negative reviews written occasionally, usually complaining that it's not real bbq.

The only other place that I've ever seen it done this way, sort of, is Doumar's in Norfolk. I like theirs too.

Also, they have fresh squeezed limeades (choose it carbonated). And homemade style pies as well.

I hope they stay in business another 80 years.

I'm not an expert on what's best in this category, BUT.... Karen's City Diner on Broad St (across the street from the main DMV office) offers a decent chicken fried steak smothered in a white sausage gravy with your choice of a couple of sides.

Hey foodjack,
thanks for the invite to the Tidewater Taste Buds! We might make it one of these times; I've read posts about y'all.

One more place to mention re OBX: Blue Moon Beach Grill at MP13 in a little strip center between the highways (I think it's called Surfside). Very popular with the locals. We think it's excellent.

-Frank

That bbq in Coinjock (before you get to the bridge over the ICW) is Currituck Barbecue...look for the pink neon pig sign out front.
An old stand-by at MP 4.5 on the bypass is Capt.'n Franks. What's new is that he now has his new "signature" hotdogs made by the people at the Weeping Radish on the mainland. Haven't tried them yet because he just started serving them.
And great for lunch or dinner is Kill Devil Grill at MP 9 3/4 on the beach road--one of our favorites: get the Key Lime Pie for dessert.
foodjack: congrats on the new house in KDH! My wife and I own a cottage in Duck.
-Frank