Peckinpa, Vancouver

Peckinpah’s, a favourite on Vancouver’s restaurant scene, launched three years ago in the exact spot where the city was first settled in 1867. “We are right where “Gassy Jack” Deighton built his saloon, which eventually gave birth to the city of Vancouver,” explains Tyson Reimer, owner of the restaurant, which has annual sales of more than $1 million. “The concept behind the place is Carolina barbecue; we try to stay as true to that as we can.” That means showcasing the meat — not the sauce — and dry rubbing and smoking whole hogs for Peckinpah’s pulled pork, which Reimer serves with a chili vinegar and a side of coleslaw ($9.50). “We don’t do any sweet or tomato-based sauces when we’re cooking. It should be about the meat, although we do have a sauce on the table — kind of like allowing forks in a sushi restaurant,” he jokes. Peckinpah favourites include a pulled-pork platter ($15.50), baked mac ’n’ cheese ($12.50), a beef brisket sandwich ($9.50), and southern greens ($3). But it’s not just about the food at the 25-seat restaurant, which also offers a lengthy bourbon list. “I’m a fan of bourbon, so it seemed a natural fit,” laughs Reimer. “We have the largest bourbon selection in B.C., and we’re the top sellers of Buffalo Trace bourbon ($6.50/$9.75) in Western Canada.”

Molasses

Molasses is the perfect example of a dual-use product. The viscous residue of refined sugar provides the perfect base for barbecue sauces. With its light-bitter flavour, molasses is a favourite ingredient among cooks and bakers alike. While it’s used in traditional barbecue recipes, such as baked beans, the syrupy gloop is also a key ingredient in sweets and baked goods; gingerbread, toffee and fruit cakes are just three favourite treats that feature molasses. It’s also an important ingredient in the making of rum and stout beer.

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