The Grateful Bread

I did not know if ANYONE could beat the king of barbeque, Killen’s in Pearland, but I KNEW if anyone could, it would be Al Marcus, and I was proven RIGHT last week. I finally got a taste of Al’s brisket. I would say OMG, but that is SO done, and really does not express the taste of this brisket. Now typically, I do not care for brisket. I find it dry, and without much flavor. I am more of a ribs girl if I am going to eat bbq, and ribs are about the only bbq I like, but I would eat this brisket for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is that good! Fall apart moist and tender, with lots of flavor. I stole an end piece and thought I was eating in food heaven. What can Al not make better than anyone else, I ask you?! Move over Killen. You have got some strong competition now. I am crowning Al Marcus the new King of bbq!
If you don’t eat meat, though, well, I do feel sorry for you, but Al makes fabulous smoked cheeses, mustards, and chocolate pudding to die for. My husband thinks his sweet bacon is the best thing he ever tasted, aside from the brisket. Sorry, we moved into meat again, but he is just so good at it. He makes some fabulous pates too!
Go by the Farmer’s Market on Eastside on Saturday mornings and visit the Grateful Bread booth. Yes, he does not have any bread, but his company and name were founded when he and his chef son, Matt Marcus, of Eatsie Boys fame, decided to fill in the challah bread gap left when Three Brothers Bakery was seriously damaged in Hurricane Ike just before Passover. Their challah bread was so good that many of those loyal to Three Brothers began only ordering Al’s challah, even after Three Brothers was back in business. BUT, he cannot sell bread at the Farmer’s Market because another booth has that category. So sad…
Al also has a weekly blog where he shares what will be at the market. Typically I furiously delete myself from business emails, but Al’s is just so entertaining! He is really a good writer. Who would have thunk it?

For a while, I rather resented The Grateful Bread, because I have a Pavlovian response to the word «bread.» Every time I’d walk by The Grateful Bread in the farmers market, my head would swivel, I’d back up a few spaces, scan the table for bread, and feel bitter and betrayed that there was no bread on display. By every time, I mean every time. At least five times. Finally, I got over my resentment (well, I still feel a little resentful that an item in the name is not offered; in theory, there is supposed to be challah, but where? where is it to be found, I ask?), and stopped by the table.
Matt Marcus is very friendly and will gladly offer you a sample of his various items, which include guanciale, pesto, vanilla extract, Worcestershire sauce, other meat products, and other sauces. He makes most of the things, except for the cheddar and some other item (I’ve tried both – they’re standard cheeses of its type). The gianduja wasn’t as rich and creamy as I would’ve liked (more chocolate! more going-​straight-​to-​my-​things fat!). The pâté de campagne (French country pâté, with pork and bacon) is hearty, with pistachios (or some other green nut). The bacon is pre-​smoked, so you can eat it without cooking it. I’ve fried it in a pan, and it is definitely not like traditional bacon, where it gets really crisp and fatty. Think of it as a cross between bacon and ham.
My favorite item is the tart cherry mustard. It is slightly tart and not mouth-​puckering as a lot of mustards are – the base makes me think of a champagne mustard. I knew that and the andouille sausage were winners when, after a piece dropped in my hair (okay, okay, so I can be a bit of a messy eater), I thought, «Aww, man, I dropped it in my hair – oh, wait, good thing my hair’s like a net that catches delicious food» and then popped it in my mouth (hey! my hair’s clean! granted, when I’m at home, if I see something on the carpet that looks like an M&M, which has a protective coating, I will attempt to eat it – attempt, because it is not an M&M 100% of the time: «Oh my god, what is this?!»). Besides, I’m sure the greasy nature of pork fat means it’s good for my hair.

Take a look at Jeremy G’s review and then start evaluating whether or not you can wait until the next market or if you need to call them up and see if you can get something overnighted.
Worcestershire. Gotta have it in your kitchen.
Bacon. May in fact be the best (although I do like what Revival Meats offers up too).
Chicken Poblano Sausage. Yes, please!
Andouille Sausage. My, oh my, that is goooood eatin’.
Haven’t had the aforementioned Cheddar. Added to the «to get» list for next weekend. Check ‘em out if you haven’t before!
PS. Running low on cash? Just ask, they might be taking credit cards – even at the market.

Weird Al Marcus really loves his own products and you will love them too. You have got to try the alder smoked cheddar and his version of Worcestershire Sauce, without the HFCS found in the «Original Recipe» crap.
The secret that I should not tell you about is the bacon and sausage, so go and find out for yourself. He is at a bunch of markets around town according to his website.
Looking in my kitchen, I also have his vanilla extract, the one with real vanilla beans still in it and next week the Andoille sausage will be residing very temporarily in my fridge.
Al gets it, the connection between food and love and he will suck you into his wonderful world, one taste at a time.