There is something both satisfyingly primal and inherently right about the act of eating ribs.
It starts with the utensils needed. Which are exactly none outside of the tools you bring to the table. The tearing of tender meat from bone. The mess of sauce on both hands and face. The lack of caring about said sauce. The inevitable, "Ahh well, I suppose I'll go get another 17 napkins," upon realizing that no, those two napkins you thought would cut it are in fact only succeeding in kind of cleaning up your left hand before being rendered utterly useless by sauce. The pile of bones scattered on your plate, proof of your carnivorous conquest.
No other food can compete with the total experience offered by eating ribs (except, perhaps, for the turkey leg, which is undone almost every time by its inexplicable inferiority). No other food makes the eater push back his or her chair, stand on wobbly, meat-fattened legs and raise both sauce-covered hands to the skies while releasing a primal roar (wait...I'm the only one that does this? Well this is awkward).
These eating displays were on full display Monday night at Broken Compass, as Michael Cliff Cardone's Ribs (which could be given a longer and more descriptive title usually seen in this blog like "Dry-Rubbed For 36 Hours Then Dipped In Chocolate Coffee Stout Based BBQ Sauce Ribs" or "Gloriously Delicious Meat Sticks Descended From Heaven". You're right. We'll stick with just "Ribs") turned in a dominant Monday Night Potluck performance. Ribs's 43 points are the most ever recorded in MNP's two-month history, and came despite facing a stacked field of competitors.
Nothing could stand in the way of Ribs's destructive path to victory. Two-time MNP champion Seth Cohen's Bacon Wrapped Dates And Coconut Porter Glaze and Rick Galgas's Turkey Kielbasa And Potato Perogi With Onions, Sauerkraut And Bacon (TKAPPWOSAB) managed to keep pace with Ribs for a short time, but ultimately came up short. Bacon Wrapped Dates finished second with 32 points, while TKAPPWOSAB tallied 23 for third place (it's another testament to Ribs's dominance that it easily outpaced two dishes featuring bacon, which to this point in MNP history had served as a key ingredient in the last two victorious dishes. Bacon's track record of success even inspired a dish titled "Plain-Ass Bacon," which, in case you were wondering, was a plate stacked with bacon, served plain).
Despite being a familiar face at Broken Compass, this was Cardone's first appearance at MNP, and a successful one at that.
Broken Compass would once again like to thank all of those who brought food for another amazing potluck. Here are all the awesome people who brought food and the dish they brought:
Jess McNary - Creamy Cornbread
Seth Cohen - Bacon Wrapped Dates And Coconut Porter Glaze
Aaron Redner - Taquitos With Salsa Bean Dip
Stacey Todd - Bruschetta (which totally undersells it. This was gourmet bruschetta if I've ever seen it)
Ant - Arancini
Rick - Turkey Kielbasa And Potato Perogi With Onions, Sauerkraut And Bacon (TKAPPWOSAB)
Maria - Black Tuffle Popcorn
Hali and Shahara - Jalepeno Dip
Rachel and Lauren - Shrimp-Coconut Green Curry
Michael Cliff Cardone Jr. - Ribs
Rory Dushman - Plain-Ass Bacon
Monday Night Potlucks will continue next week (Dec. 15) at 6:30, with eating commencing at 7. We can't wait to see what you make next!
(Editor's note: Broken Compass Brewing's Monday Night Potlucks are popping off every Monday night, with eating starting between 6:30 and 7. We encourage everyone to contribute a dish every now and then, but everyone in the brewery is welcome to sample the food and vote for their favorite dishes. First place wins a 64 oz growler and fill, second place a 32 oz. growler and fill and third place a free pint. See you there!)
From left to right: Mike Cliff Cardone, Seth Cohen and Rick Galgas