The main event with Mario Batali

So, I don't know how to put the day in any better perspective than this picture. Crazy? Yes. Sunday started with breakfast with Mario Batali at his site on the infield at Texas Motor Speedway. Then we went over for a pace car ride, and after taking a spin at 105 mph around the track, we came back.

Here is where I have trouble rating the relative level of surreal: When Rachael Ray met me, she bowed. That doesn't happen often. Then, about an hour later, Mario is eating my dish -- pig-wrapped, pig-stuffed pig, for those just joining us -- and repeatedly described it with a two-word response. "(Expletive) (exclamation)!" The expletive was the same every time, and the exclamation was sometimes "amazing," and sometimes "awesome," and there were others. To have Mario Batali standing there talking about my dish that way was crazy. (Unfortunately, Rachael had to take off just after this photo was taken, so she didn't get to try it. I have offered to go to New York to make it for her, because I'll take one for the team like that.)

We watched the race, and by then Mario was gone, too. But we hung out at the tailgate site for a couple of hours after the race to let traffic thin. It was me, my wife Pam, Mario's brand manager Darcie, our driver Leo and Billy Harris, who was the emcee at Asphalt Chef on Saturday. We were all hungry. We had five spectacular Viking grills at our disposal and a bunch of food left over from the afternoon. So we dug around, and I made us dinner from what we found: I re-heated some pre-cooked ribs. Then I made a salad of romaine, arugula and pepitas with a balsamic vinaigrette. Then I found a pear and just sliced it and put some of the balsamic over it (I hesitate to think how much this bottle of balsamic cost. It was AMAZING, like syrup). Then I grilled a 3-pound Allen Bros. T-bone and served it with sauteed spinach and lemon. Impromptu, and unbelievably fun.

I have barely touched on how fun this weekend was, culminating with today, which was unbelievably surreal. We come home Monday, and it's kind of sad.

-- Jim Webster

P.S.: The picture above of me with Mario and Rachael is by the Associated Press. It may be my favorite picture with me in it ever.

Comments

While meeting RR and MB must have been great, I think the best part of the story is that you scavenged dinner out of the leftovers. Now _that's_ a good topic of conversation; how I built dinner for 8 out of leftovers at a NASCAR event.

[Jay]

He is a Fraud. Still pushing that NASCAR cookbook and making out that he is a fan. He trashed people from the south and NASCAR fans on his cooking show. You are a fraud.

[Hank]

JW is invited over to my house any time as long as provides the leftovers!

What a great story, congratulations on your winning recipe and weekend memories.

[Old Chef Dude]

Sounds like a blast!! Congrats! those Allen Brothers steaks are the real deal.What a nice feast.

[Ted]

Batali is a self-centered jerk.