Mr. P’s Smokehouse: Giving Up Smoking For A While

Smoked Butts: Schroon Laker Collection

After four years of almost nonstop riding the restaurant rollercoaster, Chris Palmatier, aka Mr. P from Mr. P’s Smokehouse, and his partner Shelby Davis, are taking a well-deserved break. Their much loved eatery, which took over the old Sugar Bowl space, bought new life to the north end of Main Street. The couple made the announcement on their Facebook page late Friday afternoon:

“Mr. P and Chef Shelby have decided to close for the season after Labor Day weekend. While there might be an occasional limited menu event or pop up party, this will be the last weekend to get your favorite item from our full menu. We’re open tonight until 9; Saturday 11:30 am to 9 pm and Sunday 11:30 are to 8 pm. Hope to see you this weekend!

When we caught up with Shelby today, expressing the sadness on behalf of Mr.P’s lovers nationwide, she told us it was a “tough decision”.

“We really need time to remember why we moved here to this beautiful spot,”  Shelby said.

“It’s not like we are slinking off. We will still be here in the off season for pop up restaurants, featuring barbecue as well as international theme nights. We might even do Smoke Turkeys (for Thanksgiving)”.

Shelby said the restaurant might also offer catering services. Meanwhile, there’s a whole lot of barbecue to be had this weekend, including their sandwich of the month:  “The Porkalypse”.  It’s  Mr. P's signature pulled pork in a hoagie, roll, with bacon onion jam, chipotle aioli, and a bacon cheddar ranch slaw (extra  RANCHY!!!! .) It comes with your choice of a sandwich side. And there’ll be a whole bunch of Chef Shelby’s ADK Famous Gluten Free deserts, including Dr. Pepper Chocolate cake and Chipotle Brownies. So RUN, do not walk this weekend, to the smokehouse.

Chipotle Brownies: Why You Should Try These!

If you love the sweetness of chocolate and the heat of chipotle chilies – then  we pretty much will guarantee that you are going to love Chef Shelby’s Chipotle Brownies. We first tried them when Mr. P’s Smokehouse, where the brownies come from, first opened a few years back. And we were totally bummed when  a technology fail – lead to them being taken off the menu. Shelby  lost the recipe when she converted hand-written and word document recipes into an iPad app.

From Shelby: “Something got screwy in the conversion and  the recipe had been messed up since. Threw away a bunch of batches, got busy with other stuff & a bunch of time went by before trying again. Lot of trial  and error (Mr. P & crew love the errors,   which equals lots of "reject" batches for them to eat.”

Now Shelby has a new recipe, which we think is actually better than the first.  So check them  -- and a whole bunch of gluten free sweet treats – at Mr. P’s Mountain Smokehouse, opposite The Tops Supermarket  near the Strand Theatre.

Schroon's Annual Chicken and Lobster Bake

Yum! The birds at the Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club Lobster bake get pampered!

Are you ready for the annual Schroon Lake’s Fish and game club’s annual Chicken and Lobster (Smackdown) Bake?

The official title of the event is the Schroon Lake Fish and Game Club’s Lobster and Chicken Bake, with the Lobster getting the top billing. And that’s why there is a good natured rivalry between the lobster and the chicken crews.

We can’t wait for this terrific day. As a member of the Chicken barbecue crew last year, we got a front row seat and witnessed first hand why there is a contest over who gets top billing.

There's The Master Chicken chefs  -- who spent hours tending the most delicious, mouthwatering barbecued chicken you will ever taste --  and the other guys:  whose only task is to  load lobsters into a big steam tank.

Actually, the Chicken prep takes days, as we learned from Joe Steiniger, who is leading the charge to get the Chicken top billing.

From Joe:

“My premise is this - the chicken crew spends weeks preparing for this event.  We blend out secret spice rub for the birds. We simmer our homemade BBQ sauce for hours the day before the event.  We prepare the grill pits - so called firehouse grills - that can barbecue 480 half chickens at one time.  Then we have to slave over smoky BBQ pits for hours to make it all come together - exactly on time. 

The lobster guys on the other hand, show up an hour before, boil some water, plunk in a few hundred lobsters and wait until they turn red.  For this they should get top billing? I don't think so!. 

So save the date: Saturday, September 6, 2014. The full menu includes lobster, chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, baked potato, Manhattan and New England clam chowder. Also for sale will be hamburgers, hotdogs, sausage and peppers. Tickets are on sale now around Schroon Lake and at the club or by calling 518 532-7953 for ticket information.

Schroon's Not So Secret Beer Garden!

The tasting room at Paradox Brewery has always been a very social place. So popular is the joint that during its first year in business, it was often elbow-to-elbow action, as you had your growlers refilled, while tasting the latest batch of beer.

Last summer brewery founder Paul MRocka and his partners moved the action out to the upper deck. This year, they have taken a giant leap in creating one gosh, dang, perfect beer garden on the brewery’s sprawling back lot.

Right behind the brewery, set amongst the ADK’s finest greenery, there’s a summer tent, which from Wednesday to Sunday has become a must visit stop for craft brew beer lovers and thirsty folks near and far.

With the brewery’s Farmer’s Beer License firmly in place – using local ingredients to make their popular beverages – comes the privilege of selling pints by the glass, as you wait to get your growlers filled.

It’s become an impromptu gathering spot for locals, holidaymakers, beer buffs and those passing by, who on a whim, turn into the parking lot and see why all of those cars are parked out front.

Out back, you will find the friendly and extremely knowledgeable staff – including Joanie, Erin, Jenn and Vicki, serving up the ice-old treats.

There’s always an interesting crowd and the conversation comes easy.

Locals quiz newbie’s about their favorite style of beer  -- and offer their own recommendations.

On a recent sunny Friday afternoon a couple of home brewers bought a few samples to share. Reviews were given, as the brewers talked about their dreams for opening their own brewery.

Meanwhile, a couple was throwing the beanbags at the Camp Mrocka Bean Bag Throw. There were a lot of laughs and good times in the making.

As the sun finally set, a bunch of the crowd moved to Sticks and Stones, for their outdoor Friday night Concert series, featuring a mini version of the beer tent. Life is short. Drink good beer and you’ll always be happy! Paradox Beer is now sold in all Schroon Lake Pubs, bars and  restaurants with liquor licenses!