NC Country Store -- Brownsville

sweet tea

anybody know anything about the North Carolina Country Store, in Brownsville? their bacon mentioned in this gothamist interview with zak pelaccio http://www.gothamist.com/2007/06/06/zak_pelaccio_ch.php, and the name is attractive to this ex-pat, but i can't find anything online besides an address -- 2001 Atlantic.

MOD

Subject: NC Country Store

You peaked my interest. I luvs NC (Holla! Chapel Hill!!)
I looked around and this is what I found when I searched for North Carolina Country Store:

http://events.nytimes.com/gst/nycguide.html?detail=restaurants&id=1002207984594

18 wrote: Carolina Country Kitchen[/size]
Top Pick

1993 Atlantic Ave.
Brooklyn, NY11233
Phone (718) 498-8033
Southern
Brooklyn
$

If it seems that the Southern food here is as good as it is down home, that's because much of it comes from down home. Patricia Lee, the owner, grew up in North Carolina, and much of her food is shipped from her father's farm there. Her barbecue is fine and her sweet potato pie unbeatable. - Eric Asimov (4/98
-The New York Times

On another search the address is listed as 1991 Atlantic??
http://yp.itypeusa.com/C/Country+Stores.html

I read an old comment on chowhound saying the store used to have a restaurant. Maybe this was the place in 1998? I'm really curious now.

sweet tea

nice detectivization, mama! i think this may call for further investigation. even if it's only a store these days, i'm sure there are some staples i'm missing....

idlewild

It's a store only now. They used to have a restaurant across the street called NC Kitchen, I'm guessing it went broke a few years ago. I went into the store a few times. If I remember correctly it's mostly smoked hams, smoked sausages, hamhocks, flour, possibly roux and some other Southern ingredients. The restaurant served excellent and very inexpensive food. In fact that whole area of Brownsville/East NY has a bunch of stores, restaurants and bakeries that are owned by black folk from down south. Mrs. Maxwells, NC store and a few eateries being fine examples. You really do need to hit the streets in those areas and just go in to the store that has a great odor emanating from their ovens and stove tops.

sweet tea

hams, you say?

idlewild

Indeed, indeed. Hams I say.

MOD

Field trip anyone?
(Carnivore, we're talking smoked meat here?!)

sweet tea

would these be the sort of hams that are covered with a defensive camouflage of newspaper and rags and mold, by any chance? the kind of thing that will ward off the unworthy? the sort of hams that require soaking?

idlewild

Smithfields, I believe. If you're asking about strictly chestnut or acorn fed, etc, then I do not believe they have the hams you're looking for. I could be wrong though.

pitu

I'm in.
I've only driven by that place on the way from JFK.

Maaaaaaaaaaan, a lady I used to work with used to have her huband pick up some of that serious Southern food and bring it to us for dinner.
When the restaurant was open, like 10 years ago. Best cabbage ever.

sweet tea

Idlewild wrote: Smithfields, I believe. If you're asking about strictly chestnut or acorn fed, etc, then I do not believe they have the hams you're looking for. I could be wrong though.

well, i knew that some compromise was involved in moving up here. any port in a storm, though. any smoke-cured port in a storm.

idlewild

Economics my dear, economics. NC serves E.NY and Brownsville for the most part. Pay check to pay check families. While not cheap Smithfields will never cost as much as a chestnut or acorn fed only hog.

sweet tea

indeed. i don't think i've ever eaten one of those fancy pigs, and yet i'd be hard-pressed to say i've suffered want.