I love barbecue and I love deli but never the twain shall meet. That, however, is not New York Magazine’s take on the two culinary offerings — one with roots in the American South and West, the other hailing from the Eastern European shtetls. My grandma Binnie (if she even knew what BBQ was, which I seriously doubt) must be rolling in her grave.

Barbecue, the New Deli? Who Knew?, asks NY Mag. No one, because it’s an absurd analogy.

Just because the purveyors of some of the new BBQ joints are Jewish, does not make their establishments deli-like. And just because both ‘cue and deli are meat based, also doesn’t make them kissing cousins. That’s like saying Chinese spare ribs and Texas ribs are related. Yes, they’re both ribs, but otherwise they hail from two distinctly different culinary traditions. And a pickle on a plate of ‘cue is, well, a pickle on a plate of ‘cue. McDonald’s has slapped pickles on its burgers since the beginning of time; does that make them deli harbingers?

Why can’t BBQ just be great because it’s great BBQ? And why can’t Jewish Deli just be lip smacking yummy because it is? Does everything have to be reminiscent of something else to make it onto the radar screen of coolness?

Related posts:

1. NY Barbecue
2. Mr B’s Barbecue: Best Pulled Pork Sandwich at White Post VA ‘Cue Joint
3. Italian Deli: Top Italian Deli Purveyors from DiPalo’s and Coluccio & Sons Swap Stories