Momofuku Pork Buns Done Southern Style, Honeychile.

This post is for my dear friend V., her sister B., and my cousins C., & C.!
When I was in New York this spring for ICFF, walking to a party on 2nd Ave., I was introduced to the joys of Momofuku steamed pork buns.

I mentioned they not only promoted local food, but equally the local farms- writing the farm names along with the menu items on their blackboard.

Well, it is now cucumber season, and I recalled the sweet / savory taste of those pork buns and thought I'd do a Momofuku Done Gone South version.

So, I present...
Momofuku Done Gone South:
Cucumber Sandwiches with BBQ! (Oh yes, I did.)

• First, go to the Amish store and get some of Mrs. Esh's white bread. This bread has a great texture and consistency because, like the steamed buns, it has a slightly sweet, yeasty, dense taste. If you do not have Amish living nearby (I realize most people don't), maybe try dinner rolls or anything heavy, slightly sweet.
  
• From the garden: cucumbers & spring onion (or scallions).
  Slice the cucumbers and follow this recipe to give them that Momofuku taste / texture.
  
  ***What this recipe doesn't mention is that it is clear you need to drain the cucumbers after it has time to mix with the salt/sugar to give it the same firm texture as those in the Momofuku buns.
  
  Plus: Note I never follow directions: I peeled & sliced up a bunch o' cucumber from the garden, added the salt & sugar, drained after a few hours, decided it needed more salt & sugar, drained... then, at the end, when putting them on the sandwiches, decided to not only drain but pat 'em down on a dishtowel to give the cukes the right consistency. (Don't tell me you use paper towels in your house... that is NOT practical or environmentally friendly.)
  
• Thinly, thinly slice the onion.
• Purchase locally made BBQ- the lightly sweet, not vinegar kind (sorry, North Carolina, this is the Virginia version with tomatoes!).
  
• Cut the bread into squares, 4 per slice, to give it the appearance of your usual cucumber sandwiches, and add to platter. Or, if you do not have Amish bread, I bet you could pack the ingredients into a dinner roll that is slightly sweet, opened & folded over.
  
• Top the Amish bread squares with a slice of pickled cucumber, then a bit of onion, then a dollop, and when I say dollop I mean a DAB of BBQ! (Otherwise it will overwhelm the tastes.)
  

And there ya go, yer done!
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

(Actually, this pic on the right has too much BBQ on it- make it a smaller dollop.)

Here's some pics of the tray, and then I headed off to Girlz Nite where my friend Melanie also made a delicious HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY COBBLER for the feast! Yum.