Originally published on Pittsburgh Magazine

And why Bar Marco’s No Menu Monday is Pittsburgh’s {Food} Fight Club

Did you hear about the new Pittsburgh sport? Players don’t wear helmets, it lasts about six hours, and instead of a stadium in the North Shore, it happens in the Strip District.

Give up?

It’s Bar Marco’s notorious No Menu Monday! Never been? Well your Mondays will never be the same. Mark your Mondays in your calendar NOW. It’s better than Iron Chef. It’s Pittsburgh’s Fight Club. Food Fight Club.

It all started when my friend and colleague Hal B. Klein set the record when he helmed No Menu Monday this past winter. He held the top score for a while until I, Kate Stoltzfus and our Highland Park Food Co-op killed it in April. Last Monday, we rolled up our sleeves, tied on our aprons and put on our clogs and set out to break our own record. And we damn near tied our score.

On Twitter, @ThisMansKitchen throws down the gauntlet. It is ON. Challengers line up.

But seriously, I cannot talk enough about how amazing No Menu Monday. Bar Marco has transformed the day of the week where you can hardly find good restaurants to go to, into a day where chefs, professional and recreational can play in the kitchen. Test out new recipes, raise awareness for a cause, or just plain have fun. And diners are in on it too. They know that if they go to Bar Marco on a Monday, its going to be a unique ride.

This past Monday, we did it again, this time raising funds for Haitian Families First. Haitian Families First is a nonprofit founded by sisters Jamie and Ali McMutrie. Jamie and Ali moved to Port-au-Prince in 2002 and 2006, respectively, not long after each graduated school. They saw developing world poverty and its devastating effect on families – forcing many to give up children simply due to the inability to provide for them. Haitian Families First nurtures and empowers families in despair through emotional, social, and financial support, ensuring children remain with their biological families and out of unnecessary institutions. Their work helps keep families together.

They approached me and co-op co-member Amanda Gillespie, whose husband’s family hails from Haiti, and asked if we would cook for them for No Menu Monday. We and the rest of the co-op were honored.

And so last Monday, we did. And served up some delicious Haitian food. There was Chicken in Creole Sauce and Vegetable “Marinad” – a delicious fritter made with sweet potatoes. Both dishes were accompanied by some kick-ass rice and beans and the famous Haitian Pikliz – a hot relish made with cabbages, carrots and habaneros!

I’m happy to share with you the recipe for the Vegetable “Marinad”, rice and beans and pikliz!

Enjoy this introduction to Kwizin Kreyol!

Head on over to The Brazen Kitchen on Pittsburgh Magazine for the recipes and lots of mouthwatering photos!

The Highand Park Food Co-Op Peeps and the Haitian Families First Team!

John Sawyer, Maya Henry, Kate Stoltzfus, Megan Mally Pearlman, Alaina Newell, Amanda Gillespie and moi.