Halloween, pandemic version. The costumes have evolved into their final forms: Tyler doesn't dress up (consistent). Emma went to a small outdoor gathering as Samin Nosrat, carrying a copy of "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat" and wearing a denim shirt (apparently this is the Samin Nosrat look). Lily went as a cat.
Year five. She's been a cat for five consecutive Halloweens. I asked her if she'd ever be something different. She said, "A cat is a commitment, Dad. You can't just quit being a cat." I respect the philosophy even as I question the execution.
This is Christine's year for Halloween (the custody agreement specifies, because divorced co-parenting means your holiday schedule is more regimented than a military deployment). I handed out candy solo — full-size bars, the Bobby Tran standard — to a thinned-out trick-or-treat crowd. The kids who came were masked. The parents kept distance. Halloween in 2020 looks like Halloween in a zombie movie, which is either appropriate or depressing.
Cooked my annual smoked mac and cheese. The brisket burnt end version. Added a new twist this year: a drizzle of the Vietnamese BBQ sauce on top before serving. The sweet-sour-funky sauce against the creamy cheese and smoky pork is a combination that shouldn't work and absolutely does.
Bigger news: the Bobby Tran Vietnamese Fusion Rub has sold 8,000 jars. Eight thousand. My royalty check this month: $2,400. Combined with the Instagram income ($1,500/month from brand deals) and the pop-up revenue, the Bobby Tran BBQ side business is now generating roughly $5,000 per month.
Five thousand dollars a month from cooking. From a hobby that became a blog that became a competition career that became a pop-up that became a brand. I'm still a restaurant equipment salesman by day. But the scales are tipping. The side business is becoming the real business.
I haven't made the leap yet. The day job still pays the insurance. The day job still provides stability. But the tipping point is visible now, like the smoke ring on a brisket — you can't see exactly when it formed, but you can see it's there.
The fire keeps burning. The numbers keep growing. The leap is getting closer.
That smoked mac and cheese — the one with the brisket burnt ends and the Vietnamese BBQ drizzle — is a once-a-year production that takes the better part of a day. But the soul of it, the creamy, smoky, deeply satisfying core, lives in a much simpler dish I keep coming back to when the side business numbers are running through my head and I need something grounding on the table fast. This Quick Macaroni Salad is where that mac obsession started, long before the smoke ring and the rub royalties — the base layer, the origin story. Eight thousand jars in, it’s good to remember where the flavor came from.
Quick Macaroni Salad
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup dill pickles, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente, about 8–9 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Let cool completely.
- Make the dressing. In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until smooth. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Combine. Add the cooled macaroni to the dressing and toss to coat evenly. Fold in celery, red onion, dill pickles, and shredded cheddar.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors come together. For best results, chill 30 minutes before serving.
- Finish and serve. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve cold alongside your BBQ spread.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 290mg
About the cook who shared this
Bobby Tran
Week 233 of Bobby’s 30-year story
· Houston, Texas
Bobby Tran was born in a refugee camp in Arkansas to parents who fled Saigon with nothing. He grew up in Houston straddling two worlds — Vietnamese at home, Texan everywhere else — and learned to cook from his mother's pho and a neighbor's BBQ smoker. He's a former shrimper, a recovering alcoholic, a divorced dad of three, and the guy who marinates brisket in fish sauce and lemongrass because he doesn't believe in borders, especially when it comes to flavor.
