Dining With History

Some are old men now, with gray hair. They are bent and broken, and have earing aids. They walk with a little bit of a shuffle, or perhaps a cane or a limp and some have hands that tremble bit. A gaze into their eyes sometimes betray a hint of glocomma. They are quiet, and mild, and courteous. They are gentle, and gentlemen, but once, long ago, they were fierce.

These are the men who freed Europe from the Nazis. They defeated Japan on tiny islands across the Pacific. The rescued Korea from the Communists. They fought from Saigon to Cambodia, from Grenada to Panama, from Iraq to Afganistan. They went in harm's way and lived, and have never forgotten their friends who died.

Yesterday, we fed them barbeque at the Clark American Legion.

Living in an age when football players and rock stars are mistaken for heros, it was an honor to dine with so many real ones.

Endeavor to Persevere

It was a perfect September day, blue skys and cool temps. A quick dash through Restaurant Depot was just that...a dash. No delays Set up was a snap. Fire started with out a problem. Prep was quick and easy. The chicken cut without incident, and the ribs went on to thaw without problem.

A knowing mind would have sensed danger, but not me. I should have known the next two hours would be an exercise in chaos.

100 Golfers were roaring down fairways drinking heavily and looking forward to world class barbeque. The bar staff was quietly preping for what would be a giant rush. Golfers get really thirsty between the golf course and the bar. The employees at neighboring businesses smelled smoke were nosing around asking questions about the menu.

The event was KC's Korner's Annual Golf Outing. Grace, of KC's Korner fame, organized this event four years ago, and has raised over $20,000 for the Hospice.

As I said, prep went without issue, and having completed the prep and started the cooking, it was time to hit the head. To those of you who are not nautical, that means take a leak. "Go potty", so to speak.

After what could have only been a three to four minute absense, the following occured in close order....
1. A grease fire erupted in the smoker containing 120 lbs of pork shoulders, 40 lbs of
leg quarters, and 50 lbs of baby back ribs, 5 containers of barbequed beans, and 5
containers of cajun green beans. While extinguishing the fire....
2. A gust of wind blew the canopy about 10 ft. from where we had originally set it up,
nearly knocking over the table containing the rubs, vinegars, cooking tools. After
hauling the tent back into place, and fixing the table, I noticed.....
3. The wood pile was on fire. No shit.
4. All the chicken and ribs were 'sooted' beyong belief.

So, I washed 40 lbs of chicken and 50 lbs. of ribs, and cooked them anyway. And I do mean washed. Washed as in two tubs of water.

Most people with panic, others would fret. Quite a few would weap at the loss of so much chicken, ribs, and pulled pork.

Ahhh.....ye of little faith. The Good Lord gave us the hickory tree, chicken, pigs and a fine butt rub. When you combine those four, all you need is a fifth and things will be right.

So, wq que'd away secure in the knowledge that the healing aroma of hickory smoke, and the gentle embrace of the butt rub, and the periodic spritzing with vinegar would produce yet another batch of slap yo momma good barbeque.

At 9:30 last night, the verdict was in.

Damn fine food.

It's awfully late to start drinking.

The sun isn't up yet, and that is one of the signs that the end of the summer has indeed arrived. There's less humidity, even on rainy days, and just a touch of coolness in the air. In about an hour, I'll start the fire to begin smoking 100 lbs of pork shoulders for a fund raiser Monday (9/14) at KC's Korner in South Plainfield. Grace, Walter and Co. raise money every year for a cancer hospice, and this year, they asked the Memphis Barbeque Company to do some barbeque.

We're doing ribs, chicken, pulled pork, cajun greenbeans, and barbequed beans. Dinner serves sometime late Monday afternoon. The event was originally planned for 50 golfers, as it is a golf outing, but it has now swollen to 120 or more. We'll have the smoker, the tent and all the regualr crap set up for the event. I'll start singing country music probably around noon.

I realize that noon is awfully late to start drinking, so cocktails may begin a bit earlier.