Q Tour

Well here are the final stats on consumption.
Oh my.

Sweet Tea: 2.5 gallons. I don’t think this number is totally accurate considering I didn’t drink that much-therefore, not paying attention- and the refills were endless
Pulled Pork: 4.5 pounds
Jumbo Chicken Wings: 14
Brisket: 1.25 pounds
Ribs: 74
Fried Vegetables: 11 cups
Slaw: 10 cups

Added to that was blackberry cobbler, pecan pie, lemon icebox pie, banana pudding, red velvet cake and cupcake

I gained almost 4 pounds- heading to the gym shortly.

My pictures are loaded on http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AatnLJi0cOXSg&emid=sharview&linkid=link4

We were up and out early this morning. A bit fearful that we would hit
some Talledega traffic. What are the odds that we'd be driving I-20 on
the same day they're running Talledega- Help me Tom Cruise. Not a
stitch of traffic- why- because everyone is already there. The fields
were packed with cars, RVs and tents. There were Nascarians for as far
as the eye could see- from the interstate to the track, for at least a
few miles. Too bad we didn't put that on the tour- a true southern
experience- chicken wings and all.

Our plan was to head towards Atlanta and stop at the Johnson's house
for a visit. The Johnson's (Bill & Sara) are dear friends and old
neighbors of my parents from Newnan. They moved out to the country on
a lovely slice of land off of Hog Liver road-what a perfect place to
wrap up this trip. Bill & Sara are two of the most creative,
productive and nicest people I know. They make mom and dad look lazy-
and that's a feat. So of course the minute we walk through the doors,
the smell of brownies baking takes immediate occupation of your
nostrils. You need to know something else about Sarah- you ain't
leavin' this house hungry, in fact you won't be leaving until you are
sufficiently miserable. The lunch items looked a little like this
Country ham
Quiche
Collards
Sweet potatoe souffle (yeah the one with the crusty top of nuts and
brown sugar)
Deviled eggs
Broccoli salad
Pear relish
Pickled okra
Biscuits
Cornbread

And then came.....
Iced sugar cookies
Brownies
Corn flake candy
(we got brownies and candy to go)

We all sat at the table out on the screened porch, where the warm fall
air and the smell of home wofted through the screens. It was all I
could do not to slither into the hammock behind me and rock myself
into happy nap oblivion.

That was two hours ago and I still feel sick. But I'd do it again miss
Sara. Always good to see them- and for an added bonus Kelly(daughter),
Zach(grandson), Brandi (childhood friend of Kelly) & Kathy (B's mom)
we're all there to share in our continued gluttony(Chris we missed
you and the family, maybe next time). I should also mention what a
sweet pea zach was- he even put himself into time out once and read us
The Brown Bear- he's two and a half. Kelly told him he should behave
so that we would speak favorably of him on the blog. I think he got
the memo.

I'm sitting in 11D on a flight back to Denver. Sipping on a Jack and
Ginger. Listening to Patty croon. Looking at the little airplane on
the screen move over the exact route we just traversed in an RV.

Some final thoughts:
-it's amazing how many dialects of the southern drawl we came across
in 4 states, some of which I couldn't even understand. Kelly's was
icing on the cake, that eloquent educated drawl that could lead you
into the deepest of hypnosis even if she was blessing your ass out.
- we actually did it. We spent 7 days together in an rv eating BBQ not
talking about religion or politics, just laughing and loving and
enjoying being there. This is noteworthy considering my dad and I find
it necessary to get into at least one dispute a visit. There were
moments dad, but we did it- we chose love and respect over being right
and being hurt.
- terry has the ability to extract more info from my mom than probably
all of us put together
- I want to take more slow long drives down country roads
- BBQ is as diverse and flavorful as the people we encountered, but
then again, equally as bland and tasteless. The lesson- keep on eatin-
you're bound to find some good true nuggets
- next time pack a camera to shoot this
- next time pick one state, or even one area of a state and explore it
with fervor- there was a lot in between that we missed
- we clocked over 1000 miles on the RV and around 400 on the beetle
- I would like to acknowledge all of the hawks that were ever present
guides circling atop the pines as I took the wheel
- I only had one bag of boiled peanuts- monumental
- if I had to guess at a number of churches we passed along the way,
it would be in the neighborhood of 400+, oh yeah, and the used car
dealership in Shelbyville that was advertising a "free Bible".
- best Bbq tagline was from Gangsters "you can smell our butts from a
mile away"

I'm certain there will be more final thoughts but I will spare you for
now

To all of you that have followed us along the way- thank you for
putting up with
No spell check
Bad grammar
Run on sentences
Typos
Brain farts
Colorful statements
And too much blathering

It has been an amazing week- even with the break down adventure. I'm
SO glad we did this.

Mom and dad, thank you for the vehicles and for setting up our stops
along the way and for being amazing travel companions and for singing
"on the road again" everytime we pulled out and for saying "yes"
everytime I asked "so, what about some BBQ?". I love you both so much
and I will treasure that time with you. Mom, recover soon so we can go
play again

Heading west with a full belly and a full heart...already missing the
smell of smoldering hickory

Bye ya'll

p.s. Check back for overall ratings and photos- coming soon

After heading south on 231 out of M-town, we rolled through the hills of Tennessee. The sun was casting its last light across the mountians. I was riding shotgun with dad. I threw open the window, screen and all and just breathed it all in. How often do you get to just cruise down country roads- on your way to nowhere, on the way to somewhere. Those few moments of silence and beauty were priceless. Speaking of mileage and country roads- we have been down quite a few country roads- we are clocking about 800 miles on the RV and close to 400 on the beetle. That is some serious asphalt in search of bbq.
Once past Huntsville, we thought it a good idea to possibly feed ourselves. And for the first time, every one was in agreement that it wouldn't be bbq. It was as if we didn't know what else existed in the world outside of pulled pork and ribs. The more we procrasitnated, the more hungry we became. It was late, we were tired- so we decided that the next exit, no matter what's on it- that's the one. Well, you have to love the consistency of the prolific amount of Waffle HOuses in the south. There was one on that exit, so in that direction we headed. Pulling into the truck arena next door, the RV died again. After many frustrating restarts, we got it safely located behind the Econo Lodge. Screw it for now, we need to eat.
Walking into the Waffle House we sensed a bizarre energy. There was only one person in the whole joint, some girl sitting at the bar. The waitress standing behind the counter looked a bit anxiously perplexed. Mom and I got in the queue for the restroom. When the door opened this huge woft of high octane air rushed out of the bathroom. The exiting waitress said, "Smells like somebody spilled paint thinner in there". Didn't think much about it. Went back to our seats. As our waitress came over, she was preoccupied by the customer who had just left. Concerned that she was too "lit up" to go anywhere. I just thought she was drunk. We all sat mesmerized in our nagohide booths staring out the window at the fate of some jacked up chic contemplating crossing the highway. Seriously, it was like watching OJ in that damn white van- commentary and yelling ensued behind the glass walls of the Waffle House. Somebody knew somebody who knew a sheriff's deputy and called him out right away. He arrived Johny on the spot, seemed to be a nice compassionate fellow who could engage with the woman very calmly. After scouring the joint for evidence, they found a bottle of STP Fuel Injector in the woman's restroom trash bin. Somebodies been 'huffin' (Terrry had to explain the finer points of huffing). There was additional walking and talking, in the car out of the car. We went back to our waffles and chicken melts and blts. We never did realize the outcome of the drama, but it made for fine entertainment.
I'm not sure, is huffing even illegal?

Terry and I took the beetle off the coach and sped down I-65 to Birmingham before guilt of abandonment could catch up with us. We arrived at Nicole's around 10pm. She was not kidding about the banners- the adorned the driveway- with balloons and everything. Apparently she scheduled the high school band for our arrival, but we were too late and she had to cut them loose- it was a school night and all. We talked for a bit. Took the longest hottest showers and crawled into a REAL bed. Ahhhhhhh, sweet serenity.


The morning was full of coffee and more gabbing- children on big wheels and tea parties. Once mom and dad gave word that they were headed down the road. We got in gear and prepared for our next stop on the tour- Dreamland BBQ. People in Alabama will tell you the Dreamland is THE best- and even though it has extended beyond it's original location, we still had to try it. The original shack in Tuscaloosa (Roll Tide Roll), only served ribs and pulled pork and something to drink- they don't even mess with cole slaw or beans or potato salad- now that is some serious pork love. After figuring out how to seat 8 adults and 4 kids, we asked our nice waitress just to hook us up- out came 2 slabs of ribs, 2 pulled pork sandwiches (1/2 lb of pork each), 1 roasted chicken, smoked sausage, beans and slaw- there was already a loaf of wonder bread on the table along with the sauce (which was warm and tasty). I could have eaten both of those sandwiches- even topped with sliced pickle- the pork was delish- probably my favorite. I could have also eaten some of that sausage on one of those alleged cathead biscuits. As if we hadn't had enough, the banana pudding was ordered and promptly devoured- I don't even like that stuff.

What kind of sugar down spiral am I going to be on when i get home? Not looking forward to that withdrawal.

It's great being with old friends (and new little ones). I'm going to sign off and join in on an early Maker's cocktail and maybe a nap before our venture out tonight to mystery q joint.

We are almost at the end of the line, and even the piece of me that wants to be done and be home with my pooches- will miss all of this- even the smell of my clothes as I pass through the egress.

So we had to spend the night in the parking lot at the A&L RV center 10 miles outside of Murfreesboro, so we had to take short showers and eat at the Huddle House (don’t call me a Waffle House traitor, there was none in the vicinity). So what. So what the RV place pawned us off on the mechanic de grange next door. So what if that mechanic showed up whenever the hell he wanted. So what we won’t get to sample the finer Q of northern Alabama . We, for some reason, were as complacent as pigs in mud- couldn’t be all the pig coursing through our veins, hmmm. Mechanic shows up and we immediately jump in the beetle and b-line to Lynchburg- Hell Fire fuzzy if were gonna miss this grand opportunity to get educated on whiskey. Education and a tour is THE only thing you will get at the Jack Daniels Distellery- no booze- you heard me- you get to smell it see it touch it, but you can’t consume it-Moore County is a dry one. Oh, the irony leaves me thirsty.
On our way out of the gift shop, mom picks up a brochure for the Caboose BBQ in Lynchburg . Oh, what the hell.

So we stop into the caboose. Colorful little joint fully decorated with checkered tablecloths, toy train that circles above your head, posters and famous people adorn the walls. The only actual bbq they have on the menu is for the pulled pork sandwich. The rest was anything from Jumbalaya to Pizza. I went to the ladies room fully assuming that upon my return there would be decisions of red beans and rice and chicken salad- surely not the big. But no, the troops stood strong- “3 pulled pork sandwiches please and one red beans and rice”. Something to note- Pola does not like pulled pork. I know, I know, and she can’t really define why- BUT she did taste the pulled pork everywhere we have been thus far. I inquired with the crew if they ordered the sandwich out of guilt or fear. Neither, they replied. We didn’t hold high expectations for the poor little sandwiches. I mean we were in whiskey tourist town and they only had a measily lil’ ol’ sandwich- and no beer- how good could it be. Well that lil’ ol’ sandwich was in the top two of the pulled pork thus far, and get this, Pola even liked it. That says something.

OK, I’m sitting in a Starbucks trying to complete this and load the last 3 posts before we get on the road to B’ham. So I guess you realize by now that the RV is fixed and we are back on the road, not on plan, but on the road nonetheless. On the road to see two dear friends that I spent all of my dear days in high school with (sans Kara who is headed to Charlotte for some Nascar)- Nicole and Beth. Break out the banners and the red carpet, we are on our way kids……

OK, so it was a lofty itinerary and the booze got dissed. Que Shamo!
We began our day with a lovely run through the humidity in Music Valley . I hate running- as if most of you didn’t know that. But I figured that if I was going to put endless amounts of white flour and butter in my gob then I’d at least better run for a spell. We had quite the agenda today- most of which was out of the way to anywhere. As suggested, and aforementioned, we started the day at the Loveless Café. Upon entry I scanned the joint for the promised “catheads”- aghast, they were not catheads, but more like fluffy little bunny butts. I slowed my breathing and said “give ‘em a chance Marshall ”. We were seated and immediately brought the plate of biscuits with the homemade jams of blackberry, peach and strawberry.
OH MY GOD! I won’t say who had how many biscuits, but we consumed at least 12 of the little suckers. Then came pancakes and eggs and country ham. I prefer the 2 eggs over easy with country ham and red eye gravy with a side of grits (which are then poured over the eggs and devoured immediately), oh yeah, I also got a side of sorghum syrup for my last biscuit. Filled up and rolling out, we were greeted by Mizz Fay (see photo)- she IS the maker of the magic bisucuts and the jams and has been at loveless for a coons age. She even taught Martha how to make the magic biscuits- on TV and everythin’.
I know this sounds ludicrous to b-line for a BBQ stand right after that kind of breakfast-but we had to. So off to Carl’s Perfect Pig, which was even more out of the way. This roadside joint was situated across the street from a cemetery that dated to 1850. I guess they figured if anyone killed over from too much Q they could just drag ‘em across the street. We opted for take out- the logical choice considering we were all still in biscuit comas. But there was a line out the door by the time we gathered our bags and koozies and headed back to the coach.

I should mention at this point- that today, we are starting to feel the ramifications for being confined to 150 square feet- together. Not to mention all of the blackberry jam that got consumed at breakfast- too much sugar no makey the marshalls nicey. Dad was on the brink, mom was on the brink, I was-of course- being the resident smarty britches, and T got to play nicey nice. I asked T to take co-pilot so that I wouldn’t have to be told what to do- where she promptly fell asleep on me- thanks co- snoozer. Amazingly, I think we all realized what we were doing to make the situation uncomfortable, adjusted our ‘tudes and pressed on. On to Murfreesboro , home of the slick pig.

Dun dun dun…..
All of a sudden the little coach that could didn’t wanna play anymore. Seemed like something in the fuel line. I was at the wheel, losing power, at the corner of Broad and Church, can I make it through the busy intersection without puttering out, can I turn this corner, can I make it somewhere safe. Gotta love God- we pulled into this empty parking lot, in front of a building that used to be the former Al-Anon and AA headquarters for town, and behind that was AC Automotive. Two young mechanics strolled out to see if they could be of service. T and I realized that it was going to be awhile before anything was resolved, so we thought, “what the heck, we should just go pick up the Slick Pig Q”. Back the beetle off and away we went.

So we were temporarily stranded, we had BBQ and a nice bottle of Italian Bardonlino Rose- we broke out tables and chairs beside the rv- while the grease monkeys slaved over hot engines and enjoyed our first Q for the day.

 

I will have to say, Carl’s Perfect Pig, is THE BEST Q we have had to date. Pulled pork, moist and inviting- needs no sauce, no bun, no slaw. Ribs, best character in flavor and texture. We were all clammering for the last bits of Carls, and when it was gone, we mourned. I’m sorry we had to put The Slick Pig up against Carl’s, it just wasn’t fair. But had we not stopped in Murfreesboro (who can even say that name outloud a few times without wanting to throw something- who the hell named this town), we would have broken down on the highway and been on some other completely different journey.
BTW, as I’m typing this, we are broken down on the side of the highway- waiting for the wrecker man to rescue us. We thought we were all fixed up, ready to go. Confidently we put Pola behind the wheel and pushed off towards Huntsville . Oh shit, putter putter. So here we are…waiting to see what’s next.

I should also mention that the ‘Booze’ part of the itinerary was to tour the Jack Daniel’s distillery- which is in the middle of nowhere TN, but happened to be on our way out of Murfreesboro . We were titterpated with the thought of a ‘whiskey’ tour. But that will have to wait for another day, maybe tomorrow perhaps, since we’ll be here anyway, and it still lies between us and Alabama .

Good night.

Jack’s BBQ: Located right in the heart of Nashville this BBQ establishment has a wealth of followers, proof of which adorns the walls throughout. The line up is cafeteria style, brisket, pulled pork, ribs, whatever your pleasure. It is here in downtown Nashville where I have tasted the most succulent beef brisket of our entire trip. The barbeque here is served dry, and even without the sauce this brisket reveals itself a star. Screw the sides this brisket is it! It has just the right amount of smokiness; the flesh has a tinge of pink. The meat is juicy, hearty and flavorful. Any of the six sauces nicely accompany this Nashville treat.

Like all great food genres BBQ is an evolution in progress, and we are here on the front lines bringing you the latest and greatest developments. One of those developments being the “white sauce”. We saw the first glimpse of this sauce at Ed Boudreaux’s Bayou BBQ and again here at Jack’s. The sauce is mayo based with BBQ spices and flavors. After some discussion we speculated this sauce is a natural offspring of the ranch dressing phenomenon that has plagued the culinary scene for some years now. While not my personal favorite we will keep you posted on the different applications we encounter.

Heavenly Pig: A referral from the owners of a very charming wine shop located in a newly emerging part of Nashville, this roadside stand is conveniently located to the diviest bar in Nashville …Springwater and across from a full size replica of the Parthenon. We chose to sample Heavenly Pig’s delicacies within viewing distance of the Parthenon and along side the resident shaved ice vendor. Why is there a full scale replica of the Parthenon you ask? Well it was originally built in the late 1800’s for the centennial celebration and the people of Nashville petitioned it to stay.

Today’s samples included pulled pork sandwich, rib sandwich, pulled turkey sandwich topped with “white sauce” and blackberry cobbler. I hate to report this but the pulled pork was again dry, as was the pulled turkey in a not so special white sauce, but the ribs were ok. This barbeque was again in the dry style and the sauces were nothing special. In retrospect we would have fared better to have feasted on our tidbits in the smoky dive bar of Springwater where colorful characters abound and the smoking ban in Tennessee seems to have escaped these premises.

Carl’s Perfect Pig: WoooHoooo Eurika we have found it ! Carl’s Perfect Pig is hands down the best BBQ. The pulled pork is succulent and tasty, the ribs are moist and delicious and the sauce has just the right amount of spice. The meat is the perfect combination of smoke and tenderness. Some of their sauce is already combined into the pulled pork which aids in retaining that fatty moisture that I love so. I have discovered that it is the pig fat that keeps the meat moist but for some reason there seems to be lack of fat on the portions of the pig we have consumed thus far, which accounts for the dry product we have found running rampant on our trip. Another potential culprit, not letting the pork rest long enough, pulling the pork off too early lets all the juices run out of the meat.

Another BBQ front line development, the corn cake. The corn cake has taken the place of corn bread which is probably an improvement since we have had some of the lamest cornbread ever. The corn cake looks like a pancake but tastes like cornbread. It’s kinda nice actually since it is simply a tasty corn treat that is less filling. Like anything can be ‘less’ filling in the south.

Slick Pig: What I enjoyed the most about the Slick Pig is how we ate this meal more than what we ate. In the spirit of the delightful setting we found ourselves in, the graveled space in front of the former AA Al-Anon gathering center, simply the perfect spot for our alfresco BBQ sampling. So up goes the table and camping chairs, a bottle of rose is opened and many styrofoam containers are brought out. Let the feasting begin. Local entertainment was provided by the two local mechanics repairing our RV, various auto part delivery men, and my personal favorite, an Al-Anon or AA member that forgot where the new gathering center had moved to and had to stop by repeatedly to evaluate the map posted on the front door. Only in America could this type of crazy circumstance occur, our unyielding dedication to this barbeque tour a shining beacon that cannot be broken.

I could live in Nashville . It’s colorful and young. It’s the old south embracing new conventions and new ideas- maybe music is a sufficient vehicle to move forward in. The whole day was ours to do with what we pleased. Terry insisted on making us breakfast- twist the arm. So we had delicious shrimp omelets with sausage- AS IF we haven’t consumed enough of the piggy- but we had been neglecting the sausage. Then, for morning dessert we had crepes with fresh peaches. Lawdy, it’s gonna be a good day.

I did research on some little neighborhoods in Nashville- I didn’t want to just hang out with the tourists. So on our way into Q stop #1 for the day, we drove to an area known as East Nashville-Five Points. This is one of those neighborhoods that is “up and coming”- with great little shops, cozy restaurants and earthy markets. Some places to note: Bongo Java East (coffee house that roasts it’s beans on site, organic and free trade- and if you don’t care about that , the coffee IS good). Around the corner and up the street is a VW bus turned weenie stand- “I dream of Weenie”- the only full service weenery in Nashville . Noteworthy new market that just opened up is called “The Turnip Truck”- which is a family joke in which my father has to always remind me that he did not fall off of one. Across the street from the market in an old bank (circa 1950s) is this groovy little wine store- Woodland Wine Merchant- Good design and good wine is mighty fine! The lovely couple in the shop gave us some alternatives for the Q- so we followed the locals advice and exchanged one pit for another.

We were also reminded that Hatch Print Show was in Nashville- and not 100 steps from where we had dinner last night.Eeeekkkk, I would have shot myself had I missed this. So we had to drop by there on our way back through town. Hatch is an old letterpress print shop that still prints, mainly, entertainment posters. Acuff, Patsy Cline, Willie, Cash- if they were playing in TN, then Hatch most likely printed the posters. We picked up a few prints and I daydreamed about how I could come back as an intern.

Something else to note about BBQ joints round here. They close early. That either means 3 o’clock or 7 o’clock- sometimes 6, sometimes 8, but that’s early don’t cha think.

Wine couple (I didn’t catch their names- sorry), suggested we go to a little dive joint- Hog Heaven- behind the McDonalds near Vanderbilt U. Sure enough, shack with screened porch, painted pig on the building was servin up some grub. Let me just interject by saying, I gave everyone an out on lunch- we didn’t have to do BBQ- mainly because the whining has begun- but they keep going back- they keep ordering the combo plates- as if the legacy of this trip depends on their perseverance. Anyway, we ordered the usual ribs, pork, slaw- but this time we ordered their specialty, which is smoked turkey with cheese and this special white sauce. We also opted for the blackberry cobbler. Apparently, KFC approached them last year to buy the recipe for this sauce- they said “nah”- which led me to believe that was a lie. Short and sweet of it, the turkey gig could have been done better- better bun, melt your cheese, keep your turkey tender- but the sauce was pretty good. The ribs were also very good. I’m telling ya when pork humbly falls off the bone in such a subservient way, who can resist.
After lunch, mom and T walked over to the park where there is a replica of the Parthenon. Dad and I walked over to Sweetwater, the dive bar attached to Hog Heaven. We figured we’d get more info from a barstool than a brochure. Luckily, happy hour starts at 2 o’clock at the Sweetwater, and the local flavor sitting at the bar were handy dandy pools of local knowledge. Nick and Steve appeared to be PBR drinkin worthless rednecks- but judging by appearance is so rude. We found all about where all the recording studios were around town, the good honky tonk bars, good museums vs. bad ones, and then the nugget came- “Oh, you have to go to Loveless Café for breakfast- you gonna be here in the morning?”. I’m thinking, we don’t need to drive 20 miles out of our way for breakfast. Then he said the magic word- the only prefix that can go in front of biscuit that would make me want to drive endlessly for breakfast- “cathead”- ah yeah. For those of you who don’t know what a cathead biscuit is, well it’s flat- mostly crust- and it’s as big round as a cat’s head- perfect vehicle for homemade jam and country ham. The other bonus to drving this far out of the way is that the other BBQ joint that was recommended is way the heck out there to- two birds- all before noon.

One other note: What the hell goes on with that part of my brain when I get in the south that says “go ahead eat whatever you want- it’s good, it’s all good”- that part of the brain that suddenly craves powdered gems and moon pies, Krystal burgers and cold beer, boiled peanuts and fried okra. I just don’t know, but it’s wrong.

Family nugget for the day: Mom bought one of those cute little swirly flag-a-ma-jiggies to put outside the RV- in case you can’t find your way back from your walk you can locate your motor home with a cute kitchy little colorful fluttering butterfly. Anyway, she was putting it together and dad was contemplating how he was going to get this stake in the ground. And he says…wait for it….

“you know that grounds gonna be harder than a weddin’ peter”

That's funny, I can't make this shit up.
Yeah, we’ve been lauging as much as we’ve been eating.

I have to go get the powdered sugar off my hands now, it’s cocktail hour.

Bye now!

Longest day of travel is today. Roan Mountain to Johnson City to Chuky to Knoxville to Nashville .

We stopped off in Chuky to visit with Bill and Nori Morgan- good friends of the ‘rents. They have property on an airstrip and are in the process of building a condo in the hangar so that they’ll have somewhere to live while they build the house- this is what retired people do- build things to live in while they are building other things. Can you people just retire- sit on the front porch and do nothing. geese.
The drive through this part of the Tennessee gave us peaks at Mennonite children playing hopscotch on the playground, hundred year old farmhouses (that mom wants to buy and turn into the B&B), barns with dried tobacco hanging within, and the strangest little wooden contraptions on the mailboxes that housed advertisements for God. One of the marquis at a church on the way out of Chuky said:

Pray for the

Troops Rain
Unconcerned

Hmmm.

We didn’t plan on stopping into Knoxville for Q, but Anne Refalovich (sorry if I botched the spelling A), is from ‘round these parts, and she suggested we may want to stop at Scruggs. Now this is the kind of joint you ain’t gonna find online with a fancy website, bottled bbq sauce and tshirts. This is the real McCoy. Mr John mans the house, while we found other business partner sitting in a booth reading the paper- that’d be Jim. Apparently they were tired of not having anything to eat- being in the business of educating and all- so they decided to open a BBQ joint about 33 years ago. I’m pretty sure most of the things in there are about this old as well, except for the video games which are probably only 27 years old- classic Pac Man. Oh yeah, the food (BTW, Terry is writing about food and such- just having a time posting it- coming soon). So, first of all we get settled in with some sweet tea. Mr. John says “it’s the best sweet tea in the ghetto”- that’s saying a lot- and it is some damn fine sweet tea. I think we consumed almost a gallon. At Scruggs we ordered the pulled pork, the beef sandwich, the chicken wings and the ribs. Ribs are sold by the bone- makes sense to me. My opinion, best pulled pork we’ve had since being on the road- good flavor, just fatty and salty enough. I also liked the ribs quite a bit. Just one ravenous look at the thing and the meat falls off the bone. The meat was sweet, smoky and pink- hey, that sounds like somebody I know.
The chicken wing is something that I feel is birthing into it’s own spotlight. We’ve had them ever since we left GA, and they seem to be a pretty decent staple. But these ain’t those little things you poke in your hole on Superbowl Sunday- these are some serious jumbo birds we’re talking about. Well Mr. John insisted that we tried his wings as well. We were surprised because they weren’t smoked or dredged in sauce and cooked- these were simply fried jumbo chicken wings. [Jimmy, this could have been part of the Fried Chicken Tour- oh yeah, we are also adding an addendum of Red Velvet Cake side tour]. These mother of fried chicken wings were juicy and delicious. Mr. John, try smoking some of them things and then doing your magic- that’d be something to try.
My cousin Neal took a reprieve out of building his own house to come over and hug our necks. Always good to see family if only for a hug.

On the road to Nashville ….

Arrived. Dialed in. Called the two nearest Q stands for a possible rendevous for dinner. One is only open until 3. The other is open until 8. It’s 7:25. We are on the other side of town. Hurry hurry get in the car, get get. In true Marshall fashion, and with the help of the turbo on the beetle and trusting the inner compass- we arrived at Jack’s BBQ at 7:48. Situated on Broadway among a few honky tonk bars- kind of like Lodo, but with more doo-rags and wranglers. Dad had been standing in line, so when we arrived we rushed to the front. This did not make weary hungry fat people happy. So we quickly ordered a combo plate- Pulled pork, ribs, beef, mac-n-cheese and green beans. I’m starting to realize that the secret to pulled pork is that it has to be part of something, it just can’t stand alone- it needs the buttery bun and the tangy sauce AND the slaw- that equals happiness. So once this epiphany occurred, I have been much more forgiving on the pork- I can’t say the same for T who’s idealistic view of the pulled piggy is rather lofty. The beef was outstanding- I’m pretty sure it got an eyebrow raise from T. Wines in Piedmont get a Tre Bichierre- BBQ in the south get an eyebrow raised- same same. And the ribs were delish. We can see that we’re geographically gravitating to the style in which I love- Dry rubbed and sweetly succulent. I’m pretty certain there was some cherry wood in the smoker and not just that pedestrian hickory. The green beans were ‘home’ for sure- flat, wide and loved by a ham hock. Terry says “Where do they get these?”, “Uh, right out of a can”. I think we all agreed this has been the best food overall, too bad we had to rush the experience.

We did manage to hit a souvenir stand tucked in between The Stage and The Orchid Blossom and we did manage to buy a belt buckle with mud flap girls on them- oh yeah. I had to forego the “Whiskey makes you frisky” wife beater- you can’t have everything.

After dinner, Tand I were standing outside discussing the nature of our burps.
“I haven’t belched once in the past 48 hours that didn’t have a smoky quality to it”

“Yeah, me neither”

And we’re only on day 3.

There were two rules for the trip. No religion. No politics.

Dad broke rank with a joke:

What’s the difference between a Methodist and a Baptist?

A: The Methodists will speak to each other in the liquor store

I think baby jesus would find that funny, don’t you?

9/29: Pig Pickin’s: Before we go any further lets add a bit of history to our tour of gluttony. Southern style barbeque as we know it consists mainly of pork for a few simple reasons. In the 19^th century pigs were low maintenance, inexpensive and could be released in the forest to graze on their own. Later, when food supplies were low the pigs were easily captured. These efforts of capture and slaughter were reason enough for celebration and gathering, also known as “pig pickin’s.”

The pulled pork technique, famous throughout the south, originated from rural slaves who were often given the less desirable parts of the pigs to consume. Southern slaves would cook these parts in a pit for hours at a time until tender. When the meat was finally done the slaves were so hungry they would pull the meat off the pit. (Thank you Wicapedia, I welcome any alternative and colorful theories you may have.)

N. Carolina style BBQ- There are many different kinds of “Q”, smoked,dry, pulled, dry rubbed just to name a few. What stands out however is the tenderness and flavor of the meat, the tangy sweet and spicyness of the sauce. BBQ in N. Carolina is characteristically dry- meaning the meat is cooked in absence of any sauce waiting suculantly to be dressed just moments before consumption. The challenge here is to create a tender and moist vehicle for sauce and slaw. The sauce is light consisting usually of cider vinegar, spices, sugar or honey. As a character builder hickory is used when cooking the meat which can add a distinctive blush color to the meat.

That said, the past two days have yielded some interesting results. The most surprising were the chicken wings. Full sized wings that were lightly smoked, deep fried and then seasoned. These were divine. While not traditional BBQ fare these wings had a delightful flavor and texture and a distinctive mouth feel that only comes from something fried.

Ed Boudreaux’s Bayou BBQ “ Gimmie some sauce”: The selection of sauces was well…staggering, 14 different selections to choose from. It almost seemed as though the proprietor was inspired by the daquiri bars in Louisiana . I figured Louisiana because of the prominently displayed mural of the owner in a jester costume ridding a bucking pig adorned with Mardi Grass beads. But I digress…We set out to taste all of these sauces while waiting for our succulent vehicles to arrive. Placeholders on notebook paper were used to keep the names straight and the sauces organized. Spicy along the top, next worcestershire and mustard based sauces, next the eclectically spicy and finally something sweet. At this point there were definite favorites, Texas 2-step a more tomato based selection, Memphis , a nicely integrated sauce spicy and sweet, Mole Poblano- notes of chocolate and cinnamon with some kick and Rebel uprising a mustard and Worshtershire combo. Then the meat arrived, racks of ribs mounds of pulled pork, chopped brisket and stacks of fried wings. Let the tasting begin. It was surprising how the sauces changed when paired with different meats. Also surprising, the more simple sauces were more distinctive.

Favorite pairings:

Ribs w/ Rebel Uprising: the smokiness of the pork ribs is a natural compliment for the tangy mustard flavors in this sauce.

Brisket w/ Rebel Uprising: This was also a good pairing but for different reasons. From what we could identify it seemed the brisket was cooked with a light wortershire mop which was enhanced by the sauce bring out a more robust flavor.

Pulled Pork w/ Memphis : I like a sweet tangy spice with my pork.

Fried wings w/ Ragin Cajun: The Cajun spicy punch from the sauce nicely complimented this crispy texture.

To sum it up the saucy gimmick was a fun way to explore their BBQ though the meats were not as succulent as I would have liked. The wings and brisket were clear winners but the ribs were a bit dry and the pulled pork was lacking.

The Woodlands Barbeque & Pickin Parlor: Sweet tea and fried sides abound at this little roadside destination in Blowing Rock N. Carolina. The short pork ribs were succulent little morsels that fell off the bone. There were three different sauces to choose from here, one sweet and caramel in appearance, the other was a heavily spiced vinegar and the third, the equivalent of Tabasco sauce. A nice balance was achieved by combining the sweet with the spicy which went well with the ribs. The other tasty morsels were the chicken wings and the brisket. Unfortunately the sides here were a perfect example of trying to be all things to all people. Many of the sides were lacking….and nothing really stood out as exceptional. Still in search of a pulled pork favorite.

Scrubbs Barbeque; Knoxville Tennessee : The setting of this barbeque destination is exceptionally colorful, enhanced only by the adjacent package store. The atmosphere of Scrubs is one where time stood still but the plants kept growing. Pickled pigs feet adorn the front counter and ribs are sold by the number of bones you can consume. Even though many things (bathrooms and video games) carried hand written “out of order” labels what was in order was the pulled pork and ribs. Finally some pulled pork that was indeed tasty even though it was smashed between a bun that looked like it had a former life as a butt cushion. The ribs were just smoky enough and very tender. While they weren’t my personal favorite they were pretty good and brought out some definite baking spice qualities in the BBQ sauce. The sauces came in three different levels of heat although they all seemed to taste the same. The BBQ sauce was very similar to those generic sauces right out of the bottle very different from the vinegar based sauces we have been experiencing lately. One of my very favorite sides to date we had here…the fried green tomatoes. They were in a cornbread batter and cooked to just right…very crispy and golden brown. I think this is the closest I will get to a vegetable for the next four days…..