South Carolina A to Z and mountains to sea

New Book! South Carolina A to Z and mountains to sea: "‘THE PEOPLE’S BOOK’

But what about here and now? Will you read the South Carolina Encyclopedia and finally understand South Carolina?
Clark says, “The encyclopedia shows the tremendous richness, the longevity of South Carolina, how far back it goes, how important it has been.”
Akers says, “It’s a comprehensive story of South Carolina told by those who love South Carolina. Walter likes to say, ‘It’s the people’s book.’”
Edgar himself says, “This is South Carolina from the mountains to the sea. It’s designed for everybody’s use.”
Downey laughs at the very idea. “South Carolina is a mystery wrapped in an enigma,” he says.
Served with mustard barbecue (page 48), a side of okra (page 681), a swig of Blenheim ginger ale (page 80) on a rain porch (page 771)."
SC / South Carolina / Blenheim Ginger Ale

My new baby....

I bought a new Brinkmann heavy duty vertical charcoal/wood smoker the other day to replace my ancient Brinkmann bullet-style one. It was a sharp end-of-season deal at the local Wal-Mart. In spite of chomping at the bit to use it right out of the box, I had to spend several hours curing it according to directions.
The grills, water pan, and charcoal pan all slide out the huge access door without tipping, so access is much better than reaching down inside a tube. The construction is study, and the thermometer seems very accurate.
My first use was this past Saturday with a rack of ribs. As some may know, I have used sand in the water pan, so it's a 'set it and forget it' kind of thing. I added thermal mass with a pan of lava rocks over the coals, and this made the temperature almost rock solid even after opening the smoker to add fuel. I used a mix of mostly hickory wood with a little mesquite and apple added to my 50/50 mix of charcoal briquettes and lump charcoal.
They came out smoky, flavorful, and certainly done enough, but not tender. I made a rookie temperature mistake that I will adjust upward next time. This fall, the smell of decaying leaves in my neighborhood will be augmented with the addictive aroma of hickory and smoking meat. This and football make it my favorite time of year.

BBQ / Barbecue / Barbecue Ribs

Talk like a pirate...or else!

It's a little over a week until that one event that inspires more folk to act like a pirate than any other, recent Pirates of the Caribbean movies excepted. Talk like a Pirate Day (which is always on September 19th) has grown in recent years to include parties, songs, and even ringtones. I'm sure the creators, John Baur and Mark Summers, had no idea it would create such a stir.
My own contribution to pirate-speak comes through the word drivelswigger, which I created with my tongue in my pirate cheek on my new website several years ago to have a fun way to track the indexing of my content. Despite claims to the contrary, it's only a joke intended to keep you from getting too serious about all this pirate stuff.
More than two full weeks removed from Labor Day, you need a frivolous holiday on which to wear an eye patch, shoot cannons, and yell, "Arrrr!" and "Avast!!". There's no better time to release your inner pirate.
Talk Like a Pirate

Sonny's BBQ

Sonny's BBQ: I recently ate at a great BBQ joint in Concord, NC (Go, NASCAR!) called Sonny's BBQ. My wife pushed me to have all-you-can-eat ribs for the first time. I was always hesitant before, thinking I could not justify mass consumption. I can say it was well worth it! The ribs had great smoke ring, flavor, and sauces to accompany. Hoo-wee!

"Today, Sonny's is the largest Bar-B-Q chain in America with more than 150 restaurants operating in nine Southeastern states: Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
And Sonny's is still growing. Thanks to the vision of Sonny and Lucille Tillman, Sonny's is well on its way to becoming one of the premier restaurants, of any type, in the country. Their dreams continue today. After almost 40 years, it's still about 'Feel Good Bar-B-Q'."
BBQ / Barbecue / Barbecue Ribs