Something about BBQ

I promise to finish Milan, but I had to get this little blog typed up.

I love the South!  I really, really love the South.  I love the sights, the sounds, and the smells of the South.  I love the genuine quality of the people, their warm and welcoming nature, their hospitality, their traditions, their stories, and their food!  Maybe I'm biased having been born in the South and being raised with Southern values and mannerisms.  I could go on and on about the South, but as I say in most of my writings, this is about the food.

One thing that Southerners know, is BBQ.  I've had my share in the various places I've visited, and most of my experiences have been great!  I've even found a few places here in Illinois that have been able to pull off a good BBQ.  My first foray into Illinois BBQ was when I left for college in Champaign.  There I was introduced to Li'l Porgy's, and as I type this I can smell it.  Hickory smoked BBQ was their game.  This was a place that had no white table clothes and silver ware.  Nope, this was BBQ, serious BBQ.  The rib tips were fall apart tender, with half and half sauce, and served over a bed of french fries!  This did not suck at all!  And the staff were fall down friendly and always had jokes.  I know, what does Champaign, IL have to do with Southerners?  I'm getting there, be patient!  Here in Chicago, with the influx of Southerners coming north, and chefs experimenting with BBQ, we have our share of great places here as well.  Of course, some are a little more "upscale" than others, but that does nothing to the taste, most are all on the level and fantastic.  And the one thing you notice about people that own BBQ restaurants, they are all happy.  I think that's the Southern influence.  So, here in Chicago, my first experience was at Fat Willy's Rib Shack.  Now, sadly, I don't remember what I had, because it's been a few years and it was prior to my photographing everything that I eat, everything that I want to remember anyway.  I do remember it being a great experience and always wanting to go back, but not having the chance.  The other memorable experience with Chicago BBQ was recently, in Bucktown at a new place called Lillie's Q.  The smells that came into the dining area were mild and pleasant, not an overpowering smokey smell, which is nice.  You don't walk out of Lillie's smelling like you were the one in the smoker.  Chef Charlie McKenna is a BBQ award winning chef, that was taught proper Southern cooking at his Grandmother's home in Greenville, South Carolina.  With that little tidbit of info, I will just leave you with a few photos and my advice.  You come to Chicago, you go to Lillie's Q!  Hop on the Blue line to Bucktown, take a cab to Bucktown, and if need be walk, run, or crawl to Bucktown because the combination of BBQ, their great selection of craft beer, and their mason jar cocktails will make you want to stay all day and well into the night!  Now, enjoy some photos of house made hushpuppies, Virginia style pulled pork sandwich, and banana pudding.

My next stop for BBQ is Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  First off, I have to tell you I love Alabama!  The people that I've met from Tuscaloosa, Eoline, and Centreville have been incredible!!!  Working with Rebuild Tuscaloosa and the founders has been a soul soothing experience.  And it was one person from Rebuild that introduced me to Dreamland BBQ!  I had photos and I can't find them and that makes me sad.  The spread we had was overwhelming.  I think we had almost everything from the menu, down to the banana pudding.  Do you see a trend with banana pudding here?  The service, hospitality, and the food here will make you weep.  In fact, you will weep BBQ sauce!  The Sweet Tea, for the love of everything holy will make you run outside, stop traffic, pull people out of their cars, and drag them inside.  John "Big Daddy" Bishop knew what he was doing, and his chair still holds his spirit and that flows through the restaurant and you can feel it when you walk in.  I do wish I had photos, but all I have are memories and I can still taste that BBQ!  Thank you Linda!!

My final stop on this quick BBQ adventure, Nashville!  I've been to a few places in Nashville that have good BBQ, all with their own style.  Hog Heaven and their White BBQ sauce and outdoor seating and Zapps chips.  Judge Bean's with their everything smoked menu.  And I mean everything.  Their food had a unique smokey flavor.  Everything from their Brisket, down to their Hamburger, Guacamole, and Salsa!  I've never been disappointed walking into Judge Beans.  And my most recent BBQ stop in Nashville was Edley's BBQ!  Once again, walking into Edley's, you are not smoked out by that intense interior smoker.  It's a pleasant and warm atmosphere, friendly staff, and great food.  The great thing, they are also using seasonal ingredients in the mix.  Fortunately, when we went, Peaches, being in season were also being used in various forms, and that did not suck!  We started out with spicy Bloody Mary's, after all, it was brunch time.  The bartender, I wish I could remember her name was imaginative and chatty and that makes for a great bartender!  She whipped up a couple of spicy bloodies and had made her own spice mix to rim the glass with.  Perfect!  And for the table we ordered the BBQ Nachos, one with Brisket and the other with chicken, first two photos.  Awesome!!!  Served on house made chips, with tomato, cilantro, sour cream, and what tasted like a peach based BBQ sauce.  Those were meals in themselves!  Then I ordered the Georgia Sweet Brown, final photo.  A smoked, pulled pork sandwich, topped with sliced fresh peaches.  The peaches were fresh and so, so sweet!  One thing did make me wonder though.  If the peaches had a touch of the grill on them, how much would that flavor profile change?  It was a good sandwich, but, I would consider the grilling process for the peaches, just to concentrate the sugars and keep the sandwich hot.  But, keep that thinking up, using seasonal ingredients in the mix, because that really keeps a place like Edley's on the map!!!

Now go, find your own BBQ haven and tell me about it!  Please, then visit one of or all of the places I've suggested, you'll never want to leave!

Ciao Ciao!!