Sassy Sows

The Sassys have missed the last 2 BBQ contests and now we are down to our last one - yep, our last chance to win a spot in the MBN championship contest next June. This weekend we will be going to Oxford (yes, I said Oxford) to compete. I'm not sure who all will be there but I'm sure it will be some fierce comeptition. Keep your fingers crossed for us. Stay tuned - results will follow next week.

Octoberfest

I started this post on Oct. 16 and here it is Oct. 23 and I'm just now getting back to it. Since I've taken so long to write about it I have decided to just give you the short version - Kay & I went up there Friday morning and ended up staying until Sunday. We had a great time - the weather was perfect for being outside and the contest was a big success with 10 MBN teams and 38 patio teams. The contest winners are as follows: 1st place Hog Ubon's; 1st place shoulder Red Hot Smokers; 1st place ribs Ghost River Smoke-a-holics - Grand Champion was Ubon's. Congratulations to all these fine teams - again I say, job well done!

There are a couple of photos from the contest that I just couldn't resist sharing. (We don't call this blog Torture & Bliss for nothing - you figure it out)

And this my friends is Ronnie Hamilton - the only man I know that wears a gold plated rib bone around his neck. The story is that this rib came from his hog that he won with in Memphis. Alan, this photo is for you - if you had been in Cleveland you could have met Ronnie and heard the story first hand.

More BBQ

Last weekend was the BBQ contest at The Chapel of The Cross. They have had the Day in the Country festival for several years and 7 years ago they added the BBQ contest. There were 10 teams participating this year - just to name a few Ubon's, Diamond D, Steve's Magnificent, Fireman John's, Dr. Swinestein, and Barnyard. There were also arts and crafts booths there. Barnyard won Grand Champion and because they had already done this the pass down went to Diamond D's. Congratulations to all the teams that placed and to the winners - job well done! I hate that The Sassy Sows were not there participating but I certainly enjoyed getting to judge. If you have never been to this festival I strongly encourage you to check it out next year.



This weekend there is a BBQ contest in Cleveland, MS. I will be collecting Baby Kay in the morning and we'll buzz on up thru the Delta. This contest has been one of our favorites for years. The official name of it is Octoberfest. They will have live music on Friday night and arts/crafts on Saturday. While there I will also get a chance to run over to McCarty and purchase myself some new pottery. I'll have photos and stories of our adventure posted next week so check back in. In the meantime, have youself a good weekend!

Vidalia cont'd.

I left a couple of things off of the Vidalia write up that were just plain worth having their own mention. I have to tell just how inventive the group at Ubon's is. I think I'll start off with Jacob, the littlest Ubon (Leslie & Doc's son). I found him sitting on a cooler with the most intense look on his face stiring a "pot" of something. When I inquired as to what his recipe was I was informed that it was some type of "soup". I told him that it "must be documented" (I learned that from Beeve and Bradley) so off the cooler he came and here is he proudly displaying his
"soup". I see a BBQ chef in the making!

On Friday night before Dr. Father Vivian's birthday bash started I noticed that there was a new addition to the Ubon's site located just outside the fence. I am not quite sure if Beeve invented this on his own or if he had help. Anyway, here are his 2 precious daughters, Erin & Claire demonstrating the proper usage of this new addition. I'm not sure that they made any money off of it but it was quite creative.

And you really could see 2 states and a casino!

Cudos to Ubon's for creativity!

Vidalia

This past weekend was the Jim Bowie Festival in Vidalia, LA. The Sassy Sows were the reigning champions of the BBQ contest -in fact we have won the past 2 years. We went down there with great anticipation - could we pull off a Three-peat??? We got there Friday morning and began setting up our area and prepping our ribs.

The weather was perfect - light little breeze blowing, sun shining and we did not have many love bugs to deal with. By late afternoon we had our area all decorated, the ribs were safely tucked in for the night and we were ready to relax for a while.

Brian (aka Beeve) had a surprise b'day party planned for Dr. Father Vivian down at Ubon's site Friday night. The Sassys had not one but TWO cakes hidden safely in the coach (courtesy of Baby Kay and Becky, Egg Roll's wife). Egg Roll (aka Bob) and Dale were busy cooking none other than egg rolls and sweet potatoe fries for our dining pleasure and as usual, they were both delicious (thanks guys!) We had a "ride about parade" prior to the birthday

celebration. Now this did not compare to the grocery cart parade we had in Memphis but it was still fun. As soon as the parade was over the girls (Erin & Claire) got the banner that Baby Kay made and walked around the area where the cooking teams were to round everybody up and then we wished Dr. Father Vivian a BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

After this it was time to go home, rest up and get ready for the big day on Saturday.

Now, back to The Sassy Sows - we were expecting great things from our ribs that day. The color was perfect, the flavor was perfect and the tenderness was perfect. I must apologize for not having a photo of the finished product but I was too busy to stop and take one and my "official photographer" Baby Kay was busy judging. Come to find out we did not make finals but after all was said and done we came in 4th which is not bad considering the competition that was there. I have to congratulate Ubon's for taking the #1 spot in whole hog - Beeve, job well done, hog was wonderful!!!

Also, congratulations is due to Mark and 10 Bone team for taking the #1 spot in shoulder and ribs - we apparently didn't take Mark thru the drive-thru liquor store enough (and that is a private joke)! Here's the Grand Champion photo - we are very proud for you I can not end this post without showing you a photo of the winning tropical drink done by our friends at Diamond D from Newton, MS. The name of the drink is the Blue Sunomi and here it is - Tracy outdid herself this year by adding the goldfish - I would love to come up with a drink to compete with her next year but I'm not sure that I can get this creative - I'm taking any suggestions that you readers want to contribute. Her father-in-law Mike came up with the actual drink recipe and he said that there is nothing in any bartender guide that duplicates it so it is a one of a kind. Tracy was kind enough to give me the recipe so we can have this any time we want but we will never enter it in any contest - EVER!

Congratulations again to all my friends - hopefully we will all be competing against each other soon. And many thanks to Donna, Regina & Findley and their helpers for taking on the job of orgainzing the contest and taking such good care of the teams and judges - we appreciate your efforts more than you will ever know.

BBQing

Kay & Darell, wimped out on me Friday morning and did not come over for the BBQ. I had good intentions of going Friday evening but I got sidetracked and didn't make it. I did, however, go check it out Saturday afternoon and boy am I glad I did! Our friends, Ubon's, won Grand Champion. This was their first time to cook in a KCBS (Kansas City BBQ Society) contest so to get Grand was quite an acomplishment. We are so proud for them. I just hope this doesn't mean that they are "crossing over".
In true Ubon's fashion we got to see the famous (or shall I say infamous??) X-Man. Check him out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8whE27DJnc, it is definitely worth your time.
Sorry, Beeve, it just had to be documented (thanks to Doc & Leslie for the video).