June 16, 2009

Goings On

Big Apple Barbecue

Every June, the barbecue trail stretches to an unlikely setting: Madison Square Park in the heart of New York City. This past weekend, fifteen of the nation's finest pitmasters gathered for the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, a de facto celebration of the South. But we couldn’t help wondering, does New York really know how to throw a BBQ party? So we sent a roving, hungry reporter to check it out. Sadly, he ate all the leftovers on his way home, but he did bring us back this photographic journal.

For starters, the city sure knows how to put together a guest list, even if most of its inhabitants don’t know that barbecue is a noun. Big Bob Gibson's Chris Lilly was there, dishing out his mouth-watering pork shoulder and crisp, spicy Southern mustard coleslaw while Patrick Martin, of Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint, served up his western Tennessee-style whole hog with sweet pickles. And, of course, BBQ impresario Jimmy Hagood was on hand with his pulled pork and BlackJack sauce. Partygoers grazed on everything from beef brisket and baby back ribs to pimiento cheese and cracklings, leaving Southern ex-pats yearning for home. And Northerners whistling Dixie.

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• VIEW a slideshow of the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party
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