Saturday, June 13, 2009
Win a Cooler and Barbecue Sauce Ingredients to Make Mug Root Beer BBQ Sauce
Surprise you Dad on Father's Day (2009) with a great free gift to five (5) lucky winners at the
Barbecue Master blog.
Just leave a comment and some way to get in touch if you win. Very simple.
On Father's Day, the winners will be selected for the soft sided cooler, apron, and all the ingredients to make a great root beer BBQ sauce from Mug Beer.
The recipe for the sauce is at
Mug Root Beer (click on recipes), but it's fun to get a free gift and a cooler that you'll enjoy for a long time to come.
Labels: free barbecue sauce fixings, win barbecue gift
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Domino's Video PR Mess - Not Funny at All
If you haven't seen the Domino's Pizza video fiasco online (April 2009), then it's just as well. The whole thing is just WRONG. The guys who put that together and damaged the reputation of a company that has a good name should be ashamed as well as being arrested as they have been.
The basic story is that a couple of guys thought it would be funny to play around with the food in a Dominos kitchen and then post that on YouTube. They did things that you can only hope and pray never happen to your food before it lands on your plate or is delivered to your door. They claim that it was all a joke, but who knows . . .
Social networking sites quickly picked up the footage, and then it made the evening news for a total gross out.
Personally I am standing behind and sticking with Dominos. They always had pizza priced low and delivered quick when I was in college at NC State in Raleigh. I advise for a college newspaper in Salisbury, NC now, and Dominos of Salisbury has advertised with us for a decade. We know the people that work at Dominos, and they could not be nicer or more professional.
I feel really bad for everyone associated with Dominos. These are tough economic times, and no company needs stupid jerks tarnising a company and all those that depend on the income from honest work.
Labels: bad pr dominos, dominos pizza, dominos pizza video
Sunday, November 02, 2008
My Brother Made My Seven Layer Dip
My brother is a computer person (works for a large software company) - not a cook. Actually, he did cook (and very well) when he was younger, but he just eats out now. Quicker. Easier.
When I got an email asking if refried beans in a can were the same as bean dip, I thought he was checking out my web pages. He checks them out from time to time, and he would be a fabulous copyeditor if he had an interest in that. He doesn't. But, he does help me look good and catches my typos.
My other brother mentioned that the older was having a party, so then I thought, "Hum. Maybe he is making Seven Layer Dip." I emailed, and sure enough, that's what he was doing. I guess he got tempted when reading my recipe, or maybe it was the photo.
He had some problems finding the bean dip. That's usually with the chips along with salsas and so on. It is fine to use refried beans from a can though. For a little more zip like the dip, just stir in some taco seasoning or hot sauce. That's not critical though. The layers have flavor, so plain refried beans work.
I updated my
Seven Layer Dip recipe and added the notes about the refried beans. That's the great thing about getting feedback. I can add details that folks may need or want.
Also, if anyone is wondering about the Tupperware container (see photo above). It's the size and shape of a pie pan (9 inch) but is acrylic and has a snap on lid. I really like that piece a lot and use it often. Mine is in burgandy, so it looks festive and really showcases the dip. I got that off Ebay. I'm not sure if they still make that model, and the colors do change. I wanted to match a serving piece I had in burgandy.
Sometimes I make Seven Layer Dip in a Pyrex clear pie baking dish. That works well too. It doesn't have a lid, so I just use Saran Wrap for the cover.
Labels: great recipe, seven layer dip, seven layer dip recipe
Monday, October 27, 2008
McCain Palin win Statesville NC Pumpkin Chuckin' Contest
Here are how the winning presidential pumpkins looked like after having been catapulted and landing in a wet field atop a landfill. The Palin and McCain pumpkins never splatterd, but did get somewhat bruised. Unlike the stage makeup, the Palin lipstick never ran.
This story really made me laugh . . .My friend Greta works with event promotions in North Carolina. Generally, it's festivals and that sort of thing which are right up my alley as a food writer.
This week Greta was working with the great Pumpkin Chuckin' contest in Statesville, North Carolina. Now, this is definately a new twist on pumpkin fun. I really wanted to go, but I had to work. Ah well, I enjoyed hearing from Greta about what was going on down the road while I was at work.
Here's the press release if you want to hear all about the Pumpkin Chunkin' election contest.
Pumpkin Chunkin’ Exit Poll Predicts Presidential Winner;
80 Percent Accurate in 2004 STATESVILLE, NC – According to the pumpkins, the McCain/Palin presidential ticket will land the White House.
That prediction was determined during The Great Heads of Statesville Exit Poll in Statesville, North Carolina on Friday, October 24. Pie pumpkins, weighing 3 pounds each, were catapulted from a trebuchet. Official pumpkin chunkin’ rules were used to determine the scores.
Distances were added together for the presidential contests. Senator John McCain’s pumpkin spun to the right and bounced 81 yards from the catapult, while Governor Sarah Palin’s red lipstick-clad pumpkin initially veered to the left, but pulled back to the right before landing 85 yards.
On the Democratic side, both pumpkins stayed true to the left. The Senator Barack Obama pumpkin flew 79 yards, while Senator Joe Biden’s gourd sailed 83 yards.
The total distance was 166 yards for the Republican ticket and 162 for the Democrat.
In the North Carolina bid for the US Senate seat, the pumpkin for Kay Hagan (D) aimed for the left while it soundly defeated incumbent Elizabeth Dole (R) 85-79 yards, whose pumpkin leaded to the right.
The pumpkins reinforced that the gubnatorial race between Lt. Governor Beverly Perdue (D) and Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory (R) is a toss-up. Both pumpkins were hurled 86 yards, meaning a run-off is be needed. Like the senatorial race, the gubnatorial pumpkins stayed true to their respective party lines.
The contest was scheduled to include other races, but heavy rains caused the process to end.
In reviewing the presidential contest, organizers felt a lot of emphasis is being put on the vice-presidential candidates. “Judging by the differences in the distance,” said Greta Lint, “I feel the majority of voters are paying attention to 2012, They want to see how Biden and Palin will tackle challenges.”
The trebuchets were designed and constructed by physics and mechanical engineering students at Mitchell Community College. Artwork on the pumpkins was provided by 7th and 8th graders at the American Renaissance Charter School in Statesville.
The Great Heads of Statesville Exit Poll was actually a media preview for the Crossroads Pumpkin Fest to be held in Statesville on Saturday, November 1. The festival will include a pumpkin chunking competition from 8:30-10:30 a.m. during which the McCrory/Perdue race will be predicted. A street festival with pie-eating, pumpkin smashing and pumpkin bowling contests will be held throughout the day in downtown Statesville. For more information on that event, call 877-531-1819 or log onto www.statesvillepumpkinfest.com.
For more information about the media preview, log onto
Greta's blog or call the media preview event organizers Greta Lint and Joel Leonard at 336-626-0527.
Labels: Greats Heads of Statesville, Greta Lint, Joel Leonard, McCain, Palin, pumpkin chuckin' contest
Monday, October 13, 2008
Thinking About Snacks and Appetizers for the Holidays
Homemade Chex Party MixI picked up the ingredients for
Chex Party Mix today while I was getting perscriptions for my son. He's home sick, and the temperature has dropped (though was hot by mid day). It seemed very fall-ish today, and appetizers were on my mind. I always enjoy the finger foods over the holidays and make a lot of old favorites as well as trying out new recipes each holiday season.
This morning I collected my best
Lit'l Smokie recipes and got those together in a collection. Whew. There are so many ways to cook Little Smokies, it was hard to stop writing. I may have to work up a second collection.
Even though my cholesterol is up for this year, I'll have a treat with
Bisquick Sausage Balls. I wish I didn't love those, but I do. I'll plan to have sausage balls only once a year and really enjoy the heck out of them.
Fortunately, I do love fresh vegetables. I keep those on hand for nibbling. Then I can enjoy some of the sinful favorites without making a total pig of myself.
Labels: appetizers, bisquick sausage balls, Chex Party mix, holiday season, sausage balls
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Lexington NC Barbecue Festival Press Release Shared by Greta
Country Stars, Racing Pigs and Fireworks Highlight Barbecue Festival LEXINGTON, NC – Country music singers Lee Ann Womack, Adam Gregory, Randy Houser and Jamie Johnson will be the featured WTQR Guitar Pull entertainers during the 25th Annual Barbecue Festival on Saturday, October 25. Womack, the recipient of 19 nominations and 17 awards, and the others will take center stage on the Square at 1:30 p.m.
The WTQR Guitar Pull will be followed by the fun-loving five-member country group, The Lost Trailers.
Held in historic Uptown Lexington from 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m., the Barbecue Festival will feature juried arts and crafts vendors, roving entertainers, a lumberjack sports competition, pig races, bicycle stunt shows, whimsical pig sculptures, festival food, beer tent, children’s activities, a 50-ton sand sculpture, 32-foot climbing wall, and 6 stages of music – Latin, beach, swing/jazz, gospel, children’s and rock ‘n roll and more. Eddie Miles, Chairmen of the Board and The Bahama Mamas are some of the scheduled acts.
Streets will close at 6 p.m. Then at 7:30 p.m., the area between Second and Third avenues will re-open with lots of music – concluding with the 25th Anniversary Grand Finale - a spectacular fireworks extravaganza at 9 p.m.
All street festival events are free.
Country music fans can anticipate a special treat.
Living in Alberta, Canada, Adam Gregory was just 13 years old when he signed a record deal with Sony Canada. Ten years later, his song “Crazy Days” is reaching country fans across the United States. His first appearance in this country will be at the Barbecue Festival.
Jamie Johnson is known for “The Dollar” and “In Color” and co-writer of “Give It Away,” recorded by George Strait. Country fans will recognize Randy Houser for his ballad, “Anything Goes.” Trace Adkins recorded Houser’s song, “Honky Tonk Bandonkadonk.”
The Barbecue Festival continually receives accolades and prestige. It has repeatedly been recognized by the Southeast Tourism Society as one of the Top Ten Festivals in the Southeast. It has been included in the book, 1,000 Places to See in the U.S.A. and Canada Before You Die. USA TODAY recognized the Barbecue Festival as "One of Ten Great Places to Celebrate Food." And the prestigious Travel & Leisure Magazine claimed the event as "One of the Top Ten Food Festivals in the U.S.A.”
Barbecue tents will open at 10 a.m. serving chopped pork shoulders, red barbecue slaw and hush puppies all day long to thousands of people. “The barbecue is the reason the festival exists,” explains Stephanie K. Saintsing, festival director. “After Joe Sink, who was the publisher of our local newspaper, The Dispatch, and BB&T bank officials formed the festival as a means of recognizing our world-famous barbecue, they hired my late mother, Kay Saintsing, to coordinate and promote it. More than a million people have attended since – by car, plane and train.”
Amtrak will be providing a one-day stop in Lexington to riders from Charlotte and Raleigh. Tickets are available by calling 800-872-7245.
Organizers have established remote parking areas and a shuttle transportation service to accommodate festival goers from the Wal-Mart Super Center parking lot off of I-85 Exit 91, Childress Vineyards on US Hwy. 64 and the Davidson County governmental complex on North Main Street in Lexington. Round trip tickets will be $2 per person and free for children 12 and under.
Lexington potter Clyde Gobble will be autographing the official Barbecue Festival mug from 9-11 a.m. at the souvenir tent. Bob Timberlake, who created the bottle label artwork for Richard Childress Fine Swine Wine, will be signing bottles at the Childress Winery tent from 9-10 a.m. Both tents will be located on the Square.
Nickelodeon character SpongeBob SquarePants will make special appearances at 10 a.m., noon, 2 and 4 p.m. at the Barbecue Carnival, a family-oriented area with children’s games, music and activities. It will be located on South Main Street between Second and Fourth avenues.
The Barbecue Carnival will include the Barbecue Festival Chop Shop, a competition featuring some of the best lumberjacks in the world. The final round will be held at 4 p.m. The craftsmen’s finely-tuned skills of sawing, chopping and cutting wood are spectacular.
And at that same location crowds will find the Barbecue Festival Hogway Speedway- with specially bred and trained pigs to town to race around an oval track. The racing pigs have been a festival hit throughout the years. The determined little pigs take their racing seriously!
Members of the Furnitureland Antique Automobile Club are planning to bring a mix of antique, classic and street rod cars to fill the parking lot at Davidson Funeral Home.
Visitor amenities will be available throughout the day. A baby-changing station will be set up in the Barbecue Carnival. A parking lot reserved for vehicles with handicapped permits will be located off of State Street, which runs parallel with Main Street. Restrooms for visitors with disabilities will be located in the parking lot and other designated restroom areas throughout the festival.
Lexington is located 20 miles south of Winston-Salem off US Hwy. 52, 45 miles north of Charlotte and 30 miles south of Greensboro off I-85. For more information, log onto www.barbecuefestival.com or call 336-956-1880.
Labels: barbecue carnival, barbecue grill, Lexington NC Barbecue Festival, nc festival
Sunday, September 07, 2008
Food Buzz - Foodie Community Site Kind of Like My Space
I found that my
Barbecue Master blog had been added at a new online foodie community called
Food Buzz. This wasn't a case where they were snagging my work. They simply added a feed so that others could read about outdoor grilling. Good deal!
While I was over at Food Buzz, I decided to poke around a bit and figure out what kind of space had gone up. I'm the curious type. I will even read the back of the toothpaste tube or the fine print on kidney beans.
Food Buzz is kind of like My Space or FaceBook, but the members are all foodies. The range is from gourmet chefs to hockey moms to folks who do one certain type of food. They also have people interested in beverages and spirits. Quite a mix. People from all over the world.
I signed up for Food Buzz and have been enjoying seeing the various food blog feeds as well as restaurant reviews, news, and photos that members paste up. There were even a couple of familiar faces there from other places I play online. Mostly though I found a whole new group of people interested in cooking, baking, and eating.
It does appear that most members of Food Buzz do have blogs, but that's not required. Anyone can join and can post recipes, photos, restaurant reviews, and news. If you are a food blogger, you can paste in the feed, and the new posts go up automatically.
The space has chalkboards where you can leave messages. No email yet to let you know when someone responds. They also have some foodie forums, but those are really hard to find at the moment. The site is new and in beta meaning they are still working on it. Food Buzz is building fast though, so it's not like walking around in an empty department store. There's plenty to do and do and lots of people with varied cooking and food interests.
If you like reading about food or if you like talking about food/cooking, then check out Food Buzz. I'm not big on general web social sites, but I do like one where everyone has a common bond. It's nice to find a community of friendly foodies.
Labels: food buzz, foodie community, foodie forums, foodies, web social site
