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Twelve Bones BBQ on South Congress Ave. run by Marcos is a great place to get a little BBQ and relax. Across from St. Edwards.
One of my recent checkouts from the library. This book is a fantastic read. Lots of great recipes and advice on how to make your next pork related meal top notch
Here is the trip route, covering around 3,300 miles over 16 states, traveled in 5 days.
If you're thinking about doing your own coast-to-coast / Route 66 road trip or if you want to learn more about the places I visited during my trip, here is some info that might be helpful.
Itinerary
Day 1: Santa Monica, CA - Los Angeles, CA - Monterey Park, CA - Oatman, AZ, - Cool Springs, AZ - Seligman, AZ - Holbrook, AZ
Day 2: Holbrook, AZ - Santa Fe, NM - Tucumcari, NM - Amarillo, TX - Chandler, OK
Day 3: Chandler, OK - Catoosa, OK - Vinita, OK - Galena, KS - Saint Louis, MO - Springfield, IL - Wheeling, IL
Day 4: Wheeling, IL - Chicago, IL - Maumee, OH - Pittsburgh, PA - Ashburn, VA
Day 5: Ashburn, VA - Brooklyn, NY - New York, NY
Memorable experiences
Driving through the old US Route 66 in Arizona between Oatman and Cool Springs. The drive through the winding, mountain road, really illustrates what it might have been like to travel before the Interstate roads existed. It takes longer to get to the destination, but the journey becomes more than just simply getting from point A to point B. If you've seen the movie Cars, basically that's the theme of the story: enjoy the journey of life; not just focusing on the destination.
Unexpected experiences
Conversation with pitmaster at Smoki-O's. We wanted to have some BBQ in St. Louis, so after researching on the Internet using Yelp and Trip Advisor, we picked Smoki-O's given the great reviews it had and its close location to the Arch that we wanted to visit. We got there mid afternoon; lunch hour rush was over and it was pretty slow at the restaurant. The lady who owned the place took our order, then after waiting for few minutes, our food was served. While we were eating, a gentleman came over and greet us; turned out he was the pitmaster. He was very friendly, and after finding out that we're heading to NYC, he mentioned that few years back he went to NYC to represent St. Louis style BBQ in a BBQ festival at Union Square in NYC. It happened that my brother and I went to that festival, and we did have snoot (a St. Louis delicacy) from Smoki-O's there. Pretty cool coincidence.
Food notes
Simpang Asia, Culver City, CA - good, cheap Indonesian food in LA area
Sushi Sasabune, Los Angeles, CA - excellent, fresh sushi
Big Texan, Amarillo, TX - home of the 72oz. steak
Smoki-O's BBQ, Saint Louis, MO - excellent St. Louis style BBQ
Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield, IL - birthplace of corndog
Lulu's Noodles, Pittsburgh, PA - good, cheap Asian restaurant near colleges in Pittsburgh
Joe Shanghai, New York, NY - soup dumpling
Travel tips
1. About the destinations:
There are many routes you can take to go from West Coast to East Coast or vice versa. One famous route is Route 66 between Chicago, IL, and Santa Monica, CA. This legendary route was known as the route to take to go out west before the Interstate road system was built. Nowadays, the real Route 66 had been decommisioned, but portions of the old road now exists as State Route 66, and there are many tourist attractions along the way to check out. During our trip, here is the part of the Route 66 that we took:
California - Santa Monica, Monterey Park
Arizona - Needles-Kingman, Oatman, Seligman, Holbrook
New Mexico - Santa Fe, Tucumcari
Texas - Amarillo
Oklahoma - Stroud, Tacoosa, Vinita
Kansas - Galena
Missouri - Saint Louis
Illinois - Springfield, Chicago
2. Staying at motels: When I travel, I usually have everything planned out; itinerary set, and hotel reservations made for each night of the travel. This time however, we decided to just have a rough plan, and just stop at wheverer place we end up at the end of the day. For a planner like myself, it's quite an experience to just let it loose, enjoy the journey, and not worry about following the details of the plan as much.
3. What to bring in road trip:
- Guidebooks: these were helpful to give ideas on options of places to stop/visit during your trip. A little research goes a long way to find cool places to visit that you wouldn't otherwise even know when just following the main route.
- GPS/map: very helpful, especially when you take slight detour from your main route
- Something to listen: there are stretches of the route that were pretty boring (straight road without much to see on the side for hours). Rather than getting bored and falling asleep, it's nice to have something to listen to keep your mind occupied. I had my ipod classic with music and podcasts to listen to that helped kept me occupied while driving.
- Clothing: when we started in California, it was pretty mild weather, so we had sandals, light clothing, and light jacket with us. When we get to New Mexico, at times it got pretty hot that jackets were not necessary. When we got to Chicago, IL, it was really cold and windy, and needless to say, wearing sandals was not the smartest thing to do. Lesson learned, make sure there is enough clothing to layer (add or take off) so you can deal with the variation of the weather you come across along the way.
4. Timing for the trip: We went in fall time in October when the weather was still pretty mild. I think either fall or spring time would be good time to do the trip as the weather would be about average. Summer time it might be a bit hot at parts of the trip (e.g., Arizona). Winter it could get pretty bad if you come across winter storms along the way.
5. Preparation
- Research: I think my research prior the trip helped out in maximizing the fun while still meeting our trip timeframe.
- One-way car rental: Unless you're planning on doing round trip, you may need to consider doing a one-way car rental. One thing to note is that some car rental companies would allow unlimited mileage only when you're picking up and returning the car in the same or adjacent states. Otherwise, they would charge fee by mileage. It's less than 50 cents per mile, which is not a huge deal for short distance, but when you're driving more than 3,000 miles, that can add up to more than $1,500! So check with the car rental company to make sure you don't end up with this crazy surprise. We ended up getting a car from Hertz, who didn't charge the extra mileage fee even though we picked up the car in CA and returning in NY. Our cost ended up to be the typical weekly cost for the car.
- Reservation vs. no reservation: Reservation is essential if you know you want to stay at a particular place/landmark. During your research you may find out that some of these places might be booked up very early. However, the downside with this approach is that you're then tied to a schedule where you have to get to a particular place by the scheduled time (otherwise you might end up paying for the room even though you're not using it).
- Opening hours: it's good to know the opening hours of the places you want to visit along the way (e.g., museums), so you can time your trip effectively. Consider also that you might be crossing timezones during the drive, so factor that into your planning/scheduling.
- Back up plan / route changes: unexpected things can happen during the trip (e.g., severe weather on the route, construction, place closure). Just be flexible if such things happen, and come up with alternate route/plans on the way that can still allow you to enjoy your trip even if it's not exactly according to your initial plan.
Destinations
1. Lodging:
Wigwam Motel, Holbrook, AZ - Motels of the shape of teepee; inspiration for the Cars movie.
El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, NM - historic hotel where many of the Holywood stars stayed while filming old Western movies in the area.
Blue Swallow Motel, Tucumcari, NM - one of the best examples of motels along Route 66 when it was the main route to go from east to west.
2. Dining:
Simpang Asia, Culver City, CA - great Indonesian food in LA area
Sushi Sasabune, Los Angeles, CA - amazing sushi; not cheap, but among the best, freshest I've ever had (get the omakase/'chef selection')
Roadkill Cafe, Seligman, AZ - nice restaurant along the way on Arizona's Route 66. Despite of the name, they serve regular American food and you can get some nice Route 66 souvenirs there.
Big Texan, Amarillo, TX - the place known for their 72oz. steak.
Rock Cafe, Stroud, OK - another restaurant along Route 66. Locals love the food there, and its owner, Dawn Welch, became famous as the real-life inspiration for Sally Porsche in the Cars movie.
McDonald's Glass House, Vinita, OK - at one point, this was the largest McDonald's in the world.
Smoki-O's BBQ, Saint Louis, MO - a hole-in-the-wall place with amazing BBQ in St. Louis.
Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield, IL - the place where corn dog was invented.
Lulu's Noodles, Pittsburgh, PA - a nice pan-Asian restaurant near the campuses of the Univ. of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon Univ.
Joe Shanghai, New York, NY - a place in Manhattan's Chinatown know for its xialongbao (soup dumpling).
3. Places to visit:
Oatman, AZ - ghost town
Cool Springs, AZ - old rest stop
Georgia O'Keefe Museum, Santa Fe, NM - museum of art works by Georgia O'Keefe
Loretto Chapel, Santa Fe, NM - miraculous staircase
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX - folk art, Route 66 landmark
Big Texan, Amarillo, TX - 72oz. steak!
Blue Whale, Catoosa, OK - a landmark on old Route 66
4 Women on the Route, Galena, KS - you can find Tow Tater, the real-life old tow truck that was the inspiration for Tow Mater in Cars movie
Gateway Arch, Saint Louis, MO - the famous landmark in St. Louis
Grant Park, Chicago, IL - the east end of Route 66.
Resources
- Route 66: EZ66 Guide for Travelers
- Route 66 Dining and Lodging Guide
- Route 66: Traveler's Guide and Roadside Companion
- Pixar's Cars movie
- A Route 66 Guide to the Cars movie
- Historic Route 66 website
- Legends of America: Route 66 website
This past weekend people gathered to celebrate the life and personality of Carl Ruiz, a chef who was hysterical in person, he left you completely entertained and usually well fed or tipsy after a few drinks and good times. He unfortunately passed recently so his friends + family gathered at Pig Beach in Brooklyn to enjoy his favorite foods and pay respect to a true original American character. Great pitmasters from around the country gathered including Pat Martin of Nashville and Sam Jones from North Carolina, Billy Durney from Brooklyn, and Chaps PIt Beef in Maryland to make some of Carl's personal favorite foods for everyone. His instagram was a funny one, you can check it out here: www.instagram.com/saborchef/
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 10237 - Tower of Orthanc
Release: July 2013
Pieces: 2359
Price: 200€ (Germany)
Figures: 5
More Pics:
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 10237 - Tower of Orthanc
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79005 - The Wizard Battle
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79006 - The Concil of Elrond
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79007 - Battle at the Black Gate
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79008 - Pirate Ship Ambush
More information and pics up: THE BRICK TIME
Dont forget to visit the BrickLink Shop: THE BRICK TIME - Store
This past weekend people gathered to celebrate the life and personality of Carl Ruiz, a chef who was hysterical in person, he left you completely entertained and usually well fed or tipsy after a few drinks and good times. He unfortunately passed recently so his friends + family gathered at Pig Beach in Brooklyn to enjoy his favorite foods and pay respect to a true original American character. Great pitmasters from around the country gathered including Pat Martin of Nashville and Sam Jones from North Carolina, Billy Durney from Brooklyn, and Chaps PIt Beef in Maryland to make some of Carl's personal favorite foods for everyone. His instagram was a funny one, you can check it out here: www.instagram.com/saborchef/
These are sandwiches from Fox Brothers BBQ based in Atlanta, GA.
There's a juxtaposition between the imperfection of great BBQ and the pride exhibited by its passionate devotees. This Pitmaster was only too happy to demonstrate this for the camera.
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 10237 - Tower of Orthanc
Release: July 2013
Pieces: 2359
Price: 200€ (Germany)
Figures: 5
More Pics:
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 10237 - Tower of Orthanc
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79005 - The Wizard Battle
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79006 - The Concil of Elrond
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79007 - Battle at the Black Gate
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79008 - Pirate Ship Ambush
More information and pics up: THE BRICK TIME
Dont forget to visit the BrickLink Shop: THE BRICK TIME - Store
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 10237 - Tower of Orthanc
Release: July 2013
Pieces: 2359
Price: 200€ (Germany)
Figures: 5
More Pics:
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79005 - The Wizard Battle
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79006 - The Concil of Elrond
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79007 - Battle at the Black Gate
LEGO The Lord of the Rings 79008 - Pirate Ship Ambush
More information and pics up: THE BRICK TIME
Dont forget to visit the BrickLink Shop: THE BRICK TIME - Store
For so many years wine seemed a little 'stuffy', but in the past two decades we have really seen the fun side of wine emerge. We really, really like the fun side and that's why we paired up with Chicago Culinary Kitchen for our first Pork & Cork event!
Pitmasters Kristina Gaardbo and Greg Gaardbo wowed guests with an interactive Texas barbecue class featuring 5 meats and six wines!
First course: Bone marrow w/ crostini and Texas sausage served with Vin de City White wine
Second course: Spatchcock chicken with Vin de City Red w/ Fred's Red
Third course: Ribs, F'in Mac n' Cheese and Syrah 2013
Fourth course: Whole pork leg and Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Fifth course: Brisket and elotes with Petite Sirah Reserve 2012
Dessert: Skillet peaches & figs w/ Apricot wine
...and lots of to go boxes!
Kristina and Greg are great supporters of all things local and also carry Lynfred wine for their classes. Starting in March they will be open for BBQ on the weekends.
Want to attend a class? We have Pork & Cork 2 - Winemaker's Edition coming up March 16!
Yes, that's you David! Actually I eat a lot of vegetarian food but am not vegetarian.
Lockhart is officially the Barbecue Capital of Texas, designated by the Texas Legislature just over two decades ago. Yes, you read that correctly! Currently there are four BBQ restaurants in a city with a population of around 15,000. There is even an annual 2-day bbq festival where the best TX pitmasters fight it out. By the way, if you think that strange, elsewhere there is also a TX High School BBQ State Championship. You get the idea. BBQ is big business, ingrained in the culture and an obsession in Texas.
I should point out that bbq in Texas is very different to that in Britain. Texas BBQ involves the very slow-cooking of large cuts of meat like brisket, ribs, and pulled pork with a heavy smoke flavor using specific rubs and minimal sauce. British BBQ is usually a quick grilling, some say burning, of smaller cuts of meat like sausages and burgers with a variety of sauces and condiments served on the side.
We chose Chisholm Trail Bar-B.Q with the reference to the old cattle drive, c800 miles from San Antonio to Fort Worth and on through Oklahoma to Kansas and Abilene. Ahem: It was also regarded as the cheapest and the place the locals go to, right across the street from McDonald's.
HISTORY & UNIQUENESS OF THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY!
Here, you’ll find the most extraordinary vacation rental, designed to enhance your Hill Country vacation.
With its sweeping views and gorgeous countryside, the Texas Hill Country is a great place for a hilltop vacation rental in Texas. You can enjoy peace and quiet on a family retreat or getaway in nature, all within reach of the area's dining, shopping, and evening entertainment options. Because of its unique topography, the Texas Hill Country features a number of caverns to explore, and you can spend time boating or fishing on one of the many tributaries of the Colorado River.
With its long and rich history, Texas Hill Country has many heritage sites and museums celebrating its milestones. Cabin rentals are available near such must-see historic sites as The Alamo, a former Franciscan mission that now stands as a monument honoring the Texan volunteers who fought for independence. The National Museum of the Pacific War is a must for history enthusiasts, which is dedicated to those who served in the Pacific theater during World War II. You can also have a quintessential Texas experience in the Cowboy Capital of the World, Bandera, which has a rodeo, dude ranch, and honky-tonk to celebrate the history of cowboy culture. The Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park is filled with artifacts of interest to history buffs, and is the area where the former president was born and that served as his final resting place.
With its beautiful, sprawling landscape, Texas Hill Country has plenty of destinations for families, couples, or solo travelers near vacation rentals. Garner State Park has 11 miles of scenic trails, the Frio River for kayaking or fishing, and a fun-filled calendar of festivals and events. Enchanted Rock, a natural area with majestic views of the pink granite rock, hiking trails, and Native American lore, is ideal for families and nature lovers. The Hamilton Pool Nature Preserve, a millennia-old natural wonder created by the collapse of an underground river, is a great place for adventurers to explore the emerald waters and limestone cliffs. For more culture, Gruene Hall is a famous dance hall that has been home to many icons over the years and offers live entertainment and nostalgic 1930s decor.
The hills, valleys, lakes, and rivers throughout the sunny Texas Hill Country offer boundless options for adrenaline-fueled outdoor excursions or relaxing activities in nature. No matter your interests, cabin rentals in Texas Hill Country can be found near craters with water for swimming, fishing, and rope swinging, rivers for kayaking, rafting, or canoeing, lush forests for hiking and mountain biking, and calm lakes for boating, tubing, and waterskiing. For a more laid-back experience, you can stargaze on 4 acres, stroll through the wooded hillside down to the valley, and explore the 4 acre landscape.
With a focus on fresh ingredients and traditional recipes, Texas Hill Country is a foodie’s paradise. From top-notch pitmasters serving classic barbecue to nostalgic mom-and-pop cafés serving mouthwatering pies, this region blends the best of the South with a unique flair all its own. No matter the craving, a new flavor experience can be found in the Texas Hill Country restaurants, eateries, and bakeries just outside your summer rental. The Texas Hill Country is also home to many craft breweries and world-class vineyards with drinks to complement the flavors in the region.
Marble Falls Short / Long Term Rentals
RELAX IN THE TEXAS HILL COUNTRY!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Relaxing/Sleeps 6/Pets/Free Wifi/2br Kingbeds/2ba/Jacuzzi/Hilltop/Wooded/4 acre Farm/Terrace/Patios/Covered Porch/Free Parking/Onsite hillside wooded hike-camp/Offsite Fishing-Kayaking-Swimming/Entire Home4U on 4 scenic hill country acres nestled in a secluded Hilltop/Austin Area/Marble Falls, Texas!
FURNISHINGS:
Home has 2 king beds, 1 twin bed, 1 futon sofa bed, washer/dryer, jacuzzi, firepit, baby high chair, covered porch for small dogs, large upstair & downstair patio dining area w/hilltop scenic view, free parking, ideal for family getaways, home office, camping, hiking, and horse riding.
ATTRACTIONS:
4 min to Turkey Bend canoeing/kayaking, swimming, fishing, camping, 5 min to Balcones wildlife refuge, minutes to Longhorn Caverns, Vanishing Texas River Cruise, Zipline over Lake Travis & Enchanted Rock State Park.
SCENIC DRIVE HOME:
After watching the beautiful mountain view driving to the house and parking under the trees, you will see a large covered upstairs and downstairs patio with dinner area on top of the hill overlooking a scenic view of adjoining hills and the valley 100 feet below in a picturesque wooded setting. There is also a covered porch with hill view that is fenced for your small dogs.
Enter through the covered patio door keying in your code in the smart lock and after bringing in your luggage, relax on the eurotop comfort mattress downstairs or upstairs in the king bed or watch the amazing hill view through the large kitchen and downstairs bedroom windows.
HIKING, WILDLIFE and SCENIC VIEWS:
You can also enjoy the scenic wooded hill view from the covered porch or take a hike down to the valley or back up the hill where there may be wildlife sightings including deer. Kitchen has a large side-by-side refrigerator and utensils. House is fed by well water and you will feel its freshness when you shower.
Serene, quiet, secluded, natural wooded area adjacent to Balcones Wildlife Nature Preserve. There are no neighbors that can see you without binoculars and you can enjoy the privacy since no one can even hear you if you sing or shout to check your echo. You may see some deer sightings and small silhouette of neighbors houses across the other hills or 1 or 2 down the valley. Watch the beautiful sunset and enjoy the scenic hill view and the fresh air.
PET FRIENDLY-RELAXING:
There is also a covered porch with hill view that is fenced for your small dogs. Enter through the covered patio door keying in your code in the smart lock and after bringing in your luggage, relax on the eurotop comfort mattress downstairs or upstairs in the king bed or watch the amazing hill view through the large kitchen and downstairs bedroom windows.
NEIGHBORHOOD:
Our home is in a wooded area up the hill about 10 minutes to Lago Vista, 20 minutes to Cedar Park and 30 minutes to Austin. For shopping and restaurants, you can go to Lago Vista, Cedar Park or Marble Falls. To go to Marble Falls downtown for groceries and restaurants plus entertainment, make a left at Shaw Rd and a second left at FM 1431. For Lago Vista or Cedar Park, make a right at FM 1431 from Shaw Rd.
ACCESS:
You can use your car, motorcycle or bicycle to drive around or use your ATV to climb 100 feet from house along driveway to Shaw Rd and back.
GROCERIES:
Please purchase your grocery essentials like milk, food, bread, etc, from Cedar Park or Marble Falls @ Highway 281, before driving to the house.
RESERVATIONS @ Marble Falls Hilltop Vacation Home:
VIDEO of Home: youtu.be/pCz1wmHT418
BOOKINGDOTCOM:
www.vacations2go.us | www.booking.com/hotel/us/entire-hilltop-view-2br-2ba-home...
AIRBNB: airbnb.com/h/hilltopviews | www.vacationtogo.net | myvacation.fun/ | traveltogo.online
VRBO: www.vacations2go.org | www.vrbo.com/2996433
TRIP ADVISOR: www.flipkey.com/properties/14618435/ | www.tripadvisor.homes
FISHING, CANOEING / KAYAKING, NATURAL YEAR ROUND WARM SPRING POOL SWIMMING, HILL & RIVER VIEWS, RELAXING, LAKE TRAVIS SHORES, VANISHING TEXAS CRUISE, MOUNT BONNELL, WATER PARK, WINERY & more --->Guidebook: abnb.me/7UZhifp8Xsb
Smokey Bone Broth | smoked bone broth with galangal, Chinese celery
Fatty Cue, at 91 South 6th Street, was opened in 2010 by Zakary Pelaccio. Pelaccio, the chef and restaurateur behind the Malaysian restaurant, Fatty Crab, recruited Queens born pitmaster Robbie Richter, who helped start Hill country in 2007, to launch his Asian-inspired barbecue joint.
The Bourbon Banana Tart at Franklin Barbecue from Cake and Spoon.
Franklin Barbecue debuted in December 2009 by husband and wife team, Aaron and Stacy Franklin out of a truck in an East Austin parking lot off Interstate 35. The then 30-year old Aaron, whose parents had owned a barbecue stand in his native Bryan, bought a pit from his former employer, John Mueller, a descendant of the legendary Mueller barbecue clan of Taylor and started smoking his own meat. By spring the press had caught on and the lines would snake around the block forcing the operation to a brick and mortar location, located at 900 East 11th Street, in March 2011. Lines form outside the door hours before the 11am opening, and the "sold out" sign usually goes up around 1pm.
In 2010, Bon Appetit hailed Franklin BBQ as the best in America. In 2011, Franklin's was named the best brisket at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival. Franklin Barbecue has been featured on the Travel Channel television show, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. And Aaron Franklin has been a judge on the television reality competition, BBQ Pitmasters.
At the Elbow Inn's BBQ pit on Route 66 in Devil's Elbow, Missouri on the Big Piney River. Roy is responsible for all the great BBQ served at the Elbow Inn. We met him attending to his pit. He explained how the pits work to get just the right amount of heat and smoke into the meat. Frankly, I would find it very difficult to deal with all that smoke to say nothing about the heat. He has been doing it for several years and has clearly mastered the art. When he agreed to let me take his picture, I asked him if he would step back into the smoke a bit. The smoke was so thick that he pretty much disappeared into it and I had to ask him to take a few steps toward me. I'm honored that he agreed and was a willing participant.
This past weekend people gathered to celebrate the life and personality of Carl Ruiz, a chef who was hysterical in person, he left you completely entertained and usually well fed or tipsy after a few drinks and good times. He unfortunately passed recently so his friends + family gathered at Pig Beach in Brooklyn to enjoy his favorite foods and pay respect to a true original American character. Great pitmasters from around the country gathered including Pat Martin of Nashville and Sam Jones from North Carolina, Billy Durney from Brooklyn, and Chaps PIt Beef in Maryland to make some of Carl's personal favorite foods for everyone. His instagram was a funny one, you can check it out here: www.instagram.com/saborchef/
Week 34 : Stranger - Story
This week took my out of my comfort zone big time! Take a picture of stranger and use their environment to tell their story.
A few weeks ago, we visited Snow's BBQ. The owner and pitmaster, Kerry Bexley, so graciously invited me into the pit area to take a few shots. While the lighting in the pit area is very poor, I love the morning light shining through here while he is grabbing more coals for the smokers.
The 8th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party took place in Madison Square Park on June 12 and 13, 2010. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
Led by pitmaster Chris Lilly, Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q, from Decatur, Alabama, served up Pulled Pork Shoulder. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q has been serving fine, slow cooked meats and unforgettable sauces since 1925 when the 6'4, 800-pound Bob Gibson started with a makeshift table in his backyard. Four generations later, and the family businesses has expanded across the south and into supermarkets with their famous white sauce.
After having seen Cousin's Barbeque on local & national TV as well as magazines & such, I just couldn't pass up going to a place that's basically right in my own back yard being in Fort Worth (we went to the original location).
We got 2 3-meat dishes with sides. In order from my favorite of their meat first followed by the next & so forth:
1. Chopped Beef Brisket
2. Pulled Pork
3. Boneless Chicken Breast
4. Texas Pork Ribs
5. Country Ham
6. Smoked German Sausage
Meat we didn't eat (yet) was the Sliced Beef Brisket (I'm assuming it has a similar taste to the Chopped Beef Brisket we had), Hot Link, Turkey Breast, and White/Dark Chicken
The sides we got were:
Sweet Ranch Beans
Broccoli Rice Casserole (w/cheese)
Coleslaw
Mustard Potato Salad
Then, of course, the bbq sauces and Texas Toast with jalapeños, onions, sweet peppers, & pickels
Learn more at:
Cousin's BBQ Home Page:
Welcome Home! We've been serving up Texas-style Bar-B-Q since 1983 along with all the "fixins." You'll feel at home in any of our family-owned restaurants. Expect to be treated like family as our servers talk with you about your day in our cafeteria-style service line, and enjoy our casual and comfortable dining room surrounded by a visual history of our Cousin's "family" we like to call our "Wall of Fame." So, come in, relax a while, and enjoy the best Bar-B-Q Texas has to offer. It's so good, in fact, that Texas Monthly has named us as one of the top 50 Bar-B-Q Joints in Texas! Writing about our DFW International Airport restaurants, the Washington Post wrote, "if you are ever flying through DFW, do not even think about going anywhere other than Cousin's to eat. Seriously." And Monday, May 18, we celebrated being named one of four finalists in the ABC Good Morning America "Best Barbecue Challenge" as we welcomed GMA Weekend's Ron Claiborne. The photos above show Pitmaster Cliff Payne and Founder "Boots" Payne with Mr. Claiborne on Monday. We had a restaurant full of all of our wonderful friends. Thank you for joining us and for your support! We spent the week leading up to the 4th and the morning of the 4th with our friends at WFAA Channel 8 cooking on their morning shows. Cliff and Jeff Payne had a great time barbecueing on Victory Plaza in Dallas, and we've got a new recipe posted to Our Favorite Recipes here on the home page. Just click through and download!. Our customers are the finest anywhere! Come join us. Know that you are always a part of our family at Cousin's Bar-B-Q! Welcome - we're glad you stopped by.
Cousin's BBQ About Page:
Calvin (aka “Boots”) and Beverly Payne opened the doors to their first Cousin’s Restaurant in 1983 with the help of son, Cliff and daughter, Corby, on McCart Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas. They didn’t realize it at the time, but this location would continue to thrive and has become the flagship of their growing family of restaurants.
Over the last 25 years Cousin’s has experienced wonderful growth thanks to our loyal customers and built an extensive clientele that is still growing generation to generation! This clientele is fondly referred to as “Distant Cousins,” in keeping with the Cousin’s belief that new friends are just old friends in the making.
In addition to a growing clientele, the Payne family has grown their operation. Cousin’s currently has 6 Cousin’s Bar-B-Q Restaurants throughout Tarrant County including two locations in Terminals B and D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. This growth has resulted in a Commissary that was opened in 2005 to support the 6 restaurant operations and poise Cousin’s for growth that includes future presence in stadiums, malls, and airports, in addition to their catering business.
One of the many highlights in the storied Cousin’s history includes being selected by Euro Disney as the best representation of real, authentic American barbecue. In 1990, the Payne family was hired by Euro Disney to open Texas Bar-B-Q concepts in their extremely popular theme park in Europe. Cousin’s staff were flown to Paris to instruct the folks at Disney how to prepare and cook real, authentic Texas barbecue.
Another feather in our caps was the opportunity to serve President H. W. Bush and his family on several occasions. And in 2008, Texas Monthly named Cousins's Bar-B-Q as one of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas! Now, our wonderful customers have nominated Cousin's as one of four top barbecue restaurants in Good Morning America's Best Barbecue Challenge. We are more than honored and grateful to our wonderful extended family of customers. They are the greatest!
Originally from Lockhart, TX we are lucky to have Blacks Restaurant in Austin! If you are ever in the city you should give it a try.
Eastbound billboard on the Santan Freeway Loop 202 for The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival.
BBQ BEER MUSIC in Downtown Chandler
Saturday, March 21, 2015
The Great American Barbeque & Beer Festival is pleased to announce the Eli Young Band, headlining this year’s entertainment lineup.
Like on Facebook www.facebook.com/bbq.beer.music
PRESENTED BY:
The Downtown Chandler Community Partnership downtownchandler.org
SanTan Brewing Company www.santanbrewing.com
Bashas' Grocery Stores www.bashas.com
Professionally produced by HDE Agency, the 6th annual Great American Barbecue & Beer Festival returns on Saturday, March 21, 2015 to fill the downtown Chandler air with the sweet aroma of BBQ pork, beef, chicken and ribs. Winner of Outstanding Event of the Year in 2012 and 2013 at the APS AzTEC Awards, the 2015 Great American Barbecue & Beer Festival will be the biggest and best year yet with expanded event zones, more than 100 exhibitors, and over 60 Pit Masters from across the nation serving up over 20,000 lbs of mouth-watering pork ribs, pulled pork, brisket and chicken, all paired with the state’s finest craft beer.
Other event highlights include the SanTan Brewing Tailgater’s Lawn, Ultra Star March Madness Lounge, Chester’s Harley Davidson Pavilion, Porkopolis VIP Quarters, Dickel Hoedown Rodeo Zone, Bulleit Bourbon BBQ Pit Row, DC Farmers Market, and an expanded kid’s play zone. BBQ pit masters will compete in the Bashas’ Backyard Throwdown Competition while hungry patrons can sign up for up to four different eating contests including the Can’t Stop Smokin’ BBQ rib eating contest, Tastebuds pie eating contest, Hungry Monk’s wing eating contest and Von Hanson’s Meats & Spirits brat eating contest.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Eli Young Band www.eliyoungband.com/
Laura Walsh www.laurawalshmusic.com
Georgia Chrome www.facebook.com/pages/Georgia-Chrome/599984606684926
Benson Band www.bensonbandmusic.com/
Adley Stump www.adleystump.com/
A portion of the event proceeds will benefit the Boot Campaign, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing assistance to wounded military and their families with job placement and securing mortgage free homes, post traumatic stress disorder counseling, adaptive clothing and much more. For more information about the Boot Campaign, visit www.bootcampaign.com.
The Santan Freeway Loop 202 is in the southeast valley of Phoenix. Onsite Insite offers billboards along the Santan Freeway between I-10 and the Price Freeway Loop 101 in Chandler.
Sign up for the free Quickstart Competition Barbecue Tips Interview Series www.grillmasteruniversity.com/quickstart
We interviewed 10 more competition barbecue teams at the Memphis in May World Championship of Barbecue Competition. Each team offers their top advice and tips for mastering your smoker. Whether you’re a backyard cook or interested in entering the competition circuit you’ll love these behind the scenes interviews.
Today, we sat down with Tuffy Stone from Richmond, Virginia. You may also know Tuffy by his nickname, “The Professor,” because of his obsessions with the science of smoke and the precision at which he attacks his barbecue. Tuffy was culinary trained with French techniques at La Maisonette, but he turned to barbecue in 2004. After his first barbecue competition, he was hooked! He’s competed many times since, winning Grand Champion titles in almost every major barbecue competition, including back-to-back wins at the American Royal World Series of Barbecue. He’s won at the Kingsford Invitational and the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitation. Tuffy is also a judge at Destination America’s Barbecue Pitmasters and he competes at Memphis in May with his team, Cool Smoke. Sometimes, the team consists of his father, George, and Tuffy alone, but at larger competitions, they’ll have a team of eight.
If you’re interested in cooking BBQ – whether it’s as the best backyard pitmaster in the neighborhood or if you want to take your skills to the next level and do some competition barbecue – Tuffy Stone recommends taking a class. This is especially helpful if you’re going into competition barbecue, because there are a lot of costs involved (the entry fees, fuels, buying the meats, etc). A BBQ class shortens the learning curve and can really help you make the most out of your investment. For backyard barbecue enthusiasts, he suggests buying a book. Tuffy Stone even wrote a book, Cool Smoke: The Art of Great Barbecue, but there are hundreds of books out there. The Internet is also full of learning opportunities, like the articles and videos you’ll find on our very ownGrill Master University.
Franklin Barbecue debuted in December 2009 by husband and wife team, Aaron and Stacy Franklin out of a truck in an East Austin parking lot off Interstate 35. The then 30-year old Aaron, whose parents had owned a barbecue stand in his native Bryan, bought a pit from his former employer, John Mueller, a descendant of the legendary Mueller barbecue clan of Taylor and started smoking his own meat. By spring the press had caught on and the lines would snake around the block forcing the operation to a brick and mortar location, located at 900 East 11th Street, in March 2011. Lines form outside the door hours before the 11am opening, and the "sold out" sign usually goes up around 1pm.
In 2010, Bon Appetit hailed Franklin BBQ as the best in America. In 2011, Franklin's was named the best brisket at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival. Franklin Barbecue has been featured on the Travel Channel television show, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. And Aaron Franklin has been a judge on the television reality competition, BBQ Pitmasters.
Something Smells GOOD... PitMaster..
Tomahawk Steak topped with Prime cut Bacon..
TOMAHAWK STEAK - Is essentially a ribeye beef steak specifically cut with at least five inches of rib bone left intact.
Million Dollar High Tech RV builder, Millennium Luxury Coaches, Back for the Season 2 Premier of Destination America’s popular “EPIC” TV Series.
SANFORD, Florida – July 10th 2013 – Discovery Communication’s Destination America network to feature a pair of custom built multi-million dollar RVs from award winning builder Millennium Luxury Coaches, on the Season 2 premier of EPIC, Monday July 15th at 9pm EST. Millennium made an appearance on EPIC during the first season, showing off the company’s innovative “Dream Machine”, while this year’s coaches have even more over the top surprises to impress even the most fashionable and tech savvy viewers.
Destination America is the first network to celebrate the people, places and stories of the United States, while EPIC explores the most excessive and outrageous items that people are willing to spend fortunes on. Epic shows how these splurges were made, how they work, and why in the world people go to such great lengths to acquire their dream.
This year EPIC welcomes back Millennium Luxury Coaches, the Central Florida builder of the “Dream Machine” featured last season. This time around EPIC will focus on two unique coaches custom built and filled with new personalized features as amazing and entertaining at the coach owners themselves. One decked out with so many high tech gadgets that James Bond would be proud to take it on his next mission, to a coach that is the culmination of 2 decades worth of searching for the perfect ride.
Millennium Luxury Coaches will be featured on the season 2 premier of EPIC on July 15th, at 9pm EST on Destination America, along with other amazing vehicles of recreation, and will continue to entertain viewers over the course of the new season with other extravagant amenities and the people who make them, including floating homes, helicopter landing pads, wine cellars and pools with their own private lazy river, slides and underwater speakers, as EPIC spotlights the most imaginative creations found right next door.
About Millennium Luxury Coaches
Millennium Luxury Coaches is one of the Largest Converters of Custom Prevost Chassis for Private use. Founded in 2001 and privately owned, Millennium has 85 employees operating out of a 100,000sq.ft. sales & manufacturing facility in Central Florida. Known for innovation, Millennium leads the way in adopting the latest technology and advancements into each coach it custom builds. In addition to new coach conversions the company also offers pre-owned coaches, consignment sales, renovation & remodel services, onsite coach storage and operates a full service collision center, and custom paint facility. For more information visit www.MillenniumLuxuryCoaches.com, Millennium on YouTube: www.youtube.com/MillenniumLuxury or Press Page: www.millenniumluxurycoaches.com/millennium-luxury-coaches...
About Destination America
Destination America is the only network to celebrate the people, places, and stories of the United States. The inclusive network targeting Adults 25-54 is available in 60 million homes, emblazoning television screens with the grit and tenacity, honesty and work ethic, humor and adventurousness that characterize our nation, with original series like BBQ Pitmasters, A Haunting, Epic, and Buying Alaska. For more information, please visit DestinationAmerica.com. Destination America is part of Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the world's #1 nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.8 billion cumulative subscribers in 218 countries and territories.
Contact
Bob Williams, Marketing
Millennium Luxury Coaches
bwilliams@mlcy.com
1601 Dolgner Place
Sanford, FL 32771
407-328-0190
The 6th Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party took place in Madison Square Park on June 7-8, 2008. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
The 6th Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party took place in Madison Square Park on June 7-8, 2008. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
Led by stewmaster John Clary, the Proclamation Stew Crew, from Lawrenceville, Brunswick County, Virginia offered up Brunswick Stew--a brew of boneless chicken thighs, fatback, potatoes, onions, crushed tomatoes, lima beans, shoepeg corn and pure red pepper.
A plaque on a pot in Brunswick, Georgia states that the first Brunswick stew was cooked in it on July 2, 1898, on nearby St. Simons Island. A competing story, however, claims that the dish hails from Brunswick County in southern Virginia. According to one legend, the camp chef of a Virginia state legislator invented the recipe in 1828 on a hunting expedition and everyone was immediately hooked.
Watercolor painting, hand drawn from a photo shoot I did at the amazing Gates Barbecue in Kansas City, MO.
The 8th Annual Big Apple Barbecue Block Party took place in Madison Square Park on June 12 and 13, 2010. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
Led by pitmaster Mike Mills, 17th Street Bar & Grill, from Murphysboro, Illinois, and Memphis Championship Barbecue, from Las Vegas, Nevada, served up Baby Back Ribs. Mills, a multiple world champion pitmaster presides over seven restaurants--four in Southern Illinois and three in Vegas.
Franklin Barbecue debuted in December 2009 by husband and wife team, Aaron and Stacy Franklin out of a truck in an East Austin parking lot off Interstate 35. The then 30-year old Aaron, whose parents had owned a barbecue stand in his native Bryan, bought a pit from his former employer, John Mueller, a descendant of the legendary Mueller barbecue clan of Taylor and started smoking his own meat. By spring the press had caught on and the lines would snake around the block forcing the operation to a brick and mortar location, located at 900 East 11th Street, in March 2011. Lines form outside the door hours before the 11am opening, and the "sold out" sign usually goes up around 1pm.
In 2010, Bon Appetit hailed Franklin BBQ as the best in America. In 2011, Franklin's was named the best brisket at the Texas Monthly BBQ Festival. Franklin Barbecue has been featured on the Travel Channel television show, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. And Aaron Franklin has been a judge on the television reality competition, BBQ Pitmasters.
Cherry Street Bar-B-Que
275 Cherry St.
Toronto, ON
(416) 461-5111
cherrystbbq.com
Twitter: @CherryStBBQ
Owner and pitmaster: Lawrence LaPianta
Introducing for TorontoLife: torontolife.com/food/restaurants/whats-on-the-menu-at-che...
The 6th Annual Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party took place in Madison Square Park on June 7-8, 2008. The Big Apple Barbecue Block Party brings together the country’s top pitmasters who cook up their award-winning food for over a hundred thousand barbecue enthusiasts.
Led by pitmaster Jonathan Burrows, Mr. Cecil's California Ribs, from Los Angeles California, served Beef Ribs with Cajun Hot Links and Cucumber and Tomato Salad.
After having seen Cousin's Barbeque on local & national TV as well as magazines & such, I just couldn't pass up going to a place that's basically right in my own back yard being in Fort Worth (we went to the original location).
We got 2 3-meat dishes with sides. In order from my favorite of their meat first followed by the next & so forth:
1. Chopped Beef Brisket
2. Pulled Pork
3. Boneless Chicken Breast
4. Texas Pork Ribs
5. Country Ham
6. Smoked German Sausage
Meat we didn't eat (yet) was the Sliced Beef Brisket (I'm assuming it has a similar taste to the Chopped Beef Brisket we had), Hot Link, Turkey Breast, and White/Dark Chicken
The sides we got were:
Sweet Ranch Beans
Broccoli Rice Casserole (w/cheese)
Coleslaw
Mustard Potato Salad
Then, of course, the bbq sauces and Texas Toast with jalapeños, onions, sweet peppers, & pickels
Learn more at:
Cousin's BBQ Home Page:
Welcome Home! We've been serving up Texas-style Bar-B-Q since 1983 along with all the "fixins." You'll feel at home in any of our family-owned restaurants. Expect to be treated like family as our servers talk with you about your day in our cafeteria-style service line, and enjoy our casual and comfortable dining room surrounded by a visual history of our Cousin's "family" we like to call our "Wall of Fame." So, come in, relax a while, and enjoy the best Bar-B-Q Texas has to offer. It's so good, in fact, that Texas Monthly has named us as one of the top 50 Bar-B-Q Joints in Texas! Writing about our DFW International Airport restaurants, the Washington Post wrote, "if you are ever flying through DFW, do not even think about going anywhere other than Cousin's to eat. Seriously." And Monday, May 18, we celebrated being named one of four finalists in the ABC Good Morning America "Best Barbecue Challenge" as we welcomed GMA Weekend's Ron Claiborne. The photos above show Pitmaster Cliff Payne and Founder "Boots" Payne with Mr. Claiborne on Monday. We had a restaurant full of all of our wonderful friends. Thank you for joining us and for your support! We spent the week leading up to the 4th and the morning of the 4th with our friends at WFAA Channel 8 cooking on their morning shows. Cliff and Jeff Payne had a great time barbecueing on Victory Plaza in Dallas, and we've got a new recipe posted to Our Favorite Recipes here on the home page. Just click through and download!. Our customers are the finest anywhere! Come join us. Know that you are always a part of our family at Cousin's Bar-B-Q! Welcome - we're glad you stopped by.
Cousin's BBQ About Page:
Calvin (aka “Boots”) and Beverly Payne opened the doors to their first Cousin’s Restaurant in 1983 with the help of son, Cliff and daughter, Corby, on McCart Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas. They didn’t realize it at the time, but this location would continue to thrive and has become the flagship of their growing family of restaurants.
Over the last 25 years Cousin’s has experienced wonderful growth thanks to our loyal customers and built an extensive clientele that is still growing generation to generation! This clientele is fondly referred to as “Distant Cousins,” in keeping with the Cousin’s belief that new friends are just old friends in the making.
In addition to a growing clientele, the Payne family has grown their operation. Cousin’s currently has 6 Cousin’s Bar-B-Q Restaurants throughout Tarrant County including two locations in Terminals B and D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. This growth has resulted in a Commissary that was opened in 2005 to support the 6 restaurant operations and poise Cousin’s for growth that includes future presence in stadiums, malls, and airports, in addition to their catering business.
One of the many highlights in the storied Cousin’s history includes being selected by Euro Disney as the best representation of real, authentic American barbecue. In 1990, the Payne family was hired by Euro Disney to open Texas Bar-B-Q concepts in their extremely popular theme park in Europe. Cousin’s staff were flown to Paris to instruct the folks at Disney how to prepare and cook real, authentic Texas barbecue.
Another feather in our caps was the opportunity to serve President H. W. Bush and his family on several occasions. And in 2008, Texas Monthly named Cousins's Bar-B-Q as one of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas! Now, our wonderful customers have nominated Cousin's as one of four top barbecue restaurants in Good Morning America's Best Barbecue Challenge. We are more than honored and grateful to our wonderful extended family of customers. They are the greatest!
After having seen Cousin's Barbeque on local & national TV as well as magazines & such, I just couldn't pass up going to a place that's basically right in my own back yard being in Fort Worth (we went to the original location).
We got 2 3-meat dishes with sides. In order from my favorite of their meat first followed by the next & so forth:
1. Chopped Beef Brisket
2. Pulled Pork
3. Boneless Chicken Breast
4. Texas Pork Ribs
5. Country Ham
6. Smoked German Sausage
Meat we didn't eat (yet) was the Sliced Beef Brisket (I'm assuming it has a similar taste to the Chopped Beef Brisket we had), Hot Link, Turkey Breast, and White/Dark Chicken
The sides we got were:
Sweet Ranch Beans
Broccoli Rice Casserole (w/cheese)
Coleslaw
Mustard Potato Salad
Then, of course, the bbq sauces and Texas Toast with jalapeños, onions, sweet peppers, & pickels
Learn more at:
Cousin's BBQ Home Page:
Welcome Home! We've been serving up Texas-style Bar-B-Q since 1983 along with all the "fixins." You'll feel at home in any of our family-owned restaurants. Expect to be treated like family as our servers talk with you about your day in our cafeteria-style service line, and enjoy our casual and comfortable dining room surrounded by a visual history of our Cousin's "family" we like to call our "Wall of Fame." So, come in, relax a while, and enjoy the best Bar-B-Q Texas has to offer. It's so good, in fact, that Texas Monthly has named us as one of the top 50 Bar-B-Q Joints in Texas! Writing about our DFW International Airport restaurants, the Washington Post wrote, "if you are ever flying through DFW, do not even think about going anywhere other than Cousin's to eat. Seriously." And Monday, May 18, we celebrated being named one of four finalists in the ABC Good Morning America "Best Barbecue Challenge" as we welcomed GMA Weekend's Ron Claiborne. The photos above show Pitmaster Cliff Payne and Founder "Boots" Payne with Mr. Claiborne on Monday. We had a restaurant full of all of our wonderful friends. Thank you for joining us and for your support! We spent the week leading up to the 4th and the morning of the 4th with our friends at WFAA Channel 8 cooking on their morning shows. Cliff and Jeff Payne had a great time barbecueing on Victory Plaza in Dallas, and we've got a new recipe posted to Our Favorite Recipes here on the home page. Just click through and download!. Our customers are the finest anywhere! Come join us. Know that you are always a part of our family at Cousin's Bar-B-Q! Welcome - we're glad you stopped by.
Cousin's BBQ About Page:
Calvin (aka “Boots”) and Beverly Payne opened the doors to their first Cousin’s Restaurant in 1983 with the help of son, Cliff and daughter, Corby, on McCart Avenue in Fort Worth, Texas. They didn’t realize it at the time, but this location would continue to thrive and has become the flagship of their growing family of restaurants.
Over the last 25 years Cousin’s has experienced wonderful growth thanks to our loyal customers and built an extensive clientele that is still growing generation to generation! This clientele is fondly referred to as “Distant Cousins,” in keeping with the Cousin’s belief that new friends are just old friends in the making.
In addition to a growing clientele, the Payne family has grown their operation. Cousin’s currently has 6 Cousin’s Bar-B-Q Restaurants throughout Tarrant County including two locations in Terminals B and D at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. This growth has resulted in a Commissary that was opened in 2005 to support the 6 restaurant operations and poise Cousin’s for growth that includes future presence in stadiums, malls, and airports, in addition to their catering business.
One of the many highlights in the storied Cousin’s history includes being selected by Euro Disney as the best representation of real, authentic American barbecue. In 1990, the Payne family was hired by Euro Disney to open Texas Bar-B-Q concepts in their extremely popular theme park in Europe. Cousin’s staff were flown to Paris to instruct the folks at Disney how to prepare and cook real, authentic Texas barbecue.
Another feather in our caps was the opportunity to serve President H. W. Bush and his family on several occasions. And in 2008, Texas Monthly named Cousins's Bar-B-Q as one of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas! Now, our wonderful customers have nominated Cousin's as one of four top barbecue restaurants in Good Morning America's Best Barbecue Challenge. We are more than honored and grateful to our wonderful extended family of customers. They are the greatest!