Thursday, December 24, 2009

Southern Word of the Week - Toboggan

(n.)It's cold outside boy, go put a toboggan on your head.

(n.)I just got a new John Deere toboggan to keep my ears and head warm.

A toboggan is a knit hat, usually covering the head and ears. A toboggan is not a sled, at least it isn't south of the Mason-Dixon (unless they're from Maryland). Those from the north will sometimes ask why you want to wear a sled on our head, but if they are in the South ignore them.

In.the rare case we go up to Maine, New York or the like, we'll call our toboggan a "winter hat." Otherwise a toboggan is a toboggan, and a sled is a sled. "correcting" us is like telling someone from the U.K. they should not call french fries chips.

So wear your toboggan with pride and don't let anyone make fun of you for calling it as such.

Merry Christmas! Happy (belated) Hanukkah! Happy New Year! Look out for changes and improvements to Okra Cola in 2010!

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Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Barbecue - Part 2

So now that we know what barbecue actually is we have to go over the finer points of BBQ joints.  Everybody claims to know of or live near the "best" BBQ joint ever.  Now this place may not be somewhere you've heard of, do not fear; I have seldom had bad barbecue and seldom had good barbecue at a nice restaurant.  It's called a joint for a reason.


My favorite joint is up the road from me a bit and it is Leo and Susie's Famous Green Top Barbecue.  A place I've been eating since I've been able to eat solid food and walk.  Knowing how peoples allegiances lie in the barbecue world I refrain from saying it's the "best" but do recommend it to everyone I talk to.  I have had Top Hat in Hayden and enjoyed it and even had really good barbecue in HARLEM!  Yes Harlem and the bartender even fixed me some sweet tea.  It is good stuff, if you ever can get there Dinosaur Barbecue is it. 

I'm bound to get a "my joint is better than yours" in the comments, but I'd rather have suggestions.  Just give us a link or at least the name and city it is in or near.

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Monday, December 14, 2009

Southern Word of the Week - Ill

(v.) Mama's ill so be careful what you say 'round her today.
(v.) Don't get ill with me, I'm just trying to help.
(n.) I would say take it to Mrs. Jones, but she's taken ill and ain't usually up for visitors.

Ill usually means sick, but it can also mean that someone is upset or having a bad day.  It can also be interchanged with the seldom used cross, as in "don't be cross with your brother."

Emphasis is often on the I of the word and could be heard as eel.

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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Southern Word of the Week - Hollar

(v.) Gimme a hollar  the next time you want to go huntin'.

(v.) I think they're gonna break up.  They hollar at each other all the time

(v.) I'll hollar at y'all to come inside when dinner's ready.

To hollar at someone means to "catch them later" or to get back in touch with them soon.  Also can be yelling at someone hatefully or getting the kids inside if there's a storm coming or if dinner is ready.

Sometimes people go down in the hollar for some reason and you can holler at them to come on out of it.

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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Barbecue - Part 1

If somebody tells me to come over for barbecue, or a barbecue, I expect slow cooked pork butt or ribs.  I have learned now to ask if it is a grill out with hamburgers, hot dogs or brats.  All too often the latter is what the gracious, yet somewhat misinformed host actually meant.


Barbecue or BBQ, in the South means to cook meat slowly in a smoker or via an indirect heat method outside.  Typically it is done in a pit or on a smoker usually with hickory in my neck of the woods.  If you are simply cooking burgers and dogs then that is a "cook out" or you are "grilling." 

Barbecue is barbecue and everybody thinks their recipe, or dad's or uncle's, is the best.  People take it seriously, very seriously.  If you don't belive me just check out the new TLC series starting tomorrow (12/03/2009) Barbecue Pitmasters

I really enjoy smoking.  I typically do ribs with my own secret rub but have not conquered sauce yet so to some racks I add Big Bob Gibson's Red Sauce to the ribs for the last 30 or so minutes on the smoker. 

So remember, if you are grilling out please use the appropriate term.  It ain't barbecue unless it's low and slow.

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