Savory Southern Cusine, and I Ain't Talkin' bout Southern Ireland!

I returned to Ireland with the sad realization that while I was back in North Carolina visiting I neglected to eat any BBQ! For my Irish friends and my US friends not from North Cackalaky I want to make sure you have a clear understanding of what North Carolina BBQ is all about, and why it is so sad that I didn't have a chance to tantalize my tongue with that tangy delight!

Barbeque is a hotly debated topic in the USA, and I cannot even begin to cover all aspects of it in this one post. In fact, I would have to create an entirely different blog just to deal with the complex issues of competing regional barbecue styles.Think about it!? I've already spelled it (Barbeque, Barbecue, BBQ) three different ways, and that's just the spelling! Besides, there are already oodles of BBQ blogs out there like this one www.bbqguyblog.blogspot.com and this one www.bbqjunkie.com.

Pit Master Ed Mitchell at The Pit in Raleigh. Adam managed to stop in for some BBQ when he was back, but I forgot.

With so many different regional styles out there people tend to take sides, and I am no exception. Growing up in the Midwest I was raised on Kansas City style BBQ, which uses a thick tomato and molasses-based sweet and smoky sauce. For the first 20 some odd years of my life that was the only BBQ I knew. It wasn't until Adam and I moved that my taste buds were awakened to the delights of the spicy, tangy, vinegar-based sauce that they were serving up with their whole hog chop in Eastern North Carolina! One bite and it was love, I was a barbeque convert.

Whole hog is the only way to go! I love me a good pig pickin'!

Why stop with BBQ!? In the years we spent in North Carolina I grew to love many other Southern treats like: Shrimp & Grits, collard greens, pimento cheese, fried okra, country ham, hoppin' john, cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, chicken and dumplings, Brunswick Stew, hush puppies, etc. We got our fix on many of these delectable delights from our friend and true Souther gentleman, Lee Fleming, a caterer, who Adam worked with for several years.

There are however some Southern foods that never grew on me, and I'm fairly certain they never will. This first one may cause some of my friends to draw back in horror, but I just do not like Sweet Tea. I am sorry but I just can't do it. Also can't do: sausage gravy, chitlins, liver mush, pecan pie, or boiled peanuts.

Sorry to veer so far off track! I guess it's about time I share with you What's Cookin' Wednesday! Today I have made Spaghetti and Meatballs!

Ha ha, just kidding! Of course I made BBQ, as well as a few other tasty Southern treats! I even made my own Eastern North Carolina Vinegar style sauce. I had trouble finding cider vinegar, maybe it doesn't exist here, or maybe I just wasn't looking in the right place. So I made my own by mixing white vinegar and apple juice. That combined with sugar, crushed red pepper, worcestershire, and a little ketchup, and voila!

Pork Butt ready for slow cookin'!

Eastern North Carolina vinegar sauce

Alas, we do not have a grill or a smoker here in Ireland, so it was not exactly authentic, but I did my best! I decided to slow roast a pork shoulder with a dry rub of sugar and spices on low heat for about five hours until it was tender. Then I shredded it up and tossed with my vinegar sauce. Tasty! The best way to deliver that yummy pulled pork from plate to mouth is on a bun topped with tangy coleslaw!

I also made deviled eggs just for my husband because he loves them so much, and I tried my hand at making Pimento Cheese spread for the first time ever. Pimento cheese was always so readily available in North Carolina that I never considered making it from scratch, but here in Ireland it is unheard of. So I had to look at this as an opportunity to expand my culinary catalog!

With the spirit of the South welling up inside it got me thinking about adding buttermilk biscuits and sausage gravy to the catalog as well. Even though the gravy is not something I enjoy (see above), Adam loves it, and I reckon a good southern woman does those sorta things for her man! However biscuits and gravy will have to wait, as this Southern spread was enough for now.  Bon Appetite - Y'all!

Back to Ireland, Back to Blogging!

Wow! I've been MIA from the world of blogging for a while now! I've been back in Ireland for five days and this is the first time I've sat down at the computer with the intention to write. Don't get me wrong I have been wanting to write and I have plenty of ideas running through my head, but somehow the transition has left me tired and apathetic about doing anything. Why is it that we often need a vacation from our vacations? A five-hour time difference should not be this difficult, but I think I simply mentally allowed it to get to me!

So pushing the mental exhaustion aside I thought I'd start back to blogging by sharing a few tidbits about my trip back to the good ol' US of A!

The reason for our trip was to celebrate the wedding of Adam's childhood friend Nick, and his beautiful bride Chelsea! This homegrown backyard love fest was picture perfect, complete with a vintage sofa to pause for a silly photo, to the lovebird themed cake, and the wedding party's crazy launch fully clothed into the pool!

So happy to help set the stage for the vintage love bird themed wedding by designing the invitations!

Adam and his mama acting a little goofy!

Sadly the wedding weekend fun came to an end, and Adam had to return to Ireland for work, but my USA holiday was just beginning. I headed further South to spend the next week in Naples, Florida with my parents. I managed to hit the links a few times, hang out with the family, watch the sunset, and cuddle with my doggy!

FORE!

Picnic at the beach with the family.

Beautiful sun set over the Gulf.

Oh how the time flies! Before I knew it, I was saying goodbye to my family and was on my way to Raleigh, North Carolina. Raleigh is where Adam and I spent our last seven years and it was great to be back! I managed to see and do almost everyone and everything on my list, but it still did not feel like I had enough time! Missed a chance to hang with the Glam Squad, eat a Snoopy's dog, only had a partial book club meet up, and no beer and wings with Kitty at the Draft House! Oh well, I guess that means I'll just have to go back again someday!

I did manage to spend lots of quality time with Jolly and baby Mason!

Drank lots of Two Buck Chuck with Susan and the girls,

and back porch drinking and pool chilling with my girl Anna!

Next stop Washington DC! Best friends from college Staci and Kim live in the DC Metro area and a trip back to the US wouldn't be complete without seeing them. I had another baby to meet who made his debut since I've been away. Shopping with Staci, catching up with Kim and her new life adjusting to motherhood, drinking my favorite Dogfish Head brews, a quick visit with Stelios & Andrea, and lazy pool days made for a wonderful end to my US visit.  

Kim's new bundle of Joy baby Cole and I bond over a beer!

Thank you to everyone who took me in, entertained me, and made the effort to make sure my first trip back to the USA was a success. I miss you all over again, but happy to know that someday I'll be back and we can do it all again!

Finally, I want to share with you all the goodies that made it back in my suitcase! Hooray for yummy snacks, ranch dressing, goldfish crackers, twizzlers, cornmeal, peanut butter treats, and spicy things!