BBQ

For lunch I had barbecued chicken for the first time this year. Nothing says summer like BBQ chicken.

Growing up in western PA there was a chicken BBQ nearly every Saturday. They were (and are) popular fund-raisers for churches, fire companies, and American Legion posts.

The chicken halves are placed in stainless steel racks and cooked over a charcoal fire. There is no sauce as such-- instead the chicken is sprayed frequently with mixture of salt, vinegar, butter and water. The result is moist chicken with a golden brown skin.

When I grew up and went into the wider world I discovered that some people actually use a tomato-based sauce on chicken when they "barbeque". Why anyone would put glorified catsup on chicken is beyond me. There's just no explaining some things.

One of the advantages of having moved around alot in my career is that I have sampled barbecue all over-- ribs in Chicago, St. Louis and Memphis, pork in North Carolina, etc. As good as it is, (and the ribs in Tuscaloosa were very good) BBQ chicken is still my favorite (with a caveat). Maybe it is just because it is a taste from my childhood.

About that caveat-- i've never had BBQ in Texas-- all the beef BBQ i've eaten has been in place like Alqonquin, Illinois or at chains like Red Hot and Blue. Even then, i liked it alot. So the genuine article must be very good indeed.