Just Call Me Piggy!

Okay, here's another post I promised about a century ago. Fair Weather Runner has been waiting a long time for this one, I know . . . It's my Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party report! I think there was also supposed to be a long run report that went along with it, so I'll do a speedy recap of that, and then get to the good stuff. I apologize ahead of time to any vegetarians out there (you might want to skip the BBQ report)!

So the abbreviated version of the long run report goes like this: Had 12 on the schedule, ran with Wilson, left 30 minutes later than planned, felt like my legs were dead by mile-2, stopped to stretch, considered cutting the run short, but kept on going, there were 80 bazillion races going on in the park (bike and running), it was kind of annoying, stopped to take a vanilla gel around mile-5 (yes, the same flavor I'd puked up the previous week), gagged the second I opened it, but then managed to suck it down without losing it, resumed running, moved to the dirt path instead of the main asphalt road in an attempt to stay out of the race participants' ways, tweaked my ankle a little bit on some stupid roots sticking out of the ground, kept running, finally cut the run short at 11.09 miles (my ankle was feeling pretty wobbly and Wilson was struggling too). Then we grabbed HUGE Dunkin' Donuts iced coffees to celebrate. The end.

THEN? It was time for BBQ!!

Now first, let me explain what this event is. As I mentioned, it's called the Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, and it's basically the best thing ever. It is held in Madison Square Park, and it attracts the nation's top pitmasters. As the event webpage explains:

"At the 2009 Snapple Big Apple Barbecue Block Party, 15 of the nation’s top pitmasters showcased their unique, award-winning regional barbecue styles, including new additions from Alabama, Tennessee and Missouri."

The pitmasters represented (shown along with the restaurants they represent and the menu selections they would be serving for $8 a plate) were as follows:

Ken Callaghan
Blue Smoke - New York, NY

Kansas City Ribs & Pickled Okra

Pete Daversa
Hill Country - New York, NY

Beef Brisket & Cool as a Cucumber Salad

Joe Duncan
Baker’s Ribs - Dallas, TX

St. Louis-Style Ribs & Jalapeno Coleslaw

Jimmy Hagood
BlackJack BBQ - Charleston, SC

Pulled Pork Shoulder & Coleslaw

Chris Lilly
Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q - Decatur, AL

Pulled Pork Shoulder & Crisp Spicy Southern Mustard Coleslaw

Patrick Martin
Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint - Nashville, TN

Western Tennessee-Style Whole Hog with Sweet Pickles

Mike Mills
17th Street Bar & Grill - Murphysboro, IL

Memphis Championship Barbecue - Las Vegas, NV

Baby Back Ribs & Beans

Ed Mitchell
The Pit - Raleigh, NC

Whole Hog & Coleslaw

Garry Roark
Ubon’s “Champion’s Choice” - Yazoo, MS

Pulled Pork Shoulder & Coleslaw

Drew Robinson
Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q - Birmingham, AL

Homemade Smoked Sausage with Pimento Cheese & Saltines

Michael Rodriguez
The Salt Lick BBQ - Driftwood, TX

Beef Brisket, Sausage & Coleslaw

John Stage
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - New York, NY

Pulled Pork Shoulder & Beans

Skip Steele
Pappy’s Smokehouse - St. Louis, MO

St. Louis-Style Ribs & Beans

John Wheeler
Rack & Soul - New York, NY

Baby Back Ribs & Beans

Ed Wilson
Wilson’s Barbeque - Fairfield, CT

Texas Style Brisket & Coleslaw

Okay, so now for some photographic evidence of the feast we had. We started with three plates of BBQ a piece (our friend Tri had already eaten one of his while standing on line--it just smelled TOO good not to!)--If I recall correctly, these were from The Salt Lick (the brisket, sausage and coleslaw plates), 17th Street Bar & Grill (the ribs and beans plates) and Hill Country (the beef brisket with cucumber salad plates):

Here I am enjoying one of my favorite things on earth . . . the to-die-for sausage of The Salt Lick (Driftwood, TX).

After finishing the first three plates, we were still aching for more barbecue . . . so we grabbed another round. I think this one was from The Pit.

I am pretty sure this next plate was from BlackJack . . . although, I'm not 100% sure.

I was so stuffed by the time we got to BlackJack (plate number 5!), that I just couldn't do it. Turns out it wasn't that awesome anyway (whew!) As you will see below, I forced Tri to eat my last plate. I don't think he minded :)

Finally, here I am with "the carnage" as we called it. As you can see, we kind of ate a lot. Tri won first place with 6 plates, Wilson ate 5 plates and I ate a measly 4 plates. I think I'm going to have to train for this even next year so that I don't come in last place again! Speaking of carnage, please don't mind my protruding dislocated left collar bone; it's the result of my infamous tumble down the stairs back in October. Yes, it hurts. Yes, it's kind of gross. But I live with it . . . so the least you can do is look at a picture where it's sticking out all over the place! Ha, I kid, I kid. But it is kind of disgusting . . .


As we were leaving, we stumbled upon one of the "whole hog" tents.


If you thought that last picture was gross, wait until you see this one, where the pitmaster men are actually digging crap out of the hog. Also, we saw the one dude drop his sunglasses into the hog. That was almost enough to force my stuffed gut to lose its contents.


Oh ribs, you are so beautiful to me!

A shot of the crowd. I usually steer clear of mass chaos like this . . . but not when there's meat involved! This was literally the best day ever!

In other news, I think I erroneously led some of you to believe that my marathon is THIS weekend. No, it's just that I'm so psychotic that I start looking at the weather reports on accuweather as soon as they are available (15 days beforehand!). The race isn't actually until a week from Saturday. Thank goodness, because I think I'll need some extra time to burn all of that pig and cow off! Whew!

Hope you all have an amazing weekend! :)