About Me

My Virtual Trip Around The World

Cooking has always been one of my favorite pastimes. However, for many years, my cooking skills were limited only to those dishes that I was used to eating on a regular basis. A few years ago I decided to expand my horizons and challenged myself to learn a new dish from around the world each week. I am proud to say that I completed that challenge and learned a lot along the way. Today, I have decided to start this blog as a way to not only honor my accomplishment, but to share with the rest of the world everything that I learned about international cuisine.

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My Virtual Trip Around The World

Consider These BBQ Styles For Your 4Th Of July Celebration

by Sue Holmes

Have a great 4th of July celebration planned and you need to cater for family and guests? Some finger-licking barbecue could be just the thing to set off some culinary fireworks among your audience. Good barbecue comes in all forms, but the following focuses on 5 of the most popular types of barbecue across the country:

Memphis Style

It's no secret that the land of blues is also the land of great barbecue. Memphis-style BBQ starts out plain, but it gets its fantastic flavor from a liberal mopping in vinegar, followed by a dry rub full of spices. This barbecue is traditionally served sans sauce, but you can always opt for a thin molasses-sweetened tomato sauce if you want.

Carolina Style

When it comes to Carolina-style BBQ, pork is king. Pork shoulder, pork butt and pork ribs round out the region's signature dishes, cooked over hickory or oak coals and coated in a tangy vinegar and spice mix. North Carolina fans typically prefer ketchup-based BBQ sauces, while folks in parts of South Carolina go for mustard-based sauces, usually with vinegar and brown sugar for a sugary yet tangy taste.

Alabama Style

Alabama-style BBQ can be described as a cross between Texas and Carolina, combining the best attributes of both while bringing its own unique twist to the table. That twist lies with its famous white sauce, a popular North Alabama specialty that's unlike anything else. Pulled pork and chicken are staples of Alabama-style BBQ.

Central Texas Style

Unsurprisingly, Central Texas is a mecca for barbecue. When it comes to great barbecue, the region has German and Czech immigrants from to thank, bringing with them their expertise when it comes to all matters meat. Brisket is the signature dish around these parts, rubbed with spices and carefully smoked over oak and pecan wood and served with a variety of sauces.

There's also East Texas and West Texas-style BBQ. The former is slow-cooked to exceptional tenderness over hickory wood and coated in a sweet tomato sauce, while the latter gets its famous flavor from mesquite wood.

Kansas City Style

Despite some surprising similarities to Memphis-style BBQ thanks to the likes of Henry Perry, Kansas City-style BBQ offers a unique flavor all its own. The real novelty comes from the wide variety of meats used (from pork shoulders to brisket and butt) and the sweet yet spicy tomato-based sauce commonly used with it.

If you're hankering for some barbecue, but aren't ready to start grilling yourself, contact a caterer like Bassett Caterers to learn more.

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