Barbecue and such...

Well, it's almost that time of year again - time for the Memphis World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. It's called the "Super Bowl of Swine" and 90,000+ people travel to the Mississippi River to get their taste.

I previously lived within walking distance of this mamoth eating event... so you may be curious as to why it's on my mind now that I'm in California. Well, apparently Memphis was thinking of me today because today I received a brochure from Corky's in Memphis- detailing all of the different barbacue packages that I can order and have delivered via airplane in dry ice to my apartment in California.

Here's the online version of their store. If you call in to 1-800-9Corkys and say "Elvis is alive," you can get 10% off your order. :-)

This sounds fun, but I'm always a little reluctant for a number of reasons...

1. When I worked at FedEx, I got around a 50% discount on any orders - and I could use my own FedEx shipping account with 75% off shipping to mail the order. (I would send ribs as a gift for my out of town friends when I got these discounts)
2. In Memphis, they actually sell frozen Corky's at the grocery store, or you can buy it hot from a drive through window. This is even true for the MEM airport - you can have Corky's there, or they'll give you frozen Corky's that's prepackaged for your plane trip. All of these options are cheaper.
3. I always feel a little guilty ordering from Corky's... since the ribs that you HAVE TO try in Memphis are actually at Rendevous. Check out www.hogsfly.com to see the different options available from Charles Vergo's Rendevous.

You may wonder what's so special about Memphis barbecue. Well, I'll tell you - they have an entire tradition built around the stuff... options like dry ribs vs. wet ribs.... cole slaw with mustard instead of mayo... baked beans... white bread... and last but not least, sweet tea. Yumm!

Luckily, with FedEx in Memphis, they're able to share their tasty goodness with the rest of the world. If you do try it, be sure to share your thoughts!