Dear Southerners,
Did you know that in Southern California, when someone invites you to a “barbecue,” what they really mean is that they’re grilling hot dogs and hamburgers? Where I come from, we call that a “cook-out.”
For you non-Southerners, allow me to break this down for you:
- BARBECUE = pork butt, brisket, ribs, and any meat that involves smoking or other methods of slow cooking over low heat. There should also be barbecue sauce. When a Southerner hears the words, “We’re having a barbecue,” the ultimate hope is that you will have an entire pig that has been cooking in a specially-ordered smoker for a week.
- COOK OUT = hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill
Don’t get me wrong, cook-outs are great. Hot dogs and hamburgers are delicious, and I hope to eat at least two of each over the course of the holiday weekend. But a barbecue is a serious treat. When I hear the word, “barbecue,” I get really excited, only to be asked when I arrive at said barbecue (fully prepared, of course, with a stash of Handi-wipes in my purse), “Would you like a hamburger or a hot dog?” Wah-wahhh.
Anyway, whether you attend a cook-out or a real barbecue this weekend, I hope you have a super fun and very safe Fourth. And I hope you enjoy several cold beers, some potato salad, a rocket pop or five, and some Key lime pie. Actually that’s what I hope I get, and I ran my butt up and down the Culver City steps twice this morning in anticipation of the weekend’s caloric debauchery.
Two trips up and down didn’t actually feel like all that much, but my legs were (and still are) total JELLY, so I called it a day. Oh hello, quads, when did you get here? At the top of the steps I enjoyed the view of smoggy LA. 🙂
Good luck to all you Lexingtonians and Lexingtoniennes running the Bluegrass 10,000! I’ll be cheering you on from here, where it’s not humid. 😉
xoxo,
