Ribfests

I was just doing one of my favorite things--dishes--at World Headquarters, when my mind started wandering (because doing dishes is about as exciting as counting a jar of coffee beans) back to our three 2012 ribfests.

It's really astounding the amount of work that goes into pulling off a ribfest as a competing team and a vendor. We basically haul an entire mobile kitchen out to the site, set it up and live there for five days. Our first ribfest, Jose and I were up at 5 a.m. heading to Celoron, NY., where we stayed till 11 p.m. Same thing the next day. And the next day. And the next day. By Saturday, we were so punch drunk from lack of sleep we couldn't speak. Thankfully, we've managed to streamline things since that first year.

2011 was the summer of the nuclear hot weather. It hit 104 degrees on Thursday and Friday at the Warren Ribfest. The fire department used a thermal sensor to take a reading on the asphalt at Betts Park--138 degrees. We were dropping like flies from heat exhaustion. And yet here comes our rib cutter, Chevy, walking down the asphalt in a black t-shirt, from his house--TWO MILES AWAY--whistling on his way to the Hog Wild tent. The man is part jungle ape.

Which brings me to 2012. We've been lucky enough to rack up 12 trophies since our first ribfest in 2010. Last year's Warren Ribfest was the capper. We walked away with five trophies, including the grand championship. It was a very humbling moment. And very satisfying. Except for when we heard two of the other rib teams grumbling and accusing us of cheating. Which is hilarious. Because we also won the "People's Choice Award for Best Ribs" in all three ribfests we competed in in 2012, too. Obviously we cheated in that category, too, paying off the thousands of people who voted for us.

We love what we do. And we put that love into our work. If you are nothing more than a hack, looking to make money, then don't get pissed when the team who puts the love, time and devotion into their product kicks your ass.