Good Eats and Treats at the SC Annual BBQ Festival
It’s that time of year again when serious barbeque competitors work the competitive Bar-B-Que circuit to determine who’s got the best rubs, sauces, and smokin’ secrets. Every year in the Southeast, one of the more popular BBQ competitions takes place in our nearby little city. So as usual, we followed our noses to the origins of the sweet and savory aromas!
If you didn’t catch it this past June, the Food Network did a special on its “Challenge” show on barbecue competitions in my hometown of Greenwood, South Caroline. The crew of the network brought all the cameras, lights, and journalists to cover the Annual SC Festival of Discovery BBQ Festival. This was the 20th anniversary of this very successful foodie event and was endorsed by the Kansas City BBQ Society. Teams came from Texas, Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. Folks take their BBQ VERY seriously around here!
People were just mingling and milling around trying to taste and savor all of the varieties of the vendors.
Here are a few pictures of the competitors’ humorous signs in front of or on top of their vendor tents.
From the great state of Georgia (above and below):
Here’s one of the most perfect Southern pulled pork sandwich with a tomato-based sauce that we have ever had….we even went back the next day for seconds!
But truthfully, our favorite sauce is the mustard-based BBQ sauce unique to South Carolina . . . it is truly lip-smackin’ good! We don’t care if this recipe was represented in this or any competition at all . . . we love our mustard-based Maurices’s of Columbia, South Carolina ANY DAY!
Here’s the web-site to order the famous Maurice’s SOUTH CAROLINA MUSTARD-BASED barbecue sauce and pulled pork:
http://astore.amazon.com/labellavita0f-20/detail/B0042U90LO
We love Maurice’s mustard-based BBQ sauce so much that our family in Italy literally requests that we ship them more “Maurice’s” or that we pack several bottles with us when we visit them in Italy on a semi-annual basis! My family cannot find South Carolina BBQ mustard-deliciousness anywhere in Italy! NOT ONLY THAT, BUT OUR DAUGHTER AND HUSBAND INSISTED THAT MAURICE’s BBQ WAS PRESENT ON THEIR WEDDING RECEPTION BUFFET!
We’re just suckers for potato shavings dipped in ketchup . . . not so healthy for us, but nothing was at this festival!
And funnel cakes always epitomize carnivals, fairs, and festivals. This BBQ festival was no exception, so my hubby had his sweet tooth satisfied nicely!
I just had to give this Italian Ice a try. . . “Rita’s” is a common chain in many states and this strawberry ice sure hit the spot on what was another extremely hot summer day here in the South! With this to help cool us off, we ended our lazy afternoon by simply sitting in the shade of a tree while a wonderful breeze blew in as we sat and listened to some cool live jazz and blues tunes.
Overall, it was a yummy and enjoyable day for a lot of hungry, happy, and social people who love to sample and support great regional fare and some good live music. With a little kids amusement rides section, even a lot of kids had a good time. And that’s always a good thing!
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For a list of jazz and blues bands here’s the link:
http://www.uptowngreenwood.com/Events_FestivalofDiscovery_Blues.aspx
It’s amazing how simple ingredients can create a masterpiece!
Rachel, it was in Greenwood, SC and there were competitor’s from Anderson. The Rita’s vendor was also from Anderson! Roz
This is why a lot of people love summer, they are plenty of grilling event pretty much everywhere 🙂
I love the photographs. Where was it held in SC? I live in Anderson, and I wish I’d known about it!
Found you on NFF! Have fun at the festival! I love the blog btw!!!
http://leksidesigns.blogspot.com
http://www.leksidesigns.com
Thanks for stopping by today Roz!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Java
Can’t wait to see the photos! sounds like you’ll have great fun, and I LOVE the new look of your blog!! Very refreshing and beautiful!!!
anne
http://www.anniebakes.net