MARCHING ON

Memphis in May BBQ Contest Still Da’ Bom!

One of the things I can truly congratulate my hometown of Memphis on is the absolute positive growth of one of the best contests that truly says Memphis; the BBQ contest. Our contest here is the best contest there is for truly it’s a totally Memphis thing at least as far as the cooking of swine or pig if you would. It’s so big that it covers all of Tom Lee Park and they close off the riverfront just to hold it. I remember when I did security there some years back and it was one of my more pleasant job experiences. The people were friendly and there to have a real good time as they cooked up their best recipes of swine trying to win that coveted trophy and the $25,000 prize. Back then it wasn’t about the money, it was about being known as having the best BBQ in the Mid-South, for a lot of them spent MORE than $25,000 on their grills and other gear. Now if I’m not mistaken the prize money is like $100,000 or more but still the contestants may spend more than that on their equipment. So I suspect that bragging rights are still at the core of their motivations to keep coming back (plus to established BBQ houses it’s a feather in their cap adding extra prestige for their BBQ shaks). Well this years contest begins this weekend and I’m looking forward to the sweet smells (and some not so sweet) of that pig meat cooking on a grill. There are several categories; ribs, pork loin, whole hog and several others I’m not that familiar with because my favorite is the ribs and whole hog! There’s nothing like a whole hog cooked right and I love mine sweet and tender. The contest has come a long way from it’s humble beginnings in a small parking lot.

When I was a kid Memphis in May hadn’t really been established but it was called I believe the Cotton Makers Jubilee or the Mid-South Cotton Carnival. Eitherway, it was Memphis’ version of Mardi Gras without all the naked women throwing beads and stuff. It was more tame but it was a very festive atmosphere as many stages were set-up and a bunch of different local bands played and it was all free. Schools and their marching bands used to march down Main Street (before they put those trollies in) and there were all kinds of food booths out selling different sorts of goodies. Right there on Main & Beale was an old broken down theater called the Orpheum Theater and man it was a wreck. When I was younger they didn’t talk about saving it as they eventually did, but they were talking about tearing it down. Well the only ones who leased it out were promoters putting on R&B and Blues shows for there was still quite a bit of local talent around then in the fields of jazz, blues, gospel, and funk. But I noticed I believe around 1978-79 right in the back of that old broken down dusty theater there were a few people with standard topless grills that they probably brought from home holding a barbecue contest. They had it fenced off with wire or a thin chain or something and there couldn’t have been any more than six or seven people competing if that many. I remember that because my mom had told us she didn’t have any money to spend on food that’s why we ate at home and to come on. Yes I had wanted some of that barbecue for real and I believe at the time it was on sale. Eitherway, that was years ago and what a difference a day makes because they’ve gone from being in the back parking lot of an old theater they were going to tear down to fencing off the whole riverfront to accommodate the participants and the spectators. That old theater was given a makeover and now is back in business with a full schedule. For once I really am glad to say something really nice about my hometown for being a lover of BBQ especially the cooking of pig (Texas likes to do beef) I have to show deference to the M-town to being the best at that.

About the Author

Daniel Asamota is an African American author purportedly of West Indian descent whose book \’Mound Bayou\’ has set the literary world ablaze. Now check out Daniel Asamota’s new novella ‘Cricket Man’ at www.cricketman.net. Also check out his website www.Dasamota.com or his e-mail at dasamota@yahoo.com.

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