Peace Love and BBQ
I have not posted recently, but with good reason. I have had my nose buried in the astonishing book written by Mike Mills and his daughter. I realise I may be a little late to the party, but this is truly a great read and is very engaging and human.
For those of you who do not know who Mike Mills is, he is the “legend” of BBQ and three time Grand World Champion who has set up multiple BBQ restaurants, including 17th Street Bar and Grill.
The book starts with a reminiscent look at how the Mill’s family fell in love with Barbecue, with fond memories of Mike’s father tending to his backyard pits. Mike then openly shares his favourite family recipes and trade secrets, whilst always ensuring the reader knows why these are so special.
It is fair to say that Mike truly cares for others and my favourite chapter is entitled “Living Legends” in which Mike speaks of his friends and colleagues and shares “tall tales” and barbecue nostalgia.
Particularly poignant was his discussion with Gary Roark from Ubon’s BBQ. Gary tells a story of a hunting trip where he makes a point of telling his sons in law how much he loves them for taking such great care of his daughters. It is the moments like this that remind you of what Barbecue truly means to those lucky enough to make a living from doing something they love.
As for the recipes, Mike includes his awesome “Magic Dust” dry rub and award winning Apple City BBQ sauce, but this book is not just about how to win at competition, it also includes restaurant favourites such as Blue Smoke Devilled Eggs and Strawberry-Rhubarb Cobbler.
It is rare that a cookery book can elicit such an emotional response but this is the point that Mike is trying to get across as it is not just about “cooking” it is about love.
“This has been a great ride, and I plan to ride this horse as long as she’ll go”
Mike Mills
Notes
-
racksofruin posted this
