Perhaps there is just some fundamental methodological difference between the way historians and literary scholars interrogate sources. Random associations appear to be perfectly legitimate here. Even worse, sources are cited for what they do not say. Because Thomas Jefferson doesn't mention barbecue in his notes on Virginia, this "suggests he finds its barbarity, its stark racial alterity, hard to stomach" (112). Maybe he just didn't have anything to say about barbecue?Frankly, I wouldn’t care if barbecue had been invented by the Hitler Youth or the KKK. Its appeal is universal. And it’s delicious.
Only vaguely on-topic, but are there things that strongly distinguish Australian barbecue cooking from American? Are there various "schools" of barbecue-ology in Australia, as there are in the U.S. - e.g., Kansas City, Memphis, Texas, North Carolina (eastern and western styles), etc?
Good grief. There are people with race on the brain, I swear. George Washington never said anything about barbecue either, and I bet he ate it too.
ReplyDeleteBarbecue is the food of the gods.
"Food of the gods". Absolutely correct!
ReplyDeleteOg not think barbecue racist. Fire good. Meat good.
ReplyDeleteDeborah Leigh
As I understand American barbecue it is a noble culinary art, based on rubs, sauces and marinades and slow cooking over varous different types of woods and charcoal with fierce debate as to the relative merits of oak versus hickory and dry and wet rubs. Australian barbecue by contrast shares little of this except the name. Almost without exception it involves some fairly ordinary sausages (or "snags" hence the phrase "a few snags short of a barbie" for someone of less than adequate mental capability) or chops burnt over a gas fire to cremation point while consuming vast quantities of very ordinary beer.
ReplyDeleteWhile people of delicate sensibilities such as your good self Paco rightly recoil from such barbarity, in recent years signs of enlightenment have begun to emerge. While we haven't yet risen to seppo heights the beer is getting much better these days and crayfish and roo occasionally make an appearance at the better type of barbie.
But on balance still best avoided.
When I eventually get to to seppo land, any suggestions as to how best to experience real barbecue. Are there resturants or is this something that can only be experienced in homes?
And it goes without saying that Warnes' book appears to be total bollocks.
cac: There are many establishments that specialize in the fine art of barbecue (although I have found none of particular distinction in Washington; in Richmond - or in Ashland, to be technically correct - there is the Smoky Pig and Virginia Barbecue; also there are some fairly good chains, including Famous Dave's). And the various regional barbecue factions defend their respective rites and rituals with the zealotry of rival religions. Not long ago, in fact, one of the cable channels had a series that followed the fortunes of several knights of the grill as they participated (fiercely) in competitions around the country.
ReplyDeleteIf you ever come to my neck of the woods, we shall have to go in search of this excellent cuisine (pronounced "coo-zeen" in the better southern barbecue establishments).
How else would one pronounce it?
ReplyDeleteI should add that while we antipodeans are sadly deficient in barbecuing arts there are more civilised races not far away. In Bali they do something called Babi Guling which is whole suckling pig stuffed with chilli and lemograss and basted with coconut milk over a fire of coconut husks. They also do excellent seafood - clams and fish cooked over coconut basted with a chilli sauce. As might be imagined, both are more than tolerable with a few bottles of the local brew, Bintang.
One of my favourites: http://www.bk.com/en/us/menu-nutrition/category1/index.html
ReplyDeleteCheers
My dad wasn't racist - he put his steak on the grill, slathered it with bbq sauce, took it off when Med Rare, then slopped it through ketchup.
ReplyDeleteI liked mine the same way, minus the ketchup. It's a horror to so many people from east of the Mississippi!