2014 Gift Guide, Day Five
The barbecue expert was skeptical when I told him I'd ordered the pulled pork online. Even when I said that is came from Elizabeth Karmel, who was responsible for some of the food at Hill County, he lifted an eyebrow. "She's a baker," he said. "Makes great peanutbutter and jelly cupcakes. But 'cue... maybe not so much."
Then I mentioned it was whole hog barbecue, made from pigs from a small farmer in North Carolina. I mentioned Ed Mitchell, one of my barbecue heroes. The expert was not convinced.
"Just taste it," I said, piling some of the warm pulled pork - bits from all over the pig - onto a potato bun, adding the vinegary cabbage slaw, shaking on another bit of the thin, piquant sauce - and handing it over.
"Oh!" he said. And then he didn't say anything else until the sandwich was gone.
This is the best Carolina cue I've had in a really long time. It come frozen - in dry ice - in impeccable condition; the shredded cabbage is packed separately, as is the bottle of vinegar sauce.
I bought the "The Piglet" - which is meant to make 8 sandwiches. Actually, it made more like a dozen. If you have some barbecue lovers on your list, I promise you they'll be happy to get some of this.