Grill and Barrel

I sure like to find local joints to try and when I find a place that has "BBQ" on the sign on front, I like to give those guys a few of my train-ridin' dollars in exchange for their brand of BBQ. So when I spotted Peppers Deli & BBQ in Ellisville, MO, I decided to give them a shot.

First of all, let me say that I really liked the owner and the way he took the time to talk to every person who stepped to the counter. It was very apparent that he has a lot of regular customers and I figure that's a good sign.

The sandwich board is loaded with all sorts of deli sandwiches and a whole section of "Slow Smoked BBQ" that included everything from pulled pork to BBQ ribs. Unfortunately, the BBQ was not great. It was tender, but it was kept in a warmer with a vinegary kind of sauce. When they served it up, they ladled on a bunch of St. Louis style BBQ sauce (that's a thick, sweet sauce). There was just too much sauce (both kinds) to be able to taste much about the meat.

While I won't go back for their BBQ, the other parts of the place and supporting a small business owner will definitely make me go and try one of the many deli sandwiches on their menu.

Cheers,
Braddog

I grew up in southern Illinois and was attending Southern Illinois University about the same time that Mike Mills was opening his first restaurant, 17th St. BBQ, in Murphysboro, IL.  My roommate and I would occasionally make the trip to Lake Egypt to eat BBQ at a place that we liked, but we were totally unaware of the happenings less than 10 miles away from campus.

Mike Mills is an author, a restauranteur, a Memphis in May Champion, and is referred to as The Legend in BBQ circles.  This book, Peace, Love, & Barbecue: Recipes, Secrets, Tall Tales, and Outright Lies from the Legends of Barbecue, is his perspective on the culture of BBQ.

Peace, Love, and Barbecue isn't an autobiography, though it tells Mike's story from his viewpoint.  It's not merely a cookbook, though it's chocked full of awesome recipes from some of the best BBQ'ers in the country.  It's not an instructional guide, but there are lots of tips and recommendations throughout the book.  It's not a travel guide, but you could use it to locate the best BBQ  joints in the country.  This book is all of those things and more.

For every beer you drink, throw on about 6 lumps of charcoal or one small stick of wood - Mike Mills

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, hearing from the who's who in the BBQ world, perusing the recipes and planning my next BBQ experiment, and getting a deeper look at the culture around one of the most uniquely American foods, BBQ.  This is a must read for anyone who cooks as a hobby, aspires to cook competitively, or simply enjoys good BBQ.

So here's wishing you Peace, Love, and BBQ!

Cheers,
Braddog