Up in Smoke for the PBE Challenge

It is confirmed, I am totally obsessed with BBQ. Like St. Louis Ribs, pulled pork, brisket, sausages, sauces, mops, and rubs. And all the many regional cooking and seasoning methods. On the verge of mortal sin, I covet the BBQ smokers on websites like the Smoke Ring, Weber, and Barbecues Galore. I dream of Memphis In May. Some of those guys are hardcore BBQ-ers. Oh man, their smokers are so awesome.

When we got set up for our Memorial Day BBQ, everything was ready as far as the food. A glorious feast was going to be prepared, everything prepped. Then reality set in. No gas in the propane tank! Oh no! So we improvised and got the pork into the oven early in the morning. Add to this the arrival of a few surprise guests. That meant no leftover potato salad. That was OK, I really don't need an extra 42 pounds tacked on to my backside. But the real shock was having no camera for the photos!

I thought we had an extra throwaway camera in the house. Darn it, forgot I used it on exterior photos of a French restaurant that went out of business. (Good location shots!) Oh well. Gotta get a digital camera, no more throwaways from Rite Aid. In culinary school I used the throwaway cameras, too many thefts. Took the film to Rite Aid and I'd order an extra photo CD to download pix and make copies for my portfolio. Plus I figured if "Julie/Julia" could write about her food adventures without photos, I could do the same. Makes sense, she got a book deal, right? Not! What good is a food blog without real photos of the food?

So before La Vida Dulce gets any more obesessed with all things BBQ, we are off to search for a low priced, decent enough digital camera. One that La Vida Dulce can use without a degree in engineering. And a new set of eyeglasses. Forget about the electric smokers for now (sigh!), and let's check out Fry's or Rite-Aid or the swap meet this weekend. Even Crazy Gideon in downtown L.A. is a possibility. So instead of those big ass whole hog smokers they haul all over creation on a flatbed trailer, maybe I can put together a little smoker like the one Alton Brown did, with a terra cotta clay pot, a BBQ grill rack and a hot plate! Works for him, so why not?