Happy New Year Folks

I don't have much to say today, but I want to take a moment to thank all of you for reading WhiteTrash BBQ over the past year. I love and appreciate the comments from you and treasure the friendships we've made over the years.

Happy New Year my friends! Look for a revamped WhiteTrash BBQ next year.

WTF?

" It’s going to be pulled meats, all kinds of meat. We’re going to have a vegetarian option too, but it’s going to be a riff on barbecue around the world. Everything is going to be stewed and have great textures – everyone loves a hot meat sandwich."

BARBEQUE is not STEWED meat. DAMN IT - If the chef's of this world will not recognize this how the hell do we get the public to?

Mad Dog BBQ Sauce

Below is a press release. I don't usually post press releases, but this is about the company that makes my absolutely favorite barbecue sauce, Mad Dog. Now I love the original, and I love the spicy. The judges at competition - well they sure as hell don't. Enjoy.

BBQ Spells Success for MA Entrepreneur

Twenty years in business and 28 sauces later, Ashley Food Company, Inc. continues to beat the odds. The secret to success for entrepreneur David “Mad Dog” Ashley lies in giving customers a reason to come back for more. The original Mad Dog all natural bbq sauce kicked the company into high gear 20 year ago. Its popularity spawned the expansion into a whole family of Mad Dog sauces over the next 5, 10 and 15 year milestones. Now the #1 rated BBQ sauce by America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Magazine comes in three varieties, Original, Chipotle and Ultra Hot. Dun & Bradstreet reports, "Businesses with fewer than 20 employees have only a 9% chance of surviving 10 years." Ashley Food Company, Inc. is an exception to the rule.

Sudbury, MA (Vocus/PRWEB) December 20, 2010

In honor of the 20th anniversary of Ashley Food Company, Inc., founder David “Mad Dog” Ashley just introduced a family of three barbecue sauces featuring the ever popular, Mad Dog Original all natural bbq sauce. The original has the same, rich flavor that ranked it #1 by America's test Kitchen and Cook's Magazine. The new Chipotle Mad Dog barbecue sauce has the same heat as the original, award-winning recipe and has a distinctive, new smoky flavor. The Ultra Hot Mad Dog barbecue sauce has been enhanced with added Ghost Peppers making it one of hottest BBQ sauces ever made.

What gives Chipotle Mad Dog bbq sauce its smooth, smoky flavor are large, red ripe, dried jalapeños that are called chipotle peppers. These peppers are the last ones to be harvested so they are brown in color. They are smoked slowly over an open fire for an unmistakable taste. There are many different grades of chipotle peppers. Ashley Food Company, Inc. uses only high-grade chipotle, the finest money can buy.

When customers asked for an even hotter BBQ sauce, Ashley Food Company, Inc. delivered one of the hottest bbq sauces ever sold. To intensify the heat of Ultra Hot Mad Dog bbq sauce, the company added Bhut Jolokia otherwise known as ghost pepper. This pepper comes from India and is 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce. Ghost peppers are certified by Guinness World RecordsTM as the world's hottest peppers.

All three varieties of Mad Dog bbq are dedicated to Ashley's good friend, Bear, the chocolate lab who appears on the new label of this family of barbecue sauces. To lock in freshness, Mad Dog bbq comes in a new, 12-ounce bottle with an unmistakable new logo.

Texas musician Lyle Lovett once compared barbecue sauce to a beautiful woman. He said “If it's too sweet, it's bound to be hiding something.” (The Texas Monthly, June 2008) David Ashley explains why Mad Dog barbecue sauces have nothing to hide. “For 20 years, our hallmark has been to provide all-natural products. We use premium, fresh ingredients and no fillers, no additives and no preservatives. We guarantee this. ”

To order Mad Dog bbq sauces, visit Ashley Food Company, Inc., call 1-800-61-SAUCE or email maddog(at)ashleyfood(dot)com.

For more information about the complete line of Mad Dog bbq and Hot Sauces created by Ashley Food Company, also visit Ashley Food Retail Store and Ashley Food Wholesale Store.

About Ashley Food Company, Inc.

As President and founder of Ashley Food Company, Inc. in Sudbury, Massachusetts, David has been creating all-natural, mouth watering, and award-winning products for two decades come January 2011. All Mad Dog creations are made in hand-measured batches and cooked to perfection. To this day, David ensures that every blend has a fresh-from-the-kettle-taste.

Ashley Food Company produces 28 sauces, from sweet with heat to lethal, including “The world's hottest hot sauce” – 357 EXTREME hot sauce; Mad Dog BBQ sauces, Mad Cat, Teriyaki Hot sauce; industrial extracts, and has recently added Envy, 357 EXTREME Wing sauce and 357 EXTREME Mustard to the line-up. Find the complete line of Mad Dog Hot Sauces and barbeque sauces created by David Ashley at Ashley Food Company, Inc.

Read more: http://www.benzinga.com/press-releases/10/12/p714676/bbq-spells-success-for-ma-entrepreneur#ixzz18iMNFLFI

Competitions: The Cookie Take Down

My buddy Matt Timms is hosting another one of his fantastic takedowns.. The Cookie Take Down. I've competed in few of the Take Downs and have been taken down each time, but Lord almighty, I always go down with a smile. (Easy now!) I'm not going down this time. Sorry Matt!

Check out the 411 and get your ass to The Bell House on December 19th!

Oh phew! The Cookie Takedown is finally here to defend the holidays from Giant Spiders!!! December 19th 6PM at The Bell House, so watch out ! The Takedown is always so awesome,you guys! 30 different cookies, all with seriously bad attitudes! If you think you need to dance now, go for it, dance!!! I understand! This is the happiest takedown that was EVER.

THERE ARE NO COMPETITOR SLOTS LEFT! But email Matt to get on his mailing list, so you never get shut out again!

For $15, try all the cookies and vote on your most favorite! And oo, I hope you like eggnog, because for the first hour, Bulleit Bourbon is spiking the FREE NOG FOR ALL!!! Also, I will be giving away a 5-piece Anolon Bakeware set to one super lucky attendee in a free raffle!

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! Buy now, before they sell out! Eeek!!!

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

20% Off Tickets until 12/15! CLICK HERE

Fatty 'Cue Christmas Day BBQ Feast

This just in from Pig Trip and Facebook. Something to celebrate! I wish I was going to be in town on Christmas, I'd be spending the day in Williamsburgh!

The inimitable Robbie Richter will flex his BBQ muscle on Christmas Day with a regional tour de force of specialties from Texas, Carolina, St Louis and Kentucky. This one night-only event will bring the grit, the grunge and the goods for a special limited edition of the Fatty 'Cue Roadhouse.

REGIONAL BBQ MENU
Available Christmas Day, 12pm - Midnight
91 S. 6th Street, 718.599.3090
Reservations highly recommended
Priced a la carte

Holiday Beverages
Assam Wassel (hot cider) - spike it with your choice of Brandy, Bourbon or Rum
Coconut Egg Nog

BBQ
An homage to Carolina, St Louis, Texas and Kentucky-style BBQ
$ Range (11-21)

Texas Shoulder Clod | pulled with barbecue sauce
St. Louis Style Ribs | barbecue sauce
Chicken Fried Chicken | black pepper gravy
Carolina Pulled Pork | vinegar sauce
Mutton Stew - "burgoo" | cinnamon, nutmeg, chili, beef broth, potato, black eyes or heirloom beans, kale, parsnip, carrot
Beef & Pork Jalapeno Cheese Sausage
Crudite Plate | cheddar cheese, jalapeno, sliced red onion, pickles, Texas toast

Sides
$ Range (6-9)

Rib Tips
Mac and Cheese
Sweet Corn Pudding
Baked Beans and Burnt Ends
Cold Potato Salad
Collard Greens
Cole Slaw
Potato Rolls

Top Food Predictions for 2011

The Food Channel has weighed in with what it thinks are going to be the hot "in" foods for 2011.

I'm intrigued by some of their selections, but frankly most of these items are part of my regular eating patterns already.

What do you think?

1. Small Pies. Pie, of course, has been around forever, but 2011 could be the Year of the Pie. Some are already calling it the “next cupcake.” We say, yes, pies will be hot in the coming year, but look for smaller pies to make it big—in both sweet and savory varieties.

2. Sausage. Look for a leaner, better quality sausage, sourced locally at farmers markets, to take on the role as the “new bacon.” Home butchery and the charcuterie trend that has led to renewed interest in cured meats are additional factors here as well.

3. Nutmeg. Researchers have discovered that nutmeg’s reputation as an aphrodisiac—especially for women—has some merit. Need we say more?

4. Moonshine. Moonshine has gone legit. Tennessee’s first legal moonshine distillery opened this summer, and the clear corn whiskey hootch can now be found in many liquor stores and even purchased online. It still packs a wallop.

5. Gourmet Ice Pops. Ice pops in exotic flavors like bacon, mango chile, and peanut butter are the latest to get the artisanal treatment. They’re known as paletas in Mexico. Watch for them to go mainstream north of the border in 2011.

6. Grits. Could this old southern favorite become the “new grain”? We see it moving beyond the breakfast menu and above the Mason-Dixon Line.

7. Sweet Potatoes. These super-nutritious tubers will be orange-hot in 2011. They’ll be especially molten as the alternative, better-for-you french fry.

8. Fin fish. We are still discovering so much about the benefits of fish. After all, it wasn't that long ago that we found out about Omega 3's, and we know that obtaining these nutrients directly from food is the best way to get them into our system. We're banking on more acceptance of farmed fish as it becomes more important to have a good supply of this lean protein.

9. Cupuaçu fruit. This is quite possibly the next superfruit, following in the footsteps of the acai fruit. Both are from the Brazilian rainforest. Cupuaçu has a number of antioxidants and minerals, and is considered a natural source of energy. We tasted it in a Brazilian candy that had us craving more. Speaking of candy, you might also watch for Brigadeiro. This sweet Brazilian candy is made by mixing sweetened condensed milk, butter and cocoa powder. It's usually rolled into ball and coated in granulated sugar, but it can also take on other flavors. It's the national truffle of Brazil. Look for it to come to our shores in 2011.

10. Beans. The lowly legume will step up to the spotlight in 2011, as a great source of protein and a versatile ingredient in appetizers like white bean & rosemary bruschetta. And, yes, it’s still awesome in chili.

An Explanation - A Father Looks at Diabetes

I apologize if I worried any of you by my last post. My daughter is fine. So am I and the rest of the family. My daughter is a type one diabetic and sometimes the battle is difficult for her. Last night was one of those nights where she couldn't get her blood sugar levels up.

Low blood sugar produces all sorts of side effects like...

• Dizziness
• Nervousness
• Personality change/irrational behavior
• Blurry vision
• Shakiness
• Nausea
• Crying
• Sluggishness
• Sweating
• Poor coordination
• Hunger
• Lightheadedness
• Irritability
• Drowsiness
• Erratic response to questions
• Inability to concentrate

In really bad situations, low blood sugar can cause convulsions and unconsciousness and sometimes death.

We've been lucky. My daughter can usually tell when her sugar levels are dropping and can correct them quickly. Last night, it just didn't work and she struggled for hours getting her levels to normalize. And this got to me.

My baby girl has been fighting diabetes since she was 4 years old. For a week she was treated in the hospital while the doctors put us through boot camp. We learned what type one diabetes is, how to treat it and how to live with diabetes. We left that hospital scared, trained and hopeful.

My daughter is amazing. She completely handles all of her own medications and monitoring. I am so proud of how well she takes care of herself. Even her doctors are amazed on how efficient and professional she is about her own care. She's so efficient that frankly after 13 years, sometimes I forget about how hard it still is for my daughter.

At first all we heard were the horror stories of blindness, amputation and death. Then came the advice about diet and exercise and sugar. And my favorite lines about telling her not to eat any sugar and she'll be cured.

Thank you very much kind hearted and well meaning people, but I don't need to hear about grandma who lost a foot or poor uncle George who died. Or how when you were diagnosed at 60 with type two diabetes, you cured it by laying off the late night snacks and cakes. If you are not a type one diabetic or living with one, I'm willing to bet that half of what you know is wrong and the horror stories about amputations and other complications are most likely due to people who didn't manage their disease or lived 30 years ago. So forgive me if I don't want to hear about diabetes from you. Your stories, your advice is usually so wrong and off the mark that I don't want to hear it. Nor does my little girl.

Last night it all came back to me. I don't know why. She's had low blood sugar episodes before. She was hurting and so was I. She's my baby - my perfect little girl.

So fuck you diabetes. Leave my daughter alone.

Challenges

Fuck diabetes. How dare you touch my beautiful daughter?
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Breaking News: Nutmeg Recall

Slash Foods reports....

Two brands of nutmeg (sold in all 50 states) are being recalled voluntarily because they "have the potential to be contaminated with salmonella," according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Frontier Natural Products Co-op is recalling two brands: Frontier Brand Nutmeg (sold in 16 oz. bulk packages), and Whole Foods 365 Brand Nutmeg (1.92 oz. package), both originally supplied by Mincing Overseas Spice Company. According to the FDA press release, "Consumption of products containing salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain."

Read more: http://www.slashfood.com/2010/12/02/recall-alert-nutmeg/#ixzz16ydB8uWy

Wordless Wednesday

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry