ENC BBQ and Politics

[wcmckinney]

I received this from some friends of mine today that work for Erskine Bowles, who is running for Senator in the Old North State. Note the mention of free BBQ from one of the doyene's of Down East BBQ:

Join U.S. Senate Candidate Erskine Bowles and

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge for

Straight talk on the Tobacco Buyout

Bowles will fight for North Carolina Tobacco Farmers

In the U.S. Senate

Saturday, May 22nd 12:30 pm

Lunch from Bill Ellis’s BBQ is FREE

Home of Jerry West, 1365 Highway 222 East, Fremont, NC

RSVP Paul Cox 919.770.3747

This email reminded me about one of the reasons why BBQ can be so popular. It's cheap, feeds many people, and is associative of a certain ethos of being home that it symbolizes something special for people. I am sure all of you are welcome at the Erskine event, goodness knows I would go if I weren't already at the beach. But I guess my question that comes out of this is such: Is there another food besides BBQ that is so "politically correct" in other parts of the nation, or other parts of the South?

[Mayhaw Man]

Fish Fries remain very popular in much of the South at election time. In Louisiana, Crawfish are not in season in the fall, or I am sure that big boils would be the fundraiser of choice for that purpose.

[Lyle]

It's just too bad the tradition of barrels of rum outside the voting booths has died.

[wcmckinney]

That's right, Lyle makes a great point. Isn't it rumored that Edgar Allen Poe died after a drunken horde of votemongers roughed him up for drinking and not voting properly?

I guess politics and booze, more than politics and food could have been a topic post.

I know Gov. "Big Jim" Folsom of Alabama desegregated the Gov. mansion there by inviting civil rights leaders in for a drink. Then again Folsom was plagued by alcoholism.

Gov. Elijah Craig -- Bourbon

I know there are other's, perhaps some of you smarter than me could refresh my memory...

[enrevanche]

Back in the day, most Southern politicians had to choke down at least one plate of chitlins for the camera during campaign season. Food of the common people and all that.

I dimly recall being at one such function as a youngster and watching former NC Governor Jim Hunt (in his first term) wrestle a paper plate of pig guts into submission... he gave a convincing performance.

[Random Alias]

I received this from some friends of mine today that work for Erskine Bowles, who is running for Senator in the Old North State. Note the mention of free BBQ from one of the doyene's of Down East BBQ:

Funny you should mention that as I ran across this yesterday

http://www.northcarolina.com/stories/bbq.html

It has also become traditional for the barbecue catering industry get a huge financial boost every election year. No one knows whom the first politician was to provide barbecue for supporters at political rallies, but for scores of years now virtually no candidate for office has been able to get away with a successful election without cooking at least one pig for the constituency. The practice has become so prevalent that even politicians outside of the state will send to North Carolina for expert barbecuers to come and impress their own supporters with the perfectly roasted pink pork.

[dscott]

Virginia's annual shad planking is a must for those with statewide political ambitions.

[Lan4Dawg]

I just read about some one recently--& I wish I could remember who it was--had a corn boil as his electioneering gimmick. Apparently he has had it for years and attracts thousands.

I think it is Tommy Irvin, agricultural commissioner here in GA, who does a huge Brunswick Stew supper and of course no election in Kentucky would be complete w/o either burgoo or barbecued mutton--depending on which part of the state.

[kpurvis]

Young William: Jim Auchmutey of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution gave a lecture on barbecue and politics at Southern Foodways two years ago. I have notes on it, but they're back at my office and I'm currently stranded at home for several weeks, recovering from back surgery. As I recall, it was pretty Georgia-centric, but as always, he was errudite and thorough. He traced the history of the political barbecue from George Washington forward. It's a pretty obvious connection: A pig feeds a lot of people. Get them together gnawing on pork and you've got a captive audience. But the history has evolved to include restaurants with specific political leanings. Perhaps you could contact Auchmutey backchannel and ask him to contribute to this thread, if he has the time.

I'm very lucky, of course: Here in Charlotte, we still have one of the best remaining examples of a pure politics and barbecue event, the annual Mallard Creek barbecue every October. You have to walk the gauntlet of politicians to get to the food line. (There's a great study to be made in the evolution of the political handout. Last year was a disappointment -- I made it through the line with both sleeves covered in campaign stickers, but didn't receive a single campaign emery board or comb. Somebody really should do a study relating campaign finances and the disappearance of the campaign emery board.)

Another interesting sidelight from Mallard Creek: It's really a church fundraiser for Mallard Creek Presbyterian Chuch. But because of the timing -- barbecues are traditionally held in the fall, when it was cool enough to slaughter a pig, a fact non-Southerners sometimes fail to grasp -- so they coincide with elections. The people at Mallard Creek sometimes grumble about how their sweet little church event got co-opted by all these politicians, but it's sort of like a flea grumbling about the dog he's riding on. They even set up the line so you can skip the hand-shaking. It's always interesting to see how few people take that option.

OK, one last Mallard Creek story (see? Sitting here in bed, I have nothing to do but ramble) relating to your original Erskine Bowles note. When Bowles was running two years ago, he suddenly joined my church, St. Peter's Episcopal, which is an old and very historic Charlotte church. He has family history there; his late sister, Martha, was a beloved and active member. So I didn't question it, although we noticed he got involved in our winter homeless shelter, Room in the Inn, just long enough for the cameras to capture him setting up cots one night. When the election was over and Bowles lost, he suddenly disappeared from the pews.

At the next Mallard Creek, just last year, Bowles was working the tables, meeting and greeting. He didn't recognize me -- I have the perfect face for a journalist, a middle-aged soccer mom look that never stands out in a crowd -- so I was able to listen in while he greeted a couple next to me. They asked him about his church affiliation. He assured them he was a Methodist and was quite happy to leave the Episcopalians behind. Yeah, now that we no longer provide a venerable and picturesque backdrop for the cameras.

Loyal Democrat that I am: Mr. Bowles lost my vote for all time.

[wcmckinney]

Kathleen,

I am sorry to hear you had to go under the knife for your back, young lad that I am, my back does ache easily and I know it can be painful. Here's wishing you a speedy recovery. Though if you are confined to home, then that may bode well for us to have more of your wisdom on Egullet.

If it makes you feel better, I did pick up the Observer down at Litchfield Beach over the weekend and found it to be a good read.

On to BBQ:

I agree that it's cheap and that some BBQ restaurants are political scions. I don't think I am revealing any secrets here that Wilbur Dean Shirley of Goldsboro has been a friend of the Dem's and that Scott's, a Black BBQ rest. that has recently closed in Goldsboro was a long time Republican scion (typically one would think the political leanings would have flip-flopped in Goldsboro, but such are the quirks of Down East NC).

Alot of fine gentlemen and women boycott Maurice's of Columbia for something along the lines of political reasons. All I will say is that I know of no chicken shacks, or lobster shacks where such activities take place on such a pan-regional level. But I could be wrong.

Finally, as a Methodist I can not fault Mr. Bowles for leaving "God's Frozen People" -- the Episcopalians -- to embrace the warm sunshine of my Wesleyan Tribe.

Hopefully will see you strutting around at Mallard Crk. this fall

w

[TGTyson]

To my mind, Brunswick Stew was more of a church fund raiser kind of meal than a political dish while Fried Chicken was something we ate every Sunday after church.

Bar-B-Que and red slaw, Now THAT'S what will get you into the State House!

But if I may depart from southern fare for a moment, during my short time exiled to Wisconsin I discovered that Brats, Roast Corn and Beer seem to be the political ticket in the upper mid-west. This combination, while foreign to some southerners works wonders for me. Fortunately, after being trapped there for one winter (Dang, they get more snow before breakfast than we get all year!) I managed to regain my senses and came back to the warm.

Guess it's time to go fire up the smoker and put on another 20 pounds of pork butts.

- Tom

[Mayhaw Man]

The Neshoba County Fair is one of the last bastions of the true "dinner on the grounds , speeches to follow" political events that still exist. I have only been once to see the speechifying-but the amount of food that I was invited to eat at various cabins (I was with a long time fair vet), not to mention the quality of the food, was amazing. There are families that have had these cabins for years and are in a constant competition over the course of the fair to see who can draw the most people onto their porch to eat. A worthy competition, if you ask me and I was happy to be a judge/victim.

The Fair marks the beginning of the Political season on election years and is a "don't miss" event for statewide politicians. The fair takes place in the middle of the hot ass summer in North Central MS, and as most of it takes place outdoors, it can be stunningly hot.

The website is pretty interesting and a good read.

[kpurvis]

Finally, as a Methodist I can not fault Mr. Bowles for leaving "God's Frozen People" -- the Episcopalians -- to embrace the warm sunshine of my Wesleyan Tribe. 

No, no, sweetie -- God's Frozen People are the Presbyterians. The official Episcopal slogan is "wherever four of us shall gather, there will always be a fifth." We believe in the sanctity of the 5 o'clock cocktail hour and the use of decent wine at communion. (At my church we also do home-baked bread, but we do tend to be doctranal purists. )

Edited May 25, 2004 by kpurvis (log)