I have already placed my order for two slabs. The Second Annual Salvation Army Barbeque Ribs Sale is set to take place just in time for Memorial Day weekend. Last year, this was a tremendous fundraiser for the Salvation Army, bringing in about $13,000 for their programs.

On Friday, May 26 slabs of ribs, sandwiches, potato salad and baked beans or “dinner with the fixin’s” will be available for pre-orders and walk-up sales. Chef Cecil Morris is well known for his ribs, and his story of recovery and success is a moving and remarkable one. In the next issue he will be profiled. The pick-up location is at the Salvation Army downtown on Dauphin Street just east of the Bakery Café and Market. If you pre-order the prices are lower and are all as follows:

Sandwiches – $5 advance; $7 walk-up

Dinners – $8 advance; $12 walk-up

Slabs – $16 advance; $18 walk-up

Potato Salad or Baked Beans – $1.25

They let me taste the ribs, actually many ribs and they are exceptional. The ones I ate were meaty, with little fat, juicy on the inside with a cracklin’ edge. The sauce is mild, flavored with tomato sauce. People from New York City have even ordered them and Cecil has won numerous awards for these ribs. To pre-order call 438-1625, ext. 139 by Thursday, May 25.

Crawfish Extravaganza

The men of the St. Mary Parish Knights of Columbus present their fourth annual Bluegrass and Crawfish Extravaganza Saturday, May 20, 2006. The event boasts some of the area’s most popular bluegrass bands and musicians including: Fatman Squeeze, Eldon Bryson and the Azalea Bluegrass Band, The Dog River Boys, Delta Reign, Cross Creek Bluegrass Band, Moon to Wolves, The Alabama Gentlemen, and Katie English.

Plenty of crawfish, gumbo, kid-friendly food, and beverages will be on hand with the crawfish and gumbo prepared by sponsor, Azalea Seafood Gumbo. The event begins at 3:00 p.m. and ends at 10 p.m. and will take place on the grounds of St. Mary School located at 107 North Lafayette Street. This is a family event with adult admission of $15 per person. Kids under 12 are free! Plenty of toe tapping, dancing and games for the kids makes this a true family event.

All proceeds benefit the Knights of Columbus Scholarship Fund for a St. Mary Graduate to attend McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Proceeds also benefit all the students of St. Mary School educating children from preschool through the 8th grade. For more information, please contact St. Mary’s Development Office at 432-8678, ext. 2, Scott Hetrick at 599-4317 or email KofC@StMaryMobile.org.

BBQ time

The onset of summer has me ready for more barbeque than I usually eat, which is a decent amount. When I lived in Birmingham, I spent a majority of my drinking and eating time at Billy’s a tavern in English Village. It is a place for singles and families alike. They have the best white sauce around – yes, white barbeque sauce. I used to, and still do when I eat there, squeeze this sauce on their grilled chicken sandwich, heck on everything there. It is amazing. Here is the recipe.

Alabama White Barbeque Sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup cider vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Mix ingredients together and refrigerate for at least eight hours before using. Brush lightly over chicken, turkey or pork during the last few minutes of grilling. This barbecue sauce is also great as a dipping sauce so set some aside before you start grilling to serve.

Barefoot Contessa’s Barbeque Sauce

Ina Garten is a Yankee, but a damn fine cook and creates the simplest recipes that always turn out good. I have used this sauce for grilled chicken several times with excellent results. To concoct the recipe, Ina asked a chef to make three sauces – one heavy with mustard, one heavy on the tomato and another with Chinese influences. After tasting them, she simply combined all three. The red pepper flakes add a lot to the flavor.

1 ? cups chopped yellow onion (one large)

1 tablespoon minced garlic

? cup vegetable oil

1 cup tomato paste

1 cup cider vinegar

1 cup honey

? cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup Dijon mustard

? cup soy sauce

1 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

? tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large saucepan on low heat, sauté the onions and garlic with the vegetable oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not browned. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes.

Use immediately or store in the refrigerator. Ina recommends using this with about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken. Just marinate it in 2/3 of the barbecue sauce for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator before grilling.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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