January 21, 2011

What a gorgeous day! The rain fell on its back like a broken record. There was no driving the car. There was no climbing the stairs. There was no checking the mail. This was called "Inside Day". And inside my domain, a glorious piece of meat was ready to be slow-cooked and then eaten: BOSTON BUTT. You can say anything you want about it's name, but Boston Butt is one thing I learned about while living in South Georgia. It's a big piece of pork that's slow-cooked all day. Some people use an oven, but I prefer a crock pot. The juices are retained better this way. I've always found that slow cooking a big piece of meat on a rainy day is comfort food on a slow ride. Imagine your favorite roller coaster that you've been on. And now do this: IMAGINE THE WHOLE RIDE IN SLOW MOTION! That's what it feels like when you cook a Boston Butt all day! The air has now turned to a misty residue of spice and vinegar the minute you walk in the door.(You Ain't Goin' Nowhere! So, just sit down and enjoy the ride!) The natural barbecue liquid of ketchup and Worcestershire sauce evaporating slowly makes this ride a free fall onto your kitchen floor.(You now can't touch the brake pedal. Your whole outer body experience is now an inner body one and someone has to pick your remains off the floor just so you can sit for grace.(Amen!) The bite is now one of instant gratification. There are no traffic jams: Your ride is now complete. The aroma is enough to knock your neighbors right off their balconies! The taste is incredible. The rich and the poor all in one bite. The melting pot of THE DEEP SOUTH as we know it. There are no subdivisions: ONLY OPEN FIELDS. There are no apartment rows: ONLY RANCH-STYLE HOUSES. There are no parking lot malls: ONLY COTTON BLOOMING UNTIL DAWN. This piece of goodness was served with all the drippings of onion and garlic. Plain white rice, corn on the cob and sweet cornbread filled in the gaps for this dinner in the rain. No one got wet: We had all the drippings of a BOSTON BUTT for that! The next time a wet rainy day is in the forecast: REMEMBER BOSTON BUTT! It's not a pretty name, but you will be won over! PORK, MAN, WOMAN and RAIN. CURTAINS. SWEET DREAMS!