Photograph: Robyn Medlin / Eat Me Daily
As you walk down the steep hill to Tom Lee Park on the banks of the Mississippi River, a thick, invisible cloud of smoke reaches your nose and pulls you inside the biggest barbecue competition there is: Memphis in May’s World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. Representatives from Tums shower you with packets of antacid as you clear the gates, letting you know this is a competition unlike any other.
My backyard-BBQ-warrior Dad and I had the opportunity of a lifetime to compete on a real Memphis in May (MIM) BBQ team, making this a father-daughter pilgrimage of sorts. Our fearless leaders of the SwineBucks BBQ team — whose slogan is “Too Sauced To Pork” — welcomed us with open arms into this food culture that is often invite only; while vendors sell BBQ to festival attendees, the real action is inside the tent.
