Let's hear it for the band! This weekend I was able to stop by the first annual Arizona BBQ Festival hosted by @eateraz off the Scottsdale riverfront area. Okay, I must jest a bit about how they call that area the "waterfront" because coming from California, the Scottsdale waterfront is more like a wide canal or "river" in a Vegas hotel rather than an actual riverfront. But oh well, let's just pretend shall we we. It's okay.
First, I will pre-empt the pictures by saying I was wasn't able to take my usual stunning close-up pictures of steamy luscious meat because mainly, I couldn't get close enough to the pans of meat without being a total obnoxious food picture taking blogger. I figure a few pictures are better than none. Here's an aerial shot of almost the whole festival so you get an idea of the space it took.
In almost all the stands, the meat was in those huge silver aluminum Party Palace looking pans, and was just globs of it. I don't know about you, but it didn't look all that exciting to me, but I'm probably totally wrong.
Anyway, let's start with these things which I totally don't remember what they were but do remember that they were wrapped in bacon and that is all we need to know. Bacon = everything is wonderful! The company also sold the green egg BBQ pits which I saw in several booths. Who knew you could grill BBQ in an egg.
Here's a random dude just queing in the back of their booth. Guess he didn't want to share with the general public. That chicken looked mighty tasty.
There was $20,000 grand in prize money given away to the best BBQers, and here was the table with some of the trophies. I swear I've never seen trophies this big. The biggest ones looked taller than my 4 year-old nieces.
My favorite barbecue stand was Big Daddy's BBQ who is opening a new store this month April over on Shea in Scottsdale. I got a taste of their Pulled Pork Shoulder and yum it melted in my mouth. You will see me at their store when it opens.
One of the most intriguing things I saw at the festival was in the Whole Foods booth. They had this chocolate mint plant, and I put my nose to the leaves and you can definitely smell chocolate and mint. I'd love to try some of this stuff in a hot chocolate.
There were logs of wood everywhere.
And lastly, Simply Bread was there with samples of their mandel bread and biscotti, and of course I partook because well I can't say no to cookies.
The festival was crowded and had a good turnout of vendors so I have a feeling, the party will be on again next year for another opportunity for meat and to meet. Okay, I'll stop with the corny rhyming now. Call it BBQ smoke haze :-D
