Here is a list of some BBQ festivals and cook-offs coming up soon. So no excuses! Get out there and eat some meat!

14th Annual Uniquely Union Invitational
September 11-12, 2009
Union, SC

Greenway Barbeque and Bluegrass
September 18-19, 2009
Ann Springs Close Greenway
Fort Mill, SC

5th Annual UP Hog Wild
Jul 16 - 18, 2009
Kingsford, MI

Smoke on the Mountain - VA State BBQ Championship
Jul 16 - 18, 2009
Galax, VA

19th Annual Barbecue/Backyard Barbecue Contest
Jul 24 - 25, 2009
Dodge City, KS

That's right. Friday, July 10th, is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-fil-A restaurants nationwide. It's all part of their classic ad campaign featuring cows holding "Eat Mor Chickin" signs. Any customer who dresses up can get a free entree... but there's a catch. You need to be dressed from head to toe in cow-resembling clothing.

So start sewing or get out your Sharpies. You're gonna have to earn these crispy treats!

Read all about it at Chick-fil-A.com!

Here's just a little reminder of some cool meat related events coming up soon! I know what you're saying..."what does talking like a pirate have to do with meat"? Well, pirates ate a lot of meat! They also helped spread the love of "jerky"! Pirates traded with island natives for several amenities before going back out to sea, including dried meat called "Ch'arki" which later became "jerky". So, ARRRRRRRRRR!

6th annual Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival-Natchitoches, Louisiana-September 12-13

International Talk Like a Pirate Day-September 19

Green County Cheese Days-Monroe, Wisconson-September 19-21

Blues, Views, & BBQ Festival-Westport, Conneticut-September 20-21

That's right meat eaters! We have added another topic to CAD! In our never ending effort to bring you all things MEAT, "Calendar of Meat" has been added to our topics list. We will be doing our best to keep you up to speed with as many meat related events as possible. BBQ cook-offs, meat festivals, pig roasts, if they're cooking meat...we'll do our best to let you know! You can help us and your fellow Meatatarians out as well! If you know of a meat event going on and we haven't posted it yet, DO IT YOURSELF! Hell, if your having a BBQ in your backyard, and want us to come, you can put that here too! If there's meat we'll be there! Now get off your pork butt and get to gettin'!

Here are few we have found so far:

Wabash Ribberfest BBQ Championship-Mt. Carmel, IL.-September 04-06 (no website info)

6th annual Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival-Natchitoches, Louisiana-September 12-13

Green County Cheese Days-Monroe, Wisconson-September 19-21

Blues, Views, & BBQ Festival-Westport, Conneticut-September 20-21

Ohio Smoked Meat and Barbecue Festival-October 18

More to come!

It was in the early 90's along the Florida panhandle and I was fresh out of college, now a communications and marketing graduate, but all I was interested in was cooking. Our area is known for its restaurants and for several years I was fortunate to work in some of the best.

In 1994 I made the big move to Hyde Park, New York and attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America. With some good training and experience and now a degree from CIA it appeared as though I had a promising career as a chef, or so I thought. It was while in New York I somehow became an ambassador for true Southern slow cooked barbeque. The more I introduced it to students, the more I fell in love with it myself. In all of my travels and experience I still believe that there is no cooking method that can come close to barbeque when it comes to the passion of preparation, the anticipation, and of course the meal itself.


Check out more here.