Well it’s been simply un-fucking-believeable weather here the past week in central Ohio. Out of nowhere comes 80 degree days, sunshine and cool breezes. I’ve spent the week playing with Pipsqueak in the yard and going for walks around the neighborhood. The timing varies, I can’t ever pin down a date, but at some point when I think warm weather is here to stay, this gets played. It’s my official soundtrack to outdoor activities, especially the Help>Slip>Frank that kicks it all off. It’s RAW mid seventies Dead, and everyones on fire. It was played for the first time in 2010 on Thursday, April 1st. Fitting for a bunch of Pranksters, I guess. We grilled that night, but I was yearning for something….grilly-er. And thus began my quest for delicious smoked pork ribs.
We celebrated Easter on Saturday with my folks, and Sunday saw me work a half-ish day. I gathered supplies and began thinking about my sweet, sweet payoff. It all begins with a good rub. I used one that is handcrafted by a family friend of my wifes down in GA. My grill steady at 250 with a smoke box filled with soaked hickory on top, the ribs go off to the side, far from the heat but bathed in smoke. It takes a few hours of carefully monitoring temperature, but it’s so worth it. When I see skin start to crisp up and the meat has a little more give to it, I turn on another burner to low, place the rack above it and start saucing. If you’re following along at home, I hope you’ve prepared some potato salad and cooked up a big pot of beans and bacon, ’cause you’re almost there. I sauce on the grill, but lightly. It’s a glaze, really. Thin coats of sauce, medium heat, turn and repeat 3 or 4 times. In the end, you crack a cold beer and put in some hot bluegrass, because you’re about to eat this:
Tori and I took a day trip to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame on Friday; mainly as an excuse to get out of Columbus while we can. We couldn’t have go on a better “museum day”, it was chilly and drizzling all day long. I was slightly underwhelmed at both the amount and the quality of some of the exhibits. While it was mildly interesting to see Madonnas cone titties, I’m not sure that they qualify as Rock & Roll. The overall experience was great, though. My top five favorites:
Jerry Garcia’s guitars. No Tiger, no Wolf. But I did stand next to Top Hat, Bolt, Wolf, Jr. and Rosebud. Rosebud was Doug Irwin’s masterpiece, built just for Jerry. The wear on the brass plates (Jerry sweated right through chrome), nicks in the finish and grooves in the fingerboard were all visible. I was really in awe being this close to a hero’s guitar.
Tori and I will be bringing Tiny E to tonight’s DSO show at The Newport. I used my Decibel Club membership (finally!) to get free tickets to the show. If you don’t know, DSO recreates the music of the Good Ol’ Grateful Dead in an alarmingly accurate manner. They modify stage setups, band members and set lists to match the exact period they are recreating. In 2007, Tori and I attended Gratefulfest at Nelsons Ledges, and DSO performed flawlessly. The shows are not only a great time, but they serve as a meeting point for area Deadheads. I’ve talked to others about how it can be really difficult to connect with like minded people when you move around as much as we do, so the ability to boogie my ass off and meet new friends is always welcome. I’ve seen them maybe a dozen times, and always had a fantastic experience. If you’re in the Columbus area, come check them out tonight!
