Page 33 - April 2021 Barbecue News Digital

I am excited to be going to Texas to see the SCA family and the highlight of the trip will be seeing my good friends Dan and Diane Wolny. They relo-
cated from Naples to DFW
(actually in Weatherford) and it is worth the trip out there just to see them. Everything else on this trip is a bonus. I am hoping to have enough time to go to their place and see their animals, especially their mini horse and mini donkey. My friends have made a great life in Texas, but they are truly missed by all our Florida family.
When we get back from Texas,
we will be cooking a whole
bunch of corned beef. One of
my favorite things we cook is
John Sweeney’s homemade
pastrami. I will eat so much
pastrami that I will not want
any more till next year! We
have been blessed this past
year. Surviving the Covid is-
sues and now we are dealing with the high costs of living that are going up every day. We are not doing any big events because they all canceled but we are securing small events and feeding a lot of people. I want to thank every- one out there for their support and we promise to keep put- ting the good stuff out there.
I have a cousin in Tennessee who is cooking a steak con- test in Lebanon. His bucket list is to earn a golden ticket to cook in Texas next year. A Bald Eagle flew into the pasture in front of his house and landed and hung out for some pic- tures. We believe this is a sign of good things to come. We call this “good mojo”. He sent me a picture and we won for the first time in a long time. I am sending him good luck and hope he gets the blue ribbon and his golden ticket!
I also have a neighbor cooking backyard at Mulberry this weekend and I just know this kid is gonna win. He is ad- dicted to cooking and has become a student of the game! He helps me at my cooking classes and has been practicing hard and here is to seeing him bring home the big trophy!
I am predicting one of the Florida/Georgia teams wins the Steak Championship this weekend but really that is not a bold prediction. There are so many great cooks from Florida that any of them will have as good a chance as any- one to win. Miss Kitty has not cooked a lot of competitions but has done great. Captain Jack practices at his restaurant and could win anytime he shows up. Jim “the sarge” and Laura Haskett can win any contest. The Steak Princess is
APRIL 2021
awesome too. (So are her rubs!) Brian and Dana Coleman are as good as anyone and always have “good mojo”. My
good buddy Gene Skillin can’t make the trip or I would put money on him. John Pendray and Tona can cook and win anything. Jimmy and Lauren Ragland have won as many trophies as anyone and are carrying an extra good luck charm on this trip. They are expecting their first child and I am truly excited for them.
I know I have missed a lot of names but the gang we cook against in Florida are as good as anyone out there! Good luck to everyone cooking this weekend and safe travels and good health to all.
Feed folks BBQ. It makes them happy!
Dana"Big Papa"Hillis
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