Rustic Photos Tuesday - Ribs n' Corn, Tea n' Cake

Barbecue, beer, bourbon and barbecue sauce, and corn all have important places in American culture, and each have a rich and varied history.

Traditional BBQ should be cooked slowly (overnight) in a wooden pit, but modern BBQ usually involves gas or (in our case) charcoal outside on the patio. Traditional rubs and sauces vary all over the country. I'm sure purists and traditionalists would scoff at Jack Daniels sauce as being too commercially sugar-laden and far-removed from 'the good stuff' but hey, I like it. One day I'd love to do a BBQ road trip of America for tender slow-cooked pulled pork, authentic style.

And I totally get it now, the BBQ thing. A BBQ is not always a special event here, it's just practical. On Sunday when you want a nice family dinner, but it's 100F outside, it makes no sense to heat up the house by cooking in the kitchen.

And for dessert, in contrast:

Afternoon tea has an important place in British culture. And without my fabulous baking girls I've had to resort to my own baking (it's not as good). A decent cup of tea, despite America's tumultuous relationship with the drink, isn't actually hard to find here in the suburban/rural sprawl. I've heard other British expats complain about the quality of American tea, so trust Tetley to combat that:

The irony is that as a Brit I pay US taxes without being able to vote

Tetley British Blend: For American families with a British blend! I'm sure purists are scoffing right now, but hey, I like Tetley's tea, and it sure beats Lipton.