A long time since the last post. I have finished my Masters, and graduate May 9th. Take a look at www.thelmapatten.com to have an idea about who I am researching.

As school and other things wrapped up, we took a driving trip through the Old South, and tried alot of new barbecue.

Natchez, Mississippi was the first stop, where we not only took in the Antebellum Home Tour, but the Pig Out Inn bbq, featured in the April issue of Southern Living.

The next stop on this journey was to Vicksburg, where we drove the Civil War battleground, seeing the Texas memorials, among the trenches and other things of interest. No barbecue in Vicksburg, but we did visit Jake and Rip's in Grenada, MS. It was our first real taste of dry rub pork bbq. It is recommended in the book Off Beat Mississippi.

On to Memphis, where the real earing took place. We visited Corky's where we both had pork ribs, Stuart chose the dry rub, I went with wet. We also tried Beale Street, and Interstate. Some awesome eating.

Memphis also was a place for more serious reflection, at the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. The exhibits in the museum are excellent, and do very well at telling an important story in our nation's history. We have seen the pictures of Matrin Luther King, Jr., slain on the balcony, but seeing the actual place was very sobering.

More details of the vacation to come - Graceland, Sun Studio, Hal & Mals......