Big Apple Barbecue Block Party

Compiled by Katherine Parke and Caroline Kinney

Photograph by Caroline Kinney

Southern Coterie had a crew up in New York City attending the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party held in Madison Square Park this past weekend. This event brings the South up to NYC.

Ten years ago this event started out as a small block party in front of Blue Smoke, a popular barbecue restaurant in NYC. Today it is one of the country’s most anticipated food and music events. Some of the proceeds from this event go toward the Madison Square Park Conservancy, which maintains the park.

This year’s event featured seventeen of the country’s all-star pitmasters that come from twelve different states. Each pitmaster prepared something different so people could try all the different types of barbecue there are to offer. The street was full of thousands of people lining up to taste the award-winning barbecue. People were willing to wait an hour and a half just to try a rib or a pulled pork sandwich! Fortunately this event was two days so there was time for everyone to try most of everything offered.

If the barbecue wasn’t great enough all on its own, there was a fantastic lineup of bands, seminars and interactive cooking demonstrations all weekend. The South was brought to NYC and everyone had a blast!

The other happening place to be this weekend was Billy Reid’s annual Big Apple Barbecue at his New York retail store – a private party celebrating the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party. They served shrimp and oysters that the Gulf Coast is so widely known for, and showcased Billy Reid’s new line of t-shirts and hats that a portion of the profits will benefit the Alabama Conservation and Natural Resources Foundation. Reid was quoted in the USAINNEW.com as saying, “The time was right to throw the support of our brand behind efforts to celebrate the culture and history of the beautiful Gulf coast along with the seafood that comes from coastal waters.” Southern Coterie was fortunate to attend this awesome event helped thrown by our very own contributor, Grayson Knight, who works for Billy Reid in Nashville.

If you would like to check out more about the Alabama Gulf Seafood series or buy one of Reid’s creations visit Billy Reid’s website.