What Did Your $10 Ticket Get You at the Safeway Barbecue Battle?

It’s no secret that I love barbecue. It’s the result of living in two regions — Kansas City and Texas — with celebrated ‘cue cultures. To say I was excited about visiting the Safeway Barbecue Battle on Sunday would be an understatement.

The organizers of the event sent me two tickets in the mail. Had I paid for them, like almost everyone else at this outdoor meat fest, they would have cost me $10 each. I used one and went solo to the massive event, which stretched five blocks along Pennsylvania Avenue NW. I didn’t bring much money with me and, since I had lost my check card recently, didn’t have access to any cash from the portable ATMs on site.

I almost starved to death.

I have to admit that I was startled by the fact that my ticket got me next to nothing to eat. I had, perhaps foolishly, expected that the contestants in the barbecue battle would be, at the very least, offering samples to the public. That was not the case — at least when I was there on Sunday afternoon. Most of the samples available were products that Safeway, the sponsor, was pimping.

Regardless, I decided early on that I was not going to pay Famous Dave’s or Old Glory any money for their crappy barbecue. I was going to eat freebies only — or I wasn’t going to eat at all. I wasn’t here for the music, after all. I was here to eat.

Here’s what I ate:

Read More “What Did Your $10 Ticket Get You at the Safeway Barbecue Battle?” »