"Thank you, William Brohaugh. Thank you for writing this book. Barbecue is the better for it." --Doug Mosley in The National Barbecue News "The blend of travel, social and culinary history is exceptional and fun in this highly recommended pick." --Midwest Book Review "A must read for aspiring pit masters and great for armchair cooks, too." --Steven Raichlen, author of The Barbecue Bible and host of PBS's Barbecue University		Galax Pics of the Week Archive Members of the Rib Ticklers team show off their grill and the tasty BBQ within to a judge on their way to taking grand championship at the 2006 Wabash Ribberfest in Mt. Carmel, Illinois, on Sept. 9. OK, OK, the picture was taken at the 2005 competition, but you can argue that they were on their way then. The victory for Rib Ticklers, over last year's defending champion Gwatney Championship Barbecue Team, secured their 2007 Memphis in May bid. View a list of Memphis in May qualifiers. Carbondale Eagles head cook Brad Cheatham bastes his whole hog entry at the 2005 Mt. Carmel Ribberfest. Carbondale Eagles just scored their 2007 Memphis in May bid with a passdown from the 2006 Meat on the Mississippi competition in Caruthersville, Missouri, with their first-place rib entry. Brad and his team play a big part in one of our excerpts, "Starring Hog-Eye Pierce." Fiddles, plaques and a hand-crafted banjo worth four-figures-plus: these are the trophies awarded in the recently completed 2006 Galax, Virginia, "Smoke on the Mountain" competition. Galax, of course, is the subject of my book The Grill of Victory. The Grand Prize trophy is a hand-made banjo, created by luthier maestro Tom Barr. The trophy--playable, as demonstrated by Tom's son Stevie during the cooks' meeting--sports several gold inlays, including one of the Smoke on the Mountain logo and one of the Commonwealth of Virginia seal (Smoke on the Mountain is the Virginia championship). To hear Stevie's superb playing, check out the Bluegrass Lullaby album by Stevie's band, No Speed Limit. The grand-prize banjo went home with Barnyard Roasters, who took first-place hog, and seconds in shoulder and ribs. First place shoulder and ribs went to Natural Born Grillers. (Check out the points leaders here.) Something you may never see again: Larry Ohrberg and Walt Brown in tuxes. In December 2005, Smoke on the Mountain threw a black-tie thank-you affair for BBQ competition volunteers and friends, and flew the Memphis Barbecue Association reps in for the occasion. Here Larry and Walt flank Carlene Poole, judging chair.