CALF_News_October_November_2020

47 CALF News • October | November 2020 • www.calfnews.net Theirs was named the Best Burger in Texas by Food Net- work Magazine and Third Best Steakhouse in Texas by Texas Monthly. Personally, I believe his signature steak seasoning to be the best. My “go-to” seasoning for everything from burgers to prime rib and steak is a “knock-off ” version of his that was shared to me by good friend and friend of this magazine, Bill Harmon. After finishing this fine meal and glass of Garrison Brothers Texas Bourbon, it was on the road farther south to discover this Texas Distillery, again. After a restful night in Fredericksburg, it was on to the next step to my recovery – Hye, Texas, population 105. Home to the first legal distillery in Texas, circa 2003, Garrison Brothers are creators of award-winning Bourbons with a Double Gold in San Francisco World Spirits Competition just this year. Combining Texas-grown grains and barrel aging in scorch- ing heat approaching 130 degrees create their unique distinct flavors. Bottling this fine Bourbon with the credos – “We value God, family, friends and our country, foremost, but always wel- come strangers. We value and respect our leaders, our elders and each generation that has come before us. We value hard work, integrity, and honesty, and the independence, health and well-being that result from each” – it is undoubtedly more than a labor of love. But with Texas’s archaic restrictive liquor laws, I am limited to purchasing only two bottles within a 30-day period and must sign a form stating such. With my restricted alcohol purchase along with a Garrison Brothers bandana as my new COVID-19 face-covering, I am on to my next step of recovery. On reaching my iron steed, I found a complimentary bumper sticker in my gift bag; “LEFT LANE IS FOR PASSING ONLY.” After traversing more than 600 miles and with 200 more miles to the Coast, this sticker is now prominently displayed on the back of my steed. I give kudos to Garrison Brothers for their fine Bourbon and addressing one of my pet peeves. Spending a week absorbing salt air and taking a few dips in the salt water, the beach has furthered my recovery. With a day of angling, although wet with rainfall, my rehabilitation con- tinued and finished with a plate of these same fish. Looking to the return road trip across the Texas ranch country and their small town ideals, I am assured my recovery will be complete. But, if a relapse occurs, another such trip can be prescribed, as my real estate offer was accepted with the ”Third Coast” now becoming a perennial treatment.  BEYOND THE RANCH GATE Continued from page 45 United States itself. The word barbecue , which has multiple spellings that are sometimes a point of argument among the different barbeque cults, is derived from the Taino indigenous people of the Caribbean. The term referred to a frame made of green sticks, which were used for sleeping, but also for drying or smok- ing meat. Early European observers suggested the term referred to any platform, and the earliest known European reference in 1609 was describing a corn crib, a structure built to dry corn while protect- ing it from vermin. But the references did mention such a platform was used to both dry and smoke fish. The Caribbean word came to be used generally for the process of roasting on a rack over a fire. You might have heard other ety- mologies. For example, one derived from French was “barb a queue” meaning “beard to tail.” Another claims the word came from a restaurant that served whisky and beer as well as having pool tables, thus “Bar Beer Cue.” Both exam- ples are popularly told and occasionally found on restaurant menus. Author Robert Moss notes in his book, Barbecue the History of an Ameri- can Institution, the Oxford English Dictionary dismisses these false ety- mologies. Though, the Caribbean word was possibly carried north by slaves who first spent time in Barbados before being transported, the practice of using a platform to dry, smoke or roast various meats was also common among Native Americans along the eastern seaboard. The Native American tradi- tions of roasting meat were supplemented when Europeans brought cattle, sheep, goats and hogs to the NewWorld. In 1540, explorer Hernando de Soto attended a feast with the Chickasaw tribe, in what is present day Mississippi, where a pig was roasted on a barbe- cue. The practice was readily adopted by the American colonists, where the term came to represent not just the object of barbecue and the practice of barbecuing, but also a social event. Lance Geiger, The History Guy, shares short stories of forgotten history on his wildly popular YouTube channel. You can find it by searching for The History Guy on YouTube.com . 