Our Summer 2024 Issue is Here!

May 07 2024, by Erin Byers Murray

Any barbecue-loving Southerner knows there’s no real season for seeking out and scarfing down excellent ’cue. But summer does seem to call for it—especially when it’s a pulled pork sandwich piled high with meat and sauce eaten outside on a patio somewhere.

There’s also an argument to be made for barbecue not really adhering to regional doctrines—the technique of making barbecue is performed in cultures and countries around the world. But certain regions rightly do claim ownership over specific styles due to factors like agriculture, migration patterns, and generational history. In the Carolinas, where barbecue has been a part of community and culture since before this country was founded, whole hog reigns. In Texas, thanks to the cattle industry and German and Czech influences, brisket and beef ribs are on the leaderboard. So what happens when a couple of pitmasters bring a whole new style of whole hog deep into brisket country? I took a deep dive to find out.

Summer is a season for eating fresh and local. Sheri Castle helps us do just that with her tribute to butter beans. These sweet, creamy beans (do not mistake them for limas) get a whole new look in her hands. Also getting a new look: banana pudding, which goes into ice cream thanks to Lexington, Kentucky’s Crank and Boom. In fact, we’re full of fresh takes: how to make beignets with the addition of sweet blue crab meat, and how to put smoky mezcal to use in the kitchen.

What I’m most excited about in this issue is our look at 10 of the most innovative organizations pushing for change in the food and beverage industry in the Southeast right now. From an aquaculture expert introducing minorities to the field in the Chesapeake, to two Atlanta restaurateurs committing to making sensory-inclusive dining spaces, we spoke to the changemakers who are inspiring us and making a difference in countless ways across the food space. Get to know these experts, and more importantly follow and support their causes.

Meanwhile, we’ll be here, eating pulled pork sandwiches, not worrying about how much sauce gets on our hands.

- Erin Byers Murray, Editor in Chief at The Local Palate

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