Great Wolf, Muss Bus Ridership, and the Rest of Spring Break

It's been a week indeed.

Spring break for Little Miss Sunshine began the other Friday - mine started Monday morning at 7 am which of course was a pleasant relief from Rineco - and with the blessing of a a niece getting to ride along, one more of everything across four hours of Interstates 30 and 635. I'm hoping we don't get stiffed by TxDOT for not having their transponder to drive through parts of Dallas and Tarrant counties; a nationalized toll road system would be the move which allows the states to keep its own collected revenue as well as me being able to keep my Florida's Turnpike toll pass. I had EZ-Pass back in the day, so there is no need for the big white box to remain on my windshield.

Once we made it to the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, did I eat barbecue? Not exactly; I had something that resembles 'cue but nothing to write home about or recommend to my fellow addicts of the smoke. I saw a couple of joints but I would've been staring at a triple digit bill for four people two of which are seven years old.

My family had a great time and all I got was this bottle of barbecue rub. I'm joking: I enjoyed myself, too.

Back to the Great Wolf Lodge.

The best part of having an indoor water park beyond quiet hours is the ability to wear out two kids with a myriad of activities such as the Magiquest, Build-a-Bear, a mining booth, yoga for kids, and their own nightclub called Hustle and Howl. It meant that I could keep the car in its great parking spot for multiple days except for when we ventured into the city for slightly cheaper chow albeit a more mass market approach. They did pick up a new friend along the way, and what has become par for the course with Caeli, she was welcomed into our little group as if we had planned for her and her mom all along. That trip will likely happen; we shall wait and see. 

As a writer living in the moment, I'd be remiss if I failed to confess to calling the Hogs in line as I waited for pizza and wings after the Gonzaga game. For the guy standing in front of me from Lubbock, it would've been really cool if Texas Tech had won primarily so we can get the old Southwest Conference back together for the Elite 8. Count me in as a passenger on the Muss Bus; I haven't been this proud of the Arkansas men's basketball team since the GOAT Nolan Richardson was patrolling the sidelines at Bud Walton Arena. 

In Muss we trust

Gonzaga, zig zag, papa's got a brand new bag, it don't matter: Hogs by 6. #WPS #MussBus #NCAATournament #ARKvsGONZ pic.twitter.com/uBn3BbjJI7

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) March 25, 2022

The water wasn't that deep and hey, even married folks need time away from the babies for each other. That being said, chlorine and locs don't mix well. Going for a beer was also prohibitive especially if I had to climb a slew of steps to go down the slides; when it came to the water slides, going down was the thrill I needed. However, these 43 year-old-knees aren't as malleable as they once were - anyone got Ben-Gay?

Just minding our own business playing in the wave pool 

 Meet us in the club, it's going down...

As for the rest of spring break, we caught up with a lot of people from Caeli's softball and basketball teams, a couple of cousins, and even my homie Torre and his family! From our time in water, it looked like the Williams familia (his words, not mine) had as much fun as Caeli and Faith. Did I bring a large percentage of Saline County with me? It seemed like it. Getting to link up in a fun setting apart of how we recognize people from a normal position or station is a definite change of pace. 

Now back to the grind until the next time I am able to take off, likely sometime after spring ball is finished. With a little over eight weeks remaining in the 2021-22 school year, I'm doing all I can to not push too hard for May 25 to get here (Caeli might, but I need her focused on the moment) since that implies that summer break is here. Could we return for a quick three-day jaunt? Possibly. There are so many other sights to see, and as I told Chastity, one privilege we are affording Caeli is the opportunity to travel and visit as much of God's creation as time and finances align.

The African Roman Emperor

Only a few people have ever heard of the African Roman Emperor who influenced Britain in the first century. His name is Lucius Septimius Severus, born on 11 April 145 and died on 4 February 211. He was a black Roman Emperor born in Leptis Magna, present-day Al-Khums in Libya. Severus was born into a family of great wealth and they were distinguished and of equestrian rank. His mother was of Italian descent and his father was from North Africa. He was the first emperor born into a regional family of non-Italian origin.

His mother’s ancestors came from Italy to North Africa. They belonged to the gens Fulvia, an Italian aristocratic family that had its origins in Tusculum.

His father was an unknown provincial with no political status. He had two cousins who served as consuls under emperor Antoninus Pius between 138 and 161. They were named Publius Septimius Severus and Gaius Septimius Severus.

The Influence Of Septimius Severus on the British.

He responded to the cry for help by the British governor. He needed protection from brigands who were attacking British citizens.

In response to the danger, he built the walls of Roman London, about a square mile to help protect London. These walls are defined by what Septimius Severus did for Britain.

He set up camp in York and fought alongside garrisons to help protect London from the dangers. After killing the incoming emperor, Didius Julianus, he fought other claimants to the throne and defeated them.

The claimants were Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus. Niger was defeated at the Battle of Issus in Cilicia, while Albinus was defeated three years later at the Battle of Lugdunum in Gaul. A short punitive campaign beyond the eastern frontier won him the Kingdom of Osroene as a new province.

He waged wars in the east against the Parthian Empire and sacked the capital in 197. This helped to expand his territory on the eastern frontier to Tigris. His territory increased and was fortified at Limes Arabicus in Arabia Petraea.

He campaigned in Africa and Mauretania against the Garamantes in 202. He captured their capital Garama and expanded the Limes Tripolitanus close to the southern desert frontier.

I Messed Up Good Food: Dub Shack BBQ Tries Lamb Breast

Even your friendly pitmaster has a bad cook.

I bought lamb breasts from Walmart not that long ago, and from the notes I took plus the extra research and development (R&D) I normally undertake from YouTube University, this one still feels like a failure. Fortunately for me, they were cheap to the tune of $12 as I do have a meat budget at home to abide by - no pressure, right? - and I'd rather give new proteins a trial run at home before foisting them upon friends, family, customers, coworkers, and the "meat list."

How badly did I screw this up? Keep reading and check out the pictures.

INGREDIENTS

Lamb breasts (they come in a 2-pack)

Meat Church's Holy Cow rub

Fire and Smoke Society's The Usual rub

Yellow mustard as a binder

STEP ONE. Remove the breasts from the packaging and rinse them off in the sink before laying them on the rack. If you see any excessive fatty bits, trim them off but don't get too happy; lamb is typically a very lean meat and needs its fat. After yellow mustard is slathered on both sides - trust me, you're not going to taste it - apply both Holy Cow and The Usual and let them meld together as the smoker comes up to a temperature of 275-300 degrees. 

STEP TWO. Like any other ribs, lamb breasts cook the way you position them on the smoker. Below you'll see two racks of beef back ribs serve as a buffer on both breasts, and one of the omissions I made was not adding a water pan to the Oklahoma Joe as proteins smoked together. 

I'm good but I'm not perfect, y'all. Those beef ribs tho...

After one hour check the ribs for color and close the smoker. We know the saying "lookin' ain't cookin'", so get a beer or a bottle of water and keep watching the firebox. This cook used cherry and hickory wood splits, and as a pro tip, preheat the wood before adding it to the offset box. Try to keep the cooker around 275 in the meantime. The beef back ribs are going to cook for a good while longer (read Beef in the Streets from December 2021 for a more detailed approach to how I did those guys), so while you salivate over something new, check the lamb breasts for tenderness.

STEP THREE. Upon probing the breast temperature to 165 or the color of your satisfaction, wrap them up in butcher paper. [If you have aluminum foil, that is OK too; I have a couple of rolls of butcher paper to work through from last year's cooks - and the tragic thing is that I got both rolls just before brisket prices got ridiculously expensive. I haven't smoked one of those to the chagrin of my family and neighbors in nearly a year, and once beef prices begin a downward swing, that may become something for them to enjoy. 

As for the lamb breasts, you're treating them like baby back ribs once they are wrapped. They are finished at 205 degrees as the intermuscular fat renders to a buttery texture. Allow them to rest for fifteen minutes before slicing and chowing down! 

Where else did I mess up? I pulled them off the smoker at 190 degrees because I was sleepy. They were good but I'm sure that letting them get the last fifteen degrees would have made them better. Also, my lamb became some really good rib tips dry or wet with a dollop of my own Dub Shack BBQ's Pop Da Cherry barbecue sauce.

Would I do it again? Armed with the knowledge and the shameful feeling that a meat beat me, one day I'll try again. If you attempt lamb breasts, feel free to compare notes in how yours turn out. As always, thanks for reading this post and supporting the movement. Don't forget that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other.

The Glass Cliff

A must-read post by equity activist Tara Jaye Frank 👇🏿

What Brian Flores and Hue Jackson claim they were subjected to--essentially being set up (and even paid) to fail--is what Black people in corporate America call "glass cliff" assignments. 

A "glass cliff" assignment is one in which a Black leader gets promoted into a role that company leaders do not expect to succeed long-term and that requires borderline heroics. There are several types of glass cliff assignments:

1. Unimportant: The company may feel pressured to create or maintain a specific role, but the role is not important to the company, so it has no power, no resources, and an insufficient team. When the Black leader fails to make progress, they are scapegoated.

2. "Impossible": The challenges are great and the tools are few. The goals attached to the job have a 50/50 (or less) chance of being met. If the Black leader succeeds, they are rewarded with praise (but not always money or opportunity). If they fail, they are labeled as failures and their careers begin a steep decline, while white male leaders can fail multiple times and get opportunities to try again. 

3. Controversial: The Black employee is asked to lead a body of work that is inherently difficult and comes with built-in resistance. The work may be counter-culture and come with high reputation risk. If the Black employee doesn't have incredibly strong relationships, they will not be successful, since relationships are often the only force that overcomes culture barriers. 

There you have it. I'm tired. But you needed to know this. 

We know when it is happening to us, but we often want the benefits of the promotion, so we take it, hoping we will persevere. If you read this and it disturbs you, analyze your decisions through this lens and make sure you're not perpetuating this dangerous phenomenon. 

I'm turning over all the soil and digging up the weeds. We can do better than this. 

Magical Wings: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Mango Party Wings

As I try to do my part in the Make Barbecue Cheap Again movement, this recipe takes us to another meat that I should've shared a recipe of by now: barbecue wings. Whether or not you happen to be a drum or flat person (I really have no preference), barbecue wings can be taken in so many ways. With the Super Bowl coming up (it's the same day as Little Miss Sunshine's seventh birthday), having plenty of wings to go around for the Big Game is going to be critical - and I hope you planned ahead. With the strange shortages, finding party wings at this hour might be a little tenuous but possible. 

(Hint: I bought two bags - one at the Value Foods nearest our house, and the other at Sam's Club)

INGREDIENTS

Party wings, 5 lbs. (You might need more for a larger group)

Mango Magic barbecue rub

Dub Shack BBQ's Dang! Oh, Mango barbecue sauce

*As always, this can be made in your own touch and flavor profile. Next time, I may go cherry with the birds. 

STEP ONE. Using a wire rack, position all of the chicken wings that you think your party are going to eat and let them air dry overnight in the refrigerator. To aid the crispiness of those wings, you may add a bit of cornstarch before putting them to bed. One thing that absolutely does NOT need to happen is to let raw chicken sit outside with no regard because salmonella is a very real thing. 

STEP TWO. Light your grill in that two-zone fire we like so much. Since I haven't bought the compartment parts for my Weber Kettle yet, I used a split of pecan wood with charcoals on one side and the empty space to place the wings. In the meantime, season the wings with Mango Magic on both sides allowing them to sweat it out for a spell. Once the temperature gets to 350, place those guys on the cooler side of the grill and let them work their magic.

 

STEP THREE. You don't have to stand over wings but be certain to check them for color after fifteen minutes with the Thermapen, and turn over for even color on both sides. Chicken is ready at 165 degrees but with this cut, they can go to 175 or 180 without any issue. 

STEP FOUR. This is optional due to the fact I like a crunchy wing combined it with the love of the craft, get a cast iron skillet out to pour about 1/3" of peanut or vegetable oil into the pot. Of course, the use of a deep fryer is way easier; set it up for 350 degrees. Since the wings are already at a healthy cooking temperature, this is only a flash fry to maintain the smoke and lock in flavors from the mango rub. Fry away for two or three minutes on both sides and remove to a cooler locale, and repeat until all of the wings are done. Although some people like a dry wing, I chose to make the fried mango wings wet with my own Dang! Oh, Mango sauce. 

Dry wings before Dang! Oh, Mango was drizzled over each flapper

The same wings, wet. What do you think?

STEP FIVE. If you so desire, center your dipping bowl in the midst of those wings. I think these guys are good enough on their own with the rub and sauce but feel free to make it your own. Grab one for a taste and enjoy!

I've been smoking meat for this long and Tuesday is the first time I thought about writing down my methods for wings. I cannot believe it, but...it is what it is. This hopefully rectifies a deficiency from the barbecue side of AD&AD and as party wings can be made in any way, shape, form, and fashion, make them your own and thanks for not only reading this post but also supporting the movement by evangelizing the party in your mouth Dub Shack BBQ aspires to be. Of course, tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Be blessed, be safe, and be good to each other. 

Puff, Puff, Pass: Dub Shack BBQ Smokes a Bologna Chub

I'm smoking a chub.

Because Arkansas barbecue is truly a hybrid of three of the major styles (Memphis, Texas, Kansas City), I might as well share something not entirely unique to the Natural State yet vital to making barbecue cheap again: smoked bologna. If you're looking for the bubble and the slit, this isn't the recipe; I'm smoking the entire round chubby package of bologna.

INGREDIENTS

One 5 lb. chub of bologna

Mustard as a binder

Barbecue rub of choice (I'm using Fire and Smoke Society's Pork Perfect)

Dub Shack BBQ's The O.G. sauce

STEP ONE. Remove the red packaging from the bologna. Score the bologna so the rub and smoke can permeate the meat since we are only reheating this hunk following which spread the mustard all over the chub liberally. You're not going to taste that condiment - the rub adheres to it for its color. In the meantime, set your grill for 250-275 degrees and prepare for a two-zone fire. For those of you who worship at the House of Traeger, Green Mountain Grills, or any of the pellet gods, turn your knob to 250 and add a mixture of maple and cherry pellets.

STEP TWO. Using that two-zone fire, place the chub away from the fire and let it do its thing like you see on the PK above. It'll take a while; therefore, you can run errands, buy more beer and stuff for your sandwiches/adult Lunchables/poor man charcuterie boards like I will to watch the SEC/Big 12 Challenge, or whatever is necessary. The only cause of concern is to make sure the bologna isn't too firm for your liking - this cook does not need a thermometer as we're really reheating it. As the score marks open up, keep cooking. I began this cook with some leftover cherry wood and a chimney full of charcoals but added two chunks of maple wood at the midway point mainly to add an extra layer of flavor.

STEP THREE. At two hours, check the bologna for color. If it begins to feel firm, then it is time to bring inside. In this case, the protein was a pretty mahogany color but it was still a bit soft meaning I let it cook for another hour. One observation to be made is how the score marks made in the beginning have opened up during the cook to accept that cherry and maple smoke. 

STEP THREE. In the miracle of time, the chub of bologna is finished. Don't forget to paint it with your favorite barbecue sauce and let it tack up for approximately ten to fifteen minutes. Pull it off the smoker for a short rest before slicing.

In this form, bologna is good for several days. Share with friends, coworkers, family, and make yourself something tasty to eat! As always, thanks for reading this post: Tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ! Be blessed, be safe, and of course, be good to each other.

Just Keep Living

 

The elders tell us to just keep living.

Growing up, the elders would tell me when things got hard, just keep living no matter how difficult the days become. pic.twitter.com/0vWtXZXMVV

— A. Cedric Armstrong (@cedteaches) January 23, 2022

As we keep living, we find ourselves realizing the things that truly matter are the big things. I sit back and wonder if there is a Word from Heaven that can comfort me in addition to all of us who have loved and lost our family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, associates, and even those we do not know particularly well who have somehow touched our walk for better. The very first text I am drawn to is Matthew 7:12 which is also known as the Golden Rule:  Treat others as you want them to treat you. This is what the Law and the Prophets are all about.  To most people who see us on a daily basis and observe how we move around, this is the clearest example of being Christlike that we can be:  We make a mockery of who we say we are with a tweet or a Bible verse post on social media with a mouth (and heart) full of avarice, hatred, jealousy, and so much evil.

 Jesus told us it isn’t that hard, so why do we make it so darned difficult? If a child can see God, then why are we so blind to Him?

We don’t get to pick and choose our families at birth but at every other point in our lives, we get to select – or fall into – a group of individuals who we eventually call friend, pal, homeboy/homegirl, Greek or military brother/sister, and for some, a bond that grows tighter than that of a natural sibling similar to David and Jonathan. 1 Samuel 18-20 details their friendship from just being two random dudes to what we call “brothers from another mother”, inseparable for the most part with their bond involving loyalty, sacrifice, compromise, and emotional attachment to one another that sometimes is not understood by those closest to us. David was introduced to Jonathan not long after he killed Goliath and brought his severed head to King Saul following which that friendship began and blossomed akin to an orchid full of flowers.

How does their story tie into the elders’ message to just keep living?

For all of the lumps, bumps, and bruises we endure on this journey called life, we just keep living.

For the disappointments in ourselves and even those crushing blows, we experience, we just keep living.

For the moments we feel alone, we just keep living.

(Please reach out to someone if those moments are too tough, and at the very least, pray for his/her comfort.)

For even the separation death brings upon us, we just keep living.

Knowing that we are going to have to cross over to the other shore from time to eternity one day, we just keep living. Isn’t that what our beloved would desire of us?

We don’t just live for the sake of existing because that would be self-defeating. Our lives are created and ordered by God for each and every breath He provides us; why wallow around in self-pity in an emaciated state than what is destined for us? The dearly departed would expect us to keep living! Of course, God gave us all the ability to reason and make our own choices and since none of us are perfect, we are bound to make more than a couple of missteps here and there. What He does is present opportunities daily to draw closer to Him in not only the words from our mouths and fingertips but also through our deeds and thoughts for what we value most is where we tend to put our treasures. One thing to always consider is only what we do for Christ will last.

 Dear Lord,

 We come to You as humble as we know how in gratitude for what You have blessed us with as well as what You have avoided for us to obtain in all of our seasons including this one. It is in our collective prayers that we as weep through this night, joy comes in the morning. Be our Comforter in our season of grief as one of our loaned souls has returned Home to you; as we keep living like the elders before us have said countless times, allow us to rejoice in his/her celebration and be glad for having them in our lives for this section of the dash. We are a bit poorer and needier today than the previous occasion, yet You continue to look upon us as only a Father and Redeemer does for His flock. Please, wipe those tears from our very eyes and continue to love us as much as we love You. In the mighty name of Jesus our Lord and Savior we do ask of it all and more, Amen.