The history of barbecuing is mostly from the South.  Quoting from my best selling" Finger Lickin' Rib Stickin' Great Tastin'  Hot 'n Spicy Barbecue",, "Bar-B-Q, Bar-B-Que, Barbeque, Barbecue.  The passions generated by this gutsy American dish, no matter how you spell it, are for real although hardly anyone agrees just what barbecue is all about.  The answer is far from clear cut  and depends on how  you define barbecue.  To some it means a spicy sauce, to others a  cooking style;then there are those who say it's a drippy meat concoction and to anyone with a backyard it's a festive outdoor party.

Well, this Thursday, I am teaching a fun, fun class on barbecue, featuring different meats and very special sauces.  When I wrote the cookbook, I found it very difficult to find truly outstanding barbecue sauce recipes.  If they were  sensational, the owner of  the recipe would be like Hans of Oklahoma City.  He owned a barbecue restaurant there where we used to always stop as well as order his fabulous barbecue. When I asked if he would share his sauce recipe for publication in  my cookbook, his response was, "That recipe is just like my boots--it is going to  the grave with me!"  I got that response a lot.  But I persevered and collected a number of yummy recipes for the book which I am offering now for just $10.00 autographed and totally updated.

I hope you can get away this Thursday afternoon,  Apri l  7 at 2 PM for this class.  I am even offering it  at a discounted price of $89.00 down from $115.00.  You will learn the following menu--

• My Favorite Baby Back Pork Ribs
• Fiery Hot South Carolina Pulled Pork
• Down Home Louisiana Barbecued Shrimp
• Kentucky's Best Bourbon-Glazed Thighs
• Special, Spicy New Mexico Barbecued Beef Ribs 
• Sauces and Rubs

There are two  classes set for tje rest of this month.  They are New Mexican Favorites on April 12 at 2 PM and Special Party Appetizers on April 21 at 5 PM/  At the end of this month we have a weekend class starting at 5 PM on April 29.

AND, on June 14 to 20 we are going to Oaxaca for our Culinary tour--always a very special time with three full participation classes, chef's dinners and tours  to villages where  pottery and  crafts are featured.  For the entire itinerary, click here. 

I am sharing  two  very favorite Potato Salad recipes with y ou -- 

BLUE CHEESE POTATO SALAD 

Hailing from Chicago, Sarah Larson, who joined our Pecos Valley Spice Company, made this for us and we loved it! 

Yield: 4 servings

8-10 small to medium red potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled, quartered

½ cup diced celery

2 Tablespoons diced red onion

¼ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup regular or light sour cream

¼ cup crumbled bleu cheese

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon chipotle chile powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon crushed Caribe chile

1. Bring about three inches of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon salt and add the quartered potatoes. Cover and cook until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain water and stir in the remaining ingredients except the Caribe chile and lightly toss together; do not mash potatoes.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with Caribe chile.

TEXAS POTATO SALAD

This recipe came to me by the way of my sister-in-law, Addie. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to your old recipe...’cause this one’s fantastic!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

4 medium-size baking potatoes (Idaho or Russet), unpeeled
2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons vinegar
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup finely diced Spanish onion
1/3 cup finely diced sweet gherkins (pickles)
3 tablespoons juice from the sweet gherkins
½ cup mayonnaise
1 whole canned pimiento, sliced into 1/4 –inch strips
1 whole sweet gherkin

1. Over medium heat in a covered saucepan, cook the potatoes in a water to cover mixed with 1 teaspoon of the salt until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, drain the potatoes, and replace the lid, allowing the potatoes to steam for 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook the eggs with the vinegar and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt in water to   cover, until just done, about 10 minutes.  Drain and run cold water over them to cool. Peel, slice and dice eggs.
3. Peel the potatoes and return them to the cooking pot. Add the butter to the pot, cutting through the potatoes with sharp knife to allow the butter to be absorbed. The potatoes should be in rough, medium-size chunks. Cover the pot and allow them to stand, off the heat, for 10 minutes. If the potatoes are not hot enough to melt the butter, place the pot, covered, over low heat for a few minutes.
4. Off the heat, add the diced eggs, onion, diced gherkins, gherkin juice, mayonnaise and all but 5 slices of the pimiento; chopping the pimiento you are adding to the salad into ¼ inch squares, mix thoroughly.
5. Transfer the mixture to your favorite bowl, garnish with the whole pickle sliced halfway up into thin slices centered on top of the salad. Add the pimiento strips evenly spaced around the pickle, creating a sun ray effect.