I grew up in Memphis, considered by many to be the barbecue capital of the South. My husband, a fellow Southerner, raised in nearby Alabama, is as crazy about pulled pork barbecue and ribs as I am. So, for his birthday last month, I organized a party for a few friends and picked up the phone to call Corky’s, the 28-year old barbecue restaurant that has been voted #1 in Memphis more than 22 times! You can order online or call, but either way, you’ll discover an array of products. I always opt for the six one-pound packages of pulled pork that cost $99 (including shipping) and feed 18 to 20. This time I added several slabs of ribs for about $19 each. (The slabs are less expensive when ordered as an add-on!) The shipping is quick, with the products arriving packed in dry ice in a styrofoam cooler. I served the pulled pork on warm buns along with coleslaw, baked beans, corn pudding, and a platter of sliced heirloom tomatoes. Everything was delicious, but the barbecue was the hit of the night!

Corky’s Memphis and other locations in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana