The following letter will be included with two pounds of Bar-B-Q, one pound of slaw and one pint of House Hot Sauce sent to Governor Rick Perry of Texas in response to the article published in the News and Observer on September 22nd 2011.
Governor Perry,
I hope you are well and thank you for taking the time to read this letter. My name is Richard Averitte and I represent Smithfield’s Chicken N’ Bar-B-Q, a restaurant brand in North Carolina serving fried chicken and Eastern North Carolina-style Bar-B-Q. I am writing this letter in response to a statement that has come to light regarding Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q. According to the book “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue,” by John Shelton Reed and Dale Volberg Reed, after tasting Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q you were quoted as saying you have “had road kill that tasted better than that.” While we acknowledge Texas-style barbecue is different from Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q, we are stunned that you feel barbecue from the Old North State pales so greatly in comparison.
Enclosed you will find two pounds of our signature Bar-B-Q, one pound of slaw and a pint of our House Hot Sauce. I strongly encourage you to revisit your experience with Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q and give you the opportunity to rectify your statement. Our Bar-B-Q is prepared from freshly cooked pork shoulders cooked overnight, hand-pulled and made from scratch with the freshest ingredients from an old family recipe. We take pride in serving the finest Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q with a 40-year history of success.
We hope you enjoy this sample and perhaps sway your opinion originally based on the snapshot experience you had with Eastern N.C. Bar-B-Q. We would also like to extend an invitation to you to dine in one of our restaurants when your presidential campaign trail visits North Carolina, so you can fully experience this important part of our culture.
Regards,
Richard Averitte -Director of Marketing
Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q ®
I would have taken a different approach, such as, “Gov. Perry, clearly all those jalapeños have destroyed your taste buds.”
[...] Full letter here. [...]
Well said! Whenever I come back from a trip back home to Eastern NC, you can bet we always bring back Smithfields. I’ve converted many bbq snobs to Smithfields! Don’t change a thing!
I was born and raised in Eastern N.C., and now reside in Ohio. However, a trip back home includes many stops at Smithfields while there and a final stop before heading back to OH. for items to take back with us. If Rick Perry doesn’t like Smithfields, then he has no taste buds whatsoever! He needs to stop kissing potilical butts so that his taste returns. My boyfriend, who is from OH., didn’t like barbecue, until he tried Smithfields. We now order it on line.
Whenever I go to DC to visit my brother he always makes me bring NC BBQ with me. There are several places up there that claim they make authentic NC BBQ but it is just not the same.
I’m interested in what his reply was…………I’m sure you’ll post soon…..Yall Have the BEST BBQ,Chicken , Hushpuppies , slaw!!!!! Its all good!! Good Job!!
There is a lot that I could say, but I do want to be better than “that person” in the way that I talk. You know you have good BBQ, I know you have good BBQ , as well as many many others. What surprises me (not) is how this person appears to be so unprofessional, almost child like.
I agree don’t bash it til you try it! It is very good and some of the best in country. I currently work in the food industry and take pride in making the best bbq. We have people driving from all over to eat it and people order it from all areas of the u.s.a. try it you will like it!
[...] he recently read about Perry’s comment in the News & Observer that he sent Gov. Perry a letter along with two pounds of Bar-B-Q, one pound of slaw and one pint of House Hot [...]
Idiot! While I respect differences of cuisines as it applies to regional locations, his remarks daily state just how idiotic this guy continues to be. However this is the final straw which cannot be ignored. I enjoy the differences of barbecue across our great nation and in a way comparisons could be made with it’s people and barbecue when it comes to the melting pot of our great nation. That being said, I hate bigots, when it comes to food and the people of this country or any nation for that matter. Mr. Perry, may you choke on a beef rib. Next he will be knocking chili on a hot dog…
And by the way Mr. Perry, that’s chili without the beans!!!
Well guess Rick Perry isn’t wrong about everything.
[...] we acknowledge Texas-style barbecue is different from Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q,” wrote Richard Averrite of the Smithfield’s Chicken ‘N Bar-B-Q chain. “We are stunned that you feel [...]
[...] we acknowledge Texas-style barbecue is different from Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Q," wrote Richard Averrite of the Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q chain. "We are stunned that you feel barbecue [...]
if perry does remain a candidate in the next election, i guess i won’t vote for a republican from texas for president. i think you should have sent the barbecue to george bush instead. he and laura would have loved it.
In the words of Carley Simon…
“Nobody does it better” than Smithfield’s.
It’s time to spread to other states.