If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to spend a few days cooking over live fire with Steven Raichlen, this is your chance. Barbecue University^® returns September 7–10, 2026. It promises to be another extraordinary union of grilling, learning, and eating very well.

Barbecue University^® takes place at Alisal Ranch, a classic California guest ranch just outside historic Solvang. It’s the kind of place that feels made for outdoor cooking—wide-open spaces, fresh air, and plenty of room to gather around the grills. Mornings are spent cooking alongside Steven and the Barbecue Bible team, absorbing techniques, recipes, and the kind of practical details that only come up when you’re actually standing at the fire.

This isn’t a demo-and-watch setup. Everyone cooks. Everyone tastes. There’s time to ask questions, compare notes, and figure out what works (and why). Some people come to strengthen their fundamentals or fine-tune techniques they’ve been using for years. Either way, the focus stays on real cooking you’ll want to repeat—and show off!—once you’re back home.

Afternoons are wide open. You can stay on the ranch and relax, take a walk, ride horses, book a spa appointment, or head into town for a wine tasting and dinner. Evenings tend to bring everyone back together—good food, good conversation, and plenty of barbecue talk.

Over the years, Barbecue University® has built a reputation as one of the most enjoyable ways to learn live-fire cooking. Space is limited, and the sessions do fill up quickly.

For pricing and registration details click here.

Barbecue University® — where the only marks you get are grill marks.

Check out our 1000+ Recipes section here on Barbecue Bible.Com

Also, sign up for our Up in Smoke newsletter so you don't miss any blogs and receive some special offers! PLUS get Raichlen's Burgers! PDF for free!

Follow Steven on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Pinterest!

Check out our store powered by BBQGuys!

The post Barbecue University^® 2026—dates announced appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

Pork belly is best known as the cut that becomes bacon, but in its fresh form it has earned its rightful place in barbecue. You can slice, cube, or cure it—smoke it or grill it. You’ll be rewarded with killer barbecue that—unlike brisket or ribs—won’t break the bank.

What Is Pork Belly — and Why It Loves Fire

Pork belly comes from the underside of the pig and is cut as a flat slab with distinct layers of meat and fat. It’s a high-fat cut, and that fat is what gives pork belly its richness.

Fresh pork belly isn’t the same as bacon. Bacon is pork belly that’s been cured (usually with salt and sugar) and often smoked. Fresh, uncured pork belly can be cooked directly—grilled, smoked, or braised—or it can be cured first if you want to make bacon at home.

On the grill or in the smoker, pork belly performs so well because its fat renders slowly. As it cooks, that fat bastes the meat, keeping it moist while it absorbs smoke and seasoning. The result is a cut that builds deep flavor and resists drying out, which is why pork belly has become a staple on grills and smokers around the world.

Best Ways to Cook Pork Belly

Pork belly can be cooked in several distinct ways, depending on how it’s cut and how you plan to use it.

Grilled Pork Belly
Sliced pork belly cooks well over direct heat, where the fat can render and the edges can crisp without drying out the meat. Thin or medium slices work best. This approach is especially common in Korean barbecue, where pork belly is grilled simply and served with sauces or wraps that balance its richness. The key here is to slice it thin.

Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Cubed pork belly is a popular alternative to brisket burnt ends. The cubes are smoked until tender, then finished with sauce to create a sticky exterior and a rich, soft interior. Pork belly’s fat content allows it to stay moist while building deep flavor over the course of the cook.

Smoked Pork Belly
Whole slabs or larger pieces of pork belly can be smoked slowly to develop a deep, smoky flavor and a tender, sliceable texture. Smoked pork belly can be served on its own, sliced for sandwiches, or used in dishes like tacos, steamed buns, or grain bowls.

Steamed or Braised, Then Finished Over Fire
In some preparations, pork belly is gently steamed or braised before being finished over fire. This approach softens the meat and renders some of the fat first, while the final cook adds color and texture. Japanese chashu uses this same cut but relies entirely on braising; finishing pork belly over fire adds browning and smoke while preserving that tenderness.

Making Bacon at Home
Pork belly is the starting point for homemade bacon. After curing with salt and seasonings, the belly is smoked and sliced. Making bacon at home offers full control over flavor, smoke level, and thickness, and it begins with understanding pork belly in its fresh, uncured form.

Pork Belly Around the World

Pork belly appears in traditional dishes across many cuisines, each using the cut a little differently but relying on the same balance of meat and fat.

In Korea, pork belly is best known as samgyeopsal, where thick slices are grilled over high heat and eaten with ssamjang, garlic, and leafy wraps. The goal is crisp edges, rendered fat, and contrast from fresh accompaniments.

In Japan, pork belly is commonly prepared as chashu, a braised cut served with ramen. Rolled or slab-style pork belly is simmered in a seasoned liquid until tender, producing soft slices with distinct layers of meat and fat.

Chinese cuisines make frequent use of pork belly in dishes like hong shao rou (red-braised pork belly), where slow cooking turns the fat silky and rich rather than crisp. Try braising the pork belly in your smoker.

Must try pork belly recipes

With these traditions and techniques in mind, here are some of our favorite pork belly recipes—especially satisfying in the winter!

Pork Belly Tips Before You Start

• Skin on or skin off:
  Skin-on pork belly works best for roasting or crisping the skin; skin-off is usually easier for grilling, burnt ends, and smoking.
• Portion size matters:
  Pork belly is rich. Plan smaller portions than you would for lean cuts.
• Seasoning goes a long way:
  Pork belly doesn’t need heavy rubs. Salt, pepper, and a balanced sauce are often enough.
• Sauce late, not early:
  Sugary sauces can burn. Apply them toward the end of cooking.
• Rest before serving:
  Let pork belly rest briefly so the fat settles and the texture improves.

Pork Belly: Frequently Asked Questions

Is pork belly the same as bacon?

No. Bacon is made from pork belly, but it has been cured and usually smoked first. Fresh pork belly is uncured and can be grilled, smoked, braised, or turned into bacon at home.

Do I need to remove the skin from pork belly?

It depends on how you plan to cook it. Skin-on pork belly works well for roasting or crisping the skin, while skin-off pork belly is easier to grill, smoke, or cut into burnt ends.

What’s the best temperature for cooking pork belly?

Pork belly is forgiving, but most barbecue methods work best at moderate temperatures, typically between 250°F and 300°F for smoking. For grilling sliced pork belly, higher direct heat works well to render fat and brown the surface.

How do I know when pork belly is done?

Pork belly is done when it is tender and the fat has rendered. Internal temperature is a guide, but texture matters more—properly cooked pork belly should feel soft and flexible rather than tight or rubbery.

Why is pork belly so popular for burnt ends?

Pork belly’s high fat content keeps it moist during long cooks and helps it absorb smoke and sauce. That combination makes it well suited for rich, tender burnt ends with a sticky exterior.

Pork belly earns its place in barbecue because it’s both forgiving and rewarding. It works across techniques, shows up in traditions around the world, and delivers flavor that few cuts can match. Once you start cooking pork belly over fire, it’s a cut that’s hard to stop coming back to.

Related Blogs

• Add This Technique to Your Repertoire: Smoke-Braising
• Seoul Food: Pork Belly Breaks Out of the Bacon Mold
• Create Maple Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Check out our 1000+ Recipes section here on Barbecue Bible.Com

Also, sign up for our Up in Smoke newsletter so you don't miss any blogs and receive some special offers! PLUS get Raichlen's Burgers! PDF for free!

Follow Steven on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Pinterest!

Check out our store powered by BBQGuys!

The post Belly Up for Pork Belly appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

I was recently thumbing through cooking magazines that piled up during a particularly busy stretch of time and was flabbergasted by the number of ingredients many recipes required. Fifty? Twenty-seven? They were exhausting to read, let alone deliver to the table.

Barbecue doesn’t need to be complicated to be good. In fact, some of the best barbecued meals we’ve loved come from doing less—fewer ingredients and fewer steps.

Below are nine simple recipes we’ve culled from our favorites. They’re about familiar flavors, forgiving methods, and food that looks and tastes like it belongs at a table with family and friends—not stalling dinner under ring lights.

Think of these recipes as tools, not rules. Use them as written, tweak them to fit what’s in your fridge, or let them remind you that cooking can still be easy, satisfying, and fun—without turning your kitchen into a science lab or your evening into homework.

4-ingredient grilling recipes

Grilling doesn’t have to be complicated to be satisfying. These recipes are reminders that a short ingredient list can still deliver real flavor, especially when you let the fire do the work. Use them as written, adjust them to what you’ve got on hand, or let them nudge you back toward cooking that feels relaxed instead of fussy. When dinner comes together this easily, it’s easier to enjoy the time around the grill, too.

Check out our 1000+ Recipes section here on Barbecue Bible.Com

Also, sign up for our Up in Smoke newsletter so you don't miss any blogs and receive some special offers! PLUS get Raichlen's Burgers! PDF for free!

Follow Steven on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, and Pinterest!

Check out our store powered by BBQGuys!

The post Nine Grilling Recipes That Only Need Four Ingredients appeared first on Barbecuebible.com.

Gone are the days in which you needed to spend a fortune to get a good smartphone. In 2026, features once exclusive to high-end smartphones – big batteries, multi-camera arrays, high refresh rate OLED displays and more – have made their way down to more affordable models. Yes, you’ll still need to buy a flagship smartphone to get the best camera or fastest processor, but you don't have to make nearly as many compromises as you once did if you have a strict budget to adhere to when you go shopping for your next smartphone. If you have less than $600 to spend, let us help you figure out what features to prioritize when trying to find the best midrange smartphone.

Table of contents

• Best midrange phones in 2026

• What is a midrange phone?

• What to consider before buying a midrange smartphone

• What won't you get from a midrange phone

Best midrange phones for 2026

What is a midrange phone?

While the term frequently appears in articles and videos, there isn’t an agreed-upon definition for “midrange” beyond a phone that isn’t a flagship or an entry-level option. Most of our recommendations cost between $400 and $600 — any less and you should expect significant compromises. If you have more to spend, you might as well consider flagships like the Apple iPhone 17 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 if you want the best smartphone experience. Devices like Pixel phones often sit in this price range too, offering some of the best value for Android buyers.

What to consider before buying a midrange smartphone

Buying a new device can be intimidating, but a few questions can help guide you through the process. First: what platform do you want to use? If the answer is iOS, that narrows your options down to exactly one phone. (Thankfully, it’s great.) And if you’re an Android fan, there’s no shortage of compelling options. Both platforms have their strengths, so you shouldn’t rule either out.

Of course, also consider how much you’re comfortable spending. Even increasing your budget by $100 more can get you a dramatically better product. Moreover, manufacturers tend to support their more expensive devices for longer with software updates and security updates, so it’s worth buying something toward the top limit of what you can afford. 

Having an idea of your priorities will help inform your budget. Do you want a long battery life or fast charging? Do you value speedy performance above all else? Or would you like the best possible cameras with high megapixel counts? While they continue to improve every year, even the best midrange smartphones still demand some compromises, and knowing what’s important to you will make choosing one easier.

What won’t you get from a midrange smartphone?

Every year, the line between midrange and flagship phones blurs as more upmarket features and functions trickle down to more affordable models. When Engadget first published this guide in 2020, it was tricky to find a $500 phone with waterproofing and 5G. In 2026, the biggest thing you might miss out on is wireless charging – and even then, that’s becoming less true.

One thing your new phone probably won’t come with is a power adapter; many companies have stopped including chargers with all of their smartphones. Performance has improved in recent years, but can still be hit or miss as most midrange phones use slower processors that can struggle with multitasking. Thankfully, their camera systems have improved dramatically, and you can typically expect at least a dual-lens system on most midrange smartphones below $600 with decent camera quality, selfie performance and software support to keep things running smoothly for years to come..

Midrange smartphone FAQs

How long do midrange phones get software updates?

Support varies by brand, but most midrange phones receive around three to five years of software and security updates. Apple tends to support iPhones longer while companies like Google and Samsung now promise several years of Android and security patches for their midrange models. Budget-focused brands might offer less so it’s worth checking the update policy before you buy.

Are midrange phones good for gaming?

Yes, many midrange phones handle gaming well, especially popular titles like Fortnite, Genshin Impact and Call of Duty Mobile. They usually include capable processors, though you won’t always get the smoothest performance in the most demanding mobile games or at max settings. If you play casually or stick to less graphically intensive titles a midrange phone will feel more than adequate.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-midrange-smartphone-183006463.html?src=rss

©

© Engadget

The deal aims to bolster CrowdStrike's Falcon platform with "continuous identity" protection to secure human and AI-driven access in real-time.

The post CrowdStrike to Buy Identity Security Firm SGNL for $740 Million in Cash appeared first on SecurityWeek.

Asian-style stir-fried lettuce with any and all greens in your refrigerator makes for a quick side dish or main with steaming hot rice.

Rounding up the Lettuce Series (I should have dubbed it ‘trilogy’) with the easiest recipe ever – a stir fry! Wash, tear, dump, toss and tadaaaaaa…

And did it go down well with the parents? Oh hell yeah! So much so we’ve had repeat requests and it’s been paired with steamed rice, dumped on toast, stirred into noodles and eaten as is.

I added a variety of lettuce and some spring onion greens (just because!); feel free to throw in a handful of the greens you need to finish up. There’s only one recommendation for this particular recipe – line up your ingredients coz you got to be quick!

If easy recipes are what you want to bookmark for those hectic weekdays, then you can check out the Chicken Lettuce Soup, Pumpkin & Potato in Mustard Oil and Rosha among others.

A one-pot soup meal made with leftovers and greens, this is great for a working day dinner or when you’ve got surprise guests

Part two of the Lettuce Series as I’ve dubbed it was about throwing things into a large pot to put together a soup – the kind that makes life a whole lot better (read: bearable) when your home has been invaded by painters and you are sneezing your head off courtesy allergies. The Chicken Lettuce Soup isn’t a planned recipe but it’s the kind that, after you’ve sampled, you realise needs to be shared with the world. Or the little pockets of the world this blog reaches.

The best thing about this soup is that the mothership liked it and trust me when I say, her liking food that has chicken (she’s developing a dislike for chicken and meat) and lettuce (read part one of the Lettuce Series) made me feel like a parent whose child has accomplished something major in life!

For those of you who’re coming into this rodeo late, check out the Lettuce Sourdough-wich recipe to know all about reverse parenting. And for those of you like all things soup, check out the recipes for Masala Chicken Soup and Pumpkin Carrot & Spring Onion Soup for some inspiration.

Decades ago, the late Hubert Green began an annual tradition of cooking a Thanksgiving meal for free at the Euless Senior Center. This year’s feast, on November 12, was the last served by the Green family.Hubert founded North Main BBQ just down the street from the senior center in 1981. A black-and-white pig statue greeted diners outside the front door, and the pitmaster would fire up an armadillo-shaped smoker around back. Both are now gone. Hubert and his second wife, Shari McKay Green, passed away in 2017. The business went to the McKay side of the family, was sold twice, and eventually closed.When Hubert died, his son Don Green had already opened his own barbecue trailer in Euless, the Saturdays-only Green’s Texas Bar-B-Que. He took…

The post A North Texas Barbecue Family Serves Its Last Charity Thanksgiving Meal appeared first on Texas Monthly.

It’s important to take proper care of your water feature, especially as winter approaches. Here is what I ... Read More

The post What You Need to Know to Winterize a Fountain or Water Feature appeared first on Garden Therapy.

Joshua Coleman loved his family, custom trucks, Nike shoes, and barbecue. When he passed away in September 2023, after a tragic accident at the age of 36, his obituary read in part, “Josh had a deep appreciation for Texas barbecue, often embarking on long journeys just to savor the finest flavors of the Lone Star State.” His mother, Adrienne Jolliff, encouraged mourners at his funeral to wear Nike tennis shoes. His brother Casey Coleman now drives one of the many trucks, a red Ford F-150, that Josh customized. After his funeral, Adrienne and Casey decided they would continue to celebrate Josh’s life through barbecue.“We were looking for a way to celebrate his birthday but also keep his memory alive,” Casey told me. A month after…

The post He Died Before Visiting All of Texas’s Top Fifty Barbecue Joints. His Family Is Finishing His Quest. appeared first on Texas Monthly.

This week, Southern Living magazine released its Top 50 BBQ Joints in the South. The number one spot on the list, which is compiled annually by contributing barbecue editor Robert F. Moss, is in South Carolina, but Texas is well-represented with seventeen barbecue joints from the Lone Star State. It’s flattering, especially since the first list, in 2015, only included seven spots from Texas, but I think the Southern Living barbecue list could use seventeen fewer Texas barbecue joints. Stick with me.Barbecue in Texas is thriving. The best joints in the state get so much (well-deserved) attention compared to many of the new and storied barbecue houses throughout the rest of the South. And if you’re wondering if Texas should be considered “the South,” the…

The post Some Advice for the South’s Top BBQ List: Leave Texas Out of It appeared first on Texas Monthly.

Published 2022 | Fiction

A boy caught between the real and an ‘alternate reality’, ‘Out of the Woods’ by Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o takes a look at the struggles that mental health illnesses bring with them – for the person and their immediate family members.

During a recent trip to Nagaland, I decided to pick up a book or two written by local authors, and ‘Out of the Woods’ by Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o was one among them. One of the key reasons to pick up the book was the book blurb – there was no tiptoeing around the subject of the book, no promises of happy endings and salvations, no hiding the fact that this could be (and is) a painful read.

Out of the Woods is a book that may act as a trigger for individuals who have dealt with mental health issues – themselves or as support for families. Because Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o captures the emotional turmoil not only of the afflicted but the immediate family too. It took me a good while to read through the book as it brought back memories from the days when I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, the battle that ensued and the struggles that my immediate family, especially my parents faced in the interim.

The Crux

Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o’s ‘Out of the Woods’ is the story of a family struggling to cope with the trials and tribulations that village life brings with it while also grappling with the trauma of caring for a growing teen who is struggling to find his place in the real world that collides with the alternate world he lives in. The book traverses through the life of this family that is caught in an endless, harsh loop of loss, pain, trauma, the struggle to find the cause’ to the boy’s ‘behaviour’ and the penultimate discovery of the road to healing.

The Highs & Lows

One of the highlights of the books is the strong hold the writer has on the language (which could be contributed to the fact that she is an educator based in Kohima and has won an award for a previous book). The author uses simple language as effectively as a painter uses a paintbrush – her words transport you from the eerily peaceful and happy alternate world the boy lives in while effectively drawing out a picture of the home and world the boy inhabits with his family. She uses words to explain to the readers the thoughts and emotions that rush through the boy’s mind, in vivid contrast to the helpless anguish and frustration of the family that is tied together by their love for him. What is disturbing – and true – is that it is this very love and resultant uncertainty that govern their lives and threaten to break them apart. The book is a deep dive into the mind of a young boy dealing with an undiagnosed mental health disorder.

I keep writing ‘the boy’ because that is what he is through the book – ‘the boy’ – and that, in my opinion, works to create an awareness that the teenager and the family could be anyone, in any part of the world.

The relatives, the villagers, the pastor and other sources that claim they can help the child act as a commentary on the society’s struggles to accept the reality of mental health issues. This would, perhaps, be more pronounced in pockets that continue to remain relatively disconnected from the rest of the woke and allegedly more aware world.

So, does this mean Out of the Woods is without its follies? The very strength of the author works against the book – the words. By the time you reach the halfway mark, you may be hit by the ‘this is repetitive’ thought because it is for several pages. Thankfully, there is a shift from the normal to the parallel reality which shocks the reader out of the lull.

Another aspect that did not work for me is the end – the journey from the intervention, to seeking medical help and the manner in which the doctor explains the situation as also the boy’s return to ‘normalcy’ is not fulfilling from the reader point of view. Personally, tighter editing could have definitely helped the cause of this book.

However, for the sheer gumption required to write an entire novel that depicts the emotional trauma and exhaustion of mental health, Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o’s Out of the Woods is definitely a book I’d suggest you pick up.

Asian-style stir-fried lettuce with any and all greens in your refrigerator makes for a quick side dish or main with steaming hot rice.

Rounding up the Lettuce Series (I should have dubbed it ‘trilogy’) with the easiest recipe ever – a stir fry! Wash, tear, dump, toss and tadaaaaaa…

And did it go down well with the parents? Oh hell yeah! So much so we’ve had repeat requests and it’s been paired with steamed rice, dumped on toast, stirred into noodles and eaten as is.

I added a variety of lettuce and some spring onion greens (just because!); feel free to throw in a handful of the greens you need to finish up. There’s only one recommendation for this particular recipe – line up your ingredients coz you got to be quick!

Do let me know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at from.the.corner.table and hashtag it #fromthecornertable. I’d love to see it

For regular updates on recipes, recommendations on things to read and watch and ramblings that make sense, subscribe to the newsletter – you’ll find the form in the sidebar if viewing on a screen and at the bottom if viewing on the phone. Since spamming or flooding your inbox is a huge no for me, these newsletters go out only when I’ve put up a new post or sometimes, once in a month only.

If easy recipes are what you want to bookmark for those hectic weekdays, then you can check out the Chicken Lettuce Soup, Pumpkin & Potato in Mustard Oil and Rosha among others.

A one-pot soup meal made with leftovers and greens, this is great for a working day dinner or when you’ve got surprise guests

Part two of the Lettuce Series as I’ve dubbed it was about throwing things into a large pot to put together a soup – the kind that makes life a whole lot better (read: bearable) when your home has been invaded by painters and you are sneezing your head off courtesy allergies. The Chicken Lettuce Soup isn’t a planned recipe but it’s the kind that, after you’ve sampled, you realise needs to be shared with the world. Or the little pockets of the world this blog reaches.

The best thing about this soup is that the mothership liked it and trust me when I say, her liking food that has chicken (she’s developing a dislike for chicken and meat) and lettuce (read part one of the Lettuce Series) made me feel like a parent whose child has accomplished something major in life!

For those of you who’re coming into this rodeo late, check out the Lettuce Sourdough-wich recipe to know all about reverse parenting. And for those of you like all things soup, check out the recipes for Masala Chicken Soup and Pumpkin Carrot & Spring Onion Soup for some inspiration.

Do let me know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at from.the.corner.table and hashtag it #fromthecornertable. I’d love to see it

For regular updates on recipes, recommendations on things to read and watch and ramblings that make sense, subscribe to the newsletter – you’ll find the form in the sidebar if viewing on a screen and at the bottom if viewing on the phone. Since spamming or flooding your inbox is a huge no for me, these newsletters go out only when I’ve put up a new post or sometimes, once in a month only.

Bill Dumas took off his apron, then his shirt and undershirt, while walking away from the booth where he was serving sausage at the 2022 Monterrey BBQ Fest, in Mexico. Under the hot afternoon sun, he strutted toward the masked luchadores warming up outside a wrestling ring set up at the event. With animated hand motions and very little Spanish, Dumas persuaded one of them to climb in through the ropes with him and give him a proper body slam. Ever the showman, he feigned injury as he lay on the mat in his blue jeans, then rolled out onto the grass and walked back to his booth with a beaming smile.If you find Dumas at another barbecue festival, you may be treated to his…

The post The ‘Sausage Sensei’ of Texas Will Put Anything in a Casing appeared first on Texas Monthly.

It felt too early for barbecue one morning at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. I was on my way to Omaha to start a multistate barbecue tour last year when I saw a sign near gate A16 for the Salt Lick. The normal timetables for consuming food and drink seem to bend at airports. Ask anyone at a so-called Irish pub with a pint of Guinness before their 8 a.m. flight. So I pondered the breakfast taco for a moment before going right for the biggest barbecue sandwich on the Salt Lick menu.The Chop Chop ($21.99 with a side and drink) is a combination of brisket and smoked sausage chopped together and piled high on a sesame-seed bun. I got a side of slaw so…

The post Your Guide to the Best (and Worst) Airport Barbecue in Texas appeared first on Texas Monthly.

“Barbeque, sliced beef, and breadRibs and sausage and a cold Big Red . . .”If you know the barbecue anthem from Robert Earl Keen’s fifth album, Gringo Honeymoon, you can probably finish the rest of the song in your head. For the uninitiated, it might sound like the perfect order at your favorite smoked-meat counter. You’ve got the Texas trinity, a Texas-born sugary drink, and the ubiquitous slice of fluffy white bread.The song “Barbeque” has been a longtime road trip companion of mine for obvious reasons. It’s also with me before I’m being interviewed, when I need to break the ice by belting out a few lines before they’ve had a chance to start recording. The first time I consciously sat with the meal in…

The post We Tracked Down the Forgotten Joint Behind Robert Earl Keen’s Song “Barbeque” appeared first on Texas Monthly.

Published 2022 | Fiction

A boy caught between the real and an ‘alternate reality’, ‘Out of the Woods’ by Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o takes a look at the struggles that mental health illnesses bring with them – for the person and their immediate family members.

During a recent trip to Nagaland, I decided to pick up a book or two written by local authors, and ‘Out of the Woods’ by Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o was one among them. One of the key reasons to pick up the book was the book blurb – there was no tiptoeing around the subject of the book, no promises of happy endings and salvations, no hiding the fact that this could be (and is) a painful read.

Out of the Woods is a book that may act as a trigger for individuals who have dealt with mental health issues – themselves or as support for families. Because Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o captures the emotional turmoil not only of the afflicted but the immediate family too. It took me a good while to read through the book as it brought back memories from the days when I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, the battle that ensued and the struggles that my immediate family, especially my parents faced in the interim.

The Crux

Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o’s ‘Out of the Woods’ is the story of a family struggling to cope with the trials and tribulations that village life brings with it while also grappling with the trauma of caring for a growing teen who is struggling to find his place in the real world that collides with the alternate world he lives in. The book traverses through the life of this family that is caught in an endless, harsh loop of loss, pain, trauma, the struggle to find the cause’ to the boy’s ‘behaviour’ and the penultimate discovery of the road to healing.

The Highs & Lows

One of the highlights of the books is the strong hold the writer has on the language (which could be contributed to the fact that she is an educator based in Kohima and has won an award for a previous book). The author uses simple language as effectively as a painter uses a paintbrush – her words transport you from the eerily peaceful and happy alternate world the boy lives in while effectively drawing out a picture of the home and world the boy inhabits with his family. She uses words to explain to the readers the thoughts and emotions that rush through the boy’s mind, in vivid contrast to the helpless anguish and frustration of the family that is tied together by their love for him. What is disturbing – and true – is that it is this very love and resultant uncertainty that govern their lives and threaten to break them apart. The book is a deep dive into the mind of a young boy dealing with an undiagnosed mental health disorder.

I keep writing ‘the boy’ because that is what he is through the book – ‘the boy’ – and that, in my opinion, works to create an awareness that the teenager and the family could be anyone, in any part of the world.

The relatives, the villagers, the pastor and other sources that claim they can help the child act as a commentary on the society’s struggles to accept the reality of mental health issues. This would, perhaps, be more pronounced in pockets that continue to remain relatively disconnected from the rest of the woke and allegedly more aware world.

So, does this mean Out of the Woods is without its follies? The very strength of the author works against the book – the words. By the time you reach the halfway mark, you may be hit by the ‘this is repetitive’ thought because it is for several pages. Thankfully, there is a shift from the normal to the parallel reality which shocks the reader out of the lull.

Another aspect that did not work for me is the end – the journey from the intervention, to seeking medical help and the manner in which the doctor explains the situation as also the boy’s return to ‘normalcy’ is not fulfilling from the reader point of view. Personally, tighter editing could have definitely helped the cause of this book.

However, for the sheer gumption required to write an entire novel that depicts the emotional trauma and exhaustion of mental health, Neikehienuo Mepfhu-o’s Out of the Woods is definitely a book I’d suggest you pick up.

Asian-style stir-fried lettuce with any and all greens in your refrigerator makes for a quick side dish or main with steaming hot rice.

Rounding up the Lettuce Series (I should have dubbed it ‘trilogy’) with the easiest recipe ever – a stir fry! Wash, tear, dump, toss and tadaaaaaa…

And did it go down well with the parents? Oh hell yeah! So much so we’ve had repeat requests and it’s been paired with steamed rice, dumped on toast, stirred into noodles and eaten as is.

I added a variety of lettuce and some spring onion greens (just because!); feel free to throw in a handful of the greens you need to finish up. There’s only one recommendation for this particular recipe – line up your ingredients coz you got to be quick!

Do let me know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at from.the.corner.table and hashtag it #fromthecornertable. I’d love to see it

For regular updates on recipes, recommendations on things to read and watch and ramblings that make sense, subscribe to the newsletter – you’ll find the form in the sidebar if viewing on a screen and at the bottom if viewing on the phone. Since spamming or flooding your inbox is a huge no for me, these newsletters go out only when I’ve put up a new post or sometimes, once in a month only.

If easy recipes are what you want to bookmark for those hectic weekdays, then you can check out the Chicken Lettuce Soup, Pumpkin & Potato in Mustard Oil and Rosha among others.

A one-pot soup meal made with leftovers and greens, this is great for a working day dinner or when you’ve got surprise guests

Part two of the Lettuce Series as I’ve dubbed it was about throwing things into a large pot to put together a soup – the kind that makes life a whole lot better (read: bearable) when your home has been invaded by painters and you are sneezing your head off courtesy allergies. The Chicken Lettuce Soup isn’t a planned recipe but it’s the kind that, after you’ve sampled, you realise needs to be shared with the world. Or the little pockets of the world this blog reaches.

The best thing about this soup is that the mothership liked it and trust me when I say, her liking food that has chicken (she’s developing a dislike for chicken and meat) and lettuce (read part one of the Lettuce Series) made me feel like a parent whose child has accomplished something major in life!

For those of you who’re coming into this rodeo late, check out the Lettuce Sourdough-wich recipe to know all about reverse parenting. And for those of you like all things soup, check out the recipes for Masala Chicken Soup and Pumpkin Carrot & Spring Onion Soup for some inspiration.

Do let me know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at from.the.corner.table and hashtag it #fromthecornertable. I’d love to see it

For regular updates on recipes, recommendations on things to read and watch and ramblings that make sense, subscribe to the newsletter – you’ll find the form in the sidebar if viewing on a screen and at the bottom if viewing on the phone. Since spamming or flooding your inbox is a huge no for me, these newsletters go out only when I’ve put up a new post or sometimes, once in a month only.