The BBQ Association Steering Committee is meeting on a weekly basis. Members are: Patricia Mares, Dawn Orsak, Carolyn Phillips, Ransom Phillips, Margaret Valenti and Luke Zimmermann. (We are still looking for more Committee members, so contact us if you’re interested!) The Association recently filed as a Non-Profit Corporation with the State of Texas and should soon receive official confirmation of our Incorporation status. Currently our focus is on the organization of a Central Texas Barbecue Association Open House. (Invitations are forthcoming.) We encourage all of you to come out and meet other BBQ aficionados, enjoy some food and beverages, see “Masters of Texas Barbecue”, produced by Russell Yarnell, see the future site of the annual CTBBQA Barbecue Festival, and find out more about your Association. Come share in the BBQ camaraderie!

OPEN HOUSE
Sunday, October 10, 2004
Travis County Farmer’s Market
6701 No. Burnet Road
2:00-5:00 pm
Preview “Masters of Texas Barbecue”
BBQ World Headquarters will be open for business
Sponsored by Lone Star Beer

As some of you will remember, Digital Television Productions (Russell Yarnell) filmed at several Central Texas barbecue restaurants in the Spring of 2003. The film has been completed; and negotiations with cable TV are underway. The film, titled “Masters of Texas Barbecue”, covers the Association ‘map’ of Central Texas. It is a professional production and lovingly embraces barbecue, Texas style. What a terrific promotional tool! Bravo Russell and Julius! Russell and Barbara Yarnell are looking forward to seeing their Barbecue Friends at the Open House. Some of us have seen promotional copies of the film and it is terrific. We will keep you posted as to when and where you can see it. . . hopefully on TV soon.

One of the goals of the CTBBQA is to represent and promote our members. In order to do this, we need to know who you are. We’re talking about the restaurants we represent, and the people who own and manage them. There is an Archival arm to the Association and we would like to capture the history of the businesses, their owners, staff, and clientele. An informal questionnaire will be developed. We hope you will participate so we can all discover the joy BBQ has brought to your life. Sharing this information will enrich our lives as well.

Fall has arrived; the kids are back in school; and High School football is on the Agenda. I’m not 100% certain, but I suspect that High School Football plays a big part in your fall business, bringing community and family together. And whether the team wins or looses, the fans can take comfort in your down home barbecue cooked with love, served with pride. Here in Austin, we catch the spirit of the Longhorns. (No disrespect to the Aggies and Red Raiders, it’s just a matter of location.) Support your team!

We really hope to see most of you on October 10^th. Please also urge your local Chamber of Commerce to attend. After all, this is about tourism and promotion of BBQ here in the barbecue belt of Central Texas.

Barbecue Rules!