A little Monday morning inspiration…
Filed under: 'Cue Culture | Tagged: Logos and signs, Wood-cooked | Leave a comment »
Happy Valentine’s Day
Posted on February 12, 2010 by Porky LeSwine
I have been saving this classic Canadian ad from the Saskatchewan Pork Council for just the right moment. With Valentine’s Day coming up this weekend, now is that moment…
The obvious question is, “Do they have double entendres in Canada?” I’ll let our legions of Canadian readers write in to answer that question. At any rate, Eric, thanks for alerting me to this sign and allowing me to embargo it for months before sharing it. It certainly captures the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
Filed under: Miscellaneous | Tagged: International, Logos and signs, Outside NC, Sex | Leave a comment »
Porky’s Pulpit: Worst BBQ Graphic Ever?
Posted on July 10, 2009 by Porky LeSwine
I recently visited Blue Mist Bar-B-Q and, though I enjoyed my meal, I can’t help but point out the absolutely abysmal logo featured on their menu. I have seen a lot of barbecue joint logos over the years, and this is hooves-down the worst. The tuxedoed pig looks like it was drawn by someone without an opposable thumb (maybe it was drawn by a pig?). Really the only indication that the logo is a picture of a pig is the curly tail poking out from the tuxedo.
- Um, is that a pig?
Luckily, the Blue Mist sign outside the restaurant features a much improved version of the pig in a tux logo. Oddly, the curly tail is not a part of the new and improved logo.
Now that's an improvement
Filed under: Porky's Pulpit | Tagged: Logos and signs | Leave a comment »
Sex Sells ‘Cue (at least up north)
Posted on May 18, 2009 by Porky LeSwine
Recently we received a message from Burgeoningfoodie, who shared this link to a short news report about a sexy mannequin helping sell barbecue in Cincinnati (rest assured, this is a CNN video so it is safe to open at work). Watching the video brought several questions to mind, none of which are particularly insightful but all of which I will share anyway:
- Would any North Carolina towns abide such a brazenly bold buxom barbecue display?
- Do the good people of Cincinnati have a difficult time distinguishing between mannequins and real people? The video indicates that passersby have been fooled into believing Bar-Be Q is a real woman.
- Did the restaurant owner consider finding a “sexy” anthropomorphic pig-woman to advertise his restaurant? And would that be more or less disturbing than his current approach?
- Are there any examples of sex being used to sell barbecue in NC?
- Can we trust the people of Cincinnati–a city known for its bizarre, cinnamon-chocolate-chili–to judge good barbecue ?
- Finally, why does Greensboro, NC–a City located in the heart of Lexington-style barbecue country–have a Cincinnati style chili restaurant but no barbecue joints downtown? And should we put a sexy mannequin outside as a form of retribution?
Filed under: BBQ in the News | Tagged: Greensboro, Logos and signs, Outside NC, Sex | 3 Comments »
Porky’s Pulpit: Sign of the Apocalypse
Posted on April 29, 2009 by Porky LeSwine
No smoking, unless you're smoking a pig! (Photo by Dale Volberg Reed, used with permission)
First the swine flu and now an even more certain sign of the apocalypse: a smoke free dining billboard in Davidson County, NC. Why is this billboard a sign of the apocalypse? Well, in case you don’t know/ain’t from ’round here, the main town in Davidson County is Lexington. Lexington is, of course, perhaps the most important barbecue town in North Carolina and even dubs itself the “barbecue capital of the world.” This title is one Lexington can make a legitimate claim to given its rich history and its present day status: roughly 20 barbecue joints, most still cooking over wood in the traditional manner, serve the town of just 20,000 people.
Apparently Davidson County’s Health Department is working with area restaurants to help them go smoke-free. Luckily, this initiative targets cigarettes, cigars and the like, and not the wood pits out back. As a matter of fact, quite a few barbecue joints in Lexington have signed on to the County’s list of smoke-free restaurants. Even The Barbecue Center and Lexington #1 are among the joints that have gone smoke-free, but rest assured they still burn plenty of hickory wood when they cook their pork.
In all seriousness, the fact that so many barbecue joints are going smoke-free is interesting, given how closely tobacco and barbecue have been linked throughout NC’s history. See this interesting article in the Raleigh News & Observer on the subject.
Filed under: Porky's Pulpit | Tagged: Davidson County, Lexington, Logos and signs, Wood-cooked | Leave a comment »
Rabbi’s Raves: Barbecue Rhymes
Posted on March 27, 2009 by The Rib Rabbi
Check out this classic sign from Austin, Texas:
photo by cheryl via creative commons
Seeing this sign scared the hush puppies out of me. What if I couldn’t eat barbecue one day due to dental issues? I know, I know–it’s too dark a fate to even contemplate. Nevertheless, my next thought was: who’s the closest dentist to Allen & Son?
Mostly, though, this sign warms my heart. As you might suspect, we BBQ Jews enjoy a good rhyme. I grew up patronizing the Yankee Smokehouse, whose owners vowed to “serve no swine before it’s time” (with that apostrophe making a real difference there.)
In our fine state, I can’t think of any barbecue joints pursuing anything approaching porcine poetry. Sure, there’s a few Brew and ‘Cue places. But nothing great out there, even with ‘pork’ lending itself to a rhyme or four. Surely someone has rhymed that with ‘fork,’ and hopefully even ‘spork.’
Yet, after doing a little Web searching, all I could find was this all-too-slick place in California–with its smoked asparagus–“where the fork meets the pork.” But even that’s a touch boring.
So I’m throwing it out there: Can you think of anyone in N.C. Barbecuedom who employs a clever rhyme?
Filed under: Rabbi's Rants/Raves | Tagged: Logos and signs | 3 Comments »
Rabbi’s Rant: Danny’s
Posted on March 18, 2009 by The Rib Rabbi
Danny's...interesting logo
There’s plenty to say about this sign from Danny’s Bar-B-Que, but not much to like. Hence, some good natured ribbing:
First off, claiming to have the “Best BBQ in Cary” might just be the most backhanded compliment in the history of mankind. For those not in the know or the state, Cary is our much-maligned center of yuppydom. To be fair, it looks like they have three locations, so they aren’t just in Cary. (It’s OK, we still love you, Cary).
Plus, it’s a little odd that this pig, who we’ll call Danny, is squirting himself with sauce. He’s basically basting himself. What kind of death wish does Danny have? Although I do appreciate that it’s that oh-so-Carolina of squirt bottles.
Also, yeah right–like a pig could hold a squirt bottle. Hello?? We see that he has hooves on three legs, but then–oh, how convenient–Danny has one magical thumb hoof.
Now I’m all for anthropomorphic pigs, but Danny looks almost human. Is there any kind of mythical centaur-like creature that’s a pig with one human thumb?And why do we have to see this mythical pig/man thing’s butt?
Because nothing makes me hungry like the sight of a pigman’s butt. Pass the sauce, you crazy, mythical thumbhoof pigman.
— —
Note: I have not eaten at Danny’s and, hence, can’t comment on their barbecue. I just wish they’d get a new sign.
Filed under: Rabbi's Rants/Raves, Restaurants & Reviews | Tagged: Cary, Logos and signs | 3 Comments »
BBQ Jew 
