Those who know me and know me well know this: My taste buds have cycles. When I find an entree, a dish, or even a food group that I like I become a creature of habit. I will dine at the same restaurant, over and over, ordering the same meal or collection of entrees until I eventually "O.D." on that cuisine. Once the cycle ends, it's over. The End. Done. 86 that until the cycle comes full circle and I'm back at the table craving another bite, scoring another fix.
These days I'm in a serious BBQ jag. And it doesn't matter where I am, I stop for BBQ. If the establishment is closed, I'll wait until it opens. In fact, I'll plan my itinerary around their hours: Very few things in life are more important to me than food, and those that are, are made better by a great meal. What would family life be without a Thanksgiving turkey or a great Christmas roast? What would breakfast be if not occasionally shared in bed?
I've taken ferry boats to reach great meals, driven (as we all have) hours to reach a certain restaurant, and I've even backpacked with lobster and a bottle of red wine, even carried a bottle of Laphroaig single malt Scotch, high into the White Mountains because everything tastes better under the stars. My past excursions for all things BBQ have led me to the Red Hook section of Brooklyn, New York; the outskirts of Birmingham, Alabama; Bentonville, Arkansas; Fresno, CA; Boston, MA; Freeport, Kennebunk, Portland and South Portland, Maine. These days, I'm always in search of authentic brisket. Beef with bark. Not just to satisfy my "taste junkie" desires, but to feed my need for a visual fix as well. It's not just because the earthy, rich and smoky flavors of well cooked BBQ satisfies my taste buds like no other cuisine, but the entire atmosphere of a real BBQ kitchen and smoker satiates my visual appetites as well.
I crave settings where my camera can serve a purpose, where stopping time through photography reveals facets of life that are nearly imperceptible at the normal pace of our everyday activities. I have a passion for documenting people at work, especially when it's hard and honest work, such as lobstering, firefighting, or cooking. In truth, without my camera, I am rudderless. I often feel directionless, as if I'm moving along without a purpose, like wafting smoke that flows in every direction. But with camera in hand, I like to believe that I'm contributing to the visual history of mankind, or at least those unique individuals that I encounter. And in truth, what better subject to photograph than the people who cook our meals!
Elsmere BBQ and Wood Grill of South Portland, Maine is the real McKoy. Their smoker is from Texas, and they start their days priming it at 4 or 5 am. They work till 11:00 feeding their patrons. Jeremy Rush, one of the co-owners and pit master is an amazing person, but so isn't Kaitlen, his kitchen manager, as is their entire team; they love what they do and you can taste it in their food. If I could cook BBQ it would be the way Jeremy smokes his brisket and ribs. To perfection.
