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Barrie Got Spun Reaaaaal Good!!

BBQfan1
BBQfan1 Posts: 562
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
Wow! What a feeling when something that took nearly a year to fully plan comes to fruition!
As some folks have already commented, the win this weekend in Barrie took a full team effort (we had 6 team members, plus a helping hand from 2 others). Trying to do a competition that spans two full days (3 categories per day, Saturday and Sunday) with side dishes, 4 full blind box entries and then onsite visit from 2 judges for the same dish(es), but 15 minutes later, is an incredible challenge! We had three pick-ups (Bryan Brown and Aaron and Adrienne Rosses' from Canada and Kenny's from Maryland), plus my Caravan all loaded to overflowing with the equipment required to do such an event. Everything from an onsite judging table/settings/china to decorative lights and banners, to multiple tables, promotional materials for Dizzy Pig and the Egg to our canopies (3 in total!), stainless tables, sinks and even a fridge(!) to keep our 'delicate' items (like the cheesecake) from being disturbed as they likely would be in a common cooler (of which we had 6, most of the 120 quart size!)
This is the 2nd straight year that we've won the chicken category and this year we used same recipes as last, but we streamlined and dressed up the components a bit.
We had three items per plate/box: the main meat entry, plus two side dishes. Onsite we added fresh bread (dinner rolls, sourdough bread from a 100yr old Scottish yeast starter sponge as well as French baggette and some Scottish baps, and also matched wines with the entries. We used a nice German reisling for the 1st place chicken, Niagara region icewine for our dessert entry (Maple Syrup cheesecake) and a mixed fruit wine for our two pork entries.
As for our sides, we're holding some things back, but as for the forum input, YB can have a shot of Jack Daniels (this win earns us an International team entry in this year's JD event) as the vidalia onion pie recipe has worked great for us two years in a row! Another highlight was NB's Vietnamese summer roll filled with pulled pork and fresh matchsticked veggies.
I have some pictures on the camera that I hope to download soon. Chris and Kenny were shooting to make it back as far as Buffalo last night (they were having a last snort of JD with drbbq when we pulled out for the hotel about 8 last night), so I'm sure he will be posting his views of the event in the next dozen hours or so.
The Egg rocked as it usually does, but really kicked butt on the ribs, chicken (which had to be cooked whole, as opposed to our usual parts cooked at KCBS contests), bbq pizza and the fresh hearth breads. Thanks BGE, for the outstanding cookers to complement our recipes and also for all the support as we make our way down the bbq trail! See ya at the Jack...again!!
Qfan

Comments

  • BBQfan1,[p]What amazing results. Congrats, dudes. How many other teams were there? Any other Egg teams...[p]

  • BlueSmoke
    BlueSmoke Posts: 1,678
    BBQfan1,
    Congratulations! One and All![p]Ken

  • BBQfan1,
    WE'RE NOT WORTHY!! WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!!(down on my knees bowing to the lords of the dizzy pig!!!). ..[p]you guys rock, plain and simple. . .and i can't think of a more deserving crew. .. .i know how hard you all work at being successful (particularly you and the nature boy and your dreams for the dizzy operation). . ..on top of the well deserved wins, i hope this continued success leads to much greater success for the dizzy pig company, both north and south of the border. ...

  • BBQfan1
    BBQfan1 Posts: 562
    aka mr. Earl,
    Thanks! There were just 15 teams, but that's up a bit from last year. Even with the 20K prize pool, the whole demand of the side dishes and 2-day competition scares away some teams. It is exhausting, but it's not as intimidating as it appears on paper.
    The location of the event; overlooking Kempenfelt Bay, as part of a festival that stretches the entire Bay (picture a 3 mile stretch of shoreline with a full bbq contest with bands and beer tent at one end, nearly 2 miles of craft vendors, kids' sites with rides and interactive events, then another full bandshell with nationally-known bands and another beer garden at the other end of the bay, almost a mile directly across). Attendance peaks out at over 250,000 for the weekend, yet because of the vast area it stretches over, it's never overwhelming for the teams and the sites are generous in size. At the end of the first day, we were able to go for a swim in the bay, then enjoy some beers in front of the site (the entire bbq area is licensed) and watch a beautiful sunset, then retire to a tent pitched about 30 ft from the bay, waking up at 7 am to the sight of two hot air balloons flying so low that the baskets touched the mirror surface of the bay.
    I think NB will echo my comments when he gets home; he mentioned to me on Saturday that this was the best site for a bbq contest that he's ever seen.
    Might be a nice 'international' competition for the Free Rangers to consider for 2006!
    Qfan

  • YB
    YB Posts: 3,861
    BBQfan1,
    That is great news Mike.We are all very happy you guys won.
    Larry

    [ul][li]Mike hard at work[/ul]
  • CdnQer
    CdnQer Posts: 23
    Way to go Mike!
    Just goes to show you the power of a BGE in the hands of masters!

    Erik
  • BBQfan1,
    How does one apply to be a Dizzy Pig team member? Is there a Dizzy Pig school or spinning center? [p]Hoosier Dizzy Pig sure has a nice ring to it. Will a 200 word essay and a case PBR gain me the secrets to winning the big event?[p]I plan on using DP Ragin River and DP Cow Lick at Ribberfest in a couple of weeks. Does that get me in? [p]Congrats on a truely eggsellent showing in Canada! See you in Carmel next year.[p]Doug

  • BBQfan1,[p]Congratulations on what seems to be a very unique contest. Maybe we can get up there next year.[p]Dave

  • Smoked Signals,[p]Are you doing Crestwood?[p]Dave

  • MickeyT
    MickeyT Posts: 607
    BBQfan1,[p]Just amazing. [p]Way to go to you guys and your band of gypsies.[p]Mick

  • Sigmore
    Sigmore Posts: 621
    BlueSmoke, Maybe we could talk them fellows into coming down to Grant for the next Q-Fest. September is coming up quick. That's where I met Dr Que and bought an Egg not long after. And the rest is Green Egg history.
  • Dr_Redwine
    Dr_Redwine Posts: 189
    BBQfan1,
    Congrats to you Boys, one and all!! I may try to work out a trip to Lynchburg to check ya'll out at the Jack. When is it this year??
    DrR

  • Hammer
    Hammer Posts: 1,001
    BBQfan1,
    Mike, congratulations to you and Chris and the rest of the team! You worked hard for this one, and it is well deserved.
    I know that Woodoogies wished he was there, but anniversaries are special too. I'll see you at the Jack!
    Hammer

  • Clay Q
    Clay Q Posts: 4,486
    BBQfan1,
    Wow! Great work guys. Dizzy dust the competition. Keep on smoken!
    Clay

  • BBQfan1,[p]Congrats to Mike, Chris and the rest of the dIZZY bOYS on another GC. You guys are really on a "grand" roll, and it is definately in the COOKS, the RUB (DP), the COOKER (BGE), and the JUDGE (subjective luck helps a little) !!!
    Keep the "Spinning" up and just maybe the DP team can take both the International and US "GC" at the Jack in October.[p]Again, Congrats from the Co-Bros and maybe we can work the magic this weekend in Nashville at the 1st annual "Fiddlin', Brewin', and BBQin'" cooking on those EGGS and rubbing with DIZZY PIG (DD,TS,CL,RR) !!![p]Cheers !!!
    Kirk and the Bros[p]www.co-bros.com

    [ul][li]http://www.co-bros.com[/ul]
  • Old Dave,
    Nope ... wedding anniversary.

  • JDOTR
    JDOTR Posts: 85
    Co-Bro-Q2,
    I second the Co-Bros congratulations to Mike, Chris and all the DP team. We look forward to getting to raise a clebratory glass with you guys when you get down here for the Jack!
    Cheers!
    Chet

  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    CanadaCampView.jpg
    <p />Nice recap of the weekend, Qfan!
    Hatch and I had a blast coming up and cooking with yooz guys. What a fantastic event, and the weather was incredible. No humidity to speak of. And as you said, I thought this was the most beautiful venue ever. Daytime with the cobalt blue sky and the water choppy from a steady light breeze and the water skiers. Then the calm water at night reflecting the city lights. Yowza.[p]The event was well run, and Ray Lampe did an incredible job running the judging (among other things...like making sure the teams knew about the team meeting). They even had people coming around telling you at 10 minutes before turn in, then again when turn in started! The Dizzy North team came well prepared and somehow we were all able to pull off the plan. It took a little improvising...nothing ever goes exactly as planned...but it all seemed to come together in the end. I wish I had a video of myself running (not jogging) with a tray full of 4 boxes of our dessert entry. People were cheering me on, and I handed the tray to Ray with 8 or 9 seconds to spare.[p]As Mike said, the contest required a substantial work load, and was a full team effort. Putting together four blind boxes for each category, then turning around and serving two judges a full meal 15 minutes later. Man. [p]Mike sent me a couple pictures....two is all I have. Here is one of the team (plus the MC and the Grill Guys).[p]DizzyCanadianChamps.jpg[p]Cheers yall! And thanks for all the kind words.
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    BBQfan1,
    I will indeed echo that it was the best site ever. And being able to set up our tents lakefront was a huge bonus! [p]To answer Hillard's question on the eggs, I was amazed how many eggs I saw. I can say for sure that at least half the teams had at least one egg. The team next to us (Smokin' Eh?) was cooking on a whole lineup of guru-eqipped larges....7 I think. We had two XLs and a large.[p]Cheers
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Hey Dave.
    Yeah it sure was unique. Even though it was a crapload of work it was really cool being able to be creative with the presentations. The garnish was wide open, and it was fun putting the little boxes together with 4 different dishes. Qfan even had sketches for the way the boxes should look. They really turned out nice.[p]Qfan did most of the talking to the onsite judges, and I think he'll tell you it was rewarding watching the judges faces when they get this gorgeous plate laid in front of them. And getting instant feedback from them. Some of them stayed for a half hour or more enjoying the meal. Several of the plates were nearly wiped clean.[p]You should go. But you better have plenty of help....or an extremely simple menu![p]See you in KC I hope!
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Dr_Redwine,
    Thanks man! The Jack is the weekend of October 21st. Dizzy North will be there for sure. Dizzy USA has two chances at it right now, but we don't find out til September. [p]You really should come by. It is a great event in a very cool and relaxing part of the country.
    Cheers!
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    Co-Bro-Q2,
    Thanks Kirk. Best of luck to yall this weekend!
    Chris

    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Nature Boy
    Nature Boy Posts: 8,687
    BTW, Ted Reader is the guy in the tie dye shirt. [p]
    DizzyPigBBQ.com
    Twitter: @dizzypigbbq
    Facebook: Dizzy Pig Seasonings
    Instagram: @DizzyPigBBQ
  • Dr_Redwine
    Dr_Redwine Posts: 189
    Nature Boy,
    If you want, ya'll can stay on my place up there. All one square inch of it!
    DrR

  • Uncle Phil
    Uncle Phil Posts: 669
    Smoked Signals,[p]Are you a Hoosier? Where bouts?
    I am a transplanted Hoosier in Florida.[p]Uncle Phil

  • Congrats the DP team for the third grand champion in a row (think it is, right?), anyway,we need to call you SIRS from now on