Saturday was a day to remember!

My first ever tailgating experience proved to be one of my more amazing days in recent memory, due in large part to the efforts of Kelly and Erika Gee.

The Gees are strangers to no one in Little Rock and are really the closest thing we have to foodie royalty in this town. Whether they’re hosting legendary cookouts or just being the life of the party at events, the Gees know how to live it up.

Which takes me back to yesterday’s tailgate at War Memorial Stadium. The centerpiece of day was Kelly’s recently (and famously) acquired smoker…a.k.a…The Beastmaster. The apparatus was in full force by the time I arrived at 2 p.m. Some beautiful pork ribs had just come out of the smoker five minutes prior and had a crowd around them, as if Bret Bielema himself had just showed up at our tent.

Friendships aside, these were absolutely the best ribs I’d ever eaten in my life. Seriously. They were unbelievably juicy, had a beautiful sweet and salty crust, and were infused with that amazingly smoky peach wood flavor.

Jort Nightmare

And guess what? Kelly’s smoked chicken wings and pork shoulder were even better. Oh, and I better make mention of his insane pork loin, as well as Erin’s potent Jello shots, Dan’s Italian meatballs, and my jalapeno poppers.

It was my first Jello shot in about 15 years, but hopefully I won’t have to wait that long for my next one…or ten. These were not your college dorm shots. My favorite was the Cherry Coke—super strong and even had a cherry in the middle. Walking in the Arkansas hot sun with a Jello shot in one hand and a rib in the other makes for a damn good day.

I spent most of the day hanging with Greg Henderson (he of Rock City Times fame), Jerad Gardner (he who brought the Tollhouse cookies), and Daniel Walker (he who wore the most God awful pinkish red jorts).

I ask you, does it get any better than tailgating at War Memorial? You’re surrounded by great friends, great food, and great drinks…and btw…there’s a football game going on.

Best Ribs Ever

A huge thank you goes out to the Gees for the invitation. It was a day I won’t soon forget. November is just around the corner!