A few years ago before Memorial Day weekend, one of my coworkers who hailed from Texas asked me what I was up to for the long weekend. “Having a barbecue with some friends” I replied. She stared at me with a serious look and stated, “No, Erin, you are grilling. Barbecue is something different. I come from Texas, we take these things very seriously.” While she was somewhat kidding, I also knew I better get my words straight, as BBQ is serious for a lot of folks!

One of those die-hard fans is my husband. Brice has special love for Russell Street BBQ in North Portland. Since giving up meat, this isn’t my favorite cuisine to check out, but I do like their smoked tofu dish and who doesn’t love baked beans which they make both with meat or vegetarian-friendly. Last weekend however, I did get him to expand his BBQ horizons and try out Homegrown Smoker with me. In the food cart pod next to Prost, this place serves only vegan BBQ dishes (Brice is such a trooper). While some might say that is an oxymoron, I was a big fan of their tempeh “ribs” smothered in their homemade sauce. Continue Reading...