We love our hometown and it sure has loved us back. The city of Murphysboro and its fine families are a huge block in the foundation upon which we built 17th Street. Mayor Will Stephens, we are grateful for your friendship and the thoughtful way you are leading Murphysboro into a brighter future.
Working side by side with our tremendous 17th Street pit crew is a pleasure and a privilege: Becky Streuter, Phillip Heern, Laurie Neef, Jenn Finney, Lisa Keller, Sammi Graff, Sandy Marks, Randy Deason, Steph Jeltsch, Chris Pritchard, and Joe Reeves, as well as our fine BOH/FOH team who help us shine on a daily basis.
Heartfelt gratitude to our brain trust: Robin Insley, ace publicist; Matt Price and Meridith Paulhus, you make us look so good; Tim Breitbach and the Coolfire Studios crew, who help us tell our story; and Jay Bennett, Sam Loccocia, Shelly and Tom Neimeier, and Ken Kellerhals, our partners in bringing to life the next phase of our dream.
The finest folks in our industry continually champion our efforts: David Knight, Elizabeth Knight Ray, Luke Ray, Andrew Bloom, Jim Compart, Marlowe Ivey, George Samaras, Derald Schultz, Primo Grills, Anders Jensen, Anne Thomsen, Weber Stephens, Shane Linn, Richard Hagmann, Wayne Lynch, Mark Lambert, Mark Kelly, Lodge Manufacturing.
Our amazing barbecue family constantly lifts us up in friendship and love—y’all are the best: John Lewis, John Stage, Jim Clancy, John Delpha, Dave Raymond, Barry Sorkin, Damon Wise, Shane McBride, the Ribdiculous boys, David Bogan, Mike Emerson, Sarah and Sam Jones, Martha Ann and Patrick Martin, Desiree Robinson, Melissa Cookston, Leslie Scott, Elaine and Garry Roark, Melzie Wilson, Carolyn Wells, Debby and Bill Gage, Chris and Mike Peters, Bob Yarmuth, Christie Schatz, Barbara Latimer, Scott Frantz, Rich Lucy, the Orrison family, Chris and Amy Lilly, Carolyn and Don McLemore, Carey Bringle, Jonathan Fox, Justin Fox, Elizabeth Moore, Anne Marie and Jimmy Hagood, Rodney Scott, Melany and Drew Robinson, Levon Wallace, Tuffy Stone, Chris Hart, Andy Husbands, Grady Foutch, John Farrish, Bob Striegel, Kathryn Twenhafel, and the late Dan Volland.
We cherish your friendship and support: Pat Daily, Tom Viertel, Danny Meyer, Michael Symon, Jeffrey Steingarten, Will Guidara, Daniel Humm, Anthony Rudolf, Aaron Ginsberg, Gerry Dawes, and Jeff Streuter.
To the hundreds of people who have traveled from all over the world to attend our OnCue Consulting classes: We revel in your success.
I worked with a veritable dream team to produce this book: Ken Goodman, your photographs capture the essence of 17th Street. Thanks to Angie Mosier for leading me to Lisa Donovan, whose expert styling eye, organizational genius, and extra pair of hands were a godsend. RH Weaver, a toast to your cocktail creations and superb styling. Sala Harper, thank you for testing the desserts and baking beautiful renditions for the photo shoot. A great big hug and extra special thanks to Becky Streuter, who spent long hours assisting in the translation of our trademark recipes for home use, prepared dozens of beautiful dishes for photo shoots, and helped gather so many props. Deep appreciation to Mike Jones, director of the General John A. Logan Museum, for expert fact-checking and historical photo research.
Every writer should be so lucky as to have an agent like Janis Donnaud in their corner. She did double duty this time around and I am truly thankful for her encouragement, advice, and constant pep talks. Fathomless gratitude!
The book proposal benefited greatly from Rachel Holtzman’s finesse and polish.
Miriam Harris was our outstanding editor on Peace, Love, and Barbecue and she patiently worked with me over a period of several years, hunkered down in the lobby of the Roger Hotel, helping me organize and craft the story arc for Praise the Lard. More important, she coached and collaborated and helped shape this final product, which is immensely better because of her input.
We are proud as punch to be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Rux Martin is quite simply the best in the biz—I’m eternally grateful for your devotion, ideas, enthusiasm, and expertise. The topnotch team at HMH, Melissa Lotfy, Sarah Kwak, and Jamie Selzer, deftly shepherded this book along every step of the way—I truly appreciate your patience and good cheer. No one said it would be easy, but the end result is certainly worth it.
Virginia Devlin, Shannon McGovern, Beth Schiff, and Elena Gallon—who send incredible opportunities my way. Reruns—the gift that keeps on giving!
Sam Jones, Keith Schmidt, Bryan Bracewell, Barrett Black, Tim Mikeska, LeAnn Mueller, and Wayne Mueller—who are my band of brothers in the extra special “children of legends” club.
The best friends in the world, who carry me home: Paula and Scott Maloney, Nida and Todd Mudd, Jami Gregory, Jeff Harmon, Kat Kinsman, Mitchell Davis, Nate Goldstein, Mark Dolan, David Grunfeld, Jamie Darling, and Sarah Robbins.
Family is everything. Thank you for cheering me on: Christopher Mills, Molly Hudgins and Tracey Bione, Lane and Joe Hudgins, Flo and Jem Hudgins, John Hudgins, Landess Mills, Libby Stiegman, and Chris Mills.
I felt the presence of my Mama Faye and Aunt Jeanette every single day while I was writing. Were they still here on Earth, they would have had even more input.
Above all else, my favorite job and top priority is being a mom. My children, Woody and Faye Landess, are incredibly patient with their always-working mother, and they cheerfully accompany me all over the country, proudly representing 17th Street and forming their own relationships within the food and barbecue worlds. When our first book was published, they mastered the art of stealthily remerchandising bookstore shelves, and I can’t wait for them to be back at it this time around. I’m so very proud of both of you.
Everything I am today I owe to Mama Faye Mills and my siblings Landess Mills, Bob Mills, Jeanette Hudgins, and Mary Pat Mills. Everything this book is today I owe to my daughter, Amy Jane: You made it all happen, from hatching the idea and landing the book deal to writing every word of the manuscript and going over every detail with me to make sure we got the story told and the recipes written properly. You sure have done me proud.