This is the barbecue sauce that we had at many family picnics on Corliss Ave. I have a distinct memory of this sauce. but I don't know if it is a mish mash of several memories or if it is memory of one specific time. The charcoal grill was set up in the driveway of 190 Corliss and the chicken pieces that had been marinating in the sauce were ready to go on the grill. When the coals began to glow, Papa (in a pair of cutoff jean shorts), put the pieces on the grill and they sizzled and smoked. He then cooked, turned and mopped the pieces with more sauce until they were just the right amount of char and still juicy. And I am thinking he did this with a beer in one hand. I made this sauce and cooked some chicken a few weeks ago, but something was just missing.
I am absolutely positive that these will not taste exactly the same even though I am using the recipe written out in my grandmother's hand. They will not taste the same because my Papa did not get the little sizzler steaks from the Publix butcher where he worked after my grandparent's retired to Florida. They will not taste the same because I am not making them on my grandparent's little gas grill. They will not taste the same because I never found out what "lemon juice (?)" means. They will not taste the same because my grandmother did not make them and my grandfather did not grill them. They will not taste the same because I can only hear in my mind, my grandmother saying "Well, these turned out pretty good". And mostly they will not taste the same because I am not eating them at the table with my "Mom and Papa". But I will have the memories. ...
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