One night this last Spring I heard that Rolling Thunder, in Somerville, TN, was having one of their monthly dinners. I had been invited a handful of time to accompany friends to one of these events, but inevitably something was happening each time. Football, surgery, basketball, etc. When my calendar unexpectedly opened that night, I jumped at the opportunity. I will forever be grateful for that evening. It opened up a world I had considered dead and gone. I have infinite room for growth, no doubt, but this was the catalyst. This was when I realized I could do something I had always wanted. I could write. I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it.

When we moved to Fayette County just shy of a year ago, I was told repeatedly that I should check out Rolling Thunder because “it’s a place for people like you”. After the third mention I began wondering exactly what kind of people that was! Tonight I learned what kind and I couldn’t be more proud. By chance I discovered this evening was one of the regular suppers they put on for customer and community alike. When I heard pulled pork was on the menu, I knew I didn’t want to miss whatever the evening had in store. Walking into the store was like showing up to a backyard barbeque. The clean scent of wood permeated the store. The staff or friends working (it was incredibly hard to tell the difference in who was who!) were friendly and welcoming. They pointed me in the direction of the food, which was modestly priced. The menu consisted of pulled pork, Ms. Lindy’s famous mac n’ cheese, potato salad, baked beans and coleslaw. Listen. If I could have face planted in the pulled pork, I would have. It melted in my mouth having just the right ratio of smoke and seasoning. The rest of the meal was the perfect complement to the pulled pork. It’s true that the South knows food and how to do it right.