To kick off the month of April, I chose Chicken Barbecue. In the text before the recipe Marjorie says,
"Remember the very first Maine chicken barbecue you ever attended? You"re not likely to forget it are you? Watching the broilers being barbecued is of never-ending interest."
When I was preparing for, and making, the recipe I was really confused because it is not what a typical barbecue chicken looks like. The sauce isn't anything more than vinegar, water and oil. However, after thinking about it and reading the recipe a couple more times, I realized that it's all in the wording.
Chicken Barbecue, not Barbecue Chicken.
It must have been the method of cooking that made it a true barbecue - prepared over a fire, turning every ten minutes. This being the case, as Marjorie said it would be an event never to forget.
I have this funny image of a group of "Mainers" all huddled around a camp fire turning chicken and drinking beer. Laughing and chatting. I would love to hear some stories or memories of a real "Maine chicken barbecue." If anyone has any memories, please write in.
We served the Chicken Barbecue with a wedge salad and ranch dressing at the Blue Elephant. A delicious combination. Next time I'm around an open fire, I'll have to run out to the store and grab some chicken to try a real Maine barbecue!
Sometimes a volunteer fire department will still have a chicken barbecue on July 4, but it used to be a major big deal all summer long in every town. All the organizations, Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion used to put them on. They'd use huge long pits filled with charcoal and put the cutup chicken on huge racks they would turn and baste the chicken. Usually it got really brown and crispy. Corn on the cob and glass bottles of orange and cream soda and rootbeer kept cool in big galvanized washtubs full of ice. Watermelon (big treat) for dessert.
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