Report of our competition in Bardonecchia
The third stage of this season takes us to Bardonecchia in the extreme west of Italy, a few kilometers from France, for the BardoQ. It is a competition at its first edition, developed in a very simple way, with no particular frills, but in which everything worked perfectly, although it hosted nearly 30 teams. Moreover, the location was to say the least enchanting, close to the ski slopes, completely devoid of snow at this time, surrounded by the beautiful mountains of the Val di Susa, a perfect frame for many pictures of atmosphere.
By the sport side, we will remember this weekend not only for the second place on the Brisket, and for the first on Pork, but above all for the perfect score on this last one. This is the first time that happens to an Italian team on one of the four official KCBS categories and one of the few times it happens to a European team. We will keep the commemorative pin as one of the most beautiful memories. Unfortunately the judges did not like the other two preparations, especially the chicken and in the overall ranking we did not go beyond an eleventh place. We were comforted by seeing two teams formed by some our great friends on the two highest steps of the podium: The Sticky Fingers, Grand Champion and the Bros Hog, Reserve Grand Champions. Congratulations from the Barktenders guys!
We close as usual with the five things we took home from Bardonecchia:
- Looking in the past few days to the forecast that saw bad weather and temperatures abundantly below zero, we were equipped as if we had to go for an expedition to Antarctica. We found ourselves in a daytime t-shirt and fleece in the evening. The truth is that Sunday evening I was completely sunburned on the face and on the neck, which did not happen even in June in Camargue!
- Friends who have been Bardonecchia’s abituè for years, visiting our spot have brought us some of the local chocolates that you absolutely have to try. They’re called Bardonecchiesi. They look like Cuneesi (for those who did not know them, chocolate meringues, soaked with rum and chocolate coated) but much more delicate and with different variants, like almond, marron glacé, genepi. If you happen to be there, they are really remarkable.
- I have to admit I have never been a great enthusiast of Gin Tonic. The case wanted our spot to be surrounded by two teams who knew what to say about this. On one hand I had the good Roberto Granatiero and on the other the mythical Puccio Garutti from our great friends Torino Ribs. They managed to make two very different Gin Tonic and both were very good on a cocktail that I had seemed quite banal until then. It keeps not being my favorite long drink but I have to admit that if done well it has its own meaning.
- For those who are not familiar with the competitions, I explain that for a proper cooking of some types of meat, you have to cook quite large cuts, but use a ridiculous quantity to put in the boxes for judges, just a taste for each. The organizers usually give the team the faculty to give the rest to the public who is left to leave a tip, then destined for charity. Since the whole world is a country, generally if on these initiatives € 30 per team are raised, it is so much. At BardoQ, the organization had the wonderful idea of picking up all the leftovers taken aside by teams from box preparation and selling it to the public, always delivering the gains into charity. The initiative worked, with considerable lines, a nice collect and the solution was also very convenient for teams that could immediately dedicate themselves to the next preparation. Great thought, to take as an example.
- Saturday night, speaking with foreign friends, they told me that they like to participate in competitions held in Italy, because there is a higher level of socialization than in other countries. Although I attended several competitions abroad I realized for a second that i took for granted something that maybe it is not. In the evening the Bardo Q became a big square, where virtually all teams ate together, bringing each one something. We have a lot of defects, but we have to recognize that we are actually very good at this.
It also closes the BardoQ stop, but we do not make time to unpack our luggage because Friday we’re going to leave again to Salzburg for the BBQ Bulls Championship.
