Mayonnaise: you either love it or you don’t. I love it and I don’t care who knows it! It’s great on BLT’s, burgers, pork, chicken salad, can be used as a dressing on leaf lettuce salads and makes for a killer warmed roast beef sandwich. Here is a super easy recipe. You can stop with just the base or go all the way for an awesome smokey and a little spicy variation. Let us know what you think. Prep time: about 15 minutes, most of that time is spent just slowly adding the olive oil. 2 eggs (Phil’s or Eggland’s Best Omega 3 fortified) 2 cups light olive oil (the lighter the better) 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar 1 Teaspoon yellow mustard 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt 1/3 teaspoon Chipotle Pepper 1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke 2 tablespoons bacon bits (precooked) In a blender, add the eggs, vinegar and mustard and blend together well. Put the blender on a low speed then slowly – VERY SLOWLY – drizzle the oil. You can leave the blender flip cap one while you do this one LOW speed.

You have to be patient or the consistency will be thin. You’re looking for a nice thick and light consistency. You will hear the blender speed start to decrease as the mixture begins to emulsify and thicken. Occasionally pause to run the blender at a medium speed for a few seconds. It helps with the thickening – be sure to keep it covered when you do or you’ll be splattering it everywhere. Turn the blender off once the mixture is thickened to your desired consistency. I like mine thick like Helman’s, so I usually go a little longer. Now add the salt, Liquid Smoke, Chipotle Pepper and bacon bits and blend in for another 5 to 10 seconds. You can add more of each to suit your taste, but I think this amount gives the perfect balance of spice and smoke. This is awesome sauce for burgers fresh off the grill. If you  want to go over the top, add a slice of Smoked Provolone to the burger! Few things are paired well with great barbeque – a big family gathering, a street party, a milestone event.

And among these has to be the coupling with great music! The opening of SAW’s third location pairs the down home tradition of authentic barbeque with live bluesy jazz, a feast for the soul, the ears and the palate!Second Hand Furniture Shops Polokwane And if such an oxymoron exists as “upscale dive”, SAW’S Juke Joint fits the bill.Delta Touch Faucet Will Not Turn Off Since its debut in October of 2012, SAW’S Juke Joint has been packed practically every night! Ionic Pro Mini Ionic Air Purifier InstructionsYes, even middle of the week. Just driving past its location on Dunstan Avenue, you’ll see the whole Crestline Park shopping center parked with cars, and spilling out down the street.

Since re-opening this establishment, in the space formerly occupied by Ore and Open Door Café, the new restaurant built on the patronage of the former restaurant, but brings in live music from regional bands on the weekend nights. Best of all, it features the well-known barbeque menu from both the SAW’s BBQ Restaurant and its sister, SAW’S Soul Kitchen. SAW’S ownership has a pedigree that has made a barbeque/jazz setting a surefire hit. The founder of the “SAW” brand is “Sorry ASS Mike Wilson”. His partner in their SAW’S Soul Kitchen Brandon Cain is on board. And thirdly, in Saw’s Juke Joint, it’s Wilson, Doug Smith, and American Idol winner and local celebrity Taylor Hicks. In Hicks words, “ I think the concept fits the area perfectly. We all know Saw’s has the best barbeque in town, and the juke joint concept is a home run!” The three have combined their love and knowledge of Southern cuisine, live jazz music and laid-back hangouts…and have a winner!

Much has already been said about Saws, but it is my hope that the afterlife tastes, smells and feels something like this place. Of the three SAW’s locations, Doug Smith says this was the easiest one to renovate and make their own. It had been a fine dining restaurant so the layout was ideal. Doug Smith is no stranger to this part of town; he owned Otey’s in nearby Crestline Village at one point, and he owned Smith’s Oysters & Steaks. What seemed like a quick turnaround to the public was actually five weeks of preparations. Opening during football season was optimal. Restaurants are always busy in Birmingham when games are playing. The atmosphere at SAW’S Juke Joint is all about casual and friendly. Reclaimed wood paneling, bare bulbs and metal tables and chairs suitably make for a slightly industrial feel. But after all, this place means business – food and music. Besides the décor that boasts of a huge assortment of football memorabilia, license plates from “God knows where”, and eclectic souvenirs that make you feel like you’re in a diner on Route 66, there’s the giant chalkboards that get your attention at SAW’S.

From floor to ceiling, these big boards boast of the day’s specials, the beers and cocktails that are featured, and messages from the staff and patrons encouraging everyone to bring in their contributions to the growing football fan shrine. Doug Smith reflects, “ You want people to feel comfortable and unpretentious, and you want them to be able to come in here in T-shirts and tennis shoes, but at the same time, the place has to be clean.” To keep it simple, everything is served with plastic and Styrofoam. Glass is available by request…but it is a juke joint, and this is barbeque. Asking for a bib may be more apropos. They brought on board well-known Birmingham chef Randall Norman, formerly with Highlands Bar & Grill, Ocean, and 26. With Wilson he has created a menu featuring the best of barbeque, with highlights like grits and greens from the soul kitchen, and a few surprises. Where else can you get such an authentic sweet tea chicken sandwich or a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

Customers rave about the sides here too – the light and thin onion rings, the thick sweet potato fries, overloaded baked potatoes, fried pickles, fried whole okra, and the greens cooked with pulled pork. But the signature dish may be the Carolina burger. When it arrives with a fork poking out of the top, necessary for eating, and you are handed a roll of paper towels, you know the effort you’ll put into this burger will be worth it. It’s a thick all beef handmade patty, nicely charred, topped with chili and slaw. Other features include the fried green tomato BLT, overloaded with bacon, the smoked wings topped with signature SAW’s sauce plus a splash of white chicken sauce. That brings us to Sunday Brunch. Start with a trip to the Bloody Mary bar. Of the three SAW’S locations, this is the one featuring a full bar, beer and wine lists. Spice that Mary up how you like it, but it’s still served for its taste, not a fancy glass. Check out the shrimp and grits, or chicken and waffles.