When I was growing up, the Memorial Day backyard barbecue was the hit of the summer. My dad would make the most delicious barbeque ribs I had ever tasted. In general, my dad was a pretty light hearted joke a minute kind of guy. When he was working the backyard grill, he became someone quite different. Suddenly, he was all business. You could talk to him, but if you broke his concentration on the barbecue grill, he would start to tune you out. Getting the meat to just the perfect temperature was his only priority.
I always thought that his barbeque ribs were the most delicious food in the world. They were sweet, smoky and slightly crunchy on the outside. We would never go out for barbecue ribs when I was a kid and looking back, it was just as well. As a kid, I never had to find out that my dad made barbeque ribs that were about average at best.
When I first got to taste slow cooker country style ribs, I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. My dad’s barbeque ribs were all but forgotten the moment my teeth sunk into that moist, succulent meat. I had never heard of a slow cooker ribs recipe before. My dad was strictly a grill kind of guy. Although he used a barbeque ribs spice rub, he might as well have left it off because the flavor barely got into the ribs.
With slow cooked ribs, the spices penetrated the meat perfectly. I can’t even explain how good it was! I had heard people talking about the meat “falling off the bone” before, but I had never really realized that they meant it literally. After being smoked for hours and hours, the rib meat is so tender that it dissolve right in your mouth. It was so good, in fact, that I did not even use barbecue sauce. The ribs did not even need it!
What I didn’t know back then was that there was more too those barbeque ribs than using a slow cooker. The actual quality of the rib meat itself makes a big difference. My dad bought his pork ribs at the Safeway, but these ones were from a local organic farm. You really could taste the difference! You wouldn’t think that it would matter after hours of cooking, but it really did!
Though not every climate will support them, those looking for something interesting to plant in their gardens can consider growing some bamboo plants. Not only are these something that are not commonly found in nature, at least not in the States, they are also a very interesting type of material. Bamboo grows really fast and have a very unique look. These plants can also be used for many different household applications, even though you wouldn’t think they would be strong enough.
Bamboo plants can grow so fast that you may not be able to keep up with them. There are some types that are made to be grown indoors and you don’t have to worry about them getting too big too quickly. These bamboo plants are grown in clear water and don’t need a lot of sunlight. In fact, too much sunlight will harm them. The water used for growing these must be clean and fresh. If you have too many chemicals or salts in your tap water, you should consider getting filtered water for your plant to keep it growing and healthy.
Some bamboo plants are going to be unique because no two grow the same. These are called Lucky Bamboo. The shoots are going to move towards the light and they may even grow sideways. That means you can get curves and all types of neat angles by moving the plant in relation to the sun quite often. The Lucky bamboo plants will just keep growing towards the sun and you can get all types of interesting designs when you do this. In fact, leaving it in one place just means you may have a shoot growing straight towards your window. You will have to keep moving it to keep it in one general place.
When growing outdoor bamboo plants, you should read up on what they need because the soil in many parts of the world is too tightly packed. You may need to add some softer, organic filling to your soil. They should have a very early head start, so get them in the ground as soon as you can in the spring or they may not make it through their first winter. Find out about trimming and protection for wind, as both are essential to the longevity of bamboo plants. They need a lot of direct sunlight, but some shade is also needed. Make sure you have the perfect spot for them so you know they will do their best.
