Evening Lecture

Tickets

On July 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Bartow History Museum, retired AJC journalist and author with Bartow County connections, Jim Auchmutey, will discuss his book, Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America, published recently by the University of Georgia Press. According to Auchmutey, “My central contention is that barbecue, not apple pie or anything else, is the most truly American food because it’s so intertwined with our history and represents us as a people with roots on four continents and a variety of cultures.”

Auchmutey’s own history is rooted in BBQ with both his grandfather and great-grandfather being noted pitmasters in Bartow County. It appears this passion for BBQ has trickled down through the years.

Auchmutey’s presentation includes many entertaining visuals and some recorded music.

Thanks to Scott’s Walk-up Bar-B-Q of Cartersville, participants will be able to sample local BBQ. A lite BBQ meal will be provided at 6:30 p.m.

This program is free for members and included in the price of admission to the museum for non-members. There is limited seating for this program, so purchasing tickets in advance is recommended. A book signing will follow the presentation.

About the Author

Jim Auchmutey spent almost 30 years as a writer and editor for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, specializing in stories about the South and its history and culture. He was twice named the Cox Newspapers chain’s Writer of the Year and was honored by the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards, the Associated Press and the Sigma Delta Chi journalism society.

Jim has written extensively about food. He has co-authored two cookbooks, including the first devoted solely to barbecue sauces and rubs, The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce Cookbook. He is a founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi and has won awards for his food writing from the James Beard Foundation and the Association of Food Journalists. He was a guest curator for the Atlanta History Center’s Barbecue Nation exhibition, which inspired his latest book, Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America.

A native Georgian, Jim comes from a long line of barbecue pitmasters and Brunswick stew makers. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Pam, an editor at Emory University. His previous book was The Class of ’65: A Student, a Divided Town, and the Long Road to Forgiveness.