Love letters to barbecue.

(L-R) John, John, Stacy & Aaron. Franklin Barbecue. © Ryan Schierling

A while back, I told you about some brisket like none other.

You don't eat something that good and not dream about it, talk about it, write about it, take photos of it. And I did. But I wanted a little bit more. I wanted to meet the people ultimately responsible for my gustatory gushing. So I got in touch with the fine folks at Franklin Barbecue and asked if they'd be up for me shooting some portraits before they moved to their new, non-rolling location in February.

Julie and I met Aaron and Stacy on a Wednesday after they'd sold out of everything and I took some photographs.

After that, they showed us around the new digs at 900 E. 11th and I could tell the remodel exhaustion still hadn't outweighed the excitement of the next step in Franklin Barbecue's evolution/takeover. Stacy gave Julie a pair of $20 gift certificates and said "we'll see you guys soon."

We will be going back to Franklin Barbecue again and again – gift certificates or no – so we thought we'd share their generosity with you (with the Franklin's blessing, of course).

So here it is:

Write a love letter to barbecue.

Tell us of your sordid pasts, your smoking hot love affairs, how you just can't stop loving barbecue no matter how hard you try. Tell us what you want, tell us what you need. Tell us everything.

But you must WRITE. Not type. This must be analog – pen, pencil, crayon, marker on paper, cardboard, grocery bag, sauce-stained butcher paper or your finest stationery. Whatever you need to get the job done.

Submissions may be scanned or photographed and emailed with hi-res images to us@foiegrashotdog.com. Or, if you'd like to send it via USPS (bonus old school points), shoot us an email and we'll provide you with an address. The deadline is Janurary 31, 2011.

Two love letters will be selected, and the two $20 gift certificates will be awarded.

And that heartbreakingly good Franklin Barbecue brisket can be yours. 

The prize. © Ryan Schierling